Creativity in Film Education - A Seminar on How to Learn to Watch and Make Films
Alain Bergala is a French film education expert, filmmaker and author of the book L'hypothèse cinéma (The Aesthetics of Film), which was recently published in Finnish. This year at the Midnight Sun Film Festival, he held a seminar concerning film education for young people and children. The precise topic of the seminar was the pedagogic project Cinéma cent ans de jeunesse, established in 1995, which aims to introduce film education to primary and secondary schools. Now, twenty years after its inception, the scheme spans forty different school classes all over the world.
Opening the seminar, Bergala gave a brief outline of the history of French film education. The guiding ideal of French post-WWII film societies was the idea of high culture uniting people from all backgrounds. However, the advent of television and the recent digitalization of audiovisual culture have diminished artistically ambitious cinema into a small island of its own, which the general public has no connection to.
School classes that commit to the film education scheme spend the whole year working in tandem with their teacher and a professional working in the field of cinema. In the autumn term each student completes exercises that familiarize them with the formal language of cinema. These exercises are based on a DVD of film extracts compiled by the project coordinators. Clear, common rules and rotating roles within the group make sure that the learning process stays equal to all. The spring term culminates with the students making and watching their own films.
Among the examples screened by Bergala illustrating the type of educational film extracts included in the DVD were scenes from classic films that utilize the long take (plan-séquence) in different ways. The students’ task was to consider, without the teacher’s assistance, what is the extracts’ common factor and then film a scene of their own based on how they understood the set of extracts. In order to keep the learning process spontaneous, it is essential that the students do not merely attempt to copy the scenes they have just seen, but instead attempt to say something about a topic personal to them.
At the end of the seminar, Bergala reflected on the benefits and challenges of digitalization. Whereas before the filmmaking process consisted of a clear and linear set of choices, it is now possible to film a limitless amount of material and then work it into an endless number of differing versions. Similarly, the way in which people watch films has also changed: according to Bergala the habit of watching an entire film from start to finish is a disappearing tradition and therefore educators cannot demand that from today’s youth. Instead, they should for example attempt to illustrate the connections between different clips found on the internet.
Changes in morning discussion schedules
There have been changes in the morning discussion schedule of the Midnight Sun Film Festival 2014.
On Thursday, Alain Bergala will replace Gleb Panfilov as morning discussion guest. Bergala’s original morning discussion appearance was originally scheduled to be on Friday. Bergala will have a conversation with Peter von Bagh at Kitisenranta school from 10AM to 12PM.
Friday morning will kick off with a double jackpot; for the first hour, Olaf Möller will interview Pawel Pawlikowski (10AM-11AM). After that, Möller will switch seats in an interview hosted by Peter von Bagh (11AM-12PM). Bergala and Mahamat-Saleh Haroun were first announced as guests of Friday’s morning discussion.
On Saturday, Olivier Assayas will participate in morning discussion, as previously announced (10AM-12PM). Sunday’s morning discussion guest will be revealed later.
Updated schedule of MSFF2014 morning discussions
Thursday 12th at 10AM: Alain Bergala (interviewed by Peter von Bagh)
Friday 13th at 10AM: Pawel Pawlikowski (interviewed by Olaf Möller)
Friday 13th at 11AM: Olaf Möller (interviewed by Peter von Bagh)
Saturday 14th at 11AM: Oliver Assayas (interviewed by Peter von Bagh)
Sunday 15th at 10AM: Surprise
Cancellations: Panfilov and Haroun
Gleb Panfilov and Mahamat-Saleh Haroun have unfortunately had to cancel their visit to Sodankylä. However, the films by Panfilov and Haroun are still included in MSFF2014 program.
Midnight Sun Film Festival 2014 begins tomorrow
Cinephiles from all over the world gather in Sodankylä once again. The 29th annual Midnight Sun Film Festival 2014 (June 11th-15th) will start this Wednesday and four silver screens will be filled with quality film 24 hours a day until Sunday evening.
