This year, the International Film Festival Rotterdam started with the fairly inoffensive comedy-drama Head South (reviewed here), and it closed with an equally inoffensive film: M. Raihan Halim's Singaporean small-town comedy La Luna. In it, we see the daily life in Malaysian Kampong Bras Basah, a small village with its own set of religious rules as dictated by the stern town elder Tok Hassan. Jokes are not allowed in serious conversation, playing modern music too loud in your car gets you a fine, and a team of devout men diligently put black paint on all offensive images on the covers of books, newspapers and magazines. Then, change arrives in the form of Hanie, a woman who has inherited a house at the edge of the...
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- 2/23/2024
- Screen Anarchy
Agnieszka Holland’s Green Border won the audience award of the 2024 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).
It was the final award presented at this year’s festival which ran January 25-February 4. Green Border follows a group of people caught in the Belarus–European Union border crisis. It premiered at Venice last year where it won the special jury prize. However, it was condemned by some politicians in Holland’s native Poland, causing a public outcry.
Last year’s audience award went to Dalva, a debut feature by Emmanuelle Nicot.
The festival’s main awards were handed out on Friday, with...
It was the final award presented at this year’s festival which ran January 25-February 4. Green Border follows a group of people caught in the Belarus–European Union border crisis. It premiered at Venice last year where it won the special jury prize. However, it was condemned by some politicians in Holland’s native Poland, causing a public outcry.
Last year’s audience award went to Dalva, a debut feature by Emmanuelle Nicot.
The festival’s main awards were handed out on Friday, with...
- 2/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
Closing this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam, M. Raihan Halim’s “La Luna” pushes the boundaries of Malay-language comedy by chronicling the changes brought by the opening of a lingerie shop in a conservative rural community in Malaysia.
Titled after the eponymous shop, the film follows a rebellious woman who opens the lingerie parlour not only to teach local women about their sexuality but also to provide a haven for those who might be struggling under the hands of controlling — and often violent — husbands and fathers. Despite the prodding of such complicated political and religious issues, “La Luna” still plays as a classic uplifting comedy about the importance of community.
The film is based on a true story about a lingerie shop that burned down in Qatar’s capital of Doha, but Halim tells Variety he knew he had to set the film in an environment he was familiar with.
Titled after the eponymous shop, the film follows a rebellious woman who opens the lingerie parlour not only to teach local women about their sexuality but also to provide a haven for those who might be struggling under the hands of controlling — and often violent — husbands and fathers. Despite the prodding of such complicated political and religious issues, “La Luna” still plays as a classic uplifting comedy about the importance of community.
The film is based on a true story about a lingerie shop that burned down in Qatar’s capital of Doha, but Halim tells Variety he knew he had to set the film in an environment he was familiar with.
- 2/3/2024
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
Shooting a romantic sex comedy in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore (that co-produced the movie along with Hong Kong's One Cool Film Production), where censorship borders on the Draconian, is not exactly an easy feat, even more so when the story makes a series of rather pointed comments against the ways religion functions and the blights of patriarchy. It is what M. Raihan Halim chose to do nevertheless, in a film that manages to retain its lightness and hilarity, even though its subject matters are rather serious.
La Luna is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The story takes place in Kampong Bras Basah, a small village were the undisputed leader is Tok Hassan, an elderly scholar whose intense strictness regarding Muslim laws has resulted in fashion magazines being manually censored, sermons being purged of humor and teenage art being deemed a matter of police concern. His authority, however,...
La Luna is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam
The story takes place in Kampong Bras Basah, a small village were the undisputed leader is Tok Hassan, an elderly scholar whose intense strictness regarding Muslim laws has resulted in fashion magazines being manually censored, sermons being purged of humor and teenage art being deemed a matter of police concern. His authority, however,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
M. Raihan Halim’s “La Luna” will close the 53rd edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam, which has also revealed the lineup of its Tiger competition section, a platform for up-and-coming filmmakers, and Big Screen Competition, a program for more established talent.
“La Luna,” which has its European premiere at the festival, is a comedy about a conservative Malaysian village shaken by the arrival of a lingerie store.
Among the Tiger competition films is British director Justin Anderson’s “Swimming Home,” starring Mackenzie Davis, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed. Adapted from Deborah Levy’s novel, it centers on Joe and Isabel, whose marriage is dying when Kitti, a naked stranger found floating in the pool at their holiday villa, is invited to stay. Kitti collects and eats poisonous plants, and Nina their teenage daughter is enthralled by her. The film, which is being sold by Bankside Films, is described as...
