The Challenge[/caption]
The Challenge, Yuri Ancarani’s acclaimed documentary focused on a group of super-wealthy, Qatari sheikhs who moonlight as amateur falconers, will be released in the US by Kino Lorber. The film is scheduled for an exclusive New York engagement at September 8, 2017, before expanding nationwide during the fall. A VOD and home media release is scheduled for 2018.
A rigorous and beautifully photographed look at the rituals that define these men’s lives (driving a Ferrari with a pet cheetah being one of them), The Challenge offers a rare window into a group of ultra-privileged men who spare no expense in the pursuit of their own idiosyncratic wishes.
The Challenge premiered last August at the Locarno Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award at the festival’s Cineasti del Presente section. In 2017, the film played at True/False, SXSW and New Directors/New Films in New York – and it is now having its Canadian premiere at HotDocs.
“Yuri Ancarani is the type of visionary and ambitious filmmaker that we love to introduce to American audiences,” wrote Richard Lorber in a prepared statement. “And his feature debut The Challenge is an unforgettable cinematic experience that’s going to both charm and astound audiences everywhere.”
“We are excited to work with Kino Lorber on the North American release of The Challenge,” wrote Manuela Buono. “We always admired the company that distributed Fire at Sea and Le Quattro Volte in the US, and we think that Yuri Ancarani’s visionary work fits perfectly in this line-up.”
Films
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THE CHALLENGE, Documentary on Qatari Sheikhs as Amateur Falconers Sets US Release Date | Trailer
[caption id="attachment_22212" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Challenge[/caption]
The Challenge, Yuri Ancarani’s acclaimed documentary focused on a group of super-wealthy, Qatari sheikhs who moonlight as amateur falconers, will be released in the US by Kino Lorber. The film is scheduled for an exclusive New York engagement at September 8, 2017, before expanding nationwide during the fall. A VOD and home media release is scheduled for 2018.
A rigorous and beautifully photographed look at the rituals that define these men’s lives (driving a Ferrari with a pet cheetah being one of them), The Challenge offers a rare window into a group of ultra-privileged men who spare no expense in the pursuit of their own idiosyncratic wishes.
The Challenge premiered last August at the Locarno Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award at the festival’s Cineasti del Presente section. In 2017, the film played at True/False, SXSW and New Directors/New Films in New York – and it is now having its Canadian premiere at HotDocs.
“Yuri Ancarani is the type of visionary and ambitious filmmaker that we love to introduce to American audiences,” wrote Richard Lorber in a prepared statement. “And his feature debut The Challenge is an unforgettable cinematic experience that’s going to both charm and astound audiences everywhere.”
“We are excited to work with Kino Lorber on the North American release of The Challenge,” wrote Manuela Buono. “We always admired the company that distributed Fire at Sea and Le Quattro Volte in the US, and we think that Yuri Ancarani’s visionary work fits perfectly in this line-up.”
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Jason Barrett’s Romantic Comedy THE NAKED POET to be Released in US by ArtMattan Films | Trailer
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The Naked Poet[/caption]
Jason Barrett’s The Naked Poet, a smart, heartfelt drama about infidelity and sexual desire, will be released in the US by ArtMattan Films.
Directed and produced by talented independent British filmmaker Jason Barrett – who also stars in the film – The Naked Poet is the story of Lazarus, a young poet exploring the difficulties associated with matters of the heart.
He finds himself caught up in a love triangle and confronting the painful and confusing decision of choosing between his long-term girlfriend Louise and newfound love Simone while dealing with his responsibilities as a father to his only child from a past relationship.
Release in the UK in late 2016, The Naked Poet is a comedy-drama with a predominantly Black cast – including UK gone Hollywood actor Aml Ameen (The Maze Runner, Sense8) – which offers a complex, multidimensional portray of life, love and friendship within the young, middle class Black British community.
The Naked Poet had its US Premiere as the Opening Night Film of the 2016 African Diaspora International Film Festival (ADIFF) and will have its Chicago Premiere screening as the Centerpiece of ADIFF Chicago, in June 2017.
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2017 QDoc, Portland’s LGBTQ Doc Fest, to Open with THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN
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THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN[/caption]
QDoc, the only film festival in the United States (and one of only two in the world) devoted exclusively to LGBTQ documentaries kicks of Thursday, May 18 at the historic Hollywood Theatre in Portland, Oregon with THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN and continues through May 21 with 11 additional films, broadly exploring LGBTQ history, culture and politics.
