2001-2010

The second in a projected trilogy by artist and filmmaker Andrew Kötting, Ivul marks the director’s successful return to narrative filmmaking. A family drama in which the close relationship between teenage siblings Alex and his older sister Freya (Leroux) increases to such an intensity that it develops sexual overtones, adding to the cracks in their not so happy home. An astonishingly distinctive and distinguished work located in the French Pyrenees, Ivul deftly blends the avant-garde, high wire performance and assured storytelling. Ambitious, challenging and yet also accessible, this is Kötting’s most sensory and purely satisfying feature to date. (-Curzon)Read More »

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Known as the alleged world capital of the gypsy or Romany peoples, Shutka, Macedonia thrives on one goal: to be the champion of everything known to humankind. This “anthropological documentary comedy” looks at how people crave to be the best at what they do: no matter if that is hunting down vampires, collecting obsolete Turkish music on audio tapes, training geese to fight, or exterminating evil Genies. Winner of numerous awards world-wide and in its native country, this film is a wonderful examination of people, their quirks, and the wild and zany world within contemporary Serbia/Montenegro. Highly recommended for both entertainment and anthropological interest.Read More »

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Nasrin wants to divorce her husband, but knows she won’t be able to get custody of her six-year-old daughter if she does. So, unbeknown to her husband, she and her daughter move to another part of town where Nasrin finds a job at a hospital crèche. One day her husband catches up with her and their lives take an unexpected turn.Read More »

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A twentysomething bisexual takes many wrong turns down blind alleys in his search for affection and understanding in this drama from France. Antonin (Hubert Benhamdine) is a young man who is desperate for love and thinks he’s found it with Alex (Franck Victor), a handsome and talented musician. However, Alex is also a heroin addict, and when he succumbs to an overdose, Antonin is crushed and begins drowning his sorrows in anonymous and often degrading sex. Antonin becomes a prostitute and frequently finds himself infatuated with his clients, but most treat him with contempt except for Baptiste (Hicham Nazzal), who shows some compassion for the troubled young man. Sadly, history repeats itself and Antonin once again falls for a dope addict, a beautiful but damaged woman named Juliette (Caroline Ducey). The first feature film from photographer Hormoz, J’Ai Rêvé Sous l’Eau (aka I Dreamt Under the Water) also stars Christine Boisson.Read More »

Stupid title aside, this is another recent little documentary which brings together a some rare footage and interviews about the art of the 1960s, the birth of “pop”, and so forth. Not terribly profound, but fun.
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Somewhere in the distant future … the United Nations have decided on a new system of imprisonment as an answer to escalating street violence: VORTEX, a mysterious and completely isolated prison complex that is said to securely keep anyone arriving from ever going back.

Vincent, a constructional engineer in his mid-thirties, is attacked by a man in a dark alleyway. To protect his own life, he shoots the man. Vincent must stand trial for murder. Despite his protest and affirmations that he only acted in self-defense, he is found guilty and sent to VORTEX, where according to the judge, he will have to fulfill a certain “rate” each week.Read More »

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Origin of idea

Ivan the Idiot is one of the most popular personas found in Russian folklore. His story serves as the basic fable of “Ivan the Idiot”: Ivan as hero saves a sleeping beauty from the clutches of evil. However, in this rendition, “Ivan the Idiot” is told in a slightly different style than usual; it’s a cybercomic.
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After a suspicious fatal car accident in Hastings where the identity of the victim was forged, the Quality Life insurance company sends their smart investigator Abe Holt (Forrest Whitaker) to identify the body. The unique beneficiary of the one million dollars death benefit is the sister of the victim, Isold (Julia Stiles), who lives with her son Thor and her husband Fred (Jeremy Renner) in a poor cabin in the middle of nowhere. Along the investigation, Abe discloses the truth about the fraud, but feels sorry for Isold and Thor and tries to help them with tragic consequences.Read More »

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A terrible (synthetically created) bacteria is accidentally released into the Austin community’s water supply, and the unsuspecting citizens ingest the bacteria. Which causes them to become zombies. It’s not a completely original idea, but Emily has some original ways of telling her zombie story…

A lot of people at age twelve never finish anything they start, unless it’s at school and they have to do the work to get that all important letter grade. As far back at age 10, Austin, Texas native Emily Hagins put together a script about a toxin that gets into the water and starts to turn everyone into zombies. And not only did she write it, she also went out and made it at the age of twelve. The film then premiered to a sold out crowd at the Alamo Drafthouse. Meet Emily Hagins, a new face in the world of filmmaking.Read More »