CALIBRE[/caption]
After screening 121 new features, including 20 world premieres, from 48 countries across the globe, the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) announced the Award Winners for this year’s 72nd edition. Commenting on the incredibly high standard of entries at this year’s Festival and the outstanding quality of the submissions they were judging, the juries stressed that they had some tough decisions to make in choosing one winner in each category, giving Special Mentions to several films.
Terry P.
VIMOOZ is for lovers of independent films + foreign film + documentary + film festivals. We love championing the little films.
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CALIBRE, THOSE WHO ARE FINE, WHITNEY and NEVADA Win Top Awards at 2018 Edinburgh International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_30501" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] CALIBRE[/caption]
After screening 121 new features, including 20 world premieres, from 48 countries across the globe, the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) announced the Award Winners for this year’s 72nd edition. Commenting on the incredibly high standard of entries at this year’s Festival and the outstanding quality of the submissions they were judging, the juries stressed that they had some tough decisions to make in choosing one winner in each category, giving Special Mentions to several films.
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WIDE TIDE: THE LEGEND OF CULEBRA to Open 20th Sidewalk Film Festival
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Wide Tide: The Legend of Culebra[/caption]
Wide Tide: The Legend of Culebra, directed by Theo Love, will open the 20th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival, on Friday, August 24 at the beautiful Alabama Theatre. White Tide tells the larger-than-life story of a desperate Florida familyman who goes on a wild treasure hunt for $2 million worth of cocaine. The fast-paced, stylish, fun and poignant rollercoaster ride of a documentary is the perfect kickoff to Birmingham’s best weekend of the year. Director Theo Love is a Sidewalk Film Festival alum and Producer Bryan Storkel, a regular attendee since 2007, has screened 6 films at Sidewalk.
The festival revealed the first feature film selections – Support the Girls directed by Andrew Bujalski, If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynard directed by Stephen Kijak and Damsel directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner.
Support the Girls
Director: Andrew Bujalski
Narrative / Run Time: 90 Minutes / USA
Starring: Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, Dylan Gelula, James Le Gros
The general manager at a highway-side ”sports bar with curves” has her incurable optimism and faith, in her girls, her customers, and herself, tested over the course of a long, strange day.
If I Leave Here Tomorrow:A Film About Lynyrd Skynard
Director: Stephen Kijak
Documentary / Run Time: 95 Minutes / USA
The authorized documentary explores the music and backstory of the legendary American band.
Damsel
Directors: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner
Narrative / Run Time: 113 Minutes / USA
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska and David Zellner
It’s the Wild West, circa 1870. Samuel Alabaster, an affluent pioneer, ventures across the American frontier to marry the love of his life, Penelope. As his group traverses the west, the once-simple journey grows treacherous, blurring the lines between hero, villain and damsel.
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Rasmus Kloster Bro’s Claustrophobic Thriller CUTTERHEAD to World Premiere at Neuchâtel Fantastic Film Festival [Trailer]
Rasmus Kloster Bro’s ‘Cutterhead’ will be making its world premiere in the International Feature Film Competition at the 18th Neuchâtel Fantastic Film Festival, the Swiss festival dedicated to fantasy and related genres.
The story in Rasmus Kloster Bro’s feature debut follows Rie, a PR-coordinator visiting a tunnel boring machine to portray the well-oiled European cooperation in the Copenhagen Metro construction. When an accident occurs, she is unable to escape and takes refuge in an airlock with Croatian miner Ivo and Bharan, a worker from Eritrea. They put their lives and bodies in each other’s hands to survive the heat, pressure and mud in the claustrophobic cutterhead.
‘Cutterhead’ is written by the director in collaboration with Mikkel Bak Sørensen, producer is Amalie Lyngbo Quist for Beo Starling, and the cast includes Christine Sønderris, Samson Semere and Krešimir Mikic.
Director Rasmus Kloster Bro graduated from the alternative Danish film school Super16. His work includes radio fiction, music videos, video installation and short films, of which ‘Kiss My Brother’ (2010) and ‘Barvalo’ (2012) have won a number of awards.
https://vimeo.com/277629882
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Watch Official Trailer + Poster for JULIET, NAKED Starring Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O’Dowd
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Rose Byrne and Ethan Hawke in JULIET NAKED[/caption]
Roadside Attractions today released the official trailer and poster for Juliet, Naked directed by Jesse Peretz and starring Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O’Dowd. Juliet, Naked will open in theaters on August 17, 2018.
