Film Festivals

Palm Springs International ShortFest Announces 2017 Lineup Featuring Idris Elba, Kate Winslet and More

[caption id="attachment_22679" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Idris Elba in Five by Five[/caption] This year’s 23rd Palm Springs International ShortFest taking place June 20-26, 2017, at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs will showcase 338 films including 46 World Premieres, 12 International Premieres, 42 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres. “Each year, the quality of films we watch for ShortFest keeps getting stronger,” said Festival Director Lili Rodriguez. “It makes our job of narrowing down the final selection that much harder, but also incredibly rewarding. There are so many unique and strong voices and we’re really proud to champion these films at the festival.” This year’s star-studded shorts feature Academy Award® winners and nominees, as well as film and television stars including Summer Phoenix in Across My Land (USA/France); Thomas Lennon and Lennon Parham in All Exchanges Final (USA); Tatiana Maslany in Apart From Everything (Canada); The Dark of Night (USA) directed by Robin Wright and starring Leslie Bibb and Sam Rockwell; Sir Ian McKellen in Edmund the Magnificent (UK); Toby Jones in The Entertainer (UK); Julian Sands in The Escape (UK); Idris Elba in Five by Five (UK); Rick Fox in Game (USA); Carrie Coon in Great Choice (USA); Kate Winslet in The Lost Letter (Ireland); Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale in Martha Monster (Australia); Valerie Harper in My Mom and the Girl (USA); Helena Bonham Carter in Poles Apart (UK); Show Business (USA) directed by Clark Duke; and Super Sex directed by Matthew Modine and starring Kevin Nealon, Edward Asner, Elizabeth Perkins and Efren Ramirez. In addition to ShortFest’s award-winning short films, each year the Festival also welcomes a long guest list of filmmakers and industry attendees for the ShortFest Forums of panels and roundtables. Other prominent industry figures from AMPAS®, Anonymous Content, CAA, Cartoon Network, FX Networks, ICM Partners, NASA, Preferred Content, Seed&Spark, UTA, Vimeo and other organizations will participate in three days of ShortFest Forums covering a wide range of emerging trends and new practices in the global film community.
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David Bly’s Romantic Drama SWEET PARENTS to World Premiere at Brooklyn Film Festival | Trailer

Sweet Parents directed by David Bly, follows a young couple trying to make it in New York; and will world premiere at the 2017 Brooklyn Film Festival on Friday, June 9th at 8:30pm. The film starring Leah Rudick, David Bly, Casey Biggs, Barbara Weetman, Chris Roberti, Sunita Mani, Willie C. Carpenter, Katie Hartman, and Daniel Marin, follows the pursuit of success, and subsequent struggle, in the New York culinary and art worlds. Gabby, a sculptor, and Will, a chef, start side relationships with a successful older man and woman in a last ditch hope of supporting their careers, ultimately pitting true love against ambition. Sweet Parents is not about the young couple moving to New York to pursue their dreams, full of fire and passion, but rather, it’s about the couple that has been there for 10 years, burnt out, contemplating giving it all up, asking themselves “What’s the point? Why are we still here?” and making one last ditch effort to avoid the feeling that the last 10 years have been a waste for Will & Gabby.
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Bill Duke Directed Indie Thriller CREATED EQUAL to World Premiere at American Black Film Festival | Trailer

[caption id="attachment_22655" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Created Equal[/caption] Six years after stunning audiences with his shocking documentary, Dark Girls, actor/director Bill Duke returns to directing with the legal thriller Created Equal. Created Equal, based on the novel, Created Equal written by Roger A. Brown, will World Premiere at the 2017 American Black Film Festival on Thursday, June 15, 4pm, at the Miami Beach Cinematheque (1130 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL). In a world where gender equality remains a critical issue, this controversial film, doesn’t set out to challenge the Catholic Church doctrine, but asks a very modern question… Should women be allowed into seminaries to study for the priesthood? “Created Equal is a film that gives you a voyeur experience into the stained glass ceiling that exists in the Catholic Church and asks the question about women being allowed into seminaries without actually taking sides,” shares Bill Duke. “We are so excited that the American Black Film Festival has officially selected our film as a world premiere and look forward to the conversation that is created around this highly debated topic.” The film stars Broadway actor and singer Aaron Tveit (Grease Live!) Latina actress Edy Ganem (Devious Maids), Yohance Myles (Shots Fired), veteran actors Lou Diamond Phillips (Longmire) and GregAlan Williams (Greenleaf). Desperate to become a priest in the Catholic Church, Alejandra “Allie” Batista (Edy Ganem) turns to Thomas Reilly (Aaron Tveit), a successful lawyer who files suit against the Archdiocese of New Orleans for sex discrimination without justifiable cause. As Allie’s case starts to make national headlines, both she and Tommy face serious backlash from the people in their lives. The trial unfolds and an extremist concocts a plot to stop the heresy against the church by attacking Alejandra and attempting to kill her if she doesn’t back off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Bw2UFlonM
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Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup, and Award for Burt Reynolds

[caption id="attachment_22641" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Vic Edwards (Burt Reynolds) and Ariel Winter (Lil) share a moment at McDougalís Pub in DOG YEARS. Photo by Bob Franklin.[/caption] The Second Annual Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival (VBWFF) has announced the official selections for the 2017 event, held June 8 to 11 at various screening locations in Vero Beach, FL. VBWFF focuses on providing a truly unique festival, allowing guests to fully experience films with tailored wine and drink pairings, special guests and immersive viewing. Films were submitted in the categories of Documentary, Narrative, Short and NEXT UP! (young filmmakers). Florida resident and notable actor, producer, director Burt Reynolds will be honored with VBWFF’s highest honor, the Life Worth Living Legend Award. Reynolds founded the nearby historic Jupiter Theatre, once one of the most renowned cultural centers in South Florida, which operated as a dinner theater and local arts institution from 1979-96. In it’s prime, more stars performed at the Jupiter Theatre than any other venue in Palm Beach County, including Martin Sheen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julie Harris and Judd Nelson. Festival Founder and Director, Jerusha Stewart, said “We’re thrilled to be presenting award-winning actor Burt Reynolds with the VBWFF Life Worth Living Legend Award. Burt is a star among stars who’s enchanted millions with his charisma and comedic style. We’re excited and honored to present his latest film, ‘Dog Years’ in its Florida Premiere after opening at Tribeca.” Stewart continues on the unique experiential screenings during VBWFF, “One of the things that makes VBWFF so unique is that we plan for movies to be experienced differently – whether through venue or the presentation – VBWFF is definitely a ‘Sip, See, Savor!’ experience! Unlike most festivals, we want guests to experience the film, not just watch it.” Full list of film selections linked below, highlights include: Dog Years Starring Burt Reynolds and Ariel Winter, Dog Years tells the story of an aging, former movie star is forced to face the reality that his glory days are behind him. Director: Adam Rifkin; Producer: Neil Mandt; Narrative The Letter Carrier Set in 1860 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Letter Carrier is the story of a boy and his family hidden from slavery and a parent’s will to protect their freedom at all costs. Director: Jesse L. Martin; Short Finding Kukan Filmmaker Robin Lung investigates the case of Li Ling-Ai, the un-credited female producer of KUKAN, a landmark color film that revealed the atrocities of World War II China to American audiences, and was the first-ever American feature documentary to receive an Academy Award in 1942. Producer & Director: Robin Lung; Documentary VBWFF experiential screenings include: Perfume War The multiple award winning documentary follows a single mom as she creates an unlikely weapon in the fight for world peace, turning Afghan farms from illegal opium farms into legal flower farms. Director: Michael Melski; Documentary * Molly Smith, Academy Award Winning Producer of La La Land, will host an intimate lunch and talk with Barb Stegemann, CEO & Founder, The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc. and star of “Perfume War.” STRAWS Narrated by actor Tim Robbins, STRAWS make its Florida premiere at VBWFF. Director and producer Linda Booker created the documentary to expose the negative impact of the billions of plastic straws that live in our landfills and oceans. Director: Linda Booker; Documentary *Following the screening, there will be a private sea turtle walk on the beach and a Q&A with Booker. Discovering Dave The story of David Drake, a South Carolina slave potter/craftsman who created beautiful pottery, including jars, during the turbulent 1800s. Director: Mark Albertin; Documentary *Guests will be able to view up close and handle pottery usually kept in museums under glass. Bartender at Large The documentary on the art of bartending and the world of craft cocktails provides a look at the modern cocktail renaissance. Director: Erick Castro; Documentary *Guests will take part in a cocktail demo at local hotspot, Grind + Grape, before screening. Decanted The documentary gives a look inside one of the most intimate wine growing regions in the world, Napa Valley, as we follow the journey of new beginnings, mastering a craft, and what it takes to make it in the wine business. Director: Nick Kovacic; Documentary
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LEMON, GOOK, BITCH Among 7 Films from 2017 Sundance Selected to Screen at Sundance NEXT FEST

[caption id="attachment_19434" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Lemon[/caption] Seven films from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, paired with three energizing musical performances will screen at the upcoming Sundance NEXT FEST. The fest lights up Los Angeles August 10-13 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, and this year will include presentation of the Institute’s Vanguard Awards to Quentin Tarantino and Dee Rees. The festival’s NEXT FEST After Dark program on Thursday, August 10, will feature a 25th anniversary screening of Reservoir Dogs on restored 35mm and presentation of the Institute’s Vanguard Leadership Award to Quentin Tarantino. Reservoir Dogs debuted at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival following Tarantino’s participation in the Institute’s Directors Lab and returned to its roots with a From the Collection screening at this year’s Festival. Sundance NEXT FEST continues on Friday with the LA premiere of absurd comedy Lemon directed by Janicza Bravo, with a performance by powerhouse vocalist Lizzo. Saturday’s lineup includes: Sundance NEXT FEST’s first-ever episodic selection — a special screening of seven episodes of the comedic drama Gente-fied, created by Marvin Lemus; the 2017 Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award: NEXT-winner Gook; and Bitch, starring Jason Ritter and Jaime King, paired with a performance by Sleigh Bells who just released their fourth LP, Jessica Rabbit. Sunday’s events include: the Los Angeles premieres of Dina, a documentary about an unconventional love story that took home the Grand Jury Prize in Park City; Alex Ross Perry’s latest film Golden Exits; and Michelle Morgan’s witty love letter to the city of angels, LA Times, accompanied by a live performance by LA-based duo Electric Guest, the band behind the hit “Dear to Me.” Additional program elements for the daytime screenings, including live Q&As with movie icons, will be announced. Sundance alum Dee Rees, writer and director of Pariah, Bessie and Mudbound, will receive the Vanguard Award at Sundance NEXT FEST, celebrating an emerging artist with creative independence. Rees is an alumna of Sundance Screenwriters, Creative Producing and Directors Labs. She has been the recipient of Sundance Institute’s Time Warner Fellowship and Annenberg Film Fellowship and premiered two feature films at the Sundance Film Festival, Pariah in 2011 and Mudbound in 2017. The Vanguard Award includes a cash grant and mentorship from industry professionals and Institute staff. Rees will be the sixth recipient of this award; past recipients include Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station). The Vanguard Award was founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter. Thursday, August 10 7:30 p.m. – Reservoir Dogs Reservoir Dogs / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Quentin Tarantino) — They were perfect strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush and the ruthless killers realize one of them is a police informant. But which one? This 25th anniversary screening will be presented on a 35mm print. Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen. 25th ANNIVERSARY Friday, August 11 8:00 p.m. – Lemon + Lizzo Lemon / U.S.A. (Director: Janicza Bravo, Screenwriters: Janicza Bravo, Brett Gelman) — Lemon: a person or thing that proves defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory. A man whose blind girlfriend is leaving him, whose career is going nowhere and whose family is disappointed in him—Isaac Lachmann is 40. He doesn’t know how he got there. Things were supposed to work out differently. Cast: Brett Gelman, Judy Greer, Michael Cera, Nia Long, Shiri Appleby, Fred Melamed. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE Lizzo wields the kind of voice that’s right at home in soul, pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock and gospel. The vivacious and versatile vocalist’s impassioned delivery and dynamic range bonds the six tracks on her major label debut EP, Coconut Oil (Nice Life Recording Company/Atlantic Records). Lauded by Noisey, Entertainment Weekly, Paste, Rolling Stone, Spin, Idolator, and more, the EP boasted the hit “Good As Hell,” which was featured on the Original Soundtrack to Barbershop: The Next Cut and churned out over 7.3 million Spotify streams and 1.3 million YouTube views in less than six months. Saturday, August 12 12:00 p.m. – Gente-fied Gente-fied / U.S.A. (Director, creator and co-writer: Marvin Lemus, Co-writer: Linda Yvette Chavez, Executive Producers: Charles D. King, Aaliyah Williams, America Ferrera) — Seven characters deal with the effects of change in L.A.’s Boyle Heights. Bicultural millennials and old-school business owners hustle to create spaces that celebrate their Latino identities—even while faced with rent hikes, a housing crisis, and a steady stream of outsiders threatening to gentrify their barrio. NEXT FEST will screen all seven episodes of this short-form episodic series. Cast: Edsson Morales, Alicia Sixtos, Victoria Ortiz, Yareli Arizmendi, Salvador Velez Jr, Rafael Sigler, Art Bonilla. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE 4:00 p.m. – Gook Gook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Chon) — Eli and Daniel—Korean American brothers who run a shoe store in Paramount, California—form an unlikely friendship with Kamilla, an 11-year-old African American girl. As Daniel dreams of becoming a recording artist and Eli struggles to keep the store afloat, LA’s racial tensions erupt during the infamous 1992 riots. Cast: Justin Chon, Simone Baker, David So, Curtiss Cook Jr., Sang Chon, Ben Munoz. Winner of the Audience Award: NEXT at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. 8:00 p.m. – Bitch + Sleigh Bells Bitch / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marianna Palka) — A woman snaps under crushing life pressures and assumes the psyche of a vicious dog. Her philandering, absentee husband is forced to become reacquainted with his four children and sister-in-law as they attempt to keep the family together during this bizarre crisis. Cast: Jason Ritter, Jaime King, Marianna Palka, Brighton Sharbino, Rio Mangini, Kingston Foster. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE Sleigh Bells wasted no time after getting off the ground in 2009, releasing three blistering records in four years. Ready for a break from the road, they took their time on their fourth LP, Jessica Rabbit, writing and finishing the record several times only to realize that they wanted to push themselves and the music further. The result is an intense and vulnerable record that’s highly evolved and completely uncategorizable, a major statement from a band wholly committed to advancing their dynamic, uncompromising vision. Jessica Rabbit is the first release on the band’s own record label, Torn Clean. Sunday, August 13 12:00 p.m. – Dina Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. 4:00 p.m. – Golden Exits Golden Exits / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — The arrival of a young foreign girl disrupts the lives and emotional balances of two Brooklyn families. Cast: Emily Browning, Adam Horovitz, Mary-Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Jason Schwartzman, Chloë Sevigny. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE 8:00 p.m. – L.A. Times + Electric Guest L.A. Times / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michelle Morgan) — In this classically styled comedy of manners set in Los Angeles, sophisticated thirtysomethings try to determine whether ideal happiness exists in coupledom or if the perfectly suited couple is actually just an urban myth. Cast: Michelle Morgan, Dree Hemingway, Jorma Taccone, Kentucker Audley, Margarita Levieva, Adam Shapiro. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE Electric Guest – L.A.-based duo Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton – recently released Plural on Downtown/Interscope Records. The record finds the duo at the absolute top of their game, infusing their version of electronic r&b with an even more confident, adventurous spirit than their 2012 debut album, Mondo, displayed, which Rolling Stone called “a Beck-ian journey into L.A. slacker soul, full of hooky neon jams.” MTV named Electric Guest an Artist To Watch, NME tagged them as a Band Of The Week, and they made the rounds at festivals in addition to taking late night TV by storm with performances on Letterman, Fallon, Conan and more.
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Emmy Winner Cady McClain’s SEEING IS BELIEVING: WOMEN DIRECT to East Coast Premiere at SOHO International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_22616" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Seeing is Believing: Women Direct[/caption] Emmy winning actress-turned-director Cady McClain’s Seeing is Believing: Women Direct will make its East Coast Premiere and is an Official Selection of the 2017 SOHO International Film Festival, screening Monday, June 19 at Village East Cinemas. Seeing is Believing: Women Direct is a documentary series directed, executive produced, written and edited by Cady McClain about women directors who are on the front lines of the field: from major award winners and those in the vanguard of television and feature films, to graduate students and frustrated auteurs. The first episode recently made its World Premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival, where it won an Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Short. Now, McClain will debut a feature-length version at SOHO International Film Festival. McClain has spent the past year traveling the globe, speaking to female directors of film and television and documenting their stories. The outcome is a feature film and a serialized documentary, providing insider access to the skills and tools needed to succeed as a woman in the directing field. When only 1.9% of the top 100 films are directed by women, it is a symptom of a larger problem: an ingrained cultural bias against women’s ability to lead. McClain believes the best way to create change is to show proof that the bias is based on outdated and false ideas. Considering all aspects of the directing experience, the series will show how these women drive through obstacles creative, cultural and professional. The series is also intended to serve as peer-to-peer mentorship for anyone of any gender looking for guidance and real world experience as they pursue their dreams of becoming a visual storyteller. Last fall, McClain started an IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign for the project’s post-production, which successfully met and then surpassed its $50,000 goal by 16%. Donations were fully tax-deductible due to not-for-profit sponsorship from The Film Collaborative. The series also received a micro grant and social media support from Awesome Without Borders via the Harnisch Foundation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k67qp3vjIGU “We are so excited to be sharing our feature-length version of this documentary with the SOHO International Film Festival this June,” said Cady McClain. “My husband (who is a producer on this doc) and I are both veterans of the festival having screened his narrative feature (I was his AP) and my short (he was my PA!) in 2013 and 2015. We’ve found the audiences at SOHO to be full of savvy film lovers and caring filmmakers. The personal support from the festival of our work is truly meaningful to us both.” The 50 interviewees include: Sarah Gavron (Suffragette, Brick Lane), Meera Menon (Equity), Oscar winner Lee Grant (Down and out in America), Lesli Linka Glatter (EP/Director, Homeland), Betty Thomas (highest grossing female director: The Brady Bunch Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeekquel) Bethany Rooney (200+ hours primetime TV & co-author of Directors Tell the Story), Lizzie Borden (Born In Flames, Working Girls (Sundance Jury Prize), two-time Oscar-winner Sarah Kernochan (documentaries: Marjoe, Thoth), Emmy-winner Anne Makepeace (I. M. Pei: Building China Modern, Robert Capa in Love and War), Rusudan Glurdijdze (Karlovy Vary winner: House of Others), Marianna Palka (Sundance: Good Dick, Bitch), Nicole Conn (lesbian genre films: A Perfect Ending, Elena Undone), producer Deborah Del Prete (Ender’s Game, The Spirit), plus John Wells (ER, West Wing), Mike Robin (Major Crimes), Deborah Riley Draper (Olympic Pride, American Prejudice, Versailles ‘73: American Runway Revolution) and many more. The producing team: Lead Producer: Kate Super (Director/Producer: Women on the Edge), Additional Producers: Amanda Quinn Olivar (Board member, The Chimaera Project), Kimberly McCullough (Director: Pretty Little Liars), Jon Lindstrom (Director: How We Got Away With It) and Li Lu (Director: There Is a New World Somewhere).
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ICARUS Voted Winner of Sundance Film Festival: London’s Inaugural Audience Favourite award

[caption id="attachment_20053" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] ICARUS[/caption] ICARUS directed by Bryan Fogel was voted the winner of Sundance Film Festival: London’s inaugural Audience Favorite award. Festivalgoers voted in the thousands for their favorite features across the four-day event at Picturehouse Central. The ruthless worlds of international sports and politics rarely collide as spectacularly on screen as they do in Bryan Fogel’s documentary thriller that’s sure to set off convulsions of controversy. Exemplifying the special bond between filmmaker and subject, Icarus is a portrait of the sacrifice some people make to stand up for truth, placing you at the heart of an international game of cat and mouse where a miscalculation can cost you your life. When Bryan Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller involving dirty urine, unexplained death, and Olympic Gold—exposing the biggest scandal in sports history. ICARUS had its U.K. premiere at Sundance Film Festival: London following its World Premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. where it received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award: The Orwell Award. image via Sundance Film Festival London at Picturehouse Central
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Indie Film LANDING UP to World Premiere at Dances With Films and East Coast Premiere at Soho Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_22611" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Landing Up[/caption] “Landing Up” directed by Dani Tenenbaum is a story about a girl with nothing to lose and everything to hide. The film stars Maltin (“Working On It,” “Lipstick Jungle”), Ben Rappaport (ABC’s “For the People,” USA’s “Mr. Robot”), E’dena Hines (“5 Flights Up,” “Moll Flanders”), Dov Tiefenbach (“Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, “Homeland”), Theodora (Woolley) Miranne (“The Blacklist: Redemption,” “Blue Bloods”) and Jay DeYonker (“Royally,” “Puerto Ricans in Paris”), and is an Official Selection in Competition Features at Dances With Films, screening on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, at 9:30 p.m., at the TCL Chinese Theatres, located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. The East Coast Premiere will be held on Saturday, June 17th at 6:30 p.m. as an Official Selection of the Soho International Film Festival, screening at Village East Cinema (181-189 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003). Chrissie (Stacey Maltin) is young, wild, and living on the streets. She and her best friend Cece (E’dena Hines) use their youth and good looks to their advantage, playing a con game with strangers to put a roof over their heads, while all the time fantasizing about having enough money to score their dream apartment. When Chrissie meets David (Ben Rappaport), a funny, genuine guy who works his way into her heart, she falls for him and must decide whether to confess the real circumstances of her life or continue her carefully crafted lie at all costs—even the cost of someone’s life. (Running time: 98-minutes) Filmmaker and star Stacey Maltin says, “The film exists in two worlds: Chrissie’s life on the street and her romantic life with David. Chrissie’s life on the street is gritty and dangerous, but when Chrissie meets David, her world explodes into color. He’s everything she always wanted and the film jumps in tone and style to almost a romantic comedy feel. Ben has no idea of the realities that Chrissie is facing. Her life is so far outside his realm of comprehension he never suspects her secret, even as she hides the truth from him at every turn.” Director Dani Tenenbaum adds, “We are showing how people often exist in different parts of themselves. Chrissie’s carefully crafted lies lead her into a world that turns into a very real feeling of love. But can you ever really know someone if we all spend so much time crafting the perfect stories about ourselves?” This film has a tragic real life story as well. Just one month after principal photography wrapped, Maltin’s co-star E’dena Hines was tragically murdered by her boyfriend, which was devastating to the cast and crew. The story made national headlines, in part due to E’dena being the granddaughter of acting icon Morgan Freeman. “Landing Up” is E’dena’s last on-screen performance. Maltin adds, “E’dena was an incredible and loving human being who illuminated any room she entered. She had so much talent and this energy that was so raw and magnetic. She really gave herself over to playing Cece and it’s reflected in her performance. We miss her every day and wish she could have seen what she created with us.” Because of this tragic violence in real life, which happens all too often against women in the world, and because the film tackles homelessness, the filmmakers felt it was paramount to give their audience a call to action. They have partnered with the non-profit organizations Midnight Mission, which offers paths to self-sufficiency to men, women and children who have lost direction, and LA Family Housing, which helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty, to help raise awareness for these issues.
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Film Independent Selects 10 Projects and 24 Filmmakers for 14th Fast Track + RADIANT Awarded Grant

10 projects and 24 filmmakers have been selected for the Film Independent’s 14th annual Fast Track film finance market. Held during the LA Film Festival, Fast Track helps producer-director teams advance their projects through meetings with top industry executives – financiers, agents, managers, distributors, production companies, and granting organizations. During three days of intensive meetings, participants build vital industry relationships and gain valuable exposure for their projects as they fast track their films towards completion. Film Independent will present the ninth annual Alfred P. Sloan Fast Track Grant, a $20,000 production grant to support a film that explores science and technology themes or that depicts scientists, engineers and mathematicians in engaging and innovative ways, to writer/director Annika Glac and producer Robyn Kershaw for their fiction feature film Radiant. A select list of Industry participants include: Bunim-Murray, CAA, Color Force, Electric City Entertainment, Fox Searchlight, Imperative Entertainment, June Pictures, LA Media Fund, Mandalay Pictures, Participant Media, Pilgrim Media Group, Preferred Content, ShivHans Pictures, Sight Unseen Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, Sycamore Pictures, Symbolic Exchange and UTA. Recent Fast Track projects completed include Lana Wilson’s The Departure, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival; Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton’s Bad Kids, which premiered at Sundance 2016; Maris Curran’s Five Nights in Maine which premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival; Chloe Zhao’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which premiered in U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and Directors’ Fortnight at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for three Film Independent Spirit Awards. The following filmmakers have been selected to participate Film Independent’s 2017 Fast Track program:
2017 Fast Track Projects and Fellows
Blow the Man Down, fiction feature, Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy – co-writers/co-directors, Drew Houpt, Producer An accidental murder. An established Madam who does her dirtiest business while the town willingly looks the other way. Fifty grand of cash up for grabs and the local men out to sea… enter two sisters with nothing and everything to lose. Cantering, fiction feature, HIKARI – writer/director/producer, Peter Maestrey – producer In order to escape her oppressive home life, a naïve paraplegic artist begins to illustrate for an erotic manga, putting her on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Farewell Tour, fiction feature, Sean Hackett – writer/director, Frederick Thornton – producer When three Christian fundamentalist teenagers with the dynamic of The Golden Girls help a local agnostic search Kansas City for his AWOL, terminally ill mother, they are forced to re-evaluate their true intentions and discover what truly binds their friendship. Followers, fiction feature, Tim Marshall – writer/director, Christina Radburn – producer A lonely woman who has lost all faith in God, becomes obsessed with her aqua-aerobics instructor after seeing the face of Jesus on his swimming shorts. Maybe Tomorrow, fiction feature, Eliza Lee – writer/director, Michelle Sy – producer, Sophia Chang – executive producer In 1978 London, with only 24 hours left on her visa, a young American musician, Chrissie Hynde, takes one last stab at keeping her rock ‘n roll dream alive. Radiant, fiction feature, Annika Glac – writer/director, Robyn Kershaw – producer Paris 1900, a physics prodigy glimpses a future world of unseen energy. Now she must battle the male scientific academy. The closer she gets to recognition, the more she realizes the battle is not with the male establishment but with the unleashed power of her own radioactive discovery. Son of A Very Important Man, fiction feature, Najwa Najjar – writer/director, Hani Kort – producer A Palestinian couple must travel to Israel in order to get a divorce and discover that sometimes the most unexpected roads in life are in the detours you didn’t mean to take. In response to a growing community of nonfiction filmmakers, the Fast Track finance market will also feature a new Documentary Fast Track session where selected projects will connect with industry executives dedicated to working in the nonfiction space: Minding the Gap, documentary feature, Bing Liu – producer/director, Diane Quon – producer A group of skateboarders confront domestic violence as they come of age in a rust-belt Midwestern town. Missing in Brooks Country, documentary feature, Jeff Bemiss and Lisa Molomot – producers/co-directors/cinematographers, Jacob Bricca – producer/editor In a small town in Texas, the border wall has already arrived. Untitled Claudia Sparrow Documentary, documentary feature, Claudia Sparrow – director, Steven J. Berger and Ryan Schwartz – producers A woman farmer from the beautiful highlands of South America stands up to a massive international mining conglomerate, defending the land, water, and people from devastating corporate greed. Film Independent Artist Development has also selected two additional filmmakers and their projects to receive support that will include participation in select Fast Track meetings and mentorship: Experience Designer, documentary feature, Mackenzie Fegan – producer On an apocalyptic commune in the Alaskan wilderness, a young man returns to confront his past in this unconventional non-fiction film. Selene, fiction feature, Maris Curran – writer/director Selene fears she has laryngitis again. On a routine doctor visit to get antibiotics, she is diagnosed with a rare condition that leaves her permanently voiceless. As her world turns upside down and she struggles to communicate and adapt, she discovers that this limitation leads to the opening of a new world.
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DUM SPIRO SPERO, THE REBEL SURGEON, THE UGLIEST CAR Among Top Winners of Krakow Film Festival

On Saturday the winners of the 57th edition of Krakow Film Festival were announced at the award ceremony, hosted by Brian Scott, a journalist and a presenter well-known to Cracovians. The international jury granted the awards to the best documentary, short and animated films, which for the entire festival week competed for the favors of the experts and the audience in 6 cinemas in Krakow. The full list of the winners and awarded films.
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
THE GOLDEN HORN for the director of the best film – Pero Kvesić for the film DUM SPIRO SPERO (Croatia) For the author of a film who shows us beauty of life and love, finding the courage to deal with one’s own mortality in a humorous and dignified way. THE SILVER HORN for the director of the best medium‑length documentary film – Audrius Stonys for the film THE WOMAN AND THE GLACIER (Lithuania, Estonia) For a unique and poetic approach to documentary film making. This film is an experience of contemplation and silence where movement, time, life and death become the elements of our inner landscape. THE SILVER HORN for the director of the best feature‑length documentary film – Lissette Orozco for the film ADRIANA’S PACT (Chile) For a film in which the young director tells the story of a family with a secret as dark as her country’s latest history. She shows that for each one of us revealing the truth and dealing with it is a matter of personal courage. She lets us partake in her internal struggle and fascinating process of purification from the difficult past. SPECIAL MENTION for Marcin Borchardt for the film THE BEKSIŃSKIS. A SOUND AND PICTURE ALBUM (Poland) For a touching story about complex family relations rendered visible using the modest form of a family album. SPECIAL MENTION for Piotr Stasik for the film OPERA ABOUT POLAND (Poland) For an interesting artistic marriage of genres which produced a film rebel child. The FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Jury consisting of: Barbara Głębicka‑Giza (Poland), Antti Selkokari (Finland), Kaj van Zoelen (The Netherlands) has decided to award the International Film Critics Prize to Audrius Stonys for the film THE WOMAN AND THE GLACIER (Lithuania, Estonia), a film that has the refreshing audacity to use cinematic language as its main tool of expression. Without the need for words the film shows human insignificance in the majestic setting of nature. KFF Recommendation to the European Film Award: THE BEKSINSKIS. A SOUND AND PICTURE ALBUM
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
GOLDEN DRAGON for the director of the best film – Matteo Gariglio for the film EN LA BOCA (Switzerland, Argentina) Cinema can elevate an everyday life situation, such as the one of a family living in the neighbourhood of a football stadium, to something that acquires a universal meaning with a profound sense of humanity, touching for the audience. For its realistic and respectful portrait of the intimacy between all the family members living in what may be considered the most dangerous and poorest conditions. SILVER DRAGON for the director of the best documentary film – Tessa Louise Pope for the film THE ORIGIN OF TROUBLE (The Netherlands) For courage to pose painful questions and open up about her own personal story, using simple methods to portray complex family relations. SILVER DRAGON for the directors of the best animated film – Zbigniew Czapla for the film STRANGE CASE (Poland) For its personal and brilliant approach to the rotoscopic animation technique and to the exquisite relationship between the text and the rhythm of paintings made alive. SILVER DRAGON for the director of the best short fiction film – Kaveh Mazaheri for the film RETOUCH (Iran) For a poignant portrait of a woman who has to face the choice between life and death, freedom and captivity in the world where no rights exist. Jury Award for the Best European Film (nomination to the European Film Award in the short film category) – Matteo Gariglio for the film EN LA BOCA (Switzerland, Argentina) The International Federation of Film Societies (FICC) Jury consisting of: Samiran Biswas (India), Eva Campos Suárez (Spain), Sylwia Hamerska (Poland) has decided to grant the Don Quixote Award to the film RETOUCH directed by Kaveh Mazaheri (Iran) and the Special Mention to the film THE ORIGIN OF TROUBLE directed by Tessa Louise Pope (The Netherlands)
INTERNATIONAL DocFilmMusic COMPETITION
GOLDEN HEYNAL for the director of the best film – Till Schauder for the film WHEN GOD SLEEPS (USA, Germany) Out of the ten loud, emotional and inspiring music films, all of them set in a social context which offers depth and insight into different genres of music, we were blown away by the emotional impact of the film ‘When God Sleeps’ by Till Schauder. A touching story, combined with the lyrics of the songs and the suspense and rhythm of the film, helped to create a masterful piece of a music documentary which pulls you in from the beginning to the end. This kind of cinema is intimately close to the characters and enhances the atmosphere of the music. Every story we saw is related to the sense of artistic and existential alienation, but ‘When God Sleeps’ manages to cut to the core of it in every aspect. It gives voice to the universal artist’s condition through the portrait of a unique personality. The so-called Salman Rushdie of rap music, Shahin Najafi is not only a refugee singer but also an ultimate artist, ready to risk his life to remain on stage and perform. We watch him up close, while his talent and courage become an unbearable burden for him and his closest ones. Even though Shahin Najafi is the main figure in the film, all the people involved in the story have their own voices. This balance enables us to see everything from a variety of perspectives. We would love this award to be the starting point for a long series of successes worldwide.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
GOLDEN HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best film funded by the President of the Polish Filmmakers Association – Grzegorz Szczepaniak for the film THE UGLIEST CAR (Poland) For depicting the relationship between a son and a mother, touching and full of warm humour, in the tender journey in the most beautiful vehicle. SILVER HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best documentary film – Grzegorz Brzozowski for the film STRANGER ON MY COUCH (Poland) In appreciation of a colourful and wise story about the encounters of people from different worlds, which is transforming both for the characters and the audience. SILVER HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best animated film – Zbigniew Czapla for the film STRANGE CASE (Poland) For engaging us into a visually captivating kaleidoscope which reveals the truth about our helplessness when confronted with the immensity of life and our own imperfection. SILVER HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best fiction film – Damian Kocur for the film NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN (Poland) In appreciation of an evocative and unique story about loneliness, rejection and hope for sharing intimacy with another human being. SPECIAL MENTION – Jakub Radej for the film DUST (Poland) In appreciation of an analytical portrait of passing, which, under mundane activities, hides a profound secret of the loneliness of those facing life’s end. In the overwhelming emptiness left after a man, we can see the reflection of our own face. The Award of the Polish Filmmakers Association for the best film editing – Ziemowit Jaworski, Michał Marczak and Katarzyna Orzechowska for the film ZHALANASH (dir. Marcin Sauter) Maciej Szumowski Award for remarkable social awareness funded by the National Broadcasting Council – Monika Meleń for the film BY STANLEY FOR STANLEY The Award for the best short and documentary films producer in Poland funded by the Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce (KIPA) – Anna Gawlita from Kijora Film for films: OPERA ABOUT POLAND (dir. Piotr Stasik) and FESTIVAL (dir. Tomasz Wolski, Anna Gawlita) Best Cinematography Award under the patronage of The Polish Society of Cinematographers funded by Coloroffon Film – Tomasz Wolski for the film FESTIVAL
AUDIENCE POLL AWARD
THE REBEL SURGEON, dir. Erik Gandini (Sweden)
THE AWARD OF THE STUDENT JURY
ANIMATED IN POLAND AWARD Sound Mind Award – for the project of the film LAST STOP IS THE MOON, dir. Birute Sodeikaite, prod. Likaon Sp. z o.o., ART SHOT, National Audiovisual Institute
DOC LAB POLAND AWARDS
DOCS TO START HBO AWARD – for the project of the film LESSON OF LOVE, dir. Małgorzata Goliszewska, prod. Warsaw Film Center – Anna Stylińska KRAKOW FILM CLUSTER AWARD – for the project of the film THE WHALE FROM LORINO, dir. Maciej Cuske, prod. Pokromski Studio (Mikołaj Pokromski) DOK LEIPZIG SPECIAL MENTION – for the project of the film THE GRADUATE, dir. Adrian Apanel, prod. Furia Film (Małgorzata Małysa) EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY NETWORK SPECIAL MENTION (EDN) – project of the film TRANSFER, dir. Joanna Rożen, prod. Plesnar & Krauss Films (Maria Krauss) DOCS TO GO! KRAKOW TECHNOLOGY PARK AWARD – for the project THE WIND. A DOCUMENTARY THRILLER, dir. Michał Bielawski, prod. Telemark (Maciej Kubicki, Anna Kępińska) INSTITUTE OF DOCUMENTARY FILM SPECIAL MENTION – for the project of the film WEI®DY, dir. Paweł Dyllus, prod. Dyllus Film (Paweł Dyllus) DOC LAB POLAND AWARD for the biggest progress during workshops – Diana Kadłubowska and Krzysztof Kadłubowski for the project TODAY, TOMORROW… YESTERDAY
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Melbourne Documentary Film Festival Unveils Lineup, MISS KIET’S CHILDREN, THE CINEMA TRAVELLERS and More

[caption id="attachment_22598" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] MISS KIET’S CHILDREN[/caption] The Melbourne Documentary Film Festival unveiled an ambitious slate of films from the major international film festivals, and opens unconventionally on July 9th, 2017 at Howler Art Space with an Opening Day Binge Watch of documentaries kicking off at 11am. The opening short is ‘The Satellite’ by Ann Johnson which tells the improbable true story of Australia first spacecraft. With 80 + documentaries in competition screened over 8 days at four venues: Howler Art Space, Long Play, Cinema Nova, and The Laneway Learning Centre. The Melbourne Documentary Film Festival is guaranteed to provide a rich array and diverse mix of documentaries direct from the festival circuit. Curated sections include Australian, Short Documentary, Music, Foodie, Art, Street Art, Environmental, LGBTI, Aboriginal, Investigative Journalism Documentaries, Pop Culture and World Cinema. On Saturday July 15th, 2017 from 9am The Laneway Learning Centre will host a Master Class on Documentary Filmmaking, Indigenous Filmmaking and a seminar on distribution from leading Australian distributors geared toward helping established and emerging filmmakers get ahead. On July 16th, 2017 from 9am The Laneway Learning Centre will a host a new initiative from the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival called Charity Docs where all money generated from ticket sales of that session will be equally donated to the Alzheimer’s Foundation and the RSPCA. Selected highlights of this year’s fest include the Melbourne premiers of high profile documentaries “One Heart One Spirit’ and a chance to see Jack Thompson speak about Indigenous issues The Cinema Travellers, God Knows Where I Am, Five Days on Lesvos, and Miss Kiets Children. Short documentary highlights include ‘For Flint’ direct from Tribeca and ‘Road to Webequie’ from TIFF, The Fixers from Doxa.
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Melbourne International Film Festival Reveals First Glance Selection, PATTI CAKE$, STEP, POP AYE and More

[caption id="attachment_19920" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Patti Cake$[/caption] For its 66th edition, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) has revealed its First Glance selection of 30 films that will screen at this year’s festival from August 3 to 20, 2017, including the Australian premiere of Jane Campion’s much anticipated new television series Top of the Lake: China Girl. Artistic Director Michelle Carey says, “We’re hoping that this sneak peek of the 2017 program gives you a taste of what’s to come. The calibre of films on offer this year is very impressive, from Australian stalwart Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake: China Girl to breakout hit Patti Cake$, MIFF brings you the story of the world through curated and unforgettable screen experiences.” Straight from a standing ovation in Cannes, this special Australian premiere of the entire second season, directed by Jane Campion and MIFF Accelerator alumnus Ariel Kleiman from a script by Campion and Gerard Lee (My Mistress, MIFF 14), will show all six episodes in three concurrent two-hour sessions – a unique opportunity to see the series before its television premiere on BBC First on Foxtel. Top of the Lake: China Girl (Australia) is a crime mystery story that finds Detective Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) recently returned to Sydney and trying to rebuild her life. When the body of an Asian girl washes up on Bondi Beach, there appears little hope of finding the killer, until Robin discovers ‘China Girl’ didn’t die alone. Also starring Nicole Kidman, Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), David Dencik (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Ewen Leslie (The Daughter) and Accelerator alumnus Alice Englert (The Boyfriend Game, MIFF 16). Also hotting up the screen will be Australian premieres Golden Exits (USA), the latest film from Alex Ross Perry (Listen Up Phillip MIFF 14; Queen of Earth, MIFF 15), an unnerving ensemble drama shot on 16mm that boasts a star-studded cast led by Emily Browning, Chloë Sevigny, Jason Schwartzman with Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz and a moody score by Keegan De Witt; and The Lost City of Z (USA), James Gray’s (The Immigrant MIFF 14) sumptuous and poignant Amazon adventure based on real life explorer Percy Fawcett’s quest to find the fabled city of El Dorado, starring Charlie Hunnam, Sienna Miller, Robert Pattinson and featuring lush 35mm cinematography by Darius Khondji. Leading Australian director Kriv Stenders (The Principal, MIFF 15; Red Dog MIFF 11) returns to MIFF with two productions: The Go-Betweens – Right Here (Australia), a documentary charting the four-decade long story of beloved indie rock band The Go-Betweens, in their own words and with never-before-seen archival footage; and Australia Day (Australia), an excoriating, illuminating take on our country’s most fraught debate, set over a pulse-racing 12 hours on 26 January with a powerhouse ensemble cast including Bryan Brown, Matthew Le Nevez, Sean Keenan, Shari Sebbens and Jenny Wu (who also features in Top of the Lake: China Girl). Local comedies include Ali’s Wedding, based on the real-life experience of lead actor Osamah Sami’s ill-fated arranged marriage the absurd and poignant tale about family in multicultural Australia stars Don Hany with direction by Jeffrey Walker (Jack Irish: Bad Debts, MIFF 12), and That’s Not Me (Australia). Ali’s Wedding is a fast-paced comedy of very Muslim manners that shines with wit, humanity and crowd-pleasing charisma; while That’s Not Me is Gregory Erdstein’s (Two Devils, MIFF 14) charming feature debut about a young woman and aspiring actor who takes advantage of her identical twin sister’s success and fame, featuring an impressive performance by writer/star Alice Foulcher in dual roles. In Mountain (Australia), Jennifer Peedom (Sherpa, MIFF 15) returns to the mountains that so captivate her in a unique cinematic and musical collaboration. Working with high-altitude cinematographer Renan Ozturk, bestselling author Robert Macfarlane (Mountains of the Mind) and the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Richard Tognetti, Peedom has created a breathtaking cine-sonic journey through awe-inspiring vistas narrated by Willem Dafoe. One of Australia’s most innovative filmmakers and MIFF regular Amiel Courtin-Wilson (Hail MIFF 11; Ruin, MIFF 13) captures two legends – free jazz pioneer Cecil Taylor and modern dance artist Min Tanaka – in an intimate performance piece like no other in The Silent Eye (Australia). Shot over three days in 2016 at Taylor’s New York home, the film captures these two masters riffing, offering the audience a glimpse of the creative process at its most sublime. Master international filmmakers bring their works to the big screen at MIFF with Terrence Malick’s Song to Song (USA), a beautifully lensed love story set against the backdrop of the Austin music scene, with a luminous cast including Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman and Cate Blanchett; and Sally Potter’s (Ginger and Rosa, MIFF 12) caustic comic satire of a broken, post-Brexit England, The Party (UK), offering a masterclass of acting from a stellar ensemble headed by Kristin Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson and Timothy Spall, and filmed entirely in stunning black and white. The director of A Bigger Splash, Luca Guadagnino, presents his most accomplished film yet: a passionate Italian summer romance headed by Armie Hammer and star on the rise Timothée Chalamet. Adapted from André Acimen’s novel with a script co-written by James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name (Italy) is a sensuous story of first love and the end of adolescence. Turning galvanizing portraits of marginalized women into his own niche, Sebastián Lelio (Gloria, MIFF 13) returns with another beguiling character study, delivering a nuanced and moving account of a vital fight for love, acceptance, and respect that won both Best Screenplay and Best LGBT Film at Berlin. But A Fantastic Woman (Chile) belongs to its determined, defiant titular character and the stunning performance by transgender actress Daniela Vega, making one of the most memorable and formidable movie debuts in recent history. Peter Mackie Burns’ nuanced debut feature Daphne (UK) is a character study about a dissatisfied young woman in present-day London – featuring a superb performance from Emily Beecham in title role – that balances complex comedy and disarming drama and offers a refreshing portrait of contemporary womanhood. Music video director Geremy Jasper’s fabulous feature debut Patti Cake$ (USA), about an aspiring rapper, is a triumphant tale of how music can give a nobody a voice, which wowed critics and audiences alike at Sundance and Cannes. But the film belongs to Australian acting discovery Danielle McDonald, who was dubbed the breakout star of Sundance for her sensational performance as the New Jersey battler and hailed as the “Next Big Thing” by The Hollywood Reporter. [caption id="attachment_19636" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Pop Aye – Kirsten Tan[/caption] Another acclaimed feature debut is Kirsten Tan’s Pop Aye (Thailand), the warm and ever-so-strange tale of a Bangkok architect, his elephant and 300 miles of mid-life crisis, which won the Special Jury Award for Screenwriting at Sundance and the Big Screen Award at Rotterdam. God’s Own Country (UK) was also a favorite at Berlin (Teddy Jury Award winner) and Sundance, where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Best Director Award and comparisons to Brokeback Mountain. Francis Lee’s emotionally rich feature debut captures the quiet yearning of forbidden romance with heated sex scenes and a documentary-like depiction of British rural life that subverts the familiar path taken by queer love stories. The makers of Spring (MIFF 15) return with The Endless (USA), an engrossing high-concept horror centred on two brothers following their escape from a cult. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead write, direct and star in a film of creeping dead that is part horror, part science fiction, which skirts the supernatural and keeps the audience guessing until the very end. With over 62,000 oil paintings and a cast including Chris O’Dowd and Saoirse Ronan, Oscar-winning filmmaker Hugh Welchman (Peter and the Wolf) and Polish painter Dorota Kobiela bring the story of Vincent Van Gogh’s last days to the screen in the world’s first feature-length painted animation, Loving Vincent (UK). Inspired by Van Gogh’s own words – “we cannot speak other than by our paintings” – and using an army of painters from across Europe, every single frame of the film is an oil painting (12 per second) and the result is a truly astonishing visual feast that demands to be seen on the biggest of screens. [caption id="attachment_19944" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] A still from STEP by Amanda Lipitz,.[/caption] Winner of the Sundance Special Jury Prize for Inspirational Filmmaking, STEP (USA) charts the senior year of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women step-dance team as they chase dual dreams – to be state champions and to be the first in their families to go to college – against the backdrop of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Fun and empowering, the film optimistically explores community, sisterhood and the realities of being black and female in contemporary America. Another timely examination of race relations in America is Haitian auteur Raoul Peck’s (Fatal Assistance, MIFF 13) Oscar-nominated I Am Not Your Negro (USA): a stirring portrait of the writer, civil rights activist and queer icon James Baldwin and his lifelong fight against racial and sexual injustice, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Award-winning filmmaker Matthew Heinemann’s (Cartel Land, MIFF 15) new film focuses on the anonymous activists of Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently in the heartland of ISIS’s self-declared caliphate. City of Ghosts (USA) is an urgent, deeply personal real-world thriller about the world’s most crucial fight against misinformation. In 2012, Iraq veteran David Crowley posted a YouTube trailer for his planned libertarian opus, Gray State, warning of America’s looming Second Civil War. Three years on, the rising alt-right filmmaker, his Muslim wife and their daughter were found slaughtered, “Allahu Akbar” smeared on the walls in blood. A conspiracy or something even more horrific? Executive produced by Werner Herzog, Erik Nelson’s A Gray State (USA) is a riveting murder mystery, a political thriller and an unparalleled psychological profile of a mind descending into paranoia. Jumping over to New Zealand, the program will feature Pecking Order (New Zealand), which follows the members of the 148-year-old Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club as they prepare for the National Show. Their president has brought them championship glory over the years, but is now facing off against the next generation of poultry fanciers who seem determined to knock down this award-winning cock of the walk. This entertaining flockumentary uncovers a cutthroat world of passion, obsession, power struggles, and competition. It’s like a Kiwi Best in Show, only real … and with chooks! Also from NZ, MIFF regular and Accelerator alumnus Florian Habicht (Pulp: A Film About Life, Death and Supermarkets MIFF 14; Love Story MIFF 12) welcomes you to Spookers (NZ), a former psychiatric hospital outside Auckland, where visitors gather to be petrified by killer clowns and zombies at the Southern Hemisphere’s largest ‘scream park’. Habicht reveals the personalities beneath the costumes, wigs and greasepaint with characteristic affection and humor in this funny, compelling documentary. And the MIFF shorts program will deliver a string of highlights and award winners from the festival circuit including A Gentle Night (China), the Short Film Palme d’Or winner from the 2017 Cannes Film Festival by MIFF Accelerator alumnus Qiu Yang (The World, MIFF 14; Under the Sun, MIFF 2015); Small Town (Portugal), the dark, mysterious and beautiful coming-of-age story that took out the Golden Bear for Best Short at the 2017 Berlinale; DeKalb Elementary (USA), a tense drama, by filmmaker Reed Van Dyk (Nasty HardcoreXXX Amateur Couple, MIFF 14) based on the real 911-call during an incident at a school in Atlanta, Georgia that was the winner of the International Competition Grand Prix prize at the 2017 Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival; and The Hedonists (Hong Kong), the new comedy from 2013 festival guest Jia Zhang-ke (A Touch of Sin, MIFF 13) about a trio of unemployed laborers who find work in the most unlikely of places – a bizarre theme park.
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