• 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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  • 2012 New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival Announces Films and jury

    [caption id="attachment_2378" align="alignnone" width="549"]A Monster in Paris[/caption]

    The New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival announced the jury and full lineup for the 2012 event, which runs March 2-25 at New York’s DGA Theater, Walter Reade Theater, IFC Center, Peter Norton Symphony Space, Asia Society, Scholastic Theater, and Cantor Film Center.

    NYICFF 2012 JURY:

    John Canemaker – Academy Award®-winning animator
    Adam Gopnik – Author, essayist and New Yorker contributor
    Tomm Moore – Academy Award® nominated animator/director (The Secret of Kells)
    Lynne McVeigh – Associate Professor of Children’s Media at NYU Tisch School of the Arts
    Matthew Modine –Award-winning actor (Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises)
    Michel Ocelot – Award-winning writer/director/animator (Kirikou & the Sorceress, Tales of the Night)
    Dana Points – Editor-in-Chief, Parents Magazine
    Susan Sarandon – Academy Award®-winning actor (Dead Man Walking, Jeff Who Lives at Home)
    James Schamus – Award-winning writer/producer (Brokeback Mountain, The Ice Storm)
    Evan Shapiro – President, IFC Television and The Sundance Channel
    Uma Thurman – Academy Award® nominated actor (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2)
    Christine Vachon – Award-winning producer (Boys Don’t Cry, Mildred Pierce)
    Gus Van Sant – Academy Award® nominated director (Milk, Good Will Hunting)
    Taika Waititi – Academy Award® nominated writer/director (Two Cars One Night, Boy)
    Jeffrey Wright – Award-winning actor (Basquiat, The Ides of March)

    NEW FEATURES:

    [caption id="attachment_2379" align="alignnone" width="550"]Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below[/caption]

    Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below – Japan, Makoto Shinkai. A modern-day Orpheus tale with a sci-fi twist that pays tribute to the great works of Hayao Miyazaki with its demonic spirit-gods and magnificent forest creatures.

    Chimpanzee – Special Preview Screening, USA, Alastair Fothergill/Mark Linfield. From the award-winning directors of Earth and sumptuously shot in the rain forests of Africa, Chimpanzee tells the true-life story of an adorable young chimp named Oscar, whose playful curiosity and zest for discovery showcase the intelligence and ingenuity of some of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom.

    Cinderella Moon – US Premiere, China/USA, Richard Bowen. A gorgeous and enchanting fairytale based on the earliest known version of Cinderella (the Chinese tale “Ye Xian” from 768 A.D.) filled with exquisitely ornate costumes and dazzling scenery shot in Yunnan Province.

    First Position – Filmmaker Event, USA, Bess Kargman. Official Selection Toronto Int’l Film Festival 2011. Six astoundingly gifted young dancers from varying ethnic and economic backgrounds vie for a chance to perform at the Youth America Grand Prix, the world’s most prestigious ballet showcase.

    A Letter to Momo – US Premiere, Japan, Hiroyuki Okiura. A beautifully hand drawn tale that combines bursts of whimsy, kinetic humor, deep felt emotion – and goblins!

    Lotte and the Moonstone Secret – North American Premiere, Estonia/Latvia. This richly rendered, utterly charming animated feature follows Estonian icon Lotte as she and her Uncle Klaus journey to unlock the secret behind three mysterious moonstones.

    A Monster in Paris, Opening Night Film – US Premiere, France, Bibo Bergeron. NYICFF 2012 opens with a classic misunderstood-monster tale set in Paris 1910, a warm-hearted animated musical about the power of song featuring Django Reinhardt-style gypsy guitar and honey-toned vocals courtesy of Sean Lennon.

    Ninja Kids!!! – Japan, Takashi Miike. From the twisted mind of Takashi Miike comes an insane new kid’s flick about a feuding ninja school – a riotous, action-packed kung-fu comedy that easily earns all three exclamation points in its title.

    [caption id="attachment_2380" align="alignnone" width="549"]The Pirates! A Band of Misfits[/caption]

    The Pirates! A Band of Misfits – Showcase Screening, UK, Peter Lord. The epic new claymation adventure from four-time Academy Award®-winning stop-motion masters Aardman Animations. Directed by Aardman founder (and former NYICFF juror) Peter Lord, Pirates is a high seas saga of a hapless pirate captain and his crew of extremely silly and witless pirate fools

    Salaam Dunk – Special Sneak Preview, USA/Iraq, David Fine. One part More than a Game, two parts Bad News Bears, this thoroughly charming and eye-opening sports doc offers a glimpse of hope and possibility for life in Iraq through the vantage point of a fledgling girl’s college basketball team.

    Le Tableau – North American Premiere, France, Jean-François Laguionie. One of the most stunningly beautiful films in years, with swirls of vibrant color that burst from the screen and nearly every frame a breathtaking wonder, Le Tableau is a captivating, enormously enjoyable parable set within frame of an unfinished painting. Presented in partnership with Rendez- Vous with French Cinema.

    Tales of the Night – Filmmaker Event, France, Michel Ocelot. The newest film from renowned animator Michel Ocelot (Kirikou and the Sorceress, Azur & Asmar) is also his first foray into 3D animation. Black silhouetted characters set off against exquisitely detailed Day-Glo backgrounds weave together six exotic fables, each ending in its own ironic twist.

    Toys in the Attic – World Premiere English Language Version, Czech Republic/Slovakia/Japan, Jiri Barta. A diabolically inventive tale set behind the doors of a dusty attic about a group of abandoned toys from famed Czech stop-motion master Jiri Barta. Featuring the voices of Carey Elwes, Joan Cusack and Forest Whitaker.

    SPECIAL EVENTS:

    [caption id="attachment_2381" align="alignnone" width="549"]Yellow Submarine[/caption]

    Yellow Submarine – Special Event, UK, George Dunning. First US Screening in Over 10 Years! An icon of psychedelic pop culture, Yellow Submarine is a colorful musical spectacle and an exhilaratingly joyful cinematic experience – filled with visual invention, optical illusions, word play, and glorious, glorious music.

    A Hard Day’s Night – Special Event, UK, Richard Lester. Noted by Roger Ebert as “one of the great life-affirming landmarks of the movies,” the mock-cinéma vérité film follows the fabulous foursome as they run from frenzied fans, poke fun at managers, cops, and other establishment types, and generally revel in their own youthful exuberance – perfectly capturing all the exhilaration, excitement, and optimistic energy that defined the early Beatles phenomenon.

    Magic Piano, with Live Music Accompaniment – US Premiere, China/Poland. A 3D and live music and film event featuring animated shorts set to Chopin’s famous etudes. Centering the program is the new stop-motion masterpiece Magic Piano from the Academy Award® -winning producer of Peter and the Wolf. The films will feature live accompaniment by student prodigies from the Lang Lang International Foundation.

    SHORT FILM PROGRAMS – Six programs for ages 3 to 18, featuring the best short films from around the world, selected from over 3,000 entries. Jury-selected winners will be eligible for Oscar® consideration in animated and live action short categories. Full lineup at www.gkids.tv/intheaters

    Shorts For Tots – (Ages 3 to 6)
    Short Films One – (Ages 5 to 10)
    Short Films Two – (Ages 8 to 14)
    Flicker Lounge: For Teens & Adults Only – (Ages 12 to adult)
    Heebie Jeebies: Spooky, Freaky & Bizarre – (Ages 10 to adult)
    Girls’ POV – (Ages 10 to adult)

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  • The Artist Leads 18th Chlotrudis Awards Nominations

    [caption id="attachment_1882" align="alignnone"]THE ARTIST[/caption]

    THE ARTIST topped the Nominations for the 18th annual Chlotrudis Awards collecting Best Film, Director, Actor and Actress nods among its 7 nominations.

