• New Online Screening Room for 2015 San Francisco International Film Festival

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    All of Me - directed by Arturo González Villaseñor The San Francisco International Film Festival will screen online 14 feature films and 11 shorts from the official 2015 lineup, as part of a new online streaming initiative called SFIFF Online Screening Room. The SFIFF Online Screening Room will provide an opportunity for SFFS members to stream select feature and short films free of charge for a limited time. Each film will become available to stream online starting the day of its final Festival screening, through May 31. For more information and to browse the lineup, visit the SFIFF Online Screening Room at watch.sffs.org. “We are grateful to our partner FORA.tv for providing a great reward for the loyal members of the Film Society, with this second chance to see some of the world’s finest films,” said Noah Cowan, Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society. “This pilot program will let us measure interest in the Bay Area for a highly curated, short-window online look at a range of global cinema. Many of these films will not be returning to play in theaters, nor will they be readily available on traditional streaming services, so the opportunity really is something special.” FEATURE FILMS All of Me – directed by Arturo González Villaseñor (pictured above) Since 1995, the Patronas, a group of women in southern Mexico, prepare food and drinking water in large quantities to hand out as the train known as “The Beast” speeds by carrying men and boys from Central America to the US border. This deeply moving documentary allows the women to tell their stories, reluctantly at first, then eloquently and with enormous heart. (Mexico 2014, 90 min) Beats of the Antonov – directed by Hajooj Kuka Filmed in the civil war-ravaged region between South and North Sudan, Beats of the Antonov paints an inspiring portrait of the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountain refugee communities and their reliance on music-making not only as a healing force in the face of devastating loss and displacement, but also as a vital instrument to keep their cultural heritage alive. Black Coal, Thin Ice – directed by Diao Yinan Both tense whodunnit and layered character study, Diao Yinan’s Berlin Golden Bear winner spans five years in the life of a troubled cop who can’t shake his experiences working a particularly gruesome serial-killer case. A carefully plotted film noir packed with twists and offbeat moments, it also boasts a scorching breakout lead performance by Liao Fan. (China/Hong Kong 2014, 106 min) Bota – directed by Iris Elezi and Thomas Logoreci Populated by charming oddballs, quirky café/bar Bota (literally “the world” in Albanian) is a silent witness to the lives and secrets of people living in the shadow of the past. Long after the end of Albania’s harsh dictatorship, the locals’ lives have stagnated, most too poor to seize the opportunities liberty has offered them. But progress, in the form of a highway construction project, prompts change and new decisions for this very special café society. (Albania/Italy/Kosovo 2014, 104 min) El Cordero – directed by Juan Francisco Olea Domingo is a devoted family man and Christian missionary gliding through a dutifully modest if unexceptional life. He’d happily keep it that way, too, but for the fact that a fatal accident leaves him, disturbingly, without a sense of guilt. Shot through with a subtle, sardonic humor and beautifully acted, this exceptional feature debut is an engrossing dramatic thriller reverberating with deeper questions about our innermost natures and our ties to one another. (Chile 2014, 90 min) Fidelio: Alice’s Odyssey – directed by Lucie Borleteau Working in the macho world of sailors, ship engineer Alice is an expert in her field and fully in command of her sexuality as well. When she comes up against the classic double standard after an affair with the ship’s captain, she risks the taunts of her peers and reprimands of her superiors. First-time director Borleteau offers a compellingly acted portrait of a woman who dares to subvert conservative notions of female behavior in a male-oriented workplace. (France 2014, 95 min) Murder in Pacot – directed by Raoul Peck Grappling with the aftermath of Haiti’s devastating 2010 earthquake, a formerly well-to-do husband and wife rent their crumbling house in a tony Port-au-Prince neighborhood to a European aid worker. When his brash young Haitian girlfriend shows up, an emotionally fraught game of sexual intrigue and class warfare ensues in this tense and provocative film from acclaimed director Raoul Peck. (Haiti/France/Norway 2014, 130) NN – directed by Héctor Gálvez A team of forensic investigators in the Peruvian countryside digs up the remains of persons who were murdered during the brutal Fujimori Era of the 1980s and ’90s. The process of identifying one particular set of bones becomes an agonizing experience for the woman who claims they belong to her husband and for the investigator who has to go by the facts. Suffering, injustice and peace of mind are pitted against scientific truths with no easy answers in this engrossing, expertly paced drama. (Peru/Colombia/Germany/France 2014, 95 min) Of Men and War – directed by Laurent Bécue-Renard Winner of the 2014 IDFA award for Best Feature Documentary, Of Men and War is director Laurent Bécue-Renard’s multiyear account of the residents of The Pathway Home, an innovative treatment center for PTSD and related war traumas