Diogo Costa Amarante, Jyoti Mistry and Mark Toscano[/caption]
Portuguese filmmaker and winner of the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlinale 2017, Diogo Costa Amarante; US filmmaker and curator Mark Toscano; and South African filmmaker and academic Jyoti Mistry will make up the International Short Film Jury of 2018 Berlin Film Festival.
They will award the Golden and the Silver Bear, as well as the Audi Short Film Award. In addition, they will nominate a film for the European Film Awards in the category European Short Film 2018. “The diverse perspectives that Mark Toscano, Jyoti Mistry and Diogo Costa Amarante bring to the jury portend a well-versed, young and contemporary discussion on the 2018 selection,” comments Maike Mia Höhne, curator of Berlinale Shorts.
Diogo Costa Amarante (Portugal)
Diogo Costa Amarante completed his Master of Fine Arts at New York University / Tisch School of the Arts in 2016 with his film Cidade Pequena, which celebrated its international premiere at the 67th Berlinale in 2017 and received the Golden Bear for Best Short Film. Amarante is a member of the widely acclaimed third generation of Portuguese filmmakers, whose works have established an impressive position for Portugal in the cinematic world. His first film Jumate/Jumate received accolades at many festivals, and in 2007 he received a scholarship for documentary film and cinematography at the School of Cinema and Audiovisuals of Catalonia (ESCAC). In 2009, he was a participant at Berlinale Talents, and shot his second documentary film In January, perhaps.
Jyoti Mistry (South Africa)
Filmmaker Jyoti Mistry is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Division at the Wits School of Arts in South Africa. She received the CILECT Teaching Award (The International Association of Film and Television Schools) in 2016 in recognition of her outstanding achievements in film pedagogy and film practice research. Her research areas include cultural policy, questions of identity, and multiculturalism. Her experimental film The Bull On the Roof (2010) celebrated its debut at the Durban International Film Festival and was presented at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume in Paris, among other institutions. Her feature film Impunity (2014) celebrated its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and her most recent short film When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Black Man was a competition selection at the short film festival Winterthur in 2017. Her publications include “’we remember differently’: Race, Memory, Imagination” (2012), “Gaze Regimes: Film and Feminisms in Africa” (2015) and “Places to Play – Practice, Research & Pedagogy” (2017) which was adapted for the screen.
Mark Toscano (USA)
Mark Toscano has worked for many noted institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art, EYE Filmmuseum, Tate Modern, Los Angeles Filmforum, as well as for festivals in Rotterdam, London, Oberhausen, Zagreb and Bangalore, functioning as curator and presenter of stand-out programmes. In addition, he lectures on experimental film and archiving at numerous universities. At the California Institute of the Arts, he is an instructor in the area of Experimental Animation. A distinguished filmmaker and curator, Mark Toscano has been a contributor to the conservation of cinematic heritage at the Academy Film Archive since 2003, where he specialises in the conservation of noteworthy films, maintaining exchange with over 100 international filmmakers.Film Festivals
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Filmmakers Diogo Costa Amarante, Jyoti Mistry and Mark Toscano Selected for Berlinale 2018 International Short Film Jury
[caption id="attachment_26197" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Diogo Costa Amarante, Jyoti Mistry and Mark Toscano[/caption]
Portuguese filmmaker and winner of the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlinale 2017, Diogo Costa Amarante; US filmmaker and curator Mark Toscano; and South African filmmaker and academic Jyoti Mistry will make up the International Short Film Jury of 2018 Berlin Film Festival.
They will award the Golden and the Silver Bear, as well as the Audi Short Film Award. In addition, they will nominate a film for the European Film Awards in the category European Short Film 2018. “The diverse perspectives that Mark Toscano, Jyoti Mistry and Diogo Costa Amarante bring to the jury portend a well-versed, young and contemporary discussion on the 2018 selection,” comments Maike Mia Höhne, curator of Berlinale Shorts.
Diogo Costa Amarante (Portugal)
Diogo Costa Amarante completed his Master of Fine Arts at New York University / Tisch School of the Arts in 2016 with his film Cidade Pequena, which celebrated its international premiere at the 67th Berlinale in 2017 and received the Golden Bear for Best Short Film. Amarante is a member of the widely acclaimed third generation of Portuguese filmmakers, whose works have established an impressive position for Portugal in the cinematic world. His first film Jumate/Jumate received accolades at many festivals, and in 2007 he received a scholarship for documentary film and cinematography at the School of Cinema and Audiovisuals of Catalonia (ESCAC). In 2009, he was a participant at Berlinale Talents, and shot his second documentary film In January, perhaps.
Jyoti Mistry (South Africa)
Filmmaker Jyoti Mistry is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Division at the Wits School of Arts in South Africa. She received the CILECT Teaching Award (The International Association of Film and Television Schools) in 2016 in recognition of her outstanding achievements in film pedagogy and film practice research. Her research areas include cultural policy, questions of identity, and multiculturalism. Her experimental film The Bull On the Roof (2010) celebrated its debut at the Durban International Film Festival and was presented at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume in Paris, among other institutions. Her feature film Impunity (2014) celebrated its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and her most recent short film When I Grow Up I Want to Be a Black Man was a competition selection at the short film festival Winterthur in 2017. Her publications include “’we remember differently’: Race, Memory, Imagination” (2012), “Gaze Regimes: Film and Feminisms in Africa” (2015) and “Places to Play – Practice, Research & Pedagogy” (2017) which was adapted for the screen.
Mark Toscano (USA)
Mark Toscano has worked for many noted institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art, EYE Filmmuseum, Tate Modern, Los Angeles Filmforum, as well as for festivals in Rotterdam, London, Oberhausen, Zagreb and Bangalore, functioning as curator and presenter of stand-out programmes. In addition, he lectures on experimental film and archiving at numerous universities. At the California Institute of the Arts, he is an instructor in the area of Experimental Animation. A distinguished filmmaker and curator, Mark Toscano has been a contributor to the conservation of cinematic heritage at the Academy Film Archive since 2003, where he specialises in the conservation of noteworthy films, maintaining exchange with over 100 international filmmakers.
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Actress Cate Blanchett Named President of the Jury of 2018 Cannes Film Festival
Actress Cate Blanchett will be the President of the Jury of the 71st edition of the Cannes Film Festival taking place May 8th to 19th, 2018.
“I have been to Cannes in many guises over the years; as an actress, producer, in the marketplace, the Gala-sphere and in Competition,” she declared, “but never solely for the sheer pleasure of watching the cornucopia of films this great festival harbours.”v
Cate Blanchett follows Pedro Almodóvar, Jury President of the 70th edition, whose jury awarded the Palme d’or to The Square by Swedish director Ruben Östlund.
“I am humbled by the privilege and responsibility of presiding over this year’s jury,” she continued. “This festival plays a pivotal role in bringing the world together to celebrate story; that strange and vital endeavour that all peoples share, understand and crave.”
Pierre Lescure, Festival de Cannes President and Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate, said: “We are delighted to welcome such a rare and unique artist whose talent and convictions enrich both screen and stage. Our conversations from this autumn tell us she will be a committed President, a passionate woman and a big-hearted spectator.”
Cate Blanchett will next appear in Ocean’s 8; the highly-anticipated film adaptation of Maria Semple’s Where’d You Go Bernadette, directed by Richard Linklater; and in The House with a Clock in its Walls, directed by Eli Roth.
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UK Premiere of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs to Open Glasgow Film Festival 2018
Glasgow Film Festival 2018 will open on February 21 with the UK premiere of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs. The animated adventure Isle of Dogs tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies to Trash Island in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture.
The all-star voice cast includes Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, Kunichi Nomura, Tilda Swinton, Ken Watanabe, Akira Ito, Greta Gerwig, Akira Takayama, Frances McDormand, F. Murray Abraham, Courtney B. Vance, Yojiro Noda, Fisher Stevens, Mari Natsuki, Nijiro Murakami, Yoko Ono, Harvey Keitel and Frank Wood.
Allan Hunter, Festival Co-director said: “Wes Anderson is one of the most imaginative, beguiling filmmakers working in world cinema and we are thrilled to open GFF 2018 with the UK premiere of his brand new film. Four years ago we opened the Festival by booking into The Grand Budapest Hotel. This year we invite audiences to set sail for the Isle Of Dogs. It will be a night to remember and the best possible start to a great Festival.”
Fox Searchlight Pictures will release Isle of Dogs in UK cinemas on March 30, 2018.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt__kig8PVU
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“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” “Get Out” and “Darkest Hour” Win Top Awards At Capri, Hollywood International Film Festival
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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriThree Billboards Outside Ebbing,[/caption]
Get Out won the top prize for best picture at the Capri, Hollywood International Film Festival. Indie favorite Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was also a big winner bagging three awards including best actress for Frances McDormand, best supporting actor for Sam Rockwell and best original screenplay for Martin McDonagh. Darkest Hour also won three awards including best film editing, best original score, and best makeup and hairstyling.
Best foreign film went to Samuel Maoz’s Foxtrot and Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives won the prize for best documentary film.
2017 Capri, Hollywood International Film Festival Awards
Best Picture – Get Out Best Director – Christopher Nolan – Dunkirk Best Actor – James Franco – The Disaster Artist Best Actress – Frances McDormand – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Best Supporting Actor – Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Best Supporting Actress – Melissa Leo – Novitiate Best Adapted Screenplay – The Disaster Artist Best Original Screenplay – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Best Animated Movie – Coco Best Documentary Feature – Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives Best Foreign Language Film – Foxtrot (Israel) Best Cinematography – Hostiles Best Film Editing – Darkest Hour Best Make-up and Hairstyling – Darkest Hour Best Production Design – Blade Runner 2049 Best Original Song – “Remember Me” – Coco Best Original Score – Darkest Hour Best Sound Editing / Best Sound Mixing – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Best Visual Effects – War for the Planet of the Apes Best Ensemble Cast – The Leisure Seeker Career Achievement Award – James Ivory
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World Premiere of JIMMIE by Jesper Ganslandt to Open + THE DEATH OF STALIN to Close International Film Festival Rotterdam
[caption id="attachment_26164" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]
Jimmie[/caption]
The world premiere of Jimmie by Swedish filmmaker Jesper Ganslandt, a road movie with a truly original twist about a father and son on the run, will open the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) on January 24, 2018. The festival will close on February 3, 2018 with The Death of Stalin by Armando Iannucci.
In Jimmie, the cast lends the film an interesting extra dimension: Ganslandt himself plays the father, with Ganslandt’s own son Hunter playing four-year-old Jimmie. Together, they embark on a journey through Europe that challenges our preconceptions in an unexpected way. According to producer Hedvig Lundgren: “the film shows that a child’s universe is both very small and bigger than an adult can imagine.”
Festival Director Bero Beyer: “Ganslandt offers a truly new perspective in an intense cinematic experience that makes us view the world anew. The film is an honest and subtly executed take on one of the more pressing issues we face in today’s society, as seen through the eyes of a striking protagonist, a four-year-old boy. Jimmie is a remarkable, emotional and thought-provoking story and we’re proud it will open our 47th edition.”
Ganslandt is one of the bold new voices in Scandinavian cinema. In his dreamy first feature Falkenberg Farewell (2006), five friends spend their last summer together in their hometown, Falkenberg. For his claustrophobic second feature The Ape, screened at IFFR 2010, Ganslandt did not let his lead actor Olle Sarri read the full script in advance. Ganslandt’s first English-language film is to be released later in 2018 – a thriller entitled Beast of Burden starring Daniel Radcliffe.
[caption id="attachment_23440" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Death of Stalin[/caption]
The closing film of IFFR 2018, The Death of Stalin, is also part of the festival’s theme program A History of Shadows, which investigates cinema’s powers to reevaluate and revisit the past. In his new film, Armando Iannucci – best known for his television series The Thick of It and Veep – employs his knack for lampooning the self-serving attitudes of authority figures to zoom in on the Kremlin power struggles that ensued following the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. The result is a stylish, salient black comedy starring among others Michael Palin and Steve Buscemi.
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Actor Trevor Jamieson is Revelation Perth International Film Festival Ambassador + 3 Films Win City of Vincent Film Project
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Trevor Jamieson[/caption]
Actor Trevor Jamieson, soon to be seen in the upcoming remake of the classic Australian film Storm Boy playing the iconic character Fingerbone Bill, has been appointed the permanent ambassador of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival.
As ambassador to the Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Trevor will become one Revelation’s most prominent supporters, lending his profile and his passion to promote the festival regarded by media, industry and audiences alike as the most individual and innovative screen culture events in the country.
Revelation Film Festival director Richard Sowada says it’s a terrific collaboration.
“Trevor is proudly West Australian with an international outlook, just like Rev,” said Richard.
“We can’t think of a better person to help spread the word about what we do and what we are all about.
“As an actor he’s of course deeply involved in the screen business, but he also brings a message of the place of the arts in our broader culture.”
Trevor Jamieson says he’s humbled at the opportunity.
“As someone who grew up in the arts industry and spent most of my life in Western Australia, I’ve gained witness to skills of strength and weakness within our state that have always given me experiences to share of stories and places, nationwide and internationally,” Trevor said.
“I’m excited to celebrate the most simple viewpoints that can reveal great strengths within the awareness of our mindset for independent works and allowing for amazing collaboratives between national and international themes to understand the human common aspects of social justice.
“Plus I’m looking forward to being back home again and becoming involved with a lot of well known and emerging artists.
[caption id="attachment_26159" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Revelation Perth International Film Festival – City of Vincent Film Project[/caption]
Revelation Perth International Film Festival partnered with the City of Vincent for a film project which offered an opportunity for filmmakers to tell stories in and about the City of Vincent, with $15,000 being allocated to fund three short documentaries.
Revelation Film Festival Director Richard Sowada said the grass-roots project has been enormously rewarding.
“It’s about having a real creative impact at a community level and brings many of these emerging filmmakers into the international fold,” said Richard.
The winning films are:
The Beeman
The buzz around local Beeman, Carl Maxwell, isn’t for nothing – he’s the best in the business – and that’s because he can communicate with the local honeybee population. The Beeman follows one man’s crusade to save the honeybees, one hive at a time.
Producer Cody Greenwood, Directors Samantha Marlowe and Frances Elliott
Neon
Neon signs are everywhere in cities around the world. They liven the sky and streets with colour and atmosphere. In Perth, neon bending is a dying art. But one young man is taking on an apprenticeship that could change that.
Producer Rachael Karotkin, Director Matt Sav
Ghosts Of Vincent
An expository-participatory documentary that looks at historical people and venues within the area of the City of Vincent. The film investigates the legend of ‘Kanga’ the ghost who haunts the newly renovated Leederville hotel, but also focuses on other venues and locations of interest in the Vincent area.
Producer Paul Van Lieshout, Director Kimberly McGivern and Ellen Broadhurst
Project Coordinator Ashleigh Nicolau said that the films were as eclectic as the City of Vincent itself.
“A mixed bag of environmental, artistic and supernatural stories, I can’t wait to see these short documentaries take off!,” Ashleigh said.
“The City is also keen to work closely with the filmmakers to create events surrounding the film subjects such as art exhibitions and ghost tours.”
The record number of submissions received were considered by a panel of industry professionals, and representatives of the City of Vincent and the Revelation Perth International Film Festival.
Successful applicants will commence production in January, and the three completed films will screen as part of the 2018 Revelation Perth International Film Festival in July.
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Inaugural Mammoth Film Festival Unveils First Round of Official Selections Lineup
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Sun Dogs[/caption]
The inaugural Mammoth Film Festival unveiled the first Round 1 of their star-studded Official Selections lineup for the upcoming festival taking place February 8 to 11, 2018. Officially Selected feature films include: Jennifer Morrison’s Directorial feature film debut Sun Dogs, Tim Newfang’s Sons of St. Clair, a ground-breaking documentary highlighting the legendary members of Hip Hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s Krayzie Bone & Bizzy Bone (World Premiere) and Frederick Cipoletti’s solo directorial debut with the drama Desolate (World Premiere).
The Mammoth Film Festival will also screen a number of Star-studded short films including; feature high level panels and think tanks; and host it’s first-ever Celebrity Charity Bowling Tournament benefitting the Mammoth Media Institute, Inc.
Round 1 Officially selected feature films for the Inaugural Mammoth Film Festival
A VIOLENT MAN/U.S.A (Director: Matthew Berkowitz. Screenwriters: Matthew Berkowitz and Justin Steele). A struggling mixed martial arts fighter finds himself in a fight for his life after his one night stand is found dead in her home. Cast: Anthony Bonaventura, Cheyenne Buchanan, Tyler Conklin. WORLD PREMIERE MIDNIGHT FILM. DESOLATE/U.S.A (Director and Screenwriter: Frederick Cipoletti). While trying to survive the worst drought in history, a family of farmers force their youngest brother down a path of destruction; betrayed and left for dead in an unfamiliar land, he must survive, endure and seek the revenge he deserves. Cast: Will Brittain, Callan Mulvey, Tyson Ritter. JOSIE/U.S.A (Director: Eric England. Screenwriter: Anthony Ragnone II). The residents of a small, southern town are forever changed when the tattooed, sweet-talking stranger Josie (Sophie Turner) struts into town. Striking up relationships with a local young punk Marcus (Jack Kilmer) and her loner neighbor Hank (Dylan McDermott), she quickly becomes a hot topic of local gossip. But her true intentions for arriving in town are far more sinister when her dark past comes to light. Cast: Sophie Turner, Dylan McDermott, Jack Kilmer. WORLD PREMIERE OPENING NIGHT FILM. KHALI THE KILLER/Germany (Director and Screenwriter: Jon Matthews). After deciding to retire, an East L.A. hit man decides to take one last job to help support his ailing grandmother’s end of life care. But everything falls apart, when he develops empathy for the targets of his hit, and he’s forced to make the toughest decision of his life. Cast: Ryan Dorsey, Richard Cabral, Corina Calderon. MULLY/U.S.A (Director and Screenwriter: Scott Haze) A homeless orphan in Kenya becomes a lucrative businessman, only to give it all up and open an orphanage that today serves over 2000 Kenyan children. Cast: Charles Mully, Esther Mully, Isaac Mulli. SONS OF ST. CLAIR/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Newfang (World Premiere) Thrilling Documentary chronicling the legendary Hip Hop group Bone Thugs & Harmony’s Krazie Bone & Bizzy Bone. WORLD PREMIERE. SYLVIO/U.S.A (Directors and Screenwriters: Kentucker). A small town gorilla joins a local TV program where a series of on-air mishaps send him on a journey of self-discovery. Cast: Sylvio Bernardi, Kentucker Audley, Steve Bauer. SUN DOGS/U.S.A (Director: Jennifer Morrison. Screenwriter: Anthony Tambakis). Intellectually limited from an accident at birth, Ned Chipley has failed time and time again at achieving his dream of ‘saving lives’. After a fourth thwarted attempt to join the marines, he pairs up with a young run away, Tally Peterson. Together they surveil a group of young men who they mistake as terrorists. Ned and Tally accidentally make the most improbable and unfortunate homeland security team. Their misadventures and misunderstandings lead to the unexpected discovery that sometimes the greatest purpose in life can present itself in the most unlikely of places. Cast: Mellisa Benoist, Allison Janney, Jennifer Morrison. CLOSING FILM GALA PRESENTATION. TIME TRAP/U.S.A (Directed by Mark Dennis and Ben Foster. Screenwriter: Mark Dennis). A group of students become trapped inside a mysterious cave where they discover time passes differently underground than on the surface. Cast: Andrew Wilson, Cassidy Gifford, Brianne Howey. TRUTH OR DARE/U.S.A-(Director: Nick Simon. Screenwriters: Thommy Hutson, Ethan Lawrence). Eight college friends head to a “Haunted Rental” for Halloween. But when they replay the game that made the house infamous, they awaken an evil spirit intent on stealing their souls. Cast: Cassandra Scerbo, Brytni Sarpy, Mason Dye. MIDNIGHT FILM.Round 1 Short Film Official Selections Inaugural Mammoth Film Festival
APE by Josh Hutcherson The Circle by Sheldon Schwartz Euphoria – Indescribable Adventure by Linda Sanders and Alessandro Beltrame Companion by Matt Ferrucci Reckless Juliets by Skyler Barrett I Know Jake Gyllenhaal is Going to Fuck My Girlfriend by Nino Mancuso Scarlett-Angelina by Lorette Bayle The Visit by Romina Schwedler The Accomplice by John F. Beach & Jon Hoeg The Long Walk Home by Jarod Einsohn Zero-Zero by Randall Whittinghill Lunch Ladies by Clarissa Jacobson and JM Logan Girl Power by Ada Gorn Niles Canyon by Sallyanne Massimini Making it on Time by Sophia Banks LPM, Likes Per Minute by Alexandra Chando PRINCE OF SMOKE by Matthew Gelb Indigo Valley by Jaclyn Bethany Autopsy by Adam Long The Only People Who Have Ever Seen Rob’s Penis by Christian Cerezo Nano by Mike Manning The Last Birthday by Jaclyn Bethany Madaran by Rayka Zehtabchi Vagabonds by Magaajyia Silberfeld Cops: Gotham by Tyler Shields The Gnome by Jason Neese
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International Ocean Film Festival Opens on International Women’s Day with KIM SWIMS
Question: what would you do if your doctor told you your leg would be amputated in half an hour? For Kim Chambers the answer was this: swim 30 miles through shark infested waters. With exquisite timing, on International Women’s Day – March 8, 2018 – the San Francisco based International Ocean Film Festival opens its 15th anniversary year with Kim Swims – the stirring documentary based on Chamber’s epic journey.
A special preview of the film will be shown on Saturday, February 10 during the Festival’s “Off the Reef” gala fundraiser at The Pearl (601 9th Street, San Francisco). The evening will feature food, fine wine and a silent auction: 5:30pm – 7pm cocktail reception; 7pm-9pm dinner and program; 9pm ’til 10:30pm music by DJ Bryce and remarks by this year’s “Ocean Champion” honoree, Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Louie Psihoyos. Individual tickets are $ 250 and can be purchased online.
“It would be hard to find a greater example of personal heroism matched with a love of the ocean than the story of Kim Chambers,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the International Ocean Film Festival. “As told on the screen by Kate Webber and David Orr alongside Oscar-and-Emmy-winner Brad Herschberger, it is the perfect film to open our 15th anniversary season.”
Kim Swims is a documentary about the inspiring story of Chambers, once facing a radical amputation following a freak accident, and her attempt to become the first woman to complete a solo swim from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge – a 30-mile stretch of water known for frigid temperatures, swirling currents and the world’s largest Great White sharks. Many consider it to be the hardest marathon swim in the world, and rightfully so, as only four other men have completed the swim. Through the physically and emotionally challenging lead-up to the swim, the swim itself, and the candid interviews with her and others, we present a look into what propels Kim to conquer her fear, pursue her passion and achieve her greatest potential, and hopefully inspire others to do the same.
Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 50 films from 15 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the 11th Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.
The full slate of films for the 15th Anniversary International Ocean Film Festival will be announced January 19.
The 15th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place March 8 to 11, 2018 at San Francisco’s Cowell Theatre at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture.
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Berlin Film Fest Selects First 6 Films in 2018 Perspektive Deutsches Kino
The Berlin International Film Festival has selected the first six films in the 2018 Perspektive Deutsches Kino section. The program will open with the new feature film by Philipp Eichholtz Rückenwind von vorn (Away You Go) (production: Von Oma gefördert). Staying true to himself, director Eichholtz lovingly and energetically tells the story of self-discovery against the wind. Headwind is uncomfortable and slows down forward motion unless you dress warmly, overcome the obstacles and occasionally change direction or take a detour. The young Berlin schoolteacher Charlie (Victoria Schulz) no longer wants to continue as usual on her chosen path and asks herself what she really wants and needs.
“When confronted with powerful winds from ahead, one must push harder to achieve one’s goals. That’s the challenge we accept, and one that transforms the headwind into a mobilizing tailwind from ahead,” comments section head Linda Söffker on her selection.
In Feierabendbier (After-work Beer), the directorial debut by Ben Brummer, and a production of the new Munich production company GAZE Film, barkeeper Magnus (Tilman Strauß) experiences an identity crisis when his precious classic car is stolen. Sporting a cool’n’casual attitude at all times, Magnus and especially his friend Dimi (Johann Jürgens) perfectly personify the hipster cliché: self-realisation through visible symbols of understatement. With the help of props, dress and music, director Brummer sketches a setting that creates a highly entertaining larger-than-life, comic-esque world for adults.
Three mid-length fiction works delve into love and farewells, each approaching the themes with a different aesthetic: Kineski zid (Great Wall of China) by dffb student Aleksandra Odić is a poetic narrative on the Bosnian mentality and spirited warmth of a family as experienced through the eyes of eight-year-old Maja. They all meet one summer day and Maja is the only family member who understands that her favourite aunt Ljilja is secretly emigrating to Germany later that day.
In Storkow Kalifornia by directing student Kolja Malik (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg), 30-year-old outlaw Sunny (Daniel Roth) of Storkow is torn between his mother and his new love (Lana Cooper), and between staying and going. A film like a road trip: Goodbye Storkow, hello Berlin!
Rå by Filmuniversität Babelsberg student Sophia Bösch is the story of an initiation. 16-year-old Linn (Sofia Aspholm) wants to be accepted into her father’s hunting group at all costs and realises, little by little, that she will never truly belong. A film on growing up and discovering how difficult it is for a woman to find her place in a community of men with antiquated hierarchies.
The documentary film draußen (outside), produced by Titus Kreyenberg (unafilm) and directed by Johanna Sunder-Plassmann and Tama Tobias-Macht, paints a portrait of the homeless individuals Matze, Elvis, Filzlaus and Sergio with the help of personal objects laden with memories and emotions that act as witnesses to their lives. The film takes the viewer out onto the streets and opens our minds to ideas on alternative lifestyles.
The complete Perspektive Deutsches Kino program will be available in January 2018.
draußen (outside)
By Johanna Sunder-Plassmann, Tama Tobias-Macht
Documentary
World premiere
Feierabendbier (After-work Beer)
By Ben Brummer
With Tilman Strauß, Julia Dietze, Johann Jürgens, Christian Tramitz
Feature film
World premiere
Kineski zid (Great Wall of China)
By Aleksandra Odić
With Elena Matić, Tina Keserović, Faketa Salihbegović-Avdagić, Anja Stanić, Mugdim Avdagić
Medium-long feature film
German premiere
Rå
By Sophia Bösch
With Sofia Aspholm, Lennart Jähkel, Lars T. Johansson, Ingmar Virta, Ivan Mathias Petersson
Medium-long feature film
World premiere
Rückenwind von vorn (Away You Go)
By Philipp Eichholtz
With Victoria Schulz, Aleksandar Radenković, Daniel Zillmann, Angelika Waller
Feature film
World premiere
Storkow Kalifornia
By Kolja Malik
With Daniel Roth, Lana Cooper, Franziska Ponitz
Medium-long feature film
World premiere
Image: Victoria Schulz, Daniel Zillmann. Rückenwind von vorn (Away You Go). Regie/director: Philipp Eichholtz
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2018 Berlin International Film Festival Unveils Official Posters
When the 68th Berlin International Film Festival takes place from February 15 to 25, 2018, Berlin will once again belong to the bears.
