• Sarasota Film Festival to Honor Penelope Ann Miller and Women Make Movies

    [caption id="attachment_2681" align="alignnone"]Penelope Ann Miller [/caption]

    The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) will honor Penelope Ann Miller, star of the 2012 Academy Award® Best Picture winner The Artist and 2012 Sarasota Film Festival film Think Of Me with this year’s 2012 Career Tribute.

    The SFF will also honor Women Make Movies, the non-profit media arts organization that facilitates the production, promotion, distribution and exhibition of independent films by and about women, with the second annual Impact Award, presented in partnership with the Gulf Coast Chapter of UN Women.  The award will be presented in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Women Make Movies.

    Additionally, the festival announced the complete 2012 ‘In Conversation With’ series.  The series returns with guests Rory Kennedy, Frank Langella, Penelope Ann Miller and Todd Solondz.  Each conversation is an in-depth and intimate look at the careers and stories behind these luminaries, their lives and their work.  The 14th Annual Sarasota film Festival runs from April 13, 2012 through April 22, 2012.

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  • SAG, AFTRA Members Approve Merger to Form SAG-AFTRA

    It’s official. The members of American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild have voted to approve a merger, creating a new entity, SAG-AFTRA. SAG members voted 82 percent in favor of the merger. AFTRA members favored the merger with 86 percent, exceeding the 60 percent threshold needed for both unions’ membership for passage.

    The merger is effective immediately, and brings under a single union banner more than 150,000 actors, announcers, broadcasters journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals.

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  • What Films to See in NYC This Weekend-Bully, The Island President, Turn Me On, Dammit, Generation P! It’s RAINING in NYC! Go to the Movies!

    [caption id="attachment_2655" align="alignnone"]Bully[/caption]

    By Francesca McCaffery

    Two new wonderful documentaries are opening this weekend- Lee Hirsch’s Bully– which is a heart-breaking, take-no-prisoners hard look at the insidious problem of bullying in American middle and high school classrooms, and The Island President, which is an extraordinary portrait of recently ousted Maldivian President Nasheed, and his great fight to combat global warming (Which is literally sinking his splendid Maldive Islands.) Both are two of the most thought-provoking documentaries you will see this year. (The Island President won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto film Festival, and Bully has been a complete festival sensation, as well.) Please don’t miss them. Bully plays at the Angelika and the AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13, and The Island President plays at Film Forum through April 10th.

    [caption id="attachment_2676" align="alignnone" width="549"]Generation P[/caption]

    Viktor Ginzburg’s new Russian film Generation P, based on the Russian novel by Viktor Pelevin, pretty much defies all general description. Staring out in a newly dissolved Soviet Union in he mid-90s, it looks to this American like the film could have been 1974. The film is a hilarious, deft, mind-bending portrayal of a young advertising executive and his adventures with magic mushrooms, mad Russian ad moguls, Chechnyan rebels,  and milking the public in its thirst for everything Western. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than an American PR sensibility, but apparently a free Russia also meant a free-for-all sort of carte blanche for the burgeoning advertising industry. I honestly can’t say how much of the film is fictional- did they REALLY make commercials in Russia like this in the last ten years? But it’s one of the very few films I’ve ever seen that actually makes you want to run out and buy the book. Perfect for Hunter S. Thompson fans, too. A very wild ride. Playing at The New Directors/New Films Series in NYC.

    [caption id="attachment_2677" align="alignnone" width="550"]Turn Me On, Dammit[/caption]

    Jannicke Systad Jacobsen’s first feature Turn Me On, Dammit! is a charming Norwegian film about a very sexually charged young teenager, Alma, (luminous Helene Bergsholm) who, despite her lithe, blonde, waifish self, cannot seem to get any real action. She becomes ostracized when her lust backfires at a party- and she is given the accidental moniker “Dick Alma” (…when another young man insists that his penis brushed against her thigh whilst they were making out.), and we are witness to the classic, cringe-worthy episodes of adolescent shifting friendships and alliances. With a cast of largely non-actors, the film is strange, desolate, lovely and sexy all at once- an actual light, funny, and frustrating portrayal of female sexuality- a topic rarely handled so well in today’s cinema. (The film captured Best Screenplay at Tribeca last year.) Alma doesn’t feel really sorry feel sorry for herself, she just seems to know who she is somehow, and exactly what she wants. As she is betrayed by her entire student body, she still stands strong, and it is heartening to see a young character who has found what truly makes her tick. By focusing on Alma’s needs as a simple horny teenager, rather than portraying her as a cartoon of some fantasized, over-sexualized teenage image, the filmmaker takes a few brave, tentative, greatly needed steps forward. Turn Me On is also wildly funny and greatly entertaining, at parts, as well. Go see this at night this weekend. Playing at Lincoln Center and at the Angelika.

    Remember guys, support Independent Cinema, whenever you have the chance. They’re a lot of really good choices this weekend. Now, go and out and see some!

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  • Tom Sizemore Expected to Attend 2012 Phoenix Film Festival screening of Slumber Party Slaughter

    [caption id="attachment_2674" align="alignnone"]Tom Sizemore [/caption]

    Director Rebekah Chaney, and actors Tom Sizemore and Charles Mattera are expected to be in attendance at the 2012 Phoenix Film Festival screening of Slumber Party Slaughter. 

    Showing support for the film, Sizemore says, “I had a great time working on Slumber Party Slaughter.  I think horror is a fun genre, especially with Chaney’s perspective and how she as the writer and director has built in so many seeds for the sequel.  Being able to share the opening of her film at the Phoenix Film Festival will be fun.  Be sure to come prepared to have a great time.”

    About Slumber Party Slaughter: On a secretive outing to a bizarre strip club, Tom Kingsford (Tom Sizemore) is unaware that his life is about to take a dramatic turn. Club owner and real estate mogul, William O’Toole (Ryan O’Neal) is a sadistic voyeur whose desire for fear and torture is put to the test as the night’s dirty deeds return to haunt him. Tom hires a few dancers: Casey Reitz (Rebekah Chaney), Victoria Spencer (Stephanie Romanov), Nicole and Nadia, from the Lingerie Lounge, to accompany him for the evening; while, unbeknownst to them, the group is secretly followed by a psychotic, obsessive club-patron, known only as Dave (Robert Carradine). Things quickly turn dark when, what seems like an innocent shortcut through a haunted cemetery is actually a set up, and the group is placed in the middle of an existing crime scene. Panic and fear escalates and tragedy befalls Tom when he is accidentally killed and buried in the supernatural cemetery. The girls make a pact of silence: agreeing to start new lives in order to avert suspicion from the local law enforcement. One year later, on the anniversary of Tom’s death, one of the dancers is found decapitated, prompting the others to reunite at a Slumber Party and wait out their worst fear; vengeance. Innocence and body parts are lost as death takes its penance and the slaughter begins.

    The 12th Annual Phoenix film Festival takes place at Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theaters located at 7000 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85054.

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  • Virginia Film Festival Announces 2012 Dates

    The Virginia Film Festival has announced the dates for its upcoming 25th anniversary year. The 2012 festival will take place Nov. 1 to 4.

    The festival is presented by the University of Virginia’s College of Arts & Sciences.

    The 2011 festival drew more than 24,000 attendees and featured a record 27 sold-out screenings. The weekend proved to be an Academy Awards preview, opening with Alexander Payne’s Oscar-winning “The Descendants” (Best Adapted Screenplay) and featuring Best Picture winner “The Artist,” along with a host of other nominated films, including “Albert Nobbs” and “A Better Life.” The guest list included legendary director Oliver Stone, actress Sissy Spacek, noted art director Jack Fisk, actresses Mia Wasikowska and Rachael Harris, free speech advocate and Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt, and acclaimed choreographer Bill T. Jones.

    via

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  • 2012 Dallas International Film Festival to Honor Costume Designer Bernie Pollack and Academy Award Nominee Gabourey Sidibe

     

    [caption id="attachment_2670" align="alignnone" width="550"]PUNCH[/caption]

    “One of the great legends of costume design,” Mr. Bernie Pollack and “rising star,” Ms. Gabourey Sidibe will be honored with the Dallas Shining Star Award at the 2012 Dallas International Film Festival.  The two honorees will also participate in Conversations with Gabourey Sidibe and Bernie Pollack on April 21, 2012.

    Additionally, the festival announced the full line-up for the South Korean International Spotlight and the titles of additional films which will play in the Premiere Series, World Cinema and Deep Ellum Sounds categories.

    Joining MY WAY and world premiere LET ME OUT, the line-up for the International Spotlight on South Korea is completed by titles PUNCH, QUICK and SECRETS, OBJECTS.  In working to complete the full schedule line-up, DIFF announced that DRAGON AGE: DAWN OF THE SEEKER joins the Premieres Series.  Two new titles are added to the musical Deep Ellum Sounds category: TONIGHT YOU’RE MINE and QUEENS OF COUNTRY starring Lizzy Caplan and DIFF alum, Ron Livingston.  World Cinema gains two extra titles POLICEMAN and STILL LIFE. Finally, PRECIOUS and the 60th anniversary of SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN will be featured as Special Presentations with ALADDIN being added in conjunction with the conversation with Texas Avery Animation Award recipient, Glen Keane.   The additional films are as follows:

    Premiere Series
    DRAGON AGE: DAWN OF THE SEEKER (USA)
    Director: Fumihiko Sori
    In the land of Orlais, where battles are fought with swords and magic, a young heroine rises as templars, mages, and dragons clash.
    Stars Luci Christian, Pam Dougherty, Mike McFarland, Christopher Sabat and John Swasey.


    South Korean Spotlight

    PUNCH (South Korea) – Texas Premiere
    Director: Han Lee
    Poor and meek but rebellious 18-year-old Wan-deuk has a hunchback father, a strange uncle, and a Filipino mother who just re-appeared after being missing most of his life. But when his radical and confrontational schoolteacher, Dong-joo—who is every bit the troublemaker Wan-deuk is—corrals the fight-prone youngster into channeling his rage as a kickboxer, Wan-deuk learns what family truly means. Based on the novel by Kim Yeo-ryung and adapted screenplay by Kim Dong-soo, PUNCH was one of Korea’s biggest box office draws in 2011.
    Stars Yun-seok Kim, Ah In Yoo, Su-young Park, Yeong-jae Kim and Sang-ho Kim.

    QUICK (South Korea) – Texas Premiere
    Director: Beom-gu Cho
    Motorcycle messenger Ki-soo witnesses a building blow up just after he delivers a package to it. He moves onto his next job—escorting a girl group singer, Ah-rom, to a TV station. As she puts a proffered helmet on her head, he gets a call saying that her helmet is a booby trap, and that he has more deliveries. Made in the spirit of the American action movies SPEED and CRANK, this 2011 Korean box office success by Jo Beom-goo is definitely a ride.
    Starring Min-ki Lee, Ye-won Kang, In-kwon Kim, Chang-Seok Ko and Jin-mo Ju.

    SECRETS, OBJECTS (South Korea) – Texas Premiere
    Director: Young-Mi Lee
    40-year-old Sociology professor Hye-jung falls for a 21-year-old Usang, a male student who helps her project research on women’s extramarital affairs. Stars Seo-hee Jang, Suk Won Jeong, Pil-mo Lee and I-Young Shim.

    Deep Ellum Sounds

    QUEENS OF COUNTRY (USA) – Texas Premiere
    Directors: Ryan Page, Christopher Pomerenke
    Living in a fantasy era long gone and obsessed with old time country stars, the prettiest girl in a small Arizona town finds a lost iPod filled with songs that speak to her sensitive heart. Stars Lizzy Caplan, Ron Livingston, Joe Lo Truglio, Maynard James Keenan, Matt Walsh and Anthony Zanlungo.

    TONIGHT YOU’RE MINE (UK) – Texas Premiere
    Director: David Mackenzie
    Two feuding rock stars get handcuffed together for 24 hours at a music festival where they are both due to perform. Starring Luke Treadaway, Natalia Tena, Mathew Baynton and Alastair Mackenzie.

    World Cinema

    POLICEMAN (Israel) – Texas Premiere
    Director: Nadav Lapid
    A member of an Israeli anti-terrorist unit clashes with a group of young radicals. Stars Ben Adam, Michael Aloni, Meital Barda, Gal Hoyberger and Yiftach Klein.

    STILL LIFE (Austria) – Texas Premiere
    Director: Sebastian Meise
    An unexpected letter forces siblings Bernhard and Lydia to confront each other and to deal with their family history.
    Starring Anja Plaschg, Daniela Golpashin, Christoph Luser, Roswitha Soukup and Fritz Hörtenhuber.

    Special Presentation

    ALADDIN (1992, USA)
    Director: Ron Clements
    The animated classic follows Aladdin, a street-urchin who accidentally meets Princess Jasmine who is in the city undercover. They love each other, but she can only marry a prince. Voices include Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin and Jonathan Freeman.

    PRECIOUS (2009, USA)
    Director: Lee Daniels
    In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction. Starring Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd and Lenny Kravitz.

    SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952, USA)
    Directors: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
    A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound.
    Stars Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen and Millard Mitchell.

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  • Jean-Pierre DARDENNE to Preside Over Jury for Cinéfondation and short films at 2012 Cannes Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_2668" align="alignnone" width="550"]Jean-Pierre DARDENNE[/caption]

    Belgian director, scriptwriter and producer Jean-Pierre DARDENNE who along with his brother Luc won Grand Prix at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival for The Kid with a Bike in 2011, after winning two Palmes d’Or, first in 1999 for Rosetta and then in 2005 for The Child, and the prize for best screenplay in 2008 for Lorna’s Silence, will preside over the jury for the Cinéfondation and short films at this year’s festival.

    The jury will include Arsinée KHANJIAN (Canadian actress), Karim AÏNOUZ (Brazilian director and scriptwriter), Emmanuel CARRÈRE (French writer, scriptwriter and director) and YU Lik-wai (Chinese director of photography and filmmaker).

    The short-film competition, composed of previously unscreened works, has in the past discovered artists who have risen to fame: Jane CAMPION and Nuri Bilge CEYLAN, Xavier GIANNOLI, Lynne RAMSAY and Catalin MITULESCU all received their first recognition with a short film in competition in Cannes.

    For its part, the Sélection de la Cinéfondation, created in 1998, has screened the student films of many directors whose talent was subsequently confirmed with a feature film, including Vimukthi JAYASUNDARA (Caméra d’Or 2005),  Corneliu PORUMBOIU (Caméra d’Or 2006), Kornél MUNDRUCZÓ (In Competition 2008 & 2010) and Jessica HAUSNER (Un Certain Regard 2001 & 2004).

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  • Marvel’s The Avengers to Close 2012 Tribeca Film Festival

    Marvel’s The Avengers will close the 11th Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) on Saturday, April 28, 2012.

    Honoring the spirit of the Tribeca Film Festival, the screening will allow the opportunity for Marvel’s The Avengers to celebrate everyday heroes from police agencies, fire departments, first responders and various branches of the U.S. military.  These local heroes will have an opportunity to attend the screening and meet the cast. 

    Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and directed by Joss Whedon, Marvel’s The Avengers is an engaging, character-driven story packed with action, adventure and special effects. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins to assemble the iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. Marvel’s The Avengers is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.

    The film releases May 4, 2012.

    The 11th annual Tribeca Film Festival runs April 18-29, 2012.

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  • HAVE YOU SEEN LUPITA? to Open 2012 Cine Las Americas International Film Festival in Austin Texas

    [caption id="attachment_2663" align="alignnone" width="550"]Gonzalo Justiniano’s ¿ALGUIEN HA VISTO A LUPITA? (HAVE YOU SEEN LUPITA?)[/caption]

    Gonzalo Justiniano’s ¿ALGUIEN HA VISTO A LUPITA? (HAVE YOU SEEN LUPITA?) will open the 15th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival on Tuesday, April 24 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin. Partially shot in Austin, the film stars Dulce María, Carmen Salinas, and Cristián de la Fuente. Scheduled to attend the opening night screening are actress Carmen Salinas, Director Gonzalo Justiniano, and Producer Daniel de la Vega.

    Closing the festival is Selton Mello’s O PALHAÇO (THE CLOWN) on Sunday, April 29 also at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Actor and director Selton Mello’s sophomore feature brings to the screen the magic and enchantment of a family circus traveling through the dirt roads of the Brazilian inlands. Scheduled to attend the screening is Producer Fernanda Kalume.

    ¿ALGUIEN HA VISTO A LUPITA? (HAVE YOU SEEN LUPITA?) stars Dulce María, of RBD fame, as a young mexican girl who runs away from her family when they try to send her to a mental hospital, starting a journey through which she will take us to discover a world that seems much crazier than she is. With her sensuality, innocence and romanticism, Lupita invites us to believe that life can be experiencedin different ways.

    [caption id="attachment_2664" align="alignnone" width="550"]Selton Mello’s O PALHAÇO (THE CLOWN)[/caption]

    O PALHAÇO (THE CLOWN) follows the life of Benjamim (Selton Mello), who along with his father Waldemar (Paulo José) form the clown duo Thoroughbred and Mongrel, the main attraction of Circo Esperanza, a 15 people circus that travels through the dirt roads in the Brazilian inlands. Father and son share the ring and, supposedly, the same vocation, yet in spite of making the audience burst into laughter, Benjamim lives a personal crisis and tries to find his own identity. 

    The 15th Cine Las Americas International Film Festival runs April 24-29, 2012 and will take place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, the Violet Crown, and at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC), with additional screenings at St. Edward’s University in Austin Texas.

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  • San Francisco International Film Festival Completes 2012 Lineup, Rock Band Journey Documentary to Close Festival

    [caption id="attachment_2292" align="alignnone" width="549"]A scene from Lynn Shelton’s YOUR SISTER’S SISTER, playing at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival, April 19 – May 3, 2012. [/caption]

    The 55th San Francisco International Film Festival announced the complete schedule of films and events for the festival running April 19 – May 3, 2012, at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, SF Film Society Cinema, the Castro Theatre and SFMOMA in San Francisco and the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley.

    The Centerpiece screening will be Lynn Shelton’s relationship comedy Your Sister’s Sister, starring Emily Blunt, Mark Duplass and Rosemarie DeWitt.

    Still grief-stricken a year after his brother’s death, Jack (Mark Duplass) travels to a remote cabin on Puget Sound at the suggestion of his best friend, Iris (Emily Blunt), who thinks that he’ll benefit from the isolation. He arrives to find Iris’s sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), recovering from a bad breakup, and they quickly bond over their shared misery. When Iris turns up to surprise Jack, she notes a new connection between him and her sister. What begins as a happy reunion soon deteriorates into a fractious encounter, the trio caroming off one another amid misunderstandings, betrayals and secret affections. Improvising much of the dialogue, the three actors are terrific, imbuing their complex, sometimes maddening characters with genuine heart. Shelton and her cast develop an idea initially conceived by Duplass into a funny, truthful story about sibling bonds, friendship, love and miscommunication.
    [caption id="attachment_2660" align="alignnone" width="550"]A scene from Ramona Diaz’s DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ EVERYMAN’S JOURNEY, playing at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival, April 19 – May 3, 2012. [/caption]

    The festival will close with Ramona Diaz’s (Spirits Rising, SFIFF 1996) Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey (USA 2012). Described as ‘Diaz follows the iconic, quintessentially American rock band Journey and new lead vocalist Arnel Pineda on their 2008 Revelation tour of the U.S. and Pineda’s homecoming in Manila.

    [caption id="attachment_2661" align="alignnone" width="550"]David Webb Peoples, recipient of the Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival, April 19 – May 3, 2012. [/caption]

    The 2012 Kanbar Award for excellence in screenwriting will go to David Webb Peoples, who will be honored with an onstage tribute and a screening of his ‘acclaimed neo-Western’ film Unforgiven.

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  • 2012 Tribeca Film Festival Tribeca Talks Series to Feature Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, and Premiere of Six New Films

    [caption id="attachment_2657" align="alignnone"]Freaky Deaky[/caption]

    The 2012 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) unveiled six new titles world premiering at the Festival. Narrative films Freaky Deaky and Future Weather and documentaries Portrait of Wally and Once in a Lullaby: The PS22 Chorus Story will screen as part of the “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” series, the documentary Wagner’s Dream will premiere as part of the new “Beyond the Screens: Globalize Your Thinking” series, and the narrative Knife Fight will have a special screening with an extended Q&A. Finally, TFF celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Avant-Garde Masters grants, created by the National Film Preservation Foundation and The Film Foundation to help preserve American avant-garde cinema, with a special screening and “Tribeca Talks” panel.

    The lineup for the 2012 Tribeca Talks® panel series include the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie,” “Tribeca Talks: Industry,” “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, hosted by Barnes & Noble” and the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival panel. New to the Festival is the “Beyond the Screens: Globalize Your Thinking” program.

    “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series” will include one-on-one conversations with:

    Academy Award®-winning filmmaker and activist Michael Moore, interviewed by Academy Award®-winning actor Susan Sarandon.
    Academy Award®-nominated director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father), interviewed by his daughter, Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Naomi Sheridan (In America). 

    “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie” will include:

    Academy Award®-nominated film WarGames from director John Badham, which uses advances in national security and the vulnerabilities of new technology as the backdrop for a coming-of-age thriller; followed by a conversation with director John Badham, actress Ally Sheedy, Bitcoin Technical Lead Gavin Andresen, William D. Casebeer, PhD, Program Manager, Defense Sciences Office at DARPA (USAF, retired), and others about the historical relationship between military strategy and technical innovation, storytelling with gaming and simulation tools, and the challenges of depicting cutting-edge technology on the big screen.  

    The world premiere of Freaky Deaky, a throwback to the decadent Los Angeles of the 1970s, where a disgraced cop gets a shot at a comeback when a young actress needs help taking down a powerful movie producer; followed by a conversation with novelist Elmore Leonard, director/ screenwriter Charles Matthau, and Freaky Deaky stars Christian Slater, Crispin Glover, Michael Jai White, and Andy Dick.

    The documentary The Virgin, the Copts and Me, where filmmaker Namir Abdel Messeeh sets out to investigate the phenomenon of supposedly miraculous Virgin Mary apparitions in Egypt’s Coptic Christian community. Facing opposition from producers and his family, he reimagines his film as a touching, hilarious portrait of family and heritage; followed by a discussion with director Namir Abdel Messeeh and other notable guests on cultural identity and the prevalence of contemporary international filmmakers who delve into what it truly means to go “home.” Hosted by the Doha Film Institute.

    The world premiere of Portrait of Wally, a documentary that follows Lea Bondi’s ancestors as they take on the Austrian government, billionaire art collectors, MoMA and NPR in their attempt to reclaim Bondi’s Egon Schiele painting “Portrait of Wally,” which was seized by Nazis in 1939; followed by a conversation with director Andrew Shea, critic and journalist David D’Arcy, Jane Kallir of Galerie St. Etienne, historian and attorney Willi Korte, and Chief of the Asset Forfeiture Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York Sharon Cohen Levin about the issues of provenance and the global sharing of art in museums.

    [caption id="attachment_2658" align="alignnone"]Once in a Lullaby: The PS22 Chorus Story[/caption]

    The world premiere of Once in a Lullaby: The PS22 Chorus Story, a documentary that follows the now world-famous YouTube sensation elementary school chorus as they travel to perform the closing number of the 2011 Academy Awards®; followed by a conversation with director Jonathan Kalafer, PS22 chorus teacher Gregg Breinberg, Executive Director of the Office of the Arts and Special Projects at the New York City Department of Education Paul King, and more on how new media and technology in the classroom can breathe new life into students’ curricula, capture their attention, and spark eagerness to learn. Moderated by Tribeca Film Institute Education Program Developer Caitlin Meisner.

    The world premiere of Future Weather, inspired by a New Yorker article on global warming, which follows a teenage loner who becomes obsessed with ecological disaster, forcing her alcoholic grandmother to rethink their futures; followed by a discussion with writer/director Jenny Deller, producer Kristin Fairweather, Future Weather actress Lili Taylor, and more on how an article about a scientific and environmental issue planted the seed for an intimate fiction film and inspired an environmentally sensitive production.

    A collection of American avant-garde classics by Abigail Child, Larry Gottheim, George Kuchar, Carolee Schneemann, and more—specially curated with TFF to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Avant-Garde Masters grants, which were created in 2003 by the National Film Preservation Foundation and The Film Foundation; followed by a panel discussion with filmmakers Carolee Schneemann, Abigail Child, Larry Gottheim, and TFF experimental film programmer Jon Gartenberg. Moderated by Assistant Director of the National Film Preservation Foundation Jeff Lambert

    “Beyond the Screens: Globalize Your Thinking” will feature:

    The world premiere of Wagner’s Dream, a documentary that follows perhaps the most ambitious project in the Metropolitan Opera’s famed history, the new staged production of opera’s most formidable masterpiece: Richard Wagner’s four-part Ring Cycle; followed by a conversation about this incredible artistic journey with filmmakers Susan Froemke and Bob Eisenhardt, the Met’s General Manager Peter Gelb, opera soprano Deborah Voigt and tenor Jay Hunter Morris. Moderated by “the Voice of the Met” Margaret Juntwait.

    Let Fury Have the Hour, a documentary that brings together more than 50 big-name artists, musicians, writers, and thinkers who used their creativity as a response to the reactionary politics that came to define our culture in the 1980s, tracing a momentous social history from the 1980s to the present and imparting a message of hope; followed by a conversation with director Antonino D’Ambrosio, film collaborator and artist Shepard Fairey, the MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer, playwright and activist Eve Ensler, and more as they discuss the power of artistic expression.

    The List, a documentary that follows Kirk Johnson, who recently returned from rebuilding teams in war-torn cities in Iraq as he advocates for a growing number of Iraqi citizens now targeted by radical militias because they aided the U.S. in the reconstruction effort; followed by a conversation with director Beth Murphy, film subject Kirk Johnson, Executive Director and Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) Paul Rieckhoff, and others about the current state of Iraqis seeking asylum and issues surrounding post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers and refugees. Moderated by The New Yorker’s George Packer. 
    “Tribeca Talks: Industry” will feature:

    Film and Brands, a conversation with filmmakers and strategic communications professionals about how brands and filmmakers are increasingly collaborating on film projects to achieve a range of objectives, from marketing and public relations to corporate storytelling and philanthropy. As the number of projects as well as the platforms for distribution increase, the bar has been raised for how to make these projects effective corporate storytelling pieces as well as quality filmmaking. Panelists include producer and director Brett Ratner, American Express’ Vice President of Global Media, Sponsorship and Experiential Marketing Rich Lehrfeld, GE’s Global Executive Director of Advertising and Branding Judy Hu, the Norman Lear Center’s Managing Director and Director of Research Johanna Blakley, Chief Marketing Officer of Chipotle Mexican Grill Mark Crumpacker and select filmmakers for a conversation about how they are collaborating and where this increasingly complex and sophisticated world is heading. Moderated by Jon Patricof, President and Chief Operating Officer of Tribeca Enterprises.

    Imagine More, sponsored by Canon, after a screening of Ron Howard’s production when you find me—the first Hollywood film inspired by a photo contest—Canon representatives and filmmakers will discuss the versatility of shooting with Canon cameras and creating films through collaborative storytelling. Panelists include Canon USA Technical’s Chuck Westfall, The Russian Winter director Petter Ringbom, CatCam director Seth Keal, and others.

    The Business of Entertainment, sponsored by Bloomberg, focusing on the recent rise of international co-production, exploring the benefits and obstacles of this often complex but rewarding strategy. Bloomberg convenes major producers, financiers, and other key industry decision-makers who play leading roles in financing today’s film and entertainment industries. Panelists include co-producer of The Girl and CEO of Bonita Films Tania Zarak, Chairman and CEO of Endgame Entertainment James D. Stern, and Director of European Film and TV Group, Exclusive Media, Ben Holden. Moderated by Bloomberg News entertainment reporter Michael White.

    The Future is Short: Storytelling in the Digital Age, sponsored by GE / FOCUS FORWARD – Short Films, Big Ideas, a conversation with CINELAN, filmmakers and distributors on the power, art and business of short film storytelling at a time when platforms like Hulu, Netflix, Yahoo!, and the New York Times become commercially viable distribution outlets. Panelists include CINELAN co-founder and filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, filmmaker Annie Sundberg, Jason Spingarn-Koff of the New York Times Op-Docs series, and others. Moderated by the Director of Film and Video at TED, Jason Wishnow.

    Does the Cloud have a Silver (Screen) Lining, sponsored by SAP, a conversation examining the best model for independent films to reach audiences and make money out of new distribution opportunities in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Panelists include Executive Vice President and CMO at Time Warner Cable Jeffrey A. Hirsch and filmmakers for a discussion about navigating today’s digital marketplace. Moderated by Senior Vice President of Media and Entertainment at SAP Richard Whittington.

    New Filmmakers on Film, sponsored by Panavision, a discussion about Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program, which provides grants to artists that gives them the opportunity to shoot on film, instead of turning to digital technology. Panelists include Una Noche director Lucy Mulloy, Kodak’s US Account Manager of Features and Post-Production Bob Mastronardi, cinematographer Guy Godfree, and other film artists as they discuss the program and new opportunities for emerging talent. Moderated by Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program Manager, Mike Dallatorre.

    “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper hosted by Barnes & Noble” will include:

    Biography on Film, a discussion with writers and filmmakers who create biographical documentaries and must transform life events into film. Panelists include TFF filmmakers Ramona S. Diaz (Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey), Petter Ringbom (The Russian Winter), Andreas Koefoed (Ballroom Dancer), and Daniel A. Miller (Eìvocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie).

    The Pen Versus the Sword, a conversation examining how creative methods can cause social change. Panelists include TFF filmmakers Antonino D’Ambrosio (Let Fury Have the Hour), Raymond De Felitta (Booker’s Place: A Mississippi Story), and Stephen Maing (High Tech, Low Life). Moderated by film and culture critic Caryn James.

    Based on the Book, a conversation exploring adapting a book into a film that will examine the elements that best translate from the page to the screen and whether it is possible to create a version of the story that is better than the book. Panelists include TFF filmmakers Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Headshot), Charles Matthau (Freaky Deaky), Donald Rice (Cheerful Weather for the Wedding), and others.

    In addition, the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival will include:

    Beyond the Playing Field, sponsored by Time Warner Cable, a conversation exploring the evolution of women’s sports inspired by the 40th anniversary of Title IX. Panelists include director Amy Berg, ESPN Films’ Libby Geist, producer and TFF co-founder Jane Rosenthal, and filmmakers from upcoming ESPN Films. Moderated by ESPN’s Chris Connelly.

    Special Tribeca Talks events:

    100 Years of Universal, available exclusively for American Express Cardmembers, a conversation celebrating 100 years of Universal Pictures. Panelists include Academy Award®-winning actor and TFF co-founder Robert De Niro, Academy Award®-winning actor Meryl Streep, and writer-director-producer Judd Apatow. Moderated by Film Editor for Deadline Hollywood Mike Fleming.

    The world premiere of Knife Fight, a political satire that follows a campaign strategist who struggles to keep his wayward clients in office and out of the press; followed by an extended Q&A about presidential campaigns and how politics are spun with writer/director Bill Guttentag, writer and co-producer Chris Lehane, actor Rob Lowe, and campaign strategist Steve Schmidt. Moderated by MSNBC senior political analyst and co-author of Game Change Mark Halperin.

    With Illicit Networks: Portrayals through Film, Tribeca Enterprises and Google Ideas team up for a conversation addressing Hollywood’s portrayals of illicit networks that traffic everything from narcotics and weapons to body parts and human beings. Experts, law enforcement participants, and survivors will use what we learn from film to examine the mysterious and misunderstood world of illicit trafficking. Moderated by Director of Google Ideas Jared Cohen.

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  • Weinstein Company Rejects MPAA R Rating and Will Release BULLY as Unrated

    The Weinstein Company announced that they will release the controversial documentary ‘Bully’ as unrated, basically, disregarding the ‘R” rating assigned by the MPAA. Weinstein had mounted a very public campaign in an effort to get the MPAA to change it’s mind with over half a million people signing an online petition and support from celebrities like Meryl Streep.

    See press release from The Weinstein Company:

    After a recent plea to the MPAA by BULLY teen Alex Libby and The Weinstein Company (TWC) Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein failed – by one vote – to get the film its deserved PG-13 rating, TWC is choosing to move forward with releasing the film unrated by the MPAA on March 30.

    Furthering proof that the R rating for some language is inappropriate for a film that’s meant to educate and help parents, teachers, school officials and children with what’s become an epidemic in schools around the country, the fight against the rating continues on. The outpour of support by politicians, schools, parents, celebrities and activists for the film’s mission to be seen by those it was made for – children – has been overwhelming. Nearly half a million people have signed Michigan high school student and former bullying victim Katy Butler’s petition on Change.org to urge the MPAA to lower the rating.

    Said BULLY Director Lee Hirsch, “The small amount of language in the film that’s responsible for the R rating is there because it’s real. It’s what the children who are victims of bullying face on most days. All of our supporters see that, and we’re grateful for the support we’ve received across the board. I know the kids will come, so it’s up to the theaters to let them in.”

    “The kids and families in this film are true heroes, and we believe theater owners everywhere will step up and do what’s right for the benefit of all of the children out there who have been bullied or may have otherwise become bullies themselves. We’re working to do everything we can to make this film available to as many parents, teachers and students across the country,” said TWC President of Marketing Stephen Bruno.

    For parents or teachers who are looking for more information or who may have concerns about showing children a movie unrated by the MPAA, please read Common Sense Media’s rating details of the film here: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/bully.

    “While it’s often heartbreaking and deals with tough issues like suicide, the movie addresses bullying in a frank and relatable way that is age appropriate for teens and relevant for middle schoolers if an adult is present to guide the discussion,” said James P. Steyer, Founder and CEO, Common Sense Media. “The MPAA’s ratings system is inadequate when it comes looking at a movie’s content through the lens of its larger thematic issues. Common Sense Media provides alternative ratings for parents who are looking for more guidance and context than the MPAA provides.”

    BULLY will be released in theaters on Friday, March 30th in New York at the Angelika Film Center and AMC Lincoln Square and in Los Angeles at The Landmark, ArcLight Hollywood and AMC Century City.

    BULLY is a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary. At its heart are those with huge stakes in this issue whose stories each represent a different facet of America’s bullying crisis. Filmed over the course of the 2009/2010 school year, BULLY opens a window onto the pained and often endangered lives of bullied kids, revealing a problem that transcends geographic, racial, ethnic and economic borders. It documents the responses of teachers and administrators to aggressive behaviors that defy “kids will be kids” clichés, and it captures a growing movement among parents and youths to change how bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in society as a whole.

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