High Kickers (January 2002) The Rotterdam Film Festival is edging its way into our lives again. The latest (31st) edition will be taking place from January 23rd until February 3rd. Lots of choice films on offer as well as fascinating documentaries and smaller projects not often on display. Running through the 3rd of February means it will also give all you Amsterdammers who want to flee the Royal Wedding (or is that too presumptuous?) will have a chance to escape to the delightful madness of a major film festival. Now, isn't this a pleasant dish to set before a king? Check out the reviews for a variety of the films being screened as they appear on TGH New Review list. Further info available at www.filmfestival.com. "Dokumentar", the Norwegian Documentary Film Festival runs from April 25th through 28th in Volda on the west coast of Norway. Intended as an opportunity for new and unestablished movie makers and enthusiasts as well as the local community. Anyone interest in entering is welcome to fill in an application and send a VHS copy of their work before February 15th. Further information to be found at www.dokfilm.com. The Golden Globes will be handed out in Beverly Hills on the 20th of this month. Casting a quick eye over the nominations, one can quickly see quality names like Kevin Spacey suddenly doing battle with the likes of Will Smith. Of course, the high kicking qualities of the latest Baz clan* can be expected to sweep the boards this year at this ceremony as well as the upcoming Oscar® evening. Let's face it, Luhrman has managed (after feeble attempts of others over the past few decades) to breathe new life into the cinematic musical, whether or not some odd persons here or there can't quite fathom the fact. In support of this magical-musical-movie, let me please note that MR has been listed as #2 in Time Magazine and #5 in the Chicago Tribune among their top ten films of the year. Unquestionably a topper. *Among the competition for Miss Kidman (it is still Miss at the moment, isn't it?) are the obviously adept Tilda Swinton (who is finally making her mark on the movie screen) and the surprisingly talented Reese Witherspoon (whose revelations in "Legally Blonde" reveal a truly comic sense. On the Dutch scene, the "Tigers" will soon be handed out at the 31st IFRR (International Film Festival of Rotterdam). Among those in competition is Eugenie Jansen's directorial debut "Tussenland" ("No Man's Land"), a drama about a young refugee from Sudan and an eighty-year old veteran of the Dutch-Indonesian war whose relationship begins badly, but eventually develops into friendship. (This film will also be televised on Dutch TV in April as part of the Telefilm-project.) The Dutch "Telefilm" project, an annual series of feature length films made for television and financed by both the Dutch CoBo Fund and Public Broadcasting System, will be televised between April 13th and May 1st (on Nederland 1, 2, and 3), and this year includes such titles as "Achttien", "Bella Bettien", "Familie", "Paramaribo Papers", "Polonaise" and "Tussenland". Synopses of the films with respective dates of broadcast will be found on TGH New Review list early in April. Photography Expo available 24-7 >>> www.expo24x7.com   simple enough, ain't it? Academy Award® nominations are due to be announced on the 12th of next month. Any questions about things will turn out for Big Baz? An added note: Will somebody please bring back the live telecast of the Oscars® on Dutch TV. Surely, film distributors and cinema houses in the Netherlands should realize this would create an added interest among the Dutch movie-going public at large. A selection of Al Hirschfeld's wonderful drawings will remain on display in the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences' Gallery and Grand Foyer Gallery in Los Angeles through January 20th. An absolute treat for those acquainted with his work as well as the uninitiated. Well worth the plane fare. Nina!!!!! © 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett