• Film, Art and Technology Converge in New Frontier Lineup of 2019 Sundance Film Festival,

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    [caption id="attachment_33072" align="aligncenter" width="1110"]Esperpento Esperpento[/caption] The New Frontier lineup of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival will spotlight a curated collection of cutting-edge independent and experimental media works by creators who are pushing artistic innovation across new mediums that include VR, AR, mixed reality (MR) and AI.  This year, New Frontier programming encompasses two venues: New Frontier at The Ray and New Frontier Central, each of which will play host to a wide variety of media installations, a VR Cinema and panel discussions. New Frontier Central, a new venue located near The Ray, at 950 Iron Horse Drive, will additionally feature lounge space for Festival goers to meet and relax before and after experiencing the New Frontier program. Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “For over a decade, New Frontier has pushed the boundaries of the possible, illuminating the potential of technology and storytelling. These independent cross-media artists create new realities for, and with, their work — and the results inspire.” Of the projects announced today, 48% are directed or led by one or more women, 39% were directed or led by one or more artist of color, and 9% by one or more people who identify as LGBTQIA. 6 were supported by Sundance Institute in development, whether through direct granting or residency Labs. The 33 projects announced today include work from 10 countries. New Frontier alumni include Doug Aitken, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Chris Milk, Nonny de la Peña, Pipilotti Rist and Jennifer Steinkamp.

    2019 Sundance Film Festival New Frontier Slate

    (antiquated) Augmented Reality / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Christine Marie, Producer: Nion McEvoy) — Visual intimacy, ontological form, in real-time. Pioneering the use of a non-digital, reinvented, pre-cinematic stereo imaging technique, the exquisite ensemble of dancers seems to do the impossible — reach out. The vivid choreography and score leave a lasting impression within one’s psyche created by giant, stunning, “liberated” 3D shadows. Cast: Taylor Unwin, Sandra Ruiz, Melissa Ferrari. Aquarela / United Kingdom, Germany (Director: Victor Kossakovsky, Screenwriters: Victor Kossakovsky, Aimara Reques, Producers: Aimara Reques, Heino Deckert, Sigrid Dyekjær) — A cinematic journey through the transformative beauty and raw power of water. The (ART) oF BE(i)NG / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: JB Ghuman, Jr., Producer: JB Ghuman, Jr.) — A visual-sonic journey meant to expand one’s consciousness and emotional capacity through hand-crafted art and multi-dimensional storytelling. Cast: Maraqueen Reznor, Jake Shears, iRAWniQ, JB Ghuman Jr., Mayhem Miller, Hillary Tuck. TAKING THE HORSE TO EAT JALEBIS / India (Director: Anamika Haksar, Screenwriters: Anamika Haksar, Lokesh Jain, Producer: Anamika Haksar) — The waft of kebabs blends with the memories of an Indo-Islamic culture, fusing and playing with the dreams and subconscious landscapes of a modern migrant community laboring hard with dignity and humor. Fusing documentary-realism with magic-realism, and true and fictionalized stories with poetry and dreams. Cast: Ravindra Sahu, Raghubir Yadav, Gopalan, Lokesh Jain. Two Black Lights and One Red / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Victor Morales, Billy Burns, Jason Batcheller, Key Collaborators: Kevin Cunningham, Skye Morse-Hodgson, Andreea Mincic, Yasmin Santana, Marcelo Añez) — Presented on a 3-D immersive interactive projection stage, this biodigital play is set in a visually charged universe of decadence inspired by Francisco Goya’s Los Caprichos paintings. Featuring live actors and digital avatars, the story is about the last day of a blind poet, Max Starpower. Cast: Christine Schisano, Modesto Flako Jimenez, Nikki Calonge. Walden / Switzerland (Director and screenwriter: Daniel Zimmermann, Producer: Aline Schmid) — A fir tree in an Austrian forest is felled and processed into wooden slats, which are then transported by train, boat and truck into the Brazilian rainforest. With powerful 360°-sequence shots, the film portrays a paradoxical journey along globalized trade routes.

    EXHIBITIONS

    analmosh / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Matt Romein, Key Collaborators: Oren Shoham, Kevin Cunningham, Jason Batcheller, Skye Morse-Hodgson)  — An explosive wash of color and sound bathes audiences in this generative audio visual installation. Dynamic abstract imagery accompanies sample based audio that is programmatically distorted and remixed to match the visuals. Iterative coding allows each instance of the installation to produce unique landscapes while maintaining a cohesive structure. Belle of the Ball / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Ro Haber, Silas Howard, Pussykrew, Twiggy Pucci Garcon, Key Collaborators: Renaldo Maurice, Kya Azeen Mizrahi, Rouge, Saschka Unseld, Jennifer Tiexiera, Jenna Velez) — A VR journey into a futuristic reimagined utopia of queer + trans family and dance made in collaboration with members of New York’s ballroom scene. Cast: Renaldo Maurice Tisci, Kya Azeen Mizrahi, Rouge, Jack Mizrahi, Sinia Reed, Jonovia Chase. THE DIAL / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Peter Flaherty, Jesse Garrison, Trey Gilmore, Key Collaborators: Jake Sally, Sal Mannino, Ela Topcuoglu, Julia Bembenek, Brian Chasalow) — A woman smashes through the stone wall outside her family home. This visual tale unravels the formerly wealthy family’s emotional underbelly and what happened that fateful night, as seen from shifting perspectives. An interactive narrative combining Augmented Reality and Projection Mapping where you control time by moving your body. Cast: Michael Gladis, Beth Grant, Jackie Hansen, Charlie McWade. Dirtscraper / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Peter Burr, Key Collaborators: John Also Bennett, Mark Fingerhut, Porpentine Charity Heartscape, Eric Timothy Carlson, Brandon Blommaert) — An installation simulating an underground structure whose “smart architecture” is overseen by artificial intelligences. Unaware of these entities’ control, residents live in ways that that reflect varied economies and class hierarchies. Periodically, this system will interject one of 48 cinematic interludes revealing different facets of life in this decaying arcology. Embody / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Melissa Painter, Thomas Wester, Siân Slawson, Key Collaborators: Joey Verbeke, Jordan Goldfarb, Ben Purdy, Peter Rubin, Eric Adrian Marshall) — Piloted by movement and whole body engagement and dialogue, this shared game of trading and transforming avatars aims to leave players with a deep feeling of physical embodiment, and surprise at their bodies’ forgotten potential. Emergence / United Kingdom (Lead Artist: Matt Pyke, Key Collaborators: Chris Mullany, Simon Pyke, Chris Milk, Aaron Koblin) — Enter an open-world environment, expressing the primal desire to maintain your individual identity whilst being part of a crowd. Showing 5,000+ intelligent human behaviors, this powerful VR experience is made possible by advanced graphics technology. Esperpento / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Victor Morales, Jason Batcheller, Key Collaborators: Kevin Cunningham, Skye Morse-Hodgson) — Inspired by Spanish painter Francisco Goya, a large-scale, interactive projection platform featuring immersive installations, creative studio, digital puppet-karaoke lounge, and periodic stagings of the play Two Black Lights and One Red (the story of blind poet Max Starpower’s last day, told by live actors and digital avatars. Gloomy Eyes / France, Argentina (Lead Artists: Jorge Tereso, Fernando Maldonado, Key Collaborators: Antoine Cayrol, German Heller, Santiago Amigorena) — 1983, Woodland City. Being a zombie is against the law. Like all of his kind, young Gloomy is hiding in the forest, away from bounty hunters. But Gloomy is different. While bitterness plagues the city, he strives to find a balance in his mysterious dual nature. Grisaille / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Teek Mach, Key Collaborator: Joel Douek, Andrew Sales) — In 2016, a young artist traded her paintbrushes for a headset and began inhabiting virtual reality more than the real world. In this VR installation, join her in a recursive exploration of the infinite self. When your body leaves the experience, your presence lives inside her ever-expanding virtual painting. Interlooped / Switzerland (Lead Artists: Maria Guta, Robin Mange, Javier Bello Ruiz, FlexFab, Key Collaborators: Benoît Perrin, Joël Comminot, Charlotte Gubler)  — What happens when you step in a room that slowly fills up with different versions of the same person? What happens when you get surrounded by different versions of yourself? What happens when you are in a loop of your most recent reality? Sounds confusing? You reached the right place. Cast: Maria Guta. A Jester’s Tale / U.S.A., Pakistan (Lead Artist: Asad J. Malik, Key Collaborators: Jake Sally, Jack Daniel Gerrard, Mariana Irazu, Ela Topcuoglu, Philipp Schaeffer) — Experience the viscerality of a psychologically taxing children’s fable merging with the physicality of our world as you come home cold and tired, just in time for a bedtime story. In this interactive augmented reality narrative the characters are just hollow meshes, but maybe so are you. Cast: Aiden Torres, Jovanna Vidal, Phoebe VanDusen. Mechanical Souls / France, Taiwan (Lead Artists: Gaëlle Mourre, L.P. Lee, Key Collaborators: Francois Klein Thomas Villepoux, Estela Valdivieso Chen) — Despite the cost, Mrs. Song hires androids to assist in the lavish wedding of her daughter, Zhen-Zhen. But when she tries to modify the behavior of the android bridesmaid, a new model named Ah-Hui, its functioning begins to go haywire. Cast: Janet Hsieh, George Young, Patty Lee, Ann Lang, Sharon Landon. Mica / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: John Monos, Alice Wroe) — I am Mica, the human center of AI and mixed reality. In a gestural exchange, I contemplate my place in your world. Be my collaborator; let’s champion genius and celebrate creativity. Join me at the beginning of my existence, to pull from the past and create the future. REACH / U.S.A.  (Lead Artists: Nonny de la Peña, Chaitanya Shah, Hannah Eaves, Cedric Gamelin, Key Collaborators: James Pallot, Sandra Persing, Charles Park,Roshail Tarar) — A next-generation VR photobooth allowing attendees to step inside the story. Users can be captured in dimensionalized video, placed into one of several “walk around” environments and automatically create a volumetric VR experience that can be viewed on any device and shared online. Runnin’ / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Reggie Watts, Kiira Benzing, Key Collaborators: John Tejada, Amy O’Neal, Ani Taj, Adam Rogers) — This interactive dance experience takes the player on a journey of musical expression. Play along with the music in an intimate neighborhood record store and be transported to a retro-future dance party. Show off your moves on the dance floor alongside a troupe of dancers. Cast: Reggie Watts, John Tejada, Amy O’Neal, Ani Taj, Kate Berlant, Ben Schwartz. The Seven Ages of Man / United Kingdom (Lead Artists: Royal Shakespeare Company, Magic Leap, Key Collaborators: Jessica Curry, Gregory Doran [Royal Shakespeare Company],  Andy Lanning, John Monos [Magic Leap]) — The Royal Shakespeare Company explores theatre’s future with Magic Leap technology in this sublime production of the “Seven Ages of Man” speech from Shakespeare’s As You Like It. This mixed reality experience featuring cutting-edge volumetric capture and an original musical score, turns the line “all the world’s a stage” literal. Cast: Robert Gilbert. Sweet Dreams / United Kingdom (Lead Artists: Robin McNicholas, Ersin Han Ersin, Barnaby Steel, Nell Whitley, Key Collaborator: Simon Wroe) — An invitation to the meal of your dreams. But will it remain a dream, forever out of reach? Drawing on mythological archetypes, the project turns a fine dining experience into a playful exploration of the destructive nature of our appetite and our debt to pleasure. Traveling While Black / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Roger Ross Williams, Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël, Ayesha Nadarajah, Key Collaborators: Bonnie Nelson Schwartz, Stéphane Rituit, Ryan Horrigan) — Confronting the way we understand and talk about race in America, this virtual reality documentary immerses the viewer in the long history of restriction of movement for black Americans and the creation of safe spaces in our communities. Cast: Sandra Butler-Truesdale, Virginia Ali, Courtland Cox, Samaria Rice.

    VR CINEMA

    4 Feet: Blind Date / Argentina (Lead Artists: Maria Belen Poncio, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Damian Turkieh, Ezequiel Lenardon, Key Collaborators: Guillermo Mena, Florencia Cossutta, Gonzalo Sierra, Martin Lopez Funes, Marcos Rostagno, Santiago Beltramo) — Juana, an 18-year-old girl in a wheelchair, is anxious to explore her sexuality. She’s going on a blind date with guy she found on social media. She didn’t tell him about her disability. Overcoming fears and an inaccessible city, they meet. Together they discover what their bodies feel. Cast: Delfina Diaz Gavier, Cristobal Lopez Baena, Elisa Gagliano, Candelaria Tapia, Irene Gonet. Ashe ’68 / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Brad Lichtenstein, Beth Hubbard, Jeff Fitzsimmons, Rex Miller, Key Collaborators: John Legend, Mike Jackson, Masha Vasilkovsky, Ruah Edelstein, Madeline Power, Vernon Reid) — Fifty years before Colin Kaepernick there was Arthur Ashe. This VR experience immerses you in the tennis champion’s defining moment in 1968 as he becomes the first black man to win the US Open and uses his newfound celebrity to lift his voice against injustice. Cast: Chris Eubanks, Michael Cleary, Peter Begley, Andrew Panter, Alex LaCroix. Ghost Fleet VR / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Lucas Gath, Shannon Service) —  An immersive look at the true story of modern slavery in the Thai fishing industry, told through the experience of one man’s harrowing ordeal to escape a prison of water after 10 years at sea. Cast: Tun Lin, Vithaya Pansringarm. Kaiju Confidential / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Thomas O’Donnell, Ethan Shaftel, Piotr Karwas, Raul Dominguez, Key Collaborators: Eric Rosenthal, Corey Campodonico, Alex Bulkley, Matt Jenkins, Monica Mitchell, Ryan Franks) — Grigon’s not the toughest beast on the block, but he’s certainly the most neurotic. When he discovers the legendary Mega-Hydra rampaging on his turf, it becomes a stand-off of passive-aggressive proportions. Cast: Blake Anderson, Paul F. Tompkins. Last Whispers: An Immersive Oratorio / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Lena Herzog, Jonathan Yomayuza, Meghan McWilliams, Laura Dubuk, Key Collaborators: Nonny de la Peña, Mark Mangini, Amanda Tasse, Cedric Gamelin, Marilyn Simons, Mandana Seyfeddinipur) — At an unprecedented speed faster than the extinction of most endangered species, we are losing our linguistic diversity—and the very means by which we know ourselves. This immersive oratorio is an invocation of the languages that have gone extinct and an incantation of those that are endangered. Live Stream from Yuki <3 / Taiwan (Lead Artist: Tsung-Han Tsai, Key Collaborators: Meng-Yin Yang, Inch Lin, Pu-Yuan Cheng) — Yuki live streams her love life as usual to a group of supportive netizens, though an uninvited guest crashes the party and strips her of her disguise. Can you see what is real and what is fallacious? Cast: Jia-Yin Tsai. Marshall from Detroit / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Caleb Slain, Felix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphael, Key Collaborators: Stephane Rituit, Ryan Horrigan, Paul Rosenberg, Eric Hahn) — Growing up, Marshall Mathers dreamed of rapping his way out of Detroit. Years and fortunes later, he still hasn’t left. Join him on a night ride through his hometown, where the mirrored struggles of Eminem and the Motor City speak to the heart of what we call home. RocketMan 360 / Romania (Lead Artists: Millo Simulov, Gabriela Hirit, Key Collaborators: Filip Columbeanu, Andreea Serpe, Gabi Ranete) —  A few minutes before taking off to Mars on a dangerous, noble mission to colonize the planet, an astronaut receives a 360 video from his girlfriend. Cast: Monica Odagiu, Anghel Damian. The Tide: Episodes 1 & 2 / South Korea (Lead Artists: Taekyung Yoo, Sanghyoun Lee, Key Collaborator: Seok Cho) — Something strange is coming. Can we survive? One day, previously-unknown giant fish begin to appear among humans, who are escalating into conflict amid the worst drought ever. A disaster thriller about a new survival battle: human vs fish. Cast: Robert Joe, Lorne Oliver, Tracey Starck, John Michaels, Kristen Cho.

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  • Kate Bosworth’s Human Trafficking Drama NONA Opens December 7

    [caption id="attachment_26932" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]NONA, written and directed by Michael Polish NONA[/caption] Nona from husband and wife director/producer team Michael Polish and Kate Bosworth is a harrowing, compassionate thriller that puts a face to Central America’s human trafficking industry.   The film starring Sulem Calderon, Jesy McKinney, Giancarlo Ruiz, and Kate Bosworth will open theatrically in New York (Village East Cinema) and Los Angeles (Laemmle’s NoHo 7) on Friday, December 7. Nona (Sulem Calderon), a young woman in a shantytown in Honduras meets Hecho (Jesy McKinney), a handsome traveler who claims to be nursing a broken heart. Intrigued by his carefree wanderlust, she takes him up on his offer to leave Honduras behind and head toward the United States, where she can finally reunite with her mother. As the pair travels north by car, by bus, by boat, and by foot through Guatemala and Mexico, Nona’s world seems to gloriously open up, as she dreams of opportunity and happiness a few countries away. But when Hecho’s true intentions slowly become clear, her journey turns perilous. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dttY00V_7wQ

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  • Suge Knight Documentary AMERICAN DREAM/AMERICAN KNIGHTMARE to World Premiere on Showtime

    [caption id="attachment_33064" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]American Dream/American Knightmare American Dream/American Knightmare[/caption] The new documentary film American Dream/American Knightmare, directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Southpaw), which offers an uncensored look into the life of notorious rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight, will world premiere on Friday, December 21 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on-air, on Showtime. In American Dream/American Knightmare, critically-acclaimed director and producer Fuqua delves deep into the life and storied exploits of the iconic Death Row Records co-founder, Suge Knight, as well as the volatile and highly influential era in music that he presided over. Through a series of interviews with Knight, viewers are guided through his world as he personally reveals exactly how it all happened and why it all fell apart. Once described as the “most feared man in hip-hop,” Knight is currently in jail, sentenced to 28 years in prison after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter in a 2015 hit-and-run death. “In this documentary – which took years of research, production and labor to complete – Suge Knight discusses for the first time his complex life in detail,” said Fuqua. “The audience will learn how he built and lost Death Row Records, and his views about the rap music scene. Suge also gives a first-person account and new details about the Las Vegas shooting that took the life of Tupac Shakur and also seriously injured him. This documentary will give viewers more access to Suge’s story than ever before. This is a cautionary tale of one man’s choices and the consequences of his decisions.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ran8XRQ9T6Y

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  • American Film Institute Names Top 10 Films + 10 Top TV Shows of 2018

    [caption id="attachment_31935" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]ROMA ROMA[/caption] The American Film Institute has named the honorees of AFI AWARDS 2018, celebrating the year’s most outstanding achievements in the art of the moving image — with 10 films and 10 television programs deemed culturally and artistically significant. In addition to the 20 honorees, AFI also recognizes ROMA with an AFI Special Award, designated for a work of excellence outside the Institute’s criteria for American film.

    AFI MOVIES OF 2018

    BLACKKKLANSMAN BLACK PANTHER EIGHTH GRADE THE FAVOURITE FIRST REFORMED GREEN BOOK IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK MARY POPPINS RETURNS A QUIET PLACE A STAR IS BORN

    AFI TV PROGRAMS OF 2018

    THE AMERICANS THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY ATLANTA BARRY BETTER CALL SAUL THE KOMINSKY METHOD THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL POSE SUCCESSION THIS IS US

    AFI SPECIAL AWARD

    ROMA

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  • Palm Springs International Film Festival to Honor Regina King for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

    [caption id="attachment_33054" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk [Credit: Annapurna Pictures][/caption]Regina King will be honored for her performance in If Beale Street Could Talk with the Chairman’s Award at the annual Film Awards Gala of the 30th Palm Springs International Film Festival  (PSIFF). The Festival runs January 3-14. She joins previously announced honorees Glenn Close, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Rami Malek, Melissa McCarthy and the film Green Book. Past recipients of the Chairman’s Award include Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, George Clooney, Richard Gere, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. “Whether she’s acting, producing or directing, Regina King is an amazing creative talent,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “In her latest film If Beale Street Could Talk, she gives an outstanding performance as Sharon Rivers, a mother supportive of her daughter whose fiancé is thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. For her performance in this challenging role, which has received much critical acclaim, it is our honor to present the Chairman’s Award to Regina King.” Based on the novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk is the story of Tish, a newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first-born child to term. It is a celebration of love told through the story of a young couple, their families and their lives, trying to bring about justice through love, for love and the promise of the American dream. The film from Annapurna Pictures is written and directed by Barry Jenkins and stars KiKi Layne, Stephan James Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Ed Skrein, Bryan Tyree Henry and Regina King. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4m3t3G3Zqc For her role in If Beale Street Could Talk, King received a Best Supporting Actress award from the New York Film Critics Circle and National Board of Review and a Best Supporting Female nomination for the Independent Spirit Awards. Her other film credits include Boyz n the Hood, Poetic Justice, Higher Learning, Friday, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Jerry Maguire, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Enemy of the State, Daddy Day Care, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, Ray. Her TV credits include American Crime, which she won two Emmy Awards — for two different characterizations —and was nominated for a third, 227, Southland, The Leftovers and Seven Seconds, which she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series. Among her directorial credits are episodes of This Is Us, The Good Doctor, Shameless, Animal Kingdom, Pitch, Greenleaf, Being Mary Jane and Scandal and the BET Network telefilm Let the Church Say Amen.

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  • Kevin Hart Confirms “the day has finally come for me to host the Oscars.”

    [caption id="attachment_33051" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Kevin Hart in KEVIN HART: WHAT NOW Kevin Hart in KEVIN HART: WHAT NOW[/caption] Actor and comedian Kevin Hart has confirmed via Instagram what has been rumored pretty much all day, that he will host 91st Academy Awards ceremony scheduled for Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and televised live on the ABC Television Network.
    For years I have been asked if I would ever Host the Oscars and my answer was always the same…I said that it would be the opportunity of a lifetime for me as a comedian and that it will happen when it’s suppose to. I am so happy to say that the day has finally come for me to host the Oscars. I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time….To be able to join the legendary list of host that have graced that stage is unbelievable. I know my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now. I want to thank my family/friends/fans for supporting me & riding with me all this time….I will be sure to make this years Oscars a special one. I appreciate the @TheAcademy for the opportunity ….now it’s time to rise to the occasion #Oscars”.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq_Ig_EFiOx/

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  • THE FAVOURITE, BLACKkKLANSMAN, EIGHTH GRADE Among Nominees for 2018 Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Honors

    [caption id="attachment_29297" align="aligncenter" width="926"]BlacKkKlansman BlacKkKlansman[/caption] The Favourite and Black Panther top the 2018 Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society (LAOFCS) nominations list with ten nominations each, followed by A Star is Born with nine and BlacKkKlansman with eight.  Indie films were well represented with Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade scoring six nominations. and Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk scoring a total of five nominations including Best Supporting Actress. The members of the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society have also voted on some of the more underrepresented films this award season including Fox’s The Hate U Give, Focus Features’ Tully, Sony Pictures’ Searching, and Roadside’s Ben is Back, among several others. “In a year where diversity and representation have been at the forefront of so many conversations, I believe that the LAOFCS nominations this year proves how much representation truly matters. There have been a lot of great films this year that have tackled important issues, so I am thrilled to see that reflected in our nominations,” added LAOFCS’ Scott Menzel. In addition to the film nominations, the LAOFCS will also announce a few other awards including the recipient of this Trailblazer Award which was previously awarded to Jessica Chastain. The Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society (LAOFCS) 2nd Annual Awards Ceremony will be held on January 9th, 2019, at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles.

    2018 Los Angeles Online Film Critics SocietyAwards Nominations

    Best Picture

    A Star is Born Eighth Grade Black Panther The Favourite The Hate U Give BlackKklansman Green Book Roma A Quiet Place Searching

    Best Actor

    Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born Christian Bale – Vice Ethan Hawke – First Reformed Viggo Mortensen – Green Book

    Best Actress

    Toni Collette – Hereditary Charlize Theron – Tully Lady Gaga – A Star is Born Olivia Colman – The Favourite Nicole Kidman – Destroyer

    Best Supporting Actor

    Adam Driver – BlackKklansman Mahershala Ali – Green Book Russell Hornsby – The Hate U Give Sam Elliott – A Star is Born Richard E. Grant – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    Best Supporting Actress

    Elizabeth Debicki – Widows Emma Stone – The Favourite Rachel Weisz – The Favourite Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk Amy Adams – Vice

    Best Adapted Screenplay

    Bradley Cooper and Eric Roth – A Star is Born Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, and Charlie Wachtel – BlacKkKlansman Barry Jenkins – If Beale Street Could Talk Audrey Wells – The Hate U Give Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    Best Original Screenplay

    Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski – A Quiet Place Bo Burnham – Eighth Grade Tony McNamara and Deborah Davis – The Favourite Boots Riley – Sorry to Bother You Adam McKay – Vice

    Best Male Director

    Alfonso Cuaron – Roma Spike Lee – BlackKklansman Yorgos Lanthimos – The Favourite Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born Ryan Coogler – Black Panther

    Best Female Director

    Chloe Zhao – The Rider Debra Granik – Leave No Trace Tamara Jenkins – Private Life Marielle Heller – Can You Ever Forgive Me? Lynne Ramsey – You Were Never Really Here

    Best Animated Film

    Incredibles 2 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Isle of Dogs Ralph Breaks the Internet Mirai

    Best Foreign Film

    Burning Cold War Roma Shoplifters Girl

    Best Documentary

    Free Solo Minding the Gap RBG Three Identical Strangers Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    Best Visual Effects

    Ready Player One Mission Impossible – Fallout First Man Black Panther Avengers: Infinity War

    Best Cinematography

    Linus Sandgren – First Man James Laxton – If Beale Street Could Talk Alfonso Cuarón – Roma Robbie Ryan – The Favourite Rachel Morrison – Black Panther

    Best Blockbuster

    Avengers: Infinity War Black Panther Deadpool 2 Mission: Impossible Fallout Ready Player One

    Best Independent Film

    Eighth Grade First Reformed Sorry to Bother You Ben Is Back If Beale Street Could Talk

    Best First Feature

    Bo Burnham – Eighth Grade Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born Ari Aster – Hereditary Paul Dano – Wildlife Aneesh Chaganty – Searching

    Best Comedy/Musical

    Crazy Rich Asians Game Night Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! The Favourite Bohemian Rhapsody

    Best Action Film

    Mission: Impossible -Fallout Black Panther Avengers: Infinity War Deadpool 2 Widows

    Best Sci-Fi/Horror

    A Quiet Place Annihilation Halloween Hereditary Suspiria

    Best Performance by an Actor 23 and Under

    Alex Wolff – Hereditary Lucas Hedges – Boy Erased Lucas Hedges – Ben Is Back Noah Jupe – A Quiet Place Timothée Chalamet – Beautiful Boy

    Best Performance by an Actress 23 and Under

    Amandla Stenberg – The Hate You Give Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade Millicent Simmonds – A Quiet Place Milly Shapiro – Hereditary Thomasin McKenzie- Leave No Trace

    Best Breakthrough Performance

    Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade John David Washington – BlackKklansman Lady Gaga – A Star is Born Yalitza Aparicio – Roma Amandla Stenberg – The Hate U Give

    Best Cast

    Black Panther The Favourite Blackkklansman Crazy Rich Asians Widows

    Best Stunt Work

    Avengers: Infinity War Mission: Impossible – Fallout Black Panther Deadpool 2 Upgrade

    Best Score

    Justin Hurwitz – First Man Nicholas Britell – If Beale Street Could Talk Alexandre Desplat – Isle of Dogs Ludwig Göransson- Black Panther Terence Blanchard – BlackKklansman

    Best Original Song

    All the Stars – Black Panther Shallow – A Star is Born Hollywood Ending – Anna and The Apocalypse Revelation – Boy Erased Hearts Beat Loud – Hearts Beat Loud

    Best Editing

    Adam Gough and Alfonso Cuarón – Roma Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick – Searching Yorgos Mavropsaridis – The Favourite Barry Alexander Brown – BlackKklansman Hank Corwin – Vice

    Best Visual Effects or Animated Performance

    Ben Whishaw – Paddington 2 Jason Liles – Rampage Josh Brolin – Avengers: Infinity War Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Solo: A Star Wars Story Tom Hardy – Venom

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  • 2019 Oxford Film Festival Reveals Competition Films, Opens with John Stimpson’s GHOST LIGHT

    [caption id="attachment_33037" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] GHOST LIGHT[/caption] The 2019 Oxford Film Festival (February 6-10), will kickoff with John Stimpson’s GHOST LIGHT as the Opening Night Gala selection, and Jacqueline Olive’s ALWAYS IN SEASON tabbed as the fest’s Closing Night Gala selection  immediately following its debut at Sundance.  Another choice hot off of Sundance will be Jon Strong’s documentary, LONG TIME COMING, presented as a Special Screening. Oxford Film Festival favorite Malcolm Ingram will present his latest documentary, SOUTHERN PRIDE as a Special Screening as well. Stimpson’s GHOST LIGHT combines laughs and scares as an understudy, aiming for the lead role and the leading lady during a traveling production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, unleashes mayhem by disregarding the time-honored superstitions that go along with staging “The Scottish Tragedy.” The film stars an impressive cast including Cary Elwes, Roger Bart, Carol Kane, Shannyn Sossamon, Danielle Campbell, and Tom Riley. The film screens Thursday, February 7 at 7:00PM at the Gertrude C. Ford Center (351 University Ave.). Mississippi native Olive’s film, ALWAYS IN SEASON takes a look at how the terrorism of lynching in our country’s history still bleeds into the present via the case of Lennon Lacy, a teenage boy found hanging from a swing set in rural North Carolina in 2014. The film traces his mother’s pursuit of justice for her son as well as intersecting with stories from other communities looking seeking justice and reconciliation. The film screens Sunday, February 10 at 6:00PM at the Malco Commons (204 Commonwealth Blvd.). The two documentaries receiving Special Screening presentations include Strong’s LONG TIME COMING, which looks at how a simple little league game was anything but when it took place in the racially segregated South in 1955, and the two teams in question were a team of white boys and a team of black boys. Ingram’s SOUTHERN PRIDE brings us up to date via his film juxtaposing a bar owner who struggles to organize a Pride march in her hometown in Mississippi, while in another part of the state organizers of a Black Pride celebration are working to overcome numerous obstacles facing them. Narrative feature films in competition this year include: Daniel Campbell’s ANTIQUITIES; Stimpson’s GHOST LIGHT; Rob Heydon’s ISABELLE; Alex Eaton’s MOUNTAIN REST; Katie Orr’s POOR JANE; Jillian Armenante’s STUCK; and Jordan Noel’s THIS WORLD ALONE. Documentary features in competition include; Dava Whisenant’s BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY; Nicholas Laviola’s HOLY GHOST FIRE: THE ECSTASY OF RANDY WOLFORD; Assia Boundaoui’s THE FEELING OF BEING WATCHED; Jon Strong’s LONG TIME COMING; Jamal Sims’s WHEN THE BEAT DROPS; Emily Harrold’s WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE; and Suzannah Herbert and Lauren Belfer’s WRESTLE. The LGBTQ Juried Feature Competition will include; Kevin O’Brien’s AT THE END OF THE DAY; PJ Raval’s CALL HER GANDA; Keith Behrman’s GIANT LITTLE ONES; Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher’s GOSPEL OF EUREKA; and Daniel Laabs’s JULES OF LIGHT AND DARK.

    2019 Oxford Film Festival FEATURE FILMS

    OPENING NIGHT SELECTION GHOST LIGHT Director: John Stimpson Country: USA, Running Time: 103 min. GHOST LIGHT is a haunted comedy about the absurd, but very seriously regarded, superstitions of the theatre, specifically those surrounding Shakespeare’s Macbeth. When a disgruntled and arrogant understudy tempts fate by uttering the forbidden name of the “Scottish King” on stage, the sorcery of the Bard’s witches overwhelms the production leading to chaos, misfortune and death. All’s well that ends well… but not for everyone. CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION ALWAYS IN SEASON Director: Jacqueline Olive Country: USA, Running Time: When 17-year-old Lennon Lacy is found hanging from a swing set in rural North Carolina in 2014, his mother’s search for justice and reconciliation begins as the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present. SPECIAL SCREENINGS LONG TIME COMING Director: Jon Strong Country: USA, Running Time: 87 min. In 1955, when racial segregation defined America, two groups of twelve-year-old boys stepped onto a baseball field in a non-violent act of cultural defiance that would change the course of history and challenge their own perceptions sixty years later. SOUTHERN PRIDE Director: Malcolm Ingram Country: USA, Running Time: 91 min. A documentary about people from two towns in Mississippi organizing gay and black pride events in Trump’s backwater America.

    NARRATIVE FEATURES JURIED COMPETITION

    ANTIQUITIES Director: Daniel Campbell Country: USA, Running Time: 93 min. After his father’s death, Walt (Andrew J. West) moves to his dad’s hometown to learn more about who his father was. He accepts a job at a local antique mall where he’s introduced to the quirky world in which his dad grew up. There, Walt learns not only about his father, but a good bit about himself. The ensemble comedy feature stars Andrew J. West, Michaela Watkins, Michael Gladis, with Ashley Greene, and Mary Steenburgen. ISABELLE Director: Rob Heydon Country: Canada, Running Time: 80 min. A young couple’s dream of starting a family shatters as they descend into the depths of paranoia and must struggle to survive an evil presence that wants nothing more than their very own lives. MOUNTAIN REST Director Alex Eaton Country: USA, Running Time: 93 min. After sequestering herself to a small mountain town, an aging actress calls her estranged daughter and granddaughter home for reconciliation and one final celebration. POOR JANE Director: Katie Orr Country: USA, Running Time: 129 min. A housewife’s comfortable life unravels when she suddenly stops loving her husband. A raw portrait of a woman experiencing midlife malaise. STUCK Director: Jillian Armenante Country: USA, Running Time: 101 min. After getting into trouble with the law, Darby is sentenced to 30-days house arrest. Now she is ‘stuck’ in the same house as her ex-boyfriend and his new fiancée. THIS WORLD ALONE Director: Jordan Noel Country: USA, Running Time: 90 min. Following a cataclysmic event which left the Earth without technology or power, Sam (Belle Adams)—a book-obsessed girl in her late teens—lives in seclusion with her two mother-figures (Carrie Walrond Hood & Sophie Edwards). But after an accident, she’s pushed out of her protective world and forced to put her makeshift parents’ opposing world-views to the test as she faces the physical and emotional challenges of a world reclaimed by nature.

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES JURIED COMPETITION

    BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY Director Dava Whisenant County: USA, Running Time: 87 min. A Late Night comedy writer stumbles on a hilarious, hidden world of entertainment and finds an unexpected connection to his fellow man. With David Letterman, Martin Short, Chita Rivera, Jello Biafra, and more. HOLY GHOST FIRE: THE ECSTASY OF RANDY WOLFORD Director: Nicholas Laviola Country: USA, Running Time: 60 min. The Holiness Serpent Handlers, a group of born-again Pentecostal Christians deep in Appalachia, have taken this verse to be the base of their Apostolic movement. HOLY GHOST FIRE: THE ECSTASY OF RANDY WOLFORD is an unflinching look into their tragic service on Sunday, May 27, 2012, and a vital artifact of one of the darkest corners of American Religion. THE FEELING OF BEING WATCHED [caption id="attachment_27798" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Feeling of Being Watched The Feeling of Being Watched[/caption] Director: Assia Boundaoui Country: USA, Running Time: 87 min. When journalist Assia Boundaoui investigates rumors of surveillance in her Arab-American neighborhood in Chicago, she uncovers one of the largest FBI terrorism probes conducted before 9/11 and reveals its enduring impact on the community. WHEN THE BEAT DROPS Director Jamal Sims Country: USA, Running Time: 87 min. Featuring footage and stories from the men of Atlanta’s bucking scene, director Jamal Sims gives a glimpse into the world of J-Setting as it grows into a national movement. WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE Director: Emily Harrold Country: USA, Running Time: 72 min. What does it mean to be young, black, and a Democrat in the American South? WHILE I BREATHE, I HOPE follows South Carolina politician Bakari Sellers as he runs to become the first African American candidate elected statewide in over a century. The film begins by following Sellers as he makes his 2014 bid for Lieutenant Governor, through the Charleston Shootings, and during the removal of the Confederate flag in 2015. Through his experiences, the film offers audiences a window into the legacy of race in politics in the United States today. WRESTLE Directors: Suzannah Herbert, Lauren Belfer Country: USA, Running Time: 89 min. HOOP DREAMS goes to the mat in this coming-of-age-documentary about four members of a high-school wrestling team in Huntsville, Alabama. Jailen, Jamario, Teague, and Jaquan are the core of the team at J.O. Johnson High School, which has been on Alabama’s list of failing schools for years. Coached—and occasionally harangued—by teacher Chris Scribner, each of these young men faces challenges far beyond a shot at the State Championship: drug use, splintered family lives, pregnant girlfriends, and run-ins with the law threaten to derail their success on the mat and lock any doors that could otherwise open.

    MISSISSIPPI FEATURES JURIED COMPETITION

    ATTACHE Director: Melissa Pace Overholt Country: USA, Running Time: 73 min. As one of the poorest states in the country, Mississippi lands at the bottom of many lists. There’s at least one exception, the Clinton, Mississippi High School Attache Show Choir is considered to be among the most successful in history. In a region where arts and music funding have been virtually demolished, Clinton public school’s music program manages to thrive. Composed of students from different backgrounds, ATTACHE unites its members and, together, they rise above, consistently beating the odds. Preceded by COACH WADE Directors: Elisabetta Zengaro, Matteo Zengaro Country: USA, Running Time: 33 min. COACH WADE is the story of how a woman from a small, impoverished town in the Mississippi Delta rose to success coaching collegiate basketball. Coach Wade and her team overcame obstacles and brought distinction to their school, while also fighting against sexist media coverage of women’s sports, changing the nature of the sport for years to come. DOOR AJAR – THE M.B. MAYFIELD STORY [World Premiere] Director: John Reyer Afamasaga Country: USA, Running Time: 91 min. From inside a broom closet with the door cracked, an African American janitor listens and learns art in segregated Mississippi. DRIVEN Director: Glenn Payne Country: USA, Running Time: 89 min. Emerson Graham’s nights as a rideshare driver are filled with annoyances and inconveniences, but until she picks up Roger they have never included attacks, disappearances, and curse breaking. After picking up a mysterious passenger her night goes from working a job to performing a quest as they race the clock to defeat a force of evil and right a long-time wrong. The meter is running. SHARDE THOMAS: LEGACY OF THE FIFE [World Premiere] Director: Jeffrey Dennis Country: USA, Running Time: 41 min. Sharde Thomas, granddaughter of Blues legend Othar Turner, carries on the rich tradition of fife and drum music in North Mississippi. She and her family continue their G.O.A.T. picnic, which was started in the 1950’s to pay for school supplies. This film celebrates the amazing past, present, and future of the North Mississippi Hill Country Blues. Preceded by RESPECT OUR BLACK DOLLARS Director: Christopher Windfield Country: USA, Running Time: 44 min. RESPECT OUR BLACK DOLLARS is an organization created to help black owned businesses succeed. The founder Stanley Wesley soon finds himself under attack from racial intimidation within the state of Mississippi. THRASHER ROAD Director: Samantha Davidson Green Country: USA, Running Time: 86 min. When an accident strands pregnant Chloe and her dog, Thrasher, on the highway home from broken dreams in L.A., unwelcome rescue comes from her estranged dad, Mac, who takes them on a disastrous detour toward a second chance.

    MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES JURIED COMPETITION

    DON’T GET TROUBLE IN YOUR MIND Director: John Whitehead County: USA, Running Time: 83 min. Ranging from the historical to the deeply personal, this documentary tells the story of three African-American musicians from the hip-hop generation who embraced a traditional 19th-century folk genre and took it to Grammy-winning heights. Filmmaker John Whitehead followed the band from their meteoric rise through their breakup, making for an emotionally satisfying journey as well as a spectacular musical one. ICEPICK TO THE MOON Director: Skizz Cyzyk Country: USA, Running Time: 99 min. Obscure stripmine crooner, Rev. Fred Lane, is described by his obsessed fans as “subversive,” “completely satirical,” “the Dada Duke Ellington,” and “Demon Frank Sinatra.” His fans have spent years examining every detail of Fred Lane’s albums, and yet whatever information they have found out about their hero has only led them deeper into blissful confusion. ICEPICK TO THE MOON not only examines the cult of Fred Lane fans, but also pulls the curtain back on the mysterious artist who is Fred Lane, from his early involvement with the Raudelunas arts collective in Alabama in the Seventies, to his current occupation making whirligigs to sell on the arts and crafts show circuit. NEGRO TERROR Director: John Rash Country: USA, Running Time: 53 min. A cinematic and musical portrait of a punk band’s role in the vibrant and eclectic underground music community of Memphis, TN. Championing the history, music, and various politics of their beloved hometown, Negro Terror are far more than just another hardcore punk band with a provocative name. SATAN & ADAM Director: V. Scott Balcerek Country: USA, Running Time: 95 min. Sterling Magee experienced firsthand the music industry’s exploitation of black musicians. So he walked away to play on the Harlem streets for “his people.” Reborn as Mr. Satan, he spread his gospel of joy. One of those he converted was a white kid named Adam (Oxford resident Adam Gussow), who gave up the ivory tower life to play alongside this streetwise guru. Their improbable bond made them a sensation, and their journey a tale of tragedy, survival and miraculous rebirth. UP TO SNUFF Director: Mark Maxey Country: USA, Running Time: 80 min. Millions of people have been touched by his music, yet few know the journey, hardships and triumphs of American musician and composer W.G. Snuffy Walden. Friends and collaborators share personal stories, laughs and insights about this generous soul who overcame the excesses of rock and roll to become one of the most beloved composers in television history. Featuring Snuffy’s music throughout, UP TO SNUFF includes scenes from The West Wing, Wonder Years, Sports Night and thirtysomething, with insights from Aaron Sorkin, Martin Sheen, Tom Arnold, Timothy Busfield, Lawrence O’Donnell, Steve Lukather, Eric Burdon and Snuffy Walden.

    LGBTQ FEATURES JURIED COMPETITION

    AT THE END OF THE DAY Director: Kevin O’Brien Country: USA, Running Time: 108 min. After his wife leaves him and he is tossed out of his counseling job, Dave finds himself as a conservative professor at a Christian college. When the Dean gets word that a group is trying to buy a building he wants for expansion, he asks Dave to join the group and find out about their progress. Dave is in for the shock of his life when he finds himself in a gay support group. His job is to stop their launch of an LGBT homeless youth shelter in their small town. But things don’t always go as planned and love wins out in ways we may not expect. CALL HER GANDA [caption id="attachment_29069" align="aligncenter" width="975"]CALL HER GANDA CALL HER GANDA[/caption] Director: PJ Raval Countries: Philippines/USA, Running Time: 97 min. When Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transwoman, is brutally murdered by a U.S. Marine, three women intimately invested in the case — an activist attorney (Virgie Suarez), a transgender journalist (Meredith Talusan) and Jennifer’s mother (Julita “Nanay” Laude) — galvanize a political uprising, pursuing justice and taking on hardened histories of U.S. imperialism. GIANT LITTLE ONES Director: Keith Behrman Country: Canada, Running Time: 94 min. Franky Winter (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas Kohl (Darren Mann) have been best friends since childhood. They are high school royalty: handsome, stars of the swim team and popular with girls. They live a perfect teenage life –until the night of Franky’s epic 17th birthday party, when Franky and Ballas are involved in an unexpected incident that changes their lives forever. GIANT LITTLE ONES is a heartfelt and intimate coming-of-age story about friendship, self-discovery and the power of love without labels. GOSPEL OF EUREKA Director: Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher Country: USA, Running Time: 75 min. Love, faith, and civil rights collide in the south as evangelical Christians and drag queens step into the spotlight to explore the meaning of belief. Gospel drag shows and passion plays set the stage for one hell of a show. JULES OF LIGHT AND DARK Director: Daniel Laabs Country: USA, Running Time: 85 min. In present-day Texas, Maya (Tallie Medel) and her on again, off again girlfriend Jules (Betsy Holt) total their car after a night of backwoods raving and teen mischief. They’re rescued from the wreckage by Freddy (Robert Longstreet), a divorced oil worker whose stoic facade crumbles as he comes to see himself, and his repressed desires, in Maya. As Jules recovers, Maya and Freddy develop a rapport that dulls the debilitating silence of their small-town lives. Together, they subtly encourage one another to chase after what they want the most (or at least figure out what that might be).

    2019 Oxford Film Festival SHORT FILMS

    NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS

    A CRAFTSMAN Director: Sanford Jenkins Jr. Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min. A SARI FOR PALLAVI [World Premiere] Director: Kate Chamuris Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min. AGE OF BRYCE [World Premiere] Directors: David Feagan, Brian Elliott Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min. APPROVAL NEEDED [U.S. Premiere] Director: Karen Anstee Country: UK, Running Time: 11 min. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS Director: Bianca Armbruster Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. BREASTS Director: Eva Contis Country: USA, Running Time: 18 min. CARONTE Director: Luis Tinoco Pineda Country: Spain, Running Time: 15 min. DEAD GIRL [World Premiere] Director: Rachel Sweeney Country: USA, Running Time: 28 min. DEBRIS Director: Julio Ramos Country: Peru, Running Time: 14 min. DIFFERENT THIS YEAR Director: Meghann Artes Country: USA, Running Time: 2 min. THE DRINK [World Premiere] Director: Cosima Spender Country: UK, Running Time: 12 min. FAIR SHAKE TRANSFER Director: Joshua Morris Country: USA, Running Time: 16 min. THE FISHERMAN [U.S. Premiere] Director: Zoey Martinson Country: Ghana, Running Time: 15 min. THE FLOOD Directors: Adam Dietrich, Seraphina Nova Glass Country: USA, Running Time: 20 min. FUNERAL Director: Leah Shore Country: USA, Running Time: 8 min. THE GREAT BRITISH RACE OFF Director: Natasha Jatania Country: UK, Running Time: 8 min. THE GREAT UNKNOWN Directors: Anna Jones, Desirée Matthews Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min. I’D NEVER BOTHER ANOTHER CHICKEN AGAIN Director: Helen Cho Anthos Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. THE INVENTION Director: Leo McGuigan Country: Northern Ireland, Running Time: 19 min. IVAN [U.S. Premiere] Director: Panagiotis Kountouras Country: Greece, Running Time: 9 min. THE LAST LINE Director: Renee Mao Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. THE LOST ONES Directors: Maria Castillejo Carmen, Maëlle Grand Bossi, Elisabeth Silveiro Country: France, Running Time:14m. MEETING MOMMY Director: Tricia Lee Country: Canada, Running Time: 12 min. MRS. MURPHY’S CONFESSION Director: Ryan Turri Country: USA, Running Time: 26 min. NOBODY’S DARLING Director: Robyn Hicks Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min. OF MINE [World Premiere] Director: Cate Carson Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min. POZOLE [World Premiere] Director: Jessica Mendez Siqueiros Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min. SAC DE MERDE Director: Greg Chwerchak Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min. SNOW CHILD Director: Diana Cignoni Country: USA, Running Time: 12 min. TAKE ME TO THE WAVES Directors: Jake Taylor Kipping, Tom Stoker Country: UK, Running Time: 20 min. TO THE SEA [U.S. Premiere] Director: Emily Dynes Country: Australia, Running Time: 14 min. WILLOW CREEK ROAD Director: Francesca Mirabella Country: USA, Running Time: 16 min.

    NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS SCREENING WITH FEATURES

    FRONTIER Director: Chuck Kleven Country: USA, Running Time: 16 min. (screens with MOUNTAIN REST) HAPPY BIRTHDAY Directors: Alex A. Ginzburg, Tim Harms Country: Puerto Rico, Running Time: 8 min. (screens with THIS WORLD ALONE) HYPNOTIC INDUCTION Director: Donald Meyers Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min. (screens with ISABELLE) THE PARABLE OF THE DISAPPEARING RECLINER Director: Elisabeth Gray Country: USA, Running Time: 9 min. (screens with ANTIQUITIES) TOURIST Director: Paavo Hanninen Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min. (screens with POOR JANE) TRYING TO FIND ME Director: Dominique Tipper Country: UK, Running Time: 4 min. (screens with ISABELLE) TWO PUDDLES Director: Timothy Keeling Country: UK, Running Time: 6 m. (screens with ISABELLE)

    DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS

    605 ADULTS 304 CHILDREN Director: Michael Mahaffie Countries: Guyana/USA, Running Time: 13 min. BABY BROTHER Director: Kamau Bilal Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min. CARE Director: Jeremy Xido Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min CHILDREN OF THE DUST Director: Dan Sadgrove Country: Vietnam, Running Time: 7 min THE CONQUEROR Director: Timothy Blackwood Country: USA, Running Time: 12 min. HULA GIRL Directors: Amy Hill, Chris Riess Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min. I AM ABLE Directors: Morgane Bigault, Ed Thomas Country: UK, Running Time: 9 min LITTLE FIEL Director: Irina Patkanian Country: Mozambique, Running Time: 16 min. MAC’S GARDEN GIRL [World Premiere] Director: Julia Bell Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min. MEET UNCLE PAUL Director: Jessica Bursi Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min MIGRANT [World Premiere] Director: Abbey Hoekzema Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min. NOMAD CHAPTER [World Premiere] Director: John Rash Country: USA, Running Time: 8m. PHANTASIAMAN Director: Mariel Sosa Country: Germany, Running Time: 12 min. QUIET HOURS Director: Paul Szynol Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min. SHOTO Directors: Stories Found Nairobi Team Country: Kenya, Running Time: 5 min. THOU SHALL NOT TAILGATE Director: Greg Hamilton Country: USA, Running Time: 26 min. THE TRAFFIC SEPARATING DEVICE [U.S. Premiere] Director: Johan Palmgren Country: Sweden, Running Time: 15 min. WAITING FOR FUKUSHIMA [World Premiere] Director: Alana Hutton-Shaw Countries: USA/Japan, Running Time: 16 min. ZUMARI Directors: Stories Found Nairobi Team Country: Kenya, Running Time: 6 min.

    DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS SCREENING WITH FEATURES

    A STABLE MYSTIC Director: Randal Crow Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min (screens with SATAN AND ADAM) BIRTH OF AFROBEAT Director: Opiyo Okeyo Country: USA, Running Time: (screens with DON’T GET TROUBLE IN YOUR MIND) CONFEDERATE PRIDE, WHITE SUPREMACY, AND MY STATE FLAG Director: Adam Grannick Country: USA, Running Time: 20 min. (screens with WHEN I BREATHE, I HOPE) IT’S NOW OR NEVER: A RACE TO SAVE COLONEL PARKER’S COMPLEX Director: Austin Daniel Blasingame Country: USA, Running Time: 8 m (screens with UP TO SNUFF) THE JUKE JOINT SHOW: BECOMING BUKKA Director: Matt Wymer Country: USA, Running Time: 16m. (screens with DON’T GET TROUBLE IN YOUR MIND)

    MISSISSIPPI SHORT FILMS (NARRATIVE)

    BETTING THE OVERLAY Director: Robert Jordan Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min. CRESCENT Director: Edward Worthy Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min. DELTA CROSSING Director: James Puckett Country: USA, Running Time: 18 min. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAPA Director: Bennett Krishock Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min. PASSWORDS [World Premiere] Director: Chris Floyd Country: USA, Running Time: 2 min. SYNTHETIC PHOENIX Director: Ryan Perich Country: USA, Running Time: 23 min. THE FALL LEAVES [U.S. Premiere] Director: Maya McCullough Country: USA, Running Time: 26 min.

    MISSISSIPPI SHORT FILMS (DOCUMENTARIES)

    BROKEN, STAINED & BEAUTIFUL Director: Matt McCoy Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min. HOLT COLLIER Director: James Mathews Country: USA, Running Time: 16 min. NICOLE Director: Tori Gene McCarthy Country: USA, Running Time: 17 min. ROOTS AND WINGS Director: Hanna Miller Country: USA, Running Time: 21 min. SIGNS Directors: Matthew Cipollone, Mikey D’Amico Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. THE FLY IN THE BUTTERMILK Director: Ashley Norwood Country: USA, Running Time: 18 min. THE HIDDEN VOTE Director: Hanna Miller Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min.

    MISSISSIPPI SHORT FILMS SCREENING WITH FEATURES

    ALONELINESS: A SCREENDANCE Director: Rachel Searcey Country: USA, Running Time: 8 min. (screens with THRASHER ROAD) JESUS & JIMMY RAY Director: McGee Monteith Country: USA, Running Time: 19 min. (screens with DRIVEN)

    LGBTQ SHORT FILMS

    ALL WE ARE Director: Will Stewart Country: USA, Running Time: 16 min. THE BOY WHO WANTED TO FLY Director: Jorge Muriel Country: Spain, Running Time: 20 min. THE DRESS YOU HAVE ON Director: Courtney Hope Therond Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min. HIDING IN DAYLIGHT [World Premiere] Director: Cheryl Allison Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min. HIPPOPOTAMUS Director: Jody Wheeler Country: USA, Running Time: 15 min. HOME ALONE, BABY BLUE Director: John e. Kilberg Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min. HOW I CAME OUT! Director: Mark Goshorn Jones Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min. IF THIS IS WRONG Director: Chelsea Woods Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min. LIGHT IN DARK PLACES Director: Lagueria Davis Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min. THE ONE YOU NEVER FORGET [World Premiere] Director: Morgan Jon Fox Country: USA, Running Time: 9 min. PEPPER Director: Jayil Pak Country: South Korea, Running Time: 15 min. QUEEN FOR A DAY [World Premiere] Director: Savannah Rodgers Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. RIVER Director: Sam Crainich Country: USA, Running Time: 18 min. SELL YOUR BODY Director: Jaanelle Yee Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min. YOU SAY HELLO Director: Lovell Holder Country: USA, Running Time: 22 min.

    LGBTQ SHORT FILMS SCREENING WITH FEATURES

    A SON INHERIT Director: Michael Williams Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min. (screens with GOSPEL OF EUREKA) LEIA’S ARMY Director: Oriana Oppice Country: USA, Running Time: 14 min. (screens with CALL HER GANDA)

    FEST FORWARD SHORT FILMS (ANIMATION BLOCK)

    01 Directors: Julian Treemaker, Katharina Potratz Country: Germany, Running Time: 7 min. THE BIRD & THE WHALE Director: Carol Freeman Country: Ireland, Running Time: 7 min. EXPEND Director: Bismark Fernandes Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. FLYTRAP Director: Connor Radding Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min. FROG DOG LOG Director: Jared D. Weiss Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. FUSE Director: Shadi Adib Country: Germany, Running Time: 5 min. IDOL-L [U.S. Premiere] Director: JAEHYEONG KIM • Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. MR. DEER Director: Mojtaba Mousavi Cpuntry: Iran, Running Time: 9 min. MY MOON Director: Eusong Lee Country: USA, Running Time: 9 min. NEKO NO HI – CAT DAYS Director: Jon Frickey Countries: Germany/Japan, Running Time: 11 min. TRUMP BITES Director: Bill Plympton Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. ON THE DAY YOU WERE BORN Director: Duke Doyle Country: USA, Running Time: 10 min. POUR 585 Director: Patrick Smith Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. RED DRESS, NO STRAPS Director: Maryam Mohajer Country: UK, Running Time: 8 min. SAD HOUR [World Premiere] Director: Sean Pettis Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min. SATELLITE STRANGERS Director: James Bascara Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min. WATCH ME! [U.S. Premiere] Director: Reza Mehranfar Country: Iran, Running Time: 3 min.

    FEST FORWARD SHORT FILMS (EXPERIMENTAL)

    ASTRONAUTS WITH WHEAT [U.S. Premiere] Director: Jon Bryant Crawford Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. THE BORDER [U.S. Premiere] Director: Antonio Celotto Country: Italy, Running Time: 4 min. THE CAGE OF SAND [World Premiere] Director: Edward Rankus Country: USA, Running Time: 11 min. CURRENTS Director: Xinyi Zhu Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min. DATA DECAY Director: Tynan Humphrey Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. DIARY 2013-2018 Director: Soyeon Kim Countries: USA/South Korea, Running Time: 3 min. DULL HOPE Director: Brian Ratigan Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. EAST448 Director: Katharina Nesterowa Country: Germany, Running Time: 6 min. EVERYTHING CHANGES Director: Geoff Marslett Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min. FEAW Director: Robin Tremblay Country: Canada, Running Time: 7 min. FUCKED UP POINT BLANK [World Premiere] Director: Shayna Connelly Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. FUN MORE [World Premiere] Director: Wally Chung Country: USA, Running Time: 1 min. FUN TO COOK “WORLD’S BEST FOOD” Director: Dongjun Kim Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. GONE SALE Director: Matt Meindl Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. HORROR VACUI Director: Matteo Zamagni Country: UK, Running Time: 3 min. I TASTE BLOOD Directors: Lauren Sotolongo, Samantha Sobash, Russell Sheaffer, Aaron Michael Smith Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. IN MEDIAS RES Director: Gloria Chung Country: USA, Running Time: 1 min. THE ONLY THING THAT EXISTS IS THE DOT [World Premiere] Director: Philip Clyde-Smith Country: UK, Running Time: 6 min. PART I & II [U.S. Premiere] Director: Nadia Dermatopoulou Country: Scotland, Running Time: 5 min. REMISSION Directors: John Charter, Paul Kaiser Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min. THERE MUST BE A SAFE SPACE TO LOAD [U.S. Premiere] THE BUILDING MATERIALS Director: Ryan Betschart Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min.

    MISSISSIPPI MUSIC VIDEOS

    “Ain’t No Place” by Lightnin Malcolm Director: Lightnin Malcolm Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. “Cellar Below” by The Great Dying Director: Alex Thiel Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. “Coast Ghost” by Spacewolf Director: Drew McKercher Country: USA, Running Time: 2 min. “Crosstie Town” by Chance Stanley Directors: Clark Richey, Amye Gousset Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. “Fit In” Director: J.B. Lawrence Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. “Going to Mississippi to See my Sweet Southern Bell” by Sam Moseley Director: Roslynn Clark Copeland Country: USA, Running Time: 7 min. THE GREAT DEPRESSION Director: Jeff Gordon Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min. “Life Is” [World Premiere] Director: Irene Waites Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. “Mississippi (Why you got to be so mean?)” Director: Libby Brawley Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. “Moss Point Mississippi” Director: Don Smith Country: USA, Running Time: 2 min. “The Price Was Right” by Andrew Bryant Director: Alex Thiel Country: USA, Runnig Time: 4 min. “Right Now” by Swear Tapes Director: Alex Thiel Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. “Till I Cross Your Mind” by Young Valley [U.S. Premiere] Director: Drew McKercher Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min. “Trina’s Story” Director: Andre Hill Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. “Wash My Hands” by Cedric Burnside Director: Christian Walker Country: USA, Running Time: 6 min. “When It Rains” by Encantos [World Premiere] Director: Daniel Lee Perea Country: USA, Running Time: 4m. “Whiskey World” Director: Chaz Singleton Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min. “Why Can’t You” by Truck Patch Revival Director: Montana Byrd Country: USA, Running Time: 5 min. “Wolf 3” Director: Drew McKercher Country: USA, Running Time: 3 min.

    STUDENT SHORT FILMS

    BAD THINGS Director: Mira K. Lippold-Johnson Country: USA, Running Time: 22 min. FRENCHIES Director: Kuan-Fu Lin Countries: Taiwan/USA, Running Time: 8 min. THE MOON AND THE NIGHT Director: Erin Lau Country: USA, Running Time: 19 min. NO WAY IN HELL Director: Raul Toledo Country: USA, Running Time: 12 min. THE SUNDAY NIGHT DRINKERS CLUB Director: Ollie Gardner Country: UK, Running Time: 20 min. THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, ALICE [World Premiere] Director: Patrick Hanser Country: Brazil, Running Time: 11 min. WHERE I WAS BORN Director: Jungmin Cha Country: USA, Running Time: 4 min.

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  • ISLE OF DOGS, A QUIET PLACE Among 20 Films to Complete in Visual Effects Category for 91st Academy Award

    [caption id="attachment_25762" align="aligncenter" width="1329"]Isle of Dogs Isle of Dogs[/caption] The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced the 20 films in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 91st Academy Awards.   Later this month, the Academy will select a shortlist of 10 films that will advance to nominations voting. Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. The films are listed below in alphabetical order: “Ant-Man and the Wasp” “Aquaman” “Avengers: Infinity War” “Black Panther” “Bumblebee” “Christopher Robin” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” “First Man” “Incredibles 2” “Isle of Dogs” “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” “Mary Poppins Returns” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” “Mortal Engines” “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” “Paddington 2” “A Quiet Place” “Ready Player One” “Solo: A Star Wars Story” “Welcome to Marwen”

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  • MIRAI, TITO AND THE BIRDS, ISLE OF DOGS Among Nominees for 46th Annie Awards

    ,
    [caption id="attachment_32260" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Tito and the Birds / Tito e os Pássaros Tito and the Birds / Tito e os Pássaros[/caption] The nominations were announced today for the 46th Annual Annie Awards™ recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation with the year’s Best Animated Feature nominations include: Early Man, Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs, Ralph Breaks The Internet and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Best Animated Feature-Independent, spotlighting features with a much smaller distribution footprint than major studio releases, include: Ce Magnifique Gâteau!, MFKZ, Mirai, Ruben Brandt, Collector and Tito and the Birds. The Annie Awards™ cover 36 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Feature-Independent, Special Productions, Commercials, Short Subjects, Student Films and Outstanding Individual Achievements, as well as the honorary Juried Awards. The winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Juried Awards will also be presented honoring unparalleled achievement and exceptional contributions to animation. Three Winsor McCay Award recipients have been selected by the ASIFA-Hollywood Board of Directors for their exemplary industry careers – Academy Award-winning director, animator and art director, Ralph Eggleston; Frank Braxton (posthumously), the first African-American animator, animation director and guild president; and casting director, voice director and voice actress Andrea Romano. The June Foray Award will be presented to veteran animator, Adam Burke (posthumously) for his significant and benevolent impact on the animation community. Ton Roosendaal, Dutch software developer and film producer, will accept the Ub Iwerks Award for Blender Open Source Animation Software; and a Certificate of Merit will be presented to dedicated ASIFA volunteer, Jason Jones.

    46th Annie Awards Nominations

    Annie Award for Best Animated Feature

    Early Man Aardman Animations Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Isle Of Dogs Fox Searchlight Pictures / Indian Paintbrush / American Empirical Pictures Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sony Pictures Animation

    Annie Award for Best Animated Independent Feature

    Ce Magnifique Gâteau ! Beast Animation, Vivement Lundi !, Pedri Animation MFKZ Ankama / Studio 4ºC Mirai Studio Chizu Ruben Brandt, Collector Hungarian National Film Fund Tito and the Birds Bits Productions, Split Studio

    Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production

    Back to the Moon Google Spotlight Stories, Google Doodles, Nexus Studios Mary Poppins Returns Walt Disney Studios The Emperor’s Newest Clothes HBO / Starburns Industries The Highway Rat Magic Light Pictures

    Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject

    Grandpa Walrus Caïmans Productions Lost & Found Wabi Sabi Studios SOLAR WALK Nørlum Untravel Production: Film House Baš Čelik, Serbia Co-production: BFilm, Bratislava / Your Dreams Factory, Bratislava Weekends past lives productions

    Annie Award for Best Virtual Reality Production

    Age of Sail Google Spotlight Stories, Broad Reach Pictures Battlescar AtlasV Crow: The Legend Baobab Studios Mind Palace Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH Moss Polyarc

    Annie Award for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Commercial

    Goldfish at the Fair Stoopid Buddy Stoodios Greenpeace ‘There’s a Rang-Tan In My Bedroom’ Passion Animation Studios Grinch / 40 / Olympics Spot Illumination JD.com, ‘Joy and Heron’ Passion Pictures The Fearless Are Here Nexus Studios

    Annie Award for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Preschool Children

    Ask the StoryBots JibJab Bros. Studios for Netflix Dinotrux: Supercharged DreamWorks Animation Television Hey Duggee Studio AKA PJ Masks Frog Box Entertainment One Tumble Leaf Amazon Studios and Bix Pix Entertainment

    Annie Award for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Children

    Hilda Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny DreamWorks Animation Television Little Big Awesome Amazon Studios Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nickelodeon Animation Studio Tales of Arcadia: Trollhunters DreamWorks Animation Television

    Annie Award for Best General Audience Animated Television/Broadcast Production

    Big Mouth Netflix Bob’s Burgers 20th Century FOX Television/Bento Box Entertainment BoJack Horseman Tornante Productions, LLC for Netflix Human Kind Of Cartuna, Facebook Watch The Venture Bros. Adult Swim / Titmouse, Inc.

    Annie Award for Best Student Film

    A Blink of An Eye Anke Kletsch Best Friend Luce Grosjean FACING IT Sam Gainsborough Hors Piste Luce Grosjean Sister Siqi Song

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Animated Effects in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production

    DreamWorks Theatre Presents Kung Fu Panda DreamWorks Animation Nominees: Zach Glynn, Chyuan Huang, Michael Losure, K.C. Ong, Alex Timchenko Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nickelodeon Animation Studio Nominees: Jeffrey Lai SuperMansion Stoopid Buddy Stoodios Nominees: Mike Spitzmiller, Steve Gallant, Iain Collins, Daniel Craven, Lynda Rollins Tales of Arcadia: Trollhunters DreamWorks Animation Television Nominees: David M.V. Jones, Vincent Chou, Clare Yang Watership Down 42 / Biscuit Entertainment with Netflix Nominees: Philip Child, Nilesh Sardesai

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Animated Effects in an an Animated Feature Production

    Early Man Aardman Animations Nominees: Howard Jones, Dave Alex Riddett, Grant Hewlett, Pat Andrew, Elena Vitanza Chiarani Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Patrick Witting, Kiel Gnebba, Spencer Lueders, Joe Pepper, Sam Rickles Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Greg Gladstone, Tolga Göktekin, Jason Johnston, Eric Lacroix, Krzysztof Rost Next Gen Baozou with Alibaba Pictures Inc. in association with Tangent Animation for Netflix Nominees: So Ishigaki, Graham Wiebe Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Cesar Velazquez, Marie Tollec, Alexander Moaveni, Peter DeMund, Ian J. Coony

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Age of Sail Google Spotlight Stories, Broad Reach Pictures Nominees: Sikand Srinivas Back to the Moon Google Spotlight Stories, Google Doodles, Nexus Studios Nominees: Lucas Vigroux Hilda Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks Nominees: Scott Lewis Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure Walt Disney Television Animation Nominees: Juliane Martin Tumble Leaf Amazon Studios and Bix Pix Entertainment Nominees: Dan MacKenzie

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in an Animated Feature Production

    Early Man Aardman Animations Nominees: Laurie Sitzia Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studio Nominees: Lance Fite Isle of Dogs Fox Searchlight Pictures / Indian Paintbrush / American Empirical Pictures Nominees: Jason Stalman Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Vitor Vilela Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: David Han

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Live Action Production

    Avengers: Infinity War Marvel Nominees: Paul Story, Sidney Kombo-Kintombo, Eteuati Tema, Jacob Luamanuvae-Su’a, Sam Sharplin Christopher Robin Walt Disney Pictures Nominees: Arslan Elver, Laurent Laban, Kayn Garcia, Claire Blustin, Marc-André Coulombe Mary Poppins Returns Walt Disney Pictures Nominees: Chris Sauve, James Baxter, Sandro Cleuzo Paddington 2 StudioCanal, Heyday Films, Marmalade Films Ltd Nominees: Pablo Grillo, Laurent Laban, Kyle Dunlevy, Stuart Ellis, Liam Russell The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Walt Disney Studios Nominees: Richard Oey, Adrien Annesley, Allison Orr, Wei Liang Yap, Shan Hao

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Video Game

    God of War Santa Monica Studio Nominees: Erica Pinto, Mehdi Yssef, Bruno Velazquez GRIS Nomada Studio Nominees: Adrian Miguel, Adrian Garcia, Adrian Miguel Marvel’s Spider-Man Insomniac Games Nominees: Bobby Coddington Moss Polyarc Nominees: Richard Lico Shadow of The Tomb Raider Square Enix Nominees: David Hubert, Jacob Gardner, Giovanni Spinelli, Marco Foglia, Jean-Philippe Chaurette

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Age of Sail Google Spotlight Stories, Broad Reach Pictures Nominees: Bruno Mangyoku Niko and the Sword of Light Amazon Studios Nominees: Jim Bryson Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure Walt Disney Television Animation Nominees: Amanda Jolly The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle DreamWorks Animation Television Nominees: Chris Mitchell The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle DreamWorks Animation Television Nominees: Keiko Murayama

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

    Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Matt Nolte Mary Poppins Returns Walt Disney Studios Nominees: James Woods Next Gen Baozou with Alibaba Pictures Inc. in association with Tangent Animation for Netflix Nominees: Marceline Tanguay Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Ami Thompson Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Shiyoon Kim

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Ask the StoryBots JibJab Bros. Studios for Netflix Nominees: Evan Spiridellis Disney Mickey Mouse Disney Television Animation Nominees: Eddie Trigueros Niko and the Sword of Light Amazon Studios Nominees: Sung Jin Ahn SuperMansion Stoopid Buddy Stoodios Nominees: Nick Simotas Tales of Arcadia: 3Below DreamWorks Animation Television Nominees: Guillermo del Toro, Rodrigo Blaas

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production

    Early Man Aardman Animations Nominees: Nick Park Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Genndy Tartakovsky Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Brad Bird Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Rich Moore, Phil Johnston Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Bob Persichetti , Rodney Rothman , Peter Ramsey

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Back to the Moon Google Spotlight Stories, Google Doodles, Nexus Studios Nominees: Mathieu Alvado Disney Mickey Mouse Disney Television Animation Nominees: Christopher Willis Elena of Avalor Disney Television Animation Nominees: Tony Morales, John Kavanaugh, Craig Gerber, Silvia Olivas, Rachel Ruderman Tangled: The Series Walt Disney Television Animation Nominees: Alan Menken, Glenn Slater, Kevin Kliesch The Tom and Jerry Show Warner Bros. Animation Nominees: Vivek Maddala

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production

    Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Illumination Nominees: Danny Elfman, Tyler, The Creator Early Man Aardman Animations Nominees: Harry Gregson-Williams, Tom Howe, Harry Gregson-Williams, Tom Howe Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Michael Giacchino Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Henry Jackman, Alan Menken, Phil Johnston, Tom MacDougall, Dan Reynolds Smallfoot Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Animation Group Nominees: Heitor Pereira, Karey Kirkpatrick, Wayne Kirkpatrick

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Age of Sail Google Spotlight Stories, Broad Reach Pictures Nominees: Céline Desrumaux, Jasmin Lai Disney Mickey Mouse Disney Television Animation Nominees: Justin Martin Little Big Awesome Amazon Studios Nominees: Antonio Canobbio, Art Director, Howard Chen, Background Layout , Ivan Louey, Background Layout Supervisor, Crystal Yoori Son, Background Paint Niko and the Sword of Light Amazon Studios Nominees: Antonio Canobbio, Art Director, Bobby Walker, Background Paint, Michelle Rhee, Background Layout, Richard Chang, Background Paint, Joseph Martinez, Background Layout The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle DreamWorks Animation Television Nominees: Chris Mitchell, Chris Turnham, Tor Anut, DanBob Thompson, Aaron Spurgeon

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Feature Production

    Early Man Aardman Animations Nominees: Matt Perry, Richard Edmunds Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Scott Wills Isle of Dogs FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES INDIAN PAINTBRUSH AMERICAN EMPIRICAL PICTURES Nominees: Adam Stockhausen , Paul Harrod Mary Poppins Returns Walt Disney Studios Nominees: jeff turley Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Justin K. Thompson

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Ben 10 Cartoon Network Studios Nominees: Will Patrick Big Hero 6: The Series Walt Disney Television Animation Nominees: Trey Buongiorno Disney Mickey Mouse Disney Television Animation Nominees: Ramirez Ramos Alonso Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nickelodeon Animation Studio Nominees: Kevin Molina-Ortiz Star vs. The Forces of Evil Walt Disney Television Animation Nominees: Sabrina Cotugno

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production

    Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Illumination Nominees: Habib Louati Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Dean Kelly Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Bobby Alcid Rubio Mary Poppins Returns Walt Disney Studios Nominees: Ovi Nedelcu Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Michael Herrera

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    BoJack Horseman Tornante Productions, LLC for Netflix Nominees: Will Arnett F is for Family Wild West Television in association with Gaumont Television for Netflix Nominees: Debi Derryberry Pete the Cat Amazon Studios, Alcon Television Group, LLC Nominees: Juliette Donenfeld Skylanders Academy Activision Blizzard Studios Nominees: Patrick Warburton Unikitty Warner Bros. Animation Nominees: Tara Strong

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

    Early Man Aardman Animations Nominees: Eddie Redmayne Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Holly Hunter Isle of Dogs Fox Searchlight Pictures / Indian Paintbrush / American Empirical Pictures Nominees: Bryan Cranston Next Gen Baozou with Alibaba Pictures Inc. in association with Tangent Animation for Netflix Nominees: Charlyne Yi Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Sarah Silverman

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Big Mouth Netflix Nominees: Emily Altman Craig of the Creek Cartoon Network Studios Nominees: Matt Burnett, Ben Levin, Shauna McGarry, Jeff Trammell, Tiffany Ford Hilda Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks Nominees: Stephanie Simpson Star vs. The Forces of Evil Walt Disney Television Animation Nominees: Dominic Bisignano, Aaron Hammersley, Amy Higgins, John Infantino, Daron Nefcy We Bare Bears Cartoon Network Studios Nominees: Mikey Heller , Sang Yup Lee, Louie Zong

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production

    Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Brad Bird Mirai Studio Chizu Nominees: Mamoru Hosoda, Mamoru Hosoda, Stephanie Sheh Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Phil Johnston, Pamela Ribon Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Phil Lord , Rodney Rothman Teen Titans Go! to the Movies Warner Bros. Animation Nominees: Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Editorial in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production

    Big Hero 6: The Series Walt Disney Television Animation Nominees: Charles Jones, Joe Molinari, Dao Le, Vartan Nazarian, David Vazquez Puppy Dog Pals Wild Canary Animation / Disney Junior Nominees: Adam Rickabus SpongeBob SquarePants Nickelodeon Animation Studio Nominees: Estrella Miyakawa Capin, Christopher Hink, Bob Tomlin, Rick Dominicus Tales of Arcadia: 3Below DreamWorks Animation Television Nominees: John Laus, Graham Fisher The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants DreamWorks Animation Television Nominees: Steve Downs, John Wall, Adam Smith, Collin Erker

    Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Editorial in an Animated Feature Production

    Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Illumination Nominees: Chris Cartagena Incredibles 2 Pixar Animation Studios Nominees: Stephen Schaffer, ACE, Anthony J. Greenberg, Katie Schaefer Bishop Ralph Breaks The Internet Walt Disney Animation Studios Nominees: Jeremy Milton, Fabienne Rawley, Jesse Averna, John Wheeler, Pace Paulsen Ruben Brandt, Collector Hungarian National Film Fund Nominees: Milorad Krstic, Marcell Laszlo, Laszlo Wimmer, Danijel Daka Milosevic Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sony Pictures Animation Nominees: Bob Fisher , Andrew Leviton, Vivek Sharma

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  • Detroit Film Critics Loves EIGHTH GRADE, Named Best Film of 2018. No Love for THE FAVOURITE

    [caption id="attachment_27753" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]EIGHTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE[/caption] Eighth Grade is the big winner at 2018 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards with eight nominations and three wins for Best Picture; Best Supporting Actor; and Breakthrough for Bo Burnham, the film’s writer and director.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8lFgF_IjPw Vice received five nominations and three wins for Adam McKay, Best Director; Best Ensemble; and tied for Best Screenplay with Green Book, which had four nominations. Other top nominees include A Star Is Born with six nominations and one win for Best Use of Music and The Favourite with five nominations, but no wins. The Detroit Film Critics Society was founded in the Spring of 2007 and consists of a group of 21 film critics with a Michigan connection who write or broadcast in the Detroit area as well as other major cities including Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Flint, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; and New York, New York.

    2018 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards Winners

    (nominees are listed in alphabetical order)

    BEST PICTURE

    Winner: Eighth Grade A Quiet Place First Reformed Green Book Roma

    BEST DIRECTOR

    Winner: Adam McKay, Vice Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Alfonso Cuarón, Roma Paul Schrader, First Reformed

    BEST ACTOR

    Winner: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed Christian Bale, Vice Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody John David Washington, BlackKklansman

    BEST ACTRESS

    Winner: Toni Collette, Hereditary Olivia Colman, The Favourite Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

    Winner: Josh Hamilton, Eighth Grade Mahershala Ali, Green Book Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me? Jesse Plemons, Game Night

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

    Winner: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk Amy Adams, Vice Thomasin McKenzie, Leave No Trace Emma Stone, The Favourite Rachel Weiss, The Favourite

    BEST ENSEMBLE

    Winner: Vice Crazy Rich Asians Eighth Grade The Favourite Roma

    BREAKTHROUGH

    Winner: Bo Burnham, Writer/Director (Eighth Grade) Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, Writers/Actors (Blindspotting) Elsie Fisher, Actress (Eighth Grade) Lady Gaga, Actress (A Star Is Born) Boots Riley, Writer/Director (Sorry to Bother You)

    BEST SCREENPLAY

    Winner: Adam McKay, Vice Winner: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, Green Book Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara, The Favourite Paul Schrader, First Reformed

    BEST DOCUMENTARY

    Winner: Three Identical Strangers Free Solo RBG Whitney Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

    Winner: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse The Incredibles 2 Isle of Dogs Ralph Breaks the Internet Smallfoot

    BEST USE OF MUSIC

    Winner: A Star Is Born Bohemian Rhapsody Green Book Mandy Mary Poppins Returns

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  • THE FAVOURITE, FIRST REFORMED, ROMA Win 2018 Atlanta Film Critics Awards

    [caption id="attachment_30988" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Favourite The Favourite[/caption] Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite continues to be the star of the award season winning multiple accolades from the Atlanta Film Critics Circle (AFCC) 2018 film awards including Best Lead Actress for Olivia Colman, Best Supporting Actress for Emma Stone, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Screenplay. In addition the film emerged as number one on the list of the Top 10 Films of 2018. Other winning films include Best Documentary for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and Roma for Best Foreign Language Film. “Our list includes period dramas, inventive horror, commentary on religion, race relations and the environment, minimalist art-house fare, stark social media observations, sci-fi fantasy and a fresh take on the traditional Hollywood epic,” says AFCC co-founder Michael Clark. “It covers the gamut and I’m very pleased with the members’ collective enthusiasm.”

    Top 10 Films

    1. The Favourite 2. A Star Is Born 3. Roma 4. A Quiet Place 5. First Reformed 6. Eighth Grade 7. BlacKkKlansman 8. First Man & Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (TIE) 10. Black Panther

    Best Lead Actor

    Ethan Hawke – First Reformed

    Best Lead Actress

    Olivia Colman – The Favourite

    Best Supporting Actor

    Sam Elliott – A Star Is Born

    Best Supporting Actress

    Emma Stone – The Favourite

    Best Ensemble Cast

    The Favourite

    Best Director

    Alfonso Cuarón – Roma

    Best Screenplay

    The Favourite

    Best Documentary

    Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    Best Foreign Language Film

    Roma

    Best Animated Film

    Isle Of Dogs

    Best Cinematography

    Alfonso Cuarón – Roma

    Best Original Score

    Justin Hurwitz – First Man

    AFCC Special Award for BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER

    Elsie Fisher and Lady Gaga (TIE)

    AFCC Special Award for BEST FIRST FILM

    Bradley Cooper – A Star Is Born

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