The more than 2,700 members of the European Film Academy – filmmakers from across Europe – have voted for this year’s European Film Awards. At the awards ceremony in Berlin the following awards were presented:

EUROPEAN FILM 2012:
AMOUR
France / Germany / Austria, 127 min
written & directed by Michael Haneke
produced by Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka & Michael Katz

EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2012:
Michael Haneke for AMOUR

EUROPEAN ACTRESS 2012:
Emmanuelle Riva in AMOUR

EUROPEAN ACTOR 2012:
Jean-Louis Trintignant in AMOUR

EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2012:
Tobias Lindholm & Thomas Vinterberg for JAGTEN (The Hunt)

CARLO DI PALMA EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER AWARD 2012:
Sean Bobbitt for SHAME

EUROPEAN EDITOR 2012:
Joe Walker for SHAME

EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER 2012:
Maria Djurkovic for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

EUROPEAN COMPOSER 2012:
Alberto Iglesias for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

EUROPEAN DISCOVERY 2012 – Prix FIPRESCI:
KAUWBOY by Boudewijn Koole (The Netherlands)

EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY DOCUMENTARY 2012:
HIVER NOMADE (Winter Nomads) by Manuel von Stürler (Switzerland)

EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY ANIMATED FEATURE FILM 2012:
ALOIS NEBEL by Tomáš Luňák (Czech Republic / Germany / Slovakia)

EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY SHORT FILM 2012:
SUPERMAN, SPIDERMAN OR BATMAN by Tudor Giurgiu, Romania

EUROPEAN CO-PRODUCTION AWARD 2012 – Prix EURIMAGES:
Helena Danielsson, Sweden

EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA 2012:
Dame Helen Mirren, UK

EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD 2012:
HASTA LA VISTA (Come As You Are)
directed by da Geoffrey Enthoven

The European Film Awards 2012 are presented by the European Film Academy e.V. and EFA Productions gGmbH with the support of the Maltese Ministry of Finance, Economy and Investment, the Malta Film Commission, FFA German Federal Film Board, the German State Lottery Berlin, the German State Minister for Culture and the Media, the MEDIA Programme of the EU, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Air Malta p.l.c., ARTE, CinePostproduction, EGEDA – filmotech.com, Film Corporation, GLS, MFCC, Panalight Nexos Mediterranea and ZDF.
Official Hair styling partner: Goldwell
Official make-up partner: M∙A∙C

EFA PATRONS 2012: ★ CENTRE DU CINEMA OF THE FEDERATION WALLONIA BRUSSELS ★ DANISH FILM INSTITUTE ★ EURIMAGES ★ EUROPEAN FILM BONDS (EFB) ★ FILM FUND LUXEMBOURG ★ FLANDERS AUDIOVISUAL FUND (VAF) ★ GERMAN FILMS ★ HUNGARIAN NATIONAL FILM FUND ★ ISTITUTO LUCE / CINECITTÀ s.r.l. ★ MACEDONIAN FILM FUND ★ MFG FILMFÖRDERUNG BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG ★MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE OF CYPRUS (CULTURAL SERVICES) ★ NETHERLANDS FILM FUND ★ POLISH FILM INSTITUTE ★ AB SVENSK FILMINDUSTRI ★ SWEDISH FILM INSTITUTE ★ SWISS FILMS ★ TELEWIZJA POLSKA S.A. (TVP)

YOU’LL SAY I’M OLD-FASHIONED AND LIVE IN THE PAST, BUT SOMETIMES I THINK PROGRESS PROGRESSES TOO FAST

In a land of wonder and whimsy, where every child should go, Dr.Seuss set a fable, one you must know. Of a Lorax and a Once-ler and the truffula trees; a stunning tale about the environment and greed.

But Hollywood’s spin has demolished the sweet universe, even eschewing Seuss’ singular verse. So in an M. Night Shyamalan-worthy ironic twist, a rapacious corporation makes a film about corporate rapaciousness!

Though the moral about eco-wrongs still lingers somewhere in here, all of the joy and the magic has been sucked from the air. The short powerful story, once so divine, has been stretched, pulled and padded to an overlong time.

To find the film’s message, first you must sift through needless romantic subplots between starlets Efron and Swift. Empty soulless pop-songs prove a forgettable drag (why didn’t they just use Tim Minchin’s tune ‘Canvas Bags’?)

Though the candy-floss truffalo trees prove a fluffy delight and there are nice vocal gags from Ms Betty White, the figures, like the moral, seem plastic and hollow and the cheap pop-culture gags prove hard to swallow.

Seuss’ heartfelt words are presented as ripe for mocking, and the irreverent disrespect is actually quite shocking. The dark meaningful tale is reduced to being cheesy – it’s vanilla, satire-lite Seuss, quick, cheap and easy!

After that awful Cat in the Hat and The Grinch from Jim Carrey, it’s easy to see why Seuss was so wary of letting his characters roam outside his books, reduced to blockbuster fodder and cheap meaningless hooks.

This money-spinning adaptation of Seuss for the masses (not to mention charging more for plastic 3D glasses) is a cynical move on Tinsel Town’s part inspired purely by the bottom-line, not at all by the heart.

So instead of paying for this film, buy the book! Go on do! Because Seuss’ voice is still sacred, and his morals still true. But unless someone in Hollywood starts to care a whole awful lot, these movies aren’t going to get better. Trust Seuss, they’re not.

Follow @roemcdermott

IN CELEBRATION OF 10 YEARS OF PUTTING THE PUBLIC

ON THE BIG SCREEN!

The Westbury Hotel, Grafton Street, Dublin 2

Friday 13th & Saturday 14th July: 10am-7pm

As MovieExtras.ie celebrates ten years of putting the public on the big screen, the company is delighted to announce its Open Casting Weekend, taking place on July 13th & 14th in Dublin’s Westbury Hotel.

MTV’s Laura Whitmore began her career with MovieExtras.ie, finding out what the inside world of TV & film was all about.

So, for those who want a walk on part beside their favourite celeb or, like Laura, want to feed their curiosity about what really happens on set, MovieExtras.ie are holding this Open Casting Weekend, at which all members of the public are invited to sign up for membership, have their make-up done by MakeupFablicious.com and have a photoshoot with an award-winning photographer.

Over 550 companies and casting directors have access to the Movieextras.ie members profile and can contact them for work as an extra, model, actor or for promotional work. “Many famous stars began their career as an extra including Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck – so you never know, this could be the start of something big!” says Derek Quinn, Director and co founder of MovieExtras.ie.

Recent Irish productions who have worked with MovieExtras.ie include TRIVIA, Vexed, Asterix and Obelix, Titanic: Blood & Steel, Republic of Telly, What Richard Did, Amber and Ek Tha Tiger (where Bollywood met Dublin). MovieExtras.ie members have also starred in 100s of adverts including ads for Bank of Ireland, Heineken, AIB, An Post, Budweiser, Aldi, The Referndum Commission, Dairygold and Paddy Power. And for football enthusiasts, members were part of several idents and adverts for Euro 2012.
Currently MovieExtras.ie are working with high profile productions including Ireland’s leading soap opera Fair City, Ripper Street (starring Matthew MacFadyen), An Crises, and their members are involved with RTÉ’s Crimecall and Primetime, and Stay (starring Aidan Quinn and Taylor Schilling), which is being shot in the West of Ireland.

“I’m thrilled the company is celebrating 10 years in business. Our members have been involved in over 1,200 productions and adverts, and have had great stories to tell about amazing experiences and meeting some wonderful people, including lots of international stars including Pierce Brosnan, Colin Farrell, Glenn Close, Anna Friel, Bob Hoskins and Kiera Knightly. It’s great that there is so much going on in the entertainment sector in Ireland these days,” continues Quinn. “There are over 40 production companies and casting directors who view over 5,000 members’ CVs every month through MovieExtras.ie.” And, as Quinn says, “Productions are looking for all kinds of people of all ages, looks, shapes and sizes – people who the general public can identify with. So our weekend is open to anyone who might be interested!”

Members have received over €8m in fees and have been involved with well over 1,000 productions including films, movies, documentaries, adverts (TV, billboard & print), theatre, soap operas, idents, photocalls and reconstructions since the company was set up 10 years ago.

All are welcome to attend the open casting weekend. The cost for an individual one year membership is €99.95 and for a special family package is €299.95 (for up to 6 members) and includes 3 professional photographs. Those who are unable to attend the Open Casting Weekend can register online at www.MovieExtras.ie.

MovieExtras.ie
Based in Ardmore Studios, MovieExtras.ie was founded in December 2002 by Derek Quinn and Kevin Gill and has gone from strength to strength, becoming Ireland’s leading agency that provides extras and background artists to the film, television and advertising industries. MovieExtras.ie has won various Irish Internet Association Net Visionary Awards and won the overall Business of the Year Award from the Wicklow County Enterprise Board in 2010.

Producers and casting directors can access the directory of over 2,000 artists for free, by registering at www.MovieExtras.ie.

MovieExtras.ie can be contacted as follows:
Derek Quinn. Phone: 01 276 9535, E-mail: Derek@MovieExtras.ie
Website: www.MovieExtras.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MovieExtras.ie
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MovieExtras_ie

Testimonials from Movieextras.ie Members

“MovieExtras have been great to me, I get to see behind the scenes and take part in what I love the best. Television and Movies!! Whether it be eating in the hungry pig in Carrigstown, swinging an axe in a battle scene, kneeling in front of a King, being part of a flash mob, in a rugby scrum, robbing a bank and post office or rowing a boat with a Viking Obelix costume on I’m sure anyone can have the same great experiences I’ve had. Thanks MovieExtras!” – Neal Swaine

“It is great to be part of MovieExtras and you never know what you will be on next and it’s always a good experience. It’s always good to see familiar faces like fellow extras and meet up with them again. I have met many famous people and they are always very nice and entertaining.”- John Kenny

access>CINEMA, in collaboration with The Embassy of Japan in Ireland, is delighted to welcome renowned anime director Makoto Shinkai to take part in a Q&A following the Irish premiere of his new film Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below, on MONDAY JULY 2nd at THE LIGHT HOUSE CINEMA, DUBLIN, 7pm. The premiere screening will be preceded by a rare opportunity to see Shinkai’s acclaimed short film, She And Her Cat, on the big screen.

Irish Times film writer Tara Brady will facilitate the Q&A.

Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below:
Young Asuna spends much of her time outdoors accompanied by Mimi, her cat. An encounter with a large, sharp-toothed bear-creature also brings her into contact with a brave young man who appears to have superhuman powers. He introduces himself as Shun, a warrior from Agartha, an underground land where the beasts (or Quetzalcoatl) guard the entrance to prevent ‘topsiders’ like Asuna from entering.

There are people who believe that this world has properties that will bring people back from the dead, and this puts Shun and his people in danger from a ruthless group of soldiers intent on gaining access to Agartha at any cost.

This thought-provoking and beautifully made animated picture tenderly deals with the part in all of us that wishes we could have had that last opportunity to say goodbye to someone we’ve lost. Although breathtakingly original, the film has elements of the best of both Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away.

Existing fans of Makoto Shinkai’s work are going to be delighted, and its universal appeal is going to win him a whole new audience in the process.

Makoto Shinkai Biography:
Makoto Shinkai is a Japanese film director, animator, and writer. A native of the Nagano prefecture in Japan, he studied Japanese literature at Chuo University. He traces his passion for creation to the manga, anime, and novels he was exposed to while in middle school.

Considered one of the best animators in the world today, he is often called the “next-Miyazaki”. Shinkai developed his abilities as a video game designer for FalCom, where he worked on the cult-classic role-playing game Y”S. Shinkai is unique as an animator as he cut his teeth by producing almost all elements on many of his works – from animation to music composition to voice acting.

His film credits include: Voices of a Distant Star (2002), The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004), 5 Centimeters Per Second (2007), and Children who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below (2011).

He has won numerous awards for his work including: 12th DoGA CG Animation Award; 1st New Tokyo International Animation Festival Grand Prize; 7th Kobe Animation Prize; 6th Japanese Media Art Award for Digital Media; 34th Nebula Award(World Con); 59th Mainichi Films Animation Prize; 2007 Asia Pacific Film Award; and the Lancia Platinum Grand Prize (Italy).

The Japanese Film Festival Festival aims to bring the best of Japanese cinema to Irish audiences and to strengthen the cultural ties between our two countries.

For updates on JFF’s future events please visit www.accesscinema.ie, check out the JFF Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/JapaneseFilmFestivalIreland, and follow us on Twitter: @JFF_Ireland

access>CINEMA is the resource organisation for regional cultural cinema exhibition in Ireland, and is supported by the Arts Council.

