Festivals, Screenings and Awards

Avi Nesher’s latest film, shot between Łódź and Jerusalem, is in competition for the Golden Frog at Camerimage this year. Michel Abramowicz, AFC, discusses the making of this period film that plunges viewers into Israeli society of the 1970s.

Nicolas Loir has become a regular in Camerimage’s Video Clips competition. He won a double prize in 2013, and this year he’s back in competition with KCPK "Who Wants It". (FR)

In a video interview, the cinematographer James Laxton talks about his work on Barry Jenkins’ movie, Moonlight, in Main competition. On movie mates, isolation, swiming lesson, moonlight on the beach, dark skins lighting...

The Innocents, directed by Anne Fontaine, recounts the meeting of a young Red Cross volunteer with a group of nuns, in the Polish countryside, just after the War. The occupants of the convent, victims of rape by Red Army soldiers during the liberation of Poland, are confronting the ensuing pregnancies, which they do not want disclosed to the outside world. Torn between religious obligation and maternal instinct, the destiny of these women, who have taken vows of celibacy, is suddenly in question...

Apprentice is the second feature-length film by young Singaporean director Boo Junfeng. It deals with a subject that is taboo in the small, prosperous Southeast-Asian city-state: the death penalty.

The AFC will be represented at the 24^th Annual Camerimage Festival (Bydgoszcz, Poland) thanks to selected films that will be screened, the attendance of eight of its member-cinematographers, and the publication of a daily newsletter reporting on the highlights of this annual event focusing on cinematography and cinematographers.

Since Laurent Mannoni joined the AFC as a consulting member, the ties between the Conservatoire des techniques cinématographiques of the French Cinematheque, where he is the Director of Patrimony, and the AFC have become closer. I was able to attend the annual meeting of the Conservatory’s scientific counsel as a reciprocal representative of the AFC, which was attended by Frédéric Bonnaud, the new general director, in the equipment storage room on 2 June 2016. Here is a brief review of the conferences and acquisitions for the 2015-2016 season at the Conservatory.

Within just a few days, I shall come to the end of my term as Director-General of the Cinémathèque française. As of February 1^st, 2016, Frédéric Bonnaud will take up the reins and assume full responsibility for this great institution.

The ASC has nominated Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC, Janusz Kaminski, Ed Lachman, ASC, Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC, and John Seale, ASC, ACS, for the ASC Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in a Theatrical Release.

On Monday November 16^th, very early in the morning, I left my parisian home to attend the Camerimage Festival in Bydgoczsz, Poland; to be sure to catch the plane, I arrived three hours before scheduled take-off. My heart was broken and I was on the verge of tears while I read the newspapers and watched the pictures of the faces of the young people massacred in the streets of Paris.

The Camerimage Festival ended with the closing ceremony that took place on Saturday, 21 December 2015 at the Grand Theatre of the Opera Nova of Bydgoszcz (Poland) and the announcement of the winners. The jury, presided by director Michael Hoffman, awarded the Golden Frog to Todd Haynes’ film Carol, cinematography by Ed Lachman, ASC; the Silver Frog to Grímur Hákonarson’s film Rams, cinematography by Sturla Brandth Grøvlen, DFF; and the Bronze Frog to Lázló Nemes’ film Son of Saul, cinematography by Mátyás Erdély, HSC.

In a filmed interview, cinematographer Reed Morano, ASC, discusses "Meadowland", her first feature film as a director, presented in Camerimage’s Director’s Debut Competition. She talks about mixing cards, camera work, the gear, the kitchen scene, the bar, shooting with animals and/or childrens, being a "former cinematographer"...

In a filmed interview, cinematographer Mátyás Erdély, HSC, discusses his work on the film Hrútar (Son of Saul), by Laszlo Nemes, presented in Camerimage’s Main Competition. His long collaboration with the direcor, the locations, the evidence of film, the laboratory, the camera tests, the narrative focus about, his lighting approach, etc.

Sony, already very active in the field of visual recording, especially with its line of Cinéalta cameras or its A7 digital cameras, is now interested in high-dynamic-range (HDR) imagery generated by these products.
Richard Lewis, of Sony England, and Pablo Garcia, DIT based in London (having worked in the past on a number of television series like Mr. Sloane or Fleming) came to promote the new HDR Oled BVMX 300 monitor.

Among the 15 feature films selected for the main competition at this 23^rd edition of the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, seven movies have been shot with Angénieux lenses.

The audience in a conference room at Camerimage was greeted by producer Emma Boswell and camerawoman Nicola Daley, and were invited to follow them to the banks of a river that flows just beneath the Opera Nova. Indeed, Arri had decided to show off its newest featherweight camera, the Alexa Mini, in operation outdoors.

Oliver Stapleton, BSC, was asked by Arri to lead its cinematography workshop. The filmography of this British cinematographer notably includes two long collaborations with directors Stephen Frears and Lasse Halstrom.

Born in Brazil in 1979, and a citizen of the world, having lived in the USA, England, Portugal and France, Andre Szankowski, AFC, AIP, also has Polish roots (his father). For his first invitation to attend Camerimage, he will present Cosmos, the new film by Franco-Polish director Andrzej Żuławski. Get to know this trilingual cinematographer with an international career.