INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTIAN LO & TRINE AADALEN LO (RAFIKI)

“In the eyes of children every friendship is forever”

He is a director, she is a producer and together they’re the Filmbin team. After a series of short films, Christian Lo and Trine Aadalen Lo are now presenting their first feature. RAFIKI, still keeping alive the sparkles that were so distinctive for ‘Baluba Runa’, ‘Ramp’ and ‘Iver’, tells about 3 best friends trying to save one of them from being sent back to her African home country. With no other clue than an address, Julie and Mette sneak onto the night train, trying to find their friend Naima. Continue reading “INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTIAN LO & TRINE AADALEN LO (RAFIKI)”

INTERVIEW WITH ÅSLEIK ENGMARK (KNERTEN)

Finding the right car for a movie is like finding a precious pearl”

I’m an actor; I like to talk,” Åsleik Engmark says. He is also a Director, so he knows what to talk about: about KNERTEN! His film debut is the most successful children’s film in years in Norway. The film will be released in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Estonia… and a few more countries are on the waiting list. Continue reading “INTERVIEW WITH ÅSLEIK ENGMARK (KNERTEN)”

Film in the Focus: André F. Nebe’s THE RACE

“They could have been right… but they were not!”

DasGrosseRennen_1THE RACE tells about an Irish farming family collapsing while 11 year old daughter Mary is trying to make her dream come true: driving a go-kart and winning a race. Something she can only do with the support of her father, a grumpy farmer with enough problems of his own: agricultural crisis, his wife applying for a divorce and the sudden decline of fatherly authority. The film by André F. Nebe, starring debuting Niamh McGirr and Hollywood star Colm Meany as her father, is a true European co-production. Continue reading “Film in the Focus: André F. Nebe’s THE RACE”

Interview with Christian Ditter’s THE CROCODILES (Vorstadtkrokodile)

“Social backgrounds don’t matter for a child – friendship does”

Crocodiles_titelIn 1977 the book ‘Vorstadtkrokodile’ by Max von der Grün was adapted into a popular TV-film. Now Christian Ditter did a remake for the big screen. THE CROCODILES still carries along the heritage of the late seventies: the film’s perspective on ethnic minorities, disabled children, parenthood, etc. needed to be updated. THE CROCODILES can be considered an interesting case study in group’s dynamics: a bunch of children with different social backgrounds brought together in one gang in the suburbs of a German town. Continue reading “Interview with Christian Ditter’s THE CROCODILES (Vorstadtkrokodile)”

Rose Chamberlain – Editor of ‘Films & Festivals’

“Expelling the festivals would cause the death of independent cinema”

Rose_ChamberlainAs editor of the Internet magazine ‘Films & Festivals’ Rose Chamberlain knows about festivals. But what does she think about the recently discovered circuit of children’s film festivals? “They raise tomorrows’ festival audiences. I find them so very inspiring.”
Continue reading “Rose Chamberlain – Editor of ‘Films & Festivals’”

Film in the Focus: Ilmar Raag’s KLASS

“Revenge could never be a trump in promoting this film”

Ilmar_RaagThe Estonian film KLASS by Ilmar Raag surely asks for a broader explanation of the context. Shocked by the toughness of the story and its violent ending, people come out of the cinema realizing that a relevant story was told, but with no answer to their many questions. That’s how Ilmar Raag wanted it: there is no answer to the problem of teenagers trying to solve their situation by an outburst of mass violence. We can only question ourselves about such tragedies. Continue reading “Film in the Focus: Ilmar Raag’s KLASS”