ICMF-FF7: Programmer's Thread

[zzzorf]

ICMFFF6:
viewtopic.php?t=5747
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icmf ... am/beavis/

ICMFFF5:
viewtopic.php?t=5265
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icmf ... am/beavis/

ICMFFF4:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4787
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icm+ ... st/beavis/

ICMFFF3:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4213
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icmf ... /xianjiro/

ICMFFF2:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3572
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icmff2/flaiky/

ICMFFF1:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2803
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icmf ... my_leazaq/

---

programmers spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... 1100765182

ICM list of nominated movies:
https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/icm+ ... ns/zzzorf/



As you all may know. I'm taking over as Festival "President" this year. I'm continuing Beavis's tradition of starting the nomination stage of early as it has worked well the last few years. So let it all begin and make this years festival the best one yet.

we always will need more programmers, please join if you want

[zzzorf]

Welcome to the planning stage of the 7th ICMF Film Festival!

the period we are covering this time is 2020 - 2022

The programming part of the Festival is getting stronger each year and I hope that this year we get even stronger to make the Festival greater. We do need to have a discussion with how the make-up of the festival will be with the potential of the current format being retired and a new format of main slate and out of competition being adopted. At the moment the following write-up (copied and edited from last years) has the current format but will change it in the future if we decide to change.

What is the festival about?
Typically the ICMF Film Festival will
-be held at the end of the year (November - December)
-have a total of up to 50 movies that should be available for viewing online, on streaming or on physical media for as much people as possible
-be open for casual viewing enjoyment by all, but also have jurors that will give out prices and watch the entire main slate + at least one other section
-consist of a main slate and the following sections: animation, art-house, Asia, Africa, documentary, "just before dawn" (genre), Europe, English-language independent, Latin America and LGBTQ

What do programmers have to do?
- select the best films you saw from the period 2020 - 2022, with 10,000 votes or less on IMDb, that you think should be available for home-viewing (at the time of the festival) and that did not feature in previous editions of the festival.
- then make a post in this thread saying you want to be a programmer and list a maximum of 30 of those titles (no minimum really... but more than just a couple of course)
- add a description of one or two sentences to each title (at minimum, you can make your cases as big and inspiring as you wish)
- add your titles to the programmers spreadsheet, listing the sections where you think each would be a good fit
- then from now until August we have a 8 month period to watch movies!

- It is required that a programmer watches a minimum of 8 films (1 per month average) from the entire body of proposed titles, and maybe a few more specific titles for sections that need more input towards the end (I will ask for that if and when the time comes). Besides that, you will also be on the lookout for new titles that cross your path which you can propose and discuss as nominations or suggestions in this thread.

- rate every movie you've seen in the spreadsheet on the following scale: 3 (strongly recommend), 2 (recommend), 1 (maybe...) and 0 (do not recommend)

What is the rest of the timeline?
- so from now until the end of August we watch and talk movies here, keeping score in the spreadsheet
- then we'll take a closer look at where we stand and take the month of September to complete a final list of candidates that should amply cover all sections
- at the end of September I'll open a jury invitation thread and hand them a large selection of the list we have created here (the highest qualifying movies)
- jurors will have the month of October to sign up and together pick their "main slate" from that selection
- at the beginning of November the programmers then will make the rest of the program final, this will be communicated to the forum ASAP
- I will start separate announcement threads for each section at the start of the festival

- I propose the festival to be held this year in the four weeks from Monday 13 November until Monday 11 December

[sol]

- I propose the festival to be held this year in the four weeks from Monday 13 November until Monday 111 December

And I propose that every month should have 111 days!

Yes, I'm in and yes, I support the alternate Main Competition and Out of Competition format.

I will try to add some nominations to the spreadsheet over the next few hours. It's my goal to have 50% of my nominations finalised by the end of January in order that everyone has plenty of time to locate and watch them. We'll see how I go.

[zzzorf]

- I propose the festival to be held this year in the four weeks from Monday 13 November until Monday 111 December

And I propose that every month should have 111 days!

Yes, I'm in and yes, I support the alternate Main Competition and Out of Competition format.

I will try to add some nominations to the spreadsheet over the next few hours. It's my goal to have 50% of my nominations finalised by the end of January in order that everyone has plenty of time to locate and watch them. We'll see how I go.

Goddammit, silly typo.

Anyway great to have you back Sol, you going for 100% seen in the nominations this year?

Looking forward to your nominations. I have already re-nominated my first movie, just need to put it here now. I'm going to continue my format of at least 7 days between my nominations again just since it worked well last year and gives me a chance to change things around if I find something new or see a whole I think needs filling in the programme

[sol]

great to have you back Sol, you going for 100% seen in the nominations this year?

Looking forward to your nominations. I have already re-nominated my first movie, just need to put it here now. I'm going to continue my format of at least 7 days between my nominations again just since it worked well last year and gives me a chance to change things around if I find something new or see a whole I think needs filling in the programme

I'm starting in January this time, so yes, I think 100% should be doable.

I've actually already worked out my first 24 nominations; I'm thinking that if I drop the 15 that have the most chance of gaining programmer support by the end of January, it will give a few months in which I can deliberate whether to drop the other nine or wait for something more attractive to cross my path. I'll probably work on a one film per week system similar to you after getting through 50% of my quota.

[Fergenaprido]

Count me in again this year, please.

[zzzorf]

Nomination #1

Nitram (2021)



Preferred Slate: Indie

Alternate Slate: N/A

Director: Justin Kurzel

Links:





IMDb Plot Summary: Nitram lives with his mother and father in suburban Australia in the Mid 1990s. He lives a life of isolation and frustration at never being able to fit in. That is until he unexpectedly finds a close friend in a reclusive heiress, Helen. However when that relationship meets a tragic end, and Nitram's loneliness and anger grow, he begins a slow descent that leads to disaster.

Wikipedia Information: Nitram is a 2021 Australian biographical psychological drama film directed by Justin Kurzel from a screenplay by Shaun Grant. The film revolves around the life and behaviors of a disturbed young man called "Nitram" (based on Martin Bryant), and the events leading to his involvement in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, Australia. The film stars Caleb Landry Jones, Judy Davis, Essie Davis and Anthony LaPaglia.

Nitram premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival on 16 July 2021, where Jones won the Best Actor award for his performance. The film received a limited theatrical release in Australia on 30 September 2021, before a digital release on the Australian streaming service Stan on 24 November 2021. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised Kurzel's direction and the cast's performances, although the film was still met with controversy in Tasmania. The film later received eight awards at the 2021 AACTA Awards, including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

My Two Cents: I was a bit disappointed that this didn't make the festival last year but I know why we had to leave it off. This was always going to be my first nomination and I think the only reason this wouldn't make the festival this year was if it crosses the 10000 vote threshold.

[sol]

First nomination:

1. Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2021, Ana Lily Amirpour, United States) [female director]

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/mon ... lood+moon/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8760670/reference/
https://letterboxd.com/film/mona-lisa-a ... lood-moon/

Preferred slate: Just Before Dawn --- Alternative slate: English Language Indi



Fleeing an asylum, a telekinetic woman journeys through a strange city late at night, helped and hindered by various individuals with diverse agendas in this highly engaging film from the director of previous ICMFF Main Slate movie, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. While promoted as a horror movie due to her supernatural abilities, this is more of a black comedy with much dark humour in how she controls others by staring at them, causing a paranoid girlfriend to start hitting herself and a group of disrespectful strip club patrons to empty their wallets. Jeon Jong-seo is pitch perfectly cast in the lead role too with a curious character, borderline neurodivergent and inquisitive child-like at times. Also fascinating is how many street life characters are less devious than they seem, particularly a heavily tattooed Ed Skrein whose glow-in-the-dark fashioned apartment is rad. The whole thing though looks amazing with lots of neon and vibrant colours and is just as entrancing overall as staring Jeon Jong-seo in the eyes.

Recommended to: filmbatha and Onderhond (horror elements and plenty of style) but I could see zzzorf liking this one too. Maybe even beavis and Gloede, depending on what they thought about the director's previous films. Probably a tad violent for Ferg, but I would be interested in his take too of course.

[sol]

By the way, I seem to have stuffed up the spreadsheet. By inserting a row above (since M comes before N in the alphabet) the columns for Total Films Voted For no longer add up (same goes for the percentages). If anybody with greater Excel skills than me would like to correct it, I would be grateful.

[sol]

In the meantime, I'll list my second nomination too:

2. Falling (2020, Viggo Mortensen, Canada)

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/falling-2020/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9143112/reference/
https://letterboxd.com/film/falling-2020/

Preferred slate: LGBTIQ --- Alternative slate: English Language Indi



Taking care of a bigoted father suffering from dementia, a gay man has his patience put to the test in this gripping human drama written by, directed by and starring Viggo Mortensen. The film is a bit more complex than other films that fall in the 'taking care of bitter parents' subgenre as the present-day action is frequently intercut with flashbacks. Sometimes these are the father's memories and sometimes they are his own and it is very neat how seamlessly the film blends subjective recollections with the heightened present-day drama unfolding. The film's best asset though is Lance Henriksen's performance as the dementia-afflicted parent. Sometimes nice and jovial, sometimes bitter and confused, and sometimes just plain angry, he really feels like a ticking time bomb, yet with humanity underneath it all. His affection for his youngest granddaughter always comes through and reminds us who he had the potential to be.

Recommended to: Fergenaprido of course. I know he likes Canadian films and strongly acted gay-themed dramas. The film already has some support from Gloede (who gave it a 2/3 last year) and it is the sort of dysfunctional family drama that zzzorf might like too.

And it looks like the columns don't up for this one either, so I'll wait for someone with better technical expertise before adding more nominations.

[Fergenaprido]

By the way, I seem to have stuffed up the spreadsheet. By inserting a row above (since M comes before N in the alphabet) the columns for Total Films Voted For no longer add up (same goes for the percentages). If anybody with greater Excel skills than me would like to correct it, I would be grateful.

Fixed.

Instead of inserting new rows, you can fill in the blank rows below and then sort that section (or if you're worried to mess things up, just leaves them out of order and someone else can alphabetize them later).

[Fergenaprido]

the period we are covering this time is 2020 - 2022

We do need to have a discussion with how the make-up of the festival will be with the potential of the current format being retired and a new format of main slate and out of competition being adopted.

Technically, I think we cover 2020-2023.

And once we get a few more programmers on board, I'd like to have that discussion about the format before I start nominating films. I think it will be good to have a rough idea of what we want the festival to look like well in advance, instead of trying to figure things out and make changes in the summer.

[zzzorf]

the period we are covering this time is 2020 - 2022

We do need to have a discussion with how the make-up of the festival will be with the potential of the current format being retired and a new format of main slate and out of competition being adopted.

Technically, I think we cover 2020-2023.

Yeah that was my thought but I just edited what Beavis had posted last year, adding a year to both sides.

[St. Gloede]

I'm in, will look through my old nominees and see which ones I'll renominate over the weekend.

I'm also certain to nominate (or support) a film I noticed is one of Onderhond's favourites: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14228078/?ref_=adv_li_tt

[St. Gloede]

Yes, I'm in and yes, I support the alternate Main Competition and Out of Competition format.

I didn't see this question, but yes, I would also be open to trying a Main Competition and Out of Competition format, depending on how that would look.

[Onderhond]

I'm in too, really liked participating last year.

@St. Gloede: I don't mind nominating that one, it was high on my list to promote anyway

[filmbantha]

Count me in! I've had a busy few weeks and missed the chance to join in the discussion on the festival feedback thread where alternate formats were put forward.

I read through it all though and I am probably an odd one out here in thinking that I am happy with the current format. I don't think the issue in some slates having less viewers reflects on our programming or how we present the festival, and I'm not sure if a change in the format would have an impact on this. I think we just need to focus on encouraging forum members to participate more, and on trying to bring in new people to take part in the festival like zzzorf did with David, who proved to be a great asset.

Tying the festival in with existing challenges also seemed to give the festival a noticeable boost in 21. Though It looks like the unofficial check challenge is already scheduled for a different month which is a shame.

There are some film festivals i go to where I watch absolutely everything on offer but for most I just pick and choose that which appeals to me. If we decrease the number of films we select for the final programme or cut some slates altogether then this would decrease the selection for those who like to pick and choose.

Though I don't think we need to change the format I am open to other suggestions and will be happy to participate as a programmer regardless of what format we proceed with. The whole process is a lot of fun and I enjoy watching all of your recommendations.

Mona Lisa and the blood moon was already on my radar so i'll look forward to giving it a go sometime soon Sol.

[zzzorf]

For anyone interested here is my list of all eligible Festival movies I've seen along with what I would give it in the spreadsheet, it may help people decide whether to nominate a movie or not and may even give some potential movies for someone to check out if they are interested. https://www.imdb.com/list/ls084726496/

[zzzorf]

And here is the Letterboxd list of this years nominations for those who like to use the Just Watch part of that site: https://letterboxd.com/zzzorf/list/icm- ... minations/

My PTP list will be live soon for anyone who utilises it, just PM me if you need a link.

[beavis]

I'm in, of course!!
nice to spend a part of the morning sorting out my starting nominations

first onto the format. Like Bantha suggests, and I remember a similar respons in the feedback thread, our format is not actually broken. Over the years we've destilled it into a well balanced machine. BUT there is something to be said for a new approach. I gave the idea a positive response in the first place for it would reduce the amount of festival threads and that would make for a more centralised discussion and possibly that would make the festival more inspiring or at least more visible. In addition I liked that it would give the programmers a bit more personal say... which in itself might not be what we want, but when some of the best arthouse movies got structurally downvoted in the programming stage last time round...

I'm not sure which is the best way to go. But trying a new way won't do any harm at least, so I feel no real pressure either way. If there is a majority support for change, then I think we could try it. The idea, the one with a mainslate and a second slate , which had the most positive response, was pretty much fully outlined already in the feedback thread. I only questioned the points system, if that would be a positive or a negative thing to have, if anything for it would be turning the festival more into a forum game instead of a real festival I would not go with that aspect.

zzzorf feel free to find a way to judge the average mood on this, and also to create your own format for how the festival is run. Of course I do like it that you kept everything exactly the same so far, another vote of confidence for the format, but even you putting the same message in your own words might already help to attract participation in a different way!

[beavis]

it would reduce the amount of festival threads and that would make for a more centralised discussion and possibly that would make the festival more inspiring or at least more visible

if anything for it would be turning the festival more into a forum game instead of a real festival I would not go with that aspect.

As often, when the exact problem is unsure and the expected result of change unknown, these things can be argued both ways
- maybe having reduced threads would make the lack of action in the struggling sections even more invisible instead
- maybe turning the festival into a game would attract forum users the most, people in general on this forum don't seem to follow the festival scene anyway...


so my first post is my personal stance and instinct in this matter. Like I said I don't think a format change will hurt participation and I am very uncertain if it could really boost it either... in the end it will be about if we think it is worth it and fun to do!

[St. Gloede]

Turning it into a "game" seems to be the way to attract many participants so something like a "leaderboard" or awards might work, though as we talked about before we do want the festival to have a separate feel.

Maybe we don't do a leaderboard, bu a board where each participant is present and their completion level and some kind of fun gamified phrase/label.

[filmbantha]

We could consider giving incentives to jurors who complete a certain amount of slates. Such as the opportunity to nominate a film for the subsequent year's festival, or perhaps an extra vote towards compiling the subsequent year's main slate.

This implies a two year commitment so not sure if it would be much of an incentive but it was just something that occurred to me after reading Gloede's comments. This means that jurors who give more time to the festival could be given more say in the programme, it could even be applied retroactively if this is an idea others like the sound of.

[beavis]

in the meantime, I've made a first selection of my possible festival candidates, hitting 31 options already atm
(n.b. this is a lot of data I'm putting in this post, hopefully as inspiration and future reference for some, including myself )

9 - 2400 - Petrovy v grippe (2021)
9 - 8700 - Memoria (2021)
8,5 - 20 - Il n'y a pas de faux métier (2020)
8,5 - 36 - Beatrix (2021)
8,5 - 114 - Ste. Anne (2021)
8,5 - 221 - Unrueh (2022)
8,5 - 314 - A Night of Knowing Nothing (2021)
8,5 - 468 - El año del descubrimiento (2020)
8,5 - 620 - Mosquito (2020)
8,5 - 1300 - Das Mädchen und die Spinne (2021)
8,5 - 1300 - Malmkrog (2020)
8,5 - 1500 - Strawberry Mansion (2021)
8,5 - 1600 - Fabian oder Der Gang vor die Hunde (2021)
8,5 - 1800 - Flux Gourmet (2022)
8,5 - 2500 - Azor (2021)
8,5 - 5800 - Vortex (2021)
8 - 8 - Un musée dort (2020)
8 - 41 - Ikuta no kita (2021)
8 - 105 - Kun maupay man it panahon (2021)
8 - 105 - Fellwechselzeit (2020)
8 - 182 - Soul of a Beast (2021)
8 - 457 - Viens je t'emmène (2022)
8 - 467 - Vidblysk (2021)
8 - 608 - Friends and Strangers (2021)
8 - 733 - Luxor (2020)
8 - 1500 - Ninjababy (2021)
8 - 1600 - Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt? (2021)
8 - 2200 - Dasatskisi (2020) Beginning
8 - 3500 - France (2021)
8 - 5100 - Dorogie tovarishchi (2020)
8 - 7300 - Gûzen to sôzô (2021)

Ordered per rating and least amount of Imdb votes. Some of them would be re-nominations
I also had a few I wanted to include, but that don't have a proper home viewing release option yet

8,5 - 211 - Drii winter (2022)
8,5 - 889 - Nr. 10 (2021)
8 - 38 - Umibe no kanojotachi (2020)
8 - 51 - A Human Position (2022)
8 - 198 - Met mes (2022)
8 - 692 - Utama (2022)
8 - 1900 - La nuit du 12 (2022)

I might need to leave some room if they become available later in the year... and of course for all other new options that cross my path
these are the most likely titles from my current watch list:

The Gold Machine
From the Planet of the Humans
Wood and Water
A Farewell to Memory
In Between Dying
Under the Cold Stars
My Little Sister
Cocoon
Lonely Rock
Romance Doll
My Dear Spies

Probably going to focus on Indie, LatAm, Africa and Animation again to in my search, as those slates always need some extra attention
Too bad (what turned out to be the) Condor Plata winner "El perro que no calla" was shot down so unnanimously last time by us... but LatAm seems to be given a hard time all round And that while there is so much cinephilia and room for experimentation there it seems. That reminds me: for art house fans this is an important Year-End-Poll to take a look at:

La Internacional Cinéfila Poll: Best Movies of 2022

Pacifiction - Albert Serra
Dry Ground Burning - Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós
Crimes of the Future - David Cronenberg
The Novelist's Film - Hong Sang-soo
Trenque Lauquen - Laura Citarella

Honorable Mentions
Unrest - Cyril Schäublin
Licorice Pizza - Paul Thomas Anderson
See You Friday, Robinson - Mitra Farahani
Will-o'-the-Wisp - João Pedro Rodrigues
Saint Omer - Alice Diop
Nope - Jordan Peele

Debut Film
Aftersun - Charlotte Wells
Anhell69 - Theo Montoya

My remarks: Will-o'-the-Wisp might be a cool one for LGBTQ, a short little musical with a lot of camp and explicitness, the very definition of gay. I couldn't give it an 8 for my taste, but would fully support it. Unrest is one film I'm considering. Pacifiction I should also consider, I liked it a lot, but I feel it needs to have a chance to get a proper cinema run first, maybe next year, is what I was thinking...

La Internacional Cinéfila Poll: Best Movies of 2021

Memoria - Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Drive My Car - Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn - Radu Jude
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? - Aleksandre Koberidze
Petite Maman - Céline Sciamma
The Tsugua Diaries - Maureen Fazendeiro and Miguel Gomes

Menciones honrosas
The Power of the Dog - Jane Campion
In Front of Your Face - Hong Sang-soo
A Night of Knowing Nothing - Payal Kapadia
Annette - Leos Carax
The Great Movement - Kiro Russo

My remarks: What do we see should be nominated, Georgian cinema in general has a bit of a surge these days (like the Swiss, but maybe even better). A Night of Knowing Nothing wasn't a run away succes with us programmers when I nominated it, but Film Comment, Little White Lies and Film Stage all put it in their top selections for 2022 in addition to Cinema Scope and this poll already celebrating it in 2021... So I might need to renominate it

La Internacional Cinéfila Poll: Best Movies of 2020

First Cow - Kelly Reichardt
The Year of the Discovery - Luis López Carrasco
Days - Tsai Ming-liang
The Woman Who Ran - Hong Sang-soo
The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin) - Anders Edström and C.W. Winter
My Dear Spies - Vladimir Léon

My remarks: I nominated Year of Discovery after I found it through this poll, but not sure if renomination would make that one succesful with our team. I also checked out the Works and Days, a film celebrated on other cinephile places too, but didn't like it that much myself, could still be one for Gloede though... Looking forward to My Dear Spies a lot still! I think I'll return to Leon this year, also curious about his documentary (from 2011, so not an option here) on Biette!!

[Onderhond]

I'm pretty neutral about which formula to use (basically agreeing with beavis that it could go either way), I'll gladly join the majority vote.

- I do think it's smart to combine the secondary slates in a single thread. As someone using the "active topics" functionality, I noticed that these threads quickly disappear from eyes (and mind).
- Matching the festival with a challenge sounds like a smart idea, as it gives people an extra incentive to watch the film, without gamifying the festival itself too much.

[beavis]

OK, I've made further considerations and am now going to present 20 nominations, including 9 re-nominations!!

First up, a bit foolheartedly maybe, 3 renominations that are not popular among the programmers who have seen it, but I think still have or at least deserve a chance!

Malmkrog 2020
1.300
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10213380/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/malmkrog/

Beatrix 2021
36
female director
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15081902/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/beatrix-2021/

A Night of Knowing Nothing 2021
314
female director
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14812784
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/a+n ... g+nothing/

Not sure what I can say about them more that could sell them better. And since I've got 20 movies to go through I think I'll leave it at this for the renominations...

These six other renominations all have some to good support. The Girl and the Spider the only other one to score a full support (3) besides my own, so it still feels disapointing from the perspective of my taste... fingers crossed another arthouse afficionado will (re)join our team this year!!! Also, there are two Georgian movies in here that would make an excellent double bill; and I'm on the track of at least one other Georgian movie that should fit, maybe this is the year the country breaks into our festival

What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? (Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt?) 2021
1.600
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14035154/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/ras ... tquestion/

Petrov's Flu (Petrovy v grippe) 2021
2.400
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10380900
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/petrovy+v+grippe/

Beginning 2020
2.200
female director
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12444572/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/beginning/

The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne) 2021
1.300
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11967484/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/das ... ie+spinne/

Friends and Strangers 2021
608
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13698742
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/fri ... gers-2021/

A Museum Sleeps (Un musée dort) 2020
8
female director
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14211238/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/un+musee+dort/

[beavis]

NEW NOMINATIONS

only two from 2020 sadly

Il n'y a pas de faux métier  - 2020 - There Are No False Undertakings
Canada
20 votes imdb, 1 ICM check, 110 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13199096/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/il+ ... ux+metier/
https://letterboxd.com/film/there-are-n ... ertakings/



This was an instant favorite for me! From a director I had hoped to dive into for a while now, but only really manage to do so last december. I love his absurd sense of humor, the unexpected turns of his scripts which often reference supernatural/fantasy elements and the lo-fi aesthetics that he turns into a strength instead of a weakness by fully embrcing it and seemingly doing exactly what he wants to do. This one has two added strengths: 1. a lot of cinephile references (on art in general, but also there is a character playing Denzel Washington and there is a very knowing/amusing discussion on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in a Tarantino-esque manner) 2. he is not only celebrating art/creativity here, but also language itself, in a deadpan Hal Hartley-like (but not quite) style which for me is a smart and fun way to do so. But maybe a minus too: it's a bit much!!! The length and sheer volume of dialogues and monologues might make this tiresome to most people... but when it puts such a big grin on your face like it did with me, that is a very pleasurable tiresomeness.

Fellwechselzeit  - 2020 - Time of Moulting
Germany - female director
105 votes imdb, 3 ICM checks, 289 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11758900
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/fellwechselzeit/
https://letterboxd.com/film/time-of-moulting/



This is a small movie, clearly a debut too, but I loved the production design on it, and as most of you will have gathered by now, German cinema and female directed cinema also is a special area of interest for me. There is a slight horror current going through this one, but not enough to please the genre buffs I think... let me quote somebody else about this one:

"The still life of a family in 57 pictures. Germany in the 1970ies. Stephanie is an intelligent and lively child. But she leads an isolated life with her parents, marked by the symbiotic bonding with her mentally unstable mother. A mother who has never really left her own childhood behind and who lives amidst things of the past and the memories connected to them. Stephanie's relationship with her father is one of mistrust. The passing years only bring aging, but no future. Unspoken thoughts lurk underneath the surface of everyday life. So Stephanie retreats into a dark world of barbaric fantasies, that are nourished by the traces of the past and only belong to her alone. One day, however, Stephanie's secret invades the family's reality."

Also two from 2022, I couldn't resist picking these two big favorits from the past year

Unrueh  - 2022 - Unrest
Switzerland
221 votes imdb, 15 ICM checks, 1400 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11409736
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unrueh/
https://letterboxd.com/film/unrest-2022/



This one has a great evocation of the fin-de-siecle period with a nice focus on inventions like time-pieces and photography and on socialist and anarchist politics, al played out in a very understated style, with amateur acting and very nice cinematography. It has been mentioned by many as one of the more important arthouse releases of last year and I can't agree more!!

Flux Gourmet  - 2022 -
United Kingdom, Hungary, United States
1800 votes imdb, 106 ICM checks, 10K LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15010292
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/flux+gourmet/
https://letterboxd.com/film/flux-gourmet/



From the Letterboxed votes you'd argue that this is a well known movie already. Indeed one that should please both the arthouse and the genre crowds... but I still think that it would be an excellent candidate for our festival if the Imdb votes stays under 10K (like it seems it would do). Strickland is a director who seems to make movies especially for me! There is art, genre, absurd humor, a love of language, a love of sound, a love of great and slightly dark cinematography. His cast here is great, whith famous Greek Weird Wave faces and Gwendoline Christie the coolest you've seen her outside of Game of Thrones... go see it!!

[beavis]

AND FINALLY the new nominations from 2021, making it 20/30 in total nominated at the start this time!!

Ikuta no kita  - 2021 - Dozens of Norths
Japan, France
41 votes imdb, 7 ICM checks, 337 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15546844
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/ikuta+no+kita/
https://letterboxd.com/film/dozens-of-norths/



Anime for arthouse fans only it seems, plays out like a slow nightmare, not unlike the Polish movie in last years Animation selection. Even if I didn't recognise the name of the director, his style seemed very familiar and I had indeed seem some great shorts works from him with Kafuka: Inaka isha (A Country Doctor, 2007) as the most famous example. Everything here also reminded me of the Quay brothers a lot. I think it will be devisive, but it was an instant favorite for me, so I had to nominate it. Interesting sidenote that the music is from Dutch avantgarde composer Willem Breuker (1944 - 2010)

Kun maupay man it panahon  - 2021 - Whether the Weather Is Fine
Philippines, France, Singapore, Indonesia, Germany, Qatar
105 votes imdb, 4 ICM checks, 1100 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14962622
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/kun ... t+panahon/
https://letterboxd.com/film/whether-the ... r-is-fine/



Surrealistic arthouse that has a very unique approach to how the Phillipines dealt with the devastating typhoon Hayan. It might be too slow for genre fans and too weird for arthouse fans, but that kinda hits the sweet spot in the middle where I'm mostly at. Would be very curious to hear reactions of the programmers, and when succesful the entire forum.

Soul of a Beast  - 2021 -
Switzerland
182 votes imdb, 4 ICM checks, 522 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10825610
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/soul+of+a+beast/
https://letterboxd.com/film/soul-of-a-beast/


This one has got a 99% chance of being my next WorldCup selection for Switzerland if my first one gets through, it is also a great double bill with Mariphasa (my first Portuguese selection in the WorldCup) as we have here again a director doing his own cinematography, which tends to be on the dark side, and with a cryptic and surreal storyline. I already promoted the debut feature by this director, Cherry Pie, in the Manager Cup, so those whove seen Mariphasa and Cherry Pie kinda know what to expect here. I think it is an important filmmaker to support, even though this movie lost me very slightly right at the very end... I need to rewatch it for sure, and I would love to hear the opinions of others too, becasue this one seems to have gone under everybodies radar...

Vidblysk  - 2021 - Reflection
Ukraine
467 votes imdb, 18 ICM checks, 1100 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14225832
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/vidblysk/
https://letterboxd.com/film/film:744609/

Spoiler

I'm going with a hidden NSFW screenshot instead of a poster here, to give a clearer picture (and a warning) for what this movie is about. There are extended scenes in Russian torture chambers that make this movie stand shoulder to shoulder with the toughest horror movies! By the same director of Atlantis, which I had previously nominated. That other one had a more subtle mood, slightly more uplifting towards the end, this one is bleak through and through... but given the current situation in Ukrain, I think this one might be a better... Reflection... of what that must be like. If I remember correctly, the guy who plays the main Russian torturer had previously survived such a place himself... which makes me believe there must be a lot of accuracy in the portrayal, and makes it even more gruesome.

Strawberry Mansion  - 2021 -
US
1500 votes imdb, 91 ICM checks, 9600 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11398346
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/strawberry+mansion/
https://letterboxd.com/film/strawberry-mansion/


Quirky surreal indie, very dreamlike, something Michel Gondry might like, but the makers have far more "mumblecore" roots, so the vibe is slightly more lo-fi. Loved it to bits though. One of the first movies I saw post lock-down with both directors presenting the movie live in the theatre (EYE in Amsterdam, the Netherlands)... but that would not have colored my view of it, right?

Ninjababy  - 2021 -
Norway - female director
1500 votes imdb, 93 ICM checks, 5600 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13821562
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/ninjababy/
https://letterboxd.com/film/ninjababy/


more quirky comedy! This time from Norway, a country where subjects like coming-of-age and sexuality are often handled in a more open and adult way than US counterparts it seems, even when they are going for the same kinda quirky comedy vibe of their English Language Independent counterparts like here. Main actress Kristine Kujath Thorp is excellent, as she also is in the very satiric Sick of Myself (Syk pike, 2022) which I could recommend as a double bill

Azor  - 2021 -
Switzerland, France, Argentina
2500 votes imdb, 128 ICM checks, 8000 LB votes
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11136276
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/azor/
https://letterboxd.com/film/azor/


There is Swiss money in this and indeed a Swiss director (the third amongst my nominations this year, and I didn't even nominate Drii Winter yet!! so next to Georgia, this is the year for Switzerland to make some impact on our forum!), but the writer is the famous director Mariano Llinás and his hand is clearly visible in this too, not only in the subject of paranoia surrounding a dictatorial state of government and location. So it could fit both in the Euro and the LatAm slate I think, with Arthouse being the best fit to bypass that conundrum. This is a very understated movie and handles the paranoia perfectly, including an ending that lifts it straight into horror territory for me (but of course a very arthous-y version of horror)

All together certain themes and styles come to the fore very clearly here, these are clearly "beavis" movies. I hope that is still a recommendation to most programmers. A lot of my viewings should speak to both arthouse and genre fans, in some ways... but they might be to slow / weird / cryptic for people who are not exactly on that wavelength...

[sol]

OMFG, I've been meaning to see Strawberry Mansion for ages! It piqued my interest when it dropped on Mubi and it seems challenge eligible this month!! A bunch of your others are on Mubi too. Should be a while before I start asking for help.

I have already given Flux Gourmet a 2/3. Really good film; I found it a bit huh at first, but it has really stuck with me in the months since. Could go up to a 3 if I rewatch it this year, we'll see.

And lol now I'm feeling behind on getting my nominations up.

[beavis]

it's a lot of work! luckily it is still Chrismas vacation for me this week

[zzzorf]

Well Strawberry Mansions was going to be my second nomination so it gets an automatic 3 from me, I was pleasantly surprised with that film.

[Onderhond]

Will be happy to support Flux Gourmet (was a certain nom for me too)

[beavis]

promising start then!

[sol]

Okay, before going to bed, I will add my next two nominations because (like Falling) they are re-nominations of films that I could see making our festival lineups this year. And both of these films already come with one 3/3 from another programmer. I'll add some more brand new nominations tomorrow.


3. Lorelei (2020, Sabrina Doyle, United States) [female director]

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/lorelei-2020/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6461318/reference/
https://letterboxd.com/film/lorelei/

Preferred slate: English Language Indi --- Alternative slate: n/a



Released from prison after fifteen years, a remorseful armed robber reunites with his former girlfriend who now has three kids in this nicely understated and down-to-earth indie drama. Pablo Schreiber is excellent in the lead role as he gradually processes the fact that his girlfriend is now a mother and slowly warms towards her kids. His internal strife is heartfelt, knowing her kids are not his and recalling how he originally wanted to start his own family with her. He has other issues too though, including trouble with his employer and dealing with his girlfriend's mood swings. The three child actors are really good and their eventual, uneasy bonding with Schreiber always feels very real. The film's deliberate bluish exterior colour scheme works very well too.

Recommended to: Anyone who like a solid family drama. This already has a 1 from Tom and a 3 from Wayne. I could see Chris taking to this one, maybe Brett (but he should watch Falling of my nominees first) and possibly even Peter. I don't see Niels taking to it, not quite genre or maximalist cinema-like for his taste I think, but obviously I would love to be proven wrong.


4. Sundown (2021, Michel Franco, Mexico)

https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/sundown-2021/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15115280/reference/
https://letterboxd.com/film/sundown-2021/

Preferred slate: Latin America --- Alternative slate: Art House



Pretending to have lost his passport, a middle aged man continues his vacation in Mexico while his family returns home to attend a funeral in this cryptic drama from New Order director Michel Franco. With his motives left mysterious for the most part, we are constantly left to second-guess why he is avoiding his family and staying on in Mexico. Once all is revealed though, the film leaves quite a bit to ponder in terms of second-guessing and the assumptions we all tend to draw from inconclusive evidence. Tim Roth is oddly sympathetic in the lead role too for a man who constantly lies to his love ones. Add in some interesting pig symbolism and lots of great seaside vistas and this is a film that truly lingers in the mind. I wasn't sure that I would nominate this one after watching it, but I liked it the more that I thought about it on the way home.

Recommended to: I think the right programmers have already seen this one, and with 2s from Chris and Tom as well as a 3 from Peter, it only just missed out on making our Latin American lineup last year. I would love to see it have another chance, plus I think some of the family dynamics (and man who wants to be left alone) might strike a bit of a chord with Wayne if it is not too arthouse for his taste. Not sure how Brett or Niels would go with this one, but I don't see them hating it.

[sol]

programmers spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... 1100765182

Whenever I click this link, it automatically opens at the 2022 tab. Is there a way of changing this? Thanks.

[beavis]

Sundown is clearly the better of the two Franco movies we had selected. Also the best role for Roth in a long while... very devisive director though, without strong supporters on this forum it seems, which is why i did not consider it, but very happy to give full support without a doubt!

[Onderhond]

01. Silence & Sunset (2020)

Preferred Slate: Asia
Alternate Slate: Arthouse

https://imdb.com/title/tt13982338
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/silence+and+sunset/




Silence and Sunset is a good reminder that Japan hasn't been doing much core arthouse cinema (not just international drama) this past decade. Umemura's film more than qualifies though. The film is slow, contemplative, minimalist and somewhat puzzling. It's a very calming feature that foregoes clear narratives or added genre elements, and simply observes as time slows down and characters go about their business. A fine score, polished cinematography and solid performances all help to get you in the right mood. A very pleasant surprise.


02. Hotel Iris (2012)

Preferred Slate: Asia
Alternate Slate: /

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14246570/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/hotel+iris/




My kind of Japanese drama. Broken characters, a beautiful setting, intricate relationships, and sometimes undecipherable actions. It all blends into a very stylish, deliberate, and delicate film. There's a dark edge that's forever lingering right outside of view and I probably need another go at it to make more sense of the plot, but ultimately it's the atmosphere that drew me in. Lovely cinematography, superb performances, and an elegant soundtrack make this a very worthy film.


03. The Midnight Maiden War (Mayonaka Otome Sensô - 2022)

Preferred Slate: Asia
Alternate Slate: JBD

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14323080/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/may ... ome+senso/




Ninomiya strikes again. A slightly more narrative film this time, though he still finds plenty of time for mood building and dramatic character exploration. He hasn't lost his knack of stylistic excellence either, which all comes together in a majestic finale. Ninomiya is by far the most undervalued and neglected director working in Japan these days, probably because he does things just a little differently and writes characters that are a little outside the (cinematic) norm. The Midnight Maiden War is just more proof that he is overflowing with talent.


04. H4Z4RD (2022)

Preferred Slate: JBD
Alternate Slate: /

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14683284/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/h4z4rd/




Jonas Govaerts proves he's more than just a talented genre nut. Cub was a great first film that showed his love for horror cinema, with H4Z4RD he delivers a stronger personal signature. It's a film that breathes 90s Antwerp, delivers a mix of dark comedy, weird crime and crazy action, and sports a set of characters that is just beyond. I'm not sure how well this film will travel beyond Belgian borders, but the comedy is spot on, the soundtrack is killer and the pacing is perfect. H4Z4RD is a film that does everything at 200%, exactly the kind of cinema I live for.


05. The Wandering Moon (Ruro no Tsuki - 2022)

Preferred Slate: Asia
Alternate Slate: /

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15150608/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/the+wandering+moon/




Sang-il Lee returns with another heartwrenching drama. Never one to let his audiences off easy, Lee adapts a story where a (seemingly) pedophilic relationship is begging for the audience's sympathy. People who believe ethics are clear-cut and are unwilling to explore beyond the socially acceptable would do well to skip this film, others will find a beautifully shot, superbly acted, and well-constructed film that doesn't shy away from broad gestures, but ultimately poses some very delicate and smart questions. The Wandering Moon is a challenging film, but that's hardly a negative.


06. The Girl from the Other Side (Totsukuni no Shôjo - 2022)

Preferred Slate: Animation
Alternate Slate: Asia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14228078/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/totsukuni+no+shojo/




A stunning indie animation that is reminiscent of Studio 4°C's Comedy and Mamoru Oshii's Angel's Egg. Based on a manga, director Kubo sculpts a magical realm that slowly reveals its secrets. The animation is a little limited, but the art style is magnificent, and the score is entrancing. The characters are both mysterious and loveable, their relationship both simple and complex. After a somewhat slower start, the film really comes into its own during the second half, building up towards a beautiful finale. I really loved this one.


07. Poser (2021)

Preferred Slate: Indie
Alternate Slate: /

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11175956/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/poser/




A nifty little drama embedded in the Columbus underground music scene. The fact that real-life artists are playing themselves is an interesting detail, but it's the dreamy and very contemporary direction (it reminded me a little of Drake Doremus) that makes the biggest impact. The performances are strong, the music selection is fun and diverse, minor thriller elements add some extra intrigue and the cinematography is on point. A neat surprise.


