Deborah Graham at her home in Salisbury, North Carolina. Film still from FROM THE ASHES. Credit: Jonathan Furmanski.[/caption]
From the Ashes, a feature documentary that explores one of the country’s most contentious topics — coal and the mining industry, has been acquired by the National Geographic for release in the US.
Distributed under the National Geographic Documentary Films banner, From the Ashes will have its world premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, followed by a limited theatrical release this summer and will air globally on National Geographic in 171 countries and 45 languages later in 2017.
Produced by the Academy Award- and Emmy-winning production company RadicalMedia, directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Bonfiglio, produced by Sidney Beaumont, and executive produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Joe Berlinger — as well as Jon Kamen, Katherine Oliver and Justin Wilkes, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies — From the Ashes captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry, and what its future should be under the Trump administration.
From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often-heartbreaking stories about what is at stake for our economy, health and climate. The film invites audiences to learn more about an industry on the edge and what it means for their lives.
“For over a century, mining and energy companies have been privatizing coal’s profits while socializing its costs. Coal plant pollution kills 7,500 Americans a year and causes many more serious illnesses,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and co-author of the new book “Climate of Hope.” “From the Ashes shows the risks we face as a nation if we continue to rely on coal and examines how Americans in local communities, including in coal country, are helping to lead the transition toward cleaner air and stronger economies.”
From the Ashes builds on Bloomberg’s environmental philanthropic work. Bloomberg Philanthropies has committed over $100 million to move the U.S. away from coal and toward clean energy through its Clean Energy Initiative and Beyond Coal efforts. As a UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Cities and Climate Change, and in partnership with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Bloomberg convened more than 500 global cities at the first-ever Climate Summit for Local Leaders at Paris City Hall during COP21. Beyond Coal, which aims to secure the retirement of half the nation’s coal fleet, has already led to the closure or phasing out of 250 coal-fired power plants and helped to prevent more than 5,550 premature deaths per year. Additionally, Bloomberg Philanthropies supports sustainability in cities around the globe through C40, a network of more than 90 global megacities, and other grants.
“Using media and technology to inform, connect and prompt action is in the DNA of Bloomberg and we’re excited to harness the power of storytelling to reach new audiences and inspire change at such a critical time in our history,” shared Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Katherine Oliver, who also serves as executive producer.
The world premiere of From the Ashes will take place at the Festival Hub at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, 2017, at 6 p.m. ET. Before the film festival screening there will be a special introduction by Bloomberg, a former three-term mayor of New York City. Immediately following the premiere, there will be a conversation with the director of the film, Bonfiglio, and other special guests to discuss the state of the American coal industry.
Films
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Tribeca 2017: National Geographic to Release Coal Mining Documentary FROM THE ASHES | Trailer
[caption id="attachment_21921" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Deborah Graham at her home in Salisbury, North Carolina. Film still from FROM THE ASHES. Credit: Jonathan Furmanski.[/caption]
From the Ashes, a feature documentary that explores one of the country’s most contentious topics — coal and the mining industry, has been acquired by the National Geographic for release in the US.
Distributed under the National Geographic Documentary Films banner, From the Ashes will have its world premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, followed by a limited theatrical release this summer and will air globally on National Geographic in 171 countries and 45 languages later in 2017.
Produced by the Academy Award- and Emmy-winning production company RadicalMedia, directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Bonfiglio, produced by Sidney Beaumont, and executive produced by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Joe Berlinger — as well as Jon Kamen, Katherine Oliver and Justin Wilkes, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies — From the Ashes captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry, and what its future should be under the Trump administration.
From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often-heartbreaking stories about what is at stake for our economy, health and climate. The film invites audiences to learn more about an industry on the edge and what it means for their lives.
“For over a century, mining and energy companies have been privatizing coal’s profits while socializing its costs. Coal plant pollution kills 7,500 Americans a year and causes many more serious illnesses,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and co-author of the new book “Climate of Hope.” “From the Ashes shows the risks we face as a nation if we continue to rely on coal and examines how Americans in local communities, including in coal country, are helping to lead the transition toward cleaner air and stronger economies.”
From the Ashes builds on Bloomberg’s environmental philanthropic work. Bloomberg Philanthropies has committed over $100 million to move the U.S. away from coal and toward clean energy through its Clean Energy Initiative and Beyond Coal efforts. As a UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Cities and Climate Change, and in partnership with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Bloomberg convened more than 500 global cities at the first-ever Climate Summit for Local Leaders at Paris City Hall during COP21. Beyond Coal, which aims to secure the retirement of half the nation’s coal fleet, has already led to the closure or phasing out of 250 coal-fired power plants and helped to prevent more than 5,550 premature deaths per year. Additionally, Bloomberg Philanthropies supports sustainability in cities around the globe through C40, a network of more than 90 global megacities, and other grants.
“Using media and technology to inform, connect and prompt action is in the DNA of Bloomberg and we’re excited to harness the power of storytelling to reach new audiences and inspire change at such a critical time in our history,” shared Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Katherine Oliver, who also serves as executive producer.
The world premiere of From the Ashes will take place at the Festival Hub at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, 2017, at 6 p.m. ET. Before the film festival screening there will be a special introduction by Bloomberg, a former three-term mayor of New York City. Immediately following the premiere, there will be a conversation with the director of the film, Bonfiglio, and other special guests to discuss the state of the American coal industry.
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TRIBECA 2017: Kino Lorber to Release TOM OF FINLAND Biopic in the US
[caption id="attachment_19657" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Tom of Finland[/caption]
TOM OF FINLAND, Dome Karukoski’s biopic about the life and work of Finnish artist and gay icon Touko Laaksonen, best known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland, has been acquired by Kino Lorber for release in the US.
Dome Karukoski’s Tom Of Finland is set to have its North American premiere at the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival, after a world premiere at the Goteborg Film Festival in February. It’s also in high demand among LGBTQ U.S. festivals. The film’s world premiere was followed by a release in its home territory, whereTom Of Finland has taken close to $1m at the local box office.
A trailblazing figure in post-World War II erotic art, Touko Laaksonen drew thousands of fantasy-filled, homoerotic images of intensely masculine (and muscular) men, often liberated from the moral codes of their times. Quickly spreading throughout the world, these images went on to play a significant role in the transnational gay liberation movement that continues to make strides to this day, also becoming iconic symbols for generations of LGBT people worldwide.
Director Dome Karukoski is an acclaimed Finnish filmmaker with six features to his credit including The Grump (2014), Heart Of A Lion (2013) and Lapland Odyssey (2010).
The film was produced by Finnish production outfit Helsinki Film, with a screenplay by Aleksi Bardy. The cast includes Pekka Strang, Lauri Tilkanen, Jessica Grabowsky, Taisto Oksanen, Seumas Sargent, Jakob Oftebro and Niklas Hogner.
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Watch Trailer for RISK, Laura Poitras Newest Documentary on Julian Assange and Wikileaks
[caption id="attachment_12437" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Julian Assange in a scene from Laura Poitras’ Risk,[/caption]
RISK, the latest documentary from Academy Award winner Laura Poitras (CITIZENFOUR) on the controversial Julian Assange and the Wikileaks organization, premiered last night on Showtime during the season finale of Homeland. The documentary, filmed over six years including through the 2016 presidential election and up to the present moment, takes viewers closer than they have ever been before to Julian Assange and those who surround him.
With unprecedented access, Poitras give us the WikiLeaks story from the inside, allowing viewers to understand our current era of massive leaks, headline-grabbing news, and the revolutionary impact of the internet on global politics. RISK is a portrait of power, principles, betrayal, and sacrifice when the stakes could not be any higher. It is a first-person geopolitical thriller told from the perspective of a filmmaker immersed in the worlds of state surveillance and the cypherpunk movement. RISK confirms Poitras’ directorial ability to record history as it unfolds on camera, and craft narratives at the highest level.
Showtime Networks has partnered with NEON to release RISK theatrically nationwide, with a television premiere on SHOWTIME this summer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx6l4gPVeNE
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VIDEO: Watch 4 New Clips from Environmental Documentary TOMORROW by Mélanie Laurent and Cyril Dion
Watch four new clips from the environmental documentary TOMORROW co-directed by Mélanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds) and activist Cyril Dion.
The clips represent 4 chapters in the film including AGRICULTURE, ECONOMY, DEMOCRACY and EDUCATION. TOMORROW opens in theaters on April 21 in NYC, LA, and major cities.
Popular French actress Mélanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds) and activist Cyril Dion’s César Award-winning environmentally-themed documentary Tomorrow (Demain) will open theatrically in San Francisco on April 14 and then in New York, Los Angeles and other markets on April 21 – to coincide with Earth Day celebrations on April 22.
In 2012, “Nature” published a study led by more than 20 researchers from the top scientific institutions in the world predicting that humankind could disappear between 2040 and 2100. It also said that it could be avoided by drastically changing our way of life and take appropriate measures.
Shortly after giving birth to her first child, French actress and director Mélanie Laurent became increasingly aware of the dangers and the state of urgency that her son will face in the future. Along with friend and activist Cyril Dion and their crew, she decided to travel the world in search of solutions that can help save the next generations. The result is Tomorrow, an inspiring documentary that presents concrete solutions implemented throughout the world by hundred of communities.
From the US to the UK and through Finland and India, together they traveled to 10 countries to visit permaculture farms, urban agriculture projects and community-owned renewable initiatives to highlight people making a difference in the fields of food, energy, finance, democracy, and education. Their common ideas and examples make Tomorrow one of the most essential and unexpectedly inspirational viewing experiences of our time.
AGRICULTURE
ECONOMY DEMOCRACY EDUCATION
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Watch the Final Trailer + New Poster for BUSTER’S MAL HEART Starring Rami Malek
Buster’s Mal Heart, directed by Sarah Adina Smith and starring Rami Malek of the USA Network television series Mr. Robot, has released the final trailer and new poster. Buster’s Mal Heart opens theatrically in New York and LA on April 28th.
In this bold thriller peppered with dark humor and interlocking mystery, an eccentric mountain man is on the run from the authorities, surviving the winter by breaking into empty vacation homes in a remote community. Regularly calling into radio talk shows — where he has acquired the nickname “Buster” — to rant about the impending Inversion at the turn of the millennium, he is haunted by visions of being lost at sea, and memories of his former life as a family man.
Buster (Rami Malek) was once Jonah, a hard-working husband and father whose job as the night-shift concierge at a hotel took its toll on his psyche and, consequently, his marriage to the sensitive Marty (Kate Lyn Sheil) — until a chance encounter with a conspiracy-obsessed drifter (DJ Qualls) changed the course of their lives forever. As the solitary present-day Buster drifts from house to house, eluding the local sheriff at every turn, we gradually piece together the events that fractured his life and left him alone on top of a snowy mountain, or perhaps in a small rowboat in the middle of a vast ocean — or both, in this visceral mind bender that will provoke discussion long after it turns your world upside-down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxKOMAfZjgM
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PBS To Release DOLORES – Sundance 2017 Documentary on Labor Activist Dolores Huerta
[caption id="attachment_19947" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Dolores Huerta appears in Dolores by Peter Bratt[/caption]
The documentary Dolores sheds light on an enigmatic, intensely private woman who is among the most important yet little-known workers’ rights activists in American history – Dolores Huerta. “Dolores,” premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year in the US Documentary Competition category, and will be released in theaters in the Fall and make its broadcast premiere on PBS in 2018.
In the copious volumes written about Cesar Chavez and how he formed the first farm workers’ union in America, there’s little mention of Dolores Huerta, although she was his equal partner and co-founder of the union. With unprecedented access to Dolores and her children, the film reveals the raw, personal stories behind the public figure. It portrays a woman both heroic and flawed, working tirelessly for social change even as her 11 children longed to have her at home.
“Dolores” was written, produced and directed by Peter Bratt, produced by Brian Benson, and executive produced by Carlos Santana, Regina K. Scully, and Janet MacGillivray Wallace. Benjamin Bratt served as consulting producer. This is the second film for 5 Stick Films Inc, the Bratts’ production company with partner Alpita Patel.
“In the 1970s, the national grape boycott Dolores Huerta helped organize played out in the small rural Minnesota farming community where I grew up—supported by our Catholic Church, along with tens of thousands of religious organizations across the country,” said Lois Vossen, INDEPENDENT LENS executive producer. “More than 40 years later, Dolores is still an indefatigable architect for social change on behalf of poor, under-represented people, urging them to seek self-determination with her refrain ‘Si Se Puede’ (‘Yes We Can’).”
“We are thrilled and inspired to be partnered with PBS and INDEPENDENT LENS for the release of our film ‘Dolores’,” said Peter Bratt. “Part of our mandate at 5 Stick Films is to create socially relevant content which not only entertains, but also provides an alternative point of view for what it means to be mainstream. This is exactly the kind of work that PBS has been focused on since its inception: opening up new worlds to its viewers, using media to educate and captivate people with an immense diversity of perspectives. As longtime champions of arts education and public access for all, they are the perfect partners to illuminate and share Dolores Huerta’s compelling story and important work with the rest of the world.”
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SXSW Award Winning Documentary THE WORK to Be Released in The Fall
Jairus McLeary and Blanketfort Media’s The Work, winner of the 2017 SXSW Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary will be released in Fall 2017 by The Orchard.
Co-directed by Gethin Aldous, The Work is an immersive film shot entirely inside Folsom Prison where convicts and civilian volunteers run a one a kind social justice program. Offering a powerful and rare look past the cinder block walls, steel doors and dehumanizing tropes in our culture, The Work reveals a movement of change and redemption that transcends what we think of as rehabilitation.
Producers are Alice Henty, Jairus McLeary, Eon McLeary, Miles McLeary and Angela Sostre and executive producers are James McLeary, Rob Allbee and Aldous.
Jairus McLeary is a court videographer and filmmaker. The Work is his first documentary. He spent several years gaining the trust of the convicts and prison administration in order to film. Gethin Aldous directs motion capture for a major video gaming company. After his own experience at Folsom he joined forces with Jairus. This is his second documentary feature.
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Australian Horror Film RED CHRISTMAS to Be Released in The US | Trailer
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Red Christmas[/caption]
The Australian horror film Red Christmas directed by veteran television director/producer Craig Anderson has been acquired by Artsploitation Films for release in the US.
The dark, violent and sickly twisted tale had its World Premiere at the Sydney Film Festival, its North American Premiere at Fantasia Festival and its European Premiere at London’s Frightfest.
The film stars (and was co-produced by) horror film acting legend, Dee Wallace (The Hills Have Eyes, The Howling, E.T., Cujo, Critters, Halloween,The Lords of Salem) as the mother of a squabbling family, gathered together in a remote Outback estate on Christmas Eve. When a mysterious, deformed young man named Cletus appears at their door, things soon go from petty insults to bloody, imaginatively orchestrated violence as Wallace attempts to protect her family from the vengeful intruder. The film deliriously infuses comedy, dark family secrets with outlandish gore and adds the always controversial subject of abortion in its blood-stained mix.
The US premiere of the film and the initial festival run will be announced in the coming weeks while the limited theatrical run is scheduled for August and DVD/Blu-ray and VOD scheduled for October.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzgvI_mrH-M
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Animated Polish Film PUSSY Wins Golden Horseman at Filmfest Dresden
[caption id="attachment_21838" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
“Cipka” (“Pussy”) from Renata Gąsiorowska[/caption]
The Polish director Renata Gąsiorowska scooped up several awards with her courageous and original animated film Pussy “Cipka” at the 29th Filmfest Dresden. A total of nine Golden Horsemen and four special prizes were awarded by the juries.
And here are the Prize-Winners of the 29th Filmfest Dresden 2017.
International Competition
Golden Horseman Best Animation Film International Competition “Cipka” (“Pussy”) from Renata Gąsiorowska Social taboos should be discussed and confronted with a laugh. The jury had a lot of fun watching this peaceful connection between a woman and her body. For its original graphic style and its fluid animation technique. Golden Horseman Best Short Fiction International Competition “Painting with History in a Room Filled with People with Funny Names 3” from Korakrit Arunanondchai The jury was struck by the generous and chaotic power of a total work of art; or what we like to call “expanded cinema”. It is made by a fearless artist who has no time to waste on labels and other conventions. He has created an anarchic love poem in which he looks at all sides and elements of a complex society. Golden Horseman of the Audience International Competition “Home” from Daniel Mulloy (Kosovo/United Kingdom, 2016) Golden Horseman of the Youth Jury International Competition “Planemo” (Croatia 2016) from Veljka Popovic Unique images and powerful metaphors permit the audience to immerse themselves in the extraordinary situation of the protagonist. A key event leads to some grave changes in his relationship with his surroundings. This situation is filmically adapted through the atmospheric composition of innovative 3D animations and real footage.National Competition
Golden Horseman Best Animation Film National Competition “Ein Aus Weg” from Hannah Stragholz and Simon Steinhorst A colorful, expressive world of animation encounters a sound track from a unique everyday life. The combination of animation and documentary reportage develops into a form full of expression, which is both close and faraway to us at one and the same time. And equally moving. Golden Horseman Best Short Fiction National Competition “Ela – Szkice na pozegnanie” (“Ela – Sketches on a Departure”) from Oliver Adam Kusio This is the story of separation as a new beginning. A film about the desire to get away and the duty to remain. With the camera seeking answers just like the protagonists. Tender and haunting, existential in both large and small. It is a profound look into the future of a generation. A moving film full of meaning without being intrusive. Golden Horseman of the Audience National Competition “Gabi” from Michael Fetter Nathansky Golden Horseman of the Youth Jury National Competition “Un Etat D´Urgence” (“State of Emergency”) from Tarek Roehlinger (2016) With its gloomy and tense atmosphere, the film draws us into a world in which everyday actions have become and remain suspicious. Thanks to its topicality and the danger it engenders, it seems as though reality and fiction have become indistinguishable. A conflict arises among the characters between living freedom and defending freedom. Marked by tension, mistrust and skepticism, the film radiates an intensity for the audience that captures them and creates an unforgettable experience. Minister of Fine Arts Promotion Prize “Prima Noapte” (“First Night”) from Andrei Tănase A special moment in the life of a young man. Which he imagined would be different. And he overreacts in his helplessness. The director sensitively reveals the fragility of the male identity during the process of maturing, and casually casts a glance at a specific social milieu. A film authentic in the moment. A film that stays in mind. DEFA Promotion Prize Animation “zu zahm!” from Rebecca Blöcher Trapped in their roles. With expectations and stereotypes newly shuffled and exposed. The film leaves space for discovery.National and International Competition
Golden Horseman Best Sound Design “Eine Villa mit Pinien” Music: Ralf Hildenbeutel Sound: Michał Krajczok The impressionistic images in the film are complemented with a completely unique tonal language. With aural worlds created in a constant interplay doing so, that add a threatening dimension to the exuberant filmic canvas. The music plays a fundamental role, comparable to a protagonist, reaching into the story and advancing it structurally. Working on the utmost level and with extraordinary ingenuity, the composer and the sound designer of this film manage to build bridges between the various plot levels through the sound. ARTE Short Film Prize “Cipka” (“Pussy”) from Renata Gąsiorowska This creative and clever animated film, which focuses on first sexual desires in a courageous and nimble way, sweeps us away on a surprising journey of discovery to the deepest moments of intimacy. The confronting of one’s own gender here is characterized by so much humor and charm, that the film becomes irresistible. We congratulate the director and are looking forward to more creative pieces by him. Audience Award Regional Film Night “No one misses me!” from Erik LemkeSPECIAL MENTIONS
Special Mention Best Animation Film International Competition “A nyalintás nesze“ (“The Noise of Licking”) from Nadja Andrasev For its imaginative and original story, elegant style and careful pacing. Special Mention Animation Film in National Competition “Wegzaubern” from Betina Kuntzsch Special Mention Youth Jury International Competition “Empire of Evil” from Harald Hund The mockumentary “Empire of Evil” deals with the subject of one-sided Western reporting in a very authentic and humorous manner. With us asking ourselves at times what constitutes the truth. The everyday film footage is skillfully transformed with creative image editing and absurd ideas about the “threat to the West”. In this way, an entertaining, media-critical parody has resulted about our opinion of the Middle East. Special Mention Sound Design “Cipka” (“Pussy”) from Renata Gąsiorowska The timing in this story is excellent in terms of both the moving images and the music. Skillfully linked with gentle humor, this thoughtful film was worthy of a special mention from us. It is borne by the various equivocal sound levels, which never slip into the obscene. In this way, Volodymyr Antonic, Ewa Bogusz and Wiesław Nowak have provided a humorous and uninhibited sound track.
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Tribeca 2017: Watch Trailer for I AM HEATH LEDGER Documentary
Here is the trailer for the documentary I Am Heath Ledger, released to coincide with the late actor’s 38th birthday. Ledger died from an accidental mixture of prescription drugs in 2008. The documentary directed by Derik Murray, and Adrian Buitenhuis will world premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival on April 23, and released in theaters on May 3.
Following its cinema debut, Spike TV will show an edited version of the documentary on May 17.
The new feature-length documentary celebrating the life and work of the late actor Heath Ledger brings a new understanding of the man behind his public image. Ledger was one of the most gifted Hollywood talents in a generation, who appeared in a string of seminal films including the culturally defining “Brokeback Mountain,” and in “The Dark Knight,” for which he won a posthumous Academy Award®.
Heath Ledger was a versatile artist whose talents spanned a broad array of mediums, including a love for photography, music and directing. He often rejected the trappings of Hollywood, instead creating an environment for himself which fostered his own passions and those of his friends and family. “I Am Heath Ledger” illustrates Ledger’s artistic output through both clips of his iconic film performances, as well as through the images he captured as a photographer and videographer. Extravagant in gesture and in action, it was this energy and unshakable willingness to take risks that instilled such a deep love and affection in those people closest to him.
“I Am Heath Ledger” provides an intimate look at Heath through the lens of his own camera, with a treasure trove of never-before-seen footage, as he films and often performs in his own personal journey – extravagant in gesture and in action. Through these personal home movies, we get a rare glimpse into his true character – demonstrating his creative energy and unshakable willingness to take risks that instilled such an extraordinarily deep love and affection in the people that entered his life. From his earliest performances to his iconic Academy-Award(R) winning performance as The Joker in „The Dark Knight,” the film truly speaks to his profound talent as an actor. The documentary goes behind-the scenes of the shooting of „The Dark Knight,” as Heath morphed into the psychotic criminal-mastermind that will live in cinematic lore forever.
The film features interviews from those who knew Heath best, including close friends, family members, and industry peers, such as actors Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, and Emile Hirsch, directors Ang Lee and Catherine Hardwicke, musicians Ben Harper, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), N’fa, and Grace Woodroofe, and the Ledger family. „I Am Heath Ledger” recounts his fabled rise to the pinnacle of the Hollywood dream and the indelible mark he left. Not only did he cut a path for himself, but Heath often championed other talents and artists whose voices he thought deserved to be heard. The documentary also showcases his most memorable moments on screen from his beginnings in Australia to the heights of his Hollywood achievements.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bbHxWwRzPY
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Julie Perini Wins 2017 Oregon Media Arts Fellowship to Fund ‘The Story of Butch Lesbian Freedom Fighter rita bo brown’
Julie Perini has been selected by The Northwest Film Center, Oregon Arts Commission, and Portland Film Office as the winner of the 2017 Oregon Media Arts Fellowship (OMAF).
Julie Perini is a Portland-based media who works in experimental and documentary film and video, installations, and live events. Originally from Poughkeepie, NY, she has been exploring her immediate surroundings with cameras since age 15 when she discovered a VHS camcorder in her parent’s suburban home. Perini’s work often explores the areas between fact and fiction, the staged and improvised, and the personal and political, often in response to social movements happening locally and globally. Perini’s work has exhibited and screened internationally at such venues as the Centre Pompidou-Metz (France), Artists’ Television Access (San Francisco), Visible Evidence XX (Stockholm), The Horse Hospital (London), Cornell Cinema (Ithaca, NY), Microscope Gallery (New York City), among others. She has been awarded artist residencies at Yaddo, Signal Fire, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, and Djerassi Resident Artists Program and is currently employed as an Associate Professor in the School of Art + Design at Portland State University. She has received grants and fellowships in support of her work from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, The Regional Arts and Culture Council, the Oregon Arts Commission, and The Precipice Fund.
The $5,500 Fellowship award will go towards funding The Gentleman Bank Robber: The Story of Butch Lesbian Freedom Fighter rita bo brown, a feature-length documentary that tells the story of bo brown, a white working-class butch from Klamath Falls, Oregon who was a member of the revolutionary George Jackson Brigade, an underground, militant revolutionary prison abolitionist group based in Seattle, Washington in the 1970s. As a member of the George Jackson Brigade, bo became known as “The Gentleman Bank Robber” for combing her butch style of dress with a polite way of demanding funds from bank tellers, one of the ways the Brigade funded its militant activities to protest military aggression, injustice, and exploitation.
The Oregon Media Arts Fellowship supports filmmakers who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the media arts. Jurors reviewed 42 submissions from applicants throughout the state, weighing artistic merit, the potential of the proposed activity to advance the artist’s work, and the feasibility of the projects proposed. The Fellowship is funded by the Oregon Arts Commission and the Portland Film Office and administered by Northwest Film.
The application deadline for the 2018 Oregon Media Arts Fellowships is January 1, 2018
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Tribeca Film Festival Selects 5 Finalists for 2017 Tribeca Snapchat Shorts
The Tribeca Film Festival has selected five finalists for the 2017 Tribeca Snapchat Shorts. The five Shorts finalists will premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on Tuesday, April 25 at the Cinepolis Chelsea Theatre. Eva Longoria, Andy Cohen, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jason Biggs and Dillon Francis comprise the panel of jurors who will select the winner of this year’s program. The Tribeca Snapchat Shorts was created in an effort to discover visionary artists in the mobile space.
The finalists were chosen from hundreds of submissions, all under two minutes, and include: Annie Hubbard’s “Magic Show,” about a quick-witted magician; Jeff Ayars’ “The Notebook Snapstory,” a Ryan Gosling Notebook spoof; Doug Larlham and Sarah Albonesi’s “Puppy Love,” about a precocious dog who fears losing his owner’s affection; Anna Roisman’s “Owen Wilson Dates Himself,” an Owen Wilson parody; and Brannen Haderle, Alex Berry and Stanley Kalu’s “Live Colorfully,” about a father who transports from a mundane lifestyle to a world of color to connect with his son.
As part of the Tribeca Snapchat Shorts screening on Tuesday, April 25, five additional films will premiere that have been created specifically for the 2017 program from filmmakers, including Tribeca alumni. The filmmakers are: Matt Wolf (Teenage, 2011, The Marion Stokes Project, 2015), Natalia Leite (Bare, 2015), Boman Modine, (Merry Xmas – 2015), Parker Hill (One Good Pitch – 2016) and Dasha Battelle and Ani Acopian.
Following the screenings, the creators will participate in a conversation about storytelling on new platforms.
The 2017 Tribeca Snapchat Shorts five finalists through submissions include:
Live Colorfully, directed by Brannen Haderle, Alex Berry, Stanley Kalu.
A young father steps out of the comfort zone of his mundane lifestyle to further connect with his son.
Bios: Brannen Haderle: Born and raised in Los Angeles, USC Sophomore and an avid Snapchat enthusiast. Alex Berry: Brooklynite before it was trendy, USC Sophomore. Favorite movie: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Stanley Kalu: Born in Nigeria and raised all over Africa. USC Sophomore.
Snapchat: bhaddzzz
Magic Show, directed by Annie Hubbard.
The only attendee to Peter’s traditional magic show is preoccupied with her phone, and he must discover a way to get her attention.
Bio: Annie Hubbard is a director and editor currently working as a production coordinator with Notable Pictures.
Snapchat: anne-droid
The Notebook Snapstory, directed by Jeff Ayars.
A young woman spends a lazy Sunday with Ryan Gosling.
Bio: Jeff Ayars is one-half of the comedy duo Cannibal Milkshake, and he produces, directs and acts in projects around NYC.
Snapchat: JEFFAYARS
Puppy Love, directed by Doug Larlham, Sarah Albonesi.
From within his LA apartment, a precocious dog fears he is losing the affections of his owner to her new flame.
Bios: Doug and Sarah are longtime friends who only just decided to start creating stories together, and this is their first project as a team. Look forward to more to come from them.
Snapchat: dougcomedy
Owen Wilson Dates Himself, directed by Anna Roisman.
In this quaint romantic art film, Owen Wilson explores life with his one true love. But does that make them a perfect match?
Bio: Anna Roisman is a comedian/actress/creator in Brooklyn whose work has been featured on MTV, Just For Laughs, Funny Or Die, Elite Daily, Huffington Post, People, LA Times.
Snapchat: annaroserois
The 2017 Tribeca Snapchat Shorts from alumni filmmakers are:
The Future is Female, directed by Matt Wolf.
When online archivist Kelly Rakowski found a 1975 photograph of a woman wearing a t-shirt that says, “The Future is Female,” she shared it with her friend Rachel Berks, whose store Otherwild remade the shirt. The feminist slogan went viral and now twenty-five percent of the profits for the t-shirt goes to Planned Parenthood.
Bio: Matt Wolf’s feature docs include WILD COMBINATION about the avant-garde cellist and disco producer Arthur Russell, and TEENAGE about the birth of youth culture. His most recent short BAYARD & ME, about the civil rights leader Bayard Rustin premiered at Sundance.
Good Things Happen, directed by Boman Modine.
Sometimes there’s a delay on karma.
Bio: Boman Modine is a director and producer living in Los Angeles who has a new appreciation for Snapchat.
New Look, directed by Dasha Battelle,Ani Acopian.
In a doodle-filled world, a stylist struggles to meet the needs of her difficult client.
Bio: Dasha and Ani both went to Wesleyan, but not at the same time. They have both worked at Snapchat, but not together. Dasha likes to doodle and Ani likes to make films. Sometimes they do this at the same time, and together.
READY, directed by Parker Hill.
A girl struggles to decide what to wear for the big night.
Bio: Parker Hill is a New York based writer and director. 2017 marks her third consecutive year of having a short film at Tribeca Film Festival. Parker is currently an artist of choice with the Kevin Spacey Foundation for her upcoming short film Homing In.
Strangers, directed by Natalia Leite.
A study on first impressions.
Bio: Natalia Leite is a Brazilian-born writer, director, and actor most-known for her debut feature BARE, starring Dianna Agron, her latest feature M.F.A., and her series BE HERE NOWISH.
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