FREE SOLO[/caption]
Free Solo leads the nominees for this year’s third annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards with six nominations and one honor, including Best Documentary, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi for Best Directors, Best Sports Documentary, Most Innovative Documentary, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and a Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary honor for Alex Honnold.
Recognized with five nominations are Minding the Gap and Wild Wild Country.
The nominations for Minding the Gap are Best Documentary, Best Sports Documentary, Bing Liu for Best Director and for Best First Time Director, and Best Cinematography.
The nominations for Wild Wild Country are Best Documentary, Chapman Way and Maclain Way for Best First Time Directors, Most Innovative Documentary, Best Cinematography, and Best Limited Documentary Series.
Recognized with four nominations are Dark Money, Hitler’s Hollywood and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
The nominations for Dark Money are Best Documentary, Kimberly Reed for Best Director, Best Political Documentary and Best Editing.
The nominations for Hitler’s Hollywood are Best Documentary, Best Political Documentary, Rüdiger Suchsland for Best Director, and Most Innovative Documentary.
The nominations for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? are Best Documentary, Morgan Neville for Best Director, Most Innovative Documentary and Best Editing.
Three Identical Strangers received three nominations and an honor, including Best Documentary, Tim Wardle for Best Director, Best Editing and an honor for David Kellman and Bobby Shafran for Most Compelling Living Subjects of a Documentary.
At the gala ceremony, filmmaker Stanley Nelson will be presented with the Critics’ Choice Impact Award, and multi award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore will be honored with the Critics’ Choice Lifetime Achievement Award.
For the first year, the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards has introduced the Catalyst Sponsorship, a program for industry leaders to support the event. The inaugural sponsors include Focus Features, National Geographic Documentary Films, Netflix, Curiosity Stream, and others.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this year’s outstanding documentary work at the upcoming event,” said Broadcast Film Critics Association President Joey Berlin. “The year 2018 has been called ‘The Year of the Documentary’ and we are so happy to give these films and shows the recognition and high praise that they deserve.”
The winners will be presented their awards at a gala event, hosted by science educator and television personality Bill Nye, on Saturday, November 10 at BRIC in Brooklyn, New York.
The nominees for the third annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards are:
Films
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FREE SOLO Leads Nominations for 3rd Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards
[caption id="attachment_32176" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] FREE SOLO[/caption]
Free Solo leads the nominees for this year’s third annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards with six nominations and one honor, including Best Documentary, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi for Best Directors, Best Sports Documentary, Most Innovative Documentary, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and a Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary honor for Alex Honnold.
Recognized with five nominations are Minding the Gap and Wild Wild Country.
The nominations for Minding the Gap are Best Documentary, Best Sports Documentary, Bing Liu for Best Director and for Best First Time Director, and Best Cinematography.
The nominations for Wild Wild Country are Best Documentary, Chapman Way and Maclain Way for Best First Time Directors, Most Innovative Documentary, Best Cinematography, and Best Limited Documentary Series.
Recognized with four nominations are Dark Money, Hitler’s Hollywood and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
The nominations for Dark Money are Best Documentary, Kimberly Reed for Best Director, Best Political Documentary and Best Editing.
The nominations for Hitler’s Hollywood are Best Documentary, Best Political Documentary, Rüdiger Suchsland for Best Director, and Most Innovative Documentary.
The nominations for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? are Best Documentary, Morgan Neville for Best Director, Most Innovative Documentary and Best Editing.
Three Identical Strangers received three nominations and an honor, including Best Documentary, Tim Wardle for Best Director, Best Editing and an honor for David Kellman and Bobby Shafran for Most Compelling Living Subjects of a Documentary.
At the gala ceremony, filmmaker Stanley Nelson will be presented with the Critics’ Choice Impact Award, and multi award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore will be honored with the Critics’ Choice Lifetime Achievement Award.
For the first year, the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards has introduced the Catalyst Sponsorship, a program for industry leaders to support the event. The inaugural sponsors include Focus Features, National Geographic Documentary Films, Netflix, Curiosity Stream, and others.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this year’s outstanding documentary work at the upcoming event,” said Broadcast Film Critics Association President Joey Berlin. “The year 2018 has been called ‘The Year of the Documentary’ and we are so happy to give these films and shows the recognition and high praise that they deserve.”
The winners will be presented their awards at a gala event, hosted by science educator and television personality Bill Nye, on Saturday, November 10 at BRIC in Brooklyn, New York.
The nominees for the third annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards are:
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RUDEBOY: THE STORY OF TROJAN RECORDS to US Premiere at DOC NYC [Trailer]
Rudeboy: The Story of Trojan Records documents the origins and the ongoing love affair between Jamaican and British Youth culture – all told through the prism of one the most iconic record labels in history, Trojan Records.
Trojan Records’ 50th anniversary celebrations continue with the announcement that Rudeboy: The Story of Trojan Records has been unveiled as part of the line-up for DOC NYC. The 2018 DOC NYC Festival will run November 8to 15, 2018 – and the film’s US Premiere will take place on Wednesday, November 14. The film had its World Premiere on October 12 at the 62nd BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express®.
Directed by Nicolas Jack Davies, Rudeboy: The Story of Trojan Records charts the rise and impact of the legendary reggae, ska and rock steady label and its influence on music and subculture in Britain from the early ‘60s through to the late ‘70s. Defining a movement that brought cultures together through the power of music, the birth and journey of Trojan Records, and its wider impact on society, feels as vital as ever 50 years later.
Named after the flatbed truck that revered producer Duke Reid used to transport his soundsystem around Jamaica, Trojan was launched in 1968 by London based, Jamaican expats Lee Gopthal and Chris Blackwell. Growing rapidly during its’ early years – due in no small part to the development of the skinhead working class youth movement that embraced Jamaican music as part and parcel of its culture – the Trojan bandwagon quickly rolled into the 1970’s, with the likes of Desmond Dekker and The Maytals flying high in the UK Pop Charts.
This important story is effortlessly brought to life by director Nicolas Jack Davies with fascinating archive footage, alongside freshly shot drama and new interviews with legendary artists including Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Toots Hibbert, Ken Boothe, Neville Staple, Marcia Griffiths, Dave Barker, Dandy Livingstone, Lloyd Coxsone, Pauline Black, Derrick Morgan and many more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEQdklk3LvE
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Watch New Trailer for Indie Film ReRUN Starring Christopher Lloyd
Stonestreet Studios released the new trailer for the independent film ReRun starring Christopher Lloyd of Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. ReRun, directed by Alyssa Rallo Bennett and written by Gary O. Bennett of Stonestreet Studios, premiered last week ]at the Woodstock Film Festival.
In a modern day twist on ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’, George Benson, played by Christopher Lloyd is haunted by tragedy, the loss of Violet, the ‘wayward girl’ who he had a soft heart for, due to an accident he may have been able to prevent. Humoring what he thinks is the youthful imagination of his grandson, George stumbles into an invisible portal hiding in his closet. Falling ‘to the other side’ into his younger body, he is able to face his conflicts and troubles with new light along with a temptation to try to change the past or possibly re-envision it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCblxZMNOv8
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Indie Film WEIGHTLESS Starring Johnny Knoxville Sets November Release Date
Alessandro Nivola, Julianne Nicholson, and Johnny Knoxville star in Weightless, described as the haunting drama of a man, living on the margins of society, who suddenly finds himself responsible for a ten year-old son whom he hasn’t seen since infancy. An alienated loner who can barely take care of himself, he struggles to forge a relationship with this lonely, at-risk child. Weightless will open theatrically in New York (Village East) and Los Angeles (Arena Cinelounge Sunset ) on Friday, November 9.
Canadian director Jaron Albertin is a celebrated talent in the video and commercial world. In 2015, year he won the most prestigious award for advertising, the Palm d’Or at Cannes for his directorial work on Under Armour’s I Will What I Want campaign with Gisele Bündchen. His other numerous accolades include a Bronze Cannes Lion and additional Cannes Lion Shortlist, a prestigious D&AD Yellow Pencil (and additional Pencil nomination), Gold and Bronze Clio Awards, an AICP Award, and the PLUG Award for Music Video of the Year.
Weightless, co-written by BAFTA and Tony winning writer/playwright Enda Walsh (Once, Hunger) is his feature film directorial debut.
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BEYOND THE BOLEX, Epic Story of Bolex Inventor Jacques Bolsey, to World Premiere at DOC NYC
In the 1920s inventor Jacques Bolsey aimed to disrupt the early film industry with a motion picture camera for the masses: the iconic Bolex. 90 years later, filmmaker Alyssa Bolsey discovers a stash of boxes that belonged to her enigmatic great-grandfather, and over 12 years pieces together the fragments of a forgotten family archive to reveal his epic story in the documentary, Beyond the Bolex, which will World Premiere at DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival, on Thursday, November 8 at 9:15 p.m at Cinepolis Chelsea.
As Alyssa delves into the treasure trove, among the items she finds is an old movie camera with the word “Bolex” embossed on its side, and a dangling tag with the date, “1927.” She also discovers reels of 16mm films inside rusty cans that are too brittle to run through a projector. Once the films are restored, she is captivated by their casual style as commonly seen today with digital cameras and smartphones.
When Alyssa finds Jacques journal she learns of the trials he faced both as an idealistic inventor and as an immigrant. In his words and films, she finds a man living stateless in Switzerland, torn from his homeland by the Russian Revolution. After many years of inventing in Switzerland and still unable to gain acceptance, Jacques finds his way to the US and settles in New York City, where he creates a new generation of military cameras for the fight against fascism.
Alyssa travels to Switzerland – the birthplace of the Bolex and Jacques’ two sons. She traces her own roots to her great-grandmother Sima’s apartment in Geneva, visits the Paillard factory where the Bolex Model H was designed and built, and makes a pilgrimage to the current headquarters of Bolex International.
Along the way, Alyssa seeks insight from camera collectors, historians and renowned filmmakers who explain how the Bolex reached the farthest corners of the globe, unleashed the imagination and became synonymous with creative freedom. Simple and functional, it became a perfect tool for a diverse range of filmmakers. Alyssa speaks to Wim Wenders, Jonas Mekas, Barbara Hammer, Bruce Brown and others, who share their stories of how this camera has inspired and nurtured their creative potential and careers. She also discovers the enthusiasm his pioneering invention continues to have with filmmakers today.
“Curiosity was the catalyst for making Beyond the Bolex,” said director Alyssa Bolsey. “But what I didn’t see coming was the emotional journey I would go on while discovering my great grandfather’s deep desire for roots; this during one of the most tumultuous times in history. His was an immigrant struggle that we see playing out yet again today. And his story shows the power and ingenuity that many immigrants bring to their new home. Along with planting seeds that have grown for generations with his Bolex camera, he also laid down roots that would contribute to the technology that has become part of our daily lives in the modern world.”
About the Director: Alyssa Bolsey
Alyssa Bolsey began writing and directing short films as a kid. While still in High School, she directed a short documentary entitled “Wild Horses.” This work was screened at various art galleries in the US and was described by KPBS as “an insightful look at the artistic process.” In University, her fictional short “I. Hero” was featured in rotation on the San Diego, California television show, “The Short List” from 2007-2010. Alyssa graduated Cum Laude from San Diego State University with a degree in Television, Film and New Media, with an emphasis on directing. She spent the next two years working at Creative Artists Agency, starting in the mailroom. She left CAA to direct a feature documentary about her great-grandfather Jacques Bolsey, the inventor of the iconic Bolex camera. Beyond the Bolex is making its World Premiere at DOC NYC 2018.
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Brainstorm Media to Release Save-Our-Shows TV Fan Documentary UNITED WE FAN
Ahead of its DOC NYC premiere, UNITED WE FAN, the documentary that chronicles the stories of passionate television fans and their unique crusades to save their beloved shows from cancellation, has been acquired by Brainstorm Media, and will hit VOD on December 4. Fans, stars, creators and more come together to explore the history and evolution of TV’s save-our-show fan campaigns in Michael Sparaga’s (The Missing Ingredient) humorous and heartfelt feature documentary that made its World Premiere earlier this year at Hot Docs and U.S. Premiere at AFI Docs. From the letter-writing and product mail-ins of yesterday to the social media and crowdfunding campaigns of today, United We Fan goes beyond the headlines to give viewers deeper insights into fandom, community and identity.
Fans in New York City will get a sneak peek of the film when it celebrates its New York premiere at DOC NYC on Monday, Nov. 12 at 7:45 p.m. at Cinepolis Chelsea followed by a Q&A with director Michael Sparaga and film subjects. In Los Angeles, fans will have the opportunity to catch a special preview screening of United We Fan at the Laemmle Ahrya Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. The filmmakers and several of the film’s subjects will be on hand for a post-screening Q&A.
For most viewers, it’s simply a disappointment when their favorite TV series is cancelled. But the fans of some series take the loss a lot harder. And they fight back. United We Fan chronicles the stories of those passionate individuals and their unique crusades to save their beloved shows.
When married sci-fi fans Bjo and John Trimble organized their unprecedented letter-writing campaign to force NBC to renew the original “Star Trek” back in 1967, they couldn’t have known that they were also planting the seeds of fan activism that would forever change the relationship between TV viewers and networks. Fast-forward to 1983, when Dorothy Swanson, a Michigan schoolteacher, besieged CBS with letters to stop them from unceremoniously cancelling her favorite series “Cagney & Lacey.” Emboldened by her success, Dorothy formed the fan advocacy group Viewers for Quality Television, whose dedicated members fought to save multiple other “quality” series over their 15-year history. Today, 26-year-old Kaily Russell has picked up the fan activism mantle in her fight for the recently axed CBS series “Person of Interest.” Kaily spends every waking hour online, rallying the troops and trying to convince a new broadcaster or streaming service to pick up the series. Kaily’s tools and targets might be vastly different, but she is taking her cue from the methods of fan activism from all those that came before her.
Declared “a joy to watch” by POV Magazine, United We Fan intertwines the remarkable stories of Kaily, Dorothy and the Trimbles while also taking time to delve into the inspiring campaigns to save “Designing Women,” “Quantum Leap,” “Chuck,” “Longmire,” “Jericho,” “Veronica Mars,” “Roswell” and others.
“United We Fan is not a movie about television’s wackiest fans,” said director Michael Sparaga, “rather, it’s a love letter to the inspiring people who have formed communities and fought tirelessly against seemingly impossible odds to give viewers everywhere more seasons of some of television’s most iconic shows.”
Interviewees include: Bjo and John Trimble (known as “the couple that saved ‘Star Trek’), Dorothy Swanson (founder of Viewers for Quality Television), and Kaily Russell (currently fighting to resurrect “Person of Interest”); series’ stars: Nichelle Nichols (“Star Trek”), Zachary Levi (“Chuck”), Scott Bakula (“Quantum Leap”), Amy Acker (“Person of Interest”), Adam Bartley (“Longmire”), Skeet Ulrich (“Jericho”), and Enrico Colantoni (“Veronica Mars”); series’ creators: Tom Fontana (“St. Elsewhere”), Barney Rosenzweig (“Cagney & Lacey”), Harry Thomason (“Designing Women”), Donald P. Bellisario (“Quantum Leap”), Rob Thomas (“Veronica Mars”), Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz (“Jericho”), Matt Miller (“Chuck”), Jason Katims (“Roswell”), and Jonah Nolan and Greg Plageman (“Person of Interest”).
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Shudder Acquires Punk Rock Slasher THE RANGER [Trailer]
The acclaimed punk rock slasher THE RANGER which premiered at SXSW has been acquired by Shudder, the subscription video on demand service for thriller, suspense and horror.
A wild, neon-colored romp in the spirit of RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD and CLASS OF 1984, THE RANGER follows a group of young punks who are forced to flee the city to lay low, only to run into a park ranger who shares a mysterious past with one of their own. The film has been lauded for its standout performances from Chloë Levine (THE TRANSFIGURATION, THE OA) as the pink-haired punk with a secret, and Jeremy Holm (HOUSE OF CARDS, MR. ROBOT) as the maniacal ranger, ready to get his hands bloody in defense of the woods. Granit Lahu (THE SINNER), Jeremy Pope, Bubba Weiler (PUZZLE), Amanda Grace Benitez (SCHOOL OF ROCK), Jeté Laurence (PET SEMATARY) and horror icon Larry Fessenden (HABIT, WE ARE STILL HERE) round out the cast.
THE RANGER marks the directorial debut of Jenn Wexler, a past Shudder Labs master and producer of the SXSW Grand Jury Prize-winner, MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND. A co-production of Glass Eye Pix and Hood River Entertainment, THE RANGER was written by Wexler and Giaco Furino, and produced by Andrew van den Houten (BREAKING & EXITING, THE WOMAN), Larry Fessenden (MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND, THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL), Ashleigh Snead (THE BLOCK ISLAND SOUND), Heather Buckley and Wexler (LIKE ME, DARLING).
Remarked Craig Engler, General Manager of Shudder “Jenn Wexler’s feature debut is a smart, stylish and subversive take on the ‘80s slasher, and we’re delighted to bring it to Shudder members.”
The film, which concluded a limited theatrical run in New York and Los Angeles earlier this month, was a standout hit at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival, where it world-premiered in the Midnighters section. THE RANGER was selected as opening night film of this year’s FrightFest UK and has been an official selection at festivals around the world, including Fantasia International Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival and the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, among many others. This month, THE RANGER screened at the Sitges Film Festival and will play Toronto After Dark, before concluding its festival circuit ahead of its eventual Shudder premiere in 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ0BG3-fxzA
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Award-Winning Surfing Documentary MOMENTUM GENERATION to Debut on HBO [Trailer]
[caption id="attachment_31845" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Momentum Generation[/caption]
The award-winning documentary Momentum Generation takes a deep dive into the fascinating, constantly evolving world of surfing, exploring how a group of dedicated teenagers changed the sport and its culture in the 1990s. Momentum Generation which made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York earlier this year where it won an Audience Award, debuts Tuesday, December. 11 (10:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. It has also won top awards at the Aspen Film Festival, Santa Cruz Surf Film Festival, Honolulu Surf Film Festival, Surfalorus and the Los Angeles Film Awards.
In the 1960s, surfing in America was known primarily as a California- and Hawaii-based phenomenon associated with surf instrumentals and Beach Boys songs. In films, it was a vehicle to infuse all-American romantic comedies with action or zany antics. Although equipment and skills evolved, the public’s perception of surfing as a novelty sport remained constant until the 1990s, when a group of punk rock-loving teens, many from troubled homes and backgrounds, found its way to a house on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii, in the process changing their lives and the sport itself.
In Momentum Generation, the core members of that legendary crew? – ?including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Taylor Knox, Benji Weatherley, Kalani Robb, Ross Williams, Taylor Steele and Pat O’Connell? – ?tell their story together for the first time. Filmmakers Jeff and Michael Zimbalist draw on unprecedented access to their inner circle, as well as to tens of thousands of hours of footage in private archives, to highlight the deep friendships that were formed and tested during the surfers’ careers as top athletes and cultural icons.
“We’re proud to be the home for Momentum Generation, a film that is obviously about a group of surfers at the zenith of the sport, but more subtly about their lifelong friendships,” says Peter Nelson, executive vice president, HBO Sports. “The Zimbalist brothers take us on an adrenaline-fueled journey spanning three decades, and the intimacy with which they reveal the ups and downs of some of surfing’s biggest stars makes this film unlike anything else of its kind.”
After relocating to Oahu, the young surfers courageously followed each other into Mother Nature’s most dangerous waves. When some of them didn’t make it back to shore, they found a way to mourn together? – ?and adapt. Fueled by camaraderie and a deep-seated competitiveness, the tight-knit crew became known as the “Momentum Generation” after being featured in Taylor Steele’s groundbreaking films. Its members went on to win world titles, break records and redefine the world’s perception of the surfer, youth culture and what it means to be free.
Filmed over the course of two and a half years, the Momentum Generation surfers reflect on the complexity of the brotherhood and competition that have shaped their shared emotional journey, and made these pioneers both heroic and human.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlgfI6h2aW4
From Emmy(R) and Peabody winners Jeff and Michael Zimbalist of All Rise Films, the HBO Sports presentation, in association with Priority Pictures and Sundance Productions, is executive produced by Robert Redford and Laura Michalchyshyn of Sundance Productions alongside Karen Lauder and Greg Little of Priority Pictures. Justine Chiara, Lizzie Friedman, Tina Elmo and Colby Gottert produced.
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DTLA Film Festival Reveals 2018 Short Form Content Lineup incl. 77 Short Films
[caption id="attachment_32129" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
AKEDA (The Binding)[/caption]
The DTLA Film Festival revealed the short form content programming at the upcoming 10th edition of the festival, consisting of 77 short films, TV pilots and web series episodes.
Anchoring the festival’s short film content programming are the short films series, curated by Robert Torres ”Emerging Artists,” “Queer Expressions,” “Our Modern World,” “Strange Encounters,” “Spotlight on Latin Shorts” and “DTLA Shorts.” Sosa curated three other series of shorts program under the banner of “L.A. Artists,” which showcases local LA talent.
Rounding out the short-form content are programs devoted to new and established web series and to TV pilots, both with a focus on women and people of color. Monica Jones curated the TV web series; Jade Jenise Dixon and Suki Ramirez curated the TV pilots series.
The 10th annual DTLA Film Festival takes place October 17 to 21 at Regal L.A. LIVE and venues throughout downtown Los Angeles.
A complete list of short-form content screening at the festival follows:
EMERGING ARTISTS
THE SUMMER OF THE ELECTRIC LION Chile| Narrative | 2018 |22 mins. Director: Diego Céspedes Hidden in a house far from the city, Alonso accompanies his sister, Daniela. She waits to become the seventh wife of El León (The Lion), a prophet who, rumors says, electrocutes you when you touch him. KILN USA| Narrative | 2018 | 5 mins. Director: Salamo Manetti-Lax A short culled from footage the director shot in high school 10 years ago in upstate New York. A remembrance, a haunted collective portrait, and a critique. AKEDA (THE BINDING) USA| Narrative | 2017 | 18 mins. Director: Dan Bronfeld An orphan boy has his humanity tested when a film director encourages him to give a violent performance that will blend fiction with reality. I CAN ONLY TALK TO YOU WHEN I STAND IN SHADOWS USA, China| Narrative | 2018 | 5 mins. Director: Yuchi Ma A girl in her late teens contemplates the conflict between family identity and self, in face of the cruelty of times. This is a brief moment of the director’s coming of age. INSOMNIA France| Narrative | 2017 | 2 mins. Director: Islena Niera Lacosta It’s night and a boy can’t fall asleep. SOÑADORA USA| Narrative | 2017 | 10 mins. Director: Maria Altamirano A hardworking high school senior faces circumstances beyond her control that may hinder her path to college. HEY, BOY! USA| Narrative | 2018 | 20 mins. Director: Nathan Mulroy St. Valentine strikes an unsuspecting teenage loverQUEER EXPRESSIONS
MOLT France, Sweden| Narrative | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Nathalie Alvarez Mesen The summer sun sets in rural Appalachia as 12-year-old Cadie and her neighbor, Sarah, redefine their friendship on the eve of burgeoning sexuality. JIM USA |Animation | 2017 | 9 mins. Director: Sam Gurry Jim assembled these floppy disks in the late 1990s with images and samples sourced from online chat rooms. How do you connect with someone you can’t see? That you don’t know? One short email conversation provides his name. ASIAN GIRLS Australia| Narrative | 2017 | 6 mins. Director: Hyun Lee Chan is a Chinese factory worker who lives alone. Every night, she suffers from horrific nightmares involving the woman in the apartment next door, a Japanese office lady. MONOGAMISHUSA| Narrative | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Nardeep Khurmi Sagar and Nishi and explore the dynamics and strength of two non-traditional couples, in which agreements are made and boundaries are challenged. FOR NONNA ANNA Canada| Narrative | 2017 | 14 mins. Director: Luis De Filippis A trans girl has to care for her Italian grandmother. She assumes that her Nonna disapproves of her – but instead discovers a tender bond in their shared vulnerability. WAFFLES USA| Narrative | 2017 | 4 mins. Director: Foster Wilson The morning after a casual one-nighter with an older woman, Gina scrolls through her Facebook feed, only to discover that the person in bed beside her is the epitome of everything she loathes in this world. A DOLL’S HUG Taiwan| Narrative | 2017 | 20 mins. Director: Rob Lo Domestic, school violence and societal violence continually challenge and threaten the Taiwanese teenage boy, XiangYu. He seeks to escape from the undesirable reality to take shelter in his imaginary Barbie doll world.OUR MODERN WORLD
RAPAZ Chile| Narrative | 2018 | 13 mins. Director: Felipe Gálvez Ariel gets involved in a teenager’s civil arrest, who is accused of stealing a phone. A mob surrounds the young man and some curse and beat him, some defend him. The police aren’t showing up, so Ariel must decide what side he is on. PERFECT MAN USA| Narrative | 2018 | 9 mins. Director: Nic Collins and Jake Andrews Set in the very near future, a virtual reality -addicted girl must follow a government mandate to remove her VR headset for 3 hours. When her dismal reality sets in, she goes online and orders Perfect Man: a robotic humanoid love companion. VERMINE Denmark| Animation | 2018 | 6 mins. Director: Jeremie Becquer A Rat poet, whose hopeful poetry contrasts the world in which he lives in, gets confronted with the harshness of a society biased toward Mice. CAROLINE USA| Narrative | 2018 | 10 mins. Director: Logan George and Celine Held When plans fall through, a 6-year-old is faced with a big responsibility on a hot Texas day. THE BRINK USA| Narrative | 2018 | 7 mins. Director: Ricky Rhodes and Arnold Aldridge Pushed to the edge by abusive co-workers, an odd IT guy takes unthinkable steps to handle his grim reality. NADIA’S VISA USA, Jordan| Narrative | 2018 | 18 mins. Director: Hanadi Elyan After failing to obtain a travel visa to meet with her family, Nadia finds herself stuck in a moral dilemma. JUDGEMENT Philippines| Narrative | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Raymund Ribay Gutierrez Joy, a mother of a 4-year-old girl, finally decides to file a case under domestic violence against her abusive husband, Dante. THE RIGHT CHOICE UK| Narrative | 2018 | 10 mins. Director:Tomisin Adepeju With the help of The Adviser, a husband and wife must answer three seemingly harmless questions to create their perfect designer baby.STRANGE ENCOUNTERS
BOTANICA Netherlands| Narrative | 2017 | 13 mins. Director: Noël Loozen A garden-center employee fears his possible infertility. While the pregnancy wish of the love of his life is growing, shame starts to take a hold on him. INTIMITY Netherlands| Documentary | 2017 | 5 mins. Director: Elodie Dermange As she is showering, dressing and putting on her make-up, a woman bares her soul. THE CHIRPING USA| Narrative | 2018 | 10 mins. Director: Matt McKinney A mother and her adult son work some things out while trying to rid their home of a pesky cricket. LIRA’S FOREST Canada| Narrative | 2017 | 8 mins. Director: Connor Jessup As the end of her life approaches, an old woman encounters a strange spirit from a nearby forest. TRESPASS USA| Narrative | 2018 | 6 mins. Director: Erik LeDrew The actions of a trigger-happy cop come back to bite him in the ass. A P.O.V. fright flick. PRIVATE JOY USA| Narrative | 2018 | 9 mins. Director: Owen Kaye In the final days of their relationship, a fading actress and her younger, animal lover are torn apart by lust, jealousy, anger and magic. HEART CHAKRA USA| Animation | 2017 | 7 mins. Director: Angela Stempel Mae’s life is routinely disrupted by the advice from her online crystal healer and her devotion to horoscopes. Armed with healing crystals and numerology, Mae is ready to follow the predictions on an unexpected path to find her soulmate. KIMCHI USA, South Korea| Narrative | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Jason Segars As his family argues about his end-of-life care, an elderly Korean man reflects on his life with a stranger. SOLAR WALK Denmark| Narrative | 2018 | 20 mins. Director: Réka Bucsi The unreal journey of individuals and their creations through time and space.SPOTLIGHT ON LATIN STORIES
ONE OF THESE DAYS USA| Narrative | 2018 | 20 mins. Director: Rudy Lopez After unfortunate circumstances, Manny, an aspiring musician, must decide between becoming the sole guardian of his uncle’s daughter, Marisol, and pursuing his band’s tour of the U.S. CHIADO Brazil| Narrative | 2018 | 15 mins. Director: Fenando Belo A woman and her boyfriend go on a last road trip when she decides to end her own life. KEEP EM’ WHITE USA| Narrative | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Sandra Lindqvist Two Hispanic teenage boys from South Central LA take a bus ride to the other side of town in search of a famed basketball player. EL GALLO USA, Mexico| Documentary | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Michael Medoway Gallo takes us on a visceral journey through the life of Juan ‘El Gallo’ Estrada, the former Flyweight champion of the world and one of Mexico’s most famous boxers. ¿FAMILIA? USA| Narrative | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Kase Pena and Marlene Forte A transgender woman navigates life while dealing with a pesky teenage neighborhood boy who’s in love with her, a married lover with empty promises, and a family back home who demands her financial support at any cost, even her personal safety. CARRO USA, Brazil| Narrative | 2018 | 12 mins. Director: Gustavo Rosa An undocumented Brazilian immigrant living in the Boston area decides to buy a car in an effort to better his life before returning home.DTLA SHORTS
REDEMPTION SQUARE USA| Documentary | 2018 | 20 mins. Director:John Moody In the footsteps of many unique Angelenos, a down-on-her-luck woman finds a new identity in Pershing Square, a notoriously unloved space in downtown Los Angeles. TOKEN USA| Narrative | 2018 | 25 mins. Director: Joy Shi Two artists in different stages of life and success deal with the effects of love, ego and loss in modern-day LA. BROCCOLI USA| Narrative | 2018 | 7 mins. Director: Phil Rosanova and Will Reiland After a scare at the office, a man must decide between his compulsive diet of only broccoli and his own mortality. DECEMBER USA| Narrative | 2018 | 7 mins. Director: Luciana Faulhaber At year’s end a woman tries to move on as her past comes rushing back. In matters of the heart do we take a risk before it’s too late or hope for a second chance? This movie is about the messes we make. THE HOAXING USA| Narrative | 2018 | 25 mins. Director: Bevin McNamara A young artist couple moves into a painter’s studio where the previous tenant hacked two people to death. The couple quickly discovers the studio harbors dark secrets. THE LION AND HIS WALL USA| Narrative | 2018 | 17 mins. Director: Raphael Krigel and Austin Dalgleish The film follows one of LA’s most prolific artists as he attempts to paint the largest mural in the world by a single individual. But this artist’s aspirations extend far beyond this one wall, and he’s not afraid to prove it.LA ARTISTS SHORTS
