The drama/thriller film The Ghost Trap, based on the novel of the same name by K. Stephens, will make its world premiere on April 19, 2024 at the RiverRun Film Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
RiverRun International Film Festival
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James Khanlarian’s ‘The Ghost Trap’ Starring Zak Steiner World Premieres at RiverRun Film Festival
The Ghost Trap (Michael P. Tedford. Khanlarian Entertainment)
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‘Fires in the Dark’ and ‘Sapelo’ Win Top Jury Awards at RiverRun Film Festival
Fires in the Dark directed by Dominique Lienhard RiverRun International Film Festival announced the Jury Awards for the 2021 Festival with Best Film going to Fires in the Dark directed by Dominique Lienhard and Best Documentary Feature going to Sapelo directed by Nick Brandestini. In addition to Best Film, Fires in the Dark also won Best Director along with Best Screenplay for Dominique Lienhard and Best Cinematography for Philippe Kress.
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RiverRun Film Festival 2020 Announces Winners, DE LO MIO Wins Best Film
DE LO MIO The RiverRun International Film Festival which was held virtually this year in light of COVID-19 and the cancellation of the festival announced its 2020 Jury Award Winners. The top prizes went to De Lo Mio directed by Diana Peralta for Best Film; and I Am Not Alone directed by Garin Hovannisian won Best Documentary Feature.
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Coronavirus Forces Film Festivals Cancellations and Postponements (LIST)
San Francisco International Film Festival The coronavirus, (COVID-19) pandemic is having a devastating impact on film festivals with many postponing or cancelling outright. Major festivals such as San Francisco International Film Festival and RiverRun International Film Festival have canceled, while others such as Richmond International Film Festival and Florida Film Festival have been postponed until the Summer or Fall.
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2019 RiverRun International Film Festival Awards – ALICE Tops with 3 Awards
Alice directed by Josephine Mackerras The 2019 RiverRun International Film Festival announced the Awards with the top prizes going to Alice directed by Josephine Mackerras which won the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature, along with the Peter Brunette Award for Best Director for Mackerras. The film also snagged the Re Vision and Independent Feature Film Award. The Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature went to American Factory directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert.
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‘ANGELS WEAR WHITE’, ‘MINDING THE GAP’ Among Winners of 2018 RiverRun International Film Festival
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ANGELS WEAR WHITE[/caption]
RiverRun International Film Festival announced the Audience and Jury Awards for the 2018 Festival, which ran April 19 to 29 and presented 165 films.
“We had more than 2,000 submissions for our 2018 Festival and we had many difficult choices to make in completing the program. The juries were very impressed with our competition films and agreed it was difficult to make their final decisions,” said Rob Davis, RiverRun Executive Director.
NARRATIVE FEATURES COMPETITION
Best Narrative Feature Award : ANGELS WEAR WHITE / China (Director: Vivian Qu) Jury statement: “In giving the narrative feature award to ANGELS WEAR WHITE we were enthralled by the thematic resonance and poignancy of the film as well as the brutality of the subject matter. Shot against a backdrop of natural beauty it drove a remarkable narrative that straddled the line between hope and devastation.” The Peter Brunette Award for Best Director – Narrative Feature was presented to: Vivian Qu, ANGELS WEAR WHITE / China Best Actor / Thomas Gioria / CUSTODY Best Actress / Meijun Zhou / ANGELS WEAR WHITE Jury Statement: “Additionally, in giving out the acting awards we were particularly impressed with the magnetic performances of young actors who brought a harsh reality to the plight of their characters.” Best Screenplay / Laurent Cantet & Robin Campillo / THE WORKSHOP RiverRun’s 2018 Narrative Features jurors included: Amman Abbasi, Benjamin Crossley-Marra, Neil Soffer and Lauren Vilchik. Previous winners of RiverRun’s Best Narrative Feature Jury Award include: After Love (2017), The Fits (2016), Memories on Stone (2015), Ida (2014), In the House (2013), Found Memories (2012), Bal (2011), Katalin Varga (2010), Three Monkeys (2009), The Edge of Heaven (2008), For the Living and the Dead (2007), A Wonderful Night in Split (2006), and Innocent Voices (2005).DOCUMENTARY FEATURES COMPETITION
Best Documentary Feature: MINDING THE GAP / USA (Director: Bing Liu) Jury Statement: “For the Best Documentary prize, told with deep dedication and investment – both in terms of time and of heart – Bing Liu’s MINDING THE GAP is an astonishingly accomplished film that explores race, class, and masculinity, transcending cliches for a deeply honest and moving coming-of-age portrait of three young men.” Best Director / Mila Turajlic / THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING Jury Statement: “Mira Turajlic deftly mines the political for the personal in this complex double-portrait of her mother, Sribijanka—a university professor and activist—and the war-torn Serbia she has fought to call home. It’s a stunning directorial balancing act: too complicated to be a mere fawning portrait, it nevertheless gives life to Sribijanka’s fiery ideas with depth, rigor, and love.” Best Editing / Kieran Gosney & Dino Jonsäter / TIME TRIAL Jury Statement: “With precise and commanding technique, the editors take us on a ride into the middle of a sporting event most of us never watch or even understand… and into the experience of a rider on the ride of his life.” Best Cinematography / Julian Schwanitz / DONKEYOTE Jury Statement: “Lush, grounded, and patient. These words best describe the cinematography of Julian Schwanitz in DONKEYOTE. His gorgeous renderings of Southern Spain, his crisp capturing of sound, and the intimacy in which he portrays the film’s two main characters – Manolo, and his donkey, Gorrión, provide a tenderness and poetry that help this film soar.” RiverRun’s 2018 Documentary Features Competition jurors included: K. Austin Collins, Tom Haneke, Sierra Pettengill and Stan Wright. Previous winners of RiverRun’s Best Documentary Feature Jury Award include: Quest (2017), Salero (2016), The Chinese Mayor (2015), The Case Against 8 (2014), I Am Breathing (2013), The Boy Who Was a King (2012), Armadillo (2011), Last Train Home (2010), Unmistaken Child (2009), Up the Yangtze (2008), Manufactured Landscapes (2007), Taimagura Grandma (2006) and Parallel Lines (2005).SHORTS COMPETITION
Best Documentary Short : XAVIER CORBERO: PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST IN WINTER / Spain / Director: Nathalie Biancheri Jury Statement: “The film is so funny, its central character so outrageous, that it’s easy to miss the meticulousness of the filmmaker’s work – the slowly circular camera movements that perfectly match the rounded forms of Corbero’s architecture and sculpture. It’s what a short film should be: an immersion into character without an extraneous moment.” Special Jury Prize: WHILE I YET LIVE / USA / Director: Maris Curran Jury Statement: “A group of women so unpretentious that they might not think to describe themselves as artists yet who unarguably are. We are grateful for a film that has perfectly captured this precious American artistic movement before it vanishes.” Best Student Documentary Short: THE SANDMAN / USA / Director: Lauren Knapp / Stanford University Jury Statement: “No film can do justice to an issue as fraught as the death penalty. This short film adds an unexpected and valuable contrarian voice.” RiverRun’s 2018 Documentary Shorts jurors included: Laura Coxson, Peter Gilbert, Thomas Lennon and Xiao Xiao. Best Narrative Short : GARAGE AT NIGHT / Canada / Director: Daniel Daigle Jury Statement: “With innovative uses of the cut, off-camera action, silence, and truly alive performances, our selection for Best Narrative Short tells the story of a brotherhood without ever leaving one room. Never making a false choice, we believe this film exemplifies what’s possible in the form, and we’re delighted to present the award to GARAGE AT NIGHT, directed by Daniel Daigle.” Special Jury Prize: WELCOME HOME / Norway / Director: Armita Keyani Jury Statement: “We chose to give an honorable mention to a charming and refreshing comedy about an Iranian couple who take an unconventional route to making friends in their new Scandinavian neighborhood. With super charismatic performances from leads Ashkan Ghorbani and Elnaz Asghari, we can see this short as the first chapter of a series about these two funny lovebirds. Our Special Jury Mention goes to WELCOME HOME by Armita Keyani.” Best Animated Short : SOG / Germany / Director: Jonatan Schwenk Jury Statement: “We give the Best Animated Short Award to SOG for its nuanced exploration of the conflicts that arise between neighboring groups, and its innovative blending of techniques.” Special Jury Prize: WEEKENDS / USA / Director: Trevor Jimenez Jury Statement: “As Honorable Mention, we would like to acknowledge WEEKENDS for its elegant storytelling, beautiful production design, and its ability to portray the subject of divorce from a child’s perspective in a non-judgemental way.” Special Jury Prize: Carlotta’s Face / Germany / Directors: Valentin Riedl & Frédéric Schuld Jury Statement: “As Honorable Mention, we would like to acknowledge CARLOTTA’S FACE for its poetic use of animation to help visualize the condition of face blindness and showcase it as an artistic tool to overcome adversity.” RiverRun’s 2018 Animated Shorts jurors included: Lizzi Akana, Joel Frenzer and Andy Kennedy.AUDIENCE AWARDS
Overall Audience Award: IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE / USA / Director: Gregg Jamback Kilpatrick Townsend Stockton Narrative Feature Audience Award: BYE BYE GERMANY / Germany / Luxembourg / Belgium / Director: Sam Garbarski Documentary Feature Audience Award: SILAS / Canada / South Africa / Kenya / Directors: Hawa Essuman and Anjali Nayar Altered States Audience Award: SAINTS REST / USA / Director: Noga AshkenaziPITCHFEST
In an effort to further promote the development of new filmmaking talent, RiverRun partnered with universities around the state to present the fifth annual PitchFest competition. Pre-selected student filmmakers from The Documentary Film Program at Wake Forest University, Elon University, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington pitched their documentary shorts projects to a panel of industry experts, received advice on how to proceed, and vied for prizes and industry recognition. The Piedmont Federal Savings Bank First Place winner received a $500 prize and the Runner Up received a $250 prize to assist in the production and completion of their films. Piedmont Federal Savings Bank First Place: NO SANCTUARY / UNCSA / Directors: Moriah Hall & Nathan Knox Second Place: DEAD IN THE WATER / UNC – Wilmington / Director: Lizzie Bankowsk RiverRun PitchFest 2018 jurors included: Celia Weston, Brett Ingram and Nick Price.
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BLACK PANTHERS Film Wins Best of Fest at 2015 RiverRun International Film Festival
THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION directed by Stanley Nelson took home the Audience Award “Best of Fest” at the 17th annual RiverRun International Film Festival which ran April 16 to 26, 2015. In the film, Stanley Nelson weaves together voices from varied perspectives who lived the story of the Black Panther Party, including police, FBI informants, journalists, white supporters, and detractors, those who remained loyal to the party and those who left it.
AUDIENCE AWARDS
The Audience Award “Best of Fest” was presented to: THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION / USA (Director: Stanley Nelson) — Whether they were right or wrong, the Black Panther Party and its leadership remain powerful and enduring figures in our popular imagination even today. Stanley Nelson’s film weaves together voices from varied perspectives who lived this story– police, FBI informants, journalists, white supporters, and detractors, those who remained loyal to the party and those who left it.
The Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature was presented to: ANYWHERE ELSE / Israel / Germany (Director: Ester Amrami) — Noa, an Israeli grad student working on her thesis in Berlin about untranslatable words, returns home to find her family less than enamored with her life choices and struggles to define her connections to both place and family.
The Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature was presented to: 3 ½ MINUTES / USA (Director: Marc Silver) — This gripping documentary dissects the shooting death of 17-year-old Jordan Davis, the aftermath of this systemic tragedy and contradictions within the American criminal justice system.
The Altered States Audience Award for Best Indie was presented to: PROUD CITIZEN / USA (Director: Thomas Southerland) — After winning second place in a play writing contest, a Bulgarian woman travels to small town Kentucky for the premiere of her play. Expecting southern hospitality, she instead finds an America full of dichotomy in this funny, heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking meditation on the comfort (and discomfort) of strangers.
NARRATIVE COMPETITION
The Best Narrative Feature Award was presented to: MEMORIES ON STONE / Iraq / Germany (Director: Shawkat Amin Korki) — Kurdish childhood friends Hussein and Alan naively resolve to produce a film about the genocide of Kurdish people in Iraq, specifically the Anfal campaign of 1988. They learn that in order to will the film into existence they must put everything on the line–even their own lives.
The Peter Brunette Award for Best Director was presented to: Naomi Kawase, STILL THE WATER / Japan / Spain / France
Best Actor was presented to:
Hussein Hassan MEMORIES ON STONE / Iraq / Germany (Director: Shawkat Amin Korki)
Best Actress was presented to:
Julieta Diaz, REFUGIADO / Argentina / France / Columbia / Poland (Director: Diego Lerman)
Best Cinematography – Narrative Feature was presented to:
Yutaka Yamazuki, STILL THE WATER / Japan / Spain / France (Director: Naomi Kawase
Best Screenplay was presented to:
THE SECOND MOTHER / Brazil (Director: Anna Muylaert)
Special Jury Prize for Editing:
Ebrahim Saeedi, MEMORIES ON STONE / Iraq / Germany (Director: Shawkat Amin Korki)
Honorable Mention for Cinematography:
Sara Mishara, FELIX AND MEIRA / Canada (Director: Maxime Giroux)
Honorable Mention for Actress:
Hadas Yaron, FELIX AND MEIRA / Canada (Director: Maxime Giroux)
Honorable Mention for Actor:
James ‘Primo’ Grant, FIVE STAR / USA (Director: Keith Miller)
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
Best Documentary Feature : THE CHINESE MAYOR / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Controversial Chinese politician Geng Yanbo demolished 140,000 households and relocated half a million people in order to restore ancient relic walls for the sake of the region’s tourism industry. The film investigates one mayor’s mission to save his city and uncovers the secret workings of China’s Communist Party.
Jury statement: “We chose “The Chinese Mayor” as Best Documentary Feature for its incredible level of access, the ambiguity of its story arc, the complexity of Mayor Geng, and its ability to give the audience an inside look at a culture we might not be familiar with.”
Best Director — Documentary Feature was presented to: Joshua Oppenheimer for THE LOOK OF SILENCE / Denmark / Finland / Indonesia / Norway / UK — Through Joshua Oppenheimer’s work filming perpetrators of the Indonesian genocide, a family of survivors discovers the identities of the men who killed their son. The youngest brother is determined to break the spell of silence, and so confronts the men responsible for his brother’s murder–something unimaginable in a country where killers remain in power.
Jury statement: “We recognize this film for his bold clarity of vision and unflinching commitment to the material. “The Look of Silence” is a remarkable film that bears Oppenheimer’s unmistakable stamp with every choice he makes as a filmmaker.”
Special Jury Prize: WELCOME TO LEITH / USA (Co-directors: Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher Walker) — In the tiny town of Leith, North Dakota, notorious white supremacist Craig Cobb is attempting a hostile takeover. Filmed in the days leading up to Cobb’s arrest for terrorizing the townspeople, the film is an eerie document of American DIY ideals.
SHORTS COMPETITION
Best Documentary Short was presented to: CAILLEACH / UK (Director: Rosie Reed Hillman) — Morag is 86. She lives alone at the end of a track looking out to sea on her croft on the Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, with her three cats and twelve sheep. Morag was born in this house and has lived here her whole life, following five generations of the family who came before her. Cailleach is a portrait of Morag and her simple and peaceful life as she contemplates her next chapter, shares her unique sense of independence and the connection she has to her wild island home. As the winner of the jury award for Best Documentary Short, ‘Cailleach’ is now eligible to be considered for a 2016 Academy Award®.
Jury statement: “Cailleach” was selected“for its reflective and cinematic portrait of an 86-year-old woman getting on with life no matter the circumstances.”
Honorable Mention to the documentary short: NOTES FROM LIBERIA / USA / Liberia (Co-Directors: Ryo Murakami and Judd Ehrlich) — Crafted from footage shot by the late Japanese cinematographer Ryo Murakami on the Firestone Tire and Rubber Plantation in Liberia, the film traces Ryo’s journey from Monrovia, where the traumas of a brutal fifteen-year civil war still simmer beneath the surface, to the remote plantation village of Harbel.
Jury statement: “For its poignant investigation of the Firestone rubber plantation in Liberia, the Short Documentary honorable mention goes to “Notes from Liberia” by Judd Ehrlich and the late Ryo Murakami.” Accepting the award is the film’s producer, Takeshi Fukunaga.
Best Narrative Short was presented to: THE KÁRMÁN LINE / UK / (Director: Oscar Sharp) — When a mother acquires a rare condition that sees her lift off the ground at a slow but ever increasing rate, her husband and daughter are forced to come to terms with losing her.
Jury statement: “Seamlessly transitioning between levity and pathos, we award “The Kármán Line” for its moving and original take on impending loss as seen through the eyes of an ordinary family in an extraordinary situation.”
Special Jury Prize was presented to: ÁRTÚN / Iceland / Denmark / (Director: Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson) — A small town boy in Iceland decides to travel to the big city with his friends in search of his first romantic encounter. The city holds more in store for them than they anticipated.
Best Student Short: ROTA / USA (Director: Jean-Jacques Martinod) — An abandoned warehouse becomes a surreal theater where men are challenged to risk their lives on stage to a game of chance. Jury statement: “For making us complicit in a bizarre underground world we never asked to be a part of, we award best student short to ‘Rota.’”
Best Animated Short was presented to: BEAR STORY / Chile (Director: Gabriel Osorio Vargas) — An old bear goes out every day to a busy street corner. Through a tin marionette theater of his own making, he reveals his extraordinary life story. As the winner of the jury award for Best Animated Short, ‘Bear Story’ is now eligible to be considered for a 2016 Academy Award®.
Jury Statement: “With its mechanical tin toy aesthetic and clever take on narrative vs. reality, we and the audience enjoyed the film’s tale of a bears tragic and ultimately heroic life story.”
Best Student Animated Short: THE PRESENT / Germany (Director: Jacob Frey) — Jake spends most of his time playing video games indoors, until his mom decides to give him an unexpected present.
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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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RiverRun International Film Festival is Now Qualifying Festival for Oscars in the Documentary Short Subject Award; Announces Opening Films for 2014 Festival
LE CHEF, directed by Daniel CohenGood news for RiverRun Film Festival. The festival announced that it has been accepted as a qualifying festival for the Oscars® in the Documentary Short Subject award category. Beginning with this year’s Festival, recipients of RiverRun’s Jury Award for Best Documentary Short will qualify for consideration in the Documentary Short Subject category of the annual Academy Awards®. The Festival also announced it’s two opening night fllms and closing night film for the 2014 festival. The first opening night film, LE CHEF, is an uproarious comedy in which a famous veteran chef faces off against his restaurant’s new CEO. The second opening night film is TO BE TAKEI, a documentary about 76 year-old George Takei, who has become more popular than his Sulu days on “Star Trek” through his active social media presence in the movements for marriage equality and for reparations for the victims of Japanese internment camps. The Festival will close on April 13 with BICYCLING WITH MOLIÈRE, in which a retired actor Serge (Fabrice Luchini) is approached by Gauthier to star in a revival of Molière’s The Misanthrope, but he plays hard to get.
In the uproarious comedy, LE CHEF, a famous veteran chef (Jean Reno) faces off against his restaurant’s new CEO, who wants the establishment to lose a star from its rating in order to bring in a younger chef who specializes in molecular gastronomy.
http://youtu.be/cf2Nk3Ld8Og
TO BE TAKEI. Over seven decades, actor and activist George Takei boldly journeyed from a WWII internment camp to the helm of the starship Enterprise to the daily news feeds of five million Facebook fans. Join George and his husband Brad on this star’s playful and profound trek for life, liberty and love.
http://youtu.be/yZpN8KLM0S4
BICYCLING WITH MOLIERE. Retired actor Serge (Fabrice Luchini) is approached by Gauthier to star in a revival of Molière’s The Misanthrope, but he plays hard to get. Serge’s new lover, the play’s producer and his agent arrive on the same weekend to pressure him to make up his mind.
http://youtu.be/rlJgzcEzYT4
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RiverRun International Film Festival Announces 2013 Winning Films; “Remote Area Medical” Wins Best American Indie Award
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Remote Area Medical[/caption]The RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, held April 12–21, 2013, announced the jury and audience awards of the 2013 Festival. Among the winning films, Altered States Audience Award for Best American Indie was presented to Remote Area Medical, directed by Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman. Remote Area Medical documents the program that provided free healthcare to nearly 2000 uninsured Americans on the infield of Bristol’s NASCAR Speedway in April 2012.
Audience Awards:
The Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature was presented to Picture Day, directed by Kate Melville. The Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature was presented to Rising From Ashes, directed by T.C. Johnstone. Altered States Audience Award for Best American Indie was presented to Remote Area Medical, directed by Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman.
Juried Awards
Narrative Features Competition
Best Narrative Feature: In the House, directed by François Ozon
Peter Brunette Award for Best Director: William Vega, La Sirga
Best Actor: Ariello Arena, Reality
Best Actress: Suzanne Clément, Laurence Anyways
Best Cinematography: Sofia Oggioni, La Sirga
Best Screenplay: François Ozon, In the House
Special Jury Prize: Tey, directed by Alain GomisDocumentary Features Competition
Best Documentary Feature: I Am Breathing, directed by Emma Davie and Morag McKinnon
Best Director: Ilian Metev, Sofia’s Last Ambulance
Human Rights Award: A River Changes Course, directed by Kalyanee Mam
Best Cinematography: Sebastián Hofmann, Pedro González Rubio and Fernanda Romandía, Canícula
Special Jury Prize: Twenty Feet from StardomShorts Competitions
Best Narrative Short: Trois Secondes et Demie, directed by Edouard Beaucamp
Best Student Narrative Short: Trois Secondes et Demie, directed by Edouard Beaucamp
Best Documentary Short: Slomo, directed by Joshua Izenberg
Best Student Documentary Short: The Words in the Margins, directed by Sara Mott
Special Jury Prize (Documentary Short): Unravel, directed by Meghna Gupta
Best Animated Short: Second Hand, directed by Isaac King
Best Student Animated Short: Head Over Heels, directed by Timothy Reckart.
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RiverRun International Film Festival to Honor Anna Margaret Hollyman, Terence Nance and Madeleine Martin with 2013 Spark Award
Anna Margaret Hollyman (White Reindeer), Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty) and Madeleine Martin ( The Discoverers) will be honored with RiverRun’s 2013 Spark Award at the 2013 RiverRun International Film Festival.
The Spark Award,which was introduced at the 2012 festival, is intended to recognize exciting new filmmakers and breakthrough performers who are just on the cusp of gaining wider recognition for their remarkable talents.
The three will be honored at an exclusive VIP-only event on the evening of Friday, April 19th, during the second weekend of RiverRun.
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Anna Margaret Hollyman (White Reindeer)[/caption]Anna Margaret Hollyman has starred in the features Social Butterfly by Lauren Wolkstein, 2012 RiverRun Altered States Audience Award winner Small, Beautifully Moving Parts by Annie Howell and Lisa Robinson, and Zach Clark’s White Reindeer, which is an official RiverRun selection in the Altered States section of this year’s festival.
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Terence Nance -An Oversimplification of Her Beauty[/caption]Terence Nance studied visual art and his practice includes installation, performance, music, and moving images. Terence makes music under the name Terence Etc. His first feature film, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and went on to play many prestigious festivals. The film has garnered Terence recognition from Filmmaker magazine, where he was selected as one of the 25 new faces of independent film. Oversimplification… also won the 2012 Gotham Award for “Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You.” Terence is currently developing his sophomore feature, The Lobbyist.
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The Discoverers, Madeleine Martin[/caption]Madeleine Martin (2nd from right) is best known for her role as Becca Moody, Hank Moody’s (David Duchovny’s) precocious daughter on Showtime’s Californication. In 2009 Madeleine was the recipient of the Marian Seldes’ Most Promising Young Performer Award, and The National Youth Theater award in 2008. She also stars in a breakout performance alongside Griffin Dunne in Justin Schwarz’s debut feature film The Discoverers, an official selection of RiverRun 2013 screening in the Focus section.
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RiverRun International Film Festival Reveals 2012 Full Lineup of Films
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THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES[/caption]The RiverRun International Film Festival announced the full lineup of films for the 14th annual Festival, running April 13-22, 2012. This year RiverRun will screen 140 films, which includes 59 features and 81 shorts.
“We’ve put together a fantastic lineup of films for this year’s Festival, ranging from hysterically funny comedies and powerful issue documentaries to groundbreaking independent works and critically-acclaimed international movies,” said RiverRun Executive Director Andrew Rodgers. “Once again, we’ve selected some of the best cinema from around the world to share with our audiences – and I believe we’ve put together our best program yet!”
The Festival will open on April 13 with a screening of ONE NIGHT STAND, a brilliant documentary that peeks behind the curtain to show the amazing creative process of some of Broadway’s best, and will close on April 22 with Fred Schepisi’s THE EYE OF THE STORM, about an upper-crust matron (Charlotte Rampling) and her adult children (Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis). In between, the Festival will feature a wide variety of features, documentaries, shorts and animation in competition sections, as well as many films in non-competition sidebars. Additionally, UNCSA alum Paul Schneider (Lars and the Real Girl, All the Real Girls) will receive RiverRun’s 2012 Emerging Master Award, following a screening of BRIGHT STAR on April 20. Also, for this year’s Centerpiece Premiere on April 18 at the Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, RiverRun will show THE HUNTER, about a man (Willem Dafoe) sent to the Tasmanian wilderness to hunt an endangered animal.
Included in the non-competition lineup this year is a Spotlight on Science Fiction Favorites from the 60’s and 70’s, featuring classics from Stanley Kubrick, Andrei Tarkovsky,Woody Allen and others. Additional sidebars include a new Focus section and the second year of Altered States: New Directions in American Cinema, which features new works by young American filmmakers.
2012 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
NARRATIVE COMPETITION: The 2012 Narrative Competition is incredibly diverse including films from around the world that range from fast paced thrillers to dream-like dramas. The films in the Narrative Competition are eligible for jury prizes and the Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.
ELENA – Russia / Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
The ages-old adage that a mother will do anything to protect her children finds new meaning in the domestic stunner Elena. When her well-to-do husband takes ill and threatens to excise her parasitic son from the will, Elena must take desperate measures to ensure the security of her progeny.
THE FAIRY- France / Belgium / Directors: Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy
From the filmmaking team that delighted RiverRun audiences in 2009 with Rumba comes this new lighter-than-air comedic fable, filled with inspired gags and choreographed wonders, about a woman who thinks she’s a fairy and the man who believes in her.
FOUND MEMORIES – Argentina / Brazil / France / Director: Júlia Murat
Life is simple and habits beat a warm, familiar cadence in an aging, off-the-map Brazilian village. The sudden appearance of Rita, a dynamic young photographer, disrupts the monotony however, and sets a series of changes in motion that transform daily life in unexpected ways.
KEEP THE LIGHTS ON – USA / Director: Ira Sachs
This intense film follows the relationship between a man and his closeted lover. What begins as a highly charged first sexual encounter soon becomes something much more. As the two start building a home and life together, each continues to privately battle their own compulsions and addictions.
LIFE WITHOUT PRINCIPLE – Hong Kong / Director: Johnnie To
A low-level gangster, a bank officer and a cop find their fates entwined at the onset of the global economic crisis, when fear and panic seem to take hold. As a result of actions that each takes, their moral compass is tested on a day when clear thinking is already in short supply.
MONSIEUR LAZHAR – Canada / Director: Philippe Falardeau[caption id="attachment_1958" align="alignnone"]
MONSIEUR LAZHAR[/caption]An endearing and eager Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a teacher who died under mysterious circumstances at a French Canadian elementary school. His presence quickly becomes essential to the grieving and shell-shocked students in this affirming masterpiece, a 2012 Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.
OSLO, AUGUST 31st – Norway / Director: Joachim Trier
Anders is a fortunate but deeply troubled man battling addiction. As part of his rehab he is sent for a job interview in the city, but instead uses the opportunity to wander and visit old friends, reawakening personal demons in his search for love and a new life.
THE STUDENT – Argentina / Director: Santiago Mitre
A gritty, energetic university initiates a young man into the fast-paced, cutthroat system of student politics in Buenos Aires, where the students are refreshingly activated in constructing their campus experience. But the line between sexual and political power becomes far more blurred than their textbooks would confess.
WUTHERING HEIGHTS – UK / Director: Andrea Arnold
The fearless Andrea Arnold, director of 2009’s critically-acclaimed Fish Tank, reinvents Emily Bronte’s epic love story in a fresh, visually arresting way. A poor boy of unknown origins is taken in by the Earnshaw family, where he develops an intense relationship with his foster sister.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION: The 2012 Documentary Competition includes plenty of commentary on the issues that have so far defined the 21st century. From global warming to American greed to the issue of gay rights to the collapse of US manufacturing, the topics of these works are sure to spark discussions. The films in the Documentary Competition are eligible for jury prizes and the Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.
THE BOY WHO WAS A KING – Bulgaria / Germany / Director: Andrey Paounov
Paounov’s film tells the fascinating story of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, who at the age of six became the Tsar of Bulgaria, only to then be overthrown by communist dissenters three years later. The film presents Gotha’s harrowing and complicated return to national politics after 50 years in exile.
CHASING ICE – USA / Director: Jeff Orlowski[caption id="attachment_2337" align="alignnone" width="549"]
CHASING ICE[/caption]One of the most visually stunning films made about global climate change, Orlowski’s work demonstrates how renowned photographer James Balog has captured incontrovertible proof of vanishing glaciers across the Arctic. With astounding time-lapse photography, this film offers a visual face to this dire problem.
DETROPIA – USA / Directors: Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
The city of Detroit may have suffered from the collapse of US manufacturing more than any other American city, and its residents have borne more than their share of economic hardships. But as this arresting film shows, the city hasn’t given up and is desperately trying to reclaim its sense of home.
ETHEL – USA / Director: Rory Kennedy
Who better to tell the life story of Ethel Kennedy (widow of the late Bobby Kennedy) than her youngest daughter, Rory? Incorporating stories told by many of the Kennedys themselves, this film paints a truly intimate, personal and deeply moving portrait of one of the greatest American political families.
INDIE GAME: THE MOVIE – Canada / Directors: Lisanne Pajot and James Swirsky
Video games are big business, raking in untold millions for corporations around the globe, who peddle in the latest new releases. Not unlike the music or film industries, however, there are many young video game developers trying to go it alone and make their fortunes by making independent games. This film tells their story.
THE ISLAND PRESIDENT – USA / Director: Jon Shenk[caption id="attachment_1766" align="alignnone"]
THE ISLAND PRESIDENT[/caption]President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives is credited with bringing democracy to his country. His next challenge is combating a threat that is much harder to control, the possibility of the entire country slowly disappearing under the sea.
JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI – USA / Director: David Gelb
One wouldn’t expect to find the finest sushi restaurant in the world in the basement of a nondescript Tokyo office building, but that’s where Sukiyabaski Jiro has worked for a majority of his 85 years. Now, facing retirement, his son Yoshikazu must take over from this sushi master.
LOVE FREE OR DIE – USA / Director: Macky Alston
Gene Robinson has become well-known since becoming the first openly gay person to become a bishop in a major Christian denomination. Through this personal story that details Robinson’s life and work, we are given a front-row seat to the Episcopal Church’s struggle to come to terms with homosexuality.
THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES – USA / Netherlands / UK / Denmark / Director: Lauren Greenfield
Greefield’s impressive character-driven documentary chronicles a billionaire family and their financial challenges in the wake of the economic crisis. With epic proportions of Shakespearean tragedy, the film follows two unique characters, whose rags-to-riches success stories reveal the innate virtues and flaws of the American Dream.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: This year, RiverRun’s non-competition Special Presentation section features a collection of stunning new films spanning all genres, ranging from comedies about line dancing to documentaries about Broadway musicals.
BRIGHT STAR – Australia / UK / Director: Jane Campion
Based on the true story of 19th century poet John Keats and his three-year romance with Fanny Brawne, Jane Campion’s literary biopic also stars UNCSA alum Paul Schneider, who has amassed an impressive array of striking and distinctive film roles. Following the screening, Schneider will participate in a discussion about the film and his career, and will be presented with RiverRun’s 2012 Emerging Master Award.
CHIMPANZEE – USA / Directors: Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield
Celebrate Earth Day with a film from the Disneynature series that transports you to the tropical jungles of the Ivory Coast and Uganda to meet Oscar, an adorable baby chimp, whose playful curiosity and zest for discovery demonstrates the intelligence and ingenuity of one of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom.
THE HUNTER – Australia / Director: Daniel Nettheim
Willem Dafoe stars as a mercenary sent to the Tasmanian wilderness by a mysterious biotech company in search of the last remaining Tasmanian tiger. His job becomes complicated, however, by uncooperative and occasionally hostile locals, the unforgiving terrain and a young family who prompt him to question his assignment. CENTERPIECE PREMIERE
THE EYE OF THE STORM – Australia / Director: Fred Schepisi
Elizabeth Hunter (Charlotte Rampling) controls every aspect of her stiff upper-crust life: society, her staff, her children (played wonderfully by Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis); but the once great beauty will now carry out her most defiant act as she chooses her time to die. CLOSING NIGHT
THE GOOD DOCTOR – USA / Director: Lance Daly
Orlando Bloom stars as a socially aloof doctor who befriends a pretty young patient with a kidney infection. He likes having her around so much, in fact, that he starts tampering with her treatment in order to keep her sick and in the hospital near him.
ONE NIGHT STAND – USA / Directors: Elisabeth Sperling and Trish Dalton
Ever wonder how much work goes into making a musical? In this brilliant and charming documentary, audiences are given a back-stage pass to watch the creative process as a collection of Broadway’s best artists race to create, rehearse and perform a series of 20-minute musicals… all within 24 hours. OPENING NIGHT
QUEENS OF COUNTRY – USA / Directors: Ryan Page & Christopher Pomerenke
Jolene (Lizzy Caplan) lives in a fantasy world of bygone country songs. When she discovers a lost iPod with her boyfriend (Ron Livingston), she becomes convinced that the owner is her soul mate and is thrust into a sexy, heartwarming and hilarious adventure while searching for the iPod’s true owner.
RETURN – USA / Director: Liza Johnson
A soldier, dazzlingly played by Linda Cardellini, returns from a tour of duty in Afghanistan to her children, friends, job and loving husband, played by 2011 Emerging Master honoree Michael Shannon. But the PTSD she suffers from makes every day a struggle.
SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT – USA / Director: Hal Needham
A maverick racecar driver is hired to run a tractor-trailer full of beer over county lines with a pesky sheriff in hot pursuit. To coincide with the release of his memoir, Stuntman!, RiverRun has invited legendary Hollywood stuntman and director Hal Needham to reflect on this film (his directorial debut) and his illustrious career.
Spotlight on Science Fiction Favorites: Rather than focusing on a specific country, the 2012 Spotlight will showcase a particular genre – Science Fiction – and will include landmark films of the genre, cult classics, campy B-movies and even a comedy. This Spotlight was designed to highlight seminal works of Science Fiction film from the 60s and 70s, specifically pre-Star Wars. The films selected include in this section include:
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY – USA / UK / Director: Stanley Kubrick
Based on Arthur C. Clarke’s story “The Sentinel,” this landmark 1968 epic is a mind-bending, sci-fi symphony. Director Stanley Kubrick spent more than two years meticulously creating the most “realistic” depictions of outer space ever seen, pushing the limits of narrative and special effects toward a meditation on technology and humanity.
THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN – USA / Director: Robert Wise
A deadly alien virus is brought to Earth when a research satellite crashes near a tiny Arizona town. A team of scientists is recruited from labs all over North America to don radiation suits and race against time to destroy the virus. This film returns director Wise to the genre he first explored with The Day the Earth Stood Still.
LOGAN’S RUN – USA / Director:
Set in a dystopian future where population and the consumption of resources are managed and maintained by killing everyone who reaches the age of thirty, this cult classic follows the title character as he attempts to escape from society’s lethal demand.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH – UK / Director: by Nicolas Roeg
In this deeply allegorical science-fiction drama, an alien lands on Earth seeking a way to ship water to his home planet, which is suffering from a severe drought. The film achieved cult status for David Bowie’s performance and the surreal imagery of director Nicolas Roeg.
SLEEPER – USA / Director: Woody Allen
In Allen’s futuristic comedy, a neurotic health food store owner is cryogenically frozen in 1973 and defrosted 200 years later in an inept totalitarian state. A mix of bizarre sight gags and clever one-liners, Allen’s film is filled with plot points that parody or spoof the works of H.G. Wells, George Orwell and other sci-fi greats.
SOLARIS – SOVIET UNION / Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival, Tarkovsky’s masterpiece centers on a widowed psychologist who is sent to a space station to investigate the mysterious death of a doctor, as well as the mental problems plaguing the dwindling number of cosmonauts on the station.
SOYLENT GREEN – USA / Director: Richard Fleischer
Set in the future, as Earth suffers from pollution, overpopulation, depleted resources, poverty and global warming, a New York police detective finds himself marked for murder by government agents when he gets too close to a bizarre state secret involving the origins of a revolutionary and needed new foodstuff.
ALTERED STATES: NEW DIRECTIONS IN AMERICAN CINEMA: With technological breakthroughs and new distribution models rapidly democratizing the landscape of the motion picture industry, this program features a new wave of exciting, independent American filmmakers who are exploring new territory within the medium.
BAD FEVER – USA / Director: Dustin Guy Defa
Fixated on securing a gig at a second-rate Salt Lake City comedy club to impress a street urchin girl he’s befriended, socially adrift naïf Eddie sets down a heartbreakingly hopeless path in seeking to forge the real human connection that’s always eluded him.
GREEN – USA / Director: Sophia Takal
Sensitive NYC dilettante Genevieve retreats to a rural Virginia cottage with her boyfriend Sebastian, a pedantic journalist working on a story about sustainable farming. When Genevieve befriends saccharine local Robin, however, a tense triangle of brooding jealousy and attraction develops that tests the self-control of all.
KEVIN – USA / Director: Jay Duplass
Filmmaker Jay Duplass’ documentary investigates the story of Kevin Gant, an inspired and beloved Austin musician who disappeared from the scene in 1995. Who is Kevin? What happened to him and can he get back what he lost? Features a special live musical performance from Kevin Gant.
A LITTLE CLOSER – USA / Director: Matthew Petock
In a backwater Virginia town, a single mom struggles to raise two unruly boys growing increasingly independent and preoccupied with the opposite sex. Petock’s debut feature presents a moving and naturalistic sketch of a working-poor family trying desperately to keep their heads above water.
MAGIC VALLEY – USA / Director: Jaffe Zinn
On the surface, the small town of Buhl, Idaho appears the picture postcard of a wholesome, close-knit Western community. The daylong search for a fish farmer’s missing daughter unearths strata of civil dysfunction and unrest that belie its unassuming exterior, however, in this grippingly atmospheric piece.
PILGRIM SONG – USA / Director: Martha Stephens
A recently laid-off high-school music teacher embarks on a cathartic solo backpacking adventure along Kentucky’s Sheltowee Trace Trail, seeking to rediscover a lost sense of personal fulfillment. UNCSA alum Martha Stephens (Passenger Pigeons) returns to RiverRun with her quietly assured and gently arresting second feature.
SAWDUST CITY – USA / Director: David Nordstrom
An estranged pair of brothers reunite for a frostbitten Wisconsin Thanksgiving, and the family bonds are quickly re-formed as the daylong search for their alcoholic father leads to a whirlwind tour of the local dives full of bittersweet revelry and revelation.
SMALL, BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS – USA / Directors: Annie Howell and Lisa Robinson
Technology-obsessed Sarah finds the chaos and unpredictability of her recent pregnancy daunting, sparking an impulsive road trip to reconnect with her absentee mother living in parts unknown out in the Western desert. Howell and Robinson’s film dazzles as a comic coming-of-parenthood tale for the internet age.
FOCUS: This year RiverRun introduces a new non-competition sidebar, featuring films of all shapes and sizes. Including films from emerging talents, RiverRun alums, veteran filmmakers and living legends alike, this section highlights a variety of film styles and stories, presenting a collection of some of our favorites.
ANDREW BIRD: FEVER YEAR – USA / Director: Xan Aranda
An amazing amalgamation of concert footage, studio work and personal introspection, this documentary delves deep into the life of musician Andrew Bird and follows him along his year-long rigorous tour across the country ending with the concert in his hometown of Chicago.
CRAZY HORSE – USA / France / Director: Frederick Wiseman
Legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman turns his lens on the world famous Le Crazy Horse de Paris, a landmark nude dance club in Paris. Priding itself on world class choreography, this club sets itself apart by mixing burlesque with Broadway-like numbers as well as Cirque de Soleil style feats.
DARWIN – Switzerland / Director: Nick Brandestini
An isolated community, Darwin, CA, population 35, prides itself as a city on the fringes of society, one who doesn’t need the government. Yet, the town is fragile and depends more on the outside world than it realizes. This documentary shows that Darwin is a true, unique American story.
GIRL MODEL- USA / Russia / Japan / France / Directors: Ashley Sabin and David Redmon
This documentary is a unique examination into the, not so glamorous, world of international modeling. Following a 13 year-old girl from Siberia who dreams of making it big, the scout that finds her and the people in the industry she encounters, this film reveals a world rarely seen by outsiders.
THE INVISIBLE WAR – USA / Director: Kirby Dick
An intensely powerful and emotional documentary, this astonishing new film from Oscar-nominated documentarian Kirby Dick (Twist of Faith) details just how vast a problem sexual abuse and rape are within the United States military today and how poorly it is being handled.
THE SALT OF LIFE – Italy / Director: Gianni Di Gregorio
In this follow-up to the RiverRun 2010 hit, Mid-August Lunch, we catch back up with Gianni who is attempting to have a wild love affair, in an effort to spice up his life, but ends up hilariously and poignantly unsuccessful in his endeavors.
SEE GIRL RUN – USA / Director: Nate Meyer
Featuring Robin Tunney and Adam Scott, this film sheds both a comic and poignant light on the problems of letting the “what ifs” of past romantic involvements get in the way of the love that is right in front of your face.
SEMPER FI: ALWAYS FAITHFUL – USA / Director: Tony Hardmon and Rachel Libert
After the young daughter of a life-long Marine dies of a rare form of leukemia, his search for answers, portrayed in this stirring documentary, leads to the startling discovery that the Corps had been covering up the largest water contamination incident in American history… at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
THE TENTS – USA / Director: James Belzer
New York Fashion Week, one of the most photographed, reported and attended events in the fashion world, is put under the microscope in this film by James Belzer. Chock full of interviews with legendary fashion icons, Belzer’s documentary conveys the history and importance of those famous white tents.
UNDER AFRICAN SKIES – USA / Director: Joe Berlinger
Twenty-five years after his album “Graceland” became an international sensation, musician Paul Simon returns to South Africa to reconnect with his collaborators and perform again with them. He also sits down with his most vocal critics, who asserted in the 1980s that he hindered the fight against apartheid.
LATE NIGHT: Every year, RiverRun searches for films that shock, scare or otherwise tantalize late night thrill-seekers. The 2012 Late Night lineup is no exception to this standard.
THE BROOKLYN BROTHERS BEAT THE BEST – USA / Director: Ryan O’Nan
After being dumped by both his girlfriend and his band, Alex is in a depressing rut, toiling away at his comically pathetic dead-end job. When he gets the opportunity to leave his life behind and go on a bizarre cross-country music tour with a new, eccentric friend, Alex jumps at the chance.
FRIDAY THE 13th – USA / Director: Sean S. Cunningham
In honor of the fact that RiverRun opens on Friday the 13th this year – not something likely to reoccur often – we just couldn’t resist the obvious! And so, fans of campy horror, enjoy our bonus opening night presentation of this cult classic, in which a group of summer camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown and mysterious killer.
GOD BLESS AMERICA – USA / Director: Bobcat Goldthwait
When a terminally ill man in his 40s meets a 16-year-old firebrand, the two launch into a Bonnie and Clyde-esque killing spree of reality TV stars, talk show hosts and anyone else corrupting American culture in this absurdly comic farce from director and RiverRun alum Bob Goldthwait (World’s Greatest Dad).
LATE NIGHT SHORTS
Once again, we’ve found a variety of ways to disturb and delight our late night audiences. Including the Oscar nominated animated short A MORNING STROLL, we think this year’s program will thrill those ready for some late night scandal.
FILMS WITH CLASS: In addition to our regular programming, RiverRun presents free public screenings to students and participating schools throughout the year and during the run of the annual Festival. This education outreach initiative, “Films With Class” is one of the most active components of RiverRun’s year-round activities. For this year’s Festival, the education department selected three films that will be screened privately for Forsyth County students and publicly during the festival.
HYMAN BLOOM: THE BEAUTY OF ALL THINGS – USA / Director: Angelica Brisk
Following the career of renowned abstract expressionist Hyman Bloom, Brisk’s film explores Bloom’s life from his birth in Latvia to his youth in Boston and his adult life as a Harvard student and artist in New England. Audiences will come away with a unique look into an extraordinary artist’s life.
REMEMBERING FREDERIC – THE GENIUS OF CHOPIN – USA / Directors: Pam Howland and Daniel McKinny
Take a film exploration into the world of one of the most famous pianists of all time, Frédéric Chopin. Through personal reflection, interviews and beautiful journeys through Chopin’s homeland of Warsaw, Poland, this film will enlighten and enliven audiences’ knowledge of the great composer.
WHY I WRITE: THE TWIN POETS – USA / Director: Sharon Baker
Life in poor, violence-ridden areas can be arduous for young children exposed to these harsh realities, but artists and social workers Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Albert Mills have made it their mission to help the youths in their Delaware neighborhood through the art of spoken word poetry and outreach.
COMMUNITY CINEMA INITIATIVE: For the second year, we will offer free community screenings to connect with audiences from throughout the community. This program also furthers our outreach efforts and ensures the Festival’s demographics match both the diversity of our local community and the diversity of the films we present.
ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE – USA / Director: Tom Shadyac,
This classic comedy about a goofy detective is RiverRun’s 2012 “Fido Frolic and Film” selection, where audiences are encouraged to bring their dogs to the film. Sponsored by PetSmart and The Winston-Salem Dash.
E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL – USA / Director: Steven Spielberg,
This Oscar-winning film about a boy and a stranded alien serves as a family-friendly introduction to RiverRun’s 2012 Spotlight theme on “Science Fiction Favorites.” Sponsored by Hanesbrands Inc.
WHY I WRITE: THE TWIN POETS – USA / Director: Sharon Baker
(See description above in “Films With Class” section.) Sponsored in part by the North Carolina Arts Council.
SHORTS: This year the Festival will be continuing the competitive Narrative, Documentary and Animated Shorts sections while adding, for the second time, special selections of North Carolina Shorts. This program will screen some of the best short films received from N.C. filmmakers this year in two different programs, while giving attendees a chance to support local artists.