Film Festivals

ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL and HARRY & SNOWMAN Win Awards at 20th Nantucket Film Festival

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, and Ron Davis’ HARRY & SNOWMAN won for Best Documentary Feature at the 20th Nantucket Film Festival (NFF). Eric Rockey’s PINK BOY won the Audience Award for Best Short. The Audience Award Best Film runner up was animated comedy SHAUN THE SHEEP THE MOVIE, written & directed by Richard Starzak & Mark Burton. Kristen Dávila’s COUNTERINTELLIGENCE received the top prize as the winner of the Feature Screenplay Competition. The Television Pilot nods went to Estella Gabriel for ICE and to Jonathan Schwartz for SOLD. Kristen Dávila’s COUNTERINTELLIGENCE, a political satire set in Pakistan involving the CIA, a budding jihadist group, and an indebted gambler who plays the two off one another in an attempt to save his own neck. Dávila receives $5000 cash prize and one of only four coveted spots to participate in partner organization the Screenwriters Colony month-long writing retreat in October. NFF recognizes the remarkable renaissance on the small screen through two Television Pilot Competitions, one for Hour-Long Pilots and the other for Half-Hour Pilots. Both winners receive a $1000 cash prize, as well as a consultation with a Showtime executive. The Half-Hour Television Pilot winner is SOLD by Jonathan Schwartz, which is set in a fine-arts auction house. The Hour-Long Television Pilot winner is ICE by Estella Gabriel, which details the conflicts and violence faced by a border patrol agent. The Short Screenplay Competition winner is MORE COW BELL by Andy Nellis, a dark portrait of a farm family. Nellis receives a $500 cash prize. The winner of the Best Screenwriting in a Short Film Award, given to an exceptional short film featured in this year’s festival, went to writer/director Shaka King and writer Kristan Sprague for MULIGNANS. The Festival’s Teen View Jury Award, selected by a group of Nantucket junior high school students, went to BIRTHDAY, written & directed by Chris King. Earlier this weekend, the winner of the ninth annual Adrienne Shelly Foundation Excellence in Filmmaking Award was announced, which bestows a cash prize to a female filmmaker in honor of the late director. The award went to director Crystal Moselle for her acclaimed debut documentary, THE WOLFPACK.
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45 YEARS, THE DIARY OF A TEENAGER GIRL Win Tops Awards at 69th Edinburgh International Film Festival

Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years (pictured above) won the top prize, the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film, at the 69th Edinburgh International Film Festival. Described by the festival as “one of the best British films of the year”, 45 Years is about the fractured relationship between a couple, played by Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, as they head towards their 45th wedding anniversary party. Director Andrew Haigh commented, “This is a real honor and made even more special when you consider the list of British films that have won before. All you can hope for when you make a film is that it resonates with people and that is why receiving an award such as this feels so fantastic.” 45 Years’ lead actress Charlotte Rampling won the Award for Best Performance in a British Feature Film, sharing it with James Cosmo for his performance in The Pyramid Texts. The Award for Best International Feature Fim was awarded to Marielle Heller’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl (USA) (pictured above), which received its UK Premiere at EIFF. Starring Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård and Kristen Wiig, the film takes place in 1970s San Francisco, where a young cartoonist Minnie (Bel Powley) can’t wait to grow up. Her mother’s (Kristen Wiig) no-holds-barred approach to partying colours her adolescent judgement, encouraging her to seek grown-up thrills anywhere she can. Instigating a liaison with her mother’s boyfriend, Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård), she begins a passionate affair with a man two decades her senior, and despite the age gap remains utterly in control. Special Mentions were given to Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s The Stanford Prison Experiment and J.Davis’ Manson Family Vacation. The Award for Best Documentary Feature Film was awarded to Crystal Moselle’s The Wolfpack (USA) (pictured above). The Jury commented “Out of a very strong field, the Jury has selected The Wolfpack as the best documentary in competition at the 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Shot over five years, the director Crystal Moselle turned a chance encounter with six brothers into an intriguing, intimate portrait that shines a light on the warmth, humor and underlying tension of an extraordinary situation.” Scrapbook directed by Mike Hoolboom won The Award for Best Short Film, Stems by director Ainslie Henderson won the McLaren Award for Best New British Animation, and the Student Critics Jury Award went to Black Mountain Poets directed by Jamie Adams.
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THE SHORE BREAK Wins Audience Award for Best South African Film at Encounters South African International Documentary Festival | TRAILER

Ryley Grunenwald’s The Shore Break, won the prestigious Backsberg Audience Choice Award at Encounters South African International Documentary Festival for Best South African Film. The award-winning documentary film follows the dilemma faced by a rural community on South Africa’s Wild Coast as to whether to support or resist a proposed titanium mining project and a national tolled highway. https://vimeo.com/102621491 Grunenwald says she is thrilled with the accolade. “Both my co-producer Odette Geldenhuys and I are really pleased about the win. The Shore Break was a labour of love so it is very rewarding to know it is well received by South African audiences. It was an important story to tell because it captures the nuance and complexity around issues of developing the Wild Coast. The story follows two Pondo cousins who have opposing dreams for the future of their land. One wants to preserve the land through sustainable development while the other plans to mine it for titanium, believing large scale development is the only way to improve employment opportunities.” “The audience award is based on a complicated calculation in which the festival takes into account the capacity of the cinemas, numbers of tickets sold and the votes cast.” says Odette Geldenhuys. “The film captured the imagination of festival goers, so much so that all our five scheduled screenings were sold out and we had to have two additional screenings in Cape Town and Johannesburg.” Backsberg Estate Cellars CEO Simon Back adds, “It is a great honour for us to sponsor the Audience Choice Awards. The aim of the awards is to raise awareness around the festival and what has resonated with audiences. With sustainability being core to the way we run our winery, I am also thrilled that both winners raise awareness around critical environmental matters.” The Shore Break, which was a project in the 2013 Durban FilmMart, will have its co-premiere at the 36th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) on July 18, 2015 with four screenings only during the festival which runs from July 16 to 26. Image: Backsberg Estate Cellars CEO Simon Back (right) with Odette Geldenhuys , co-producer of The Shore Break which won the Backsberg Audience Choice Award at Encounters South African International Documentary Festival for Best South African Film. The film will next screen at the Durban International Film Festival in July.
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CARRY ON Wins Top Award at 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest

The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest held from June 16-22, 2015, announced its Festival award winners. CARRY ON (Esel) (pictured above) directed by Rafael Haider, a sublime tale that focuses on an elderly couple who tend to what’s left of their once-thriving farm with the help of an aged donkey on its last legs, won the Best of Festival Award. “It’s been a spectacular success on all fronts for ShortFest this year, with a uniformly ecstatic response from audience and filmmakers alike for the screenings, the panels and seminars and the special events the Festival mounted,” said Festival Director Darryl Macdonald. “With record numbers of attendees and filmmakers, the Festival lived up to its growing reputation as one of the most important events of its kind in the world.” The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest award winners are: JURY AWARDS BEST OF FESTIVAL AWARD – Winner received $5,000 cash prize courtesy of the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Final Cut Pro X courtesy of Apple Computer. The winner of this award may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar consideration. Carry On (Esel) (Austria), Rafael Haider This sublime tale focuses on an elderly couple who tend to what’s left of their once-thriving farm with the help of an aged donkey on its last legs. But when the time comes to face reality, can the farmer do what is called for? GRAND JURY AWARD – Winner received $2,000 cash prize Over (UK), Jörn Threlfall What has happened in this quiet, suburban neighborhood? Has there been a murder, a hit-and-run, an accident? The reality is both profound and deeply unexpected, and unfolds in reverse in this quiet mystery that rewards the patient viewer. FUTURE FILMMAKER AWARD – Winner received a $2,000 cash prize. Submarine (Brazil), Rafael Aidar Love and loneliness waltz in this slow reveal of a man whose connection to his lover keeps him finding new ways to re-ignite his past. PANAVISION BEST NORTH AMERICAN SHORT – Camera package valued at $60,000 courtesy of Panavision. Marta Rosa (USA/Mexico), Barbara Cigarroa In the aftermath of a tragedy, a mother is forced to deal with her own internal grief as well as the harsh realities of the world around her. BEST STUDENT FILM AWARD (From a US Film School) – $1,000 cash prize courtesy of KQED San Francisco and camera package valued at $10,000 courtesy of Radiant Images It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy A delightful look behind the scenes at the world of dubbing American movie stars in films for the Italian market. HONORARY MENTIONS Exceptional Performance by an Actress – Miriam Zohar, Paris on the Water (Paris Al Amayim) (Israel) Exceptional Cinematography – August (Poland), Tomek Slesicki AUDIENCE AWARDS BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT The Way of Tea (les frémissements du thé) (France), Marc Fouchard Set in a small town in northern France, The Way of Tea explores the meeting of Alex, a young skinhead, and Malic, an Arab shopkeeper, who meet one fateful night that tests the mettle of both men. An eloquent statement about prejudice and stereotypes. Runner-up – Contrapelo (Mexico/USA/UK), Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT Body Team 12 (Liberia),David Darg A glimpse into the work of a group of courageous people tasked with the removal and disposal of bodies during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. Both gut wrenching and inspiring, the film focuses on the sole woman on the team, and her perspective on the crisis in her country. Runner-up – It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy BEST ANIMATION SHORT Bear Story (Historia de un Oso) (Chile), Gabriel Osorio Through the magical prism of a marionette theater, a world-weary bear tells his life story. Runner-up – SOAR (USA), Alyce Tzue SHORTFEST ONLINE AUDIENE AWARD The Deadman (Peru), Franco Finocchiaro A young man who everyone assumed was dead reappears at his parent’s house mysteriously after seven years, shortly followed by two detectives with more questions than answers. JURY CATEGORY AWARDS Awards in the non-student and student categories were selected by ShortFest jury members David Ansen (Writer), Gregg Kilday (Film Editor at The Hollywood Reporter),Steve Greene (Assistant Editor of Indiewire’s Criticwire Network), Dan Ireland (Writer/Director/Producer), Roberta Munroe(Writer/Director/Producer), Barry Primus (actor), Kim Waltrip (Independent Film Producer). All first place winners in the non-student categories received a cash award of $2,000. First place winners in the non-student Animation and Live Action categories may be eligible for Academy Awards consideration. Second place recipients received a $500 cash prize. BEST AnimatION short First Place ($2,000) – Bear Story (Historia De Un Oso)(Chile),Gabriel Osorio Through the magical prism of a marionette theater, a world-weary bear tells his life story. Second Place ($500) – The Orchestra (Australia), Mikey Hill BEST Live Action short over 15 minutes First Place ($2,000) – The Good Life-Over There (Det Gode Livet, Der Borte) (Norway), Izer Aliu Sami, an Albanian immigrant to Norway, spends the day babysitting his boss’ spoiled adolescent son who teaches him a surprising lesson about the sacrifices he’s made for his family back home. Second Place ($500) – Submarine(Brazil), Rafael Aidar Special Mention– Brothers(UK), Thordur Palsson BEST Live Action short 15 MINUTES AND UNDER First Place ($2,000) – August(Poland), Tomek Slesicki A teenage boy hangs out with a pretty girl and a young boy and his dog in the fields. Over his shoulder is slung a bag with unknown contents, which will eventually prove the cost of first love. Second Place ($500) – Over (United Kingdom), Jörn Threlfall Special Mention – Ave Maria (Palestine/France/Germany), Basil Khalil BEST Documentary short First Place ($2,000) – Pink Boy(USA), Eric Rockey This remarkable documentary introduces us to Jeffrey, a young, ‘gender non-conforming’ boy being raised by his lesbian moms in conservative rural Florida who provide him with exactly the kind of support and guidance he needs to make his way in a potentially hostile world. Second Place ($500) –Pebbles At Your Door (Denmark), Vibeke Bryld STUDENT CATEGORIES All first place winners in these categories received a 1-year download membership to Videoblocks, AudioBlocks or GraphicStock. BEST STUDENT ANIMATION First Place – SOAR (USA), Alyce Tuze A precocious young girl makes a new friend when a tiny boy pilot drops out of the sky on a broken flying machine. Now she must race against time to return him home, before her new friend becomes stranded on Earth forever. Second Place – After the End (UK), Sam Southward Honorable Mention – The Present (Germany), Jacob Frey BEST STUDENT Live Action short over 15 minutes First Place – Paris on the Water (Paris Al Amayim) (Israel), Hadas Ayalon Bathya and Michel – both actors – have been married for 50 years, and while Michel has continued to have a successful career in a TV medical drama series, her once-thriving career has gone dormant. Then Bathya finds herself up for a potential key role in a new movie, bringing her hopes for a career revival, but