• SHORT TERM 12″ and “LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM” Among Winning Films at 2013 Nantucket Film Festival

    Short Term 12Short Term 12

    The 18th annual Nantucket Film Festival which ran June 25 -30, 2013, is all over and announced its awards – with the top awards as usual honoring screenwriters. The top award – Showtime Tony Cox Award for Best Screenwriting in a Feature Film was awarded to Destin Daniel Cretton’s “SHORT TERM 12.”  Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at SXSW, SHORT TERM 12 is described as the touching and uplifting story of Grace, a twenty-something social worker. Her newest ward, Jayden, forces Grace to relive her own difficult upbringing just as she and her boyfriend Mason are on the cusp of making a decision that will change their lives. Funny, moving, and surprising, the film delivers an emotional powerhouse through tremendous performances and a smart script.

    As for popular favorite films at the festival, the Audience Award for Best Feature Film went to Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine’s documentary film “LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM.” When their son, Sam, was diagnosed with progeria, an extremely rare and fatal disease characterized by accelerated aging symptoms, doctors Leslie Gordon and Scott Berns were told simply to enjoy him while they could. Instead, they spearheaded a campaign that has led to amazing discoveries, and Sam is turning 17 this year. LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM is an inspiring and heartwarming film about the power of family and making the most of the time we are given.

    The list of award winning films at the 2013 Nantucket Film Festival:

    The Showtime Tony Cox Award for Best Screenwriting in a Feature Film: Destin Daniel Cretton’s “SHORT TERM 12.”

    The Showtime Tony Cox Award for Best Screenwriting in a Short Film: Goran Dukic’s “WHAT DO WE HAVE IN OUR POCKETS?”

    Audience Award for Best Feature Film: Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine’s “LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM”

    Audience Award for Best Short Film: PES’ “FRESH GUACAMOLE”

    Teen View Award: Matthew Bonifacio’s “FORTUNE HOUSE”

    The Vimeo Award for Best Writer/Director: Ryan Coogler, “FRUITVALE STATION

    Adrienne Shelley Excellence in Filmmaking Award: “OUR NIXON

    Showtime Tony Cox Screenplay Competition Award (Feature Film): “CAKE,” by Patrick Tobin

    Showtime Tony Cox Screenplay Award (Short Film): “THE BRAVEST, THE BOLDEST,” by Moon Molson and Eric Fallen

    Nantucket Film Festival Best Short Film: Mick Andrews and Brett O’ Gorman’s “DOTTY”

    Screenwriter’s Tribute: David O. Russell

    New Voices in Screenwriting Award: Lake Bell

    A&E Special Achievement in Documentary Storytelling Award: Barbara Kopple

    Hour-Long TV Pilot Award: “THE MESSIAH PROJECT,” by David Baugnon

    Half-Hour TV Pilot Award, “TIME OUT,” by Ian McWethy

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  • THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER and THE WITNESSES OF THE WAR Win Top Film Prizes at 2013 Barcelona International Film Festival

    THE PREACHER'S DAUGHTER directed by Michelle MowerTHE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER directed by Michelle Mower

    “THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER” won the Grand Jury Prize Narrative Film, and “THE WITNESSES OF THE WAR” won the Grand Jury Prize Documentary at the 2013 Barcelona International Film Festival. Directed by Michelle Mower, THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER is the story of Hannah White, the estranged daughter of a small town minister who is forced to return to the strict, religious home of her youth where she must confront the troubled relationships that caused her to leave four years before. “THE WITNESSES OF THE WAR” directed by Sami Solmaz, focuses on what is described as a lasting war in Turkey- off staged and not clarified by the state for some 27 years. In the West, the truth about what has been going on Kurdish territories for 27 years is far from exposed. The national mainstream media networks only broadcast the footage and the texts authorized by the state. The news to be broadcasted is designated by the government and the general staff.

    2013 Barcelona Film Festival Winners:

    The El Rey Awards

    Michelle Mower, Director, “THE PREACHER’S DAUGHTER” Grand Jury Prize Narrative Film. The Preacher’s Daughter is the story of Hannah White, the estranged daughter of a small town minister who is forced to return to the strict, religious home of her youth where she must confront the troubled relationships that caused her to leave four years before.

    Sami Solmaz, Director, “THE WITNESSES OF THE WAR” Grand Jury Prize Documentary. There is a lasting war in Turkey- off staged and not clarified by the state for some 27 years. In the West, the truth about what has been going on Kurdish territories for 27 years is far from exposed. The national mainstream media networks only broadcast the footage and the texts authorized by the state. The news to be broadcasted is designated by the government and the general staff.

    Brian Patrick Lim, Writer, “CHASING FIRE” Grand Jury Prize Screenplay. Living behind the shadow of her mother, Kristin falls in love with Shane, an aspiring musician, whom she soon discovers to have something innately in common with her.

    Yasmine Perni, Director, “THE STONES CRY OUT” Special Jury Prize Narrative Film. The Stones Cry Out gives a detailed account of the historical, cultural, and political place occupied by Christians in the recent history of the Palestinian nation, and in its struggle against colonialism.

    Sara Jegeman, Director, “STAR” Special Jury Prize Documentary. The entertainer Bianca Fox is at the centerpiece of this portrait. Born in South Africa as a colored boy, she quickly understood that she was living in the wrong body.

    Allan Petersen, Director, “DEAD MAN’S BURDEN” Special Jury Prize Screenplay. The year is 1870, and a fragmented America still strains to pick up the pieces from a savage Civil War. Martha (exciting newcomer Clare Bowen) and her husband Heck (David Call, “Tiny Furniture”) are living on a homestead Martha’s father purchased on the rural New Mexico frontier and struggle to make ends meet. When a mining company expresses interest in buying their land, Martha and Heck see their ticket to a better life.

