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Ashland Independent Film Festival Announces 2014 Award Winners; ‘The Case Against 8’ Sweeps Awards for Best Documentary

The Case Against 8

The Ashland Independent Film Festival announced the 2014 juried and audience award winning films at an Awards Celebration gala at the Historic Ashland Armory. The festival’s opening night film, The Case Against 8, directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White, took home the Les Blank Award for Best Feature Length Documentary, given by the festival’s jurors, as well the Rogue Creamery Audience Award for Best Documentary, voted on by the audience. The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the historic case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. The filmmakers and two of the plaintiffs attended the festival and participated in a lively Q&A with audiences following the screening of the film.

Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Announces 2014 Award Winners; “Evolution of a Criminal” Wins Grand Jury Award

Evolution of A Criminal

The 2014 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival award winners were announced this afternoon at the festival’s annual Awards Barbecue. The Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award was presented to Evolution of a Criminal, directed by Darius Clark Monroe. Ten years after robbing a bank as teenager, filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe returns home and turns the camera on himself — to tell the story of what happened and look at the fallout from his actions.

Jury members Shola Lynch, Robb Moss, and Christine O’Malley stated: “For its mix of autobiographical storytelling and inventive use of recreations, for its ability to disrupt what has become a familiar narrative, we award the Grand Jury Award to Evolution of a Criminal.”

VIDEO | Watch Trailer for Award Winning Matthew Shepard Doc MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE

Watch the trailer for the Matthew Shepard documentary, MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE, winner of the Audience Choice Award For Best Film at the 38th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF). MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE follows director Michele Josue, a close friend of Matt’s, as she travels to pivotal locations in Shepard’s life, interviewing other friends and family members, and gaining insight into the beautiful life and devastating loss of Matthew Shepard.

Documentary About Matthew Shepard Wins Top Award at 38th Cleveland International Film Festival

MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE

A personal documentary about 21-year-old college student, Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in 1998 because he was gay, won the Audience Choice Award For Best Film at the 38th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF). The film, MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE, directed by Matthew Shepard’s childhood friend Michele Josue, also won the Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition. The film takes you on a journey to learn about Matt Shepard’s charismatic personality, which is documented through family photos, vacation videos, and even his personal diary entries. Some of the film’s most compelling scenes are with Matt’s parents, Judy and Dennis.

The winners and awards of the the 38th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF):

Polish Film “The Girl from the Wardrobe”, Swedish documentary “No Burqas Behind Bars” Win Top Awards at 13th Rome Independent Film Festival

The Girl From The Wardrobe

The Polish film, The Girl From The Wardrobe (Dziewczyna Z Szafy) from first-time director Bodo Kox, won the award for Best International Feature Film at the 13th Rome Independent Film Festival which ran March 16th to 23rd 2014. The film is about two brothers who strike up a friendship with their mysterious next-door neighbor. The Swedish documentary, No Burqas Behind Bars, by Nima Sarvestani won the award for Best International Documentary. This documentary takes viewers inside one of the worlds most restricted environments: an Afghan womens prison. Through the prisoners own stories we explore how moral crimes are used to control women.

VIDEO| Watch Trailer for Indie Comedy BEGIN AGAIN Starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo and Singer Adam Levine

The trailer has been released for John Carney’s comedy, BEGIN AGAIN (formerly Can A Song Save Your Life?), announced as the closing night film of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and a recent addition to the lineup for this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival. The film, starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld, and Adam Levine, originally premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival when it was known as Can A Song Save Your Life?.

From writer-director John Carney (Once), BEGIN AGAIN is a soul-stirring comedy about what happens when lost souls meet and make beautiful music together. Gretta (Keira Knightley) and her long-time boyfriend Dave (Adam Levine) are college sweethearts and songwriting partners who decamp for New York when he lands a deal with a major label. But the trappings of his new-found fame soon tempt Dave to stray, and a reeling, lovelorn Gretta is left on her own. Her world takes a turn for the better when Dan (Mark Ruffalo), a disgraced record-label exec, stumbles upon her performing on an East Village stage and is immediately captivated by her raw talent. From this chance encounter emerges an enchanting portrait of a mutually transformative collaboration, set to the soundtrack of a summer in New York City. The film will be released by The Weinstein Company in July.

Martial Arts Film THE GRANDMASTER is the Big Winner, with 7 Awards, at 8th Asian Film Awards

The 8th Asian Film Awards (AFA) was held last month in Macau, and Mr Wong Kar Wai’s martial arts film, THE GRANDMASTER, which topped the AFA nominees’ list with 11 nominations out of 14 categories, scooped up the awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Production Designer, Best Composer and Best Costume Designer, while Zhang Zi yi was also crowned the Best Actress for her performance in the movie.

Indian actor Irrfan Khan with THE LUNCHBOX won Best Actor, and the film also claimed the Best Screenwriter. The incredible acting skills of HUANG Bo and YEO Yann Yann earned them Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress awards for their roles in NO MAN’S LAND and ILO ILO, while JIANG Shuying from SO YOUNG won for Best Newcomer. The 8th Asian Film Awards Academy conferred the Life-Time Achievement Award on Taiwanese celebrated director Hou Hsiao-hsien for his contribution to the film industry.

The full list of nominees and winners of 8th Asian Film Awards (AFA):

Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD Sets US Release Date

Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD, which had its world premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival, will open in US theaters on July 11, 2014. Written by Linklater, the film stars Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette and Lorelei Linklater.

Independent Film Festival Boston Reveals 2014 Film Lineup; Fest to Open with “Beneath The Harvest Sky” and Close With “Mood Indigo”

Beneath The Harvest Sky

The Independent Film Festival Boston unveiled the film lineup, including the opening and closing night films for this year’s festival taking place April 23 and April 30, 2014.

Mood Indigo

Kicking off the festival this year will be Beneath The Harvest Sky, written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, which tells a teen drama set during the fall potato harvest in a small northern Maine town. Closing the festival will be the French film, Mood Indigo, directed by Michael Gondry, and starring Audrey Tautou, which follows a woman who suffers from an unusual illness caused by a flower growing in her lungs.

Netflix Acquires SXSW Award Winning Documentary “Print The Legend” About 3D Printing

Netflix has acquired the rights to 3D printing film “Print The Legend,” that premiered at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival and won the Special Jury Recognition Award for Editing & Storytelling in the Documentary Feature Competition. The Netflix original documentary goes behind-the-scenes of the top American 3D printing brands as they fight for dominance in the rapidly developing, groundbreaking field of 3D printing. The film will premiere exclusively on Netflix in 2014 and will be available to stream in all territories where Netflix is available.

Doc About Notorious Irish Gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger Acquired by Magnolia for a June Release in US

Academy Award nominated director Joe Berlinger’s “WHITEY: The United States of America V. James J Bulger,” the documentary about the notorious Irish gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, that premiered earlier this year at Sundance Film Festival, has been acquired by Magnolia Pictures for release in the US. Magnolia will be giving the film a day and date theatrical and on demand release this June, followed by a broadcast on CNN later this year.

ART AND CRAFT Doc Set to Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival is Acquired by Oscilloscope for Release in US

ART AND CRAFT, Sam Cullman and Jennifer Grausman Mark Landis at home, showing off recent works in ART AND CRAFT

ART AND CRAFT, Sam Cullman and Jennifer Grausman’s “deft, richly entertaining art caper doc” which will have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival next month has already been snapped up by Oscilloscope Laboratories for release in the US. O-scope is planning a theatrical release in late summer/early fall.

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