Madonna directing debut set for Berlin
Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:20am EST

MUNICH (Hollywood Reporter) - Her movie career did not amount to much, but Madonna will hope for better luck behind the camera when her directing debut makes its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February.

"Filth and Wisdom," which has been described as a low-budget music-based comedy, stars Richard E. Grant, Stephen Graham ("Gangs of New York") and Eugene Hutz, the Ukrainian frontman for gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello.

It is among 50 films screening in the Panorama sidebar at the festival, which runs February 7-17, organizers said Thursday.

After a promising starring role in "Desperately Seeking Susan," Madonna lost her way with such flops as "Shanghai Surprise" and "Swept Away," which was directed by her husband, Guy Ritchie. On the recording front, she is expected to release a new studio album next year.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

http://www.reuters.com/ar...4320071228

curses that damn horse.

love the title of the thread.

In my best Juvenile voice:
"You better run, Forrest, run Forrest, run!"

Has she ever even directed a simple music video?

We all saw this coming when she married Guy.

This news made lil Oprah sad.....

this isn't gonna be pretty.....
[Edited 12/28/07 0:05am]

cool, i wanna see things through her eyes for once.

PricelessHo said:

agreed would be awesome

she mentioned wanting to direct way before Guy.

Madonna film to debut at Berlin film festival

The first film directed by pop icon Madonna is to have its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival taking place from February 7-17, organizers announced Thursday. Filth And Wisdom, a romantic musical comedy reportedly based on the star's own experiences, is Britain's entry in the festival's Panoroma section, but will not be in line for an award in the main competition.
It is not clear if Madonna, 49, will put in an appearance in Berlin, but directors usually show up for the premieres of their movies.
The lead role is played by Eugene Huetz, whose Gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello accompanied Madonna during a concert in London this year. Other actors include Stephen Graham and Richard E. Grant.
Madonna, who is married to British director Guy Ritchie, does not appear in the film.
Around 50 works are entered in the Berlinale's Panorama section, among them efforts by Canadian underground star Bruce LaBruce. From EARTHtimes.org

You Maddie fans kill me. This woman should not be anywhere near a film. She is just a awful as P with the movies but gets a pass.

-----

CHIC0 said:

laurarichardson said:

ummmm.... ok

maddie?
[Edited 12/28/07 2:06am]

That is my nickname for her.

CHIC0 said:

this is the funniest thread


just the title made me laugh.....and lil oprah

I'm intersted in what she'll come up with

Lets wait and see.

sosgemini said:

why not , her husband is a director,,

wtf! this isn´t a suprise 4 me..

I don't have high hopes at all. But premiering at Berlin is nothing to laugh at, so there must be some kind of merit...a festival that is known for appreciating the art of film...

But that also means, it couldn't get a distributor right out of the can...and may drop off the radar after the festival circuit.
whatever...

bboy87 said:

heartbeatocean said:

Considering the absolute shit that has premiered at each and every film festival over the years (from Cannes to Berlinale to TIFF), I really don't think we can say "well, it's premiering in Berlin, so there *must* be *some* merit".

Has a better chance of being decent than anything else she's been associated with, though, because she's not in it..
[Edited 12/28/07 19:45pm]

VoicesCarry said:

and what "absolute shit" are you referring to?

I'm not big on preemptive hating, but...

Honestly, her live acts are brilliant both visually and conceptually, with multi-video screens and whatnot, but I have no idea how much she has a hand in the overall creation of this. I've always thought if she is the one who designs the live show, she would make a fantastic filmmaker -- but an experimental, conceptual filmmaker -- not some traditional narrative feature film director hocus pocus.

VoicesCarry said:

Sure there are some less successful films in film fests, and not to everyone's tastes either, but on the whole, if you saw what gets rejected from these festivals, you might be a bit more forgiving in terms of what actually gets shown. I've served on screening committees for several film festivals, including a major international one...and for the most part, what gets shown is subject to extreme competition and has to have "some merit" somewhere or it could never survive the process. Of course, a large part of it is subjective, but the judges have to justify their decisions on some level.

heartbeatocean said:

Because the woman nows who and whom to hire, I may hate the bitch to the 10th level, but shes great at business decisions and knows how to work up and coming talent, if its in concert mode, or producing mode, she knows how to steal.

That being said, I don't think she has ever had an original thought in her faux british head. This will be a movie shot frame to frame of other works, or a complete joke.

as always I'm wishing for the latter.

lazycrockett said:

I'd do her.

heartbeatocean said:

Oh, I'm not talking about "less successful" or "not to everyone's tastes", I'm talking about pure, unadulterated swill. And there's a lot of that at film fests, too.

So YOU'RE the one responsible for allowing this one to pass?
[Edited 12/29/07 9:46am]

VoicesCarry said:

Thank you. These festivals show thousands of films and the majority are tosh.
[Edited 12/30/07 10:11am]