Monthly Archives: August 2008

VENICE FILM REVIEW: Patrice Toye’s ‘Nowhere Man’

Posted on August 30, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett VENICE – In Belgian director Patrice Toye’s “Nowhere Man,” an apparently comfortably off and happily married man sees a raging house fire and on the spur of the moment walks into it in order to fake his … Continue reading →

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VENICE FILM REVIEW: Marco Pontecorvo’s ‘PA-RA-DA’

Posted on August 30, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett VENICE – The combination of a do-good clown in a red nose with street kids badly in need of help causes a “Patch Adams” shudder but filmmaker Marco Pontecorvo’s engaging first feature “PA-RA-DA” steers clear of the … Continue reading →

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VENICE FILM REVIEW: Christian Petzold’s ‘Jerichow’

Posted on August 30, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett VENICE – The postman keeps threatening to ring in German director Christian Petzold’s “Jerichow,” a love triangle involving an older man, his younger wife and the hunk who comes to stay. Benno Furmann and Nina Hoss give … Continue reading →

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VENICE FILM REVIEW: ‘Achilles and the Tortoise’

Posted on August 30, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett VENICE – In his third film examining the conflicts that arise from being distinctively creative, Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano uses the mathematical paradox of the title “Achilles and the Tortoise” to chase after the true nature of … Continue reading →

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Top film composers lined up for 35th Ghent Film Festival

Posted on August 23, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett The World Soundtrack Awards 2008 at the Ghent Film Festival in October will see British composer Dario Marianelli, who won the Academy Award and the Golden Globe for best score this year for “Atonement,” once again meet … Continue reading →

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THEATRE REVIEW: Elena Roger in ‘Piaf’ at the Donmar

Posted on August 23, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Playing legendary French singer Edith Piaf seems to bring out the best in performers. Following Marion Cotillard’s Oscar-winning turn in the film “La Vie en Rose” comes Argentine pocket rocket Elena Roger in a new … Continue reading →

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BSkyB doubles its culture shows with Sky Arts 2

Posted on August 19, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON — Classical music and opera will be front and centre on a new channel called Sky Arts 2 being launched Oct. 20 by British Sky Broadcasting featuring new shows from performers such as Vanessa Mae (pictured). … Continue reading →

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LOCARNO: ‘Parque Via’, Ilaria Occhini, Tayanc Ayaydin win

Posted on August 18, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett LOCARNO, Switzerland – Festival juries like to spread their gongs around so it’s no surprise that Italian star Ilaria Occhini won the best actress award representing “Black Sea”, which otherwise might have won as best picture. That … Continue reading →

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LOCARNO FILM REVIEW: Francois Rotger’s ‘Story of Jen’

Posted on August 17, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett LOCARNO, Switzerland – A woman who gave birth to her daughter at 14 strives hard to stop history repeating itself but the girl’s impetuous passions pose a challenge in Francois Rotger’s complex drama “Story of Jen.” Set … Continue reading →

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LOCARNO FILM REVIEW: Pan Jianlin’s ‘Feast of Villains’

Posted on August 17, 2008 by admin

By Ray Bennett LOCARNO, Switzerland – Slow moving and marred by nondescript performances, Chinese filmmaker Pan Jianlin’s “Feast of Villains” describes the terrible state of affairs that afflicts the poor when dealing with faceless institutions. Obviously heartfelt and deserving attention … Continue reading →

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