chief zabu is a long-unreleased film that was written , produced and directed by neil cohen and zack norman ( under the pseudonym howard zuker ) .

it stars allen garfield , norman and allan arbus , telling the story of a group of new york businessmen trying to take over a polynesian nation .

production began in 1986 but , due to various issues , norman and cohen were unable to complete the film until 2016 .

it premiered at laemmle theatres ' monica film center on october 28th , 2016 and screened on november 7th at the fort lauderdale international film festival ( " fliff " ) .

the trailer and various clips are available through both vimeo and youtube .

a long running advertisement for the film in variety was the source of a recurring joke on mystery science theater 3000 .

chief zabu

chief zabu appearing after all these years is like finding out unicorns are real .
huge to find chief zabu on the settled dust , best of 2017 list !
zach norman , left , and allen garfield in the movie
chief zabu .
( nadco )
the dusted - off comedy ‘chief zabu’ falls flat , even with a politically ambitious n . y . developer
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing chief zabu near you .
a reference to a long - running ad in the show business newspaper
variety
about the unreleased film chief zabu .
chief zabu
may have been buried for the past three decades , but this tiresomely talky would - be satire is no treasure .
chief zabu was shot in 1986 on a low budget over the course of 15 days . the film is about some new york businessman who tries to take over the finances of a fictitious polynesian country while its leader , chief zabu , is in new york seeking admission to the un .
“we left that to the experts ,
cohen responds .
it takes the mind of someone from south florida to actually decide what the chief zabu is . ”
a shabu shabu set - up at zabu zabu restaurant in berkeley , calif . on thursday , february 28 , 2008 . ( sherry lavars / contra costa times )
if all continues to improve we are hoping chief spotted eye can undergo surgery on tuesday .
as it turns out , the resulting
chief zabu
may have been buried for the past three decades , but this tiresomely talky would - be satire is no treasure .
in 1986 two first - time directors shot - but never completed - chief zabu , an audacious low - budget socio - political comedy featuring a cast of legendary character actors .
no more ! no more ! we don ' t want to hear your excuses for why you can ' t come out to the chief zabu screenings at nerdist showroom at meltdown and m . i . ' s westside comedy theater . there are two screenings ! both with a live stand - up show from the creators in addition to the film and all for an affordable ten bucks ! there are literally no reasons not to go ! see the event pages here for details : chief zabu at nerdist showroom chief zabu at westside comedy theatre
after a series of snafus that paralleled the film’s madcap plot , and despite featured coverage of its production in life magazine , chief zabu was never completed , distributed , nor publicly shown .
, which is followed by
the zabu stomp party
in the john mager courtyard .
after a series of snafus that paralleled the film ' s madcap plot , and despite featured coverage of its production in life magazine , chief zabu was never completed , distributed , nor publicly shown .
that ' s because norman ' s recently wrapped
chief zabu
creates another comedy team - - norman and allen garfield . but
chief zabu
is very low profile : it ' s directed by unknowns howard zuker and neil cohen , from a script cohen wrote with yet another unknown , nancy zuker . it has no distributor yet . and it came in for under $ 200 , 000 .
how the actors happened to come together to shoot
chief zabu
at bard college has a lot to do with screen actors guild , and with neil cohen , allen garfield and producer norman leigh .
' chief zabu , ' a strangely prescient 1986 low - budget comedy about the financial and political aspirations of an awkward new york real - estate developer , will screen nov . 7 at the fort lauderdale international film festival .
zabu zabu , a name that captures well this sleek , slightly esoteric japanese restaurant , is a play on shabu shabu “” the hot - broth fondue that turns carpaccio - thin meats from red to ready in seconds .
it took until 2016 for a newly - edited cut of
chief zabu
to be publicly presented . if you ever have a chance to see it , don ' t pass it up . here is a rare comic artifact worth savoring .
while zabu zabu is only a block down from the theaters , it can feel like a world away . surrounded by industry and tucked in the back of a medical office , it’s the last place you’d expect to find a contemporary restaurant offering an ancient cuisine ( hot pot is said to have developed in genghis khan’s day as a way for soldiers to feed themselves easily ) . whether you’re planning to see a play or just out to play , zabu zabu is a find .
two new york real - estate hustlers ( allen garfield , zack norman ) make a deal with the chief of a polynesian island .
you ' ve heard it on mst3k a thousand times ,
zack norman is sammy in chief zabu !
now you can share this riff with the world ! this design commemorates the unrelenting variety ad that appeared in hundreds of issues between 1985 and 1988 .
the super - charged atmosphere of the clinton - trump race obligates fliff to recognize election day in a forthright way , which it will on nov . 7 with films by michael moore and dinesh d ' souza , as well as the
lost
comedy
chief zabu .
vote for “chief zabu ! ” the audacious socio - political comedy makes its way to the east coast on election eve , monday , november 7 , 2016 , at the 31st annual fort lauderdale international film festival . join co - directors howard zuker and neil cohen for two east coast premiere screenings at
chief zabu , which received its r rating in 1988 , is being promoted with the tagline “a new york real estate developer dreams of respect and political influence . ” the seemingly prescient trumpian parallels are no coincidence ; one of norman’s inspirations was new york hospital signage announcing the philanthropy of the candidate’s father .
chief zabu is the ultimate low - budget cult indie underground movie , made 30 years ago in 15 days with 28 locations and over 40 speaking roles ( taking place purportedly in 4 cities and 2 continents ) ; shot on 35mm with a cast of legendary character actors , the film was never completed until 2016 . as chief zabu has been the fount of much speculation as to whether it ever actually existed , we are now delighted to put the rumors to rest and to present to the public our comedy about a new york real estate developer who dreams of political influence : chief zabu . rather than seek conventional distribution or even a vod or streaming deal , chief zabu is touring the country screening ( with us , the co - directors , doing a live intro and q & a ) exclusively at comedy clubs , dive bars , festivals , underground film clubs - and in the occasional art house theater . we ' ve recently played dates in hollywood and santa monica ( ca ) , are now booking nyc , washington dc , and chicago , and are having the most wonderful creative experience showing our film , meeting our audiences , and testing out a new experiment of film exhibition in off - beat locations .
waitress jessica hanzo sets the table for shabu shabu at zabu zabu restaurant in berkeley , calif . on thursday , february 28 , 2008 . with shabu shabu raw meats & vegetable or just vegetable are placed on the table then added to a soup by customers to create their own custom dishes . ( sherry lavars / contra costa times )
i brought mom , who is always looking for places to dine before or after a play at nearby berkeley rep . while her final judgement on zabu zabu was “weird , ” she ate her share . spinach leaves the size of lily pads , bouquets of enoki mushrooms , hardy ribs of cabbage , they all went into the burbling broth .
a comic time capsule with a timeless punch
- hollywood reporter . 30 years in the making : a ny real estate developer dreams of political power . zabu 2018 tour
compellingly relevant to the present and eerily resonant with the inanity of current presidential politics , [ chief zabu ] the tale of a sleazy real estate developer over - his - head in an international scam is funny and satirical but never over the top .
- says kcrw film critic and professor and dean emeritus at ucla school of theater , film and television ,
the deal targets tiburaku , a newly independent island nation whose president , chief henri zabu ( manu tupou ) , has traveled to the big apple with a delegation in a bid to secure un membership . the tiburaku tourist bureau’s investor - friendly animated promotional film ( created by mary cybulski and barbara lehman ) opens the movie and introduces the fictional country in parody - perfect fashion .
i ' m wondering - - quite seriously - - if ' zabu ' won ' t end up being every bit as funny as the higher - priced pictures ,
he said .
norman is eager to add his two cents . “i was excited , because i drink much more than neil , ” norman adds , as if this were a rehearsed stand - up skit . “and for me , it became political as i began tasting different drinks around our town . i decided , with the chief zabu , if you have two zabus , then you wanna run for office . that’s where the politics comes in . ”
the movie was never distributed and both men moved on to successful careers in acting and screenwriting . cohen says , “then , life took over and last year , around this time , we’re having dinner and discussing mr . trump and the madness of presidential politics and we said to ourselves , ' you know , our main character in chief zabu is a new york real estate developer who dreams of having respect and political influence .
fitting .
a real estate moghul from new york wants to make a big deal which will see him realize a dream of having his name written on the side of buildings ! we’ve been talking a lot about films which predicted donald trump and his ressistable rise . but this one you probably don’t know about . made in 1986 , but not completed until this year , chief zabu tells the story of ben sydney ( the great allen garfield ) , the real estate businessman trying to make the deal of a lifetime , taking control of the polynesian nation tiburaku with the help of the eponymous chief and his sidekick part time comedian zack norman – who co - wrote and directed the film along with neil cohen .
