Comments for World Cinema

Comment on Academy Award (Oscar) nominated short films 2009 by Ezra Cambra

Ezra Cambra — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:21:33 +0000

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Comment on Marketing Strategy for Slumdog Millionaire: South Asian Media leading….. by James

James — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 06:15:01 +0000

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Comment on Traveling Cinemas/ Bioscopes in India by urbanora

urbanora — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:50:13 +0000

Thank you for the kind words, and for such an interesting post on the travelling bioscope phenomenon. The connection with Benjamin and Bachelard is intriguing and I think valid. I shall look at the films again in a new light.

Luke

Comment on Why short film? by K. Hariharan

K. Hariharan — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:46:36 +0000

In India the government defines a short film as cinema which is less than 70 minutes! The idea of short film is also linked strongly with some kind of a non-fictional exercise like documentaries of public service announcement campaigns. And finally short films are also seen as a non-commercial activity. So if you put all this together, the idea of a short film production is certainly not a ‘productive’ idea.
In countries like India the idea of short films/ documentaries has been further tarnished due to the virtual monopoly exercised by the government in its production & exhibition. Only after the coming of National Television in the early 80s and its insatiable demand for software did the idea of short film-making became a serious area of interest among large numbers of aspiring filmmakers. So it required one governmental agency to teach another. And them came the large number of private players on satellite television. We have over 120 of them criss-crossing over our skies.
They simply crushed the monopoly of the state owned television but sadly the world of short films did not see any light! A short filmmaker today is able to sell his or her material only if it deals with something sensational. In India today every channel is only about ‘breaking news’! For Creation we have to look forward to the arrival of the next ‘Avatar’!

Comment on Fatih Akin at the edge of heaven! by bbeckett

bbeckett — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:06:44 +0000

good read, I’ll be back

Comment on Why short film? by Chad

Chad — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:02:00 +0000

Short film is and will continue to be an integral part of the film industry, regardless of how they are recognized or awarded by BAFTA or the Acadamy.

Short films are how many directors, actors and other artists in the industry find their start or branch out in different genres. Many short films have either been expanded into feature films or have inspired them in one way or another.

Also, through the propagation of online video, as well as the decreasing costs of digital filmmaking, short films are finding new audiences every day, and consequently, more filmmakers are contributing their art to the growing market.

Comment on Why short film? by George

George — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:19:18 +0000

I must admiit that I have not given short film much thought until now. Certainly, no thought of the restrictions placed on filmmakers as Jolynne suggests.

I am a fan of short stories so I guess this is a natural leap. I plan to explore, through the blog and others, the richness I seem to see in this genre.

Comment on Why short film? by Jolynne

Jolynne — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:58:37 +0000

Briefly, I believe that short film in the US is viewed as a “foreign” format; not really something produced here, but instead, a way of becoming “cultured” by including other nation’s works alongside American feature films. I think that the mindset that is used to approach short films and the restrictions placed on filmmakers (such as joining various unions, finding crews, etc.) strongly discourages the creation of these films.

Comment on Academy Award (Oscar) nominated short films 2009 by Jo

Jo — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:06:58 +0000

Immediately after seeing “Toyland” I knew that it would be the film to take the Oscar this Sunday evening. Not only was it a story with historical significance, but it was also crafted in a way that allowed the piece to resonate with the viewer, sympathize with the characters, and it was amazing visually.

I enjoyed “On the Line,” but to me it felt like a feature film jammed into a short amount of time. I enjoyed the narrative but found it to be somewhat predictable at moments.

“The New Boy” was a beautifully constructed film that was able to have a comedic element while still maintaining the seriousness of the story of the boy’s life and consequent “landing” in Ireland. It tackled tough issues but with a sense of innocence that you can only capture by having a story told through the eyes of children.

Manon on the Asphalt was my favorite, by far. I feel as though it’s due to my personal experiences that I brought to the film. It’s easy to think about a situation such as hers and try to imagine the heartbreak it would bring those around you as well as the events that would take place after your untimely demise. I felt as though the color was vibrant throughout, the characters extremely real, and the structure was just very much what I wanted to see.

I am left to discuss “The Pig” which is my personal hope for the Oscar. Even though this wasn’t my most favored film, I believe the search for a national identity as well as the culture struggles that were presented were done eloquently and in a way that didn’t overpower the simplicity of the story. It was a marvelous screenplay with time for both serious moments as well as the laughter that was brought on by the antics of the elderly man.

Comment on Academy Award (Oscar) nominated short films 2009 by Mark Bellomo

Mark Bellomo — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:55:42 +0000

I thoroughly enjoyed the film “The New Boy.” The use of flash backs was brilliant as we were able to gain a sense of Joseph’s prior life situation. He of course stands out now that he’s in an entirely different place. It’s almost as if Joseph would not have been able to come out on top at the end had he not experienced the assumed loss of his father. It is interesting that his teacher stands up for him through the beginning scenes of the film and he goes against her and is able to gain a few laughs at her expense. Although he is able to essentially identify himself with the bullies as being one in the same with them by making fun of his teacher, the audience is given the treat to a happy ending.
The ending is what really caught my interest. In his flashbacks, Joseph fully identifies with his father (the teacher). In Joseph’s new enironment, he is able to eventually identify with his enemy (the students). The final minutes of the film leave us with an impression that Joseph will be able to happily live in the new environment that he was unfortunately forced to be place in.