• Music Video ‘Mountains’ by Laurie Berenhaus to Screen at HollyShorts Film Festival

    , ,
    Music Video Mountains by Laurie Berenhaus The award-winning animation music video “Mountains” by filmmaker Laurie Berenhaus for the titular song by Mac/Glidden, will screen this Summer in LA, as part of the HollyShorts Film Festival on Monday, August 13th, 2018. Illustrating the titular song by Mac/Glidden, “Mountains” is an animated short in which a sylphlike woman, uneasy in her own skin, uses dance as a way to find a sense of personal freedom. As the dancer, played by Anne Marsen, removes various clothing items – her hat, her sunglasses, her cape – she looks more relaxed, more carefree. Similarly, as she discards these trappings of the material world, her movements become freer, more joyous, and celebratory. Music Video Mountains by Laurie Berenhaus Filmmaker Laurie Berenhaus, who directed and animated the music video, was inspired to create the short when Mac/Glidden told her that they wrote the song because of their frustration with city life. Indeed, the song’s opening lyrics are, “Where I’m from, the stars are on the street. We build mountains in our minds and in concrete.” “Mountains,” then, is a song about confinement; feeling confined within one’s own body. Feeling confined within one’s environment. Berenhaus took this theme and ran with it. As the dancer in the video strips away her clothing, she’s also shedding layers, opening herself up, and becoming more vulnerable. Berenhaus’s animation style is deliberately loose and gestural, maintaining a “ripped from the sketchbook” quality that recalls the work of legendary illustrators such as Jules Feiffer and Bill Plympton. The film uses this style to explore the main character’s personal journey. As she becomes more relaxed, so do the animation drawings. They become more improvisational, more spontaneous. Facial features are suggested rather than fully rendered. Figures become ethereal, ghostlike. Untethered to anything solid, like a mountain. The screening at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese 6 Theatres is part of the 14th annual HollyShorts Film Festival, running from August 9th to August 18th, 2018. In April of 2017, “Mountains” was shown at the Brooklyn Music Video Festival. This kicked off a worldwide series of screenings for the unique and charming music video, which was subsequently shown at the International River Film Festival in Italy, the KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival in the Netherlands, and the Academy Award qualifying- Leeds International Film Festival, among other prominent venues. Music Video Mountains by Laurie Berenhaus Along the way, “Mountains” has earned much critical praise. In November 2017, the Leeds International Film Festival in England raved, “‘Mountains’ is a glorious and giddy music video which creates a world of awe and wonder through a deceptively simple animation.” And the LA Femme Film Festival offered similar praise in October of last year, saying of Berenhaus, “Her talent is magical.” Now the film is making it’s Hollywood debut, in the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres. Berenhaus is thrilled to finally be able to share it in the heart of Hollywood where the dynamic HollyShorts Film Festival continues to advance the artform of short film content. Screening Date: Monday, August 13th, 2018 Screening Time: 10pm, Music Video Block HollyShorts Film Festival Screening Location: TCL Chinese 6 Theatres 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028 This event is open to the public.

    Laurie Berenhaus

    Laurie Berenhaus is a visual artist, director, and educator. Berenhaus’ work has exhibited and screened at prominent venues, including The Museum of the Moving Image, MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) Education & Research Department, and Leeds International Film Festival. Berenhaus’ professional career has spanned across the entertainment, fashion and tech startup industry exploring technology’s impact on design and production. Her work has been covered by the Creators Project, Adafruit, and 3D World Magazine. A graduate of the University of the Arts (BFA, Sculpture 2010) and The Digital Animation and Visual Effects School, (2013) Berenhaus is passionate about projects that allow her to be pushed on an emotional and technical level. She lives in Astoria, NY with her husband, cat, and many puppets.

    Read more


  • Refugee Crisis Documentary ELDORADO is Switzerland’s Entry in Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film [Trailer]

    , ,
    Eldorado The refugee crisis documentary Eldorado by Oscar nominee Markus Imhoof has been selected to represent Switzerland in the category of Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. Eldorado had its world premiere earlier this year at the 2018 Berlin Film Festival. Drawing inspiration from his personal encounter with Giovanna, the refugee child who was taken in by his family during World War II, Markus Imhoof tracks today’s refugees on their dangerous journey to Europe. Eldorado was screened out of competition at the Berlinale 2018 and received a Special Mention from the jury of the Amnesty International Film Prize. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwfMCvY33pY Additionally, four short film productions from Switzerland are eligible for a nomination at the 91st Academy Awards in the categories of Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film or Documentary Short Subject as a result of winning awards at Oscar-qualifying festivals: COYOTE by Lorenz Wunderle; INTIMITY by Elodie Dermange; BLACKJACK by Lora Mure-Ravaud; and ANTHONY, THE INVISIBLE ONE by Maya Kosa and Sergio Da Costa. On behalf of the Federal Office of Culture, the promotion agency SWISS FILMS has been assigned the task of coordinating and carrying out the selection process of the official Swiss entry for the Academy Awards in the category of Foreign Language Film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the short list in December, and the Oscar nominations on January 22, 2019. The 91st Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 24, 2019.

    Read more


  • World Premiere of STAN & OLLIE Starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly to Close London Film Festival

    Stan & Ollie The world premiere of Stan & Ollie directed by Jon S. Baird and starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, as the legendary movie comedy duo, will be this year’s Closing Night gala film of the 62nd BFI London Film Festival on October 21 at the Cineworld, Leicester Square. Stan & Ollie is the true story of Hollywood’s greatest comedy double act, Laurel and Hardy. Brought to the big screen for the first time and starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly as the legendary movie icons, Stan & Ollie is the heart-warming story of their journey around the UK and Ireland in what would become the pair’s triumphant farewell tour. Despite the pressure of a hectic schedule, with the support of their wives Lucille (Shirley Henderson) and Ida (Nina Arianda) – a formidable double act in their own right – the pair’s love of performing, as well as love for each other, endures as they secure their place in the hearts of their adoring public. BFI London Film Festival Artistic Director, Tricia Tuttle says: “We’re delighted to be closing the BFI London Film Festival with this beautiful tribute to cinema’s early comedy odd couple, Laurel & Hardy. A truly funny and touching story about a tender life-long friendship, Jon Baird’s film is also a must for movie fans, exploring the twilight years of two megawatt performers who had a meteoric rise to fame. These two prove that true comic timing is eternal, and it’s a perfect end to the Festival as the BFI looks ahead to our major UK-wide Comedy Genius season this autumn, as well as a month-long Laurel & Hardy season at BFI Southbank in January.” Stan & Ollie director Jon S. Baird comments: “I’m really proud to be able to give the film its world premiere in London; a city that’s so dear to myself and I know was to Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Stan & Ollie, at its heart, is a love story between old friends, who just happen to be two of the most iconic comedic characters in Hollywood’s history. I’m really excited to have the Closing Night film and to bring the movie to a Festival audience.” Stan & Ollie will be released in the UK and Ireland by Entertainment One on January 11, 2019. The 62nd BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express® takes place from Wednesday October 10 -Sunday October 21, 2018.

    Read more


  • 7th Dominican Film Festival NY Awards: FLOR DEL SOL by Dilia Pacheco Wins Best Film

    Flor del Sol Flor del Sol by first time director Dilia Pacheco took the top prize at the 7th Dominican Film Festival NY, winner of the Official Feature Film competition.  Todas las Mujeres son Iguales was chosen by the audience to receive DFFNY’s Audience Award. Best Director went to Archie Lopez for Luis, Best Actor to Dominican marvel Alfonso Rodriguez for Luis and Best Actress to Cheddy Garcia for Todas las Mujeres son Iguales. “Dilia Pacheco’s portrait of Victor Mendez Capellán, a working-class orphan who armed only with his wits became one the most successful businessman in Dominican Republic, is a powerful, heartfelt and cinematic delight,” stated the jury when awarding the prize. Four separate categories were considered on the short films competition: the “Dominicans in the Diaspora Short Film Showcase,” in which 16 shorts competed, “Short Films – Big Stories,” which included 13 short films; “Women in film” with 7 films participating and The Latino U.S Experience which included 10 stories. In the Diaspora Showcase, the jury award first place to Someday by director J.S Mayank. Mamba (Sam Puefua) and La Entreviu (Maite Bonilla) took home second and third place, respectively, and The devil’s Courier (Jason Marrero) received a Special Jury Mention. In “Short Films – Big Stories,” the jury awarded first place to Chanel by director Humberto Vallejo and Special Jury Mention to Zozobra by Jose Luis Jimenez. In Women in Film the award went to Elena directed by Ayerim Villanueva and in the Latino Experience in U.S the award went to Para mi Madre by Sam Hayden. The jury in the Short Film Categories included actor Kevin Martinez, director Christopher James Lopez and film critic Duarte Geraldino. The 7th Dominican Film Festival NY ran July 24 to 29, 2018, under the slogan “Cinema Unites Us!”, and screened over 80 films, 18 of which were on the ballot for audience consideration.

