LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14, 2012 – With the 8th Annual Eurasia International Film Festival slated to open the week of Sept. 17 to 22 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, stars like Dennis Haysbert will fly into the Central Asian Republic to discover first-hand the filmmaking opportunities in the area’s largest emerging economy.
Oscar-nominated producer Wolfgang Petersen, who helmed the classic DAS BOOT and brought TROY and PERFECT STORM to the screen among other films, will chair the jury board of Eurasia-2012. Petersen will be part of the team that makes final decisions on films from 33 countries entered this year.
Appearing on the Steppes last year, Sigourney Weaver pointed out that “the name says it ‘Eurasia.’ Film is global. It is international. To combine all the different energies of Asia, Europe, and really the world, at this festival and to look at their themes – it’s really exciting.”
Eurasia’s program will feature an International Competition (mainly from Europe and Asia), a Central Asian Panorama, Dynamic Kazakh Cinema, as well as “Cinematic Bridge: East” (films from Turkey) and “Cinematic Bridge: West” (films from Greece). Out of competition, “Gold of Berlinale” will showcase top films from Berlin. Prize money will be presented to the winners at the Closing Ceremony.
Kevin Costner, who once brought his rock band Modern West to Eurasia with him to “bring some America right onto the stage,” shared a bit of wisdom at the festival.
“I learned a long time ago, as a young (actor) filmmaker that movies weren’t just from my country, but they travel the world,” Costner told the audience. “When I began to understand that, it changed the way I thought.”
Dubbed “the Bridge Between East and West,” the festival’s goal is to strengthen relations among filmmakers and to bring substantive projects to worldwide attention. For example, while Greece may be in economic crisis, the rise of art-house films is undeniable.
Past attendees include Catherine Deneuve, Eric Roberts, John Cusack, Gerard Depardieu, Christopher Lambert, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Natassja Kinski, Steven Seagal, and Armand Assante, who made a documentary about the region.
The 8th Eurasia International Film Festival is accredited and presented under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, JSC “Kazakhfilm” named after Shaken Aimanov jointly with Union of Cinematographers of Kazakhstan. For more information, please visit www.eurasiaiff.kz.
