• Sicilian Film Festival in Miami Announces 2012 Dates

    The Sicilian Film Festival, 7th Edition will be held April 11-17, 2012 at the Miami Beach Cinematheque.  The seven-day festival was created in Miami in 2006 by the Sicilian-born sculptor, musician, writer, and designer Emanuele Viscuso. Now residing in Miami Beach, Viscuso seeks to underline the importance of Sicily and Southern Italy, its cinema, literature, art, food and wine, fashion, and culture on an international platform.  While based primarily in Miami, the SFF holds events in both the United States and other cities worldwide.

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  • Record Number of Entries in Academy’s 2011 Nicholl Screenwriting Competition

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition has received a record 6,730 entries for 2011, including a first-time entry from Ecuador.  The Academy will award up to five fellowships of $30,000 each in November.

    The Nicholl Fellowships competition is open to screenwriters who have not earned more than $5,000 writing for film or television.  Entry scripts must be feature length and the original work of a sole author or of exactly two collaborative authors.  The scripts must have been written originally in English.  Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible.

    This year, entries have come from all 50 states in the U.S., as well as from Argentina, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.

    Since the program’s inception in 1985, 118 fellowships have been awarded, and a number of fellows have achieved considerable success.  Ehren Kruger, a 1996 fellow, wrote “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” opening later this month.  “The Details,” written and directed by 1998 fellow Jacob Aaron Estes, premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.  Andrew W. Marlowe, a 1992 fellow, created and executive produces ABC’s “Castle,” for which Terri Miller, also a 1992 fellow, is a writer-producer.  Mike Rich, a 1998 fellow, wrote “Secretariat,” which opened last October.  Susannah Grant, a 1992 fellow, earned an Oscar® nomination in 2000 for her “Erin Brockovich” screenplay.

    Several other Nicholl fellows have had success in the film industry.

    Fellowships are awarded with the understanding that the recipients will each complete a feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year.  The Academy acquires no rights to the works of Nicholl fellows and does not involve itself commercially in any way with their completed scripts.

    [via AMPAS]

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  • The Weinstein Company to release “W.E.,” Madonna’s directorial debut

    [caption id="attachment_1460" align="alignnone" width="550"]Madonna on the set of W.E.[/caption]

    The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced yesterday that it will release “W.E.,” Madonna’s directorial debut of a feature film  in the U.S. W.E. is a romantic drama co-written by Madonna and Alek Keshishian. It stars Abbie Cornish (LIMITLESS), Oscar Isaac (DRIVE), James D’Arcy (MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD), Andrea Riseborough (NEVER LET ME GO), Natalie Dormer (“The Tudors”), Richard Coyle (PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME), James Fox (SHERLOCK HOLMES) and Laurence Fox (“Inspector Lewis”).

    Spanning six decades, W.E. juxtaposes a contemporary love story with that of King Edward VIII and American divorcée Wallis Simpson.

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  • 2011 Brooklyn Film Festival Winners; ‘Battle for Brooklyn’ is big winner

     

    [caption id="attachment_1458" align="alignnone" width="550"]Battle for Brooklyn [/caption]

    The Brooklyn Film Festival (BFF) announced the winners of this year’s festival held June 3 – June 12, 2011 at IndieScreen and Brooklyn Heights Cinema. Fittingly enough, a film about Brooklyn, ‘Battle For Brooklyn’ by Suki Hawley & Michael Galinsky took the Grand Chameleon Award and the award for Best Documentary.  BATTLE for BROOKLYN is an intensely intimate look at the very public and passionate fight waged by owners and residents facing condemnation of their property to make way for the controversial Atlantic Yards project, a massive plan to build 16 skyscrapers and a basketball arena for the New Jersey Nets in the heart of Brooklyn. Shot over seven years and compiled from almost 500 hours of footage, BATTLE for BROOKLYN is an epic tale of how far people will go to fight for what they believe in.

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    W Zappatore by Massimiliano Verdesca was the other big winner, taking the awards for Best Documentary and Best Actress for Sandra Milo. This hilarious, quirky Italian comedy explores the question: is it better to play the music of Satan or listen to the word of God? Marcello Zappatore is 33 years old. He earns a living by playing electric guitar in a Satanist heavy metal band. However, Marcello has a physical problem: an uncomfortable itch on the side of his rib cage that soon turns out to be stigmata. Is it divine intervention or just time for a change? Marcello does not know the answer, and the stigmata is causing him many problems. In one go, he loses his girlfriend and the flat they share, and is kicked out of his band. Marcello now finds himself ready to undertake a very personal voyage between two very different and incompatible worlds… that of God and that of Rock.

    2011 Brooklyn Film Festival winners:

    GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD
    BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN by Suki Hawley & Michael Galinsky

    Best Narrative Feature
    W. ZAPPATORE by Massimiliano Verdesca

    Best Documentary
    BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN by Suki Hawley & Michael Galinsky

    Best Narrative Short
    RITA by Antonio Piazza & Fabio Grassadonia

    Best Animation
    A MORNING STROLL by Grant Orchard

    Best Experimental
    DAME FACTORY by Melanie Abramov

    Best New Director
    SLAVA ROSS for Siberia Monamour

    Spirit Awards
    Feature Narrative
    Documentary
    Short Narrative
    Experimental
    Animation    		 AMY GEORGE by Yonah Lewis & Calvin Thomas
    SCRAPPER by Stephan Wassmann
    GOWANUS 83 by Michael Wood
    TO BE IN ME by Marina Mello
    AMAR by Isabel Herguera
    Audience Awards
    Feature Narrative
    Documentary
    Short Narrative
    Experimental
    Animation    		 DAVID by Joel Fendelman
    BED STUY DO OR DIE by Daniel Bishop
    TEARDROP by Damian John Harper
    POSE by Ivaylo Getov
    FALLING UP by Djuna Wahlrab
    Certificates of Outstanding Achievement
    Screenplay
    Producer
    Cinematography
    Editing
    Original Score
    Actor Female
    Actor Male    		 ANNA KERRIGAN for Five Days Gone
    S. SCHAEFER, D. CRESPO, C. SILBER for My Last Day Without You
    MAGELA CROSIGNANI for Mary Marie
    TAKASHI DOSCHER for Snow on tha Bluff
    “FALL ON YOUR SWORD” for Aardvark
    MARIELENA LOGSDON for Babyland & SANDRA MILO for W. Zappatore
    RASSELAS LAKEW for The Athlete

     

     

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  • Academy Honors 2011 Student Academy Award® Winners with Medals

    [caption id="attachment_1456" align="alignnone" width="560"]The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented its 38th Annual Student Academy Awards® on Saturday, June 11, in Beverly Hills. Front row (left to right): Hallvar Witzø, Julian Higgins, Avner Geller, Stevie Lewis, Tal S. Shamir, Wonjung Bae and Soham Mehta. Back row (left to right): Theo Rigby, Anthony Weeks, Shawn Wines, Max Zähle, Karzan Kader, Zach Hyer, Bernardo Warman and Shaofu Zhang.[/caption]

    Fifteen students from colleges and universities around the world were honored last night (June 11) as winners in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 38th Annual Student Academy Awards® competition awards ceremony, which featured as presenters actress Jennifer Garner, Oscar®-nominated animator John Musker, and Academy Award-winning producer Edward Zwick alongside Academy President Tom Sherak at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

    The 2011 winners are:

    Alternative category
    Gold Medal*:   “The Vermeers,” Tal S. Shamir, The New School, New York
    * Only one medal was awarded in the Alternative category.

    Animation category
    Gold Medal (tie):   “Correspondence,” Zach Hyer, Pratt Institute, New York; and “Dragonboy,” Bernardo Warman and Shaofu Zhang, Academy of Art University, California
    Bronze Medal:       “Defective Detective,” Avner Geller and Stevie Lewis, Ringling College of Art and Design, Florida

    Documentary category
    Gold Medal:       “Vera Klement: Blunt Edge,” Wonjung Bae, Columbia College Chicago
    Silver Medal:      “Imaginary Circumstances,” Anthony Weeks, Stanford University
    Bronze Medal:   “Sin Pais (Without Country),” Theo Rigby, Stanford University

    Narrative category
    Gold Medal:     “Thief,” Julian Higgins, American Film Institute, California
    Silver Medal:    “High Maintenance,” Shawn Wines, Columbia University
    Bronze Medal:  “Fatakra,” Soham Mehta, University of Texas at Austin

    Foreign Student Film category
    Gold Medal:     “Tuba Atlantic,” Hallvar Witzo, The Norwegian Film School, Norway
    Silver Medal:    “Bekas,” Karzan Kader, Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts, Sweden
    Bronze Medal:  “Raju,” Max Zaehle, Hamburg Media School, Germany

    The Academy established the Student Academy Awards in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 43 Oscar nominations and have won or shared eight awards. At the 83rd Academy Awards earlier this year, 2010 Student Academy Award winner Luke Matheny took home the Oscar for Live Action Short Film for “God of Love.” Tanel Toom, another 2010 Student Academy Award winner, also was nominated in the Live Action Short Film category for “The Confession,” and John Lasseter, a 1979 and 1980 Student Academy Award winner, was a nominee in the Adapted Screenplay category for “Toy Story 3.”

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  • REVIEW: Steve Coogan Surprises and Delights in “The Trip”

     

    Conceptualized at first as a six-part television series for British television, director Michael Winterbottom’s “The Trip,” starring English comics Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, is a strange, delightfully bittersweet mid-life crisis film of sorts, which leaves you somehow feeling as if you’ve witnessed an actual epiphany happening as it is unfolding.

    Coogan plays himself, ostensibly, and the premise is that he is invited to do a driving restaurant tour of the gorgeous Northern English countryside to sample complicated haute cuisine for an upcoming article for the Observer. He invites along (rather grudgingly) his old friend Rob Brydon, after his girlfriend gets cold feet, and cancels. The two friends, again, playing “themselves,” and using their real names, argue, do countless, hilarious imitations of celebrities (trying to one up the other on who does the best, most pitch-perfect Michael Caine), and, generally, begin to rub each other gently, ever so slightly- the wrong way. Which is to say, Brydon’s simpler lifestyle and solid, sweet marriage start to make Coogan dwell upon his own, immediate life choices. Coogan’s interior ramblings become more vocal and rise to the surface, and Brydon’s contrasting satisfyingly placid private life begins to figure more prominently as the road trip wares on.

    As the mild-mannered and dry-witted Brydon witnesses Coogan chatting with his American girlfriend on the phone moment (they are taking a “break,” she in the U.S., he in England) then bedding down a sensual concierge the next, he chides him gently, while never for a moment becoming envious of Coogan’s far flashier life career and romantic life. Well, not really. Coogan, on the other hand, pines for some sort of more relevant stability- with his girlfriend and with his children-all who currently live apart from him, and within his own legit acting career.

    It is interesting to see such an accomplished, genuinely charismatic performer actually suffering over a dearth of opportunities to really sink his teeth into artistically. Yes, he makes fun of costume drama, but there is an intriguing, authentic feeling of longing experienced, the raw wish to experience genuine greatness, which is rarely glimpsed in our fame-obsessed, reality-TV based culture. This is really what “The Trip” is all about: Realizing what’s important to you, versus your life’s circumstances at the very moment. Cogan’s choice at the end is poignant and feels quite “real.” As he is shot behind the craggy, rolling hills of the sumptuous Yorkshire countryside, which appear to have been CGI-ed right in from “Wuthering Heights,” Coogan, quoting Keats and Shakespeare as if in a dream state, would make for a truly intense, romantic presence on-screen in a juicy period piece himself. Steve Coogan, get thee-self into a Merchant Ivory film! Vimooz says go see “The Trip.” Especially if you are on a staycation this season-this is a great, sweet, summer weekend matinee movie, one that will have you both laughing and thinking about how good or crappy you really have it- or both.