    El Rey Award for Excellence in Cinematography: CHELSEA-BARELONA directed by Alexandros Chantzis
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Film Direction: A RIGHT PAIR directed by Annabel Herbert
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Film Editing: Se Safando “GETTING AWAY WITH IT” directed by Taganyahu Swaby
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Documentary Narrative Filmmaking: ADDICTION directed by Christoph Toelle and Torsten Koenigs
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Documentary Short Filmmaking: LoveLife6958 Documentary directed by Christopher Syrus
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Dramatic Narrative: LOVE COMES AFTER directed by Hadzi-Aleksandar Djurovic
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Experimental Filmmaking: MASK TRIP CORE EDIT directed by Yoshi Higashi El Rey Award for Excellence in Short Filmmaking: ISLAND QUEEN directed by Ben Mallaby
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Television Filmmaking: THE FREUDIAN HOTEL directed by Paul Pawlowski
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Music Video: UBAH directed by Rizal Karim
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Student Filmmaking: ALL ABOUT HER directed by Jihad Saade
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Acting in a Lead Role: IS THAT THE QUESTION? directed by Joanne Rousset
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Acting in a Supporting Role: REQUIEM OF HOME directed by Abigail Wang
    El Rey Award for Excellence in Narrative Short Filmmaking: VICE directed by Nick Archer

    The Gold Lion Awards

    BIG BEAST directed by Thomas C. Bingham
    “IT’S BETTER TO JUMP” directed by Patrick Stewart
    A BAUL THE BAUL directed by Samim Ansari
    ECSTASY OF ST. AGNES directed by Slawomir Milewski
    REARVIEW directed by Robert Gulassarian
    CLOSURE directed by Desmond Devenish
    WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BLACK WOLF? directed by Janez Lapajne
    YOU WILL BE MY ALLY directed by Rosine Mfetgo Mbakam
    CORN directed by Evan Gaiswinkler and Brett Erina
    LAND OF TIGER, TIDE & ARABIAN GODDESS directed by Moushumi Basu

    The Castell Awards

    DAUÐALOGN directed by Iva Landau
    EVERYTHING LIKE ALWAYS directed by Peter Leder
    THE RUNNER directed by Saeed Taji Farouky
    CUBA CUBA CUBA directed by Kazuko Nishikawa
    JOURNEY INTO THE LIGHT – Bleijendijk Estate directed by Jacobien Schreurs
    ENCARNACIÓN directed by Tanja Nabben
    OUT IN THE COLD directed by Graham Marshall
    LOST IN LAOS directed by Alessandro Zunino
    PHOTOSHOPPING directed by Mark Davenport
    MR LONDON directed by Andrew Bone

    Official Finalists

    HUMAN VESSEL directed by Sissi Deng
    THE WITNESS JENYA directed by Eugenia Sakevych Dallas
    TO CHRIS MARKER: AN UNSENT LETTER directed by Emiko Omori
    A LIFE WORTH LIVING – PUSHING THE LIMITS OF DUCHENNE directed by Annie Perkins
    ONLY IN L.A. directed by Jus Riddick
    AGNUS DEI directed by Agim Sopi
    HIOB directed by Marco Gadge
    LADY COSMIC DREAM directed by Joanne Rousset
    A BIT OLDER AND A LITTLE BIT TALLER directed by Manlio Roseano
    EVERYBODY SOMETIMES FALLS directed by Villi Hermann

    Screenplay Competition

    1st Place: THE TIDES OF LOVE written by A M Zweiback
    2nd Place: THE LIBERATOR PILOT written by Chris Burdza
    3rd Place: CALL ME SHINE written by Pedro Canais
    4th Place: EINSATZGRUPPEN written by Paul Pawlowski
    5th Place: MORE THAN ETERNITY written by Maciej Rogala

    Honorable Mentions

    DHAMPIRA: THE VAMPIRE’S DAUGHTER written by Eduardo Soto-Falcon
    FISH OUT OF WATER written by Bonnie Anderson
    BREAKING BAD: REDEMPTION written by Andreas Tihanyi
    SOLO written by Marc Henauer

     

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  • Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jason Schwartzman, Steve McQueen Among 276 Artists and Execs Invited to Join Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt  in Don Jons Addiction Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Don Jons Addiction

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended invitations to join the organization to 276 artists and executives who “have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy’s membership in 2013.” “These individuals are among the best filmmakers working in the industry today,” said Academy President Hawk Koch. “Their talent and creativity have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, and I am proud to welcome each of them to the Academy.”

    The 2013 invitees are:

    Actors
    Jason Bateman – “Up in the Air,” “Juno”
    Miriam Colon – “City of Hope,” “Scarface”
    Rosario Dawson – “Rent,” “Frank Miller’s Sin City”
    Kimberly Elise – “For Colored Girls,” “Beloved”
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “Lincoln,” “The Dark Knight Rises”
    Charles Grodin – “Midnight Run,” “The Heartbreak Kid”
    Rebecca Hall – “Iron Man 3,” “The Town”
    Lance Henriksen – “Aliens,” “The Terminator”
    Jack Huston – “Not Fade Away,” “Factory Girl”
    Milla Jovovich – “Resident Evil,” “Chaplin”
    Lucy Liu – “Kill Bill: Vol. 1,” “Chicago”
    Jennifer Lopez – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Selena”
    Alma Martinez – “Born in East L.A.,” “Under Fire”
    Emily Mortimer – “Hugo,” “Lars and the Real Girl”
    Sandra Oh – “Rabbit Hole,” “Sideways”
    Paula Patton – “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
    Michael Peña – “End of Watch,” “Crash”
    Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour,” “Hiroshima, Mon Amour”
    Jason Schwartzman – “Moonrise Kingdom,” “Rushmore”
    Geno Silva – “Mulholland Drive,” “Amistad”
    Danny Trejo – “Machete,” “Heat”
    Chris Tucker – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Rush Hour”

    Cinematographers
    Luca Bigazzi – “This Must Be the Place,” “Certified Copy”
    Benoît Delhomme – “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” “The Proposition”
    Simon Duggan – “The Great Gatsby,” “Killer Elite”
    Greig Fraser – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Snow White and the Huntsman”
    Jonathan Freeman – “Remember Me,” “Fifty Dead Men Walking”
    Greg Gardiner – “Race to Witch Mountain,” “Elf”
    Eric Gautier – “Into the Wild,” “The Motorcycle Diaries”
    Agnès Godard – “Sister,” “Beau Travail”
    Eduard Grau – “Buried,” “A Single Man”
    Jess Hall – “The Spectacular Now,” “Brideshead Revisited”
    Fred Kelemen – “The Turin Horse,” “The Man from London”
    Mark Lee Ping Bing – “Norwegian Wood,” “In the Mood for Love”
    Reed Morano – “Little Birds,” “Frozen River”
    Oleg Mutu – “Beyond the Hills,” “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days”
    Alex Nepomniaschy – “Narc,” “Safe” 
    Christian Sebaldt – “Resident Evil: Apocalypse,” “Race to Space”
    Ben Seresin – “World War Z,” “Unstoppable”
    Adam Stone – “Mud,” “Take Shelter”
    Checco Varese – “Girl in Progress,” “The Aura”
    Ken Zunder – “Bending the Rules,” “That’s What I Am”

    Costume Designers
    Paco Delgado – “Les Misérables,” “Biutiful”
    Sophie de Rakoff – “This Means War,” “Legally Blonde”
    Carlo Poggioli – “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” “Cold Mountain”

    Designers
    Lori Balton – “Argo,” “The Dark Knight Rises”
    Judy Becker – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “The Fighter”
    Simon Bright – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Avatar”
    Martin T. Charles – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “The Artist”
    David M. Crank – “The Master,” “Lincoln”
    Stefan Paul Dechant – “Oz The Great and Powerful,” “True Grit”
    Tracey A. Doyle – “The Muppets,” “21”
    Anna Lynch-Robinson – “Les Misérables,” “An Education”
    Maria Nay – “Identity Thief,” “Ray”
    David Smith – “Crazy, Stupid, Love.,” “The Holiday”

    Directors
    Nikolaj Arcel – “A Royal Affair,” “Truth about Men”
    Ava DuVernay* – “Middle of Nowhere,” “I Will Follow” 
    Paul Feig – “The Heat,” “Bridesmaids”
    Catherine Hardwicke – “Twilight,” “Thirteen”
    Kirk Jones – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Waking Ned Devine”
    Ken Kwapis – “Big Miracle,” “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”
    Pablo Larraín – “No,” “Tony Manero”
    Steve McQueen – “Shame,” “Hunger”
    Kim Nguyen – “War Witch (Rebelle),” “City of Shadows”
    Jafar Panahi* – “This Is Not a Film,” “The Circle” 
    Todd Phillips – “The Hangover,” “Old School”
    Joachim Rønning – “Kon-Tiki,” “Max Manus”
    Espen Sandberg – “Kon-Tiki,” “Max Manus”
    Tim Story – “Think Like a Man,” “Fantastic Four”
    Benh Zeitlin – “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Glory at Sea”

    Documentary
    Orlando Bagwell – “Citizen King,” “Malcolm X: Make It Plain”
    Rebecca Cammisa – “God Is the Bigger Elvis,” “Which Way Home”
    Yung Chang – “China Heavyweight,” “Up the Yangtze”
    Michael Chin – “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple,” “In the Shadow of the Stars”
    Christine Choy – “In the Name of the Emperor,” “Who Killed Vincent Chin?”
    Bonni Cohen – “The Island President,” “Wonders Are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic”
    Eduardo Coutinho – “As Canções,” “Cabra Marcado Para Morrer (Twenty Years Later)”
    Miriam Cutler – “Kings Point,” “Ethel”
    Andrea Nix Fine – “Inocente,” “War/Dance”
    Sean Fine – “Inocente,” “War/Dance”
    Robert Frank – “Cocksucker Blues,” “Pull My Daisy”
    William Greaves – “Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey,” “Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One”
    Lauren Greenfield – “The Queen of Versailles,” “Thin”
    Patricio Guzmán – “Nostalgia for the Light,” “The Battle of Chile”
    Vivien Hillgrove – “Symphony of the Soil,” “In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee”
    Heddy Honigmann – “El Olvido (Oblivion),” “Crazy”
    Vikram Jayanti – “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector,” “Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine”
    Peter Kinoy – “Poverty Outlaw,” “When the Mountains Tremble”
    Claude Lanzmann – “Le Rapport Karski (The Karski Report),” “Shoah”
    Kim Longinotto – “Rough Aunties,” “Sisters in Law”
    Stanley Nelson – “Freedom Riders,” “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple”
    Jehane Noujaim – “Control Room,” “Startup.com”
    Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy – “Transgenders: Pakistan’s Open Secret,” “Saving Face”
    Marcel Ophuls – “Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie,” “The Sorrow and the Pity”
    José Padilha – “Secrets of the Tribe,” “Bus 174 (Ônibus 174)”
    Jafar Panahi* – “This Is Not a Film,” “The Circle”
    Elise Pearlstein – “Last Call at the Oasis,” “Food, Inc.” 
    Raoul Peck – “Fatal Assistance (Assistance Mortelle),” “Lumumba: La Mort du Prophète”
    Kevin Rafferty – “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29,” “The Atomic Cafe” 
    J. Ralph* – “Chasing Ice,” “Man on Wire” 
    Bob Richman – “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory,” “Waiting for ‘Superman'”
    T. Woody Richman – “How to Survive a Plague,” “Fahrenheit 9/11”
    Veronica Selver – “Berkeley in the Sixties,” “You Got to Move: Stories of Change in the South”
    Jon Shenk – “The Island President,” “Lost Boys of Sudan”
    Ricki Stern – “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “The Devil Came on Horseback”
    Robert Stone – “Earth Days,” “Radio Bikini”
    Annie Sundberg – “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work,” “The Devil Came on Horseback”
    Renee Tajima-Pena – “Who Killed Vincent Chin?,” “My America (Or Honk If You Love Buddha)”
    Agnès Varda – “The Beaches of Agnès,” “The Gleaners and I”
    Roger Ross Williams – “God Loves Uganda,” “Music by Prudence”
    Pamela Yates – “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator,” “The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court”
    Amy Ziering – “The Invisible War,” “Derrida”

    Executives
    Holly Bario
    Jeb Brody
    Eric d’Arbeloff
    Dean C. Hallett
    Lynn Harris
    Jeff Ivers
    Jonathan King
    Robert Kirby
    Dylan Leiner
    Nick Meyer
    Andrew Millstein
    Hannah Minghella
    Angela Morrison
    Brian Roberts
    Mark Roybal
    Tucker Tooley
    Kevin Tsujihara

    Film Editors
    Michael Berenbaum – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” “Sex and the City”
    Jeff Freeman – “Ted,” “Cruel Intentions”
    James Haygood – “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Fight Club”
    Stuart Levy – “Savages,” “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”
    Mary Jo Markey – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Super 8”

    Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
    Luisa Abel – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Inception”
    Anne Aulenta-Spira – “The Place beyond the Pines,” “Drive”
    Terry Baliel – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “J. Edgar”
    Thomas Floutz – “The Call,” “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
    Kay Georgiou – “Promised Land,” “Lincoln” 
    Bernadette Mazur – “Men in Black 3,” “The Campaign”
    Kim Santantonio – “Gangster Squad,” “Frost/Nixon”
    Lisa Tomblin – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”
    Kelvin R. Trahan – “Argo,” “Memoirs of a Geisha”
    Lisa Westcott – “Les Misérables,” “Shakespeare in Love”

    Members-at-Large
    Victoria Alonso
    Fred Baron
    Ben Bray
    Pieter Jan Brugge
    Jackie Burch
    Leo Davis
    Susie Figgis
    Lori Furie
    Glenn S. Gainor
    Joe Gareri
    Lance Gilbert
    Andy Gill
    Mindy Marin
    Laray Mayfield
    Jeanne McCarthy
    Neil Meron
    Gary Powell
    Ned Price
    Michelle Satter
    Stefan Sonnenfeld
    Cindy Tolan
    Brent Woolsey

    Music
    Ramiro Belgardt – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Lincoln”
    Ramin Djawadi – “Safe House,” “Iron Man”
    Jennifer Dunnington – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Hugo”
    Siedah Garrett – “Rio,” “Dreamgirls”
    Joe Hisaishi – “Ponyo,” “Spirited Away”
    Henry Jackman – “This Is the End,” “Wreck-It Ralph”
    Cliff Martinez – “Drive,” “Traffic”
    Prince – “Purple Rain,” “Happy Feet”
    J. Ralph* – “Chasing Ice,” “Man on Wire”
    Aaron Lael Zigman – “Peeples,” “Sex and the City”

    Producers
    Stefan Arndt – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
    Jason Blum – “The Purge,” “Paranormal Activity”
    Finola Dwyer – “Quartet,” “An Education”
    Jack Giarraputo – “Anger Management,” “The Wedding Singer”
    Veit Heiduschka – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
    Lloyd Levin – “Green Zone,” “Watchmen”
    Julie Lynn – “Albert Nobbs,” “Nine Lives”
    Margaret Menegoz – “Amour,” “The White Ribbon”
    Andrea Sperling – “Smashed,” “Like Crazy”

    Public Relations
    Rachel Cadden
    Theresa Cross
    Jeff S. Elefterion
    Julie Fontaine
    Jackson George
    Anne Globe
    Michael Lawson
    Dennis O’Connor
    Blair Rich
    John G. Sabel

    Short Films and Feature Animation
    Marc Bertrand – “Gloria Victoria,” “Hollow Land”
    Bryan Buckley – “Asad,” “The Wake-Up Caller”
    Shawn Christensen – “Curfew,” “Brink”
    Eric Darnell – “Madagascar,” “Shrek”
    John C. Donkin – “Ice Age Continental Drift,” “Gone Nutty”
    Ken Duncan – “9,” “Shark Tale”
    Danielle Feinberg – “Brave,” “WALL-E”
    Sam Fell – “ParaNorman,” “The Tale of Despereaux”
    Matt Groening – “Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare,'” “The Simpsons Movie”
    Vicky Jenson – “Shark Tale,” “Shrek”
    Travis Knight – “ParaNorman,” “Coraline”
    Steve May – “Brave,” “Up”
    Rich Moore – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!”
    Robert Neuman – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Tangled”
    Brandon Oldenburg – “Rise of the Guardians,” “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore”
    PES – “Fresh Guacamole,” “Western Spaghetti” 
    Steve Pilcher – “Brave,” “Shrek the Third”
    Normand Roger – “Hollow Land,” “The Banquet of the Concubine”
    Clark Spencer – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Bolt”

    Sound
    Bobbi Banks – “The Call,” “Hustle & Flow”
    Jose Antonio Garcia – “Argo,” “Babel” 
    Simon Hayes – “Les Misérables,” “X-Men: First Class”
    Edward J. Hernandez – “Real Steel,” “Basic Instinct”
    Daniel S. Irwin – “Prometheus,” “Little Children”
    Drew Kunin – “Life of Pi,” “Lost in Translation”
    Michael W. Mitchell – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Matrix Reloaded”
    Tom Ozanich – “Project X,” “Kill Bill: Vol. 2”
    Mark Paterson – “Les Misérables,” “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” 
    Richard Pryke – “127 Hours,” “Slumdog Millionaire”
    Erin Michael Rettig – “A Good Day to Die Hard,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”
    Ann Scibelli – “Prometheus,” “Inglourious Basterds”
    Brian T. Slack – “Chéri,” “Crossover”
    Bruce Tanis – “Gangster Squad,” “X-Men: First Class”
    F. Elmo Weber – “Identity Thief,” “The Kids Are All Right”
    Christopher T. Welch – “Silver Linings Playbook,” “(500) Days of Summer”
    Dave Whitehead – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “District 9”
    Stuart Wilson – “Skyfall,” “War Horse”

    Visual Effects
    Jason Bayever – “Life of Pi,” “The Wolfman”
    Mark Breakspear – “The Great Gatsby,” “Tropic Thunder”
    Philip Brennan – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “Minority Report”
    Tony Clark – “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” 
    David Clayton – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Avatar”
    Michael Dawson – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Devil’s Double”
    Erik-Jan De Boer – “Life of Pi,” “Night at the Museum”
    Donald R. Elliott – “Life of Pi,” “Seabiscuit”
    John Goodson – “Red Tails,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
    Charley Henley – “Prometheus,” “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
    John McLeod – “Django Unchained,” “The Aviator”
    Mark Noel – “Oz The Great and Powerful,” “Transformers”
    David Prescott – “Transformers,” “X-Men”
    Guillaume Rocheron – “Life of Pi,” “Sucker Punch”
    Wendy Rogers – “Puss in Boots,” “Shrek”
    David Alexander Smith – “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “The Matrix Reloaded”
    Wayne Stables – “The Adventures of Tintin,” “Avatar”
    Richard Stammers – “Prometheus,” “Angels & Demons”
    Richard Stutsman – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Independence Day”
    Christopher Townsend – “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Day after Tomorrow”
    Stephan Trojansky – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Hereafter”
    David Watkins – “Ali,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” 
    Jeff White – “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
    Trevor Wood – “Prometheus,” “The Golden Compass”

    Writers
    Jessica Bendinger – “Aquamarine,” “Bring It On”
    Reggie Rock Bythewood – “Notorious,” “Get on the Bus”
    Tina Gordon Chism – “Peeples,” “Drumline”
    Julie Delpy – “Before Midnight,” “2 Days in Paris”
    Lena Dunham – “Nobody Walks,” “Tiny Furniture”
    Ava DuVernay* – “Middle of Nowhere,” “I Will Follow”
    John Gatins – “Flight,” “Coach Carter”
    John Hamburg – “I Love You, Man,” “Meet the Parents”
    John Lee Hancock – “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Blind Side”
    Rian Johnson – “Looper,” “Brick”
    Jeff Nichols – “Mud,” “Take Shelter”
    Sarah Polley – “Take This Waltz,” “Away from Her”
    Chris Terrio – “Argo,” “Heights”

    Associates
    Lorrie Bartlett
    Paul Bronfman
    Markham L. Goldstein
    Robert Harvey
    Gregory S. Laemmle
    Sandra Marsh
    Adam Schweitzer
    Kimberly Snyder
    Matthew L. Snyder
    Les Zellan

     

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  • “LEVIATHAN” “A WORLD NOT OURS” “FIRE IN THE NIGHT” Win Top Film Awards at 2013 Edinburgh International Film Festival

    A WORLD NOT OURS (ALAM LAYSA LANA) directed by Mahdi Fleifel A WORLD NOT OURS (ALAM LAYSA LANA) directed by Mahdi Fleifel

    “LEVIATHAN” directed by Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel, described as a stunning documentary that immerses the audience in the sights and sounds of commercial fishing in the North Atlantic won the The Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film at the 2013 Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).  “A WORLD NOT OURS” (ALAM LAYSA LANA), directed by Mahdi Fleifel – a personal look into the 70,000 people living in Ain el-Helweh the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, won the The Award for Best Film in the International Competition. The Audience Award was won by “FIRE IN THE NIGHT” directed by Anthony Wonke – about the world’s worst offshore disaster – 6 July 1988, disaster on the North Sea oil rig Piper Alpha.

    The winners of the EIFF 2013 Awards.

    The Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film
    LEVIATHAN

    The Audience Award, supported by Sainsbury’s Bank
    FIRE IN THE NIGHT

    The Award for Best Performance in a British Feature Film
    Jamie Blackley (uwantme2killhim?) 
    Toby Regbo (uwantme2killhim?)

    The Award for Best Film in the International Competition
    A WORLD NOT OURS

    The Student Critics Jury Award, supported by James & Morag Anderson
    CELESTIAL WIVES OF THE MEADOW MARI (Nebesnye Ženy Lugovykh Mari)

    The McLaren Award for New British Animation, supported by the British Council
    MARILYN MYLLER by Mikey Please

    The Award for Best Short Film
    GHL by Lotte Schreiber

    The Award for Creative Innovation in a Short Film
    DOLL PARTS by Muzi Quawson

    The Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to a Short Film
    Josh Gibson – Director of Photography, LIGHT PLATE

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  • REVIEW: BYZANTIUM

    byzantium

    Isn’t it funny how a movie that starts with a line in voiceover narration like “my story can never be told” ends up being a two hour movie in which that story is told in great detail, right?

    Eleanor (Saorise Ronan) and Clara (Gemma Arterton) are 200 year old vampire-like creatures (called “succreants”) in modern day England. Though they refer to each other as sisters, Clara is actually Eleanor’s mother. Eleanor keeps her blood thirst in check by only feeding on dying old people, while Clara supports them by prostituting. After meeting a doughy, bespectacled customer who owns a hotel named Byzantium, Clara sets up a brothel and believes that their problems have been solved. However, Eleanor meets a gangly, nervous teenager named Frank (Caleb Landry Jones) and she finds herself drawn to him. She aches to reveal her true nature to him but Clara has so far kept her unaware of the costs of that decision – they are being tracked by powerful dark forces. Intercut with this narrative is the story of how Clara and Eleanor became succreants and why they must hide their true nature from the world.

    Comparisons to the Twilight series are inevitable, though BYZANTIUM is a bloodier, more vicious take on the material (still, though BYZANTIUM is rated R it is only briefly gruesome and gratuitous). At the very least, it’s a movie that is more tolerable for boyfriends (Gemma Arterton in various states of undress being more preferable than sparkly Robert Pattinson).

    The film was adapted from the 2007 play A Vampire Story by Moira Buffini, who also adapted it for the screen, and was directed by Neil Jordan, who is best known for winning an Oscar for directing The Crying Game. I mention them both because I’m not sure who to blame for the two-hour runtime, which is far longer than necessary. This is because Byzantium has a tendency to repeat itself. For example, for roughly the first third of the movie Eleanor crosses paths with Frank (often by choice), but then runs away from when he gets too close (physically and emotionally). That’s a fine story bit, but not when it is repeated three times. It even becomes a joke when Frank (who, I might add, tends to dress like a hobbit) finally says to her “why do you keep running away from me?” Similarly, much of the film’s dialogue is spoken in harsh whispers meaning that there is this dreary tone running through the film for nearly its entire length.

    However, BYZANTIUM is filled with gorgeous shots and both Arterton and Ronan rise above the sometimes silly dialogue with their performances. The movie will likely play extremely well with the Twilight crowd, especially those who liked the books and thought the film adaptations were too cheesy. Byzantium replaces that melodrama with blood and melancholia, which is a much better mixture.

    Review Rating: 3 out of 5: See it …..  It’s Good

    http://youtu.be/Ej2YBAuqvGk

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  • Actress Jan Broberg Talks About Starring in MANIAC with Elijah Woods, and Living Her Real-Life MANIAC Experience

    Jan Broberg in MANIACJan Broberg in MANIAC

    A victim, twice over, Jan Broberg has emerged as a spokewoman for resiliency and the importance of letting life’s experience serve as a motivation and teaching tool rather than a deterrent. The unfortunate victim of abduction and subsequent brainwashing as a child on two different occasions, Broberg has experienced redemption and solace thereafter.On seperate occasions, which spans a period of four years in total, Jan Broberg was the victim of a kidnapping, where she was restrained in the back of a mobile home, held down and brainwashed by continuous recordings of a monstrouous voice. Hard to explain, even more harder to imagine or survive for that matter. Jan Broberg has emerged victorious in her quest to put that horror behind her, and encourage others that they too can persevere. Playing the role of Rita, also a victim of Frank Zito, played by lead actor Elijah Wood in the filmMANIAC, Broberg has once again been given a platform for the war against what some would consider demons, while she considers it a muse. In this candid interview with the actress, learn about her life, her times of tragedy, as well as redemption and vow to be an example for others who have overcome or are seeking the knowledge to do so.

    VIMOOZ: Have you ever been drawn to a film in such a personal manner before?

    Jan Broberg: You know drawn to it in a personal manner, I can say that I haven’t watched many horror films so the genre was not my first choice. I’ve always loved suspense, but I do love the psycho-thriller genre, and I always hoped to be in one. In this film, it is the first time I have been drawn to the correlation with my personal experiences. While in production, I was thinking about the fear that I went through and I revisited the fear and the loneliness that resulted. You know, feelings are REAL but to be able to access them and the advantage of knowing that I am safe, and I can come back was great. In the past I’ve had roles where I was emmotional; I played a mom whose child had died, and that was challenging but not to this degree in a movie where the fear was this intense.

    VIMOOZ: You have been very candid in sharing your tragedy. I can’t help but to recognize a similarity between reality, and film in the case of the role that you play as Rita. With that being the case, were there any moments of unease while in production?

    Jan: Everybody was so supportive because of the process. The objective is being technically sound, and as always in any producion safety is paramount. Everybody involved was very sensitive to the casts need of an environment where we felt safe, and were able to go to unsafe places in action without worry. I didnt even feel…(pause) like when Elijah is holding my head under the water, thats REAL. As an actor / actress you have to completely imagine yourself in that moment, and the object is to eliminate feelings, but the scenes where the special effects take over you kind of get to take off. In Maniac, the greatest feeling I had was was during the drowning scene and even in that Elijah, the director, the support team were there; There was a lot of rehearsal time, learning SAFETY signals and techniques. As you watch the film, you see me struggling, fighting back and that intensified everything. With my background, being in desperate circumstances I have always come back and I felt safe enough to completely go crazy (laughs)

    VIMOOZ: Was it your idea to perform your own stunts; is that a norm for you?

    Jan: It was an exciting and challenging proposition by the crew. In the script it detailed several scenes of violence and stages of killing that would take place, and they asked would I be comfortable performing. I Absolutely desired to perform all the scenes myself. Practice, preparation was my priority. There was no option! i think they would have allowed me to, if I rejected seeing as though I never had done it before. I was gamed. I practiced at my parents home, funny as it may sound, with my nephews who were visiting from Arizona. They assisted and I got to see how long I could endure. Its one thing to hold my breath but the difference was that I was being held/fighting. It was a process. In other scenes gadgets are made: there’s a process of building prosthetics and all of that. All of that stuff happens over weeks before filming and gives you a chance at preparation. I was a little taken aback at first because I didnt know all the stages but I knew I would be killed. I also knew there would be brief nudity from the back. The torture I found out about as I got in depth with the role, it was a litle jolting; being scalped (giggles) I wondered ‘What would that be like?’

    VIMOOZ: How much of an inspiration has your story been for your career choice. It is undertandable that it motivates you in a general sense that you have emerged as a survivor and spokeperson, but what I am asking is how much a of role did it play in your decision to pursue an acting career?

    Jan: Interestingly enough I was already into acting prior to being kidnapped. When I was about 6 years old I was in a musical at Idaho State University, back in my home state; my neighbor had children and they ended up being the lead in “Sound of Music”. It was my first play and afterwards I was taken by theater and I had done a number of plays before the first kidnapping . I Already had the bug you could say. Post-trauma all of those emmotions that developed, I gained the ability to go to deeper places in my role playing than maybe other people can. There is a reality and naturalness that comes to character when you have experiences.. I did alot of self-help, I have counselors., advisors, family, a great support system. My ordeal was 4 years long and I didn’t talk to people; no one knows what I was going through. I was fortunate to have a great community of supprters.and after taking a while, when I oepned up it was very therapeutic. Throughout, I used acting as a means of healing. The fear of what could happen actually saved my life. I was being terrorized by a man that abducted me and brainwashed me. On stage I could express this rage / terror, I was able to tell the feelings through the roles I was getting. The ability to go to places I was not allowed to by this man who held me hostage was overwhelmingly useful. Because of it, theater will forever hold a special place in my heart. Had it not been for that, I more than likely would have committed suicide. I was depresed, and the commitment to theater camp gave me something to take my mind off of things. Most importantly, I never went through with it because I couldnt leave my cast. LOL I have always been advocate of what theater does for us. “Art has a huge role to play in our lives as people.” Couldn’t leave my team !

    VIMOOZ: You are published correct, “Stolen Innocence” tell us about that

    Jan: My mother took a 90 page, FBI file, notes, diaries, journal entries, and all as well as interviews of each other putting together a story. It started as a family history, a way of filling me in on what I had missed while I was gone. My mother wrote what happened on my parents’ end and I told details of what happened on mine. It was a cathartic journey; as she wrote, people who heard what we had encouraged us to print. We ended up being contacted by Justice Charles Gill, who was in attendance at a conference where I was a key note speaker. That acually happened to be the first time that I told my story in that kind of a setting, now its become second nature. When he approached us we discussed how well versed he was in criminal justice as a result of 30 years on the bench and in practice, he was very familiar with pedophilia and special victim circumstances. He remarked that my story, our story, encompassed everything that he had seen and known to be true. He also encouraged us to share it and with that we began to get some editing done, and turned a 800 page manuscript into about a 300 page book. The amazing part is that all of it is true. So well received that the second edition is under works, and in it my mother shares with you many of the updates and the aftermath resulting from how documented the story is. Alot of things have happened. I’ll tell you one occurence where the man who kidnapped me showed up at a speaking engagement of mine with a van and a gun in efforts to terrorize me some more. At that point it grew even more, and I was interviewed by Diane Sawyer for Good Morning America. But yes the book will unveil many of the current events. Stay Tuned !

    VIMOOZ: And i understand a documentary is in the works ?

    Jan: A documentary is definitely in the works. I want and need for all of this to inspire people to live the life that they love. There is a way out and my books, documentary will show that.

    VIMOOZ: Maniac opened in theaters June 21st, playing locally @ the IFC Center and available on VOD; how does it feel ?

    Jan: I am really excited. Hopefully this film will be one of those soon to be classics, with a buzz abroad; one that people embrace and do the background on so they have empathy for Elijah Wood’s character. The cinematography is beautiful. I loved my role; Rita is very complex; she makes fun of the very people who have made her rich. For me, people who aren’t really confident in themselves result to putting others down. That was a point of reference for me, that RIta has a story. ‘There is a sadness behind the bitch that I play.’ The depth in her story is intriguing. I hope my work and relation to the role comes across to the audience. Her past, Her terror, the disappointment. She has everything except maybe LOVE. For that people should have empathy for her. I am excited the world gets to experience MANIAC and all its crevices. We all relate to being afraid, its part of human nature. This kind of scary in the film, can and should be scary to everyone. The movie is very relatable. It has the potential to be a cult classic

    VIMOOZ: Well aside from MANIAC, you have recently wrapped up work in IRON MAN 3, and we spoke about the forthcoming documentary are there any other projects to announce or anything that you want to leave the readers with?

    Jen: More than anything we want the people to know and understand my amazing story and let that help to inform others, and maybe educate people on the warning signs and ways to protect children. My parents have always been transparent in admission of some of the mistakes they made, and I have been forthcoming about the effects of the brainwashing and abduction; especially when considering that it can come from a person that is close to you; your family, a family member or friend; some one whom has already had the time to groom you as a victim. Our hope is to educate about prevention. Secondly, the goal is to inspire others who need to heal. WE want them to know that experiences or tragedies do not have to define the rest of your life. Let my story, and recovery serve as a piece to the puzzle and know that you are not alone. In my own way, I feel like this work, the book, the documentary; this message is a way of Paying IT FORWARD.

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  • Six Film Projects Awarded Tribeca Film Institute TFI New Media Fund Grants

    WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?

    Six film projects have be selected as recipients for the 2013 Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) New Media Fund. The TFI New Media Fund was established in 2011 through a long-term partnership with the Ford Foundation’s  JustFilms Initiative to support non-fiction film projects that go beyond traditional screens, exploring storytelling that is interactive, cross-platform and participatory.

    The recipients of grants are:

    CHASING THE SUN
    Key participants:  Paul Shoebridge, Michael Simons (The Goggles)
    Description: Suppose we found a lost continent — impossible, but just imagine an opportunity to do things differently, to do anything besides business as usual. Chasing the Sun is an immersive online story about the Arctic.
    Location: Canada: Vancouver, BC

    THE YES MEN ARE REVOLTING
    Key participants: Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno, Laura Nix, Mary Notari, The Public Society, Glocal
    Description: The Yes Men Are Revolting ends with an urgent call to action—and with a tool, the Action Switchboard, that will help viewers answer that call. This human-moderated digital platform helps a global audience initiate and join direct actions that serve specific activist goals; it also provides training and other resources for carrying out media actions. Effectively, the Action Switchboard invites the film’s audience to join in the story the film and extend it in new and powerful ways.
    Location: New York, Los Angeles

    WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?
    Key participants: Gael Garcia Bernal, Marc Silver, Lina Srivastava
    Description: Deep in the scorching Sonoran desert beneath a cicada tree border patrol discovers a decomposing body. Lifting a t-shirt, they expose a tattoo that reads ‘Dayani Cristal.’ An anonymous body in the Arizona desert sparks the beginning of a search across a continent to seek out the people left behind and the meaning of a mysterious tattoo. “Who Is Dayani Cristal?” is a film and cross-platform exploration of stories underlying poverty, immigration, and the human rights of migrants who make journey across the US-Mexico border.|
    Location: Mexico: Mexico City, UK: London, United States: New York

    THIS IS MY BACKYARD (Logs of War)
    Key participants: Anjali Nayar, Jude Mwenda, Andrew Hill, Daniel Burwen, Leonardo Bonanni
    Description: Silas Siakor, winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize, risked everything to cut off warlord Charles Taylor from the illegal timber trade that was helping fund Liberia’s 14-year civil war. Now, Siakor tries to kick-start his country’s struggling economy through a sustainable logging industry.  “This is My Backyard” is a multi-platform project that crowd sources and disseminates information about land and resources in West Africa.
    Locations: Kenya: Nairobi; Liberia: Monrovia; United States: New York, Boston, San Francisco

    AMERICAN PROMISE
    Key participants: Michèle Stephenson & Joe Brewster
    Description: American Promise follows two African American boys and their families for 12 years as they navigate the terrain of race, privilege and opportunity at a rigorous New York City private school. To further the work of the film, the team are creating a web series and a goal-setting mobile app called “Promise Tracker”.
    Location: New York

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  • “AFRICAN GOTHIC” based on Reza de Wet’s master piece – Diepe Grond – to premiere at Durban International Film Festival

    Connie Jackson as Alina, the housekeeper, Damon Shalit as Frikkie and Chella Ferrow as Sussie in African Gothic directed by Gabriel Bologna which will have its SA Premiere at DIFFConnie Jackson as Alina, the housekeeper, Damon Shalit as Frikkie and Chella Ferrow as Sussie in African Gothic directed by Gabriel Bologna which will have its SA Premiere at DIFF

    AFRICAN GOTHIC, the new international film version of Reza de Wet’s iconic masterpiece, Diepe Grond, will have its South African and African premiere at the 2013 Durban International Film Festival.

    Chella Ferrow as Sussie and Damon Shalit as Frikkie in African Gothic directed by Gabriel Bologna, which will have its SA Premiere at DIFFChella Ferrow as Sussie and Damon Shalit as Frikkie in African Gothic directed by Gabriel Bologna, which will have its SA Premiere at DIFF

    AFRICAN GOTHIC, directed by Gabriel Bologna, is described as a gritty, poignant drama set in a decaying farmhouse in the desolate heart of the parched Free State, about a dangerous and passionate relationship between deeply troubled lovers, their benign domestic worker and a hapless lawyer who pays them a visit. The production features two South African-born actors from Johannesburg who play the pivotal roles of Frikkie and Sussie: Damon Shalit plays the menacing Frikkie, and Chella Ferrow plays his beautiful and complex, sweetheart from childhood.

    The Durban International Film Festival takes place in Durban, South Africa from July 18 to 28, 2013.

    http://youtu.be/YscH8QR5hhc

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  • Demarest Films and Cinedigm Announce New Partnership; Sets August 23 Release Date for “SHORT TERM 12”

    Short Term 12

    Demarest Films and Cinedigm today announced a new co-acquisition and distribution partnership; and their first collaboration will be Destin Daniel Cretton’s 2013 SXSW Film Festival dual Grand Jury and Audience Award winner SHORT TERM 12. SHORT TERM 12 will be released theatrically August 23rd.

    SHORT TERM 12 is the touching and uplifting story of Grace (Brie Larson), a twenty-something social worker who has channeled the demons of her own troubled past into a passion for helping at-risk teens. Her newest ward, Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), forces Grace to relive her own difficult upbringing just as she and her boyfriend Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) are on the cusp of making a decision that will change their lives. This is writer/director Cretton’s second feature following the 2012 Sundance Film Festival selection I AM NOT A HIPSTER. The film also features Rami Malek and newcomer, Keith Stanfield.

    “We have been looking for ways to work with Sam and William since they formed Demarest Films. We are thrilled they felt as passionate about SHORT TERM 12 as we did and are very happy to bring them in as partners on this powerful film,” said Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO, Cinedigm. “This arrangement is truly unique as it’s not a traditional distribution or production relationship – it’s a fully-fledged partnership that allows us to share equally in the upsides of our indie films, from theatrical all the way thru the vast ancillary opportunities our distribution expertise and infrastructure provides. It’s great to be working with such an innovative team and this arrangement should expand acquisition opportunities for both parties in the future.”

    “Cinedigm is on the cutting edge of the independent film renaissance and we are thrilled to be partnering with them and tapping into the vast potential that digital distribution provides,” said Sam Englebardt, Co-founder and CEO, Demarest Films. “SHORT TERM 12 is a great initial project as it’s not only a strong, award-winning film with beautiful performances, but we also believe the long tail ancillaries of this project will be significant. We expect this to be the first of many films that we co-release with Cinedigm and a model that we are excited to replicate with other distribution partners as well.

     http://youtu.be/Cook_OOKWlw

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  • “THE NEW BLACK” and “SLOMO” Win Audience Awards at AFI DOCS

    THE NEW BLACK directed by Yoruba RichenTHE NEW BLACK directed by Yoruba Richen

    THE NEW BLACK directed by Yoruba Richen received the Audience Award for Best Feature, and SLOMO directed by Joshua Izenberg received the Audience Award for Best Short at AFI DOCS presented by Audi (formerly Silverdocs). The festival announced the Audience Award winners earlier today wrapping up the five day festival. THE NEW BLACK examines how African-American voters have become bitterly divided on the issue of gay marriage because of homophobia rampant in one of the pillars of the African-American community – the church. Focusing on the fight for marriage equality in Maryland, it argues that this hot-button issue is a matter of civil rights.

    SLOMO directed by Joshua IzenbergSLOMO directed by Joshua Izenberg

    This year’s Audience Award for Best Short went to SLOMO directed by Joshua Izenberg. The film asks what would really happen if you quit your lucrative job and just did what you wanted all day, like subject John Kitchin, a doctor who traded his medical practice for rollerblades and sandy beaches, and explores the neurological and spiritual joys of slow acceleration.

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  • Actress Meg Ryan Honored at 2013 Taormina Film Festival

    MEg Ryan at 2013 Taormina Film Festival

    Actress Meg Ryan was honored with the Taormina Arte Award Lancia at the 2013 Taormina Film Festival in Italy.

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  • Actress Marisa Tomei Honored at 2013 Taormina Film Festival

    Marisa Tomei at 2013 Taormina Film Festival

    Actress Marisa Tomei attended the 2013 Taormina Film Festival in Italy where she was honored with the Taormina City Prize.

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