The first annual Avalon International Film Festival (AIFF) to be held March 25-27, 2011, at the Catalina Casino Theatre and Ballroom, Avalon Bay on Catalina Island, California. The festival will spotlight works from around the world created by both amateur and professional filmmakers in categories ranging from short animations to international feature films and documentaries.
The Durban International Film Festival in Durban, South Africa, has announced that its 32nd edition will take place from 21 to 31 July 2011.
The Art Directors Guild (ADG) announced winners of its 15th Annual Excellence in 2010 Production Design Awards in nine categories of film, television, commercials and music videos during black-tie ceremonies at the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. The awards took place before an audience of more than 650 persons, including guild members, industry executives, studio heads and press. ADG Chairman Thomas A. Walsh presided over the awards ceremony with Paula Poundstone serving as host for the second consecutive year. Honorary awards were presented to Production Designer Patricia Norris for Lifetime Achievement and to Syd Dutton and Bill Taylor for Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery.
DreamWorks Animation’s “How To Train Your Dragon” won top honors as the Best Animated Feature at the 38th Annual Annie Awards on Saturday, February 5 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Best Animated Short Subject was presented to Pixar’s ‘Day & Night’; Best Animated Television Commercial to Duck Studios ‘Children’s Medical Center’; Nickelodeon’s ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ was honored as Best Animated Television Production for Children and Playdead’s ‘Limbo’ won Best Animated Video Game. A new category, Character Animation in a Live Action Production was presented to Sony Pictures’ ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ The Winsor McCay award was presented to three animation industry leaders – Brad Bird, Eric Goldberg and Matt Groening. Brad Bird is currently filming in Vancouver and accepted his Winsor via a videotaped message. Entries submitted for consideration were from productions that originally aired, were exhibited in an animation festival or commercially released between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010:
The winning films of the 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam were announced and the three Tiger Awards were granted to feature débuts:
The 2011 Writers Guild Awards – Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) – announced the winners for outstanding achievement in writing for movies, television, and videogames of 2010 over the weekend. In the movies and documentary categories, Inception took the award for Original Screenplay, The Social Network took the award for Adapted Screenplay and Inside Job received the award for Documentary Screenplay.
The nominations for the 31st Annual Genie Awards were announced by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television at press conferences in Toronto and Montreal. Leading the pack with 11 nominations is Barney’s Version, including nods for Best Motion Picture and Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Paul Giamatti). Following closely behind is Incendies with ten nominations including Best Motion Picture and Achievement in Direction (Denis Villeneuve).
The 7th Annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF), voted “one of the coolest film festivals in the world” by MovieMaker magazine, is already making headlines with a star-studded lineup of celebrity guests and today is rolling out its action-packed program. The Festival takes place in scenic Boulder, Colo., Feb. 17-20, and will bring films, filmmakers and international fans together for a four-day celebration of the fine art of filmmaking.
South by Southwest Film Festival announced the features lineup for the 2011 Film Program. These films join others previously announced, including Jodie Foster’s The Beaver, Greg Mottola’s Paul, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop by director Rodman Flender, and the opening night World Premiere, Duncan Jones’ Source Code.
Midnight in Paris, the new film by Woody Allen will open the Festival de Cannes on May 11th in the Lumière Theatre, in the presence of the Jury presided by Robert De Niro.
Anchor Bay has reportedly acquired controversial Dito Montiel’s controversial cop drama The Son Of No One, which premiered at 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film stars Channing Tatum, Tracy Morgan, Katie Holmes, Ray Liotta, with Juliette Binoche and Al Pacino and was the subject of numerous articles that claimed an “exodus” of walk outs at an early Sundance Film Festival screening
Legendary film producer and personal manager Jerry Weintraub steps out from behind the scenes as he takes his turn in the spotlight with the feature-length documentary HIS WAY, acquired by HBO Documentary Films from Polsky Films. Directed by Oscar® nominee Douglas McGrath, produced by Emmy®- and Peabody-winning documentary producer Graydon Carter, Alan Polsky and Gabe Polsky, and executive produced by Oscar® winner Steven Soderbergh and Audrey Rosenberg, HIS WAY chronicles the five-decade career of the trailblazing Hollywood entrepreneur, utilizing personal video, archival footage and one-on-one interviews with Weintraub, his friends, family and co-workers, and some of today’s brightest stars.