in Yountville, California. This quietly intense film bears witness to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as they revisit the brutalities of combat, process the traumatic memories that haunt them and search for meaning in the psychological wreckage of war. (France/Switzerland 2014, 142 min) Red Amnesia – directed by Wang Xiaoshuai Deng, a retired widow, tries to care for her family, though her sons protest her “intrusions” into their personal lives. When mysterious phone calls and other strange occurrences disrupt her daily routine, she wonders, who-if anyone-might be coming after her. In this unsettling thriller set in contemporary China, Wang Xiaoshuai explores the political and personal consequences of memory, and traces the blurred lines between those who remember their past, and those who choose to forget. (China 2014, 110 min) T-Rex – directed by Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari In the new Olympic sport of women’s boxing, 17-year-old Claressa Shields bursts out from the total obscurity of a small Flint, Michigan, gym to compete for a coveted gold medal. T-Rex beautifully captures her rapid ascent, her battle to overcome a damaged home life, the culturally ingrained bias against women’s boxing, the spellbinding thrill of her bouts and the indomitable willpower that shows, in its purest and most powerful sense, the meaning of warrior spirit. (USA 2015, 87 min) The Postman’s White Nights – directed by Andrei Konchalovsky Postman Lyokha serves an aging community of island dwellers in a remote corner of northwestern Russia. Globetrotting veteran director Konchalovsky returns to his home turf for this humorous, rueful, occasionally surreal slice of rural life that takes place over a few summer days. It’s a leisurely yet eventful tale filled with ravishing imagery and the natural appeal of mostly nonprofessional actors. (Russia 2014, 101 min) Two Shots Fired – directed by Martín Rejtman Argentine filmmaker and short story writer Martín Rejtman’s first feature in 10 years is a slyly funny low-key existential comedy for fans of films like Stranger than Paradise and Slacker. As the film’s ever-evolving story follows an intersecting group of teenage and adult characters, it upends narrative expectations about the significance of individual events and offers instead careful, amused observation of how we all get through life, one thing after the other. (Argentina/Chile/Germany/Netherlands 2014, 104 min) Western – directed by Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross This intimate, observational documentary portrait of the US-Mexico border focuses on two Eagle Pass, TX, residents-cattleman Martin Wall and Mayor Chad Foster-and follows the strains in the border town’s relationship to its sister city, Piedras Negras, Mexico. As drug cartel violence moves into the region and threatens to spin out of control, US Federal policies made a thousand miles away shut down commerce and further test an already delicate balance. (USA 2015, 93 min) SHORT FILMS ( * denotes availability to all SFIFF ticket-holders) Art – directed by Adrian Sitaru A 19-year-old girl auditions for a sexy film role while the director tries to convince her mother of the artistic rationale behind the provocative part. A wry look at the machinations of filmmakers from the director of Hooked (SFIFF 2009). (Romania 2014, 19 min) Bang Bang! – directed by Julien Bisaro An auto accident leads to a chance encounter in the woods in this moody suspense tale. (France 2014, 12 min) * Big Head – directed by Jairo Boisier The bond between humans and their pets is often difficult to express with words. In this charming documentary, a Chilean artist finds his own way to immortalize his beloved mastiff Domingo. (Chile 2014, 25 min) * The Box – directed by Michael I Schiller Created as part of a journalistic story by the Center for Investigative Reporting, this story centers on juvenile imprisonment in New York’s Rikers Island jail. (USA 2014, 6 min) Cailleach – directed by Rosie Reed Hillman In Gaelic mythology, Cailleach means “old woman.” In this intimate film, 86-year-old Morag reflects on her life, family, unique sense of independence and connection to her wild island home. (Scotland 2014, 14 min) The Chicken – directed by Una Gunjak In 1993 Croatia, young Selma’s birthday gift carries unexpected and harrowing consequences. (Germany/Croatia 2014, 15 min) * Hotel 22 – directed by Elizabeth Lo Hop onboard a unique Bay Area bus route that becomes an unofficial shelter for the homeless. (USA 2014, 8 min) No ID – directed by Emnet Mulugeta A lonely stretch of desert road becomes the scene of a dance battle where an unexpected occurrence yields surprising results. (Sweden 2014, 3 min) * Plamen – directed by Dress Code Attempting to call attention to governmental depredations in Bulgaria, 37-year-old construction worker and artist Plamen Goranov takes desperate action. (Bulgaria/USA 2014, 21 min) * Rain – directed by Johannes Stjärne Nilsson Stormy weather literally follows a young woman through her day in this whimsical new work from the Sound of Noise (SFIFF 2011) co-director. (Sweden 2014, 9 min) Sormeh – directed by Azadeh Ghochagh During the 1979 Iranian revolution, a woman getting ready for a marriage ceremony has to make a quick decision when confronted by a rebel hiding in her building. (Iran 2014, 10 min) image: Photo credit: Courtesy of San Francisco Film Society. Description: A scene from Arturo Gonzalez Villasenor’s All of Me, playing at the 58th San Francisco International Film Festival, April 23 – May 7 2015

