Sascha Ring, a.k.a. Apparat, is a German musician known for his particular sound. After the amazing success of his last works, with lot of collaboration with artists like Ellen Allien or Modeselektor (forming the “band” Moderat”), he has decided to start a new project: the new one is a new formed band (guitars, drums,voice and sinth) that express a completely new sound: clear voices accompained with strange sound effects, that brings people in a  parallel universe, like a dream. That’s the “Apparat’s new face” that, leaving the dancefloor, is ready to search new sounds making live music. The last cd is called ” The devil’s walk”, released for Mute records.

Circuito Off
Centre Pompidou – Cinéma 2, Paris, France
Monday February 6th 2012 – from 19 to 20

Can Evgin is a turkish filmmaker and photographer based in London. His photography is regularly featured in “Dazed and Confused”, “Another” and “Vogue”. He has directed films for publications and brands including Nowness, Post, Purple and Armani.Can Evgin will be in Paris to present his works.

Film program:

Internet Is a Desert
with Olivier Zahm and Miltos Manetas
2010, 8 min

Rag & Bone
2011, 3 min

The Last Promise
2010, 8 min

Dolce & Gabbana
2010, 3 min

Olga
2011, 5 min

New Dawn Fades
2009, 2 min

You just launched your new website, how’s the feeling, it was hard doing this big step into the www world and why did you decide to open Gnam Box?
We are still very excited. The launch of www.gnambox.com it’s been a huge step.
Gnam Box is a story started a year ago with a tumblr that opened us a brand new world: feelings, images, motivations, new people… www.gnambox.com has been a natural step, we wanted to collect and to give an identity to our projects.

What’s the idea behind Gnam Box?
First of all our passion for food.
We start doing recipes because we love food and we like staying in our kitchen. We wanna use Gnam Box for meet inspiring people, friends and talents. We wanna use food for speak about our passions and for present to our followers who we like and admire. The first thing we wanna know about a person is what is his favourite dish because through food you can discover everything about a person.

Who are the readers of Gnam Box?
Food is for all so everyone can be the perfect Gnam Box reader.

What do you speak about, and why someone should visit www.gnambox.com and start to be addicted to your website?
We talk about our recipes, so we talk about us, about what we like and about who will want to be sit on with us on our table. Why someone should be addicted to Gnam Box? Because he likes food, to find good recipes, for meet nice and talented people and to be invited to our table!

I know you worked a lot on a video project to launch Gnam Box, can you tell who are the people you contacted and what did they do for you?
The idea of the video project was born on a sunday morning. We wanted to find a way for include our followers to the launch of the website. So we started asking videos saying “Gnam Box”…. we discovered to have real creative and lovely followers. It was very exciting to receive all that videos.

Your subtitile is “in food we trust”, do you have a special recipe to suggest to our readers?
Not a recipe but a life style: cook good, eat well with love and friends.

Kunstnetzwerk, Raed Bawayah, in collaboration with “Eyes-on” European Month of Photography Vienna, are pleased to announce the Open Call # 1st edition of “Vienna International Photographic Awards 2012″ (VIPA 2012) for documentary photography.

Participation open to  professional, non- professional and student photographers from any country. Submission must be a single photo or a series, wich  focus on documentary photo-reportage such as social, cultural, political or environmental issues.

Besides the total value of 7000 euro in money prizes the short listed winners will be published in the VIPA’s official catalogue. The three finalists will take part in a group exhibition in November 2012 in Vienna. The awards will be divided into three sections: 1st prize (4000 euro) 2nd prize (2000 euro) 3rd prize (1000 euro). The awards ceremony and the group exhibiton opening will be held on the 15th Novemeber 2012 in Vienna.

Judges are: Michael Ackerman (photographer, U.S.), Raed Bawayah (photographer, PS), Carola Dertnig (lecturer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, A), Thomas Licek (director of “Eyes-On” European Month of Photography Vienna, A), Hannamari Shakya ( curator and editor of Photo Raw Magazine, FIN), Horst Stasny ( photographer and curator, A).

More info at: http://thevipawards.com/wordpress/

Deadline for entry: April 30th, 2012

Edited by Giorgio Bugin
Photo by Mauro Romanzi, Ettore Garbellotto, Dario Schiavon, Alberto Cavallotti, Claudia Zalla

L’ottava edizione del Treviso Comic Book festival segna un punto di svolta, grazie ad uno stile semplice ma ben collaudato:

L’evento, ospitato nella prestigiosa cornice del centro storico trevigiano, ha proposto un itinerario artistico di 16 mostre di tavole originali, arricchite da incontri con gli illustratori, eventi di disegno “live” e momenti di festa.

Immancabile la mostra mercato dove oltre 40 espositori, tra case editrici e negozianti,
hanno potuto mettere in luce i frutti del proprio lavoro accanto a noti illustratori di fama internazionale che hanno pazientemente adempito a tutte le richieste di dedica dei visitatori.

Enogastronomia, agricoltura e mondo bio sono stati gli aspetti trattati in questa edizione e vanno a manifestare sia la crescente attenzione che questi argomenti suscitano nell’opinione pubblica, sia la capacità del fumetto di svincolarsi dal suo ruolo esclusivamente ricreativo, introducendolo in quello della trattazione grafica delle problematiche sociali.

Tavole imbandite e inchiostro di china possono sembrare un’accoppiata bizzarra, ma tutto rientra all’interno del progetto di sensibilizzazione iniziato dalle fresche menti celate dietro l’organizzazione.

L’obiettivo è quello di far avvicinare anche i non addetti ai lavori al mondo fumettistico e contemporaneamente favorire lo sviluppo della realtà territoriale mantenendola attiva e nutrendola di spunti originali, provenienti direttamente dai più importanti laboratori di produzione mondiale.

Quest’anno l’attenzione era posta verso il grande serbatoio di idee svedese, paese in fermento fumettistico e sempre all’avanguardia, dove regnano illustrazioni e storie di netta matrice underground.

La costante ricerca di novità spinge gli organizzatori a sbilanciarsi sul futuro ed auspicare la possibilità di ospitare ogni anno vari artisti provenienti da tutto il mondo in un padiglione dedicato, in modo da poter delineare un percorso, di stili e tematiche, su scala globale.

Ospitando nei propri spazi i guru del disegno e dando inizio a collaborazioni con le scuole, in modo da soddisfare anche l’appetito creativo dei più piccini, l’organizzazione si pone in prima linea nella lotta di riscatto intrapresa dal fumetto come mezzo espressivo a tutti gli effetti, favorendone la circolazione e dando nuova spinta al movimento fumettistico.

Translation/Traduzione by Daria De Pascale

Fabio Maria Damato, 26 years old, a fashion editor born in Apulia but grown up in Milan. I got in touch with him to ask about the trip he took to Shanghai to take part in the Miu Miu’s Event. This way I had the chance to know about the most fashionable side of Asia!

Fabio Maria Damato, 26 anni, fashion editor, pugliese naturalizzato milanese, ci siamo sentiti per il suo viaggio a Shangahi in occasione dell’evento organizzato da Miu Miu. Scopriamo così il lato più fashion dell’Asia!

S: So Fabio, what was it like when you first landed in China?
F: When you arrive in Shanghai you feel a bit like you’re in a scene from Blade Runner, with all the claustrophobic buildings, the multilevel highways and the monsoon fog. But I wasn’t wearing any weird leather coats, but just a polo shirt and shorts like I was leaving for Capri from Molo Beverello.

S: Allora Fabio, com’è stato l’arrivo in Cina?
F: Quando arrivi a Shanghai ti senti come in una scena atemporale di Blade runner, tra i claustrofobici grattacieli, le autostrade multipiano e la foschia monsonica. Ma io non indossavo strani coat di pelle, ma pantaloncini e polo come fossi in partenza per Capri al molo Beverello.

S: And what was the reason for your trip?
F: The most important event in the Asian season, the first party Miu Miu had ever organized on Chinese ground!  At the entrance there was a long red carpet and the atmosphere recalled the ‘40s, with black carpets, opalescent lamps and old Hollywood style mirrors. An Italian style seven courses’ dinner was served at the 91^st floor of the tallest hotel in the world, the Park Hyatt Hotel,  for 400 carefully selected guests from press, best clients and celebrities. After that there was a thrilling fashion show livened up by the newest hot faces, followed by a wild party. In the three rooms with a view on the Paris of Asia, a French-style cabaret show, a super cool English singer Florrie’s live concert and an exciting performance by dj Misty Rabbit.

S: L’occasione del viaggio?
F: L’evento della stagione asiatica, il primo party della storia di Miu miu su suolo cinese! All’ingresso un lungo tappeto rosso dalle atmosefere 40′s, tra moquette corvine, lampade opalescenti e palme di specchi in stile vecchia Hollywood. Al 91esimo piano dell’hotel Park Hyatt, l’hotel più alto del mondo appunto, una cena in 7 portate in perfetto stile italiano per i 400 selezionatissimi ospiti tra stampa, best client e celebrità. A seguire sfilata elettrizzante, animata dalle hot faces del momento e party scatenato. Nelle 3 sale con vista sulla Parigi d’oriente uno spettacolo biricchino in stile cabaret à la française, concerto live della cantante inglese super cool Florrie e performance coinvolgente della dee-jay Misty Rabbit.

S: What was your impression on fashion in China?
F: Of course, in spite of what we might think in Western Countries, Chinese people are beautiful and very fashionable. Girls have shiny and perfectly styled hair, wear black make up and light dresses coming straight from Milan and Paris catwalks. Boys are surprisingly tall, with hair tidily styled like school children and wear perfect suits.

S: Che impressione hai avuto sul binomio Cina-Moda?
F: Ovviamente in Cina, al contrario di quello che possiamo pensare noi retrogradi occidentali la gente è bellissima e chiccosissima. Le ragazze hanno capelli lucenti e acconciati alla perfezione, occhi truccati di nero e abitini leggeri appena balzati dalle passerelle di Milano e Parigi. I ragazzi sono sorprendentemente alti, dalle ciocche pettinate in righe al compasso come bravi scolaretti e dai completi impeccabili.

S: How about shopping? Did you find anything particularly interesting?
F: Shanghai has lost most of the unique, colourful style they had until a few years ago, when you could buy beautiful furniture and traditional Chinese lacquer screens. Nowadays it’s all about shopping malls, it’s a real social experience. Young and older wealthy Oriental people buying up loads of designer bags, shoes, clothes and jewellery. Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Dior, Armani, Vuitton, I’d never seen such huge boutiques before: meters of shelves in three, four-storey single-brand stores. And then the Shangri La Hotel’s spa, the Ye Shanghai Chinese restaurant, located in an old private townhouse converted into a private rooms’ restaurant, like all the most exclusive restaurants in town.

S: A livello di shopping? Cosa hai trovato di interessante?
F: Shanghai ha perso quel gusto personale e folcloristico che avevano fino a qualche anno fa, quando potei comprare mobili e apraventi in lacca cinese meravigliosi. Oggi la fanno da padroni gli shopping mall. Una vera e propria esperienza sociale. Giovani e meno giovani riccastri dagli occhi a mandarla fanno incetta di borse, scarpe, vestiti e gioielli griffati. Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Dior, Armani, Vuitton, non ho mai visto delle boutique così grandi. Metri e metri di scaffali dislocati anche su 3 o 4 piani griffati sotto un solo logo. E poi la SPA del’hotel Shangri La. Il ristorante ciense Ye Shanghai, situato come tutti gli indirizzi food esclusivi, in una vecchia townhouse privata riadattata a ristorante dalle salette private.

S: What did you take home with you from Shanghai?
F: The energy, the optimism and the will to conquer to future of a country in euphoric economic and social growth. A place in which a 104 storey skyscraper can be built in less than 12 months, a place that is the opposite of our old and run-down Italy. It’s not a coincidence that when I landed at Linate Airport I had to set the clock seven hours back. Welcome back to the past.

S: Cosa porti a casa da Shanghai?
F: L’energia, l’ottimismo e la voglia di conquistare il futuro di un paese in euforica crescita economica e sociale. Un posto dove un grattacielo di 104 piani si edifica in meno di 12 mesi. Un luogo agli antipodi della nostra vecchia e malandata Italia. Non è un caso se atterrato a Linate l’orologio arretra di 7 ore. Bentornati nel passato.

Michele Caspani is a 21-year old Italian student of Economics and Management for the Arts, Culture and Communication, but also editor for BadTV.it. Now he is studying in Buenos Aires, we are going to see how is a student life in a different continent through his eyes!

S: Hi Michele! Where are you?

M: I’m in Argentina for six months. I came here to study as part of an exchange program that my university offered. I got here in July and I’m gonna stay here until January.

S: It’s sound so good! Why Argentina?
M: I had to pass a selection process in order to go somewhere for my exchange semester. Bocconi can get quite competitive when it comes to selections so, knowing that my average mark wasn’t exactly stellar (and selections are based SOLELY on your academic records), I was well aware that I had to choose my destinations carefully. Meaning: trying to get into an exchange semester at Princeton would have been quite hopeless, if not fooslish. I could put in 5 different destinations, in order of preference. I knew I wanted to do something different, and go somewhere far, somewhere where I wouldn’t really have the chance to go again. And I wanted to learn Spanish. Spain was way too close to home, so I chose Latin America instead.

S: How was your first impression?
M: Well. The first impression getting off the plane was NOT the best. It was July 18. I had left beautiful, sunny, summer Italy something like 20 hours before and I had just stepped in chaotic, rainy, winter Argentina. I was more than open and positive to this experience, and I really wasn’t expecting anything in particular, but what I definitely was not expecting was THE COLD. The moment I got off the plane I realized that deciding not to put any winter clothes in my bag had been a bad idea. The truth is that in my head Argentina was one of those countries where the weather never gets too cold, and temperatures are more or less mild all year long. Well, this I can say: I WAS WRONG. It was definitely cold during the day, and freezing at night, and it was like this until mid-September. Of course seeing Buenos Aires for the fist time under the rain didn’t contribute to get a good first impression. What I saw at a first glance was of a very messy city, quite dirty and incredibly disorganized, spreaded out over miles and miles of decadent achitecture. It was overwhelming, and I decided to take it all in with no judging, but my first impression of the city was not the one I started getting after a couple of months that I’ve lived here.

S: How is the education system in Argentina? Do you have a special exams?
M: The education system in Argentina is very different from what i was used to. One of the things that surprised me was the bad reputation that most private university have here. Some of the best teachers in the countries teach at UBA, University of Buenos Aires, which is a public school. Public universities are known for being extremely tough: any bachelor’s degree is 6 years, and any career in any field starts with a year of general studies. No matter if you’re studying literature or physics, in your first year at uni you will be having courses in math, history, biology, literature, and a number of other subjects. What’s more, private universities in buenos aires have in general a bad reputation: they’re known for being way easier than public schools, places where rich people can go and basically “buy” their degree. Another thing: while private university are extremely expensive, public unviersities are completely free. Anyone can enroll and there is absolutely no fee. I am in no position to discuss the argentine education system, but to me that sounds like something pretty damn revolutionary. Of course public universities here have A BUNCH of other problems that mainly involve the general lack of organization, infrastructures and, of course, funding. I am currently enrolled at Universidad Torcuato di Tella, which is one of the most prestigeous universities in the country, and one of the few private universities with a very good reputation, especially for its degree in Economics. I started off thinking I could attend four courses during my stay here, but I soon realized that some of them where too advanced: this was due partly because of the fact that a bachelor degree here is a 4-year career (while in Italy it is only three, and I just ended my second year), partly because I came here in the second semester (my first semester back home), and most courses are divided in two semesters: the whole summer-winter cycle being the opposite of what our emisphere is used to, my fall semester is a spring semester here, obviously the second part being much more advanced than the first. Coming back to your question: I revised my initial ambition and am now attending two courses. Marketing and Contemporary Argentine Cinema. In the meantime I try to get the most out of this experience trying to learn as much spanish (“castellano” actually) as possible.

S: And abput the “movida”?
M: Nightlife in Buenos Aires is something that average europeans are not used to. Let me just tell you that one of the first nights here I went with some of my friends to a club, and it was 1AM. We were told that people here go to the clubs pretty late, and we thought that 1AM would be a fair time to go. Again, we were wrong. The club was closed. And not because – like it sometimes happens in Milan – it had already closed. It hadn’t opened YET. Ok, so let me tell you how an ordinary saturday night here in Buenos Aires goes: dinner with close friends around 9:30/10:00PM, eating a lot of food (preferably some delicious meat from the “parrilla”) and drinking red wine; at 12:00 it’s time to go out for drinks in a bar, meeting up with some other friends (here is when some stronger drinks come into action); then, around 2:00/2:30 (3:00 is even better) people start going to the clubs. Most clubs are deserted before 3:00AM. People dance usually until 7:00AM, then go have breakfast, and then off to bed around 9:00AM. Let me tell you that getting used to the weekend routine is not easy, just as it is hard to go back to normal weekdays.

S: How is the routine?
M: As anybody who’s ever been studying abroad for a semester or more will already know, there is no such thing as a “daily routine” for an exchange student. Of course I go to class and everything, but I mean: life here is so cheap for europeans that I have been having dinner in restaurants 5 days a week. So I’m not sure I can tell you a lot about daily life in Buenos Aires: every student here is living something that is completely different from what argentine people are living everyday.

S: There are many Europeans?
M:The French are everywhere. It is incredible. Most Italians here are from my University, and there are quite a lot. Then I met quite a lot of students from Germany, Holland and the UK as well. But the number of French students is impressive, it’s like an invasion. Though I sort of feel that there are more Americans than Europeans anyway. There are A LOT of Americans.

S: What will be your best memory?
M: I don’t know what’s going to be my strongest memory of my days here. Spring has just kicked in and I feel that the best memories will be about Summer.

S: Your next project?
M: I’ve been blabbering about this since I was 12. I want to work in the film industry, either as a director or as a producer. Of course I know it’s a tough industry, and a 21-year old can probably only aspire to bring coffee to the important people, but I guess the time has come for finally giving it a shot. My next project is graduating and going to the States to study film. I’m applying right now to a few film schools. And yes, I think this experience will help me realize it: first of all because I’m studying argentine cinema here, so I’m getting a whole perspective on how films are made in this country, and it is just fascinating. Second of all because this experience in its entirety made me realize that this is what I want to do with my life. I can’t really tell you why, and I couldn’t possibly explain how these two very different things are related, but being so far from home and in such a different country, with its raw beauty and its intricated social and political problems, helped me finding a sense of who I am and who I want to be as a person. Being overwhelmed with diversity and living such an unpredictable experience helped me define myself. I had to react to all the impulses I was receiving, and the only way was putting myself out in there in the world and simply see how things went. I can’t dive in much more on what my next projects are going to be, because what I just told you it’s really all I know about what I want to do with my future. I hope it works out.

TERRAFERMA – Director Emanuele Crialese

Thursday 13 VUE6 20:45; Wednesday 14 VUE6 12:45

A group of refugee Africans are rescued from the sea and taken to the remote Sicilian island of Linosa. Half starving these Africans are taken into the homes of the islanders who eke out a living from the sea. A drama based on real life events that currently beset the islands, it is against the law to harbour these desperate people and this film reveals the spirit and humanity of the community.

( Italian Actor Pierpaolo Spollon as Stefano in Terraferma – Photo Giacomo Cosua )

In the next issue of POSI+TIVE Magazine number 8 an interview with the young italian actor Pierpaolo Spollon, who has acted as Stefano in Terraferma movie.

SEVEN ACTS OF MERCY (Sette Opere Di Misericordia) – Directors Gianluca De Serio and Massimiliano De Serio

Tuesday 18 NFT2 20:45; Wednesday 19 NFT2 13:15

A raw edgy and unsentimental modern-day story that pulls no punches the film tells the story of an illegal Slovenian immigrant in Italy who is drawn in a plot to steal and sell a
baby in order to gain a legitimate identity. Ensconced in a safe house, with the owner held captive, Luminata questions her desperate action with a very different and tentatively redemptive conclusion.

LI AND THE POET (Io Sono Li) – Directore Andrea Segre

Thursday 20 VUE6 18:15; Friday 21 VUE6 15:15

This film takes the essence of an all-too-real-life situation (the recent influx of Chinese immigrants into the environs of Venice) and gives us a vivid contemporary story that is also simultaneously a new filmic look at aspects of Venetian life, refreshingly free of picture postcard tourism. It is the story of Li who sells herself into slavery in order for her son to join her in Italy, and her friendship with a retired fisherman.

CORPO CELESTE – Director Alice Rohrwacher

Sunday 23 VUE3 18:15; Tuesday 25 NFT1 15:15

After cutting her hair as an act of defiance Marta, a young rebellious girl recently arrived from Switzerland in a strait-laced community in Southern Italy, begins to fall foul of the local church minions who are trying to focus all the young girls on elaborate preparations for the forthcoming Catholic confirmation celebrations. Marta tries to run away but ends up on a bizarre errand with the local priest.

THE JEWEL (Il Gioiellino) – Director Andrea Molaioli

Monday 24 VUE6 18:15; Tuesday 25 VUE6 15:15

The massive mismanagement and corruption surrounding the collapse of the gigantic food company, Parmalat, lays at the heart of this conspiracy thriller. It cleverly plots the rise and then dramatic fall of a family owned business nicknamed The Jewel, because of its value to the Italian economy. Centred around the cunning but pathetically loyal chief finance officer, played by Toni Servillo (Consequences of Love, Il Divo) who tries to hold the floundering company together as those around him fall to plundering its assets.

WHEN THE NIGHT (Quando La Notte) – Director Cristina Comencini

(Quando La Notte – Cristina Comencini, Claudia Pandolfi, Filippo Timi in Venice at the Movie Festival – Photos Giacomo Cosua / POSI+TIVE MAGAZINE)

Monday 24 VUE3 21:00; Wednesday 26 VUE6 12:45

The strong narrative of WHEN THE NIGHT renders the film neither dogmatic nor mundane, rather it has some real surprises and is compelling because of the way it cleverly unfolds a bittersweet love story set against the dramatic backdrop of the Alps.

WE HAVE A POPE (Habemus Papam) – Director Nanni Moretti

Tuesday 25 NFT1 18:30; Thursday 27 VUE5 15:00

The newly elected Pope suffers a panic attack just as he is due to appear on St Peter’s balcony to greet the faithful, who have been patiently awaiting the conclave’s decision. His advisors, unable to convince him he is the right man for the job, seek help from a renowned psychoanalyst (and atheist). But his fear of the responsibility suddenly thrust upon him is one that he must face on his own.

THIS MUST BE THE PLACE – Director Paolo Sorrentino

Wednesday 26 VUE7 20:30; Thursday 27 VUE7 12:15

Cheyenne is a former rock star. At 50 he still dresses “Goth” and lives off his royalties in Dublin. The death of his father, with whom he wasn’t on speaking terms, brings him back to New York. On discovering his father had an obsession: to seek revenge for a humiliation he had
suffered, Cheyenne decides to pick up where his father left off, and starts a journey, at his own pace, across America.

DRIFTERS (Gli Sfiorati) – Director Matteo Rovere

Wednesday 26 VUE7 18:15; Thursday 27 VUE3 15:30

A snappy, sophisticated comedy centered on a young well meaning guy who, in skimming the surface of life, finds himself confronting his past and present demons. In trying to help a colleague, the complication of his father’s re-marriage and the arrival of his half-sister, his good intentions go awry spinning the day of the nuptials into chaos, ending with a deliciously funny denouement.

The booking details

(Image: We Can’t Go home again by Nicholas Ray – Nicholas Ray Foundation)

All Images courtesy by Image.net

The Shortlist:

The initial shortlist was drawn up by Artistic Director Sandra Hebron and the programming team, and will be judged by the Oscar-nominated director John Madden, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Gillian Anderson, the BAFTA-winning writer and director Asif Kapadia, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning producer Tracey Seaward, writer Andrew O’Hagan and the Turner Prize-nominated YBA and film director Sam Taylor Wood OBE.

This year’s shortlist is:

360, Fernando Meirelles, UK/Austria/France/Brazil

(One image of the movie – Image.net)

THE ARTIST, Michel Hazanavicius, France

( Michel_Hazanavicius / Image.net )

THE DEEP BLUE SEA, Terence Davies, UK

(THE DEEP BLUE SEA image.net)

THE DESCENDANTS, Alexander Payne, USA

FAUST, Aleksandr Sukurov, Russia

(VENICE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 10: Director Aleksandr Sokurov (R) of ‘Faust’ accepts the Golden Lion for Best Film during the Closing Ceremony during the 68th Venice Film Festival at Palazzo del Cinema on September 10, 2011 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Jaeger LeCoultre) *** Local Caption *** Aleksandr Sokurov)

THE KID WITH A BIKE, Luc & Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Belgium/France/Italy

SHAME, Steve McQueen, UK

TRISHNA, Michael Winterbottom, UK

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, Lynne Ramsay, UK/USA

The award for Best British Newcomer is introducing new and emerging film talent, recognising the achievements of a new writer, producer, director, actor or actress. This year’s jury comprises the BAFTA-nominated actress Anne-Marie Duff, actor Tom Hollander, producer and director of the National Film and Television School Nik Powell, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning producer Andy Harries, Radio 1 and Channel 4’s Vue Film Show presenter Edith Bowman and Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning producer Stephen Woolley.

