• Mike Cahill’s I ORIGINS Wins Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival

    I ORIGINS, directed and written by Mike Cahill

    I ORIGINS, directed and written by Mike Cahill, has been awarded the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, and will receive a $20,000 cash award by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.   I ORIGINS which premiered on Saturday at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival has been acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures for release in the U.S. The film is scheduled to be released in 2014. 

    In I ORIGINS, a molecular biologist and his lab partner uncover startling evidence that could fundamentally change society as we know it and cause them to question their once-certain beliefs in science and spirituality. The cast includes Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Steven Yeun, Archie Panjabi. The jury presented the award to the film for its “intelligent and nuanced portrayal of molecular biologists as central characters, and for dramatizing the power of the scientific process to explore fundamental questions about the human condition.”

    Previous Alfred P. Sloan Prize Winners include: Andrew Bujalski, Computer Chess (2013); Jake Schreier, Christopher Ford, Robot & Frank (2012); Musa Syeed, Valley of Saints (2012); Mike Cahill and Brit Marling, Another Earth (2011); Diane Bell, Obselidia (2010); Max Mayer, Adam (2009); Alex Rivera, Sleep Dealer (2008); Shi-Zheng Chen, Dark Matter (2007); Andrucha Waddington, The House of Sand (2006); Werner Herzog, Grizzly Man (2005), Shane Carruth,Primer (2004) and Marc Decena, Dopamine (2003). Several past winners have also been awarded Jury Awards at the Festival, including the Grand Jury Prize for Primer, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for Sleep Dealer and the Excellence in Cinematography Award for Obselidia.

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  • Irish Drama CALVARY from Sundance Film Festival Set for Release in U.S.

      John Michael McDonagh, CALVARY, Brendan Gleeson

    The ‘blackly comedic’ Irish drama CALVARY which screened Sunday in the Premieres section of the Sundance Film Festival was acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures and scheduled to be released in the U.S. in 2014 . Written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, CALVARY’s ensemble cast includes Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Isaach De Bankolé, M. Emmet Walsh, Marie-Josée Croze, Domhnall Gleeson, David Wilmot, Pat Shortt, Gary Lydon, Killian Scott, Orla O’Rourke, Owen Sharpe and David McSavage. CALVARY was recently added to the lineup for the Berlin International Film Festival and is the opening night film for the 2014 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

    CALVARY’s Father James (Brendan Gleeson) is a good priest who is faced with sinister and troubling circumstances brought about by a mysterious member of his parish. Although he continues to comfort his own fragile daughter (Kelly Reilly) and reach out to help members of his church with their various scurrilous moral – and often comic – problems, he feels sinister and troubling forces closing in, and begins to wonder if he will have the courage to face his own personal Calvary.

    “We made a great film. In Fox Searchlight, we now have a great company behind us to send that film out into the world. Thank you, Sundance. Thank you, bourbon! Onward,” said McDonagh.

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  • Indie Comedy OBVIOUS CHILD from Sundance Film Festival to Get 2014 Release

    Gillian Robespierre’s groundbreaking debut comedy OBVIOUS CHILD

    Gillian Robespierre’s debut comedy OBVIOUS CHILD which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday has been snapped up by A24 for a planned 2014 theatrical release. OBVIOUS CHILD is described as an honest comedy about what happens when Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant just in time for the best/worst Valentine’s Day of her life.

    Gillian Robespierre’s groundbreaking debut comedy OBVIOUS CHILD

    OBVIOUS CHILD opened to strong reviews with THR describing the film as “Raunchy humor laced with gradually revealed vulnerability makes for a winning combination in OBVIOUS CHILD, a raucously funny and appealing female-centric comedy that launches very promising talent on both sides of the camera.”

    Gillian Robespierre’s groundbreaking debut comedy OBVIOUS CHILD

    In the film, Donna Stern is a 27-year-old Brooklyn comedian whose unapologetically lewd, warmhearted wit is pretty irresistible with audiences. When she gets heartlessly “dumped up with” by her two-timing boyfriend, Donna plunges into some light stalking and heavy moping. Hitting a serious low point, she performs a dreary set of break-up vengeance and Holocaust jokes and drunkenly falls into bed with a nice young professional named Max—not remotely her type. A few weeks later, condoms be damned, she’s pregnant. Now Donna, incapable of telling anything but the naked truth when she’s on stage, will resort to any means to avoid telling Max the score. As her date with Planned Parenthood draws near, she must confront her doubts and fears like never before. [via Sundance Film Festival]

    Gillian Robespierre’s groundbreaking debut comedy OBVIOUS CHILD

    Gillian Robespierre’s groundbreaking debut comedy OBVIOUS CHILD

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  • Fox Searchlight to Release Mike Cahill’s I ORIGINS from Sundance Film Festival

    Mike Cahill, I ORIGINS

    The ‘existential drama’ I ORIGINS which premiered on Saturday at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival has been acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures for release in the U.S. The film is scheduled to be released in 2014. Directed and written by Mike Cahill, I ORIGINS is his second feature following ANOTHER EARTH which Fox Searchlight acquired at Sundance in 2011. The film stars Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Steven Yeun and Archie Panjabi. 

    Mike Cahill, I ORIGINS

    Written and directed by Mike Cahill, and starring Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, I ORIGINS follows a molecular biologist whose study of the human eye points to evidence with far reaching implications about our scientific and spiritual beliefs.

    Mike Cahill, I ORIGINS

    Ian Gray, a PhD student studying molecular biology with a specialty in eye evolution, leaves his lab to go to a party and has an intense, but fleeting, encounter with a mysterious, masked model who escapes into the night. With only a picture of her stunning and iconic eyes, he tracks her down, and they fall in love. Their fundamentally different beliefs about life only serve to intensify their connection, and they vow to spend forever together. Years later, Ian and his lab partner, Karen, make a stunning discovery with profound existential implications. He must risk his life’s work and his family to travel across the world to find the truth behind what he has found and what it may mean. [ via Sundance Film Festival ]

    iorigins4

    “I am so excited to once again be home at Fox Searchlight, a place that I believe embraces creative passion and the future of cinematic storytelling,” said Cahill.

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  • Netflix to Premiere Mitt Romney Documentary, “MITT,” on Friday, January 24 | VIDEO: Watch Trailer

    Mitt Romney Documentary

    The Mitt Romney documentary, “MITT,” from director Greg Whiteley, which provides an intimate, rarely seen, behind-the-scenes look at a candidate running for the presidency, will premiere exclusively on Netflix on Friday, January 24th. 

    MITT, which World Premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival follows Romney’s presidential aspirations beginning Christmas 2006 to his initial run to become the Republican nominee in 2008 and through his Presidential concession speech in 2012. Given unprecedented access by Mitt and his family, director Greg Whiteley travels alongside the campaign through interactions with potential voters, preparations for the debates, personal moments with his family, and concluding with final presidential election night results.

    “It feels like a full circle moment to premiere this movie at Sundance,” said filmmaker, Greg Whiteley. “I first met and filmed the Romney family in Park City in 2006 as they gathered to discuss whether Mitt should run for President. Over the next 7 years I couldn’t believe I was filming inside rooms and situations I had no business being in. Now that I’ve finished I couldn’t be more pleased to share this experience with audiences around the world through Netflix.”

     http://youtu.be/rLHxbemvpxY

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  • FINAL RECIPE Starring Michelle Yeoh Among 15 Films in Culinary Cinema Program of the 64th Berlinale, Berlin International Film Festival

    FINAL RECIPE by Gina KimFINAL RECIPE by Gina Kim

    The Korean film FINAL RECIPE by Gina Kim will open the Culinary Cinema program of the 64th Berlinale, Berlin International Film Festival, which will be held from February 9 to 14, 2014. “We like it hot… but don’t let it burn” is the motto of the 2014 Culinary Cinema program. In FINAL RECIPE, Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) plays the producer of an extremely glamorous cooking contest who becomes entangled in a family drama. 

