• The Highest Pass directed by Slamdance co-founder Jon Fitzgerald to open 2011 Topanga Film Festival

    The world premiere of The Highest Pass directed by Slamdance co-founder Jon Fitzgerald will open the 2011 Topanga Film Festival in Topanga, California.

    Starting in Rishikesh, the birthplace of Yoga, this documentary takes us on a motorcycle journey through the Himalayas of India and over the highest motorable road in the world, following a dare devil yogi that leads seven Americans to make decisions about life and death while traversing steep, icy cliffs and the chaos of India’s “road killer” traffic. Carrying a prophecy of death in his late twenties, their Yogi leader Anand inspires us to question what it means to truly live and pushes them to the limits of his teachings:  “Only the one who dies, truly lives”.  Adam is forced to question: Is truly living worth dying for?

    The 2011 Topanga Film Festival runs July 28 thru July 31.

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  • SXSW Award Winning Film “Natural Selection” to open in theaters this fall

    [caption id="attachment_1543" align="alignnone" width="570"]Rachael Harris and Matt O’Leary in Natural Selection[/caption]

    The award winning film, “Natural Selection” from director Robbie Pickering, which premiered in competition at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival and went on to win seven awards, including the Grand Jury and Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature, Breakthrough Performance for both Rachael Harris and Matt O’Leary, Best Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Score/Music, will open in theaters this fall.

    Natural Selection” was written and directed by Robbie Pickering, and in addition to Harris and O’Leary, the film stars Jon Gries (“Napoleon Dynamite” and “Real Genius”) and John Diehl (“Miami Vice” and “Stargate”).

    When a dutiful Texas housewife (Rachael Harris) discovers that her devout husband has suffered a stroke at a sperm bank where he’s been secretly donating for the past 25 years, she leaves her sheltered world and starts off on a comedic journey to find his eldest biological son (Matt O’Leary from “Brick” and “Frailty”), a mullet-headed, foul-mouthed ex-con. Along the way, Linda’s wonderfully bizarre relationship with Raymond will teach her more about herself than she ever imagined possible.

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  • Nancy Fishman Film Releasing to distribute Eve Annenberg’s “Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish”

    San Francisco Bay Area based distributor Nancy Fishman Film Releasing announced that it will release Eve Annenberg’s “Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish,” described as a gritty, funny New York drama about encounters between Satmar Hasid bad boys and the work of Shakespeare.  Directed and produced by Eve Annenberg, “Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish” will be released nationally to theaters through Nancy Fishman Film Releasing, and internationally to festivals and broadcasters.

    The play Romeo and Juliet has been translated around the world. Now Eve Annenberg’s quirky new feature film sets William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in contemporary New York City with Brooklyn-inflected English and Yiddish spoken by a talented cast. A jaded middle-aged E.R. nurse with a chip on her shoulder about the Ultra Orthodox is assigned a translation of “Romeo and Juliet”—from old Yiddish to new Yiddish—in her pursuit of a Master’s degree. In over her head, she accepts help from some charismatic and ethically challenged (a.k.a. scamming) young Ultra Orthodox dropouts. When another ex-Orthodox leaver enchants her apartment with Kabbalah magic that he is leaking due to over studying, the boys begin to live Shakespeare’s play in their heads, in a gauzy and beautiful alternate reality where everyone is Orthodox.

    In what might be the first Yiddish “mumblecore” film, Annenberg creates a magical universe (set in Williamsburg, Brooklyn), where Romeo and Juliet hail from divergent streams of ultra-Orthodox Judaism and speak their lines in street-smart Yiddish. The Bard may have never dreamed of the Montagues as Satmar Jews, but Annenberg’s fanciful direction makes the story of feuding Orthodox families both poignant and timeless. As they start to “modernize” and act in the archaic play, the young men fall under its rapturous incantation. Annenberg’s utterly enchanting meditation on life and love in New York yields a rapprochement between Secular and ultra Orthodox Worlds. “Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish” magically explores how everyone—from a jaded E.R. nurse to edgy black-hatted slackers—falls under the spell of love and Shakespeare.

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  • Talihina Sky: The Story of Kings of Leon Documentary to Premiere on Showtime

    TALIHINA SKY, detailing the Grammy® Winners’ rise to fame from Bible Belt beginnings will premieres Sunday, August 21 at 10 PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME.  The film premiered this spring at the Tribeca Film Festival.

    When three teenaged brothers and their cousin rebelled against their strict, religious Southern upbringing to form a rock band named Kings of Leon , their humble back story garnered almost as much attention as their music. Many questioned if they were really related and if rumors of their father being a Pentecostal preacher were true. Since then, the band has achieved worldwide, Grammy® Award-winning success and now, the mystery and myths behind these budding rock legends will be laid to rest in the documentary TALIHINA SKY: THE STORY OF KINGS OF LEON, premiering on SHOWTIME on Sunday, August 21 at 10 PM ET/PT.

    The documentary kicks off at the annual Followill family reunion in the back woods of Talihina, Oklahoma, where the boys return to their roots and unwind with their family. First-time director and Followill friend Stephen C. Mitchell weaves personal home videos, unedited interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of the band’s journey from their small-town beginnings — spent in poverty and touring the Bible Belt with their father, a Pentecostal evangelist minister, and their devout mother — to living the rock star dream.

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  • Helen Mirren + winners of the 33rd Moscow International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_1538" align="alignnone"]Helen Mirren received the special prize for the outstanding achievement in the career of acting[/caption]

    The winners of the 33rd Moscow International Film Festival were announced earlier this month after the festival wrapped its June 23rd to July 7th, 2011 run.

    ”Viewers’ sympathy” award was given to “MONTEVIDEO, TASTE OF A DREAM” (MONTEVIDEO, BOG TE VIDEO) by a Serbian director Dragan Bjelogrlic.

    FIPRESCI jury awarded a film by Alberto Morais “THE WAVES” (LAS OLAS).

    “Kommersant” magazine gave its prize to “HEART’S BOOMERANG” (SERDTSA BUMERANG) by Nikolay Khomeriki.

    For the second time during the MIFF history NETPAC (The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) jury worked during the festival. The Association gave its award to “REVENGE: A LOVE STORY” (FUK SAU CHE CHI SEI) by Wong Ching Po. The film participated in Main Competition  program.

    Russian film critics gave first diploma to a Pole Feliks Falk for his film “JOANNA”. Their second diploma was given to “REVENGE: A LOVE STORY” (FUK SAU CHE CHI SEI).

    Cinema clubs prize and diploma were given to a Bulgarian film “SNEAKERS” (KECOVE) by Ivan Vladimirov and Valeri Yordanov and CHAPITEAU-SHOW by Sergei Loban

    Cinema clubs Special diploma was given to “JOANNA”

    Cinema clubs awarded “UNDERCURRENT” (BRIM) by Árni Ólafur Ásgeirsson from Perspectives and “ELENA” by Andrei Zvyagintsev presented in Russian program.

    Special diploma of Cinema clubs was given to “SNOWCHILD” by Uta Arning.

    Helen Mirren received the special prize for the outstanding achievement in the career of acting.

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  • Indie film ‘Identical’ to premiere in NYC on Saturday

    Tomorrow, Saturday, July 23, 2011 is the East Coast premiere of the independent film Identical, starring Kelly Baugher, Jonathan Togo, Emily Foxler, Ed Asner, Aaron Refvem and Craigs Mums Grant.The premiere takes place at the Symphony Space in New York City.

    Adapted from “Memoirs of a Murder” by Daniel Bollag,who also co-directs the film with Seo Mutarevic, the film follows identical twin brothers who need each other to exist. After a passionate love triangle forms, when they fall in love with the same woman, secrets are revealed among murderous accounts.

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  • COMING SOON: Indie Comedy “My Best Day”

    The indie film, “My Best Day,” an ensemble comedy feature from director Erin Greenwell (“Big Dreams in Little Hope”) is currently filming in the Slate Belt in Pennsylvania. As reported by lehighvalleylive.com, the final product will feature Heard’s Meat Market in Bangor, the Portland baseball park, Jewell’s Service Station in East Bangor and other spots around the region as part of the same small town.

    The story line sounds hilarious, Karen’s life as a small town receptionist is turned upside down when the father she never knew calls for a refrigerator repair. Karen sets out to investigate, dragging along her friend Meagan posing as a mechanic.

    By the end of the day, Karen will also encounter her father’s closet lover, a compulsive sister addicted to off track betting, a brother struggling with grade school heart ache and bullies, a broken refrigerator and a load of fireworks.

    The cast includes some up and coming actors including Jo Armeniox, Ashlie Atkinson, Raúl Castillo, Harris Doran, Molly Lloyd, Kate McKinnon, Haley Murphy, Robert Salerno and Rachel Style.

    The filmmakers anticipate a 2012 festival run.

