Terry P.

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

Newark Black Film Festival to Open with Ava DuVernay’s 13TH

The Newark Black Film Festival (NBFF) kicks off its 43rd season on June 28 at the Newark Museum with 13th, Ava DuVernay’s exploration of the history of race, justice and mass incarceration in the U.S., focusing on the nation’s prisons that are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. Youth Cinema, the accompanying summer-long series of free children’s features and short films, debuts on July 3 at The Newark Public Library and July 5 at the Museum. Since its introduction by the Museum in 1974, the NBFF has provided a forum for emerging writers, directors, producers, performers that highlight the work and history of African Americans and the African Diaspora that reflect the diversity of viewpoints, from documentaries to the avant-garde. Screenings are followed by a Q&A session. Screenings are free, but reservations are strongly suggested. NEWARK BLACK FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE All screenings begin at 7 pm in the Newark Museum BJ Auditorium, unless otherwise noted. June 28: 13th Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of race, justice and mass incarceration in the U.S., focusing on the nation’s prisons that are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. Opening Reception: 5:30 pm Speakers: Khalil Muhammad, Prof. of History, Race and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School; and Lawrence Hamm, People Organization for Progress Host: Gloria Hopkins Buck July 5: Queen of Katwe – Family Night in the Museum Garden Living in the slum of Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona and her family. Her world changes when she meets a missionary who teaches children how to play chess. Enjoy pre-film activities at 7 pm with the Newark Chess Club, a mentorship program that teaches strategic theory and thought, through chess. Screening will follow at 8 pm. Speaker and Host: Darryl Scipio, Newark Chess Club July 12: Steps A young attorney left traumatized after an armed robbery becomes an alcoholic, loses everything and spends 14 years on the streets. After he befriends a local pastor, his story shifts to one of redemption and love in this Indie film set in Jersey City. Speakers: Eddie Harris, filmmaker/writer; and Penwah, actress/producer/comedian Host: Richard Wesley, screenwriter/educator July 19: Shashamane This documentary, set in Shashamane, Ethiopia, tells the story of Africans returning to their homeland, after generations of slavery and oppression, to reclaim their African identity. Speakers: Giulia Amati, Producer, Karl Courtenay Phillpotts, President, The Shashamane Settlement Community Development Foundation and Jake Homiak, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Anthropological Archives. Host: Akil Khalfani, Director of Africana Institute, Essex County College July 26: Millie & The Lords Milagros Baez, a young Puerto Rican woman, has her life changed for the better when she learns about the Young Lords Party who fought for social justice in Spanish Harlem in the 1960s. Speakers: Jennica Carmona, writer/director and Jessica Carmona, co-producer and plays the role of Millie Host: TBD August 2: John Lewis: Get in the Way A portrayal of John Lewis’ personal journey of courage, disappointments and hard-won triumphs. Over decades, he has inspired others to stand up and seek justice for the marginalized. Speaker: Kathleen Dowdey, producer/director Host: TBD NEWARK BLACK FILM FESTIVAL YOUTH CINEMA SCHEDULE Youth Cinema will be held on Mondays at The Newark Public Library at 10:30 am and at the Newark Museum on Wednesdays at 1 pm. Monday, July 3, The Newark Public Library Wednesday July 5, Newark Museum Tell Me Who I Am – A princess from Timbuktu and her magical friend take a journey in a time-travel ship into the 21st century. George Washington Carver – Learn how Mr. Carver became one of the world’s foremost experts in agriculture and horticulture. Adventures in Odyssey: Race to Freedom – With the help of friends, a young boy helps slaves escape through the Underground Railroad. Monday, July 10, The Newark Public Library Wednesday, July 12, Newark Museum The Proud Family Movie – A young girl and her family go on vacation, only to be captured by a mad scientist. Monday, July 17, The Newark Public Library Wednesday, July 19, Newark Museum Meltrek: Exploring Ancient Africa – Learn history, culture and contributions of various African civilizations. Zarafa – In this African fable, a boy and a baby giraffe take a hot air balloon on an adventure from Africa to Europe. Monday, July 24, The Newark Public Library Wednesday, July 26, Newark Museum Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness – Adventures of neighborhood kids of different racial cultures. Sule and the Case of the Tiny Sparks – A young girl who wants to learn the meaning of a proverb seeks guidance from the proverb detective. The Honest-to-Goodness Truth – Libby tries not to lie–she’s been taught that it’s good to be honest– sometimes the truth can be hard. Monday, July 31, The Newark Public Library Wednesday, August 2, Newark Museum Mrs. Katz and Tush – Lamel, a young African-American boy, and Mrs. Katz, an elderly Jewish woman, develop an unusual friendship through their concern for a cat named Tush. You’re Beautiful – 11-year-old Shola truly knows the internal conflict she faces and the pressures of dealing with school. White Water – A boy in the Deep South discovers that no matter the fountain, water is water. Monday, August 7, The Newark Public Library Wednesday, August 9, Newark Museum Queen of Katwe – Living in the slum of Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona and her family. Her world changes when she meets a missionary who teaches children how to play chess.
Read more
Tim Smit’s Futuristic Thriller KILL SWITCH to Open on June 16th | Trailer

Kill Switch from writer-director Tim Smit, is an epic story framed from a first person perspective that makes you feel like you are in the film with a video-game style experience. Part apocalyptic and part thriller, the film explores a future where a pilot turned physicist (Stevens) has to save the world by harnessing parallel universes and channeling unlimited energy The film starring Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast, “Downtown Abbey”) and Bérénice Marlohe (Skyfall), will open in select theaters and on demand on June 16th. Acclaimed writer-director Tim Smit explodes on to the scene with his futuristic, VFX-heavy feature debut! Kill Switch charts the story of a pilot battling to save his family and the planet, based on Smit’s short What’s In The Box? Set in a future version of the world, the video game style plot follows an experiment for unlimited energy, harnessing parallel universes, which goes wrong. Chased by drones and soldiers, pilot and physicist Will Porter must race through an imploding world to get the Redivider box to a tower, which will save humanity, including his family, in the real world.
Read more
Eight Documentary Film Projects Selected for Sundance Institute Documentary Edit and Story Labs

The Sundance Institute has selected eight documentary film projects for its annual Documentary Edit and Story Labs, taking place in two sessions at the Sundance Resort in Utah from June 23 to July 1 and July 7 to 15. The Documentary Edit and Story Lab creates an incubation space for nonfiction storytellers to creatively interrogate their projects during the later stages of post-production. Among the breathtaking scenery of the Sundance Mountain Resort, filmmakers take advantage of the Lab’s creative environment to intensively explore story, dramatic structure and character development, centering their work around their own original motivation and intention. Overseen by Documentary Film Program Director Tabitha Jackson and Labs Director Kristin Feeley, each Lab brings together independent director and editor teams with world-renowned documentary filmmakers acting as advisors. For the second year the Lab will host writers-in-residence Eric Hynes and Logan Hill in a program designed to bring film critics and nonfiction filmmakers together to forge a deeper understanding of nonfiction film through immersion in the creative process. “This vibrant array of projects illustrates the power of documentary filmmakers to use the language of cinema to tell untold stories, challenge and change perspectives and use their independent voice to speak truth to power,” said Jackson. “Convening these directors and editors, to refine and hone their craft with the help of our creative advisors, will we hope fuel their bold and pivotal work at this critical moment.” Recent projects that have participated in the Documentary Edit and Story Lab include Unrest, Whose Streets?, Newtown, Strong Island and Cameraperson. The Lab is part of the 26 residential Labs the Institute hosts each year to discover and foster the talent of emerging independent artists in film, theatre, new media and episodic content. The selected projects for the Documentary Edit and Story Lab are: Jacqueline Olive (director) / Always in Season (USA): As the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present, Always in Season follows relatives of the perpetrators and victims seeking justice and reconciliation – all in the midst of police shootings, church burnings and heated national debate about the value of black lives. Marilyn Ness (director), Don Bernier (editor) / Charm City (USA): During three years of unparalleled violence in Baltimore, Charm City delivers an unexpectedly candid, observational portrait of those left on the frontlines. With grit, fury and compassion, a group of police, citizens and government officials grapple with the consequences of violence and try to reclaim their future. Sedika Mojadidi (director), Sinead Kinnane (editor) / Facing the Dragon (Afghanistan/USA): Filmmaker Sedika Mojadidi follows two compelling Afghan women, a Member of Parliament and a journalist, as the international community withdraws from Afghanistan, threatening its fragile democracy. Naziha Arebi (director), Alice Powell (editor) / Freedom Fields (UK/Libya): In post-revolution Libya, a group of women are brought together by one dream: to play football for their nation. But as the country descends into civil war, their personal stories of aspirations, love and struggle collide with history. Petra Costa (director), Jordana Berg (editor) / Impeachment (Brazil): An epic tragedy of corruption and betrayal, Impeachment is a behind-the-scenes look at the ousting of Brazil’s first female president. With unique access to the president and other key politicians, the film unravels like a political thriller as Brazil falls into disarray, echoing the undoing of so many democracies throughout the world. Cristina Ibarra (co-director/co-editor), Alex Rivera (co-director/co-editor) / The Infiltrators (USA): When two young immigrant-activists get detained by Border Patrol, on purpose, their mission to expose the abuses inside a detention center becomes much more complex and dangerous than they imagined. Hao Wu (director), Nanfu Wang (editor) / People’s Republic of Desire (China/USA): In China’s popular live-streaming showrooms, three millennials seek fame, fortune and human connection, ultimately finding the same promises and perils online as in their real lives. Christina D. King (co-director), Elizabeth Castle (co-director), Kristen Nutile (editor) / Warrior Women (USA): Chronicling the lifelong struggle of a Lakota mother and daughter in the American Indian Movement’s fight for Native liberation from the 1970s to today, where they are protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock, North Dakota.
