Here are the red carpet interviews with directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury. (Still photos by: Ian Goring)
9/14/11
The Red Carpet Interviews for LIVID's Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury.
Here are the red carpet interviews with directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury. (Still photos by: Ian Goring)
LOVELY MOLLY Premieres Tonight!
Tonight's the world premiere of Eduardo Sánchez' Lovely Molly. You might've heard of one of his previous films, a little thing called The Blair Witch Project.
LOVELY MOLLY screening times:
Wed., Sept. 14th, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Thurs., Sept. 15th, 5:15PM, AMC 2
Sat., Sept. 17th, 4:00PM, SCOTIABANK
THEATRE 4
SLEEPLESS NIGHT: A French Thriller Appeteaser
Here's a little sampler plate of Jean-Pierre Melville's films to whet the appetite for Sleepless Night.
Tues. Sept. 13th, 11:59pm RYERSON
Weds. Sept. 14th. 3:00pm AMC 1
Fri. Sept. 16th, 9:45pm SCOTIABANK THEATRE 11
9/13/11
The Intro/Q&A for LIVID
Sunday, September 11th saw the triumphant return of Julien Maury and Alexandre the directors of the Midnight Madness sensation, A' L'interieur with their follow up film Livide--which was four years coming, with various trials and tribulations of the film making business getting in the way. To say expectations were high would be an understatement.Here is the Introduction and Q&A of the world premiere of Livid.
Beyond The Madness: PAUL WILLIAMS IS STILL ALIVE!
There was a time in the 1970s and early 1980s that actor, singer and composer Paul Williams was inescapable. He was on the radio. He was in movies. It seemed like he was on nearly every tv show. He was a superstar and then, suddenly, he wasn't. Stephen Kessler tracks down Williams in his documentary, Paul Williams Is Still Alive, programmed by Midnight Madness' own, Colin Geddes.
And here's a little Midnight Madness retrospective:
PAUL WILLIAMS STILL ALIVE screening times:
Wed., Sept. 14th, 5:30PM, JACKMAN HALL
Sun., Sept. 18th, 4:00PM, AMC 7
Spotlight on SLEEPLESS NIGHT director Frédéric Jardin
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| Frédéric Jardin, director of Sleepless Night Looks to keep you up all night! |
Moments ago, I spoke with French director Frédéric Jardin about his new film action noir film Sleepless Night - which premieres tonight at Midnight Madness! Check out the full interview below!
Several French horror directors at Midnight Madness say that it’s quite tough to make genre films in France. How is the climate for action films, and how did you pitch this film?
It’s very hard to raise money for action films. My producer Marco, produced A Prophet and with the success of that, it won a prize in Cannes, so it was easier for him. This was a 3 million euro film, so it’s not very expensive film.
Tell us about how the project came together - your inspiration, your key collaborators, how you found your star in Tommer.
At the very beginning I wanted to do an action film, so I was thinking about paternity - so that was the very beginning when I started writing - I wanted to mix action and paternity - I was thinking of an actor who was physical and emotional - Tommer moves really well, there was a lot of emotion when he ran. It’s not a just an action film, I needed the actor to feel emotion all the time, for the whole movie... this was a challenge. And Tommer loved the script.
What was the moment when you knew the film would happen?
When we found a distributor - Bacfilms - our french distributor - that was main the thing. We got some money from several TV stations, but getting this distributor was the moment that the film would be made.
What’s the biggest difference with this film from your other films?
They were more comedy, even through they are dark comedy - this is more film noir, it’s a real thriller, and a dark one. Even though there is dramatic irony, it is more serious and darker - it’s about relationship between father and son, paternity, so I wanted it to be very serious - even though it features a chase on the surface, above all it’s about this relationship.
You mentioned to me that you avoided outside influences as much as possible when creating this movie to keep your vision pure. How did you enforce that on yourself, and what did you do to cultivate your own style?
I decided for this film - to film it like a documentary - camera on the shoulder, and extremely realistic in action. I didn’t want to film the violence graphically - but instead very realistic dirty violence, with sweat- and you feel the people are very exhausted by this crazy night, and I wanted all of these things to be very realistic and that’s the style at the end. I wanted something very frenetic. Because the main character doesn’t have any time to save his son.
Making movies can be crazy and unpredictable; What was the strangest obstacle you dealt with during the shoot?
Not so much, the film was very well planned, and was always inside, and while we had a crowd - I wanted it to be very realistic but everything was planned at the same time. It seems like a contradiction but it goes in the same direction. We planned the chaos, which is quite hard usually!
What was the best lesson that making this film taught you?
I learned everything with this film, it was very new for me, and that’s a new direction that I want to continue to work in.
Writing is very cathartic, in that you can write about how you’d like to react to a situation- and that’s what I love about it. However, if you were put in a similar situation as your film’s character Vincent, how would you honestly react?
Hm. I would do the same thing as him! You know it’s hard to say, I can’t answer that - I am very close to the character, I don’t want to give it away, you to have to see the movie.
What are some of your favorite films, and what other genres are you interested in working in?
