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“Birdman” Flies High at 20th Critics’ Choice Movie Awards

Awards

Boyhood Wins 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Award

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) announced the winners of the 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Award, with Birdman taking home seven awards.

“Boyhood” was named Best Picture and garnered three additional wins including Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Arquette, Best Young Actor/Actress for Ellar Coltrane, and Best Director for Richard Linklater.

“Birdman,” the most nominated film of the evening, won seven awards including Best Actor for Michael Keaton, Best Acting Ensemble, Best Original Screenplay for Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Armando Bo, Best Cinematography for Emmanuel Lubezki, Best Editing for Douglas Crise and Stephen Mirrione, Best Actor in a Comedy for Michael Keaton, and Best Score for Antonio Sanchez. Michael Keaton is the first person in the 20-year history of the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards to win three awards in a single year (Best Actor, Best Actor in a Comedy, and as part of the “Birdman” Best Ensemble).

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” claimed three awards including Best Comedy, Best Art Direction for Adam Stockhausen (Production Designer) and Anna Pinnock (Set Director), and Best Costume Design for Milena Canonero.

“Force Majeure” took home Best Foreign Language Film and “Life Itself” was named Best Documentary Feature.

WINNERS OF THE 20th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS

Best Picture – “Boyhood”
Best Actor – Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Best Actress – Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Best Supporting Actor – J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Best Supporting Actress – Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Best Young Actor/Actress – Ellar Coltrane, “Boyhood”
Best Acting Ensemble – “Birdman”
Best Director – Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Best Original Screenplay – Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., Armando Bo, “Birdman”
Best Adapted Screenplay – Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl”
Best Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki, “Birdman”
Best Art Direction – Adam Stockhausen (Production Designer), Anna Pinnock (Set Decorator), “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Best Editing – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione, “Birdman”
Best Costume Design – Milena Canonero, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Best Hair & Makeup – “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Best Visual Effects – “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”
Best Animated Feature – “The Lego Movie”
Best Action Movie – “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Best Actor in an Action Movie – Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Best Actress in an Action Movie – Emily Blunt, “Edge of Tomorrow”
Best Comedy – “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Best Actor in a Comedy – Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Best Actress in a Comedy – Jenny Slate, “Obvious Child”
Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie – “Interstellar”
Best Foreign Language Film – “Force Majeure”
Best Documentary Feature – “Life Itself”
Best Song – “Glory”, Common and John Legend, “Selma”
Best Score – Antonio Sanchez, “Birdman”

Image via 20th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Award
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Sundance Institute to Honor Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Industry

Alejandro G. Iñárritu will be honored with the Vanguard Leadership Award at the fifth annual Sundance Institute benefit on June 2, 2015 in Los Angeles.

Iñárritu will be honored for the originality and independent spirit of his films, including Amores Perros (2000), 21 Grams (2003),Babel (2006), Biutiful (2010) and Birdman (2014). He is the first Mexican director to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and by the Directors Guild of America for Best Director. He is also the first Mexican-born director to have won the Prix de la mise en scene or best director award at Cannes (2006). Amores Perros is featured in the Sundance Collection at UCLA, an independent film preservation program established in 1997. He has produced three films that appeared at the Sundance Film Festival: Nine Lives (2005), Mother & Child (2010) and Rudo y Cursi (2009).

Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “The current health and vibrancy of independent film is best reflected in the stories from filmmakers who continue to push and break boundaries. Alejandro G. Iñárritu is among the most creative and innovative filmmakers working today, and the boldness, humanity and audacity of his films will inspire generations to come.”

Iñárritu said, “It comes as a great honor to receive this award from an organization whose mission, spirit and objectives are noble and have a profound effect on many filmmakers around the world.”

Iñárritu will be the fourth recipient of the Vanguard Leadership Award, joining philanthropist and former Institute Trustee George Gund, journalist and film critic Roger Ebert and actress and arts advocate Glenn Close. In addition to the Vanguard Leadership Award, the Institute presents the Vanguard Award, including a cash grant and mentorship from industry professionals and Institute staff, to an emerging artist with creative independence. Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station), Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) are past recipients, and the 2015 recipient will be announced in the spring. The Vanguard Awards were founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter.
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Black Panthers Film to Open Pan African Film Festival

Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF)

The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution

Director Stanley Nelson’s The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution is the Opening Night film of the 23rd Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF)

Triangle-Going to America will be highlighted as the Centerpiece selection and closing the Festival is The Man in 3B. All films will screen at RAVE Cinemas 15, located within the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 4200 Marlton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90008. The 23rd Annual Pan African Film Festival will take place in Los Angeles February 5-16, 2015.

Veteran documentarian Stanley Nelson brings his newest film to PAFF straight from Sundance Film Festival for its West Coast premiere. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution takes a look at the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, but also how it influenced how African-Americans look at themselves today. Whether they were right or wrong, whether they were good or bad, more than 40 years after the Black Panther Party was founded in Oakland, California, the group and its leadership remain powerful and enduring figures in our popular imagination. The Black Panthers is the first feature-length documentary to showcase the Black Panther Party, its significance to the broader American culture, its cultural and political awakening for Black people, and the painful lessons wrought when a movement derails. The film includes riveting eyewitness accounts from the first members who joined the organization when its founder, Huey P. Newton, was still alive as a young, brash upstart who confronted local police and American tradition with a loaded gun and a law book. This film weaves voices from varied perspectives who lived this story” police, FBI informants, journalists, white supporters, and detractors, those who remained loyal to the party and those who left it. Because the participants from all sides were so young in the 60s and 70s, they are still around to share firsthand accounts.

“PAFF is excited about hosting award-winning director Stanley Nelson’s The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution. This film is right on time. The issues that the Black Panther Party and other Black Power organizations dealt with in the 1960s continue to be the major issues confronting the black community today. The film offers a striking and compelling look at the personalities, the drama, the wit that come hurtling down to us in the present day. The film is an entertaining must-see for all who are looking to better understand where we are at this historical moment and where we might go in the future,” says PAFF Founder and Executive Director, Ayuko Babu.

Immigration has been the topic of many recent news reports and headlines, including President Obama taking bold new steps to fix America’s broken immigration system. Triangle-Going to America addresses this very issue. Each year, hundreds of Africans from Ethiopia, Eritrea and and throughout the African continent leave their countries to make the journey across the world with hope and dreams of coming to America. The film’s characters Kaleab and Jemal are willing to endure any danger to reach America and the promise of a better life. Along the way Kaleab meets Winta, an Eritrean beauty who is also making the journey. Together, they travel an arduous and illegal path wrought with danger, exploitation and death from East and North Africa through Italy, Mexico and finally to the United States. Triangle stars Solomon Bogale and Mahder Assefa, two of the most famous actors in Ethiopia.

“At PAFF, we always want to stay current with today’s domestic and international issues and be entertaining at the same time. Triangle fits into this vision. Immigration is not just an issue in the Latino community, but also affects the Black communities in the U.S. and Europe,” adds Babu.

The Man in 3B includes a star-studded cast, including Lamman Rucker, Billie D. Williams, Jackee Harry, Marla Gibbs, Brely Evans and more. Daryl Graham (Lamman Rucker) has just moved into a Jamaica, Queens, apartment building and his neighbors, male and female alike, can’t stop talking about him. From his extreme attractiveness to his undeniable swag, Daryl is the man every woman wants and every man wants to be.

PAFF Executive Director Ayuko Babu says, “PAFF loves to showcase films like The Man in 3B. There is an interesting twist in the storyline which is not usually found in romantic comedies. This film is entertaining and gives us insight into ourselves and encourages attitudes that are important to our development, which makes this the perfect closing night film at PAFF.”
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Portland International Film Festival Unveils 2015 Poster

Portland International Film Festival

The Portland International Film Festival released the poster, designed by Sandstrom Partners, for its 38th annual edition taking place February 5 to 21, 2015.
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Wild Tales to Open 2015 Miami International Film Festival

Miami Film Festival

Wild Tales (Relatos salvajes), directed by Damián Szifron, is the opening night film of the 32nd Miami International Film Festival taking place March 6 – 15, 2015.

The black comedy, featuring an all-star cast made up of the who’s who of Argentina cinema (including perennial Miami International Film Festival audience favorite Ricardo Darín), makes its Florida premiere and marks the third directorial achievement for Miami International Film Festival alumnus Szifron, a deftly talented filmmaker hailing from Buenos Aires. Wild Tales is currently shortlisted for the 2015 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award nominations, one of just nine titles whittled down from a record 83 films submitted worldwide. The final list of nominees will be revealed tomorrow, January 15th, from Los Angeles, home of the Oscars.

Says Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival executive director Jaie Laplante, “A Ricardo Darín-starring, Damián Szifron-directed, Pedro Almodóvar-produced, Cannes Official Competition, Oscar-shortlisted film? Yes, please. The Festival is absolutely delighted to choose Wild Tales as our CINEDWNTWN Galas’ Opening Night Film, because it combines the talents of so many of our audience’s favorite artists, all of whom are working at the absolute top of their game.”

Szifron’s debut feature film, The Bottom of the Sea (2003) played at 21st Miami International Film Festival in 2004, while his equally celebrated second film, On Probation, was released in 2005. Wild Tales marks Szifron’s first collaboration with legendary Spanish filmmaker and producer Pedro Almodóvar, who along with his brother Augustin, helm El Deseo, the film’s co-producers with Kramer & Sigman Films of Argentina.

Wild Tales is a wickedly funny roundabout of six standalone but related shorts featuring dozens of characters, reaching operatic heights of subversive humor in tales of conflicts between the classes under common themes of violence and vengeance. Simon (Darín) is pushed to the breaking point by Buenos Aires civic bureaucrats who have towed his car on the day of his daughter’s birthday; whereas white-collar businessman Diego (Leonardo Sbaraglia) is enraged by blue-collar righteousness on a dusty, deserted highway. By chance, a roadside diner waitress (Julieta Zylberberg) meets the pompous jerk who destroyed her family; and wealthy patriarch Mauricio (Oscar Martinez) is determined to be the pompous jerk who won’t let anyone destroy his family.

Actor Ricardo Darín is no stranger to Miami Dade College’s Miami International Film Festival, having starred in numerous Official Selection films for many years, and attending the Festival in 2012 withChinese Take-Away at the 29th Miami International Film Festival at that year’s Closing Awards Night Gala. Erica Rivas, Diego Gentile, Dario Grandinetti, Oscar Martinez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Julieta Zylberberg, German de Silva and many more complete the outstanding ensemble.
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Complete List of Nominations for 87th Oscars

Awards

The nominations for the 87th Academy Awards were announced this morning by directors Alfonso Cuarón and J.J. Abrams, actor Chris Pine and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” lead with 9 nominations including Best motion picture of the year and Best Director. “The Imitation Game” followed closely with 8 nominations and “American Sniper” and “Boyhood” grabbed 6 nominations

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2014 will be presented on Oscar® Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® and televised live on the ABC Television Network.

Nominations for the 87th Academy Awards

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything”

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Robert Duvall in “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke in “Boyhood”
Edward Norton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Mark Ruffalo in “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash”

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night”
Felicity Jones in “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore in “Still Alice”
Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon in “Wild”

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood”
Laura Dern in “Wild”
Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Meryl Streep in “Into the Woods”

Best animated feature film of the year

“Big Hero 6” Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli
“The Boxtrolls” Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable and Travis Knight
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold
“Song of the Sea” Tomm Moore and Paul Young
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura

Achievement in cinematography

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Emmanuel Lubezki
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Robert Yeoman
“Ida” Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
“Mr. Turner” Dick Pope
“Unbroken” Roger Deakins

Achievement in costume design

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Milena Canonero
“Inherent Vice” Mark Bridges
“Into the Woods” Colleen Atwood
“Maleficent” Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive
“Mr. Turner” Jacqueline Durran

Achievement in directing

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Alejandro G. Iñárritu
“Boyhood” Richard Linklater
“Foxcatcher” Bennett Miller
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Wes Anderson
“The Imitation Game” Morten Tyldum

Best documentary feature

“CitizenFour” Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky
“Finding Vivian Maier” John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
“Last Days in Vietnam” Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester
“The Salt of the Earth” Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier
“Virunga” Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara

Best documentary short subject

“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1” Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry
“Joanna” Aneta Kopacz
“Our Curse” Tomasz Sliwinski and Maciej Slesicki
“The Reaper (La Parka)” Gabriel Serra Arguello
“White Earth” J. Christian Jensen

