Studio 54[/caption]
Matt Tyrnauer’s vibrantly nostalgic documentary, Studio 54, featuring interviews with many of the legendary nightclub’s famous patrons, as well as those who worked behind the scenes during its heyday will open the 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival. The festival will honor Angela Robinson as the recipient of the 2018 Achievement Award recipient. The Achievement Award Ceremony will take place at the Opening Night Gala at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on July 12, followed by the screening of Studio 54.
Angela Robinson, a celebrated filmmaker and champion of LGBTQ rights, will receive the Achievement Award, Outfest’s highest honor, presented in recognition of a body of work that has made a significant contribution to LGBT film and media. In a time where women still only make up a fraction of directors, Robinson has carved a space for herself in both film and television, and frequently deals with LGBTQ topics in her work, such as D.E.B.S., “The L Word”, Herbie Fully Loaded, “True Blood”, How to Get Away with Murder”, and most recently Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.
Outfest’s Executive Director Christopher Racster commented: “Outfest has a long and important legacy of launching filmmakers careers. I am incredibly proud that we have the opportunity honor an amazingly talented woman director whose career started at Outfest. Angela has forged a unique path of success within the industry. When jobs are hard to come by for women directors, Angela has blazed a path in high-profile television series, lauded independent films and major studio movies. Her unique vision, her sharp humor, and her humanity are constantly on display in each move she makes. Angela’s work is always fresh, intelligent and groundbreaking.”
“It is such an honor to receive the Outfest Achievement Award this year – I premiered the first short film I ever made at Outfest and every film I’ve made since. It’s a joy to be recognized by Outfest in this way so many years later,” Angela Robinson remarked.
Additional gala screenings include: Sundance NEXT Innovator Award winner We the Animals (U.S. Centerpiece), written and directed by Jeremiah Zagar; the sweeping French drama Reinventing Marvin (International Centerpiece), from filmmaker Anne Fontaine; famed choreographer and filmmaker Jamal Sims’ feature debut When the Beat Drops (Documentary Centerpiece) on the Deep South UNDERGROUND dance phenomenon known as “bucking”; and Our Future Ends (Platinum Centerpiece), a multimedia and multidisciplinary satire about near-extinct lemurs living on long-lost Lemuria.
The 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival will close on July 22 at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel with Desiree Akhavan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, an unapologetically bold take on the topic of conversion therapy, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Jennifer Ehle, Sasha Lane, John Gallagher Jr., and Forrest Goodluck.
Outfest’s Direct of Programming Lucy Mukerjee commented: “After scouring the world for the past year to find the best LGBTQ films, our galas capture that queer pioneering spirit that lives across the ages. From our Opening Night Studio 54, where we learn the back story of the vibrancy that Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager brought to creating a safe HAVEN for LGBTQ folk to the urgency of expression in When the Beat Drops from long-time choreographer Jamal Sims, we see that freedom of identity cannot be held down. Even something as simple as coming of age in We Are Animals looks at new territory in Jeremiah Zagar’s deft hands. The breadth of our galas this year also continues Outfest’s commitment to celebrate female voices including the work of acclaimed director Anne Fontaine and Desiree Akhavan’s sophomore effort, proving once again we will be seeing exciting things from her for a long time to come. I am thrilled we are bringing back the Platinum Centerpiece – Our Future Ends – which combines many genres to tell a story about how to keep a culture from extinction. Happily our queer culture is far from that place!”
Films
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2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival to Open with STUDIO 54 Documentary
[caption id="attachment_28858" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Studio 54[/caption]
Matt Tyrnauer’s vibrantly nostalgic documentary, Studio 54, featuring interviews with many of the legendary nightclub’s famous patrons, as well as those who worked behind the scenes during its heyday will open the 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival. The festival will honor Angela Robinson as the recipient of the 2018 Achievement Award recipient. The Achievement Award Ceremony will take place at the Opening Night Gala at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on July 12, followed by the screening of Studio 54.
Angela Robinson, a celebrated filmmaker and champion of LGBTQ rights, will receive the Achievement Award, Outfest’s highest honor, presented in recognition of a body of work that has made a significant contribution to LGBT film and media. In a time where women still only make up a fraction of directors, Robinson has carved a space for herself in both film and television, and frequently deals with LGBTQ topics in her work, such as D.E.B.S., “The L Word”, Herbie Fully Loaded, “True Blood”, How to Get Away with Murder”, and most recently Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.
