Letter to the Editor, the latest film from acclaimed documentarian and Emmy winner Alan Berliner (Wide Awake, First Cousin Once Removed) will have its New York Premiere at DOC NYC 2019. The documentary film which also featured at the Toronto International Film Festival and IDFA, will debut on HBO on December 4.
The Personal History of David Copperfield leads the nominations for the 2019 British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs). Armando Iannucci’s fresh take on Dickens’ novel about the ups and downs in the life of its eponymous character is recognized for Best British Independent Film and Best Screenplay amongst nine other awards. Dev Patel is nominated for Best Actor, with co-stars Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie competing in the respective Supporting categories.
The 2019 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners during the Closing Night Awards Ceremony with the jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $7,500) going to Amber McGinnis’ INTERNATIONAL FALLS, and the jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $7,500) given to Bill Gallagher’s RUNNER. Gallagher’s film RUNNER also took NIFF’s Audience Award for Documentary Feature (and an additional $2,000), while R.J. Daniel Hanna’s MISS VIRGINIA was the Audience Choice for Narrative Feature (also receiving $2,000).
The European Film Academy today announced the three films nominated for the award category European Comedy 2019. The films are DITTE & LOUISE directed by Niclas Bendixen, TEL AVIV ON FIRE directed by Sameh Zoabi and THE FAVOURITE directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
The American Film Institute announced the films that will play in the New Auteurs, Cinema’s Legacy, Midnight, Shorts and AFI Conservatory Showcase sections at AFI FEST 2019 presented by Audi, completing the festival’s program.
NewFest, one of the world’s most respected LGBTQ film festivals announced today the winners of its 31st edition with top honors going to Jayro Bustamante for TEMBLORES (Grand Jury Prize, Narrative Feature) and Theodore Collatos and Carolina Monnerat for QUEEN OF LAPA (Grand Jury Prize, Documentary Feature), while Levan Akin’s AND THEN WE DANCED and Cody Stickels’ A NIGHT AT SWITCH N’ PLAY picked up the top Audience Awards for narrative and documentary features respectively.
The Mayor of Comedy: A Canadian Stand-Up Story is a disruptive, eye-opening documentary that follows Canadian comedian Sandra Battaglini as she rallies the biggest names in the Canadian comedy industry.
The 20th Annual Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival wrapped with the annual award ceremony. The Grand Prize Sci Film award went to Volition directed by Tony Dean Smith of Canada, and the Grand Prize Horror Film award went to Star Light directed by Lee Cummings and Mitchell Altieri.
Ganden: A Joyful Land directed by Sundance Jury Award Winner ,Ngawang Choephel, and with Creative Consultant – Singer Annie Lennox, will have its World Premiere at DOC NYC on Tuesday November 12th.
“It required great courage to make this film: Richard Ladkani and Andrea Crosta, both good friends of mine, risked their lives tracking down and investigating both the Chinese and Mexican cartels involved. We must try to save the vaquita, because every species matters. I hope this film can inspire real action, before it is too late.”
Jane Goodall
The world premiere of Sunless Shadows (Mehrdad Oskouei) will kick off the 32nd edition of International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). Filmed in a small juvenile detention center, Sunless Shadows steps into the enclosed world of five young Iranian women, all accomplices in the murder of their abusive husbands, fathers, or brothers-in-law. Through breathtaking monologues and whip-smart interactions, the beauty, humor, and tragedy of the characters’ daily lives confirms that a murder story is never simple.
New York filmmaker Laura Naylor’s VAS-Y COUPE!, a beautifully observed portrait of seasonal labor at a family-owned vineyard in France’s Champagne region, will World Premiere at DOC NYC 2019.