Film Festivals

  • 26th African Diaspora International Film Festival To Showcase Films Featuring Miriam Makeba, Sandra Bland, Kofi Annan, Toni Morrison

    [caption id="attachment_32729" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Kofi Annan's Suspended Dream Kofi Annan’s Suspended Dream[/caption] The African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) celebrates its 26th anniversary in New York City, with a total of 61 films from 40 countries including 27 World, US and NY Premieres.  Screenings will be held in five venues in Manhattan: Teachers College, Columbia University, Cinema Village, Riverside Church, The Dwyer Cultural Center and MIST Harlem. Some titles come directly from important national and international film festivals such as Sundance, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Pan African Film Festival, FESPACO, Cannes, Slamdance and Berlinale. Some of the films celebrate the contribution of men and women who have resisted and succeeded in affecting major changes in society. Films featuring Miriam Makeba, Sandra Bland, C.L.R. James, Errol Barrow, and Nobel Prize winners Dr. Denis Mukwege, Kofi Annan and Toni Morrison are part of the ADIFF 2018 line-up. Opening Night film Timeless: A Virgin Island Love Story travels in time from 19th Century Ghana to the modern day Caribbean. It is the story of Ajuwa, a Ghanaian warrior, who loses her soulmate to the slave trade; their souls reunite in contemporary US Virgin Islands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG1CJuoKqxU Closing Night film Muslimah’s Guide to Marriage is a comedy of manners about Muslimah Muhammad, a twenty-something African-American orthodox Muslim woman who lives in Inglewood, CA and has seven days and fourteen hours left in her Iddah (Muslim separation) before she will officially be divorced from her cheating husband. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FABbhzviyXU OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE PREMIERE SCREENINGS: *Harlem Legacy by Shushana Dubreil and Genesis Tuyuc (World Premiere, USA, 2018, 26mins). A film that follows two middle schoolers from P.S 161 Pedro Albizu Campos Middle School, who defy both academic barriers and racial stereotypes through the “rigorous academic sport of debate”. *Freedom for the Wolf by Rupert Russell (NY Premiere, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kuwait, Tunisia, Usa, 2017, 89mins). Democracy is in crisis. A new generation of elected leaders are dismantling freedom and democracy as we know it. Filmed over three years in five countries, Freedom for the Wolf is an epic investigation into this new regime of illiberal democracy. *Kinshasa Makambo by Dieudo Hamadi (Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Germany, Norway, Qatar, Switzerland, 2018, 75 mins). Follows young activists who fight for change in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. *Kofi Annan’s Suspended Dream by Vasselin Pascal (France, Ghana, USA, 2018, 52mins). Two times UN Secretary-General, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan talks about himself in an exclusive interview. *Minga and the Broken Spoon by Clay Edou (Cameroun, 2017, 80mins). A charming animation for the entire family, this African fable tells the story of Minga, an orphaned girl living with her stepmother Mami Kaba and her stepsister Abena. *Black Mexicans / La Negrada by Jorge Perez Solano (Mexico, 2017, 100mins). Black Mexicans / La Negrada is the first Mexican feature film about the Afro-Mexican community, filmed entirely with people from different towns around the Costa Chica in Oaxaca. *El Jaida by Selma Baccar (Tunisia, 2017, 104mins). Eight months before the Independence of Tunisia, four women meet at a prison for women called Dar Joued. *No Shade by Clare Anyiam-Osigwe (UK, 2018, 104mins). Told through the prism of love, relationships, dating and marriage, No Shade provides a raw perspective on the issue of colorism. *Shaihu Umar by Adamu Halilu (Nigeria, 1976, 142mins). Newly restored copy. Set in northern Nigeria towards the end of the 19th century, Shaihu Umar starts with a discussion between Islamic students and their renowned teacher, the wise man Shaihu Umar. *A Day for Women (Youm Lel Setat) by Kamla Abu Zeki (Egypt, 2016, 110mins). A new swimming pool opens in a poor Cairo district, with the announcement that Sundays are reserved for women. *They Had a Dream (Le Rêve Français) by Christian Faure (France, 2017, 2x90mins). They had a dream tells a story based on reality. It is both a social and a fictional saga, exploring the interconnected lives of two Guadeloupian families to reveal hidden and obscure aspects of French society. *Ellen: The Ellen Pakkies Story by Selma Baccar (Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, 2018, 123mins). Based on true events, Ellen tells of the troubled relationship between a mother and her drug-addicted son – a relationship that will eventually drive her to the edge and lead to his murder. *Last Life AKA Rise Again by Michael Phillip Edwards (USA, 2018, 82mins). The story of three American spirits as they inhabit 16 different characters moving through America’s racial history from the birth of the nation to the present. *Singleville by Mary McCallum (USA, 2018, 73mins). Singledom sucks for three feisty ladies with stories to tell and male egos to skewer in this raucously funny mockumentary that boasts an all-female cast.

    Read more

  • FILM REVIEW: NORTH POLE, NY: A Fantasy Powered By Belief

    [caption id="attachment_32505" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]North Pole, NY North Pole, NY[/caption] By the halfway point of North Pole, NY — an hour-long exposé on the history and hardships of the theme park known as ‘Santa’s Workshop’ in upstate New York — one thing is undeniably clear: director Ali Cotterill, who also served as co-writer, editor, and camera operator, has an unyielding affection for her subject matter. And why shouldn’t she? After all, the citizens of Wilmington, New York—a sleepy tourist town snug in the Adirondacks—couldn’t be more endearing in their devotion to Santa’s Workshop, the holiday theme park upon which their idyllic community has grown and, ultimately, come to rely. It’s not all tinsel, though. The park, founded in the late 1940s by businessman Julian Reiss and later bequeathed to his son Bob, has been on a downward trajectory since the Eisenhower years, when theme parks and car trips were supplanted by the arrival of jet travel which took public interest elsewhere. These days Santa’s Workshop—which receives hundreds of letters to Kris Kringle each year—operates less as a commercial attraction and more as a gauzy piece of post-war nostalgia. See, in one particularly sobering sequence, as long-time park performer and historian Julie “Jingles” Robards drives her ’54 Dodge around Wilmington, pointing out what were once neighboring theme parks like “The Land of Make-Believe” but today resemble the sort of overgrown and decrepit structures you’d forbid your children from playing on. Cotterill knows better than to wallow. After all, there is plenty of good to focus on here: the jobs for local teenagers, the decades of tradition kept alive by returning visitors, and the overall feeling that yes, magic still exists in the world, even if it doesn’t pay well. Never do the scales tip to full-blown despair. There is a villain, businessman Greg Cunningham, whose brief ownership of the park in the late 1990s turned sour after tales of his past criminal misconduct came to light, but even his story (which takes up less than four minutes of screen time) plays like a curious detour in a bigger tale of indomitable community spirit. It’s the balance between the magical and melancholy that makes North Pole, NY such a compelling documentary. It operates on a two-fold illusion: the precious and short-lived one kids know as Santa Claus, and the existence of his workshop as a place of perpetual wonder in the face of bankruptcy, disinterest, and gentrification. Watching these awestruck children—whose interviews make up some of the funniest (and weirdest) parts of the film—react to a ‘talking’ tannenbaum or stand giddily in line for their moment with St. Nick, I found myself both moved by their innocence and depressed for the day when they’ll grow up and see behind the curtain. Ultimately that’s what rounds out North Pole, NY and gives it such an engaging air: the people. Some of them, like Jingles Robards, seem at times almost too sincere to really exist in 2018. Others, like park manager Matt Stanley, are palpable in their believability. As he makes the morning rounds repairing broken games and reading customer complaints his cell phone erupts into a rock rendition of “Carol of the Bells.” It’s a moment that in a fictional film might feel cheap or obvious, but here rings true. Despite the daily grind, this guy really, truly loves Christmas. That’s how, after seven decades, Santa’s Workshop continues to survive: on the selflessness of people who believe in it. The park, just like this splendid little film, is a labor of love. North Pole, NY premiered in New York on November 9th at IFC Center as part of DOC NYC.

    Read more

  • FILM REVIEW: Heart-Wrenching Story “ELEPHANT PATH/NJAIA NJOKU”

    [caption id="attachment_32709" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Elephant Path: Njaia Njoku Elephant Path: Njaia Njoku[/caption] Todd McGrain knows the importance of conservation. The artist turned filmmaker is best known for his Lost Bird Project, a series of larger-than-life sculptures dedicated to five extinct North American bird species. While this endeavor was chronicled in the 2012 film of the same name by Deborah Dickson, now McGrain himself has stepped behind the camera to bring us the story of another endangered species, one we might actually be able to save: the forest elephants of Bayanga, Central Africa. Elephant Path (or “Njaia Njoku” in the Bayaka language) has a lot going for it: a heart-wrenching story, impressive scope, engaging characters, and above all a sense of showmanship. McGrain’s storytelling approach is stylish and highly cinematic to the point where, by the end of the film’s 79 minute run-time, it’s a shock to realize how little has actually happened. The story of “Dzanga Bai” (“Elephant Village”) is presented through a quartet of characters. Andrea Turkalo, an American biologist, has spent three decades observing elephants in their natural habitat. Aiding her efforts in Bayanga is local tracker Sessely Bernard, a village elder named for the river from which he first drank. Keeping watch over the elephants is Zephirine Sosso Mbele, one of a handful of “Eco Guards” tasked with warding off poachers. Late in the film, the guards receive additional defense training from Nir Kalron, an Israeli ex-military security contractor with a soft spot for animals. Why the additional training? Because Bayanga, in fact the entire Central African Republic, is under siege by Séléka rebels and embroiled in a civil war. To the rebels, elephants are prime targets; the sale of ivory from their priceless tusks is how they fund their arsenal. At the start of the film they have not arrived at Dzanga, but from Turkalo’s foreboding narration we quickly gather it’s only a matter of time. Meanwhile, she and Sessely enjoy their work, the bulk of which is done from an observation deck and conducted via sketch pads and telephoto lenses, with minimal conversation. There is a sublime peace to this process. That peace, of course, does not last. Eventually the Séléka arrive, guns blazing, and the region is plunged into oppression and terror. Turkalo is forced to flee to America while Sessely and the Bayangan community retreat into the forest to avoid persecution. I won’t detail what follows from here on out, sufficeth to say the elephants do not fare well. In one particularly haunting scene set back in America, Turkalo and a colleague review audio recordings of the forest, where distant gunfire produces cries of animal distress. A short while later, rhythmic tapping is heard. “They’re chopping off the tusks,” Turkalo observes coldly. The human cruelty of Elephant Path is the film’s most striking element, despite the fact that none of it is ever shown happening. Early on, Sessely remarks to Turkalo how the behavior of elephants does not differ so much from that of humans; they flirt and fight, bathe each other, have children, play games. This salient observation returns with a vengeance when, in the aftermath of a Séléka poaching spree, Sessely inspects the demolished corpse of a slain elephant and angrily declares “This elephant was me.” One of the inherent dangers of documentary filmmaking is arriving at an anticlimax. For a film shot and edited with the gusto of a narrative film, Elephant Path comes to an abrupt, somewhat underwhelming conclusion. Again I won’t spoil, but for all of Nir Kalron’s efforts in training up the Eco Guards to combat the bigger, better-armed Séléka poachers, the resolution of said problem  feels like a non-ending, at least to the viewer. Little can be done about this, I know, but McGrain and crew (in particular cinematographer Scott Anger) set up such palpable villains in the occupying rebels that you can’t help but feel a little cheated out of a proper showdown. There is hope at the end of Elephant Path, even if only a modest amount, and that must be our reward. The remaining elephants saunter into Dzanga Bai, as always, and hose themselves down. Life goes on. For the living, anyway.

    Read more

  • ROSIE and THE LONELY BATTLE OF THOMAS REID Win 2018 Irish Film Festival London Awards

    [caption id="attachment_32697" align="aligncenter" width="1030"]Rosie by Paddy Breathnach Rosie by Paddy Breathnach[/caption] The Irish Film Festival London hosted the 2018 awards ceremony in celebration of Irish Film, honoring the Dublin-set drama Rosie with the award Best Feature Film and The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid with the award for Best Documentary Feature. Each November, in the lead up to the Irish Film Festival London, which takes place from 21st November to 25th November, IFL hosts an awards ceremony in celebration of Irish Film. These awards highlight and reward the talents of a select number of Irish film makers, whose work has shown great distinction, originality and passion.

    2018 Irish Film Festival London Awards

    Best Short Film

    The Nominees Lint – 3 mins 15 secs / Dir: Lisa O’Sullivan Exploring the strange limbo state that we experience in the aftermath of a break up, Lint follows one person’s bizarre attempt at regaining some sense of normality. Winner: Early Days – 12 mins / Dir: Nessa Wrafter Though Kate knows she’s lucky to have become a mother, and her instincts toward her baby are fiercely protective, post-natal trauma and hallucinations make the world increasingly hard to bear. Can anything pull her back to reality – before it’s too late? Wren Boys – 11 mins / Dir: Harry Lighton On the day after Christmas, a Catholic priest from Cork drives his nephew to prison. Starring Lalor Roddy, Diarmuid Noyes and Fionn Walton.

     Best Documentary

    The Nominees Under the Clock -2018 / Documentary / 76 mins / Dir: Colm Nicell / Ire (U) This film tells the life-affirming stories of a generation of people whose relationships began under one of Ireland’s most iconic landmarks, Clerys clock. Be taken back in time to the days of the Dublin dance halls, courting, sneaking out to meet a fella, and the heart-racing times spent waiting, not knowing if they would turn up. Poc na nGael – 2017 / Documentary / 50 mins / Dir: Éamonn Ó Cualáin / Ire, (PG), Irish with English subtitles Starring: Ger Loughnane, Brendan Shanahan, Geraldine Heaney Irish hurling legend Ger Loughnane is on a mission to discover the Irish connections to ice hockey in Canada. He reveals how the Irish emigrants who settled there over 200 years ago, created the sport and played a key role in developing the game from its inception on a frozen pond in Nova Scotia to the modern arenas of today’s official championships. This is a poignant exploration of the incredible contribution of Irish immigrants in creating and developing a sport that went on to help define the new nation of Canada. Winner : The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid: 2018 / Documentary / 85 mins / Dir: Feargal Ward / Ire (12A) For years, the farmer Thomas Reid has been locked in a grueling battle with his neighbour, U.S. microchip manufacturer Intel. The multinational wants to expand and has its eye on Reid’s land. Eager to boost employment in the region, the Irish authorities are doing their utmost to force Reid into a sale. But the farmer has no intention of leaving his 300-year-old ancestral home, where he lives alone, surrounded by cows and chickens. Feargal Ward’s documentary shows this tenacious eccentric to be a formidable opponent of the system.

    Best Feature Film

    The Nominees Winner: Rosie – 2018 / Drama / 86 mins / Dir: Paddy Breathnach / Ire (15) Starring: Sarah Greene, Moe Dunford, Fiona Ashe, Lochlann O’Mearain, Toni O’Rourke Irish writer Roddy Doyle was compelled back to script-writing for this Dublin-set drama, which tells a story, inspired by too many true stories in modern Ireland, of Rosie, a devoted mother of four, over a period of 36 hours as she and her partner, John Paul, and their family tries to cope with unexpected homelessness. Grace and Goliath – 2018 / Family drama, comedy / 93 mins / Dir: Tony Mitchell / Ire (PG) Starring: Emy Aneke, Savanna Burney Keatings, Jo Donnelly, Ciarán McMenamin, Olivia Nash A Hollywood big shot, Josh Jenkins (Emy Aneke), sweeps into Belfast to make a movie, but before long, his world crashes and he loses everything. Lily (Olivia Nash), a hotel cleaner, invites him to stay with her crazy family and gradually the people of this ‘strange’ city manage to touch his heart. A powerful story of how one man’s Goliath ego is brought down by one single dose…of Grace. The Little Stranger – 2018 / Drama, thriller / 111 mins / Dir: Lenny Abrahamson / Ire (12A) Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter, Charlotte Rampling After a doctor is called to visit a crumbling manor, strange things begin to occur. The Little Stranger tells the story of Dr. Faraday (Domhnall Gleeson), the son of a housemaid, who has built a life of quiet respectability as a country doctor. During the long, hot summer of 1948, he is called to see a patient at Hundreds Hall, where his mother once worked. The Hall has been home to the Ayres family for more than two centuries, but now it is in decline and its inhabitants – mother, son and daughter – are haunted by something more ominous than a dying way of life. When he takes on his new patient, Faraday has no idea how closely, and how disturbingly, the family’s story is about to become entwined with his own.

