• Maldives President Featured in The Island President Documentary Outsted In What He Called A Coup

    Mohamed Nasheed featured in the documentary ‘The Island President’ has been ousted from his post as president of the Maldives.

    Nasheed says he expects to be jailed after being ousted from his post earlier in the week in what he said was a coup at gunpoint.

    The Vice president Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik was installed as president.

    Protests against Mr Nasheed’s government started after he ordered the military to arrest the criminal court chief justice.

    The Maldives officially Republic of Maldives also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 700 kilometres (430 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and 400 kilometres (250 mi) south-west of India.

    The Island President tells the story of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, a man confronting a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced–the literal survival of his country and everyone in it.

    After leading a twenty-year pro-democracy movement against the brutal regime of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, surviving repeated imprisonments and torture, Nasheed becomes president at 41, only to encounter a far more implacable adversary than a dictator–the ocean. Considered the lowest lying country in the world, a rise of a mere three meters in sea level would inundate the 1200 islands of the Maldives, rendering the country practically unlivable. Unless dramatic changes are made by the larger countries of the world, the Maldives, like a modern Atlantis, will disappear under the waves.

    The Island President captures Nasheed’s first year of office, a time when he influences the direction of international events in a way that few leaders have ever done, even in countries many times the size of the Maldives. Nasheed’s story culminates in his trip to the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009, where we get a rare insider’s look at the political deal-making that goes on at such a top-level global assembly. Nasheed is unusually candid about revealing his strategies–leveraging the Maldives’ underdog position, harnessing the power of media, and overcoming deadlocks through an appeal to unity with other developing nations. When all hope fades for any kind of written accord to be signed, Nasheed makes a stirring speech which salvages an agreement. While Copenhagen is judged by many as a failure, it marked the first time in history that China, India, and the United States agreed to reduce carbon emissions.

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  • Shorts and Scary Films added to the 2012 SXSW

    [caption id="attachment_2424" align="alignnone"]V/H/S[/caption]

    The 2012 South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival has unveiled its film line-up for the Midnighters section and 135 short films will screen as part of twelve overall shorts programs. The festival will run from March 9 – 17, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

    Though our regular program already includes a healthy sampling of genre fare, the Midnighters section highlights those that go a bit crazier, gorier, and all-around balls out-ier,” said SXSW Senior Programmer & Operations Manager Jarod Neece.

    The additions to the 2012 SXSW lineup are:

    FEATURES
    MIDNIGHTERS
    Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.

    The Aggression Scale
    Director: Steven C. Miller, Screenwriter: Ben Powell
    4 hitmen + $500,000 of stolen cash + 1 family = WAR
    Cast: Fabianne Therese, Ryan Hartwig, Dana Ashbrook, Derek Mears, Jacob Reynolds, Joseph
    McKelheer, Boyd Kestner, Lisa Rotondi, Ray Wise (World Premiere)

    CITADEL (Ireland, Scotland)
    Director/Screenwriter: Ciarán Foy
    An agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children.
    Cast: Anuerin Barnard, James Cosmo, Wumni Mosaku, Jake Wilson, Amy Shiels (World Premiere)

    Girls Against Boys
    Director/Screenwriter: Austin Chick
    A psychological thriller about two girls on a killing spree. With edgy and ironic humor and a darkly meditative tone, it is also a coming-of-age story about a girl learning how the world really works.
    Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Nicole LaLiberte, Liam Aiken, Michael Stahl-David, Andrew Howard (World Premiere)

    Intruders (Spain, UK)
    Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Screenwriters: Nicolás Casariego, Jaime Marques
    The haunting story of two children living in different countries, each visited nightly by a faceless being who wants to take possession of them.
    Cast: Clive Owen, Carice Van Houten, Daniel Brühl, Pilar López de Ayala (U.S. Premiere)

    Iron Sky (Finland, Germany, Australia)
    Director: Timo Vuorensola, Screenwriters: Michael Kalesniko, Timo Vuorensola
    In 1945 the Nazis went to the moon; in 2018 they are coming back.
    Cast: Julia Dietze, Götz Otto, Christopher Kirby, Peta Sergeant, Stephanie Paul, Tilo Prückner, Michael Cullen, Udo Kier (North American Premiere)

    John Dies At The End
    Director & Screenwriter: Don Coscarelli
    On the street it’s called “soy sauce,” a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Suddenly, a silent otherworldly invasion is underway. Can college dropouts John and Dave save humanity? No, they can’t.
    Cast: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes, Paul Giamatti, Clancy Brown, Glynn Turman

    Modus Anomali (Indonesia)
    Director/Screenwriter: Joko Anwar
    A man tries to save his family who go missing during a vacation in the forest.
    Cast: Rio Dewanto, Hannah Al Rashid, Izziati Amara Isman, Aridh Tritama, Surya Saputra, Marsha Timothy, Sadha Triyudha, Jose Gamo (World Premiere)

    [REC] ³ GENESIS (Spain)
    Director: Paco Plaza
    Screenwriters: Luiso Berdejo, Paco Plaza
    Koldo and Clara’s wedding is horrifically interrupted when some of the guests start showing signs of a strange illness. Before they know what’s happening, the bride and groom find themselves in the middle of a hellish ordeal, as an uncontrollable torrent of violence is unleashed on the wedding.
    Cast: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin (World Premiere)

    Super Secret Screening
    Be the first to see this feature film coming to theaters near you.

    The Tall Man
    Director/Screenwriter: Pascal Laugier
    When her child goes missing, a mother looks to unravel the legend of the Tall Man, an entity who allegedly abducts children.
    Cast: Jessica Biel, Jodelle Ferland, Stephen McHattie, William B.Davis (World Premiere)

    V/H/S
    Directors: Ti West, Adam Wingard, Joe Swanberg, David Bruckner, Glenn Mcquaid, Radio Silence,
    Screenwriter: Ti West, Simon Barrett, David Bruckner, Radio Silence, Glenn Mcquaid
    A group of misfits are hired to burglarize a house in the countryside and acquire a rare tape. The guys are confronted with a dead body and an endless supply of cryptic footage, each video stranger than the last…
    Cast: Joe Swanberg, Calvin Reeder, Kate Lynn Shiel, Sophia Takal, Lane Hughes, Helen Rogers, Adam Wingard

    SHORT FILMS
    NARRATIVE SHORTS
    A selection of original, well-crafted films that take advantage of the short form and exemplify distinctive and genuine storytelling. The winner of our Grand Jury Award in this category is eligible for a 2013 Academy Award nomination for Best Narrative Short.

    Aaron Burr, Part 2
    Director: Dana O’Keefe
    History is a contest.

    Another Bullet Dodged
    Director: Landon Zakheim
    In the fading echoes of a relationship, character is revealed.

    Bear
    Director: Nash Edgerton
    Jack means well, but sometimes good intentions have horrible consequences.

    The Black Balloon
    Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
    In New York City, a lone black balloon, once part of a huge 100-balloon bouquet, learns that humans are complicated creatures with extreme highs and lows. Part Sci-Fi, part children’s film.

    The Chair
    Director: Grainger David
    The story of one boy’s reaction to a mysterious outbreak of poisonous mold in his small town.

    A Chjána (The Plain)
    Director: Jonas Carpignano
    Inspired by real events, A Chjàna (The Plain) follows Ayiva, an African migrant worker who seeks to reunite with his best friend in the wake of the most significant race riot in Italian history.

    A Fábrica
    Director: Aly Muritiba
    An inmate convinces his mother to take a risk smuggling a cell phone for him into the penitentiary.

    FOXES
    Director: Lorcan Finnegan
    A young couple trapped in a remote estate of empty houses and shrieking foxes are beckoned from their isolation into a twilight world. A world of the paranormal or perhaps insanity.

    Heimkommen (Coming Home)
    Director: Micah Magee
    When Robert’s girlfriend dies, he turns his grief against his younger sister Jo. Jo plays ice hockey with the boys, hoping to gather strength to bring her brother back to the land of the living.

    In The Pines
    Directors: Zeek Earl, Chris Caldwell
    Simultaneously an exploration of nature and psyche, the film documents a young woman’s hunt for extraterrestrial meaning. Part science fiction, part psycho-thriller, part poetry – this film crafts a memorable scene rooted in the Pacific Northwest.

    Joy
    Director: Colm Quinn
    Nicola reluctantly introduces her newborn daughter to her best friend Tess.

    Liar
    Director: Adam Garnet Jones
    When a brutal teenage revenge plot gets pushed too far, 14 year-old Tara is forced to choose between standing helplessly on the sidelines or stepping in to defend the boyfriend that hurt her.

    Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke
    Directors: Jillian Mayer, Lucas Leyva
    A modern Miami adaptation of the 1962 French short film La Jetee, starring Uncle Luke of the 2 Live Crew.

    Little Dad
    Director: Noah Pritzker
    An insecure father prepares for a party at his in-laws.

    Mouthful
    Director: Robert G. Putka
    Bobby and Bliss are a happy couple, that is, until they begin to tell each other things probably better left unsaid. A single question leads them down a highway to relationship hell.

    My Friend Kills Time
    Director: Jakob Rørvik
    Thomas moves to a remote cabin in an attempt to disappear completely… even from himself. My Friend Kills Time mixes visual textures and haunting soundscapes to create a cinematic diary of a young man’s isolation.

    Not Far From The Abattoir
    Director: Kyle Thomas
    A story of a man controlling his demons and trying to imagine a better life outside of the only town he has ever called home.

    Pitch Black Heist
    Director: John Maclean
    Two men, professional safe crackers, meet on a simple job to relieve an office safe of its contents. The catch; a light activated alarm system impelling them to embark on a pitch black heist.

    Playtime (Spielzeit)
    Director: Lucas Mireles
    A seamless journey through the lives of German youth on a Sunday afternoon.

    Random Strangers
    Director: Alexis Dos Santos
    Lulu and Rocky meet, fall in love, spend the night together, and fall asleep looking at each other…except for the fact that he is in Berlin and she is in Buenos Aires.

    Reinaldo Arenas
    Director: Lucas Leyva
    Told from the point of view of a dying shark, Reinaldo Arenas is the story of an unintentional immigrant in Miami.

    REMAINS
    Directors: Jeremiah Zagar, Nathan Caswell
    A blend of documentary and fiction, Remains is about recollection and fading memories. Combining three years of recorded voice messages with stunning macro photography, the film documents a relationship from its inception to its end.

    Sea Meadow
    Director: Lily Baldwin
    A disoriented young woman stumbles upon an empty estate. There are signs of a lush life, but the inhabitants have disappeared. Or have they? Sea Meadow revamps the thriller with pop mashups and stylized dance tableaux.

    Shoot the Freak
    Director: Bradford Willingham
    Through the freak’s musings, this film chronicles the last days of the iconic, abrasive Coney Island attraction Shoot the Freak. In masked anonymity, the nihilistic teen indulges in drug-induced daydreams of violence and oceanic abandon.

    A Short Film About Ice Fishing
    Director: Jason Shahinfar
    In rural South Dakota two friends go out for the most explosive day of ice fishing either will ever experience.

    Syndromes
    Directors: The Golden Filter, Kristoffer Borgli
    A young girl’s bizarre and unexplained ability to help others leads to her involvement in a sinister underworld.

    Would You
    Directors: Brian McGinn, Rod Blackhurst
    Two friends play ‘Would You Rather.’ When their choices magically start to come true, they find themselves in a variety of awkward and funny situations.

    DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
    Unfiltered slices of life, from across the documentary spectrum.

    Aisha’s Song
    Director: Orlando von Einsiedel
    Musically lush and stunningly shot, Aisha’s Song is a touching and uplifting story of female empowerment from a part of the world where women are all too often overlooked.

    A Brief History of John Baldessari
    Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
    No more boring films! Everything you need to know about the godfather of Conceptual Art… narrated by Tom Waits.

    BRUTE FORCE
    Director: Ben Steinbauer
    The story of Apple Records notoriously irreverent recording artist, Brute Force.

    CatCam
    Director: Seth Keal
    When a German engineer creates a tiny camera for his newly adopted stray cat to wear, the photographs reveal more than ever expected.

    Cutting Loose
    Directors: Finlay Pretsell, Adrian McDowall
    “I’m trusted with a pair of scissors and I’m in here for murder.” A snapshot of prison life in the build up to the annual hairdressing competition.

    Family Nightmare
    Director: Dustin Guy Defa
    Unearthed home movies and haunting dubbed voices collide to create a personal portrait of family dysfunction.

    The Fuse: or How I Burned Simon Bolivar
    Director: Igor Drljaca
    A nine-year-old boy thinks he is responsible for the civil war in Bosnia.

    Kudzu Vine
    Director: Josh Gibson
    This ode to the climbing, trailing, and coiling species Pueraria lobata evokes the agricultural history and mythic textures of the American South.

    The Love Competition
    Director: Brent Hoff
    The World’s First Love Competition.

    The Man That Got Away
    Director: Trevor Anderson
    A musical documentary that tells the true life story of Trevor’s great-uncle Jimmy in six original songs.

    Meaning of Robots
    Director: Matt Lenski
    Mike Sullivan’s world is overrun by an army of miniature sex robots with no end in sight.

    Minor/Major: The TV on the Radio Tour Documentary
    Director: Chioke Nassor
    An intense documentary portrait on the band TV on the Radio as they transition from minor label darlings to major label success.

    New York Accent
    Director: Caleb Slain
    Once a man with all the answers, Dr. Ed Dobson is struggling to resolve his own questions before succumbing to the unusual disease eating away his body.

    Written in Ink
    Director: Martin Rath
    Can one change what has already been written in ink?

    SX GLOBAL SHORTS
    A showcase for cutting-edge documentary shorts from around the world.

    Abuelas
    Director: Afarin Eghbal
    In Buenos Aires, an old woman looks forward to all the joys of becoming a grandmother. However, unfolding historic events mean she is forced to wait over 30 years.

    The Contest
    Director: Jakub Cuman
    Observational documentary made during the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition

    Preliminaries in 2010.
    Chronicle of Oldrich S.
    Director: Rudolf Smid
    Mr Sedlacek wrote one-sentence entries in his chronicle from 1981 to 2005, everyday stories of his life, his village, and of international events. This animated documentary is based on 80 of those entries.

    The Contract
    Director: Lina Mannheimer
    On the 5th of May 2005, Beverly Charpentier declares an oath of allegiance to Catherine Robbe-Grillet. Hereby she gives up her freedom, for the rest of her life.

    Doctor Rao
    Directors: Alexej Tchernyi, Wu Zhi
    Doctor Rao passed away. Family and friends are celebrating his last journey.

    Walt Disney Square
    Directors: Renata Pinheiro, Sergio Oliveira
    A “quasi-musical” approach to contemporary urban life that reflects Brazilian society and many others throughout the world, this documentary describes at the same time a place, a city and a country.

    ANIMATED SHORTS
    An assortment of stories told using a mix of traditional animation, computer-generated effects, stopmotion, and everything in-between. The winner of our Grand Jury Award in this category is eligible for a 2013 Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short.

    663114
    I am a 66-year cicada. There was a big earthquake. There was a big tsunami. There also was a big accident.

    Belly
    Director: Julia Pott
    I can feel you in my belly.

    Caldera
    Director: Evan Viera
    A young girl goes off her medication to leave a bleak metropolis and immerse herself in a vibrant oceanic cove.

    Chocolate Milk
    Director: Eliza Kinkz
    Growing up in a Texas drug rehab, a teenage girl learns the rules of life and dairy products.

    Combustion
    Director: Renaud Hallée
    Fire used as a visual and musical tool.

    Giraffe Danger
    Director: Randall Hopkins
    A giraffe with personal space anxiety has a bad day.

    The Hunter
    Director: Marieka Walsh
    A hunter searches for a missing boy deep in the snow covered mountains. He must make decisions that will forever change his relationship with the wilderness he fears. The Hunter is a stop-motion sand animation.

    “it’s such a beautiful day”
    Director: Don Hertzfeldt
    Bill finds himself in a hospital struggling with memory problems, in this third and final chapter to Don Hertzfeldt’s “Everything will be OK” trilogy.

    Little Boat
    Director: Nelson Boles
    One little boat, one big journey.

    The Maker
    Director: Christopher Kezelos
    Life is what you make it.

    (notes on) biology
    Director: Danny Madden
    An animated account of an organism adapting to its environment.

    Once It Started It Could Not End Otherwise
    Director: Kelly Sears
    A terrifying look back at high school.

    Paint Showers
    Director: Miguel Jiron
    Swirling cosmos of paint give way to a storm of color and drips.

    Photographs
    Directors: Christina Manrique, Robert Clogher
    An elderly woman living in an abandoned town finds a camera, which becomes a means for her to recreate her past life and remember a lost love.

    Reddish Brown and Blueish Green
    Director: Samantha Gurry
    Child services, schwag, and the American dream.

    The Shrine / An Argument
    Director: Sean Pecknold
    An elk wanders through a world of madness.

    Summer Bummer
    Director: Bill Plympton
    A man daydreams about what terror could be lurking in his backyard pool.

    MIDNIGHT SHORTS
    Bite-sized bits for all of your sex, genre, and hilarity needs.

    Cheap Extermination
    Director: Minka Farthing-Kohl
    For Ernst, the perfect disguise was to play himself.

    Cherry On Top
    Director: Mike Damanskis
    A prostitute finds new ways to attract business.

    Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared
    Directors: Rebecca Sloan, Joseph Pelling
    A short film about teaching creativity—by This Is It Collective.

    Duck Sauce, “Big Bad Wolf”
    Director: Keith Schofield
    Keith Schofield’s original, outrageous and very, very funny promo for Duck Sauce’s single Big Bad Wolf has been burning up the internet, causing millions of pelvises to be thrust worldwide. An instant classic.

    I Am Your Grandma
    Director: Jillian Mayer
    An autobiographical video diary log (vlog) that Jillian Mayer records for her unborn grandchildren.

    J.P.B.F.
    Director: Steve Collins
    A woman interviews for a job at a nefarious company that may or may not f**k b**ts.

    Jacuzzi Boys, “Glazin”
    Directors: Lucas Leyva, Jillian Mayer
    Glazin’ is part of a larger narrative where a group of 6 anonymous girls innocently paint their privates and rig them to lip-synch their favorite song as a gift to the band.

    Machines of the Working Class
    Directors: James Dastoli, Robert Dastoli
    Two robotic blue-collar workers take a brief hiatus to discuss delusions of grandeur.

    Man & Gun
    Director: Brian McOmber
    A post 9/11 fairy tale about a man’s love affair with guns.

    Merman
    Director: Jono Foley
    Harrison swims through the darkest recesses of his mind.

    Other
    Director: Daniel DelPurgatorio
    Patrick is a brilliant doctor in an obsessive race to alter his own grim prognosis. During a series of unconventional experiments, he discovers a scientific loophole unlike anything he had ever imagined.

    Perished
    Directors: Aaron McCann, Stefan Androv Radanovich
    Sometimes survival is worse than death.

    Zombie Chic
    Director: Todd Cobery
    A stuffy dinner party is interrupted by the zombie apocalypse.

    MUSIC VIDEOS
    A range of classic, innovative, and stylish work showcasing the scope of music video culture.

    Alexander, ”A Million Years”
    Director: Benjamin Kutsko

    Baskerville, ”Reloaded”
    Director: Marieke Verbiesen

    Battles, ”My Machines”
    Director: DANIELS

    Casey Veggies, ”Euphoria II”
    Director: John Bollozos

    Céline Desrumaux, ”Countdown”
    Director: Céline Desrumaux

    CHRISTEENE, “African Mayonnaise”
    Director: PJ Raval

    Cults, ”You Know What I Mean”
    Director: Kevin Lin

    Ganesh Rao, ”Empyrean”
    Director: Ganesh Rao

    The Good The Bad, “030”
    Jeppe Kolstrup

    Gotye (Feat. Kimbra), ”Somebody That I Used To Know”
    Director: Natasha Pincus

    Hawaaii, ”Welcome”
    Director: Churl Gwon

    Herman Dune, ”Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”
    Director: Toben Seymour

    Hooray For Earth, ”True Loves”
    Director: Young Replicant

    Hyperpotamus, ”De Camino”
    Director: Lucas Borras

    Kina Grannis,”In Your Arms”
    Director: Greg Jardin

    Little Tybee, ”Boxcar Fair”
    Directors: Brock Scott, Tom Haney

    Ok Go, ”All Is Not Lost”
    Director: Ok Go, Pilobolus, & Trish Sie

    Porter Robinson, ”Spitfire”
    Director: Saman Keshavarz

    Son of Kick,“Playing the Villain”
    Director: Matt Devine (Glues Society)

    When Saints Go Machine, ”Parix”
    Director: Daniel Kragh-Jacobsen

    Whomadewho, ”Every Minute Alone”
    Director: William Stahl

    Yip Deceiver, “Get Strict”
    Directors: Brandon LaGanke, John Carlucci

    Yuksek, ”ALWAYS ON THE RUN”
    Directors: David Hache, Marc-Edouard Leon

    TEXAS SHORTS
    An offshoot of our regular narrative shorts program, composed of work shot in, about, or somehow relating to the Lone Star state.

    foolproof
    Directors: Zach Anner, Marshall Rimmer
    Zach Anner, the freeloading roommate, and Marshall Rimmer, the responsible businessman, eat their morning cereal together.

    The Gathering Squall
    Director: Hannah Fidell
    A teenage girl is forced into adulthood after she is assaulted by a classmate.

    The Guessing Game
    Director: Angela Cheng
    A very short comedy set in a retirement home with senior citizens. On the morning of his birthday, Emmett asks his fellow residents to guess his age and is surprised by their answers.

    Hellion
    Director: Kat Candler
    All hell breaks loose when seven-year-old Petey is left with his hell-raising brothers. But things go from bad to really, really bad when Dad gets home.

    Knife
    Director: James M. Johnston
    From the rugged cross-timbers of Texas comes a portrait of greed and vengeance.

    Magpie
    Director: Russell O. Buh
    On a trip to reconnect with his estranged and recently engaged daughter, Phillip finds a sex tape of the little girl he used to know. Dinner is going to be awkward.

    Spark
    Director: Annie Silverstein
    While a boy waits out his father’s tryst he is unexpectedly forced to deal with the lady-friend’s daughter. Set on a ranch in Bastrop, Texas, Spark uses the environment to explore the internal space of children.

    Tumbleweed!
    Director: Jared Varava
    The true and historically accurate tale of one tumbleweed that did not tumble.

    What It’s Like
    Director: Matt Naylor
    A magazine writer goes to an old folks home to buy mushrooms from one of the elderly residents. What starts as a bizarre transaction becomes a moment of connection across generations.

    TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS
    Texas High School students offer a glimpse of a bright future for Texas filmmaking.

    The Apparition
    Director: Jonathan Munoz
    Paranormal Elimination 101.

    The Bench
    Directors: Kalen Doyle, Hirsh Elhence
    There’s a note for that.

    The Bench
    Director: Christian Benavides
    One son’s letter to his father.

    Boom
    Directors: Daniel Matyas, Brian Broder
    All around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel. The monkey thought ’twas all in fun, then Pop! goes the weasel.

    Burn Spark
    Directors: Maqui Gaona, J.J. Rubin
    In the future, one man fights the system to choose his own love.

    Chance
    Director: Jasmine DePucci
    A young girl experiences a transformation by an evil spirit contained within the fluffy seams of a teddy bear.

    Code Red
    Director: Zach Prengler
    Four nerdy guys buy the hottest video game of the year, but what they bought was not what they expected.

    Drawings
    Directors: Christian Larrave, Alex McKenna
    The story of two doodles in love.

    Drones
    Director: Micah Autry
    A social issue film that projects the life of the protagonist and how he overcomes constraints of a normal life.

    Drum Roll Please
    Director: Alexander Villanueva
    Opposable thumbs have allowed humans to become the dominant species. How dominant, you say?

    Janitor’s Laundry
    Director: Brian Broder
    A dark thriller exploring the actions of a murderous janitor, who attacks lonely victims at the local laundrymat.

    Josh Lumsden, “Guilty”
    Director: Josh Lumsden
    Josh Lumsden sings and dances while trapped in a mental asylum.

    Julian Edmonson: Who I Am
    Director: Jake Wangner
    Julian Edmonson is a point guard who graduated from Fossil Ridge High School. This is a video putting a spotlight on this student before he went off to college.

    Knit-Picky
    Director: Bobby Jorgenson
    Life socks.

    Language
    Director: Leah Schell
    Jason and his Korean foreign exchange student struggle to overcome a language barrier.

    Masterpiece
    Director: Anele Page
    An artist struggles to create a masterpiece for a special cause.

    McChange: a Manifesto
    Directors: Jonathan Griffin, Josiah Sandhu
    Mark McNeil is the president that Pasadena Memorial High deserves, but doesn’t need right now.

    Plasticine Dream
    Directors: Samantha Fine, Andrew Fields
    Romance molded into the shape of a dream.

    The Process
    Director: Ty Whittington
    Ty Whittington, a young artist, takes us through the process of creating an artistic illustration in his own way.

    The Proposal
    Directors: Marcella Jimenez, Susannah Rodrigue
    The story of a young boys hope for childhood love.

    SAFE
    Director: Pierce Harvell
    When a tornado threatens the lives of two brothers, one decides to take the initiative towards survival despite the reservations of his twin.

    Silent Night
    Director: James Bradford
    Run fat boy, run!

    Zwichensug
    Directors: Cole Martin, Josh Willis
    An anonymous man with skills of inexplicable origin infiltrates the corporate hideout of a shady, but high-ranking businessman. Using fast and fluid tactics, our protagonist is determined to complete his task.

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  • Indie Film Up There Among Winners of 2012 Santa Barbara International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_2422" align="alignnone"]UP THERE, directed by Zam Salim[/caption]

    The 27th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival announced the winners of the 2012 festival competition and awarded UP THERE, directed by Zam Salim won the Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema.

    The winning films are as follows:

    The Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema, given to a unique independent feature that has been made outside mainstream Hollywood, went to UP THERE, directed by Zam Salim, about Martin, whois stuck in a dead-end job, welcoming the newly departed into the afterlife. All he dreams of is going “up there,” and he attempts to cope with his death by keeping his nose clean and minding his own business. But all this is thrown into disarray when, in order to track down an errant lost soul. Winner received a Panavision camera package worth $60,000.

    A special Jury Prize for Artistic Distinction was awarded to BARRYMORE, directed by Erik Canuel and starring Christopher Plummer, to acknowledge Mr. Plummer’s superb performance, Mr. Luce’s remarkable play and Mr. Canuel’s adaptation and uncanny ability to capture the play (originally directed by Gene Saks) in a completely original piece of cinematic art.

    The Best International Film Award went to FREE MEN, directed by Ismael Ferroukhi about an Algerian Muslim immigrant who joins the French Resistance to save Algerian Jews.

    The Nueva Vision Award for the best Spanish/Latin American film was awarded to FOUND MEMORIES, directed by Julia Murat. A young photographer finds a forgotten ghost town where only a handful of old people live, and changes their lives forever.

    The jury awarded an Honorable Mention to THE RUMBLE OF THE STONES (El Rumor de las Piedras), directed by Alejandro Bellame Palacios. Venezuela’s official submission for the Academy Awards, Rumble of the Stones is a heartfelt and compelling portrait of the enduring power of a mother’s love against the backdrop of the social problems of modern-day Venezuela

    Best Documentary Film Awardwent to PRETTY OLD, directed by Walter Matteson. Pretty Old follows four diverse women, ages 67 to 94, competing in the 30th year Anniversary of the Ms. Senior Sweetheart Beauty Pageant in Fall River, Massachusetts, exploring what it truly means to “age beautifully.”

    The Cinema Nouveau Award went to HEAT WAVE (Apres Le Sud),directed by Jean- Jacques Jauffret. Based on a true story, HEAT WAVE offers up a story from intersecting points of view where different destinies cross paths and are reunited by a tragic event.

    Bruce Corwin Award for Best Live Action Short Film Under 30 Minutes went toL TRAIN, directed by Anna Musso. Executive produced by Alexander Payne, L TRAIN is the story of Sunny, a teenaged African American girl commuting through an inner city winter – an existence that injects a negativity into her long days.

    Bruce Corwin Award for Best Animation Short Film went to THE MISSING KEY, directed by Jonathan Nix. In a richly re-imagined Venice of the early 1920s, young composer Hero Wasabi must compete against the unscrupulous Count Telefino in the prestigious Abacus Scroll musical competition.

    The Fund for Santa Barbara Social Justice Award Sponsored by The Fund for Santa Barbara for a documentary film that addresses social justice issues also went to DIRTY ENERGY, directed by Bryan Hopkins, which tells the personal story of those directly affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill and who are now struggling to rebuild their lives amidst the economic devastation and long-term health risks. Winner receives $2500.

    The Audience Choice Award, sponsored by the SB Independent, went to STARBUCK, directed by Ken Scott, about a former sperm donor who discovers he’s the father of 533 children, 142 of whom have filed a class action lawsuit to determine the identity of their biological father, known only by the pseudonym Starbuck.

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  • Canadian Film MONSIEUR LAZHAR Wins UPC Audience Award of the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2012

    [caption id="attachment_1958" align="alignnone"]UPC Audience Award Winner is Philippe Falardeau’s MONSIEUR LAZHAR [/caption]

    The UPC Audience Award of the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2012 was awarded to Philippe Falardeau’s MONSIEUR LAZHAR (Canada, 2011).

    The Dioraphte Award for the highest-scoring film in the audience poll among the seventeen festival films made with support from the Hubert Bals Fund was won by GOODBYE by Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof.

    The winner of the UPC Audience Award, MONSIEUR LAZHAR, is a film in the spirit of ÊTRE ET AVOIR, in which the Algerian immigrant Lazhar helps a primary school class come to terms with a tragic loss, while benefitting himself from the innocence of the schoolchildren. MONSIEUR LAZHAR, which also took the award for Best Canadian feature film at the Toronto film festival and is in the running for an Oscar for best foreign film, will be given a Dutch theatrical release on 22 March 2012 by Imagine Nederland.

    In the Dioraphte Award winner GOODBYE, a young female lawyer tries to leave Iran. This personal, gripping film by Rasoulof, who himself has been the subject of legal persecution in Iran for his films, was made thanks to a contribution from the Hubert Bals Fund.
    Other films scoring highly in the audience award poll included Martin Scorsese’s HUGO, DIE UNSICHTBARE by Christian Schwochow (Germany) and the topical documentary BACK TO THE SQUARE by Petr Lom (Norway).

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  • Films from Serbia, Chile and China Win 2012 IFFR Hivos Tiger Awards

    [caption id="attachment_2419" align="alignnone" width="550"]The winner of the NETPAC Award 2012 is: SENTIMENTAL ANIMAL by Wu Quan[/caption]

    The winning films of the 41st International Film Festival Rotterdam were announced at the IFFR 2012 Awards Ceremony. The three Hivos Tiger Awards were granted to feature débuts EGG AND STONE by Huang Ji (China), THURSDAY TILL SUNDAY by Dominga Sotomayor (Chile/Netherlands) and CLIP by Maja Miloš (Serbia), which also took the KNF Award of the Dutch film critics.

    NEIGHBOURING SOUNDS by Kleber Mendonça Filho (Brazil) took the FIPRESCI Award and Chinese film SENTIMENTAL ANIMAL by Wu Quan was awarded by the NETPAC Jury.

    The three winners of the equal Hivos Tiger Awards 2012 are:

    KLIP (CLIP) by Maja Miloš (Serbia, 2012)
    ‘A vigorous, rebellious, authentic, honest and revealing film using modern means to depict in a punchy way the mobile generation, who capture their lives through images recorded on their phones. An emotionally disturbed main character in a fractured family, within a broken society. KLIP provokes many questions and gives no answers.’

    DE JUEVES A DOMINGO (THURSDAY TILL SUNDAY) by Dominga Sotomayor (Chile/Netherlands, 2012)
    ‘In focus, this film is a very precise and gentle depiction of the intimate space of a family. We are captured in a journey seen through a child’s perspective, and recall the moments of our own childhood, at the same time experiencing and understanding all the complexities that adult life entails. The minimalistic story is revealed through the fresh angles of the camerawork. A gentle piece, rich with sensitive observations.’

    JIDAN HE SHITOU (EGG AND STONE) by Huang Ji (China, 2012)
    ‘The director creates a sensation by telling the private story of a girl who unwillingly becomes trapped in a life in the margins. The taboo present in the film is broken by means of poetic language. The director does so with a convincing author’s approach and sensitive direction of non-professional actors. The beautifully framed, conscious choice of camerawork is relevant to storytelling, and unveils human secrets.’

    NETPAC Award
    The NETPAC Jury (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) awards the best Asian film in IFFR 2012 Official Selection.

    The winner of the NETPAC Award 2012 is:

    SENTIMENTAL ANIMAL by Wu Quan (China, 2011)
    ‘For employing innovative visual and narrative construction to cultivate a poignant cinematic style, thereby creating a subtle metonymy about the power structure and tension-ridden human relationships in Chinese society today.’

    SENTIMENTAL ANIMAL had its international premiere in the Bright Future-section for first or second time filmmakers of the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2012.


    FIPRESCI Award
    The Jury of the international association of film critics FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique) awards the best film in the Tiger Awards Competition.

    The winner of the Rotterdam FIPRESCI Award 2012 is:

    O SOM AO REDOR (NEIGHBOURING SOUNDS) by Kleber Mendonça Filho (Brazil, 2012)
    ‘For evoking an atmosphere of paranoia and menace through a highly ambitious use of sound and cinematography the winner is NEIGHBOURING SOUNDS.’


    KNF Award
    The Jury of the Circle of Dutch film journalists KNF (Kring van Nederlandse Filmjournalisten) awards the best film from a selection of IFFR 2012-titles that have not yet been acquired for Dutch distribution.

    From the selected films, the KNF Jury nominated three films: NANA by Valérie Massadian (France) from Bright Future and the competing films KLIP by Maja Miloš (Serbia) and SUDOESTE by Eduardo Nunes (Brazil).

    The winner of the KNF Award 2012 is:

    KLIP (CLIP) by Maja Miloš (Serbia, 2012)
    ‘The winning film is a daring and stunning debut, portraying an abandoned Serbian post-war generation. Its talented young director succeeds in constructing a brutal portrait using the pervasive and uninhibited visual language of the cell phone generation. It shows teens obsessively identifying with video clips, glorifying sex and violence and turning themselves into victims of pornofication. Though confronting, disturbing and explicit, KLIP skilfully succeeds in avoiding the trap of exploitation.
    We really hope a Dutch distributor will show the same courage as Maja Miloš did in making this film.’

    KLIP saw its world premiere in the Tiger Awards Competition 2012.

     

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  • ARTE France Cinéma and Eurimages Awards for Best CineMart Projects handed out for 2012 International Film Festival Rotterdam

    [caption id="attachment_2417" align="alignnone"]Athina Rachel Tsangari [/caption]

    DUNCHARON by Athina Rachel Tsangari (Greece, ATTENBERG and producer of DOGTOOTH and ALPS) wins the ARTE France Cinéma Award and first feature project HUMIDITY by Nikola Ljuca (Serbia) – one of the five projects in the BOOST!-program, a collaboration of CineMart, the Hubert Bals Fund and Binger Filmlab – takes the Eurimages Co-Production Development Award at the 29th CineMart, co-production market of the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The Jury gave a Special Mention to Indian-American co-production THE LUNCHBOX by Ritesh Batra (India).

    The winners and the Jury statements are:

    ‘First of all we were all very happy to meet with all the filmmakers of these projects.
    To see and feel how much energy and creativity they brought to these stories was very inspiring. This year’s CineMart projects were very diverse and all the projects had their own uniqueness. We are giving three awards.’

    ARTE France Cinéma Award
    The ARTE France Cinéma Award (10,000 Euro) for the Best CineMart 2012 Project is given to DUNCHARON by Athina Rachel Tsangari (Greece), a co-production of Haos Films and Faliro House Productions (Greece), Maharaja Films (France) and The Match Factory GmbH (Germany).

    ‘A project that is close to science fiction but finally speaks much more about the European sub-consciousness in an original way.’

    Eurimages Co-Production Development Award
    The Eurimages Co-Production Development Award (30,000 Euro) for the Best CineMart 2012 Project with a European partner is given to HUMIDITY by Nikola Ljuca (Serbia), a co-production of Dart Film (Serbia) and zischlermann filmproduktion GmbH (Germany)

    HUMIDITY is one of the five CineMart 2012 Projects in the BOOST!-program, a collaboration with the Hubert Bals Fund and Binger Filmlab. Spring 2011, Nikola Ljuca’s project received Hubert Bals Fund support for script and project development. Subsequently, he participated in the Binger Filmlab On Demand Programme and has been selected for CineMart 2012.

    ‘A project where through an intimate story about the post-war generation in Serbia, the filmmaker shows that despite gaining the image of economical success, one has forgotten the meaning of love, past and oneself.’

    Special Mention
    In addition to the Awards, the Jury gave a Special Mention to THE LUNCHBOX by Ritesh Batra (India), a co-production by Anurag Kashyap Productions Pvt Ltd (India) and Cine Mosaic (USA).

    ‘A special mention to a project that shows us that if you by chance get the wrong mail delivered it may change your life. This project shows that nothing is for granted. A mistake can also be a chance if you’re willing to take it.’

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  • Andrew Haigh’s WEEKEND Wins MovieSquad Award at 2012 International Film Festival Rotterdam

    British film WEEKEND by Andrew Haigh (UK, 2011), about a relationship between two gay men, has won the MovieSquad IFFR Award.

    In their statement about WEEKEND the jury said:
    “Realistic and subtle, two words that describe this love story best. The wonderful acting, great use of light and beautiful conversations made it very pure and fascinating to watch, even the sexual scenes. The ending was just right!”

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  • Art Directors Guild Announced the 16th Annual ADG Awards Winners

    [caption id="attachment_2392" align="alignnone"]HUGO[/caption]

    The Art Directors Guild (ADG) last night announced the winners of its 16th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards in nine categories of film, television, commercials and music videos during black-tie ceremonies at the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

    ADG awards recognition always goes to the Production Designer, Art Director, Assistant Art Director and their team of each nominated and winning project.

    WINNERS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A FEATURE FILM IN 2011:

    Period Film

    HUGO Production Designer: Dante Ferretti

    Fantasy Film

    HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 Production Designer: Stuart Craig

    Contemporary Film

    THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO Production Designer: Donald Graham Burt

     

    WINNERS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN IN TELEVISION FOR 2011:

    One-Hour Single Camera Television Series

    BOARDWALK EMPIRE Episode: 21 Production Designer: Bill Groom

    Television Movie or Mini-Series

    MILDRED PIERCE Production Designer: Mark Friedberg

    Episode of a Half Hour Single-Camera Television Series

    MODERN FAMILY Episode: Express Christmas Production Designer: Richard Berg

    Episode of a Multi-Camera, Variety, or Unscripted Series

    SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Episode: Host Justin Timberlake, And Musical Guest – Lady Gaga Production Designer: Keith Ian Raywood, Eugene Lee, Leo Yoshimura, N. Joseph De Tullio

    Awards, Music, or Game Shows

    83rd ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS Production Designer: Steve Bass

    WINNERS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR COMMERCIALS AND MUSIC VIDEOS FOR 2011:

    ACTIVISION: CALL OF DUTY Modern Warfare 3 Production Designer: Neil Spisak

    ADG Awards are open only to productions, when made within the U.S., by producers signatory to the IATSE agreement. Foreign entries are acceptable without restrictions.

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  • Two Documentary Filmmakers Working With Director James Cameron Killed in Helicopter Crash

     

    [caption id="attachment_2389" align="alignnone" width="393"]From left: Mike deGruy, Andrew Wight and James Cameron. Photo: Brook Rushton | National Geographic[/caption]

    Two filmmakers, Mike deGruy, a biologist and conservationist, and Andrew Wight, a pilot and underwater cave diver, working with filmmaker James Cameron and National Geographic on a documentary film, were killed in a helicopter crash in Australia on Saturday.

    Andrew Wight, 52, was the documentary-producing partner of James Cameron and the two recently co-produced Andrew’s first feature film, Sanctum 3D.

    Mike deGruy, 60, spent 30 years producing and directing documentary films about the ocean and was the director of undersea photography for Cameron’s Last Mysteries of the Titanic.

    Reacting to the deaths, Cameron said, “Mike and Andrew were like family to me. They were my deep-sea brothers, and both were true explorers who did extraordinary things and went places no human being has been. They died doing exactly what they loved most, heading out to sea on a new and personally challenging expedition, having fun in the way they defined it for themselves, which was hardship and toil to achieve something never done before. They were passionate storytellers who lived by the explorer’s code of humor, empathy, optimism, and courage. Their deaths are a tremendous loss for the world of underwater exploration, conservation, and filmmaking.”

    Cameron added, “Andrew was kind and loyal, full of life and a sense of fun, and above all, a careful planner who stressed safety to everyone on his team every single day. It is cruelly ironic that he died flying a helicopter, which was second nature to him, like driving a car would be to most people.”

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  • Minkyu Lee’s Adam and Dog Among Winners of 39th Annie Awards

    [caption id="attachment_2387" align="alignnone" width="549"]Best Animated Short Subject: Adam and Dog – Minkyu Lee[/caption]

    The Oscar-nominated film “Rango,” won the Annie Award for animated feature from the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, on Saturday night. Minkyu Lee’s Adam and Dog won the award for Best Animated Short Subject.

    Patton Oswalt, who was recently nominated by the Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles Film Critics’ Associations for his performance in the film Young Adult starring opposite Charlize Theron, hosted this year’s 39th Annual Annie Awards on Saturday, February 4, 2012, at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

    The complete list of winners of the 39th Annual Annie Awards

    PRODUCTION CATEGORIES

    Best Animated Feature
    Rango – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production

    Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production
    Kung Fu Panda – Secrets of the Masters – DreamWorks Animation

    Best Animated Short Subject
    Adam and Dog – Minkyu Lee

    Best Animated Television Commercial
    Twinings “Sea” – Psyop

    Best General Audience Animated TV Production
    The Simpsons – Gracie Films

    Best Animated Television Production – Preschool
    Disney Jake and the Never Land Pirates – Disney Television Animation

    Best Animated Television Production – Children
    The Amazing World of Gumball – Cartoon Network in Association with Dandelion Studios, Boulder Media & Studio Soi

    Best Animated Video Game
    Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet – Shadow Planet Productions, Gagne/Fuelcell


    INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES

    Animated Effects in an Animated Production
    Kevin Romond “Tintin” – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

    Animated Effects in a Live Action Production
    Florent Andorra “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” – Industrial Light & Magic

    Character Animation in a Television Production
    Tony Smeed “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

    Character Animation in a Feature Production
    Jeff Gabor “Rio” – Blue Sky Studios

    Character Animation in a Live Action Production
    Eric Reynolds “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” – 20th Century Fox

    Character Design in a Television Production
    Bill Schwab “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

    Character Design in a Feature Production
    Mark “Crash” McCreery “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production

    Directing in a Television Production
    Matthew Nastuk “The Simpsons” – Gracie Films

    Directing in a Feature Production
    Jennifer Yuh Nelson “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation

    Music in a Television Production
    Grace Potter, Michael Giacchino “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

    Music in a Feature Production
    John Williams “Tintin” – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

    Production Design in a Television Production
    Mark Bodnar, Chris Tsirgiotis, Sue Mondt and Daniel Elson “Secret Mountain Fort Awesome” – Cartoon Network Studios

    Production Design in a Feature Production
    Raymond Zibach “Kung Fu Panda 2” – DreamWorks Animation

    Storyboarding in a Television Production
    Brian Kesinger “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

    Storyboarding in a Feature Production
    Jeremy Spears “Winnie The Pooh” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

    Voice Acting in a Television Production
    Jeff Bennett as Kowalski “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation

    Voice Acting in a Feature Production
    Bill Nighy as Grandsanta “Arthur Christmas” – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations

    Writing in a Television Production
    Carolyn Omine “The Simpsons -Treehouse of Horror XXII” – Gracie Films

    Writing in a Feature Production
    John Logan, Gore Verbinski and James Byrkit “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Productions

    Editing in Television Production
    Ted Machold, Jeff Adams, Doug Tiano, Bob Tomlin “Penguins of Madagascar” – Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation

    Editing in a Feature Production
    Craig Wood, A.C.E. “Rango” – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present


    JURIED AWARDS

    Winsor McCay Award —Walt Peregoy, Borge Ring, Ronald Searle

    June Foray — Art Leonardi

    Special Achievement — Depth Analysis


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  • RIP Actor Ben Gazzara Died in NY at 81

    [caption id="attachment_2385" align="alignnone"]Actor Ben Gazzara was awarded the Donostia prize for lifetime achievement at the 2005 San Sebastian Film Festival in San Sebastian.[/caption]

    Actor Ben Gazzara, known for his strong performances on film, television and on Broadway including his role in “The Big Lebowski,” died Friday in Manhattan, New York at the age of 81.

    The cause was pancreatic cancer, his lawyer, Jay Julien, said.

    Gazzara made his movie debut in 1957 in Calder Willingham’s “The Strange One,” and followed that film with “Anatomy of a Murder”

    In addition to the “The Big Lebowski,”other films included Spike Lee’s “Summer of Sam” in 1999, where he played a mobster. He also spent time acting in movies in Italy, where he appeared in Marco Ferreri’s 1981 adaptation of Charles Bukowski’s “Tales of Ordinary Madness”; “Il Camorrista” (1986), directed by Giuseppe Tornatore; and Stefano Mignucci’s “Bandits” (1995).

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  • Gonzo Style Documentary Bailout to Screen at 2012 Derby City Film Festival

    The documentary Bailout will screen at this year’s Derby City Film Festival.

    Why? According to the filmmakers, since “Gonzo Journalism” was born at the Derby, it’s only fitting that Bailout will screen at this year’s Derby City Film Festival.

    The “Gonzo” style deviates from standard factual narratives by altogether jettisoning any pretext of objectivity where the author figures prominently as a character in the story.

    That definition fits the new feature documentary Bailout like silks on a jockey. Bailout is the tale of an unemployed Chicago lawyer who stops paying his mortgage and enlists four friends (also unemployed) to join him in a Winnebago trip to Las Vegas. Their plan is tear a page out of Wall Street’s playbook and piss away the bank’s money by gambling and partying their asses off. Along the way our gang discovers first hand how Americans have been adversely affected by the financial crisis, principally through foreclosures.

    Bailout focuses on unchecked financial fraud and the refusal to punish such fraud that lies at the root of our nation’s illness, examined through the well informed filter of its lead character, John Titus and his “dukes of moral hazard”.

    While many financial documentaries have done a great job of enraging audiences and leaving us shaking our heads, Bailout is also a call to action culminating with the Tea Party and subsequently the Occupy Wall Street movement -both of which saw ordinary Americans railing against bailouts of recklessly greedy banks- Bailout inspires Americans to exercise their right to speak out against injustice and take their grievances to the streets until their voices are heard.

    To quote Sean Fahey the director, “It will make you laugh, it will piss you off, and I can promise that you will rarely see a stranger form of patriotism from a stranger group of people”.

    Bailout screens at the Derby City Film Festival on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at 3:30 p.m. EST.

     

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