Thursday, May 18 at 7:30pm: THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN
The Untold Tales Of Armistead Maupin examines the life and work of one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. The film follows Armistead Maupin’s evolution from a son of the Old South — at one time even a staffer for arch-conservative Senator Jesse Helms — into a gay rights pioneer whose novels (Tales of the City) have inspired millions to claim their own truth. Filmmaker and two-time QDoc alum Jennifer Kroot captures the playful, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny perspective of a literary legend. Subject Armistead Maupin, director Jennifer Kroot and co-director/editor Bill Weber will be in attendance.
Friday, May 19 at 6:30pm: JEWEL’S CATCH ONE
Jewel Thais-Williams helped changed laws, save lives and influence communities across Los Angeles at her legendary nightclub, a home for LGBTQ people of color for 42 years. Through interviews with clubgoers Sharon Stone, Sandra Bernhard and Bonnie Pointer, among others, director C. Fitz draws a portrait of a determined entrepreneur who overcame the challenges of being black, female, poor and lesbian to create a lasting legacy in the community. Subject Jewel Thais-Williams and director C. Fitz will be in attendance.
Friday, May 19 at 8:45pm: BAYARD & ME (short)
Iconic U.S. civil rights leader Bayard Rustin and his longtime partner, Walter Naegle, wanted to legally marry in the 1980s, but that was not possible. Still wanting legal protection for their union, Bayard adopted Naegle, who was 30 years his junior. In this intimate love story, Naegle remembers Bayard and a time when same-sex marriage was inconceivable. He reflects on the little-known phenomena of intergenerational gay adoption and its connection to the civil rights movement.
Friday, May 19 at 8:45pm A GIANT’S LOVE (immediately following Bayard & Me) Leonardo Munoz was born in 1943 in Argentina. At the age of 14, Leonardo became Mariela. Being transgender under a right-wing military dictator was not without complication. A loved and loving woman, Mariela welcomed, fostered and raised 17 abandoned children in her lifetime, and became the first transgender person ever to obtain legal documents, thus setting a precedent in Argentina. Through the testimonies of her children and others close to her, A Giant’s Love traces the fight for the recognition of Mariela’s identity in a country under military junta and highlights her commitment to the protection of the oppressed. Director Maria Audras will be in attendance.
Saturday, May 20 at 1pm: MY WONDERFUL WEST BERLIN
My Wonderful West Berlin offers a brilliant homage to hedonism, the story of 1960s West Berlin and the righteous freedom of the gay community of the era. Weaving archival material with contemporary footage, director Jochen Hick offers a bittersweet tribute to a city whose bars, cruising, radical bookstores and left-wing politics paved the way for new German attitudes toward liberation. Director Jochen Hick will be in attendance.
Saturday, May 20 at 3:30pm: THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON Who killed Marsha P. Johnson? When the beloved, self-described “street queen” of New York’s Christopher Street was found floating in the Hudson River in 1992, the NYPD called her death a suicide. Protests erupted, but the police remained impassive and refused to investigate. Now, 25 years on, Oscar-nominated director and journalist David France (How to Survive a Plague) re-examines the death of a beloved icon of the trans world while celebrating the story of two landmark pioneers of the trans rights movement.
Saturday, May 20 at 6:30pm: CHAVELA
According to The Guardian, legendary Mexican singer Chavela Vargas is “probably Donald Trump’s ultimate nightmare: a Mexican lesbian diva who can wring your very soul.” The Hollywood Reporter calls her “a trailblazing free spirit whose appetite for tequila and women was as legendary as her soul-stirring vocals.” Through its lyrical structure, Chavela takes viewers on an evocative, thought-provoking journey through the life of this iconoclastic, game-changing artist. Director/producer Catherine Gund will be in attendance.
Saturday, May 20 at 9pm: THE FABULOUS ALLAN CARR
For someone who spent most of his Hollywood career behind the scenes, Allan Carr lived a lavish lifestyle that was made for the spotlight. A producer, manager and marketing genius, Carr built his bombastic reputation amid a series of successes including the mega-hit musical film Grease, until it all came crashing down when he produced the 1989 Academy Awards, a notorious debacle. Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (past QDoc favorites I Am Divine, Tab Hunter Confidential, Vito), The Fabulous Allan Carr brings this complex character to life through cheeky animated sequences and heartfelt interviews. Director Jeffrey Schwarz in attendance.
Sunday, May 21 at noon: CONVERSATIONS WITH GAY ELDERS
QDoc co-founder and filmmaker David Weissman (The Cockettes and We Were Here) returns with a recently completed Conversation featuring Portland resident Kerby Lauderdale, who has been active in Portland’s LGBT community since the early 1980s. The father of Pink Martini founder Thomas Lauderdale, Kerby’s story differs from others in the series because he was in a heterosexual marriage for many years. The editor of this piece is Michiel Thomas, who directed the 2015 QDoc opening night film, Game Face. Director David Weissman, subject Kerby Lauderdale, and editor Michiel Thomas will be in attendance.
Sunday, May 21 at 2:30pm SMALL TALK
In Taiwanese culture, questioning a mother’s love is taboo. But as filmmaker Hui-chen Huang sets out on a journey with her mother, such an inquiry forms the basis for an intimate exploration of a complex and nuanced relationship. Huang seeks to understand her mother, Anu, who took the radical step in the 1970s of leaving her violent husband and raising her two children alone, forging an unusual path in which her female lovers have all shared her profession as a Taoist priestess and professional mourner. Through often-unresolved conversations with her mother, as well as interviews with her mother’s siblings and ex- lovers, Huang reveals the complex and changing landscape for Taiwanese women. Teddy Award winner for Best Documentary at the Berlinale film festival.
Sunday, May 21 at 4:30pm THE LAVENDER SCARE
With the United States gripped in the panic of the Cold War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower deemed homosexuals to be “security risks” and ordered the immediate firing of any government employee discovered to be gay or lesbian. It triggered a vicious witch-hunt that lasted for 40 years and ruined thousands of lives, while thrusting an unlikely hero into the forefront of what would become the modern LGBT rights movement. The Lavender Scare is a compelling story of one man’s fight for justice — and a chilling reminder of how easy it can be, during a time of fear and uncertainty, to trample the rights of an entire class of people in the name of patriotism and national security. Josh Howard, 24-time Emmy- winning producer and director of the film, will be in attendance.
Sunday, May 21 at 7:30pm REBELS ON POINTE
Exploring universal themes of identity, dreams, family, loss and love, filmmaker Bobbi Jo Hart’s Rebels on Pointe is the first-ever documentary celebrating the world-famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The notorious all-male, comic ballet troupe was founded more than 40 years ago in New York City on the heels of the Stonewall riots, and has a passionate cult following around the world. The film blends intimate, behind-the- scenes access with rich archives and history, engaging character-driven stories and live performances. Rebels on Pointe is a creative mix of gender-bending artistic expression, diversity, passion and purpose. A story that ultimately proves that a ballerina is not only a woman dancing — but an act of revolution in a tutu. Subject Bobby Carter will be in attendance.
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Stephen Cone’s Coming-of-Age Lesbian Drama PRINCESS CYD to Be Released in US in Late 2017
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Princess Cyd[/caption]
The Chicago-set coming-of-age drama Princess Cyd, starring Rebecca Spence (Joe Swanberg’s “Easy”) and Jessie Pinnick (“Shameless”), which world premiered at the 2017 Maryland Film Festival will be released in the US later this year by Wolfe Releasing.
Princess Cyd follows 16-year-old athlete Cyd Loughlin (Pinnick) while visiting her novelist aunt (Spence) in Chicago over the summer. Eager to escape life with her depressive single father, Cyd falls for a girl in the neighborhood, while she and her aunt gently challenge each other in the realms of sex and spirit.
Princess Cyd marks an ongoing relationship between director Stephen Cone and Wolfe, following their release of his acclaimed dramas Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party (which also had its world premiere at the Maryland Film Festival) and The Wise Kids. The film was produced by Grace Hahn, Madison Ginsberg and Stephen Cone.
“It is impossible to overstate how important the faith and support from Wolfe Releasing has been to my development as a filmmaker over the past several years,” Cone said. “This kind of partnership is a dream and a pleasure.”
Stephens commented, “We are thrilled to work with Stephen again. He is a wonderfully talented filmmaker and has a unique voice in a crowded field of independent cinema.”
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Watch John Turturro and Bobby Cannavale Talk Hair in rag & bone’s Short Film HAIR from Tribeca 2017
rag & bone has released online in full, the short film Hair, starring John Turturro and Bobby Cannavale, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival.
