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  • 49th Nashville Film Festival Kicks off With Steven Tyler’s Documentary + Announces Winners of Short Film Competition

    [caption id="attachment_29208" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The President’s Visit, The President’s Visit,[/caption] The 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival opened with the Steven Tyler’s documentary Steven Tyler: Out on a Limb, along with a bonus performance by Steven Tyler and The Loving Mary Band, and the first awards for short films competition winners, that include Academy Award eligibility. Winners of the 2018 Nashville Film Festival jury prizes were announced at a ceremony last night where The President’s Visit, Weekends and ’63 Boycott became eligible for submission for the 2019 Academy Awards, as long as they otherwise meet all other eligibility requirements. Awards were announced by Festival’s Artistic Director, Brian Owens. The winning films take home cash and prizes valued at over $35,000. Past winning films have included Academy Award-winner Bear Story and Academy Award-nominated Borrowed Time. The Grand Jury Prize in the Narrative Shorts Competition was awarded to The President’s Visit, directed by Cyril Aris. The Prize for Best U.S. Narrative Short was given to Debris, directed by Julio O. Ramos, and the Prize for Best International Short was awarded to Icarus, directed by Nicolas Boucart. Honorable Mention for Best U.S. Short was given to Emergency, directed by Carey Williams. Honorable Mention for Best International Short went to Miss Wamba, directed by Estefania Cortés. Tom Doran was given a Special Jury Prize for his performance in Time Traveler and Shaquita Lopez was given a Special Jury Prize for her performance in Audition. The Grand Jury Prize for Best Animated Short was awarded to the almost impressionistic, Weekends, directed by Trevor Jiminez. The animation jury presented Honorable Mention to Hybrids, directed by Florian Brauch, Kim Tailhades, Matthieu Pujol, Romain Thirion and Yohan Thireau. The Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Short was given to ’63 Boycott, directed by Gordon Quinn. Tightly Wound, directed by Shelby Hadden, and While I Yet Live, directed by Maris Curran, were given Honorable Mentions. The Grand Jury Prize for Best Experimental Short went to director Douwe Dijkstra, for Green Screen Gringo. Honorable Mention was given to Strangers, directed by Eve Duhame and Julian Vallée. The Grand Jury Prize for Best College Student Short went to Schoolyard Blues, directed by Maria Eriksson-Hecht. Lunch Time, directed by Alireza Ghasemi, was named Honorable Mention, while Luca Caruso-Moro was given a Special Jury Prize for Cinematography for Every Grain of Rice. The Best Graveyard Shift Short Grand Jury Prize went to Socks on Fire: Uncle John and the Copper Headed Water Rattlers, directed by Bo MaGuire. Paralys, directed by John Boisen and Björn Fävremark, took home the Honorable Mention while a Special Jury Prize Unique and Important Storytelling was awarded to The Devil is in the Details, directed by Fabien Gorgeart. In the Tennessee First category for films made in Tennessee and/or by Tennessee residents, the Grand Jury Prize for Best Tennessee Narrative Short was awarded to Hillary Bell’s Hunter. Clarksville, 1937, directed by Karen Bullis and Kathy Lee Heuston, was named Best Tennessee Documentary Short, and Pilots, directed by Jason Luckett, won Best Tennessee Student Short. The Order, directed by Chad Cunningham, was given an Honorable Mention, Best Tennessee Narrative Short and QWERTY, directed by John McAmis, took home the Special Jury Prize for Best Tennessee Animated Short. The Young Filmmakers Grand Jury Prize was awarded to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Suburbia, directed by Alex Alford and Zak Denley. That prize comes with an offer of a $20,000 scholarship to Watkins College of Art, Design and Film.

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  • 16 African Feature Films and Documentaries Projects Selected for 9th Durban FilmMart

    [caption id="attachment_29193" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]9th Durban FilmMart : Zinder, The Seeds of Violence, (Niger) - Director: Aicha Macky. Producer: Clara Vuillermoz, Ousmane Samassekou, 9th Durban FilmMart : Zinder, The Seeds of Violence, (Niger) – Director: Aicha Macky. Producer: Clara Vuillermoz, Ousmane Samassekou,[/caption] A total of 16 fiction feature films and documentaries projects from Africa have been selected to pitch at this year’s Durban FilmMart (DFM), which takes place from July 20 to 23, 2018 during the 39th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) (July 19 to 29 ). A joint programme of the eThekwini Municipality’s film industry development unit, the Durban Film Office (DFO) and the DIFF, the Durban FilmMart aims to showcase and increase awareness of African cinema through stimulating film production on the continent by encouraging collaborations amongst African filmmakers. “We are thrilled to announce the 2018 DFM Official Project selection,” says Toni Monty, Head of the Durban Film Office. “These sixteen projects were carefully picked from over 130 applications and will join the DFM team in Durban to partake in a two-day preparatory workshop, followed by two days of public pitching, round tables, and individual meetings, where they will face industry professionals (Broadcasters, funds, festivals and distribution and production company representatives) to negotiate support for their projects.” The eight documentaries and eight feature fictions this year have been selected from Egypt, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Libya, Niger and South Africa representing a dynamic range of work-in-progress and collaborations between the various countries and nationalities. “This year’s selection profiles an eclectic mix of stories from across Africa, bringing some new talents to the Durban FilmMart that we are excited to present to attending industry professionals,” says Monty. “We would like to congratulate all the selected projects on their success and thank all directors and producers who took the time to apply with their projects.” 9th Durban FilmMart 9th Durban FilmMart 9th Durban FilmMart

    Durban FilmMart 2018 Official Project Selection

    Fiction

    Blood & Honey, (Egypt) – Producer: Mohamed Siam, Guillaume de Seille, Director: Mohamed Siam Insila kashaka, (South Africa) – Producer: Sibongile Nene, Director: Brian Khawula, Sibongile Nene, Country Nyanga / The Horn, (Zimbabwe) – Producer: Sue-Ellen Chitunya, Brett Michael Innes, Director: Brett Michael Innes Snake, (South Africa) – Producer: Paul Egan, Stanford Gibson and Mustapha Hendricks, Director: Meg Rickards Streams, (Tunisia) – Producer: Moufida Fedhila, Director: Mehdi Hmili Of Virtue, (South Africa) – Producer: David Horler, Director: Imran Hamdulay Plunderer, The, (Nigeria) Producer: Ikechukwu Omenaihe Director: Didi Cheeka Porta-Retrato, (Mozambique) – Producer: Aldino Languana, Osvaldo Lupini Bambamba, Director: Orlando Mabasso Jr.

    Documentaries

    At Dawn, (Nigeria) – Producer / Director: Adeyemi Michael Cheese Girl, (South Africa) – Producer: Batana Vundla, Marion Isaacs, Director: Milisuthando Bongela Fitrah: To Be as God Created You, (South Africa) – Producer: Kelly Scott, Director: Richard Finn Gregory How to Steal a Country (And win it back.), (South Africa) – Producer: Zivia Desai, Rehad Desai, Director: Mark Kaplan, Rehad Desai Master’s Plan, The, (Cape Verde) – Producer: Hanne Phlypo, Director: Yuri Ceuninck Mother City, (South Africa) – Producer: Pearlie Joubert, Miki Redelinguys, Director: Pearlie Joubert, Miki Redelinguys Searching for Kikhia, (Libya) – Producer: Desert Power / Christina Carvalho, Director: Jihan Kikhia Zinder, The Seeds of Violence, (Niger) – Producer: Clara Vuillermoz, Ousmane Samassekou, Director: Aicha Macky

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  • Las Vegas Film Festival Reveals 2018 Shorts, Labs and College Shorts Showcases Lineup

    2018 Las Vegas Film Festival Poster The Las Vegas Film Festival  followed up its impressive initial programming lineup with even more programming for the upcoming 11th edition of the festival – including shorts, labs and college shorts showcases.  The 2018 Festival will take place June 6 to 10 at Brenden Theatres and Palms Casino Resort.

    SHORTS

    [O] (Director: Mario Radev) – A film that imitates nature in its manner of operation, depicting animated cycles in a world entirely based on sound frequency and vibration. After Her (Director: Laura Heberton) – A wayward teenage girl goes missing and her friend is haunted by her disappearance. An atmospheric sci-fi about first love and the lost girl. Counterfeit Kunko – In a city that houses millions, Smita discovers a strange prerequisite to renting a house in middle-class Mumbai. She would make an ideal tenant, except for one glaring flaw—she is an Indian woman without a husband. Emergency (Director: Joenique C. Rose) – Faced with an emergency situation, a group of young Black and Latino friends carefully weigh the pros and cons of calling the police. Footprint (Director: Laura Heberton) – FOOTPRINT is a purely observational meditation on how different people engage with the World Trade Center Memorial, exploring the ways we choose to commemorate tragedy in the age of technology, social media, and changing attitudes toward patriotism. Grandma’s House (Director: Savanah Joeckel) – Carol returns to a familiar position. Milk and Cookies (Director: Andrew Ramsay) – Grace is five. She wants milk and cookies. Everyday. Real bad. Nevada (Director: Emily Hoffman) – A young couple’s romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birth-control mishap in this stop-motion animated comedy. Painting with Joan (Director: Jack Robbins) – Are you curious about Minnesota’s #3 public-access painting show? Satellite Strangers (Director: James Bascara) – A strange cacophony. Symphony of a Sad Sea (Director: Carlos Morales) – Hugo, a Mexican child and victim of violence, flees his hometown with one single dream: crossing to the United States to meet his father and leave his past behind. The Blazing World (Director: Andrew Carlberg) – Margaret has been plagued with dreams of a strange world since she was a little girl. After a mysterious man with a map visits her one night, she decides to give in to the incessant calls of The Blazing World. THE PASSAGE (Director: Kitao Sakurai) – Phil, wide-eyed and mute, is on the run after escaping captivity. Three Course (Director: Noah Pitifer) – A server struggles with a three course meal. Thrifters (Director: Jake Pepito) – In the fiercely competitive world of second-hand chic, a loyal “thrifting duo” faces drama and challenges. We Summoned A Demon (Director: Chris McInroy) – They just wanted to be cool. Instead, they got a demon. Yule Tidings (Director: Charles Cantrell) – Trying to land their places in Hollywood royalty, two dudes prepare for their Christmas party. But when danger presents itself next door, they quickly get lured into a rabbit hole full of black magic and bunnies.