waitress lily sien sets the table for shabu shabu at zabu zabu restaurant in berkeley , calif . on thursday , february 28 , 2008 . with shabu shabu raw meats & vegetable or just vegetable are placed on the table then added to a soup by customers . with shabu shabu raw meats & vegetable or just vegetable are placed on the table then added to a soup by customers to create their own custom dishes . ( sherry lavars / contra costa times )
this audacious sociopolitical comedy is easily an instant classic ! it is chock full of legendary actors staring the duo of the century - zack norman and allen garfield - who are each uniquely hilarious . the story follows a needful new york real estate developer ( garfield ) who dreams of gaining political influence and status quo . in hopes of achieving this , his coworker and right hand man , sammy ( norman ) become involved with an international hustler to finance a newly independent polynesian country while their leader , chief zabu is in new york seeking admission to the un . in the wake of our current whirlwind of political madness , this film alleviates all anxieties of the election with a huge dosage of satire . it ' s as if they combined today ' s relevancy with the nostalgic , smart humor of the 80 ' s - very reminiscent of classics such as trading places and caddyshack . if you ' re looking for a witty comedy , chief zabu delivers .
hail to
chief zabu
: actor - director zack norman and writer - producer neil cohen lost the negative for their low - budget comedy about a nebbishy trumpian real - estate developer shortly after showing it for the first time back in 1986 . the rise in popularity of donald trump prompted them to look for it again , and both will attend nov . 7 screenings at 6 p . m . at cinema paradiso hollywood and 7 : 45 p . m . at savor cinema in fort lauderdale . the savor cinema screening will be followed by the free zabu stomp party in the theater courtyard , featuring the music of gold dust lounge . admission to the film and party are free with an
i voted
sticker .
zack norman and neil cohen , directors of chief zabu , are getting ready to toast to their success . not only is their movie making its east coast premiere at the fort lauderdale international film festival on monday , november 7 at 6 p . m . at cinema paradiso - hollywood ( 2008 hollywood blvd , hollywood ; 954 - 342 - 9137 ) mai - kai , south florida ' s go - to restaurant for tropical happy hour , is creating a cocktail to honor , it as well .
the scene depicted in the 1988 hirschfeld caricature poster features norman and garfield ' s characters discussing their shady deals during a car ride ; it can be viewed through the film ' s official vimeo channel ( under the account name zabu company ) .
in 1986 two first - time directors shot - but never completed - chief zabu , an audacious low - budget socio - political comedy featuring a cast of legendary character actors . in 2016 , inspired by the madness of current presidential politics , the directors finally finished their film about ben sydney , a new york real estate developer who dreams of getting political power . ben ' s scheme is to take over a polynesian island nation , but the testing of french nuclear weapons ensures that things do not go as planned .
namibia became the fictional polynesian island of tiburaku , norman said ,
because nothing to do with africa , and particularly south africa , is funny . and kapu , who i ' m sorry to say died under possibly suspicious circumstances in namibia not long after his visit to new york , became zabu .
neil cohen said that , as played by manu tupou of
a man called horse
and
hurricane ,
zabu
is emerging as a character with a great and touching dignity .
in 1986 two first - time directors shot - but never completed - chief zabu , an audacious low - budget socio - political comedy featuring a cast of legendary character actors . in 2016 , inspired by the madness of current presidential politics , the directors finally finished their film about ben sydney , a delusional new york real estate developer who dreams of getting political power . ben ' s scheme is to take over a polynesian island nation , but the testing of french nuclear weapons ensures that things do not go as planned . “given
howard zuker is the name - - his real one - - that zack norman uses when he ' s doing the new york and florida real - estate deals that have subsidized his acting career . norman also used it when he and his
sitting ducks
director , henry jaglom ,
presented
( i . e . , arranged financing for )
hearts and minds ,
the oscar - winning 1974 vietnam - themed documentary . and he ' s using it now for his film - directing debut with
chief zabu .
it surprised me that on our early sunday night visit there seemed to be few patrons who were heading to the theater . twenty years ago , when i was cooking and dishing up gumbo at this same location “” then gertie’s chesapeake bay “” the kitchen would get slammed before every show . more recently , this restaurant was le theatre , an homage to berkeley’s downtown arts district . but zabu zabu seems to have found more favor among foodies ; after being open a year , it’s still getting daily reviews on yelp . com .
tupou , who died in 2004 , imbues zabu with a flair for lofty oratory and a soulful gaze , wary and wounded . the movie could have benefited from more interactions between him and the scheming new yorkers , but the screenplay , credited to the two directors and nancy zuker , is concerned mainly with the aspirations and machinations of the story’s ridiculous white guys ( and gals ) , beginning with the half - dozen middle - aged business leaders who gather in a plaza hotel suite for dankworth’s pitch . having already sold zabu a bill of goods , he plants sugar - plum visions of road , soft drink and fishing rights in the entrepreneurs’ profit - seeking heads .
leigh , who has worked as a high - budget cinematographer (
the brink ' s job
) and a low - budget director (
schizoid
) , took one look at the $ 200 , 000 zack norman had raised for
zabu
and mentally translated it into a different movie from the one that norman and neil cohen envisioned .
in the pastel fashions and big hair of the female characters , the movie offers further evidence , not that we needed it , that the politically divisive ’80s was also , hands down , the most horrendous modern decade in american women’s fashion . those female characters include a vacuously self - involved hollywood actress ( marianna hill ) . the title of her claim - to - fame feature , the deluded chimp , could apply to most of the americans in chief zabu . as a colleague of fraudster dankworth , the mighty shirley stoler ( the honeymoon killers ) harbors her own hopeful delusions . least deluded but most enraged is sammy’s co - worker linda ( betty karlen ) , who feels discriminated against and sidelined by ben , and hates him even more than the real estate racket .
dr . steve olson , vice president of federal relations for the aza , concurs : “to our knowledge , there are no captive tigers in the u . s . that are purebred subspecies with known pedigrees traceable to their wild - caught founders other than those managed within the aza tiger ssp . ” see letter to tim van norman , chief , branch of permits , division of management authority ( “dma” ) , fws , from steve olson , aza ( aug . 30 , 2011 ) .
at halu shabu shabu in dublin’s ulferts center , the only meat on offer is beef , where 15 pieces of angus rib - eye runs $ 21 . 99 . my favorite dipper at zabu zabu was the new zealand lamb , full of flavor and just as tender as the pork or beef . our platter of prime rib - eye was actually slightly dry , as if it had lost moisture sitting in the refrigerator ( the slices do seem to be thinner here than those at halu ) . mom struggled a bit keeping her meat completely immersed and on her chopsticks , but it’s a skill that comes quickly once you realize the reward . substantial veggies , such as cabbage , carrots and shiitake mushrooms , can be tossed in the broth and scooped out after a couple of minutes with a mesh skimmer given to each diner . as you might imagine , it’s a great way to dine with a group of friends “” as disarming as sitting around a campfire roasting wieners and marshmallows .
mankiller examines the legacy of the formidable wilma mankiller , who defied all odds to become one of the most influential leaders in the united states . mankiller overcame rampant sexism and personal challenges to emerge as the cherokee nation’s first female principal chief in 1985 . mankiller’s humble leadership style and her strength as a uniter remind audiences of the true meaning of servant leadership . the film reunites the team of gale anne hurd ( the terminator , aliens , armageddon , the walking dead ) and valerie red - horse mohl for their third documentary .
i went to a press conference , at the sherry netherland hotel in new york , for the leader of the independence movement , chief clement kapu , a press conference that for some reason was attended by elizabeth taylor .
taylor had earlier focused her interest and beneficence on botswana .
well , namibia was not admitted to the u . n . , but i was convinced that what i saw that day was a springboard for a zany satirical comedy which could also be - - with the right characters - - a comedy with a lot of heart .
. much has been said about how the dystopian drama taps into current anxieties around women ' s rights .
we knew it would touch a nerve , but we didn ' t expect the volume of reception ,
says beatrice springborn , head of original programming at the streamer , who ' ll speak on a
content is king
panel june 10 at the produced by conference in l . a . while she ' s mum on how the arrival of amc vet joel stillerman as hulu ' s chief content officer could impact her day - to - day , springborn did spill on how
graphic features the bobcats that have benefited from the program and the text ; florida bobcat rehabilitation program on the top and giving hope to those that deserve a second chance on the bottom . silhouettes created using actual photos of bobcats being released and paw print embellishments made from an impression of one of the rehab bobcats’ paws . tee features the names of 34 bobcats including ; ace , alachua , anasazie , bailey , bellona , captiva , chance , chief , copter , cypress , dancer , dante , faith , flash , gator , hope , ivan , journey , kennedy , khaleesi , midnight , mr . claws , mrs . claws , nova , phoenix , poseidon , rain , skip , spirit feather , storm , tommie , thor , will , and wyeth .
per person and free to those who wear an
i voted
sticker .
seeking admission to the un . as the businessmen imagine a life of tropical ease and wealth , the testing of french nuclear weapons in the south pacific ensures that things do not go as planned .
( with the cast , crew , and student interns all living together in the dorms ) .
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100 % combed ringspun cotton . the perfect fabric for a graphic tee and the softest in the business .
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annandale - on - hudson , n . y . —
comedy teams !
zack norman - - who was danny devito ' s mustachioed , crocodile - crazed sidekick in
romancing the stone
- - was musing on the resurgence in screen comedy buddies . he was especially aware of high - profile pairings like devito and joe piscopo in the recent $ 10 million - or - so
wise guys
and warren beatty and dustin hoffman in the upcoming $ 30 million - or - so
ishtar .
still , norman is betting there ' s no relationship between cost and mirth .
the answer to that question will come , as they say , in the fullness of time . some questions that can be answered right now are :
and how can a film full of high - priced character actors - - ed lauter (
raw deal
) , allan arbus ( the
mash
series ' shrink ) , shirley stoler (
seven beauties
) and ferdinand mayne (
pirates
) in addition to garfield (
the cotton club
) and norman - - be made for less than $ 200 , 000 ? or , if you must know the truth , $ 187 , 996 .
a few years back ,
norman recounted the genesis of the new film ,
one of the hustlers i know came to me and said , ' mergers and acquisitions aren ' t where it ' s at anymore ; where it ' s at is countries . ' he suggested i look into the commercial possibilities in namibia , an area in south west africa that was trying to achieve independence of south africa , and had just applied for membership in the u . n .
so convinced that he and neil cohen , an ex - agent and off - broadway playwright (
rat ' s nest
) , dropped the domestic drama they were scripting together and invited nancy zuker , norman ' s wife , to develop the new idea with them .
the other principals are decidedly less dignified but , the film makers hope , are touching in their scrambling desperation . they include : norman ' s manic , percentage - spouting realtor and his woebegone boss - friend ( garfield ) ; arbus ' where - it ' s - at - is - countries promoter ; stoler ' s culture - vulture hotel credit manager ; lauter ' s ne ' er - do - well millionaire ' s son , his libidinous wife ( model lucienne buchanan ) and their quite literally closet - gay butler ( mayne ) ; and a do - gooding actress , now more fonda than taylor ( marianna hill of
medium cool
) .
zack and i ,
cohen admitted ,
saw a guy with a camera strapped to his back and a sound man following the actors around .
get the most out of your experience with a personalized all - access pass to everything local on events , music , restaurants , news and more .
get pink beer and bottomless beermosas at american craft aleworks , launching brewery . . .
it took 30 years for this film to come to fruition . even still , these guys don’t miss an opportunity to laugh .
just to be clear who ' s who , i’m the guy with the squeaky voice and zack is the one who sounds like he should be broadcasting the kentucky derby , ” cohen says at the start of the interview via three - way call . both men burst into laughs .
“as crazy as it all sounds , we literally wrote the movie thirty years ago because , as i used to drive into new york city there was a big sign on a hospital that said , the trump pavilion . i used to look at it every day , and to me it was almost funny , a man trying to show himself off to this huge group of people driving into new york . ”
that’s when they took another look at the film and realized the relevance it had today , thirty years after it was made . it only took a few tweaks to get the movie ready for audiences .
“it’s the human condition , really , that neil and i got so turned on about ,
says cohen .
it wasn’t just one person . our lead represents so many people and what they need , their insecurities . it’s all that stuff . and it just so happens that it really coincides , from our point of view , with life as it is today . ”
when asked if they plan to make another film together they both enthusiastically say , yes . “we’re planning one that will come out in 2046 ! ” cohen announces . i can almost hear the words filter through a wry smile as he speaks .
“that’s true ! that’s right ! ,
says norma .
because this works , you shoot them and then you wait 30 years . ”norman and cohen are lost in laughter once again .
the idea for a drink to go with the movie came about in los angeles , when cohen found himself talking to a local bartender about the movie plot and realized there should be a drink to go with the film .
“i mentioned it to some of the people in south florida , because i had heard of the mai - kai . you talk to anyone who’s into drinking and cocktails , they all know the mai kai . i thought maybe they should create a drink . we should have an east coast and a west coast drink . the east coast , as we all know , moves much faster than the west coast . ” there is a pregnant pause quickly consumed by laughter from both . “so , the next thing you know , the mai - kai has created this drink . ”
the cocktail is made with lime juice , soda , passionfruit , honey , orange juice and three different rums . i ask if they had any say in what went into the drink .
all - access pass to the top stories , events and offers around town .
mai kai is located 3599 north federal highway in fort lauderdale . call 954 - 563 - 3272 , or visit urltoken .
the 31st annual fort lauderdale international film premiers over 100 top american indie and world cinema features , documentaries and shorts over the 16 - day event . tickets are available to purchase in advance at urltoken .
alona abbady martinez lives in plantation , florida . she writes about food and family on her blog , culinary compulsion , and is currently working on her book , my culinary compulsion , a global food memoir with recipes . you can follow her on instagram and twitter .
soflo femmes in food & film
tackles the lack of gender . . .
taking the 2016 presidential race as a sign , zack norman and neil cohen elected to finally put the finishing touches on their never - completed 1986 comedy about a new york real estate developer with lofty political ambitions .
having aspirations of being the sort of guy who gets to see his name on hospitals and
have opinions on issues ,
manhattan realtor ben sydney ( allen garfield ) seizes what appears to be a golden opportunity when he meets george dankworth ( allan arbus ) .
a well - dressed scam artist , dankworth sells sydney on tiburaku , a south pacific island nation
about the size of new jersey ,
that ' s ripe for resort development .
but the site proves to be more toxic than exotic after sydney ' s buddy , an aspiring stand - up comic named sammy brooks ( norman ) , discovers that the french government has been testing nuclear weapons in the immediate vicinity .
notable mainly for gathering together familiar character actors of the era , many of whom , including arbus , ed lauter and shirley stoler , have since died , the low - budget effort plays like bargain basement barry levinson .
clocking in at a scant but more than sufficient 74 minutes , the film , co - directed and written by norman ( under his birth name , howard zuker ) and cohen , cries out for sharper writing and a stronger technical hand .
current events aside , it would have been wiser to let sleeping dogs lie .
movie news , screening invitations and reviews from the world of independent film and beyond .
’s vintage i was fearful of experiencing a zombie movie back from the dead , but , instead , it is compellingly relevant to the present and is eerily resonant with the inanity of current presidential politics . the tale of a sleazy real estate developer over - his - head in an international scam is funny and satirical but never over the top . the carefully restrained tone results in humor and satire that sneaks up on you and provokes a mixture of delight and reflection .
- robert rosen , professor and dean emeritus ucla school of theater , film and television
decades after it was shot , and just in time for the presidential election , a comedy about a real estate entrepreneur with vague political aspirations is being released . using his birth name , howard zuker , as a directorial nom de cinema , actor - producer zack norman partnered with neil . . .
actress lois chiles , a friend of this blog , asked me to share with the public her memories of her friend & colleague roger moore , who passed away today in switzerland at age 89 . she played nasa scientist & cia agent dr . holly goodhead , opposite roger moore ' s james bond , in
moonraker
( 1979 ) :
roger was a joy to work with and to know . he was kind and elegant and had a great sense of humor . he loved his family and life in general . i am sad to know that he is gone .
in the 1970s , actress belinda montgomery made a name for herself playing vulnerable , imperiled heroines in a variety of television guest roles and movies of the week that made her a primetime fixture throughout the decade . attractive and intelligent , she distinguished these roles by providing an air of wisdom and maturity that belied the naiveté of these characters . as she got older , montgomery ' s screen image continued to mature , as she began to essay a series of confident , assertive authority figures - - often in the medical profession - - who learned to resolve conflicts on her own . similarly , montgomery herself prospered and matured in the industry so that she was able to make the most of the opportunities presented to her , without having to experience the pitfalls that so many of her peers , who also started at a young age , dealt with . after more than 30 years in the business , montgomery took time off to focus on caring for her elderly parents , as well as resume her studies and develop a new reputation for herself as an accomplished painter and artist . her artwork can be seen on her website ,
. while she has not completely turned her back on acting - - she still maintains an agent and appeared on the big screen in 2010 in
tron : legacy
- - montgomery now enjoys focusing her time on mastering her other talents and abilities . she graciously consented to an interview with hill place blog to discuss her acting days , as well as share insights about her current work as a painter . in our conversations , montgomery comes across as warm and likable as expected from her screen image , but with a tough , assertive edge that underscores how she does not suffer fools gladly . i would like to extend my sincere gratitude to belinda montgomery for opening up her heart and memories for this interview . a special thank you is also in order to her husband jeff stillman , who demonstrated the utmost patience while i kept his wife busy on the phone with my numerous questions about her acting career .
belinda montgomery was born in winnipeg , manitoba , canada , the daughter of accomplished actor cecil montgomery , who was active in television , radio and theater in canada . montgomery recalls how her father ,
was an irishman who came to canada in 1948 . he had a couple of different jobs and then a friend of his was an actor going to a reading for something and invited my dad along . he said , ' we ' ve got radio here in manitoba that ' s going to broadcast across canada and they want to do a weekly series . ' the radio series was called ' the jacksons , ' and it was about a family on the prairies . for a lark , my dad auditioned and got the role of this irascible old irishman named tim murphy . and because this was a radio show , you know , nobody knew what he looked like . just like “a prairie home companion , ” the show was broadcast , live , from various canadian towns , now and then . and because this was a radio show , you know , nobody knew what he looked like . so before the show began the announcer would introduce the cast and people would applaud when the actor would come out . and then they ' d say , ' here ' s cecil montgomery as tim murphy ! ' well , they loved tim murphy , and they couldn ' t wait to see him , and my dad would come out and he was like this , i don ' t know , 32 year old guy . tall , handsome , young guy with a thick head of black hair and was met with an eerie silence . ( laugh ) and then the cast would start to do the show , and as soon as my dad would talk everybody would go ' oh ! ' recognizing his voice and they ' d start to applaud !
