The IFFR Pro Days and the 37th edition of CineMart came to a close at International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). Six different IFFR Pro Awards were handed out to the most promising projects-in-the-making, including the new Splendor Omnia Award and IFFR Pro Young Network Award.
The Toronto Black Film Festival (TBFF) will present Academy Award Winning director and Cannes Film Festival’s first Black Jury President, Spike Lee with the TBFF 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award on Thursday, February13,7PM at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. #TBFF20 is thrilled to grant him this prestigious award in recognition of his body of work which revolutionized the role of black talent in Hollywood, tearing away decades of stereotypes and marginalized portrayals to establish a new arena for African American voices to be heard.
At a reception at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded $70,000 in grants. Doron Weber, Vice President and Program Director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation presented the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize to Tesla and announced the new winners: Tim Delaney for The Plutonians (Sundance Institute | Sloan Commissioning Grant); Kiran Deol for Tidal Disruption (Sundance Institute | Sloan Development Fellowship); and Courtney Smith for Higher (Sundance Institute | Sloan Episodic Fellowship). Michael Almereyda’s Tesla was formally presented with a $20,000 check for winning the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize.
Winners of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival jury prizes in short filmmaking were announced last night in Park City, Utah with the Short Film Grand Jury Prize going to So What If The Goats Die, directed and written by Sofia Alaoui.
Berlin International Film Festival today revealed the 2020 Competition lineup of 18 films from 18 countries with 16 world premieres as well as one documentary film. Films in competition include First Cow by Kelly Reichardt; The Roads Not Taken by Sally Potter with Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney; Siberia by Abel Ferrara with Willem Dafoe.
The 43rd Portland International Film Festival (PIFF 43) announced the first wave of titles and special events for the 10-day showcase happening March 6 to 15. Three-film Opening Night program features The Climb, as well as shorts America and The Giverny Document (Single Channel); and First Cow directed by Kelly Reichardt as Closing Weekend centerpiece film.
The new trailer debuted for Mr. Jones from Academy Award nominee Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa, Spoor, In Darkness) – the extraordinary untold story of Gareth Jones, an ambitious young Welsh journalist who traveled to the Soviet Union in 1933 and uncovered the appalling truth behind the Soviet “utopia” and Stalin’s regime. Initially a regular news investigation, Jones’ quest quickly turned into a life-or-death journey… helping inspire George Orwell’s famous allegory Animal Farm.
Supermodel Slick Woods makes her feature film debut in Goldie, a poignant urban coming-of-age indie drama from director Sam de Jong. The film also starring George Sample III, Danny Hoch, A$AP Ferg, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Khris Davis opens in theaters and On Demand on February 21.
The indie film Run This Town directed by Ricky Tollman which premiered at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival released the first official trailer ahead of its release in theaters on March 6th. The film, reportedly inspired by former Toronto mayor Rob Ford’s crack-smoking scandal, stars Ben Platt as an aspiring journalist who gets the scoop of his life. Also starring in the film is Mena Massoud, Nina Dobrev, Scott Speedman, Gil Bellows with Jennifer Ehle and Damian Lewis
Continuing a tradition since 1986 of honoring personalities and institutions who have made a special contribution to filmmaking, at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, the director and artist Ulrike Ottinger will be honored with the Berlinale Camera.
The new trailer debuted today for the indie drama The Rest of Us, starring Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, The Hangover) which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. The film also starring Sophie Nélisse (Mean Dreams) and Jodi Balfour (The Crown) and Abigail Pniowsky (Arrival) opens in theaters on February 14, Valentines day.
Jon Stewart is back, and he has something to say.