The final version of ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. has been added to the AFI FEST 2017 lineup and will screen in the Special Screenings section on Wednesday, November 15, at the TCL Chinese Theatre. The new film from director/writer Dan Gilroy, nominated for the Academy Award® for his screenplay for NIGHTCRAWLER, stars Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo.
The screening will be preceded by Dan Gilroy’s Los Angeles, a conversation with the director/writer of ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. and NIGHTCRAWLER that will explore the extraordinary and personal way in which Gilroy brings Los Angeles to life as a character in his films.
In ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ., Denzel Washington stars as a driven, idealistic defense attorney whose life is upended when his mentor, a civil rights icon, dies. When he is recruited to join a firm led by one of the legendary man’s former students — the ambitious lawyer George Pierce (Colin Farrell) — and begins a friendship with a young champion of equal rights (Carmen Ejogo), a turbulent series of events ensue that will put the activism that has defined Roman’s career to the test. Written and directed by Dan Gilroy, the film is produced by Jennifer Fox, Todd Black and Denzel Washington.
AFI FEST takes place November 9–16, 2017, in the heart of Hollywood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGVIKqbEtdU-
ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. Starring Denzel Washington Added to AFI FEST 2017
The final version of ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. has been added to the AFI FEST 2017 lineup and will screen in the Special Screenings section on Wednesday, November 15, at the TCL Chinese Theatre. The new film from director/writer Dan Gilroy, nominated for the Academy Award® for his screenplay for NIGHTCRAWLER, stars Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell and Carmen Ejogo.
The screening will be preceded by Dan Gilroy’s Los Angeles, a conversation with the director/writer of ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. and NIGHTCRAWLER that will explore the extraordinary and personal way in which Gilroy brings Los Angeles to life as a character in his films.
In ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ., Denzel Washington stars as a driven, idealistic defense attorney whose life is upended when his mentor, a civil rights icon, dies. When he is recruited to join a firm led by one of the legendary man’s former students — the ambitious lawyer George Pierce (Colin Farrell) — and begins a friendship with a young champion of equal rights (Carmen Ejogo), a turbulent series of events ensue that will put the activism that has defined Roman’s career to the test. Written and directed by Dan Gilroy, the film is produced by Jennifer Fox, Todd Black and Denzel Washington.
AFI FEST takes place November 9–16, 2017, in the heart of Hollywood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGVIKqbEtdU
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Louis C.K. Admits “These stories are true”
Louis C.K. today released the following statement addressing the allegations of sexual misconduct that were published in yesterday’s New York Times article. In the wake of the report, the release of his upcoming film I Love You, Daddy was canceled by the distributor, The Orchard.
I want to address the stories told to the New York Times by five women named Abby, Rebecca, Dana, Julia who felt able to name themselves and one who did not.
These stories are true. At the time, I said to myself that what I did was okay because I never showed a woman my (penis) without asking first, which is also true. But what I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your (penis) isn’t a question. It’s a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly.
I have been remorseful of my actions. And I’ve tried to learn from them. And run from them. Now I’m aware of the extent of the impact of my actions. I learned yesterday the extent to which I left these women who admired me feeling badly about themselves and cautious around other men who would never have put them in that position.
I also took advantage of the fact that I was widely admired in my and their community, which disabled them from sharing their story and brought hardship to them when they tried because people who look up to me didn’t want to hear it. I didn’t think that I was doing any of that because my position allowed me not to think about it.
There is nothing about this that I forgive myself for. And I have to reconcile it with who I am. Which is nothing compared to the task I left them with.
I wish I had reacted to their admiration of me by being a good example to them as a man and given them some guidance as a comedian, including because I admired their work.
