Gala premieres and intimate screenings of the latest Ukrainian and foreign films await guests at the Odesa International Film Festival on July 10-18. Here's what to expect:
Best movies in world
This year’s program includes screenings of 80 films originating from as far as Japan and Venezuela.
The International Competitors Program offers the latest films not yet seen by critics, other screenings showcase movies that have recently premiered at other festivals.
The opening movie will be “Reality” by Quentin Dupieux, a surrealistic comedy nominated at last year’s Venice Film Festival. “Love,” an erotic drama by Gaspar Noé, and “Lobster,” a Greek drama starring Lea Seydoux and Colin Farrell, arrived to Odesa from the Cannes Film Festival, where they were a great success.
“Birdman” by Alejandro González Iñárritu won this year’s Best Picture Oscar and the Odesa Festival offers a chance to see it again on the big screen.
The Ukrainian premiere of “Under Electric Clouds,” a movie by Russian director Alexey German Jr., is definitely worth seeing – this dystopian vision of modern Russia was in the main program of Berlinale 2015 and Ukrainian cameraman Serhiy Mikhalchuk picked up an award.
Ukrainian new wave
Ukrainian films are widely presented at the festival. There are two National Competitors Programs: features and shorts. Both provide a fresh, deep look into Ukrainian life. In the Way To Freedom section half of the films are also Ukrainian.
Last year’s dramatic changes in Ukraine – the EuroMaidan Revolution and ongoing conflict with Russia – will be reflected on the big screen in movies like “Kyiv/Moscow (Part 2),” “Qirim” and “Ukrainian Argument.”
“Song of Songs” by Eva Neymann, a touching story of a life-lasting love, will take part in the International Competition program.
Filmmaking school
Those interested in a hands-on experience in filmmaking can attend the festival’s Summer Film School. This series of classes by famous directors offers a chance to improve one’s skills, network with professionals and meet living legends of cinema.
The professors of the summer school this year will be Alexey Fedorchenko (Russia), Dariusz Jablonski (Poland), Jeanne Jabrune (France), Michael Nyman (U.K.) and Sarunas Bartas (Lithuania). They will discuss a wide range of topics, from directing feature films to being an independent producer in Eastern Europe.
Special events
A screening right on Odesa’s famous Potemkin Stairs of “The Man With a Movie Camera” (1929) by Dziga Vetrov with live music will be an iconic highlight.
A brand new section of the festival is “Music Docs,” including a documentary about Kurt Cobain, musical portraits of Ukraine, and a film version of a Kyiv show by “Hardkiss”, a Ukrainian progressive pop band.
Another special program, “Odesa in Flames: Occupation/Liberation,” contains rare archive films, such as “Bukovina – The Ukrainian Land” (1939) by Ukrainian film legend Oleksandr Dovzhenko and “Odesa in Flames” (1942) by Carmine Gallone.
But even older and rarer will be remastered screenings of short films (58 seconds each) shot between 1895 and 1905 from the Lumiere Brothers’ collection
Tickets
Festival Pass is available on the OIFF website for Hr 995.
Full schedule of screenings and special events is available at www.oiff.com.ua/en/2015/schedule.htm.
