The Movie Gourmet asked the folks who pick the movies at Cinequest about this year’s program.
MIKE RABEHL is Cinequest’s Director of Programming/Associate Director.
What are your predictions for the biggest audience pleasers? Something like THE SAPPHIRES/THE GRAND SEDUCTION/WILD TALES from past festivals?
Rabehl: As the programming director, I simply do not pick favorites. But, I really think audiences are going to find complete enjoyment in films like REMEMBER ME, HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS, BUDDY SOLITAIRE, THE COMEDY CLUB, CHUCK NORRIS VS. COMMUNISM, I LOVE YOU BOTH, and any of the BARCO ESCAPE screenings.
What might be the festival’s biggest surprise hit?
Rabehl: I think two films that are REALLY going to affect people are LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED? and UNTIL 20.
Is there any remarkable new filmmaking talent (like last year’s The Center)?
Rabehl: So much to answer here. You look at Simon Stone’s debut with THE DAUGHTER, or Michael Boroweic and Sam Marine’s MAN UNDERGROUND, and you have to be in awe of what they make you feel. Yet, I really think women director’s shine this year. You look at the French influence of Estelle Artus’ ACCORDING TO HER, the vibrancy of Alicia Slimmer’s CREEDMORIA, the purity of Jane Gull’s MY FERAL HEART, or the timeliness and importance of Kim Rocco Shields’ LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED?…It’s really tough to pick just one, So many great voices, and every single one I have mentioned is unique and, in the case of several, quite groundbreaking.
Is there anything that we haven’t seen before in a movie?
Rabehl: I think LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED? pushes the boundaries in a big way and takes of somewhere we haven’t gone before—into a world where homosexuality is the norm and heterosexuality is ridiculed. And, I think people are really going to be wowed by Chris Brown’s THE OTHER KIDS—a hybrid of fiction and non-fiction that really shines a light on the newest generation of youth. And, I have NEVER seen a film like PARABELLUM in all my years of watching cinema. Just something totally different and leaves you breathless at the end.
Last year there were some great single screenings – ’71 and Gemma Bovery kind of under the radar and Three Hearts at the California. Any Can’t Miss single screenings this year?
Rabehl: OPENING and CLOSING nights, definitely. And, I think people will be very sorry if they miss seeing THE WAVE, MA MA, and SUNSET SONG on the big screen. We have also ADDED a new film to the line-up on March 13th, with Paramount’s THE LITTLE PRINCE. I saw it in December, and it is going to be a strong contender for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars next year.
You have a good nose for films from Belgium and Norway. Any Must Sees this year from those national film programs?
Rabehl: I’ve already mentioned THE WAVE—which is from Norway. But, two more films from Norway: STAYING ALIVE and WOMEN IN OVERSIZED MEN’S SHIRTS are definites. And, from Belgium, BROTHER and PROBLEMSKI HOTEL would be my picks. Also, from Russia, don’t miss ORLEANS
Demimonde really looks like my kind of movie (noirish), and Charlie Cockey says that you liked it a lot. Anything you want to tell me about it?
Rabehl: Oh, this one is going to really going to be a sleeper. Hungarian cinema has always been one of our favorites. We have two features this year (the other is FEVER AT DAWN), but in DEMIMONDE, you have this sweeping, Gothic story that feels like a noir. It’s a combination of visual set pieces, costumes, and this incredible musical score that makes me wish to see it on the big screen, rather than the small one I saw it on.
CHARLIE COCKEY is Cinequest’s International Film Programmer.
Some of Cinequest’s highlights always come from international cinema – IDA, of course, and THE HUNT, HEAVENLY SHIFT, IN THE SHADOW and last year’s exquisite CORN ISLAND. What should we be looking for at Cinequest 2016?
Cockey: Please don’t miss THE MEMORY OF WATER – it’s rough, emotionally, but it’s incredible filmmaking. Did you see the absolutely remarkable film THE LIFE OF FISH by Matias Bize? Same director – same quality.
My other picks are LOST IN MUNICH, MAGALLANES, PARABELLUM, SONG OF SONGS, WHY ME? and FEVER AT DAWN.
SANDY WOLF is Cinequest Documentary Programmer.
Last year’s doc program was very strong, especially ASPIE SEEKS LOVE, MEET THE HITLERS, THERE WILL BE NO STAY and SWEDEN’S COOLEST NATIONAL TEAM. What do you see as the strongest 2-3 documentary features this year? What do you predict will be the biggest audience pleasing documentary?
Wolf: My favorite doc is CHUCK NORRIS VS. COMMUNISM, which I know you have seen. After that, my next two favorites are TRANSFIXED (which is about a transsexual trying to undergo a sex change, who also has Asperger’s) and UNDER 20 (sad but inspirational about a kid who has cancer but keeps on with his high achieving life) – I could see that being an audience favorite, too.
Three others which I favored more so than some of the others are COMEDY CLUB, DAN AND MARGO and GORDON GETTY: THERE WILL BE MUSIC.
Is there any remarkable new documentary filmmaking talent (first feature, etc.)?
Wolf: TRANSFIXED is a first feature.
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