This year’s RIFF, as promised, will feature a rich program.
New Visions
Films in competition to receive the Golden Puffin award are featured in this section of the festival. All directors in the New Visions category are deserving filmmakers at their first or second feature film.
- Le quattro volte (The four times) – M. Frammartino (ITA 2010)
- Littlerock – M. Ott (USA 2010)
- Fleurs du mal – D. Dusa (FRA 2010)
- Inside America – B. Eder (AUT 2010)
- Attenberg – A. R. Tsangari (GRE 2010)
- Mandoo – E. Saeedi (IRQ 2010)
- Morgen (Tomorow) – M. Crisan (FRA/ROM/HUN 2010)
- Aardvark – K. Sakurai (USA/ARG 2010)
- Framtidens melodi (Song of tomorrow) – J. Bergergård, J. Holmström (SWE 2010)
- Chrzest (The christening) – M. Wrona (POL 2010)
- Jo pour Jonathan (Jo for Jonathan) – M. Giroux (CAN 2010)
- Im alter von Ellen (At Ellen’s age) – P. Marais (GER 2010)
Special Presentations
This category hosts films by well known directors that have been recognized internetionally or that have been awarded at other films festivals around the world.
- Honeymoons – G. Paskaljevic (SRB/ALB 2009)
- Son of Babylon – M. Al-Daraji (IRQ/UK/FRA/HOL/PAL/UAE 2010)
- Life during wartime – T. Solondz (USA 2009)
- Aurora – C. Puiu (ROM/FRA/GER 2010)
- Kosmos – R. Erdem (TUR 2009)
- Cyrus – J. Duplass, M. Duplass (USA 2010)
- Szürkület (Twilight) – G. Fehér (HUN 1990)
- Ovsyanki (Silent souls) – A. Fedorchenko (RUS 2010)
- Submarino – T. Vinterberg (DEN 2010)
- Kray (The edge) – A. Uchitel (RUS 2010)
- R – T. Lindholm, M. Noer (DEN 2010)
Open seas
Films in this category managed to attract attention at international film festivals. For many of them, the RIFF represents the absolute nordic premiere.
- Winter’s bone – D. Granik (USA 2010)
- Shekarchi (The hunter) – R. Pitts (GER/IRA 2010)
- Strella – P. H. Koutras (GRE 2009)
- Der Kameramörder ()The camera murderer) – R. A. Pejo (AUT/SUI/HUN 2010)
- A la deriva (Drifting) – V. Pons (SPA 2009)
- En ganske snill mann (A somewhat gentle man) – H. P. Moland (NOR 2010)
- One hundred mornings – C. Horgan (IRE 2009)
- Paha perhe (Bad family) – A. Salmenperä (FIN 2010)
- 3 Sezóny v pekle (Three seasons in hell) – T. Mašin (CZE/GER/SVK 2009)
- 80 egunean (For 80 days) – J. M. Goenaga, J. Garaño (SPA 2010)
- Kak ya provel etim letom (How I ended this summer) – A. Popogrebsky (RUS 2010)
- Fake orgasm – Jo Sol (SPA 2010)
- 3 backyards – E. Mendelsohn (USA 2010)
- Nuummioq – T. Bech, O. Rosing (GRL 2009)
- Ekseperimentet (The experiment ) – L. N. D. Friedberg (DEN 2010)
- Mamma Gógó – F. Þ. Friðriksson (ICE 2010)
- Kóngavegur (King’s road) – V. Óskarsdóttir (ICE 2009)
- Desember (December) – H. Oddson (ICE 2009)
Docs in focus
A selection of some of the most interesting documentaries recently released.
- About face: The story of Gwendellin Bradshaw – M. R. Katzke (USA 2010)
- Everyday but Sunday – R. Russo (UK/ETH 2009)
- Housing – F. Di Giacomo (ITA 2009)
- La casa (The house) – T. Cortés (COL/SPA 2009)
- Monica and David – A. Codina (USA 2009)
- Poikien Bisnes (All boys) – M. Heikkinen (FIN 2009)
- The edge of dreaming – A. Hardie (UK 2010)
- The last truck: Closing of a GM plant – S. Bognar, J. Reichert (USA 2009)
- Today is better than two tomorrows – Anna Rodgers (IRE 2009)
- Which way home – R. Cammisa (USA 2010)
- Pilgrimage – P. Wintonick, M. Burt-Wintonick (CAN 2009)
- The most dangerous man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the PEntagon papers – J. Ehrlich, R. Goldsmith (USA 2009)
- Miesten vuoro (Steam of life) – J. Berghäll, M. Hotakainen (FIN/SWE 2010)
- The Tillman story – A. Bar-Lev (USA 2009)
World Changes
Films about world issues are represented in this section of the festival, promoting awareness in the audience about these serious problems.
- La cité du petrol (Oil Rocks – City above the sea) – M. Wolfensberger (SUI 2009)
- The blood of the rose – H. Singer (UK/GER/JAP 2009)
- Océans du plastique (The Mermaid’s tears – Ocean of plastic) – S. Feydel (FRA 2009)
- Earth keepers – S. Van Brabant (CAN 2009)
- Vents de sable, femmes de roc (Winds of sand, women of rock) – N. Borgers (BEL/AUT/FRA 2009)
- A sea change – B. Ettinger (USA 2009)
- Blybarnen (Toxic playground) – W. Johansson, L. Edman (SPA/SWE/CHL 2009)
Better World
A selection of films focused on bringing human rights to the public make this section of the festival.
- When the Dragon swallowed the sun – D. Simon (USA 2010)
- Good fortune – L. Van Soest (USA 2009)
- Kimjongilia – N. C. Heikin (USA/KOR/FRA 2009)
- Last train home – Lixin Fan (CAN/UK/CHN 2009)
- Les Arrivants (The arrivals) – C. Bories, P. Chagnard (FRA 2009)
- Petition – La cour des plaignant (Petition – The court of the complainants)- Z. Liang (FRA/CHN 2009)
- Shungu: the resilience of a people – S. Mafundikwa (ZWE 2009)
- Armadillo – J. Pedersen (DEN/SWE 2010)
Palestine and Afghanistan in focus
From the warzones of Palestine and Afghanistan, films recounting the tragedy of two countries from different perspectives.
- Budrus – J. Bacha (PAL/ISR/USA 2009)
- Gaza’s winter – Various (PAL 2009)
- Addicted to Afghanistan – J. Taiman (UK 2009)
- To shoot an elephant – (SPA 2009)
Jim Jarmusch
Small retrospective on indipendent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, in the occasion of the RIFF recognition for his creative achievements.
- You are not I – S. Driver (USA 1981)
- Down by law – J. Jarmusch (USA 1986)
- The limits of control – J. Jarmusch (USA 2009)
Elio Petri in retrospective
Italian director Elio Petri, widely recognized internationally, has his own very retrospective here at this year’s RIFF.
- La decima vittima (The 10th victim) – E. Petri (ITA 1962)
- Un tranquillo posto di campagna – (A quiet place in the country) – E. Petri (ITA 1969)
- Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto (Investigation of a citizen above suspicion) – E. Petri (ITA 1970)
- Elio Petri… appunti su un autore (Elio Petri: notes on a filmmaker) – F. Bacci, N. Guarneri, S. Leone (ITA 2005)
Focus on Poland
Polish cinema is not only Polanski and Kieslowski. This section promises to be an overview on Polish cinema of these days.
- Operacja Dunaj (Operation Danube) – J. Glomb (POL/CZE 2009)
- Cudowne lato (Wonderful summer) – R. Brylski (POL 2010)
- Drzazgi (Splinters) – M. Pieprzyca (POL 2008)
- Wenecja (Venice) – J. J. Kolski (POL 2010)
Focus on Sweden
The most interesting Swedish films recently premiered are shown in this category.
