• New Orleans Film Festival Adds ROMA as Centerpiece Film + 5 Spotlight Films

    [caption id="attachment_31935" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] ROMA[/caption] The New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) revealed one more Centerpiece Film: Roma from Academy Award®-winning director and writer Alfonso Cuarón, and five new titles from its Spotlight Films lineup for the upcoming 29th edition which will take place October 17th through October 25th in venues across New Orleans. These films join an already impressive lineup that includes Green Book, Widows, and Wildlife. Roma premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Golden Lion, the festival’s top juried prize, and received acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It later screened at Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was named the second runner-up for the People’s Choice Award. It has been selected as the Mexican entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards®. The festival also announced the addition of several new Spotlight Films, including If Beale Street Could Talk, the new film by Moonlight director Barry Jenkins that took home the first runner-up prize for the People’s Choice Award after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Also included in the new announcement of Spotlight Films is Boy Erased, the new film from Joel Edgerton starring Nicole Kidman, Lucas Hedges, and Russell Crowe; Vox Lux, starring Natalie Portman; The Biggest Little Farm, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival; and the Mickey Rourke boxing movie Tiger, which also stars Janel Parrish and Prem Singh.

    CENTERPIECE FILM

    ROMA | dir. Alfonso Cuarón | 135 mins | 2018 Monday, October 22, at 7:30pm, The Prytania Theatre The most personal project to date from Academy Award®-winning director and writer Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien), Roma follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s. Cuarón’s first project since the groundbreaking Gravity in 2013, Roma will be available in theaters and on Netflix later this year.

    SPOTLIGHT FILMS

    IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK | dir. Barry Jenkins |117 min | 2018 Sunday, October 21, at 8:30pm at the Main Theater at the CAC Academy Award®–winning writer/director Barry Jenkins’ first film since the Best Picture Oscar-winning Moonlight is If Beale Street Could Talk, his adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel—the first English-language feature film based on the work of the author, to whom the movie is dedicated. Set in early-1970s Harlem, If Beale Street Could Talk is a timeless and moving love story of both a couple’s unbreakable bond and the African-American family’s empowering embrace, as told through the eyes of 19-year-old Tish Rivers (screen newcomer KiKi Layne). A daughter and wife-to-be, Tish vividly recalls the passion, respect and trust that have connected her and her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt, who goes by the nickname Fonny (Stephan James). Friends since childhood, the devoted couple dream of a future together but their plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime he did not commit. Through the unique intimacy and power of cinema, If Beale Street Could Talk honors the author’s prescient words and imagery, charting the emotional currents navigated in an unforgiving and racially biased world as the filmmaker poetically crosses time frames to show how love and humanity endure. BOY ERASED | dir. Joel Edgerton | 114 min | 2018 Wednesday, October 23, at 7:30pm at the Prytania Theatre Boy Erased tells the story of Jared (Lucas Hedges), the son of a Baptist pastor in a small Southern town, who is outed to his parents (Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe) at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a conversion therapy program—or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and faith. Boy Erased is the true story of one young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity. VOX LUX | dir. Brady Corbet | 110 min| USA | 2019 Tuesday, October 23, at 8:45pm at the Main Theater at the CAC Vox Lux begins in 1999 when teenage sisters Celeste and Eleanor survive a seismic, violent tragedy. The sisters compose and perform a song about their experience, making something lovely and cathartic out of catastrophe—while also catapulting Celeste to stardom. By 2017, the now 31-year-old Celeste is mother to a teenage daughter of her own and struggling to navigate a career fraught with scandals when another act of terrifying violence demands her attention. THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM | dir. John Chester | 91 min | USA | 2018 Wednesday, October 24, at 8:15pm at the Main Theater at the CAC A testament to the immense complexity of nature, The Biggest Little Farm follows two dreamers and a dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to both their lives and the land. When the barking of their beloved dog Todd leads to an eviction notice from their tiny LA apartment, John and Molly Chester make a choice that takes them out of the city and onto 200 acres in the foothills of Ventura County, naively endeavoring to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind in complete coexistence with nature. The land they’ve chosen, however, is utterly depleted of nutrients and suffering from a brutal drought. The film chronicles eight years of daunting work and outsize idealism as they attempt to create the utopia they seek, planting 10,000 orchard trees and over 200 different crops, and bringing in animals of every kind– including an unforgettable pig named Emma and her best friend, Greasy the rooster. When the farm’s ecosystem finally begins to reawaken, so does the Chesters’ hope – but as their plan to create perfect harmony takes a series of wild turns, they realize that to survive they will have to reach a far greater understanding of the intricacies and wisdom of nature, and of life itself. TIGER | dir. Alister Grierson | 100 min | USA | 2018 Friday, October 19, at 7:30pm at the Prytania Theatre Inspired by the true story of a practicing Sikh man who was banned from the sport of boxing due to his religious beliefs, Tiger follows Pardeep Singh Nagra (Prem Singh) as he faces racial profiling, threats, and the daily pressure to change, even from his loved ones who are caught in the crossfire. Pardeep, supported by his coach and mentor Frank (Mickey Rourke), does what any headstrong American would do: fight back. Enlisting the help of civil rights lawyer Charlotte (Janel Parrish), Pardeep sues for the right to stay in the ring. Raw and uplifting, Tiger tracks the courageous path of a man whose life is shaped by two battles; one in the courtroom, the other in the ring.

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  • World Premiere of ON THE BASIS OF SEX to Open AFI FEST [Trailer]

    ON THE BASIS OF SEX The 32nd edition of AFI FEST will open with the World Premiere of ON THE BASIS OF SEX, the inspiring drama that tells the story of young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg before she became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.   The film directed by AFI Conservatory alumna Mimi Leder (AFI Class of 1973), stars Academy Award® nominee Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Jack Reynor and Cailee Spaeny, with Academy Award® nominee Sam Waterston and Academy Award® winner Kathy Bates. The Opening Night Gala screening will take place Thursday, November 8, 2018, at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. “As one of the first women ever admitted to the AFI Conservatory, it’s particularly meaningful to me that ON THE BASIS OF SEX will open AFI FEST 2018,” said Mimi Leder. “My time at the Conservatory was a life-changing experience and informed my creative journey. I am forever grateful. The origin story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in this 25th anniversary year of her appointment to the Supreme Court, couldn’t come at a more important moment in our history nor be shown at a more relevant place than AFI FEST, a symbol of artistic integrity and the enduring power of cinema. I hope girls and young women in particular will see the film and find inspiration to realize their own unlimited potential.” Inspired by a true story, ON THE BASIS OF SEX is the stirring and spirited film that follows young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of gender discrimination. The film will be released on December 25, 2018, in line with Justice Ginsburg’s 25th anniversary on the Supreme Court. AFI FEST takes place November 8–15, 2018, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and other events will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28dHbIR_NB4

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  • NY Film Festival Reveals Jonah Hill’s MID90s as Secret Screening [Trailer]

    MID90s Jonah Hill’s Mid90s will make its New York premiere as the secret screening at this year’s 56th New York Film Festival taking place September 28 to October 14, 2018. Jonah Hill’s directorial debut is a frank, intimate, and emotionally layered reflection on an unlikely coming-of-age in the world of 90s L.A. skate culture. Thirteen-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic), growing up with a loving but largely absent mother (Katherine Waterston) and a resentful brother (Lucas Hedges), seeks refuge with older kids who hang out (and barely work) at a Los Angeles skate shop. The energy between Stevie and his crew, played by Ryder McLaughlin, Olan Prenatt, Gio Galicia, and Na-kel Smith, fuels a film that is at once lyrical, hilarious, terrifying, and just…real. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU5gJGSuelM

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  • LA Film Festival Announces 2018 Award Winners, BRIAN BANKS, STUNTMAN, THIS TEACHER, BORDER

    [caption id="attachment_31925" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Brian Banks Brian Banks[/caption] The LA Film Festival, announced the winners of the 2018 Festival, with the top awards going to Brian Banks by Tom Shadyac winning the Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film and Stuntman by Kurt Mattila winning the Audience Award for Documentary Feature Film.   Other awards include This Teacher by Mark Jackson winning the U.S. Fiction Award, and the Swedish film Border by Ali Abbasi winning the World Fiction Award. “We congratulate all of the filmmakers that shared their work with the LA Film Festival,” said Festival Director, Jennifer Cochis. “These awards honor the wide range of exceptional storytelling we’ve been sincerely delighted to present. All of us are looking forward to wider audiences discovering these stories in the year ahead.” Festival Guest Director, Emmy-award-winning, Lauren Greenfield (Generation Wealth, Queen of Versailles) was awarded the Spirit of Independence Award at the event for her work advancing the cause of independent film and championing creative freedom as a celebrated documentarian, famed photographer and artist. The Festival’s juried awards include: the U.S. Fiction Award, World Fiction Award, Documentary Award, LA Muse Awards, Nightfall Award, Music Video Award, Episodic Award, well as the Short Fiction Award and the Short Documentary Award. Audience awards are presented for Fiction Feature Film, Documentary Feature Film, Episodic Story, Episodic Pilot, Short Film, Music Video and Series from the Web. Additionally the 25th anniversary of Film Independent’s diversity mentorship initiative Project Involve honored Effie T. Brown (Real Women Have Curves, Dear White People), Jon M. Chu (GI Joe: Retaliation, Crazy Rich Asians), Cherien Dabis (Amreeka, Empire) and MACRO’s Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Mudbound, Fences) at the home of Catharine and Jeffrey Soros during the Festival and the inaugural New Wave brunch celebrated the work of Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine Nine), Jay Ellis (Insecure), Dominique Fishback (The Hate U Give), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (Bumblebee), Leonardo Nam (Westworld) and Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place).

    2018 LA Film Festival Awards Winners

    The U.S. Fiction Award Winner: This Teacher, dir. Mark Jackson, World Premiere Screenwriters: Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson Producers: Mark Jackson, Dana Thompson, Gigi Graff, Josh Mandel, Javier Gonzalez Cast: Hafsia Herzi, Sarah Kazemy, Lucy Walters, Kevin Kane, Lev Gorn Film Description: A young Arab-French woman on an introspective journey visits her childhood friend in New York City before heading to the woods upstate. U.S. Fiction Special Mention Winner: In Reality, dir. Ann Lupo, California Premiere Screenwriters: Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, Aaron Pryka Producers: Ann Lupo, Nadine Martinez, Holly Meehl Cast: Ann Lupo, Miles G. Jackson, Kimiko Glenn, Jill Eikenberry, Olivia Washington, Esteban Pedraza, Lauren E. Banks Film Description: A young woman takes a journey through her own fantastic mind as she investigates her relationship to unrequited love. World Fiction Award Winner: Border, dir. Ali Abbasi, California Premiere Country: Sweden Screenwriters: Ali Abbasi, Isabella Eklöf, John Ajvide Lindqvis Producers: Nina Bisgaard, Peter Gustafsson, Petra Jönsson Cast: Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Jörgen Thorsson Film Description: Despite having the remarkable gift of being able to smell emotions, a border agent leads a mundane existence until she meets a stranger who shares her unique abilities and upends her life. World Fiction Special Jury Prize, Directing Winner: The Day I Lost My Shadow, dir. Soudade Kaadan, US Premiere Country: France/Lebanon/Qatar/Syrian Arab Republic Screenwriters: Soudade Kaadan Producers: Amira Kaadan Cast: Sawsan Arshid, Reham Al Kasar, Samer Ismail, Ahmad Ali Film Description: In the midst of a gas crisis during the early days of the Syrian Arab Spring, a young mother takes the day off work and strays far from home with only one objective in mind: finding a working cylinder so that she may cook a meal for her son. Documentary Award Winner: hillbilly, dir. Sally Rubin & Ashley York, LA Premiere Country: USA Producers: Sally Rubin & Ashley York Featuring: bell hooks, Billy Redden, Ronny Cox, Frank X Walker, Crystal Good, Silas Howard Film Description: Two filmmakers visit rural Kentucky, one returning home to Appalachian to unpack the stereotype of “hillbilly” and explore the personal and painful experiences fueling our polarizing political climate. Documentary Special Jury Award for Excellence in Social Justice Storytelling Winner: False Confessions, dir. Katrine Philp, North American Premiere Country: Denmark Producers: Katrine A. Sahlstrøm Film Description: “Would you confess to a crime you did not commit?” A defense attorney fights against the complex and manipulative tactics of US police interrogations, focusing on victims of coerced confessions as she helps exonerate her incarcerated clients. LA Muse Award Winner: Staycation, dir. Tanuj Chopra, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriters: Tanuj Chopra, Anthony Ma, Grace Su Producer: Lalithra Fernando Cast: Anthony Ma, Grace Su Film Description: A modern millennial codependent couple in DTLA have their relationship thrown for a loop when he discovers a photo from an ex on her phone. LA Muse Documentary Award Winner: Fire on the Hill dir. Brett Fallentine, World Premiere Country: USA Producers: Brett Fallentine, Jordana Glick-Franzheim, Steven Amato Film Description: Three black cowboys in South Central share their stories following a mysterious fire that burnt down the community’s stables, leaving the fate of the culture in question. Jury Members: Tamar Halpern (filmmaker, Llyn Foulkes One Man Band), Jorge Lendeborg Jr. (actor, Bumblebee), Jamil Walker Smith (director, The American Dream, actor, Code Black) LA Muse Special Mention, Best Ensemble Cast Winner: Solace, dir. Tchaiko Omawale, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriter: Tchaiko Omawale Producers: Tchaiko Omawale, Maya Emelle, Hope Olaide Wilson, Sabine Hoffman, Sascha Brown Rice Cast: Hope Olaide Wilson, Lynn Whitfield, Chelsea Tavares, Glynn Turman, Luke Rampersad, Sydney Bennett Film Description: A teenage orphan moves to LA to live with her estranged grandmother and works to win a performance art grant while secretly struggling with binge eating. Nightfall Award Winner: The Dead Center, dir. Billy Senese, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriters: Billy Senese Producers: Billy Senese, Denis Deck, Jonathan Rogers, Shane Carruth Cast: Shane Carruth, Poorna Jagannathan, Jeremy Childs, Billy Feehely Film Description: When a mysterious John Doe wakes up in a morgue and wanders into a psychiatric ward, a devoted doctor and curious medical examiner must slowly uncover dark and sinister secrets about the man that reveal a more horrifying truth than they could have ever imagined. Nightfall Special Jury Prize, Lead Actor Actor: Ashleigh Morghan Film: Head Count, dir. Elle Callahan, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriters: Michael Nader Producers: Samuel Sandweiss, Brandon Somerhalder Film Description: During a weekend getaway to Joshua Tree, a group of teenagers find themselves under mental and physical assault from a supernatural entity that mimics their appearances as it completes an ancient ritual. Nightfall Special Jury Prize, Ensemble Cast Cast: Barak Hardley, Jackie Tohn, Magnús Jónsson, Birna Rún Eiriksdóttir, Tom Wright, Stacey Moseley, Michael Nanfria, Michole Briana White, Bryndís Haraldsdíttir Film: Spell, dir. Brendan Walter, World Premiere Screenwriter: Barak Hardley Producers: Brendan Walter, Jon Lullo, Barak Hardley, Katy Stoll, Eleanor WIlson Film Description: Following the unexpected death of his fiancé an American illustrator travels to the Icelandic countryside to seek solace. What he finds instead is a blurred line between reality and fantasy as magical things begin to shake his very foundation — unless it’s all in his head. Award for Short Fiction Winner: The Passage, dir. Kitao Sakurai Country: USA Film Description: Fleeing a pair of mysterious agents sends a dim-witted mute on a series of absurd misadventures. Jury Members: Missy Laney (Director of Development, Adult Swim), Caleb Spencer (Managing Director, Nashville Film Festival), Garth Trinidad (DJ, KCRW) Award for Documentary Short Winner: One Leg In, One Leg Out, dir. Lisa Rideout Country: Canada Film Description: A lively, strong-willed sex worker struggles to move from the streets and into a career as a social worker, hoping to help fellow trans sex workers find acceptance. Web Episodes Jury Award Winner: Psusy, dir. Anna Duckworth Country: New Zealand Film Description: Two close friends drag us through their controversial, inappropriate, but always playful feminist world. Jury Members: Missy Laney (Director of Development, Adult Swim), Caleb Spencer (Managing Director, Nashville Film Festival), Garth Trinidad (DJ, KCRW) Audience Award for Fiction Feature Film Winner: Brian Banks, dir. Tom Shadyac, World Premiere Country: USA Screenwriter: Doug Atchison Producers: Amy Baer, Monica Levinson, Shivani Rawat Cast: Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear, Sherri Shepherd, Tiffany Dupont, Xosha Roquemore Film Description: Based on a true story, a young football player’s dreams to play in the NFL are halted when he is falsely accused of rape and sent to prison. This award is given to the fiction feature audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Select fiction feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Best Fiction Feature: U.S. Fiction, World Fiction, LA Muse, Nightfall and Premieres. Audience Award for Documentary Feature Film Winner: Stuntman, dir. Kurt Mattila, World Premiere Country: USA Producers: Steven Golebiowski, Kurt Mattila, Eddie Braun Featuring: Eddie Braun, Gary Davis, Conrad E. Palmisano, Buddy Joe Hooker, Scott Truax, Meg Braun Film Description: A veteran Stuntman sets out to complete the jump that bested his idol Evel Knievel: clearing the Snake River Canyon in a rocket-powered craft. This award is given to the documentary feature audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Select documentary feature-length films screening in the following sections were eligible for the Audience Award for Documentary Feature: Documentary LA Muse and Premieres. Audience Award for Music Video Winner: Clutch, dir. Christopher Ripley Country: USA Film Description: A professional athlete’s rise and fall from grace. This award is given to the music video audiences liked most as voted by tabulated rating system. Audience Award for Short Film Winner: Weekends, dir. Trevor Jimenez Country: USA Film Description: A young boy shuffles between the homes of his recently divorced parents in this surreal hand-animated film set in 1980s Toronto. This award is given to the short film audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Short films screening in the Shorts Programs or before feature films in the Festival were eligible for the Audience Award for Short Film. Audience Award for Episodic Story Winner: Revenge Tour, dir. Andrew Carter Country: USA Film Description: He’s been cheated on, living in a friend’s living room and stuck at a dead-end job. But one night he finds an unlikely stress-reliever—rapping. This award is given to the web-series audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Audience Award for Episodic Pilot Winner: 40 & Single, dir. Leila Djansi, World Premiere Country: Ghana Film Description: A single, bisexual, mixed race bridal fashion designer maneuvers life and business in post-colonial Africa. This award is given to the web-series audiences liked most as voted by a tabulated rating system. Seattle Story Award Winner: I’m Sorry Happy Birthday, dir. Claire Buss, World Premiere Film Description: A playful showcase of everyday life in Seattle’s neighborhoods through whimsical vignettes that border on the fantastical – complete with a little bit of Pacific Northwest quirkiness. Selected by special committee assembled by Film Independent and funded by Visit Seattle. TikTok Real Short Award Winner: dir. Ann Lupo TikTok gave Festival filmmakers the chance to win a $10,000 unrestricted cash grant. Ann’s video addressed the “Why I’m a Filmmaker” prompt with exceptional storytelling through the lens of TikTok, utilizing creator tools to enhance the narrative. Her innovative short, along with all of the submissions, can be found on the Film Independent (@filmindependent) TikTok account. Selected by special committee assembled by the LA Film Festival programming team.

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  • Award-Winning Comedy ROOM FOR RENT Drops Official Trailer + Sets Release Date

    Room for Rent Gunpowder & Sky has dropped the official trailer for the award-winning comedy Room for Rent directed by Matthew Atkinson, which will be available November 2nd on all major VOD platforms including Amazon Video, FandangoNOW, Google Play, iTunes, Microsoft Movies & TV, PlayStation, Redbox on Demand and VUDU. The film won Best Feature at both the L.A Comedy Film Festival and the Chicago Comedy Film Festival, as well as the Special Jury Award for feature film at the Canadian Film Fest. Starring Brett Gelman (“Fleabag”, Lemon, “Stranger Things”, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas and HBO’s upcoming series “Camping”) as Carl Lemay and Mark Little (“Space Riders: Division Earth,” VRV’s “Gary and his Demons”) as Mitch Baldwin, Room For Rent follows broke, 32-year-old ex-lottery winner Baldwin in his quest to convince his parents to rent out their spare room to save the family from downsizing. What he gets is mysterious, creepy border Carl Lemay, who clearly has a hidden agenda about his presence in Baldwin’s life. As Carl upsets Mitch’s way of life, a battle of wits turns into all-out war involving deception, humiliation, spying and revenge. Mark McKinney (“Superstore,” “SNL,” “The Kids in the Hall”), Carla Gallo (“Neighbors,” “Bones”), Stephnie Weir (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Mad TV”), and Patrick J. Adams (“Suits”) round out the cast.

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  • US Premiere of UNTIL RAINBOW DAWN Added to NewFest LGBT Film Fest

    [caption id="attachment_31913" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Until Rainbow Dawn Until Rainbow Dawn[/caption] NewFest has added two premieres: the U.S. premiere of UNTIL RAINBOW DAWN and the U.S. premiere of the first two episodes of Desiree Akhavan’s new Hulu Original Series THE BISEXUAL to its upcoming 30th anniversary edition.   NewFest will also look back at cornerstones of LGBT cinema with two retrospective screenings, including the Legacy Centerpiece – Lisa Cholodenko’s HIGH ART in 35mm print, celebrating its 20th anniversary (the film was also Opening Night at NewFest 1998), followed by a Q&A with Patricia Clarkson and Cholodenko, and a 10th anniversary screening of Gus Van Sant’s MILK with Stuart Milk in attendance (Global LGBT Rights campaigner, Co-Founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation and nephew of Harvey Milk). NewFest continues to anchor itself as a platform for marginalized voices within today’s LGBT landscape by providing a stage for new talent. With THE BISEXUAL, the recent Sundance Grand Jury prize winner Desiree Akhavan (THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR) co-writes, directs and stars in this new six-part comedy series in which she shines a light on the story of an underrepresented facet of the LGBT community – bisexual women. BAFTA-nominated Maxine Peake and Brian Gleeson also star in this painfully funny series that explores the differences between dating men and women from the perspective of Leila – who finds herself, for the first time, doing both. “I couldn’t be more excited to be premiering The Bisexual at Newfest, in my hometown of NYC. The festival is the perfect home for us to launch the series and I can’t to share it with the people who crave authentic representation like I do.” said Akhavan. THE BISEXUAL hails from Channel 4 in the UK and will make its U.S. debut as part of the Hulu Original slate this November. The U.S. premiere of the Japanese narrative film UNTIL RAINBOW DAWN further highlights the festival’s commitment to providing an inclusive platform. The film focuses on two young women who meet in their sign language group and seek self acceptance in Tokyo as deaf, lesbian women. Told entirely in sign language, this tender and sweet story showcases the beauty found within intersectionality and marks a breakthrough in Japanese and LGBT cinema with an entirely deaf cast and crew. As the festival continues to look forward with emerging voices and new talent, the NewFest program would not be complete without a nod to the rich history that has fortified the foundation of LGBT cinema. This year NewFest will present the masterful lesbian drama HIGH ART as a Legacy Centerpiece in 35mm print in celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary. The festival will also present a 10th anniversary screening of Gus Van Sant’s MILK, with special guest Stuart Milk, who has dedicated his life to follow the steps of his uncle, Harvey Milk, in the fight toward equal rights for the LGBT community. The Bisexual: Episodes 1 & 2 U.S. Premiere Dir. Desiree Akhavan, UK/USA, English, 2018, 65 mins Fresh from winning the Grand Jury prize at Sundance, Desiree Akhavan (THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR) co-writes, directs and stars in this new six-part comedy drama produced by Hootenanny (A Sister Pictures company) for Hulu. BAFTA-nominated Maxine Peake and Brian Gleeson also star in this painfully funny series that explores the differences between dating men and women from the perspective of Leila – who finds herself, for the first time, doing both. Coming to Hulu this November. Followed by a talkback with director, co-writer and star Desiree Akhavan and select cast LEGACY CENTERPIECE High Art (20th Anniversary Screening) Screening in 35mm Dir. Lisa Cholodenko, USA, 1998, 102 mins “Twenty years ago, this intelligent and unassuming indie drama took home the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance ‘98 and quickly became anchored in the LGBTQ consciousness as a lesbian classic. The debut feature from Lisa Cholodenko (THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT) was praised by Roger Ebert upon its release as “masterful, perceptive and mature” and made countless critics Top 10 Lists. When magazine editor Syd (Radha Mitchell) moves into the same building as German actress Greta (Patricia Clarkson) and photographer Lucy (Ally Sheedy) her arrival prompts Lucy to consider leaving her reclusive drug-fueled days behind. Caught at the center of this triangle, Lucy is torn between keeping her work intimate versus venturing back into the photography business. This 20th Anniversary presentation–screening in a gorgeous 35mm print–of NewFest 1998’s Opening Night Film is a must see opportunity to experience HIGH ART’s entrancing qualities and celebrate the enduring impact of a cultural touchstone of queer cinema.” Followed by a talkback with Patricia Clarkson and more cast & crew to be announced UNTIL RAINBOW DAWN U.S. Premiere Dir. Mika Imai, Japan, 2018, 63 mins When Hana falls in love with Ayumi, a girl she meets in her sign language group, she comes out to her parents who swiftly reject her. In an effort to cheer her up, Ayumi takes Hana to a deaf LGBTQ group in Tokyo, as they both find self-acceptance. A landmark film with a deaf cast and crew, this tender and sweet story showcases the beauty found within intersectionality and will warm the hearts of deaf and hearing audiences alike. Presented in partnership with The ReelAbilities Film Festival, New York MILK (10th Anniversary) Dir. Gus Van Sant, USA, 2018, 128 mins With special guest Stuart Milk; Global LGBT Rights campaigner, Co-Founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation and nephew of Harvey Milk

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  • SCAD Savannah Film Festival Announces 2018 Lineup, Opens with ROMA

    [caption id="attachment_30917" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]ROMA ROMA[/caption] The 21st SCAD Savannah Film Festival organized by Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) will screen a record total of 164 films; and will kick off on Saturday, October 27, with the Opening Night Gala Screening of Roma, directed by Alfonso Cuarón.  The Centerpiece Gala will be If Beale Street Could Talk, written and directed by Barry Jenkins and starring festival honorees Stephan James and KiKi Layne.  The festival will close on Saturday, November 3 with the Closing Gala Screening of Green Book, directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Viggo Mortensen and 2016 festival honoree Mahershala Ali. The 2018 schedule includes Gala, Docs to Watch, Signature and Professional Competition screenings, along with Global Shorts Forum and “Wonder Women” forum highlighting female directors, producers, and below the line talent at SCAD’s historic theaters and industry-leading studios. New programming this year includes an Animation Corner, a TV Sidebar and a Shorts Spotlight. SCAD’s annual tribute to excellence in film has screened over 110 Oscar-nominated films; and has honored over 80 legendary actors, directors, producers, writers, and filmmakers.

    GALA SCREENINGS

    Anna and the Apocalypse (Director: John McPhail. Cast: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Ben Wiggins, Marli Siu) Ben is Back (Director: Peter Hedges. Cast: Lucas Hedges, Julia Roberts, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton, Rachel Bay Jones, David Zaldivar) Boy Erased (Director: Joel Edgerton. Cast: Lucas Hedges, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Joel Edgerton) Destroyer (Director: Karyn Kusama. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Sebastian Stan, Bradley Whitford, Jade Pettyjohn, Scoot McNairy) The Favourite (Director: Yorgos Lanthimos. Cast: Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Mark Gatiss, Joe Alwyn, Nicholas Hoult) The Front Runner (Director: Jason Reitman. Cast: Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons, Alfred Molina) Green Book (Director: Peter Farrelly. Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco, Dimiter D. Marinov, P.J. Byrne) If Beale Street Could Talk (Director: Barry Jenkins. Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Aunjanue Ellis, Dave Franco, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Emily Rios, Ed Skrein, Finn Wittrock, Bryan Tyree Henry) The Kindergarten Teacher (Director: Sara Colangelo. Cast: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Rosa Salazar, Gael García Bernal, Parker Sevak, Michael Chernus) Roma (Director: Alfonso Cuarón. Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Nancy Garcia, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta, Daniela Demesa, Marco Graf, Nancy Garcia, Jorge Antonio Guerrero Martinez) A Private War (Director: Matthew Heineman. Cast: Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan, Stanley Tucci, Tom Hollander) Widows (Director: Steve McQueen. Cast: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Garret Dillahunt, Carrie Coon, Jacki Weaver, Jon Bernthal, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo with Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson)

    SIGNATURE SERIES

    Adrift (Director: Baltasar Kormákur. Cast: Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Thomas, Shailene Woodley) At Eternity’s Gate (Director: Julian Schnabel. Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Oscar Isaac, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Anne Consigny, Amira Casar, Niels Arestrup) BlackKKlansman (Director Spike Lee. Cast: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace) Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Director: Marielle Heller. Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, Ben Falcone) Capernaum (Director: Nadine Labaki. Cast: Zain al-Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawthar Al Haddad) Cold War (Director: Pawel Pawlikowski. Cast: Agata Kulesza, Tomasz Kot, Joanna Kulig) Everybody Knows (Director: Asghar Farhadi. Cast: Penélope Cruz Javier Bardem, Jamie Lorente, Ricardo Darín) The Gospel According to André (Director: Kate Novack) Nancy (Director: Christina Choe. Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Steve Buscemi, Ann Dowd, J. Smith- Cameron, John Leguizamo) A Parting Glass (Director: Stephen Moyer. Cast: Edward Asner, Rhys Ifans, Melissa Leo, Cynthia Nixon, Denis O’Hare, Anna Paquin) A Quiet Place (Director: John Krasinski. Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe) Stella’s Last Weekend (Director: Polly Draper. Cast: Polly Draper, Nat Wolff, Alex Wolff, Paulina Singer) Vox Lux (Director: Brady Corbet. Cast: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin)

    EW PARTNERSHIP

    This year, SCAD partnered with Entertainment Weekly (EW) as a media partner for SCAD Savannah Film Festival. In this role, EW will program and moderate select talent panels, which will be announced prior to the festival. EW will also host their video studio on-site where talent will stop by to create exclusive video content that will run across EW’s digital and social platforms.

    DOCS TO WATCH

    The festival will host the fifth annual Docs to Watch Roundtable hosted by Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter. Directors include Stephen Maing (Crime + Punishment), Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo), Gabe Polsky (In Search of Greatness), Nathaniel Kahn (The Price of Everything), Alan Hicks and Rashida Jones (Quincy), Julie Cohen and Betsy West (RBG), Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster (Science Fair), Matt Tyranuer (Studio 54), Tim Wardle (Three Identical Strangers) and Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?).

    ANIMATION CORNER: ART IN MOTION

    The Animation Corner: Art in Motion is a new category debuting for the 2018 SCAD Savannah Film Festival. This year, SCAD proudly presents a broad array of topics and styles of animated films that include: Best of Annecy 2018 showcases a selection of shorts from the latest festival with tailor-made opening sequences by the students of GOBELINS, l’école de l’image. Best of Annecy Kids 2018 is a mix of funny, emotional and poetic short films for kids. This program consists of films from Annecy 2018’s official selection of trailers and is aimed at children age 5 years and older. DreamWorks Animation will showcase two of their films from the DreamWorks Shorts initiative: Bilby and Bird Karma Isle of Dogs (Director: Wes Anderson) will include a week-long exhibition of puppets and miniature sets designed and built for the film. Mirai (Director: Mamoru Hosoda) Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck- It Ralph 2 presentation: (Directors: Phil Johnston and Rich Moore) Disney will show exclusive clips of the upcoming full-length sequel. Ruben Brandt, Collector (Director: Milorad Krstic)

    TV SIDEBAR

    As Hollywood A-listers migrate to episodic storytelling on the small screen, SCAD Savannah Film Festival debuts a TV Sidebar, a series of panels and special screenings that highlight the best in television. Outlander, season 4 premiere will include an exhibit showcasing nearly 20 costumes at the SCAD Museum of Art, which marks the first-ever costume exhibit at the Museum and Film Festival. TV Guide Magazine to host “Fan Favorites” panel that brings stars from TV’s hottest shows for a lively discussion filled with behind-the-scenes scoop, fan-encounter tales, and more.

    COMPETITION

    From feature-length films to two-minute shorts, the annual festival celebrates cinematic excellence from award-winning and emerging filmmakers. The juried competition features the best of professional, animated, and student films selected from more than 2,300 entries annually. Narrative Features: From side-splitting comedies to heart-wrenching dramas, the narrative feature films selected represent diversity in storytelling, excellence in acting and directing, and exemplary cinematography and editing. Documentary Features: Beyond simple subject matters, documentaries present compelling stories that illuminate and educate audiences in a thought-provoking and timely manner. Professional Shorts: Running the gamut of subject matter and style, these short films are selected based on their individual merits in storytelling and execution. Animated Shorts: These animated films represent the diversity of the craft from simple, hand-drawn figures to stop-motion and digital rendering, showcasing unique storytelling at its finest. Student Shorts: With solid storytelling and emerging vision, these films represent a broad range of categories including live action, narrative, documentary and animation.

    GLOBAL SHORTS FORUM

    The Global Shorts Forum is a curated collection of international shorts from multiple genres that focus on world issues. This year’s themes include LGBTQ & You: Love is Love is Love, no matter who, where, or why. Woman Walks Ahead: A wide range of topics from the feminine perspective. A Sporting Chance: The triumphs and tribulations of competitors around the globe. Don’t Dis My Ability: Dedicated to raising awareness of the disabled community and their ongoing struggles and triumphs.

    SHORTS SPOTLIGHT

    The Shorts Spotlight is a new category debuting for the 2018 SCAD Savannah Film Festival. This collection of shorts will highlight Animated Delights: A kid-friendly collection of intriguing animated shorts from around the world. Bump in the Night: Everyone loves a good scare. These shorts put a new spin on the beloved horror genre. LOLz: To err is human, to laugh at one’s error, divine. These shorts remind us just how hilarious life can be. Three-Piece Oddity: A delightful and surreal collection of three distinct shorts that defy categorical description but together celebrate the joy of discovery.

    PANELS

    From software and special effects demonstrations to discussions and panels with industry stars and insiders, knowledge sharing occurs every day of the festival. This year’s panels include The Wonder Women Panel Series will focus on the cinematic achievements and contributions of female directors, producers, and below the line talent in film and television. The Below the Line Panel Series is a curated series of panels highlighting contributions of below-the-line talent to the art of cinema with a focus on casting, costume design and production design. The State of the Art Series, hosted by SCADFILM, is a collection of panels with a focus on filmmaking, augmented and virtual reality, and gaming. Through the Writers on Writing Series, Writers Guild Foundation sit down with screenwriters to illuminate the craft behind their screenplays and their journeys navigating the industry as writers.

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  • BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE to open Rome Film Fest [Trailer]

    Bad Times at the El Royale Bad Times at the El Royale written and directed by Drew Goddard will open the 13th Rome Film Fest taking place October 18 to 28, 2018. Director Drew Goddard began his career as a writer, first for television and then for the big screen, writing the screenplay for Cloverfield and The Martian, which won him an Oscar® nomination. He also created the Netflix series Daredevil. After making his directorial feature film debut with The Cabin in the Woods, he is back behind the camera with his sophomore film, a mystery thriller: seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at Lake Tahoe’s El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past on the border between California and Nevada. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have a last shot at redemption. The film’s cast includes Oscar®-winner Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Lewis Pullman, Nick Offerman and Chris Hemsworth. Artistic director Antonio Monda said: “Bad Times at the El Royale is a sophisticated, intelligent, ironic, surprising and elegant film. Within the great tradition of the noir, Drew Goddard magnificently directs a splendid cast, reveling in the revelation of the protagonists’ secrets, but above all granting us the pleasure of true cinema”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wzBVARwaU

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  • Lorenz Merz’s BEAST Wins Filmmaker Award at Zurich Film Festival

    BEAST Director Lorenz Merz and Producer Simon Hesse Win Filmmaker Award at Zurich Film Festival Actor Dev Patel presented the 4th Filmmaker Award to director Lorenz Merz and producer Simon Hesse at the IWC Private Dinner during the 2018 Zurich Film Festival for their film BEAST. The award supports outstanding Swiss film projects that are at the production or post-production stage. BEAST is an emotional coming-of-age film that tells the story of a teenager named Gabriel (Pablo Caprez) who devotedly brings up his two-year-old son alone. One summer’s night, Gabriel, his friend Joel (Tonatiuh Radzi) and Joel’s girlfriend Cory (Ella Rumpf) break into the zoo and release a horde of wild animals. While Gabriel and Cory become increasingly attracted to each other, a state of emergency is declared in the city. The film is set in Zurich during the summer of 2017. It is shot in the Swiss German dialect and is currently at the postproduction stage. It is expected to hit cinemas in the Spring of 2019. BEAST is directed by Zurich-born Lorenz Merz, whose debut CHERRY PIE screened at Locarno in 2013. Merz has received the Swiss Film Award on two occasions for his work as a camera operator. Dev Patel achieved his international breakthrough in 2008 with the modern Bollywood fairytale “Slumdog Millionaire”. For the drama “Lion”, which also screens at the ZFF, he received the 2017 BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination. “It is a real honour for me to be able to present this award. The Filmmaker Award helps highly promising projects to make it to the big screen and therefore contributes to the diversity of Swiss cinema,” said Patel at the award ceremony. “In a smaller country like Switzerland, the film industry is reliant on targeted support. I am really pleased that, with the Filmmaker Award, we are able to contribute to getting this exciting film made,” explained Franziska Gsell, Chief Marketing Officer at IWC Schaffhausen. The Filmmaker Award, which comes with an endowment of CHF 100,000, was established by the Association for Film Funding in Switzerland. This association counts the co-founders of the ZFF, Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri, Ringier CEO Marc Walder and IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr among its members. The aim of the award is to provide targeted support to exciting projects from Swiss filmmakers in the often tricky production or post-production phase. This therefore closes the current gap in film funding. Image credit: ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – SEPTEMBER 29: Zurich Film Festival director Karl Spoerri, CMO IWC Schaffhausen Franziska Gsell, award winners Lorenz Merz and Simon Hesse and British actor Dev Patel pose at the IWC Private Dinner at Haute on 29 September, 2018 in Zurich, Switzerland. During the event British actor Dev Patel presented the 4th Filmmaker Award. The film “Beast” from producer Simon Hesse was declared the winner by the jury. The award, which is worth CHF 100,000, supports outstanding Swiss film projects that are in the production or post-production stage. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images for IWC)

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  • World Premiere of MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS to Close 2018 AFI Fest [Trailer]

    [caption id="attachment_31897" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (l-r) Grace Molony stars as Dorothy Stafford, Margot Robbie stars as Queen Elizabeth I and Georgia Burnell as Kate Carey in MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, a Focus Features release.[/caption] Mary Queen of Scots, the historical drama based on John Guy’s biography, “Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart” and directed by Josie Rourke will World Premiere as the closing night film of AFI FEST presented by Audi. The film is written by Academy Award® nominee Beau Willimon, and stars Academy Award® nominees Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie, along with Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn, Gemma Chan, Martin Compston, Ismael Cordova, Brendan Coyle, Ian Hart, Adrian Lester, James McArdle, David Tennant and Guy Pearce. The Closing Night Gala will take place on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. “This commanding story of powerful women and political rivalry that shaped world history will close AFI FEST on a high note,” said Michael Lumpkin, Director, AFI Festivals. “This year’s festival showcases compelling women-directed narratives that challenge the status quo, and Mary Queen of Scots is no exception.” Mary Queen of Scots explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart (Ronan). Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I (Robbie). Each young Queen beholds her “sister” in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence. Determined to rule as much more than a figurehead, Mary asserts her claim to the English throne, threatening Elizabeth’s sovereignty. Betrayal rebellion and conspiracies within each court imperil both thrones — and change the course of history. AFI FEST takes place November 8–15, 2018, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and other events will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt. The Opening Night Gala will be the World Premiere of On the Basis of Sex (directed by AFI Conservatory alumna Mimi Leder). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnqjSgMU36U

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  • New York Film Festival Unveils Official 2018 Poster

    56th New York Film Festival Poster It is here – the poster for the 56th New York Film Festival (September 28 – October 14), collaboratively designed by cinematographer Ed Lachman and visual artist JR.  NYFF posters are a yearly artistic signature of the festival, and Lachman and JR join an impressive legacy of artists whose work has been commissioned for it, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, Julian Schnabel, Cindy Sherman, and last year’s artist, Richard Serra. “This year’s poster came together in the best imaginable way—spontaneously, at last year’s festival,” said New York Film Festival Director Kent Jones. “Dan Stern, our board president, was talking to Ed Lachman, one of the best DPs alive, a visual artist, and a regular at the NYFF, and asked him if he had any interest in doing a poster for this year. Ed thought it over, got back to Dan, and told him that he and JR—who was at the festival with his amazing collaboration with Agnès Varda, Faces Places—had been discussing the possibility of a collaboration, and they’d agreed that the NYFF poster presented them with a great opportunity. The result is better than we could ever have imagined, a real thing of beauty, and it’s going to be a favorite.” On the partnership and thought process behind this year’s poster, Ed Lachman explains, “Being at the Festival is the highlight of the year for me, when I’m not working. It’s a place to meet, share, and experience what cinema can be. The opportunity to create the poster for the New York Film Festival and collaborate with JR was a formidable experience and similar to filmmaking, where one works with other visual artists to create a project. I’ve had the greatest respect and admiration for his work over the years, both visually and how he engages communities he’s portraying within a social context, which I think is so important in today’s world, to find how we’re all connected, rather than separated and divided.” According to Lachman, “The idea came together using JR’s emblematic eyes . . . What is cinema without the mind, the heart, and the eyes of the filmmakers? Using the director’s eyes can symbolize the creative force behind the images and the stories that the Festival has championed and represented to New York over the years, supported by the audience holding the placards of their eyes, and what can be more New York than our alleyways?” A revered and award-winning cinematographer, Ed Lachman has shot more than 100 narrative, experimental, and documentary titles in the United States and internationally. He is known for his collaborations with Todd Haynes, Steven Soderbergh, Robert Altman, Paul Schrader, Todd Solondz, Sofia Coppola, Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, Volker Schlöndorff, Ulrich Seidl, and Jean Luc-Godard, among others. Lachman’s work has garnered him numerous honors including Academy Award nominations for his work on Carol (2015) and Far from Heaven (2002), as well as an Emmy nomination for the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce (2011). He has been honored with the American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award, Telluride Medallion Award, Gotham Award, and this year at Cannes with the 2018 Angenieux ExcelLens in Cinematography Award. Lachman is also known as a visual artist who has had installations, videos, and photography at the Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA, the Ludwig Museum in Germany, and many other museums and galleries throughout the world. JR exhibits freely in the streets of the world, catching the attention of people who are not typical museum visitors. In 2006, he created Portrait of a Generation, images of suburban “thugs” that he posted in huge formats in the bourgeois districts of Paris. In 2007, with Marco, he made Face 2 Face, large portraits of Israelis and Palestinians standing facing each other in eight Palestinian and Israeli Cities, considered the biggest illegal exhibition ever. In 2011, he received the TED Prize. Later that same year, he created Inside Out, a global participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into works of art. As of September 2017, over 350,000 people from more than 140 countries have participated, through mail or gigantic photo booths. His recent projects include a collaboration with New York City Ballet; the feature documentary Faces Places, co-directed with Nouvelle Vague legend Agnès Varda; seemingly “erasing” the pyramid outside of the Louvre; giant scaffolding installations at the 2016 Rio Olympics; an exhibition on the abandoned hospital of Ellis Island; and a gigantic installation at the U.S.-Mexico border fence. As he remains anonymous and doesn’t explain his enlarged full-frame portraits, JR leaves the space empty for an encounter between the subject/protagonist and the passerby/interpreter. A special thank you to photographers David Godlis and Julie Cunnah for their photo contributions to the poster. Chantal Akerman photo courtesy of Kenneth Saunders/The Guardian. The complete list of NYFF poster artists: Larry Rivers, 1963 Saul Bass, 1964 Bruce Conner, 1965 Roy Lichtenstein, 1966 Andy Warhol, 1967 Henry Pearson, 1968 Marisol (Escobar), 1969 James Rosenquist, 1970 Frank Stella, 1971 Josef Albers, 1972 Niki de Saint Phalle, 1973 Jean Tinguely, 1974 Carol Summers, 1975 Allan D’Arcangelo, 1976 Jim Dine, 1977 Richard Avedon, 1978 Michelangelo Pistoletto, 1979 Les Levine, 1980 David Hockney, 1981 Robert Rauschenberg, 1982 Jack Youngerman, 1983 Robert Breer, 1984 Tom Wesselmann, 1985 Elinor Bunin, 1986 Sol Lewitt, 1987 Milton Glaser, 1988 Jennifer Bartlett, 1989 Eric Fischl, 1990 Philip Pearlstein, 1991 William Wegman, 1992 Sheila Metzner, 1993 William Copley, 1994 Diane Arbus, 1995 Juan Gatti, 1996 Larry Rivers, 1997 Martin Scorsese, 1998 Ivan Chermayeff, 1999 Tamar Hirschl, 2000 Manny Farber, 2001 Julian Schnabel, 2002 Junichi Taki, 2003 Jeff Bridges, 2004 Maurice Pialat, 2005 Mary Ellen Mark, 2006 agnès b., 2007 Robert Cottingham, 2008 Gregory Crewdson, 2009 John Baldessari, 2010 Lorna Simpson, 2011 Cindy Sherman, 2012 Tacita Dean, 2013 Laurie Simmons, 2014 Laurie Anderson, 2015 Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2016 Richard Serra, 2017

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  • INNER GHOSTS and LEVEL 16 Among New Films Added to 2018 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_31887" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]INNER GHOSTS INNER GHOSTS[/caption] The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival added five more features to the 2018 lineup, including the North American Premiere of Paulo Leite’s supernatural thriller INNER GHOSTS and Danishka Esterhazy’s dystopian women-led satire LEVEL 16. The 2018 Brooklyn Horror Fest runs October 11th to 18th with events and screenings at Nitehawk Cinema, Syndicated, LIU Kumble Theatre, Videology, Wythe Hotel Cinema and IFP’s Made in NY Media Center. INNER GHOSTS (North American Premiere) Brazil/Portugal | 2018 | 89 Min | Dir. Paulo Leite To call Dr. Helen’s research “revolutionary” would be one hell of an understatement. Hoping to find a cure for brain diseases, Helen has developed a theory that such ailments can be treated by testing on ghosts, all of whom, of course, don’t need brain functions in order to act. As Helen sees it, if she can tap into how ghosts do that, she can figure out a way to get brain disease patients to communicate through their souls. Lofty, indeed. But after Helen’s young daughter dies suddenly, she puts her research on hold, refusing to connect to the afterlife anymore. Before long, a stranger’s request sends Helen back to the spirit world; as it turns out, though, something evil has been waiting there for her. Fans of INSIDIOUS, take note: INNER GHOSTS delivers the same kinds of supernaturally charged goods. Writer-director Paulo Leite’s impressive debut fuses heavy science with a Lin-Shaye-like hero, nightmarish demons, otherworldly twists and a third act that’s as relentlessly assaultive as it is audaciously off-the-wall. LEVEL 16 (East Coast Premiere) Canada | 2018 | 102 Min | Dir. Danishka Esterhazy Co-Presented by The Future of Film is Female Having spent their entire lives trapped in a prison-like school, the teenage girls of Vestalis Academy must follow a strict educational system that enforces conforming to “The Feminine Virtues.” They are forced to follow the school’s rules for fear of extreme punishment – with the light at the end of the tunnel being adoption to a loving upper class family. Sixteen-year-olds Vivien and Sophia, who have reached the final level of the school are on the cusp of adoption, until they learn the horrifying truth about the academy. Canadian filmmaker Danishka Esterhazy crafts a cold female-centric satire featuring striking imagery of a dystopian society. Loaded with charismatic performances, LEVEL 16 is an intense and cerebral experience like no other. Sure to get under your skin by the finale, Esterhazy will take you on a journey through the past, complete with characters named after classic Hollywood stars to express a sharp, feminist critique. The Night Shifter Brazil | 2018 | 110 Min | Dir. Dennison Ramalho You know that old expression, “Dead men tell no tales”? Well, don’t tell that to Stênio, a well-meaning family-man whose life is, prior to understanding the falsehood of that old expression, a mess. His wife can’t stop reminding him that their situation is dire thanks to financial stresses and general marital discord; even worse, when he’s working as a mortician, mean-spirited paramedics make it their second job to routinely make fun of Stênio. Weirdly enough, his reprieve comes from the corpses he works on, all of whom can communicate with him. But when one specific stiff reveals a big secret, Stênio finds himself, as well as his family, under attack, turning his world into a living hell courtesy of the undead. Blending dark humor with visceral scares and buckets of gore, Brazilian filmmaker Dennison Ramalho (“J is for Jesus” in ABCS OF DEATH 2) makes his feature debut with the kind of full-throttle horror film that’s directly engineered for a thrill-seeking festival audience. No-holds-barred in its hardcore nature, THE NIGHT SHIFTER goes all out in its depiction of one man’s inner rage being exposed by the should-be deceased. TENANTS (New York Premiere) Mexico | 2018 | 88 Min | Dir. Chava Cartas Picking up the pieces after a traumatic event, Luzma and Demián move into a new apartment complex. Before they’re even unpacked, strange interactions with the secretive landlord and a disturbed handyman quickly put a dash on the young couple’s hopes for a fresh start. To make matters worse, Luzma begins to suffer from terrible hallucinations and Demián seems less and less himself. There’s something truly wrong with this apartment. Mixing traditional haunted house tropes with region specific mythology to great effect, TENANTS explores the dark extremes of local religious practices of Santería and Brujería witchcraft. Part ROSEMARY’S BABY with a little AMITYVILLE HORROR, Mexican director Chava Cartas first foray into horror carves out a space in religious horror all its own. TUMBBAD India | 2018 | 109 Min | Dir. Rahi Anil Barve, Adesh Prasad Throughout his young life, Vinayak has heard the legend surrounding his family’s home: There’s a demon guarding his family’s treasure and he best not challenge it. But when his great-grandmother dies, Vinayak inherits both the fortune and the creature protecting it. Fast-forward to adult Vinayak and his ingenious idea: Slowly but surely, he’ll sneak pieces of the treasure out by tricking the demon in various way, a plan he’s carried out successfully for years. That is, until his greedy family inadvertently angers the demon. Once that happens, all bets are off. TUMBBAD is not only a truly scary-as-hell horror film, but it’s an ambitious blend of historical drama, supernatural creativity, creature feature insanity and character-driven tension.

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