Film Festivals

Onur Tukel’s THE MISOGYNISTS Among Headliners for 23rd Cucalorus Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_24822" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Misogynists[/caption] The 23 year-old Cucalorus Film Festival is transforming to broaden its exploration of innovation and creativity by showcasing performers and entrepreneurs along with filmmakers. This year’s Cucalorus Festival taking place November 8 to 12, in downtown Wilmington, NC, is organized into three broad programs: Film, Stage and Connect. The catalyst for this transformation is the Cucalorus Connect Conference, an exploration of the digital transformation that is changing the way we live, work and play. Michele Holbrook from Corning will deliver the opening keynote and will be joined by executives from GE Hitachi Nuclear, ESPN, CBS Sports, SAS, Microsoft, K4Connect and more. Entrepreneur George Taylor, who has been instrumental in building the ecosystem for startups in North Carolina, will make a special announcement about his work to launch a brewery run by active gang members during the closing keynote. Headlining Thursday’s schedule, Onur Tukel returns to Wilmington for the Southern US Premiere of his latest film “The Misogynists” – a devastatingly satirical comedy about two Trump supporters celebrating in a hotel room on election night. Cucalorus will host the World Premiere of Canadian filmmakers Hannah Cheesman and Mackenzie Donaldson’s “The Definites” – a tightly crafted drama about a woman who leaves her husband-to-be and dives into her own wild desires during a libidinous, party-filled weekend at Art Basel in Miami. Rounding out the premieres at the festival are Dan Mirvish’s “Bernard and Huey,” Jordan Canning’s “Ordinary Days,” Jennifer Morrison’s “Sun Dogs,” and Bob Byington’s “Infinity Baby.” The full lineup of over 200 features and shorts will be announced next week and will include special curated programs from Toronto International Film Festival‘s Lisa Haller and Lisa Vandever from Cinekink. The festival’s Works-in-Progress program, a workshop-style review of top social documentaries in-the-making from African American filmmakers, includes Unapologetic by Ashley Mills, Seeds of Struggle by Dennis Terry, Woody Shaw: Beyond All Limits by Woody Shaw III, Time of the Phoenix: The First Rainbow Coalition by Ray Santisteban, You Only Live Once by Terrance Pitts, and While I Breathe, I Hope by Emily Harrold. The newest branch of the festival family is the Cucalorus Stage program, built on the success of performance-focused events like Dance-a-lorus, the Bus to Lumberton, and Visual/Sound/Walls. The Cucalorus Stage Experience includes more than 40 performers working in dance, music, theatre, comedy and performance. Alexandra Tatarsky returns to the festival with “Americana Psychobabble” – a delirious anti-narrative of American emptiness, violence and nonsense — part exorcism and part enema! Returning to the fest after her buzz-worthy debut, Shirley Gnome will share her new show “Taking it up the Notch.” Dram Tree Shakespeare, Pineapple-Shaped Lamps and a host of other cutting edge performers round out the lineup while the David Lynch-inspired Bus to Lumberton installation is being created by award-winning alum Josephine Decker.
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Russian Resurrection Film Festival to Honor Director Andrei Konchalovsky with Retrospective

The retrospective for the 2017 Russian Resurrection Film Festival in Western Australia will celebrate the 80th birthday of film director, screenwriter and producer Andrei Konchalovsky. Andrei Konchalovsky’s career in film spans over 45 years, kick starting in Russia in the 60’s and 70’s before moving to Hollywood in the 80’s where he directed a range of films including Runaway Train with Jon Voight and Tango & Cash starring Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone. Both be screening at Russian Resurrection Film Festival this year. Andrei Konchalovsky has now returned to Russia where he continues to work today. Currently living in Moscow, he still makes the occasional trip to Hollywood to work on mainstream TV productions including the Emmy-winning The Odyssey and The Lion in Winter. He was named ‘Best Director’ at Russia’s prestigious Nika Awards held earlier this year in Moscow. His most recent film Rai (Paradise), a holocaust themed drama also took home the ‘Best Film’ award at the ceremony. Paradise will also be screening at the Russian Resurrection Film Festival. Festival Director Nicholas Maksymow says the Russian Resurrection Film Festival looks forward to celebrating the incredible career of Andrei Konchalovsky with audiences. “We are delighted to be celebrating the 80th birthday of legendary director Andrei Konchalovsky with a special retrospective at the Russian Resurrection Film Festival this year. Andrei is an incredibly talented Russian director who has achieved greatness in his career in Russia and Hollywood. Andrei’s critically acclaimed work in film, television and theatre has been influential to audiences across the globe and we look forward to bringing a selection of these fantastic films to screens across Australia and New Zealand.” The selection of films screening as part of the Andrei Konchalovsky retrospective this year include Nest of the Gentry (1969), Uncle Vanya (1970), Runaway Train (1985), Tango & Cash (1989), Gloss (2007), Paradise (2016). Nest of the Gentry (1969) is based on a novel by Ivan Turgenev. It is a tale about love, emotions and relationships and stars Nikita Mikhalkov. Based on Chekhov’s much-loved play, Uncle Vanya (1970) is a powerhouse production featuring some of Russia’s best actors of the era including Irina Kupchenko, Innokenti Smoktunovsky, Sergei Bondarchuk and Irina Miroshnichenko. It is an exceedingly graceful, beautifully acted production that highlights Chekhov as Russia’s saddest, gentlest, funniest and most compassionate playwright. Starring Jon Voight and Eric Roberts, Konchalovsky’s second American film Runaway Train (1985) is based on a screenplay by the Japanese master, Akira Kurosawa. The story follows two dangerous prisoners who escape from a desolate Alaskan maximum-security prison across the icy wilderness. Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell star as Tango and Cash (1989), a typical 80’s Hollywood police blockbuster mixing thrilling action with hilarious characters and goofy jokes. Gloss (2007) is described by many as a Russian spin on hit comedy The Devil Wears Prada. It is a canny satire on the modern fixation with fashion and celebrity culture. The film follows Galia, a seamstress from Rostov who moves to Moscow in the hope of becoming rich and famous. As mentioned above, the multi-award winning Paradise (2016) will also be screening at the Russian Resurrection Film Festival; the film is an absorbing Holocaust drama built on the unlikely juncture of grace and despair, horror and rapture. The Russian Resurrection Film Festival 2017 returns to Cinema Paradiso in Northbridge from October 27 to November 1 , 2017.
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Free NYFF Live will Feature Richard Linklater, Sean Baker, Vanessa Redgrave and More

[caption id="attachment_24811" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Richard Linklater[/caption] The sixth edition of free talk series NYFF Live during the 2017 New York Film Festival will feature actors, directors, writers, critics, and other industry insiders participating in daily evening discussions in the Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center. NYFF55 Directors Dialogues include conversations with Main Slate filmmakers Lucrecia Martel, Agnès Varda & JR, Hong Sang-soo, and Philippe Garrel. This year’s On Cinema features Opening Night filmmaker Richard Linklater (Last Flag Flying) in an in-depth discussion with NYFF Director Kent Jones about films that have influenced and inspired him, illustrated with film clips. NYFF Live features panels on The Square, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), The Florida Project, and other films from NYFF55, as well as discussions with festival talent including Vanessa Redgrave, Luca Guadagnino, and Claire Denis.
NYFF Live and Directors Dialogues
Ruben Östlund, The Square Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund’s The Square won the coveted Palme d’Or at Cannes this year. The satirical drama, starring Claes Bang and Elisabeth Moss, follows a well-heeled contemporary art curator at a Stockholm museum who falls prey to a pickpocketing scam, triggering an overzealous response and then a crisis of conscience. Östlund, whose features also include Play and Force Majeure, will talk about writing and directing The Square, which plays at this year’s NYFF. VR and the Future of Virtual Production by Lucasfilm Demo and Talk with Rachel Rose, Jose Perez, and Nick Rasmussen From the depths of earth’s oceans to galaxies far, far away, VR allows us to be anyone, go anywhere, and see anything. Lucasfilm and its visual effects division, Industrial Light & Magic, have harnessed the power of this medium to create a new Virtual Production toolset, allowing filmmakers to build and scout a virtual set, manipulate props, puppeteer characters and vehicles, even compose shots to create virtual storyboards. It’s a game-changing application that is easy to learn, allowing storytellers to focus on the elements that blend together to form great stories. The creators of the toolset will participate in a conversation about the development of the platform and its potential to impact the filmmaking process, followed on Saturday by a public demonstration that will allow audiences to experience the system first hand. On Cinema: Richard Linklater In this annual special event, NYFF Director Kent Jones sits down with world-renowned filmmakers for an in-depth talk about films that have influenced and inspired them, illustrated with film clips. This year, Jones will talk with Richard Linklater, whose intensely emotional comic drama Last Flag Flying is this year’s opening night selection, and whose many superb films (Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Waking Life, and Boyhood, to name just a few) have been genuine gifts to modern American cinema. Gamescape: The Revenge of Full Motion Video It’s 1983. You find yourself in an arcade in the ’burbs. Among the future classics—Galaga, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong—you find something different: Sega’s Astron Belt or Cinematronics’ Dragon’s Lair, games that eschewed pixelated sprites for video and vivid animation. Full Motion Video games were movies you could play—to a point: the technical execution left something to be desired. Games were unreliable, systems crashed, and FMV all but disappeared. But FMV is making a comeback as creators breathe new life into this 35-year-old form. The 2017 edition of Gamescape celebrates some of the best new FMV work and looks back on titles both famous and infamous from the golden age of the arcade. GameScape is co-curated by Clara Fernandez-Vara, of the NYU Game Center. IndieWire Screen Talk LIVE podcast with Eric Kohn & Anne Thompson Take a seat to watch IndieWire’s Chief Film Critic Eric Kohn and Editor at Large Anne Thompson engage in film debate and banter as they record the next episode of their popular podcast, Screen Talk. Kohn and Thompson will give their takes on the first weekend of the New York Film Festival, and talk about how awards season is shaping up. HBO Directors Dialogues: Lucrecia Martel A singular artist working in cinema today, Argentinean director Lucrecia Martel makes films that are unlike any others. This year, Zama, showcased in the Main Slate, marks Martel’s fourth feature and fourth New York Film Festival appearance, following La Cienaga (2001), The Holy Girl (2004), and The Headless Woman (2009). Join Martel for a discussion of her films and her remarkable latest, an adaptation of a classic Argentinean novel, set in the late 18th century. Film Comment: The Cinema of Experience At this year’s NYFF, filmmakers are rising to the challenge of representing race and immigration at a pivotal time in our nation’s history. Our guests will discuss how cinematic technique is used to reflect such experiences and what is different about the latest generation of storytelling. Moderated by Film Comment Editor-in-Chief Nicolas Rapold, and featuring critic Teo Bugbee, writer-programmer Ashley Clark, and writer-filmmaker Farihah Zaman. Serge Bozon & Isabelle Huppert, Mrs. Hyde Academy Award nominee Isabelle Huppert headlines Serge Bozon’s eccentric comedic thriller loosely based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Huppert plays a timid physics professor at a suburban high school constantly mocked by colleagues and students. During a stormy night, she is struck by lightning, and wakes up as the newly powerful Madame Hyde. Meet Huppert as she talks about transforming into this character, and her career in movies and television; and Bozon, who will share his experiences making the movie. HBO Directors Dialogues: Agnès Varda & JR At age 89, legendary French filmmaker Agnès Varda has collaborated with 34-year-old visual artist JR on a remarkable new film, titled Faces Places. In it, the two of them journey from one rural French village to another, meeting people, taking their photographs, and printing large-scale versions of them, placed grandly within the environments. The two artist friends will discuss their unique project and the wise and wonderful film that came out of it. Noah Baumbach, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) No stranger to the New York Film Festival, Noah Baumbach has presented The Squid and the Whale (2005), Margot at the Wedding (2007), and Frances Ha (2012) here. Baumbach returns this year with the comedic drama The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), starring Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, and Emma Thompson. The film harkens back to the themes of family vanities and warring attachments he has explored in previous movies. Baumbach will talk about writing the film, and working with a cast that includes screen legend Hoffman. NYFF Shorts Filmmakers For the past three years, the New York Film Festival has celebrated short form filmmakers living and working in the city. Meet the directors with films in the festival’s “New York Stories” program: Jason Giampietro (Unpresidented), Adinah Dancyger (Cheer Up Baby), Ashley Connor and Joe Stankus (The Layover), Kevin Wilson, Jr. (My Nephew Emmett), John Wilson (The Road to Magnasanti) and Pacho Velez & Yoni Brook (Mr. Yellow Sweatshirt). Making The Florida Project: Sean Baker & Chris Bergoch Sean Baker (writer-director-producer-editor) and Chris Bergoch (writer-producer) collaborated on The Florida Project, which is having its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival. In this discussion, they’ll delve into the particulars of how The Florida Project was conceived and executed through its various stages in development. Set over one summer, the film follows precocious six-year-old Moonee as she courts mischief and adventure with her ragtag playmates and bonds with her rebellious but caring mother, all while living in the shadow of nearby Disney World. Making Call Me by Your Name: Luca Guadagnino, Armie Hammer, and Michael Stuhlbarg Luca Guadagnino’s film has already caused a sensation at the Sundance, Berlin, and Toronto film festivals. Based on the book by André Aciman and from a screenplay by James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name centers on the son of an American professor who falls for the graduate student who comes to study and live with his family in their northern Italian home during the summer. Join Guadagnino and actors Armie Hammer and Michael Stuhlbarg as they talk about what is sure to be one of the most debated films of the fall. Spotlight on Documentary Filmmakers The amount of nonfiction films has skyrocketed since the turn of the century. Festivals around the world have celebrated the form, while critics and filmgoers have increasingly included docs on their roster of films to see. The group of filmmakers showing at this year’s NYFF—including Alison McAlpine (Cielo), Nancy Buirski (The Rape of Recy Taylor), Ena and Ines Talakic (Hall of Mirrors), among others—represent a cross-section of some of the most compelling documentarians working today. Documenting Creativity: Griffin Dunne, Rebecca Miller, Susan Lacy, Josh Koury & Myles Kane Many documentaries showing at this year’s NYFF focus on the lives and work of major writers and artists. At this talk, the directors behind four of these films will speak about their processes in representing creative people onscreen: Griffin Dunne, on creating a portrait of his aunt in Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold; Rebecca Miller, on the long road to constructing a documentary on her father in Arthur Miller: Writer; Susan Lacy, who traces the private, public, and artistic development of one of cinema’s true giants in Spielberg; and Josh Koury & Myles Kane on Voyeur, which closely followed Gay Talese as he worked on his controversial book The Voyeur’s Motel. Film Comment: Filmmakers Chat For the second year, Film Comment gives you the rare chance to see some of today’s most important filmmakers in dialogue with each other. A selection of NYFF directors past and present will talk together about their influences and inspirations in a discussion moderated by the magazine’s editor-in-chief Nicolas Rapold, with filmmakers Claire Denis (Let the Sun Shine In) and Joachim Trier (Thelma). Vanessa Redgrave, Sea Sorrow Her career as an actor has spanned six decades, but Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave has now become a documentary director with Sea Sorrow, a timely examination of the world’s urgent migrant crisis. Redgrave will be joined by producer Carlo Gabriel Nero to discuss what moved her to take on the project and how she set out to accomplish her filmmaking goals. Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird Greta Gerwig is a familiar presence at the New York Film Festival, seen in films such as Frances Ha (2012), Eden (2014), and 20th Century Women (2016). Gerwig has returned to the festival this year as a filmmaker, presenting her directorial debut, Lady Bird, starring Saoirse Ronan as an artistically inclined young woman trying to define herself in the shadow of her mother (Laurie Metcalf) and searching for an escape route from her hometown of Sacramento. Join Gerwig as she talks about segueing to behind the camera and telling a story that comes from a very personal place. HBO Directors Dialogues: Hong Sang-soo Beyond prolific, South Korean director Hong Sang-soo has presented new films in NYFF’s Main Slate for five years in a row. And this year, he has two new movies: The Day After, a black-and-white tale of mistaken identity, déja vu, and adultery; and On the Beach at Night Alone, an achingly personal response to public scandals surrounding his romantic life, starring Kim Min-hee (The Handmaiden). Hong will be on-hand to discuss these intimate, dialogue-driven, comic-tinged dramas. Field of Vision Presents Since its launch in 2013, Field of Vision has been a trailblazer in producing and championing short-form documentaries about developing and ongoing stories from around the world. This evening will spotlight three current films, featuring clips and discussions with their filmmakers. These include Marshall Curry’s A Night at the Garden, about a chilling rally held in New York nearly 80 years ago and which has resonance today; Josh Begley’s Best of Luck with the Wall, which gives perhaps the first true look at the consequences of Trump’s proposed wall between the U.S. and Mexico; and a sneak from Farihah Zaman and Jeff Reichert’s latest project, American Carnage, about the films and politics of Breitbart News chief and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. HBO Directors Dialogues: Philippe Garrel French master Philippe Garrel represents a strain of modernist cinema that stretches from the post–New Wave era to today, as evidenced by three of his films showing during NYFF this year. We’re pleased to present his newest film, the penetrating meditation on relationships and fidelity Lover for a Day, showing in the Main Slate, as well as restorations of his La Révélateur, made while the events of May ’68 were unfolding, and his devastatingly personal 1979 film L’Enfant secret. And we’re thrilled to have Garrel at this rare public appearance. Keeping Cultural Borders Open: Laurie Anderson and special guests This year at the New York Film Festival, hundreds of artists and activists will band together to launch The Federation. Formed by Laurie Anderson, Laura Michalchyshyn, and Tanya Selvaratnam in response to the increased xenophobia and closing of physical borders, The Federation is a coalition of individuals and organizations committed to keeping cultural borders open and recognizing how essential artistic experiences are to fostering compassion, critical thinking, and joy. Join Anderson, Selvaratnam, Sara Driver, Barbet Schroeder, and other special guests for a discussion about the aims of the initiative and the role artists play in combatting cultural barriers. Presented with The Federation Real Characters: Writing Biopics and Origin Stories One of the deepest connections we can have to a movie is through fully conceptualized, credible characters. Without them, even the most engrossing plot may not resonate. The Writers Guild of America, East brings together the creators behind some unforgettable recent movie characters to tell us how they made them intriguing and believable. Presented with WGA East Film Comment: Festival Wrap In what is becoming an annual tradition, Film Comment contributing critics and editors gather for the festival’s last weekend and talk about the films they’ve seen, discussing—or arguing about—the selections in the lineup, from Main Slate and beyond. Access New Audiences: Wonderstruck & The Blind Boys of Alabama Join Michele Spitz (Woman of Her Word) and Jo-Ann Dean (SIGNmation) for a discussion on how filmmakers and distributors can increase audience outreach and box-office by incorporating accessible language components for both Deaf and Blind communities. Participating are Deaf actors Lauren Ridloff, Anthony Natale, and John McGinty, featured in NYFF Centerpiece Wonderstruck; Leslie McCleave, producer-director of How Sweet the Sound: The Blind Boys of Alabama; and award-winning audio producer, director, and engineer Cliff Hahn. The panelists will provide insight on budgeting, grant opportunities, and how American Sign Language (ASL), Audio Description (AD) and Open/Closed Captioning (OC/CC) are inclusive assets. ASL Interpretation Provided. Presented with NYWIFT
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HOSTILES Starring Christian Bale to Open 12th Rome Film Fest

Hostiles directed by Scott Cooper, and starring Christian Bale along with Rosamund Pike, will be the opening film of the 12th Rome Film Fest taking place October 26 to November 5, 2017. The fourth feature-length film by American filmmaker and screenwriter Scott Cooper, who previously directed Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace and Black Mass, is an unconventional dramatic western that explores with remarkable intensity one of the most common and complex themes addressed by this genre: the relationship with Native Americans. Set in 1892, Hostiles tells the story of an Army captain who agrees to escort an old Cheyenne war chief and his family to tribal lands in Montana. Oscar®-winner Christian Bale (the “Dark Knight” trilogy, American Hustle, The Fighter) – who works again with Cooper after Out of the Furnace – and British actress Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Pride and Prejudice, Barney’s Version) star in the leading roles with Wes Studi (Dances with Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat). “I am extremely excited to open the 12th Rome Film Fest with Hostiles,” stated Rome Film Festival artistic director Antonio Monda. “This is a western with an epic structure, that looks deeply into eternal themes such as violence, the evil that dwells within the hearts of men, but also freedom and the possibility of starting over: a brave and important film inspired by the cinematic tradition of John Ford and the literary tradition of Cormac McCarthy. Powerful and moving, Hostiles is rooted in the finest tradition of American cinema: a journey inside the wild heart of that great nation and of our souls, in search of redemption. Magnificently directed by Scott Cooper and masterfully played by Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike, it has all the qualities it needs to become a classic of cinema and of the western genre”.
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Philip Gelatt’s THEY REMAIN will World Premiere at Portland’s H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival

They Remain, the highly anticipated film, written and directed by Philip Gelatt (Europa Report) and adapted from Laird Barron’s short story “-30-”, will World Premiere at the 2017 H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival on Saturday, October 7th. “We are extremely honored to be showing this genre-bending thriller to our highly engaged audience even before it makes its theatrical run next year,” said Brian Callahan, Festival Director. “The film has already been acquired for distribution by Paladin, and the producers of They Remain know that it is a perfect fit for the H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival. Laird Barron has been a guest at the festival in the past, and it’s only fitting that the feature film adaptation of his story premieres to the best audience in the world.” They Remain defies categorization and journeys into the shadowy realm where nature, science, and the supernatural co-exist in horrific symbiosis. William Harper Jackson (“True Story”) and Rebecca Henderson (“Mistress America”) star as two scientists investigating the root of environmental changes and strange animal behavior at a remote site where a Manson Family-style cult committed atrocities. The isolated location, the unraveling of their relationship, and the biome itself begin to lead them down a path of doom where primeval forces threaten to consume them. Whether you’re a fan of author Laird Barron or a fan of cosmic horror cinema, you will not want to miss this screening. Barron’s novels, short fiction, and poems have earned him a substantial readership among aficionados of fantasy, noir, horror, and sci-fi, and have twice won him the Shirley Jackson Award. Gelatt, similarly, combines multi-disciplinary experience as a graphic novelist and comic book creator for the “Indiana Jones” franchise, and for such companies as Dark Horse Comics and Oni Press, with his background as a video game writer for such companies as Crystal Dynamics and Frictional Games, and on “Rise of The Tomb Raider” (for which he won the WGA Award). With this pedigree, it is unsurprising that They Remain succeeds in splicing these various strains of pop culture DNA into a unique and imaginative cinematic hybrid. The 22nd Annual H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival takes place October 6 to 8th at the historic Hollywood Theatre in Portland, Oregon.
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Austin Film Festival Announces 2017 Film Lineup, CHAPPAQUIDDICK to Close Fest

[caption id="attachment_24775" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Chappaquiddick[/caption] The 24th Austin Film Festival (AFF) unveiled its lineup of feature films, and Chappaquiddick, a drama recounting Ted Kennedy’s infamous 1969 car accident resulting in the death of his campaign worker, will close out the Festival. A staple of the Festival, AFF’s retrospective series this year will feature Philip D’Antoni’s 1973 drama The Seven-Ups presented by David Simon and George Pelecanos (The Deuce, The Wire), Jack Fisk’s 1981 film Raggedy Man—a tribute to Sam Shepard—presented by writer William D. Wittliff in partnership with the Wittliff Collections, and seminal 1987 action film Predator presented by Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, The Nice Guys) who is currently working on the film’s reboot. Additionally, already announced Extraordinary Contribution to Film awardee Walter Hill will present his cult classic The Warriors. In addition to the slate of 150+ films, AFF will present premieres and retrospectives of television programming, including the season 2 premiere of Hulu’s darkly comedic psychic drama Shut Eye , and the premiere of the Season Finale of HBO’s drama The Deuce. Also confirmed to attend is Dan Rather, who will help present the World Premiere of the documentary Fail State, chronicling the rise of predatory for-profit colleges. Writer/producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, The Walking Dead) will also be in attendance for AFF’s screening of documentary Mankiller about barrier-breaking female Cherokee leader Wilma Mankiller. Other World Premieres include Wild Honey (Francis Stokes’ comedy about a phone sex operator searching for love), Coming to My Senses (a documentary following a man’s journey to regain his mobility after an accident), and Transformer (chronicling the transition of world-renowned body builder Matt Kroczaelski into Janae after being outed as transgender). Making its US Premiere at AFF is comedy Don’t Talk to Irene, which also won AFF’s Comedy Screenplay Award in 2013. Written and directed by Pat Mills, Irene premiered this month at Toronto International Film Festival to a receptive audience. Austin Film Festival also revealed today their full Screenwriters Conference schedule, which will take place the first four days of the Festival, October 26-29. The Conference features a roster of prominent screenwriters in film and television, including Kenneth Lonergan, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Noah Hawley, Courtney A. Kemp, Lindsay Doran, Misha Green, Michael Arndt, Mark Frost, Michael Green, Sarah Gubbins, Christopher Vogler, Scott Frank, Megan Amram, John August, Eric Heisserer, and many more
Austin Film Festival’s 2017 slate:

Marquee Features:
Lady Bird – Opening Night Film Writer/Director: Greta Gerwig The Current War – Centerpiece Film Writer: Michael Mitnick Director: Alfonso Gomez Chappaquiddick – Closing Night Film Writers: Taylor Allen, Andrew Logan Director: John Curran 24 Hours to Live Writers: Zach Dean, Jim McClain, Ron Mita Director: Brian Smrz 42 Grams Director: Jack C. Newell An Ordinary Man Writer/Director: Brad Silberling The Boy Downstairs Writer/Director: Sophie Brooks Blame Writers: Laurie Shephard, Quinn Shephard Director: Quinn Shephard Call Me By Your Name *REGIONAL PREMIERE Writers: James Ivory, Andre Aciman Director: Luca Guadagnino Darkest Hour *REGIONAL PREMIERE Writer: Anthony McCarten Director: Joe Wright Endings: The Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great – The Movie Special Presentation by Michael Arndt Into the Night: Portraits of Life and Death Director: Helen Whitney Please Stand By Writer: Michael Golamco Director: Ben Lewin Permanent Writer/Director: Colette Burson Mansfield 66/67 Directors: P. David Ebersole, Todd Hughes Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri **REGIONAL PREMIERE Writer/Director: Martin McDonagh The Upside *REGIONAL PREMIERE Writers: Jon Hartmere Director: Neil Burger
Marquee-TV Programming
HBO’s The Deuce-Season Finale Writers: George Pelecanos, David Simon, Chris Yakaitis Director: Michelle MacLaren YouTube Red’s Do You Want to See a Dead Body? Creator: Rob Huebel Hulu’s Shut Eye Season 2 Premiere Episode: “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore” (Season Premiere) Executive Producer/Showrunner: John Shiban Executive Producers: Mark Johnson, Melissa Bernstein Writer: Amy Berg New Form Original Premieres Small Talk Creator: Becca Gleason Love Me Do Creator: Gaby Dunn Press Start Creators: Evan Beamer and Dave Childs
Retrospective Programming
Confessions of a Serial Killer (1985) – Presented by Mark Blair Writer/Director: Mark Blair Predator (1987) – Presented by Shane Black Writers: Jim Thomas, John Thomas Director: John McTiernan Raggedy Man (1981) – Presented by William D. Wittliff Writer: William D. Wittliff Director: Jack Fisk The Seven-Ups (1973) – Presented by George Pelecanos and David Simon Writers: Albert Ruben, Alexander Jacobs, Sonny Grosso Director: Philip D’Antoni The Warriors (1979) – Presented by Walter Hill Writers: Walter Hill, David Shaber, Sol Yurick (novel) Director: Walter Hill
Narrative Features:
Amanda and Jack Go Glamping Writer/Director: Brandon Dickerson An American in Texas Writers: Anthony Pedone, Stephen Floyd Director: Anthony Pedone Beauty Mark Writer/Director: Harris Doran Cast: Laura Bell Bundy, Jeff Kober, Madison Iseman Bleed. Scream. Beat! Writers: Aldo Miyashiro, Ãrika Villalobos, Abril CÃ¡rdenas Director: Aldo Miyashiro Boost Writer/Director: Darren Curtis Dabka Writer/Director: Bryan Buckley Flock of Four Writer: Gregory Caruso, Michael Nader Director: Gregory Caruso Here We Are Writer/Director: David Bellarosa High & Outside: a baseball noir Writer: Dan O’Dair Director: Evald Johnson Hollow in the Land Writer/Director: Scooter Corkle In Blue Writers: Jan-Willem den Bok & Jaap van Heusden Director: Jaap van Heusden Kafou Writers: Jasmuel Andri, Bruno Mourral, Gilbert Mirambeau Director: Bruno Mourral Logndagen Writer/Director: Yaghoob Keshavarz Sarkar Meerkat Moonship Writer/Director: Hanneke Schutte Quality Problems Writer/Director: Brooke Purdy Quest Writers: Santiago Rizzo & Darren Anderson Director: Santiago Rizzo Southern Tale Writer/Director: Tel Royal Space & Time Writer/Director: Shawn Gerrard Sun Dogs Writer: Jennifer Morrison Director: Anthony Tambakis Tenn Writer: Stacey Miller Director: James Franco House of Tomorrow Writer/Director: Peter Livolsi Time Trap Writer: Mark Dennis Directors: Mark Dennis, Ben Foster
Comedy Vanguard Features
Chasing the Blues Writer: Scott Smith, Kevin Guilfoile Director: Scott Smith Don’t Talk To Irene *US PREMIERE Writer/Director: Pat Mills Dr. Brinks & Dr. Brinks Writer: Josh Crockett, Jonathan Pappas Director: Josh Crockett The Great Unwashed Writer: Louis Fonseca, Nick Horseman Director: Louis Fonseca The Outdoorsman Writer: Ryan Gilmour Director: David Haskell Shop of Little Pleasures Writer: Julia Frick, Alice Frick Director: Julia Frick Wild Honey Writer/Director: Francis Stokes
Dark Matters Features
Bodies Writer: Joseph Baker Director: Tom Large Bullitt County Writer/Director: David McCracken Freddy/Eddy Writer/Director: Tini Tüllmann Ruin Me Writer: Trysta A. Bissett, Preston DeFrancis Director: Preston DeFrancis The Landing Writers/Directors: David Dodson and Mark Dodson Touched Writer/Director: Karl R. Hearne
Documentary Feature
Augie Director: James Keach Beauty and Ruin Writer/Director: Marc de Guerre Coming to My Senses Director: Dominic Gill Fail State *WORLD PREMIERE Writers: Alexander Shebanow, Regina Sobel, Nicholas Adams Director: Alexander Shebanow Mankiller *REGIONAL PREMIERE Writer: Valerie Red-horse Mohl, Gale Anne Hurd Director: Valerie Red-horse Mohl Mr. Fish: Cartooning From the Deep End Director: Pablo Bryant Shot in the Dark Director: Dustin Nakao Haider Transformer Writer/Director: Michael Del Monte Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace Writers: Rich Gentile, Eli Spielman, Bruce Johnson What Haunts Us Writer: Mark Monroe Director: Paige Goldberg Tolmach
Family Series
Earth: One Amazing Day Writers: Frank Cottrell Boyce, Richard Dale, Geling Yan Directors: Richard Dale, Lixin Fan, Peter Webber Into the Who Knows! Writers: Micah Barber, Tony Faia
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Palm D’or Winner THE SQUARE to Open Santa Fe Independent Film Festival

Ruben Ostlund’s art-world satire The Square will open this year’s ninth Santa Fe Independent Film Festival (SFIFF) on Wednesday October 18, 2017. “After first seeing it in Cannes, we are excited to present the New Mexico premiere of this fascinating picture to Santa Fe’s dedicated movie-going audience,” said Jacques Paisner, executive director. SFIFF presents more than 300 hours of programming, the latest international and independent films, and one-of-a-kind interactive events over five (5) days of films including, Only the Brave, Becoming Who I Was, and the world premiere of Ol’ Max Evans: The First Thousand Years. John Sayles and Maggie Renzi will receive the SFIFF Lifetime Achievement Award, and John Waters will perform his live one-man show. In The Square directed by Ruben Ostlund, Christian is the respected curator of a contemporary art museum, a divorced but devoted father of two who drives an electric car and supports good causes. His next show is “The Square”, an installation which invites passersby to altruism, reminding them of their role as responsible fellow human beings. But sometimes, it is difficult to live up to your own ideals: Christian’s foolish response to the theft of his phone drags him into shameful situations. Meanwhile, the museum’s PR agency has created an unexpected campaign for ”The Square”. The response is overblown and sends Christian, as well as the museum, into an existential crisis. Starring Elisabeth Moss, Claes Bang, Dominic West, and Terry Notary
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Indie Films THE FLORIDA PROJECT to Open and CALL ME BY YOUR NAME to Close 2017 New Orleans Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_24746" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Florida Project[/caption] Lauded for its artistry and authenticity, The Florida Project starring Willem Dafoe will open the 28th New Orleans Film Festival on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. The Florida Project also stars child actress Brooklynn Prince and a debut performance by Bria Vinaite, whom writer-director Sean Baker discovered via Instagram. The Florida Project is the newest movie from writer-director Sean Baker, who staked his claim two years ago with Tangerine, an indie feature shot entirely with his iPhone camera. Call Me By Your Name, which created major buzz when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, will close the festival on Thursday, October 19, 2017. Call Me By Your Name stars Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg. Director Luca Guadagnino continues his exploration of complicated intimate relationships that he’s addressed in prior critically-acclaimed films like I Am Love and A Bigger Splash. Several Spotlight films have also been announced, including Darkest Hour, Last Flag Flying, The Upside, and Marshall. Call Me By Your Name Luca Guadagnino | 132 min | Italy, France, Brazil, United States Summer is a perpetual state of being at the Perlmans’ Italian villa. Lush, lazy mornings become long, wine-filled evenings, ensconced in discussions of Greco-Roman art and the sounds of Mahler on piano. Oliver, a 24-year-old research assistant (Armie Hammer), joins the Perlmans for six weeks of study before returning to his position at Columbia. 17-year old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is immediately infatuated. They begin a tense series of furtive glances and curt conversations, both enchanted but unwilling to meet the other halfway. A coming of age story. A tale of first love. Americans summering in beautiful, foreign locales. Any categorization would be an oversimplification of the evocative and intoxicating world of Call Me By Your Name. The Florida Project Sean Baker | 115 min| USA Set on a stretch of highway just outside Disney World, The Florida Project follows six-year-old Moonee and her rebellious mother Halley over the course of a single summer. The two live week-to-week at “The Magic Castle,” a budget motel managed by Bobby. Despite her harsh surroundings, the precocious Moonee has no trouble making each day a celebration of life, her endless afternoons overflowing with mischief and grand adventure as she and her ragtag playmates fearlessly explore the utterly unique world into which they’ve been thrown. Unbeknownst to Moonee, however, her delicate fantasy is supported by the toil and sacrifice of Halley, who is forced to explore increasingly dangerous possibilities in order to provide for her daughter. Last Flag Flying Richard Linklater | 124 min| USA Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) reunites with his old military buddies, Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Reverend Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne), to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War. With the casket, the three friends take a bittersweet road trip up the East Coast, reflecting on the impact of war and reminisce about their times together. Marking a new direction for Linklater after his joyful college romp, Everybody Wants Some!!, Last Flag Flying is a poignant exploration of aging, masculinity, and friendship. Marshall Reginald Hudlin | 118 min | USA As the nation teeters on the brink of WWII, a nearly bankrupt NAACP sends Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) to conservative Connecticut to defend a black chauffeur against his wealthy socialite employer in a sexual assault and attempted murder trial that quickly became tabloid fodder. In need of a high profile victory but muzzled by a segregationist court, Marshall is partnered with Samuel Friedman (Josh Gad), a young Jewish lawyer who has never tried a case. The Upside Dir. Neil Burger | 118 min | USA Based on the film The Intouchables by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano Based on a true story, The Upside chronicles the unexpected friendship between Phillip Lacasse (Bryan Cranston), a Park Avenue billionaire left paralyzed after a hang-gliding accident, and ex-con Dell Scott (Kevin Hart), in need of a job and a fresh start. From worlds apart, Phillip and Dell form an unlikely bond, bridging their differences and gaining invaluable wisdom in the process, giving each man a renewed sense of passion for all of life’s possibilities. Directed by Neil Burger (The Illusionist, Limitless) and written by Jon Hartmere, THE UPSIDE also stars Academy Award® winner Nicole Kidman. The Darkest Hour Joe Wright | 2017 | UK A thrilling and inspiring true story begins on the eve of World War II as, within days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill (Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman) must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty, and freedom of a nation. As the unstoppable Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, and with an unprepared public, a skeptical King, and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour, rally a nation, and attempt to change the course of world history.
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Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival in Wash. DC to Open with ONE OF US

[caption id="attachment_23413" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] One of Us[/caption] The third edition of Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival & Symposium will kick-off on Thursday, October 19 in DC with One of Us, the highly anticipated new documentary from Academy nominated directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp, 12th and Delaware, Detropia, Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You). In One of Us, three Hasidic Jews leave their ultra-Orthodox community to join the secular world. Unprepared for life outside the tightly-knit community, they experience ostracism, lost relationships and even danger. No Stone Unturned, the latest work from Academy Award and Emmy-winning director Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) is the festival’s centerpiece film and will screen on Friday, October 20. Gibney’s documentary re-opens a 1994 investigation into the massacre of six men as they watched a World Cup soccer match in their local Northern Ireland pub. Gibney exposes a complex web of lies and corruption, and reveals something that a criminal investigation spanning over twenty years did not: the identities of the suspected killers. And Voyeur, from directors Myles Kane and Josh Koury, is the festival’s closing night film on Saturday, October 21. Voyeur follows journalist Gay Talese as he reports on one of the most controversial stories of his career: a portrait of a Colorado motel owner, Gerald Foos, who spent decades spying on his guests and recording their private moments. “We are very proud to screen these wonderful, new investigative documentaries,” said Diana Jean Schemo, founder and co-director of Double Exposure. “Each film illustrates a different aspect of investigative storytelling: the first takes audiences deep inside a community usually closed to outsiders; the second investigates a mystery that has gone unsolved for decades; and the third interrogates the investigative process itself.” “These three extraordinary films from some of today’s most visionary filmmakers embody the very essence of what we aim to achieve at Double Exposure,” said Sky Sitney, festival co-director. “They are works that seek to uncover something otherwise hidden from view, expressed through a distinctive cinematic language.”
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Miami GEMS Festival Lineup is Here – THE FLORIDA PROJECT, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME and More

[caption id="attachment_23729" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] THE FLORIDA PROJECT[/caption] Miami Film Festival unveiled the full line-up of their acclaimed 2017 Miami GEMS Festival, and among the many highlights will be the Miami premiere of Sean Baker’s The Florida Project and the US premiere of Antonio Méndez Esparza’s Florida film Life and Nothing More. Miami GEMS 2017 Festival, now in its third year, will take place October 12 to 15 at MDC’s Tower Theater Miami. It’s a fall extension of the annual, internationally-renowned Miami Film Festival that will celebrate its 35th edition on March 9 to 18, 2018. The Florida premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name is the Opening Night Film of Miami GEMS 2017. Another major highlight is Ruben Östlund’s The Square, winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, from a jury presided over by Pedro Almodóvar. A special presentation of Miami GEMS 2017 Festival will be a seminar conversation entitled Don’t Take Yes For An Answer, featuring Miami-Haitian filmmakers Edson Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste speaking about their recently-wrapped, eight-episode web series “Vakabon”, 100% filmed in Miami and due for release in 2018. The $2.5 million series was born out of a winning pitch that the Miami duo made to the Project Greenlight Digital Studio’s first “Get The Greenlight Digital Series” contest in early 2016. For the first time, Miami Film Festival will introduce a Virtual Reality (VR) sidebar throughout the Miami GEMS 2017 weekend, VR Escape, in partnership with MDC’s Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex (MAGIC). Festivalgoers will experience four 360° videos by Angel Manuel Soto, an L.A. based Puerto Rican artist and filmmaker and Miami Film Festival alumni (Soto’s feature The Farm (La granja) played in competition at the Festival’s 2015 edition).
Miami GEMS 2017 Film Lineup
Call Me By Your Name (Italy / France), directed by Luca Guadagnino *OPENING NIGHT FILM A work of tenderness and beauty from the acclaimed director of splashy, sensual films as I Am Love and A Bigger Splash. An antiquities academic invites a young American Jewish scholar to stay with his family for a summer in Lombardy, with unexpected results. Starring Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg. A Sony Pictures Classics release. Can’t Say Goodbye (No se decir adios) (Spain), directed by Lino Escalera NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Spanish stars Nathalie Poza, Lola Dueñas and Juan Diego deliver some of the finest performances of their careers in this multi-award winning hit from the 2017 Malaga Film Festival. A family in crisis, a daughter in denial, a moment of truth… The Desert Bride (La novia del desierto) (Argentina/Chile), directed by Cecilia Atán and Valeria Pivato Starring the incomparable Chilean star Paulina Garcia (Gloria), this Cannes Un Certain Regard competitor is a beautiful road trip across the Argentine countryside. A Buenos Aires housekeeper who is let go after 3 decades of working for the same family must travel 700 miles for a new position in San Juan, but early in the voyage she loses all of her earthly possessions. Don’t Take Yes For An Answer: Edson Jean, Joshua Jean-Baptiste and VAKABON (USA), in conversation with Festival director Jaie Laplante Co-creators of the upcoming eight-episode web series “Vakabon” Edson Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste will candidly discuss the journey from shooting no-budget test-episodes to working with a 70-person crew and over 50 Miami-based actors on one epic Miami summer shoot. Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars (UK), directed by Lili Fini Zanuck Only the second woman ever to win an Academy Award for Best Picture, Lili Fini Zanuck (Driving Miss Daisy) has made an epic and emotionally overwhelming portrait of one of the great rock musicians of all-time. This will be a rare chance to see this incredible documentary in a big-screen, theatrical setting. Faces Places (France), directed by Agnès Varda and JR. Winner of the L’Oeil d’Or (Golden Eye) awarded by the French Writers Society as Best Documentary at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, the legendary French director, a pioneer of the French New Wave alongside Jean-Luc Godard, partners with a young street artist with an enormous Instagram following for a whimsical exploration of the small French villages of Varda’s memories. The Florida Project (USA), directed by Sean Baker MIAMI GEMS 2017 PREVIEW FILM In constructing the most magical place on Earth, Disney planners would refer what would eventually become Walt Disney World in Orlando as “the Florida project”. Yet on the outskirts of the world’s most visited vacation resort lies a less cheerful façade, where a 22-year-old single mother of a six-year-old struggles to survive and create a sense of family on the margins. Willem Dafoe stars as the manager and sometimes father figure of a roadside motel on the outskirts of Orlando, in Sean Baker’s acclaimed film from Director’s Fortnight in Cannes 2017. In The Fade (Germany), directed by Fatih Akin *GERMANY OFFICIAL SUBMISSION TO 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS With a ferocious performance by Diane Kruger (the Best Actress winner at 2017 Cannes Film Festival), Fatih Akin explores our new world realities of terrorism impinging ever closer to home. A German woman’s world collapses when her Turkish husband and young son are murdered in a domestic radicalist’s bomb attack. Life and Nothing More (Spain/USA), directed by Antonio Méndez Esparza US PREMIERE An invigorating work of modern neorealism set on the fringes of urban Florida, Spanish writer-director Esparza displays an astonishing grasp of the conundrum of race, family and justice that suffuse our contemporary America. Life and Nothing More is essential cinema for our present moment. My Friend Dahmer (USA), directed by Marc Meyers With an astonishing central performance by Disney star Ross Lynch, this Tribeca Film Festival 2017 special presentation is a brilliant re-creation of pre-psycho 1970s jitters, and a devastating indictment of our society’s ability to cope with early detection signs of mental illness. No, a Flamenco Tale (Spain), directed by José Luis Tirado A beguiling fusion of thrilling cinema and passionate music, NO, a Flamenco Tale sweeps us off to a land where the joys and hardships of life are expressed in breathtaking spectacle and song. Son of Sofia (Greece / France / Bulgaria), directed by Elina Psikou Winner of Best International Narrative Feature at 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. A fantastical journey through an 11-year-old Russian boy’s fraught collision with the bewildering logic of the world of adults, when his mother sends for him to join her in Athens, Greece, where she introduces him to his harsh new Greek stepfather. The Square (Sweden), directed by Ruben Östlund *SWEDEN OFFICIAL SUBMISSION TO 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS The 2017 Palme d’Or winner is the first comedy to win the top prize at Cannes Film Festival in 23 years. From Ruben Östlund, director of the international hit Force Majeure, a jaw-dropping art-world satire. Starring Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West. Summer 1993 (Estiu 1993) (Spain), directed by Carla Simón SPAIN OFFICIAL SUBMISSION TO 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS Winner of the Best First Feature Film award at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival, and the Grand Prize for Best Spanish Film at the 2017 Malaga Film Festival. In one sun-dappled, perfect summer, Frida will grow up more than any six-year-old should ever be expected to, as her new young step-parents struggle with the smiles and the tears. The Workshop (France), directed by Laurent Cantet Cantet’s follow-up to his Havana, Cuba film Return to Ithaca is a profound examination of contemporary education in all its social and pedagogical complexities. Returning to his native France, The Workshop is also a nail-biting thriller. VR Escape (USA), four works by Angel Manuel Soto An installation at MDC’s Tower Theater for the entire GEMS weekend will allow Festivalgoers to experience the new frontier of content creation via four short new works by Miami Film Festival alumni Soto.
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Ithaca Fantastik Reveals First Wave of Films, TRAGEDY GIRLS, THE ENDLESS and More

[caption id="attachment_24718" align="aligncenter" width="1123"] TRAGEDY GIRLS[/caption] The 2017 Ithaca Fantastik (IF) film festival returns to Ithaca, New York, November 3 to 12, 2017; and with less than a month and a half to go, IF is revealing, its first wave of titles, and an inspired retrospective. Returning audiences will notice an expanded schedule as the festival grows from half a week to a full nine days. The festival’s two weekends will be dedicated to the best in current genre and festival cinema, with the week between featuring classic retrospective selections. The first weekend begins with the return of the CINEMA PUR miniseries, from Finnish action comedy SAMURAI RAUNI (Mika Ratto, Finland) to the hyper-real dark fairy tale TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID (Issa Lopez, Mexico). Turkey and Canada are well-represented again this year, with the SXSW award-winner INFLAME (Ceylan Ozgun Ozcelik, Turkey), and the TIFF midnight madness selection THE CRESCENT (Seth A. Smith, Canada). The lineup wouldn’t be complete without a little witchcraft – HAGAZUSSA: A Heathen’s Curse (Lukas Feigelfeld, Germany) will haunt viewers long after the screening. Rounding out CINEMA PUR, the documentary BIGHT OF THE TWIN (Hazel McCarthy, US), about the personal journey of avant-garde performance artist Genesis Breyer P-Oridge, interlaces belief and grief in a beautiful and unexpected way. The 40th Anniversary of the Giallo masterpiece SUSPIRIA (Dario Argento, 1977) provides an excellent occasion to revisit Italian exploitation classics with fresh eyes. The festival retrospective, ITALIANO PSICHEDELICO, will focus on the amazing visuals these inspired directors put on-screen. Selections include late 60s to mid 70s Italian films SUSPIRIA (Dario Argento, 1977), AUTOPSY (Armando Crispino, 1975), LE ORME (Luigi Bazzoni, Mario Fanelli, 1975), BABA YAGA (Corrado Farina, 1973), DEADLY SWEET (Tinto Brass, 1967), as well as more titles to be announced in wave two! Continuing the weekend lineup, the festival will feature slasher comedy TRAGEDY GIRLS (Tyler McIntyre, UK), Tribeca award winner THE ENDLESS (Benson and Moorhead, USA), Graham Skipper’s directorial debut SEQUENCE BREAK (USA), Nordic ghost tale I REMEMBER YOU (Oskar Thor Axelsson, Iceland), and a twisted take on the timeloop trope A DAY (Sun-Ho Cho, South Korea). Ithaca Fantastik would not be complete without its midnight series, featuring the riveting zombie comedy ZOMBIOLOGY (Alan Lo, Japan) and the surprising BRAVE STORM (Junya Okabe, Japan), which can be best described as an inventive and improbable mix between Terminator and Evangelion.
2017 Ithaca Fantastik First Wave of Films
BIGHT OF THE TWIN (Ithaca Premiere) Hazel Hill McCarthy III, US BRAVE STORM (North American premiere) Junya Okabe, Japan THE CRESCENT (Ithaca Premiere) Seth A. Smith, Canada A DAY (East Coast Premiere) Sun-Ho Cho, South Korea THE ENDLESS (Ithaca Premiere) Benson and Moorhead, USA HAGAZUSSA (Ithaca Premiere) Lukas Feigelfeld, Germany INFLAME (East Coast Premiere) Ceylan Ozgun Ozcelik, Turkey I REMEMBER YOU (Ithaca Premiere) Oskar Thor Axelsson, Iceland SAMURAI RAUNI (North American Premiere) Mika Ratto, Finland SEQUENCE BREAK (Ithaca Premiere) Graham Skipper, USA TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID (East Coast Premiere) Issa Lopez, Mexico TRAGEDY GIRLS (Ithaca Premiere) Tyler McIntyre, UK ZOMBIOLOGY: ENJOY YOURSELF TONIGHT (Ithaca Premiere) Alan Lo, Hong Kong
Retrospective ITALIANO PSICHEDELIKO
AUTOPSY Armando Crispino, 1975 BABA YAGA Corrado Farina, 1973 DEADLY SWEET Tinto Brass, 1967 LE ORME Luigi Bazzoni, Mario Fanelli, 1975 SUSPIRIA Dario Argento, 1977
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NewFest Announces Lineup + Spotlight Screening of PROFESSOR MARSTON & THE WONDER WOMEN

[caption id="attachment_24714" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Professor Marston and the Wonder Women[/caption] NewFest, announced the full 2017 lineup featuring more than 140 LGBT narrative features, documentaries, episodic series and shorts. This year’s festival will feature a Spotlight Screening & Conversation presentation of Angela Robinson’s PROFESSOR MARSTON & THE WONDER WOMEN, the story of how the superhero Wonder Woman came to be and the secret life of her creator, Dr. William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans), his wife Elizabeth (Rebecca Hall) and their lover Olive (Bella Heathcote). The screening will be followed by a conversation on bisexuality and polyamory with director Angela Robinson and guests to be announced. New feature-length work includes narratives DISCREET from Travis Mathews (INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR), Canadian entry PORCUPINE LAKE from Ingrid Veninger (THE ANIMAL PROJECT) and the BBC-produced AGAINST THE LAW from Fergus O’Brien, documentaries MY WONDERFUL WEST BERLIN from German filmmaker Jochen Hick (THE GOOD AMERICAN), OUT OF ORDER from Amanda Bluglass (VIVA) and BONES OF CONTENTION from Emmy-winner Andrea Weiss (U.N. Fever). The festival also includes exciting premieres of debut features such as FREAK SHOW from Trudie Styler, starring Bette Midler, Abigail Breslin, AnnaSophia Robb, Laverne Cox, John McEnroe and Larry Pine, ONE LAST THING from Tim Rouhana, starring Wendall Pierce (THE WIRE) and Jurnee Smollet, as well as Jennifer Gerber’s THE REVIVAL, Mike Roma’s DATING MY MOTHER, Samantha Lee’s MAYBE TOMORROW, Gail Freedman’s HOT TO TROT, and Lara Embry and Carolyn Sherer’s ALABAMA BOUND, among others. Rounding out the US Narrative offerings are Christopher Schaap’s PROM KING, 2010, David Berry’s SOMETHING LIKE SUMMER, William Sullivan’s THE RING THING, Jenée LaMarque‘s THE FEELS, Albert Alarr’s A MILLION HAPPY NOWS and Anahita Ghazvinizadeh’s THEY, while Itako’s BOYS FOR SALE, Paul Oremland’s 100 MEN, Jeffrey Schwarz’s THE FABULOUS ALLAN CARR, Tristan Milewski’s DREAM BOAT and Arshad Khan’s ABU complete the feature length documentary entries. The remaining International narratives include Marília Hughes and Guerreiro Cláudio Marques’ THE CITY OF THE FUTURE (Brazil), Carlos Lechuga’s SANTA & ANDRES (Cuba), Darren Thornton’s A DATE FOR MAD MARY (Ireland), Victor Villanueva’s JESUS IS DEAD (the Philippines, East Coast Premiere), Joselito Altarejos’ TALE OF THE LOST BOYS (Taiwan, the Philippines, North American Premiere), Lokesh Kumar’s MY SON IS GAY (India, North American Premiere), Nicolas Videla’s THE DEVIL’S MAGNIFICENT (Chile, International Premiere) and Nils-Erik Ekblom’s SCREWED (Finland). Through the film selection process this year’s event, the festival’s programming team chose to highlight several themes, including the history of LGBT activism in New York City, the global condition of LGBT communities and the ways in which different generations of LGBT artists, activists and storytellers influence each other by looking both backwards and forward in time. To that end, they chose to program a Legacy section of shorts entitled Out of the Archive: Queer New York, containing 7 short films spanning the past 50 years of LGBT filmmaking, including a 2010 short documentary from Ira Sachs comprised of footage of the exteriors of houses where New York artists were living when they died of AIDS; QUEENS AT HEART, a short doc about two pre-Stonewall transgender women; and I NEVER DANCED THE WAY GIRLS WERE SUPPOSED TO, Dawn Suggs’ mediation on black lesbian subjectivity. The Legacy feature is Hettie Macdonald’s 1996 narrative feature BEAUTIFUL THING. Two decades after its initial release, the film still stands as one of the most poignant and honest depictions of the coming-out process ever presented on screen, and represents this year’s festival’s theme of self-expression. This year’s lineup of 97 new LGBT shorts have been divided into thematic programs, as follows: DRAWN THIS WAY: QUEER ANIMATION; YOUNG, QUEER & WOKE; THE QUEER RESISTANCE; MILITARY SHORTS; BEYOND THE BINARY; FAITH AND FURY; GIRLS SHORTS; BOYS SHORTS; QUEER + POSITIVE; and EXPERIMENTS IN SEX, LOVE & GENDER The 2017 NewFest runs from October 19 to 24 at the SVA Theatre, Cinépolis Chelsea, and The LGBT Community Center in New York City.
2017 NewFest Feature Film Lineup:
Opening Night Film & Party Susanne Bartsch: On Top New York Premiere Dir. Anthony & Alex, USA, 2017, 84 mins A mesmerizingly expressive portrait of a fiercely individual New York counterculture icon, SUSANNE BARTSCH: ON TOP candidly captures the titular “Queen of the Night” and patron saint of LGBTQ inclusion and advocacy with a commanding voice and sharp wit, much like its subject. More than just a tribute to the “Queen of the Night” and staunch LGBTQ advocate, this dynamic debut from directing duo Anthony&Alex captures the essence of Bartsch’s everyday balance between compassion and control. As Bartsch prepares for an FIT exhibit of her nightlife fashions, she faces the challenges of a changing New York City landscape (as well as the construction within her homestead of many decades, the iconic Chelsea Hotel) while reconciling how her legacy lives on today. Her ability to bring communities together while promoting LGBT rights and self-expression reached its apex with the star-studded Love Ball in 1989, which she hosted to raise money to fight AIDS and celebrated the Harlem Vogue scene before “Paris is Burning” was released. And she continues to gather and inspire multi-generational crowds at her parties to this day. Featuring superstars and LGBTQ nightlife luminaries RuPaul, Simon Doonan, Michael Musto, and Amanda Lepore, this dazzling documentary homecoming for a living icon who has unapologetically been a champion for all things New York and queer. The screening will be followed by a talkback with Anthony&Alex and Susanne Bartsch, and moderated by Michael Musto. New York Centerpiece Film After Louie New York City Premiere Dir. Vincent Gagliostro, USA, 2017, 100mins Sam (Alan Cumming) is an artist and activist from ACT UP who lived through the early years of HIV/AIDS, struggling with survivor’s guilt. He’s bewildered by the younger generation of gay men, until he meets the seductive Braeden (Zachary Booth, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON) at a bar late one night. Their pants quickly come down and, eventually, so does Sam’s guard. An intergenerational relationship blossoms between them—reawakening Sam’s artistic soul and reviving his wilted heart. Beyond the beautifully evocative performances and setting, Vincent Gagliostro’s AFTER LOUIE is a love letter to New York City: engaging its rich backdrop while honoring the history of the gay rights movement and the progress that’s been made–reconciling the past so we as a community can look forward to the future. International Centerpiece Film God’s Own Country New York Premiere Dir. Francis Lee, United Kingdom, 2017, 104 mins Gritty yet tender, austere yet beautiful, carnal yet romantic–GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is masterfully directed with powerful focus and authenticity by first-time feature filmmaker Francis Lee. Johnny Saxby (Josh O’Connor) is an overworked 25-year-old sheep farmer who feels as though life has already passed him by. He whiles away the time with drunken hookups in his small community in Northern England. When his ailing father takes a turn for the worse, handsome Romanian migrant Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu) is brought in to assist Johnny. Although Johnny resents Gheorghe at first, the two are quickly drawn to each other, and during an excursion to the highlands, they forge an even deeper connection. Winner of Sundance’s World Cinema Directing Award for its beautiful depiction of the English countryside—this assured new milestone marks a bold new epoch in textured, LGBTQ storytelling. Closing Night Film & Party Becks Following a NYC to LA cross country move that ends in a breakup, singer-songwriter Becks (Lena Hall, a Tony Winner for Hedwig and the Angry Inch) returns to her Midwestern hometown, reluctantly moving back in with her mom. The time-warp sensation of being back in her childhood home is interrupted by an unexpected whirlwind affair with self-proclaimed “lonely housewife” Elyse (tenderly played with exceeding warmth by Mena Suvari) whom finds inspired new life through the guitar lessons and generous spirit Becks provides. This electrifyingly effusive film from co-directors Daniel Powell and Elizabeth Rohrbaugh features strong supporting turns by Dan Fogler as her old classmate-turned-drinking-buddy and Christine Lahti as Becks’ former nun mother who is still coming to terms with her daughter’s homosexuality. But it’s Lena Hall, who contributed original songs to the film and delivers a beautifully assured, live-in performance that makes BECKS really sing. Special live acoustic performance by Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee Lena Hall, the star of BECKS.
US NARRATIVE
A Million Happy Nows New York Premiere Dir. Albert Alarr, USA, 2016, 80mins FilmOut Festival Award, FilmOut San Diego Concerned by her difficulty memorizing lines, veteran actress Lainey (Crystal Chappell), decides not to renew her soap opera contract. After a visit to the doctor, she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, and Lainey and her longtime partner Eva (Jessica Leccia) must now learn how to navigate this unexpected terrain and make the most of their time together. Chronicling Lainey’s illness and their unconditional love, the film provides a million reasons why we all need to appreciate love to the fullest. Dating My Mother New York Premiere Dir. Mike Roma, US, 2016, 84 min Freshly out of college with a liberal arts degree and without employment and romance, Danny spends his days in suburban New Jersey aimlessly browsing dating apps or knocking back red wine. His mother, Joan (Kathryn Erbe, Law & Order: Criminal Intent ), is also looking to strike up romance for the first time since Danny’s father passed away. Drawing insightful and hilarious parallels between the two generations’ dating routines and varying levels of confidence, this sweet and spiky comedy also features delightful supporting turns by G.B.F.’s Paul Iacono and the always reliably funny Kathy Najimy. Discreet New York Premiere Dir. Travis Mathews, US, 2017, 80 mins The director of I WANT YOUR LOVE and INTERIOR. LEATHER BAR. returns with another provocative feature pushing buttons and envelopes. Filmmaker Alex wanders the rural countryside, listening to hate-filled talk radio and indulging in anonymous sex in video booths. After an uncomfortable visit with his mother, Alex seeks a figure from his past, slowly dying in a mysterious compound far from society. This blistering exploration of trauma reverberates from childhood to adulthood, offering neither easy answers nor simple explanations. Freak Show New York Premiere Dir. Trudie Styler, US, 2017, 95 mins, Teenager Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther, THE IMITATION GAME) learned fabulousness at the feet of his larger-than-life Muvv (Bette Midler). But when he’s shipped off to live with his conservative father (Larry Pine), Billy’s classmates at Ulysses S. Grant Academy don’t know what to make of this flamboyant newcomer and his seemingly endless array of colorful ensembles (with matching makeup). After being severely bullied, Billy bounces back with the help of his new friends, sensitive jock Flip (Ian Nelson, THE HUNGER GAMES) and the loquacious BlahBlahBlah (AnnaSophia Robb). Eventually, our glamorous hero decides to wave his freak flag as high as he can by running for homecoming queen, even if that means facing off against Bible-thumping mean girl Lynette (Abigail Breslin). Based on the novel by James St. James, the film features a superb ensemble cast, including Laverne Cox, Celia Weston, and Willa Fitzgerald (MTV’s SCREAM). It’s a charming coming-of-age tale—as witty and as fearless as its protagonist—that celebrates the outsider within us all. One Last Thing World Premiere Dir. Tim Rouhana, US, 2016, 92 mins A middle-aged dentist in Florida receives some unexpected news that upends his peaceful routine and sends him on a life-altering journey of discovery. Doctor Dylan Derringer (Wendell Pierce, THE WIRE) is content with his solitary life, but when a figure from his past re-emerges with information, Dylan drops everything to find Lucy (Jurnee Smollett), the twenty-five year old daughter he didn’t know he had. This African American family drama dares to crush cultural taboos with a heart-warming story of LGBTQ acceptance. Prom King 2010 New York Premiere Dir. Christopher Schaap, United States, 2017, 102 mins New Vision Award, Feature Film, 2017 Cinequest San Jose Film Festival Charlie, a 20-year-old movie-crazy college student, is looking for love in New York City, and having trouble reconciling the harsh realities of modern dating with the romantic ideals of the classic romantic films he idolizes. First-time director and star Christopher Schaap imbues Charlie with a recognizable honesty and vulnerability. Featuring strong widescreen location photography and an engaging cast, this feel-good romance is a genuine charmer. Something Like Summer New York Premiere Dir. David Berry, US, 2017, 115 mins Audience Award, Best First Narrative Feature, FilmOut San Diego Benjamin is an out-of-the-closet theater kid, while Tim is the hunky town jock. When Benjamin discovers his attraction to Tim is reciprocated, this delightfully musical tale takes off. The boys’ relationship spans years, encapsulating all of the delirious highs and painful lows of young love. This crowd-pleaser brings a beloved series of YA novels to life as these two young men explore the complex lines between being friends, lovers, and strangers. The Feels East Coast Premiere Dir. Jenée LaMarque , US, 2017, 90 mins Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film, Outfest LA Two brides-to-be (Angela Trimbur and FRESH OFF THE BOAT’S Constance Wu) throw a joint bachelorette party that ends up calling their whole relationship into question. Equal parts laughs, tears, and introspection, this modern take on a romantic comedy unravels the secrets that can plague even the strongest relationship. Outstanding performances and an earnest script make up the heart of this crazy-enjoyable film. The Revival East Coast Premiere Jennifer Gerber, US, 2017, 84 mins, When Eli begins preaching at his father’s old church, he is desperate to open the minds of the fire-and-brimstone congregation. His plans are quickly derailed when he strikes up a relationship with a fascinating drifter (played by Zachary Booth, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON). Tensions soon come to a head, with simmering resentments and repressed emotions all leading to a revival that will shake this sleepy Arkansas town to its core. The Ring Thing New York Premiere Dir. William C. Sullivan, US, 2017, 106 mins Real-life chemistry plays a huge role in this romantic drama about what happens in a relationship when a woman proposes to her girlfriend by accident. Peppered with real-life interviews from couples in the LGBTQ community, this story explores what it means to be in a partnership and how those connections change (or not!) when marriage is added to the mix. You’ll leave the theater reexamining what it means to be committed to your partner and committed to yourself. They New York City Premiere Dir. Anahita Ghazvinizadeh, US/Qatar, 2017, 80 min Fourteen-year-old J lingers somewhere between a state of suspended animation and arrested development. Asked to be referred to as “they,” J has quietly been taking hormone blockers for some time in order to delay the onset of puberty, while they contemplate whether to live an adult life as a female or a male. With a visit to the doctor imminent, J is joined in their Chicago suburb by their sister Lauren and her Iranian Boyfriend Araz, who bring in their own set of identity problems, as Araz struggles with his life as an immigrant living so far away from his homeland. Executive Produced by Jane Campion, Anahita Ghazvinizadeh’s THEY is a delicate and intimate look at the struggles of living a life in limbo.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE
A Date For Mad Mary New York City Premiere Dir. Darren Thornton, Ireland, 2016, 82 mins Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards – Won Breakthrough Award – Irish Mary’s charms are undeniable in this Irish coming-of-age portrayal of the angsty path from youth to womanhood. Mary has just been released from a six-month prison stint for a drunken bar fight. Her best friend Charlene is now getting married and wants to keep Mary at a distance, alienating her from their circle of friends. An encounter with a queer musician changes Mary’s perspective and awakens her romantic spirit. Filmmaker Darren Thornton’s first feature is warm and instantly relatable. Against The Law New York Premiere Dir. Fergus O’Brien, United Kingdom, 2017, 85 mins Featuring a stunning mixture of biopic and documentary elements, this BBC-produced hybrid drama draws the historical line between 1950s gay repression in the UK and the process through which homosexuality was decriminalized in 1967–and received raves when it World Premiered as the Opening Night Gala of BFI Flare: London’s LGBT Film Festival. This affecting and alarming film cuts between the story of journalist and gay rights activist Peter Wildeblood (Daniel Mays), who was galvanized by the infamous 1954 trial that targeted and outed his friends, and real-life interviews with gay men who lived through this dark but not forgotten period in UK’s history. Jesus Is Dead East Coast Premiere Dir. Victor Villanueva, the Philippines, 2016, 84 mins QCinema International Film Festival 2016 – Won Gender Sensitivity Award Iyay, an exhausted and weary single-mother of three, crams her reluctant children — transman Jude, dancer with Down Syndrome Bert, and non-achiever Jay — into her debilitated multicab, and together they take to the road in order to attend the funeral of their estranged patriarch. Gaining and losing an assortment of misfits and oddballs along the way, the family’s solemn journey quickly turns frenzied and uproarious as each new character adds a new dimension of humor and profound insight to their familial plight. Director Victor Villanueva delivers a heartwarming and utterly distinctive take on the family road trip film, reminiscent of the delightfully melancholic Little Miss Sunshine, while imbuing it with his own idiosyncratic, queer flourishes. Maybe Tomorrow East Coast Premiere Dir. Samantha Lee, Philippines, 2016, 84 mins, Alex is unapologetically out to everyone—the execs who want to remove the queer content from her TV pitch, her overbearing mom, her catty photographer friends—except to her BFF Jess, an up-and-coming TV starlet with whom she also happens to be madly in love. But when Alex’s secret is accidentally revealed, both girls are forced to confront their feelings and navigate the complications of their new relationship in Samantha Lee’s fun and flirtatious debut feature. My Son Is Gay North American Premiere Dir Lokesh Kumar, India, 2017, 105 mins In this moving Bollywood melodrama, Varun comes out to his best friend’s mother. When the news reaches his own mom Lakshmi, she rejects it, in disbelief that the perfect son she so adores could ever be gay. What follows is a portrayal of the entrenched prejudice that the LGBTQ community still face in India today. With Section 377, the law criminalizing same-sex relationships, currently under review by the courts, this is a timely and important take on queer rights and a test of a mother’s love for her son. Porcupine Lake East Coast Premiere Dir. Ingrid Veninger, Canada, 2017, 84 mins Bea (Charlotte Salisbury) has recently moved from Toronto to a quiet cottage in rural Ontario. Lonely and isolated, Bea finds solace when she befriends the elusive and alluring local-girl, Kate (Lucinda Armstrong Hall). The two girls forge an immediate bond as they both struggle to cope with their bewilderment at the volatility and chaos of their home lives and inner-worlds. In her sixth feature film, Ingrid Veninger depicts with candor and grace two girls dangling on the edge of adulthood, enjoy a fleeting summer of adventure and self-discovery. Santa & Andres New York Premiere Dir. Carlos Lechuga, Cuba, Columbia, 2016, 105 mins Guadalajara International Film Festival 2017 – 2nd Place – PREMIO MAGUEY – Best Feature Film Cuba, 1981: For many, the wounds of the revolution have begun to heal, although there are still those who refuse to be compliant with the regime’s silencing of intellectuals and LGBTQ people. Gay writer Andrés spends three days under house arrest, supervised by young revolutionary Santa, who knows nothing of life away from the countryside. During this brief period, the pair form an unpredictable bond. Subtle and moving, yet boldly political and provocative, this is a story of day-to-day lives affected by sweeping change. Screwed New York City Premiere Dir. Nils-Erik Ekblom, Finland, 2017, 100 mins To celebrate the start of summer, 17-year-old Miku throws a wild party at his parent’s house, which turns destructive quickly. As punishment, Miku is forced to spend the rest of his summer with his provincial family at their secluded country cottage. In the rolling, pastoral Finnish countryside, Miku meets the alluring Elias. The two spend their summer inseparable, discovering themselves, their sexuality, and each other. The City Of The Future New York Premiere Dir: Cláudio Marques and Marília Hughes, Brazil, 2016, 75 mins In a remote part of Brazil, the triad of Mila, Igor, and Gilmar are determined to break away and form their own nontraditional family, defying the definitions that society has attempted to impose on them. As they prepare for the birth of their child, the three contemplate their intertwining relationships. Cláudio Marques and Marília Hughes Guerreiro have boldly collaborated on a naturalistic film that shuns convention, instead embracing love in all its dazzling iterations. Tale of the Lost Boys North American Premiere Dir. Joselito Altarejos, Taiwan, the Philippines, 2016, 81 mins Alex, a Filipino mechanic, and Jerry, a Taiwanese aborigine student meet randomly in a Taipei bar and a casual conversation develops into a surprising personal connection. Both realize that they yearn for a deeper relationship with their mothers, since Alex’s abandoned him for a new family, while Jerry is afraid that his will reject him for being gay. An impromptu road trip leads to experiences that will forever redefine their identities… The Devil Is Magnificent (International Premiere) International Premiere Dir. Nicolas Videla, Chile, 2016, 68 mins Exhausted by the difficulties of her life in the often-inhospitable Paris, Manu, a thirty-three year old trans immigrant, resigns to return to his native Chile after 10 years in France. In the days leading up to her departure, Manu’s platonic friend Daniel proposes marriage with the intention of solving her visa issues. Manu strongly considers the offer, but she’s wholly disheartened at the prospect of a life without love, romance, and sex. That is, until she meets a fellow foreigner who instills in her the hope for a romantic future.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
100 Men East Coast Premiere Dir. Paul Oremland, 2017, New Zealand, 2017, 94 mins Kiwi director Paul Oremland tracks down 100 men he’s slept with in this personal, often humorous look at changing attitudes toward homosexuality over the past 40 years. Interviewed in New Zealand, England, and Poland, his eclectic subjects (including “Toilet Boy,” “Beach Boy,” and “Gary the Optician”) discuss coming out, AIDS, and gay marriage, acknowledging political gains even as some feel a sense of loss. Oremland’s journey brings him closer to these men, helping him realize he’s witnessing a revolution. A Womb Of Their Own East Coast Premiere Dir. Cyn Lubow, USA, 2016, 85 mins Depth of Field International Film Festival Competition – Won – Award of Exceptional Merit Considered the exclusive domain of the female experience, pregnancy is generally viewed as the pinnacle of womanhood. But what happens when the act of being pregnant falls outside of the feminine and into a womb of its own? Exploring the experience of pregnancy among a group of diverse masculine-of-center-identified people, this documentary questions what it means to be pregnant and give birth as a masculine person, broadening our understanding of gender, sexuality, and parenthood. Abu East Coast Premiere Dir. Arshad Khan, Canada, 2017, 80 mins An intimately open and dazzling visual memoir about the complex dynamic the filmmaker has with his father, who was at once extremely modern and also rigidly traditional and unaccepting of his son’s true self. Director Arshad Khan highlights the fascinating intersection between being gay and being an immigrant, as he weaves a dizzying, hypnotic tapestry of personal and familial acceptance by employing home video, animation, and Bollywood films to express his path to self-discovery. Alabama Bound East Coast Premiere Dir. Lara Embry and Carolyn Sherer, USA, 2017, 83 mins Exploring the legal roller-coaster ride of LGBTQ family rights in the American South, ALABAMA BOUND offers an intimate view into the lives of three Lesbian families in Alabama, including The only openly-gay Alabama State Legislator Patricia Todd, as they make waves in the legal system fighting for the rights of their children. Set along side the turning-point years when federal marriage equality was coming to a head in the courts, this riveting and powerful documentary tactfully imbues the viewer with hope and frustration as Patricia Todd leads the charge in next wave of the LGBTQ fight for equality: legal Non-Discrimination. Bones Of Contention East Coast Premiere Andrea Weiss, Spain and USA, 2017, 75 mins The brutal Franco dictatorship continues to haunt Spain—literally, as some 120,000 skeletons of the Fascist leader’s enemies were buried in unmarked graves all over the country. If one man has come to symbolize all of these desaparecidos, it’s legendary poet and playwright Federico Garcia-Lorca, whom this film calls “the first LGBT victim of the Franco regime.” Director Andrea Weiss examines the men and women (including the writer’s niece, Laura) who recall Spain’s homophobic past and seek to exhume it by finding these remains. Boys For Sale East Coast Premiere Dir. Itako, Japan, 2017, 76 mins L.A. Outfest, Fox Inclusion Outfest Feature Award In Tokyo’s Shinjuku district there are bars that specialize in “Urisen”, young guys who have sex with men. Featuring candid interviews and interspersed with animation detailing the awkward, sweet, and sometimes hilarious situations these sex workers experience, the boys for sale boldly tell their stories of life in the Tokyo underground. This doc is an illuminating look into a rarely seen world that tantalizingly shows the humanity of sex work. Dream Boat East Coast Premiere Dir. Tristan Milewski , Germany, 2017, 92 mins Decked from port to starboard in tops and bottoms, this cruise sets sail every year with leagues of gay men hungry to find their own slice of paradise on the open seas. Far from their families and political restrictions, we follow five men from five countries on a quest for connection. International waters provide the perfect platform to explore the ecstasy, agony, hopes, and dreams that bridge this community behind the bacchanalia, revealing a manifest rife with intersections between the diverse identities aboard, a brotherhood across borders. Hot to Trot New York Premiere Dir. Gail Freedman, US, 2017, 88 mins Set in the swinging setting of same-sex competitive ballroom dancing, this tremendously entertaining documentary highlights the culture and art of dance as it humanistically profiles the compelling stories of four international dancers. Filmed over three years, director Gail Freedman closely follows the tight ensemble as they face global and health issues, yet they find comfort and hope as they twirl past life’s obstacles with the utmost poise and confidence. Who will take home the top prize and move closest to the rhythm? The heat is on in more ways than one. This special screening will be followed by a live dance exhibition with subjects from the film My Wonderful West Berlin East Coast Premiere Dir. Jochen Hick, Germany 2017, 94 mins Jochen Hick’s My Wonderful West Berlin reveals, through a precise combination of archival footage and interviews with Berlin’s most notable LGBTQ artists and thinkers, the burgeouning queer community that developed and flourished in post-war West Berlin, despite homophobic laws and public prejudice. Through their collective memories, we see the city transform from having a spirited yet clandestine underground queer community the ‘60s, to the tepid embracing of the gay movements in the ‘70s, to the tragic overlooking of first the horrific AIDS epidemic in the ‘80s. My Wonderful West Berlin chronicles, with profound insight and uncharted access, the immense depths and rich history of the city’s LGBTQ people. Out Of Order New York Premiere Dir: Amanda Blueglass, USA, 2017, 60 mins This groundbreaking documentary reveals the complex and painful struggles faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer faith leaders as they confront entrenched bigotry, and build loving support within their churches. Due to a growing fear and suspicion toward LGBTQ individuals, many queer parishoners still feel unwelcome in their faith. But a new kind of spiritual leader is pushing for acceptance. Weaving between the personal journeys of queer faith leaders, we witness their tireless work to push for acceptance beyond the wedding chapel, in order to ensure that LGBTQ folks know that they are loved, not only by God but also by their fellow worshippers. The Fabulous Allan Carr East Coast Premiere Dir. Jeffrey Schwarz, USA, 2017, 90 mins Director Jeffrey Schwarz (VITO, I AM DIVINE) returns with this fascinating look at Allan Carr, one of the most extravagant Hollywood figures of the 1970s and 80s. The film charts Carr’s rise from talent manager to megastar producer of GREASE, before he perpetrated the box-office blunders CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC and GREASE 2, as well as the disastrous 1989 Academy Awards ceremony. Featuring new interviews and archival footage of Carr’s legendary parties, this portrait of a showbiz legend is both hilarious and deeply sympathetic.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Spotlight Screening & Conversation Professor Marston & The Wonder Women Dir. Angela Robinson , USA, 2017, 104 mins In a superhero origin tale unlike any other, Angela Robinson’s entrancing film is the incredible true story of what inspired Harvard psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans) to create the iconic Wonder Woman character in the 1940’s. While Marston’s feminist superhero was criticized by censors for her ‘sexual perversity’, he was keeping a secret that could have destroyed him. Marston’s muses for the Wonder Woman character were his wife Elizabeth Marston (Rebecca Hall) and their lover Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote), two empowered women who defied convention: working with Marston on human behavior research — while building a hidden life with him that rivaled the greatest of superhero disguises. BiView: Bisexuality Representation in Media Panel Moderated by Eliel Cruz Join leading bisexual activist and journalist Eliel Cruz and a panel of special guests to discuss bisexuality–arguably the most underrepresented identity in the LGBTQ spectrum. Fresh from a nationwide speaking tour for Bisexual Awareness Week, Eliel will lead the panelists through conversations on the fluidity of sexual and romantic attraction, polyamory, as well as the erasure of bi stories in media and the tangible effects of biphobia on screen. Do filmmakers and content creators have a responsibility to tell positive bi stories, and what are the politics you should be aware of in order to ensure impactful bi representation in your work? Meet these ambassadors of sexual fluidity, and join the conversation. Drag Roast: The Roast of Sherry Vine World Premiere Dir: Evan Zampella and Kyle Burt, US, 2017, 65 min Cruel, harsh, tasteless. And that’s just the roasters. Join us for a special screening of the DRAG ROAST of SHERRY VINE, as a panel of legendary New York nightlife performers grill a drag legend with more than 25 years of drag experience and tea to spill. Featuring Bob the Drag Queen, Ruby Roo, Monet Xchange, Anita Buffem, Miz Cracker, Sutton Lee Seymour, Marti Gould Cummings, Tina Burner and Special Guests.
EPISODIC SHOWCASE
Queer Women Mixtape Featuring premieres of web-based content from Snugglr (46m) & 195 Lewis (45m) Trans Tales Featuring premieres of web-based content from The T (14m), Darling Shear (15m), America In Transition (20m) For The Boys Featuring premieres of web-based content from London Nights (3m), Eastsiders (30m), LA Nights (3m), Maricas (30m), Tel Aviv Nights (3m), Michaels (7m)
LEGACY FEATURE
BEAUTIFUL THING Dir: Hettie Macdonald, United Kingdom, 1996, 90 min Released in 1996, the beloved coming-of-age classic that tells the story of two teenage boys living in the same London housing project, who hold the same secret: they think they might be gay. After a fight with his abusive father, Ste ends up crashing in Jamie’s bed, allowing the two to open up to each other and begin the process of embracing their identities. Two decades after its initial release, the film still stands as one of the most poignant and honest depictions of the coming-out process ever presented on screen.
LEGACY SHORTS PROGRAM
Out of the Archive: Queer New York An epicenter of queer culture, New York has long been a focal point of LGBTQ cinema. This program features both rare and restored short films (and sometimes raw footage) shot in New York City between the 1960s and 2000s by influential LGBTQ New York filmmakers, and presents the city’s history through a queer lens and even provides an early look at the trans experience. Run time: 84 minutes Queens at Heart Director unknown 1967 22 min. Restored by the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project This short exploitation documentary offers a glimpse into the lives of four transgender women in pre-Stonewall New York. Epilogue/Siam Tom Chomont 1968 6 min. Restored by the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project Filmmaker and curator Jim Hubbard states, “Chomont’s films offer a lyric depiction of the ordinary world.” Here, Chomont presents two portraits–one warm, and one cold. Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day [excerpt] Kate Millett and Susan Kleckner 1971 5 min. Restored by the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project Shot by the Millett, Kleckner, and an all-female crew, this raw footage documents New York’s second annual Christopher Street pride parade. Alphabit Land: The Backyard Tour Featuring Wigstock 89 John Canalli 1990 28 min. John Canalli takes his cousin on a tour of his Manhattan neighborhood. A search for the coolest party in town leads them to the annual Wigstock drag festival. I Never Danced the Way Girls Were Supposed To Dawn Suggs 1992 7 min. Suggs meditates on Black lesbian subjectivity, exploring the connections between daily rituals and sexuality. I Like Dreaming 1994 Directed by Charles Lofton 6 min. Lofton muses on the pleasures of cruising “straight-acting, straight-appearing” men. Last Address Ira Sachs 2010 9 min. Comprised of footage of the exteriors of houses where New York artists were living when they died of AIDS, this haunting film serves as an elegy to a generation of lost queer voices.
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