Films

ONE OF US, Documentary Exploring Hasidic Judaism, to World Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival

The documentary One of Us, by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp, Detropia) will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival and will launch on Netflix in the Fall. One of Us explores the opaque world of Hasidic Judaism through a cadre of fascinating characters. Through unique and intimate access over the span of three years, acclaimed observational filmmakers Ewing and Grady delve into the lives of three brave individuals who have recently made the decision to leave the insular ultra-orthodox community at the expense of all else, including relationships with their family members and – in one case – their personal safety. With a sensitive and compassionate eye, One of Us chronicles the achingly cinematic journey of people in search of a personal freedom that comes only at a very high cost. “We have always been drawn to stories that put the nature/nurture debate into stark relief. Are some of us just born with an unshakable need to question the status quo, despite the consequences?” said filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. “The three brave people we chronicle in One of Us buck the exacting rules of their ultra-orthodox community to experience the world for the first time as true individuals. Their journey is a profoundly human one that took us by surprise. We hope audiences are as affected by this story as we are.”
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Toronto International Film Festival Unveils 35 International Titles on 2017 Short Cuts Program

[caption id="attachment_23404" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Death, Dad & Son[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival has unveiled the 35 exceptional short films that make up the International portion of the 2017 Short Cuts program. A lineup that stands out for its diversity of voices and backgrounds, the International selection for 2017 includes works from over 30 countries in 16 different languages, with a strong presence from the Middle East and South America. Of the 35 selected films, 17 were directed by women. The International lineup also includes seven stunning short animations, including Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s The Burden (Min börda), winner of the Cristal for a Short Film award at the 2017 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and The Death, Dad & Son by Denis Walgenwitz and Winshluss, the renowned French comic book artist whose film credits include co-writing and co-directing the Oscar-nominated Persepolis (07). Another well-known name featured in the lineup is Justine Bateman; the former Family Ties star’s short film directorial debut, FIVE MINUTES, will be premiering at the Festival. Program highlights also include Ifunanya Maduka’s heartbreaking Waiting for Hassana, which shares a brave teenager’s devastating account of the 2014 Boko Haram kidnapping; Mahdi Fleifel’s A Drowning Man, the dramatic story of a young immigrant trying to survive in a new and strange city; and Yang Qiu’s A Gentle Night (Xiao Cheng Er Yue), which will be screening fresh off its Short Film Palme d’Or win at Cannes. Films in the Short Cuts program are eligible for the IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Film. This year’s jury includes Marit van den Elshout, Head of CineMart at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; TIFF 2016 City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film winner Johnny Ma (Old Stone); and Cannes 2017 Art Cinema Award winner Chloé Zhao (The Rider). The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017. International titles screening as part of the Short Cuts program include: Airport Michaela Müller, Switzerland/Croatia North American Premiere Blue Christmas Charlotte Wells, UK/USA World Premiere Bonboné Rakan Mayasi, Palestine/Lebanon World Premiere The Burden (Min börda) Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Sweden North American Premiere Catastrophe Jamille van Wijngaarden, Netherlands International Premiere Damiana Andrés Ramírez Pulido, Colombia/Brazil North American Premiere The Death, Dad & Son (La Mort, Père & Fils) Winshluss, Denis Walgenwitz, France International Premiere Drop by Drop (Água Mole) Xá, Laura Gonçalves, Portugal North American Premiere A Drowning Man Mahdi Fleifel, Denmark/Greece/UK North American Premiere Everlasting MOM (Ima Lanetzah) Elinor Nechemya, Israel International Premiere Fifteen (Khamastashar) Sameh Alaa, Egypt World Premiere FIVE MINUTES Justine Bateman, USA World Premiere A Gentle Night (Xiao Cheng Er Yue) Yang Qiu, China Canadian Premiere I Didn’t Shoot Jesse James (Je n’ai pas tué Jesse James) Sophie Beaulieu, France North American Premiere Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month Carlo Francisco Manatad, Philippines/Singapore North American Premiere Long Distance Relationship (Namoro À Distância) Carolina Markowicz, Brazil World Premiere Lower Heaven Emad Aleebrahim Dehkordi, France/Iran International Premiere Magic Moments Martina Buchelová, Slovakia World Premiere Marlon Jessica Palud, France/Belgium North American Premiere Möbius Sam Kuhn, Canada/USA North American Premiere Mon amour mon ami Adriano Valerio, Italy/France International Premiere Mother (Madre) Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Spain International Premiere Preparation (Proetimasia) Sofia Georgovassili, Greece World Premiere The President’s Visit Cyril Aris, Lebanon/Qatar/USA World Premiere Push It Julia Thelin, Sweden North American Premiere Roadside Attraction Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas, USA World Premiere Shinaab Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr, USA International Premiere SIGNATURE Kei Chikaura, Japan North American Premiere Still Water Runs Deep Abbesi Akhamie, USA/Nigeria World Premiere Together Alone (Nosotros solos) Mateo Bendesky, Argentina International Premiere Treehouse (La casa del árbol) Juan Sebastián Quebrada, Colombia/France World Premiere Waiting Amberley Jo Aumua, New Zealand International Premiere Waiting for Hassana Ifunanya Maduka, Nigeria Canadian Premiere We Love Moses Dionne Edwards, UK Canadian Premiere WICKED GIRL (KÖTÜ KIZ) Ayce Kartal, France/Turkey North American Premiere
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Ai Weiwei’s Refugee Crisis Documentary HUMAN FLOW Sets Fall Release Date