    Read more


  • Toronto International Film Festival Reveals 24 Canadian Short Films on 2018 Lineup

    ,
    [caption id="attachment_27110" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Accidence Accidence[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival revealed the 24 Canadian short films on the 2018 lineup that will excite, challenge, and inspire Festival audiences this September. The 2018 lineup celebrates the work of 15 female filmmakers, 15 TIFF alumni, and two Indigenous filmmakers. “We are thrilled to be able to present so many compelling new works by some of the best filmmakers in the country. This year’s program includes both emerging talents and directors who continue to amaze us.” said Lisa Heller and Jason Anderson, Short Cuts Programmers TIFF. The Festival’s Canadian short-film selection showcases masterful films that tell stories of complex human relationships and introduce a range of characters facing diverse challenges, from coming to terms with one’s own identity to understanding the importance of heritage, family, and the fragility of friendships. Highlights from returning TIFF alumni include: Galen Johnson, Evan Johnson, and Guy Maddin’s latest film, the action-packed Accidence; award-winning editor Matthew Hannam’s directorial debut, Paseo; Caroline Monnet’s portrait of a Chippewa female mixed martial artist, Emptying the Tank; and Amanda Strong’s stunning new stop-motion animation, Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes). The Festival’s Canadian short-film slate also includes: Alison Snowden and David Fine’s Animal Behaviour, which marks the Academy Award–winning duo’s first collaboration with the National Film Board in 20 years; Claire Edmondson’s EXIT, a powerful drama starring Maria Bello; Jérémy Comte’s award-winning drama Fauve; a striking film from emerging Toronto filmmaker Sofia Bohdanowicz, Veslemøy’s Song; renowned visual artist Celia Perrin Sidarous’ Slip; and the latest from Colombian–Canadian filmmaker Lina Rodriguez, ante mis ojos. All 20 Canadian films in the Short Cuts programme are eligible for the IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Canadian Short Film and the IWC Short Cuts Award for Best Short Film. The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.

    SHORT CUTS

    7A Zachary Russell | Canada World Premiere Accidence Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson | Canada North American Premiere Animal Behaviour Alison Snowden, David Fine | Canada North American Premiere Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes) Amanda Strong | Canada World Premiere Brotherhood ( Ikhwène) Meryam Joobeur | Tunisia/Canada World Premiere Caroni Ian Harnarine | Canada/Trinidad and Tobago/USA World Premiere Dziadzio Aaron Ries | Canada World Premiere Emptying the Tank Caroline Monnet | Canada World Premiere EXIT Claire Edmondson | Canada/USA World Premiere Fauve Jérémy Comte | Canada Toronto Premiere GIRLFRIENDS ( AMIES) Marie Davignon | Canada World Premiere Glitter’s Wild Women Roney | Canada World Premiere Good Boy Fantavious Fritz | Canada World Premiere If This Isn’t Love ( Si ce n’est pas de l’amour) Luiza Cocora | Canada World Premiere Little Waves ( Les petites vagues) Ariane Louis-Seize | Canada World Premiere My Boy ( Mon Boy) Sarah Pellerin | Canada World Premiere Norman Norman Sophy Romvari | Canada World Premiere Paseo Matthew Hannam | Canada World Premiere The Subject ( Le sujet) Patrick Bouchard | Canada Toronto Premiere Veslemøy’s Song Sofia Bohdanowicz | Canada North American Premiere

    WAVELENGTHS

    ALTIPLANO Malena Szlam | Chile/Argentina/Canada World Premiere ante mis ojos Lina Rodriguez | Colombia/Canada World Premiere Sira Rolla Tahir | Canada World Premiere Slip Celia Perrin Sidarous | Canada Toronto Premiere

    Read more


  • New York Latino Film Festival to Open with NY Premiere of Documentary RUBEN BLADES IS NOT MY NAME [Trailer]

    Ruben Blades Is Not My Name The New York Latino Film Festival (NYLFF) will kick off its 15th edition on Wednesday, August 22nd with the New York premiere of the film “Ruben Blades Is Not My Name.” Directed by critically acclaimed director, Abner Benaim, the film stars Ruben Blades, Sting, Paul Simon, Residente, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Larry Harlow, Andy Montañez, Ismael Miranda, Junot Diaz, Luba Mason, among others. The star-studded documentary offers an intimate portrait of Ruben Blades, revealing the artist’s struggle to come to terms with his legacy and influence in elevating Salsa music to an international scale. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtDr0q–kbs This year, the NYLFF will showcase a diverse slate representing 17 countries, spanning all genres and formats including features, shorts, documentaries, web series and experimental films featuring, about and/or for the U.S. Latino community. Highlights this year include: HBO Documentary Films “The Sentence,” which explores the devastating consequences of mass incarceration and mandatory minimum drug sentencing and USA Today’s, “The Wall,” looking at the impact, and unintended consequences of President Trump’s $20 billion promise to build a wall between the United States and Mexico. Other notable selections include “La Palabra de Pablo/ The Word of Pablo,” a sexy and tragic film-noirish take on William Shakespeare’s “Othello” featuring a wealthy family in contemporary El Salvador; “Rich Kids,” a vibrant portrait of six troubled teenagers ongoing challenges like economic disparities, gentrification, displacement, and evictions faced through the lens of Latino and Afro-Latino American youth in South Houston; “Heredera del Viento/ Heiress of the Wind,” a highly personal and searing documentary about torture, tragic deaths, doubt, and disillusionment in Nicaragua, “Canal Street,” a heart-pounding tale of faith and justice as a high school teen from the South Side finds himself at the center of a murder investigation, among many others. “We are proud to be celebrating our 15th year of serving and empowering our community. This important festival, in celebration of inclusion, aims to highlight our untold stories, unique experiences and daily realities in this country. It is important now, more than ever, that we provide a strong platform for emerging and established filmmakers to showcase films that audiences can truly identify with. NYLFF is you,” said Calixto Chinchilla, Founder of NYLFF. This year, NYLFF will present, once again, “FUTURO,” a digital conference presented by Google and Driven Society, on August 22rd at the Google NY Headquarters. The one-day conference will feature leading digital thought-leaders, executives, and social media influencers, whom will participate in panel discussions on the most innovative and upcoming trends in the Latino digital space.

    Read more


  • Argentine Film AN UNEXPECTED LOVE to Open 2018 San Sebastian Festival

    [caption id="attachment_31213" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]An Unexpected Love (El amor menos pensado) An Unexpected Love (El amor menos pensado)[/caption] The Argentine film El amor menos pensado (An Unexpected Love) directed by Pablo Trapero, will open the 66th edition of the San Sebastian Festival.  The film, a candidate for the Golden Shell, focusses on a couple who, after 25 years of marriage, are going through a crisis which drives them to separation and prompts them to question themselves about love, desire and the passing of time. An Unexpected Love represents the moviemaking debut of the screenwriter and producer Juan Vera. Co-producer of Zama, helmed by Lucrecia Martel, Elefante blanco and Carancho, directed by Pablo Trapero, Vera has as the stars of his first work Mercedes Morán and Donostia Award-winner Ricardo Darín, who was also involved as a producer together with his son, Chino Darín. Mercedes Morán (Villa Dolores, Argentina, 1955) has worked with some of the big-name Latin American filmmakers: Lucrecia Martel, Juan José Campanella, Walter Salles, Ana Katz (Los Marziano, Official Selection 2011) and Pablo Larraín. Her work in Sueño Florianópolis landed her this year’s Best Actress Award at the Karlovy Vary Festival. At this year’s Un Certain Regard, she also premiered El ángel, to be screened in Perlak. Ricardo Darín (Buenos Aires, 1957), one of the most prestigious Latin American actors, received last year’s Donostia Award in recognition of a career which has seen him work with moviemakers including Adolfo Aristarain, Campanella, Fabián Bielinsky, Fernando Trueba, Trapero, Cesc Gay and Santiago Mitre. His films have enjoyed strong presence in San Sebastian over the last two decades: he has competed in the Official Selection four times, he was a member of the official jury in 2012, and he has harvested, as well as the Donostia Award (with screening of La cordillera [The Summit]), the Best Actor Silver Shell ex aequo with Javier Cámara for Truman and the Audience Award for Best European Film for Relatos Salvajes (Wild Tales). AN UNEXPECTED LOVE (EL AMOR MENOS PENSADO) JUAN VERA (ARGENTINA) Cast: Ricardo Darín, Mercedes Morán, Claudia Fontán, Luis Rubio, Andrea Pietra, Jean Pierre Noher, Claudia Lapacó, Chico Novarro, Andrea Politti, Gabriel Corrado, Andrés Gil, Mariú Fernández, Norman Briski, Juan Minujín After 25 years of marriage, Marcos and Ana question themselves deeply on the subject of love, the nature of desire and fidelity, taking a decision that will change their lives forever.

