• Jose Antonio Vargas’s Immigration Film ‘DOCUMENTED’ to Air on CNN in 2014 | TRAILER

    DOCUMENTED, Jose Antonio Vargas

    DOCUMENTED, a feature-length film that explores the life – and journey out of the shadows – led by undocumented immigrant and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jose Antonio Vargas, will premiere on CNN/U.S. in the second quarter of 2014 following its World Premiere at the  2013 International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (IDFA) and its theatrical distribution in the United States.  DOCUMENTED is written and directed by Vargas, with technology entrepreneur Sean Parker, Matthew Hiltzik (“Paper Clips”), Scott Budnick (“The Hangover” series), and philanthropist Liz Simons as executive producers.

    “Immigration, to me, is not a political issue, it’s not a Latino or Asian issue – it’s an American story,” said writer-director Jose Antonio Vargas.  “The film is in honor of 11 million undocumented immigrants – many of us Americans in all but papers.  And, the film is dedicated to parents everywhere who dream of better futures for their children.  It is a privilege to be associated with CNN Films in bringing DOCUMENTED to television,” Vargas said.

    Filmmaker Vargas began working on the documentary shortly before “outing” himself as undocumented in a ground-breaking New York Times Magazine essay, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant.”  Vargas then traveled around America, telling his story in solidarity with the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the country.  As he connected with his subjects through the similarities of their journeys, particularly those who, like Vargas, came to the United States as children, his personal reflections compelled him to reconnect with his mother, whom he had not seen in 20 years.

    In 2008, Vargas was awarded a Pulitzer as part of the team of Washington Post journalists who reported on the 2007 shooting massacre at Virginia Tech University.  His own immigrant journey began at age 12 when he was sent to the United States from the Philippines by his mother to live with his grandparents in Mountain View, Calif.  After attending San Francisco State University, he pursued a print journalism career – landing jobs at newspapers in San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, DC for the Post – all the while, managing to keep his true citizenship status a secret.

    “We have followed Jose’s story closely since 2011 and are very pleased we will be able to offer U.S. viewers a window into the experiences of recent immigrants through his story.  Jose also reports this story from a journalist’s point of view – which makes it a great fit for distribution on our network,” said Amy Entelis, senior vice president for talent and content development for CNN Worldwide.

     http://youtu.be/w7F8uw9hw_A

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  • Patton Oswalt to Host 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards

    Patton Oswalt

    Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt will serve as host for the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The 29th annual awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 1st with the premiere broadcast airing later that evening at 10:00 pm ET/PT exclusively on IFC. 

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  • AMERICAN HUSTLE Starring Christian Bale to Close 2013 Dubai International Film Festival | TRAILER

     David O Russell’s “AMERICAN HUSTLE”

    David O Russell’s “AMERICAN HUSTLE” has been selected for the Closing Night film of the 10th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), which runs from December 6th to 14th, 2013.  “American Hustle” stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis CK and Robert De Niro.

    The film set in the seductive world of one of the most stunning scandals to rock the US, American Hustle tells the story of brilliant con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale), who along with his equally cunning British partner and lover Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) is forced to work for a wild unhinged FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and mafia that’s as dangerous as it is enchanting. Jeremy Renner is Carmen Polito, the passionate, volatile, New Jersey political operator caught between the con-artists and Feds. Irving’s unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) could be the one to pull the thread that brings the entire world crashing down.

     http://youtu.be/NqgjPRNRDSY

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  • ‘ONE CHANCE’ ‘CODE BLACK’ Among Top Winners of 2013 Starz Denver Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_5241" align="aligncenter" width="550"]ONE CHANCE directed by David Frankel ONE CHANCE[/caption] The 36th Starz Denver Film Festival (SDFF) announced its jury and audience award winners for the 2013 festival, which ran from November 6 to November 17 in Denver, Colorado, and featured more than 270 films from 44 countries.  ONE CHANCE directed by David Frankel and produced by Simon Cowell, won the Starz People’s Choice Awards for Best Film, and CODE BLACK directed by Ryan McGarry won the Starz People’s Choice Awards for Best Documentary. ONE CHANCE is described as a classic underdog story of the sensitive, artistic kid triumphing over adversity, this gentle comedy reads like Billy Elliot but is based on the life of cellphone salesman Paul Potts, who stepped on stage for Britain’s Got Talent and amazed the world.  CODE BLACK follows a group of young, energetic doctors battling an overburdened health-care system while training in the trauma bay at Los Angeles County General Hospital. STARZ PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS Narrative Feature Winner: “ONE CHANCE” Director: David Frankel Producers: Simon Cowell, Michael Menchel, Kris Thykier, Harvey Weinstein, Brad Weston Writer: Justin Zackham Cast: Julie Walters, Colm Meaney, Mackenzie Crook, James Corden, Jemima Rooper, Alexandra Roach Documentary Feature Winner: “CODE BLACK” Director: Ryan McGarry Producer: Linda Goldstein Knowlton Writers: Ryan McGarry, Joshua Altman Short Film Winner: “WHAT DO WE HAVE IN OUR POCKETS?” Director/Writer: Goran Dukic Producer: Mikal Portnoi Lazarev Cast: Azazel Jacobs, Diaz Jacobs JURIED AWARDS The Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Foreign Feature Film Winner: “A TOUCH OF SIN,” (China) directed by Jia Zhangke The jury stated: “We salute Jia Zhangke for writing, directing and producing this startling collection of stories featuring masterful imagery, deeply human characters and searing social relevance. Created against unimaginable odds, this film represents an unprecedented level of commitment.” Special Jury Award: “THE FIFTH SEASON” (Belgium), directed Peter Brosens and Jessica Hope Woodworth The jury stated: “Chosen for its visionary creation of an imaginary, yet vivid and fully realized world inspired by our current sociological and environmental challenges.” The Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary Film Winner: THE SEARCH FOR EMAK BAKIA, directed by Oskar Alegria The jury stated: “A film that is impeccably crafted yet still captures the freewheeling spirit of artistic discovery. Beautifully composed, formally innovative, it is at once a documentation of a work of experimental cinema and a work of art in itself.” The New Directors Award Winner: “HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES,” directed by Daniel Patrick Carbone The jury stated: “To Daniel Patrick Carbone for Hide Your Smiling Faces, an affecting and nuanced mediation on coming of age. With a confident visual style complimented by grounded performances from his young actors, Carbones film proves him an exciting new voice in American independent film.” The Spike Lee Student Filmmaker Award Winner: “UNORTHODOX,” directed by Patrick Waismann The jury stated: “Unorthodox is an unexpected look at family, religion, punk rock, and hot dogs, told through the eyes of a kid warming up for his bar mitzvah. The distinct visual style, engaging direction, and truthful performances unravel a truly unique coming-of-age tale.” The ASIFA-Colorado Best Animated Short Award Winner: “VIRTUOSO VIRTUAL,” directed by Maja Oschmann and Thomas Stellmach Liberty Global International Student Short Award Winner: “NOAH” (Canada), directed by Patrick Cederberg and Walter Woodman The jury stated: “Noah broke out of conventional form with an engaging story that succinctly portrays the fragmentation of our technology-laden lives. Through clever direction, well-executed compositing, and grounded performances, Noah reveals a rapidly dissolving relationship in real-time. Taking place entirely on a computer desktop and an iPhone, Noah explores the disconnect caused by the immediacy of social media and modern communication. This non-traditional storytelling forces you to experience the story along with the characters, in a way that feels eerily familiar.” SCREENPLAY AWARDS Feature Screenplay Winner: “FALFURRIAS,” written by Edward Tyndall The jury stated: “A young woman living in Mexico makes a perilous passage into Texas after learning her sister is afflicted with cancer and receiving no medical care. Her journey proves to be a harrowing mission that tests a sister’s unflinching sense of duty and love. Tyndall’s script exhibits an ever-deepening compassionate story that poignantly explores the tangled aspirations of the human spirit.” Shorts Screenplay Winner: “SLIP KID,” written by Stephen G. Eoannou The jury stated: “Set in the Buffalo, New York in 1979, this gripping drama centers on the murder of a priest in a close-knit Greek community. Driven by a guilt-ridden 16-year-old protagonist, this compelling crime tale charts the tragic consequences of malevolence. Eoannou’s script exhibits a true mastery of character and dialogue within a perpetually engaging narrative structure.”

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  • Bahamas International Film Festival Reveals 2013 Film Lineup; “BAHAMIAN SON to Open, THE BLACK MOSES to Close Fest

    BAHAMIAN SONBAHAMIAN SON

    The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), celebrating its 10th anniversary and taking place December 5-13, 2013, revealed the complete lineup of films screening in the festival’s competition and sidebar sections.  This year, the Festival will showcase 108 films from 32 different countries, including four features of which are world premieres and all Bahamian premieres.  Andrew Melby’s and Reggie Henderson’s drama “BAHAMIAN SON” has been selected as this year’s Opening Night Film and will kick off the Festival on December 5th, while Travolta Cooper’s documentary “THE BLACK MOSES” will have the honor of closing the 10th edition of the Festival on December 13th.

    “BAHAMIAN SON” stars Constance Anderson (“Prodigal,” “Profile of a Killer,” “Gods’ Green Earth”), Fatima Cocci (“Gods’ Green Earth”) and Leah Eneas (“Beneath the Blue”). The film is based on true events, from the life of the film’s writer Reggie Henderson. The story follows Kevin as he sets out to find his father, whom he hasn’t seen in more than thirty years. During his journey, Kevin examines his own life and the family he has built for himself, during his childhood, having growns up in the projects of North Minneapolis. After Kevin tracks down his father, he travels to The Bahamas to meet him. What happens in The, opens Kevin’s eyes to a world and a history he never knew existed. It is also another test of Kevin’s beliefs regarding family, loyalty, and what it means to be a son, a father, and a man.

    THE BLACK MOSESTHE BLACK MOSES

    Written and directed by Travolta Cooper (“Founding Fathers: Sir Stafford Sands” “A Miami Trail”), “THE BLACK MOSES” takes a look at Was L.O Pindling, first black Prime Minister of The Bahamas, one of history’s greatest national Liberators, or was he one of history’s greatest national Drug Dealers? The film follows the popular folk ‘moses mythology’ as it was manifested through the life and times of Sir Lynden Pindling. It focuses on L.O Pindling as he sets on a course to bring about social, political, and economic revolution to the British Bahama Islands. The film features Golden Globe nominee Dennis Haysbert (“The Unit,” “24,” “Wreck-It Ralph”) as Black Moses and commentary from the 18th Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney, civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, and many others.

    The official BIFF feature lineup is comprised of the following films:

    SPIRIT OF FREEDOM (NARRATIVE)
    9 FULL MOONS (USA) / Director: Tomer Algamor
    A PLACE ON EARTH – Une Place Sur La Terre (France) / Director: Fabienne Godet
    BRAHMIN BULLS (India) / Director: Mahesh Pailoor
    HOME (USA) / Director: Jono Oliver
    SIDDHARTH (India) / Director: Richie Mehta
    VIVA BELARUS (Poland) Director: Krzysztof Lukaszewicz
    WHEN I SAW YOU- Lamma Shoftak (Jordan)  Director: Annemarie Jacir

    SPIRIT OF FREEDOM (DOCUMENTARY)
    CAST THE FIRST STONE (USA) / Director: Nicolas Cuellar
    FINDING HILLYWOOD  (Rwanda, USA) / Director: Leah Warshawski
    FLY BY LIGHT (USA) / Director: Ellie Walton
    GARIFUNA IN PERIL (Honduras) / Director: Ali Allie
    ISOLATED (USA, Indonesia) Director: Geoff Clark, Justin Le Pera
    SILENT MUSIC (Antigua, Barbuda, USA) Director: Melissa Gomez
    THE LAST SAFARI (Kenya, USA) Director:  Matt Goldman
    TWO: THE STORY OF ROMAN & NYRO (USA) Director: Heather Winters

    NEW VISIONS
    CALLOUSED HANDS (USA) / Director: Jesse Quinones
    ONE SMALL HITCH (USA) / Director: John Burgess
    SAL (Argentina, Chile) / Director: Diego Rougier 
    SIBERIA, MONAMOUR (Russia) / Director: Slava Ross
    TARIF NA SPASENIE (Russia) / Director: Georgiy Soldatov
    THE LONG DRIVE HOME (USA) / Director: William Tyler
    TRUST, GREED, BULLETS & BOURBON (USA) / Director: Scott Kawczynski
    TUTTI GIU (Switzerland) / Director: Niccolo Castelli

    PANORAMA NARRATIVE
    SOME VELVET MORNING (USA) / Director: Neil LaBute
    I’LL FOLLOW YOU DOWN (Canada) / Director: Richie Mehta
    NEARLYWEDS (USA) / Director: Marc Griffiths
    HANK AND ASHA (USA), / Director: Bryan Pick
    VINO VERITAS (USA) / Director: Sara Knight
    KARAOKE GIRL (Thailand) / Director: Visra Vichit-Vadakan
    LAST LOOK (USA) / Director: Hernando Bansuelo
    MURDER IN THE DARK (USA, Italy) / Director: Dagen Merrill
    NAI RIVER (China) / Director: Bin Luo
    SIDE BY SIDE (UK) / Director: Arthur Landon
    GOLDEN MESH – FIOS DE OVOS (Brazil) / Director: Maíra Bühler, Matias Mariani

    PANORAMA DOCUMENTARY
    BROTHERS HYPNOTIC – MUSIC (USA) / Director: Reuben Atlas
    HAITI THE EARTH (Haiti, Belgium) / Director: Jean-Claude Riga
    SANCTITY OF SANCTUARY (USA) / Director: Blis Hanousek DeVault
    TALES OF THE ORGAN TRADE (Canada) / Director: Ric Esther Bienstock
    WILLIAM AND THE WINDMILL (USA) / Director: Ben Nabors
    ROUGHCUT (Greece) / Director: Eliana Abravanel
    BAYOU MAHARAJAH: JAMES BOOKER (USA) / Director: Lily Keber
    COMEDY WARRIORS – COMEDY (USA) / Director: John Wager
    CONTRARIAN – MR. TEMPLETON  (USA, Bahamas) / Director: Mary Mazzio

    CHINESE SPOTLIGHT
    CAUGHT IN THE WEB (China) / Director: Kaige Chen
    FENG SHUI  (China) / Director: Jing Wang
    PAINTED SKIN: THE RESURRECTION (China)  / Director: Wuershan

    images via Facebook / Facebook

    via bahamaislandsinfo

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  • Film Review: BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL

    BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL  A film by Mark Mori

    Even if you don’t think you know who Bettie Page is, you know her.  What do I mean by that?  At some point of your life you have seen references to Bettie Page, the most popular pin-up model of the 1950s.  That is because her style and persona has been a constant source of inspiration for decades by nearly every facet of pop culture.  For example, just in the last few months pop star Katy Perry heavily referenced Page’s famed “Jungle Bettie” photo shoot in her artwork and video for her hit single “Roar.”  It’s only one of hundreds of reference to Page’s famed pin-up photography that you probably encounter every year, a phenomenon that continues today (Bettie Page is one of the highest-earning deceased celebrities).  In the new documentary Bettie Page Reveals All, the pin-up legend herself narrates her life story, revealing once and for all what the woman behind those photos was like and what happened to her after disappearing from modeling seemingly overnight in 1957.  It’s an absorbing look at the life of an iconic woman, one many of us know little about beyond her photos.  While this is the first film documentary that Mark Mori has directed since 1991’s Building Bombs (which was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar in 1991) and writer Doug Miller is film newcomer, the pair have created a loving in-depth portrait of Page with this documentary.

    Of course, Bettie passed away in 2008 (the documentary opens with scenes from her funeral), but the narration was recorded several years before her death and covers her entire life from her troubled childhood, her early days as a model, becoming an icon, and ultimately what happened to her after she retired from modeling after only seven years as a model.  Though elderly Bettie’s voice is sometimes difficult to understand, her voice is filled with nothing but joy about her pin-up days.

    BETTIE PAGE REVEALS ALL  A film by Mark Mori

    Naturally, the most interesting parts of the documentary are the ones that focus on her pin-up modeling, but the additional focus on the controversy surrounding her later bondage photos and films and the mysteries surrounding her disappearance from the public eye – Page made few public appearance after retiring in 1957 – makes this documentary so unique.  It’s also wonderful to hear Page speak with bewildered amazement about her return to popularity in the 1980s and the rediscovery of her existence in the early 1990s.

    The narrative is also expanded with interviews with admirers like Dita Von Teese, friends like Hugh Hefner, and many of Page’s former photographers.  The interviews with the photographers are particularly interesting because they go into detail about the composition of their shots.  To them, they weren’t simply taking pin-up photos of a bikini-clad (or even nude) Page, they were creating art.  It’s hard to argue against them — decades later, Page’s beauty is still remarkable because she was the definition of photogenic. The fact that Page talks so happily about those years makes it clear that she was born to be a pin-up icon.

    Fans of Page will undoubtedly enjoy Bettie Page Reveals All and because it’s told in her own voice even diehards will likely learn something about her that they didn’t know.  There are probably many photos and rare clips from Page’s burlesque movies in the documentary that even devoted fans of Page haven’t seen. However, people who know little about Page and her remarkable career will get the most out of this documentary.  If nothing else, it’s impossible not to enjoy one of the most beautiful women of the twentieth century posing in various states of undress relishing in her contribution to the sexual revolution, even if she didn’t realize it yet.

