Terry P.

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

2018 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Announces Lineup – “306 Hollywood” “Boom for Real” and More…

[caption id="attachment_27448" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] 306 Hollywood by Elan Bogarín and Jonathan Bogarín[/caption] The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, today announced its lineup of features and short films. The 21st annual festival will take place April 5 to 8, 2018, in Durham, North Carolina. The NEW DOCS program includes 42 titles – 32 features and 10 shorts – selected from nearly 1,800 submissions from around the globe. These films are eligible for the Full Frame Audience Award and are shortlisted for a variety of additional juried awards offering a combined value of $40,000 in cash prizes. Award winners will be announced at the annual Awards Barbecue on Sunday, April 8. The Invited Program includes 22 feature films screening out of competition. Renowned filmmaker Joe Berlinger will curate the 2018 Thematic Program, and the festival will honor Jehane Noujaim’s illustrious body of work with the 2018 Tribute. Delving into the fascinating genre of true crime, the Thematic Program will feature films that follow individual cases and consider the ways documentary uniquely represents the complexities, and limitations, of the American judicial system. For the Tribute, Full Frame will showcase Noujaim’s lauded films exploring themes of resilience, freedom, democracy, and free speech.
NEW DOCS
306 Hollywood (Directors: Elan Bogarin, Jonathan Bogarin) When their beloved grandmother dies, two siblings embark on an imaginative exploration of her home, sifting through her belongings, and their own cherished memories, to discover her essence. América (Directors: Erick Stoll, Chase Whiteside) When their father is unexpectedly arrested, three brothers come together to care for their aging grandmother, América. This sensitive portrait delicately captures the frustrations and connections that evolve as they navigate her physical decline and their expectations of one another. The Area (Director: David Schalliol) Charismatic activist Deborah Payne tirelessly battles developers of a new multibillion-dollar freight yard that threatens to destroy Englewood, her neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. World Premiere The Bastard (Director: Floris-Jan van Luyn) The Hoeks are united in name but severed by history: Ethiopian-born Daniel and his estranged Dutch father, Joop, each tell their story, but who can be trusted in this tangled tale of regret and misdeed? Bending Lines: The Sculpture of Robert Wiggs (Directors: Peter DeHart, Allison Bohl DeHart) Inspired by the geometry of nature—from the cracks in dried mud to the structure of pine cones to the scales on armadillos—Wiggs’s artistic process reveals the intriguing interplay between mathematics and art. World Premiere The Blessing (Directors: Hunter Robert Baker, Jordan Fein) In this stunningly and candidly shot film, Lawrence, a Navajo coal miner, wrestles with his relationship to land to which he is spiritually bound but employed to destroy, while his daughter, Caitlin, forms her own identity amid cultural pressures. World Premiere Cielo (Director: Alison McAlpine) Enter a wondrous exploration of the meeting of heaven and Earth in this dynamic exchange between humans and the starry skies of Chile’s Atacama Desert. Crime + Punishment (Director: Stephen Maing) This powerful film follows twelve brave whistleblowers who speak out against illegal policing quotas in the NYPD and the retaliation they experience after refusing to make arrests targeting minority populations. David. The Return to Land (David. El regreso a la tierra) (Director: Anaïs Huerta) Haitian, French, and adopted by Jewish parents, 34-year-old David embarks on a mission to better understand who he is in this beautifully nuanced observation of self-discovery. North American Premiere The Deminer (Director: Hogir Hirori; Co-director: Shinwar Kamal) After the fall of Saddam Hussein, Colonel Fakhir of the Iraqi army devotes his life to disarming landmines, with only a pocket knife and wire cutters, in this deeply suspenseful film that makes use of Fakhir’s own extensive video footage. North American Premiere A Friendship in Tow/Toe (Director: Atsushi Kuwayama) In the brief ascent up a flight of stairs, a pair of strangers find a rapport across languages and generations. From Parts Unknown (Director: Michael T. Workman) The poignant experience of a young man who determines an unlikely outlet for his pain and hardships: In local wrestling, he finds catharsis, community, and a sense of purpose. The Good Struggle (Director: Celia Peterson) Although few words are spoken between themselves, monks at a Greek Orthodox monastery in Lebanon provide voiceovers to their daily routines—their devout thoughts echo the beauty of their solitude. World Premiere Hale County This Morning, This Evening (Director: RaMell Ross) Observational and impressionistic, this poetic film is a humanist exploration of an Alabama community, where mostly black, working-class families live, work, dream, celebrate, and struggle together. I Am Bisha ( انا% ةش) ( Director: Roopa Gogineni) As an act of pure creative resilience, Ganja and his friends film a humorous and satirical web series, Bisha TV, starring puppets to combat the violent, genocidal regime of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir. World Premiere Inventing Tomorrow (Director: Laura Nix) Six young scientists from around the globe compete in the largest international high school science fair—with their ingenious solutions to environmental problems, they don’t just aim to bring home the top prize, they hope to change the world. The Issue of Mr. O’Dell (Director: Rami Katz) The work of Jack O’Dell, who once worked alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., is revealed through a conversation with the 94-year-old activist, who delves into his historical involvement in the civil rights struggle as well as the movement’s contemporary incarnation under the stewardship of groups like Black Lives Matter. Lovers of the Night (Director: Anna Frances Ewert) Seven elderly monks at a Cistercian abbey in Ireland humorously muse on their spiritual experiences, way of life, and the inevitable end to it all. Maj Doris (Director: Jon Blåhed) Ever-able, 74-year-old Maj Doris Rimpi is a renowned Sámi artist who lives alone in Sweden and tends to her home and herd of reindeer, but after another long winter she wonders, is it time to consider a new way of life? North American Premiere The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara (Director: MacGregor) In this expansive, gorgeously composed short, ride atop the railway car that serves as a 704- kilometer-long lifeline that supplies goods and iron ore to people in different cities in the Sahara Desert. World Premiere MELTING SOULS (NORILSK, L’étreinte de glace) (Director: François-Xavier Destors) This exquisitely photographed portrait documents a remote Arctic city centered around a metal refinery, where residents endure extreme, subzero temperatures to survive on the resource that lies beneath the tundra. North American Premiere Messenger on a White Horse (El mensajero) (Director: Jayson McNamara) This homage to the fearless investigative reporting of the Buenos Aires Herald during the disappearances and murders of Argentinians between 1976 and 1983, utilizes impeccable archival footage and testimonies from surviving members of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo as well as lead newspaper editor Robert Cox. North American Premiere Minding the Gap (Director: Bing Liu) Skateboarding and strained family relationships bond three friends together in this introspective saga about the journey from youth to adulthood. Las Nubes (Director: Juan Pablo González) As a father drives through an unidentified countryside, his car becomes a space for reflection as he recounts the impact of cartel violence on his home and family. Of Fathers and Sons (Director: Talal Derki) With rare and chilling insights, this film takes us into the lives of a Syrian family, led by an Al-Nusra fighter, where we observe how swiftly the innocence of childhood can fade. Our New President (Director: Maxim Pozdorovkin) By turns provocative, disorienting, and astonishing, this feature weaves clips from Russian state-owned news coverage of the 2016 U.S. presidential election to portray the perils of bias, conspiracy theories, and manufactured narratives. Owned: A Tale of Two Americas (Director: Giorgio Angelini) This energetic film unpacks the complex history of home ownership in America to reveal the postwar housing economy’s racist underpinnings—the creation of a large middle class simultaneous with the systematic defunding and segregating of communities. World Premiere PATRIMONIO (Directors: Lisa F. Jackson, Sarah Teale) When a multinational corporation attempts to covertly develop plans to build a resort on the fishermen’s coast in Todos Santos, Mexico, the locals unite for a momentous and riveting fight for their resources and their heritage—their patrimonio. North American Premiere Personal Truth (Director: Charlie Lyne) Spurred from the fake “Pizzagate” scandal, this frenetic and provocative observational film about the power of fake news suggests that conspiracy theories may be more believable than one might like to admit. The Providers (Directors: Laura Green, Anna Moot-Levin) The El Centro Family Health system in northern New Mexico covers 22,000 square miles and suffers from a chronic shortage of health care providers. This film follows three dedicated practitioners in their daily work and private lives. World Premiere The Pushouts (Directors: Katie Galloway, Dawn Valadez) This inspiring film follows the transformative work of Dr. Victor Rios, a former gang member and high school dropout, as he works to support students, through tools for selfreflection and expression, in an educational system that is failing to reach them. World Premiere Rebuilding in Miniature (Director: Veena Rao) In this short, miniaturist Ali Alamedy, an Iraqi refugee, painstakingly creates exquisitely detailed dioramas of places he’s never been in an attempt to heal his disrupted relationship to home. The Rescue List (Directors: Alyssa Fedele, Zachary Fink) In a Ghanaian safe house, a team works to rehabilitate two young men who were trafficked into slavery to fisherman on Lake Volta. As it moves from rescue operation to healing process, this riveting film follows the men through their recovery and reveals the extraordinary dedication of their rescuer. Shirkers (Director: Sandi Tan) A film lover’s dream quickly turns to nightmare: Sandi Tan recounts making her first film in Singapore in 1992 and how she loses everything when her mentor, Georges Carandos, steals the footage. This unique diary is a bright ode to cinema, and a moving story of friendship, betrayal, and failure. A Singular Garden (Um Jardim Singular) (Director: Monica Klemz) This experimental documentary blends old and new images of the garden next to the presidential palace in Rio de Janeiro and incorporates natural sound as a way to connect past and present. World Premiere Sky and Ground (Directors: Talya Tibbon, Joshua Bennett) Incorporating a refugee family’s own footage, Sky and Ground follows a Syrian-Kurdish refugee family as they flee from a holding camp at the Greece-Macedonia border and take their chances at reaching asylum by foot on a perilous one-way trip to Berlin. Tempting Promises (Le allettanti promesse) (Directors: Chiara Campara, Lorenzo Faggi) A small town tucked quietly away in the Italian Alps is chosen to host the 2016 Wikimania conference—an annual meeting of international Wikipedia contributors—and the townspeople unite to welcome the newcomers and the new technological age. North American Premiere This Is Home (Director: Alexandra Shiva) Through brilliant observational filmmaking, This Is Home tells the story of four Syrian families on the path to self-sufficiency, and success, in a resettlement program in Baltimore, Maryland. Three Identical Strangers (Director: Tim Wardle) A chance encounter leads three teenagers to discover that they are in fact triplets. Sharing this undeniable bond, they become fast friends and embark upon living their lives together, but the roots of their separation prove to be more sinister than they could have imagined. Thy Kingdom Come (Director: Eugene Richards) A priest bears witness to the personal stories of people in a mid-American town: Heartbreak, regret, faith, resignation all resonate profoundly in this succession of exquisitely photographed scenes of intimate communion. Time Trial (Director: Finlay Pretsell) Former doper and Tour de France champion David Millar is clean and ready to win the right way. This sensory ride travels alongside him for every breath, turn, and fall, through the thrills and hardships of professional cycling. The Unafraid (Directors: Anayansi Prado, Heather Courtney) The gripping and vital stories of three DACA students unfold as they work for immigrant rights, and the future of their families, after being banned from attending Georgia’s top universities or receiving in-state tuition. World Premiere
Invited Program
12th and Clairmount (Director: Brian Kaufman) Contemporary interviews bring to life scenes from home movies, newsreels, and photographs of one of the most violent civil disturbances in U.S. history, the 1967 Detroit riot, when police brutality against African American citizens ignited a five-day standoff. Bisbee ’17 (Director: Robert Greene) In 1917, a strike in an Arizona mining town culminated in the exile of over a thousand immigrant workers. One hundred years later, a large-scale reenactment of the shocking events serves as a catalyst for remembrance and reflection. Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (Director: Sara Driver) This portrait of the pop culture icon revisits the years before he took the art world by storm. Archival footage and intimate stories from a circle of friends, lovers, and neighbors recall both a singular talent and the New York City scene that influenced his career. Capturing the Flag (Director: Anne de Mare) During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, three friends travel to North Carolina to do voter protection work at the polls. This on-the-ground look at their efforts to help potential voters navigate the new laws and requirements that may prevent their vote reveals shocking accounts of voter suppression in play. World Premiere The Cleaners (Directors: Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck) In the Philippines, a team of “cleaners” specialize in identifying and eliminating obscene content from the internet. Their personal accounts of the pressures and personal judgements inherent in their work give way to a broader examination of the global impact of manipulating content on social media. Dark Money (Director: Kimberly Reed) This modern-day political thriller follows investigative reporter John Adams into Montana’s fight against corrupt campaign financing, a struggle that could alter the devastating effects of unlimited anonymous funding on elections nationwide. Generation Wealth (Director: Lauren Greenfield) For 25 years, Lauren Greenfield has documented affluence around the world. In this fascinating overview of her immense body of work, the photographer reconnects with subjects of her images to consider their relationships to money, then and now, and her own fascination with the topic. Hal (Director: Amy Scott) Hal Ashby’s controversial films about race, sex, politics, and unconventional love made him a Hollywood rarity in the 1970s—a director who made films outside studio control. This loving remembrance by his peers celebrates the iconoclastic filmmaker. The Jazz Ambassadors (Director: Hugo Berkeley) During the Cold War, the U.S. government deployed some of its greatest jazz musicians around the world to promote democracy, even as many of them suffered Jim Crow racism in their own country. Rich archival material and powerful interviews delve into the deep conflict at the heart of the story. World Premiere The Judge (Director: Erika Cohn) Devoted to the law and unwilling to mince words, Kholoud Al-Faqih, the West Bank’s first female judge, navigates Palestine’s family court system, providing a rare glimpse into Islamic courts and gendered justice. Larger Than Life: The Kevyn Aucoin Story (Director: Tiffany Bartok) In the 1980s, Kevyn Aucoin redefined the role of the makeup artist. Home movies and recollections from family, friends, and an impressive roster of famous clients retrace his meteoric rise and his lasting impact. Love Means Zero (Director: Jason Kohn) Tennis coach Nick Bollettieri trained some of the sport’s greatest champions, but his volatility and harsh methods came at a price. Conversations between director and subject revisit moments of triumph and anguish, including Bollettieri’s infamous falling out with Andre Agassi. MAYNARD (Director: Sam Pollard) Interviews with family, friends, and political luminaries combine with archival footage and photographs in this captivating portrait of Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first black mayor, whose extraordinary influence spanned three terms in office. A Murder in Mansfield (Director: Barbara Kopple) Twelve-year old Collier Boyle’s testimony put his father in jail for the 1989 murder of his mother. Still imprisoned more than 25 years later, the father maintains his innocence, and Boyle returns to his Ohio hometown, in this sensitive examination of reconciling with the past. On Her Shoulders (Director: Alexandria Bombach) When ISIS devastates her Yazidi community, survivor Nadia Murad becomes the prevailing voice for her people. Following Murad as she recounts her harrowing experience time and again, this film intimately details the burden of imploring the world to intervene. The Price of Everything (Director: Nathaniel Kahn) Moving between auction houses, collectors, artists, and coveted works, this analysis of the art market questions how we determine value, the impact of purchasing art as a form of financial investment, and the cultural implications when pieces are only available to the highest bidder. RBG (Directors: Betsy West, Julie Cohen) This triumphant look at the life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg revisits landmark cases and decisions, but also reveals the woman behind the robe and the personal experiences that continue to shape her legacy. The Rape of Recy Taylor (Director: Nancy Buirski) In 1944, Recy Taylor, a 24-year-old black woman, was abducted and raped by six white men in Alabama. The film centers on her unprecedented response—a fight for justice, with the aid of Rosa Parks and other black activists—whose profound influence on the civil rights movement still reverberates today. Rodents of Unusual Size (Directors: Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer) Kill them as invasive pests destroying coastal wetlands or keep them as part of the region’s culture? In this quirky account, citizens are divided on what to do about nutria, the giant 20-pound rodents with protruding orange teeth who have made southern Louisiana their home for decades. Solitary Land (Tierra Sola) (Director: Tiziana Panizza) This innovative meditation on Easter Island and its indigenous inhabitants uses historical and present-day footage to illustrate the legacy of colonial exploitation in one of the world’s most remote inhabited locales—a place of beauty, isolation, and tradition. North American Premiere Studio 54 (Director: Matt Tyrnauer) Rare footage transports us back in time and behind the velvet rope into the famed Manhattan disco, as a collection of insiders, including one of the co-founders, recall the rise and fall of the pioneering nightclub and iconic cultural landmark. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Director: Morgan Neville) Fred Rogers revolutionized children’s television. This remarkable portrait of the visionary behind Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood reveals the origins of the groundbreaking show, the ways it connected to current events, and its impact on the lives of children, and adults, across the country.
FULL FRAME TRIBUTE Jehane Noujaim
Control Room (Director: Jehane Noujaim) It’s 2003, and the United States is on the brink of war with Iraq. Control Room follows journalists of the Al Jazeera satellite channel—broadcasting news to some 40 million Arab viewers—as they try to cut through American rhetoric and awaken the viewers to the realities on the ground. Rafea: Solar Mama (Director: Jehane Noujaim) In this resounding global testament to the power and necessity of equal access to education, Rafea attends Barefoot College in India to become a solar engineer, learning with other women from developing areas how to create sustainable futures for their hometowns. The Square (Director: Jehane Noujaim) After the 2011 Egyptian revolution in Tahrir Square, citizens realize that former president Mubarak’s corrupt regime is still in power; they return to the streets to bring an end to the government, combatting controlled international media coverage, enduring violence, and navigating fragile relationships. Startup.com (Directors: Chris Hegedus, Jehane Noujaim) In the late 1990s, two high school friends attempt to turn the spark of an idea into a multimillion-dollar company. But when passion leads to tension, and the dot-com rush gives way to the dot-com bust, will they be able to deliver on their dream?
THEMATIC PROGRAM Crime and Punishment
Curated by Joe Berlinger Brother’s Keeper (Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky) A murder trial ignites the small farming community of Munnsville, New York, when Delbert Ward, an eccentric and uneducated man, confesses to suffocating his brother in the isolated home they shared with two other brothers. Was the killing an act of mercy? Was Delbert’s confession coerced? In Brother’s Keeper, a surprisingly complicated story emerges. The Farm: Angola, USA (Directors: Liz Garbus, Jonathan Stack) In The Farm, life at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, the largest maximumsecurity prison in the United States, is seen through the eyes of both its wardens and its prisoners—many of whom will die there—with disturbing parallels to plantation life. Gone: The Forgotten Women of Ohio (Director: Joe Berlinger) After numerous women go missing, leaving their families and local law-enforcement officers with more questions than answers, this stunning series investigates whether or not a serial killer is responsible. In Cold Blood (Director: Richard Brooks) Mixing elements of reality and fiction, In Cold Blood delves into the real-life murders of the Clutter family at the hands of Perry Smith and Dick Hickock in this scripted true-crime cinematic narrative based on Truman Capote’s novel. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky) When three young boys are brutally murdered, three teenagers are accused of committing the crime as part of a satanic ritual, and are convicted by their community before they even reach the courtroom. Paradise Lost is the first film of the groundbreaking trilogy that documented the case of the West Memphis Three. Scenes of a Crime (Directors: Grover Babcock, Blue Hadaegh) When a four-month-old boy dies, officers are convinced he was killed by his father, who after more than ten hours of questioning, confesses to the crime. Medical experts, police officers, and lawyers offer their opinions on this controversial admission of guilt, but the film’s focal point is the videotaped interrogation itself. The Thin Blue Line (Director: Errol Morris) A man is sent to prison for shooting a Dallas police officer. The documentary questions the veracity of the verdict through interviews with detectives, lawyers, and the alleged murderer, who all paint very different accounts of events, which are represented in stunning reenactments. Titicut Follies (Director: Frederick Wiseman) An intense, purely observational look at the stark conditions of inmate life in the 1960s at the Bridgewater State Hospital for the criminally insane in Massachusetts.
Read more
2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival Unveils Lineup of Over 150 Films + Music + Panels

[caption id="attachment_27424" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] ABOVE THE DROWNING SEA,[/caption] The 2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival brings a seven-day fest of more than 150 cutting edge award-winning films, plus up to 50 bands, panels, and daily events at various venues across Richmond, Virginia. The seventh edition of the festival kicks off Monday, April 23rd with the Opening Night film, NONA. and concludes Sunday, April 29th with the annual Red Carpet Awards where prizes selected by the Grand Jury and audience will be awarded in various categories for all film, music, and writing categories. NONA is a compelling narrative feature film written and directed by Michael Polish, which stars Kate Bosworth (also the Producer/Executive Producer), Sulem Calderon, and Jesy McKinney. NONA follows the harrowing path of a young Honduran girl from her home in San Pedro Sula, across four countries, into a living hell of servitude in a world of modern day sex slavery. Kate Bosworth and Michael Polish will be in attendance, and Bosworth will receive this year’s esteemed Founder’s Award for her work as a producer on the film. The Founder’s Award is given to the film and filmmaker that captures the heart and spirit of the festival – stories that reveal truths that are often untold or overlooked, and to those artists on the frontlines of creating necessary yet artful dialogue in their work. Also in the spotlight are BUCKOUT ROAD, a horror thriller directed by Matthew Currie Holmes starring Danny Glover, Henry Czerny, Evan Ross, and Dominque Provost-Chalkey. The feature is a story of how a college class project on the creation and destruction of modern myth turns terrifying when a trio of young people come to realize the many evil urban legends surrounding New York State’s famed Buckout Road may, in fact be real. ABOVE THE DROWNING SEA, a documentary feature about the dramatic escape of tens of thousands of Jewish refugees’ escape to Shanghai featuring Julianna Margulies, Tony Goldwyn, and Nick Mancuso. The film is directed by Rene Balcer who is also writer, executive producer, and co-creator of Law & Order. Balcer will present the film alongside co-executive producer Carolyn Balcer with an extensive Q&A discussion to follow. DOUBLE TAKE directed by Jay Gard and a short crime mystery in the vein of HEAT, MEMENTO, and TRUE DETECTIVE. With a swiss-clock style plot, DOUBLE TAKE threads together two diamond heists with multiple twists and an intense interrogation between old enemies. The film stars Adrian Pasdar and David James Elliott. THE BLACK GHIANDOLA, a narrative short starring J.K. Simmons, Johnny Depp, David Lynch, and Laura Dern. The film is produced by Tamika Lamison and the Make a Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization that grants children suffering with cancer their final wish to make a film. The film and foundation will receive a special honor at the 2018 festival. DADDY, a documentary short that tells the story of youth basketball coach and drug trafficker, Curtis Malone. In 1993 Curtis founded the DC Assault, an AAU basketball team whose mission was to keep inner city boys off the streets by helping them earn college scholarships, and it included a hundred Division I student athletes and several NBA players. But on August 9th 2013, Curtis’ double life caught up with him. In addition to Curtis, the film includes interviews with the NBA players he raised, the DEA agents who investigated him, and the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted him. DIMINUENDO, a sci-fi romance starring James Deen, Richard Hatch, Chloe Dykstra, Leah Cairns, Walter Koenig, Bryn Pryor, and more. When asked to direct the biopic of Cello Shea about his actress girlfriend who killed herself a decade ago, the has-been filmmaker Haskell Edwards becomes obsessed with the lifelike robot created to mimic her. Also in the lineup is PERFECT BID: THE CONTESTANT WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, a feature documentary starring Ted Slauson, Bob Barker, Kevin Pollak, Drew Carey, and Holly Hallstrom. The film details Ted Slauson, a math teacher from Texas who spent the majority of his life memorizing the prize amounts on The Price Is Right. The documentary explores how Ted went from bidding to banned, and was involved in a Perfect Bid scandal that was covered in Esquire, Time Magazine & others. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of Ted’s most famous appearance on the show. AYLA THE DAUGHTER OF WAR, this Turkish feature film set in 1950, is a story about the ravages of the Korean War as Sergeant Süleyman stumbles upon a a half-frozen little girl, with no parents and no help in sight. Frantic, scared and on the verge of death, this little girl captures the heart of Süleyman, who risks his own life to save her, smuggling her into his Army base and out of harms way. Ayla, almost effortlessly, brings an uncanny joy to the Turkish brigade in the grip of war. THE RIBBON ON THE KITE, a narrative short by filmmaker Gianlorenzo Albertini that features a compelling look at PTSD through the eyes of Daerik, an army veteran who returns to his hometown after being discharged from the military. Now homeless and suffering from severe PTSD, he tries to drown out the painful memories of a mission in Afghanistan where his men were killed. In the meantime, Rebecca, a very young girl, attempts to find her brother who suddenly disappears after the war later finding that the homeless man living on the river bank nearby is her lost brother.
Music Performances
Bands to receive early acceptances to perform at the 2018 festival range from every major music genre and include: Marcaux (Brooklyn, NY), Sparky Quano (Japan), Giant Squids (Washington, D.C.), Zaxai (Brooklyn, NY), Ezra Vancil (Dallas, TX), Mariana Bell (Charlottesville, VA), The Fury MCs (Woodbridge, VA), Gabriel Mayers (Brooklyn, NY), The Jacks (Newport Beach, CA), Friendly Mosquito (Tbilisi), Justin Gambino (Angleton, TX), Tahj Ace (Brooklyn, NY), Lucille Fris (Chicago, IL), Kendra Black (New York, NY). More acts and the full programming schedule to be announced mid-March. Music showcases take place nightly at various venues across Richmond.
Additional Festival Honors
In 2018, RIFF celebrates the theme, “RISE.” In conjunction with the theme, the festival will honor some of the film and music industry’s rising female and African American talent through special spotlights and tributes during festival week.
Read more
Watch Trailer for Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead’s Mind-Bending Thriller THE ENDLESS

[caption id="attachment_21965" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Justin Benson as Justin and Aaron Moorhead as Aaron in THE ENDLESS. [/caption] Here is the new trailer for Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s mind-bending thriller The Endless. The film also starring Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, along with Callie Hernandez, Emily Montague, Lew Temple, Tate Ellington, and James Jordan will open in New York on April 6th and in Los Angeles on April 13th. Following their Lovecraftian modern cult classic Spring, acclaimed filmmakers Moorhead and Benson return with this mind-bending thriller that follows two brothers who receive a cryptic video message inspiring them to revisit the UFO death cult they escaped a decade earlier. Hoping to find the closure that they couldn’t as young men, they’re forced to reconsider the cult’s beliefs when confronted with unexplainable phenomena surrounding the camp. As the members prepare for the coming of a mysterious event, the brothers race to unravel the seemingly impossible truth before their lives become permanently entangled with the cult. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMHpWCN0byw
Read more
See the Official Poster for William Friedkin’s Exorcist Documentary “The Devil And Father Amorth”

The Orchard has released the official poster for “The Devil And Father Amorth” directed by William Friedkin. The film will be released in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on April 20th, 2018.

In his latest, William Friedkin returns not only to his documentary roots but to the subject of one of his most towering works, 1973’s THE EXORCIST. Friedkin, a legendary raconteur, leads a tour that moves from the infamous Exorcist steps in Georgetown to Italy, where he meets with the 91-year-old Father Gabriele Amorth, official exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, and accompanies Amorth on one of his harrowing house calls. A sprightly, at times gonzo-style investigation into the long history of demonic lore, and a one-of-a-kind insight into the persistence of medieval belief in the supposedly modern world.
Read more
2018 Tribeca Film Festival Unveils Feature Film Lineup + Closes with World Premiere of “The Fourth Estate”

[caption id="attachment_27371" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Fourth Estate[/caption] The 2018 Tribeca Film Festival revealed its feature film lineup championing the discovery of emerging voices and celebrating new work from established filmmaking talent. To close the Festival, Tribeca will World Premiere The Fourth Estate, from Oscar®-nominated director Liz Garbus, which follows The New York Times’ coverage of the Trump administration’s first year. The Centerpiece Gala will be the World Premiere of Drake Doremus’ sci-fi romance Zoe starring Ewan McGregor, Léa Seydoux, Rashida Jones, and Theo James. The 2018 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 18-29. The 2018 feature film program includes 96 films from 103 filmmakers. Of the 96 films, 46% of them are directed by women, the highest percentage in the Festival’s history. The lineup includes 75 World Premieres, 5 International Premieres, 9 North American Premieres, 3 U.S. Premieres, and 4 New York Premieres from 27 countries. This year’s program includes 46 first time filmmakers, with 18 directors returning to the Festival with their latest feature film projects. Tribeca’s 2018 slate was programmed from more than 8,789 total submissions. Fifty-one narratives and 45 documentaries will debut over the course of the 12-day festival. The Competition section features 12 documentaries, 10 U.S. narratives and 10 international narratives; 14 Spotlight Narratives, 15 Spotlight Documentaries; 5 Midnight, 16 Viewpoints selections; and 11 Special Screenings. The films in competition will compete for cash prizes totaling $165,000, as well as artwork from the Artists Awards program, offering work from acclaimed contemporary artists in select categories. One of the first awards to honor excellence in storytelling by a female writer or director, the 6th annual Nora Ephron Award, presented by CHANEL, will award a $25,000 prize to a woman who embodies the spirit and boldness of the late filmmaker. This year’s Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, sponsored by Mohegan Sun, includes 5 documentaries and 1 narrative feature film, as well as a shorts program and more to be announced. The 2018 film selections are as follows:
CENTERPIECE:
Zoe, directed by Drake Doremus, written by Richard Greenberg. Produced by Kevin Walsh, Michael Pruss, Drake Doremus, Robert George. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. In a future world where cutting-edge technologies can simulate the high of true love, two colleagues at a revolutionary research lab yearn for a connection that’s real. With Léa Seydoux, Ewan McGregor, Christina Aguilera, Rashida Jones, Theo James, Miranda Otto, Matthew Gray Gubler, Anthony Shim
CLOSING NIGHT:
The Fourth Estate, directed by Liz Garbus. Produced by Jenny Carchman, Liz Garbus, Justin Wilkes (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. For the journalists at The New York Times, the election of Donald Trump presented a once in a generation challenge in how the press would cover a president who has declared the majority of the nation’s major news outlets “the enemy of the people.” Oscar-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus witnessed the inner workings of journalism and investigative reporting from the front lines during this administrations’ first history-making year. A Showtime release After the movie: A conversation with The New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet, Washington Bureau Chief Elisabeth Bumiller, White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman, Washington Investigative Correspondent Mark Mazzetti, and director Liz Garbus.
U.S. NARRATIVE COMPETITION
All About Nina, directed and written by Eva Vives. Produced by Eric B. Fleischman, Sean Tabibian, Natalie Qasabian, Eva Vives. (USA) – World Premiere. Nina Geld’s passion and talent have made her a rising star in the comedy scene, but she’s an emotional mess offstage. When a new professional opportunity coincides with a romantic one, she is forced to reckon with the intersection of her life and her art. With Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Common, Chace Crawford, Clea DuVall, Kate del Castillo, Beau Bridges. Diane, directed and written by Kent Jones. Produced by Luca Borghese, Ben Howe, Caroline Kaplan, Oren Moverman. (USA) – World Premiere. Diane is a devoted friend and caretaker, particularly to her drug-addicted son. But as those around her begin to drift away in the last quarter of her life, she is left to reckon with past choices and long-dormant memories in this haunting character study. With Mary Kay Place, Jake Lacy, Estelle Parsons, Andrea Martin, Deirdre O’Connell, Glynis O’Connor, Phyllis Somerville, Joyce Van Patten. Duck Butter, directed by Miguel Arteta, written by Miguel Arteta, Alia Shawkat. Produced by Mel Eslyn, Natalie Qasabian. (USA) – World Premiere. Two women, jaded by dishonest and broken relationships, make a pact to spend 24 uninterrupted hours together, having sex on the hour. Their romantic experiment intends to create a new form of intimacy, but it doesn’t quite go as planned. With Alia Shawkat, Laia Costa, Hong Chau, Kate Berlant, Kumail Nanjiani, Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, Lindsay Burdge. A release from The Orchard. Ghostbox Cowboy, directed and written by John Maringouin. Produced by Molly Lynch, John Maringouin, John Montague, George Rush, Sean Gillane. (USA, China) – World Premiere. In this darkly comedic morality tale, tech entrepreneur Jimmy Van Horn arrives in China armed with an invention and confidence, only to learn that being American is not enough to succeed. With David Zellner, Robert Longstreet, Johnny Robichaux, Vincent Xie, Carrie Gege Zhang. Little Woods, directed and written by Nia DaCosta. Produced by Rachael Fung, Gabrielle Nadig. (USA) – World Premiere. In this dramatic thriller set in the fracking boomtown of Little Woods, North Dakota, two estranged sisters are driven to extremes when their mother dies, leaving them with one week to pay back her mortgage. With Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Luke Kirby, James Badge Dale, Lance Reddick. Maine, directed and written by Matthew Brown. Produced by Summer Shelton, Michael B. Clark, Alex Turtletaub. (USA) – World Premiere. A married woman’s journey of self-discovery and introspection while solo-hiking the Appalachian Trail ends up sidetracked when she encounters a lone hiker. With Laia Costa, Thomas Mann. Mapplethorpe, directed and written by Ondi Timoner. Produced by Eliza Dushku, Nathaniel Dushku, Richard J. Bosner, Ondi Timoner. (USA) – World Premiere. In the late 1960s, art-school dropout Robert Mapplethorpe moves into the Chelsea Hotel with dreams of stardom. He quickly becomes the enfant terrible of the photography world as the downtown counterculture of 1970s New York reaches its zenith. With Matt Smith, Marianne Rendón, John Benjamin Hickey, Brandon Sklenar, McKinley Belcher III, Mark Moses. O.G., directed by Madeleine Sackler, written by Stephen Belber. Produced by Madeleine Sackler, Boyd Holbrook. (USA) – World Premiere. An inmate entering the final weeks of a twenty-plus-year sentence must navigate between old loyalties and a new protégé, while he also grapples with the looming uncertainty of his return to life outside bars. With Jeffrey Wright, William Fichtner, Theothus Carter, Mare Winningham, Boyd Holbrook, David Patrick Kelly. Song of Back and Neck, directed and written by Paul Lieberstein. Produced by Paul Lieberstein, Jennifer Prediger, Kim Leadford. (USA) – World Premiere. A hapless man seeking treatment for his crippling back pain discovers a very unusual talent and unexpected love in this inventive romantic comedy from writer-director-star Paul Lieberstein (The Office). With Paul Lieberstein, Rosemarie DeWitt, Clark Duke, Brian d’Arcy James, Robert Pine, Paul Feig. State Like Sleep, directed and written by Meredith Danluck. Produced by Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez. (USA) – World Premiere. Following the death of her husband, Katherine travels to Brussels, where a few loose ends become a whole web of secrets as she untangles her late spouse’s mysterious last days alive. With Katherine Waterston, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Michiel Huisman, Mary Kay Place.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Blowin’ Up, directed and written by Stephanie Wang-Breal. Produced by Carrie Weprin. (USA) – World Premiere. In a courtroom in Queens, women facing prostitution charges may earn a chance at redemption thanks to an experimental program established by a team of rebel heroines working to change the system. Call Her Ganda, directed by PJ Raval, written by PJ Raval, Victoria Chalk. Produced by PJ Raval, Lisa Valencia-Svensson, Marty Syjuco, Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala. (USA, Philippines) – World Premiere. When a transgender Filipina woman is found dead in the motel room of a U.S. Marine, grassroots activists demand accountability. The ensuing case lays bare a constellation of social and political tensions between the United States and the Philippines. Island of the Hungry Ghosts, directed and written by Gabrielle Brady. Produced by Alexander Wadouh, Samm Haillay, Alex Kelly, Gizem Acarla, Gabrielle Brady. (Australia, Germany, UK) – World Premiere. Christmas Island, Australia is home to one of the largest land migrations on earth—that of forty million crabs journeying from jungle to sea. But the jungle holds another secret: a high-security facility that indefinitely detains individuals seeking asylum. The Man Who Stole Banksy, directed by Marco Proserpio, written by Marco Proserpio, Filippo Perfido, Christian Omodeo. Produced by Marco Proserpio, Filippo Perfido. (Italy) – World Premiere. In 2007, the anonymous graffiti artist Banksy painted a series of political works around Palestine, only to have them cut down and sold off to the highest bidder. A stylish examination of public space and the commodification of street art, narrated by Iggy Pop. Momentum Generation, directed and written by Jeff Zimbalist, Michael Zimbalist. Produced by Jeff Zimbalist, Michael Zimbalist, Colby Gottert, Greg Little, Justine Chiara, Karen Lauder, Laura Michalchyshyn, Lizzie Friedman, Tina Elmo. (USA) – World Premiere. In the 1990s, a motley band of teen surfers from the north shore of Oahu brought professional surfing to new heights. But as their stars rose, the competition threatened to tear their group apart. With Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Taylor Knox, Benji Weatherley, Kalani Robb, and Ross Williams. No Greater Law, directed by Tom Dumican, written by Tom Dumican, Jesse Lichtenstein. Produced by Jesse Lichtenstein. (UK, USA) – World Premiere. In Idaho’s rugged Treasure Valley, the Followers of Christ believe in God, family, and faith healing. As an investigation into the community’s high infant mortality rate closes in on the church, one patriarch fights for his right to his faith. An A&E release. Phantom Cowboys, directed by Daniel Patrick Carbone. Produced by Ryan Scafuro, Annie Waldman, Daniel Patrick Carbone. (USA) – World Premiere. This searing documentary, which spans nearly a decade, is a meditation on youth, tradition, and the evolving hopes and dreams of modern adolescents in the forgotten industrial towns across America. The Rachel Divide, directed by Laura Brownson, written by Laura Brownson, Jeff Gilbert. Produced by Laura Brownson, Bridget Stokes, Khaliah Neal. (USA) – World Premiere. Rachel Dolezal became infamous when she was unmasked as a white woman passing for black so thoroughly that she had become the head of her local N.A.A.C.P. chapter. This portrait cuts through the very public controversy to reveal Dolezal’s motivations. A Netflix release. Tanzania Transit, directed by Jeroen van Velzen, written by Jeroen van Velzen, Esther Eenstroom. Produced by Digna Sinke. (Netherlands) – World Premiere. A train journey across Tanzania captures a microcosm of contemporary African society in Tribeca alum Jeroen van Velzen’s captivating and visually stunning road movie. United Skates, directed and produced by Dyana Winkler, Tina Brown. (USA) – World Premiere. Credited with incubating East Coast hip-hop and West Coast rap, America’s roller rinks have long been bastions of regional African-American culture, music, and dance. As rinks shutter across the country, a few activists mount a last stand. When Lambs Become Lions, directed by Jon Kasbe. Produced by Jon Kasbe, Innbo Shim, Tom Yellin, Andrew Harrison Brown. (USA) – World Premiere. In the Kenyan bush, a crackdown on ivory poaching forces a silver-tongued second-generation poacher to seek out an unlikely ally in this fly-on-the-wall look at both sides of the conservation divide. Yellow is Forbidden, directed and written by Pietra Brettkelly. Produced by Pietra Brettkelly, Richard Fletcher, Naomi Wallwork. (New Zealand) – World Premiere. Celebrated Chinese couturier Guo Pei is perhaps best known for designing the brilliant gold gown Rihanna wore to the Met Ball in 2015. But Guo’s quest to be recognized by the gatekeepers of Paris haute couture goes beyond the red carpet and taps into global power dynamics and the perpetual tension between art and commerce.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE COMPETITION
Amateurs (Amatörer), directed by Gabriela Pichler, written by Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Gabriela Pichler. Produced by Anna-Maria Kantarius. (Sweden) – North American Premiere. In this irresistibly charming social comedy, local officials, in a bid to lure a superstore chain to their quiet hamlet, set about producing a promotional video about their town—only to find themselves disrupted at every turn by two teens making their own rival film. With Fredrik Dahl, Yara Ebrahim, Zahraa Aldoujaili. Dry Martina, directed and written by Che Sandoval. Produced by Florencia Larrea, Gregorio González, Hernán Musaluppi, Natacha Cervi. (Chile, Argentina) – International Premiere. Passion and obsession mingle in this fresh comedy about an aging pop star who takes off to pursue a lover, and, while she’s at it, a better sense of self. With Antonella Costa, Patricio Contreras, Geraldine Neary, Pedro Campos, Héctor Morales. Lemonade (Luna de Miere), directed by Ioana Uricaru, written by Ioana Uricaru, Tatiana Ionașcu. Produced by Cristian Mungiu, Yanick Létourneau, Eike Goreczka, Christoph Kukula, Sean Wheelan, Anthony Muir. (Romania, Canada, Germany, Sweden) – International Premiere. Mara hopes to move her son from Romania to the U.S. and obtain a green card. But bureaucratic processes give way to authoritarian nightmares in this simmering social drama about American immigration and the institutional corruption of power. With Mălina Manovici, Steve Bacic, Dylan Scott Smith, Milan Hurduc, Ruxandra Maniu. The Night Eats the World (La nuit a dévoré le monde), directed and written by Dominique Rocher. (France) – North American Premiere. Following one hell of a party, Sam wakes up to the worst-ever morning after—blood-stained walls, an empty apartment building, and Parisian streets filled with the living dead. Even worse, he’s all alone. With Anders Danielsen Lie, Golshifteh Farahani, Denis Lavant. Obey, directed and written by Jamie Jones. Produced by Emily Jones, Ross Williams. (UK) – World Premiere. In the midst of the 2011 London riots, Leon grapples with the stark reality of his life and his relationship with his alcoholic mother while falling in love for the first time. With Marcus Rutherford, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Sam Gittens, T’Nia Miller, Jay Walker. The Party’s Just Beginning, directed and written by Karen Gillan. Produced by Mali Elfman, Andru R. Davies, Claire Mundell. (Scotland) – International Premiere. Lucy is a sharp-witted, foul-mouthed, heavy-drinking twenty-something who is still reeling from a recent loss. This surreal coming-of-age tale is a love letter to Gillan’s hometown in the Scottish Highlands. With Karen Gillan, Lee Pace, Matthew Beard, Paul Higgins, Siobhan Redmond, Jamie Quinn, Rachel Jackson. The Saint Bernard Syndicate, directed by Mads Brugger, written by Lærke Sanderhoff. Produced by Emilie Lebech Kaae, Jakob Kirstein Høgel. (Denmark) – World Premiere. Subversive satirist Mads Brugger’s latest is an odd-couple comedy about the pitfalls of striking out into the economic frontier; it charts two hapless Danes’ scheme to sell Saint Bernards to China’s middle class. Smuggling Hendrix, directed and written by Marios Piperides. Produced by Janine Teerling, Marios Piperides, Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Costas Lambropoulos. (Cyprus) – World Premiere. Though caught between the mob and border patrol, washed-up musician Yiannis must put his plans to leave Cyprus on hold his when his beloved dog escapes across the wall to the island’s Turkish side. With Adam Bousdoukos, Fatih Al, Vicky Papadopoulou, Özgür Karadeniz. Sunday’s Illness (La Enfermedad del Domingo), directed by Ramón Salazar Hoogers, written by Ramón Salazar Hoogers. Produced by Francisco Ramos. (Spain) – North American Premiere. After Anabel hosts an opulent dinner, she is confronted by Chiara, the daughter she abandoned decades earlier. Chiara arrives with just one request: that she and her mother spend ten days together. With Barbara Lennie, Susi Sanchez. Virgins (Vierges), directed by Keren Ben Rafael, written by Keren Ben Rafael, Elise Benroubi. Produced by Caroline Bonmarchand. (France, Israel, Belgium) – World Premiere. Teenage Lana is languishing in her run-down hometown on Israel’s sun-soaked north coast—until an older, attractive writer arrives with tales of a mermaid sighting off the shore of the declining resort town. With Joy Rieger, Evgenia Dodina, Michael Aloni, Manuel Elkaslassy Vardi, Rami Heuberger.
SPOTLIGHT NARRATIVE
All These Small Moments, directed and written by Melissa Miller Costanzo. Produced by Lauren Avinoam, Jed Mellick, Katie Leary. (USA) – World Premiere. Howie Sheffield is at a turning point. As he watches his parents’ relationship crumbling, he becomes infatuated with Odessa, a woman he sees each day on the bus ride to school. With Brendan Meyer, Jemima Kirke, Molly Ringwald, Brian d’Arcy James, Sam McCarthy, Harley Quinn Smith. Back Roads, directed by Alex Pettyfer, written by Tawni O’Dell, Adrian Lyne. Produced by Craig Robinson, Michael Ohoven, Ashley Mansour, Alex Pettyfer, Jake Seal, Dan Spilo. (USA) – World Premiere. A young man cares for his sisters after their mother is imprisoned for murdering their abusive father. When he strikes up an affair with a married woman, long-dormant family secrets bubble to the surface in this noir thriller. With Alex Pettyfer, Jennifer Morrison, Nicola Peltz, June Carryl, Juliette Lewis. Blue Night, directed by Fabien Constant, written by Laura Eason. Produced by Andrea Iervolino, Monika Bacardi, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alison Benson. (USA) – World Premiere. A devastating diagnosis sends a famous singer reeling through the streets of New York City in this French New Wave-inspired drama. With Sarah Jessica Parker, Simon Baker, Jacqueline Bisset, Common, Taylor Kinney, Renée Zellweger, Waleed Zuaiter. Daughter of Mine (Figlia mia), directed by Laura Bispuri, written by Francesca Manieri, Laura Bispuri. Produced by Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa, Maurizio Totti, Alessandro Usai, Viola Fügen, Michael Weber, Dan Wechsler. (Italy, Germany, Switzerland) – North American Premiere. On the windswept coast of Sardinia, two women compete for the affections of 10-year old Vittoria: her troubled, alcoholic birth mother Angelica and her doting adoptive mother Tina. With Valeria Golino, Alba Rohrwacher, Sara Casu, Udo Kier, Michele Carboni. Disobedience, directed by Sebastian Lelio, written by Sebastián Lelio, Rebecca Lenkiewicz. Produced by Frida Torresblanco, Ed Guiney, Rachel Weisz. (UK) – U.S. Premiere. After the death of her estranged rabbi father, a New York photographer returns to the Orthodox Jewish community in North London where she grew up and, in doing so, reignites long-dormant passions and controversies. With Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola. A Bleecker Street release. Egg, directed by Marianna Palka, written by Risa Mickenberg. Produced by Michele Ganeless, Alysia Reiner, David Alan Basche. (USA) – World Premiere. In provocateur Marianna Palka’s sharp and unflinching satire, two couples and a surrogate lay bare the complications, contradictions, heartbreak, and absurdities implicit in how we think about motherhood. With Christina Hendricks, Anna Camp, Alysia Reiner, David Alan Basche, Gbenga Akinnagbe. In a Relationship, directed and written by Sam Boyd. Produced by Jorge Garcia Castro, David Hunter, Ross Putman. (USA) – World Premiere. Long-term couple Owen and Hallie are breaking up—or maybe not?—and just as their relationship reaches a turning point, Matt and Willa embark on a romance of their own. A funny and deeply felt chronicle of one summer in the lives of two couples in Los Angeles. With Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano, Dree Hemingway, Patrick Gibson, Jay Ellis, Melora Walters. Jonathan, directed by Bill Oliver, written by Peter Nickowitz, Bill Oliver, Gregory Davis. Produced by Randy Manis, Ricky Tollman. (USA) – World Premiere. Jonathan is a young man with a strange condition that only his brother understands. But when he begins to yearn for a different life, their unique bond becomes increasingly tested in this twisty sci-fi drama. With Ansel Elgort, Suki Waterhouse, Patricia Clarkson. Mary Shelley, directed by Haifaa Al Mansour, written by Emma Jensen. Produced by Amy Baer, Alan Moloney, Ruth Coady. (Ireland, UK, Luxembourg, USA) – U.S. Premiere. The story of Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin’s whirlwind romance with the tempestuous poet Percy Shelley, a romance that led to her creation of one of the most enduring works of gothic literature before the age of 20: Frankenstein. With Elle Fanning, Douglas Booth, Bel Powley, Joanne Froggatt, Tom Sturridge, Maisie Williams. An IFC release. The Miseducation of Cameron Post, directed by Desiree Akhavan, written by Desiree Akhavan, Cecilia Frugiuele. Produced by Michael B. Clark, Alex Turtlelaub, Cecilia Frugiuele, Jonathan Montepare. (USA) – New York Premiere. After Cameron is caught making out with another girl on prom night, her conservative guardians send her to gay conversion therapy. There, she forges an unlikely community with her fellow teens in this Sundance-winning coming of age story. With Chloë Grace Moretz, Sasha lane, Forrest Goodluck, John Gallagher Jr., Jennifer Ehle. Nico, 1988, directed and written by Susanna Nicchiarelli. Produced by Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa, Joseph Rouschop, and Valérie Bournonville. (Italy, Belgium) – North American Premiere. This whirlwind road movie follows the final months on tour of the singer-songwriter Nico, one-time Warhol superstar and Velvet Underground vocalist. With Trine Dyrholm, John Gordon Sinclair, Anamaria Marinca, Sandor Funtek, Thomas Trabacchi, Karina Fernandez, Calvin Demba. A Magnolia release. The Seagull, directed by Michael Mayer, written by Stephen Karam. Produced by Jay Franke, David Herro, Robert Salerno, Tom Hulce, Leslie Urdang. (USA) – World Premiere. A sumptuous adaptation of the classic Chekhov play transports the audience to a picturesque lakeside estate, where a love triangle unfolds between the legendary diva Irina, her lover Boris, and the ingénue Nina. With Annette Bening, Saoirse Ronan, Corey Stoll, Elisabeth Moss, Mare Winningham, Jon Tenney, Glenn Fleshler, Michael Zegen, Billy Howle, Brian Dennehy. A Sony Pictures Classic release. Stockholm, directed and written by Robert Budreau. Produced by Nicholas Tabarrok, Robert Budreau, Jonathan Bronfman. (Canada, Sweden, USA) – World Premiere. In 1973, an unhinged American outlaw walked into a bank in Sweden demanding millions in cash in exchange for his hostages. The events that followed would capture the attention of the world and ultimately give a name to a new psychological phenomenon: Stockholm syndrome. With Ethan Hawke, Noomi Rapace, Mark Strong, Christopher Heyerdahl, Bea Santos, Thorbjorn Harr. Untogether, directed and written by Emma Forrest. Produced by Scott LaStaiti, Luke Daniels, Brandon Hogan. (USA) – World Premiere. Former writing prodigy Andrea tries not to fall for her one-night stand, while her sister Lisa throws herself into a newfound religious zeal (and the arms of her charismatic rabbi) to avoid the truth about her current relationship in this multi-character romantic drama. With Jamie Dornan, Jemima Kirke, Lola Kirke, Ben Mendelsohn, Billy Crystal, Alice Eve, Jennifer Grey, Scott Caan.
SPOTLIGHT DOCUMENTARY
Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable, directed by Aaron Lieber, written by Aaron Lieber, Carol Martori. Produced by Penny Edmiston, Jane Kelly Kosek. (USA) – World Premiere. One of the most fearless and accomplished athletes of her generation, Bethany Hamilton became a surfing wunderkind when she returned to the sport following a devastating shark attack at age 13. As she continues to chase waves she also now tackles motherhood. Also playing as part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. The Bleeding Edge, directed by Amy Ziering, Kirby Dick. Produced by Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering. (USA) – World Premiere. Each year in the United States, unparalleled innovations in medical diagnostics, treatment, and technology hit the market. But when the same devices designed to save patients end up harming them, who is accountable? A Netflix release. General Magic, directed by Matthew Maude, Sarah Kerruish, written by Matt Maude, Sarah Kerruish, Jonathan Keys. Produced by Matt Maude, Sarah Kerruish. (UK, USA) – World Premiere. A Silicon Valley startup built by the best and brightest minds of the 1980s tech world, General Magic shipped the first handheld wireless personal communicator in 1994. It was decades ahead of its time—and a complete failure. With Tony Fadell, Marc Porat, Andy Hertzfeld, Megan Smith, Joanna Hoffman, Kevin Lynch. House Two, directed and written by Michael Epstein. Produced by Michael Epstein, Tony Wood. (USA) – World Premiere. In 2005, a group of U.S. Marines killed 24 unarmed Iraqi men, women, and children in a matter of minutes, sparking the largest criminal investigation in Marine Corps history. House Two delves into that investigation and the ensuing court proceedings, all the way up to the case’s shocking conclusion. Howard, directed and written by Don Hahn. Produced by Don Hahn, Lori Korngiebel. (USA) – World Premiere. Howard Ashman, the once-in-a-generation songwriting talent, penned the lyrics for Little Shop of Horrors and revitalized Disney with his work on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Howard is a tribute to the lyricist and to the power of musical storytelling. With Howard Ashman, Alan Menken, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Bill Lauch, Sarah Gillespie, Peter Schneider. Into the Okavango, directed by Neil Gelinas, written by Neil Gelinas, Brian Newell. Produced by Neil Gelinas. (USA) – World Premiere. Botswana’s Okavango Delta is one of the planet’s last remaining true wildernesses, but studies have shown it is shrinking. A group of intrepid scientists embark on a four-month, 1500-mile journey upriver to the Okavango’s source to investigate why. A National Geographic release McQueen, directed Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui, written by Peter Ettedgui. Produced by Ian Bonhôte, Andee Ryder, Nick Taussig, Paul Van Carter. Legendary couturier Alexander McQueen’s rags to riches story is vividly brought to life by his closest friends and family, and through his revolutionary body of work, as inspired, tortured, and visionary as the man himself. A Bleecker Street release Roll Red Roll, directed by Nancy Schwartzman. Produced by Nancy Schwartzman, Jessica Devaney, Steven Lake. (USA) – World Premiere. At a 2012 pre-season high-school football party in Steubenville, Ohio, a young woman was raped. The aftermath exposed an entire culture of complicity—and Roll Red Roll maps out the roles that peer pressure, denial, sports machismo, and social media each played in the tragedy. Also playing as part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda, directed and written by Stephen Nomura Schible. Produced by Eric Nyari, Yoshiko Hashimoto, Stephen Nomura Schible. (USA) – North American Premiere. Ryuichi Sakamoto has had a prolific career spanning over four decades, from techno-pop stardom to Oscar-winning film composer. Coda offers an intimate portrait of a legendary artist and a passionate activist. Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland, directed by Kate Davis, David Heilbroner. Produced by David Heilbroner, Kate Davis. (USA) – World Premiere. Sandra Bland was a bright, energetic activist whose life was cut short when a traffic stop resulted in a mysterious jail cell death just three days later. Say Her Name follows the two-year battle to uncover the truth. An HBO release. Serengeti Rules, directed and written by Nicolas Brown. Produced by David Allen. (UK) – World Premiere. A band of young scientists discover a radical new theory of the natural world—one that could help confront some of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Songwriter, directed and written by Murray Cummings. Produced by Kimmie Kim. (UK) – North American Premiere. Songwriter is an intimate immersion into the intense and collaborative process that created Ed Sheeran’s chart-topping album, ÷. Studio 54, directed by Matt Tyrnauer. Produced by Matt Tyrnauer, Corey Reeser, John Battsek. (USA) – New York Premiere. In 1977, Studio 54 and its founders, Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, epitomized New York hedonism. But by, 1979 the fantasy was over—and Studio 54 goes inside that meteoric rise and catastrophic fall. With Steve Rubell, Ian Schrager, Nile Rodgers, Norma Kamali, Karin Bacon, Myra Scheer. An A&E release. Time for Ilhan, directed by Norah Shapiro. Produced by Jennifer Steinman Sternin, Chris Newberry, Norah Shapiro. (USA) – World Premiere. In November 2016, Ilhan Omar made history as the first Somali Muslim woman to be elected for state office in America. Time for Ilhan offers an inspiring look at her campaign and the changing face of American politics. Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie, directed and written by Andrea Nevins. Produced by Cristan Crocker, Andrea Nevins. (USA) – World Premiere. Since her debut nearly 60 years ago, Barbie has been at turns a fashion idol and a cultural lightning rod. Tiny Shoulders steps behind the scenes as the icon undergoes her greatest reinvention yet. With Kim Culmone, Michelle Chidoni, Gloria Steinem, Roxane Gay, Peggy Orenstein. A Hulu release.
VIEWPOINTS
Charm City, directed by Marilyn Ness, written by Marilyn Ness, Don Bernier. Produced by Katy Chevigny. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Charm City takes viewers beyond the television headlines and over the front lines of violence in Baltimore; in doing so, it reveals the grit and compassion of the city’s citizens, police, and government officials trying to reclaim their future. Crossroads, directed by Ron Yassen. Produced by Lauren Griswold. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Despite never having played the game before, a group of underprivileged teens emerge as a talented lacrosse team under the tutelage of Coach Bobby Selkin in this inspiring documentary. An ESPN Films release. Also playing as part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. Dead Women Walking, directed and written by Hagar Ben-Asher. Produced by Clara Levy, Lorne Hiltser, Michael M. McGuire. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. Nine vignettes depict the stages leading to execution for women on death row in this emotional account of the human toll of the death penalty—on both the inmates and those they encounter in their final hours. With Dale Dickey, Dot Marie Jones, Lynn Collins, Colleen Camp, June Carryl, and Ashton Sanders. The Elephant and the Butterfly (Drôle de Père), directed and written by Amélie van Elmbt. Produced by Adrienne D’Anna, Delphine Tomson. (Belgium, France) – North American Premiere, Feature Narrative. When her babysitter doesn’t show, a single mother is forced to leave her precocious five-year-old daughter with the girl’s estranged father for a long weekend in this heartfelt drama executive produced by Martin Scorsese and the Dardenne Brothers. With Isabelle Barth, Thomas Blanchard, Judith Chemla, Alice de Lencquesaing, Lina Doillon. The Feeling of Being Watched, directed and written by Assia Boundaoui. Produced by Jessica Devaney, Assia Boundaoui. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Journalist Assia Bendaoui sets out to investigate long-brewing rumors that her quiet, predominantly Arab-American neighborhood was being monitored by the FBI—and in the process, she exposes a surveillance program on a scale no one could have imagined. The Great Pretender, directed by Nathan Silver, written by Jack Dunphy. Produced by Matt Grady, Danelle Eliav, Nathan Silver, Jack Dunphy, Jere B Ford. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. The lives of a French theater director, her ex-boyfriend, and the two actors playing them intersect dramatically in this tangled and darkly funny roundelay set in the New York theater world. With Esther Garrel, Keith Poulson, Maelle Poesy, Linas Phillips. Home + Away, directed by Matt Ogens. Produced by Todd Makurath, Luke Ricci, Nathaniel Greene, Matt Ogens, Nina Chaudry. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. For the mostly Mexican-American students of El Paso’s Bowie High School, sports can offer a path to a better life. Home + Away follows three students as they pursue that route in search of success. Also playing as part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. Jellyfish, directed by James Gardner, written by James Gardner, Simon Lord. Produced by James Gardner, Nikolas Holttum. (UK) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. Sarah Taylor’s hardscrabble life has turned her into a teenage terror. When her drama teacher helps her channel her ferocious wit into comedy, her life’s delicate balance is set on a collision course with her newfound passion. With Liv Hil, Sinéad Matthews, Cyril Nri, Angus Barnett. Kaiser: The Greatest Footballer Never To Play Football, directed by Louis Myles, written by Louis Myles, Ivor Baddiel. Produced by Louis Myles, Tom Markham. (UK, Brazil) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Soccer stars were at the center of the scene in the glamorous nightlife meccas of 1980s Brazil. But in their midst, one of the biggest sports celebrities of his generation harbored a secret: He had never played a single game. With Carlos Henrique Raposo, Carlos Alberto Torres, Zico, Bebeto, Renato Gaúcho, Ricardo Rocha. Also playing as part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. M, directed and written by Sara Forestier. Produced by Hugo Selignac. (France) – North American Premiere, Feature Narrative. Written by, directed by, and starring César Award winner Sara Forestier, this steamy drama explores the passionate relationship between a girl with a crippling speech impediment and an undereducated drag racer. With Sara Forestier, Redouanne Harjane, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Liv Andren. Presented in partnership with Venice Days. The Proposal, directed by Jill Magid. Produced by Jarred Alterman, Laura Coxson, Charlotte Cook. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. When artist-turned-filmmaker Jill Magid learns that the archives of Mexico’s most famous architect are being held in a private collection, she devises a radical plan to return his legacy to the public. Satan & Adam, directed by V. Scott Balcerek, written by V. Scott Balcerek, Ryan Suffern. Produced by Frank Marshall, Ryan Suffern. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. One was a demon on guitar; the other was fresh out of school and no slouch on harmonica. Satan & Adam is a rousing celebration of the blues that comprises documentary footage shot over the course of two decades. With Sterling Magee, Adam Gussow, The Edge, Rev. Al Sharpton, Harry Shearer, Quint Davis. Slut in a Good Way, directed by Sophie Lorain, written by Catherine Léger. Produced by Martin Paul-Hus. (Canada) – International Premiere, Feature Narrative. Three 17-year-old girlfriends get a job at the Toy Depot for the holiday season and become smitten with the guys who work alongside them in this charming teen sex comedy. With Marguerite Bouchard, Rose Adam, Romane Denis, Alex Godbout, Anthony Therrien, Vassili Schneider. We the Animals, directed by Jeremiah Zagar, written by Dan Kitrosser. Produced by Jeremy Yaches, Christina D. King, Andrew Goldman, Paul Mezey. (USA) – New York Premiere, Feature Narrative. This lyrical coming-of-age tale, based on the acclaimed novel, weaves magic realism into an exquisite portrait of three brothers, their troubled parents, and the secret that the youngest of them holds. With Raul Castillo, Sheila Vand, Evan Rosado, Isaiah Kristian, Josiah Gabriel. A release from The Orchard. When She Runs, directed by Robert Machoian, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, written by Kirstin Anderson, Robert Machoian, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck. Produced by Laura Heberton. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. Kristin is a young mother struggling to get by in her small town. One all-consuming passion—the chance to train for Olympic gold with a world-renowned running coach—offers a possible escape. With Kirstin Anderson, Ivan Gehring, Jonah Graham. Also playing as part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. White Tide: The Legend of Culebra, directed by Theo Love. Produced by Bryan Storkel, Theo Love. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. After he’s wiped out by the Great Recession, Rodney hears a story that could be his ticket out of debt. A map, an island, and buried treasure: If you knew where $2 million worth of cocaine was buried, would you dig that shit up?
MIDNIGHT
7 Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss By Passing Through the Gateway Chosen By the Holy Storsh, directed by Vivieno Caldinelli, written by Christopher Hewitson, Clayton Hewitson, Justin Jones. Produced by Patrick McErlean, Michael Moran, Daniel Noah, Josh C. Waller, Lisa Whalen, Elijah Wood. (USA) – World Premiere. Midwestern couple Claire and Paul are thrilled to find a great deal on an affordable Los Angeles apartment. But the rent is cheap for a reason: cult members keep breaking in at random to commit ritual suicide in their bathtub. With Kate Micucci, Sam Huntington, Dan Harmon, Taika Waititi, Mark McKinney. Braid, directed and written by Mitzi Peirone. Produced by Logan Steinhardt, Arielle Elwes. (USA) – World Premiere. Two drug dealers on the lam seek refuge inside their mentally unstable friend’s mansion. But in order to stay, they have to participate in her elaborate, and increasingly dangerous, game of permanent make-believe. With Madeline Brewer, Imogen Waterhouse, Sarah Hay, Scott Cohen. Cargo, directed by Ben Howling, Yolanda Ramke, written by Yolanda Ramke. Produced by Russell Akerman, Samantha Jennings, John Schoenfelder, Kristine Ceyton. (Australia) – World Premiere. An infected father navigates a zombie-riddled Australian Outback with his infant daughter. Fortunately, he’s found an Aboriginal community that may hold the disease’s cure. Unfortunately, he has only 48 hours to live. With Martin Freeman. A Netflix release. The Dark, directed and written by Justin P. Lange. Produced by Danny Krausz, Kurt Stocker, Laura Permutter, Andrew Nicholas McCann Smith. (Austria) – World Premiere. Undead and hating it, young flesh-eater Mina haunts the woods surrounding her childhood home. When she befriends a physically abused boy, she must figure out why, for once, she isn’t feeling homicidal. With Nadia Alexander, Toby Nichols, Karl Markovics. You Shall Not Sleep (No dormirás), directed by Gustavo Hernandez, written by Juma Fodde. Produced by Pablo Bossi, Pol Bossi, Agustin Bossi, Guido Rud, Juan Ignacio Cucucovich, Maria Luisa Gutierrez, Cristina Zumarraga, Juan Pablo Buscarini. (Argentina, Spain, Uruguay) – International Premiere. A young actress joins an experimental play set inside an abandoned asylum. The objective is clear: The actors must stay awake for as long as possible. The hospital’s former residents, however, have different plans. With Belen Rueda, Eva de Dominici, Natalia de Molina, German Palacios Eugenia, Tobal Juan Guilera.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
The American Meme, directed and written by Bert Marcus. Produced by Bert Marcus, Cassandra Hamar. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Paris Hilton, the Fat Jew, Kirill Bichutsky, and Brittany Furlan have all used social media to achieve massive internet fame. But, is it worth it? With DJ Khaled, Emily Ratajkowski, Hailey Baldwin. After the movie: A conversation with director Bert Marcus, subjects Paris Hilton, Kirill Bichutsky, and Brittany Furlan. Bathtubs Over Broadway, directed by Dava Whisenant, written by Ozzy Inguanzo, Dava Whisenant. Produced by Amanda Spain, Dava Whisenant, Susan Littenberg. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Comedy writer Steve Young’s assignment to scour bargain-bin vinyl for a Late Night segment becomes an unexpected, decades-spanning obsession when he stumbles upon the strange and hilarious world of industrial musicals in this musical-comedy-documentary. With David Letterman, Chita Rivera, Martin Short, Susan Stroman, Sheldon Harnick, Jello Biafra. After the movie: A conversation with members of the cast and a special performance inspired by the film with surprise guests. Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes, directed and written by Sophie Huber. Produced by Sophie Huber, Chiemi Karasawa, Susanne Guggenberger, Hercli Bundi. (Switzerland, USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. This is the history of Blue Note Records, the label that, since 1939, has recorded jazz giants ranging from Miles Davis to Robert Glasper—revolutionizing not only music, but also the world. With Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Robert Glasper, Don Was, Norah Jones. After the movie: A special guest performance by Blue Note artists Robert Glasper, Derrick Hodge, and Kendrick Scott. Every Act of Life, directed and written by Jeff Kaufman. Produced by Jeff Kaufman, Marcia Ross. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Every Act of Life presents a revealing portrait of four-time Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally’s ground-breaking, six-decade career in the theater, fight for LGBTQ rights, and triumph over addiction. With Terrence McNally, Audra McDonald, Nathan Lane, Larry Kramer, Angela Lansbury, Christine Baranski. After the movie: A conversation with director Jeff Kaufman, playwright Terrence McNally, actor/director Joe Mantello, and actors F. Murray Abraham, Christine Baranski, and Chita Rivera. Moderated by New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich. The Gospel According to André, directed by Kate Novack. Produced by Kate Novack, Andrew Rossi. (USA) – New York Premiere, Feature Documentary. From the segregated South to the fashion capitals of the world, The Gospel According to André recounts fashion editor André Leon Talley’s storied life and career through intimate conversations, rich archival, and testimonials from fashion luminaries including Anna Wintour, Tom Ford, and Marc Jacobs. With André Leon Talley. A Magnolia release. After the movie: A conversation with director Kate Novack and subject André Leon Talley, producer Andrew Rossi, executive producer Roger Ross Williams and producer Josh Braun. It’s a Hard Truth Ain’t It, directed by Madeleine Sackler. Produced by Stacey Reiss, Madeleine Sackler. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Given unprecedented access to a maximum security prison, filmmaker Madeleine Sackler worked with a group of inmates to tell their own stories, giving rise to this collaborative, intimate documentary project. It’s a Hard Truth Ain’t It is a companion piece to the Tribeca-premiering O.G. It is co-directed by thirteen men incarcerated at the Pendleton Correctional Facility in Pendleton, Indiana Netizens, directed, written, and produced by Cynthia Lowen. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. In the midst of the #MeToo movement, three very different women whose lives were torn apart by online harassment devote themselves to fighting back against the internet’s Wild West of unpoliced misogyny, cyberstalking, and nonconsensual pornography. With Carrie Goldberg, Anita Sarkeesian, Tina Reine, Soraya Chemaly, Jamia Wilson, Mary Anne Franks. After the movie: A conversation with director Cynthia Lowen, subjects Tina Reine, Carrie Goldberg, and Anita Sarkeesian. Nigerian Prince, directed by Faraday Okoro, written by Faraday Okoro & Andrew Long. Produced by Oscar Hernandez, Bose Oshin, Faraday Okoro. (USA, Nigeria) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. A troubled American teenager, sent away to his mother’s native Nigeria, finds himself entangled in a dangerous web of scams and corruption with a con-artist cousin as his guide. With Antonio J. Bell, Chinaza Uche, Tina Mba, Bimbo Manuel, Toyin Oshinaike, Craig Stott. To Dust, directed by Shawn Snyder, written by Shawn Snyder, Jason Duran. Produced by Emily Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola, Ron Perlman, Josh Crook, Scott Lochmus. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Narrative. Traumatized by the death of his wife, a Hasidic cantor obsesses over how her body will decay. He seeks answers from a local biology professor in this, unlikeliest of buddy comedies. With Geza Rohrig, Matthew Broderick. After the movie: Tribeca Film Institute will host a conversation with writer/director Shawn Snyder, producers Emily Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola and Ron Perelman, cast members Geza Rohrig and Matthew Broderick, and biologist Dawnie Steadman. Hosted by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1, directed and written by Dexton Deboree. Produced by Dexton Deboree, Stefanie Fink. (USA) – World Premiere, Feature Documentary. Through interviews with Michael Jordan, Spike Lee, and more, this vibrant documentary tells the origin story of the Air Jordan, and the impact it had on sports, hip-hop, and the birth of sneaker culture. With Spike Lee, Anthony Anderson, Chuck D, DJ Khaled, Michael Jordan, Michael B Jordan, Jason Sudeikis, Lena Waithe, Russell Westbrook. After the movie: A musical tribute to the film and the Air Jordan from Kid Ink, Gizzle, and more. Woman Walks Ahead, directed by Susanna White, written by Steven Knight. Produced by Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, Erika Olde, Richard Solomon, Andrea Calderwood. (USA) – U.S. Premiere, Feature Narrative. Based on a true story, 19th-century Brooklyn artist Catherine Weldon journeys west on a mission to paint a portrait of the legendary chief Sitting Bull, only to find a very different world—and man—than she was expecting. With Jessica Chastain, Michael Greyeyes, Chaske Spencer, Sam Rockwell, Ciarán Hinds, Bill Camp. A DirecTV/A24 release. After the movie: A conversation with director Susanna White, actor Sam Rockwell, and more.
Read more
Complete List of Winners of 90th Academy Awards – “The Shape of Water” Wins Best Picture

[caption id="attachment_25167" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer in the film THE SHAPE OF WATER.[/caption] “The Shape of Water” won the top honors – the Oscar for best picture, along with the Oscar for best director for Guillermo del Toro at the 90th Academy Awards. “Icarus” won the Oscar for best documentary and “A Fantastic Woman” from Chile, won for best foreign language film.
Complete List of Winners of 90th Academy Awards

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
WINNER GARY OLDMAN Darkest Hour NOMINEES TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET Call Me by Your Name DANIEL DAY-LEWIS Phantom Thread DANIEL KALUUYA Get Out DENZEL WASHINGTON Roman J. Israel, Esq.
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
WINNER SAM ROCKWELL Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri NOMINEES WILLEM DAFOE The Florida Project WOODY HARRELSON Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri RICHARD JENKINS The Shape of Water CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER All the Money in the World
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
WINNER FRANCES MCDORMAND Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri NOMINEES SALLY HAWKINS The Shape of Water MARGOT ROBBIE I, Tonya SAOIRSE RONAN Lady Bird MERYL STREEP The Post
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
WINNER ALLISON JANNEY I, Tonya NOMINEES MARY J. BLIGE Mudbound LESLEY MANVILLE Phantom Thread LAURIE METCALF Lady Bird OCTAVIA SPENCER The Shape of Water
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
WINNER COCO Lee Unkrich and Darla K. Anderson NOMINEES THE BOSS BABY Tom McGrath and Ramsey Naito THE BREADWINNER Nora Twomey and Anthony Leo FERDINAND Carlos Saldanha and Lori Forte LOVING VINCENT Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman and Ivan Mactaggart
CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER BLADE RUNNER 2049 Roger A. Deakins NOMINEES DARKEST HOUR Bruno Delbonnel DUNKIRK Hoyte van Hoytema MUDBOUND Rachel Morrison THE SHAPE OF WATER Dan Laustsen
COSTUME DESIGN
WINNER PHANTOM THREAD Mark Bridges NOMINEES BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Jacqueline Durran DARKEST HOUR Jacqueline Durran THE SHAPE OF WATER Luis Sequeira VICTORIA & ABDUL Consolata Boyle DIRECTING WINNER THE SHAPE OF WATER Guillermo del Toro NOMINEES DUNKIRK Christopher Nolan GET OUT Jordan Peele LADY BIRD Greta Gerwig PHANTOM THREAD Paul Thomas Anderson
DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
WINNER ICARUS Bryan Fogel and Dan Cogan NOMINEES ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL Steve James, Mark Mitten and Julie Goldman FACES PLACES Agnès Varda, JR and Rosalie Varda LAST MEN IN ALEPPO Feras Fayyad, Kareem Abeed and Søren Steen Jespersen STRONG ISLAND Yance Ford and Joslyn Barnes
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
WINNER HEAVEN IS A TRAFFIC JAM ON THE 405 Frank Stiefel NOMINEES EDITH+EDDIE Laura Checkoway and Thomas Lee Wright HEROIN(E) Elaine McMillion Sheldon and Kerrin Sheldon KNIFE SKILLS Thomas Lennon TRAFFIC STOP Kate Davis and David Heilbroner
FILM EDITING
WINNER DUNKIRK Lee Smith NOMINEES BABY DRIVER Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos I, TONYA Tatiana S. Riegel THE SHAPE OF WATER Sidney Wolinsky THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Jon Gregory
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
WINNER A FANTASTIC WOMAN Chile NOMINEES THE INSULT Lebanon LOVELESS Russia ON BODY AND SOUL Hungary THE SQUARE Sweden
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
WINNER DARKEST HOUR Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick NOMINEES VICTORIA & ABDUL Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard WONDER Arjen Tuiten
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
WINNER THE SHAPE OF WATER Alexandre Desplat NOMINEES DUNKIRK Hans Zimmer PHANTOM THREAD Jonny Greenwood STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI John Williams THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Carter Burwell
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
WINNER REMEMBER ME from Coco; Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez NOMINEES MIGHTY RIVER from Mudbound; Music and Lyric by Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson MYSTERY OF LOVE from Call Me by Your Name; Music and Lyric by Sufjan Stevens STAND UP FOR SOMETHING from Marshall; Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Lonnie R. Lynn and Diane Warren THIS IS ME from The Greatest Showman; Music and Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
BEST PICTURE
WINNER THE SHAPE OF WATER Guillermo del Toro and J. Miles Dale, Producers NOMINEES CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Peter Spears, Luca Guadagnino, Emilie Georges and Marco Morabito, Producers DARKEST HOUR Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten and Douglas Urbanski, Producers DUNKIRK Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers GET OUT Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr. and Jordan Peele, Producers LADY BIRD Scott Rudin, Eli Bush and Evelyn O’Neill, Producers PHANTOM THREAD JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison and Daniel Lupi, Producers THE POST Amy Pascal, Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, Producers
PRODUCTION DESIGN
WINNER THE SHAPE OF WATER Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeffrey A. Melvin NOMINEES BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer BLADE RUNNER 2049 Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Alessandra Querzola DARKEST HOUR Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer DUNKIRK Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
WINNER DEAR BASKETBALL Glen Keane and Kobe Bryant NOMINEES GARDEN PARTY Victor Caire and Gabriel Grapperon LOU Dave Mullins and Dana Murray NEGATIVE SPACE Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata REVOLTING RHYMES Jakob Schuh and Jan Lachauer
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
WINNER THE SILENT CHILD Chris Overton and Rachel Shenton NOMINEES DEKALB ELEMENTARY Reed Van Dyk THE ELEVEN O’CLOCK Derin Seale and Josh Lawson MY NEPHEW EMMETT Kevin Wilson, Jr. WATU WOTE/ALL OF US Katja Benrath and Tobias Rosen
SOUND EDITING
WINNER DUNKIRK Richard King and Alex Gibson NOMINEES BABY DRIVER Julian Slater BLADE RUNNER 2049 Mark Mangini and Theo Green THE SHAPE OF WATER Nathan Robitaille and Nelson Ferreira STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Matthew Wood and Ren Klyce
SOUND MIXING
WINNER DUNKIRK Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo and Mark Weingarten NOMINEES BABY DRIVER Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin and Mary H. Ellis BLADE RUNNER 2049 Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill and Mac Ruth THE SHAPE OF WATER Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern and Glen Gauthier STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Stuart Wilson
VISUAL EFFECTS
WINNER BLADE RUNNER 2049 John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Richard R. Hoover NOMINEES GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner and Dan Sudick KONG: SKULL ISLAND Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza and Mike Meinardus STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES Joe Letteri, Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon and Joel Whist
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
WINNER CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Screenplay by James Ivory NOMINEES THE DISASTER ARTIST Screenplay by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber LOGAN Screenplay by Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green; Story by James Mangold MOLLY’S GAME Written for the screen by Aaron Sorkin MUDBOUND Screenplay by Virgil Williams and Dee Rees
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
WINNER GET OUT Written by Jordan Peele NOMINEES THE BIG SICK Written by Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani LADY BIRD Written by Greta Gerwig THE SHAPE OF WATER Screenplay by Guillermo del Toro & Vanessa Taylor; Story by Guillermo del Toro THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI Written by Martin McDonagh
Read more
Call Me by Your Name, Get Out, I, Tonya Among Winners of 2018 Spirit Awards | Complete List

[caption id="attachment_27337" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] SANTA MONICA, CA – MARCH 03: Actor Frances McDormand accepts Best Female Lead for ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ onstage during the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 3, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images)[/caption] Call Me by Your Name, Get Out, I, Tonya, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Big Sick, Ingrid Goes West and Lady Bird, all snagged awards at this afternoon’s 33rd Film Independent Spirit Awards. Life and Nothing More, Faces Places and A Fantastic Woman also received awards at the ceremony, which was held on the beach in Santa Monica. This year’s major winners were Get Out, which won Best Feature and Best Director; Call Me by Your Name, which won Best Male Lead and Best Cinematography; I, Tonya, which won Best Supporting Female and Best Editing; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which won Best Female Lead and Best Supporting Male; Lady Bird, which won Best Screenplay; Ingrid Goes West, which won Best First Feature; The Big Sick, which won Best First Screenplay; Life and Nothing More, which won the John Cassavetes Award; Faces Places which won Best Documentary and A Fantastic Woman, which won Best International Film. The 11th annual Robert Altman Award was given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. Mudbound director Dee Rees received this award, along with casting directors Billy Hopkins and Ashley Ingram as well as cast members Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan and Carey Mulligan. The 2018 Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Fellowship annually selects an outstanding filmmaker and participant in Project Involve, Film Independent’s longest running diversity and mentorship program, now in its 25th year. The fellowship includes an unrestricted cash grant of $10,000 and was awarded to writer/director Faren Humes, a distinct and bold new voice.
Complete list of the winners of 33rd Film Independent Spirit Awards
Best Feature: Get Out (Universal Pictures) Producers: Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr., Sean McKittrick, Jordan Peele Best Director: Jordan Peele, Get Out (Universal Pictures) Best Screenplay: Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (A24) Best First Feature: Ingrid Goes West (NEON) Director: Matt Spicer Producers: Jared Ian Goldman, Adam Mirels, Robert Mirels, Aubrey Plaza,Tim White, Trevor White Best First Screenplay: Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick (Amazon Studios) John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): Life and Nothing More (CFI Releasing) Writer/Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza Producers: Amadeo Hernández Bueno, Alvaro Portanet Hernández, Pedro Hernández Santos Best Supporting Female: Allison Janney, I, Tonya (NEON) Best Supporting Male: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight) Best Female Lead: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight) Best Male Lead: Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics) Robert Altman Award: Mudbound (Netflix) Director: Dee Rees Casting Directors: Billy Hopkins, Ashley Ingram Ensemble Cast: Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan, Carey Mulligan Best Cinematography: Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Call Me by Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics) Best Editing: Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya (NEON) Best International Film: A Fantastic Woman (Chile – Sony Pictures Classics) Director: Sebastián Lelio Best Documentary: Faces Places (Cohen Media Group) Directors: Agnés Varda, JR Producer: Rosalie Varda
Read more
2018 Annapolis Film Festival to Screen Over 80 Films, “Beirut” “The Miracle Season” and More..

[caption id="attachment_27333" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Beirut[/caption] The 2018 Annapolis Film Festival will screen more than 80 films from 28 countries during the festival taking place March 22 to 25, 2018, including a U.S. premiere and four films from Sundance making their East Coast premiere, The Festival’s new theme: Voices Strong. Minds Open, is threaded throughout the four-day program of films, panels, parties, showcases, coffee talks, and Q&As with filmmakers. “The diversity in this year’s slate is more than we have ever had. Audiences will get to experience firsthand the depth of this slate because many great directors, producers and talent are accompanying their films,” said Patti White, Festival Director. Some films have been sourced locally right here in Maryland, others come from afar including, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Iran, Ireland, France, Georgia, Germany, Norway, Pakistan, Spain, Sweden, Slovenia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom and Venezuela. Narrative films include the Opening Night political thriller, Beirut, directed by Brad Anderson and starring Jon Hamm and Rosamund Pike, at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, which will be followed by a Q&A with producer Monica Levinson and industry professionals. Other narrative films selected are: Beauty and the Dogs – Khaled Walid Barsaoui, Kaouther Ben Hania; Beauty Mark – Harris Doran; Bernard and Huey – Dan Mirvish; Butterfly Kisses – Erik Kristopher Myers; Cardinals – Grayson Moore, Aidan Shipley; Come Sunday – Joshua Marston; A Crooked Somebody– Trevor White; Disappearance – Ali Asgari; Flock of Four – Gregory Caruso; Hearts Beat Loud – Brett Haley; Humor Me – Sam Hoffman; Kiss Me! – Océane Michel, Cyprien Vial; Mary Goes Round – Molly McGlynn; The Miracle Season – Sean McNamara; The Rider – Chloé Zhao; Spinning Man – Simon Kaijser; Wallay – Berni Goldblat, and What Will People Say– Iram Haq. Documentary features have also been chosen, including: Acorn and the Firestorm – Reuben Atlas, Samuel D. Pollard; Coyote: The Mike Plant Story – Thomas M. Simmons; Finding Home – AB Troen; Itzhak – Alison Chernick; Kim Swims – Kate Webber; Liyana – Aaron Kopp, Amanda Kopp; Lots of Kids, A Monkey, and a Castle – Gustavo Salmerón; Love Means Zero – Jason Kohn; New Wave: Dare To Be Different – Ellen Goldfarb; Resistance is Life – Apo W. Bazidi; Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me – Samuel D. Pollard; Stumped – Robin Berghaus; Three Identical Strangers – Tim Wardle; True Conviction – Jamie Meltzer; Waiting for the Sun – Kaspar Astrup Schröder; and What Lies Upstream – Cullen Hoback, and a special screening of the NBC Originals documentary Courageous: Ted Turner and the 1977 America’s Cup. The film debuting for its U.S. premiere is The Miracle Season, directed by Sean McNamara and starring Helen Hunt as the coach of a volleyball team who must unite the team in hopes of winning the state championship in the wake of the tragic death of a star player. The four films making their East Coast premiere include Beirut; Come Sunday, directed by Joshua Marston and starring Martin Sheen and Chiwetel Ejiofor as real-life American evangelical preacher Carlton Pearson, who risks everything when he questions church doctrine and is branded a modern-day heretic; Hearts Beat Loud, directed by Brett Haley and starring Nick Offerman as a record store owner, who is forced to close his shop, and decides to form a band with his college-bound daughter; and documentary Three Identical Strangers, directed by Tim Wardle, which follows the incredible true story of triplets who learned of one another’s existence only at age 19, their initial joy giving way to increasingly unsettling discoveries. In addition to award-winning features, AFF has made its mark now in its sixth year by continually bringing a lineup of compelling short films. Two shorts that screened at last year’s AFF landed on the Oscar’s Shortlist for Best Live Action Shorts, with DeKalb Elementary still contending for the Oscar at the upcoming 90th Academy Awards.
Read more
San Francisco International Film Festival to Honor Charlize Theron with Tribute + Screening of TULLY

Charlize Theron in Tully

Actress Charlize Theron will be honored during the 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival with a special tribute, followed by a screening of her new film, Jason Reitman’s Tully.

Read more
THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER to Open, BORG VS. MCENROE to Close 2018 Cleveland International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_27286" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER[/caption] The 42nd Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF42) is kicking-off its 12-day run with a story of new-formed friendship, and closing with a look at an epic rivalry that took the tennis world by storm. CIFF42 will be held April 4 to 15, 2018 at Tower City Cinemas and select neighborhood screening locations. The CIFF42 will open on Wednesday, April 4th, with THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER. Directed by Nick Kelly, the film tells the story of the unlikely friendship formed between two young men: Gabriel, a reckless young drummer with bipolar disorder; and, Christopher, a 17-year-old with Asperger’s Syndrome, who yearns to fit in. This heartwarming story shows the strength of the human bond in the face of adversity. The film stars a collection of talented Irish actors including Dermot Murphy, Jacob McCarthy, and Peter Coonan. Special Guests expected to be in attendance on Opening Night include director Nick Kelly, producer Kate McColgan, as well as actors Dermot Murphy and Jacob McCarthy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ExhyLIdEHs On Sunday, April 15th at 7:00 p.m. the Festival will close with BORG VS. MCENROE. Directed by Janus Metz, the film tells the story of the rivalry between two tennis champs: the calm and cool Björn Borg, played by Sverrir Gudnason, and his fiercest competitor, the brash John McEnroe, played by Shia LaBeouf. The story culminates with a legendary meeting on the court at the 1980 Wimbledon Championships. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgfFdEOGUqE
Read more
SXSW 2018: Watch New Teaser Trailer for Megan Griffiths’ SADIE Starring OITNB Danielle Brooks

Here is the new teaser trailer for Megan Griffiths’ SADIE which will premiere at the 2018 SXSW. The film, which is in the festival’s Narrative Feature Competition, also features Arrested Development‘s Tony Hale taking a dramatic turn, Orange is the New Black favorite Danielle Brooks as well as young actor Keith Williams who has appeared in The Last Man on Earth. Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready composed the film’s score. SADIE also stars Sophia Mitri Schloss, Melanie Lynskey, and John Gallagher Jr. SADIE is the story of a 13-year-old girl (Sophia Mitri Schloss) who lives at home with her mother (Melanie Lynskey) while her father serves repeated tours in the military. Sadie is extremely attached to her father despite his prolonged absence, and when her mother begins dating a new man (John Gallagher Jr.), Sadie takes extreme measures to end the relationship and safeguard her family through the only tactics she knows – those of war. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk1lgi7fjwc
Read more
Jonathan Hacker’s Jihadi Terrorism Documentary PATH OF BLOOD Eyes Summer Release

Described as a “documentary thriller,” the documentary Path Of Blood is a provocative and unprecedented glimpse into the world of jihadi terrorism. Path Of Blood is directed by Jonathan Hacker based on his acclaimed book of the same title. Paladin today announced that the company has acquired the film with plans for a multi-city summer release in 2018. Path Of Blood depicts Islamist terrorism as it has never been seen before. Drawn from a hoard of jihadi home-movie footage that was captured by Saudi security services, this is the story of Muslim terrorists targeting Muslim civilians and brought to justice by Muslim security agents. It is a stark reminder that all who are touched by terrorism are victimized by it. A powerful and sometimes shocking cinematic experience, Path Of Blood reveals how brainwashed youths, fuelled by idealism and the misguided pursuit of adventure, can descend into madness and carnage. The raw, unvarnished footage, to which the filmmakers negotiated exclusive access, captures young thrill-seekers at a jihadi “boot camp” deep in the Saudi desert, having signed on to overthrow the Saudi government. They plot to detonate car-bombs in downtown Riyadh, become embroiled in a game of cat-and-mouse with government forces and, as their plans unravel, resort to ever more brutal tactics. [caption id="attachment_27241" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Jonathan Hacker[/caption] Adopting a strictly objective approach, the film doesn’t editorialize and contains no interviews or “talking heads” commentary. The home video footage was shot by the terrorists themselves, allowing viewers to see them in all their complexity, while compelling audiences to draw their own conclusions. About the film, Hacker says, “I was shocked at how powerful the imagery was. The footage took the viewer behind the scenes with Al Qaeda and had a genuine intimacy. I felt, for the first time, that I was seeing these disturbed young men as real human beings.” Urman adds, “Path Of Blood is an intense, immersive look at one of the most important—and polarizing—issues of our time: terrorism. It is an eye-opening experience, unlike any non-fiction film I’ve seen, and it is bound to capture the interest of anyone who cares about the ever-evolving way in which documentaries can tell us about the world we live in.” The book of the same title, published by Overlook Press in the U.S. and Simon & Schuster U.K., is currently available.
Read more