    Franc Aleu’s documentary El Somni (THE DREAM)Franc Aleu’s documentary El Somni (THE DREAM)

    Franc Aleu’s documentary El Somni (THE DREAM) is about the Roca brothers from Girona, a Catalonian town. Since 2013, their restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca, is number one on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. At an exclusive dinner with twelve top personalities from the fields of gastronomy, art and science, the brothers’ extraordinary dishes are put in an intercultural context through video projections and performances. 

    ZONE PRO SITE: THE MOVEABLE FEAST by Chen Yu-HsunZONE PRO SITE: THE MOVEABLE FEAST by Chen Yu-Hsun

    With ZONE PRO SITE: THE MOVEABLE FEAST, Chen Yu-Hsun presents a zany, colourful comedy about traditional Taiwanese outdoor catering chefs. 

    Yuzo Asahara’s Bushi No Kondate (A TALE OF SAMURAI COOKING - A TRUE LOVE STORY)Yuzo Asahara’s Bushi No Kondate (A TALE OF SAMURAI COOKING – A TRUE LOVE STORY)

    Yuzo Asahara’s Bushi No Kondate (A TALE OF SAMURAI COOKING – A TRUE LOVE STORY) is a Japanese love story between a samurai chef, who prefers swords to kitchen knives, and his wife, who is a brilliant cook. 

    In NATURAL RESISTANCE, Jonathan Nossiter documents how Italian winemakers, who rely on local traditions, battle norms set by the EU and winegrowers’ associations. He connects scenes in vineyards with archive footage from the Cineteca Bologna, and so reveals the relationship between culture and agriculture. 

    Fisher Stevens’ and Robert Nixon’s film MISSION BLUE tells of the life of marine biologist and environmentalist Sylvia Earle and her “Hope Spots” project. Sanjay Rawal’s documentary FOOD CHAINS was co-produced by, among others, Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) and Eric Schlosser (Food, Inc.), and shows the current struggle of farmworkers against deplorable working conditions in Florida and California. THE FOOD GUIDE TO LOVE by Dominic Harari and Teresa de Pelegri describes the romantic relationship between an Irish omnivore and a Spanish vegetarian. In Le Semeur (THE SOWER), Julie Perron portrays a Canadian artist who unites cultivating and preserving rare seeds with inventive art performances. Diego Luna’s feature CESAR CHAVEZ (USA) provides the historical backdrop for FOOD CHAINS, showing how civil rights activist César Chávez successfully organized field workers to fight for their rights in 1960s California.

    The 15th and final full-length film in the series is the Italian documentary I Cavaliere della Laguna (THE KNIGHTS OF THE LAGOON), by Walter Bencini, about a fishing cooperative on the coast of Tuscany. 

    The short films EL JUEGO EN LA MESA, 3 ACRES IN DETROIT and I MACCHERONI complete the program.

    On February 14, during “Youth Food Cinema”, Jacques-Rémy Girerd and Benoït Chieux’s animated film Tante Hilda! (AUNT HILDA! – France / Luxembourg) will be presented. It examines the topic of genetically modified plants in a way that is comprehensible to children and inspires debate.  

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  • British Musical Feature GOD HELP THE GIRL to Open Generation 14plus Program of 2014 Berlin International Film Festival

    GOD HELP THE GIRL by Stuart MurdochGOD HELP THE GIRL by Stuart Murdoch

    The Generation 14plus program of the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival will open with the British musical feature GOD HELP THE GIRL by Stuart Murdoch. In his directorial debut, founder and lead singer of the band Belle and Sebastian gives what the festival describes as a profound and charming account of a summer love in the beat clubs of Glasgow. Stuart Murdoch and his leading actors, Emily Browning, Olly Alexander and Hannah Murray, are expected to attend the premiere on February 7, 2014.

    Loulou, l’incroyable secret (WOLFY, THE INCREDIBLE SECRET) by Grégoire Solotareff and Eric OmondLoulou, l’incroyable secret (WOLFY, THE INCREDIBLE SECRET) by Grégoire Solotareff and Eric Omond

    The Generation Kplus competition will open on February 7 with the animated film Loulou, l’incroyable secret (WOLFY, THE INCREDIBLE SECRET) by Grégoire Solotareff and Eric Omond. This brilliantly artistic family film from France is one of five feature-length animated films in this year’s program.

     The eleven children on the Children’s Jury and the seven teenagers on the Youth Jury will award the section’s Crystal Bears.  Generation’s main prize is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. 

    The International Jury of Generation 14plus will award the Grand Prix for Best Feature – the three jury members are: Laura Astorga Carrera from Costa Rica, director of the film Princesas Rojas (Berlinale 2013); filmmaker Jan Soldat from Germany, who has presented three much-discussed short films at the Berlinale (including Crazy Dennis Tiger, Berlinale 2012); as well as N. Bird Runningwater, a Cheyenne / Mescalero Apache from the USA who is head of the “Native American and Indigenous Program” at the Sundance Institute, and advisor for the Berlinale’s special series “NATIVe – A Journey into Indigenous Cinema”.

    The three jurors of the International Jury in the Generation Kplus competition will award the Grand Prix for Best Feature and the Special Prize for Best Short Film. The three jury members are: Catriona McKenzie from Australia, director of the film Satellite Boy (Special Mention at the Berlinale 2013); film journalist Christian Bellaj from Germany; and Dutch filmmaker Boudewijn Koole, whose workKauwboy (Berlinale 2012) won the Grand Prix of the International Jury of Generation Kplus, as well as the Best First Feature Award of the entire Festival.

    Generation 14plus

    3 Histoires d’Indiens (3 INDIAN TALES) – Canada
    By Robert Morin
    Three stories over four seasons. Depicting the life of a new generation of Native Americans who are less resigned and more active than their parents. From the inside out, this fictional feature offers authentic insights into everyday life on a reservation today.
    World premiere

    ärtico (arctic) – Spain
    By Gabri Velázquez
    What’s the value of family when everything has lost all rhyme or reason? Gabri Velázquez presents the everyday moods and states of mind of Spanish adolescents during the economic crisis. Sparse in dialogue and using static tableaux-like imagery, the entire composition is also deeply influenced by music.
    World premiere

    Feriado (Holiday) – Ecuador / Argentina
    By Diego Araujo
    In a remote region in the Andes, shy Juan Pablo meets self-assured Juano. A fragile romance evolves that transcends all class distinctions. Their tender explorations are set against a corruption scandal that shakes Juan Pablo’s rich banking family to the core.
    World premiere

    Mavi Dalga (The Blue Wave) – Turkey / Germany / Netherlands / Greece
    By Zeynep Dadak and Merve Kayan
    This clique of girls still talks about boys, clothes and the latest music. Yet its carefree days are drawing to a close. A new life is imminent, and this feels both exciting and dangerous. An ensemble film about the end of adolescence and a new beginning.
    International premiere

    Supernova – Netherlands / Germany / Belgium
    By Tamar van den Dop
    Where Meis lives, absolutely nothing ever happens. She loses herself in wistful fantasies about love, sex and a world elsewhere. A refreshingly bizarre story that conveys, on all cinematic levels, a sense of immanent change.
    World premiere

    Obietnica (The Word) – Poland / Denmark
    By Anna Kazejak
    After a silly infidelity, Janek is doing everything to try to win back his girlfriend. A highly emotional youth-drama and a suspenseful crime story are intricately and cleverly woven together.
    World premiere

    Violet – Belgium / Netherlands
    By Bas Devos
    In a shopping mall, Jesse’s best friend is stabbed to death right before his eyes. To convey his silent despair, the film uses long shots that have an artistic, photographic quality and are embedded in a spherical sound track. 
    World premiere

    What We Do in the Shadows – New Zealand / USA
    By Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement
    Youth is not a question of age. In their mockumentary, the popular team from the cult TV series Flight of the Conchords and the film Eagle vs. Shark takes a biting look at the life, love and woes in a Wellington flat shared by vampires.
    European premiere

    Above Us All – Netherlands / Belgium
    By Eugenie Jansen
    After the death of her Indigenous mother in Australia, Shay’s father insists on returning to his old home in Belgium. Grief and leave-taking are dealt with quite differently in these two places. In 3D and 360-degree pans, the film revolves around the question of our existence in time and space.
    World premiere (out of competition)

    The programme also includes:

    52 Tuesdays, Australia, by Sophie Hyde – EP
    Atlántida (Atlantida), Argentina / France, by Inés María Barrionuevo – WP
    Einstein and Einstein, People’s Republic of China, by Cao Baoping – EP
    Galore, Australia, by Rhys Graham – IP
    God Help the Girl, Great Britain, by Stuart Murdoch – EP
    Il Sud è Niente (South Is Nothing), Italy / France, by Fabio Mollo – EP
    Ömheten (Broken Hill Blues), Sweden, by Sofia Norlin – IP
    Somos Mari Pepa (We Are Mari Pepa), Mexico, by Samuel Kishi Leopo – EP

    Generation Kplus

    Beyond Beyond – Sweden / Denmark
    By Esben Toft Jacobsen
    In search of his mother, the little rabbit Johan enters the fantastic underworld of the Feather King. Jacobsen’s third film in Generation is an elaborate, animated 3D family adventure that tells profoundly of love and loss.
    World premiere

    Emil & Ida i Lönneberga (That Boy Emil) – Sweden
    By Per Åhlin, Alicja Jaworski Björk and Lasse Persson
    Little Emil just wants to help, but then everything always goes wrong. Banned to the shed, he’s supposed to think about his misdeeds – that is, until he gets into mischief again. Astrid Lindgren narrates this lovingly animated film about the little prankster who is known in German-speaking countries as Michel. 
    German premiere (out of competition)

    Finn – Netherlands / Belgium
    By Frans Weisz
    Finn just has to learn to play the violin! Music entwines reality and dreams – and helps him see his dead mother again. Flemish actor Jan Decleir brilliantly embodies the mysterious violin teacher.
    International premiere

    Hitono Nozomino Yorokobiyo (Joy of Man’s Desiring) – Japan
    By Masakazu Sugita
    After an earthquake, Haruna and her little brother Sotha are taken in by relatives. Nobody has told the boy that his parents are dead, a fact that weighs heavily on Haruna. In meditative images, this debut film sensitively portrays the repercussions of huge catastrophes on children.
    World premiere

    Jack et la mécanique du cœur (Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart) – France / Belgium
    By Mathias Malzieu and Stéphane Berla
    A cuckoo clock beats in Jack’s chest, instead of a heart. Falling in love is strictly forbidden, because strong emotions will cause his clock to tick wildly out of control. Mathias Malzieu adapted his bestselling short novel for this fantastic animated film; the songs are all by his band Dionysos. 
    International premiere

    Killa (The Fort) – India
    By Avinash Arun
    After moving, Chinu finds it difficult to adjust to his new surroundings. But gradually he makes new friends and gains more confidence. An atmospheric coming-of-age story, in which the landscape and the weather play a decisive role.
    World premiere

    Midden in de Winternacht (A Christmoose Story) – Netherlands / Sweden / Belgium
    By Lourens Blok
    Mr. Moose, Santa Claus’s flying elk, has crashed into the barn and urgently needs help from little Max. This wintery adventure, based on Andreas Steinhöfel’s book for children, spices up this traditional Christmas tale with charming humour and irony.
    International premiere

    Were Dengê Min (Come to My Voice) – Turkey / Germany / France
    By Hüseyin Karabey
    Jiyan’s Kurdish father will only be let out of prison if he turns in a weapon. The search for the gun that he has never possessed takes Jiyan and his grandmother on an odyssey. Hüseyin Karabey has blend different narrative threads into a cinematic gem.
    World premiere

    The programme also includes:

    Ciencias Naturales (Natural Sciences), Argentina / France, by Matías Lucchesi – WP
    Loulou, l’incroyable secret (Wolfy, the Incredible Secret), France, by Grégoire Solotareff and Éric Omond – IP
    MGP Missionen (The Contest), Denmark, by Martin Miehe-Renard – IP
    Tante Hilda! (Aunt Hilda!), France / Luxembourg, by Jacques-Rémy Girerd and Benoît Chieux – IP

    Short films – Generation 14plus

    Cowboys Janken Ook (Even Cowboys Get to Cry), Netherlands, by Mees Peijnenburg – IP
    Emo (the musical), Australia, by Neil Triffett – WP
    Exchange & Mart, Great Britain, by Martin Clark and Cara Connolly – EP
    Luna Vieja (Old Moon), Puerto Rico, by Raisa Bonnet – EP
    Mike, Great Britain, by Petros Silvestros – WP
    Proavlio (Schoolyard), Greece, by Rinio Dragasaki – IP
    rhizome, Japan, by Masahiro Ohsuka – EP
    Seagulls, Great Britain, by Martin Smith – WP
    Snowblind, Australia, by Sean Kruck, Berlinale Generation 14plus 2009: Summer Breaks – IP
    SOLITON, Japan, by Isamu Hirabayashi, Berlinale Generation 14plus 2013: Ninja & Soldier –WP
    Søn (Son), Denmark, by Kristoffer Kiørboe – WP
    Tits, Great Britain, by Alex Winckler, Berlinale Generation Kplus 2011: Thomas – IP
    iBhokhwe (The Goat), South Africa, by John Trengove, Berlinale Talent 2014 – WP 
    Vetrarmorgun (Winter Morning) Faroe Islands, by Sakaris Stórá, Berlinale Talent 2010) – IP

    Short films – Generation Kplus

    Ağrı ve Dağ (Ağri and the Mountain), Turkey, by Hasan Serin – EP
    el (away), Hungary, by Roland Ferge – WP
    Eleven, New Zealand, by Abigail Greenwood – WP
    Eu não digo adeus, digo até logo (I Don’t Say Goodbye, I Say See You Soon), Brazil, by Giuliana Monteiro – WP
    Hijos de la tierra (Earth’s Children), Peru, by Diego Sarmiento, Berlinale Talent 2014 – WP
    Kalle Kran, Sweden, by Johan Hagelbäck, Berlinale Generation Kplus 2013: Köttbullarna och mobbångrarna – WP
    Min vän lage (My Friend Lage), Sweden / Denmark, by Eva Lindström, Berlinale Kinderfilmfest 1995: Lutning – EP
    Moy lichniy los’ (My Own Personal Moose), Russian Federation, by Leonid Shmelkov – WP
    Nain Géant (Dwarf Giant), Switzerland / France, by Fabienne Giezendanner – WP
    Out of this World, Sweden, by Viktor Nordenskiöld – WP
    Pigs, USA / Singapore / Malaysia, by Laura Mohai – IP
    Rangzen (Freedom), India, by Gaurav Saxena – WP
    Sārtulis (Little Ruddy) Latvia, by Dace Rīdūze, Berlinale Generation Kplus 2011: ZĪĻUKS – WP
    Sepatu Baru (On Stopping the Rain), Indonesia, by Aditya Ahmad – IP
    Sprout, Republic of Korea, by Ga-eun Yoon – IP
    The Dam Keeper, USA, by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi – WP 
    Vāsa (Vasa), Latvia, by Jānis Cimmermanis, Berlinale Generation Kplus 2012: Corrida – WP

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  • Focus Features Acquires Zach Braff’s Comedy WISH I WAS HERE from Sundance Film Festival

    Zach Braff's comedy film WISH I WAS HERE

    Zach Braff’s comedy film WISH I WAS HERE, was quickly acquired by Focus Features after its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival over the weekend. WISH I WAS HERE is Braff’s follow-up to his indie breakout hit GARDEN STATE. WISH I WAS HERE was directed by Zach Braff from a screenplay he wrote with his brother, Adam; and stars Zach Braff along with Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Josh Gad, Ashley Greene, Joey King, Pierce Gagnon and the late James Avery. Braff made headlines when he announced that WISH I WAS HERE would be funded by the crowd-funding site Kickstarter. 

    WISH I WAS HERE tells the story of a thirty-something man who finds himself at a major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his career, and his family. WISH I WAS HERE follows Aidan Bloom (Braff), a struggling actor who faces crises of life and faith when his father (Mandy Patinkin) is diagnosed with terminal cancer. With his father no longer able to pay for the private Jewish school that his two children attend, and with no gigs on the horizon, he’s forced to home school the kids while his wife Sarah (Kate Hudson) works a desk job she can’t stand. Meanwhile his reclusive little brother (Josh Gad) refuses to even visit their ailing dad.

    “We are thrilled to be in business with Zach Braff,” said Focus Features CEO Peter Schlessel. “GARDEN STATE was a huge benchmark in the world of independent film, and we are looking forward to continuing to support Zach and his unique voice. With WISH I WAS HERE, he has once again delivered a film that perfectly captures something essential about our lives, and presents it with the laughter and emotion we all recognize.”

    “I am very excited to be partnering with Focus Features as they are one of the biggest supporters of independent film in the business. This is the perfect collaboration for us as they recognize and appreciate how unique our journey has been to get this film made,” says Braff. “Their enthusiasm to embrace our Kickstarter backers, while we fulfill our promises and rewards, made them a natural fit. My 46,520 backers are amazingly supportive and without them this film would not be a reality“

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  • WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS Wins PGA Documentary Award

    WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKSWE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS

    WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS made up for its lack of a Oscar nomination by winning the The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures at the 25th Producers Guild Awards held last night at the Beverly Hilton. Directed by Alex Gibney, the film is described as the definitive story of Julian Assange, Bradley Manning and WikiLeaks, and explores the people and events behind the upstart website that rocked the U.S. government, ushered in a new era of transparency and ignited an information war. FRUITVALE STATION was honored with the Stanley Kramer Award which was presented by star Michael B. Jordan. 

    Here is the full list of winners of the 25th Annual PGA Awards.

    The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: (tie)
    Gravity (Warner Bros. Pictures) Producers: Alfonso Cuarón, David Heyman
    12 Years a Slave (Fox Searchlight Pictures);  Producers: Anthony Katagas, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen, Brad Pitt and Dede Gardner

    The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
    Breaking Bad (AMC); Producers: Melissa Bernstein, Sam Catlin, Bryan Cranston, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Mark Johnson, Stewart Lyons, Michelle MacLaren, George Mastras, Diane Mercer, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
    We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks (Focus Features);  Producers: Alexis Bloom, Alex Gibney, Marc Shmuger

    The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:
    Behind the Candelabra (HBO); Producers: Susan Ekins, Gregory Jacobs, Michael Polaire, Jerry Weintraub

    The Award for Outstanding Sports Program:
    SportsCenter (ESPN)

    The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program:
    Sesame Street  (PBS)

    The Award for Outstanding Digital Series:
    Wired: What’s Inside 

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
    Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN);  Producers: Anthony Bourdain, Christopher Collins, Lydia Tenaglia, Sandra Zweig

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
    Frozen (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures); Producer: Peter Del Vecho

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:
    The Voice (NBC); Producers: Stijn Bakkers, Mark Burnett, John de Mol, Chad Hines, Lee Metzger, Audrey Morrissey, Jim Roush, Kyra Thompson, Nicolle Yaron, Mike Yurchuk, Amanda Zucker

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment and Talk Television:
    The Colbert Report (Comedy Central); Producers: Meredith Bennett, Stephen T. Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello, Barry Julien, Matt Lappin, Emily Lazar, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart

    The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:
    Modern Family (ABC); Producers: Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Jeffrey Morton, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Chris Smirnoff, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker

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  • Lynn Shelton’s LAGGIES from Sundance Film Festival to get a Summer 2014 Release by A24

    LAGGIES Lynn Shelton

    Lynn Shelton’s LAGGIES starring Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Sam Rockwell which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday, was acquired by A24 for U.S. release. A24 is planning a summer theatrical release for the film.

    LAGGIES is described as a coming of age story about a 28 year-old woman stuck in permanent adolescence. Unable to find her career calling, still hanging out with the same friends, and living with her high school boyfriend, Megan must finally navigate her own future when an unexpected marriage proposal sends her into a panic.

    via Deadline

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  • Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey Among Winners of 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

    20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey and Lupita Nyong’o 

    SAG-AFTRA presented its coveted Actor statuette for the outstanding motion picture and primetime television performances of 2013 at the “20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards” in ceremonies attended by film and television’s leading actors, held Saturday, January 18, at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. Honored with awards were Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey and Lupita Nyong’o for performances in motion pictures.

    20th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® RECIPIENTS

    THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES 

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY / Ron Woodroof – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
    CATE BLANCHETT / Jasmine – “BLUE JASMINE” (Sony Pictures Classics)

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
    JARED LETO / Rayon – “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” (Focus Features)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    LUPITA NYONG’O / Patsey – “12 YEARS A SLAVE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

    Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    AMERICAN HUSTLE (Columbia Pictures)
    AMY ADAMS / Sydney Prosser
    CHRISTIAN BALE / Irving Rosenfeld
    LOUIS C.K. / Stoddard Thorsen
    BRADLEY COOPER / Richie DiMaso
    PAUL HERMAN / Alfonse Simone
    JACK HUSTON / Pete Musane
    JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Rosalyn Rosenfeld
    ALESSANDRO NIVOLA / Federal Prosecutor
    MICHAEL PEÑA / Sheik (Agent Hernandez)
    JEREMY RENNER / Mayor Carmine Polito
    ELISABETH RÖHM / Dolly Polito
    SHEA WHIGHAM / Carl Elway

    TELEVISION PROGRAMS

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
    MICHAEL DOUGLAS / Liberace – “BEHIND THE CANDELABRA” (HBO)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
    HELEN MIRREN / Linda Kenney Baden – “PHIL SPECTOR” (HBO)

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
    BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD” (AMC)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
    MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (PBS)

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
    TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
    JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / Vice President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)

    Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    BREAKING BAD (AMC)
    MICHAEL BOWEN / Uncle Jack
    BETSY BRANDT / Marie Schrader
    BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White
    LAVELL CRAWFORD / Huell
    TAIT FLETCHER / Lester
    LAURA FRASER / Lydia Rodarte-Quale
    ANNA GUNN / Skyler White
    MATTHEW T. METZLER / Matt
    RJ MITTE / Walter White Jr.
    DEAN NORRIS / Hank Schrader
    BOB ODENKIRK / Saul Goodman
    AARON PAUL / Jesse Pinkman
    JESSE PLEMONS / Todd
    STEVEN MICHAEL QUEZADA / Gomez
    KEVIN RANKIN / Kenny
    PATRICK SANE / Frankie

    Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
    MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
    JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
    TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
    AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
    JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
    NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
    SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
    ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett
    RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
    ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
    SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
    ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy

    SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

    Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
    LONE SURVIVOR (Universal Pictures)

    Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
    GAME OF THRONES (HBO)

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  • Pivot and Univision Grabs Exclusive TV Rights to Documentary CESAR’S LAST FAST Premiering at Sundance Film Festival

    ‘Cesar’s Last Fast’ from Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee

    Just before its world debut at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, Pivot, the cable network from Participant Media and Univision News acquired the U.S. TV rights to ‘CESAR’S LAST FAST’ from Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee.  CESAR’S LAST FAST, the documentary about the famed labor organizer, will premiere simultaneously in English and Spanish on the two networks – Pivot and the Univision Network– respectively. 

    ‘CESAR’S LAST FAST’ follows Chavez on what would be his last act of protest, a 36-day water-only fast to draw attention the horrific effects of pesticide use on farm workers, their families and communities. Using never-before-seen footage of Chavez during his fast and testimony from those closest to him, directors Richard Ray Perez and Lorena Parlee weave together the larger story of Chavez’s life, vision, and legacy. A deeply religious man, Chavez’s moral clarity in organizing and standing with farmworkers at risk of his own life humbled his family, friends, and the world. ‘Cesar’s Last Fast’ is a moving and definitive portrait of the leader of people who became an American icon of struggle and freedom.

    “We are extremely happy to be working together with Pivot and Univision,” stated filmmaker Perez. “This is a great partnership for our film in getting it out to our audience and for commemorating Cesar’s inspiring life.”

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