    Read more


  • Fantastic Fest 2018 Unleashes First Wave of Films Incl. World Premiere of World War II Horror-Thriller OVERLORD

    [caption id="attachment_31209" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]OVERLORD OVERLORD[/caption] Fantastic Fest returns for its 14th year with more offbeat and brilliant cinema and revealed the first waves of films featured at the upcoming festival.  Fantastic Fest will present the World Premiere of the bone-chilling World War II horror-thriller OVERLORD, produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, with director Julius Avery and stars Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Pilou Asbaek, John Magaro and Mathilde Ollivier in attendance. This exhilarating, nerve-shredding ride tells the story of American paratroopers dropped into occupied France on the eve of D-Day who discover a secret Nazi lab carrying out terrifying and bizarre supernatural experiments. Fantastic Fest alumni return to the festival in a dual threat that promises to shock, awe and conquer audiences. First up APOSTLE sees Gareth Evans’ (THE RAID) take on the folk horror genre with Dan Stevens as a mysterious man infiltrating a sinister cult headed by Michael Sheen to rescue his sister with eye-gouging results. Then, Timo Tjahjanto pits Joe Taslim against Iko Uwais (THE RAID) in THE NIGHT COMES FOR US, an action thriller where the body count breaks new records in bone-crunching fights, venomous violence and dynamic destruction! Fantastic Fest’s mission to bring the best of genre continues to flourish with a worldwide group of films headed to Austin for a celebration unlike any other. Leading the pack is returning comedic genius Quentin Dupieux (RUBBER) with his unexpected tale of a police interrogation during a murder investigation over the course of one night in the North American Premiere of KEEP AN EYE OUT. Director Alejandro Fadel’s cerebral Cannes shocker MURDER ME, MONSTER will also have its North American Premiere at the festival. Sensational shot-on-16mm psychotropic horror LUZ will be in Austin for its U.S. Premiere, and the thrilling Swedish independent blockbuster THE UNTHINKABLE will blast the audience with its European take on a nation-under-siege big-budget spectacle at its World Premiere. Other Fantastic Fest highlights include a focus on global female genre filmmakers who are blasting through the silver screen with distinctive and brilliant features. From Ukraine, Marysia Nikitiuk explores the clash between old world values and young love in a visually charged fusion of genres in WHEN THE TREES FALL. Spain’s Sonia Escolano turns up the tension in her mesmerising treatise on religion, faith and belief in HOUSE OF SWEAT AND TEARS. Isabella Eklof brings her Sundance critical hit HOLIDAY to the fest all the way from Denmark. And finally, alumna Amanda Kramer makes an unforgettable mark with her distinctive debut LADYWORLD, a post-apocalyptic, daring probe into the darkest reaches of the teenage female mind. Fantastic Fest turns its eye to South Korea and explores the Korean Quota Quickies, a period in the 1970s which saw filmmaking flourish despite stifling ideological censorship thanks to a quota system which required a strict number of local productions be made for each of the foreign films imported.  Although most of these were rushed productions, clever directors used the system to their advantage to sneak strange and daring content past producers, directors and censors. Fantastic Fest is going to present two very rarely seen films from the period: BANGREUMYEON from director Kim Ki-Young, one of Park Chan-Wook’s directing idols, and QUIT YOUR LIFE from director Park Nou-Sik, who provided the literal roadmap for all Korean revenge movies to come.“To be able to highlight a period of Korean cinema that is largely unknown in North America is a brilliant opportunity to not only re-discover what shaped the modern Korean cinema we all know and love, but also a great way to tap into the sheer electric creative force running through the films as shaped by the strict authoritarian environment they were created in,” says FF Creative Director Evrim Ersoy. The festival will also bring the best of modern Korean cinema to the festival including Lee Chang-dong’s critical Cannes hit BURNING. AGFA (the American Genre Film Archive) triumphantly returns to the festival with a trio of restorations all receiving the World Premiere treatment. ‘80s shot-on-video epic BLOOD LAKE is restored from the 1” master tapes and arrives alongside a double bill of I WAS A TEENAGE SERIAL KILLER and MARY JANE’S NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE, celebrating the punk riot grrrl feminist cinema of Sarah Jacobson, both in brand new 2K preservations. Plus the highly-anticipated World Premiere of MANIAC, restored lovingly from the once-thought-lost 16mm negatives into 4K; with director William Lusting in attendance! A bizarre trio of animation from across the world arrives at the festival to showcase the most daring, dangerous and unique styles. From Japan and the demented mind of Ujicha comes VIOLENCE VOYAGER, a stop-motion cornucopia of mesmerising madness. From Chile, directing duo Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña’s breathtaking WOLF HOUSE, featuring perhaps the most inherently sinister and chilling story in any film this year. And finally, from Czech Republic and building on the great Czech puppet animation tradition arrives Aurel Klimt’s delightfully untrue but entertaining story of the first dog in space, LAIKA.