Outfest’s Executive Director Christopher Racster commented: “Outfest has a long and important legacy of launching filmmakers careers. I am incredibly proud that we have the opportunity honor an amazingly talented woman director whose career started at Outfest. Angela has forged a unique path of success within the industry. When jobs are hard to come by for women directors, Angela has blazed a path in high-profile television series, lauded independent films and major studio movies. Her unique vision, her sharp humor, and her humanity are constantly on display in each move she makes. Angela’s work is always fresh, intelligent and groundbreaking.”
“It is such an honor to receive the Outfest Achievement Award this year – I premiered the first short film I ever made at Outfest and every film I’ve made since. It’s a joy to be recognized by Outfest in this way so many years later,” Angela Robinson remarked.
Additional gala screenings include: Sundance NEXT Innovator Award winner We the Animals (U.S. Centerpiece), written and directed by Jeremiah Zagar; the sweeping French drama Reinventing Marvin (International Centerpiece), from filmmaker Anne Fontaine; famed choreographer and filmmaker Jamal Sims’ feature debut When the Beat Drops (Documentary Centerpiece) on the Deep South UNDERGROUND dance phenomenon known as “bucking”; and Our Future Ends (Platinum Centerpiece), a multimedia and multidisciplinary satire about near-extinct lemurs living on long-lost Lemuria.
The 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival will close on July 22 at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel with Desiree Akhavan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, an unapologetically bold take on the topic of conversion therapy, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Jennifer Ehle, Sasha Lane, John Gallagher Jr., and Forrest Goodluck.
Outfest’s Direct of Programming Lucy Mukerjee commented: “After scouring the world for the past year to find the best LGBTQ films, our galas capture that queer pioneering spirit that lives across the ages. From our Opening Night Studio 54, where we learn the back story of the vibrancy that Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager brought to creating a safe HAVEN for LGBTQ folk to the urgency of expression in When the Beat Drops from long-time choreographer Jamal Sims, we see that freedom of identity cannot be held down. Even something as simple as coming of age in We Are Animals looks at new territory in Jeremiah Zagar’s deft hands. The breadth of our galas this year also continues Outfest’s commitment to celebrate female voices including the work of acclaimed director Anne Fontaine and Desiree Akhavan’s sophomore effort, proving once again we will be seeing exciting things from her for a long time to come. I am thrilled we are bringing back the Platinum Centerpiece – Our Future Ends – which combines many genres to tell a story about how to keep a culture from extinction. Happily our queer culture is far from that place!”
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Saboteur Media Taking Epic War Movie, DANGER CLOSE to Marché du Film in Cannes
[caption id="attachment_28812" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Travis Fimmel, Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh star in Danger Close[/caption]
Saboteur Media (Saboteur) President of Distribution Mark Lindsay announced yesterday that the company will be selling worldwide rights on the upcoming epic war movie, Danger Close, starring Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Warcraft), Luke Bracey (Hacksaw Ridge, Point Break, G.I. Joe: Retaliation), Richard Roxburgh (Breath, Hacksaw Ridge, Moulin Rouge) and Daniel Webber (The Dirt, The Punisher), beginning at the Marché du Film in Cannes.
The epic and dramatic exploration of war, was written by Stuart Beattie (Collateral, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Australia), and will be directed by Kriv Stenders (Red Dog, Kill Me Three Times, Australia Day). The picture is being produced by John Schwarz (The Hunter’s Prayer, Killerman, Deadline Gallipoli), Michael Schwarz (The Hunter’s Prayer, Killerman, Deadline Gallipoli), and Martin Walsh (The Battle of Long Tan).
The Australian production, with backing from the Federal Government and the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland, commences principal photography in May in Queensland, Australia, and will be distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Transmission Films.
Danger Close tells the incredible true story of when in the late afternoon on August 18, 1966 in South Vietnam, for three and a half hours, in torrential rain, amid the mud and shattered trees of a rubber plantation called Long Tan, Major Harry Smith and his dispersed company of 108 young and mostly inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers fought for their lives, holding off an overwhelming enemy force of 2,500 battle hardened North Vietnamese and Main Force Viet Cong soldiers. With their ammunition running out, their casualties mounting and the enemy massing for a final assault, amid non-stop artillery barrages, each man braced themselves for the fight of their lives.
Mark Lindsay, President of Distribution for Saboteur notes: “We are extremely honored and excited to help bring this epic story of heroism, courage and honor to the marketplace. With the full support of the Australian film community, as well as the Australian military services, there is a great deal of goodwill behind this project, and with Kriv Stenders directing a high profile cast with an amazing script from Stuart Beattie, we are confident the movie will appeal to audiences worldwide.”
Kriv Stenders, Director, said: “I knew immediately when I finished the last page that this is a film I had to make, a story I needed to tell, and a project I absolutely had to be involved with. This is the most ambitious film I have ever directed, and one of the most ambitious films coming out of Australia in the last 30 years.”
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History Docu Series HUNTING ISIS Follows American Volunteer Fighters Embedded with Local Militias in Syria and Iraq
In the original documentary series, “Hunting ISIS,” History follows a group of veteran and civilian volunteers who travel to Syria and Iraq to fight against ISIS alongside local militias. The 6-episode series premieres on Tuesday, May 29 at 10pm ET/PT. Following its broadcast on History, the series will air on Viceland on Sunday, June 3 at 10pm ET/PT. ”
The terrorist organization known as ISIS emerged as a menace in the Middle East years before most in the West took notice of their attacks abroad. More brutal than Al Qaeda before them, ISIS took advantage of chaos caused by Syria’s still-raging Civil War and the United States’ withdrawal from Iraq to recruit heavily in the region. In 2014, the world watched as they swept across Iraq and Syria, capturing wide territories and ruthlessly killing or enslaving anyone who showed signs of resistance as they declared themselves the “Islamic State.” Local forces backed by a U.S.-led coalition of western military powers began fighting back, but progress has taken years.
Not content to sit back and watch ISIS devastate the Middle East from afar, scores of western volunteers have since traveled to region to join the fight against the terrorist group. Through the eyes of American fighters embedded with the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, and medics supporting a coalition of local forces in Iraq, “Hunting ISIS” follows these men as they begin the difficult push to retake ISIS’ capital cities.
Completely unpaid and unsupported by their governments, western volunteers have many reasons for joining the fight. Some are military veterans craving the familiar adrenaline rush and brotherhood of combat, who shoulder a sense of unfinished business in the Middle East. Some are civilians eager to test their mettle while searching for a greater purpose. All are united in their determination to defend the innocent and end the atrocities being committed by ISIS. With unprecedented access, this documentary series witnesses their unique role in one of the defining conflicts of our time, exploring what’s driving these men to war.
Filmmaker and award-winning photographer Sebastiano Tomada built his career documenting conflict in some of the world’s most volatile warzones. “Hunting ISIS” is the culmination of over two years embedded in the trenches in Iraq and Syria, granting visceral, intimate access to the front lines of the war against ISIS and those individuals who give up everything to fight it.
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ROBIN WILLIAMS: COME INSIDE MY MIND, Intimate Documentary on Comedy Genius, to Premiere on HBO in July
A funny, intimate and heartbreaking portrait of one of the world’s most beloved and inventive comedians, Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind will debut Monday, July 16, exclusively on HBO. Told largely through Williams’ own words, the film celebrates what he brought to comedy and to the culture at large, from the wild days of late-1970s L.A. to his death in 2014. Marina Zenovich (Emmy(R) winner for HBO’s “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired”) directs.
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind explores his extraordinary life and career, revealing what drove him to give voice to the characters in his mind. With previously unheard and unseen glimpses into his creative process through interviews with Williams, as well as home movies and onstage footage, this insightful tribute features in-depth interviews with those who knew and loved him, including Billy Crystal, Eric Idle, Whoopi Goldberg, David Letterman, Steve Martin, Pam Dawber and his son, Zak Williams.
The documentary underscores what made Williams so unique, ranging from his youthful days in the San Francisco Bay area, to his time in New York at The Juilliard School, to his rocket-propelled fame on TV’s “Mork & Mindy,” to his profound impact on the American cultural landscape. Such career high points as his landmark comedy show at the Metropolitan Opera, his Broadway debut in “Waiting for Godot,” his Academy Award(R)-winning performance in “Good Will Hunting” and his classic confessional bits about his alcohol and drug issues and 2009 heart surgery capture the spark that made him stand out across four decades in entertainment. Williams’ tragic death in 2014, which revealed he had been suffering from the disease Lewy Body Dementia, left fans around the world heartbroken.
The genius of Robin Williams lay in his ability to make a room, a comedy club, a concert hall or the whole world laugh. Family, friends and film crews often saw a man who wasn’t happy unless everyone else was having a good time? – ?but the dualities Williams embodied were present inside him at all times.
Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind is produced by Alex Gibney and Shirel Kozak; executive producers, David Steinberg, Kristen Vaurio and Marina Zenovich; directed by Marina Zenovich. For HBO: senior producer, Nancy Abraham; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.
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HBO Starts Production on Docu Series Based on Michelle Mcnamara’s Book on ‘Golden State Killer’
HBO Documentary Films is now in production on a documentary series based on the bestselling true crime book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer,” by Michelle McNamara. Academy Award(R) nominee and Emmy(R) winner Liz Garbus (HBO’s “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper”; HBO’s “There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane”; “What Happened, Miss Simone?”) is directing.
Journalist Michelle McNamara was determined to find the violent psychopath she dubbed “The Golden State Killer,” who terrorized California in the late ’70s and early ’80s, committing 50 home-invasion sexual assaults and ten murders. He then disappeared for more than three decades, eluding multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area. On Tuesday, April 24, 2018, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office arrested former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo at his home in a nearby suburb, identifying him through DNA evidence as the notorious serial killer and charging him with a number of the crimes.
“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” is a comprehensive exploration of the case of an elusive, violent predator by McNamara, who died suddenly while investigating the unsolved crimes. It is also a haunting personal memoir and self-examination of McNamara’s obsessive quest for justice on behalf of the victims and survivors of the crimes. Framed by an introduction by Gillian Flynn and afterword by McNamara’s husband, Patton Oswalt, the book was completed by McNamara’s lead researcher, Paul Haynes, and a close colleague, Billy Jenkins.
Published earlier this year, the book debuted at #1 on the New York Times combined print and e-book bestseller list. “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer” was hailed by the New York Times as “a vivid and meticulous investigation” and “a wrenching personal account from a writer who became consumed by her subject.”
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Jennifer Hudson to Sing Title Anthem ‘I’ll Fight’ for RBG Documentary [Trailer]
Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy Award-winning actress and singer Jennifer Hudson will sing “I’ll Fight,” the stirring, powerful anthem for RBG, a documentary about the life and legal legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The original song is written and arranged by the Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winning, and 9-time Academy Award-nominated, songwriter Diane Warren. The song will be released by Epic Records on Friday, May 4, to coincide with the domestic release of the film. The music single, “I’ll Fight,” sung by Jennifer Hudson, will be available wherever music is sold.
RBG is told through the voices of Ginsburg’s friends, former clients and colleagues, and includes interviews with historic figures and her family, including Gloria Steinem, Eugene Scalia, NPR’s Nina Totenberg, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Lilly Ledbetter, and others. In recent years, Justice Ginsburg, now approaching her 25th year of service on the U.S. Supreme Court in the summer of 2018, has also become an intergenerational pop culture icon. West’s and Cohen’s extraordinary access for the film includes interviews with Justice Ginsburg that are interwoven with never-before-seen home movies, images, and scenes from her career achievements and her private life. Throughout the film, there is an exploration of her decades-long romance with her husband, the late Martin Ginsburg, whom she credits with making her contributions to American life possible.
“Last year, I wrote, ‘Stand Up For Something’ for Marshall, the film about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Now, I have written a song, ‘I’ll Fight,’ for another legendary Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It has been an honor to write a song about such a badass, inspiring, and iconic woman. And, it’s a dream-come-true to have my friend, Jennifer Hudson, one of the greatest voices on the planet, sing this song,” said Warren.
Bonnie Greenberg, executive music producer for RBG, collaborated with the production to ensure that the anthem would enhance and support the visual images of the film. Greenberg brought in Diane Warren to write the inspirational song, ‘I’ll Fight;’ Jennifer Hudson’s soaring vocals make the anthem transformational.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biIRlcQqmOc
RBG is directed and produced by award-winning filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen and is co-produced by Storyville Films and CNN Films. RBG is executive produced by Amy Entelis and Courtney Sexton of CNN Films; the film premiered to critical acclaim at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where it was acquired by Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media for worldwide distribution, including theatrical, home video, SVOD, and international television. CNN Films has U.S. broadcast rights to the film.
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SERVED LIKE A GIRL Chronicling Female Veterans Competing for Ms. Veteran America to Premiere on PBS on Memorial Day [Trailer]
Served Like a Girl, directed by Lysa Heslov, is a powerful and poignant look at a group of diverse female veterans as they transition from active duty to civilian life after serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Struggling with PTSD, homelessness, broken families, serious illness, physical injuries, and military sexual abuse, these inspiring women find ways to adapt to the challenges they face through participation in the “Ms. Veteran America” competition. Guided by event founder and veteran Major Jas Boothe, the women work hard to prepare for the competition, and, in the process, recover parts of their identities they had lost on the battlefield. Filled with humor and heart in equal measures, Served Like a Girl premieres on Independent Lens on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 2018, 10:00-11:30 PM ET on PBS.
Wounded U.S. female service personnel often return home to a stark reality; many face debilitating emotional, social and economic challenges. The Ms. Veteran America competition was established in 2012 to encourage women veterans to recognize and support their sisters as they return to civilian life. More than a vehicle for shared recovery, the competition’s main mission is to raise funds and awareness for America’s 55,000 homeless women veterans, a goal that resonates strongly with the women profiled in the film.
Served Like a Girl features:
Sergeant Nichole Alred served six years in the Army as a mechanic, including one tour in Kuwait and two in Iraq. Nichole joined the Army as a single mother in an effort to give her son a better life. Nichole and her mother share a special relationship; her mother was her biggest supporter during both her time in the military and in the Ms. Veteran America competition. Nichole lives in Alabama with her husband.
Major Jas Boothe is a Chicago native, disabled veteran, cancer survivor, and international speaker who served 17 years in the Army. She founded Final Salute in 2010 and the Ms. Veteran America competition in 2012, which have collectively raised over $2 million and assisted over 3600 women veterans and children in over 30 states and territories. In honor of her leadership and positive impact on the community, Boothe has been recognized by Oprah Winfrey, Toyota, People Magazine, CNN Heroes, and the Department of Defense. She lives in Northern Virginia.
Lieutenant Commander Rachel Engler is second-generation Navy on both her mother and father’s side. A former NFL cheerleader and a registered nurse, she received her officer’s commission straight out of college and deployed to Afghanistan. In 2011, she was diagnosed with a chronic neuromuscular illness called Myasthenia Gravis, a condition that still affects her life today, but which hasn’t slowed her volunteer work on behalf of her fellow veterans. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Master-at-Arms First Class Hope Garcia served ten years in the Navy before being placed on the Permanent Disability Retired list. She struggles with PTSD and the trauma resulting from military sexual assault. But Hope continues to work for a better life for herself and her sons. At the time of filming Hope was working her way through school while attempting to build a career as a pin-up model. Through participating in the Ms. Veteran America competition, Hope was reunited with her mother and the two were able to start rebuilding their relationship. She lives in Los Angeles.
Master Sergeant Denyse Gordon comes from a family with a long and proud history of military and civic service. Her maternal grandfather served during WWII, her stepfather was a Vietnam- era veteran and served in the U.S. Navy, her sister is a U.S. Army Reserve Captain who is a veteran of both the Gulf War and Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom, her mother retired as an Executive Officer with the New York City Police Department Traffic Division, and Denyse, who is also an Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom combat veteran, is a 22-and-a-half-year U.S. Air Force Reserves Master Sergeant, having served 12 years on active duty. In 2012, she was crowned the first Ms. Veteran America and continues with the competition as its director. She lives in Northern Virginia.
Specialist Marissa Strock lost both lower legs in 2005, when an IED detonated beneath her Army Humvee outside Baghdad. Three of the five people on board were killed, and Marissa spent weeks in a medically induced coma. After competing in Ms. Veteran America 2013 and taking home three trophies, including one for significant military achievement, this self-proclaimed “glamputee” has served as the event’s master of ceremonies in subsequent years. She has an impressive collection of fabulous shoes and refuses to let the loss of her legs slow her down. She lives in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Sergeant Andrea Waterbury enlisted in the Army two days after 9/11 and was deployed in Iraq for two years starting in 2003. A dynamic, small-town woman and divorced mother of four, she works as the Cavalier Cadet Corp instructor at Chillicothe High School in Ohio and continues to serve proudly in the Army Reserves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLRDXIXm1HA
Image: Denyse Gordon, Joanne Makay, Hope Garcia, Rachel Engler, Jas Boothe, Nichole Alred and Andrea Waterbury – INDEPENDENT LENS “Served Like a Girl”
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Watch First Trailer for THE TALE Starring Laura Dern, Sets HBO Premiere Date
HBO today released the trailer for The Tale starring Laura Dern that chronicles one woman’s powerful investigation into her own childhood memories, as she is forced to reexamine her first sexual experience – and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. Debuting Saturday, May 26 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT), the HBO Films presentation is written and directed by Sundance Grand Prize winner and Emmy(R) nominee Jennifer Fox, who based it on her own true story.
The film will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms.
The Tale stars Laura Dern (Oscar(R) nominee for “Wild” and “Rambling Rose”; Emmy(R) winner for HBO’s “Big Little Lies”; Emmy(R) nominee for HBO’s “Enlightened,” “Recount” and “Afterburn”), Isabelle Nélisse (“Mama”), Elizabeth Debicki (“The Night Manager”), Jason Ritter (“Kevin (Probably) Saves the World”), Frances Conroy (Emmy(R) nominee for HBO’s “Six Feet Under”) and John Heard (Emmy(R) nominee for HBO’s “The Sopranos”), with Common (Oscar(R) winner for “Selma”) and Ellen Burstyn (Academy Award(R) winner for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”).
An accomplished documentarian working in New York, Jennifer (Laura Dern) is completing her latest project about the lives of women around the world. She receives a series of phone calls from her mother, Nettie (Ellen Burstyn), who has found a short story Jennifer wrote at age 13, in which she describes various encounters with her riding instructor, Mrs. G (Elizabeth Debicki), and her running coach, Bill (Jason Ritter), while at summer camp. Nettie is unnerved by the implications of her daughter’s writing, but Jennifer is nonplussed. She has always looked back with fondness on the time she spent with these two charismatic adults.
Egged on by Nettie and encouraged by her supportive fiancé (Common), Jennifer yearns to know more and sets out on a journey, 30 years later, to find those people from her past – the children, now adults, who also attended the camp back then – and eventually the coaches themselves. But the more she learns, the more her memories shift and the more questions she unearths. As Jennifer’s frustration mounts, she finds herself turning inward to get to the truth, imagining conversations with her 13-year-old self (Isabelle Nélisse) and even Mrs. G and Bill in an effort to understand how and why events occurred so long ago.
An unforgettable meditation on the elusive nature of memory, The Tale is the first narrative feature from Jennifer Fox, whose documentary films have earned international acclaim for their groundbreaking artistry and unflinching honesty. Based on Fox’s own life story, The Tale sees the filmmaker bravely pushing forward the boundaries of conventional storytelling, creating a dialogue between past and present to illustrate the interplay between memory and trauma.
“My goal was not to ask, ‘Did this happen?,’ because I always remembered it,” explains writer and director Fox. “It was, ‘How and why did it happen, and how and why did I spin it as a positive story to myself?’ There was a lightbulb moment when I was making another film about women all around the world, and it seemed that every other woman – regardless of class, culture or color – had an abuse story to tell. Their stories just floored me, because they had a system or a paradigm that looked like my story. Suddenly, I couldn’t see it as my own private little narrative and knew that it was time to investigate what happened in the open space of a fictional film.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXpYsr3AL4U
The Tale is produced by Jennifer Fox, Oren Moverman, Laura Rister, Mynette Louie, Simone Pero, Lawrence Inglee, Sol Bondy, Regina K. Scully, Lynda Weinman and Reka Posta. Julie Parker Benello, Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous, Wendy Ettinger, Abigail E. Disney, Robert & Penny Fox, Jayme Lemons, Amy Rodrigue, Ali Jazayeri, Jason Van Eman, David Van Eman, Ross Marroso and Ben McConley are executive producers.
