Young Men and Fire[/caption]
The award-winning PBS series Independent Lens opens its new season on Monday, October 29 with Young Men and Fire, a richly personal look at the lives of a western firefighting crew during one challenging season. Also on the fall schedule is Dawnland, which explores the devastating impact of the forced removal of Native American children from their families; The Judge, a look at the first woman appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts; The Cleaners, an eye-opening investigation into how Silicon Valley monitors online content; and Man on Fire, the story of an elderly Texas minister driven to a shocking act of protest.
Highlights of the soon-to-be-announced Winter/Spring 2019 season include two of the most acclaimed documentaries of this summer: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Morgan Neville’s moving portrait of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers, and Eugene Jarecki’s unique meditation on Elvis and America, The King. Also premiering in 2019 is RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World (January 28), a celebration of the Native American musicians who transformed blues, jazz and rock.
“Documentary film is soaring right now because it’s doing the deep work of telling stories about ordinary and extraordinary people from across the country—all kinds of people who hold different beliefs,” said Lois Vossen, Executive Producer of Independent Lens. “The news has become divisive, and we’re not the news. We’re newsworthy, character-driven stories. And because we’re public media we have exceptional reach with 394 stations across the United States — that gives us the ability to be both local and national every time we work with a film.”
Independent Lens will also present a new season of Indie Lens Pop-Up, a national series of free public events that bring community leaders, local residents and organizations together for discussions and screenings. Selections this year include Dawnland, RUMBLE, and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?; additional titles to be announced.
The Fall broadcast schedule follows; additional Winter/Spring titles and broadcast dates will be announced late fall.
Young Men and Fire by Kahlil Hudson and Alex Jablonski (Monday, October 29, 10-11 pm ET)
Forest and wildland fires are growing larger, more frequent, and deadlier every year, threatening millions of acres and thousands of lives. Meet a firefighting crew as they struggle with fear, loyalty, love and defeat over the course of a single wildfire season. What emerges is a quietly powerful story of a small group of men – their exterior world, their interior lives, and the fire that lies between.
Dawnland by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip (Monday, November 5, 10-11 pm ET)
Follow the first government-sanctioned truth and reconciliation commission in the U.S., which investigates the devastating impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on Native American communities. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, the film reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous child removal in the U.S.
The Judge by Erika Cohn (Monday, November 12, 10:30 pm- 12 am ET)
When Kholoud Al-Faqih walked into the office of Palestine’s Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench, he laughed at her. But just a few years later, Kholoud became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts. The Judge offers a unique portrait of Kholoud’s brave journey and her tireless fight for justice for women while offering an unvarnished look at life for women under Shari’a.
The Cleaners by Moritz Riesewieck and Hans Block (Monday, November 19, 10-11:30 pm ET)
Meet some of the people hired by Silicon Valley leaders like Facebook and Google to do “digital cleaning.” Mostly located in the Philippines, these “content moderators” delete “inappropriate” content on the net, thereby influencing what people around the world see and think. The film charts social media’s evolution from a shared vision of a global village to a dangerous web of fake news, extremism and radicalization.
Man on Fire by Joel Fendelman (Monday, December 17, 10-11 pm ET)
On June 23, 2014, a 79-year-old white Methodist minister named Charles Moore drove to an empty parking lot in his old home town of Grand Saline, Texas, and set himself on fire. He left a note explaining that his act was his final protest against the virulent racism of the community and his country at large. Man on Fire goes back to Grand Saline — population 3,266 — to try to uncover the truth about the town’s ugly past and the fervor for God and justice that drove Moore to his shocking final act.
RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World by Catherine Bainbridge (Monday, January 28)
The acclaimed documentary explores how Native American musicians transformed American blues, jazz and rock — despite frequent attempts to ban, censor, and erase Indian culture. This eye-opening musical celebration features Robbie Robertson, Taj Mahal, George Clinton, Martin Scorsese, Slash, Jackson Browne, Taboo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Steve Van Zandt, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler, and many more.Terry P.
VIMOOZ is for lovers of independent films + foreign film + documentary + film festivals. We love championing the little films.
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PBS’ Independent Lens Fall Season to Open with YOUNG MEN AND FIRE
[caption id="attachment_30940" align="aligncenter" width="1205"] Young Men and Fire[/caption]
The award-winning PBS series Independent Lens opens its new season on Monday, October 29 with Young Men and Fire, a richly personal look at the lives of a western firefighting crew during one challenging season. Also on the fall schedule is Dawnland, which explores the devastating impact of the forced removal of Native American children from their families; The Judge, a look at the first woman appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts; The Cleaners, an eye-opening investigation into how Silicon Valley monitors online content; and Man on Fire, the story of an elderly Texas minister driven to a shocking act of protest.
Highlights of the soon-to-be-announced Winter/Spring 2019 season include two of the most acclaimed documentaries of this summer: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Morgan Neville’s moving portrait of children’s TV pioneer Fred Rogers, and Eugene Jarecki’s unique meditation on Elvis and America, The King. Also premiering in 2019 is RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World (January 28), a celebration of the Native American musicians who transformed blues, jazz and rock.
“Documentary film is soaring right now because it’s doing the deep work of telling stories about ordinary and extraordinary people from across the country—all kinds of people who hold different beliefs,” said Lois Vossen, Executive Producer of Independent Lens. “The news has become divisive, and we’re not the news. We’re newsworthy, character-driven stories. And because we’re public media we have exceptional reach with 394 stations across the United States — that gives us the ability to be both local and national every time we work with a film.”
Independent Lens will also present a new season of Indie Lens Pop-Up, a national series of free public events that bring community leaders, local residents and organizations together for discussions and screenings. Selections this year include Dawnland, RUMBLE, and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?; additional titles to be announced.
The Fall broadcast schedule follows; additional Winter/Spring titles and broadcast dates will be announced late fall.
Young Men and Fire by Kahlil Hudson and Alex Jablonski (Monday, October 29, 10-11 pm ET)
Forest and wildland fires are growing larger, more frequent, and deadlier every year, threatening millions of acres and thousands of lives. Meet a firefighting crew as they struggle with fear, loyalty, love and defeat over the course of a single wildfire season. What emerges is a quietly powerful story of a small group of men – their exterior world, their interior lives, and the fire that lies between.
Dawnland by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip (Monday, November 5, 10-11 pm ET)
Follow the first government-sanctioned truth and reconciliation commission in the U.S., which investigates the devastating impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on Native American communities. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, the film reveals the untold narrative of Indigenous child removal in the U.S.
The Judge by Erika Cohn (Monday, November 12, 10:30 pm- 12 am ET)
When Kholoud Al-Faqih walked into the office of Palestine’s Chief Justice and announced she wanted to join the bench, he laughed at her. But just a few years later, Kholoud became the first woman judge to be appointed to the Middle East’s Shari’a (Islamic law) courts. The Judge offers a unique portrait of Kholoud’s brave journey and her tireless fight for justice for women while offering an unvarnished look at life for women under Shari’a.
The Cleaners by Moritz Riesewieck and Hans Block (Monday, November 19, 10-11:30 pm ET)
Meet some of the people hired by Silicon Valley leaders like Facebook and Google to do “digital cleaning.” Mostly located in the Philippines, these “content moderators” delete “inappropriate” content on the net, thereby influencing what people around the world see and think. The film charts social media’s evolution from a shared vision of a global village to a dangerous web of fake news, extremism and radicalization.
Man on Fire by Joel Fendelman (Monday, December 17, 10-11 pm ET)
On June 23, 2014, a 79-year-old white Methodist minister named Charles Moore drove to an empty parking lot in his old home town of Grand Saline, Texas, and set himself on fire. He left a note explaining that his act was his final protest against the virulent racism of the community and his country at large. Man on Fire goes back to Grand Saline — population 3,266 — to try to uncover the truth about the town’s ugly past and the fervor for God and justice that drove Moore to his shocking final act.
RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World by Catherine Bainbridge (Monday, January 28)
The acclaimed documentary explores how Native American musicians transformed American blues, jazz and rock — despite frequent attempts to ban, censor, and erase Indian culture. This eye-opening musical celebration features Robbie Robertson, Taj Mahal, George Clinton, Martin Scorsese, Slash, Jackson Browne, Taboo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Steve Van Zandt, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler, and many more.
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Film Society of Lincoln Center Announces 11th Scary Movies Horror Film Festival Lineup
Anna and the Apocalypse Scary Movies XI, the horror festival presented by New York’s Film Society of Lincoln Center returns August 17 to 23, 2018.
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Director Wim Wenders to Receive A Tribute to… Award at Zurich Film Festival
German director Wim Wenders (Pope Francis – A Man of His Word) will receive the A Tribute to… Award at the 14th Zurich Film Festival on October 6. A retrospective of twelve of the his most important films will be screened in his honor.
Wenders, who in addition to his activities as a director is also an author, producer and photographer, looks back this year on five decades of filmmaking experience – a period that has witnessed the creation of numerous award-winning feature and documentary films, many of which highlight questions of identity or tackle socially relevant issues.
Born in 1945, Wenders first studied medicine and philosophy before turning his hand to painting and finally, in 1967, to filmmaking, which he saw as “the continuation of painting in another medium”. He first drew worldwide acclaim in 1977 with his feature film THE AMERICAN FRIEND. Wenders has since worked in Europe, the USA, Latin America and Asia, places where he continues to this day to question the world presented to him with thoughtfulness and curiosity.
The films of Wim Wenders have garnered countless international awards, including a Golden Palm and British Academy Film Award for his feature PARIS, TEXAS (1984), the Best Director Award in Cannes for his feature WINGS OF DESIRE (1987) and Academy Award nominations for his documentaries BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (1999), PINA (2011) and THE SALT OF THE EARTH (2014). His most recent production, the documentary POPE FRANCIS – A MAN OF HIS WORDS (2018), has just hit German-speaking cinemas.
Launched in 2012, the Wim Wenders Foundation brings together the cinematic, photographic, literary and artistic lifework of Wim Wenders. The foundation is responsible for the digital restoration of a large number of the films to be screened in Zurich. It also offers the annually awarded Wim Wenders Grant for the promotion of innovative approaches to cinematic storytelling.
Said Zurich Film Festival co-founders Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri “Wim Wenders was seen at the very beginning of his career as a pioneer of New German Cinema. Fifty years later, he is still regarded as one of the world’s most influential filmmakers. We are delighted to welcome him to this year’s Zurich Film Festival and present him with the A Tribute to… Award.”
Retrospective overview:
THE GOALIE’S ANXIETY AT THE PENALTY KICK (1972)
ALICE IN THE CITIES (1974)
KINGS OF THE ROAD (1976)
THE AMERICAN FRIEND (1977)
PARIS, TEXAS (1984)
WINGS OF DESIRE (1987)
UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD (1991)
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (1999)
THE MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL (2000)
DON’T COME KNOCKING (2005)
PINA (2011)
THE SALT OF THE EARTH (2014)
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LYNYRD SKYNYRD: IF I LEAVE HERE TOMORROW Documentary To Premiere on Showtime [Trailer]
The documentary Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow, directed by Stephen Kijak takes viewers on a trip through the history, myth and legend of one of the most iconic American rock bands. Featuring Rare And Never-Before-Seen Interviews With Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Leon Wilkeson, Bob Burns, Billy Powell, Ed King, Artimus Pyle And Steve Gaines, the documentary will premiere on Saturday, August 18 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
ising from the swamps of the Deep South, these good ol’ boys from Jacksonville, Florida came to define an era with their hard-rocking boogie-woogie sound, soulful lyrics, drunken and dangerous antics and their controversial use of the rebel flag. The film also serves as a portrait of late band leader Ronnie Van Zant whose life was cut tragically short, but whose legacy endures to this day in songs like the “Simple Man,” “Country Boy,” and “Whiskey Rock-a-Roller.”
The film is primarily narrated by Gary Rossington, the last of the Street Survivors and founding member along with Van Zant and Allen “Freebird” Collins. Rossington remains the only original member still in the band today. His recollections, from the beginning to the very end, mingle with the tales of drummer Artimus Pyle and “Sweet Home Alabama” co-writer Ed King, interviews with the late drummer Bob Burns, “Honkette” JoJo Billingsley, producer Al Kooper, and recently discovered radio interviews with the late founding members, Leon “Mad Hatter” Wilkeson, Collins and Van Zant. Capturing the band through their own words, stories and memories, Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow vividly explores the makings of this quintessential Southern rock band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Loo320c79aI
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Long Beach International Film Festival in NY Announces 2018 Lineup, Closes with ROCKAWAY
[caption id="attachment_24999" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Rockaway[/caption]
The Long Beach International Film Festival (LBIFF) in Long Beach, NY, announced its diverse lineup of feature-length documentaries, feature-length narrative films, and short films screening from August 1 to August 4, 2018.
“This festival began seven years ago with the screening of 12 films, and we’ve more than quadrupled in size over the last few years, gaining international interest and exposure. It’s an honor to be a part of this annual event that brings smiles and laughs to the thousands of attendees and their families who travel from near and far to view the talent involved in the festival,” said LBIFF Founder Craig Weintraub.