Annie (Rose Byrne) is stuck in a long-term relationship with Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) – an obsessive fan of obscure rocker Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). When the acoustic demo of Tucker’s hit record from 25 years ago surfaces, its release leads to a life-changing encounter with the elusive rocker himself. Based on the novel by Nick Hornby, Juliet, Naked is a comic account of life’s second chances.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMjSNkAaABs
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Bradford Baruh’s ‘Wild and Blood-Soaked’ DEAD NIGHT Drops Official Trailer + Poster
Bradford Baruh’s directorial debut, Dead Night with genre icon Barbara Crampton as lead actress and producer, today released the official trailer and poster. Dark Sky Films will release Dead Night starring Brea Grant, AJ Bowen, Sophie Dalah, Elise Luthman, Joshua Hoffman, and Daniel Roebuck in theaters and digital/VOD on July 27, 2018.
James and his wife Casey load up their two teenage kids and head out to a remote cabin in Oregon for a weekend trip. When James heads into the snowy forest in search of firewood, he encounters an enigmatic woman passed out in the snow. Bringing her back to the cabin for help, the family has no way of knowing that the woman’s presence is the catalyst for a series of events that will change their lives forever.
Mixing original storytelling with timeless supernatural elements, Bradford Baruh’s directorial debut features a stellar cast of genre favorites including AJ Bowen and Barbara Crampton and delivers a wild and blood-soaked weekend away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyKyboTBsU4
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Baby Mamas, The Tale, Rafiki Among Durban International Film Festival 2018 Program Lineup
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Baby Mamas[/caption]
This year’s 2018 Durban International Film Festival will offer a focused fare of 180 features films, documentaries, and shorts, along with an insightful industry program that includes Isisphethu for emerging and micro-budget filmmakers, the 11th Talents Durban, in partnership with Berlinale Talents, for pre-selected, semi-established filmmakers as well as the co-production and finance forum the 9th Durban FilmMart, the festival’s partner program with the Durban Film Office.
Opening the festival is the first feature film from South African director Jerome Pikwane, the horror flick The Tokoloshe. The LGTBI love-story Rafiki, directed by Kenyan Wanuri Kahiu, will close the festival.
Manager of DIFF Chipo Zhou, explains the choice of these two diverse films that have women as their focus. “We wanted to book-end DIFF with films that tell stories about women, their strength and their resilience. We also want to showcase the fact that there are many ways to tell these stories from a cinematic point of view,” said Zhou.
“We are in a time of diversity, where women, racial minorities and LGBTI communities who have traditionally been underrepresented in film are having their voices brought to the fore,” says Zhou. “Referencing this global narrative, the films in this year’s festival will reflect these new voices as much as possible.”
Among the features in competition this year are South African films Farewell Ella Bella directed by Lwazi Mvusi, which follows a young woman on a journey to bury her father; High Fantasy directed by Jenna Bass, in which a group of young South Africans have to navigate a personal-political labyrinth when they wake up to discover they have swapped bodies; Sara Blecher’s Mayfair, a gangster film about a father and son; and The Recce by Ferdinand van Zyl, which explores the pain and suffering families endured during and after South Africa’s 20-year border war.
International features in competition include The Tale (USA) directed by Jennifer Fox, which chronicles one woman’s powerful investigation into her own childhood memories as she is forced to re-examine her first sexual experience; Clint (India) by Hari Kumar, which tells the story of prodigious artist child who died before his seventh birthday, leaving behind 25000 pictures; and the closing film Rafiki (Kenya), directed by Wanuri Kahiu, which is set in Nairobi and tells the touching tale of two very different girls who fall in love.
Competition titles in the documentary section include the South African film Silas, a global tale directed by Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman which warns of the power of politics and celebrates the capacity of individuals to fight back, and Whispering Truth to Power, directed by human rights lawyer Shameela Seedat, which tracks Thuli Madonsela, South Africa’s first female Public Protector, as she builds her second case against President Jacob Zuma.
International documentaries in competition include New Moon (Kenya), directed by Phillippa Ndisi-Herrmann, who explores her journey to Sufi Islam; Amal (Lebanon, Egypt, France, Germany, Norway, Denmark), directed by Mohamed Siam, which follows a teenager as she comes to terms with her identity and sexuality in a post-revolutionary police state; Shakedown (USA) directed by Leilah Weinraub, which chronicles explicit performances in an underground queer club in Los Angeles; and The State Against Nelson Mandela and the Others (France) by Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte, which offers archival recordings that include Mandela’s co-accused at the Rivonia Treason Trial hearings, and which transports the audience back into the courtroom battles.
Other South African films on the billing include Durban filmmaker Michael Cross’ award-winning The Fun’s Not Over, about the life of musician James Philips, and Eubulus Timothy’s warm, coming-of-age surf love story Deepend. Sisters of the Wilderness is Karin Slater’s inspiring film which is set in the iMfolozi Wilderness and follows five young Zulu women on a journey of self-discovery. Then there is Oscar-nominated director Darrel Roodt’s horror Siembamba, Stephina Zwane’s comedy Baby Mamas, which revolves around the daily lives and loves of four women and their own real-life baby mama drama, Leli Maki’s comedy Table Manners, in which a wife and mother finds solace and hope in cooking, learning that all she needs is life’s three courses – family, food and love.
Prior to each screening, public service announcements will be shown. These are themed around an industry campaign #thatsnotok created by SWIFT (Sisters Working in Film and Television), the SA-based non-profit that works to protect and advance the cause of women in the industry.
In 2018 DIFF continues its endeavours to grow cinema audiences and this year free community-based screenings will take place at Solomon Mahlangu Hall (New Germany/Clermont), KwaMashu Fan Park, Umlazi W Section Library and The Workshop Amphitheatre. Other screenings take place at Community ZA (formerly Artspace Gallery in Umgeni) and KZNSA Gallery, Musgrave Ster Kinekor, Suncoast Cine Centre and Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, as well as Ushaka Marine World, where the popular free ocean-focused film festival Wavescapeswill take place in the public area.
“With about 400 film-makers in attendance, the public can look forward to a feast of film and some fascinating insights into the world of cinema,” concludes Zhou.
The DIFF is organised by the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts in partnership with the eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, National Film and Video Foundation, Durban Film Office and other valuable partners.
DIFF opens at The Playhouse on July 19 and runs until July 29. The closing film will be screened on July 28, after the competition awards.
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Robert Paschall Jr.’s “24 Hour Film” SEGFAULT Eyes A Fall Release Date [Trailer]
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Segfault[/caption]
Segfault, the unique film, written and directed by Robert Paschall Jr. and starring Shannon Lucio is set to premiere in the fall in many major cities across North America, including Los Angeles, Toronto, Chicago, Dallas, Vancouver, and Houston via Factory Film Studio.
The Story: Without any memory of who she is or her past, Blair (Shannon Lucio) wakes up in a hotel room with a dead body. After receiving a mysterious phone call, she flees in search of answers and is immediately pursued by a corrupt organization that is determined to keep the truth of her identity concealed. With the help of Victoria (Cassie Shea Watson) and Frank (Stephen Brodie), Blair is confronted with a sequence of startling discoveries that exposes a reality she never could’ve imagined.
Factory Film Studio CCO, Michael Lilly, “This movie was made in less than 24 hours, with a lead actress who was given no script, storyline or even a character name. It’s not often that we see a movie that is as perceptive, innovative and suspenseful as this. We are excited to bring it to the North American audience.”
“We know Factory Film Studio knows perfectly well what kind of audiences are going to be intrigued by this film that was made in the spirit of absolute freedom,” said Paschall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltzCbl3OYuE
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EXCLUSIVE: Watch a Clip from Documentary MAYNARD, on Maynard Jackson Jr., First Black Mayor of Atlanta [Video]
Here is an exclusive clip from the new documentary MAYNARD on the remarkable story of the unparalleled success of Maynard Jackson Jr., who became first black Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in 1973.
Directed by Academy Award nominee, Emmy winner and 4 time Peabody Award winner Sam Pollard (“Slavery by Another Name”, “Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me”, “Two Trains Runnin’”), MAYNARD which will be released by Virgil Films on iTunes and digital platforms and dvd retailers on Tuesday, July 3, 2018.
Maynard interviews include President Bill Clinton, Al Sharpton, Vernon Jordan, Ambassador Andrew Young, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Jesse Jackson, former Atlanta Mayor’s Sam Massell and Shirley Franklin, and current Mayor Kasim Reed to name a few.
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First Look – See New images from Patrick Cunningham’s Surreal Thriller MODEL HOME World Premiering at North Bend Film Festival
Patrick Cunningham has released new cryptic stills from his directorial debut, the surreal thriller Model Home, which will World Premiere at the inaugural North Bend Film Festival. Model Home follows a single mother suffering from bipolar disorder who begins to entertain dangerous fantasies while working as a live-in caretaker of an unsold Model Home.
The debut film from director/writer Patrick Cunningham transports us to a surreal world of barren promises where the American Dream becomes the American Nightmare. Following in the cinematic lineage of Kubrick’s The Shining Cunningham’s twisting tale of ostrasization was co-written and produced by William Day Frank (Mickey Keating’s Psychopaths and POD) and stars Monique Curnen (The Dark Knight, Taken the TV series), Emmy award winner Kathy Baker (Take Shelter, Age of Adaline), Luke Ganalon, and Jon Jon Briones (Miss Saigon on Broadway).