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  • Coen Brothers, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sienna Miller Among Jury for 2015 Cannes Film Festival

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    Sienna Miller Directors Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, will be the two Presidents of the Jury of the 68th Cannes Film Festival.  They will be joined by Rossy de Palma (Actress – Spain), Sophie Marceau (Actress, Director – France), Sienna Miller (pictured above) (Actress – United Kingdom), Rokia Traoré (Composer, Singer-songwriter – Mali), Guillermo del Toro (Director, Writer, Producer – Mexico), Xavier Dolan (Director, Writer, Producer, Actor – Canada), and Jake Gyllenhaal (Actor – United States). Their task will be to decide among the films in Competition and select the prize winners, culminating in the Palme d’or, which will be announced on stage during the Festival Closing Ceremony on Sunday May 24th, 2015. Rossy de Palma Actress – Spain She is an icon of Spanish cinema and Pedro Almodóvar’s muse: she inspired his 1986 film Law of Desire, performed in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Kika and The Flower of my Secret (nominated for two Goya Awards), and Broken Embraces (Official Selection: 2009 Festival de Cannes). She rose to international acclaim in the early 1990s with directors like Robert Altman, Mike Figgis, Patrice Leconte and Mehdi Charef. She is set to appear in Pedro Almodóvar’s next film. Sophie Marceau Actress, Director – France After winning a Cesar for Best “Espoir” at the age of 16 for Claude Pinoteau’s La Boum 2, her career grows with success in both mainstream and author cinema. Films include Police by Maurice Pialat, and L’Amour braque by Andrzej Żuławski. She achieved international acclaim for Mel Gibson’s Braveheart (1995) and Bond movie – The World Is Not Enough (1999). Other notable credits include Don’t Look Back directed by Marina de Van – presented at the Festival de Cannes in 2009. With a career of over 40 films, she has also written and directed two feature films, Parlez-moi d’amour (2002) et La Disparue de Deauville (2007). Sienna Miller Actress – United Kingdom Experienced in both theater and cinema, she first gained recognition with her role in Matthew Vaughn’s Layer Cake (2004). She performed on Broadway in “Cabaret” by Sam Mendes. She starred in Foxcatcher by Bennett Miller which debuted at the 2014 Festival de Cannes and American Sniper by Clint Eastwood. She recently finished filming High Rise by Ben Wheatley. Rokia Traoré Composer, Singer-songwriter – Mali The inimitable Mali-born musician and singer Rokia Traoré has charted a distinctive course between tradition and modernity. Influenced by a nomadic childhood spent between Europe, the Middle East and Mali, the first CD by this singer songwriter with the captivating voice, Mouneïssa (1998), was highly acclaimed. In Wanita (2000), Bowmboï (2003), Tchamantché (2008) and Beautiful Africa (2013), Rokia Traoré drew on unprecedented combinations of instruments such as the balafon, the n’goni, the electric guitar and drums. Her openness to wide-ranging artistic collaborations is ample proof that music is her only continent. Guillermo del Toro Director, Writer, Producer – Mexico Guillermo del Toro is one of the most inventive among the new generation of Mexican directors, alongside Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu. Del Toro, who started out as a make-up artist and special effects specialist, now lives in the United States. His filmography boasts a rich array of distinctive and flamboyant works shot through with fantasy and imagination, from Mimic, The Devil’s Backbone and Blade II to Hellboy. Guillermo del Toro presented Cronos, his first feature film, in a parallel section at Cannes. Pan’s Labyrinth was selected in Competition in 2006. Xavier Dolan Director, Writer, Producer, Actor – Canada After shooting his first feature film, I Killed My Mother, at 20, he directed Heartbeats and Laurence Anyways, both of which received an enthusiastic reception when selected for Un Certain Regard at the Festival de Cannes.Tom at the Farm was shown at the Venice Film Festival, where he was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize. His latest film Mommy has garnered the Jury Prize at last year’s Festival de Cannes and the César for Best Foreign Feature. Xavier Dolan is now working on his next feature, The Death and Life of John F. Donovan. Jake Gyllenhaal Actor, United States Jake Gyllenhaal was raised in a family of artists and made his cinema debut aged 11. He came to public attention in 2001 in Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko and built a career composed of both independent films and blockbusters. Considered one of Hollywood’s increasingly bankable stars, he appeared in Jarhead by Sam Mendes, then Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain (Golden Lion in Venice) and in Zodiac by David Fincher, selected at the Festival de Cannes in 2007. He has recently appeared in two thrillers directed by Denis Villeneuve:Prisoners and Enemy along with Dan Gilroy’s Night Call. image via wikimedia

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  • Films on African Pictures Program is First Announced for 2015 Seattle International Film Festival

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    The Boda Boda Thieves The 41st Seattle International Film Festival to be held May 14 to June 7, 2015, unveiled the 14 feature films of its third annual African Pictures program. Since 2013, African Pictures has presented documentaries, narrative features, and short films from 25 African countries. With something for everyone — from ethereal and experimental to gritty and provocative — African Pictures showcases a microcosm of world cinema available only at SIFF. Topping the 2015 program is The Boda Boda Thieves (pictured above), an absorbing urban narrative from SIFF sophomore Donald Mugisha (The Kampala Story, 2012), who will be in attendance for the North American premiere of his new film. Fans of U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (2005) will be glad to see the North American premiere of director Mark Dornford-May’s striking modern South African opera,Breathe Umphefumlo, adapted with deftness and compassion from Puccini’s “La Bohème.” Also traveling to Seattle, up-and-coming director Cheick Fantamady Camara will appear at screenings of his expansive drama Morbayassa in its North American premiere, representing Guinean film in African Pictures at SIFF for the first time. This story of inter-generational and inter-continental culture clash is anchored by a masterful performance from Fatoumata Diawara (Timbuktu, 2014). SIFF 2015 will also feature the North American premiere of Sugarcane Shadows, the first film from the island nation of Mauritius ever to play in a US festival. Making its North American premiere among four short films in African Pictures 2015 is I’m Not Hereby 15-year-old South African Jack Markovitz, presented as part of SIFF’s youth-centered FutureWave program. The African Pictures Film & Party will feature Excuse My French, a coming-of-age comedy from Egyptian director Amr Salama (Asma’a, 2011; Tahrir, 2011: The Good, the Bad, and the Politician, 2011). A lively celebration will follow at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle. The following African Pictures titles are the first films to be announced among official selections of the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival. Alyam, Alyam d: Ahmed El Maanouni, Morocco 1978, 80 min Following his father’s death, Abdelwahad is expected to provide for his mother and his seven brothers.  But faced with the cycle of poverty that rural farmers seem doomed to repeat, he dares to hope for something better. Restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory. Beats of the Antonov d: Hajooj Kuka, Sudan/South Africa 2014, 65 min Set in the Blue Nile and Nuba Mountain regions of Sudan, Beats of the Antonov celebrates South Sudan’s vibrant musical culture surviving by any means necessary in the face of their prolonged civil war. Beti and Amare d: Andy Siege, Ethiopia/Germany 2014, 94 min In this dreamy sci-fi fantasy, teenage Beti is forced to hide away in her uncle’s isolated hut to avoid Mussolini’s troops. Her strange dreams lead her to fall in love with a man who emerges from a glowing egg and may be a vampire. Black Girl (La Noire de…) d: Ousmane Sembène, Senegal/France 1966, 65 min This 1966 film explores the complex dynamics and larger post-colonial implications that arise between a young Senegalese maid and the French family that employs her. This quiet, observational drama was esteemed African filmmaker Ousmane Sembène’s first feature film. Restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project in collaboration with the Sembène Estate, Institut National de l’Audiovisuel, INA and Centre National de Cinématographie, CNC.Restoration carried out at Cineteca di Bologna/L’Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory; 4k scan performed at Eclair laboratories. The Boda Boda Thieves (Abaabi ba boda boda) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE d: Donald Mugisha, Uganda/Kenya 2015, 85 min On teenage boy Abel’s first day of work as a boda boda (moto-taxi) driver to support his poor family, his bike is stolen, leaving him in pursuit of the ruthless thief who stole their livelihood. A Bicycle Thieves for urban Africa. Breathe Umphefumlo NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE d: Mark Dornford-May, South Africa/United Kingdom 2015, 89 min Combining “La Boheme” with the tuberculosis epidemic in South Africa, Breathe Umphefumloprovides a dynamic twist on the classic opera through a uniquely African context and emotional urgency that’s not to be missed. Challat of Tunis (Le Challat de Tunis) d: Kaouther Ben Hania, Tunisia/France 2014, 90 min A masked assailant rides through the Tunisian capital on a motor scooter slashing the backsides of women in jeans and short skirts in Kaouther Ben Hania’s genre-bending mockumentary about sexist attitudes in Arab culture. Décor d: Ahmad Abdalla, Egypt 2014, 116 min An overworked film production designer begins to lose her grip on reality, slipping into the life she is creating on her latest movie set. This meta-movie playfully comments on the conventions of the classic “women’s picture.” Excuse My French (Lamoakhzaa) AFRICAN PICTURES FILM & PARTY d: Amr Salama, Egypt 2014, 99 min In this family comedy and Egyptian box office smash, 12-year-old Hany, a precocious kid from a privileged Coptic Christian family, must adjust when a change in circumstances sends him to the local majority-Muslim public school. I Am the People (Je Suis le Peuple) d: Anna Roussillon, France 2014, 111 min I Am the People chronicles the 2011 revolution in Egypt and subsequent events from the perspective of a poor farming family in the country’s south, a depiction of world events refreshing in its warmth, wit, and humanity. The Malagasy Way (Ady Gasy) d: Lova Nantenaina, Madagascar/France 2014, 84 min Filmed with a fascinated lens, this documentary explores the way of the Malagasy people and a third-world community portrait that is anything but bleak, as it celebrates a culture where wealth isn’t needed to find happiness and joy in the things you do. Morbayassa NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE d: Cheick Fantamady Camara, Guinea 2015, 122 min Bella befriends a UN worker who promises to help her escape her domineering pimp and find the daughter she gave up for adoption 15 year ago in this tense, female-centered drama. Run d: Philippe Lacôte, Ivory Coast/France 2014, 97 min After assassinating the Prime Minister, Run looks back on the varied mentors in his life, from a village rainmaker to a professional eater to the imperious revolutionary who’s living the gangster life, in this striking feature debut which reflects Ivory Coast’s recent, tumultuous history. Sugarcane Shadows (Lonbraz Kann) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE d: David Constantin, Mauritius/France 2014, 88 min Residents of Mauritius fight to maintain their culture despite a pervasive tourism economy and increased globalization. Gorgeous cinematography and non-actor authenticity ground David Constantin’s first feature. The following short films will screen during SIFF 2015 as part of African Pictures. The Call NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE d: Zamo Mkhwanazi, South Africa 2014, 11 min An emotionally disconnected taxi driver realizes that he does not want his prostitute girlfriend to abort the child that could be his. I’m Not Here NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE d: Jack Markovitz, South Africa 2014, 9 min After his calls are repeatedly ignored, a young man turns to Facebook to tell a girl what he thinks A Quiet Memory (Uma Memória Quieta) US PREMIERE d: Inadelso Cossa, Mozambique 2014, 14 min Langa dramatically details his history as a political prisoner in 1970s Mozambique. Treat (Zawadi) d: Richard Card, Kenya 2014, 12 min In the Kenyan slums of Kibera, a ten-year-old boy hustles to provide for his family, taking him away from his crush on her birthday.

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  • Nikole Beckwith, Jennifer Phang, Stewart Thorndike Win Inaugural SFFS Women Filmmaker Fellowships

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    Advantageous_Jennifer Phang The San Francisco Film Society yesterday announced the inaugural recipients of its SFFS Women Filmmaker Fellowships, a brand new suite of services designed to support female writer/directors working on their second or third narrative feature through a combination of financial backing, innovative programs and events, mentorship services, industry connections and a growing community of fellow filmmakers. Supported by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and facilitated by Filmmaker360, the Film Society’s filmmaker services department, these fellowships provide direct assistance to an under-served group of storytellers and help to build sustainable careers for women filmmakers all over the world. Participants in the SFFS Women Filmmaker Fellowship must be working on a second or third English-language narrative feature screenplay. They must have had a previous film premiere at a major international festival and priority is given to women working in the genres of science fiction, comedy, action, thriller and horror, which are traditionally under-represented for women filmmakers. “We’re thrilled to be kicking off this new initiative with such talented individuals, and to help bridge the support gap we have seen for many women in finding the resources they need, especially on their second or third feature film projects,” said Michele Turnure-Salleo, director of Filmmaker360. “It’s also very satisfying to support kick-ass women making edgy sci-fi, horror and comedies, and we hope this initiative contributes to leveling the playing field in those areas. Like our SFFS Producers Initiative, this program focuses on backing people rather than individual projects, and we are committed to helping these amazing folks realize their creative visions.” In 2013 and 2014, academic institutions such as the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California and the Center for Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State produced substantive reports on the state of women in the film industry, revealing startling statistics that point to drastic gender inequality. The latter group, for example, reports that in 2013, women accounted for just 6% of directors, 10% of writers, 15% of executive producers, 17% of editors and 3% of cinematographers. Additionally, women were found more likely to be working on romantic comedies, dramas or documentaries than the top-grossing genres of animation, sci-fi, action and horror. “We all benefit from a more accurate and diverse portrayal of society on film,” said Jennifer Rainin, CEO of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. “As more than 50% of the population, it’s imperative that women have opportunities to share their stories on screen and that we see female characters valued as much as males, yet there’s a lack of progress on these issues and little funding for female filmmakers working in narrative. Recognizing this gap, we’ve created the Women Filmmaker Fellowships as a way to build a critical mass of female filmmakers enjoying sustainable and thriving careers. I hope it inspires other film organizations and philanthropists to join us in building out this initiative, and to replicate this model.” Designed to grow organically over time to include additional programs and events, the SFFS Women Filmmaker Fellowship is currently seeking additional funding partners. For more information, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360. 2015 SFFS WOMEN FILMMAKER FELLOWS Nikole Beckwith Nikole Beckwith is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Her plays have been developed and performed with the Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, HERE Arts Center, Colt Coeur, Lesser America, 3LD and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater among others. Her newest play Untitled Matriarch Play (or Seven Sisters) was written at the National Theatre of London’s Studio and premiered in rep at the Royal Court under the direction of Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone. Also a pen and ink artist, Beckwith’s comics have been featured on NPR, WNYC, the Huffington Post and the Hairpin, among others. Her first film Stockholm, Pennsylvania (2012 Nicholl Fellowship, 2012 Black List, 2013 Sundance Screenwriters Lab), which was adapted from her stage play of the same name, premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the US Dramatic Competition. She lives in Brooklyn. Jennifer Phang Jennifer Phang’s sophomore feature Advantageous (pictured above) won the US Dramatic Competition Special Jury Prize in Collaborative Vision at Sundance 2015. The film will play at the San Francisco International Film Festival and BAM Cinemafest, and is expected to see a release in June. Her award-winning debut feature Half-Life premiered in 2008 at the Tokyo International and Sundance film festivals. It screened at SXSW and was distributed by Sundance Channel. She was invited to Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab and was awarded a SFFS FilmHouse Residency and Sundance Institute Feature Film Grants in support of Advantageous. Phang was originally commissioned to create Advantageous as a short film for the ITVS Futurestates Program. A Berkeley-born daughter of a Chinese-Malaysian father and Vietnamese mother, Phang graduated from the MFA directing program at the American Film Institute. Stewart Thorndike Stewart Thorndike is a writer/director from Tacoma, Washington. She makes female-driven genre films and her first film, Lyle, was hailed as a “lesbianRosemary’s Baby” after its premiere at Outfest, where star Gaby Hoffmann won the Grand Jury Award for Best Actress. Thorndike attended NYU’s graduate film program and her thesis short film, Tess and Nana, premiered at SXSW. Stewart’s next film, The Stay, is about a group of women at a hotel who are told to do bad things by a haunted TED Talk, with Chloe Sevigny attached to star in the 2015 production. She is currently developing her second horror feature, Daughter, about a love triangle between a single mother, her troubled teenage daughter and the witch who moves in next door. Thorndike plans to shoot Daughter in 2016. SFFS Women Filmmaker Fellowships will take place from April to October each year, overlapping with the Film Society’s previously announced Producers Fellowship programs and the San Francisco International Film Festival (April 23 – May 7). Program support includes: *  A $25,000 – $40,000 cash grant, which must be used for living expenses. Individual amounts depend on place of residence and estimated travel costs to participate in Bay Area fellowship components. *  Placement in FilmHouse Residency program and access to all FilmHouse programs and activities. *  One-on-one consultation with film industry experts from the Bay Area and beyond regarding casting, financing, budgeting, legal issues, distribution and other relevant topics. *  Weekly one-on-one consultation services provided by Filmmaker360 staff, with feedback on screenplays, verbal pitch strategies and written materials such as synopsis and treatment. *  Presentations and networking opportunities with Bay Area narrative filmmakers. *  Expenses covered for one 3-day networking trip with a Filmmaker360 staff member from San Francisco to Los Angeles, for meetings with established industry professionals.

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  • The Film Arcade to Release Sundance Hit, JAMES WHITE

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    JAMES WHITE movie The Film Arcade has acquired U.S. distribution rights to JAMES WHITE, the first feature film from Borderline Films writer/director Josh Mond, for Fall 2015 release.   A coming-of-age story about a young New Yorker struggling to take control of his self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family changes, JAMES WHITE stars Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi.  The film had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, where it was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the entire festival and was the recipient of the “Best of Next” Audience Award. JAMES WHITE is a high profile acquisition for The Film Arcade and the distributor is planning a traditional theatrical release for the film this fall followed by an awards campaign highlighting the career-best performances by Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon. A confident and closely observed directorial debut by MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE producer Josh Mond, JAMES WHITE explores loss and the deep relationship between a mother and son.  James White (Abbott) is a troubled twenty-something trying to stay afloat in a frenzied New York City.  He retreats further into a hedonistic lifestyle, but his mother’s battle with a serious illness forces James to take control of his life. As the pressure mounts, James must find new reserves of strength or risk imploding completely.  Shot on location in New York City with an intimate visual style, the film follows its lead into deep, affecting places while still maintaining its fragile humanity. The film marks the first lead film role for stage and screen actor Christopher Abbott, whose previous film and TV credits include HELLO, I MUST BE GOING, THE SLEEPWALKER and “Girls.”   Best known for her role in “Sex and the City,” JAMES WHITE provides Cynthia Nixon with one of the most significant film roles of her career.   Both actors topped Indiewire’s Sundance Criticwire poll for Best Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. JAMES WHITE is the latest feature film from Borderline Films, a New York City based production company which was formed in 2003 by Tisch film school alums Mond, Antonio Campos and Sean Durkin.  Their notable film credits to date include AFTERSCHOOL, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE and SIMON KILLER. JAMES WHITE was produced by Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin and Melody C. Roscher.  Starring alongside Abbott, Nixon and Mescudi are Makenzie Leigh, Ron Livingston and David Call. Josh Mond said “On behalf of the incredible cast and crew of JAMES WHITE, I’m heartened by the response and proud to team up with The Film Arcade on the theatrical release.  The response at Sundance has been humbling and we look forward to continuing the journey with our distributor.” “Josh Mond has crafted a personal and powerful drama in his tour-de-force directorial debut,” said The Film Arcade’s Andy Bohn.  “The brilliant performances by Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon will be among the year’s best and help make Josh’s film an extraordinary achievement that needs to be seen.” The Film Arcade negotiated the deal with UTA Independent Film Group.

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  • THE GRAND SEDUCTION and THE LUNCHBOX Win Toronto Intl FIlm Fest’s Film Circuit People’s Choice Awards

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    The Grand Seduction Don McKellar’s The Grand Seduction and Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox are winners of the 11th annual Film Circuit People’s Choice Awards. The Grand Seduction (pictured above) was named Best Canadian Film and The Lunchbox was selected as the Best International Film. Now in its 11th year, the annual Film Circuit People’s Choice Awards are decided by audiences across the country who vote for their favorite film shown at a Film Circuit screening. Film Circuit is Toronto International Film Festival’s national film outreach program. In 2014, guests travelled to communities across Canada to introduce their films and participate in 95 Q&A sessions. Guests included Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club), Don McKellar (The Grand Seduction), Sturla Gunnarsson (Monsoon), Jody Shapiro (Burt’s Buzz), Elizabeth Klinck (Arctic Defenders), Richie Mehta (Siddharth), Maxime Giroux (Felix and Meira), Katie Boland (Gerontophilia), Daniel Perlmutter (Big News From Grand Rock), and Peter Keleghan and Leah Pinsent (Big News From Grand Rock). The Grand Seduction follows the residents of a small Newfoundland fishing village who, in order to secure a vital factory contract, conspire to charm a big-city doctor into becoming the town’s full-time physician. This sparkling comedy from director Don McKellar (Last Night) and screenwriter Michael Dowse (Goon, The F Word) has screened in 63 Film Circuit communities and was seen by over 10,700 people. In The Lunchbox, a misdelivered lunchbox brings together two very different people — a neglected housewife (Nimrat Kaur) and a grumpy, solitary widower on the verge of retirement (Bollywood star Irrfan Khan) — in this funny and touching comedy-drama from first-time writer-director Ritesh Batra. The Lunchbox has screened in 80 Film Circuit communities and was seen by over 14,300 people.

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  • Isaiah Washington and ‘BLACKBIRD’ Cast Attend L.A. Screening

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    Isaiah Washington and 'BLACKBIRD' Cast Attend L.A. Screening On Thursday night in Los Angeles, RLJ Entertainment and Urban Movie Channel hosted a private screening of ‘BLACKBIRD,’ directed by Patrik-Ian Polk and starring Academy Award winner Mo’Nique, Isaiah Washington and Julian Walker. Cast members in attendance were Isaiah Washington, Terrell Tilford, Lindsay Seim, Gary L. Grayand Kevin Allesee, all of who participated in a Q&A moderated by “Entertainment Tonight” host Kevin Frazier. Additional guests included ‘BLACKBIRD’ producers Keith Brown and Carol AnnShine, RLJ Entertainment SVP of Acquisitions Angela Northington, Blackbird author Larry Duplechan, actress Tatyana Ali, tv personality Karamo Brown and many more. ‘BLACKBIRD’ opens in select theaters on April 24. NEW YORK CITY AMC Empire 25 – 234 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY AMC Village 7 – 66 3rd Avenue, New York, NY ATLANTA AMC Phipps Plaza – 3500 Peachtree Rd, N.E., Atlanta, GA AMC Southlake Pavilion – 7065 Mt. Zion Circle, Morrow, GA WASHINGTON, DC City Cinemas Angelika Pop Up- 550 Penn Street, NE, Washington, DC ArcLight Bethesda – 7101 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD LOS ANGELES Cinemark 18 – 6081 Center Dr., Los Angeles, CA TCL Chinese Theatre – 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA AMC Town Center 8 – 201 E Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA SAN FRANCISCO AMC Metreon – 135 4th St Suite 3000, San Francisco, CA Cinemark Century 25 – 32100 Union Landing Blvd, Union City, CA Cinemark 20 Great Mall – 1010 Great Mall Dr., Milpitas, CA Visit www.blackbirdthemovie.com for theater locations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHe0ukjp0-M image: (l-r) ‘BLACKBIRD’ cast arrives at Culver Studios: Gary L. Gray, Terrell Tilford, Angela Northington (RLJ), Lindsay Seim, Keith Brown, Isaiah Washington, author Larry Duplechan, Jen Linck (RLJ), Linda Schortz (RLJ), Carol Ann Shine

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  • WHITE GOD and WALKING UNDER WATER Win Top Awards at 2015 Sarasota Film Festival

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    WHITE GOD and WALKING UNDER WATER Win Top Awards at 2015 Sarasota Film Festival

    Kornel Mundruczo’s Cannes award-winning White God (pictured above) took home the Narrative Feature Jury prize at the 2015 Sarasota Film Festival. 

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  • Charleston International Film Festival Moves to the Fall and to Charleston Music Hall

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    Charleston International Film Festival (Charleston IFF) at Charleston Music Hall In its eighth year, Charleston International Film Festival (Charleston IFF) is moving its five-day celebration of film—typically held in April—to the fall with the 2015 Festival taking place November 4–8. The Festival is also changing venues, moving exclusively to Charleston Music Hall this year for its intimate feel and superior acoustics for film. Summer Peacher, Charleston IFF Co-Founder and President said, “We’re excited to build on the momentum created from last year’s Festival; these changes will help us do that. We couldn’t ask for a better venue and partner than Charleston Music Hall, and we plan on taking full advantage of everything fall in Charleston has to offer our local and out-of-area attendees.” The 2014 Festival showcased filmmakers representing 11 different countries. The 75 shorts, animations, features, and documentaries shown covered a diverse range of emotionally charged and socially important themes. As the Festival continues to grow in strength and popularity, 2015 is positioned to be Charleston IFF’s strongest event yet.

