• The 2012 Docuweeks Festival starts in LA & Continues in NYC-Interview with brave “We Woman Warriors” Director Nicole Karsin

    Please don’t forget to check out the remaining two weeks of the  Docuweeks 2012, the incredible film festival of the International Documentary Association, playing at NYC’s IFC Center through August 30th. There are some great, new, Oscar-worthy documentary films playing there now, and VIMOOZ will be giving you capsule reviews throughout the festival. (Docuweeks started in Los Angeles today, August 10th, at the Laemmle Noho 7 Theater.

    One wonderful documentary is We Women Warriors, which “follows three native women caught in the crossfire of Colombia’s warfare who use nonviolent resistance to defend their peoples’ survival. Colombia has 102 aboriginal groups, one-third of which face extinction because of the conflict. Trapped in a protracted predicament financed by the drug trade, indigenous women are resourcefully leading and creating transformation imbued with hope. We Women Warriors bears witness to neglected human rights catastrophes and interweaves character-driven stories about female empowerment, unshakable courage, and faith in the endurance of indigenous culture.” 

    Nicole Karsin, the director the doc of We Women Warriors, speaks with VIMOOZ:

     

    [caption id="attachment_2804" align="alignnone" width="382"]We Women Warriors Director Nicole Karsin[/caption]

    We Women Warriors director Nicole Karsin

     

    Vimooz: One of things that I love about We Women Warriors is your incredible dedication to the film and its mission. Can you outline briefly, from start to finish, how you became first involved in the film?

     

    Nicole Karsin: I lived in Colombia for seven years and shot this film mostly during 2006-2009. Using my hard-earned access as a journalist, I traveled between several villages during three years to chronicle a few exceptional native women using the wisdom of words and the tribal tradition of collective actions to defend themselves amid ongoing combat. Fluent in Spanish, and savvy about traveling in Colombia’s conflict zones, I sometimes became a one-person production team, shooting alone in the Colombian countryside. At other times, I traveled and worked with a small, committed Colombian crew.

     

    I moved to Los Angeles in 2009 with my film’s first rough-cut in hand. The following three years were dedicated to post production: re-editing, seeking funding and feedback. I participated in fellowships offered by Film Independent and the National Association for Latino Independent Producers, both of which were tremendous sources of support and helped me craft my film to the best of my ability. In May, I completed a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $50,000 and enabled me to complete the film. From June until present I have been securing archival footage and music rights and undergoing final post.

     

    Vimooz: Can you tell us a bit of your background? Was it primarily academic, or always film/media-based?

     

    NK: I never studied film, but I got my Masters in Journalism, which was a great training for reporting and interviewing, very important skills for docs.

     

    Vimooz: What kept you going back to Colombia? I know you have a few heavy stories to tell! It wasn’t the safest of areas you were shooting in, is that correct?

     

    NK: I actually lived there for seven years, so it wasn’t a case of returning. Though I did return to do a couple pick up interviews after I returned to LA in 2009. But yes, it was difficult. In a three-month period in 2005, I covered the brutal massacre of someone I knew and respected, as well as intense combat that ravaged northern Cauca forcing entire communities to evacuate. I also was affected at the time by assassination attempts against Colombian journalists, who were colleagues and friends.

     

    Vimooz: Two part question: What would be the dream result of this film getting distribution in the theatres, or a venue like HBO: For the film’s mission itself, and for your own career as a doc director?

     

    I’m delighted that my film is participating in DocuWeeks, which I’ve attended over the past couple years. It’s been a showcase of incredible documentaries and a source of inspiration. I did not expect my world premiere to be an Oscar-qualifying screening, but I’m grateful for this opportunity. Currently, I’m focusing on these two weeks of screenings. But the film will screen in Mexico in November, which thrills me because it’s a critical audience to reach.

     

    Of course I would love to secure distribution in all territories, theatrical releases worldwide and to have HBO pick up my film along with my post tab. But right now the film’s life is just about to begin, and I’m excited to see how it unfolds. We’ll see what the distribution gods have in mind. In terms of my own career – I want to make more documentaries, and I’ll be appreciative to have graduated from the first-time filmmaker status.

     

    Vimooz: Did you self-fund a majority of the film yourself? Was Kickstarter a huge help?

     

    NK: I did. I got several grants, a couple large anonymous donations, and did years of funding appeals & events using my fiscal sponsor to offer tax-deductible donations. My Kickstarter campaign was to secure finishing funds and it succeeded.

     

    Vimooz: For the fledging documentarian, where can they go with the seed of an idea? Should they try getting grants for their project? Or is going through Kickstarter and their friends the best bet?

     

    NK: They should submit to all grants and funding opportunities, as well as conducting their own fundraising campaign, which includes but should not be limited to Kickstarter. Also, it’s important to actively seek out feedback and support, attend workshops & discussions like those organized by the International Documentary Association and apply for fellowships like those offered by Film Independent and the National Association for Latino Independent Producers, all of which were tremendous sources of support and helped me craft my film to the best of my ability.

     

    Vimooz: What are some of your favorite docs and directors?

     

    NK: WHEN THE MOUNTAINS TREMBLE directed by Pamela Yates was the film I most tried to emulate while making my film. I also love Yate’s subsequent GRANITO: HOW TO NAIL A DICTATOR. Other films I love include Jennifer Fox’s REINCARNATION, Bernardo Ruiz’s El REPORTERO, and THE LIGHT IN HER EYES by Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix. Yes, I am citing most of POV’s 25th season because it’s amazing and fresh in my mind. There are so many fabulous films that move and inspire me, perhaps too many to name. Ah, Lucy Walker’s WASTELAND was wonderful, as was CALL ME KUCHU by Katherine Fairfax Write and Malika Zouhali-Worrall.

     

    Vimooz: Can you tell us about your next, upcoming project? We can’t wait to hear!

     

    NK: I have another short documentary I shot in Colombia and a short I shot In Chiapas, Mexico, both of which require post funding to complete. I have a strong desire to shoot a documentary in a region other than Latin America. Southeast Asia really enthralls me. For the moment, I am going to enjoy the premiere and life of my first film, deal with distribution and develop the film’s engagement campaign so it can be used as a tool for social change. But I will definitely continue to make films, and I’m happy to keep Vimooz in the loop.

     

    Thank you so much, Nicole, and great luck with the film!

     

    You can hear Nicole speak at a Q&A TONIGHT, August 10th,  at the IFC Center in New York after the 9:45 pm showing of We Women Warriors, or please be sure to catch it this weekend and all next week at IFC NYC for Docuweeks.

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  • Fall in Love with Conrad Jackson’s “Falling Overnight” and its star-Emilia Zoryan- This Week

    [caption id="attachment_2806" align="alignnone" width="853"]Falling Overnight[/caption]

    Falling Overnight- opening today in NYC at Cinema Village West

    Review written by Francesca McCaffery

    Directed by Conrad Jackson, Falling Overnight is those rarest of indie gems- genuinely heart-felt and a pleasure to watch. Young photographer Chloe (Emilia Zoryan) and skinny, appealing Elliot (Parker Croft) meet uber- cute in a café in LA, the audience having learned only moments before that he is scheduling a rather profound surgery for the very next day, without the help or support of any noticeable friends, or family, around him. We are immediately drawn in…

    Elliot is young, but one of those rare early 20-somethings- he appears to be completely financially independent, somewhat of an internet start-up wunderkind who wisely cashed out early. Not one to dwell, or feel sorry for himself,  Elliot spontaneously decides to go to Chloe’s art show, where she has casually invited him along. After an awkward start, with Chloe having to actively let him know, more than once, that she is in fact interested in hanging out with him, their big evening begins…

     

    Like another pretty, self-aware couple I remember from another sweet micro-budget gem filmed in Los Angeles, Chad Hartigan’s Luke and Brie Are On a First Date, their chemistry and attraction is almost unbearably awkward, cloying, reticent, adorable, all at once, and finally, truly undeniable.

    I simply cannot think of a more instantly reflective little film that makes one really wonder not what they should be doing with their lives, but what they really want to be doing, at this very moment in time. “I always wanted to go Spain…” Elliot gently weeps, near the end of the film. We wish the both of them the happiest of futures together, if possible- while- at the same time, longing for the very same promise ourselves.

    The two leads are, quite simply terrific, in performances that are highly naturalistic yet minimal in the nicest of ways. VIMOOZ had the pleasure of catching up with one of Falling Overnight’s lovely stars, Emilia Zoryan, who has a preternatural self-possession on screen that manages to be innocent, knowing and sultry at the same time. She isabsolutely someone to watch. Here, she tells us here about filmingFalling Overnight, the director’s process, and how she came to be cast:

    Vimooz: You were so wonderful in Falling Overnight! How did you first get involved with the film?

    Emilia Zoryan: Thank you very much! The audition process was very competitive, actually. Everything was riding on my performances in those rooms. Funny thing was, there was an error, and I didn’t get my sides until 10 minutes before I went in that first time! Thankfully, I memorize lines very quickly. Each time going in, I became aware of the fact that the stakes got higher and higher. Luckily, my final audition stole the role. I am told now that I was the “dark horse.” I like that. But honestly, I feel fate got me involved in this film.

    Vimooz: Your performance is incredibly natural. How long have you been acting?

    Emilia: I have been acting ever since Falling Overnight, so, a bit over two years now. I was studying Economics at UCLA while filmingFalling Overnight. I realized how miserable I was at University. Now that I have graduated, I will seriously pursue a career in acting. I have modeled, acted in commercials, and danced most of my life, but acting in film is a totally different animal.

    Vimooz: Did Conrad let you and Parker improvise a lot? Parker Croft, your co-star, co-wrote the script, is that right?

    Emilia: Parker, Aaron, and Conrad wrote the script and laid a very firm foundation for the film as a whole. I was given the freedom to change things or add to their work. Sometimes, Parker would play with his lines and I would follow his lead. The only improvised scene is probably the dialogue for the biking scene.

    Vimooz: How did the director (Conrad Jackson) rehearse with both of you?

    Emilia: We took the rehearsals scene by scene, tackling the heavy stuff early on. Conrad would tape rehearsals to see what worked, and what didn’t. I loved that he would whisper directions in our ears so the other wouldn’t see what change was coming. Filming out of chronological order is very difficult, but rehearsals allowed me to learn the arc of my character to the point where I understood where Chloe was, emotionally, every time in every separate moment. Rehearsals were also where I got to know the gang, and we messed around a lot and bonded. It was hard work, but also, a very exciting time in my life.

    Vimooz: The subject matter is extremely heavy, yet is handled with such a wonderful lightness and truth. The ending of the film is particularly poignant. Can you can encapsulate what the entire experience felt like, briefly, for us?

    Emilia: I knew I had to “approach with caution” from the very beginning, because it was immediately evident that this story, this subject matter in general, was very sensitive for the filmmakers. I have seen loss all around me, but thankfully have never experienced losing a close one. So I really had to figure out how to put myself in the mind of a girl who is a free spirit, but, simultaneously, wants to protect her heart from loss. At the time, I had never been in an acting class, so I invented my own method of acting. Later, I studied film theory at UCLA, and discovered that the method I thought I came up with on my own had already existed and that “The Magic If,” and “Substitution” were tools that were very popular. Imagine how hard I laughed at myself!

    Vimooz: Tell us about some of your favorite films, and who you would like to work with next….?

    Emilia: My favorite performance in film is, without a doubt, Sean Penn’s in She’s So Lovely. Robin Wright was phenomenal in that film, as well. I am a big fan Darren Aronofsky’s work: Black Swan,Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain. It would be an honor to work with him. The Fountain is one of my favorite films showing death in a new light- “Death frees every soul.”

    I think that is a beautiful idea.

    Pllease check out Falling Overnight, opening today, July 27th, in NYC at Cinema Village West. Vimooz recommends you grab a friend and GO. This film will seriously lift your heart…

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  • The Man Who Knew How To Fly, Derek, A Morning Stroll and A Morning Stroll are Winners of 2012 NY Shortsfest

    The New York International Short Film Festival aka NY Shortsfest held May 29 – 31 in New York City, announced its 2012 winners. And the winners are

     

    BEST DRAMA 

    The Man Who Knew How To Fly

    Director: Robi Michael

     

    BEST COMEDY 

    Derek

    Director: Ricky Gervais 

     

    BEST ANIMATION

    A Morning Stroll

    Director: Grant Orchard 

     

    BEST OF NEW YORK

    Harry Grows Up

    Director: Mark Nickelsburg .

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  • KAUWBOY by Boudewijn Koole is the winner of the first European Film Academy Young Audience Award

    10-13-year-old audiences in Amsterdam, Belgrade, Copenhagen, Erfurt, Norrköping and Turin have elected KAUWBOY by Boudewijn Koole as the winner of the first European Film Academy Young Audience Award. The German jury speakers Marie-Louis und Carl (both 12 years old) presented the award to co-author Jolein Laarman who thanked the children for their votes and stated, “it’s so important that the European Film Academy gives all the children a voice!”

    The European Film Academy Young Audience Award is organised and presented by the European Film Academy and EFA Productions with the support of the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung (MDM). 

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  • Tribeca Film to Release Berlin Film Fest and Tribeca Film Fest Prize Winner War Witch

    Tribeca Film acquired U.S. rights to Kim Nguyen’s award winning War Witch (Rebelle), described as “a powerfully poignant film shot in the Congo with an exceptional lead performance by Rachel Mwanza, a newcomer who was discovered on the streets of Kinshasa.” In her very first acting role, Mwanza has already garnered critical acclaim for her astounding performance winning the Silver Bear- Best actress award at the Berlin Film Festival, where the film made its world premiere in competition, as well as the Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film Award at the Tribeca Film Festival.  The film took home the “Founders Award” for best narrative feature at Tribeca, where it made its North American premiere. 

    The film, with a screenplay by Nguyen, stars Mwanza, Alain Bastien, Serge Kanyianda, Ralph Prosper and Mizinga Mwinga. The film was produced by Pierre Even and Marie-Claude Poulin of Montreal-based ITEM 7. Tribeca Film plans a release across multiple platforms in the first quarter of 2013.

     

    War Witch tells the story of Komona, a young girl whose life is anything but normal.  Kidnapped by African rebels at the age of 12, Komona was forced at gunpoint to slaughter her own parents and fight as a child soldier against the government in the jungles.  But Komona was no ordinary solider.  Due to her ability to see gray ghosts in the trees that warn her of approaching enemies, she was deemed a sorceress and bestowed the title of War Witch by the supreme leader of the rebels, Great Tiger. War Witch exudes visceral energy and emotional power as Komona’s journey ultimately finds her in love with a fellow child soldier named Magician (Serge Kanyinda), but pregnant with another man’s child. Saddled with the reality that a life of normalcy is forever beyond her grasp, Komona must find a way to resolve the actions of her past. 

    “This film has spectacular resonance at a time when the world has been awakened to the situation of children being conditioned to wage war in Africa,” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “Director Kim Nguyen balances heartbreakingly emphatic scenes of conflict, romantic yearning, and lyrical and dreamlike storytelling.  We are so proud to be bringing this award winning film to wider audiences and look forward to taking this exhilarating journey with the filmmakers.”

    “I am thrilled to have Tribeca Film distribute War Witch. Hearing the team talk about the film is a true inspiration and I am incredibly thrilled to be working closely with them for the release in the U.S.”, said writer-director Kim Nguyen. “We are confident that Tribeca Film’s passionate team can bring this special film to a wide audience in the U.S. and are very pleased to have them as U.S. distributor,” added Marie-Claude Poulin and Pierre Even for Item 7. 

     

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  • San Francisco Film Society Announces 11 Finalists for 2012 SFFS Documentary Film Fund

    The San Francisco Film Society announced the 11 finalists for the $100,000 2012 SFFS Documentary Film Fund, which supports feature-length documentaries in postproduction. The SFFS Documentary Film Fund was created to support singular nonfiction film work that is distinguished by compelling stories, intriguing characters and an innovative visual approach. 

    From 2011 to 2013, a total of $300,000 will be disbursed to further new work by documentary filmmakers nationwide. Expected to grow in the coming years as further underwriting is secured, the Documentary Fund was inaugurated thanks to a generous gift from valued Film Society patrons Sharon and Larry Malcolmson.

     

    2012 Finalists

    Mike Plunkett, director; Anna Farrell, producer, Charge

    Charge is a character-driven story about Bolivians’ relentless fight to control their country’s abundant natural resources.

    Katy Chevigny, codirector/coproducer; Ross Kauffman, codirector/coproducer, E-Team

    E-Team follows the intense and courageous work of three intrepid members of Human Rights Watch’s Emergency Team on the front lines of identifying international human rights abuses.

    Roger Ross Williams, director; Julie Goldman, producer, God Loves Uganda

    God Loves Uganda goes inside the powerful and underreported evangelical campaign to change the face of African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right. As the radical effort to eliminate “sexual immorality” creates a wave of religious violence and hatred, an embattled Ugandan pastor searches for solutions.

    Charles Schultz, director/producer, The Last Crop

    Seven out of every ten of America’s farms will change hands over the next twenty years as aging farmers face retirement. In California’s Central Valley one family’s struggle to ensure their farm’s future conveys the powerful emotions and deep values inherent in this national issue. For more information: thelastcropfilm.com 

    David Sampliner, director/producer, My Own Man

    As Sampliner turns 40 and faces marriage and fatherhood, he finds himself in an identity crisis. Stalled in his career and feeling alienated from other men, the filmmaker decides to get in better touch with his manhood. He explores a range of manly pursuits and seeks out a broad spectrum of men to explore the complex world of contemporary masculinity.

    Shaul Schwarz, director; Lars Knudsen, producer; Jay Van Hoy, producer, Narco Cultura 

    Narco Cultura explores the phenomenon of narcotics culture in North America through the personal stories of those entangled in the drug wars, from cartel-sponsored musicians and filmmakers to a crime scene investigator.

    Holen Kahn, codirector/coproducer; Alessandra Zeka, codirector/coproducer, A Quiet Inquisition

    When abortion is criminalized in Nicaragua an OB/GYN doctor at a public hospital must choose between disregarding her medical ethics by obeying the new law or risking incarceration by breaking the law to treat girls and women whom she believes are in danger.

    Matt Wolf, director; Kyle Martin, producer, Teenage

    Based on a groundbreaking book by punk author John Savage, Teenage is an unconventional historical film about the invention of the term “teenager.” Bringing to life fascinating youths from the early 20th century — from party-crazed flappers and punk swing kids to brainwashed Nazi Youth and frenzied, consumerist sub-debs — the film reveals the prehistory of the modern teenager and the struggle between adults and adolescents to define youth.

    Johanna Hamilton, director/producer, Untitled 1971

    Hamilton continues her exploration of social movements and the limits of dissent, this time turning her lens to domestic contradictions in North America.

    Nicholas Philipides, codirector/coproducer; Benjamin Schuder, codirector/coproducer, The Village of Peace

    The Village of Peace explores the lives of four individuals in an Israeli village that was settled 40 years ago by African Americans from Chicago. The four main characters each provide a different perspective on the village and its history, as well as their individual place within Israeli culture. For more information: villageofpeacemovie.com

    Emily Topper, director; Mary Posatko, producer, The Wreckage

    Topper’s grandfather was shot in Baltimore in 1972, and because race seemed to be involved, the topic became taboo within her family. The Wreckage is a close to-the-bone examination of the murder and the family’s reaction.

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  • Dear Mandela Leads The Winners of 2012 Brooklyn Film Festival

    The Brooklyn Film Festival (BFF) announced the winners for its annual festival, themed DECOY. The competitive event ran from June 1 through June 10 at indieScreen in Williamsburg and Brooklyn Heights Cinema.

    Winners were chosen from 104 film premieres that were selected from over 2,000 submissions coming from 111 countries. This year, BFF featured more than 30 New York City based film directors with over a dozen projects shot in Brooklyn.

    Through the resources of industry-related sponsors, the Brooklyn Film Festival awarded the 2012 winners with a total of $57,000 in prizes and film services. 

     

    GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD

    DEAR MANDELA by Dara Kell & Christopher Nizza

     

    Best Narrative Feature

    OLD DOG by Pema Tseden

     

    Best Documentary

    DEAR MANDELA by Dara Kell & Christopher Nizza

     

    Best Narrative Short

    CHEAP EXTERMINATION by Minka Farthing-kohl

     

    Best Animation

    THE MAKING OF LONGBIRD by Will Anderson

     

    Best Experimental

    MOVE by John Graham

     

    Best New Director 

    BROOKLYN CASTLE by Katie Dellamaggiore 

     

    Spirit Awards

    Feature Narrative: GEORGE THE HEDGEHOG by W. Wawszczyk, J. Tarkowski, T. Lesniak

    Documentary: [S]COMPARSE by Antonio Tibaldi

    Short Narrative: PIGEON KICKER by Daniel Long

    Experimental: PLACES OTHER PEOPLE HAVE LIVED by Laura Yilmaz

    Animation: WE, THE MASSES by Eoghan Kidne

     

    Audience Awards

    Feature Narrative: CAT SCRATCH FEVER by Lisa Duva

    Documentary: MY BROOKLYN by Kelly Anderson & GUT RENOVATION by Su Friedrich

    Short Narrative: NANI by Justin Tipping

    Experimental: SEA PAVILION by Marysia Makowska & Todd Somodevilla

    Animation: OLD MAN by Leah Shore

     

    Certificates of Outstanding Achievement

    Screenplay: TINA GHARAVI for I AM NASRINE

    Producer: CAITLYN COADY for PERCIVAL’S BIG NIGHT

    Cinematography: PIOTR SOBOCINSKI for ROSE

    Editing: LISA DUVA, KATHERINE NOLFI, BEN BROWN for CAT SCRATCH FEVER

    Original Score: ROBERT AIKI AUBREY LOWE for LAST KIND WORDS

    Actor Female: SARAH WHARTON for PERCIVAL’S BIG NIGHT

    Actor Male: BRYAN KAPLAN for FRAY

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  • See Girl Run and Beauty Is Embarrassing Among 2012 deadCENTER Film Festival Winners

     

    deadCENTER Film Festival announced its 2012 award recipients on Saturday evening, June 9, 2012. The awards ceremony was held immediately before the free, outdoor screening of “Under African Skies”, on the Great Lawn at the Myriad Gardens.  

    “This year, deadCENTER Film Festival’s submissions were judged by 25 individuals from across the country, ranging from film critics and distributors, to academics and filmmakers,” said Festival Director Kim Haywood.  “Our winners truly represent independent film voices from around the world.” 

    The 2012 winners are as follows: 

     

    Best Narrative Feature, See Girl Run

    See Girl Run is what happens when a 30-something woman allows life’s ‘what ifs’ to overwhelm her appreciation for what life actually is. Disregarding her current obligations, she digs into her romantic past in hopes of invigorating her present.

    Best Documentary Feature, Beauty Is Embarrassing

    Raised in the Tennessee mountains, Wayne White started his career as a cartoonist in NYC. He found success as one of the creators of the Pee-wee’s Playhouse TV show which led to work designing some of the most iconic images in pop culture. The movie features Matt Groening, Mark Mothersbaugh, Todd Oldham, Paul Reubens, Gary Panter, Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Feris and many more.

    Special Jury Narrative Feature, Somebody Up There Likes Me

    Thirty-five years in the life of Max (Keith Poulson), his best friend Sal (Nick Offerman) and a woman they both adore, Lyla (Jess Weixler). The trio stumble through mandatory but seemingly unfulfilling entanglements, at weddings, funerals, hospitals, eateries, divorce courts and the tool shed. A deadpan fable about time sneaking up on and swerving right around us.

    Special Jury Documentary Feature, The Queen of Versailles

    A character-driven documentary about a family who attempts to build the biggest house in America. The film intimately documents a billionaire’s rise and fall, amidst economic crisis. The vérité narrative explores varying interpretations of the American Dream through character studies of family members and household employees, as it examines the culture of consumerism.

    Narrative Short, After School Special

    What do we really know about the people around us? A man and a woman have an awkward encounter at an indoor playground in this Neil LaBute penned slice-of-life starring Sarah Paulson and Wes Bentley.

    Documentary Short, A Brief History of John Baldessari

    A towering figure in the art world, standing at 6’7″, John Baldessari’s epic career crammed into 5 and a half frenzied minutes…narrated by Tom Waits.

    Best Student Film, Reprise

    Struggling in an abusive same-sex marriage, Meena is forced to confront the reality of her relationship, her life, and the difficult choice between staying and leaving.

    Oklahoma Film, Bringing Up Bobby

    The story of European con-artist Olive (Milla Jovovich), who flees to Oklahoma with her 10-year-old son in an effort to live out the American Dream. Olive and Bobby blithely charm their way from one adventure to another, but Olive”s criminal past is always in danger of catching up. The stellar cast also features Bill Pullman, Marcia Cross and Rory Cochrane.

    Best Short Screenplay, Lightening Round

     

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  • Thirteen students Are Winners of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 39th Annual Student Academy Awards

    Thirteen students from colleges and universities around the world were honored tonight (June 9) as winners at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 39th Annual Student Academy Awards.  The medal placements were announced at the awards ceremony, which featured as presenters actors Laura Dern, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Greg Kinnear and Mena Suvari alongside Academy President Tom Sherak at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

    The winners are:

     

    Alternative

    Gold Medal*:    “The Reality Clock,” Amanda Tasse, University of Southern California

    *Only one winner was selected in this category.

    Animation

    Gold Medal:      “Eyrie,” David Wolter, California Institute of the Arts

    Silver Medal:    “The Jockstrap Raiders,” Mark Nelson, University of California, Los Angeles

    Bronze Medal:  “My Little Friend,” Eric Prah, Ringling College of Art and Design

    Documentary

    Gold Medal:      “Hiro: A Story of Japanese Internment,” Keiko Wright, New York University

    Silver Medal:    “Dying Green,” Ellen Tripler, American University

    Bronze Medal:  “Lost Country,” Heather Burky, Art Institute of Jacksonville

    Narrative

    Gold Medal:      “Under,” Mark Raso, Columbia University

    Silver Medal:    “Narcocorrido,” Ryan Prows, American Film Institute

    Bronze Medal:  “Nani,” Justin Tipping, American Film Institute

    Foreign Film

    Gold Medal:      “For Elsie,” David Winstone, University of Westminster, United Kingdom

    Silver Medal:    “Of Dogs and Horses,” Thomas Stuber, Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Bronze Medal:  “The Swing of the Coffin Maker,” Elmar Imanov, The International Film School Cologne, Germany

     

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  • VICE’s Eddy Moretti and directors Alexey Fedorchenko and Jan Kwiecinski talk “The Fourth Dimension”

    The Fourth Dimension is a compilation of three short films, produced in association with VICE and Groslch Film Works. Francesca sat down with VICE’s Eddy Moretti, Russian director Alexey Fedorchenko (Silent Souls) Moretti and newbie Polish filmmaker Jan Kwiecinski. Moretti gave the directors a creative “brief,” the first tenant being the film must focus upon the concept of, you guessed it, the “Fourth Dimension.” Harmony Korine, the first director to get onboard, was sadly and understandably jet-lagged, having just finished logging eight weeks of editing hours for his upcoming film starring James Franco, Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens (yep) called Spring Breakers. (He sends his regards though.)

    VIMOOZ: How did you come up with this ‘Creative Brief’?

    Eddy Moretti: It was just a series of emails that Harmony had been exchanging back and forth. I definitely wanted to be really playful with the project, and he started writing some freaky roles, and I kinda went with it. And I kinda encouraged the playfulness. And I wanted to work him. And I said, “You be the first filmmaker on board,” which I knew would already set a tone. And Jan especially Jan (Kwiecinski ) really played with visuals which were influenced by Harmony, I think.

    VIMOOZ: What did you first think when you given the ‘creative brief’ by Eddy Moretti?

    Jan Kwiecinski: That was super crazy! The brief is so extremely strange, and deranged, in a way. You simply have no idea what to start with. Me. Personally, I had to forget everything I knew. Which was actually one of the rules. And slowly getting the form. That’s what I did.

    Alexey Fedorchenko: Actually, I was reading it over many times, and the first thing that struck me, really, was that an insane person must have written this! But then, I was just trying to read them carefully. And you know, each of the guidelines could actually be made into a separate movie.

    VIMOOZ: Alexey, was your story based on the actual man (a mathematician- ) who refused a million dollars in awards money?

    Alexey Fedorchenko: Yes, I did. One of the requirements of the guidelines was that the person has to be sort of marginalized. The main character had to be on the margins of society. The fact was, I didn’t want to make him too marginalized- to a person that was just a bum, or down-in-the-dumps. So I went for the actual character-the Russian mathematician Gregori Perelman, (who turned down two prestigious international prizes).

    VIMOOZ: Did you know who the other filmmakers would be?

    Jan Kwiecinski: Yes, and I was quite honored to be, you know, to be asked to pitch, even. We won a contest in each of our countries. And I had seen Alexey’s Silent Souls, which I really adored. And Harmony is one of the masters of the cinema. I grew up on his movies Gummo and Kids. I was very honored. I am the least experienced director, as well. (He had has made one previous, short film.)

    Alexey Fedorchenko: I knew nothing. I hadn’t seen anyone’s work. But I was very surprised that they decided to go with Russia and Poland and America. I don’t know if they had chosen, say, a director from Africa and the Asian countries- would it had been better, not better? I just don’t know. When I was watching the film in the end, I was really watching it and enjoying it as a viewer, not as a director, picking apart its flaws.

    VIMOOZ: Did everyone have the same budget?

    Jan Kwiecinski: Yes. It was very low! Everyone had the same amount. I shot mine in four days. We were really running. The preparation and post is really the most time-consuming, of course.

    Alexey Fedorchenko: I shot mine in twelve days.

    Jan Kwiecinski: Harmony shot his in two!

    VIMOOZ: What’s next for you both?

    Jan Kwiecinski: I’m working on a feature, based on my short story called The Incydent.

    Alexey Fedorchenko: I’m also working on a bigger feature, and Darya (actress Darya Ekasamova- truly wonderful in his segment of the film “Chronoeye”) will also be in it.

    VIMOOZ: Thank you all, and good luck with The Fourth Dimension!

     

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  • Review of “The Fourth Dimension” at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival

    by Francesca McCaffery

    A production of VICE and Grolsch Film Works, The Fourth Dimension is a compilation of three different short films (thirty minutes each) directed by Harmony Korine, Alexey Fedorchenko and newcomer Jan Kwiecinski, respectively. VICE’s Eddy Moretti, who really wanted to work with Korine, developed a ‘creative brief’ and began emailing him back and fourth with ideas. Grolsch Film Works held an international contest, and Fedorchenko and Kwiecinski were chosen. No director knew what the other director was doing, which makes it quite interesting for everyone, including us, the audience.

    Korine’s short starts out with a pony-tailed Val Kilmer playing a hilarious, New Age-y self-motivational speaker in the segment “The Lotus Community Workshop.” Kilmer rides around town on his tiny white BMX, with his corn-rowed gal pal Rachel (Rachel Korine) pedaling right alongside him. Did I mention that his character is also named ‘Val Kilmer?’ He delivers his sermons of sorts at an arcade-slash-roller rink to a throng of locals who really need his help, and bad. These scenes, with Kilmer inciting the crowd to chant “Awe-some, Sec-rets!” and more, are some of the most entertaining moments, truly, of the entire film. As usual, Korine has the breathtaking ability to take the audience straight past their comfort zone, and into an America that is, really, never shown onscreen. (Or at least, never quite accurately.) His hard-luck cases are not Oscar winning actors hamming it up, or the owners of meth labs (well, at least I hope not!) or any of the other two hundred and three thousand stereotypes we have all seen before on film. His people are real. They are the ones who maybe can’t get with the program or maybe, never even knew there was one, never learning that they too are allowed a place at the table. There is a great humanity at work here, and Kilmer, with his strange sweetness and zany lovability, is the perfect complement to this humanity. It’s as if, in works like this one, and past films like Gummo and Julien Donkey-Boy, Korine seems to have been put here to remind the ones lucky enough to have choices and privileges and aspirations that they (we?) even in this great country, are still, unfortunately, very much the minority.

    Alexey Fedorchenko, who wowed the Venice Film Festival in 2010 with Silent Souls, offers the most formal and literal take on the fourth dimension in “Chronoeye,” and it’s Russian and heart-breaking and lovely all at once. A scientist lives in a concrete slab of a building, toying with his invention that only allows to go back in time to the same moments, over and over again, and always from the same point of view. A witty, melancholic commentary on memory, love and loss, Darya Ekasmova is also wonderful here, playing the game upstairs neighbor to a grieving, obsessed ‘time-traveler.’

    Jan Kwiecinski’s segment, “Fawns,” is the weakest work of the three, although still quite beautiful to watch, although the visuals seem a bit derivative of current, punkish underground fashion editorials. Four kids in their early twenties wander empty neighborhood streets, recently evacuated, waiting for the end of the world to approach in the guise of an impending flood. The performances are all pretty decent, but there seems to be little at work in terms of genuine depth.

    All in all, even for Korine’s segment especially, The Fourth Dimension is one of the greatest surprises at this year’s 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Find listings and show times here.

     

     

     

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  • Val Kilmer Talks about His Amazing New Role in the film “The Fourth Dimension”

    by Francesca McCaffery

    Francesca McCaffery sat down with the legendary actor Val Kilmer to talk about his new project premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival this year.

    The Fourth Dimension is a triptych of short films, and is the brainchild of VICE and Groslch Film Works, as well as VICE’s Renaissance Madman Eddy Moretti, who gave the directors a creative “brief,” the first tenant being the film must focus upon the concept of, you guessed it,the “Fourth Dimension.”

    Cinematic wunderkind Harmony Korine directed the first short of the three segments, “The Lotus Community Workshop,” which he wrote expressly for Val Kilmer, and it is features agenuine, hilarious and endearing performance by Kilmer.Here, Kilmer talks about his love for working with Harmony and his excitingnew one-man theatrical show about Mark Twain.

     

    Vimooz: Was it your idea to use your own name as the character in The Fourth Dimension?

     

    Val Kilmer: No, it was very much Harmony’s idea. It was his insistent idea- “Oh, if it doesn’t work, we’ll change it!” The few times we say my name, we say “Hector,” as well. By the time we got to the night of the first day, and Rachel (Rachel Korine, Harmony’s wife, performing in the film, sporting adorable corn rows) kept saying, “Aw, that’s so great, Val!” I kind of got the idea that they were gonna go with my name.

    Vimooz: Did Harmony write the script with you in mind? Did he write it for you?

    Val Kilmer: I think so. And I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not! I think he was thinking about me- what are the building blocks that incorporate this kind of terrain, what the ideas are, the challenge of it being a short. Although, I happen to know the rules of an Academy Award consideration- and a short may go up to 48 minutes! I think we could get in there!It’s a fun little world, the short film world.

    Vimooz: Was the film really shot in just two days? How was that?

     

    Val Kilmer: It was very intense! We shot way into the night.

    Vimooz: How was it working with Harmony Korine? I heard you rarely felt so much love on a set before.

    Val Kilmer: I really love him. And I don’t want to insult Francis Coppola- there’s alotta love there, too! But, you know, he’s just impish. I think it kinda surprises some people, because you kind of find out he’s just…a comedian! Because the darker part of his movies sort of stand out, I guess? But, he is so playful…He is just looking to smile, he is looking to be alive about what comedy is- it’s some recognition of reality. Not the normal reality, but, something so extreme, even violent. I mean, why do we think it’s funny when someone falls on their face? See. We’re all smiling now! It’s weird. And I’m proud, too, because, a s far as I know of his movies, and I think I’ve seen everything he’s done- it’s the first really sort ofstraight comedy he’s ever done.

    Vimooz: What’s next for you, Val?

    Well, me and Eddy, and Harmony, we’ve got big ideas. We want to take this self-help program on the road! I just finished on putting on my one-man show about Mark Twain in Hollywood. I really want to get at-risk kids and vets coming back from Afghanistan to come and see. Theatre can be pretty snobby- but there needs to be outreach- it needs to be for everyone. and I’m going to St. Louis, Missourri next week to receive my honorary doctorate from William Woods University. And I am going to do the Twain play there. I’m actually pretty nervous about it.The last artist they had there was Wayne Newton pre-Las Vegas! So they’re pretty excited,but I’m actually pretty nervous. Because I have this theory that Twain made up his dialect, so I don’t really do a Missourri dialect (in the piece.) I hope they don’t mind. That’s a tough community there!

    Vimooz: Thank you so much, Val. It was such a real pleasure.

    The Fourth Dimension plays this week at the Tribceca Film Festival in NY. Check out the listing and times.

     

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