    COLLEGE SHORTS SHOWCASES

    The Festival’s three college showcases feature a collection of short films produced by students from UNLV, CSN and NSC. The College Shorts Showcases will be held Wednesday, June 6 and will feature the following: UNLV Showcase: Programmed by Francisco Menendez, UNLV Professor and Artistic Director CSN Showcase: Programmed by John C. Aliano, CSN Program Director and Instructor NSC Showcase: Programmed by Adam Davis, NSC Assistant Professor and Interim Department Chair

    FESTIVAL LABS

    Returning this year, for the fifth time, is a program that has become a community favorite, the Music Video Lab. Local filmmakers are given a $400 grant to produce a music video for a local band that premieres at the Festival. Participating bands this year include Paige Overton (Directors: Danny Chandia and Rachel Johnson), OLAN (Director: Engie Herrera), The American Weather (Director: Tony Clifford), Sonia Barcelona (Director: Savanah Joeckel), Cameron Calloway (Director: Brett Levner) and Indigo Kidd (Director: Zachary VanTilborg). The Music Video Lab screening will take place Sunday, June 10. Another favorite local program, the Young Cinema Lab, returns for a fourth year. Children are taught how to write a screenplay with the assistance of UNLV film students, who each receive a $300 grant. The Las Vegas Film Festival then helps the UNLV filmmakers bring the screenplay to life with a special screening event at the Festival, to be held Saturday, June 9. This year’s films include: Cat Ear Trio (Director: Patrick Gonzales; Screenwriter: Hayden Balino, age 9) Rise of the Carrots (Director: Diana Sheik Yosef; Screenwriter: Ava Trundle, age 10) The Doge (Director: Sam Rodriguez; Screenwriter: Constantine Holmes, age 7) The Four Square King (Director: Aaron Lockheart; Screenwriter: Aces Umlauf, age 9) The Game (Director: Blake Gilmore; Screenwriter: Kane Trundle, age 11) The Power Dangers (Director: Brandon Mowles: Screenwriter: Raffi, age 6) Trouble over Time (Director: Rose Nordberg; Screenwriter: Paige, age 10) Weird Things (Director: Shane Gallo; Screenwriters: Olivia Runco, age 7 and Xander Peachey, age 9)

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  • Sheffield Doc/Fest Alternate Realities Exhibition 2018 to Feature 27 Interactive and Immersive Projects

    [caption id="attachment_29185" align="aligncenter" width="899"]Vestige Vestige[/caption] The 2018 Sheffield Doc/Fest Alternate Realities Exhibition, supported by Arts Council England, features 27 interactive and immersive projects; including 1 game, 1 augmented reality, 3 interactive documentaries, 3 installations, 9 virtual reality installations and 10 mobile VR projects; plus special events, talks and industry sessions. 2018 audiences will be treated to 9 World, 5 International, 6 European and 6 UK premieres, as well as 1 festival premiere. Spread over two floors at Trafalgar Warehouse, the exhibition comprises a lower ground space entitled The World Unknown to You which will feature virtual and augmented reality, video games and digital installations that take the audience into the lives of others. The floor above entitled Better Known Truths, supported by the DDD60 project, is a communal space in which synchronous virtual reality shows will bring audiences together to experience 360º documentaries from around the world. Doc/Fest 2018 also features four Alternate Realities Special Live events: The Dark Room, The Incredible Playable Show, Reeps One: We Speak Live Music and DOUBLETHINK. All Alternate Realities projects, except Special Live events, are competing across three award categories: the Virtual Reality award, Alternate Realities Interactive award and Audience Award. All award winners will be announced at the Sheffield Doc/Fest Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 12 June. In addition to the Alternative Realities exhibition, The Alternate Realities Summit (supported by Arts Council England) is taking place on Sunday 10 June. The morning session will explore the theme of Portrayals, whilst the afternoon will focus on the topic of Union. Three keynote speakers taking part in the summit are: William Uricchio who leads the MiT open Doc lab, Ruthie Doyle from the Sundance Institute and Zahra Rasool, the lead of Al Jazeera’s Contrast VR team (based in Doha/Washington/NYC). Artists featured in Better Known Truths in the Alternate Realities Exhibition will examine how we reflect the culture, identity and history of a diverse selection of contributors within 360º documentary; while those in The World Unknown to You will debate how different types of interactive and immersive artists use different interfaces/media to bring us together to celebrate our collective humanity. Compared by Sharna Jackson (Arts & Digital Consultant) and Emma Cooper (Creative Digital Consultant). The festival opens on Thursday June 7, the Alternate Realities exhibition will be open to audiences for the duration of the festival. Alternate Realities Special Live events will take place on the following dates: June 8th: Reeps One: We Speak Live Music, June 9th: The Dark Room, June 11th: The Incredible Playable Show and June 8th/9th/10th/11th/12th: DOUBLETHINK.

    ALTERNATE REALITIES SPECIAL EVENTS

    Reeps One: We Speak Music Live (World premiere, UK, 2018, 75 mins, prod. Live Cinema UK / Get Involved) World class beatboxer and vocal artist Reeps One presents the world premiere of his new live show We Speak Music Live, which blends the latest technology, stunning visuals, and unbelievable vocal performances to explore the human voice and self-expression. Reeps One will take part in a Q&A after the screening to talk about the crossover between music, science and mental health with a neuroscientist. The Dark Room (UK, 2018, 60 mins, dir. John Robertson, prod. Charlotte Austin) Comedian John Robertson’s smash-hit live-action adventure game is coming to Sheffield for a one-off Doc/Fest special at Trafalgar Warehouse. Look out for bespoke documentary and Sheffield references, as you awake to find yourself in a Dark Room. Stuck inside with your fellow audience members you must work together to escape. You, the audience, must choose-your-own adventure and select an option. Will you: A) Find the light switch? B) Go North? C) Cry for help? The Incredible Playable Show (UK, 2018, 60 mins, dir. Alistair Aitcheson) An award-winning live video game show where you, the audience, take to the stage. Become human buttons, zap each other with barcode scanners, and play Pac-Man using inflatable toys. Or sit back, and watch your friends literally become cogs in a hilarious machine. Interactive ringmaster Alistair Aitcheson brings the madcap hilarity of his theatrical gaming mashup to Sheffield for a special performance at Doc/Fest. Referencing iconic Sheffield landmarks, themes from the Alternate Realities programme like memory and data and lampooning the documentary world in its own unique idiom. The Sheffield chapter of Incredible Playable can only be experienced as part of Doc/Fest’s Alternate Realities programme in Trafalgar Warehouse DOUBLETHINK (World premiere, UK, 2018, 15 mins, creators. Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, prod. Phantoscopic) Experience DOUBLETHINK and be faced with a binary decision: enter the container marked HATE or the one marked HOPE. But choose wisely, because you can’t experience both… DOUBLETHINK is an immersive video installation by renowned artists and filmmakers Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth), written by Stuart Evers and performed by George MacKay (Pride, Sunshine on the Leith). Created specifically for Sheffield Doc/Fest with support from Wellcome and in consultation with mental health researchers.

    THE INTERACTIVE AWARD & AUDIENCE AWARD – PROJECTS IN COMPETITION:

    Belongings (UK premiere; USA, 2018, 20 mins, creator. John-Paul Marin, Matt Smith, Tea Uglow, Kirstin Sillitoe, prod. Megan Gibbon, Jonathan Richards, Installation) Experience an intimate interaction with displaced people and their stories of identity, resilience and hope. Cosmic Top Secret (UK premiere; Denmark / Australia, 2018, 60 mins, creator. Trine Laier, prod. Lise Saxtrup, Interactive Documentary) An autobiographical adventure game about a girl called T who wants to find out what her Dad did for the Danish Intelligence Service during the Cold War. Homo Machina (European premiere; France / Germany, 2018, 90 mins, creator. Marc Lustigman, Noam Roubah, Olivier Bonhomme , prod. Laura Fournier, Claire Léger, Interactive Documentary) Dive into a fantastic universe where the human body becomes a gigantic mechanised factory, inspired by Fritz Kahn’s medical illustrations. The Loss Levels (Festival premiere; UK, 2018, 4 mins, creator. Dan Hett, prod. Dan Hett, Game) A deeply personal yet playful story of loss based on the artist’s personal experience during the 2017 terrorist attack on the Manchester Arena. Sensible Data / Mixed Emotions (World premiere; Switzerland, 2018, 5 mins, creator. Martin Hertig, prod. Martin Hertig, Installation) Discover how the machine sees you and decide whether that re-informs how you see yourself. Terminal 3 (European premiere; USA / Pakistan, 2018, 12 mins, creator. Asad J. Malik, prod. Jill Klekas, Jake Sally, Nigel Tierney, Zeda Stone, Augmented Reality) Explore contemporary Muslim identities in the US through the lens of an airport interrogation. The Voice of the Unicorn (World premiere; Japan / UK, 2018, loop, creator. Richard Butchins, prod. Richard Butchins, Patrick Knill, Installation) A provocative exploration of the art of the non-verbal that challenges how we see and understand language, disability, art and alienation. Where is Home (UK premiere; Nigeria / Canada, 2017, 30 mins, creator. Ifeatu Nnaobi, prod. Ifeatu Nnaobi, Interactive Documentary) A journey through West Africa that asks the simple question What is home?, but reveals a complex range of thought provoking answers.

    THE VIRTUAL REALITY AWARD & AUDIENCE AWARD – PROJECTS IN COMPETITION:

    The Day The World Changed (International premiere; USA / Japan, 10 mins, 2018, creator. Gabo Arora, Saschka Unseld, prod. Jennifer Tiexiera, Virtual Reality Installation) An intimate history and commemoration of the victims and survivors of atomic bombings and nuclear arms testing through first-hand testimonies. Face To Face (World premiere; USA, 2018, 45 mins, creator. Michelle Gabel, Michaela Holland, prod. Ivana Jiron, Virtual Reality Installation) (Festival Commission) A compelling installation based on the life of Michelle Fox, who wears a facial prosthetic due to a near fatal gun injury. A Sheffield Doc/Fest commission, supported by Arts Council England. Hold The World with David Attenborough (European premiere; UK, 2017, 90 mins, creator. Dan Smith, prod. John Cassy, Virtual Reality Installation) A unique one on one encounter with a digitally realised Sir David Attenborough, in which he teaches you how to examine remarkable specimens from the Natural History Museum’s collection. Is Anna OK? (UK premiere; UK, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Camila Ruz, prod. Tom Burton, Ben Curtis, Virtual Reality Installation) A true story of twins thrown apart by one night. Step into their shoes and a beautifully illustrated world, explore memories through objects, and uncover what happened from both perspectives. Inside a Mind at War (UK premiere; USA, 2017, 22 mins, creator. Sutu, prod. Jake Sally, Amy Rosner, Michelle Zauzig, Jackie Westfall, Virtual Reality Installation) Explore PTSD and the banal horrors of war through hand-drawn 3D illustrations of Scott England’s memories. Life in VR – California Coast (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Charlotte Jones, Tom Burton, Phil Stuart, prod. Kevin Jorge, David Bradshaw, Virtual Reality Installation) Experience life in the ocean from the microscopic to the truly gigantic and prepare to encounter the unexpected in an underwater world bursting with life. Manic VR (World premiere; Canada, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Kalina Bertin, Sandra Rodriguez, Fred Casia, prod. Sandra Rodriguez, Bob Moore, Nicolas S. Roy, Virtual Reality Installation) Uncover an extraordinary exploration into the exuberant, frightening, chaotic – but also beautiful – worlds of a bipolar imagination. Porton Down (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Don Webb, Callum Cooper, Sam Von Ehren, Anna Meller, prod. Constance Nuttall, Virtual Reality Installation) Relive the experiences of an ex-serviceman who unwittingly found himself in a bizarre, mind-altering military trial that changed the course of his life. Vestige (European premiere; UK / France / USA, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Aaron Bradbury, Paul Mowbray, prod. Paul Mowbray, Antoine Cayrol, Jill Klekas Basmajian, Virtual Reality Installation) Journey into the mind of Lisa as she remembers her lost love, Erik through a series of fragmented memories. Authentically Us: We’re Still Here (European premiere; USA, 2017, 3 mins, creator. Jesse Ayala, prod. Amy Seidenwurm, Anna Therese Day, Lauren Burmaster, Paula Cuneo, Mobile VR) Step into the life of Aiden ShortCould a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, struggling to preserve and revive his heritage in a race against time. Berlin Paris Terror (UK premiere; Germany, 2017, 20 mins, creator. Jürgen Brügger, Jörg Haaßengier, Astrid Schult, Ricarda Saleh, prod. Dorothee Pitz, Maik Bialk, Sophie Schulenburg, Mobile VR) Experience the memories of the first responders and surviving hostages of the major terrorist incidents in Germany and Paris. Every King Tide (International premiere; Australia, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Aaron Fa’Aoso, Craig Deeker, Greer Simpkin, prod. Greer Simpkin, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Mobile VR) Poruma island in the Torres Strait of Australia is slowly being swallowed by the sea, hear a first-person perspective of a community’s spirit & passion for the island they call home. Grenfell: Our Home (World premiere; UK, 2018, 20 mins, creator. Jonathan Rudd, prod. Nicki Chandris, Alessandra Bonomolo, Mobile VR) An experience that combines powerful interviews with beautiful animation to visualise the memories of home still held by the survivors of the Grenfell fire of 14 June 2017. Life After Hate: Meeting a Monster (International premiere; USA, 2017, 10 mins, creator. Gabriela Arp, prod. Gabriela Arp, Mobile VR) Witness Angela King relive the memories and motivations of the eight years she spent inside the white power movement and the path she took to get out. Sanctuaries of Silence (European premiere; USA, 2017, 8 mins, creator. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, prod. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, Mobile VR) A mindful and thought-provoking film that highlights the impact of noise pollution on a journey into Olympic National Park, one of the quietest places in North America. The Journey (World premiere; USA, Germany, Hong Kong, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Charlotte Windle Mikkelborg, prod. Toby Fricker, Tanya Turkovich, Mobile VR) Journey through childhood in three of the toughest environments on Earth. The Real Thing (International premiere; France, 2018, 16 mins, creator. Benoit Felici, Mathais Chelebourg, prod. Benjamin Landsberger, Mobile VR) Step into a copy of our world, exploring real-life stories inside China’s replicas of Paris, Venice and London. This Is Climate Change: Feast & Famine (International premiere; USA, Somalia, Brazil, Greenland, 2018, 18 mins, creator. Danfung Dennis, Eric Strauss, prod. Diana El-Osta, Catherine Yrisarri, Mobile VR) Confront our new reality of catastrophic weather events that are displacing communities and transforming landscapes with alarming speed. [caption id="attachment_29184" align="aligncenter" width="1350"]Yemen's Skies of Terror Yemen’s Skies of Terror[/caption] Yemen’s Skies of Terror (World premiere; Yemen, 2018, 6 mins, creator. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, prod. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, Zahra Rasool, Mobile VR) Witness a rare glimpse of life inside Yemen and learn about the reality of childhood in a country that has suffered three years of devastating air raids falling from the skies.

    THE FULL ALTERNATE REALITIES EXHIBITION LINE-UP – BY STRAND:

    THE WORLD UNKNOWN TO YOU

    Belongings (UK premiere; USA, 2018, 20 mins, creator. John-Paul Marin, Matt Smith, Tea Uglow, Kirstin Sillitoe, prod. Megan Gibbon, Jonathan Richards, Installation) Experience an intimate interaction with displaced people and their stories of identity, resilience and hope. Cosmic Top Secret (UK premiere; Denmark / Australia, 2018, 60 mins, creator. Trine Laier, prod. Lise Saxtrup, Interactive Documentary) An autobiographical adventure game about a girl called T who wants to find out what her Dad did for the Danish Intelligence during the Cold War. Face To Face (World premiere; USA, 2018, 45 mins, creator. Michelle Gabel, Michaela Holland, prod. Ivana Jiron, Virtual Reality Installation) (Festival Commission) A compelling installation based on the life of Michelle Fox, who wears a facial prosthetic due to a near fatal gun injury. A Sheffield Doc/Fest commission, supported by Arts Council England. Hold The World with David Attenborough (European premiere; UK, 2017, 90 mins, creator. Dan Smith, prod. John Cassy, Virtual Reality Installation) A unique one on one encounter with a digitally realised Sir David Attenborough, in which he teaches you how to examine remarkable specimens from the Natural History Museum’s collection. Homo Machina (European premiere; France / Germany, 2018, 90 mins, creator. Marc Lustigman, Noam Roubah, Olivier Bonhomme , prod. Laura Fournier, Claire Léger, Interactive Documentary) Dive into a fantastic universe where the human body becomes a gigantic mechanised factory, inspired by Fritz Kahn‚ Äôs medical illustrations. The Day The World Changed (International premiere; USA / Japan, 10 mins, 2018, creator. Gabo Arora, Saschka Unseld, prod. Jennifer Tiexiera, Virtual Reality Installation) An intimate history and commemoration of the victims and survivors of atomic bombings and nuclear arms testing through first-hand testimonies. Is Anna OK? (UK premiere; UK, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Camila Ruz, prod. Tom Burton, Ben Curtis, Virtual Reality Installation) A true story of twins thrown apart by one night. Step into their shoes and a beautifully illustrated world, explore memories through objects, and uncover what happened from both perspectives. Inside a Mind at War (UK premiere; USA, 2017, 22 mins, creator. Sutu, prod. Jake Sally, Amy Rosner, Michelle Zauzig, Jackie Westfall, Virtual Reality Installation) Explore PTSD and the banal horrors of war through hand-drawn 3D illustrations of Scott England’s memories. Life in VR – California Coast (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Charlotte Jones, Tom Burton, Phil Stuart, prod. Kevin Jorge, David Bradshaw, Virtual Reality Installation) Experience life in the ocean from the microscopic to the truly gigantic and prepare to encounter the unexpected in an underwater world bursting with life. The Loss Levels (Festival premiere; UK, 2018, 4 mins, creator. Dan Hett, prod. Dan Hett, Game) A deeply personal yet playful story of loss based on the artist’s personal experience during the 2017 terrorist attack on the Manchester Arena. Manic VR (World premiere; Canada, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Kalina Bertin, Sandra Rodriguez, Fred Casia, prod. Sandra Rodriguez, Bob Moore, Nicolas S. Roy, Virtual Reality Installation) Uncover an extraordinary exploration into the exuberant, frightening, chaotic – but also beautiful – worlds of a bipolar imagination. Porton Down (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Don Webb, Callum Cooper, Sam Von Ehren, Anna Meller, prod. Constance Nuttall, Virtual Reality Installation) Encounter the experiences of an ex-serviceman who unwittingly found himself in a bizarre, mind-altering military trial that changed the course of his life. Sensible Data / Mixed Emotions (World premiere; Switzerland, 2018, 5 mins, creator. Martin Hertig, prod. Martin Hertig, Installation) Discover how the machine sees you and decide whether that re-informs how you see yourself. Terminal 3 (European premiere; USA / Pakistan, 2018, 12 mins, creator. Asad J. Malik, prod. Jill Klekas, Jake Sally, Nigel Tierney, Zeda Stone, Augmented Reality) Explore contemporary Muslim identities in the US through the lens of an airport interrogation. Vestige (European premiere; UK / France / USA, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Aaron Bradbury, Paul Mowbray, prod. Paul Mowbray, Antoine Cayrol, Jill Klekas Basmajian, Virtual Reality Installation) Journey into the mind of Lisa as she remembers her lost love, Erik through a series of fragmented memories. The Voice of the Unicorn (World premiere; Japan / UK, 2018, loop, creator. Richard Butchins, prod. Richard Butchins, Patrick Knill, Installation) A provocative exploration of the art of the non-verbal that challenges how we see and understand language, disability, art and alienation. Where is Home (UK premiere; Nigeria / Canada, 2017, 30 mins, creator. Ifeatu Nnaobi, prod. Ifeatu Nnaobi, Interactive Documentary) A journey through West Africa that asks the simple question What is home?, but reveals a complex range of thought provoking answers.

