The 2015 Grolsch Midnight Madness People's Choice Award!

The winner of the 2015 Midnight Madness People's Choice Award is Hardcore! Congratulations to director Ilya Naishuller, producer Timur Bekmambetov, Sharlto Copley, Haley Bennett, Danila Kozlovsky, Seva Kaptur, Pasha Kapinos, Fedor Lyass, Sergey Valyaev ("who shot about a third of the film as Henry") and the cast and crew of Hardcore!

And congratulations to the casts and crew of the Midnight Madness People's Choice Award Runners-Up: The Final Girls, Green Room and Yakuza Apocalypse!

If you missed Hardcore at the Festival, don't worry, you'll get your chance. Hardcore was picked up by STX Entertainment.

HARDCORE: Video World Premiere Post-Screening QA with IIya Naishuller, Sharlto Copley, Timur Bekmambetov,

Hardcore was extremely well-received at the world premiere at Midnight Madness. The film pushed the boundaries of storytelling with the unique style of using only the first person point of view. We, the audience, became this amazing action star. Jumping from helicopters, fighting armed assassins, running for our lives. Here is the complete introduction and post-screening Q&A with director writer IIya Naishuller, actor Sharlto Copley and producer Timur Bakmambetov, moderated by programmer Colin Geddes.

HARDCORE screens:
Mon, Sept 14, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK

Pics From the Premiere of HARDCORE!

Many members of the Midnight audience were driven to nausea for very different reasons than usual last night. The first-person POV actioner Hardcore was thrilling and unique, and shutterbug Ian Goring was there to capture all the craziness from last night's premiere!

Despite the second cold and rainy night in a row, the devoted Midnight audience stuck it out for Hardcore

Hardcore producer Timur Bekmambetov

Sharlto Copley and Taint Phoenix!

Sharlto Copley walks the red carpet for Hardcore

Darya Charusha  and director Ilya Naishuller strike a pose!

Snappily-dressed producer Ekaterina Kononenko and guests on the red carpet

Darya Charusha braves the cold to promote Hardcore!

Hardcore's three Musketeers - Sharlto Copley, Ilya Naishuller, and  Timur Bekmambetov

Darya Charusha and Taint Phoenix

Ilya Naishuller with producers Ekaterina Kononenko and Inga Vainschtein-Smith

Colin Geddes introduces the third screening of Midnight Madness 2015

The Hardcore crew introduces the film

Copley and Naishuller chat about Hardcore onstage at the Ryerson

A veritable army came out to support Hardcore!

Copley and Naushuller talk about the process of making Hardcore!

You have two more chances to see Hardcore  at TIFF!

HARDCORE Screening Times:
Mon, Sept 14, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14       
Fri, Sept 18, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK

HARDCORE: Video World Premiere Interviews with IIya Naishuller, Sharlto Copley, Timur Bekmambetov,

Hardcore had its world premiere last night at Midnight Madness and Robert A. Mitchell had to elbow, punch, jump over a flaming car and drop out of a helicopter to get the interviews with IIya Naishuller, who wrote and directed this amazing new POV action film. He also spoke with actor Sharlto Copley and producer Timur Bekmambetov.


 

HARDCORE screens:
Mon, Sept 14, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK

HARDCORE: Producer Timur Bekmambetov A Stalwart Force Of Russian Filmmaking

Timur Bekmambetov was one of the millions of people who saw the video Bad Motherfucker by Biting Elbows. He loved the video so much that he contacted IIya Naishuller about taking the first person concept in propelling it into a feature length movie. That conversation lead to Hardcore.  Timur brings a considerable amount of talent and experience as his role as a producer of IIya's first film.

Timur began directing commercials in 1989. His first feature film Pershavarski vals about the Soviet war was released in 1994. By 1997 he was named Best Young Director by the Russian Film Academy. In 1999 Timur started his own production company Bazelevs Production. However it the was the film Night Watch that would be a Russian blockbuster and ultimately reach Western audiences.

Timur returned to the stories of Sergey Lukyanenko and made Day Watch. This film was even more successful and became the highest grossing film ever in Russia.

The amazing success of Day Watch lead Timur to his first Hollywood production. The film Wanted starred Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman and was based on the comic book series created by Mark Millar (Kick Ass) and J.G. Jones.  The resulting film was a lot fun.

Who would have guessed that it would be a Russian filmmaker with a very unique cinematic take on the ultimate of American icons the 16th President of the United States. The film was Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

At this stage of his filmmaking career it is quite clear that a Timur Bekmambetov film will take you into a world you have never seen. Creations of fantasy, action featuring immense artistry and imagination. Films that will thrill and excite you and sometimes downright creep you out.

As well as the films that I profiled here Timur has been a very active producer and mentor to other filmmakers. It comes as no surprise Timur would bring his talent and filmmaking knowledge and aid IIya's Naishuller's vision of Hardcore.

HARDCORE screens:
Sat, Sept 12, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Mon, Sept 14, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK