Documentary Festival CPH:DOX to Launch With Special Focus on Ukraine

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film CriticIn a career that stretches back 40 years, Sean Penn has had many great roles, from Jeff Spicoli to Harvey Milk, from the surly teen sociopath of “Bad Boys” to the soulful death-row sociopath of “Dead Man Walking.” Yet there’s a role Penn is now playing that he has embraced with fierce commitment and skill, but it still doesn’t look very good on him. That’s the role of The American Civilian Who Cares About the War in Ukraine More Than You Do.You’ve seen him play the role at press conferences and in interviews with cable-TV news hosts.

Vivienne Chow Two Hong Kong protest-related films that are unlikely to ever be screened in their home territory will take center stage at the Taiwan International Documentary Festival, in the event’s Chinese independent documentaries section. The festival runs at multiple venues May 6-15, 2022.The eight-title Chinese independent documentaries section will give “Blue Island” by Chan Tze Woon (“Yellowing”) its Asian premiere and a world premiere to “The Grass is Greener on the Other Side” by Crystal Wong.The two films explore the fate of Hong Kong against the backdrop of the aftermath of the 2019 protests.

Justin Long, 43, is gushing over his private relationship and even calling the lucky lady “the one,” in a new interview. The actor, who is rumored to be romantically involved with Kate Bosworth, 39, opened up about the time in his life when he let love in and admitted that although he wants to let the world know all about the exciting romance, he also wants to remain “protective” of it.

Mark Wahlberg gets in the middle of a group photo at the photo call for Father Stu held at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills on Friday (April 1) in West Hollywood, Calif.

Lise Pedersen “The Eclipse” by Nataša Urban has picked up the top Dox:Award at Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival.It was awarded at a ceremony in the Danish capital, which opened with a homage to Ukraine – where fest organizers announced they would be screening Daniel Roher’s “Navalny” in theaters across the nation immediately after the festival to show “that there is another Russia.”“The Eclipse” was competing with 11 others for the top award – half of them had their world premiere at the fest, part of no fewer than 76 world premieres during the event.Focusing on the events of Aug.

Lise Pedersen Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree, whose previous film “The Painter and the Thief” picked up a host of awards including Best Storytelling at Sundance, has given Variety exclusive access to his new doc film project, “Ibelin,” at the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival.The film is named after the “World of Warcraft” avatar of Mats Steen, a young Norwegian man who died at the age of 25 from DMD (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy), a rare genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration.After his death, Mats’ parents discovered that their disabled son, who for the last 10 years of his life had been wheelchair-bound and needed constant medical assistance, has led a rich and eventful life online and made friends around the world on the way.

APPOINTMENTSCopyright hub ICE has recruited Govinda Fichtner as CTO. He joins from web hosting company IONOS.

Some of the world’s biggest stars are standing together to make a difference.

Chris Willman Music WriterGlobal Citizen has unveiled a list of entertainers and luminaries that includes more than 40 major music artists that will take part in an April campaign to urge governments to up their contributions toward supporting humanitarian efforts for Ukraine.Among those taking part in “Stand Up for Ukraine,” which is being described as a “social media rally,” will be Madonna, U2, Billie Eilish, the Weeknd, Radiohead, Luke Combs, Jon Batiste, Juanes, Garth Brooks, Billy Joel and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.The social media campaign will take place April 8-9, in advance of a “pledging summit” set to take place that second day, being spearheaded by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Other musicians getting involved with the push include Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, Celine Dion, Leon Bridges, Stevie Wonder, Green Day, Finneas, Stevie Nicks, Tame Impala, the Jonas Brothers, Usher, Elton John with David Furnish, Trisha Yearwood, Demi Lovato, Chris Isaak, Angélique Kidjo, Annie Lennox, Alejandro Sanz, Ryan Tedder, Ozzy Osbourne, Pearl Jam and Pharrell Williams.

Christopher Vourlias “I Am Greta” director Nathan Grossman will be taking two new projects in development to the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival (CPH:DOX), one of which he’s revealed exclusively to Variety.The documentary feature, with the working title “Amazonia,” follows a series of expeditions into the Amazon led by Sydney Possuelo, considered the leading authority on Brazil’s remaining isolated indigenous peoples.

Lise Pedersen While her first feature-length doc “Outside” is having its world premiere in the main competition at the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival (CPH:DOX), Ukrainian director Olha Zhurba will be back home.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorNorth American distributor Greenwich Entertainment has released the new trailer for Vincent Kelner’s documentary “A Taste of Whale,” which will screen at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen on March 29, and opens in North American theaters, and on Amazon and Apple TV on May 27.Every year, hundreds of pilot whales are hunted in the fjords of the Faroe Islands, an ancient tradition known as “The Grind.” International animal rights activists, including Sea Shepherd and Pamela Anderson, fight to eradicate this bloody massacre. while the Faroese denounce the hypocrisy of those who eat meat without criticizing what is happening in slaughterhouses.“I wanted to rely on the specific circumstances of the Faroe Islands to reflect on a significant, global issue of our time,” Kelner said.

