• KILLER JOE Starring Matthew McConaughey to Open 2012 Edinburgh International Film Festival

    William Friedkin’s “shockingly cool and blackly comic noir thriller” KILLER JOE will be the Opening Gala at the 66th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) on Wednesday, 20 June. The EIFF runs from 20 June to 1 July 2012.

    KILLER JOE is directed by William Friedkin (THE FRENCH CONNECTION; THE EXORCIST) and stars Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Gina Gershon and Thomas Haden Church.

    KILLER JOE director William Friedkin said:  “KILLER JOE is about the Good and Evil in everyone, the struggle for our better angels to triumph over our demons. Often lost. The thin line between the policeman and the criminal. It’s also a riff on the Cinderella story, wherein she finds her prince, but he turns out to be a hired killer. I would also like to thank the Edinburgh International Film Festival for honouring our film with this screening, uncut. Of a film the Motion Picture Association of America has expressed a desire to censor.”

    22 year-old Chris Smith (Emile Hirsch: INTO THE WILD; MILK) is a drug dealer down on his luck, but things are about to go from bad to worse when he hires the unexpectedly charming hit man Killer Joe (Matthew McConaughey: THE LINCOLN LAWYER; HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS; A TIME TO KILL) to murder his own mother for her $50,000 life insurance policy. With barely a dollar to his name Chris agrees to offer up his younger sister, Dottie (Juno Temple: upcoming DIRTY GIRL; THE DARK KNIGHT RISES; ATONEMENT), as sexual collateral in exchange for Joe’s services until he receives the insurance money.  That is, if it ever does come in.

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  • Special Flight Tops 2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Awards

    [caption id="attachment_2165" align="alignnone"]Special Flight[/caption]

    The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival announced the 2012 Festival award recipients with “Special Flight” receiving two awards, the Full Frame Grand Jury Award and the Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award..  The 57 documentaries screened in the NEW DOCS Program were eligible.  Twelve awards were presented, including a Special Jury Award and two Honorable Mentions, to eleven different titles.

    2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Award Winners

    The Anne Dellinger Grand Jury Award was presented to “Special Flight (Vol Spécial),” directed by Fernand Melgar. The film focuses on a Swiss detention center where tensions build as rejected asylum seekers await their forced removal from the country they now call home. This award is sponsored by Chuck Pell, CSO Physcient, Inc. and Alpha Cine Labs, Seattle.

    The Jury, Judith Ehrlich, Eric Metzgar, and Marco Williams, stated, “Director Fernand Melgar takes us deep inside the world of detained immigrants in Switzerland. With incredible access and patient observation, we experience the complex and powerful relationships between the captives and their captors. An exceptional work of vérité filmmaking, “Special Flight” forces us to confront the contradictions of humane incarceration.”

    A Special Jury Award was also presented to “The Law in These Parts (Shilton Ha’Chok),” directed by Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, a meticulously constructed exploration of the complex military laws imposed by Israel on citizens in the occupied territories. The Jury commented, “The Law in These Parts” we honor with a Special Jury Award. We admire its intelligence and unique Brechtian treatment of a very controversial subject.”

    The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short was given to “The Time We Have (Den tid vi har),” directed by Mira Jargil, a beautiful, intimate, and deeply tender look at saying goodbye to the love of your life after 67 years of marriage. The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short is provided by Drs. Andrew and Barbra Rothschild.

    The Jury, Steven Ascher, Jessica Edwards, and Edwin Martinez, stated: “The Jury Award goes to an elegantly realized portrait of a marriage that tenderly explores a husband’s last days with his wife. Beautifully observed, expertly paced, “The Time We Have” intimately captures the power of simple gestures between two people who will always be in love.”

    The Jury awarded an honorable mention to “Sivan,” directed by Zohar Elefant, a minimalist portrait of an Israeli soccer fan in thrall to a team and an obsession.  The Jury said: “This Special Jury Award is presented to “Sivan,” a film that employs an innovative directorial approach to a fascinating character to capture a myriad of themes and emotions from one camera angle.”

    [caption id="attachment_2757" align="alignnone" width="550"]Trash Dance[/caption]

    “Trash Dance,” directed by Andrew Garrison, received the Full Frame Audience Award.  The film documents an unusual partnership between a dancer and the Austin Department of Solid Waste Services to stage a public performance starring man, music, and machine.” Sponsored by Merge Records, the Audience Award is determined by counting audience ballots filled out during the festival.

    An Honorable Mention was presented to the short with the highest score, “Fanuzzi’s Gold,” directed by Georgia Gruzen. The film focuses on Ed Fanuzzi, a Staten Island inventor, treasure hunter, and eternal optimist, who sees gold where others see trash.

    The Center For Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award was given to “Special Flight (Vol Spécial),” directed by Fernand Melgar. Provided by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, this award honors a documentary artist whose work is a potential catalyst for education and change. Representatives from the Center for Documentary Studies juried the prize: Randy Benson, Katie Hyde, Marc Maximov, Lynn McKnight, Dan Partridge, Tom Rankin, Elena Rue, Teka Selman, and April Walton.

    “The Waiting Room,” directed by Peter Nicks, was awarded the Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award. This gripping vérité film is a symphony of patients, caregivers, and loved ones, bureaucracy and hard choices, in an Oakland ER’s waiting room. Provided by the Charles E. Guggenheim family,this prize honors a first-time documentary feature director. Natalie Bullock Brown, Heather Courtney, and Mark Elijah Rosenberg participated on the Jury.

    “Mr. Cao Goes to Washington,” directed by S. Leo Chiang, received the Full Frame Inspiration Award.  The film captures rookie congressman Joseph Cao of Louisiana as he angers fellow Republicans by befriending President Obama; will bipartisanship reward or ruin his chances for re-election?Sponsored by the Hartley Film Foundation, this award is presented to the film that best exemplifies the value and relevance of world religions and spirituality. Jim Klein, Sarah Masters, and Fiona Otway participated on the Jury.

    The Full Frame President’s Award was presented to the “Grandmothers (Abuelas),” directed by Afarin Eghbal. This animated documentary about Argentina’s Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo features stories of women who search for their missing grandchildren. Sponsored by Duke University and aimed at recognizing up-and-coming filmmakers, this prize is awarded to the best student film. Representatives on behalf of the President’s Office juried the prize.

    “ESCAPE FIRE: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare,” directed by Susan Froemke and Matthew Heineman, received The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights.  American healthcare has evolved into a profit-driven disease-care system—this film closely examines the medical industry and bold new measures that may help ease what ails us. Provided by the Julian Price Family Foundation, this award is presented to a film that addresses a significant human rights issue in the United States. Representatives from the Kathleen Bryan Edwards family juried the prize: Anne Arwood, Laura Edwards, Clay Farland, Margaret Griffin, and Pricey Harrison.

    The Nicholas School Environmental Award was presented to “Chasing Ice” directed by Jeff Orlowski. In this film, scientific fact and aesthetic beauty merge in monumental and dramatic time-lapse photos illustrating global warming’s chilling ravages. The Nicholas School Environmental Award honors the film that best depicts the conflict between our drive to improve living standards through development and modernization, and the imperative to preserve both the natural environment that sustains us and the heritages that define us. Representatives from the Nicholas School of the Environment juried the Prize: Cindy Horn, Stephen Nemeth, Rebecca Patton, and Tom Rankin.

    The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival was held April 12-15 in downtown Durham with Duke University as the presenting sponsor.  105 films representing 27 countries were shown from morning to midnight, many with panel discussions following the screening.  In addition to the NEW DOCS Program, Full Frame presented a Thematic Program consisting of 10 films, a collection of four films surrounding the Full Frame Tribute, and an Invited Program comprised of 30 films.

     

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  • Dakota Fanning, Kim Cattrall and Michael Moore Among 39 to Serve on Jury For 2012 Tribeca Film Festival

    The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF),  today announced its jurors – a diverse group of 39 individuals, including award-winning filmmakers, writers and producers, acclaimed actors, respected critics and global business leaders. Irwin Winkler has been named President of the Jury. The Jury will be divided among the six competitive Festival categories and will announce the winning films, filmmakers and actors in those categories at the TFF Awards Night ceremony, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg on April 26, which will stream live on TribecaFilm.com. The 2012 Festival runs from April 18 –29.

    In addition, the Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) announced the nine individuals who will serve as jurors for the Tribeca All Access (TAA) Creative Promise Awards, presented by Time Warner. The winning projects will be announced during the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26. The non-profit also announced the three jurors for the Latin America Media Arts Fund, including the Heineken VOCES awards. Jurors for the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund were announced earlier this week.

    Following is a list of all 2012 Festival, Tribeca All Access and Tribeca Film Institute jurors and their respective categories.

    The jurors for the 2012 World Narrative Competition are:
    Patricia Clarkson: Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG Award-nominated actress. Films include: Cairo Time, Easy A, Friends with Benefits, Shutter Island, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Whatever Works, Elegy, Lars and the Real Girl, Goodnight and Good Luck, Station Agent, Pieces of April and the upcoming The East.
    Dakota Fanning: SAG Award-nominated actress. Films include: I am Sam, War of the Worlds, The Secret Life of Bees, The Twilight Saga, The Runaways and the upcoming films, Now Is Good and Effie.
    Mike Newell: BAFTA Award-winning director. Films include Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Mona Lisa Smile, Donnie Brasco, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Enchanted April, Dance with a Stranger and the upcoming BBC project Great Expectations.
    Lisa Schwarzbaum: film critic from Entertainment Weekly, her work has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Vogue and More, among other publications. She is a member of the National Society of Film Critics and former chair of the New York Film Critics Circle.
    Jim Sheridan: 6-time Oscar-nominated Irish director. Films include Brothers, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, In America, In the Name of the Father, The Field and My Left Foot.
    Irwin Winker: Oscar & BAFTA award-winning producer/director. Films include Rocky, GoodFellas, The Right Stuff, Raging Bull, De-Lovely, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, Guilty by Suspicion and the upcoming The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, to be directed by Martin Scorsese.

    The jurors for the 2012 World Documentary Competition are:
    Julia Bacha: Noted documentary filmmaker and media strategist at the nonprofit Just Vision. Films include: Budrus (TFF 2009 Special Mention), Encounter Point (TFF 2006 Selection), Control Room (Writer/Editor) and the TFF 2012 short documentary selection My Neighbourhood.
    Kim Cattrall: Golden Globe Award-winning actress and author. TV roles include: Sex and the City and the miniseries Any Human Heart. Films include: Sex and the City, Meet Monica Velour (TFF 2010 selection) and The Ghost Writer.
    K’naan: Award-winning Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and musician.
    Michael Moore: Palme d’Or, Cesar & Oscar-winning director, producer, author and activist. Films include Capitalism: A Love Story, Sicko, Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine and Roger & Me.
    Lucy Walker: Two-time Oscar-nominated director. Films include: Countdown to Zero, Waste Land, Blindsight, Devil’s Playground and the short The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom.

    Emerging Competition Categories:

    The jurors for the 2012 Best New Narrative Director are:
    Camilla Belle: Noted young actress. Films include: 10,000 BC, Push, Father of Invention, The Chumscrubber, The Ballad of Jack & Rose and the upcoming Open Road.
    Whoopi Goldberg: Oscar, Tony, Grammy, Emmy award winner and humanitarian.
    Susannah Grant: Oscar and BAFTA nominee and WGA-winning screenwriter, director, and producer. Projects include: The Soloist, In Her Shoes, Erin Brockovich, 28 Days and the current TV Series A Gifted Man.
    Zach Helm: WGA-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director. Films include: Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Stranger Than Fiction and the upcoming Freezing People is Easy.
    Courtney Hunt: Noted screenwriter and director. Her debut film Frozen River gained her an Academy Award nomination and two Independent Spirit nominations, and won the Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Filmmaking at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
    Kellan Lutz: Up-and-coming actor. Films include: The Twilight Saga, Nightmare on Elm Street, Immortals and the upcoming Java Heat.
    Leelee Sobieski: Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress. Films include: Public Enemies, Eyes Wide Shut, A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries, 88 Minutes, Never Been Kissed, The Glass House and My First Mister. TV Roles include: Joan of Arc, Uprising and the new CBS drama NYC 22.

    The jurors for the 2012 Best New Documentary Director are:
    Stuart Blumberg: Oscar-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director. Films include: The Kids Are All Right, Leaves of Grass, By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, The Girl Next Door, Keeping the Faith and the upcoming Thanks For Sharing
    Jared Cohen: Director of Google Ideas, Senior Fellow at the Council for Foreign Relations and author of One Hundred Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide and Children of Jihad: A Young American’s Travels Among the Youth of the Middle East.
    Rachel Grady: Oscar-nominated director and producer. Films include: Detropia, Freakonomics, 12th & Delaware, Jesus Camp and The Boys of Barak.
    Bethann Hardison: Noted former model and Manager, Documentarian and Editor at Large for Vogue Italia.
    Sal Masekela: Television host and producer. Projects include: The ESPN X Games, Red Bull Signature Series and E!’s Daily 10. Has also produced the documentaries Bra Boys, Disposable Hero: The Brian Deegan Story and the feature Street Dreams. He is a subject of TFF 2012 short film selection Alekesam.
    Ricki Stern: Independent Spirit and Emmy-nominated director and producer. Films include: Burma Soldier, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (TFF 2010), The Devil Came on Horseback, The Trials of Darryl Hunt and the TFF 2012 selection Knuckleball!
    Olivia Wilde: Noted actress, activist, and up-and-coming producer. Films include TRON: Legacy, Cowboys & Aliens, the upcoming Rush from Ron Howard, Warner Bros.’ The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, and TFF 2012 selections Deadfall and the short documentary, Baseball in the Time of Cholera, which she executive produced.

    Short Film Competition Categories:

    The jurors for the 2012 Narrative Short Film Competition are:
    Maureen Chiquet: Global CEO of Chanel. Glamour’s 2008 Woman of the Year and listed 4 times on Fortune Magazine’s International Power 50 List. She sits on the Yale University President’s Council on International Activities, the Supervisory Board & Human Resources Committee of Vivendi, the Board of Directors – Peek, Aren’t You Curious? and the Board of Trustees of the New York Academy of Art.
    Hugh Dancy: Emmy-nominated actor. Films include: Martha Marcy May Marlene, Our Idiot Brother, the upcoming Dorothy of Oz and the TFF 2012 selection Hysteria. Currently on Broadway in Venus in Fur.Aline Brosh McKenna: BAFTA and WGA-nominated screenwriter. Films include: We Bought a Zoo, I Don’t Know How She Does It, Morning Glory, 27 Dresses and The Devil Wears Prada.
    Bridget Moynahan: Actress and star of CBS’s Blue Bloods. Films include:  Battle Los Angeles, Ramona and Beezus, Lord of War, I, Robot and Coyote Ugly.
    Drew Nieporent: Famed restaurateur, whose two-Michelin star restaurant Corton was featured in the acclaimed HBO documentary A Matter of Taste.
    Mohammed Saeed Harib: Creator and director of Freej, the Middle East’s pioneering 3D animated series from the UAE. Current projects include the recently directed Freej Folklore, the largest Arabic theatrical production, and the upcoming animated feature The Prophet.
    Shari Springer Berman: Oscar and Emmy nominated Director, screenwriter, and producer. Films include: American Splendor, Cinema Verite, The Nanny Diaries, The Extra Man and the upcoming Imogene.

    The jurors for the 2012 Documentary and Student Short Film Competitions are:
    Scooter Braun: Music entrepreneur who discovered Justin Bieber and orchestrated his rise to global super stardom. He currently manages a growing roster of young stars and heads up two record labels through the Universal Music Group.
    Robert Hammond: Co-founder and Executive Director of Friends of the High Line. In addition to being a self-taught artist, Robert has served as a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was awarded the Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome in 2010.
    Brett Ratner: Noted director and producer. He directed the Rush Hour trilogy, Red Dragon, X-Men: Last Stand and Tower Heist. He also produced Horrible Bosses, Catfish, PBS’ American Masters: Woody Allen – A Documentary and Mirror, Mirror.
    Susan Sarandon: Oscar-winning actress, activist, mother and New Yorker. Films include: Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Bernard and Doris, Enchanted, Dead Man Walking, Thelma & Louise, Bull Durham and the upcoming films Cloud Atlas and The Wedding.
    James Spione: Oscar-nominated director, producer, editor and writer. Films include: Incident in New Baghdad, Our Island Home and American Farm.
    Shailene Woodley: Independent Spirit and National Board of Review Award-winning actress for her role in The Descendants. Currently starring in The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
    Susan Zirinsky: Primetime Emmy and Peabody-winning executive producer. Projects include: 48 Hours, Documentaries, 9/11: Ten Years Later, Three Days in September and Flashpoint.

    TAA Creative Promise Awards
    The jurors for the 2012 TAA Creative Promise Award—Narrative are:
    Rosario Dawson: Actress known for roles in Kids, Rent, Seven Pounds, Sin City, Alexander, Grindhouse, Men in Black II, Chelsea Walls, Sidewalks of New York, He Got Game, Eagle Eye and Unstoppable. Upcoming films include Fire With Fire, alongside Bruce Willis and Josh Duhamel, and Danny Boyle’s Trance.
    Cuba Gooding, Jr.: Oscar-winning actor who has appeared in Jerry Maguire, Men of Honor, As Good As It Gets, Radio, American Gangster, and most recently the George Lucas-helmed Red Tails.
    Mekhi Phifer: Actor known for films including Clockers, Flypaper, 8 Mile, Othello, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, The Imposter and the Fox series Lie to Me, as well as the Emmy Award-winning series ER. He recently made his Broadway debut starring in Stickfly.
    Gabourey Sidibe: Oscar-nominated actress for her leading role in Lee Daniels’ Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire. Currently appearing in the Showtime series The Big C, and recently appeared in the films Tower Heist and Yelling to the Sky.

    The jurors for the 2012 TAA Creative Promise Award—Documentary are:
    Claire Aguilar: Vice President of Programming at the Independent Television Service (ITVS), which funds, promotes and distributes independently produced programming to public media.
    Julie Goldman: Founder of Motto Pictures and producer and executive producer of feature documentaries. Projects include the Oscar award-winning The Cove, Valentino The Last Emperor and Buck.
    Eugene Hernandez: Director of Digital Strategy at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and a founder of Indiewire.
    Jean Tsien: Acclaimed documentary film editor. Projects including Something Within Me and Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing have been screened throughout the world, in theaters and on television, and have been honored with numerous awards and accolades.
    Debra Zimmerman: Executive Director of Women Make Movies, the NY-based non-profit, which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary of supporting independent women filmmakers.


    TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund

    The jurors for the TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund, including the Heineken VOCES awards are:
    Fernando Rovzar: Co-founder of Mexico-based Lemon Films. Producer of the Broadway hit Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark and executive producer of La Casa de Mi Padre, starring Will Ferrell, Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal.
    Cynthia Lopez: Vice President for American Documentary/POV, overseeing the development of the organization, programming/content development and delivery and strategic planning. Founding board member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).
    Ricardo Darin: Internationally-renowned actor with over 40 films to his credit. Projects include Nine Queens (Nueve Reinas), The Son of the Bride (El Hijo de la Novia), The Aura and The Secret in their Eyes (winner of the 2010 Oscar for Best Foreign Film).


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  • ‘A Simple Life’ Wins Best Picture – Takes 5 Top Prizes at 2012 Hong Kong Film Awards

    A Simple Life directed by Ann Hui
    A Simple Life directed by Ann Hui

    A Simple Life was the big winner of the 2012 Hong Kong Film Awards, winning five major awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress. A Simple Life, also known as Sister Peach, directed by Ann Hui tells about a heartwarming relationship between a young master of a big family, Roger and the servant of the family who raised him, Sister Peach. The film is inspired by a true story of the producer, Roger Lee, and his servant.

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  • Maryland Film Festival Announces First Round of 2012 Titles

    ,

    [caption id="attachment_1890" align="alignnone"]THE ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA[/caption]

    The 14th Maryland Film Festival scheduled to take place May 3-6 in downtown Baltimore, today announced its first round of 2012 titles!

    All U.S.-made feature films will be presented by their filmmakers.

    The first 12 announced titles are:

    THE ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA (Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce)
    The documentary team who explored museum politics in THE ART OF THE STEAL and hard-rock hard living in LAST DAYS HERE return with this shocking expose of the flawed logic and outdated infrastructure behind the U.S.’s atomic-energy program.

    COME BACK, AFRICA (directed by Lionel Rogosin, presented by Milestone Films)
    This 1960 feature, shot without permits in Johannesburg, illustrates the challenges and hardships of black migrant workers in the harsh days of apartheid. To be screened from a beautifully restored 35mm print.

    COMPLIANCE (Craig Zobel)
    Perhaps the most controversial film from Sundance 2012 lands in Baltimore. Craig Zobel’s narrative feature, inspired by true events, looks at the dark happenings that unfold after a figure of authority calls a fast-food restaurant and accuses an employee of theft.

    DETROPIA (Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady)
    From the co-directors of THE BOYS OF BARAKA and JESUS CAMP comes this documentary about the people and places that populate a collapsed metropolis trying to get back up on its feet.

    GOD BLESS AMERICA (Bobcat Goldthwait)
    MFF favorite Bobcat Goldthwait unleashes this angry, high-octane dark comedy about an unlikely modern-day Bonnie and Clyde who lash out at a vacuous, pop-culture obsessed America.

    LOVELY MOLLY (Eduardo Sanchez)
    The co-director of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT returns to his roots with this heady blend of horror and psychological thrills about a young woman returning to her childhood home.

    SAVE THE DATE (Michael Mohan)
    This warm mix of drama, comedy, and romance, co-written by acclaimed graphic-novel author Jeffrey Brown, follows a group of tangled friends and lovers in the music and arts scenes of present-day L.A. Stars include Lizzy Caplan (CLOVERFIELD), Martin Starr (FREAKS AND GEEKS), and Mark Webber.

    SUN DON’T SHINE (Amy Seimetz)
    A grimy, gritty story of two people pushed to the brink in the sweaty landscape of central Florida. Evocatively shot on Super 16mm, and starring festival favorites Kentucker Audley and Kate Lyn Sheil.

    THIS IS NOT A FILM (Mojtaba Mirtahmasb and Jafar Panahi)
    From Iran comes this documentary about, and made in conjunction with, Jafar Panahi (THE CIRCLE, CRIMSON GOLD, OFFSIDE), who was placed under house arrest and banned from filmmaking in December 2010.

    THE TURIN HORSE (Béla Tarr)
    Hungarian master Béla Tarr’s self-proclaimed final film is a cinematographic tour de force, every bit as stark and provocative as earlier dark epics DAMNATION and SATANTANGO.

    VITO (Jeffrey Schwarz)
    The inspiring story of gay-rights activist and Celluloid Closet author Vito Russo, as told by the documentarian behind SPINE TINGLER: THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY and the forthcoming I AM DIVINE.

    WANDA (directed by Barbara Loden; presented by John Waters)
    John Waters, who has presented a favorite film in each Maryland Film Festival since its launch in 1999, selects this renegade slice of ’70s filmmaking by Barbara Loden, to be screened from a beautifully restored 35mm print.

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  • Tim Roth to be president of the Un Certain Regard Jury at 2012 Cannes Film Festival

    English actor and director Tim Roth will be the president of the Un Certain Regard Jury, part of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection.

    He is an English actor who began his career in television before moving on to cinema with The Hit directed by Stephen Frears, Tim Roth made his first appearances at Cannes with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino (Palme d’or, 1994)  which earned him international renown. In 1995, he was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Rob Roy directed by Michael Caton-Jones. Roth directed his first film in 1999: The War Zone, which received nominations at Cannes, Sundance and Toronto. He also appeared in The New World directed by Terrence Malick, Don’t Come Knocking directed by Wim Wenders, Planet of the Apes directed by Tim Burton, Funny Games directed by Michael Haneke and Everyone Says I Love You directed by Woody Allen. Since 2009, he has starred in the lead role of successful American TV series Lie to Me.

    The 2011 Prix Un Certain Regard was a tie, awarded to Arirang directed by Kim Ki-Duk (Korea) and Halt Auf Freier Strecke (Stopped on Track) by Andreas Dresen (Germany).

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  • Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love to Open 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival

    The North American Premiere of Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love will double as the opening night film for the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival.

    Written and directed by Woody Allen, To Rome With Love is a story about a number of people in Italy – some American, some Italian, some residents, some visitors – and the romances and adventures and predicaments they get into. The film stars Allen, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page, and is produced by Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum. To Rome With Love is being released by Sony Pictures Classics on June 22, 2012.

    “I can’t think of a better way to kick off this year’s festival than with the original independent filmmaker himself, Woody Allen. It’s a true honor for Los Angeles to host the North American premiere of To Rome With Love,” said Festival Director Stephanie Allain.

    “I’ve always wanted to make a film in Rome. It’s obviously one of the great cities of the world, and when you make a film in a foreign city you get a chance to spend several months there, so shooting in Rome gave me and my family an opportunity to really enjoy a city I love in a way that I don’t usually get to. I wrote the film especially for Rome because over the years and my many visits there little ideas occurred to me, and I was able to utilize those ideas to comic advantage, romantic advantage, combined with the visual beauty of Rome,” said Woody Allen.

    Returning to downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. LIVE, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 14 to Sunday, June 24, 2012.

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  • 569 Films in Competition for 2012 Student Academy Awards

    Fifty-one entries from 29 countries, along with 518 entries from students representing 105 U.S. colleges and universities, are in competition for the 2012 Student Academy Awards. The competition – now in its 39th year – will culminate in the awards presentation, on Saturday, June 9, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The presentation will include screenings of the winning films.

    The Academy established the Student Academy Awards in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal awards and corresponding cash prizes may be presented in each of five categories: Alternative, Animation, Documentary, Narrative and Foreign Student Film.

    Past Student Academy Award® winners have gone on to receive 46 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared eight awards. At the 84th Academy Awards earlier this year, 2011 Student Academy Award winners Hallvar Witzø and Max Zähle were nominated in the Live Action Short Film category for “Tuba Atlantic” and “Raju,” respectively. James Spione, a Student Academy Award winner in 1987, earned a nomination in the Documentary Short Subject category for “Incident in New Baghdad.”

    via press release AMPAS

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  • Three Film Projects Win 2012 Tribeca Film Institute Sloan Filmmaker Fund Awards

    Three film projects, Unmanned, Computer Chess and Resonance, will receive financial and creative support from the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The film projects will be awarded a total of $150,000 and will be recognized at the annual Tribeca Film Festival, taking place April 18-29, 2012.

    The projects, which all emphasize science and technology in their storylines, focus on subjects including a new style of war fought by remote control, tensions between human ingenuity and machines in the computer chess tournaments of the 1980s, and the impact of brain abnormalities on interpersonal relationships.

    The winning projects were selected by an Award Committee made up of film and science notables including actor Ryan Phillippe (Flags of Our Fathers, The Lincoln Lawyer); actor Stephen Lang (Avatar, Public Enemies, Terra Nova); producer Michael Shamberg (Pulp Fiction, Erin Brockovich, Django Unchained); neuroscientist Joseph E. LeDoux; professor of astrophysical sciences J. Richard Gott (Princeton); and molecular endocrinologist Dr. Carter Bancroft.

    Selected projects for funding:

    Unmanned
    A young Air Force drone operator struggles to balance the stresses of going to war for the first time with the challenges of being a good father and husband, as he commutes each day between suburban family life and a new style of war fought by remote control. The short version of this film received an earlier Sloan Foundation production grant and is premiering at this year’s Festival.   Casey Cooper Johnson (writer/director), Casey Fenton (producer), Peter W. Singer (story by), Sevdije Kastrati (cinematographer)

    Computer Chess
    This film focuses on a computer chess tournament in the 80’s, transporting viewers to a nostalgic moment when the battle of technology versus the human spirit seemed a little more up for grabs. Andrew Bujalski (writer/director), Houston King (producer), Alex Lipschultz (producer)

    Resonance
    Two damaged young men trying to reclaim their lives, push each other to the breaking point until they realize that only their friendship will save them.  Portraying the crossroads of neurology and psychiatry, the film examines how the brain’s functioning affects the way we interact, and how medical science treats brain abnormalities. Dara Bratt (director/writer), Keiran Dick (writer), Andrew Fierberg (producer), Robert Gerber (executive producer)

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  • No More, the Reno Film Festival to End

    The recession has not been kind to film festivals, and VIMOOZ can confirm that the Reno Film Festival has also fallen to the economic downturn and has decided to end.

    The press release:

    After careful review and consideration, evaluation of past 12 years performance and economic conditions, including grant availability, the Board of Directors of the Reno Film Festival has voted unanimously to cease operation and dissolve the organization effective June 30, 2012.

    “Naturally we’re very sorry to make this announcement,” said Festival President Scott Birmingham, “But the current board—and speaking for past volunteer boards through the years—is very proud of the films, competitions, seminars and programs we’ve brought to our area for more than a decade.  Looking back, we’ve hosted a ‘who’s who’ of those involved in the film industry to interact with local and visiting film fans,” he added.

    Screenings of the finalists in the Lumiere All School Film Fest, the Reno Film Festival’s competition for elementary to some college level students, will take place as scheduled May 16-18.  The location for these evening screenings will be announced on the Festival’s website, www.renofilmfestival.com and all three screenings will be free, courtesy of a grant from the DP Foundation.

    Reno Film Festival sponsors this year are KTVN-Channel 2, Reno News & Review, Reno Media Group, Bea-Design for Marketing, KUNR Public Radio – FM 88.7 and Red Machine Multimedia.  Grant support has been received from the City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission, DP/Dermody Properties and the E.L. Cord foundations.  All eight City of Reno Advisory Boards also support the festival:  Ward 1, Southwest Reno. Wards 2, Central and South Reno; Ward 3, East Reno; Wards 4, Northeast and North Valleys; Wards 5, Old Northwest and Northwest.

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  • Inaugural Unreal Film Festival to run November 9 – 11 in Memphis, TN to

    There is a new film festival in Memphis, TN, called the Unreal Film Festival.  This is the first year of the festival which is designed as a genre film festival inside a comic convention.  The festival is currently open to entries and will be until June 15th.  The winners will be announced on July 15th and the winning films will be screened at the festival on November 9-11, 2012 at the Hilton Hotel in Memphis, TN.

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  • Santa Barbara International Film Festival Announces 2013 Dates

    The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has set Thursday, January 24 through Sunday, February 3, 2013 as the dates for the 28th edition of the festival, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director, Roger Durling.

    Comments SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling, “The 27th edition was an exciting one for us – full of changes and growth with our first ever acquisitions program. Now in the midst of preparations for the 28th edition – we guarantee you that the best is yet to come.”

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