Model Home will have its World Premiere at the first edition of the North Bend Film Festival running from August 23rd to the 26th 2018 in North Bend, Washington. The North Bend FF is focused on vanguard programming and innovative means of storytelling and providing a platform for emerging filmmakers. Working directly with the town of North Bend, the destination festival will be an event for the local community, Northwest creatives, and national genre film industry to enjoy together.
Click to see images from Model Home
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3 IDIOTAS, Mexican Remake of Indian Comedy-Drama to Open Jagran Film Festival [Trailer]
3 Idiotas – a Mexican remake of multiple award winning Indian film, 3 Idiots will premiere in India as the opening night film of the 9th Jagran Film Festival (JFF). The heartfelt and relatable instances in the film has made it one of the highest grossing films in Mexico, in 2017.
Mexican actors Alfonso Dosal, Christian Vazquez, German Valdez and Martha Higareda play the roles of Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R. Madhavan and Kareena Kapoor respectively, from the Indian version. The plot, much like 3 Idiots, is a coming of age film revolving around a group of close friends who go on a humorous and memorable adventure in search of their close college friend that went missing five years ago, just a day before their graduation ceremony. It showcases the ups and downs in a friendship and the bond they forge while searching for their beloved friend.
This year, JFF received nearly 3500 submissions across genres from 100 countries. The curated program will showcase over 200 films. The competition segment will include International and Indian Features, Shorts, Indian Documentaries and Student Films. The non-competitive segment will include Thematic Specials, a Retrospective, Tributes, India Showcase, World Panorama and Hot Shorts.
The 2018 edition of the Jagran Film Festival that will connect 18 cities and showcase over 200 films will commence in Delhi and tour to other Indian cities like Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Dehradun, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bhopal, Indore, Gorakhpur, Agra, Ludhiana, Hissar, Meerut and Raipur before concluding in Mumbai in September.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqwR_28VjcA
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Watch Jaden Smith as a Mysterious Skateboarder in SKATE KITCHEN Trailer
Magnolia Pictures has released the official trailer for Skate Kitchen starring Jaden Smith as a mysterious skateboarder. The film that premiered earlier this year at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival is the first narrative feature from The Wolfpack director Crystal Moselle, and will be released in select theaters on August 10.
Camille, an introverted teenage skateboarder (newcomer Rachelle Vinberg) from Long Island, meets and befriends an all-girl, New York City-based skateboarding crew called Skate Kitchen. She falls in with the in-crowd, has a falling-out with her mother, and falls for a mysterious skateboarder guy (Jaden Smith), but a relationship with him proves to be trickier to navigate than a kickflip.
Writer/director Crystal Moselle immersed herself in the lives of the skater girls and worked closely with them, resulting in the film’s authenticity, which combines poetic, atmospheric filmmaking and hypnotic skating sequences. SKATE KITCHEN precisely captures the experience of women in male-dominated spaces and tells a story of a girl who learns the importance of camaraderie and self-discovery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT1izrIxoos
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Sam Voutas’ KING OF PEKING to Premiere on Netflix on July 2 [Trailer]
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KING OF PEKING[/caption]
Sam Voutas’ King of Peking, an Official Selection of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, will premiere worldwide exclusively on Netflix on July 2, 2018.
SYNOPSIS: Big Wong and his young son Little Wong are part of a fading tradition: traveling film projectionists screening Hollywood movies for villagers who otherwise don’t have access to films. But when Big Wong’s ex-wife raises the spousal support payments, Big Wong faces the possibility of losing custody.
In order to stay together, the two Wongs move to the basement of an old Beijing cinema, where Big Wong works as a janitor. When Big Wong discovers a prototype DVD recorder for sale in a junk store, he convinces Little Wong to join a new venture: a father-son bootlegging company. He names it King of Peking in honor of their surname’s meaning: king. Business soon booms, but in the maelstrom of making money, Big Wong realizes that he might lose something more precious than custody: his son’s trust. And Little Wong learns that sometimes parents make bad choices for very good reasons.
In King of Peking, writer-director Sam Voutas (RED LIGHT REVOLUTION, SHANGHAI BRIDE) put his reverence for movies on full display. He crafts a beautiful story that is at once an endearing father-son story and a love letter to cinema. Starring Zhao Jun, Wang Naixun, Han Qing, Si Chao. Produced by Jane Zheng (Sundance 2018 hit DEAD PIGS) and Melanie Ansley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcaYbx7U8Pw