The remarkable story of the unparalleled success of Maynard Jackson Jr., Atlanta’s beloved longtime leader, is told in the compelling new documentary Maynard which will be released by Virgil Films on iTunes and digital platforms on Tuesday, July 3, 2018.
He was Obama before Obama, Maynard Holbrook Jackson became first black Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in 1973 and this film is an exploration into a man who had dreams and ambitions to be a public servant for his people seeing that it was the next logical step in the journey that had been started by Dr. King, and so many others who had blazed the trail during the years of horrific segregation.
Maynard interviews include President Bill Clinton, Al Sharpton, Vernon Jordan, Ambassador Andrew Young, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Jesse Jackson, former Atlanta Mayor’s Sam Massell and Shirley Franklin, and current Mayor Kasim Reed to name a few.
Directed by Academy Award nominee, Emmy winner and 4 time Peabody Award winner Sam Pollard (“Slavery by Another Name”, “Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me”, “Two Trains Runnin’”), Maynard is produced by Maynard Jackson III, Wendy Eley Jackson, Dolly Turner, Winsome Sinclair, Daphne McWilliams, Jason Orr, and Donald Jarmond with cinematography by Henry Adebonojo who worked on the Academy Award nominated documentary “I Am Not Your Negro”.
-
MAYNARD, Powerful and Inspiring Story of the First Black Mayor of a Major Southern City, Sets Digital Release Date [Trailer]
The remarkable story of the unparalleled success of Maynard Jackson Jr., Atlanta’s beloved longtime leader, is told in the compelling new documentary Maynard which will be released by Virgil Films on iTunes and digital platforms on Tuesday, July 3, 2018.
He was Obama before Obama, Maynard Holbrook Jackson became first black Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in 1973 and this film is an exploration into a man who had dreams and ambitions to be a public servant for his people seeing that it was the next logical step in the journey that had been started by Dr. King, and so many others who had blazed the trail during the years of horrific segregation.
Maynard interviews include President Bill Clinton, Al Sharpton, Vernon Jordan, Ambassador Andrew Young, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Jesse Jackson, former Atlanta Mayor’s Sam Massell and Shirley Franklin, and current Mayor Kasim Reed to name a few.
Directed by Academy Award nominee, Emmy winner and 4 time Peabody Award winner Sam Pollard (“Slavery by Another Name”, “Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me”, “Two Trains Runnin’”), Maynard is produced by Maynard Jackson III, Wendy Eley Jackson, Dolly Turner, Winsome Sinclair, Daphne McWilliams, Jason Orr, and Donald Jarmond with cinematography by Henry Adebonojo who worked on the Academy Award nominated documentary “I Am Not Your Negro”.
-
Zanzibar International Film Festival Announces Official Selection of Films in 2018 Competition
Supa Modo The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) announced the official selection of films in competition for the upcoming 2018 festival taking place in various venues in and around Stone Town Zanzibar from July 7th – 15th, 2018.
-
Romantic Hip-Hop Comedy THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE WORLD Starring Luna Wedler to World Premiere at Munich FilmFest
[caption id="attachment_29801" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Luna Wedler[/caption]
Aron Lehmann’s romantic hip-hop comedy “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”, featuring rising star Luna Wedler, newcomers Aaron Hilmer and Damian Hardung, and preeminent German actresses Anke Engelke and Heike Makatsch will world premiere at the Munich International Film Festival.
Watching streaming movies on a laptop alone is an everyday experience for any teenager. Cinema can offer so much more: a shared live experience. At the film festival, this even includes meeting stars as well as other fans. Once again, Munich International Film Festival is offering big-screen entertainment to young people between the ages of 14 and 24. The festival started in 2016 with the successful fantasy gem trilogy “Ruby Red”, “Sapphire Blue”, and “Emerald Green”. Last year, with the world premiere of Ute Wieland’s “Tigermilch” and an exclusive sneak peek at “Windstorm and the Wild Horses”, directed by Katja von Garnier, the focus was on brave girls. In 2018, the festival is pleased to continue this tradition by presenting, in cooperation with Tobis Film, the youth event “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”. With his new film, director Aron Lehmann puts in his third appearance at Munich International Film Festival. His first feature-length film, “Kohlhaas oder die Verhältnismäßigkeit der Mittel”, opened the New German Cinema series in 2012, while “The Last Pig” was shown as part of that series in 2016.
New pupil Roxy, played by Luna Wedler, is turning all the boys’ heads. The quick-witted 17-year-old has just flunked out of her old school and is not at all interested in going on a trip with her new classmates. On the bus to Berlin, however, she soon befriends sensitive outsider Cyril (Aaron Hilmer), who quickly falls for her even though he doesn’t believe he has much of a chance with her. Roxy is interested in pretty boy Rick (Damian Hardung), who — unlike Cyril — isn’t very eloquent. And pick-up artist Benno (Jonas Ems) is also in the picture. This sounds tricky, and it is: In a daring matchmaking attempt, Cyril aims to protect Roxy from the player Benno, even if it means helping Rick to score with Roxy. He writes cool song lyrics and romantic text messages, and Roxy really goes for it. At first. But who will, in the end, win the heart of the most beautiful girl in the world?
