Snarky humor and a wonderfully put-on Matthew Macfadyen are the best reasons to see a satire that ultimately seems to forget where it was heading. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Emil Forester (Matthew Macfadyen: Anna Karenina) makes, in the words of his cleaning lady, “strange films”; his last one was shot entirely on a container freighter in the middle of an ocean. But he’s stumped for an idea for his next one. Will an invitation to a film festival in the “Autonomous Republic of Karastan” — motto: “land of inspiration” — give him the spark he needs to start a new project? In fact, he won’t have any choice: President Abashiliev (Richard van Weyden) insists that Emil direct an epic film about a historic Karastani national hero, and despite the fact that Emil doesn...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Emil Forester (Matthew Macfadyen: Anna Karenina) makes, in the words of his cleaning lady, “strange films”; his last one was shot entirely on a container freighter in the middle of an ocean. But he’s stumped for an idea for his next one. Will an invitation to a film festival in the “Autonomous Republic of Karastan” — motto: “land of inspiration” — give him the spark he needs to start a new project? In fact, he won’t have any choice: President Abashiliev (Richard van Weyden) insists that Emil direct an epic film about a historic Karastani national hero, and despite the fact that Emil doesn...
- 1/22/2016
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Matthew Macfayden is a convincingly conceited director on the rocks who is seduced by a dictator’s offer of another shot at success
Award-winning film-maker Paweł Pawlikowski is here in a larksome mood, co-writing with Ben Hopkins this watchable satirical comedy about the international movie business. Hopkins directs, and together they split the difference between Borat and Woody Allen’s Stardust Memories. It’s a crazy caper about a washed-up British director named Emil Forester (Matthew Macfayden) who accepts a flattering invitation to attend a festival retrospective of his work in the comedy fictional state of Karastan. He arrives to find a bizarre and sinister shambles everywhere, and is disconcerted by his fellow guest, hard-drinking Hollywood B-lister Xan Butler (Noah Taylor). But Emil is intrigued by the president’s beautiful aide Chulpan (MyAnna Burling) and by the president himself (Richard Van Weyden) who offers him a lot of money to...
Award-winning film-maker Paweł Pawlikowski is here in a larksome mood, co-writing with Ben Hopkins this watchable satirical comedy about the international movie business. Hopkins directs, and together they split the difference between Borat and Woody Allen’s Stardust Memories. It’s a crazy caper about a washed-up British director named Emil Forester (Matthew Macfayden) who accepts a flattering invitation to attend a festival retrospective of his work in the comedy fictional state of Karastan. He arrives to find a bizarre and sinister shambles everywhere, and is disconcerted by his fellow guest, hard-drinking Hollywood B-lister Xan Butler (Noah Taylor). But Emil is intrigued by the president’s beautiful aide Chulpan (MyAnna Burling) and by the president himself (Richard Van Weyden) who offers him a lot of money to...
- 1/21/2016
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Exclusive: Political satire starring Matthew Macfadyen co-written by Ida’s Pawel Pawlikowski.
Black comedy Lost in Karastan has been picked up by Bulldog Films for a UK theatrical release this autumn alongside a simultaneous digital rollout.
Michael Cowan’s Phoenix World Entertainment handles international sales on the political satire, which stars Matthew Macfadyen (Anna Karenina) as a British filmmaker hired by the president of Karastan to make an epic movie about the European region.
Ben Hopkins directs from a script he co-wrote with Ida director Pawel Pawlikowski.
The film, which opened the London Comedy Festival in January, is also being released this month across Germany by Piffl Medien as Welcome to Karastan, following its award winning success at the Hamburg Film Festival.
A release in the Cis territories will begin on May 15 through 20 Steps, and further summer festival dates for the film are being lined up including Motovun and Cluj following recent screenings in Prague and Sofia...
Black comedy Lost in Karastan has been picked up by Bulldog Films for a UK theatrical release this autumn alongside a simultaneous digital rollout.
Michael Cowan’s Phoenix World Entertainment handles international sales on the political satire, which stars Matthew Macfadyen (Anna Karenina) as a British filmmaker hired by the president of Karastan to make an epic movie about the European region.
Ben Hopkins directs from a script he co-wrote with Ida director Pawel Pawlikowski.
The film, which opened the London Comedy Festival in January, is also being released this month across Germany by Piffl Medien as Welcome to Karastan, following its award winning success at the Hamburg Film Festival.
A release in the Cis territories will begin on May 15 through 20 Steps, and further summer festival dates for the film are being lined up including Motovun and Cluj following recent screenings in Prague and Sofia...
- 5/12/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
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