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  • Fantastic Fest Adds 20 films to its 2011 Film Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_1177" align="alignnone" width="560"]Underwater Love[/caption]

    Fantastic Fest announced the first wave of programming for the seventh edition happening September 22-29, 2011 in Austin, Texas.  This batch of 20 films spans the globe from Japan, Belgium, Mexico, Russia, Hong Kong, Korea and of course the USA.

    “Fantastic Fest is the high-point of my year. Every year old friends return and strangers become friends. Fantastic Fest is my extended dysfunctional family; each of us completely obsessed by the wildest and weirdest films on earth,” says festival creative director and co-founder Tim League.

    Comin’ At Ya! 3D “30(th) Anniversary” (2011)- Real D Presents

    World Premiere

    Star Tony Anthony and Producer Tom Stern live in person

    Director: Ferdinando Baldi, USA, 118 minutes

    The film that kicked off the ’80s 3D Boom returns in a state of the art digital re-imaged restoration. Equal parts western and rollercoaster, COMIN’ AT YA pulls out every stop to entertain you. If the modern wave of 3D were as fun as COMIN’ AT YA! 3D, the motion picture industry would have nothing to worry about. The only Spaghetti Western shot in 3D is now completely restored with the latest in 3D technology and stars Tony Anthony as H.H. Hart, an avenging hero out to retrieve his kidnapped bride, played by Victoria Abril. Gene Quintana plays the slave trader who is holding her hostage in this extremely memorable cult favorite.

    Beyond the Black Rainbow (2011)

    Regional Premiere

    Director: Panos Cosmatos, USA, 110 minutes

    A trance inducing, psychedelic head trip from visionary director Panos Cosmatos, BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW is a sci-fi dystopia sent with love from the Reagan years. Imagine STALKER meets LOGAN’S RUN.

    Body Temperature (2011)

    North American Premiere

    Director: Takaomi Ogata, Japan, 72 minutes

    Takaomi Ogata’s BODY TEMPERATURE chronicle’s a young man’s love affair with a life-sized sex doll. Think LARS AND THE REAL GIRL but with all the creepiness that story was strangely missing.

    Borderline (2011)

    North American Premiere

    Director: Alexnadre Coffre, France, 89 minutes

    When David finds a bag in the park, he sees its nefarious contents as the perfect escape from his dead-end life; hopefully without losing it entirely at the hands of the bag’s former owner.

    Boys on the Run (2010)

    Texas Premiere

    Director: Daisuke Miura, Japan, 114 minutes

    Based on a manga (surprise), BOYS ON THE RUN’s central courtship starts with a bestiality DVD and ends with a Taxi Driver-style showdown. Guaranteed to warm the heart of the serial masturbator inside all of us.

    Bullhead (2011)

    US Premiere

    Director Michael R. Roskam live in person

    Director: Michael R Roskam, Belgium, 129 minutes

    Testicular trauma, the underground beef hormone black market, steroid addiction and a vast swath of suppressed emotions swirl together to form one of the most powerful narratives we have seen in recent memory.

    El Infierno (2010)- Cine Las Americas presents

    Texas Premiere

    Director: Luis Estrada, Mexico, 145 minutes

    Luis Estrada’s El Infierno (Hell) finds pitch-black dark humor in a peasant’s rise to power amid the drug-war-torn streets of the Mexican border.

    House by the Cemetery (1981)- Blue Underground Presents

    Theatrical Premiere of the 2K digitally restored version

    Director: Lucio Fulci, Italy, 87 minutes

    Lucio Fulci’s classic Italian gore rollercoaster, now presented in a digital restoration from Blue Underground.

    Invasion of Alien Bikini (2011)

    Texas Premiere

    Director: Oh Young-Doo, Korea, 75 minutes

    The no-budget bikini-clad alien invasion martial arts romp INVASION OF ALIEN BIKINI was so fun, it took the $25,000 jury prize at this year’s Yubari Fantastic Fest, a sum more than five times the budget of the film.

    Kill Me Please (2010)

    US Premiere

    Director Olias Barco live in person

    Director: Olias Barco, Belgium, 96 minutes

    From the producers of MAN BITES DOG, KILL ME PLEASE details the day-to-day exploits of one of the world’s foremost assisted suicide clinics. Dark comedy and pathos are as well mixed as Dr. Krueger’s lethal cocktails.

    A Lonely Place to Die (2011)

    Regional Premiere

    Director: Julian Gilbey, UK, 98 minutes

    This back-to-basics, no-BS modern take on the survival genre features a violent Russian girl in a cage, gun-toting maniacs, and a cat-and-mouse chase across lawless, rural Scotland.

    Milocrorze, A Love Story (2011)

    Regional Premiere

    Director: Yoshimasa Ishibasha, Japan, 90 minutes

    This bizarro musical/variety/samurai/love story from Japan is cinematic LSD from Yoshimasa Ishibashi, the mad genius behind the Fuccon Family, and Takayuki Yamada, who plays all three male leads.

    New Kids Turbo (2011)

    US Premiere

    Directors: Steffen Haars and Flip van der Kuil, The Netherlands, 87 minutes

    Gutter comedy escalates to ludicrous extremes in the Dutch smash hit that will leave you gasping for air. The mullets are magnificent, as are the moustaches.

    Revenge: A Love Story (2011)

    US Premiere

    Director: Ching Po Wong, Hong Kong, 91 minutes

    Ching-Po Wong’s REVENGE A LOVE STORY follows a severely wronged man in his quest to avenge a terrible crime. This is a new ultra-violent Hong Kong action, one deeply influenced by the best of Korean revenge films.

    Snowtown (2010)

    US Premiere

    Director: Justin Kurzel, Australia, 120 minutes

    Justin Kurzel, part of the Australian Film Collective BLUE TONGUE FILMS whose members include Spencer Susser (HESHER) and NASH Edgerton (THE SQUARE), knocks out a stellar debut feature with SNOWTOWN, a dark hypnotic tale of a lower-class youngster who has the misfortune of finding a father figure in John Bunting, Australia’s most notorious serial killer.

    The Stoker (2010)

    North American Premiere

    Director: Alexei Balabanov, Russia, 87 minutes

    Genius storyteller and two-time Fantastic Fest veteran, Alexsei Balabanov (CARGO 200, MORPHIA) delivers his unique blend of bloody crime drama by way of the darkest recesses of the Russian human condition.

    Underwater Love (2011)

    Texas Premiere

    Director: Shinji Imaoka, Japan, 87 minutes

    The simple life of a fish factory worker gets turned upside-down when she falls in love with a legendary Japanese creature in this kinky, musical romp of a pink film lensed by the legendary Christopher Doyle and directed by Fantastic Fest veteran Shinji Imaoka (UNCLE’S PARADISE).

    Versus (2001)

    US Premiere

    Star Tak Sakaguchi and writer Yudai Yamaguchi live in person

    Director: Ryuhei Kitamura, Japan, 119 minutes

    The 10th anniversary screening of the yakuza vs. zombies action classic that cracked open Japan’s indie film business like a can of cheap beer.

    Yakuza Weapon (2011)

    Regional Premiere

    Star/co-director Tak Sakaguchi and co-director Yudai Yamaguchi live in person

    Directors: Tak Sakaguchi and Yudai Yamaguchi, Japan, 106 minutes

    Ten years after starring in VERSUS, former street fighter-turned actor/director Tak Sakaguchi is back with this mondo trasho flick about a yakuza with a machine gun arm and a rocket launcher leg.

    Zombie (1979)- Blue Underground Presents

    Theatrical Premiere of the 2K digitally restored version

    Director: Lucio Fulci, Italy, 92 minutes

    Lucio Fulci’s extreme masterpiece of post-Romero corpse mania is back in a gorgeous 2K digital restoration.

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  • Keenen Ivory Wayans and the Complete List of Winners of the 15th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF)

    [caption id="attachment_1531" align="alignnone" width="550"]Best Film: THE TESTED, directed by Russell Constanzo.[/caption]

    The 15th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF), which took place in South Beach Miami July 6-9, honored  Emmy Award-winning producer/director Keenen Ivory Wayans at the closing night ceremony, aka ABFF Honors, with the Entertainment Icon Award in recognition of his success in the film and television industry for nearly 25 years.

    The festival also announced the complete list of ABFF Honors Awards:

    HBO® Short Film Competition – FIG, written by Alex George Pickering and directed by Ryan Coogler.
    Best Documentary, presented by CNN – BROWN BABIES, directed by Regina Griffin.
    Grey Goose “Rising Icon” Award – Actress Naturi Naughton.
    The Star Project Winners, presented by NBCUniversal – Sheaun McKinney of Los Angeles and Tiffany D. Hobbs of Dallas.
    The gmc Television Network Screenplay Competition — David Martyn Conley for RAISING IZZIE.

    Grand Jury Winners:

    Best Screenplay presented by Team Sizzle Worldwide – BLACK GOLD, directed by Jeta Amata.
    Best Actor, presented by Gold Peak Tea (tie) – Lonyo Engele for his role as David Brown in DAVID IS DYING and Persia White for her role as Trenyce in DYSFUNCTIONAL FRIENDS.
    Best Director, presented by Cadillac – Stephen Lloyd Jackson for DAVID IS DYING.
    Best Film, presented by Wells Fargo THE TESTED, directed by Russell Constanzo.


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  • Johnny Depp to star in Julian Schnabel’s “In The Hand of Dante”

    Leave it to Johnny Depp, he’s a very smary guy. Back in 2008, ne purchased the rights to Nick Tosche’s book “In The Hand of Dante,” which is about two intersecting stories based upon the legendary Italian writer Dante Alighiei’s masterwork, “The Divine Comedy.”

    Depp himself will play the Nick Tosches “surrogate” character, rumor has it, in the joint story line. The narrative will swings back and forth between modern-day New York City and 14th century Italy. Depp’s character will travel to Sicily, where many mysterious and dangerous shenanigans ensue. Schnabel and Depp? We here at Vimooz are definitely in.

     


     

     

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  • Second Annual Portland, Maine Film Festival Accepting Submissions

    Announcing its second exciting season, the Portland Maine Film Festival’s call for entries is now open. The PMFF invites international and local filmmakers to submit their films for consideration through August 29, 2011. The Festival, Oct. 6, 7, 8 and 9, 2011, will host four days of diverse film celebrations and screenings of work by independent-minded filmmakers and emerging cinema artists of Maine and across the globe.

    Details on how to apply may be found online at www.withoutabox.com and www.portlandmainefilmfestival.com.

    “Our mission this year is to promote and foster an appreciation of the film arts in our region with special, locally produced film screenings,” says festival founder Tyler Johnston. “We will feature some of today’s cutting-edge international cinema while placing a well-deserved spotlight on the creative filmmaking community here in Portland.”

    Joining PMFF this year is Corey Norman, professor in the Communications and New Media Department at Southern Maine Community College. Norman is a video producer and mentor to film students whose work has included nationally broadcast programming for the History Channel, Discovery Channel, National Geographic and PBS’s Nova among others.

    “I’m thrilled to play a big part in this year’s PMFF and delighted to announce a special youth produced screening that will celebrate emerging young talent,” Norman says. “Please join us for our second year and support the motion picture arts in Maine.”

    The PMFF is proud to showcase today’s most creative independent films in the categories of cutting-edge Narrative Features, Shorts, Documentaries, Experimental, Animation, and Student & Youth produced films. The festival honors each year’s winners with Audience Awards in categories of Best International Film, Best of the Fest Feature, Best of the Fest Documentary, Best Short Subject Narrative, Best Short Subject Documentary, Best One Minute Cell Phone Video, Best Music Video, Best Animated Film, Best Experimental Film, Best Student Film, Best Made in Maine Filmmaker, and Best Youth Produced Film (<18 years of age).

    About
    The Portland Maine Film Festival features contemporary, entertaining and informative movies, as well as, panel discussions and networking opportunities for local filmmakers.

    Thriving with contemporary art and a rich history, Portland, Maine is a creative hub. Featuring excellent food, a diverse and thriving art scene, exotic night life, and all the outdoor activities of Maine, this beautiful coastal city in the heart of Casco Bay is the perfect place to visit and experience a film festival.

    Announcements on jury members and festival updates to follow.

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  • Daniel Craig, Sci-Fis and thrillers abound at the upcoming Locarno Film Festival

    The Festival del film Locarno once again makes its presence felt as the essential rendez-vous for auteurs, observers and key players in world cinema.

    The Festival, faithful to its origins and resolutely looking forward, continues its adventurous course, always attentive to changes in cinematography and the emergence of new talent. It continues to strive to limit the number of films selected, in order to guarantee maximum visibility of those selected while offering a range of appealing and tempting views of world cinema, film production in all its forms and landmarks in film history. Nearly 180 feature films and documentaries, as well as a retrospective of Vincent Minnelli films will be screened over ten days.

    Those expected to attend this 64th edition include Claudia Cardinale, Harrison Ford, Leslie Caron, Ingrid Caven, Kabir Bedi, Guy Bedos, Abel Ferrara, Mike Medavoy, Bruno Ganz, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Olivia Wilde, Claude Goretta, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Kati Outinen, Nicolas Winding Refn, Daniel Craig, Pierre Richard, Maribel Verdú, Anri Sala and Daniel Brühl…Olivier Père is the Artistic director. This is Switzerland’s most prestigious film festival. And it sounds pretty damn glamorous, too.

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