In the comedy “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”, European rising star Luna Wedler (“Blue My Mind”) as Roxy impresses not only newcomers Aaron Hilmer (“Sex, Pity and Loneliness”) and Damian Hardung, known from the VOX series “Red Bracelets” and the remake of “The Name of the Rose”. Director and screenplay co-author Aron Lehmann uses fresh hip-hop beats and clever turns of phrase to help narrate this turbulent and intricate romantic adventure story. This modern version of “Cyrano de Bergerac”, the famous play by Edmond Rostand from 1897 also features Anke Engelke as Cyril’s mother, Heike Makatsch and Johannes Allmayer (“Jesus Loves Me”) as teachers, and YouTube stars Jonas Ems and Julia Beautx as classmates.
The world premier of “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” will be on Friday, June 29 at 4.30 pm at the Mathäser cinema. The national film release will be on September 6, 2018 (distribution: Tobis Film).
-
‘The Best of All Worlds’ ‘Jamaica Man’ Among Award Winners of 9th NYC Independent Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_20689" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption]
Congratulations to the winners, nominees, and all the participants of the 2018 NYC Independent Film Festival. Winners include The Girl in The Woods by Sebastian Sdaigui taking the awards for Best Director and Best Short Film; Jamaica Man winning the awards for Best Cinematography plus Best Documentary Feature; and Adrien Goiginger’s The Best of All Worlds, winning the award for Best Narrative Feature.
The Girl In The Woods is a short film which explores crime, honor and violence in a post truth, hyper real world. It follows two social outcasts, Beatrix and Charlie, who find solace in one another while facing quirky characters they meet on the way from brothel girls to art dealers. In the quest to save the orphanage where they not only met but had the only sense of home, they find the money to pay off the orphanages debt by stealing from a Snuff director, Mr Sunshine. Triggering a showdown between between bad and not as bad. This short combines crime, comedy and a splash of blood.
Jamaica Man is a subjective documentary profile of British expat Nigel Pemberton. A biographical picaresque, inspired narratively by Spalding Gray and visually by Slim Aarons, the film is a highly stylized and unconventional portrait of a raconteur nearing the end of his life.
The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste Aller Welten) is a kid’s true story of his life in the unusual world of his heroin addict mother and their love of each other.
Award Winners of 9th NYC Independent Film Festival
The Girl in The Woods Best Director Sebastian Sdaigui, The Girl in the Woods Jamaica Man Best Cinematography Laura Hudock, Jamaica Man Best Narrative Feature The Best of All Worlds, Adrien Goiginger Best Short Documentary My Indiana Muse, Ric Serena, Jen Serena Best Documentary Feature Jamaica Man, Michael Weatherly Best Short Film The Girl in the Woods, Sebastian Sdaigui Best Super Short Film Strawberries, Donggyun Han Best Animation In a Heartbeat, Esteban Bravo, Beth David Best Music Video Closer, Luke Slattery Best Art/Experimental Film EGO, Kaya, David-Simon Dayan Best Short Sketch Comedy There’s Something About My Sister, Rebecca Shaw Best Web Series Saaba, Brandon Kramer TV Pilots Greenport, Shannon Goldman Best Actor Obi Abili, Forgotten Man Best Actress Marama Corlett, Afterword Best Short Script Finalist Graphic Best Short Script “Magic Trick”, Gerald Teaster, Kelley Cantrel Rone Best VR Video Rone, Lester Francois
-
Paul Guilfoyle and Lainie Kazan to Star in New Indie Film, TURNOVER [Video]
[caption id="attachment_29798" align="aligncenter" width="1204"]
Paul Guilfoyle and Lainie Kazan[/caption]
Veteran actors, Paul Guilfoyle (CSI, LA Confidential) and Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) star opposite each other in a new dramedy Turnover by award-winning writer/director/producer, Linda Palmer.
“Turnover” is the story of cafe owner, Peter who leaves his disgruntled manager, Henry, in charge of the business. Henry instead fires the staff and replaces them with an eclectic crew of misfits. Peter returns to an unrecognizable café, and eventually learns the value of camaraderie. He bonds with the new team, and only through their help is he able to save the business, his life, and ultimately find love.
Guilfoyle plays the role of “Peter” opposite Kazan who plays the role of the feisty head waitress, “Gladys.” “Henry” is played by Riker Lynch (Glee and the band R5), and veteran actor, Carlos Carrasco (Blood In, Blood Out), takes on the hardened ex-criminal role of “Miguel”, a savant chef with a heart of gold and the cooking chops to heal. Ms. Kazan stated, “It was the first positive project I had read in quite a while. I found it extremely inspirational and decided I must play the part of Gladys. I’m so happy to be part of this project.”
The remaining ‘misfits’ include, Adwin Brown (Heathers, The Fosters), Blair Williamson (Scrubs, Nip Tuck) and newcomer, Madison McCarthy. They are joined by a stellar cast of all-stars including, icon, Beverly Todd (Lean On Me, Bucket List), Elina Madison (Last Call at Murray’s), Kat Kramer (Child of the 70’s), Julia Silverman (American Pastoral), Jamie Brewer (American Horror Story) and Karen Sharpe Kramer (Johnny Ringo) among others. Mrs. Sharpe-Kramer has come out of retirement to join her daughter in the cast. Sharpe-Kramer stated, “I had basically retired from acting, but after reading ‘Turnover’ I fell in love with the story, the role of Pat, and decided to come on board. I’m dedicated to being involved with projects that focus on inclusion, diversity and family values. I’m thrilled to be joining my daughter Kat Kramer as a cast member, and working with the talented team, especially Linda Palmer, and so many gifted women behind, and in front of, the camera.”
The film will shoot in Long Beach, late this summer at a few select local businesses, primarily the Mediterranean favorite, Open Sesame, in Belmont Shore. “Turnover,” produced by Palmer, Marvin Glover, and Rae Davis, aims to educate and break down barriers for people with disabilities. Working with Activities Recreation and Care (ARC) and National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), the “Turnover” creative and production teams’ mission is to challenge the stigmas that people with disabilities face by using entertainment to showcase their talent and bring attention to the public.
Once the film is complete, ARC and NDSS will have the opportunity to promote awareness through private screenings arranged via Tugg.com, prior to its domestic release. Turnover, LLC, the film’s parent company, will then share the screening profits with these organizations. The film will be produced by Palmer’s production company, Runaway Productions, and Glover’s company, Sea Sand Entertainment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjVHTomfBRs
-
Hulu to Release Sundance Award-Winning Documentary MINDING THE GAP
Minding the Gap, is a moving documentary from director Bing Liu about three young men who bond across racial lines to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. Ten years later, while facing adult responsibilities, unsettling revelations force them to reckon with their fathers, their mothers, and each other. The documentary film has been acquired Hulu, and will be released as a Hulu Documentary both theatrically across key markets in the US and on Hulu on August 17th.
Minding the Gap was shot by Bing Liu and marks the director’s feature debut. The film made its world premiere earlier this year at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where it went on to win the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking. Since Sundance it has received over twenty-five awards and distinctions at festivals, including nine Jury Awards for Best Documentary and five Audience Awards.
Compiling over 12 years of footage shot in his hometown of Rockford, IL, in Minding the Gap Bing Liu searches for correlations between his skateboarder friends’ turbulent upbringings and the complexities of modern-day masculinity. As the film unfolds, Bing captures 23-year-old Zack’s tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend deteriorate after the birth of their son and 17-year-old Keire struggling with his racial identity as he faces new responsibilities following the death of his father. While navigating a difficult relationship between his camera, his friends, and his own past, Bing ultimately weaves a story of generational forgiveness while exploring the precarious gap between childhood and adulthood.
“When I first started developing Minding the Gap, I knew I wanted it to be accessible to young audiences, so I’m enthused with the reach the film will have as a Hulu Original,” said Bing Liu. “The film has elicited strong emotional responses with festival viewers around the world, so I’m happy with Hulu’s plans for a theatrical release and an outreach campaign to engage audiences in discussing the issues the film explores. I’m infinitely grateful for the friends and collaborators who’ve made the film possible, especially the brave participants of the film.”
The film is produced by Liu and Diane Quon through Kartemquin Films, and edited by Liu and Joshua Altman. Executive producers are Steve James, Gordon Quinn, Betsy Steinberg, Sally Jo Fifer, Justine Nagan, and Chris White. Minding the Gap is a co-production of Kartemquin Films, American Documentary |POV, and Independent Television Service (ITVS), with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program. Magnolia Pictures will handle the theatrical distribution.
Minding the Gap will join Hulu’s growing list of award-winning and critically acclaimed documentaries, including TINY SHOULDERS: RETHINKING BARBIE, THE BEATLES: 8 DAYS A WEEK – THE TOURING YEARS, TOO FUNNY TO FAIL, OBEY GIANT, BECOMING BOND, DUMB, BATMAN AND BILL and MARCH OF THE PENGUINS 2: THE NEXT STEP.
-
Marta Prus’ OVER THE LIMIT is Big Winner at 58th Krakow Film Festival
“Over the Limit” directed by Marta Prus, is the big winner of the 58th Krakow Film Festival taking the Silver Horn for the best feature film in the International Documentary Film Competition and the Silver Hobby-Horse for the director of the best documentary film in the National Competition. The film about the remarkable Russian gymnast Margarita Mamun and the emotional costs of professional sports, received also the award for the best producer of Polish short and documentary films funded by the Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce (KIPA) and the Best Cinematography Award under the patronage of The Polish Society of Cinematographers.
The winner of the International Documentary Film Competition is Talal Derki’s film “Of Fathers and Sons”. The 2014 winner of the Silver Horn once again confronted Krakow audience with the sheer terror of the Syrian war. Four years after the horrifying, successful and widely discussed “Return to Homs” – the opening film of the 54th KFF – the director visited a family of a radicalized ISIS member and followed the process of forming of jihadist fighters. In “Of Fathers and Sons” the camera focuses on little boys who are being prepared the join the ranks of ISIS by their beloved fathers, for whom family is especially important. The film received this year an award for best documentary at Sundance. Jury led by Péter Forgács (Hungary) handed out the prestigious Golden Horn award for “the director’s courageous penetration into the world of extremism”. The film was also awarded by the International Federation of Film Critics Jury (FIPRESCI).
The Silver Horn for the director of the best medium-length documentary went to Pablo Aparo and Martin Benchimol for their film “The Dread” (Argentina).
The winner of the oldest festival competition – International Short Film Competition – is Armelle Mercat for her film “Keep Your Hair On, Oliver” (France).
The jury, whose chairman was Iranian director and screenwriter Merhard Oskouei, gave the French director the Golden Dragon award emphasizing that the story presented in the film was only possible to tell through animation.
Silver Dragons are the awards given to the best short films representing all three competition genres. The Silver Dragon for the best documentary film went to Michał Hytroś for his film “The Sisters” (Poland). The film received also the special mention in the National Competition. The best animated film is “Obon” (dir. André Hörmann, Samo (Anna Bergmann)). Silver Dragon for the best short fiction went to Emmanuelle Fleytoux for her film “Release the Dogs” (France/Belgium). The Krakow Film Festival also gave this film the nomination for the European Film Award in the short film category (PRIX EFA KRAKOW 2018 for the best European film).
The best music documentary and the winner of the Golden Heynal award, chosen by the Jury led by Marcin Borchardt (Polska), is an American-Japanese documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda” (dir. Stephen Nomura Schible). In this moving documentary a story about the roots of music turns into a film meditation, which talks about the human fight with inhibitions. The protagonist, an Academy Award winner for his original score for the film “The Last Emperor”, this time shows his other faces: as a music experimenter, an activist fighting against environmental degradation and a man struggling with serious illness. The film received also the Student Jury award.
The Golden Hobby-Horse in the National Competition went to “Unconditional Love” by Rafał Łysak (Poland). The Jury led by Tadeusz Sobolewski appreciated the film “for a story about an intimate reality of people from different generations, which escapes a stereotypical judgment. If we watch the world so closely it can actually be tolerant as love is unconditional”.
The best Polish animation is “III” by Marta Pajek (Poland). It is the second Silver Hobby-Horse in the artist’s career. After two years Pajek came back to the idea of an impossible figure, which this time in a sensual and full of eroticism way portrays relations between men and women.
The award for the best Polish short fiction was handed out “for an accurate, comedic attempt to encapsulate the madness of the contemporary world” to Maciej Kawalski for his film “Atlas” (Poland).
The special mention went to the last year’s winner Damian Kocur for his film “1410”.
The audience award went to the Polish director Marta Prus for her film “Over the limit”.
For the fourth time the Krakow Film Festival, being among Europe’s most important film festivals, recommends feature documentary films for the European Film Award. This year the official recommendation was given to “White Mama” (Zosya Rodkevich, Evgeniya Ostanina).
The 59th Krakow Film Festival will take place May 26th to June 2nd, 2019.
59th Krakow Film Festival AWARDS
DRAGON OF DRAGONS AWARD
for the contribution into development of the world documentary film: SERGEI LOZNITSA RECOMMENDATION TO THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARD: WHITE MAMA, dir. Zosyia Rodkevich and Evgeniya Ostanina (Russia)INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
THE GOLDEN HORN for the director of the best film – Talal Derki for the film Of Fathers and Sons (Germany, Lebanon, Qatar, Syrian Arab Republic). For the director’s courageous penetration into this world of extremism that digs under the surface of a world we talk about but never have access to. With extraordinary cinematic language, it shows the tragedy of being raised in a situation where hate, violence and killing are the norm. We witness it as it is being transferred from generation to generation, from father to son. THE SILVER HORN for the director of the best medium-length documentary film – Pablo Aparo i Martin Benchimol for the film The Dread (Argentina). This delicately composed film portrays the remote village of El Dorado where local healers appear to have far more authority than normal doctors. Their hard-working daily life is saturated with mystical happenings and hopes. THE SILVER HORN for the director of the best feature-length documentary film – Marta Prus for the film Over the Limit (Finland, Germany, Poland). For a self-assured and consistent first feature that shows – with a calm observational eye – the complex relationships between three highly-strung characters all of whom are at the edge of their limits. With notable sensitivity, this films approaches these personal dilemmas and the extreme high price of winning. SPECIAL MENTION – Anastasiya Miroshnichenko for the film Debut (Belarus) By creating engaging visuals this first feature gives a sensitive insight into the convicts’ daily routines, the pains, the dreams and the hopes. The FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Jury awarded the International Film Critics Prize to Talal Derki for the film Of Fathers and Sons (Germany, Lebanon, Qatar, Syrian Arab Republic), for the powerful, complex and nuanced depiction of the poisonous legacy of patriarchy and for the director’s remarkably courageous approach to filmmaking.INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
GOLDEN DRAGON for the director of the best film – Armelle Mercat, for the film Keep Your Hair On, Oliver (France). With a childlike drawing the film paints an adult love and its shame. Like a poem, using only few words, it tells the story of subtle and complex emotions which would take a whole novel to express. It could only be made as an animation. SILVER DRAGON for the director of the best documentary film – Michał Hytroś, for the film The Sisters (Poland) A young filmmaker looks at an old world, and in the process shows a keen eye for the little things of everyday life. The film is very funny, but never at the expense of its fundamental seriousness about the fact that we may well be watching an endangered species. It invites us to visit a world that most of us will never experience, in the process revealing a common humanity. SILVER DRAGON for the directors of the best animated film – André Hörmann, Samo (Anna Bergman), for the film Obon (Germany). With the images as beautiful as traditional woodcuts, in a very contemporary way, an old woman recollects her youth and the difficult relationship with her father, for whose love she had to wait for a very long time. SPECIAL MENTION for Fundamental by ShihChieh Chiu (Taiwan) SILVER DRAGON for the director of the best short fiction film – Emmanuelle Fleytoux, for the film Release the Dogs (France/Belgium) At times we have to let go of things, in order to build something new. In this surprising and touching film, characters visibly change, and we never know where each passionate and sometimes violent encounter is going to lead. The suspense is maintained to the very end when the female power and with it the literal and metaphorical dogs are finally released. SPECIAL MENTION for Users by Jakub Piątek (Poland) PRIX EFA KRAKOW 2018 for the Best European Film (nomination to the European Film Award in the short film category) – Emmanuelle Fleytoux (France/Belgium) for the film Release the Dogs The International Federation of Film Societies (FICC) Jury granted the Don Quixote Award to the film Detainment directed by Vincent Lambre (Ireland). A well-known crime story we have read about for 25 years. The brutal murder of a baby boy affects us all, and this film was emotionally stressing to watch. Based on the original tapes from the police questioning, and without showing any graphic details, the horror of the crime hits you like a sledgehammer. The audience is like a fly on the wall when the truth is revealed. Despite the awful crime, we feel the director has managed to bring humanity into the portrait of the young killers, which were brilliantly played by Ely Solan and Leon Hughes. It is a heartbreaking story and it has changed the life of so many people in a very sad way. The Special Mention to the film: Joe Boots directed by Florian Baron (Germany, USA). The narrative is plain and simple, but it went straight to our hearts. It’s just one guy telling his story, but it is the story of every soldier coming home from war. He is changed but nobody can see it and most of us don’t care. The film is a tribute to every veteran.INTERNATIONAL DocFilmMusic COMPETITION
GOLDEN HEYNAL for the director of the best film – Stephen Nomura Schible for the film Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda (USA, Japan) For a skillfully crafted an intimate portrait of an unique and outstanding composer SPECIAL MENTION – Jukka Kärkkäinen and J-P Passi for the film Punk Voyage (Finland) For a life story bigger than music – Keep on rocking guys because PUNK’S NOT DEAD!NATIONAL COMPETITION
GOLDEN HOBBY-HORSE for the director of the best film funded by the President of the Polish Filmmakers Association – Rafał Łysak for the film Unconditional Love (Poland). For a story about an intimate reality of people from different generations, which escapes a stereotypical judgment. If we watch the world so closely it can actually be tolerant as love is unconditional. SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the director of the best documentary film – Marta Prus for the film Over the Limit (Poland, Germany, Finland). In a suggestive way the film brings the viewer deep into to the world of dramatic choices made by a sportswoman and an artist. SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the director of the best animated film – Marta Pajek for the film III (Poland). For spectacular drawing of the living shapes portraying an intimate experience of a woman and a man. SILVER HOBBY-HORSE for the director of the best fiction film – Maciej Kawalski for the film Atlas (Poland). For an accurate, comedic attempt to encapsulate the madness of the contemporary world. SPECIAL MENTION in the documentary category for Michał Hytroś for the film The Sisters (Poland). For presenting the comedic potential of the world behind the monastery walls. SPECIAL MENTION in the feature film category – Damian Kocur for the film 1410 (Poland). For the courage to ask naive questions and laugh at important matters. The Award of the Polish Filmmakers Association for the best film editing – Grażyna Gradoń for the film Notes on Life. A Movie about Edward Żebrowski (dir. Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz) Maciej Szumowski Award for remarkable social awareness funded by the National Broadcasting Council – Tomasz Knittel for the film Universam Grochów (Poland). The Award for the best short and documentary films producer in Poland funded by the Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce (KIPA) – Anna Kępińska and Maciej Kubicki (Telemark) for the film Over the Limit (Poland, Germany, Finland). Best Cinematography Award under the patronage of The Polish Society of Cinematographers funded by Coloroffon Film – Adam Suzin for the film Over the Limit.THE AWARD OF THE STUDENT JURY
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda (USA, Japan) directed by Stephen Nomura Schible. For showing how the most destructive forces can inspire the clearest sounds.THE AUDIENCE AWARD
Marta Prus for her film “Over the limit”.KFF INDUSTRY AND DOC LAB POLAND AWARDS
ANIMATED IN POLAND:
SOUND MIND AWARD – for the project of the film “The land of Whim”, dir. Betina Bożek, prod. Animation Film Studio, Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow AUDIOVISUAL TECHNOLOGY CENTER SPECIAL MENTION – “Red light train”, dir. Alicja Kot, prod. Animation Film Studio, Academy of Fine Arts in KrakowDOCS TO START:
HBO AWARD – for the project of the film “Scandal!”, dir. Bartosz Paduch, prod. Maciek Ostatek, Kacper Jaroszyński / „W To Mi Graj” Foundation KRAKOW FILM KLASTER AWARD – for the project of the film “Walk with Angels”, dir. Tomasz Wysokiński, prod. Tomasz Wysokiński /Ayahuasca Project LIGHTCRAFT AWARD – for the project of the film “The Last Expedition”, dir. Eliza Kubarska, prod. Monika Braid /Braidmade Films EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY NETWORK SPECIAL MENTION (EDN) – project of the film “Lessons in Democracy”, dir. Michał Helwak, prod. Marcin Wierzchosławski / Metro Films DOK LEIPZIG SPECIAL MENTION – for the project of the film “Ambulance Poland – Syria”, dir. Aleksander Zalewski, prod. Anna Kubik Sobala / AksamitDOCS TO GO!:
COLOROFFON AWARD – for the project “Lessons of Love”, dir. Małgorzata Goliszewska, Katarzyna Mateja, prod. Anna Stylińska / Fundacja Widok INSTITUTE OF DOCUMENTARY FILM SPECIAL MENTION – for the project of the film “An Ordinary Country”, dir. Tomasz Wolski, prod. Anna Gawlita / Kijora Film
-
World Premiere of BIG LEGEND to Open the 2018 Portland Horror Film Festival [Trailer]
The World Premiere of Justin Lee’s heart-pounding sasquatch movie Big Legend, will open the Portland Horror Film Festival on June 13th.
Kevin Makely stars as an ex-soldier who ventures into the Pacific Northwest to uncover the truth behind his fiance’s disappearance and finds more than bargained for after teaming up with a local hunter. The powerhouse cast includes Todd A. Robinson, Summer Spiro, with horror-icons Amanda Wyss (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog), and Lance Henriksen (Aliens).
Director Justin Lee, actors Kevin Makely, Todd A. Robinson, and Amanda Wyss, Executive Producer Shawn Nightingale, and Producer Drew Garrettson will be in attendance for the World Premiere.
Filmed on location in the Pacific Northwest, Big Legend is a Papa Octopus Production headed by Kevin Makely, Shawn Nightingale and Justin Lee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeAuKeB70mM
-
EIGHT GRADE and HALF THE PICTURE Win at Sundance London
[caption id="attachment_27753" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
EIGHTH GRADE[/caption]
Sundance Film Festival: London ’18 wrapped after four days, with the Audience Favourite award going to Eighth Grade directed by Bo Burnham; and director Amy Adrion was awarded a special Picturehouse #WhatNext Prize.
Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school — the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year — before she begins high school.
Eighth Grade had its International premiere at Sundance Film Festival: London following its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. Festivalgoers voted in the thousands for their favourite films across the four-day event at Picturehouse Central for this Audience Favourite Award.
The special Picturehouse #WhatNext prize was awarded to Amy Adrion for the way her documentary Half the Picture represents key female voices and helps amplify the conversation around the treatment of female directors in Hollywood. With seven out of the twelve films presented in the main programme directed by women, the 2018 Sundance London festival celebrated female talent and asked #WhatNext for a fairer film future.
Half the Picture had its European premiere at Sundance Film Festival: London following its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. At a pivotal moment for gender equality in Hollywood, successful women directors tell the stories of their art, lives and careers. Having endured a long history of systemic discrimination, women filmmakers may be getting the first glimpse of a future that values their voices equally.
Over 30 filmmakers and actors attended the festival to introduce their films and participate in audience Q&As, including Toni Collette and Ari Aster for the Time Out Gala film Hereditary; Ethan Hawke for First Reformed; Idris Elba and cast members from his directorial debut Yardie; and Crystal Moselle and the cast of Skate Kitchen.
-
16 German Films to World Premiere in New German Cinema Section of Filmfest München
[caption id="attachment_29565" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm[/caption]
16 German film productions are celebrating their world premiere in the New German Cinema section of the Filmfest München – Munich International Film Festival. Starting things off is Joachim A. Lang’s “Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm“, the opening film of the 36th Filmfest München, whose message is Brecht’s aphorism “In the contradiction lies the hope.”
Against the backdrop of historical circumstances, Oliver Haffner’s feature film “Wackersdorf – Be Alert, Courageous and Solidaric” raises a sensitive question about political activism: as personal as it is suspenseful, the film depicts opposition to the construction of a nuclear reprocessing plant in 1980s Bavaria.
“Safari – Match Me If You Can” by Munich director Rudi Gaul is about love in the digital age. A new dating app, Safari, makes the Bavarian capital a vehicle for self-promotion. Arthur Schnitzler’s stage play “La Ronde” is catapulted into the present day, with hilarious consequences.
Robert Bohrer and Emma Rose have submitted a most unusual “Love Movie”. An apathetic thirtysomething falls in love with a war photographer, and together they experience all the highs and lows of a relationship.
Jakob Lass, whose “Love Steaks” earned the Förderpreis Neues Deutsches Kino in four categories in 2013, is back in Munich. In his latest film, “Right Here Right Now”, we live through the last night of a Hamburg club and everything that a good farewell party entails. Partying is also a theme in Henning Gronkowski’s “Yung”. The film portrays Berlin teenagers on their (often wrong) way through the city and through life. Naturally this includes hedonism, sexuality, and drugs.
Several of the films in this year’s New German Cinema section broach the issue of relations between the sexes. Linus de Paoli’s thriller “A Young Man with High Potential” is the shocking story of a highly intelligent but prudish student of computer science who turns to chemical substances when rejected by the object of his affection. By contrast, in Leonel Dietsche’s “The New End”, only the men survive in a post-apocalyptic world in which might makes right.
Philipp Eichholtz’s comedy “Everything Always All the Time” is a bit more playful and lighthearted. In, Kim would like to be a man. That isn’t such an easy thing when others must first get used to this kind of new identity.
In Eva Trobisch’s drama, the protagonist tells herself things will be “All Good”. Since being raped, she does everything she can to keep up appearances — in order not to lose her job. Ann-Kristin Reyels’ “We Were Just Playing” is another film in which a character has a dark secret. Miro and Jona come from different worlds and want to be friends nonetheless.
Damian John Harper’s “In the Middle of the River” is about a traumatic incident: a young man returns to his home town to kill his grandfather. At the moment of truth, his plan is thwarted and the two men are forced to spend the rest of the day with each other. Family situations with a potential for conflict are also at the root of Michael Klier’s chamber play “Family Idiots”, about a mentally disabled girl whose family must decide whether to send her to an institution. It’s a moral question that threatens to pit the family members against each other. Katinka Narjes’ film “Sirens” is also about family ties: the bond between two sisters is indestructible, yet they must learn to let go.
Two documentaries are part of the New German Cinema section in 2018. In “The Brasch Family”, Annekatrin Hendel tells the story of three generations of a German family full of history, conflicts, and twists. In the meantime, Lola Randl, a previous guest at Filmfest München, offers a subjective and personal exercise in self-experimentation with “The Bees and the Birds”, moving to the countryside and exploring alternative ways of living both in front of and behind the camera.
As usual, the best achievements by new directors in the New German Cinema section will be awarded the Förderpreis Neues Deutsches Kino. The FIPRESCI Award will also be given for the fourth time to the best film in the section.
All the films in the New German Cinema section:
“A Young Man with High Potential”
by Linus de Paoli, Germany 2018
starring Adam Ild Rohweder, Amanda Plummer, Paulina Galazka, Vanja Bajdarova, Pit Bukowski Schattenkante, Hahn Film
“Alles ist gut” (“All Good”)
by Eva Trobisch, Germany 2018
starring Aenne Schwarz, Andreas Döhler, Hans Löw, Tilo Nest, Lina Wendel
TRIMAFILM GmbH, Starhaus Filmproduktion, BR
“Ende Neu” (“The New End”)
by Leonel Dietsche, Germany 2018
starring Sylvester Groth, Georg Friedrich, Milena Tscharntke, Samuel Schneider, Mick Morris Mehnert
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, SWR, Paxfilm
“Familie Brasch” (“The Brasch Family”)
by Annekatrin Hendel, Germany 2018
starring Marion Brasch, Katharina Thalbach, Christoph Hein, Bettina Wegner, Florian Havemann
IT WORKS! Medien GmbH, von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion, RBB, SWR, MDR
“Idioten der Familie” (“Family Idiots”)
by Michel Klier, Germany 2018
starring Lilith Stangenberg, Jördis Triebel, Hanno Koffler, Florian Stetter, Kai Scheve
Michael Klier-Film, almost famous UG, RBB, Arte
“In the Middle of the River”
by Damian John Harper, Germany/USA 2018
starring Eric Hunter, Max Thayer, Nikki Lowe, Matthew T. Metzler, Ava Del Cielo
Weydemann Bros., ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel, Arte
“Kim hat einen Penis” (“Everything Always All the Time”)
by Philipp Eichholtz, Germany 2018
starring Martina Schöne-Radunski, Christian Ehrich, Stella Hilb, Matthias Lier, Lana Cooper
Von Oma gefördert
“Liebesfilm” (“Love Movie”)
by Robert Bohrer, Emma Rosa Simon, Germany 2018
starring Eric Klotzsch, Lana Cooper, Hartmut Becker, Sabine Vitua, Gerdy Zint
BASIS BERLIN Filmproduktion, Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB), ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel
“Mackie Messer – Brechts Dreigroschenfilm”
by Joachim A. Lang, Germany 2018 starring Lars Eidinger, Tobias Moretti, Hannah Herzsprung, Joachim Król, Claudia Michelsen
Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH, SWR, Arte, Velvet Films
“Nixen” (“Sirens”)
by Katinka Narjes, Germany 2018
starring Odine Johne, Lucy Wirth, Emelie Harbrecht, Roland Bonjour
Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB)
“Safari – Match Me If You Can”
by Rudi Gaul, Germany 2018
starring Justus von Dohnányi, Sunnyi Melles, Elisa Schlott, Juliane Köhler, Max Mauff
Rat Pack Filmproduktion GmbH, Tele München GmbH, Martin Richter Filmproduktion
“So was von da” (“Right Here Right Now”)
by Jakob Lass, Germany 2018
starring Niklas Bruhn, Tinka Fürst, David Schütter, Mathias Bloech, Bela B. Felsenheimer
C-Films Deutschland GmbH, DCM Pictures GmbH, Tatami Films GmbH
“Von Bienen und Blumen” (“The Bees and the Birds”)
by Lola Randl, Germany 2018
starring Lola Randl
DETAiLFILM GmbH, Tohuwabohu GmbH
“Wackersdorf” (“Wackersdorf – Be Alert, Courageous and Solidaric”)
by Oliver Haffner, Germany 2018
starring Johannes Zeiler, Anna Maria Sturm, Peter Jordan, Fabian Hinrichs, Sigi Zimmerschied
if… Productions, BR, Arte
“Wir haben nur gespielt” (“We Were Just Playing”)
by Ann-Kristin Reyels, Germany 2018
starring Finn-Henry Reyels, Roman Bkhavnani, Silke Bodenbender, Godehard Giese
kurhaus production Film & Medien GmbH, ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel
“Yung”
by Henning Gronkowski, Germany 2018
starring Janaina Liesenfeld, Emily Lau, Joy Grant, Abbie Dutton
G.G. Production GmbH, deutschfilm GmbH
-
Alex Gibney Directing New HBO Documentary on the Rise and Fall of Healthcare Company Theranos
[caption id="attachment_29735" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Alex Gibney[/caption]
Academy Award winner Alex Gibney is working on a new documentary for HBO, investigating the rise and fall of Theranos, the one-time multibillion-dollar healthcare company founded by Elizabeth Holmes.
In 2004, Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford to start a company that was going to revolutionize healthcare. In 2014, Theranos was valued at $9 billion, making Holmes, who was touted as “the next Steve Jobs,” the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world. Just two years later, Theranos was cited as a “massive fraud” by the SEC, and its value was less than zero.
Drawing on extraordinary access to never-before-seen footage and testimony from key insiders, director Alex Gibney will tell a Silicon Valley tale that was too good to be true. With all the drama of a real-life heist film, the untitled documentary will examine how this could have happened and who is responsible, while exploring the psychology of deception.
“This story is a classic example of truth is more dramatic than fiction,” says Gibney. “The characters are at once larger-than-life and real.”
A Jigsaw Production for HBO Documentary Films; directed and written by Alex Gibney (“Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” HBO’s Emmy-winning “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief“); producers, Alex Gibney, Erin Edeiken, Jessie Deeter; editor, Andy Grieve; co-editor, Alexis Johnson; associate producer, Ophelia Harutyunyan; executive producer Graydon Carter. For HBO: executive producers, Sara Bernstein, Nancy Abraham.
-
Leonardo DiCaprio to Produce TV Documentary Series on President Ulysses S. Grant for History
[caption id="attachment_15285" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Leonardo DiCaprio[/caption]
History network has greenlit “Grant,” a six-part television documentary based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow’s #1 New York Times bestselling biography, produced by Academy Award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio. The documentary will portray one of the most complex and under-appreciated generals and presidents in U.S. History – Ulysses S. Grant. Chernow will also serve as executive producer.
“Grant is one of the most brilliant, yet flawed figures in U.S. History and Chernow’s extraordinary biography has transformed our understanding of him at the deepest level,” said Eli Lehrer, Executive Vice President of Programming, History. “This documentary will look at the Civil War and Reconstruction through the intriguing lens of Grant and we look forward to bringing Chernow’s fascinating portrait of this president to life.”
The six-part documentary examines Grant’s life story using his perspective and experiences to explore a turbulent time in History – the Civil War and Reconstruction. Grant is known for his role as U.S. Army General and Commanding General during the Civil War, but few recognize his struggles during his youth, his time at West Point, his service in the Mexican War alongside some of the greatest names from U.S. military History or his several failed business ventures before the Civil War.
Criticized for a scandal ridden Presidency and with a reputation for being a drunk, Grant was often dismissed by scholars, even after he distinguished himself as an extraordinary military strategist and leader during the Civil War. However, a primary focus of his Administration was Reconstruction and the herculean task to reconcile the North and the South. One of the most courageous and unexpected initiatives of Grant’s Presidency was protecting the four million freed slaves who had become U.S. citizens with the right to vote – despite the enormous resistance he faced. Most notably after his presidency, Grant embarked on a world tour in hopes Americans would forget the scandals during his term and negotiated a contract with a friend – famed novelist Mark Twain – to publish his now famous memoirs.
History has seen continued success with mega-docs such as Emmy Award winner “The Men Who Built America,” Emmy Award winner “America: The Story of Us,” Emmy Award nominee “The World Wars,” and “Vietnam in HD.” Most recently, “The Men Who Built America: Frontiersmen” reached 26 million viewers on a Live+7 basis.
“Grant” is produced for History by Appian Way Productions and RadicalMedia in association with Lionsgate Television. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson are executive producers for Appian Way Productions who are also producers on Lionsgate’s feature film based on the same property. Dave Sirulnick, Justin Wilkes and Fisher Stevens are executive producers for RadicalMedia. Ron Chernow is executive producer. Eli Lehrer, Mary E. Donahue and Jennifer Wagman are executive producers for History. Brian Volk-Weiss also serves as executive producer.