PRECIOUS Music: Q&A with Composer Mario Grigorov
The son of a concert pianist and trumpeter, Bulgarian-born, Austrian-trained composer Mario Grigorov has been creating film music for two decades, having become particularly busy in the last ten years or so. Among his movie credits are Leonardo Ricagni’s 29 Palms (1999) and El chevrolé (2002), Alison Thompson’s documentary The Third Wave: A Volunteer Story (2007), additional music for Alex Gibney’s Oscar-winning Iraq War documentary Taxi to the Dark Side, and a number of short films.
Grigorov’s other music credits include the albums "Rhymes with Orange" and "Aria on Café del Mar," musical scores for numerous commercial outlets, and even playing in the Shah’s Symphony Orchestra in Iran, where Grigorov lived for six years. "Both on disc and onstage," [...]
by Andre Soares | November 9, 2009
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Tags: Film Music, Gabourey Sidibe, Interviews, Lee Daniels, Mario Grigorov, Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, Shadowboxer
AFI FEST 2009: PRECIOUS, THE WHITE RIBBON, AJAMI
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire by Lee Daniels (top); The White Ribbon by Michael Haneke (middle); Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Timi in Vincere by Marco Bellocchio (bottom)
Among the Sunday, Nov. 1, highlights at the AFI FEST 2009 at the Chinese Theater complex in Hollywood are:
Lu Chuan’s historical drama City of Life and Death, winner of the Golden Shell for best picture at the San Sebastian Film Festival
Claude Chabrol’s psychological mystery-drama Bellamy, his first collaboration with Gérard Depardieu
Lee Daniels‘ Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire, a strong possibility for the Oscar 2010 best picture shortlist and the Sundance 2009 US Narrative Jury Prize winner
Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or winner and potential Oscar 2010 contender [...]
by Andre Soares | October 31, 2009
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Tags: AFI FEST, AFI FEST 2009, Ajami, Bellamy, City of Life and Death, Film Festivals, Gabourey Sidibe, Gérard Depardieu, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Lee Daniels, Los Angeles Screenings, Marco Bellocchio, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, The White Ribbon, Vincere
2009 Toronto Film Festival Winners
Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe in Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (top photo); Lee Daniels
The bizarrely titled Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, formerly known as Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire, was the Audience Award winner at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival. The Toronto win, which follows widespread critical acclaim and a couple of Sundance awards earlier in the year, has pushed Precious to the forefront of likely Oscar contenders come February 2010. (Last year’s Toronto winner and critics’ favorite, Slumdog Millionaire, eventually turned out to be the best picture Oscar winner.)
Directed by Lee Daniels, Precious tells the story of an overweight, illiterate, pregnant teenager (Gabourey ‘Gabby’ Sidibe) who is abused by her mother (Mo’Nique), [...]
by Andre Soares | September 20, 2009
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Tags: Bruno Dumont, Cairo Time, Daybreakers, Film Awards, Film Festivals, Hadewijch, Lee Daniels, Mao's Last Dance, Michael and Peter Spierig, Patricia Clarkson, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, The Loved Ones, The Topp Twins, The Wild Hunt, Toronto 2009, Toronto Film Festival
2009 Sundance Winners
Among the top winners at Sundance 2009 were Grand Jury and Audience: U.S. Dramatic winner Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire (as opposed to the upcoming sci-fi thriller Push, starring Dakota Fanning and Chris Evans). Directed by Lee Daniels and adapted by Damien Pearl, Push follows an overweight, pregnant teenager living in Harlem who must struggle to find her place in the world. Mo’Nique, as the young woman’s ruthless mother, received a special acting award.
Directed by Ondi Timoner (above), Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary winner We Live in Public depicts the impact the Internet has had on human interactions by focusing on web artist Josh Harris‘ experimental public art projects.
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic winner [...]
by Deborah Arthur | January 24, 2009
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Tags: Catalina Saavedra, Film Awards, Film Festivals, Lee Daniels, Mo'Nique, Ondi Timoner, Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, Sundance 2009, Sundance Film Festival, We Live in Public