Work in other Genres? Yeah why not - I am not crazy about the typical horror film, but every director should be interested by all genres. Some of my favorite films are- Nicholas Winding Refn’s Pusher Trilogy, Joon-Ho Bong's films Memories of Murder, Mother, and The Host. And also Hong Jin Na’s Chaser. I love TV series like Breaking Bad, and Sopranos.
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Be sure to see for yourself EXACTLY what bone-cracking extremes Frédéric Jardin would execute to save his son, were he facing the depraved gangsters from Sleepless Night!
Tues. Sept. 13th, 11:59pm RYERSON
Weds. Sept. 14th. 3:00pm AMC 1
Fri. Sept. 16th, 9:45pm SCOTIABANK THEATRE 11
@thesubstream - Midnight Madness '11 Ep. 05: The Incident!
Mike and guest host rowthree.com's Kurt Halfyard seemed to be a bit at odds with their impressions of Alexandre Courtes' The Incident which screened last night at TIFF as part of Midnight Madness. One thing's for sure, the film proved to be too much for two audience members who passed out and required medical attention - the first casualties of this year's Midnight Madness! Not too shabby for the 'quiet night' of this year's program. thesubstream.com's coverage of the best block of films at this year's festival continues!
SLEEPLESS NIGHT at Midnight Madness Tonight!
Get ready for Sleepless Night at the Ryerson tonight. It's already getting good reviews on the internet and looks to be a fine mix of action and thriller, hearkening back to the genre films of Jean-Pierre Mélvìlle and through him, back to film noir. But it's pedigree isn't important, what is important is it looks amazing and its hero, played by Tomer Sisley, will need all his sangfroid, to make it through the night..
If you missed the trailer yesterday, here it is again.
SLEEPLESS NIGHT screening times:
Tues., Sept. 13th, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Wed., Sept. 14th, 3:00PM, AMC 1
Fri., Sept. 16th, 9:45PM, SCOTIABANK
THEATRE 11
9/12/11
Who's Who With The Cast of THE DAY!
Thursday night's screening of The Day is actually the most star-studded of the Midnight Madness lineup this year. Here's a little rundown of the cast in this post-apocalyptic journey through a bleak, ruined landscape.
Dominic Monaghan - If you were a geek at any point in the last ten years, Monaghan's name will undoubtedly be a familiar one. Starring in two of the biggest geek properties of the last decade - JJ Abrams' LOST and Peter Jacksons' Lord of the Rings films - Monaghan has made a name for himself as one of the go-to actors when something sinister and dark is afoot. In The Day, Monaghan straps on his genre hat (yes this is a real hat) once again as the leader of a small band of survivors traversing a world without hope.
This dark, futuristic journey takes the Ryerson by storm on Thursday night and it looks to be one of the most chilling films in this year's lineup. We expect at least a few members of this star-studded cast to be walking the blood-soaked red carpet that night, so don't miss it!
The Day screens:
- Thursday September 15 Ryerson 11:59pm
- Friday September 16 Scotiabank Theatre 2 3:00pm
- Saturday September 17 Scotiabank Theatre 11 9:45pm
Trailer for Frederic Jardin's SLEEPLESS NIGHT
From the trailer above, Frederic Jardin's Sleepless Night looks to be the equivalent of six cans of Red Bull. Or your preferred energy drink of choice.
Get your buzz on with the Midnight Madness crowd when Sleepless Night premieres Tuesday night!
Tues., Sept. 13th, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Wed., Sept. 14th, 3:00PM, AMC 1
Fri., Sept. 16th, 9:45PM, SCOTIABANK
THEATRE 11
Check out a Teaser, Clip and Poster for LOVELY MOLLY
Get ready for Lovely Molly with the teaser above and the clip and one sheet below. (Via Dread Central)
LOVELY MOLLY screening times:
Wed., Sept. 14th, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Thurs., Sept. 15th, 5:15PM, AMC 2
Sat., Sept. 17th, 4:00PM, SCOTIABANK
THEATRE 4
6 Questions For LOVELY MOLLY Director Eduardo Sanchez
Darryl Shaw and Sanjay S. Rajput teamed up to interview Eduardo Sanchez, director of The Blair Witch Project and Lovely Molly, which premieres Wednesday, September 14 at Midnight Madness!
1) With The Blair Witch Project's mainstream success you brought the found footage style of filmmaking to a new generation of filmmakers--with great successors in Paranormal Activity, Troll Hunter, REC and Home Movie--how was your transition into the more traditional filmmaking style, and do you find that you are given more flexibility because of your proven ability to innovate in the medium?
I think people were surprised that I could just make a normal film. I remember studio people asking Dan Myrick, my partner in crime on BW, and me if we knew what a real script looked like! I honestly think it gave me less flexibility. People were wondering what was going to come out of us as my second film. When it wasn't the game-changer that BW ended up being, I think there was definitely a certain amount of disappointment.
BW was born out of necessity. Dan and I needed to convince people that what they were watching was real so the style just evolved from that basic directive. We were pretty happy when films using that technique started breaking through. I'm a big fan of most of them.
Yeah, I feel strongly about that one!
2) What makes Lovely Molly stand out from previous haunted house or possession films?
I think the unique thing about Lovely Molly is how it rides the line between the supernatural and the psychological journey that Molly takes. My plan was to do an exorcist film without the exorcist, without that clear diagnosis. What the hell happens to the people around the person when they start acting crazy? When they can't see the shit that the afflicted person sees or hears? That to me is the creepiest part of Lovely Molly.
3) What draws you to the supernatural? Did you have any paranormal experiences you'd be comfortable in sharing?
Never had any kind of paranormal experiences, besides waking up from a horrible nightmare and thinking Satan was in my room. But that was just the fear taking me over. I think. I'm attracted to it because it allows us filmmakers and writers to explore really dark human issues and package them in a more palatable form--a horror movie.
4) What scares you?
EVERYTHING. I'm a real chicken shit. My mother was really protective of me and used the age-old technique of the boogey man (but the Cuban version) to sometimes scare me into submission. Sounds a lot worse than it was (she was a damn good mom), but she definitely cultivated this idea of something being out there, beyond my window, behind the trees--in the darkness. So I scare myself even in my own house. Always think that something's going to pop out at me or look through a window.
Creeping myself out now.
5) You shot this film in Maryland, any chance you'll come back and for the Zombie Apocalypse 5k race on October 22 (runforyourlives.com)?
I'm in horrible shape, but I'd love to get in shape and be there next year! Could happen.
6) Half of your films have been shot in Maryland, is it really that scary over there?
There is a ton of history here. I'm right in the middle of a lot of Civil War battlefields so there's a massive amount of violent death that occurred all around me. I guess I tap into that sometimes because my best ideas come to me while driving down the isolated country roads around my home. I pop in my ipod (SCARY playlist) and let my mind wander.
The house where we shot Lovely Molly is a prime example of the kind of location gem that can be found in this area. Two hundred years old, in the middle of nowhere on over 200 acres, the house seeped a certain creepiness that I think found itself onto the film. At least it affected me as the director. A lot of crew and even Gretchen (Molly) stayed there alone at night.
Not me.
LOVELY MOLLY screening times:
Wed., Sept. 14th, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Thurs., Sept. 15th, 5:15PM, AMC 2
Sat., Sept. 17th, 4:00PM, SCOTIABANK
THEATRE 4
Beyond the Madness: LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE
While Midnight Madness is clearly the focal point of the whole festival, there are some films fans might be interested in from outside the program. Tonight, Midnight Madness Alumnus Johnnie To brings his new drama, Life Without Principle, to TIFF. It stars Denise Ho with Midnight Madness alumni, Lau Ching-Wan and Ritchie Yen, who co-starred with Leon Lai in last year's MM pick, Fire of Conscience.
Life Without Principle screening times:
Monday Sept. 12, VISA Screening Room (The Elgin), 9pm
Wednesday, Sept. 14, TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, 3:30pm
Saturday, Sept. 17, Scotiabank Theatre 3, 8:30pm
Craploads of Animal Masks - Ian Goring's Pics from YOU'RE NEXT!
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| Aw, they think they're people! |
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| Three of these ladies won't make it throughvthis movie alive. In a way, it's a lot like The Bachelor - with 20% more blenders to the brain. |
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| Before... |
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| AHHHHHHH(fter) |
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| The whole You're Next crew was momentarily distracted by a squirrel and a passing mailman. |
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| In hindsight, we never should've left all those chew toys on the seats. |
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| Robert Mitchell interviews the almost implausibly lovely Sharni Vinson |
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| These guys wouldn't stop hanging around the entrance to the theatre, so we threw a ball of yarn across the street and they dispersed. WHO'S A GOOD KITTY! YOU ARE! |
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| Midnight Madness Programmer Colin Geddes, Adam Wingard, and Simon Barrett discuss the influences for the script , which included Scream and Home Alone (really!) |
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| Writer Simon Barrett and Director Adam Wingard's next project will be a mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the remainder of star Sharni Vinson's skirt. |
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| The whole twisted crew behind You're Next. They're a pretty bunch, no? |
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| What sort of axe-wielding maniacal bastard would want to extinguish that smile?
You're Next screens twice more this week - make sure that you check it out, unless of course you want an axe to the skull.
You're Next screens:
Monday September 12 6:30pm AMC 7
Friday September 16 4:00pm TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
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@thesubstream - Midnight Madness '11 Ep. 04: Livid!
Tonight sees the Midnight Madness homecoming of, in programmer Colin Geddes' words 'the Daft Punk of french cinema' - co-directors of the bloody À l'intérieur, Julien Maury & Alexandre Bustillo. This time they're here with Livid, a film that goes in a completely different direction. Plus, guest host Matt Brown talks to Hitfix.com's Drew McWeeny who tells us a pretty crazy story about his uncle's haunted house. All this and more in the fourth instalment of thesubstream.com's TIFF 2011 Midnight Madness coverage!
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