The official opening screening will be held at the Lapinsuu cinema at 8PM, when Peter von Bagh invites a grand master of Russian cinema, Gleb Panfilov, to introduce his pulse-raising masterpiece The Beginning. Inna Churikova, Panfilov’s fiancée and The Beginning’s staggering lead actress, is also present. This couple has been wooed to come to Sodankylä for years.
Yet even before the opening celebration, the audience has the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of cinema at 4PM in the advance screening of Richard Ayoade’s black comedy The Double, double starring Jesse Eisenberg. At 4:15PM, festival’s music programme begins with Twenty Feet From Stardom.
Our traditional children’s film screenings are organized by Finnish Film Contact.
All of our festival guests are present at the opening screening. Cannes-winner Mahamet-Saleh Haroun from Chad will introduce his tour de force Grigris at 10:30PM at Lapinsuu. At the same time, the German guru Olaf Möller begins our master class parade by introducing the cult film The Night Caller.
Our fabulous French guest Katell Quillévéré presents her film Suzanne at 0:45AM in Lapinsuu. At the same time, our domestic director guest Juha Wuolijoki hosts a screening of his film Zarra's Law, shot in the U.S. and starring Sopranos-star Tony Sirico and Hollywood legend Burt Young. And only a few hours later, director master Gleb Panfilov will join Peter von Bagh in Thursday's morning discussion.
More treats from Cannes coming to Midnight Sun Film Festival
Image from Clouds of Sils Maria.
In addition to Cannes Grand Prix winner The Wonders, Olivier Assayas’ brand new film Clouds of Sils Maria will be one of the highlights of Midnight Sun Film Festival 2014. Starring in Assayas’ first English language film will be Juliette Binoche, Chloë Grace Moretz and Kristen Stewart, each praised for their performances. Director Assayas will introduce his film next Friday in Lapinsuu at 2:45 PM.
Our repertoire will also be enriched by a special musical screening. Some of the biggest hits of Pulp will rock the Big Tent in Sodankylä night when Florian Habicht's documentary film Pulp is premiered in Finland. Habicht masterly captured the band’s last concert in Great Britain and the frenzy around it. Pulp has sold over 10 million albums worldwide, such as Common People and This Is Hardcore.
Great Finnish actor Martti Suosalo will also arrive to Sodankylä to strengthen the domestic repertoire of MSFF 2014. He will introduce the film Isänmaallinen mies, in which he performs one of the most astounding lead roles of his career.
Unfortunately, director Peter Greenaway’s arrival seems uncertain at this point. Greenaway was supposed to shoot a film in Finland, but the shooting sessions were postponed to September. Therefore the director’s visit to Sodankylä is endangered. However, the cancellation has not yet been officially confirmed.
Our confirmed visitors from abroad are directors Olivier Assayas (France), Gleb Panfilov (Russia), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad), Pawel Pawlikowski (Great Britain), Alice Rohrwacher (Italy), Veiko Öunpuu (Estonia), Katell Quillévéré (France), Hélier Cisterne (France) and actress Inna Churikova (Russia).
Coming soon: The Blues Brothers Karaoke!
The Blues Brothers karaoke screening is due in a week - it is about time you started rehearsing! Here's a list of video links to all the singalong songs, for your comfort and convenience.
