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Poster and Trailer for “SUPERIOR” Director Edd Benda’s Feature Debut

Independent Film, VIMOOZ

Here is the poster and trailer for “Superior” the feature film debut from writer/director Edd Benda, and starring Paul Stanko and Thatcher Robinson, world premiering at the 2015 Dances With Films, in Los Angeles, California. During the height of the Vietnam War in 1969, Charlie is on his way to Michigan Tech University, and Derek is counting the days to his inevitable military draft eligibility. Before their futures take hold, the lifelong best friends embark on one final adventure: a 1300 mile bike ride along the shores of the gargantuan Lake Superior. With two-speed Schwinn bicycles and limited preparation, Charlie and Derek pedal through the massive northern backwoods of Michigan, Minnesota, and Canada. Along the way they face hunger, exhaustion, and the kind of people in the world who never wanted to be found. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKqTI68N7CM
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Watch Trailer for HOT GIRLS WANTED Documentary About World Of Amateur Porn

Documentary, VIMOOZ

Netflix has released a trailer for “Hot Girls Wanted”, a documentary produced by Rashida Jones, that offers a first-ever look at the realities of the professional “amateur” porn world, and the steady stream of 18-to-19-year old girls entering into it. “Hot Girls Wanted” premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. “The film was created to not only expose this appalling business but to serve as a warning to teens and parents that good opportunities, particularly online, are never what they seem,” Netflix said in a statement. “Hot Girls Wanted” documentary is now streaming on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTkEIGsNXu4
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See POSTER and Watch TRAILER for A WALK IN THE WOODS starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte

Independent Film, VIMOOZ

“A Walk in the Woods” starring Robert Redford, Nick Nolte and Emma Thompson, which premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, has a new poster and trailer. The film is based on the bestseller by Bill Bryson, played by Redford. A Walk in the Woods is scheduled to open in theaters Labor Day weekend. In this new comedy adventure, celebrated travel writer, Bill Bryson (Academy Award winner Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife (Academy Award winner Emma Thompson), and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail – 2,200 miles of America’s most unspoiled, spectacular and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find, though, is anything but, once he agrees to being accompanied by the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek – his long lost and former friend Katz (Academy Award nominee Nick Nolte), a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer who, after a lifetime of relying on his charm and wits to keep one step ahead of the law – sees the trip as a way to sneak out of paying some debts and sneak into one last adventure before its too late. The trouble is, the two have a completely different definition of the word, “adventure”. Now they’re about to find out that when you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx1AMfC-F2g
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Eight Indie Filmmakers Win Spring 2015 San Francisco Film Society Grants

Filmmaking, VIMOOZ

Eight independent filmmakers are winners in the latest round of Spring 2015 San Francisco Film Society (SFFS) / Kenneth Rainin Foundation (KRF) Filmmaking Grants awards, and will receive funding to help with their next stage of their creative process, from screenwriting to production. The projects will receive a total of $300,000. The Film Society’s flagship SFFS / KRF Filmmaking Grants are awarded twice annually to filmmakers for narrative feature films that will have significant economic or professional impact on the San Francisco Bay Area filmmaking community. The SFFS / KRF program has funded more than 50 projects since its inception, including such success stories as Kat Candler’s Hellion and Ira Sachs’ Love Is Strange, both of which premiered to strong reviews at Sundance 2014; Short Term 12, Destin Cretton’s sophomore feature which won both the Narrative Grand Jury Award and Audience Award at South by Southwest 2013; Ryan Coogler’s debut feature Fruitvale Station, which won the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, the Un Certain Regard Avenir Prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the narrative category at Sundance 2013; and Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin’s debut phenomenon which won Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize and Cannes’ Camera d’Or in 2012 and earned four Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture). SPRING 2015 SFFS / KRF FILMMAKING GRANT WINNERS The Fixer Ian Olds, writer/director; Caroline von Kuhn and Lily Whitsitt, producers — $75,000 for production An Afghan journalist is exiled from his war-torn country to a small bohemian community in Northern California. When he attempts to turn his menial job on the local police blotter into “Afghan-style” coverage of local crime he gets drawn into the backwoods of this small town-a shadow Northern California where sex is casual, true friendship is hard to come by, and an unfamiliar form of violence burbles up all around him. Jones Sally El Hosaini, writer/director — $25,000 for screenwriting When his father abandons him deep in the Guyanese jungle, the rebellious son of a narcissistic church leader discovers a new life of freedom. His utopia is soon shattered when “Dad” arrives with hundreds of followers. Driven by the universal need for a father’s love he becomes complicit in the depravity he previously rejected. Based on Stephan Jones’s true-life story. Mustang Laure de Clermont Tonnerre, writer/director — $25,000 for screenwriting Roman Coleman is halfway through serving an 11-year sentence for attempted murder when he is offered the chance to participate in an ongoing rehabilitation therapy program involving the training of recently captured wild mustangs. Through his struggle to communicate with the animals, trainers, and other inmates he is forced to face his past and must learn confront his inner demons. Oscillate Wildly Travis Mathews, writer/director; Andrew Carlberg, Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams, producers — $75,000 for production When a first love challenges his guarded sense of what’s possible, a hot-headed young gay man with mild cerebral palsy is forced to confront the disability he’s let consume and define him. travisdmathews.com Reza and the Refugees Aaron Douglas Johnston, writer/director; Charlotte Scott-Wilson, Trent Scott-Wilson and Laura Wagner, producers — $25,000 for screenwriting A ragtag team of Middle Eastern political refugees in Holland enters the Eurovision song contest in an effort to save their friend from deportation and certain death. Sorry To Bother You Boots Riley, writer/director; Jonathan Duffy, George Rush and Kelly Williams, producers — $25,000 for screenwriting A Black telemarketer discovers a magical way to make his voice overdubbed by a White actor, propelling him into the upper echelon of a macabre universe where he is selected to lead a species of genetically manipulated horse-people, called the Equisapiens. thisisthecoup.com Staring at the Sun Ryan Piers Williams, writer/director; Jason Michael Berman, America Ferrera and Caroline Kaplan, producers — $25,000 for screenwriting After a massive solar event knocks out the world’s technological infrastructure, healthcare becomes a vital commodity. An elite group of United Nations aid workers given access to the best healthcare are tasked to isolate the sick from the healthy and privileged. When a young aid worker finds himself in a forbidden love, he must choose between a life of solitude or an uncertain fate with the woman he loves. What Waits For Them In Darkness Stephen Dunn, writer/director — $25,000 for screenwriting 11-year-old Skipper gets separated from her family during the Newfoundland resettlement and stranded alone in her floating house on the high seas of the Atlantic where reality mixes with the rich folklore of Newfoundland for a dark fantasy adventure.
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Shorts Lineup + Bobcat Goldthwait, Jennifer Coolidge Among Guests at 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival

Provincetown International Film Festival, VIMOOZ

Writer/director, Bobcat Goldthwait and actress Jennifer Coolidge are among the honorees and distinguished guests for the 17th edition of the Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) running June 17 to 21 in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait (CALL ME LUCKY) will be named the 2015 “Filmmaker on the Edge” in conversation with resident artist John Waters at Provincetown’s historic Town Hall on Saturday, June 20. Actress Jennifer Coolidge (BEST IN SHOW) will receive the Faith Hubley Career Achievement Award that same evening, in conversation with film critic B. Ruby Rich. “This year’s honorees underscore the importance of comedy to independent film – not only surprising and delighting us, but boldly and subversively pushing boundaries. Both Bobcat and Jennifer are masters of their craft,” said Andrew Peterson, PIFF’s Director of Programming. Additionally, Noah Baumbach’s MISTRESS AMERICA (pictured above), starring Greta Gerwig, has been added to the list of features previously announced. The festival will also host a double billing of Steven Spielberg’s JAWS and Noel Marshall’s ROAR at the Wellfleet Drive-In on Wednesday, June 17. John Waters will present a special screening of KILLER JOE, directed by William Friedkin, on Sunday, June 21. Notable guests of this year’s festival include: Alison Bagnall (director, FUNNY BUNNY); Bao Nguyen (director, LIVE FROM NEW YORK!); Barry Crimmins (subject, CALL ME LUCKY); Brendan Toller (director, DANNY SAYS); Christine Vachon (producer, NASTY BABY); David Thorpe (director, DO I SOUND GAY?); Gabrielle Demeestere (director, YOSEMITE); Hernando Bansuelo (director, THE DADDY); James Ponsoldt (director, THE END OF THE TOUR); Jeff Kaufman (director, THE STATE OF MARRIAGE); Jeffrey Schwarz (director, TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL); Joe Murphy (editor, YOSEMITE); Joey Kuhn (director, THOSE PEOPLE); Josh Watson (producer, THE DADDY); Larry Kramer (LGBT activist and subject, LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE AND ANGER); Laura Heberton (producer, FUNNY BUNNY); Laurie Kahn-Leavitt (director, LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS); Malcolm Ingram (director, OUT TO WIN); Marcia Ross (producer, THE STATE OF MARRIAGE); Michelle Boyaner (director, PACKED IN A TRUNK: THE LOST ART OF EDITH LAKE WILKINSON); Ron Davis (director HARRY & SNOWMAN); Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (directors, TEN THOUSAND SAINTS). The 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival also announced its complete list of short programs and films: ACTRESSES – directed by Jeremy Hersh AWESOME_FCK – directed by Isaak James BARRIO BOY – directed by Dennis Shinners CHRISTINE – directed by Mounia Akl CLOWN SERVICE – directed by Tig Notaro COMING FULL CIRCLE – directed by Kim Yaged CRUISING ELECTRIC (1980) – directed by Brumby Boylston THE DADDY – directed by Hernando Bansuelo DINNER WITH FAMILY WITH BRETT GELMAN AND BRETT GELMAN’S FAMILY – directed by Jason Woliner ELGIN PARK– directed by Danny Yourd THE FACE OF UKRAINE: CASTING OKSANA BAIUL – directed by Kitty Green FOLLOWERS – directed by Tim Marshall IN THE HOLLOW – directed by Austin Lee Bunn THE LITTLE DEPUTY – directed by Trevor Anderson METUBE: AUGUST SINGS CARMEN ‘HABANERA’ – directed by Daniel Moshel MYRNA THE MONSTER – directed by Ian Samuels NOTES FROM THERE – directed by Ann Prim ONE YEAR LEASE – directed by Brian S. Bolster OPEN 24 HOURS – directed by Henry Chaisson PALM ROT – directed by Ryan Gillis PAPA MACHETE – directed by Jonathan David Kane PAULINE ALONE – directed by Janicza Bravo POP-UP PORNO: M4M – directed by Stephen Dunn SAN CHRISTOBAL – directed by Omar Zúñiga Hidalgo SHARE – directed by Pippa Bianco SMILF – directed by Frankie Shaw THE SUN LIKE A BIG DARK ANIMAL – directed by Christina Felisgrau & Ronnie Rivera SYMPHONY No. 42 – directed by Réka Bucsi THE TIDE KEEPER – directed by Alyx Duncan WEATHERING – directed by Max Weinman
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FREE Screenings, Coffee Talks Panels Lineup for 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival

Los Angeles Film Festival, VIMOOZ

The 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival revealed the lineup of Free Community Screenings to take place during the 21st edition of the Festival including the 15th anniversary screening of Love & Basketball (pictured above), The LXD: The Uprising Begins and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The Festival’s Social Impact Free Screenings include American DREAMers, Bridging the Divide: Tom Bradley and The Politics of Race and HBO’s Requiem for the Dead: American Spring 2014. The Festival also announced the annual Coffee Talks Panels featuring actors Kathryn Hahn (We’re The Millers, Afternoon Delight), David Koechner (Cheap Thrills, Anchorman), Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World, The Help) and Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave, Passion Fish) and more. The Festival will also host a special panel on the UN about filmmaking and a special Members only screening of Fan Girl, starring Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka. “The LA Film Fest is about bringing the community together through our partnership with the UN, free screenings of favorite anniversary titles, social impact premieres, a Members-only screening of a fantastic new film, Fan Girl and our signature event populated by A-list talent, Coffee Talks.” – Stephanie Allain, Director of the Los Angeles Film Festival. 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival Free Screenings Love & Basketball, dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood Gina Prince Bythewood’s ode to romance on the court – and the competitive efforts to keep romance alive off the hardwood – stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps as friends whose lifelong relationship tracks their obsession with basketball as it blooms into something deeper, and not without pitfalls. This 15th anniversary screening will reunite Prince-Bythewood with her cast including Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall, Kyla Pratt, Glenndon Chatman, Gabrielle Union, Dennis Haysbert Debi Morgan and Alfre Woodard. The event takes place on Saturday, June 13, 8pm at FIGat7th. The LXD: The Uprising Begins, dir. Jon M. Chu, Ryan Landels, Charles Oliver, Scott Speer. Jon M. Chu will be in attendance to present The LXD: The Legion Of Extraordinary Dancers, a groundbreaking cinematic dance adventure. Join seemingly ordinary people who discover they have extraordinary powers in a mythology about hope, greed, love and the force that moves us all. The event takes place Friday, June 12, 8:00 pm at FIGat7th. Who Framed Roger Rabbit, dir. Robert Zemeckis. In 1988, Director Bob Zemeckis pulled off something no one dreamed possible: he packed a period detective yarn about the changing landscape of Los Angeles with a energetic, slapstick story about where reality begins and ends. This event is family friendly and will take place at, and in partnership with, Union Station on Friday, June 12 @ 8:00 pm. Festival family programming is supported by Lisa Argyros / Argyros Family Foundation. Social Impact Free Screenings American DREAMers, dir. Jenniffer Castillo and Saray Deiseil, USA, World Premiere. Six youth walk 3,000 miles across America’s heartland, from San Francisco to Washington D.C., risking their freedom by publically exposing their own undocumented status to fight for the DREAM Act and immigrant rights. Partial development support provided by the Incubator Lab, a post-graduate program funded by the Elbridge and Debra Stuart Family Foundation and sponsored by Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. This event takes place on Tuesday, June 16, 8:00 pm at La Plaza de Cultura Y Artes. Bridging the Divide: Tom Bradley and The Politics of Race, dir. Lyn Goldfarb, USA, World Premiere. Thirty-five years before Barack Obama rose to victory to become America’s first African-American President, a young Angeleno named Tom Bradley bridged the racial divide to become the first black mayor elected in a city with an overwhelmingly white majority. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on police and citizen relations moderated by Patt Morrisson of the LA Times and will feature director Lyn Goldfarb, producer Alison Sotomayor and actor Andre Royo (The Wire). This event takes place on Sunday, June 14, 1:30 pm at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live. Requiem for the Dead: American Spring 2014, dir. Shari Cookson and Nick Doob, USA, World Premiere. Through found footage from social media, 911 calls and police file material, HBO’s Requiem for the Dead puts a human face on some of the estimated 8,000 individuals who died by gun violence in America from March to June 2014. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on gun safety. This event takes place Wednesday, June 17, 5:30 pm at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live. On Saturday, June 13 the Los Angeles Film Festival will hold its annual Coffee Talks. The Festival’s popular series returns with four sessions featuring some of today’s most interesting film figures discussing their craft with their peers in fun and freewheeling conversations including director: Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World, Safety Not Guaranteed), actors Kathryn Hahn (We’re The Millers, Afternoon Delight),David Koechner (Cheap Thrills, Anchorman), Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World, The Help) and Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave, Passion Fish), writersDavid S. Goyer (Man of Steel, The Dark Knight), Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) and Melisa Wallack (Dallas Buyers Club, Mirror, Mirror). The Directors panel is Sponsored by Directors Guild of America, the Actors panel is Sponsored by SAGIndie, the Composers panel is Sponsored by BMI and the Screenwriters panel is Sponsored by Writers Guild of America, West. Free UN Panel UN(earthing) Stories: Behind the Scenes on the World Stage Join us for a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes with filmmakers, narrative as well as documentary, who have found inspiration in real human stories and the experts from the UN who have helped unearth them. Sponsored by Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. In partnership with the United Nations and the United Nations Creative Community Outreach Initiative. Film Independent Members-only Screening Fan Girl, dir. Paul Jarrett, USA, LA Premiere Ironic cool teen Telulah has two obsessions: music and filmmaking. She hatches a plan to film a concert by her music idols All Time Low and bring her passions together. Starring Kiernan Shipka and Meg Ryan.
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“Sleeping with Other People” to Open “I Am Michael” to Close Lineup for 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival

Provincetown International Film Festival, VIMOOZ

The 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) running June 17 to 21, 2015, in Provincetown, Massachusetts will open with Leslye Headland’s SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE (pictured above), and close with I AM MICHAEL, directed by Justin Kelly. Spotlight Films are James Ponsoldt’s THE END OF THE TOUR, Paul Weitz’s GRANDMA and Jeffrey Schwartz’s TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL. The Festival also unveiled its lineup of narrative and documentary features for its 17th edition. “The independent filmmaking community continues to produce remarkably high quality work, here and abroad, and our feature lineup is a testament to that!” said Connie White, Artistic Director of PIFF. “We are thrilled to welcome these new films and filmmakers to Provincetown in June, and we know that filmgoers will be engaged and entertained by these adventurous, thought-provoking and accomplished films.” The complete lineup of feature films is below. OPENING NIGHT SELECTION SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE – directed by Leslye Headland CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION I AM MICHAEL – directed by Justin Kelly SPOTLIGHT SELECTIONS THE END OF THE TOUR – directed by James Ponsoldt GRANDMA – directed by Paul Weitz TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL – directed by Jeffrey Schwartz NARRATIVE FEATURES 99 HOMES – directed by Ramin Bahrani BEATBOX – directed by Andrew Dresher BREATHE – directed by Mélanie Laurent FRESNO – directed by Jamie Babbit FUNNY BUNNY – directed by Alison Bagnall LEARNING TO DRIVE – directed by Isabel Coixet A LITTLE CHAOS – directed by Alan Rickman MEET ME IN MONTENEGRO – directed by Alex Holdridge and Linnea Saasen NASTY BABY – directed by Sebastián Silva THE NEW GIRLFRIEND – directed by François Ozon PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS – directed by James C. Strouse RADIATOR – directed by Tom Browne THE SECOND MOTHER – directed by Anna Muylaert SHAUN THE SHEEP – directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzak THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT – directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE – directed by Alanté Kavaïté TANGERINE – directed by Sean Baker TEN THOUSAND SAINTS – directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini THOSE PEOPLE – directed by Joey Kuhn TIRED MOONLIGHT – directed by Britni West WILDLIKE – directed by Frank Hall Green YOSEMITE – directed by Gabrielle Demeestere DOCUMENTARY FEATURES ALENTEJO, ALENTEJO – directed by Sérgio Tréfaut THE ARMOR OF LIGHT – directed by Abigail E. Disney BEST OF ENEMIES – directed by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville THE BIRTH OF SAKÉ – directed by Erik Shirai CALL ME LUCKY – directed by Bobcat Goldthwait CITY OF GOLD – directed by Laura Gabbert CLAMBAKE – directed by Andrea Meyerson DANNY SAYS – directed by Brendan Toller DO I SOUND GAY? – directed by David Thorpe HARRY & SNOWMAN – directed by Ron Davis IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE – directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE AND ANGER – directed by Jean Carlomusto LISTEN TO ME MARLON – directed by Stevan Riley LIVE FROM NEW YORK! – directed by Bao Nguyen LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS – directed by Laurie Kahn-Leavitt OUT TO WIN – directed by Malcolm Ingram OUTERMOST RADIO – directed by Alan Chebot PACKED IN A TRUNK: THE LOST ART OF EDITH LAKE WILKINSON – directed by Michelle Boyaner PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT – directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland THE STATE OF MARRIAGE – directed by Jeffrey Kaufman THE WOLFPACK – directed by Crystal Moselle
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2015 Brooklyn Film Festival Reveals Lineup, and World Premiere of Ryan Carmichael’s But Not For Me

Brooklyn Film Festival, VIMOOZ

The 18th edition of the Brooklyn Film Festival film lineup will comprise of 108 features and shorts from 26 countries spread over 5 continents and of these, 17 are world premieres and 30 US premieres, with Ryan Carmichael’s But Not For Me as the lone narrative feature world premiere. This New York City film stars Marcus Carl Franklin, Elena Urioste, Maria Vermeulen and Roger Guenveur Smith.

In addition to But Not For Me, BFF films with a NYC connection include Matthew Yeager’s US premiere Valedictorian, starring Brian Dell, Jennifer Prediger and Eleonore Hendricks; Onur Turkel’s Abby Singer/Songwriter , also starring Prediger, along with Turkel and Josephine Decker, Harvey Mitkas’ Devil Town, starring Lindsay Burdge, Alex Karpovsky, Lawrence Michael Levine, Jennifer Prediger (no, we’re not kidding), Sophia Takal, Brooke Bloom, Noah Gershman, Jen Kim, Alex Ross Perry and Caveh Zahedi; Alison Bagnall’s Funny Bunny, starring Kentucker Audley, Joslyn Jensen, Olly Alexander, Louis Cancelmi, Josephine Decker, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Grace Gonglewski, Caridad de la Luz and Nicholas Webber; Frank Hall Green’s Wildlike, starring Ella Purnell, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Teddy Kyle Smith, Nolan Gerard Funk, Ann Dowd, Diane Farr, Joshua Leonard, and Jack & Robert Schurman’s documentary Wild Home.

Special events during the fest include the 11th annual KidsFilmFest 2015 on Saturday, May 30th at the Made in NY Media Center by IFP; the Filmmakers Party on June 3rd at Billet & Bellows; the BFF Exchange series of panels and a pitch session on June 6th; “The Illuminate Party,” also on June 6th, and the June 7th Awards Ceremony.

Main BFF venues are the Wythe Hotel and Windmill Studios in Greenpoint. Satellite locations include Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, Made in New York Media Center By IFP in Dumbo, and BRIC House in Fort Greene.

The complete Feature lineup for the 2015 Brooklyn Film Festival is as follows. Winners of the various festival awards as chosen by the fest juries and Board of Directors receive a total of $50,000 in prizes and film services from festival sponsors Panavision NY, Abelcine, Xeno Lights, Media Services, Film Friends, Mik Cribben Steady-Cam, Cinecall Soundtracks and Windmill Studios.

Opening Night

Manson Family Vacation Director: J. Davis – Two brothers (Jay Duplass and Linas Phillips) reunite when the more free-spirited brother shows up at the other’s door with nothing but a backpack. Together, they get to know each other again while touring the sites of Charles Manson’s exploits and exploring Manson’s contemporary life. EAST COAST PREMIERE

Narrative Features

Abby Singer/Songwriter Director: Onur Tukel – Divorced stockbroker Jamie Block was once an indie-rock star. Going through a life crisis, he teams up with a filmmaker to make a series of music videos in this trippy, funny film. EAST COAST PREMIERE

But Not for Me Director: Ryan Carmichael – Will is a young writer working at an ad agency as a copywriter. Like many others his age, he is hiding his true passion for philosophy and music and holding back his true thoughts, until a relationship with a young woman inspires him. WORLD PREMIERE

Devil Town Director: Harvey Mitkas – A young woman enlists a shady detective to help her find her missing sister in this neo-noir with a cast of indie film favorites.

Eadweard Director: Kyle Rideout – A psychological biopic that explores the mind of Eadweard Muybridge, the godfather of cinema, who was also the last American to receive a justifiable homicide verdict after killing his wife’s lover. EAST COAST PREMIERE

Funny Bunny Director: Alison Bagnall – A young canvasser and a loner teenager who is estranged from his parents go on a journey to meet Ginger, the animal activist with whom the teen has developed an online relationship. EAST COAST PREMIERE

God Bless the Child Directors: Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck – In this beautifully realized observational narrative, Harper, the oldest of five siblings, must take care of her siblings. EAST COAST PREMIERE

Inferno Director: Vinko Moderndorfer – In this Slovenian realist drama, young working class family must deal with the struggles of unemployment while the global economy crumbles and local labor rebels. EAST COAST PREMIERE

Sweaty Betty Directors: Joe Frank and Zachary Reed – Two stories come out of the row houses on the border of Washington, D.C. — a pig, Ms. Charlotte, is carted around, vying for a chance to be a team mascot for the Washington Redskins; and two teenage best friends come into ownership of a dog that they attempt to sell. EAST COAST PREMIERE

Valedictorian Director: Matthew Yeager – Ben feels less and less in touch with his life in New York City, and over a year, he must confront the connections — or lack thereof — he feels with those he considers close. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Wildlike Director: Frank Hall Green – When teenage Mackenzie is sent to live with her uncle in Juneau, Alaska, she knows it’s not right for her. Shortly after arriving, she embarks on a journey headed south to find her mother.

Documentary Features

20 Years of Madness Director: Jeremy Royce – The founder of a mid-90’s Public Access TV show in Detroit reunites the cast twenty years later to make a new episode and discovers that his friends and former collaborators are struggling with the hard realities of adulthood.

Chameleon Director: Ryan Mullins – The elusive undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas is one of Ghana’s most popular figures. Though the charismatic investigator has named and shamed various high profile malfeasants, his identity remains hidden. U.S. PREMIERE

Deep Web Director: Alex Winter – Thirty-year-old entrepreneur Ross William Ulbricht has been convicted for operating the online black market Silk Road. This comprehensive documentary tracks the history of the site and the vigorously pursued case against Ulbricht.

Frame by Frame Directors: Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli – Photography was outlawed in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan; however, with the fall of the Taliban, photographers have been key documenters of the changing nation.

Help Us Find Sunil Tripathi Director: Neal Broffman – Four weeks after disappearing from his apartment as a student at Brown University, Sunil Tripathi was accused of being Suspect #2 in the Boston Marathon bombings. The false accusations disrupted his family, steadfastly working with his friends to find him.

I Am Thor Director: Ryan Wise – Jon Mikl Thor was a bodybuilder, steel gender, and rock star in the 70’s and 80’s who led the theatrical band THOR. Today, he seeks to reclaim his mantle as a high-energy rock star. EAST COAST PREMIERE

Paradiso Director: Omar A. Razzak – Projectionist Rafael works hard to tidy up and maintain Madrid’s last remaining adult movie theater, Duque de Alba. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

Placebo Director: Abhay Kumar – One of the most competitive medical schools, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has an acceptance rate of less than 0.1%. The high academic standards leave a harsh toll on the students. U.S. PREMIERE

We Were Rebels Directors: Katharina von Schroeder and Florian Schewe – Agel took up arms when he was ten to participate in the fight for an independent South Sudan. After leaving the conflict, Agel has returned to an independent South Sudan, where he is the captain of the national basketball team and worries over the young nation’s fragile democracy.

Wild Home Directors: Jack Schurman and Robert Schurman – Deep in the woods of Maine, Bob Miner, a Vietnam Veteran rehabilitates abused and abandoned animals. He and his wife have built a kingdom for lions, tigers, hyenas, kangaroos, black bears, and over 200 other species of animals that attracts a diverse set of visitors.
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2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival Unveils Program Lineup

Edinburgh International Film Festival, VIMOOZ

The 69th edition of Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) which runs from June 17 to 28, unveiled its program lineup, which showcases 164 features from 36 countries, including 24 World Premieres, 8 International Premieres, 16 European Premieres, 84 UK Premieres and 2 Scottish Premieres. The 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival boasts 134 new features, with highlights including the UK premiere of Asif Kapadia’s striking documentary AMY, about the life of music legend Amy Winehouse; the latest Disney-Pixar animated sensation INSIDE OUT, screening as the Festival’s Family Gala; Arnold Schwarzenegger as a tormented father tending his zombie daughter in MAGGIE; Andrew Mogel & Jarrad Paul’s THE D-TRAIN, starring Jack Black and James Marsden; while John Cusack and Paul Dano play different aged versions of Beach Boys legend Brian Walker in masterful music film LOVE & MERCY. This year’s EIFF will also be presenting a series of In-Person events, which will see names from the world of film interviewed live on stage at the Festival, including local hero Ewan McGregor, who will attend with his new film LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT (pictured above); Jane Seymour and Malcolm McDowell, both in Edinburgh for their starring roles in BEREAVE; cult Hong-Kong director Johnnie To, with his accompanying feature EXILED (supported by Create Hong Kong and Hong Kong Film Development Fund; and Brand Hong Kong and Hong Kong Economic Trade Office), and EIFF Honorary Patron Seamus McGarvey who returns with his cinematography ‘In Conversation’ series with two-time Academy Award® winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler. British films in competition for the Michael Powell Award (for Best British Feature Film and Best Performance in a British Feature Film) include 10 World Premieres and 3 UK Premieres. Among the contenders are Andrew Haigh’s beautiful portrait of a fractured relationship, 45 YEARS, with award-winning performances from Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay; relationship comedy BLACK MOUNTAIN POETS from Jamie Adams which was shot in just five days on the Black Mountains of Wales; Joseph Bull and Luke Seomore’s BLOOD CELLS about a farmer’s son and his nomadic lifestyle which he is forced to leave behind; the World Premiere of clever and complex sci-fi thriller BRAND NEW-U from acclaimed documentary-maker Simon Pummell; Jake Gavin’s HECTOR starring Peter Mullan as an affable homeless man; Martin Radich’s NORFOLK, a haunting and atmospheric film starring Denis Ménochet; Steven Nesbit’s Romeo and Juliet style drama NORTH v SOUTH starring Greta Scacchi, Steven Berkoff and Bernard Hill; BAFTA-Scotland award-winner Colin Kennedy’s directorial debut feature SWUNG; Jane Linfoot’s powerful psychological drama THE INCIDENT, which also receives its World Premiere, starring Ruta Gedmintas and Tom Hughes as a young couple whose comfortable life is disrupted when a troubled teenage girls enters their life and Ludwig and Paul Shammasian’s THE PYRAMID TEXTS starring James Cosmo, plus author Helen Walsh’s debut as writer/director, THE VIOLATORS, which follows two young girls from radically different backgrounds who meet and set off on a course which has profound implications. THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMSON, EIFF Honorary Patron Robert Carlyle’s directorial debut and the Festival’s Opening Gala, and IONA, Scott Graham’s striking family drama and the Closing Night Gala are also in contention for the Michael Powell Award. The International Feature Film Competition highlights filmmaking from around the world that is imaginative, innovative and deserving of wider recognition. This selection includes World Premiere LEN AND COMPANY from Tim Godsall; Rick Famuyiwa’s coming of age tale for the post hip-hop generation DOPE; Oliver Hirschbiegel’s tense World War II drama 13 MINUTES; I STAY WITH YOU by Artemio Narro, provocatively addressing the notions of power and control; and Niki Karimi’s enthralling drama NIGHT SHIFT. The UK Premiere of Marielle Heller’s THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL stars rising star Bel Powley, Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård; Doze Niu Chen-Zer’s PARADISE IN SERVICE, a non-judgemental portrait of life in a military-run Taiwanese brothel; YOU’RE UGLY TOO, from Irish director Mark Noonan; Ole Giæver and Marte Vold’s OUT OF NATURE, set in the great Norwegian outdoors; 600 MILES, a moody crime thriller from Mexican director Gabriel Ripstein starring Tim Roth; THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT from former EIFF Award Winner Kyle Patrick Alvarez, examining a psychology professor’s experiment gone wrong, and MANSON FAMILY VACATION, a boldly original look at family relationships from J Davis, round out the International Feature Film Competition. This year’s Festival hosts the Award for Best Documentary Feature Film, as well as introducing ‘Doc of the Day’, with each featured film supported by an associated event. Documentaries from around the globe include PROPHET’S PREY from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg, looking at the megalomaniacal leader of a fundamentalist church; Tiller Russell’s gripping PRECINCT SEVEN FIVE examining police corruption out of control; Marah Strauch’s vertiginous tribute to founding father of BASE jumping Carl Boenish SUNSHINE SUPERMAN; Ross Sutherland’s STAND BY FOR TAPE BACK-UP, based on his live Edinburgh Fringe show in 2014; and the World Premiere of WHEN ELEPHANTS FIGHT, an eye-opening spotlight on Britain’s ties to the illicit trade in Congolese conflict minerals, directed by Michael Ramsdell. Included in the line-up are Crystal Moselle’s Sundance sensation THE WOLFPACK, documenting an extraordinary family of film lovers who rarely leave their Manhattan home; ABOVE AND BELOW, a dazzling portrait of existence lived on the fringes of American society, directed by Nicolas Steiner; Ilinca Calugareanu’s CHUCK NORRIS vs COMMUNISM, which charts an opportunistic hustler creating a videotheque resistance in the face of 1980s Romanian communism; Damon Gameau’s devastating look at our everyday inadvertent sugar intake in THAT SUGAR FILM; and DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON by Douglas Tirola. Rounding out the Documentaries, including those announced previously, are David Nicholas Wilkinson’s enthralling journey into the origins of cinema THE FIRST FILM; a delve into the delights of sherry in José Luis López-Linares’ SHERRY & THE MYSTERY OF PALO CORTADO; Paul Goodwin’s entertaining look at the British sci-fi comic institution FUTURE SHOCK! THE STORY OF 2000AD; a love song to the rip-off Turkish pop cinema of the 60’s and 70’s REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF directed by Cem Kaya; an insight into the Bedouin traditions of camel pageants and auctions, with one woman breaking taboos in NEARBY SKY by Nujoom Alghanem; THE IRON MINISTRY’s engrossing portrait of China’s railways by JP Sniadecki; Kevin Pollack’s ode what makes comedians tick in MISERY LOVES COMEDY, and the topical and enthralling THE NEWSROOM – OFF THE RECORD directed by Mikala Krogh. Also screening in the Documentary strand are Asif Kapadia’s critically acclaimed AMY and Grant McPhee’s BIG GOLD DREAM: SCOTTISH POST-PUNK AND INFILTRATING THE MAINSTREAM. EIFF will also host the World Premiere of the English-language version of UNDER MILK WOOD from Kevin Allen, a beautiful film adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ iconic classic starring Rhys Ifans and Charlotte Church and a contender for EIFF’s Audience Award. Other Audience Award nominees include Jon Watts’ thrilling COP CAR starring Kevin Bacon who plays a sheriff with plenty to hide and Patrick Brice’s smart and funny sex comedy THE OVERNIGHT starring Jason Schwartzman and Taylor Schilling; DESERT DANCER starring Reece Ritchie and Freida Pinto in the truly inspirational story of choreographer Afshin Ghaffarian; the World Premiere of actress Talulah Riley’s debut as writer/director, SCOTTISH MUSSEL; David Blair’s supernatural thriller THE MESSENGER and Isabel Coixet’s LEARNING TO DRIVE starring Patricia Clarkson and Sir Ben Kingsley. Also nominated for The Audience Award are THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, AMY, BIG GOLD DREAM: SCOTTISH POST-PUNK AND INFILTRATING THE MAINSTREAM, YOU’RE UGLY TOO and THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT. The American Dreams strand looks at the very best new works from American independent cinema and showcases an exciting and varied group of films. Highlights include Gina Prince-Bythewood’s enthralling musical melodrama BEYOND THE LIGHTS starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Minnie Driver and Danny Glover and the UK Premiere of FRANNY starring Dakota Fanning, Theo James and featuring a powerhouse performance from Richard Gere as a billionaire philanthropist. European Premieres include WELCOME TO ME starring Kristen Wiig who delivers a hilarious and outstanding performance as Alice Klieg, a woman with borderline personality disorder, and Jamie Babbit’s dark comedy about the life of a sex addict in FRESNO. Additional films include Alex Holdridge and Linnea Saasen’s comedy-romance MEET ME IN MONTENEGRO in which they also star alongside Rupert Friend; road trip drama THE ROAD WITHIN starring Robert Sheehan, Dev Patel and Zoe Kravitz and Leslye Headland’s hilarious SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE with Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie and Adam Scott, all of which receive their UK Premieres at the Festival. A selection of new works from some of the world’s finest and established directors, Directors’ Showcase includes David Gordon Green’s tale of loneliness and longing, MANGLEHORN, with Al Pacino and Holly Hunter; Amy Berg’s gritty crime story EVERY SECRET THING starring Diane Lane and Elizabeth Banks; Peter Bogdanovich’s old fashioned sex comedy SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY, plus Masaharu Take’s award-winning story of a young Japanese woman who morphs in to a boxer in 100 YEN LOVE and Nobuhiro Yamashita’s quirky offbeat romantic comedy LA LA LA AT ROCK BOTTOM. Night Moves, a journey into the dark, thrilling and chilling side of cinema is guaranteed to delight horror fans with a selection of edge-of-your-seat cinematic gems. Feature films include multi-award winning director Bruce McDonald’s horrifying tale of evil trick-or-treaters, HELLIONS; Corin Hardy’s brilliantly terrifying debut feature THE HALLOW which screens in partnership with Scotland’s award-winning Horror festival, Dead by Dawn; Hungarian director Károly Ujj Meszáros’ fantasy film LIZA, THE FOX-FAIRY, and the World Premiere of British director Justin Trefgarne’s NARCOPOLIS starring Elliot Cowan as a troubled cop. All late night screenings will take place at EIFF HQ in Filmhouse where audiences can mingle with Festival guests, and enjoy late night food, and specially themed events until 3am every evening of the Festival. The Young and The Wild strand is brought to the Festival by EIFF’s intrepid Young Programmers, aged 15-19, who have selected the finest international shorts and features exploring the lives and issues of young people from around the world. Films include THE SISTERHOOD OF NIGHT, a compelling twist on teen fantasy as one girl’s lie leads to a small American town becoming the scene of a modern-day Salem Witch Trial, and inspiring documentary PIRATES OF SALÉ which follows four young performers in Morocco as they join the country’s first professional circus, plus a selection of Shorts. The FilmFest Junior strand is chosen for young audiences and includes exciting family film PAPER PLANES about a boy who wants to enter the world of junior paper planes championship and LABYRINTHUS, one for the gaming enthusiasts, which tells the story of a boy’s friends who are trapped inside a computer game. The New Perspectives strand offers exciting and challenging new works from talented and emerging filmmakers, including the International Premieres of INDEX ZERO by Italian filmmaker Lorenzo Sportiello, about a couple struggling to stay together in a futuristic Europe, and Emily Ting’s IT’S ALREADY TOMORROW IN HONG KONG, a Before Sunset-style romance set on the streets of Hong Kong. UK Premieres include touching and atmospheric romance SAND DOLLARS by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas; MELBOURNE, a gripping domestic drama set within a Tehran apartment by Nima Javidi, and Olympic boxing drama KOZA from Ivan Ostrochovský. FOCUS ON MEXICO, in partnership with the Year of Mexico in the UK, showcases some of the very best in Mexican cinema including new feature films, classics and a short film programme, with a total of 13 feature films screening at the Festival. These include the European Premiere of Gabriela Dominguez Ruvalcaba’s fascinating documentary THE DANCE OF THE MEMORY; a sexually-charged, grown up study of infidelity, discontent and regeneration in Ernesto Contreras’ THE OBSCURE SPRING; and THE BEGINNING OF TIME by Bernardo Arellano which looks at aging and survival during economic and social unrest in Mexico. A selection of Classic Mexican films will also screen as part of the Focus, including Roberto Gavaldón’s supernatural drama MACARIO, the first Mexican film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Carlos Enrique Taboada’s POISON FOR THE FAIRIES, an unusual gothic tale of witchcraft, told from a child’s point of view. As well as the usual focus on British shorts, the Animation strand features new and exciting work, plus some rarely-seen retrospective gems from across the world. This year’s program features not just one, but two Masters of Animation; previously announced Barry Purves, and cult favorite Ralph Bakshi, who will appear via Skype after a screening of FRITZ THE CAT and will also present an exclusive work-in-progress preview of his new short LAST DAYS OF CONEY ISLAND. Now it its 26th Year, The McLaren Award for Best New British Animation continues to charm audiences with two programs of the best new short animations from the UK. Other highlights include Ralph Bakshi’s classic and ambitious translation of JRR Tolkien’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS and his post-apocalyptic feature WIZARDS. There will also be an opportunity to explore the very best in international animation from around the world in INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION: PANORAMA. BLACK BOX returns with another round of thought-provoking and experimental films, plus the return for a third year of BLACK BOX LIVE that sees James Holcombe’s film, TYBURNIA accompanied by a live performance at the Traverse Theatre by Dead Rat Orchestra. Amongst the highlights are the World Premiere of Telemach’s Wiesinger KALEIDOSCOPE where he returns to Edinburgh for another idiosyncratic, feature-length film poem; a selection of shorts screenings in BLACK BOX SHORTS 1/2/3/4 and the UK Premiere of Félix Dufour-Laperrriè’s TRANSATLANTIC, an observational documentary essay about life on a cargo ship. The 69th Edinburgh International Film Festival opens with the World Premiere of Robert Carlyle’s Glasgow-set THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMSON starring Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson and Ray Winstone, and the Closing Gala is the World Premiere of Scott Graham’s IONA starring Ruth Negga (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D), Douglas Henshall (Shetland), Tom Brooke (The Boat That Rocked), Michelle Duncan (Atonement), Ben Gallagher and Sorcha Groundsell.
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WATCH the new NSFW DOPE Red Band Trailer

