Look out for Accidental Anarchist on the small screen on Sunday 23rd July, BBC4 Storyville, 21:50.
Find out how a high-flying diplomat and Middle East adviser lost his faith in western democracy and is exploring a new way in this Guardian interview.
Accidental Anarchist screening and Q&A with Carne Ross
Edinburgh June 29th 7pm. The Grassmarket Picture House is hosting a screening and Q&A of Accidental Anarchist with Carne Ross. Don't miss this excellent chance to see how anarchism works and ask about the changing scene of global politics.
See website for details.
UK Premiere: Accidental Anarchist at Sheffield
Accidental Anarchist is having its UK premiere at Sheffield doc fest on June 13th at 12pm. After 14 years at the highest levels of the British Foreign Service, Carne Ross resigned over his country's lies about the Iraq war. He embarked on an extraordinary search for new forms of social and political organisation in America, Europe and, most remarkably, Syria. An inspiring journey into the possibilities of a better society.
For more information and tickets see Sheffield Doc/Fest website.
Brian Cox's Russia
Hopscotch is excited to announce our new 2 part documentary Brian Cox's Russia! Catch it on BBC2 Scotland Tuesday 18th and 25th April.
Directed by Stephen Bennett
Marking a hundred years since the Russian revolution, Hollywood actor Brian Cox travels to Russia to discover stories of Scots who made this vast country their own.
Brian first spent time in Russia during the communist era. Brian taught theatre students at Moscow Arts Theatre for a scheme called Raising the Curtain. His time there gave Brian a life long passion for the country and now he travels back to meet the students and see the dramatic changes.
Brian revisits the turbulent times of Russian history including the 1917 revolution, the Stalinist purges and the siege of Leningrad which created surprising bonds between our two countries.
The series also covers three hundred years of shared history between Russia and Scotland, from the mercenary who helped shape Peter the Great's army, to the Scottish industrialist who introduced football to St Petersburg. It also celebrates the poetry of Lermontov and his 'Yearning' for the Scottish Highlands as well as the Russian passion for Robert Burns.
Watch the trailer here.
Atomic is director's choice Green Film Fest 2017
Rachel Caplan has announced that Atomic is her director's choice at the Green Film Festival 2017. She first became a fan of Mark Cousins when she worked as an intern for the EIFF back in the 90s.
Green Film Fest runs from April 20-26 in San Francisco. More details here.
BFI ranked Hopscotch Films no20 in it's list of leading film production companies in the UK
'I Am Belfast' wins Stanley Kubrick award for Bold and Innovative Filmmaking
Traverse City Film Festival Stanley Kubrick Award for Bold and Innovative Filmmaking
“I Am Belfast” Directed by Mark Cousins
http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/category/news/
Caregiver-takes-on-crotchety-old-ailing-knight is a movie formula which works
REVIEW: Had this been an original plot, this heartening British-Hungarian comedy-drama might have been worth an illustrious five stars, yes, almost up there in The Revenant stratosphere.
For devotees of Cinema Gold who can cope with clever, hilarious dialogue and old folksy foibles, it is a must-see.
The Carer bears much resemblance to the magnifique French film, The Intouchables, from 2011. In both, a new caregiver is taken on to tend to a crotchety, irascible old guy and his personal functions.
In The Carer, a once-great stage actor Sir Michael (played by Scottish actor Brian Cox) is not always wheelchair bound, but he is suffering from Parkinson's disease, is foul-mouthed and none of the caregivers have lasted the distance.
Enter Hungarian Dorottya (newcomer Coco Konig), as his latest carer, a young girl from Budapest with acting ambitions who must somehow quell the outbursts and incontinence of the cranky old knight.
The film was directed by Hungarian Janos Edelenyi who was himself a refugee when his country was behind the Iron Curtain. Konig obviously got into England before Brexit.
Many critics have given Cox's acting all the credit for the excellence of the film, but for me Konig with her endearing continental accent deserves equal credit. She must cleverly fend off rages and volleys of eff bombs from Sir Michael in the rooms of his English estate.
It is all about crossing the generations and helping that for both is their love of Shakespeare.
Drama takes over from the funny stuff when Sir Michael's control-freak of a daughter (Emilia Fox) and his former lover-cum-housekeeper, Milly (Anna Chancellor) poke their British noses in.
There was room for even more drama in the closing scenes, but we got the message. The Carer and its script are of such quality a second viewing would be just as rib-tickling.
- Stuff
Award for Brian Cox as The Carer opens Stony Brook Festival
Photo: Rebecca Uliasz
July 22, 2016, Stony Brook, NY-- Scottish actor, Olivier and Emmy Award star of The Carer, Brian Cox, was presented with the Stony Brook Film Festival Career Achievement Award for his work in over 200 films and television programs and even more stage productions in the UK, the U.S. and around the world. In The Carer, Brian Cox soars in his role as an aging lion of the theater who has isolated himself and bullied his care givers. Director János Edelényi was presented with the coveted Opening Night trophy as The Carer was selected from over 2,000 entries to open the 21st Annual Stony Brook Film Festival presented by Island Federal Credit Union. The screening on Thursday evening, July 21 had 800 film festival patrons attending.
You can watch the Q&A with Brian and János here.
Cinefile takes UK rights to Brian Cox drama 'The Carer'
EXCLUSIVE: Edinburgh-based Cinefile has taken UK and Irish rights to Brian Cox-starring The Carer from sales company Yellow Affair.
Hungary’s János Edelényi directs the story of a retired Shakesperean actor (Brian Cox) who hires a Hungarian carer (Coco König) with her own dreams of stardom.
The film, which premiered at Palm Springs and played last week at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, will have its London premiere on Aug 5 at the Regent Street Cinema in the presence of co-stars Emilia Fox, Anna Chancellor, Edelényi and König with Cox appearing via Skype from New York.
The film’s UK cinema run will include bookings at Manchester Home, Edinburgh Filmhouse and Glasgow Film Theatre.
“We’re convinced that the subject and Cox’s presence in an impressive cast will prove attractive to audiences. And the so-called silver screen patrons are an increasingly important part of the fabric of cinema-going although the film crosses generations,” said Ilona Morison, Cinéfile’s head of acquistions.
EIFF 2016: The Carer Review
Suffering from Parkinson’s disease and being cooped up in his country estate, has left retired Shakespearean actor Sir Michael Gifford (Brian Cox) rather crabby and frustrated. Having ejected all previous would be carers, his daughter spearheads an intervention that sees Dorottya(Coco König) – a young Hungarian home help with acting aspirations of her own, tasked with the job of tending to this aging thespian grump. What blossom’s between these two kindred spirits is a funny and heart-warming tale on the acceptance of one’s own mortality.
While the narrative is certainly a simple one (akin toScent of a Woman), the key to the film’s success here lays in its rich dialogue and beautifully realised central characters. Putting the central duo at the heart of the narrative throughout its entirety, is an inspired move byEdelényi, as it allows the chemistry and friendship between Michael and Dorottya to feel gradual and more importantly, real.
Written by three gifted scribes – including the film’s director János Edelényi and the late Gilbert Adair, gives the acting prowess of Brian Cox something to really get his teeth into and play around with. The dialogue is smart, punchy and incredibly funny, enabling Cox to deliver one of his most enigmatic screen performances in recent memory, in a role that feels almost written for him. Alongside Cox is Hungarian newcomer Coco König. She delivers a warm and confident performance as Dorottya, offering a hidden vulnerability that plays extremely well against Cox’smore gravitas delivery.
It could be argued that some of the minor supporting roles do suffer from being rather one dimensional, but so good is the chemistry between the two central characters, that any missteps the film may have along the way, are indeed minor footnotes in what is otherwise one of the most enjoyable cinematic treats at this year’s 70th Edinburgh International Film Festival.
http://www.moviereviewworld.com/movie-review/eiff-2016-carer-review/