Much to the delight of Chloe Sonnenfeld, and millions of fans around the world, Pitbull delivers the signature track for the blockbuster movie MIB 3, the latest installment in the billion-dollar franchise that sees Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones (and now Josh Brolin) protecting the earth from the scum of the universe. The song is called ‘Back In Time’ and it is a beat-laden slice of hip-hop infused with soulful groove and an uplifting, slick pop melody.
“I grew up loving the Men In Black movies and Will Smith is always someone that I’ve enjoyed watching,” continues Pitbull, who was born Armando Christian Pérez. “I’ve also admired what he’s done with his career, becoming one of the world’s biggest movie stars, but also an entrepreneur on the business side in Hollywood. So to be involved in Men In Black was a win-win situation.”
Pitbull says that when the studio behind the film series approached him, they only had one major stipulation. “They said they had a slogan for the movie, which is ‘Back In Time’, because in the movie they go back to 1969,” explains Pit. “They wanted me to take something from that era and modify it, so I went to a couple of producers that I work with and they came back with a great sample.”
Pitbull’s ‘Back In Time’ samples the onetime hit single ‘Love is Strange’ by R&B duo Mickey & Sylvia.
“It has been used in major motion pictures before, like Dirty Dancing and Casino,” concedes Pit, “but I knew the mark that record left on everybody. As soon as they hear it they know it, especially the guitar riff. So then it was a case of finding the right beat and arranging it. So that’s what we did.”
The ‘Back In Time’ video has already racked up millions of hits on YouTube and on Pitbull’s own site. “For Will Smith to approve me, while he is protecting his brand and the Men In Black brand, is a great honour, a blessing,” says Pit.
“I was a fan of Will’s music, especially ‘Summertime’ and ‘Parents Just Don’t Understand,’ and he was the first person on the hip-hop and rap side to bring home a Grammy. Will has totally maximized his potential in what he does, and on our end I think we’re trying to do the same.”

Indeed, the worldwide phenomenon says that he sees Will Smith’s evolution from musician to movie star to international producer as a path that he would like to follow. “We want to use music to create other opportunities, also on the acting side and the developing side,” Pitbull says. “I had to get the music right to get to this, but look at Will: he went from music to a TV show and TV show to movies and he did it in a very interesting way.”
A truly global star, Miami-born Pitbull has already chalked up six studio albums across eight years, along with his many collaborations and his ‘Money Is Still a Major Issue’ remix LP. He also has the ‘Global Warming’ album set for release this fall, which will feature a collaboration with the Colombian pop princess Shakira, singing in English once again.
His move into movies, too, is no flash in the pan. He cites Pacino and De Niro as his favourite actors, and Scarface as a prime contender for his best-loved movie. “I grew up around all of that, Tony Montanas by the dozen,” he says. “We would watch Scarface and be like, ‘Okay Tony’s cool but Sosa is the man!’
“There’s going to be a lot more interesting stories coming down the pipeline from Miami,” he adds, “and not necessarily all criminal. I’m here to tell stories that haven’t been told and to be a part of them whether I am in the movie, or producing the movie or funding the movie.
“I’d like to tell stories that have a lot to do with my family background and the way I have been raised,” continues the music superstar. “It’s like the Italians have done with the Mob movies. That is like the blueprint, but I’d like to flip a story from different perspectives, like Guy Ritchie does. For me it’s all about the journey.”
Pitbull’s journey is carrying him to ever-dizzier heights, and he owes his success to his raw talent, his huge self-confidence and his truly international status. Oh, and don’t forget, he also owes a small debt to a certain teenage girl.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Quick Q&A with Pitbull:

Were you a fan of the Men In Black movies before signing on to record the theme song?
I grew up watching the Men In Black movies and Will Smith is always someone that I’ve enjoyed watching. I’ve also admired what he’s done with his career, becoming one of the world’s biggest movie stars, but also an entrepreneur, on the business side in Hollywood. So to be involved in Men In Black not only the movie, but the business and the franchise, is a win-win situation.

How did ‘Back In Time’ come about?
‘Back In Time’ came about because Sony called me up and asked me whether I’d be interested in doing a song for MIB 3. I said, “Absolutely.” They said they had a slogan for the movie, which is ‘Back In Time,’ because in the movie they’re going back to 1969. They wanted me to take something from that era and modify it. So I went to a couple of producers that I work with and they came back with the sample, “Love is Strange.”

It’s a great sample…
It is a sample that has been used in major motion pictures before, like Dirty Dancing and Casino but I knew the mark that record left on everybody. As soon as they hear it they know it, especially the guitar riff. So then it was a case of finding the right beat and arranging it. So that’s what we did; we went back to the studio, which loved it. Barry Sonnenfeld, the director, asked us to flip up a few words here and there, and here we are. And Barry’s daughter was a major player in this, too. He asked her, ‘Do you know this Pitbull guy?’ and she was like, ‘What do you mean do I know Pitbull? Are you crazy? You’ve got to work with that guy!’ So us pushing on one hand, and her pushing on the other, it worked out.

If you could go back in time where would you go?
I’d go to the 1980s baby, Miami! ’80 to ’86 and lose my goddamn mind for sure! Everybody I speak to about the ’80s, good friends of mine, I always ask them, “Man, tell me the stories, tell me the stories,” and they’re like “Man, I just don’t remember stories.” That’s why we say: “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas and what happens in Miami, never happened.”

Were you a fan of Will Smith’s music when you were growing up?
I was a fan of Will’s music, especially ‘Summertime’ and ‘Parents Just Don’t Understand,’ and he was the first person on the hip-hop and rap side to bring home a Grammy. I’ve been a fan for many years, though as you grow you obviously like other music. But more than anything I’m a fan of him and what he’s done, so to be involved in this is like the passing of the torch. For him to approve me, with him protecting his brand and the Men In Black brand, is a great honour, a blessing.

Do you have any fond memories of meeting or working with Will on MIB 3?
We didn’t talk business at all when I met Will; we just chatted and admired each other’s careers. There was no talking about MIB 3 or anything like that. What I did hear that was that when they mentioned, ‘Hey, Pit is interested in doing the soundtrack,’ he said, ‘I’m very excited for that.’ He said he was a big fan, and early on when we met at one of the Sony executive’s house he was like, ‘What’s up, Pit?’ I was like, ‘You know who I am? Wow.’ That was definitely a big moment.

Will Smith broke a lot of boundaries. Do you feel primed to do the same?
Will totally maximized his potential in what he does, and on our end I think we’re trying to do the same. We want to use music as the blueprint to create other opportunities, also on the acting side and the developing side. I had to get the music right to get this, and it’s all going to hit at one time, by the time I am 35. I am 31 now, so by 2016 it’s all coming together. I mean Will Smith is a blueprint, he went from music to a TV show and a TV show to movies and he did it in a very interesting way.

What are the secrets to writing a great song?
The secret to writing music is the same secret as with acting: just do it, feel it, feel what comes to you and don’t look for it. Acting is the same thing. You become that character. And the best thing is that I have got the best creative tool on my side, which is the world. When I travel the world — it’s like the movie, is it Johnny Five [it’s Short Circuit] with the robot in it that says, ‘Need input, need input?’ That’s the way I look at the world. And as the records grow people have gone from hearing the records to listening to the records. That’s been an important change. When I put stuff down it’s my life — I’m just looking for witty metaphors and double-meanings.

Who are your movie heroes?
Al Pacino and De Niro, they’re amazing actors and Will Smith is up there. But right now his time is coming; Ali took Will Smith to the next level as an actor. I have loved to watch Tom Cruise grow from the 1980s onwards. But Pacino and De Niro are the greatest, for me.

Do you have a favourite Pacino movie, Scarface maybe?
One of my favorites is Scarface. I lived it. I grew up around all of that, Tony Montanas by the dozen, you know? We would watch Scarface and be like, ‘Okay Tony’s cool but Sosa is the man.’ There’s going to be a lot of interesting stories coming down the pipeline from Miami, not necessarily all criminal, because Miami is a real international melting pot.

What would you like to develop, film-wise?
I’d like to tell stories that haven’t been told and to be a part of them whether I am in the movie, or producing the movie or funding the movie. The movies I’d like to make have a lot to do with my family background and the way I have been raised. It’s like the Italians have done with the Mob movies. That is like the blueprint, but I’d like to flip it from different perspectives, like Guy Ritchie does. For me it’s all about the journey.

Who would be your ultimate icon?
Celia Cruz. She was like the Queen of Cuba! She passed away but she was amazing. She was a global artist but money did not touch her, didn’t phase her. She just moved people and they respected her. She and her family went through a lot in Cuba when the regime took over. She is the epitome of what I would like to be as a person. And once you are a person then you can figure out what you are going to do professionally. She was the foundation.

MIB 3 is in cinemas now.

Writer-director Wes Anderson is arguably one of the foremost cinematic stylists working in American film today; his rigorous and distinctive aesthetic approach makes his films instantly recognisable. Look past the framing, colours and impeccable soundtrack, however, and you’ll find Anderson the artist is a desperate optimist with a heartfelt empathy for his oft-troubled protagonists. To celebrate the release of his new film Moonrise Kingdom on 25th May, that premiered to acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival just a few days ago, the IFI presents the complete set of Anderson features throughout June.

Bottle Rocket (June 2nd) started life as a 13-minute short (also showing) that sufficiently impressed for Columbia studio to bankroll the full-length version, Anderson’s debut feature. This sunny shaggy-dog story served as a handy calling card for Anderson, whose trademark style was already remarkably well developed. With his follow-up, Rushmore (3rd June), he really hit his stride, establishing himself as a major talent with this seminal school comedy of ill manners. Precocious blue-collar teen Max Fischer, as incarnated by Jason Schwartzman in his screen debut, is one of the great screen rebels and Rushmore is by turns unpredictable, droll, whip-smart and achingly tender.

The Royal Tenenbaums (16th June), Anderson’s dramatic comedy about a dysfunctional family of troubled geniuses is one of the key American films of the new millennium. A gleefully larger-than-life Gene Hackman excels as the disruptive paterfamilias with a formidable ensemble all struggling with the unresolved parental issues that blight so many of Anderson’s protagonists. A visual love-letter to New York City, and perhaps Anderson’s greatest work to date, the film begs to be seen on the big screen once more.

Anderson’s penchant for stylisation goes into overdrive with The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (June 22nd), an elaborate fantasia on the high seas. Bill Murray, a key figure in Anderson’s oeuvre, uses his patented brand of ennui as the eponymous oceanographer Zissou on an eccentric but magnificently realised mission to eliminate the ‘jaguar shark’. On something of a world tour, The Darjeeling Limited (June 23rd) brings the trademark Anderson aesthetic and unresolved familial issues to India with an unlikely trio of estranged siblings, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody, on a what’s meant to be a journey of self-discovery. However, all is not quite as it seems…

Fantastic Mr. Fox (June 24th), the season’s final film, is a faithful yet freewheeling adaptation of the Roald Dahl source material that fits perfectly with Anderson’s world. Our foxy hero (winningly voice by George Clooney) is torn between his past as a chicken poaching ne’er-do-well and his current life as an urbane family man. In the end, with Anderson, it’s always all about growing up.

Watching Wes Anderson Season Schedule:

Bottle Rocket June 2nd 14.30
Rushmore June 3rd 14.30
The Royal Tenenbaums June 16th 16.10
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou June 22nd 18.30
The Darjeeling Limited (with short film Hotel Chevalier) June 23rd 16.30
Fantastic Mr. Fox June 24th 14.00

Tickets will be available from 28th May at the IFI Box Office on 01 679 3477 or www.ifi.ie

In advance of the release of DARK SHADOWS, the Light House Cinema will be taking a nostalgic look at the early work of Tim Burton with two Double Bills – PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE/BEETLEJUICE and a Johnny Depp Double Bill – EDWARD SCISSORHANDS/ED WOOD.

The world of Tim Burton is as colourful as it is dark and as eccentric as it is accessible. We hope you’ll join us over the bank holiday weekend for some escapism at its most aesthetically pleasing.

PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE – Sunday, 6th May – 6.30pm

Burton’s first feature length film and certainly his most under-seen, although PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE is a children’s film, it is as strange and unsettling as any of Burton’s later work. Oddly likeable man-child Pee Wee Herman’s cross-country adventure is hugely imaginative, wonderful to look at and full of the quirk and stylistic nuances that would become Tim Burton’s trademark.

BEETLEJUICE – Sunday 6th May – 8.30pm

Burton’s first bona fide Hollywood hit, starring Michael Keaton as the most vile, uncontrollable “bio-exorcist” you could ever have the misfortunate of being haunted by. With a career-best turn from Michael Keaton, ably supported by Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis. Beetlejuice deals with tragedy and despair in that ghoulish but light-hearted way that only Tim Burton can pull off.

*Audiences member are permitted to “shake shake shake senora” where appropriate.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS – Monday 7th May – 6.30pm

The first film in one of the great actor/director partnerships of all time, here Burton convinces teen idol Johnny Depp to cover up his face, mess up his hair and dress up in S&M gear to bring us a story about a gentle man, made by a lonely inventor, who died before he could give him real hands. EDWARD SCISSORHANDS is one the most beloved of Tim Burton’s films and balances his two loves, 1960’s pastiche and gothic aesthetic quite comfortably.

ED WOOD – Monday May 7th – 8.30pm

After years of taking inspiration from 1950’s B-movies, Tim Burton decided to pay direct homage to one of the most notorious figures from the annals of cult film, Ed Wood, bad director extraordinaire whose Plan 9 From Outer Space is commonly referred to as “the worst film ever made”. Far from making Ed Wood the butt of a joke, Tim Burton and his star Johnny Depp lovingly create a character whose ambition, passion and vision knows no bounds, except unfortunately his own lack of talent.

This small selection of recent German films, presented in association with the Goethe-Institut Irland, opens and closes with new works by two of contemporary cinema’s finest directors, Volker Schlöndorff and Andreas Dresen, as well as featuring a host of emerging talents.

Schlöndorff was one of the leading lights of the so-called New German Cinema of the 1960s and ‘70s, and won an Oscar for his 1979 adaptation of Günter Grass’ The Tin Drum. It was while living in France and serving an apprenticeship to such French cinema giants as Louis Malle, Jean-Pierre Melville and Alain Resnais, that he learned about the dark episode from WW2 Occupied France that inspired his new film Calm at Sea. Set in a French internment camp this film about reprisal executions is scrupulously even-handed and unsentimental, but packs quite an emotional punch. The screening will be followed by a reception at the IFI provided by the Goethe-Institut Irland for all opening night ticketholders.

Less well known in this country but a key figure in German cinema for over a decade, Andreas Dresen has made a whole series of enormously courageous films that explore real-life issues with unflinching candour. Described as “a story about death that celebrates life,” Dresen’s latest, Stopped on Track, provides a compelling account of how family members cope when a husband and father is struck by a terminal illness. Winner of Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2011 and a clutch of Lolas (German Film Awards), this tightly researched and beautifully executed film is one not to miss.

The other films in the season are by emerging talents who are all worthy of attention. Christian Scwochow particularly impresses with Cracks in the Shell, a powerful psychodrama about a drama student landing a demanding lead role despite, or perhaps because of, her highly-strung and vulnerable nature. Another highlight of the season is Maggie Peren’s Colour of the Ocean, a thriller that provides multiple perspectives on the moral complexities of immigration. Set on the Canary Islands, a German tourist saves two immigrant lives. Yet this is only the start of her involvement that despite being well intentioned becomes decidedly more complicated as the story develops.

German Film Week Season – Schedule

Calm at Sea May 10th 18.40. This screening will be followed by a Goethe-Institut reception in the IFI Foyer for all ticketholders.
Cracks in the Shell May 11th 18.50
Almanya: Welcome to Germany May 12th 18.50
Colour of the Ocean May 13th 18.30
4 Days in May May 14th 18.50
The System May 15th 18.50
Stopped on Track May 16th 18.50

Tickets are available from the IFI Box Office on 01 679 3477 or online at www.ifi.ie

The inaugural John Ford Ireland Film Symposium takes place 7 – 10 June with a four day focus on film and filmmaking, inspired and informed by the timeless work of legendary Irish-American director John Ford.

Ford directed 137 films, worked on circa 80 other projects, documentaries & short films, and still holds the record for winning the most Oscars for his work as Director. Ford, whose parents were born in the west of Ireland, was the first recipient of the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and received the American Presidential Medal of Freedom for his important war documentaries during his World War II American Navy service.

His work continues to be much loved by audiences around the world, with favourites including the big screen classics such as The Searchers, The Grapes of Wrath, Fort Apache, Rio Grande, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and How Green Was My Valley.

Ford kept strong connections with Ireland, where he made a number of films, the most important of which was The Quiet Man, consideredhis most personal film.

60 years on from that iconic Irish film, the inaugural John Ford Ireland Film Symposium will feature a diverse programme of events designed to entertain, inform and educate Symposium delegates and movie fans gathering in Dublin for this unique film event.

Highlights of the 1st John Ford Ireland Film Symposium include:

Opening night Gala Screening of Ford’s silent epic The Iron Horse at the National Concert Hall with music accompaniment from the RTE Concert Orchestra.

A Public interview and Masterclass with Oscar nominated director Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show) who knew Ford and made the remarkable documentary Directed by John Ford, which includes rare interviews with Ford, Henry Fonda, James Stewart and Clint Eastwood.

Keynote address and Ford Lecture by world-renowned biographer and film historian Joseph McBride (biographer for Ford, Spielberg and Orson Welles amongst others).

The 60th Anniversary screening of The Quiet Man, with special guests Dan Ford (grandson of John Ford), Hollywood royalty Maureen O’Hara and Oscar nominated producer Redmond Morris (son of The Quiet Man producer Lord Killanin)

Over a dozen Public Screenings; including a FREE outdoor screening of The Searchers, the 1956 classic John Wayne western; rare screenings of Ford classics The Grapes of Wrath, Fort Apache, The Informer and the recently discovered feature film Upstream (screening for the first time in Ireland)

Ford Panel Discussions each day with leading international film experts including Charles Barr (University of East Anglia), Gaylyn Studlar (Washington University), Kevin Rockett (Trinity), Luke Gibbons (NUI Maynooth) and Waylon White Deer (Choctaw Nation), amongst others.

Ford Industry Hub with Oscar nominated directors Jim Sheridan (Into the West) and John Boorman (Deliverance), BAFTA nominated Brian Kirk (Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones) and Emmy nominated Thaddeus O’Sullivan (Into the Storm), IFTA winning screenwriter Pat McCabe (The Butcher Boy), Colin Bateman (Divorcing Jack) and Paul Fraser (Once Upon a Time in the Midlands).

Masterclass with Oscar winning editor Joel Cox (Unforgiven, Mystic River).

20th Anniversary screening of Clint Eastwood’s Oscar winning revisionist Western Unforgiven, facilitated by Empire Magazine’s Kim Newman reflecting on Eastwood’s work as the recipient of the inaugural John Ford Award.

Music for the Screen event with Golden Globe nominated composer and musician Kyle Eastwood (Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby and Gran Torino).

The Abbey Players & John Ford – an exploration of Ford’s relationship with the actors of the Abbey Theatre.

The John Ford Exhibition displaying rarely seen Ford papers and correspondence.

Plus much, much more….
Speaking about the John Ford Ireland Film Symposium programme, IFTA Chief Executive Áine Moriarty said:
“Ford’s films have always connected with and continue to resonate with ordinary people around the world. He was a great storyteller but moreover he was a master-filmmaker who has influenced so many of cinema’s great filmmakers today. The Academy is proud that this annual Ford Film Symposium will now be held in Ireland each year, where film fans, ford enthusiasts and filmmakers can gather to examine and learn from Ford’s work and legacy.”

Speaking on the establishment of John Ford Ireland, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan TD said:
“What a perfect setting to study this legendary filmmaker’s work in the land of his beloved ancestors at the John Ford Ireland Film Symposium… I anticipate a tremendous excitement within Ireland’s film industry with the establishment of this initiative – and I look forward to welcoming film communities and the extensive Irish diaspora across the globe who have been inspired by the incredible work of John Ford.”

For the full Symposium lineup and information about Season passes, visit the John Ford Ireland website www.johnfordireland.org

As you know, Elmo loves you. But you might not know that Kevin Clash loves you too. The creator of Elmo, Clash is soft-spoken, mild-mannered, extremely kind and deeply talented – and is the probably most famous person you’ve never heard of. Despite Elmo being an international phenomenon (do doo de do do), Clash remained an unrecognizable face, happy just to be the brain and heart behind (and hand inside of) this fluffy, high-pitched, international symbol for love and hugs.

But not anymore. This utterly charming documentary uses wonderful archive footage and interviews with Clash, Frank Oz, Whoopi Goldberg (who also narrates) and more, exploring how Clash figured out how to get to Sesame Street. As a child, Clash’s love of puppetry and The Muppets and his unwavering determination to someday be a puppeteer survived not only schoolyard bullying but the mangling of his parents clothes in the search for the perfect fabric. As his passion led him from local shows to roles on Captain Kangaroo and The Great Space Rollercoaster, he finally got the call he had been waiting for: the legendary Jim Henson. The rest, as they say, is History. (Brought to you by the letter H, today’s Letter of the Day!)

The story is delightful and sweet, with scenes of Clash using Elmo to brighten the lives of Make-a-Wish children demonstrating the power there is to be found in pure, unadulterated, childlike love.

However as documentary about Clash, not Elmo, the film feels a touch too slight. Director Constance Marks skips over the darker aspects of Clash’s life, such as the effect Elmo’s gruelling schedule had on his family. Clash’s teenage daughter was forced to write to him, begging to spend some time with her in the three years before she went to college, but neither she nor Clash’s wife are interviewed, and the tough questions remain unasked. But as it is, Being Elmo is as fluffy, upbeat and upbeat as their central puppet character. Elmo loves being Elmo, and you will too.