    Rating: 4 out of 5 : See it …… It’s Very Good

     http://youtu.be/shvYNVlHMm8

     

    OPENING in NYC 11/22 at the Village East Theater

    11/29
    Nuart Theater – LA
    Regal Westpark – Irvine

    12/6
    Chicago, San Francisco
    Berkeley, San Jose
    San Diego, Columbus
    Palm Desert, Portland
    Nashville, Las Vegas
    Santa Barbara, Tucson
    Phoenix, San Rafael
    Hartford, Fort Lauderdale
    Broookline, Minneapolis
    Asbury Park, Richmond

    12/13
    Albuquerque, Salt Lake City
    Washington DC

    12/25 – Atlanta
    1/3 – Seattle
    1/17 – Ft. Worth
    1/31 – Rochester
    2/7 – Lafayette

     

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  • “TIR” “DALLAS BUYERS CLUB” Win Top Awards at 2013 Rome Film Festival

    TIR directed by Alberto FasuloTIR directed by Alberto Fasulo

    The 8th Rome Film Festival announced the winning films of the 2013 festival, with The Croatian film, TIR by Alberto Fasulo winning the Golden Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Film. In TIR, Branko leaves his job as teacher to become a truck driver. A more than understandable given that now earns three times as much compared to his salary as a teacher before. Yet everything has a price, even if not always quantifiable in money. Other noted winning films include DALLAS BUYERS CLUB by Jean-Marc Vallée winning BNL Audience Award for Best Film, and Best Actor Award for Matthew McConaughey. The festival ran November 8 to 17,  2013.

    COMPETITION

    The International Jury, chaired by James Gray and composed of Verónica Chen, Luca Guadagnino, Aleksei Guskov, Noémie Lvovsky, Amir Naderi, and Zhang Yuan, assigned the following awards to the films in competition:

    Golden Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Film: Tir by Alberto Fasulo

    Best Director Award: Kiyoshi Kurosawa for Sebunsu kodo (Seventh Code)

    Special Jury Prize: Quod Erat Demonstrandum by Andrei Gruzsniczk

    Best Actor Award: Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club

    Best Actress Award: Scarlett Johansson for Her

    Award for Emerging Actor or Actress: the entire cast of Gass (Acrid)

    Award for Best Technical Contribution: Koichi Takahashi for Sebunsu kodo (Seventh Code)

    Award for Best Screenplay: Tayfun Pirselimoğlu for Ben o değilim (I Am Not Him)

     

    Special Mention: Cui Jian for Lanse gutou (Blue Sky Bones)

     

    CINEMAXXI

    The CinemaXXI International Jury chaired by Larry Clark and composed of Ashim Ahluwalia, Yuri Ancarani, Laila Pakalnina, and Michael Wahrmann, assigned the following awards to the films in the CinemaXXI competition:

    CinemaXXI Award for Best Film (reserved for feature-length films): Nepal Forever by Aliona Polunina

    CinemaXXI Special Jury Prize (reserved for feature-length films): Birmingemskij ornament 2 (Birmingham Ornament 2) by Andrey Silvestrov and Yury Leiderman

    CinemaXXI Award for Short Films: Der Unfertige (The Incomplete) by Jan Soldat

     

    Special Mention CinemaXXI Short Films: The Buried Alive Videos by Roee Rosen

    PROSPETTIVE DOC ITALIA

    The jury headed by Marco Visalberghi and composed of Christian Carmosino, Gerardo Panichi, Giusi Santoro, and Sabrina Varani, assigned the following awards:

    Premio Doc It – Prospettive Italia Doc for the Best Italian Documentary: Dal profondo by Valentina Pedicini

     

    Special Mention: Fuoristrada by Elisa Amoruso

    AWARD FOR BEST FIRST/SECOND FILM

    The jury headed by Roberto Faenza and composed of Fausto Brizzi, Carlo Freccero, Alessandra Mammì, Valerio Mieli, Camilla Nesbitt, and Andrea Occhipinti assigned the following awards:

    Taodue Golden Camera Award for Best First/Second Film: Out of the Furnace by Scott Cooper

    Taodue Award for the Best Emerging Producer: Jean Denis Le Dinahet and Sébastien Msika for Il sud è niente

    BNL AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST FILM

    Relying on an electronic system, the Festival enabled the participation of the audience in choosing the winner of the BNL Audience Award for Best Film. The films competing for this award were those in Competition. The audience awarded the:

    BNL Audience Award for Best Film: Dallas Buyers Club by Jean-Marc Vallée

     

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  • “THE ROCKET” “THE SELFISH GIANT” Among Winning Films at AFI FEST 2013

    THE ROCKETTHE ROCKET

    AFI FEST 2013 announced the features and short films receiving this year’s Audience and Jury Awards.  THE ROCKET, an Australian film; THE SELFISH GIANT, made in the UK; WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE, an American independent film directed by Zeke Hawkins (AFI Class of 2009) and Simon Hawkins; and B FOR BOY, a Nigerian film, received Audience Awards.  Grand Jury Awards were presented to BUTTER LAMP, in the Live Action Short category, and THE PLACES WHERE WE LIVED, in the Animated Short category.  Special Jury Award winners were BALCONY and SYNDROMEDA.

    COMPLETE LIST OF AWARD WINNERS

    NEW AUTEURS CRITIC’S AWARD

    NOTHING BAD CAN HAPPENNOTHING BAD CAN HAPPEN

    New Auteurs Critic’s Award:  NOTHING BAD CAN HAPPEN. “The true story of a homeless Christian teenager adopted by an abusive family who tests his ability to turn the other cheek.  Many, many bad things happen.  But the blessing is discovering first-time filmmaker Katrin Gebbe and her incredible ensemble who have braved their own tests – boos and walkouts, nothing too bloody – in order to bring us this powerful movie and faith and sacrifice.”

    New Auteur Special Award for Personal Storytelling: IN BLOOM.  The jury wanted to give a Special Award for Personal Storytelling for IN BLOOM.  This film, in its intimate exploration of the lives of two teenage girls in the former Soviet state of Georgia just after the fall of the USSR, is an exemplar of personal history as political history, or fiction filmmaking infused with and bolstered by the truth.

    SELFISH GIANTSELFISH GIANT

    New Auteur Special Award for Direction:  SELFISH GIANT.  The jury has also selected a Special Award for Direction to Clio Barnard, whose film THE SELFISH GIANT underscores the promise of the New Auteurs category.  Drawing stunning performances from her two young leads, Barnard brings the specificity of a Bradford housing estate to a devastating and universally relatable fable. 

    GRAND JURY AWARDS, LIVE ACTION AND ANIMATED SHORT

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST Grand Jury Award winners in the Live Action and Animated Shorts categories as qualifiers for the annual Academy Awards Short Film category.  The Shorts jury featured Alejandro De Leon (producer), Kitao Sakurai (filmmaker), Jordan Vogt-Roberts (filmmaker) and Heidi Zwicker (shorts programmer).

    Grand Jury Award, Live Action Short:  BUTTER LAMP.  DIR Hu Wei.  France, Tibet.

    Grand Jury Award, Animated Short:  THE PLACES WHERE WE LIVED.  DIR Bernardo Britto.  USA.

    Special Jury Award:  BALCONY.  DIR Lendita Zeqiraj.  Kosov.

    Special Jury Award for Outstanding Achievement in Direction:SYNDROMEDA.  DIR Patrik Eklund.  Sweden.

    Special Jury Mention for Best Datamosh: DATAMOSH.  DIR Yung Jake.  USA.

    AUDIENCE AWARDS

    Audience Awards, World Cinema: THE ROCKET.    DIR Kim Mordaunt.  Australia.

    Audience Award, New Auteurs: THE SELFISH GIANT.  DIR Clio Barnard.  UK.

    WE GOTTA GET OUTTA THIS PLACEWE GOTTA GET OUTTA THIS PLACE

    Audience Award, American Independents: WE GOTTA GET OUTTA THIS PLACE.  DIR Zeke Hawkins, Simon Hawkins.  USA. 

    B FOR BOY.B FOR BOY.

    Audience Award, Breakthrough: B FOR BOY.  DIR Chika Anadu.  Nigeria.

     

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  • Basketball Film LENNY COOKE Slam Dunks in Theaters on December 6 | WATCH Trailer

     LENNY COOKE

    The basketball documentary LENNY COOKE which World Premiere earlier this year at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will open in theaters on December 6th, 2013.   In the documentary, filmmaking brothers Joshua and Benny Safdie take a candid look and track the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only out of reach.

     In 2001, Lenny Cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. In an era when high school stars were forgoing college hoops in favor of the potential multi-million dollar contracts promised in the NBA draft, Lenny was supposed to be the next superstar. He had the world at his fingertips. But over a decade later, while his peers are taking home MVP awards and championship trophies, Lenny has never played a minute in the NBA. What went wrong? 

    LENNY COOKE

    With incredible access to Lenny’s story as it unfolded over the past decade, filmmaking brothers Joshua and Benny Safdie follow Lenny from his run-down home in Bushwick, Brooklyn, to the New Jersey suburbs where he spent his high school career through to the present day, with the friends and family who shared in his dreams and aspirations. Lenny Cooke is a quintessentially American story about dreaming big, the fickle nature of sports celebrity and the unfulfilled destiny of a man for whom superstardom was only just out of reach.  

    LENNY COOKE marks the first feature length documentary by the Safdie brothers, who received the John Cassavetes Award at The Independent Spirit Awards for DADDY LONGLEGS.   DADDY LONGLEGS premiered at the Cannes Film Festival as did their first feature THE PLEASURE OF BEING ROBBED.  

    The film was executive produced by two time NCAA champion and Chicago Bull Joakim Noah.

    http://youtu.be/ne61w4R20QE

     

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  • CANOEJACKED Among Lineup for 2013 LA COMEDY FESTIVAL Taking Place November 14 – 24

     

    CanoejackedCanoejacked

    The LA COMEDY FESTIVAL runs from November 14 to17 and 21 to 24, 2013 at LET LIVE THEATRE showcasing features and Shorts, lots of world premieres and of course comedy acts. Films on the lineup include the USA Premiere of the Canadian film CANOEJACKED, directed by Jonathan Williams and starring Al Sapienza, Mpho Koaho, and Pat Thornton, about two escaped convicts fleeing from a trigger-happy prison guard hijack a getaway canoe owned by a nudist outdoorsman.

    There are 66 short films in competition playing throughout the festival. The shorts offer a tremendous variety and will keep you laughing. Peppered among the short film programs are familiar faces among them CHERYL HINES, RACHAEL HARRIS, ERIC LASALLE, MINDY STERLING, JOEL MURRAY, JEREMY SISTO, ANTONIO SABATO JR., AMY YASBECK, BODHI ELFMAN and ANTHONY HEALD.

    Features from New Zealand and Canada bring international fun to L.A.. Live Comedy Acts will provide laughs, with all new shows from the award winning groups WET THE HIPPO, IDENTITY CRUSH and THINK TANK. Stand ups are peppered throughout the festival with notable acts from SARAH GALLAGHER and ANNABELLE DESISTO. 

     

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  • Marrakech International Film Festival Announces 2013 Lineup

    CLOSING FILM: WE ARE THE BEST! directed by Lukas MoodyssonCLOSING FILM: WE ARE THE BEST! directed by Lukas Moodysson

    The 13th Marrakech International Film Festival taking place from November 29 to December 7, 2013 announced the lineup of official film selections. More than 110 films from 23 nationalities will be screened during the event. As with every year for the past 12 years, the focus will be on films in competition, which comprises 15 films. The section “Cinema at heart” will focus on Moroccan cinema, the out-of-competition films will “distill the perfume of directors in touch with their audiences,” while the Cinécoles program of short films will reveal the filmmakers of tomorrow.

    Competition

    AGAIN – Japan
    1st film by Junichi Kanai starring Yoshikura Aoi and Yagira Yuya

    BAD HAIR – Venezuela, Peru, Argentina and Germany
    by Mariana Rondón starring Samuel Lange and Samantha Castillo

    BLUE RUIN – USA 
    2nd film by Jeremy Saulnier starring Macon Blair

    FEVERS – France and Morocco
    by Hicham Ayouch starring Didier Michon, Slimane Dazi, Farida Amrouche, Lounès Tazairt and Tony Harrisson

    HAN GONG-JU – South Korea 
    1st film by Lee Su-jin starring Chun Woo-hee

    HOTELL – Sweden 
    2nd film by Lisa Langseth starring Alicia Vikander

    HOW I LIVE NOW – UK 
    by Kevin Macdonald starring Saoirse Ronan

    IDA – Poland and Denmark by 
    Pawel Pawlikowski starring Agata Trzebuchowska and Agata Kulesza

    LA MARCHE – France 
    by Nabil Ben Yadir starring Olivier Gourmet, Tewfik Jallab, Lubna Azabal, Hafsia Herzi, Charlotte Le Bon, Vincent Rothiers, M’Barek Belkouk, Nader Boussandel, Philippe Nahon and Jamel Debbouze

    MEDEAS – USA, Italy and Mexico 
    1st film by Andrea Pallaoro starring Catalina Sandino Moreno and Brian F. O’Byrne

    THE GAMBLER – Lithuania and Latvia 
    1st film by Ignas Jonynas starring Vytautas Kaniusonis

    THE SWIMMING POOL – Cuba and Venezuela 
    1st film by Carlos Machado Quintela

    THE WISHFUL THINKERS – Spain 
    2nd film by Jonás Trueba starring Francesco Carril

    TRAITORS – Morocco and USA 
    1st film by Sean Gullette starring Chaimae Ben Acha, Soufia Issami, Nadia Niaza, Driss Roukhe, Mourade Zeguendi and Morjana Alaoui

    VIVA LA LIBERTÀ – Italy 
    by Roberto Andò starring Toni Servillo and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi

     

    CINEMA AT HEART

    DERRIÈRE LES PORTES FERMÉES – Morocco 
    2nd film by Mohammed Ahed Bensouda starring Amal Ayouch, Zoubida Akkif, Abdellah Farkous, Bouchra Ahrich and Omar Azzouzi

    KANYAMAKAN – Morocco 
    1st film by Said C. Naciri starring Afif Ben Badra, Sarah Kazemy, Mohamed El Achi, Anas El Baz, Younes Megri, Mehdi Ouazzani and Diouc Koma

    SARA – Morocco 
    by Said Naciri starring Layla Hadiu, Said Naciri, Iman Nakhad and Aziz Houbaibi

    C’EST EUX LES CHIENS – Morocco 
    2nd film by Hicham Lasri starring Hassan Badida

     

    OUT OF COMPETITION

    OPENING FILM
    RAM-LEELA – India 
    by Sanjay Leela Bhansali starring Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh

    A THOUSAND TIMES GOOD NIGHT – Norway, Ireland and Sweden 
    by Erik Poppe starring Juliette Binoche

    LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON – Japan
    by Kore-Eda Hirokazu

    ONE CHANCE – UK and USA
    by David Frankel starring James Corden, Julie Walters, Alexandra Roach and Valeria Bilello

    THE IMMIGRANT – USA
    by James Gray starring Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner

    THE REUNION – Sweden
    by Anna Odell starring Anna Odell

    THE STONE – South Korea
    by Cho Se-rae starring Cho Dong-in and Kim Roi-ha

    THE ZERO THEOREM – UK, USA, France and Romania
    by Terry Gilliam starring Christoph Waltz, Mélanie Thierry and David Thewlis

    THOSE HAPPY YEARS – Italy
    by Daniele Luchetti starring Kim Rossi Stuart and Micaela Ramazzotti

    WALTZ FOR MONICA – Sweden
    by Per Fly starring Edda Magnason

     

    CLOSING FILM
    WE ARE THE BEST! – Sweden
    by Lukas Moodysson

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  • Indie Film ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY from Drinking Buddies’ Director Joe Swanberg Gets a December 2013 Release Date | SEE Trailer

    Director Joe Swanberg’s ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY

    Director Joe Swanberg’s ALL THE LIGHT IN THE SKY, his next film after the indie-breakthrough hit from earlier this year, “Drinking Buddies” will be released theatrically in NYC on December 20, 2013 and and digitally on December 3, 2013, by Factory 25. “All the Light in the Sky” features what’s described as a leading performance from acclaimed veteran character actor Jane Adams.  

    Adams (Happiness, HBO’s “Hung,” Little Children,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, among countless others) stars as an actress living in Malibu who faces harsh realities of the industry as her age exempts her from more and more acting opportunities. Amidst this career and life crisis enters the actress’s niece, played by Sophia Takal (Green, Gabi on the Roof in July, V/H/S), who arrives for a weekend stay and ushers in a complex prism of emotional insecurities. Can the actress confront her fears, complicated relationships, and figure out how to navigate mid-life in Hollywood? 

    The film also features some of today’s up-and-coming indie film personalities: Kent Osborne (Uncle Kent), Allison Baar (Bad Fever), Simon Barrett (V/H/S), Lindsay Burdge (A Teacher), Larry Fessenden (The Last Winter), Lawrence Michael Levine (Green), Susan Traylor  (Greenberg) and Ti West (The Sacrament). 

    All the Light in the Sky features original music by Orange Mighty Trio.

    http://youtu.be/JBrYWL16_dE

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