The jazz-inspired drama The Song of Sway Lake, directed by Ari Gold (Adventures of Power), who co-wrote the film with Elizabeth Bull; and starring Rory Culkin (Signs), Robert Sheehan (Geostorm) and Mary Beth Peil (Tony nominee for Anastasia) has been acquired by The Orchard. The Song of Sway Lake will be released in theaters on September 21st and on VOD and Digital HD on September 25th.
Featuring both original and classic songs, The Song of Sway Lake tells the story of a young man (Culkin) who plots to steal a valuable, long-lost jazz record from his grandmother’s lake house. His plan is derailed when his accomplice (Sheehan) falls for the matriarch.
The Song of Sway Lake was produced by Grack Films’ Ari Gold, Michael Bederman (Spotlight), Allison Rose Carter (American Honey) and Social Construct’s Zak Kilberg. The film was executive produced by Garrett P. Fennelly (The Tested) and Anne Bernstein (Otis N’ Dwayne).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WuRTxBOji4-
The Orchard to Release Jazz-Inspired Drama THE SONG OF SWAY LAKE [Trailer]
The jazz-inspired drama The Song of Sway Lake, directed by Ari Gold (Adventures of Power), who co-wrote the film with Elizabeth Bull; and starring Rory Culkin (Signs), Robert Sheehan (Geostorm) and Mary Beth Peil (Tony nominee for Anastasia) has been acquired by The Orchard. The Song of Sway Lake will be released in theaters on September 21st and on VOD and Digital HD on September 25th.
Featuring both original and classic songs, The Song of Sway Lake tells the story of a young man (Culkin) who plots to steal a valuable, long-lost jazz record from his grandmother’s lake house. His plan is derailed when his accomplice (Sheehan) falls for the matriarch.
The Song of Sway Lake was produced by Grack Films’ Ari Gold, Michael Bederman (Spotlight), Allison Rose Carter (American Honey) and Social Construct’s Zak Kilberg. The film was executive produced by Garrett P. Fennelly (The Tested) and Anne Bernstein (Otis N’ Dwayne).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WuRTxBOji4
-
SUPERFLY to Open American Black Film Festival [Trailer]
The 2018 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will open with the festival’s premiere screening of Sony Pictures’ Superfly at the Fillmore Theater in Miami Beach, Florida, on June 13, the same night as the nationwide release date of Superfly. Directed by the acclaimed Director X, director of legendary music videos for such artists as Drake and Rihanna, and starring Trevor Jackson (“Grown-ish”), the film’s original soundtrack has been curated and produced by Future, who also produces the film with Joel Silver (The Matrix trilogy, Die Hard).
The film also stars Jason Mitchell (Mudbound, Straight Outta Compton), Michael Kenneth Williams (“The Wire,” “Boardwalk Empire”), Lex Scott Davis (“Training Day,” the upcoming The First Purge), Jennifer Morrison (“Once Upon a Time,” “House”), and Andrea Londo (“Narcos”). The film also features cameo appearances by Rick Ross and Antwan “Big Boi” Patton. The screenplay is by Alex Tse.
“We are thrilled Superfly will be the opening night film at the 2018 ABFF. For many, the title resonates as a cultural touchstone, not only for the look and style of the film itself, but also for Curtis Mayfield’s legendary soundtrack, and for its place in history – Superfly is one of the few films of its era that featured African-American characters with agency and power. In bringing Superfly to a new generation, Director X has transitioned a TIMELESS classic into a modern day, entertaining film that will be enjoyed by all,” said Jeff Friday, CEO of ABFF VENTURES.
Director X added, “I am excited for ABFF’s premiere of Superfly in Miami. The original Super Fly from 1972 is a classic and we all felt a responsibility to that legacy. I directed a film that builds on the special elements of the original and evolves them for 2018. The story, fashion, cars, hair and music all have added relevance for today with an extra twist of style. It’s all Superfly. Thank you Jeff Friday for welcoming my movie to the 2018 fest.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNvRdg1lR7c
-
WILDLIFE Starring Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal to Open 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_29567" align="aligncenter" width="1259"]
Wildlife[/caption]
The first films of the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) were revealed today along with big announcement that the 67th edition will open with the Australian premiere gala screening of Paul Dano’s directorial debut Wildlife – starring Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal and Australia’s Ed Oxenbould. The First Glance selection of 32 films demonstrating MIFF’s expansive reach was also uncovered.
Based on the 1990 Richard Ford novel of the same name, Dano’s debut directorial outing (co-written by Zoe Kazan, seen alongside Dano at MIFF’s 2012 Ruby Sparks) tells a tender and empathetic story about a teen dealing with his family falling apart in 1960s Montana.
A hit at Sundance and Cannes, Wildlife is a bittersweet and elegant debut that represents a major coming-of-age – both off screen and on – for Oxenbould, an actor who broke out in MIFF 2014’s Paper Planes and last year’s MIFF Premiere Fund-supported The Butterfly Tree. Buoyed by exquisite cinematography from Diego Garcia (Neon Bull, MIFF 2016; Cemetery of Splendour, MIFF 2015) the film’s fine-tuned attention to period detail underscores its exceptional performances.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gSi0Qvki3o
“We are thrilled to announce Wildlife for this year’s Opening Night Gala. Paul Dano’s debut as a director provides a glimpse into a successful shift in his career from on screen to off, and the cast including Australia’s very own Ed Oxenbould (a special name here at MIFF) is an impressive way to kick off proceedings,” said MIFF’s Artistic Director Michelle Carrey.
“This in addition to the sneak peek of the rest of the program is an exciting time. Finally we can start talking about the most important thing…the films!”
This year’s MIFF program will feature more than 500+ screenings, including:
Ethan Hawke features with both on and off-screen contributions: he portrays a troubled priest experiencing a ‘crisis of faith’ in cinematic legend Paul Schrader’s latest feast of brooding menace, First Reformed; in Blaze, Hawke directs a daringly unconventional biopic of an unsung country music legend, featuring newcomer Benjamin Dickey in the title role (which won him a Sundance acting award) and Alia Shawkat.
Chloë Grace Moretz turns in a career-best performance in Desiree Akhavan’s sophomore feature The Miseducation of Cameron Post, winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize (US Dramatic); Cannes 2017 best actor winner Joaquin Phoenix features in Lynne Ramsay’s vengeance feature You Were Never Really Here, playing a war vet and ex-FBI agent whose new job includes rescuing children from paedophile rings; meanwhile, Bodied is the result of an unlikely pairing between Grammy-winning director Joseph Kahn and rapper turned producer Eminem who present their satirical story about an accidental battle-rap star.
In a variety of filmmaking firsts, acclaimed TV director Michael Pearce makes his feature debut in the sly, unsettling Beast – an impressive British crime drama love story wrapped in an intriguing psychosexual thriller; veteran slow-cinema auteur Tsai Ming-liang makes his debut foray into virtual reality with The Deserted, a 55-minute experience with a wordless, near-feature length tale of ghosts, grief and fish; and a little closer to home, Nash Edgerton’s TV series directorial debut Mr Inbetween brings The Magician’s charismatic killer-for-hire Ray Shoesmith back to our screens. MIFF will screen all six episodes before its television premiere on Foxtel’s Showcase channel.
The 2018 program delves deep into three iconic names spanning fashion, sport and Hollywood, starting with McQueen, a flamboyant portrait of one of the world’s most revered designers, Alexander McQueen – a man who once said “My shows are about sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. It’s for the excitement and the goosebumps. I want heart attacks. I want ambulances.” This biographical documentary by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui represents nothing less.
Julien Faraut’s John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection serves up a fascinating combination of instructional clips and exquisite 16mm footage of tennis bad boy John McEnroe at the height of his career at the 1984 French Open; and looking into the life of another legend, Tommy Avallone’s Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man follows the trail of the star’s alleged appearances musing on the interconnection of pop culture and ordinary life.
An Elephant Sitting Still takes us on a four-hour journey as Hu Bo paints a compelling, empathetic portrait of contemporary China in this FIPRESCI Prize-winning debut; and winner of SXSW’s Grand Jury Prize for documentary, People’s Republic of Desire is Hao Wu’s unsettling and fascinating look into the online world of live-streaming, social media and virtual relationships.
Turning impending loss into a poignant, poetic dreamscape, The Seen and Unseen is the second feature from Indonesia’s Kamila Andini and winner of best youth film at the 2017 Asia Pacific Screen Awards; Tigers Are Not Afraid is a stunning contemporary fairytale that does for Mexico’s drug war what Guillermo del Toro did for the Spanish Civil War. Praised by Stephen King, the film saw Issa López become the first woman to win Fantastic Fest’s Best Horror Director award.
Denmark’s Gustav Möller makes his directorial debut with the Sundance and Rotterdam award-winning The Guilty, an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller told entirely in real time.
The UK’s Daniel Kokotajlo makes a devastating debut with Apostasy, a daring study of an all-female Jehovah’s Witness family riven by religious conflict starring Siobhan Finneran (Downton Abbey and Happy Valley); Babis Makridis proves he is coming into his own as a star with a second feature, Pity. A follow up to L (MIFF 2012), the quintessentially bleak and absurdist Greek New Wave comedy from the co-writer of The Lobster and Dogtooth was co-written with Yorgos Lanthimos’ key collaborator Efthymis Filippou (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, MIFF 2017).
Irreverent Iranian director Mani Haghighi (A Dragon Arrives! MIFF 2016) presents his latest meta-comedy magic, Pig – a riotous Iranian film industry satire about a serial killer; and Vivian Qu continues to interrogate crime, corruption and control in modern-day China in Angels Wear White, which won her the Best Director award at the Golden Horse Film Festival.
Based on Anna Seghers’ WWll novel of the same name, Transit is the slow-burn thriller from revered auteur Christian Petzold – a discomfiting fable of trans-European displacement that channels both Hitchcock and Casablanca; and one of contemporary cinema’s most esteemed directors Lucrecia Martel makes her long-awaited return with the historical fiction Zama, centred on an 18th-century Spanish magistrate marooned in a far-flung South American outpost where he’s losing touch with civilization and sanity.
Spaghetti Western, ’70s Euro-pulp and delirious psychedelia collide in Let the Corpses Tan – a glorious homage to cinema’s seedier retro fringes from genre connoisseurs Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani; audiences will step back in time to the French fashion scene with legendary fashion photographer William Klein’s award-winning black and white mockumentary that is now a groovy cult classic, Who are you, Polly Maggoo? and nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 2018 Academy Awards, The Insult is the multi-award winning new work from Lebanese visionary Ziad Doueiri (The Attack, MIFF 2012).
Delving into the complex emotions of passionate pop-music appreciation, emerging local director Jessica Leski presents I Used to be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story – an empathetic documentary exploring why we hold pop music so dear to our hearts.
The NSFA-restored The Cheaters offers viewers a rare big-screen treat of a pioneering silent-era classic. A major landmark of Australian cinema, this is not just one of our earliest feature films – it’s one of the first by women filmmakers, the McDonagh sisters. The remaining fragments of the sisters’ popular first feature Those Who Love will screen alongside.
An exhilarating debut feature from Australian director Jason Raftopoulos, the Venice-premiering West of Sunshine stars Pawno’s Damian Hill alongside his real-life step-son Ty Perham and Offspring’s Kat Stewart (Sucker, MIFF 2015). Shot in Melbourne, it explores fatherhood, trauma and second chances.
Director Jeremy Sim’s (Last Cab to Darwin, Beneath Hill 60) Wayne is a must-see for moto-GP fans. Here, Sims explores a defining piece of Australian sporting history that saw Wayne Gardner conquer the world of motorcycle racing and return home a hero; while Island of the Hungry Ghosts takes audiences on a unique and moving cinematic journey through the intersection of Christmas Island’s migrating land crabs, lost souls caught in limbo and political detainees.
Sundance award-winner, Stephen Loveridge digs deep into the life of his good friend Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasm in MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A, demonstrating her pull-no-punches personality and focus on political activism, and how this caused her career to suffer; and rounding up the First Glance lineup, directors Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown dive wholeheartedly into the African-American roller rink scene, circling around racial profiling, the roots of rap and communities in crisis with Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award winner, United Skates.
-
World Premiere of Joachim A. Lang’s “Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm” to Open Munich Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_29565" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm[/caption]
Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm will have its world premiere as the opening film of the 36th Munich International Film Festival on Thursday, June 28, 2018. Director Joachim A. Lang is expected to grace the red carpet along with Lars Eidinger, Tobias Moretti, Hannah Herzsprung, Joachim Król, Claudia Michelsen, Britta Hammelstein, Robert Stadlober, Peri Baumeister, and Godehard Giese.
Owing to the international success of his stage play “The Threepenny Opera” (1928) and Kurt Weill’s “Ballad of Mack the Knife”, which has become a hit around the world, film producers are lining up with offers for author and playwright Bertolt Brecht. It goes without saying that the production companies are more interested in their proceeds from the box office than in the author’s artistic vision.
Always the idealist, Brecht refuses to play by the rules of the film industry. He wants to create a completely new kind of film — radical, uncompromising, political — and deliberately seeks to make his dispute with the film industry public. He sues the production company in an unheard-of “threepenny court case” in which he fights for his creative autonomy. This dialectic of creative idealism and economic constraints sets the perfect stage for a cinematic feat of strength. Or as Brecht himself put it: “In the contradiction lies the hope.”
Joachim A. Lang’s lavish film debut “Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm” fundamentally reinterprets Brecht’s classic work. The film uses numerous allusions in order to blur the line between reality and fiction; it switches fluidly and playfully between Brecht’s legal dispute and his film project, which — unfortunately — never really existed. An additional trick lends authenticity, however: everything that Brecht says in the film is based on real quotes from his life and his complete works.
“Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm” offers a cast of the highest caliber: Lars Eidinger in the role of Bertolt Brecht, Tobias Moretti as Macheath, Hannah Herzsprung as Carola Neher and Polly, Joachim Król as Peachum, Claudia Michelsen as Mrs. Peachum, Robert Stadlober as Kurt Weill, Peri Baumeister as Elisabeth Hauptmann, Britta Hammelstein as Lotte Lenja and Seeräuber-Jenny, Meike Droste as Helene Weigel, Christian Redl as Tiger Brown, and Max Raabe as the street singer.
“Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm” is a co-production of Zeitsprung Pictures, the SWR, and Velvet Films with the collaboration of ARTE. The film will also be shown in the New German Cinema section of Munich International Film Festival before coming to movie theaters across Germany on September 13, 2018 (distributor: Wild Bunch Germany).
-
Asghar Farhadi Named Jury President of the 24th Sarajevo Film Festival Competition Program
Iranian writer-director and two times Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi, will preside over the Jury of the Competition Program – Feature Film of 24th Sarajevo Film Festival which will be held from August 10 to 17, 2018.
Sarajevo Film Festival’s audience will also have a chance to see Farhadi’s latest film Everybody Knows which premiered in the Competition program of the Cannes Film Festival and opened this year’s Festival. The film starring Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem will be screened in the Open Air program of the 24th Sarajevo Film Festival.
Asghar Farhadi was born in 1972. In 2002, he wrote and directed his first feature film, Dancing In The Dust, which won the Best Actor award and the Russian Society of Film Critics’ Best Film award at the 25th Moscow International Film Festival, as well as the Best Director and the Best Screenplay awards at the 48th Asian Pacific Film Festival. A year later, Farhadi wrote and directed Beautiful City (2003). Farhadi subsequently directed Fireworks Wednesday (2005), followed by About Elly (2007) which simultaneously premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and Fajr Film Festival in Teheran winning the Silver Bear for Best Director and the Crystal Simorgh for Best Directing respectively.
Farhadi then started to write A Separation, which he shot in 2010. It premiered at the 2010 Berlin Film Festival where it picked up the Golden Bear for best film, as well as two Silver Bears, one each for its ensemble of actresses and actors. After it premiered at Berlinale, the film won more than 70 prizes across the globe, including the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, the Cesar for Best Foreign Film and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. A Separation was an international success unprecedented by any Iranian film. The film was released in the United States in December 2011, becoming one of the highest grossing foreign language films in the difficult US marketplace. The same year, Farhadi was named on of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
While A Separation was being screened in different festivals and countries, Farhadi and his family moved to Paris so he could start work on the screenplay of The Past, his first film on a foreign language. The Past was released during the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, won the Best Actress Award (Bérénice Bejo) at the Cannes and was nominated for the Golden Globes and the César.
Farhadi returned to Iran in 2015 to shoot The Salesman, which was screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival where Farhadi won the Best Screenplay award, while the lead actor Shahab Hosseini picked up the Best Actor award. For this film, Farhadi won his second Oscar for Best Film in a Foreign Language.
Several months later, Farhadi started shooting his latest film, Everybody Knows, in Spanish language, for which Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem were reunited on screen. The film opened the 71st Cannes Film Festival and was in competition for the festival’s top prize.
-
2018 Palm Springs International ShortFest to Showcase 333 Short Films
[caption id="attachment_29555" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
All that We Carry (USA), Directed by: Erin Semine Kökdil[/caption]
The 2018 Palm Springs International ShortFest will showcase 333 films including 42 World Premieres, 32 International Premieres, 42 North American Premieres and 13 U.S. Premieres with films coming from 62 countries around the world. There are 55 curated programs, which will screen June 19-25, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center in Palm Springs. More than 5,300 of the festival submissions will be available in the Film Market for industry attendees to view.
“We’re thrilled to be sharing this year’s lineup,” said ShortFest Festival Director Lili Rodriguez. “With an increase in submission numbers, we knew we’d have our work cut out for us, but the programming team has narrowed down the selection to a wonderful collection that includes some of this year’s festival favorites as well as amazing new discoveries. We were so impressed by the quality of these stories and we can’t wait to pack into theatres and share them with our audience this summer.”
This year’s list of films include the following:
WOLRD PREMIERES
Are You Still Singing? (USA), Directed by: Gillian Barnes August Sun (UK), Directed by: Franco Volpi Babygirl (Australia), Directed by: Lara Gissing Bertie (UK), Directed by: Garry Crystal Broken Bunny (Canada), Directed by: Meredith Hama-Brown The Christmas Fish (Czech Republic), Directed by: Cole Stamm Cornflower (USA), Directed by: Sam Evoy Dead to the World (UK), Directed by: Freddie Hall Delivery (USA), Directed by: Joe Boothe Dima (UK), Directed by: Remi Itani Dulce (Colombia), Directed by: Guille Isa, Angello Faccini Fence (Kosovo), Directed by: Lendita Zeqiraj The Fish & the Sea (Canada), Directed by: Phillip Thomas Freaks of Nurture (Canada), Directed by: Alexandra Lemay Good People (USA), Directed by: Gregory Kohn How to Swim (Israel), Directed by: Noa Gusakov The Invader’s Song (UK), Directed by: Emma Swinton It’s a Match (USA), Directed by: Ron Najor Keep Coming Back! (Canada), Directed by: Brendan Brady Last Requests (USA), Directed by: Courtenay Johnson Library of God (Norway), Directed by: Stian Hafstad Mammoth (USA), Directed by: Ariel Heller The Master of York (UK), Directed by: Kieron Quirke The Mute (Vietnam), Directed by: An Pham My Ex-Girlfriend Is a Shovel (USA), Directed by: Dezi Gallegos Nettles (USA), Directed by: Raven Jackson Open Wide (UK), Directed by: Behnam Taheri, Gideon Beresford Perisher (Australia), Directed by: Gabriel Hutchings Pink Lemonade (USA), Directed by: Christian Sprenger A Place to Stay (USA), Directed by: Charlie Polinger Prey (USA), Directed by: Bill Whirity Provence (Belgium), Directed by: Kato De Boeck Punta Cana (USA), Directed by: Andree Ljutica Release (China), Directed by: Henry Liu Shooter (Australia), Directed by: Andrew Carbone Talent Night at Auschwitz: Bunk Five (USA), Directed by: Max Rifkind-Barron Tomorrow the Sun (Switzerland), Directed by: Quentin Tomshire Two Puddles (UK), Directed by: Timothy Keeling The Villa (France), Directed by: Emmanuel Poulain-Arnaud Wait for Laugh (USA), Directed by: Patrick Franklin Yellow Line (France), Directed by: Simon RoubyINTERNATIONAL PREMIERES
The Artist Has a Baby (Sweden), Directed by: Sanna Lenken Bailaora (Spain), Directed by: Rubin Stein Black Lips (Australia), Directed by: Adrian Chiarella Denmark (France), Directed by: Max Mauroux Dieter Not Unhappy (Germany), Directed by: Christian Schäfer Eloise (Sweden), Directed by: Johan Rosell Emma and the Fury (Germany), Directed by: Elisa Mishto Falling (France), Directed by: Benjamin Vu Fitting (Australia), Directed by: Emily Avila Flightmode (Norway), Directed by: Liv Mari Mortensen In the Arms of the Sea (Russian Federation), Directed by: Dmitry Moiseev Kevlar (Sweden), Directed by: Tuna Özer Let’s See How Fast This Baby Will Go (Australia), Directed by: Julietta Boscolo Mamartuile (Mexico), Directed by: Alejandro Saevich Melodi (Singapore), Directed by: Michael Kam Mobile (Norway), Directed by: Truls Krane Meby Mother & Baby (Ireland), Directed by: Mia Mullarkey Mwah (Australia), Directed by: Nina Buxton Once Upon a Time My Prince Will Come (France), Directed by: Lola Naymark Prince’s Tale (Canada), Directed by: Jamie Miller Pure Bodies (Belgium), Directed by: Bérangère Mc Neese, Guillaume de Ginestel Raymonde or The Vertical Escape (France), Directed by: Sarah Van Den Boom Red Ink (Australia), Directed by: Alex Ryan Satán (Switzerland), Directed by: Carlos Tapia González The School Nurse (Sweden), Directed by: Anna Brodin, Frida Sandberg Suck It Up (France), Directed by: Jan Sitta Sump (UK), Directed by: Mike Wozniak Trois Pages (Canada), Directed by: Roger Gariépy Verde (Colombia), Directed by: Victoria Rivera Waiting Room (Netherlands), Directed by: Simone van Dusseldorp Well Done (Israel), Directed by: Aryeh Hasfari, Omer Ben Simon A Worthy Man (Denmark), Directed by: Kristian HåskjoldNORTH AMERICAN PREMIERES
An Act of Love (Australia), Directed by: Lucy Knox Adam & Esra (Austria), Directed by: Achmed Abdel-Salam After/Life (USA), Directed by: Puck Lo Benidorm (France), Directed by: Raphaëlle Tinland Bilby (USA), Directed by: Pierre Perifel, Liron Topaz, JP Sans Bogdan and Rose (Poland), Directed by: Milena Dutkowska Bog Hole (Norway), Directed by: Torfinn Iversen Bordalo II: A Life of Waste (Ireland), Directed by: Trevor Whelan, Rua Meegan Chuchotage (Hungary), Directed by: Barnabás Tóth From Above (Austria), Directed by: Felix Krisai Graduation`97 (Ukraine), Directed by: Pavlo Ostrikov Happy Today (France), Directed by: Giulio Tonincelli Hash Key (France), Directed by: Erwan Alépée The Hitchhiker (France), Directed by: Julien Decoin The Hooligan Soul (Brazil), Directed by: Marco Antonio Pereira Imfura (Switzerland), Directed by: Samuel Ishimwe Imperial Valley (cultivated run-off) (Austria), Directed by: Lukas Marxt Kiem Holijanda (Netherlands), Directed by: Sarah Veltmeyer Lobster Dinner (Italy), Directed by: Gregorio Franchetti Manicure (Iran, Islamic Republic of), Directed by: Arman Fayaz Molt (Sweden), Directed by: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén The Moonshiners (Finland), Directed by: Juho Kuosmanen My Best Friend’s Shoes (India), Directed by: Ajitpal Singh Dhaliwal A Mythology of Pleasure (Germany), Directed by: Lara Rodríguez Cruz, Jule Katinka Cramer Nose Nose Nose Eyes! (South Korea), Directed by: Jiwon Moon Obon (Germany), Directed by: Andre Hörmann, Samo Paper Crane (Australia), Directed by: Takumi Kawakami Primo (Italy), Directed by: Federica Gianni Rå (Germany), Directed by: Sophia Bösch Roujoula (France), Directed by: Ilias El Faris Seascape (Belgium), Directed by: Leni Huyghe Spacedogs (Germany), Directed by: Sophia Schönborn Stopover (Switzerland), Directed by: Cosima Frei A Sweet Story (Germany), Directed by: Moritz Biene Thick Skin (Iceland), Directed by: Erlendur Sveinsson Three Room (South Korea), Directed by: Na-yeon Lee The Ties that Bind (France), Directed by: Yann Chemin Virgencita (USA), Directed by: Giselle Bonilla Wildebeast (Belgium), Directed by: Nicolas Keppens, Matthias Phlips Wild Game (Estonia), Directed by: Jerónimo Sarmiento Yaman (India), Directed by: Raghuvir Joshi The Young Patissier (Germany), Directed by: Ksenia CiuvasevaUS PREMIERES
After Dawn (Belgium), Directed by: Nicolas Graux The Handover (Germany), Directed by: Leonhard Hofmann Haunted (Denmark), Directed by: Christian Einshøj The Last Refugees (USA), Directed by: Tanaz Eshaghian Last Summer (Japan), Directed by: Asuka Sylvie Lira’s Forest (Canada), Directed by: Connor Jessup Midnight Confession (USA), Directed by: Maxwell McCabe-Lokos (OO) (Korea, Republic of), Directed by: Oh Seo-ro Rewind Forward (Switzerland), Directed by: Justin Stoneham Rien Ne Va Plus! (Germany), Directed by: Sophie Linnenbaum Room (Poland), Directed by: Michał Socha Tungrus (India), Directed by: Rishi Chandna Waiting (New Zealand), Directed by: Amberley Jo AumuaREST OF PROGRAM
#barewithme (Finland), Directed by: Ulla Heikkilä Abnie Oberfork: A Tale of Self-Preservation (USA), Directed by: Shannon Fleming Achoo (France), Directed by: Lucas Boutrot, Elise Carret, Maoris Creantor, Pierre Hubert, Camille Lacroix, Charlotte Perroux Acide (France), Directed by: Just Philippot Allen Anders – Live At The Comedy Castle (Circa 1987) (USA), Directed by: Laura Moss All that Remains (Belgium), Directed by: Anne-Lise Morin All that We Carry (USA), Directed by: Erin Semine Kökdil And Still We Will Walk On (France), Directed by: Jonathan Millet AniMal (Iran), Directed by: Bahram Ark, Bahman Ark Asian Girls (Australia), Directed by: Hyun Lee Atelier (Denmark), Directed by: Elsa María Jakobsdóttir Australia (Spain), Directed by: Lino Escalera Ayesha (India), Directed by: Yanyu Dong The Beaning (USA), Directed by: Sean McCoy Beneath the Ink (USA), Directed by: Cy Dodson The Big Day (UK), Directed by: Dawn Shadforth Bird Karma (USA), Directed by: Willian Salazar Birth Control Your Own Adventure (USA), Directed by: Sindha Agha Black 14 (USA), Directed by: Darius Clark Monroe Blackjack (Switzerland), Directed by: Lora Mure-Ravaud Black Line (Switzerland), Directed by: Mark Olexa , Francesca Scalisi Blind Mice (USA), Directed by: Nicholas D’Agostino Bonboné (Palestine), Directed by: Rakan Mayasi Bonobo (Switzerland), Directed by: Zoel Aeschbacher Botanica (Netherlands), Directed by: Noël Loozen Boundaries (USA), Directed by: Rhys Marc Jones The Box (Slovenia), Directed by: Dušan Kastelic Career Day (USA), Directed by: Ashley Deckman Careful How You Go (USA), Directed by: Emerald Fennell The Caregiver (Israel), Directed by: Ruthy Pribar Caroline (USA), Directed by: Logan George, Celine Held Catastrophe (Netherlands), Directed by: Jamille van Wijngaarden Cat Days (Germany), Directed by: Jon Frickey The Climb (USA), Directed by: Michael Covino Counterfeit Kunkoo (India), Directed by: Reema Sengupta Coyote (Switzerland), Directed by: Lorenz Wunderle A Craftsman (USA), Directed by: Sanford Jenkins Crisanto Street (USA), Directed by: Paloma Martinez Cross My Heart (USA), Directed by: Sontenish Myers Dancing Girls (Turkey), Directed by: Zeynep Köprülü Dario (Germany), Directed by: Manuel Kinzer, Jorge A. Trujillo Gil The Day That (USA), Directed by: Dorian Tocker Death Metal Grandma (USA), Directed by: Leah Galant Death of the Sound Man (Thailand), Directed by: Sorayos Prapapan The Disinherited (Spain), Directed by: Laura Ferrés The Door (Finland), Directed by: Jenni Toivoniemi Down Escalation (Japan), Directed by: Shunsaku Hayashi Dressed for Pleasure (Switzerland), Directed by: Marie De Maricourt The Driver Is Red (USA), Directed by: Randall Christopher Earthly People (Hungary), Directed by: Ádám Freund Emergency (USA), Directed by: Carey Williams End of the Line (USA), Directed by: Jessica Sanders Été (UK), Directed by: Gregory Oke Evaporated (Mexico), Directed by: Jimena Muhlia Eve (USA), Directed by: Susan Bay Nimoy Everlasting Mom (Israel), Directed by: Elinor Nechemya Every Ghost Has an Orchestra (USA), Directed by: Shayna Connelly Excuse Me, I’m Looking for The Ping-Pong Room and My Girlfriend (Austria), Directed by: Bernhard Wenger Eye Contact (Australia), Directed by: Stuart Mannion A Farewell (China), Directed by: Yifei He Fauve (Canada), Directed by: Jérémy Comte Feedback (France), Directed by: Margot Gallimard Femme (USA), Directed by: Alden Peters The Fix (USA), Directed by: Edward Jack Fran this Summer (USA), Directed by: Mary Evangelista Fundamental (Taiwan), Directed by: Shih-chieh Chiu Funny Fish (France), Directed by: Krishna Chandran A. Nair Garage at Night (Canada), Directed by: Daniel Daigle Gaze (Iran), Directed by: Farnoosh Samadi A Gentle Night (China), Directed by: Qiu Yang Go Tell Your Fathers (USA), Directed by: Chloe Sarbib, Amy Taylor Rosenblum Gustav (Ireland), Directed by: Ken Williams, Denis Fitzpatrick Hair Wolf (USA), Directed by: Mariama Diallo The Heights (USA), Directed by: Ryan Booth Homegrown (UK), Directed by: Quentin Haberham How Tommy Lemenchick Became a Grade 7 Legend (Canada), Directed by: Bastien Alexandre Hula Girl (USA), Directed by: Amy Hill, Chris Riess Hunter (USA), Directed by: Hilary Bell I Have a Message for You (Italy), Directed by: Matan Rochlitz I Have Something to Tell You (USA), Directed by: Ben Joyner, Dumaine Babcock I’m Cold Meat (France), Directed by: Romain Laguna Intercourse (Sweden), Directed by: Jonatan Etzler Islands (France), Directed by: Yann Gonzalez I Will Not Write Unless I Am Swaddled in Furs (New Zealand), Directed by: Wade Shotter JEOM (South Korea), Directed by: Kangmin Kim Jiejie (USA), Directed by: Feng-I Fiona Roan JUCK [THRUST] (Sweden), Directed by: Olivia Kastebring, Julia Gumpert, Ulrika Bandeira Kapitalistis (France), Directed by: Pablo Munoz Gomez Kerloster (France), Directed by: Ombeline de la Gournerie Khol (Open) (USA), Directed by: Faroukh Virani Kimchi (USA), Directed by: Jackson Segars Kira Burning (USA), Directed by: Laurel Parmet Kleptomami (Germany), Directed by: Pola Beck Krista (USA), Directed by: Danny Madden Layam (Israel), Directed by: Assaf Machnes Let Me Dance (France), Directed by: Valérie Leroy The Life of Esteban (Belgium), Directed by: Inès Eshun Liquor Store Babies (USA), Directed by: So Yun Um Little Fiel (USA), Directed by: Irina Patkanian Lonesome Willcox (USA), Directed by: Ryan Maxey, Zack Wright Long Distance Relationship (Brazil), Directed by: Carolina Markowicz Lost Property Office (Australia), Directed by: Daniel Agdag The Love Letter (Israel), Directed by: Atara Frish Lunch Ladies (USA), Directed by: J.M. Logan Ma (USA), Directed by: Millicent Cho Magic Alps (Italy), Directed by: Andrea Brusa, Marco Scotuzzi March Fool (Canada), Directed by: Pierre-Marc Drouin, Simon Lamarre-Ledoux Margaret and the Moon (USA), Directed by: Trevor Morgan Mariela (Argentina), Directed by: Victoria Romero Matria (Spain), Directed by: Álvaro Gago Maude (USA), Directed by: Anna Margaret Hollyman Maybe It’s Me (UK), Directed by: Dimitris Simou Men Don’t Whisper (USA), Directed by: Jordan Firstman Merry-Go-Round (Russia), Directed by: Ruslan Bratov Milk (Canada), Directed by: Heather Young Milk and Cookies (USA), Directed by: Patrick Mulvey, Andrew Ramsay Mon Amour, Mon Ami (Italy), Directed by: Adriano Valerio The Motion of Stars (Austria), Directed by: Jan Prazak The Mud (USA), Directed by: Brandon Lake The Music Lesson (USA), Directed by: Adam R. Brown, Kyle I. Kelley My Paintbrush Bites (USA), Directed by: Joel Pincosy, Joe Egender Negative Space (France), Directed by: Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata Nevada (USA), Directed by: Emily Ann Hoffman No Jail Time: The Movie (USA), Directed by: Lance Oppenheim Nothing Important (UK), Directed by: Tara FitzGerald Nursery Rhymes (Australia), Directed by: Tom Noakes Observatory Blues (USA), Directed by: Eric Paschal Johnson, Conor Dooley Offstage (Romania), Directed by: Andrei Huțuleac One Cambodian Family Please for My Pleasure (USA), Directed by: A.M. Lukas One Small Step (USA), Directed by: Bobby Pontillas, Andrew Chesworth Open Your Eyes (Israel), Directed by: Ilay Mevorah The Overcoat (UK), Directed by: Patrick Myles Palenque (Colombia), Directed by: Sebastián Pinzón Silva Pan (Germany), Directed by: Anna Roller The Passage (USA), Directed by: Kitao Sakurai Perfect Town (Switzerland), Directed by: Anaïs Voirol Pet Friendly (USA), Directed by: Catherine Licata Phototaxis (USA), Directed by: Melissa Ferrari Pink Trailer (USA), Directed by: Mary Neely Plastic Girls (South Korea), Directed by: Nils Clauss Premonition (Chile), Directed by: Leticia Akel Escarate The President’s Visit (Lebanon), Directed by: Cyril Aris Propagation (USA), Directed by: Will Joines, Karrie Crouse Quiet Hours (USA), Directed by: Paul Szynol Rae (Canada), Directed by: Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs Rebuilding in Miniature (Tukey), Directed by: Veena Rao Roadside Attraction (USA), Directed by: Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas Room 140 (USA), Directed by: Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz Rupture (Canada), Directed by: Yassmina Karajah Saltwater Baptism (USA), Directed by: Jared Callahan, Russell Sheaffer Salvation (Iceland), Directed by: Thora Hilmarsdottir Sam Did It (USA), Directed by: Dominic Burgess Sauna (USA), Directed by: Charlie Polinger Scaffold (Canada), Directed by: Kazik Radwanski The Sermon (UK), Directed by: Dean Puckett Serving Joy (Australia), Directed by: Martin Sharpe Set Me as a Seal Upon Thine Heart (Israel), Directed by: Omer Tobi Shadow Animals (Sweden), Directed by: Jerry Carlsson Sherbert Rozencrantz, You’re Beautiful (Australia), Directed by: Natalie van den Dungen The Shift (USA), Directed by: Elivia Shaw, Paloma Martinez The Shuttle (USA), Directed by: Lu Han Signature (Japan), Directed by: Kei Chikaura Silence Please (Spain), Directed by: Carlos Villafaina Silica (Australia), Directed by: Pia Borg Sin Cielo (USA), Directed by: Jianna Maarten Sleepover (Sweden), Directed by: Jimi Vall Peterson Souls of Totality (USA), Directed by: Richard Raymond Spacesavers (USA), Directed by: Sarah Ginsburg Still Water Runs Deep (USA), Directed by: Abbesi Akhamie Stray (USA), Directed by: Andrew Boylan Subterra (USA), Directed by: Joel Villegas Suitable (USA), Directed by: Thembi Banks Tammy’s Tiny Tea Time: Episode 1 (USA), Directed by: Peter Gulsvig Tangles and Knots (Australia), Directed by: Renée Marie Petropoulos Teddy (UK), Directed by: Christopher Sweeney The Tesla World Light (Canada), Directed by: Matthew Rankin Three August Days (Estonia), Directed by: Madli Lääne Three Boys Manzanar (USA), Directed by: Preeti Mankar Deb Trapeze, U.S.A. (USA), Directed by: Mark Anthony Green Troll (USA), Directed by: Anu Valia Tweener (Sweden), Directed by: Julia Thelin Two Medusas (USA), Directed by: Scott Hamilton Kennedy Under Mom’s Skirt (France), Directed by: Sarah Heitz de Chabaneix Undiscovered (USA), Directed by: Sara Litzenberger Unearthed (USA), Directed by: Erin Semine Kökdil, Zulfiya Hamzaki Unfinished, 2017 (Mixed media) (USA), Directed by: Rafael Salazar Moreno Unravel (Canada), Directed by: Evan Luchkow Untitled Short Film About White People (USA), Directed by: Nicholas Colia Ur Dead To Me (New Zealand), Directed by: Yonoko Li The Velvet Underground Played at My High School (USA), Directed by: Anthony Jannelli, Robert Pietri A View from the Window (USA), Directed by: Azar Kafaei, Chris Filippone Wave (Ireland), Directed by: Benjamin Cleary, TJ O’Grady Peyton We Are the Freak Show (Canada), Directed by: Marie-Hélène Viens, Philippe Lupien Weekends (USA), Directed by: Trevor Jimenez We Forgot to Break Up (Canada), Directed by: Chandler Levack Welcome Home (Norway), Directed by: Armita Keyani Wendy’s Shabbat (USA), Directed by: Rachel Myers We Summoned a Demon (USA), Directed by: Chris McInroy While I Yet Live (USA), Directed by: Maris Curran Wicked Girl (Turkey), Directed by: Ayçe Kartal Wild Beasts (Norway), Directed by: Sverre Kvamme With Thelma (Belgium), Directed by: Ann Sirot, Raphaël Balboni Would You Look at Her (Macedonia), Directed by: Goran Stolevski Wyrm (USA), Directed by: Christopher Winterbauer Zion (USA), Directed by: Floyd Russ ShortFest jurors include Penelope Bartlett (Programmer for the Criterion Collection), Marc-André Grondin (Actor), Brian Hu (Artistic Director of Pacific Arts Movement, Presenter of the San Diego Asian Film Festival, Assistant Professor of TV, Film, and New Media at San Diego State University), Missy Laney (Director of Development at Adult Swim) and Ina Pira (Curator at Vimeo). Over $87,500 in prizes, including $27,000 in cash awards, will be given out in 21 categories to this year’s short films in competition. First place winners in five categories will automatically become eligible for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS®) for a possible Academy Award® nomination. Over the course of 23 years, the Festival has presented 101 films that have gone on to receive Academy Award® nominations. Winners will be announced at a brunch on Sunday, June 24. In addition to ShortFest’s award-winning short films, each year the Festival also welcomes a long guest list of filmmakers and industry attendees for the ShortFest Forums of panels and roundtables.
-
Musical Drama SAINTS REST to Kick Off Summer at First Tuesdays at Midwest Independent Film Festival [Trailer]
The Midwest Premiere of Saints Rest, from director Noga Ashkenazi (The Grey Area: Feminism Behind Bars) will kick off summer at First Tuesdays at the Midwest Independent Film Festival.
An intimate family drama shot on location in Grinnel, Iowa, Saints Rest tells the story of two estranged sisters, who over the course of one summer, form a connection through their shared love of music as they grieve the recent death of their mother. Interweaving striking original music with an authentic and affectionate portrayal of a rural Midwest town, the film sweetly captures the tension between individual dreams and family obligations. Alternately funny and emotionally raw, Saints Rest serves as “musical comfort-food” for those who miss home, their childhood and their families, regardless of how imperfect it all may seem from a distance.
Saints Rest recently won the Audience Award at RiverRun International Film Festival, where it screened to 3 sold-out shows.
Co-written by Noga Ashkenazi and Chicagoan Tyson Stock, the film was co-executive produced by Rebecca Green (one of Variety’s 10 Producers to Watch and producer for two of the top-grossing and critically acclaimed independent films of 2015, It Follows (Cannes 2014) and I’ll See You in My Dreams (Sundance 2015). The director will be attending the screening along with select cast and crew.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjU_WVgDFfg
First Tuesdays: Saints Rest at the Midwest Independent Film Festival
Date: Jun. 05, 2018
Time: 6:00pm – 9:30pm
@Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois
-
My Name Is Myeisha, Buddha.mov, Rock Steady Row, Crime + Punishment Win Top Awards at 4th Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_27273" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
My Name is Myeisha[/caption]
The winners of juried and audience awards of the 4th Annual Mammoth Lakes Film Festival (MLFF) were announced at the Closing Night Award Ceremony at the Sierra Event Center in Mammoth Lakes on Sunday, May 27, 2018. The festival, held from May 23-27, screened over 70 films, including 63 in MLFF’s competition categories. Each of the festival winners received an Orson the Bear Award, handcrafted by Josh Slater of Bear in Mind Carvings located in Mammoth Lakes.
“This year’s festival exceeded our expectations on many levels. We welcomed more filmmakers, audience members, and media than in any of our other three years,” said Festival Director Shira Dubrovner. “Against the backdrop of our beautiful city, we were honored to host such an artistic collection of films that continues our commitment of bringing dynamic storytelling to our appreciative community.”
“The number of attending filmmakers from all over the world and the quality of their work, combined with the involvement of the Mammoth Lakes community, brought to life a series of scintillating events and thought-provoking discussions at this year’s festival,” said Festival Programmer Paul Sbrizzi.
“It has been my privilege to be a part of the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival since it’s conception,” said Documentary Features jury member Allison Amon (EVP Sales & Development, Bullitt). “The festival continues to grow both in scope and reputation, and it is incredibly inspiring to be here in the most beautiful landscape and surrounded by the creativity the festival attracts.”
The 2019 festival is slated for May 22 to 26, 2019.
The full list of Juried and Audience Awards is below:
Juried Awards
Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature, with a $1,000 cash prize, $10,000 Panavision Camera Rental Grant and $10,000 Light Iron Post Production Package, goes to My Name Is Myeisha. Jury Award for Best International Feature, with a $500 cash prize, goes to Tower. A Bright Day. Special Mention goes to writer, director, actor Thomas Aske Berg for his performance in Vidar the Vampire. Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature, with a $1,000 cash prize, goes to White Tide. Special Mention goes to Buddha.mov. Jury Award for Best Narrative Short, with a $500 cash prize and $5,000 VER Rental Grant, goes to Shadow Animals. Special Mentions go to Babies and In A Month. Jury Award for Best Documentary Short, with a $500 cash prize, goes to David and The Kingdom. Jury Award for Best Animation Short, with a $500 cash prize, goes to Cocoon, Cocoon. Special Mention goes to Nevada. Special Jury Award for Bravery, with a $500 cash prize, goes to Minding the Gap.Audience Awards
[caption id="attachment_25678" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Rock Steady Row[/caption]
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, with a $1,000 cash prize and $5,000 Panavision Camera Rental Grant, goes to Rock Steady Row.
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, with $1,000 cash prize, goes to Crime + Punishment.
Jury
Narrative Features Jury: Tim Rhys (MovieMaker Magazine), Nicole Sperling (Vanity Fair) and Rachel Winter (Producer). Documentary Features Jury: Allison Amon (EVP Sales & Development, Bullitt), Lindsey Bahr (Associated Press) and Peter Baxter (Filmmaker; President/Co-Founder, Slamdance). International Features Jury: Shalini Dore (Variety), Alonso Duralde (TheWrap) and Vincent Spano (Actor). Shorts Jury: Ana Souza (Sundance Film Festival) and Scenery Samundra (Tru Thoughts, NTS Radio).
-
Watch Official Trailer for Ofir Raul Graizer’s THE CAKEMAKER
Strand Releasing has debut the official US trailer for the The Cakemaker, by Israeli filmmaker Ofir Raul Graizer. The Cakemaker which had its World Premiere at the 2017 Karlovy Vary Film Festival will open in select US theaters on June 29th.
Thomas, a young and talented German baker, is having an affair with Oren, an Israeli married man who dies in a car crash. Thomas travels to Jerusalem seeking answers. Keeping his secret for himself, he starts working for Anat, his lover’s widow, who owns a small café. Although not fully kosher and despised by the religious, his delicious cakes turn the place into a city attraction. Finding himself involved in Anat’s life in a way far beyond his anticipation, Thomas will stretch his lie to a point of no return. The Cakemaker is both written and directed by Israeli filmmaker/artist Ofir Raul Graizer, making his feature directorial debut after a number of short films previously.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XxLHyzsB_Q
-
American Black Film Festival Announces 2018 Official Selections
[caption id="attachment_29489" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Jinn – Nijla Mu’min[/caption]
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) continues its 22-year legacy of providing a platform for diverse storytelling and emerging filmmakers, by announcing the 2018 official selections in all screening categories. The festival returns to Miami Beach, FL from June 13-17.
From nearly 700 submissions, more than 40 films were selected for the 2018 ABFF lineup, representing a varied group of filmmakers who explore thought-provoking topics affecting people from around the world. The list also includes five alumni filmmakers and four world premieres.
“ABFF attendees will experience groundbreaking works from a global selection of independent filmmakers. We are excited to showcase the films from our finalists this June in Miami Beach, Florida,” says Lamonia Deanne Brown, Director of Programming at ABFF Ventures.
In 2017,the festival drew more than 8,500 attendees, generating millions of dollars in economic activity in Miami Beach and supported numerous local businesses along Lincoln Road.
The 2018 American Black Film Festival Line Up (all categories):
NARRATIVE FEATURES (In Competition)
ANIMATOR / U.S.A. Director:Logan Hall and Julian Jones Cast: Levenix Riddle, McKenzie Chinn, Phillip Edward Van Lear, Anita Chandwaney and Geno Walker An artist gains the power to draw the future. When his girlfriend commits suicide, he learns he can erase the past, with chilling consequences. World Premiere BEFORE THE VOWS / Ghana Director:Nicole Amarteifio Cast:John Dumelo, Maame Adjei and Nathaniel Kweku Nii and Afua, a happy couple based in Ghana, devise an unconventional plan to ensure a long and happy marriage. CANAL STREET / U.S.A. Director:Rhyan LaMarr Cast:Bryshere Y. Gray, Mykelti Williamson, Mekhi Phifer, Woody McClain and Jamie Hector After a young mans is accused of murdering his classmates, his father, who is an attorney, defends him in court and struggles to hold onto his faith. World Premiere JINN / U.S.A. Director: Nijla Mu’min Cast:Zoe Renne, Simone Missick, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Hisham Tawfiq, Kelly Jenrette, Ashlei Foushee, Damien Smith and Maya Morales A shape-shifting, pepperoni-loving black teenage Instagram celebrity, exploresher identity and sexuality in the midst of her mother’s conversion to Islam. SPRINTER / Jamaica, U.S.A. Director: Storm Saulter Cast:Dale Elliott, Kadeem Wilson, Shantol Jackson and Bryshere Y. Gray A Jamaican teen hopes a meteoric RISE in TRACK AND FIELD can reunite him with his mother who has lived illegally in the U.S. for over a decade. World PremiereNARRATIVE SHOWCASE (Non-Competitive)
A BOY. A GIRL. A DREAM. / U.S.A. Director: Qasim Basir Cast:Omari Hardwick, Meagan Good, Jay Ellis and Dijon Talton On the night of the 2016 presidential election, Cass, an L.A. club promoter, takes a thrilling and emotional journey with Frida, a Midwestern visitor. CHILDREN OF MUD / Nigeria Director: Imoh Umoren Cast:Liz Benson, Matilda Obaseki and Bassey Ekpenyong Children of Mudis a Nollywood story about love, hope and overcoming obstacles. THE FLEA / U.S.A. Director:Nicanson Guerrier Cast: Isaac Beverly, Sh’Kia Dennis and Kendall Mason Set in the Miami landmark, Flea Market USA, we follow assistant manager Quentin Parker on what is supposed to be his last day at the flea market. World PremiereHBO SHORTS
EMERGENCY / U.S.A. Director: Carey Williams Cast:Darrell Lake, Jason Woods, Peter Pasco, Michael Segovia and Shaw Jones A group of young Black and Latino boys come home to their worst nightmare: An unconscious White girl on the floor of their apartment. Faced with this emergency, they weigh the pros and cons of calling the police. HAIR WOLF / U.S.A. Director: Mariama Diallo Cast:Kara Young, Taliah Webster, Madeline Weinstein, Trae Harris and Jermaine Crawford Set in a black hair salon in rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn, New York, the local residents fend off a strange new monster: white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture. MOTHS & BUTTERFLIES / U.S.A. Director: Alfonso Johnson Cast: Amari Cheatom and Gillian Glasco “Moths” follows Lenny, a socially awkward, schizoaffective man & Cherisse, a high-energy BOUNDLESS soul, as they try to accept themselves in this New York tale about mental illness, love, and the longing to be understood. DAYS AFTER YOUR DEPARTURE / Haiti, U.S.A. Director: Sam Sneed Cast: Joekenneth Museau After losing his mother to a years long battle with cancer, Joekenneth Museau is left to question the meaning of his own existence. SUITABLE / U.S.A. Director:Thembi L. Banks Cast: Kelli Jordan, Tiffany Tenille and Derick Anthony Brandy, a high school tom boy, comes to terms with her sexuality when she decides what she’ll wear to the prom. At its core, this film tackles issues of sexuality, gender and the realities young, black women face as they come-of-age in modern society.WEB SERIES
AVANT GUARDIANS / U.S.A. Director: Clarence Williams, IV Cast:Alesia Etinoff and Zainab Johnson A woke dramedy that covers a range of social justice topics such as mass incarceration, trans/homophobia, and bullying. The Guardian Angel to the 12 year-old future 3rdBlack President, Razz, is mandated to go to therapy with an ArchAngel, Dr. Hanniel. THE YARD / U.S.A. Director:John “Dr. Teeth” Tucker Cast:Fonzworth Bentley, Montrel Miller, Shaina Farrow, DJ Baby Yu and Korey Bryant Set on the campus of Booker A&T, a fictional historically black university, The Yard, is an animated sitcom that follows the comical adventures of five freshmen. Together these flawed students are about to get their first taste of the real world and experience numerous missteps as they navigate college and life. KELOID / U.S.A. Director:Huriyyah Muhammad Cast:Reynaldo Piniella and Kenna Jackson The story revolves around know-it all teenager Keloid, who is born with super abilities he neither wants nor is able to control and his strong-willed, overprotective mother, Marielle. Together they must find a way to survive Keloid’s adolescence, while maintaining SECRETS that keep them safe, and hiding from mistakes in their past that haunt them. BROOKLYNIFICATION / U.S.A. Director: Keith Miller Cast: Karl Williams, Felecia Harrelson, Lamar Cheston and Tallie Medel Brooklynificationis an uncomfortable comedy series about gentrification in New York’s most storied borough. This diverse cast of characters takes on the good, the bad, and the awkward as transforming neighborhoods face the unexpected encounters of Brooklyn’s rapidly changing streets. I AM NOT CHARLOTTE / U.S.A. Director:Jean Pierre Chapoteau Cast: Yani Simone and Darriel Violenes Charlotte, a college student, discovers she is in love with Jake and is convinced that inviting him to dinner will seal the deal. Charlotte takes advice from a few people that she knows all too well to help her win over her crush.DOCUMENTARIES
FANTASTIC: THE LEGACY OF SLUM VILLAGE / U.S.A. Directors: Moe Lynch Cast: T3, Baatin, J Dilla, Q-tip, Common, Sway and Elzhi Fantastic tells the story of how three young men from the east side of Detroit formed one of the most underrated groups in hip hop history. From hustle to success through tragedy and breakups, the legacy of Slum Village lives on. World Premiere NOT IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD / South Africa, Brazil, U.S.A. Director:Kurt Orderson Cast:Real life citizens Not in my Neigbourhoodgives the account of citizens on the FRONTLINE of the struggle against the intersectional nature of Gentrification from three seemingly World Class Cities: Cape Town, S?o Paulo, and New York. It follows their daily struggles, trials and triumphant moments, as they try to shape the cities they live in, from the bottom up. MAYNARD / U.S.A. Director: Sam Pollard Cast:President Bill Clinton, Ambassador Andrew Young, Rev. Al Sharpton, Mayor Kasim Reed, Mayor Shirley Franklin, Mayor Bill Campbell, Mayor Sam Massel, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Joseph Lowery He was Obama before Obama, Maynard Holbrook Jackson became first black Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in 1973 and this film is an exploration into a man who had dreams and ambitions to be a public servant for his people seeing that it was the next logical step in THE JOURNEY that had been started by Dr. King and so many others who had blazed the trail during the years of horrific segregation.EMERGING DIRECTORS – Section #1
UP NORTH / U.S.A. Directors:Emil Pinnock, Damaine Radcliff Cast:Eugene Clark, Ian Duff, Gabriel Ellis, Kris Lofton, Emil Pinnock, Damaine Radcliff When it comes to the prison system, it’s just as hard getting out as going in. Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, predators and prey FIGHT TO SURVIVE on the streets of Harlem and in the prisons of New York. Up North, an Independent Original Series for TV, explores systems of incarceration, and systems of marginalization in modern day America. SEARCHING FOR ISABELLE / U.S.A. Director: Stephanie Jeter Cast: Charlee Marie Cotton, Stephanie Stockstill, Aida Delaz, Gage Wallace, Joshua J. Volkers While being held captive, Isabelle discovers a mysterious ability to project herself to the outside world. When she appears to her friends in a desperate appeal for help, they work together to try and find her – but time is running out. LALO’S HOUSE / Haiti, U.S.A. Director: Kelley Kali Cast:Garcelle Beauvais, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Jasmin Jean-Louis, Kyra Rose Inspired by true events, two young sisters must escape a child sex trafficking ring disguised as a Catholic orphanage after being taken from their home in Haiti. MOTHERS / U.S.A. Director:Aurora Ferlin Cast:Mickaëlle X. Bizet, Marta Cross, Mark Anthony Williams, Victor Rodriguez, Keena Ferguson When the teenage son of Denise Matthews is murdered, she struggles not to surrender to her grief. Despite her husbands’ concerns, Denise is determined to confront the accused killer in court. The morning of the arraignment she finds support in a chance encounter with an unlikely stranger. World PremiereEMERGING DIRECTORS – Section #2
PAS HONTEUX / U.S.A. Director:John D. Tucker Cast:Travis LaBranch, Leon Lamar, Javicia Leslie, LaToya Edwards The story of a young African American slacker that wakes up one day speaking French. The film brings to light the fact that we not only judge people by their looks but also by the way they speak. So, what if a young urban African American suddenly speaks French? World Premiere FRENCH FRIES / U.S.A. Director:Janine Sherman Barrois Cast: Rebecca Naomi Jones, Carl McDowellMAYNARD A young, hip African-American foodie couple fights to resolvecommunication problems in a modern marriage of six years, four months and three and a half days. Sydney comes home to find that her husband, Jason, having an impromptuguys’ night. She winds up escaping to a hotel to work in silence, though that is not how the night unfolds. World Premiere TRAPEZE /U.S.A. Director:Mark Anthony Green Cast:Rance Nix, Otmara Marrero, Kitty Cash, Sinead Bovell, David Deblinger Oren got the email of his dreams-an invitation to a meeting his company’s CEO. That is if he can actually make it to the meeting. As he navigates through New York City’s decrepit public transportation, women who are out of his league, and a right-winged pedi-cab driver, he’s faced with an even bigger obstacle: political correctness. World Premiere JITTERS / U.S.A. Director: Otoja Abit Cast: Otoja Abit, Jason Patric, Walker Hare Minutes before nuptials, a neurotic young man locks himself away in the back room of a church with the best man he knows.EMERGING DIRECTORS – Section #3
A CRAFTSMAN / U.S.A. Director:Sanford Jenkins Jr. Cast: Marvin Gay, Shirley Jordan, Leonard R. Garner Jr. Overcome with grief, as his late wife’s presence permeates the space they once share, a rural woodworker builds a coffin to be his final resting place. Until a neighbor visits. A FATHER’S LOVE / U.S.A. Director:RonReaco Lee Cast:Terayle Hill, Adriyan Rae, Tichina Arnold, E Roger Mitchell On the toughest day of his life, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL stand-out Andrew is dealing with what teenagers go through and he has a difficult choice to make in regard to his girlfriend and her being pregnant. World Premiere BODEGA! / U.S.A. Directors: Donna Augustin-Quinn & Talibah L. Newman Cast:Aleksandr Krasnopolskiy, Anna Orlova, Eric Jennings, Hadiyah Robinson, Asha Winter, Eden Marryshow, Layla Silvestre, Sawandi Wilson, William Perry In a community facing rapid gentrification, Bodega takes an intimate, yet comedic and dramatic, look at what can happen when people are made to feel like strangers in a city they helped build. When a middle class family moves into Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, an elder in THE FAMILY says something inappropriate, causing the local African American community to take extreme measures in order to receive an apology. FEVAH / U.S.A. Director:Randall Dottin Cast:Russell Hornsby, LaRoyce Hawkins, and Melissa Jackson Indira holds onto her heartbreak like a lost treasure. It’s hers and no one is going to tell her what to do with it. Her one-and-only love disappeared 18 months ago leaving her alone to take care of their son. Finally back on her feet with a new place and a new man, she’s ready for the next chapter when her child’s father shows up-making her question the very nature of the treasure she’s been holding onto for so long. PROTOTYPE / U.S.A. Director:Christopher Ortega Cast:Adrian Snow, Milena Phillips, Preston Butler, III, Kali Raquel An Afrofuturist, sci-fi film about a mother and daughter living in isolation on a remote Science compound who work to quickly patent the most human-like artificial intelligence on Earth. As prototype after prototype fail, Sol, who conducts empathy tests on her mother’s android creations, is pressured by her mom, Annette, to deliver a passing test or continue to be confined to the limits of the property. World Premiere WHERE THE WATER RUNS / U.S.A. Director: DuBois Ashong Cast: Darryl Dunning II, Bria Wade, Kyra Locke, Joseph Callari Set during the worst drought in LA history a water transporter uncovers a plot to privatize South Central’s dwindling water supply.
-
Dark Star Pictures to Release KING COHEN, Documentary on Maverick Filmmaker Larry Cohen [Trailer]
Steve Mitchell’s King Cohen, the true story of writer, producer, director, creator and all-around maverick, Larry Cohen has been acquired by Dark Star Pictures. Dark Star is planning a July 7th theatrical roll-out followed by an August 14th VOD release.
Synopsis: Buckle up for King Cohen, the true story of writer, producer, director, creator and all-around maverick, Larry Cohen (Black Caesar, It’s Alive, Q: The Winged Serpent, The Stuff). Told through compelling live interviews, stills and film/TV clips, the people who helped fulfill his vision, and industry icons such as Martin Scorsese, J.J. Abrams, John Landis, Michael Moriarty, Fred Williamson, Yaphet Kotto and many more, including Larry himself, bring one-of-a-kind insight into the work, process and legacy of a true American film auteur. Few can boast of a career as remarkable or prolific, spanning more than 50 years of entertaining audiences worldwide.
King Cohen had its US premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2017, was an official selection at DOC NYC 2017, and has since screened around the world, in Austria, Ireland, Amsterdam and more, ensnaring raves.
Cohen, best known for resourceful low-budget horror and thriller films that combine social commentary with prerequisite scares and welcome humor, is responsible for celluloid classics including Black Caesar, It’s Alive, Q: The Winged Serpent, and The Stuff. He was also a major player in the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s, as well as a prominent Hollywood screenwriter (Phone Booth).
Mitchell’s film features interviews with such industry luminaries as Martin Scorsese, J.J Abrams, Joe Dante, Mick Garris, John Landis, Fred Williamson as well as Cohen himself. Cohen’s remarkable one-of-a-kind career, from 60’s TV series creator (Branded, The Invaders), to 70’s and 80’s independent film icon and beyond, is chronicled with freewheeling and insightful verve.
Winner of the 2017 Fantasia Fest Best Documentary Feature Audience Award, King Cohen hails from Rondo Award-winning writer/director Steve Mitchell, whose film and television credits include co-writing the beloved cult horror/comedy Chopping Mall.
“Larry Cohen is one of a kind – a true film auteur. Steve Mitchell has brilliantly captured his essence and passion in this very entertaining and also informative film. We’re ecstatic to bring this work to North American audiences” says Michael Repsch, President of Dark Star Pictures.
“We couldn’t be more delighted to have Dark Star Pictures unleash King Cohen on North America,” says producer Matt Verboys. “They completely get Larry Cohen’s indelible impact on cinema and are perfectly suited to get this film in front of enthusiastic viewers!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPblr7nKaYw
-
Watch Trailer for SISTERS OF THE WILDERNESS DOCUMENTARY, 5 Zulu Women on a Journey of Self-Discovery
Set in the iMfolozi wilderness, South Africa, in the oldest game park in Africa, the iconic Hluhluwe-iMfolozi park, where the White Rhino was saved from extinction, Sisters of the Wilderness tells the story of five young Zulu women venturing into the wilderness for the first time on a journey of self-discovery, reminding them that we are all intimately linked to nature.
Sisters of the Wilderness, a new South African social impact feature documentary, directed by award-wining filmmaker, Karin Slater, will have its world premiere at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival in Cape Town and Johannesburg in June; with further festival screenings at the Durban International Film Festival and at the Nature, Environment, Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) Congress in Durban in July and at the Mzansi Women’s Film Festival in Johannesburg in August.
The film follows the women as they walk in big game country and camp under the stars, totally surrounded by wild animals. Exposed to the elements and carrying on their backs all they need for the journey, they face emotional and physical challenges, and learn what it takes to survive in the wild.
“We want to ‘transfer’ the audience to an ancient place where no barriers separate human and nature,” says creator / producer, Ronit Shapiro, of One Nature Films, whose experience in the iMfolozi wilderness and a meeting with South Africa’s legendary conservationist, the late Dr Ian Player, inspired her to make this film. “A journey into wilderness is an intense experience where one can expect to undergo a personal transformation and build leadership.”
Director Karin Slater says, “I was born in Empangeni and spent my early years, close to the iMfolozi wilderness. I have a deep love and connection to this area. I know what the wilderness has done for me over the years.”
Sisters of the Wilderness serves as a foundation for an outreach program that will use multiple platforms to re-connect global audiences with nature.
The film also explores the plight of this wilderness area threatened by an open-cast coal mine on its border, as well as the severe poaching that is decimating the rhino population here.