25/01/2006

Dramatic comedy, period film, intimate drama or engaging documentary from France, Holland, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain and even Turkey, six films reach the screens this week having got themselves noticed at numerous festivals, to form an eclectic panorama, representing the diversity of European auteur cinema. Up against them are two American productions, including the Steven Spielberg steamroller, which is being released all over Europe at the same time.

The Coopérative Nouveau Cinéma has got hold of a French film applauded at the last Cannes Critics’ Week (read compte-rendu), La Petite Jérusalem (Little Jerusalem) by Karin Albou, interpreted by Fanny Valette, Shooting Stars 2006. From across the Channel, Johnny Deep, Samantha Morton and John Malkovich don their costumes for The Libertine [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Laurence Dunmore distributed by Paradiso Filmed Entertainment. Produced by the Isle of Man Film Commission, with English company Mr Mudd, First Choice Films and Odyssey Films, this biopic about the count of Rochester, friend and confidante of King Charles II of Britain, notorious hedonist and sulphurous free-thinker, is the first fiction feature from Laurence Dunmore who, coming from graphics, has made numerous commercials.

Co-production between Dutch Circe Films and Belgian Cosmo Kino, Guernsey [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Nanouk Leopold was screened at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight (readarticle) last year. This intimate drama, much appreciated by the critics, is distributed by Cinéart-Cinélibre who also bring to the screen the engaging documentary from Italian Sabina Guzzanti, Viva Zapatero! [+see also:
trailer
film profile] on the audiovisual politics of the Italian government (read news).

From Spain, Jekino distributes Planta 4a by Antonio Mercero a production by Bocaboca Producciones S.L. (who also handle international rights) with TVE and Canal + Spain. This dramatic comedy follows the daily lives of three children who live on the 4th floor ("planta 4a") of a hospital where they are being treated for cancer, interpreted by, among others, Juan José Ballesta, revealed in 2001 in El Bola, which won him a Goya for Best newcomer. Finally, last film from enlarged Europe to reach the Belgian screens, Keloglan contre le Prince noir (Keloglan Karaprens'e Karsi) from Turk Tayfun Güneyer, is a comic fantasy recounting the adventures of a hero of Turkish culture, who meets on the way all the famous fairytale characters, from Snow White to Cinderella. The film is distributed, though Kinepolis, by the company MaXXimum Film und Kunst Gmbh based in Germany, who hold the European rights to numerous Turkish films.

(Translated from French)