Felix
FELIX described as “the feel-good South African family movie” was the winner of the Audience Choice Best Film award at this year’s 34th Durban International Film Festival. Durban International Film Festival manager Peter Machen called Felix “a South African equivalent of Billy Elliott… a lovely, vibrant, feelgood film about a young township boy intent on following his dreams.”
THE IMMIGRANT
HollyShorts unveiled the official lineup for the 9th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival taking place August 15 – 22,2013 at the TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, California. The festival added two high profile star-studded short films to its opening night celebration, taking place on Thursday August 15. Michael J. Weithorn’s superhero short film THE SIDEKICK starring Rob Benedict, Ron Livingston, and Lizzy Caplan will open the festival along with Josh Levy’s award-winning short comedy THE IMMIGRANT starring Scott Thompson, Dave Foley, Deborah Theaker, Deadlee, Michael Cera, Margaret Cho and Will Forte.
“A time when a vacation meant a trip to the Catskills”
And with it you were assured to see a show. Now whether or not it was to your liking was no guarantee. Moments afte ther decline of Vaudeville and Burlesque there existed a huge void in American activities and passtime; what once ensured entertainment was now old news, yet the audience remained. 75 miles NW of New York lie a region called the Catskills, still til this day, a place of hotels, rooming houses, and more. As it remains very popular today, there was a time when the Catskills were the end all be all in vacation options. Tourists from all over frequented this area in search of opportunity; to relax, to engage, to mingle, and more.
The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) today announced the dates of the upcoming 13th annual festival, April 16-27, 2014, along with naming AT&T as Presenting Sponsor of the annual festival. American Express, which has been TFF’s Presenting Sponsor since the festival’s founding, will return as a signature sponsor for 2014.
LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine
The 22nd Woods Hole Film Festival in Woods Hole, Cape Cod ran from July 27th to August 3rd, screening over 100 films from around the world. LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine was the coveted GRAND WINNER of the Audience Award for Best Film of the Festival. The documentary feature film is about one family’s courageous fight to save their only son from a rare and fatal disease, progeria.
Audience Award Winner – Best Documentary Film – INEQUALITY FOR ALL
After almost a week of screening an outstanding lineup of films, Travese City Film Festival founder and President Michael Moore announced the 2013 Award Winners. The winning films include Audience Award – Best American Film for FRUITVALE STATION, Audience Award Winner – Best Documentary Film for INEQUALITY FOR ALL, and Founders Grand Prize – Best Film for PROPAGANDA.
The Academy announced today that Ellen DeGeneres will return to host the Oscars® for a second time. DeGeneres hosted the 79th Academy Awards in 2007, for which she received a Primetime Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.” The Academy Awards® will be broadcast live on OscarSunday, March 2, 2014, on the ABC Television Network.
HISTORY OF PETS – Kris Genijn / Netherlands
The 10th annual Animation Block Party was held at The Music Hall of Williamsburg, Rooftop Films and BAMcinématek in Brooklyn New York from July 25-28, 2013. Held anually since 2004, filmmakers of all genres have screened some of the best independent, professional and student animation shorts. This year was described by the festival as a record-breaking summer with over 4000 in total attendance and multiple sold out screenings. The festival announced the complete list of winners of 2013 Animation Block Party, with HISTORY OF PETS directed by Kris Genijn of Netherlands winning the top prize Best In Show.
Ben Stiller’s adaptation of James Thurber’s classic short story THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY which also stars Stiller alongside Kristen Wiig, will make its World Premiere on Saturday, October 5 as the Centerpiece Gala presentation for the upcoming 51st New York Film Festival (September 27 – October 13).
THE MUSLIMS ARE COMING!, directed by comedians Negin Farsad and Dean Obeidallah will open in theaters in September, with New York on September 20 at the Quad Cinema. The film follows a band of Muslim-American comedians – “Muzzies” – lead by Farsad and Obeidallah as they visit big cities, small towns, rural villages, and everything in between to combat Islamophobia with the only weapons they have: jokes!
Marlene Dermer, Edward J Olmos at 15th Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) co-founded by Oscar nominated & Golden Globe and Emmy winner actor, director, and activist Edward James Olmos, returns for its 16th year from Thursday, October 10 through Monday, October 14, 2013 at the Chinese 6 Cinemas at the Hollywood & Highland complex in Los Angeles, California.
MEDORA
The 10th Indy Film Fest wrapped after ten days of screening and announced its 10 winning films. MEDORA directed by Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart was the big winner, snagging the Grand Jury Award, along with the Best Matter of Fact – Feature Film and the Audience Award – Feature Film. MEDORA is described as a tale of the down-but-not-out Medora Indiana Hornets varsity basketball team. The team’s epic losing streak mirrors the town’s fight for survival. Medora is an in-depth, deeply personal look at small-town life, a thrilling, underdog basketball story and an inspiring tale of a community refusing to give up hope despite the brutal odds stacked against them.