Film Festivals

‘THE SELFISH GIANT’, ‘CODE BLACK’ Winners of 2013 Hamptons International Film Festival

THE SELFISH GIANT, directed by Clio Barnard

THE SELFISH GIANT, directed by Clio Barnard is the winner of the Golden Starfish Award for Best Narrative Feature Film at the 21st annual Hamptons International Film Festival. THE SELFISH GIANT is described as a contemporary fable about 13 year old Arbor (Conner Chapman) and his best friend Swifty (Shaun Thomas). Excluded from school and outsiders in their own neighborhood, the two boys meet Kitten (Sean Gilder), a local scrapdealer––the Selfish Giant. Arbor emulates Kitten, keen to impress him and make some money. However, Kitten favors Swifty, leaving Arbor feeling hurt and excluded and driving a wedge between the boys. The Golden Starfish Award for Best Documentary Feature Film went to CODE BLACK, directed by Ryan McGarry, M.D. CODE BLACK follows a group of young doctors as they grapple with the divide between their idealistic expectations and the realities of a heavily bureaucratic system.The 21st Annual Hamptons International Film Festival took place October 10 to 14, 2013.

Golden Starfish Award for Best Narrative Feature Film
THE SELFISH GIANT, directed by Clio Barnard

Golden Starfish Award for Best Documentary Feature Film
CODE BLACK, directed by Ryan McGarry, M.D.

Golden Starfish Award for Best Short Film
WHALE VALLEY, directed by Gudmundur A. Gudmundsson.
*WHALE VALLEY will also qualify for an Academy Award in the category of Best Live Action Short Film.

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
PHILOMENA, directed by Stephen Frears

Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
DESERT RUNNERS, directed by Jennifer Steinman

Audience Award for Best Short Film
ONE LAST HUG (… AND A FEW SMOOCHES) THREE DAYS AT GRIEF CAMP

Tangerine Entertainment Juice Award which honors an outstanding female filmmaker
FREE RIDE, directed by Shana Betz.

The Zelda Penzel “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” Award presented to a film that raises public awareness about contemporary social issues, including the moral and ethical treatment and the rights of animals, as well as environmental protection
EMPTYING THE SKIES

The Victor Rabinowitz & Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice, given to a film that most exhibits the values of peace, equality, and global justice
SQUARE, directed by Jehane Noujaim.

The Views From Long Island Award, presented by the Suffolk County Film Commission to a a film that features local/resident filmmakers, the area’s unique landscapes, and the important issues—both social and political—facing Hamptons communities
THE MAID’S ROOM, directed by Michael Walker.

The 2013 winner of the Brizzolara Family Foundation Award for a film depicting positive Conflict & Resolution
PLOT FOR PEACE directed by Carlos Agullo and Mandy Jacobson
Jejane Nouhaim received an Honorable Mention for her film THE SQUARE.

The Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, which goes to a narrative film highlighting a realistic and compelling portrayal of science and technology
DECODING ANNIE PARKER directed by Steven Bernstein
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2013 BendFilm Festival Winners; HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES Sweeps Major Awards

HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES directed by Daniel Patrick Carbone

The feature film, HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES directed by Daniel Patrick Carbone, swept the 2013 BendFilm Festival, capturing numerous awards, including the “Best of Show” and the “Best Narrative Feature.” Hide Your Smiling Faces depicts the young lives of two brothers as they abruptly come of age through the experience of a friend’s mysterious death.

2013 Award Winners

Best of Show
HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES

Best Narrative Screenplay
BUOY

Best Directing
Daniel Patrick Carbone, HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES

Best Narrative Feature
HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES

Best Documentary Feature
BEFORE THE SPRING, AFTER THE FALL

Best Short
THE BOY SCOUT

Special Mention for Documentary Short:
HERD IN ICELAND

Best Student Short
SILK

Best Short Screenplay
Cody Blue Snider, Shane Snider; FOOLS DAY

Best Cinematography
HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES

Best Actor
Andrea Suarez Paz, STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING DOORS
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International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam Unveils 2013 Official Selections

AI WEIWEI: THE FAKE CASE by Andreas Johnsen

The 26th International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam taking place from November 20 toDecember 1, 2013 , in Amsterdam, unveiled the 2013 official film selections. The program consists of 288 titles (selected from more than 3,000 submissions), of which 100 will have their world première during the festival. 15 films will compete this year in IDFA’s competition for feature-length documentaries.

IDFA Competition for Feature-Length Documentary

AI WEIWEI: THE FAKE CASE by Andreas Johnsen (Denmark)
Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei wonders, after three months of lonely confinement, what the price of his struggle is.

ALPHABET by Erwin Wagenhofer (Austria/Germany)
Arm-in-arm in the classroom or painting whatever you want? An indictment of competitive education and a plea for the imagination of the individual.

BIRTH OF A TIGER by Sam Benstead (England)
The newly formed nation of South Sudan employs a Serbian coach to get its national football team up and running.

DISPLACED PERSONS by Åsa Blanck & Johan Palmgren (Sweden)
Forty years ago, Pelle Persson left Sweden and settled in Pakistan. Now he returns to his motherland with the family he started far from home.

FAREWELL TO HOLLYWOOD by Henry Corra & Regina Nicholson (USA)
A heartwarming yet heartbreaking and controversial ode to 17-year-old Reggie, who is struggling with cancer, her family and the realization of her cinematic dream.

AN INCONSOLABLE MEMORY by Aryan Kaganof (South Africa)
A reconstruction of the history of South Africa’s first opera company, Eoan, and an exercise in getting at the truth of what it was to be “a colored.”

LIFE ALMOST WONDERFUL by Svetoslav Draganov (Bulgaria/Belgium)
An observational documentary about three brothers and their granny. Despite their hardships, they still believe happiness is just a hope away.

NE ME QUITTE PAS by Niels van Koevorden & Sabine Lubbe Bakker (the Netherlands)
A Direct Cinema portrait of the Flemish Bob and the Walloon Marcel, two Belgian friends who share loneliness, humor, alcoholism and suicide plans with great élan.

PUTIN’S GAMES by Alexander Gentelev (Russia/Austria)
The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are breaking all records when it comes to corruption and megalomania. This investigative documentary uncovers the hidden story behind Putin’s Games.

RETURN TO HOMS by Talal Derki (Syria/Germany)
A remarkably intimate portrait of the unequal struggle of a group of young revolutionaries in Homs, Syria, against the national army destroying their city.

SEPIDEH by Berit Madsen (Denmark)
A portrait of a courageous young Iranian woman who refuses to conform to expectations and dreams of a future as an astronaut.

SHADO’MAN by Boris Gerrets (the Netherlands)
A cinematic portrait of the nocturnal street life of the disabled in Sierra Leone, in which a group of friends reflects on their complex existences.

SONG FROM THE FOREST by Michael Obert (Germany)
American Louis Sarno has been living for 25 years in the jungle, among the pygmies of central Africa. Now he’s taking his pygmy son to see America for the first time.

STREAM OF LOVE by Agnes Sós (Hungary)
Love and desire still fill the hearts and thoughts of elderly villagers in Transylvania, Hungary. Their spirits are young, despite their years.

THE WILD YEARS by Ventura Durall (Spain)
Living without money or adult involvement, three street children struggle to survive in the capital of Ethiopia.
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Philadelphia Film Festival Adds 12 YEARS A SLAVE and OMAR to 2013 Lineup

12 YEARS A SLAVE

The 22nd Philadelphia Film Festival which runs from Thursday, October 17 – Sunday, October 27, has added a Centerpiece Screening of 12 YEARS A SLAVE on Saturday, October 19th. The follow-up from director Steve McQueen to 2011’s Shame, 12 YEARS A SLAVE tells the incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom after being abducted and sold into slavery.

The screening of Nebraska, previously scheduled for Saturday, October 19th will now take place instead on Monday, October 21st.

OMAR

The Festival also added OMAR, the Best Foreign Film nominee from the Palestinian Territory for the Academy Awards. The new film from Oscar-nominated director Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now), OMAR is described as an intense and romantic thriller about a Palestinian teenager whose life is thrown into disarray when he is arrested for the alleged shooting of an Israeli soldier and asked to turn on those closest to him. Omar replaces Documented, which will no longer be included in the Festival due to technical issues.

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Milwaukee Film Festival Wraps; “THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER AND PETE” “EDDIE ADAMS: SAIGON ‘68” Win Audience Awards

INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER AND PETE director George Tillman Jr, with wife Marcia and son Chase at the 2013 Milwaukee Film Festival.

The 5th Milwaukee Film Festival, wrapped its 15-day run Thursday night October 10th, with official Closing Night Film, BLOOD BROTHER. Immediately following the Closing Night film, ballots were tallied to determine the winners of the 2013 Milwaukee Film Festival Allan H. (Bud) and Suzanne L. Selig Audience Awards. The winners of this year’s Allan H. (Bud) and Suzanne L. Selig Audience Awards are Feature Film: THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER AND PETE directed by George Tillman Jr.; and Short Film: EDDIE ADAMS: SAIGON ‘68 directed by Douglas Sloan.

THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER AND PETE

In THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER AND PETE, fourteen-year-old Mister and demure 9-year-old Pete (star-making turns from Skylan Brooks and Ethan Dizon, respectively) are forced to fend for themselves after both of their drug-addled parents disappear amid a sweltering summer in the Brooklyn projects.Forced to scavenge for food while dodging child protective services and the cops, the two must live beyond their years if they have any chance of staving off their seemingly inevitable defeat. Supporting performances from Anthony Mackie, Jordin Sparks, Jennifer Hudson and Jeffrey Wright bolster this beautifully observed tale of friendship in the face of great struggle.

EDDIE ADAMS: SAIGON ‘68

EDDIE ADAMS: SAIGON ‘68 tells the story behind the iconic photo from the Vietnam War and how it transformed the lives of the photographer and the man who pulled the trigger.

Main Photo credit: Jennifer Johnson
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Martin Scorsese to Head Competition Jury at 2013 Marrakech International Film Festival

The 13th Marrakech International Film Festival will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, from November 29 to December 7, 2013. Martin Scorsese has been announced as President of the main Competition Jury for the festival. “I am very happy to be this year’s jury president at the Marrakech Film Festival and I would like to thank HRH, Prince Moulay Rachid, President of the Festival, for his gracious invitation. I have made two films in Morocco, during which time I came to admire the spirit of the Moroccan people and the beauty of their culture. I am eager to discover the movies coming from all around the world to this unique Festival.”

The festival will continue its work spotlighting talents by paying tribute to filmmaking in Scandinavia. Since its beginnings, the festival has acted as a showcase for the quality and diversity of Scandinavian cinema, through the selection of Nordic films in competition, and by recognizing the Danish movie A HIJACKING by Tobias Lindholm in 2012 with the Jury Prize and Best Actor Award for Søren Malling. A major delegation of actors, directors and producers will be in Marrakech to receive this tribute to Scandinavian cinema at a gala presentation on Wednesday December 4, 2013.
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First Philadelphia International Children’s Film Festival Announces Film Lineup; ZARAFA is Opening Night Film

ZARAFA directed by Rémi Bezançon, Jean-Christophe Lie

The first Philadelphia International Children’s Film Festival (PICFF), will run November 15 to 17, 2013 at the newly renovated PFS Theater at the Roxy, and will offer a variety of animated, live-action and experimental short and feature films from all around the world. Opening night festival brings to Philadelphia the hand-animated film, ZARAFA, directed by Rémi Bezançon and Jean-Christophe Lie, based on the true story of the first giraffe to travel to France. Closing the festival is THE ZIGZAG KID, directed by Vincent Bal, described as a whimsical and stylish detective caper.

The full list of films, representing 15 countries, includes:

ZARAFA – Opening Night Film
Directed by Rémi Bezançon, Jean-Christophe Lie
France, 81 minutes
In French with English Subtitles
Recommended Ages: 7 to adult
Opening night of the First Inaugural Children’s Film Festival brings to Philadelphia this stirring and gorgeously hand-animated film, based on the true story of the first giraffe to travel to France. After freeing himself from slavers and fleeing across the moonlit savannah, young Maki meets Hassan, a nomad, and Zarafa, an orphaned baby giraffe. When the Pasha of Egypt orders the giraffe to be taken as a gift to the King of France, the three board a hot air balloon and embark on an adventure-filled ride over North African skies, through the bustling port of Marseilles before landing in Paris. After the king accepts his gift with minimal enthusiasm, Maki becomes determined to get Zarafa back home to Africa.

Kid Flix Mix – Short Film Series
Various Countries, 60 minutes
Languages Vary Per Film with English Subtitles
Recommended Ages: 3-8.

PINOCCHIO
Directed by Enzo D’Alo
Italy, 83 minutes
In English
Recommend Ages: 5-10
Enzo D’Alo’s colorful telling of this classic tale hews closer to the spirit and plot of Carlo Collodi’s original story, with Pinocchio remaining for most of the picture a rambunctious little scamp, who goes from one strange adventure into another in an Alice in Wonderland-like ride that never pauses. Though Geppetto, Cricket, and Blue Fairy point him on the right path, Pinocchio prefers to play hooky, and finds himself at the mercy of a host of outlandish characters. In the end, Pinocchio, in the belly of a giant shark, reunites with his papa and may finally have learned what it means to be good.