    Best Irish Music Video Award

    The nominees 1/ Villagers – Fool – Director: Bob Gallagher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI46nPj_1Eo 2/ Kodaline – Head Held High – Director: James Fitzgerald https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jje2x1HP0c 3/ Daithí (feat The Sei) – In My Darkest Moments – Director: Lochlainn McKenna https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yymDRYx5JwM 4/Winner: Pillow Queens – Favourite – Director: Bob Gallagher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyLuM7rIBsI 5/ Roisín Murphy (feat Ali Love) – Jacuzzi Rollercoaster – Director Roisín Murphy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmB80LrNXVI 6/ Jafaris – Found My Feet – Directors: Nathan Barlow & Stephanie Naughter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j83M-EDduOM 7/ Hot Cops – Decay – Director: Aaron Eccles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt-TVLH4I2o

    Suil Eile Award

    Under the Clock, received by director Colm Nicell. This film tells the life-affirming stories of a generation of people whose relationships began under one of Ireland’s most iconic landmarks, Clerys clock. Be taken back in time to the days of the Dublin dance halls, courting, sneaking out to meet a fella, and the heart-racing times spent waiting, not knowing if they would turn up… Ros Hubbard Award for Acting: Sarah Greene. The award was received by director Paddy Breathnach on behalf of actor Sarah Greene. The Festival Founder, Kelly O’Connor said, “It’s great to have so many of the filmmakers in attendance at the awards this year. It’s such a unique networking opportunity, rubbing shoulders with programmers from all the main exhibitors in London, not to mention producers, commissioners and international acting talent too. The Irish Embassy did a superb job of hosting us, and we are exceptionally lucky to have such a progressive and supportive Ambassador here in London to champion events like this as part of their busy schedule.”

    Read more

  • OUT OF OMAHA, A LITTLE WISDOM, BARBARA RUBIN Win 2018 DOC NYC Awards

    [caption id="attachment_32681" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]OUT OF OMAHA OUT OF OMAHA[/caption] Out of Omaha, a coming-of-age tale of twin African-American brothers filmed over eight years by director Clay Tweel won the Audience Award at the 2018 DOC NYC. Other top 2018 award-winners included A Little Wisdom took the Viewfinders Grand Jury Prize; Barbara Rubin & the Exploding NY Underground won the Metropolis Grand Jury Prize; and In the Absence won the Shorts Grand Jury Prize.

    2018 DOC NYC Award Winners

    Viewfinders Competition

    [caption id="attachment_32683" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]A Little Wisdom, directed by Yuqi Kang A Little Wisdom[/caption] Grand Jury Prize Winner: A Little Wisdom, directed by Yuqi Kang, centers on a Tibetan Buddhist monastery where young novice monks try to balance rituals and discipline with the distractions of modern life and childhood. Jurors’ statement: “A Little Wisdom is a beautifully crafted, nuanced, and candid observational portrait of everyday life for young Tibetan monks; the film is filled with quiet, heart-breaking revelations as it explores both the joys and cruel power dynamics of childhood.” Films featured in the Viewfinders section: Cooked: Survival by Zip Code, dir. Judith A. Helfand; Ghost Fleet, dirs. Shannon Service and Jeffrey Waldron; Heartbound, dirs. Janus Metz and Sine Plambech; The Kleptocrats, dirs. Havana Marking and Sam Hobkinson; A Little Wisdom, dir. Yuqi Kang; Out Of Omaha, dir. Clay Tweel; The Smartest Kids In The World, dir. Tracy Droz Tragos; Under The Wire, dir. Chris Martin; Walking On Water, dir. Andrey Paounov.

    Metropolis Competition

    The jury selected from among seven films in this section, which is dedicated to stories set in New York City. [caption id="attachment_32682" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Barbara Rubin & the Exploding NY Underground Barbara Rubin & the Exploding NY Underground[/caption] Grand Jury Prize Winner: Barbara Rubin & the Exploding NY Underground, directed by Chuck Smith, is the untold story of an influential figure who defied sexist conventions and enabled surprising connections in the 1960s New York underground film scene. Jurors’ statement: “Barbara Rubin was a leading figure in the New York avant-garde whose groundbreaking feminist art films were not recognized in her time. We were moved by her work and her spirit, which still resonate today.” Films featured in the Metropolis section: Barbara Rubin & the Exploding NY Underground, dir. Chuck Smith; The Candidates, dirs. Alexandra Stergiou and Lexi Henigman; Creating A Character: The Moni Yakim Legacy, dir. Rauzar Alexander; Decade Of Fire, dirs. Vivian Vazquez and Gretchen Hildebran; Jay Myself, dir. Stephen Wilkes; See Know Evil, dir. Charles Curran; The World Before Your Feet, dir. Jeremy Workman.

    Shorts Competition

    Grand Jury Prize Winner: In the Absence, directed by Seung-Jun Yi, is an unflinchingly honest look at the Sewol Ferry Disaster in South Korea. Jurors’ statement: “A complex story rigorously and sensitively told. Through interviews with survivors, eyewitnesses, and family members, as well as archival footage and recordings obtained from the South Korean authorities, the film delicately pieces together a tragedy, and in doing so, exposes a flawed political system.” Special Mentions: Obon, directed by Andre Hoermann and Anna Samo, and King of the Night, directed by Molly Brass and Stephen Tyler. The 2018 winning Short film qualifies for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the annual Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run (provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules).

    Audience Award

    Winner: Out of Omaha is a coming-of-age tale of twin African-American brothers filmed over eight years by director Clay Tweel (Gleason) and executive produced by musician J. Cole. The winner of the DOC NYC Audience Award receives a screening as part of the IFC Center’s Stranger Than Fiction screening series in 2019.

    DOC NYC PRO Pitch Perfect Award

    Recognized the best pitch given during DOC NYC PRO’s Pitch Perfect Day, based on the pitch itself, as well as the viability of the project, and was determined by industry professionals taking part in the daylong pitch event. Documentary pros who selected the winner were Patricia Finneran, Good Pitch Local Producer, Doc Society; Kelsey Koenig, Director of Development, Impact Partners; Dan O’Meara, VP Special Projects & Documentary, NEON; Hayley Pappas, Head of RYOT Films; Greg Rhem, Director, HBO Documentary Films; Molly Thompson, Senior VP, A&E IndieFilms. Winner: Civil War (or, Who Do We Think We Are), directed by Rachel Boynton, explores how America remembers the Civil War and what the stories we tell reveal about who we are, revealing a picture of contemporary society and our persistent conflicts within.

    IF/Then Shorts Northeast American Pitch Award

    New this year, in partnership with Tribeca Film Institute, the IF/Then Shorts Pitch at DOC NYC invited six filmmaking teams to pitch their short documentary projects focusing on stories of the American Northeast. One project was selected by an industry jury to receive up to $20,000 in completion funding, free post production services (provided by Sim NY), and the opportunity to participate in Tribeca Film Institute’s IF/Then Shorts distribution initiative. Winner: Mizuko (Water Child), directed by Kira Dane and Katelyn Rebelo.

    Read more

  • FILM REVIEW: ‘Call Her Ganda’: Justice For Jennifer

    [caption id="attachment_29069" align="aligncenter" width="975"]CALL HER GANDA CALL HER GANDA[/caption] Ganda [gʌn-daː] – meaning “beauty” in Tagalog On October 11, 2014, Jennifer Laude was last seen with a United States Marine and later found dead in a motel bathroom. This and the identity of the suspect is known to both the Philippines and the United States Government, yet their imperialistic relationship and preponderant transphobia in both countries has rendered the case gridlocked. Filipino-American director PJ Raval seeks justice for trans woman Jeffery “Jennifer” Laude as her homicide evolves far beyond her death and echoes a long-pondered question: what is the United States’ role in the Philippines? Call her Ganda is a poignant exploration of LGBT+ relations in a time of social media saturation and in an environment dominated by lingering post-colonialism. Raval and journalist Meredith Talusan unravels the red herring media coverage and social delusion regarding Laude’s family and the trans community as they struggle for authentic visibility. This documentary intimately examines the resulting Filipino nationalism after Laude’s tragic death as well as the first indictment of a U.S. serviceman on Philippines soil. Born Jeffery Laude, Jennifer was the breadwinner of her family and provided financial support to her mother. Though her main source of income was promiscuous, the viewer is asked to look beyond her sex-work, identity, and race to ultimately find humanity in someone that is most likely foreign to themselves. The film provides a glimpse into the misunderstood trans-culture of the Philippines and its relation to the nation’s prevailing poverty and corrupt political system. Testimony from her friends and family acquaints us with the bright and benevolent life Laude led while conversely probing us to question the immoral capabilities of United States servicemen. We feel her mother’s struggle for justice, recognize her fiancé’s pain as he tries to make sense of the tragedy, and understand the upheaval of the Filipino people in response U.S.’s intrusion in Filipino law. Raval inquires us to examine the relationship the Philippines has with its Western Subjugator and challenge documents such as the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that allow the U.S. to interfere in Filipino judicial processes under certain circumstances. Call Her Ganda makes it a point to remind us of media’s involvement in the proceedings following the incident and the interconnective soapbox that is social media. We see how opinions over the internet sustain widespread dogmatism over complex controversies and how media can contort the truth for political interest whenever convenient. Though Laude and Pemberton’s case may seem unambiguous to either side of the aisle due to predispositions of gender, race, and nationality, Talusan explores varying perspectives subsequently highlighting the numerous moral dilemmas that saturate both the events in question and the legal turbulence that follows. The film itself seeks “Justice for Jennifer,” yet rather than completely villainizing a single person or group, Talusan ventures toward understanding Pemberton’s perspective and widespread transphobia ultimately revaluating modern and western education of gender fluidity. Despite the film’s emphasis on social media’s tendency to polarize opinions, it doesn’t forget to demonstrate its power to bring people together under a meaningful cause. The film itself is a product of social support as it captures the united front that is transgender and Filipino pride. Joseph Scott Pemberton’s actions that night may have pained so many who knew and sympathized with Jennifer Laude, but this documentary makes it known that her death was not in vein. The anger and sadness that stems from mourning is galvanized into a passion for justice and social equality. Laude’s name stands as a reminder that trans people will continue to be marginalized and Filipinos overlooked if these moral dilemmas go unaddressed, unexamined, and uncontested. Call Her Ganda attempts to breed empathy regarding gender identity and race, ultimately breathing new life into Jennifer Laude by recognizing a deep desire shared by all humans: to unapologetically be one’s true self. Laude defined herself by who she knew she was and took pride in her identity making her truly Ganda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YwQtgBRhZQ

    Read more

  • AFI FEST 2018 Award Winners – THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM Wins Audience Award

    [caption id="attachment_32672" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Biggest Little Farm The Biggest Little Farm[/caption] The AFI FEST announced the films that won this year’s Jury and Audience awards, with the Audience Award for Best Feature going to John Chester’s poignant and charming documentary The Biggest Little Farm.  The Grand Jury Award for Live-Action Short went to War Paint directed by Katrelle Kindred, and is now eligible for that Short Film Oscar® category.

    2018 AFI FEST Award Winners

    Audience Award – Feature

    THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM (DIR John Chester) In this poignant and charming documentary, filmmaker John Chester chronicles the eight-year effort of an ambitious, life-changing personal venture: moving out of Los Angeles with his wife, Molly, and building a diverse, sustainable farm.

    Audience Award – Short

    PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. (DIR Lisa Taback, Garrett Schiff, Melissa Berton, Rayka Zehtabchi) In an effort to improve feminine hygiene, a machine that creates low-cost biodegradable sanitary pads is installed in a rural village in Northern India.

    Grand Jury Award – Live-Action Short

    WAR PAINT (DIR Katrelle Kindred) Jury Statement: “We picked this film for its powerful intersectional narrative which focuses on the difficult aspects of one girl’s coming of age.” In WAR PAINT, a young, South LA black girl experiences a series of events that intersect racism and sexism during the Fourth of July holiday. Katrelle Kindred (AFI Directing Workshop for Women, Class of 2018) directed WAR PAINT in 2017 as her AFI DWW short. The film world-premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

    Grand Jury Award – Animated Short

    EGG (DIR Martina Scarpelli) Jury Statement: “We chose this film for its visceral portrayal of the relationship between a woman and her body.” In this film, a woman is locked in her home with an egg. She eats the egg, then repents. She kills it. She lets the egg die of hunger.

    Honorable Mention for Social Impact Short

    MAGIC ALPS (DIR Andrea Brusa, Marco Scotuzzi) In MAGIC ALPS, an Afghani refugee arrives in Italy with his goat and seeks political asylum for both of them.

    Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Short

    PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. (DIR Lisa Taback, Garrett Schiff, Melissa Berton, Rayka Zehtabchi)

    Honorable Mention for Acting – Short

    Vedrana Bozinovic, A SIEGE In A SIEGE, a lonely woman in war-torn Sarajevo embarks on a journey to find water, and neither her neighbors nor sniper fire can stop her.

    Read more

  • Bohemian Rhapsody’s Rami Malek to Receive Breakthrough Performance Award

    [caption id="attachment_32668" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody[/caption] Rami Malek will receive the Breakthrough Performance Award Bohemian Rhapsody at the at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) Film Awards Gala on Thursday, January 3.  The Festival runs January 3-14. “In the film Bohemian Rhapsody, Rami Malek fully brings to life and embodies musical legend Freddie Mercury, in what is truly an outstanding performance for this fine actor,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “For his portrayal that is garnering much critical acclaim, it is our honor to present the 2018 Breakthrough Performance Award to Rami Malek.” Malek joins previously announced honoree Glenn Close, who will receive the Icon Award. Past recipients of the Breakthrough Performance Award include Mahershala Ali, Mary J. Blige, Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman, Brie Larson, Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike and Jeremy Renner. In the years they were honored, Ali, Cotillard, Hudson, Larson and Nyong’o went on to receive Academy Awards®, while Blige, Huffman, Pike and Renner received nominations. Twentieth Century Fox and Regency Enterprises’ Bohemian Rhapsody is a celebration of rock band Queen and its incendiary lead singer Freddie Mercury (played by Rami Malek, in a tour-de-force performance). With an original screenplay by Anthony McCarten (The Darkest Hour, The Theory of Everything), and story by McCarten and Peter Morgan (The Queen, The Crown), the film traces the rise of the group and its frontman, who so brazenly defied stereotypes and shattered convention. Though Queen reached staggering global success through their iconic songs (including We Are The Champions, Somebody to Love, Don’t Stop Me Now and We Will Rock You) and their revolutionary sound and style, it was not without its obstacles. Mercury – amidst personal struggles – famously chose to abandon the group in pursuit of a solo career. His eventual reunion with the band at Live Aid 1985 went on to be considered one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music, though this time in Mercury’s life also was marked by his tragic battle with AIDS. Malek is the star of the critically acclaimed and award-winning psychological drama Mr. Robot. For his role as Elliot Alderson, Malek won an Emmy and Critics Choice Award, and is also a two-time Golden Globe® and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee. His film credits include Michael Noer’s Papillon, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master, Tom Hanks’ Larry Crowne, and Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Tern 12.