    Four other films received 4 or more nominations, including fellow Best Movie nominees ANOTHER YEAR, director Mike Leigh’s latest, and the low-budget independent WEEKEND. The other front runner films are Lars von Trier’s dystopian MELANCHOLIA and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE.

    In the Society’s most prestigious category, the Buried Treasure, the final nominees were THE ARBOR, a unique documentary about the late UK playwright Andrea Dunbar; the micro-budget LITTLEROCK following two Japanese siblings stranded in the US; THESE AMAZING SHADOWS, about The National Film Registry’s critical work to save historic films; the Canadian TRIGGER, an emotional study of two women’s lifelong friendship; and Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s newest, UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES.

    The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film is a Boston-based non-profit group that teaches people to view film actively and experience the world through independent film, and encourages discussion.

    Here is the complete list of the nominations for the 18th Annual Chlotrudis Awards:

    BEST MOVIE
    Another Year
    Artist, The
    Pariah
    Poetry
    Weekend

    BURIED TREASURE
    The Arbor
    Littlerock
    These Amazing Shadows
    Trigger
    Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives


    BEST DIRECTOR
    Takashi Miike – 13 Assassins
    Mike Leigh – Another Year
    Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
    Sean Durkin – Martha Marcy May Marlene
    Lars von Trier – Melancholia
    Asghar Farhadi – A Separation

    BEST ACTRESS
    Berenice Bejo – The Artist
    Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene
    Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia
    Adepero Oduye – Pariah
    Jeong-hie Yun – Poetry
    Tracy Wright – Trigger

    BEST ACTOR

    Jean Dujardin – The Artist
    Javier Bardem – Biutiful
    Stellan Skarsgard – A Somewhat Gentle Man
    Michael Shannon – Take Shelter
    Tom Cullen – Weekend
    Chris New – Weekend

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
    Lesley Manville – Another Year
    Shailene Woodley – The Descendants
    Frances Fisher – Janie Jones
    Kristin Scott Thomas – Love Crime
    Kim Wayans – Pariah
    Melissa Leo – Red State

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
    Christopher Plummer – Beginners
    Jean-Pierre Darroussin – Le Havre
    John Hawkes – Martha Marcy May Marlene
    Shahab Hosseini – A Separation
    John C. Reilly – Terri

    BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE CAST
    Another Year
    Artist, The
    Margin Call
    Midnight in Paris
    Separation, A
    Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

    BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

    13 Assassins
    Artist, The
    Illusionist, The
    Last Circus, The
    Melancholia
    Midnight in Paris


    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
    13 Assassins
    Artist, The
    Bellflower
    Cave of Forgotten Dreams
    Melancholia
    Tree of Life
    Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

    BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
    Descendants, The
    Hedgehog, The
    Higher Ground
    Music Never Stopped, The
    Submarine

    BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
    Another Year
    Guard, The
    Martha Marcy May Marlene
    Poetry
    Weekend

    BEST DOCUMENTARY
    Bill Cunningham New York
    Buck
    Into the Abyss
    Pina
    Senna
    Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

     

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  • Documentary Filmmaker Josh Fox Arrested in Washington DC

    Documentary filmmaker Joshua Fox was arrested on Wednesday as he reportedly tried to film a House Science Committee hearing without proper media credentials.

    According to the NY Times, Josh Fox, whose HBO documentary “Gasland” raised questions about the safety of the natural gas drilling technique known as horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, was handcuffed and charged with unlawful entry.

    Mr. Fox is preparing a sequel to “Gasland  and brought a crew to film a hearing of the energy and environment subcommittee that was looking into an Environmental Protection Agency finding that fracking was probably responsible for groundwater contamination in Pavillion, Wyo.

    Mr. Fox was released by the Capitol police shortly after 1 p.m. with a misdemeanor citation. A court date is set for Feb. 15.

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  • South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival Announces 2012 Features Lineup

    The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 9 – 17, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

    The world premiere of Emmett Malloy’s documentary Big Easy Express was also confirmed as the Closing Night Film, which follows a train ride unlike any other with Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. Big Easy Express will screen on Saturday, March 17. The program will also include the world premiere of Colombia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer Pictures’ 21 Jump Street, screening in the Centerpiece slot on Monday, March 12.

    The Narrative Feature Competition includes: Booster, directed by Matt Ruskin, Eden, directed by Megan Griffiths, Gayby, directed by Jonathan Lisecki, Gimme the Loot, directed by Adam Leon, Los Chidos, directed by Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Pilgrim Song, directed by Martha Stephens, Starlet, directed by Sean Baker, and The Taiwan Oyster, directed by Mark Jarrett.

    The Documentary Feature Competition includes: Bay of All Saints, directed by Annie Eastman, Beware of Mr. Baker, directed by Jay Bulger, The Central Park Effect, directed by Jeffrey Kimball, Jeff, directed by Chris James Thompson, Seeking Asian Female, directed by Debbie Lum, The Sheik and I, directed by Caveh Zahedi, The Source, directed by Jodi Wille & Maria Demopoulos, and Welcome to the Machine, directed by Avi Zev Weider.

    An additional selection of highlights includes: Nelson George’s The Announcement, Gotham Chopra’s Decoding Deepak, Jay & Mark Duplass’ The Do-Deca-Pentathalon, Mark Ford’s Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots, Matt Piedmont’s Casa de mi Padre, Patrick Forbes’ Wikileaks: Secrets & Lies, Adam Sherman’s Crazy Eyes, Jacob Rosenberg’s Waiting for Lightning, Tom Kingsley & Will Sharpe’s Black Pond, Kristen Sheridan’s Dollhouse, Gareth Huw Evans’ The Raid, Ben Shapiro’s Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines and William Friedkin’s Killer Joe.

    The 2012 SXSW Film Festival will feature:


    NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
    Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:

    Booster
    Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin
    When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted.
    Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail (World Premiere)

    Eden
    Director: Megan Griffiths, Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips, Megan Griffiths, Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong Kim
    A young Korean-American girl, abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers, joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive.
    Cast: Jamie Chung, Matt O’Leary, Beau Bridges, Jeanine Monterroza, Scott Mechlowicz (World Premiere)

    Gayby
    Director/Screenwriter: Jonathan Lisecki
    Jenn and Matt, best friends since college who are now in their thirties, decide to have a child together, the old-fashioned way – even though Matt is gay and Jenn is straight.
    Cast: Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas, Mike Doyle, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Jack Ferver (World Premiere)

    Gimme the Loot
    Director/Screenwriter: Adam Leon
    When Malcolm and Sofia’s latest graffiti masterpiece is buffed by a rival gang, these two determined Bronx teens must hustle, steal, and scheme to get spectacular revenge and become the biggest writers in the City.
    Cast: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson, Meeko, Zoe Lescaze, Sam Soghor
    (World Premiere)

    Los Chidos (Germany / Mexico / USA)
    Director/Screenwriter: Omar Rodriguez Lopez
    The Gonzales family tries hard to hold on to their beautiful Latino traditions of misogyny and homophobia when a tall, white, industrialist stranger appears, challenging their place in the exploitative food chain.
    Cast: Kim Stodel, María De Jesús Canales Ramírez, Manuel Ramos, Cecillia Gutiérrez,
    (World Premiere)

    Pilgrim Song
    Director: Martha Stephens, Screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Karrie Crouse
    A pink-slipped music teacher ponders his stalled relationship and place in the world during an arduous trek across Kentucky’s Sheltowee Trace Trail.
    Cast: Timothy Morton, Bryan Marshall, Karrie Crouse, Harrison Cole, Michael Abbott Jr. (World Premiere)

    Starlet
    Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
    The film explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and 85 year-old Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California’s San Fernando Valley.
    Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian
    (World Premiere)

    The Taiwan Oyster
    Director: Mark Jarrett, Screenwriters: Mark Jarrett, Jordan Heimer, Mitchell Jarrett
    Two Ex-Pat Kindergarten teachers in Taiwan embark on a quixotic odyssey to bury a fellow countryman.
    Cast: Billy Harvey, Jeff Palmiotti, Leonora Lim (World Premiere)

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
    Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are:

    Bay of All Saints
    Director: Annie Eastman
    As the last of the notorious water slums is demolished in Bahia, Brazil, will three single mothers face homelessness or rally for a better life? (World Premiere)

    Beware of Mr. Baker
    Director: Jay Bulger
    Ginger Baker is the original rock ‘n roll madman junkie drummer superstar who everyone thought was dead but somehow survived 50+ years of heroin abuse, disastrous experiments and 5 marriages on 4 continents. (World Premiere)

    The Central Park Effect
    Director: Jeffrey Kimball
    The film reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds who grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green, and the equally colorful, full-of-attitude New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration. (World Premiere)

    Jeff
    Director: Chris James Thompson
    A documentary about the people around Jeffrey Dahmer during the 1991 summer of his arrest for the murder of 17 people in Milwaukee. (World Premiere)

    Seeking Asian Female
    Director: Debbie Lum
    When an American man with “yellow fever” meets a Chinese woman half his age online, documenting their attempt to build a marriage from scratch reveals hilarious and troubling complications for the couple and the filmmaker. (World Premiere)

    The Sheik and I
    Director: Caveh Zahedi
    Commissioned by a Middle Eastern Biennial to make a film on the theme of “art as a subversive act,” independent filmmaker Caveh Zahedi (I am a Sex Addict) is threatened with a fatwa. (World Premiere)

    The Source
    Directors: Jodi Wille, Maria Demopoulos
    The Source Family was a radical experiment in ’70s utopian living. Their popular restaurant, rock band, and beautiful women made them the darlings of Hollywood; but their outsider ideals led to their dramatic undoing. (World Premiere)

    Welcome To The Machine
    Director: Avi Zev Weider
    Upon fathering triplets, filmmaker Avi Zev Weider explores the nature of technology, seeking answers about what it means to be human. (World Premiere)

    HEADLINERS
    Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with some major and rising names in cinema.

    Films screening in Headliners are:

    21 Jump Street
    Directed by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, Screenplay by: Michael Bacall, Story by: Michael Bacall & Jonah Hill
    Police officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) get sent back to high school as undercover cops in the action-comedy 21 Jump Street.
    Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, with Ice Cube (World Premiere)

    BIG EASY EXPRESS
    Director: Emmett Malloy
    Emmett Malloy’s latest film invites us aboard a train ride unlike any other with Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show.
    (World Premiere)

    The Cabin in the Woods
    Director: Drew Goddard, Screenwriters: Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard
    Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen. If you think you know this story,think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes The Cabin in the Woods, a mind-blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out.
    Cast: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Anna Hutchison, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford (World Premiere)

    Decoding Deepak
    Director: Gotham Chopra
    Filmmaker Gotham Chopra spends a year on the road decoding his father and spiritual icon Deepak Chopra. (World Premiere)

    Girls
    Director/Screenwriter: Lena Dunham
    Created by and starring Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), the HBO show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s.
    Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver (World Premiere)

    The Hunter (Australia)
    Director: Daniel Nettheim, Screenplay by: Alice Addison, Novel by: Julia Leigh, Original Adaptation by:Wain Fimeri
    A mercenary is dispatched from Europe to the Tasmanian wilderness by a mysterious biotech company to search for the last surviving Tasmanian tiger.
    Cast: Willem Dafoe, Frances O’Connor, Sam Neill (U.S. Premiere)

    Killer Joe
    Director: William Friedkin, Screenwriter: Tracy Letts
    A garish, Southwestern tale – a violent black comedy about a desperate Texas debtor (Hirsch) who plots to kill his mother with help of his family (Haden Church, Gershon). They hire a crazy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer (McConaughey) to do the job, but Killer Joe asks for their teenage daughter (Temple) as a retainer. The film is based on Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts’ (August: Osage County) award winning play.
    Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Gina Gershon, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church (U.S. Premiere)

    MARLEY (UK / USA)
    Director: Kevin Macdonald
    The definitive life story of Bob Marley – musician, revolutionary, legend – from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. Directed by Academy-Award-Winner Kevin Macdonald. (North American Premiere)

    NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
    High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW.
    Films screening in Narrative Spotlight are:

    The Babymakers
    Director: Jay Chandrasekhar, Screenwriters: Peter Gaulke, Gerry Swallow
    Unable to impregnate his wife, Tommy and friends rob a sperm bank – to get Tommy’s long-ago donated sperm back. The crazy plan goes hilariously awry and shows how far a couple will go to create a new life.
    Cast: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn, Kevin Heffernan, Wood Harris, Nat Faxon (World Premiere)

    Crazy Eyes
    Director: Adam Sherman, Screenwriters: Adam Sherman, Dave Reeves & Rachel Hardisty
    Just another story about love.
    Cast: Lukas Haas, Madeline Zima, Jake Busey, Tania Raymonde, Regine Nehy (World Premiere)

    The Do-Deca-Pentathalon
    Director/Screenwriter: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
    Two brothers compete in their own private 25-event Olympics.
    Cast: Mark Kelly, Steve Zissis, Jennifer Lafleur (World Premiere)

    Fat Kid Rules The World
    Director: Matthew Lillard, Screenwriters: Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter Speakman
    Troy, a depressed overweight teenager, gets sucked into the punk rock world by Marcus, a charming street musician. But when Troy discovers Marcus’ drug addiction, he suddenly must figure out the true boundaries of friendship.
    Cast: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O’Leary, Billy Campbell, Lilli Simmons, Dylan Arnold (World Premiere)

    frankie go boom
    Director/Screenwriter: Jordan Roberts
    a comedy about two brothers, a girl with a broken heart, a sex tape, an angel and a pig
    Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O’Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth (World Premiere)

    Hunky Dory (UK)
    Director: Marc Evans, Screenwriter: Laurence Coriat
    From the producer of Billy Elliot comes this funny, coming of age film featuring songs from artists such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dusty Springfield and Electric Light Orchestra.
    Cast: Minnie Driver, Aneurin Barnard, Danielle Branch, Robert Pugh, Haydn Gwynne
    (North American Premiere)

    In Our Nature
    Director/Screenwriter: Brian Savelson
    Taking place over a single weekend, an estranged father and son accidentally end up in the same country house with their two girlfriends.
    Cast: Zach Gilford, Jena Malone, John Slattery, Gabrielle Union (World Premiere)

    Keyhole (Canada)
    Director: Guy Maddin, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, George Toles
    I’m only a ghost… but a ghost isn’t nothing.
    Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Jason Patric, Udo Kier, Kevin McDonald, Tattiawna Jones (U.S. Premiere)

    See Girl Run
    Director/Screenwriter: Nate Meyer
    What happens when a 30-something woman allows life’s “what ifs” to overwhelm her appreciation for what life actually is. Disregarding her current obligations, she digs into her romantic past in hopes of invigorating her present.
    Cast: Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong, William Sadler, Josh Hamilton (World Premiere)

    Small Apartments
    Director: Jonas Åkerlund, Screenwriter: Chris Millis
    When Franklin Franklin accidentally kills his landlord, he must hide the body; but, the wisdom of his beloved brother and the quirks of his neighbors, force him on a journey where a fortune awaits him.
    Cast: Matt Lucas, Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple (World Premiere)

    Somebody Up There Likes Me
    Director/Screenwriter: Bob Byington
    Time flies for everyone: Thirty-five years in the life of Max, his best friend Sal, and a woman they both adore. A deadpan fable about time sneaking up on and swerving right around us.
    Cast: Keith Poulson, Nick Offerman, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere)

    DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT
    Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres
    at SXSW.
    Films screening in Documentary Spotlight are:

    $ELLEBRITY
    Director: Kevin Mazur
    Renowned celebrity photographer, Kevin Mazur, gives us an all access pass to the life behind the velvet rope and in front of the camera. Candid, revealing and bold interviews with Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and more, take us inside the blurred lines of privacy, pliable journalism, celebrity, fame and what it feels like to be consumed. (World Premiere)

    America’s Parking Lot
    Director: Jonny Mars
    Pull up a front row seat as two die-hard fans of ‘America’s Team’ spend their last season with the Dallas Cowboys at historic Texas Stadium, and scramble to preserve their place in America’s Parking Lot.
    (World Premiere)

    The Announcement
    Director: Nelson George
    On Thursday, November 7, 1991, Earvin “Magic” Johnson made the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. The Announcement gets to the core of Magic’s incredible personal journey. (World Premiere)

    Beauty Is Embarrassing
    Director: Neil Berkeley
    A funny, irreverent and inspirational look into the life and times of one of America’s most important artists, Wayne White. (World Premiere)

    Brooklyn Castle
    Director: Katie Dellamaggiore
    Amidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school’s champion chess team.
    (World Premiere)

    Code of the West
    Director: Rebecca Richman Cohen
    Frames a high stakes showdown in the halls of the Montana State Legislature. The future of medical marijuana is at stake. (World Premiere)

    Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass Pipes.
    Director: M. Slinger
    A true document of the art and culture of glass pipe-making. It is the first film to ever bring to light this invisible sub-culture in a comprehensive and well-informed format. (World Premiere)

    Girl Model
    Directors: A. Sabin, David Redmon
    Young Russian girls join a modeling agency to seek work in Japan, but get caught up in an unregulated system that reveals an unseemly side of the fashion industry. (U.S. Premiere)

    Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters
    Director: Ben Shapiro
    Acclaimed photographer Gregory Crewdson’s 10-year quest to create a series of haunting, surreal, and stunningly elaborate portraits of small-town American life — filmed with unprecedented access as he makes perfect renderings of a disturbing, imperfect world. (World Premiere)

    Just Like Being There
    Director: Scout Shannon
    Through the eyes of Daniel Danger, Jay Ryan, and the gig poster community, Just Like Being There focuses on poster artists, the music they commemorate, MONDO film posters, fans, bloggers, galleries, collectors and everything in between. (World Premiere)

    Scarlet Road (Australia)
    Director: Catherine Scott
    The film follows the extraordinary work of Australian sex worker, Rachel Wotton. Impassioned about freedom of sexual expression and the rights of sex workers, she specializes in a long over-looked clientele – people with disability. (North American Premiere)

    Trash Dance
    Director: Andrew Garrison
    A choreographer finds beauty and grace in garbage trucks, and against the odds, rallies reluctant city trash collectors to perform an extraordinary dance spectacle. On an abandoned airport runway, two dozen sanitation workers — and their trucks — inspire an audience of thousands. (World Premiere)

    Waiting For Lightning
    Director: Jacob Rosenberg
    From the producers of Step into Liquid, comes the story of visionary skateboarder Danny Way, who jumped China’s Great Wall and created a new movement in sport. (World Premiere)

    Wikileaks: Secrets & Lies (UK)
    Director: Patrick Forbes
    The in-depth story of Wikileaks told by all the key players. Sulphurous, personal and moving, it documents history in the making at the lawless frontier of new technology and mainstream media.
    (North American Premiere)

    WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines
    Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan
    This documentary examines the fascinating evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman and introduces audiences to a dynamic group of real life superheroes who continue to fight the good fight both on and off the screen. (World Premiere)

    EMERGING VISIONS
    Audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape that demonstrate raw innovation and
    creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking.
    Films screening in Emerging Visions are:

    Black Pond (UK)
    Directors: Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe, Screenwriter: Will Sharpe
    An ordinary family is accused of murder when a stranger dies at their dinner table. Stars BAFTA-winner Chris Langham and British Comedy Award Winner Simon Amstell.
    Cast: Chris Langham, Simon Amstell, Amanda Hadingue, Colin Hurley, Will Sharpe (North American Premiere)

    Dollhouse (Ireland)
    Director/Screenwriter: Kirsten Sheridan
    Five street teens break into a house in a rich Dublin suburb for a night of partying. But games are twisted into something more emotional and ultimately out of control through a series of surprising revelations.
    Cast: Seana Kerslake, Johnny Ward, Kate Stanley Brennan, Shane Curry, Ciaran McCabe (North American Premiere)

    Eating Alabama
    Director: Andrew Beck Grace
    A quest to eat locally becomes a meditation on community, the South and sustainability. Eating Alabama is a story about why food matters. (World Premiere)

    Electrick Children
    Director/Screenwriter: Rebecca Thomas
    Rachel, a 15-year-old fundamentalist Mormon, believes she’s had an immaculate conception by listening to rock and roll. She flees to Las Vegas to escape an arranged marriage, seeking answers to her mysterious pregnancy.
    Cast: Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, Liam Aiken, Billy Zane (North American Premiere)

    Extracted
    Director/Screenwriter: Nir Paniry
    A scientist is trapped in the memories of a criminal and must solve a crime in order to get back home to his family.
    Cast: Sasha Roiz, Dominic Bogart, Jenny Mollen, Nick Jameson, Brad Culver (World Premiere)

    Francine (Canada / USA)
    Director/Screenwriter: Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatzky
    Academy-Award-winner, Melissa Leo, plays Francine, a woman struggling to find her place in a downtrodden lakeside town after leaving behind a life in prison.
    Cast: Melissa Leo, Keith Leonard, Victoria Charkut (North American Premiere)

    Funeral Kings
    Director/Screenwriter: Kevin Mcmanus, Matthew Mcmanus
    For three 14-year-old boys at St. Mark’s Middle School, it’s always a good day for a funeral.
    Cast: Dylan Hartigan, Alex Maizus, Jordan Puzzo, Charles Odei, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere)

    Hard Labor (Brazil)
    Director/Screenwriter: Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra
    Helena prepares to open her own business: a neighborhood grocery store. She hires a maid. But when her husband Octavio is suddenly fired from his job, Helena is left to support the family alone.
    Cast: Helena Albergaria, Marat Descartes, Naloana Lima, Marina Flores (U.S. Premiere)

    La Camioneta – The Journey of One American School Bus
    Director: Mark Kendall
    On a 3,000-mile adventure across the borders between the Americas, La Camioneta follows the journey of one out-of-service American school bus as it is repaired, repainted and resurrected into a Guatemalan camioneta. (World Premiere)

    The Last Fall
    Director/Screenwriter: Matthew A. Cherry
    An NFL journeyman struggles to deal with life’s complexities after his professional career is over at age 25.
    Cast: Lance Gross, Nicole Beharie, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Harry Lennix, Keith David (World Premiere)

    Leave Me Like You Found Me
    Director/Screenwriter: Adele Romanski
    Big trees, broken hearts. The story of a lovesick couple’s breakup & makeup while camping in the wilds of California. Cast: Megan Boone, David Nordstrom (World Premiere)

    PAVILION
    Director/Screenwriter: Tim Sutton
    Max, a quietly troubled 15-year-old, leaves his lakeside town to live with his father on the sun-blasted fringe of suburban Arizona. What begins in a calm and lush environment ends in a drastic, frayed confusion.
    Cast: Max Schaffner, Zach Cali, Cody Hamric, Addie Barlett, Aaron Buyea (World Premiere)

    Sun Don’t Shine
    Director/Screenwriter: Amy Seimetz
    Two lovers, on the back roads of Florida, do very bad things.
    Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Kentucker Audley, AJ Bowen, Kit Gwinn, Mark Reeb (World Premiere)

    Sunset Stories
    Directors: Silas Howard, Ernesto Foronda, Screenwriter: Valerie Stadler
    When May returns to LA and runs smack into JP, the man she left behind, past and present collide sending them on a twenty-four hour journey in search of what they lost.
    Cast: Monique Curnen, Sung Kang, Joshua Leonard, Mousa Kraish, Michelle Krusiec (World Premiere)

    Tchoupitoulas
    Director: Bill Ross, Turner Ross
    Three young brothers’ immersive journey into the sensory wonders of the New Orleans night.
    (World Premiere)

    Thale (Norway)
    Director/Screenwriter: Aleksander L. Nordaas
    The film revolves around huldra, a mythical, tailed creature, found by two crime scene cleaners in a concealed cellar. Someone’s been keeping her down here for decades, for reasons soon to surface.
    Cast: Silje Reinåmo, Jon Sigve Skard, Erlend Nervold, Morten Andresen (North American Premiere)

    Wildness
    Director: Wu Tsang, Screenwriters: Wu Tsang, Roya Rastegar
    A magical-realist portrait of the Silver Platter, a historic bar in Los Angeles that provides a safe space for Latin/LGBT immigrant and queer art communities to come together in love and conflict.

    WOLF
    Director/Screenwriter: Ya’ke Smith
    A family is shaken to the core when they discover their son has been molested. As they struggle to deal with the betrayal, their son heads towards a total mental collapse.
    Cast: Irma P. Hall, Mikala Gibson, Jordan Cooper, Shelton Jolivette, Eugene Lee (World Premiere)

    24 BEATS PER SECOND
    Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary.
    Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are:

    Amor Cronico (Cuba / USA)
    Director: Jorge Perugorria
    Weaving footage of singer Cucu Diamantes’ Cuban tour into a fictional love story. The result is an energetic display of her glamorous and infectious performance style and a fascinating portrait of Cuba today.
    Cast: Cucu Diamantes, Adela Legra, Liosky Clavero, Andres Levin, Jorge Perugorria (World Premiere)

    Bad Brains: Band in DC
    Directors: Mandy Stein, Benjamen Logan
    How four young men from DC changed music forever. (World Premiere)

    Charles Bradley: Soul of America
    Director: Poull Brien
    The incredible late-in-life rise of 62-year-old aspiring soul singer Charles Bradley, whose debut album rocketed him from a hard life in the projects to Rolling Stone magazine’s top 50 albums of 2011.
    (World Premiere)

    Daylight Savings
    Director: Dave Boyle, Screenwriters: Dave Boyle, Michael Lerman, Joel Clark, Goh Nakamura
    After a devastating breakup, musician Goh Nakamura hits the road with his irresponsible cousin to pursue a promising rebound with fellow musician Yea-Ming Chen.
    Cast: Goh Nakamura, Michael Aki, Yea-Ming Chen, Lynn Chen, Ayako Fujitani (World Premiere)

    Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir (Iceland / Denmark)
    Director: Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir
    At the tender age of 70 she started making music – and then she couldn’t stop! A tribute to the Danish/Icelandic artist and late bloomer Sigrídur Níelsdóttir.

    Paul Williams Still Alive
    Director: Stephen Kessler
    A documentary filmmaker tracks down actor/singer/songwriter Paul Williams in an attempt to find out what happened to his idol. (U.S. Premiere)

    Rock ‘N’ Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen (UK)
    Director: Don Letts
    Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and others discuss the incredible life and work of the world’s foremost rock ‘n’ roll photographer, Bob Gruen.
    (North American Premiere)

    Sunset Strip
    Director/Screenwriter: Hans Fjellestad
    The 100-year history of the loudest street on the planet, The Sunset Strip. (World Premiere)

    Under African Skies
    Director: Joe Berlinger
    Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime.

    Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots
    Director: Mark Ford
    20 years after riots ripped through Los Angeles, Uprising documents how hip hop forecasted – and some say ignited – the worst civil unrest of the 20th century. (World Premiere)

    SX GLOBAL
    A diverse panorama of international filmmaking talent, including premieres, interactive documentaries and shorts.
    Films screening in SX Global are:

    BIJUKA (India)
    Director: Ashtar Sayed, Screenwriter: Dr. Mahendra Purohit
    Inspired by a true event. Scarecrow tells the true story of a young woman who is attempting to escape from an abusive arranged marriage. Cast: Arti Rautela, Amit Purohit (North American Premiere)

    Crulic – The Path to Beyond (Romania / Poland)
    Director: Anca Damian
    The animated documentary feature-length “Crulic – The Path to Beyond” tells the story of the life of Crulic, the 33-year-old Romanian who died in a Polish prison while on hunger strike.

    Cubaton – El Medico Story (Estonia / Sweden)
    Director: Daniel Fridell
    El Medico – a Cuban house doctor who wants to become a cubaton star – is facing a serious choice between serving the state and becoming a popstar. (North American Premiere)

    Her Master’s Voice (UK)
    Director: Nina Conti
    Watching someone talk to themselves has never been so interesting. (World Premiere)

    ITALY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT (Italy / Germany)
    Directors: Gustav Hofer, Luca Ragazzi
    Gustav and Luca, two Italians, have to decide: Should they stay in Italy, or leave it? (North American Premiere)

    Mustafa’s Sweet Dreams (Greece / UK)
    Director: Angelos Abazoglou
    Mustafa, a 16-year-old pastry shop apprentice dreams of becoming a famous baklava chef in Istanbul.
    (North American Premiere)

    Pompeya (Argentina)
    Director: Tamae Garateguy, Screenwriters: Tamae Garateguy, Diego A. Fleischer
    When a film director hires two screenwriters to make a gangster movie, a fiction feast starts: femmes fatales, mobs fighting for the same neighborhood and a limitless hero who defies every movie concept.
    Cast: José Luciano González, Joel Drut, Chang Sung Kim, Vladimir Yuravel, Miguel Forza de Paul
    (U.S. Premiere)

    ¡Vivan las Antipodas! (Germany / The Netherlands / Argentina / Chile)
    Director: Victor Kossakovsky
    Haven’t we all wondered at some point what was happening just at this moment beneath our very feet at the other side of the planet?

    FESTIVAL FAVORITES
    Acclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world.
    Films screening in Festival Favorites are:

    Beast (Denmark)
    Director/Screenwriter: Christoffer Boe
    How long will you go, to hold on to the person you love?
    Cast: Nicolas Bro, Marijana Jankovic, Nikolaj Lie Kaas

    The Comedy
    Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Robert Donne, Colm O’Leary
    Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker), a desensitized, aging Brooklyn hipster, strays into a series of reckless situations that may offer the promise of redemption or the threat of retribution.
    Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, James Murphy, Kate Lyn-Sheil, Alexia Rassmusen

    Dreams of a Life (UK / Ireland)
    Director: Carol Morley
    An imaginative quest to go beyond the newspaper reports and solve the mystery of who thirty-eight year old Joyce Vincent was and why she lay undiscovered for three years after her death in one of the busiest parts of London. (North American Premiere)

    God Bless America
    Director/Screenwriter: Bobcat Goldthwait
    Loveless, jobless, possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America. With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and offs the stupidest, cruelest, and most repellent members of society. Cast: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr (U.S. Premiere)

    The Imposter (UK)
    Director: Bart Layton
    In 1994 a 13-year-old disappears without trace in Texas. Three years later he resurfaces in Spain with accounts of a horrifying kidnap. His family is overjoyed – but all is not as it seems.

    Indie Game: The Movie (Canada)
    Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky
    With the twenty-first century comes a new breed of artist: the indie game designer. These innovators design and program their distinctly personal games in the hope that they may find connection and success.

    KID-THING
    Director/Screenwriter: David Zellner
    A fever-dream fable about Annie, a rebellious girl devoid of parental guidance or a moral compass. She roams the countryside looking for adventure, and finds it one day in the form of an abandoned well.
    Cast: Sydney Aguirre, Susan Tyrrell, Nathan Zellner, David Zellner, David Wingo

    Last Call at the Oasis
    Director: Jessica Yu
    A powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century.

    Lovely Molly
    Director: Eduardo Sanchez, Screenwriters: Eduardo Sanchez, Jamie Nash
    Exploring the parallels between psychosis, addiction and demonic possession, Lovely Molly tells the story of what really happens before the exorcist arrives.
    Cast: Gretchen Lodge, Johnny Lewis, Alexandra Holden (U.S. Premiere)

    The Raid (Indonesia)
    Director/Screenwriter: Gareth Huw Evans
    Rama and his special forces team fight their way through a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord.
    Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno

    WE ARE LEGION: The Story of the Hacktivists
    Director: Brian Knappenberger
    We Are Legion takes us inside the world of Anonymous, the radical “hacktivist” collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age.

    Live Soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique film event one-offs.

    Films screening in Special Events are:

    An Evening With Sacred Bones Records
    Director: Jacqueline Castel
    Brooklyn-based record label Sacred Bones presents an evening of original and curated programming of music videos, short films, works in progress, and a rare screening of their first film production, Twelve Dark Noons. (World Premiere)

    Bernie
    Director: Richard Linklater, Screenwriters: Richard Linklater, Skip Hollandsworth
    Based on real-life events, this dark comedy follows Bernie Tiede, his recently deceased friend Marjorie Nugent and District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson who is determined to get to the bottom of the crime.
    Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman, Richard Robichaux

    Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me
    Director: Drew Denicola
    A feature-length documentary about the massive critical acclaim, dismal commercial failure, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star. (Work in Progress)

    Casa de mi Padre
    Director: Matt Piedmont, Screenwriter: Andrew Steele
    Will Ferrell plays a Mexican rancher who must defend his father’s home against the country’s most infamous drug lord. Cast: Will Ferrell, Gael García Vernal, Diego Luna, Genesis Rodriguez, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Nick Offerman

    Girl Walk // All Day
    Director/Screenwriter: Jacob Krupnick
    A feature-length dance music film that combines freestyle dance with the daily chaos of New York City, set to Girl Talk’s recent mashup album, All Day. Cast: Anne Marsen, John Doyle, Daisuke Omiya

    Re:Generation
    Director: Amir Bar Lev
    5 DJ’s Turn the Table on The History of Music.

    Renga (UK)
    Directors: Adam Russell, John Sear
    A ground breaking feature-length show controlled entirely by the audience using laser pointers. It is the first viable example of a standalone interactive experience capable of running in commercial movie theatres. (North American Premiere)

    The Oyster Princess (1919) with original live score by Bee vs. Moth (Germany)
    Director: Ernst Lubitsch, Screenriters: Hanns Kraly & Ernst Lubitsch
    The Oyster Princess is Ernst Lubitsch’s tart 1919 silent comedy that parodies the rich and the spoiled. Austin jazz/rock band Bee vs. Moth performs their original score live with the film for the first time.
    (World Premiere)

     

    Read more

  • 2012 Oscar Nominated Short Films in Theatre On February 10

    ShortsHD working with Magnolia Pictures will release The Oscar® Nominated Short Films 2012 in over 200 theatres across the United States and Canada on February 10th, 2012.

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012 Animation, Live Action and Documentary at the IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue, New York.

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012 Animation and Live Action at Landmark’s The Nuart Theatre, West LA and Regency Theatres’ South Coast Plaza, Santa Ana.

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 17, 2012 Documentary Shorts at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3

    Three theatrical programs will give audiences around the country an opportunity to watch the nominated shorts in the Animation, Live Action and Documentary categories prior to the 84th Academy Awards® ceremony on February 26th.

    **Separate admission for each program**


    Animation

    Title:  DIMANCHE /SUNDAY [CANADA]

    [caption id="attachment_2360" align="alignnone"]DIMANCHE /SUNDAY [CANADA][/caption]


    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Animation

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 9 minutes

    Language:  English

    Directors:  Patrick Doyon

    Producer: Marc Bertrand, Michael Fukushima

    Synopsis: Every Sunday, it’s the same old routine! The train clatters through the village and almost shakes the pictures off the wall. In the church, Dad dreams about his toolbox. And of course later Grandma will get a visit and the animals will meet their fate.



    Title:  THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE [USA]

    [caption id="attachment_2361" align="alignnone" width="553"]THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Animation

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 17 minutes

    Language:  No Dialogue

    Directors:  William Joyce & Brandon Oldenburg

    Producer: Lampton Enochs Jr., Trish Farnsworth-Smith, Alissa M. Kantrow

    Synopsis: Inspired, in equal measures, by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton, The Wizard of Oz, and a love for books, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a poignant, humorous allegory about the curative powers of story. Using a variety of techniques (miniatures, computer animation, 2D animation) co-directors William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg present a hybrid style of animation that harkens back to silent films and MGM Technicolor musicals. Morris Lessmore is old fashioned and cutting edge at the same time.



    Title:  LA LUNA [USA]

    [caption id="attachment_2362" align="alignnone"]LA LUNA [/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Animation

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 7 minutes

    Language:  English

    Director:   Enrico Casarosa

    Producer: Kevin Reher , John Lasseter (Executive Producer)

    Synopsis:

    “La Luna” is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait. A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?


    Title:  A MORNING STROLL [UK]

    [caption id="attachment_2363" align="alignnone"]A MORNING STROLL[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Animation

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 7 minutes

    Language:  No Dialogue

    Director:   Grant Orchard

    Producer: Sue Goffe

    Synopsis:

    When a New Yorker walks past a chicken on his morning stroll, we are left to wonder which one is the real city slicker.


    Title: WILD LIFE [CANADA]

    [caption id="attachment_1903" align="alignnone"]WILD LIFE[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Animation

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 14 minutes

    Language:  English

    Directors:   Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby

    Producers: Marcy Page, Bonnie Thompson

    Synopsis:

    Calgary, 1909. An Englishman moves to the Canadian frontier, but is singularly unsuited to it. His letters home are much sunnier than the reality. Intertitles compare his fate to that of a comet.



    Live Action

    Title:  PENTECOST [IRELAND]

    [caption id="attachment_2364" align="alignnone"]PENTECOST [/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Drama

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 11 minutes

    Language:  English

    Writer/Director: Peter McDonald

    Producer: Eimear O’Kane

    Cast:  Andrew Bennett, Scott Graham and Eamonn Hunt

    Synopsis:

    When Damian is forced to serve as an altar boy at an important mass in his local parish he faces a difficult choice: conform to the status quo or serve an extended ban from his passion in life, football.



    Title:  RAJU [GERMANY/INDIA]

    [caption id="attachment_2365" align="alignnone"]RAJU [/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Drama

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 24 minutes

    Language:  English/German

    Writer: Max Zähle, Florian Kuhn

    Director:  Max Zähle

    Producer: Stefan Gieren

    Cast: Wotan Wilke Möhring, Julia Richter, Krish Gupta


    Synopsis:

    A German couple adopts in Kolkata an Indian orphan. Their child suddenly disappears and they realize that they are part of the problem.



    Title:  THE SHORE [NORTHERN IRELAND]

    [caption id="attachment_2366" align="alignnone"]THE SHORE [/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Comedy/Drama

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 30 minutes

    Language:  English

    Writer/Director:  Terry George

    Producer: Oorlagh George

    Cast:  Ciarán Hinds, Kerry Condon, Conleth Hill, Maggie Cronin

    Synopsis: THE SHORE is the uplifting story of two boyhood best friends – Joe (Ciarán Hinds) and Paddy (Conleth Hill) divided for 25 years by the tumult of “The Troubles”. When Joe returns home to Northern Ireland, his daughter Patricia brings the two men together for a reunion, with unexpected results. What happened all those years ago? Can old wounds be healed? The answer is both hilarious and moving. THE SHORE is about one of the small personal reconciliations that coincide with a national reconciliation.


    Title:  TIME FREAK [USA]

    [caption id="attachment_2367" align="alignnone" width="550"]TIME FREAK [/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Comedy

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 11 minutes

    Language:  English

    Writer: Andrew Bowler

    Director: Andrew Bowler

    Producer: Gigi Causey

    Cast:  John Conor Brooke, Michael Nathanson, Emilea Wilson

    Synopsis:

    A neurotic inventor creates a time machine, only to get caught up traveling around yesterday.



    Title:  TUBA ATLANTIC [NORWAY]

    [caption id="attachment_2368" align="alignnone"]TUBA ATLANTIC[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Drama

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 25 minutes

    Language:  Norwegian

    Writer: Linn-Jeanethe Kyed

    Director:  Hallvar Witzø

    Producer:  Gudrun Austli

    Cast:  Edvard Hægstad, Terje Ranes, Ingrid Viken

    Synopsis:

    When seventy-year-old Oskar is told that he has only six days left to live, he wants to put things right with his brother who lives in New Jersey. Inger, a public “death angel” is sent out to help Oscar through his remaining days. A huge horn stands at the edge of the sea, built by the brothers when they were kids. Will its sound cross the Atlantic?


    Documentary

    Title:  THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM [JAPAN/USA]

    [caption id="attachment_2369" align="alignnone"]THE TSUNAMI AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 17, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Documentary

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 39 minutes

    Language:  Japanese (with English subtitles)

    Director: Lucy Walker

    Producers: Kira Karstensen, Charleen Manca

    Synopsis:

    Survivors in the areas hardest hit by Japan’s recent tsunami find the courage to revive and rebuild as cherry blossom season begins.



    Title:  INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD [USA]

    [caption id="attachment_2370" align="alignnone" width="550"]INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 17, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Documentary

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 25 minutes

    Language:   English

    Writer: James Spione

    Director: James Spione

    Producers: James Spione, Mike Altmann

    Synopsis:

    One of the most notorious incidents of the Iraq War – the July 2007 slayings of two Reuters journalists and a number of other unarmed civilians by US attack helicopters – is recounted in the powerful testimony of an American infantryman whose life was profoundly changed by his experiences on the scene. US Army Specialist Ethan McCord bore witness to the devastating carnage, found and rescued two children caught in the crossfire, and soon turned against the war that he had enthusiastically joined only months before. Denied psychological treatment in Iraq for his PTSD, McCord returned home, struggling for years with anger, confusion, and guilt over the war. When WikiLeaks released the stunning cockpit video of the incident, McCord was finally spurred into action, and began traveling the country, speaking out for the rights of PTSD sufferers against the American wars in the Middle East.



    Title:  SAVING FACE [PAKISTAN/USA]

    [caption id="attachment_2371" align="alignnone"]SAVING FACE[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 17, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Documentary

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 40 minutes

    Language:   Urdu (with English subtitles)

    Director: Daniel Junge, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

    Producers: Daniel Junge, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Alison Greenberg, Davis Coombe, Sabiha Sumar

    Synopsis:

    Every year hundreds of people — mostly women — are attacked with acid in Pakistan. The HBO Documentary SAVING FACE, which premiers March 8 at 8:30 PM PT, follows several of these survivors, their fight for justice, and a Pakistani plastic surgeon who has returned to his homeland to help them restore their faces and their lives.


    Title:  THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM: FOOT SOLDIER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT [USA]

    [caption id="attachment_1728" align="alignnone" width="550"]THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM: FOOT SOLDIER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT[/caption]

    Los Angeles Release Date:  February 17, 2012

    New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012

    Genre:  Documentary

    Rating: Unrated

    Running Time: 25 minutes

    Language:   English

    Director: Gail Dolgin, Robin Fryday

    Producers: Gail Dolgin, Robin Fryday, Judith Helfand

    Synopsis:

    Mr. James Armstrong is a barber, a “foot soldier” and a dreamer whose barbershop in Birmingham, Alabama has been a hub for haircuts and civil rights since 1955. “The dream” of a promised land, where dignity and the right to vote belongs to everyone is documented in photos, headlines and clippings that cram every inch of wall space (and between the mirrors). 85-years-young, jauntily wearing a bowtie and suspenders, Mr. Armstrong will cut your hair while recounting his experiences as a “foot soldier”, citing the pictures on his wall as he does. In March 1965, civil rights activists began a march from Selma to Montgomery calling for voting rights. Mr. Armstrong, an Army Veteran, was the proud bearer of the American flag in that march, and it’s said that even as state troopers tear-gassed the crowd and beat marchers with billy clubs, he held the flag high. On the annual commemoration of Bloody Sunday he carries that flag. He used his barber chair to educate: “If you want a voice, you have to vote; you can’t complain about nothing if you don’t vote.” Despite threats to his life and home, his two sons were the first to integrate an all white elementary school. “Dying isn’t the worst thing a man can do. The worst thing a man can do is nothing.” No one can accuse Mr. Armstrong of doing nothing; and on the eve of the election of the first African-American president, THE BARBER OF BIRMINGHAM sees his unimaginable dream come true.

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  • Kentucky Filmmakers to Shine At 2012 Derby City Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_2358" align="alignnone"]Mother’s Red Dress by director Edgar Michael Bravo[/caption]

    A total of 56 films from 16 countries, including 24 International selections, will be screened at the upcoming Derby City Film Festival, February 17th – 19th, but this year films from current and former Kentucky residents are the one’s dominating the field.

    Of the films who’s filmmakers are from Kentucky, seven of them are feature films, four are shorts and one is a documentary. Another feature film “Sam Steel and the Crystal Chalice” is from New Albany filmmaker Tom Whitus and was shot in Louisville and the documentary “Bailout” is from Chicago filmmaker Sean Fahey and part of it was shot at the 2011 Kentucky Derby. “Steele”, starring Kevin Sorbo, screens on opening night and “Bailout” screens Saturday afternoon.

    Also on Friday night is the film “Wid Winner and the Slipstream” from Western Kentucky native  Alex O Gaynor. “Winner” tells the story of two men who embark on a cross-country journey to face the past, change the future, and collect enough used-auto parts to build a time machine. Much of the film was shot in Western Kentucky.

    Four more features take the stage on Saturday including the World Premiere of “Frames” from Western Kentucky graduate Brandon Colvin. In “Frames” a young filmmaker uses his camera to transform the banality of his hometown into art. When a friend goes missing, however, his footage exposes a disturbing mystery . . . one he might be merely inventing.

    Producer and St. Xaiver alum John Paul Rice brings his latest collaboration with writer and director Edgar Michael Bravo, “Mother’s Red Dress”, back to his hometown. “Red Dress” is a  tragic love story/psycho-drama about a young man, Paul, who is suffering from PTSD and trying to piece together the past after seeing his mother kill her abusive boyfriend.

    Louisville natives, and Ballard High graduates, Scooter Downey & Sean Elliot bring the feature “It’s in the Blood” to their hometown Saturday night. Featuring Lance Henriksen, Elliot & Rose Sirna, “Blood”  tells the tale of a father and son who become stranded in the wild and must confront the horrors of their past to escape with their lives.  However, this wilderness is not what it seems, and as they deteriorate, so to does their concept of reality: horrifying creatures, ghostly apparitions, is it all in their heads, or could the truth be far more terrible?

    Prior to the screening actor Lance Henriksen will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the festival for his outstanding contributions to Television and film over the last 40 plus years.

    Henriksen is probably best known for his role as Bishop in the “Aliens” and “Aliens vs. Predator” films and video games, but he has also appeared in the classic films “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “The Right Stuff” and “Terminator” among others.  In the late 90’s he played  Frank Black in the television series “Millennium”. and more recently he has lent his voice talents to video games like “Transformers”, “Call of Duty”  and “Mass Effect”. The film and award presentation begin at 8:00 PM.

    Saturday’s final film at 10:00 PM is Matt Niehoff & Brian Cunningham’s feature film “Overtime” , which was shot in Louisville and features Al Snow, John Wells & Sebrina Siegel. “Overtime” follows two hitmen who find themselves caught up in a conspiracy they never imagined which includes alien zombies. Both films are included on one ticket.

    The short films from Kentucky include “Bizarnival: Tuxedos in the Attic” from Todd Sheene, Allen Martin, and Scott Stafford and three World Premieres from Louisville filmmaker and DCFF founders Kristofer & Ashley Rommel. “Please Try Again”, “Just for Today” and “Wireface: In the Beginning…” we all shot in Louisville and feature local talent. All four of the short films screen Saturday at various times. “Bizarnival” is also a nominee for Best US Short Film.

    Henriksen is probably best known for his role as Bishop in the “Aliens” and “Aliens vs. Predator” films and video games, but he has also appeared in the classic films “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “The Right Stuff” and “Terminator” among others.  In the late 90’s he played  Frank Black in the television series “Millennium”. and more recently he has lent his voice talents to video games like “Transformers”, “Call of Duty”  and “Mass Effect”.

    Sunday features the World Premiere of former Northern Kentucky, now Cincinnati, filmmaker Isaac Stambaugh ‘s latest film “Smells Like Community Spirit” and Lexington filmmaker Michael Crisp’s documentary “Legendary: When Baseball Came to the Bluegrass”.

    The 2012 Derby City Film Festival runs February 17th – 19th at the Clifton Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

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  • 2012 One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival to focus on protests and unrest

    The 14th annual One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival has chosen a topical and compelling theme for this year’s event, which will focus on continuing protests and unrest in various parts of the world. One World’s films will show that, even though protest events from Bahrain to Greece to the USA have different means and goals, they all have one common element: committed young people who are demanding change in the established order of things.

    For Czech audiences, films from Arab countries in the One World program will be a unique opportunity for them to see recent events in that part of the world formulated and processed into high-quality documentary films, and not just in the form of television news reports. “Until now, it has not been customary for festivals to screen films about such topical events, which are essentially still being played out on the streets,” says One World’s festival director Hana Kulhánková.

    “In these films, the thing I appreciate most is the courage of people to take to the streets and risk their lives for democracy,” Kulhánková adds. “For us Czechs, who experienced a peaceful Velvet Revolution, this attitude is unimaginable.”

    Kulhánková also stresses that the films in question highlight the fact that overthrowing a dictator in these Arab countries is a long way from “victory” and that they still have a long road ahead.

    Nonetheless, the main thematic category, Youth Quake, is not just about the Arab revolutions, but looks at a lot more issues. Young people’s dissatisfaction with the current state of society is also manifesting itself in established democracies. In these places, their protests are against the existing socioeconomic system and they are testing the strength of democratic values and the openness of their governments. For example, besides the Arab revolutions, which have been well covered in the media, this film category also shows young Japanese people completely breaking with tradition in their country and taking to the streets after the disaster in Fukushima, or radical American ecologists who end up in prison as terrorists.

    The visual graphic for One World 2012 by the Ex Lovers studio also reflects the theme of this year’s festival. Its creators based it on the observation that two things united all the public protests across various cultures – emotions and handmade banners. “We took the gestures, emotions, and tools that the protesters used to speak about the establishment – spray cans, paints, and markers,” says Zuzana Kubíková from Ex Lovers.

    Other film categories at One World 2012 will include With or Without You, which explores social themes, and So-called Civilization¸ which offers environmentally focused documentaries. The films included in the Main Competition and the Right to Know categories will compete for the festival’s principal prizes. The program will also include the latest Czech documentaries.

    One World 2012 runs from 6 to 15 March 2012 in Prague before traveling to another 40 Bohemian and Moravian towns and cities. As is now traditional, besides screening hundreds of movies, festival audiences will also have an opportunity to discuss the films with the people who made them and to participate in panel debates with experts. You can find more information at www.oneworld.cz.

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  • Documentary ‘A Life Ascending’ on DVD February 28

    ‘A Life Ascending’, from director Stephen Grynberg will be available on DVD February 28.

    More than 8 years after a tragic avalanche took the lives of 7 skiers exploring the Canadian Alps, Ptarmigan Films will release “A Life Ascending”,  a documentary following Ruedi Beglinger, the legendary mountain guide who led that fateful expedition.  Award-winning filmmaker Stephen Grynberg, himself a loyal, longtime client of Beglinger’s Selkirk Mountain Experience, intimately explores the unique lives of Beglinger and his family as they attempt to move past the tragedy that catapulted them into international headlines.

    Featuring breathtaking scenery and personal interviews with Beglinger’s family members, guests and staff, “A Life Ascending”, allows viewers insight into a truly unique family living in an unknown world.  The tight-knit Beglingers live and work in the unforgiving wilderness of the Canadian Alps and embody the simple, adventurous ethos of a family living off the land.  Beglinger, along with his wife Nicoline and daughters, Charlotte and Florina, manages to exude tremendous warmth and familial joy in the coldest, most extreme of settings.  “A Life Ascending” is sure to appeal to mountaineers and skiers, but also to anyone interested in universal and human stories about struggle, triumph and redemption.

    The film has already garnered critical acclaim and recognition following screenings at various film festivals, winning awards at the Banff Mountain, DocuWest, Kendal Mountain, BendFilm, Yosemite International, and Red Rock Film Festivals, as well as honorable mentions at several other festivals.

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