Petra Volpe’s The Divine Order, winner of the Audience Award at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, will open at New York’s Film Forum on October 27, 2017, before a national rollout during the Fall.
The Divine Order is the story of Nora, an agreeably submissive and seemingly unremarkable young housewife living in a small village in Switzerland in 1971, as the rest of the world is changing and women there still don’t have the right to vote. After Nora experiences unfamiliar stirrings of dissatisfaction with her place in society, she begins to stand up to the closed minded townsfolk of both sexes in her village. Despite obstacles and backlash (and some amusing sequences including one with a guru who has Nora and her compatriots use a mirror in an unusual way) Nora becomes a hero as she overthrows the status quo.
The release of The Divine Order is the first co-acquisition for Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films after announcing their unique strategic alliance yesterday.
Nancy Gerstman and Emily Russo: “We couldn’t be more excited that THE DIVINE ORDER will be the first collaboration between Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films. We were totally bowled over when we saw it at the Tribeca Film Festival this year, and not at all surprised when it won the Audience Award. It has everything that would entertain viewers — a compelling story, great acting and fine direction — and it’s sexy too!”
“We are very proud to be a part of this new power-collaboration between Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films,” wrote Susan Wendt in a prepared statement. “We are sure they will do a great job with The Divine Order.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5MvyLeq-4Films
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Tribeca Film Festival Award Winning Film THE DIVINE ORDER Gets a Fall Release Date | Trailer
Petra Volpe’s The Divine Order, winner of the Audience Award at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, will open at New York’s Film Forum on October 27, 2017, before a national rollout during the Fall.
The Divine Order is the story of Nora, an agreeably submissive and seemingly unremarkable young housewife living in a small village in Switzerland in 1971, as the rest of the world is changing and women there still don’t have the right to vote. After Nora experiences unfamiliar stirrings of dissatisfaction with her place in society, she begins to stand up to the closed minded townsfolk of both sexes in her village. Despite obstacles and backlash (and some amusing sequences including one with a guru who has Nora and her compatriots use a mirror in an unusual way) Nora becomes a hero as she overthrows the status quo.
The release of The Divine Order is the first co-acquisition for Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films after announcing their unique strategic alliance yesterday.
Nancy Gerstman and Emily Russo: “We couldn’t be more excited that THE DIVINE ORDER will be the first collaboration between Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films. We were totally bowled over when we saw it at the Tribeca Film Festival this year, and not at all surprised when it won the Audience Award. It has everything that would entertain viewers — a compelling story, great acting and fine direction — and it’s sexy too!”
“We are very proud to be a part of this new power-collaboration between Kino Lorber and Zeitgeist Films,” wrote Susan Wendt in a prepared statement. “We are sure they will do a great job with The Divine Order.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5MvyLeq-4
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Gun Violence Drama SHOT Starring Noah Wyle Eyes a Fall Release Date
SHOT, starring Noah Wyle and Sharon Leal, and introducing newcomer Jorge Lendeborg, Jr. in his first leading role, is a gripping drama about three lives irrevocably changed when a gun is accidentally fired on a busy Los Angeles street. The film is a visceral roller coaster ride unflinchingly exploring the consequences of gun violence in America. Directed and produced by veteran filmmaker Jeremy Paul Kagan (The Chosen, Roswell, Conspiracy), SHOT is eying a Fall release, via Paladin.
Based on an original story by Kagan and a screenplay by Anneke Campbell and Will Lamborn, SHOT begins as movie sound mixer Mark Newman (Wyle), is pumping up the volume on a bloody shootout in an action film. Hours later, after an argument with his wife Phoebe, Mark is suddenly felled by a real random bullet, and lies bleeding on the pavement with a chest wound. With Phoebe desperately trying to stop the bleeding, they both agonizingly wait for an ambulance to arrive as Mark franticly fights for his life. Meanwhile, hidden behind a fence across the street, a teenager, Miguel (Lendeborg), watches in horror with the still smoking gun in his hand that was just passed to him by his cousin. A gun that was meant to protect him against gang bullies.
From the moment the shot rings out, Kagan’s camera in real time daringly follows Mark from street, to stretcher, to gurney, to examining table, as we watch the paramedics and medical teams in full life-saving mode. We share Mark’s shock, pain, anger, fear, gallows humor, guilt, and resignation, and how this all effects his troubled relationship with his estranged wife. We experience the pain in his body from the trauma of a gunshot wound as well as the terrors in his mind via a stream-of-semi-consciousness that conveys his panic and confusion as he wonders if he will survive. Through the imaginative use of split-screen, Kagan juxtaposes Mark’s medical crisis with Miguel’s moral one, as we simultaneously see the frightened young man wrestle with the fact that an innocent man was injured – or worse – as a direct result of his actions. And, in the film’s thrilling climax, the two meet face to face. But now a gun is in Mark’s hands.
About the film Paladin president Mark Urman says, “SHOT deals with the urgent social issue of gun violence in a striking and original way. What makes it particularly effective is that it is devoid of polemics and rhetoric—no speeches are made. Rather, through action and character alone, the viewer is drawn into a situation that is emotionally moving and disturbing. Anyone concerned about the lack of sensible gun control in our society, will want to see this film, and will tell others to see it as well.”
For Kagan: “This has been a passion project for me.I wanted to make a film where we get intimately involved in what happens when someone gets shot. I want us to care about these people and I didn’t want us to turn away, like we get to do with most movie violence. This isn’t about ‘no guns,’ it is about responsible living. It’s about sanity and gun safety to prevent the staggering loss of lives. They say you save a world when you save a life. Wouldn’t it be amazing if this movie could save a life!”
A key component to Paladin’s marketing campaign will be coordinated audience-engagement activity with wide array of gun control advocacy groups, organizations, and activists, both national and regional. John Raatz, an associate producer on SHOT, who coordinated grass roots outreach on Paladin’s highly successful release of Tom Shadyac’s “I AM,” will once again be spearheading this initiative.
SHOT is directed by Jeremy Kagan and written by Anneke Campbell and Will Lamborn, based on a story by Kagan. The film stars Noah Wyle, Sharon Leal, and Jorge Lendenborg Jr. Producers are Jeremy Kagan, Dave O’Brien, and Josh Siegel. Cinematography by Jacek Laskus, editing by Norman Hollyn, and original music by Bruce Broughton.
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Watch Trailer for Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine HBO Docu Series THE DEFIANT ONES
Here is the official trailer for The Defiant Ones, the four-part documentary series that tells the stories of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, their improbable partnership and their leading roles in a series of transformative events in contemporary culture. The series debut July 9 on HBO.
Set amid many of the defining events of the past four decades, this four-part documentary event tells the stories of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, their improbable partnership and their leading roles in a series of transformative events in contemporary culture. Directed by Allen Hughes, who conducted extensive interviews with both men, the show also includes interviews with such music icons as Bono, David Geffen, Eminem, Nas, Stevie Nicks, Ice Cube, Gwen Stefani, Jon Landau, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Snoop Dogg, Bruce Springsteen, Diddy and will.i.am. THE DEFIANT ONES also features never-before-seen footage from a multitude of recording and writing sessions with Eazy-E, JJ Fad, Stevie Nicks, N.W.A., Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and U2, among others.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT5FeylUWO0
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Watch Hulk Hogan + Gawker + Freedom of the Press in Trailer for NOBODY SPEAKS
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NOBODY SPEAK: TRIALS OF THE FREE PRESS[/caption]
Here it is, Hulk Hogan + Gawker + Freedom of the Press, all featured in the new trailer for the documentary Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press, premiering June 23 on Netflix.
Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press is directed by Brian Knappenberger and premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
When the online tabloid Gawker posted a surreptitiously filmed sex tape of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, it ignited a high stakes legal battle that pit privacy rights against the first amendment. The staggering verdict bankrupted Gawker and its founder Nick Denton, but also exposed a shadowy figure behind the scenes — Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel. Nine years earlier Gawker had outed Thiel on its site and the furious billionaire had been waiting for his chance to destroy them.
The Florida trial happened against the backdrop of a contentious election. Thiel’s battle with Gawker, along with Sheldon Adelson’s secretive purchase of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and President Trump’s treatment of journalists, portend a sinister trend threatening a free press and has brought to light a potential threat to democracy. Are the very wealthy thwarting the First Amendment to silence critics? In an age of extreme inequality, how vulnerable is a free press that has lost most of its traditional sources of income? Perhaps most frightening, what could a billionaire with the executive branch at his command do to those who have angered him?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHow1B32WZw
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See Joan Rivers, Jenny McCarthy in Dr. Pamela Dee’s Menopause Documentary LOVE, SWEAT & TEARS | Trailer
Love, Sweat & Tears, a humorous and inspiring look at menopause – a long-taboo subject that will impact women and men during their lifetimes – will be released on VOD on Friday, June 23, 2017. A DVD release is set for August 22, 2017.
Filled with humor, insight, and important medical information, Love, Sweat & Tears follows Dr. Pamela Dee Gaudry, one of the country’s leading experts on the issue (and “America’s Menopause Romance Doctor”), as she helps women navigate their fears concerning menopause. She also interviews Joan Rivers (in her last screen appearance), Jenny McCarthy, Craig Shoemaker, Lynne Koplitz and Michael Bernard Beckwith, to name a few, about the issue and opens up about her own experiences with menopause.
There are 60 million women in menopause today, and every year, two million women are added to that number in the U.S. alone. Seventy-five percent of women will suffer from the side effects, many severely. And while girls are taught about and prepared for menstruation, the natural biological transition of menopause is shunned, brushed under the rug, and attached with a stigma that leaves both women and men suffering – and at a loss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r_9L8zr0po
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Paladin to Release Philip Gelatt’s Genre-Bending Thriller THEY REMAIN
They Remain, a genre-bending experience in terror written and directed by Philip Gelatt, has been acquired by Paladin, for a film festival launch and theatrical release commencing in the Fall.
Based on the 2010 short story, “-30-” by award-winning author Laird Barron, They Remain explores the evolving relationship between Keith and Jessica, two scientists who are employed by a vast, impersonal corporation to investigate an unspeakable horror that took place at the remote encampment of a mysterious cult. Working and living in a state-of-the-art, high tech environment that is completely at odds with their surroundings, they spend their days gathering physical evidence, analyzing it, and reporting on their findings.
The intensity of their work, and their extreme isolation, bring the pair closer. But, when Jessica discovers a mysterious artifact of unknown origin, the dynamic between them changes: secrets are kept, sexual tensions arise, and paranoia sets in. Keith begins to have visions and is unable to distinguish whether they are nightmares or hauntings. Having lost all sense of what is real and what is imagined, all he knows is that the horror he and Jessica have been sent to uncover—a horror that could be biological, psychological, or supernatural— now threatens his very survival.
Barron’s novels, short fiction, and poems have earned him a substantial following among aficionados of fantasy, noir, horror, and sci-fi, and have twice won him the Shirley Jackson Award. Gelatt, similarly, combines multi-disciplinary experience as a graphic novelist and comic book creator for the “Indiana Jones” franchise, and for such companies as Dark Horse Comics and Oni Press, with his background as a video game writer for such companies as Crystal Dynamics and Frictional Games, and on “Rise of The Tomb Raider” (for which he won the WGA Award). With this pedigree, it is unsurprising that They Remain succeeds in splicing these various strains of pop culture DNA into a unique and imaginative cinematic hybrid.
They Remain stars William Jackson Harper (“Paterson,” “True Story”) and Rebecca Henderson (“Mistress America”) as Keith and Jessica. The film’s third “star” is cinematographer Sean Kirby, whose hallucinatory images contribute immeasurably to its disorienting, disturbing mood. Kirby’s credits include the acclaimed documentaries “Racing Extinction,” and “The Tillman Story,” as well as Robinson Devor’s notorious “Zoo,” which created a sensation at both Sundance and Cannes, and which Urman executive produced and released through THINKFilm.
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PBS to Release BILL NYE: SCIENCE GUY Documentary in Theaters Late 2017
“Bill Nye: Science Guy,” which premiered at the 2017 South by Southwest Film Festival follows the legendary science advocate and TV personality Bill Nye in his pursuit to ignite a passion among Americans for science and science education.
PBS Distribution (PBSd) will release the film in theaters across the country later this year, following a robust festival tour including upcoming screenings at AFI Docs in Washington, D.C. and the Los Angeles Film Festival. It will have its broadcast premiere in 2018 via PBS documentary series POV.
“Bill Nye: Science Guy” was produced and directed by David Alvarado and Jason Sussberg, produced by Seth Gordon, Kate McLean, and Nick Pampenella, executive produced by Walker Deibel, Mary Rohlich, Henry S. Rosenthal, and Chad Troutwine, and co-executive produced by Andre Gaines.
Bill Nye is on a journey to change the world. Once the host of a popular kids show, today he is the CEO of The Planetary Society where he’s leading a mission to launch a solar-powered satellite into the cosmos and advocating for the importance of science research and discovery. He is taking off “The Science Guy” costume and taking on those who deny the importance of science, with the goal of creating a more scientifically literate and engaged universe. “Bill Nye: Science Guy” follows the man himself as he embarks on a quest to change the world through science advocacy and education. With intimate and exclusive access, as well as plenty of wonder and whimsy, this is a behind-the-scenes portrait of “the Science Guy,” as he inspires millennials to participate in STEM. The film features Bill Nye, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Ann Druyan, Ken Ham, Joe Bastardi, and many others.
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FilmRise to Release Sophie Brooks’ Comedy THE BOY DOWNSTAIRS in Early 2018
Sophie Brooks’ debut feature film The Boy Downstairs which had its world premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival will be released in early 2018 by FilmRise.
Aspiring writer Diana (Mamet in her first film role since the end of HBO’s hit “Girls”) returns to New York City after a few years living in London and finds what seems to be the perfect Brooklyn apartment to start fresh. However, on the first night in her new home she discovers that her ex-boyfriend Ben (Matthew Shear, Mistress America) lives in the apartment downstairs. With support from her affable landlady Amy (Deirdre O’Connell) and her best friend Gabby (Diana Irvine), Diana proclaims her intentions for a cordial friendship, but as the story progresses and old wounds are reopened, she is forced to confront the true nature of her feelings.
The Boy Downstairs was written and directed by Sophie Brooks. It was produced by Dan Clifton, David Brooks, and Leon Clarance; and executive produced by Paul Brooks.
“I am beyond excited to team up with FilmRise,” said filmmaker Sophie Brooks. “The Boy Downstairs was an incredibly special experience for me and I cannot wait for audiences to see it next year.”
“We are thrilled to share Sophie Brooks’ charming feature debut with the world,” said Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise. “The Boy Downstairs is a fresh, sincere comedy that we believe audiences everywhere will enjoy.”
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Tim Smit’s Futuristic Thriller KILL SWITCH to Open on June 16th | Trailer
Kill Switch from writer-director Tim Smit, is an epic story framed from a first person perspective that makes you feel like you are in the film with a video-game style experience. Part apocalyptic and part thriller, the film explores a future where a pilot turned physicist (Stevens) has to save the world by harnessing parallel universes and channeling unlimited energy
The film starring Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast, “Downtown Abbey”) and Bérénice Marlohe (Skyfall), will open in select theaters and on demand on June 16th.
Acclaimed writer-director Tim Smit explodes on to the scene with his futuristic, VFX-heavy feature debut! Kill Switch charts the story of a pilot battling to save his family and the planet, based on Smit’s short What’s In The Box?
Set in a future version of the world, the video game style plot follows an experiment for unlimited energy, harnessing parallel universes, which goes wrong. Chased by drones and soldiers, pilot and physicist Will Porter must race through an imploding world to get the Redivider box to a tower, which will save humanity, including his family, in the real world.
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Eight Documentary Film Projects Selected for Sundance Institute Documentary Edit and Story Labs
The Sundance Institute has selected eight documentary film projects for its annual Documentary Edit and Story Labs, taking place in two sessions at the Sundance Resort in Utah from June 23 to July 1 and July 7 to 15.
The Documentary Edit and Story Lab creates an incubation space for nonfiction storytellers to creatively interrogate their projects during the later stages of post-production. Among the breathtaking scenery of the Sundance Mountain Resort, filmmakers take advantage of the Lab’s creative environment to intensively explore story, dramatic structure and character development, centering their work around their own original motivation and intention.
Overseen by Documentary Film Program Director Tabitha Jackson and Labs Director Kristin Feeley, each Lab brings together independent director and editor teams with world-renowned documentary filmmakers acting as advisors. For the second year the Lab will host writers-in-residence Eric Hynes and Logan Hill in a program designed to bring film critics and nonfiction filmmakers together to forge a deeper understanding of nonfiction film through immersion in the creative process.
“This vibrant array of projects illustrates the power of documentary filmmakers to use the language of cinema to tell untold stories, challenge and change perspectives and use their independent voice to speak truth to power,” said Jackson. “Convening these directors and editors, to refine and hone their craft with the help of our creative advisors, will we hope fuel their bold and pivotal work at this critical moment.”
Recent projects that have participated in the Documentary Edit and Story Lab include Unrest, Whose Streets?, Newtown, Strong Island and Cameraperson. The Lab is part of the 26 residential Labs the Institute hosts each year to discover and foster the talent of emerging independent artists in film, theatre, new media and episodic content.
The selected projects for the Documentary Edit and Story Lab are:
Jacqueline Olive (director) / Always in Season (USA): As the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present, Always in Season follows relatives of the perpetrators and victims seeking justice and reconciliation – all in the midst of police shootings, church burnings and heated national debate about the value of black lives.
Marilyn Ness (director), Don Bernier (editor) / Charm City (USA): During three years of unparalleled violence in Baltimore, Charm City delivers an unexpectedly candid, observational portrait of those left on the frontlines. With grit, fury and compassion, a group of police, citizens and government officials grapple with the consequences of violence and try to reclaim their future.
Sedika Mojadidi (director), Sinead Kinnane (editor) / Facing the Dragon (Afghanistan/USA): Filmmaker Sedika Mojadidi follows two compelling Afghan women, a Member of Parliament and a journalist, as the international community withdraws from Afghanistan, threatening its fragile democracy.
Naziha Arebi (director), Alice Powell (editor) / Freedom Fields (UK/Libya): In post-revolution Libya, a group of women are brought together by one dream: to play football for their nation. But as the country descends into civil war, their personal stories of aspirations, love and struggle collide with history.
Petra Costa (director), Jordana Berg (editor) / Impeachment (Brazil): An epic tragedy of corruption and betrayal, Impeachment is a behind-the-scenes look at the ousting of Brazil’s first female president. With unique access to the president and other key politicians, the film unravels like a political thriller as Brazil falls into disarray, echoing the undoing of so many democracies throughout the world.
Cristina Ibarra (co-director/co-editor), Alex Rivera (co-director/co-editor) / The Infiltrators (USA): When two young immigrant-activists get detained by Border Patrol, on purpose, their mission to expose the abuses inside a detention center becomes much more complex and dangerous than they imagined.
Hao Wu (director), Nanfu Wang (editor) / People’s Republic of Desire (China/USA): In China’s popular live-streaming showrooms, three millennials seek fame, fortune and human connection, ultimately finding the same promises and perils online as in their real lives.
Christina D. King (co-director), Elizabeth Castle (co-director), Kristen Nutile (editor) / Warrior Women (USA): Chronicling the lifelong struggle of a Lakota mother and daughter in the American Indian Movement’s fight for Native liberation from the 1970s to today, where they are protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock, North Dakota.
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THE FENCER, Finland’s Entry for Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, Sets Release Date | Trailer
The Fencer directed by Klaus Härö – 2016 Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as Finland’s official selection and shortlist finalist at the 2016 Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film) will be released in the US in Summer 2017. The film will open at City Cinemas in New York on July 21 and at the Royal and Playhouse 7 in Los Angeles on August 11. A national release will follow.
A young man, Endel Nelis (Märt Avandi), arrives in Haapsalu, Estonia in the early 1950s. Having left Leningrad to escape the secret police, he finds work as a teacher and organizes a sports club for his students. Endel learns to love the children and begins to looks after them; most are orphans as a result of the Russian occupation. He starts teaching them his great passion – fencing. Fencing becomes a form of self-expression for the children and Endel is quickly seen as their role model and a father figure.
Endel’s popularity with his students causes a conflict with the school’s principal. Envious and suspicious, the principal starts investigating Endel’s background and discovers a secret from his past. When an opportunity arises for the children to participate in a national fencing tournament in Leningrad, Endel must make a choice: risk everything to take the children to Leningrad, or disappoint them by putting his safety first.
The Fencer was inspired by the true story of Endel Nelis, Estonia’s legendary fencing maestro.
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WE WHO REMAIN Wins Seattle International Film Festival’s First 360/VR Award
The Seattle International Film Festival has presented the first SIFF 360/VR Award, recognizing excellence in virtual reality filmmaking to We Who Remain by Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson.
The winner will receive $500 and the opportunity for the awarded film to be distributed globally through Pixvana’s SPIN Studio platform. This year, the jury’s decision was guided by three criteria: story, impact, and technical prowess. Jury members included Julia Fryett (Director of Marketing & Community Development, Pixvana), Kate Becker (Director, Seattle Office of Film + Music) and Sarah Wilke (Executive Director, SIFF).
In a statement the jury said, “We are pleased to present the SIFF 360/VR Award, sponsored by Pixvana, to We Who Remain, a film that intimately brings the viewer inside the heart of a forgotten conflict in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Fusing elegant storytelling with sharp technical skill, the film weaves together narratives from a student, rebel soldier, journalist, and mother who have chosen to remain and relentlessly struggle to bring peace back to their land.” We Who Remain is produced by Emblematic Group and directed by Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson.
360/VR Films Presented at SIFF 2017
After Solitary by Emblematic Group / Cassandra Herrman and Lauren Mucciolo Behind the Fence by Lindsay Branham and Jonathan Olinger Eagle Bone by Tracy Rector The Giant by New Media Ltd. / Mike Anderson, Ryan Dickle, and Abigail Horton Journey VR by Eugene Capon Love! A Virtual Reality Dance Story by Jess Kantor The Ministry of Time by Future Lighthouse / Nicolás Alcalá Potato Dreams by Mechanical Dreams / Wes Hurley (Work-in-Progress) Say Our Name by State Media / Stina Hamlin Silent Resonance by Pixvana / Scott Squires Syzygy: Paul Taylor Dance Company by Andrew Asnes We Who Remain by Emblematic Group / Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson All twelve films included in the 360/VR Storytelling Pop-Up at the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival will be available for viewing at the SIFF Lounge.