The 63rd San Sebastian Festival will dedicate a retrospective to directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, masterminds of the iconic King Kong (1933). Merian C. Cooper (1893-1973) and Ernest B. Schoedsack (1893-1979) were, in the golden age of Hollywood, one of the strangest and most exciting creative twosomes ever to come out of Hollywood. The coming edition of the San Sebastian Festival will recover their work in a cycle dedicated to their films.
Acclaimed for generations as the masterminds of the iconic King Kong (1933), Cooper and Schoedsack’s contribution to cinema didn’t stop at this masterpiece. Their career began with two masterpieces in the history of documentary filmmaking, Grass; A Nation’s Battle for Life (1925) and Chang (1927). They later made fantasy, drama, adventure and mystery movies, some of which are now cult titles: The Four Feathers (1929), The Most Dangerous Game (1932), The Last Days of Pompeii (1935), Dr. Cyclops (1940), Son of Kong (1933) and Mighty Joe Young (1949).
GRASS; A NATION’S BATTLE FOR LIFE
MERIAN C. COOPER, MARGUERITE HARRISON, ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1925
Cooper and Schoedsack’s debut behind the cameras took the shape of this anthropological documentary classic shot in the spectacular landscapes of Iran. The everyday life of the Bakhtiari tribe, in the former Persia, and their migration in search of pastures for their livestock: 50,000 people and their flocks must cross natural obstacles and overcome harsh atmospheric conditions to find food for their animals.
CHANG
MERIAN C. COOPER, ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1927
Cooper and Schoedsack’s second cinematic adventure took them to the forests of Thailand. A documentary with elements of fiction where the directors give free rein to their passion for exotic settings and sense of spectacle thanks to this fascinating tale of a man’s struggle against the beast.
THE FOUR FEATHERS
MERIAN C. COOPER , ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK , LOTHAR MENDES (USA) 1929
Schoedsack and Cooper made the first sound adaptation of the famous colonial novel by A.E.W. Mason, taken to the screen on several occasions. The Sudanese adventures of Lieutenant Faversham, accused of cowardice by his friends, are the perfect excuse for the directors to impress upon the original narration the verve and dynamism so typical of their films. This was their first collaboration with a recurring actress in their filmography, Fay Wray.
RANGO
ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1931
Two years before shooting their masterpiece, King Kong, Cooper and Schoedsack fantasized about relations between men and monkeys in this tale of adventures set in the Sumatran forests with its anthropological vocation. However, as was usual in their films, their ability to narrate fables always imposed itself upon the simple observation of reality.
THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME
ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK, IRVING PICHEL (USA) 1932
Adaptation of a classic tale by Richard Connell, Cooper and Schoedsack used this film as a testing ground for the mind-boggling nightmare atmospheres that would culminate in King Kong the following year, since both titles were shot on the same sets. Adventure cinema merges with a gothic tale in a cruel, savage film of frenzied scenes that still raise eyebrows even today.
BLIND ADVENTURE
ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1933
Cooper and Schoedsack abandon the exotic settings so often found in their films to take us to the London of detective mysteries. Here, their fetish actor, Robert Armstrong, plays an American lost in the London fog ensnared in a complicated plot that feels like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
KING KONG
MERIAN C. COOPER, ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1933
The best known monster film in the history of cinema, a mythical title that gave us one of the most lasting icons of the seventh art. The sad tale of the giant gorilla who loses his kingdom for an impossible love is not only a dreamlike take on the Beauty and the Beast myth, recovered by intellectuals and artists all over the world, but a fabulous display of special effects, spectacle, imagination and poetry in its purest state.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0WpKl2A_2kFilms
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San Sebastian Festival to Honor Original KING KONG Directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack with a Retrospective
The 63rd San Sebastian Festival will dedicate a retrospective to directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, masterminds of the iconic King Kong (1933). Merian C. Cooper (1893-1973) and Ernest B. Schoedsack (1893-1979) were, in the golden age of Hollywood, one of the strangest and most exciting creative twosomes ever to come out of Hollywood. The coming edition of the San Sebastian Festival will recover their work in a cycle dedicated to their films.
Acclaimed for generations as the masterminds of the iconic King Kong (1933), Cooper and Schoedsack’s contribution to cinema didn’t stop at this masterpiece. Their career began with two masterpieces in the history of documentary filmmaking, Grass; A Nation’s Battle for Life (1925) and Chang (1927). They later made fantasy, drama, adventure and mystery movies, some of which are now cult titles: The Four Feathers (1929), The Most Dangerous Game (1932), The Last Days of Pompeii (1935), Dr. Cyclops (1940), Son of Kong (1933) and Mighty Joe Young (1949).
GRASS; A NATION’S BATTLE FOR LIFE
MERIAN C. COOPER, MARGUERITE HARRISON, ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1925
Cooper and Schoedsack’s debut behind the cameras took the shape of this anthropological documentary classic shot in the spectacular landscapes of Iran. The everyday life of the Bakhtiari tribe, in the former Persia, and their migration in search of pastures for their livestock: 50,000 people and their flocks must cross natural obstacles and overcome harsh atmospheric conditions to find food for their animals.
CHANG
MERIAN C. COOPER, ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1927
Cooper and Schoedsack’s second cinematic adventure took them to the forests of Thailand. A documentary with elements of fiction where the directors give free rein to their passion for exotic settings and sense of spectacle thanks to this fascinating tale of a man’s struggle against the beast.
THE FOUR FEATHERS
MERIAN C. COOPER , ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK , LOTHAR MENDES (USA) 1929
Schoedsack and Cooper made the first sound adaptation of the famous colonial novel by A.E.W. Mason, taken to the screen on several occasions. The Sudanese adventures of Lieutenant Faversham, accused of cowardice by his friends, are the perfect excuse for the directors to impress upon the original narration the verve and dynamism so typical of their films. This was their first collaboration with a recurring actress in their filmography, Fay Wray.
RANGO
ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1931
Two years before shooting their masterpiece, King Kong, Cooper and Schoedsack fantasized about relations between men and monkeys in this tale of adventures set in the Sumatran forests with its anthropological vocation. However, as was usual in their films, their ability to narrate fables always imposed itself upon the simple observation of reality.
THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME
ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK, IRVING PICHEL (USA) 1932
Adaptation of a classic tale by Richard Connell, Cooper and Schoedsack used this film as a testing ground for the mind-boggling nightmare atmospheres that would culminate in King Kong the following year, since both titles were shot on the same sets. Adventure cinema merges with a gothic tale in a cruel, savage film of frenzied scenes that still raise eyebrows even today.
BLIND ADVENTURE
ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1933
Cooper and Schoedsack abandon the exotic settings so often found in their films to take us to the London of detective mysteries. Here, their fetish actor, Robert Armstrong, plays an American lost in the London fog ensnared in a complicated plot that feels like something out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
KING KONG
MERIAN C. COOPER, ERNEST B. SCHOEDSACK (USA) 1933
The best known monster film in the history of cinema, a mythical title that gave us one of the most lasting icons of the seventh art. The sad tale of the giant gorilla who loses his kingdom for an impossible love is not only a dreamlike take on the Beauty and the Beast myth, recovered by intellectuals and artists all over the world, but a fabulous display of special effects, spectacle, imagination and poetry in its purest state.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0WpKl2A_2k
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Slamdance to Release the Wrestling Doc THE RESURRECTION OF JAKE THE SNAKE | TRAILER
Slamdance will partner with the filmmakers of The Resurrection of Jake the Snake for the multi-city theatrical release of the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival favorite documentary beginning in Portland, Oregon on September 2nd. The Portland Film Festival will host the film’s release with a special event screening of the documentary and a Q&A session moderated by UFC superstar Chael Sonnen with Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Diamond Dallas Page and director Steve Yu. The event format is a key element of the film’s continuing theatrical release with personal appearances by Jake “The Snake” Roberts, filmmakers and special guests.
The theatrical release marks the initiation of Slamdance Presents, a new distribution moniker for Slamdance’s world premier programs dedicated to creating theatrical and other innovative commercial opportunities for independent filmmakers.
The inspiring documentary feature opened the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival and went on to win critical acclaim as well as this unique theatrical distribution partnership with Slamdance Presents. When The Resurrection of Jake the Snake screens at Portland Film Festival, it may very well be the first time two festivals have come together to support a nationwide release of an independent film.
Directed by Steve Yu, The Resurrection of Jake the Snake documents one of the most famous professional wrestlers in the world, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, as he battles his personal demons in a struggle to reclaim his life and the family that had given up on him. The feature-length documentary is also features Diamond Dallas Page and Scott Hall (aka Razor Ramon). Diamond Dallas Page is the film’s producer.
We’re thrilled that Slamdance believes enough in our documentary to pursue this innovative theatrical strategy,” said the film’s director Steve Yu, “As filmmakers we were fortunate to be at the right place at the right time, and capturing Jake’s incredible story was as compelling as any fictional narrative – except this was 100% real.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iwntL5wVWk
Find Tickets Now
Portland Film Festival. Portland, OR.
Wednesday September 2, 2015. 8:15pm.
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan Portland, OR 97219
Tickets Here
Living Room Theater. Portland, OR.
September 6-11, 2015. 341 SW Tenth Avenue Portland, OR 97205
Tickets Here
Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. Atlanta, GA.
September 18-24, 2015. 931 Monroe Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Tickets Here
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Hip Hop Fashion Doc FRESH DRESSED to Premiere on CNN | TRAILER
FRESH DRESSED, director Sacha Jenkins’ exuberant chronicle of hip hop and urban fashion – and their global influence on pop culture – will premiere as a CNN Films broadcast with limited commercial interruptions on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 9:00pm Eastern on CNN/U.S., the network announced today.
Produced by Peter Bittenbender, Nasir Jones, and Marcus Clarke for Mass Appeal, FRESH DRESSED traces how fat-laced sneakers, Kangol hats, Cazal sunglasses, and graffiti jackets inspired the style and vibe of rap artists and high fashion designers, through its expression of aspirational swagger that gave voice – and visage – to a culture whose passionate originality and artistry took the world by storm. The music-drenched, fun-to-watch history features interviews with music and fashion entrepreneurs from the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and today, including Dapper Dan, Pharrell Williams, April Walker, Karl Kani, Daymond John, Carl Jones, Jeff Tweedy, Russell Simmons, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Damon Dash, Riccardo Tisci, Guy Wood, and many more.
Deconstructing the evolution of the industry are VOGUE editor-at-large André Leon Talley, Kanye West, designer Marc Eck?, professor Elena Romero of City College of New York, professor Todd Boyd of the University of Southern California, and more. As the industry blossomed from independent, small companies to corporate mass market producers, it spawned a generation of innovative creators with successful brands such as FUBU, Rocawear, Cross Colours, Phat Farm, Karl Kani, and Sean Jean.
The film follows how the most successful brands often leveraged music and acting talent endorsements to generate brand awareness that commanded dedicated floor space inside America’s top department stores, Europe and New York fashion week runway shows, fashion awards, and hundreds of millions of dollars in apparel and accessory sales. Later, market saturation, fickle consumer tastes, and merchandiser resistance changed again in ways that challenged and eventually consolidated “urban market” apparel manufacturers.
FRESH DRESSED premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival where it was acquired by Samuel Goldwyn Films and StyleHaul for domestic theatrical distribution and, shortly thereafter, by Dogwoof for international theatrical distribution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLCAh_qqrqE
FRESH DRESSED will also be available on Apple TV and will simulcast via CNNgo. The film will encore on CNN on Sept. 3 at 10:45pm, and on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 8:00pm and 10:00pm. All times Eastern.
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Takashi Miike’s Comedic Vampire Action Thriller YAKUZA APOCALYPSE Headed to US Theaters | TRAILER
Samuel Goldwyn Films will release legendary Japanese director Takashi Miike’s comedic vampire action thriller YAKUZA APOCALYPSE in the US. The martial arts extravaganza and end-of-the-world spectacle premiered as part of the Directors’ Fortnight program at the 2015 Cannes International Film Festival. The film will screen in the Midnight Madness program at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival running September 10–20, 2015. Samuel Goldwyn Films is planning an October 9, 2015 release.
In YAKUZA APOCALYPSE, fearsome Yakuza boss Kamiura is also a bloodsucking vampire. One day, men arrive from a competing clan and deliver him an ultimatum: Play nice or die. Kamiura refuses and, during a fierce battle, is torn limb from limb. With his dying breath, he passes on his vampire powers to his loyal lieutenant, Kageyama. His first order of business is to avenge his mentor, setting him on a collision course with the seemingly unstoppable foreign syndicate, and take his place as the new Yakuza boss.
One of Japan’s most prolific, adventurous and successful filmmakers, Takashi Miike has directed nearly 100 films. He has been thrilling audiences worldwide with movies such as “Audition” (1999), “Ichi the Killer” (2001) and “13 Assassins” (2010). Now, Miike returns to the hard-driven style of his early filmmaking career with YAKUZA APOCALYPSE.
According to Peter Goldwyn of Samuel Goldwyn Films: “Taskashi Miike is a master of this genre and we are excited to bring his latest film, a sort of return to his origins, out to North American audiences. The film is an exciting mix of gangster-vampire action that only Miike can deliver.”
Filmmaker Takashi Miike stated: “I wonder if it’s really okay to let this film loose outside of Japan. As it’s not anything anyone can deal with on their own, it’s best to watch with friends.”
YAKUZA APOCALYPSE is directed by Takashi Miike from a screenplay by Yoshitaka Yamaguchi. Film stars Hayato Ichihara, Yayan Ruhian (“The Raid” and “The Raid 2”) and Lily Franky. Film is produced by Yoshinori Chiba, Shinichiro Masuda, Shinjiro Nishimura and Misako Saka.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn1fNww2XG8
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GRAVY Starring Gabourey Sidibe, Sarah Silverman to Hit Theaters on October 6 | TRAILER
The dark comedy film GRAVY, the feature film directorial debut of James Roday, will open in select cities on October 2nd, including NY and LA, and on-demand October 6th. Gravy features an all-star ensemble cast that includes:Michael Weston (State of Play, Garden State), Jimmi Simpson (House of Cards, White House Down),Sutton Foster (Younger, Bunheads),Lily Cole (Snow White and the Huntsman), Molly Ephraim (Last Man Standing),Paul Rodriguez (Ali),Gabriel Luna (True Detective,Wicked City), Lothaire Bluteau (Vikings, The Tudor), Ethan Sandler (The Bourne Supremacy, Crossing Jordan), Duke Hill (Ballers, Psych), with Gabourey Sidibe (Empire, Precious) and Sarah Silverman (Wreck-It Ralph).
It’s Halloween night. A trio of costumed misfits with very special dietary requirements seizes a Mexican cantina and forces the staff to engage in a late night of gluttony. The only caveat is what’s on the menu…and who will survive ‘til morning! This deliriously demented horror-comedy is a true feast for genre fans. Stuffed with an outstanding ensemble cast and perfectly seasoned with laughs and scares, you’ll be sure to ask for seconds on Gravy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAIPyXadmog
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Rory Culkin and Lin Shaye Set to Star in Indie Film JACK GOES HOME
Rory Culkin (Gabriel, Scream 4) (pictured above) and Lin Shaye (Insidious franchise, There’s Something About Mary) will star in writer/director Thomas Dekker’s upcoming feature film Jack Goes Home. The announcement was made today by writer/director Thomas Dekker and producers Jordan Yale Levine and Scott Levenson. Jack Goes Home will commence production this week in Kingston, New York. The film is produced by Jordan Yale Levine/Yale Productions, Scott Levenson, and Thomas Dekker. Co-Producers are Nikki Reed and Jon Keeyes, and Executive Producers include Shaun S. Sanghani/ SSS Entertainment, Jason Rose and Jessica Chang.
Previously confirmed cast members include Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) and Nikki Reed (Twilight Saga). Rory Culkin will play the title character, with Lin Shaye starring as his mother Teresa. Britt Robertson plays Jack’s pregnant fiancé Cleo, Daveigh Chase plays Jack’s loyal best friend Shanda, Nikki Reed play’s Shanda’s girlfriend Crystal, and Louis Hunter plays Jack’s seductive neighbor Duncan. “Lin Shaye and Rory Culkin are both exceptionally talented actors who are perfectly suited to lead the cast of Jack Goes Home,” commented writer and director Thomas Dekker. “We could not be more thrilled to watch them bring our script to life as the film’s key mother/son duo.” Blending elements of family drama and horror films, JACK GOES HOME follows Jack, an educated and well versed magazine editor living in Los Angeles. He is mid 20s, engaged and expecting his first child. Grappling with the natural release of his childhood and the promise of his forthcoming adulthood, he is hit hard by the news of his father’s death. In a violent and horrific car crash, his father has perished while his mother has survived. He returns to his hometown of Denver, Colorado to nurse his mother through her physical and emotional injuries. During his stay at home, he uncovers long buried secrets and lies within his family history, his parents, his friends and his very identity. Jack’s journey to the truth is fueled by madness, sexuality, hauntings and violence. For Jack, there truly is NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Dekker’s acting credits include TV series Backstrom and The Secret Circle. On the film side, he appeared in 2009’s My Sister’s Keeper and 2010’s A Nightmare on Elm Street and directed the 2008 indie Whore. He’s repped by MGMT Entertainment and Sloane, Offer.
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MI AMERICA Film Explores Violence Against Migrant Workers Sets Release Date
As the immigration debate takes center stage in a presidential campaign marked by increasingly divisive and racially charged rhetoric, a new film MI AMERICA offers an on-the-ground look at some of the reality of this conflict.
The film is inspired by true stories from around the country and delivers a harrowing narrative on the conflict between disenfranchised Americans and immigrant workers. MI AMERICA opens in theaters on October 16th and is directed by Robert Fontaine who also stars in the film. The cast also includes Michael Brainard, Brad Lee Wind, Grant Boyd, Michael Derek, Stephen Booth and Annemarie Lawless.
The story explores the circumstances surrounding a brutal hate crime targeting five Hispanic migrant laborers. Rolando Ramirez (Robert Fontaine) has been assigned to this case by chance. This journey will force him to question his own identity, and beliefs, on what it means to be an American, and in turn, attempt to bring those who committed this crime to justice.
A hate-crime has been committed, that has upset the delicate balance of a small, ethnically diverse waterfront city Braxton in upstate New York. The film explores the circumstances around the kidnapping and disappearance of Five Hispanic migrant labors.
Rolando Ramirez (a Hispanic-American Detective, and a longtime resident of the community), has been assigned to this case by chance. Or was it fate? His journey will force him to question his own identity, and beliefs, on what it means to be a North American, and in turn, attempt to bring those who committed this crime to justice…some of whom were close friends from childhood.
Violence against Latinos and the story told in MI AMERICA is not unfamiliar to cities and towns across the U.S. where the conflict of disenfranchised Americans and immigrant workers have resulted in tragedy. The immigration dilemma and debate continues to rage on as we enter the politically charged battlefield of the 2016 election and Latinos continue to be targets.
This gripping murder mystery offers a potent opportunity to take a closer look at this dire issue in the media.
[via release]
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‘Back to the Future’ Documentary BACK IN TIME Eyes Future Release | TRAILER
“Back to the Future” fans will love this. Gravitas Ventures will release the documentary Back in Time, which takes a look at the very real impact the Back to the Future movies have had on our culture. Back in Time will receive a limited theatrical and VOD release later this year in October.
Directed by Jason Aron the documentary film Back in Time is, described as at its heart, a look at the very real impact the Back to the Future movies have had on our culture. What was once a little idea that spawned a tightly-focused documentary has grown into something truly amazing over two years of filming. Back in Time is a cinematic monument to the vastness of the trilogy’s fandom. In addition to the footage and interviews revolving around the time machine itself, the crew found that simply by delving into the impact of the trilogy an epic journey began to unfold before them. The crew captured countless hours of footage during filming. From Steven Spielberg to Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, to the Sheas and Hollers, and from James Tolkan and Lea Thompson to Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox, Back in Time features interview after interview that simply must be seen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvzcYS_NH7I
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Museum of the Moving Image in NYC to Honor Alex Ross Perry with a Retrospective
From August 22 through 25, 2015, Museum of the Moving Image in New York City will honor director Alex Ross Perry with a Retrospective, and will present all of his features, including a special preview screening of the new film Queen of Earth.
“Alex Ross Perry’s two most recent films feature unforgettable and vivid performances—most notably Elisabeth Moss’s daring portrayal of emotional despair in the astonishing Queen of Earth,” said Chief Curator David Schwartz. “The Museum is pleased to offer New Yorkers an opportunity to catch up on an impressive body of work by this unique emerging talent who has incorporated his love of cinema into his own original vision.”
Impolex
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 4:30 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 2009, 73 mins. 35mm. With Riley O’Bryan, Kate Lyn Sheil, Bruno Meyrick Jones. In his feature debut, Perry was loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow. Taking place just after World War II, the film follows the shambling young soldier Tyrone S. as he wanders through the forest looking for German V2 rockets and encounters a number of inexplicably figures, including an eyepatch-wearing Englishman, a garrulous octopus, and the girlfriend he left behind to join the army.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJqIOt7UHI0
The Color Wheel
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 3:00 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 2011, 83 mins. 35mm. With Carlen Altman, Alex Ross Perry. Having recently broken up with her boyfriend and former professor, aspiring TV weathergirl JR calls on her estranged younger brother Colin to help retrieve her possessions at her ex’s apartment. What follows is one of the most uncomfortable road movies ever, as the two equally despicable characters incessantly pick on, undercut, and attack one another. “Perry gives a harsh, sarcastic twist to the intimate rivalry of siblings…. [He] directs these uproarious rapid-fire flareups with exquisite comic timing and incisive comic framing,” wrote Richard Brody in The New Yorker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOtO8JBtxpE
Listen Up Philip
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 5:30 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 2014, 109 mins. With Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce. Feeling alienated by the pressures of the New York literary world and the girlfriend who financially supports him, the narcissistic and self-involved author Philip Lewis Friedman seeks refuge in the country home of his equally self-obsessed idol, the older, more established writer Ike Zimmerman. “Words do more than hurt, they also slash and burn in this sharp, dyspeptic, sometimes gaspingly funny exploration of art and life […],” noted Manohla Dargisin The New York Times.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkjn5ICqmJI
SPECIAL PREVIEW SCREENING
Queen of Earth
With Elisabeth Moss and Alex Ross Perry in person
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 7:30 P.M.
Dir. Alex Ross Perry. 90 mins. With Elisabeth Moss, Patrick Fugit, Katherine Waterson. Catherine (played in what Variety calls “an utterly fearless central performance by Elisabeth Moss”) has entered a particularly dark period in her life. Following her father’s death and a bad breakup with her longtime boyfriend, she decides to spend a week recuperating in the lake house of her best friend, Virginia. However, fissures between the two women begin to appear, sending Catherine into a downward spiral of delusion and madness. As Scott Foundas points out in his Variety review, ”Perry is working in a style that seems equally influenced by doppelganger narratives like Bergman’s Persona and Brian De Palma’s Sisters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU3a8oniq2s
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PALIO,””Rocky” on Horseback”, Documentary Official Trailer, Sets US Release Date
The official trailer is released for the Italian horse racing documentary Palio directed by Cosima Spender, that premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Editing. The NY Times in a glowing article, noted “Cosima Spender’s “Palio” takes an equally offbeat subject, the brutally competitive semiannual horse races in the piazza of Siena, Italy, and treats it as if it were a classic sports movie — “Rocky” on horseback…”
In the heart of Tuscany, the dusty terra-cotta-tinged city of Siena is home to the world’s oldest horse race: the Palio. Twice a summer jockeys representing ten of the city’s historic districts maneuver through a frenzied course in the central Piazza del Campo, cheered and jeered in equal measure by passionate local supporters. The cutthroat spirit of the race speaks to its medieval roots, as riders are compelled to do whatever it takes to win both on the course and off; to succeed in the Palio taking bribes and making deals is just as essential as being a good rider. A master of the game’s complex strategies, renowned jockey Gigi Bruschelli needs just two more victories to become the winningest rider in the Palio’s storied history. But his former trainee Giovanni Atzeni, a young upstart keen to enter the pantheon of the race’s legends, stands in the way of his throne. With breathtaking cinematography, director Cosima Spender’s enthralling documentary captures the intensity of the event as well as the beauty of Siena. All together creating a mesmerizing portrait of an age-old tradition and the larger-than-life personalities who keep the spirit of the race alive each year. Tribeca Film Festival
Palio will be released in the U.S. on November 6, and on iTunes later that month. The next Palio race takes place this Sunday, August 16, in Siena, Italy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NGAIKMtvxY
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Inspirational Documentary ZEMENE to Close 2015 Harlem International Film Festival | TRAILER
The Harlem International Film Festival (Hi) celebrating its 10th Anniversary, will take place September 9-13 featuring MIST Harlem as its primary 2015 theatrical venue.
Wednesday, September 9 at 7 PM Hi kicks off its lineup with award-winning Stories of Our Lives chronicling the hidden struggles of lovers, fighters and rebels that characterize the criminalized LGBT community in Kenya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxDr1ue-lHc
Other highlights include the East Coast Premiere of the award-winning America is Still the Place, based on the unbelievable true story of Charlie Walker, the black man behind the clean up of one of the biggest oil spills in US history. The film features the unforgettable performance of Mike Colter, star of Marvel’s brand new Netflix series, Luke Cage, who will join director Patrick Gilles for Q&A.
https://vimeo.com/116602949
Closing Night Film is Melissa Donovan’s “must-see inspirational” documentary Zemene about a young Ethiopian girl’s bravery in the face of enormous odds. Living in a remote village with a rare curvature of the spine, she struggles with poverty, poor education, and potentially life-threatening illnesses. But a chance encounter in the streets of Gondar with Dr. Rick Hodes sets in motion a series of events that will change Zemene and the future of her village forever. Shot throughout the beautiful countryside, the film is a poetic testament to the power of compassion and the potential within us all. Zemene screened at the Library of Congress on August 12, 2015 and will be catalogued and become part of the official collection of the world’s largest library.
https://vimeo.com/97292617
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Danish War Drama LAND OF MINE to Premiere at Toronto International Film Festival
Martin Zandvliet’s war drama “Land of Mine” will open the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival’s brand new section, Platform. The film, Zandvliet’s third, unearths a lesser known chapter of Danish postwar history
Taking place in May 1945 only a few days after the end of the war, the film tells the story of how a group of German prisoners of war were brought to Denmark and forced to disarm the two million land mines that had been scattered along the West Coast by the German occupying forces. In charge of the enfeebled young men performing the dangerous task is Sergeant Carl Leopold Rasmussen. Like so many of his fellow Danes, he has a deep hatred for the Germans after having suffered five years of hardships during the occupation. He lets his rage rain down on the prisoners, until one day a tragic incident makes him change his view of the enemy even if it may be too late. Actor Roland Møller takes his first lead as the Danish sergeant in charge of the prisoners. Møller made his screen debut in Tobias Lindholm and Michael Noer’s prison drama “R” and went on to perform in Lindholm’s “A Hijacking” and Noer’s “Northwest”. Among the Danish cast is also Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (“A Royal Affair”), while the young Germans all are amateur actors, discovered through Berlin-based casting expert Simone Bär who has collaborated with Michael Haneke, among others. Zandvliet’s debut feature “Applause” (2009) received numerous awards, with quite a few directed at the film’s lead actress Paprika Steen. The film was selected for the Toronto Film Festival, as was Zandvliet’s second feature, “A Funny Man” (2011), which also enjoyed great domestic success with a total of 10 Robert and Bodil awards, Denmark’s highest film distinctions.