Independent Film, VIMOOZ

Check out the new NSFW DOPE red band trailer, the hit movie out of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, that opens in theaters on June 19, 2015. Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, Produced by Forest Whitaker, Executive Produced by Pharrell Williams and Co-Executive Produced by Sean Combs, DOPE tells the story of Malcolm played by Shameik Moore, who is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. DOPE also stars Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoe Kravitz, A$AP Rocky , Chanel Iman and Quincy Brown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUBpnslcHVA
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3 Film Premieres, Music in Film Nights Featuring Pras Michel and More Added to 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival

Los Angeles Film Festival, VIMOOZ

The 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival announced several additions to the 2015 Festival program, including Premiere section titles, Pras Michel and BT as part of the Music in Film Nights at the GRAMMY Museum, Tributes to Jonathan Demme and Rodrigo García, a Master Class with music video director Mathew Cullen, Diversity Speaks panels, the Los Angeles Times Young Hollywood Roundtable, and the Steed Symposium on cyber security. Three more titles were added to the Premieres section which features World Premieres of compelling new works from notable talent. Premieres (3) Consumed, dir. Daryl Wein, USA, World Premiere Consumed – USA (DIRECTOR Daryl Wein WRITERS Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones PRODUCERS Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones CAST Zoe Lister-Jones, Danny Glover,Victor Garber, Taylor Kinney, Anthony Edwards, Griffin Dunne, Kunal Nayyar, Beth Grant) Set in the complex world of genetically modified food, this dramatic thriller intertwines the stories of an organic farmer and a biotechnology CEO with the quest of a single mother working to uncover the cause of her son’s mysterious illness. World Premiere Frank and Cindy, dir. G.J. Echternkamp, USA, World Premiere Frank & Cindy – USA (DIRECTOR G.J. Echternkamp WRITER G.J. Echternkamp, Alex Holdridge PRODUCER Bill Perkins, John Pierce, Scoot McNairy, Bic Tran CAST Rene Russo, Oliver Platt, Johnny Simmons, Jane Levy, Marc Maron) In 1983, Cindy married a rock star, Frank. She imagined a life of glitz and glamor. But as life happened, Frank lost his mojo. Twenty years later, Cindy’s son, G.J., both appalled and amused by his parents’ behavior, picks up his video camera and aims it at them. In an attempt to mock his one-hit-wonder step-father, G.J. unintentionally creates a candid portrait of the pursuit of happiness – and love. World Premiere I am Thalente, dir. Natalie Johns, South Africa/USA, World Premiere I Am Thalente – South Africa/USA (DIRECTOR Natalie Johns WRITER Natalie Johns PRODUCERS Colin Kennedy, Oualid Mouaness, Salema Masekela, Jason Bergh, Julia Lebedev FEATURING Thalente Biyela, Tony Hawk, Kenny Anderson, Guy Mariano, Lance Mountain) One of the most promising young skaters in the world, Thalente Biyela, navigates growing up within the demands of professional skateboarding from the skate parks of Duban, South Africa to Venice, California. World Premiere On Thursday, June 11, as part of this year’s Music in Film Nights at the GRAMMY Museum, the Festival hosts an evening with Brian Transeau, better known as BT, one of the pioneers of modern American electronic music. He will play scores from Monster and Dark Places with live accompaniment and visuals. BT will also discuss his work from his classical roots to electronic music innovator. On Friday, June 12, the Festival welcomes Pras Michel and friends for an evening of performance and discussion in celebration of his documentarySweet Micky for President, with special guests who have used their art to champion causes close to their heart. As part of the Tributes section on Sunday, June 14 the Festival presents an evening with Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs,Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married), moderated by Elvis Mitchell, titled Jonathan Demme: An American Iconoclast, to reminisce about seminal moments of his career and give us a special sneak-peek of his upcoming film Ricki and the Flash, starring Meryl Streep. On Tuesday, June 16, in celebration of this year’s Guest Director, Rodrigo García (Nine Lives, In Treatment, Albert Nobbs), the Festival will hold Two for One: An Evening with Guest Director Rodrigo Garcia and Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights), an intimate conversation where they will compare notes about working with actors, women’s stories and the travails of independent filmmaking. An additional Festival Master Class has been announced. On Tuesday, June 16 acclaimed music video director Mathew Cullen will reflect on his journey as an artist while exploring the evolving art and science of storytelling. Hailed as one of the most imaginative music video and commercial directors of his generation, he will share some of his work, including a sneak peek of London Fields, his upcoming feature directorial debut. Cullen is an alumnus of Loyola Marymount University. The Master Class is sponsored by Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. At the Diversity Speaks panels, taking place on Saturday, June 13 at the Conga Room at L.A. LIVE, content creators of color who embody innovation will discuss how they manage to combine their passions for storytelling, entrepreneurship and their cultural identities into success stories. In Prime Time: Adjusting the Color Spectrum on TV, the talent in front and behind the camera of some of today’s most celebrated TV shows engage in a dialogue to explore issues relating to race and cultural representation on the small screen. Panelists include: Kenya Barris, creator, Black-ish; Wendy Calhoun, writer, Empire; Andrea Navedo, actress, Jane the Virgin; Randall Park, actor, Fresh off the Boat; Our Lady J, writer, Transparent. Also part of Diversity Speaks is the Visions of Mandela panel, an exclusive premiere screening of a collection of films inspired by Nelson Mandela’s speeches, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Directors include Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo, 99 Homes), Eva Weber (Black Out) and James Marsh (The Theory of Everything, Man on Wire), Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding; New York, I Love You), Nabil Elderkin (Bouncing Cats) and Hank Willis Thomas (Question Bridge: Black Males). Diversity Speaks is sponsored by HBO and supported by Yvonne Huff and Jason Delane. On Sunday, June 14, the Los Angeles Times brings together a group of film’s rising stars in the Los Angeles Times Young Hollywood Roundtable. This lively discussion, moderated by reporter Amy Kaufman, will center on life in the industry and what it means to be thrust into the limelight. On Monday, June 15 the Festival presents the annual LMU Steed Symposium on Cyber Security: Is There A Safe Box in the Cloud? This event will include an entertaining and informative presentation by cyber security expert Ralph Echemendia, a screening of Implant, a short film created by Film Independent Fellow Casey Cooper Johnson, and a round table with cyber security experts, filmmakers and industry executives. The discussion will be moderated by KCRW¹s The Business host Kim Masters. The LMU Steed Symposium is funded by LMU Alumnus Michael Steed and is presented in partnership with Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. Mr. Steed is a member of the university¹s board of trustees and Managing Director of Paladin Capital Partners Fund, LP, a private equity firm.
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First 13 Films Revealed for 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest Online Film Festival