- Apan (The ape) – J. Ganslandt (SWE 2009)
- Familia (Family) – M. Wiström, A. Herskovits (SWE/PER 2010)
- The anchorage – C. W. Winter, A. Edström (SWE 2009)
- Geniet och pojkarna (The Genius and the boys) – B. Lindquist (2009)
- Ond tro (Bad faith) – Kristian Petri (SWE 2010)
Emerging Master
A new section to the RIFF program. this year, the category focused on promoting a new talent in the cinema industry is dedicated to Hungarian Benedek Fliegauf.
- Dealer – B. Fliegauf (HUN 2004)
- Rengeteg (Forest) – B. Fliegauf (HUN 2003)
- Womb – B. Fliegauf (GER/HUN/FRA 2010)
Sound on sight
Exploring the boundaries separating and uniting film and music, this section in so particular levance considering the interest of Iceland for the music scene.
- The genius within – The inner life of Glenn Gould – M. Hozer, P. Raymont (CAN 2009)
- Do it again – R. Patton-Sprull (USA 2010)
- ODDSAC – D. Perez (USA 2010)
- Pendulous chances – A. Sveisson (ICE 2010)
- Little blue nothing – V. Moon, A. Viviani (FRA 2009)
- Where’s the snow? – G. Guðbjörnsson, B. Staines (ICE 2010)
Midnight movies
This section this year is mainly focused on Japanese director Hitoshi Matsumoto, for a long time part of the show business, but only recently acclaimed for his work as filmmaker.
- Dai Nihonjin (Big man Japan) – H. Matsumoto (JAP 2007)
- Shinboru (Symbol) – H. Matsumoto (JAP 2009)
- Vernon Chatman’: Final Flesh – V. Chatman (USA 2009)
Food on Film
Films and happenings about food. In collaboration with Slow Food.
- Soul kitchen – F. Akin (GER 209)
- King of pastry – C. Hegedus, D. A. Pennebaker (USA/UK/HOL 2009)
- The biggest Chinese restaurant in the world – W. Chen (UK/HOL/DEN 2008)
- Jakten på den Nordiske smaken (The hunt for the nordic taste) – T. Zeiner-Henriksen, N. P. Sand (NOR/SWE/DEN 2010)
Youth program
Especially thought for the younger generations, and for the those who are children at heart. Animation, but not only.
- Na půdě (In the attic) – J. Barta (CZE 2009)
- Pelle politibil går i vannet (Ploddy the police car makes a splash) – (NOR 2009)
- Sztuczki (Tricks) – A. Jakimowski (POL 2007)
- Eagle’s hunter son – R. B. Hansen (GER/SWE/DEN 2009)
Icelandic Panorama
Showcasing a selection of the Icelandic production to the rest of the world.
- Stand-up Girls – A. Einarsdóttir (ICE 2009)
- Iceland Uganda – G. Stefánsson, R. I. Einarsson (ICE 2009)
- The Palace – H. Halldórsson (ICE 2009)
- The last ride – A. Gunnarsson, S. Karlsson, Þ. Björgúlfsson (ICE 2009)
- Undercurrent – A. O. Ásgeirsson (ICE 2010)
- Icelandic shorts #1: Try again; Knowledgy; Breki; The place; Heart to heart – S. Kristjansson; H. Hagalin, B. Kristin; H. Oddson; J. Halldórsson; V. Sölvadóttir
- Icelandic shorts #2: Ocean ocean; Change; As if we existed; A little bit; Clean; Heartbeat – Þ. Jónsdóttir; E. Sveinsson; R. Gestdóttir; H. Mía; ĺ. Uggadóttir; K. Lewicka
- Icelandic shorts #3: Head on sticks; Bad apples; Promill; Gravity; Life and death of Henry Darger – R. Snorrason; H. Ö. Árnason; M. Þórsson; L. Hilmarsson; B. Mandico
As you can see, there is something for all tastes. Special events are also going to take place, like the screening of Billy Wilder’s Some like it hot at the Sundhöll thermal pool and that of Cry baby at an old-style drive-in cinema.
We will be at the festival to provide our readers with relevant news and overview of some of the most interesting films. For complete overview on this year’s RIFF events, please refer to the official comprehensive program.