In this post, I will teach you to distinguish the Berlinale from the Biennale and figure out why filmmakers present each other with awards somewhere besides the Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe.
But first, I must clarify that this post will only represent film festivals. Next time, I’ll talk about film awards such as the Oscar, Golden Globe, Cesar, and Goya.
Why do film festivals exist?
Film festivals are annual events that showcase the latest in the film industry. They can be either competitive or non-competitive. Competitive festivals, such as Cannes, have films vying for awards, while non-competitive ones, like Sundance, focus on just watching films without the competition. During festivals, the viewers vote for the audience sympathy prize.
What is the benefit of a film festival?
The main complaint about film festivals is that their pictures are not watchable for the average viewer. If you take the program of any Cannes Film Festival and try to watch it in its entirety, then a significant portion of the films will cause, at the very least, bewilderment in the average viewer.
Mass cinema is about catering to the audience and sticking to popular trends. For example, rom-coms are released on February 14th and horrors on Halloween. But what should we do with non-standard auteur cinema? It’s showcased at film festivals. It is like a test drive for auteur cinema. The whole point of festivals is to provide a space for auteur cinema lovers to watch films that likely won’t be screened in regular movie theaters.
And vice versa: films shown at film festivals (especially those that have received some awards) are often rented by streaming companies. Movies that win festival prizes are most likely to be Oscar nominees.
How many film festivals are there?
There are over 1000 cinema festivals worldwide – from short films to TV series. FIAPF — International Federation of Film Producers Associations regulates and accredits film festivals. In 2014, FIAPF accredited 15 festivals around the world. You can see the complete list here.
Today, there is a list of international class “A” festivals: Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, and the Toronto Festival. The last two festivals are not accredited but are no less prestigious. Today, I want to tell you about the most popular film festivals in the world.
Top 5 film festivals in the world.
Berlinale.
Berlin, Germany in February/ founded in 1951 / prize The Golden Bear
The festival is held in February and is characterized by the gloom and coldness of the films it selects in an equally cold Germany. Films can be dryly political or sharply social, but at the same time, they are not afraid to speak out about the beauty of the body, all sorts of sexual taboos, and nudity, which will personify the nakedness of the soul.
In 1987, this festival was the first to award Pedro Almodóvar for his film La ley del deseo (Law of Desire) for covering LGBT themes, while at Venice, such films appeared only after 2005. Tolerant and intellectual—this is the festival’s slogan.
Berlinale popular movies.
Smultronstället (Wild Strawberries) 1957 by Ingmar Bergman
The old professor of medicine Borg and his daughter-in-law drive from Stockholm to Lund to receive honors for his fifty-year career. At the same time, he visits the places where he spent his childhood, visits his old mother, discusses the selfishness of his growing grandson and tries to cope with the overwhelming nostalgia.
The director showed old age – without pity and regret, without false lamentations and tears about lost youth, with pride and wisdom, making the film an undisputed leader in this topic.
La Notte (The Night ) 1961 by Michelangelo Antonioni
Spouses Giovanni and Lidia still love each other, but their feelings have almost faded. He is a successful writer who can juggle his wife’s feelings no worse than words on paper. She is far from stupid and understands perfectly well that they remain together only by the power of his manipulations. You will witness the decline of a relationship that dissolves in the haze of one night when they are both invited to a strange party.
In principle, it is difficult to say more succinctly about the institution of marriage, living out its last days in its usual form. This film inspired another masterpiece of world cinema about marital fatigue: Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut.
Hong Gao Liang ( Red Sorghum) 1987 by Zhang Yimou
You will see China at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s. A young peasant girl, Jiuji, is forced to marry a distillery owner who is ill with leprosy. Still, he dies, and the girl, together with her lover, a simple palanquin bearer, becomes the mistress of the estate. But the happiness of the young couple is not destined to last long: the occupation of Manchuria by Japanese troops begins, and the peasants, together with Jiuji, rise to defend their native fields.
The director, Yimou, who is familiar with the village way of life firsthand, created a poetic historical canvas about the role of the proletariat in China’s fate. After this movie, the Renaissance of Chinese cinema began.
Magnolia 1999 by Paul Thomas Anderson
A former child prodigy, now eking out a miserable existence as a salesman in an electronics store; a fashionable coach preaching chauvinistic methods of capturing female attention; a bedridden father of the coach who dreams of meeting his son who is too successful for him; a law-abiding policeman who fell in love with a drug addict… The fates of all these people are mysteriously connected.
To this day, it remains the best proof that a three-hour film can be fascinating and that Tom Cruise is a stunning actor.
Jodaeiye Nader az Simin ( A Separation) 2011 by Asghar Farhadi.