Delving deeper into the medium of film, the brand introduces a conceptual short feature directed by and starring Golden Globe-nominated actor John Turturro alongside two-time Emmy-winner Bobby Cannavale, marking yet another engaging initiative under the ‘rag & bone Films’ umbrella.
“For us, projects like these are about creating a paradigm shift in the way people view fashion. Film and photography are engrained in our brand DNA and we love exploring both mediums in different ways every season. This project was a joy to be part of and it was a real honor to work with John and Bobby on it.” – Marcus Wainwright, rag & bone CEO, Founder and Creative Director
Shot by Fred Elmes (Blue Velvet, The Night Of, Broken Flowers) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn the film features an improvised conversation about a man’s particularity for his hair.
Truly masters of their craft, Turturro and Cannavale deliver a lightheartedly engrossing and completely unscripted performance while dressed in the rag & bone Spring/Summer 2017 collection.
“It was fun to find the right location that would complement the rag & bone clothing. I scouted several places with Fred Elmes and we felt that this specific classic barber shop was the perfect location. Clothes and hair go together; they’re part of your social identity.” – John Turturro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR7nRcOHO_w
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Final Robin Williams Film, ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING, to Be Released in U.S. | Trailer
Robin Williams final film, Absolutely Anything, in which he is featured as the voice of a dog, and starring alongside Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale, will be released in the US on May 12, 2017.
Absolutely Anything centers on a disillusioned school teacher, Neil, who suddenly finds he has the ability to do anything he wishes — a power bestowed upon him by a distant alien race. Unbeknownst to Neil, how he employs his newfound powers will dictate the fate of mankind — one wrong move and the aliens will destroy Earth.
“It’s a great honor for us to have the opportunity to distribute Absolutely Anything in the United States,” said Atlas Distribution President Harmon Kaslow, “The talent in the film is exceptional, and we’re certain many Robin Williams fans are anxious to see his final performance.”
Absolutely Anything was originally released in the UK in 2015, but is only now being released in the United States. The film stars Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Star Trek), Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting, Mrs. Doubtfire) and Kate Beckinsale (Underworld film series), and was written and directed by Terry Jones (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Labyrinth).
Absolutely Anything is set for limited release on May 12, 2017 by by Atlas Distribution Company.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODcycOZlAP0
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Documentary BECOMING CARY GRANT to World Premiere at Cannes Film Festival | Trailer
The new documentary Becoming Cary Grant, a definitive biography of the extraordinary Hollywood icon, will world premiere at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Following the festival, the film will have its world television debut on Showtime on Friday, June 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Directed by Mark Kidel (Elvis Costello: Mystery Dance, A Journey With Peter Sellars), the captivating biopic reveals Cary Grant’s inner search to find himself at the height of his fame.
Using words and insights from his unpublished autobiography and newly discovered personal footage, Becoming Cary Grant unveils the intimate story of Archie Leach, the man behind the mask of the beloved and charming Hollywood legend known as Cary Grant. From his difficult childhood without his mother, through his 30 years of stardom, to the joys of his later years as a father, the film uncovers a side of Grant never seen by the public.Becoming Cary Grant plumbs the depths of Grant’s insecurities and reveals his unique journey of self-exploration through recounts of his probing LSD therapy sessions. The 85-minute documentary features a treasure trove of extracts from Grant’s films and exclusive interviews with his close friends about his troubled past.
The words of Cary Grant are spoken by actor Jonathan Pryce (Game of Thrones, Wolf Hall).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHkMZfmxDB8
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HBO Announces Landmark Documentary on Princess Diana
HBO Documentary Films announced today a landmark documentary, which will celebrate the life and work of Diana, Princess of Wales, in the 20th year since her tragic death.
HBO has U.S. rights to the film, produced by Oxford Film and Television for the ITV network in the U.K. The unprecedented documentary will be built around interviews with The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, both of whom talk openly and in depth about their mother and how her influence has shaped their lives.
Their Royal Highnesses will also offer their perspective on the Princess’ unique contribution to public life, including her charitable and humanitarian work. Areas including landmines, child bereavement, homelessness and HIV and AIDS, will be explored.
The film, which will be broadcast on HBO and ITV later in the year, will also include individual contributions from many key figures in the Princess’ life and new archival material. Through the personal and intimate reflections of her two sons and of her friends and family, many of whom have never spoken publicly before, the film will offer fresh and revealing insights into Princess Diana, an iconic figure who touched the lives of millions.
“This film will show Princess Diana in a way she has never been seen before, through the eyes of the two people who knew her best,” commented Nick Kent, the film’s executive producer at Oxford Film and Television. The producer/director of the film is Ashley Gething.
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Watch Trailer for Sundance Award Winning Film JOSHUA: TEENAGER VS. SUPERPOWER, Set to Debut on Netflix
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Joshua Wong appears in Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower[/caption]
Netflix has released the official trailer JOSHUA : TEENAGER VS. SUPERPOWER directed by Joe Piscatella, and the winner of this year’s Audience Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
JOSHUA: TEENAGER VS. SUPERPOWER will be available on Netflix May 26th, 2017.
When the Chinese Communist Party alters its promise of autonomy to Hong Kong – handed back to the Chinese government from British rule in 1997 – teenager Joshua Wong decides to fight for his homeland. Rallying thousands of kids to skip school and occupy the streets, and without a long-term plan but with passion to spare, Joshua becomes an unlikely leader in Hong Kong. A remarkable portrait of courage, resilience, and the propulsive power of youthful idealism, JOSHUA : TEENAGER VS. SUPERPOWER, the winner of this year’s Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, is a chronicle of one young man risking his own future for a greater good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lN9_mQq2mQ
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COLUMBUS and UNREST Selected for Sundance Institute’s Creative Distribution Fellowship
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Unrest[/caption]
Sundance Institute has selected two acclaimed works from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival: Columbus, from director and screenwriter Kogonada, and Unrest, a documentary directed by Jennifer Brea for its Creative Distribution Fellowship. The fellowship is a new initiative to support filmmaking teams seeking a more entrepreneurial approach to the release of their work.
Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “Columbus and Unrest are perfect examples of the creative spirit of independent filmmaking, and this new Fellowship will provide them with resources, mentorship and tactical support to pioneer independent pathways to audiences. This entrepreneurial approach to marketing, distribution and audience building empowers independent filmmakers to release their own films, on their own terms, while retaining their rights.”
The Creative Distribution Fellowship, inspired by Sundance Institute’s long-standing Labs, will provide Columbus and Unrest with tools, resources and exclusive distribution deals in an immersive and nurturing environment. Each film will receive grants to fund marketing and distribution expenses. The Institute is working closely with the film teams to devise and execute tactics that will allow them to connect with their audiences in new and innovative ways. The filmmakers will serve as their own distributors, working with a network of professional vendors and digital retailers, with all theatrical and digital revenue flowing back to them. As a core part of the Fellowship, the producers of Columbus and Unrest are committed to sharing lessons learned from their creative distribution. These lessons will create “best practices” to help guide future independent filmmakers.
The Institute has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds and build audiences for Columbus and Unrest, which is open through Thursday, June 1.
Danielle Renfrew Behrens, producer of Columbus, said, “Many films have attempted to self-release over the years, but until recently filmmakers haven’t had the tools needed to reach their targeted audience. We’ve turned down more traditional distribution offers in the hopes of determining if this is a viable way forward for indie films with identifiable niche audiences. We’re thrilled to have Sundance Institute’s aid and guidance in navigating this new terrain, and hopefully creating a guide that other independent films can follow.”
Jennifer Brea, producer/director of Unrest, said, “We can’t wait to connect our film directly with its audience, combining a bespoke theatrical release with innovative ways of reaching those who would not be able to see the film in theaters. With the aid of the Creative Distribution Fellowship we’ll be able to actively engage with our viewers, encouraging an experience that will last far beyond the end of the film.”
Columbus stars John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Parker Posey, Rory Culkin and Michelle Forbes and world premiered in the NEXT section at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. In the film, Casey (Richardson) lives with her mother in a little-known Midwestern town haunted by the promise of modernism. Jin (Cho), a visitor from the other side of the world, attends to his dying father. Burdened by the future, they find respite in one another and the architecture that surrounds them. Vanity Fair wrote that Columbus “is a clever and compelling exploration into how physical structures can come to represent emotional landmarks in our personal lives, and the drive we have to share them with others.” Columbus will be released, starting theatrically, in August.
Unrest chronicles director and Harvard PhD student Jennifer Brea, who was struck down at 28 by a fever that left her bedridden. Doctors told her it’s “all in your head.” Determined to live, she sets out on a virtual journey to document her story—and four other families’ stories—fighting a disease medicine forgot. The film will have a theatrical release prior to airing as part of PBS’s ‘Independent Lens’ series in 2018.
The Creative Distribution Fellowship is part of Sundance Institute’s Creative Producing Program. Founded in 2011, the Program has empowered filmmakers navigating the changing business of independent film with online resources, live workshops and a network of allied organizations. Films it has supported include Upstream Color (Director: Shane Carruth), BURN (Directors: Brenna Sanchez and Tom Putnam), Cronies (Director: Michael Larnell), Western (Directors: Bill Ross and Turner Ross), First Girl I Loved (Director: Kerem Sanga), NUTS! (Director: Penny Lane) and HITS (Director: David Cross).
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Oliver Stone Interviews Vladimir Putin in Showtime DocuSeries THE PUTIN INTERVIEWS | Trailer
THE PUTIN INTERVIEWS, a revealing series of interviews between renowned filmmaker Oliver Stone and Vladimir Putin, will have its world television premiere on SHOWTIME over four consecutive nights starting on Monday, June 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Granted unprecedented access to both Putin’s professional and personal worlds, Oscar(R)-winning writer and director Oliver Stone (Platoon, Snowden), with the help of his longtime documentary producer Fernando Sulichin, interviewed the Russian leader more than a dozen times over the course of two years, most recently in February following the U.S. presidential elections. Since first becoming the president of Russia in 2000, Putin has never before spoken at such length or in such detail to a Western interviewer, leaving no topic off limits. In scope and depth, THE PUTIN INTERVIEWS recalls The Nixon Interviews, the series of conversations between David Frost and Richard Nixon that aired in the spring of 1977, 40 years ago.
“If Vladimir Putin is indeed the great enemy of the United States, then at least we should try to understand him,” Stone said.
During these wide-ranging interviews, Putin confronts the controversies engulfing the increasingly fragile relations between the U.S. and Russia today, including his views on President Donald Trump and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, NATO, and fostering turmoil in Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere.
Prodded by Stone, Putin traverses a host of critical topics in sharp detail, including Putin’s rise to the Presidency, and long-term grip on power, his personal relationships with Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump – as well as Yeltsin and Gorbachev. He also talks of the legacies of Stalin and Reagan, as well as the surveillance state and Edward Snowden’s flight to asylum in Moscow, and the resignation of U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Providing intimate insight via sessions held throughout the Kremlin, Sochi and Putin’s official residence outside of Moscow, the four-hour film captures the essence and complexity of the Russian leader and his approach to the U.S. and the world, while incorporating dramatic footage of key events. The exchanges are often pointed, always thought-provoking and occasionally surreal – including a remarkable sequence where Stone introduces Putin for the first time to Stanley Kubrick’s Cold War satire Dr. Strangelove which they watched together – all serving to illuminate the mindset of one of the least understood but most important players in the geopolitical world today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrBoj760aD8
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Chilling Sci-fi/Horror THE ENDLESS from Tribeca 2017 Eyes a 2018 Release Date
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Justin Benson as Justin and Aaron Moorhead as Aaron in THE ENDLESS. Photographer: William Tanner Sampson.[/caption]
Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson’s The Endless, a chilling sci-fi/horror hybrid which premiered to rave reviews in the Narrative Feature competition section of the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival will be released in the US by Well Go USA Entertainment. The film will receive a traditional platform theatrical release in early 2018, with a digital and home video release afterwards.
Following their acclaimed debut Resolution and their follow-up, the Lovecraftian modern cult classic Spring, writer/directors Moorhead and Benson star as two brothers who return to the death cult from which they fled a decade ago, only to find that there might be some truth to the group’s otherworldly beliefs.
“The Endless is a film made hand-over-fist with an incredible crew, and ourselves wearing many hats, out of a conviction that audiences truly do want left-of-center, meaningful independent films,” said directors Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson. “Well Go throwing their theatrical support behind us shows a shared belief that the box office is more than just superheroes. Audiences will be able to see The Endless at its best: sound cranked up in a dark theater, sharing the experience with movie lovers like ourselves.”
“Justin and Aaron are known for making smart, atmospheric films that challenge audiences while scaring the hell out of them,” said Dylan Marchetti, SVP of Acquisitions and Theatrical Distribution for Well Go USA Entertainment. “The Endless is their most accomplished work yet, and here at Well Go we can’t stop talking about it. We can’t wait to unleash it on everyone else.”