    BETTER KNOWN TRUTHS

    Authentically Us: We’re Still Here (European premiere; USA, 2017, 3 mins, creator. Jesse Ayala, prod. Amy Seidenwurm, Anna Therese Day, Lauren Burmaster, Paula Cuneo, Mobile VR) Step into the life of Aiden ShortCould a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, struggling to preserve and revive his heritage in a race against time. Berlin Paris Terror (UK premiere; Germany, 2017, 20 mins, creator. Jürgen Brügger, Jörg Haaßengier, Astrid Schult, Ricarda Saleh, prod. Dorothee Pitz, Maik Bialk, Sophie Schulenburg, Mobile VR) Experience the memories of the first responders and surviving hostages of the major terrorist incidents in Germany and Paris. Every King Tide (International premiere; Australia, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Aaron Fa’Aoso, Craig Deeker, Greer Simpkin, prod. Greer Simpkin, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Mobile VR) Poruma island in the Torres Strait of Australia is slowly being swallowed by the sea, hear a first-person perspective of a community’s spirit & passion for the island they call home. Grenfell: Our Home (World premiere; UK, 2018, 20 mins, creator. Jonathan Rudd, prod. Nicki Chandris, Alessandra Bonomolo, Mobile VR) An experience that combines powerful interviews with beautiful animation to visualise the memories of home still held by the survivors of the Grenfell fire of 14 June 2017. Life After Hate: Meeting a Monster (International premiere; USA, 2017, 10 mins, creator. Gabriela Arp, prod. Gabriela Arp, Mobile VR) Witness Angela King relive the memories and motivations of the eight years she spent inside the white power movement and the path she took to get out. Sanctuaries of Silence (European premiere; USA, 2017, 8 mins, creator. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, prod. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, Mobile VR) A mindful and thought-provoking film that highlights the impact of noise pollution on a journey into Olympic National Park, one of the quietest places in North America. The Journey (World premiere; USA, Germany, Hong Kong, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Charlotte Windle Mikkelborg, prod. Toby Fricker, Tanya Turkovich, Mobile VR) Journey through childhood in three of the toughest environments on Earth. The Real Thing (International premiere; France, 2018, 16 mins, creator. Benoit Felici, Mathais Chelebourg, prod. Benjamin Landsberger, Mobile VR) Step into a copy of our world, exploring real-life stories inside China’s replicas of Paris, Venice and London. This Is Climate Change: Feast & Famine (International premiere; USA, Somalia, Brazil, Greenland, 2018, 18 mins, creator. Danfung Dennis, Eric Strauss, prod. Diana El-Osta, Catherine Yrisarri, Mobile VR) Confront our new reality of catastrophic weather events that are displacing communities and transforming landscapes with alarming speed. Yemen’s Skies of Terror (World premiere; Yemen, 2018, 6 mins, creator. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, prod. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, Zahra Rasool, Mobile VR) Witness a rare glimpse of life inside Yemen and learn about the reality of childhood in a country that has suffered three years of devastating air raids falling from the skies

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  • THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE to Close Cannes Film Festival, Following French Court Ruling

    The Man Who Killed Don Quixote On Wednesday May 9, 2018, the French court dismissed the request by Paulo Branco and his production company Alfama Films Production to ban Terry Gilliam’s film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote from  being screened during the Closing night of the Cannes Film Festival, on Saturday May 19, 2018. In its press release hailing the ruling, the Cannes Film Festival stated, As such, Paulo Branco and his production company Alfama Films Production have, naturally, seen their claim for compensation from the Festival de Cannes thrown out, having openly denigrated the event in the press and on social media, asserting that its organizers had no right to select The Man Who Killed Don Quixote to be presented in Cannes. The campaign of attempted intimidation orchestrated by Paulo Branco and his lawyer son have therefore proved fruitless. The urgent applications judge has, through this decision, confirmed that contrary to what the Brancos have continued to claim (among other slanderous attacks and lies), the Festival de Cannes has never placed itself above the law nor has it attempted to force through a decision. The Festival de Cannes, which throughout the case has repeatedly expressed its loyalty and support for the creators, is pleased to see that justice will allow the presentation of this work, whose director surely deserves to see it finally presented to the public. We are very pleased that this unique – and in some ways agonizing – work in the career of the great director Terry Gilliam will be unveiled for the first time to journalists, festival-goers and professionals from around the world, gathered together in the Grand Amphithéâtre Lumière. Since Tuesday, cinema has regained its rights. The Festival is a unique forum for freedom of expression. It will remain so.

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  • AFI DOCS 2018 Unveils Full Slate of 92 Films

    [caption id="attachment_29156" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]UNITED SKATES UNITED SKATES[/caption] AFI DOCS has finally revealed its full slate of 92 films representing 22 countries for the 16th edition of the American Film Institute’s five-day documentary film festival in the nation’s capital.  AFI DOCS 2018 runs June 13 to 17 in Washington, DC, and Silver Spring, MD. As previously announced, the festival will open with the world premiere of PERSONAL STATEMENT and will close with UNITED SKATES. ABOVE AND BEYOND: NASA’S JOURNEY TO TOMORROW screens as the Centerpiece Screening. Special Screenings include THE COLD BLUE, KINSHASA MAKAMBO, MR. SOUL! and WITKIN & WITKIN.

    AFI DOCS 2018 PROGRAM

    OPENING NIGHT SCREENING

    PERSONAL STATEMENT: DIRS Juliane Dressner and Edwin Martinez. USA. Karoline, Enoch and Christine are Brooklyn high school seniors who just want to go to college, but like so many public-school students throughout the country, their schools don’t have enough college guidance support. Refusing to give up, they decide to work as college counselors in their schools, becoming the very resource they don’t have themselves. World Premiere.

    CLOSING NIGHT SCREENING

    UNITED SKATES: DIRS Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown. USA. Roller-skating has played a critical role in modern African-American culture, with rinks serving as both a haven of community and of artistic expression, and a flashpoint in the civil rights movement. UNITED SKATES chronicles the fight to save these rinks, and the souls of communities nationwide.

    CENTERPIECE SCREENING

    ABOVE AND BEYOND: NASA’S JOURNEY TO TOMORROW: DIR Rory Kennedy. USA. Rory Kennedy tells the stories of the women and men behind the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s decades-long exploration of our solar system, our universe and our planet, in this enlightening film that celebrates NASA’s triumphs, mourns its tragedies and affirms the importance of its mission both in space and on Earth.

    SPECIAL SCREENINGS

    THE COLD BLUE: DIR Erik Nelson. USA. In 1943, legendary Hollywood director William Wyler crafted MEMPHIS BELLE, a celebrated tribute to the titular WWII bomber. Using footage shot by Wyler from the National Archives, director Erik Nelson has made a new film, featuring gripping narration from some of the last surviving B-17 pilots. A meditation on youth, war and stunning bravery. World Premiere. KINSHASA MAKAMBO: DIR Dieudo Hamadi. DRC, France, Germany. Amid the backdrop of seemingly the neverending political and social unrest that hangs over the Democratic Republic of Congo, three young activists take to the streets with their fellow countrymen to overthrow their country’s President and help enact much needed change in their politically beleaguered country. East Coast Premiere. MR. SOUL!: DIRS Sam Pollard and Melissa Haizlip. USA. An in-depth look at the late 1960s WNET public television series SOUL! and its producer Ellis Haizlip. The series was among the first to provide expanded images of African Americans on television, shifting the gaze from inner-city poverty and violence to the vibrancy of the Black Arts Movement. WITKIN + WITKIN: DIR Trisha Ziff. Mexico. The artwork of septuagenarian twins Joel-Peter and Jerome Witkin transcends genres and traditional form. WITKIN & WITKIN explores the brothers’ complicated relationship with one another, and examines depths and divisions in their work. Joel-Peter’s stunning photography and Jerome’s powerful figurative paintings distinctly capture the human condition, reflecting differing emotional and intellectual approaches. U.S. Premiere.