Palm Springs International ShortFest, Short Films, VIMOOZ

The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest & Short Film Market announced the first 13 films chosen to represent the ShortFest Online Film Festival. Now in its fifth year, the select films will play on a special section of the festival website (http://www.psfilmfest.org/onlinefest) starting May 26. Online voting for these films will open on June 9 and run through June 20, with the “ShortFest Online Audience Award” announced at the Festival Award Ceremony on Closing Night. The films selected for the 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest Online Film Festival include: Animator vs. Animation IV (USA) – A stick figure goes to war with his maker. Inventive and compulsively watchable, this is the continuation of a series that first went viral on the web in 2006. Director: Alan Becker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUrmub4i4ck The Deadman (Peru) – A young man who everyone believes is dead returns to his parent’s house after seven years, followed shortly by two “detectives”… Director: Franco Finocchiaro. Cast: Miguel Iza, Hernan Romero, Ana Cecilia Natteri, Nicolas Galindo and Renato Rueda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_tH_KozVt4 Elgin Park (USA) – The story of the ban behind Elgin Park, a fictional 50s any town USA created entirely through miniatures and still photography. Director: Danny Yourd. Cast: Michael Paul Smith (as himself). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFuas2cHkFg Evil Mexican Child (Mexico) – The drawings of a seemingly sweet 4 year old Mexican boy wreak havoc on those depicted. When his mother realizes his father has a mistress, she suddenly is more supportive of his burgeoning talent. Director: Michael Noonan. Cast: Xochitl Hernàndez, Nyno Bernal, Anahi Davila and Max De La Rosa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJJmFa3-ZVE The Evolution of an Artist // Thom Jones (USA) – Thom Jones doesn’t describe himself as a “designer” (except once in a while when he’s drunk), but he’s most certainly an artist – with spray paint, with wood and with motorcycle parts. Director: Craig Brooks. Cast: Thom Jones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrVqTAGEY6o Milk! (UK) – Two lactose-craving brothers will stop at nothing to get their daily dose of milk… Director: Ben Mallaby. Cast: Toby Williams and Paul F Taylor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubWYf0C0rTY NYC Life: Narrated by Dorvid Attenborough (USA) – Special measures are called for when trying to find a mate in NYC… Director: Michael Slavens. Cast: David Friedlander, Marie Smith, Mike Rosengarten, Anna Elizabeth, Geoffrey Countryman, Shaun Ahuja, Tyler Jakes, Tiffany Marie Sparks, Kristen Dausch, Christina Toth, Alexandre F. Charlebois, Bianca Boragi, Timothy Hull and Jack and Milo Uhrmacher. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaVzzna6Erk Russian Roulette (UK) – Lucy, lonely and lovelorn, meets a cosmonaut on Chat Roulette that may be the answer to her dreams… Director: Ben Aston. Cast: Bec Hill and Stewart Lockwood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gAfgOOV-bY SAMUEL-613 (UK) – An angry young Hasidic man forgoes his controlling father in pursuit of a more seductive life in Eastern London. But the grass is not always greener on the other side of the cultural divide… Director: Billy Lumby. Cast: Theo Barklem-Biggs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8D8QJ8n3Nc solemates (USA) – The story of love and family…as seen from a shoe’s perspective. Director: Bryce Dallas Howard. Cast: Seth Gabel, Theo Howard Gabel, Beatrice Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Howard, Rance Howard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTD2nbp94rc Somewhere in Palm Springs (USA) – Shag-style animated tale about three gay men and their girl friend hanging out at a hotel pool, talking shit in Palm Springs. Director: Nate Clark. Cast: Nate Clark, Allen Loeb, Jennie Pierson, Drew Tarver and Jimmy Fowlie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQK18WE4PTM This Dynamic Opportunity (USA) – A not very good salesman meets an equally odd client from the internet to sell his new toothpaste brand. Director: Matt Mays. Cast: Tony Lewellen and Mike Betette. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBMDitBSaU4 We Are Fire (India) – Stunning documentary about a group of women (the ‘Gulabi Gang’) in red saris who join forces to help other women who have been oppressed or suffered wrongdoing in India. Director: Orlando Von Einsiedel. Cast: Champa Pal and Sampat Pal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4s1irbxgtI The ShortFest Online Film Festival will continue to play online through August 31 after the end of the festival.
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