• Review: KOCH Documentary

    In his first film, Neil Barsky chronicles the life of New York City’s 105th Mayor Ed Koch, known for asking his constituents “How am I doing?”  The documentary explores just how he was doing back then and gives a peak into his roller coaster like relationship with the city. Koch served three terms from 1978 to 1989, when the city was near bankruptcy and crime was on the rise. 

    Opening with a look into his 1977 election, the film highlights the issues Koch faced after taking office such as; the 1980 transit strike, push-back from the gay community regarding the AIDS epidemic, his housing initiative, a corruption scandal and conflict with African Americans admist the Yusef Hawkins murder in 1989. 

    Koch also shows moments of his life after office; serving as an outspoken voice in politics, frequent commentator for NY1 and having the Queensboro Bridge renamed after him last year.

    You can’t help but to like him. During the 95 minute film, one is able to see a personal and sensitive side to Koch.  He comes across as witty, charismatic, sharp tongued and funny but also reveals that he like so many of us, care about our reputation.  It’s easy to imagine him as that one family member that we all have-you may not agree with them all the time but you do like that they are always honest about how they feel.   I rate the film 3.5 stars out of 5. 

    The documentary opens at the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and Angelika Film Center in New York on February 1. 

    http://youtu.be/z-rgezvFzhA

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  • Silver Linings Playbook Among Winners of 2nd Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards

    [caption id="attachment_3102" align="alignnone" width="550"]The Sapphires[/caption]

    The 2nd Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards were dominated by The Sapphires, which won five of a possible six AACTA Awards: Best Cinematography (Warwick Thornton), Best Editing (Dany Cooper ASE), Best Production Design (Melinda Doring – who also won this Award last year for The Eye of the Storm), Best Costume Design (Tess Schofield) and Best Sound (Andrew Plain, Bry Jones, Pete Smith, Ben Osmo, John Simpson).

    And in Los Angeles, Silver Linings Playbook was the big winner at the AACTA International Awards, winning Best Film; Best Direction for David O. Russell; and Best Lead Actress for Jennifer Lawrence.

    The offbeat comic drama sees Lawrence playing a reckless young widow who befriends a bipolar schoolteacher (Bradley Cooper) who is obsessing about his ex-wife. Rounding out the film’s stellar cast are Robert De Niro,Jacki Weaver and Chris Tucker.

    Winners of the AACTA Awards:

    AACTA RAYMOND LONGFORD AWARD

    Al Clark

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
    Iron Sky. Samuli Torssonen, Jussi Lehtiniemi, Juuso Kaari, Kelly Myers.

    DOCUMENTARY

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE LENGTH DOCUMENTARY
    Storm Surfers 3D. Ellenor Cox, Marcus Gillezeau.

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY UNDER ONE HOUR
    Then The Wind Changed. Jeni McMahon, Celeste Geer. ABC1

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY SERIES
    Go Back To Where You Came From. Rick McPhee, Ivan O’Mahoney. SBS

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION IN A DOCUMENTARY
    Fighting Fear. Macario De Souza. FOXTEL – Movie Network

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A DOCUMENTARY
    Fighting Fear. Tim Bonython, Chris Bryan, Macario De Souza, Lee Kelly. FOXTEL – Movie Network

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST EDITING IN A DOCUMENTARY
    Once Upon A Time In Cabramatta – Episode 1. Sam Wilson. SBS

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SOUND IN A DOCUMENTARY
    Dr Sarmast’s Music School. Dale Cornelius, Livia Ruzic, Keith Thomas. ABC1

    SHORT FILM

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SHORT ANIMATION
    The Hunter. Marieka Walsh

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FICTION FILM
    Julian. Robert Jago, Matthew Moore.

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY IN A SHORT FILM
    Transmission. Zak Hilditch.

    FEATURE FILM

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
    The Sapphires. Warwick Thornton.

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST EDITING
    The Sapphires. Dany Cooper ASE.

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST SOUND
    The Sapphires. Andrew Plain, Bry Jones, Pete Smith, Ben Osmo, John Simpson.

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE
    Not Suitable For Children. Matteo Zingales, Jono Ma.

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
    The Sapphires. Melinda Doring.

    AACTA AWARD FOR BEST COSTUME DESIGN
    The Sapphires. Tess Schofield.

    AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST SCREENPLAY
    Django Unchained. Quentin Tarantino

    AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTION
    Silver Linings Playbook. David O. Russell

    AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR
    Daniel Day-Lewis. Lincoln

    AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
    Jennifer Lawrence. Silver Linings Playbook

    AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST FILM
    Silver Linings Playbook. Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon

    AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
    Robert De Niro. Silver Linings Playbook

    AACTA INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
    Jacki Weaver. Silver Linings Playbook

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  • Miami International Film Festival Reveals its 30th Edition Film Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_3160" align="alignnone" width="550"]Twenty Feet from Stardom[/caption]

    Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) announced the films selected to screen during its 30th edition which runs March 1 -10, 2013. Premiering at this year’s Festival will be 117 feature films and 12 short films from 41 countries.

    This is the first year in MIFF’s history that the Festival will open and close with documentary features. The Festival will open with RADiUS-TWC’s Twenty Feet from Stardom directed by Morgan Neville and close with Venus and Serena directed by Maiken Baird & Michelle Major. 

    The Festival will honor two “remarkable” directors with Career Achievement Tributes: Swedish writer-director Lasse Hallström (My Life as a Dog, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape) and Spanish producer, writer, and Oscar-winning director Fernando Trueba (Belle Epoque, Chico & Rita). The Festival will screen the directors’ latest works including The Hypnotist (Hyponotisören) by Hallström and The Artist and the Model (El Artista y La Modelo) by Trueba. The Artist and the Model received 13 Goya nominations this year, including Best Picture and Best Director.

    Miami International Film Festival’s 30th edition lineup:

    Festival Competition Categories:

    Knight Ibero-American Competition consists of dramatic works from Latin America, Spain and Portugal, as well as Latino-themed works produced in the United States. The films are competing for $40,000 in prizes courtesy of James L. & John S. Knight Foundation, and a $5,000 Screenwriting Award from the Jordan A. Ressler Foundation. The 10 films competing in this category include:

    Everybody Has A Plan (Todos tenemos un plan) (Spain/Argentina /Germany, directed by Ana Piterbarg)

    Cinco De Mayo: The Battle (Mexico, directed by Rafa Lara)

    Dust (Polvo) (Guatemala, directed by Julio Hernández Cordón)

     Gone Fishing (Días de pesca) (Argentina, directed by Carlos Sorín)

    A Gun in Each Hand (Una pistola en cada mano) (Spain, directed by Cesc Gay)

    Marriage (Matrimonio) (Argentina, directed by Carlos Jaureguialzo)

    The Moving Creatures (O Que Se Move) (Brazil, directed by Caetano Gotardo)

    So Much Water (Tanta agua) (Uruguay/Mexico/Netherlands, directed by Ana Guevara & Leticia Jorge)

    Thesis On A Homicide (Tesis sobre un homicidio) (Spain/Argentina, directed by Hernán A. Golfrid)

    Vinyl Days (Días de vinilo) (Argentina/Colombia, directed by Gabriel Nesci)

    Knight Documentary Competition consists of engaging and thought-provoking feature-length documentaries created by international filmmakers that examine social issues, diverse cultures, icons and inspiring people. The films are competing for $10,000 courtesy of the Knight Foundation. The 10 films competing in this category include:

     Viva Cuba Libre: Rap Is War (USA, directed by Jesse Acevedo)

     Blackfish (USA, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite)

    The Crash Reel (USA, directed by Lucy Walker)

     Cubamerican (USA, directed by Jose Enrique Pardo

     Far Out Isn’t Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story (USA, directed by Brad Bernstein)

    Gideon’s Army (USA, directed by Dawn Porter)

    Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation (Sagrada: El misteri de la creació) (Switzerland, directed by Stefan Haupt)

    Valentine Road (USA, directed by Marta Cummingham)

    Which Way Is the Front Line From Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington (USA, directed by Sebastian Junger)

    Who Is Dayani Cristal? (United Kingdom/Mexico, directed by Marc Silver)

    Lexus Ibero-American Opera Prima Competition consists of first-time feature filmmakers from Spain, Portugal and Latin America that are competing for a $5,000 cash prize presented by Lexus. Films competing in this category include:

    The Boy Who Smells Like Fish (Mexico/Canada, directed by Analeine Cal y Mayor)

     Edificio Royal (Colombia/Venezuela/Germany, directed by Iván Wild)

    Good Luck, Sweetheart (Boa Sorte, Meu Amor) (Brazil, directed by Daniel Aragão)

     Miguel, San Miguel (Chile, directed by Matías Cruz)

     Molasses (Melaza) (Cuba/France/Panama, directed by Carlos Días Lechuga)

    No Autumn, No Spring (Sin otoño, sin primavera) (Ecuador/Colombia/France, directed by Iván Mora)

     Solo (Uruguay/Argentina/Netherlands/France, directed by Guillermo Rocamora)

    The Swimming Pool (La piscina) (Cuba/Venezuela directed by Carlos Machado Quintela)

    Villegas (Argentina/Netherlands/France, directed by Gonzalo Tobal)

    University of Miami Shorts Competition will present the latest in short films from around the globe. The jury selected winner will a receive $2,500 cash prize. Films competing in this category include:

     9 Meter (Denmark, directed by Anders Walter)

     Anna and Jerome (Anna et Jérôme) (France, directed by Mélanie Delloye)

    Ebb & Flow (A Onda Traz, O Vento Leva) (Brazil/Spain, directed by Gabriel Mascaro)

    Edmond Was A Donkey (Edmond Était Un Âne) (Canada/France, directed by Franck Dion)

    Eleven: Twelve (USA/Portugal, directed by JC Barros)

    Lost Country (USA, directed by Heather Burky)

    Of Other Carnivals (De Outros Carnavais) (Brazil, directed by Paulo Miranda)

    Palmipedarium (France, directed by Jérémy Clapin)

    Skunk (Rotkop) (Belgium, directed by Jan Roosens & Raf Roosens)

    Festival Non-Competition Categories:

     

    CINEDWNTWN GALAS

    Amor Cronico (USA/Cuba, directed by Jorge Perrugorría)

    The Artist and the Model (Spain, directed by Fernando Trueba)

    The Boy Who Smells Like Fish (Canada/ Mexico, directed by Analeine Cal y Mayor)

    Dark Blood (Netherlands, directed by George Sluizer)

    Eenie Meenie Miney Moe (USA, directed by Jokes Yanes)

    The Hunt (Jagten) (Denmark, directed by Thomas Vinterberg)

    The Hypnotist (Sweden, directed by Lasse Hallström)

     NO (Chile/USA, directed by Pablo Larraín) *2013 Oscar Nominated for Best Foreign Film

    RADiUS-TWC’s Twenty Feet from Stardom (USA, directed by Morgan Neville)

    Venus and Serena (USA, directed by Maiken Baird and Michelle Major)

    Cinema 360° presented by VIENDOMOVIES is one of the Festival’s most extensive categories this year with an array of films from around the world.

    7 Boxes (7 Cajas) (Paraguay, directed by Juan Carlos Maneglia & Tana Schémbori)

    A Perfect Plan (Un Plan Parfait) (France, directed by Pascal Chaumeil)

    After Lucia (Después de Lucia) (Mexico, directed by Michel Franco)

    Capadocia 3 (Mexico/USA, directed by Pedro Pablo Ibarra, Javier Patrón, Moises Urquidi & Carlos Carrera)

    Calloused Hands (USA, directed by Jesse Quiñones)

    Comrade Kim Goes Flying (Belgium/United Kingdom/D.P.R of Korea, directed by Anja Daelemans, Nicholas Bonner, & Kim Gwang-hun)

    Day of The Flowers (United Kingdom, directed by John Roberts)

    Dead Europe (Australia/United Kingdom, directed by Tony Krawitz)

    The Deep (Djúpid) (Iceland/Norway, directed by Baltasar Kormákur)

    Dormant Beauty (Bella Addormentata) (Italy/France directed by Marco Bellocchio)

    The End (Fin) (Spain, directed by Jorge Torregrossa )

    Everyday (United Kingdom, directed by Michael Winterbottom)

    Fill The Void (Lemale Et Ha’Halal) (Israel, directed by Rama Burshtein)

    The German Friend (El amigo alemán) (Germany/ Argentina, directed by Jeanine Meerapfel)

    Ghost Graduation (Promoción fantasm) (Spain, directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera)

    Hand in Hand (France, directed by Valérie Donzelli)

    Hannah Arendt (Germany/Luxembourg/France, directed by Margareta von Trotta)

    It Was the Son (E’Stato Mio Figlio) (Italy, directed by Daniele Cipri)

     Measuring the World (Die Vermessung Der Welt) (Germany, directed by Detlev Buck)

    Mental (USA/Australia, directed by P.J. Hogan)

    Nairobi Half Life (Kenya/Germany, directed by Tosh Gitonga)

    Oh Boy (Germany, directed by Jan Ole Gerster)

    Paradise: Love (Paradies: Liebe) (Austria/Germany/France, directed by Ulrich Seidl)

    Red Wine (Vino Tinto) (USA, directed by Carlos Gutierrez)

    Patience Stone (Syngu’e Sabour) (Afghanistan, directed by Atiq Rahimi)

    Reality (Italy/France, directed by Matteo Garrone)

    Still Mine (Canada, directed by Michael McGowan)

    The Trip 2 (El paseo 2) (Colombia, directed by Harold Trompetero)

    White Elephant (Elefante blanco) (Argentina/Spain, directed by Pablo Trapero)

    Spotlight on China

    Beijing Flickers (You-Zhong)  (China, directed by Zhang Yuan)

    Full Circle (Fei Yue Lao Ren Yan) (China, directed by Zhang Yang)

    Romancing in Thin Air (Gao Hai Bazhi Lian II) (China/Hong Kong, directed by Johnnie To)

    See Voir Veo CANADA

    Camion (Canada, directed by Rafaël Ouellet)

    L’Affaire Dumont (Canada, directed by Daniel Grou)

    Laurence Anyways (Canada/France, directed by Xavier Dolan)

    4 Directors to Watch

    A World Not Ours (United Kingdom/Lebanon/Denmark, directed by Mahdi Fleifel)

    Blondie (Sweden, directed by Jesper Ganslandt)

    The Future (Il Futuro) (Chile/Italy/Germany/ Spain, directed by Alicia Scherson)

    Three Kids (Twa Timoun) (Belgium/Haiti, directed by Jonas D’Adesky)

    Doc-You-Up

    Amazon Gold (USA, directed by Reuben Aaronson)

    Bay of all Saints (Da Maré) (USA/Brazil, directed by Annie Eastman)

    Casting By (USA, directed by Tom Donahue)

    Liv & Ingmar (Czech Republic/India/Norway, directed by Dheeraj Akolkar)

    No Place on Earth (USA, United Kingdom, Germany, directed by Janet Tobias)

    Ping Pong (United Kingdom, directed by Hugh Hartford)

    Florida Focus presented by FPL

    Calloused Hands (USA, directed by Jesse Quiñones)

    Pincus (USA, directed by David Fenster)

    Red Wine (Vino Tinto) (USA, directed by Carlos Gutierrez)

    Tony Tango (USA, directed by Manola Celí)

    Lee Brian Schrager’s Culinary Cinema

    Meat Hooked (USA, directed by Suzanne Wasserman)

    Oma & Bella (Germany/USA, directed by Alexa Karolinski)

    Why Did You Leave? (Por Que Voc? Partiu?) (Brazil, directed by Eric Belhassem)

    Family Day

     Magic Camp (USA, directed by Judd Ehrlich)

    The Croods (USA, directed by Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders)

    REEL Music

    Someone Else’s Bed (USA, directed by Maggy Torres-Rodriguez)

    Turning (Denmark/USA, directed by Charles Atlas)

    America the Beautiful

    At Any Price (USA, directed by Ramin Bahrani)

    The Discoverers (USA, directed by Justin Schwarz)

    The Go Doc Project (USA, directed by Cory James Krueckeberg)

    The Hot Flashes (USA, directed by Susan Seidelman)

    Visions

    Bob Wilson’s Life and Death of Marina Abramovic (United Kingdom/Spain, directed by Giada Colagrande)

    The Fifth Season (La Cinquieme Saison) (Belgium/Netherlands/France, directed by Peter Brosens & Jessica Woodworth)

    Leviathan (France/United Kingdom/USA, directed by Lucien Castain-Taylor & Vérena Paravel)

    Multiple Visions, The Crazy Machine (Miradas múltiples, la máquina loca) (Mexico/France/Spain, directed by Emilio Maille)

    Post Tenebras Lux (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany, directed by Carlos Reygadas)

    Rio 2096:A Story of Love and Fury (Uma História de Amor E Fúria) (Brazil, directed by Luiz Bolognesi)

    Sadourni’s Butterflies (Las mariposas ee Sadourni) (Argentina, directed by Darío Nardi)

    From The Vault

    Au Hasard Balthazar (France/Sweden, directed by Robert Bresson)

    The Super (El Super) (USA, directed by Leon Ichaso & Orlando Jiménez-Leal)

    The Yellow Ticket (USA, directed by Victor Janson & Eugen Illés)

    Zoo (USA, directed by Frederick Wiseman)

    Mayhem

    Animals (Spain, directed by Marçal Forés)

    Errors of the Human Body (Germany/USA, directed by Eron Sheean)

    Halley (Mexico, directed by Sebastian Houfmann)

    Pietá (D.P.R of Korea, directed by Kim Ki-duk)

    The Midnight Game (USA, directed by Alejandro Calvo)

    Sanitarium (USA, directed by Bryan Ramirez, Bryan Ortiz & Kerry Valderrama)

    Would You Rather (USA, directed by David Guy Levy)

     

    Spotlight on FilmMovement: The Festival will be celebrating FilmMovement’s 10th anniversary and honoring their commitment to cinema outside of commercial commitments with three films.

    Broken (United Kingdom, directed by Rufus Norris)

    The Deflowering of Eva Van End (De Ontmaagding Van Eva Van End) (Netherlands, directed by Michiel ten Horn)

    La Sirga (Colombia, directed by William Vega)

    Other Notables Highlights During the Festival week:

    The 30th edition of Miami International Film Festival runs March 1-10, 2013.

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  • River Phoenix’s Final Film Dark Blood Makes North American Premiere at 2013 Miami International Film Festival

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    River Phoenix’s final film, Dark Blood, directed by George Sluizer, co-starring Jonathan Pryce and Judy Davis will have its North American premiere at the upcoming Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) .  Twenty years after its making, the film will be shown for the first time in North America at the 30th Anniversary edition of the Miami International Film Festival (March 1-10, 2013).  

    Dark Blood was 80% complete when River Phoenix passed away in 1993 and the uncompleted film disappeared into a vault.  In 1999 Sluizer heard that the footage was going to be burned to make space and with less than 48 hours notice, he saved the film, engineering efforts to get the entire film moved to The Netherlands.  The footage then sat for more than ten years until last year when Sluizer set about finishing the film.   The film finally premiered overseas to a standing ovation in the fall of 2012 at the Dutch Film Festival.  

    Jet-set Hollywood couple Harry (Jonathan Pryce) and Buffy (Judy Davis) travel through the desert on a second honeymoon, trying to save their marriage.  Their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere leaving them to find shelter in Boy’s (River Phoenix) beaten down shack, unaware they will become his prisoners.  Boy’s wife died of leukemia after nuclear tests occurred in the desert leaving him alone and far away from society.  Buffy is seduced by Boy’s honesty and vulnerabilities, while Harry represents everything Boy hates about the civilized world and its culture.  Buffy decides to sleep with Boy to buy the couple’s freedom, but these circumstances will push Harry to the edge, leading to a terrible tragedy.

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  • Daniel Day-Lewis, Anne Hathaway Among Winners of the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

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    [caption id="attachment_3156" align="alignnone" width="550"]LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 27: Adam Shulman (L) and actress Anne Hathaway (R) attend the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.[/caption]

    SAG-AFTRA presented its coveted Actor® statuette for the outstanding motion picture and primetime television performances of 2012 at the “19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®” held Sunday, Jan. 27, at the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. 

    Honored with individual awards were Daniel Day-Lewis, Anne Hathaway, Tommy Lee Jones and Jennifer Lawrence for performances in motion pictures and Alec Baldwin, Bryan Cranston, Kevin Costner, Claire Danes, Tina Fey and Julianne Moore for performances in television. 

    The complete list of recipients of the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® follows:

    19th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® RECIPIENTS

    THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln – “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
    JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany – “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company)

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
    TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens – “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
    ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine – “LES MISÉRABLES” (Universal Pictures)

    Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    ARGO (Warner Bros. Pictures)
    BEN AFFLECK / Tony Mendez
    ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel
    KERRY BISHÉ / Kathy Stafford
    KYLE CHANDLER / Hamilton Jordan
    RORY COCHRANE / Lee Schatz
    BRYAN CRANSTON / Jack O’Donnell
    CHRISTOPHER DENHAM / Mark Lijek
    TATE DONOVAN / Bob Anders
    CLEA DuVALL / Cora Lijek
    VICTOR GARBER / Ken Taylor
    JOHN GOODMAN / John Chambers
    SCOOT McNAIRY / Joe Stafford
    CHRIS MESSINA / Malinov

    PRIMETIME TELEVISION

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
    KEVIN COSTNER / “Devil Anse” Hatfield – “HATFIELDS & McCOYS” (History)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
    JULIANNE MOORE / Sarah Palin – “GAME CHANGE” (HBO)

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

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
    CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)

    Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
    ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 ROCK” (NBC)

    Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
    TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK” (NBC)

    Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
    DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
    HUGH BONNEVILLE / Robert, Earl of Grantham
    ZOE BOYLE / Lavinia Swire
    LAURA CARMICHAEL / Lady Edith Crawley
    JIM CARTER / Mr. Carson
    BRENDAN COYLE / John Bates
    MICHELLE DOCKERY / Lady Mary Crawley
    JESSICA BROWN FINDLAY / Lady Sybil Crawley
    SIOBHAN FINNERAN / O’Brien
    JOANNE FROGGATT / Anna
    IAIN GLEN / Sir Richard Carlisle
    THOMAS HOWES / William
    ROB JAMES-COLLIER / Thomas
    ALLEN LEECH / Tom Branson
    PHYLLIS LOGAN / Mrs. Hughes
    ELIZABETH McGOVERN / Cora, Countess of Grantham
    SOPHIE McSHERA / Daisy
    LESLEY NICOL / Mrs. Patmore
    AMY NUTTALL / Ethel
    DAVID ROBB / Dr. Clarkson
    MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
    DAN STEVENS / Matthew Crawley
    PENELOPE WILTON / Isobel Crawley

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

    SAG AWARDS HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

    Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
    SKYFALL (Columbia Pictures)

    Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
    GAME OF THRONES (HBO)

    LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
    Screen Actors Guild 49th Annual Life Achievement Award
    DICK VAN DYKE

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  • Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Tops 2013 Sundance Film Festival Awards

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    [caption id="attachment_3154" align="alignnone" width="550"]Ryan Coogler, Director of Fruitvale[/caption]

    The 2013 Sundance Film Festival announced the feature film winners at an Awards Ceremony, hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Saturday night in Park City, Utah. Fruitvale directed and written by Ryan Coogler was the big winner of the festival, winning both the U.S. Grand Jury Prize – Dramatic and Audience Award – U.S. Dramatic. The film is the true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008

    The complete list of 2013 Sundance Film Festival Awards:

    The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Davis Guggenheim to:
    Blood Brother / U.S.A. (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find.

    The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Tom Rothman to:
    Fruitvale / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O’Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray.

    The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Bob Hawk to:
    A River Changes Course / Cambodia, U.S.A. (Director: Kalyanee Mam) — Three young Cambodians struggle to overcome the crushing effects of deforestation, overfishing, and overwhelming debt in this devastatingly beautiful story of a country reeling from the tragedies of war and rushing to keep pace with a rapidly expanding world.

    The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented Anurag Kashyap to:
    Jiseul / South Korea (Director and screenwriter: Muel O) — In 1948, as the Korean government ordered the Communists’ eviction to Jeju Island, the military invaded a calm and peaceful village. Townsfolk took sanctuary in a cave and debated moving to a higher mountain. Cast: Min-chul SUNG, Jung-won YANG, Young-soon OH, Soon-dong PARK, Suk-bum MOON, Kyung-sub JANG.

    The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary presented by Acura, was presented by Barbara Kopple to:
    Blood Brother / U.S.A. (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find.

    The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic presented by Acura, was presented by Mariel Hemingway to:
    Fruitvale / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O’Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray.

    The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Barbara Kopple to:
    The Square (Al Midan) / Egypt, U.S.A. (Director: Jehane Noujaim) — What does it mean to risk your life for your ideals? How far will five revolutionaries go in defending their beliefs in the fight for their nation?

    The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Mariel Hemingway to:
    Metro Manila / United Kingdom, Philippines (Director: Sean Ellis, Screenwriters: Sean Ellis, Frank E. Flowers) — Seeking a better life, Oscar and his family move from the poverty-stricken rice fields to the big city of Manila, where they fall victim to various inhabitants whose manipulative ways are a daily part of city survival. Cast: Jake Macapagal, John Arcilla, Althea Vega.

    The Audience Award: Best of NEXT <=> was presented by Joseph Gordon-Levitt to:
    This is Martin Bonner / U.S.A.(Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) — Martin Bonner has just moved to Reno for a new job in prison rehabilitation. Starting over at age 58, he struggles to adapt until an unlikely friendship with an ex-con blossoms, helping him confront the problems he left behind. Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Richmond Arquette, Sam Buchanan, Robert Longstreet, Demetrius Grosse.

    The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Liz Garbus to:
    Cutie and the Boxer / U.S.A. (Director: Zachary Heinzerling) — This candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. Anxious to shed her role of assistant to her overbearing husband, Noriko seeks an identity of her own.

    The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Ed Burns to:
    Afternoon Delight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jill Soloway) — In this sexy, dark comedy, a lost L.A. housewife puts her idyllic life in jeopardy when she tries to rescue a stripper by taking her in as a live-in nanny. Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch.

    The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Enat Sidi to:
    The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear / Georgia, Germany (Director: Tinatin Gurchiani) — A film director casting a 15-23-year-old protagonist visits villages and cities to meet people who answer her call. She follows those who prove to be interesting enough through various dramatic and funny situations.

    The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Nadine Labaki to:
    Crystal Fairy / Chile (Director and screenwriter: Sebastián Silva) — Jamie invites a stranger to join a road trip to Chile. The woman’s free and esoteric nature clashes with Jamie’s acidic, self-absorbed personality as they head into the desert for a Mescaline-fueled psychedelic trip. Cast: Michael Cera, Gaby Hoffmann, Juan Andrés Silva, José Miguel Silva, Agustín Silva.

    The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Wesley Morris to:
    In a World… / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Lake Bell) — An underachieving vocal coach is motivated by her father, the king of movie-trailer voice-overs, to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voiceover star. Amidst pride, sexism and family dysfunction, she sets out to change the voice of a generation. Cast: Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Fred Melamed.

    The Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Joana Vicente to:
    Wajma (An Afghan Love Story) / Afghanistan (Director and screenwriter: Barmak Akram) — A young man in Kabul seduces a girl. When she tells him she’s pregnant, he questions having taken her virginity. Then her father arrives, and a timeless, archaic violence erupts – possibly leading to a crime, and even a sacrifice. Cast: Wajma Bahar, Mustafa Habibi, Haji Gul, Breshna Bahar.

    The Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Gary Hustwit to:
    Gideon’s Army / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) — Gideon’s Army follows three young, committed Public Defenders who are dedicated to working for the people society would rather forget. Long hours, low pay and staggering caseloads are so common that even the most committed often give up.

    The Editing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Enat Sidi to:
    The Summit / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Nick Ryan) — Twenty-four climbers converged at the last stop before summiting the most dangerous mountain on Earth. Forty-eight hours later, 11 had been killed or simply vanished. Had one, Ger McDonnell, stuck to the climbers’ code, he might still be alive.

    The Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Brett Morgen to:
    Dirty Wars / U.S.A. (Director: Richard Rowley) — Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill chases down the truth behind America’s covert wars.

    The Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Rodrigo Prieto to:
    Bradford Young for Ain’t Them Bodies Saintsand Mother of George:

    • Ain’t Them Bodies Saints / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Lowery) — The tale of an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met. Cast: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker, Keith Carradine.
    • Mother of George / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Dosunmu, Screenwriter: Darci Picoult) — A story about a woman willing to do anything and risk everything for her marriage. Cast: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Tony Okungbowa, Yaya Alafia, Bukky Ajayi.

    The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Sean Farnel to:
    Who is Dayani Cristal? / United Kingdom (Director: Marc Silver) — An anonymous body in the Arizona desert sparks the beginning of a real-life human drama. The search for its identity leads us across a continent to seek out the people left behind and the meaning of a mysterious tattoo.

    The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Nadine Labaki to:
    Lasting / Poland, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Jacek Borcuch) — An emotional love story about two Polish students who fall in love with each other while working summer jobs in Spain. An unexpected nightmare interrupts their carefree time in the heavenly landscape and throws their lives into chaos. Cast: Jakub Gierszal, Magdalena Berus, Angela Molina.

    A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Achievement in Filmmaking was presented by Diane Weyermann to:
    Inequality for All / U.S.A. (Director: Jacob Kornbluth) — In this timely and entertaining documentary, noted economic-policy expert Robert Reich distills the topic of widening income inequality, and addresses the question of what effects this increasing gap has on our economy and our democracy.

    A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Achievement in Filmmaking was presented by Diane Weyermann to:
    American Promise / U.S.A. (Directors: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson) — This intimate documentary follows the 12-year journey of two African-American families pursuing the promise of opportunity through the education of their sons.

    A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting was presented by Clare Stewart to:
    Miles Teller and Shailene Woodleyin The Spectacular Now / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber) — Sutter is a high school senior who lives for the moment; Aimee is the introvert he attempts to “save.” As their relationship deepens, the lines between right and wrong, friendship and love, and “saving” and corrupting become inextricably blurred. Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler.

    A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design was presented by Clare Stewart to:
    Shane Carruth and Johnny Marshall for Upstream Color / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Shane Carruth) — A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. Cast: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins.

    A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award was presented by Joana Vicente to:
    Circles / Serbia, Germany, France, Croatia, Slovenia (Director: Srdan Golubovic, Screenwriters: Srdjan Koljevic, Melina Pota Koljevic) — Five people are affected by a tragic heroic act. Twenty years later, all of them will confront the past through their own crises. Will they overcome guilt, frustration and their urge for revenge? Will they do the right thing, at all costs? Cast: Aleksandar Bercek, Leon Lucev, Nebojsa Glogovac, Hristina Popovic, Nikola Rakocevic, Vuk Kostic.

    A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Punk Spirit was presented by Sean Farnel to:
    Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer / Russian Federation, United Kingdom (Directors: Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin) — Three young women face seven years in a Russian prison for a satirical performance in a Moscow cathedral. But who is really on trial: the three young artists or the society they live in?

    The Short Film Audience Award, Presented by YouTube, based on web traffic for 12 short films that screened at the Festival and were featured on The Screening Room, was presented to:
    Catnip: Egress to Oblivion? / U.S.A.(Director: Jason Willis) — Catnip is all the rage with today’s modern feline, but do we really understand it? This film frankly discusses the facts about this controversial substance.

    The following awards were presented at separate ceremonies at the Festival:

    Jury prizes and honorable mentions in short filmmaking were presented at a ceremony in Park City, Utah on January 22. The Short Film Grand Jury Prize was awarded to The Whistle / Poland (Director: Grzegorz Zariczny). The Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction was presented to Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle). The Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction was presented to The Date / Finland (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Toivoniemi). The Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction was presented toSkinningrove / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Almereyda). The Short Film Jury Award: Animation was presented to Irish Folk Furniture / Ireland (Director: Tony Donoghue). A Short Film Special Jury Award for Acting was presented to Joel Nagle in Palimpsest / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Tyburski, Screenwriters: Michael Tyburski, Ben Nabors). A Short Film Special Jury Award was presented to Until the Quiet Comes / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kahlil Joseph).

    The winning directors and projects of the Sundance Institute | Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world, are: Sarthak Dasgupta, The Music Teacher(India); Jonas Carpignano, A Chjana (Italy/U.S.); Aly Muritiba, The Man Who Killed My Beloved Dead (Brazil); and Vendela Vida & Eva Weber, Let The Northern Lights Erase Your Name (UK/Germany/U.S.).

    The Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker Award, honoring and supporting emerging filmmakers, was presented to Kentaro Hagiwara, director of the upcoming film Spectacled Tiger.

    The winning documentaries of the second annual Hilton Worldwide LightStay Sustainability Awards, selected by the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program and Fund with Hilton Worldwide, were: Revolutionary Optimists(Directors: Nicole Newnham and Maren Grainger-Monsen) and Hungry (Director: Sandy McLeod). An honorable mentionwas awarded to Studio H (Director: Patrick Creadon), and the short film Jungle Fish (Director: Louisiana Kreutz) received $5,000.

    The 2013 Indian Paintbrush Producer’s Award and $10,000 grant was presented to Toby Halbrooks and James M. Johnston for Ain’t Them Bodies Saints.

    The Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, presented to outstanding feature films focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer, or mathematician as a major character, was presented to Computer Chess, directed and written by Andrew Bujalski. The film received a $20,000 cash award from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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  • Searching For Sugar Man Among 2013 Producers Guild of America Awards

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    [caption id="attachment_2288" align="alignnone" width="550"]Searching For Sugar Man[/caption]

    The Producers Guild of America announced its 24th annual film, television, and digital award winners last night and Searching For Sugar Man won the Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures. In Searching For Sugar Man, two South African music lovers embark on a mission to uncover the fate of an obscure, 1970s-era U.S. rocker whose debut album became a surprise hit in their home country, and uncover a shocking secret along the way. 

    Harvey and Bob Weinstein were also honored at the award ceremony with the Milestone Award from Robert De Niro, Quentin Tarantino, and Robert Rodriguez. 

    Complete list of 2013 Producers Guild Of America Award Winners

    The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
    Argo (Warner Bros.)
    Producers: Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Grant Heslov

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
    Wreck-It Ralph (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
    Producer: Clark Spencer

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures
    Searching For Sugar Man (Sony Pictures Classics)
    Producers: Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn

    The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
    Homeland (Showtime)
    Producers: Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Michael Cuesta, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Michael Klick, Meredith Stiehm

    The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television
    Game Change (HBO)
    Producers: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Jay Roach, Amy Sayres, Steven Shareshian, Danny Strong

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

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
    American Masters (PBS)
    Producers: Prudence Glass, Susan Lacy, Julie Sacks

    The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television
    The Amazing Race (CBS)
    Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Elise Doganieri, Jonathan Littman, Bertram van Munster, Mark Vertullo

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

    The Award for Outstanding Sports Program
    Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO)

    The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program
    Sesame Street (PBS)
    “The Weight of the Nation for Kids: The Great Cafeteria Takeover” (HBO)

    The Award for Outstanding Digital Series
    “30 Rock: The Webisodes” (www.nbc.com)

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  • Kentaro Hagiwara Wins 2013 Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker Award

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    Kentaro Hagiwara, director of the upcoming film, Spectacled Tiger is the winner of the 2013 Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker Award. The award was presented at a private ceremony at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

    Spectacled Tiger, co-written by Kyohta Fujimoto, is a romantic, coming-of-age film about a high school trivia quiz wunderkind, Taiga Suzuki, who lives in a world where things are only black or white, correct or incorrect. But when Taiga finds himself smitten by a new girl in the school, Misaki, he encounters the difficulty of forcing his restrictive world view upon her. Struggling to deal with new feelings, Taiga gradually loses his grip on what is true and begins searching for the real meaning of correctness.

    The Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker Award recognizes and supports a visionary filmmaker on his or her next film. Films previously supported by this award include Beasts of the Southern Wild, by Benh Zeitlin, and May in the Summer, by Cherien Dabis, which had its world premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

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  • Audience And Grand Jury Prizes Announced For 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, The Dirties Wins Top Prize

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    [caption id="attachment_3149" align="alignnone" width="550"]The Dirties[/caption]

    The 19th Annual Slamdance Film Festival announced the feature film and short film recipients of this year’s awards in the Audience, Grand Jury, and the Sponsored Award Categories.  MY NAME IS FAITH by Jason Banker, Jorge Torres-Torres, Tiffany Sudela-Junker received the Audience Award for Feature Documentary, and HANK AND ASHA by James E. Duff received the Audience Award for Feature Narrative. The Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Narrative went toTHE DIRTIES by Matt Johnson, while BIBLE QUIZ by Nicole Teeny won the Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Documentary.

    The complete list of winners of 2013 Slamdance Film Festival

    AUDIENCE AWARDS
    Audience Award for Feature Documentary: MY NAME IS FAITH by Jason Banker, Jorge Torres-Torres, Tiffany Sudela-Junker

    Audience Award for Feature Narrative: HANK AND ASHA by James E. Duff

    GRAND JURY AWARDS – NARRATIVE
    This year’s Slamdance Narrative Grand Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Nancy Schafer, Meira Blaustein and Chris Gore.

    Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Narrative: THE DIRTIES by Matt Johnson. “Terrifyingly timely and brutally honest, ‘The Dirties’ uses film references to the extreme as dreams of youth and intense growing pains collide.”

    Special Mention: JOY DE V., by Nadia Szold. “Filled with humor, flawless characters and performances and a highly developed visual style, ‘Joy de V’ is a film that signals the arrival of a powerful new filmmaking talent.”

    GRAND JURY AWARDS – DOCUMENTARY
    This year’s Slamdance Documentary Grand Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Daniel J. Harris, Brian Knappenberger, and Dan Schoenbrun.

    Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Documentary: BIBLE QUIZ by Nicole Teeny. “Director Nicole Teeny’s careful storytelling and her subject’s passion, angst, and youthful uncertainty are captured with universal empathy.”

    Grand Jury Sparky Award for Short Documentary: THE BIRDMAN by Jessie Auritt. “We felt this slice-of-life portrait said a lot about the economy and changing way of life in a New York City neighborhood.”

    GRAND JURY AWARDS – SHORT FILMS
    This year’s Short Film Grand Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Sheri Candler, Eleanor Burke, and Ron Eyal.

    Grand Jury Sparky Award for Animation: I AM TOM MOODY by Ainslie Henderson. “For its insight and for its playful spirit.”

    Grand Jury Sparky Award for Short Film: ROTKOP by Jan Roosens and Raf Roosens. “For its outstanding ensemble, emotional resonance and its bold portrayal of teenage alienation.”

    Special Mention: JOSEPHINE AND THE ROACH by Jonathan Langager. “For its richly imaginative visual style and for lead Jenna Augen.”

    Special Mention: DONALD CRIED by Kris Avedisian. “For a standout performance, with the power to inspire empathy as well as to make you cringe.”

    SPECIAL & SPONSORED AWARDS
    Spirit of Slamdance Sparky Award Presented by Actor/Director Thomas Jane: THE DIRTIES by Matt Johnson. Awarded by the Class of 2013 Slamdance Filmmakers to the film team that best embodies the creative, independent, and entrepreneurial spirit of the festival, as well as showing exceptional talent as artists.

    The Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography: Dieter Deventer for FYNBOS. “For creating a perfect visual balance between breathtaking landscapes, naturally lit settings, and simple but strong compositions that present the tense fragility of the human spirit within the story.”

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  • Camille Rewinds Dominates Nominations for 2013 César Awards

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     [caption id="attachment_3147" align="alignnone" width="550"]Camille Rewinds[/caption]

    The nominations for the César Awards, France’s equivalent to the Oscar, were announced and the French comedy, drama “Camille Rewinds” aka “Camille Redoubles” dominated with 13 nominations.  Actress/director Noémie Lvovsky’s “ebullient twist on the comedy of remarriage transposes Frances Ford Coppola’s Peggy Sue Got Married to present day France, which means that when the titular Camille—who’s in the throes of  divorcing her husband of 25 years—passes out drunk, she wakes up as a high school senior in the mid-1980s.”| NYFF

    Oscar nominee “Amour” and historical drama “Farewell My Queen,” received nine nominations, while “Rust and Bone” and “Holy Motors” each received eight nods. 

    The César Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony in Paris on February 22, 2013.

    The full list of nominees:

    Best Picture
    Farewell, My Queen
    Amour
    Camille Redouble
    In The House
    Rust & Bone
    Holy Motors
    What’s In A Name

    Best Director
    Benoît Jacquot, Farewell, My Queen
    Michael Haneke, Amour
    Noémie Lvovsky, Camille Redouble
    François Ozon, In The House
    Jacques Audiard, Rust & Bone
    Leos Carax, Holy Motors
    Stéphane Brizé, Quelques Heures De Printemps

    Best Actress
    Catherine Frot, Les Sauveurs Du Palais
    Marion Cotillard, Rust & Bone
    Noémie Lvovsky, Camille Redouble
    Corinne Masiero, Louise Wimmer
    Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
    Léa Seydoux, Farewell, My Queen
    Hélène Vincent, Quelques Heures De Printemps

    Best Actor
    Jean-Pierre Bacri, Cherchez Hortense
    Patrick Bruel, What’s In A Name
    Denis Lavant, Holy Motors
    Vincent Lindon, Quelques Heures De Printemps
    Fabrice Luchini, In The House
    Jérémie Rénier, Cloclo
    Jean-Louis Trintignant, Amour

    Best Supporting Actress
    Valérie Benguigui, What’s In A Name
    Judith Chemla, Camille Redouble
    Isabelle Huppert, Amour
    Yolande Moreau, Camille Redouble
    Edith Scob, Holy Motors

    Best Supporting Actor
    Samir Guesmi, Camille Redouble
    Michel Vuillermoz, Camille Redouble
    Benoit Magimel, Cloclo
    Claude Rich, Cherchez Hortense
    Guillaume de Tonquedec, What’s In A Name

    Newcomer (Female)
    Alice de Lencquesaing, Au Galop
    Lola Dewaere, Mince Alors!
    Julia Faure, Camille Redouble
    India Hair, Camille Redouble
    Izia Higelin, Mauvaise Fille

    Necomer (Male)
    Félix Moati, Télé Gaucho
    Kacey Mottet Klein, Sister
    Pierre Niney, Comme Des Frères
    Matthias Schoenaerts, Rust & Bone
    Ernst Umhauer, In The House

    Best Original Screenplay
    Bruno Podalydès, Denis Podalydès, Adieu Berthe – L’Enterrement De Mémé
    Michael Haneke, Amour
    Noémie Lvovsky, Maud Ameline, Pierre-Olivier Mattei, Florence Seyvos, Camille Redouble
    Leos Carax, Holy Motors
    Florence Vignon, Stéphane Brizé, Quelques Heures De Printemps

    Best Adapted Screenplay
    Lucas Belvaux, 38 Witnesses
    Gilles Taurand, Benoît Jacquot, Farewell, My Queen
    François Ozon, In The House
    Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Rust & Bone
    Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière, What’s In A Name

    Best Costumes
    Christian Gasc, Farewell, My Queen
    Pascale Chavanne, Augustine
    Madeline Fontaine, Camille Redouble
    Mimi Lempicka, Cloclo
    Charlotte David, Populaire

    Best Art Direction
    Katia Wyszkop, Farewell, My Queen
    Jean-Vincent Puzos, Amour
    Philippe Chiffre, Cloclo
    Florian Sanson, Holy Motors
    Sylvie Olivé, Populaire

    Best Animated Film
    Edmond Etait Un Ane, Franck Dion
    Ernest Et Célestine, Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier
    Kirikou Et Les Hommes Et Les Femmes, Michele Ocelot
    Oh Willy, Emma De Swaef, Marc Roels
    Zarafa, Rémi Besançon, Jean-Christophe Lie

    Best First Film
    Augustine, Alice Winocour
    Comme Des Frères, Hugo Gélin
    Louise Wimmer, Cyril Mennegun
    Populaire, Régis Rosnard
    Rengaine, Rachid Djaidani

    Best Documentary
    Bovines Ou La Vraie Vie Des Vaches, Emmanuel Gras
    Duch, Le Maître Des Forges De L’Enfer, Rithy Panh
    Les Invisibles, Sébastien Lifshitz
    Journal De France, Claudine Nougaret, Raymond Depardon
    Les Nouveaux Chiens De Garde, Gilles Balbastre, Yannick Kergoat

    Best Original Score
    Bruno Coulais, Farewell, My Queen
    Gaëtan Roussel, Joseph Dahan, Camille Redouble
    Philippe Rombi, In The House
    Alexandre Desplat, Rust & Bone
    Rob, Emmanuel D’Orlando, Populaire

    Best Short Film
    Ce N’est Pas Un Film De Cow-Boys, Benjamin Parent
    Ce Qu’il Restera De Nous, Vincent Macaigne
    Le Cri Du Homard, Nicolas Guiot
    Les Meutes, Manuel Schapira
    La Vie Parisienne, Viencent Dietschy

    Best Cinematography
    Romain Winding, Farewell, My Queen
    Darius Khondji, Amour
    Stéphane Fontaine, Rust & Bone
    Caroline Champetier, Holy Motors
    Guillaume Schiffman, Populaire

    Best Editing
    Luc Barnier, Farewell, My Queen
    Monika Willi, Amour
    Annette Dutertre, Michel Klochendler, Camille Redouble
    Juliette Welfling, Rust & Bone
    Nelly Quettier, Holy Motors

    Best Sound
    Brigitte Tallandier, Fançis Wargnier, Olivier Goinard, Farewell, My Queen
    Guillaume Sciama, Nadine Muse, Jean-Pierre Laforce, Amour
    Antoine Deflandre, Germaine Boulay, Eric Tisserand, Cloclo
    Brigitte Tallandier, Pascal Villard, Jean-Paul Hurier, Rust & Bone
    Erwan Kerzanet, Josefa Rodriguez, Emmanuel Croset, Holy Motors

    Best Foreign Film
    Argo
    Bullhead
    Laurence Anyways
    Oslo, 31 August
    The Angels’ Share
    A Royal Affair
    A Perdre La Raison

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  • Andrew Bujalski’s Computer Chess Wins 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at Sundance Film Festival

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    Computer Chess, directed and written by Andrew Bujalski, has been awarded the 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize and will receive a $20,000 cash award by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Now in its tenth year, the Prize is selected by a jury of film and science professionals and presented to outstanding feature films focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character.

    Computer Chess is an existential comedy about the brilliant men who taught machines to play chess – back when the machines seemed clumsy and we seemed smart. The cast includes Patrick Riester, Myles Paige, James Curry, Robin Schwartz, Gerald Peary and Wiley Wiggins. The jury presented the award to the film for its “off-beat and formalistically adventurous exploration of questions of artificial intelligence and human connections, unfolding during an early computer chess tournament.”

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

    Andrew Bujalski
    Andrew Bujalski was born in Boston in 1977 and studied film at Harvard’s Department of Visual and Environmental Studies. He wrote and directed the filmsFunny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation, and Beeswax. His first three films all appeared on the New York Times’s “Best of the Year” lists. He types 89 words per minute.

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  • Documentary You Don’t Need Feet to Dance to Open in NYC March 22

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     [caption id="attachment_3143" align="alignnone" width="550"]You Don’t Need Feet to Dance[/caption]

    The documentary You Don’t Need Feet to Dance about African immigrant Sidiki Conde, a man overcoming his disability one day at a time in New York City, will open March 22, 2013 at the Quad Cinema in NYC.

    You Don’t Need Feet to Dance is directed by Alan Govenar and released by First Run Features

    The Story and trailer.

    Alan Govenar’s intimate new documentary reveals the extraordinary life of African immigrant Sidiki Conde, a man overcoming his disability one day at a time in New York City.

    Sidiki was born in 1961, in Guinea, West Africa. At age fourteen, polio left him almost completely paralyzed. Sent to live with his grandfather in a village deep in the forest, Sidiki learned to manage his disability, building his upper-body strength so that he could walk on his hands. When faced with the dilemma of dancing in a coming of age ceremony, he reconstructed the traditional steps by dancing on his hands instead of his feet.

    In time Sidiki ran away to Conakry, Guinea’s capital city, where he and his friends organized an orchestra of artists with disabilities recruited from the city’s streets. They toured the country, striving to change the perception of the disabled. In 1987, he became a member of the renowned dance company Merveilles D’Afrique, founded by Mohamed Komoko Sano. Sidiki became a soloist and served as rehearsal master, composing and directing the company’s repertoire. He also worked as a musician and arranger with Youssou N’Dour, Salifa Keita, Baba Maal and other popular musicians.

    In 1998, Conde’s music brought him to the United States, and he founded the Tokounou All-Abilities Dance and Music Ensemble. In the United States, he has continued to perform and teach, instructing people of all abilities in schools, hospitals and universities, and served as artist in residence at a Bronx public school for children with multiple disabilities.

    InYou Don’t Need Feet to Dance, Sidiki balances his career as a performing artist with the almost insurmountable obstacles of life in New York City, from his fifth-floor walk-up apartment in the East village, down the stairs with his hands and navigating in his wheelchair through Manhattan onto buses and into the subway. Despite the challenges, Sidiki teaches workshops for disabled kids, busks on the street, rehearses with his musical group, bicycles with his hands, and prepares for a baby naming ceremony, where he plays djembe drums, sings, and dances on his hands. | First Run Features

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ufgZfsex8

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