The French Institute Alliance Française’s 2021 Animation First Festival taking place online from Friday, February 5 to Monday, February 15 will open with the US premiere of Calamity Jane (Calamity, une enfance de Martha Jane Cannary) from director Rémi Chayé, who will be a festival Special Guest.
The lineup for the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, taking place on a Sundance-built and feature-rich online platform, goes well beyond feature and short films, episodic work and the VR/XR of New Frontier — it also encompasses a curated program of free special events, conversations and activations available to the global public. These Talks and Events, presented on the Sundance platform, include the new Opening Ceremony, Sundance Dailies, and The Big Conversation series, trademark gatherings at Cinema Café and the Power of Story, Awards Night and the concluding “It’s A Wrap” session. Additional partner programming will take place in a bustling digital Festival Village, which includes Main Street, Satellite Screens and the Artist Lounge.
YouTube Originals’ documentary, “Life In A Day 2020,” will debut February 6 and be available for audiences worldwide for free on the film’s YouTube channel following its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on February 1.
The World Premiere of YouTube Originals docuseries Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil directed by Michael D. Ratner will kick off the 2021 Online South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals taking place entirely online March 16-20, 2021.
The 45th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF45) will go hybrid with both in-theatre and online screenings and audience-engagement events.
Three American Masters Pictures documentaries – Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It, Ailey and Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir – will world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, which runs January 28 – February 3. These films will have their exclusive U.S. broadcast premieres on American Masters on PBS at a later date. Additionally, Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio: This is the Way We Rise, now streaming as part of American Masters and Firelight Media’s documentary short film series In the Making, will screen in Sundance’s Short Film program.
Ahead of the world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, the new trailer debuted today for Judas and the Black Messiah directed by Shaka King. Inspired by true events, Judas and the Black Messiah tells the story of the betrayal of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Black Panther Party.
Two more world premiere feature films – Judas and the Black Messiah directed by Shaka King and Captains of Zaatari directed by Ali El Arabi, have been added to the 2021 Sundance Film Festival lineup. The 2021 Festival will be held virtually via a feature-rich, Sundance-built online platform and in person on Satellite Screens across the country (on a condition that it’s safe) from January 28 to February 3, 2021.
The Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, Berlin’s premier showcase of horror films directed and produced by women and non-binary filmmakers, returns in the new year for the 6th time and first virtual edition. The fest will run from February 4 – 7, 2021, with a dynamic digital line-up consisting of five features, five short blocks, and non-film events that include talks, a screenwriting workshop, special podcast episode, and more.
The fourth edition of Animation First, the only film festival in the US dedicated to France’s animation studios and schools presented by the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) will take place entirely online from Friday, February 5 to Monday, February 15, 2021.
The winner of the 2020 Whistler Film Festival (WFF) Audience Award is The Paper Man (Lafortune en papier) directed and produced by journalist Tanya Lapointe, which received its world premiere at the fest as well as an honorable mention in WFF’s World Documentary Competition. This is an affectionate look at Claude Lafortune, Quebec’s own version of Mr. Rogers, who was a staple of French-Canadian television bringing his inspirational story and beautiful paper sculptures to life. The beloved children’s television host inspired generations of children through his celebration of creativity, inclusivity and diversity. For over five decades, he dedicated his life to transforming mere paper into whimsical sculptures, creatures and film sets. The Paper Man reveals the depths of Claude Lafortune’s work, as well as his continuing legacy. The gentle, compassionate and truly humble folk artist Lafortune passed away in April at the age of 83 after contracting COVID-19.
The 6th annual British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) came to a close with the annual awards ceremony streamed online via the festival website (see video below) and hosted by actor, writer and director Femi Oyeniran. How to Stop a Recurring Dream directed by Ed Morris won the Victor Adebodun Award: Best Feature along with Best Actress for Ruby Barker. Exploring themes of separation and loss this dreamy trip takes place over a weekend in the lives of two sisters. In the film, an imminent family separation forces the oldest daughter to kidnap her sister in an attempt to reconnect before they part.