Author: CWB News Department

South East European Film Festival in Los Angeles, SEEfest presents films from 15 countries of the region. These films tell a larger story about this part of the world, and take you on a journey across borders and cultures. Join us for an exciting trek to these cinematic crossroads! All are welcome. Admission prices are symbolic and most screenings are FREE. Highlights of this year’s festival include opening night film, Romanian comedy OF SNAILS AND MEN based on a true story about a union organizer and his most unusual proposal to buy the factory and save jobs; this leads to…

Rod Cyrus is a young and talented professional photographer living in Iran. Rod was attracted to the art of Photography at the age of 23 and after receiving a degree in Computer Programming, he has been exploring the world of this art ever since. On spring 2010 Rod entered a group exhibition held in Paris along with 5 other artists. Cinema Without Borders: What motivated you to become a photographer? Rod Cyrus: It first started with a fascination of one of the most basic phenomenon in life, and that is perspective and motion. I remember spending hours walking in the…

Yousef Shahab, an Iranian-American sound engineer, passed away in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. “I met Mr. Shahab in the early seventies when we were with National Iranian TV and Radio. He was a master in his trade—Sound Engineering. When I think of Mr. Shahab, I always remember him smiling. He was a very kind man and, even when he was struggling with problems of living away from Iran in the U.S., he never changed his manners. I will always remember that Shahab, who was struggling financially himself, helped me and my family during a hard time we…

The Consul General of Belgium, Ambassador Rudi Veestraeten presents the screening of TIME OF MY LIFE as part of their monthly “GRIT AND WHIMSY: THE BEST OF RECENT BELGIAN CINEMA” series. This film will be screened on Wednesday, April 17th, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Aero Theatre 1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403. TIME OF MY LIFE (Tot Altijd)2012, Strand Releasing, 120 min, Belgium, Dir: Nic BalthazarBased on a true story, TIME OF MY LIFE is the story of MS-patient Mario Verstraete, who was not only instrumental in legalizing euthanasia in Belgium, but was also the first to make…

“…and I couldn’t understand why I was so attracted to watching a film that I actually didn’t like.” When Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining came out in 1980, audiences and critics hated it. Stephen King, whose book it was based on, hated it. Kubrick fans thought the master filmmaker had finally lost it. But like it or not The Shining made a lasting impression on pop culture. The image of Jack Nicholson pressing his menacing face through the axed-out split in the bathroom door is iconic. If you’ve seen it, you probably remember the gorgeous big wheel scenes—Danny rolling through the…

The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Los Angeles and Staropramen have announced the second annual touring program of the best new films from the Czech Republic: “Czech That Film 2013 presented by Staropramen.” The series is organized and curated by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, and will take place at the Billy Wilder Theater in Westwood from May 10 through June 3, 2013. “UCLA is honored to present to Los Angeles audiences an exciting selection of films that vividly illus-trates the breadth and excellence of Czech Cinema. The program features everything from a tale of magical realism…

Today German Films announced that six films have been selected by the Museum of Modern Art for their 35th annual exhibition, Kino!, MoMA’s long-running survey of young German filmmakers. Kino! is organized by Rajendra Roy, The Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film, The Museum of Modern Art and German Films.German Films is the national information and advisory center for the promotion of German films worldwide, headed by managing director Mariette Rissenbeek. This edition of Kino! New Films from Germany captures the strong creative momentum and great variety in German cinema.“I am very happy to continue the 35-year-long collaboration with the…

The Consul General of Belgium, Ambassador Rudi Veestraeten presents the screening of LOFT as part of their monthly “GRIT AND WHIMSY: THE BEST OF RECENT BELGIAN CINEMA” series. This film will be screened on Wednesday, March 20th, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Aero Theatre 1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403. LOFT2008, Independent Films, 118 min. Dir. Erik Van Looy.A group of married men share a loft, using it for their extramarital affairs. When a dead woman appears in the apartment, their camaraderie devolves into deceit. A major hit in Belgium, this murder mystery boasts a top-flight cast including…

The Consul General of Belgium, Ambassador Rudi Veestraeten presents the screening of KINSHASA KIDS as part of their monthly “GRIT AND WHIMSY: THE BEST OF RECENT BELGIAN CINEMA” series. This film will be screened on Wednesday, February 20th, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Aero Theatre 1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403. KINSHASA KIDS(2012, 85 min., Dir. Marc-Henri Wajnberg)Kinshasa, Congo. About 30.000 children are accused of witchcraft and expelled from home. Living on the street, little José and his fellow friends, all considered as witch children, decide to form a rap band to ward off bad luck, along with…

Los Angeles , Italia Film, Fashion and Art Fest starts on Sunday February 17th and continues until Saturday February 23rd. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1709:00 am Honoring an Italian Maestro of Cinematic ArtDoc Once Up a Time… Sergio Leone dir Giovanni Minoli.A tribute to an extraordinary and much beloved director who revitalized the western genre and nourished our imagination for wide-open spaces. Sergio Leone was one of the most important Italian directors as well as the father of the “Spaghetti Western” – a genre that he revisited and dignified with a number of movies that have taken on a huge cult following. 10:15…