Memphis Film Prize 2018 – Prize Presentation – David Merrill, Ricky D. Smith, Kevn Brooks, Gregory Kallenberg (Photo by Wildman)[/caption]
Last Day directed by Kevin Brooks is the winner of the 3rd annual Memphis Film Prize, along with the Film Prize’s coveted top award of $10,000 cash. Brooks’s Last Day centered on the plight of a young man facing a sentencing for a crime he did not commit, and the manner in which he and his wife deal with that potentially devastating news, while shielding it from their young daughter. The short film featured exemplary performances by Ricky D. Smith as the father and Rosalyn R. Ross as the mother.
Last Day was also one of four films among the ten finalists to be helmed by black filmmakers that also dealt with timely socio-economic and political topics in a dynamic and affecting manner (including Daniel R. Ferrell’s Dean’s List, Will Robbins’s Minority, and Jaron S. Lockridge’s The Stix).
“In our third year, the Memphis Film Prize films, once again, raised the bar in both ambition, vision, and technical skill, so Kevin and the cast and crew of Last Day sincerely earned our $10,000 prize,” said Gregory Kallenberg, founder and executive director of the Film Prize Foundation. “This year showed remarkable growth both in the number of filmmaker submissions, as well as the number of audience members turning out to watch the films and cast their votes. It’s become very clear that Memphis has embraced our mission at the Film Prize to inspire great filmmaking, and then reward it in a very direct and profitable way.”
This year, the rapidly growing event nearly doubled their audience numbers from last year with close to 1300 people attending the screenings throughout the weekend in Memphis. In three short years, Memphis Film Prize has not simply rewarded the winning films with their famously large checks, but has also influenced other film festivals to offer filmmakers more concrete benefits, be it cash prizes or paid residencies.-
Kevin Brooks’ LAST DAY Wins $10,000 Memphis Film Prize
[caption id="attachment_31273" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Memphis Film Prize 2018 – Prize Presentation – David Merrill, Ricky D. Smith, Kevn Brooks, Gregory Kallenberg (Photo by Wildman)[/caption]
Last Day directed by Kevin Brooks is the winner of the 3rd annual Memphis Film Prize, along with the Film Prize’s coveted top award of $10,000 cash. Brooks’s Last Day centered on the plight of a young man facing a sentencing for a crime he did not commit, and the manner in which he and his wife deal with that potentially devastating news, while shielding it from their young daughter. The short film featured exemplary performances by Ricky D. Smith as the father and Rosalyn R. Ross as the mother.
Last Day was also one of four films among the ten finalists to be helmed by black filmmakers that also dealt with timely socio-economic and political topics in a dynamic and affecting manner (including Daniel R. Ferrell’s Dean’s List, Will Robbins’s Minority, and Jaron S. Lockridge’s The Stix).
“In our third year, the Memphis Film Prize films, once again, raised the bar in both ambition, vision, and technical skill, so Kevin and the cast and crew of Last Day sincerely earned our $10,000 prize,” said Gregory Kallenberg, founder and executive director of the Film Prize Foundation. “This year showed remarkable growth both in the number of filmmaker submissions, as well as the number of audience members turning out to watch the films and cast their votes. It’s become very clear that Memphis has embraced our mission at the Film Prize to inspire great filmmaking, and then reward it in a very direct and profitable way.”
This year, the rapidly growing event nearly doubled their audience numbers from last year with close to 1300 people attending the screenings throughout the weekend in Memphis. In three short years, Memphis Film Prize has not simply rewarded the winning films with their famously large checks, but has also influenced other film festivals to offer filmmakers more concrete benefits, be it cash prizes or paid residencies.
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2018 Fantasia International Film Festival Wraps and Announces Audience Awards Winners
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John Cho stars in SEARCHING – directed by Aneesh Chaganty. Photo Courtesy of Screen Gems[/caption]
The Fantasia International Film Festival wrapped its 2018 edition on August 2nd with the sold out Canadian Premiere of Panos Cosmatos’ MANDY, and announced its final batch of awards, including the Audience Awards. The 23rd edition of Fantasia will occur July 11th through August 1st, 2019.
THE AUDIENCE AWARDS
Best Asian Feature Gold – 1987: When the Day Comes (South Korea, Dir: Jang Joon-hwan) Silver – One Cut of the Dead (Japan, Dir: Shinichiro Ueda) Bronze – The Travelling Cat Chronicles (Japan, Dir: Kôichirô Miki) Best European, North-South American Feature Gold – Terrified (Argentina, Dir: Demián Rugna) Silver – Heavy Trip (Belgium-Finland-Norway, Dir: Jukka Vidgren, Juuso Laatio) Bronze – Searching (USA, Dir: Aneesh Chaganty) Best Canadian or Quebec Feature Gold – Montreal Dead End (Canada, Dir: Various) Silver – Le Nid (Canada, Dir: David Paradis) Bronze – Knuckleball (Canada, Dir: Michael Peterson) Best Animated Feature Gold – Penguin Highway (Japan, Dir: Hiroyasu Ishida) Silver – Crisis Jung (France, Dir: Baptiste Gaubert, Jérémie Hoarau) Bronze – Violence Voyager (Japan, Dir: Ujicha) Guru Prize – Best Action Feature Gold – Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires (UK, Dir: Mike Mort) Silver – The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion (South Korea, Dir: Park Hoon-jung) Bronze – Believer (South Korea, Dir: Lee Hae-young) Best Documentary Gold – Boiled Angels: The Trial of Mike Diana (USA, Dir: Frank Henenlotter) Best Short Film Gold – Fire In Cardboard City (New Zealand, Dir: Phil Brough) Silver – Eau de Jésus (Canada, Dir: Mat Rich) Bronze – Entropia (USA, Dir: Marinah Janello)THE ACTION! JURY AWARD
The Action! jury was comprised of Alain Moussi, Sebastien Landry, and Laurence “Baz” Morais. WINNER: Believer (South Korea, Dir: Lee Hae-young) Jury statement: “A gripping story supported by credible characters, convincingly performed. The direction is flawless, with action scenes in the service of the story, and not the other way around. For these reasons, BELIEVER enters the select club of excellent Korean revenge movies… with a twist.” Special Mention: Chuck Steel: Night of the Trampires (UK, Dir: Mike Mort) “Technically flawless, Chuck Steel has the merit of totally owning its DNA: a raw and explosive animated film that never wimps out. A motorcycle ride at 200 km/hour, on a gravel road. Thanks, Chuck Steel!”THE SÉQUENCES JURY PRIZE
The Séquences jury was comprised of Donato Totaro (President), Jules Couturier, and Pascal Grenier. WINNER: Bodied (USA, Dir: Joseph Kahn) “For its exciting re-invention of the sports film as a performance art that breathlessly captures the kinetic energy, tension, danger and social power (and fun) of battle rap.”THE L’ÉCRAN FANTASTIQUE AWARD
The L’Écran Fantastique Award for the 2018 edition of Fantasia goes to to Mari Okada’s Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms. This distinction is conferred on the film for the high quality of its animation, its exceptional sense of staging, at once epic and intimate, and the universal depth of its script, questioning notions surrounding parent-child relationships, and this, in a context both fantastic in the universe it depicts, and sharply realist in its humanist discourse. The Prix L’Écran Fantastique rewards a fantasy, horror, or sci-fi feature film produced in 2017 or 2018, unreleased in France and presented as part of Fantasia. The prize consists of a two- to four-page report confirmed for publication in an upcoming edition (with mention of the honorary title awarded as part of Fantasia), and a full page of free publicity during the release of the film in theatres in France. L’Écran Fantastique, which has been in existence for 49 years, is distributed in Europe and Quebec. Its head office is in Paris. Alain Schlockoff is the editor and Yves Rivard, the Canadian correspondent.MY FIRST FANTASIA AWARD
The MFF jury was comprised of Amy Lachapelle, Adèle Fortier, Félix Primeau, and Corinne Raymond Gold – Wishing Box (USA, Dir:Lizzie Zhang) Silver – Made in France (France, Dir: Various) Bronze – Drôle de poisson (France-Switzerland, Dir:Krishna Chandran A. Nair)
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SUSANNE BARTSCH: ON TOP Documentary on NYC Nightlife and Fashion Icon Sets Release Date
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Susanne Bartsch: On Top[/caption]
The documentary Susanne Bartsch: On Top by award-winning director duo Anthony&Alex is an intimate immersion into the world of New York City nightlife and fashion icon Susanne Bartsch credited with launching the careers of RuPaul and Marc Jacobs; and raising millions of dollars for the fight against AIDS. The Orchard will open Susanne Bartsch: On Top theatrically on Friday, September 7 in Los Angeles at Laemmle Monica Film Center.
