The Opening Night film was 'Zatopek' from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by David Ondricek in its World Premier screening. The Closing Night's film was 'The Nest' from the UK and Canada and Directed and Written by Sean Durkin and starring Jude Law and Carrie Coon.
* 'As Far as I Can Walk' - from Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria and Lithuania and Directed and Co-Written by Stefan Arsenijevic. World Premier screening. This film took out Crystal Globe and in addition it also nabbed the Best Actor Award for Ibrahim Koma, and a Special Mention also for Director of Photography Jelena Stankovic.
In addition, the East of the West Competition awards US$15K for the East of the West Grand Prix and US$10K for the East of the West Special Jury Prize. This is an international competition of first and second feature-length fiction and documentary films from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the countries of the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa presented as World, International or European Premier screenings. This second competition section was won by the Russian film 'Nuuccha', Directed and Written for the screen by Vladimir Munkuev. The jury awarded its Special Prize to the film 'Sisterhood' from North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro and Directed and Co-Written by Dina Duma, and a Special Mention to the Czech documentary 'Intensive Life Unit', Written and Directed by Adela Komrzy.
'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' (Rated M) - is an American superhero film based on the Marvel comics character of Shang-Chi and is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is the second film in Phase 4 of the MCU following 'Black Widow' released in July. The film is Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton from a Screenplay and story he Co-Wrote. Destin Daniel Cretton's previous feature film making efforts take in his debut in 2012 with 'I Am Not a Hipster', then 'Short Term 12', 'The Glass Castle' and 'Just Mercy' with the latter three all being with Brie Larson. Originally scheduled to be released on 12th February this year, it was then moved to 7th May and then to 9th July due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film shifted once more to this week in Australia and the US, having garnered generally positive critical reviews. 
Following on from the events of 'Avengers: Endgame' Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) - a skilled martial artist who was trained at a young age to be an assassin by his father Wenwu (Tony Leung) is drawn into the clandestine Ten Rings organisation, and is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind for a normal life in San Francisco. Also starring Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Benedict Wong, Florian Munteanu and Fala Chen with Tim Roth, Ben Kingsley and Jade Xu reprising their roles from 2008's 'The Incredible Hulk', 2013's 'Iron Man 3' and 2021's 'Black Widow' respectively.
'STREAMLINE' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian drama film Executive Produced, Written and Directed by Tyson Wade Johnston in his feature film making debut having previously made the short films 'Exist', 'Seed' and 'Lunar'. The film saw its Premier showcasing at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 19th August before its Australian release this week having generated largely positive critical response thus far. Here, a prodigious fifteen-year-old swimmer - Benjamin Lane (Levi Miller) with the world at his feet with the Olympics beckoning self-destructs after his father Rob Bush (Jason Isaacs) is released from prison. Inside the pool he lives a life of diligent perfectionism, yet outside of it, his existence couldn't be more opposite. Also starring Jake Ryan, Laura Gordon, Steve Bastoni and Robert Morgan. According to our friends at Wikipedia 'Streamline form is a swimming technique that is used underwater in every stroke. At the start of a race or on a turn, streamline form is used, usually along with a dolphin kick or flutter kick, to create the least amount of resistance to help the swimmer propel as far as they can. Many factors contribute to the perfect streamline form and mastering this method increases a swimmer’s speed. Streamline is one of the key fundamentals to mastering any stroke'
'SUMMER OF SOUL' ( . . . Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Rated PG) - is an American documentary film directed by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival (aka 'Black Woodstock'). It had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January this year, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the US Documentary Competition. The film examines the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which was held at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem, lasted for six weeks and celebrated African American music and culture and promoted the continued politics of black pride. Despite having a large attendance and performers such as Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The 5th Dimension, The Staple Singers, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Sly and the Family Stone and the Chambers Brothers, the festival was seen as obscure in pop culture, something that the documentarians investigate. Forty hours of footage of that 1969 festival was recorded on videotape and later placed in a basement, where it sat for about fifty years unpublished, until Producer Robert Fyvolent became aware of the footage, and eventually acquired film and television rights to it from its original producer, Hal Tulchin. The film has generated universal Critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$2.7M following its release Stateside in late June.
This year there were twelve feature films in competition for the Crystal Globe, that awards US$25K for the Grand Prix-Crystal Globe, and US$15K for the Special Jury Prize. Within this section there are also awards for Best Director, Best Actress and Best Actor.
Those films in this competitive section are :-
* 'At Full Throttle' - from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Filmed by Miro Remo. World Premier screening.
* 'Bird Atlas' - from the Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and Directed and Co-Written by Olmo Omerzu. World Premier screening.
* 'Boiling Point' - from the UK and Directed and Co-Written by Philip Barantini. World Premier screening. Actress Vinette Robinson earned a Special Mention for her work on the film.
* 'Every Single Minute' - from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and Directed and Written for the screen by Erika Hnikova. World Premier screening. This film was awarded the Special Jury Prize.
* 'The Exam' - from Germany, Iraqi Kurdistan and Qatar and Directed and Co-Written by Shawkat Amin Korki. World Premier screening.
* 'The Land of the Sons' - from Italy and Directed and Co-Written by Claudio Cupellini. International Premier screening.
* 'No' - from Germany and Directed and Co-Written by Dietrich Bruggemann. International Premier screening. Dietrich Bruggemann was declared the Best Director.
* 'Prince' - from Germany and Directed and Co-Written by Lisa Bierwirth. World Premier screening.
* 'Saving One Who Was Dead' - from the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and France, and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Vaclav Kadrnka. World Premier screening.
* 'The Staffroom' - from Croatia and Directed and Co-Written by Sonja Tarokic. World Premier screening. This film received a Special Mention.
* 'Wars' - from Canada and Directed and Edited by Nicolas Roy. World Premier screening. Eleonore Loiselle was awarded Best Actress for her work on this film.
The festival also paid tribute on its opening night, to honour the Oscar-winning British actor Michael Caine for his outstanding contribution to world cinema. He also presented 'Best Sellers', a comedy in which he stars, and which is yet to be released, at the festival. Organisers also honoured the US Actor, Director and Writer Ethan Hawke, and the Czech Writer, Director and Producer Jan Sverak with the Festival President's Award; and the US Actor, Producer, Director and musician Johnny Depp, who also presented two films he Produced being showcased at the festival - 'Crock of Gold : A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan' and 'Minamata' in which he also stars.
For all the news, views and reviews from the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.kviff.com
With Greater Sydney, where I live, still in COVID lockdown for another month ending (at this stage) at the end of September, this means all of our cinema's are closed until this date, which further means that the release of the movies as given below, slated for release this week, will be delayed somewhat across certain parts of Australia at least. That said, these movies will either have been released or are set for an imminent release somewhere in the world, and as Odeon Online has an international audience, I thought it best to carry on regardless.
This week then we have just three new films coming to your local Odeon, and we kick start with the 25th offering in the MCU that sees a martial-arts master having to confront the past he thought he left behind when he's drawn into the web of a mysterious organisation. This is followed up by an Aussie drama of a teenage swimming prodigy whose life implodes after the release of his father from jail. And we wrap up the week with a documentary fifty years in the making that over the course of six weeks during the summer of 1969, thousands of people attend the Harlem Cultural Festival to celebrate Black history, culture, music and fashion.
Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.
With three new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the coming week, at your local Odeon, or perhaps not!
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
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