Four days of industry celebrations and sophisticated culinary events will be held on Long Beach, New York’s pristine, popular beachfront at the glamorous Allegria Hotel. Daily film screenings, including Opening Night and Closing Night, will be hosted at the newly renovated Regal Lynbrook 13 & RPX.
“With Lynbrook’s deep roots in Hollywood’s film history,” Lynbrook Mayor Alan Beach said, “it is only appropriate that Lynbrook host the Film Festival at its new state of the art Movie Theatre. We wish theatre patrons for this year’s Festival a warm welcome, as they shop and dine in Lynbrook,” the Mayor added.
Feature Films
Face of a Nation is the story of Mina Chow, an idealistic American architect, who struggles to help her dream stay alive as she journeys to discover Why America abandoned World’s Fairs? In the Orchard (personal loss & PTSD feature) the story of two strangers from different worlds that find a connection through traumatic events that have happened in their lives. In one encounter they find themselves linked to one another as their relationship evolves. This feature is making is New York premiere. Status Pending, a romantic dramedy of a millennial girl dating her ‘Tinder’ guy, must overcome the high life expectations she’s built from social media to decide today: either take a last-minute voyage, or settle down into a career and relationship with him. Making his East Coast premiere, producer Ben Zolno from New Zealand is available for interviews. Papillon is based on a true story and remake of the 1973 ‘Papillon’, tells the story of a prisoner detained on a remote island and how he plots his escape. This feature is making its Long Island premiere. Monsoon (opened in Long Beach in 2016) is a coming-of-age drama starring Austin Lyon, Katherine Hughes and Yvette Monreal, based in the hot dessert monsoon season of Arizona, best friends John and Sarah have trouble letting go of each other after a tragedy rips them apart. This feature is making its Long Island premiere. Michael Inside (Irish feature) a narrative feature film about an 18-year-old boy Michael living in a Dublin housing estate with his grandfather after his mother died of an overdose and his father is in prison. Michael was caught holding drugs for his friend’s older brother and is sentenced to 3 months in prison.Documentaries
Chesley Bonestell: A Brush with The Future is the biograophy of the forgotten architect, artist, matte painter and visionary Chesley Bonestell (1888-1986), whose futuristic paintings helped inspire America’s space program. Bonestell worked on architecture projects like the Chrysler Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Push is an inspiring documentary of an adventurous athlete and former nanoscientist, Grant Korgan, attempts to become the first spinal-cord injured athlete in history to ski the final degree of latitude to the bottom of the world, only using his arms to propel himself. Slim Aarons spent his life documenting jet setters, movie stars and beautiful people doing beautiful things during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. In “The High Life,” the story behind some of his most fabulous photographs are revealed among white sand beaches, longing palms and relaxed, gorgeous faces. She is the Ocean a documentary exploring the lives of nine astonishing women ranging from fourteen to seventy and all four corners of the globe as they share one love for the deep love for the Ocean. The Joan Jett documentary named after one of her famous songs Bad Reputation explores the life of the iconic Joan from early years as the founder of The Runaways and first meeting collaborator Kenny Laguna in 1980 to her presence in pop culture as a rock-n-roll pioneer. The film also stars Billie Joe Armstrong, Michael J. Fox and Miley Cyrus The Secret Ingredients are out! This film takes you behind the compelling story of Kathleen and her family of five that live with 21 chronic diseases. After suggestions from doctors and nothing seeming to work Kathleen was determined to find out what was holding back her family. Kathleen takes matters into her own hands as many others, who regain their health and transform their lives after identifying that secret ingredient in their food and making a strong commitment to avoid them. Rockaway is inspired by true events. This film, written and directed by an East Rockaway native, takes you back to the summer of ’94 when a man recounts when he and his brother plotted revenge against their abusive father. Mostly shot on Long Island, this will be the Closing Night film. FREE short films suitable for all ages will be shown at the beach theatre during Shorts on the Beach on Friday, August 3. Attendees will need to register for a ticket in advance for entrance into this FREE event. Short films will be DIVIDED into five programs throughout the festival: comedies, dramas, animation, documentaries, and foreign. In addition to film screenings, tickets for culinary events, Chefs & Shorts: A Pairing of Gastronomy & Film (August 2) and Taste On The Beach (August 3) are available online. The LBIFF premiered in 2012 with just 50 submissions and showcased 12 films with free screenings on the beach. After Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, the LBIFF had just finished its inaugural year and was threatened to collapse before ever fully taking off. Aided by a $25,000 grant from Nassau County, and participation from local celebrity stars like Daniel Baldwin and resilient festival organizers, the festival persevered and expanded each year. It is with the aid of the Village of Lynbrook that this year’s films are being screened at the Regal Lynbrook 13 & RPX, which opened its doors in June 2018.
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I AM NOT A WITCH, Rungano Nyoni’s Provocative Film on Witchcraft in Zambia to Open on September 7 [Trailer]
[caption id="attachment_25151" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
I AM NOT A WITCH[/caption]
I Am Not a Witch, the debut award-winning feature film from Zambian-born Welsh director Rungano Nyoni is described as a striking satire about witchcraft in contemporary Zambia. The film will open on September 7th at Quad Cinema and BAMCinematek in New York City with additional markets to follow.
Nominated for a 2018 Independent Spirit Award for Best International Film and a Golden Camera Award at Cannes, I Am Not a Witch, from the Zambian-born Welsh director Rungano Nyoni is a striking satire about witchcraft in contemporary Zambia. When eight-year-old Shula turns up alone and unannounced in a rural village, the locals are suspicious. A minor incident escalates to a full-blown witch trial, where she is found guilty and sentenced to life on a state-run witch camp. There, she is tethered to a long white ribbon and told that if she ever tries to run away, she will be transformed into a goat. As the days pass, Shula begins to settle into her new community, but a threat looms on the horizon. Soon she is forced to make a difficult decision – whether to resign herself to life on the camp, or take a risk for freedom.
[caption id="attachment_30908" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Rungano Nyoni[/caption]
At times moving, often funny and occasionally surreal, I Am Not a Witch offers spellbinding storytelling with flashes of anarchic humor, showcasing Nyoni as the birth of a significant new screen voice. Festival audiences and juries also agreed, bestowing more than 20 nominations on I Am Not a Witch, including the AFI Fest Audience Award and a nod for “Best British Independent Film”. It has also captured nine awards from “Best Film” at the 2017 Adelaide Film Festival and “Best Directorial Debut” at the Stockholm Film Festival to “Best Director”, “Breakthrough Producer” (Emily Morgan) at the 2017 British Independent Film Awards and Nyoni’s BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_0NUA0aEpg
SELECT THEATRICAL DATES
9/7: Quad Cinema & BAMcinematek – NYC 9/7-9: Portland Museum of Art – ME 9/14: Laemmle Glendale – Los Angeles 9/14: Northwest Film Forum – Seattle WA 9/14: The Texas Theater – Dallas TX 9/16: Alamo Drafthouse – Yonkers NY 9/21:The Parkway – Baltimore MD 9/21: The Roxie – San Francisco CA 9/21: The Lyric Cinema – Fort Collins CO 9/28: SIE Film Center – Denver CO 9/28: The Hippodrome – Gainesville FL 10/12: Living Room Theater – Portland OR 10/12: State Theater – Modesto CA 10/19: Living Room Theater – Boca Raton FL
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Watch New Trailer for Thai prison Boxing Film A PRAYER BEFORE DAWN Starring Joe Cole
A24 today released the brand new trailer and poster for Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire’s A Prayer Before Dawn based on a remarkable true story and set in a real Thai prison. A Prayer Before Dawn starring Joe Cole is available now exclusively on DIRECTV, and will be open in theaters on August 10.
A Prayer Before Dawn is the remarkable true story of Billy Moore, a young English boxer incarcerated in two of Thailand’s most notorious prisons. He is quickly thrown into a terrifying world of drugs and gang violence, but when the prison authorities allow him to take part in the Muay Thai boxing tournaments, he realizes this might be his chance to get out. Billy embarks on a relentless, action-packed journey from one savage fight to the next, stopping at nothing to do whatever he must to preserve his life and regain his freedom. Shot in a an actual Thai prison with a cast of primarily real inmates, A Prayer Before Dawn is a visceral, thrilling journey through an unforgettable hell on earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oywjMHMXids
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Venice Intl. Film Critics’ Week Unveils 2018 Poster Honoring Stefano Tamburini
The Venice International Film Critics’ Week dedicates the poster of its 33rd edition to the unforgettable and stunning creative genius of Stefano Tamburini. Graphic designer and narrator through images, Tamburini greatly experimented with different techniques and visual languages, both in comics and in editorial and advertising graphic design, until he prematurely passed away in 1986. In his brief but intense career, Tamburini marked the history of Italian and international graphic design. The image chosen to represent the 2018 edition of the Venice Film Critics’ Week was created as an editorial illustration and first appeared in issue 11 of Frigidaire magazine. It shows one of the main techniques used by Tamburini, who ransacked fashion magazines and recreated its images through collages of colored cardboards, with an eye on Matisse’s papier découpé and on the advertising illustrations by futurist artist Fortunato Depero. By choosing Tamburini, the Venice Film Critics’ Week goes back to the future, paying homage to an innovative and avant-garde artist who almost forty decades ago re-invented the world of images with a series of extraordinary, ground-breaking “debut artworks”, that still today, carry an astonishing strength of rupture and freshness.
The General Delegate of the Venice International Film Critics’ Week, Giona A. Nazzaro, explained: “Stefano Tamburini embodies the most lively and creative energy of 1977.’You need muscle to do graphic design,’ he used to say. His work announced a clear break with the past. Politics, fashion, music, comics, and graphic design: nothing will ever be the same after the Tamburini tsunami. On Italian graphic design and comics, he had the same devastating impact as the Sex Pistols did on music: a feverish laboratory, pulsing with life, energy and future. Creator of the controversial anti-hero Ranxerox and author of unprecedented musical cut-ups, he is a rallying call for all the creative insurgencies that signposted ‘77. By paying homage to Tamburini, the Venice Critics’ Week consciously aspires to bridge the gap between yesterday’s creative urges and the best energies of today’s finest cinema. A rite of passage. Because the future is not yet written. And the future of cinema even less so.”
Stefano Tamburini (1955 – 1986) – After his debut in 1974 in the underground magazine Combinazioni, Tamburini starts to collaborate as a graphic designer and illustrator for Stampa Alternativa, a counter-information agency based in Rome. Three years later, he actively participates in the actions and struggle of the ‘77 Movement, depicting its mood in the pages of Cannibale, a magazine he created together with Massimo Mattioli, Filippo Scozzari, Andrea Pazienza and Tanino Liberatore. With Liberatore they soon strengthen a fruitful artistic collaboration that will bring to life Ranxerox, the comic book character that will make him famous. In 1980, with Vincenzo Spagna and Filippo Scozzari he founds the monthly comic magazine Frigidaire, which becomes a true space for his graphic experimentation: from collages with coloured cardboard and leftover printing material found in the typography room, to the use of nail polish on fashion photographs, from distorted photocopies to the manipulation of Polaroids. For Frigidaire he also creates comics with non-conventional techniques: painting on fashion photographs or using distorted photocopies combined with Copy Art technique. Furthermore, Tamburini signs a column under the pseudonym Red Vinyle, with which he incarnates an arrogant and ruthless music critic. In those same years, he starts writing lyrics, put to music by Maurizio Marsico, with whom he creates musical and artistic performances in hip places. While Ranxerox’s popularity grows, expanding his presence in the most important international comic books, Tamburini undertakes new creative paths in advertising and fashion. In 1986, at the peak of his success, he passed away. He is only 33 years old.
The Venice International Film Critics’ Week is the independent and parallel section organized by the National Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI) during the 75th Venice International Film Festival (29th August – 8th September 2018).
CREDITS: © 1981-2018 Alessandra and Enrico Tamburini
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Immersive Storytelling Program and More New Programming Added to 2018 LA Film Festival
The LA Film Festival, which is moving to the fall this year, will include an immersive storytelling program curated by Jacqueline Lyanga, Guest Director, VR and Immersive Storytelling, in partnership with Loyola Marymount University’s School of Film and Television; We the People, a two-day summit committed to advancing inclusion within the entertainment industry; a partnership with the International Documentary Association’s biannual conference, Getting Real ’18; and a benefit dinner celebrating 25 years of Project Involve, honoring Effie T. Brown, Jon M. Chu, Cherien Dabis and Charles D. King. The upcoming 24th edition of the Festival, under the leadership of Festival Director Jennifer Cochis, will take place September 20 to 28, 2018.
“The evolution of the LA Film Festival continues!” said Jennifer Cochis, Festival Director. “The new partnerships formed with kindred and beloved organizations like LMU’s School of Film and Television and the International Documentary Association are radical, connecting creators in brand new ways. Jacqueline Lyanga will helm the LA Film Festival’s first foray into immersive storytelling as Guest Director, VR and Immersive Storytelling. She is a talented and distinguished tastemaker in our global festival community. The pieces and experiences she will curate are not just of the moment; these are the storytellers of the future. The Festival is also expanding our inclusion summit, We the People, to allow us to continue to be leaders within the broader industry dialogue as we continue to work towards solutions for parity across Hollywood.”
Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent added, “Project Involve has worked to make this industry more inclusive for a quarter of a century. We are taking this moment to celebrate the work of Project Involve alumni like, Effie T. Brown, Jon M. Chu and Cherien Dabis, as well as industry leaders like Charles D. King. These are the people who are bringing the change, and we’re so happy to honor them at the Festival this year, and to help raise funds to support the program into the future.”
This year marks the launch of an immersive storytelling section of the Festival, in partnership with LMU’s School of Film and Television, Jacqueline Lyanga (former Director, AFI FEST) will curate this section of the Festival as Guest Director, VR and Immersive Storytelling. This section will showcase exemplary, daring new work in a variety of new media platforms including VR, AI and AR. This two-day experience will be free to the public and take place September 22-23, at the new LMU Playa Vista Campus, located in the heart of Silicon Beach, the hub for innovative technology and digital entertainment.
Continuing to advance the inclusion conversation, the Festival is launching We the People, a two-day summit that is a participatory, solution-oriented call to action. Over the course of two days at the Writers Guild Theatre, September 22 and 23, We the People will feature free panel discussions and keynote conversations addressing issues of representation and inclusion in the industry. Panelists include Tre’vell Anderson (LA Times), Russell Boast (president, CSA), Kate Hagan (The Black List), Teresa Huang (SEAL Team), Our Lady J (Pose), Franklin Leonard (The Black List), Nic Novicki (Founder Easterseals Disability Film Challenge), Natasha Rottweil (Insecure), Krista Suh (Co-Founder, Pussyhat movement), Steven James Tingus (board member, RespectAbility), Gail Williamson (talent agent, KMR & Associates) and more to be announced. The conversations will range from the state of the entertainment industry’s inclusion efforts both on screen and behind the camera, in addition to how women, immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ+, Native Americans, people with disabilities and people of color are represented.
On the evening of Saturday, September 22, a benefit dinner will be held to celebrate 25 years of Project Involve, the organization’s mentorship initiative for underrepresented voices in the industry. The benefit dinner will honor Project Involve Fellows Effie T. Brown (Real Women Have Curves, Dear White People), Jon M. Chu (GI Joe: Retaliation, Crazy Rich Asians), Cherien Dabis (Amreeka, Empire) and MACRO’s Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Mudbound, Fences) at the home of Catharine and Jeffrey Soros. The event is chaired by long-time program supporter Chaz Ebert. For more information on tickets and tables, contact Jennifer Murby at jmurby@filmindependent.org.
The Festival is also adding a partnership with the International Documentary Association to expand Film Independent and the Festival’s support of the documentary community. The Festival is introducing a Documentary Pass and centering its documentary programming at ArcLight Cinemas Hollywood to make it easily accessible to attendees of the IDA’s conference, Getting Real. Festival Doc Pass holders will receive a discount to Getting Real and vice versa. Film Independent is also launching a documentary track of its Fast Track film financing market, also in partnership with the IDA.
In addition to the traditional Opening and Closing Night Films available to pass holders, the Festival is also programming public screenings that LA audiences can attend on those nights. On September 20, the Festival will feature a night of Project Involve shorts and on September 28, a special Closing Night Documentary will screen. Festival passes go on sale to Film Independent Members on July 24 and to the general public on July 31 at lafilmfestival.com. The Competition Lineup will be announced on July 31.
The 2018 Festival team is comprised of Jennifer Cochis, Festival Director; Rachel Bleemer, Director of Operations; Shawn Davis, Director of Events; Drea Clark, Senior Programmer, Head Programmer, US Fiction; Jenn Wilson, Senior Programmer, Head Programmer, Documentary; Heidi Honeycutt, Head Programmer, Nightfall; Ana Souza, Head Programmer, World Fiction; Landon Zakheim, Head of Shorts; Hasan Foster, Senior Manager, Inclusion and Discourse; Rebecca Green, Programmer, Retrospectives; Aisha Lomax, Programmer, Podcasts and Music Videos; and Spade Robinson, Programmer, Television and Web Content.
Venues for the 2018 Festival include the ArcLight Cinemas in Culver City, Hollywood and Santa Monica, as well as the new LMU Playa Vista Campus (opening this fall), the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and the Writers Guild Theater.
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Watch New Trailer + Poster for Stylized Thriller ELIZABETH HARVEST Starring Carla Gugino
Stylized sci-fi thriller. Gothic love story. Existential mystery. The new trailer and poster dropped today for Elizabeth Harvest starring Carla Gugino, a science fiction thriller told from a young woman’s point of view. The film written and directed by Sebastian Gutierrez is described as a modern-day riff on the French folktale of Bluebeard (in which a violent nobleman in the habit of murdering his wives is confronted by a new wife trying to avoid the fate of her predecessors). IFC Films will release Elizabeth Harvest in theatres on Friday, August 10 in New York at IFC Center, and in Los Angeles at Arena CineLounge Sunset; and also On Demand.
Newlywed Elizabeth (Abbey Lee) arrives with her brilliant scientist husband Henry (Ciaran Hinds) to his magnificent estate, where he wows her with lavish dinners and a dazzling tour of the property. The house staff, Claire (Carla Gugino) and Oliver (Matthew Beard), treats her deferentially but she can’t shake the feeling something is off. Henry explains that everything in his world now belongs to her, all is for her to play in — all except for a locked-off room he forbids her from entering. When he goes away for business Elizabeth decides to investigate and finds she may not be who she thinks she is at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrPaMJWF1tg
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Watch Trailer for DEVIL’S COVE ‘Indie take on Thelma & Louise”
In Devil’s Cove, his award-winning feature directorial debut, opening August 3 in L.A theaters, director Erik Lundmark serves up a roguishly electrifying indie take on Thelma & Louise that pits an interracial lesbian couple, fresh from a killing, against a dark highway.
New girl in town Toni (Christelle Baguidy) is unhappy in her marriage to the vehement Rick. Not surprisingly, her eye catches that of another- Jackie (Chloe Traicos in an award-nominated performance), a woman who recently escaped a jail sentence involving the death of her child.
When Rick (Cameron Barnes) gets wind of the passionate relationship his wife is having with Jackie, he erupts into a fiery rage. In an act of self-defence, Toni and Jackie end Rick’s life. To stay out of jail, the duo hit the road – one with many twists and turns in it.
Made for just $10,000 by Leomark Studios, the truly independent “Devil’s Cove” premiered at the New York City International Film Festival where it was nominated for two Best Actress awards (for Chloe Traicos) and Best Original Screenplay. Director Erik Lundmark also won a Global Accolade at the Global Accolade Awards.
Chloe Traicos, Christelle Baguidy, Cameron Barnes, Westworld’s Michael Keyes and Sammy Anderson co-star in Devil’s Cove, opening in theaters August 3.
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Racially-Charged Drama THE BEST OF ENEMIES Starring Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell to be Released by STXfilms
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Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell[/caption]
The Best of Enemies, the timely drama from first-time director Robin Bissell starring Academy Award® nominee Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures) and Academy Award® winner Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) has been acquired by STXfilms for release in the US. Bissell also wrote the screenplay which was inspired by the true events chronicled in The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South, by Osha Gray Davidson. The film also stars BAFTA TV Award-nominee Babou Ceesay (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Anne Heche (John Q), Wes Bentley (American Beauty), Bruce McGill (Lincoln), Tony Award-winner John Gallagher Jr. (Short Term 12) and Nick Searcy (The Shape of Water) lead the supporting cast.
Producers include Danny Strong, Fred Bernstein, Matt Berenson, Bissell, Dominique Telson, and Material Pictures’ Tobey Maguire and Matthew Plouffe. Rick Jackson and Jeremiah Samuels are executive producers.
Based on a true story, The Best of Enemies centers on the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater (Henson), an outspoken civil rights activist, and C.P. Ellis (Rockwell), a local Ku Klux Klan leader who reluctantly co-chaired a community summit, battling over the desegregation of schools in Durham, North Carolina during the racially-charged summer of 1971. The incredible events that unfolded would change Durham and the lives of Atwater and Ellis forever.
“Robin Bissell crafted a beautiful look at this unlikely friendship that arose from one of the most unsettling times in our country’s history, with Taraji P. Henson, Sam Rockwell, and the entire cast delivering riveting performances,” said Adam Fogelson, Chairman of STXfilms. “STXfilms is proud to come on board for this important and entertaining film that will resonate and evoke dialogue about the timeless humanity that is at the heart of this powerful story.”