Five filmmaking teams were granted funding in the Fall 2018 round of SFFILM Westridge Grants, to help support the screenwriting and project development stages of their narrative feature films. SFFILM Westridge Grants, which are awarded twice annually, are designed for US-based filmmakers whose stories take place primarily in the United States and focus on the significant social issues and questions of our time. The next application period will open later this month.
SFFILM Westridge Grants provide support to film projects in their critical early stages, safeguarding filmmakers’ creative processes and allowing artists to concentrate on thoughtfully developing their stories while building the right strategy and infrastructure to guide them through financing and production. In addition to cash grants, recipients will benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic artist development program, SFFILM Makers, as well as support and counsel from SFFILM and Westridge Foundation staff.
The panelists who reviewed the finalists’ submissions were Lauren Kushner, SFFILM Senior Manager of Artist Development; Alana Mayo, Head of Production at Outlier Society; Shelby Rachleff, Westridge Foundation Program Manager; Shira Rockowitz, Associate Director, Feature Film Program, Sundance; Jenny Slattery, SFFILM Associate Director of Artist Development and Foundations; and Caroline von Kühn, SFFILM Director of Artist Development.
In a statement, the panelists said, “We are delighted to support these five outstanding projects—each of the filmmakers has the boldness and originality to make a world visceral and vivid, whether it’s a freezing village in northern Alaska or a megachurch hell house in Texas. But they also have the sensitivity to lay bare the deeply personal experiences of the characters who move through those worlds, shouldering their burdens and reaching out for each other despite them.”
Independent Film
Independent Film
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5 Indie Films Win $100,000 in Fall 2018 SFFILM Westridge Grants
Five filmmaking teams were granted funding in the Fall 2018 round of SFFILM Westridge Grants, to help support the screenwriting and project development stages of their narrative feature films. SFFILM Westridge Grants, which are awarded twice annually, are designed for US-based filmmakers whose stories take place primarily in the United States and focus on the significant social issues and questions of our time. The next application period will open later this month.
SFFILM Westridge Grants provide support to film projects in their critical early stages, safeguarding filmmakers’ creative processes and allowing artists to concentrate on thoughtfully developing their stories while building the right strategy and infrastructure to guide them through financing and production. In addition to cash grants, recipients will benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic artist development program, SFFILM Makers, as well as support and counsel from SFFILM and Westridge Foundation staff.
The panelists who reviewed the finalists’ submissions were Lauren Kushner, SFFILM Senior Manager of Artist Development; Alana Mayo, Head of Production at Outlier Society; Shelby Rachleff, Westridge Foundation Program Manager; Shira Rockowitz, Associate Director, Feature Film Program, Sundance; Jenny Slattery, SFFILM Associate Director of Artist Development and Foundations; and Caroline von Kühn, SFFILM Director of Artist Development.
In a statement, the panelists said, “We are delighted to support these five outstanding projects—each of the filmmakers has the boldness and originality to make a world visceral and vivid, whether it’s a freezing village in northern Alaska or a megachurch hell house in Texas. But they also have the sensitivity to lay bare the deeply personal experiences of the characters who move through those worlds, shouldering their burdens and reaching out for each other despite them.”
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Alex Pettyfer’s Noir Thriller BACK ROADS Starring Juliette Lewis Opens Dec 7
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Back Roads[/caption]
Based on the Oprah’s Book Club selection and New York Times bestselling novel by Tawni O’Dell, Back Roads, the powerful directorial debut from actor Alex Pettyfer, explores the impact of family trauma with a powerful and visceral noir thriller. The film which had its world premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival will open in theaters on December 7th.
Pettyfer in addition to directing, also stars in the film alongside Jennifer Morrison (TV’s Once Upon a Time), Nicola Peltz, Chiara Aurelia, Hala Finley, June Carryl, with Robert Patrick, and Oscar nominated Juliette Lewis.
After his mother, (a gritty Juliette Lewis), is imprisoned for killing his abusive father, Harley Altmyer (Alex Pettyfer) is left to care for his three younger sisters in rural Pennsylvania. Harley forgoes his college education, working dead-end jobs to pay the bills and raise his siblings, including his rebellious and promiscuous 16-year-old sister, Amber (Nicola Peltz). Scarred by his past, Harley becomes infatuated with Callie Mercer (Jennifer Morrison) the older married woman who lives nearby. Things take a dangerous turn when they embark on an affair and shocking family secrets soon begin to emerge. As Harley’s life spirals out of control, unspoken truths leading to a devastating conclusion come to the surface and threaten to consume him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_nkQQ-o1EY
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Neflix to Release Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Directorial Debut THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, the directorial debut of Academy Award nominee and BAFTA Award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor will launch in 2019 on Netflix and in select theaters in the US and UK. The British film which was shot in Malawi last year, is based on the bestselling book of the same name written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.
Adapted from the bestselling book by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind follows 13-year-old William Kamkwamba (newcomer Maxwell Simba) who is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. Sneaking back into the school library, he finds a way, using the bones of the bicycle belonging to his father Trywell (Chiwetel Ejiofor), to build a windmill which then saves his Malawian village from famine. The emotional journey of a father and his exceptional son at its heart, William’s tale captures the incredible determination of a boy whose inquisitive mind overcame every obstacle in his path.
The film highlights the power of education and individual determination to change the trajectory of a life, a village and a nation. By telling the story of one boy’s efforts to overcome the barriers he faces to education, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind inspires audiences to imagine a future where every child, in every village, has access to knowledge and to opportunities to put that knowledge to work.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind stars Maxwell Simba, Academy Award Nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), A?ssa Ma?ga (Anything for Alice), Lily Banda, Lemogang Tsipa (Eye in the Sky), Philbert Falakeza, with Joseph Marcell (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) and Noma Dumezweni (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child)
Ejiofor commented: “William’s story represents, what has to be, the future in countries like Malawi: developing countries, overflowing with beauty and harboring enormous potential. A global story, such as this, requires a global platform and I’m thrilled to be working with Netflix on bringing William’s extraordinary tale of determination and inventiveness to audiences worldwide.”
Image via BBC
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Finnish-Syrian LGBT Romantic Drama A MOMENT IN THE REEDS Gets Release Date
Finnish-Syrian LGBT romantic drama A Moment in the Reeds, the feature debut of Finnish writer/director Mikko Makela is a moving gay romance between a young Finnish academic and a struggling Syrian refugee, set against an idyllic Finnish summer.
After world premiering at the 2017 London Film Festival and a year of critical success on the worldwide festival circuit and opening theatrically to critical acclaim in Finland this past summer, A Moment in the Reeds releases on December 4th, 2018 in the U.S. and Canada on DVD & VOD.
Mikko Makela’s stunning debut explores the relationship between two men, set against an idyllic Finnish summer. Whilst visiting his estranged father, Leevi meets Tareq, a handsome Syrian immigrant employed to restore the family lake house. Leevi’s father departs for the city, leaving the two men alone in the beautiful remote countryside and enabling them to act on their impulses and the chemistry that clearly exists between them. Far removed from their everyday lives, the only immediate threat to the men’s relationship is the eventual return of Leevi’s father. But there’s also Tareq’s complex relationship with his family back in Syria. Makela sensitively explores the perspectives of both men, who long for some human connection, acceptance and a place to call home. Locating marginalised characters at the forefront of the story, Makela’s film is a very welcome and refreshingly frank portrait of contemporary Finnish society.
One of the first LGBT-themed films made in Finland, Makela’s intimate drama places at its center the freedom and acceptance of sexual and ethnic minorities, amidst the backdrop of breathtaking Finnish lake country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sld9shloXw4
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Watch Spine-Tingling Electrifying Trailer for CAM, Set in World of Webcam Porn
Netflix today released the new trailer for the psychological cyberworld thriller CAM starring Madeline Brewer, set in the world of webcam porn.
It follows Alice (Brewer), an ambitious camgirl, who wakes up one day to discover she’s been replaced on her show with an exact replica of herself. As this copy begins to push the boundaries of Alice’s internet identity, the control that Alice has over her life, and the men in it, vanishes. While she struggles to regain what she’s lost, she slowly finds herself drawn back to her show and to the mysterious person who has taken her place.
Daniel Goldhaber directed the pic, which was co-financed by Blumhouse Productions and Gunpowder & Sky and produced by Divide/Conquer. Goldhaber also co-wrote the story with Isabelle Link-Levy and Isa Mazzei, who penned the script from her experience as an ex-camgirl, making CAM a rare film about sex work openly written by a sex worker. Link-Levy, Adam Hendricks, John Lang, Greg Gilreath produced.
CAM premiered at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal and stars Madeline Brewer (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Patch Darragh (“The First Purge”), Melora Walters (“Venom”), and Devin Druid (“13 Reasons Why”). The film took home the best first feature and best screenplay awards from Fantasia and recently won best actress, a special jury prize for production design, and the audience award at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN8xZ5WDonk
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Watch First Video Clip + Official Poster for ARCTIC Starring Mads Mikkelsen
Bleecker Street released the official poster and an extended video clip from Arctic directed by Joe Penna and starring Mads Mikkelsen. Arctic will be released in selects theaters on February 1st, 2019.
A man stranded in the Arctic after an airplane crash must decide whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or to embark on a deadly trek through the unknown in hopes of making it out alive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EmpeUw36u4&t=2s
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Watch ALL THE DEVIL’S MEN Trailer Starring Milo Gibson and William Fichtner
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Milo Gibson, William Fichtner in All The Devil’s Men[/caption]
Lions Gate and Direct TV has released the new trailer for “All The Devil’s Men” directed by Matthew Hope, and starring Milo Gibson along with William Fichtner. The film which also stars Sylvia Hoeks, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Joseph Millson, will debut exclusively on DIRECTV on November 8, 2018, and in theaters on December 7, 2018
All The Devil’s Men follows a team of hardened military operatives on a relentless manhunt through the backstreets of London. The explosive action-thriller finds a battle-scarred mercenary in the War on Terror who is forced to go to London on a manhunt for a disavowed CIA operative, which leads him into a deadly running battle with a former military comrade and his private army.
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Watch 6 Video Clips from A PRIVATE WAR starring Rosamund Pike as War Correspondent Marie Colvin [Videos]
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A PRIVATE WAR[/caption]
Aviron Pictures released six new video clips from A Private War, starring Rosamund Pike as legendary war correspondent Marie Colvin and Jamie Dornan as photojournalist Paul Conroy. A Private War opens in Los Angeles and New York on Friday, November 2, 2018, and everywhere on November 16th, 2018.
In a world where journalism is under attack, Marie Colvin (Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike) is one of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time. Colvin is an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontlines of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless, while constantly testing the limits between bravery and bravado. After being hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka, she wears a distinctive eye patch and is still as comfortable sipping martinis with London’s elite as she is confronting dictators. Colvin sacrifices loving relationships, and over time, her personal life starts to unravel as the trauma she’s witnessed takes its toll. Yet, her mission to show the true cost of war leads her — along with renowned war photographer Paul Conroy (Jamie Dornan) — to embark on the most dangerous assignment of their lives in the besieged Syrian city of Homs. Based on the extraordinary life of Marie Colvin, A PRIVATE WAR is brought to the screen by Academy Award nominee and critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman in his pulse-pounding narrative feature debut.
A Private War – I See It So You Don’t Have To
A Private War – I Need A Photographer
A Private War – I Gotta Go Back
A Private War – I Feel Compelled
A Private War – Sri Lanka Attack
A Private War – Listen To Me Next Time
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Daniel Sawka’s Immigration Drama ICEBOX to Debut on HBO in December
Director-writer Daniel Sawka’s feature debut Icebox tells the story of Óscar, played by Anthony Gonzalez (“Coco”), a 12-year-old Honduran boy who is forced to flee his home and seek asylum in the United States, only to find himself trapped in the U.S. immigration system. HBO Films has acquired the worldwide rights to the film, which will debut Friday, December 7 on HBO.
Icebox which also stars Omar Leyva, Johnny Ortiz, Matthew Moreno, Jessica Juarez and Genesis Rodriguez, premiered in the Discovery section at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
As Óscar attempts to reach his uncle, Manuel (Leyva), in Arizona, he is apprehended by Border Patrol and placed in “the Icebox,” a detention facility where he joins scores of other migrant children being held without their families. Faced with a seemingly impenetrable immigration system, Óscar struggles to navigate a path to freedom, with a journalist (Rodriguez) and his uncle, himself a recent immigrant, as his only lifelines.
“The narrative and characters in Icebox are inspired by so many personal stories that were told to me through years of research and outreach – stories that unfortunately have become all too prevalent in today’s world,” says Daniel Sawka. “I can’t think of a better partner than HBO Films with which to present this incredibly timely issue.”
Filmed on location in New Mexico, the film was shot primarily in Spanish with English subtitles. Sawka originally wrote and directed Icebox as a short film for his 2016 American Film Institute MFA thesis project. This short was subsequently shortlisted for the 2018 Academy Awards(R), won the Grand Jury Award at AFI fest, and screened at Telluride Film Festival.
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AT&T Presents: Untold Stories Releases First Film NIGERIAN PRINCE on October 19 [Trailer]
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Nigerian Prince[/caption]
AT&T Presents: Untold Stories, a film initiative created by AT&T and Tribeca, will release the program’s first-ever film – Nigerian Prince – to audiences nationwide on Friday, October, 19. Written and directed by newcomer Faraday Okoro, and filmed in Lagos, Nigeria, the film is a heist thriller about a Nigerian-American teenager sent to visit relatives in Nigeria against his will, later to join forces with his internet scammer cousin in an attempt to return to the United States on his own.
Nigerian Prince follows two characters: Eze, a stubborn, first generation Nigerian-American teenager and his cousin, Pius, who is a desperate Nigerian Prince scammer. After Eze’s mother sends him to Nigeria against his will, Eze retaliates by teaming up with Pius to scam unsuspecting foreigners in order to earn money for a return ticket back to America. Executive produced by Spike Lee, the film stars Chinaza Uche and Antonio Bell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7_jlp1_MLg
Kicking off the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, Okoro was one of five aspiring directors who participated in a live pitch to a panel of celebrity and industry judges that included AT&T’s chief brand officer Fiona Carter to win $1 million to make their film utilizing the Untold Stories program grant, mentorship and distribution commitments. Okoro’s film, Nigerian Prince, had its world premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival to rave reviews and packed theaters in New York City. Now, delivering on the program’s promise to ensure that underserved artists’ work is not only created but seen, Nigerian Prince will be available to millions of movie enthusiasts in select theaters across the country as well as on DIRECTV, U-Verse and a range of on-demand platforms.
“Untold Stories is the rare project that unites AT&T’s commitment to equality with our passion for delivering exhilarating new experiences for our customers. Like our friends at Tribeca, we appreciate quality storytelling that entertains, challenges and transports us to places we’ve never been with a creative vision we’ve never seen – that is Nigerian Prince,” said Fiona Carter, chief brand officer, AT&T Communications. “We are thrilled to help Faraday and his incredible team live their dream with the debut of this film, but we’re equally excited to bring a wonderful and completely unique film to a national audience.”
“Programs like Untold Stories have the incredible power to introduce audiences to new storytellers and new ways of seeing the world,” said Jane Rosenthal, ceo and co-founder of Tribeca Enterprises/Tribeca Film Festival. “We’re proud to support Faraday Okoro’s globe-trotting, culture-crossing film Nigerian Prince as the first recipient of the Untold Stories grant, and we are eager to champion other emerging filmmakers as we continue to get untold stories heard with our friends at AT&T.”
AT&T Presents: Untold Stories. An Inclusive Film Program in Collaboration with Tribeca was launched in 2017 to ensure that diverse storytellers always have a screen on which to shine. AT&T will provide funding up to $1 million for one talented filmmaker to create his or her film each year, and Tribeca will provide mentorship from seasoned industry professionals. AT&T will distribute the winning film across its video platforms. This film initiative is an alliance between AT&T and Tribeca along with Tribeca Film Institute and debuted at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.
Nigerian Prince is the first film produced under the program. In April of 2018, AT&T awarded its second $1 million to Untold Stories winners Sasie Sealy and Angela Cheng for their film, LUCKY GRANDMA. Like Nigerian Prince, it will also have its world premiere screening during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival next April. Submissions are now open for Year 3 – and aspiring filmmakers are encouraged to submit scripts between now and Nov. 24, 2018, for their chance to compete for a $1 million grant to make their film as part of AT&T Presents: Untold Stories.
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Watch an Unrecognizable Nicole Kidman as LAPD Detective in Awards Buzz DESTROYER Trailer
Annapurna Pictures released the official trailer and poster for Destroyer starring an unrecognizable Nicole Kidman as an LAPD detective. Destroyer which is receiving rave reviews and considerable awards buzz, opens in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on December 25 before expanding in January.
Destroyer follows the moral and existential odyssey of LAPD detective Erin Bell who, as a young cop, was placed undercover with a gang in the California desert with tragic results. When the leader of that gang re-emerges many years later, she must work her way back through the remaining members and into her own history with them to finally reckon with the demons that destroyed her past.
The film is directed by Karyn Kusama, and also stars Sebastian Stan, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Bradley Whitford, Jade Pettyjohn, and Scoot McNairy.
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Gravitas Ventures to Release Adam Christian Clark’s Relationship Drama NEWLY SINGLE [Trailer]
Adam Christian Clark’s darkly comedic relationship drama Newly Single starring Adam Christian Clark (“Caroline and Jackie”), Jennifer Kim (“Mozart in the Jungle”), Molly C. Quinn (“Castle”), and Anna Jacoby-Heron (“Stranger Things”) was today acquired by Gravitas Ventures for release in the US. Newly Single had its festival World Premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Festival in late 2017 and it also just played at CPH-PIX Film Festival in September. Gravitas Ventures will release the film this December 7, 2018.
American filmmaker Adam Christian Clark directs and stars in this jet black comedy centered around the Los Angeles dating scene, as a self-obsessed filmmaker finds himself on the market once again. The film is a darkly funny and sometimes brutal exercise. While the film is reminiscent of great American cinema of the 1970’s with a somewhat staccato structure made up of disparate moments, this is still a thoroughly modern affair replete with some graphic sexuality and an often harsh takedown on modern views of dating.
“We are immensely proud that Gravitas will be releasing Adam Christian Clark’s sophomore effort out into the marketplace. Adam is a powerful storyteller with a unique vision, and the type of filmmaker we try to empower here at Divide/Conquer,” said Adam Hendricks on behalf of the producers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_uUhnjg0oQ