SHE CAUGHT THE KATY
Written by Taj Mahal and Yank Rachell
Performed by the Blues Brothers and Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
THE OLD LANDMARK
Written by Adeline M. Brunner
Performed by James Brown and the Reverend James Cleveland Choir
MINNIE THE MOOCHER
Written by Cab Calloway and Irving Mills
Performed by Cab Calloway
Courtesy of Hologram Records
THINK
Written by Teddy White and
Aretha Franklin
Performed by Aretha Franklin
SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER
Written by Otha Hayes, Andre Williams and Verlie Rice
Performed by Ray Charles and the Blues Brothers Band with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
GIMME SOME LOVIN'
Written by Steve Winwood (as Stevie Winwood), Spencer Davis, and Muff Winwood
Performed by the Blues Brothers and Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
THEME FROM 'RAWHIDE'
Written by Dimitri Tiomkin
Performed by the Blues Brothers and Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY TO LOVE
Written by Jerry Wexler, Bert Berns (as Bert Berns) and Solomon Burke
Performed by the Blues Brothers with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
SWEET HOME CHICAGO
Written by Robert Johnson
Performed by the Blues Brothers and Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
JAILHOUSE ROCK
Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Performed by the Blues Brothers, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles,
Aretha Franklin and a "Crew" with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
Multiple Viewpoints to Balkan Film Culture
In 2014, the Midnight Sun Film Festival presents a selection of films highlighting the rich and diverse cultural history of the Balkan area. The “Balkan Special” includes a selection of short films from the former Yugoslavia, a few handpicked Yugoslav classics and recent feature-length films of Serbian, Bosnian and international production. Featuring both fictional and documentary films, the series also introduces us to the artistic and industrial aspects of Balkan film culture. The films will be presented by the German film experts Lars Henrik Gass and Olaf Möller and the Polish director Paweł Pawlikowski.
Welcome to Sodankylä
The atmosphere of the Midnight Sun Film Festival is one of the most unique in the whole world: the most famous film directors of the world, young directors, the international audience and the inhabitants of Sodankylä meet under the midnight sun in the relaxed and informal "spirit of Sodankylä". This festival is meant for people who truly love the art of cinema, there are no formalities or fancy cocktail parties, one doesn't have to be afraid of getting lost in the jungle of bureaucracy.
Films are screened in four venues for 24 hours a day, and the actual time is easily forgotten: the sun shines as brightly at 4 a.m. as at 4 p.m.
In 2014, the festival will be held from 11th to 15th of June. The first details about the programme will be announced on April 23rd.
Sebastían Lelio’s Gloria at Midnight Sun Film Festival
Gloria, a critically acclaimed film by the Chile-born director Sebastían Lelio, is brought to Sodankylä by a new kind of co-operation project. The film has attracted praise throughout the year 2013. At Berlinale, Paulina García’s performance as the 58 year-old divorcee looking for romance brought Gloria the Silver Bear for the Best Actress. The film has been commended not only for its dramatic and comedical qualities but also for its score.
Gloria is brought to Finland in co-operation with the distribution company, Atlantic Film Finland. The Finnish premiere of the film was held at Season Film Festival at the end of March. Later in the summer, the film will be screened by the National Audiovisual Institute (at the Orion cinema in Helsinki, at July 15th, 24th and 30th and August 8th). In the fall season, Gloria may also be seen in cinema club screenings.
Poster 2014
This year's poster features the beautiful couple from Victor Sjöström's silent film The Outlaw and His Wife (1917, original title Berg-Ejvind och hans hustru) - Edith Erastoff as Halla and Victor Sjöström as Berg-Ejvind. In Sodankylä, the film will be accompanied by the performance of the Matti Bye Ensemble.
Poster design by Antti Tapola.
The 2014 Cannes Grand Prix Winner at the Midnight Sun Film Festival
Image from The Wonders (Le meraviglie).
Alice Rohrwacher, 33, the power figure of new Italian cinema, completes the Midnight Sun Film Festival guest list. Rohrwacher will present her film The Wonders (Le meraviglie), the recent Cannes Grand Prix winner. The director’s second feature film immediately placed her among the most talked-about directors.
Like the critics and the audience, the Cannes jury headed by Jane Campion was completely taken with The Wonders, the only Italian film in the competition series. Variety reported that the film was instantly sold to dozens of countries, including France, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Taiwan, Latin America, the Benelux countries…
The highly personal portrayal of rural life takes off its hat to at least Eramanni Olmi (The Tree of Wooden Clogs) and the Belgian Dardenne brothers. Located at a remote apiary, the story follows young Gelsomina and her three sisters during a pivotal summer shadowed by their overprotective father.
Alice Rohrwacher studied in Turin and in Lisbon, working e.g. as a musician and film editor before her debut direction Corpo celeste (2011) that was screened at, among others, the Cannes, New York, Suncande, and London film festivals – and will be seen this year in Sodankylä along with The Wonders.
