As of this morning, VanRamblings has added four reviews to our thrived and became an institution over the years; 160 reviews are now available. Included in today’s update, you’ll find reviews for Israel’s Checkpoint, George Bush: Faith in the White House, Russia’s The Last Train, and Holland’s highly-rated South.
Dragons and Tigers award winner announced
First off, before we get around to announcing the winner of the 2004 Vancouver International Film Festival Dragons & Tigers award, mention should be made that VanRamblings is, indeed, aware that although there are only five full days remaining in the 23rd annual edition of the Film Festival, there are additional screenings available on Friday, October 9th, which ought to give many an opportunity — up until the dinner hour, anyway — to catch films, before the Festival shutters its doors for another year.
Here, then, is the press release for the Dragons & Tigers award winner …
For the eleventh year running, the Festival is pleased to offer the Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema to the most creative and innovative feature by a new director from the Asia-Pacific region. The award is given to a first or second feature. We’re very grateful to Brad Birarda of Dundee Securities for continuing to sponsor this award, and the series as a whole.
The award — which again includes a $5,000 prize to the director — was announced before the mid-Gala screening of Electric Shadows.
This year’s jury was comprised of Peggy Chaoi from Taiwan, Hong Sang-Soo from Korea and Christoph Huber from Austria. The three jurists have issued the following jury statement: “It was a privilege to serve on this year’s jury, where we encountered an interesting and diverse selection of Asian films. We had a long debate about whether or not to give any films a Special Mention — because we didn’t want to discourage the other film-makers whose work we appreciated but couldn’t include. But we finally decided to cite three films that we found remarkable for various reasons.”
The films cited, in alphabetical order, are:
The Big Durian by Amir Muhammad from Malaysia
For its witty and unusual handling of an incident which ultimately allows deep insights into the racial tensions in Malaysian society.
Good Morning Beijing by Pan Jialin from China
For its compelling mixture of parallel narratives and uncompromising depictions of the darkness and frustrations of city existence.
Sund@y Seoul by Oh Myung-Hoon from Korea
For taking pieces of real-life experience — pieces never likely to fit into conventional narrative forms — and holding them together through to the end, creating a resonance that is anything but banal.
Our unanimous choice for the 2004 Dragons & Tigers Award:
THE SOUP, ONE MORNING by Takahashi Izumi from Japan
For its visual and emotional precision in mapping out the slow decay of a relationship. The film gradually accumulates an overwhelming power which can only come from feelings that the director and his actors have experienced and inhabited for themselves.
Full Coverage of the New York Film Festival
While we in Vancouver, British Columbia are experiencing the final few days of the 23rd annual Vancouver International Film Festival, down south and on the other coast, the folks in New York are being treated to the 42nd annual New York Film Festival .
Full coverage of the event is available in a special section of the New York Times, including a Manohla Dargis review of Tropical Malady, and A.O Scott’s review of Look at Me. The latter film is the Closing Gala screening film for the 23rd annual Vancouver International Film Festival.
The New York Film Festival will also be honouring Pedro Almod�var.