    FEATURE FILM SELECTIONS

    209 RUE SAINT-MAUR, PARIS 10ÈME – THE NEIGHBOURS: DIR Ruth Zylberman. France. After selecting a building at random in a Jewish neighborhood in Paris, French director Ruth Zylberman meticulously reconstructed its community of inhabitants during the German occupation. What results is the spellbinding 209 RUE SAINT-MAUR, an experimental historiography that tells the emotional story of lives uprooted and destroyed under the Nazis. U.S. Premiere. ALONE IN THE GAME: DIRS Natalie Metzger and Michael Rohrbaugh. USA. Outdated ideas and outright prejudice have made competitive sports one of the gay rights movement’s final frontiers. ALONE IN THE GAME reveals how a new generation of queer and transgender athletes are scoring victories on and off the field by standing up for their rights — including the right to compete. World Premiere. AMÉRICA: DIRS Erick Stoll and Chase Whiteside. USA. At the heart of this film is 93-year-old matriarch América. When an accidental fall lands her son in jail for neglect, her three freewheeling grandsons must reunite to get their father out of prison and their grandmother out of bed. What emerges is an unforgettable and tender tale of familial love. AMERICA TO ME: DIR Steve James. USA. In this first episode of his excellent miniseries, Steve James returns to the subjects that have marked his career — class, race, and how the two affect social and economic mobility. James follows students at a public high school in suburban Chicago that is considered the gold standard of diversity, yet on the ground, he discovers a different story. BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY: DIR Dava Whisenant. USA. Steve Young is obsessed with industrial musicals, the often bizarre and hilarious productions commissioned by companies to celebrate their products at corporate conventions. Follow him as he investigates this odd aspect of midcentury corporate culture, while continuing his search for gems like “Diesel Dazzle” and “The Bathrooms Are Coming!” BISBEE ’17: DIR Robert Greene. USA. Bisbee, Arizona, an old copper-mining town on the Mexican border, finally reckons with its darkest day: the deportation of 1,200 immigrant miners left to die in the middle of the desert in 1917. Filmmaker Robert Greene captures the city’s residents as they commemorate this tragic event by staging a reenactment on its 100th anniversary. BLOWIN’ UP: DIR Stephanie Wang-Breal. USA. A New York City courtroom recommends a unique and compassionate intervention option to young women charged with prostitution: submit to free counseling sessions designed by a mentoring program to get you off the street, and your record will be expunged. Are they ready to make that change? CENTRAL AIRPORT THF: DIR Karim Aïnouz. Germany, France, Brazil. A decade after ceasing operations, Berlin’s historic Tempelhof Airport has found a second life serving a new group of arrivals and departures: refugees now seeking asylum in Germany. CENTRAL AIRPORT THF looks at the absurdity of life for migrants making the most of the long layover. CHARM CITY: DIR Marilyn Ness. USA. On the streets of Baltimore, the murder rate is approaching an all-time high, and distrust of the police reaches a fever pitch. With neighborhoods in peril, residents attempt to diffuse the violence through cooperative efforts helmed by community leaders, compassionate law-enforcement officers and a progressive young city councilman. COMBAT OBSCURA: DIR Miles Lagoze. USA. Miles Lagoze was deployed as a combat photographer in Afghanistan, making videos for official Marine Corps recruitment purposes. Compiled of outtakes from those videos, this disturbingly raw portrait of the conflict in Afghanistan exposes the gulf between the war we’re meant to see and the war as it really is. East Coast Premiere. CRIME + PUNISHMENT: DIR Stephen Maing. USA. In 2015, a group of 12 whistleblower cops sued the NYPD for using illegal quotas despite a 2010 statewide ban on the practice. A blood-boiling investigation into a corrupt organization, CRIME + PUNISHMENT follows these officers as they face retaliation for attempting to resist against racist practices. DARK MONEY: DIR Kimberly Reed. USA. A portrait of democracy under fire, DARK MONEY pulls back the curtain on big money in national politics. Revealing how right-wing giants like the Koch brothers hide behind super PACs to do their bidding — in the forms of corporate-funded smear campaigns and dangerous legislation — this film is as timely as it is eye-opening. THE DISTANT BARKING OF DOGS: DIR Simon Lereng Wilmont. Denmark, Finland, Sweden. Taking an observational approach, this masterful film follows 10-year-old Oleg and his grandmother as they cope with life mere miles from the frontline of the war in Ukraine, showing how children navigate the trauma of conflict, while still seeing the world with naiveté and wonder. DON’T BE NICE: DIR Max Powers. USA. Following a diverse team of slam poets as they mine their feelings and personal experiences about race, sexuality, gender and popular culture to craft poems for national competition, DON’T BE NICE demonstrates how collaboration and communication between artists can allow them to better understand who they are and what they want to say. U.S. Premiere. FOR THE BIRDS: DIR Richard Miron. USA. In Richard Miron’s surprising and empathetic film, we follow a woman named Kathy who lives with 200 pet birds. What starts as a story about Kathy’s battle with local animal advocacy groups slowly transforms into an intimate drama about the toll of Kathy’s bird-hoarding — on her marriage and mental health. North American Premiere. FOSTER: DIR Mark Jonathan Harris. USA. Oscar® winners Mark Jonathan Harris and Deborah Oppenheimer (INTO THE ARMS OF STRANGERS: STORIES OF THE KINDERTRANSPORT) roam courtrooms, foster homes, juvenile halls and the streets of Los Angeles to tell the moving human stories behind the largest county child protection agency in the United States. World Premiere. THE GOSPEL OF EUREKA: DIRS Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher. USA. A tiny Arkansas town is home to a popular live-action Passion Play — and a tightknit gay community centered around a lively drag bar. A touching, upbeat look at an enlightened town that maintains a peaceful coexistence of two seemingly divergent groups through tolerance, love and inclusion. GURRUMUL: DIR Paul Williams. Australia. With the release of his debut album, blind indigenous Australian musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu became an unlikely star in both his homeland and in the larger world music scene. But as Gurrumul’s fame grew, the balance between his culture’s way of life and a career in music proved tricky to maintain. U.S. Premiere. HAL: DIR Amy Scott. USA. Surveying the works of iconoclastic filmmaker Hal Ashby (HAROLD AND MAUDE, THE LAST DETAIL, COMING HOME), director Amy Scott identifies how Ashby’s brilliant and seminal works helped define both the New Hollywood of the 1970s and the American experience for a decade. HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING: DIR RaMell Ross. USA. Winner of a Special Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, RaMell Ross’ assured feature debut is a lyrical look at the lives of two young African-American men born and raised in Alabama’s Hale County, the community that surrounds them and the paths they follow throughout the years. HAPPY WINTER: DIR Giovanni Totaro. Italy. The escapism of being on holiday gets a fascinating twist in Giovanni Totaro’s shrewdly observant HAPPY WINTER. Mondello beach in Palermo, Italy, is a seemingly pleasant circus of bronzed vacationers milling about. But behind the happy goings-on is a different story of collective denial about the looming economic crisis. U.S. Premiere. HESBURGH: DIR Patrick Creadon. USA. He counseled presidents and popes, served on corporate boards and infuriated Richard Nixon. He was one of the only friends to whom Ann Landers turned for advice. During his 35 years as president of the University of Notre Dame, Theodore Hesburgh became one of the most influential and inspiring people of the 20th century. World Premiere. INTO THE OKAVANGO: DIR Neil Gelinas. USA. National Geographic photographer Neil Gelinas makes his directorial debut with INTO THE OKAVANGO. This visually stunning film follows three passionate individuals as they embark on a four-month journey along the titular river — witnessing Africa’s animal and bird population in visceral, jaw-dropping close-up — to discover why the Okavango Delta is rapidly drying up. INVENTING TOMORROW: DIR Laura Nix. USA. Laura Nix’s inspiring film follows high school students from around the world, many of whom hail from dangerously polluted countries, as they tackle daunting environmental issues affecting their communities. Watch as the teens then bring their ingeniously proposed solutions to “the science fair of science fairs” — the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. IT WILL BE CHAOS: DIRS Lorena Luciano and Filippo Piscopo. USA. Follow an Eritrean man and a Syrian family on dual quests for freedom amid the refugee crisis in the eastern Mediterranean. Tension mounts as they battle the rough seas, harsh conditions and red tape standing in their way. Will they make it to a new life in Europe? THE LIBERATION: DIRS Christoph Green and Brendan Canty. USA. Therapy sessions, cooking lessons and raw personal stories provide the drama in THE LIBERATION, DC-based filmmakers Christoph Green and Brendan Canty’s story of the formerly incarcerated men and women struggling to get through DC Central Kitchen’s 14-week culinary training program. Can they make it and turn their lives around? East Coast Premiere. LOVE, GILDA: DIR Lisa D’Apolito. USA. Lisa D’Apolito’s moving documentary LOVE, GILDA looks back at the exuberant life and courageous death of Gilda Radner, the first female superstar of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Using an abundance of archival photos and clips, along with confessional narration by Radner, the film paints a loving portrait of her short but spectacularly eventful life. MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A.: DIR Stephen Loveridge. UK. Drawn from 22 years’ worth of personal video footage, MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. is an intimate look at the life of rapper, songwriter and activist M.I.A., from her childhood in war-torn Sri Lanka, to her eventual rise to international stardom as one of the most thought-provoking artists working in music today. MCQUEEN: DIRS Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui. UK. This intimate profile offers unparalleled access to one of the fashion industry’s brightest stars, Alexander McQueen. Brilliant, bold and informed by a British punk aesthetic, the designer was known for his exquisite and strikingly original clothes and his legendary runway shows — theatrical spectacles influenced by contemporary art, theater and photography. MINDING THE GAP: DIR Bing Liu. USA. First-time filmmaker Bing Liu turns the camera on himself, his family members and his skateboarder friends in this deeply moving depiction of three young men in a small Midwestern town grappling with issues of class, race and learning to overcome the cycles of family violence. A MURDER IN MANSFIELD: DIR Barbara Kopple. USA. Two-time Oscar® winner Barbara Kopple takes on true crime, revisiting a horrific 1989 domestic murder in Ohio. Collier Boyle was 12 when his father killed and buried his wife under the flooring of a remote countryside home. Now an adult, Collier returns to Mansfield to face the lingering impact of his mother’s murder. ON HER SHOULDERS: DIR Alexandria Bombach. USA. Filmmaker Alexandria Bombach follows Nadia Murad, a young Yazidi woman who gained international attention after escaping captivity by the Islamic State. Forgoing sensationalism, Bombach’s award-winning film offers a fresh perspective on Nadia’s new life as a human rights activist raising awareness for her people and their plight. OVER THE LIMIT: DIR Marta Prus. Poland, Germany, Finland. As the 2016 Summer Olympics loom, Russian gymnast Margarita Mamun prepares to represent her country at this historic event. But the path to the Olympics is not an easy one in this unflinching portrait of an athlete straining to retain her humanity while going for gold. U.S. Premiere. PICK OF THE LITTER: DIRS Dana Nachman and Don Hardy. USA. Shortly after birth, five Labrador puppies enter the intensive two-year training program at California’s Guide Dogs for the Blind. Here, only the best pups will make the cut to protect and serve blind partners, while others will have to change careers for good. THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING: DIR Nathaniel Kahn. USA. An examination of the contemporary art market through the eyes of artists, dealers and collectors, THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING is the latest work from Oscar® nominee Nathaniel Kahn. Illuminating complex dynamics between artistic intention and consumer behavior, the film begs the question: What value do we place on the priceless? THE PROVIDERS: DIRS Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green. USA. THE PROVIDERS follows three “country doctors” — health care providers working for a small network of clinics in northern New Mexico — as they confront the challenges of keeping those in their poor and opioid-plagued communities safe. As the film movingly shows each doctor’s day-to-day responsibilities, a complex portrait emerges of small-town America. SHIRKERS: DIR Sandi Tan. USA. In 1992, Sandi Tan shot a film in Singapore with her friends and her American mentor, Georges. As the film neared completion, Georges disappeared with the footage, leaving Sandi heartbroken. Twenty years later, the footage is discovered, and the strange mystery of Georges begins to unravel. THE SILENCE OF OTHERS: DIRS Almudena Carracedo and Robert Bahar. USA, Spain. A quest for justice by those who suffered under the repressive regime of General Francisco Franco is at the heart of this powerful and provocative film. Those who were tortured or had family members murdered are demanding the truth be told to the Spanish people, and the remaining perpetrators put on trial. U.S. Premiere. STUDIO 54: DIR Matt Tyrnauer. USA. An Icarus tale unfolds to a disco beat in STUDIO 54, an intimate peek behind the velvet ropes, where mirror balls twinkled over Liza Minelli, Diana Ross, Mick Jagger and Andy Warhol in Matt Tyrnauer’s illuminating history of the rise and fall of the legendary New York nightclub. THIS ONE’S FOR THE LADIES: DIR Gene Graham. USA. Diving inside an unexpected subculture of Newark, THIS ONE’S FOR THE LADIES follows a group of women who throw weekly underground male exotic dance parties. Exploring sexual identity and the meaning of community, the film is a unique portrait of the black experience in 21st-century America. TRANSMILITARY: DIRS Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson. USA. Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson make their stirring feature debut with TRANSMILITARY, following four individuals who come out as transgender to top officials at the Pentagon — a brave move that puts their military careers in jeopardy, and shows a struggle for equality that is more relevant than ever. TRE MAISON DASAN: DIR Denali Tiller. USA. With a parent in prison, three Rhode Island boys tackle adult realities few of their peers can even imagine. Unfettered access to three troubled but promising young lives produces an unforgettable perspective on the multigenerational consequences of U.S. incarceration, where one out of 14 kids has a parent with a prison history. UNDER THE WIRE: DIR Chris Martin. UK. In 2012, acclaimed journalist Marie Colvin illegally crossed the Syrian border to cover the country’s civil war. She became one of the only voices reporting on the atrocities being committed against the Syrian people. With breathtaking footage, UNDER THE WIRE profiles one woman’s drive to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. International Premiere. UNITED WE FAN: DIR Michael Sparaga. Canada. UNITED WE FAN follows the ingenious save-our-show campaigns that have been spurred by passionate television uber-fans throughout the decades. From STAR TREK to CAGNEY AND LACEY and CHUCK — plus many more — this delightful doc highlights the grassroots efforts needed to save beloved TV shows. U.S. Premiere. YOURS IN SISTERHOOD: DIR Irene Lusztig. USA. More than four decades after the birth of Ms. Magazine, director Irene Lusztig combs the publication’s archives and pairs some of the most memorable letters, many never published, with contemporary readers to comment on just how far we’ve come — and what we still have to accomplish.

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  • Neon Acquires Ali Abbasi’s BORDER Following World Premiere In Cannes

    Border directed by Ali Abbasi Immediately following the World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in Un Certain Regard, NEON acquired Border, a troll love story directed by Ali Abbasi and based on a novel by the writer of Let the Right One In, for release in the US. Border is the second feature from Iranian-born Danish director Abbasi. He co-scripted the film with Isabella Eklöf, in collaboration with novelist John Ajvide Lindqvist (Let the Right One In). The film tells the story of a border guard (Eva Melander) who has the ability to smell human emotions and catch smugglers. When she comes across a mysterious man with a smell that confounds her detection, she is forced to confront hugely disturbing insights about herself and humankind.

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  • ‘WHO WE ARE NOW’ ‘THE SENTENCE’ ‘THE GUILTY’ Win 2018 Montclair Film Festival Audience Awards

    [caption id="attachment_29149" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]Who We Are Now Who We Are Now[/caption] Montclair Film Festival announced the winners of the festival’s 2018 Audience Awards, presented by Investors Bank. Screenings were balloted throughout the festival across four categories: Fiction Feature, Documentary Feature, World Cinema, and Short Film. Who We Are Now directed by Matthew Newton, was awarded the festival’s Fiction Feature Audience Award. The Sentence directed by Rudy Valdez took home the Audience Award for Documentary Feature. The Guilty directed by Gustav Möller won the World Cinema Audience Award. The Driver is Red directed by Randall Christopher, winning the Audience Award for Short Film. “Our Audience Awards winners represent the power of storytelling to build connection and foster conversation around the art of filmmaking” said Tom Hall, Montclair Film executive director. “We are grateful to our wonderful audiences for their thoughtful engagement with all of our filmmakers and their films.”

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  • Newport Beach Film Festival 2018 Award Winners – ALL SQUARE Wins Best Film

    [caption id="attachment_29145" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]All Square All Square[/caption] The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) wrapped up its eight day run with the Southern California Premiere of All Square starring Josh Lucas, Michael Kelly, Pamela Adlon, Tom Everett Scott, Jay Larson and Andrew Sikking.  At the awards ceremony, All Square won the award for Best Film, along with Best Actor for Michael Kelly. The Newport Beach Film Festival screened over 350 films, representing 50 countries, that competed for Jury, Festival Honors and Audience Awards.

    NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL HONORS AWARDS

    Artists of Distinction: Jessica Pare A Canadian actress and singer, Jessica Pare made her Hollywood debut in Wicker Park and is known for her role on the AMC series Mad Men. Films she has starred in have been screened at the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Icon: Paco Delgado Paco was born in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain and has worked on films such as A Wrinkle In Time, Les Miserables, and The Danish Girl. He has been nominated for Academy Awards, and won the CDG award for his work in The Danish Girl. Breakout: Nadine Haders Nadine Haders is a costume designer known best for her work in the film Get Out. Previously, she had worked primarily in television costume design. Other films include Pay it Forward, The X-Files. Newcomer: Joe Sill New to the industry, Joe’s career jump started with the commercial Tesla – Modern Spaceship which he wrote, produced and directed. The commercial caught the attention of Elon Musk and many advertising agencies. He recently completed production on his first feature film Stray.

    2018 AUDIENCE AWARDS:

    FEATURE NARRATIVE FILM Ride FOREIGN FILM The Drummer and the Keeper DOCUMENTARY Pick of the Litter ACTION SPORTS Time Well Spent ART, ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future CULINARY Cuban Food Stories ENVIRONMENTAL The Human Element FAMILY A Boy Called Sailboat MUSIC Up to Snuff SHORT DOCUMENTARY Aloha Aina Warrior SHORT NARRATIVE The Day of Matthew Montgomery

    2018 JURY AWARDS

    BEST FILM All Square BEST ACTOR Michael Kelly – All Square BEST ACTRESS Rusty Schwimmer – Wild Honey BEST DIRECTOR Frank Berry – Michael Inside BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Tom Comerford – Michael Inside BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: HONORABLE MENTION Rust BEST DOCUMENTARY Forever “B“ BEST DOCUMENTARY: HONORABLE MENTION Minding the Gap BEST SCREENWRITER Timothy Brady – All Square

    SHORT FILMS

    BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM DeKalb Elementary BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM The Bare Knuckle Carer BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM My Father’s Room BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM: HONORABLE MENTION Garden Party BEST MUSIC VIDEO Cold Little Heart

    2018 FESTIVAL HONORS:

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DIRECTING Shana Feste, Boundaries OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTING Maika Monroe, Shotgun OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTING Finn Wittrock, Locating Silver Lake OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE Shane Graham, Ride OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SCREENWRITING Will Elliott, Kirk C. Johnson, Nicholas Rutherford, Robert Schwartzman – The Unicorn OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FOREIGN FILM The Best of All Worlds OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: CINEMATOGRAPHY PRESENTED by ZEISS Hunting Lands OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: EDITING Juveniles OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: NARRATIVE FILM Meerkat Moonship (Maantuig) OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: NARRATIVE FILM The Mad Whale OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY FILM Social Animals OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY FILM Kiss the Joy: The Story of Joan Lind Van Blom

    SHORT FILMS:

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT Homeless OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FOREIGN SHORT FILM Voice (KOE) OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ANIMATED SHORT FILM Departure OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler – André Hennicke as Mr. Mahler OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY SHORT The Girl and The Picture OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY SHORT Fisk “Untitled Portrait” OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY SHORT Land of the Wind (Tierra del Viento) OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FAMILY FILM SHORT Bullies OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FAMILY FILM SHORT (FOREIGN) Earthy Encounters Encounters (UK)

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  • Mammoth Lakes Film Festival to Honor Academy Award Winner Melissa Leo

    [caption id="attachment_29121" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Melissa Leo in Frozen River Melissa Leo in Frozen River[/caption] Actress and Academy Award winner Melissa Leo will receive the Sierra Spirit Award for Acting during a special tribute at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival (MLFF), taking place on Saturday, May 26. The tribute will consist of a screening of Leo’s film, Frozen River, followed by a moderated conversation and award presentation. Leo is best known for her Academy Award winning performance in The Fighter and Academy Award nominated role in Frozen River. She’s also recently starred in biopic The Most Hated Woman in America as activist Madelyn Murray O’Hair. Leo is currently starring in Showtime’s comedy series I’m Dying Up Here and can be next seen reprising her role in the upcoming sequel to action/thriller The Equalizer alongside Denzel Washington. “Melissa is an actress who has demonstrated her ability to take on unique and dynamic roles that showcase her remarkable range and someone who continues to make outstanding contributions to the art of film,” said Festival Director Shira Dubrovner. Past festival honorees have included Joe Dante and John Sayles for their incomparable and thought-provoking directorial work. Now in its fourth year, the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival is proud to showcase the work of emerging, innovative filmmakers and artists against the backdrop of California’s ruggedly beautiful premiere vacation destination. The festival will begin on Wednesday, May 23 with their Opening Night film, Damsel. Throughout the week there are scheduled competition screenings, spotlight presentation screenings and receptions. The festival will conclude on Sunday, May 27 with the Closing Night film, Love, Gilda.

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  • 2018 Sheffield Doc/Fest film Unveils Lineup of ‘bold and innovative non-fiction films’

    [caption id="attachment_29118" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Before Father Gets Back Before Father Gets Back[/caption] The 2018 Sheffield Doc/Fest film program lineup presents bold and innovative non-fiction films made by some of the most authentic international filmmakers working today. 2018 audiences will be treated to 37 World, 18 International, 24 European and 70 UK film premieres. The works are selected across the main program Doc/Adventure, Doc/Expose, Doc/Think, Doc/Love, Doc/Rhythm, Doc/Visions, and focus Retro/Electric Avenues, New/UK, New/Lebanon program strands and accompanying Special Live events. Doc/Fest 2018 film program includes one special Preview screening, a late-night offering as Docs ‘Til Dawn and a selection of outdoor screenings Free Screen. The festival opens on Thursday 7 June with the world premiere of Sean McAllister’s A Northern Soul.

    OPENING NIGHT

    A Northern Soul (World premiere; UK, 2018, 80 min, dir. Sean McAllister) – Following A Syrian Love Story’s Doc/Fest Grand Jury Award win in 2015, Sean McAllister returns to Sheffield to open the Festival’s 25th Edition with the World Premiere of A Northern Soul. With his signature vision and sense of rapport, Sean reflects on changes to his Yorkshire hometown: a city divided by Brexit that is simultaneously celebrated as UK City of Culture and hit by austerity. Drawn to the fringes of town, Sean encounters Steve, a struggling warehouse worker by day and hip-hop performer by night, with a dream…

    SPECIAL PREVIEW

    McQueen (UK/USA, 2017, 111 min, dir. Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui) – Archival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of revolutionary British fashion designer ‘Lee’ Alexander McQueen, the working-class boy who became a global one-man fashion brand.THE FULL FILM program LINE-UP – BY STRAND:

    DOC/ADVENTURE

    Before Father Gets Back (World premiere; dir. Mari Gulbiani, 80 min) – In a Georgian village, from which many men have left for Syria, two girls escape a shared longing for their fathers through the magic of cinema. Bruce Lee & the Outlaw (World premiere; dir. Joost Vandebrug, 85 min) – Nicu, a young homeless boy, is adopted by Bruce Lee, the notorious “King of the Underworld” and goes to live with him in the tunnels underneath Bucharest. Central Bus Station (World premiere; dir. Tomáš Elšík, 78 min) – Central Bus Station, a building which has turned from great gift to a place for immigrants. Yonathan has learnt that it can reveal the essence of the society as well as one’s soul. Ghosthunter films in competition Into The Okavango films in competition Love Means Zero (UK premiere; dir. Jason Kohn, 89 min) – At eighty-six, famed tennis coach Nick Bollettieri is a living legend. At his academy in Florida, he raised a generation of champions. Too Beautiful: Our Right to Fight (World premiere, dir. Maceo Frost, 77 min) – Cuba ranks highly at Olympic boxing, but women can’t compete. This immersive film follows Havana boxer Namibia, who’s hoping the ban is lifted before she ages out of eligibility. Over the Limit Phantom Cowboys (International premiere; dir. Daniel Patrick Carbone, 93 min) – Three boys in small town America find their hopes and dreams tempered by their circumstances. Moving back and forth over eight years, this is a moving, skilful exploration of adolescence. Tanzania Transit (European premiere; dir. Jeroen van Velzen, 75 min) – On a train crossing Tanzania, a riding microcosm of East African society, we follow three main characters, reflecting on the strength to survive. The Game The Insufferable Groo (World premiere, 98 min, dir. Scott Christopherson) – Having directed nearly 200 low-budget movies, Utah filmmaker Stephen Groo seeks Jack Black for his latest human/elf fantasy drama. This hilarious yet sincere portrait depicts an uphill production battle. The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid (UK premiere; dir. Feargal Ward, 77 min) – Thomas Reid lives a solitary life. But beside his 17th century farm looms a vast American factory. When the Irish State tries to take his farm, he vows to resist. The Man Who Stole Banksy (European premiere; 91 min, dir. Marco Proserpio) – A Palestinian taxi driver attempts to sell a Banksy mural on eBay. As we follow the artwork, we uncover a secret art market of stolen walls from around the world. Three Identical Strangers (European premiere; 96 min, dir. Tim Wardle) – In 1980, three New York identical triplets, separated at birth, discovered each other. But behind the remarkable story lurked a dark secret that questioned the notion of who we are. Time Trial Vienna Calling (World premiere; dir. Petr Šprincl, 67 min) – In this docufiction road movie, a grave robbing artist and his sidekicks journey to Vienna in a horse drawn caravan of death to return some famous teeth.

    Shorts

    Zion – see Short Doc Award Cheer From Parts Unknown Hands Up, Chin Down Skip Day Skywards To Be a Torero Taking the Waters The Water Slide

    DOC/EXPOSE

    A Thousand Girls Like Me (European premiere; dir. Sahra Mosawi, 76 min) – A young Afghan woman confronts the will of her family and the traditions of her country to seek justice for years of sexual abuse from her father. A Woman Captured Commander Arian I, Dolours (European premiere; dir. Maurice Sweeney, 82 min) – Dolours Price, bred to violent republicanism, yet ultimately haunted by her actions, gave a filmed interview not to be broadcast until after her death. This is her shocking story. Kinshasa Makambo Laila At The Bridge Lost Warrior Of Fathers and Sons On Her Shoulders One or Two Questions (UK premiere; dir. Kristina Konrad, 237 min) – In 1986, Uruguay passed a law granting amnesty for human rights violations committed by the military and police during the dictatorship (1973-85). One or Two Questions uses footage of interviews recorded on the streets between 1987 and 1989, to present a multifaceted reflection of the country and its inhabitants, in which the values of democracy – such as peace, justice – are continually questioned. The Ballymurphy Precedent (World premiere; dir. Callum Macrae, 106 min) – The little known story about the death of eleven innocent people at the hands of the British Army in a Catholic estate in Belfast in 1971. This is a massacre that few have heard of, yet it was one of the most significant events in the Troubles. The British army continues to cover it up because they cannot afford to admit the truth. The relatives of those who died are fighting for justice – and our investigation shows why. This secret massacre led directly to the Bloody Sunday killings by the same Parachute regiment just five months later. The Congo Tribunal (UK premiere; dir. Milo Rau, 100 min) – Staged as a tribunal on-location in Bukavu and Berlin, director Milo Rau creates an unshrouded portrait of one of the biggest and bloodiest economic wars in human history. The Distant Barking of Dogs The Silence of Others The Trade (European premiere; dir. Matthew Heineman, 125 min) – Addicts and their families struggle in Atlanta, drug lords and poppy-seed farmers toil in Mexico, and narcotics units and dealers clash in Columbus. Under The Wire (World premiere; dir. Chris Martin, 93 min) – A powerful film that tells the story of celebrated Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin and photographer Paul Conroy’s ill-fated trip to Syria in February 2012. Based on Conroy’s book of the same title. When the War Comes (UK premiere; dir. Jan Gebert, 76 min) – A paramilitary group in Slovakia is recruiting hundreds of young men, aiming to create a model community based on military drill, obedience and fear. Whispering Truth to Power (European premiere; dir. Shameela Seedat, 87 min) – With exclusive, behind-the-scenes access, this film charts the final year in office of South African anti-corruption champion Thuli Madonsela as she attempts to seek justice for ordinary people. After successfully challenging President Jacob Zuma for illegal use of state funds, she faces the biggest challenge of her career: exposing the systematic takeover of government by a private family in cahoots with the President.

    Shorts

    Black Sheep – see Short Doc award Ebrahim Fake News Fairytale Las Nubes The Holiday Inn-Side Watching the Detectives Doc/Dispatch – showcase for short documentary journalism from citizen reporters, investigative filmmakers and responsive news units; projects TBA

    DOC/LOVE

    Amal América Ashore (UK premiere; dir. Leonor Teles, 82 min) – Ashore portrays the life of a singular fisherman in an ancient riverfront community near Lisbon as he drifts between ocean solitude and family anchors. For The Birds Game Girls (UK premiere; dir. Alina Skrzeszewska, 90 min) -This compassionate observational documentary charts the relationship between two homeless women in Los Angeles’ sprawling Skid Row. Tiahna seems resigned to street life, but girlfriend Teri wants to escape. Have You Seen The Listers? (UK premiere; dir. Eddie Martin, 86 min) – From the director of All This Mayhem, a candid and personal family portrait as young father Anthony Lister embarks on the rocky road to become the world’s greatest street artist. Home Games (World premiere; dir. Alisa Kovalenko, 86 min) – A season in the life of Alina, a poor 20-year-old girl from Kyiv who has a chance to be saved by football. A Northern Soul (World premiere) – see OPENING NIGHT Minding the Gap Out (UK premiere; dir. Denis Parrot, 70 min) – The first documentary to address LGBTQ+ coming out stories exclusively through social media footage. People’s Republic of Desire (European premiere; dir. Hao Wu, 95 min) – In China’s popular live streaming showrooms, two internet celebrities seek fame, fortune and human connection, ultimately finding the same promises and perils online as in their real lives. The Eyes of Orson Welles (UK premiere; dir. Mark Cousins, 110 min) – Filmmaker Mark Cousins dives deep into the visual world of this legendary director and actor, to reveal a portrait of the artist as he’s never been seen before. Turning 18 (World premiere; dir. Ho Chao-ti, 87 min) – Two young girls meet at a vocational training program after which their lives move in completely different directions. Both from broken homes, Pei searches for hope in love, while Chen struggles to avoid her parents’ fate. As they approach 18, the undercurrents of their lives surface, nearly overwhelming them. How can an unloved life find a strength of her own? Young Solitude

    Shorts

    Baby Brother Black I Am Confessions of an Angry Mother Landline Last Man Standing Lotus Lovers of the Night Mountain – see Short Doc award Pumpkin Movie

    RETRO/ELECTRIC AVENUES

    Cocorico Monsieur Poulet Disorder

    Shorts program

    Black Film City of Contrasts Horse of Mud + Sad Song of Touha + The Sandwich IFO In Order Not To Be Here Liberty City Crawl (Superman II) Many Thousands Gone Mobile Men Moor Mother Live in London My White Baby Secrets From the Street: No Disclosure Sto Lat Strolling – also see Free Screen on page xx The Strike

    DOC/RHYTHM

    Antigone (UK premiere; dir. Pedro González Rubio, 73 min) – In the biggest public university in Latin America a group of theatre students and their teacher prepare Antigone, a Greek tragedy that addresses the conflict between the rules of power and the will of a young woman to do the right thing. Life, theatre and fiction are interwoven following the rehearsals in classrooms, in their homes, in public spaces and surrealist landscapes of the city. Ashes and Embers (UK premiere; dir. Manon Ott, 71 min) – A poetic and political portrait of a working-class suburb in the process of change, “Ashes and Embers” invite us to meet its inhabitants: a journey from dusk to dawn where, while speaking of their lives, they also express their revolt and their quest for freedom. Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes (European premiere; dir. Sophie Huber, 85 min) – The film explores the vision behind the iconic American jazz record label. Through current recording sessions, rare archive and conversations with iconic Blue Note artists, the film reveals an intimate perspective of a legacy that continues to be vital in today’s political climate. Legendary artists Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter come together with today’s generation of ground-breaking Blue Note artists such as Robert Glasper and Ambrose Akinmusire to record an All-Stars album. Desolation Center (UK premiere; dir. Stuart Swezey, 92 min) – followed by live performance from Thurston Moore – The film vividly portrays the untold story of a series of guerrilla desert gatherings now recognised as the inspiration for Burning Man and Coachella, with performances by Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Swans, and more. Generation Wealth (dir. Lauren Greenfield, 108 min) – Lauren Greenfield’s postcard from the edge of the American Empire captures a portrait of a materialistic, image-obsessed culture. Simultaneously personal journey and historical essay, the film bears witness to the global boom-bust economy, the corrupted American Dream, and the human costs of late stage capitalism, narcissism, and greed Harmony (UK premiere; dir. Frederick Paxton, 71 min) – Bold city symphony reveals the terrible beauty in Siberia’s polluted Chelyabinsk. A mesmerizing mix of sound and image highlight the often punishing rituals inflicted on young Russian boys and girls. Milford Graves Full Mantis (UK premiere; dir. Jake Meginsky, Neil Young (Co-Director), 91 min) – Celebrating the creativity of legendary American percussionist Milford Graves, this film is itself a kaleidoscope ode to the creative process, and a unique homage to the free jazz pioneer. Parallel Planes (International premiere; dir. Nicole Wegner, 100 min) – This film pays homage to the American DIY spirit and the diversity of the US musical landscape outside the commercial music industry. Nicole Wegner maintains eye level with her twelve subjects, including Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi), Michael Gira (Swans) and Valentine Falcon (Get Hustle), who gleefully hack the music industry and play by their own rules. Punk Voyage (dir. JP Passi, Jukka Kärkkäinen, 97 min) – PKN, a band of four mentally disabled men, is Europe’s no 1 punk-rock act. When the band’s leader decides to retire, Punk Voyage shows all the quarrels, tears and laughter. Shakedown (UK premiere; dir. Leilah Weinraub, 72 min) – “If you straight, you don’t need to be in the front.” Former drag show host Teresa and Ronnie-Ron co-founded Shakedown in the 90s, establishing a thriving underground scene. Dancers including Egypt, Miss Mahogany, I-Dallas and Slow-Wine entertain the throng. This strip club was a space for LA’s African-American queer community to explore identity, sexuality and have an incredible time. Silvana (UK premiere; dir. Mika Gustafson, Olivia Kastebring, Christina Tsiobanelis, 91 min) – Silvana Imam is a fierce force of nature. We witness the Swedish rap artist’s career soar, and the genesis of her relationship with pop artist, Beatrice Eli. The pair become Sweden’s Beyoncé and Jay-Z; a power-couple of phenomenal talent and influence. As the pressures of her iconic status begin to spiral, Silvana is forced to confront her inner conflicts. This One’s For The Ladies (International premiere; dir. Gene Graham, 83 min) – Race, class and sexuality intersect at Newark strip club the Dojo: a karate school by day, home to the New Jersey Nasty Boyz by night. In addition to spotlighting the exotic dancers who work there – both male and lesbian – Gene Graham’s affectionate portrait celebrates the community of women who sustain this microcosm of black American society. Tranny Fag Yellow Is Forbidden (European premiere; dir. Pietra Brettkelly, 94 min) – Haute couture is the most exclusive club in the world: Mostly men. Exclusively European. Largely conglomerate-funded. Yet, Guo Pei, an independent Chinese designer has been invited to present a collection.

    Shorts

    Artificial Things Arr. for a Scene Mini Miss To The Front: Scenes From a Women’s Rock Camp Weltschmerz – see Short Doc award

    DOC/THINK

    A Journey to the Fumigated Towns Boys Who Like Girls (World premiere; dir. Inka Achte, 68 min) – Two years have passed since the infamous Delhi gang rape, and India is ablaze with talk of men’s role in gendered violence. Teenager Ved joins a boys’ club run by ‘Men Against Violence and Abuse’ and realises there may be a healthier path for him than the one paved by his abusive father. Will his be the first generation of boys that actually likes girls? Central Airport THF Ex-Shaman Flow (World premiere; dir. Nicolás Molina, 82 min) – FLOW observes the human connection between two rivers: Ganges in India and Biobío in Chile. It proposes a poetic journey blending both civilizations through the flow of one great river. German Class (World premiere; dir. Florian Heinzen-Ziob, 89 min) – Over the course of six months the film closely follows the daily ups and downs of a group of children from abroad as they take their first steps in the German school system. Infinite Football (World premiere; dir. Corneliu Porumboiu, 70 min) – Romanian filmmaker Porumboiu focuses on Laurentiu Ginghina, a bureaucrat who dreams of revolutionizing football. Yet when the director makes Ginghina’s alternative game reality, the bureaucrat can’t stop reworking his theories. Esta Todo Bien (World premiere; dir. Tuki Jencquel, 70 min) -“That’s the drama. You can’t get sick.” These sadly apt words are spoken by Francisco, an activist who delivers badly needed medicines in Venezuela where salaries peak at twelve dollars a month and 16,000 doctors have left the country. Our New President Radio Atlas: A Lunkhead Among The Stars (dir. Gyrid Listuen, 47 min) – Radio Atlas presents Gyrid Listuen’s Prix Europa-winning radio documentary from the nineties — exploring the internal world of a young man with Down’s Syndrome. The Cleaners (UK premiere; dir. Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck, 88 min) – Digital scavengers’ are outsourced to delete inappropriate content from the net, while at the same time the lives of people around the globe are dramatically affected by online censorship. A ‘cleaner’ rates thousands of disturbing images every day, with lasting psychological impact. From the shared global village to fake news and radicalization, the film charts the rise and fall of social media’s utopian ideology. The Dread The Gospel of Eureka The Pain of Others The Proposal The Trial (UK premiere; dir. Maria Ramos, 139 min) – The Trial offers a behind-the-scenes look at the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s first female President. The film portrays the “judicial political” trial first at the House of Representatives and then, at the Senate focusing on the President’s Defence Team: her lawyer José Eduardo Cardoso and two senators who struggle to prove the President’s innocence against a majority vote by a Congress riddled with corruption. The Waldheim Waltz What Is Democracy? When Lambs Become Lions

    Shorts

    90 Seconds in North Korea Girlhood Give I Am Bisha I Signed The Petition The River of the Kukamas

    DOC/VISIONS

    Arboretum Cycle (UK premiere; dir. Nathaniel Dorsky, 137 min) – A magical collection of seven 16mm films by Nathaniel Dorsky, explores the beauty of Californian nature in Spring light. Each silent film celebrates qualities of energy, joy, fullness, and rebirth. Black Mother Doel Female Human Animal (European premiere; dir. Josh Appignanesi, 74 min) – Shot in the real-life contemporary art world, Female Human Animal is a psycho-thriller about a creative woman disenchanted with what modern life and “modern men” have to offer her. When writer Chloe Aridjis curates an inspiring retrospective of the surrealist Leonora Carrington, an elusive, brooding man appears, seeming to offer more. A darkly romantic docufiction that puts on screen the lurid unconscious of our new sexual politics. Going South (UK premiere; dir. Dominic Gagnon, 104 min) – Going South is the second part of a tetralogy in which Dominic Gagnon intends to explore the cardinal points of the Internet in the post-truth era. Hale County This Morning, This Evening La Commune (Paris, 1871) Last Year in Utopia (UK premiere; dir. Jana Magdalena Keuchel, Katharina Knust, 72 min) – In this revealing and playful Brechtian recreation of events, six cast members from a cancelled German reality television program make an emotional return to their show’s isolated forest location. Margaret Tait: A Century (64 min, dir. Margaret Tait) – Marking both the centenary of the 1918 suffrage act and her birthday, pioneering British filmmaker Margaret Tait is the center of Margaret Tait: A Century -a mini retrospective collection of her titles: Colour Poems, A Portrait of Ga, Tailpiece, Aerial, Where I am is Here. McQueen Music When The Lights Go Out Obscuro Barroco Shirkers Sleep Has Her House (UK premiere; dir. Scott Barley, 90 min) – A hypnotic reverie in a dark forest, underneath waterfalls and shifting shapes in the night. Captured on an iPhone, this is a symphonic and haunting science fiction of nature. The Task Turtle Rock Victory Day (UK premiere; dir. Sergei Loznitsa, 94 min) – Once a year, crowds gather in Berlin’s Treptower Park to mark the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Master of sustained observation, Sergei Loznitsa, captures the medal bedecked veterans and burly biker gangs assembling for this spring day of patriotic songs and speeches. Loznitsa’s carefully framed compositions become a meditation on the nationalistic myths still gripping Europe. Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin (World premiere; dir. Arwen Curry, 65 min) – A trailblazing rebel who shook the world of literature, defying gender norms, societal expectations and patriarchal gatekeeping. Ursula K Guin remains a peerless lightning bolt of imagination and political insight.

    Shorts

    A God’s Shadow Cops Are Actors Fluid Frontiers Here There Is No Earth House Maskirovka Rebirth is Necessary – see Short Doc award Song for Europe With history in a room filled with people with funny names 4

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  • Jeff Bridges LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST to Kick Off 4th Martha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_29106" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]LIVING IN THE FUTURE'S PAST, Jeff Bridges LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST, Jeff Bridges[/caption] The 4th Annual Martha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival begins Thursday, May 24th and concludes Sunday, May 27th, 2018, at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center in Vineyard Haven. This year’s Opening Night Event features the new documentary LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST. In this documentary, Jeff Bridges, alongside prominent scientists and authors, weaves evolution, emergence, entropy, dark ecology, and what some are calling ‘the end of nature’, into an engrossing story that helps us understand our place among the species of Earth’s household. This powerful, poetic and thought-provoking feature challenges our current way of thinking and provides original insights into our subconscious motivations, their unintended consequences and the changes we need to make to our psychology, and way of being, in order to solve the ecological crises we have brought upon ourselves as a result of our primitive thoughts and desires. Actor/Narrator Jeff Bridges is scheduled to appear via video message and a pre-screening reception begins at 6:30pm with David Hannon playing Jazz Piano. Some other special events at the 4th Annual MV Environmental Film Festival include: OCEAN WARRIORS: CHASING THE THUNDER with Producer Katie Carpenter, the MVRHS Student Art Show Reception and Awards, LOVE AND BANANAS: AN ELEPHANT STORY with David Casselman, a special Youth Event with Vineyard Conservation Society, and THE FARTHEST with Executive Producer Josh Rubin. Special Guests Include: Actor Jeff Bridges (video message for LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST), Actor Pierce Brosnan (video message for Youth Event), Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary Founder David Casselman, Katie Carpenter (Producer, CHASING THE THUNDER), and Josh Rubin (Executive Producer, THE FARTHEST). Community collaborations with Polly Hill Arboretum, Island Grown Gleaning, Island Grown Initiative, and others.

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