The geography of the films themselves is also extremely wide – from Asia to Latin America. But the most important innovation is four programs: “Pure Souls”, “Shine of the Great”, “Real and Fake” and “Adults Only”, which will present the latest works of directors such as François Ozon, Noémie Merlant, Michel Franco, Joshua Oppenheimer, Hong Sang- soo movies starring Isabelle Huppert, Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, and more. Each film, as in previous years, is selected from the major film festivals – Berlin, Cannes, Venice and San Sebastian.
“Bear, lion and branch” is a modern film festival that introduces the pulse of modern cinema, so the films selected for the program dictated the idea of not looking back or waiting for the future, but living today and enjoying the present moment. We are in such a hurry every day that we no longer have time to live, and our film directors suggest that we pause and look around. It is important to emphasize the fact that the creators talk exclusively about today’s world, its topical issues and pains. After watching these films, it’s obvious that human happiness and drama are universal – whether it’s a film from Europe, Asia or Latin America – the same people live everywhere”, says festival founder Giedrė Krikščiūnaitė.
The “Pure Souls” program includes films by young directors who have not yet been corrupted by the film industry, so their heroes are just as humane and sensitive to the environment.
The subtle tape “September Says” was directed by the famous actress Ariane Labed, who is making her feature film debut, known from the Greek films “Attenberg” (Athina Rachel Tsangari), “Omaras” (Yorgos Lanthimos). And Argentinian director Federico Luis’s film “Simón de la montaña” was awarded the “Critics’ Week” Grand Jury Prize in Cannes, where French director Jonathan Millet’s film “Les fantômes” was also screened, Jerusalem awarded at the film festival for treating the characters with respect and extreme sensitivity.
From the just-concluded Venice Film Festival comes a Singaporean film, Siew Hua Yeo’s thriller Watching Eyes (Mò shì lù). This young director became famous back in 2018, when his film “Fictional Land” was recognized as the best in Locarno.
Photo of the festival organizers/Shot from the film “Buenos Airių panos”
And here are the directors who have been hardened by the world of cinema and who already have countless awards, which no longer need to be introduced, to the program “Dijijų spindesys”. The festival will be opened by two cinema greats – Wim Wenders with the short film “Somebody Comes Into the Light” and Hong Sang-soo with the feature film “The Needs of a Traveler” (Yeohaengjaui pilyo). Wenders’ short performance film features Japanese dancer and choreographer Min Tanaka, who was seen in last year’s Wenders film The Great Days, performing plastic dance. The centerpiece of Sang-soo’s film is the wonderful Isabelle Huppert, for whom the screenplay was written, and the film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival.
Photo of the festival organizers/Shot from the movie “Parthenope”
These two films are linked by the creators’ refusal to look back and enjoy only this moment, because life is now the most beautiful. And here is Paolo Sorrentino’s dream film “Parthenope” (Parthenope), which tells about the eternity of youth and beauty, and its own stylishness, because the director worked with the fashion house of Yves Saint Laurent.
Michel Franco proves that he can be extremely versatile with his latest film “Memory” – the film stars actors who already have supernova status: Oscar winner Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard, who won the best role in this film in Venice.
There’s probably no genre that Frenchman François Ozon hasn’t played with, with his latest film Quand vient l’automne premiering at the San Sebastián Film Festival. Ozonas is simply perfectly capable of working with actresses of various ages and creating extremely colorful and multifaceted heroines.
Photo of the festival organizers/Shot from the movie “Memory”
The long-awaited acting debut of Joshua Oppenheimer “The End” will close the festival. It stars such stars as Tilda Swinton and Michael Shannon, and the director chooses the musical genre of Hollywood’s golden age, with music composed by California Dream producer and composer Marius De Vries.
Not only in form, but also in content, the films of the “True and False” program stand out, expanding the boundaries of cinema perception and definition. Here is the Argentinian Lola Arias’ “Ladies from Buenos Aires” (“Reas”) – both a film and a social project, because former prisoners play themselves in a former prison. It is not for nothing that this work received attention from major festivals (the premiere took place in Berlin, after which it traveled to San Sebastian), because the director created a complete opposite of the depressing social drama – it is an extremely colorful and bright musical.