Human Flow, a moving documentary that looks at the global refugee crisis, directed by world-renowned artist Ai Weiwei, will open in theaters on October 13. It will be released concurrent with the Public Art Fund’s thematically linked New York exhibition Ai Weiwei: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors. The film will also be featured at the upcoming 2017 Venice International Film Festival. Over 65 million people around the world have been forced from their homes to escape famine, climate change and war in the greatest human displacement since World War II. Human Flow, an epic film journey led by Ai Weiwei, gives a powerful visual expression to this massive human migration, elucidating both the staggering scale of the refugee crisis and its profoundly personal human impact. Captured over the course of an eventful year in 23 countries, the film follows a chain of urgent human stories that stretches across the globe in countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, France, Greece, Germany, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, and Turkey. Human Flow is a witness to its subjects and their desperate search for safety, shelter and justice: from teeming refugee camps to perilous ocean crossings to barbed-wire borders; from dislocation and disillusionment to courage, endurance and adaptation; from the haunting lure of lives left behind to the unknown potential of the future. This visceral work of cinema is a testament to the unassailable human spirit and poses one of the questions that will define this century: Will our global society emerge from fear, isolation, and self-interest and choose a path of openness, freedom, and respect for humanity? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWgC5pCR1AE
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Toronto International Film Festival Announces 2017 Documentary Program, Opens with GRACE JONES: BLOODLIGHT & BAMI

[caption id="attachment_23395" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival’s 2017 documentary program presents a distinct collection of works from award-winning directors, and will open with Sophie Fiennes’ Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami, a film that captures the legendary performer on and off stage. The lineup features celebrated filmmakers, including Morgan Spurlock, who reignites his battle with the food industry in Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!; Brett Morgen, with his portrait of primatologist Jane Goodall in Jane; Greg Barker, who grants viewers unprecedented access into President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team in The Final Year; Frederick Wiseman, who takes us behind the scenes of a New York institution in Ex Libris – The New York Public Library; and Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, who follow three Hasidic Jews who attempt to enter the secular world in One of Us. The TIFF Docs Program is made possible through the generous sponsorship of A+E IndieFilms. “Resistance is a key theme in this year’s documentaries,” said TIFF Docs Programmer Thom Powers. “We pay witness to rebels challenging the status quo in art, politics, sexuality, religion, fashion, sports and entertainment. They speak powerfully to our times as audiences seek inspirations for battling powerful and corrupt systems.” The theme of resistance plays out in a diverse range of films, including Jed Rothstein’s The China Hustle, executive produced by Alex Gibney and Frank Marshall, which confronts a new era of Wall Street fraud; Matt Tyrnauer’s Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, which profiles the sexual taboo breaker Scotty Bowers; Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman’s Silas, which portrays Liberian activist Silas Siakor; and Erika Cohn’s The Judge, which follows the first female Shari’a judge, Kholoud Al-Faqih, practicing law in the West Bank. We gain insights into high-profile figures in the worlds of entertainment and sports in films such as Chris Smith’s JIM & ANDY: the Great Beyond – the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman featuring a very special, contractually obligated mention of Tony Clifton, which examines Jim Carrey’s immersion into the role of Andy Kaufman; Lili Fini Zanuck’s Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, which delivers the definitive biography of the rock legend; and Jason Kohn’s Love Means Zero, which investigates the controversial tennis coach Nick Bollettieri and his history with Andre Agassi. Several films deepen our understanding of black cultural figures, including Sam Pollard’s Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me on the complex career of the multi-talented Rat Pack performer; Kate Novack’s The Gospel According to André on the trend-setting fashion writer André Leon Talley; and Sara Driver’s BOOM FOR REAL The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat on the formative years of the acclaimed artist. TIFF Docs upholds its tradition of featuring films and filmmakers from around the world with films such as Violeta Ayala’s Cocaine Prison on the drug trade in Bolivia; Mila Turajlić’s The Other Side of Everything on the dissident activism of her Serbian mother; Hüseyin Tabak’s The Legend of the Ugly King on the Kurdish filmmaker Yilmaz Güney; Sabiha Sumar’s Azmaish: A Journey through the Subcontinent on the politics of India and Pakistan; and Gustavo Salmerón’s Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle on his eccentric family in Spain. The TIFF Docs closing film is Emmanuel Gras’ Makala, which won the Grand Jury prize at Cannes’ Critics Week and portrays the heroic struggles of a subsistence laborer in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs September 7 to 17, 2017.
2017 TIFF Docs Program include:
Azmaish: A Journey through the Subcontinent Sabiha Sumar, Pakistan North American Premiere BOOM FOR REAL The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat Sara Driver, USA World Premiere The China Hustle Jed Rothstein, USA World Premiere Cocaine Prison Violeta Ayala, Australia/Bolivia/France/USA World Premiere Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars Lili Fini Zanuck, United Kingdom World Premiere Ex Libris – The New York Public Library Frederick Wiseman, USA North American Premiere The Final Year Greg Barker, USA World Premiere The Gospel According to André Kate Novack, USA World Premiere Documentary Program Opening Film. Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami Sophie Fiennes, United Kingdom/Ireland World Premiere JIM & ANDY: the Great Beyond – the story of Jim Carrey & Andy Kaufman featuring a very special, contractually obligated mention of Tony Clifton Chris Smith, USA/Canada North American Premiere Jane Brett Morgen, USA World Premiere The Judge Erika Cohn, Palestine/USA World Premiere The Legend of the Ugly King Hüseyin Tabak, Germany/Austria World Premiere Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle Gustavo Salmerón, Spain North American Premiere Love Means Zero Jason Kohn, USA World Premiere Documentary Program Closing Film. Makala Emmanuel Gras, France North American Premiere OF SHEEP AND MEN Karim Sayad, Switzerland/Qatar World Premiere One of Us Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, USA World Premiere The Other Side of Everything Mila Turajlić, Serbia/France/Qatar World Premiere Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me Sam Pollard, USA World Premiere Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood Matt Tyrnauer, USA World Premiere Silas Anjali Nayar and Hawa Essuman, Canada/South Africa/Kenya World Premiere Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! Morgan Spurlock, USA World Premiere
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VIDEOS + PHOTOS: Dominican Republican Film WOODPECKERS Sets Release Date

Watch some video clips and photos from the Dominican film Woodpeckers (Carpinteros) directed by Jose Maria Cabral and set in the Dominican Republic’s Najayo Prison. The film which was an official selection at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival will open in theaters on Friday, September 15, 2017 in New York (AMC Empire 25) with a wider national release to follow. Julián finds love and a reason for living in the last place imaginable: the Dominican Republic’s Najayo Prison. His romance, with fellow prisoner Yanelly, must defeat the distance that separates them by using a sign language created by the inmates in Najayo, called “Woodpecking,” enabling them to effectively communicate and develop personal and even intimate relationships without the knowledge of dozens of guards. Using real prison locations and non-actors throughout, WOODPECKERS is also based on real events.

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VIDEO: Watch New Clip from GOOK Featuring Comedian David So

Check out this brand new clip from GOOK, featuring comedian David So. In the scene, a group of female customers flirt with Daniel, played by David So, and receive the special manager discount. GOOK directed by Justin Chon opens in Los Angeles August 18th and in NY and other cities on August 25th. The film follows Eli and Daniel, two Korean American brothers that run their late father’s shoe store in a predominantly African American community of Los Angeles. These two brothers strike up a unique and unlikely friendship with an 11-year-old African American girl, Kamila. As Daniel dreams of becoming a recording artist and Eli struggles to keep the story afloat, racial tensions build to a breaking point in L.A. as the “infamous” L.A. Riots break out.
Gook Official trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_UxfY-wdaw
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Peter Machen In Conversation with Filmmaker Doris Dörrie, “FUKUSHIMA, MON AMOUR” | Trailer

[caption id="attachment_23366" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Doris Dörrie[/caption] Peter Machen spoke to leading German filmmaker Doris Dörrie about her remarkable film Fukushima, Mon Amour which screened at the Durban International Film Festival as part of the German Focus last week. One of Germany’s leading filmmakers, Doris Dörrie has made several films set in Japan. Her latest film takes place in the evacuated zone of Fukushima where an older geisha has returned to her home in the company of a young German woman who has travelled to the area with a foreign aid organisation. Shot on site, in the aftermath of the nuclear meltdown and the 2011 tsunami that caused it, Fukushima, Mon Amour is remarkable for its fusion of fiction and reality and the way that it tenderly holds the one inside of the other. I spoke to Dörrie’s about this beautifully judged film, beginning with her initial experience of visiting Fukushima after the meltdown. Dörrie, who has visited Japan many times and made several films in the country, felt a strong need to visit Fukushima in the wake of the devastating disaster. “I have so many friends there and I didn’t want to sit around and get all the information from the news. Everybody in Germany thought all of Japan was radioactively polluted and foreigners pretty much left Japan in those times and nobody wanted to go. So I figured, ‘well I should go’. So I did and I was very struck and overwhelmed by the enormity, the devastation, but also by how people tried to cope.” “Back then refugees from Fukushima had just moved into these temporary housings and they were trying to come to grips with the fact that they had lost everything within 20 minutes. Which is a very basic human fear – to just lose everything in a moment.” “And it reminded me so much of the experience my parent’s generation had in World War II. Both my parents lost their place to live and everything in Hanover because of the bombing. I didn’t really know whether I wanted to write about Fukushima or make a documentary about it but I knew that I wanted to talk about it. And then it took a long time to come up with the story. I went back so many times and tried to figure out whether it would be possible to shoot at all in that region because it was still ‘the zone’.” [caption id="attachment_23367" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Fukushima, Mon Amour[/caption] On January 1, 2016, the Japanese government decided to open the zone again because, says Dörrie, they did not want to pay the subsidies for the refugees. “People were being asked to move back, but there was nothing to move back to. So that became the nucleus of the film’s story – this old lady goes back to her destroyed house. And there’s nothing there. Nothing whatsoever. “ And was she concerned about the impact on her own long-term health and that of her crew? “We shot in the former zone for six weeks and I was there for three months. But by then, we had done so much research. I had taken dust samples and I had gotten them analysed by the German Institute for Radioactivity and they had assured me again and again that it would be alright to take a crew there and spend several weeks there. I really tried very hard to be on the safe side because I didn’t want to take on the responsibility for the entire team. I couldn’t do that.” “So we made very, very sure that it was going to be okay. We all wore dosimeters that keep collecting the accumulated radioactivity that you’re exposed to. And we sent them in after we got back to Germany and we were just lucky that the readings turned out to be totally okay. That was, of course, a bit of luck also. It’s of course not safe to dig in the ground, to sit under a tree, to eat berries. All of that is not safe, of course not.” Talking about screenings of the film in Japan, Dörrie says that audiences were extremely emotional. “Everybody has a connection to Fukushima somehow. And people are so grateful to us – which really puts me to shame – but they are, because nobody ever shot a feature film in that region. Nobody. And that’s very, very touching to be thanked for. It is bizarre but sometimes it works that way – that foreigners can come in and they talk about traumas. Because they’re not affected by the trauma, sometimes it’s easier to come in from the outside and talk about these things.” But while cultural distance has its advantages, there are always dangers to telling other people’s stories. Which is why Dörrie says that she always insists on having her perspective in films that deal with other cultures. “Because I wouldn’t dare talk about Japan from a Japanese viewpoint. So that’s why I have the young German in the film, who goes to Japan, who doesn’t know anything about it, who is a fool, the traditional fool, who is very innocent on one hand but also quite ignorant. And I need to have that perspective because that’s, of course, my perspective. As much as I read up and I do research, I’m still ignorant about a lot of things. Because you can never get the inside perspective on a country. So I need to have that perspective from the outside in the story itself.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RJga_xGoSY via press release.
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VIDEO: Watch Trailer for A LIFE IN WAVES, Documentary on Electronic Music Pioneer, Suzanne Ciani

[caption id="attachment_20658" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] A LIFE IN WAVES[/caption] A Life in Waves explores the life and innovations of composer and electronic music pioneer, Suzanne Ciani. Gunpowder & Sky will release the SXSW 2017 documentary on VOD nationwide August 4, 2017. From her earliest days learning the piano, to her multi-million dollar advertising ventures, to her successes in the world of New Age music, to her recent re-connection with her beloved Buchla synthesizer, the film is a journey into Suzanne’s mind, offering a feminine glimpse into the often complicated world of electronic music. Utilizing a wealth of archival footage and Suzanne’s endless catalog of music, A Life in Waves is a nostalgic, visually-compelling look at one woman’s journey, and the trials she overcame to succeed in a traditionally male-dominated art form. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puLTePqBlQI
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VIDEO: Watch Trailer for ELIZABETH BLUE Based on Filmmaker’s Personal Experiences with Schizophrenia

Elizabeth Blue is an indie drama written and directed by first-time filmmaker Vincent Sabella. Sabella is a diagnosed schizophrenic, and the film is loosely based on a time in his life when all of his medications failed. Global Digital Releasing will release Elizabeth Blue in NY, LA, and an additional 10 markets on September 22. Recently released from a psychiatric hospital, Elizabeth (Anna Schafer) returns to her Los Angeles apartment where she lives with her fiancé, Grant (Ryan Vincent). With the guidance of her new psychiatrist, Dr. Bowman (AdewaleAkinnuoye-Agbaje), and the unfaltering support of Grant, Elizabeth works at regaining control of her mental stability and her life as she begins to plan their wedding. Struggling to navigate daily voices, hallucinations, anxiety, failing medications and her judgmental, unsupportive mother, Carol (Kathleen Quinlan), Elizabeth fears that Grant will leave her as she clings to hope that love will truly conquer all – even mental illness. The filmmakers and GDR have partnered with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and Elizabeth Blue is scheduled to screen at multiple NAMI Affiliate locations across the country during the film’s opening weekend. NAMI is the largest grass roots mental health organization in the country and works with celebrities and filmmakers as part of their ongoing efforts to raise awareness and combat stigmas associated with mental illness. NAMI will also be receiving a portion of the film’s proceeds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faXEc87xsks
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VIDEO: Watch New Trailer for NATURE BOY, Documentary on Wrestling Legend Ric Flair

ESPN has a released the new trailer for the 30 for 30 documentary “Nature Boy,” on wrestling legend Ric Flair, set to premiere on Tuesday, November 7, at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN. Director Rory Karpf (“I Hate Christian Laettner,” “The Book of Manning”) will take an inside look at Flair’s story, including his triumphs, his tragedies, and his pivotal role in turning pro wrestling into mainstream sports entertainment. Real or Fake? It’s a question that’s long shadowed professional wrestling. But for one of the industry’s most legendary performers, there’s never been any separation between the ring and the world around it. His story starts in the Midwest, when a young Richard Fliehr set his sights on rising to stardom in a unique world, and decided to do anything necessary to get to where he wanted. A character was born, along with a singular desire “to be the man,” and a drive that made him as popular and polarizing as any figure ever to step into the ring. The success took a considerable toll – on his body, and on his wives and children – and in 2013 came a tragic postscript. But today, Flair remains as defiant as ever, proud of his legacy, eager to remain in the spotlight. This is the story of a man, a character, and their unbreakable connection. “This film was basically borne out of working with Rory Karpf on our ‘I Hate Christian Laettner’ documentary,” says 30 for 30 Executive Producer John Dahl. “Rory interviewed Ric for his take on sports villains and wanted to do a film on him next. After watching that interview for the Laettner film, we were convinced that Ric would be a fascinating subject to explore for our first feature-length 30 for 30 on a pro wrestler.” “Nature Boy” features two in-depth conversations between Karpf and Flair over a 16-month span, surrounded by interviews with those closest to the man himself; including Triple H, Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat, Baby Doll, Tully Blanchard, The Undertaker, Arn Anderson, Shawn Michaels, Sting and Road Warrior Animal as well as his first wife, Leslie Jacobs, and children along with others who know Flair best. “I grew up a huge wrestling fan in the 1980s and I was captivated by Ric Flair,” says director Rory Karpf. “It’s been a personally rewarding experience to tell the story of arguably the greatest wrestler of all time. Ric’s story transcends the wrestling business, and my hope is that it will appeal to wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike.”

WOOOOOO!!! Our #30for30, #NatureBoy, on @RicFlairNatrBoy will premiere November 7th on ESPN.
Details: https://t.co/xRepS02iP4 pic.twitter.com/bOasFJWSsp — ESPN Films 30 for 30 (@30for30) July 27, 2017

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16 Short Films and Webisodes Selected as Semi-Finalists for 2017 NBCUniversal Short Film Festival

16 original short films and webisodes have been selected as semi-finalists for the 12th annual NBCUniversal Short Film Festival. The webisodes and shorts, which include a mix of comedies and dramas, will be showcased at public screenings in New York on August 15 and 16 before the finalists are chosen. The finale screening and awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on October 18 at the Directors Guild of America. The complete list of semi-finalists are: Akashi, Writer & Director: Mayumi Yoshida Kana, a young Japanese woman, receives news that her grandmother has passed away. During her trip to attend the funeral, she recalls intimate conversations with her grandmother that lead her to examine her own life. Audible Static, Writer & Director: Sai Selvarajan Thaddeus, a clever teenager with a speech impediment, creates a new way to communicate his feelings to his crush. Brothers, Writer & Director: Emmett Lundberg Four transgender male friends explore life and love in Brooklyn. This episode of the web series focuses on Max as he opens up to his new girlfriend that he is transgender. Couples: Movie Night, Director: Ryan Sulak, Writer: Chris Sturgeon A quiet night-in for couple, Sara and Adam, turns into an epic thrill-ride to find the perfect movie in a race against time before Sara falls asleep. Cul-De-Sac, Director: Damon Russell, Writer: Shawn Christensen Parents living at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac discover a listening device inside their son’s teddy bear. The film stars Phoebe Tonkin (The Originals, The Vampire Diaries). Emergency, Director: Carey Williams, Writer: K.D Davila A group of Black and Latino college students carefully weigh the pros and cons of calling the police when faced with an emergency situation. Groundhog Day For A Black Man, Writer & Director: Cynthia Kao A Black man continually relives the same day until he can survive an encounter with the police. Joy Joy Nails, Writer & Director: Joey Ally Sarah manages a Korean-owned nail salon with an ever cheerful iron fist. New manicurist Mia, who is Chinese, starts working at the salon and attracts the affections of Sarah’s love interest. Threatened, Sarah becomes increasingly antagonistic toward Mia and later discover truths about herself and Joy Joy Nails. Lost Dogs, Director: Cullan Bruce, Writers: Cullan Bruce and Chris Lee A woman ridiculed by her family longs to escape. Striking a deal with her brother to clear his illegal debt, she delves deeper into darkness. Madaran, Writer & Director: Rayka Zehtabchi An Iranian mother decides whether to end or spare the life of her son’s killer. Misery Loves Company 1: “Pussy,” Director: Gloria Calderon Kellett, Writers: Sara Amini and Emily Chang Misery Loves Company 3: “Racist,” Director: Nadine Truong, Writers: Sara Amini and Emily Chang Two friends navigate being women of color in a post-election world, while trying (and failing) at a #blessedlife in LA. In this episode, Sara and Emily deal with cat-callers on the street. Mr. & Mrs. Kim, Director: Jaehuen Chung, Writer: Josh Aichenbaum Joshua Kim makes up a glamorous story about his Korean immigrants parents for his fourth grade class. He later discovers that their real-life backstory is more extraordinary than what he could have ever imagined. Mrs. Drake, Director: Caitlin FitzGerald, Writer: Kyle Warren Laura is a single mother struggling to raise her son Jack. She is thrown into a spiral of confusion and guilt when Jack comes home from school claiming his teacher locked him in a closet. Night Call, Director: Amanda Renee Knox, Writer: Joseph Sousa During a routine patrol, a Black female cop (Marlyne Barrett, Chicago Med) is called to a disturbance that leads to her making a life-altering decision. Pop Rox, Director: Nate Trinru, Writer: Alyssa Lerner Jesse, an Iranian-American teenage girl, decides to tell her best friend, Roxanne, that she’s in love with her.
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VIDEO: Poster + Watch Official Trailer for Eliza Hittman’s Sundance Award Winning Indie Drama BEACH RATS

Neon has released the official trailer and poster for the Sundance Film Festival award-winning indie drama Beach Rats, from filmmaker Eliza Hittman, a follow-up to her debut It Felt Like Love. The film will be released in select theaters starting August 25th. Beach Rats premiered earlier this year at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival where the film won the Best Director award for Eliza Hittman. An aimless teenager (Harris Dickinson) on the outer edges of Brooklyn struggles to escape his bleak home life and navigate questions of self-identity, as he balances his time between his delinquent friends, a potential new girlfriend, and older men he meets online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df0TQJBkPP4
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Films

2017 TIFF Docs Program include: