Films

San Francisco Film Society Launches Doc Stories, Opens With New York Times Op-Docs

The San Francisco Film Society is launching a new documentary film series, Doc Stories, with the inaugural edition taking place November 5 to 8, 2015. Alongside the feature film selections, 2015 Doc Stories will also include a number of programs of short films, which will explore the importance of the form to contemporary journalism and the realities of online content consumption. The Opening Night will feature New York Times Op-Docs, and the Closing Night will feature Heart of a Dog directed by Laurie Anderson. 2015 Doc Stories Lineup New York Times Op-Docs OPENING NIGHT Filmmakers in conversation with Op-Docs series producer Kathleen Lingo The New York Times, perhaps the world’s most influential and important media company, has been creating short-form content since 2011 and has also been especially supportive of Bay Area filmmakers. This program runs the gamut from Pentecostal preachers to klezmer-playing Holocaust survivors and celebrates this exceptional fusion of groundbreaking journalism and inspirational documentary filmmaking. (70 min) Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom Evgeny Afineevsky (Ukraine/USA/UK 2015, 102 min) This on-the-ground document of the Ukrainian civic uprising that resulted in the departure of President Viktor Yanukovych melds startling footage of events as they unfold with subsequent testimonials from witnesses and participants to create a visceral portrait of historic events and some of the individuals who made up a popular movement. Director Evgeny Afineevsky skillfully manages multiple perspectives and stories to create a coherent and vital rendering of history unfolding moment to moment. Song of Lahore Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (USA/Pakistan 2015, 82 min) Director and special guests in person Pakistan’s Sachel Studios was founded in 2004 in an attempt to preserve and revive centuries-old musical traditions that faced extinction after the imposition of Sharia law in the ’70s and more current Taliban pressure discouraging musical performance. When a video of the group’s version of Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” performed on traditional Pakistani instruments goes viral online, they get a chance to gain the kind of acclaim that Lahore’s musicians once enjoyed. What Happened, Miss Simone? Liz Garbus (USA 2014, 102 min) Director and special guest in person After its glorious reception at SFIFF58, the Film Society offers another opportunity to see this extraordinary documentary on the big screen. A full biography filled with candid conversations, interviews, letters and performances, this film is the definitive take on Nina Simone’s life. Paying special attention to her career-jeopardizing choices during the Civil Rights movement and her insistence on justice and unflinching when presenting her surprising weaknesses, What Happened, Miss Simone? is a fitting portrait of an inimitable and powerful artist. Cartel Land Matthew Heineman (USA/Mexico 2015, 100 min) Director and special guests in person This bold film gives extraordinary access to dangerous and sometimes deadly skirmishes in the Mexico-US drug wars, following vigilante groups on either side of the border as they empower themselves to take action against drug cartels that they feel are endangering their everyday lives. A vivid and sometimes brutal portrait of citizens motivated to take the law into their own hands, Cartel Land reveals fault lines and grey areas in every aspect of the conflict. A Conversation with Davis Guggenheim Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim will participate in an intimate onstage conversation about his documentary work and current film, He Named Me Malala, an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai and her fight for the rights of girls around the world. Guggenheim has directed some of the most successful documentaries of the last decade and this will be a rare opportunity to hear about his approach to his craft, and thoughts about the documentary form. (70 min) Field of Vision Series co-founder AJ Schnack in person Launched in late September, Field of Vision is a new film unit committed to artistically thoughtful documentaries, rooted in investigative journalism. Created by Oscar winner Laura Poitras (Citizenfour), AJ Schnack (Caucus) and Charlotte Cook, Field of Vision will pair filmmakers with developing and ongoing stories around the globe. Join co-creator AJ Schnack for a selection of original films from the inaugural season and a conversation about the series’ creation and the current state of short-form documentary. (TRT 90 min) Janis: Little Girl Blue Amy Berg (USA 2015, 106 min) Director and special guests in person Most of us are familiar with the iconic Janis Joplin, troubled wild child of the San Francisco music scene of the ’60s who died tragically of an overdose at the age of 27. Amy Berg goes beyond the legend to present an intimate portrait of a complicated artist, weaving archival material-some of it never seen before-with compelling interviews and Joplin’s reflective letters to friends and family, read with a bright sweetness by Chan Marshall (Cat Power). Profiles in Courage: Short Documentaries from HBO Filmmakers in person Ebola in Liberia, LGBT rights in Cuba, a brave Nepalese couple seeking to regain their eyesight. HBO has long been the acknowledged leader in the documentary world, and never more so than now. These inspiring short films-all strong contenders for the Academy’s short list for short documentary films-show the unique global perspective and entertaining storytelling style that make HBO such an important contributor to film culture. (TRT 93 min) Thank You for Playing David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall (USA 2015, 82 min) Co-directors in person When video game developer Ryan Green’s very young son Joel is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, he turns to what he knows best to combat his family’s emotional upheaval-he creates a game. With great emotional power, co-directors David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall create an intimate space for their heart-rending documentary that demonstrates how art and technology can help process grief and combat the various dragons everyone must try to slay. Hitchcock/Truffaut Kent Jones (France/USA 2015, 80 min) Director in person One of cinema’s most influential books is brought vividly to life in Kent Jones’s enjoyable and expertly constructed documentary that illuminates the careers of and relationship between two of cinema’s greats, Alfred Hitchcock and François Truffaut. Featuring audio recordings of the interview between the two masters, gorgeous film clips and interviews with directors such as Wes Anderson, David Fincher, Olivier Assayas and Martin Scorsese, this is essential viewing for any lover of cinema. Heart of a Dog CLOSING NIGHT Laurie Anderson (USA 2015, 75 min) Director in person Laurie Anderson’s playful essay film is nominally a tribute to her rat terrier, Lolabelle. In her inimitable way, Anderson takes this canine paean as her center and folds in a world of moving, funny and salient ideas about life, death, love, truth, memory, Buddhism and our four-legged soul mates. Skillfully weaving personal memories with inspired connections to current events and philosophy, Anderson creates a funny and moving meditation for dog lovers and other humans.
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Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Content Studio Announce Latest Original Film BUSINESS UNUSUAL

Renaissance Hotels and Marriott’s Content Studio have partnered with Substance Over Hype to produce a new comedy short film, BUSINESS UNUSUAL. Business Unusual will have a global multiplatform release in early 2016, including a limited theatrical release. The 12-minute film, shot throughout Chicago and on location at the newly transformed Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, boasts an impressive cast including Yoshua Sudarso (“Power Rangers Dino Charge”), Jason Gerhardt (“General Hospital,” ABC’s “Mistresses”), Grant Bowler (“Defiance,” “True Blood,” and “Ugly Betty”), Tia Carrere (“Wayne’s World”) and Brian Poli-Dixon (artist, actor, and former NFL receiver). Featured cameos from Chicago natives include Ozzie Guillen (former White Sox player), The O’My’s (Chicago-based band) and the world’s best parkour athletes and dancers from Substance Over Hype. A custom soundtrack that features local Chicago artists including The O’My’s will also accompany the film. On the heels of “French Kiss” and “Two Bellmen,” Business Unusual, written and directed by Daniel Malakai Cabrera & Caine Sinclair, is the third original short film produced by the Marriott Content Studio. Business Unusual centers around two ad executives and former colleagues, having just arrived in Chicago to compete against each other in a pitch. A pompous character, Chip, delivers the first pitch and receives extremely positive feedback from the clients. Following Chip’s seemingly successful presentation, David, (a less seasoned entrepreneur) nervously begins to present his pitch– when the client is suddenly called away to an emergency and is asked if he can finish the next day. David agrees and returns to his hotel. As he is anxiously preparing to revamp his pitch, the Navigator (Renaissance Hotels’ local concierge) persuades him to join other guests for an evening of discovery through beverage, food and local music in the hotel’s bar. Here he has a chance platonic encounter with a kind, wise, and successful woman named Ella. David finds his groove and is inspired to create an exceptionally fun and clever campaign, focused on the use of a Rube Goldberg machine that ultimately lands him the account. The Rube Goldberg machine in the film was designed by “America’s Got Talent” quarterfinalist Steve Price.
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HOT SUGAR’S COLD WORLD Sets Release Date of November 6 | TRAILER

Hot Sugar’s Cold World, a fly-on-the-wall look into the life of a modern-day Mozart, Nick Koenig (Hot Sugar) as he creates one-of-a-kind music made entirely out of sounds from the world around him, will open November 6, 2015 in theaters and iTunes with special live performances to follow across the US and Canada. Nick lives every young musician’s dream, but when his internet- famous girlfriend, (rapper Kitty) goes on tour and they split, he flies to Paris where he grew up, to move on with his life, while hunting for increasingly unique and exotic sounds to sample and turn into beats. Through his journey, Hot Sugar goes on some crazy adventures, meets some fascinating people and learns what it takes to survive as an artist. With appearances by former members of Das Racist, legendary filmmaker Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers, Only Lovers Left Alive), the world’s most renowned Astrophysicist, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson (“Cosmos” on FOX) and comedian Martin Starr (HBO’s “Silicon Valley”) among a host of other musicians and personalities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V5CJaa5zLE Hot Sugar’s Cold World, an official selections of 2015 SXSW Film Festival and 2015 Hot Docs Film Festival, is directed by Adam Bhala Lough, Executive Produced by David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Jody Hill, and features Nick Koenig, Martin Starr, Kool AD, Heems, Dapwell, Kitty, Rachel Trachtenburg, Jim Jarmusch, Dr. Neil deGrasse, Tyson, Shelby Fero.
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FLOWERS, Spain’s Oscar Entry, to Be Released in US | TRAILER

FLOWERS (Loreak), Spain’s submission for 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar category for the 88th Academy Awards, will be released in the US, later this Fall 2015, via Music Box Films. The film opens at New York’s Paris Theater on Oct. 30, followed by Los Angeles on Nov. 27. Directed by Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga, Flowers is the story of three women, three lives altered by the mere presence of bouquets of flowers. Ane’s life takes a turn when a bouquet of flowers is delivered to her house every week. Always at the same time and always anonymously. Lourdes and Tere’s lives are also affected by some mysterious flowers. A stranger leaves a weekly bouquet in memory of someone important in their lives. This Flowers that will make feelings blossom inside them that had seemed long forgotten… But in the end, they are nothing more than flowers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L33oXnK75w
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Complete List of Films + Trailers for 81 Countries in Competition for 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar

Eighty-one countries have submitted films for consideration in the 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar category for the 88th Academy Awards®. Paraguay is a first-time entrant. The 2015 submissions are: Afghanistan, “Utopia,” Hassan Nazer, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZhbfzrKWLw Albania, “Bota,” Iris Elezi, Thomas Logoreci, directors; https://vimeo.com/122133505 Algeria, “Twilight of Shadows,” Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, director; Argentina, “The Clan,” Pablo Trapero, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWia2xcELuI Australia, “Arrows of the Thunder Dragon,” Greg Sneddon, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TSHuWQjixA Austria, “Goodnight Mommy,” Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, directors; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u3GCfr0U94 Bangladesh, “Jalal’s Story,” Abu Shahed Emon, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cu0vvLRKsI Belgium, “The Brand New Testament,” Jaco Van Dormael, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jEA8uzHwQ Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Our Everyday Story,” Ines Tanović, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO6fH-cZpzA Brazil, “The Second Mother,” Anna Muylaert, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNjwuQcvGms Bulgaria, “The Judgment,” Stephan Komandarev, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRCAYsrl37s Cambodia, “The Last Reel,” Sotho Kulikar, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1XmFpUAVvw Canada, “Félix and Meira,” Maxime Giroux, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HFbAjkmeYQ Chile, “The Club,” Pablo Larraín, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8c2DYoF7lA China, “Go Away Mr. Tumor,” Han Yan, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65UUtHBHJZM Colombia, “Embrace of the Serpent,” Ciro Guerra, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS73P3hZvPA Costa Rica, “Imprisoned,” Esteban Ramírez, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFcdWPoxEzo Croatia, “The High Sun,” Dalibor Matanić, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcWDMgipJ78 Czech Republic, “Home Care,” Slavek Horak, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdP5dEndQkI Denmark, “A War,” Tobias Lindholm, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRkE5ZrPzs0 Dominican Republic, “Sand Dollars,” Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas, directors; (pictured above) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HeEPnn7ioE Estonia, “1944,” Elmo Nüganen, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ni6KeO-AY Ethiopia, “Lamb,” Yared Zeleke, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKh2M2ooD3w Finland, “The Fencer,” Klaus Härö, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocTDfePRAOg France, “Mustang,” Deniz Gamze Ergüven, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud2yfvjdKRU Georgia, “Moira,” Levan Tutberidze, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myW9KtGw8sA Germany, “Labyrinth of Lies,” Giulio Ricciarelli, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xU0Ywoww70 Greece, “Xenia,” Panos H. Koutras, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaZ3mOod9hk Guatemala, “Ixcanul,” Jayro Bustamante, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMMP0Z21zqU Hong Kong, “To the Fore,” Dante Lam, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3_4N1DoFbg Hungary, “Son of Saul,” László Nemes, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDP3TZilWHc Iceland, “Rams,” Grímur Hákonarson, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWOFWaltGRw India, “Court,” Chaitanya Tamhane, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sc8z7zav9A Iran, “Muhammad: The Messenger of God,” Majid Majidi, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95HoUxTWGi0 Iraq, “Memories on Stone,” Shawkat Amin Korki, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuBFjhUo5C8 Ireland, “Viva,” Paddy Breathnach, director; Israel, “Baba Joon,” Yuval Delshad, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQLOlq1PfQs Italy, “Don’t Be Bad,” Claudio Caligari, director; Ivory Coast, “Run,” Philippe Lacôte, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SDrpfbnKUk Japan, “100 Yen Love,” Masaharu Take, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwF-VZMEoFc Jordan, “Theeb,” Naji Abu Nowar, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqUbMKf8c60 Kazakhstan, “Stranger,” Yermek Tursunov, director; Kosovo, “Babai,” Visar Morina, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXnmJBVtFBY Kyrgyzstan, “Heavenly Nomadic,” Mirlan Abdykalykov, director; Latvia, “Modris,” Juris Kursietis, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWCxsRlW8Bg Lebanon, “Void,” Naji Bechara, Jad Beyrouthy, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim, Salim Haber, directors; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ryTnlrB_s Lithuania, “The Summer of Sangaile,” Alanté Kavaïté, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoijP-cGzfE Luxembourg, “Baby (A)lone,” Donato Rotunno, director; Macedonia, “Honey Night,” Ivo Trajkov, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdaM3dbsgNo Malaysia, “Men Who Save the World,” Liew Seng Tat, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DoUf5jSq_s Mexico, “600 Miles,” Gabriel Ripstein, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGINGaYOlGs Montenegro, “You Carry Me,” Ivona Juka, director; Morocco, “Aida,” Driss Mrini, director; Nepal, “Talakjung vs Tulke,” Basnet Nischal, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl-JXV0JTzw Netherlands, “The Paradise Suite,” Joost van Ginkel, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBxz3h3uhos Norway, “The Wave,” Roar Uthaug, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIr90-aG26Y Pakistan, “Moor,” Jami, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUgbkOedFOY Palestine, “The Wanted 18,” Amer Shomali, Paul Cowan, directors; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekhTuZpMw54 Paraguay, “Cloudy Times,” Arami Ullón, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSekF0ANW5o Peru, “NN,” Héctor Gálvez, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZalPtyQSMus Philippines, “Heneral Luna,” Jerrold Tarog, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_T1ykhy3Fg Poland, “11 Minutes,” Jerzy Skolimowski, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IlSOg1-6Tk Portugal, “Arabian Nights – Volume 2, The Desolate One,” Miguel Gomes, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i59kera1ayM Romania, “Aferim!” Radu Jude, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmTYOY_jQWc Russia, “Sunstroke,” Nikita Mikhalkov, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WypoUHTWH8 Serbia, “Enclave,” Goran Radovanović, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dddfro-Vt9M Singapore, “7 Letters,” Royston Tan, Kelvin Tong, Eric Khoo, Jack Neo, Tan Pin Pin,Boo Junfeng, K. Rajagopal, directors; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI_Tp92v_OA Slovakia, “Goat,” Ivan Ostrochovský, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOs0PTCC07A Slovenia, “The Tree,” Sonja Prosenc, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQlBmcyyVzg South Africa, “The Two of Us,” Ernest Nkosi, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv0y8n0Pu0E South Korea, “The Throne,” Lee Joon-ik, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmsD3wvvGP8 Spain, “Flowers,” Jon Garaño, Jose Mari Goenaga, directors; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L33oXnK75w Sweden, “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” Roy Andersson, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7pna4laaAk Switzerland, “Iraqi Odyssey,” Samir, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTs2IMlv7rY Taiwan, “The Assassin,” Hou Hsiao-hsien, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bqNyl72eBw Thailand, “How to Win at Checkers (Every Time),” Josh Kim, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfXh86HUpAA Turkey, “Sivas,” Kaan Müjdeci, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWeZ0bZz12M United Kingdom, “Under Milk Wood,” Kevin Allen, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqHAwLeJzhU Uruguay, “A Moonless Night,” Germán Tejeira, director; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV9N_SNC8DQ Venezuela, “Gone with the River,” Mario Crespo, director; https://vimeo.com/117647793 Vietnam, “Jackpot,” Dustin Nguyen, director. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9NEbqrL9jw The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The 88th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
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Video Clips + Images from Horror Film CLASSROOM 6

Check out some video clips and images from CLASSROOM 6, a found-footage horror film directed by Jonas Odenheimer, available on VOD and iTunes today, Friday, October 9, 2015. In CLASSROOM 6, a local reporter and her assembled TV crew explore a school haunted by a horrific past. The team soon realizes that the location is home to an evil and ancient force that wants them dead. https://vimeo.com/141674449 https://vimeo.com/141674451 https://vimeo.com/141674450
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Toni Collette, Tracy Letts, Sam Trammell Join Daniel Radcliffe In Daniel Ragussis’s Upcoming Thriller IMPERIUM

Academy-Award Nominee Toni Collette (pictured above) (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine, United States of Tara), Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts (Homeland) and Sam Trammell (True Blood) join Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter franchise, Horns) in director/co-writer Daniel Ragussis ‘s upcoming feature film IMPERIUM, to be distributed by Lionsgate Premiere, the Company’s newly-launched specialty film label utilizing a mix of traditional and multiplatform release strategies. Daniel Radcliffe stars as the title character, Nate Foster, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he specializes in domestic terrorism and covert operations. Toni Collette joins as a veteran battle-hardened colleague FBI Agent Angela Zampino, with Tracy Letts joining as Dallas Wolf, a modern-day leader of the white supremacy movement and Sam Trammell plays Jerry Conrad a seemingly normal suburban Dad who is also the local Ayran youth recruiter. Based on true events, IMPERIUM focuses on the FBI agent as he goes undercover and joins a white supremacist group in order to expose a sizable terrorist plot to create a dirty bomb. The bright up-and-coming analyst must confront the challenge of sticking to a new identity while maintaining his real principles as he navigates the dangerous underworld of white supremacy. The script was co-written by former FBI agent Mike German whose counterterrorism activities during his 16-year tenure inspire the plot of the film. IMPERIUM commences production this month in Hopewell, Virginia and is executive produced by Andrew Mann, Jeff Elliott, Chad Moore, Barry Brooker and Stan Wertlieb in addition to Eric Gold and Warren Goz of Sculptor Media. The film is produced by Atomic Features and Tycor International Film Company producers, TY Walker, Dennis Lee and Simon Taufique. Green-Light International is handling foreign sales and brokered the domestic Lionsgate deal. IMPERIUM will be released by Lionsgate Premiere.
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20 French Films to be Presented at Seattle’s French Cinema Now Showcase

The Seattle International Film Festival in partnership with TV5MONDE will present 20 French films from around the world as part of the 2015 French Cinema Now showcase. The Opening Night film is Dheepan, Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. This powerful drama from director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust & Bone) follows a former Tamil Tiger soldier as he flees from the aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil war to begin a new life in a Parisian suburb. An after-party will take place at Bastille Café + Bar in Ballard. Half Sister, Full Love with director Marion Vernoux scheduled to attend and a post-film discussion with Director Lynn Shelton. The French adaptation of Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister (and the second of Shelton’s films adapted à la française) introduces Pierre, a young man still suffering after his brother’s recent death, who accepts his best friend Tessa’s invitation to recuperate at her family home in the French countryside, only to find the house already occupied by her heart-broken sister. In The Chef’s Wife two of France’s most versatile and accomplished actresses, Karin Viard (Polisse, Delicatessen) and Emmannuelle Devos (Coco Before Chanel, Read My Lips), come together for this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy. Carole can no longer stand working alongside her talented Michelin-starred chef husband Sam, so she meets with Marithé, who helps people explore new career opportunities. The two become friends, but when Marithé meets Sam, their mutual attraction complicates her motives in helping Carole to start over. Adama, a stunning animated feature combining traditional painted backgrounds with clay sculpted characters, follows 12 year-old Adama, who leaves his small West African village on a quest to rescue his brother from the frontlines of WWI. Adama travels to “the land of breaths” – the village’s term for war-torn Europe – for a coming-of-age odyssey that is also a tale of outstanding love, courage, and humanity. Appropriate for ages 8+. French Master Cédric Kahn’s Wild Life is based on a true story, and produced by the Dardenne Brothers. This tale of a father’s reckless but all-consuming love follows married couple Carole and Philippe (Céline Sallette and Mathieu Kassovitz, both giving riveting performances) who renounce civilization and lead a nomadic life in their caravan. But when Carole tires of their itinerant lifestyle and moves back to the city, Philippe refuses to allow his sons to be raised according to the societal codes he abhors. Carl Spence, SIFF Artistic Director, says “We’re very excited about this year’s lineup, being able to bring such a diverse group of films to the Francophile Seattle audience. Our continued partnership with TV5 Monde has allowed French Cinema Now to reach not only the Seattle viewers, but nationally through the TV5 Monde channel.” Dheepan Opening Night Film & Party France | 2015 | 110 minutes | Jacques Audiard Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, this powerful drama from director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust & Bone) follows a former Tamil Tiger soldier as he flees from the aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil war to begin a new life in a Parisian suburb. The Tournament France | 2015 | 83 minutes | Elodie Namer An international chess tournament becomes the setting of a compelling psychological thriller, when a 22-year-old French mastermind finds that his chief adversary is an unknown 11-year-old prodigy, leading to his emotional unraveling. Anton Chekhov – 1890 France | 2015 | 96 minutes | René Féret A pivotal period in the life of Russian literary master Anton Chekhov is brought to life in this expressive biographical tale. A humble Russian doctor, Chekhov (Nicolas Giraud) starts writing stories for magazines to earn extra money. As his talent gains notice, an unexpected tragedy sends him on a journey to Siberia, and the trip inspires some of his most brilliant and famous works. Half Sister, Full Love France | 2015 | 95 minutes | Marion Vernoux Director Marion Vernoux scheduled to attend with post-film discussion with Director Lynn Shelton (Your Sister’s Sister). The French adaptation of Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister (and the second of Shelton’s films adapted à la française) introduces Pierre, a young man still suffering after his brother’s recent death, who accepts his best friend Tessa’s invitation to recuperate at her family home in the French countryside, only to find the house already occupied by her heart-broken sister. You Sleep Nicole Canada (Québec) | 2014 | 93 minutes | Stéphane Lafleur Filmed in gorgeous black and white, the latest feature from Québécois director Stéphane Lafleur is a slice of life comedy about summer indolence. 22-year-old Nicole is fresh out of college, and plans to spend the summer hanging out her best friend Véronique. But things take an unexpected turn when a heatwave, Nicole’s growing insomnia, the persistent courtship of a 10-year-old boy, and a visiting rock band put their friendship to the test. Adama France | 2015 | 82 minutes | Simon Rouby This stunning animated feature, combining traditional painted backgrounds with clay sculpted characters, follows 12 year-old Adama, who leaves his small West African village on a quest to rescue his brother from the frontlines of WWI. Adama travels to “the land of breaths” – the village’s term for war-torn Europe – for a coming-of-age odyssey that is also a tale of outstanding love, courage, and humanity. Appropriate for ages 8+. Number One Fan France | 2014 | 105 minutes | Jeanne Herry In this cleverly suspenseful and satirical thriller, Sandrine Kiberlain gives a Cesar nominated performance a beautician who would do literally anything for her idol, the French crooner Vincent Lacroix. Her loyalty is put to the test one night when Vincent shows up on her doorstep and asks for her help in a most nefarious task. The Chef’s Wife France | 2014 | 90 minutes | Anne Le Ny Two of France’s most versatile and accomplished actresses, Karin Viard (Polisse, Delicatessen) and Emmannuelle Devos (Coco Before Chanel, Read My Lips), come together for this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy. Carole can no longer stand working alongside her talented Michelin-starred chef husband, Sam, so she meets with Marithé, who helps people explore new career opportunities. The two become friends, but when Marithé meets Sam, their mutual attraction complicates her motives in helping Carole to start over. Métamorphoses France | 2014 | 102 minutes | Christophe Honoré Visionary director Christophe Honoré’s enchanting, slyly satiric, and erotic updating of the of Ovid’s magnum opus transports mythological tales to present-day France, where the Gods – Jupiter, Orpheus, Bacchus – transform into different forms and fall in love with humans. The Anarchists France | 2015 | 101 minutes | Elie Wajeman Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) and Adèle Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color) star in this sweeping historical crime drama set in turn of the century Paris, where police officer Jean Albertini is tasked with infiltrating a band of anarchists, and unexpectedly falls in love with a passionate, and persuasive, member of the movement. Torn between duty and his heart, Jean will have to choose his allegiance. The Great Man France | 2014 | 107 minutes | Sarah Leonor This stylistic tale of pristine visual sensibility and French Legionnaires (reminiscent of Claire Denis’s Beau Travail) is an intimate metaphysical look at two men trying to piece their life together after war. Told in five chapters, the story follows a soldier (Jérémie Renier) who is reunited with the man who saved his life, and unexpectedly finds himself able to repay his debt. The Sweet Escape France | 2015 | 105 minutes | Bruno Podalydés Packed with visual flair, delightful banter, and a whiff of Wes Anderson, this bittersweet coming-of-middle-age comedy follows 50-something graphic designer Michel (director Bruno Podalydés), who, longing for a sense of freedom and adventure, takes up kayaking. Michel’s virgin voyage is a pastoral adventure, but it doesn’t lead him very far down stream. The Clearstream Affair France | 2014 | 110 minutes | Vincent Garenq This ripped-from-the-headlines political thriller follows journalist Denis Robert (Gilles Lellouche) and Judge Renaud Van Ruymbeke (Charles Berling), who shake up the French governing class by exposing a dark political financial machine called the Clearstream system, which allowed financial institutions and wealthy investors to hold secret accounts for hiding unreported income and money laundering. High Society France | 2014 | 95 minutes | Julie Lopes Curval A delicate exploration of young love, artistic expression, and social class, High Society tells of the relationship between 20-year-old Alice (Ana Girardot, “The Returned”), a working-class artist whose talent leads her to design school in Paris, and privileged aspiring photographer Antoine. While their differences initially prove exciting, they begin to find that the pull of bourgeois society and artistic ambition changes the dynamic of their tender affair. I’m Dead But I Have Friends Belgium | 2015 | 96 minutes | Guillaume Malandrin, Stéphane Malandrin Filled with unexpected twists and delightfully deadpan humor, this comic road movie follows the ageing members of a punkish Belgian rock band who lose their lead singer but decide to maintain their concert dates in Los Angeles with vague plans to place the dead friend’s funeral urn in front of the microphone. Nothing – absolutely nothing – goes according to plan. Fatima France | 2015 | 79 minutes | Philippe Faucon A sweet, insightful, and emotionally complex portrait of immigrants living in France, Fatima dives into the life of a Moroccan-born mother living in Lyon and struggling to raise her two teenage daughters, one rebellious, the other starting medical school. When she is put on leave from her job as a cleaning woman, Fatima starts to write letters to her daughters in Arabic, telling them all the things she can’t express in French. Cosmodrama France | 2015 | 105 minutes | Philippe Fernandez A slyly funny mix of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and 2001: A Space Odyssey, this retro-futuristic sci-fi story begins when seven astronauts – including Sigmund Freud look-alike, an overly communicative chimp, and a friendly dog – wake up on a spaceship, not knowing where they have come from nor where they are heading. As the ship operates by itself, they have ample time to meditate on matter, life and the universe. Tokyo Fiancée Belgium | 2014 | 100 minutes | Stefan Liberski A young Belgian woman who is obsessed with all things Japanese travels to Tokyo and falls into a whirlwind romance with a Japanese student who is obsessed with all things French. This charming comedy about young love and cultural discovery, is filled with complications, misunderstandings, and double meanings in both French and Japanese. Young Tiger France | 2015 | 87 minutes | Cyprien Vial Set in Paris’ suburban Sikh community, this drama features newcomer Harmandeep Palminder in a touching lead performance as a 17-year old boy from Punjab, India, who is trying to lead the life of a typical teenager, yet finds a crushing responsibility to financially support his parents in India pushes him into unprecedented danger. Wild Life France | 2014 | 114 minutes | Cédric Kahn Based on a true story, and produced by the Dardenne Brothers, this tale of a father’s reckless but all-consuming love follows married couple Carole and Philippe (Céline Sallette and Mathieu Kassovitz, both giving riveting performances) who renounce civilization and lead a nomadic life in their caravan. But when Carole tires of their itinerant lifestyle and moves back to the city, Philippe refuses to allow his sons to be raised according to the societal codes he abhors.
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Janis Joplin Documentary JANIS: LITTLE GIRL BLUE Sets November Release Date

The Janis Joplin documentary JANIS: LITTLE GIRL BLUE will be released in the US via FilmRise reports Variety. JANIS: LITTLE GIRL BLUE will be released in theaters in New York on November 27 and in Los Angeles and additional cities early December with home media and digital to follow. The documentary will make its U.S. TV broadcast premiere on PBS’s American Masters in 2016. Written and directed by Berg, the Oscar-nominated documentarian known for Deliver Us From Evil and West of Memphis, Janis: Little Girl Blue examines the iconic rock ‘n’ roll singer with exclusive interviews with friends and family and never-before-seen letters, photos, audio, and video footage of Joplin. The documentary also includes a number of letters Joplin wrote to her parents, read by singer Chan Marshall, a.k.a. Cat Power. “Janis Joplin, the artist and the woman, was a major figure in the counterculture movement,” Berg said in a release. “She also played an important role for women as a ground breaker and the first woman of rock and roll. I am so pleased that FilmRise will be giving this film a platform so that more people can be introduced to this wonderfully talented and complex icon.”
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Animated Film ANOMALISA by Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson Added to Chicago International Film Festival

The animated film Anomalisa directed by Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson has been added to the lineup for the 51st Chicago International Film Festival. The film will screen on Wednesday, October 21, 2015. A beautifully tender and absurdly humorous dreamscape, from the brilliant minds of Charlie Kaufman (Synecdoche, New York) and Duke Johnson (“Community” episode, Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas), this stop-motion animation wonder features the vocal cast of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan and David Thewlis and a stirring strings-based score by Carter Burwell. The darkly comedic and surreal stop-motion journey of a man’s long night of the soul, Anomalisa confirms Charlie Kaufman’s place amongst the most important of American filmmakers, and announces Duke Johnson as a major creative force. Michael Stone, husband, father and respected author of “How May I Help You Help Them?,” is a man crippled by the mundanity of his life. On a business trip to Cincinnati, where he’s scheduled to speak at a convention of customer service professionals, he checks into the Fregoli Hotel. There, he is amazed to discover a possible escape from his desperation in the form of an unassuming Akron baked goods sales rep, Lisa, who may or may not be the love of his life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYbKJfls6WM
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Romania’s Oscar Entry, AFERIM! to open in NYC & LA on January 22, 2016

AFERIM!, Romania’s Official Entry for the 88th Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film) will be released in the US in 2016 via Big World Pictures. Directed by an acclaimed Romanian filmmaker, Radu Jude, AFERIM! was the winner of the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival, and was the Official Selection at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. AFERIM! will open at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas in New York, and at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles on January 22, 2016. A national release will follow. The only contemporary Romanian film to address the issue of Gypsy slavery, AFERIM!, with dark humor, touches upon the long history of anti-Roma prejudice in Romania. Eastern Europe, 1835. Two riders cross a barren landscape in the middle of Wallachia. They are the gendarme Constandin and his son. Together they are searching for a gypsy slave who has run away from his nobleman master and is suspected of having an affair with the noble’s wife. While the unflappable Constadin comments on every situation with a cheery aphorism, his son takes a more contemplative view of the world. On their odyssey they encounter people of different nationalities and beliefs: Turks and Russians, Christians and Jews, Romanians and Hungarians. Each harbors prejudices against the others which have been passed down from generation to generation. And even when the slave Carfin is found, the adventure is far from over… Radu Jude’s third feature has been aptly compared to films as diverse as THE SEARCHERS, THE LAST DETAIL and PULP FICTION (the latter for its rambling, coarse and endlessly entertaining dialogues), but the film is ultimately a moving parable about late-feudal Europe developed from historical documents and songs: its power structures and hierarchies, people’s ideas of themselves and others, interaction with minorities and the resulting conflicts. A Balkan Western in black-and-white that brings the cacophony of the times strikingly to life and explores the thematic arcs that stretch into the present. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmTYOY_jQWc
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FilmBuff to Release SXSW Comedy Hit A WONDERFUL CLOUD

FilmBuff announced today that it will release A Wonderful Cloud, a feature-length improv comedy written, directed, and starring Eugene Kotlyarenko, with Kate Lyn Sheil (House of Cards, Queen of Earth) in the US. The film, which is inspired by the real life relationship between Kotlyarenko and Sheil, debuted at SXSW, and will open in select theaters nationwide and will be available on all major On Demand platforms starting Friday, October 23rd, 2015. When Katelyn travels to Los Angeles in hopes of wresting control of a clothing company from her ex, Eugene, she quickly realizes he has more than just business in mind. Unable to deny their emotional past, the pair spend the weekend trying to determine once and for all whether they have a future in store. Set in an LA full of eccentrics, this raw romantic comedy finds a former off-screen couple energetically playing out their real-world baggage in front of the camera, for laughs and tears. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH63SD1tOj4 “I’m super pumped to be getting A Wonderful Cloud out there through FilmBuff,” says Kotlyarenko. “This movie is extremely personal for me and has turned out to be a lot of fun for audiences so far. I’m really curious to see how people will react to something this confessional, that’s still aiming to entertain.” A Wonderful Cloud is Eugene Kotlyarenko’s second feature film, with critics admiring his style, and his onscreen rapport with Sheil. Variety praised the film, commenting: “Those seeking a raucous, wholly improvised 21st-century Annie Hall need look no farther…” while Indiewire commented: “Fueled by the creative liberation of improvisation and steered by a real-life shared history,” A Wonderful Cloud is “a good kind of weird.” “We see a lot of movies every year and it’s rare to find one that feels so funny, intimate and daring,” says FilmBuff’s Jake Hanly. “We knew A Wonderful Cloud was special right away and our team is excited to see audiences connect with it.” A Wonderful Cloud will be available on all major On Demand platforms, including Amazon Instant Video, Comcast’s Xfinity TV, Google Play, iTunes, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS, Vudu, and Xbox, beginning on Friday, October 23rd, 2015, and will open in Los Angeles at the Laemmle’s Playhouse 7.
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