7 Documentaries for Locarno
7 films are selected to be screened at Festival del Film Locarno in the Semaine de la Critique that takes place August 7-14. They are world or international premieres. I know about three of them, have watched two and am very happy for the choice of “Lampedusa in Winter”, directed by Jakob Brossmann with former Zelig Film School student Cornelia Märki as editor. She sent me the film a couple of months ago to have my opinion and I answered “I have no objections, I think this is an important film to get out now, it is very well put together, an impressive piece of observational documentary filmmaking that stays away from dramatizing but IS dramatic anyway – the strike of fishermen, the refugees, the humanistic Paola, the same for the mayor… good rhythm…” yes, it is indeed a very timely film that for sure will travel on from Locarno to other festival destinations.
Otherwise Poland is again taking the lead with 3 selected films.
The interesting, touching winner from the Krakow Film Festival by Karolina Bielawska, “Call Me Marianna”, “K2. Touching the Sky” by Eliza Kubarska and the long-awaited “Brothers” by the master Wojciech Staron (“Siberian Lessons” and “Argentinian Lessons”). I am dying to see that film!
The remaining 3 are “The Day The Sun Fell” by Aya Domenig, “The Ground We Won” by Christopher Pryor and “My Name is Gary” by Blandine Huk and Frederic Cousseau.
Take a look at the website and you will notice the extensive, signed descriptions to each film, must be critics writing. Some words about the Semaine de la Critique:
… is an independent section, organised by Swiss Association of Film Journalists, in cooperation with the director and organisers of the Locarno International Film Festival. The Semaine de la critique has its own jury which awards the Prix SRG SSR/Semaine de la critique worth 8000.– CHF for the best film in competition and the Premio Zonta Club Locarno for a film with extraordinary social commitment. The Semaine de la critique was first held in 1990. Since then it has reviewed state of the art documentary film-making annually with a selection of works chosen for their specific expressive value or essence.
To date, a total of 137 films have been screened, including productions by Erroll Morris, Fredi M. Murer, Nicholas Philibert, Richard Dindo, J. van der Keuken, Zhang Yuan, Davide Ferrario, B.Z. Goldberg, Thomas Riedelsheimer or Samir, among others.
