2014 Movie World Cup Final

The 2014 Movie World Cup kicked off back in December 2013 shortly after the Soccer World Cup draw was made. The spotlight lasted 8 months because it took a long time to hunt down 96 films from all the 32 countries in the tournament. Thankfully, a majority of the films proved to be exciting selections with only a few disappointments. Surprisingly some of the disappointments came from nations with an abundant amount of options, such as those from England and USA. On the flip-side, films from nations with limited selections proved to be a pleasant surprise, such as those from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Honduras, Switzerland and Costa Rica. This little bit of unpredictability added to the fun and some of the results came as a surprise. For example, the two finalists, France and Italy, have an inexhaustible list of films to choose from but neither of the two films in the final, L’Argent and Il Posto, were in the original shortlist. Michelangelo Antonioni’s Red Desert was initially Italy’s Film #3 but a chance visit to Casablanca Video brought Il Posto in the frame. A faith in Ermanno Olmi allowed me to take a gamble on the film, a similar gamble taken on Naruse’s When a Woman Ascends the Stairs which was the other film rented on the same night. Both films proved to be worthy selections and more importantly these were the last two films I rented from the video store that was my source for foreign and independent cinema for almost two decades. Back in July, Bogie’s Casablanca Video shutdown while the original Casablanca Video in Marda Loop is slated to move to a new spot in mid-August. Therefore, it feels appropriate that one of those rented films has made it to the 2014 Movie World Cup final while the other finalist is the last film from Robert Bresson, one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema. The two finalists are a trip down memory lane to a time when 35 mm ruled and the word ‘film’ truly meant something.

2014 Movie World Cup Final

France (L’Argent, 1983, Robert Bresson)

vs

Italy (Il Posto, 1961, Ermanno Olmi)

Both films abstract aspects of our society in such precise and fine detail that these films are timeless. L’Argent and Il Posto showcase cinema at its finest and are films meant to be seen multiple times with each viewing allowing for a different aspect to stand out, amplified by a viewer’s evolving life perspective.

L’Argent uses the life-cycle of a counterfeit money note to depict how society functions. In the film, a rich young man and a business owner easily get away by exchanging fake currency but an innocent worker Yvon (Christian Patey) has to pay the price for their crimes. Bresson’s film was released in 1983 but was based on a short story by Leo Tolstoy (The Forged Coupon) which was published back in 1910. The seven decade gap between the short story and film illustrates the timelessness of such a story because illegal trading of fake money or currency is as old as human civilization and cheaters have existed at every point in society. The film and short story could easily apply in modern times, with a slight variation. In our current society, fake currency trading has moved to the bits and bytes level as depicted by the 2008 Economic Crisis. As history has shown, the guilty, who are often the rich and well dressed men, get away while the workers get trapped. It is not a surprise to see the camera shop owner in Bresson’s film is dressed smartly while Yvon is shown to be in overalls.

Il Posto nicely captures the stress associated with writing an exam and waiting for an interview in order to get a job. The scenes are shot in a verite style and immediately brought chilling memories of my own experience writing exams. The brilliance of these scenes would have been enough to solidify the Italian film’s claim for the 2014 Movie World Cup title but Il Posto goes further and shows the fate that awaits when one passes the exam and gets the job: the dreaded office desk where a person can spend decades sitting in one spot. A promotion means a person moves up just one spot to a desk nearer to the front. As Il Posto shows, this front desk has more light while the desk at the back of the room is partially dark. Using such a simple technique of depicting rows of desks lit differently, Olmi is able to highlight the hierarchy and seniority that exists in offices. Of course, a variation in certain companies is that a promotion signifies moving to a better cubicle or an office with a window. On top of that, Il Posto also manages to show elements of romance and the excitement and hesitation associated with a first date. Il Posto is an Italian film made back in 1961 but it will always be contemporary as long humans have to study in order to find a job or an individual has to seek out a companion.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
France: L'Argent	0	0	1	1	1	3
Italy: Il Posto	1	1	1	1	1	5

Italy takes the 2014 Movie World Cup with a 5-3 win over France.

2014 Movie World Cup Top 4 Films

1. Il Posto, Italy, 1961, Ermanno Olmi

2. L’Argent, France, 1983, Robert Bresson

3. Neighboring Sounds, Brazil, 2012, Kleber Mendonça Filho

4. La Promesse, Belgium, 1996, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Top 10 from all 96 films

A separate top 10 is required because the format of the Movie World Cup doesn’t reflect a true placing of all the films. This is due to the rules of the Movie World Cup where only one film from each of the 16 nations that advanced to Round 2 was selected. This impacted a nation with two or three strong films. Also, due to the draw, some good films were eliminated early on as they came across stronger films. On top of that, for the time in the history of the Movie World Cup, a coin toss was used to select a winner. South Korea and Russia were tied after all their three Group films could not be separated on goal-difference. As per the rules, the final tie-breaker was a coin toss. South Korea’s best film The Day He Arrives had tails while Russia’s Stalker was heads. When the coin landed on tails, it eliminated Stalker one of the top films in this Movie World Cup. Therefore, a correction in the form of a top 10 is required, a list free from the soccer draw and past end-of-year lists.

1. Stalker (1979, Russia, Andrei Tarkovsky)

Tarkovsky’s film based on Boris and Arkady Strugatsky’s novel Roadside Picnic can be seen as an extension of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and shows what could have happened after Godot arrived. In Waiting for Godot two men wait for Godot to bring them happiness. However, in Stalker two men (the Writer and the Professor) find their Godot in the form of man named Stalker who agrees to take the two to the Zone, a location that may provide happiness and help fulfill their wishes.

It has been almost two months since I viewed this film but I am still trapped in the Zone. A few more visits will likely pull me out.

2. Il Posto (1961, Italy, Ermanno Olmi)

3. L'Argent (1983, France, Robert Bresson)

4. Taste of Cherry (1997, Iran, Abbas Kiarostami)

5. In the City of Sylvia (2007, Spain, José Luis Guerín)

6. Le Quattro Volte (2010, Italy, Michelangelo Frammartino)

7. Neighboring Sounds (2012, Brazil, Kleber Mendonça Filho)

8. The Strange Case of Angelica (2010, Portugal, Manoel de Oliveira)

9. This is Not a Film (2011, Iran, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb/Jafar Panahi)

10. La Promesse (1996, Belgium, Jean-Pierre Dardenne/Luc Dardenne)

The strength of these top 10 meant many other excellent films had to be left out. Some of these omissions include Like Father, Like Son (Japan), Extraordinary Stories (Argentina), When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (Japan), The Battle of Chile (Chile), World on a Wire (Germany), Holy Motors (France), Bastards (France), Ossos (Portugal), El Violin (Mexico), Invasion (Argentina), The Referees (Belgium), Whisky (Uruguay), Post Tenebras Lux (Mexico), The Day He Arrives (South Korea), Two Years at Sea (England), Faces (USA) and A Useful Life (Uruguay).

Top 5 discoveries

The best aspect about the Movie World Cup is hunting for films from nations which are normally overlooked in cinematic discussion. This time around, there were some incredible films that were found from unexpected countries.

1. Aristotle's Plan (2006, Cameroon, Jean-Pierre Bekolo)

A tribute to 35 mm and cinephilia set against the backdrop of political charged revolutionary ideas. There is no shortage of humor or unbelievable scenarios which adds to the film’s charm. The film evokes Godard and is one of the best African films I have ever seen.

2. We are the Faithful (2005, Switzerland, Michael Koch)

This 9 minute short documentary captures the essence of a soccer game perfectly. The camera never shows us the game but we can gauge the game as per the fans' expressions.

3. Burn it up Djassa (2012, Ivory Coast, Lonesome Solo)

A first hand perspective on the dangerous street life in Abidjan.

4. Black Diamond (2010, co-production, Pascale Lamche)

In highlighting the corruption surrounding the trafficking of African players, the film looks both backwards and to the future when increased money injected in the global game will increase the problem.

5. Mi Amigo Angel (1962, Honduras, Sami Kafati)

The first ever Honduran film falls under the neo-realist category.

Honorable mentions: Bad Day to go Fishing (2009, Uruguay, Álvaro Brechner), Eldorado (2008, Belgium, Bouli Lanners)

Recap

Semi-Finals and Third Place

Quarter-Finals

Round of 16

Group Stage results

2014 Movie World Cup: Semi-Finals

Semi-Finals Preview

Four different decades are represented by the semi-finalists of the 2014 Movie World Cup.

Brazil: Neighboring Sounds, 2012, Kleber Mendonça Filho

France: L’Argent, 1983, Robert Bresson

Italy: Il Posto, 1961, Ermanno Olmi

Belgium: La Promesse, 1996, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Brazil was the only country out of the final four nations that was expected to reach the semi-finals of the 2014 Movie World Cup based on the strength of its selection Neighboring Sounds. This Brazilian film was the only previously seen entry out of the final four and its strengths were well known. On the other hand, the remaining three films were late editions and not in the first draft of selected films for the Movie World Cup. However, the pedigree of Robert Bresson, Ermanno Olmi and the Dardenne brothers should not make it a surprise to see their films in the final four.

Even though Brazil was expected to make the semi-finals, its presence is due to a sequence of events that don't adhere to logic. In 2013, Neighboring Sounds finished 2nd in the year end list to Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Japanese film Like Father, Like Son, a film present in this Movie World Cup. But Kore-eda's film was not selected for Round 2 as Mikio Naruse’s When a Woman Ascends the Stairs was deemed to be the best Japanese film of Round 1. Once Like Father, Like Son was not selected, the Brazilian film was able to overcome When a Woman Ascends the Stairs on penalties.

As per simple logic, if a > b and c > a, then it follows c > b. But in the case of this Movie World Cup, b forced a tie with c and then b won on penalties.

However, these film decisions are not based entirely on logic because emotion played a big part. Naruse's film overcame kore-eda’s work because When a Woman Ascends the Stairs shows restraint and conveys lot of feelings without displaying open emotions thanks to Hideko Takamine’s excellent acting. However, that lack of emotion for Naruse’s film proved to be its undoing in penalties because the Brazilian film displayed a lot more nerve. As faulty as this process seems, it is exactly the way soccer tournaments unfold where teams win even though they should have lost with penalties being an unfair decider in many cases.

Semi-Final Results

Both semi-finals finished with an identical score-line but in reality, the French and Italian films were too strong despite the close scores.

Brazil (Neighboring Sounds) 2-3 France (L’Argent)

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Brazil: Neighboring Sounds	1	0	0	0	1	2
France: L'Argent	0	1	1	1	0	3

The Brazilian film prevails in the production category due to its superior sound design and also takes the acting category for displaying a lot more emotion than the French film. However, L’Argent wins the match due to its story, cinematography and Bresson’s direction.

Italy (Il Posto) 3-2 Belgium (La Promesse)

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Italy: Il Posto	1	1	0	1	0	3
Belgium: La Promesse	0	0	1	0	1	2

Il Posto gives up points in the cinematography and production categories to Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne’s well crafted feature but prevails due to its acting, story and Olmi’s overall direction.

Third-Place Match

In the Soccer World Cup, it does not seem fair to hold a third place match for teams that are still hurting from their semi-final loss. However, usually one team manages to regain some thrust while the other team appears to be on vacation mode. As a result, the Soccer World Cup’s third-place match is often a high scoring game. The same is the case for the Movie World Cup as both films combine for a higher score than either semi-final.

Brazil (Neighboring Sounds) 4-3 Belgium (La Promesse)

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Brazil: Neighboring Sounds	1	1	0	1	1	4
Belgium: La Promesse	1	0	1	1	0	3

In reality, the contest was too close to call. Both films are rooted in their specific cities but they explore universal themes about migration to a city for a better life. In La Promesse, the film shows the struggle that illegal immigrants have to go through in the hope for a better future. While, Neighboring Sounds shows people who leave their village for the city to find jobs. But the Brazilian film adds another layer on top which gives its story the edge. Neighboring Sounds depicts how actions committed in rural areas can have a direct reaction in an urban setting. This gives the film a more cyclical feel.

Unlike the Soccer World Cup, Brazil bounces back and takes 3rd spot in the Movie World Cup.

2014 Movie World Cup Final

It comes down to this. A single match to decide it all. The 2014 Movie World Cup final is a repeat of the 2006 Soccer World Cup Final, France vs Italy.

France (L’Argent) vs Italy (Il Posto)

1983 vs 1961.

Robert Bresson vs Ermanno Olmi.

2014 Movie World Cup: Top 4

The Quarter-Finals of the 2014 Movie World Cup featured four enticing contests with eight excellent films. There was very little to choose between the films, a fact demonstrated by single point victories in three of the matches with penalties deciding the fourth one.

Brazil (Neighboring Sounds) 3-3 Japan (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs)

It is appropriate this match went to an emotional penalty shoot-out as emotion is the driving force conveyed by both films. The Japanese film has a beautiful story with some stellar acting that transmits the emotional roller coaster Hideko Takamine’s character of Keiko goes through. The Brazilian film does not use story and acting to get audience to feel emotions. Instead it uses sound, editing and cinematography to inject fear in the audience. As a result, the emotional impact of the Brazilian film stays long after the credits have rolled.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Brazil: Neighboring Sounds	0	0	1	1	1	3
Japan: When a Woman Ascends the Stairs	1	1	0	1	0	3

Brazil wins in an emotional penalty shoot-out.

France (L’Argent) 4-3 Portugal (The Strange Case of Angelica)

Two masters of cinema with thoughtful films that both show how a sequence of events impact two men who were only trying to do their job. In the French film, collecting payment lands a man in jail and a life of crime while in the Portuguese film, the protagonist ends up falling in love while on a routine job. The men in both films lose their head and soul, albeit by different means.

The French film narrowly progresses to the semi-finals on the basis of a stronger story and the attentive visuals one expects from a Bresson film.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
France: L'Argent	0	1	1	1	1	4
Portugal: The Strange Case of Angelica	1	0	0	1	1	3

Mexico (El Violin) 4-5 Italy (Il Posto)

A classic rural vs urban match with the Mexican film showing how a revolution grows outside a city. On the other hand, the Italian film depicts the tension and nervousness that accompanies job hunting in a city. Both Black and White films use a verite style to give audience a front row perspective on events. As a result, both films are rich and immersive cinema. However, the Italian film narrowly edges into the semi-finals due to stronger finishing in the final third which means the film hits all the appropriate notes from start to finish.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Mexico: El Violin	1	1	1	0	1	4
Italy: Il Posto	1	1	1	1	1	5

Argentina (Extraordinary Stories) 3-4 Belgium (La Promesse)

The Argentine film has by far the most creative story while the Belgium film dazzles with its visual beauty, which has now become a trademark of any film by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Argentina: Extraordinary Stories	0	1	0	1	1	3
Belgium: La Promesse	1	0	1	1	1	4

Like the previous round, Argentina are again involved in an identical match to the Soccer World Cup. However, unlike their 1-0 win over Belgium in Soccer, the Argentine film loses by a solitary point to the Belgian film.

Semi-Finals

96 films started the 2014 Movie World Cup but only four remain:

Brazil (Neighboring Sounds) vs France (L’Argent)

Italy (Il Posto) vs Belgium (La Promesse)

Three European films have reached the final four while Brazil are proudly flying the flag for rest of the world.

2014 Movie World Cup: Top 8

The elimination round of the 2014 Movie World Cup starts with the round of 16. As per the rules, the two films will go head-to-head in either five or three categories.

1. If both films are fiction, then the following five categories will be used:

Acting, Story, Cinematography, Direction, Production (Sound, Editing)

2. If a Documentary is put against a Fictional film, then the following three categories will be used for both films:

Cinematography, Direction, Production (Sound, Editing)

If one film is considered superior than the other film in a category, it will get 1 point while the other film gets 0. If both films are strong in a category and can’t be separated, both will get 1 point each.

After all the categories are added up, if both films are tied, then a penalty shoot-out will be applied, which in this case is a subjective vote towards the film with the biggest emotional impact.

Brazil (Neighboring Sounds) 4-2 Australia (Snowtown)

Two intense films faced each other but in the end, the Brazilian film prevails due to its superior sound design and story. Snowtown features some chilling performances and takes the Acting category. Also, the cinematography of the Brazilian and Australian films helps set a fearful and chilly mood respectively and a tie is awarded in that category.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Brazil: Neighboring Sounds	0	1	1	1	1	4
Australia: Snowtown	1	0	1	0	0	2

Japan (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs) 5-3 Uruguay (A Useful Life)

Two films separated by more than five decades yet both shot in black and white. In fact, the Uruguayan film indirectly evokes the French New Wave and cinephilia, traits made famous in the Japanese film's decade. The final score may seem close but the Japanese film was in control from the start and easily cruised to a deserved win.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Japan: When a Woman Ascends the Stairs	1	1	1	1	1	5
Uruguay: A Useful Life	0	1	1	0	1	3

France (L’Argent) 5-3 Iran (Taste of Cherry)

The ultimate match of this round, a tussle between two giants of cinema. Both films are timeless in the subjects they explore and can always be looked upon as contemporary no matter which decade someone decides to view them. Robert Bresson’s last feature is a remarkable work that abstracts the consequences of illegal trading of money. The film shows a specific story but in reality, it could be applied to multiple scenarios including the 2008 Economic crisis. In the film, those who trade in fake money get away while an innocent person pays the consequences by losing his job. Without a job, he is forced into a life of crime to survive. In a short running time of 85 minutes, Bresson has shown the problems of society with considerable ease.

Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry is another crucial work that reflects on the most essential question about human life, whether it is worth living. The film is an expansion of Albert Camus’ query in The Myth of Sisyphus, an essay which begins with the following lines:

There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.

Taste of Cherry is an art film that examines this very philosophical question that Camus talked about. It is a brilliant work that is worthy of a place in the 2014 Movie World Cup final but it comes up slightly short against Bresson’s masterpiece.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
France: L'Argent	1	1	1	1	1	5
Iran: Taste of Cherry	1	0	0	1	1	3

Portugal (The Strange Case of Angelica) 4-3 South Korea (The Day He Arrives)

The liveliest encounter of this round as both films delighted with their lightness even though they covered many serious topics. The Portuguese film narrowly won due to the wonderful touch of master Manoel de Oliveira who is in control of every frame, from start to finish.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Portugal: The Strange Case of Angelica	0	1	1	1	1	4
South Korea: The Day He Arrives	1	0	1	0	1	3

Mexico (El Violin) 5-3 Chile (Tony Manero)

Revolution and Dictatorship are two aspects associated with Latin American history and appropriately the two Latin films in this match tackle these subjects head-on. The Mexican film is about a revolution in an unnamed country but it could easily be set in any Latin American nation where the military exert their authority over farmers and people living in rural areas. The dictatorship is the backdrop of Tony Manero but the film focuses on an individual who selfishly pursues his goal in ruthless ways. The Chilean film highlights in an atmosphere where people can’t trust one another, a sense of community does not exist and individuals can get away with murder because they have no attachment with anyone around them.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Mexico: El Violin	1	1	1	1	1	5
Chile: Tony Manero	1	0	1	0	1	3

As worthy are both films are, the Mexican film prevails because of its rich story which depicts how a revolution impacts three generations.

Italy (Il Posto) 5-1 Ivory Coast (Burn it up Djassa)

The Italian film is strong from start to finish in this uneven match-up but the Ivorian film manages a consolation in the cinematography category as it makes good use of handheld cameras to give a verite feel for life in the streets of Abidjan.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Italy: Il Posto	1	1	1	1	1	5
Ivory Coast:Burn it up Djassa	0	0	1	0	0	1

Argentina (Extraordinary Stories) 3-1 Switzerland (Signer’s Suitcase)

The Swiss film is the only documentary in the round of 16 and as a result, only three categories were used to pick a winner. Unlike the World Cup soccer match between these two nations, the Swiss film could not hold back the powerful Argentine entry. The Swiss doc features a creative mix of visual images spliced with music, which results in a deserved point.

Country: Film	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Argentina: Extraordinary Stories	1	1	1	3
Switzerland:Signer's Suitcase	0	0	1	1

Belgium (La Promesse) 4-2 Germany (World on a Wire)

The realism of the Dardenne brother’s film allows it to overcome Fassbinder’s creative sci-fi World on a Wire, a remarkable 1973 TV series which helped lay out the entire framework for The Matrix.

Country: Film	Acting	Story	Cinematography	Direction	Production	Score
Belgium: La Promesse	1	0	1	1	1	4
Germany:World on a Wire	0	1	1	0	0	2

Quarter-Finals:

The top 8 films of the 2014 Movie World Cup still leaves the possibility of either an all South American (Brazil vs Argentina) or European (France vs Italy) final.

Brazil (Neigboring Sounds) vs Japan (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs)

France (L’Argent) vs Portugal (The Strange Case of Angelica)

Mexico (El Violin) vs Italy (Il Posto)

Argentina (Extraordinary Stories) vs Belgium (La Promesse)

2014 Movie World Cup: Top 16

All 96 films of the 2014 Movie World Cup have been viewed and the group phase is now complete. The top 2 nations from each of the 8 groups advance to the Round of 16. Each nation's best film will take part in the Round of 16 and the winning films will move on to the Quarter-Finals.

Each nation had 3 films in the group phase with the following criteria:

Film 1: previously seen film from 2000 - 2013

The results of all Film #1 contests can be found in these 3 posts: Group A, Groups B-D, Groups E-H

Film 2: unseen film from 2000 - 2013

All the results of Film #2 contests could be found in one entry.

Film 3: film from 1960 - 2004

Film #3 could either be a previously seen film or a new film. All the results of Film #3 contests are in one entry.

The Final standings of all 8 groups, along with the head-to-head results are listed below. As per the rules, if two nations were tied with the same points, all 3 films from each nation faced-off against each other. If the nations were still tied, then a coin toss was used to pick a winner.

Group A

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
Brazil	Neigboring Sounds (2012, Kleber Mendonça Filho): W	Once Upon a Time Veronica (2012, Marcelo Gomes): L	Entranced Earth (1967, Glauber Rocha): W	6
Mexico	El Violin (2005, Francisco Vargas): W	Post Tenebras Lux(2012, Carlos Reygadas): W	Presagio (1975, Luis Alcoriza): L	6
Croatia	Buick Riviera (2009, Goran Rusinovic): L	Karaula (2006, Rajko Grlic): L	Witnesses (2003, Vinko Bresan): W	3
Cameroon	A Trip to the Country (2000, Jean-Marie Téno): L	Aristotle’s Plan (2006, Jean-Pierre Bekolo): W	Quartier Mozart (1992, Jean-Pierre Bekolo): L	3

Brazil takes first place after winning a head-to-head match with Mexico 2-1.
Brazil 2 (Film #1, #3) - Mexico 1 (Film #2)

Croatia takes 3rd place after a 2-1 win over Cameroon in a head-to-head match.
Croatia 2 (Film #1, #3) - Cameroon 1 (Film #2)

Group B

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
Chile	Tony Manero (2008, Pablo Larraín): D	Old Cats (2010, Pedro Peirano/Sebastián Silva): W	The Battle of Chile (1975-79, Patricio Guzmán): W	7
Australia	Snowtown (2011, Justin Kurzel): D	The Hunter (2011, Daniel Nettheim): L	The Last Wave (1977, Peter Weir): W	4
Holland	Borgman (2013, Alex van Warmerdam): L	The Last Days of Emma Black (2009, Alex van Warmerdam): W	The Northerners (1992, Alex van Warmerdam): L	3
Spain	In the City of Sylvia (2007, José Luis Guerín): W	Blancanieves (2012, Pablo Berger): L	The Red Squirrel (1993, Julio Medem): L	3

Holland wins 2-1 over Spain in a head-to-head.
Holland 2 (Film #2, #3) - Spain 1 (Film #1)

Group C

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
Japan	Like Father, Like Son (2013, Hirokazu Koreeda): W	Why Don’t You Play in Hell? (2013, Sion Sono): W	When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960, Mikio Naruse): W	9
Ivory Coast	Adanggaman (2000, Roger Gnoan M’Bala): L	Black Diamond (2010, Pascale Lamche): W	Burn it up Djassa (2012, Lonesome Solo): W	6
Greece	Unfair World (2011, Filippos Tsitos): W	Dos (2011, Stathis Athanasiou): L	Ghost of a Chance (2001, Vangelis Seitanidis): L	3
Colombia	Crab Trap (2009, Oscar Ruiz Navia): L	Dog Eat Dog (2008, Carlos Moreno): L	Oedipus Mayor (1996, Jorge Alí Triana): L	0

Group D

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
Italy	Le Quattro Volte (2010, Michelangelo Frammartino): W	The Great Beauty (2013, Paolo Sorrentino): W	Il Posto (1961, Ermanno Olmi): W	9
Uruguay	A Useful Life (2010, Federico Veiroj): W	Bad Day to go Fishing (2009, Álvaro Brechner): D	Whisky (2004, Juan Pablo Rebella/Pablo Stoll): L	4
Costa Rica	Cold Water of the Sea (2010, Paz Fabrega): L	Gestacion (2009, Esteban Ramírez): L	Caribe (2004, Esteban Ramírez): W	3
England	Trishna (2011, Michael Winterbottom): L	Two Years at Sea (2011, Ben Rivers): D	If...(1968, Lindsay Anderson): L	1

Group E

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
France	Holy Motors (2012, Leos Carax): W	Bastards (2013, Claire Denis): W	L'Argent (1983, Robert Bresson): W	9
Switzerland	Das Fraulein (2006, Andrea Staka): W	We Are The Faithful (2005, Michael Koch): L	Signer's Suitcase (1995, Peter Liechti): W	6
Ecuador	Crónicas (2004, Sebastián Cordero): L	Qué tan lejos (2006, Tania Hermida): W	A Titan in the Ring (2002, Viviana Cordero): L	3
Honduras	El Porvier (2008, Oscar Estrada): L	Amor y frijoles (2009, Mathew Kodath/Hernan Pereira): L	Mi Amigo Angel (1962, Sami Kafati): L	0

The standings are identical to the 2014 Soccer World Cup with the points total pretty similar. These were the points in Soccer: France (7), Swiss (6), Ecuador (4), Honduras (0).

Group F

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
Argentina	Gone Fishing (2012, Carlos Sorin): W	Extraordinary Stories (2008, Mariano Llinás): W	Invasion (1969, Hugo Santiago): W	9
Iran	This is Not a Film (2011, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb/Jafar Panahi): W	The White Meadows (2011, Mohammad Rasoulof): L	Taste of Cherry (1997, Abbas Kiarostami): W	6
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Cirkus Colombia (2010, Danis Tanovic): L	Belvedere (2010, Ahmed Imamović): W	No Man's Land (2001, Danis Tanovic): L	3
Nigeria	Without Shame (2005, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen): L	Ezra (2007, Newton I. Aduaka): L	Last Flight to Abuja (2012, Obi Emelonye): L	0

Group G

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
Portugal	The Strange Case of Angelica (2010, Manoel de Oliveira): W	Centro Histórico (2012, Pedro Costa/Manoel de Oliveira/Víctor Erice/Aki Kaurismäki): W	Ossos (1997, Pedro Costa): W	9
Germany	Everyone Else (2009, Maren Ade): L	Gerhard Richter - Painting (2011, Corinna Belz): W	World on a Wire (1973, Rainer Werner Fassbinder): W	6
USA	Blue Ruin (2013, Jeremy Saulnier): W	Blue Caprice (2013, Alexandre Moors): L	Faces (1968, John Cassavetes): L	3
Ghana	The Perfect Picture (2010, Shirley Frimpong-Manso): L	Sinking Sands (2011, Leila Djansi): L	A Sting in a Tale (2009, Shirley Frimpong-Manso): L	0

Portugal wins 2-1 over Germany in a head-to-head.
Portugal 2 (Film #1, #3) - Germany 1 (Film #2)

Group H

Country	Film #1: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #2: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Film #3: (Win, Loss, Draw)	Points
Belgium	The Referees (2009, Yves Hinant/Eric Cardot/Delphine Lehericey): W	Eldorado (2008, Bouli Lanners): W	La Promesse (1996, Jean-Pierre Dardenne/Luc Dardenne): W	9
South Korea	In Another Country (2012, Hong Sang-soo): D	The Day He Arrives (2011, Hong Sang-soo): W	The Housemaid (1960, Ki-young Kim): L	4
Russia	Alexandra (2007, Aleksandr Sokurov): D	The Edge (2010, Aleksey Uchitel): L	Stalker (1979, Andrei Tarkovsky): W	4
Algeria	Rachida (2002, Yamina Bachir): L	Outside the Law (2010, Rachid Bouchareb): L	Daughters of Keltoum (2001, Mehdi Charef): L	0

Both Russia and South Korea tied 2-2 after the head-to-head.
Film #1 was tied for both countries, South Korea had a 1-0 win for Film #2 while Russia won 1-0 for Film #3.

A coin toss was used to pick a winner. South Korea won, thereby eliminating The Russian film Stalker, a major candidate for the 2014 Movie World title.

Round of 16

The draw for Round of 16 matches is identical to the Soccer World Cup, meaning Winner of Group A meets the Group B runner-up. The following are the 16 films deemed to be each nation’s best chance to win the title.

Brazil (Neighboring Sounds) vs Australia (Snowtown)

Japan (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs) vs Uruguay (A Useful Life)

France (L’Argent) vs Iran (Taste of Cherry)

Portugal (The Strange Case of Angelica) vs South Korea (The Day He Arrives)

Mexico (El Violin) vs Chile (Tony Manero)

Italy (Il Posto) vs Ivory Coast (Burn it up Djassa)

Argentina (Extraordinary Stories) vs Switzerland (Signer’s Suitcase)

Belgium (La Promesse) vs Germany (World on a Wire)

An excellent line-up of films which will make for some enjoyable comparisons. However, looking ahead, the Quarter-Finals will have some fierce contests with very little to choose between the various films.

Soccer vs Film

The following 9 nations made it to the Second Round for both the Soccer and Movie World Cup:

Brazil, Uruguay, France, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany.

Incredibly, there is an identical match-up in both Soccer and Movie World Cup:

Argentina vs Switzerland.

2014 Movie World Cup: Round 3

Film #3 match-ups of the 8 groups concludes the viewing of all 96 films of the 2014 Movie World Cup.

Group A

Brazil (Entranced Earth) 1-0 Cameroon (Quartier Mozart)

This turned out to be an energetic match-up as both films depicted plenty of rapid movement and pace to leave one scratching their head. Glauber Rocha’s Entranced Earth makes up a lot of ground depicting politics from grassroots all the way up to the presidential level. Jean-Pierre Bekolo’s Quartier Mozart tackles witchcraft in quite a creative way, which is appropriate considering witchcraft is mentioned every time Cameroon’s soccer team plays at the World Cup. In the end, the Brazilian film is able to sustain its energy throughout its entire duration, resulting in a comfortable 1-0 win.

Croatia (Witnesses) 1-0 Mexico (Presagio)

A lackluster contest doesn’t provide the creative spark that was expected. The Mexican film, based on a short story by Gabriel García Márquez, has an engaging apocalyptic end-of-world premise but the production values let it down. The Croatian film uses multiple viewpoints to show a murder and has plenty of potential but runs out of steam over its 90 minutes duration. Still, Croatia registers a 1-0 win.

Group B

Spain (The Red Squirrel) 0-1 Australia (The Last Wave)

Time plays a big part in weakening the Spanish film’s chances while strengthening the Australian film. Julio Medem’s The Red Squirrel shows all the traits of a Pedro Almodóvar film, from the mystery to the heightened music and as a result feels unoriginal. The film might have been a welcome sight in 1993 but after seeing Almodóvar perfect his style over the last two decades, Medem’s film doesn’t stand a chance. On the other hand, Peter Weir’s The Last Wave manages to anticipate the end-of-world signs that Take Shelter showed or the Biblical path that Magnolia took. However, Weir’s film is rooted firmly in Australian territory as the film centers around Aboriginals and their rituals contrasted against the larger Australian society.

Holland (The Northerners) 0-1 Chile (The Battle of Chile, part I)

Going all the way back to 1992 proved to be helpful to experience Alex van Warmerdam’s developmental arc with regards to his dark comedies about urban middle-class Dutch society. One can see the origins of his sharp and relevant observations which he perfects in his subsequent films. However, the Dutch film does not offer much resistance to Patricio Guzmán’s remarkable verite documentary The Battle of Chile which shows the ground view in the aftermath of the 1973 military coup.

Group C

Colombia (Oedipus Mayor) 0-1 Japan (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs)

The Colombian film is an intriguing work based on a story by Gabriel García Márquez, the second film based on one of his stories in this Movie World Cup. Oedipus Mayor transports the Greek tale of Oedipus Rex to a Colombian town setting and unfolds a mythical tale of murder one layer at a time. However, the Colombian film easily falls to Mikio Naruse’s excellent Japanese film. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs depicts one woman’s attempts to carve out a respectable living by wanting to buy her own bar in a male dominated world. Despite being made in 1960, the film is timeless in showing the perceptions society puts on women compared to men.

Greece (Ghost of a Chance) 0-1 Ivory Coast (Burn it up Djassa)

In the Soccer World Cup, Greece stole a last minute win over Ivory Coast to advance to the round of 16. It was one of the most unfair decisions at the 2014 Soccer World Cup as there was no foul for which Greece was awarded a gift of a penalty. However, no such gift takes place in the Movie World Cup as the Ivorian film easily wins this contest.

Burn it up Djassa tells the story of three siblings, two brothers and one sister, in the dangerous Wassakara neighborhood of Abidjan. One of the brother is a cop but the other brother sells cigarettes and fancies making a quick buck by playing cards. The sister secretly works as a prostitute. Given their choices, it is a not a surprise that fate ends up setting them on a collision course. That is not before the film gives a good look at the neighborhood life, aided by a narrator, with long takes that allows one to get a feel for life on the streets. An engaging effort made on a low budget but with plenty of talent and heart.

Ghost of a Chance is set around a casino with two characters who dream of beating the system and making money. The complication comes in the face of a dealer in the casino, who happens to be the daughter of one of the men and wants nothing to do with her father. As chance would have it, the father’s partner falls for the dealer. There are some moments which inject life into the film but not enough to overtake the Ivorian film.

Group D

Uruguay (Whisky) 0-1 Italy (Il Posto)

No repeat of the Soccer World Cup result in this movie match as Il Posto overpowers the wonderful Whisky. The Italian film abstracts fears of exams and job interviews in such a manner that the 1961 feature is still applicable. The Italian film is a strong contender for the 2014 Movie World Cup title.

Costa Rica (Caribe) 1-0 England (If...)

On paper, this appeared to be a mismatch as a relatively unknown film from Costa Rica was pitted against such a well known English film that has gotten a Criterion DVD release. But as the Soccer World Cup showed, Costa Rica should not be underestimated. Even though this Movie World has not been a happy ground for Costa Rica, Caribe is full worth for its 3 point victory. Caribe highlights the important issue of how oil drilling and explorations can impact a paradise. On the other hand, If... (1968) feels dated as many other college films have superseded its impact such as Dead Poets Society over the last few decades.

Group E

Switzerland (Signer’s Suitcase) 1-0 Honduras (Mi Amigo Angel)

Sami Kafati’s Mi Amigo Angel is regarded as the first Honduras film and is quite an achievement. The black and white film falls under the neo-realist category and can be easily seen as a cousin to Luis Buñuel’s early Mexican films. Unfortunately, Peter Liechti’s Swiss film is an enthralling road film packed with thought-provoking ideas and memorable images garnished with some deadpan humor. As a result, the Swiss film takes all 3 points.

Ecuador (A Titan in the Ring) 0-1 France (L’Argent)

France have gotten a third straight mismatch as Robert Bresson’s L’Argent easily prevails over Viviana Cordero’s A Titan in the Ring.

Group F

Argentina (Invasion) 1-0 Nigeria (Last Flight to Abuja)

Hugo Santiago’s Invasion is a remarkable film, written by Jorge Luis Borges and Adolfo Bioy Casares, that meshes Orwell’s 1984, Godard’s Alphaville and Latin American revolutionary ideas with noirish visuals. It is even more remarkable that this film is not that well known and has not gotten a wider English release DVD that it deserves.

Last Flight to Abuja is a Nigerian co-production that is much more polished than the average Nollywood film. It incorporates many elements from Nollywood movies such as romance and an affair but bases its drama in an airplane thereby drawing attention to a real life plane incident in Nigeria. Despite all the positive work by the Nigerian entry, the Argentine film is too strong in every department.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (No Man’s Land) 0-1 Iran (Taste of Cherry)

Abbas Kiarostami’s film easily overcomes Danis Tanovic’s worthy award winning No Man’s Land.

Group G

Germany (World on a Wire) 1-0 USA (Faces)

This was the closest contest of all the Film #3 match-ups and brought a clash of two film giants, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and John Cassavetes. But by a narrow margin, the German film edges for a win, repeating the same score as their 2014 Soccer World Cup encounter.

Portugal (Ossos) 1-0 Ghana (A Sting in a Tale)

A complete mismatch as Pedro Costa’s film easily walks away with all the points. However, A Sting in a Tale is the best of the three Shirley Frimpong-Manso films I have seen to date and would have fared much better against another film.

Group H

Belgium (La Promesse) 1-0 South Korea (The Housemaid)

Kim Ki-young’s 1960 film The Housemaid is an excellent film that is ahead of its time in many ways, especially regarding the twist ending and a character addressing the camera. But unfortunately, it cannot overcome the Dardennes.

Algeria (Daughters of Keltoum) 0-1 Russia (Stalker)

Tarkovsky’s Stalker is one of the best films to have been viewed in this Movie World Cup. An instant classic which defeats a very good Algerian entry.