July 25, 2008–Machan, a Sri Lanka-set caper marking the directorial debut of producer Uberto Pasolini (The Full Monty), is among 12 world premieres that will show at Venice Days, the sidebar of Venice Film Fest.
Based on a true story about how 23 struggling Sri Lankans created a national handball team as a ploy to get visas to Europe, Machan was financed by the U.K. (Redwave Films), Italy (RAI Cinema, StudioUrania), Germany (Babelsberg Film) and Sri Lanka (Shakthi Films), and will be released in Italy by Mikado.
Other films include Broken Lines, the feature film debut of Brit legit and TV helmer Sallie Aprahamian, a tale of tough relationships between people at a crossroads in contempo London, starring Paul Bettany.
A Country Teacher is about an intellectual coming to terms with homophobia in the Czech sticks, by Bohdan Slama (The Wild Bees).
In Nowhere Man, an ordinary man flees to a faraway isle. Made by Belgian helmer Patrice Toye, it was developed by The Sundance Institute.
Hooked is an absurdist comedy by Romanian tyro Adrian Sitaru, winner of last years best short prize in Locarno.
About half of the sidebars selection are first or second works. Un Altro Pianeta (Another Planet) is a no-budget depiction of a rapport that develops on a nudist beach outside Rome, directed by first-timer Stefano Tummolini.
Entries in this non-competitive splinter section, headed by critic Fabio Ferzetti, are eligible for the Europa Cinemas Award, which provides distribution in the EU-funded Europa Cinemas arthouse circuit.
The Venice Film Festival runs August 27-September 6. The fest's official selection lineup will be announced on Tuesday, July 29.
VENICE DAYS MAIN LINEUP:
Broken Lines, Sallie Aprahamian (U.K.)
A Country Teacher, Bohdan Slama (Czech Republic, France)
A Week Alone, Celina Murga (Argentina)
Landscape No. 2, Vinko Moderndorfer (Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro)
Machan, Uberto Pasolini (U.K., Italy, Germany, Sri Lanka)
The Visitor, Jukka-Pekka Valkeapaa (Finland, U.K., Germany, Estonia)
Nowhere Man, Patrice Toye (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg)
Scratch, Michal Rosa (Poland)
Stella, Sylvie Verheyde (France)
Hooked, Adrian Sitaru (Romania, France)
Un Altro Pianeta, Stefano Tummolini (Italy)
Ritratti: Che Saccio, Camille dArcimoles (Italy)
Ritratti: Il Passato E Il Mio Bastone, Flavia Mastrella and Antonio Rezza (Italy)