    Read more

  • NY Premiere of Eric Barbier’s PROMISE AT DAWN to Kick Off 2019 New York Jewish Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_32653" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]'Promise at Dawn' ('La Promesse de l'aube') ‘Promise at Dawn’ (‘La Promesse de l’aube’)[/caption] The New York premiere of Eric Barbier’s epic drama Promise at Dawn, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Pierre Niney will open the 2019 New York Jewish Film Festival  one of the oldest and most influential Jewish film festivals worldwide. The 28th edition will run January 9­ to 22, 2019. This riveting memoir chronicles the colorful life of infamous French author Romain Gary, from his childhood conning Polish high society with his mother to his years as a pilot in the Free French Air Forces. The Centerpiece selection represents the first time Israeli TV has been presented at the NYJFF with the 3½ hour miniseries Autonomies. Directed by Yehonatan Indursky, the dystopian drama is set in an alternate reality of present-day Israel, a nation divided by a wall into the secular “State of Israel,” with Tel Aviv as its capital, and the “Haredi Autonomy” in Jerusalem, run by an ultra-Orthodox religious group. A globally relevant tale of identity, religion, politics, personal freedom, and love, this gripping story follows a custody battle that upends the fragile peace of the country, pushing it to the brink of civil war. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M45iQnJUm0 Filmmaker Amos Gitai returns to the 2019 NYJFF with the U.S. premiere of his thought-provoking new drama, A Tramway in Jerusalem. Gitai uses the tramway that runs through Jerusalem to connect a series of short vignettes, forming a mosaic of Jewish and Arab stories embodying life in the city. The NYJFF will also present the U.S. premiere of Fig Tree by first-time director Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian. Set in Addis Ababa during the Ethiopian Civil War, the film concerns a young woman who plans to flee to Israel with her brother and grandmother to reunite with her mother. But she is unwilling to leave her Christian boyfriend behind and hatches a scheme to save him from being drafted. This year’s festival features an array of enlightening and gripping documentaries. Highlights include the New York premiere of Roberta Grossman’s Who Will Write Our History, which uses painstakingly compiled archival materials unearthed after World War II to tell the story of a resistance group in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Nazi occupation and the reality of Jewish life in occupied Warsaw; and Rubi Gat’s Dear Fredy, focusing on Fredy Hirsch, a proud and openly gay Jew in Nazi Germany and, later, Theresienstadt and Auschwitz, who oversaw and protected hundreds of children in the camps by setting up a day care center. NYJFF special programs include the New York City premiere of the new digital restoration of Ewald Andrew Dupont’s 1923 silent masterpiece, The Ancient Law, featuring a new score and live accompaniment by pianist Donald Sosin and klezmer violinist Alicia Svigals. In this classic drama the son of an orthodox rabbi leaves home, against his father’s wishes, to join a traveling theater troupe.

    Read more

  • Aretha Franklin Documentary AMAZING GRACE Added to AFI FEST 2018

    Amazing Grace A Special Screening of Amazing Grace, the long-awaited documentary featuring Aretha Franklin’s renowned performances at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, has been added to AFI FEST 2018 presented by Audi. Marking the film’s West Coast premiere, the Special Screening will take place Thursday, November 15, 8:00 p.m. at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. The live performances, ranked among Ms. Franklin’s finest, were originally recorded and filmed during a church service in Watts on January 13 and 14, 1972. Warner Bros. Pictures captured the footage for a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace.” “Amazing Grace” would go on to be the biggest selling album of Aretha Franklin’s career, and the best-selling gospel album of all time. Mired in technical issues, the film was never released to the public. Producer Alan Elliott acquired the film rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley and Joseph Woolf, to bring the feature-length documentary to light. The film was edited by Jeff Buchanan and its music was mixed by Jimmy Douglass. The documentary is a labor of love and a timely tribute to the music icon who passed away in August 2018. The film is now ready for release with the complete support and blessing from The Aretha Franklin Estate. After decades of waiting, fans of the Queen of Soul can view her iconic performance at the AFI FEST 2018. The film features Ms. Franklin’s legendary gospel hits, performed in front of a distinguished audience that includes her father, the famed Reverend C.L. Franklin, Gospel legends Clara Ward and Mother Ward of the Ward Family Singers along with Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones (who were in Los Angeles recording “Exile on Main Street”).

    Read more

  • GREEN BOOK Wins Best Film, CAPERNAUM, THE PUSH Win Awards at 2018 St. Louis International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_32616" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]“Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly “Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly[/caption] The St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) presented seven major filmmaking awards during the course of the 2018 festival, with the award for Best Film going to “Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly.  Other awards include Charles Guggenheim Cinema St. Louis Awards to Jim Finn, Jane Gilooly, and Karyn Kusama; Women in Film Award to Melanie Mayron; Lifetime Achievement Award to Joe Edwards and John Goodman; and the Contemporary Cinema Award to Jason Reitman.

    2018 St. Louis International Film Festival Awards Winners

    Shorts Awards

    Juries choose the winners of seven awards from among the shorts in competition. The SLIFF shorts competition is officially sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, making the winners in the Best of Fest, Best Animated, Best Live Action, and Best Documentary categories eligible to submit for Oscar® consideration. The 2018 winners: Best Documentary Short: “Koka, The Butcher” directed by Bence Máté Best Local Short: “The Buck: Midwest Gully” directed by Jun Bae Best Short Short: “The Puppy Trials” directed by Becky Nicol & Thomas Nicol Best International Short: “Death, Father & Son” directed by Waltgenwitz Denis & Paronnaud Vincent Best Animated Short: “Le Mans 1955” directed by Quentin Baillieux Best Live-Action Short: “Rainbow Ruthie” directed by Ruthie Marantz Best of Fest: “Souls of Totality” directed by Richard Raymond

    Interfaith Awards

    Juries gives Interfaith Awards to both a documentary and a narrative, choosing from among 10 competition films (five in each category), which were selected for their artistic merit; contribution to the understanding of the human condition; and recognition of ethical, social, and spiritual values. The 2018 winners: Best Documentary Feature: “Intelligent Lives” directed by Dan Habib Best Narrative Feature: “Eternal Winter” directed by Attila Szasz St. Louis Film Critics Association Joe Pollack and Joe Williams Awards In conjunction with the St. Louis Film Critics organization, SLIFF holds juried competitions for documentary and narrative features. The awards are named in honor of the late St. Louis Post-Dispatch critics Joe Pollack (narrative) and Joe Williams (documentary). The winners are picked by two juries composed of St. Louis film critics. SLIFF chose eight films to compete in each category. The 2018 winners: Best Documentary Feature: “Letter from Masanjia” directed by Leon Lee Best Narrative Feature: “The Captain” directed by Robert Schwentke