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  • Call for Entries for 2015 Telluride Film Festival

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    Call for Entries for 2015 Telluride Film Festival Telluride Film Festival, to be held September 4-7, 2015,  announces its Call for Entries in all categories including student, short and feature length films. Submission period begins April 15, 2015. Film Entry Form is available for download at www.telluridefilmfestival.org. Shorts and student film submissions must be received no later than 5:00 pm, July 1, 2015. Feature film submissions must be received no later than 5:00 pm, July 15, 2015. All submissions must have been completed after July 15, 2014 and no works in progress will be accepted. Feature-length films (60 minutes or longer) will only be considered if they are to have their first North American screening at Telluride Film Festival. Final program determinations will be made by August 1, 2015. No early or late entries will be accepted. Professional and amateur filmmakers working in all aesthetic disciplines and genres including narrative, documentary, animation and experimental are welcome. Each year Telluride Film Festival plays host to an average of 25 feature films and 25 shorts and student films. Films selected to screen at Telluride Film Festival will be shown out-of-competition. TFF is not a competitive festival. For more information visit www.telluridefilmfestival.org

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  • Call for Entries for 2015 Cucalorus Film Festival

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    Call for Entries for 2015 Cucalorus Film Festival Cucalorus announces its call for entries!!  Cucalorus seeks submissions for features, documentaries, shorts, music videos, media installations and performances ranging from slam poetry to dance for the 21st annual Cucalorus Film Festival, to be held November 11-15, 2015. The festival takes place in a walkable nine-block radius of historic downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. During the five-day celebration, film freaks and community members choose from a diverse lineup buoyed by cleverly crafted special programs, including the opening night live performance Dance-a-lorus and an interactive installation inspired by David Lynch’s Blue Velvet called “The Bus to Lumberton”. Cucalorus is organized into a slate of thematic programs dedicated to social justice, emerging artists, works-in-progress, shorts, dance, festival hits, international cinema, music videos, and North Carolina. New programmatic focuses specifically support American female directors (the Vanguard program), directors from the US South (Southern Voices), and African American directors (Works-in-Progress). CIO Dan Brawley notes, “I’m on the circuit all year and I continue to notice that festivals are trying to embrace diverse voices, but the aesthetic is always the same. So we have to push aesthetic boundaries and create a strong space for exploring new cultures and new stories.” Cucalorus’ general call for entries extends through late July, with separate deadlines for Dance-a-lorus performance pieces and Works-in-Progress.
    Submission Deadline Date Fee
    Early June 3 $25
    Regular June 24 $35
    Late July 15 $45
    Extended July 29 $55
    All film submissions must include an entry form, submission fee and a poetic recipe for the perfect 21st birthday (drawings encouraged). Filmmakers living in the City of Wilmington are FREE and do not have to pay entry fees. www.cucalorus.org/submit_a_film.asp Cucalorus is also currently accepting applications for the Artist Residency program’s fall session, Surfalorus and 10×10.

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  • Comedy “SPY” Starring Melissa McCarthy to Open 2015 Seattle International Film Festival

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    SPY Starring Melissa McCarthy

    Spy, “the side-splitting, action-packed, globetrotting comedy from the mind of Paul Feig,” and starring Emmy-winning and Oscar®-nominated Melissa McCarthy, will be the Opening Night Film for the 41st annual Seattle International Film Festival on Thursday, May 14, 2015.

    A hilariously incisive send-up of the spy genre, Spy stars McCarthy as Susan Cooper, an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst who is the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. When her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham, spoofing the gritty roles that have made him famous) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer and prevent a global disaster.

    The ensemble cast also features Allison Janney (“The West Wing”) as Cooper’s agency chief and Rose Byrne (The Neighbors) as a Bulgarian assassin. Bobby Cannavale (Adult Beginners), Morena Baccarin (“Homeland”), Miranda Hart (“Call the Midwife”), and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson round out the incredible lineup. The film, which is from 20th Century Fox, will open nationwide on June 5, 2015.

    Director Paul Feig is scheduled to attend the evening’s festivities. He will participate in a Q&A following the screening moderated by SIFF Artistic Director Carl Spence. Notes Carl, “Paul Feig has done the impossible and catapulted Melissa McCarthy to even funnier heights than her previous roles in The Heat and Bridesmaids. I actually need to see this hilarious film again – the first time I saw it, the audience was laughing so loud, I missed some of the lines! Witty, smart, and thrilling,Spy is destined to be one of the biggest hits of the summer – it’s the perfect movie to open the largest and best attended film festival in the country.”

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