VIMooZ

57th BFI London Film Festival Awards; IDA Wins Best Film

BFI London Film Festival

Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski

IDA, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski is the winner of Official Competition Best Film award at the 57th BFI London Film Festival which ran October 9 to 20, 2013. Philip French, recent BFI Fellow and President of the Official Competition jury said, “The jury greatly admired Ida, the first film made in his native Poland by a director who came to prominence while living in Britain. We were deeply moved by a courageous film that handles, with subtlety and insight, a painfully controversial historical situation – the German occupation and the Holocaust – which continues to resonate. Special praise went to his use of immersive visual language to create a lasting emotional impact.”

Ilo Ilo, directed by Anthony Chen

The Sutherland Award presented to the director of the most original and imaginative feature debut in the Festival went to Anthony Chen, the director of ILO ILO, described as a devastating study of a modern affluent family and its vulnerabilities.

MY FATHERS, MY MOTHER AND ME

The Best Documentary Award was awarded to MY FATHERS, MY MOTHER AND ME, a portrait of Friedrichshof, the largest commune in Europe, founded by the Viennese Actionist Otto Mühl in the 1970s and the devastating emotional effects on its residents. The jury also commended CUTIE & THE BOXER for the original and creative way in which the filmmakers crafted an intimate portrait of a relationship, as well as Greg Baker’s compelling MANHUNT which gave the audience extraordinary access to usually unreachable secret intelligence operatives. The exquisite cinematography of PIPELINE was also recognized and commended.

Starred Up

The Best British Newcomer award which honors new and emerging film talent, recognizing the achievements of a new writer, producer, director, actor or actress went to screenwriter Jonathan Asser, for his debut feature STARRED UP whose title refers to the practice of placing violent young offenders prematurely in adult prison. The jury also highly commended the performances of nominees Conner Chapman and Shaun Thomas for their roles in THE SELFISH GIANT.

via BFI London Film Festival

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Film Review: THE PRIME MINISTERS

Film Reviews

THE PRIME MINISTERS documentary directed by Richard Trank is based on the eponymous best-selling book, The Prime Minister, written by Ambassador Yehuda Avner. Yehuda Avner, who served as a chief aide, English language note-taker and speechwriter to former prime ministers Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Shimon Peres, takes the audience into this powerful office, with never before seen and heard details on major historical events such as the Six-Day War, the development of Israel’s close strategic relationship with the United States, the fight against terrorism, the Yom Kippur War and its aftermath.

The twist here is an interesting one, with narration by Hollywood superstars Sandra Bullock, Michael Douglas, Christoph Waltz, and Leonard Nimoy – they assume the personas of the political leaders. They morph into these political leaders and become voices from the past.

Yehuda Avner’s journey into the political arena which began by happenstance introduced him to a new world, and a ring side seat to major events. Levi Eshkol, the third prime minister of Israel, was faced with the difficult task of staving off war and Avner accompanied him to America where he met with President Johnson. During Prime Minister Levi Eshkol’s reign, Yitzhak Rabin assumed office as Ambassador for Israel. Avner describes him as a person with an ‘analytical mind’. Yitzhak Rabin eventually became the fifth prime minister of Israel.

Golda Meir was the fourth prime minister of Israel. In her early life, she came face to face with anti-Semitism and this impacted her choices in life. Golda strived for positive change in the lives of the Jewish community. She was a force to be reckoned with; very strong leader. Her message was straightforward and candid. Her time as Israeli prime minister was fraught with war and political unrest.

In addition to the use of Hollywood stars as narrators, director Richard Trank also uses a myriad of techniques that serve to hold the audience. He shuttles from black and white to color picture presentation. The background music is forceful but not overpowering. He utilizes stills (photographs) to reinforce the message, to make the story more engaging. The images are riveting and powerful; pictures of war ravaged areas, fighter pilots preparing for takeoff, presidents huddling in deep discussion of impending warfare and possible arms race.

THE PRIME MINISTERS documentary film is definitely an exploration of strong leaders who left an indelible mark not only on Israel but on humanity.

THE PRIME MINISTERS, a documentary film by Richard Trank, produced by Rabbi Marvin Hier open at the Quad Cinema in NYC on Friday, October 18, and at The Royal in Los Angeles and Town Center in Encino on Wednesday, November 6. A national release will follow.

http://youtu.be/BhSO8N-kuwo
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2013 Bel-Air Film Festival Award Winners; RETURN TO A HIDING PLACE is Top Winning Film

Bel-Air Film Festival

RETURN TO A HIDING PLACE

“RETURN TO A HIDING PLACE” is the top winning film of the 2013 Bel-Air Film Festival (BAFF) which was held October 7th to13th throughout Los Angeles. RETURN TO A HIDING PLACE is the winner of the Jury Awards for Best Jury Feature Film, Best Jury Feature Film Cinematography, and Best Jury Feature Film Directing. Written and directed by Peter Spencer, the film is based on a true story about a group in Holland called The Resistance that fought against the Nazis to save lives and help the Jews during the World War II Era.

“THE BOARDER” won Best Audience Feature Film Award. The film’s lead actor Andy Scott Harris won Best Jury Feature Film Lead Actor. Written by Jane Ryan, and directed by Jolene Adams, the film is a story about a family that adopts a child who has Reactive Attachment Disorder. Based on a true story and life experiences of the film’s writer Jane Ryan. The Boarder is an honest portrayal of the real life experiences of families with children who have experienced trauma at an early age in their life. Cast includes Leslie Stevens, Carlton Wilborn, Andy Scott Harris, and Dee Wallace.

“UNCLAIMED,” directed by Emmy Award Winner Michael Jorgensen, received Best Jury Documentary Award. Embarking on a routine missionary trip, veteran and missionary, Tom a former Vietnam Veteran, discovers a man, John Robertson, claiming to be an MIA (missing in action) vet surviving in the jungle for decades. 40 years after the war that radically altered his life as a young man, Tom returns to Vietnam to reunite Robertson with his family in the United States.

“ANTARCTICA: A YEAR ON ICE” received Best Jury Documentary Film. Written and directed by Anthony Powell, this feature-length documentary film reveals what it is like to live and work at the bottom of the planet, in Antarctica, for a full year. The story is not from the point of view of scientists, but of the people who spend the most time there; the everyday workers who keep the stations running in the harshest place on the planet. The film explores unparalleled access, and never before seen stunning footage of the deep Antarctic winters.

“THE GUN, THE CAKE, AND THE BUTTERFLY” won both Best Jury Documentary Film Editing Award and Best Audience Documentary Award. Written and Directed by Amanda Eliasch. An experimental and stylish docudrama portrait of London socialite/fashion editor/poet/writer/artist, Amanda Eliasch. Using a variety of actresses as Eliasch’s alter egos, this seductive glimpse into her life spans childhood in the English countryside to her adult years looking for fulfillment in all corners of the globe. A woman full of character and complexity, Eliasch inhabits a modern world of luxury and heartache.

“SUCCESS DRIVEN” won Best Audience Short Film Award. Executive Produced by Lloyd Klein and written and directed by Scott J. Harris. “Success is a journey, not a destination.” The closing line of the Bel-Air Film Festival Best Audience Short Film Winner, Success Driven, pretty much sums up not only the protagonist of film’s journey, but also the film itself. The original concept, a brainchild of fashion mogul Lloyd Klein and new recording artist Mohammad, was developed into screenplay form by Scott J. Foster. A team was soon assembled, placing Yancey Arias of NYC Films at the helm as director, with Klein, Arias and Foster producing. The film, starring Mohammad Molaei, nom d’arte Mohammad, is a breathtaking semi-autobiographical saga of a Middle Eastern singer who lands in America to become the most sought after musical talent in the world. The cast is rounded out quite elegantly, with Hollywood stars Steven Bauer (Scarface, Traffic) and Serena Scott Thomas (The World Is Not Enough). “The entire cast and crew are delighted that Success Driven garnered such a prestigious award in the company of so many wonderful films this year at the BAFF,” says Executive Producer Lloyd Klein.

“DELAROSA” won Best Audience Student Short Film Award. Written and directed by student filmmaker Blake Simon, the film follows the story of a man, Don, who comes home one day to find a note from his wife saying that she has left him. The note contains his wife’s destination, and the film follows Don as he embarks out to recover his wife, meeting many people along the way who attempt to discourage Don’s journey. Don however, will stop at nothing to get back what he wants.
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GLORIA, Chile’s Oscar Entry Gets U.S. Release in January 2014 | TRAILER

Foreign Language Films

GLORIA directed by Sebastian Lelio and Chile’s entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the Oscars, will be released in the US on January 17, 2014 by Roadside Attractions. GLORIA stars Paulina García who won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for her performance as a vivacious, middle-aged divorcée who finds what may be her last chance for love while grooving on the dance floor of the local singles club.

Gloria Cumplido (Paulina García) is in her late fifties and lives on her own. Divorced for more than twelve years, she has two grown children and a toddler grandson. While she loves her family, she is not ready to move into full-time grand-parenting. She is smart, savvy, and vivacious. Behind her coquettish demeanour and her oversized glasses is a woman who doesn’t want to settle into a tepid relationship she’s supposed to be grateful for. She wants a real romance, ideally with a partner who loves to dance. At night, Gloria visits her favourite clubs, filled with other middle-aged singles grooving on the dance floor. When she meets the recently separated Rodolfo (Sergio Hernández), it seems that she has found one last chance at love.TIFF

http://youtu.be/h9PrVESAYeA
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GABRIELLE, Canada’s Oscar Entry, to Get US Release in Winter 2013 | TRAILER

Foreign Language Films

GABRIELLE, directed by Louise Archambault, and Canada’s entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the Oscars, is scheduled to be released in the US, in Winter 2013 by Entertainment One Films. GABRIELLE, which premiered earlier this year at the 2013 Locarno International Film Festival and also screened at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, is described as a film about a developmentally challenged young woman’s quest for independence and sexual freedom.

Living in a group home, musically talented Gabrielle has found love in Martin, a fellow member in a choir for developmentally disabled adults. Gabrielle (Gabrielle Marion-Rivard) and Martin (Alexandre Landry) want to explore their feelings for one another physically, but are not allowed. Convinced that living alone will allow her to have the intimate relationship she so desperately craves, Gabrielle tries valiantly to prove she can be independent. TIFF

http://youtu.be/H1_FkjD9I58
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THE WHITE STORM to Close 2013 Rome Film Festival; THE SEVENTH WALK to Close CinemaXXI Section

Rome Film Festival

THE WHITE STORM (SOU DUK /SAODU) by Benny Chan

THE SEVENTH WALK (SAATVIN SAIR), the latest film by Indian director, Amit Dutta, will be the closing film of CinemaXXI, the program section at the 8th Rome Film Festival taking place November 8 to 17, 2013. THE WHITE STORM (SOU DUK /SAODU) by Benny Chan will close the festival.

THE SEVENTH WALK / SAATVIN SAIR by Amit Dutta, India, 2013, 70’

The extraordinary landscape of the Kangra valley, which Amit Dutta had already filmed in Nainsukh (2010), is the setting once again for the latest film by the Indian director. But whereas Nainsukh was based on the artistic history of an XVIIIth century painter, whose work was figurative Saatvin Sair is inspired by the works of a contemporary Indian artist who paints abstract landscapes, giving free rein to the imagination, as is customary in the modern Western tradition (oil on canvas). In the film, wandering through a forest a painter sees a mysterious footprint and hears the strains of music, which lead him deeper into nature in pursuit of its source, hoping that it might lead to his innermost seeking. As he wanders, he rests under a tree; in his sleep he sees himself walking, painting, stones defying gravity, a small girl taking the sky-route to deliver his daily fruit and milk, seasons changing and years passing. He wakes up and walks into the landscape made-up of his own paintings where the object of his quest might await him.

THE WHITE STORM (SOU DUK /SAODU) by Benny Chan, China, Hong Kong, 2013, 140’
Cast: Sean Lau, Louis Koo, Nick Cheung, Yuan Quan, Lo Hoi Pang

Tim (played by Sean Lau) is the ambitious chief inspector of the narcotics bureau, who puts his career above all else. Chao (played by Louis Koo) is a policeman who works undercover, in the depths of Hong Kong’s illegal trafficking. Wai (played by Nick Cheung) is Tim’s loyal subordinate who hopes, some day, to earn the respect of others. The three are life-long friends, but a new mission will put their brotherly bond in danger. In fact, the leader of the Chao gang, Hak Tsai is about to make the biggest drug deal in his criminal career with the notorious Eight-Faced Buddha, South East Asia’s most powerful and feared “drug lord”. Tim is convinced that capturing the Eight-Faced Buddha could be a pivotal moment for his career, while Chao reluctantly agrees to leave Hong Kong and go undercover to infiltrate Hak Tsai’s gang: this will be his last mission before beginning a new life with his pregnant girlfriend. Wai, whose girlfriend has just left him, simply wants to restore his confidence in himself and achieve success. The mission ends in a showdown in which Buddha gets the upper hand and forces Tim to choose which of his two friends will live. With great anguish, Tim chooses Chao and Wai is pushed off the cliff. Five years later, Buddha’s name resurfaces in Hong Kong. Tim and Chao reunite to take revenge, but find that Wai is still alive and involved in a dangerous plot. The three friends will once again have to sacrifice their friendship….

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DOC NYC To Run November 14-21; Opens with NYC Premiere of THE UNKNOWN KNOWN

DOC NYC

THE UNKNOWN KNOWN

DOC NYC documentary festival returns for its fourth year to the IFC Center in Greenwich Village and Chelsea’s SVA Theatre in New York City from November 14 to 21, 2013. DOC NYC will showcase 131 films and events, including screenings of 72 feature-length films and 39 shorts as well as 20 doc-related panel discussions and masterclasses. The festival opens on November 14th with the NYC premiere of THE UNKNOWN KNOWN, presented by director Errol Morris, in which he engages in a verbal duel with former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld over recent history.

GALAS – Opening Night (Nov. 14): the NYC premiere of The Unknown Known, presented by director Errol Morris, in which he engages in a verbal duel with former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld over recent history. Centerpiece (Nov. 17): the US premiere of Finding Vivian Maier (dirs. John Maloof & Charlie Siskel), which uncovers one of the 20th century’s greatest photographers who kept her work secret.Closing Night (Nov. 21): the world premiere of Is the Man Who is Tall Happy? An Animated Conversation with Noam Chomsky, presented by director Michel Gondry and Noam Chomsky, in which Gondry interviews the esteemed linguist and brings his ideas to life with drawings. Also playing as a gala: the NYC premiere of Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did for Love (Nov. 17, dir. Dori Berinstein) about the hit-making songwriter behind “The Way We Were,” “A Chorus Line” and more, presented by the director along with Broadway star Donna McKechnie and songwriter Rupert Holmes.

SPECIAL EVENTS – Five standout films coupled with high-profile conversations with the directors and special guests. Oliver Stone presents the never-broadcast prologue to his epic Showtime series The Untold History of the United States, which looks at events leading up to World War II. Two world premiere events: White Gold is a frontline exposé of the modern-day ivory trade, presented with an extended conversation with director Simon Trevor and producer Arne Glimcher (founder of Pace Gallery); and Inside the Mind of Leonardo 3D (dir. Julian Jones) is a hybrid documentary featuring the actor Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who) performing passages from the notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci. Two NYC premieres: Emptying the Skies(dir. Douglas Kass) chronicles the rampant poaching of migratory birds in Europe, based on the New Yorker essay by Jonathan Franzen who will participate in a Q&A; and What is Cinema? (dir. Chuck Workman) creates a visual essay from film clips of boundary-pushing cinema combined with eclectic interviews. In addition to the above special events, four free panels will be announced in the days to come.

VIEWFINDERS COMPETITION – Seven films notable for their distinct directorial visions including the world premiere of WEB (dir. Michael Kleiman), which follows Peruvian children in remote regions who participate in the One Laptop per Child program. US premiere: The Dark Matter of Love (dir. Sarah McCarthy) looks at an American family that adopts Russian children prior to Vladimir Putin’s ban. Five NYC premieres: Sole Survivor (dir. Ky Dickens) profiles four people who were the only survivors of major airline crashes. Uranium Drive-In (dir. Suzan Beraza) focuses on a Colorado town with its economic hopes pinned on a new uranium mine. A Will for the Woods (dirs. Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale & Brian Wilson) highlights the green burial movement. We Always Lie to Strangers (dirs. AJ Schnack & David Wilson) portrays the lives of performers in the popular family tourist destination of Branson, Missouri. A World Not Ours (dir. Mahdi Fleifel) brings a humorous and personal perspective on a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.

METROPOLIS COMPETITION – Nine films rooted in New York City including the world premiere of Patrolman P (dir. Ido Mizrahy), which re-opens a controversial NYPD corruption case from the 1970s. Two US premieres: Exposed (dir. Beth B) delves into the world of modern burlesque performers; and The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty Movies(dir. Wiktor Ericsson) profiles Joe Sarno who flourished making softcore porn in the 1960s and ‘70s. Six NYC premieres: A Fragile Trust: Plagiarism, Power and Jason Blair at The New York Times (dir. Samantha Grant) interviews the main players behind the 2003 newspaper scandal. Here One Day (dir. Kathy Leichter) uncovers a box of hidden audiotapes by the director’s mother, the wife of a New York State Senator, illuminating a troubled history. I Learn America (dirs. Jean-Michel Dissard & Gitte Peng) goes inside a Brooklyn public high school dedicated to newly arrived immigrants. Lucky (dir. Laura Checkoway) follows a homeless single mother who dreams of bettering her life. Misfire: The Rise and Fall of the Shooting Gallery(dir. Whitney Ransick) examines the history of the New York film company responsible for Sling Blade and other indie hits. The Pleasures of Being Out of Step(dir. David L. Lewis) profiles Nat Hentoff, the renowned jazz critic and free speech advocate.

AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES – Eleven films that represent the country’s diversity including the world premiere of Kids for Cash (dir. Robert May), which uncovers the shocking story of a Pennsylvania judge who incarcerated young people at an alarming rate; and the US premiere of How to Lose Your Virginity (dir. Therese Shechter), a humorous look at ideas around virginity in modern culture. Eight NYC premieres:Breastmilk (dir. Dana Ben-Ari), presented by executive producer Ricki Lake in person, uses humor and candor to explore misconceptions around mother’s milk.American Commune (dirs. Rena Mundo Croshere & Nadine Mundo) follows the filmmaker siblings back to the counterculture commune, The Farm, where they were born. American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs (dir. Grace Lee) profiles the 98-year-old social activist from Detroit who will attend in person. Citizen Koch (dirs. Carl Deal & Tia Lessin) examines the Wisconsin standoff between state employees and Governor Scott Walker who was bankrolled by rightwing billionaires David and Charles Koch. Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way (dir. Donna Zaccaro) traces the history of the first-ever female vice-presidential candidate. HBO’s Toxic Hot Seat (dirs. James Redford & Kirby Walker) uncovers disturbing claims about products containing flame retardants that have become commonplace. Unorthodox (dir. Anna Wexler & Nadja Oertelt) examines three diverse Modern Orthodox American Jews who spend a year studying at a Yeshiva in Israel. Town Hall (dir. Sierra Pettengill & Jamila Wignot) looks at two Pennsylvania Tea Party activists in the lead-up to the 2012 election. The final title is Rebuilding the World Trade Center(dir. Marcus Robinson), which captures the six-year task of construction at Ground Zero.

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES – Doubling in size from last year, this section has eight titles that take us around the globe, including the US premieres of Things Left Behind (dir. Linda Hoaglund), which focuses on a Japanese art exhibit about the atomic bomb; and The Traces of Dr. Ernesto Guevara (dir. Jorge Denti), which draws from Che Guevara’s personal journals to trace his second journey across Latin America in 1952-53. Six NYC premieres: The Abominable Crime (dir. Micah Fink) examines violent homophobia in Jamaica. Brave Miss World (dir. Cecilia Peck) follows an Israeli former Miss World campaigning against sexual violence. The Manor(dir. Shawney Cohen) looks at a dysfunctional family that runs a Canadian strip club.The Road to Fame (dir. Hao Wu) captures Beijing students adapting the Broadway musical Fame. Touba (dir. Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi) uses breathtaking cinematography to document a Senegalese pilgrimage. The Stuart Hall Project (dir. John Akomfrah) blends Miles Davis music and eclectic archival footage to profile the British cultural theorist.

SONIC CINEMA – Seven films that explore a wide range of music, including three world premieres: Revenge of the Mekons (dir. Joe Angio) explores the endurance of the punk band the Mekons over four decades; We Don’t Wanna Make You Dance(dir. Lucy Kostelanetz) captures a white funk band over a long span of time, like a rock version of Michael Apted’s 7 Up; and Harlem Street Singer (dirs. Trevor Laurence & Simeon Hutner) profiles the blind guitar player Reverend Gary Davis who influenced a generation of folk and blues musicians. NYC premieres: The Punk Singer (dir. Sini Anderson) focuses on Kathleen Hanna, a leader of the Riot Grrrl movement with bands like Bikini Kill and Le Tigre; and Mercedes Sosa: The Voice of Latin America (dir. Rodrigo H. Vila) goes deep into the history of the singer who became a 20th century icon. Death Metal Angola (dir. Jeremy Xido) journeys to the African country of Angola where a couple holds the first-ever rock concert to raise funds for an orphanage. Folk (dir. Sara Terry) crafts a love letter to a musical genre and an intimate portrait of contemporary musicians.

ART + DESIGN – In this new section, we present seven films engaging with artists, including the world premiere of Men of the Cloth (dir. Vicki Vasilopoulos), which looks at master tailors whose craft is in danger of vanishing; and the US premiere ofGrey City (Cidade Cinza) (dirs. Marcelo Mesquita & Guilherme Valiengo), which explores the work of renowned graffiti artists Os Gêmeos, Nunca, and Nina. Three NYC premieres: Magical Universe (dir. Jeremy Workman) takes us inside the world of an outsider artist who builds Barbie doll dioramas. Levitated Mass: The Story of Michael Heizer’s Monolithic Sculpture (dir. Doug Pray) chronicles the artist Michael Heizer’s attempt to transport a 340-ton boulder for an installation. In No Great Hurry: 13 Lessons in Life with Saul Leiter (dir. Tomas Leach) profiles one of the pioneers of the New York school of photography from the ‘40s and ‘50s. If You Build It (dir. Patrick Creadon) documents the impact of a design class in an impoverished North Carolina town. Tiny: A Story About Living Small (dirs. Merete Mueller & Christopher Smith) tracks a couple building a small house as part of an environmentally conscious movement.

MIDNIGHT DOCS – Four films selected to keep you awake late. Kink (dir. Christina Voros) goes behind the scenes of the world’s most popular sexual fetish site in a film produced by James Franco. The Final Member (dirs. Jonah Bekhor & Zach Math) takes a funny and bizarre look at the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Hungry (dirs. Jeff Cerulli & Barry Rothbart) delves into the world of competitive eating and one of its controversial stars, Takeru Kobayashi. Shooting Bigfoot (dir. Morgan Matthews) follows attempts by cryptozoologists to track down the legendary man-beast.

SHORTS PROGRAMS – Six thematic groupings of short documentaries will be presented in the programs “Blood is Thicker,” on the bonds of family; “The Kids are All Right,” on the honesty and wisdom of youth; “Man & Beast,” on people and animals; “Obsessions,” on collectors, curiosity seekers and compulsives; “People & Places,” on unexpected environments; “Then & Now,” on nostalgia and changing times.

DOC-A-THON PANELS – Sixteen masterclasses and panels with esteemed filmmakers and industry leaders are organized into four thematic days. Shoot Your Doc day (Nov. 18) has masterclasses on “Cinematography,” “Producing,” “Filming Outside Your Turf,” plus “Cara Mertes In Conversation” with the head of the Ford Foundation JustFilms program. Finish Your Doc day (Nov. 19) has masterclasses on “Editing,” “Dig Into Archives,” “Your Subjects at Risk,” and “Graphics & Animation.”Fund Your Doc day (Nov. 20) has panels entitled “Lessons in Crowd-Funding,” “Tap Into TV,” plus masterclasses on “Get Funded & Stay in Control,” and “Advice From the Experts.” Reach Your Audience day (Nov. 21) features the panels “Meet the Distributors,” “How to Maximize Digital Distribution,” “Leveraging Your Press” and “Making the Most of Festivals.”

SHORT LIST – Ten films selected by DOC NYC programmers as ones to watch this awards season (* indicates director in person): 20 Feet From Stardom (dir. Morgan Neville*); The Act of Killing (dir. Joshua Oppenheimer*); Blackfish (dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite); The Crash Reel (dir. Lucy Walker*); Dirty Wars (dir. Richard Rowley*); First Cousin Once Removed (dir. Alan Berliner*); Gideon’s Army (dir. Dawn Porter*); God Loves Uganda (dir. Roger Ross Williams*); The Square (dir. Jehane Noujaim*); Stories We Tell (dir. Sarah Polley*).

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Bobcat Goldthwait’s WILLOW CREEK Added to Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Horror Fest ‘Scary Movies 7’ | TRAILER

Scary Movies Horror Film Festival

Bobcat Goldthwait’s WILLOW CREEK

A special screening of Bobcat Goldthwait’s WILLOW CREEK has been added to the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s upcoming horror series Scary Movies 7. WILLOW CREEK will screen on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, preceded by a screening of the horror classic THE NANNY, starring Bette Davis.

Goldthwait’s latest film, WILLOW CREEK, marks his debut in the horror genre. A comedy/thriller hybrid, Goldthwait plays with the found footage conceit, as we watch a super-likable couple (Bryce Johnson and Alexie Gilmore) while they embark on a Northern California Bigfoot tour, documenting it every step of the way. He’s a believer and she’s accommodating enough, but when they get deeper into their journey (into their tent, more specifically) things start to get truly hairy. And that’s also when the film transforms into an experience that’s as nerve-wracking as it is comedic.

Directed by Seth Holt, THE NANNY (1965) is a Hammer Films psycho-thriller starring Bette Davis in the title role in a story about a young boy who returns home after being institutionalized for two years upon receiving the blame for the drowning death of his little sister. Placed under the care of his devoted nanny, he is soon accused of trying to poison his own mother. But was it the boy or his caregiver who is actually the disturbed killer? Goldthwait will introduce the film.

http://youtu.be/QPlc9UY2iuQ
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New Indie Films, Documentaries in Theaters This Weekend Friday October 18, 2013

News

There’s a pretty eclectic selection of films coming to art house cinemas this weekend, but most of them received really positive reviews. So there is good stuff out there for everyone this weekend, including at least one that is expected to factor into the awards race fever, All Is Lost. Some are only being released in a handful of theaters, but they’re all expected to expand to either more theaters or VOD in the upcoming weeks.

ALL IS LOST

Though it’s gotten rave reviews, All Is Lost, which stars Robert Redford, is not for everyone. That because it is the story of a man struggling to survive in the ocean after his boat is damaged and, because Redford is the only actor in the entire film, it is almost dialogue-free. Nonetheless, for those who appreciate acting by expression and body language this film, which was written and directed by Margin Call filmmaker J.C. Chandor, is a masterpiece. I loved it, although at the same time it’s probably not a film I’ll ever revisit because it won’t be the same experiencing it again. I hope that makes sense!

HAUNTER

It’s October, so that means more indie horror films! Haunter was directed by Vincenzo Natali, who has directed a number of other notable horror/thrillers like 2009’s Splice and 1997’s Cube. It’s about the ghost of Lisa Johnson, a teenager (Little Miss Sunshine’s Abigail Breslin) who tries to contact the living in order to save the life of another teenage girl. It debuted at this year’s SXSW Festival and received generally positive reviews.

PARADISE

Diablo Cody made a name for herself as a screenwriter with Juno and Young Adult, and with Paradise she takes her first try at directing a feature. Starring Julianne Hough as a young conservative woman named Lamb (oh, symbolism!) who survives a plane crash and begins to question her faith, the cast also includes Nick Offerman, Russell Brand, Octavia Spencer, Holly Hunter. It was actually first released way back in August on DirecTV and the reviews since then haven’t been favorable, especially in comparison to Cody’s previous successes.

CUT TO BLACK

A noir-inspired mystery filmed in black and white, CUT TO BLACK was written, directed, and stars Brooklyn-based filmmaker Dan Eberle as a disgraced cop who is hired to investigate the stalker of a former friend’s daughter. It won the Audience Award at this year’s Brooklyn Film Festival. I saw it a few weeks ago, and if you enjoy films that involve layers of mysteries — some of which intertwine and some of which are never revealed in full — you’ll definitely like it. The movie is opening in New York this weekend, but we’ll have a feature on Cut to Black closer to its December VOD release in all areas.

TWO JACKS

The Huston family remains one of the most famous in cinema history, boasting three Oscar winners (Walter, John, and Anjelica). Two Jacks features two Hustons, Danny (son of John) and real-life nephew Jack (star of Boardwalk Empire) as father and son who are both named Jack Hussar. Jack Sr. is a famous film director, and Jack Jr. hopes to follow in his footsteps. It is actually a loose adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s short story Two Hussars with a comedic spin, involving both Hussars falling for the same woman, Diana (Sienna Miller). Two Jacks was adapted and directed by Bernard Rose (Candyman).

ADVENTURES IN THE SIN BIN

In what sounds to me like a modern spin on the classic 1960 film The Apartment, Adventures in the Sin Bin is about a teenager named Brian who lends his van out to more popular classmates for the sexual exploits. However, the inexperienced Brian gains a friend who wants him to snap his personal unlucky streak. The movie was directed by first-time director Billy Federighi and written by first-time feature writer Christopher Storer, and gets a VOD release this weekend as well.

AMERICAN PROMISE (Documentary)

This documentary looks at the fourteen-year experience of two African American families headed by filmmakers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson after they enrolled their son in an exclusive Upper East Side Manhattan private school. It follows their son Idris and best friend Seun from kindergarten through high school graduation in a school that is predominantly white and made up of children whose families are better educated and better connected. It captured the Special Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and has had strong positive reviews despite some reviewers pointing out a lack of a central statement.

Other notable weekend indie, foreign & documentary releases:

I’M IN LOVE WITH A CHURCH GIRL

BIG ASS SPIDER!

THE SNITCH CARTEL

FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

THE STREAM

THE HUMAN SCALE

HELLBENDERS

SHAHID

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2013 Program for San Francisco’s Cinema by the Bay Festival to run Nov 22 – 24 at the Roxie

Cinema By The Bay

Mitchell Altieri’s tense thriller HOLY GHOST PEOPLE

The San Francisco Film Society announced the program for the fifth annual Cinema by the Bay festival, taking place November 22 to 24, 2013, at the Roxie Theater. CBTB celebrates the local film scene by presenting interesting new works made in or about the Bay Area, providing an opportunity for audiences to engage with local filmmakers, and honoring the cinematic luminaries who make San Francisco such a wonderful place to love movies. The 2013 edition of Cinema by the Bay opens on Friday November 22nd, with Mitchell Altieri’s tense thriller HOLY GHOST PEOPLE.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22    OPENING NIGHT
7:00 pm HOLY GHOST PEOPLE
Mitchell Altieri (USA 2013)
Mitch Altieri, one half of directing duo the Butcher Brothers, presents this unnerving descent into a cult tucked away in the Appalachian mountains. Charlotte is bent on finding her missing sister and believes that she has joined a church that includes snake handling ceremonies and speaking in tongues. She receives the help of alcoholic veteran Wayne in infiltrating the group, as they pose as initiates in order to gain information on Charlotte’s sister’s possible whereabouts. As they sink deeper into the social structure of the church, stakes, dangers and suspicions are continuously ratcheted up, making for exquisitely tension-filled viewing. Written by Kevin Artigue, Joe Egender, Mitchell Altieri, Phil Flores. Cinematography by Amanda Treyz. With Emma Greenwell, Joe Egender, Brendan McCarthy,. 89 min. Found & Lost Productions, Indie Entertainment, San Francisco Independent Cinema.
9:30 pm Opening Night Party Celebrate the Opening of CBTB at The Lab (2948 16th Street) with hors d’oeuvres and sponsored wine.
9:30 pm Holy Ghost People

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 23
12:00 pm THE GENIUS OF MARIAN
Banker White, Anna Fitch (USA 2013)
In this personal ode to familial ties and legacy, Banker White (Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars) chronicles his mother Pam’s struggle with progressive dementia, and the result is a moving portrait of memory and loss. When Pam is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s and it becomes too difficult to continue writing a memoir about her artist mother — Marian Williams Steele, who herself suffered from Alzheimer’s — White films her remembrances as a way to keep her working on the project. Working with codirector Anna Fitch, White has crafted an intimate documentary that is an exploration not only of the devastating effects of illness, but also of two influential and compelling women. Cinematography by Banker White. 84 min. Mirabel Pictures.

2:15 pm REDEMPTION TRAIL
Britta Sjogren (USA 2013)
In this new film by local filmmaker Britta Sjogren, two powerful yet troubled women flee a past that haunts them. The daughter of a murdered Black Panther revolutionary, Tess (LisaGay Hamilton) lives off the grid on a Sonoma vineyard, fiercely detached from all connections. Her hermetic life cracks when she gives reluctant shelter to a desperate young woman, Anna (Lily Rabe). An unlikely alliance forms between the two, where other close relationships have failed — David (Hamish Linklater), Anna’s husband, and John (Jake Weber), Tess’ employer, cannot break through their walls. But the very difference between the two women opens them up to a new vision of themselves and their future. Written by Britta Sjogren. Cinematography by Bradley Sellers. With Lily Rabe, LisaGay Hamilton, Jake Weber, Hamish Linklater. 92 min. Dire Wolf.

4:30 pm AMERICAN VAGABOND
Susanna Helke (Finland/Denmark 2013)
The burgeoning community of homeless gay youths in San Francisco is dramatically brought to life in Susanna Helke’s poetic and evocative documentary. James and his boyfriend Tyler are desperate to escape the oppressive confines of Chico, CA and James’s disapproving parents. They head westward to the promised land of San Francisco looking for refuge and acceptance, but instead find themselves stranded among other homeless youths struggling to find a community they yearn for. With bewitching shots of San Francisco and poignant voiceover, Finnish director Susanna Helke creates a heartbreaking depiction of the tragic consequences that result when dreams and illusion collide with reality. Cinematography by Marko Luukkonen, Editor Niels Pagh Andersen, Music Samuli Kosminen. 86 min. Finnish Film Foundation.

6:45 pm ALONG THE ROADSIDE
Zoran Lisinac (Pored Puta, USA/Serbia 2013)
In a moment of panic, Varnie, a San Francisco-based graphic designer, flees his stable life and career when his girlfriend reveals to him that she is pregnant. As he makes his way out of town towards southern California, he crosses paths with Nena, an untethered German tourist who has just missed seeing her favorite band live. When she learns that their next show will be down south, Nena convinces Varnie that she needs his help, and he grudgingly takes her along. As they interact on the road, their initial facades — Nena, the carefree, hippy-ish tourist; Varnie, the emotionally closed-off careerist — give way to deeper reflections on their complicated personalities and differences. Written by Zoran Lisinac. Cinematography by John Honoré. With Angelina Häntsch, Iman Crosson, Lazar Ristovski, Michael Madsen. 108 min. In English, Serbian, Spanish and German with subtitles. Metakwon Filmworks.

9:30 pm Street Smarts: YAK Films’ Dance Then and Now
YAK Films is an international media production team whose work with urban dance began with the legendary Turf Feinz crew in Oakland, CA, innovators of the Turf dancing style. Today, YAK is synonymous with a unique style of street-based documentation of the global dance movement, and is one of the most important teams in the world dedicated to giving voice and representation to alternate forms of expression through video, music and dance. This shorts program will trace YAK’s origins in the Bay Area and present some of their newest, unseen international works. With YAK and dance crew members in person to present their work, this program promises to inspire. TRT 75 min.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 24
12:00 pm The SF State of Cinema: Shorts from SFSU Alumni
Dating back nearly half a century, the Cinema Department at San Francisco State University is an enduring educational institution that has played a critical role in defining both the history and the future of cinema in the Bay Area. Founded in the 1960s during a time of great political activism and artistic experimentation, the SFSU film program has spawned several generations of filmmakers — undergrads and grad students alike — who form the very backbone of the local film community, as nationally renowned filmmakers, curators, and professors. This program of short films made by SFSU alumni barely scratches the surface of the great work — and great artists — being fostered amidst the fog at the end of 19th Avenue. TRT 81 min.

2:15 pm THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN
In Hak Jang (North Korea/USA 2012)
The first U.S./North Korea coproduction ever, this film is a dazzling, epic melodrama depicting the relationship between a South Korean man and a North Korean woman separated by political conflict. During the Korean War, a young nurse in a small town in North Korea saves a wounded Southern soldier abandoned by his platoon. Forced to hide his identity, the two gradually form a furtive attachment until he is forced to return to his home in South Korea. Featuring opulent set design and punctuated with glorious musical numbers, this is a startlingly original feature debut from director In Hak Jang and local writer/producer Joon Bai. Written by Joon Bai. Cinematography by Ryong Su Han. With Hyang Suk Kim, Ryung Min Kim, Jung Taik Park. 106 min. In Korean with subtitles, Transwestern Pictures.

5:00 pm Essential SF
Essential SF is the San Francisco Film Society’s ongoing compendium of the Bay Area film community’s most vital figures and institutions. This year’s inductees — Richard Beggs, Joan Chen, Nathaniel Dorsky, David Hegarty, Anita Monga and film collective Kontent Films — will be feted at this short ceremony. A key event in the Film Society’s year-round appreciation of local talent, this event shines a light on the region’s legendary idiosyncratic and multifaceted contributions to the filmmaking world. Past Essential SF honorees include Les Blank, Judy Stone, Joshua Grannell (aka Peaches Christ), Rick Prelinger and H.P. Mendoza, among others.

7:00 pm THE ILLNESS AND THE ODYSSEY
Berry Minott (USA, 2013)
Local filmmaker Berry Minott takes us on an epic journey to find the cause — and perhaps the cure — of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS and other neurological disorders. Her investigation begins on the Pacific island of Guam, where following the end of WWII, the indigenous Chamorro people were afflicted with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms from a disease called Lytico-Bodig. For years renowned scientists descended on this small village to detect the source of this mysterious illness — was it hereditary, environmental or dietary? This engaging and edifying documentary features rare archival footage and candid interviews with author/neurologist Oliver Sacks, New Yorker columnist Jonathan Weiner and many other noted scientists. Cinematography by Burt Sardoma. 75 min. Berry Minott Productions.

9:15 pm DEAR SIDEWALK
Jake Oelman (USA 2013)
Gardner, a 24-year old mailman, fantasizes about life beyond the tedium of the sidewalks beneath his feet. We see this play out in comic interludes — about finding the perfect woman, achieving the perfect life or becoming the hero of his own epic tale. But, paralyzed by possibility and fear, he adheres to the comfort of his routine, rigidly cultivating obsessions that keep him in his small-but-safe world. This all changes when Gardner meets Paige, a newly relocated divorcee on his route, and Gardner’s quarter-life crisis collides with Paige’s mid-life one. Written by Jake Limbert. Cinematography by Tom Lembcke. With Joseph Mazzello, Michelle Forbes, Josh Fadem. 87 min. NHO Entertainment-Barcode Films.
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10th Big Apple Film Festival Kicks Off on November 6; Announces 2013 Lineup

Big Apple Film Festival

JAKE SQUARED, starring Elias Koteas, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Virginia Madsen, Jane Seymour and Mike Vogel,

The Big Apple Film Festival (BAFF) announced its lineup of 184 feature-length and short films for its 10th anniversary edition, taking place November 6 – 10, 2013, at the Tribeca Cinemas. The Big Apple Film Festival will commence with the opening night film JAKE SQUARED, starring Elias Koteas, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Virginia Madsen, Jane Seymour and Mike Vogel, on Wednesday, November 6 at 8 pm. Following the screening, Mike Vogel, star of CBS’s hit series Under the Dome, will accept the festival’s prestigious “Emerging Talent” award. Previous winners include Jesse Eisenberg, Louisa Krause and Aaron Stanford.

Other highlights of this year’s festival include a special screening of LIFE OF A KING on Saturday, November 9 at 7:15 pm, followed by a Q&A with the film’s star Cuba Gooding Jr. The festival will then present NYC native Gooding Jr. with an honorary “Golden Apple Award”. Previous “Golden Apple Award” winners include Morgan Spurlock, Anthony Bregman and Alan Cumming.

Highlights of this year’s 10th anniversary festival include:

“LIFE OF A KING” directed by Jake Goldbergerg and starring Cuba Gooding Jr.

SYNOPSIS: After eighteen years of incarceration, Eugene Brown established a chess club for high school students of color in Washington D.C. as part of his resolve to “always think before you move.” Cuba Gooding Jr. leads a remarkable cast in this inspiring true story.

“JAKE SQUARED”, directed by Howard Goldberg and Starring Elias Koteas, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Virginia Madsen, Jane Seymour and Mike Vogel.

SYNOPSIS: Elias Koteas, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Virginia Madsen, Jane Seymour and Mike Vogel star in this mind-bending comedy! Jake Klein, 50, sets out to make a movie. He hires an actor to play himself and throws a big party. His idea is to shoot the heck out of it and see what he gets. But, everything spins out of control as different, unexpected people show up. Old loves are there. New loves are there. His dead father, his mother when she was young, his kids, his ex-wife. Even his younger selves, Jake at 40, Jake at 30 and Jake at 17, are there, too! And every one of them has tons of advice on how to fix his screwed up life. Jake’s head reels as he staggers through what’s either a mystical experience, a nervous breakdown… or both!

ALL THAT I AM, directed by Carlos Puga and starring Christopher Abbott(HBO’s Girls). Special Recognition Jury Award 2013 SXSW Film Festival.

SYNOPSIS: On the eve of a looming family reunion, Christian’s estranged father unexpectedly shows up at his door asking for help. Despite abandoning the family at the onset of his wife’s terminal illness , Dr. Lynn claims he can justify his nine-year absence. Christian reluctantly agrees to escort his father into a hostile family environment, but his grief-fueled drug addiction sends an already tense family dynamic reeling.

MY NAME IS FAITH, directed by Jason Banker and Tiffany Sudela Junker. Audience Award winner 2013 Slamdance Film Festival.

SYNOPSIS: This is the story of a 12-year-old girl working hard to overcome a troubling past and accept and embrace the love and possibility that now surround her. Born as Brianna to a drug-addicted mother, she and her baby brother lived in harrowing conditions before being adopted by a young couple fully invested in raising their children to be whole, happy and strong.

Additionally, this year’s festival will include an array of short film programs as well, including “THE MAGIC BRACELET” starring James Van Der Beek, JK Simmons and Bailee Madison, “37” (2013 Slamdance Film Festival), “THE WORST THINGS I’VE EVER DONE” starring Campbell Scott, and “NATE AND VINNIE” starring Matthew Stadelmann and Gaetano Iacono, as well as a total of 20 short film blocks, animation, experimental and our annual Student Film Section.

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More Films, Centerpiece Galas and Special Screenings, Added to AFIFEST 2013

AFI FEST

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

Additional Centerpiece Galas and Special Screenings are now on the lineup for AFI FEST 2013 taking place November 7 through 14 in Hollywood, California. There will be a red carpet Gala each night of the festival. The additional Centerpiece Galas are AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (Director: John Wells) on Friday, November 8; THE LAST EMPEROR 3D (Director: Bernardo Bertolucci) on Sunday, November 10; and the World Premiere of LONE SURVIVOR (Director: Peter Berg) on Tuesday, November 12. All Galas will be presented in the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. AFI FEST’s Special Screenings are HER (Director: Spike Jonze); THE INVISIBLE WOMAN (Director: Ralph Fiennes); JODOROWSKY’S DUNE (Director: Frank Pavich); MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM (Director: Justin Chadwick); THE PAST (LE PASSÉ) (Director: Asghar Farhadi); PHILOMENA (Director: Stephen Frears); and THE UNKNOWN KNOWN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DONALD RUMSFELD (Director: Errol Morris).

As previously announced, Agnès Varda, considered “the Mother of French New Wave cinema,” will serve as Guest Artistic Director. The North American Premiere of SAVING MR. BANKS (Director: John Lee Hancock) is the Opening Night Gala on Thursday, November 7 and INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen) is the Closing Night Gala on Thursday, November 14. Previously announced Centerpiece Galas include the World Premiere of OUT OF THE FURNACE (Director: Scott Cooper) on Saturday, November 9, NEBRASKA (Director: Alexander Payne) featuring a Tribute to Bruce Dern on Monday, November 11, and THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (Director: Ben Stiller) on Wednesday, November 13.

AFI FEST 2013 Galas and Special Screenings

GALAS

Opening Night

SAVING MR. BANKS – The extraordinary, untold story of how Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) and author P. L. Travers (Emma Thompson) proceed to turn her novel into the film MARY POPPINS. DIR John Lee Hancock. SCR Kelly Marcel, Sue Smith. CAST Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Emma Thompson, Paul Giamatti, Bradley Whitford, Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak. USA. North American Premiere.
Thursday, November 7, 2013.

Centerpiece Galas

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY – In this dramatic comedy with an all-star cast, a crisis reunites the women of an Oklahoma family and reignites their dysfunction. DIR John Wells. SCR Tracy Letts. CAST Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Chris Cooper, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Dermot Mulroney, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Margo Martindale, Sam Shepard. USA.
Friday, November 8, 2013.

OUT OF THE FURNACE – In this all-star, griping drama, a steel mill worker (Christian Bale) searches for his brother (Casey Affleck) in one of the most ruthless crime rings in the Northeast. DIR Scott Cooper. SCR Scott Cooper, Brad Ingelsby. CAST Christian Bale, Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson, Willem Dafoe. USA. World Premiere.
Saturday, November 9, 2013.

THE LAST EMPEROR 3D – Winner of nine Oscars^®, this visually sumptuous drama has been transformed into 3-D by director Bernardo Bertolucci and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. This presentation will be the North American Premiere of the 3D version of the film. DIR Bernardo Bertolucci. SCR Mark Peploe, Bernardo Bertolucci. CAST John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O’Toole. China, Italy, UK, France.
Sunday, November 10, 2013.

NEBRASKA (featuring a Tribute to Bruce Dern) – Bruce Dern stars as a stubborn elderly man who travels to Nebraska with his son (Will Forte) to collect sweepstakes money in this elegant, black-and-white bittersweet journey. DIR Alexander Payne. SCR Bob Nelson. CAST Bruce Dern, Will Forte, Bob Odenkirk, Stacy Keach, June Squibb. USA.
Monday, November 11, 2013.

LONE SURVIVOR – Based on The New York Times bestselling true story of heroism, courage and survival, the film tells the incredible tale of four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level al-Qaeda operative who are ambushed by the enemy in the mountains of Afghanistan. Faced with an impossible moral decision, the small band is isolated from help and surrounded by a much larger force of Taliban ready for war. As they confront unthinkable odds together, the four men find reserves of strength and resilience as they stay in the fight to the finish. DIR/SCR Peter Berg. CAST Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Ali Suliman, Alexander Ludwig, Eric Bana. USA. World Premiere.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY – Director/actor Ben Stiller adapts James Thurber’s classic story – about a daydreamer who escapes his anonymous life through his fantasies – with sweeping scope and stirring intimacy. DIR Ben Stiller. SCR Steve Conrad. CAST Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt, Shirley MacLaine, Kathryn Hahn. USA.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013.

Closing Night

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS – This epic on an intimate scale by the Coen brothers portrays a week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. DIR Joel Coen, Ethan Coen. SCR Joel Coen, Ethan Coen. CAST Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund, F. Murray Abraham, Justin Timberlake. USA.
Thursday, November 14, 2013.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

HER – From the singular perspective of Oscar^®-nominated filmmaker Spike Jonze (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH) comes HER, an original love story that explores the evolving nature—and the risks—of intimacy in the modern world. Set in Los Angeles in the near future, the film follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet “Samantha,” a bright, female voice (Scarlett Johansson) who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow, in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other. DIR/SCR Spike Jonze. CAST Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde. USA.

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN – Nelly (Felicity Jones), a happily married mother and schoolteacher, is haunted by her past. Her memories, provoked by remorse and guilt, take us back in time to follow the story of her relationship with Charles Dickens (Ralph Fiennes) with whom she discovered an exciting but fragile complicity. DIR Ralph Fiennes. SCR Abi Morgan. CAST Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones, Kristin Scott Thomas. United Kingdom.

JODOROWSKY’S DUNE – The story of legendary cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s staggeringly ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of the seminal science fiction novel DUNE. DIR Frank Pavich. USA.

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM – Based on South African President Nelson Mandela’s autobiography of the same name, which chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country’s once segregated society. DIR Justin Chadwick. SCR William Nicholson. CAST Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Jamie Bartlett, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Terry Pheto, Deon Lotz. South Africa.

THE PAST (LE PASSÉ) – Following a four year separation, Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) returns to Paris from Tehran, upon his estranged French wife Marie (Bérénice Bejo)’s request, in order to finalize their divorce procedure so she can marry her new boyfriend Samir (Tahar Rahim). During his tense brief stay, Ahmad discovers the conflicting nature of Marie’s relationship with her teenage daughter Lucie (Pauline Burlet). Ahmad’s efforts to improve this relationship soon unveil a secret from their past. DIR/SCR Asghar Farhadi. CAST Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa, Pauline Burlet. France, Iran, Italy.

PHILOMENA – Based on the 2009 investigative book by BBC correspondent Martin Sixsmith, “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee,” PHILOMENA focuses on the efforts of Philomena Lee (Dench), mother to a boy conceived out of wedlock, something her Irish-Catholic community didn’t have the highest opinion of, and given away for adoption in the United States. In following church doctrine, she was forced to sign a contract that wouldn’t allow for any sort of inquiry into the son’s whereabouts. After starting a family years later in England and, for the most part, moving on with her life, Lee meets Sixsmith (Coogan), a BBC reporter with whom she decides to discover her long-lost son. DIR Stephen Frears. SCR Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope. CAST Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Michelle Fairley, Barbara Jefford, Anna Maxwell Martin, Mare Winningham, Sophie Kennedy Clark. United Kingdom.

THE UNKNOWN KNOWN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DONALD RUMSFELD – The latest from Errol Morris focuses on former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Probing and insightful, Morris is the unequalled master of unpacking and contextualizing our recent shared history. DIR Errol Morris. USA.
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