Samui Song and Candelaria goes to Venice
The Sørfond-supported films Samui Song by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and Candelaria by Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza are selected to the official selection at the independently run Venice Days section during the 74th Venice Film Festival.
The 14th edition of Venice Days runs concurrently with the Venice Film Festival and are modeled on Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
Samui Song
Samui Song was supported by Sørfond in 2015, and is a co-production between Thailand, Germany and Norway, with main producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon and Rasarin Tanalerttararomwith for the Bluering production company in Thailand.
The Norwegian co-producer Frode Søbstad from Tenk.tv is happy and proud for the selection to Venice Days:
”- It has been an interesting and educational process, not to mention to see how the Thai production company are working. We’ve been invited to give extensive feedback on the script and also the early versions of the film. Our input has been taken into account, and we feel that we have been a part of the production process. Samui Song has gotten better for each new version; it’s like a modern version of Hitchcock. I can’t wait to see the film in Venice, and would like to thank Sørfond for the support for the project”.
Samui Song tells the story of Viyada, a Thai soap opera actress in her mid-30s, that finds herself increasingly pressured by her husband Jerome, a rich foreigner entirely devoted to a charismatic cult leader called The Holy One. Viyada has no other choice than to take the most drastic measures in order to escape once and for all from their influence.
Candelaria
Candelaria received support from Sørfond in 2016. The film is a co-production between Colombia, Germany, Argentina and Norway, with the Colombian production company Antorcha Films as main producer.
"It is very pleasing that Candelaria has been selected for Venice Days. The film renews the story of Cuba. It breaks with the nostalgic tradition and provides a refreshing new picture", says the Norwegian co-producer Dag Hoel, representing Dag Hoel Filmproduksjon AS.
Candelaria is a film about love, moral and difficult decisions. An old couple in Havanna awakens their sleeping lovelife with a video camera. The films they make takes the couple out of a difficult economic situation.
Venice Days
Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori) were born in 2004, as an independent event on the fringes of the Venice Film Festival, modeled on the prestigious ‘Directors' Fortnight' of the Cannes Festival and promoted by the associations of Italian film directors and authors. The aim of the event is to draw attention to high quality cinema, without any kind of restriction, with special care for innovation, research, originality and independence.
The 74th Venice International Film Festival and the 14th Venice Days are scheduled to be held from 30th August to 9th September 2017.