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Robots and Killer Trees

(May 2001)

  • The first copies of the Dutch Film Annual 2000 (Filmjaarboek 2000) will be presented this year simultaneously with the National FilmQuiz on May 6th at the Lux Cinema in Nijmegen, Holland. NRC film reviewer Hans Beerenkamp and ANF board chairman Majet van Zuijlen head the panel of judges for the quiz which, with the assistance of film and sound fragments, will zigzag through time and genres in order to test the knowledge of, and speed with which, different teams can give enough correct responses to win the prize. One by one, the teams of two will be compete to see who falls away as the weakest link. Following the presentation of the Filmjaarboek, copies of the new edition will be available to buy (on this day only for a specially reduced price).

  • "Belgian Exposé", a short retrospective of films in the Flemish language began on April 24th and continues its run at the Filmhuis Cavia in Amsterdam until May 5th. Listed among the screenings yet to come are Stijn Coninx's "Daens", Eddy van der Enden's "Dood van een Non" ("Death of a Nun") and Frank van Passel's "Manneken Pis&qu;. Further info available at www.filmhuiscavia.nl.

  • Killer trees? You'd better believe it. "Trees - The Movie" ("It's bite is worse than it's bark!") may make you think twice about turning over a new leaf. Pioneer Motion Pictures are already casting for the second part ("Trees II") of the upcoming trilogy ("The Quest for Cody", Part III, is still in development). It's a parody of Spielberg's classic "Jaws." Just when you thought it was safe to go into the woods! For more information, visit www.treesthemovie.com.

  • The LIRA award, presented every two years by the author's organization LIRA, is a cash prize of 25.000 guilders presented to a writer within a specific genre. (The LIRA Foundation represents writers of literary and dramatic works and assures the payment of honoraria to authors for all collective use of their works, such as via cable, radio and television or through other systems for public use.)

    The jury for 2001 consisted of Chairman Barend Boudewijn, assisted by Marian Buijs, Maarten Huijgen, Walter van der Kooi en Sonja de Leeuw. This time around it was awarded for the most original Dutch language TV drama broadcast on Dutch television between 1997 and 2000. Won in previous years by such Dutch notables as Wim T. Schippers, Arthur Japin, Ger Beukenkamp en Tamara Bos, it was presented last month at the Felix Meritis in Amsterdam to Maria Goos for her scripts in the television series "Oud Geld" ("Old Money").

    Greg Roach
     photo copyright HyperBole Studios
    Greg Roach, the Interactive Designer, Filmmaker and Multimedia Artist who is CEO and Artistic Head of Hyperbole Studios in Seattle, was also present to discuss "Evolving Narratives in Digital Landscapes" and share his insights regarding the interactive future of film. Responsible for writing, designing, and directing such fascinating creations as "The X-Files Game" (Fox Interactive), he has won the Best of Show award at the 1999 "invasion" awards, premiered in the top ten, and sold over a million units worldwide for this project alone.

    He has also written and designed "The Madness of Roland", the world's first original interactive multimedia novel and is publisher and editor of "Hyperbole: The Art of Digital Storytelling", one of the worlds' first digizines. Creator of "VirtualCinema®", a powerful, object-oriented tool for the creation and distribution of immersive stories, films and games, he has used his technology to serve as the foundation for HyperBole's award-winning releases, "Quantum Gate" and "The Vortex". Currently and constantly busy developing new projects, the immediate future includes next-generation games, online entertainment properties, and feature film scripts. It is worth noting that his latest piece, an online, animated serial called "Dog, Buddha, Elvis", can be seen on www.Atomfilms.com.

  • From May 24th until May 30th the "Nuovo Cinema Italiano Amsterdam 2001" will be taking place at Cinema De Balie on the Amsterdam Leidseplein. Organized by the Italian Cultural Institute and N.I.C.E. (New Italian Cinema Events), this year's offerings include Gianluca Tavarelli's "Un Amore", Gianni Zanasi's "Fuori di me", Edoardo Winspeare's "Sangue Vivo", Anne Rita Ciccone's "Le Sciamane", and Andrea Antonio Frazzi's "Il Cielo Cade". The initial screening for the festival will be Bertolucci's "La Commare Secca" and this is to be shown at the Netherlands Filmmuseum at 19:30 P.M. on May 23rd. Further info regarding the entire event is available at: www.italcult.demon.nl.

  • The Maison Descartes on the Vijzelgracht in Amsterdam will be showing Bruno Dumont's "L'Humanité", Manoel de Oliveira's "La Lettre", and Otar Iosseliane's "Adieu Plancher de Vaches" in May. All films are in French with Dutch subtitles. Further info at: www.ambafrance-nl.org.

  • "A.I." is on its way. The creators have been developing a mysterious network of websites that outline a backstory sharing both pro- and anti-robot sentiments. Some of these sites have phone numbers that can be called and will lead you to other sites that offer clues about the upcoming film.

    Those interested could begin by using the name of Jeanine Salla, listed in the trailer credits as Sentient Machine Therapist, and going to www.jeaninesalla.com. Typing her name into web search engines will assist in finding the fictitious "A.I." sites. Then, of course, you can always start by checking out the new teaser trailer or the original theatrical trailer.

  • "Tantalus", the Peter Hall stage production of John Barton's magnificent marathon reaches the final phase of its English tour in the Barbican Theatre in London this month. This is the show first presented at the Denver Center for the Arts last November. Probably destined to be remembered one of the most memorable theatrical events of the century (and the new century has only begun).

© 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett