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  • Director Steve McQueen Among Lineup for 2nd “FREE” NYFF LIVE talks at 51st NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

    Steve McQueenSteve McQueen

    The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today the details and participants for the second annual free-to-the-public NYFF LIVE series of filmmaker and film industry conversations at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center Amphitheater (144 W. 65th Street) and the Apple Store, SoHo (103 Prince Street).

    “Our goal with NYFF LIVE is to give anyone the opportunity to engage with the acclaimed international filmmakers and talent who will be in the city for the New York Film Festival,” said Eugene Hernandez, Director of Digital Strategy for the Film Society of Lincoln Center. “Making these talks free and open to the public, as well as delivering video from the conversations via our growing digital channels on YouTube and iTunes, is part of a broader strategy aimed at connecting with a wider audience of cinephiles around the world.”

    Highlights will include several panels dedicated to documentary filmmakers including Allison Berg and Frank Keraudren, The Dog; Nancy Buirski, Afternoon of a Faun;How Democracy Works Now, Michael Camerini and Shari Robertson and Joaquim Pinto, What Now? Remind Me. As well as one on one conversations with agnès b., My Name is Hmmm…; Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, American Promise; Claire Denis, Bastards; Bruce Dern, Nebraska; Louis Garrel, Jealousy; Isabelle Huppert, Abuse of Weakness and Hirokazu Kore-eda, Like Father, Like Son.

    A special conversation will be hosted as part of NYFF Live, on October 3, about Story Creation and the Artistic Process with the 2013 Filmmaker in Residence Andrea Arnold, Director of Wuthering Heights, Fish Tank, Red Road; Henry Bean, WriterThe Believer, Basic Instinct 2, Internal Affairs; Naomi Foner, Writer Very Good Girls, Running on Empty; Larry Gross, WriterWe Don’t Live Here Anymore, True Crime, 48 Hrs and Tamara Jenkins, Director The Savages, Slums of Beverly Hills. 

    An exciting addition to the lineup will feature the composers responsible for a completely original and dynamic interactive musical score, for the recently released Grand Theft Auto V, adding a level of immersion and tension never heard before in the series. This is the result of many years work and Ivan Pavlovich, Music Supervisor for Rockstar Games, will be on hand with the game’s key composers, Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, and The Alchemist & Oh No to explain the many intricacies of such a mammoth project and its impact on this iconic piece of entertainment.

    In addition to the NYFF Live talks being free and open to the public on a space available basis, the talks will also be available online, at FilmLinc.com. The Film Society has drawn more than 1.7 million views on its popular YouTube channel alone (youtube.com/filmlinc) and the New York Film Festival content has proven to be very popular as many of the festival’s films make their way to theaters. This year we’ll again deliver video from the events to our digital platforms (YouTube, iTunes) and engage audiences via the Film Society’s active social media presence on Twitter and Facebook.

    Free tickets for NYFF Live Talks will be available at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center (144 West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam) box office on a first-come, first-served basis one hour prior to the conversations and screenings.Limit one complimentary ticket per person, subject to availability. 

     

    NYFF LIVE 
    Guests & Schedule

     
    Sunday, September 29 
    7:00pm        Motion Portraits Director Panel
    Directors Joaquim Pinto, What Now? Remind Me and Mitra Farahani, Fifi Howls from Happiness and Pacho Velez,Manakamana
    7:45pm         Director Hirokazu Kore-eda, Like Father, Like Son


    Monday September 30 
    TBA
     

    Tuesday October 1
    7:00pm        Emerging Artists: directors Joanna Hogg, Exhibition and Fernando Eimbcke, Club Sandwich
    8:00pm        Rockstar Games: The Music of Grand Theft Auto V
    Panelists: Tangerine Dream, Woody Jackson, The Alchemist & Oh No (Composers, Grand Theft Auto V) and Ivan Pavlovich (Music Supervisor for Rockstar Games)
     

    Wednesday October 2
    7:00pm        Actor Louis Garrel, Jealousy
     

    Thursday October 3
    4:30pm        Story Creation and the Artistic Process
    Filmmaker in Residence Panel includes director Andrea Arnold, Wuthering Heights, Fish Tank, Red Road; writer Henry Bean,The Believer, Basic Instinct 2, Internal Affairs; writer Naomi Foner, Very Good Girls, Running on Empty; writer Larry Gross,We Don’t Live Here Anymore, True Crime, 48 Hrs; director Tamara Jenkins, The Savages, Slums of Beverly Hills
    The Filmmaker in Residence initiative is being held in partnership with luxury brand Jaeger-LeCoultre.
     
    Friday October 4
    No NYFF Live Talks 
     

    Saturday October 5
    7:00pm        Director Claire Denis, Bastards
    PLEASE NOTE LOCATION: 
    The Furman Gallery, adjacent to the Walter Reade Theater (165 West 65th Street)  
     

    Sunday October 6
    No NYFF Live Talks 
     

    Monday October 7
    5:00pm         Director Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave 
    PLEASE NOTE LOCATION: Apple Store Soho
    7:00pm        Actress Isabelle Huppert, Abuse of Weakness
    7:45pm         Spotlight on Documentary Filmmakers Panel
    Directors Allison Berg & Frank Keraudren, The Dog and Nancy Buirski Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq
                            Presented in Collaboration with New York Women in Film and Television.
     

    Tuesday October 8
    7:00pm        The Hero Adrift: A Conversation with Jonás Cuarón (Gravity), Chris Kentis (Open Water) and David Magee (Life of Pi)
    Presented in Collaboration with the Writers Guild of America, East
    7:45pm         Directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson, American Promise
     

    Wednesday October 9
    7:00pm        Director agnès b., My Name is Hmmm…
    7:45pm         How Democracy Works Now: directors Michael Camerini & Shari Robertson
     

    Thursday October 10
    7:00pm        Actor Bruce Dern, Nebraska 
    7:45pm         Panel of Short Filmmakers
     

    Friday October 11
    7:00pm        Producer David V. Picker, author of MUST, MAYBES, AND NEVERS Presented in collaboration with the Producers Guild of America East
     

    Saturday October 12
    TBA

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  • Camden International Film Festival Engagement Summit to Focus on Aging

    THE GENIUS OF MARIAN, directed by Banker WhiteTHE GENIUS OF MARIAN, directed by Banker White

    The Camden International Film Festival announced its first annual Engagement Summit, a unique program developed in partnership with Working Films that will connect documentary filmmakers with Maine-based nonprofit leaders to develop community-based social action campaigns tied to documentary film screenings. The inaugural Engagement Summit will focus on the theme of aging and tie to a year-long thematic program called Aging in Maine.

    The Aging in Maine program will continue during the Camden International Film Festival (September 26-29) with a curated series of documentary features and shorts that will help spark a public, inter-generational dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of Maine’s aging demographics. One highlighted film will be THE GENIUS OF MARIAN, directed by Banker White, which chronicles the filmmaker’s family responding to his mother’s diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s. Others include Chilean documentary THE LAST STATION, and a Danish film, LAST DREAMS. 

    “Camden National Bank is excited to be a sponsor of the Camden International Film Festival and a lead sponsor of Aging in Maine,” said Joanne Campbell, EVP, Camden National Bank.  “This is a great way for Camden National to provide a voice around the issue of aging in the State of Maine, and provide sponsorship of a dynamic and growing local event CIFF.”

    During the festival, approximately 15 nonprofit leaders and healthcare professionals from across the state will converge in Camden for a daylong strategic summit meeting on Saturday, September 28. A full list of participants is included below. This event will be an opportunity for participating organizations in the field of aging to explore how their work can be supported and enhanced through the use of powerful documentary films focused on the experiences of older adults, their loved ones and caretakers. The summit agenda will be designed and facilitated by Working Films, an organization that specializes in connecting storytelling with community engagement and action. Working Films’ involvement in Aging in Maine is part of their broader Reel Aging initiative, which positions compelling documentary media into the work of leading organizations serving the needs and advancing the rights of older adults across the country. 

    Following the festival and summit meeting, CIFF and Working Films will collaborate to screen these films in 8-10 communities across the state, allowing participating organizations to implement strategies developed at the summit and use the screenings to further their goals and inform the public of resources available to them within the aging network.

    The Aging in Maine program is made possible by support from the Fledgling Fund, Camden National Bank, Pen Bay Healthcare Foundation and The Bingham Program. Additional partnerships include the University of Maine Center on Aging, the Portland Press Herald and The Conversation Project.

    “We are thrilled to be presenting the inaugural Engagement Summit at this year’s Camden International Film Festival. This unique program will help us harness the power that nonfiction storytelling has as a conversation starter and a community builder,” said Ben Fowlie, Founder and Executive Director of CIFF. “Aging is an issue that affects each and everyone of us personally, and we believe that this program will be a great addition to the conversations that are already occurring throughout Maine.”

    Points North Engagement Summit: Aging in Maine

    List of Participants:

    Jess Maurer, Executive Director, Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging

    Valeria Sauda, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems

    Harriet Warshaw, Executive Director, The Conversation Project

    Lenard Kaye, Director, UMaine Center on Aging

    Roger Renfrew, American Geriatric Society

    Gerard Queally, President/CEO, Spectrum Generations

    Dave Brown, Community Liaison, Spectrum Generations

    Dr. Ira Mandel, Medical Director, Pen Bay Healthcare’s Hospice and Palliative Care Program

    Noelle Merrill, Executive Director, Eastern Area Agency on Aging

    Steve Farnam, Executive Director, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging

    Sharon Foerster, Program Manager – Geriatrics, MaineHealth

    Joanna Rosenthal, Aging Consultation Services

    Sheila Leddy, Executive Director, The Fledgling Fund

    Judith Tierney, MaineHealth

    Romaine Turyn, Director of Policy, Planning & Resource Development, Maine Department of Health and Human Services (Office of Aging and Disability Services)

    Brooke Williams, Director, Communications and Grants, Making Community Happen

    Banker White, Director/Producer, THE GENIUS OF MARIAN

    Joanne Campbell, EVP, Camden National Bank 

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  • Poster Unveiled for 51st New York Film Festival

    Poster for the 51st New York Film Festival, designed by Tacita Dean

    The poster for the 51st New York Film Festival, designed by Tacita Dean, was unveiled today. The festival runs September 27 to October 13, 2103. This Friday, September 27, the poster will be available for purchase at the New York Film Festival.

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  • OUR DAY WILL COME set for Release in the US on October 22nd | TRAILER

     OUR DAY WILL COME (“Notre jour viendra”) directed by Romain Gavras

    OUR DAY WILL COME (“Notre jour viendra”), Romain Gavras’  debut feature starring Vincent Cassel and Olivier Barthélémy, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, will be released in the US on October 22nd, 2013 by Oscilloscope Laboratories.

    In OUR DAY WILL COME, two outcast redheads – a bullied teen and a psychologist – embark on a journey to Ireland, where they believe the color of their hair will be embraced. What begins as a quest for freedom gradually descends into a rampage of violence and destruction. With an assured filmmaking style previously displayed in his music videos (“No Church in the Wild” – Jay Z & Kanye West; “Bad Girls” – M.I.A., to name just a few), OUR DAY WILL COME marks the emergence of a major new auteur.

     http://youtu.be/ejUqIUZ9nmo

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  • REVIEW: The Rugby Player

    The Rugby Player

    Documenting the years of transition which encompass his growth from awkward teen to daringly rebellious yet entertaining young man, Mark Bingham left the greatest momento to be appreciated for years to come, real life footage.  Always one to keep a video camera in tow he and his friends bonded over pranks, and slams, on the way to becoming productive members of society. However malicious they could be, there was always an angelic aura to the outcome, that being the leadership quality and authentic manner in which Mark Bingham lived his life.  The product of what many would call a broken home, Mark was not in the need of anything, the least bit-love; adored by his aunts and uncles whom always took active roles in his life Mark was like any other youth, exploring life on life terms.

    A love of rugby for its forceful yet athletic way of play when he entered the latter years of high school career Mark devoted his time to being the consummate teammate. Landing a place at the University of Cal, Mark took his talents and personality to Berkley, aligning himself with other stellar young men. The son of Alice Holgan, Mark acquired his mothers leadership qualities and steadfast opinion never known as one to waver or talk out of both sides of his mouth.  A champion for the LGBT community, Mark found a way to stay true to himself; however apprehensive he was at first, he chose right over wrong. A captain in his fraternity house, he left his peers stunned by the revelation.  Eventual embrace and support the way that he has always known carries THE RUGBY PLAYER.  A tremendous capture of a life worth having been lived, the catastrophe of Flight 93 ,and the carnage / losses of lives and so much more that marks the infamous day, Sept 11th 2001.

    The irony that exists in THE RUGBY PLAYER is amazing, beginning with his mothers career of flight attending; never in a million years would one expect this form of an outcome. Admirable as all is the foresight of Mark to for all intents and purposes deliver an autobiography of this magnitude.

     

    THE RUGBY PLAYER (2013) Documentary

    TRT: 80min | Color | 5.1 Surround | Unrated | English
    Director/Producer: Scott Gracheff
    Producer: Holly Million
    Director of Photography/Producer: Chris Million
    Editor: Manuel Adrian Tsingaris
    Content Advisor: Todd Sarner

     

    HBO© Audience Award for Best Documentary – Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2013
    Audience Award for Best Documentary – Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2013
    Celebration of Courage Award – Kansas City LGBT Film Festival 2013
    “Honorable Mention” Audience Award category – Philadelphia QFest 2013

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  • “INUK” – a Film From Greenland, Will Be Released in the US, Opens in LA on October 4; NYC on 
October 11 | TRAILER

    INUK, a film by Mike Magidson.

    Ever seen a film from Greenland? INUK, a film by Mike Magidson, Greenland’s Oscar submission last year and winner of multiple international film festival awards, will open at the Quad Cinema in New York on October 11; and at The Royal Los Angeles on October 4 and in San Francisco on October 2. A national release will follow.

    In Greenland’s capital, sixteen year-old Inuk lives a troubled life with his alcoholic mother and violent step-father. One morning, after pulling the half-frozen boy out of an abandoned car, the social services send Inuk North, to a children’s home on a tiny island in the middle of the arctic sea-ice. There he meets Ikuma, a polar bear hunter, who takes him on an epic dog sled trip on ice. Despite the bitter cold and fragile sea-ice, the most difficult journey will be the one they must make within themselves.

    With stunning cinematography, shot on the sea ice in -30 C, INUK features the performances of teenagers from the Uummannaq Children’s Home and local hunters, all playing roles close to their real lives. Created as an original road-movie on the sea ice, INUK is both an authentic story of Greenland today, a country torn between tradition and modernity, and a universal story about the quest for identity, transmission and rebirth after the deepest of wounds,

    A major success in Greenland, INUK sold more tickets than films like Men in Black III, The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and The Hunger Games.

    http://youtu.be/zJnSUBH3W8U

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  • REVIEW: THE HAPPY SAD

     thehappysad

    When Stan’s girlfriend of six months, Annie drops the bomb on him that she has been preoccupied more recently and not fully committed to their relationship, he becomes unsettled. Reminding her of their agreement to always be candid about the things that happen in their lives, she elaborates to the truth of her infatuation for and brewing relationship with Mandy. Baffled to say the least Stan admits that he no longer wishes to date Mandy, for now. Meanwhile, Marcus and Aaron are looking for ways to spice up their relationship, at the exact moment when their sexual peak is seemingly in reach; agreeing to explore an “open relationship” the two attempt to set boundaries for their trysts, collectively which they assume would lead to mountains of fun for these liberal New Yorkers, marked by exploratory flings.

    Unsure of her reasoning for sharing such news, Annie is caught between temptation, uncertainly, and possible feelings both for Mandy with whom she is only an acquaintance, while Aaron and Marcus try to find ways to not fall out of love with each other all the while falling into the idea of being with other men. Realizing that they may not trust each other the way that they thought, tension grows as the two are trying to hide their actual experiences when they are not together. Sharing an apartment has seemed to make the two more distant than ever, if that makes any sense.

    A twist of fate, maybe, or oddly coincidental, the two couples plights intertwine in an extremely provocative manner. Erotic Dreams are brought to fruition, morals are tested, lies maintained, relationships altered and developed, all under the New York City skies. Hows that for a smorgishborg of events. Thanks to director Rodney Evans, you are given a first class ticket to a “powerful, and timely, narrative film exploring issues of sexuality, fidelity, and race in contemporary America.” Hold on for this thrill ride

    Note to the general public: The Happy all have a sense of sadness, its an irony of life; nothing is perfect, and cheers to those who have figured that out. The winners in life are risk takers, that ambitious crop of persons who have the courage to obtain, by any means necessary. Forgive as you will, forget what you may, cause at the end of the day its about perseverance, and your ability to cope, or better yet to thrive not just survive in relationships, the same as life. Bare witness to a cast of very good performances, and bouts with living life on life’s term, all while trying a hand at monogamy. A tough task !

    The Happy Sad Official Site

    http://youtu.be/GKp_fZ4M-zE

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  • “MAD SHIP” “OUT OF PRINT” Win Top Awards at 4th New Hope Film Festival

    MAD SHIP directed by David MortinMAD SHIP directed by David Mortin

    The 4th annual New Hope Film Festival, in the heart of Bucks County, Pennsylvania’s riverside art colony, New Hope, announced the 2013 awards on Sunday, with MAD SHIP, directed by David Mortin winning the Danny Award – Best Picture. In the film a Scandinavian immigrant, driven to madness by ruined dreams and the tragic death of his wife, embarks on a quixotic mission to build a homemade ship and sail out of the prairie dust bowl at the height of the Great Depression. The award for Best Documentary went to OUT OF PRINT, directed by Vivienne Roumani, Featuring interviews with Scott Turow, Ray Bradbury, Jeffrey Toobin, Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, self-publishing success story Darcie Chan and many more, OUT OF PRINT is described as an in-depth look at publishing’s milestones and what it means to adapt that history to the rapid expansions of the information age.

    Film Jury Awards

    Danny Award- Best Picture – MAD SHIP, Directed by David Mortin, Canada

    Best Director- Khrushch Roman, for PECHORIN, Russian Federation

    Best Documentary- OUT OF PRINT, Directed by Vivienne Roumani, USA

    Best Short Film- SPAGHETTI FOR TWO, Directed by Matthias Rosenberger, Germany

    Indie Spirit Award- MY WAY, Co-Directed by Dominique Mollee, Vinny Sisson, USA

    Best Animated Film- RECIPE FOR LOVE, Directed by Gwyneth Christoffel, Canada

    Best Biography- GEIL OF DOYLESTOWN, Directed by Karl Stieg, USA

    Artistic Spirit Award- SURVIVING MOMMIE DEAREST, Directed by Christina Crawford, USA

    Best Student Film- SWEETLY BROKEN, Directed by Chung Lam, Czech Republic

    Best Adaptation- THE ASSIGNMENT, Directed by Cam Peters, Canada

    New Hope Award- ALL ME:THE LIFE AND TIMES OF WINFRED REMBERT, Directed by Vivian Ducat, USA

    Cultural Spirit Award- SHELL SHOCKED, Directed by John Richie, USA

    Best Horror Film- METAMORPHOSIS, Directed by David Yohe, USA

    Best Comedy- SONNY DAYS, Directed by Tom Megalis, USA

    Screenplay Jury Awards

    Best Screenplay- TAKING THE KING, Nelson Blish, USA

    Best Narrative Feature- all I ever wanted was EVERYTHING, Shari MacDonald, USA, Costa Rica

    Best Short Screenplay- TRANSHUMANS, Alex Sobol, USA

    Best Mid-Atlantic Screenplay- SCARLETT SUNSHINE, Faith Brody Patane, USA

    Best Futuristic Screenplay- PRION, Tom McCarron, USA

    Best Dramatic Screenplay- HALFWAY HOME, David Schroeder, USA

    Music Video Jury Awards

    Best Music Video- OLD COATS, Directed by Andy Strohl, USA

    Best Pop Video- MY DREAM GIRL, Directed by Carlos Hurtado, USA

    Best Alternative Video- LIFE IN PICTUREs, Directed by Herman Wang, Canada

    Best Hip Hop Video- TOP OF MY GAME, Directed by Gabriella Loutfi, USA, Jamaica

    Best Cultural Spirit Award- LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE, Produced by John Ryan, USA

    Best Folk Video- WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR, Directed by Funk Brothers, Canada

    Best Inspirational Video- MIRACLE, Directed by Marcin Starzecki, Poland

    Audience Choice Awards

    Best Webisode- CHART STAR, Directed by Kate McGraw, Australia

    Best Music Video- MIRACLE, Directed by Marcin Starzecki, Poland

    Best Art House Feature- SINCE I DON’T HAVE YOU, Directed by Gavin Rapp, USA

    Best Documentary- GAMERS, Directed by Christine Farina, USA

    Best Short Film- AUTUMN, Directed by Susan Barry, USA

    Best Student Film- THE MERCURY CYCLE, Directed by Cody Hoerig, USA

    Best Mid-Atlantic Film- ONE WALL: KINGS OF CONEY ISLAND, Directed by Joe Glickman, USA

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  • 15 Indie Films to Get a Digital Release in August and September via Sundance Institute’s Artist Services Program

    ALL SHE CANALL SHE CAN

    15 independent films will get a digital release this Fall via the Sundance Institute’s Artist Services program. Upcoming releases include AN AFRICAN ELECTION, HOT HOUSE, MADE IN L.A., ROMÁNTICO, SO MUCH SO FAST, and TV JUNKIE. Feature films include ED’S NEXT MOVE, ALL SHE CAN, GYPSY DAVY, and L.I.E. Films will roll out between August 13 and September 17.

    SING ME THE SONG THAT SAYS I LOVE YOU: A CONCERT FOR KATE MCGARRIGLE, will make its digital premiere September 17. The film is described as a stirring tribute to renowned Canadian singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle and features her well known musical family – children Rufus and Martha Wainwright, older sisters Anna and Jane – and talented friends including Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, Jimmy Fallon, and Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons) in a concert recorded at New York City’s Town Hall in May 2011. Directed by Lian Lunson, the film made its world premiere at Sundance London in 2012 and had a theatrical run earlier this summer.

    TROUBLESOME CREEK: A MIDWESTERN won both the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary and the Audience Award: Documentary at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. MADE IN L.A. won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story-Long Form in 2008. TV JUNKIE was the Documentary Special Jury Prize winner at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

    Titles will be available on a variety of platforms, including iTunes, Amazon Instant Video,Microsoft Xbox, Sony Entertainment Network, SundanceNOW, VUDU and YouTube.

    TITLES AVAILABLE AUGUST 13

    AN AFRICAN ELECTION (Director: Jarreth Merz) — An African Election is a suspenseful political drama about the 2008 presidential elections in Ghana, West Africa, with unexpected twists and turns, yet always personal through the eyes of director Jarreth Merz. (2011 Sundance Film Festival)

    ED’S NEXT MOVE (Director: John C. Walsh) — Eddie, a young Wisconsin scientist, moves to New York’s East Village and, as he struggles to navigate his strange new urban world, begins an awkward, halting courtship of a violinist in an alternative band. (1996 Sundance Film Festival)

    HOT HOUSE (Director: Shimon Dotan) — Granted extraordinary access to the highest-security institutions in Israel, filmmaker Shimon Dotan uncovers a startling truth: Israeli prisons have become a breeding ground for the next generation of Palestinian leaders and a hotbed for terrorist plots. (2007 Sundance Film Festival)

    NO LOANS TODAY (Director: Lisanne Skyler) — Filmed in the aftermath of the 1992 riots, No Loans Today intimately portrays daily life in the African-American community of South Central Los Angeles through the lens of its key financial institution, the ABC Loan Co., a 25-year-old pawnshop and check-cashing outlet. (1995 Sundance Film Festival)

    SO MUCH SO FAST (Directors: Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan) — Remarkable events are set in motion when Stephen Heywood, 29, discovers he has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and his brother becomes obsessed with finding a cure. The film is a cliffhanger of romance and cutting-edge science by Academy Award nominees Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan.
    (2006 Sundance Film Festival)

    TROUBLESOME CREEK: A MIDWESTERN (Directors: Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan) — Troublesome Creek is the acclaimed story of the Jordan family’s gamble to save their Iowa farm. From fighting the Crooked Creek Gang in 1867, to fighting off the bank today. The film is an Academy Award-nominated cliffhanger about history, humor and the unsettling of America. (1996 Sundance Film Festival)

    TV JUNKIE (Directors: Michael Cain) — This Sundance Film Festival award-winning film is a striking video diary of Rick Kirkham, a 48-year old television journalist who at first appears to be living a charmed life, but all is not as it seems. (2006 Sundance Film Festival)

    TITLE AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 3

    VIOLETA WENT TO HEAVEN (Director: Andrés Wood) — The extraordinary story of iconic poet, musician and folksinger Violeta Parra, whose songs have become hymns for Chileans and Latin Americans alike. Director Andres Wood (Machuca) traces the intensity and explosive vitality of her life, from humble origins to international fame, her defense of indigenous cultures and devotion to her art. (2012 Sundance Film Festival)

    TITLE AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 17

    ALL SHE CAN (Director: Amy Wendel) — Luz Garcia wants something different than the few options available after high school in her forgotten Texas town. Her college dreams rest on a powerlifting competition. When family troubles, money struggles, and fear get in the way, she must find a different kind of strength to keep her dream alive. (2011 Sundance Film Festival)

    GYPSY DAVY (Director: Rachel Leah Jones) — When a blonde Californian with Alabama roots becomes a Flamenco guitarist in Andalucían boots, what happens along the way and behind the scenes?GYPSY DAVY tells the story of David Jones, stage name “David Serva,” from the perspective of his five women and five children—one of whom is the director. (2012 Sundance Film Festival)

    L.I.E (Director: Michael Cuesta) — A 15-year-old Long Island boy loses everything and everyone he knows, soon becoming involved in a relationship with a much older man. (2001 Sundance Film Festival)

    MADE IN L.A. (Director: Almudena Carracedo) — Emmy Award-winning film Made in L.A. tells the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants struggling to survive in Los Angeles sweatshops who, determined to win basic labor protections, embark on a three-year odyssey that will transform their lives forever. (2006 Sundance Documentary Film Grant)

    PUTIN’S KISS (Director: Lise Birk Pedersen) — Putin’s Kiss is a 2012 Danish documentary film, directed by Lise Birk Pedersen, dealing with Russian youth activist Masha Drokova and her experiences with the youth organization Nashi. (2012 Sundance Film Festival)

    ROMÁNTICO (Director: Mark Becker) — Romantico is a documentary portrait of Mexican musician Carmelo Muniz, who returns home to his young daughters after years playing the San Francisco taqueria circuit. Their reunion is bittersweet, as once Carmelo arrives in his hometown, he finds himself confronted with the million reasons he left years ago. At the age of 60, another border crossing begins to seem absurd, but Carmelo has not given up. (2005 Sundance Film Festival)

    SING ME THE SONG THAT SAYS I LOVE YOU: A CONCERT FOR KATE MCGARRIGLE (Director: Lian Lunson) — Rufus and Martha Wainwright pay tribute to their mother, the late Kate McGarrigle, in a concert filmed in New York City. Through song and story the film looks at how her children have to terms with her loss. (2012 Sundance London)

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  • ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE Kicks Off 25th Midnight Madness Lineup at Toronto International Film Festival

    ALL CHEERLEADERS DIEALL CHEERLEADERS DIE

    ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE directed by Lucky McKee will kick off 25 years of Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival. “Since its 1988 launch, the Midnight Madness program emerged as a touchstone of cinematic shock, satiating the adventurous palate of bloodthirsty cinephiles from all over the world,” said Geddes, International Programmer for the Festival. “When the witching hour strikes and the human brain starts slipping into dream mode, the Ryerson Theatre will once again serve up a feast of phantasmagorical characters and jaw-dropping scenes, playing host to bizarre biological monstrosities, ruthless dominatrix gangs, paranormal mirrors, and the hijinks of supernatural cheerleaders.”

    The 38th Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 5 to 15, 2013.

    AFFLICTED Derek Lee and Clif Prowse, Canada/USA World Premiere
    Best friends Derek and Clif set out on a trip of a lifetime. Their plan: travel to the ends of the earth, see the world, and live life to the fullest. But the trip soon takes a dark and bloody turn. Just days in, one of the men shows signs of a mysterious affliction which gradually takes over his entire body and being. Now, thousands of miles from home, in a foreign land, they must race to uncover the source of his illness before it consumes him completely. Footage of their travels meant to document pleasant memories may now become evidence of one of the most shocking discoveries ever captured on film…and may be their only postcard home.

    .Midnight Madness Opening Night Film.
    ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE Lucky McKee, Chris Sivertson, USA World Premiere
    When tragedy rocks Blackfoot High, rebellious outsider Mäddy Killian shocks the student body by joining the cheerleading squad. This decision drives a rift between Mäddy and her ex-girlfriend Leena Miller — a loner who claims to practice the dark arts. After a confrontation with the football team, Mäddy and her new cheerleader friends are sent on a supernatural roller coaster ride which leaves a path of destruction none of them may be able to escape.

    ALMOST HUMAN Joe Begos, USA World Premiere
    Mark Fisher disappeared from his home in a brilliant flash of blue light almost two years ago. His friend Seth Hampton was the last to see him alive. Now a string of grisly, violent murders leads Seth to believe that Mark is back, and something evil is living inside of him.

    THE GREEN INFERNO Eli Roth, USA World Premiere
    How far would you go for a cause you believe in? In horror master Eli Roth’s terrifying new film, a group of college students take their humanitarian protest from New York to the Amazon jungle, only to get kidnapped by the native tribe they came to save: a tribe that still practices the ancient rite of cannibalism, and has a healthy appetite for intruders.

    OCULUS Mike Flanagan, USA World Premiere
    Oculus is a spine-chilling supernatural tale of two damaged siblings (Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites) who, as children, witnessed their parents’ harrowing descent into madness and murder. At long last, brother and sister reunite as adults to expose and destroy the paranormal entity they believe is responsible: the Lasser Glass — a legendary mirror their family once owned.

    R100 Hitoshi Matsumoto, Japan World Premiere
    An ordinary man with an ordinary life joins a mysterious club. The membership lasts for one year only and there is one rule: no cancellation under any circumstance. The man enters into an entirely new and exciting world which he has never before experienced.

    RIGOR MORTIS Juno Mak, Hong Kong North American Premiere
    Juno Mak’s debut feature Rigor Mortis is an eerie and chilling, contemporary action- and special effects-laden homage to the classic Chinese vampire movies of the 1980s. Starring Chin Siu-Ho, Kara Hui, Anthony Chan, Lo Hoi Pang and Richard Ng.

    THE STATION (Blutgletscher) Marvin Kren, Austria World Premiere
    At a climate research station in the Alps, the scientists are stunned as the nearby melting glacier is leaking a red liquid. It quickly turns to be very special juice — with unexpected genetic effects on the local wildlife.

    WHY DON’T YOU PLAY IN HELL? (Jigoku de Naze Warui) Sion Sono, Japan North American Premiere
    Two men, Muto and Ikegami, hate each other. Muto desperately wants to help his daughter Mitsuko star in a movie. Meanwhile, Ikegami falls in love with Mitsuko, knowing that she’s the daughter of his foe. Hirata, a filmmaker, and Koji, a young movie-lover, get dragged into this complicated situation that heads into an unexpected direction.

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  • Documentary “I AM BREATHING” Life-affirming film about man with ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease in Theaters This Fall 2013

    I AM BREATHING A Film By Emma Davie and Morag McKinnon

    The documentary “I AM BREATHING” which played at many prestigious international film festivals will make its U.S. theatrical premiere in New York Sept. 6-12 at IFC Center and in Los Angeles Sept. 13-19 at Laemmle Music Hall with additional national screenings to follow. In I AM BREATHING, filmmakers Emma Davie and Morag McKinnon craft a life-affirming portrait of the last months of Neil Platt, a 34-year-old architect and father from England diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease also known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND) in the UK.

    I AM BREATHING is a film about a man, when faced with the unimaginable, shares his own story in what he called, “a tale of fun and laughs with a smattering of upset and devastation.” Within a year, Neil Platt goes from being a healthy 30-something British bloke, with a great sense of humor, to becoming completely paralyzed from the neck down, due to the devastating illness he has inherited, ALS. As his body gets weaker, his perspective on life changes. His humor remains, but a new wisdom emerges:

    “It’s amazing how adaptable we are when we have to be. It’s what separates us and defines us as human beings.”

    Knowing he only has a few months left to live, and while he still has the ability to speak, Neil puts together a letter and memory box for his baby son Oscar and communicates his experience and thoughts about life in a blog (The Plattitude) – and in this film, which he was determined to make. The directness of his communication mingles with images of the sensory details of a life well lived, and makes us revalue the ordinary.

    His blog posts form the film’s narration as he tells his own story through memories and impressions of his life – the sheer joy of falling in love, of partying with his mates, of fast motorbike rides. Through his determination to share his final journey, Neil makes us ask questions about our own lives.

    Neil Platt was diagnosed with ALS in February 2008 by Professor Chris Shaw. Sadly, Neil lost his own personal battle with the disease a year later, but through his family, friends and this documentary he wanted to continue to raise awareness around this devastating illness. ALS/MND has been described as the last truly incurable disease of the modern day. ALS/MND is a rapidly progressive and fatal disease. It can affect any adult at any time and attacks the motor neurons that send messages from the brain to the muscles, leaving people unable to walk, talk or feed themselves. Ten days after Neil died, Shaw made a very significant breakthrough in MND research by identifying one of the genes that causes it, and more discoveries are being made every day. Neil Platt was among the small proportion (5-10%) of people with MND who have a family history of the disease, caused by genetic mistakes that can be passed from one generation to the next.

    Since Neil’s death, his widow Louise Oswald continues to fulfill her final promise to Neil by continuing to raise awareness of ALS/MND. Louise is working closely with the filmmaking team on the outreach campaign, providing interviews for national press and making many personal appearances to speak at screenings.

    Since 2009 Louise has been writing a book about her experience of caring for her family in the eighteen months between the birth of her son and the death of her husband. Neil’s words join her in the latter part of the book as she adds comment to each entry of The Plattitude. Louise now lives in a small village near St. Andrews in Scotland with Oscar and her new husband Robin. Oscar is now in his first year of school.

    According to the ALS Association, every day, an average of 15 people are newly diagnosed with ALS — more than 5,600 people per year. As many as 30,000 Americans may currently be affected by ALS. Annually, ALS is responsible for two deaths per 100,000 people. More information at:  www.alsa.org/news/media/

     

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  • Michael Moore Announces Lineup of 150+ Films for 2013 Traverse City Film Festival

    Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine-Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine

    Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore announced the lineup of 150 plus films for his ninth annual Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF), to be held July 30 to August 4 in Traverse City, Michigan. The festival kicks off with Woody Allen’s latest film “BLUE JASMINE”. After a stretch of films set abroad, his latest work brings us back to American soil, where a wealthy New York socialite, played by Cate Blanchett, moves to San Francisco to escape her faltering marriage to a wealthy Wall Street executive, played by Alec Baldwin.

    TCFF will close the ninth annual Film Festival with “AUSTENLAND,” starring Keri Russell as a thirty-something with an unhealthy obsession with all things Jane Austen. Lucky for her, there’s Austenland, the ultimate getaway for literary devotees. The directorial debut from “Napoleon Dynamite” screenwriter Jerusha Hess is a rollicking rom-com featuring a supporting cast including Bret Mackenzie and Jennifer Coolidge.

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