People have flocked to New York City to break free from the oppressive shackles of social norms and find themselves for decades; Susanne Bartsch has dedicated her life to creating a safe haven for just those people. The mother of avant-garde self-expression, Susanne creates imaginative spaces where people can live out their wildest fantasies night after night.
Susanne Bartsch: On Top explores Susanne’s life and impact through never-before-seen archival footage, verité cinematography, personal testimonials, and highly stylized imagery. From quiet moments at home to the creation of deliciously debaucherous spectacles, Susanne juggles family life with the overwhelming stress of being a one-woman industry. At an age when most of her peers have slowed down, Susanne moves forward more determined than ever.
Anthony&Alex are an award-winning director duo who over the past decade have transitioned from experimental live theater to filmmaking. Their work has been featured on MTV, VH1, Vogue, Dazed, HuffPo, Rolling Stone, Paper Magazine, Bullett, Out, Vice, been banned from Youtube, and awarded a Vimeo Staff Pick. In 2015 they directed the feature length work Success, an experimental concert film for musician Liam Finn, that premiered at The Museum of the Moving Image. Anthony&Alex debuted their first feature documentary, Susanne Bartsch: On Top, which premiered at Hot Docs and went on to win the John Schlesinger award at the Provincetown International Film Festival. They are partners at No Weather, a production company and filmmaking collective in NYC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fEGoXMDg60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVAAsU9NnsI
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3100: RUN AND BECOME, Documentary on Endurance Runners Sprints into Theaters on August 17 [Trailer]
3100: Run and Become is a new documentary about why we run; featuring uplifting, and intimate portrait of endurance runners and what motivates them. The documentary directed by Sanjay Rawal (Food Chains) opens in theaters on August 17, 2018.
What would you do to transform your life? How far would you go to change yourself? Would you drive, would you fly, would you run?
These are the themes of a new documentary about why we run, 3100: Run and Become. This uplifting, intimate portrait of endurance runners and what motivates them opens around the US in theaters August 17, 2018.
3100: Run and Become follows Ashprihanal Aalto, an unassuming Finnish paperboy, and Shamita, an Austrian cellist, in their attempts to complete the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race, the world’s longest certified footrace, which takes place each summer June through August. The 3100 encourages runners to discover the limits of their capacities–and to try to go beyond them. And go beyond, they must: the small group of competitors come from all over the world to run a distance that approximates a US cross-country run — a total of 3,100 miles in 52 days – 5,649 laps around one city block in Jamaica, Queens.
Ashprihanal and Shamita’s 3100 quest takes viewers from the heart of this astonishing event in New York to places around the world where ancient cultures have held running sacred for millennia: the Kalahari Desert, Arizona’s Navajo Reservation, and to the mountain temples of Japan. Through the heroic stories of three other runners (Shaun Martin, a Navajo runner and Board Member of Wings of America; Gaolo of the San Bushmen of the Kalahari; and Gyoman-san of the Monks of Mt. Hiei, Japan) 3100: Run and Become presents a portrait of endurance and transformation. Beyond competitiveness and athletic prowess, they run not for glory but for spiritual enlightenment, universal oneness –or because they simply have the responsibility to run.