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  • 18th Annual Chicago Underground Film Festival Awards

    [caption id="attachment_1306" align="alignnone" width="560"]SOME GIRLS NEVER LEARN Jerzy Rose[/caption]

    Jerzy Rose’s Some Girls Never Learn emerged the big winner of the 2011 Chicago Underground Film Festival picking up Audience Award in addition to the Made in Chicago Award. The film synopsis, ” A university has found the leg bone of Amelia Earhart. The diver responsible for the discovery is receiving mysterious messages from the famous dead pilot.  A high school science teacher travels to the underworld to bring back his girlfriend. Animals are arranging themselves into concentric circles and helium has escaped into the luminiferous aether.”

    2011 Chicago Underground Film Festival Awards

    Jury Awards:

    Best Documentary (feature)
    And Again – Adele Horne

    Best Documentary (short)
    History Minor – Ryan Garrett

    Best Experimental:
    Home Movie – John Price

    Best Experimental:
    Slow Action – Ben Rivers

    Best Narrative (feature):
    The Color Wheel – Alex Ross Perry

    Best Narrative (feature):
    Snow on tha Bluff – Damon Russell

    Made in Chicago Award:
    Some Girls Never Learn  – Jerzy Rose

    Audience Award:
    Some Girls Never Learn – Jerzy Rose

    Honorable Mentions:
    Young Bird Season – Nellie Kluz
    Second Law: South Leh St. – Mike Gibisser
    Chainsaw Found Jesus – Spencer Parsons
    Devil’s Gate – Laura Kraning

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  • 2011 Palm Springs International ShortFest, Short Film Festival & Film Market Announce Star-Studded Lineup

    The 2011 Palm Springs International ShortFest, Short Film Festival & Film Market, which will screen June 21-27, at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, announced its roster of 331 films. New this year, Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its inaugural ShortFest Online Film Festival featuring ten films playing on a special section of the festival web site starting a week prior to the festival and will continue to play online for two months after the end of the festival.

    This year’s star-studded shorts feature Academy Award winners and nominees, film and television stars and studio executives.  Sarah Paulson and Wes Bentley star in After-School Special (USA); Selma Blair and Jeremy Davies in Animal Love (USA); Michael Cera stars in Bad Dads (USA); Billy Burke in David and Goliath (USA); Anthony LaPaglia in In Loco Parentis (Australia); Campbell Scott in Love, Lots of It (USA); Jason Alexander, James Avery, Sid Ganis, Amy Heckerling, Sally Kirkland, Kathy Najimy, Amy Pascal, and Joe Roth in Not Your Time (USA); Seymour Cassel and Fionnula Flanagan in the North American premiere of Pass the Salt, Please (USA); Melissa Leo in the World Premiere of The Sea Is All I Know (USA); Kirsten Dunst and Brian Geraghty in the U.S. premiere of The Second Bakery Attack (Mexico/USA); Tom Hardy in Sergeant Slaughter, My Big Brother (UK); Julia Stiles stars in Sexting (USA) directed by Neil LaBute; Keira Knightley and Colin Firth star in Steve (UK) directed by Rupert Friend; Adam Arkin, Clifton Collins, Jr., Carla Gugino and Jesse Spencer star in Tell-Tale (UK); and Jessica Chastain stars in and serves as a producer for The Westerner (USA).

    In addition to familiar faces in front of the camera, some recognizable names directing shorts this year include: Peter Cattaneo directs Bunce (UK) starring Stephen Fry; David Hayter directs the World Premiere of Chasm (USA); Heather Hemmens directs the World Premiere of Designated (USA); Jay Duplass directs Kevin (Spain/USA); Terry George directs the North American Premiere of The Shore (UK); Olivia Wilde and Maria Bello serve as executive producers for the documentary Sun City Picture House (Haiti) directed by David Darg.

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  • Shakeups at Little Rock Film Festival and Malaga Spanish Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_1449" align="alignnone" width="560"]Little Rock Film Festival Organizers Craig and Brent Renaud with Phil Donahue[/caption]

    Just days after the close of the 5th Little Rock Film Festival, the Arkansas Times is reporting that executive director Jack Lofton is out after announcing his resignation. With Lofton out, co-founders Owen Brainard and Craig Renaud will serve as co-executive directors of the festival.

    Lofton has reportedly described the split as “amicable and mutually beneficial.”

    Additionally, co-founder Brent Renaud has been appointed executive director of the newly created Arkansas Film Institute, a “state-wide initiative to promote and support filmmaking and film culture in Arkansas.”

    And in Spain, Malaga Spanish Film Festival director Carmelo Romero fired the executive director Franjo Parejo and the general coordinator Antonio Luque this week, citing a “complete lack of trust” in the two men, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

    The decision is said to not be based on direct allegations of financial impropriety, but on an audit into the general accounts for the 2010 festival which showed irregularities but was still approved by the festival’s board without any votes against.

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  • 2011 Amsterdam Film Festival Announces Van Gogh Awards; The Secret Friend, Der Sandmann, Wish, and Happy Earn Grand Jury Awards

    [caption id="attachment_1447" align="alignnone" width="560"]Adam Bowers writes, directs and stars in the low-budget comedy ‘New Low[/caption]

    The 2011 Amsterdam Film Festival Van Gogh Awards announced the winners of the prestigious Van Gogh Awards. The Grand Jury Prize was presented to four films – The Secret Friend directed by Flavio Alves (Brazil), Der Sandmann directed by Peter Luisi (Switzerland), Wish directed by Kyle Milardo (USA) and Happy directed by Roko Belic (USA).

    The De grote Prijs van de Jury was presented to New Low directed by Adam Bowers (USA); a film about a neurotic twentysomething struggling to figure out which girl he really belongs with: the best or the worst one he’s ever known.

    The Cinematic Vision Award was presented to The Greater Good directed by Chris Pilaro & Kendall Nelson (USA). The Greater Good looks behind the fear, hype and politics that have polarized the vaccine debate in America today. The film re-frames the emotionally charged issue and offers, for the first time, the opportunity for a rational and scientific discussion on how to create a safer and more effective vaccine program.

    The Van Gogh Award was presented to Bert’s Plan directed by Yair Shvartz (USA). Bert is a struggling middle-aged writer attempting to get his book published. Downtrodden and plagued with rejection, Bert comes up with a plan. In a twist of hilariously dark, ironic and serendipitous events, Bert’s original plan takes an unexpected turn.

    The Prodigy Auteur Prize was presented to Victim, directed by Leon Rowe (USA). Victim is a psychological thriller about a man who is plagued by guilt, anger and vengeance struggling with a decision that will change his life forever.

    2011 VAN GOGH AWARDS:

    De grote Prijs van de Jury: New Low directed by Adam Bowers
    Cinematic Vision Award: The Greater Good directed by Chris Pilaro & Kendall Nelson
    Van Gogh Award: Bert’s Plan directed by Yair Shvartz
    Prodigy Auteur Prize: Victim directed by Leon Rowe

    Grand Jury Prize: The Secret Friend directed by Flavio Alves
    Grand Jury Prize: Der Sandmann directed by Peter Luisi
    Grand Jury Prize: Wish directed by Kyle Milardo
    Grand Jury Prize: Happy directed by Roko Belic

    Best Director: The Story directed by Steve Bellamy
    Documentary Directing Award: Lift Up directed by Philip Knowlton & Huguens Jean
    Dramatic Directing Award: A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation directed by Stefan Leuchtenberg & Martin Wallner

    World Cinema Directing Award: Ronan’s Escape directed by A.J. Carter
    World Cinema Directing Award: Unravelling directed by Kuldip Powar

    Excellence in Cinematography Award: Out of the Darkness directed by Stefano Levi
    Excellence in Cinematography Award: Hipolito directed by Teodoro Ciampagna
    Excellence in Cinematography Award: Vous Etes Servis directed by Jorge Leon
    Excellence in Cinematography Award: The Big Uneasy directed by Harry Shearer

    World Cinema Cinematography Award: Protect The Nation directed by C. R. Reisser
    World Cinema Cinematography Award: Small Change directed by Cathy Brady
    World Cinema Cinematography Award: Beatboxing – The Fifth Element Of Hip Hop directed by Klaus Schneyder
    World Cinema Cinematography Award: The Girls in the Band  directed by Judy Chaikin

