• Malian Film “Timbuktu” Leads Award Winners of South Africa’s 2014 Durban International Film Festival

     durban international film festival 2014 winner

    The Durban International Film Festival announced its award-winners at the closing ceremony of the festival’s 35th edition At the awards ceremony, the festival’s highest accolade of Best Feature Film went to Malian auteur Abderrahmane Sissako’s masterful Timbuktu, from a selection of competition films that the international jury described as having dealt with “individuals coping with ideological, social and political pressures whilst trying to find their own identity and humanity in a world increasingly under distress.” 

    The jury commended Sissako’s film for being “an impressively well-made film that makes us aware, in an extraordinarily human and gentle way, of the fight for dignity and freedom of individuals against oppression and violence. Beautifully crafted and showing mature accomplishment on all levels the film illustrates the absurdity of war and ideological dogmatism and offers humor, gentility and humaneness as a possible solution to the madness that seems to engulf so many regions in the world and on our continent. It embraces cinema as a weapon of love against violence and intolerance.”

    The International Jury consisted of: Rémi Bonhomme, who heads Critics Week at Cannes Film Festival; Diarah N’Daw-Spech, the co-founder and co-director of the African Diaspora Film Festival in New York; Andrew Worsdale, writer, director and previous winner of Best South African Feature film at DIFF; and actress and activist Paulina Malefane, known for her role of Carmen in both the stage and film productions of U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, and co-founder of the Isango Ensemble.

    The award for Best South African Feature Film, went to Jenna Bass’ exciting first feature Love the One You Love. The local jury stated that they chose the film “for its stylistic and narrative freshness”, calling it “a playful, quirky and idiosyncratic debut made with curiosity, warmth, heart and sensitivity.” Bass was also honoured with the prize for Best Direction in a South African Feature Film, with the jury describing the young director as “inquisitive, innovative and with a unique voice and luminous cinematic sensibility, who shows us a contemporary universe which is as imaginative as it is true”.

    The accolade for Best Documentary went to Mahdi Fleifel’s A World Not Ours.  According to the jury, “This intimate, affecting and often humorous debut feature is a portrait of three generations of exile in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon, a Palestinian pocket of hemmed-in buildings and stifled hopes. Fleifel may have set out to tell a small domestic story about the loved ones he has left behind but the result is a powerful tale of the human cost of a political nightmare, the end of which seems very far away.”

    Best South African Documentary was awarded to Rehad Desai’s Miners Shot Down. The film was also awarded the Amnesty International (Durban) Human Rights Award. The film was chosen “for its profoundly moving portrayal of the Marikana miners’ massacre. The human rights abuses so vividly portrayed include the right to life, the right to justice, the right to protection by the police, the right to know, the right to peaceful protest and the right to human dignity.” ­

    The full list of awards is as follows:

    Best Feature Film: TIMBUKTU by Abderrahmane Sissako

    Best First Feature Film: SALVATION ARMY by Abdellah Taia

    Best Direction: Noaz Deshe for WHITE SHADOW

    Best Screenplay: LOVE IS STRANGE written by Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias

    Best Cinematography: Sofian el Fani – TIMBUKTU

    Best Actor: Ibrahim Ahmed – TIMBUKTU & Tony Kgoroge – cold harbour

    Best Actress: Chi Mhende – LOVE THE ONE YOU LOVE

    Durban International Film Festival Award for Artistic Bravery: Petter Brunner – MY BLIND HEART

    Best SA Documentary: MINERS SHOT DOWN by Rehad Desai
    Special Mention: NELSON MANDELA: THE MYTH AND ME by Khalo Matabane

    Best Direction in a South African dDcumentary: I, AFRIKANER by Annalet Steenkamp
    Special Mention: FATHERLAND by Tarryn Crossman

    Best Documentary: A WORLD NOT OURS by Mahdi Fleifel

    Best Short Film: OUT OF PLACE by Ozan Mermer

    Best South African Short Film: KEYS, MONEY, PHONE by Roger Young

    Photo caption: Jenna Bass left receives her award for SA Film at the 35th Durban International Film Festival. From left Peter Machen (DIFF Manager), and jury members Neil Coppen, Katrina Hedren, Darryl Els.

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  • Foreign Films Win Top Awards at 2014 Stony Brook Film Festival

     stony brook film festival winners-2014

    U. S. Premieres of foreign films took the top awards at the 19th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival.  U.S. premiere of French film Paper Souls (Les âmes de papier) directed by Vincent Lannoo took the Jury Award for Best Feature, and U.S. Premiere of Dutch film Kenau directed by Maarten Treurniet won the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature

    Stony Brook’s ten-day festival screened films each evening at Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University. Opening night was sold out, with over 900 in the audience for Ralph Macchio’s short film, Across Grace Alley, followed by the U.S. Premiere of the German film Back on Track from Beta Cinema. Alan Inkles, founder and director of the Festival, greeted European and American filmmakers at the awards night, following the New York Premiere of Erik Poppe’s 1,000 Times Good Night starring Juliette Binoche.

    The winners were:

    2014 Jury Award-Best Feature
    PAPER SOULS (LES ÂMES DE PAPIER)

    U.S. Premiere from France/ Luxembourg/Belgium. Directed by Vincent Lannoo. Written by François Uzan.
    With Stéphane Guillon, Julie Gayet, Jonathan Zaccai, Pierre Richard.
    An Artémis Productions, Samsa Film and Liaison Cinémtographique Production. From Films Distribution.
    In French with subtitles.

    In this quirky comedy from France, a funeral speech writer, a mother and her son, a man who may be a ghost, and a neighbor, all come together in a charming story of loss and love. The writer gets a new lease on life when he meets a widow who commissions him to write a piece about the father of her eight-year-old son.

    2014 Audience Choice-Best Feature
    KENAU

    U.S. Premiere from the Netherlands. Directed by Maarten Treurniet. Written by Marnie Blok, Darin van Holst Pellekaan.
    With Monic Hendrickx, Lisa Smit, Barry Atsma, Sallie Harmsen, Eva Bartels.
    A Fu Works Film. From Eye International.
    In Dutch with subtitles.

    A big-screen adventure based on the story of a woman folk hero who led the defense of the Dutch city of Haarlem in 1573.

    2014 Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking
    MAÏNA

    Canada – Directed by Michel Poulette. Written by Pierre Billon.
    With Roseanne Supernault, Graham Greene, Ipelie Ootoova.
    In Innu/Inuit/English with subtitles.

    Michel Poulette’s career is a long list of success stories with all of Quebec and Canada’s major broadcast networks. The TV programs and features he has worked on have consistently been among the highest rated. He also works for American networks Showtime and Lifetime.This award is for his direction in Maina, introducing the fascinating civilizations of the Innu and Inuit tribes living in North America six hundred years ago.

     2014 Festival Outstanding Performance
    MY SWEET PEPPER LAND

    N.Y. Premiere from Iraq/France/Germany.
    Directed by Hiner Saleem. Written by Hiner Saleem and Antoine Lacomblez.
    In Kurdish/Arabic/Turkish with subtitles.

    As Govend, the teacher in My Sweet Pepper Land, Golshifteh Farahani’s performance wins special recognition. Farahani won a Best Actress award at the age of 14 for her lead in Dariush Mehrjui’s The Pear Tree and is an accomplished musician. She was the first Iranian star to act in a major Hollywood production, Body of Lies, by Ridley Scott in 2008. She is fluent in French and English and now lives in Paris.

    2014 Jury Award-Best Short
    SEQUESTERED

    USA – A film by Lucas Spaulding

    A funny and original short in which two would-be bank robbers run into trouble when each takes exception to the other’s mask.

    2014 Audience Award-Best Short
    LITTLE AFRICA

    USA – A film by Curtis Adair Jr.

    A race riot that devastated a black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921 is the setting for this powerful short in which a biracial cop passing as white pleads with his black mother not to get involved in the protests. Produced by Curtis Adair Jr. while a film student at Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts, Tallahassee.

    2014 Special Jury Recognition
    INTO THE SILENT SEA

    USA – A film by Andrej Landin

    A lone cosmonaut adrift connects with a radio operator in Italy. Produced by Andrej Landin while a film student at Chapman University in California. Gravity and  Into the Silent Sea screened at the Telluride Film Festival at the same time Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity premiered.

    Photo caption: Caption L to R: At the 2014 Stony Brook Film Festival Awards Reception: John Anderson, film critic and M.C.; François Uzan, screenwriter representing Paper Souls; Eva Bartels, actress representing Kenau; Michel Poulette, director, Maïna; Curtis Adair Jr., filmmaker, Little Africa;Alan Inkles, founder/director of the Stony Brook Film Festival.

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  • Florian Habicht’s Concert Documentary “PULP: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets” to get a Preview Screening at NY’s Rooftop Film Summer Fest

    Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & SupermarketsPulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets

    Florian Habicht’s concert documentary film Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets which will be released by Oscilloscope Laboratories this November, will get a special preview screening at Rooftop Films Summer Series on Thursday, August 7th.  Florian Habicht and PULP’s charismatic frontman Jarvis Cocker will be on hand for a Q&A session.

     PULP: A FILM ABOUT LIFE, DEATH & SUPERMARKETS (Florian Habicht | Berlin | 90 min.) 

    Florian Habicht (Love Story) returns to the roof with a lovingly crafted portrait of Pulp, the sexy/nerdy Sheffield rock group that struggled through the 80’s, soared to superstardom in the mid 90’s and then reunited in 2012 for a celebratory final tour. Habicht follows lead singer Jarvis Cocker, an eccentric and cheeky Everyman, as he and his band prepare for their ultimate performance in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans in their native city. The resulting film, like Jarvis’ lyrics, overflows with bittersweet memories, unexpected moments, and the understanding that life and death can be made immensely more bearable with the indulgence of tiny fantasies. 

    Pulp is most famous for their mega hit “Common People,” an exuberant anthem sung in the voice of a working class kid recounting a night of erotic accomplishment with a slumming heiress. The song is ingeniously constructed and exuberantly performed, and it immediately grabs your ear and makes you want to sing along and dance and fuck. But “Common People” is sung in the past tense, and the implication is that the morning after none of this worked out for the best and that the narrator—like most of the rest of us—will return to a world of work and struggle and disappointment. Most of the city of Sheffield lives their lives within that disappointing morning after, but as they talk to Habicht about Cocker, one gets the sense that they relish having had the chance to live vicariously through their native son, almost as if each of the decadent gestures of his wildest years were in some way performed on their behalf. 

    Habicht builds upon his previous work by continuing to mine the comic and emotional possibilities of the candid on-the-street interview. The true stars of this film are not the band mates, but rather the people of Sheffield, and Cocker wisely allows Habicht to shift the spotlight away from the stage and onto the faces of the struggling dreamers in the crowd. It is their observations that carry the film, and the most powerful performance in the film does not occur on stage, but rather in a small local cafe where a room-full of aging residents sing a devastatingly poignant cover of Help The Aged. Pulp: A Film About Life, Death And Supermarkets is at once a raucous concert film, a celebratory portrait of a place and time, and a bittersweet farewell to a town that shaped—and was shaped by—a band of dreamers with dirty minds and open, fragile hearts.

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  • Judy Irving’s Documentary “PELICAN DREAMS” Sets US Release Dates

     PELICAN DREAMS

    PELICAN DREAMS, a documentary film by Judy Irving, the director of “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” will open at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and at the Angelika Film Center in New York, and at the Royal, Playhouse 7,  and Town Center in Los Angeles on November 7. A national release will follow.

    Sundance-and-Emmy-Award-winning filmmaker Judy Irving (with her first film since the widely acclaimed and loved “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill”) follows a wayward California brown pelican from her “arrest” on the Golden Gate Bridge into care at a wildlife rehabilitation facility, and from there explores pelicans’ nesting grounds, Pacific coast migration, and survival challenges of these ancient birds, sometimes referred to as the flying dinosaurs.

    The film is about wildness, and asks the following questions: how close can we get to a wild animal without taming or harming it? Why do we need wildness in our lives, and how can we protect it? PELICAN DREAMS, stars “Gigi” (for Golden Gate) and Morro (a backyard pelican with an injured wing). 

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  • 2014 Milwaukee Film Festival to Highlight Mexican Cinema

     The Amazing Catfish (Los Insolitos Peces Gatos)The Amazing Catfish (Los Insolitos Peces Gatos)

    The 6th Annual Milwaukee Film Festival which runs September 25 to October 9, 2014 at the Landmark Oriental Theatre, Landmark Downer Theatre, Fox-Bay Cinema Grill and Times Cinema, announced Mexico as the spotlight country for its fourth annual Passport program. Featuring a selection of eight films set in Mexico (with seven of the eight made by Mexican filmmakers), Passport: Mexico includes an eclectic mix of award-winning films ranging from comedies and hard hitting dramas to revealing documentaries and poignant coming-of-age tales.

    In tandem with Passport: Mexico is a keynote address from Professor Frederick Aldama of The Ohio State University. Aldama is the author of nineteen books on Latin American popular culture and cinema and is a preeminent scholar of contemporary Mexican cinema. His most recent book, the highly acclaimed Mex-Ciné (2013), offers a multidisciplinary exploration of Mexican national cinema, its historical contexts and the transnational production-consumption models of the Mexican film industry. Details on the date, time and location of the keynote address are forthcoming.

    2014 MILWAUKEE FILM FESTIVAL

    PASSPORT: MEXICO 

    This year we turn our focus to the landscape and culture of modern Mexico. To highlight Mexico’s growing success both in Hollywood and major international film festivals, this program will feature the best cinema of one of our closest neighbors.

    The Amazing Catfish (Los Insolitos Peces Gatos)
    (Mexico, France / 2013 / Director: Claudia Sainte-Luce)

    http://youtu.be/ujD9FAcy7YU

    A celebration of family in all of its messy beauty, The Amazing Catfish is a gorgeously shot, female-driven dramedy. Claudia, 22 and completely alone, meets Martha, terminally ill and mother of four. A chance placement of adjoining hospital beds binds these two women together, with Claudia growing as she becomes caretaker for Martha and her tightly knit brood. This story about finding family in the least likely of places is filled with a generosity of spirit and meaningful exploration of love and loss buoyed by emotionally precise performances from its leads.

    Club Sandwich
    (Mexico / 2013 / Director: Fernando Eimbcke)

    http://youtu.be/1PCzjhT5DIE

    Single mother Paloma and her 15-year-old son, Hector, are spending a lazy vacation taking advantage of their destination’s special off-season pricing. But the arrival of Jazmin at this resort heralds the awakening of Hector’s nascent sexuality, thus beginning one of the most silent courtships in cinema history. Director Fernando Eimbcke (Lake Tahoe, MFF 2009) lets this deadpan comedy play out with tender restraint and comic minimalism, realizing this is a coming-of-age story for both a young boy in the throes of puberty as well as his overly possessive mother and embracing all of the awkwardness true teen romances and mother/son relationships entail.

    Heli
    (Mexico / 2013 / Director: Amat Escalante)

    http://youtu.be/qfcNTCn9k5g

    Heli is a brutal, ceaselessly escalating story of one family’s efforts to escape Mexico’s drug-related violence. Heli ekes out a hardscrabble existence at a car factory and lives with his wife, child, sister, and father in a modest home. When his sister’s police cadet boyfriend makes the life-altering decision to stash stolen drugs in their home, it precipitates a descent into hellish violence that threatens to consume them all. Racking up multiple awards (including Best Director at the 2013 Cannes festival), Heli is an unforgettable journey whose wanton violence and cruelty are certainly not for the squeamish among us. Warning: This film contains extreme violence.

    Last Call (Tercera llamada)
    (Mexico / 2013 / Director: Francisco Franco Alba) 

    http://youtu.be/w_fTLl6DYVs

    Opening night fast approaches for a Mexican theater company’s production of Camus’ existential epic Caligula, but behind the curtains chaos is unfolding—a director on the verge of a nervous breakdown, her drug-addled failed actress assistant, and a male stripper turned stagehand are just a few of the colorful characters that comprise the comedic ensemble of Last Call. This stage door farce (which pulled off a clean sweep of the Guadalajara Film Festival) allows for multiple stars to shine while also granting moments of genuine pathos amid its comic revelry as actors leave, sets are scrapped and a bona fide stage disaster appears imminent.

    Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border (Purgatorio: Viaje al Corazón de la Frontera)Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border (Purgatorio: Viaje al Corazón de la Frontera)

    Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border (Purgatorio: Viaje al Corazón de la Frontera)
    (USA, Mexico / 2013 / Director: Rodrigo Reyes)

    Trailer: http://vimeo.com/73270818

    A haunting sketch of the scorched-earth beauty that surrounds both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, Purgatorio chronicles the untold thousands who attempt to make their way across the border every year despite the dark realities that lay ahead of them. Winner of the Best Documentary award at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, this portrait of an anthropologically arbitrary dividing line is full of stark images of haunting beauty and fascinating characters (coroners, police, border crossers) on both sides that aim to detonate any preconceived notions about life on either side of the massive steel fence that separates us.

    Que Caramba es la VidaQue Caramba es la Vida

    Que Caramba es la Vida
    (Germany / 2014 / Director: Doris Dörrie)

    Trailer: http://vimeo.com/85734992

    Historically speaking, mariachi music is a tradition steeped in machismo and male posturing, not exactly the easiest business for women to break into. But for a hard-nosed few who are able to wade through the sexism and exclusionary tactics of their peers, life as a female mariachi is attainable. Following the stories of powerful women who have to balance traditional expectations of female roles such as motherhood alongside their powerful folk music performances (set against the backdrop of the Dia de los Muertos celebration), we see how these women have broken into this predominantly male field and used their struggles as fuel for success.

    We Are the Nobles (Nosotros los Nobles)
    (Mexico / 2013 / Director: Gaz Alazraki)

    http://youtu.be/ynA5nXZyZxU

    The 1% is made to live like the 99% in this uproarious farce, the biggest box office success in Mexican history. As self-made millionaire German looks back on his life, he realizes the luxury and comfort he has swaddled his three children in have turned them into monsters of privilege. This calls for drastic measures: staging his company’s bankruptcy and convincing his none-too-bright progeny that they are all fugitives from the law. He moves the children into a dilapidated home in a working-class area and leads them to do something for the first time in their lives—work. Catch this riotous comedy now before the inevitable American remake!

    WorkersWorkers

    Workers
    (Mexico, Germany / 2013 / Director: Jose Luis Valle)

    Trailer: http://vimeo.com/75869321

    On his final day of work after three decades of employment, Rafael learns he won’t be earning a pension due to his tenuous immigrant status. Lidia has spent those 30 years as a maid for a wealthy woman who funnels all of her affection toward her dog, Princess, even bequeathing the diminutive pooch everything after her passing, leaving Lidia the ward of a dog millionaire. Tackling class inequality with a deadpan sensibility reminiscent of Jim Jarmusch, director Jose Luis Valle captures the irony and absurdity of the characters’ respective situations without ever losing sight of the prideful humanity at his film’s core.

     

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  • Keynote Speaker + First 3 Films Unveiled for 2014 NY Film Festival Convergence

    The Last HijackThe Last Hijack

    USC’s Henry Jenkins, author of Convergence Culture, has been selected to make the Keynote Address for the 2014 NYFF Convergence, which takes place September 27-28, 2014. In addition, the festival announced the initial three selections for NYFF Convergence.

    The first three selections announced for NYFF Convergence include the North American Premiere of the interactive presentation of Tommy Pallotta and Femke Wolting’s The Last Hijack, which combines documentary footage, animation, and an online transmedia experience to explore contemporary piracy from the point of view of a Somali man contemplating one final hijacking attempt; and a 30th Anniversary screening (of a restored 16mm print) of Diego Echeverria’s 1984 documentary Living Los Sures about the challenges and struggles of living in Brooklyn’s Los Sures neighborhood at that time. Nearly lost, the restored, reframed, and remixed documentary is now part of a multi-platform participatory media project of Brooklyn-based UnionDocs. For the third selection, NYFF Convergence will play host to a creator-guided tour of Futurestates, the compelling ITVS series that imagines the impact of technology on humanity in the not-so-distant future.

    .NYFF Convergence Programmer Matt Bolish said, “The exciting thing about this form of storytelling is that it’s constantly evolving, changing, morphing, and being remixed. These three projects represent some of the most compelling immersive material we’ve seen to date.”

    Focusing on the intersection of technology and storytelling, NYFF Convergence offers audiences and creators the unique opportunity to experience a curated selection of some of the most exciting immersive storytelling projects being produced today. Jenkins, who is the Provost’s Professor of Communication Journalism and Cinematic Arts at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, will focus his address (“A Brief History of Transmedia Worlds”) on world-building in the contemporary entertainment landscape, as it applies to film, as well as exploring the worlds of games, online content, books, etc.

    Previewing the address, Jenkins said, “Today’s films, television series, games, comics, novels, and even documentaries and journalism rely heavily on the concepts of world-building and world-mapping. In this talk, I will provide a conceptual map for understanding what we mean by ‘worlds,’ what roles they are playing in the production and consumption of popular media, how thinking in terms of worlds involves a shift from more traditional focuses on character and narrative, and why this concept has gained such traction in an era of networked communication and transmedia entertainment.”

    FILM AND PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

     Los Sures
    Diego Echeverria, USA, 1984, 16mm, 66m 
    Diego Echeverria’s Los Sures skillfully represents the challenges of its time: drugs, gang violence, crime, abandoned real estate, racial tension, single-parent homes, and inadequate local resources in Brooklyn’s Los Sures neighborhood. Yet Echeverria’s portrait also celebrates the vitality of this largely Puerto Rican and Dominican community, showing the strength of their culture, their creativity, and their determination to overcome a desperate situation. Nearly lost, this 16mm film has been restored, reframed, and remixed by Southside based UnionDocs just in time for the 30th anniversary of its premiere at the New York Film Festival.
    Saturday, July 27

    Living Los Sures (Interactive Presentation)
    Produced by UnionDocs, 2014
    Using Escheverria’s 1984 documentary Los Sures as a starting point, Southside-based UnionDocs has created Living Los Sures, a massive mixed-media project that defies easy categorization. Composed over the course of four years and pulling on the talents of over 30 different artists, Living Los Sures paints a picture of a neighborhood from street level, an ever-evolving mosaic of people and places captured through film, audio, and now an online participatory experience.  With the premiere of two new elements—Eighty-Nine Steps, a continuation of the story of one of the original characters from Los Sures, and Shot by Shot—that invite people to share their personal stories inspired by the shots and locations of the original film, the UnionDocs team will take audiences through the process of building this unique documentary storyworld.
    Saturday, July 27

    The Last Hijack 
    Tommy Pallotta & Femke Wolting, Netherlands, 2014, DCP, 83m
    Mohamed is your average middle-aged man trying to make ends meet in his homeland: the failed state of Somalia. One of the country’s most experienced pirates, he is faced with constant pressure—from his fiancée, family, and friends—to get out of his dangerous profession. Far from the romantic figures of movies and literature, piracy is coming under increasing scrutiny from global forces and communities within Somalia. Sensing the end of an era, Mohamed must decide if he should risk everything and do one last hijack. As he wrestles with these very real problems, a dramatic tail of survival unfolds. How did Mohamed come to live this brutal and dangerous existence and is it possible to walk away? The Last Hijack is both a feature-length film, combining documentary footage and animation, and an online transmedia experience, allowing viewers a unique and original way to explore the story of Somali piracy from different perspectives.
    Sunday, September 28

    North American Premiere
    The Last Hijack (Interactive Presentation)
    Tommy Pallotta & Femke Wolting
    Join directors Tommy Pallotta and Femke Wolting as they explore the immersive online components of The Last Hijack. The creators will offer a bird’s-eye view of the online elements of their documentary that investigates modern-day piracy.  Using data visualizations, animation, live footage, and audio, the online experiences paint a picture not of perpetrators of crimes and their victims but of real people whose actions have an effect on the world around them.
    Sunday, September 28

    Futurestates (Interactive Presentation)
    Produced by ITVS, USA, 2014, 90m
    What will America look like in 10, 15, even 20 years? Futurestates, the revolutionary series produced by ITVS, has been proposing answers to those questions since 2010. For its fifth and final season, Futurestates is presented as an immersive online video experience featuring short films that imagine robots with feelings, what education looks like in a wired world, and the future of prisons and our penal system. The central question at the heart of Futurestates is how technologies we may take for granted have a profound effect on our capacity to feel, create, live… and be human.
    Sunday, September 28

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  • Luke Wilson’s Award-winning short film Satellite Beach to Open 2014 HollyShorts

     satellite beach shortfilm

    The 10th Anniversary edition of the HollyShorts Film Festival will open with the premiere of Luke Wilson’s Award-winning short film Satellite Beach, which follows the unique journey of the Endeavor space shuttle as it travels through the streets of LA and the final move of the Atlantis space shuttle to the Kennedy Space Center. In addition, fest alumni brothers Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) will be honored with the HollyShorts Visionary Award on opening night. The festival and Film Conference take place August 14-23 at the TCL Chinese Theater and Roosevelt Hotel. 

    The Russo Brothers, who are confirmed to direct the third installment of Captain America for Marvel, which will hit theaters May 2016, originally made their mark as indie filmmakers and later went on to direct and produce shows like Arrested Development and Community.  Cap tain America: The Winter Soldier had a $95 million debut earlier this year and has earned $712 million worldwide. The film will be released via Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and DVD onSeptember 9, 2014. Through the years they’ve helped inspire young filmmakers at HollyShorts by participating in a number of panel discussions and workshops.

    Satellite Beach was written and directed by Luke Wilson and his brother Andrew Wilson. The film was shot during Endeavor’s actual move through the streets of Los Angeles. The film was produced by Steve Eckleman, Christopher Mallick, and co-produced by Peter Mergus, Christy Taylor Barnes and Larry Chavana. The film has won a number of Awards including Santa Barbara International Film Festival- The Bruce Corwin Award for Best Live Action Short Film Under 30 Minutes, High Desert International Film Festival- Winner for Best Actor- Luke Wilson, Winner for Best Screenplay, Winner for Best Live Drama, Knoxville Film and Music Festival- Best Short Film.

    Commented HollyShorts founders and directors Theo Dumont and Daniel Sol: “We are proud to present the Joe and Anthony Russo with the 2014 HollyShorts Visionary Award on opening night, we’ve seen their meteoric ascent through the years and what’s special about them is how they always look to inspire the next generation of filmmakers and that’s what our festival is all about. We are equally thrilled to showcase Luke Wilson’s incredible short film Satellite Beach, which has been making headlines across the country at some of the best festivals.”  

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  • “House of Cards” Rachel Brosnahan and “Fringe” David Call to Lead Cast of Upcoming Independent Film “AMERICANA”

    Rachel BrosnahanRachel Brosnahan

    Director Zachary Shedd and Flies Collective announced that David Call (Tiny Furniture, Fringe) and Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards, Manhattan) are among the cast members set for their upcoming feature film Americana.  The third project from Flies Collective, Americana follows the critically acclaimed Hide Your Smiling Faces, written and directed by Daniel Patrick Carbone and the award-winning A Little Closer, written and directed by Matthew Petock.  Production is set to commence in San Francisco later this year.

    Americana is an indie take on the great San Francisco thrillers of the 1970s.  David Call stars as Avery Wells, a recovering alcoholic trying to prove himself again as a film editor.  When his movie star sister (Rachel Brosnahan) is killed outside a party, Avery must find her murderer while dealing with his addiction.

    David Call was first seen on screen in The Notorious Bettie Page and has since landed recurring roles in popular prime time television series including CW’s Gossip Girl and NBC’s Smash.  Call is also well known for his leading roles in acclaimed independent films includingNortheast and Two Gates of Sleep, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and supporting roles in Lena Dunham’s Tiny Furniture andGabriel, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

    Rachel Brosnahan is well known for her memorable performance as ex call girl Rachel Posner in Netflix’s acclaimed series House of Cards,and currently stars in WGN America’s new series Manhattan.  Other recent film and television credits include recurring roles in NBC’s The Blacklist and ABC’s Black Box, as well as roles in Beautiful Creatures, Orange is the New Black, Grey’s Anatomy and an appearance in HBO’s upcoming mini-series Olive Kitteridge. 

    “David and Rachel are exceptionally talented actors who are perfectly poised to assume these roles and we could not be more thrilled to have them lead the cast of Americana,” commented writer and director Zachary Shedd.

    The recently launched Kickstarter campaign for Americana is seeking $25,000 as the final stage of fundraising to help support production costs.  Supporters of high-quality, independent cinema can donate to the campaign at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/95453553/americana

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  • The first Doc’n Roll Festival Featuring Music Docs to take place in London September 25 – 28

    a-band-called-death

    The first ever Doc’n Roll Festival featuring international music documentaries and a rare retrospective of one of the greatest music doc filmmakers will take place September 25 to 28 at Hackney Picturehouse in London, England.  With more than a dozen documentaries showing over four days, the line-up will include premieres, Q&As and special live events. 

    For the inaugural 4-day festival, the retrospective strand will focus on the work of British director Julien Temple, with docs including Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten and LONDON The Modern Babylon plus a Q&A session with Temple following a screening of Oil City Confidential which will include an exclusive opportunity to see a teaser from his upcoming doc about Wilko Johnson.

     Oil City Confidential (2009) tells the story of Dr. Feelgood, a four-piece band who emerged from Cavney Island in the 1970s to conquer Europe and top the UK charts. With contributions from members of The Clash, Blondie and The Sex Pistols plus collaborators Jools Holland and Alison Moyet. In Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007), Temple draws on his close friendship and shared punk history to celebrate the life and legacy of Joe Strummer, before, during and after The Clash. In LONDON The Modern Babylon (2012), Temple draws on a century of music and film archive to tell the story of London’s epic journey through 100 years of cultural upheaval and reinvention. Among the line-up of familiar faces are David Bowie, Ray Davies, Bishi, Mick Jagger, Malcolm McLaren as well as the ordinary people of London from all walks of life. The extraordinary soundtrack spans 100 years of London music including iconic tracks from the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Small Faces, Lily Allen, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, The Kinks, Madness, Bob Marley through to Tommy Trinder, Max Bygraves, Vera Lynn, Lonnie Donnegan, Murray Johnson and Robert Burns, plus many more.

    Also included in the Doc’n Roll line-up is the London Premiere of the American doc directed by Mark Christopher Covino and Jeff Howlet about the first black punk band (or arguably the first ever punk band). A Band Called Death (2012) looks at the three teenage brothers who dared to be different during the 1970s Motown and Disco era. Whilst their music may have been ahead of their time, three decades later Death’s music was rediscovered by a new audience and the band finally received the recognition they deserved.

    Looking for Johnny (2014), a documentary on the life of the late New York Dolls and Heartbreakers guitarist Johnny Thunders, will also be included in this year’s program. Director Danny Garcia talked to the fifty people who were closest to the rocker about his music which inspired punk and glam-metal and his hard lifestyle which lead to his untimely demise at 38.

    Main festival screenings will take place at Hackney Picturehouse.

     Full program to be announced early September. 

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  • Birdman Starring Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton to Open 71st Venice Film Festival | TRAILER

    birdman or the unexpected virtue of ignorance 

    Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel, Biutiful), starring Michael Keaton, has been selected as the opening film of the 71st Venice Film Festival (August 27th – September 6th 2014). Along with Michael Keaton the film also stars Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone and Naomi Watts. 

     The world premiere of Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance will be screened in competition on August 27th in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema at the Lido, following the opening ceremony hosted by Luisa Ranieri.

    The film is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton) – famous for portraying an iconic superhero – as he struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself.

    The screenplay is written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and Armando Bo. The producers are Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan and James W. Skotchdopole. The credits also include Director of Photography Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity, The Tree of Life, Children of Men), production designer Kevin Thompson (The Bourne Legacy, Michael Clayton) and music composed by Antonio Sanchez.

    In 2000, Alejandro G. Iñárritu made his breakthrough with Amores Perros which received an Oscar nomination for best foreign film and won the Semaine de la Critique prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2003 Iñárritu directed his next feature film 21 Grams starring Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts. The film participated in the 60th Venice Film Festival where Penn won the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor, and both Watts and Del Toro received Oscar nominations for their performances. In 2006, Iñárritu directed Babel, the last film of his trilogy starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal and introducing new actors such as Adriana Barraza, Rinko Kikuchi and several non-actors around the world. 


    For Babel, he was awarded the prize for best director at the 59th Cannes Film Festival. The film garnered seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Director and won the Oscar for best original soundtrack. It also received seven Golden Globes nominations and won the prize for Best Motion Picture – Drama.  In 2007 Iñárritu was a member of the International Jury of the 64th Venice Film Festival’s Competition. In 2010 he presented Biutiful in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where Javier Bardem won the prize for Best Actor (tied with Elio Germano for La Nostra Vita).  The film received an Oscar nomination for best foreign film, and Bardem was nominated for best actor as well.

    Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance will release in North America on October 17th and in international territories at the beginning of 2015. 

    http://youtu.be/xIxMMv_LD5Q

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  • Fantasia Film Festival Announces First Wave of 2014 Programming; Opens with Canadian premiere of JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN

    JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN (Jacky au royaume des filles)JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN (Jacky au royaume des filles)

    The 18th annual Fantasia International Film Festival starting July 17 until August 5, 2014 unveiled the First Wave announcement of several selected highlights for the upcoming festival. Fantasia 2014 will launch with the Canadian premiere of JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN (Jacky au royaume des filles), a sharp political satire from comic book genius Riad Sattouf (LES BEAUX GOSSES) that took the Rotterdam Film Festival by storm.Set in the Democratic Republic of Bubunne where women lead and men are obligated to wear a veil and serve them, this subversive black comedy follows Jacky (Vincent Lacoste), a one-of-a-kind Cinderella, who wishes to marry the powerful and gorgeous Colonel (Charlotte Gainsbourg), daughter of the country’s leader (Anémone). You don’t think when you’re in love, you push on, and sometimes accidentally set off a coup d’état. The provocative and smart JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN couldn’t be more timely, urgent or funny.

    CENTERPIECE PRESENTATION: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
    Fantasia will hold a special screening of the hotly anticipated new instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, and the voice talents of Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, directed by none other than James Gunn (SUPER, SLITHER) and presented in dazzling 3D.

    A towering and truly unique figure in Japanese animation, director Mamoru Oshii will be a recipient of Fantasia’s Lifetime Achievement Award. From pioneering OVAs DALLOS and the haunting ANGEL’S EGG, and of course the beloved PATLABOR series, of the 1980s, through the dramatically influential global hit GHOST IN THE SHELL in the mid-’90s, to its award-winning sequel and other powerful, pensive works in the new millennium (SKY CRAWLERS, AVALON), Oshii has consistently strived to bring new ideas and in fact a whole new attitude to anime. With his meticulous and idiosyncratic near-future thrillers and dramas, linked by persistent themes, motifs and concerns, Oshii asserts a complex, deeply thoughtful and decidedly adult sensibility — while maintaining the highest technical standards in the field (and hardly confining his efforts to animation). In seeking a path to call his own, Oshii has blazed a trail for fantastic entertainment worldwide to follow.  Mamoru Oshii will be receiving his award on our opening night, July 17, before a special screening of the new HD master of GHOST IN THE SHELL, being re-issued by Manga Entertainment and Anchor Bay Entertainment in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the original manga’s publication. This will be the first time the GITS HD print has been made available outside of Japan, lovingly restored, unadulterated and awe-inspiring in its beauty.

    ADDITIONAL FIRST WAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS INCLUDE:

    AMONG THE LIVING
    France   Dir: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury
    Leave it to the makers of INSIDE and LIVID to rework STAND BY ME as the horror film Stephen King always knew it could be. A tribute to ’80s cinema turned completely on its head, then decapitated. A standout at SXSW and the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival. Canadian Premiere

    ANGRY VIDEO GAME NERD: THE MOVIE
    USA  Dir: Kevin Finn, James D. Rolfe
    He is the enemy of the weak and wasteful, of garbage gameplay and lousy graphics, the one and only Angry Video Game Nerd! James D. Rolfe’s longstanding hit web series powers up to its big-screen debut! International Premiere

    BOYHOOD
    USA  Dir: Richard Linklater
    Over a decade ago, Richard Linklater assembled a cast he would film over a dozen years, to tell an utterly authentic tale of American childhood and adolescence.  Many critics already call it one of the year’s best films, and so will you. Winner of the Silver Bear at the 2014 Berlin Film Festival and the Lone Star Award at SXSW 2014, this unique coming of age drama will launch the fifth edition of Fantasia’s Camera Lucida section. Quebec Premiere

    BROS BEFORE HOS
    Netherlands Dir: Steffen Haars, Flip Van der Kuil
    Following the awful breakup of their parents’ marriage, two brothers seal a pact that neither shall ever enter into a serious relationship with a woman. The Netherland’s renegade NEW KIDS team returns, still riotous and right on the edge of good taste. International Premiere

    CYBERNATURAL
    USA Dir: Leo Gabriadze 
    On the anniversary of a teen’s suicide, the six cyberbullies responsible meet online for a group chat. A seventh, anonymous participant joins them. Told entirely way of a character’s computer screen, CYBERNATURAL brilliantly nails the ways in which we communicate and present ourselves online, hitting hard with a new kind of horror for an increasingly connected-yet-disconnected world. Produced by Timur Bekmambetov (WANTED, NIGHTWATCH). World Premiere

    CROWS EXPLODE
    Japan  Dir: Toshiaki Toyoda
    Fists will fly and beatings will abound, but the greatest battles are always in the hearts of the sneering, delinquent punks of the notorious Suzuran All-Boys High School. After Takashi Miike, it’s now BLUE SPRING director Toshiaki Toyoda’s turn to make a knuckle mark on the CROWS ZERO franchise. North American Premiere

    DEALER
    France  Dir: Jean Luc Herbulot
    Directed with volcanic energy, DEALER is a sturdy thriller that drags its audience full-steam ahead through a Parisian underbelly filled with hoods and thugs, marking the powerful arrival of one of the most promising new voices in French genre cinema. A feature-film baptism filled with noise and fury.  World Premiere

    GIOVANNI’S ISLAND
    Japan  Dir: Mizuho Nishikubo
    A gracefully executed anime from Production I.G, examining the struggles of the Japanese in the immediate aftermath of World War II, from the perspective of a child. As beautiful as it is devastating, GIOVANNI’S ISLAND received a Jury Mention at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Canadian Premiere

    THE HARVEST
    USA Dir: John McNaughton
    A surprising story told in twists, tears and blood, maverick HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER / WILD THINGS filmmaker John McNaughton’s long-awaited return stars Samantha Morton, Michael Shannon, Charlie Tahan and Peter Fonda and exists in a disquieting median space between sinister fairy tale and shattering human horror. International Premiere

    HAN GONG-JU
    South Korea  Dir: Lee Su-jin
    A troubled teenage girl flees her past — is she guilty or a victim? A multiple prize winner, notably attaining the Silver Tiger Award at this year’s Rotterdam International Film Festival, HAN GONG-JU is a magnificent yet devastating debut feature of incredible narrative virtuosity. Canadian Premiere

    THE HUNTRESSES 
    South Korea  Dir: Park Jae-hyun 
    A trio of daring and dangerous bounty-hunting beauties find themselves in a high-risk, high-stakes game of subterfuge and swordplay in medieval Korea. A rousing and fast-paced action-adventure with a dash of romance and a barge-load of slapstick laughs! International Premiere

    I ORIGINS
    USA  Dir: Mike Cahill
    From the director and star (Brit Marling) of ANOTHER EARTH comes another science fiction drama about a molecular biologist and his partner whose unique experiments may change the nature of society itself. Canadian Premiere

    INTO THE STORM
    USA  Dir: Steven Quayle
    In the span of a single day, the town of Silverton is ravaged by an unprecedented onslaught of tornadoes. The entire town is at the mercy of the erratic and deadly cyclones, even as storm trackers predict the worst is yet to come. Most people seek shelter, while others run towards the vortex, testing how far a storm chaser will go for that once-in-a-lifetime shot. Quebec Premiere

    KILLERS
    Indonesia/Japan  Dir: The Mo Brothers
    Two serial killers. One likes to kill, the other seeks justice. The problem is, the first one is mentoring the latter… Social media will bring a storm of blood over both Tokyo and Jakarta in this shocking yet incredibly smart horror thriller in the vein of THE CHASER and COLD FISH that floored audiences at Sundance. Canadian Premiere

    KITE
    USA/Mexico  Dir: Ralph Ziman
    The controversial and influential anime finally sees a live-action adaptation, stylishly directed by award-winning South African filmmaker Ralph Ziman (JERUSALEMA) and backed by a cast that features Samuel L. Jackson, Callan McAuliffe, and India Eisley. The film succeeds brilliantly in blending the elements that made the original material a mythical piece of art. International Premiere

    LIVE
    Japan  Dir: Noboru Iguchi
    When his mother is kidnapped and a stranger calls, Naoto is thrust into a public triathlon of death. DEAD SUSHI director Noboru Iguchi’s running go at the survival-race genre is loveably lurid, super-sanguinary fun. North American Premiere

    THE MAN IN THE ORANGE JACKET
    Latvia   Dir: Aik Karapetian
    A laid-off worker kills his ex-boss in cold blood, and assumes his lifestyle. The good times will be short-lived, however as things are about to take an unexpected turn. In a similar vein than Polanski:s THE TENANT, Armenian filmmaker Aik Karapetian’s audacious slasher is this year’s most groundbreaking work of dramatic horror.  World Premiere

    THE MIDNIGHT SWIM
    USA Dir: Sarah Adina Smith
    Spirit Lake is unusually deep. No diver has ever managed to find the bottom. When Dr. Amelia Brooks disappears during a deep-water dive, her three daughters travel home. They find themselves unable to let go and become drawn into the mysteries of the lake. A phantasmagoric atmosphere reminiscent of PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK emanates from this brilliant debut feature debut. World Premiere

    MISS GRANNY
    South Korea  Dir: Hwang Dong-hyeuk 
    74-year-old grandmother Oh Mal-soon has been magically transported into the body of her 20-year-old self. Seizing the opportunity to relive a youth she sacrificed in the name of her child, she sets out to explore a world of new possibilities. And it includes K-Pop… Canadian Premiere

    MONSTERZ
    Japan  Dir: Hideo Nakata
    A sinister sociopath with psychic powers squares off against a cheerful everyman with a secret of his own. The 2010 South Korean superhero/horror hybrid HAUNTERS, remade by Japanese cult director Hideo Nakata (RINGU), with stars Tatsuya Fujiwara (SHIELD OF STRAW) and Takayuki Yamada (CROWS ZERO). Canadian Premiere

    ONCE UPON A TIME IN SHANGHAI
    Hong Kong  Dir: Wong Ching-Po
    Opium and kung fu! The glory days of old Shanghai — or are they? Two generations of true kung fu experts collide in the spectacular martial arts feast, with breathtaking choreography by Yuen Woo-Ping and Yuen Cheung-Yan! Canadian Premiere

    PREDESTINATION
    Australia Dirs:  Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
    Time, place and identity get folded, spindled and mutilated in the mind-bending new film from Australia’s Spierig Bros (UNDEAD, DAYBREAKERS),  a noir-tinted sci-fi thriller with a soul, starring Ethan Hawke, Noah Taylor and Sarah Snook. Canadian Premiere

    PUZZLE
    Japan  Dir: Eisuke Naito
    The staff and students at Noriaki Hill High School have been given a game to play, one in which mistakes can be fatal. A giddy, gory brain-twister of a teen survival thriller, in which vengeance is as much a first step as a final solution. North American Premiere

    THE RECONSTRUCTION OF WILLIAM ZERO
    USA Dir: Dan Bush
    A scientist awakens from a coma in the care of his twin brother, but neither may be exactly who they first appear to be. A cinematic jigsaw puzzle that delves into the darker side of science fiction, THE RECONSTRUCTION… marks the return of Dan Bush (2008’s THE SIGNAL) and stars Conal Byrne, Amy Seimetz and A.J. Bowen. World Premiere

    THE RUN
    Malaysia  Dir: Ahmad Idham
    A former soldier sets out to avenge his family in this slam-bang Malaysian effort, bursting with spectacular stunts and fights, showcasing Aaron Aziz. THE RUN is an action-packed gem that wants only one thing: to blow your face off. International Premiere

    SUBURBAN GOTHIC
    USA Dir: Richard Bates Jr
    EXCISION director Richard Bates Jr is back with an eccentric comedy/horror that stars Matthew Gray Gubler, Kat Dennings, Ray Wise, Sally Kirkland, Jeffrey Combs and John Waters and riffs on everything from classic supernatural horror and outsider teen comedies to the Hardy Boys and Scooby-Doo. World Premiere

    THE SEARCH FOR WENG WENG
    Australia/Philippines  Dir: Andrew Leavold
    Andrew Leavold documents his unrelenting six-year quest to discover ever more about the extraordinary 2ft 9in tall actor-stuntman Weng Weng, and the weird and wonderful world of 1970s Filipino cinema. North American Premiere

    SWEET POOLSIDE
    Japan  Dir: Daigo Matsui 
    Two swim-team members, a hairless boy and a hirsute girl, discover the pangs and tangles of first love in SWEET POOLSIDE, one of the most astute examination of adolescence to screen in a long time. North American Premiere

    THE WHITE STORM
    Hong Kong  Dir: Benny Chan
    Hopping from Hong Kong to Thailand to Macau, blending hard-hitting action with powerful drama, Benny Chan’s vividly stylish THE WHITE STORM is a sprawling, absorbing crime flick in the classic Hong Kong tradition. Canadian Premiere

    YASMINE
    Brunei Darussalam  Dir: Siti Kamaluddin 
    YASMINE is a one-two combo of sports drama and coming of age story in the vein of THE KARATE KID. First time director Siti Kamaluddin, newcomer actress Liyana Yus and veteran action choreographer Chan Man Ching form a winning team in this dynamic feel good film. The cinema of Brunei Darussalam makes a regal entry at Fantasia! North American Premiere

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  • Fantasia Unveils Second Wave of Films for 2014; Closes with North American Premiere of Abel Ferrara’s WELCOME TO NEW YORK

    WELCOME TO NEW YORKWELCOME TO NEW YORK

    The Fantasia International Film Festival announced the second wave of films for the 18th edition which runs July 17 to August 5, 2014, in Montreal, Canada.  Fantasia will close its 2014 edition with the North American Premiere of Abel Ferrara’s WELCOME TO NEW YORK, the controversial latest from the legendary filmmaker behind such landmarks as BAD LIEUTENANT, KING OF NEW YORK, NEW ROSE HOTEL and the recently re-released MS 45.

    WELCOME TO NEW YORK is loosely based on the DSK scandal and stars the iconic Gérard Depardieu in one of the bravest performances of his career. Co-starring is the equally sensational Jacqueline Bisset.

    Abel Ferrara will be on hand to host this special evening, unveiling his audacious and bold new classic for its first appearance on this continent after explosive bows at Cannes (out of official selection) and Edinburgh.

    JU-ON: THE BEGINNING OF THE END to launch its Western haunt in Montreal
    Fans of classic J-Horror, rejoice! The curse of Kayoko and Toshio is back!  Fantasia will be the site of the International Premiere of JU-ON: THE BEGINNING OF THE END, the anticipated new Japanese production that reboots one of the most successful and terrifying horror franchises of the 21st century in a very wise way: by remaining faithful to the original material.

    Director/Co-Writer Masayuki Ochiai (HYPNOSIS) brings us back to the haunted house and reinstates, slowly but surely, its oppressive atmosphere through a refined and efficient use of mise-en-scene. Co-scripted by none other than Taka Ichise.

    A Lifetime Achievement Award For Fear Pioneer Tobe Hooper
    In 1974, Austin-based former professor and documentary cameraman Tobe Hooper assembled a team comprised mostly of fellow faculty members and recent students and essentially gave birth to the modern horror film. Viscerally frightening, bursting with dark social commentary and an even darker sense of humour that would become one of Hooper’s staples, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remains a seminal work in American cinema. The influence it had on the genre landscape was transformative.

    In the years that followed, Tobe Hooper reshaped what televised horror could be with his terrifying mini-series adaptation of Stephen King’s SALEM’S LOT, and was an architect of the trend of blockbuster supernatural horrors with which to traumatize entire families with POLTERGEIST. His ensuing list of individualistic genre film accomplishments is considerable and today, at the age of 71, he continues to explore the fantastic with vigour.

    From his bold themes and Grand Guignol sensibilities to his brilliant use of close-ups, cutting and sound, Tobe Hooper’s approach to storytelling is daring, singular and ferociously cinematic. It’s impossible to imagine what the genre might be like today had this imaginative professor simply stayed on campus.

    The festival will present Tobe Hooper with a Lifetime Achievement Award on the 40th anniversary of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, in front of the Canadian premiere of the film’s stunning new 4K restoration.

    Fantasia announced the creation of a new section in  programming: Fantasia Underground, dedicated to showcasing outrageous indie outsider visions created in the counter-cultural spirit that we associate with classic underground film works. For its inaugural edition, Fantasia Underground will sport four features, from Canada, Japan, and the USA, three of them World Premieres.

    BAG BOY LOVER BOY
    USA Dir: Andres Torres
    A return to the kind of classic New York Underground filmmaking that the city no longer produces, oozing with unusual characters, seedy situations and subversive sleaze as we follow a borderline autistic hot dog vendor’s journey into photography and criminality. A blackly funny social grenade evocative of early Paul Morrissey, Andy Milligan and Richard Kern. World Premiere.

    BLOODY KNUCKLES
    Canada Dir: Matt O’Mahoney
    An underground comic artist mocks the wrong mobster and loses his drawing hand in retribution. The artist may be silenced, but the severed appendage returns, to continue drawing comics on its own – and commit some seriously bloody acts of vengeance! A splatter horror comedy about freedom of expression that’s as touching as it is profane. World Premiere.

    HANA-DAMA: THE ORIGINS
    Japan Dir: Hisayasu Sato
    A seemingly mundane high-school bullying drama builds into a cathartic and absurd farce of excessive, bloody, colourful revenge and retribution, care of underground cinema legend Hisayasu Sato (NAKED BLOOD, LOVE & LOATHING LULU & AYANO), co-scripted by Shinji Imaoka (of the demented pinku musical UNDERWATER LOVE). A poignant and strange social critique of girl-on-girl violence and institutional abuse at large. North American Premiere.

    I AM A KNIFE WITH LEGS
    USA Dir: Bennet Jones
    An international Europop star is holed up with his manager at a secret Los Angeles location after a fatwa has been taken out on his head. Hysterically funny lines are deadpanned into instant immortality, rough animation, lo-fi psychedelia, catchy electropop and the odd burst of eccentric action collide to make this a microbudget work truly unlike anything else on the planet. World Premiere.

    Additional 2nd Wave Highlights

    AT THE DEVIL’S DOOR (formerly titled HOME)
    USA  Dir: Nicholas McCarthy
    The maker of THE PACT returns with a nightmarish work that jumps decades and narrative paths, brilliantly juggling mood-drenched atmospheric dread and visceral bursts of horror, telling the tale of a young real estate agent (Catalina Sandino Moreno) asked to sell a house with uniquely diabolical history. Official Selection: SXSW, New Zealand International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

    OPEN WINDOWS
    Spain-USA  Dir: Nacho Vigalondo
    Offered a chance to spy on his it-girl fixation (Sasha Grey), fan-site webmaster Nick (Elijah Wood) is drawn into in a sinister, voyeuristic plot. An ever-surprising, Hitchcock-inspired mind-bender from genius trickster-director Nacho Vigalondo that breaks all kinds of storytelling ground in exciting ways. Canadian Premiere.

    CHEATIN’
    USA  Dir: Bill Plympton
    Tipping his fedora a touch to film noir and romantic revenge thrillers, Bill Plympton, the Oscar-nominated one-man army of American indie animation, delivers a screwball sex-farce cartoon for more-or-less-grown-ups. Adored at Slamdance, awarded jury prizes at Annecy and Gijún, CHEATIN’ is yet another gem in Plympton’s brilliant filmography. Canadian Premiere.

    CLOSER TO GOD
    USA  Dir: Billy Senese
    The first successful cloning of a human pulls a brilliant genetic scientist into the center of volatile battle between science and religion in this unique reinterpretation of the Frankenstein story that’s equal parts philosophical science-fiction/horror and paranoid thriller. Hypnotically cinematic and evocative of early Cronenberg, this is a fiercely intelligent knockout of a feature debut from award-winning short filmmaker Billy Senese (THE SUICIDE TAPES). International Premiere.

    CREEP
    USA  Dir: Patrick Brice
    This collaboration between director Patrick Brice, producer Jason Blum (INSIDIOUS, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY) and the ubiquitous co-writer/co-producer, co-star Mark Duplass (BAGHEAD, SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED) is unlike any horror work you’ll see this year, a major film event on the tiniest of budgets and a shockingly effective genre hybrid, riding on two excellent performances. Official Selection: SXSW, Tribeca.Canadian Premiere.

    THE CREEPING GARDEN
    UK  Dir: Tim Grabham, Jasper Sharp
    A fascinating, hallucinatory documentary on plasmodial slime mold – a unique and bizarre organism, worthy of the weirdest science fiction, inviting profound reflections on intelligence, engineering, social dynamics, and the intersection of art and science. Enriching the otherworldly atmosphere is an appropriately subtle yet unsettling score by post-rock icon Jim O’Rourke (Tortoise, Sonic Youth, UNITED RED ARMY). One of the most astonishing films you’ll see anywhere this year, co-directed by polyvalent artist Tim Grabham and Midnight Eye co-creator Jasper Sharp. World Premiere.

    DANCING KARATE KID
    Japan  Dir: Tsukasa Kishimoto
    Jaw-dropping dance numbers, a flood of jokes amongst the funniest you’ll see all year and eye-popping action scenes are all part of DANCING KARATE KID, an off-the-chain action-comedy blending martial arts and musical moves. Official Selection: Hawaii International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

    THE DEVIL’S MILE
    Canada  Dir: Joseph O’Brien
    “The road will never let you go…” A trio of criminals transporting two captives through the desert takes a wrong turn onto a stretch of blacktop traversing into supernatural territory. A fully committed combination of road/crime saga and supernatural terror that marks the feature debut of longtime Rue Morgue Magazine contributor O’Brien. World Premiere.

    THE DROWNSMAN
    Canada  Dir: Chad Archibald
    A washing machine, the bathroom sink, even a puddle on the floor – only a few drops and the hideous Drownsman can pull you down into his watery hell! A new twist on the classic horror-movie stalker scenario, from the Canadian genre genies that brought you ANTISOCIAL and NEVERLOST. World Premiere.

    FIGHT CHURCH
    USA  Dir: Daniel Junge, Bryan Storkle
    A multitude of “fight ministries” combine Christianity and mixed martial arts. By turns shocking, touching, and even inspirational, FIGHT CHURCH is unlike any sports-oriented documentary you’ve ever seen. Directors Daniel Junge (Academy Award-winner SAVING FACE) and Bryan Storkle (HOLY ROLLERS: THE TRUE STORY OF CARD COUNTING CHRISTIANS), keep the film even-handed and compelling. WINNER: Grand Jury Prize, Boston Independent Film Festival. International Premiere.

    FRANK
    UK  Dir: Lenny Abrahamson
    An aspiring musician falls in with a band of art-rock weirdos whose enigmatic frontman (Michael Fassbender) never removes his giant plaster head. Co-starring Domhnall Gleeson and Maggie Gyllenhaal, FRANK hits all the right notes as it examines the fine arts of fame and failure. A major hit at this year’s Sundance, SXSW and Calgary Underground Film Festivals. Quebec Premiere.

    FROM VEGAS TO MACAU
    Hong Kong  Dir: Wong Jin
    The King of Cool, Chow Yun-Fat, is back in a signature role he made famous in the classic GOD OF GAMBLERS (seen way back at Fantasia Year One!). A royal flush of comical action madness in Wong Jing’s trademark Hong Kong style, co-starring Nicholas Tse and Chapman To. Canadian Premiere.

    FUKU-CHAN OF FUKUFUKU FLATS
    Japan  Dir: Yosuke Fujita
    One part quirky slapstick absurdity and two parts poignant character study, FUKU-CHAN is the feelgood, laugh-out-loud indie comedy hit of this year’s fest, mixing humour and pathos in the way only fan-favourite Yosuke Fujita (FINE, TOTALLY FINE) can. Official Selection: Frankfurt Nippon Connection Festival, New York Asian Film Festival. Canadian Premiere

    HOUSEBOUND
    New Zealand  Dir: Gerard Johnstone
    Fresh, fun and frightening, this wonderfully inventive comedy/horror from New Zealand launched at SXSW and emerged on many critics’ lists as one of the top discoveries of the festival. It deconstructs conventional formulas of haunted house narratives and surprises with left-field twists that will leave you joyously slack-jawed, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Stars Morgana O’Reilly and Rima Te Wiata. Canadian Premiere.

    THE HUNDRED YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPEARED. 
    Sweden  Dir: Felix Herngren
    A pitch-perfect picaresque adventure laced with loads of decidedly Scandinavian black humour, Jonas Jonasson’s 2009 novel quickly became a Swedish bestseller, and has since sold over three million copies worldwide. Felix Herngren has struck gold with his brisk, witty, wisely assembled big-screen adaptation starring comedian/actor Robert Gustafsson, who captures Karlsson’s character through so many stages of his tumultuous existence. Official Selection: Seattle International Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

    INGTOOGI: THE BATTLE OF INTERNET TROLLS
    SOUTH KOREA  Dir: Um Tae-hwa
    “Koolkidneyz” and “Manboobs” take their online feud into the real world. INGTOOGI is a deep dive into the national geek consciousness of South Korea, an upbeat outsider comedy that evolves into a truly heartfelt story of alienation and loss. Writer/Director Um Tae-hwa shed a dark light on the social media generation in a very promising first feature. International Premiere

    IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE
    Norway-Sweden-Denmark  Dir: Hans Petter Moland
    “A father must avenge his son.” These words, spoken often on film, have yet to be answered with more darkly comic consequences than in this violent pitch-black comedy from director Hans Petter Moland (A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN), reteaming the filmmaker with the great Stellan Skarsgard. A key standout at the Berlin and Tribeca film festivals, this is the must-see European action thriller of the year. Canadian Premiere.

    JELLYFISH EYES
    Japan  Dir: Takashi Murakami
    A lively celebration of the Japanese pop-culture tropes that feed the Superflat sensibility of pop-art superstar Takashi Murakami, his JELLYFISH EYES is also a heartfelt critique of Japan’s institutions in the era of Fukushima. This is a gorgeous and enchanting family friendly film with an edge that makes it a must see for film lovers of all ages. Official Selection: Sitges Film Festival. Canadian Premiere

    KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER
    USA  Dir: David Zellner
    A lonely Tokyo office worker seeks the Minnesotan loot cache from FARGO in one of this year’s most beautifully unusual films. Quirky and melancholic, funny and haunting with enchanting traces of the surreal, anchored by a mesmerizing lead performance from the extraordinary Rinko Kikuchi, KUMIKO is the latest miracle from award-winning US indie heroes David and Nathan Zellner. Official Selection: Sundance, Berlin. Canadian Premiere.

    KUNDO: AGE OF THE RAMPANT
    South Korea  Dir: Yoon Jong-bin
    In a time of turmoil and tyranny, a band of outlaws rises against the nobility. From the director of NAMELESS GANGSTER, a rough and ruthless adventure epic with a universal theme – righteous fury in the face of deep injustice with a stellar cast featuring Ha Jung-woo (THE CHASER) and Gang Dong-won (HAUNTERS). Quebec Premiere

    LET US PREY
    Ireland-UK Dir: Brian O’Malley
    An isolated, understaffed police station becomes a fortress of horror in this atmospheric and ultra-violent Irish chiller, which unfolds like an especially sinister TWILIGHT ZONE episode crash-landed into hell. Stars Polyanna McIntosh, Liam Cunningham and Douglas Russell. Winner of the Melies D’argent at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. North American Premiere.

    LIFE AFTER BETH
    USA Dir: Jeff Baena
    The assured directorial debut of I HEART HUCKABEES co-screenwriter Jeff Baena is a brilliantly cast, howlingly funny heartbreaker of love and undeath that poignantly utilizes the zombie mythos to explore the difficulties of letting go when relationships change. A standout selection at this year’s Sundance and New Zealand International Film Festival, starring Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser and Matthew Gray Gubler. Canadian Premiere.

    3D NAKED AMBITION 
    Hong Kong  Dir: Lee Kung Lok
    Fresh from the international festival rounds in Hong Kong, New York and Udine, this hairy beast finally comes to country of the beaver with a hardcore vengeance. This stand-alone satire sequel written by Hong Kong’s funniest writers, Chan Hing- Kar (BREAKING NEWS) and Ho Miu-Kei, mercilessly pokes fun at the adult industry, celebrity and Asian culture on all fours while retaining a socially relevant subtext. Canadian Premiere.

    NO TEARS FOR THE DEAD
    South Korea  Dir: Lee Jeong-beom
    In the tradition Luc Besson’s THE PROFESSIONAL and and John Woo’s THE KILLER, a guilt-wracked assassin sides with his target in the hotly anticipated new film from Lee Jeong-beom (THE MAN FROM NOWHERE), a whirlwind of furious action scenes. Quebec Premiere

    STARRY EYES
    USA Dir: Dennis Widmyer, Kevin Kolsch
    Alexandra Essoe, Amanda Fuller, Noah Segan and Pat Healy star in this horrific tale of an aspiring actress unhinging herself by plunging headlong into the demeaning depths of Tinseltown. A chilling examination of the grisly fallout when a soul-corrupting industry seizes upon a soul that has already begun to fester from the inside. A hit at the Stanley Film Festival, winner of the Director’s Choice Award at the Boston Underground Film Festival. Canadian Premiere.

    STEREO
    Germany  Dir: Maximilian Erlenwein 
    Eric (Jürgen Vogel) is a gentle giant leading a calm, quiet life, until a dark past he doesn’t remember catches up with him. An intimate dramatic crime thriller that gradually distorts into an absolute monster that plays with assaulting ferocity, this stunningly directed powerhouse co-stars Moritz Bleibtreu. Official Selection: Berlin Film Festival, Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. North American Premiere.

    SUMMER OF BLOOD
    USA Dir: Onur Tukel
    Its cup bleeding over with inspired writing, exhilaratingly sharp comedic performances, hyper-unconventional sex scenes and an oddball sense of grunge poetry, this film is an absolute revelation. Writer/director/editor/star Onur Turkel has created one of the most individualistic vampire works we’ve seen in a very long time, and also one of the most blazingly entertaining. An adored breakout at Tribeca, SUMMER OF BLOOD will be theClosing Film of our Camera Lucida section. Canadian Premiere.

    UGLY
    India  Dir: Anurag Kashyap
    An actor’s young daughter is kidnapped in this unforgettable, gut-churning thriller from India, the polar opposite of the usual colourful Bollywood fare. A crushing urban noir — the title of which is to be take very literally. An official selection in last year’s Quinzaine des Réalisateurs at Cannes, UGLY is finally going to be shown in Canada. Canadian Premiere.

    WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD
    USA Dir: Gregg Araki
    Indie cinema icon Gregg Araki surprises again with his elegant adaptation of Laura Kasischke’s novel, capturing the trials of passage to adulthood with this dark, emotionally authentic suburban mystery, starring Shailene Woodley as a teen whose mother (Eva Green) has vanished. Official Selection: Sundance. Canadian Premiere. 

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