Party Mix – Short Film Series
Various Countries, 60 minutes
Languages Vary Per Film with English Subtitles
Recommended Ages: 5-10.

KIRIKOU AND THE MEN AND THE WOMEN
Directed by Michael Ocelot
France, 87 minutes
In French with English Subtitles
Recommended Ages: 7 to adult
In the third film in the Kirikou trilogy, director Michel Ocelot mixes fables and mythology and has our young hero saving his village from supernatural and human threats alike. Kirikou does so with the eagerness and naiveté of a child, making him an incredibly endearing character. Ocelot’s blend of Malian, Togolese, and French music and his stunning use of color create an engaging and enchanting film for the whole family.

WOLF CHILDREN
Directed by Mamoru Hosoda
Japan, 117 minutes
In Japanese with English Subtitles
Recommended Ages: 9 to adult
From acclaimed filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda, Wolf Children is about Hana, a young woman whose whirlwind romance takes an unexpected turn when she learns her boyfriend is part-wolf. Nonetheless, the two grow closer and soon add two half-wolf children to their family. When the children’s father is suddenly taken from them, Hana must deal with the challenges that come when her begin growing fur and tearing up the furniture. Brimming with Hosoda’s trademark visual splendor, Wolf Children is his most emotionally resonant film to date – a beautiful story about acceptance and growing up.

MEET THE SMALL POTATOES
Directed by John Selig
USA, 60 minutes
In English
Recommended Ages: 3-6
Fans of This is Spinal Tap will love this mockumentary about a band of singing potatoes. The “Small Potatoes” have humble beginnings on an Idaho potato farm, but soon rocket to stardom in the music biz – but it isn’t long before the band must deal with diva mentalities and other perils of fame. This faux rockumentary features interviews with fans, commentary form former managers, and musical interludes to complete the inside look at a rock band of singing spuds.

WELCOME TO THE SPACE SHOW
Directed by Koji Masunari
Japan, 136 minutes
In English
Recommended Ages: 7 to adult
It seems like a boring summer day in the Japanese countryside for Amane and her cousin Natsuki when they come across a stray dog in the woods. They take the dog back to their cabin only to find that he is actually an alien scientist doing research on Earth. Soon, the children are whisked away to the dark side of the moon, where they encounter an interstellar melting pot of humorous aliens, spaceships, and a host of other surprises.

STARRY STARRY NIGHT
Directed by Tom Shu-yu Lin
Taiwan, 98 minutes
In Mandarin with English subtitles
Recommended Ages: 9 to adult
Starry Starry Night is the whimsical and emotionally resonant coming-of-age story of Mei. To escape her parents’ bickering, Mei immerses herself in a fantasy world, populated by over-sized origami animals and shadowy beasts. Meanwhile, troubled newcomer Jay becomes an instant target for schoolmates’ taunting. Brought together by mutual loneliness, Mei and Jay sneak away to Mei’s grandfather’s cottage in the countryside. Based on the graphic novel by Taiwanese writer Jimmy Liao, Starry Starry Night is a charming portrayal of life-changing events that can happen when finding your place in the world.

THE DAY OF THE CROWS
Directed by Jean-Cristophe Dessaint
Canada/France, 95 minutes
French with English Subtitles
Recommended Ages: 7 to adult
Deep in the woods, Pumpkin, an ogre-like man, lives with his son and teaches him to live off the land, forbidding him from leaving the forest. But when Pumpkin is injured, his son must leave the comfort of the woods and his spirit friends to venture into a nearby village for help. There, he experiences the comfort of human companionship and discovers things about his family that he had never before known. From the lushly animated forests to the bustling village, The Day of the Crows unfolds a story of courage, exploration and acceptance.

THE ZIG ZAG KID – Closing Night Film
Directed by Vincent Bal
Belgium, 90 minutes
In English, Dutch, and French with English Subtitles
Recommended Ages: 8 to adult
Closing Philadelphia Children’s Film Festival, The Zigzag Kid is a whimsical and stylish detective caper that received extraordinary reviews in Berlin and Toronto. The son of a world-renowned police inspector, young Nono is well trained in the art of sleuthing. When Nono comes face-to-face with Felix Glick, his father’s archenemy, a trip with his boring Uncle Shmuel turns into a rip-roaring, mystery-solving adventure reminiscent of The Pink Panther.
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2013 Austin Film Festival to Honor Susan Sarandon; Adds WHITEWASH, THE PRETTY ONE to Lineup

WHITEWASH

Austin Film Festival (AFF) taking place this October 24th to 31st, 2013 will honor actress Susan Sarandon with the 2013 Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking – Actor. The festival also added WHITEWASH, a comic thriller starring Thomas Haden Church and THE PRETTY ONE, starring Zoe Kazan, Jack Johnson, and Ron Livingston to the 20th Anniversary Film Schedule lineup.

Sarandon will accept the award at the Festival’s annual Awards Luncheon held on Saturday, October 26, 2013 at the Austin Club. The Inaugural Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking – Actor Award was presented to Johnny Depp in 2011. Sarandon will present a retrospective screening of John Turturro’s Romance and Cigarettes, and join a conversation on the art and craft of storytelling with the other 2013 Awardees, Vince Gilligan (Outstanding Television Writer), Jonathan Demme (Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking), Callie Khouri (Distinguished Screenwriter), and Barry Josephson (Heart of Film Award).

Austin Film Festival’s Opening Night will feature the US Premiere of Jonathan Sobel’s break-out Toronto heist hit THE ART OF THE STEAL starring Kurt Russell, Matt Dillon and Jay Baruchel, as well as the World Premiere of AFF success story COFFEE, KILL BOSS – a film that emerged from the Festival’s world-renowned Screenplay Competition in 2011. Coffee, Kill Boss stars Eddie Jemison (Ocean’s 11-13, Hung), Noureen DeWulf (Anger Management) and Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, Mulholland Drive). The comedy is about ten executives who meet in secret to sell off their company and end up the victims of a murder plot.

AFF’s Closing Night film falls on Halloween and will feature the US Premiere of ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE, a horror comedy about a rebellious outsider who joins the cheerleading squad on a mission to take down the captain of the football team…. until a supernatural force changes everything. Lucky McKee and Chris Sivertson co-wrote and directed the film, hailed as a monster midnight sensation in Toronto.
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Toronto After Dark Film Festival Unveils 2013 Lineup; Opens with WE ARE WHAT WE ARE

WE ARE WHAT WE ARE directed by Jim Mickle

Toronto After Dark Film Festival taking place October 17 to October 25, 2013, unveiled its complete lineup and schedule of new horror, sci-fi, action and cult movies. The festival will open with the Toronto Pemiere of WE ARE WHAT WE ARE. The film is described as a stunningly shot, incredibly well-acted, acclaimed new horror-thriller from award-winning filmmaker Jim Mickle (STAKELAND) that won rave reviews at both this year’s Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. A recently widowed father and his two teenage daughters try to keep their time-honored family tradition of consuming human flesh a secret from their increasingly suspicious small town neighbors.

The festival will close on Friday, October 25, with the Toronto Premiere of the Israeli film BIG BAD WOLVES, described as a brilliantly constructed, award-winning, gripping crime thriller that deftly blends elements of horror and dark comedy. Two police officers kidnap a suspected brutal serial killer so they can carry out their own private interrogation in the woods. The twists and turns that follow will have you guessing whose side you should be on right up until the very end!

THE COMPLETE 19 FEATURES ANNOUNCED & SCHEDULE!

THURS, OCT 17
OPENING NIGHT!

7.00 PM
WE ARE WHAT WE ARE (USA) Toronto Premiere & Opening Gala Film!
A stunningly shot, incredibly well-acted, acclaimed new horror-thriller from award-winning filmmaker Jim Mickle (STAKELAND) that won rave reviews at both this year’s Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. A recently widowed father and his two teenage daughters try to keep their time-honored family tradition of consuming human flesh a secret from their increasingly suspicious small town neighbours.

9.30 PM
BOUNTY KILLER (USA) Toronto Premiere!
MAD MAX meets THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY in this thrill-packed sci-fi actioner about duelling rival bounty hunters in a post-apocalyptic Earth wasteland. Co-stars REPO: THE GENETIC OPERA’s Alexa Vega and TERMINATOR 3’s Kristanna Loken.

FRI, OCT 18
BUG NIGHT!

7.00 PM
BIG ASS SPIDER! (USA) Toronto Premiere!
In this crowd-pleasing monster action comedy, when a giant spider threatens to destroy the city of Los Angeles, its up to a low-level bug exterminator (HEROES’ Greg Grunberg) to try and save the day. Co-stars Ray Wise (REAPER, TWIN PEAKS)
Screens with short film THE LAST VIDEO STORE

9.30 PM
EEGA (INDIA) Toronto Premiere!
An amazing, action-packed, dark fantasy movie from India, about a murdered man who gets reincarnated as a housefly and sets out to have his revenge upon the evil crime lord that slayed him.

SAT, OCT 19

4.15 PM
SHORTS AFTER DARK – International Shorts!
A collection of 9 amazing new horror, sci-fi, action and cult short films from around the world. This year’s titles are: INVOCATION, DON’T MOVE, SEQUENCE, NORTH BAY, ROPE A DOPE, C, BABY I LOVE YOU, MY FATHER IS A BIRD, KICK-HEART

ZOMBIE APPRECIATION NIGHT!
Discounted tickets for zombies in costume!

7.00 PM
STALLED (UK) Canadian Premiere!
SHAUN OF THE DEAD meets PHONE BOOTH in this inventive and fun new British Zombie Comedy. A down on his luck maintenance worker finds himself trapped in the washroom during the Zombie apocalypse, forcing him to get creative as he tries to defeat the undead!

THE BATTERY (USA) Toronto Premiere!
In this award-winning, fresh take on a zombie movie, the personalities of two former baseball players clash as they traverse the rural back roads of a post-plague New England teeming with the undead. Boasts an awesome indie rock soundtrack including contributions from Toronto’s own Rock Plaza Central.

SUN, OCT 20

4.15 PM
SILENT RETREAT (CANADA) World Premiere!
Horror thriller meets creature feature in this frightening tale of a rebellious teenager who gets sent to a strict rehabilitation camp in the woods, where all attempts to escape lead to encounters with something terrifying that lurks beyond the trees!

GROSS-OUT NIGHT!

7.00 PM
SEPTIC MAN (CANADA) Canadian Premiere!
From the twisted mind of celebrated writer Tony Burgess (PONTYPOOL) comes this disturbing and disgusting tale about a sewage worker who gets trapped inside a septic tank during a water contamination crisis and undergoes a hideous transformation. Co-stars Robert Maillet (PACIFIC RIM), Julian Richings (MAN OF STEEL) and Stephen McHattie (300).

9.30 PM
MOTIVATIONAL GROWTH (USA) Canadian Premiere!
A dark, twisted and funny horror comedy about a depressed man who lets his home fall into such a hideous state of decay that a grotesque, giant, mould grows in the place. Then the mould starts talking (voiced by none other than RE-ANIMATOR’S Jeffrey Combs) and giving the man advice, that may or may not be for the best!

MON, OCT 21

7.00 PM
ODD THOMAS (USA) Canadian Premiere!
Based on the best-selling novel by Dean Koontz. In a California desert town, a young cook (STAR TREK’s Anton Yelchin) with a unique ability to see supernatural forces at work, encounters a mysterious man with a link to a darkness that threatens to destroy the people around him. Directed by Stephen Sommers (THE MUMMY) and co-starring Willem Dafoe (SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE)

9.30 PM
SOLO (CANADA) Toronto Premiere!
In this suspenseful horror-thriller a teenage girl finds herself terrorized when she spends two nights alone, as part of her camp counsellor initiation, on the same remote island where a camper suspiciously disappeared decades before. Stars Annie Clark (DEGRASSI: TNG) and Daniel Kash (ALIENS)

TUES, OCT 22
SCI-FI NIGHT!

7.00 PM
LAST DAYS ON MARS (UK/ IRELAND) Canadian Premiere!
An intense sci-fi horror thriller about a deadly strain of bacteria discovered in the Martian soil that begins to infect a group of astronauts, turning them one by one into blood-thirsty zombies! Stars Liev Schreiber (SCREAM), Olivia Williams (THE SIXTH SENSE) and Elias Koteas (SHUTTER ISLAND)

9.30 PM
THE MACHINE (UK) Toronto Premiere!
A dark and stylish sci-fi thriller with clear nods to BLADE RUNNER about a conflicted scientific genius trying to make the perfect female android, while being funded by a secret government military program. Co-stars Caity Lotz (THE PACT) and Toby Stephens (SEVERANCE)

WED, OCT 23
GORY NIGHT

7.00 PM
FOUND (USA) Toronto Premiere!
An award-winning coming of age movie about a shy, bullied 10 year old who takes refuge in horror movies, only to see his life turn into a horror story for real when he discovers the older brother he shares the house with is a gruesome serial killer.

9.30 PM
EVIL FEED (CANADA) World Premiere!
Bloody, outrageous and wickedly entertaining, a one-of-a-kind horror-action-comedy about a sinister Chinese restaurant that kidnaps martial artists off the streets, forces them to fight to the death, and then serves the loser up for dinner to paying guests!

THU, OCT 24
SCARY NIGHT!

7.00 PM
WILLOW CREEK (USA) Toronto Premiere Co-hosted with Rue Morgue Cinemacabre Movie NIghts!
A scary found footage film from acclaimed filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwait (GOD BLESS AMERICA) about a young couple obsessed with tracking down Bigfoot, and finding the exact location where the famous 1967 footage of the creature walking in the woods was shot.

A scary horror thriller about a young reporter in search of her missing friend, last seen experimenting with the same mind-altering drugs used by the CIA in the 1950s. 9.30 PMBANSHEE CHAPTER (USA/Germany) North American Premiere!

FRI, OCT 25
CLOSING NIGHT!

7.00 PM
CHEAP THRILLS (USA) Toronto Premiere!
in this award-winning, outrageous, darkly funny and shocking thriller in the mould of BREAKING BAD, a recently unemployed dad, trys to pay off his debts by performing an increasingly risky series of dares for a wealthy thrill-seeking couple. Co-stars David Koechner (ANCHORMAN) and Sara Paxton (THE INNKEEPERS).

A brilliantly constructed, award-winning, gripping crime thriller that deftly blends elements of horror and dark comedy. Two police officers kidnap a suspected brutal serial killer so they can carry out their own private interrogation in the woods. The twists and turns that follow will have you guessing whose side you should be on right up until the very end!  9.30 PMBIG BAD WOLVES (ISRAEL) Toronto Premiere and Closing Gala!
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Palm Springs Cultural Center Adds The Stanley Kramer Film Festival To It’s Annual List of Programs and Events

The Palm Springs Cultural Center announced a new addition to its annual line-up of cultural programs and special events. The Stanley Kramer Film Festival will debut at Camelot Theatres on Friday, November 15th and run through Sunday, November 17th, 2013. The 2013 event, which is designed to coincide with other Stanley Kramer Centennial events taking place this year, will include special screenings of six of Stanley Kramer’s best-known films. It will also feature special events, and special appearances with actress Karen Sharpe Kramer, Stanley Kramer’s widow, and his daughter, the actress and singer, Katharine “Kat” Kramer.

“We are so thrilled that The Palm Springs Cultural Center has elected to create this annual celebration of Stanley’s films, as well as his legacy,” said Karen Sharpe Kramer. “And having it launch during his Centennial celebration makes it even more special to us.”

The inaugural edition of The Stanley Kramer Film Festival will open with 1958’s THE DEFIANT ONES, starring Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier as two escaped convicts who are shackled together, and must learn to get along in order to elude capture.

“THE DEFIANT ONES was ahead of its time, as were so many of Stanley’s films,” continued Karen Sharpe Kramer.“Set in the American South against the specter of segregation, the two men, one white and one black, are at first motivated to cooperate with one another purely to survive, but gradually, they begin to respect , and even like one another. This was powerful story-telling. Can you imagine that film playing in 1958?”

The second film in the schedule is 1967’s GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn. The film contains what was, at the time, a rare positive representation of the controversial subject of interracial marriage (which was still illegal in 17 states), right up until June 12, 1967, when the Supreme Court struck them down ( just two days after Tracy died). “Katharine Hepburn never saw the completed version of GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER,” said Katharine “Kat” Kramer (Hepburn’s god-daughter and namesake). “She said the memories of Spencer Tracy were just too painful for her.”

THE WILD ONE (1953), starring then-heartthrob, Marlon Brando, opens Saturday’s Festival schedule. Often lauded as the first of the “outlaw biker film” movie genre, THE WILD ONE provides a gritty, somewhat romanticized version of the lives and loves of the rebel motorcycle-riding clubs that became popular in California after World War Two. THE WILD ONE was based on a short story that loosely chronicled an actual event.

Saturday evening takes audiences from the world of outlaw gangs into the mad, mad world of comedy with the ever-popular film, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD. Produced and directed by Stanley Kramer in 1963, the epic comedy centers on the search, by a crazy and colorful group of characters, for $ 350,000 in stolen cash. Led by veteran actor Spencer Tracy, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD features an all-star ensemble cast, including the likes of Edie Adams, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Mickey Rooney, Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, and Jonathan Winters.

Sunday morning, November 17th, opens with the powerful drama, JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG, which chronicles the events of the Holocaust, and the post-World War II complexities of the Nuremberg War Trials. Stanley Kramer produced and directed this monumental film, which stars such film greats as Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Werner Klemperer, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, William Shatner,and Montgomery Clift. JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, won two (Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay), and earned Stanley Kramer the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

The last film of the festival is THE CAINE MUTINY, starring Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson, Jose Ferrer, and Fred MacMurray. Set during World War II, and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk, THE CAINE MUTINY was a huge box office success in 1954, and received seven Oscar nominations. It has also been described as featuring Humphrey Bogart’s last great film performance. When the U.S. Navy was hesitant to endorse the film, it was almost lost to history. No studio, at the time, would touch it. Finally, Stanley Kramer, determined to tell the story, purchased the rights to Herman Wouk’s novel himself and set about to produce the film.

“The 2013 The Stanley Kramer Film Festival will include a number of wonderful special events,” said Janie Hughes, Project Manager for the festival. “There’s a private Tea with the Kramers for All Access Passholders, an over the top pre-opening party, and a birthday celebration complete with a giant birthday cake. We plan on making this quite an event.”

Tickets and All Access passes for The Stanley Kramer Film Festival will be available at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, and online, starting Tuesday, October 8th.

To purchase tickets in-person, visit the Camelot Theatres Box Office (Open Daily, Call for Hours), 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA, 92262, Box Office: 760-325-6565. For telephone orders, call: 888-718-4253, or order on-line at: Camelottickets.com

TICKET INFORMATION:

NOTE: All screenings will be held at Camelot Theatres

PASSES
All Access Pass $120.00 (includes Tea with the Kramers, Pre-Opening Party, Birthday Party and all screenings)

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS:
Pre-Opening Party: $50.00
Festival Screenings = $13.00 (on sale October 8th)

To purchase your tickets in-person, visit:
Camelot Theatres Box Office
(Open Daily, Call for Hours)
2300 E. Baristo Road,
Palm Springs, CA, 92262,
Box Office: 760-325-6565

Telephone Orders: 888-718-4253

Order online: Camelottickets.com
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Montclair Film Festival Announces Contest To Design 2014 Official Poster

The Montclair Film Festival (MFF), in partnership with The Montclair Art Museum announced the launch of a contest to design the official poster for the 2014 Montclair Film Festival to be held April 28-May 4, 2014. The winning design will be seen on buses, lampposts, t-shirts, the web, catalogs and, of course, the big screen, as the centerpiece of a dynamic week of 80+ films and events that will comprise the third annual celebration of the art of filmmaking in Montclair.

Artwork can be submitted as digital file or as flat art. Only original artwork will be considered. Image size should be no larger than 11” X 17”. The poster should include the words Montclair Film Festival 2014 and the dates April 28th-May 4th.

Each entry should include artist’s full name, address, phone number, and a valid e-mail address.

All entries must be postmarked/emailed by November 25th 2013. One winner will be chosen from all entries in early January by an independent panel of judges. The winner will receive two free tickets to the MFF Opening Night Gala and will be acknowledged on the MFF website.

For more information, including mailing and email addresses for submission, go to http://montclairfilmfest.org/2014-mff-poster-contest/

MFF Artistic Director Thom Powers said, “The poster is the focal point of the Festival and we’re excited to open up its design to the creative community who has supported us in our first two years in so many ways.”

Added Michael Gillespie, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Montclair Art Museum, “We’re happy to join with the Montclair Film Festival in this poster competition. The Festival, which champions local filmmakers, has become one of the premier cultural events in our area and this is another creative opportunity to showcase area talent.”
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2013 Manhattan Short Film Festival Winners, KIZMET DINER is Gold Medal Winner

KIZMET DINER

KIZMET DINER, an 11-minute romantic love story directed by Mark Nunneley of England is the Gold Medal winner of the 16th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival. KIZMET DINER tells the tale of a singing waitress in a diner who finds the song that opens the heart of a disinterested customer. The Silver Medal went to PALE OF SETTLEMENT, directed by Jacob Sillman, an entry from the United States. Pale of Settlement chronicles the adventures of a 10-year-old boy trying to avoid conscription in the Russian army during the Crimean War.

The Bronze Medal went to I AM A GREAT BIG BALL OF SADNESS, another USA entry adapted from the stage play by Ken Urban and directed by Chris Tyler. The film pushes past the veneer presented by three guests at a cocktail party.

Reece Noi was voted Manhattan Short Best Actor for his portrayal of a young man coming to terms with the death of his mother in a terrorist bombing in the British short film FRIDAY.
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Film Festivals

TICKET INFORMATION: