Ana Urushadze’s award-winning debut feature film, Scary Mother (Sashishi deda), has been selected by Georgia as its official candidate in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Oscars.
The film starring Nata Murvanidze, Ramaz Ioseliani, Dimitri Tatishvili, and Avtandil Makharadze, World Premiered at the 2017 Locarno Film Festival where the film won the Swatch First Feature Award (Prize for Best First Feature). After the Locarno Film Festival, the film competed at the 2017 Sarajevo Film Festival where it won the the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film; and the Cineuropa Prize.
Scary Mother follows the story of a 50-year-old housewife, Manana (Nato Murvanidze), struggling with a dilemma: she has to choose between her family life and a love for writing she has repressed for years. When she finally decides to follow her passion, she is ready to sacrifice everything for it, mentally and physically.
Films
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SCARY MOTHER is Georgia’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER
Ana Urushadze’s award-winning debut feature film, Scary Mother (Sashishi deda), has been selected by Georgia as its official candidate in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Oscars.
The film starring Nata Murvanidze, Ramaz Ioseliani, Dimitri Tatishvili, and Avtandil Makharadze, World Premiered at the 2017 Locarno Film Festival where the film won the Swatch First Feature Award (Prize for Best First Feature). After the Locarno Film Festival, the film competed at the 2017 Sarajevo Film Festival where it won the the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Feature Film; and the Cineuropa Prize.
Scary Mother follows the story of a 50-year-old housewife, Manana (Nato Murvanidze), struggling with a dilemma: she has to choose between her family life and a love for writing she has repressed for years. When she finally decides to follow her passion, she is ready to sacrifice everything for it, mentally and physically.
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VIDEO: Watch Trailer for THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST on Man Behind Controversial Anti-Vaccination Movement
Here is the new trailer and poster for The Pathological Optimist directed by Miranda Bailey that documents Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the man behind one of the most highly controversial, intensely debated topics in modern medicine: the anti-vaccination movement. The film will be released in theaters on September 29th.
In The Pathological Optimist, director Miranda Bailey brings us a character study of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, one of 13 co-authors of a notorious 1998 paper in the UK medical Journal The Lancet, but who became the very public face of what has come to be known as “The Anti-Vaccination Movement.” An expat from Britain who currently resides in Austin, Texas, Wakefield allowed Bailey and her team to follow him and his family for five years beginning in 2011 as he fought a defamation battle in the courts against the British Medical Journal and journalist Brian Deer. The results of that case – and the self-reflection, pronouncements, and observations of Wakefield, his legal team, wife, and his children – create a complex and incisive look at one of our era’s most fear-provoking and continuingly provocative figures. The Pathological Optimist takes no sides, instead letting Wakefield and the battles he fought speak
for themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRA0w1pvFLk
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Annemarie Jacir’s WAJIB is Palestine’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER
Wajib, a film written and directed by Annemarie Jacir, has been selected by Palestine as its official candidate in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Oscars.
The film starring Mohammad Bakri, Saleh Bakri, Maria Zreik and Leila Bakri, World Premiered in official competition at the 2017 Locarno Film Festival, and will have its North American premiere at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
In the film, Abu Shadi is a divorced father and a school teacher in his mid-60s living in Nazareth. After his daughter’s wedding in one month he will be living alone. Shadi, his architect son, arrives from Rome after years abroad to help his father in hand delivering the wedding invitations as per local Palestinian custom. As the estranged pair spend the day together, the tense details of their relationship come to a head challenging their fragile and very different lives.
This is director Annemarie Jacir’s third time representing Palestine at the Academy Awards, having been submitted for Salt of the Sea (2008) and When I Saw You (2012).
Click here to see a clip from Wajib
Wajib by @AnnemarieJacir is selected to rep. #Palestine in the Best Frgn Film category at the 90th Academy Awards. #Oscars, here we come! pic.twitter.com/cE4ZiEHmNt
— Noor (@suleimannh) August 29, 2017
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VIDEO: Watch Trailer + Poster for Documentary Fairy Tale SPETTACOLO
Its finally here, the trailer and poster for Spettacolo, the documentary fairy tale about a tiny Italian farming village that turns their lives into a play. The documentary directed by Jeff Malmberg and Chris Shellen will be released in theaters in New York on September 8th.
Once upon a time, villagers in a tiny hill town in Tuscany came up with a remarkable way to confront their issues: they turned their lives into a play. Every summer, their piazza became their stage and residents of all ages played a part – the role of themselves. Monticchiello’s annual tradition has attracted worldwide attention and kept the town together for 50 years, but with an aging population and a future generation more interested in Facebook than farming, the town’s 50th anniversary performance just might be its last. Spettacolo tells the story of Teatro Povero di Monticchiello, interweaving episodes from its past with its modern-day process as the villagers turn a series of devastating blows into a new play about the end of their world.
Jeff Malmberg is a documentary director and editor based in Los Angeles. In 2017, his feature documentary Spettacolo had it’s world premiere at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival. The film is supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Sundance Documentary Fund, Creative Capital, and the Tribeca Film Institute. Jeffʼs debut film Marwencol won over two dozen awards, including two Independent Spirit Awards, Best Documentary of the Year from Boston Society of Film Critics and Rotten Tomatoes, and the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival.
Chris Shellen is a writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She produced the award-winning documentary Marwencol and co-authored the companion art book “Welcome to Marwencol,” which was named one of the Best Books of 2015 by Amazon.com. She began her career as a film development executive based at a Paramount Pictures, and has worked in documentary, narrative and new media for over 15 years. Her directorial debut Spettacolo had it’s world premiere at the 2017 SXSW Film Festival.
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BLACK LEVEL is Ukraine’s Entry for 2018 Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film | TRAILER
The Ukraine Oscar Committee has selected Valentyn Vasyanovych’s Black Level, as its candidate in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Oscars.
The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Odesa International Film Festival, where it won the International Federation of Film Critics FIPRESCI prize.
“Black Level” is a documentary-feature drama telling the story of a 50-year-old wedding photographer facing the prospect of losing everything he has ever loved.
50-year anniversary is the beginning of a complicated phase in the life of a wedding photographer Kostya. All that he loved and to which had been tied to, permanently disappears. Although there are not so many such things in his life: father, paralyzed by a stroke; girlfriend, working as a stylist in a wedding magazine; an old cat and photographic slides in which Kostya is young and happy. Kostya is photographing someone else’s happiness all of his life. For him, it is a daily routine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0D0CRejU3A
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British Independent Film PANIC, Directed by Sean Spencer, Now Streaming on US VOD Platforms
The British independent film Panic directed by Sean Spencer and starring David Gyasi, Pippa Nixon, Jason Wong, Yennis Cheung is now available in US on the major streaming and VOD platform.
In the film, music journalist Andrew Deeley played by David Gyasi, lives in a high-rise tower block, cut off from the world, psychologically scarred after a vicious street attack. He spends his evenings watching his neighbors and becomes infatuated with Kem, a beautiful young Chinese woman.
When Amy, a married woman he meets online, witnesses Kem’s kidnapping, Deeley tries and fails to get the police involved. He is left with no choice but to try and find Kem himself, fighting his own anxieties as he strives to find someone whom the world is happy to forget.
Armed with only an Oyster card and a hammer, Deeley spirals into the heart of the Chinese Triad underworld. Hoping for a fresh start with the elusive Amy, Deely puts his life on the line as he fights to save Kem.
Shot on location in East London over three weeks, the film captures the raw, gritty energy of the city, and features a brooding, charismatic performance by the brilliant up-and-coming British actor David Gyasi. After securing key roles in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and the blockbusters Cloud Atlas and Red Tails, Gyasi is soon to be seen in Alex Garland’s sci-fi thriller Annihilation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PudNwXt9zSQ
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Lake Bell’s I DO… UNTIL I DON’T Starring Amber Heard, Chace Crawford Opens This Weekend | Trailer
[caption id="attachment_24229" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
(L-R) Wyatt Cenac (Zander), Marcanthonee Jon Reis (Zenith), and Amber Heard (Fanny) in I Do… Until I Don’t by Lake Bell[/caption]
I Do… Until I Don’t, Lake Bell’s directorial follow-up to her acclaimed 2013 film In A World, will open in theaters, this weekend, on September 1, 2017. The film which also stars Lake Bell, features an all star cast including Lake Bell, Ed Helms, Mary Steenburgen, Paul Reiser, Amber Heard, Wyatt Cenac, Dolly Wells, Chace Crawford.
In Vero Beach, Florida, a trio of couples at various points in their relationships become the subjects of a film about marriage being an antiquated idea that needs a reboot: Why not turn marriage into a seven-year deal with an option to renew?
For Alice and Noah (Lake Bell, Ed Helms), more than a hint of boredom is setting in as they approach their first decade together and the prospect of parenthood. Meanwhile, Alice’s funky sister Fanny (Amber Heard) is sure her “open marriage” to Zander (Wyatt Cenac) is the key to their free-spirited happiness. And then there’s Cybil and Harvey (Mary Steenburgen, Paul Reiser), a pair of empty-nesters wondering what the next stage will be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyHLlfYAkHc
New York Theaters on September 1
AMC Empire 25 234 West 42nd Street (Between 7th and 8th Ave) AMC Lincoln Square 13 1998 Broadway (Between 67th and 68th St) Angelika Film Center 18 W Houston St (Corner of Mercer and W. Houston St)
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Coralie Fargeat’s Blood-Pumping Debut REVENGE Heads to Shudder + Theaters in 2018
Coralie Fargeat’s blood-pumping debut Revenge which is set to world-premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival next month has been snapped up by AMC Networks’ Shudder. The film will be available on the premium thriller, suspense and horror video streaming service, and play theatrically in early 2018. Revenge will also play at this year’s Fantastic Fest.
Soaking the perennial rape/Revenge thriller in a strikingly hypnotic style, writer-director Coralie Fargeat’s compelling feature debut reframes the genre’s typical proclivities with a gaze that scrutinizes male bodies and foregrounds its protagonist’s transformation into a hardened vehicle of vengeance.
Jen (Matilda Lutz), arrives at a remote desert villa with her millionaire Adonis boy toy (Kevin Jannsens) expecting a weekend of romantic and illicit frivolity. Things take a turn for the worse with her lover’s unseemly hunting pals and Jen must seek vengeance on her attackers as they try to sweep her assault under the rug. Revenge plunges Jen into an arid, drug-induced hell, but one she resolves to emerge from, leaving a tidal wave of righteous violence in her wake.
Revenge is the latest all-rights acquisition for Shudder, following the acquisitions of Stefan Ruzowitzsky’s thriller Cold Hell, Graham Skipper’s sci-fi romance Sequence Break, Joe Lynch’s violent corporate satire Mayhem and Chris Peckover’s Christmas-set black comedy Better Watch Out. With multiple exclusives premiering on the service every month alongside a rapidly expanding collection of genre favorites, Shudder is deeply committed to bringing the best of horror and thriller to all of its members.
Coralie Fargeat, director of Revenge, said: “ As a true fan of genre films, I am extremely proud that my first feature is being released by Shudder. Having the support of such an impressive new player within the genre space will help the film find an enthusiastic and passionate audience. I am delighted that they will be accompanying me to the world premiere at TIFF!”
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Patrick Brice’s CREEP 2, Follow-up to 2014 Hit, Gets a Release Date
Creep 2, Patrick Brice’s follow-up to his hit 2014 thriller Creep, will be released by The Orchard on all digital platforms on October 24th. The film will star Mark Duplass (reprising his role from the previous film) and Desiree Akhavan (“Girls,” Appropriate Behavior).
The screenplay for Creep 2 was written by Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass. Brice previously directed the first Creep, and the sex comedy The Overnight starring Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott and Jason Schwartzman.
Creep 2 stars Akhavan as Sara, a video artist whose primary focus is creating intimacy with lonely men. After finding an ad online for “video work” she thinks she may have found the subject of her dreams. She drives to a remote house in the forest and meets a man claiming to be a serial killer (Duplass). Unable to resist the chance to create a truly shocking piece of art, she agrees to spend the day with him. However, as the day goes on she discovers she may have dug herself into a hole she can’t escape.
Later in the year, Netflix will be releasing the film on its worldwide streaming platform.
“We are overjoyed to bring the next chapter of Creep into the world!,” Brice commented. “The fact that audiences have embraced the first film in such an unexpected way has been so heartening. We hope Creep 2 with bring a new level of fear, discomfort and joy to loyal fans and newcomers alike.”
“We are thrilled to be working again with Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass! We know audiences will love the next iteration of this twisted and clever horror franchise,” said Julie Dansker, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at The Orchard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2y8kKsxeII
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Peter Vack’s Gross-Out Dark Comedy ASSHOLES Gets a Fall Release | Trailer
Peter Vack’s visceral, gross-out directorial debut Assholes is slated for a theatrical release from Factory 25 followed closely by a DVD/VOD release from Breaking Glass in the Fall of 2017.
ASSHOLES will be released in New York City on October 6th and in Los Angeles on October 13th .
Assholes world premiered at SXSW where the film won the first ever Adam Yauch Award, an award given in honor of a filmmaker whose work strives to be wholly its own, without regard for norms or desire to conform. The film went on to play Calgary Underground Film Festival, Florida Film Festival, Oak Cliff Film Festival, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, Perth Revelation Film Festival, and the Fantasia Festival.
Written, directed, and starring Peter Vack (MFA, Mozart in the Jungle, Lace Crater) alongside his real-life family, including sister Betsey Brown (“The Carrie Diaries”, Muckland) in the atypical lead role, Assholes also stars Eileen Dietz (The Exorcist). Assholes follows recovering addicts Adah and Aaron who are struggling to stay sober. After meeting in their psychoanalyst’s waiting room, they fall in love, relapse on poppers, and become the biggest assholes in New York City.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with everyone at Breaking Glass Pictures, a smart and sensitive group, perfect for releasing my film about Assholes.”, said director Peter Vack.
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DEALT, Documentary on 62 Year Old Blind Card Magician Richard Turner, Gets Release Date
Dealt directed by Luke Korem, is all about sixty-two year old Richard Turner, renowned as one of the world’s greatest card magicians, yet he is completely blind. The film which won the 2017 SXSW Documentary Feature Audience Award will open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on October 20th.
One of the most renowned card magicians of all time, Richard Turner astounds audiences around the world with his legendary sleight of hand. What they may not even realize – and what makes his achievements all the more amazing – is that he is completely blind. Charting Turner’s colorful life from his tumultuous childhood to the present, DEALT reveals how through determination and force of will, he overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to rise to the top of his profession. It’s both a tantalizing, up-close look at the secretive world of magic and a candid, awe-inspiring portrait of a man who lives beyond his limitations.
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Gun Violence Drama SHOT Starring Noah Wyle Opens September 22 | Trailer
The gun violence drama Shot starring Noah Wyle, Sharon Leal, and Jorge Lendeborg Jr. finally has a release date, the film will be released in theaters on September 22. The film directed by Jeremy Kagan, is described as a gripping drama about three lives irrevocably changed when a gun is accidentally fired on a busy Los Angeles street.
SHOT begins as sound mixer Mark Newman (Wyle), is pumping up the volume on a bloody shootout scene in an action film. Hours later, after an argument with his wife Phoebe (Leal), 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 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. A gun that was just handed to him by his cousin and meant to protect him against gang bullies.
From the moment the shot rings out, Jeremy Kagan’s camera in real time daringly follows Mark from the street, to stretcher, to gurney, to examining table, as we watch the paramedics and medical teams in full life-saving mode. 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.