The Case Against 8
The Ashland Independent Film Festival announced the 2014 juried and audience award winning films at an Awards Celebration gala at the Historic Ashland Armory.
The festival’s opening night film, The Case Against 8, directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White, took home the Les Blank Award for Best Feature Length Documentary, given by the festival’s jurors, as well the Rogue Creamery Audience Award for Best Documentary, voted on by the audience. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the historic case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. The filmmakers and two of the plaintiffs attended the festival and participated in a lively Q&A with audiences following the screening of the film.
2014 Audience Award Winners
Obvious Child won the Varsity Audience Award for Best Feature. Brooklyn Farmer received the Audience Award for Best Short Film: Documentary and Young Americans took home the Audience Award for Best Short Film: Narrative. The Audience Family Choice Award went to Macropolis.
2014 Juried Award Winners
Hank and Asha, directed by James E. Duff received the festival’s jury award for Best Narrative Feature film. Bluebird received an Honorable Mention in the category. New for AIFF14, the jury award for Best Editing: Feature Length Documentary went to Marmato, directed by Mark Grieco.
Bluebird won jury prize for Best Acting Ensemble, with Hank and Asha receiving an honorable mention.Before I Disappear received the Gerald Hirschfeld A.S.C. Award for Best Cinematography and Drunktown’s Finest received an Honorable Mention. Hirschfeld was the 2007 A.S.C President’s Award Honoree and Director of Photography for films such as Young Frankenstein and My Favorite Year.
Best Short Documentary went to Rougarouing. The juried award for Best Short Film went to Yearbook.Verbatim received an Honorable Mention in the Best Short Film category.
The 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to two-time Academy Award® winning Director Barbara Kopple. Kopple received an Oscar® in 1977 for Harlan County USA, which screened at the Festival, and again in 1991 for American Dream. Kopple’s many award-winning films include Shut Up and Sing; Woodstock: Now and Then; and Wild Man Blues. Kopple’s latest documentary, Running from Crazy, also screened at the Festival. The film examines the personal journey of writer, model and actress Mariel Hemingway, the granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, as she strives for a greater understanding of her complex family history.
Earlier in the week, the AIFF presented a 2014 Rogue Award to Ty Burrell. Ty has appeared in blockbuster hits such as Black Hawk Down (2001), Dawn of the Dead (2004), and The Incredible Hulk (2008) and is the voice of Mr. Peabody in the upcoming Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Most know him as the funniest father on television, Phil Dunphy. But Ashland audiences got to know the man behind Phil, the Emmy Award® winning performer who grew up in Ashland, during A Conversation with Ty Burrell held on Saturday, April 5 at the Historic Ashland Armory. Ty and his childhood friend, Miles Inada, Professor of Art and Emerging Media at Southern Oregon University, engaged in an insightful and thoroughly entertaining discussion.
Putting the spotlight on a filmmaker making a unique contribution to independent film, the AIFF presented Mark Monroe with a 2014 Rogue Award. Monroe is the writing talent behind the Academy Award® winning film The Cove and the eye-opening Chasing Ice (AIFF12). Monroe was presented with his Rogue Award after the screening of his most recent film, Mission Blue. Mission Blue is about legendary oceanographer, marine biologist, and environmentalist Sylvia Earle and her campaign to create a global network of protected marine sanctuaries. Monroe was also featured on the filmmaker TalkBack panel, Not the Same Old Story, examining the critical role of writing for documentary films.Film Festivals
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Ashland Independent Film Festival Announces 2014 Award Winners; ‘The Case Against 8’ Sweeps Awards for Best Documentary
The Case Against 8
The Ashland Independent Film Festival announced the 2014 juried and audience award winning films at an Awards Celebration gala at the Historic Ashland Armory.
The festival’s opening night film, The Case Against 8, directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White, took home the Les Blank Award for Best Feature Length Documentary, given by the festival’s jurors, as well the Rogue Creamery Audience Award for Best Documentary, voted on by the audience. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the historic case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. The filmmakers and two of the plaintiffs attended the festival and participated in a lively Q&A with audiences following the screening of the film.
2014 Audience Award Winners
Obvious Child won the Varsity Audience Award for Best Feature. Brooklyn Farmer received the Audience Award for Best Short Film: Documentary and Young Americans took home the Audience Award for Best Short Film: Narrative. The Audience Family Choice Award went to Macropolis.
2014 Juried Award Winners
Hank and Asha, directed by James E. Duff received the festival’s jury award for Best Narrative Feature film. Bluebird received an Honorable Mention in the category. New for AIFF14, the jury award for Best Editing: Feature Length Documentary went to Marmato, directed by Mark Grieco.
Bluebird won jury prize for Best Acting Ensemble, with Hank and Asha receiving an honorable mention.Before I Disappear received the Gerald Hirschfeld A.S.C. Award for Best Cinematography and Drunktown’s Finest received an Honorable Mention. Hirschfeld was the 2007 A.S.C President’s Award Honoree and Director of Photography for films such as Young Frankenstein and My Favorite Year.
Best Short Documentary went to Rougarouing. The juried award for Best Short Film went to Yearbook.Verbatim received an Honorable Mention in the Best Short Film category.
The 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to two-time Academy Award® winning Director Barbara Kopple. Kopple received an Oscar® in 1977 for Harlan County USA, which screened at the Festival, and again in 1991 for American Dream. Kopple’s many award-winning films include Shut Up and Sing; Woodstock: Now and Then; and Wild Man Blues. Kopple’s latest documentary, Running from Crazy, also screened at the Festival. The film examines the personal journey of writer, model and actress Mariel Hemingway, the granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, as she strives for a greater understanding of her complex family history.
Earlier in the week, the AIFF presented a 2014 Rogue Award to Ty Burrell. Ty has appeared in blockbuster hits such as Black Hawk Down (2001), Dawn of the Dead (2004), and The Incredible Hulk (2008) and is the voice of Mr. Peabody in the upcoming Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Most know him as the funniest father on television, Phil Dunphy. But Ashland audiences got to know the man behind Phil, the Emmy Award® winning performer who grew up in Ashland, during A Conversation with Ty Burrell held on Saturday, April 5 at the Historic Ashland Armory. Ty and his childhood friend, Miles Inada, Professor of Art and Emerging Media at Southern Oregon University, engaged in an insightful and thoroughly entertaining discussion.
Putting the spotlight on a filmmaker making a unique contribution to independent film, the AIFF presented Mark Monroe with a 2014 Rogue Award. Monroe is the writing talent behind the Academy Award® winning film The Cove and the eye-opening Chasing Ice (AIFF12). Monroe was presented with his Rogue Award after the screening of his most recent film, Mission Blue. Mission Blue is about legendary oceanographer, marine biologist, and environmentalist Sylvia Earle and her campaign to create a global network of protected marine sanctuaries. Monroe was also featured on the filmmaker TalkBack panel, Not the Same Old Story, examining the critical role of writing for documentary films.
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Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Announces 2014 Award Winners; “Evolution of a Criminal” Wins Grand Jury Award
Evolution of A CriminalThe 2014 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival award winners were announced this afternoon at the festival’s annual Awards Barbecue. The Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award was presented to Evolution of a Criminal, directed by Darius Clark Monroe. Ten years after robbing a bank as teenager, filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe returns home and turns the camera on himself — to tell the story of what happened and look at the fallout from his actions.
Jury members Shola Lynch, Robb Moss, and Christine O’Malley stated: “For its mix of autobiographical storytelling and inventive use of recreations, for its ability to disrupt what has become a familiar narrative, we award the Grand Jury Award to Evolution of a Criminal.”
White EarthThe Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short was given to White Earth, directed by J. Christian Jensen. Against the backdrop of an ethereal North Dakota winter, three children and their immigrant mother describe scenes of isolation and exertion — the impact of the oil boom to their everyday lives.
Jury members Brian McGinn, Rick Prelinger, and Toby Shimin stated: “Short filmmaking is the art of working within the constraints of limited resources. For its elegant images of an environmentally precarious practice, its enigmatic and often surprising characters, and its vivid depiction of a place undergoing rapid transition, we recognize White Earth with the Jury Award for Best Short.”
The Hand That FeedsThe Hand That Feeds, directed by Rachel Lears and Robin Blotnick, received the Full Frame Audience Award for Feature. The film, a moving story of a bitter labor dispute, follows a group of New York City restaurant workers who stand up for their rights, despite the threat of job loss and deportation.
http://youtu.be/Hs2KiBiPU6w
The Silly Bastard Next to the Bed, directed by Scott Calonico, received the Full Frame Audience Award Short. The film is a humorous retelling of how JFK handled a scandal over some pricey bedroom furniture during the last summer of his presidency.
The Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award was given to Evolution of a Criminal, directed by Darius Clark Monroe. Provided by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, this award honors a documentary artist whose work is a potential catalyst for education and change. Representatives from the Center for Documentary Studies juried the prize: Randy Benson, Wesley Hogan, Katie Hyde, Lynn McKnight, Dan Partridge, Elena Rue, Teka Selman, and April Walton.
Return to HomsReturn to Homs, directed by Talal Derki, was awarded the Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award. The film takes viewers to the frontlines of the Syrian Civil War as two friends who are determined to defend their city abandon peaceful resistance and take up arms, heading straight for the heart of the warzone. Provided by the Charles E. Guggenheim family, this prize honors a first-time documentary feature director. Zak Piper, Roger Ross Williams, and Martha Shane juried this award.
The OvernightersThe Overnighters, directed by Jesse Moss, received the Full Frame Inspiration Award. The film deals with a pastor in an oil boomtown who opens his doors to desperate and disillusioned jobseekers, and the unintended consequences that result from his good intentioned actions. Sponsored by the Hartley Film Foundation, this award is presented to the film that best exemplifies the value and relevance of world religions and spirituality. Sarah Masters, Jason Osder, and Dawn Porter juried this award.
Santa Cruz del IsloteThe Full Frame President’s Award was presented to Santa Cruz del Islote, directed by Luke Lorentzen. The film is about the remote island of Santa Cruz del Islote, one of the most densely populated on the planet, where a community struggles to main its way of life as resources and opportunities dwindle. Sponsored by Duke University, representatives on behalf of the President’s Office juried the prize.
Private ViolencePrivate Violence, directed by Cynthia Hill, won the Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights. This urgent and inspiring film confronts the question, “Why didn’t you leave?” through two women’s complex stories of survival, while exploring the way we talk about and deal with domestic violence as a society. Provided by the Julian Price Foundation, this award is presented to a film that addresses a significant human rights issue in the United States. Representatives from the Kathleen Bryan Edwards family juried the prize: Anne Arwood, Laura Edwards, Clay Farland, Margaret Griffin, and Pricey Harrison.
The Great InvisibleThe Nicholas School Environmental Award was presented to The Great Invisible, directed by Margaret Brown. The film is a chilling investigation of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, told through the stories of people still experiencing its after effects — from oil executives to Gulf Coast residents — long after the media moved on. The Nicholas School Environmental Award honors the film that best depicts the conflict between our drive to improve living standards through development and modernization, and the imperative to preserve both the natural environment that sustains us and the heritages that define us. Representatives from the Nicholas School of the Environment juried the prize: Lisa Campbell, Erin Espelie, Cindy Horn, Rebecca Patton, and Tom Rankin.
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Documentary About Matthew Shepard Wins Top Award at 38th Cleveland International Film Festival
MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINEA personal documentary about 21-year-old college student, Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in 1998 because he was gay, won the Audience Choice Award For Best Film at the 38th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF). The film, MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE, directed by Matthew Shepard’s childhood friend Michele Josue, also won the Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition. The film takes you on a journey to learn about Matt Shepard’s charismatic personality, which is documented through family photos, vacation videos, and even his personal diary entries. Some of the film’s most compelling scenes are with Matt’s parents, Judy and Dennis.
The winners and awards of the the 38th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF):
Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award For Best Film
Sponsored by the Callahan Foundation
MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE, Directed by Michele Josue
$5,000 cash prizeGeorge Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern Competition
Presented with generous support from the George Gund Foundation
LIFE FEELS GOOD, Directed by Maciej Pieprzyca (Poland)
$10,000 cash prizeNesnadny + Schwartz Documentary Competition
Sponsored by Nesnadny + Schwartz
THE SARNOS: A LIFE IN DIRTY MOVIES, Directed by Wiktor Ericsson
$7,500 cash prizeGreg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition
Presented with generous support from the George Gund Foundation
MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE, Directed by Michele Josue
$5,000 cash prizeAmerican Independents Competition
Presented with the generous support of Alan and Marta Glazen
A BIRDER’S GUIDE TO EVERYTHING, Directed by Rob Meyer
$5,000 cash prizeLocal Heroes Competition
Presented with the generous support of Mike and Nicki Cancelliere
THE SAX MAN, Directed by Joe Siebert
$5,000 cash prizeGlobal Health Competition
THE STARFISH THROWERS, Directed by Jesse Roesler
$5,000 cash prizeMusic Movies Competition
THE WINDING STREAM, Directed by Beth Harrington
Presented with the generous support of Jules and Fran Belkin
$5,000 cash prizeReelWomenDirect Award for Excellence in Directing by a Woman
Presented with the generous support of Deborah Bachman Ratner
Claudia Pinto Emperador (for THE LONGEST DISTANCE)
$7,500 cash prizeAudience Choice Award for Best Short Subject
Sponsored by Howard Hanna
FOOL’S DAY, Directed by Cody Blue Snider
$1,000 Cash PrizeBest Animated Short Award*
Sponsored by Reminger Co., L.P.A
THE NUMBERLYS, Directed by Brandon Oldenburg & William Joyce
$1,000 cash prizeBest Live Action Short Award*
Sponsored by Anne Bloomberg and Alan Gordon Lipson & Judy Harris
FOR THE BIRDS, Directed by Tara Atashgah
$1,000 cash prize*These award winners will qualify for consideration in the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards®.
http://youtu.be/qL1vhqsWwyQ
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Polish Film “The Girl from the Wardrobe”, Swedish documentary “No Burqas Behind Bars” Win Top Awards at 13th Rome Independent Film Festival
The Girl From The Wardrobe The Polish film, The Girl From The Wardrobe (Dziewczyna Z Szafy) from first-time director Bodo Kox, won the award for Best International Feature Film at the 13th Rome Independent Film Festival which ran March 16th to 23rd 2014. The film is about two brothers who strike up a friendship with their mysterious next-door neighbor. The Swedish documentary, No Burqas Behind Bars, by Nima Sarvestani won the award for Best International Documentary. This documentary takes viewers inside one of the worlds most restricted environments: an Afghan womens prison. Through the prisoners own stories we explore how moral crimes are used to control women.
Best International Feature Film:
The Girl From The Wardrobe, by Bodo Kox, Poland, 2013Best Italian Feature Film:
Sogni di gloria, by Patrizio Gioffredi (collettivo John Snellinberg) – Italy, 2013Best New Vision Best Italian Feature Film:
Ci vorrebbe un miracolo, by Davide Minnella – Italy, 2014Best International Documentary:
No Burqas Behind Bars, by Nima Sarvestani No Burqas Behind Bars, by Nima Sarvestani – Sweden, 2013
Best Italian Documentary:
Happy Goodyear, by Laura Pesino & Elena Ganelli – Italy, 2014
** Honorable Mention:
Iriria – Niña Terra, by Carmelo Camilli – Italy, 2013Best International Short Film:
9 Meter, by Anders Walter – Danimarca, 2013Best Italian Short Film:
L’impresa, by Davide Labanti – Italy, 2013
**Honorable Mention:
Sassiwood, by Antonio Andrisani, Vito Cea – Italy, 2013Best Student Short Film:
Deserted, by Yoav Hornung – Israele, 2013
**Honorable Mention:
For The Birds, by Tara Atashgah – USA/Iran, 2013Best Animation Short Film:
Wind Of Share, by Pierre Mousquet and Jérôme Cauwe – France/Belgium, 2013Best experimental film:
Street Views, by Annie Berman – USA, 2013
**Honorable Mention:
Maria’s City, by Dania Reymond – France, 2013Best Screenplay for Short Film
Malatempora Night, by Valerio VestosoBest Award for Feature Film Screenplay
Santo Vito, by David Fratini
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Independent Film Festival Boston Reveals 2014 Film Lineup; Fest to Open with “Beneath The Harvest Sky” and Close With “Mood Indigo”
Beneath The Harvest SkyThe Independent Film Festival Boston unveiled the film lineup, including the opening and closing night films for this year’s festival taking place April 23 and April 30, 2014.
Mood IndigoKicking off the festival this year will be Beneath The Harvest Sky, written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, which tells a teen drama set during the fall potato harvest in a small northern Maine town. Closing the festival will be the French film, Mood Indigo, directed by Michael Gondry, and starring Audrey Tautou, which follows a woman who suffers from an unusual illness caused by a flower growing in her lungs.
Narrative Features
A FOR ALEX directed by Alex Orr
BELLE directed by Amma Asante
BIG SIGNIFICANT THINGS directed by Bryan Reisberg
BOYHOOD directed by Richard Linklater
CAVALRY directed by John Michael McDonagh
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE directed by Justin Simien
THE DOUBLE directed by Richard Ayoade
FAT directed by Mark Phinney
FORT TILDEN directed by Sarah-Violet Bliss & Charles Rogers
HELLION directed by Kat Candler
I BELIEVE IN UNICORNS directed by Leah Meyeroff
KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER directed by David Zellner
LOCKE directed by Steven Knight
OBVIOUS CHILD directed by Gillian Robespierre
PALO ALTO directed by Gia Coppola
PING PONG SUMMER directed by Michael Tully
RUBBER SOUL directed by Jon Lefkovitz
THE SACRAMENT directed by Ti West
SKELETON TWINS directed by Craig Johnson
STARRED UP directed by David Mackenzie
TRAP STREET directed by Vivian Qu
THE TRIP TO ITALY directed by Michael Winterbottom
WE ARE THE BEST directed by Lukas Moodysson
WILD CANARIES directed by Lawrence Michael LevineDocumentary Features
20,000 DAYS ON EARTH directed by Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard
78 PROJECT directed by Alex Steyermark
9 MAN directed by Ursula Liang
AYITI TOMA directed by Joseph Hillel
THE CASE AGAINST 8 directed by Ben Cotner & Ryan White
EVERY EVERYTHING directed by Gorman Bechard
FIGHT CHURCH directed by Bryan Storkel
FREEDOM SUMMER directed by Stanley Nelson
IN COUNTRY directed by Mike Attie & Meghan O’Hara
THE INTERNET’S OWN BOY: THE STORY OF AARON SWARTZ directed by Brian Knappenberger
JON IMBER’S LEFT HAND directed by Richard Kane
LIFE ON THE V: THE STORY OF V66 directed by Eric Green
ONE CUT, ONE LIFE directed by Lucia Small & Ed Pincus
OVERNIGHTERS directed by Jesse Moss
POINT AND SHOOT directed by Marshall Curry
PRINT THE LEGEND directed by Luis Lopez & Clay Tweel
PROJECT WILD THING directed by David Bond
RICH HILL directed by Tracy Droz Tragos & Andrew Droz Palermo
RIOT ON THE DANCE FLOOR directed by Steve Tozzi
THE SEARCH FOR GENERAL TSO directed by Ian Cheney
SHE’S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE’S ANGRY directed by Mary Dore
STARFISH THROWERS directed by Jesse Roesler
THE SUPREME PRICE directed by Joanna Lipper
THIS TIME NEXT YEAR directed by Jeff Reichert & Farihah Zaman
TOUGH LOVE directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal
VESSEL directed by Diana Whitten
WEB directed by Michael Kleiman
WICKER KITTENS directed by Amy C. ElliotShort Films
25.7 directed by David Abel
A PLACE CALLED PLUTO directed by Steve James
AFRONAUTS directed by Frances Bodomo
THE APOTHECARY directed by Helen Hood Scheer
BEAUTIFUL DREAMER directed by Brian Paccione
BHIWANI JUNCTION directed by Abhi Singh
THE BRAVEST, THE BOLDEST directed by Moon Molson
CHOREOGRAPHY directed by David Redmon & Ashley Sabin
DISCONNECTED directed by Ludovic Littee
DISTANCE directed by Aimee Long
ELVIS LOSES HIS EXCESS AND OTHER TALES OF THE WORLD’S LONGEST YARD SALE directed by Riley Hooper
THE EXHIBITOR directed by Scott Norwood
FIRST PRIZE directed by Kevin McMullin
FONT MEN directed by Dan Covert
FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS directed by Tim O’ Donnell
THE HERO POSE directed by Mischa Jakupcak
HOUSEKEEPING directed by Catherine Licata
LAMBING SEASON directed by Jeannie Donohoe
LOMAX directed by Jesse Kreitzer
MARQUEE directed by Joseph Stankus
THE MORNING OF EVERYTHING directed by Jeff Stern
NAILED IT directed by Jean-Paul Discisio
OTHERWORLDLY directed by Evan Mann
OVERPASS LIGHT BRIGADE directed by Dusan Harminc & Matt Mullins
PAUL THE DOWSER directed by Kire Paputts
RAT PACK RAT directed by Todd Rohal
REAL ETHEREAL directed by Evan Mann
SAMNANG directed by Asaph Polonsky
SEASICK SAILOR directed by Torre Catalano
SHE LOOK GOOD directed by Carly Short
SO YOU’VE GROWN ATTACHED directed by Kate Tsang
SPACEMAN directed by Chloe Lee
STUMPED directed by Robin Berghaus
TOKEN EXHANGE directed by Aaron Matthews
TRASHCANLAND directed by Christopher Ward
WALLACE directed by Ian McCulloch
WHAT I HATE ABOUT MYSELF directed by Bobby Moser & Ben Mullinkosson
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Film Featuring Sophia Grace and Rosie from Ellen Show Among Lineup for 9th Big Island Film Festival
Sophia Grace and Rosie’s Royal AdventureThe 9th Big Island Film Festival at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i (BIFF) has announced its 48 Official Selections, to be screened May 22-26, 2014. On Thursday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m., BIFF’s Grand Opening will include a free sampler of short films.
On Friday, May 23, the festival will present Warner Brothers, “Sophia Grace and Rosie’s Royal Adventure.” The brand-new film stars British cousins, Sophia Grace Brownlee and Rosie McClelland, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award Winners and frequent guests of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. In the movie, to be released May 20 on DVD, the girls are Ellen’s special correspondents, sent to cover the coronation of a new queen.
http://youtu.be/odhUPMYXpX4
Other notable BIFF Official Selections include the time-travel mystery-thriller “Time Lapse,” the intense and intimate portrait of homelessness, “3:13,” drama “Pretty Rosebud,” about an ambitious career woman whose unorthodox choices unravel her carefully constructed world, and comedy “Welcome to the Lucky Country” a laughable look at an Australian reality show.
The HaumanaContenders from Hawai‘i include Leo Woolford’s acclaimed “The Haumana,” which chronicles the journey of a new Kumu Hula and his high school men’s hālau, with choreography by Robert Cazimero, Lanakila Casupang, Maelia Loebenstein-Carter and Kaipo Hale. From the Big Island, “Bullitt and the Curse of the Blood Ring” is the next chapter of the continuing island action-adventure, produced, acted, and directed by Kona filmmakers Richard Gonzalez and Rockwood.
The Official Selections for BIFF 2014 are:
3:13
BULLITT and the Curse of the Blood Ring
Butterfly Dreams
Courting Chaos
Day For Night
Druid Peak
Great
Helen Alone
Horse for Sale
If We Were Adults
Light Me Up
Limit
Little Girl’s War Cry
Lost Island of the Firewalkers
Makua Charley
Meet Anna
Mirror
Missing Child
No More Aloha
One Weekend
Poison Apple
Posey
Pretty Rosebud
Prinsesa
Ravi & Jane
Rise Again
Rose, Mary and Time
Shadow
Sheltered Love
Solace
Sophia Grace and Rosie’s Royal Adventure
Suka
Suriname Gold
Take a Deep Breath
The Bathroom Attendant
The End
The Haumana
The Haunting of Heather
The Honey Maple Morgan
The Maury Island Incident
The New Neighbors
The Pimp & The Rose
Time Lapse
Tuesday Morning
We Are Enemies
Welcome to the Lucky Country
Wolf Summer
Zone 7
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French actor Lambert Wilson to be Master of ceremonies for the 67th Festival de Cannes
Lambert WilsonFrench actor Lambert Wilson has been announced as the Master of Ceremony for 67th Festival de Cannes. Lambert Wilson will have the honor of launching the festival on Wednesday 14th, in addition to welcoming the President Jane Campion and her jury on to the stage at the Palais des Festivals, and hosting the prize-giving ceremony on Saturday 24th May.
Previous master/mistress of ceremony include Audrey TAUTOU, who was given the honor last year, Vincent CASSEL (2006) and Edouard BAER (2008 and 2009).
Who is Lambert Wilson? He has worked with some of the great names in French cinema, from André Téchiné to Benoît Jacquot, and from Bertrand Tavernier to Alain Resnais.
His numerous collaborations with Resnais, including Same Old Song, Not on the Lips, Private Fears in Public Places and You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet which enabled him to combine two of his passions: the stage and the screen, in a cinematographic genre that was one of a kind, and unique to Resnais.
He made his first appearance in Cannes in 1985, with Rendez-vous, by André Téchiné, in which he acted alongside a young débutante named Juliette Binoche. He then returned on several occasions to the Selection, both as an actor and as President of the Jury of Un Certain Regard (1999).
On the international scene, he distinguished himself with his portrayal of the “Merovingian” in the The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions in 2003.
In 2010, during the 63rd Festival de Cannes, the cinema world was deeply moved by his performance in Xavier Beauvois’ Of Gods and Men, which picked up that year’s Grand Prix du Jury and for which, a few months later, he would be nominated at the César for Best Actor.
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“Copenhagen” “Boys of Abu Ghraib” Among Winners of 2014 Gasparilla International Film Festival
CopenhagenMark Raso’s “Copenhagen” won the jury prize for best narrative feature, and “Boys of Abu Ghraib,” directed by Luke Moran, won the audience award for narrative feature at the 2014 Gasparilla International Film Festival, held last month in Tampa, Florida. In the documentary genre, “The Longest Game,” directed by Camille Thoman won the jury prize and “Ride with Larry,” directed by Ricardo Villarreal and Andrew Rubin won the the audience award for best documentary.
“Melaza,” directed by Carlos Lechuga won the World Showcase award.
GIFF 2014 Grand Jury Award Winners:
Narrative: “Copenhagen” directed by Mark Raso
College Showcase: “The Bright Side,” directed by Sarah Wilson Thacker
Documentary: “The Longest Game,” directed by Camille Thoman
New Visions Presented by Indie Pix: “Sand Castles,” directed by Clenet Verdi-Rose
Screenwriting: SJ Thompson, “A Long Way From Paris”
Short Film: “God’s Got His Head in the Clouds,” directed by Gianluca Sodaro
Special Jury for Acting: Frederikke Dahl Hansen, “Copenhagen”
Special Jury for Filmmaking: Michael Wechsley, “The Red Robin”GIFF 2014 Audience Award Winners:
Narrative: “Boys of Abu Ghraib,” directed by Luke Moran
Best Florida Production: “…And a Bag of Chips,” directed by Sabyn Mayfield
College Showcase: “Tobacco Burn,” directed by Justin Liberman
Documentary: “Ride with Larry,” directed by Ricardo Villarreal and Andrew Rubin
High School Showcase: “Pendemonium,” directed by Wesley Hayes
Narrative Short Film: “CHUB,” directed by Sam Albisvia tbo
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Sophie Desmarais, Tyler James Williams and Tye Sheridan to Receive Sparkle Award at RiverRun Film Festival
RiverRun, which kicked off last night April 4 and runs through April 13, 2014 in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, will honor Sophie Desmarais (Sarah Prefers to Run), Tyler James Williams (Joe) and Tye Sheridan (Dear White People) with the Festival’s annual Spark Award. RiverRun’s Spark Awards recognize up-and-coming talents in the film industry.
We’re really excited about this year’s Spark Award recipients,” said RiverRun Executive Director Andrew Rodgers. “These three emerging talents have each really impressed us over the past couple years and are well on their way to even bigger roles and greater recognition.”
Sophie Desmarais is a blossoming young Canadian actress and the star of Sarah Prefers to Run, which is screening in this year’s Narrative Features Competition program at RiverRun. Desmarais plays Sarah, an avid runner with a chance to join the track team at a top Quebec university despite her sheltering mother’s refusal of any financial support. Her lovelorn roommate suggests they get married instead to secure a grant and she agrees, only to discover that her true heart lies elsewhere. She recently won Best Actress in a Canadian Film at the Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards for her role in this film.
At 26 years old, Desmarais is still a relative newcomer, and her first brush with international visibility came with a role in Xavier Dolan’s Heartbeats, which premiered at Cannes in 2010. Desmarais’ other film credits include Head in the Clouds (2004), where she was featured alongside Penelope Cruz and Charlize Theron, and a memorable supporting role in Denis Côté’s Curling, which premiered at the 2010 Locarno Film Festival and was a RiverRun selection in 2011. In 2009 she appeared in the Théâtre du Nouveau-Monde’s production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Indiewire recently named her one of the 10 actors to watch this year at the Cannes Film Festival.
At just 17 years old, Tye Sheridan is our youngest Spark Award honoree. Before his debut film he had acted in only a handful of school plays before being chosen out of 10,000 boys to play the youngest son of Jessica Chastain and Brad Pitt in the peerless Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life (2011). RiverRun fans will recognize Sheridan from his role in the 2013 Festival pick Mud, playing the role of Ellis opposite Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon. Sheridan plays Gary Jones in our 2014 special screening film Joe, alongside Nicolas Cage. For this role he received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for best upcoming young actor at the 70th Venice International Film Festival.
In 2013 he joined the cast of Grass Stains, a new film written and directed by Kyle Wilamowski.His upcoming roles include a spot in Dark Places, alongside Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz and Nicholas Hoult as well as a part in The Forger, starring John Travolta and based on a script by Richard D’Ovidio.
Tyler James Williams is best known for his starring role on the Emmy Award-winning series Everybody Hates Chris, for which he won the 2007 NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. Williams made his return to primetime network television last year co-starring in the NBC comedy Go On alongside Matthew Perry. Last summer, Williams was seen on the big screen in the Tyler Perry comedy Peeples with Kerry Washington and Craig Robinson. He also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Let It Shine as Cyrus DeBarge, a gifted rapper full of self-doubt, and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his performance. He began acting at the age of four on Sesame Street and later co-starred in the animated series Little Bill. Additional television credits include Law & Order: SVU and numerous appearances in sketches on Saturday Night Live. His most recent film, Dear White People, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Born in New York, Williams currently resides in Los Angeles with his mom, dad, brothers Tylen and Tyrel, and their silky terrier, Benny “Ruff-Neck” Williams.
Past recipients of RiverRun’s Spark Award include Anna Margaret Hollyman (White Reindeer, Small Beautifully Moving Parts), Madeleine Martin (The Discoverers, Californication), Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty) David Oyelowo (Jack Reacher, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Help), Brady Corbet (Melancholia,Martha Marcy May Marlene) and Amy Seimetz (Upstream Color, The Off Hours).
descriptions via RiverRun film festival
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Feature Films, Special Events, Short Films and Panels Announced for 2014 Sundance London
The program lineup of feature films, short films and panel discussions is unveiled for the third Sundance London film and music festival, taking place April 25 to 27, 2014, at The O2 in London. Twenty-four films will make their world, international, European or UK premieres at Sundance London. Ten are by female filmmakers and seven are by first-time feature filmmakers. The films collectively received 12 awards when they premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Among the filmmakers expected to attend are Ryan Coogler, David Cross, Rose McGowan and Marjane Satrapi. All screenings will take place at Cineworld at The O2.
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMME
American independent narrative and documentary films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A.
Blue Ruin Blue Ruin (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Saulnier) — A mysterious outsider’s quiet life turns upside down when he returns to his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. Proving to be an amateur assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family. Cast: Macon Blair, Amy Hargreaves, Sidné Anderson, Devin Ratray, Kevin Kolack.
The Case Against 8 The Case Against 8 (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Documentary) Winner of the Directing Award: U.S. Documentary at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.International Premiere
Dinosaur 13Dinosaur 13 (Director: Todd Miller) — An unprecedented saga in human history unfurls in this true tale of the world’s greatest dinosaur discovery and the ensuing battle to possess a 65-million-year-old treasure. (Documentary) International Premiere
Drunktown’s FinestDrunktown’s Finest (Director and screenwriter: Sydney Freeland) — Three young Native Americans—a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual—come of age on an Indian reservation. Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Elizabeth Francis. International Premiere
Finding FelaFinding Fela (Director: Alex Gibney) — Fela Anikulapo Kuti created the musical movement Afrobeat and used it as a political forum to oppose the Nigerian dictatorship and advocate for the rights of oppressed people. This is the story of his life, music, and political importance, from the award-winning director of Taxi to the Dark Sideand We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks. (Documentary) European Premiere
Fruitvale StationFruitvale Station (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O’Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic presented by Acura at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. UK Premiere
HitsHits (Director and screenwriter: David Cross) — A small town in upstate New York is populated by people who wallow in unrealistic expectations. There, fame, delusion, earnestness and recklessness meet, shake hands and disrupt the lives around them. Hits is the directorial debut of writer, comedian and actor David Cross, best known for his work on Arrested Development. Cast: Michael Cera, Meredith Hagner, Matt Walsh, James Adomian, Jake Cherry, Derek Waters, Wyatt Cenac, Jason Ritter. International Premiere
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi. Winner of a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. UK Premiere
LAMBERT & STAMPLAMBERT & STAMP (Director: James D. Cooper) — In this crazy, chaotic gospel of chance, aspiring filmmakers Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert set out to search for a subject for their underground movie, leading them to discover, mentor, and manage the iconic band known as The Who and create rock ‘n’ roll history. (Documentary) UK Premiere
Little Accidents Little Accidents (Director and screenwriter: Sara Colangelo) — In a small American coal town living in the shadow of a recent mining accident, the disappearance of a teenage boy draws three people together—a surviving miner, the lonely wife of a mine executive, and a local boy—in a web of secrets. Cast: Elizabeth Banks, Boyd Holbrook, Chloë Sevigny, Jacob Lofland, Josh Lucas. International Premiere
MemphisMemphis (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A strange singer drifts through the mythic city of Memphis, surrounded by beautiful women, legendary musicians, a stone-cold hustler, a righteous preacher, and a wolf pack of kids. Under a canopy of ancient oak trees and burning spirituality, his doomed journey breaks from conformity and reaches out for glory. Cast: Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson. International Premiere
Obvious Child Obvious Child (Director and screenwriter: Gillian Robespierre) — An honest comedy about what happens when Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant, just in time for the worst/best Valentine’s Day of her life. Cast: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, David Cross, Gabe Liedman, Richard Kind. UK Premiere
They Came Together They Came Together (Director: David Wain, Screenwriters: Michael Showalter, David Wain) — This subversion/spoof/deconstruction of the romantic comedy genre has a vaguely, but not overtly, Jewish leading man, a klutzy, but adorable, leading lady, and New York City itself as another character in the story. They Came Together reunites director Wain with many of the stars from his 2001 cult teen classic, Wet Hot American Summer. Cast: Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, Christopher Meloni. International Premiere
Under the Electric Sky EDC2013Under the Electric Sky (EDC 2013) (Directors: Dan Cutforth, Jane Lipsitz) — This 3-D film chronicles the love, community, and life of festivalgoers during Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, the largest music festival in the U.S. Behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive interviews with Insomniac’s Pasquale Rotella reveal the magic that makes this three-night, 345,000-person event a global phenomenon. (Documentary) UK Premiere
The Voices The Voices (Director: Marjane Satrapi, Screenwriter: Michael R. Perry) — This genre-bending tale centers around Jerry Hickfang, a lovable but disturbed factory worker who yearns for attention from a woman in accounting. When their relationship takes a sudden, murderous turn, Jerry’s evil talking cat and benevolent talking dog lead him down a fantastical path where he ultimately finds salvation. Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick, Jacki Weaver. International Premiere
SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAM
On-screen stories complemented by extraordinary off-screen experiences.
AxiomAxiom (Director: NYSU, Screenwriters: David Gambero & NYSU) — Axiom is an island in the middle of nowhere, steep cliffs on all sides. On the island there is an underground city dominated by a bell, the bell decides the fate of the city’s inhabitants. Cast: Jonathan David Mellor, Santi Senso, Cova de Alfonso, Silvia Vacas, Pablo Menasanch, Julia Llerena. World Premiere
UK SPOTLIGHT
Drawing on the Sundance Film Festival’s rich legacy of premiering outstanding films produced in the UK – including An Education, Four Weddings and a Funeral, In Bruges, In the Loop, Kinky Boots, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels – this showcase presents two UK films that premiered in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. this year.
FrankFrank (Director: Lenny Abrahamson, Screenwriters: Jon Ronson, Peter Straughan) — Frank is an offbeat comedy about a wannabe musician who finds himself out of his depth when he joins an avant garde rock band led by the enigmatic Frank—a musical genius who hides himself inside a large fake head. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Scoot McNairy. UK Premiere
The Trip to ItalyThe Trip to Italy (Director: Michael Winterbottom, Screenwriters: Rob Brydon, Steve Coogan, Michael Winterbottom) — Michael Winterbottom reunites Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon for more delectable food, some sharp-elbowed rivalry, and plenty of laughs.Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon. European Premiere
SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Two wide-ranging collections of short films that screened in January at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Short Film Programme 1
Cruising Electric (1980) / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Brumby Boylston) — The marketing department green-lights a red-light tie-in: 60 lost seconds of modern movie merchandising. International Premiere
Dawn / U.S.A. (Director: Rose McGowan, Screenwriters: M.A. Fortin, Joshua John Miller) — Dawn is a quiet young teenager who longs for something or someone to free her from her sheltered life. Dawnis the directorial debut of actress Rose McGowan (Planet Terror). International Premiere
Exchange & Mart / United Kingdom (Directors: Cara Connolly, Martin Clark, Screenwriter: Cara Connolly) — Reg is a lonely girl at a remote Scottish boarding school where paranoia about rape is rife. Her unorthodox self-defense class provides the human touch she craves so deeply. When she is attacked in the woods, she knows what she has to do…
Love. Love. Love. / Russia (Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram) — Every year, through the endless winters, her love takes new shapes and forms. Winner of a Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Marilyn Myller / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Mikey Please) — Marilyn maketh. Marilyn taketh awayeth. Marilyn is trying really hard to create something good. For once, her expectation and reality are going to align. It will be epic. It will be tear-jerkingly profound. It will be perfect. Nothing can go wrong.
Notes on Blindness / United Kingdom, U.S.A., Australia (Directors: Peter Middleton, James Spinney) — In 1983, writer and theologian John Hull became blind. To help make sense of his loss, he began keeping an audio diary. Encompassing dreams, memories, and his imaginative life, Notes on Blindness immerses the viewer in Hull’s experience of blindness.
Of God and Dogs / Syrian Arab Republic (Director: Abounaddara Collective) — A young, free Syrian soldier confesses to killing a man he knew was innocent. He promises to take vengeance on the God who led him to commit the murder. Winner of the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. European Premiere
Phantom Limb / United Kingdom, Australia (Director and screenwriter: Alex Grigg) — James and Martha narrowly survive a motorcycle accident. During the aftermath, however, James begins to experience Martha’s phantom pains.
Short Film Programme 2
Afronauts / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Frances Bodomo) — On July 16th 1969, America prepares to launch Apollo 11. Thousands of miles away, the Zambia Space Academy hopes to beat America to the moon. Inspired by true events. UK Premiere
Burger / United Kingdom, Norway (Director and screenwriter: Magnus Mork) — It’s late night in a burger bar in Wales… Winner of a Short Film Special Jury Award for Direction and Ensemble Actingat the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
The Cut / Canada (Director and screenwriter: Geneviève Dulude-Decelles) — The Cut tells the story of a father and a daughter, whose relationship fluctuates between proximity and detachment, at the moment of a haircut. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
I Think This Is the Closest to How the Footage Looked / Israel (Directors: Yuval Hameiri) — A man with poor means recreates a lost memory of the last day with his mom. Objects come to life in a desperate struggle to produce a single moment that is gone. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
The Last Days of Peter Bergmann / Ireland (Director: Ciaran Cassidy) — In 2009, a man claiming to be from Austria arrived in the town of Sligo, Ireland. During his final days, Peter Bergmann went to great lengths to ensure no one ever discovered who he was and where he came from. UK Premiere
Life’s a Bitch / Canada (Director: François Jaros, Screenwriter: Guillaume Lambert) — Love. Grief. Choc. Denial. Sleeplessness. Bubble bath. Mucus. Masturbation. Pop tart. Pigeons. Toothpaste. Hospital. F__k. Bye. Hair. Sports. Chicken. Bootie. Kids. Rejection. Squirrels. Cries. Awkward—95 scenes, five minutes: life’s a bitch. UK Premiere
MeTube: August Sings Carmen “Habanera” / Austria (Director and screenwriter: Daniel Moshel) — George Bizet`s “Habanera” from Carmen has been reinterpreted and enhanced with electronic sounds for MeTube, an homage to thousands of ambitious YouTube users and video bloggers, and gifted and less gifted self-promoters on the Internet.
The Obvious Child / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stephen Irwin) — Somebody broke the girl’s parents. The rabbit was there when it happened. It was an awful mess.
Yearbook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto) — A man is hired to compile the definitive history of human existence before the planet blows up. Winner of the Short Film Jury Award: Animation at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. International Premiere
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Actress Lea Thompson Among Stars Headed to 2014 Phoenix Film Festival; Thompson to Screen Her Latest Film at Fest
Actress Lea Thompson in THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTHActress Lea Thompson is among a long list of Hollywood stars headed to the 14th annual Phoenix Film Festival taking place Thursday, April 3rd through Thursday, April 10th, 2014, at the Harkins Scottsdale 101. Lea Thompson will be present to screen her latest film, THE TROUBLE WITH THE TRUTH on Monday, April 7th.
http://youtu.be/nftNSEexUXU
Academy Award® nominated Director, Steven Knight (Eastern Promises, Dirty Pretty Things) will attend the April 3rd opening night party and screening of his new film, LOCKE. Director Richard Shepard (The Hunting Party), will also attend for a special showing his new film, DOM HEMINGWAY, on Sunday, April 6th at 7 pm.
Appearing at this year’s International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival as part of the Phoenix Film Festival, is actress Dee Wallace (E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, The Howling). Dee Wallace will participate in a post-screening Q&A on Friday, April 4th following a 7:30 pmscreening of the 1983 classic horror film, CUJO.
BOYHOODAcademy Award® nominated Director and Writer Richard Linklater’s (Dazed and Confused, Before Midnight) critically acclaimed hit from this year’s Sundance Film Festival and SXSW Film Festival, BOYHOOD, will be a treat for festival goers as the closing night film on Thursday, April 10th at 7:30 pm. The star of the film, Ellar Coltrane, and Producer Cathleen Sutherland will both be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.
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Montclair Film Festival Reveals 2014 Films; Special Guests Include Kevin Smith, Julie Taymor, Stephen Colbert, Michael Moore
1 Way Up The Story of Peckham BMXThe Montclair Film Festival (MFF) announced the lineup for its 2014 edition. The festival opens on April 28 with Chef, the new comedy directed by and starring Jon Favreau with a supporting cast that includes John Leguizamo, Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson, being released nationwide in May. MFF’s popular live conversation series presents eclectic guests including Kevin Smith, Michael Moore and Julie Taymor paired with Stephen Colbert.
The festival hosts six world premiere films including 1 Way Up: The Story of Peckham BMX, presented in 3D, from the executive producers behind the Oscar-winning Inocente. The lineup also has two U.S. premiere documentaries: I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story about the 80-year-old puppeteer on Sesame Street; and Advanced Style based on the eponymous New York City photography blog focusing on fashionable older women. In addition, 56 feature length films will make their NJ premieres.
Representing MFF’s strong interest in comedy, the festival Centerpiece on May 2 is Fort Tilden, an award-winning satire of young Brooklynites, followed by a Q&A with directors Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, plus stars Bridey Elliott and Clare McNulty. Closing Night on May 4 features Wild Canaries, a comic mystery starring Montclair-raised Sophia Takal, who will attend.
Expanding its commitment to black cinema, MFF partners with the Blackhouse Foundation to host the annual “House Party” on May 2 and showcases a full day of conversations onMay 3 with distinguished filmmakers including director Nelson George, producer Lisa Cortes, editors Sam Pollard and Lewis Erskine.
“We strive to create a festival that reflects the diversity and wide-ranging interests of our community,” said Artistic Director Thom Powers. “We have a depth of local talent in northern New Jersey, combined with visitors from New York City that make for a festival with big influence beyond this small town.”
Other highlights of this year’s festival include:
Drama section: 14 narrative films celebrated on the festival circuit, 12 of them NJ premieres. Titles include the Sundance Audience Award winner for World Cinema, Difret, set in Ethiopia, with producer Mehret Mandefro attending; and Roman Polanski’s latest Venus in Fur.
Documentary section: 13 nonfiction films spanning global topics including two US premieres (noted above). Among the 11 NJ premieres are Dinosaur 13, about the legal battle over Tyrannosaurus Rex bones, with director Todd Douglas Miller and film subject Peter Larson in person; and Ivory Tower, analyzing controversies in American higher education, followed by a conversation with director Andrew Rossi and New York Times columnist David Carr.
Comedy section: 10 comedy films including the world premiere documentary I Am Road Comic directed by stand-up comedian Jordan Brady who will attend. Eight NJ premieres include Intramural, a send-up of sports films, with actor Beck Bennett (Saturday Night Live) attending.
Black cinema: In keeping with Montclair’s African-American heritage, MFF takes a special interest in black stories and filmmakers throughout all sections of the festival. Directors in attendance include Thomas Allen Harris (Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People) and Michèle Stephenson (American Promise), in addition to the special guests for the Blackhouse Foundation conversations on May 3 (listed above).
New Jersey Spotlight: This section triples in size from six feature length films in 2013 to 18 this year. Five world premieres include the comedy Jammed, produced out of Teaneck, NJ, about a couple attending a jam band festival in the woods, andGirl, Adopted by Maplewood, NJ filmmakers, following an Ethiopian orphan girl for five years after she’s adopted by an American family. MFF will screen a work-in-progress version of Althea, a documentary about tennis great Althea Gibson who lived in Essex County, NJ with director Rex Miller attending. Additionally, three programs of short films with NJ connections appear in this section.
Family section: Three presentations including a 75th anniversary screening of The Wizard of Oz, with attendees encouraged to dress as their favorite characters. This section also screens the winners of MFF’s Kidz Shortz film contest featuring short films by young directors in grades 4-12.
Themed sections: MFF has three sidebar sections. Unique to this year is a section called “Focus on Civil Rights” featuring four documentaries that deal with the legacy of the civil rights movement including the NJ premiere of Freedom Summer, timed to the 50th anniversary of the push to register black Mississippi voters in 1964. Two other sidebars return from last year: “Movie Love” features two NJ premiere documentaries, The Dog and What is Cinema? that intersect with film history; plus a retrospective screening of Network, followed by a conversation with Dave Itzkoff, author of the book Mad as Hell, moderated by Stephen Colbert. “Music on Film”contains four films including the NJ premiere of No Cameras Allowed, a documentary about sneaking into music festivals by James Marcus Haney who will attend. Oscar®-winning (and NJ-based) filmmaker Alex Gibney will be in person to present his latest, Finding Fela, about the Nigerian Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti.
Free Panels: Five free panels are open to the public. Two take place at in the pop-up storefront named the Audible Lounge: “Filming in New Jersey” on April 29 explores how NJ struggles to compete with other states that have higher tax incentives for film and TV; “The New Golden Age of TV” on April 30 looks at the rise of quality television dramas. Three free panels take place at the Montclair Public Library onMay 3, including “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Film School” with filmmaker and teacher Chuck Workman leading the conversation.