Earlier today, the Feature Films for the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival were announced in a MASSIVE press release that ran something like sixteen pages (seen HERE). In order to let you properly digest all of the films in each of the diverse categories, I’ve parsed them out into their own chapters on “The Chronicles”. Let’s take a look at the International Narrative Competition.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Our New-York based Festival breaks its geographical boundaries with the International Narrative Competition, welcoming filmmakers from abroad to join a global platform for contemporary world cinema. These films will compete for Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Previous films include Tomas Alfredson’s Let the Right One In (2008), Kim Nguyen’s War Witch (2012), Felix Van Groeningen’s Broken Circle Breakdown (2013), Petra Volpe’s The Divine Order (2017), Karen Gillan’s The Party’s Just Beginning (2018), Ioana Uricaru’s Lemonade (2018), and Marios Piperides’ Smuggling Hendrix (2018).
Aamis, directed and written by Bhaskar Hazarika. Produced by Poonam Deol, Shyam Bora. (India) – World Premiere. Married Niri shares a forbidden passion with Sumon, who introduces her to a world of fresh, wild, meat-based delicacies. But as their unconsummated desire mounts, the two are pushed inexorably towards transgression and taboo. With Lima Das, Arghadeep Baruah, Neetali Das, Sagar Saurabh.
Flawless (Haneshef), directed and written by Sharon Maymon, Tal Granit. Produced by Osnat Handelsman Keren, Talia Kleinhendler, Moshe Edery, Leon Edery, Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel. (Israel, Germany) – World Premiere. Three teenage girls in search of physical perfection are drawn down a dark path of black-market plastic surgery, an impulsive adventure that ultimately becomes a journey of self-discovery. With Stav Strashko, Netsanet Zenaneh Mekonnen, Noam Lugasy, Arad Triffon Reshef, Niv Sultan, Asi Levy.
Flesh Out, directed by Michela Occhipinti, written by Michela Occhipinti, Simona Coppini. Produced by Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa. (Italy) – North American Premiere. Following the announcement of her impending arranged marriage, young Mauritanian woman Verida faces the suffocating pressure of gavage—the traditional process of over-eating to attain a more desired figure for her husband. With Verida Beitta, Ahmed Deiche, Amal Saad Bouh Oumar, Aminetou Souleimane, Sidi Mohamed Chinghaly.
The Gasoline Thieves (Huachicolero), directed by Edgar Nito, written by Alfredo Mendoza, Edgar Nito. Produced by Victor Leycegui, Annick Mahnert, Joshua Sobel. (Mexico, Spain, UK, USA) – World Premiere. Propelled by a need for cash to impress a crush, 14-year-old Mexican farmhand Lalo finds himself dangerously in over his head after entering into the country’s underworld of illegal gasoline extraction. With Eduardo Banda, Pedro Joaquin, Regina Reynoso, Fernando Becerril, Pascacio López, Leonardo Alonso.
House of Hummingbird (Beol-sae), directed and written by Bora Kim. Produced by Zoe Sua Cho, Bora Kim. (South Korea, USA) – North American Premiere. In 1994 Seoul, quiet eighth-grader Eunhee spends her time consumed by love and friendship, shoplifting, and karaoke. But it’s in her new teacher that Eunhee finds the unlikely connection that she has been desperately seeking in this touching coming-of-age drama. With Jihu Park, Saebyuk Kim, Seungyeon Lee, Ingi Jeong.
Noah Land (Nuh Tepesi), directed and written by Cenk Erturk. Produced by Alp Erturk, Sevki Tuna Erturk, Cenk Erturk. (Germany, Turkey, USA) – World Premiere. A son strives to honor his terminally ill father’s last wish to be buried under a tree he planted as a child, but clashes with villagers who claim the tree is in fact a holy relic planted by Noah after the Great Flood. With Ali Atay, Haluk Bilginer, Arin Kusaksizoglu, Mehmet Ozgur, Hande Dogandemir.
A Regular Woman (Nur Eine Frau), directed by Sherry Hormann, written by Florian Oeller. Produced by Sandra Maischberger. (Germany) – International Premiere. Based on real-life events, A Regular Woman gives a voice to Hatun “Aynur” Sürücü, a Turkish-Kurdish woman living in Berlin with her young son, who was the victim of an honor killing by her brother at the age of 23. With Almila Bagriacik, Rauand Taleb, Aram Arami, Meral Perin, Mehmet Ate?çi, Mürtüz Yolcu, Merve Aksoy, Armin Wahedi.
Roads, directed by Sebastian Schipper, written by Sebastian Schipper, Oliver Ziegenbalg. Produced by David Keitsch. (Germany) – International Premiere. An unlikely pair of teenage loners hit the road in an impromptu border-crossing adventure in this cross-cultural road movie from the breakout director of Victoria. With Fionn Whitehead, Stéphane Bak, Moritz Bleibtreu.
Run, directed and written by Scott Graham. Produced by Margaret Matheson, Ciara Barry, Rosie Crerar. (UK) – World Premiere. In the Northern Scottish town of Fraserburgh, young men dream of escapism through late-night drag races. Finnie used to be one such lad, but now he works at the fish factory and it’s his son’s turn to dream and race. Until one night when Finnie steals the boy’s car for one last joyride. With Mark Stanley, Marli Siu, Amy Manson, Anders Hayward.
White As Snow (Blanche Comme Neige), directed by Anne Fontaine, written by Anne Fontaine, Pascal Bonitzer. Produced by Eric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer, Philippe Carcassonne. (France) – International Premiere. Prolific French filmmaker Anne Fontaine recasts the tale of Snow White as the story of a sheltered young woman’s sexual awakening in this racy feminist fable. With Lou de Laâge, Isabelle Huppert, Damien Bonnard, Vincent Macaigne, Benoît Poelvoorde, Charles Berling.
*** end of list ***
Piercing Ken Thoughts: Stay tuned for more alerts from this massive media festival. I’ll be adding each grouping into a post of their own for easier digestion. As we’ve noted earlier, the full press piece was about sixteen pages long and I didn’t want to overwhelm you. What do you think of these films? Which ones are of most interest to you? Chime in down below as I am eager to hear. Tickets and details on how to attend can be learned on the official website linked below. To see the other films in the competition and more about the 2019 festival please click on THIS TAG.
Official Website: https://www.tribecafilm.com/