2008 Angel Film Awards Monaco International Film Festival angel awards

Press Release, Cairo, 19th December, 2008

Written by Reem Azmy Journalist / AL AHRAM AL ARABI - Cairo, Egypt

Between Religion, Politics and Surrealism

“Angel” Festival... The Living Dream!

If such films were part of any of festivals, it would have been accused of religious intolerance and intellectual extremism! However, Monaco accepted the challenge and acted courageously trying to prove to the humanity that objectivity still exists, presenting a set of most extraordinary films (feature, short and documentary) constituting full consciousness of the humanity situation, giving us hope in the future.

Since 2003, Dean Bentley, festival producer along with its director Rosana Golden, worked together to renew this beautiful dream and transform it into vibrant reality on the picturesque shores of Riviera, which lie between the French and Italian borders, thanks to the “Angel Film Awards” Festival films, which take us away from everyday bloodshed, violence and hatred, being based on dream, sophistication and good! This positive experience deserves our respect, as it requires vision, patience, effort and perseverance, when especially the matters involve an independent festival. According to Bentley, Angel Film awards ,Monaco film festival (AFA) relies not on quantity but on quality, having the value as aim, and years to come the circle will widen including more activists for the good in the world, while Golden seeks through all of her actions to promote love. Throughout this year, the work force made a tour around the world watching 400 films in order to be able to select 17 to be displayed in the festival sixth anniversary (from 4-7 December 2008), it is an award festival, meaning that the participating films already passed the eliminations to be honored here!

Religion and Life

First surprise of this festival lies in the first screened film entitled “Al Nesa”, it is a short film not exceeding 13 minutes, discussing the Holy Koran “An-Nisâ” Chapter and the way these holy verses present legislations concerning women and children. Despite the simplicity of the film, as it overviews these rules only, such overview penetrates you directly touching your feelings, affecting you as viewer whether you are Muslim or not!, allowing the viewer to get acquainted to a part of the Islam , a thing somehow different from all bad and negative concepts of Islam around us. The film is produced and directed by the American Muslim Delara Rasouli.

The next film "Chasomogamy" is also short, a UK production and direction, it tackles an idea of simple everyday incidents, when a veiled Muslim woman goes on the bus and sits next to a Christian nun, the film features different types of people all in one place, we have the Jew, the football fans as well as others, each till its stop. In spite of the apparent disharmony between them all, a mobile feature breaks such, as one sends a laughing message reaching all others mobiles, a smile appears, exchanged, as if this message means that technology may be the way to overcome intercultural barriers, getting people closer.

The third film is a feature film entitled “Cross Road”, a Canadian production, written and directed by Alexandra Thompson. It is a romantic film, with a political and human angle. It relates the story of a Syrian family emigrated to USA, facing young racists' harassment; with the father blaming the mother and the son for not going to Canada. The shocking scene of the film is when those racists seek to have some fun on the expense of the Muslims, taking off the veil of two Muslim girls in the public park! In the midst of such a tension, the young racist sister falls for the young Syrian!

The documentary film “Soldiers of Peace”, produced and directed by the Australian Timothy Wise, comes to complete the picture of having peaceful coexistence between humans and being above all differences and causes of separation. Being a hero here does not involve killing but involves forgiveness; it observes real stories from 14 countries dealing with war and peace including Arab- Israeli conflict through the story of two children one Arabic and the other is the son of a settled Israeli family, the most surprising story is the one involving a love story between a man and a woman, but the surprise lies in that he killed her father while he volunteered in IRA, the man asked her for forgiveness and she was able to overcome her grief and forgive him and both shall try to start a new life! The film poster features a very intelligent concept relying on another experience from Colombia where a warrior turned his gun to a guitar, replacing this deadly machine to strings playing the most beautiful and sweet tunes in the streets and theaters calling to renounce violence, and we see a war survivor dancing on such notes ! Another story comes from Nigeria about a Sheikh and a priest, both lost a limb in the war between Muslims and Christians, but both quickly surpassed their hatred for one another and became friends endeavoring to form a peace organization. Fatouma, a young Kenyan, gives another story: she bought a cup and medals and organized a friendly football match to gather belligerent tribes' youth! This small group has great and noble thoughts, which is the message that “Angel” Festival seeks to send: we are all different from one another but we all have to coexist, thus we need to respect each other.