The festival today unveiled the 2018 poster series, featuring six different scenes, again designed by the Swiss agency Velvet. The posters will go up city-wide and be available for purchase at the Berlinale Online Shop starting on January 22.
“It’s that time of year again: The bears are out and about! On this year’s posters they’ll be popping up at well-known Berlin landmarks to get us in the mood for terrific festival days,” comments Festival Director Dieter Kosslick.
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Horror Themed Unnamed Footage Festival to Debut at Balboa Theater in San Francisco in March 2018
The Unnamed Footage Festival, a weekend of found footage horror, first person cinema, and faux documentary, is coming to the historic Balboa Theater in San Francisco March 24th to 25th, 2018. A collaboration between Philadelphia’s Unnamed Film Festival and the Bay Area-based organization, The Overlook Theatre, The Unnamed Footage Festival will include in-competition new selections from around the world and a series of revival screenings. The two-day event will feature in-person talks and Q&As with filmmakers who contribute to this niche subgenre, as well limited edition art and collectibles for badge holders.
The Balboa Theater resides in San Francisco’s Outer Richmond District and has been an operating movie house since 1926, splitting its single screen in two in the late 70’s. Rumors of paranormal activity at the classic cinema, which is built over a former cemetery, have been circulated by staff and patrons for years, making it the perfect location for UFF.
The slate of films will consist of narratives shot in the first person, and show the exciting diversity within the medium that has gone uncelebrated until now. While THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY defined the genre, many others went under the radar. UFF will offer audiences the chance to revisit older titles and discover new ones, while exploring comedy, science fiction, and drama, with an emphasis on the genre most often linked to found footage — horror movies.
“There’s nothing scarier than watching a found footage horror film in a creepy old theater ” says an Unnamed Representative, speaking through a phone with a voice modulator. “But the idea behind UFF isn’t just to scare the audience, we want to dissect the way these are made. We want to talk about how the forced perspective is used to manipulate the viewer, and the creativity in the use of different cameras.”
UFF is currently looking for films made by anyone, anytime — there are no limits regarding completion date or release status. Due to the nature of this genre, sometimes films take years to complete and slip through the cracks, and UFF’s goal is to hunt down and revive these movies and give new films the chance to screen theatrically.
Submissions are being accepted through February 15th, with a flat submission rate of $5 per short and $10 per feature. “Just go out and shoot something,” says the garbled voice of the Unnamed Representative. “A big part of this is to encourage filmmakers to play in this underappreciated storytelling format. There is so much room for exploration, and we want to see what strange and exciting things artists can do with it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B3nuQaJEHg
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HEARTS BEAT LOUD is Closing Night Film + New Films and More Added to 2018 Sundance Film Festival
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Hearts Beat Loud[/caption]
Eight feature films, a VR experience, the NEXT Innovator’s Award juror and hosted retrospectives were added today to the lineup for 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
RuPaul will convene a retrospective of VH1’s Emmy-winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on the heels of its 10th season, and host a panel with executive producers and Sundance Film Festival veterans Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey, along with Tom Campbell and Pamela Post, senior vice president of Original Programming for MTV, VH1 and Logo. RuPaul will also serve as the Festival’s inaugural and sole NEXT Innovator Award juror, and will present the NEXT Innovator Award to his favorite film in that category, which showcases pure, bold works distinguished by innovative, forward-thinking approaches to storytelling.
Other additions to the program include features Akicita: The Battle of Standing Rock, Hereditary, Lords of Chaos, The Long Dumb Road, Private Life, You Were Never Really Here and Sweet Country and New Frontier work Isle of Dogs Behind the Scenes (in Virtual Reality). Hearts Beat Loud, a feature announced earlier in the Premieres section, is now confirmed as a Closing Night Film.
These latest additions are joined by archive film Smoke Signals, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998, and a selection of early work by filmmaker Todd Haynes, whose feature film directorial debut Poison won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival. The archive films are selections from the Sundance Institute Collection at UCLA, a partnership between UCLA Film & Television Archive and Sundance Institute.
