Lee Ann Schmitt’s Purge This Land, an essay film exploring the legacy of the radical abolitionist John Brown will be the Closing Night gala film of the Open City Documentary Festival. The history of racism and slavery in modern America is retold in this highly topical film, which spans the 1850s to present-day USA. The film will receive its UK Premiere on Sunday September 10 at London’s Regent Street Cinema.
It was also announced last week that the festival will open with the UK Premiere Taste Of Cement, Ziad Kalthoum’s intimate portrait of exiled Syrian construction workers building a skyscraper in Beirut. The 7th Open City Documentary Festival takes place over six days in venues across London from 5 to 10 September 2017.
Michael Stewart, Founder of Open City Docs, said: “We’re thrilled to be closing this year’s festival with Purge This Land. Lee Ann Schmitt’s intimate, captivating film packs a real political punch and we’re very proud to be showcasing some of the most exciting and innovative documentary filmmakers from around the world here in London.”
https://vimeo.com/100519353Film Festivals
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PURGE THIS LAND, An Essay Film on Abolitionist John Brown to Close Open City Documentary Festival | Video Clip
Lee Ann Schmitt’s Purge This Land, an essay film exploring the legacy of the radical abolitionist John Brown will be the Closing Night gala film of the Open City Documentary Festival. The history of racism and slavery in modern America is retold in this highly topical film, which spans the 1850s to present-day USA. The film will receive its UK Premiere on Sunday September 10 at London’s Regent Street Cinema.
It was also announced last week that the festival will open with the UK Premiere Taste Of Cement, Ziad Kalthoum’s intimate portrait of exiled Syrian construction workers building a skyscraper in Beirut. The 7th Open City Documentary Festival takes place over six days in venues across London from 5 to 10 September 2017.
Michael Stewart, Founder of Open City Docs, said: “We’re thrilled to be closing this year’s festival with Purge This Land. Lee Ann Schmitt’s intimate, captivating film packs a real political punch and we’re very proud to be showcasing some of the most exciting and innovative documentary filmmakers from around the world here in London.”
https://vimeo.com/100519353
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Stony Brook Film Fest Announces Guests, incl. TEXT FOR YOU’s Karoline Herfurth
The international list of guests coming to the 22nd Annual Stony Brook Film Festival includes filmmakers delivering unique background stories on moviemaking. U.S. filmmakers from across the country will also join with the many international filmmakers representing features and shorts.
Short films will also be represented by movie people from afar including guests from Israel (Across the Line, Thurs, July 27 at 7:00 pm), Armenia (The Simon’s Way, Mon, July 24 at 7:00 pm), Latvia (Just, go! Wed, July 26 at 9:15 pm), and Estonia (Snowgirl, Sat, July 22 at 4:00 pm).
On Opening Night at the U.S. Premiere of Welcome to Germany, (Thurs, July 20 at 8:00 pm) Picture Tree International’s Managing Partner, Andreas Rothbauer, will represent the film. Picture Tree is one of Germany’s leading sales agencies and brings two outstanding movies to Stony Book, Welcome to Germany and Hannah’s Sleeping Dogs (Thurs, July 27 at 9:15 pm).
From the United Kingdom, Waking David, (Fri July 21 at 7:00 pm) will be represented by director Kevin Nash and two actresses in the movie, Kristy Bruce and Harriet Madeley. The director and the three main actresses in Waking David collaborated to write the screenplay.
The family-friendly animated film, Ethel & Ernest, (Sat, July 22 at 4:00 pm) will have U.K. producer Camilla Deakin on hand to answer questions about the animated gem, featuring the voices of Jim Broadbent, Brenda Blethyn and Luke Treadaway.
The Sounding (Sat, July 22 at 7:00 pm) is one of the U.S. productions at the Festival, with many cast and crew on hand, including Catherine Eaton, director, co-writer and main actress in the film.
Representing an amusing account of romance, Love is Thicker Than Water (Sat, July 22 at 9:30 pm) is co-director and writer Ate Dejong, returning to the Stony Brook Film Festival for the second time. For those who have seen the National Geographic’s Genius series “Einstein” – you may be interested to know that the young actor playing Einstein, Johnny Flynn, stars in the film.
A World Premiere documentary, To the Edge of the Sky (Sun, July 23 at 4:00 pm) will bring Academy Award winners, Todd and Jedd Wider to the Festival. The Wider brothers, who grew up in Stony Brook, were the directors of To the Edge of the Sky, which reports on the disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the mothers who are fighting to get drugs approved to help their son.
A delightful American indie, Laura Gets a Cat (Wed, July 26 at 7:00 pm) will have director, writer and actor Michael Ferrell on hand, along with Dana Brooke, who plays Laura, the 30-something unemployed writer in the film, as well as many cast members.
The Second Act of Elliott Murphy (Wed, July 26 at 9:15 pm) makes its U.S. Premiere, with rocker Elliott Murphy coming in from his home in Paris to represent the film and play a song or two live. Director Jorge Arenillas will be along to represent the compelling documentary about the singer songwriter’s life on the road.
Purple Dreams (Thurs, July 27 at 7:00 pm) is a documentary about the first high school given permission to perform the musical “The Color Purple.” Joanne Hock, director and producer, Robin Grey (a Stony Brook Alum) will be representing the documentary.
Closing Night’s feature, the U.S. premiere of Text for You (Saturday, July 29 at 8;00 pm) will have the lead actress Karoline Herfurth on hand for a Q&A after the screening. Ms. Herfurth is well-known in Germany and an audience favorite in that country. Following the screening is Stony Brook’s very own “Oscar” style awards ceremony.
Image: 2017 Stony Brook Closing Night, Text for You, Friedrich Mücke and Karoline Hurfurth.
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Luciana Farah’s SOMEBODY CLAP FOR ME to World Premiere at Zanzibar International Film Festival | Trailer
Somebody Clap For Me from Brazilian director Luciana Farah, will have its world premiere at the 20th edition of the Zanzibar International Film Festival taking place July 8 to 16, 2017.
A rollercoaster ride from grassroots poetry to the political heart of Uganda, this captivating labour of love provides a fascinating window into life in a country in which three-quarters of the population is under 25. Linking Uganda’s oral tradition to its 21st Century culture of hip-hop and slam poetry, the film brings its protagonists to the fore, providing a constantly shifting portrait of a Kampala-based youth movement that uses spoken word to challenge the oppressive restraints of Ugandan society and the increasing constraints on freedom of speech under current president Yoweri Museveni.
As Farah chronicles the resurfacing of village bonfire storytelling traditions in the form of open-mic poetry events, we meet some of the scene’s key actors, including Roshan, a mixed race Ugandan who has grown up in the UK, Ugly Emcee, a freedom-of-speech activist who reveals himself to be the grandson of Idi Amin, and Medals the Born Again Politician, who challenges the status quo with both his conviction and command of political pastiche.
The film, which was shot over the course of three years with a crew of East African film students, follows these and other poets as they go about their daily lives in Kampala, the eclectic individual portraits building to form a cross-sectional vision of a country trying to shed its past and create a more inclusive and democratic reality, despite the conservative forces that are attempting to hold on to power.
What begins as a documentary about a grassroots poetry collective, twists and turns unpredictably as it takes viewers into the political and cultural heart of contemporary Uganda. Fuelled by the universal themes of love and identity and made using unconventional filmmaking techniques, Somebody Clap for Me was produced with the support of Maisha Film Lab and the Doha Film Institute.
“I am extremely happy for Somebody Clap for Me to be premiering at ZIFF,” said Farah. “The festival has a long history of supporting independent African cinema and it is fitting that the film will receive its first public screening at one of Africa’s leading film festivals.”
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Poster + Watch Trailer for South African Film THE WOUND (Inxeba)
The South African film The Wound (Inxeba) has won the Best Film Award in the International New Talent Competition, at the 2017 Taipei Film Festival ahead of its African premiere at the Durban International Film Festival on July 14.
The film, the first feature from writer-director John Trengove, stars musician and novelist Nakhane Touré as Xolani, a lonely factory worker who joins the men of his community in the mountains of the Eastern Cape to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. When Kwanda (Niza Jay Ncoyini), a defiant initiate from the city, discovers his mentor’s secret, Xolani’s entire existence begins to unravel.
The Wound which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and later opened Berlinale Panorama went on to win a string of awards.
At Cinema Jove, the Valencia International Film Festival, The Wound was awarded the Luna de Valencia for Best Feature Film, as well as the Best Actor Award for Nakhane Touré.
At one of the world’s longest-running film festivals, the Sydney Film Festival, The Wound won the Audience Award for Best Feature.
At the 41st Frameline, San Francisco’s international film festival, held from 15 to 25 June and where 147 films were screened, The Wound won the First Feature Award.
Shortly before that, it was awarded the prize for Best Feature Film at the 32nd Lovers Film Festival, an LGBTQI festival held in Turin, Italy.
In April, the film received the Jury Prize for Best Narrative at the 19th annual Sarasota Film Festival in Florida, in the US.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubSlj-G4P6I
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LITTLE CRUSADER Wins Best Film at 52nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_23047" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Director Václav Kadrnka, 52nd Karlovy Vary IFF[/caption]
The awards were presented at the closing ceremony of the 52nd Karlovy Vary IFF, and the fatherhood drama Little Crusader by Václav Kadrnka was awarded the Grand Prize – Crystal Globe and $25,000.
The directing prize was won by Slovak filmmaker Peter Bebjak, who was presenting his film The Line at the festival. In the competition East of the West, the road movie How Viktor “the Garlic” took Alexey “the Stud” to the Nursing Home by Russian director Alexander Hant won that award.
The award for best feature-length documentary went to the Spanish film Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle. And the Právo Audience Award was awarded to the American crime drama taking place on a Native American reservation Wind River starring Jeremy Renner.
The 53rd Karlovy Vary IFF will be held from June 29th to July 7th, 2018.
OFFICIAL SELECTION – COMPETITION
GRAND PRIX – CRYSTAL GLOBE (25 000 USD) The financial award is shared equally by the director and producer of the award-winning film. Little Crusader Directed by: Václav Kadrnka Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Italy, 2017 SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (15 000 USD) The financial award is shared equally by the director and producer of the award-winning film. Men Don’t Cry Directed by: Alen Drljević Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, 2017 BEST DIRECTOR AWARD Peter Bebjak for the film The Line Slovak Republic, Ukraine, 2017 BEST ACTRESS AWARD Jowita Budnik and Eliane Umuhire ex-aequo for their roles in the film Birds Are Singing in Kigali Directed by: Joanna Kos-Krauze, Krzysztof Krauze Poland, 2017 BEST ACTOR AWARD Alexander Yatsenko for his role in the film Arrhythmia Directed by: Boris Khlebnikov Russia, Finland, Germany, 2017 SPECIAL JURY MENTION For the best First Feature Film Keep the Change Directed by: Rachel Israel USA, 2017 SPECIAL JURY MENTION For the Best Newcomer Voica Oltean, actress Breaking News Directed by: Iulia Rugin Romania, 2017 EAST OF THE WEST – COMPETITION EAST OF THE WEST GRAND PRIX (15 000 USD) The financial award is shared equally by the director and producer of the award-winning film. How Viktor “the Garlic” Took Alexey “the Stud” to the Nursing Home Directed by: Alexander Hant Russia, 2017 EAST OF THE WEST SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (10 000 USD) The financial award is shared equally by the director and producer of the award-winning film. Dede Directed by: Mariam Khatchvani Georgia, Qatar, Ireland, Netherlands, Croatia, 2017 DOCUMENTARY FILMS – COMPETITION GRAND PRIX FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM (5 000 USD) The financial award goes to the director of the award-winning film. Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle Directed by: Gustavo Salmerón Spain, 2017 DOCUMENTARY SPECIAL JURY PRIZE Atelier de conversation Directed by: Bernhard Braunstein Austria, France, Liechtenstein, 2017 PRзVO AUDIENCE AWARD Wind River Directed by: Taylor Sheridan USA, 2016 CRYSTAL GLOBE FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CINEMA Ken Loach, United Kingdom CRYSTAL GLOBE FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CINEMA Paul Laverty, United Kingdom CRYSTAL GLOBE FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CINEMA James Newton Howard, USA FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD Uma Thurman, USA FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD Casey Affleck, USA FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD Jeremy Renner, USA FESTIVAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO CZECH CINEMATOGRAPHY Václav Vorlíček, Czech Republic NON-STATUTORY AWARDS AWARD OF INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS (FIPRESCI) Awarded by The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). Keep the Change Directed by: Rachel Israel USA, 2017 THE ECUMENICAL JURY AWARD The Cakemaker Directed by: Ofir Raul Graizer Israel, Germany, 2017 FEDEORA AWARD Awarded by the Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean (FEDEORA) to the best film from the East of the West – Competition Mariţa Directed by: Cristi Iftime Romania, 2017 Special Mention Blue Silence Directed by: Bülent Öztürk Turkey, Belgium, 2017 EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL AWARD For the best European film in the Official Selection – Competition and in the East of the West – Competition. Men Don’t Cry Directed by: Alen Drljević Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, 2017 THE WINNERS OF WORKS IN PROGRESS AWARD AND EURIMAGES LAB PROJECT AWARD @ KVIFF WORKS IN PROGRESS AWARD @ KVIFF At the 14th edition of Works in Progress @KVIFF, eight selected projects (plus one out of competition) were presented from a total of 77 submissions from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, Greece and post-Soviet territories. The 2017 award, with a total value of EUR 100,000, includes post-production services at UPP and Soundsquare and a EUR 10,000 cash award from Barrandov Studio. Censor 80 min, Slovak Republic Directed by: Peter Kerekes Cast: Irina Alexandrovna, Jura Car, Ljubov Vassilina EURIMAGES LAB PROJECT AWARD @ KVIFF The Karlovy Vary IFF is one of four international festivals to present this award. The final eight projects were selected from 45 submitted projects from Eurimages countries that are currently in production or post-production, are being made outside the traditional filmmaking framework, and involve international co-operation. The best project receives an award of EUR 50,000. The Stand-In 70 min, Italy, France, Morocco Directed by: RК di Martino Scriptwriter: RК di Martino Producer: Marco Alessi Camera: Gianclaudio Giacomini, Giulio Squillacciotti, Hasnae el Ouarga Cast: Valeria Gollino, Filippo Timi, Corrado Sassi, Younes Bouad, Nadia Kounda, Nisrine Adam Image: Director Václav Kadrnka, photo credit: Jan Handrejch
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KEEP THE CHANGE, THE CAKEMAKER Among Winners of Karlovy Vary IFF Non-Statutory Awards
The non-statutory awards of the 52nd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival were announced today, with the international film critics prize FIPRESCI award going to Keep the Change by Rachel Israel.
Other awards included the Ecumenical Jury award going to The Cakemaker, by Ofir Raul Graizer; FEDEORA award by Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean going to Romanian film Mariţa by Cristi Iftime; and Men Don’t Cry by Alen Drljević won the Europa Cinemas Label award for the best European film in the Main Competition or the East of the West Competition.
AWARD OF INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS
Awarded by The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI).
Keep the Change
Directed by: Rachel Israel
USA, 2017
For a glorious first feature which tells the story of a colorful group of New Yorkers, who in any other film would be labelled as ‘outsiders’. Instead Israel lets us experience their world from the inside, and it’s a wondrous place to be.
It is a tender film with a simple narrative, driven by complex emotions. By letting herself be inspired by her magnificent actors’ personal experiences of life on the autism spectrum, writer/director Rachel Israel has created a work that is inclusive, fresh and thoroughly engaging.
It also has one of the funniest scripts we have ever come across, with a sense of humor that ranges from the crude jokes of conflicted protagonist David, to the no-nonsense cut-offs by its leading lady Sarah – a female character with a personal brand of vivaciousness never before seen on the cinema screen.
We were deeply affected by this heartfelt story of coming of age and finding love, proving there is nothing wrong with being weird.
THE ECUMENICAL JURY AWARD
The Cakemaker
Directed by: Ofir Raul Graizer
Israel, Germany, 2017
With a gentle approach, the film portrays a journey towards acceptance and the pursuit of love. The unique bond formed between the characters strengthens a healing process that brings them a new life. It allows the viewer to connect to the most important of human values, something that overcomes all prejudices: love.
FEDEORA AWARD
Federation of Film Critics of Europe and the Mediterranean for the best film from
East of the West – Competition section
Mariţa
Directed by: Cristi Iftime
Romania, 2017
For the simplicity in directing his debut feature film, focused on the everyday life of a family, whose members, no matter that the family is separated after the divorce of the parents, at their reunion, celebrate the meeting and enjoy it in a spontaneous and friendly way that brings positive energy into their lives.
Special Mention
Blue Silence
Directed by: Bülent Öztürk
Turkey, Belgium, 2017
To Bulent Özturk for “Blue Silence” for its strong, courageous take both in visuals, sounds and silences on how violence and war eats the soul.
EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL AWARD
For the best European film in the Official Selection – Competition and in the East of the West – Competition.
Men Don’t Cry / Muškarci ne plaču
Directed by: Alen Drljević
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, 2017
Europe has learned throughout its difficult history that wars, particularly those that have seen neighbor fight against neighbor, do not end when the violence stops. There are difficulties to be faced in healing a divided society, when bitterness and anger must be set aside in favor of compromise and forgiveness in the name of reconciliation. In Alen Drljević’s powerful Men Don’t Cry a disparate group of former combatants representing all factions of the Balkan War of the 1990s gather in a deserted hotel to begin this process. Common ground is found, but hard-gained trust is easily and quickly lost when old resentments come to the surface. The jury was struck by the film’s nonjudgemental stance on the characters’ different perspectives, brought to vivid life by its fine cast, the universality of its theme of the value of forgiveness not just of others, but of ourselves, for past actions, its relevance to Europe’s future as a community, and its subtle commentary on the negative aspects of masculinity.
Image: Brandon Polansky as David Cohen and Samantha Elisofon as Sarah Silverstein in KEEP THE CHANGE. Photographer: Giacomo Belletti.
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Actress Julianne Moore to Be Honored with François Truffaut Award at Giffoni Film Festival
Actress Julianne Moore will receive the François Truffaut Award at the 7th Giffoni Film Festival taking place July 14 to 22, 2017 in Southern Italy.
Moore got her start off-Broadway and has worked extensively in television as well, but the remarkably prolific actress is best known for her work in feature films. During the course of her career, Moore has worked with some of the most well-respected and iconic directors in the industry including Robert Altman, Steven Spielberg, Joel and Ethan Coen, Paul Thomas Anderson, Gus Van Sant and Todd Haynes.
In 2015, Moore won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her performance in Still Alice, in which she played Alice Howland, a linguistics professor diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Moore has been nominated an additional four times for an Academy Award for her work in Far from Heaven (2002), The Hours (2002), The End of the Affair (1999) and Boogie Nights (1997). She has won two additional Golden Globes (one for the HBO television movie Game Change (2012) and a special ensemble award for Short Cuts (1994)) and has another seven Golden Globe nominations to her credit. Moore’s work in Game Change also earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.
In addition to the above, Moore is well known to audiences around the world for her memorable performances in films including The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2 (2014 and 2015, respectively); Maggie’s Plan (2015); Maps to the Stars (2014); Don Jon (2013); Carrie (2013); Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011); The Kids Are All Right (2010); A Single Man (2009); Blindness (2008); Children of Men (2006); Hannibal (2001); Magnolia (1999); Psycho (1998); The Big Lebowski (1998) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), among many others.
This year, Moore re-teamed with her Far from Heaven director Todd Haynes for the American drama Wonderstruck, based on the 2011 novel of the same title by Brian Selznick. The film was presented in competition at the 70th Cannes Film Festival earlier this year and opens in the U.S. in October. Julianne Moore also stars in Kingsman: The Golden Circle opposite Colin Firth and Halle Berry, which will debut in the states this September, and Suburbicon alongside Matt Damon directed by George Clooney which is expected to hit cinemas in November.
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Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival will Close with Kathryn Bigelow’s DETROIT | Trailer
Detroit, the highly anticipated new film by Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, will be the Closing Night Film for this year’s 13th annual Traverse City Film Festival. Following the film’s July 25 premiere at the Fox Theater in Detroit, the Traverse City Film Festival will screen the film in its historic movie palace, the State Theatre, at 6 pm on July 30.
“This captivating, vital film resonates strongly today, 50 years after the events took place,” said Academy Award-winning director Michael Moore, the festival’s founder, president and programmer. “We aim to bring great movies that can move, inspire, and change audiences. There could be no better way to close this year’s festival than with ‘Detroit.’”
The film focuses on the Algiers Motel killings, a brutal incident that has become synonymous with the systemic racism that helped spark the 1967 Detroit uprising. Piecing together the horrifying, true events of that evening, when a group of teenagers ducked into the Algiers to avoid the chaos outside, and police later stormed the building, Bigelow has delivered another riveting powerhouse of a film.
The new film from Bigelow and screenwriter and frequent collaborator Mark Boal stars John Boyega (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”), Will Poulter (“The Revenant”), Jason Mitchell (“Straight Outta Compton”), Hannah Murray (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), John Krasinski (NBC’s “The Office”) and Anthony Mackie (“Captain American: Civil War”) and Detroit native Algee Smith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFeWsDpy9y0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv74LqiumXE
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Ben Elton’s THREE SUMMERS to World Premiere as Centrepiece Gala of Melbourne International Film Festival
The world premiere of Ben Elton’s Three Summers will screen as this year’s Centrepiece Gala of the 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival.
“We are delighted that MIFF is presenting the world premiere of Three Summers. With a big heart and soul that is sure to bring some sunshine to our winter festival, Three Summers is the perfect Centrepiece Gala film. The film radiates wit and social observation and has a terrific cast. We congratulate Ben Elton and the entire team and look forward to welcoming them to The Comedy Theatre this August,” said MIFF Artistic Director, Michelle Carey.
Ben Elton said, “It’s a great thrill and also a great honour to have Three Summers selected as this year’s MIFF Centrepiece Gala Presentation. I cannot think of a better start for our movie than to be centre stage at this famous festival, which is such a true champion of Australian filmmaking. It’s also very exciting the film will be screened in such a beautiful and aptly named theatre before an audience of 1000 people. What could be better for a comedy!”
With his first Australian film as a director, internationally renowned writer and comedian Ben Elton delivers a big hearted, of-the-moment, multi-story comedy with a sterling ensemble cast featuring Michael Caton, Magda Szubanski, Deborah Mailman, Jacqueline McKenzie and John Waters. Set over three summers at a fictional folk music festival in WA, it stars Robert Sheehan (perhaps best known as from UK series Misfits) and Rebecca Breeds (Home and Away, Molly), as young musicians falling in love.
Elton brings his trademark satirical wit, ensuring that Three Summers is able to stir the pot around some of Australia’s social and political issues whilst remaining generous, tender and always entertaining. Elton last attended MIFF in 1993 for the premiere screening of Stark.
One of MIFF’s most popular special events, the Centrepiece Gala is a cinematic celebration both of local filmmaking and of the festival’s halfway point.
Ben Elton and Three Summers cast will also speak with director Natalie Bailey (Princess Pictures, The Thick of It) at Three Summers: In Conversation on Sunday 13 August, 1:30pm at the Wheeler Centre.
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Santa Barbara International Film Festival Announces 2018 Dates
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has confirmed the dates for the 33rd year of the fest. The festival will run from Wednesday, January 31st through Saturday, February 10th 2018. Festival events will be held throughout Santa Barbara, including the Arlington Theatre and the newly restored historic Riviera Theatre.
“After another fantastic year, we are ready to hit the ground running for 2018,” said Roger Durling, Executive Director of SBIFF. “We look forward to continuing our growth and bringing exciting new developments to the Santa Barbara community, and we plan to make our 33rd installment the best festival yet.”
In addition to screening numerous films over the years, including countless US and World Premieres, SBIFF is known for programs such as the prestigious Tribute Honor which counts Emma Stone, Casey Affleck, Mahershala Ali, Damien Chazelle, and Janelle Monáe among recipients, and the acclaimed Panel Series, where accomplished industry guests come together for lively and revealing discussions, which make the festival a key stop in the award season race.
Image: Director Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton attending the Outstanding Performers of the Year Tribute presented by Belvedere Vodka honoring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone — at Santa Barbara International Film Festival (via Facebook)
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Todd Haynes’s WONDERSTRUCK to NY Premiere as Centerpiece Selection of 55th New York Film Festival | Trailer
Todd Haynes’s Wonderstruck will make its New York Premiere as the Centerpiece selection of the 55th New York Film Festival on Saturday, October 7. The film will be released theatrically by Amazon Studios and Roadside Attractions on October 20, 2017.
In 1977, following the death of his single mother, Ben (Oakes Fegley) loses his hearing in a freak accident and makes his way from Minnesota to New York, hoping to learn about the father he has never met. A half-century earlier, another deaf 12-year-old, Rose (Millicent Simmonds), flees her restrictive Hoboken home, captivated by the bustle and romance of the nearby big city. Each of these parallel adventures, unfolding largely without dialogue, is an exuberant love letter to a bygone era of New York. The mystery of how they ultimately converge, which involves Julianne Moore in a lovely dual role, provides the film’s emotional core. Adapted from a young-adult novel by The Invention of Hugo Cabret author Brian Selznick, Wonderstruck is an all-ages enchantment, entirely true to director Todd Haynes’s sensibility: an intelligent, deeply personal, and lovingly intricate tribute to the power of obsession.
New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones said, “Todd Haynes and Brian Selznick have pulled off something truly remarkable here—a powerful evocation of childhood, with all of its mysteries and terrors and flights of imagination and longings; richly textured re-creations of Manhattan in the ’20s and the ’70s; and a magical and intricately plotted quest story that builds to a beautiful climax. Wonderstruck is fun, emotionally potent, and . . . it’s a great New York movie.”
“We’re so pleased and proud that Wonderstruck has been selected for the Centerpiece slot at this year’s New York Film Festival,” said Haynes. “There’s no more meaningful place or audience with which to share our film that is a tribute both to the history of New York City and to cinema.”
The New York Film Festival has showcased Haynes’s work on three other occasions: Velvet Goldmine in 1998, I’m Not There in 2007, and, most recently, Carol in 2015.
The 18-day New York Film Festival taking place September 28 to October 15, 2017, highlights the best in world cinema, featuring works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. Earlier this summer, NYFF announced Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying as the Opening Night selection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMljHyrfXQ4
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Dixie State University’s Docutah International Documentary Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup
The 2017 film lineup for Dixie State University DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival, will showcase 40 feature length and 24 short films, and run from September 4 through 9, 2017.
The film, Tuacahn: Miracle in Padre Canyon, launches the Festival on September 4th with a gala evening at Tuacahn Amphitheatre. The film intertwines the history of Tuacahn with a behind the scenes look at how the complex production of Shrek the Musical came together.
This year the Festival also includes a special presentation of the first episode of award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns 10-part series The Vietnam War. This groundbreaking ten-part, documentary series tells the story of one of the most divisive and consequential events in American history.
“Our selections this year cover a wide range of subjects, but all of them will connect our audience through a range of emotions to a broader understanding of the common human experience,” said Phil Tuckett, Executive Director, DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival and Digital Film Professor at Dixie State University. “Documentary takes many forms and audiences are always surprised at the creativity these artists exhibit as they develop often complex ideas through the medium of film.”
Docutah audiences also have the opportunity to interact directly with filmmakers through post- screening Q&A sessions as well as daily DOCtalk events – intimate conversations which bring together these accomplished artists, allowing attendees and budding filmmakers to hear their thoughts on the joys, pitfalls, struggles and successes when tackling documentary filmmaking. During these talks, attendees have a chance to ask questions and get advice on the business of filmmaking from those who have been there, done that.