because of her father ' s success in radio , montgomery eventually followed in his footsteps and became an actress as well .
he would go in three or four times a week to do these live broadcasts and sometimes i would go with him into the cbc studio . it was just this fascinating world . so i ' m there this one time and we ' re waiting for them to start to record the show , and the director is in a panic because this kid who was supposed to play a little boy hasn ' t shown up . they don ' t know what happened to him and it ' s live . so they look around and the director says , ' what about belinda ? do you think she could do this ? ' my dad says , ' do you think you want to be in the show ? ' and i said , ' yeah ! ' ( laugh ) so they gave me the lines to read and i did them a couple of times and went off into a corner with my dad to rehearse and then they started to record . i had a very husky , gravelly voice as a kid , ( lowers her voice ) ' like this , ' so i could easily play little boys . and so that ' s how i started as an actress ! i started by playing little boys on the radio ! ( laugh )
because of her natural talent and mature professionalism that belied her youth , montgomery soon made a name for herself as a prolific child actress working in radio and television throughout canada . she recalls how ,
i never performed in school plays because i was already doing them professionally . my sister and i did a couple of television shows that went right across canada that were live on the cbc . one was called ' brandynose , ' it was a christmas story that was a play on ' rudolph . ' it was a big fiasco from the moment it started . sets started to move on their own in the background , actors forgot their lines and walked off and came on again , windows moved , just strange things occurred on - air . and my dad and helene winston , who was a wonderful canadian actress , were standing there helpless and trying to hold back laughter . and this was dreadful because it was going live across canada . so they all pulled it together anyway and it looked like a surreal ' i - don ' t - know - what ' but the audience loved it . everybody just kept going : i was supposed to make an entrance coming through a front door . the door wouldn ' t open and i ' m trying to get it open and my sister ' s standing right beside me and we ' re supposed to go in and say some line and it ' s a cue for other things to happen in the scene . so i thought , ' well , there ' s a window and it ' s open ! ' so my sister tanis and i climbed through the window , just as the camera panned over and they catch us coming through the window , which was totally bizarre , since i had just been knocking at the door , so now i ' m crashing into somebody ' s house through the window . and we started to say our lines and i could see the other actors off in the side with tears coming down their faces , because they were laughing so hard , it was so ridiculous . but we somehow got through it . after that i thought , ' well , who wouldn ' t want to be an actor ? ' ( laugh )
even though she was already laying the groundwork for her acting career , starting at an early age , and continuing throughout her life , montgomery always painted . she readily acknowledges that she would have focused on a career as an artist if she had not pursued acting as her professional vocation . montgomery recalls that
as a kid , a van gogh exhibit came through town and my dad took me and that was it . i was just inspired by the colors and the magic of his paintings . i always painted on my own throughout my acting career . when i was 10 years old , i drew a portrait of a face that was 3 feet by 4 feet and it was black and white . it was black down one side , and white down the other side . a newscaster in canada , warren davis , bought it . he was a friend of my father ' s and he said he had to have it so he bought it and put it up prominently in his living room over his fireplace . it was my first sale , for $ 50 . 00 . to me , that was a lot of money . ( laugh )
when montgomery was 11 years old , her father moved the family to england , and she lived for a period of time in london . during those years , montgomery focused more on her schoolwork , but acknowledges that ,
somebody saw my sister tanis and i when my dad was doing some show and he said , ' oh , we ' d love to have them for a commercial ! ' so tanis and i did a chocolate tv commercial and we had fun doing that . but we didn ' t really do any acting over there . we were primarily in school during that time , and trying to understand the language . ( laugh ) we were in london for two years and dad did work on the bbc . we moved around london quite a bit . as a kid , i was not fond of that because i was very , very shy . going into new schools , being introduced into new classes - - oh my god , i thought i would die ! i didn ' t like being over there only because i felt like the odd one out . and different teachers would say , when a question would come up , ' oh , let ' s ask the yank ! ' i mean , i didn ' t know these people . i didn ' t know what they were talking about half the time , and so i ' d sort of stand up there and try to get through answering their question . a couple of times i ' d say under my breath , ' i ' m not a yank ! ' it was pretty much rainy and moldy and damp for the two years we lived there and my dad couldn ' t stand it . he said , ' what the hell ? ! what was i thinking coming back overseas ? ! we ' re leaving ! ' so my poor mom had to bundle everything up together . there were three kids - - my brother , my sister and myself - - and we took a ship back to montreal , quebec . we had our little english accents by that time . i just absorbed it , you know how kids do . i came back sounding all breathy like hayley mills , and my sister came back , oh god , sounding like a cockney . we don ' t know where she got it from . it used to drive my father insane . i think that ' s another reason why we came back . my sister would wake my parents up in the middle of the night and say , [ cockney accent ] ' daddy ! may i have a drink of water ! ' and he ' d say [ canadian - american accent ] ' if you ask for it properly in english ! ' ( laugh )
i was thirteen when we returned , which was a really awkward age , you know ? you ' re so self - conscious and you ' re in adolescence and early puberty . i was glad to be going back , but we didn ' t go back to manitoba because my dad wanted to move to toronto . so we spent the next several years in toronto . i went to high school there and i did a lot of modeling there . i was shy , so my mother thought ' ok , i ' m going to send belinda off to modeling school . ' so she enrolled me in a modeling school run by a wonderful woman . they had deportment classes where you ' d learn to keep your head up and photography , etc . , and my mom thought , ' oh , that ' ll be nice for her ! ' the career sort of took off with modeling and my sister tanis joined in and we used to do a ton of modeling for magazines and catalogues . when twiggy came to town , i was in a show with her . i have a front - page newspaper clipping of me , with my hair really short , and there i am with twiggy in the same show . we had a lot of fun . she was such an icon at the time - - this must have been 1966 maybe ? - - and she was lovely . she was really sweet and very , very shy . we just kept staring at her , you know , because we all wanted to look like twiggy , although some of us were not destined and i was one of those . ( laugh ) i wasn ' t going to be a stick no matter what i did .
being back in canada ultimately provided montgomery with further career opportunities as an actress . she landed the lead role in the cbc television special
hey , cinderella !
( 1968 ) , an adaptation of the classic fairy tale .
cinderella
was notable for being directed by jim henson and featuring early appearances of his legendary muppets , especially kermit the frog . as she recalls ,
i ' d go to the cbc to visit my dad , because he was doing a couple of series there , and somebody said , ' you know , belinda would be really good for this show ' barney boomer . ' what do you think ? ' and i don ' t know if i even auditioned for it , but the show was a kids’ show in the afternoon and it was a lot of fun . so i did that for , i don ' t know , a year or a year and a half and then i was working with jim henson in his tv special ' hey , cinderella ! ' he came in from new york , i think , or from l . a . i was 17 years old when i did that . there was a big audition for it and every actor my age went down there to read for it . i was lucky enough to get it . it was so much fun and he was such a lovely man . he was just charming and laid - back and there was never any stress on the set . i believe that that show was where he introduced kermit the frog and the character really developed from there . and so kermit was sitting there espousing what he had to say in such a tongue - in - cheek manner that the dialogue also spoke to adults on a different level , which was unheard of in children ' s programming back then . and the wonderful frank oz was my dog rufus in that show ! he was so delightful and sometimes , when the camera would stop , we might be sitting there and rufus would be saying something to me and i ' d be sitting there talking to rufus and then , ' wait a minute ! frank ! what are we doing ? i ' m talking to a muppet here ! we ' re having a conversation ! ' frank would stay in - character and just kept the conversation going through rufus and it was lovely . he was just a delightful man and , of course , he went on to complete anonymity ! ( laugh )
when i was working on ' hey , cinderella ! ' i found it very easy to maintain that suspension of disbelief and really believe in the muppets as real characters and as actors in the scene , especially with the evil sisters in the show . they were also muppets and they were just so funny . joyce gordon was a wonderful fairy godmother , she was a well known canadian actress , she was just terrific . pat galloway played the evil wicked stepmother and she had been a great theatrical actress . we just had the best time ever . jerry nelson played featherstone and he also did the voice of stepsister # 2 . he was a brilliant guy . we had such a wonderful time shooting it . we shot this show at laurence productions in toronto . i remember having a meal break or something where they couldn ' t take the time to get me out of my cinderella costume . so i said , ' why don ' t i just go like this ? ' so i took my wand and i had my diamond tiara on along with my ball gown - - it was after the fairy godmother had changed me into the princess in the storyline - - and there i am going down the street with frank oz and jerry nelson to a cafe with me dressed up as cinderella . when we walked in , it was like an apparition had walked in . people sort of did a double - take like ' am i dreaming ? have i had too much to drink ? ' i loved doing that , of course , being a teenager and startling people , so that was a lot of fun .


elena is a brazilian film directed by petra costa and produced by busca vida filmes .

it is based on the life of the actress elena andrade , petra costa 's older sister .