08. Inexorable (2021)

Preferred Slate: JBD
Alternate Slate: /

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12715472/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/inexorable/




The latest thriller from Fabrice du Welz exudes confidence. Inexorable is a pretty simple film that in no way tries to reinvent the genre. Instead, du Welz delivers a core genre film that relies purely on execution to make an impact. And he pulls it off. It would've been easy to add a little extra mystery to the story, but what we get is an excellent cast, a thrilling soundtrack, and polished cinematography. That's all you need to put people on the edge of their seats, and that's exactly what Inexorable accomplishes.


09. Limbo (Ji Chi - 2021)

Preferred Slate: JBD
Alternate Slate: Asia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14032696/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/limbo-2021/




After a decade of mediocre blockbusters, Pou-Soi Cheang returns with a vengeance. Limbo is a gritty police thriller, a sprawling update of the film noir genre that thrills from start to finish. The stark black and white cinematography and the incredible visual density are the star of the show here, aided by Kenji Kawai's moody soundtrack. The plot is intriguing too, the performances are on point and the pacing is perfect. I had already given up on Cheang, but with Limbo he shows that he still has it in him. A truly magnificent genre flick.


10. A Writer's Odyssey (Ci Sha Xiao Shuo Jia - 2021)

Preferred Slate: JBD
Alternate Slate: Asia

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9685342/
https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/ci+ ... +shuo+jia/




An exciting blend of urban and high fantasy. A Writer's Odyssey is an exemplary fantasy film, unburdened by decades of cultural baggage, where every character and setting is as much an exploration for the audience as it is for the lead characters. There is no lack of visual splendor, technical excellence and epic proportions here. The biggest difference with Hollywood blockbusters is that this actually feels fresh and contemporary, rather than stale and expected. A standard for global blockbusters.

[beavis]

Already seen two and have quite a few lined up to watch, even bought the H4Z4RD bluray last year after it was suddenly dropped from the Dutch cinema schedule... so expect a lot of views from me (probably will take a while, but I AM looking forward to these! )

[beavis]

I noticed I had three "Berlin Encounters" posters amongst my nominations. I've never been to that festival, but the Encounters section programming does seem to line up with what I associate more with IFFR, Locarno and FID... the hardcore cinephile arthouse taste... Of course all the major festivals try to cater to this taste somewhat too these days, but I hadn't specifically looked at this Berlin section yet! Here is an LB list that neatly covers the period we're scouting for:

https://letterboxd.com/bluetaraxia/list ... -earliest/

I've seen 20/42 at the moment and have quite a few lined up actually, so that's not bad... maybe there is something more to explore here for me, Gloede certainly, others hopefully too!

quote from the Berlinale festival homepage:
"Encounters is a platform aiming to foster aesthetically and structurally daring works from independent, innovative filmmakers. Its goal is to support new perspectives in cinema and to give more room to diverse narrative and documentary forms in the official selection.

Conceived as a counterpoint and a complement to Competition, Encounters is a competitive section devoted to new cinematic visions. The films selected will challenge traditional forms and ask viewers to reconsider their positions in relation to them. Being a mirror of the different ways of production that have developed in the 21st century and reflecting this vibrant energy, Encounters will become a meeting point for filmmakers and producers, programmers and film critics, cinephiles and festival lovers.

Not distinguishing between genres, Encounters comprises usually around 15 works - world or international premieres of fiction or documentary films of at least 60 minutes in length."

[Fergenaprido]

OMG this thread is on fire! lol

First, with regards to the formatting, here's what I wrote in the feedback thread:

I like the idea of a main slate (15 titles?) and an "out of competition" slate (another 15 or 2-3/programmer?). Hadn't thought of it, and I think it's worth a look.

Based on my perception of participation over this festival and the past few ones, I would reduce the number of films and slates.

Main Slate: Keep at 10
Genre Slates: Just Before Dawn (5), Arthouse (5), Documentary (5)
Geographic Slates: English Indie (5), "Global North" (5), "Global South" (5)

Total films: 40 (instead of 50 this year).

LGBTQ+ and the regional slates consistently draw the least participation. Animation draws more, but is difficult for programmers to put together each year.
LGBTQ+ films can be easily integrated into other slates (such as Wandering Heart was this year), and animated films probably could be too.
"Global North" could either be North America + Europe + Oceania, or it could be films from major developed economies (i.e. Japan and South Korea could be included).
"Global South" could either be Latin America + Africa + Asia, or it could be films from less established developing economies (i.e. smaller European film countries could be included).

Here's an introduction to the terms "Global North" and "Global South": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_No ... obal_South

LGBTQ+ and the regional slates consistently draw the least participation.

Something in me says that they need more instead of less attention therfore, but those are confusing thoughts
Adding an asian lgbtq slate and a latin lgbtq slate and more like that for instance wouldn't suddenly beget more discussion...

I would love for people to see more queer films, and it's great that the fact that they're underseen means they're scored more highly but if the goal is to increase participation then it makes sense to remove/combine the slates that people seem the least interested in, however near and dear those films may be to our hearts.

My main concern in all of this is building a festival slate that draws increased interest and participation.

The In/Out of Competition idea could work, but my hesitance there is that if we increase the main slate to 15 films, that's a lot to expect jurors to watch in a month, especially if they also want them to explore other films in the festival. In my mind, the Main Slate is already the In Competition slate, and everything else is Out of Competition, but we break it up into smaller slates to help guide festivalgoers into different genres/regions. I do think that the number of different slates and total films may be overwhelming for some, especially since there are films out there that only get 1-3 non-programmers views during the entire month.

That's why I think fewer slates and fewer films could drive participation and have it more focused on the films we keep in, but I'm willing to go with whatever we decide.