Fests and events, 9/6.

"Blame it on a weak Cannes, the demise of Wellspring, a generalized cultural malaise, or just the law of averages asserting itself after the banner years of 2004 and '05, but there's a definite sense emerging that 2006 may wind up being a down year for art movies," writes Joshua Land. So, while nine films coming up this season are selected and blurbed by Voice staffers, Land focuses on the festivals, retrospectives and revivals New Yorkers have to look forward to. Ed Halter focuses on one, The Fabulous Art of Surviving: Lech Kowalski, at the BAMcinématek September 12 through 26, Michael Atkinson on another, the Mizoguchi series at Film Forum running Friday through September 21.

"International critics of the Fipresci yesterday awarded their Grand Prix for the Best Film of 2006 to Pedro Almodóvar's Volver," reports Fabien Lemercier at Cineuropa.

Updated.

The Alternative Film Guide has the winners of the Montreal Film Festival, which wrapped on Monday.

"San Francisco's Arab Film Festival turns 10 this year," notes Robert Avila, "an auspicious birthday in an otherwise bleak period of nearly unmitigated bloodshed and destruction in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Palestine." Avila talks with fest exec director Bashir Anastas. Also in the SF Bay Guardian, Jason Shamai previews the local edition of the Global Lens Film Festival (through October 4) and Johnny Ray Huston has a couple of quick recommendations for the MadCat Women's International Film Festival (September 12 through 27).

Will Johnston in the Independent: "New digital technology has enabled the chain to screen the UK's first Adventure Film Festival at 55 locations, in an all-out attempt to inspire the adventurer in everyone." September 11 through 23.

"The Independent Feature Project unveiled plans for its 28th annual IFP Market, which will take place post-Toronto International Film Festival, running from September 17 - 21 in New York City." Brian Brooks reports for indieWIRE.

Not Coming to a Theater Near You preps for Toronto.

Mohammed Naqvi describes securing pickup shots via email for his film, Shame at Toronto's Doc Blog.

San Diego Asian Film Festival (October 12 through 19) has announced its lineup, adding links for each of the films when possible. Via Peter Martin at Twitch.

Cinematical's Kim Voynar wraps Telluride with a few thoughts on Fur and Jindabyne.

Marilyn Monroe "has finally caught the French imagination, not as a sex symbol, not even as a symbol, but as a work of art: beautiful, tragic, forever 36 years old," writes Alan Riding in a piece on The Last Sitting, at the Musée Maillol in Paris through October 30. Also in the New York Times, George Gene Gustines on Geppi's Entertainment Museum in Baltimore, which aims to be "a cultural institution that children must be dragged out of rather than into."

"Bob Dylan's coming to Broadway via Twyla Tharp, and the New York Film Festival actually has good movies for the first time since Pulp Fiction - more 1994!" Sara Vilkomerson introduces the New York Observer's September calendar.

Webcuts.06, slated for October 12 in Berlin, has issued a call for submissions. Deadline: September 15.

Updates: Matt Dentler announces that the full schedule for Austin's Fantastic Fest is up (September 21 through 28).

"Alternative cinema has always been made in India - just think of the films of Satyajit Ray, Guru Dutt, Ritwik Ghatak, Shyam Benegal - but they remain largely unseen and unknown, mostly because Indian audiences, domestic and foreign, traditionally don't like seeing the reality of their daily lives portrayed on screen," writes Anil Sinanan at Time Out Movie Blog. "To redress the balance, next weekend Tate Modern's Cinema of Prayoga season offers features, shorts and documentaries of such 'parallel' cinema." September 15 through 19.

Also, Edward Lawrenson previews Stop! Look! Listen! The COI & 60 Years of Public Information Film-making in Britain (at the National Film Theatre in London from September 21 through October 17) and Wally Hammond looks back on this year's Sarajevo Film Festival.

Posted by dwhudson at September 6, 2006 9:09 AM