    Midrash Award

    Midrash St. Louis engages myriad aspects of American culture — hot topics, deep subjects, music, arts, and film — and seeks to give and receive commentary on the subjects and issues that matter to people in St. Louis and that form and shape our views and lives. The Midrash St. Louis Film Award celebrates St. Louis-related films of honesty and artistry that portray the need or the hope for reconciliation or redemption. These are among the most powerful and worthy themes that films should explore. Eligible work for the Midrash St. Louis Film Award includes feature and short films largely shot in St. Louis or directed by filmmakers with strong local ties. The award comes with a cash prize of $500. The 2018 winner: “The Man Behind the Merferds” directed by Josh Herum

    New Filmmakers Forum Emerging Director Award (The Bobbie)

    The New Filmmakers Forum (NFF) annually presents the Emerging Director Award. Since its inception, NFF was co-curated by Bobbie Lautenschlager. Bobbie died in the summer of 2012, and SLIFF honors her memory by nicknaming the NFF Emerging Director Award as the Bobbie. Five works by first-time feature filmmakers competed for the prize, which includes a $500 cash award. The 2018 winner: Emerging Director Award (“The Bobbie”): “Farmer of the Year” directed by Vince O’Connell & Kathy Swanson

    Spotlight on Inspiration Documentary Award

    This year, SLIFF inaugurates this juried competition, which awards a $5,000 prize to a feature documentary that focuses on people working to make the world a better place and that inspires audience members and leaves them with a sense of hope for the future. The 2018 winner: “The Providers” directed by Laura Green & Anna Moot-Levin

    Best of Fest Audience Choice Awards

    Audience voting determines the winner of three awards from among the films in competition. The 2018 winners: Leon Award for Best Documentary Film: “The Push” directed by Grant Korgan & Brian Niles TV5MONDE Award for Best International Film: “Capernaum” directed by Nadine Labaki Best Film: “Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly

    Read more

  • TOMORROW, TRANSMILITARY, GENERAL MAGIC Win Awards at 2018 Napa Valley Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_32528" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Tomorrow Tomorrow[/caption] The 8th Annual Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) announced this year’s juried and audience award winners at the Uptown Theatre in Napa on Saturday, November 10, 2018.  The festival also announced that the next edition will take place from November 13 to 17, 2019. Each of the festival winners received a large format wine bottle from one of the festival’s esteemed Vintner Circle winery partners. The two winners of the 18 films that vied for the title of Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature, as determined by the respective juries, were awarded $10,000, presented by Meadowood Napa Valley. “I was most impressed by the array of topics and compelling and courageous film subjects included in this year’s festival,” said juror Amy Shatsky, Series Producer of PBS’s Independent Lens. Juror Alexandre Philippe, filmmaker and creative director of Exhibit A Pictures, also said, “Having served on multiple juries throughout the world, serving on the documentary jury at NVFF was unequivocally one of the most pleasant and enriching experiences of my year.”

    2018 Napa Valley Film Festival Juried Awards

    Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature presented by Rombauer Vineyards, and with a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Meadowood Napa Valley, goes to Tomorrow. Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature presented by Acumen Wines, and with a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Meadowood Napa Valley, goes to General Magic. Jury Award for Best Screenplay presented by Charles Krug Winery goes to Are You Glad I’m Here. Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast presented by Vintner’s Collective goes to Cold Brook. Jury Award for Best Narrative Short presented by Reynolds Family Winery goes to Have It All. Jury Award for Best Documentary Short presented by RiverHouse by Bespoke Collection goes to Fear Us Women. Jury Award for Best Verge Film presented by Cru by Vineyard 29 goes to Summer ‘03. Special Jury Award – Best Genre Bending presented by VGS Chateau Potelle goes to White Tide: The Legend of Culebra. Special Jury Award – Best Untold Story presented by Cuvaison goes to TransMilitary.

    2018 Napa Valley Film Festival Audience Awards

    Audience Award for Favorite Actor presented by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines goes to Sebastian Street for his work in the film Tomorrow. Honorable Mention, presented by Castellucci Napa Valley, goes to Logan Miller for his work in the film You Can Choose Your Family. Audience Award for Favorite Actress presented by Italics Winegrowers goes to Stephanie Leonidas for her work in the film Tomorrow. Honorable Mention, presented by Castellucci Napa Valley, goes to Skyler Samuels for her work in the film Spare Room. Audience Award for Favorite Documentary Feature presented by Provenance Vineyards goes to TransMilitary. Audience Award for Favorite Documentary Short presented by Hess Collection goes to Fear Us Women. Audience Award for Favorite Narrative Feature presented by Alpha Omega Winery goes to Tomorrow. Audience Award for Favorite Narrative Short presented by Duckhorn Portfolio goes to Tzeva Adom: Color Red. Audience Award for Favorite Food & Beverage Spotlight Film presented by Grgich Hills Estate goes to Soufra. Audience Award for Favorite Special Screening presented by Materra | Cunat Family Vineyards goes to Pick of the Litter. Audience Award for Favorite Verge Film presented by Barnett Vineyards goes to White Tide: The Legend of Culebra. The documentary film Sharkwater Extinction also received Special Recognition by the NVFF Programming Team for Courageous Filmmaking. Narrative Features Jury: Richard Keith, Nancy Collet and Jill Green Documentary Features Jury: Alexandre O. Philippe, Amy Shatsky and Lissa Gibbs Narrative Shorts Jury: Emily Ting, Felicity Wren and Brent Emery Documentary Shorts Jury: Jonathan Robinson, Miguel Martinez and Sophie Constantinou Verge Jury: Jeff Grace, Gren Wells and Alece Oxendine

    Read more