on the morning of her audition, something happens that forces her to reassess her priorities in life. Second Place – The Little Death (Den Lille Døden) (Norway), Simon Tillaas BEST STUDENT Live Action short 15 MINUTES AND UNDER First Place – Marta Rosa (USA/Mexico), Barbara Cigarroa In the aftermath of a tragedy, a mother is forced to deal with her own internal grief as well as the harsh realities of the world around her. Second Place – Zelos (USA/Iceland), Thoranna Sigurdardottir BEST STUDENT DOCUMENTARY short First Place – It’s Better in Italian (USA/Italy), Jordan Ledy A delightful look behind the scenes at the world of dubbing American movie stars in films for the Italian market. Second Place – The Tour Guide (Ha Madricha) (Israel/Germany), Amos Geva ADDITIONAL PRIZES ALEXIS AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING STUDENT FILMMAKER – The Alexis Award is selected by the Festival’s programming team and was created in honor of Alexis Echavarria, a young filmmaker, whose talent as a budding filmmaker and gift for inspiring excellence among his fellow students were cut short suddenly in 2005 at age 16. The recipient received Final Cut Pro X courtesy of Apple Computer. First Place – Zelos (USA), Thoranna Sigurdardottir As a modern woman you have an endless to-do list. Between your family, your career, and your hobbies, you want to do it all, and do it all well. With Zelos, YOU CAN… Second Place – Discipline (Switzerland), Chrisopher M. Saber HP BRIDGING THE BORDERS AWARD PRESENTED BY CINEMA WITHOUT BORDERS – The winner received the award’s diploma and an HP ZBook Mobile Workstation with a color critical HP DreamColor display and Thunderbolt™ 2, an approximately $3000 value. The runner received a certificate for an upcoming Method Acting Intensive Workshop provided by The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute with a value of $2000 First Place – Ave Maria (Palestine/France/Germany), Basil Khalil A Jewish family’s car breaks down outside a nunnery during Shabat, inadvertently knocking off the head of the Virgin Mary. The driver’s mother and wife are eager to return home. After exhausting all options they turn to the nuns for help. Special Jury Prize – Rangan 99 (Iran), Tiyam Yabandeh
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WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE? Wins AFI DOCS 2015

WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE? directed by Liz Garbus (THE FARM: ANGOLA, USA) won the Audience Award for Best Feature at AFI DOCS 2015 in Washington, DC. This year’s Audience Award for Best Short went to A CONVERSATION WITH MY BLACK SON directed by Blair Foster (TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, co-producer) and Geeta Gandbhir (BY THE PEOPLE: THE ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA, editor). WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE? Nina Simone earned her moniker as the “High Priestess of Soul.” Trained as a classical pianist in North Carolina when racism was open and rampant, Simone drew upon her struggles as she became one of jazz music’s most beloved and complex figures. Director Liz Garbus offers access into Simone’s most intimate thoughts through her own words as the influential chanteuse became a leading voice for the civil rights movement of the late 1960s. Despite her enormous talent, however, Simone battled worsening demons that ultimately drove her into a life of seclusion in Liberia and France. A CONVERSATION WITH MY BLACK SON The short film features a group of racially diverse parents discussing the importance of having a conversation with their young black sons about racism and interacting with the police. AFI DOCS attendees included America’s greatest documentary filmmakers, including Alex Gibney, Barbara Kopple, Stanley Nelson and Morgan Neville. National leaders in attendance included White House Cabinet Secretary and Chair of MBK Task Force Broderick Johnson, U.S. Representative Steve Cohen, U.S. Representative Ted Lieu, civil rights leader Julian Bond, former U.S. Representative Mary Bono, Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci and former Governor of West Virginia and President of the Alliance for Excellent Education Bob Wise. Global leaders at AFI DOCS included the Ambassador of Kuwait H.E. Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Ambassador of Jordan Dr. Alia Hatoug Bouran, Ambassador of Lebanon Antoine Chedid and Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Anne Patterson. Joining the opinion leaders were distinguished journalists: Executive Producer of PBS’s FRONTLINE Raney Aronson-Rath, Margaret Brennan of CBS News, The Atlantic’s Steve Clemons and Ta-Nehisi Coates, former ABC News anchor Sam Donaldson, Bloomberg View’s Al Hunt and PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff.
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LEARNING TO DRIVE Wins Top Award at 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival

LEARNING TO DRIVE directed by Isabel Coixet won the HBO Audience Award / Best Narrative Feature, and PACKED IN A TRUNK: THE LOST ART OF EDITH LAKE WILKINSON directed by Michelle Boyaner won the HBO Audience Award / Best Documentary Feature at the 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF). In LEARNING TO DRIVE, starring Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kinsley, a recently divorced book editor, on a path to self-sufficiency, and her driving instructor, a soft-spoken taxi driver from India on the verge of an arranged marriage, connect over their mutual anxieties. In 1924 artist Edith Lake Wilkinson was committed to an asylum and never heard from again.PACKED IN A TRUNK: THE LOST ART OF EDITH LAKE WILKINSON follows Edith’s great-niece, Emmy Award winning writer and director Jane Anderson, on her journey to find the answers to the mystery of Edith’s buried life. The complete list of awards and winners of the 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) – HBO Audience Award / Best Narrative Feature: LEARNING TO DRIVE directed by Isabel Coixet – HBO Audience Award / Best Documentary Feature: PACKED IN A TRUNK: THE LOST ART OF EDITH LAKE WILKINSON directed by Michelle Boyaner – The John Schlesinger Award, presented to a first time documentary and narrative feature filmmaker: BREATHE, directed by Mélanie Laurent (narrative) and OUTERMOST RADIO directed by Alan Chebot (documentary) – HBO Short Documentary Award: THE FACE OF UKRAINE: CASTING OKSANA BAIUL directed by Kitty Green – Jury Award / Best Narrative Short Film: MYRNA THE MONSTER directed by Ian Samuels – Jury Award / Best Animated Short Film: SYMPHONY NO. 42 directed by Réka Bucsi – Jury Award / Best New England Short Film: AWESOME_FCK directed by Isaak James – Jury Award / Student Short Film: SHARE directed by Pippa Bianco The Short Film Jury consisted of documentary filmmaker Jeff Dupre, producer Laura Heberton and Mark Elijah Rosenberg, founder and artistic director of Rooftop Films. The festival also announced the dates for next year’s event as June 15-19, 2016. Bobcat Goldthwait was presented with the 2015 Filmmaker on the Edge Award in conversation with PIFF resident artist John Waters at Town Hall on Saturday night. Jennifer Coolidge received the Faith Hubley Career Achievement Award in conversation with film critic and professor B. Ruby Rich.
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African Filmmakers Selected for Talents Durban 2015 at Durban International Film Festival

The 36th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) announced the participants of the 8th edition of Talents Durban, presented in cooperation with the Berlinale Talents an initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival. Talents Durban is a five day development programme made up of workshops and seminars for African filmmakers delivered by film professionals, academics and intellectuals. The Talents, who are selected through a rigorous application process, will also have the opportunity to attend screenings and events at the Festival. Talents Durban 2015 is one of the 6 Talents International programs formed by Berlinale Talents in Africa and around the world including Talents Beirut in Lebanon, Talents Buenos Aires in Argentina, Talents Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Talents Tokyo in Japan and Talents Guadalajara in Mexico. 40 filmmakers from 10 countries across the continent including South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Zambia and Cameron will be in attendance. The following are the selected participants of Talents: Oluwakemi Adesoye (Nigeria), Ssenkumba Adnan (Uganda), Lawrence Agbetsise (Ghana), Isabella Akinseye (Nigeria), Kassim Braimah (Nigeria), Bentley Brown (Tunisia), Lucky Nhlanhla Cele (South Africa), Karien Cherry (South Africa), Joanne Corrigall (South Africa), Angeline Dimingo (Zimbabwe), Daniel Ecwalu (Uganda), Daniella Esua (Nigeria), Polani Fourie (South Africa), Mehluli Hikwa (Zimbabwe), Benjamin Johnson (South Africa), Njata Joseph (Rwanda), Andrew Kaggwa (Uganda), Joel Kapungwe (Zambia) Godisamang Khunou (South Africa), Trent Kok (South Africa), Makundi Lambani (South Africa), Sheetal Megan (South Africa), Theoline Maphutha (South Africa), Francisca Meyer (South Africa), Ali Mwangola (Kenya), Samantha Nell (South Africa), Simphiwe Ngcobo (South Africa), John Nyoka (South Africa), Roselidah Obala (Kenya), Agbor Obed (Cameroon), Temotope Ogun (Nigeria), Olawale Oluwadahunsi (Nigeria), Kennedy Omoro (Kenya),Osei Owusu Banahene (Ghana), Davashni Rajoo (South Africa), Charne Simpson (South Africa), Samson Ssenkaaba (Unganda), Tendai Charles Tshuma (South Africa), Amy Van Den Houten (South Africa), Mark Wambui (Kenya). Presented under the theme Start Motion, Talents Durban 2015 aims to boost the already rising flow of current filmmaking in Africa, and to encourage filmmakers on the continent to share their stories through their own cultured lens. Participants interact with over 600 delegates of DIFF and Durban FilmMart, the co-production and finance forum which takes place from July 17 to 20 at the festival. Selected participants get to be part of numerous project-oriented, hands on skills development programs. Practical development programmes within Talents Durban include Talent Press, Script Station and Doc Station. Script station is a script development programme for short films which pairs four writers with script editors who assist in clarifying story and getting to an advanced draft of their script. Our participants this year are John Nyoka, Mark Wambui, Quwakemi Adesoye and Polani Fourie. The mentors for the programme are Tracey Dearham-Rainers and Karima Effendi. Talent Press is presented in cooperation with Fipresci, an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world which lobbies for the promotion and development of film culture. The programme invites four critics to cover the films and events of the Durban International Film festival for online and print publication. Talent press has four participants and they are Andrew Kaggwa, Oluwale Oluwadahunsi, Isabella Akinseye and Kennedy Omoro. They will be mentored by film writers/reviewers Sarah Dawson, Oris Aigbokhaevbolo, Debashine Thangevelo and Shaibu Hussein. DOC station selects three documentary projects in development for coaching and mentoring towards participation in a public pitch at the DFM’s pitching forum, The African Pitch. Participants are given mentoring prior to the pitching and during preparations at the festival. Doc Station participants are Bentley Brown, Sheetal Megan and Tendayi Tshuma and the producer mentor is Odette Geldenhuys. They will receive additional mentorship from Andy Jones, Jihan El Tahri and Khalo Matabane.
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North American Premiere of COIN LOCKER GIRL to Close 2015 New York Asian Film Festival | TRAILER

Straight out of Cannes, the Closing Night film of the 2015 New York Asian Film Festival is the North American Premiere of Korean women-with-knives thriller Coin Locker Girl from Director Han Jun-hee who will attend the Festival. Completing the lineup are the North American Premiere of Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii’s latest live-action film, Nowhere Girl, and the International Premiere of Initiation Love, Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s blockbuster coming-of-age rom-com set in 1980s Japan. The 2015 New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), will take place from June 26 to July 8 at the Film Society and July 9 to 11 at SVA Theatre (333 W. 23rd Street). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_lBxKoXdew
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BEING EVEL, WELCOME TO HAPPINESS Win Top Awards at 15th deadCENTER Film Festival

A documentary about the complicated legacy of Evel Knievel and a metaphysical drama about a children’s book author won top honors at the 15th deadCENTER Film Festival, held June 10-14 in downtown Oklahoma City. “Being Evel,” (pictured above) by Academy Award-winning director Daniel Junge was selected as Best Documentary Feature, and Best Narrative Feature was awarded to Director Oliver Thompson’s “Welcome to Happiness.” A generation of Americans grew up worshipping self-styled hero Evel Knievel – watching him every Saturday on Wide World of Sports and buying his Ideal toys. For producer/subject Johnny Knoxville and so many others, he was the ultimate antidote to the disenchantment of the 70’s. But few knew the incredible and often complex aspects of his epic life, which, like his jumps, was sometimes glorious and sometimes disastrous. With an entire genre of sports ascending from his daring inventiveness, now is the time to look at this extreme man and his complicated legacy. “Being Evel” producers include Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine, Mat Hoffman, Brendan Kiernan, Justin Moore-Lewy and Daniel Junge. “Welcome to Happiness” (pictured above) is a metaphysical drama featuring Nick Offerman about a children’s book author who is the gatekeeper to a mysterious door in his closet that only allows certain people to enter. When he learns where the door leads, his life is forever changed. Best Narrative Short honors went to “This Way Up” by Director Jeremy Cloe, and Christopher André Marks’ “Tiger Hood” won Best Documentary Short. “Skid,” by Ryan “Staples” Scott, won for Best Oklahoma Feature, and “Course of Food,” directed by Christopher Hunt and produced by Chef Marc Dunham, was chosen as Best Oklahoma Short. Yoko Okumura’s “Kimi Kabuki” was voted Best Student Film. Special Jury honors went to “Best of Enemies” in the documentary category, and “The Overnight” for narrative. 2015 deadCENTER Film Festival Award Winners Best Narrative Feature: “Welcome to Happiness” Best Documentary Feature: “Being Evel” Best Narrative Short: “This Way Up” Best Documentary Short: “Tiger Hood” Best Oklahoma Feature: “Skid” Best Oklahoma Short: “Course of Food” Best Student Film: “Kimi Kabuki” Special Jury Short: “Nomansland” Special Jury Documentary: “Best of Enemies” Special Jury Narrative: “The Overnight” via deadCENTER Film Festival
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Nanni Moretti’s MY MOTHER Starring John Turturro to Open 32nd Jerusalem Film Festival

My Mother (Mia Madre), Nanni Moretti’s latest film, will open the 32nd Jerusalem Film Festival, at the Sultan’s Pool on July 9th, only months after its screening in the official competition at Cannes. The opening ceremony will be attended by John Turturro, who stars in the film. My Mother tells the story of Margherita, a famous Italian director who, while shooting her new film, has to deal with her lead actor (John Turturro) – an annoying but charming American with a proclivity for exaggeration. In addition to the pressure on the set, she also has to deal with her hospitalized aging mother’s health and with her adolescent daughter. Her brother (Nanni Moretti), is there to support and assist her, but very soon she understands that she cannot separate her personal life from her work on the film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-l1oOMmkrg
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Complete Slate of Films for AFI DOCS 2015 Film Festival

The American Film Institute (AFI) revealed the slate of films for the AFI DOCS 2015 Film Festival, running June 17 to 21 in Washington, DC and Silver Spring, MD. The 13th edition of the festival showcases 81 films representing 25 countries, including four world premieres, three U.S. premieres and four East Coast premieres. AFI DOCS opens with Magnolia Pictures’ BEST OF ENEMIES from director Robert Gordon and Academy Award ®-winning director Morgan Neville and concludes with the HBO documentary film MAVIS! (pictured above) from AFI DOCS alumna Jessica Edwards. AFI DOCS will recognize Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson (THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION) as its 2015 Charles Guggenheim honoree at the National Archives’ William G. McGowan Theater on June 19. Spotlight Screenings include THE ARMOR OF LIGHT (DIR Abigail Disney), THE DIPLOMAT (DIR David Holbrooke), the world premiere of FIRST AND 17 (DIR Brad Horn) and MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED (DIR Greg Whiteley). Panel discussions or extended Q&As with special guests will follow each Spotlight Screening. This year’s AFI DOCS program also includes two Special Screenings. The world premiere of Discovery’s RISE: THE PROMISE OF MY BROTHER’S KEEPER (pictured above) (DIR Dawn Porter) screens at the Newseum on June 18. SALAM NEIGHBOR (DIRS Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci) coincides with World Refugee Day with a world premiere screening on June 20. Additional films from notable documentarians include IN TRANSIT (DIR Albert Maysles, Lynn True, Nelson Walker, Ben Wu and David Usui), the East Coast premiere of STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE (DIR Alex Gibney) and THE LOOK OF SILENCE from AFI DOCS alumnus Joshua Oppenheimer. “Audiences will see the most renowned documentary films of the year, all of which will inspire, inform and entertain,” said Michael Lumpkin, Director of AFI DOCS. “This year’s slate celebrates documentary filmmaking while providing a launch pad for meaningful dialogue between audience members, filmmakers and policy leaders.” AFI DOCS will offer additional programs for festival filmmakers as a way to connect with film industry and policy leaders. The festival will also include a two-day Filmmaker Conference open to the documentary filmmaking community at-large. Details will be announced in the coming weeks. AFI DOCS 2015 DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL PROGRAM OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHT, SPECIAL AND SPOTLIGHT SCREENINGS Wednesday, June 17 OPENING NIGHT: BEST OF ENEMIES: DIRS Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon. USA. In the summer of 1968, the media landscape changed forever when ABC hired two politically opposed intellectuals — Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. — to debate the issues of the day on live television. The directors will be in attendance for a discussion and Q&A following the film. Thursday, June 18 SPECIAL SCREENING: RISE: THE PROMISE OF MY BROTHER’S KEEPER: DIR Dawn Porter. USA. Discovery Channel’s documentary film about President Obama’s challenge to implement a community-level cradle-to-college-and-career strategy for young people, including boys and young men of color, to ensure they can reach their full potential. World premiere. Friday, June 19 THE CHARLES GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM: The Charles Guggenheim Symposium honors the legacy of the late four-time Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim. This year, the free Symposium pays tribute to pioneering documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson. AFI DOCS is proud to present Nelson’s latest documentary THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION as part of the 2015 program. The Symposium includes a conversation with Nelson moderated by The Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday and a series of excerpts from his work. Nelson’s films include Emmy Award®-nominated THE BLACK PRESS: SOLDIERS WITHOUT SWORDS (1999), Emmy Award®-winning THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL (2003), BEYOND BROWN: PURSUING THE PROMISE (2004), JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLES TEMPLE (2006), Emmy Award®-winning FREEDOM RIDERS (2011) and FREEDOM SUMMER (2014). SPOTLIGHT SCREENING: MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: DIR Greg Whiteley. USA. The American education system has remained virtually unchanged for more than 100 years. In today’s highly competitive age of information and technology, experimental schools such as San Diego’s High Tech High aim to change that. SPOTLIGHT SCREENING: THE DIPLOMAT: DIR David Holbrooke. USA. The son of the late Ambassador Richard Holbrooke unflinchingly examines the career of his brash and talented father, whose life had global reach and unquestioned historical impact. Saturday, June 20 SPOTLIGHT SCREENING: FIRST AND 17: DIR Brad Horn. USA. Da’Shawn Hand, the top-ranked high school football recruit of 2013, navigates the pressures of being aggressively pursued by more than 90 colleges. World premiere. SPOTLIGHT SCREENING: THE ARMOR OF LIGHT: DIR Abigail Disney. USA. Abigail Disney’s directorial debut follows a prominent evangelical Christian leader who begins to reconsider his moral and political assumptions about gun rights after a major tragedy hits close to home. SPECIAL SCREENING: SALAM NEIGHBOR: DIRS Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci. USA/Jordan. A film team spends one month living in Jordan’s Syrian Za’tari refugee camp to uncover the personal stories behind a rapidly growing global crisis. World premiere. Sunday, June 21 CLOSING NIGHT: MAVIS!: DIR Jessica Edwards. USA. Mavis Staples, the legendary gospel and R&B singer, has been making music for more than 60 years. From her roots in Chicago with the family group The Staple Singers, led by her father, Roebuck “Pops” Staples, to her award-winning work as a solo artist, MAVIS! traces the life and career of a remarkable woman with an unstoppable voice. The director will be in attendance for a discussion and Q&A following the film. FEATURE FILM SELECTIONS: 3 ½ MINUTES, TEN BULLETS: DIR Marc Silver. USA. The 2012 murder of African-American teen Jordan Davis by a middle-aged white man, following an argument over loud music, sparked a national debate about Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law. ALL THINGS MUST PASS: (pictured above) DIR Colin Hanks. USA. Explore the rise and fall of Tower Records in this fascinating account of the iconic titan of the music business, which closed its doors in 2006. East Coast premiere. ALTHEA: DIR Rex Miller. USA. Tennis great Althea Gibson rose from the tough streets of Harlem to become the first athlete of color to win Wimbledon. Rex Miller’s documentary tells the story of a strong and resilient champion. AMONG THE BELIEVERS: DIRS Hemal Trivedi, Mohammed Ali Naqvi. Pakistan. Within Pakistan’s borders, a violent clash of ideologies between radical Muslim extremists and moderates is shaping the path of the country’s future. ATTACKING THE DEVIL: HAROLD EVANS AND THE LAST NAZI WAR CRIME: DIRS Jacqui Morris, David Morris. UK/Canada. Sunday Times editor Sir Harold Evans uses his newspaper to shed light on the harmful effects of the drug thalidomide during the late 1960s and early ‘70s. U.S. premiere. THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION: DIR Stanley Nelson. USA. Director Stanley Nelson offers a fascinating account of activist group the Black Panthers and its place in America’s history. CARTEL LAND: DIR Matthew Heineman. USA/Mexico. A citizen vigilante group in Mexico fights back against the encroaching drug cartels, which have brought widespread fear, violence and corruption to the area for years. The Washington Post Film Strand. THE CHINESE MAYOR: DIR Hao Zhou. China. Mayor Geng Yanbo has ambitious plans to refurbish and develop the Chinese city of Datong, but progress comes with a price CITY OF GOLD: DIR Laura Gabbert. USA. Join Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold as he ventures off the beaten path in search of the most adventurous cuisine that Los Angeles has to offer and enjoy the fascinating personal stories that are often served up for dessert. CODE: DEBUGGING THE GENDER GAP: DIR Robin Hauser Reynolds. USA. Though computer science touches every aspect of life, women are barely represented in a coding community urgently seeking millions of skilled workers. CODE asks, “Why?” DRONE: DIR Tonje Hessen Schei. Norway. Drone technology has been a highly controversial issue in recent years as it has come to define the modern War on Terror. DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON: DIR Douglas Tirola. USA. Take a fascinating look into the history of National Lampoon, the hilariously twisted, profane and influential humor magazine that launched an astounding number of successful comedy careers. FRAME BY FRAME: DIRS Alexandria Bombach, Mo Scarpelli. USA. Four photojournalists in Afghanistan work to re-establish a free press after years of oppression under the Taliban regime. The Washington Post Film Strand. FRESH DRESSED: DIR Sacha Jenkins. USA. This fun and colorful history of hip-hop fashion looks at how the fresh trends that were born on urban streets found their way into mainstream America. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD: DIR Sharon Shattuck. USA. Filmmaker Sharon Shattuck explores her father’s gender identity struggles and how her parents have remained married through it all. HOT TYPE: 150 YEARS OF THE NATION: DIR Barbara Kopple. USA. Two-time Oscar® winner Barbara Kopple tracks the iconic progressive weekly The Nation from its 1865 founding by abolitionist Republicans to present-day challenges facing print media of all stripes. HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO: DIR Alexandra Shiva. USA. As they prepare for their first formal dance, a high-functioning co-ed group of autistic teenagers learns the intricacies of social interaction. I WANT TO BE A KING: DIR Mehdi Ganji. Iran. Abbas runs a B&B-like tourist destination out of his Iranian home, but with the success of his business, his plans grow increasingly ambitious and outlandish. U.S. premiere. INDIA’S DAUGHTER: DIR Leslee Udwin. UK/INDIA. INDIA’S DAUGHTER tells the tragic story of a 2012 gang rape and murder of a medical student and presents a searing indictment of the culture of misogyny behind the assault. IN TRANSIT: DIRS Albert Maysles, Lynn True, Nelson Walker, Ben Wu, David Usua. USA. Legendary documentary pioneer Albert Maysles captures a cross-section of people in transitional stages of life as they journey across America by train. KING GEORGES: DIR Erika Frankel. USA. Take a look behind the scenes of five-star French restaurant Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia, run by its famously demanding owner and chef, Georges Perrier. LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE & ANGER: (pictured above) DIR Jean Carlomusto. USA. A portrait of outspoken writer and AIDS activist Larry Kramer, one of the most fiery, passionate, complicated and fascinating people you will ever get to know. LISTEN TO ME MARLON: DIR Stevan Riley. UK. Drawing on hundreds of hours of previously unheard personal audio recordings, filmmaker Stevan Riley lets actor Marlon Brando tell his extraordinary life’s journey from beyond the grave. THE LOOK OF SILENCE: DIR Joshua Oppenheimer. Denmark/Indonesia/Norway/Finland/UK. In his follow-up to THE ACT OF KILLING, director Joshua Oppenheimer continues to unearth the ghosts of Indonesia’s violent past, shifting his focus from the perpetrators to those left in the aftermath. LOVE MARRIAGE IN KABUL: DIR Amin Palangi. Australia. In Afghanistan, Abdul and Fatemeh have fallen in love and wish to marry, but their voices in the matter all but disappear within the complex negotiations and exchanges of money that must occur between the two extended families before an agreement can be made. OF MEN AND WAR: DIR Laurent Bécue-Renard. France. The devastating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on returning American combat soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are explored in this essential testimony documented by French filmmaker Laurent Bécue-Renard over the course of five years. OUT TO WIN: DIR Malcolm Ingram. USA/Canada. The world of professional sports has long been dogged by a reputation of homophobia, steeped in the fear that openly gay players provide a potential “distraction” to the other teammates. However, times are changing. PEACE OFFICER: DIRS Scott Christopherson, Brad Barber. USA. A former Utah sheriff investigates the increased militarization of police forces following the death of his son-in-law during a police standoff. PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT: DIR Lisa Immordino Vreeland. USA. Born into New York’s prominent Guggenheim family, Peggy Guggenheim made her own mark as one of the premier art collectors and exhibitors of her day. A POEM IS A NAKED PERSON: DIR Les Blank. USA. Unseen for more than 40 years, Les Blank’s portrait of singer-songwriter Leon Russell is a brilliantly freewheeling and poetic film experience ready for rediscovery. East Coast premiere. PROPHET’S PREY: DIR Amy Berg. USA. Filmmaker Amy Berg examines the alarming allegations surrounding the rogue polygamist religious sect known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and its incarcerated leader, Warren Jeffs. RADICAL GRACE: DIR Rebecca Parrish. USA. When you hear the words “feminist,” “activism” and “politics,” Catholic nuns are not usually the first thing that come to mind. However, this group of nuns is turning tradition on its ear. U.S. premiere. REQUIEM FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM: DIRS Peter Hutchison, Kelly Nyks, Jared P. Scott. USA. Noam Chomsky offers a riveting discourse on income inequality and its devastating effects, which threaten to erode democracy itself. REQUIEM FOR THE DEAD: AMERICAN SPRING 2014: DIRS Nick Doob, Shari Cookson. USA. During the spring of 2014, more than 8,000 individuals lost their lives to gun violence in the United States. REQUIEM focuses on these gun tragedies, weaving a series of vignettes from police footage, 911 calls and social media. East Coast premiere. THE RUSSIAN WOODPECKER: DIR Chad Gracia. UK. Was Chernobyl really an accident? Ukrainian artist Fedor Alexandrovich investigates an unusual conspiracy theory behind the infamous disaster. East Coast premiere. STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE: DIR Alex Gibney. USA. Alex Gibney takes a candid and critical look at Steve Jobs, the iconic visionary behind Apple Inc., whose impact helped define the tech industry. East Coast premiere. THE STORM MAKERS: DIR Guillaume Suon. Cambodia/France. Through revealing interviews with victims and perpetrators, filmmaker Guillaume Suon exposes the human-trafficking industry in Cambodia that ensnares tens of thousands of victims annually. THE THREE HIKERS: DIR Natalie Avital. USA. In 2009, when American hikers Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal mistakenly wandered off the beaten path near Iraq’s poorly marked border with Iran, they quickly experienced the draconian consequences of their error. World premiere. The Washington Post Film Strand. TYKE ELEPHANT OUTLAW: DIR Stefan Moore, Susan Lambert. Australia. After years of mistreatment, Tyke the circus elephant goes on a rampage in this tragic and unforgettable tale of performing-animal abuse. UNCERTAIN: DIRS Anna Sandilands, Ewan McNicol. USA. Stunningly beautiful and disarmingly funny, UNCERTAIN delivers a portrait of the literal and figurative troubled waters of Uncertain, Texas, a 94-resident town on the brink of extinction. VERY SEMI-SERIOUS: DIR Leah Wolchok. USA. This fascinating, funny film explores the history and process of The New Yorker’s iconic cartoons through the lens of its cartoon editor, Bob Mankoff. WELCOME TO LEITH: DIRS Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker. USA. When notorious white supremacist Craig Cobb decides to settle in Leith, North Dakota, the townspeople work together to evict their unwanted neighbor. WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?: DIR Liz Garbus. USA. Nina Simone trained as a classical pianist but evolved into one of jazz music’s most beloved and complex figures. Lending her voice to the civil rights movement, Simone battled demons that ultimately drove her into a self-imposed exile. THE WOLFPACK: DIR Crystal Moselle. USA. Tucked inside an apartment in Manhattan’s Lower East Side live the Angulo siblings, a tight-knit group who have barely left home due to the overbearing hand of their father. They spend countless hours re-creating scenes from their favorite movies, which have shaped their view of the outside world. THE YES MEN ARE REVOLTING: DIRS Laura Nix, The Yes Men. USA. The prankster activists known as The Yes Men are at it again. Traveling the globe posing as corporate and government spokesmen, the mischievous pair stages elaborate stunts designed to draw attention to the issue of climate change. SHORT FILM SELECTIONS: THE 414S: THE ORIGINAL TEENAGE HACKERS: DIR Michael T. Vollmann. USA. When a group of teenagers began testing their hacking skills in 1983, they started a firestorm by stumbling into a national laboratory’s computer system. ALLEN & ALINEA: DIR Daniel Addelson. USA. In his home kitchen, Allen tackles the complicated recipes from Alinea, a high-end restaurant. In the process, he unlocks his own creativity and confidence. BODY TEAM 12: DIR David Darg. Liberia. It’s perhaps the most dangerous job in the world: collecting dead bodies from Ebola-stricken villages. BORN TO BE MILD: DIR Andy Oxley. UK. Members of the Dull Men’s Club explain their non-threatening passions (mailboxes, traffic circles, bricks, milk bottles) without shame and without judgment. COBBLER: DIR Madelon Vroom. UK. A feisty artisan seems poised to be the last shoemaker in his family — until his inexperienced son joins the business, triggering a lively dialogue. COMIC BOOK HEAVEN: DIR E.J. McLeavey-Fisher. USA. A long-standing comic book store in Queens prepares to close its doors for good. A CONVERSATION WITH MY BLACK SON: DIRS Blair Foster, Geeta Gandbhir. USA. A group of racially diverse parents discuss the importance of having a conversation with their young black sons about racism and interacting with the police. CROOKED CANDY: DIR Andrew Rodgers. USA. An adult collector shows off his illegal Kinder Egg collection, the egg-shaped chocolate candies banned in the U.S. DEAR ARAUCARIA: DIR Matt Houghton. UK. When the creator of a long-running newspaper crossword is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he begins leaving a cryptic message within the puzzles. GIOVANNI AND THE WATER BALLET: DIR Astrid Bussink. Netherlands. Ten-year-old Giovanni is the only boy trying out for the synchronized swimming team. HANGAR B: DIR Thomas Beug. USA. A group of men, some in their eighties and nineties, stays active working at a hangar at Floyd Bennett Airfield in Brooklyn, restoring old planes. KATSUO-BUSHI: DIR Yu Nakajima. Japan. Japanese cuisine’s umami flavor depends upon dried, smoked and fermented tuna. While most processors have industrialized production, the finest artisans continue to use age-old methods. THE LAND: DIR Erin Davis. USA. A radical European playspace for children encourages independence and risk-taking. LAST REEL: DIR Steven Bognar. USA. With the arrival of new technological advances, Ohio’s Little Art Theatre prepares to say goodbye to 35mm movie prints. LETTING YOU GO: DIR Kim Faber. Netherlands. This delicate film explores one woman’s heartbreaking decision to self-euthanize. LOSERS, A FILM ABOUT LOSS: DIR Arianne Hinz. Netherlands. Three young people share their different stories of loss: a stuffed animal, a fencing tournament and a loved one. MEND AND MAKE DO: DIR Bexie Bush. UK. As Lyn looks back on her past, her imagination brings to life her treasured memories in the shape of her most familiar belongings. MIDNIGHT THREE & SIX: DIR Joe Callander. USA. As Lyn looks back on her past, her imagination brings to life her treasured memories in the shape of her most familiar belongings. OBJECT: DIR Paulina Skibińska. Poland. A Polish rescue team dives into the freezing depths to retrieve a mysterious object hidden beneath the ice. SANDORKRAUT: DIRS Emily Lobsenz, Ann Husaini. USA. A “fermentation fetishist” blends his ritualistic culinary process with his own personal feelings on eating, living and mortality. SLEEPERS’ BEAT: DIR Anastasia Kirillova. Russian Federation/UK. The romance of the rails is beautifully captured in this meditative look at the workers on long-distance Russian trains who sleep to its rhythmic beat. A STRONG BEAT: DIR Daniel Addelson. USA. A man receives a heart transplant and then falls in love in a most unexpected way. THE TIMEKEEPER: DIR Katherine Wells. USA. How long is one second? Demetrios Matsakis keeps the official time for the U.S. by measuring fractions of a nanosecond with cutting-edge atomic clocks. WATERLILIES: DIR Tanya Doyle. Ireland. Irish lasses in their sixties learn to swim for the very first time while discussing their marriages, children and interests. A WEE NIGHT IN: DIR Stuart Edwards. Scotland. An elderly Scottish couple enjoys an evening at home together, delighting in all the wee things that make life special. WHO STOLE THE RUBY SLIPPERS? DIR Theodore James. USA. The investigation of the theft of one of the iconic pairs of ruby slippers from THE WIZARD OF OZ from the Judy Garland Museum. WOMEN IN SINK: DIR Iris Zaki. Israel/UK. In this charming film, the director converses with Arab and Jewish women as she washes their hair, revealing a nuanced portrait of contemporary Israel.
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THE POET OF HAVANA Documentary to Open 16th Woodstock Film Festival | TRAILER

The documentary, THE POET OF HAVANA, directed by Ron Chapman about Cuban singer/songwriter Carlos Varela will open the 16th Woodstock Film Festival on September 30, 2015. Opening night will also include a live performance from Carlos Varela, joined by Jackson Browne at The Woodstock Playhouse. The Poet of Havana explores the cultural, political and social significance Varela has had in his 30 years as a singer-songwriter. A veteran of censorship battles with the Cuban government, his emotionally charged songs—raw, metaphoric chronicles of contemporary Cuban life— have drawn comparisons to Bob Dylan’s work. Jackson Browne’s translation of Varela’sMuros y Puertas (Walls and Doors), talks about how polarized we are as a society, evident in the song’s refrain, “There can be freedom only when nobody owns it.” Shot in Havana with unique access, the audience enjoys stunning concert and insider backstage moments, along with exclusive interviews with such international stars as Ivan Lins, Luis Enrique, Juan and Samuel Formel, Diana Fuentes, X Alfonso, Alexander Abreu, in addition to Jackson Browne and actor Benicio Del Toro (The Usual Suspects, Traffic, Guardians of the Galaxy). Cuban singer/songwriter Carlos Varela started playing music literally “in the dark.” Growing up in Havana, whenever a power failure killed the lights, Varela and friends would play rock music blowing across the sea via a homemade radio antenna. In 1977, at a concert of Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés — standard-bearers for Nueva Trova, homegrown folk music that reflected the unrest of many Cubans — Varela realized music could be more than just a fun way to pass the time. Although he insists poetics took precedence over politics, Varela has struggled with the restrictions of censorship. But while other artists might have sought refuge elsewhere, Cuba is his inspiration and has always been home. He has recorded eight albums and performs worldwide. Ron Chapman, director of The Poet of Havana, started out as a musician, then went on to manage musical artists, produce albums and ultimately establish a film production company, directing rock videos and TV commercials for some of the world’s leading brands. At his legendary Toronto music club “The Edge,” Chapman provided a scene for some of the most exciting international artists of the day. Chapman’s 2014 documentary Who the F**K is Arthur Fogel, features Lady Gaga, U2, The Police, Madonna, Rush, and key music industry insiders. His forthcoming film The Forbidden Shore, with performances and interviews of over 60 top Cuban artists, will be the most in-depth cultural/music documentary to come out of Cuba. In a return to his roots, Chapman has recently completed an album of his own songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_3FVv_rQY
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