Jury chair Andy Harries said “Tomorrow’s UK film business is all about the young and exciting talent that is emerging today. There’s loads of it and the annual London Film Festival remains a brilliant showcase for really great new actors, directors and producers to shine.”

The shortlist for Best British Newcomer is:

Nick Murphy, Director, THE AWAKENING
Tinge Krishnan, Director, JUNKHEARTS
Candese Reid, Actress, JUNKHEARTS
Nirpal Bhogal, Writer/director, SKET
Aimee Kelly, Actress, SKET
Tom Cullen, Actor, WEEKEND
Chris New, Actor, WEEKEND
D.R. Hood, Writer/Director, WRECKERS

Nikolas Grasso is a young movie director, who graduated in Video Design at IED in Milan. He is now in Romania where he is collaborating with a local tv channel.

Nikolas Grasso è un giovane regista, laureatosi in Video Design allo IED di Milano. In questo momento si trova in Romania dove collabora con una nota tv locale.

S: Hi Nik, are you still in Bucharest?

N: Yeah, still here in Romania. It’s a very nice spot if you want to check out an eastern country. There are many nice cities to visit, such as Timisoara, Cluj, Brasov, Constanta, but Bucharest remains the capital, and it’s a huge metropolis which combines modern with history. One example: the huge Palace of the Parliament, which was the residence of Romania’s dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. It’s the second largest building after the Pentagon in the world!

S: Ciao Nik! Sei ancora a Bucarest?

N: Sii, ancora qui in Romania! E’ davvero un bel posto da visitare, se si vuole conoscere un paese dell’est europa. Ci sono diverse città da vedere, come Timisoara, Cluj, Brasov, Constanta… ma Bucarest resta la capitale ed  è una grande metropoli che riunisce la storia con la modernità. Per fare un esempio: l’enorme Palazzo del Parlamento, che in passato è stato la residenza del dittatore romeno Nicolae Ceausescu, è il secondo edificio più grande del mondo dopo il Pentagono!

S: How’s working there?

N: I got used to it. The main difference I’ve noticed is that I have a lot of freedom from the artistic point of view; and that’s a plus. On the contrary I miss speaking  Italian. I do speak Romanian, so I have no communication problems and don’t worry: here they speak a very fluent English… you can still feel the eastern accent but that’s part of the atmosphere. It comes with the package, you know. LoL! Regarding my job it’s connected with the tv business… you know I prefer making movies than work in television, but it’s just to gain some different experience. Anyway I’m working on  a script now for a new movie.

S: Come ti trovi a  lavorare li?

N: mi ci sono abituato, La principale differenza che ho notato, è che ho un sacco di libertà dal punto di vista artistico, e questo è sicuramente un punto a favore. Però mi manca parlare l’italiano! Parlo il romeno quindi non ho problemi a comunicare e non vi peoccupate: qua parlano molto bene l’inglese… si sente l’accento dell’est, ma fa parte dell’atmosfera. Tutto compreso nel pacchetto (…ride!…). Per quanto concerne il lavoro, è collegato al business televisivo… come sai mi piace più lavorare ai film che per la tv, ma è per provare un’esperienza diversa. Comunque sto anche lavorando a un copione per un nuovo film.

S: I know you’ve travelled a lot. What did struck you about Romania?

N: Well… let me see… the women? Ahha .. noo… I mean in a certain way yes… because here I found my One and Only One.

Romania is a beautiful country. Lots of parks, buildings in the Parisienne style. That’s why it’s also known as “little Paris”. You can even find the triumphal arc in a huge square, wonderful churches and monasteries. Romania is more over about music, culture, tradition, beauty and depth of feelings.