 

The Colored Smile

The Opening film, screened at the festival first night is “tricks of a Woman” , it is a romantic comedy, an independent American film produced and written by its lead actor Elika Portnoy, directed by Todd Norwood with Scott Elrod and Carlos Leon as lead and supporting actors respectively, the film is the winner of best film award. Inspired from ‘My Fair Lady", the film is about a bet between two photographers, one challenging the other to transform any girl to a fashion-model”, it is a light comedy film that displays the glamorous world of fashion shows, it is similar to the closing film, joint German-Italian production entitled “Capri You Love?”, it is also a romantic comedy, written, produced and directed by Alexander Oppersdorff: two men and two women meet in the weekend in an idyllic villa on the shores of Capri City by the Blue Grotto where events evolve in a humorous sense going back and forth between attraction and resistance ! The film depends mainly on natural visual effects, images, colors and action; this film participated also in the 32th Cairo International Film Festival.

For spreading more optimism and faith, the festival introduced also the documentary film “Healing” about the Brazilian healer John of God (Joao de Deus), who heals people without surgery, only a touch of his hand and the pain goes away! In the midst of green pastures in the city of Abadiania, hundreds line up every day dressed in white waiting for John to examine and cure them from their suffering, thus having back their long lost smile on their faces! When the experience of John was put under scientific analysis, positive energy that he can activate was discovered within the human body he examines casting away negative energy causing illness

There are other distinct films depending on the image such as surrealistic films since it is a surrealistic festival; two feature films “the Appearance of A Man” and “Hate-Eno-Tabi - Shores of Remembrance”, short films “The Open Casket”, “Alba” and “Makeup” and other distinct films with deep meanings, the documentary film “Tracks of a Saint”, “Styx” and “Anne & Juliet”
Besides these winning films, 9 screenwriters from various countries were honored, and the festival special award was handed to the director Angel Orensanz (one minute film trailer was displayed including parts of his latest films) and Japanese actress, writer and producer Ms. Keiko Kobayashi was also honored, she is one of the short films jury this year ; last year, her film “Jun- Ai”, (True Love) won the best film award, it gives a picture of the bloody history between Japan and China, and how they overcome all crises allowing peace to supersede . Kobayashi continues to promote peace by opening a Japanese school for Chinese children.

 

Monaco, 17th November, 2008

The Director and Producer Rosana Golden, Dean Bentley are pleased to announce the following....

They welcome you to the 6th anniversary Angel Film Awards - Monaco International Film Festival held at the Theatre Princess Grace, in Monaco, Monte Carlo.

The Angel Film Awards are committed to peace, harmony, positive energy, cultural unity! ... Delivering new altruism through non violent int'l cinema at the AFA-MIFF

An opportunity for filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, producers, composer-musicians and other artists with same vision and mission to meet and network...

The Angel Film Awards - VIP press and photo call... celebrity introductions... radio and television interviews and broadcasts... gala film screenings…at the Theatre Princess Grace, Monaco.

4th December 2008
Open Press Call 1.45pm at the Theatre Princess Grace - Salle du Ponant for the official jury members and Dame of Honour, Miss Great Britain - Gemma Garrett, festival celebrity invites: British Actress Camilla Rutherford, US

Actress Elika Portnoy, US Actor Scott Elrod, US Actor Carlos Leon, Japanese Actress Keiko Kobayashi, Japanese Actor/Musician, YASUTAKA, British Actor Barry Howard, US Actor Michael Tassoni, Japanese Actor Tsuyoshi Takashiro, Japanese Actress Kuniko Endo, German/Italian actress Chiara Schoras, Russian Actress Elmira Metreveli and special guest appearance from London 'Niki London' who is a rising singing sensation. Niki will be performing two of her songs on the awards night at the Princess Grace Theatre following the awards evening celebration on Saturday, December 6th.

Comedy Central 105 Milan - are ready to go… Italian super presenter and Star DJ Marco Mazzoli and Pippo Palmieri!

EVENING OPENER... GALA FILM PREMIERE 'TRICKS OF A WOMAN' USA... at 20:30 Theatre Princess Grace... followed by black tie gala film première party in the honour of 'Tricks of a Woman' at the historic Salle Belle Époque - Hermitage Hotel, Monte Carlo 22:30.

Confirmed attendees:
The usual press core... Rising star Elika Portnoy main talent of romantic comedy 'Tricks of a Woman' along with Scott Elrod - US heartthrob and Carlos Leon… Papa of Maria Lourdes Madonna's little girl, the beautiful and talented British actress Camilla Rutherford … who is Mastress of Ceremonies and Head of Jury… Camilla a Shakespearian actress known for her role in 'Gosford Park' (2002) and 'The Darjeeling Limited' (2007)… Stunning Dame of Honour and Angel Film Awards Jury member Miss Great Britain 2008 'Gemma Garrett'… the 24 year old is a British Parliament Member who votes for a more peaceful and greener Britain! We say bravo Gemma!

6TH ANGEL FILM AWARDS CELEBRATION - THEATRE PRINCESS GRACE - SATURDAY 6TH DECEMBER AT 19:00.... followed by GALA AWARDS NIGHT FILM PARTY by Kaufmann & Kaufmann (K&K) Monaco, and in the Honour of 'Capri You Love? Germany/Italy

For the Ladies....
* Surpise GIFT 'Strictly for VIP Pass holders only… Exclusive Jewelry by K&K creations - Monaco
* Surprise GIFT 'Strictly for VIP Pass holders only … Luxury Bio Cosmetic by NUBEAUTYCARE, UK

HONONOURING THE SCREENWRITERS – 9 NOMINATIONS FOR FEATURE SCREENWRITERS

CAITLIN McCARTHY, USA

JAN HENDRIK VERSTRATEN, UK

ANDRE GAUMOND, CANADA

JANNA DELURY, USA

ROBERT BLANKENHORN, USA

JAMIE READ, USA

T.N. MOHAN, USA

TRUDY HAPP & MARK MCQUADE CRAWFORD, USA

MARCO MAZZOLI, ITALY

Angel Film Awards – Special Art House Award

HONOURING ANGEL ORENSANZ FOR HIS SURREALISTIC AND NON VIOLENT ART

42. OFFICIAL ANGEL FILM AWARD NOMINATIONS
9. WINNING CATEGORIES FOR SCREENPLAY WRITERS
17. OFFICIAL FESTIVAL FILM SELECTIONS
8. SHORT FILM & SHORT DOCUMENTARY EUROPEAN & WORLD PREMIERS
8. FEATURE FILM & FEATURE DOCUMENTARY EUROPEAN & WORLD PREMIERS

TELEVISION BROADCASTING

The entire festival will be filmed for Television Broadcast. There will be the usual press core and also a special press call and interview session for film directors and talent.

The AFA is broadcast yearly on national television and radio…. the Angel Film Awards has recently received headline news broadcast on BBC World.

This year attending the festival we have….
• TV Comedy Central Italy - Sky Channel 105 Milano - Italy
• Radio Monte Carlo
• Positive TV, UK
The festival will be announcing the launching Dean and Rosana's remix single… The festival song 'Call it Love' original song composed and produced by Dean and Rosana is a fun jungle reggae single. Refreshingly different and full of energy! Some of the proceeds will go charitable foundations.

Media Partners: NICE MATIN (same as CanneFF , France),Monte Carlo Mediterranean Magazine


Journalists To Attend: La Stampa, La Republica, Daily Mail and Variety will be attending the festival.

Not to forget the essential message of the festival – peace, harmony, positive energy and cultural unity!

Every effort has been made to provide up to date information. This is a non profit making event

 

Jingle listen to 'Call it Love':  The festival will be announcing the launching Dean and Rosana's remix single… The festival song 'Call it Love' original song composed and produced by Dean and Rosana is a fun jungle reggae single. Refreshingly different and full of energy! Some of the proceeds will go charitable foundations.

 

 
 
<<Go Back] - Next page >>