ESPN Films Next 30 for 30 is “42 to 1”, the documentary on Buster Douglas defeating Mike Tyson for the 1990 Heavyweight Championship of the World.
The documentary “42 to 1”, co-directed by Jeremy Schaap and Ben Houser, premieres Tuesday, December 11th at 9:00p.m. ET on ESPN
If you were a sports fan in 1990, you’ll never forget where you were when you heard about Tyson-Douglas. Because, after all, it was impossible.
In sports, we’re used to seeing the improbable. But the impossible is another matter entirely. And on February 11, 1990, while the odds were technically 42-1, it was very much the impossible that happened in a boxing ring in Tokyo, Japan, when James “Buster” Douglas defeated Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship of the world.
The 30 for 30 documentary “42-1” tells the story of just how incredibly unlikely it was. It starts in Columbus, Ohio, where Douglas grew up the son of a boxer, who trained and guided him to become a top-10 heavyweight contender in the mid 1980’s. Of course, it was all in the shadow of the rise of “Iron” Mike Tyson, who became a worldwide phenomenon in a remarkable undefeated run to the undisputed title. And by the time their fight was set, Douglas was lightly regarded, merely a stepping stone for bigger fights for the champion. But on the day they met, a series of extraordinary circumstances led to an unimaginable result.
Featuring rare footage and never before seen images, this is a film about how Douglas pulled off a victory that changed the course of sports history, channeling the absolute best version of himself, if only for one fight, when it mattered most and no one thought it was possible.
Co-Directed by 11-time Emmy Award winner Jeremy Schaap (E:60, The Sporting Life) & 17-time Emmy award and 4-time Edward R. Murrow Award winner Ben Houser (E:60 docs Owen & Haatchi, The Number, Leaf).
Image via YouTubeFilms
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ESPN Films Next 30 for 30 is “42 to 1” on Buster Douglas 1990 Victory Over Mike Tyson
ESPN Films Next 30 for 30 is “42 to 1”, the documentary on Buster Douglas defeating Mike Tyson for the 1990 Heavyweight Championship of the World.
The documentary “42 to 1”, co-directed by Jeremy Schaap and Ben Houser, premieres Tuesday, December 11th at 9:00p.m. ET on ESPN
If you were a sports fan in 1990, you’ll never forget where you were when you heard about Tyson-Douglas. Because, after all, it was impossible.
In sports, we’re used to seeing the improbable. But the impossible is another matter entirely. And on February 11, 1990, while the odds were technically 42-1, it was very much the impossible that happened in a boxing ring in Tokyo, Japan, when James “Buster” Douglas defeated Mike Tyson for the heavyweight championship of the world.
The 30 for 30 documentary “42-1” tells the story of just how incredibly unlikely it was. It starts in Columbus, Ohio, where Douglas grew up the son of a boxer, who trained and guided him to become a top-10 heavyweight contender in the mid 1980’s. Of course, it was all in the shadow of the rise of “Iron” Mike Tyson, who became a worldwide phenomenon in a remarkable undefeated run to the undisputed title. And by the time their fight was set, Douglas was lightly regarded, merely a stepping stone for bigger fights for the champion. But on the day they met, a series of extraordinary circumstances led to an unimaginable result.
Featuring rare footage and never before seen images, this is a film about how Douglas pulled off a victory that changed the course of sports history, channeling the absolute best version of himself, if only for one fight, when it mattered most and no one thought it was possible.
Co-Directed by 11-time Emmy Award winner Jeremy Schaap (E:60, The Sporting Life) & 17-time Emmy award and 4-time Edward R. Murrow Award winner Ben Houser (E:60 docs Owen & Haatchi, The Number, Leaf).
Image via YouTube
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30th Anniversary Screening of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY to Kick Off 10th TCM Classic Film Festival
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WHEN HARRY MET SALLY[/caption]
Who would believe it’s 30 years already – the 30th anniversary screening of the seminal romantic comedy When HARRY Met Sally… with stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan and director/producer Rob Reiner in attendance, will kick off the 10th annual TCM Classic Film Festival on Thursday, April 11th
Celebrated director Rob Reiner had no idea he would strike such a chord with audiences by posing the simple question: “can men and women really be friends?” The charming and TIMELESS film explores this idea by following the characters of HARRY (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) over the course of twelve years through a series of chance encounters. When HARRY Met Sally… was an instant hit with audiences and critics alike: the film grossed more than $90 million at the box office and Nora Ephron’s taut, hilarious script garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Orginal Screenplay. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan were also both nominated for Golden Globes for their performances, along with director Rob Reiner.
“There are romantic comedies – and then there’s When HARRY Met Sally…” said Ben Mankiewicz, TCM primetime anchor and official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. “The chemistry between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan makes them part of a legacy that includes the greats of classic movies: Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn; Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell; and Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. And Rob Reiner – utilizing Nora Ephron’s word-perfect screenplay – follows in the rarefied air of the filmmaking giants who made those earlier pictures.”
The 2019 TCM Classic Film Festival, held in the heart of Hollywood Thursday, April 11 – Sunday, April 14, 2019, marks the 10th annual celebration of classic films on the big screen from TCM. The TCM network will also celebrate its 25th anniversary on closing night of the festival.
TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz will serve as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. The festival’s official hotel and central gathering point for the tenth consecutive year will be The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will also offer special rates for festival attendees. Screenings and events during the festival will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres and the Egyptian Theatre, as well as other Hollywood venues.
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Watch Final Trailer + New Poster for Barry Jenkins’ IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
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If Beale Street Could Talk[/caption]
Annapurna Pictures released the final trailer for If Beale Street Could Talk a timeless and moving love story set in early-1970s Harlem. Academy Award-winning writer/director Barry Jenkins’ first film since the Best Picture Oscar-winning Moonlight is If Beale Street Could Talk, his adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel – the first English-language feature film based on the work of the author, to whom the movie is dedicated. The film opens in theaters on December 14, 2018.
Set in early-1970s Harlem, If Beale Street Could Talk is a timeless and moving love story of both a couple’s unbreakable bond and the African-American family’s empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year-old Tish Rivers (screen newcomer KiKi Layne). A daughter and wife-to-be, Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny (Stephan James). Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit.
Through the unique intimacy and power of cinema, If Beale Street Could Talk honors the author’s prescient words and imagery, charting the emotional currents navigated in an unforgiving and racially biased world as the filmmaker poetically crosses time frames to show how love and humanity endure.
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MAN ON FIRE Documentary on Race and God in Smalltown Texas, to Premiere on PBS Independent Lens
The haunting new documentary Man on Fire explores how a community dealt with the shocking public suicide of Charles Moore, an elderly minister who self-immolated in a Texas Parking Lot. Man on Fire premieres on Independent Lens on Monday, December 17, 2018, 10-11:00 PM ET (check local listings) on PBS.
On June 23, 2014, a 79-year-old white Methodist minister named Charles Moore drove to an empty parking lot in his old hometown of Grand Saline, Texas, and set himself on fire. He left a note on his car’s windshield explaining that this act was his final protest against the virulent racism of the community and his country at large. Joel Fendelman’s Man on Fire goes back to Grand Saline – population 3,266 – to try to uncover the truth about the town’s ugly past and the fervor for God and justice that drove Moore to his shocking final act.
Grand Saline, home to one of Morton’s largest salt mines, has always had a reputation as a town unhospitable to African Americans. Oral tradition has it that there were signs at each end of the town warning African Americans to leave before sunset, and stories of lynchings and beheadings are well-known. Although the town fathers claim the stories are just rumors, African Americans from neighboring towns still avoid passing through. The shroud of secrecy ended when Charles Moore self-immolated and the media took note.
Although he was raised in Grand Saline, Moore’s religious devotion and quest to make a difference had led him far from his small hometown. A committed Methodist, Moore attended Southern Methodist University and became a preacher, first in Texas and then on the west side of Chicago, where his passion for social justice flourished. A fierce supporter of racial equality, LGBT rights, the abolition of the death penalty and more, his parishioners and colleagues marveled at the depth of his commitment. Even before his death, they understood that Moore was willing to die for what he believed.
Told through interviews with Moore’s friends and family members as well as residents of Grand Saline and surrounding towns, Man on Fire seeks to understand what drove Moore to his shocking final act — and what if anything, it changed.
“Joel’s disquieting film explores the length one white preacher was willing to go to remind us of our racist history,” said Lois Vossen, Independent Lens executive producer. “Some see his act of self-immolation as a radical protest, like the Buddhist monks whose suicide by fire raised awareness for their cause. Others believe it’s a sign of mental illness. At a time when we’re grappling to define a collective history, this story illustrates how difficult it is to find common language, let alone common ground.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfHOMkM-C4c
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Watch Natalie Portman Shine in New VOX LUX Trailer
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Vox Lux[/caption]
The new trailer dropped today for Vox Lux starring Natalie Portman and Jude Law, that opens in theaters on December 7, 2018. Vox Lux follows the rise of Celeste from the ashes of a major national tragedy to pop superstardom. The film spans 18 years and traces important cultural moments through her eyes, starting in 1999 and concluding in 2017.
In 1999, teenage Celeste (Raffey Cassidy) survives a violent tragedy. After singing at a memorial service, Celeste transforms into a burgeoning pop star with the help of her songwriter sister (Stacy Martin) and a talent manager (Jude Law). Celeste’s meteoric rise to fame and concurrent loss of innocence dovetails with a shattering terrorist attack on the nation, elevating the young powerhouse to a new kind of celebrity: American icon, secular deity, global superstar.
By 2017, adult Celeste (Natalie Portman) is mounting a comeback after a scandalous incident that derailed her career. Touring in support of her sixth album, a compendium of sci-fi anthems entitled “Vox Lux,” the indomitable, foul-mouthed pop savior must overcome her personal and familial struggles to navigate motherhood, madness and monolithic fame in the Age of Terror.
In Brady Corbet’s second feature, following his 2015 breakout debut The Childhood of a Leader— winner of the Best Director and Best Debut Film prizes at the Venice Film Festival — Celeste becomes a symbol of the cult of celebrity and the media machine in all its guts, grit and glory. Featuring original songs by Sia, an original score by Scott Walker, and a transcendent performance by Natalie Portman, personifying and pummeling the zeitgeist, Vox Lux is an origin story about the forces that shape us, as individuals, nations, and gods.
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Watch Trailer for TOUGH GUY : THE BOB PROBERT STORY, Documentary on Late Hockey Player
The new trailer is released for Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story, the story of late NHL tough guy Bob Probert, who died at age 45, directed by 28-year-old documentary filmmaker Geordie Day. The documentary premieres on Superchannel in Canada on December 4 and will hit the U.S sometime next year.
On July 5, 2010, legendary NHL tough guy Bob Probert collapsed on his boat on Lake St. Clair, near Windsor and died of a heart attack. He was only 45 years old.
Bob was on his third glass of coke and eighth pill of OxyContin that day. He’d routinely take the two together to deal with his aching body. Seventeen years as the NHL’s toughest enforcer had taken its toll. As the undisputed, “heavyweight champ,” he finished his career fifth in all time penalty minutes. He averaged 40 brutal, bare-knuckled hockey fights a year.
Bob’s death wasn’t all that surprising. He lived hard. Chain smoking, alcoholism, snorting cocaine even in a jail cell while under arrest, cavorting with nurses during his many trips to rehab.
He said people always wanted to know, “Why do you struggle with drugs and alcohol?” He’d shrug off the ques, “I just got a little addicted to the fun.” But Bob’s life was often far from fun. In a rare moment of vulnerability, he wrote a letter to his disease while in rehab in 2003.
“You have taken away my freedom to make healthy choices. You have taken away my valuable time from my wonderful wife Dani and my four kids. You have taken away my self-respect and dignity. You have turned me into someone I am not.”
The film features Bob Probert, Dani Probert, Joe Kocur, Tie Domi, Don Cherry, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios, Stu Grimson, Sheldon Kennedy, Troy Crowder, Steve Yzerman, Tony Twist, Ptr Klima, and Marty McSorely.
Tough Guy is based on the book Day’s real-life mother Kirstie McLellan Day wrote with the late Probert. Bob’s wife, Dani is EP.
It’s Geordie Day’s second hockey film. He co-directed Goalie, a film on former NHL goaltender Clint Malarchuk. This year, he produced Charles Manson: Final words, which contained the last ever recorded interviews with Manson. The film aired on REELZ.
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Showtime to Premiere a Week of New Music Documentaries in December Featuring Jeff Beck, Agnostic Front, GG Allin, Korn’s Brian “Head”
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KORN’S BRIAN “HEAD” WELCH: LOUD KRAZY LOVE[/caption]
Showtime will air a special week of music documentary premieres beginning Tuesday, December 11, profiling rock legends Jeff Beck, Agnostic Front, GG Allin and Korn’s Brian “Head” Welch.
JEFF BECK: STILL ON THE RUN will premiere Tuesday, December 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, AGNOSTIC FRONT: GODFATHERS OF HARDCORE on Wednesday, December 12 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT, GG ALLIN: ALL IN THE FAMILY on Thursday, December 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, and KORN’S BRIAN “HEAD” WELCH: LOUD KRAZY LOVE on Friday, December 14 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
KORN’S BRIAN “HEAD” WELCH: LOUD KRAZY LOVE
Brian “Head” Welch was an early ’90s rock pioneer with his band Korn, giving a voice and identity to a generation of misfits. In KORN’S BRIAN “HEAD” WELCH: LOUD KRAZY LOVE, directors Trey Hill and Scott Mayo retrace the harrowing journey Welch faced after the birth of his daughter Jennea, when he walked away from career success to clean up his act to father his daughter in the only way he found acceptable. Far beyond a rock doc, this transformative coming-of-age story grapples with teenage depression, the quest for identity and the hope of a father willing to do anything for the one he loves.JEFF BECK: STILL ON THE RUN
JEFF BECK: STILL ON THE RUN, directed by Matthew Longfellow, follows the English rock guitarist from his earliest days learning to strum on homemade guitars in Wallington, Surrey, to his teenage friendship with Jimmy Page and mastering his craft with guitar legends that influenced his incredible career.AGNOSTIC FRONT: GODFATHERS OF HARDCORE
AGNOSTIC FRONT: GODFATHERS OF HARDCORE traces the roots of the band that pioneered and defined New York Hardcore (NYHC). Directed by Ian McFarland, the film follows Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma, called the lynchpins of hardcore punk movement, 30 years into their careers as they remain the very embodiment of hardcore, representing endurance, perseverance, brotherhood, strength against oppression and the will to keep going, obstacles be damned.GG ALLIN: ALL IN THE FAMILY
GG ALLIN: ALL IN THE FAMILY explores the life of GG Allin, the controversial rock singer whose outrageous onstage antics shocked the world. The story follows his impoverished childhood ruled by a tyrannical father to an adult life marked by drugs, violence and prison. Director Sami Saif creates an intimacy with viewers as the film explores how Allin’s mother Arleta and brother Merle are still dealing with grief, and examines Allin’s lasting influence on his fans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itZHp6tWH3g
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Documentary MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL to World Premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2019
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Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool[/caption]
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, the new feature-length documentary directed by Emmy Award-winner Stanley Nelson, will debut in the Documentary Premieres category at Sundance Film Festival 2019.
With full access to the Miles Davis Estate, the film features never-before-seen footage, including studio outtakes from his recording sessions, new interviews and rare photos. Quincy Jones, Carlos Santana, Clive Davis, Wayne Shorter and Ron Carter are just a few of the luminaries weighing in on the life and career of a true visionary, innovator and originator. Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool is the definitive account of the man behind the legend.
Director Stanley Nelson said, “Miles Davis is an undisputed musical legend – but what I hoped to discover was the man behind the myth. By unpacking his upbringing, his methodology, his relationships, and his demons, we begin to understand the man who would redefine the original American musical genre, jazz and has influenced generations of musicians in rock, funk and hip-hop.”
Eagle Rock Chairman Terry Shand said, “We are delighted to be selected in a year with such strong submissions. We are proud to bring this film about the world’s most innovative & iconic jazz musician to Sundance Film Festival”.
A global theatrical release is planned for the Summer of 2019.
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EIGHTH GRADE, THE RIDER, FIRST REFORMED Win 2018 Gotham Independent Film Awards
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The Rider by Chloe Zhao[/caption]
Chloe Zhao’s The Rider snagged the top award for Best Feature at 2018 Gotham Independent Film Awards, but the night really belonged to Eighth Grade and First Reformed, who each won two awards, the most of the night. Eighth Grade won the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award for director Bo Burnham and Breakthrough Actor for Elsie Fisher; and First Reformed won the awards for Best Screenplay for Paul Schrader, along with Best Actor for Ethan Hawke.
Documentary films were well represented this year with Hale County This Morning, This Evening directed by RaMell Ross taking home the award for Best Documentary; and another documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? directed by Morgan Neville, won the IFP Gotham Audience Award.
The Favourite continued to dominate the early awards circuit winning the Special Jury Award For Ensemble Performance for Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz
Winners of 2018 Gotham Independent Film Awards
Best Feature The Rider Chloe Zhao, Director; Bert Hamelinck, Chloé Zhao, Mollye Asher, Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers (Sony Pictures Classics) Best Documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening RaMell Ross, Director; Joslyn Barnes, RaMell Ross, Su Kim, Producers (The Cinema Guild) Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade Best Screenplay Paul Schrader, First Reformed Best Actor Ethan Hawke, First Reformed Best Actress Toni Collette, Hereditary Breakthrough Actor Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade Breakthrough Series – Long Form Killing Eve Breakthrough Series – Short Form 195 Lewis Special Jury Award For Ensemble Performance The Favourite: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz IFP Gotham Audience Award: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
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2018 IDFA Awards – REASON Wins Top Award for Best Documentary
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Anand Patwardhan (India), The IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary Film Reason, The film is a broad-ranging examination of Indian society, where secular rationalists are hunted down as they attempt to stem the rising tide of religious and nationalist fundamentalism.
Photo: Nichon Glerum International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam 2018, Award Show in de Stadsschouwburg.[/caption] Reason by Anand Patwardhan won the Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary at the awards ceremony of the 31st International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Los Reyes by Bettina Perut and Iván Osnovikoff won the Special Jury Award for FeatureLength Documentary. IDFA runs until Sunday November 25, 2018. Giacinto Scelsi. The First Motion of the Immovable by Sebastiano d’Ayala Valva was awarded the IDFA Award for Best First Appearance, and Kabul, City in the Wind by Aboozar Amini won the IDFA Special Jury Award for First Appearance. The Beeld en Geluid IDFA Award for Dutch Documentary went to ‘Now something is slowly changing’ by mint film office. But Now Is Perfect by Carin Goeijers received the IDFA Special Jury Award for Dutch Documentary. At the beginning of the evening, Reber Dosky presented the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Documentary Stipend (€ 50.000) to filmmaker Sophie Dros.International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam 2018 Awards
IDFA Competition for Feature-Length Documentary
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Reason by Anand Patwardhan[/caption]
Anand Patwardhan won the IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary (€ 15.000) with Reason (India). The film is a broad-ranging examination of Indian society, where secular rationalists are hunted down as they attempt to stem the rising tide of religious and nationalist fundamentalism.
From the jury report: The IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary is unanimously given to Reason by Anand Patwardhan for the epic storytelling of the rise of the far right in one of the most populated countries of this planet, the violence of religious and ultranationalist militias with the support of authorities and dominant medias, the dignity of resistance in multiple forms, often at life-cost, in a way that acknowledges the complexity of the situation but put it in a very understandable shape.
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Los Reyes by Bettina Perut and Iván Osnovikoff[/caption]
In addition, the jury presented the IDFA Special Jury Award for Feature-Length Documentary (€ 2.500) to Los Reyes (Chile, Germany) by Bettina Perut and Iván Osnovikoff. In this almost fairytale-like film, the phenomenal, dreamlike camerawork centers almost entirely on the subtle interaction between two dogs, as they play with a ball, a stick, a stone, and each other.
From the jury report: The IDFA Special Jury Award for Feature-Length Documentary goes to Los Reyes, by Bettina Perut and Iván Osnivikoff (Chile, Germany) for the creative and beautiful way it displaces the viewer gaze by associating a sensible look at non-human wonderful characters and the soundtrack that connects daily lives of animal and human stray dogs.
IDFA Competition for First Appearance
Sebastiano d’Ayala Valva won the IDFA Award for Best First Appearance (€ 10.000) for Giacinto Scelsi. The First Motion of the Immovable (France, Italy). Aboozar Amini won the IDFA Special Jury Award for First Appearance, in memory of Peter Wintonick (€ 2.500) for Kabul, City in the Wind (Netherlands, Afghanistan, Japan, Germany).IDFA Competition for Mid-Length Documentary
The IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary (€ 10.000) was awarded to Andrei Kutsila for Summa (Poland, Belarus). The IDFA Special Jury Award for Mid-Length Documentary (€ 2.500) went to In Touch (Poland, Iceland) by Pawel Ziemilski.IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling
Ross Goodwin won the IDFA DocLab Award for Digital Storytelling (€ 5.000) for 1 the Road (United States).IDFA DocLab Competition for Immersive Non-Fiction
The IDFA DocLab Award for Immersive Non-Fiction (€ 5,000) went to Eat | Tech | Kitchen (Netherlands, United States) by Klasien van de Zandschulp & Emilie Baltz.IDFA Competition for Dutch Documentary
The Beeld en Geluid IDFA Award for Dutch Documentary (€ 7.500) went to ‘Now something is slowly changing’ by mint film office. Carin Goeijers received the IDFA Special Jury Award for Dutch Documentary (€ 2.500) for But Now Is Perfect.IDFA Competition for Short Documentary
I Signed the Petition (United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland) by Mahdi Fleifel won the IDFA Award for Best Short Documentary (€ 5.000). The IDFA Special Jury Award for Short Documentary (€ 2.500) went to And What Is the Summer Saying (India) by Payal Kapadia.IDFA Competition for Student Documentary
Beryl Magoko won the IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary (€ 5.000) for In Search… (Germany, Kenya). The IDFA Special Jury Award for Student Documentary (€ 2.500) was presented to Dana Gelman for Backwards (Israel).IDFA Competition for Kids & Docs
The IDFA Award for Best Children’s Documentary (€ 5.000) went to Dancing for You (Poland) by Katarzyna Lesisz. Martijn Blekendaal received the IDFA Special Jury Award for Children’s Documentary (€ 2.500) for The Man Who Looked Beyond the Horizon (the Netherlands).Other Awards
At the beginning of the evening, Reber Dosky presented the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Documentary Stipend (€ 50.000) to filmmaker Sophie Dros. This € 50.000-Euro stipend towards the making of a new documentary was donated by an anonymous donor, who has made the stipend possible through the Cultuurfonds. The Amsterdam Human Rights Award (€ 25.000) was presented on Tuesday evening to Island of The Hungry Ghosts (Germany, United Kingdom, Australia) by Gabrielle Brady. The award was made possible by the City of Amsterdam.
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Watch John Maringouin’s Brilliant GHOSTBOX COWBOY Trailer Starring David Zellner
The new trailer debuted today for GHOSTBOX COWBOY, written and directed by John Maringouin; and starring David Zellner (director of KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER, DAMSEL). The film also featuring Robert Longstreet, Specialist, Vincent Xie, Carrie Gege Zhang, J.R. Cazet will open theatrically in Los Angeles on November 30, San Francisco on December 7 and New York on December 14.
John Maringouin’s brilliant, darkly comedic morality tale examines a wildly ambitious Westerner who tries to get in on China’s tech boom and finds that he may not be up to the task. Texan Jimmy Van Horn (David Zellner) is a cowboy huckster who arrives in the booming city of Shenzhen with a couple of bitcoins and huge ambitions of parlaying them into economic success. Lucky for Jimmy, he’s got a friend holding open the back door to this “accidental Shangri-La” — Bob Grainger (Robert Longstreet) – who’s gotten new teeth, a blonde wig and looks twenty years younger. He promises to do the same for Jimmy in 6 weeks. Maringouin (BIG RIVER MAN) develops a startling visual language in this excitingly fresh, complex perspective on China’s economic growth – and the gold rush mentality it inspires.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf2ybQTE-eg
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Leon Lee’s Social Justice Documentary LETTER FROM MASANJIA on DVD/VOD on December 4th
Filmmaker and Peabody Award winner, Leon Lee’s social justice documentary Letter From Masanjia, follows the true story of an Oregon woman who finds a desperate SOS letter penned by a political prisoner in her Halloween decorations and the nail-biting chain of events that it sparks when she takes the letter public, exposing appalling flagrant human rights violations – that leads to sweeping labor reform in China.
Parade Deck Films opened this powerful documentary “Letter From Masanjia” theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on September 14th, 2018, and now Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company, will bring the film to audiences across North America on DVD & VOD/Digital platforms including: iTunes, Amazon, FandangoNow, VUDU, Xbox, Vimeo, Google Play, etc. on this upcoming December 4th, 2018.
Imagine being a young mother buying holiday decorations at a local Kmart, only to discover a letter asking for help from a prisoner in a labor camp in China? This is a shockingly true tale that dominated the news in real time then and is sadly as prominent a story as it is now I our current political climate as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week. Canadian based, acclaimed filmmaker and Peabody Award winner, Leon Lee’s social justice documentary “Letter From Masanjia,” shines a powerful light on human rights violations in China. When this story originally broke it was covered around the world affecting unprecedented change with the American disovery of a political prisoners letter.
Coming off of a wildly successful festival run and excellent enthusiastic early critical reviews – Leon Lee’s “Letter From Masanjia” has been hailed by audiences and critics alike as one of the best docs of 2018, taking home Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the 2018 Asian American International Film Festival, Atlanta Docufest, Newburport Documentary Film Festival, and Calgary International Film Festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKRavgm-KPY&feature=youtu.be