Achievement in film editing

“American Sniper” Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach
“Boyhood” Sandra Adair
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Barney Pilling
“The Imitation Game” William Goldenberg
“Whiplash” Tom Cross

Best foreign language film of the year

“Ida” Poland
“Leviathan” Russia
“Tangerines” Estonia
“Timbuktu” Mauritania
“Wild Tales” Argentina

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

“Foxcatcher” Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier
“Guardians of the Galaxy” Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Alexandre Desplat
“The Imitation Game” Alexandre Desplat
“Interstellar” Hans Zimmer
“Mr. Turner” Gary Yershon
“The Theory of Everything” Jóhann Jóhannsson

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

“Everything Is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie”
Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson
“Glory” from “Selma”
Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
“Grateful” from “Beyond the Lights”
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me”
Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond
“Lost Stars” from “Begin Again”
Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois

Best motion picture of the year

“American Sniper” Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan, Producers
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole, Producers
“Boyhood” Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland, Producers
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson, Producers
“The Imitation Game” Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman, Producers
“Selma” Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
“The Theory of Everything” Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten, Producers
“Whiplash” Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster, Producers

Achievement in production design

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“The Imitation Game” Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
“Interstellar” Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
“Into the Woods” Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“Mr. Turner” Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts

Best animated short film

“The Bigger Picture” Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
“The Dam Keeper” Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
“Feast” Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
“Me and My Moulton” Torill Kove
“A Single Life” Joris Oprins

Best live action short film

“Aya” Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis
“Boogaloo and Graham” Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney
“Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)” Hu Wei and Julien Féret
“Parvaneh” Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger
“The Phone Call” Mat Kirkby and James Lucas

Achievement in sound editing

“American Sniper” Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
“Interstellar” Richard King
“Unbroken” Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro

Achievement in sound mixing

“American Sniper” John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga
“Interstellar” Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten
“Unbroken” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee
“Whiplash” Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley

Achievement in visual effects

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist
“Guardians of the Galaxy” Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould
“Interstellar” Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer

Adapted screenplay

“American Sniper” Written by Jason Hall
“The Imitation Game” Written by Graham Moore
“Inherent Vice” Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
“The Theory of Everything” Screenplay by Anthony McCarten
“Whiplash” Written by Damien Chazelle

Original screenplay

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo
“Boyhood” Written by Richard Linklater
“Foxcatcher” Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
“Nightcrawler” Written by Dan Gilroy

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New Downtown Creative Hub for 2015 Tribeca Film Festival

Tribeca Film Festival

The Creative Hub for the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival at Spring Studios

The Tribeca Film Festival will launch a downtown creative hub for festivalgoers, during its 14th edition, April 15–April 26, 2015.

The hub will provide a destination for festivalgoers to gather, collaborate and share stories in New York City. A residency at Spring Studios—a 150,000 square foot state-of-the-art creative, production & event center located at 50 Varick Street—will bring filmmakers, artists, audiences, partners and VIPs together in one place. Collective spaces for filmmakers, industry, press, will supplement venues for the majority of the Festival’s special events including Tribeca Talks, innovation events, Awards Night, and parties. The Festival has created a new Resident Pass that will provide access to the creative hub for the duration of the Festival and a Resident Day Pass that will provide day-to-day access. Both passes go on sale January 20th.

“Since the beginning, we envisioned a space where the Festival community could interact and explore ideas, and where we could celebrate storytellers, artists and their work,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, TFF. “Our residency at Spring will provide the perfect environment for filmmakers, industry, press and Festival-goers.”

TFF also announced its return to Regal Cinemas Battery Park Stadium 11, which will present press, industry and public screenings on all 11 screens. These new venues anchor the Festival downtown, where they are joined by longtime Festival venues including BMCC’s Tribeca Performing Arts Center—home to many of the Festival’s gala red carpet premieres, Tribeca Cinemas, and Brookfield Place, which hosts the annual Tribeca Drive-In^® movies on the Hudson River. Additional venues include SVA Theater and Bow Tie Cinemas’ renovated Chelsea Cinemas.

“Spring is excited to collaborate with the Tribeca Film Festival. Within our mission to be the home of groundbreaking creative ideas in New York and the vibrant TriBeCa neighborhood in particular, TFF is a natural partner in our efforts to connect thought-leaders, artists and the community in delivering leading-edge innovations, ideas and experiences,” said Mark Loy, CEO and Founder of Spring Studios. “We are honored to be the new hub for TFF and look forward to a future filled with groundbreaking cultural experiences that this partnership inspires.”
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SELMA, LIFE, Among Gala Films in 2015 Berlinale Special

Berlin International Film Festival

Life directed by Anton Corbijn

Berlinale Special of 2015 Berlin International Film Festival presents recent works by contemporary filmmakers, biopics of renowned personalities.

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Bill Condon MR. HOLMES Among Titles Added to 2015 Berlinale

Berlin International Film Festival

Mr. Holmes

Eight films have been selected for the Competition Program of the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.

Body
Poland
By Malgorzata Szumowska (Stranger, Elles, In the Name of)
With Janusz Gajos, Maja Ostaszewska, Justyna Suwala
World premiere

Cha và con và (Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories)
Vietnam / France / Germany / Netherlands
By Di Phan Dang (Bi, Don’t Be Afraid)
With Do Thi Hai Yen, Le Cong Hoang, Truong The Vinh
World premiere

Journal d’une femme de chambre (Diary of a Chambermaid)
France / Belgium
By Benoit Jacquot (Farewell, My Queen; Three Hearts)
With Léa Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Clotilde Mollet, Hervé Pierre, Vincent Lacoste
World premiere

Mr. Holmes
United Kingdom
By Bill Condon (The Fifth Estate)
With Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Milo Parker, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hattie Morahan
World premiere – Out of competition

Queen of the Desert
USA
By Werner Herzog (Fata Morgana, Fitzcarraldo, Cave of Forgotten Dreams)
With Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Damian Lewis , Robert Pattinson
World premiere

Taxi
Iran
By Jafar Panahi (Closed Curtain, Offside)
With Jafar Panahi
World premiere

Victoria
Germany
By Sebastian Schipper (Gigantic, A Friend of Mine)
With Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski, Burak Yigit, Max Mauff, André M. Hennicke
World premiere

Yi bu zhi yao (Gone with the Bullets)
People’s Republic of China / USA / Hong Kong, China
By Wen Jiang (Let the Bullets Fly)
With Wen Jiang, You Ge, Yun Zhou, Qi Shu, Huang Hung
International premiere
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Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell to Co-Host 2015 Spirit Awards

Awards

Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell will co-host the 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The 30th annual awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica on Saturday, February 21 with the premiere broadcast airing live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT / 5:00 pm ET.

“The only thing better than having a great host for the Spirit Awards is having two great hosts,” said Josh Welsh, Film Independent President. “For our 30th anniversary we’re so excited to have Fred and Kristen co-hosting the awards and it’s going to be a fantastic show.”

Commented Jennifer Caserta, president, IFC, “We’re proud to once again showcase the Film Independent Spirit Awards on IFC and celebrate the 30^th anniversary with a live broadcast. Fred is obviously right at home on IFC and we are excited to welcome Kristen to the network. Together, they’ll make this show true event television for our viewers.”

Fred Armisen is one of the most diversely talented performers working today with credits that run from acting, producing and writing in both comedy and music. He is the co-creator, co-writer and co-star of IFC’s Portlandia alongside Carrie Brownstein for which he received an Emmy® nomination for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series” in 2014 and a nomination for “Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series” in 2012, 2013 and 2014. The show also received the prestigious Peabody Award for excellence in 2011. In February 2014, Armisen was named band leader of the 8G Band on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

An eleven season veteran of Saturday Night Live,he has also appeared in countless feature films including Easy A, The Rocker, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Eurotrip and The Promotion as well as lending his voice to the feature The Smurfs. He has also appeared in the films Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny with Jack Black,Baby Mama with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, The Ex with Zach Braff and Jason Bateman, and in Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’sAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

Armisen will soon star in HBO’s one-off comedy event 7 Days in Hell. Armisen will also star in Jamie Babbit’s raucous comedy Fresno alongside Aubrey Plaza, Molly Shannon, Judy Greer and Natasha Lyonne. Armisen’s most recent venture is his new IFC comedy, American Documentary.

Kristen Bell currently stars as ‘Jeannie Van Der Hooven’ in the Showtime series House of Lies opposite Don Cheadle. The fourth season premiered on January 11, 2015. She was recently seen reprising her beloved title role in Warner Brothers’ film Veronica Mars. Bell also lent her voice to the character ‘Anna’ in the acclaimed new Disney animated feature, Frozen, directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

Bell appeared in a guest-starring arc in the most recent season of NBC’s hit series Parks & Recreation. She also played the lead role in the independent film The Lifeguard, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She also starred in and co-produced the comedy Hit & Run, written and directed by her husband Dax Shepard. Her other film credits include: Movie 43,Some Girls, Writers, Big Miracle, You Again, Burlesque, When in Rome, Couples Retreat, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Pulse, Serious Moonlight and David Mamet’sSpartan.

Kristen’s television credits include: Veronica Mars, Unsupervised, Deadwood, Heroes and Party Down. Her Broadway credits include: Tom Sawyer and The Crucible opposite Liam Neeson and Laura Linney. Her Off-Broadway credits include: Reefer Madness and A Little Night Music both at The Lincoln Center in New York and Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Sundance Doc, HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, to Debut on HBO

Documentary

HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO documentary, which is scheduled to premiere at the upcoming 2015 Sundance FilmFestival, will debut on HBO later this year.

HBO Documentary Films has acquired U.S. television rights to HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO. Directed by Alexandra Shiva (Stagedoor, Bombay Eunuch), the film will have its world premiere Sunday, January 25 at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Documentary Competition, and will debut on HBO later this year.

A first kiss, a first dance. These are the rites of passage of American youth that hold the promise of magic, romance and initiation into adulthood. For kids from all walks of life, these first steps toward intimacy are at once exciting and terrifying. For some teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum, the transition can be nothing less than paralyzing. In HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, director Alexandra Shiva follows a group of young people in Columbus, Ohio, with an array of developmental challenges as they prepare for an iconic event – a spring formal dance. They spend 12 weeks confronting and practicing their social skills as they prepare for the big event, to be hosted at a local disco. Working with their trusted psychologist, they deconstruct fear and larger-than-life social anxiety one step at a time by picking dates, dresses, and, ultimately, a King and Queen of the Prom. HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO is a story of the universal human need to grow, connect and belong as uniquely dramatized by individuals facing the deepest struggle toward social survival.

Shiva states, “A domestic broadcast on HBO will ensure that this film reaches the widest possible audience throughout the country and I am excited to be working with them to do that. This is a film not only for the many whose lives are touched in some way by autism, but also for anyone who can relate to the fraught experience of growing up and trying to understand adulthood.”

In 2001, Shiva directed & produced her first feature documentary BOMBAY EUNUCH, awarded Best Documentary at NewFest and the Special Jury Award at Florida Film Festival, followed by a 6-week theatrical run. Her second documentary STAGEDOOR premiered at SXSW in 2005, and in 2006 screened at New York’s Film Forum and on the Sundance Channel. HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO is her third feature documentary.
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Directors Guild of America Reveals 2014 Documentary Nominees

Awards

Virunga

Directors Guild of America announced the DGA’s nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2014.

“The spectrum of directorial excellence across today’s nine television and documentary categories is revelatory for the breadth and depth in what each of these women and men have directed – from 30-second commercials to multi-hour miniseries,” said Directors Guild of America President, Paris Barclay. “As fellow filmmakers, we’re inspired by the quality, imagination and creativity demonstrated by these impressive nominees; as audience members, we’re incredibly fortunate to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Our congratulations to all of the nominees.”

The winners will be announced at the 67th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. The DGA Awards will be hosted by actor Jane Lynch.

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2014 are (in alphabetical order):

Dan Krauss
The Kill Team

This is Mr. Krauss ‘s first DGA Award nomination.

John Maloof
Charlie Siskel
Finding Vivian Maier

This is Mr. Maloof’s first DGA Award nomination.
This is Mr. Siskel’s first DGA Award nomination.

Jesse Moss
The Overnighters

This is Mr. Moss’s first DGA Award nomination.

Laura Poitras
Citizenfour

This is Ms. Poitras’s first DGA Award nomination.

Orlando von Einsiedel
Virunga

This is Mr. von Einsiedel’s first DGA Award nomination.
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