    Fantastic Fest 2018 FIRST WAVE FILM LINEUP

    APOSTLE United Kingdom, 2018 World Premiere, 129 min Director – Gareth Evans The year is 1905. Thomas Richardson travels to a remote island to rescue his sister after she’s kidnapped by a mysterious religious cult demanding a ransom for her safe return. It soon becomes clear that the cult will regret the day it baited this man, as he digs deeper and deeper into the secrets and lies upon which the commune is built. BAN GEUM-RYEON South Korea, 1981 Regional Premiere, 90 min Director – Kim Ki-young From Park Chan-wook’s idol comes a twisted tale of lecherous lords and murderous mistresses. Presented outside of Korea for only the second time, Kim Ki-young’s masterpiece BAN GEUM-RYEON is a lush smorgasbord from Korea’s most demented cinematic mind. AGFA and BLEEDING SKULL PRESENT: BLOOD LAKE USA, 1987 World Premiere of New Preservation, 82 min Director – Tim Boggs The finest vacation from hell ever captured on VHS, rescued from the original 1” master tapes! BURNING South Korea, 2018 Texas Premiere, 148 min Director – Lee Chang-dong Lee Chang-dong’s latest triumph weighs the delicate balance between creation and destruction as a writer runs into an old classmate who gets him caught up in a mystery bigger than both of them. CAM USA, 2018 US Premiere, 94 min Director – Daniel Goldhaber In Attendance – Writer/Producer Isa Mazzei Alice is a camgirl with principles. She doesn’t do public shows, she doesn’t tell her fans she loves them, and she doesn’t fake her orgasms. But when a mysterious lookalike takes over her channel, the rules no longer apply. DOG France, 2017 US Premiere, 87 min Director – Samuel Benchetrit A dark fable about loneliness, perfectly illustrated by Jacques Blanchot’s loss of humanity and slow transformation into a dog. Director Samuel Benchetrit shares a subtle commentary on our current world, and its social, interpersonal, and political issues. AN EVENING WITH BEVERLY LUFF LINN USA, 2018 Texas Premiere, 108 min Director – Jim Hosking Fantastic Fest alumni director Jim Hosking (THE GREASY STRANGLER; RENEGADES) is back with a second feature as absurd, crazy, and funny as his first. Follow Lulu Danger’s very own revolution in a Lynch-meets-Waters run-down version of America. THE GUILTY Denmark, 2018 Austin Premiere, 85 min Director – Gustav Möller A horrific crime; an emergency responder struggling to stay off the edge; a kidnapping victim calling in for help. This is all we’re going to tell you about first-time feature filmmaker Gustav Möller’s unmissable and gripping debut thriller. HOLIDAY Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey, 2018 Texas Premiere, 93 min Director – Isabella Eklöf The sun-drenched dream of the eponymous summer vacation has its dark side revealed in Isabella Eklöf’s powerful debut feature HOLIDAY, an unforgettable exploration of the fraught, brutal experience of young womanhood. HOUSE OF SWEAT AND TEARS Spain, 2018 World Premiere, 104 min Director – Sonia Escolano In Attendance – Director Sonia Escolano “She,” the leader of a violent cult, rules her flock with an iron fist to ensure they never stray from the path. But a series of events and a mysterious outsider threaten the pattern of their reality in this electrifying exploration of faith and belief. AGFA PRESENTS: I WAS A TEENAGE SERIAL KILLER USA, 1993 World Premiere of New Restoration, 27 min Director – Sarah Jacobson Sarah Jacobson’s punk-spirited DIY films combine B-movie aesthetics and riot grrrl feminism in brand new 2K preservations. KEEP AN EYE OUT France, 2018 North American Premiere, 73 min Director – Quentin Dupieux An absurd all-night interrogation set in a camp ‘70s police station, Quentin Dupieux’s latest opus, KEEP AN EYE OUT, is a celebration of his own brand of quirky, offbeat humor, performed by France’s most refreshing comedic talents. LADYWORLD USA, 2018 US Premiere, 93 min Director – Amanda Kramer In Attendance – Director Amanda Kramer and Actor/Co-Editor/Production Designer Noel David Taylor In Amanda Kramer’s daring low-budget debut LADYWORLD, a birthday party quickly devolves into chaos when a mysterious earthquake traps eight teenage girls alone in a house, challenging their friendships, identities, and eventually their grip on reality. LAIKA Czech Republic, 2017 Regional Premiere, 88 min Director – Aurel Klimt In Attendance – Director Aurel Klimt This is the story of Laïka the space dog who, unlike in real life, did not die aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. In this bizarre and charming stop-motion musical, Laïka crashes on a peculiar planet where she meets new friends. LUZ Germany, 2018 US Premiere, 70 min Director – Tilman Singer In Attendance – Director Tilman Singer Luz enters a police station at night to report an assault. As the interrogation progresses, it becomes clear a demonic entity wants to possess her in this audacious, psychotropic horror film shot on 16mm. MADAM YANKELOVA’S FINE LITERATURE CLUB Israel, 2018 International Premiere, 90 min Director – Guilhad Emilio Schenker Desperate, aging, Sophie only needs to seduce one more handsome victim — excuse me, date — to become a worry-free Lordess in MADAM YANKELOVA’S FINE LITERATURE CLUB, Israeli director Guilhad Emilio Schenker’s delightfully twisted debut feature. MANIAC USA, 1980 World Premiere of New 4K Restoration, 88 min Director – William Lustig In Attendance – Director William Lustig The 4K restoration of grindhouse auteur Bill Lustig’s 1980 slasher landmark features splatter SFX artist Tom Savini’s gnarliest work, as well as one of horror’s finest, sweatiest performances from legendary character actor/co-writer Joe Spinell. AGFA PRESENTS: MARY JANE’S NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE USA, 1997 World Premiere of New Restoration, 98 min Director – Sarah Jacobson Sarah Jacobson’s punk-spirited DIY films combine B-movie aesthetics and riot grrrl feminism in brand new 2K preservations. MURDER ME, MONSTER Argentina, France, Chile, 2018 North American Premiere, 109 min Director – Alejandro Fadel Visual horror masterpiece MURDER ME, MONSTER lures you into the fascinating and opaque underworld of serial murder, supernatural obsession, metaphysical hallucinations, forbidden love — and one nightmarishly gross monster. THE NIGHT COMES FOR US Indonesia, 2018 World Premiere, 121 min Director – Timo Tjahjanto A former triad enforcer must protect a young girl while trying to escape his former gang, setting off a violent battle on the streets of Jakarta. THE NIGHT SHIFTER Brazil, 2018 US Premiere, 110 min Director – Dennison Ramalho An attendant at a busy morgue who can also converse with the dead puts his loved ones in peril using his forbidden knowledge for vengeance in Dennison Ramalho’s (NINJAS; ABCS OF DEATH 2) twisted and gleefully icky feature debut. ONE CUT OF THE DEAD Japan, 2018 Texas Premiere, 96 min Director – Shinichiro Ueda A filmmaker sets out to shoot a zombie film in an abandoned factory, but something is lurking on the outside. Is it a zombie apocalypse or just another shoot gone wrong? OPEN 24 HOURS USA, Serbia, 2018 North American Premiere, 100 min Director – Padraig Reynolds In Attendance – Director Padraig Reynolds A young woman who had previously set her serial killer boyfriend on fire is now seeking normalcy by getting a job working the overnight shift at a 24-hour convenience store, where things are most definitely not going to be normal. OVERLORD USA, 2018 World Premiere, TBD min Director – Julius Avery In Attendance – Director Julius Avery and cast including Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Pilou Asbaek, John Magaro, and Mathilde Ollivier In the upcoming WWII horror-thriller OVERLORD, a group of American paratroopers drop into Nazi-occupied France on the eve of D-Day. As they struggle to carry out their seemingly impossible mission, they discover a secret Nazi lab carrying out terrifying and bizarre supernatural experiments. PIERCING USA, 2018 Texas Premiere, 81 min Director – Nicolas Pesce From the twisted mind of Nicolas Pesce (THE EYES OF MY MOTHER) comes a provocative two-hander chamberpiece — a tense battle of wits and desire between prostitute and trick, predator and prey. QUIT YOUR LIFE South Korea, 1971 North American Premiere, 82 min Director – Park Nou-sik Presented in English for the first time, actor-director Park Nou-sik balances the scales of justice as he stalks around Korea with his noose of judgment in the relentless revenge drama QUIT YOUR LIFE. SCHOOL’S OUT France, 2018 North American Premiere, 103 min Director – Sébastien Marnier In this dread-soaked cerebral thriller, a handsome young substitute teacher gets in over his head when taking on a class of gifted students after their former teacher’s dramatic in-class suicide. TERRIFIED Argentina, 2017 US Premiere, 87 min Director – Demián Rugna In Attendance – Director Demián Rugna Strange things are going on in a Buenos Aires neighborhood. Demián Rugna’s constantly surprising and truly spine-chilling horror film has one goal: to scare the shit out of everyone. THE UNTHINKABLE Sweden, 2018 World Premiere, 129 min Director – Crazy Pictures Something unthinkable is happening in Sweden. It starts with a few isolated incidents but suddenly, it’s all over the country. There are some who were prepared and others who weren’t. Ready or not, things will go out with a bang! VIOLENCE VOYAGER Japan, 2018 Regional Premiere, 83 min Director – Ujicha En route to visit a friend in another village, two kids go looking for a fabled shortcut through the mountain. Instead, they stumble upon an amusement park called Violence Voyager, and that’s when everything goes to shit. WHEN THE TREES FALL Ukraine, Poland, Macedonia, 2018 North American Premiere, 88 min Director – Marysia Nikitiuk In Attendance – Director Marysia Nikitiuk Scar and Larysa are desperately in love and suffocating under the tradition and archaic demands of their Ukrainian village. When the frustrations of each finally detonate, their world and the lives of those surrounding them are tragically shattered. THE WOLF HOUSE Chile, 2018 North American Premiere, 73 min Directors – Cristóbal León & Joaquín Cociña In Attendance – Director Cristóbal León An animated tale, supposedly restored from the archives of a German colony by the Chilean government, THE WOLF HOUSE is the unsettling story of Maria, punished with a hundred nights alone in a cabin in the woods.

