MONGOLIA CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Mongolia Cinema)

Under the Eternal Blue Sky 9 / Photo Credit: Bitrix Studio - Devian Art

MONGOLIA CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Mongolia Cinema)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

Mongolia Cinema

The cinema of Mongolia has been strongly influenced by the cinema of Russia, which differentiates it from cinematic developments in the rest of Asia.

Mongolian Culture

The Culture of Mongolia has been heavily influenced by the Mongol nomadic way of life. Other important influences are from Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism, and from China. Since the 20th century, Russian and, via Russia, European cultures have had a strong effect on Mongolia.

In socialist times, movies were treated as a propaganda instrument by the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party. The first topics were popular legends and revolutionary heroes like in Sükhbaatar. In the 1950s, the focus shifted to working class heroes, as in New Year. The 1970s saw many documentaries and everyday life stories as in The Clear Tamir.

After democratization, film makers turned to international partners for support, as in the Japanese-Mongolian co-production Genghis Khan. Independent directors like Dorjkhandyn Turmunkh and Byambasuren Davaa created movies that connected ancient traditions and mythology, and how they may relate to life in a modern world. Byambasuren's The Story of the Weeping Camel was nominated for an Academy Award as foreign documentary in 2005.

History

It is assumed that the first cinematographic performances in Mongolia happened between 1903 and 1913, as private events for the prince Tögs-Ochiryn Namnansüren and the Jebtsundamba in the capital Urga.

Cinema, the miracle of the 20th century, came to Mongolia in the 1910s. First movies were shown in the capital city, at the American Consulate and Russian Stock Exchange's hotel. In 1913 the Mongolian prince Namnansuren is known to have brought some films from Russia to show at the residence of the Bogd Khan. After the revolution of 1921, films and film equipment were purchased and film students trained in Russia.

Thus Mongolian people acquired access to cinema. At that time, cinema in Mongolia was called "Shadow show,", and it was free of charge until the first cinema theatre "Ard" was built in the 1930s. In 1935, under the decision of the Council of Ministers, a movie production company "Mongol kino" was set up with Soviet assistance.  

The first production of the company was a documentary "74th Celebration of the 1st of May." In 1936, the first feature movie was created with the technical assistance of the Soviet "Lenfilm".

Mongolia's first movie directors, cameramen, editors and other personnel were trained on the job by professionals from the Soviet Union.

In 1938 Mongolians independently made "Norjmaa's Way" and then "Wolves" in 1939. Movies directed by the famous Mongolian film director D.Jigjid, such as "Tsogt taij" (1945), "People's messenger" (1959), "Flood," "Son-in-law," and others have become classics of Mongolian cinema.

After the socialist revolution, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party decided in its fifth congress of 1925 to use movies as an instrument of mass education. From 1926 on, mobile projection facilities would regularly show Soviet films to the Mongolian people. The first permanent cinema "Ard" (ард, people) opened in the capital (now named Ulaanbaatar) in 1934. Eventually, every aimag center would have fixed cinemas, and every sums of Mongolia or negdel would have a mobile cinema. In the 1990s, many cinemas, fixed and mobile alike, closed down or reduced activities.

Mongol Kino

The national film studios, Mongol Kino, were founded in 1935, with Soviet technical assistance. Their first productions were a documentary on the "47th anniversary of the 1st May" and a fictional story named A Mongol son (Mongol Khüü) directed by the Russian Ilya Trauberg and Mongolian Demberel Baldan. The first Mongolian-directed movie was the black-and-white short feature Norjmaa's Destiny (Norjmaagiin Zam) by Baldan in 1938.

From then on, the Mongolian movie production focused around heroic revolutionary propaganda and ancient popular legends, still often under Russian direction. This program was very successful with movies like Sükhbaatar (1942) and Tsogt Taij (1945). The studios of Mongol Kino also produced documentaries and current news reports.

1950s and 1960s

After World War II, the party moved the focus on working-class heroes, reflected in movies like New Year (Shine Jil, 1954) by Tseveeny Zandraa. Examples of this genre are Awakening (Serelt, 1957) by S. Genden and The Rejected Girl (Gologdson khüükhen) by Dendevyn Chimid-Osor. In 1955, the first musical comedy appeared, which started a trend that continued into the 1960s. The first color movie was The Golden Yurt (Altan Örgöö, 1961), based on a folktale. It was produced in cooperation with the East German DEFA studios. The music of the film, written by L. Mördorj, was played and recorded by the GDR Radio orchestra and became a classic of the Mongolian symphony. As a fairy tale film, it is rich with match moving and other special effects of cinematography.

1970s and 1980s

While the production of documentaries increased, the fictional stories turned to everyday life in the 1970s. One of the most famous movies of that time, The Crystal Clear Tamir River (Tungalag Tamir, 1970) by Ravjagiin Dorjpalam, based on the novel by Chadraabalyn Lodoidamba, is however set during Mongolia's 1921 revolution. Other well-known productions were "The Legend of the Mother Oasis" ("Ehe Bürdiin domog"), made in 1976 by Gombojav Jigjidsuren (Гомбожавын Жигжидсүрэн) and Jamyangiin Buntar (Жамъяангийн Бунтар), and The Five Colors of the Rainbow (Solongiin tavan öngö) in 1979. The Leading Wrestler Garuda (Garid Magnai, 1983) by Jamyangiin Buntar marks a turning point, where the authors liberate themselves from the existing power structures.

1990s and 2000s

After the introduction of the market economy, most mobile and permanent cinemas closed down. Mongolian productions had to seek partners outside of the former COMECON. However, some young filmmakers of the transformation period, such as N. Gankhuyag, B. Uranchimeg, J. Binder, made domestic success films.

The movie "Genghis Khan, Under Power of the Eternal Sky", starring Enkhtaivan Agvaantseren was the first Mongolian-Japanese co-production. State of Dogs (Nokhoin Oron, 1998) was written and directed collaboratively by the Belgian Peter Brosens and the Mongolian Dorjkhandyn Turmunkh.

The director Byambasuren Davaa has had international success with the German-Mongolian co-productions The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003, nominated for an Academy Award as a foreign documentary in 2005) and The Cave of the Yellow Dog (2005).

Elsnii Nuudel (Mongolian: Элсний нүүдэл, movement of sand), was a successful movie produced for the domestic market in 2007. Later known films are Iim negen durlal, Goyoliin Daashinz, etc.

The 2008 historical film A Pearl in the Forest (Mongolian: Мойлхон) by director Enkhtaivan Agvaantseren is one of the first films to openly talk about events of the 1930s and the impact of the rise of Soviet communism on Mongolia. It is also one of the first films intended to present the history of the Buryats, one of the ethnic groups present in Mongolia.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Entertainment Careers, Adhere Creative, In Deed, Glass Door, Pay Scale, Merriam-Webster, Job Monkey, Studio Binder, The Collective, Production Hub, The Producer's Business Handbook by John J. Lee Jr., The Culture Trip, Report on the history of cinemas in Uvs and Bayan-Gigi, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Legend Tours, Discover Mongolia, The Guardian,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

NORTH KOREAN CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of North Korean Cinema)

Purgatorio detail of a mural at the Pyongyang Film Studios / Photo Credit: Vanity Fair Pyongyang Film Studio

NORTH KOREAN CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of North Korean Cinema)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

North Korean Cinema

Because of the isolated nature of the country, information—particularly unbiased information—on North Korean cinema is difficult to find. Outsider appraisal of North Korean cinema is often condescending, while statements from official North Korean sources include claims like, "In recent years our film art has created an unprecedented sensation in the world's filmdom... The revolutionary people of the world are unstinting in their praise of this feature film and other monumental works, calling them 'the first-class films by international standards', 'the most wonderful movies ever produced' and 'immortal revolutionary and popular films'."

Following the creation of the DPRK in 1945, one of the first actions of Supreme Leader (Kim Il-Sung – Jong-Il’s father) was to create a film studio in Pyongyang under Soviet guidance, following Lenin’s precept that cinema, necessitating no literacy to be enjoyed, was “the most important of all the arts” in a socialist revolution.

There are no independent films in North Korea: the state controls all production and distribution. Attendance by the people is compulsory and audiences are quizzed about each film’s lesson after the screening. The state studio’s first film, a drama titled My Home Village, featured Kim’s men as heroic liberators of the nation from foreign oppressors, and laid the groundwork for North Korea’s self-aggrandising narrative as we know it today.

Film studios

North Korea's principal producer of feature films is the Korean Film Studio, a state-run studio founded in 1947 and located outside of Pyongyang. Other North Korean film studios include the Korean Documentary Film Studio (founded in 1946), the April 25 Film Studio of the Korean People's Army (founded in 1959 and previously known as the February 8 Cinema Studio) and the Korean Science and Educational Film Studio (founded in 1953 and also known as the April 26 Children's Film Production House, and Science Educational Korea, or SEK.) These studios produce feature films, documentaries, animated films, children's films and science films. According to a report from 1992, the Korean Feature Film Studio produced about forty films per year, while the other studios together accounted for another forty.

In addition to animation for the North Korean domestic market, SEK has become a resource for international animation, including some well-known American animated films. Production costs in North Korea are very low, and the quality of animators is well perceived. SEK has done work on such productions as Mondo TV's animated series Pocahontas and King Lion Simba (not the Walt Disney feature films), the science fiction epic Light Years, and Empress Chung.

North Korean leader Kim Il-sung believed in Lenin's maxim: "Cinema is the most important of all arts."  Accordingly, since the country's division, North Korean films have often been used as vehicles for instilling government ideology into the people. A common theme is martyrdom for the nation. The film Fate of a Self-defense Corps Member, based on a novel written by Kim Il-sung during the fight against the Japanese occupation reflects this theme, as does the highly regarded film, Sea of Blood (1969). The latter film comes from a novel telling the story of a woman farmer who becomes a national heroine by fighting the Japanese.

Another favorite theme is the happiness of the current society. This theme can be seen reflected in titles of feature films like A Family of Workers, A Flowering Village, Rolling Mill Workers, When Apples Are Picked and Girls at a Port. All of these films were awarded the People's Prize before 1974.

Film production estimates

The number of films produced in North Korea is difficult to determine. In 1992, Asiaweek reported that the country produced about 80 films annually, and a BBC report in 2001 indicated that North Korea was then producing about 60 films a year. In spite of these claims, Johannes Schönherr, an attendee of the 2000 Pyongyang International Film Festival, found little evidence for actual films or titles. He notes that the country offered only one domestic feature and one documentary at their most high-profile film festival, and suggests that the high number of reported films includes short films, cartoons, and short installments of long-running series. He also cites a 1998 North Korean pamphlet containing a list of films which had been made in the country up to 1998. This gives a total of 259 titles, and indicates that the 1980s were the most prolific decade with about 15 to 20 films made yearly.

The British Film Institute Sight & Sound magazine reported that an average of 20 films per year were made from the 1960s to the early 1990s. However, in the economic hard times following the collapse of the Soviet Union film production reduced, and from 2000 to 2009 only about 5 films per year were made.

Film festivals

The Pyongyang International Film Festival, established in 1987 and broadened in scope in 2002, is now held every two years. 

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Entertainment Careers, Adhere Creative, In Deed, Glass Door, Pay Scale, Merriam-Webster, Job Monkey, Studio Binder, The Collective, Production Hub, The Producer's Business Handbook by John J. Lee Jr., The Culture Trip, Korean Review. Pyongyang, North Korea: Foreign Languages Publishing House, Schönherr, Johannes (2007). "14. A Permanent State of War: A Short History of North Korean Cinema", James Bell (January 2009). "In a lonely place: North Korea's Pyongyang International Film Festival", Short List, North Korean Films,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

SRI LANKAN CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Sri Lankan Cinema)

Working in a Tea Garden (Ceylon) Sri Lanka 1890s / Photo Credit: Pinterest

SRI LANKAN CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Sri Lankan Cinema)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

Sri Lankan Cinema

Film & Cinema in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a cultural country, which prides itself in its film industry. Home to many acclaimed filmmakers and directors, many works of cinematography have received several awards and accolades.

The island of Sri Lanka, influenced heavily by Buddhism and Hinduism and home to tropical forests, spices and gemstones, and a wealth of endemic flora and fauna, sits in the Indian Ocean off the southern coast of India. Also living on the island are Sri Lankan Muslims, Burghers, Malays, Kaffirs, Veddas, Tamils and the Sinhalese.

Not unlike many other parts of the world, towards the end of the 19th century Sri Lanka was introduced to the moving image in the spirit of the fin de siècle. The first official film screening happened in 1901, and in 1903, photographer A.W.A. Andree, of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, was the first Ceylonese to form a local film company – Coric Bioscope. Having acquired a projector from abroad and gained access to an auditorium, he began to screen silent films from Europe. A strong Euro-Ceylonese presence began to dominate Sri Lanka’s cinema, with Andreas Van Starrex, from a family of mixed Dutch-Sinhala origins, producing the first mobile cinema, bringing a whole new experience to early Sri Lankan cinema audiences.

Later, Jamshedji Framji Madan, an Indian theatre and film producer, distributor and exhibitor, began building cinemas and by the 1930s he owned an expansive network of cinemas and distribution outlets through his company Madan Theatres Ltd. These venues predominantly screened Indian films and in doing so took some of the focus away from imported European films. Through the 1920s and 1930s, with technological advancements being made in the West, namely the invention of sound films, there was a growing interest in US films – in the absence of local productions, Indian and American films dominated Sri Lanka’s cinemas. It wasn’t until the late 1940s that Sri Lankan cinema made its first mark.

Even through, Sri Lanka was introduced to the films early on in the 19th century by the British occupants, it was only in 1947 prior to the Independence of Sri Lanka that a Sinhala film was produce and shown.  Cinema became an integral part of the society with Warwick Major taking measure to screen films and shortly after in 1903, the first permanent theatre, named Madan Theatre was premiered.  The first film to have been made in Sri Lanka was “Rajakeeya Wickremaya” – “Royal Adventure” which starred the likes of Dr. N.M Perera but was screened in India and Singapore alone. However, it was only in 1933, that a Sri Lankan film called “Paliganeema – The Revenge” was screened in Colombo. This marked a new era for the industry.

The industry has blossomed since 1933, whereby 1947 marked the debut of the first film produced by a Sri Lankan called “Kadawunu Poronduwa”, which directly translates to “The Broken Promise”. Most of these works are based on Sinhala literature with controversial themes such as family relations, terrorism, abortions and angst. Following the debut of Sinhala cinema the then Ceylon, Sri Lanka evolved into a master of fine literary films.

Furthermore, when talking of the film industry in Sri Lanka, Dr. Lester James Peries cannot go unmentioned. Possibly the most prestigious and influential filmmaker in the country, Dr. Lester James Peries was the first to reach for the stars and achieve global acclaim. With many awards to his name, he was first Sri Lankan to achieve the prestigious awards of Diploma of Honour at the Venice Film Festival for his film "Conquest In the Dry Zone" in 1954, the Silver Lion of St. Mark at the Venice International Film Festival in 1972 which also received a Diploma of Honour at the London Film Festival. Another acclaimed budding filmmaker is Vimukthi Jayasundara., who’s “Sulanda Enu Pinisa”- “The Forsaken Land” won the prestigious award of Best Film at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005. Another filmmaker full of promise is Jackson Anthony who debuted his epic historical film “Aba” in 2008, which was set down in the history of Sinhala cinema as one of the most expensively produced film, grossing a total expenditure of 60 million rupees.

With blossoming filmmakers such as Vimukthi Jayasundara & Jackson Anthony and film veterans’ such as Dr. Lester James Peries, Asoka Handagama, Prasanna Vithanage and the likes, the future Sri Lanka film industry is expected to be promising and bountiful.

Sri Lankan cinema encompasses the films made in Sri Lanka. It is a fledgling industry that has struggled to find a footing since its inauguration in 1947 with Kadawunu Poronduwa produced by S.M. Nayagam of Chitra Kala Movietone. Sri Lankan films are usually made in the Sinhalese language, as well as in Tamil Language.

In the first nine years most films were made in South India and followed the conventions of Indian cinema. Studio shooting was the norm, with Indian style sets erected in film studios. Even though it is popularly held that Rekava, made in 1956 by pioneer director Lester James Peries, was the first Sinhala film to be shot completely out of studio, it was really the film "Gambada Sundari", starring Kingsley Jayasekera and Sheela Peiris in 1950, which was the first film shot outside studios. It was also the first Sri Lankan film where, like in "Rekawa", the dialog was recorded on the spot. This was because the film was shot on 16mm, using an Auricon sound-on-film camera which recorded the sound on the 16mm film optically, unlike in the case of where the sound was recorded on a Kinevox 35mm magnetic recorder. The film was later 'blown-up' to 35mm and was screened in Colombo in 1950.

Though "Rekawa" was acclaimed by local and international critics, the film failed to find an audience in the country and was a box office failure. Films continued to follow formulaic storylines borrowed from India up through the early 1960s despite such efforts as Sandesaya and Kurulu Bedda.

In 1964, Lester James Peries again contributed to the development of Sri Lankan cinema with Gamperaliya which was the first Sinhala film to feature no songs and like Rekava shot completely outside the studio. It garnered massive praise for portraying Sinhala culture in a realistic manner and was hailed by critics and audiences alike. The producer Anton Wicremasinghe was awarded the Silver Peacock at the New Delhi International Film Festival for Gamperaliya. Following this breakthrough, several artistic Sinhala films were made in the late-1960s including Sath Samudura by professor Siri Gunasinghe, ably supported by exquisite cinematography by Dr.D.B. Nihalsinghe.

During the 1970s several talents came to the forefront while commercial cinema continued to steal storylines and plots from Indian films. These include Dr. D.B. Nihalsingha with "Weilkatara"- Sri Lanka's first film in Cinemascope ratio wide screen in 1972; Vasantha Obeysekera who followed up his well-received debut Ves Gatho with a slew of successful films culminating with Palangetiyo in 1979. Another major director who stepped forward during this time is Dharmasena Pathiraja who examined the tensions of city youth in such works as Bambaru Awith and Ahas Gauwa. Artist and poet Mahagama Sekera's sole film Thun Man Handiya is also an important film in Sri Lankan cinema released in 1970. Sumitra Peries, the wife of Lester James Peries, also struck out during the 1970s with work that looked at the conflicting roles of women in society. Her work include Gehenu Lamai and Ganga Addara.

Over the next few decades, artists such as Tissa Abeysekara, Chandran Rutnam, Dr. D.B. Nihalsingha, Udayakantha Warnasooriya, H.D.Premaratne, Ashoka Handagama, Prasanna Vithanage and Vimukthi Jayasundara have attempted to breathe new life into the industry. Nihalsingha was an accomplished cinematographer as well as an editor: so his films has an input which was special and brought a viewpoint to all his films, most of which focused on the exploited women.

Vithanage's film Purahanda Kaluwara is widely considered one of the best movies made in Sri Lanka as is Jayasundara's Sulanga Enu Pinisa which won the coveted Camera d'Or for best first film at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.

During Sri Lankan Civil War several films have begun to tackle gritty subjects such as family relationships, abortion and results of the conflict between the military and brutal Tamil Tigers in the north. Director Asoka Handagama especially has drawn criticism for pursuing such material in his work.

In the recent years high budget films like Aloko Udapadi, Aba (film) and Maharaja Gemunu based on Sinhalese epic historical stories gain huge success.

National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka, http://www.nfc.gov.lk/

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Entertainment Careers, Adhere Creative, In Deed, Glass Door, Pay Scale, Merriam-Webster, Job Monkey, Studio Binder, The Collective, Production Hub, The Producer's Business Handbook by John J. Lee Jr., The Culture Trip, Film Museum, Truly Sri Lanka, Slide Share, National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka, http://www.nfc.gov.lk/,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

POLISH CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Polish Cinema)

Garden of Wilanów Palace, Warsaw, Poland / Photo Credit: Pinterest - Basil Orlando

POLISH CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Polish Cinema)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

Polish Cinema

Polish Film Commission

Film Commission Poland coordinates the efforts to promote the Polish film industry and shooting locations on the international market. Thanks to a comprehensive database, up-to-date records from the film sector and close cooperation with the network of 7 regional film commissions, FCP is the first contact point for filmmakers interested in making a film in Poland and working with Polish partners.

Objective

To highlight Poland as a shooting destination and promote Polish film industry abroad.

 http://filmcommissionpoland.pl/

The history of cinema in Poland is almost as long as history of cinematography, and it has universal achievements, even though Polish movies tend to be less commercially available than movies from several other European nations.

1894

The history of the Polish cinematography began along with the invention of Pleograph by Kazimierz Prószyński. It was a kind of cinematic apparatus and it had been invented a year before the invention of cinematograph by the Lumiére brothers.

1908

In this year the first Polish film was created. The title of this film was "Prussian culture" and it presented the story of fighting with Polishness in Poland under the Prussian rule. This film lasted 8 minutes.

1918–1945

When Poland regained its independence (after Prussian, Austrian and Russian rules), the cinematography started to develop. Films, which were created, presented mostly Polish historical facts. For example, there was made a film "Miracle at the Vistula" telling about very important Polish war in 1920.

1939 - 1945 (World War II)

During World War II, Poland was invaded by the Nazi Germany and the Polish cinema industry stopped to develop. There were only some people who filmed military operations and took photos. These things were used in later films after the war.

1945 - 1955

Polish cinematography was developing well. There were a lot of film directors, such as Andrzej Munk, Wojciech Jerzy Has and Andrzej Wajda.

1947

Cartoons Studio in Bielsko-Biala was established. Thereby cartoon production started. Cartoons such as "Reksio" or "Bolek and Lolek" (a screen from this cartoon in the picture above) are very popular among children, even nowadays in Poland and in other countries as well.

1948

National Film School in Łódź was established. This event helped Polish cinematography to develop.

1960

One of the most cult Polish films was created. The title of this film was "Knights of the Teutonic Order" and it told the story of the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic war and the final Battle of Grunwald in 1410.

1980s and 1990s

In those days there was the era of so-called 'popular cinema'. Films such as "Vabank" (a screen from this film in the picture above), "Vabank II" and 'Kiler' (kind of comedies) were made. One of the most cult Polish film directors those days was Jerzy Machulski.

The turn of the century

Film adaptations of cult Polish works of literature, such as "Quo Vadis" (a screen from this film in the picture above), "Pan Tadeusz", "With Fire and Sword" written by Henryk Sienkiewicz and "The Revenge" written by Aleksander Fredro were made.

The turn of the 21st century

In 2005 Polish Film Institute was established, which supports film productions in Poland. Films which gained recognition not only in Poland, such as: "Tricks", "Katyń", "Rose" and "Ida" (poster in the picture above) were made.

After World War II, the communist government built an auteur based national cinema, trained hundreds of new directors and empowered them to make films. Filmmakers like Roman Polanski, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Agnieszka Holland, Andrzej Wajda, Andrzej Żuławski, Andrzej Munk, and Jerzy Skolimowski impacted the development of Polish filmmaking. In more recent years, the industry has been producer-led with finance being the key to a film being made, and with a large number of independent filmmakers of all genres, Polish productions tend to be more inspired by American film.

Early history

The first cinema in Poland (then occupied by the Russian Empire) was founded in Łódź in 1899, several years after the invention of the Cinematograph. Initially dubbed Living Pictures Theatre, it gained much popularity and by the end of the next decade there were cinemas in almost every major town of Poland. Arguably the first Polish filmmaker was Kazimierz Prószyński, who filmed various short documentaries in Warsaw. His Pleograph film camera had been patented before the Lumière brothers' invention and he is credited as the author of the earliest surviving Polish documentary titled Ślizgawka w Łazienkach (Skating-rink in the Royal Baths), as well as the first short narrative films Powrót birbanta (Rake's return home) and Przygoda dorożkarza (Cabman's Adventure), both created in 1902. Another pioneer of cinema was Bolesław Matuszewski, who became one of the first filmmakers working for the Lumière Company - and the official "cinematographer" of the Russian tsars in 1897.

The earliest surviving feature film, the Antoś pierwszy raz w Warszawie (Antoś for the First Time in Warsaw) was made in 1908 by Antoni Fertner. The date of its première, October 22, 1908, is considered the founding date of Polish film industry. Soon Polish artists started experimenting with other genres of cinema: in 1910 Władysław Starewicz made one of the first animated cartoons in the world - and the first to use the stop motion technique, the Piękna Lukanida (Beautiful Lukanida). By the start of World War I the cinema in Poland was already in full swing, with numerous adaptations of major works of Polish literature screened (notably the Dzieje grzechu, Meir Ezofowicz and Nad Niemnem.

During the World War I the Polish cinema crossed borders. Films made in Warsaw or Vilna were often rebranded with German language intertitles and shown in Berlin. That was how a young actress Pola Negri (born Barbara Apolonia Chałupiec) gained fame in Germany and eventually became one of the European super-stars of silent film.

During the World War II Polish filmmakers in Great Britain created anti-Nazi color film Calling Mr. Smith (1943) about current Nazi crimes in occupied Europe and about lies of Nazi propaganda. It was one of the first anti-Nazi films in history being both avant-garde and documentary film.

After WWII

In November 1945 the communist government founded the film production and distribution organization Film Polski, and put the well-known Polish People's Army filmmaker Aleksander Ford in charge. Starting with a few railway carriages full of film equipment taken from the Germans they proceed to train and build a Polish film industry. The FP output was limited; only thirteen features were released between 1947 and its dissolution in 1952, concentrating on Polish suffering at the hands of the Nazis. In 1947 Ford moved to help establish the new National Film School in Łódź, where he taught for 20 years.

The industry used imported cameras and film stocks. At first ORWO black and white film stock from East Germany and then Eastman color negative stock and ORWO print stocks for rushes and release prints. Poland made its own lighting equipment. Because of the high costs of film stock Polish films were shot with very low shooting ratios, the amount of film stock used in shooting the film to length of the finished film. The equipment and film stock were not the best and budgets were modest but the film makers received probably the best training in the world from the Polish Film School. Another advantage was that as Film Polski was a state organization film makers had access to all Polish institutions and their cooperation in making their films. Film cameras were able to enter almost every aspect of Polish life.

The first film produced in Poland following the World War II was Zakazane piosenki (1946), directed by Leonard Buczkowski, which was seen by 10.8 million people (out of 23,8 total population) in its initial theatrical run. Buczkowski continued to make films regularly until his death in 1967. Other important films of early post-World War II period were The Last Stage (1948), directed by Wanda Jakubowska, who continued to make films until the transition from communism to capitalism in 1989, and Border Street (1949), directed by Aleksander Ford.

By the mid-1950s, following the end of Stalinism in Poland, Film production was organized into film groups. A film group was a collection of film makers, led by an experienced film director and consisting of writers, film directors and production managers. They would write scripts, create budgets, apply for funding off the Ministry of Culture and produce the picture. They would hire actors and crew, and use studios and laboratories controlled by Film Polski.

The change in political climate gave rise to the Polish Film School movement, a training ground for some of the icons of the world cinematography, e.g., Roman Polanski (Knife in the Water, Rosemary's Baby, Frantic, The Pianist) and Krzysztof Zanussi (a leading director of the so-called cinema of moral anxiety of the 1970s). Andrzej Wajda's films offer insightful analyses of the universal element of the Polish experience - the struggle to maintain dignity under the most trying circumstances. His films defined several Polish generations. In 2000, Wajda was awarded an honorary Oscar for his overall contribution to cinema. Four of his films were nominated for Best Foreign Language Film award at Academy Awards with five other Polish directors receiving one nomination each: Roman Polański, Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Jerzy Hoffman, Jerzy Antczak and Agnieszka Holland. In 2015, Polish filmmaker Paweł Pawlikowski received this award for his film Ida.

It is also important to note that during the 80's, the People's Republic of Poland instituted the martial law to vanquish and censor all forms of opposition against the communist rule of the nation, including outlets such as cinema and radio. A notable film to have emerged during this period was Ryszard Bugajski's 1982 film Interrogation (Przesluchanie), which depicts the story of an unfortunate woman (played by Krystyna Janda) who is arrested and tortured by the secret police into confessing a crime she knows nothing about. The anti-communist nature of the film brought about the film's over seven-year ban. In 1989, the ban was repealed after the overthrow of the Communist government in Poland, and the film was shown in theaters for the first time later that year. The film is still lauded today for its audacity in depicting the cruelty of the Stalinist regime, as many artists feared persecution during that time.

In the 1990s, Krzysztof Kieślowski won a universal acclaim with productions such as Dekalog (made for television), The Double Life of Véronique and the Three Colors trilogy. Another of the most famous movies in Poland is Krzysztof Krauze’s The Debt, which became a blockbuster. It showed the brutal reality of Polish capitalism and the growth of poverty. A considerable number of Polish film directors (e.g., Agnieszka Holland and Janusz Kamiński) have worked in American studios. Polish animated films - like those by Jan Lenica and Zbigniew Rybczyński (Oscar, 1983) - drew on a long tradition and continued to derive their inspiration from Poland's graphic arts. Other notable Polish film directors include: Tomasz Bagiński, Małgorzata Szumowska, Jan Jakub Kolski, Jerzy Kawalerowicz, Stanisław Bareja and Janusz Zaorski.

Among prominent annual film festivals taking place in Poland are: Warsaw International Film Festival, Camerimage, and International Festival of Independent Cinema off Camera, New Horizons Film Festival as well as Gdynia Film Festival and Polish Film Awards.

Cinema audience

The Communist government invested resources into building a sophisticated cinema audience. All the cinema were state owned and consisted of first run premiere cinema, local cinema and art house cinemas. Tickets were cheap and students and old people received discounts. In the city of Lodz there were 36 cinemas in the 1970s showing films from all over the world. There were the Italian films of Fellini, French comedies, American crime movies such as Don Siegel's "Charley Varrick”. Films were shown in their original versions with Polish subtitles. Anti-communist and cold war films were not shown, but a bigger restriction was the cost of some films. There were popular film magazines like "Film" and "Screen", critical magazines such as "Kino". This all helped to build a well-informed film audience.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Entertainment Careers, Adhere Creative, In Deed, Glass Door, Pay Scale, Merriam-Webster, Job Monkey, Studio Binder, The Collective, Production Hub, The Producer's Business Handbook by John J. Lee Jr., The Culture Trip, Film Museum, academia.edu,

Ola K, Sutori, The Guardian, Calvert Journal, Local Life, Polish Film Commission, http://filmcommissionpoland.pl/, Cinando, A Foreigner's Guide to Polish Cinema, Bartosz Staszczyszyn

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Garden of Wilanów Palace, Warsaw, Poland / Photo Credit: Pinterest - Basil Orlando

ETHIOPIAN CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Ethiopian Cinema)

Early Ethiopian Film from Minilik II Haile Selassie I / Photo Credit: Free Ethiopian Movie and Drama - Ethiopian Movies

ETHIOPIAN CINEMA… (In the Entertainment industry. History of Ethiopian Cinema)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

Ethiopian Cinema

The Cinema of Ethiopia and the film industry in general is a relatively recent phenomenon in Ethiopia. Ethiopian film industry is growing, but faces many problems that have prevent it from fully flourish. Historically live stage theater enjoyed more popularity in Ethiopia creating a handful of relatively successful stage actors.

Ethiopia is the only African nation with its own script and a history of ancient literary heritage, making it the countries of the ancient civilized world. With regard to film Cinema was introduced to Ethiopia only three years after the world's first film ever was projected in Paris in December 28, 1895 by the Louis Lumiere brothers. In terms of film production there were, off course Ethiopians who made some documentary and few feature films. Foreigners also produce few feature films. However due to the huge investment film making required ,and socio- political instability of the country for long period of time film production is still in its infant stage. After a long absence in the past ten years the art of making movies with better qualities and concepts in Ethiopia is growing much more than any other time in the past following the country’s recent economic growth.

Ethiopia has been labeled possessing a long history of three thousand years and more. At various times, its governors and rulers had played their roles in shaping the geographical, cultural, historical, religious etc. -all aspects of the country. As a result most of the status quo today is, to a great extent, the legacy of our past history. That is why the growth and development of film production and practice go back and forth for the past hundred years. As a matter of fact the film art and technology had been introduced to Ethiopian almost as equal as to Europeans, but still the industry is in its infant stage.

During Emperor Minilik II reign at the palace. , Dr. Berhanuo Abebe (2003) in an article appeared in 'Annales d'Ethiopie ', a French journal on Ethiopia, he wrote that in 1898, a Frenchman from Algeria brought one of the first cinematic artifacts to Ethiopia, and sold it to the Italian minister Ciccodicola, who presented it to Emperor Menilek of Ethiopia as a gift. (Arefayine 2006) By looking back to the historical happenings at the time of Minilik one can come up with a wild guess, like other imported technologies of the time the clergy had heard about the inventions of film technologies and had a lot of interest to get the Cinematograph. According to the two most prominent Historians Dr. Berhanuo and R. Pankerest books before the first public film screening occurred in (1909-1910) the majesty watched several films in his palace almost for more than a decade. Some of the scholarly written works mentioned the year the public introduced to film is 1923 which means after 26 years of the first cinematograph arrived in the country. Rather 1923 is the possible year the first cinema house owned and built by Ethiopians. Dr. Berhanou, further elaborate this point, there was a film house called 'Pate' owned by MM. Baicovich from 1909 -1910. People were stunned by this magical invention for the first months but soon they turned in different. A French historian, Merab, in his 'Impressions d'Ethiopie (1922), quoted by Dr. Berhanou, said, 'people apparently didn't like to entertain themselves.’

Also Dr. Richard Pankhurst (1968), a distinguished historian with several publications and books to his credit, in his widely-acclaimed book 'Economic History of Ethiopia' further strengthen the above point, about another attempt made in 1909-10 by some Armenians, but the project attracted only temporary interest, and was soon abandoned. (Arefayine 2006) The clergy, who were very powerful and influential, intensely opposed to this new medium. By the people who are resistant to modern technology associated cinema to the devil’s work. This is attested by the naming of the first cinema.

Which was opened in the year 1923. According to, Encyclopedia Aethiopica, Vol. I (2003), in the early days cinema, cinema houses were called 'Ye Seytan Bet', (House of Satan), a definition which well suited the technological “devilry ˮ of cinematographically combined images and movement. The introduction of this magical medium to Ethiopia was quite different in its historical and political context when it compared to the rest of Africans. Film brought to most of African countries following the foot stapes of their colonizers. According to Chris Prouty, Ethiopia and Eritrea are one of the more documented countries in the African continent. The first Ethiopian movie au de Menilek was made in 1909 by a French man, Charles Martel.

Since the early-to-mid 2000s, Ethiopia has experienced a phenomenal growth in the production of locally made video films. Much like the video film industries that have emerged in other African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania, the Ethiopian industry has adopted a commercially driven model. Films use Amharic, the lingua-franca of the country, as their main language, are funded by small-scale independent production companies (often emerging from video and music vending enterprises), and are shot in digital format and target mainly the local urban, lower-middle class youth of Addis Ababa.

Unlike in other African contexts the Ethiopian video film industry has adopted a straight to cinema model with many filmmakers and producers often wary of the VCD's vulnerability to piracy. Coinciding with the growth of the video film industry has been the proliferation of private cinema's that attract Addis' lower-middle class who make up the majority of cinema-goers in the country.

The history of cinema quite different from the rest of Africa in many aspects most of African countries literature, theater and cinema is a colonial history which was introduced through colonial imposition, Ethiopia was introduced to cinema through the natural course as other agencies of modernization-railway, postal, modern education, telephone, etc. were popularized in the country. Emperor Minilik II is credited to the introduction of cinema to Ethiopia. (Abebe 2009) Apart from introduction of film technology and screening, Arefayine, in his article points out the most important progressive phase in the history of Ethiopian film. The first film known to be produced in Ethiopia was a short 16mm black-and-white film, produced by a certain Tedla on the occasion of Empress Zewditu's coronation day in 1917.

After Hailesselassie I following the popular revolutionary outburst of February 1974 against the archaic and oppressive feudal monarchy the military dictatorship Derg tried to nationalize or the existing commercial cinema's in to People's Cinema with extreme censorship in place. Ek (2009) briefly explains a first stapes in formulating the Ethiopian film industry was taken over thirty years ago when the country provided the set for the filming of Shaft in Africa in (1973) and the local production Gouma in (1975) by Michel Papatakis.

Until 1974, there were many cinema halls in the country and American and Indian movies have been popular. During the Derg era it is worth to mention that with the nationalization of the Cinema houses, there was a small period that only Russian films having a communist message were allowed to be screened. In that period due to the nationalization of all cinema houses the number of cinema houses, instead of showing progress has gradually decreased. This period in terms of quality and content of production a number of films were produced including a film entitled “Harvest Three Thousand Years

ˮ Which features the bitterness of the life of the peasantry under the feudal system was produced by a renowned film director Haile Gerima in 1976. Since then he directed several other films. He is Ethiopia's most proficient director and exporter, who have made seven films including Sankofa (1993) and perfect Journey (1994).There were also films produced by Ethiopians such as Guma (Vandeta), and Hirut. Following this the film production section established under the ministry of culture and sports affairs, produced another film entitled “3002ˮ

Similarly Chris Prouty mentioned the first Ethiopian movie au de Menilek was made in 1909 by a French man, Charles Martel. Which is a few year earlier than Arefayine, therefore by taking these two references in to consideration it is possible to conclude that film production in Ethiopia was began at a maximum of 10 years after film medium introduced to the country. In November of 1928, Empress Zewditu of Ethiopia crowned Taffari Makonnen as King and Heir to the Throne of Ethiopia.  The Production of film in Ethiopia continued during the Reign of Hailesselassie I with a film in his coronation.

Ethiopian film industry has experienced a robust growth over the past couple of decades. But still the industry faces various kinds of challenges. It consists of many small producers working with a tiny amount of capital; it therefore has not been able to build its own spaces-studios, theaters, office complexes and remain nearly invisible in the Addis Ababa city space, apart from film posters and the films themselves displayed for sale as cassettes or video compact discs. The current growth and development of the industry is shapeless, it is not institutionalized, and it is full of untrained individuals who thought that film making is a profitable business area and a people who have a passion and interest. In addition to this there are no educational institutions who train qualified film makers. Apart from this there are so many studies on different areas of film practices in the west, Australia, China, India, Japan and few African countries like South Africa and Nigeria. Generally, there is the significant absence of research on third world films specially those of Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Film Commission

http://ethiopiafilmcommission.com/

Festivals

Addis International Film Festival - This festival is held annually in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and seeks to provide a platform for both amateur and professional film makers.

Ethiopian International Film Festival - Annually held in Addis Ababa during which many Ethiopian film makers get to showcase their work and awards are handed to the best films as voted by the judges. This festival started in 2005.

Awards

Gumma Film Awards - The most known and prestigious Award in the Ethiopian Film Industry. Held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia annually, this award show started in 2014 and is the first film award show to be broadcast live on TV in Ethiopia.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Entertainment Careers, Adhere Creative, In Deed, Glass Door, Pay Scale, Merriam-Webster, Job Monkey, Studio Binder, The Collective, Production Hub, The Producer's Business Handbook by John J. Lee Jr., The Culture Trip, Film Museum, academia.edu, Kindeneh Tamene, Mulat, Addisalem. "Ethiopia: Actress Stepping Up the Ladder of Success", The Anglo-Ethiopian Society, http://ethiopiafilmcommission.com/,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.