SOMEDAY USA| Narrative | 2018 | 16 mins. Director: J.S. Mayank Two strangers meet on a 14-hour non-stop flight from Sydney to Los Angeles. Adam is a world-famous composer, but Melody doesn’t recognize her flight companion. Along the way, they laugh, flirt and pour their hearts out… a connection made more beautiful precisely because of its fleeting nature. CREATE USA| Narrative | 2018 | 3 mins. Director: Mikkel Aranas An artist finds himself in the middle of the wilderness wanting to create. After seeking guidance from the ultimate creator, he’s inspired by the elements around him and begins to create using what’s in front of him. A beautiful dance ensues between art and artist. ABUELA’S LUCK USA| Narrative | 2018 | 9 mins. Director: Ricky Rosario A young man’s relationship with his grandmother is altered forever after a chance visit to his neighborhood Dominican bodega. THE ENLIGHTENMENT PROJECT USA| Documentary | 2018 | 17 mins. Director: D’Angelo McCornell and Martel McCornell A grieving mother Yvonne Pointer from Cleveland, OH and an impoverished boy from Ghana, Africa turn their pain into purpose, and their purpose into action by educating the youth and strengthening communities together. AVOWED USA| Narrative | 2017 | 13mins. Director: Summera Howell A young nun-to-be struggles to find God inside Robin, a non-responsive adult whose brain stopped developing before he was born. GRIT USA| Narrative | 2018 | 11 mins. Director: Charles Lee Wilson After a long day’s work, a young teacher returns to find his home has been burglarized. When he discovers his relation to the culprit and their motive, he resorts to rogue tactics in order to save a loved one spiraling down a deadly path. #WHERE IS BEAUTY USA| Narrative | 2017 | 11 mins. Director: Angela McCrae An introspective visual artist dealing with the pressures of social media embarks on a journey of self-discovery capturing everyday life through SnapChat, which unexpectedly transforms her perspective of beauty. PARALLAX USA | Narrative | 2018 | 4 mins. Director: Ajiri Akpolo Two lovers try and find the right words to say to each other. BLACK CHICKS USA, Canada | Narrative | 2017 | 12 mins. Director: Neil LaBute A man and a woman, one white, one black — what could possibly go wrong? LET MY PEOPLE VOTE USA| Documentary | 2018 | 18 mins. Director: Gilda Ann Brasch Filmed during the 2016 presidential election, this verité short covers a day-in-the-life of civil rights activist and former felon Desmond Meade. What begins as an upbeat day of faith in our democratic process, ends with a heartbreaking realization and a call-to-action. GLORIA’S CALL USA| Documentary | 2018 | 16 mins. Director: Cheri Gaulke From the cafes of Paris to the mountaintops of Samiland, a scholar’s life is forever changed through her friendships with the women artists of Surrealism. FOXES USA| Narrative | 2018 | 14 mins. Director: Tristan Taylor An African-American man struggles to unmask his depression, while admitting he’s never been his younger brothers’ hero. THE PRICE WE PAY USA| Narrative | 2018 | 8 mins. Director: Jesse Garcia A scarred soldier, suffering from PTSD, who comes home from war to find his relationship with his neighborhood, best friend and wife, not how he left it. But is what he’s seeing, real? AMERICAN NIGHTMARE USA| Narrative | 2018 | 7 mins. Director: Jesus Nebot A traffic stop due to speeding takes a turn for the worse, landing a mother and her 5-year-old daughter in jail.TV PILOT SERIES | THRILLER-CRIME
THE ONLY FLIGHT USA| Narrative | 2018 | 13 mins. Director: Royston Innes When a group of unwitting strangers wake up on an airplane in midair they must learn the true nature of why they were deemed enemies of the state. PAWG – DAY 12 “PRETTY ASS WHITE GIRL” USA| Narrative | 2018 | 20 mins. Director: John Eddins The uniqueness at the very end of this tale gives birth to a strange beginning as lovers reunite 12 days after one of them gets a whole new lease on love. THE PLURAL OF BLOOD USA| Narrative | 2017 | 20 mins. Director: Mary-Lyn Chambers Diana Santiago is an African American police wife, joyfully on the verge of adopting a black baby boy. Her world unravels when her husband, LAPD officer Alejandro Santiago, finds himself amid the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black teenager.TV PILOT SERIES 2 | COMEDY
GREENPORT USA| Narrative | 2017 | 27 mins. Director: Shannon Goldman This is a story about a struggling Hollywood filmmaker, who is determined to show the world that an autistic kid can do anything. WED-LOCKED USA| Narrative | 2018 | 23 mins. Director: Malcom Barrett and Tina Huang Recently married, Denise & Robert deal with the ups & downs of marriage in this true-to-life comedy. Laugh and cry alongside our fledgling couple as they navigate everything from sex shop shyness and pubic hair politics, to having to tell their spouse they can’t cook.WEB SERIES | DRAMA-SUSPENSE
MAKEUP AND BREAKUP SERIES – EPISODE 7 “WHEN THINGS FALL APART” OF SEASON 2 USA| Narrative | 2018 | 23 mins. Director: Eric J. Dickens When Brooke blindsides Blake and ends their two-year relationship, Blake doesn’t hesitate before jumping back into the New York dating scene. Instantly he finds a new love interest and regains his confidence. Once things begin to get serious, Brooke resurfaces and wants to claim what was once hers. Confused, Blake finds himself caught in the middle. When the dust settles, who will win him over in the end? STAGED – EPISODE “EVERYONE ISN’T WHO THEY POST TO BE” USA| Narrative | 2017 | 10 mins. Director: Abai Dunbar Staged explores the struggle to self-discovery for four social media influencers, in a world where nothing is what it seems and no one is who they claim. WHO KILLED MADAM SILVA – EPISODE 1 USA| Narrative | 2017 | 5 mins. Director: Anne Reis A maid and a driver come across the corpse of their mistress stretched out on the floor of the main living room. Both had reasons to commit the crime and both suspect one another. CHRONICLES OF JESSICA WU- EPISODE 1 – “MEET JESSICA” USA| Narrative | 2017 | 6 mins. Director: Zane Hubbard This is the story of Jessica Wu and her living with autism.WEB SERIES 2 | COMEDY
AVANT GUARDIANS THE SERIES – EPISODE 1 “THERAPY SESSION 1” & EPISODE 2 “THERAPY SESSION 2” USA| Narrative | 2017 | 6 mins. Director: Clarence Williams, IV Episode 1 – Razz tells her therapist why she has nicknamed her beloved human Creepy Charlie, exploring re-appropriating negative labels. Episode 2 – Razz dives into her past life and the open wounds of feeling the need to justify her lifestyle-a style change to be more palatable to those who misunderstand her. FML SERIES – EPISODE 2 – “BEFORE THE PARTY” USA| Narrative | 2017 | 12 mins. Director: Viktoria I.V. King We got to get tipsy before the party starts! We get an insight into the separate lives of each friend as they prepare for Jeanette’s big birthday party later tonight. DATING AND WAITING – EPISODE 3 “THE PACT” USA| Narrative | 2018 | 7 mins. Director: Lawrence Saint-Victor Sisters Chastity and Geneva face off and get real with their sex lives. What ensues is a very interesting pact. THE FOB AND I – SEASON 2 EPISODE 1- “RESIST” USA| Narrative | 2017 | 5 mins. Director: Meenakshi Ramamurthy A trip for dosas takes a turn when Sita is forced to confront her feelings about immigrants. BREEDING GROUNDS-EPISODE – “BAKE SALE PART 1” USA| Narrative | 2017 | 11 mins. Director: Susan Skoog A privileged stay at-home mother aggravates her bake sale co-chair. After the two end up on the brink of fisticuffs, Debra gets a call that her mammogram is positive. SK & J – EPISODE 2 “GOOGLE IT!” and EPISODE 3 “COMMA” USA| Narrative | 2018 | 5 mins. Director: Jenn Liu (Google it!) and Susan-Kate Heaney (Comma) Episode “Google It!” – Sue-Kate is late (as usual!) meeting Jenn for sushi, and compounds the situation by asking Jenn for directions. Jenn (as usual) tells her to Google it. Some things never change. Episode “Comma” – The simple debate over the placement of a comma reveals Sue-Kate and Jenn’s inner thoughts about writing, friendship and how much they hate working with one another. SYCAMORE VALLEY – EPISODE 1 – “INTROS”USA| Narrative | 2018 | 4 mins. Director: Marisa Luz Kayla and Curtis get prepped for the exciting journey of their televised home-buying adventure, and they meet their realtor, Cece, for the first time. Early warning signs that trouble may be brewing are quickly forgotten after a few glasses of cheap Chardonnay. WAKING UP WITH STRANGERS- EPISODE 1- “PRETTY IN PINK” AND EPISODE 7- “PANIC ROOM” USA| Narrative | 2018 | 7 mins. Director: Antoine Perry EPISODE 1 “Pretty In Pink” – Chloe wakes to find her favorite one-piece dress has been unwittingly turned into separates. EPISODE 7 “Panic Room” – After a heavy night of drinking, Xavier wakes up with more questions then condom wrappers. SHUGS & FATS: SEASON 2 EPISODE 2 -“SPEED DATING” and SEASON 3 EPISODE 5 “LOST IN CONEY ISLAND” USA| Narrative | 2015,2016 | 6 mins. Director: Alex Mallis Episode 2 “Speed Dating” – Dating in NYC is hard. There’s OK Cupid, there’s Tinder, there’s Craigslist Missed Connections, but none of these will get you married to Justin Bieber. The surefire solution? Speed Dating. Romance is negotiable. Efficiency is key. Episode 5 “Lost In Coney Island” – It’s late, it’s lonely, and Coney Island is a shitty place to be stuck. Luckily, Fats has a brilliant idea for getting picked up and brought back home.
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THE PROVIDERS, Documentary on Health Care Providers in Rural America to Premiere at DOC NYC [Trailer]
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The Providers[/caption]
The Providers, the award-winning documentary film directed by Laura Green and Anna Moot-Levin about health care providers in rural America will have its New York City premiere at the 2018 DOC NYC festival on Friday, November 9 at 5:30pm at Cinepolis Chelsea, and on Monday, November 12 at 12:45pm at IFC Center. The Providers had its World Premiere at the 2018 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, and went on to screen at the San Francisco DocFest (where it won the Spirit of Activism Award), AFI DOCS, Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, and many other festivals.
Set against the backdrop of the physician shortage and opioid epidemic in rural America, The Providers follows three healthcare providers – a doctor, a nurse practitioner, and a physician assistant – in northern New Mexico. They work at El Centro, a group of safety-net clinics that offer care to all who walk through the doors, regardless of ability to pay. Amidst personal struggles that reflect those of their patients, the journeys of The Providers unfold as they work to reach rural Americans who would otherwise be left out of the healthcare system. With intimate access, the documentary shows the transformative power of providers’ relationships with marginalized patients.
Watch trailer on VIMEO
Directors’ Statement — Laura Green & Anna Moot-Levin
Given the political and discursive tension over the future of American health care, this film has a particular urgency at this historical juncture. New Mexico is one of the country’s poorest and most rural states and opted to expand medicaid under the ACA. However, the challenges in rural healthcare go far beyond the ameliorating effects of the ACA. The Providers reflects the ways poor health is created at the structural level by a lack of public health resources and access to care – in 2016, there were 70,000 preventable deaths in rural areas, and on average life expectancy in rural areas is two years shorter than in urban areas. Set on the frontlines of rural healthcare under the medicaid expansion, the film takes an intimate journey with those who remain marginalized and difficult to reach within traditional healthcare delivery models. We hope the film will inspire more young people to go into rural healthcare, and we are developing an outreach campaign that will target both rural high schools and medical education institutions, including medical schools, nurse practitioner prog
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DAWNLAND, Documentary on Impact of Native American Child Removal, to Debut on PBS [Trailer]
Dawnland reveals the untold story of Indigenous child removal in the United States through the first government-endorsed truth and reconciliation commission (TRC) in the nation, tasked with investigating the devastating impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on Native American communities. With exclusive access to this groundbreaking process and never-before-seen footage, Dawnland bears witness to intimate, sacred moments of truth-telling and healing. Directed by Adam Mazo and Ben Pender-Cudlip, the film premieres on Independent Lens Monday, November 5, 2018, 10:00-11:00 PM ET (check local listings) as part of Native American Heritage Month programming on PBS.
For most of the 20th century, government agents systematically forced Native American children from their homes and placed them with white families. As recently as the 1970s, one in four Native children nationwide were living in non-Native foster care, adoptive homes, or boarding schools. Many children experienced shattering emotional and physical harm by adults who mistreated them and tried to erase their cultural identity. Now, for the first time, they are being asked to share their stories.
The historic investigation by the Maine Wabanaki-State Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission represented a groundbreaking moment in the history of tribal-state relations. From 2013 to 2015, Native and non-Native commissioners travelled across Maine, gathering testimony about the agonizing impacts of the state’s child welfare practices on families in Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribal communities, which together comprise the Wabanaki people.
The TRC discovered that state power continues to be used to break up families, threatening the very existence of the Wabanaki people. Is it possible to right this wrong and turn around a broken child welfare system? Dawnland examines the immense challenges faced by the commission as it works toward truth, reconciliation, and the survival of all Indigenous peoples. By exploring what happened in Maine, the film also provides the opportunity to raise awareness about this nationwide issue, which continues to impact families and children.
Dawnland will be presented as part of the new season of Indie Lens Pop-Up, a neighborhood series that brings people together for free film screenings and community-driven conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS’s Independent Lens, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations together to discuss what matters most, from newsworthy topics to family and relationships.
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87 Countries Submit Films in 2018 Oscar Foreign Language Competition
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El Angel directed by Luis Ortega[/caption]
Eighty-seven countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards. Malawi and Niger are first-time entrants.
Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.
The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 2018 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Rona Azim’s Mother,” Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;
Algeria, “Until the End of Time,” Yasmine Chouikh, director;
Argentina, “El Ángel,” Luis Ortega, director;
Armenia, “Spitak,” Alexander Kott, director;
Australia, “Jirga,” Benjamin Gilmour, director;
Austria, “The Waldheim Waltz,” Ruth Beckermann, director;
Bangladesh, “No Bed of Roses,” Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director;
Belarus, “Crystal Swan,” Darya Zhuk, director;
Belgium, “Girl,” Lukas Dhont, director;
Bolivia, “The Goalkeeper,” Rodrigo “Gory” Patiño, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Never Leave Me,” Aida Begić, director;
Brazil, “The Great Mystical Circus,” Carlos Diegues, director;
Bulgaria, “Omnipresent,” Ilian Djevelekov, director;
Cambodia, “Graves without a Name,” Rithy Panh, director;
Canada, “Family Ties,” Sophie Dupuis, director;
Chile, “…And Suddenly the Dawn,” Silvio Caiozzi, director;
China, “Hidden Man,” Jiang Wen, director;
Colombia, “Birds of Passage,” Cristina Gallego, Ciro Guerra, directors;
Costa Rica, “Medea,” Alexandra Latishev, director;
Croatia, “The Eighth Commissioner,” Ivan Salaj, director;
Czech Republic, “Winter Flies,” Olmo Omerzu, director;
Denmark, “The Guilty,” Gustav Möller, director;
Dominican Republic, “Cocote,” Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias, director;
Ecuador, “A Son of Man,” Jamaicanoproblem, director;
Egypt, “Yomeddine,” A.B. Shawky, director;
Estonia, “Take It or Leave It,” Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo, director;
Finland, “Euthanizer,” Teemu Nikki, director;
France, “Memoir of War,” Emmanuel Finkiel, director;
Georgia, “Namme,” Zaza Khalvashi, director;
Germany, “Never Look Away,” Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director;
Greece, “Polyxeni,” Dora Masklavanou, director;
Hong Kong, “Operation Red Sea,” Dante Lam, director;
Hungary, “Sunset,” László Nemes, director;
Iceland, “Woman at War,” Benedikt Erlingsson, director;
India, “Village Rockstars,” Rima Das, director;
Indonesia, “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts,” Mouly Surya, director;
Iran, “No Date, No Signature,” Vahid Jalilvand, director;
Iraq, “The Journey,” Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, director;
Israel, “The Cakemaker,” Ofir Raul Graizer, director;
Italy, “Dogman,” Matteo Garrone, director;
Japan, “Shoplifters,” Hirokazu Kore-eda, director;
Kazakhstan, “Ayka,” Sergey Dvortsevoy, director;
Kenya, “Supa Modo,” Likarion Wainaina, director;
Kosovo, “The Marriage,” Blerta Zeqiri, director;
Latvia, “To Be Continued,” Ivars Seleckis, director;
Lebanon, “Capernaum,” Nadine Labaki, director;
Lithuania, “Wonderful Losers: A Different World,” Arunas Matelis, director;
Luxembourg, “Gutland,” Govinda Van Maele, director;
Macedonia, “Secret Ingredient,” Gjorce Stavreski, director;
Malawi, “The Road to Sunrise,” Shemu Joyah, director;
Mexico, “Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón, director;
Montenegro, “Iskra,” Gojko Berkuljan, director;
Morocco, “Burnout,” Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, director;
Nepal, “Panchayat,” Shivam Adhikari, director;
Netherlands, “The Resistance Banker,” Joram Lürsen, director;
New Zealand, “Yellow Is Forbidden,” Pietra Brettkelly, director;
Niger, “The Wedding Ring,” Rahmatou Keïta, director;
Norway, “What Will People Say,” Iram Haq, director;
Pakistan, “Cake,” Asim Abbasi, director;
Palestine, “Ghost Hunting,” Raed Andoni, director;
Panama, “Ruben Blades Is Not My Name,” Abner Benaim, director;
Paraguay, “The Heiresses,” Marcelo Martinessi, director;
Peru, “Eternity,” Oscar Catacora, director;
Philippines, “Signal Rock,” Chito S. Roño, director;
Poland, “Cold War,” Pawel Pawlikowski, director;
Portugal, “Pilgrimage,” João Botelho, director;
Romania, “I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians,” Radu Jude, director;
Russia, “Sobibor,” Konstantin Khabensky, director;
Serbia, “Offenders,” Dejan Zecevic, director;
Singapore, “Buffalo Boys,” Mike Wiluan, director;
Slovakia, “The Interpreter,” Martin Šulík, director;
Slovenia, “Ivan,” Janez Burger, director;
South Africa, “Sew the Winter to My Skin,” Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, director;
South Korea, “Burning,” Lee Chang-dong, director;
Spain, “Champions,” Javier Fesser, director;
Sweden, “Border,” Ali Abbasi, director;
Switzerland, “Eldorado,” Markus Imhoof, director;
Taiwan, “The Great Buddha+,” Hsin-Yao Huang, director;
Thailand, “Malila The Farewell Flower,” Anucha Boonyawatana, director;
Tunisia, “Beauty and the Dogs,” Kaouther Ben Hania, director;
Turkey, “The Wild Pear Tree,” Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director;
Ukraine, “Donbass,” Sergei Loznitsa, director;
United Kingdom, “I Am Not a Witch,” Rungano Nyoni, director;
Uruguay, “Twelve-Year Night,” Álvaro Brechner, director;
Venezuela, “The Family,” Gustavo Rondón Córdova, director;
Vietnam, “The Tailor,” Buu Loc Tran, Kay Nguyen, directors;
Yemen, “10 Days before the Wedding,” Amr Gamal, director.