elena ( 2012 film )

festivals / awards thessaloniki international film festival 2011 - international competition , cyprus film days 2012 , sao paolo iff 2012 , seville iff 2012 . 2 awards by the hellenic film academy .
lambourne , andrew ( 2012 ) . “climbing the production chain . ” paper presented at 2012 languages and the media conference ( berlin , 21–23 november 2012 ) .
looking for movie tickets ? enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing elena ( 2012 ) near you .
home sweet home ( 2012 ) , united kingdom / france , enrica colusso .
joining the dots ( 2012 ) , united kingdom , pablo romero - fresco .
festivals / awards venice iff 2012 – orizzonti competition – best european short film – world premiere ghent iff 2012 , seville iff 2012 , fife 2013 , tetouan iff 2013 , cortisonici 2013 , bradford iff 2013 , courtisane siff 2013 , hamburg siff 2013 , curtas vila do conde 2013 , sydney iff 2013 , huesca iff 2013 , dokument art 2013 - best film award , brest isff 2013 , leuven isff 2013 . nominated for best short film of the european film academy awards 2012 .
serban , adriana ( 2012 ) . “translation as alchemy : the aesthetics of multilingualism in film . ” rosa agost , pilar orero and elena di giovanni ( eds ) ( 2012 ) . monographs in translating and interpreting ( monti ) 4 , 39–65 .
mickey and the fly ( 2012 ) silent / slapstick directed by evan a . baker
mcclarty , rebecca ( 2012 ) . “towards a multidisciplinary approach in creative subtitling . ” rosa agost , pilar orero and elena di giovanni ( eds ) ( 2012 ) . monographs in translating and interpreting ( monti ) 4 , 133–155 .
mfp ( 2012 ) . le sous - titrage de référence pour sourds et malentendants , paris : mfp .
perego , elisa ( ed . ) ( 2012 ) . eye tracking in audiovisual translation . rome : aracne .
aenor ( 2012 ) . norma une 153010 subtitulado para personas sordas y personas con discapacidad auditiva . madrid : aenor .
i talked with elena about the story behind the film , along with the fascinating cast decisions and camera choices .
after watching elena , the brazilian director fernando meirelles ( city of god ) said :
elena is a rare cinematic experience . a film that generates 60 insights a minute .
petra costa is a brazilian filmmaker and actress . she first directed the short film undertow eyes ( 2009 ) which screened at the moma and was winner of best short film at rio film festival , cine las americas international film festival , london international documentary festival among others . she then directed the feature elena ( 2012 ) which premiered at idfa , followed by sxsw and hotdocs . elena won many prizes such as best film at havana film festival ( 2013 ) , was nominated for best cinematography at the 2014 cinema eye honors and was the most watched documentary in brazil in 2013 .
fryer , louise and jonathan freeman ( 2012 ) . “cinematic language and the description of film : keeping ad users in the frame . ” perspectives : studies in translatology , 1–15 .
vermeulen , anna ( 2012 ) . “heterolingualism in audiovisual translation : dee zaak alzheimer / la memoria del asesino . ” aline remael , pilar orero and mary carroll ( eds ) ( 2012 ) . audiovisual translation and media accessibility at the crossroads . amsterdam / new york : rodopi , 295–313 .
ioncinema calls elena a “loving poem” urltoken furiously celebrates , supports and promotes u . s . independent and documentary film and foreign cinema elena is
beautifully poetic yet penetratingly raw in its portraiture
- 5 / 1 / 13
“with its free - floating imagery , elena unfolds like a cinematic dream . ”
elena of avalor
is an animated series that follows the story of elena , a brave and adventurous teenager who saves her kingdom from an evil sorceress .
“elena is one of the most moving , heartrending cinematic experiences i’ve ever had . ”
produced by homemade films , unafilm , prpl , bastide films , greek film center , nederlands film fonds , film - und medienstiftung nrw , filmförderung hamburg schleswig - holstein , pan entertainment , graal s . a . , marni films , mamoko entertainment , prosenghisi ltd , movimento film production
merida , a scottish princess , sets out to break her family ' s curse in disney - pixar ' s 2012 film
brave .
she ' s a skilled archer , a good swordfighter and a pretty good horsewoman , too .
the film is not about someone
looking for a lost sister
. the director , petra costa , is elena ' s younger sister , who became a filmmaker . the film is a true story , a documentary that recreates her elena ' s steps , using childhood memories , home videos , photos and interviews .
* a second screening of the showcase will take place at the quad , in derby , on 27 april 2012 , after which director esther richardson will be present for a q & a session with wftv’s short film series producer , rebecca brand .
elena – rooftop films festival rooftop films - donna k . - 8 / 19 / 13
nadezhda markina as the title character in “elena , ” set in and around moscow . the film is directed by andrei zvyagintsev , best known for “the return . ”
how elena acts on this information involves the logic of a perfect crime , so beloved by film noir , and usually not quite perfect after all . there ' s a kind of fascination in observing elena ' s calm and composure as she acts by any means necessary and displays both false and real emotion . shoot this film in black and white and cast barbara stanwyck as elena , and you ' d have a 1940s classic .
it therefore follows that the translator - title designer , rather than remaining outside of the filmmaking process , should become part of the postproduction team , working alongside the film editors and title designers . this would enable the translator - title designer to gain closer working access to the film’s production team , including the director , and consequently achieve greater insights into the film’s style and the director’s intentions . in turn , this would facilitate a creative subtitling that truly responds to the film and , moreover , becomes an aesthetic extension of the film itself ( mcclarty 2012 : 149 ) .
chapter : women in film & tv uk www . wftv . org . uk
( click here to watch the film and here to read a review . )
feature film , 105’ , 35mm , color , dolby digital , greece 2011 .
short film , 11′ , 35mm , color , dolby digital , greece 2010 .
feature film , 107′ , 35mm , color , dolby digital , greece 2010 .
win some lose some ( 2010 ) film noir directed by t . anthony walker
film independent produces the spirit awards , the annual celebration honoring artist - driven films and recognizing the finest achievements of american independent filmmakers . film independent also produces the los angeles film festival , showcasing the best of american and international cinema and the film independent at lacma film series , a year - round , weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the los angeles creative community and the general public .
elena is not a film for the faint of heart . and yet , it is a film about redemption , about full acceptance of the human condition . when the lights came on at the end of the session last night there was absolute silence .
a haunting visual essay . elena interweaves its various fragments like gestures in a modern dance .
how can one describe petra costa‘s film “elena“ ? if it’s just the facts , one could say that it’s a documentary about costa searching for answers and understanding about her sister elena , who committed suicide when she was a child . and yes , it is that , but it is [ … ]
elena walks down a hospital corridor crying quietly , then stops at a window and fights back her tears .
ms . ferrante’s identity , kept scrupulously secret by her publishers , has been the subject of intense curiosity and scrutiny since her books became an international sensation after “my brilliant friend” was published in english in 2012 .
elena is a movie starring nadezhda markina , andrey smirnov , and aleksey rozin . when a sudden illness and an unexpected reunion threaten dutiful housewife elena ' s potential inheritance , she must hatch a desperate plan . . .
elena
reveals a filmmaker in full command of his art and not much interested in catering to an audience . if you want this film , you have to meet it more than halfway .
a film i’d like to have done . i got goosebumps several times because it is a film about grief and incomprehension of death . and death should not exist .
festivals / awards venice iff 2010 – orizzonti ( world premiere ) drama isff ( 6 awards including best short film ) , amiens iff 2010 , gijon iff 2010 , rotterdam iff 2011 , clermont ferrand isff 2011 , gulf isff 2011 ( best international short film ) , leiden international short film experience 2011 ( best short film award ) , short shorts 2011 , palm springs shortfest 2011 , la shortfest 2011 , guanajuato iff 2011 – signis jury special mention , melbourne iff 2011 . best short film award by the hellenic film academy .
paradoxically , even though these translation and accessibility services only account for 0 . 1 % –1 % of the budget of an average film production ( lambourne 2012 ) , over half of the revenue of , for example , both top - grossing and award - winning hollywood films comes from foreign territories 1 :
“first , there are three women intermingled . then , there is search and separation . elena is now memory . and memory is a living house . elena is one of the most beautiful documentaries i have ever seen . ”
elena is one of the most moving , heartrending cinematic experiences i’ve ever had . of unusual beauty , it’s a film we keep turning to for a long time . it’s a must see !
f claude chabrol had made a film that looked like a russian parable of human vanity , it might look like this gripping and disturbing film from andrey zvyagintsev . ( i found myself thinking of both merci pour le chocolat and old count bezukhov ' s will in war and peace . ) elena is only the third feature - length film from this 48 - year - old director , after
summoning elena to his bedside , vladimir stuns her by bluntly announcing that he is about to prepare his will in which he leaves almost everything to katerina , while providing elena with a life annuity to be distributed in monthly payments .
first , there are three women intermingled . then , there is search and separation . elena is now memory . and memory is a living house . elena is one of the most beautiful documentaries i have ever seen .
“elena” evokes the experience of three generations of brazilian women . elena was born in 1969 at the start of the dictatorship that drove many brazilian artists into exile . later she lost many friends in the dance world to the aids epidemic .
elena of avalor
will premiere friday on the disney channel . walt disney is the parent company of abc .
rob reiner ' s film rests on broad , sweeping proclamations about the importance of factual reporting .
the main hero of the film for me is the film language , the rest is the characters . well and of course the main heroine is the idea ( zviagintsev 2011 : 70 ) .
feature film , 83′ , dcp , color , greece - germany - netherlands - italy 2014 .
there was significant social media backlash when princess sofia was reported to be walt disney ’s very first latina princess in 2012 . show creator craig gerber told abc news it was that confusion that sparked the idea for a new show .
though very russian , there is an extremely universal story at the heart of this film . . .
because vladimir’s lawyer is to arrive the next day , elena makes an impulsive , fateful decision that casts her in a different light . but the screenplay , written by the director with oleg negin , recognizes her humanity . even as elena contemplates the unthinkable , ms . markina’s grand , subtle performance reinforces the film’s view of her as its most compassionate character .
elena is an elegiac cinematic essay that is both haunting and unforgettable . frank scheck - the hollywood reporter 5 / 29 / 2014
elena cares for her husband vladimir ' s ( andrey smirnov ) needs in a relationship whose true nature is not entirely clear .
left , a scene from the movie . right , petra as a baby with elena , her sister , in a photograph .
evita elena roger in the title role and ricky martin in this andrew lloyd webber and tim rice musical at the marquis theater .
the first of the many merits of petra costa’s film is not having related elena’s depression—which undoubtedly influenced her final choices—to her talent and sensitivity . the actress is remembered in all her generosity and charisma despite and not because of her problems . elena celebrates what comes before and outlives death : the harsh beauty of love which has undergone the hardest of tests .
in 1911 , the united nations put forth a day to celebrate the economic , political , and social achievements of women past , present , and future . this marks the 7th year women in film and television ( wifti ) joins in that celebration with our short film showcase . these films have been selected by the participating wifti chapters from submissions created by their members . each chapter’s selections were sent to the wifti screening committee to compile the final 2012 showcase program .
elena speaks about losses with rare talent and courage . it echoes strongly inside us , it is pain that cures pain .
elena is an elegiac cinematic essay that is both haunting and unforgettable . the hollywood reporter - frank scheck - 5 / 29 / 14
petra costa in “elena , ” a documentary that she directed about her sister , who settled in new york and later committed suicide .
from the point of view of research and teaching , accessible filmmaking entails an exchange between film ( making ) studies and avt , where film scholars and film students learn about the aspects of avt and accessibility that may have an effect on the realisation and reception of ( their ) films , while avt scholars and translation students explore the elements from filmmaking and film studies that can contribute to the theory and practice of translation and accessibility .
over the past years , eye - tracking research has focused on the reception ( and perception ) of original films ( smith 2006 , smith et al . 2008 ) and translated films ( perego ( ed . ) 2012 ) , but it may also be necessary to compare both experiences . to what extent and how do the subtitles affect the reception of a film ?
festivals / awards venice international film festival 2015 – orizzonti competition – world premiere torino iff 2015 , mumbai iff 2015 , thessaloniki iff 2015 , kolkata iff 2015 , goa iff 2015 , palm springs iff 2016 , istanbul iff 2016 , vilnius iff 2016 , cyprus film days 2016 , catania ff 2016 , lagff 2016 , pula iff 2016 , sarajevo iff 2016 , festival of film critics camera action 2016 , skopje iff 2016 , sao paulo iff 2016 , hellas filmbox ff – new vision award , etc . best first film director hellenic film academy award 2016
“visually stunning and viscerally moving . a film that made me believe again in the transformative power of cinema . ”
1 ] the documentary is one of the discs in the special two - disc edition of the film released in russia by karmen - fil’m in 2011 . the other disc contains the film with optional russian and english subtitles .
gradually , the features of the two sisters are confused ; we no longer know one from the other . when petra finally finds elena in an unexpected place , she has to learn to let her go . elena is a film about the persistence of those memories , the irreversibility of that loss , and the impact the absence of her sister had on the seven - year - old girl .
both have children . elena ' s son , sergei ( alexey rozin ) , is a dissolute layabout with an obnoxious son named sasha ( igor ogurtsov ) . he doesn ' t love elena and who knows what she feels for him , but she brings them money from vladimir . vladimir has a daughter named katya ( elena lyadova ) , who has no purpose in life other than to be supported by her doting father .
director bio : jacqueline resides in portland . “sack lunch” is her first film . this is part of a series of shorts on revenge that will be arranged in a feature length film . she serves on the board of wifp .
los angeles ( october 22 , 2012 ) — film independent is pleased to announce the filmmakers and projects selected for its 12th annual producing lab . sponsored by the alfred p . sloan foundation , the intensive five - week program offers promising producers a nurturing , creative environment as well as the resources and support needed to hone their skills , allowing them to move their current projects into production .
a haunting visual essay . elena interweaves its various fragments like gestures in a modern dance . variety - peter debruge - 3 / 22 / 13
aimee carrero of the disney channel ' s ,
elena of avalor
is pictured in a recording studio , jan . 26 , 2016 .
film synopsis : disappointment in love can send someone “awol” in the heart . the front lines are the only defense .
elena of avalor ,
disney ' s newest princess , is set to make her long - awaited debut this week . it ' s a big deal - - and not just to the under - 8 crowd - - because elena will be the first disney princess of hispanic descent .
andrea pallaoro pasó por la sección talents hace dos años con su primer film , medeas . ahora vuelve al festival con hannah , un gran film interpretado por una gran dama del cine , charlotte rampling , que sumó con esta película un nuevo…
elena cares for her husband vladimir ' s ( andrey smirnov ) needs in a relationship whose true nature is not entirely clear . zeitgeist films hide caption
in different hands ,
elena
might have been a noir thriller , but this serving of cinematic borscht is as cold as a russian winter .
carrero told abc news she is honored be a part of the
elena of avalor
cast as disney makes history with its first latina princess .
not all disney princesses are introduced to the world via the big screen . elena will make her debut on the disney channel . gerber explained why .
elena
begins as if it will be the grim portrait of unpleasant people and grows steadily more remorseless . there ' s a kind of fascination in its unblinking portrait of characters who care about nothing but money . it concludes on a note that would distinguish a film noir , although many noirs end on notes of poetic justice , and there ' s no poetry in
elena ,
and no one deserving justice .
egoyan , atom and ian balfour ( 2004 ) . subtitles : on the foreignness of film . cambridge : mit press .
elena will be playing at the miami beach cinematheque on monday , august 18th , at 7 p . m . as part of the 18th brazilian film festival of miami . tickets cost $ 11 , with discounts for members , seniors , and students . visit urltoken or urltoken .
director bio : maria - elena’s love for art came from her time in dublin , ireland where she studied visual communications . moving to new zealand she has married her love of art and story into her short films . she is currently working on a new short film “inorganic” .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
the consideration during the filmmaking process ( and through collaboration between the translator and the creative team of the film ) of some of the aspects that are required to make a film accessible to viewers in other languages and viewers with hearing or visual loss .
( 2007 ) ; it is in many ways his most intimate , and the film with the most contemporary and realist character .
nornes , abé mark ( 1999 ) . “for an abusive subtitling . ” film quarterly , 52 ( 3 ) , 17–34 .
shot like a dream , spoken like an elegy , elena takes nonfiction where it seldom wants to go . indiewire - john anderson - 5 / 29 / 14
movie review - ' elena ' two families united by marriage but divided by class are the focus of an intensely compelling slice of noir about moral rot and class warfare in post - soviet russia . critic ella taylor says the film by director andrey zvyagintsev ( the return ) smolders with existential unease .
i enjoyed the film but was disppointed with the ending which just showed that a mother ( elena ) could not see any fault in her family and that vladimir was right that they were a bunch of wastrels . why do peple complain that films are slow ? is their pace of life that much different ?
her words resound through a film that suggests that in this quasi - feudal social environment , avarice and blood ties trump all other values .
van sijll , jennifer ( 2005 ) . cinematic storytelling : the 100 most powerful film conventions every filmmaker must know . ca : mwp .
part - subtitling is understood here simply as a strategy for making a film shot in two or more languages accessible to viewers . unlike conventional subtitles , part - subtitles are appended to part of the dialogue only , are planned from an early stage in the film’s production , and are aimed at the film’s primary language audience . such films will have no ‘original’ , unsubtitled version , but will be partially subtitled for all audiences .
seven adolescents take on the mission of filming their family housemaids for one week and hand over the footage to the director to make a film .
film synopsis : under the guise of a traditional mexican folk dance , a border town cowboy is unknowingly robbed of his treasure by traveling banditos .
after branching out on her own , smith produced the critically - acclaimed feature that evening sun , written and directed by scott teems , which won the audience award for best narrative feature and special jury prize for best ensemble cast at its sxsw premiere . the film went on to garner over a dozen awards on the film festival circuit , two film independent spirit award nominations , and was released theatrically in 2009 . she then produced the independent feature sironia with filmmaker brandon dickerson , which won an audience award at its austin film festival premiere in 2011 and is being released this fall .
with no place to call home , 19 - year - old elena takes a job as a live - in aide . she finds herself thrust into the middle of a family in crisis : all the things that go on between a father , grandmother , mother , and cat . eventually , elena strikes something of a balance though . . . that is , until the prodigal son returns home . placing fictional characters alongside real people , ' exit elena ' is shot through with all the rough edges inherent to family life and home movie form .
dreaming of fame and fortune , a local denver performer hires two indie filmmakers to come to town and make a film with him as the star .
a beautiful piece of work ; elegant , poetic , visually stunning and viscerally moving . elena takes you to a place where you’re reluctant to go as a person . and forces you to face your own demons . a film that made me believe again in the transformative power of cinema and let loose my cynicism about it .
the final impression is that petra , the director and sister , made and was made by the film , a bit like that image of the hand that draws another hand and is in turn drawn by it . without the director , elena would not exist ; without elena , my impression is that the director would be sadder , her life trapped in unrelenting grief . she would also be spiritually poorer , not having undergone the experience of having made one of the most beautiful films i’ve seen in a long time .
elena is really a masterpiece in terms of sensibility and communication in the way by which pain can ultimately be transformed by the magic of art into sublimation , compassion and reconciliation .
petra’s identification with elena is so intense that the faces of the two sisters seem almost interchangeable , like the two women in ingmar bergman’s “persona , ” one of them an actress ( played by liv ullmann ) suddenly gone mute , the other her nurse ( bibi andersson ) , futilely trying to coax her out of a despair beyond words . another classic film to which “elena” indirectly refers is alain resnais’s “hiroshima mon amour , ” with its intermingled reflections on passion , time and historical trauma suggested by the mention of “hiroshima . ”
elena , a newly qualified live - in nurse , moves in with the akerman family to nurse their aging grandmother . unfortunately , the clingy mother makes it difficult for her to stay professional .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
film synopsis : a daughter’s long time rage at her father’s life choices finally comes to light as she wants to take his ashes back home with her .
film synopsis : mrs . anderson is a stubborn woman who cannot let go of the past , even in the face of desperate pleas for her help .
director bio : ryan grew up on a farm outside of atlanta , ga . after traveling the world and documenting her journeys , she settled in the bay area where she currently works for pixar . she is working on another short film , “the farms” , and is producing her first feature film , “white rabbit” .
vincendeau , ginette ( 1999 ) . “hollywood babel : the coming of sound and the multiple - language version . ” andrew higson and richard maltby ( eds ) ( 1999 ) . “film europe” and “film america” : cinema , commerce and cultural exchange 1920 - 1939 . exeter : university of exeter press , 207–225 .
many people can ' t abide slow - building subtitled films about relentlessly unhappy people . but closet pessimists like myself and the cannes judges will find elena ' s sense of impending doom oddly satisfying .
elena of avalor will be written as a 16 - year - old girl . that would make her the same age as aurora in “sleeping beauty , ” ariel in “the little mermaid” and mulan .
film synopsis : ryan gives us a humorous look at the male’s need to hang on to preconceived notions about his gender and what he “should” do in life .
unlike ariel , who gave up her voice to be with prince eric , or cinderella , who dreamed of a happily - ever - after with prince charming , elena will not have a love interest .
the subtlety and stealth of this movie is a marvel , and so is the complex and enigmatic performance of markina . zvyagintsev has a brilliant slow zoom on to an old photo of elena , apparently taken around the time of her marriage 10 years before – and presumably taken by the doting vladimir . it inspires the question : who is elena ? what does she want ? who does she love ? it is superbly shot and directed ; it does not offer a thriller - type ending – the narrative is resolved in a disquieting minor key . a deeply satisfying film .
post - soviet russia in andrei zvyagintsev ’s somber , gripping film “elena” is a moral vacuum where money rules , the haves are contemptuous of the have - nots , and class resentment simmers . the movie , which shuttles between the center of moscow and its outskirts , is grim enough to suggest that even if you were rich , you wouldn’t want to live there .
for mr . zvyagintsev , whose first feature , “the return , ” won the grand prize at the 2003 venice film festival , it is a brilliant comeback after “the banishment” ( 2007 ) , a disappointing film that was not released in this country . “the return” had established him as perhaps the foremost artistic heir to andrei tarkovsky .
director bio : ester’s background is theatre directing and this is her first film ! it is already gaining acclaim and we look forward to what she will accomplish next .
rather than adhering to a restrictive set of norms , the creative subtitling practice responds to the specific qualities of the individual film text , giving the creative subtitler more freedom to create an aesthetic that matches that of the source text , instead of being bound by standard font types , sizes and positions . creative subtitles may be subtle or striking , bright or neutral , wild or restrained , but they will always respond to the individual film text , or even to specific moments within that film text .
based on a true story , elena obliterates the line between documentary , diary and fever dream , and is at once captivating and devastating . the most watched documentary in brazil of 2013 now comes to america .
film synopsis : “menisus” is an experimental journey into human nature where we learn what some would say our souls already know : the spirit is more powerful than the flesh .
production fantasia ltd , greek film centre , ert sa , pan entertainment , ηomemade films , danzaprojekt with the support of support of g . s . ma . th .
with its free - floating imagery , elena unfolds like a cinematic dream whose central image is water , which symbolizes the washing away of grief . the new york times - stephen holden - 5 / 30 / 14
from the word go , there are subtle signs of discord in the marriage of vladimir ( andrey smirnov ) and elena ( nadezhda markina ) , a wealthy couple whose domestic life runs on oiled wheels of routine .
director bio : joycelyn grew up in the “industry” . her first short film , “baby monitor” , received many awards . “lobster” is her second short film . she directed the premiere of eve ensler’s newest play , “i am an emotional creature - the secret life of girls” . her career spans many sides of filmmaking as well as writing children’s books .
elena and vladimir’s marriage reaches a crossroads when vladimir has a heart attack while swimming and is again dependent on her care . katerina visits him ( at elena’s insistence ) while he’s in the hospital , and the father and daughter , after years of mutual hostility , discover a ghoulish rapport in their shared nihilism . katerina now drinks and takes drugs only on weekends , she announces sardonically , but is “still getting food and sex under control . ”
elena always brings money . when sergey tells her that his surly teenage son , sasha ( igor ogurtsov ) , will have to join the army unless sergey can buy the boy’s way into college , she promises to help , although sasha has no interest in his studies . any money she brings has to be wheedled out of vladimir , who despises her family and its slovenly ways . when elena returns home and pleads sasha’s case , he balks .
here ' s a tip : don ' t feel . think . zvyagintsev wants you to come out of
elena
thinking something , and if your realization is an uneasy one , that ' s ok with him .
elena greenlee was born and raised in brooklyn , but her passion for filmmaking has been honed all over the world . fluent in four languages and with a background in documentary filmmaking , she is a narrative producer in the service of telling socially relevant stories from diverse and unexplored angles . her first film was shot in havana , cuba , and screened at festivals internationally as well as on broadcast tv in the
on its surface alone , andrey zvyagintsev ' s elena is an intensely compelling slice of noir about moral rot and class warfare in post - soviet russia . deeper down , the movie seethes quietly with the moody influence of other east european masters of the timeless ineffable . if zvyagintsev were a less inscrutable filmmaker , he might have titled his new film crime without punishment — but we ' ll get to that .
aimee carrero , 28 , who stars on freeform’s hit series “young and hungry , ” has been tapped to voice the new animated character for the
elena of avalor
series that will launch on the disney channel on friday .
director bio : sheila is an award winning writer / director whose passion is centered in public health / family issues . this film is born out of personal experience in the dating world . during her 20 year career she has produced a serious body of work , and in her words “this film marks a much - needed fore into dramatic comedy . phew ! ! ” .
produced by sacrebleu productions , homemade films , centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée , france télévisions , greek film centre , ert s . a . , ote tv , procirep angoa
' elena ' . a beautifully reserved piece of filmmaking exploring the class divide in modern moscow . the direction is meticulous , patient and purposeful , capturing little moments and stunning imagery . a most memorable , simple score does wonders too .
elena , a young brazilian woman , travels to new york with the same dream as her mother , to become a movie actress . she leaves behind her childhood spent in hiding during the years of the . . . see more »
“everyone’s going to die” a jonesfilm production in association with bobo kaminski film . ( sales : arclight films , los angeles . ) directed , written by jones . running time : 83 min .
the film is a dense , impressionistic collage of accumulated fragments from home movies , newspaper clippings , diary entries and excerpts from letters , narrated by ms . costa in a tone of dreamy sadness . her refusal to heed the advice of her mother , an elegant , sepulchral presence threaded through the film , suggests that petra , like her sister , is an impulsive , volatile young woman , willfully tempting fate in her quest to conjure a sibling with whom she was very close as a young child . it is also an attempt to exorcise her own boundless grief and , in so doing , spare herself elena’s tragic destiny .
elena , a young brazilian woman , travels to new york with the same dream as her mother , to become a movie actress . she leaves behind her childhood spent in hiding during the years of the . . . see full summary »
but costa isn ' t solely dedicated to telling the story of her sister ' s depression and death . in great part , elena is a work of self - exploration and how fulfilling it can be to make the most abstract memories concrete .
vladimir and elena ' s apartment looks eerily like his gym or the hospital where he recuperates from a stroke . all three form a seamless line of discreet opulence and engineered good taste , unbroken by the warmth of spontaneity , idiosyncrasy or mess .
lilya talks to elena on a mobile phone while in bed , then gets up ( she is shown wearing an undershirt and men ' s boxers ) , hugs and kisses her boyfriend who is watching a documentary with slavoj zizek on a laptop .
juan antonio barquin co - runs a film criticism site , dim the house lights , and works as an arts writer for new times . he aspires to be bridget jones and loves genre flicks .
director bio : deb has won many awards and competitions , but currently she can be found on her organic vegetable farm in pa as she works on her first feature film project “poppies and olives” .
produced by pan entertainment , greek film center , ert s . a . , nova , graal , accelere , panagiotis fafoutis , homemade films with the support of the media programme of the european union
loved this movie when i saw it in european festivals . hoping it would be seen here , so i could share it with friends . extraordinary and compelling window into russia today . beautiful film .
aimee carrero says she is not a professional singer , but you wouldn’t know it . she will sing as elena in the series . she’s already recording a rousing number , “my time , ” sure to get you motivated to do just about anything .
film synopsis : so often we recreate our pasts and our present becomes the nightmare of our childhood . this story revolves around a woman who carries the burden of her disturbed past throughout her adult life .
( ciro guerra ) , colombia / argentina / venezuela - c . i . c . a . e . award at cannes 2015 directors’ fortnight , best foreign language film nomination at the academy awards 2016
elena is a bold plunge into painful memories , unasked questions and wounds still inflamed . it is , in short , crying in the form of a movie , but also an embrace of comfort . pablo villaça - the movie blog 5 / 30 / 2014
sure enough , after she ' s seen to her husband ' s needs , elena rides the buses and trains to the dreary suburbs , bringing money and food to her unemployed son and his family . she might as well be traveling to another planet .
with its free - floating imagery , “elena” unfolds like a cinematic dream whose central image is water , which symbolizes the washing away of grief . but more than that , it represents the stream of life , with beautiful images of women floating through time .
craig gerber , creator and executive producer of “elena of avalor , ” also developed and still serves as executive producer of the disney junior animated series “sofia the first . ” gerber , the father of three young boys , has now created two disney princesses !
the title character of petra costa’s poetic , intensely personal documentary essay , “elena , ” is her older sister , a brazilian dancer and aspiring actress who settled in new york city and eventually committed suicide when petra was 7 . years later , petra , also an aspiring actress , followed in elena’s footsteps and moved to new york to study theater at columbia . “my mother always said i could live anywhere in the world , except new york , ” she recalls . “i could choose any profession , except actress . ”
with 78 features world premiering at sxsw this year , variety couldn’t possibly get to everything . here are quick takes from senior film critic peter debruge on a handful of deserving films that didn’t receive full reviews .
director bio : megan was a sculptor , photographer and journalist before becoming a filmmaker . she has won many awards for her short films and is currently working on her first feature length film “crooks & nannies” .
you have a group of artists : writer , director , actors , and designers , who collaborate on a creative project , the film . well , the audio describer to my mind is just one more participant in that project , and how can they work as part of an otherwise highly qualified team , without a sound basis in how film works ? ( . . . ) i ' d like to see screen writers and filmmakers training and working as audio describers . what is the screenwriter ' s job after all but to conjure up the world of the film in words , for a metaphorically blind audience ? ( haig 2002 )
elena ( nadezhda markina ) , a dutiful wife to her wealthy husband and a burdened mother to her layabout son , manages to balance the needs of the two , until she learns her husband plans to leave her family nothing in his will . zeitgeist films hide caption
1 . she ' s polynesian ! though she ' s not the first disney princess to break out of the traditional fair - skinned mold ( see mulan , tiana or the upcoming television series about princess elena of avalor ) , she is the first polynesian princess .
recent editing credits include american promise ( pov 2014 ) , which won the special jury prize for achievement in filmmaking at the 2013 sundance film festival and won the grand jury prize at the 2013 full frame film festival . she is also an editor and writer on the doc , the new black ( independent lens 2014 ) , which premiered at the la film festival , human rights watch and afi docs in june 2013 . her other credits include sundance editing award winner detropia ( as associate editor ) , and our school , which has screened at festivals around the world , including tribeca , visions du réel , and silverdocs for which it won the sterling award for best u . s . feature in 2011 . erin was the inaugural recipient for the karen schmeer film editing fellowship in 2011 and an editing fellow at the sundance institute documentary edit lab in 2009 .
elena is a rare cinematic experience . this is due to both the depth with which it engages the emotional relationships among the 3 characters and the poetic delicacy of its textures , sounds , and text . it’s like a string that unravels before us and suddenly we’re trapped in a knot with no way out . but time or life itself takes on transforming what was tragedy into memory , undoing the knot and letting life flow again . it’s a film that generates 60 insights a minute .
memories go with time , they fade ,
the film says .
but some find no solace , just bits of relief in the small openings of poetry . you are my inconsolable memory made of shadow and stone . and it is from this that all is born and dances .
it ' s the bits of dialogue like this that resonate deeply with the message that petra costa is getting across . elena is not solely the sister she lost , she is an essential piece of the woman that costa has become . even with the pain that comes with loss , she ' s grateful for the moments she had with her sister . in many ways , elena is as much a letter of thanks as it is a love letter to a woman she misses .
sound plays a massive role in elena , with costa ' s own narration being the primary form of plot progression , if one can even describe it as such . musical accompaniment works both ways in the film , with vitor araujo ' s brilliant recurring piece of music ,
valsa pra lua ,
accompanying some of the most poignant scenes , while the mamas and the papas '
dedicated to the one i love
coming off almost too on - the - nose , despite its sweet sentiment .
kia davis , playing elena , is exquisite . we begin with seeing her qualify , and her joy and excitement to be beginning her first job . then , as she becomes more and more burdened with family politics , politeness and an overly amorous nathan , we can feel her frustration at not being able to just do her job . her interaction with cindy is heart - breakingly awkward ; if cindy is as over - bearing in this film as she is in real life , i pity nathan silver !
from executive producers tim robbins and fernando meirelles , one of the most successful documentaries of all time in brazil now comes to america . intimate in style , elena delves into the abyss of one family ' s drama , revealing at once the inspiration that can be born from tragedy .
a highly popular theme talk discussed options how to create feasible working conditions for parents and carers in the film industry today . another theme talk with experts covered the current topic
green production
, featuring producer marta donzelli of the
some of the film selectors of the d ' a 2018 have chosen their favourite films pointing out some useful notes that may help you to choose between the different films of the festival or just want to follow their advice . carlos…
petra manages to tell a personal story with a universal appeal – and she does it by using a collection of extremely moving documentary images ( elena’s dances , her return to belo horizonte ) alongside original and striking scenes ( such as the women floating in their transparent dresses ) .
a chilly noir about the beaten paths and icy ruts of russian life in the capital , post - communism . in a land of schemers , elena suggests , the urban cloisters of moscow ' s elite are as self - sealing as the lowly masses ' stifling soviet - era flats .
la directora gallega anxos fazáns dirige su primer largometraje a estación violenta , después de dirigir varios cortos . basada en la novela del escritor y periodista manuel jabois , un film que habla de amistad , amor y emociones y las pasiones que…
the songwriting team for “elena of avalor ,
who are also the emmy award - winning songwriting team behind disney’s “sofia the first , will create a new song for every episode of the show . staff writers on the show will pen the lyrics , and a songwriter will create the music .
a thorough analysis of why avt and accessibility have not managed to make the same progress as localisation is beyond the scope of this article . however , a quick look back at the introduction of language transfer in film may provide useful context .
while the need for ‘visual rests’ was solved in production , other problems were tackled in post - production during the editing process . an example of this is the following sign , which is essential to follow the third act of the film :
sinha , amresh ( 2004 ) . “the use and abuse of subtitles . ” atom egoyan and ian balfour ( eds ) ( 2004 ) . subtitles . on the foreignness of film . cambridge , ma : the mit press , 172–190 .
here are the recommendations of carlos r . ríos , the director of d ' a film festival barcelona . the most unique and special films that might guide you to the great variety of movies of this year da edition . his personal bet with…
is a filmmaker from chicago . currently splitting his time between chicago and new orleans , he works under oscar - nominated filmmakers in the court 13 collective ( beasts of the southern wild ) . over the past two years , he has worked as production designer on nick singer’s other months , which is premiering at the 2014 sxsw film festival . he is presently in post on his first feature queen of the battling butterfly brigade . hymanson is a 2011 graduate of the wesleyan university film program .
in “elena” the title character ( nadezhda markina ) , a stout , copper - haired woman in her late 50s or early 60s , shares an elegant , gadget - filled home near the kremlin with her wealthy older husband , vladimir ( andrei smirnov ) . you are keenly aware of the distance between elena , a former nurse from a proletarian background , and the imperious , hard - nosed vladimir , whom she cared for while he recovered from peritonitis a decade earlier and then married . it’s not that they loathe each other . when he signals that he wants sex , she matter - of - factly obliges him .
london — a day after a new york review of books article about the possible real identity of the best - selling author known as elena ferrante , the rose theater kingston here announced monday that it would present the first stage adaptation of the four novels that have made ms . ferrante an international literary name .