S: so che hai viaggiato molto, cosa ti ha colpito della Romania rispetto agli altri paesi?

N: mmmmm, vediamo…. Le donne? Ahahah, nooo, ma in un certo senso si, perchè ho trovato la mia anima gemella!

La Romania è un paese bellissimo. Ci sono un sacco di parchi ed edifici in stile parigino, anche per questo Bucarest è conosciuta come la “piccola Parigi”.Puoi persino trovare l’arco di trionfo in una piazza enorme, bellissime chiese e monasteri… la Romania è  in oltre legata alla musica, la cultura, la tradizione e la bellezza e profondità dei sentimenti.

S: What are the opportunities for business there?

N: There is a large potential for any kind of business. Talking about movies there are a lot of pros. You can find very talented people you can work with and you will spend for sure less than shooting in the US or in an other European country such as Italy. Lots of American productions decide to film in Romania. Recently they shoot One in the Chamber starring Dolph Lundgreen and Cuba Goodin Junior. I was lucky enough to check out the set several times thanks to my friend Patricia Poienaru, the Line Designer. Right now they are shooting a film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and last year Nicolas Cage came here to shoot. Even his uncle Francis Ford Coppola directed Youth without Youth here in Romania.

S: quali sono le opportunità di lavoro che ci sono li?

N: ci sono tantissime e differenti opportunità. Parlando ad esempio di cinematografia, ci sono un sacco di lati positivi. Si possono trovare persone di grande talento, con le quali si può lavorare in maniera proficua,  riducendo notevolmente i costi per le riprese rispetto agli USA e altri paesi dell’Europa. Ci sono un sacco di produzioni americane che decidono di girare i film in Romania. Recentemente hanno girato “One in the Chamber” con Dolph Lundgreen e Cuba Goodin Junior. Ho avuto la fortuna di andare sul set più volte grazie alla mia amica Patricia Poienaru, la produttrice. In questo momento stanno girando un film con Jean-Claude Van Damme e l’anno scorso Nicolas Cage è venuto qui per girare. Anche suo zio Francis Ford Coppola ha girato in Romania “Youth without Youth”.

S: What is something that you don’t like about Bucharest?

N: Taxissssss!!! I mean for you, if you are a foreigner visiting Bucharest for the first time, you have to be careful. Taxis will be your nightmare. Meaning that there are some “bad” companies (such as Arsenal) which will charge you thrice the amount a normal taxi would (such as Leone). Of course you will find the “bad guys” in front of the airport, the main train station and in the city centre but just try to avoid the ones that show 3.5 RON on their doors since 1.40 RON is the normal rate. Anyway taxis remain the best and cheapest way to move around once you get used to it.

S: c’è qualcosa che non ti piace assolutamente di Bucarest?

N: i taxiiiiiii!!!! Lo dico per te, se sei uno straniero che visita Bucarest per la prima volta, devi stare attento. I taxi saranno il tuo incubo! Nel senso che ci sono alcune compagnie poco raccomandabili (come Arsenal), che rincarano tre volte la cifra di una normale tariffa (come quelle offerte da Leone). Ovviamente questi taxisti si trovano nelle zone dell’aeroporto, delle principali stazioni e nel centro della città, e tutto ciò che bisogna fare e cercare di evitare quelle che espongono “3,5 RON” sulle porte e non “1,40 RON” (la tariffa normale). In ogni caso i taxi rimangono il modo migliore e più economico per spostarsi, una volta che ci si è abituati.

S: As you guessed I’ve never been to Bucharest. If I’ll ever come there what I shouldn’t  miss?

N: eating at Caru cu Bere some traditional Romanian food, have a walk in Lipscani, the old city centre, visiting the Palace of the Parliament, going to a concert at the Romanian Athenaeum. And don’t forget to call me! I will be an excellent guide!

S: Come avrai capito non sono mai stata a Bucarest, se ci dovessi andare cosa non dovrei perdermi assolutamente?

N: andare a mangiare al Caru cu Bere alcuni piatti tradizionali romeni, fare una passeggiata in Lipscani, il centro storico della città, visitare il Palazzo del Parlamento e andare a un concerto all’ Ateneo Romeno. E non dimenticarti di chiamarm! Sarò un’ottima guida!