Film Festivals

Showtime to World Premiere ERIC CLAPTON: LIFE IN 12 BARS and LOVE MEANS ZERO at Toronto Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_23415" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars[/caption] Showtime will world premiere two riveting films, “Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars” and “Love Means Zero” at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, directed by Oscar(R)-winner Lili Fini Zanuck (Rush, Driving Miss Daisy), is an unflinching and deeply personal journal into the life of legendary 18-time Grammy(R) winner Eric Clapton. Also debuting at TIFF is Love Means Zero, the story of the celebrated yet controversial tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, directed and produced by Jason Kohn (Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)). Following their debuts at TIFF, both documentaries will premiere on Showtime in 2018. These two films join the esteemed Showtime Documentary Films portfolio that focuses on the lives and legacies of culture-defining and at times controversial figures, including Whitney. “Can I Be Me”, The Putin Interviews, Becoming Cary Grant, the Emmy(R)-nominated Listen To Me Marlon, Risk, which takes viewers closer than they have ever been before to Julian Assange and tells the WikiLeaks story from the inside, and an upcoming documentary film on John Belushi’s life and career. Told through his own words and songs, Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars is a moving and surprising film about one of the great artists of the modern era – a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and the only artist ever inducted three times into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Spanning more than half a century of legendary popular musical innovation, the film contextualizes Eric Clapton’s role in contemporary music and cultural history. This rare and deeply intimate film reflects on Clapton’s traumatic childhood, his long and difficult struggle with drugs and alcohol and the tragic loss of his son and how he always found his inner strength and healing in music. The documentary features extensive interviews with Clapton himself, along with his family, friends, musical collaborators, contemporaries and heroes – including late music icons B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and George Harrison. The film is directed by Oscar-winner Lili Fini Zanuck with Passion Pictures’ John Battsek (One Day In September, Searching for Sugar Man) amongst the producers. BAFTA winner Chris King (Amy, Senna) serves as editor. [caption id="attachment_23416" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Love Means Zero[/caption] Love Means Zero presents an in-depth look at famed tennis coach Nick Bollettieri. At 85 years old, Bollettieri is a living legend. At his academy in Florida, he raised a generation of champions. Courier. Seles. Agassi. No other coach has matched his success, his dominance or his fame. His greatness, though, came at a terrible price. Broken marriages, financial ruin and perhaps most devastating, a fractured relationship with his surrogate son and most cherished student, Andre Agassi. When Agassi refused to participate in a documentary about his ex-coach, a simple biographical film turned into an investigation of a relationship lost. Love Means Zero not only tells the story of this celebrated yet controversial coach, but also explores the cost of his all-consuming drive for greatness. The film is directed and produced by Jason Kohn. Amanda Branson Gill, Anne White, Jill Mazursky and David Styne also serve as producers.
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ONE OF US, Documentary Exploring Hasidic Judaism, to World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival

The documentary One of Us, by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp, Detropia) will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival and will launch on Netflix in the Fall. One of Us explores the opaque world of Hasidic Judaism through a cadre of fascinating characters. Through unique and intimate access over the span of three years, acclaimed observational filmmakers Ewing and Grady delve into the lives of three brave individuals who have recently made the decision to leave the insular ultra-orthodox community at the expense of all else, including relationships with their family members and – in one case – their personal safety. With a sensitive and compassionate eye, One of Us chronicles the achingly cinematic journey of people in search of a personal freedom that comes only at a very high cost. “We have always been drawn to stories that put the nature/nurture debate into stark relief. Are some of us just born with an unshakable need to question the status quo, despite the consequences?” said filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. “The three brave people we chronicle in One of Us buck the exacting rules of their ultra-orthodox community to experience the world for the first time as true individuals. Their journey is a profoundly human one that took us by surprise. We hope audiences are as affected by this story as we are.”
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Toronto International Film Festival Unveils 35 International Titles on 2017 Short Cuts Program

[caption id="attachment_23404" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Death, Dad & Son[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled the 35 exceptional short films that make up the International portion of the 2017 Short Cuts program. A lineup that stands out for its diversity of voices and backgrounds, the International selection for 2017 includes works from over 30 countries in 16 different languages, with a strong presence from the Middle East and South America. Of the 35 selected films, 17 were directed by women. The International lineup also includes seven stunning short animations, including Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s The Burden (Min börda), winner of the Cristal for a Short Film award at the 2017 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and The Death, Dad & Son by Denis Walgenwitz and Winshluss, the renowned French comic book artist whose film credits include co-writing and co-directing the Oscar-nominated Persepolis (07). Another well-known name featured in the lineup is Justine Bateman; the former Family Ties star’s short film directorial debut, FIVE MINUTES, will be premiering at the Festival. Program highlights also include Ifunanya Maduka’s heartbreaking Waiting for Hassana, which shares a brave teenager’s devastating account of the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping; Mahdi Fleifel’s A Drowning Man, the dramatic story of a young immigrant trying to survive in a new and strange city; and Yang Qiu’s A Gentle Night (Xiao Cheng Er Yue), which will be screening fresh off its Short Film Palme d’Or win at Cannes. Films in the Short Cuts program are eligible for the IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Film. This year’s jury includes Marit van den Elshout, Head of CineMart at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; TIFF 2016 City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film winner Johnny Ma (Old Stone); and Cannes 2017 Art Cinema Award winner Chloé Zhao (The Rider). The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017. International titles screening as part of the Short Cuts program include: Airport Michaela Müller, Switzerland/Croatia North American Premiere Blue Christmas Charlotte Wells, UK/USA World Premiere Bonboné Rakan Mayasi, Palestine/Lebanon World Premiere The Burden (Min börda) Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Sweden North American Premiere Catastrophe Jamille van Wijngaarden, Netherlands International Premiere Damiana Andrés Ramírez Pulido, Colombia/Brazil North American Premiere The Death, Dad & Son (La Mort, Père & Fils) Winshluss, Denis Walgenwitz, France International Premiere Drop by Drop (Água Mole) Xá, Laura Gonçalves, Portugal North American Premiere A Drowning Man Mahdi Fleifel, Denmark/Greece/UK North American Premiere Everlasting MOM (Ima Lanetzah) Elinor Nechemya, Israel International Premiere Fifteen (Khamastashar) Sameh Alaa, Egypt World Premiere FIVE MINUTES Justine Bateman, USA World Premiere A Gentle Night (Xiao Cheng Er Yue) Yang Qiu, China Canadian Premiere I Didn’t Shoot Jesse James (Je n’ai pas tué Jesse James) Sophie Beaulieu, France North American Premiere Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month Carlo Francisco Manatad, Philippines/Singapore North American Premiere Long Distance Relationship (Namoro À Distância) Carolina Markowicz, Brazil World Premiere Lower Heaven Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi, France/Iran International Premiere Magic Moments Martina Buchelová, Slovakia World Premiere Marlon Jessica Palud, France/Belgium North American Premiere Möbius Sam Kuhn, Canada/USA North American Premiere Mon amour mon ami Adriano Valerio, Italy/France International Premiere Mother (Madre) Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Spain International Premiere Preparation (Proetimasia) Sofia Georgovassili, Greece World Premiere The President’s Visit Cyril Aris, Lebanon/Qatar/USA World Premiere Push It Julia Thelin, Sweden North American Premiere Roadside Attraction Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas, USA World Premiere Shinaab Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr, USA International Premiere SIGNATURE Kei Chikaura, Japan North American Premiere Still Water Runs Deep Abbesi Akhamie, USA/Nigeria World Premiere Together Alone (Nosotros solos) Mateo Bendesky, Argentina International Premiere Treehouse (La casa del árbol) Juan Sebastián Quebrada, Colombia/France World Premiere Waiting Amberley Jo Aumua, New Zealand International Premiere Waiting for Hassana Ifunanya Maduka, Nigeria Canadian Premiere We Love Moses Dionne Edwards, UK Canadian Premiere WICKED GIRL (KÖTÜ KIZ) Ayce Kartal, France/Turkey North American Premiere
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Toronto International Film Festival Launches 2017 Midnight Madness Lineup, Opens with Joseph Kahn’s BODIED

[caption id="attachment_23401" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Bodied[/caption] Midnight Madness has just launched its lineup for the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival, and opens with Joseph Kahn’s provocative World Premiere of Bodied. Midnight Madness also presents the World Premiere of The Disaster Artist, directed by James Franco and based on the making of Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 cult film, The Room. Kuplowsky also welcomes back several Festival alumni, including David Bruckner, Ryuhei Kitamura, S. Craig Zahler, Hélène Cattet, and Bruno Forzani. A new film directed by Canadian musician Seth A. Smith of Dog Day will also screen, as well as the Canadian Premiere of the acclaimed short-film Great Choice, which will precede the World Premiere of Brian Taylor’s Mom and Dad, starring Nicholas Cage and Selma Blair. Finally, the section will introduce two new feature filmmakers with Coralie Fargeat’s Revenge and the section’s Closing Night presentation of Sôichi Umezawa’s Vampire Clay. “We can’t wait to unleash Peter on Midnight Madness audiences,” said TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey. “He’s tracked down 10 films that preserve the section’s legendary kick-out-the-jams approach, while still putting his own ruthless stamp on it. Just watch.” “With my inaugural lineup, I’ve sought to assemble an eclectic group of films that expand and explode traditional definitions of genre and shock cinema,” said Peter Kuplowsky, Programmer for Midnight Madness. “Starting with Joseph Kahn’s proverbial mic-drop Bodied, a transgressive and self-critical battle rap satire produced by Eminem, and ricocheting between occult rituals and brutal brawls, the tropes across these 10 Midnights may be familiar, but the execution always innovates, be it in their distillation, fragmentation or subversion. Some will terrify, and others may mystify, but all will electrify audiences well past the witching hour.” Under Kuplowsky’s new direction, Midnight Madness will continue to showcase the classically terrifying, as well as boundary-pushing, stylized and innovative films — wiring up and energizing its loyal late-night fang-club! The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017. Films screening as part of the Midnight Madness program include: Midnight Madness Opening Film. Bodied Joseph Kahn, USA World Premiere Brawl in Cell Block 99 S. Craig Zahler, USA North American Premiere The Crescent Seth A. Smith, Canada World Premiere The Disaster Artist James Franco, USA World Premiere Downrange Ryuhei Kitamura, USA World Premiere Great Choice Robin Comisar, USA Canadian Premiere Let the Corpses Tan Hélène Cattet, Bruno Forzani, Belgium/France North American Premiere Mom and Dad Brian Taylor, USA World Premiere Revenge Coralie Fargeat, France World Premiere The Ritual David Bruckner, UK World Premiere Midnight Madness Closing Film. Vampire Clay Sôichi Umezawa, Japan World Premiere
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Toronto International Film Festival Announces 2017 Documentary Program, Opens with GRACE JONES: BLOODLIGHT & BAMI

[caption id="attachment_23395" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival’s 2017 documentary program presents a distinct collection of works from award-winning directors, and will open with Sophie Fiennes’ Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami, a film that captures the legendary performer on and off stage. The lineup features celebrated filmmakers, including Morgan Spurlock, who reignites his battle with the food industry in Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!; Brett Morgen, with his portrait of primatologist Jane Goodall in Jane; Greg Barker, who grants viewers unprecedented access into President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team in The Final Year; Frederick Wiseman, who takes us behind the scenes of a New York institution in Ex Libris – The New York Public Library; and Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, who follow three Hasidic Jews who attempt to enter the secular world in One of Us. The TIFF Docs Program is made possible through the generous sponsorship of A+E IndieFilms. “Resistance is a key theme in this year’s documentaries,” said TIFF Docs Programmer Thom Powers. “We pay witness to rebels challenging the status quo in art, politics, sexuality, religion, fashion, sports and entertainment. They speak powerfully to our times as audiences seek inspirations for battling powerful and corrupt systems.” The theme of resistance plays out in a diverse range of films, including Jed Rothstein’s The China Hustle, executive produced by Alex Gibney and Frank Marshall, which confronts a new era of Wall Street fraud; Matt Tyrnauer’s Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, which profiles the sexual taboo breaker Scotty Bowers; Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman’s Silas, which portrays Liberian activist Silas Siakor; and Erika Cohn’s The Judge, which follows the first female Shari’a judge, Kholoud Al-Faqih, practicing law in the West Bank. We gain insights into high-profile figures in the worlds of entertainment and sports in films such as Chris Smith’s JIM & ANDY: the Great Beyond – the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman featuring a very special, contractually obligated mention of Tony Clifton, which examines Jim Carrey’s immersion into the role of Andy Kaufman; Lili Fini Zanuck’s Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, which delivers the definitive biography of the rock legend; and Jason Kohn’s Love Means Zero, which investigates the controversial tennis coach Nick Bollettieri and his history with Andre Agassi. Several films deepen our understanding of black cultural figures, including Sam Pollard’s Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me on the complex career of the multi-talented Rat Pack performer; Kate Novack’s The Gospel According to André on the trend-setting fashion writer André Leon Talley; and Sara Driver’s BOOM FOR REAL The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat on the formative years of the acclaimed artist. TIFF Docs upholds its tradition of featuring films and filmmakers from around the world with films such as Violeta Ayala’s Cocaine Prison on the drug trade in Bolivia; Mila Turajlić’s The Other Side of Everything on the dissident activism of her Serbian mother; Hüseyin Tabak’s The Legend of the Ugly King on the Kurdish filmmaker Yilmaz Güney; Sabiha Sumar’s Azmaish: A Journey through the Subcontinent on the politics of India and Pakistan; and Gustavo Salmerón’s Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle on his eccentric family in Spain. The TIFF Docs closing film is Emmanuel Gras’ Makala, which won the Grand Jury prize at Cannes’ Critics Week and portrays the heroic struggles of a subsistence laborer in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs September 7 to 17, 2017.
2017 TIFF Docs Program include:
Azmaish: A Journey through the Subcontinent Sabiha Sumar, Pakistan North American Premiere BOOM FOR REAL The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat Sara Driver, USA World Premiere The China Hustle Jed Rothstein, USA World Premiere Cocaine Prison Violeta Ayala, Australia/Bolivia/France/USA World Premiere Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars Lili Fini Zanuck, United Kingdom World Premiere Ex Libris – The New York Public Library Frederick Wiseman, USA North American Premiere The Final Year Greg Barker, USA World Premiere The Gospel According to André Kate Novack, USA World Premiere Documentary Program Opening Film. Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami Sophie Fiennes, United Kingdom/Ireland World Premiere JIM & ANDY: the Great Beyond – the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman featuring a very special, contractually obligated mention of Tony Clifton Chris Smith, USA/Canada North American Premiere Jane Brett Morgen, USA World Premiere The Judge Erika Cohn, Palestine/USA World Premiere The Legend of the Ugly King Hüseyin Tabak, Germany/Austria World Premiere Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle Gustavo Salmerón, Spain North American Premiere Love Means Zero Jason Kohn, USA World Premiere Documentary Program Closing Film. Makala Emmanuel Gras, France North American Premiere OF SHEEP AND MEN Karim Sayad, Switzerland/Qatar World Premiere One of Us Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, USA World Premiere The Other Side of Everything Mila Turajlić, Serbia/France/Qatar World Premiere Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me Sam Pollard, USA World Premiere Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood Matt Tyrnauer, USA World Premiere Silas Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman, Canada/South Africa/Kenya World Premiere Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! Morgan Spurlock, USA World Premiere
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European Premiere of Wim Wenders’ SUBMERGENCE to Open San Sebastian Festival

The European premiere of Wim Wenders’ Submergence will open the 65th edition of the San Sebastian Festival on September 22, 2017. The film which will world premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival stars Alicia Vikander and James McAvoy. The story, shot in Berlin, Madrid, Toledo, different locations in France and Djibouti, was written by Erin Dignam (The Yellow Handkerchief, The Last Face) based on the famous novel of the same name by The Economist correspondent J.M. Ledgard (Giraffe). James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander embody a hydraulic engineer and a bio-mathematician who meet in a hotel on the French coast, where both are preparing their missions. While she works on a project of immersion in the Greenland Sea, he is taken hostage in Somalia. Submergence is a love story that takes us into the extremely different worlds of our two protagonists, Danielle Flinders (Alicia Vikander) and James More (James McAvoy). They meet by chance in a remote hotel in Normandy where they both prepare for a dangerous mission. They fall in love almost against their will, but soon recognize in each other the love of their lives. When they have to separate, we find out that James works for the British Secret Service. He’s involved in a mission in Somalia to track down a source for suicide bombers infiltrating Europe. Danielle ‘Danny’ Flinders is a bio-mathematician working on a deep sea diving project to support her theory about the origin of life on our planet. Soon, they are worlds apart. James is taken hostage by Jihadist fighters and has no way of contacting Danny, and she has to go down to the bottom of the ocean in her submersible, not even knowing if James is still alive… The German filmmaker, screenwriter and producer Wim Wenders (Düsseldorf, 1945) has worked during his career in both Europe and the United States, putting his name to some of the most relevant films in the last four decades, including Der Stand der Dinge (The State of Things, 1982), Golden Lion at Venice Festival; Paris, Texas (1984), screened at the San Sebastian Festival after receiving the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Festival; Der Himmel über Berlin (Wings of Desire, 1987), winner of Best Director in Cannes; and the documentaries Buena Vista Social Club (1999), which garnered over a dozen awards at the Seattle, New York and Los Angeles festivals; Pina (2011), premiered at Berlin and presented in the Zabaltegi Pearls section in San Sebastian, or Salt of the Earth, co-helmed with Juliano Ribeiro Salgado (1914), Un Certain Regard Special Prize and Audience Award in San Sebastian. Founder member of the European Film Academy, in 2002 he chaired the San Sebastian Festival Jury, which awarded the Golden Shell to Los lunes al sol (Mondays in the Sun) by Fernando León de Aranoa. Scottish actor James McAvoy (Glasgow, 1979) plays the leading part in The Last King of Scotland (Kevin Macdonald, 2006), Atonement (Joe Wright, 2007), The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (Ned Benson, 2014, selected for the Festival’s Pearls section) and Split (M. Night Shyamalan, 2016), in addition to embodying a young Charles Xavier in three films of the X-Men saga. Swedish actor Alicia Vikander (Gothenburg, 1988), remarkable for her performances of Kitty in Anna Karenina (Joe Wright, 2012), Queen Mathilde in En Kongelig Affære / A Royal Affair (Nikolaj Arcel, 2012) and Ex machina (Alex Garland, 2014), won the 2015 Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her part in The Danish Girl (Gerda Wegener) and will see her performance as Lara Croft take to the screen next year in the latest installment of Tomb Raider (Roar Uthaug, 2018). The soundtrack is written by Fernando Velázquez (A Monster Calls, The Impossible), once again featuring the Basque National Symphony Orchestra.
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World Premiere of BORG/MCENROE Starring Shia LaBeouf to Open Toronto International Film Festival | Trailer

The World Premiere of Borg/McEnroe will kick off the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival on September 7. Directed by Janus Metz and written by Ronnie Sandahl, the film stars Shia LaBeouf, Sverrir Gudnason and Stellan Skarsgård. “Borg/McEnroe has a powerful tension about it that is on par with the electric energy of Toronto on Opening Night,” said Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF. “The story of this nail-biter matchup changed the sport of tennis forever, and the outstanding performances from LaBeouf and Gudnason will be a spectacular way for Festival-goers to kick things off.” “Janus Metz’s Armadillo is a gripping war documentary that took home the Critics Week Grand Prize at Cannes. Amazingly, Metz brings that same urgent tension to Borg/McEnroe,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “The on-court scenes have the dynamism of a street battle, and the drama peels back layers from what we know about both players. This was more than a simple conflict pitting an icy European against an impulsive American. Audiences are in for one hell of a showdown.” “I am extremely honored by TIFF’s selection of Borg/McEnroe as the opening film,” said director Janus Metz. “It is a great celebration and recognition of everyone in the cast and crew who worked so hard to make this film what it is. We had very high ambitions for this project and have come such a long way together. I’m very excited that we can finally let the film out into the world, and I couldn’t dream of a better way of doing this.” Borg/McEnroe tells the story of the epic rivalry between Swedish tennis legend Björn Borg (Sverrir Gudnason) and his greatest adversary, the brash American John McEnroe (Shia LaBeouf), which came to a head during the 1980 Wimbledon Championships. The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgfFdEOGUqE
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Stony Brook Film Festival Announces 2017 Awards, Catherine Eaton’s THE SOUNDING Wins Best Film

The 22nd Stony Brook Film Festival ran July 20 to 29, and had the largest attendance in the history of the Festival. The Sounding directed by Catherine Eaton walked away with the Jury Award for Best Feature. Alan Inkles, founder and director of the Stony Brook Film Festival said, “It truly was a magical year where almost every feature and shorts filmmaker attended their screenings to represent their films and host Q & As. When we add in the sales agents and distributors that attended, we saw our Filmmaker Lounge humming with energy and interaction among filmmakers, talent and industry. As for the films we showed, the audience scores were the best in our 22 years. Great films, great guests and packed houses nightly. It’s what I envisioned for Stony Brook when we started this festival and it was certainly achieved this year.”
Award Winners of 2017 Stony Brook Film Festival
2017 Jury Award – Best Feature The Sounding United States – 93 min Directed by Catherine Eaton. Written by Bryan Delaney and Catherine Eaton. With Catherine Eaton, Teddy Sears, Harris Yulin, Frankie Faison and David Furr. Writer-Director-Actress Catherine Eaton gives a stunning performance as Liv, a mysterious woman residing on an island off the coast of Maine who has chosen to remain silent for years. When she suffers a terrible loss, Liv suddenly begins to speak as she weaves a language out of Shakespeare’s words. After a series of events result in her being committed to a psychiatric hospital, Liv becomes a full-blown rebel, fighting for both her voice and her freedom. A powerful, uplifting drama. Produced by Catherine Eaton, Caitlin Gold, Veronique Huyghebaert, Aliki Paraschis and Jessica Vale. Edited by Marco Perez. Director of Photography: David Kruta. From Corsetless Productions. 2017 Audience Choice – Best Feature (tie) Fanny’s Journey France, Belgium – 94 min Directed by Lola Doillon. Written by Fanny Ben-Ami, Lola Doillon, Anne Peyrègne. With Léonie Souchaud and Cécile De France. In French with subtitles In 1943, after avoiding the authorities with other Jewish children in France for three years, 13-year-old Fanny and her sisters are quickly sent to an Italian foster home. When the Nazis arrive in Italy, their caretakers plan an escape to Switzerland. Suddenly left on their own, eleven children do the impossible. Based on a true story, this moving tale of bravery, strength, and survival features exceptional performances by the young cast. Produced by Saga Blanchard, Marie de Lussigny. Edited by Valérie Deseine. Director of Photography: Pierre Cottereau. A David-Films, Scope Pictures, France 2 Cinéma, Rhône-Alpes Cinéma, and Ce Qui Me Meut Motion Pictures production. From Menemsha Films. 2017 Audience Choice – Best Feature (tie) To the Edge of the Sky World Premiere – United States – 118 min Directed by Todd Wider and Jedd Wider. How far would you go to save your son’s life? To the Edge of the Sky follows four families as they fight the FDA to gain access to a potentially lifesaving drug for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a fatal disease their sons suffer from and the number one genetic killer of boys in the world. With a promising drug on the horizon, we witness the transformation of the mothers of four boys into “the rogue moms” as they become political activists and heroes during their righteous battle against time and the FDA. A challenging and uplifting documentary from Long Island brothers Todd and Jedd Wider (Client 9, God Knows Where I Am). Produced by Brian Ariotti. Edited by Mona Davis and Colin Nusbaum. Director of Photography: Gerardo Puglia. A Wider Film Projects film. 2017 Special Recognition by the Jury – Spirit of Independent Filmmaking Laura Gets a Cat United States – 83 min Written and Directed by Michael Ferrell. With Dana Brooke, Michael Ferrell, Jason Kravits (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). Laura is a 30-something unemployed writer living in New York City and struggling with adulthood. She has a ‘weekend’ boyfriend she can’t commit to, friends who seem to have achieved their dreams, and a vivid imaginary life she uses to run away from reality. When she starts a new relationship with a coffee shop barista, real life proves too complicated and she tries to actually run away. Veteran stage actress Dana Brooke shines in this funny, fresh, poignant independent feature. Produced by Michael Ferrell, Chris Prine and Devin Sanchez. Edited by Chris Prine. Director of Photography: Paul Rondeau. From Living Boy Productions. 2017 Special Recognition by the Jury – Achievement in Social Impact Purple Dreams New York Premiere – United States – 72 min Directed by Joanne Hock. This inspirational documentary follows several students from the Northwest School of the Arts, in Charlotte, N.C., after it is chosen to be the first high school permitted to perform the musical The Color Purple. From auditions through opening night and beyond, the filmmakers follow these students as they pursue their dreams while struggling with homelessness, low-income neighborhoods, gang-related violence and single-parent households. A behind-the-scenes look at an amazing group of teachers and students who work relentlessly to put on a triumphant musical production that propels them into a world of opportunity they never expected. Produced by Robin Grey, Sara Patel. Edited by John Disher. Director of Photography: Joanne Hock. From GreyHawk Films. 2017 Jury Award – Best Short Across the Line World Premiere – Israel – 29 min In Arabic and Hebrew with subtitles A film by Nadav Shlomo Giladi A Jewish settler, hurrying home for Shabbat, encounters a stubborn Palestinian hitchhiker. 2017 Audience Choice Award – Best Short Just, Go! Latvia – 11 minutes A film by Pavels Gumennikovs In Latvian with subtitles A young man without legs chases down surprised purse snatchers for the girl he loves. Photo: July 29, 2017 Award winners at the Closing Night Awards reception, 22nd Annual Stony Brook Film Festival presented by Island Federal Credit Union L to R: Jury Award-Best Feature: The Sounding, Catherine Eaton, writer/director/actor/co-producer Audience Choice-Best Feature: To the Edge of the Sky, Todd and Jedd Wider, directors; (tie with Fanny’s Journey, director Lola Doillon, not pictured) Special Recognition by the Jury-Spirit of Independent Filmmaking: Laura Gets a Cat, Michael Ferrell, writer/director/actor/co-producer Special Recognition by the Jury-Achievement in Social Impact: Purple Dreams, Robin Grey, co-producer Jury Award-Best Short: Across the Line Nadav Shlomo Giladi Audience Choice Award-Best Short: Just, Go! Pavels Gumennikovs Photo credits: Nick A. Koridis for the Stony Brook Film Festival
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Twenty-One Spanish Films Among Official Selections for San Sebastian Festival

[caption id="attachment_23355" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Life and Nothing More[/caption] Twenty-one films with Spanish production are among the official selection films confirmed for the 65th edition of the San Sebastian Festival. From September 22 to 30 the Festival will premiere Life and Nothing More, the second film by Antonio Méndez Esparza, winner of the Cannes Critics’ Week award with Aquí y allá; Handia, the latest proposal from Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi, director and screenwriters of Loreak (Flowers); El autor, by Manuel Martín Cuenca, third-time contender for the Golden Shell; Marrowbone, the directorial debut of screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez; the first two episodes of the series La peste (The Plague), directed by Alberto Rodríguez; and Morir (Dying), the second film by Fernando Franco. Manuel Martín Cuenca returns to the Official Selection with El autor, a film based on the novel El móvil (The Motive), by Javier Cercas, starring Javier Gutiérrez, María Leon and Antonio de la Torre, with a soundtrack by José Luis Perales. Handia, based on the true story of Miguel Joaquín Eleizegi (1818-1861), known as the Altzo giant, explores his human side and how he related to the society of his time. Handia is the new film by Aitor Arregi and Jon Garaño. Jon Garaño directed Loreak (Flowers, Official Selection, 2014) together with Jose Mari Goenaga; Aitor Arregi wrote Loreak and directed Lucio (premiered in Zabaltegi Special Screenings in 2007) also with Goenaga. Having landed the Cannes Critics’ Week award for Aquí y allá, his take on Mexican emigration, the moviemaker from Madrid, Antonio Méndez Esparza turns his eyes in Life and Nothing More towards the situation of a single mother and her 14 year-old son in the state of Florida. Featuring out of competition in the Official Selection is Marrowbone, directorial debut of Sergio G. Sánchez, screenwriter of El Orfanato (The Orphanage), The Impossible (2012 Official Selection) and Palmeras en la nieve (Palm Trees in the Snow), who has recruited young British and North American talents for the film: Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Split), George Mackay (Captain Fantastic), Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness, Nymphomaniac. Vol. II) and Charlie Heaton (As You Are, Stranger Things). Featuring in the special screenings section is Morir (Dying) by Fernando Franco, winner of the Special Jury Prize at the San Sebastian Festival and of the Goya Award to Best New Director for his first work, La herida. Morir (Dying), a free adaptation of the book of the same name by Arthur Schnitzler, stars Andrés Gertrúdix and Marian Álvarez, also winner with La herida of the Best Actress Silver Shell, endorsed by the Goya for Best Actress. Spanish participation can also be found in La cordillera (The Summit), the film directed by Santiago Mitre which will be shown in a special screening to celebrate presentation of the Donostia Award to its leading man, the Argentine actor Ricardo Darín. In New Directors, Nicolás Combarro (A Coruña, 1979), a well-known artist who uses different forms of expression including photography and sculpture, presents his first film, Alberto García-Alix. La línea de la sombra (Alberto García-Alix. The Shadow Line), portraying the universe of the Spanish photographer. Also in the section dedicated to new talents is the co-production between Chile, Spain and Argentina, Princesita (Princess), directed by Marialy Rivas, whose first feature, Joven & Alocada (Young & Wild, 2012), won the Best Screenplay Award at Sundance. Princesita (Princess) was a participant in the Films in Progress selection in 2015. The co-production between Chile, Germany, Spain and United States Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) by Sebastián Lelio, winner of the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlinale, will open Horizontes Latinos, the selection of which includes La educación del Rey (Rey’s Education), by Santiago Esteves, winner of the two Films in Progress awards last year (Films in Progress 30 Industry Award and the CAACI / Ibermedia TV Films in Progress Award). Competitors for the Zabaltegi-Tabakalera award include the first work as a director from Gustavo Salmerón, the documentary Muchos hijos, un mono y un castillo (Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle), an allegory of the crisis which garnered the Best Documentary Award at the Karlovy Vary Festival, and the shorts Plágan (Kimuak 2017), by Koldo Almandoz, who competed in the same section last year with Sipo Phantasma (Ghost Ship), and Plus Ultra, by Samuel M. Delgado and Helena Girón, selected for the Locarno Festival. The coming feature film project by Delgado and Girón, Eles transportan a morte, has been selected for the Ikusmira Berriak 2017 program. Furthermore, the co-production Loving Pablo, the film about drug lord Pablo Escobar, directed by Fernando León de Aranoa and starring Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz, will close the Pearls section and will be screened in the Anoeta Velodrome. The Velodrome also will host the premieres of Operación Concha (Operation Golden Shell), a screwball comedy set at the San Sebastian Festival, directed by Antonio Cuadri (El corazón de la tierra /The Heart of the Earth) and starring Jordi Mollà and Karra Elejalde, and Fe de etarras, fourth feature as a director from Borja Cobeaga, written by Diego San José and starring Javier Cámara, Julián López, Miren Ibarguren and Gorka Otxoa. The Spanish Television gala will host the premiere of La llamada, the adaptation of the homonymous musical. The directors of the play, Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, take their first steps in feature film territory with this movie starring Macarena García (Best Actress Silver Shell for Blancanieves / Snow White), Anna Castillo and Belén Cuesta. Lastly, competing at the International Film Students Meeting is L’home llop (The Wolfman), directed by a student of the ESCAC (Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya), Lluís Sellarés.
OFFICIAL SELECTION

In competition
EL AUTOR MANUEL MARTÍN CUENCA (SPAIN – MEXICO) Production: LAZONA FILMS, ALEBRIJE CINE Y VÍDEO, ICÓNICA PRODUCCIONES, LA LOMA BLANCA P.C. Cast: Javier Gutiérrez, María León, Adelfa Calvo, Adriana Paz, Tenoch Huerta, Rafael Téllez, Antonio de la Torre Álvaro wants to be an author, but everything he puts down on paper rings false, pretentious and insipid. He works as a clerk at a notary’s office in Seville and his life is dull, only coloured by his dreams. His wife, Amanda, is quite the opposite. She’s always had her feet firmly on the ground and has never dreamt of becoming an author. However, she sets out to write and produces a bestseller. The ironies of life. Separation is inevitable. Just then, Álvaro decides to fulfil his dream: to write a great novel. But he can’t; he has neither the talent nor the imagination. Guided by Juan, his writing teacher, he studies the fundamentals of the novel, until discovering one day that fiction is in fact based on reality. Álvaro starts manipulating his neighbours and friends to create a story, a real story bigger than fiction. HANDIA AITOR ARREGI, JON GARAÑO (SPAIN) Production: IRUSOIN, MORIARTI PRODUKZIOAK, KOWALSKI FILMS S.L., AUNDIYA FILM A.I.E. Cast: Eneko Sagardoy, Joseba Usabiaga, Iñigo Aranburu, Ramon Agirre, Aia Kruse Having fought in the First Carlist War, Martin returns to his family farm in Gipuzkoa only to find that his younger brother, Joaquín, towers over him in height. Convinced that everyone will want to pay to see the tallest man on Earth, the siblings set out on a long trip all over Europe, during which ambition, money and fame will forever change the family’s fate. A story based on true events. LIFE AND NOTHING MORE ANTONIO MÉNDEZ ESPARZA (SPAIN – USA) Production: AQUÍ Y ALLÍ FILMS Cast: Andrew Bleechington, Regina Williams, Robert Williams, Ry’nesia Chambers Life and Nothing More portrays the reality of a single mother who lives in north Florida state with her children. In a context of social inequality, her life is nothing but a constant struggle to make it to the end of the month, while coping with routine and everyday difficulties, among which are the problem of her son’s behaviour and her permanent conflict when trying to become part of society.
Not in competition
LA PESTE (THE PLAGUE) ALBERTO RODRÍGUEZ (SPAIN) Production: MOVISTAR+, ATÍPICA FILMS Cast: Pablo Molinero, Paco León, Sergio Castellanos, Patricia López Arnaiz, Manolo Solo, Lupe del Junco, Tomás del Estal, Paco Tous, Cecilia Gómez During an outbreak of the bubonic plague in the magnificent Seville of 1587, Mateo, a former soldier, returns, honouring his word to find and extract a dead friend’s son from the city. Previously, Mateo had been forced to flee the city to save his life, having been sentenced to death by the Inquisition for printing forbidden books. Before he can complete his task, Mateo is arrested by the Inquisitor’s bailiffs, who promise to pardon his life in exchange for solving a series of crimes of diabolic overtones being committed in Seville. MARROWBONE SERGIO G. SÁNCHEZ (SPAIN) Production: MARROWBONE, S.L, TELECINCO CINEMA Cast: George MacKay, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Mia Goth, Matthew Stagg Jack and his siblings struggle to survive at the rundown Marrowbone farm. Despite the blow of their mother’s early death, the four brothers have created in this remote and labyrinthine spot a refuge suited to their needs, safe from the outside world and with no adult help whatsoever. They stay together, observing their mother’s last wish; but the danger closing in around them isn’t to be found outside the farm. Strange noises and occurrences start shaking Marrowbone’s old walls, as if haunted by an ancient curse. With no other option but to stay in the mansion, the four brothers will have to find a way to overcome the threatening ominous presence.
Special screenings
MORIR (DYING) FERNANDO FRANCO (SPAIN) Production: KOWALSKI FILMS, FERDYDURKE FILMS Cast: Andrés Gertrúdix, Marian Álvarez The lives of Luis and Marta are abruptly paralysed. Lies, guilt and fear put the couple’s stability and love to the test.
DONOSTIA AWARD SPECIAL SCREENING
LA CORDILLERA (THE SUMMIT) SANTIAGO MITRE (ARGENTINA – SPAIN – FRANCE) Production: KRAMER & SIGMAN FILMS, MOD PRODUCCIONES, MANEKI FILMS, LA UNIÓN DE LOS RÍOS Cast: Ricardo Darín, Dolores Fonzi, Érica Rivas, Elena Anaya, Daniel Giménez-Cacho, Alfredo Castro, Gerardo Romano, Leonardo Franco, Paulina García, Christian Slater At a Summit for Latin American presidents in Chile, where the region’s geopolitical strategies and alliances are in discussion, Argentine president Hernán Blanco endures a political and family drama that will force him to face his own demons. He will have to come to two decisions that could change the course of his public and private life forever: one regarding a complicated emotional situation with his daughter, and the other, the most important political decisión of his career.
NEW DIRECTORS
ALBERTO GARCÍA-ALIX. LA LÍNEA DE SOMBRA (ALBERTO GARCÍA-ALIX. THE SHADOW LINE) NICOLÁS COMBARRO (SPAIN) Production: MORELLI PRODUCCIONES Alberto García-Alix. La línea de sombra is the portrait of one of the most important photographers on the Spanish artistic scene, reference of an entire generation. A direct testimony of the lights and shadows through which Alberto García-Alix has had to make his way in order to find his path. Narrated from the intimacy of his studio, the film takes the shape of a voyage between the present and the past. A dialogue between his life and work. PRINCESITA (PRINCESS) MARIALY RIVAS (CHILE – SPAIN – ARGENTINA) Production: FABULA, SETEMBRO CINE, SUDESTADA CINE Cast: Sara Caballero, Marcelo Alonso, Maria Gracia Omegna Films in Progress 28 In a far-off country at the end of the world Tamara, aged 12, lives under the wing of charismatic cult leader Miguel, a man she adores. That summer the girl will be given a mission: to have a holy child with him immediately she has her first period. Tamara realises that the life she wants for herself is not the same as the fate imposed on her. Her disobedience will lead to her violent development from child to woman, forcing her to gain her freedom in a way she had never imagined.
HORIZONTES LATINOS
UNA MUJER FANTÁSTICA (A FANTASTIC WOMAN) SEBASTIÁN LELIO (TXILE – GERMANY – SPAIN – USA) Production: FABULA, KOMPLIZEN FILM, SETEMBRO CINE Cast: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Paulina García, Néstor Cantillana, Alonso Torres, Cristián Chaparro, Senén Arancibia OPENING FILM (IN COMPETITION) Marina is a young waitress and wannabe singer; Orlando owns a printing company. Together they plan their future. When Orlando dies suddenly, Marina has to stand up to her family and society to show them what she truly is: a complex, strong, forthright and… fantastic woman. Teddy Award and Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlinale 2017. LA EDUCACIÓN DEL REY (REY’S EDUCATION) SANTIAGO ESTEVES (ARGENTINA – SPAIN) Production: 13 CONEJOS, NEPHILIM S.A. Cast: Germán De Silva, Matías Encinas, Jorge Prado, Mario Jara, Martín Arrojo, Elena Schnell, Marcelo Lacerna, Esteban Lamothe Bolting from his first ever heist, Reynaldo Galíndez, alias ‘Rey’, lands in the patio of the house inhabited by Carlos Vargas, a retired security guard. Vargas proposes a deal: the young boy will repair the damage to his home in return for not being handed over to the police. The lessons given to the teenager by the former guard develop into a relationship not unlike the old legends of educating a king (for the “Rey” of his name, meaning “king”). But the agreement will start to fall apart when the loose ends of the robbery Reynaldo had been involved in start closing in around them. Films in Progress Industry Award and CAACI / Ibermedia TV Films in Progress Award in 2016.
ZABALTEGI-TABAKALERA
MUCHOS HIJOS, UN MONO Y UN CASTILLO (LOTS OF KIDS, A MONKEY AND A CASTLE.) GUSTAVO SALMERÓN (SPAIN) Production: GUSTAVO SALMERÓN P.C. Cast: Julia Salmerón, Antonio García Cabanes, Gustavo Salmerón, Nacho Salmerón, Ramón García Salmerón, David García Salmerón, Paloma García Cabanes This is the story about Julita, a matriarch whose three childhood wishes have been granted: lots of kids, a monkey, and a Spanish castle. At her 81 years old, one of her children needs to find the vertebra of his murdered great-grandmother, lost among the exorbitant amount of weird objects she has hoarded throughout her life, revealing a very picturesque family history. This unique old lady is about to find the meaning of life. Winner of the Award to the Best Documentary at Karlovy Vary. PLÁGAN (PLAGUE) Short film KOLDO ALMANDOZ (SPAIN) Production: TXINTXUA FILMS SL, MKM Plague: From the Latin plague ‘blow’, ‘wound’. Meaning: Massive and sudden appearance of living beings of a same species which cause serious damage to animal or vegetable populations. Abundance of something harmful. PLUS ULTRA Short film SAMUEL M. DELGADO, HELENA GIRÓN (SPAIN) Production: EL VIAJE FILMS, FILMIKA GALAIKA Cast: David Pantaleón, Rubén Rodríguez, María Isabel Díaz, Elena Navarro, Mercedes Pintado Plus Ultra is Spain’s motto. It was used to encourage seafarers to conquer new lands, forgetting Greek mythology’s warning: Non Terrae Plus Ultra (No Land Beyond). The Canary Islands – test bench for the tactics used to colonise America – become the scene of a fable about the territory. VERGÜENZA JUAN CAVESTANY, ÁLVARO FERNÁNDEZ ARMERO (SPAIN) Production: MOVISTAR+, APACHE FILMS S.L. Cast: Javier Gutiérrez, Malena Alterio, Vito Sanz Jesús and Nuria have a problem: no matter what they do, they’re always the laughing stock of their family and friends, stupidly making a fool of themselves. He is a wedding and christening photographer, but believes he has a calling to show his true talent in ‘artistic’ photography. She believes that after her temporary crises she’ll start to have a more interesting life. Together they must decide whether being so pathetic is just a passing virus or if they actually have a chronic disease. Vergüenza is a ten chapter television series. SAURA(S) FÉLIX VISCARRET (SPAIN) Production: IMVAL PRODUCCIONES, PANTALLA PARTIDA Félix Viscarret is a young director. Carlos Saura is a living legend. United by the Cineastas Contados initiative tribute to the genius from Aragon, Viscarret devises a plan for his personal portrayal of the veteran filmmaker. It’s brilliant. It will show the most intimate Saura through conversations between the master and his 7 children. All accept. Saura isn’t fond of talking about the past. Viscarret insists. Saura likes painting. And photography.
PEARLS
LOVING PABLO FERNANDO LEÓN DE ARANOA (SPAIN – BULGARIA) Production: ESCOBAR FILMS AIE, B2Y OOD LTD, JAVIER BARDEM Cast: Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz CLOSING NIGHT FILM Not in competition The true story of the notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, who killed thousands, made billions and struck up an unlikely love affair with his polar opposite, a glamorous television host named Virginia Vallejo.
VELODROME
FE DE ETARRAS BORJA COBEAGA (SPAIN) Production: NETFLIX, MEDIAPRO Cast: Javier Cámara, Gorka Otxoa, Julian López, Miren Ibarguren, Ramón Barea Fe de etarras is an unusual dark comedy set in the warm summer of 2010 in a Spanish provincial capital. A peculiar commando composed of a veteran desperate to prove he’s not a coward, a couple whose commitment depends on continuity of the outfit and a guy from La Mancha who thinks that joining the commando will turn him into Chuck Norris, hole up in a safe house while waiting for the call to tell them they can take action. Meanwhile, the Spanish football team notches up victories in the South Africa World Cup and the whole country is celebrating around them, causing enormous frustration among the farcical commando. OPERACIÓN CONCHA (OPERATION GOLDEN SHELL) ANTONIO CUADRI (SPAIN – MEXICO) Production: ABRA PROD S.L., SPLINE PRODUCCIÓN AUDIOVISUAL S.A. DE CV (CARIBBEAN FIMS) Cast: Jordi Mollà, Karra Elejalde, Unax Ugalde, Ramón Agirre, Bárbara Goenaga, Bárbara Mori, Mara Escalante, Alosian Vivancos Unscrupulous businessman Marcos Ruiz de Aldazábal (Karra Elejalde) is the head of a film production company gone bust. Desperate and penniless, Marcos and his team come up with a plan to hoodwink a millionnaire investment company with a lookalike of prestigious actor Ray Silvela (Jordi Mollà), who has declined the offer to work on their film. Making the most of the San Sebastian Festival context, they set about contriving a massive hoax where nothing is what it seems to be.
TVE SPECIAL SCREENING
LA LLAMADA (HOLY CAMP) JAVIER CALVO, JAVIER AMBROSSI (SPAIN) Production: APACHE FILMS, LO HACEMOS Y YA VEMOS AIE, SÁBADO PELÍCULAS Cast: Macarena García, Anna Castillo, Belén Cuesta, Gracia Olayo Segovia. A Christian Summer camp, called ‘The Compass’. Bernarda, a nun who has just got there, wants to save the camp with her song Viviremos firmes en la fe. Sister Milagros, a young woman who doubts, remembers she liked Presuntos Implicados very much. María and Susana, two adolescents who are there as a punishment, have a band called Suma Latina. But since God appeared to María, everything is changing. And that’s because God loves Whitney Houston.
INTERNATIONAL FILM STUDENTS MEETING
L’HOME LLOP (THE WOLFMAN) Short film LLUÍS SELLARÈS (SPAIN) Cast: Nico Roig, Mar del Hoyo ESCAC (Spain) Nico is half of the couple who stays at home while Mar is working, looking out the window the vastness of the forest and seeking for new ways to procrastinate.
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Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival to Open with MARSHALL + Feature Kathryn Bigelow, Spike Lee

[caption id="attachment_22840" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Marshall[/caption] The 15th Annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) will be held from August 7 to 12, 2017, and will officially kick off with Reginald Hudlin’s Marshall. The 2017 Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival will kick-off with a presentation by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts’ department of digitization and preservation. On Monday, August 7 at 4 p.m. at the MVPAC the museum will preview, from their historical collection, home movies from Cab Calloway, among others. Exclusive Spotlight Screenings: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Annapurna Pictures will screen Detroit starring John Boyega and Anthony Mackie. Talk-back to follow with Kathryn Bigelow, moderated by Khalil Muhammad, professor of History, Race and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School – Harvard University. From 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. Amazon Studio’s Crown Heights will screen starring Lakeith Stanfield and Nnamdi Asomugha. Opening Night film will be a special screening of Reginald Hudlin’s Marshall, presented by Open Road Films, on Tuesday, August 8 at 7 p.m. at the MVPAC. “The Color of Conversation” will immediately follow with Reginald Hudlin. Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m. at MVPAC, the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University will present a screening of the NAACP Image Award-nominated “Little Ballers” – talk-back to immediately follow. On Thursday, August 10 at 7 p.m. at MVPAC, the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Spike Lee will present clips from, the Netflix acquired, Rodney King starring Roger Guenveur Smith. The short film competition, sponsored by HBO and Saatchi & Saatchi Global Advertising, will be held Friday, August 11 from 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the MVPAC. Immediately following, at 5 p.m., HBO will showcase an episode of the network’s inventive series, Issa Rae’s “Insecure” with moderated talk-back. At 7 p.m. HBO’s “The Defiant Ones” will screen. Moderated talk-back to immediately follow with Allen Hughes and Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. Spike Lee to present preview the Original Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It” on Saturday, August 12 at 7 p.m. at MVPAC. “The Color of Conversation” to follow. The annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival is presented by Run&Shoot Filmworks.
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2017 Venice Film Festival Unveils Official Lineup Featuring George Clooney, Darren Aronofsky and More

[caption id="attachment_23335" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Suburbicon[/caption] The Venice Film Festival today revealed the official lineup of films for the 74th edition of the festival taking place August 30 to September 9, 2017. The in-competition lineup features films Mother! by Darren Aronofsky, Suburbicon by George Clooney, and Downsizing by Alexander Payne.
Venezia 74
International competition of feature films, presented as world premieres AI WEIWEI – HUMAN FLOW Germany, USA, 140’ DARREN ARONOFSKY – MOTHER! USA, 120’ Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, Ed Harris GEORGE CLOONEY – SUBURBICON USA, 104’ Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, Oscar Isaac GUILLERMO DEL TORO – THE SHAPE OF WATER USA, 119’ Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Octavia Spencer ZIAD DOUEIRI – L’INSULTE France, Lebanon, 110’ Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha, Camille Salameh, Rita Hayek ROBERT GUÉDIGUIAN – LA VILLA France, 107’ Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan, Jacques Boudet, Anaïs Demoustier, Robinson Stévenin ANDREW HAIGH – LEAN ON PETE United Kingdom, 121’ Charlie Plummer, Steve Buscemi, Chloë Sevigny ABDELLATIF KECHICHE – MEKTOUB, MY LOVE: CANTO UNO France, Italy, 180’ Shain Boumedine, Ophélie Baufle, Salim Kechiouche, Lou Luttiau, Alexia Chardard, Hafsia Herzi KOREEDA HIROKAZU – SANDOME NO SATSUJIN (THE THIRD MURDER) Japan, 124’ Fukuyama Masaharu, Yakusho Koji, Hirose Suzu XAVIER LEGRAND – JUSQU’À LA GARDE France, 90’ Denis Ménochet, Léa Drucker, Thomas Gioria, Mathilde Auneveux, Saadia Bentaïeb MANETTI BROS. – AMMORE E MALAVITA Italia, 133’ Giampaolo Morelli, Serena Rossi, Claudia Gerini, Carlo Buccirosso SAMUEL MAOZ – FOXTROT Israel, Germany, France, Switzerland, 113’ Lior Ashkenazi, Sarah Adler, Yonatan Shiray MARTIN MCDONAGH – THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI United Kingdom, 110’ Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage ANDREA PALLAORO – HANNAH Italy, Belgium, France, 95’ Charlotte Rampling, André Wilms ALEXANDER PAYNE – DOWNSIZING USA, 140’ Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig VIVIAN QU – JIA NIAN HUA (ANGELS WEAR WHITE) China, France, 107’ Wen Qi, Zhou Meijun, Shi Ke, Geng Le, Liu Weiwei, Peng Jing SEBASTIANO RISO – UNA FAMIGLIA Italy, 105’ Micaela Ramazzotti, Patrick Bruel PAUL SCHRADER – FIRST REFORMED USA, 108’ Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles WARWICK THORNTON – SWEET COUNTRY Australia, 112’ con Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, Hamilton Morris, Thomas M. Wright PAOLO VIRZÌ – THE LEISURE SEEKER Italia, 112’ Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland FREDERICK WISEMAN – EX LIBRIS. THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY USA, 197’
Out of Competition
Important works by directors already established in previous editions of the Festival JON ALPERT – CUBA AND THE CAMERAMAN [NON-FICTION] USA, 113’ GIANNI AMELIO – CASA D’ALTRI [SPECIAL EVENTS] Italy, 16’ RITESH BATRA – OUR SOULS AT NIGHT USA, 101’ Jane Fonda, Robert Redford DAVID BATTY – MY GENERATION [NON-FICTION] United Kingdom, 85’ Michael Caine ANTONIETTA DE LILLO – IL SIGNOR ROTPETER Italy, 37’ Marina Confalone ABEL FERRARA – PIAZZA VITTORIO [NON-FICTION] Italy, 82’ STEPHEN FREARS – VICTORIA & ABDUL United Kingdom, 149’ Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Eddie Izzard WILLIAM FRIEDKIN – THE DEVIL AND FATHER AMORTH [NON-FICTION] USA, 68’ RACHID HAMI – LA MÉLODIE France, 102’ Kad Merad, Samir Guesmi, Renély Alfred, Youssouf Gueye TAKESHI KITANO – OUTRAGE CODA Japan, 104’ Beat Takeshi, Nishida Toshiyuki JERRY KRAMER – MAKING OF MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER [SPECIAL EVENTS] USA, 45’ JOHN LANDIS – MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER 3D [SPECIAL EVENTS] USA, 14’ Michael Jackson, Ola Ray FERNANDO LEÓN DE ARANOA – LOVING PABLO Spain, Bulgaria, 123’ Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard LUCRECIA MARTEL – ZAMA Argentina, Brazil, 115’ Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lola Dueñas, Matheus Nachtergaele, Juan Minujín DANIEL MCCABE – THIS IS CONGO [NON-FICTION] Congo, 91’ ERROL MORRIS – WORMWOOD USA, 300’ (TV series, 6 episodes) Peter Sarsgaard, Molly Parker, Christian Camargo, Scott Shepherd, Tim Blake Nelson, Bob Balaban STEPHEN NOMURA SCHIBLE – RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA [NON-FICTION] USA, Japan, 100’ FRANCESCO PATIERNO – DIVA! Italy, 75’ Barbora Bobulova, Anita Caprioli, Carolina Crescentini, Silvia D’Amico, Isabella Ferrari, Carlotta Natoli, Greta Scarano, Anna Foglietta, Michele Riondino MICHAËL R. ROSKAM – LE FIDÈLE Belgium, France, Netherlands, 130’ Matthias Schoenaerts, Adèle Exarchopoulos CHRIS SMITH – JIM & ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND. THE STORY OF JIM CARREY, ANDY KAUFMAN AND TONY CLIFTON [NON-FICTION] USA, Canada, 90’ SILVIO SOLDINI – IL COLORE NASCOSTO DELLE COSE Italy, Switzerland, 115’ Valeria Golino, Adriano Giannini, Arianna Scommegna, Laura Adriani JAMES TOBACK – THE PRIVATE LIFE OF A MODERN WOMAN USA, 71’ Sienna Miller, Alec Baldwin, Charles Grodin, Colleen Camp, Carl Icahn GIOVANNI TOTARO – HAPPY WINTER [NON-FICTION] Italy, 91’ S. CRAIG ZAHLER – BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 USA, 132’ Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Don Johnson, Udo Kier
Venice Virtual Reality
Competitive section of VR films, with a selection of out-of-competition VR films NICOLÁS ALCALÁ – MELITA USA, 24’ (Animation) LAURIE ANDERSON, HUANG HSIN-CHIEN – LA CAMERA INSABBIATA USA, 20’ (Animation) GABO ARORA – THE LAST GOODBYE USA, 20’ LYSANDER ASHTON, LEO WARNER – MY NAME IS PETER STILLMAN United Kingdom, 6’ (Amimation) MATHIAS CHELEBOURG – ALICE, THE VIRTUAL REALITY PLAY France, 20’ Robin Berry, Josh Jefferies EUGENE YK CHUNG – ARDEN’S WAKE EXPANDED USA, 16’ (Animation) NONNY DE LA PEÑA – GREENLAND MELTING USA, 11’ GINA KIM – DONGDUCHEON (BLOODLESS) South Korea, USA, 12’ URI KRANOT, MICHELLE KRANOT – NOTHING HAPPENS Denmark, France, 14’ (Animation) MI LI – SHI MENG LAO REN (THE DREAM COLLECTOR) China, 11’ (Animation) RICHARD MILLS, KIM-LEIGH PONTIN – NEFERTITI United Kingdom, 15’ (Animation) RAFAEL PAVÓN, NICOLÁS ALCALÁ – SNATCH VR HEIST EXPERIENCE USA, 5’ Rupert Grint, Luke Pasqualino, Lucien Laviscount, Phoebe Dynevor
Orizzonti
A competition dedicated to films that represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends in international cinema ALI ASGARI – NAPADID SHODAN (DISAPPEARANCE) Iran, Qatar, 89′ with Sadaf Asgari, Amir Reza Ranjbaran, Nafiseh Zare, Sahar Sotoodeh GILLES BOURDOS – ESPÈCES MENACÉES France, Belgium, 105’ with Alice Isaaz, Vincent Rottiers, Grégory Gadebois, Suzanne Clément NANCY BUIRSKI – THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR Usa, 91′ LUCIEN CASTAING-TAYLOR, VERENA PARAVEL – CANIBA France , 90′ SOFIA DJAMA – LES BIENHEUREUX France, Belgium, 102′ with Sami Bouajila, Nadia Kaci, Amine Lansari, Lyna Khoudri ANNE FONTAINE – MARVIN France , 115′ with Finnegan Oldfield, Isabelle Huppert, Grégory Gadebois, Vincent Macaigne PABLO GIORGELLI – INVISIBLE Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, 87’ with Mora Arenillas, Mara Bestelli, Diego Cremonesi COSIMO GOMEZ – BRUTTI E CATTIVI Italy, France, 87’ with Claudio Santamaria, Marco D’Amore, Sara Serraiocco TZAHI GRAD – HA BEN DOD (THE COUSIN) Israel, 92′ with Ala Dakka, Tzahi Grad, Osnat Fishman AMICHAI GREENBERG – HA EDUT (THE TESTAMENT) Israel, Austria, 91’ with Ori Pfeffer, Rivka Gur, Hagit Dasberg Shamul, Ori Yaniv
Cinema nel Giardino
Films, talks, and visions DARIO ALBERTINI – MANUEL Italy, 97’ Andrea Lattanzi, Giulia Elettra Gorietti, Francesca Antonelli, Raffaella Rea RÄ DI MARTINO – CONTROFIGURA Italy, France, Morocco, Switzerland, 75’ Valeria Golino, Filippo Timi, Corrado Sassi, Nadia Kounda, Younes Bouab KATE MULLEAVY, LAURA MULLEAVY – WOODSHOCK USA, 116’ Kirsten Dunst, Pilou Asbaek, Joe Cole, Stephan Duvall BRUNO OLIVIERO – NATO A CASAL DI PRINCIPE Italy, Spain, 96’ Alessio Lapice, Massimiliano Gallo, Donatella Finocchiaro, Lucia Sardo, Antonio Pennarella MICHELE PLACIDO, ANDREA MOLAIOLI, GIUSEPPE CAPOTONDI – SUBURRA. LA SERIE Italy, 100’ Alessandro Borghi, Giacomo Ferrara, Eduardo Valdarnini, Francesco Acquaroli, Filippo Nigro, Claudia Gerini FRANÇOIS TROUKENS, JEAN-FRANÇOIS HENSGENS – TUEURS Belgium, France, 86’ Olivier Gourmet, Lubna Azabal, Kevin Janssens, Bouli Lanners
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16 Short Films and Webisodes Selected as Semi-Finalists for 2017 NBCUniversal Short Film Festival

16 original short films and webisodes have been selected as semi-finalists for the 12th annual NBCUniversal Short Film Festival. The webisodes and shorts, which include a mix of comedies and dramas, will be showcased at public screenings in New York on August 15 and 16 before the finalists are chosen. The finale screening and awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on October 18 at the Directors Guild of America. The complete list of semi-finalists are: Akashi, Writer & Director: Mayumi Yoshida Kana, a young Japanese woman, receives news that her grandmother has passed away. During her trip to attend the funeral, she recalls intimate conversations with her grandmother that lead her to examine her own life. Audible Static, Writer & Director: Sai Selvarajan Thaddeus, a clever teenager with a speech impediment, creates a new way to communicate his feelings to his crush. Brothers, Writer & Director: Emmett Lundberg Four transgender male friends explore life and love in Brooklyn. This episode of the web series focuses on Max as he opens up to his new girlfriend that he is transgender. Couples: Movie Night, Director: Ryan Sulak, Writer: Chris Sturgeon A quiet night-in for couple, Sara and Adam, turns into an epic thrill-ride to find the perfect movie in a race against time before Sara falls asleep. Cul-De-Sac, Director: Damon Russell, Writer: Shawn Christensen Parents living at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac discover a listening device inside their son’s teddy bear. The film stars Phoebe Tonkin (The Originals, The Vampire Diaries). Emergency, Director: Carey Williams, Writer: K.D Davila A group of Black and Latino college students carefully weigh the pros and cons of calling the police when faced with an emergency situation. Groundhog Day For A Black Man, Writer & Director: Cynthia Kao A Black man continually relives the same day until he can survive an encounter with the police. Joy Joy Nails, Writer & Director: Joey Ally Sarah manages a Korean-owned nail salon with an ever cheerful iron fist. New manicurist Mia, who is Chinese, starts working at the salon and attracts the affections of Sarah’s love interest. Threatened, Sarah becomes increasingly antagonistic toward Mia and later discover truths about herself and Joy Joy Nails. Lost Dogs, Director: Cullan Bruce, Writers: Cullan Bruce and Chris Lee A woman ridiculed by her family longs to escape. Striking a deal with her brother to clear his illegal debt, she delves deeper into darkness. Madaran, Writer & Director: Rayka Zehtabchi An Iranian mother decides whether to end or spare the life of her son’s killer. Misery Loves Company 1: “Pussy,” Director: Gloria Calderon Kellett, Writers: Sara Amini and Emily Chang Misery Loves Company 3: “Racist,” Director: Nadine Truong, Writers: Sara Amini and Emily Chang Two friends navigate being women of color in a post-election world, while trying (and failing) at a #blessedlife in LA. In this episode, Sara and Emily deal with cat-callers on the street. Mr. & Mrs. Kim, Director: Jaehuen Chung, Writer: Josh Aichenbaum Joshua Kim makes up a glamorous story about his Korean immigrants parents for his fourth grade class. He later discovers that their real-life backstory is more extraordinary than what he could have ever imagined. Mrs. Drake, Director: Caitlin FitzGerald, Writer: Kyle Warren Laura is a single mother struggling to raise her son Jack. She is thrown into a spiral of confusion and guilt when Jack comes home from school claiming his teacher locked him in a closet. Night Call, Director: Amanda Renee Knox, Writer: Joseph Sousa During a routine patrol, a Black female cop (Marlyne Barrett, Chicago Med) is called to a disturbance that leads to her making a life-altering decision. Pop Rox, Director: Nate Trinru, Writer: Alyssa Lerner Jesse, an Iranian-American teenage girl, decides to tell her best friend, Roxanne, that she’s in love with her.
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