Christopher Vourlias Taskovski Films has acquired world sales rights to Nataša Urban’s “The Eclipse,” which has its world premiere in the main DOX:AWARD competition at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival (CPH:DOX).Focusing on the events of Aug. 11, 1999, when most of Serbia’s population barricaded themselves in their homes and nuclear bunkers in fear of a total solar eclipse, the film uses the rare natural phenomenon as a metaphor for a nation’s unclean conscience about the consequences of its political choices.

Christopher Vourlias Simon Lereng Wilmont’s “A House Made of Splinters,” a tender and humane story of a children’s shelter in eastern Ukraine, earned the top prize at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, taking home the Golden Alexander Award at a ceremony on Sunday.The international competition jury praised Wilmont’s acclaimed documentary, which also won the best director prize at Sundance, as “an unforgettable film that shines a light on the burden carried by children for the horrors and mistakes perpetrated by the world of the adults who should be caring for them.”The jury also announced a Special Jury Award for “Young Plato,” by Declan McGrath and Neasa Ní Chianáin, calling it “a film that can only give us hope in future generations and their capacity to make the world a better place.” In handing out the awards, the jury described the prize-winning duo as “two profoundly moving and intricate films that, in many ways, struck us as companion pieces, and that deserve to be seen together.”In the Newcomers Competition for young and up-and-comings directors presenting their first or second features, the Golden Alexander “Dimitri Eipides” Award went to “Golden Land,” by Inka Achté, which the jury described as “a beautiful and moving family story of belonging in a way which changes the narrative of migration…[and] shows – in a non-didactic manner – a family’s struggles and dreams.” The Special Jury Prize went to “The Devil’s Drivers,” by Daniel Carsenty and Mohammed Abugeth.In the Film Forward Competition, which showcases the work of young and daring directors who challenge genre conventions, the Golden Alexander Film Forward Award went to “The Bride,” by Samira Guadagnuolo and Tiziano Doria, which the jury praised as a

Peta Murgatroyd got emotional while reflecting on Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine.

Christopher Vourlias Jordanian director Rama Ayasra’s “Harvest Moon,” a documentary that tells the story of two activists on a mission to bring back the cultivation of wheat and its lost heritage to its original homeland of Jordan, took the top prize in the Pitching Forum of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s Agora Docs industry program, which wrapped March 16.The award ceremony Wednesday night brought a close to a successful session that saw more than 300 industry professionals taking part both physically and online. “I think it’s the best proof that the industry is ready to be back in business – if it ever stopped,” said the festival’s general director, Elise Jalladeau.In its selection of “Harvest Moon” (pictured), which is produced by Mariam Salim (New Productions) and co-produced by Asmahan Bkerat, the jury offered its hope that the award “can help the seeds of an idea grow into a beautiful and important documentary.” “The winning pitch had integrity, a deep affinity to its characters and a clear awareness of the potential social impact of the film,” read the jury’s statement.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorAutlook Filmsales, one of the leading sales agents for feature documentaries, has acquired “Black Mambas,” ahead of its world premiere on March 30 at CPH:DOX documentary film festival in the F:ACT competition section. Lena Karbe’s debut feature follows the first all-female anti-poaching unit at Greater Kruger Park in South Africa.Autlook CEO Salma Abdalla said the film “is a very contemporary narrative on conservation and the power structures.

Christopher Vourlias Since its inaugural edition at the 60th Thessaloniki Film Festival in 2019, the Meet the Future program has offered a look ahead to the next generation of emerging film talents set to make waves in Greece, the wider Mediterranean region and beyond.After training the spotlight on up-and-coming documentary filmmakers from Serbia, who presented five projects in post-production to industry guests at last year’s Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the focus shifts this year to Georgia, a country that’s seen its cinema profile rise in recent years on the strength of directors including acclaimed docmaker Salomé Jashi, whose arresting feature “Taming the Garden” (pictured) played in the Sundance World Cinema Documentary Competition.Yianna Sarri, the head of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival’s industry arm, Agora, considers herself “one of the biggest fans of Georgian cinema for many years now.” “They make beautiful cinema,” she said, adding that she had “this [Georgian focus] in mind for a very long time.”In collaboration with the Georgian Film Center, Thessaloniki presents five up-and-coming Georgian documentary filmmakers who will present their next projects during a special Meet the Future showcase on March 15.Here are this year’s participants: