• 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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  • TAKE LIGHT, Film about Nigeria’s Energy Crisis, Releases on Dec 14

    Take Light by Shasha Nakhai From space, at night, Nigeria is awash in light. But the glow almost entirely flares from oil and gas wells. The country, with the world’s largest proven oil reserves, leaves half its population without electricity, and the rest with erratic service. Take Light, the feature directorial debut from Shasha Nakhai, takes us to her hometown in the country where she grew up, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, the ironically-nicknamed “Garden City” where the skies have turned grey. There, she follows the lives of workers for PHED, the previously state-owned Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) which was privatized in 2013. If any public servants anywhere feel unappreciated, they should compare their lot with the likes of Martins, an unflaggingly upbeat and religious family-man and electrical engineer, or Deborah, a sales-representative-turned-debt-collector. Both face anger and even mob violence on a daily basis as they cut off service to delinquent customers (most of whom have little ability to pay, in a country with 7.5 million jobless). Martins, who has miraculously survived electrocution in the past, climbs poles to cut off dangerous makeshift wiring that is used to steal power. (We also meet Godwin, an “illegal electrician,” who invariably reconnects the “People’s Power” the following night). The powerlessness closes businesses and forces people to use generators when they can (often bringing them indoors where they often succumb to fires and carbon monoxide poisoning). Even hospitals fall prey, unable to maintain refrigeration in their morgue, forcing them to “dry embalm” corpses. “Shasha has crafted a film with global implications while maintaining focus on the intimate humanity of the people on screen,” says Tony Piantedosi, Director of Acquisitions at Gravitas. “We are proud to be presenting this powerful documentary to US audiences.” “This is the film I’ve always wanted to see made about the power situation in Nigeria,” says Director Nakhai, “and I’m excited to finally be able to share it widely with audiences in my hometown of Port Harcourt, Nigeria and around the world.” “Port Harcourt is the source of my fondest childhood memories,” says Nakhai, who produced the Oscar short-listed Frame 394. “Today, however, the city is much different than what I remember. Perfectly manicured green hedges have turned to black dust—the fallout zone of a fossil-fuel economy. “Take Light is a film about Nigeria’s energy crisis, with my hometown as the backdrop. It’s about a crisis of electrical energy, but also about other kinds of power struggles – the tensions between people, between past and present, between governments and colonial powers—and about the transformation of it all into a seething, powerful force. “I want to show the urgency and challenges of transitioning to greener and more egalitarian economies. “But, this is also a film about the power of hope. With people like Martins, it is about keeping the candle lit in times of darkness and despair, about fighting to remain a good person when corruption is the status-quo, and harnessing the power of humour and religion to make it through each day.” Take Light can be found on VOD: Comcast, Cox, dish Network, Verizon, Frontier, suddenlink, Mediacom, WOW! Also on iVOD: iTunes, Google play, YouTube, vudu, primevideo, Microsoft, vimeo, redbox. And Home Video: amazon, Barnes&Noble, Target, Walmart, Baker & Taylor, Alliance, Midwest Tape. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eu1ToXEvtA

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  • MY COUNTRY NO MORE Docu on Rise and Fall North Dakota’s Oil Boom to Premiere on PBS Independent Lens

    [caption id="attachment_33014" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]My Country No More My Country No More[/caption] Between 2011 and 2016, oil drilling in rural North Dakota reached its peak, setting off a modern-day gold rush in Trenton, North Dakota, population less than 1000. With billions of dollars to be gained in an industry-friendly state with a “reasonable regulation” climate, small towns like Trenton became overwhelmed by an influx of workers, and countless acres of farmland were repurposed for industrial development. My Country No More, a new documentary produced and directed by Rita Baghdadi and Jeremiah Hammerling, follows the rise and fall of the oil boom in North Dakota and paints a portrait of a rural American community in crisis. Through the voices of Trenton’s residents, the film challenges the notion of “progress” and questions the long-term human consequences of short-term approaches to land use, decisions that ultimate affect all Americans, rural and urban alike. My Country No More premieres on Independent Lens Monday, January 7, 2019, 10:00-11:00 PM ET (check local listings) on PBS. Kalie Rider and her older brother Jed are striving to return to a life of farming after having suffered the loss of their parents’ farm during the 1980s farm crisis. Their uncle’s decision to sell a piece of land for a planned ethanol plant sets off a chain of consequences from which there is no turning back. With the Trenton church being eyed for a diesel refinery, the community becomes divided, with some favoring development and jobs, and others bemoaning the loss of their rural way of life. “Although the media frenzy surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline has faded, My Country No More reveals how small communities like Trenton, North Dakota are forever changed by the rise and fall of the oil boom,” said Lois Vossen, executive producer of Independent Lens. “Rita and Jeremiah have created a contemplative, beautifully shot film about a town caught between economic opportunity and personal regret. As the foundation of life and identity shifts beneath their feet, the people of Trenton are left asking what is the value of community history and what sacrifices are they willing to make to preserve a vanishing way of life.”

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  • 2019 Sundance Film Festival Reveals Indie Episodic, Shorts and Special Events

    [caption id="attachment_33006" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Now Apocalypse Now Apocalypse[/caption] Continuing its commitment to showcasing bold independent storytelling regardless of form, format or length,  the 2019 Sundance Film Festival will feature 12 Episodic Works, 73 Short Films and 4 Special Events. Of the projects announced today, 53% were directed or created by one or more women, 51% were directed or created by one or more filmmaker of color, and 26% by one or more people who identify as LGBTQIA. 12 were supported by Sundance Institute in development, whether through direct granting or residency Labs. 73 short films will screen at the Festival from 33 countries and chosen from 9,443 submissions — 4,720 from the U.S. and 4,723 international.  Among the shorts the Festival has shown in recent years are World of Tomorrow, Thunder Road, Whiplash, The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom, Gregory Go Boom and Edmond.

    INDIE EPISODIC

    A dedicated showcase for emerging creators of independently produced episodic content for broadcast, web, and streaming platforms. Past projects that have premiered within this category include I’m Poppy, Mr. Inbetween and America to Me. Bootstrapped / U.S.A. (Creator: Danielle Uhlarik, Director: Stephanie Laing) — Best friends Madeline and Aimee are underdog entrepreneurs who launch a fashion and tech startup out of a garage in their hometown of Kansas City. The duo’s overly positive attitude convinces two other coders to join them on their broke-ass entrepreneurial journey to make BitchThatWouldLookBetterOnMe.Com a household name. Cast: Danielle Uhalrik, Maribeth Monroe, Sam Richardson, Kezii Curtis, Nancy Lenehan, Erika Alexander. World Premiere Delhi Crime Story / India (Director and screenwriter: Richie Mehta) — Following the Delhi Police during their investigation of a horrific gang rape of a young woman on a bus in 2012. Based on actual events and case files.Cast: Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal, Rajesh Tailang, Adil Hussain, Gopal Datt, Vinod Sherawat. World Premiere Delivery Girl / U.S.A (Director and screenwriter: Kate Krieger) — Tricia is a woman struggling with her identity, living in a fiercely Catholic household leading a double life, selling drugs to make ends meet and carrying on an affair. She fights for the courage to embrace her future as the first of many delivery girls. Cast: Kate Krieger, Adam LeFevre, Liz Larsen, Joe Holt. World Premiere [caption id="attachment_33009" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Don't Hug Me I'm Scared Don’t Hug Me I’m ScaredDon’t Hug Me I’m Scared[/caption] Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared / United Kingdom (Creators and screenwriters: Becky Sloan, Joseph Pelling, Baker Terry) — In the small town community of Clayhill, roommates Red Guy, Yellow Guy and Duck live simple, uneventful lives – until Mayor Pigface disappears. Cast: Baker Terry, Joseph Pelling, Becky Sloan. World Premiere The Dress Up Gang / United States (Creators: Robb Boardman, Cory Loykasek, Donny Divanian, Executive Producers: Dave Kneebone, Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim) — Donny, a responsible adult with the innocence and outlook of a child, relies on guidance and life advice from his friend Cory, the dad-like thirtysomething who has been crashing on his couch for quite some time. Cast: Donny Divanian, Cory Loykasek, Frankie Quinones, Andie MacDowell, Christian Duguay, Brent Weinbach. World Premiere Girls Weekend / U.S.A. (Director: Kyra Sedgwick, Creator: Ali Liebegott) — When a queer daughter returns home to Las Vegas for a “girls weekend” with her estranged homophobic sister and people-pleasing mother, her gun-toting dad lets it slip that her mother’s cancer is back with a vengeance, forcing her to decide whether or not she can rejoin her family. Cast: Ali Liebegott, Linda Lavin, Amy Landecker, Ken Jenkens. World Premiere It’s Not About Jimmy Keene / U.S.A. (Creator: Caleb Jaffe, Executive Producers: Jim Frohna, Diana Kunce) — The police shooting of an unarmed black teen reveals deep divisions within a mixed race family.Ivan, the youngest sibling, stalked by visions of Jimmy Keene’s floating corpse,is torn between opposing worldviews of his two older sisters.Cast: Caleb Jaffe, Roger Guenveur Smith, Gabrielle Maiden, Okwui Okpokwasili, Ayana Peters, David Warshofsky. World Premiere Maggie / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sasha Gordon) — A darkly comedic series about a struggling new mom who ditches her dreary postpartum group for the stand-up comedy class next door. In the pilot episode, Maggie struggles with inappropriate fantasies about her live-in nanny. Cast: Christine Woods, David Walton, Maddison Ridley, Veronica Mosey, Dina Hashem, Jon Bander. World Premiere Quarter Life Poetry / U.S.A. (Creator: Samantha Jayne, Arturo Perez Jr., Screenwriter: Samantha Jayne) — Poems for the young, broke and hangry. Cast: Samantha Jayne, Tori Ward, Meredith Thomas, Hailey Harris, Samantha Dockser, Tyler Haines. World Premiere State of the Union / United Kingdom (Creator: Nick Hornby, Director: Stephen Frears) — Every week before their weekly marital therapy session, estranged couple Tom and Louise meet at a pub to try and get their story straight for the therapist. With each successive episode we piece together how their lives were, what drew them together and what has started to pull them apart.Cast: Rosamund Pike, Chris O’Dowd. World Premiere Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men / U.S.A. (Director: Sacha Jenkins, Executive Producers: Peter J Scalettar, Peter Bittenbender, Chris Gary) — The cultural history of Wu-Tang Clan; artists who escape the poverty, violence, and oppression of their neighborhoods through music. They encounter wild success and heartbreak along the way to becoming the most recognized musical movement in the world — all while walking the tightrope that links business with brotherhood. Cast: All members of the Wu-Tang Clan. World Premiere Work In Progress / U.S.A. (Creators and screenwriters: Abby McEnany, Tim Mason) — After her therapist dies mid-session and she begins to date a trans man, Abby is forced to re-evaluate her life choices, her dating options and whether or not to confront the woman responsible for ‘ruining her life’: SNL’s Julia Sweeney. Cast: Abby McEnany, Theo Germaine, Karin Anglin, Celeste Pechous, Julia Sweeney, Alison Gates. World Premiere

    SPECIAL EVENTS

    One-of-a-kind moments highlighting new independent works that add to the unique Festival experience. Past projects that have played in this category include Wild Wild Country, Top of the Lake, O.J.: Made in America, and The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst. Documentary Now! Season 52 Preview The documentary series returns. Celebrate the art of nonfiction storytelling as the creators of Documentary Now! present two new films: “Waiting for the Artist”, starring Cate Blanchett and Fred Armisen, and “Original Cast Album: Co-op”, starring John Mulaney, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Alex Brightman, Paula Pell, Richard Kind and Taran Killam.  Post screenings, they will share their insights into these two episodes from the upcoming season and about the game of paying loving homage to documentary filmmaking. Untitled Amy Berg Documentary / U.S.A. (Director: Amy Berg, Producers: Amy Berg, Paul McGuire, Ruchi Mital, Joy Gorman Wettels) — While the 2016 election catalyzed the Women’s March and a new era of feminist activism, Tamika Mallory and Erika Andiola have been fighting for their communities for decades. Their stories expose the fundamental connection between personal and political and raise the question: what’s intersectionality and can it save the world? World Premiere Lorena / U.S.A. (Executive Producers: Joshua Rofé, Steven J Berger, Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Thomas Lesinski, Jenna Santoianni) — 25 years after the notorious case of John and Lorena Bobbitt, this groundbreaking series re-investigates the story that made international headlines and helped birth a 24-hour news cycle, exploring vital moral issues and the missed opportunity for a national discussion about domestic violence and sexual assault within this American scandal. World Premiere [caption id="attachment_33006" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Now Apocalypse Now Apocalypse[/caption] Now Apocalypse / U.S.A. (Director: Gregg Araki, Executive Producers: Gregg Araki, Gregory Jacobs, Steven Soderbergh) — Ulysses and his friends are trying to navigate Los Angeles, as they pursue love, sex and fame. Between dating app adventures, Ulysses grows increasingly troubled as foreboding dreams make him paranoid — or maybe he’s just smoking too much weed. Cast: Avan Jogia, Kelli Berglund, Beau Mirchoff, Roxane Mesquida. World Premiere U.S. NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS America / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Garrett Bradley) — A cinematic omnibus rooted in New Orleans, challenging the idea of black cinema as a “wave” or “movement in time,” proposing instead, a continuous thread of achievement. World Premiere As Told To G/D Thyself / U.S.A. (Directors: Bradford Young, Terence Nance, Jenn Nkiru, Screenwriters: Terence Nance, Kamasi Washington, Bradford Young) — The cosmic journey of sacred youth, during which pain, pleasure and sublimation are non-negotiable. World Premiere Crude Oil / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Christopher Good) — Jenny breaks free from a toxic friendship and learns to harness her magical, useless superpower. World Premiere Fainting Spells / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sky Hopinka) — Told through recollections of youth, learning, lore, and departure, this is an imagined myth for the Indian Pipe Plant, used by the Ho-Chunk to revive those who have fainted. Feathers / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: A.V. Rockwell) — Elizier, an emotionally-dejected new enrollee at The Edward R. Mill School for Boys, must overcome memories of a tragic past and present hazing by his peers in order to tackle larger issues dominating his young life. DAY ONE Fran This Summer / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Mary Evangelista) — Teenage lovebirds Fran and Angie spend the summer at home while Fran begins their transition. They must face who and what they mean to each other when they visit the beach, their love on display for all to see. Green / U.S.A. (Director: Suzanne Andrews Correa, Screenwriters: Suzanne Andrews Correa, Mustafa Kaymak) — Green, an undocumented Turkish pedicab driver, unwittingly draws police attention, endangering his brother, his community, and himself. How Does It Start / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Amber Sealey) — With her self-absorbed parents distracted by their recent divorce, twelve-year-old Rain is left alone to navigate the complexities of love and adulthood, and learns to do it her own way. World Premiere I Snuck Off the Slave Ship / U.S.A. (Directors: Lonnie Holley, Cyrus Moussavi, Screenwriters: Lonnie Holley, Cyrus Moussavi, Brittany Nugent) — Lonnie Holley, a “self-taught African American artist” and dimensional traveler, attempts to sneak off the slave ship America. World Premiere Lavender / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matthew Puccini) — A young gay man grows increasingly entangled in the marriage of an older couple. World Premiere. DAY ONE Lockdown / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Celine Held, Logan George) — Struggling with feelings for her best friend, 14-year-old Marie stages an almost perfect plan. World Premiere The MINORS / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Robert Machoian) — A slice of life about a grandpa and his grandsons, the future and the past. World Premiere Old Haunt / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andre Hyland) — A procrastinating writer stays in an Airbnb to get some work done, but after an unexpected visitor arrives, he finds himself in an increasingly unsettling set of situations that he can’t explain. World Premiere One Cambodian Family Please for My Pleasure / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: A.M. Lukas) — A lonely Czech refugee paints an all-too-appealing picture of her American life as she writes a letter begging an organization to send a Cambodian refugee family to resettle in her new, “dreamland” hometown: Fargo, North Dakota. DAY ONE The Rat / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Carlen May-Mann) — It’s Halloween night, and Renee is madly in love with Jim. On their way to a party, Jim detours to a haunted house, where Renee is forced to confront a terrifying situation. World Premiere Shinaab, Part II / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Lyle Corbine Jr.) — A look at Ojibwe ideas surrounding the death process, as a young man strives to honor his late father. U.S. Premiere sometimes, i think about dying / U.S.A. (Director: Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Screenwriters: Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Katy Wright-Mead, Kevin Armento) — Fran is thinking about dying, but a man in the office might want to date her. World Premiere Squirrel / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Kavutskiy) — A meager apology tests a woman’s fortitude to forgive. Suicide By Sunlight / U.S.A. (Director: Nikyatu Jusu, Screenwriters: Nikyatu Jusu, R. Shanea Williams) — Valentina, a day-walking Black vampire protected from the sun by her melanin, is forced to restrain her bloodlust to regain custody of her estranged daughters. World Premiere Sundowners / U.S.A. (Director: Lisa Steen, Screenwriters: Anna Greenfield, Jessy Hodges) — Ali and her father cook, drink, and ignore what’s going on in the next room. World Premiere INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS Acid / France (Director and screenwriter: Just Philippot) — A troubling cloud is taking shape somewhere out west. It’s now slowly moving inland, forcing the population to flee. As the cloud keeps on moving forward inescapably, panic strikes. Adalamadrina / Spain (Director: Carlota Oms, Screenwriters: Joan Pàmies, Carlota Oms) — While she claims to be an expert in sex and love on YouTube, Ada can barely speak to her gym trainer, with whom she’s madly in love. When she sets her sights on him, everything changes. International Premiere Aziza / Syria, Lebanon (Director: Soudade Kaadan, Screenwriters: Soudade Kaadan, May Hayek) — A dynamic take on the life of Syrian refugees, told through black comedy. World Premiere BAJO LA SOMBRA DEL GUACARI / Colombia (Director and screenwriter: Greg Méndez) — Dead bodies have washed upon the banks of the river. When Abraham finds out the one of them was his friend, he embarks on a journey to fulfill a promise that will take him to the Guacari tree.World Premiere Birds in the Earth / Finland (Director and screenwriter: Marja Helander) — Examining the deeper questions of the ownership of Sami land through the ballet performances of two young dancers. Brotherhood / Canada, Tunisia, Qatar, Sweden (Director and screenwriter: Meryam Joobeur) — When a hardened Tunisian shepherd’s son returns home after a long journey with a new wife, tension rises between father and son. U.S. Premiere Chowboys: An American Folktale / Canada (Director and screenwriter: Astron 6) — Things seem hopeless when three mysterious cowboys find themselves stranded on the coldest night in recorded history. Desires of the flesh / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Rafaela Camelo) — Blessed be the Sunday, that it is the day to see Giovana. International Premiere Docking / Canada (Director and screenwriter: Trevor Anderson) — Trevor reflects on his fear of dating. World Premiere Dunya’s Day / Saudi Arabia, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Raed Alsemari) — Abandoned by her domestic help, Dunya fights to throw the perfect graduation soirée. World Premiere. DAY ONE END / Cuba (Director: Yimit Ramírez, Screenwriters: Yimit Ramírez, Tatiana Monge) — Juan is dead. Surprisingly, he is given an opportunity: to relive a moment of his past life, but it will not be an ordinary moment. World Premiere Fatherland / Georgia (Director and screenwriter: George Sikharulidze) — In 2016, on the 63rd anniversary of Stalin’s death, his worshipers gather outside of his birthplace in Georgia to demand his canonization as a saint… when something uncanny materializes. DAY ONE The Field / France, United Kingdom, India (Director and screenwriter: Sandhya Suri) — A poor agricultural laborer leads a double life in the village’s last remaining cornfield. But the harvest is approaching. Fuck You / Sweden (Director and screenwriter: Anette Sidor) — Alice is together with Johannes but she doesn’t have enough space to be herself. On a night out with friends, she steals a strap-on and challenges her boyfriend’s thoughts about girls. U.S. Premiere Hot Dog / Germany (Directors and screenwriters: Alma Buddecke, Marleen Valien) — Hannah, in a love-hate relationship with her vagina, chronicles how her feelings towards her sexuality have changed over time. Like that one moment when she discovered the vibration function of her PlayStation controller. International Premiere Kado (A Gift) / Indonesia (Director and screenwriter: Aditya Ahmad) — Isfi can wear her comfortable pants among her male friends, but has to wear hijab to be accepted at Nita’s house. With two days until Nita’s birthday, all Isfi wants is to prepare the best gift in Nita’s room. U.S. Premiere Manicure / Iran (Director and screenwriter: Arman Fayaz) — After the unexpected death of his wife, a man struggles to deal with the aftermath under the eyes of the local villagers. The silence of the dying fish / Greece, France (Director and screenwriter: Vasilis Kekatos) — On his way to work one morning, a fish farm worker is told that he died the day before. Failing to prove that he is alive, he spends his last day securing caretakers for his beloved canaries. North American Premiere Those bad things / Italy (Director: Loris Giuseppe Nese, Screenwriters: Loris Giuseppe Nese, Chiara Marotta) — You cannot choose your parents. These are the thoughts of a daughter who can’t rebel, as time slips by slowly both inside and outside their home in the Campania suburbs. International Premiere DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILMS All Inclusive / Switzerland (Director and screenwriter: Corina Schwingruber Ilić) — Under the spell of mass entertainment on the high seas. Black 14 / U.S.A. (Director: Darius Clark Monroe) — An archival social study examining white pathology and cognitive dissonance via media coverage of a 1969 racial protest at the University of Wyoming. Cablestreet / U.S.A. (Director: Meredith Lackey) — A cable system designed by controversial Chinese company Huawei Technologies enables communication between an expert and a machine. Time succumbs to space in a ‘New Cold War’ played out in technological materials. World Premiere The Dispossessed / India (Director and screenwriter: Musa Syeed) — Hazari is a traditional faith healer, exorcising patients who’ve been possessed by jinn. But in Kashmir, amidst the world’s longest running conflict, nothing is as it seems. World Premiere Dulce / U.S.A., Colombia (Directors: Guille Isa, Angello Faccini) — In coastal Colombia, facing rising tides made worse by climate change, a mother teaches her daughter how to swim so that she may go to the mangroves and harvest ‘piangua’ shellfish with the other women in the village. Easter Snap / U.S.A. (Director: RaMell Ross) — With a baited handling of American symbolism, an examination of five Alabama men, who resurrect the homestead ritual of hog processing in the deep South under the guidance of Johnny Blackmon. World Premiere Edgecombe / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Kayiza) — Through the deeply personal truths of three local residents, an examination of the ways trauma repeats and reinvents itself in rural Black communities. Everything You Wanted to Know About Sudden Birth* (*but were afraid to ask) / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Scott Calonico) — The true story of how the Berkeley Police Department, the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands, and Mr. Spock from Star Trek are all connected by one of the most disturbing educational films ever created. World Premiere [caption id="attachment_33011" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]FAST HORSE FAST HORSE[/caption] FAST HORSE / Canada (Director and screenwriter: Alexandra Lazarowich) — The Blackfoot bareback horse-racing tradition returns in the astonishingly dangerous Indian Relay. Siksika horseman Allison Red Crow struggles with second-hand horses and a new jockey on his way to challenge the best riders in the Blackfoot Confederacy. U.S. Premiere.DAY ONE The Ghost Behind / U.S.A. (Director: Caroline Rumley) — Four friends. Many bands. Expectations. Addiction. Loss. Ghosts of Sugar Land / U.S.A. (Director: Bassam Tariq) — In Sugar Land, Texas, a group of young Muslim-American men ponder the disappearance of their friend “Mark,” who is suspected of joining ISIS. World Premiere It’s Going To Be Beautiful / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors and screenwriters: Luis Gutierrez Arias, John Henry Theisen) — The U.S. Border Patrol has been given the task of choosing a winning design for building a wall on the U.S.- Mexico border. Libre / U.S.A. (Director: Anna Barsan) — Undocumented immigrants forced to spend months in detention are turning to private companies to secure their release on bond. In exchange, immigrants pay exorbitant monthly fees for a GPS ankle monitor they can’t remove. Life in Miniature / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Ellen Evans) — A celebration of one woman’s mission to document the every day, as she carves a place for herself in the precious world of miniatures. U.S. Premiere Life Overtakes Me / Sweden, U.S.A. (Directors: John Haptas, Kristine Samuelson) — Facing deportation, hundreds of refugee children in Sweden have become afflicted with Resignation Syndrome, withdrawing from the world into a coma-like state, as if frozen, for months, or even years. World Premiere STAY CLOSE / U.S.A., China (Directors and screenwriters: Shuhan Fan, Luther Clement) — The underdog story of a fencer from Brooklyn who overcomes a gauntlet of hardships on the road to the Olympics. World Premiere Throat Singing in Kangirsuk / Canada (Directors: Eva Kaukai, Manon Chamberland, Screenwriters: Emilie Baillargeon and Clark Ferguson) — Eva and Manon practice the art of throat singing in their native Arctic land, in the small village of Kangirsuk. World Premiere The Tough / Poland (Director and screenwriter: Marcin Polar) — A discovery arouses a man’s imagination and propels him forward in an uncouth and obsessive way. Step by step, the camera participates as he explores of places hitherto unknown to humankind, which offer increasingly stronger resistance against human delicacy. World Premiere ANIMATED SHORT FILMS Acid Rain / Poland (Director and screenwriter: Tomek Popakul) — After running away from her depressing village in eastern Europe, a teenage girl meets a new friend under a bridge. International Premiere Albatross Soup / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Winnie Cheung) — A dizzying descent into deductive reasoning based on an entertaining yet disturbing lateral thinking puzzle. animistica / Austria, Germany, Mexico (Director: Nikki Schuster) — An expedition into rotting animal carcasses and rampant spider webs, accompanied by a gloomy drone like a swarm of hungry flies. Foraging around the borderlands of the horror genre in a kaleidoscope of ecology in all its horrifying beauty. North American Premiere The Call / Romania, France (Director and screenwriter: Anca Damian) — A phone call, a bathroom and a woman are at the intersection of the world. U.S. Premiere CHICHI / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Nessl) — My dog has dreams and he tells me about them. I made a movie about those dreams. This is that movie. U.S. Premiere Count Your Curses / Belgium (Director and screenwriter: Lorène Yavo) — In a town where supernatural beings are part of everyday life, two roommates had their house spirit devoured overnight, again. They go on their way to find a replacement spirit and a solution to their pest problem. Knockstrike / Spain (Directors and screenwriters: Marc Torices, Pau Anglada, Genis Rigol) — Two men accidentally exchange briefcases. One contains a videotape that will lead the new owner to embark on an unexpected journey to figure out what is in it. Muteum / Estonia, Hong Kong (Director and screenwriter: Aggie Pak Yee Lee) — In an art museum, we learn — from outer to inner, from deep to its deepest, seriously and sincerely. DAY ONE OBON / Germany (Directors: André Hörmann, Anna Samo, Screenwriter: André Hörmann) — During the festival of Obon, one of the last survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima receives the spirits of her parents, and is haunted by memories. OCTANE / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeron Braxton) — A man’s street race through hell and back parallels the Black experience in America. The Phantom 52 / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Geoff Marslett) — Loneliness: a trucker who calls out on his CB radio waiting for a reply that never comes. A ghost that haunts the deserted highways. A whale that sings at a frequency no other whale can even hear. World Premiere Reneepoptosis / U.S.A., Japan (Director and screenwriter: Renee Zhan) — Three Renees go on a quest to find God, who is also Renee. As they traverse the mountains and valleys of Renee, they discover all the great joys, sorrows, and mysteries of being Renee. U.S. Premiere Sister / U.S.A., China (Director and screenwriter: Siqi Song) — A man thinks back to his childhood memories of growing up with an annoying little sister in China in the 1990s. What would his life have been like if things had gone differently? Under Covers / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michaela Olsen) — On the night of a lunar eclipse, we uncover the sweet, salacious, and spooky secrets of a small town. From a pigtailed psychopath to naughty nuns, this stop-motion animated film conjures a comforting thought: that weird is relative. World Premiere Untravel / Serbia, Slovakia (Directors: Ana Nedeljkovic, Nikola Majdak, Screenwriter: Ana Nedeljkovic) — A girl lives in an isolated country, enclosed by a huge wall. She has never traveled anywhere, but all her life she has dreamed of leaving forever for a perfect world called Abroad.

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  • Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Names ROMA Best Film of 2018

    [caption id="attachment_33001" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Roma Roma[/caption] “Roma” the Mexico-set period drama dedicated to director Alfonso Cuarón’s real-life childhood nanny, triumphed with four wins when the Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) announced their 2018 honorees.    “Roma” won Best Film and Best Director, as well as Best Foreign Language Film and Best Cinematography for its sweeping black-and-white lensing. Best Documentary kudos went to the lovely, feel-good “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” The film centers on the life and philosophy of the late Fred Rogers, host of long-running, often groundbreaking children’s program “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC, given each year in honor of one of WAFCA’s cherished late members, went to Adam McKay’s offbeat Dick Cheney biopic “Vice.” The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association comprises 60 DC-VA-MD-based film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet.

    2018 Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Winners

    Best Film: Roma Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Best Actor: Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) Best Actress: Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Best Supporting Actress: Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) Best Acting Ensemble: The Favourite Best Youth Performance: Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) Best Voice Performance: Bryan Cranston (Isle of Dogs) Best Motion Capture Performance: Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War) Best Original Screenplay: Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara (The Favourite) Best Adapted Screenplay: Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Best Animated Feature: Isle of Dogs Best Documentary: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Best Foreign Language Film: Roma Best Production Design: Production Designer: Hannah Beachler; Set Decorator: Jay Hart (Black Panther) Best Cinematography: Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Best Editing: Tom Cross, ACE (First Man) Best Original Score: Nicholas Britell (If Beale Street Could Talk) The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC: Vice

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  • Yorgos Lanthimos’ THE FAVOURITE Wins a Record 10 Awards at 2018 British Independent Film Awards

    [caption id="attachment_32995" align="aligncenter" width="1199"]THE FAVOURITE Emma Stone and Olivia Colman in the film THE FAVOURITE. Photo by Yorgos Lanthimos.ʩ 2018 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation[/caption] The Favourite was clearly that at the 2018 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) in London winning a record ten awards including Best British Independent Film and Best Director for Yorgos Lanthimos.  Other major awards include Evelyn won for Best Documentary, Ray & Liz‘s Richard Billingham won The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director, and Roma won for Best International Independent Film.

    2018 British Independent Film Awards Winners

    Best British Independent Film

    THE FAVOURITE Yorgos Lanthimos, Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara, Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday

    Best Director

    YORGOS LANTHIMOS The Favourite

    Best Screenplay

    DEBORAH DAVIS, TONY McNAMARA The Favourite

    Best Actress

    OLIVIA COLMAN The Favourite

    Best Supporting Actress

    RACHEL WEISZ The Favourite

    Best Actor

    JOE COLE A Prayer Before Dawn

    Best Supporting Actor

    ALESSANDRO NIVOLA Disobedience

    Most Promising Newcomer

    JESSIE BUCKLEY Beast

    The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)

    RICHARD BILLINGHAM Ray & Liz

    Debut Screenwriter

    BART LAYTON American Animals

    Breakthrough Producer

    JACQUI DAVIES Ray & Liz

    The Discovery Award

    VOYAGEUSE May Miles Thomas

    Best Documentary

    EVELYN Orlando von Einsiedel, Joanna Natasegara

    Best British Short Film

    THE BIG DAY Dawn Shadforth, Kellie Smith, Michelle Stein

    Best International Independent Film

    ROMA Alfonso Cuarón, Nicolás Celis, Gabriela Rodriguez

    Best Casting

    DIXIE CHASSAY The Favourite

    Best Cinematography supported by Blackmagic Design

    ROBBIE RYAN The Favourite

    Best Costume Design

    SANDY POWELL The Favourite

    Best Editing

    NICK FENTON, JULIAN HART, CHRIS GILL American Animals

    Best Effects

    HOWARD JONES Early Man

    Best Make Up & Hair Design

    NADIA STACEY The Favourite

    Best Music

    JONNY GREENWOOD You Were Never Really Here

    Best Production Design

    FIONA CROMBIE The Favourite

    Best Sound

    PAUL DAVIES You Were Never Really Here

    The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film

    Judi Dench

    The Special Jury Prize

    Horace Ové CBE

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  • THE FAVOURITE Leads Nominations for 2018 Washington DC Area Film Critics Award

    [caption id="attachment_30991" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Favourite The Favourite[/caption] The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) which comprises of 60 DC-based film critics from the District, Maryland and Virginia announced their nominees for the 2018 awards. The Favourite lead with 10 nominations  including Best Film and Best Director for Yorgos Lanthimos.  Other films nominated for Best Film include A Star Is Born, Green Book, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Roma. The nominees for Best Documentary are Free Solo, RBG, Science Fair, Three Identical Strangers and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?  The nominees for Best Foreign Film are Burning, Capernaum, Cold War, Roma and Shoplifters. The nominees for the special category The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC are The Front Runner, RBG and Vice. The 2018 WAFCA Award winners will be announced on Monday, December 3, 2018.

    2018 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) AWARD NOMINEES

    Best Film:

    The Favourite Green Book If Beale Street Could Talk Roma A Star Is Born

    Best Director:

    Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk) Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite)

    Best Actor:

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

    Best Actress:

    Glenn Close (The Wife) Toni Collette (Hereditary) Olivia Colman (The Favourite) Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born) Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

    Best Supporting Actor:

    Mahershala Ali (Green Book) Timothée Chalamet (Beautiful Boy) Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born) Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther)

    Best Supporting Actress:

    Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale) Nicole Kidman (Boy Erased) Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk) Emma Stone (The Favourite) Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)

    Best Acting Ensemble:

    Black Panther The Favourite If Beale Street Could Talk Vice Widows

    Best Youth Performance:

    Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade) Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie (Leave No Trace) Milly Shapiro (Hereditary) Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place) Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give)

    Best Voice Performance:

    Bryan Cranston (Isle of Dogs) Holly Hunter (Incredibles 2) Shameik Moore (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) Sarah Silverman (Ralph Breaks the Internet) Ben Whishaw (Paddington 2)

    Best Motion Capture Performance:

    Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War) Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One) Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Solo: A Star Wars Story)

    Best Original Screenplay:

    Bo Burnham (Eighth Grade) Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara (The Favourite) Paul Schrader (First Reformed) Nick Vallelonga & Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly (Green Book) Alfonso Cuarón (Roma)

    Best Adapted Screenplay:

    Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman) Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole (Black Panther) Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk) Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters (A Star Is Born)

    Best Animated Feature:

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

    Best Documentary:

    Free Solo RBG Science Fair Three Identical Strangers Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    Best Foreign Language Film:

    Burning Capernaum Cold War Roma Shoplifters

    Best Production Design:

    Production Designer: Hannah Beachler; Set Decorator: Jay Hart (Black Panther) Production Designer: Fiona Crombie; Set Decorator: Alice Felton (The Favourite) Production Designer: Nathan Crowley; Set Decorator: Kathy Lucas (First Man) Production Designer: John Myhre; Set Decorator: Gordon Sim (Mary Poppins Returns) Production Designer: Eugenio Caballero; Set Decorator: Bárbara Enríquez (Roma)

    Best Cinematography:

    Robbie Ryan, BSC (The Favourite) Linus Sandgren, FSF (First Man) James Laxton (If Beale Street Could Talk) Alfonso Cuarón (Roma) Matthew Libatique, ASC (A Star Is Born)

    Best Editing:

    Yorgos Mavropsaridis, ACE (The Favourite) Tom Cross, ACE (First Man) Alfonso Cuarón, Adam Gough (Roma) Jay Cassidy, ACE (A Star Is Born) Joe Walker, ACE (Widows)

    Best Original Score:

    Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther) Justin Hurwitz (First Man) Nicholas Britell (If Beale Street Could Talk) Thom Yorke (Suspiria) Hans Zimmer (Widows)

    The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC:

    The Front Runner RBG Vice

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  • A COLONY Sweeps Borsos Awards, Wins Best Canadian Feature at 2018 Whistler Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_32983" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]A Colony (Une colonie) by Geneviève Dulude De Celles A Colony (Une colonie) by Geneviève Dulude De Celles[/caption] Geneviève Dulude-De Celles first feature A COLONY, a touching and heartbreaking coming of age story, swept the Borsos Awards of the 18th annual Whistler Film Festival with three wins including Best Canadian Feature,  Best Director in a Borsos Film for Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, and Best Performance in a Borsos Film for Emilie Bierre taking the $15,000 cash prize and $15,000 post production prize. The jury stated: “We awarded A COLONY the Borsos awards for its strength of vision and raw authenticity. The Borsos Award for Best Screenplay went to Robert Budreau, writer and director of STOCKHOLM, for the complex emotional clockwork that balances action, suspense and romance. Best Cinematography in a Borsos Film went to cinematographer Michel La Veaux for his work in THE FIREFLIES ARE GONE. The jury said they presented this to the movie that they felt showed an elegant authenticity and strong visual storytelling through classic use of framing color and choreography. The World Documentary Award went to MOMENTUM GENERATION. The jury stated that “This documentary provides unparalleled access to the events that shaped its iconic subjects, presenting a powerful story of the bond between friends throughout profound personal struggle. An uplifting coming of age film that nails its slick and engaging execution, our award winner delivers undeniable audience impact and critical potential. The Jury awards the World Documentary Award to this memorable tribute to hardship and friendship, MOMENTUM GENERATION” directed by Jeff and Michael Zimbalist. The jury also gave an honorable mention to Jordan Manley, director of TREELINE, ”for its original choice of subject matter, striking imagery and masterful visual storytelling, the Jury wishes to recognize this film for its poetic approach to filmmaking and ability to open our minds to a world never before seen.” The Best Mountain Culture Film Award went to FREE SOLO directed by Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasarhelyi. The Jury stated “ It’s pretty incredible when a film has you totally gripped from beginning to end, despite already knowing the ending. FREE SOLO did just that and we chose it as our Mountain Culture winner for many reasons. Its ability to deeply humanize a character who is quantifiably “crazy” by most definitions, its technical filmmaking commitment and prowess, and its ability to open the sport of climbing to a wider audience in a relatable way. We felt its storytelling and entertaining portrayal of this unparalleled athletic achievement embodied the Mountain Culture award.“ The $1,000 Canadian ShortWork Award went to BROTHERHOOD, directed by Meryam Joobeur; the International ShortWork Award went to MISS WORLD, directed by Georgia Fu; and the $500 ShortWork Student Award went to THE BUS STOP directed by Kama Sood.  The MPPIA Short Film Award, presented by MPPIA and Creative BC, was awarded to Alayna Silverberg for B-SIDE. The award consists of a $15,000 cash award plus up to $100,000 in services. The completed project will have its world premiere screening at the 2018 Whistler Film Festival. Jen Araki with her “Slip Into Darkness” project won the WFF Power Pitch $41,000 prize package that included a $1,000 cash prize and a $40,000 production package featuring a $10,000 post production credit from Encore Vancouver, and a $10,000 studio credit, $10,000 lighting and grip credit and a $10,000 camera credit from Sim. WFF’s Power Pitch had seven Canadian producers with feature projects in development participating in the program designed to set them up for success by fine-tuning their project packages and pitching skills. The Alliance of Women Film Journalists presented this year’s EDA Award for Best Female-directed Feature to two films, HONEY BEE directed by Rama Rau and FAMILY FIRST directed by Sophie Dupuis; and the EDA Award for Best Female-Directed Short Film to BROTHERHOOD directed by Meryam Joobeur. “The Alliance of Women Film Journalists is honored and proud to partner with the Whistler Film Festival for the 5th consecutive year to present EDA awards recognizing women filmmakers. WFF, in our experience, has a uniquely successful record in programming women’s films, not only for screenings, but also in programs that open opportunities for women,” said Jennifer Merin, President of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists. “We applaud Shauna Hardy Mishaw for her singular efforts in this regard. This year’s nominees were extraordinarily good, and it was difficult for us to single out one in each category.”

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