    Read more


  • Watch New Trailer for German Hypnotic Thriller LUZ to US Premiere at Fantastic Fest

    , ,
    [caption id="attachment_30850" align="aligncenter" width="1300"]Luz Luz[/caption] The German hypnotic thriller LUZ has released the new teaser trailer ahead of its US Premiere at the acclaimed Fantastic Fest in September.  The breakout German debut feature from Tilman Singer premiered at the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival. A rainy night. A dazed and numb young cabdriver, Luz, drags herself into the brightly lit entrance of a rundown police station. Across town in a nightspot, Nora seductively engages police psychiatrist Dr. Rossini in a conversation. Nora is possessed by a demonic entity, longing for the woman it loves – Luz. She tells the Doctor about her old schoolmate Luz’s rebellious past at a Chilean school for girls. Increasingly drunk on her story, Rossini turns into an easy prey in Nora’s hands, but he’s soon called away to the police station to examine Luz. Supervised by his colleagues, the doctor puts Luz in a state of hypnosis that initiates a series of flashbacks, unfolding the events leading to her arrival. But the entity that has taken control of the doctor wants something more. Bit by bit it slips into Luz’ reenactment and makes old memories come to light. [caption id="attachment_31205" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]LUZ LUZ[/caption] The first feature from German writer/director Tilman Singer LUZ is captivatingly shot on 16mm with immersive sound and visuals that call to mind the experimental images of Giallo and 70s Spanish horror atmosphere. Produced by Dario Méndez Acosta and Tilman Singer, with a brooding synth score composed by Simon Waskow, the film stars breakout actress Luana Velis as Luz, as well as Jan Bluthardt and Julia Riedler offering a strong supporting base LUZ premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival 2018, and has recently screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival and New Horizons International Film Festival, and is in official selection for Fantastic Fest and Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival.

    Read more


  • Calgary International Film Festival Announces 2018 Music On Screen Lineup Featuring Joan Jett, Randy Bachman and More

    [caption id="attachment_29262" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]BAD REPUTATION BAD REPUTATION[/caption] The ever-popular Music On Screen program at the 19th annual Calgary International Film Festival will showcase a broad spectrum of musical talent,  from Joan Jett and Randy Bachman to an indie record label’s influence and the composer of multiple memorable television show scores. “Films with musical themes have always been tremendously popular with our audiences,” said Stephen Schroeder, Executive Director of the Calgary International Film Festival. “This year we have a bounty of films in which music plays a key element. And with Calgary’s growing brand as a music city, we are excited to partner with the National Music Centre once again, both for screenings and live music.” Here are the films in Music On Screen: BACHMAN, directed by John Barnard The story of Bachman Turner Overdrive founder Randy Bachman, from his early days of The Guess Who and hits like American Woman to today. Bachman’s singularly focused goal of music has taken him from spectacular highs to crushing lows. BAD REPUTATION, directed by Kevin Kerslake A raucous journey through Joan Jett’s life and career, from her early years as founder of “The Runaways,” her first collaborations with Kenny Laguna, and ultimately, to her status as rock and roll icon. HEAVY TRIP, directed by Jukka Vidgreen and Juuso Laatio In this offbeat comedy from Finland, Turo is stuck in a small village where the best thing in his life is being the lead vocalist for the amateur metal band Impaled Rektum. INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT -THE STORY OF WAX TRAX! RECORDS, directed by Julia Nash The two music fanatics who started Wax Trax! moved their store to Chicago, then created their own label, with bands like Bauhaus, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, and Front 242. SATAN AND ADAM, directed by V. Scott Balcerek. Against the backdrop of racial violence in 1968 Harlem, Adam Gussow, a young white Jewish harmonica player, and Sterling “Mr. Satan” Magee, an older black Mississippi bluesman, joined forces to blaze a new musical trail. Shot over 30 years, the film also features U2’s THE EDGE. UP TO SNUFF, directed by Mark Maxey American musician and composer W.G. Snuffy Walden overcame the excesses of rock and roll to find success as one of the most beloved composers in television history. The film features luminaries including Aaron Sorkin, Martin Sheen, Tom Arnold, Timothy Busfield, Fred Savage, Marshall Herskovitz, Steve Lukather, Chaka Khan and Eric Burdon, and scenes from The West Wing, Wonder Years, and thirtysomething. LOVE, SCOTT, directed by Laura Marie Wayne The raw tale of a gay musician who is attacked and paralyzed, set against a stunning score by Sigur Rós. Documentary director Laura Marie Wayne originally hails from Calgary. MAGIC PIANO & THE CHOPIN SHORTS This collaboration with Calgary Opera and Honens features several short films accompanied by live piano. Audience members are invited to “Opera at the Eddy” afterward. Tickets for this performance are already available at calgaryopera.com. THREE PAGES, directed by Roger Gariepy In this Canadian short film, Matin, an unassuming middle-aged accountant, learns he has only weeks to live. He is determined to learn the three pages of a Bach adagio for piano he’d abandoned as a child. UNLOVABLE, directed by Suzi Yoonessi, A musical comedy that could be considered anti-score. Actor John Hawkes (seen in in SMALL TOWN CRIME in last year’s festival) composed the music, an essential part of the plot.

    Read more


  • 2018 LA Film Festival Unveils Diverse Competition Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_31196" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Banana Split[/caption] The 2018 LA Film Festival taking place September 20 to 28, 2018. unveiled a diverse slate of 40 feature films, 41 short films, and 10 short episodic works in the U.S. Fiction, Documentary, World Fiction, LA Muse and Nightfall sections. Across the competition categories 42% of the films are directed by women and 39% are directed by people of color. “Our mission of finding fresh new voices from different geographical and cultural axes remains true,” said LA Film Festival Director Jennifer Cochis. “These storytellers are united by their ability to transport, impact and inspire audiences with the power of their craft.” Venues for the 2018 Festival include the ArcLight Cinemas in Culver City, Hollywood and Santa Monica, as well as the new LMU Playa Vista Campus (opening this fall), the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and the Writers Guild Theater.

    U.S. Fiction Competition

    Banana Split – USA (DIRECTOR Benjamin Francis Kasulke WRITERS Hannah Marks, Joey Power PRODUCERS Jeremy Garelick, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Will Phelps, Glen Trotiner, Sam Slater CAST Hannah Marks, Dylan Sprouse, Liana Liberato, Luke Spencer Roberts, Haley Ramm, Meagan Kimberly Smith) – Over the course of a summer, two teenage girls develop the perfect kindred spirit friendship, with one big problem: one of them is dating the other’s ex. World Premiere In Reality – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Ann Lupo CO-DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER 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) – A young woman takes a journey through her own fantastic mind as she investigates her relationship to unrequited love. LA Premiere Olympia – USA (DIRECTOR Gregory Dixon WRITER McKenzie Chinn PRODUCERS Gregory Dixon, McKenzie Chinn, Elliott Lonsdale, Lucy Lola Manda, Sarah Sharp CAST McKenzie Chinn, Charles Gardner, Ericka Ratcliff, LaNisa Renee Frederick, Penelope Walker, Sadieh Rifai) – A struggling Chicago artist finds herself at a crossroads in life, overwhelmed by changes and needing to make a critical decision in her relationship. World Premiere Simple Wedding – USA (DIRECTOR Sara Zandieh WRITERS Sara Zandieh, Stephanie Wu PRODUCERS Ray Moheet, Norman Aladjem, Sara Zandieh CAST Tara Grammy, Christopher O’Shea, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rita Wilson, Maz Jobrani, Houshang Touzie, Jaleh Modjallal, Peter Mackenzie, James Eckhouse, Rebecca Henderson, Aleque Reid) – A romantic comedy about a young Iranian-American woman and the lengths she goes to in order to appease her parents and their need to see her settled down. World Premiere Softness of Bodies – USA/Germany (DIRECTOR/WRITER Jordan Blady PRODUCERS Jordan Blady, Catherine Morawitz CAST Dasha Nekrasova, Morgan Krantz) – An American poet living in Berlin hopes to win a prestigious grant while dealing with her former relationships, a rival poet and her own penchant for stealing things. World Premiere This Teacher – USA (DIRECTOR Mark Jackson WRITERS 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) – A young Arab-French woman on an introspective journey visits her childhood friend in New York City before heading to the woods upstate. World Premiere The Wrong Todd – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Rob Schulbaum PRODUCERS Ric Murray, Anthony Ambrosino CAST Jesse Rosen, Anna Rizzo, Sean Carmichael, Derek K. Moore, Erin Rose) – A sci-fi comedy about a man who gets caught up in extraordinary events, and the bizarre lengths he goes through to get back to his reality. World Premiere

    Documentary Competition

    Behind the Curve – USA (DIRECTOR Daniel J. Clark PRODUCERS Caroline Clark, Nick Andert, Daniel J. Clark) – The internet breathed new life into an old conspiracy theory: that the earth is flat instead of spherical. America’s flat-Earth movement appears to be growing, in spite of its detractors in the scientific community. US Premiere Facing the Dragon – USA/Afghanistan (DIRECTOR Sedika Mojadidi PRODUCER Jenny Raskin) – After international withdrawal from Afghanistan, two remarkable Afghan women working within the government and media struggle to maintain their hard-won rights while balancing what’s best for their families. World Premiere False Confessions – Denmark (DIRECTOR Katrine Philp PRODUCER Katrine A. Sahlstrøm) – “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. North American Premiere hillbilly – USA (DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS Sally Rubin, Ashley York SUBJECTS bell hooks, Billy Reddon, Ronny Cox, Frank X Walker, Crystal Good, Silas House) – Two filmmakers visit rural Kentucky, one returning home to Appalachia, to unpack the stereotype of “hillbilly” and explore the personal and painful experiences fueling our polarizing political climate. LA Premiere Mamacita – Germany/Mexico (DIRECTOR José Pablo Estrada Torrescano PRODUCERS José Pablo Estrada Torrescano, Arne Birkenstock) – A filmmaker fulfills his promise to make a film about his 95-year-old grandmother, showcasing her big personality and along the way uncovering the source of deep familial wounds. US Premiere Moroni for President – USA (DIRECTORS Saila Huusko, Jasper Rischen PRODUCERS Saila Huusko, Jasper Rischen, Sara Goldblatt) – Determined to shake up the status quo and bring positive change to his people, a young, gay college professor begins a grass-roots campaign to become the next President of the Navajo Nation. LA Premiere Same God – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER Linda Midgett) – It started out simply: a demonstration of solidarity. What followed? Life-changing events violating university and ethical codes and a public attack on a tenured professor’s ideals, faith, racial and religious identity. World Premiere The Silence of Others – Spain (DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS Almudena Carracedo, Robert Bahar) – In a country with streets that still bear his name, a group of resolute Spanish citizens seek justice for crimes committed during the brutal dictatorship of Francisco Franco by organizing a groundbreaking international lawsuit. West Coast Premiere Stammering Ballad – China (DIRECTOR/WRITER Nan Zhang PRODUCERS Ruby Chen, Yong Zhang, Sinae Ha) – The visual and musical journey of a Chinese folk musician torn between his desire for fame and his love for singing rural folk songs that are on the verge of being lost. North American Premiere Wrestling Ghosts — USA (DIRECTOR Ana Joanes PRODUCERS Ana Joanes, Toni Nagy) — Unable to understand why parenting seems like a constant uphill battle, an emotionally exhausted mother who can’t connect with her two young sons courageously confronts the events of her own traumatic childhood. World Premiere

    World Fiction Competition

    Border – Sweden (DIRECTOR Ali Abbasi WRITERS Ali Abbasi, Isabella Eklöf, John Ajvide Lindqvist PRODUCERS Nina Bisgaard, Peter Gustafsson, Petra Jönsson CAST Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Jörgen Thorsson) – 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. California Premiere The Cotton Wool War – Brazil (DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCERS Cláudio Marques, Marilia Hughes CAST Dora Goritzki, Thaia Perez, Thaila Lima) – Dora is a German-raised teenager visiting her enigmatic Brazilian grandmother for the first time. While trying to return to Germany at all costs, she discovers the incredible history behind the women of her family. US Premiere The Day I Lost My Shadow – France/Lebanon/Qatar/Syrian Arab Republic (DIRECTOR/WRITER Soudade Kaadan PRODUCER Amira Kaadan CAST Sawsan Arshid, Reham Al Kasar, Samer Ismail, Ahmad Ali) – 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. US Premiere Heaven Without People – Lebanon (DIRECTOR/WRITER Lucien Bourjeily PRODUCERS Lucien Bourjeily, Farah Shaer CAST Ghassan Chemali, Hussein Hijazi, Jean Paul Hage, Jenny Gebara, Laeticia Semaan, Nadim Abou Samra, Samira Sarkis) – When a large family comes together for the first time in two years over Easter lunch, tensions bubble to the surface in surprising ways as they navigate an unforeseen conflict that threatens to derail their reunion. LA Premiere Microhabitat – South Korea (DIRECTOR/WRITER Jeon Go-Woon PRODUCER Kim Soon-Mo CAST Som Lee, Jae-hong Ahn) – An increase in the price of cigarettes destabilizes the economy of Miso, a young housekeeper who prefers to stop paying the rent rather than give up on the little pleasures of life. While she enjoys her smokes, Miso starts a couch-surfing journey that reconnects her with family and friends. West Coast Premiere Socrates – Brazil (DIRECTOR Alex Moratto WRITERS Alex Moratto, Thayná Mantesso PRODUCERS Tammy Weiss, Ramin Bahrani, Alex Moratto, Jefferson Paulino CAST Christian Malheiros, Tales Ordakji, Rosane Paulo, Caio Martinez Pacheco, Jayme Rodrigues) – A 15-year-old boy in São Paulo is forced to live on his own after his mother’s death. The search for a job, and dealing with his own sexual awakening, proves to be a lot to handle. World Premiere Tower. A Bright Day. – Poland/Czech Republic (DIRECTOR/WRITER Jagoda Szelc PRODUCERS Marcin Malatyński, Agata Golanska, Agnieszka Janowska, Kacper Habisiak, Andrzej Jędrzejewski, Maciej Ostoja-Chyżyński, Rafał Bubnicki CAST Anna Krotoska, Małgorzata Szczerbowska, Rafał Cieluch, Dorota Łukasiewicz-Kwietniewska, Laila Hennessy) – A protective mother has taken care of her young niece for years, raising her in the countryside as her own daughter. Her sister’s sudden return triggers a sense that she may be back to reclaim her offspring or to implement even more ominous plans. LA Premiere

    Nightfall

    The Dead Center – USA (DIRECTOR Billy Senese WRITER Billy Senese PRODUCERS Billy Senese, Denis Deck, Jonathan Rogers, Shane Carruth CAST Shane Carruth, Poorna Jagannathan, Jeremy Childs, Bill Feehely) – 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. World Premiere Deep Murder – USA (DIRECTOR Nick Corirossi WRITERS Josh Margolin, Quinn Beswick, Benjamin Smolen, Nikolai von Keller PRODUCERS Eric B. Fleischman, Andrew Swett, Drew Foster, Jesse Berger, Brent Johnson, Pat McErlean CAST Quinn Beswick, Katie Aselton, Christopher McDonald, Jerry O’Connell, Jessica Kennedy, Chris Redd, Stephanie Drake, Josh Margolin) – Set in an alternate reality in which everyone is a cliché from a tacky soft-core porn film, a group of increasingly self-aware stock characters are up against a mysterious killer offing them one by one. World Premiere Ghost Light – USA (DIRECTOR John Stimpson WRITERS/PRODUCERS Geoffrey Taylor, John Stimpson CAST Roger Bart, Tom Riley, Shannyn Sossamon, Danielle Campbell, Carol Kane, Cary Elwes) – The story of an unfortunate Shakespearean acting troupe that unleashes the infamous curse of Macbeth with horrifying results. World Premiere Head Count – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Elizabeth Callahan PRODUCERS Samuel Sandweiss, Brandon Somerhalder CAST Isaac W. Jay, Ashleigh Morghan, Bevin Bru, Billy Meade, Hunter Peterson, Chelcie May, Tory Freeth, Michael Herman, Amaka Obiechie, Sam Marra, Cooper Rowe) – 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. World Premiere Spell – USA (DIRECTOR Brendan Walter WRITER Barak Hardley PRODUCERS Brendan Walter, Jon Lullo, Barak Hardley, Katy Stoll, Eleanor Wilson CAST Barak Hardley, Jackie Tohn, Magnús Jónsson, Birna Rún Eiriksdóttir, Tom Wright, Stacey Moseley, Michael Nanfria, Michole Briana White, Bryndís Haraldsdóttir) – 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. World Premiere Thriller – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER Dallas Jackson PRODUCERS Greg Gilreath, Adam Hendricks, John Lang, Dallas Jackson CAST Mykelti Williamson, RZA, Jessica Allain, Luke Tennie, Tequan Richmond, Paige Hurd, Chelsea Rendon, Mitchell Edwards, Pepi Sonuga, Jason Woods, Maestro Harrell, Michael Ocampo)– Years after a childhood prank goes horribly wrong, a clique of South Central LA teens find themselves terrorized during Homecoming weekend by a killer hell-bent on revenge. World Premiere

    LA Muse

    The Advocates – USA (DIRECTOR Rémi Kessler PRODUCERS Rémi Kessler, Robert McFalls) – A sweeping look at the homeless crisis in Los Angeles and an intimate view of the tireless advocates who strive to create better lives for their clients. World Premiere El Chicano – USA (DIRECTOR Ben Hernandez Bray WRITERS Ben Hernandez Bray, Joe Carnahan PRODUCERS Joe Carnahan, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Frank Grillo CAST Raúl Castillo, George Lopez, Aimee Garcia, Emilio Rivera, David Castañeda, Marlene Forte, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Sal Lopez) – A cop is drawn into his ex-con brother’s death while investigating the crime-fighting exploits of a mysterious vigilante known as “El Chicano.” World Premiere Fire on the Hill – (DIRECTOR/WRITER Brett Fallentine PRODUCERS Brett Fallentine, Jordana Glick-Franzheim) – 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. World Premiere Funke – (DIRECTOR Gabriel Taraboulsy PRODUCERS Gabriel Taraboulsy, Alex Emanuele, Jay Holzer, Cecile Murias) – A prodigious chef mounts his culinary comeback, eyeing the most competitive street in America as a stage for his ode to the dying art of handmade pasta. World Premiere Making Montgomery Clift – (DIRECTORS/WRITERS/PRODUCERS Robert A. Clift, Hillary Demmon) – Classic film star Montgomery Clift’s legacy has been a story of tragedy and self-destruction, but a more complicated picture emerges when his nephew dives into the family archives. World Premiere Saint Judy – USA (DIRECTOR Sean Hanish WRITER Dmitry Portnoy PRODUCERS Sean Hanish, Paul Jaconi-Biery CAST Michelle Monaghan, Leem Lubany, Common, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Mykelti Williamson) – The true story of LA immigration attorney Judy Wood, who single-handedly changed the United States Law of Asylum, saving countless lives in the process. World Premiere Solace – USA (DIRECTOR/WRITER 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) – 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. California Premiere Staycation – USA (DIRECTOR Tanuj Chopra WRITERS Tanuj Chopra, Anthony Ma, Grace Su PRODUCER Lalithra Fernando CAST Anthony Ma, Grace Su) – 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. World Premiere Stuntman – USA (DIRECTOR Kurt Mattila PRODUCERS Steven Golebiowski, Kurt Mattila, Eddie Braun CAST Eddie Braun, Gary Davis, Conrad E. Palmisano, Buddy Joe Hooker, Scott Truax) – 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. World Premiere We the Coyotes – USA (DIRECTORS/WRITERS Hanna Ladoul, Marco La Via PRODUCERS Raphael Gindre, Kevin Van Der Meiren, Julius Schultheib CAST Morgan Saylor, McCaul Lombardi, Betsy Brandt, Khleo Thomas, Lorelei Linklater) – A young couple moves to LA from the Midwest to start a new life together, but things don’t go exactly as planned. North American Premiere

    Shorts (41)

    Agua Viva – USA (DIRECTOR Alexa Lim Haas) – A Chinese manicurist in Miami attempts to describe feelings she doesn’t have the words for. Audition – USA (DIRECTOR Richard Van) – Unable to find a sitter, an aspiring actress has no choice but to drag her three-year-old son to her audition. Beastly Things – USA (DIRECTOR Zev Chevat) – A young artist encounters a vicious group of local schoolchildren and learns what beastly behavior truly means. Black 14 – USA (DIRECTOR Darius Clark Monroe) – An archival social study examining the media coverage of a 1969 racial protest at the University of Wyoming. Burn Bridge – USA/England (DIRECTOR Rhys Jones) – Hopelessly infatuated with his clueless best friend, an adolescent boy in North Yorkshire explores his sexuality and acts out with destructive behavior. Caroline – USA (DIRECTORS Celine Held, Logan George) – A precocious six-year-old is faced with a big responsibility on a hot Texas day. Cheer Up, Baby – USA (DIRECTOR Adinah Dancyger) – A young woman who has been sexually assaulted by a stranger on the subway is rendered with psychological menace and sensory dislocation in this elliptical tale. Counterfeit Kunkoo – India (DIRECTOR Reema Sengupta) – In a city that houses millions, Smita fights a stubborn cultural bias while trying to rent a house in middle-class Mumbai. Coyote – Switzerland (DIRECTOR Lorenz Wunderle) – After wolves attack his family, a coyote goes on a vision quest of revenge. Cross My Heart – Jamaica/USA (DIRECTOR Sontenish Myers) – An American teenage girl visits her family in Jamaica and uncovers a secret that changes the way she sees the people she loves. Delay – Iran/Italy (DIRECTOR Ali Asgari) – A man and his two children miss their flight and while waiting for the next flight, undergo a transformative moment. The Earth is Humming – USA (DIRECTOR Garrett Bradley) – In Japan earthquake preparedness is a way of life, and a full-blown industry. Falling – France (DIRECTOR Benjamin Vu) – In 1994 France, a clever, gay, much-bullied young esthete and his naïve, athletic classmate develop an unexpected intimacy when they’re paired up for a high school presentation. Hair Wolf – USA (DIRECTOR Mariama Diallo) – In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the residents fend off a strange new horror: white women sucking the lifeblood from black culture. Hierophany – USA (DIRECTOR Kevin Contento) – A Florida boy comes in contact with the sacred while living in the margins of the South. Intercourse – Sweden (DIRECTOR Jonatan Etzan) – A passing joke between a couple blurs the lines and brings them to terms with how it has changed their relationship. Jeom – USA (DIRECTOR Kangmin Kim) – A father and son, who share the same big birthmark on their butt wage war against this genetic blemish. Kevlar – Sweden (DIRECTOR Tuna Özer) – A young man from the projects outside of Stockholm borrows his friend’s jacket to impress a hip city girl and winds up at a party in a strange land. Ladders – USA (DIRECTOR Andrew Stephen Lee) – The bright future facing a smart, ambitious Dominican teen becomes clouded with doubt following a pointed interaction at a fundraising gala. Libre – USA (DIRECTOR Anna Barsan) – Undocumented immigrants forced to spend months in detention turn to private companies to secure their release on bond in this gripping documentary. Lotus – Iran (DIRECTOR Mohammadreza Vatandoust) – After a controlled flood an old woman is left to gaze from her window at the island she’s forbidden to visit, longing for the object of her affection. Mud – USA (DIRECTOR Shaandiin Tome) – On her last day of life, a woman faces the inescapable remnants of alcoholism, family and culture. Nevada – USA (DIRECTOR Emily Ann Hoffman) – A young couple’s romantic weekend getaway is interrupted by a birth control mishap in this stop-motion animated comedy. One Leg In, One Leg Out – Canada (DIRECTOR Lisa Rideout) – 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. The Passage – USA (DIRECTOR Kitao Sakurai) – Fleeing a pair of mysterious agents sends a dim-witted mute on a series of absurd misadventures. Room 140 – USA (DIRECTOR Priscilla Gonzalez Sainz) – Immigrants just released from detention centers spend their first night in Oakland at a motel paid for by a local pastor. Roya – USA (DIRECTOR Shaina Pakravan) – On the night of a relative’s engagement party, an image conscious Iranian-American mother clashes with her free-spirited teenage daughter. Scratch – Spain (DIRECTOR David Valero) – A young DJ with a cognitive disability has trouble understanding the violent word around him; his actions subvert societal concepts of perpetrator and victim, apology and forgiveness. Shadow Animals – Sweden (DIRECTOR Jerry Carlsson) – A young girl follows her parents to a party where the adults’ behavior becomes increasingly strange. The Shift – USA (DIRECTOR Elivia Genny Shaw) – For San Francisco’s 911 dispatchers, the city is hard to escape. Sin Cielo – USA (DIRECTOR Jianna Maarten) – Two teenagers pursue young love in the borderlands where life under cartel violence may be inescapable. Skip Day – USA (DIRECTORS Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan) – With graduation approaching, a group of high school seniors take a day at the beach to revel in the joys of being young in an increasingly unsteady world. Swedi – Sweden (DIRECTOR Sosi Chamoun) – A woman in a grocery store contends with a clerk who won’t leave her alone in this one-take shot. This Magnificent Cake! – Belgium/France/Netherlands (DIRECTORS Emma De Swaef, Marc James Roels) – Set in colonial Africa in the late 19th century, this breathtaking stop-motion epic examines colonialism through five different stories. This, My Favorite Mural – USA (DIRECTOR Michael Arcos) – The Latinx immigrant experience in Louisiana is explored through the eyes of a German woman who becomes obsessed with finding the artist who painted a tire shop mural. The Things You Think I’m Thinking – Canada (DIRECTOR Sherren Lee) – On his first date since a devastating accident, a burn victim throws himself back into the world of relationships and the fear of allowing love back into his life. True Love in Pueblo Textil – USA (DIRECTOR Horatio Baltz) – A young girl living in the Cuban countryside describes how it feels to be stricken with the world’s oldest infliction: love. War Paint – USA (DIRECTOR Katrelle Kindred) – For a bright South LA teen, what should be a happy 4th of July weekend becomes an unexpected lesson in the stark realities of power and racism. Weekends – USA (DIRECTOR Trevor Jimenez) – A young boy shuffles between the homes of his recently divorced parents in this surreal hand-animated film set in 1980s Toronto. While I Yet Live – USA (DIRECTOR Maris Curran) – African-American quilters from Alabama talk about love, religion and the fight for civil rights as they continue the tradition of quilting that originally brought them together. Wild Wild West: A Beautiful Rant By Mark Bradford – USA (DIRECTOR Dime Davis) – The origin of artists is explored through paper, percussion and one provocative creative.

    Episodes: Indie Series from the Web

    Avant-Guardians, dir. Clarence Williams II, USA Flatbush Misdemeanors, dirs. Dan Perlman, Kevin Iso, USA Fresh, dir. Grant Scicluna, Australia Kiki and Kitty, dir. Catriona Mackenzie, Australia Otis, dir. Alexander Etseyatse, USA Petal & Paint, dir. Bradley Smith, USA Psusy, dirs. Duckworth, Jaya Beach-Robertson, New Zealand Revenge Tour, dir. Andrew Carter, USA Robits, dir. Christopher Parks, USA Tracy Buckles, dir. Robin Nystrom, USA

    Read more


  • 19 Canadian Films Added to 2018 Toronto International Film Festival Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_31190" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Firecrackers Firecrackers[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival added another 19 Canadian titles to the Festival’s 2018 lineup. The selection includes nine films directed by women and six exciting debut features. From personal dramas exploring identity to documentaries that spotlight a world at risk and democracy in jeopardy, this year’s lineup is rich in stories that tap into contemporary Canadian and International anxieties. “We’re especially proud to present such a diverse group of films,” said Steve Gravestock, Senior Programmer, TIFF. “Ranging from science fiction to fantasy, myth to documentary, and romance to a dystopic vision of our neighbours to the south, this year’s Canadian films come from every region in the country, stretching from east to west and north to south.” TIFF presents the World Premieres of three films that showcase Indigenous talent: Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s Edge of the Knife, the first feature-length film made in Haida, which is classified by UNESCO as an endangered language; Darlene Naponse’s Falls Around Her, a moving portrait of healing and resilience, starring renowned Métis actor Tantoo Cardinal; and Miranda de Pencier’s feature directorial debut The Grizzlies, a creative collaboration between De Pencier and Inuit producers Alethea Arnaquq-Baril and Stacey Aglok MacDonald that tells an inspiring, true story and that was shot on location in MacDonald’s home community in Nunavut. “We’re thrilled with this year’s lineup of compelling and distinctive films,” said Danis Goulet, TIFF Canadian Features Programmer. “The films feature characters who push hard against prescribed boundaries, asking vital questions about the state of the world and the status quo. We are especially excited to have a strong slate of bold and dynamic women-centric stories. Forty percent of the Canadian film slate this year is directed by women.” This year’s lineup also includes works by legendary Canadian documentary filmmakers that look at contemporary culture through a critical lens, such as Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky’s highly anticipated documentary Anthropocene, Ron Mann’s Carmine Street Guitars and Thom Fitzgerald’s Splinters; Festival alumnus Igor Drljača is making his feature-documentary debut at the Festival with The Stone Speakers, and veteran Barry Avrich returns with Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz, a portrait of the United States’ chief prosecutor during the Nuremberg trials. A highlight of the festival will be a Special Event World Premiere and tribute showcasing the illuminating documentary Sharkwater Extinction, the final work by the late filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart. Other works by TIFF alumni premiering at the Festival include Canadian master Denys Arcand’s The Fall of the American Empire; Bruce Sweeney’s Kingsway; Sébastien Pilote’s The Fireflies Are Gone; Maxime Giroux’s The Great Darkened Days; and Astra Taylor’s What is Democracy? Renée Beaulieu is at TIFF for the first time with Les Salopes or the Naturally Wanton Pleasure of Skin, a study of a professor’s hidden desires. The Canadian feature debuts at this year’s Festival are: Gwaai Edenshaw and Helen Haig-Brown’s Haida epic Edge of the Knife; Akash Sherman’s sci-fi fantasy drama Clara ; Jasmin Mozaffari’s Firecrackers; Andrea Bussmann’s first solo project, Fausto; Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein’s Freaks and Miranda De Pencier’s Grizzlies. This year’s slate also features performances by multiple Canadian and international stars, such as Amanda Crew, Graham Greene, Brigitte Poupart, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, and Kyle MacLachlan. Other talent includes TIFF 2018 Rising Star Michaela Kurimsky ( Firecrackers) and former TIFF Rising Stars Sarah Gadon ( The Great Darkened Days) and Karelle Tremblay ( The Fireflies Are Gone). All 23 Canadian feature films at the Festival are eligible for the Canada Goose ® Award for Best Canadian Feature Film. All five Canadian feature directorial debuts are eligible for the City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film. This year’s Canadian feature-film jury is composed of award-winning Montreal filmmaker Mathieu Denis ( Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves), renowned Toronto journalist and documentarian Michelle Shephard ( Guantanamo’s Child: Omar Khadr), and legendary Turkish director Ali Özgentürk, who wrote the screenplay for The Girl with the Red Scarf . The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 to 16, 2018.

    SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS*

    Anthropocene Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, Edward Burtynsky | Canada World Premiere The Fall of the American Empire Denys Arcand | Canada Toronto Premiere The Grizzlies Miranda de Pencier | Canada World Premiere Previously announced Canadian features at the Festival include Keith Behrman’s Giant Little Ones (Special Presentation), Kim Nguyen’s The Hummingbird Project (Special Presentation), Patricia Rozema’s MOUTHPIECE (Opening Special Presentation), and Don McKellar’s Through Black Spruce (Special Presentation).

    SPECIAL EVENT

    Sharkwater Extinction Rob Stewart | Canada World Premiere

    TIFF DOCS

    Carmine Street Guitars Ron Mann | Canada North American Premiere Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz Barry Avrich | Canada World Premiere What is Democracy? Astra Taylor | Canada North American Premiere

    DISCOVERY

    Clara Akash Sherman | Canada World Premiere Edge of the Knife Gwaai Edenshaw, Helen Haig-Brown | Canada World Premiere Firecrackers Jasmin Mozaffari | Canada World Premiere Freaks Zach Lipovsky, Adam Stein | Canada World Premiere

    CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA

    Falls Around Her Darlene Naponse | Canada World Premiere The Fireflies Are Gone Sébastien Pilote | Canada North American Premiere The Great Darkened Days Maxime Giroux | Canada World Premiere Kingsway Bruce Sweeney | Canada World Premiere Les Salopes or the Naturally Wanton Pleasure of Skin Renée Beaulieu | Canada World Premiere Splinters Thom Fitzgerald | Canada World Premiere

    WAVELENGTHS

    Fausto Andrea Bussmann | Canada/Mexico North American Premiere The Stone Speakers Igor Drljača | Canada/Bosnia and Herzegovina World Premiere

    Read more