Spouses Nader and Simin decided to leave Iran in search of a better life. But at one point, Nader still chooses to stay close to his father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Simin files for divorce in the hope of leaving with her 11-year-old daughter, but this decision is not in her favor. Meanwhile, the daughter hopes that her mother will return to her senses.
Iranian cinema had been interesting before, but Farhadi’s film brought it to the forefront of festival fashion.
Festival de Cannes.
Cannes, France in May / founded in 1946 / prize Palme d’Or (“Golden Palm”)
It would seem that what could be more subjective than the assessment of a dozen filmmakers, each with his baggage of knowledge, experience, and attitudes? However, the Cannes jury, no matter who headed it or what disputes flared up during its work, most often hit the mark, awarding “branches” to those whose names will later be inscribed in history.
The participating films are powerful authorial statements; every other one will certainly be experimental in editing, camera work, and narration. However, the tapes can be very different: from romantic art house to pure “Hollywood” and cartoons like “Shrek” in the main program.
Cannes popular movies.
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg 1964 by Jacques Demy
Genevieve works in a family haberdashery shop selling umbrellas. She is in love with Guy, a car mechanic, and he reciprocates her feelings. But soon, Guy is taken into the army and sent to Algeria. Separating, the lovers promise to wait for each other. Then Genevieve finds out that she is pregnant, and there is still no news from her beloved, and the girl agrees to marry a wealthy and respectable man.
The audience cried and sang along in chorus, wholly immersed in the atmosphere of the musical about love.
The Pianist 2002 by Roman Polanski
The film is based on the autobiography of Władysław Szpilman, one of the best pianists in Poland in the 1930s. The film’s main character, Wladek, is involved in art until the Nazis occupy Poland. The lives of all Jews change: they are placed in the Warsaw Ghetto, forbidden to work, humiliated, forced to wear distinctive armbands, and after some time, sent to a concentration camp.
In general, without unnecessary words and omissions – 10 points. I already have a movie review for The Pianist.
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days 2007 by Cristian Mungiu
Romania, 1987. The last years of the communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu. Students Otilia and Gabiță are roommates. Gabiță is pregnant. Abortion is prohibited and is a criminal offense.
Cristian Mungiu’s extraordinary film, shot without the influence of any foreign cinematic traditions in a country with virtually no developed film industry, reminds us once again how little is needed to create a profound work: just the director’s clear head and the cameraman’s subtle skill.
The White Ribbon 2009 by Michael Haneke
Germany, 1913. Mysterious and disturbing events occur in an outwardly decent and quiet Protestant village. The local doctor falls from his horse after running into a stretched wire, someone kidnaps and beats the baron’s son, houses catch fire and people die. Is this a series of accidents or planned punitive rituals? The young village teacher has his suspicions.
Haneke is definitely an unusual director, but people often call him a genius. You’ll have to watch his films to see if you agree or not.
Amour 2012 by Michael Haneke
The story is about an old couple who lived a wonderful, long life. Both are already over 80 years old and one day, the wife gets sick. The husband hires nurses but realizes they will not give her the love and feelings he gives. The husband quits his job as a teacher and begins only to take care of his wife because, for her sake, he is ready to do anything. The daughter begs to send her to a nursing home, and these visits of the daughter are a real test for the family, which before that lived in harmony.
Again, the Cannes Film Festival loves Haneke. However, this foreign film was nominated for an Oscar as the Best Film of the Year.
Venice Film Festival.
Italy, Venice in September / founded in 1934 / awards the Golden Lion
It is the oldest film festival. Benito Mussolini, a big cinema fan, founded it in 1932 in fascist Italy. This festival was created not solely for cultural reasons but rather out of ambition. Even then, the Oscar was considered “the main award on the planet,” so by order of Mussolini, his ceremony appeared as a kind of response to America.
This festival is the oldest, which means he can be considered the most conservative, although he can surprise. Let’s look at the films.
Venice Film Festival popular winners.
Romeo and Juliet 1954 by Renato Castellani
Two young people from feuding families fall in love with each other, but fate does not allow them to be together. Only death at the peak of passion allows them to escape fate and preserve their love for centuries…
Alas, this adaptation is almost unknown to modern viewers. Check out the best Romeo and Juliet movies: classics and adaptations list.
The Battle of Algiers (1966) by Gillo Pontecorvo
The film centers on the Algerian struggle for independence between 1954 and 1960, filtered through the memories of the main character, who is arrested. The Battle of Algiers amazes me with its natural, sharp style of filming and, of course, the magnificent music of Ennio Morricone.