The hardest regret to live with is what you’ve done to hurt someone else. And I can hardly wrap my head around the scope of hurt I brought on them. I’d be remiss to exclude the hurt that I’ve brought on people who I work with and have worked with who’s (sic) professional and personal lives have been impacted by all of this, including projects currently in production: the cast and crew of Better Things, Baskets, The Cops, One Mississippi, and I Love You Daddy (sic). I deeply regret that this has brought negative attention to my manager Dave Becky who only tried to mediate a situation that I caused. I’ve brought anguish and hardship to the people at FX who have given me so much The Orchard who took a chance on my movie and every other entity that has bet on me through the years.
I’ve brought pain to my family, my friends, my children and their mother.
I have spent my long and lucky career talking and saying anything I want. I will now step back and take a long time to listen.
Thank you for reading.
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26 Animated Feature Films Submitted for 90th Academy Awards
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Loving Vincent[/caption]
Twenty-six features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 90th Academy Awards. Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture.
Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018. The 90th Oscars® will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood.
The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:
The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales
Birdboy: The Forgotten Children
The Boss Baby
The Breadwinner
Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie
Cars 3
Cinderella the Cat
Coco
Despicable Me 3
The Emoji Movie
Ethel & Ernest
Ferdinand
The Girl without Hands
In This Corner of the World
The Lego Batman Movie
The Lego Ninjago Movie
Loving Vincent
Mary and the Witch’s Flower
Moomins and the Winter Wonderland
My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea
Napping Princess
A Silent Voice
Smurfs: The Lost Village
The Star
Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale
Window Horses The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming
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The Orchard No Longer Releasing Louis C.K.’s I LOVE YOU, DADDY
The Orchard will has dropped Louis C.K.’s latest film I Love You, Daddy, after the publication of yesterday’s disturbing bombshell New York Times report where five women accuse the comedian of inappropriate behavior, including the disturbing allegation that he masturbated in front of them. Last night’s premiere, along with a scheduled appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was also canceled.
The distributor’s statement read: “The Orchard will not be moving forward with the release of I Love You, Daddy.”
I Love You, Daddy, written, directed, produced and starring Louis C.K., premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival in September. The film was acquired by The Orchard for a reported $5 million and was scheduled to be released in theaters on November 17.
Shot on 35mm in black and white, Louis C.K.’s I Love You, Daddy was filmed entirely in secret.
“Everything that’s difficult,” Louis C.K. once said, “you should be able to laugh about.” Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Written, directed, and edited by the comic genius The New York Times called a “stand-up Houdini,” I Love You, Daddy features the deft, conceptual acrobatics C.K.’s fans know best, but also a dive into moral hot water guaranteed to raise the temperature of any film lover. This is an edgy comedy pitched partway between the sharp social observation of his Horace and Pete series and the gasp-inducing laughs of his stand-up. And the less you know going in, the better.
As with Horace and Pete, I Love You, Daddy was made in secret, entirely off the film industry grid of development meetings, international financiers, studio production notes, and test screenings. It is pure, unfiltered Louis C.K., and shows him to be a ruthless observer of showbiz behind the scenes and human nature behind the masks. In addition to taking a central role, he has brought together a dream cast that includes Chloë Grace Moretz, Helen Hunt, Edie Falco, Rose Byrne, Pamela Adlon, Charlie Day, Ebonee Noel, and, in a role that may become one of his signatures, John Malkovich.
I Love You, Daddy also shows C.K. to be quite a cinephile. In an old-school stroke, he shot the film on 35mm, but not just any 35mm. This up-to-the-minute satire was shot on rich, timeless black-and-white film, in a throwback to the classics that inspired it. We don’t see this kind of movie anymore. As for the actions of the characters on display here, we’ll continue to see them so long as artists pursue their visions, and people their desires. [ Toronto International Film Festival]
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Sundance Selects will Release Rachel Dretzin’s Documentary FAR FROM THE TREE
Ahead of its world premiere today, November 10, at DOC NYC, Sundance Selects has acquired Rachel Dretzin’s documentary Far From the Tree, for a theatrical release in Summer 2018.
Based on the award-winning book by acclaimed author Andrew Solomon, Far From the Tree is an inspiring look at the difficulties and rewards of both raising and being a child whose life is vastly different from that of his or her parents. Directed and produced by Emmy®Award-winner Dretzin, the film follows several families as they cope with the challenges presented by Down syndrome, dwarfism, autism and even having a child in prison. The film shares their intimate stories with touching candor, and in doing so reveals basic truths about all parents and all children, truths of acceptance and love that feel especially urgent at this historic moment.
Solomon commented on the news, saying: “I was delighted to find in Rachel Dretzin a filmmaker who could translate my book into a gorgeous and compelling film, and now I’m thrilled that the film has found in Sundance Selects a distributor who shares our vision. This will be the perfect path for this deeply moving film to meet its audience.”
Dretzin added: “Sundance Selects has a fantastic track record and their plans for the film are very much in sync with what we had hoped for. It’s a delight and an honor to have them on board.”
“Far From the Tree is an inspiring and irresistibly moving journey into the differences that make us who we are. It builds on Andrew Solomon’s landmark book to paint a complex and universal portrait of acceptance with an empathy and scale that only true cinema can do,” said Jonathan Sehring and Lisa Schwartz, co-Presidents of Sundance Selects/IFC Films.
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Documentary THE SECRET LIFE OF LANCE LETSCHER Will Premiere on Ovation [TRAILER]
The documentary The Secret Life of Lance Letscher, is a deeply personal and psychological portrait of internationally-renowned collage artist Lance Letscher, told through biographical memories of trauma and triumph. Featuring interviews with collectors, fellow artists, art critics and friends, the film provides a doorway into Letscher’s unique artistry and his brilliant mind. The critically acclaimed documentary from director Sandra Adair, will debut on Ovation, America’s only arts network, as the “Artists and Icons” movie of the week on Sunday, November 19, 2017 at 7pm ET / 4pm PT.
The Secret Life of Lance Letscher, includes images of more than a hundred of his intricate and complex collages, sculptures and installations. Letscher is internationally famous for taking bits of old books, magazines, newspaper clippings, old letters, catalogues, posters, album covers and other found objects from flea markets and junk yards across Texas and assembling them into startlingly intricate art. He has exhibited extensively across the U.S. and abroad including Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, as well as in London, Brussels, Munich and Barcelona and his works are represented in the collections of the Austin Museum of Art, Austin and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
The documentary film is directed, produced and edited by Sandra Adair, A.C.E. Adair is an Academy Award-nominated feature film editor (Boyhood) and is making her directorial debut with The Secret Life of Lance Letscher.
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VIDEO: Watch New Trailer for Uplifting Family Romance FOREVER MY GIRL
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Forever My Girl[/caption]
A new trailer is here for the uplifting family romance Forever My Girl which will be released wide in theaters on January 19, 2018.
Forever My Girl tells the story of music super-star Liam Page (Alex Roe) who left his bride, Josie (Jessica Rothe), at the altar choosing fame and fortune instead. However, Liam never got over Josie, his one true love, nor did he ever forget his Southern roots in the small community where he was born and raised. When he unexpectedly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his high school best friend, Liam is suddenly faced with the consequences of all that he left behind.
Written and directed by Bethany Ashton Wolf based upon the novel by Heidi McLaughlin, the film stars Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, Abby Ryder Fortson, Travis Tritt, Judith Hoag and John Benjamin Hickey.
https://youtu.be/5iEOQn8UUHI
Executive Music Producer Brett Boyett assembled some of the biggest and most respected names in country music to perform the film’s original songs including white-hot CMA New Artist of the Year nominee Lauren Alaina performing WINGS OF AN ANGEL. Alaina also performs a duet with Phillip Sweet, member of four-time CMA-nominated Little Big Town, titled ENOUGH. The film’s star Alex Roe performs four original songs including DON’T WATER DOWN MY WHISKEY, ENOUGH, SMOKIN’ AND CRYIN’ and FINALLY HOME (with co-star Abby Ryder Fortson). In addition, co-star and award-winning singer/songwriter Travis Tritt performs SLOWING DOWN with additional contributions made by Josh Turner, Dan Tyminski, Destin Bennett and Canaan Smith.
ORIGINAL SONGS / Performers
ALWAYS AND FOREVER / Canaan Smith
BACK FROM GONE / Josh Turner
CAN’T TAME A FIRE / Dan Tyminski
DON’T WATER DOWN MY WHISKEY / Alex Roe
ENOUGH / Lauren Alaina & Phillip Sweet
FINALLY HOME / Alex Roe with Abby Ryder Fortson
SLOWING DOWN / Travis Tritt
SMOKIN’ AND CRYIN’ / Alex Roe
SOLID GROUND / Brett Boyett
WHO NEEDS MEXICO / Canaan Smith
WILD AND FREE / Destin Bennett
WINGS OF AN ANGEL / Lauren Alaina
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Austin Film Festival Announces 2017 Audience Award Winners . COMING TO MY SENSES Wins Courage Award
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Coming to My Senses[/caption]
The Austin Film Festival announced its 2017 Hiscox Audience and Courage Award Winners. The 2017 Hiscox Courage Award went to Coming to My Senses, directed by Dominic Gill. Coming to My Senses is a documentary feature that follows Aaron Baker, a man who faces insurmountable odds and learns to walk again after breaking his neck in a motocross accident, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. Voted on by the audience, the Hiscox Courage Award is presented to the work that best embodies the virtue of courage and to the filmmaker who best embraced the risk to share the story.
2017 Austin Film Festival Hiscox Audience Award winners
Narrative Feature: Beauty Mark, written by Harris Doran Documentary Feature (tie): Transformer, directed by Michael Del Monte Documentary Feature (tie): Mr. Fish: Cartooning from the Deep End, directed by Pablo Bryant Dark Matters Feature: The Landing, written by David Dodson and Mark Dodson Comedy Vanguard Feature: Don’t Talk to Irene, written by Pat Mills Narrative Short: So Much Yellow, written by Erica Milsom Documentary Short: So Damn Glad, directed by Justin Lubke Animated Short: Negative Space, written by Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata Narrative Student Short: Towards the Sun, written by Elie Choufany and Monica Santis Scripted Digital Series: Cleaner Daze, created by Tess Sweet and Daniel Gambelin Marquee Feature: Mudbound, written by Dee Rees and Virgil Williams Marquee Television: The Deuce (S1E08: “My Name is Ruby”), written by George Pelecanos and David Simon
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SUN DOGS and RESISTANCE IS LIFE Win Top Awards at Savannah Film Festival
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Sun Dogs[/caption]
Sun Dogs and Resistance is Life won the top prizes at the 20th anniversary SCAD Savannah Film Festival. Eleven awards were handed out to the competition films winners during a celebratory luncheon, held at the historic Olde Pink House.
2017 SCAD Savannah Film Festival Award Winners
Narrative and Documentary Features
Best Narrative Feature: Sun Dogs (USA) – Intellectually limited from an accident at birth, Ned Chipley has failed four times to join the Marines. He teams up with a young runaway and the two surveil a group of young men they mistake as terrorists. The pair’s misadventures lead to the unexpected discovery that sometimes the greatest purpose in life can present itself in the most unlikely of places. Director: Jennifer Morrison Best Director: Ian Hunt Duffy, Gridlock (Ireland) – During a traffic jam on a country road, a little girl goes missing from one of the cars. Her father desperately forms a search party to find her, and soon everyone is a suspect. Director Ian Hunt Duffy Best Documentary Feature: Resistance is Life (Syria/Turkey/USA) – From a refugee camp on the Turkish–Syrian border, 8-year-old Evlin characterizes the resilience of her homeland’s resistance against jihadists. Her heroes, the Kurdish female fighters, are defending the city of Kobane against ISIS militants. Evlin takes us on a journey that introduces many different faces of the resistance, provides a unique look at the spirit behind the first major victory against ISIS and shows us that hope and resilience prevail even in the most tragic circumstances. Director: Apo W. Bazidi Special Jury Award: Best Family Documentary: Through the Windmill (USA)- Explore the history of miniature golf in the U.S., and how these unique, family-friendly roadside attractions have evolved over the last 100 years. Hear from the talented people who design, build and operate them in interviews with top designers, players and historians. Director Amanda Kulkoski Best Editing: Five Minutes (USA) – A progressive elementary school’s parenting class takes an unexpected and dramatic turn. Director Justine BatemanProfessional Shorts
Best Animated Short: Follow Your Heart (USA) – In a world where people’s hearts are detached from their bodies and are like pets, Mary loses “Skip,” only to rediscover herself and learn what it means to follow your heart. Director Rob O’Neill Best Narrative Short: The Silent Child (UK) – In rural England, a profoundly deaf four-year-old girl named Libby lives in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her the gift of communication. Director Chris Overton Special Jury Award: Stop Motion Animation Poles Apart (UK) – An unlikely meeting occurs between Nanuk, a tough female polar bear, and Aklak, an enthusiastic male grizzly bear, brought together by their changing habitats. Director Paloma BaezaStudent Awards
Best Student Short: It’s Just a Gun (USA) – When a young boy finds a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, it sets in motion a series of events that will change him forever. Director: Brain Robau Special Jury Award: Poles Apart (USA) – An unlikely meeting occurs between Nanuk, a tough female polar bear, and Aklak, an enthusiastic male grizzly bear, brought together by their changing habitats. Director Paloma Baeza Silver Screen Society Award (Best Short Film by a SCAD Student): I Have Something to Tell You (USA) – Adrain Chesser, a fine-art photographer, uses his work to cope with his HIV/AIDS diagnosis in this acclaimed portrait series. Director Dumaine Babcock and Ben Joyner Best Student Animation: Icky (Iran) – In a world of people with a Rubik’s cube head, there is one kid who is different than the others. Director Parastoo Cardgar
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ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD Starring Kevin Spacey Pulled as Closing Night Film of AFI FEST
After the explosive (still exploding) allegations of sexual harassment and assault involving actor Kevin Spacey, his latest film All the Money in the World has been pulled as the closing night film of AFI FEST.
The festival released a statement: “AFI Fest celebrates film as a collaborative art form. We support Sony’s decision to postpone the premiere in order to ensure the thousands of people who worked together on this film are honored at a proper time and in a proper light.”
Sony’s TriStar Pictures also released a statement, “‘All the Money in the World’ is a superb film and more than worthy of its place of honor in the AFI Fest. But given the current allegations surrounding one of its actors and out of respect for those impacted, it would be inappropriate to celebrate at a gala at this difficult time. Accordingly, the film will be withdrawn. However, a film is not the work of one person. There are over 800 other actors, writers, artists, craftspeople and crew who worked tirelessly and ethically on this film, some for years, including one of cinema’s master directors. It would be a gross injustice to punish all of them for the wrongdoings of one supporting actor in the film. Accordingly, the film will open wide as planned on December 22.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x62O8A8qHw
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A TAXI DRIVER Wins Best Picture + Top Awards at Asian World Film Festival
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A Taxi Driver[/caption]
The 3rd Asian World Film Festival came to a close with George Takei’s Allegiance: The Broadway Musical on the Big Screen. A Taxi Driver was the top film of the 2017 Festival, winning the award for Best Picture, along with a Special Mention to actress Kang-ho Song for her performance in the film. The film was also awarded Dr. Kim’s ‘He Can Do She Can Do’ Award.