The latest additions to the 2018 Sundance Film Festival Program are:
FROM THE COLLECTION
An Evening with Todd Haynes / In the thirty years since he burst onto the indie scene, Todd Haynes has established himself as one of most distinctive voices in American cinema. A special conversation with Haynes and longtime collaborator, producer Christine Vachon, explores Haynes’ early work, including clips from notable, recently restored gems. Smoke Signals / U.S.A. (Director: Chris Eyre, Screenwriter: Sherman Alexie, Producers: Larry Estes, Scott Rosenfelt) — When Victor’s estranged father Arnold dies in Arizona, he must leave his home on an Idaho reservation to retrieve Arnold’s ashes. Victor’s friend Thomas offers to fund the trip, but only if he can accompany Victor. Together they undertake a journey filled with discovery about their personal and cultural identities. Cast: Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Irene Bedard, Gary Farmer, Tantoo Cardinal.DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
Akicita: The Battle of Standing Rock / U.S.A. (Director: Cody Lucich, Producers: Heather Rae, Gingger Shankar, Ben-Alex Dupris) — Standing Rock, 2016: the largest Native American occupation since Wounded Knee. Thousands of activists, environmentalists and militarized police descend on the Dakota Access Pipeline in a standoff between oil corporations and a new generation of Native Warriors. This chronicle captures the sweeping struggle, spirit and havoc of a People’s uprising. World Premiere. THE NEW CLIMATEMIDNIGHT
Hereditary / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ari Aster, Producers: Kevin Frakes, Lars Knudsen, Buddy Patrick) — After their reclusive grandmother passes away, the Graham family tries to escape the dark fate they’ve inherited. Cast: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Ann Dowd, Milly Shapiro. World Premiere Lords of Chaos / U.S.A. (Director: Jonas Åkerlund, Screenwriters: Jonas Åkerlund, Dennis Magnusson, Producers: Kwesi Dickson, Danny Gabai, Jim Czarnecki, Erik Gordon, Jack Arbuthnott, Ko Mori) — Based on truth (and lies), Lords of Chaos is a dark drama about a precocious teenager, Euronymous, who wants to spread evil, chaos, and true Norwegian black metal. When Euronymous invites a mysterious loner, Varg, to join his “Black Circle,” a rivalry sparks, leading to unexpected consequences. Cast: Rory Culkin, Emory Cohen, Sky Ferreira, Jack Kilmer, Valter Skarsgård. World PremiereNEW FRONTIER
Isle of Dogs Behind the Scenes (in Virtual Reality) / (Lead Artists: A collaboration between Felix Lajeunesse & Paul Raphael and the Isle of Dogs production team) — This virtual reality experience places the viewer inside the miniature world of Wes Anderson’s upcoming stop-motion animated film, face to face with the cast of dogs as they are interviewed on set, while the crew of the film works around you to create the animation you are seeing. Cast: A selection of actors from the cast of Isle of Dogs.PREMIERES
The Long Dumb Road / U.S.A. (Director: Hannah Fidell, Screenwriters: Hannah Fidell, Carson Mell, Producers: Hannah Fidell, Jacqueline “JJ” Ingram, Jonathan Duffy, Kelly Williams) — Two very different men, at personal crossroads, meet serendipitously and take an unpredictable journey through the American Southwest. Cast: Tony Revolori, Jason Mantzoukas, Taissa Farmiga, Grace Gummer, Ron Livingston, Casey Wilson, Ciara Bravo. World Premiere Private Life / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tamara Jenkins, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Stefanie Azpiazu) — A couple in the throes of infertility try to maintain their marriage as they descend deeper into the weird world of assisted reproduction and domestic adoption. When their doctor suggests third-party reproduction, they bristle. But when Sadie, a recent college dropout, re-enters their life, they reconsider. Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Paul Giamatti, Molly Shannon, John Carroll Lynch, Kayli Carter. World PremiereSPECIAL EVENTS
“RuPaul’s Drag Race:” A Retrospective of the Cultural Phenomenon / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: RuPaul Charles) — A retrospective of VH1’s Emmy-winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on the heels of its10th season, and a panel hosted by RuPaul with executive producers Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey, along with Tom Campbell and Pamela Post, senior vice president of Original Programming for MTV, VH1 and Logo. Cast: RuPaul Charles, Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews. World PremiereSPOTLIGHT
You Were Never Really Here / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Lynne Ramsay, Producers: Pascal Caucheteux, Rosa Attab, James Wilson, Rebecca O’Brien, Lynne Ramsay) — A traumatized veteran, unafraid of violence, tracks down missing girls for a living. When a job spins out of control, Joe’s nightmares overtake him as a conspiracy is uncovered leading to what may be his death trip or his awakening. Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Alessandro Nivola, Judith Roberts, Ekaterina Samsonov, John Doman, Alex Manette. North American Premiere Sweet Country / Australia (Director and screenwriter: Warwick Thornton, Producers: David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin) — In 1920s Australia, a middle-aged Aboriginal man’s comfortable life is upended by a newcomer’s arrival. Wanted for murder in the bloody aftermath of a violent shootout, he must flee into the dangerous outback with his wife. Cast: Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Hamilton Morris, Ewen Leslie, Thomas M. Wright, Matt Day. Utah Premiere