The first virtual edition of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), now in its 24th year, will feature a robust slate of speakers including Stacey Abrams, Kenya Barris, Mary J. Blige, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Gabrielle Union and Lena Waithe, as well as panels ranging from the business of Hollywood to spotlights on new films and television series. The festival will offer a mix of live and on demand content from August 21st to 30th at abff.com.
The new trailer is here for David Darg and Price James’ wildly entertaining documentary, You Cannot Kill David Arquette, an official selection of this year’s cancelled 2020 SXSW Film Festival. The film instead had its debut in early March at the Arquette’s California home a mere 24 hours after hearing about the SXSW cancellation, surrounded by friends, family and a homemade wrestling ring.
Stage Mother, the new comedy-drama film starring Oscar-nominated Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook, Animal Kingdom), Adrian Grenier (Entourage, The Devil Wears Prada) and Emmy-Nominated Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Elementary, Ally McBeal), will kick-off the virtual 22nd edition of the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival on Thursday, August 20.
The new short film by Luca Guadagnino, Fiori, Fiori, Fiori!, and the independent film, Run Hide Fight, written and directed by Kyle Rankin, with Isabel May, Thomas Jane, and Radha Mitchell, have been added to the Out of Competition line-up of the 77th Venice International Film Festival. The festival is scheduled to take place from September 2 to 12 2020 at the Lido di Venezia.
ReelWorks Studios and Fathom Events release their latest film When We Last Spoke, a heartwarming tale of family, friendship and forgiveness featuring Corbin Bernsen (“Psych,” “L.A. Law”), Melissa Gilbert (“Little House on the Prairie”), Darby Camp (“Big Little Lies,” The Christmas Chronicles), Chandler Head (The Glass Castle) and Academy award-winning actress, Cloris Leachman (I Can Only Imagine, The Last Picture Show). When We Last Spoke will open in movie theaters for an exclusive two night showing October 27 and 29, 2020.
The first official trailer debuted today for Come True, the dark sci-fi thriller from Canadian filmmaker, visual effects artist and musician Anthony Scott Burns (Our House, Holidays Father’s Day segment). The film will world premiere on August 30th as part of upcoming Fantasia International Film Festival, running August 20th – September 2nd digitally.
Emmy winner Judd Apatow along with longtime collaborator Michael Bonfiglio will direct a two-part HBO documentary about legendary comedian George Carlin, who headlined 14 stand-up comedy specials on HBO over the course of his career. Along with Emmy(R) winner Joe Beshenkovsky editing, the documentary reunites the key creative team behind HBO’s Emmy-winning documentary “The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling,” which was directed by Apatow.
The 19th New York Asian Film Festival will be a special virtual edition from August 28 to September 12, 2020. The festival continues to highlight women both behind and in front of the camera, and features a specific FOCUS on women filmmakers: Women Transforming Film, starting with The Opening Film – the North American Premiere of The Girl and the Gun (Babae at Baril), directed by Rae Red, led by a superb performance by actress Janine Gutierrez.
Valentina, the debut feature by Brazilian writer-director Cássio Pereira dos Santos, will have its world premiere at the Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, taking place August 20-30, followed by a screening at OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, on August 29. A hopeful and inspiring reflection of the real life hardships faced by a young woman seeking to embrace who she is, Valentina also marks the film debut of influential Brazilian trans YouTuber Thiessa Woinbackk, in the title role.
Poland is officially kicking off the 2021 Oscar race by selecting Never Gonna Snow Again (Śniegu już nigdy nie będzie) directed by Malgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert, as the country’s entry in the competition for Best International Feature Film.
Jimmy Henderson’s The Prey released the new red band trailer ahead of the film’s release in late August. The indie thriller film packed with non-stop action opens in virtual theaters on Friday, August 21 in Los Angeles (Laemmle), New York and major cities (Alamo On Demand) and Philadelphia (Film Society); followed by VOD in US & Canada on August 25.