The AWFF Jury Awards
Snow Leopard Best Picture: A Taxi Driver (Dir: Jang Joon, Republic of Korea) Snow Leopard Best Actor: Actor and director, Aktan Arym Kubat in Centaur, (Kyrgyzstan) Snow Leopard Best Actress: Anoma Janadari in Burning Birds (Dir: Sanjeewa Pushpaumara, Sri Lanka). A Special Mention was given to Kang-ho Song in A Taxi Driver. Snow Leopard Special Jury Award: Mad World (Dir: Wong Chun, Hong Kong). Snow Leopard Audience Award was given to Ayla: The Daughter of War (Dir: Can Ulkay, Turkey). Snow Leopard Best New Director Award was awarded to two winners: Scary Mother Dir: Ana Urushadze (Georgia); and How Victor “The Garlic” Took Alexey “The Stud” To The Nursing Home Dir: Alexander Hant (Russia).Other awards
Dr. Kim’s ‘He Can Do She Can Do’ Award, and cash prize of $10,000 was awarded to A Taxi Driver (Dir: Jang Hoon,Republic of Korea). The Snow Leopard Rising Star Award was presented to Sreymoch Sareum for her role in First They Killed My Father. The film’s director, producer and co-screenwriter Angelina Jolie and co-screenwriter and executive producer, Loung Ong, accepted the award on Sreymoch’s behalf at a special screening of the film . The Spirit Award for Dedication and Passion was given to Vietnamese actress Ha Phuong; and the Murray Weissman Poster Art Award was given to Little Gandhi (Dir: Sam Kadi, Syria; designer: Brian A. Metcalf). Little Gandhi is Syria’s 2017 Foreign Language Film Oscar contender. George Takei was honored with the Snow Leopard Lifetime Achievement Award for his activism work within the LBGTQ community.
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15: A QUINCEAÑERA STORY, Five Different Latina Girls Celebrate Quinceañera, will Debut on HBO
15: A Quinceanera Story is a collection of four short films following five Latina girls from different cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds as they transition to adulthood, all observing the traditional rite of passage of the quinceañera, a celebration of their 15th birthdays.
Executive produced by renowned music executive Tommy Mottola and directed by Emmy(R) winner Matthew O’Neill and Latin Grammy-winning recording artist Thalía Sodi, 15: A Quinceanera Story, debuts Tuesday, December 19 (7:00-7:30 p.m. ET/PT), followed by a new film at the same time on successive nights – DEC. 20, 21 and 22 – simultaneously on HBO and HBO Latino.
“As a Latina, I’m proud to share our culture and shine a spotlight on the dynamic, talented and beautiful young women featured in these four films,” comments director Thalía Sodi.
“These young women are fierce and determined, and represent the rising generation of American Latinas who are helping define the future of our country,” adds executive producer Tommy Mottola.
“The featured young women are examples of the breadth and diversity of the Latina experience in America – we’re proud to celebrate them and their communities as they contend with the complicated realities of growing up in America today,” says director Matthew O’Neill. “I couldn’t think of a better home for these stories than HBO.”
15: A Quinceanera Story follows young girls and their families as they navigate the complexities of coming of age in the U.S. From grappling with gender identity to the constant fear of having a loved one deported, the issues raised in each piece reflect the current cultural and political landscape.
The quinceañera girls profiled include:
Zoey (debuting Dec. 19), a young Mexican-American living south of Los Angeles, who was assigned male at birth and celebrates with her trans-madrinas (godmothers), who never had quinceañeras of their own.
Rosi (Dec. 20), an American growing up in Florida with a mother from Guatemala and a father from Cuba, who combines all three of her cultures for a quinceañera in Havana. She chooses to celebrate there because her beloved grandfather cannot get a visa to the U.S.
Ashley (Dec. 21), an amateur boxer living in East Los Angeles, whose mother is a Dreamer and whose father has been deported. She is as nervous about her first official fight as she is about her quinceañera. Ashley’s coach, who is undergoing deportation procedures, may not get to see her special day.
Jackie and Nina (Dec. 22), best friends from San Antonio, who decide to honor their multi-generational Mexican-American heritage by mixing their joint quince with their love of escaramuza, a traditional Mexican horse-dancing display.