Pontecorvo’s movie is definitely one of the scariest takes on war in film history. The director shows the confrontation between the Algerian rebels and the French colonists as an unprincipled, brutal massacre in which there are no winners, only losers.
The Magdalene Sisters 2002 by Peter Mullan
The film tells about four students: Margaret was raped by her cousin at her friend’s wedding, Bernadette openly flirted with guys and was provocatively beautiful, Rosa gave birth to a child out of wedlock, and Crispina was a kind girl. They ended up in the shelter in the 60s when it seemed women had finally won the fight for rights. But the reality was far from illusions; each of the heroines was subjected to violence and beatings.
Back then, I was blown away by this image. The movie focuses on everyday women who faced humiliation, violence, and assault while everyone else was busy jamming to the Beatles, reading Bukowski, and enjoying Bergman films. It all takes place in a world that is always busy. A world that rushes to live, always leaving someone to die on the sidelines.
Faust 2011 by Alexander Sokurov
The story of a doctor tormented by thoughts about the soul and the afterlife is built around his love for the tender beauty Margarita, for intercourse with whom he is ready to “sell his soul to the devil.” And such a chance will certainly present itself to him.
To me, this movie is all about confusion—like a jumble of thoughts and emotions. It mixes things that don’t go together. The cinematography is so impressive that it feels more like an art piece than just filming.
Joker 2019 Todd Phillips
Gotham, early 1980s. Comedian Arthur Fleck lives with his sick mother, who has taught him to “walk with a smile” since childhood. Trying to bring good to the world and give people joy, Arthur encounters human cruelty and gradually concludes that this world will receive not a kind smile but the grin of the villainous Joker.
Joker is an ultra-brutal arthouse film destined for cult status. Todd Phillips’ best film in his career has already turned the cinematic community upside down, showing what comics were and should always be.
Sundance Film Festival.
USA, Utah in January / founded in 1978/
The Sundance Film Festival, founded by the Sundance Institute in Utah, is the biggest independent film festival in the U.S. During this time, one city or another becomes a center of attraction for American and foreign indie filmmakers. Over the years, it has evolved from a modest event for indie filmmakers into a Hollywood-scale spectacle.
Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, Darren Aronofsky, and many other now-famous directors showed their first films at Sundance. Over several days of the festival, more than a hundred films are presented to viewers, producers, and artists, after which studios and distributors can buy the films for distribution.
Sundance Film Festival great picks.
Blood Simple 1983 by Joel Coen · Ethan Coen
Young woman Abby is not satisfied with her marriage to Marty, a rude bar owner from Texas. Passion flares up between Abby and bartender Ray. The deceived husband suspects infidelity and hires a private investigator to track down and then kill the lovers. But the cynical and cunning detective does something a little different, which entails a wave of wild and bloody consequences.
It is the debut film of the legendary duo Coen brothers. They brought a bright fusion of sarcastic black comedy and gloomy noir film to American cinema, which was surprisingly successful.
In The Soup 1992 by Alexandre Rockwell
It is a modest black-and-white comedy with Steve Buscemi about a funny guy who dreams of becoming a great director and filming his 500-page script but can’t save enough money for rent until one magical event changes everything.
So we have an atmospheric, slightly mysterious, elusively magical, and sad art-house film with excellent acting. However, it is unwritten and, in places, drawn out.
Presiouse 2009 by Lee Daniels
In Harlem, an illiterate, overweight, and pregnant with her second child teenager is offered to enroll in an alternative school in the hope that her life will change dramatically…
It is an excellent and rare drama that touches on the acute social themes of relationships in the family and at school and the theme of America’s poor and uneducated population and their prospects for life.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl 2015 by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
It is a quiet, sometimes funny, sometimes very sad (and sometimes very funny) story about the friendship of two teenagers: a guy who dreams of becoming a director and a girl with leukemia, the only one who believes in the main character.
Despite the somewhat tear-jerking plot, the film’s main advantage is that it does not press on the viewer’s pity. By the way, this distinguishes many “Sundance” films—they can be gloomy but almost always inspire.
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore 2016 by Macon Blair
This world is a complete mess. People behave as they please: they litter, swear, and drivers don’t give way to pedestrians. Hooligans break into the house of the sensitive and slightly depressed Ruth and steal her grandmother’s spoons. The police don’t take the woman’s complaint seriously, so Ruth teams up with a slightly crazy neighbor to put the hooligans in their place.
It was one of the first films that began Netflix’s full-length film expansion. It instantly became a real hit.
Toronto International Film Festival.
Canada, Toronto in September/ founded in 1976 / prize 10.000 CAD
The Toronto Film Festival immediately acquired the status of not only the largest specialized event in Canada but also one of the main international film festivals. Every September, the festival attracts hundreds of films from around the globe, shown in 19 categories. This collection contains all the winners in the Audience Award nomination (there is no official jury or competition in Toronto).
Over the years, the film festival has earned a reputation as a festival that sets the tone for the Oscar ceremony. Judge for yourself from this short list of films, many of which you have definitely seen and most likely on streaming services.
Toronto International Film Festival must-watch picks.
Life is Beautiful 1997 by Roberto Benigni
During World War II, Jews were sent from Italy to a concentration camp – a father with a small son. His Italian wife voluntarily followed them. In the camp, the father told the boy that everything around him was a big, interesting game for a prize in the form of a real tank. And this cool prize would go to the boy who could avoid being seen by the guards.
Films about concentration camps are a separate genre of cinema. It seems that it is possible to talk about human suffering in the context of war only in catastrophic colors of oppression, fear, pain and grief. Benigni offered a different angle.
Hotel Rwanda 2004 by Terry George
Rwanda, 1994. The political situation in the former Belgian colony is deteriorating, and tensions are growing between the two peoples inhabiting the country – the Tutsi and the Hutu. Representatives of the second nationality begin to indiscriminately kill everyone who, as they believe, belongs to the first. Paul is the manager of a prestigious hotel in the capital of Rwanda. He is trying to hide as many people as possible within its walls.
It is a film reminder. ‘Look! It is reality! While we are pouring our morning coffee, several thousand kilometers away from us, hatred is pouring out into bloody atrocities. Each sip is the death of a person. We drank a cup of coffee and 15 people died. Who’s responsible for that?
La La Land 2016 by Damien Chazelle
It is a love story between a starlet who serves coffee to established movie stars between auditions and a fanatical jazz musician who is forced to work part-time in backwater bars. However, the success that has come to the lovers undermines their relationship.
The film is as comical as it is tragic. However, even failures and mistakes are presented with musical charm. “La La Land” surprises and delights with how simple and natural it shows human happiness. The combination of mutual love and a realized dream – that’s all you need. However, it is not easy to achieve both at once.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 2017 by Martin McDonagh
Several months after the murder of Mildred Hayes’ daughter, the criminals are still at large. The desperate woman decides to take a bold step – she rents three billboards at the entrance to the city and leaves a message on them to the police chief.
Creating a great film that captures themes of hatred, despair, and brutality without relying on negative characters is truly a work of art.
Nomadland 2020 by Chloé Zhao
After a drywall plant closed in January 2011, 60-year-old Fern is left without a job or means of support. Loading her meager belongings into a van, Fern becomes a modern-day nomad – one of many people traveling from state to state in search of seasonal work.
It is a film about people left on the margins of the economic system who anyone no longer needs. It is about the journey to find one’s place and understand that one is not alone.
P.S.
Which festival feels like it’s made for you? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
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This was a very informative post on the various film festivals and I had only heard about a few of them earlier. Some of the movies mentioned here like Life is beautiful are awesome and great to note many more and put them on my watch list. Wonderful share!
Great insights on the unique character of each festival! It’s fascinating how events like Cannes and Sundance spotlight such diverse filmmaking styles and voices worldwide
This was an interesting read. I’ve never really thought about how different film festivals might have different approaches to films and vibes in general.
I’ve heard of the Sundance Film Festival before (my husband got his degree in Film) but we have never been. It sounds like a great way to spend a few days, though!
Joker was AMAZING! I know the sequel got some hate, but I loved it. I think too many people just didn’t understand it.
Many of these films I am familiar with and were good. I really enjoyed reading your post about all the different film festivals.
Great list of film festivals. It’s nice to see such a variety of well-known events. Each one has its own unique vibe, making them all worth checking out if you’re into films.
What an informative post on film festivals! I have heard of Sundance before but have not attended one myself. But I bet it’s such an amazing experience like the movies itself, I am sure it is unique and something to see at least once.
I have heard of 2 of them. I’ve never seen one in person but i bet it would be memorable to do so.
Thank you for differentiating this movies. I honestly no have idea in this. Thanks for having this post, I can understand now the beauty in all of it.
This lovely list of the top 5 festivals is your key to cinematic heaven. Cannes? The home of big sunglasses and impressive, lengthy applause. Venice? A place where films and gondolas melt your heart. Sundance? A warm and cosy indie haven with parkas and artsy, laid-back cool. TIFF? Maple syrup and magic. Berlin? Cool and edgy and all about that bold, different festival vibe.
Now I know the relevance and importance of Film Festivals. Thanks for the Info. It’s always amazing when you learn something new.