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BIPOLAR ROCK ‘N ROLLER, Documentary on Sportscaster Mauro Ranallo Battle with Mental Illness to Debut on Showtime [Trailer]
Prolific combat sports broadcaster Mauro Ranallo and his lifelong battle with mental illness are the subject of a new documentary film from Showtime Sports. Bipolar Rock N Roller – named for the moniker Ranallo gave himself as a broadcast personality and DJ in the early 90’s – will premiere on Showtime during Mental Health Awareness Month on Friday, May 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Ranallo has Bipolar Affective Disorder, a condition afflicting nearly five percent of the U.S. population according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI.org). As a national sportscaster for preeminent boxing, mixed martial arts and WWE events, Ranallo has long been an advocate for ending the stigma of mental illness. Now, for the first time, he exposes the true extent of his daily struggle. Through extensive behind-the-scenes video footage, candid personal interviews and detailed accounts from his loved ones and doctors, Bipolar Rock N Roller takes an unflinching look at mental illness and its effects.
The film explores Ranallo’s career, including his work on the two biggest pay-per-view events in television history, and his relentless pursuit of a childhood dream despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Through this deeply personal portrait, Ranallo hopes that the film might inspire others to persevere in pursuing their dreams despite the challenges of a mental health condition.
“I have always tried to do my part to bring awareness to mental health issues,” said Ranallo. “Over the last several years, I allowed my best friend, Haris (Usanovic), to film me at my lowest points as well as at my highest. The idea is simply to show others who suffer that they are not alone and that, even when the outlook is bleak, you can overcome and achieve success. Mental illness is a life sentence – there is no cure – but it doesn’t have to be a death sentence.”
“Through Bipolar Rock N Roller, Mauro Ranallo has chosen to share not only his life’s dreams, but his nightmares as well,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming for Showtime Networks Inc. “Having reached the pinnacle of his profession, Mauro bravely turns his keen observational skills inward to examine his own life-long battle. The result is a raw, poignant and ultimately inspirational film that personifies Mauro’s courage and selflessness.”
Ranallo is a popular fixture on today’s combat sports scenes. In a career that has spanned more than 30 years, he has called everything from “All-Star Wrestling,” a Canadian professional wrestling outfit, to historic MMA events for Pride Fighting Championships out of Japan, to WWE SmackDown Live on USA Network, to many of the biggest boxing events in the world for Showtime Sports. Ranallo was the first broadcaster to call play-by-play on boxing, kickboxing, MMA and professional wrestling events on national television.
Today, Ranallo is the voice of three prominent nationally televised series: Showtime Championship Boxing (R), WWE’s weekly show NXT on WWE Network, and Bellator MMA on Paramount Network. Perhaps best known for his dramatic, excitable style, Ranallo is a student of the English language. He has already made a lasting mark on the industry having called the two biggest pay-per-view events in television history: Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao (May 2015, international telecast); and Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor (Aug. 2017, Showtime PPV(R)).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NAkbSIXxVc
Bipolar Rock N Roller is produced by Brian Dailey, the network’s Vice President, Sports Digital Content and Strategy, and MALKA MEDIA GROUP. Directed by first-time filmmaker Haris Usanovic, the film is executive produced by Stephen Espinoza and Showtime Sports.
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HBO to Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month With ‘Visionary’ Short Film Program [Video]
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From left: HBO APA Visionaries finalists Huay-Bing Law, Feng-I Fiona Roan, and Maritte Go.[/caption]
In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, HBO will premiere the second installment of Asian Pacific American Visionaries, a short film program featuring the works of emerging Asian American directors on May 7th. The trio of films, which explores historic – and timely – issues of immigration, racism and assimilation, will be available to stream across all of HBO’s on-demand and digital platforms (including HBO NOW®, HBO GO®, HBO On Demand® and streaming partner platforms) through the end of the month.
About the films
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Remittance[/caption]
‘Remittance’ by Maritte Go, is the story of a Filipino cruise worker who receives a call informing her that her son is in the hospital.
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June[/caption]
‘June,‘ directed by Huay-Bing Law, is set on an American college campus during the 1960s and chronicles the experience of a young Chinese woman as she attends her husband’s graduation.
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Jie Jie[/caption]
‘Jiejie,‘ directed by Feng-I Fiona, is a portrait of two young sisters being raised by a single immigrant mother in Los Angeles during the 1990s.
The three shorts are the top finalists of this year’s HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries, a national competition that offers emerging directors of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent the opportunity to showcase their work. Launched in 2016, the contest was created to help further the dialogue about race, diversity and representation in Hollywood while also identifying new cinematic storytellers who offer unique perspectives of the Asian Pacific American experience. The winner of this year’s competition will be announced on May 7 at HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries.
“HBO is proud to provide these young artists the opportunity to showcase their talents and share their unique stories through Asian Pacific American Visionaries,” said Jackie Gagne, VP Multicultural Marketing at HBO. “As a leader in the conversation about diversity in Hollywood, initiatives like Asian Pacific American Visionaries enable new voices to be seen and heard.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJeAi4Z84Mc
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Netflix Debuts Trailer for Documentary EVIL GENIUS on 2003 Pennsylvania ‘Pizza Bomber Heist’
Netflix today dropped the trailer for the documentary Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist.
2:28 PM. August 28, 2003. A man walks into a bank with a bomb locked around his neck. This is a true story.
In 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder capture the nation’s attention, and a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI. The Netflix Original Documentary Series From the Executive Producers of Wild Wild Country will launch globally on the streaming platform on May 11.
From the executive producers of Wild Wild Country, the truth behind an extraordinary criminal case, known as the “pizza bomber heist,” is brought to light in the four-part Netflix original documentary series Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist. In 2003 in Erie, Pennsylvania, a robbery gone wrong and a terrifying public murder capture the nation’s attention, and a bizarre collection of Midwestern hoarders, outcasts, and lawbreakers play cat-and-mouse with the FBI. Eventually, a middle-aged mastermind named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong – once a town beauty, now a woman grappling with mental illness – is arrested. But 15 years later, Evil Genius proves there’s more to the conspiracy and murders than was ever thought.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpdb9zo_1t8
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Showtime to Debut Docu-Comedy Series JUST ANOTHER IMMIGRANT Starring UK Comedian Romesh Ranganathan
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Romesh Ranganathan[/caption]
Showtime will premiere a new docu-comedy unscripted series centered around popular UK comedian Romesh Ranganathan called Just Another Immigrant. The 10-episode, half-hour series will air two episodes on Fridays beginning June 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Just Another Immigrant is a comedic docuseries that follows Romesh Ranganathan, one of the most popular stand-ups in the UK, as he uproots his entire family – his supportive wife, their three kids, his Sri Lankan mother and his eccentric uncle – and immigrates to the U.S. Displaced in Los Angeles, Ranganathan attempts to find success and happiness, while rebuilding a life from scratch. In addition to his efforts to adapt, he has committed himself to booking a U.S. gig – the 6,000-seat Greek Theater – with only three months to sell it out. The series chronicles the true-life adventures of this modern immigrant family and the obstacles of making it in today’s America.
Ranganathan debuted on the British comedy circuit in 2010 and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2013 Edinburgh Comedy Awards. Since then Ranganathan has appeared on multiple television shows and is well-known for his performances on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Royal Variety Show and A League Of Their Own, among others. Ranganathan’s hit series Asian Provocateur followed his escapades after being sent by his mother to his parents’ homeland of Sri Lanka in an attempt to connect him with his roots. The series earned the comedian his first BAFTA nomination. In 2016 Ranganathan embarked on his solo tour ‘Irrational’ and was awarded Ents24 Hardest Working Comedian of the Year.
Just Another Immigrant is a co-production of Rangabee Productions, JSA Olive Oil and Renegade. Eric Pankowski (Carpool Karaoke), Benjamin Green (Asian Provocateur) and Ranganathan are executive producers, with Green directing. David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe (Naked and Afraid) also serve as executive producers.