Photo of the festival organizers/Shot from the movie “The End”
Another film from the Berlinale is “Alle kas tu esi” (Alle die Du bist) by the German Michael Fetter Nathansky. In it, the director conveys the vision of others in an extremely original way, which also depends on our own mood swings, and at the same time shows how multifaceted each of us is.
The premiere of the film “Architekton” by the documentary essayist Viktor Kosakovsky took place at the Berlin Film Festival. This time, the director looks at another commodity of the consumer world – concrete, and tries to understand what kind of future awaits our civilization. And the film “An Unfinished Film” (An Unfinished Film) presented at Cannes by the famous Chinese dissident Lou Ye returns to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, when time really stood still.
Hooliganism prevails in the “Adults Only” program, which is intended for true freethinkers. The films found here constantly balance on the border of good and bad taste and, as it were, wave a red rag at snobbish cinema. Here is the famous French actress Noémie Merlant (Paris: 13th Arrondissement) with director Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Woman on Fire), who seemed to be having fun writing the script for Merlant’s absurd comedy Les femmes au balcon. which premiered in Cannes. The macabre humor of another Frenchman Jean-Christophe Meurisse’s (“Bloody Oranges”) film “Plastic pistols” (“Les pistolets en plastique”), which premiered in the Cannes “Directors’ Week” program, is no less.
Brazilian Karim Aïnouz is not inferior to European directors, this time he decided to let his hair down in the neon thriller “Motel Destino”, which was also shown in Cannes. Here, Brazilian passions are mixed with a lynchian dream world, and extremely bright colors attract the eye.
The “Bear, Lion and Twig” festival will invite viewers to discover their own film from October 4 to 13. In Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Alytus, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Marijampole, Taurage, Utena and Anykščiai. The festival is socially responsible, so the program will include screenings adapted for the deaf, and when selecting films, the audience of teenagers and seniors will be kept in mind, for which there will be special screenings. Films will be screened simultaneously in all cities, with screenings with English subtitles in most cinemas. Tickets are already on sale.
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#Film #Festival #Bear #Lion #Twig #invite #film #lovers #enjoy #present #moment #life #Culture
2024-09-14 17:59:21
For the festival tackle pressing issues faced by society today. These cinematic works engage with themes such as mental health, social justice, and environmental concerns, reflecting the complex realities of modern life. The aim is to provoke thought and encourage dialogue among viewers, emphasizing the importance of being present and aware of our surroundings.
“Bear, Lion, and Branch” Film Festival: Exploring the Pulse of Modern Cinema
In today’s fast-paced world, where we’re constantly rushing from one moment to the next, it’s easy to forget to live in the present. The “Bear, Lion, and Branch” film festival, now in its latest edition, is here to remind us of the importance of stopping, looking around, and embracing the beauty of the present moment. With a carefully curated selection of films from Asia to Latin America, this festival is a true celebration of modern cinema, featuring the latest works of renowned directors and introducing new talent to the scene.
The Four Programs: “Pure Souls”, “Shine of the Great”, “Real and Fake”, and “Adults Only”
The festival’s four programs offer a diverse range of films that explore the complexities of human relationships, emotions, and experiences. The “Pure Souls” program features films by young directors who have not yet been corrupted by the film industry, bringing us stories of pure, humane, and sensitive heroes. On the other hand, “Shine of the Great” presents films by established directors who have already made a name for themselves in the industry, showcasing their mastery of storytelling and filmmaking.
Global Perspectives: Films from Asia, Latin America, and Europe
The festival takes us on a cinematic journey across the globe, with films from Asia, Latin America, and Europe. From the subtle and introspective “September Says” directed by Ariane Labed, to the thrilling “Watching Eyes” from Singaporean director Siew Hua Yeo, each film offers a unique perspective on the world we live in. The line-up also includes films from Argentina, France, and Italy, highlighting the universal themes of human happiness and drama that transcend geographical boundaries.
A Focus on Today’s World: Topical Issues and Pains
According to festival founder Giedrė Krikščiūnaitė, the films selected
