What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 13th April 2023.

The 42nd Istanbul Film Festival takes place this year from Friday 7th April through until Tuesday 18th April. The Festival was first presented as a film week in the summer of 1982, within the framework of the International Istanbul Festival. In 1983, under the title 'International Istanbul Film Days', thirty-six films were shown in one month. Beginning in 1984, the event became a separate activity and was shifted to April. In 1985, two competitive sections, one national and the other international, were included in the Festival programme. The grand prize of the festival, the first ever Golden Tulip, was given that year to Michael Radford for his film '1984'. The first grand prix of the National Competition was awarded to 'A Sip of Love' Directed by Atıf Yılmaz. Accredited by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) in 1989 as a 'specialised competitive festival', the 'film week' was renamed the Istanbul Film Festival. The festival since 2016 awards the Golden Tulip to a film that reflects 'new perspectives in cinema'.

The Festival features an international competition, provides a broad showcase for recent Turkish film productions, and represents a rewarding medium where Turkish and foreign filmmakers get together. The Festival draws a special interest to world classics, presenting retrospectives, and curated sections included in its programme which comprises close to two hundred titles, making it the most comprehensive film festival in Turkey. It is considered the largest film festival, and the longest-running international film festival in Turkey, whose aim is 'to encourage the development of cinema in Turkey, to help Turkish cinema attain international recognition and to promote films of quality in the Turkish market'. The Istanbul Film Festival has, over the past forty-one years, presented Istanbul audiences with a total of more than 6,100 films, showcasing the cinema of 111 countries.

In the National Competition section, these films are being showcased :-

* 'Confrontation' - from Turkey and Directed by Filiz Kuka.

* 'Iguana Tokyo' - from Japan and Turkey and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Kaan Mujdeci.

* 'A Guide to Living for the Dead' - from Turkey and Written and Directed by Baris Fert.

* 'Mirror Mirror' - from Turkey and Co-Written and Directed by Belmin Soylemez.

* 'Tulliana' - from Turkey and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Orcun Koksal.

* 'Chokehold' - from Turkey and Directed by Onur Saylak.

* 'Almost Entirely A Slight Disaster' - from Turkey and Written, Directed and Edited by Umut Subasi.

* 'Cloves & Carnations' - from Belgium and Turkey and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Bekir Bulbul.

* 'Glass Curtain' - from Turkey and Written, Directed and Edited by Fikret Reyhan.

* 'Suna' - from Turkey, Spain and Bulgaria and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Cigdem Sezgin.

In the International Competition section, the following feature films are screened :-

* 'Atlantic Bar' - from France and Directed by Fanny Molins in her feature film debut.

* 'Animalia' - from France, Morocco and Qatar and Written and Directed by Sofia Alaoui in her feature film debut.

* 'The Survival of Kindness' - from Australia and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rolf de Heer.

* 'Scarlet' - from France and Italy and Co-Written and Directed by Pietro Marcello.

* 'Pamfir' - from Ukraine, France, Poalnd, Chile, Luxembourg and Germany and Written and Directed by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk.

* 'Copenhagen Does Not Exist' - from Denmark and Directed by Martin Skovbjerg.

* 'World War III' - from Iran and Co-Written, Produced, Directed and Edited by Houman Seyedi.

* 'In The Blind Spot' - from Germany and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Ayse Polat.

* 'Next Sohee' - from Korea and Written and Directed by July Jung.

* 'The Water' - from Switzerland, Spain and France and Co-Written and Directed by Elena Lopez Riera.

For more details of the National Documentary Competition, the National Short Film Competition, those films screening Out of Competition, plus a whole lot more movie strands and a retrospective of nine films from Writer and Director William Friedkin including his 'The French Connection', 'Sorcerer', 'To Live and Die in L.A.', 'Cruising', '12 Angry Men', 'Killer Joe' and 'The Exorcist', you can go to the official website at : https://film.iksv.org/en

This week then with just three new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with an action comedy offering about an American woman who travels to Italy following the death of her grandfather, who she finds out at his funeral was a mafia Don, and his dying wish was that she take on the family business. Next up is a French film about a prison drama teacher who marries one of the inmates, but it's not long before her son begins to wonder if the ex-con is still a criminal, or if he has actually been rehabilitated. And closing out the week and for one night only is a worldwide listening party hosted by this heavy metal band before the release of its eleventh studio album the very next day. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release new films 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 coming week.

'MAFIA MAMMA' (Rated MA15+) - this American action comedy film is Directed by Catherine Hardwicke whose prior film making credits take in the likes of her feature film debut with 'Thirteen' in 2003, 'Lords of Dogtown' in 2005, 'Twilight' in 2008, 'Red Riding Hood' in 2011, 'Miss You Already' in 2015 and 'Prisoner's Daughter' most recently in 2022. The film is released Stateside too this week.

Middle-aged writer Kristin (Toni Collette who also Co-Produces here) is dealing with her son leaving for college, her sexist boss, and her recently discovered unfaithful husband. During this difficult time, Bianca (Monica Bellucci), her estranged grandfather's trusted advisor, contacts her with news that he has passed away and she must attend his funeral in Italy. Despite initial reservations, Kristin is convinced by her friend Jenny (Sophia Nomvete), who is an outspoken lawyer, that this trip could be just what she needs to start healing herself. However, things take a turn for the worse when the funeral transforms into a violent gunfight, and Kristin discovers that her grandfather wished for her, his last surviving descendant, to assume the role of boss for the most powerful Mafia family in Calabria.

'THE INNOCENT' (Rated M) - is a French drama film Co-Written, Directed and starring Louis Garrel who made his feature film Directorial debut in 2015 with 'Two Friends' and would follow this up with 'A Faithful Man' in 2018 and 'The Crusade' in 2021. This film saw its World Premier screening at last years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May before its release in France in mid-October, having garnered generally favourable reviews and received four award wins and another fifteen nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. Here then, when Abel (Louis Garrel) learns that his mother Sylvie (Anouk Grinberg) is about to marry a man in prison, Michel (Roschdy Zem), he freaks out. With the help of his best friend Clemence (Noemie Merlant), he will do whatever it takes to protect her. But meeting his new stepfather may well offer him a new perspective. It has so far grossed US$5.1M in Box Office receipts.

'METALLICA : 72 SEASONS' (Rated PG) - Directed by Tim Saccenti this films gives fans the opportunity to join the global Metallica family on Thursday, April 13, for a worldwide listening party! Be the first to hear the band's new album, '72 Seasons', the day before its release, on the big screen with pummelling surround sound in this special event exclusively in cinemas for one night only. '72 Seasons' is Metallica's long-awaited 11th studio album, and this Global Premiere will feature exclusive interviews with Metallica, with the full band delving into the origins and stories behind the songs and accompanying music videos for every track on the album. The result will be a one-night-only opportunity for fans to experience '72 Seasons' first and fully.

With three new release movie offerings 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 at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-