Terry P.

VIMOOZ is for lovers of independent films + foreign film + documentary + film festivals. We love championing the little films.

Patriot Releasing Sets October Release Date for Indie Film KINKY Starring Vivica A. Fox

[caption id="attachment_30657" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Vivica A. Fox in Chocolate City[/caption] The independent romance/drama film ‘Kinky’, starring Vivica A. Fox is set to bow on October 12th nationwide via Patriot Releasing. ‘Kinky’, written and directed by Jean Claude Lamarre (Chocolate City), also starring Dawn Richard (Danity Kane), Robert Ri’Chard (Coach Carter), Eurika Pratts (Black Magic) and Gary Dourdan (CSI), is described as a “racy”, African American ’50 Shades Of Grey’-inspired sex drama. ‘Kinky’ will also serve to launch Patriot Releasing’s broader efforts to distribute 10 films a year that appeal to African American women. ‘Kinky’ is set in the affluent community of Buckhead, Atlanta and tells the story of a Dr. Joyce Richardson, a beautiful African-American surgeon who begins a sexual journey with billionaire investor, Darrin Wethington. After a few months of dating, the couple begin exploring their most kinky sexual fantasies, leading them into a world of BDSM and hardcore sexual exploration. Having found theatrical success with the indie hit ‘Chocolate City’ through their collaboration with Nulite Entertainment, combined with a new $50 million credit facility, Patriot CEO/Chairman Michael Mendelsohn (Running With The Devil, U.S.S Indianapolis) has also acquired the black female-lead comedy spec, ‘Wedding Guest List’ from Nulite for a 2019 production start date. “The focus of Patriot Releasing is to celebrate, collaborate and support writers and directors with diverse voices,” states Mendelsohn. The company recently wrapped production on the RZA-directed ‘Cut Throat City’ starring Kat Graham, Wesley Snipes, and Terrence Howard. Patriot Releasing has just completed a ‘Chocolate City 3’ sequel, currently in Post production. Regarding ‘Kinky’, Mendelsohn is confident the movie will resonate with its core audience: “I am thrilled to team up with Jean Claude on another remarkable film. Jean Claude’s ability to write and direct movies that resonate with his locked-in audience is magic, and I want to be remembered for creating magic in Hollywood.”
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2018 Durban International Film Festival Announces Films in Competition and Jury

[caption id="attachment_30652" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Spell Reel[/caption] The Durban International Film Festival today announced the films and jury members for competition at this year’s 39th edition of the festival, which takes place from July 19 to 29, 2018. Award categories are Best Feature Film, Best South African Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best SA Documentary, Best Short Film, Best African Short Film, Best South African Short Film, Best Actor Award, Best Actress, Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Artistic Bravery, Audience Choice Award, Wavescape Audience Choice Award and the Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award. Feature films in competition are Clint (India) directed by Harikumar Ramakrishna Pilla, Farewell Ella Bella (SA) directed by Lwazi Mvusi, The Foolish Bird (Ben Niao) (China) directed by Ji Huang, Otsuka Ryuji, High Fantasy (SA) directed by Jenna Bass, Mayfair (SA), directed by Sara Blecher, The Movie Of My Life (O Filme Da Minha Vida) (Brazil) directed by Selton Mello, Pororoca (Romania, France) directed by Constantin Popescu, Rafiki (Kenya, South Africa) directed by Wanuri Kahiu, The Recce (SA) directed by Ferdinand Van Zyl, The Reports on Sarah and Saleem (Palestine, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico) directed by Muayad Muayad, Supa Modo (Germany, Kenya), directed by Likarion Wainaina, The Tale (USA) directed by Jennifer Fox, A Trip To The Moon (Un Viaje A La Luna) (Argentina) directed by Joaquín Cambre. [caption id="attachment_30651" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Silas[/caption] Documentary films in competition are We could be Heroes (Denmark, Morocco, Tunisa, Brazil) directed by Hind Bensari, Silas (Canada/South Africa/Kenya) directed by Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman, Whispering Truth To Power (South Africa/Netherlands) directed by Shameela Seedat, New Moon directed by Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann, Kinshasa Makambo (Democratic Republic Of The Congo/France/Switzerland/Germany/Norway) directed by Dieudo Hamadi, Amal (Egypt/Lebanon/Germany) directed by Mohamed Siam, Spell Reel, (Germany/Portugal/France/Guinea-Bissau) directed by Filipa César, Shakedown (Usa) directed by Leilah Weinraub, The Silk and the Flame (Fei’e Pu Huo) (United States) directed by Jordan Schiele, The State Against Nelson Mandela and the Others (France) directed by Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte. All SA documentaries and features are also eligible for the SA Best Documentary and SA Best Feature awards. Fiction section jurors are Bongiwe Selane, the award-winning SA producer with a string of credits behind her including her debut SA block buster feature Happiness is a Four-Letter- Word; Hakeem Kae Kazim, the well-known British-Nigerian actor who has gained international acclaim for his performance in the Oscar nominated film Hotel Rwanda. He has countless credits in major international films such as The Triangle with Sam Neill, Pirates of the Caribbean III, X-Men Origins: Wolverine with Hugh Jackman and many more. Nse Ikpe-Etim Nigerian is a multiple award-winning actress who DIFF audiences will remember from her role in the celebrated Meg Rickards’ film Tess. The documentary film jury includes Uzanenkosi on of the SA’s busiest and most prolific producers, who created InterSEXions the award-winning first of its kind, world over drama series that won an unprecedented 11 SAFTA awards. Nakai Matema, a veteran Zimbabwean Producer who has produced several ground-breaking documentaries including Rehad, Desai’s My Land, My Life and Leo Phiri’s A Fighting Spirit from the STEPS for the Future series. Nigerian filmmaker Mahmood Ali-Balogun who has directed numerous films including multiple award-winning film Tango With Me, and has been on the juries of numerous festivals such as Cairo International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Abuja International Film Festival and African International Film Festival (AFRIFF). Dorothee Wenner is a Berlin-based freelance filmmaker, writer and curator who has been on the selection committee of Berlin’s International Forum since 1990 and serves as the Berlinale’s Delegate for India and sub- Saharan Africa. The Shorts Jury includes Alicia Price, Head of the Film Department at SAE Cape Town and Leon Van Der Merwe, a founding member, Chief Operating Officer, board member and director of the Cape Town International Film Market and Festival (CTIFMF). The Amnesty International Durban jury is convened by its chair Coral Vinsen with members Professor Margaret Daymond, Lazola Kati , Betty Rawheath and Nelvia Rawheath.
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Watch Trailer + Poster for Portuguese Horror Film THE FOREST OF THE LOST SOULS

The Portuguese horror film The Forest of the Lost Souls which had its world premiere at the Fantasporto Film Festival on February 26, 2017, will be released in August by Wild Eye Releasing as their first theatrical release. The psychological “coming of age” horror film is written and directed by directed by José Pedro Lopes. Ricardo and Carolina are complete strangers that meet seemingly by chance in the “Forest of the Lost Souls”, a place where many people go to commit suicide. These two, a young woman and an old man, are no different than the others as they also came to the forest for this very reason. They decide to briefly postpone killing themselves in order to explore the forest and also to continue talking to one another, as Ricardo and Carolina find themselves intrigued by one another. However, as the pair go further into the forest it becomes clear that one of them has other reasons for being in the forest and is not who they would have the other believe them to be and is actually a psychopath… The Forest of the Lost Souls will open theatrically August 5 in L.A and other cities. Wild Eye Releasing, whose recent releases include well-received sci-fi thriller Soft Matter and James Klass’s House on Elm Lake, represents horror, exploitation, dark arthouse, cult and documentary films from around the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQXzASuWHzs
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“Shoplifters” by Hirokazu Kore-eda wins Top Award at 36th Munich International FilmFest

[caption id="attachment_30641" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Shoplifters[/caption] The 36th Munich International Film festival drew to a close today Saturday, July 7, 2018 with the award ceremony and “Shoplifters” by Hirokazu Kore-eda won the ARRI/Osram Award for best international film.The Audience Award went to the film “Wackersdorf – Be Alert, Courageous and Solidaric” by Oliver Haffner.
ARRI/Osram Award
“Shoplifters” by Hirokazu Kore-eda received the ARRI/Osram Award for best international film. “In his film ‘Shoplifters’, Hirokazu Kore-eda breaks up the smallest cell of society, the family, into shards that gain the right to rearrange and reinvent themselves. The protagonists change their names and functions, developing their own ethics and morality, not bound by the biological laws of family or ultimately of society. In doing so, ‘Shoplifters’ opens up new possibilities and ultimately offers… hope,” said the jury. The jury of the ARRI/Osram Award was comprised this year of multitalented actress, composer, singer, and performing artist Meret Becker; cult American actress Amanda Plummer; and Blixa Bargeld, co-founder of the German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten. The latest films by ten renowned directors were in competition for the ARRI/Osram Award for best international film in the CineMasters section of the festival.
CineVision Award
“Border” by Ali Abbasi was honored with the CineVision Award for best new international film. The jury explained its decision thusly: “‘Border’ is not only a very unsettling film; it’s disturbing as well. In the deepest sense of the word, this film disturbs us in the comfort of our certainties and norms and convictions. What is beauty? What is normal? What does monstrosity look like? This film shows us how many wonderful but also horrible things there are all around us that we no longer notice because our senses are dulled. The main character in the wonderful film ‘Border’ has a delicate sense of smell. She is a hounded, anxious outsider whose perspective allows us to take a terrifying look underneath our mask of normality and behold the grotesque face of humanity.” Honorable mention was given to the Taiwanese film “The Great Buddha+” by director Hsin-Yao Huang, who uses “whimsical imagery and fantastical, comic dialogue to illustrate the lives of two naive underdogs who attempt to cope in a completely absurd world while their normality is also full of wonderfully noticed absurdity. It’s an ambiguous view of society that’s given a playful and surprising form,” said the jury.
FIPRESCI Prize
“All Good” by Eva Trobisch received the 2018 FIPRESCI Prize. The jury of the International Federation of Film Critics was comprised of Jan Storø from Norway, Peter Krausz from Australia, and Andrzej Fogler from Poland. They explained their decision as follows: “The FIPRESCI Prize goes to “All Good” by Eva Trobisch for its intelligently directed and prescient story of the way a troubling incident experienced by a woman spirals into an increasingly challenging situation.”
Audience Awards
The festival’s audience awards were also presented on the final day of the festival. The Bayern 2 and SZ Audience Award went to the film “Wackersdorf – Be Alert, Courageous and Solidaric” by Oliver Haffner. The film depicts the story surrounding the protests against the construction of a nuclear reprocessing plant in Wackersdorf in rural Bavaria in the early 1980s. This year’s Kinderfilmfest Audience Award went to “100% Coco” by Tessa Schram. For the first time, the prize includes the sum of 1,000 euros, sponsored by SZ Familie. The film is about 13-year-old Coco, whose eccentric fashion style appears distasteful until she becomes famous as “Style Tiger”.
ONE FUTURE PRIZE
This year’s ONE FUTURE PRIZE, awarded by the Interfilm Academy, went to “A Letter to the President” by Roya Sadat. The jury, comprised of Navina Neverla, Verena Marisa, and Tomasz Rudzik, explained its decision in these words: “‘A Letter to the President’ is a moving, utterly sophisticated film that tells of the contradictions in the Afghan legal system and the inequality of men and women ten years after the official withdrawal of the Taliban. This film tells the story of an unflinchingly strong woman who, in spite of all adversity and deeply rooted patriarchal structures, is prepared to stand up for her own freedom as well as for that of other women. An immediate, convincing story given lots of atmosphere, written dramatically, acted and directed superbly, and told in the sensitive images of classical narrative cinema, ‘A Letter to the President’ tells of one woman’s struggle against deeply rooted prejudice and overpowering patriarchal structures. Her integrity and her courage to resist are an example to us all. All this is told by the equally brave young Afghan director Roya Sadat, the first female practitioner of her craft in the post-Taliban era.” Honorable mention went to the documentary “Welcome to Sodom” by Florian Weigensamer and Christian Krönes. In the jury’s words: “This film tells of a dystopia that has long been part of our globalized reality. ‘Sodom’ is a place that concerns all of us, a global topic that raises the most pertinent questions about environmental politics as well as about social and cultural issues.”
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‘I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians’ Wins Top Prize at 53rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_30637" align="aligncenter" width="1151"] Olmo Omerzu, Jiří Konečný, Ada Solomon, Radu Jude (Film Servis Festival Karlovy Vary)[/caption] “I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians” from Romanian film director Radu Jude won the Crystal Globe for Best Feature Film at the 53rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. In the film Radu Jude takes up a massacre perpetrated by the Romanian Administration through the Romanian Army on the Eastern Front in 1941, an actual event that a young activist artist decides to stage. “As we are in the Czech Republic and my film was made with the Czech co-production, I would like to thank all the Czech people involved, primarily Jiří Konečný”, said Radu Jude. Barry Levinson received the Právo Audience Award for his thirty-year old movie Rain Man. Levinson also received the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinematography at the Closing Ceremony. “This is really a wonderful festival and an incredible experience for us. And also an extraordinary honour for a boy from Baltimore to be now granted an award for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema here in the Czech Republic. Film is an artistic form that interconnects the whole world. While differing feelings drive us apart, we should bear in mind that we are in fact all quite similar,” the director expressed his gratitude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv4q3sWs8wE The 54th Karlovy Vary IFF will be held from June 28th to July 6th, 2019.
53rd Karlovy Vary IFF Awards

OFFICIAL SELECTION – COMPETITION
GRAND JURY Mark Cousins, United Kingdom Zrinka Cvitešić, Croatia Marta Donzelli, Italy Zdeněk Holý, Czech Republic Nanouk Leopold, Netherlands
GRAND PRIX – CRYSTAL GLOBE (25 000 USD)
“I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians” / „Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra cabarbari” Directed by: Radu Jude Romania, Czech Republic, France, Bulgaria, Germany, 2018
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (15 000 USD)
Sueño Florianópolis / Sueño Florianópolis Directed by: Ana Katz Argentina, Brasil, France, 2018
BEST DIRECTOR AWARD
Olmo Omerzu for the film Winter Flies / Všechno bude Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia, 2018
BEST ACTRESS AWARD
Mercedes Morán for her role in the film Sueño Florianópolis / Sueño Florianópolis Directed by: Ana Katz Argentina, Brasil, France, 2018
BEST ACTOR AWARD
Moshe Folkenflik for his role in the film Redemption / Geula Directed by: Joseph Madmony, Boaz Yehonatan Yacov Israel, 2018
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
Jumpman / Podbrosy Directed by: Ivan I. Tverdovskiy Russia, Lithuania, Ireland, France, 2018
SPECIAL JURY MENTION
History of Love / Zgodovina ljubezni Directed by: Sonja Prosenc Slovenia, Italy, Norway, 2018
EAST OF THE WEST – COMPETITION
EAST OF THE WEST JURY Peter Badač, Slovakia Iris Elezi, Albania Myriam Sassine, Lebanon Dounia Sichov, France Andrei Tănăsescu, Romania
EAST OF THE WEST GRAND PRIX (15 000 USD)
Suleiman Mountain / Suleiman gora Directed by: Elizaveta Stishova Kyrgyzstan, Russia, 2017
EAST OF THE WEST SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (10 000 USD)
Blossom Valley / Virágvölgy Directed by: László Csuja Hungary, 2018
DOCUMENTARY FILMS – COMPETITION
DOCUMENTARY FILMS JURY Raúl Camargo, Chile M. Siam, Egypt Diana Tabakov, Czech Republic
GRAND PRIX FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM (5 000 USD)
Putin’s Witnesses / Svideteli Putina Directed by: Vitaly Mansky Latvia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, 2018
DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
Walden / Walden Directed by: Daniel Zimmermann Switzerland, Austria, 2018
PRÁVO AUDIENCE AWARD
Rain Man / Rain Man Directed by: Barry Levinson USA, 1988 CRYSTAL GLOBE FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CINEMA Tim Robbins, USA CRYSTAL GLOBE FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CINEMA Barry Levinson, USA FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD Robert Pattinson, United Kingdom FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO CZECHCINEMATOGRAPHY Jaromír Hanzlík, Czech Republic
NON-STATUTORY AWARDS

AWARD OF INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS (FIPRESCI)
Awarded by The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). FIPRESCI JURY René Marx, France Marita Nyrhinen, Finland Alejandra Trelles, Uruguay Sueño Florianópolis / Sueño Florianópolis Directed by: Ana Katz Argentina, Brasil, France, 2018
THE ECUMENICAL JURY AWARD
THE ECUMENICAL JURY Michael Otřísal, Czech Republic Milja Radovic, United Kingdom David Sipoš, Slovenia Redemption / Geula Directed by: Joseph Madmony, Boaz Yehonatan Yacov Israel, 2018
Commendations
Winter Flies / Všechno bude Directed by: Olmo Omerzu Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia, 2018 Miriam Lies / Miriam miente Directed by: Natalia Cabral, Oriol Estrada Dominican Republic, Spain 2018
FEDEORA AWARD
Awarded by the Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean (FEDEORA) to the best film from the East of the West – Competition. FEDEORA JURY Stefan Dobroiu, Romania Natascha Drubek, Germany Nenad Dukić, Serbia Suleiman Mountain / Suleiman gora Directed by: Elizaveta Stishova Kyrgyzstan, Russia, 2017
EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL AWARD
For the best European film in the Official Selection – Competition and in the East of the West – Competition. EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL JURY Daira Āboliņa, Latvia Simon Blaas, Netherlands Balázs Kalmanovits, Hungary Jan Makosch, Germany “I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians” / „Îmi este indiferent dacă în istorie vom intra ca barbari” Directed by: Radu Jude Romania, Czech Republic, France, Bulgaria, Germany, 2018
WORKS IN PROGRESS, DOCS IN PROGRESS AND EURIMAGES LAB PROJECT AWARD AT KVIFF 2018
WORKS IN PROGRESS (100,000 Euro) JURY Matthijs Wouter Knol, Germany Rossitsa Valkanova, Bulgaria Rickard Olsson, Sweden During Works in Progress, eleven projects were presented from countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and now also the Middle East. A prize in the value of 100,000 Euro will be given to the project. The whole award consists of post-production services in UPP (60,000 Euro), Soundsquare (30,000 Euro), and a cash prize of 10,000 Euro from Barrandov Studio. All This Victory / All This Victory Director: Ahmad Ghossein Producer: Georges Schoucair, Myriam Sassine, Marie-Pierre Macia, Claire Gadéa, Fabian Massah Lebanon, France, Germany
DOCS IN PROGRESS (5,000 Euro)
JURY Tanja Georgieva, Germany Noemi Schory, Israel Shane Smith, Canada Ten projects from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East were presented within Docs in Progress event which introduced new documentary films that will premiere after the Karlovy Vary IFF. The winning film received a cash prize in the amount of 5,000 Euro. The Projectionist / The Projectionist Director: Yuriy Shylov Producer: Gennady Kofman, Olha Beskhmelnytsina, Dirk Simon, Miroslaw Dembinski Ukraine, Germany, Poland A Special Mention was awarded to the Polish project Little Poland by Matej Bobrik.
EURIMAGES LAB PROJECT AWARD (50,000 Euro)
JURY David Kořínek, Czech Republic Dorien van de Pas, Netherlands Christoph Terhechte, Germany KVIFF is the first of four international film festivals in Europe to be awarding the Eurimage prize. KVIFF has selected projects for the Eurimage prize that surpass traditional film methods and are based on international cooperation. The prize was awarded in the value of 50,000 Euro. Eight Eurimages projects were presented at the KVIFF. Normal / Normal Director: Adele Tulli Producer: Valeria Adilardi, Laura Romano, Luca Ricciardi Italy, Sweden
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10 Film Finalists to Compete for 3rd Memphis Film Prize $10,000 Grand Prize

[caption id="attachment_23533" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Mattteo Servente, director of WE GO ON, Winner 2017 Memphis Film Prize[/caption] The 10 film finalists for the 3rd annual Memphis Film Prize (August 3-5) with the top award of $10,000 cash were announced today. The ten finalists will play at the Memphis Film Prize Fest, August 3-4 at the Malco Theater in Overton Square. The ten shorts will play throughout the two days of the festival, and a combination of judges and the audience help determine the Grand Prize winner. The 10 films (and filmmakers) that will compete for the $10,000 Grand Prize include; Daniel R. Ferrell’s DEAN’S LIST; Donald R. Meyers’s HYPNOTIC INDUCTION; Kevin Brooks’s LAST NIGHT; Will Robbins’s MINORITY; Robb Rokk’s OUTSIDE ARCADIA; Kyle Taubken’s PATRICK; Jason S. Lockridge’s THE STIX; Drew Fleming’s TRAVELING SOLDIER; Arnold G. Edwards II’s WAYWARD SON; and Marcus Santi’s YOU DON’T KNOW JACK SQUAT: THE TRIAL. “Across the board, these filmmakers poured their hearts and souls into their projects and put the indie film spotlight on Memphis and Shelby County,” said David Merrill, the Memphis filmmaker liaison. “I couldn’t be prouder of the work that was done and of our ten Memphis Film Prize finalists.” Gregory Kallenberg, founder and executive director of the Film Prize Foundation, said, “This was our largest group of participating filmmakers and, by far, our best crop of rough cuts to choose from. While I don’t envy their task, I can’t wait for our Memphis Film Prize fans to help choose our $10,000 winner in August!” 2018 Memphis Film Prize Jury Thelma Adams (Journalist and Film Critic – Real Clear/Life, contributing writer for Variety) Nelson Kim (Journalist and Film Critic – Hammer to Nail) Victoria Negri ((Writer, Director, Producer, and Actor – GOLD STAR; Director of 2 WEEKS, Producer of THE FEVER AND THE FRET) Brandon Oldenberg (Academy Award-winning filmmaker – THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE) Farah White (Producer and Actor – DAYLIGHT’S END, THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE) The Memphis Film Prize combines elements of a film competition and festival, inviting filmmakers from all over the world to create and present a 5-15 minute short film with just one rule – it must be shot in Shelby County, TN. Filmmakers shot their films beginning in February and submitted them in June, when a rough cut of the films were due to contest organizers.
2018 MEMPHIS FILM PRZE FINALISTS
DEAN’S LIST Director: Daniel R. Ferrell Running Time: 7:02 min A young college student who is coming off his best semester has to deliver a backpack to his eccentric associate so he can attend college for the next year. HYPNOTIC INDUCTION Director: Donald R. Meyers Running Time: 15:00 min A hypnotherapist helps a man quit smoking, but there appears to be something else he needs to quit. LAST NIGHT Director: Kevin Brooks Running Time: 9:47 min A man spends his last day of freedom with his wife and daughter. MINORITY Director: Will Robbins Running Time: 6:07 min A convenience store clerk is frightened by a man minding his own business. OUTSIDE ARCADIA Director: Robb Rokk Running Time: 15:00 min Decades after tragic events, a brother and sister use a peculiar machine to break free. PATRICK Director: Kyle Taubken Running Time: 14:58 min Two strangers with different backgrounds get to know one another over crummy coffee and shared struggles in an old church basement. THE STIX Director: Jaron S. Lockridge Running Time: 9:48 min Two rural county sheriff detectives work a day on patrol due to a manpower shortage. With only 30 minutes before end of shift, they get a call that will forever change their lives. TRAVELING SOLDIER Director: Drew Fleming Running Time: 7:28 min After a shy, lonesome soldier strikes up a conversation with a young waitress, they find themselves wrapped up in an unexpected romance while he’s at war. WAYWARD SON Director: Arnold G. Edwards II Running Time: 14:46 min A PTSD-stricken vet must choose between peacefully waiting out the final days of his house arrest and breaking parole to save a befriended teen from an abusive stepfather. YOU DON’T KNOW JACK SQUAT: THE TRIAL Director: Marcus Santi Running Time: 14:51 min Jack Squat reluctantly takes on the worst team at his University (women’s soccer). He may or may not have crossed lines.
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5 Projects Selected for Sundance Institute ‘s 2018 Documentary Edit and Story Lab

Christopher McNabb, Damon Davis and Sabaah Folayan work on “Whose Streets?” at the 2016 Documentary Editing Lab. © 2016 Sundance Institute | Photo by Jonathan Hickerson.

Five projects will convene at the Sundance Resort in Utah for the Sundance Institute flagship Documentary Edit and Story Lab on July 6.

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Logo Unveils 2018 Documentary Slate – LIGHT IN THE WATER, WHEN THE BEAT DROPS and QUIET HEROES

[caption id="attachment_30605" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Light in the Water[/caption] Logo Documentary Films today announced its 2018 slate which includes Light in the Water, When the Beat Drops and Quiet Heroes. The first film, Light in the Water, premiering Thursday, July 19th on Logo, details the humble beginnings of one of the first openly gay masters swim and water polo club in 1982. When the Beat Drops, premiering August 9th, follows a crew of gay African-American men as they pioneer the Southern-rooted underground dance scene known as “bucking.” The Sundance Film Festival favorite, Quiet Heroes, which tells the story of one female doctor fighting to save the denigrated and largely male AIDS population in the socially conservative Salt Lake City area, premieres August 23rd. Logo Documentary Films division recently received the 2018 Television Academy Honor for Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America as well as its third Daytime Emmy for KEVYN AUCOIN Beauty & The Beast in Me. “Now more than ever, it is imperative for us to tell the stories of our community’s ability to triumph over adversity,” said Taj Paxton, VP of Logo Documentary Films. “These documentaries represent our bravery and our continued fight against stigma and the sting of hatred and intolerance.” The 2018 slate includes: LIGHT IN THE WATER / Premieres Thursday, July 19th at 8PM ET/PT on Logo Light in the Water reveals the untold story of a group of gay men and women who found one another through their love of competitive swimming, ultimately becoming a family and a force for the LGBTQ sports movement. The West Hollywood Aquatics Team were pioneers in gay sports, from registering as one of the first openly gay Masters swim teams in 1982, to pushing through the devastation of the AIDS crisis. This documentary reveals the inside story of a group of trailblazers who personified the change they wanted to see and created a legacy for equality in sports that lives on in the team today. Light in The Water is produced by Patty Ivins Specht and Lis Bartlett and directed by Bartlett. Executive Producers from Logo Documentary Films are Pamela Post and Taj Paxton.

WHEN THE BEAT DROPS / Premieres Thursday, August 9th at 8PM ET/PT on Logo As Voguing exploded out of the ballroom scene of NYC, “bucking,” an electric and subversive underground dance scene, was boldly pioneered in the clubs of the Deep South as a new form of self-expression and education. Together with his crew of fellow gay African-American men, Anthony Davis, a heavy-set, Atlanta-born kid with a love of dance, helped grow bucking into a national movement, complete with fierce competitions. In the process, Davis created a haven for a generation of displaced black gay men. When the Beat Drops had its premiere at the 2018 Miami Film Festival where is won the “Knight Documentary Achievement Award” and recently received the “Outstanding Documentary Jury Award” at Frameline42: San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival. The film will also serve as the Documentary Centerpiece at Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles on July 19th. It is a World of Wonder (WOW) production and is the directorial debut of internationally acclaimed choreographer Jamal Sims, who brings a sensitive intimacy to the subject’s brilliant artistry and their inspiring lives. When the Beat Drops is produced by WOW’s Emmy Award-winning Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, along with Jordan Finnegan. Pamela Post and Taj Paxton serve as executive producers from Logo Documentary Films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc3292–FL4 QUIET HEROES / Premieres Thursday, August 23rd at 8PM ET/PT on Logo In Salt Lake City, Utah, the socially conservative religious monoculture complicated the AIDS crisis, where patients in the entire state and intermountain region relied on only one doctor, Dr. Kristen Ries. Quiet Heroes is the story of her fight – against stigma, shame and ignorance – to save a maligned population everyone else seemed willing to just let die. Quiet Heroes had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It is directed and produced by Jenny Mackenzie, Jared Ruga and Amanda Stoddard. Pamela Post and Taj Paxton serve as executive producers from Logo Documentary Films.
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Works in Progress, Eurimages Lab Project and Docs in Progress Prizes Awarded at 2018 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_30602" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] ALL THIS VICTORY[/caption] On Works in Progress at the 2018 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, eleven projects were presented from countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and now also the Middle East. The jury chose ALL THIS VICTORY by director Ahmad Ghossein as the winning project. A prize in the value of 100,000 Euro will be given to the project. The Eurimages Lab Project prize went to the winning project NORMAL by director Adele Tulli. KVIFF is the first of four international film festivals in Europe to be awarding the Eurimage prize. KVIFF has selected projects for the Eurimage prize that surpass traditional film methods and are based on international cooperation. The prize was awarded in the value of 50,000 Euro. The Docs in Progress prize went to the winning project THE PROJECTIONIST. For this section, projects are chosen from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East. The winning film received a cash prize in the amount of 5,000 Euro. A Special Mention was awarded to the Polish project Little Poland. ALL THIS VICTORY 90 min, Lebanon, France, Germany Directed by: Ahmad Ghossein Scriptwriter: Ahmad Ghossein, Abla Khoury, Syllas Tzoumerkas Producer: Georges Schoucair, Myriam Sassine, Marie-Pierre Macia, Claire Gadéa, Fabian Massah Camera: Shadi Chaaban Music: Charbel Haber Cast: Karam Ghossein, Adel Chahine, Boutros Rouhana, Issam Bou Khaled, Sahar Minkara Karame, Flavia Juska Bechara, Eli El Choufani, Charles Hbailiny Language: Arabic Genre: fiction Release date: 07/03/2019 Synopsis: Lebanon, July 2006. War is raging between Hezbollah and Israel. During a 24-hour ceasefire, Marwan heads out in search of his father, who has refused to leave his Southern village, leaving his wife Rana alone to prepare their immigration to Canada. Marwan finds no traces of his father and the ceasefire is quickly broken, forcing him to take shelter in the house of Najib, his father’s friend. Marwan finds himself trapped under a hail of bombs with Najib and a group of elders, who are friends of his father. Tension rises inside and outside of the house. Suddenly, a group of Israeli soldiers enter the first floor. The next three days sees the situation spiral out of control. NORMAL 70 min, Italy, Sweden Directed by: Adele Tulli Scriptwriter: Adele Tulli Producer: Valeria Adilardi, Laura Romano, Luca Ricciardi Camera: Clarissa Cappellani, Francesca Zonars Music: Andrea Koch Language: Italian Genre: creative documentary Release date: 01/10/2018 What’s missing: final editing, sound post-production, color grading, international promotion, production financing gap Synopsis: An unsettling visual journey through gender norms in contemporary Italy. Blending realist and experimental aesthetics, Normal sketches a disorienting portrait of the accepted ideas of normality. A kaleidoscopic mosaic of everyday-life scenes observes the ritualized performance of femininity and masculinity in ordinary interactions, from birth to adulthood, interpreting gender as a corporeal and performative practice, a social ceremony, a collective mise-en-scène affecting our gestures, desires, behaviours, and aspirations. With an innovative and visionary film language, Normal meditates on the everyday constraints of gendered reality, producing a poignant reflection on a current and crucial matter. THE PROJECTIONIST 70 min, Ukraine, Germany, Poland Directed by: Yuriy Shylov Scriptwriter: Yuriy Shylov Producer: Gennady Kofman, Olha Beskhmelnytsina, Dirk Simon Camera: Yuriy Shylov, Serafim Kusakin, Illya Ehorov Language: Ukrainian, Russian Genre: dramedy, documentary Release date: 02/11/2018 What’s missing: sales agent, distributors, broadcasters, festivals Synopsis: Valentin is an eccentric projectionist. For 44 years, he’s been working in one of the oldest movie theatres in Kiev’s city centre. In his projection booth, he drinks with war veterans, dances with the show girls from next door or cuts his friend’s hair. Every day at work seems like another adventure. The turmoil on Maidan Square and the war remain behind the scenes, while the life on screen creates an alternative reality. It all comes to an abrupt end when a fire breaks out in the cinema and Valentin is forced to retire. He looks after his dying mother, rushing to help her the moment she calls. With an average life expectancy for men in Ukraine of 64 years, Valentin is aware that he does not have much time left. Still, he fights desperately to find a new meaning in life in a rapidly changing country.
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SCIENCE FAIR, VIRUS TROPICAL, RESPETO Among First 6 Films Selected for 2018 Calgary International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_26784" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Science Fair directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster[/caption] The Calgary International Film Festival has revealed the first six youth focused films coming to the 19th annual festival from September 19 to 30, 2018. The films were selected by a group of Calgary high school students recruited by the Calgary International Film Festival for its new Generation Next program. With the help of the festival’s experienced film programming team, the students picked six youth-focused films from a roster of new films from around the world. The six films will have special screenings for high school classes participating in the Generation Next program. These same films will also screen as part of the regular festival lineup. Schedule information and individual ticket sales will be announced August 28. The six Generation Next films are as follows: FILM SCHOOL AFRICA: Nathan Pfaff’s powerful and heartwarming feature directorial debut follows Katie Taylor, a Los Angeles casting director, as she teaches filmmaking to youth in an impoverished South African community. L’ANIMALE: Director Katharina Mueckstein’s second feature film is a raw, honest coming-of-age drama with a synth-heavy soundtrack that takes us down the familiar path of trying to fit in amongst friends, and figuring out our identity. RESPETO: A bold, dark, utterly unique and electric film filled with original poetry and rap music, lead by Filipino hip-hop artist and YouTube star Abra. SCIENCE FAIR: In this inspiring documentary, we meet a global roster of teenage scientists as they compete for the top prize at the International Science and Engineering Fair. THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST: Based on the novel by Emily M. Danforth, Cameron (Chloë Grace Moretz) gets caught with another girl in the backseat of a car on prom night, and is quickly shipped off to a conversion therapy VIRUS TROPICAL: Born into an unconventional Ecuadorian family, Paola grows up between Ecuador and Colombia and finds herself unable to fit in any mood. “It was amazing to work with the high school students and learning which films and themes really resonate,” said Brenda Lieberman, Lead Programmer with the Calgary International Film Festival. “Our students were committed to curating a strong list of films and the program itself really opened their eyes to a wide range of genres, topics and styles of film and all competing on the festival circuit. Even being exposed to World Cinema for the first time was incredible for them.” Generation Next is a new program, the first of its kind in Canada, and strives to empower youth voices and help local students consider careers in the Alberta film industry. “Calgary Film is always striving to add diversity in our festival’s film selection, which Generation Next makes possible,” says Calgary Film Executive Director Steve Schroeder. “We are also inspiring local students to pursue careers in filmmaking.”
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HEAVY WATER and BETHANY HAMILTON: UNSTOPPABLE Among Films at DIFF’s 2018 Wavescape Surf Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_30576" align="aligncenter" width="1488"] Heavy Water[/caption] The 14th edition of the Wavescape Surf Film Festival takes place at the Durban International Film Festival, headlined by the African premiere of smash-hit feature documentary Heavy Water, by California-based South African Michael Oblowitz on July 22. Heavy Water: The Life and Times of Nathan Fletcher will open Wavescape on Sunday July 22. The film is one of 22 films Wavescape brings to Durban this year, including features and shorts from Sierra Leone, Namibia, South Africa, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada, among others. Wavescape Director Steve Pike, aka Spike, says that the lineup for DIFF was one of the most exciting in years. “We’re honored to have several other African premieres, such as the incredible story of Bethany Hamilton, who lost an arm to a shark; and the gritty documentary Secrets of Desert Point, a piece of pioneering surf history.” From Monday July 23 to Friday July 27, Wavescape moves to Arena 5, Village Walk, uShaka Marine World for five 6pm screenings, which are free. The screenings at uShaka open with a lineup of three short films and two features, the soulful Perilous Sea and Church of the Open Sky, a master piece of surf filmmaking by Australian director Nathan Oldfield. Wavescape closes with Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable, the untold story of Hamilton’s journey from childhood to motherhood and how she lost an arm to a tiger shark as a child. However, her relentless determination turns her into one of surfing’s great pro surfers and big wave riders, despite her disability. Bethany rewrites the phrase “Surfs Like a Girl.” The midweek highlight is the documentary Secrets Of Desert Point, an excellent piece of historical story telling by Director Ira Opper, who chronicles the story of how a young Californian and his friends stumble across a perfect wave in the early 1980s from leaky boats among the remote islands of Indonesia, but it was fraught with dangers, from drugs to pirates and deadly coral reefs. Spike says there are also excellent films about travel – the quest for reach for something precious, like the soulful travels of a Moroccan who brings clean water to the poor communities of Africa while working his way towards the infamous waves of Skeleton Bay in Namibia. The Seawolf is pure surf soul as we follow “eight surfers on a two-year journey to remote places to find the most dangerous waves on terrifyingly shallow rock slabs. Filmed in high definition 4k on Red Cameras, this is a enriching viewing experience”. Several films tackle the emotional side of the human condition, such as Finding Purpose, a short film about Durban big wave surfer Tammy-Lee Smith who finds purpose riding big waves after pain and loss. A Million Waves tells the story of Kadiatu Kamara, 19, who is left to face the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone alone after her dad dies. She finds hope surfing in the waves. In Visit, we travel with a shy, former street kid from Durban on his trip to England to visit the land of the funders who saved him from disappearing down a dark and dangerous rabbit hole. There is Adam, an award-winning short film about a Cape Town surfer diagnosed with a chronic form of cancer; or Awen, in which we see the uncomfortable reality of a young Chinese man who clashes with his mother because she wants him to become a fisherman like his ancestors, but he just wants to go surfing. However, beyond the pain of being human come films to celebrate the visual poetry of the natural world, and the spiritual enrichment that the act of surfing and being in the ocean brings. Sea Lone eulogises some of the world’s top women longboarders on a surf trip to Sri Lanka. Shape Qui Rit is a cute short about a two year old girl who “shapes” her dream surfboard; Night Rose sees an elderly lady in England transported by a vision into the ocean for a night surf; Black Rain catches a session in the tropics that cracks with the sea surface chatter of a thunderstorm, while The Edge Of North follows top British surfers to Scotland for a refreshing surf trip on the doorstep of their home.
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Influential Rock Doc KILL YOUR IDOLS to be Re-Released in October 2018

[caption id="attachment_30510" align="aligncenter" width="1066"] Kill Your Idols – Yeah Yeah Yeahs[/caption] Scott Crary’s influential rock documentary, Kill Your Idols will be re-released with special event theatrical screenings and 2xDVD set by Submarine Deluxe. The roc doc will be available on VOD for the first time ever with a rollout across multiple platforms planned for October 2018. A chronicle of New York City’s diverse art punk and no wave music scenes across three decades, the documentary includes original interviews and performances with bands and artists like Suicide, Lydia Lunch, the late Glenn Branca, Sonic Youth, Swans, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The 2xDVD expanded edition will include over 90 minutes of bonus content, including 20 minutes of never-before-seen footage from the original production, commentaries and two brand new featurettes, produced exclusively for the reissue. Produced by Crary and executive produced by Submarine’s own Dan Braun and Josh Braun, Kill Your Idols was distributed in 2006 by Palm Pictures and Showtime/Sundance Channel. The film won the award for Best Documentary at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival and also screened at SXSW, the BFI London Times Film Festival, among others. The doc has been called “iconic” by Black Book, “still shocking” by Uncut and, in 2013, was included in the permanent archives of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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