Peter van der Lugt

The Netherlands

Fresh Images From Miyazaki's KAZE TACHINU

Great news everyone! This summer the latest work from genius animation director Miyazaki Hayao, Kaze Tachinu, will receive its release in cinemas across the land of the rising sun. Surely a person like me could write on for ages on... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

IFFR 2013 Review: ODAYAKA Dives Beneath the Surface of Polite Japanese Society

This year the International Film Festival Rotterdam brought its visitors two Japanese features that, like the countless others that have already been made about it, just seemed to explore the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster from March 11,... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

"Arrietty" at Studio Ghibli Retrospective

Good news for those who appreciate the legendary works of the famed Japanese Studio Ghibli. At least for those living in the Netherlands or willing to make trip over that is. Coming March "Melkweg", the popular Amsterdam based music and... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

Rome 2010: Studio Ghibli's KARIGURASHI NO ARRIETTY Review

[Our thanks to film critic, music expert and GhibliWorld.com contributor Marco Bellano for this review of Studio Ghibli's latest: Karigurashi no Arrietty.] The artists at Studio Ghibli are today accustomed to international acknowledgements. Since the Golden Bear awarded to Hayao... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

Venice 2010: COLD FISH review

After his last feature "Love Exposure" being screened in Berlin, yesterday night Sion Sono's newest work called "Tsumetai Nettaigyo" ("Cold Fish") had its world premiere at Venice's Pala Darsena as part of the fest's Orrizonti section. This time Sono brings... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

Bella Venezia

Let's just cut to the chase, this Twitch-o-Meter is going to be a short one. And for a reason somewhat obvious, at least when you took the time to check out the title of this edition that is. Tomorrow the... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

Ghibli Museum Visitors Only?

Next month Studio Ghibli will be opening a new exhibition called Ghibli no Mori no Eiga - Yokoso Dosei-Za he at Ghibli Museum. Roughly translated as The Movies of Ghibli Forest - Welcome to the Saturn Theater, their special will... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

IFFR 2010: ALAMAR Review

"Alamar", the second film by director Pedro González-Rubio, deceived me. From a distance it seemed something superficial. A film that grabs its audience by merely setting it in a location many would like to spend their holiday; an idyllic coral... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

Studio Ghibli's new film KARIGURASHI NO ARRIETTY announced

Cross-published with my earlier original article at GhibliWorld. After yesterday's exclusive warming up on Twitter by GhibliWorld, today Studio Ghibli made the official announcement of their new full length feature film titled Karigurashi no Arrietty (The Borrower Arrietty). The film... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

An Animation Quintet

Tomorrow the famed Studio Ghibli is to announce their next full length feature film. Following up Miyazaki's Ponyo, will it be Paku-san's (Takahata Isao) long longed for comeback film? Or perhaps will it be by their new director about whom... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

An Interview With Director Tomm Moore

Already seen the full length animated feature Brendan and the Secret of Kells? Being screened at festivals all over the world, that might surely be possible. It took home the Audience Award at this year's Annecy International Animated Film Festival... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

David O'Reilly wins Cartoon d'Or 2009

At the Cartoon Forum, currently being held in the Norwegian city of Stavanger, the winner of the Cartoon d'Or 2009 has been revealed. This year's jury is made up of the directors Serge Elissalde, Kari Juusonen and Tomm Moore (director... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 2009: Award Winners Announced

Closing this year's edition of la Mostra Internationale d'Arte Cinematografica, better known as the Venice Film Festival, the official award ceremony just took place at the festival's Sala Grande. So who took home the awards? This year's GOLDEN LION for... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

An interview with Michael Giacchino

[Our thanks to film critic, music expert and GhibliWorld.com contributor Marco Bellano for conducting an extensive interview with award winning soundtrack composer Michael Giacchino.] While staying at the V International Film Music Conference "Ciudad de Úbeda", it was quite surprising... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Featurette

Surely, having been released last week this is old news and chances are very likely a lot of people have seen this already. For those who haven't yet seen it though, it is still much worth posting: a featurette on... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 2009: Official Lineup Announced

From the luxurious Westin Excelsior in sunny Rome comes news on la Mostra Internationale d’Arte Cinematografica, better known as the Venice Film Festival. Today the official lineup of this year’s edition, already number 66, has been announced by festival director... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 2009: "Chengdu" announced as closing film

Chengdu, Wo Ai Ni (Chengdu, I Love You) is to close this year’s edition of la Mostra Internationale d’Arte Cinematografica, better known as the Venice Film Festival. Filmed in tandem by Fruit Chan and China's most famous “alternative” rock star... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

IFFR 2009: Interview with "Il Pranzo di Ferragosto" director / writer / actor GIANNI DI GREGORIO

I already shortly met Gianni di Gregorio, director of Il Pranzo di Ferragosto and screenplay writer and assistant director of Gomorra, at the last edition of the prestigious Venice Film Festival where he won the "Future Golden Lion". Recently, he... More »

By Peter van der Lugt

Leading Voices in Global Cinema

Todd Brown, Founder & Editor Toronto
Peter Martin, Managing Editor Dallas
Ryland Aldrich, Festivals Editor Los Angeles
James Marsh, Asian Editor Hong Kong
Brian Clark, European Editor Paris

FEAR & LOATHING AT CANNES, PART 3: EVERYTHING IS WONDERFUL AND I'M TRIPPING BALLS

CHAPTER 6: THERE'S NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A PURPLE BEACH SMOTHERED IN MELTING TROMMETTES DURING A CRIMSON TINGED SUNSET ON THE FRENCH RIVERIA, HOLY SHIT I'M TRIPPING MY FUCKING FACE OFF.It's night. When the fuck did it become night? I'm naked. Where the fuck did my clothes go? I'm on... More »

Destroy All Monsters: I Think We've Been This Way Before, Mr. Spock

They can remember it for you wholesale, and they do. At some point, we licensed our pop cultural nostalgia to a handful of multinational conglomerates (well, to be fair, they always owned the licenses) and now they're selling them back to us - though, I guess, not at wholesale, but... More »

Interview: Twitch Talks to HANGOVER III's Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong may often play a lunatic on both big and small screen, but in person it's quite disarming to see just how calm and considerate he comes across. While he got his big screen start in Judd Apatow's Knocked Up, Jeong's real breakthrough was taking a small-on-paper role... More »

Hollywood Beat: Notes On Cutting The Cord And NBC's Genre Programs

I cut the cable cord last year, but I'm not always happy about it. I had to wait a year before seeing Season 2 of Game of Thrones, for example, and will have to wait to see Season 3 until next year. I only have to wait to see Mad... More »

Twitchvision: Talking STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, MUD and THE ICEMAN

Another Twitchvision chat with Scott Laurie, this time me gushing about J.J.'s latest Star Trek film, which I unabashedly loved.Also talked about he fabbo Mud, and the less fabbo The Iceman, both with Michael Shannon doing his thing.Video embedded below.Update: Was asked to come in today and pick a few... More »