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IT’S BETTER TO JUMP Gets November 2013 Release Date | TRAILER

Documentary

IT’S BETTER TO JUMP, a documentary film about the ancient walled city of Akka in northern Israel, inhabited by Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Baha’i, and focuses on the aspirations and concerns of the Palestinian inhabitants who call the Old City home, opens in NYC on November 22, 2013 at The Quad Cinema. The film, directed by Patrick Alexander Stewart, Gina M. Angelone, and Mouna B.Stewart, will also be featured in a number of film festivals including the Boston Palestine Film Festival on October 21st and the Other Israel Film Festival in New York on November 19.

IT’S BETTER TO JUMP is about the ancient walled city of Akka in northern Israel, inhabited by Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Baha’i. But its history goes all the way back to rule of the Egyptian Pharaohs. As Akka undergoes harsh economic pressures and vast social change, the present-day situation is causing Arab families to leave the places where they have grown roots for dozens of generations and shaped a rich culture for over a thousand years. This film focuses on the aspirations and concerns of the Palestinian inhabitants who call the Old City home.

Atop a forty-foot, centuries-old seawall in this ancient port city, young people dare to stand along the one-meter thick structure and risk their fate by jumping into the roiling waters below. This perilous tradition has continued for many generations and has become a rite of passage for the children of Akka. Within their current dilemma, jumping from the ancient seawall becomes not only an expression of extreme exhilaration, but also a matter of self-determination.

http://youtu.be/zhYiZuRSUxg
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Winners Announced For Academy Nicholl Fellowships

Industry

Four individual writers and one writing team have been selected as winners of the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. Each winner will receive a $35,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at an awards presentation on Thursday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. For the first time, the event will also feature a live read of selected scenes from the fellows’ winning scripts.

This year’s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):
Frank DeJohn & David Alton Hedges, Santa Ynez, CA, “Legion”
Patty Jones, Vancouver, BC, Canada, “Joe Banks”
Alan Roth, Suffern, NY, “Jersey City Story”
Stephanie Shannon, Los Angeles, CA, “Queen of Hearts”
Barbara Stepansky, Burbank, CA, “Sugar in My Veins”

The winners were selected from a record 7,251 scripts submitted for this year’s competition.

Fellowships are awarded with the understanding that the recipients will each complete a feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year. The Academy acquires no rights to the works of Nicholl fellows and does not involve itself commercially in any way with their completed scripts.

Directed by Rodrigo Garcia (“Albert Nobbs,” “Mother and Child,” “Nine Lives”) and produced by Julie Lynn ( “Albert Nobbs,” “Mother and Child,” “The Jane Austen Book Club”), the awards presentation and live read, which is supported by Lexus, will include members from the Academy’s Actors Branch performing scenes from the five winning scripts. Casting for the live read will be announced. Tickets to the event are available to the public at www.oscars.org.

Lexus will engineer a new and innovative extension of the fellowship for the first time. One of the top five winners will be presented with a grant which will allow them to write and produce a short film that will appear on certain Lexus creative platforms such as LStudio.com.

The Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee, chaired by producer Gale Anne Hurd, is composed of writers Naomi Foner, Daniel Petrie Jr., Tom Rickman, Eric Roth, Dana Stevens and Robin Swicord; actor Eva Marie Saint; cinematographer John Bailey; costume designer Vicki Sanchez; producers Peter Samuelson and Robert W. Shapiro; marketing executive Buffy Shutt; and agent Ronald R. Mardigian.

Since 1986, 133 fellowships have been awarded, including one to 2010 winner Destin Daniel Cretton who recently wrote and directed “Short Term 12” from his Nicholl Fellowship-winning script. Creighton Rothenberger co-wrote “Olympus Has Fallen,” which opened in theaters this past March. Rebecca Sonnenshine is a writer and executive story editor on “The Vampire Diaries.” Andrew Marlowe is a writer and executive producer, and Terri Edda Miller is a writer and consulting producer on “Castle.”

via press release

Pictured: Academy Executive Director Bruce Davis. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented its Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting awards dinner on November 4, 2010 in Beverly Hills. via: Facebook
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2013 New Hampshire Film Festival Granny Award Winners; ALL THAT I AM Wins Grand Jury Award

New Hampshire Film Festival

ALL THAT I AM directed by Carlos Puga

ALL THAT I AM directed by Carlos Puga is the winner of the Grand Jury Award at the 2013 New Hampshire Film Festival which took place October 17 to 20, 2013 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. GOODBYE WORLD directed Denis Henry Hennely took the award for Best Feature and THE CRASH REEL directed by Lucy Walker won the award for Best Documentary.

Grand Prize Screenplay Writers
George Guthridge and Deborah Schildt

Best Student Film – IF WE WERE ADULTS
Directed by Michael Fitzgerald
Starring: Suziey Block and Zach Alden
When Mitch and Izzy learn of their best friend’s engagement, they become the last unmarried couple. Out of spite and a little booze, they decide to take the plunge, and what they find is downright frightening.

Best Short Comedy – ALIVE FEELING LIKE A BUCK SEVENTY FIVE
Directed by Michael Neithardt
1999. I was somebody. Then she broke my heart. Can’t forget. Don’t want to remember. Amanda came into my life like a goddamn freight train. Why’d we ever meet? Everything was fine. It’s years later. Still feel empty. I’m nobody. For months, you know what, almost a whole year I was somebody. But I’d give it all back to avoid this empty, bleeding feeling. Because nobody deserves that. Never.

Best Short Drama – PALIMPSEST
Directed by Michael Tyburski
A successful house tuner provides clients a unique form of therapy that examines subtle details in their living spaces.

Best Short Documentary – HIGH AND HALLOWED: EVEREST 1963
Directed by David Morton, Jake Norton, Jim Aikman
High and Hallowed: Everest 1963 is the deeper story of the greatest Himalayan climb in American mountaineering history. Profiling the bold and visionary efforts of the 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition, the film examines the sheer commitment, step-by-step struggle and lasting impact of the first American ascent of Mt. Everest and the pioneering first ascent of the West Ridge by Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld. Five decades later, High and Hallowed journeys back to Everest to discover if the essence of risk, adventure and the unknown that drew the first Americans to the summit still exists on Everest today.

Best Animated Film – THE MISSING SCARF
Directed by Eoin Duffy
Albert the Squirrel makes a startling discovery … an empty space where once his favorite scarf lay. He heads off into the forest only to find everyone else is preoccupied with worries of their own. He helps whomever he can before moving on but never seems to get any closer to his goal. Ultimately, Albert’s problem is put in perspective by the friends he helped and the problems they faced and overcame together.

Audience Choice Documentary – LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM
Directed by Sean and Andrea Fine
One family’s courageous fight to save their only son from a rare and fatal disease, progeria. The average age of death from progeria is 13, there is no treatment and no cure. Dr. Leslie Gordon and Dr. Scott Berns are set on changing this. Their son, Sam, was diagnosed with progeria at age two and they were told to enjoy what time they had. They refused to believe this was the answer. Sam is now 16. In less than a decade, their advances have led to the discovery of the gene at fault, creating the first drug trials for treatment, and revealing the amazing discovery that progeria is linked to the aging process in all of us.

Audience Choice Feature – SANATORIUM
Directed by Brant Sersen
Starring: Kate Wood, Megan Neuringer, Don Fanelli, DJ Hazard.
On a bitterly cold December night, a paranormal investigations team has set their sights on the bloody Hillcrest Sanatorium to answer the age old question: Is there life after death? With rumors of hauntings and local children gone missing, they may just get their answer the hard way when members of the team mysteriously disappear, leaving behind unnerving evidence…

Best Documentary – THE CRASH REEL
Directed by Lucy Walker
Starring: Kevin Pearce, Shaun White and Mason Aguirre
Fifteen years of vérité footage show the epic rivalry between snowboarding half-pipe legends Shaun White and Kevin Pearce. These childhood friends became number one and two in the world leading up to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, pushing one another to ever more dangerous tricks, until Kevin crashed on a Park City half-pipe, barely surviving. As Kevin recovers from his injury, Shaun wins Gold. Now all Kevin wants to do is get on his snowboard again, even though medics and family fear this could kill him. We also celebrate Sarah Burke who crashed in Park City and died January 19, 2012.

Best Feature – GOODBYE WORLD
Director Denis Henry Hennely (pictured above)
Starring: Adrian Grenier, Gaby Hoffmann, Ben McKenzie, Mark Webber, Kerry Bishé, Scott Mescudi and Caroline Dhavernas
James and Lily live off the grid, raising their young daughter in a cocoon of comfort and sustainability. When a mysterious mass text ripples its way across the country, triggering a crippling, apocalyptic cyber attack, their home transitions from sheltered modern oasis to a fortress for the estranged old friends that show up at their door for protection and community. The unexpected reunion—abundant with revelry and remembrances, generously enhanced by organic wine and weed—is quickly undermined by the slights of the past, the spark of lingering flirtations and the threat of a locally grown new world order.

Grand Jury Award – ALL THAT I AM
Directed by Carlos Puga
Starring: Christopher Abbott, Gaby Hoffmann, Chris McCann and Dan Bittner
When Dr. Lynn abandoned his terminally ill wife on her deathbed, he left his three children—Susan, Christian and Win—essentially orphaned. Almost a decade later, on the eve of their annual family reunion, Dr. Lynn unexpectedly shows up at Christian’s door claiming he can justify his nine-year absence. Drug-addled and emotionally vulnerable, Christian reluctantly agrees to escort his father to the reunion, sending an already volatile family environment reeling.
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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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