Film Festivals

  • IFFR 2012 to present film and visual arts from the Arab world

    [caption id="attachment_2401" align="alignnone"]Tahrir square in Cairo, Egypt[/caption]

    Power Cut Middle East, a themed program within the IFFR’s main Signals section, presents recent films and visual art works from the region with a focus on Syria and Egypt. The program, a collaboration with Hivos Culture Fund, consists of short films, documentaries, feature films and visual art installations guided by discussions, lectures and artist talks.

    Since the change of power in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, a revolutionary spirit runs through several Middle Eastern countries. What seem to be sudden revolutions have however a clear history. Power Cut Middle East offers two focused visions on this ‘history in the making’: the Visual Arts Festival in Damascus travels for an edition ‘in exile’ to Rotterdam with a programme of fiction and documentary films and arts installations.

    Secondly, together with Egyptian filmmakers, IFFR looks at the years preceding the Tahrir Square revolutions by presenting films in which the resistance announced itself in more or less direct ways. In the context of Power Cut Middle East, the central question to be considered is what the role was – and is – of the moving image.

    Films from Syria
    In collaboration with the Visual Arts Festival Damascus, Power Cut Middle East presents a choice of strong Syrian auteur cinema from the period 1977-2002. Prominent Syrian filmmaker Mohammad Malas will be in attendance.

    From the period 2000-2010, Power Cut Middle East screens short, more experimental works by a new generation of Syrian documentary filmmakers such as Reem Ghazzi, Soudade Kaadan, Reem Ali, Ammar Al-Beik, Joude Gorani and Hazem Alhamwi.
    This will be supplemented by three compilations programs with recent short films and installation work from the region.

    Films from Egypt
    The other main focus within Power Cut Middle East is on Egypt with films made in the period running up to the 2011 revolution. Egyptian artists Omar Robert Hamilton, Ahmed Khaled, Hala Elkoussy, Sherif el Azma and Dina Hamza, among others, will present one of their own recent works as well as an Egyptian film or art work that influenced them as artist.

    Images of the revolutions
    Finally, Power Cut Middle East presents three lectures that shed light on the role and meaning of the images of the revolutions in the Arab world that have swept the global media during the past year. Contributors will be Dutch journalist Ferry Biedermann, former Middle East correspondent of de Volkskrant and currently publishing in The National and Elsevier Magazine; Lebanese artist and musician Raed Yassin who will present a new performance and Jasmina Metwaly, artist, journalist and one of the initiators from Mosireen, a new independent media center in Cairo which was born at Tahrir Square with the objective to document the ‘revolution’.

    Read more

  • Viola Davis honored as Outstanding Performer of the Year by Santa Barbara International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_1898" align="alignnone" width="550"]Viola Davis in The Help[/caption]

    The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced that it will present award-winning actress, Viola Davis with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award for her ‘compelling’ performance in Tate Taylor’s The Help at the 27th edition of the Festival which runs January 26 – February 5, 2012.

    Davis captivated audiences and critics alike last summer with her portrayal of African American housemaid “Aibileen Clark.” Set in Jackson, Mississippi, during the 1960s, “The Help” chronicles the relationship between three different and extraordinary women who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. Deeply moving, filled with humor, hope and heart, “The Help” is a timeless and universal story about the ability to create change.

    Davis will join previous Outstanding Performer Award recipients, including: James Franco (2011), Colin Firth (2010), Penelope Cruz (2009), Angelina Jolie (2008), Helen Mirren (2007), Heath Ledger (2006), Kate Winslet (2005) and Charlize Theron (2004).

    Read more

  • 2012 Sundance Film Festival Announces Films Selected for US and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions

    [caption id="attachment_1888" align="alignnone"]China Heavyweight [/caption]

    The Sundance  Film Festival announced today the films selected for the U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions of the 2012 festival. The Sundance Film Festival will take place January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.

    Robert Redford, Founder and President of Sundance Institute remarked, “We are, and always have been, a festival about the filmmakers. So what are they doing? What are they saying? They are making statements about the changing world we are living in. Some are straight-forward, some novel and some offbeat but always interesting. One can never predict. We know only at the end, and I love that.”

    For the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, 110 feature-length films were selected, representing 31 countries and 44 first-time filmmakers, including 26 in competition. These films were selected from 4,042 feature-length film submissions composed of 2,059 U.S. and 1,983 international feature-length films. 88 films at the Festival will be world premieres.


    U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION
    The world premieres of 16 American narrative feature films.

    Beasts of the Southern Wild / U.S.A. (Director: Benh Zeitlin, Screenwriters: Benh Zeitlin, Lucy Alibar) — Waters gonna rise up, wild animals gonna rerun from the grave, and everything south of the levee is goin’ under, in this tale of a six year old named Hushpuppy, who lives with her daddy at the edge of the world. Cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry.

    The Comedy / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Robert Donne, Colm O’Leary) — Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson whiles away his days with a group of aging Brooklyn hipsters, engaging in small acts of recreational cruelty and pacified boredom. Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Kate Lyn Sheil, Alexia Rassmusen, Gregg Turkington.

    The End of Love / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Mark Webber) — A young father unravels following the loss of the mother of his child. Cast: Mark Webber, Shannyn Sossamon, Michael Cera, Jason Ritter, Amanda Seyfried, Frankie Shaw.

    Filly Brown / U.S.A. (Directors: Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos, Screenwriter: Youssef Delara) — A Hip Hop-driven drama about a Mexican girl who rises to fame and consciousness as she copes with the incarceration of her mother through music. Cast: Lou Diamond Phillips, Gina Rodriguez, Jenni Rivera, Edward James Olmos.

    [caption id="attachment_1889" align="alignnone"]The First Time[/caption]

    The First Time / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jonathan Kasdan) — Two high schoolers meet at a party. Over the course of a weekend, things turn magical, romantic, complicated and funny, as they discover what it’s like to fall in love for the first time. Cast: Brittany Robertson, Dylan O’Brien, Craig Roberts, James Frecheville, Victoria Justice.

    For Ellen / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: So Yong Kim) — A struggling musician takes an overnight long-distance drive in order to fight his estranged wife for custody of their young daughter. Cast: Paul Dano, Jon Heder, Jena Malone, Margarita Levieva, Shay Mandigo.

    Hello I Must Be Going / U.S.A. (Director: Todd Louiso, Screenwriter: Sarah Koskoff) — Divorced, childless, demoralized and condemned to move back in with her parents at the age of 35, Amy Minsky’s prospects look bleak – until the unexpected attention of a teenage boy changes everything. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Blythe Danner, Christopher Abbott, John Rubinstein, Julie White. DAY ONE FILM

    Keep the Lights On / U.S.A. (Director: Ira Sachs, Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias) —An autobiographically inspired story of a passionate long-term relationship between two men driven by addiction and secrets but bound by love and hopefulness. Cast: Thure Lindhardt, Zachary Booth, Julianne Nicholson, Souleymane Sy Savane, Paprika Steen.

    LUV / U.S.A. (Director: Sheldon Candis, Screenwriters: Sheldon Candis, Justin Wilson) — An orphaned 11-year-old boy is forced to face the unpleasant truth about his beloved uncle during one harrowing day in the streets of Baltimore. Cast: Common, Michael Rainey Jr., Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton.

    Middle Of Nowhere / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ava DuVernay) — When her husband is incarcerated, an African-American woman struggles to maintain her marriage and her identity. Cast: Emayatzy Corinealdi, David Oyelowo, Omari Hardwick, Lorraine Touissant, Edwina Findley.

    Nobody Walks / U.S.A. (Director: Ry Russo-Young, Screenwriters: Lena Dunham, Ry Russo-Young) — Martine, a young artist from New York, is invited into the home of a hip, liberal LA family for a week. Her presence unravels the family’s carefully maintained status quo, and a mess of sexual and emotional entanglements ensues. Cast: John Krasinski, Olivia Thirlby, Rosemarie DeWitt, India Ennenga, Justin Kirk.

    Safety Not Guaranteed / U.S.A. (Director: Colin Trevorrow, Screenwriter: Derek Connolly) — A trio of magazine employees investigate a classified ad seeking a partner for time travel. One employee develops feelings for the paranoid but compelling loner and seeks to discover what he’s really up to. Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karen Soni.

    Save the Date / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Mohan, Screenwriters: Jeffrey Brown, Egan Reich, Michael Mohan) — As her sister Beth prepares to get married, Sarah finds herself caught up in an intense post-breakup rebound. The two fumble through the redefined emotional landscape of modern day relationships, forced to relearn how to love and be loved. Cast: Lizzy Caplan, Alison Brie, Martin Starr, Geoffrey Arend, Mark Webber.

    Simon Killer / France, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Antonio Campos) — A recent college graduate goes to Paris after breaking up with his girlfriend of 5 years. Once there, he falls in love with a young prostitute and their fateful journey begins. Cast: Brady Corbet, Mati Diop, Constance Rousseau, Michael Abiteboul, Solo.

    Smashed / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Susan Burke, James Ponsoldt) — Kate and Charlie are a young married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of music, laughter and… drinking. When Kate decides to get sober, her new lifestyle brings troubling issues to the surface and calls into question her relationship with Charlie. Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Octavia Spencer, Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally.

    The Surrogate / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ben Lewin) — Mark O’Brien, a 36-year-old poet and journalist with an iron lung, decides he no longer wishes to be a virgin. With the help of his therapist and the guidance of his priest, he contacts a professional sex surrogate to take him on a journey to manhood. Cast: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy.

    U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
    The world premieres of 16 American documentary films.

    Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry / U.S.A., China (Director: Alison Klayman) — Renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has garnered international attention as much for his ambitious artwork as his political provocations and increasingly public clashes with the Chinese government.

    [caption id="attachment_1890" align="alignnone"]The Atomic States of America[/caption]

    The Atomic States of America / U.S.A. (Directors: Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce) — In 2010, the United States announced construction of the first new nuclear power plant in more than 32 years. A year later, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Fukushima Power Plant in Japan sparking a fierce debate in the U.S. over the safety and viability of nuclear power.

    Chasing Ice / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Orlowski) — Science, spectacle and human passion mix in this stunningly cinematic portrait as National Geographic photographer James Balog captures time-lapse photography of glaciers over several years providing tangible visual evidence of climate change.

    DETROPIA /U.S.A. (Directors: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady) — The woes of Detroit are emblematic of the collapse of the U.S. manufacturing base. This is the dramatic story of a city and its people who refuse to leave the building, even as the flames are rising.

    ESCAPE FIRE: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare / U.S.A. (Directors: Matthew Heineman, Susan Froemke) — What can be done to save our broken medical system? Powerful forces are trying to maintain the status quo in a profit-driven medical industry, but a movement to bring innovative methods of prevention and healing is finally gaining ground – potentially saving the health of a nation.

    Finding North /U.S.A. (Directors: Lori Silverbush, Kristi Jacobson) — A crisis of hunger looms in America and is not limited to the poverty stricken and uneducated. Can a return to policies of the 1970s save our future?

    The House I Live In / U.S.A. (Director: Eugene Jarecki) — For over 40 years, the War on Drugs has accounted for 45 million arrests, made America the world’s largest jailer and damaged poor communities at home and abroad. Yet, drugs are cheaper, purer and more available today than ever. Where did we go wrong and what is the path toward healing?

    How to Survive a Plague / U.S.A. (Director: David France) — The untold story of the intensive efforts that turned AIDS into a manageable condition – and the improbable group of (mostly HIV-positive) young men and women whose amazing resilience broke through a time of rampant death and political indifference.

    The Invisible War / U.S.A. (Director: Kirby Dick) — An investigative and powerfully emotional examination of the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the U.S. military, the institutions that cover up its existence and the profound personal and social consequences that arise from it.

    Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present / U.S.A. (Director: Matthew Akers) — Marina Abramovic prepares for a major retrospective of her work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York hoping to finally silence four decades of skeptics who proclaim: ‘But why is this art?’

    ME at the ZOO / U.S.A. (Directors: Chris Moukarbel, Valerie Veatch) — With 270 million hits to date, Chris Crocker, an uncanny young video blogger from small town Tennessee, is considered the Internet’s first rebel folk hero and at the same time one of its most controversial personalities.

    The Other Dream Team / Lithuania, U.S.A. (Director: Marius Markevicius) — The 1992 Lithuanian National Basketball Team went from the clutches of Communism to the Summer Olympics in Barcelona – a testament to the powerful role of sports as a catalyst for cultural identity.

    The Queen of Versailles / U.S.A. (Director: Lauren Greenfield) — Jackie and David were triumphantly constructing the biggest house in America – a sprawling, 90,000-square-foot palace inspired by Versailles – when their timeshare empire collapses and their house is foreclosed. Their rags-to-riches-to-rags story reveals the innate virtues and flaws of the American Dream. DAY ONE FILM

    Slavery By Another Name / U.S.A. (Director: Sam Pollard) — As slavery came to an end with Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, a new system of involuntary servitude took its place with shocking force, brutalizing, terrorizing and ultimately circumscribing the lives of hundreds of thousands of African Americans well into the 20th century.

    Love Free or Die: How the Bishop of New Hampshire is Changing the World / U.S.A. (Director: Macky Alston) — One man whose two defining passions are in conflict: An openly gay bishop refuses to leave the Church or the man he loves.

    We’re Not Broke / U.S.A. (Directors: Karin Hayes, Victoria Bruce) — As American lawmakers slash budgets and lay off employees, leaving many people scrambling to survive, multibillion-dollar corporations are concealing colossal profits overseas to avoid paying U.S. income tax. Fed-up Americans are taking their frustration to the streets.

    WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
    Fourteen films from emerging filmmaking talents offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.

    4 Suns / Czech Republic (Director and screenwriter: Bohdan Sláma) — Immature Fogi attempts to straighten up and accept his responsibilities as a new husband and father, as well as role model to his troubled son from a previous relationship, but finds himself unable to change his nature, leaving him to watch haplessly as his family begins to crumble. Cast: Jaroslav Plesl, Ana Geislerová, Karel Roden, Jirí Mádl, Klára Melíšková. World Premiere

    About the Pink Sky / Japan (Director and screenwriter: Keiichi Kobayashi) — A high school girl finds a wallet full of money and tracks down its owner, leading to unexpected consequences for the girl and her friends. Cast: Ai Ikeda, Ena Koshino, Reiko Fujiwara, Tsubasa Takayama, Hakusyu Togetsuan. International Premiere

    Can / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Rasit Celikezer) — A young married couple live happily in Istanbul, but their decision to illegally procure a child threatens their future together. Cast: Selen Ucer, Serdar Orcin, Berkan Demirbag, Erkan Avci. World Premiere

    Father’s Chair (A Cadeira do Pai) / Brazil (Director: Luciano Moura, Screenwriters: Elena Soarez, Luciano Moura) — Following the trail of his runaway teen son, Theo confronts his own identity as a son, a father and a man along the way. Cast: Wagner Moura, Lima Duarte, Mariana Lima. World Premiere

    L / Greece (Director: Babis Makridis, Screenwriters: Efthymis Filippou, Babis Makridis) — A man who lives in his car gets caught up in the undeclared war between motorcycle riders and car drivers. Cast: Aris Servetalis, Makis Papadimitriou, Lefteris Mathaios, Nota Tserniafski, Stavros Raptis. World Premiere

    The Last Elvis (El Ultimo Elvis) / Argentina (Director: Armando Bo, Screenwriters: Nicolás Giacobone and Armando Bo) — A Buenos Aires Elvis impersonator who believes that he is the reincarnation of the King struggles to shake free from reality and live his musical dream. Cast: John McInerny, Griselda Siciliani, Margarita Lopez. World Premiere

    Madrid, 1987 / Spain (Director and screenwriter: David Trueba) — The balance of power and desire constantly shifts during the meeting of an older journalist and a young student, of two generations completely foreign to one another. Cast: José Sacristán, María Valverde, Ramon Fontserè. International Premiere

    My Brother the Devil / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Sally El Hosaini) — A pair of British Arab brothers trying to get by in gangland London learn the extraordinary courage it takes to be yourself. Cast: James Floyd, Saïd Taghmaoui, Fady Elsayed. World Premiere

    Teddy Bear / Denmark (Director: Mads Matthiesen, Screenwriters: Mads Matthiesen, Martin Pieter Zandvliet) — Dennis, a painfully shy 38-year-old bodybuilder who lives with his mother, sets off to Thailand in search of love. Cast: Kim Kold, Elsebeth Steentoft, Lamaiporn Sangmanee Hougaard, David Winters, Allan Mogensen. World Premiere

    Valley of Saints / India, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Musa Syeed) — Gulzar plans to run away from the war and poverty surrounding his village in Kashmir with his best friend, but a beautiful young woman researching the dying lake leads him to contemplate a different future Cast: Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, Mohammed Afzal Sofi, Neelofar Hamid. World Premiere

    Violeta Went to Heaven (Violeta se Fue a Los Cielos) / Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Spain (Director: Andrés Wood, Screenwriters: Eliseo Altunaga, Rodrigo Bazaes, Guillermo Calderón, Andrés Wood) — A portrait of famed Chilean singer and folklorist Violeta Parra filled with her musical work, her memories, her loves and her hopes. Cast: Francisca Gavilán, Thomas Durand, Luis Machín, Gabriela Aguilera, Roberto Farías. International Premiere

    Wish You Were Here / Australia (Director: Kieran Darcy-Smith, Screenwriters: Felicity Price, Kieran Darcy-Smith) — Four friends embark on a carefree holiday, but only three return home. Who knows what happened on that fateful night? Cast: Joel Edgerton, Teresa Palmer, Felicity Price, Antony Starr. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

    WRONG / France (Director and screenwriter: Quentin Dupieux) — Dolph searches for his lost dog, but through encounters with a nympho pizza-delivery girl, a jogging neighbor seeking the absolute, and a mysterious righter of wrongs, he may eventually lose his mind… and his identity. Cast: Jack Plotnick, Eric Judor, Alexis Dziena, Steve Little, William Fichtner. World Premiere

    Young & Wild / Chile (Director: Marialy Rivas, Screenwriters: Marialy Rivas, Camila Gutiérrez, Pedro Peirano) — 17-year-old Daniela, raised in the bosom of a strict Evangelical family and recently unmasked as a fornicator by her shocked parents, struggles to find her own path to spiritual harmony. Cast: Alicia Rodríguez, Aline Kuppenheim, María Gracia Omegna, Felipe Pinto. World Premiere

    WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
    Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary filmmakers working today.

    ½ REVOLUTION / Denmark (Directors: Omar Shargawi, Karim El Hakim) — In January 2011, two filmmakers captured the reality of the Egyptian revolution as it occurred out of view from the world’s media in the alleyways and streets away from the square – and in the process were arrested by the secret police. North American Premiere

    5 Broken Cameras / Palestine, Israel, France (Directors: Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi) — A Palestinian journalist chronicles his village’s resistance to a separation barrier being erected on their land and in the process captures his young son’s lens on the world. International Premiere

    THE AMBASSADOR / Denmark (Director: Mads Brügger) — What happens when a very white European man buys his way into being a diplomat in one of Central Africa’s most failed nations? Welcome to the bizarre and hidden world of African diplomacy, where gin and tonics flow and diamond hustlers and corrupt politicians run free. North American Premiere

    [caption id="attachment_1891" align="alignnone" width="550"]BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS[/caption]

    BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!* / Sweden (Director: Fredrik Gertten) — The behind-the-scenes story of a full-scale attack on freedom of speech. When Dole set its sights on the WG Film production Bananas!* in May 2009, confusion was the method, aggression was the tactic and media control was the story. North American Premiere

    China Heavyweight / Canada, China (Director: Yung Chang) — In central China, where a coach recruits poor rural teenagers and turns them into Western-style boxing champions, the top students face dramatic choices as they graduate – should they fight for the collective good or for themselves? A metaphor for the choices everyone in the New China faces now. World Premiere

    Gypsy Davy / Israel, U.S.A., Spain (Director: Rachel Leah Jones) — How does a white boy with Alabama roots become a Flamenco guitarist in Andalusian boots? A tale of self-invention and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of the cost to others. International Premiere

    The Imposter / United Kingdom (Director: Bart Layton) — In 1994 a 13-year-old boy disappears from his home in San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later he is found alive thousands of miles away in Spain with a shocking story of kidnap and torture. But all is not what it seems in this tale that is truly stranger than fiction. World Premiere

    Indie Game: The Movie / Canada (Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky) — Follow the dramatic journeys of indie game developers as they create games and release those works, and themselves, to the world. World Premiere

    The Law in These Parts / Israel (Director: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz) — Israel’s 43-year military legal system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories unfolds through provocative interviews with the system’s architects and historical footage showing the enactment of these laws upon the Palestinian population. International Premiere

    Payback / Canada (Director: Jennifer Baichwal) — Based on Margaret Atwood’s best-selling book, Payback explores how debt is a central organizing principle in our lives – influencing relationships, societies, governing structures and the very fate of this planet. World Premiere

    Putin’s Kiss / Denmark (Director: Lise Birk Pedersen) — 19-year-old Marsha is a model spokesperson in a strongly nationalistic Russian youth movement that aims to protect the country from its enemies. When she starts recognizing the organization’s flaws, she must take a stand for or against it. North American Premiere

    Searching for Sugar Man / Denmark, United Kingdom (Director: Malik Bendjelloul) — Rodriguez was the greatest ‘70s US rock icon who never was. Hailed as the greatest recording artist of his generation he disappeared into oblivion – rising again from the ashes in a completely different context many miles away. World Premiere. DAY ONE FILM

    Read more

  • Fighting Okan and Vucciría are Best In Show at Indie Fest

    The Japanese feature film ‘Fighting Okan’ and the Italian music video titled ‘Vucciría’ were the latest Best in Show winners at Indie Fest. Fighting Okan follows a 38-year old woman’s dream of becoming a professional boxer and the impact on her family; and Vucciría, music video, in which a young woman passes a mirror and her reflection is much more colorful than her real life.

    Best of Show

    Naoki Maeda (Japan), Fighting Okan, feature film, follows a 38-year old woman’s dream of becoming a professional boxer and the impact on her family. This film has a fun and uplifting storyline with strong character development created by a talented actress and director. Link

    {youtube}tnqZWY99NXc{/youtube}

    Nota Preziosa (Italy), Vucciría, music video, in which a young woman passes a mirror and her reflection is much more colorful than her real life. Drawn closer, she passes into a new world filled with strange and wonderful characters. A superbly crafted little film with dazzling special effects, unique costuming and souring music.


    Award of Excellence

    553AM, Memory Lane, feature film

    7Ponies Productions, Inc., LA Love Story Part 1, supporting actor (Glen the Agent)

    American Heart Association, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED, educational/instructional

    Dan Lieberstein, Lights! Action! Music!, documentary feature

    GivenTendency, LLC (Germany), Bright in the Dark, feature film

    Perception, 2 Kings, short film and leading actor (Sam Nima: Jon Alex)

    Prashant Nair (France), Delhi in a Day, feature film

    Robot Films & Three 21 Films, Starla, leading actress (Nancy Mitchell as Katie Wilson)

    Saberman…too, My Life as Abraham Lincoln, feature film

    Swinburne University (Australia), The Grace of Others, art direction

    T-Films Limited (China), Beach Spike, feature film

    Zumapaz Productions, I, Omega, short film



    Award of Merit

    Almost Holden Productions, Resolution of Two, short film

    Andy Tubbesing, Another Day In (Retired) Paradise, music video

    Anthony Brenneman, Frienemies, short film

    Backyard Green Films, Hillsville 1912: A Shooting in the Court, short documentary

    BadNinja9, Just Another Noir, feature film

    bio/pic films, a wet dream, music video

    Clever Lever Pictures, Pinching Penny, leading actor (Alex)

    Daniel Killman, Last Ride on the Midwest Pacific, feature film

    Dena Greenbaum, The Agents, short documentary

    Different Drummer Films (Canada), Donkey Love, feature documentary

    Digital Light Beam Productions (Canada), Affairs Across America – The Ashley Madison Story, movie trailer

    Elemental Productions, Afflictions: Culture & Mental Illness in Indonesia Series: Volume 2, documentary feature

    Framework Production, Trapped in Perfection, feature film

    James Ruffatto, Tinsel, experimental

    Jon Ryan Sugimoto, Her, film short

    Les Seraphins (France), Suivez La Flèche (Follow The Arrow), short film and direction

    Light on a Hill Media & Diverse City Films (Australia), Worlds Apart: Together in Adversity, short documentary

    Liquid Vision Pictures, Snooze, Charlie, short film

    Michael Mazzeo, The Bakery, leading actor

    Lisa Shreve, Lights! Action! Music!, editing

    Moonshine Movies (Australia), LIFE Before Death, documentary feature

    Morgan Paar Productions, Five Boroughs, music video

    New Concept Films, Awakening Atlantis, short film

    One Way Or Another Productions, Uptown, leading actress (Isabel: Meissa Hampton)

    Parousian Pictures, Beneath The Veneer of a Murder, experimental

    Perception, 2 Kings, post-production: overall, special effects: animation, and viewer impact: entertainment value

    Preston Randolph, Bridging the Gap: The Beverly Morgan Story, short documentary

    Productions Forever (France), Une Larme de Plus (A Tear More), short film

    Raymond Yeung, Derek & Lucas, short film

    Regent University, The Fire that Sweeps the Pine, short film

    Richard Weiss Productions, The Book, feature film

    Rick Almada, Papa Zeus, feature film

    Sandra Weston, Phone Monkeys, supporting actress (Sandra Watson)

    Scooping Owl Productions, Inc. (Canada), I Choose Chaos, feature film

    Spheroid Productions, Love Carries, original song (Your Love Will Carry You Through)

    Spinning Owls Productions, Through the Door , short film

    Steven Pristin, Le Voidwell, tube length video

    Susanne Barr, Christel Clear, short documentary

    Swinburne University (Australia), The Grace of Others, short film, cinematography, and costume design

    Sylvideo Productions, LLC, I Want A Man, short film

    Tarantula Entertainment, The Pact, feature film

    T-Films Limited (China), Beach Spike, supporting actress (Rachel)

    Trevor Hollen, The Gate, short film

    Winston Tao, Wash Me, short film

    Zac Geoffray, Obsolete, short film

    Read more

  • Tribeca Film Festival Gets New Artistic Director

    Frederic Boyer, who most recently ran the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival, has been named the new Artistic Director of Tribeca Film Festival.

    Boyer said, “I could not be more honored and excited to begin this new chapter at Tribeca. This Festival has matured and developed so impressively from its origins, but there are many more frontiers to explore while keeping the core focus on discovering new voices in filmmaking. I am grateful to Jane, Geoff, Nancy and the entire team for giving me the opportunity to help lead that exploration through the medium of film.”

    Other changes to the executive structure include the promotion of Genna Terranova, former Senior Programmer, to Director of Programming.

    The 11th annual Tribeca Film Festival will be held April 18-29, 2012, in New York City.

    Read more

  • Brazilian film director Oscar Maron Filho Suffers Heart Attack and Dies at International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_1876" align="alignnone" width="550"]Oscar Maron Filho at Festival de Rio[/caption]

    Brazilian film director and journalist Oscar Maron Filho suffered a massive cardiac arrest on Sunday afternoon, while in Goa, India,  to promote his film ‘Mario Filho: The Creator of Crowds’ at the 2011 International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

    Filho reportedly collapsed in his chair while participating in an ‘Open Forum’ on ‘Football and films’, when he “touched his head and collapsed backwards while sitting”.

    He was rushed to the Goa Medical College hospital where he later died. He was 56.

    Filho other notable films include Bye Bye Romario, Pele and O Papa da Bola.

     

    Read more

  • South Korean Film Planet of Snail Wins 2011 International Documentary Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_1874" align="alignnone"]VPRO IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary, Planet of Snail[/caption]

    The winners of the 2011 International Documentary Film Festival were just announced and Seung-Jun Yi’s Planet of Snail (South Korea) won the VPRO IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary. The Special Jury Award went to 5 Broken Cameras (Palestine/Israel) by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi, who also won the Publieke Omroep IDFA Audience Award.

    VPRO IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary
    The VPRO IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary went to Seung-Jun Yi for Planet of Snail (South Korea), which depicts the everyday life of deaf & blind Young-Chan and the love of his life, Soon-Ho.
    Planet of Snail was pitched at the FORUM 2010.

    Special Jury Award
    The jury also awarded a Special Jury Award to directors Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi for 5 Broken Cameras (Palestine/Israel/Netherlands/France). The film is a personal portrait of a Palestinian village resisting encroaching Jewish settlements, as recorded by an inhabitant of the village over a number of years.

    NTR IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary
    Jorge Gaggero received the NTR IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary for Montenegro (Argentina), about an old man living with his dogs on a quiet island in a river delta, in a seemingly harmonious symbiosis with a hermit who lives a little way away.

    IDFA Award for First Appearance
    The IDFA Award for First Appearance was presented to Xun Yu for The Vanishing Spring Light (China/Canada), which documents the life of the residents of West Street in Dujiangyan City.

    Dioraphte IDFA Award for Dutch Documentary
    The Dioraphte IDFA Award for Dutch Documentary went to Jessica Gorter for 900 Days, in which survivors of the siege of Leningrad soberly separate propagandist myth from their horrific personal memories.

    Publieke Omroep IDFA Audience Award
    De Publieke Omroep IDFA Audience Award went to 5 Broken Cameras (Palestine/Israel/Netherlands/France) by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi.

    IDFA Award for Student Documentary
    Karen Winther received the IDFA Award for Student Documentary for The Betrayal (UK/Norway). The film is about Karen, who as a teenager made a crucial mistake as part of the Norwegian squatting scene, and is hoping for forgiveness.

    BlackBerry IDFA DOC U Award
    The BlackBerry IDFA DOC U Award went to The Last Days of Winter (Iran) by Mehrdad Oskouei. The film is a portrait of seven Iranian boys in a youth detention centre, who talk candidly about their lives.

    IDFA Award for Best Green Screen Documentary
    The IDFA Award for Best Green Screen Documentary (€ 2,500) went to Bitter Seeds (USA/India) by Micha X. Peled. Filmmaker Peled investigates why every thirty minutes an Indian cotton farmer commits suicide, and follows one such farmer on his journey to the edge of the abyss.

    IDFA DocLab Award for Digital Storytelling
    This year saw the presentation for the second time of the IDFA DocLab Award for Digital Storytelling. This went to Insitu (France) by Antoine Viviani. Insitu is a search for creative, artistic ways to intervene in the public space.

    Read more

  • Palm Springs International Film Festival to honor Glenn Close with the Career Achievement Award

     

    [caption id="attachment_1868" align="alignnone"]Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs[/caption]

    The 23rd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present five-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close with the Career Achievement Award at its Awards Gala.  The Festival runs January 5-16.

    “Glenn Close has the gift of mesmerizing an audience whenever she performs,” said Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner.  “Since her film debut in 1982, Close’s ability to capture the essence of a character is unparalleled, be it a femme fatale, a notorious stalker or the trusted aide to a president.  In Albert Nobbs, her upcoming film, Close portrays a woman whose plan for survival in 19th century Ireland is to “pass” as a man, only to find herself trapped by the reality she’s created.  Here she revives a previous stage role and brings it to gritty life in yet another bravura performance.  To this star, a superstar in every sense of the word, the Palm Springs International Film Festival is proud to present the 2011 Career Achievement Award to her.”

    Past recipients of the Career Achievement Award include Cate Blanchett, Robert Duvall, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson and Helen Mirren.

    In her forthcoming film Albert Nobbs, Close plays a woman passing as a man in order to work and survive in 19th-century Ireland.  Some thirty years after donning men’s clothing, she finds herself trapped in a prison of her own making.  Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson and Brendan Gleeson join a prestigious, international cast that includes Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Janet McTeer, Brenda Fricker and Pauline Collins.  Rodrigo Garcia directs from a script that Glenn Close, along with Man Booker prize-winning novelist John Banville and Gabriella Prekop, adapted from a short story by Irish author George Moore.  Roadside Attractions will release the film theatrically this December.

    Read more

  • French Director Michel Hazanavicius to be honored at 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival

     

    The 23rd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present acclaimed French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) with the Sonny Bono Visionary Award.

    “Director Michel Hazanavicius boldly takes us back in time and reacquaints modern-day audiences with the magical power of black and white silent cinema to capture our hearts and our imaginations in The Artist,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “The film opened to rave reviews at its premiere in Cannes and will continue to be one of the films to watch throughout awards season as a leadingbest picture contender. For his creative innovation in filmmaking The Palm Springs International Film Festival is proud to present Michel Hazanavicius with the Sonny Bono Visionary Award.”

    Past recipients of the Sonny Bono Visionary Award include Danny Boyle, Quentin Tarantino, Baz Luhrmann, M. Night Shyamalan, Gus Van Sant and Joe Wright.

    The Artist takes place in Hollywood between 1927 and 1932 and focuses on a declining male film star and a rising actress, as silent cinema grows out of fashion and is replaced by talking pictures.  The Weinstein Company presents The Artist, written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius and produced by Thomas Langmann.  Starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller, Malcolm McDowell, Missi Pyle, Beth Grant, Ed Lauter, Koel Murray and Ken Davitan.

    Read more

  • Hawaii’s North Shore Surf Film Festival Announce 2011 Lineup of Surf Films

    The 2011 North Shore Surf Film Festival taking place on December 2nd, 3rd and 4th on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, will feature this year’s top surf films which will include Hawaii premiers and short films, local musicians, and exciting opportunity drawings of surfboards and great gifts.

    Films being featured this year are: Blue Sway by Jack McCoy, Year Zero by Globe, Sion Milosky Tribute by Volcom, Minds In The Water by Jason Krumb, Get N Classic by Graham Nash, 36 Hours In The City by Billabong, Imaginarium by Reef, Body Glove, Billabong and Rusty, Blow Up by Victor Pakpour, Surprise Excitement Party by Chris Cote & TransWorld Surf, Beer Can Surfboard by Rich Morrison, The Board Meeting by Maggie Franks, Hello, I’m Andy Irons as part of the upcoming Sunny Garcia documentary by Michael Oblowitz, Bonzer The Mothership 11.0 by Duncan and Malcolm Campbell, Behind The Lens Dan Merkel by Doug Walker, Lost & Found by Doug Walker Sanded by Tim Ryan, Float by Rip Curl, Walls Of Perception by Oxbow, Eddie by Claire Gorman, Chasing the Swell by Sachi Cunningham and Leave A Message by Jason Kentworthy and Aaron Leiber. 

    The theme for Friday is “Live Like Sion”, a tribute to North Shore resident, Sion who tragically drowned at Maverick’s this year while doing what he loved.  Saturday’s theme is “Surf Cinema” and the premier of long time North Shore resident Campbell Brother’s short version of “Bonzer The Mothership 11.0″.  Sunday’s theme is “Chicks Who Rip”, in honor of the many contributions women have made to and continue to make to the world of surfing. All the films featured are either made by women of featuring women.

    North Shore Surf Film Festival Schedule
    Friday Dec 2, 2011 “Live Like Sion”
    6 pm Doors Open
    7 pm Program Starts
    Blue Sway by Jack McCoy
    Year Zero by Globe
    Sion Milosky Tribute by Volcom
    8:30 pm Doors Open
    8:45 pm Program Starts
    Beer Can Surfboard by Rich Morrison
    Plastic Tide by Skye Kelly
    Minds In The Water by Jason Krumb
    10:30 pm Doors Open
    Donavon Frankenreiter In Concert
    With hits such as If It Don’t Matter, Free, Flow and Move By Yourself Donavon comes to the celebrative North Shore to Turtle Bay on the Opening Night of the North Shores Surf Film Festival. When Donavon Frankenreiter was 10 years old, he got his first surfboard. Six years later, he picked up his first guitar. It was the beginning of a wildly creative journey: His improvisational twin obsessions have carried him around the globe and into his fans’ hearts.

    Saturday Dec. 3rd Keiki’s Film Festival
    1:30 pm Doors Open
    2 pm Aidan Powell plays ukulele
    10 year old Oahu sensation brings his soulful style to the Children’s Surf Film Festival. Well known with his rendition of Train’s, Hey Soul Sister his Utube spot has had over 2 million hits to date!
    2:20 Program Starts
    North Shore Lifeguard NSLA Presentation
    36 Hours In The City by Billabong
    Get N Classic by Graham Nash
    Leave A Message by Jason Kentworthy and Aaron Lieber

    Saturday Dec. 3rd Surf Cinema Saturday Surfing’s Lost & Found
    6 pm Doors Open
    7 pm Program Starts
    Imaginarium by Reef, Body Glove, Billabong and Rusty
    Blow Up by Victor Pakpour – Billabong
    Surprise Excitement Party by Chris Cote & TransWorld SURF
    8:30 pm Door Open
    9 pm Program Starts
    Hello, I’m Andy Irons by Michael Oblowitz
    Bonzer The Mothership 11.0 by Duncan and Malcolm Campbell
    Behind The Lens Dan Merkel by Doug Walker
    Lost & Found by Doug Walker
    10:30 pm Doors Open
    Band Of Frequencies In Concert
    Top Australian band comes to the North Shore with percussionist Pro Surfer Dave Rastovich. They wow the crowds down under with their style and rhythm and now Hawaii will enjoy a rockin Saturday at Turtle Bay!

    Sunday Dec. 4th “Chicks Who Rip”
    6 pm Doors Open
    7 pm Program Starts
    Sanded by Tim Ryan
    Float by Andrew Buckley – Rip Curl
    Walls Of Perception by Oxbow
    8:30 pm Door Open
    9 pm Program Starts
    The Board Meeting by Maggie Franks
    Eddie by Claire Gorman
    Chasing the Swell by Sachi Cunningham
    Leave A Message by Jason Kentworthy and Aaron Leiber
    10:30 pm Doors Open
    John Cruz In Concert
    Hawaii’s own music man John Cruz brings, the rhythm of Aloha to the closing night of the North Shore surf Film Festival. Special friends will be on hand to share the stage and music!

    Read more

  • Swiss comedy The Sandman to open San Joaquin International Film Festival

    The San Joaquin International Film Festival will open its 5th Anniversary with the Valley Premiere of the Swiss comedy “The Sandman (Der Sandmann)” with the honorable presence of Director-Screenwriter Peter Luisi on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 7:00pm at the Stockton Empire Theatre (1825 Pacific Avenue). Mr. Luisi will participate in a post-film Q&A following the film’s screening.

    • From Director Peter Luisi: “I am delighted that my film ‘The Sandman’ has been chosen to open this year’s festival and that I have been invited to attend. Independent film festivals such as San Joaquin have become an increasingly important meeting point for us filmmakers and us film enthusiasts.”

    • From SJIFF Founder Sophoan Sorn: “We are honored to welcome director and screenwriter Peter Luisi all the way from Zurich, Switzerland to Stockton. His original and sensational comedy ‘The Sandman’ – along with his presence and delightful behind-the-scenes stories – will make the Opening Night of the 5th Anniversary San Joaquin International Film Festival an unforgettable experience!”

    Synopsis: “One morning, Benno finds sand in his bed. While he tries to ignore this, he soon realizes that he himself is the source of the sand. Day after day the sand increases, and time is running short. Finally, left with no choice, he asks Sandra the neighbor who runs a coffee shop under his apartment for help. Although Benno hates her with a passion, he starts having dreams of her each night. What could Sandra and the dreams have to do with the sand?” Starring Fabian Krüger, Irene Brügger, Beat Schlatter, Florine Elena Deplazes. (88 minutes; in Swiss German with English subtitles; produced in Switzerland in 2010-2011)

    “The Sandman” held its World Premiere at Film festival Max Ophuels Prize in Saarbrücken, Germany in January 2011, where it won the Audience Award. The film was nominated for three Swiss Film Awards, including Best Picture and Best Screenplay. It won over 20 awards around the world and screened at festivals in Solothurn and Locarno in Switzerland, Newport Beach and Berlin & Beyond in San Francisco.

    Read more

  • Harlem Film Festival to Screen Film 9 Lives About Victims of Puff Daddy City College Concert

     

    The Harlem International Film Festival will screen Jason Swain’s documentary 9 LIVES on Wednesday, December 7, 2011.

    The screening is timed to coincide with the death of rapper Heavy D last week, as well as to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the tragic night involving him that resulted in 9 people killed and 29 injured. 9 LIVES, is billed as director Jason Swain’s tribute to the nine victims including his brother Dirk, who died that night. The director will participate in a discussion after the screening.

     

     

    [caption id="attachment_1861" align="alignnone" width="549"]director Jason Swain (via MySpace)[/caption]

    In December 1991, Heavy D and Puff Daddy unravels the moments in the countdown to disaster and the circumstances that needlessly took nine youngsters from their loved ones. With Rodney King’s video-taped brutal beating making headlines in the Spring of 1991 and the Crown Heights riot spinning New York City into turmoil that August, this examination of the City College 9 disaster seeks peaceful reconciliation, artfully avoiding finger-pointing to let us witness first-hand how institutionalized prejudices combined to allow something as simple as a charity basketball game in Harlem to spiral out of control. Out of the devastating melee of lives lost a seed of hope emerged through the formation of the Dirk Swain Foundation to forever remember and combat the senselessness of December 28, 1991.

    {youtube}FHBYUM0pkXw{/youtube}

    Read more