    Best Documentary Film Editing: I am Nancy directed by Arlene Marechal
    Best Dramatic Film Editing: Vicissitude directed by Will Jobe
    Best Feature Film Screenplay: Face to Face directed by Michael Rymer
    Best Short Film Screenplay: IFAKAT directed by Orhan  Tekeoglu

    World Cinema Documentary Film Editing Award: May I Be Frank directed by Gregg Marks, Conor Gaffney, Ryland Engelhart & Cary Mosier
    World Cinema Dramatic Film Editing Award: Vento directed by Marcio Salem
    World Cinema Screenwriting Award, Feature Film: Behind the Eight Ball directed by Mike Graveline
    World Cinema Screenwriting Award, Short Film: DILF directed by Geoff Edwards

    Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary: Sharkwise directed by Lieven Debrauwer
    Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Dramatic: Sofia directed by Shervin Kermani
    Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Short: Return directed by Cyd Chartier Cohn
    Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Student: Landlocked directed by Jerry Melichar
    Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Music Video: Corrupted Scene Behind the Stage directed by Ivan Mena Tinoco
    Special Jury Prize, World Cinema Animation: Los Estrandados directed by Derek Evanick
    Special Jury Prize, Dutch Documentary: Mila’s Journey directed by Annie Perkins & Rinku Kalsy
    Special Jury Prize, Dutch Dramatic: In Transit directed by Kees-Jan Husselman
    Special Jury Prize for Originality: How It Ended directed by Gabriel Nussbaum
    Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Independence: Streets of Flamenco directed by Marisa Lloreda Saez
    Special Jury Prize for Acting, World Cinema: Spinster directed by Pip Satchell
    Special Jury Prize for Acting: Sissy directed by Bonnie Root

    Jury Prize – Dutch Short Filmmaking: Riding Bikes with the Dutch directed by Michael Bauch
    Jury Prize – International Short Filmmaking: Falling Apart directed by Christopher Valori

    World Cinema – Experimental Film: Extincion II: La Cuadratura De Los Círculos directed by Fernando Usón Forniés
    World Cinema – Animated Film: Searching directed by Hyun Joo Cho
    World Cinema – Music Video: Stretch directed by Arturo Cubacub
    World Cinema – Student: Mezzanotte Obscura directed by    Lori Petchers
    World Cinema – First Time Director: I’m Just Saying directed by Brian Douglas

    Best Action Film: Slashimi directed by Anthony Powell
    Best Avant-Garde Film: Hallucination directed by Christian Jean
    Best Biography: Klondike’s Calling directed by Paola Rosà & Antonio Senter
    Best Children’s Film: Little Gobie directed by Tony Tang
    Best Comedy: The Winking Boy directed by Marcus Dineen
    Best Coming of Age Film: Een Kleine Duw directed by Philippe Verkinderen
    Best Crime Film: Una Calle Sin Salida directed by Robert Fernandez-Ferreira
    Best Drama: The Price of Sex directed by Mimi Chakarova
    Best Educational Film: Harvest of Loneliness directed by Adrian Salinas, Gilbert Gonzalez & Vivian Price
    Best Environmental Film: Liquid Amber directed by Maggi Payne
    Best Fantasy Film: A Complex Villainelle directed by Nathan Billington, Rebecca Forth, Bart Ovaitt & Ryan Porter
    Best Horror Film: Message directed by Lee Yat Fung
    Best Human Rights Film: Children in Exile directed by Chris Swider
    Best Mockumentary: Frontman directed by Ben Hyland
    Best Musical: Mr. Foley directed by D.A.D.D.Y.
    Best Personal Narrative: Beautiful Enough directed by Claire Oakley
    Best Romance: I Love My Woman directed by Otis Kriegel
    Best Romantic Comedy: Sombras Nada Mas directed by Max Valverde
    Best Sci-Fi Film: Cockpit:  The Rule of Engagement directed by Jesse Griffith
    Best Spiritual Film: The Time Machine directed by Mark Kendall
    Best Sports Film: One Revolution directed by Amanda Stoddard
    Best Student Film: Amanda directed by Michael Tanner Cusumano
    Best Urban Film: Storie Urgenti directed by Joseph Edward Rozzo

    SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS:

    Feature Screenplay Competition

    First Place: You’re Sick written by Donn Warr Lewis
    Second Place: Halfway Home written by David Schroeder
    Third Place: The Quarry written by Adam Ford-smith

    Short Screenplay Competition

    First Place: Push Bike written by Tracey Walker
    Second Place: Sunset Fire written by A. Wayne Carter
    Third Place: Born as Ghosts written by Mark Skinner

    Official Finalists

    American Trash written by David Kornfield
    Beyond the Horizon written by George Ferris
    Borderline written by Joshua Paolino
    Courting Death written by Heather Silvio
    Cradle of the Stars written by Joey Kent
    En Route written by Philip Howe
    Neon Cactus written by Philip Sedgwick
    Poetease written by Jeffrey Morin
    The Kiarsidia written by Bruce Golde
    The Only Living Man with a Hole in His Head written by Todd Colby Pliss
    There is a Season written by Stuart Creque
    Too Fat to Fly written by Anthony Amenta

    Honorable Mentions

    180 Proof written by Adam Sumner
    A Mind of Glass written by Louise Dautheribes McKerl
    China Girls written by Gary Riester
    Drosselbart written by Effie Bathen
    Eaglet written by Eugene Gavrilenko
    Ghost Light written by Philip Marcoccio
    God’s Architect written by Michael Mares
    Happiness in Pieces written by Krzysztof Rostek
    Hunting Paradise written by Craig Harwood
    Meet Jane Doe written by Jacqueline Gault
    Murder in the Lakelands written by Patrick Nash
    Pot Shop written by Judah Ray Neiditch
    The Parting Glass written by Philip Marcoccio
    T.W.I.N written by Malaika Langa
    Wrigly & King written by Cornelius Murphy

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  • 2011 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival to feature 31 films

    [caption id="attachment_1445" align="alignnone" width="560"]Eugene Domingo in ‘Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank’[/caption]

    Thirty-one  films will compete in the 2011 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival in Manila next month. Nine films will compete in the New Breed Full-length Feature category, 10 films in the Short Feature category, and 4 in the Directors’ Showcase.

    New Breed category

    “Amok” by Lawrence Fajardo
    “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” by Chris Martinez
    “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa” by Alemberg Ang and Alvin Yapan
    “Baby Factory” by Eduardo W. Roy, Jr. and Jerome Zamora
    “Cuchera” by Joseph Israel M. Laban and Janice O’Hara
    “I-libings: Your Loss, Our Luck” by Rommel Andreo Sales
    “Ligo na U, Lapit Na Me” by Noel Ferrer, Jerry Gracio and Erick Salud
    “Niño” by Loy Arcenas
    “Teoriya (Father’s Way)” by Alistaire Christian E. Chan

    Short Feature category

    “Oliver’s Apartment” by Misha Balangue
    “Hanapbuhay” by Henry Frejas
    “Un Diutay Mundo (One Small World)” by Ana Carlyn V. Lim
    “Immanuel” by Gabriel “Gio” Puyat
    “Hazard” by Mikhail Red
    “Walang Katapusang Kwarto” by Emerson Reyes
    “Debut” by Pamela Llanes Reyes
    “Samarito” by Rafael L. Santos
    “Every Other Time” by Gino M. Santos
    “Nino Bonito” by Rommel “Milo” Tolentino

    Directors Showcase

    “Bisperas” by Jeffrey Jeturian
    “Busong” by Auraeus Solito
    “Isda” by Adolfo Alix, Jr.
    “Patikul” by Joel C. Lamangan

    This year’s Cinemalaya Festival will for the first time include a section called Focus Asia that will feature 8 independent works by Asian directors.

    The Cinemalaya Awards Night will be held on July 2, 2011.

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  • The 2011 Honolulu Film Awards; Annie Perkins’ “Mila’s Journey” awarded Grand Jury Prize

    [caption id="attachment_1443" align="alignnone" width="560"]Mila’s Journey[/caption]

    The 2011 Honolulu Film Awards Ceremony Dinner was held last month at the Sarento’s Top of the “I” restaurant located on the top floor of the beautiful Ilikai Hotel & Suites with breathtaking views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Honolulu Film Awards honor the best from around the world in several competition categories including Feature Films, Documentaries, Short Films, Foreign Films, Hawaiian Films, Action Sports Films, Music Videos, Experimental Films, Television Pilots, Environmental Films, Screenplays and more.

    Annie Perkins’ “Mila’s Journey” was awarded the Grand Jury Prize and was in attendance to pick up the prize. Mila’s Journey follows Mila & her decision to return to India after more than 30 years. The film juxtaposes modern images with the old 8mm footage & pays homage to romance, adventure, spirituality, freedom and female independence. The film shows one Dutch woman’s attempt to answer the question ‘what would happen if I went back?’

    Other winning filmmakers in attendance included Dana Neves, Director, “The Green Tie Affair” – Best of Hawaii; Bret Malley, Director, “Greenwashers” – Best Documentary Short; Mary Piller, Director, “Greenwashers” – Best Environmental Film; and Yurij Luhovy, Director, “Genocide Revealed” – Best Historical Film.

    Additional Best of Category Winners include:
    Special Jury Award: Minnie Loves Junior – Directed By Andy Mullins
    Special Jury Award: Lychee Thieves – Directed By Kathleen Kwai Ching Man
    Special Jury Award: Little Gobie – Directed By Tony Tang
    Jury Prize: OnAir – Directed By Carsten Vauth & Marco J. Riedl
    Jury Prize: Down This Road – Directed By Vinz Feller
    Jury Prize: The Buck Johnson Story – Directed By Blake McCray
    Best Feature Film: 5th & Alameda – Directed By Richard Friedman
    Best Actor: Dryerthèque – Lead Actor Trevor Wissink-Adams
    Best Actress: An Affair with Dolls – Lead Actress Alexandra Chalupa
    Best Animation: For a Fistful of Snow – Directed By: Julien Ezri
    Best Cinematography: The Two Escobars – Directed By Jeff Zimbalist & Michael Zimbalist
    Best Coming of Age: Fast Times and Fast Food – Directed By Kyle Niemier
    Best Director: Das Tub – Directed By James Cunningham
    Best Documentary Feature: Hollywood, 90038 – Directed By Jennifer Kes Remington
    Best Documentary Short: Greenwashers – Directed By Bret Malley     
    Best Drama: Mental – Directed By Joy Gohring
    Best Educational Film: Out of the Darkness – Directed By Stefano Levi
    Best Family Film: My Father, Joe – Directed By Nikila Cole
    Best Foreign Film: Suburbs of Downtown – Directed By Sergio García Locatelli
    Best Human Rights Film: Via Gori – Directed By George Barbakadze
    Best Independent Short: Apocalypse Story – Directed By Jeffrey P. Nesker
    Best Music Video: To The Death – Directed By Danielle French
    Best Screenplay: Not Worth A Bullet – Directed By Markus F. Adrian
    Best Short Film: Bathing and the Single Girl – Directed By Christine Elise McCarthy
    Best Student Film: Falling Apart – Directed By Christopher Valori

    Screenplay Competition Winners
    1st Place: Finding Thomas written by Jaimee Campbell
    2nd Place: Molokai written by Tuesday Rose
    3rd Place: Hogwild written by Dayan Paul

    Short Screenplay Competition Winners
    1st Place: The Wedding Bet written by Vicki Bartholomew
    2nd Place: Sunset Fire written by A. Wayne Carter
    3rd Place: Assassins written by JimmyLee Smith

    Screenplay Official Finalists
    180 Proof written by Adam Sumner
    Are You Lonesome Tonight? written by Robert Factor
    Blink of an Eye written by Anthony Williams
    Courting Death written by Heather Silvio
    DAM 999 Script written by Sohan Roy
    Kill Haole Day written by Shelley Krawchuk
    Nisei Warrior written by Sandie Vea
    Olohana written by Daniel Fan
    On Any Other Day written by Lee Vehe
    Pot Shop written by Judah Ray Neiditch
    Sedah High written by Mpaki Molapo
    The Hickory Horse written by Vicki Bartholomew
    The Last Mermaid written by Shanon Culiner
    Walking In The Sand written by Curt Lambert
    Wrigley & King written by Cornelius Murphy

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