3100: Run and Become is directed by Sanjay Rawal (Food Chains) and produced by Tanya Ager Meillier (Alias Ruby Blade, Capitalism: a Love Story). It was edited by Alex Meillier (Alias Ruby Blade, Obscene) and shot in 4K by Sean Kirby (Racing Extinction, We are X, Long Strange Trip). The film’s soundtrack, composed by Michael A. Levine, features an original song recorded by Roberta Flack, her first after suffering a stroke in 2016.
https://vimeo.com/261386426
DATE : CITY – THEATER
Aug 17 : Santa Fe – Center for Contemporary Art
Aug 24 : Albuquerque – Regal High Ridge
Aug 31 : Phoenix – Shea 14
Aug 31 : Sedona – Sedona 6
Aug 31 : Flagstaff – Flagstaff 16
Sep 7 : Eugene – Bijou Metro
Sep 7 : Seattle – Varsity Cinemas
Sep 7 : Portland – Cinema 21
Sep 7 : Bend – Pony Village 10
Sep 11 : Boulder – Int’l Film Series
Sep 14 : Denver – Sie FilmCenter
Sep 21 : Chicago – Gene Siskel
Sep 28 : North Lake Tahoe – Tahoe Art Haus and Cinema
Oct 26 : New York – Village East
Nov 9 : LA/Santa Monica – Laemmle Theater
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Pope Francis Documentary Wins Founder’s Grand Prize at Michael Moore’s 2018 Traverse City Film Festival
Pope Francis – A Man of His Word, written and directed by three-time Academy Award® nominee Wim Wenders won the top prize, the Founders Grand Prize at Michael Moore’s 2018 Traverse City Film Festival. The Audience Awards went to “Streakers” by Peter Luisi for Best Non-Fiction Film, and “The Russian Five” by Joshua Riehl for Best Documentary.
2018 TRAVERSE CITY FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS
AUDIENCE AWARDS
AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST FICTION FILM “Streaker” by Peter Luisi AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY “The Russian Five” by Joshua RiehlFOUNDERS AWARDS
THE MICHIGAN AWARD “Arthur Miller: Writer” by Rebecca Miller NORA EPHRON AWARD “Amateurs” by Gabriela Pichler BRUCE SINOFSKY AWARD FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING “One of Us” by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady SPECIAL AWARD FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING “Hillbilly” by Sally Rubin and Ashley York SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXUBERANCE IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING “Bathtubs Over Broadway” by Dava Whisenant YOUSSEF CHAHINE AWARD “The Insult” by Ziad Doueiri STANLEY KUBRICK AWARD FOR BOLD AND INNOVATIVE FILMMAKING Fiction: “The Captain” by Robert Schwentke Non-Fiction: “Our New President” by Maxim Pozdorovkin ROGER EBERT PRIZE FOR BEST FILM BY A FIRST TIME FILMMAKER Fiction: “And Breathe Normally” by Ísold Uggadóttir Non-Fiction: “The Sentence” by Rudy Valdez BEST US FICTION FILM – TIE “Hostiles” by Scott Cooper “Hearts Beat Loud” by Brett Haley BEST FOREIGN FICTION FILM “1945” by Ferenc Török BEST US NONFICTION FILM “Jane Fonda in Five Acts” by Susan Lacy BEST FOREIGN NONFICTION FILM “The Silence of Others” by Robert Bahar, Almudena Carracedo [caption id="attachment_27614" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Pope Francis – A Man of His Word[/caption]
FOUNDERS GRAND PRIZE
“Pope Francis: A Man of His Word” by Wim Wenders
SHORT FILM AWARD WINNERS
STUART J. HOLLANDER PRIZE FOR BEST FAMILY FILM “Sherbert Rosencrantz, You’re Beautiful” by Natalie van den Dungen SPECIAL MENTION SHORT FILM “Lifeboat” by Skye Fitzgerald SPECIAL MENTION SHORT FILM “Mini Bimaadiziwin” by Shane McSauby AUDIENCE AWARD BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT “Period. End of Sentence.” by Rayka Zehtabchi AUDIENCE AWARD BEST FICTION SHORT “Great Choice” by Robin Comisar BEST NONFICTION SHORT FILM “Period. End of Sentence.” by Rayka Zehtabchi BEST FICTION SHORT FILM “Emergency” by Carey WilliamsWINNERS OF THE TCFF BUMPER CONTEST, SPONSORED BY FIM GROUP
Honorable Mentions Tami Evans & Brenda Smith – “Pellicula Flickinicus” Ryan Schmitz, Rich Tran, Sierra Falconer – “Deserted” Patti Perkette – “What Makes a Movie?” Brad Geimenhardt – “Right On Time” John Hobbs – “One More Wish” Sierra Falconer – “The Last Ticket” Award Winners Don Blublaugh – “Game Night” Maggie Buerkle – “Photobomb” John Plough – “Lighthouse,” “Dogwalker,” “Popcorner”
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World Premiere of DRIVEN by Nick Hamm to Close 75th Venice International Film Festival
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Driven[/caption]
The world premiere of Driven directed by Nick Hamm (The Journey, Killing Bono) is the closing film, Out of Competition, of the 75th Venice International Film Festival on Saturday, September 8th in the Sala Grande of the Palazzo del Cinema at the Lido di Venezia.
Inspired by true events, Driven is a wickedly comedic look at a bromance gone bad. Set in the opulence of early 1980s California, the story follows the meteoric rise of John DeLorean, and his iconic DeLorean Motor Company, through his friendship with charming ex-con turned FBI informant, Jim Hoffman.
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Driven[/caption]
The cast of Driven is led by Lee Pace (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Hobbit) as motoring engineer and designer John DeLorean, Jason Sudeikis (Downsizing), as Jim Hoffman, DeLorean’s friend and con-man tuned FBI informant, Judy Greer (Ant-Man) as Hoffman’s strong-willed wife Ellen and Corey Stoll (House of Cards, Midnight in Paris) as ambitious FBI agent Benedict Tissa.
Nick Hamm declared: “Venice is an inspiring festival with an incredible audience. I am both honoured and delighted to be invited back to share this crazy, untold story.”
The 75th Venice International Film Festival directed by Alberto Barbera and organized by the Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta, will take place August 29 to September 8, 2018.
Driven
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Driven[/caption]
It’s 1974 and Jim Hoffman (Jason Sudeikis) is your average family man—father of two, hard-working pilot, doting husband to Ellen (Judy Greer). Oh, he’s also an occasional drug smuggler. And when Jim is caught using his family vacation to smuggle cocaine into the US, ambitious FBI agent Benedict J. Tisa (Corey Stoll) sees an opportunity to earn a major victory for the Bureau by using Jim to entrap his elusive supplier.
Starting over in an affluent San Diego neighbourhood on the government’s payroll, Jim’s duties as a confidential informant get side-tracked when he befriends his famous neighbour, motoring engineer and designer John DeLorean (Lee Pace). Bedazzled by DeLorean’s charm and vision, Jim soon finds himself in DeLorean’s inner circle at the launch of a new enterprise that promises to revolutionize the American motor industry.
However, when DeLorean’s dream hits the buffers with his company set to go belly-up, and Tisa’s nowhere near getting his guy, Jim suddenly finds himself caught between two desperate men who are willing to do anything to succeed.
Nick Hamm
Nick Hamm is a BAFTA award-winning director and producer whose career extends across feature films, television, and theatre. Hamm began his career as resident director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, focusing on both Shakespeare and contemporary plays before moving into film. After winning a BAFTA for the Chekhov adaptation THE HARMFULNESS OF TOBACCO, starring Edward Fox, Hamm went on to direct the BBC hit series PLAY ON ONE, starring Catherine Zeta- Jones and Colin Firth; and ITV’s highly acclaimed RIK MAYALL PRESENTS, starring Helena Bonham Carter. Hamm’s feature films include: TALK OF ANGELS for Miramax, starring Vincent Perez and Polly Walker; the romantic comedy THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU for Film Four/ Miramax written by Peter Morgan and starring Joseph Fiennes and Rufus Sewell; the cult movie hit THE HOLE starring Thora Birch and Keira Knightley for Pathé; and the psychological horror film, GODSEND, starring Robert De Niro for Lionsgate Films. In 2010, Hamm directed Paramount Pictures’ indie hit KILLING BONO, starring Ben Barnes, Robert Sheehan, Krysten Ritter and Pete Postlethwaite. Hamm then went on to direct and produce DirecTV and EOne’s US crime thriller ROGUE, starring Thandie Newton, and AT&T’s highly acclaimed half-hour ensemble drama series, FULL CIRCLE, created by Neil LaBute. Returning to film in 2016, Hamm directed THE JOURNEY, an official selection for the 73rd Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. IM Global’s dramatization of Northern Ireland’s Peace process premiered in 2017, earning acclaim for Timothy Spall’s take on Ian Paisley, and an IFTA award for Colm Meaney’s lead performance as Martin McGuiness. In fall of 2017, Hamm directed DRIVEN—the story of FBI informant, Jim Hoffman, and celebrity CEO John DeLorean’s friendship during the rise and fall of his auto empire, resulting in the most infamous scandal of its time. DRIVEN stars Jason Sudeikis, Lee Pace, Judy Greer and Corey Stoll.
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Argentinian Crime Thriller EL ANGEL Steals November Release Date
The Argentinian film El Angel directed by Luis Ortega that screened earlier this year at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, and next at the upcoming 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, will open in theaters in November. The film, starring Lorenzo Ferro, Chino Darin, Mercedes Morán, Daniel Fanego, Luis Gnecco, Peter Lanzani, and Cecilia Roth, is inspired by the true story of Carlos Robledo Puch, known as “the black angel”, a thief who killed eleven people in the early 1970s in Argentina.
The Orchard will release El Angel in Los Angeles at the NuArt on November 9th, as well as in New York in early November and rolling out to other US cities in November and December 2018.
Buenos Aires, 1971. Carlitos (Lorenzo Ferro) is a seventeen-year-old youth with movie star swagger, blond curls and a baby face. As a young boy, he coveted other people’s things, but it wasn’t until his early adolescence that his true calling—to be a thief—manifested itself. When he meets Ramon (Chino Darin) at his new school, Carlitos is immediately drawn to him and starts showing off to get his attention. Together they will embark on a journey of discoveries, love and crime. Killing is just a random offshoot of the violence, which continues to escalate until Carlitos is finally apprehended. Because of his angelic appearance, the press dubs Carlitos “The Angel of Death.” Showered with attention because of his beauty, he becomes an overnight celebrity. Altogether, he is believed to have committed over forty thefts and eleven homicides. Today, after more than forty-five years in jail, Carlos Robledo Puch is the longest-serving prisoner in the history of Argentina.
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Music Video ‘Mountains’ by Laurie Berenhaus to Screen at HollyShorts Film Festival
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.
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.
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.
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Refugee Crisis Documentary ELDORADO is Switzerland’s Entry in Oscar Race for Best Foreign Film [Trailer]
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.
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World Premiere of STAN & OLLIE Starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly to Close London Film Festival
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.
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7th Dominican Film Festival NY Awards: FLOR DEL SOL by Dilia Pacheco Wins Best Film
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.
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Toronto International Film Festival Reveals 24 Canadian Short Films on 2018 Lineup
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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 PremiereWAVELENGTHS
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