Set in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, A WOLF AT THE DOOR is based on real events, and is a nerve-rattling tale of a kidnapped child and the terror of the parents left behind. When Sylvia (Fabíula Nascimento) discovers her six-year-old daughter has been picked up at school by an unknown woman, police summon her husband Bernardo (Milhem Cortaz) to the station for questioning. There Bernardo confesses his extra-marital affair with the beautiful young Rosa (Leandra Leal), whom detectives believe to be involved in the kidnapping. Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Coimbra’s suspenseful debut feature captures the heightened anxiety of every…
Author: Bijan Tehrani
Bijan Tehrani
Bijan (Hassan) Tehrani Founder and Editor in Chief of Cinema Without Borders, is a film director, writer, and a film critic, his first article appeared in a weekly film publication in Iran 45 years ago. Bijan founded Cinema Without Borders, an online publication dedicated to promotion of international cinema in the US and around the globe, eighteen years ago and still works as its editor in chief. Bijan is has also been a columnist and film critic for the Iranian monthly film related medias for 45 years and during the past 5 years he has been a permanent columnist and film reviewer for Film Emrooz (Film Today), a popular Iranian monthly print film magazine. Bijan has won several awards in international film festivals and book fairs for his short films and children's books as well as for his services to the international cinema. Bijan is a member of Iranian Film Writers Critics Society and International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). He is also an 82nd Golden Globe Awards voter.
ABBAS KIAROSTAMI, A REPORT is a film by Bahman Maghsoudlou about the world known Iranian filmmaker, Abbas Kiarostami, his work and his world. Film scholar and critic Bahman Maghsoudlou is the recipient of Iran’s prestigious Forough Farrokhzad literary award for writing and editing a series of books about cinema and theater. These include the widely acclaimed Iranian Cinema, which was published in 1987 by New York University’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Maghsoudlou’s activities involving international cinema further include participation as panelist, juror and lecturer at a wide variety of film festivals, as well as serving as president of the…
A REASON, directed by Dominique Schilling is about Serena, a young, gay introvert and Nathan, her controlling older brother, that are forced to endure a dreaded family gathering at the house of their elegant elderly Aunt Irene to hear the reading of her will – this sets off an unexpected course of events that ultimately forces the clan to reevaluate their views on love, forgiveness, and family.Bijan: Tehrani: How did you come up with the idea of A REASON?Dominique Schilling: A friend of mine told me about a villa in the Pacific Palisades that was going to be torn down…
San Luis Obispo International Festival is one of the unique film events in this beautiful northern Californian city. To learn more about the festival, we interviewed Wendy Eidson director of Festival.Wendy Eidson was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Wendy got her first job at 14 as a production assistant on a television series, and that was it . . . she was hooked. After graduation from college and a short stint at art school, she began working full-time as an assistant director, working on many film and TV productions, including A CHRISTMAS STORY, SUSPECT, A NEW LIFE, ALFRED HITCHCOCK…
2015 Oscar’s Award Ceremony is on Sunday February 22nd. Among Oscar nominees there are three films from Poland nominated for four Oscars. To learn more about this great success of the Polish cinema we interviewed Vladek Juszkiewicz director and founder of the Polish Film Festival, Los Angeles. Bijan Tehrani: How significant is Polish films presence among Oscar nominees in 2015 comparing to previous years?Vladek Juszkiewicz: Never before in one year have there been three Polish films nominated to the Oscars with four nominations. This year we have IDA by Pawel Pawlikowski nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography…
Tangerines directed by Zaza Urushadze is one of the five nominees for the Best Foreign Language Film Award. Tangerines is a keenly-observed drama of compassion and hostility set in the midst of armed conflict in the Caucasus. It focuses on two Estonian immigrant farmers who live in northern Georgia where they grow tangerines. Despite looming conflict between Georgia and Abkhazian separatists in their area which causes any other civilians to flee, they decide to stay behind just long enough to harvest their fruit – and get caught in the fighting. A skirmish near their house leaves two wounded soldiers unable…
From first rehearsal to world premiere, BALLET 422 takes us backstage at New York City Ballet as Justin Peck, a young up-and-coming choreographer, crafts a new work. BALLET 422 illuminates the process behind the creation of a single ballet within the ongoing cycle of work at one of the world’s great ballet companies. New York City Ballet, under the artistic direction of Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins, boasts a roster of more than 90 dancers and a repertory of works by many of the greatest choreographers in the history of the art form. When 25-year-old NYCB dancer Justin Peck…
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced that the HP DreamColor Display will be honored at its annual Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation on Sat., Feb. 7. Technical staff from HP and DreamWorks will be recognized at the ceremony for the development of the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Professional Display. The DreamColor Display is receiving the Scientific and Engineering Award (Academy Plaque) for the impact it’s made in film – providing affordable, consistent and stable color throughout the film production process. To learn more about this amazing achievement by HP we interviewed HP’s Greg Staten. Greg Staten is…
The 16th Scandinavian Film Festival L.A. (SFFLA) continues on January 24, 25 and to learn more about the festival we had an interview with festival director and founder James Koenig.James Koenig is someone whose voice is heard in various arts arenas. He graduated from Northwestern University with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in voice continuing studies in Italy, Germany, and California. As a classical singer he has sung in opera and concert venues around the United States and in Europe. He also enjoys teaching, directing, and writing. He is the founder/director of the fifteen year old Scandinavian Film Festival L.A. He…
LEVIATHAN, one of the nine films in the Academy Awards shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, is the latest drama from Andrey Zvyagintsev, the acclaimed director of The Return (Venice Film Festival Golden Lion winner and Golden Globe nominee). In LEVIATHAN, Kolia (Alexeï Serebriakov) lives in a small fishing town near the stunning Barents Sea in Northern Russia. He owns an auto-repair shop that stands right next to the house where he lives with his young wife Lilya (Elena Liadova) and his son Roma (Sergueï Pokhodaev) from a previous marriage. The town’s corrupt mayor Vadim Shelevyat (Roman Madianov)…