Read more
THE FENCER, Finland’s Entry for Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, Sets Release Date | Trailer

The Fencer directed by Klaus Härö – 2016 Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as Finland’s official selection and shortlist finalist at the 2016 Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film) will be released in the US in Summer 2017. The film will open at City Cinemas in New York on July 21 and at the Royal and Playhouse 7 in Los Angeles on August 11. A national release will follow. A young man, Endel Nelis (Märt Avandi), arrives in Haapsalu, Estonia in the early 1950s. Having left Leningrad to escape the secret police, he finds work as a teacher and organizes a sports club for his students. Endel learns to love the children and begins to looks after them; most are orphans as a result of the Russian occupation. He starts teaching them his great passion – fencing. Fencing becomes a form of self-expression for the children and Endel is quickly seen as their role model and a father figure. Endel’s popularity with his students causes a conflict with the school’s principal. Envious and suspicious, the principal starts investigating Endel’s background and discovers a secret from his past. When an opportunity arises for the children to participate in a national fencing tournament in Leningrad, Endel must make a choice: risk everything to take the children to Leningrad, or disappoint them by putting his safety first. The Fencer was inspired by the true story of Endel Nelis, Estonia’s legendary fencing maestro.
Read more
New Media Film Festival Announces Winners, THE DARK & WOUNDED Wins Grand Prize

[caption id="attachment_22686" align="aligncenter" width="960"] The Dark & The Wounded – James Picard[/caption] The Dark & The Wounded directed by James Picard and Jeff Dean triumphed over 87 new media films and content, to win the Grand Prize at the 8th Annual New Media Film Festival that ran June 6 to 8, 2017. THE WINNERS ARE: GRAND PRIZE The Dark & The Wounded (screened in Short Category) Director: James Picard, Jeff Dean Country: Canada, USA Running time: 26:24 World premiere! To go beneath the surface of our distracted reality and get to the root of what is really happening to us as individuals, society and as a species on the planet. By getting past our fears we can become more compassionate and understanding towards ourselves and others, beyond fear, there truly is freedom. BEST 3D Chrysalis Director: Ina Conradi, Mark Chavez Country: Singapore Running time: 7:03 L.A. premiere! Chrysalis is a tale of personal struggles and endurance. The film is based on an old legend about the butterfly‘s struggles to evolve. BEST ANIMATION Bosatsu – Year of the Dragon Director: Siddharth Ahluwalia Country: USA Running time: 6:13 Based on a dream and has been made with the hope of finding the Unknown. BEST APP Recontact: Istanbul Director: Eray Dinc Country: Turkey Running time: :27 L.A. premiere! In a recorded city, are you the one watching or being watched? Play the leading r BEST DIGITAL COMIC The Nothing Spirit Written by: Grace Fiorre Country: US World premiere! Her new disease caused her to lose alot of weight and for that reason the kids started to pick on her in school. She started being homeschooled, which gave her the opportunity to follower her dream and become an author. BEST DOCUMENTARY Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed Director: Jeremy Snead Country: USA Running time: 3:00 L.A. premiere! Unlocked is a groundbreaking 8 part documentary series that provides firsthand stories by industry icons, celebrities, consumers, and field experts on the culture, technology, history, and future of the video game industry. BEST DRONE Running into air Director: Sebastian Wöber Country: Austria Running time: 3:00 L.A. premiere! Who didn’t have dreams about flying as a kid? On film it’s possible. This is me running into the air and filming cinematic landscapes on my flight over Switzerland. BEST FEATURE Non – Transferable Director: Brendan Bradley Country: Turkey, USA Running time: 84:00 World premiere! Stuck with vacation reservations in her ex-boyfriends, Amy Tyler decides if she can’t change the tickets…why not change the guy? Cast Members: Ashley Clements (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Poe Party), Shanna Malcolm (HeyYoShanna, Bob Thunder), Katie Wee (Return Of the Mac, 2 Broke Girls), Matthew Scott Montgomery (So Random!, Jane The Virgin), Amin Joseph (Baywatch, Call Me King), Sara Fletcher (Frankenstein MD, Days of our Lives), Daniel Vincent Gordh (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Hollywood Acting Studio), Joey Richter (Starkid, I Ship It), Shira Lazar (What’s Trending) BEST MOBILE/TABLET Cuba LIbre Director: Felixe de Becker and Colin Bates Country: Cuba Running time: 6:41 World premiere! Young business man journeys to Havana Cuba for work, only to find a beautiful distraction… BEST MUSIC VIDEO Inertia by Orfan Inspired by the sentiments of Werner Herzog Director: Ted Beagles Country: UK Running time: 4:34 Armed with only a harmonium, Orfan performs ‘Inertia’ in places where he shouldn’t be. Security descends. BEST NEW MEDIA My Millennial Life Director: Maureen Judge Country: Canada Running time: 2:20 US premiere! An interactive documentary follows millenials, living a reality that sees nearly half of their age group either unemployed or underemployed. Combining verité filming, interviews, video diary, text and statistics, the i-DOoc puts a human face on the quandary of finding a place in 21st century society. BEST PILOT Adventure Travel Director: Ho Kwok Man, Berry Country: Hong Kong Running time: 4:45 World premiere! An interactive game show. Participants will travel only with directions from TV producers and TV viewers. To earn money, participants have to finish challenges to earn virtual points. BEST SCRIPT Render Written by: Kirill Kiselev Country: USA World premiere! A woman who can enter the minds of artificially intelligent machines is pulled into a hidden war with a corporate government. Top 3 Script Winners receive memberships in The Hatchery, InkTip, iPitch.tv and Sell A Script:Top 3 winners – Render, Clash of the Gods, Alan BEST SHORT MATE Director: Tom Connolly Country: UK Running time: 7:30 L.A. premiere! Two nihilistic colleagues hatch a plan in a cafe, paying no attention to the stranger at their table. Their good natured victim is left with a simple choice to make, upon which his future rests. BEST SNIPLER-30 SECOND PITCH Life Interrupted Director: Steven Wishnoff Country: USA Running time: :30 World premiere! Half Hour single -camera comedy, starring several fan-favorites about a former child actor whose life and career peaked at age 10. He is about to turn 50 with nothing in life the way he thought it would or should be. BEST SRC – Socially Responsible Content Ode to Lesvos Director: Talal Derki Country: Greece Running time: 11:30 US premiere! Ode to Lesvos is the inspiring story about a small group of fishermen and old ladies from the town of Skala Sikamineas on Lesvos, who received hundreds of thousands of refugees with open arms during summer of 2016. As a result of their selfless efforts the villagers were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize BEST STEAM Adrift Director: Cath Le Couteur Country: Chile, USA and space Running time: 11:00 L.A. premiere! Exploring the mysteries and contradictions of space junk: a sometimes beautiful, but potentially destructive museum of space exploration hurtling above our heads. BEST STUDENT AEON a 3D Student film Director: Derek O’Dell Country: USA Running time: 4:00 Aeon, a long, indefinite, period — is an abstract immersive audio-visual experience. A study on the behavior of energy over a period of time. Created using experimental 2D/3D animation techniques. BEST TRAILER Dream Big: Engineering Our World Director: Greg MacGillivray Country: Space and USA Running time: 2:00 World premiere! Dream Big: Engineering Our World is narrated by Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges, and is a first film of its kind for IMAX® and giant screen theatres that will transform how we think about engineering. BEST VIRTUAL REALITY Et Moi – 360 Director: Herman Fredlund Country: Sweden Running time: 2:59 L.A. premiere! The film is about a couple from the past dancing through memories in Berlin. The story ends in Grunau abandoned Ballroom then two urban explorers arrive. BEST WEB SERIES You are nothing Ep 3 Director: Mike Stivala, Mark Travis Country: USA Running time: 6:50 World premiere! A web series disguised as a self-help video tutorial – or perhaps, a parody of one – that uses the crumbing life of Mitch Repter as a teaching tool for a bizarre philosophy of life. SPECIAL PRESENTATION TO JERRY COPE – SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CONSERVATION AWARD PRODUCER A LOVE SONG FOR EARTH (this award was only given to one other person, Leonardo Di Caprio) Love Song to the Earth Running time: 4:15 Special Presentation (during awards ceremony) – Love Song To The Earth video featuring Paul McCartney, Sean Paul, Colbie Callait, Natasha Bedingfield, Q’orianka Kilcher and others. Directed by Trey Fanjoy, Produced by Jerry Cope. All proceeds from the Love Song project benefit Friends Of The Earth and the United Nations Foundation. Premiered with Ban Ki-mmon in Paris at UNFCCC COP21.
Read more
David Bly’s Romantic Drama SWEET PARENTS to World Premiere at Brooklyn Film Festival | Trailer

Sweet Parents directed by David Bly, follows a young couple trying to make it in New York; and will world premiere at the 2017 Brooklyn Film Festival on Friday, June 9th at 8:30pm. The film starring Leah Rudick, David Bly, Casey Biggs, Barbara Weetman, Chris Roberti, Sunita Mani, Willie C. Carpenter, Katie Hartman, and Daniel Marin, follows the pursuit of success, and subsequent struggle, in the New York culinary and art worlds. Gabby, a sculptor, and Will, a chef, start side relationships with a successful older man and woman in a last ditch hope of supporting their careers, ultimately pitting true love against ambition. Sweet Parents is not about the young couple moving to New York to pursue their dreams, full of fire and passion, but rather, it’s about the couple that has been there for 10 years, burnt out, contemplating giving it all up, asking themselves “What’s the point? Why are we still here?” and making one last ditch effort to avoid the feeling that the last 10 years have been a waste for Will & Gabby.
Read more
Watch Putin Offer His Opinion of Senator McCain in New Clip from Oliver Stone’s THE PUTIN INTERVIEWS

Showtime has released a new extended clip from Oliver Stone’s unprecedented conversations with Vladimir Putin, the docuseries – The Putin Interviews. The clip is pulled from hour four of the special, which features Stone’s most recent discussion with the Russian president this past February, following the U.S. presidential elections. In the newly released clip, Putin offers his opinion of his former Cold War foe, Senator John McCain, that sheds light on how Putin views today’s global affairs in a historical context. https://youtu.be/le7fv_9TfcE Additionally, a new video for The Putin Interviews was released that features a behind-the-scenes look and interview with Stone, about the making of the television special. https://youtu.be/FvNo0jRj7is In one of multiple interviews over the course of two years, Oliver Stone interviews Russian President Vladimir Putin while he is driving, where Putin discusses his point of view on Edward Snowden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD4eIM-8Vrc Granted intimate access to both Putin’s professional and personal worlds, Oscar(R)-winning writer and director Oliver Stone (Platoon, Snowden), with the help of his longtime documentary producer Fernando Sulichin, interviewed the Russian leader more than a dozen times over the course of two years. Since first becoming the president of Russia in 2000, Putin has never before spoken at such length or in such detail to a Western interviewer, leaving no topic off limits. In scope and depth, The Putin Interviews recalls The Nixon Interviews, the series of conversations between David Frost and Richard Nixon that aired in the spring of 1977, 40 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2cJXEWkt60 The Putin Interviews will have its world television premiere on Showtime over four consecutive nights starting on Monday, June 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Read more
Bill Duke Directed Indie Thriller CREATED EQUAL to World Premiere at American Black Film Festival | Trailer

[caption id="attachment_22655" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Created Equal[/caption] Six years after stunning audiences with his shocking documentary, Dark Girls, actor/director Bill Duke returns to directing with the legal thriller Created Equal. Created Equal, based on the novel, Created Equal written by Roger A. Brown, will World Premiere at the 2017 American Black Film Festival on Thursday, June 15, 4pm, at the Miami Beach Cinematheque (1130 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL). In a world where gender equality remains a critical issue, this controversial film, doesn’t set out to challenge the Catholic Church doctrine, but asks a very modern question… Should women be allowed into seminaries to study for the priesthood? “Created Equal is a film that gives you a voyeur experience into the stained glass ceiling that exists in the Catholic Church and asks the question about women being allowed into seminaries without actually taking sides,” shares Bill Duke. “We are so excited that the American Black Film Festival has officially selected our film as a world premiere and look forward to the conversation that is created around this highly debated topic.” The film stars Broadway actor and singer Aaron Tveit (Grease Live!) Latina actress Edy Ganem (Devious Maids), Yohance Myles (Shots Fired), veteran actors Lou Diamond Phillips (Longmire) and GregAlan Williams (Greenleaf). Desperate to become a priest in the Catholic Church, Alejandra “Allie” Batista (Edy Ganem) turns to Thomas Reilly (Aaron Tveit), a successful lawyer who files suit against the Archdiocese of New Orleans for sex discrimination without justifiable cause. As Allie’s case starts to make national headlines, both she and Tommy face serious backlash from the people in their lives. The trial unfolds and an extremist concocts a plot to stop the heresy against the church by attacking Alejandra and attempting to kill her if she doesn’t back off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Bw2UFlonM
Read more
Sundance Selects to Release Jeff Unay’s THE CAGE FIGHTER Documentary

[caption id="attachment_22652" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Cage Fighter[/caption] Jeff Unay’s documentary and directorial feature debut The Cage Fighter that premiered earlier this year at the 2017 San Francisco International Film Festival has been acquired by Sundance Selects for release in the US. It was written, directed and photographed by Jeff Unay. The Cage Fighter is the story of a man in the fight of his life. Joe Carman is a blue-collar Washington State boilermaker and master plumber, a loving father and husband. Unable to cope with stresses at home, reeling from his wife’s recent illness and an ongoing custody battle, Joe escapes back into the fighting cage — the one place he’d promised never to set foot again. By trading his inner pain for physical blows, Joe struggles to heal himself and come to terms with his past. In the fighting cage, life’s problems are as simple as they are acute; but there, unlike in the real world, an old fighter can at least go down swinging. “I am very excited that we are partnering with Sundance Selects to bring The Cage Fighter to the public,” said Jeff Unay, director. “Their prestigious label/brand of films coupled together with their penchant to distribute their films to the widest possible audience is extremely promising and very important to our film. We are proud to be part of the Sundance Selects family.” “Jeff Unay’s impressive and beautiful debut unfolds like a narrative film in which the story of Joe Carman and his journey is portrayed with empathy and universal accessibility. We can’t wait to share his story with audiences across the country,” said Arianna Bocco, EVP of Acquisitions and Productions.
Read more
French Musical Comedy FOOTNOTES to Open in New York on July 14

[caption id="attachment_22647" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Footnotes[/caption] The French musical comedy Footnotes directed by Paul Calori and Kostia Testut will open in New York on Friday, July 14th at the Village East Cinema with a national release to follow. Inspired by the films of Jacques Demy and Stanley Donen,Footnotes is a whimsical and original musical comedy about Julie, a young woman struggling to make ends meet in France’s radically changing economy. Living out of a backpack, Julie spends her days jumping from job to job until she’s finally offered a temporary stockroom position at a women’s luxury shoe factory. After making friends with the boss’s spunky receptionist Sophie and the ever-charming factory truck driver Samy, Julie thinks the hard times are behind her. But Julie’s dreams of stability collapse when management threatens to close down the factory. As her intrepid group of female colleagues get together to go on strike, Samy and the other truck drivers decide to side with the company’s scheming CEO. Julie must choose whether to keep a low profile (and a shot at permanent employment) or to resist and fight back on the picket line. Footnotes stars Pauline Etienne, Olivier Chantreau, François Morel, Loïc Corbery and Julie Victor; and was an Official Selection of Palm Springs International Film Festival, Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, Filmfest DC and many more.
Read more
Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup, and Award for Burt Reynolds

[caption id="attachment_22641" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Vic Edwards (Burt Reynolds) and Ariel Winter (Lil) share a moment at McDougalís Pub in DOG YEARS. Photo by Bob Franklin.[/caption] The Second Annual Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival (VBWFF) has announced the official selections for the 2017 event, held June 8 to 11 at various screening locations in Vero Beach, FL. VBWFF focuses on providing a truly unique festival, allowing guests to fully experience films with tailored wine and drink pairings, special guests and immersive viewing. Films were submitted in the categories of Documentary, Narrative, Short and NEXT UP! (young filmmakers). Florida resident and notable actor, producer, director Burt Reynolds will be honored with VBWFF’s highest honor, the Life Worth Living Legend Award. Reynolds founded the nearby historic Jupiter Theatre, once one of the most renowned cultural centers in South Florida, which operated as a dinner theater and local arts institution from 1979-96. In it’s prime, more stars performed at the Jupiter Theatre than any other venue in Palm Beach County, including Martin Sheen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julie Harris and Judd Nelson. Festival Founder and Director, Jerusha Stewart, said “We’re thrilled to be presenting award-winning actor Burt Reynolds with the VBWFF Life Worth Living Legend Award. Burt is a star among stars who’s enchanted millions with his charisma and comedic style. We’re excited and honored to present his latest film, ‘Dog Years’ in its Florida Premiere after opening at Tribeca.” Stewart continues on the unique experiential screenings during VBWFF, “One of the things that makes VBWFF so unique is that we plan for movies to be experienced differently – whether through venue or the presentation – VBWFF is definitely a ‘Sip, See, Savor!’ experience! Unlike most festivals, we want guests to experience the film, not just watch it.” Full list of film selections linked below, highlights include: Dog Years Starring Burt Reynolds and Ariel Winter, Dog Years tells the story of an aging, former movie star is forced to face the reality that his glory days are behind him. Director: Adam Rifkin; Producer: Neil Mandt; Narrative The Letter Carrier Set in 1860 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Letter Carrier is the story of a boy and his family hidden from slavery and a parent’s will to protect their freedom at all costs. Director: Jesse L. Martin; Short Finding Kukan Filmmaker Robin Lung investigates the case of Li Ling-Ai, the un-credited female producer of KUKAN, a landmark color film that revealed the atrocities of World War II China to American audiences, and was the first-ever American feature documentary to receive an Academy Award in 1942. Producer & Director: Robin Lung; Documentary VBWFF experiential screenings include: Perfume War The multiple award winning documentary follows a single mom as she creates an unlikely weapon in the fight for world peace, turning Afghan farms from illegal opium farms into legal flower farms. Director: Michael Melski; Documentary * Molly Smith, Academy Award Winning Producer of La La Land, will host an intimate lunch and talk with Barb Stegemann, CEO & Founder, The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc. and star of “Perfume War.” STRAWS Narrated by actor Tim Robbins, STRAWS make its Florida premiere at VBWFF. Director and producer Linda Booker created the documentary to expose the negative impact of the billions of plastic straws that live in our landfills and oceans. Director: Linda Booker; Documentary *Following the screening, there will be a private sea turtle walk on the beach and a Q&A with Booker. Discovering Dave The story of David Drake, a South Carolina slave potter/craftsman who created beautiful pottery, including jars, during the turbulent 1800s. Director: Mark Albertin; Documentary *Guests will be able to view up close and handle pottery usually kept in museums under glass. Bartender at Large The documentary on the art of bartending and the world of craft cocktails provides a look at the modern cocktail renaissance. Director: Erick Castro; Documentary *Guests will take part in a cocktail demo at local hotspot, Grind + Grape, before screening. Decanted The documentary gives a look inside one of the most intimate wine growing regions in the world, Napa Valley, as we follow the journey of new beginnings, mastering a craft, and what it takes to make it in the wine business. Director: Nick Kovacic; Documentary
Read more
LEMON, GOOK, BITCH Among 7 Films from 2017 Sundance Selected to Screen at Sundance NEXT FEST

[caption id="attachment_19434" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Lemon[/caption] Seven films from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, paired with three energizing musical performances will screen at the upcoming Sundance NEXT FEST. The fest lights up Los Angeles August 10-13 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, and this year will include presentation of the Institute’s Vanguard Awards to Quentin Tarantino and Dee Rees. The festival’s NEXT FEST After Dark program on Thursday, August 10, will feature a 25th anniversary screening of Reservoir Dogs on restored 35mm and presentation of the Institute’s Vanguard Leadership Award to Quentin Tarantino. Reservoir Dogs debuted at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival following Tarantino’s participation in the Institute’s Directors Lab and returned to its roots with a From the Collection screening at this year’s Festival. Sundance NEXT FEST continues on Friday with the LA premiere of absurd comedy Lemon directed by Janicza Bravo, with a performance by powerhouse vocalist Lizzo. Saturday’s lineup includes: Sundance NEXT FEST’s first-ever episodic selection — a special screening of seven episodes of the comedic drama Gente-fied, created by Marvin Lemus; the 2017 Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award: NEXT-winner Gook; and Bitch, starring Jason Ritter and Jaime King, paired with a performance by Sleigh Bells who just released their fourth LP, Jessica Rabbit. Sunday’s events include: the Los Angeles premieres of Dina, a documentary about an unconventional love story that took home the Grand Jury Prize in Park City; Alex Ross Perry’s latest film Golden Exits; and Michelle Morgan’s witty love letter to the city of angels, LA Times, accompanied by a live performance by LA-based duo Electric Guest, the band behind the hit “Dear to Me.” Additional program elements for the daytime screenings, including live Q&As with movie icons, will be announced. Sundance alum Dee Rees, writer and director of Pariah, Bessie and Mudbound, will receive the Vanguard Award at Sundance NEXT FEST, celebrating an emerging artist with creative independence. Rees is an alumna of Sundance Screenwriters, Creative Producing and Directors Labs. She has been the recipient of Sundance Institute’s Time Warner Fellowship and Annenberg Film Fellowship and premiered two feature films at the Sundance Film Festival, Pariah in 2011 and Mudbound in 2017. The Vanguard Award includes a cash grant and mentorship from industry professionals and Institute staff. Rees will be the sixth recipient of this award; past recipients include Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station). The Vanguard Award was founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter. Thursday, August 10 7:30 p.m. – Reservoir Dogs Reservoir Dogs / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Quentin Tarantino) — They were perfect strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush and the ruthless killers realize one of them is a police informant. But which one? This 25th anniversary screening will be presented on a 35mm print. Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen. 25th ANNIVERSARY Friday, August 11 8:00 p.m. – Lemon + Lizzo Lemon / U.S.A. (Director: Janicza Bravo, Screenwriters: Janicza Bravo, Brett Gelman) — Lemon: a person or thing that proves defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory. A man whose blind girlfriend is leaving him, whose career is going nowhere and whose family is disappointed in him—Isaac Lachmann is 40. He doesn’t know how he got there. Things were supposed to work out differently. Cast: Brett Gelman, Judy Greer, Michael Cera, Nia Long, Shiri Appleby, Fred Melamed. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE Lizzo wields the kind of voice that’s right at home in soul, pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock and gospel. The vivacious and versatile vocalist’s impassioned delivery and dynamic range bonds the six tracks on her major label debut EP, Coconut Oil (Nice Life Recording Company/Atlantic Records). Lauded by Noisey, Entertainment Weekly, Paste, Rolling Stone, Spin, Idolator, and more, the EP boasted the hit “Good As Hell,” which was featured on the Original Soundtrack to Barbershop: The Next Cut and churned out over 7.3 million Spotify streams and 1.3 million YouTube views in less than six months. Saturday, August 12 12:00 p.m. – Gente-fied Gente-fied / U.S.A. (Director, creator and co-writer: Marvin Lemus, Co-writer: Linda Yvette Chavez, Executive Producers: Charles D. King, Aaliyah Williams, America Ferrera) — Seven characters deal with the effects of change in L.A.’s Boyle Heights. Bicultural millennials and old-school business owners hustle to create spaces that celebrate their Latino identities—even while faced with rent hikes, a housing crisis, and a steady stream of outsiders threatening to gentrify their barrio. NEXT FEST will screen all seven episodes of this short-form episodic series. Cast: Edsson Morales, Alicia Sixtos, Victoria Ortiz, Yareli Arizmendi, Salvador Velez Jr, Rafael Sigler, Art Bonilla. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE 4:00 p.m. – Gook Gook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Chon) — Eli and Daniel—Korean American brothers who run a shoe store in Paramount, California—form an unlikely friendship with Kamilla, an 11-year-old African American girl. As Daniel dreams of becoming a recording artist and Eli struggles to keep the store afloat, LA’s racial tensions erupt during the infamous 1992 riots. Cast: Justin Chon, Simone Baker, David So, Curtiss Cook Jr., Sang Chon, Ben Munoz. Winner of the Audience Award: NEXT at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. 8:00 p.m. – Bitch + Sleigh Bells Bitch / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marianna Palka) — A woman snaps under crushing life pressures and assumes the psyche of a vicious dog. Her philandering, absentee husband is forced to become reacquainted with his four children and sister-in-law as they attempt to keep the family together during this bizarre crisis. Cast: Jason Ritter, Jaime King, Marianna Palka, Brighton Sharbino, Rio Mangini, Kingston Foster. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE Sleigh Bells wasted no time after getting off the ground in 2009, releasing three blistering records in four years. Ready for a break from the road, they took their time on their fourth LP, Jessica Rabbit, writing and finishing the record several times only to realize that they wanted to push themselves and the music further. The result is an intense and vulnerable record that’s highly evolved and completely uncategorizable, a major statement from a band wholly committed to advancing their dynamic, uncompromising vision. Jessica Rabbit is the first release on the band’s own record label, Torn Clean. Sunday, August 13 12:00 p.m. – Dina Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. 4:00 p.m. – Golden Exits Golden Exits / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — The arrival of a young foreign girl disrupts the lives and emotional balances of two Brooklyn families. Cast: Emily Browning, Adam Horovitz, Mary-Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Jason Schwartzman, Chloë Sevigny. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE 8:00 p.m. – L.A. Times + Electric Guest L.A. Times / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michelle Morgan) — In this classically styled comedy of manners set in Los Angeles, sophisticated thirtysomethings try to determine whether ideal happiness exists in coupledom or if the perfectly suited couple is actually just an urban myth. Cast: Michelle Morgan, Dree Hemingway, Jorma Taccone, Kentucker Audley, Margarita Levieva, Adam Shapiro. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE Electric Guest – L.A.-based duo Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton – recently released Plural on Downtown/Interscope Records. The record finds the duo at the absolute top of their game, infusing their version of electronic r&b with an even more confident, adventurous spirit than their 2012 debut album, Mondo, displayed, which Rolling Stone called “a Beck-ian journey into L.A. slacker soul, full of hooky neon jams.” MTV named Electric Guest an Artist To Watch, NME tagged them as a Band Of The Week, and they made the rounds at festivals in addition to taking late night TV by storm with performances on Letterman, Fallon, Conan and more.
Read more