“La Luna,” which has its European premiere at the festival, is a comedy about a conservative Malaysian village shaken by the arrival of a lingerie store.
Among the Tiger competition films is British director Justin Anderson’s “Swimming Home,” starring Mackenzie Davis, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed. Adapted from Deborah Levy’s novel, it centers on Joe and Isabel, whose marriage is dying when Kitti, a naked stranger found floating in the pool at their holiday villa, is invited to stay. Kitti collects and eats poisonous plants, and Nina their teenage daughter is enthralled by her. The film, which is being sold by Bankside Films, is described as...
- 12/18/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
International Film Festival Rotterdam has revealed its lineup for the Tiger, Big Screen and Tiger Short competitions. The festival runs from January 25-February 4. Scroll down for the full lists.
Head South by Jonathan Ogilvie will open the proceedings with M. Raihan Halim’s comedy La Luna on closing duties. The Tiger Competition jury will be comprised of Marco Müller, Ena Sendijarević, Nadia Turincev, Herman Yau and Billy Woodberry.
Also confirmed are the first names for the Talks lineup including Marco Bellocchio, Anne Fontaine, Alexander Kluge and Rachel Maclean.
Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic said today, “For over half a century, IFFR has stood as a haven for diverse voices – a convergence where artists share perspectives. Our program celebrates the resilience and creativity of global filmmakers, a testament to cinema’s power to transcend borders. From Indian to Japanese epics, a Kazakh thriller, Finnish Freudian reinterpretations, Dominican sci-fi and underground Iranian cinema,...
Head South by Jonathan Ogilvie will open the proceedings with M. Raihan Halim’s comedy La Luna on closing duties. The Tiger Competition jury will be comprised of Marco Müller, Ena Sendijarević, Nadia Turincev, Herman Yau and Billy Woodberry.
Also confirmed are the first names for the Talks lineup including Marco Bellocchio, Anne Fontaine, Alexander Kluge and Rachel Maclean.
Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic said today, “For over half a century, IFFR has stood as a haven for diverse voices – a convergence where artists share perspectives. Our program celebrates the resilience and creativity of global filmmakers, a testament to cinema’s power to transcend borders. From Indian to Japanese epics, a Kazakh thriller, Finnish Freudian reinterpretations, Dominican sci-fi and underground Iranian cinema,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Head South.International Film Festival Rotterdam have announced the lineup for their 53rd edition, which will take place between January 25 to February 4. Opening FILMHead South (Jonathan Ogilvie)The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire.Tiger COMPETITIONThe Ballad of Suzanne Césaire (Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich)Flathead (Jaydon Martin)Grey Bees (Dmytro Moiseiev)Kiss Wagon (Midhun Murali)Me, Maryam, the Children and 26 Others (Farshad Hashemi)MosesLa Parra (Alberto Gracia)Praia Formosa (Julia De Simone)Rei (Tanaka Toshihiko)Reise der Schatten (Yves Netzhammer)She Fell to Earth (Susie Au)sr (Lea Hartlaub)Swimming Home (Justin Anderson)Under a Blue Sun (Daniel Mann)Milk Teeth.Big Screen COMPETITIONAire: Just Breathe (Leticia Tonos Paniagua)Children of War and Peace (Ville Suhonen)Confidenza (Daniele Luchetti)Eternal (Ulaa Salim)Milk Teeth (Sophia Bösch)The Old Bachelor (Oktay Baraheni)Portrait of a Certain Orient (Marcelo Gomes)Seven Seas Seven Hills (Ram)Steppenwolf (Adilkhan Yerzhanov)TenementThe Worst Man in London (Rodrigo Areias...
- 12/18/2023
- MUBI
‘Swimming Home’ is directed by Justin Anderson and stars Mackenzie Davies, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed.
The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled the Tiger and Big Screen programmes for the 3rd edition, taking place January 25 – February 4, 2024 in the Netherlands.
Justin Anderson’s Swimming Home, starring Mackenzie Davies, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed, is among the titles world premiering in the Tiger Competition.
Scroll down for full line-up
The drama is adapted from Deborah Levy’s novel about a woman who implores the help of a naked stranger found floating in her pool. It is produced by Emily Morgan’s UK outfit Quiddity Films,...
The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled the Tiger and Big Screen programmes for the 3rd edition, taking place January 25 – February 4, 2024 in the Netherlands.
Justin Anderson’s Swimming Home, starring Mackenzie Davies, Christopher Abbott and Ariane Labed, is among the titles world premiering in the Tiger Competition.
Scroll down for full line-up
The drama is adapted from Deborah Levy’s novel about a woman who implores the help of a naked stranger found floating in her pool. It is produced by Emily Morgan’s UK outfit Quiddity Films,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
The full lineup has been unveiled for the festival’s 36th edition.
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) today revealed the lineup for its 36th edition, including 20 world premieres across its two competition strands.
The festival, set to run October 23 to November 1, will feature 15 titles in its main Competition section led by Japan and China, which each have three films in the selection.
Scroll down for full list
From China are crime drama A Long Shot from debut feature director Gao Peng; Snow Leopard by late Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden, which premiered at Venice; and Dwelling By The West Lake by Gu Xiaogang,...
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) today revealed the lineup for its 36th edition, including 20 world premieres across its two competition strands.
The festival, set to run October 23 to November 1, will feature 15 titles in its main Competition section led by Japan and China, which each have three films in the selection.
Scroll down for full list
From China are crime drama A Long Shot from debut feature director Gao Peng; Snow Leopard by late Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden, which premiered at Venice; and Dwelling By The West Lake by Gu Xiaogang,...
- 9/27/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Marks the second feature of Singaporean filmmaker M Raihan Halim.
Singapore-based Clover Films has lined up the release of comedy-drama La Luna in Asia, which is set to world premiere in Tokyo International Film Festival’s Asian Future competition.
Directed by Singapore’s M Raihan Halim, the Malay-language feature will open on November 9 in Malaysia through Skop Productions on a wide release of at least 70 cinemas, which will be followed by Singapore on November 16 through Golden Village Pictures.
The Singapore-Malaysia co-production will also be rolled out towards the end of the year in Indonesia (Cgv), Taiwan (Sky Films) and Hong...
Singapore-based Clover Films has lined up the release of comedy-drama La Luna in Asia, which is set to world premiere in Tokyo International Film Festival’s Asian Future competition.
Directed by Singapore’s M Raihan Halim, the Malay-language feature will open on November 9 in Malaysia through Skop Productions on a wide release of at least 70 cinemas, which will be followed by Singapore on November 16 through Golden Village Pictures.
The Singapore-Malaysia co-production will also be rolled out towards the end of the year in Indonesia (Cgv), Taiwan (Sky Films) and Hong...
- 9/27/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
The move is part of plans to expand its footprint in the Asia Pacific region.
Hong Kong-based One Cool Film Production has opened a new operation in Malaysia, with The Locksmith as its first feature filmed in the country and La Luna as its first Singapore-Malaysia co-production.
The new venture was officially launched on April 20 by Sam Kan, director of One Cool Film Malaysia, and But Tang, Hong Kong-based executive director of One Cool Film Production. The move is in line with the company’s plans to expand its footprint in the Asia Pacific region.
Its first made-in-Malaysia feature is suspense action thriller The Locksmith,...
Hong Kong-based One Cool Film Production has opened a new operation in Malaysia, with The Locksmith as its first feature filmed in the country and La Luna as its first Singapore-Malaysia co-production.
The new venture was officially launched on April 20 by Sam Kan, director of One Cool Film Malaysia, and But Tang, Hong Kong-based executive director of One Cool Film Production. The move is in line with the company’s plans to expand its footprint in the Asia Pacific region.
Its first made-in-Malaysia feature is suspense action thriller The Locksmith,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
“The Diam Diam Era Too,” the sequel to current release “The Diam Diam Era” by Singapore superstar Jack Neo, and period thriller “Precious is the Night” are among the upcoming releases from regional mini-conglomerate MM2 Entertainment.
The company revealed a host of titles for 2020-21 release at the ongoing Asian Television Forum, which is part of the Singapore Media Festival.
The “Diam Diam” films continue the story of Neo’s 2016 two-parter “Long Long Time Ago” that followed the Lim family against the backdrop of Singapore’s nation-building policies. “The Diam Diam Era Too” is set for a Lunar New Year release in early 2021. The cast includes Richie Koh, Danny Lee and Mark Lee.
Wayne Peng’s “Precious Is The Night” is a thriller set in 1960s Singapore, starring model-photographer Chuando Tan as a doctor caught in a web of deceit, sex and lies. The Golden Horse nominated film also stars Nanyeli,...
The company revealed a host of titles for 2020-21 release at the ongoing Asian Television Forum, which is part of the Singapore Media Festival.
The “Diam Diam” films continue the story of Neo’s 2016 two-parter “Long Long Time Ago” that followed the Lim family against the backdrop of Singapore’s nation-building policies. “The Diam Diam Era Too” is set for a Lunar New Year release in early 2021. The cast includes Richie Koh, Danny Lee and Mark Lee.
Wayne Peng’s “Precious Is The Night” is a thriller set in 1960s Singapore, starring model-photographer Chuando Tan as a doctor caught in a web of deceit, sex and lies. The Golden Horse nominated film also stars Nanyeli,...
- 12/1/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The winners of the 2017 Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum have been announced.
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
- 3/16/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The winners of the 2017 Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum have been announced.
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
Tommy Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split was presented with the Haf Award for a Hong Kong project at the close of this year’s Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf, March 13-15).
NARAtive Film 2017-2018, to be directed by Iranian filmmaker Ida Panahandeh and produced by Japan’s Naomi Kawase, won the Haf Award for a non-Hong Kong project. Both awards come with a cash prize of $19,000 (Hk$150,000).
Impossible Split, produced by Hong Kong director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), is based on the true story of Hong Kong bowling athlete Wu Siu-hong, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30. Panahandeh’s project is a contemporary Shakespeare adaptation with a female character in a main role.
The iQiyi award, presented by the Beijing-based streaming platform, went to Yang Long’s The Patient, produced by Zhou...
- 3/16/2017
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: First titles to be featured on digital platform include Plame d’Or winner Ilo Ilo [pictured].
Mocha Chai Laboratories founder Chai Yee Wei’s new company A Little Seed has announced it is linking up with iTunes Singapore to showcase Singaporean films.
The first batch of 12 acclaimed Singaporean titles will be launched on the digital platform from June onwards, including Anthony Chen’s Palme d’Or winner Ilo Ilo [pictured], Boo Junfeng’s Sandcastle, Eric Khoo’s 12 Storeys, Ken Kwek’s Unlucky Plaza, 7 Letters by seven directors including Royston Tan and Kelvin Tong, and Banting by Raihan Halim (who is presenting new project La Luna at this year’s Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf)).
In addition to the Singaporean titles, Chai has plans to bring more southeast Asian films on itunes at a later stage. Chai set up A Little Seed with Objectifs Centre for Photography & Filmmaking. The latter company, headed by Yuni...
Mocha Chai Laboratories founder Chai Yee Wei’s new company A Little Seed has announced it is linking up with iTunes Singapore to showcase Singaporean films.
The first batch of 12 acclaimed Singaporean titles will be launched on the digital platform from June onwards, including Anthony Chen’s Palme d’Or winner Ilo Ilo [pictured], Boo Junfeng’s Sandcastle, Eric Khoo’s 12 Storeys, Ken Kwek’s Unlucky Plaza, 7 Letters by seven directors including Royston Tan and Kelvin Tong, and Banting by Raihan Halim (who is presenting new project La Luna at this year’s Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf)).
In addition to the Singaporean titles, Chai has plans to bring more southeast Asian films on itunes at a later stage. Chai set up A Little Seed with Objectifs Centre for Photography & Filmmaking. The latter company, headed by Yuni...
- 3/14/2017
- by screenasia@yahoo.com (Silvia Wong)
- ScreenDaily
This year’s event features an unprecedented increase in women directors and a new work-in-progress lab.
The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Mar 13-15), which has its 15th edition this year, has revealed its lineup of 25 projects.
Unprecedentedly, nearly half of the projects are from female directors, about a third are by first-time directors and two rarely seen genres at Haf are included - science fiction and gothic thriller.
As with previous editions, Hong Kong has a strong presence with five projects, including Derek Chiu’s No.1 Chung Ying Street, a drama about the 1967 riots in Hong Kong; Sobel Chan’s The Goddess, a tribute to classic 1930s Chinese films; new director Sunny Chan’s Man On The Dragon, a comedy-drama about five middle-aged men who take part in a dragon boat competition; new director Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split, about a bowling athlete who becomes a world champion despite a fatal disease, produced by She...
The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (Mar 13-15), which has its 15th edition this year, has revealed its lineup of 25 projects.
Unprecedentedly, nearly half of the projects are from female directors, about a third are by first-time directors and two rarely seen genres at Haf are included - science fiction and gothic thriller.
As with previous editions, Hong Kong has a strong presence with five projects, including Derek Chiu’s No.1 Chung Ying Street, a drama about the 1967 riots in Hong Kong; Sobel Chan’s The Goddess, a tribute to classic 1930s Chinese films; new director Sunny Chan’s Man On The Dragon, a comedy-drama about five middle-aged men who take part in a dragon boat competition; new director Tom Chung-sing’s Impossible Split, about a bowling athlete who becomes a world champion despite a fatal disease, produced by She...
- 1/18/2017
- by screenasia@yahoo.com (Silvia Wong)
- ScreenDaily
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