Sammy Davis, Jr. takes aim in a backstage photo with his dancers in a scene from the documentary SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: I’VE GOTTA BE ME. Photo Credit: The Estate of Altovise Davis[/caption]
The trailer premiered today for the new documentary Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me directed by the legendary documentary filmmaker Sam Pollard, which will have it’s world premiere this September at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me is the first major film documentary to examine Davis’ vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th-century America.
Sammy Davis, Jr. had the kind of career that was indisputably legendary, so vast and multi-faceted that it was dizzying in its scope and scale. And yet, his life was complex, complicated and contradictory. Davis strove to achieve the American Dream in a time of racial prejudice and shifting political territory. He was the veteran of increasingly outdated show business traditions trying to stay relevant; he frequently found himself bracketed by the bigotry of white America and the distaste of black America; he was the most public black figure to embrace Judaism, thereby yoking his identity to another persecuted minority.
Featuring new interviews with such luminaries as Billy Crystal, Norman Lear, Jerry Lewis, Whoopi Goldberg, Quincy Jones and Kim Novak, with never-before-seen photographs from Davis’ vast personal collection and excerpts from his electric performances in television, film and concert, Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me explores the life and art of a uniquely gifted entertainer whose trajectory blazed across the major flashpoints of American society from the Depression through the 1980s.
I want to live, not merely survive
And I won’t give up this dream
Of life that keeps me alive.
I’ve gotta be me, I’ve gotta be me
The dream that I see makes me what I am.
I’m Puerto Rican, Jewish, colored, and married to a white woman.
When I move into a neighborhood, people start running in four ways at the same time.
–Sammy Davis, Jr.
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VIDEO: Watch Trailer for Documentary SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: I’VE GOTTA BE ME World Premiering at Toronto Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_23794" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Sammy Davis, Jr. takes aim in a backstage photo with his dancers in a scene from the documentary SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: I’VE GOTTA BE ME. Photo Credit: The Estate of Altovise Davis[/caption]
The trailer premiered today for the new documentary Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me directed by the legendary documentary filmmaker Sam Pollard, which will have it’s world premiere this September at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me is the first major film documentary to examine Davis’ vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th-century America.
Sammy Davis, Jr. had the kind of career that was indisputably legendary, so vast and multi-faceted that it was dizzying in its scope and scale. And yet, his life was complex, complicated and contradictory. Davis strove to achieve the American Dream in a time of racial prejudice and shifting political territory. He was the veteran of increasingly outdated show business traditions trying to stay relevant; he frequently found himself bracketed by the bigotry of white America and the distaste of black America; he was the most public black figure to embrace Judaism, thereby yoking his identity to another persecuted minority.
Featuring new interviews with such luminaries as Billy Crystal, Norman Lear, Jerry Lewis, Whoopi Goldberg, Quincy Jones and Kim Novak, with never-before-seen photographs from Davis’ vast personal collection and excerpts from his electric performances in television, film and concert, Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me explores the life and art of a uniquely gifted entertainer whose trajectory blazed across the major flashpoints of American society from the Depression through the 1980s.
I want to live, not merely survive
And I won’t give up this dream
Of life that keeps me alive.
I’ve gotta be me, I’ve gotta be me
The dream that I see makes me what I am.
I’m Puerto Rican, Jewish, colored, and married to a white woman.
When I move into a neighborhood, people start running in four ways at the same time.
–Sammy Davis, Jr.
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2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Unveils Cine Sin Fronteras Lineup, WOODPECKERS, CHAVELA and More
The Cine Sin Fronteras program returns to the 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival for the second year, showcasing the rich and vibrant Latinx diaspora from around the world. This year’s program includes seven feature films and the new shorts program CSF Shorts: Menos es Más.
The films come from eight different countries and include Carpinteros (Woodpeckers), the first Dominican film to screen at the Sundance Film Festival; Chavela, a portrait documentary chronicling the dramatic career of legendary singer Chavela Vargas; and Dolores, a documentary exploring the extraordinary life of one of America’s most important labor activist.
The 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival will take place at the Landmark Oriental Theatre, Landmark Downer Theatre, Fox-Bay Cinema Grill, Times Cinema, and Avalon Theater from September 28th to October 12th.
2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Cine Sin Fronteras
Carpinteros (Woodpeckers) (Dominican Republic / 2017 / Director: José María Cabral) A love story unlike any other – prisoners in the Dominican Republic’s Najayo prison, separated by concrete, barbed wire, and hundreds of yards, falling for one another without ever speaking a word between them. Dubbed ‘woodpeckers’ for the created language of hand signals that allows men and women to bridge this physical divide (100% real, by the way), star-crossed lovers Julian and Yanelly pursue love despite guards, worsening conditions, and a murderous ex that remains on the inside. Verite grit combines with sensual performances to make Carpinteros a pulse-pounding romantic delight. https://vimeo.com/198679519 Chavela (USA / 2017 / Directors: Catherine Gund, Daresha Kyi) If you’ve yet to acquaint yourself with the iconoclastic, stereotype-defying career of singer Chavela Vargas, prepare yourself for a documentary that ensures you will never forget her journey from fame to alcohol-fueled obscurity and back again. Taking the masculine world of Mexico’s ranchera music by storm with her unmistakable voice (fiercely passionate and deeply moving) while challenging gender norms with her mode of dress and stage presentation (with partners such as Frida Kahlo), Chavela’s singular personality is given proper tribute by this riveting and soulful portrait. https://vimeo.com/202123182 CSF Shorts: Menos es Más El Buzo (México / 2015 / Director: Esteban Arrangoiz) Hermanas En Ruedas (USA / 2017 / Director: Amberly Alene Ellis) Leche (USA / 2015 / Director: Gabriella A. Moses) La Madre Buena (México / 2016 / Director: Sarah Clift) El Maquinador (Argentina / 2015 / Director: Pablo Latorre) Otro Corto (Puerto Rico / 2016 / Director: Heixan Robles) Undesirables (USA / 2016 / Director: Angela Rosales Challis) Divinas Divas (Brazil / 2016 / Director: Leandra Leal) In 1960’s Brazil, the iconic first generation of drag queens took the stage at the Rival Theatre, one of the only venues that gave shelter to these performers, many of whom became famous the world over. 50 years later, eight of these magnificent drag performers are returning to the Rival for a cabaret curtain call, a celebration of those that helped challenge gender norms and smash gender roles in a repressive society, in this ravishing documentary filled with show-stopping performance and tender insight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDetz7OSTjA Dolores (USA / 2017 / Director: Peter Bratt) Trailer: http://bit.ly/2w3zYRD Dolores Huerta is the most important activist in American history that you’ve never heard of. An equal partner alongside Cesar Chavez in organizing the first farmworkers unions (eventually becoming the UFW), Huerta fought ceaselessly to protect the rights of jornaleros, mujeres, and all whom those in power would seek to exploit. Even at the age of 87, she remains a stridently feminist, uncompromising firebrand. Combining archival footage with unprecedented intimate access, Dolores finally gives this titan of American activism the tribute she so richly deserves. Esteban (Cuba / 2016 / Director: Jonal Cosculluela) Nine-year-old Esteban ekes out an existence with his single mother on the streets of Havana, but he dreams of a brighter future thanks to his natural affinity for music. When a cantankerous old piano instructor makes his way into the young boy’s life, Esteban looks to seize this opportunity even if it means going against his mother’s wishes. A winning portrait of perseverance with an absurdly charming performance at its center, Esteban is a story for anyone who believes in the power of music to change one’s life. https://youtu.be/cYwCngfWZQ8 Extra Terrestres (Puerto Rico / Venezuela / 2016 / Director: Carla Cavina) Teresa, returning to her Puerto Rican home after seven years away studying astrophysics, has picked the worst possible time to come out by revealing her impending nuptials to her traditional family: Their poultry business is under attack from unscrupulous government officials and rival companies, while her sister struggles to reign in her precocious young son’s constant experimentation around the house. Cosmic interludes combine with intimate family drama to form a winning portrait of life and love that is literally out of this world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-8V4cB-D-k El Sueño de Mara’akame (Mara’akame’s Dream) (México / 2016 / Directors: Federico Cecchetti) While Nieri, a young native Huichol, sees his impending trip to Mexico City with his father as an opportunity to perform alongside friends in their beloved rock band, his dad has other ideas – he’s a Mara’akame, a Huichol shaman, and cultural tradition stipulates Nieri to undergo a spiritual journey in order to follow in his footsteps. Once in the big city, Nieri must settle the struggle between modernity and indigeneity in order to find himself in this eye-opening glimpse into the Huichol traditions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w72f67Zn9U
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Actress Susan Sarandon to Receive Honorary Maverick Award at 2017 Woodstock Film Festival
Susan Sarandon in Blackbird Actress Susan Sarandon will receive the honorary Maverick Award at this year’s 2017 Woodstock Film Festival.
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THE WORK, Documentary Set Inside California’s Folsom Prison, Gets Release Date
The Work is a documentary film that follows a group of outsiders into California’s Folsom Prison to join inmates in an intense four-day therapy session intended to help prepare them to succeed back outside prison.
The film was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature at South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival 2017, and Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2017. Directed by Jairus McLeary and Gethin Aldous, The Work will open in New York on Friday, October 20, and in Los Angeles on Friday, October 27, with a national rollout to follow.
Set inside a single room in Folsom Prison, The Work follows three men from outside as they participate in a four-day group therapy retreat with level-four convicts. Over the four days, each man in the room takes his turn at delving deep into his past. The raw and revealing process that the incarcerated men undertake exceeds the expectations of the free men, ripping them out of their comfort zones and forcing them to see themselves and the prisoners in unexpected ways. The Work offers a powerful and rare look past the cinder block walls, steel doors and the dehumanizing tropes in our culture to reveal a movement of change and redemption that transcends what we think of as rehabilitation.
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BATTLE OF THE SEXES, Starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell, to Have its European Premiere at BFI London Film Festival | Trailer
The Battle Of The Sexes, starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell, will receive its European Premiere as the American Express Gala at the 2017 BFI London Film Festival on Saturday October 7 at London’s Odeon Leicester Square. Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Elisabeth Shue, directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, and the legendary Billie Jean King are expected to attend the premiere.
In the wake of the sexual revolution and the rise of the women’s movement, the 1973 tennis match between women’s world champion Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and ex-men’s-champ and serial hustler Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) was billed as the Battle Of The Sexes and became one of the most watched televised sports events of all time, reaching 90 million viewers around the world. As the rivalry between King and Riggs kicked into high gear, off-court each was fighting more personal and complex battles. The fiercely private King was not only championing for equality, but also struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, as her friendship with Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) developed. And Riggs, one of the first self-made media-age celebrities, wrestled with his gambling demons, at the expense of his family and wife Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). Together, Billie and Bobby served up a cultural spectacle that resonated far beyond the tennis court, sparking discussions in bedrooms and boardrooms that continue to reverberate today.
Starring Academy Award® winner Emma Stone and Academy Award® nominee Steve Carell as 1970’s tennis greats Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, Battle Of The Sexes is directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton from a screenplay by Academy Award® winner Simon Beaufoy. Battle Of The Sexes also stars Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Alan Cumming and Academy Award® nominee Elisabeth Shue.
Twentieth Century Fox will release the film across the UK and Ireland on November 24, 2017.
The 61st BFI London Film Festival takes place from Wednesday October 4 to Sunday October 15, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3NCf0GUwFo
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John Ridley’s ‘Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992’ Among 10 Films on 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Black Lens Lineup
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Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992[/caption]
The Black Lens program returns to the 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival featuring documentary and fiction films by African American filmmakers that explore a range of topics rooted in the black community and are relevant to all.
The lineup includes Academy Award winner and Milwaukee Film Board Member John Ridley’s new documentary Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992, a 20th anniversary, 35mm screening of the classic film Love Jones, and two shorts programs titled Black Lens Shorts: Family Matters and Black Lens Shorts: Lost & Found.
Geraud Blanks, Black Lens co-programmer states, “Adding additional films, including two shorts programs, means a greater diversity of voices and perspectives. We have more women and mixed-race directors, writers, and producers than ever before, in-large part because of our ability to expand our programming this year. The added room also made honoring Love Jones and bringing Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 back to Milwaukee possible without eliminating deserving films from emerging filmmakers.”
“The addition of a second shorts program is exciting, as it helps us to strengthen the mission of Black Lens,” states Donte McFadden, Black Lens co-programmer. “We want to make Black Lens a destination for African American filmmakers to screen their work. The shorts program allows for us to introduce many emerging filmmakers from across the country and allows Milwaukee residents the chance to see films that they wouldn’t see anywhere else.”
The 2017 Milwaukee Film Festival will take place at the Landmark Oriental Theatre, Landmark Downer Theatre, Fox-Bay Cinema Grill, Times Cinema, and Avalon Theater from September 28th – October 12th.
2017 Milwaukee Film Festival Black Lens Program
72 Hours: A Brooklyn Love Story? (USA / 2017 / Director: Raafi Rivero) Three short days separate 18-year-old Caesar from leaving Brooklyn for a prestigious upstate university. But between his long-time girlfriend calling it quits and his crew already planning for his imminent exit, Caesar finds himself pulled between the comfort of a world he’s always known and the exciting promise of a bright future. A vibrant, textured work that powerfully captures the dizzying nuance of teen love and the thrum of a rapidly-changing borough, 72 Hours is an exacting portrait of what it means to be young, gifted and black. ACORN and the Firestorm (USA / 2017 / Directors: Reuben Atlas and Sam Pollard) It’s a story whose reverberations will be felt across the political landscape for many years to come: ACORN, America’s largest grass-roots community organization (teaching low- and medium-income families across the nation to advocate for themselves), shuttered by a pair of amateur journalists posing as a pimp and prostitute, igniting a media firestorm that helped spawn the Breitbart News empire. This real-life political thriller does much to explain our current divisive state, persuasively drawing a line from ACORN’s bankruptcy to our polarized present and its constant cries of “fake news.” Black Lens Shorts: Family Matters An evening of shorts that tackle the notion of family in all of its complicated glory – whether it’s protecting the ones you love, leaning on them for support, bringing each other together or tearing each other apart, these shorts (alternately funny, thrilling and sad – just like family itself!) have something for everyone! Amelia’s Closet (USA / 2016 / Director: Halima Lucas) Cul-De-Sac (USA / 2016 / Director: Damon Russell) Gema (USA / 2016 / Director: Kendrick Prince) The Homecoming (USA / 2016 / Director: Paulina Bugembe) Night Shift (USA / 2017 / Director: Marshall Tyler) New Neighbors (USA / 2017 / Director: E. G. Bailey) Black Lens Shorts: Lost & Found This second series of Black Lens shorts at this year’s MFF showcase the infinite possibilities in the world of contemporary black filmmaking – watch these characters undergo a journey of discovery (in search of acceptance, love, recognition, and more) while covering a wide array of topics ranging from gun violence and love to classic folklore and the radical art of self-acceptance. A fascinating night at the movies. 90 Days (USA / 2016 / Directors: Jennia Fredrique Aponte, Nathan Hale Williams) Dear Mr. Shakespeare (USA / 2016 / Director: Shola Amoo) The Forever Tree (UK / 2017 / Director: Alrick Brown) Hold On (USA / 2017 / Director: Christine Turner) See You Yesterday (USA / 2017 / Director: Stefon Bristol) #WhereIsBeauty (USA / 2016 / Director: Angela McCrae) You Can Go (USA / 2016 / Director: Christine Turner) Destined (USA / 2016 / Director: Qasim Basir) One unforgettable moment in a young man’s childhood in Detroit creates two startlingly alternate paths: in one, he’s Rasheed, an ambitious architect seeking to ascend the corporate ladder, while in the other he’s Sheed, a drug kingpin who has remained on the streets of his childhood, seeking to exert his will over them. A gripping urban crime thriller with a unique approach to cinematic storytelling, Destined weaves between these two stories, each echoing and diverging from one another in mysterious ways, with both Rasheed and Sheed moving inexorably towards their ultimate fate. Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (USA / 2017 / Director: John Ridley) 25 years later, the Rodney King verdict and the subsequent riots are still etched in our minds. Culminating a decade of struggle with a justice system unequipped to deal with issues of race and class, the riots seem both entirely preventable and utterly unavoidable. Director John Ridley (Jimi: All Is By My Side, MFF14; Milwaukee Film Board Member) avoids simple moralizing or tidy conclusions as he examines the lead-up to and events of that day, instead letting those who lived through the experience speak for themselves in this heartbreaking portrait whose power is only magnified on the big screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JGY-GjzKp4 Like Cotton Twines (USA / 2016 / Director: Leila Djansi) American volunteer Micah sees his teaching job in Ghana as an opportunity to reconnect with his ancestral roots while also helping young Ghanaians reach their fullest potential. But when 14-year-old Tuigi, one of his brightest students, must abandon her studies in exchange for a life as a sex slave as recompense for her father’s transgressions, Micah finds himself stuck in the middle of a culture clash, desperate to extricate Tuigi from the cycles of history and tradition that threaten to swallow her whole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AKgApSQohI Love Jones (USA / 1997 / Director: Theodore Witcher) Nina (Nia Long) is not looking for love when she meets Darius (Larenz Tate) at a poetry slam. Despite the scorching chemistry that instantly ignites, both insist the relationship is purely physical and certainly not a case of the love jones. A witty, sexy portrait of young Black love and romance (set in a middle-class, bohemian milieu that Hollywood still struggles to showcase 20 years on) that is a generational classic, this film will receive a rare 35mm screening at the historic Oriental Theatre! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNMoQ_Cqt4E Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities (USA / 2017 / Director: Stanley Nelson) Over the course of 150 years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have paved the way for Black intellectuals, revolutionaries, and artists alike to pursue higher education and defy stereotypes among their peers in an unapologetically Black environment. Now the remarkable story of their role in African-American history is finally told. Fest alum Stanley Nelson (The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, MFF15) returns with this captivating panorama of HBCUs from their conception to the modern day, a stirring portrait of perseverance in pursuit of knowledge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8hmqpAzjRo Unrest (USA / 2017 / Director: Jennifer Brea) 28-year-old Jennifer Brea is in the prime of her life as a PhD student and soon-to-be newlywed, when a sudden fever leaves her perpetually bedridden and desperate for answers. A host of unsatisfactory diagnoses lead her to discover an abandoned online community of those similarly afflicted (with what is commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). A medical mystery nestled in an intensely personal portrait of a husband and wife’s healing journey, Unrest shines a light on a condition that confounds the medical community through its panoply of personal perspectives on suffering.
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Napa Valley Film Festival Announces Narrative and Documentary Feature Films in Competition
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I Can I Will I Did[/caption]
The 7th annual Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF), scheduled to take place November 8 – 12, today announced its Narrative and Documentary Feature Film lineups in core competition.
The 18 films in NVFF’s core competition categories will vie for the titles of Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature, as determined by the juries. The directors of these 18 films will participate in NVFF’s unique Artists-in-Residence (AIR) Program that includes a six-night stay at the luxury resort Meadowood Napa Valley. The residency includes master classes and break out sessions with industry leaders as well as social and networking opportunities at special events throughout the festival.
“We’re excited about the creative storytelling, diverse story lines, and inspirational themes represented in the narrative and documentary features in our core competition films this year,” said Marc Lhormer, NVFF Co-Founder and Artistic Director. “We look forward to hosting these talented filmmakers for the seventh installment of our unique Artists-in-Residence Program at Meadowood Napa Valley and introducing them and their films to our appreciative audiences.”
NARRATIVE FEATURES COMPETITION
American Folk – Two strangers, both folk musicians stranded in California, embark on a road trip to New York in the days following 9/11. Starring Joe Purdy and Amber Rubarth. Directed by David Heinz. Northern California Premiere. The Boy Downstairs – A young woman is forced to reflect on a past relationship when she inadvertently moves into her ex-boyfriend’s apartment building. Starring Zosia Mamet and Matthew Shear. Directed by Sophie Brooks. Napa Premiere. The House of Tomorrow – The House of Tomorrow conveys the incredible story of futurist, architect, and inventor R. Buckminster through one teen’s quest to join a punk bank and survive high school. Starring Maude Apatow, Ellen Burstyn, Asa Butterfield, Nick Offerman, Alex Wolff. Directed by Peter Livolsi. Napa Premiere. I Can I Will I Did – Ben, a dejected young man in the foster system, finds himself immobilized after a horrible accident. His recovery process is slow until he meets a fellow patient at the hospital who breathes hope into his life and introduces him to her grandfather, Taekwondo Master Kang. Starring Mike Faist, Ik Jo Kang, Ellie Lee. Directed by Nadine Truong. Northern California Premiere People You May Know – People You May Know follows Jed, a 30-something introvert who has managed to abstain from social media, until he realizes that the life he can fake is much more interesting than the life he actually leads. Starring Nicholas Rutherford, Halston Sage, Kaily Smith Westbrook, Nick Thune and Usher. Directed by Sherwin Shilati. Napa Premiere. The Sounding – On a remote island off the coast of Maine, Liv, after years of silence, weaves a unique language out of Shakespeare’s words. A driven neurologist, brought to the island to protect her, commits her to a psychiatric hospital where she fights for her voice and her freedom. Starring Catherine Eaton, Teddy Sears and Harris Yulin. Directed by Catherine Eaton. Napa Premiere. Stuck – A New York City subway train stops in the tunnel beneath the city with six complete strangers stuck inside the rear car. The emotions of the trapped, frustrated passengers explode, as the subway car becomes a kind of magical, musical, conduit cell. Starring Ashanti, Omar Chaparro, Arden Cho, Giancarlo Esposito and Amy Madigan. Directed by Michael Berry. Northern California Premiere. Tater Tot & Patton – A wayward millennial is sent into isolation on a South Dakota ranch, derailing her Uncle’s alcoholic spiral and forcing him to face his consuming grief. Starring Jessica Rothe, Forrest Weber and Bates Wilder. Directed by Andrew Kightlinger. Northern California Premiere Quest – Mills, an abused 12-year-old graffiti addict, and Tim, a humble middle school teacher, form an uneasy friendship when Tim recognizes that Mills poor behavior is merely a cry for help. Tim is willing to sacrifice his job, reputation and relationships in order to win the child’s trust. Starring Betsy Brandt, Dash Mihok, Lou Diamond Phillips and Lakeith Stanfield. Directed by Santiago Rizzo. West Coast PremiereDOCUMENTARY FEATURES COMPETITION
ACORN and the Firestorm – ACORN, America’s largest grassroots community organizing group, became a major player in the 2008 presidential election that resulted in Barack Obama’s victory. Big businesses, Republicans, and Right-wing activists took issue with the group and attempted to strike back. The ensuing political drama has served as a prescient foreshadowing of today’s political climate. Directed by Reuben Atlas and Samuel D. Pollard. California Premiere Catching Sight of Thelma & Louise – Catching Sight of Thelma & Louise investigates themes of female friendship, personal freedom, harassment, rape and empowerment. Our guides on this journey are female and male filmgoers who, in 1991, wrote letters sharing their thoughts and feelings about Thelma & Louise. They revisit their original impressions, comparing them with how they feel today. Directed by Jennifer Townsend. Northern California Premiere Coyote – Coyote documents the inspiring story of legendary American sailor, Mike Plant. Despite all that he accomplishes in sailing, Plant’s heart is never satisfied. His final creation, Coyote, a radically designed vessel built on the edge of speed and safety, symbolizes Plant’s course in life: running before the wind, always with an eye to the sea. Directed by Thomas Simmons. Northern California Premiere A Fine Line – A Fine Line explores why on 6% of head chefs and restaurant owners are women, when traditionally women have always held the central role in the kitchen and influenced many of the greatest male chefs. This opens a dialogue on gender inequality, motherhood and career balance, and how this inequity in the kitchen is representative of industries across the board. Directed by Joanna James. West Coast Premiere The Gateway Bug – Over 2 billion people on earth eat insects for protein. The Gateway Bug explores how changing daily eating habits can feed humanity in an uncertain age, one meal at a time. Directed by Johanna B. Kelly. Napa Premiere. Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies – The undisclosed story of Alan Ladd Jr., producer and former 20th Century Fox chairman, the movie mogul who green lit films such as Star Wars, Blade Runner and Alien. Directed by Amanda Ladd-Jones (Ladd’s daughter). Northern California Premiere Mighty Ground – With the help of unlikely friendships along the way, a homeless songwriter tries to kick a hard-core crack addiction and escape the grisly streets of skid row via his love of music. Directed by Delila Vallot. Northern California Premiere Skid Row Marathon – A criminal court judge starts a running club comprised of homeless drug addicts, a recovering single mom and a paroled murderer on L.A.’s notorious skid row. As they train together to run in international marathons, they learn to dream big as they are re-acquainted with their own dignity. Directed by Mark Hayes. Northern California Premiere The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin – The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin honors beloved storyteller Armistead Maupin, and chronicles his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels inspired millions to re-claim their lives. Directed by Jennifer M. Kroot. Napa Premiere.
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RAINBOW – A PRIVATE AFFAIR plus 10 More Films Among 2017 Toronto International Film Festival Masters Program
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Rainbow – A Private Affair[/caption]
The lineup for the Masters program of the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival will feature a slate of 11 films, including an outstanding list of prolific filmmakers known for taking stylistic and thematic risks with their work, including Alanis Obomsawin, the first and only First Nations female filmmaker to be featured in the Masters program.
“These are some of the greatest and most respected filmmakers working today, and we are excited to bring their latest films to TIFF audiences,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “This year’s Masters programme is a master class in creating bold, groundbreaking films that leave a mark on our cultural landscape.”
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani bring the World Premiere of Rainbow – A Private Affair to TIFF. This classical piece of filmmaking tells the story of a young love triangle in Italy during the Second World War. Now in their 80s, the Taviani brothers have written or directed more than 20 films together and have won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Lucrecia Martel, one of the most important filmmakers from Latin America and a reference point for international cinema, is also featured in the lineup. Her latest offering, Zama, is a cinematic masterpiece with a unique language and a particular point of view that reinforce her status as a master of the craft.
Finnish master Aki Kaurismäki’s latest film, The Other Side of Hope (Toivon tuolla puolen), is a timely and touching film that follows a young Syrian seeking refuge in Finland as he searches for his sister. The film earned Kaurismäki the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival.
Veterans of the industry, these filmmakers bring decades of experience as screenwriters, directors, producers, film critics and actors. Collectively, they have produced feature films, documentaries, short films, television series, theatre productions and art installations. Many have received or been nominated for jury prizes at international film festivals, while others have served as members of juries. Known to challenge audiences, these filmmakers are true masters of the craft and are sure to excite and inspire audiences with their latest entries in the 2017 TIFF Masters programme.
The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017.
2017 Toronto International Film Festival Masters Program
The Day After (Geu-hu) Hong Sangsoo, South Korea North American Premiere Faces Places (Visages Villages) Agnès Varda, JR, France Canadian Premiere First Reformed Paul Schrader, USA Canadian Premiere Happy End Michael Haneke, France/Austria/Germany North American Premiere The House by the Sea (La Villa) Robert Guédiguian, France North American Premiere Loveless (Nelyubov) Andrey Zvyagintsev, Russia/France/Belgium/Germany Canadian Premiere The Other Side of Hope (Toivon tuolla puolen) Aki Kaurismäki, Finland/Germany Canadian Premiere Our People Will Be Healed Alanis Obomsawin, Canada World Premiere *Previously announced with the Canadian feature lineup Rainbow – A Private Affair (Una questione privata) Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani, Italy/France World Premiere The Third Murder (Sandome no Satsujin) Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan North American Premiere Zama Lucrecia Martel, Argentina/Brazil/Spain/France/Netherlands/Mexico/Portugal/USA North American Premiere
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2017 Toronto International Film Festival Unveils Wavelengths Program of 40 Avant-Garde Films
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Mrs. Fang[/caption]
The Toronto International Film Festival’s 17th edition of Wavelengths — its uncompromising, carefully curated, avant-garde showcase — will feature 40 films, which unite internationally celebrated and emerging artists with some of today’s most important, influential and risk-taking filmmakers. Wavelengths is comprised of four programs of experimental short films and videos, three resonant pairings, and nine stand-alone features — each displaying its own radical approach to the art of cinema.
Some of the highlights include Véréna Paravel and Lucien CastaingTaylor’s gripping and unsettling work of sensory ethnography, Caniba, about the notorious Japanese cannibal Issei Sagawa and his remarkable relationship with his brother; Narimane Mari’s category-defying follow-up to her debut feature, Bloody Beans, Le Fort des fous, a scathing, subversive and shape-shifting indictment of European colonialism, past and present; Ben Russell’s exquisite, intercontinental mining documentary Good Luck, shot in Super 16mm in Serbia and Suriname; and Pedro Pinho’s FIPRESCI winning, left-leaning The Nothing Factory, which premiered at this year’s Quinzaine des réalisateurs.
Wavelengths will also present the innovative 3D feature PROTOTYPE by Toronto-based Wavelengths alumnus Blake Williams; Occidental, the neo(n)-noir second feature by acclaimed contemporary artist-filmmaker Neïl Beloufa; and Dragonfly Eyes (蜻蜓之眼), the CCTV-sourced feature debut by leading Chinese artist Xu Bing. Other highlights include the World Premiere of Anna Marziano’s deeply moving and mysterious essay-film Beyond the One (Al di là dell’uno), as well as new films by master filmmakers Bruno Dumont and Denis Côté.
The programme also features Wang Bing’s powerful, sobering and intimate Mrs. Fang, about a woman with Alzheimer’s dying days in a southern village in China, and Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias’ astonishing Cocote, which follows an evangelical gardener’s eye-opening homecoming as he attends his father’s funeral and grapples with religious belief and ritual. Both were recent winners at the 70th Locarno International Film Festival, where they received the Golden Leopard for Best Film and the Signs of Life Award, respectively.
Short-film highlights include terrific new films and videos by Michael Robinson, Rosa Barba, Fern Silva, Wojciech Bąkowski, Jodie Mack, Laura Huertas Millán, Baloise Art Prize–winner Sara Cwynar, local performance artist Francesco Gagliardi, Dan Browne, Yoni Brook and Pacho Velez, Luis López Carrasco, Helga Fanderl, Friedl vom Gröller, Dane Komljen, André Lehmann, Kazik Radwanski and more.
As always, Wavelengths will include historical work; this year’s archival selections are Florence (1970), by the late Finnish computer-art maverick and electronic musician Erkki Kurenniemi, and disarming diarist Anne Charlotte Robertson’s Pixillation (1976), which was recently restored by the Harvard Film Archive. A number of filmmakers included in this year’s Whitney Biennial will also present films at Wavelengths, including Dani Leventhal and Sheilah Wilson, Kevin Jerome Everson and Sky Hopinka.
SHORT FILM PROGRAMS
Wavelengths 1: Appetite for Destruction
As pessimistic prognoses flood in during our age of decline, dictatorships and devastation, this sweeping appetite for destruction also fuels rebellious — even mischievous — forms of resistance and necessary counter-investigation. Onward Lossless Follows Michael Robinson, USA some cities Francesco Gagliardi, Canada The Watchmen Fern Silva, USA Wasteland No.1 – Ardent, Verdant Jodie Mack, USA Phantasiesätze (Fantasy Sentences) Dane Komljen, Germany/Denmark Dislocation Blues Sky Hopinka, Ho-Chunk Nation/USAWavelengths 2: Fluid Frontiers
A newly restored and astonishing short by film diarist Anne Charlotte Robertson launches this programme of portraits and homages, with links to notions of home and heritage. Pixillation Anne Charlotte Robertson, USA (Restoration courtesy of Harvard Film Archive) Ticino Friedl vom Gröller, Austria/Italy Brown And Clear Kevin Jerome Everson, USA Turtles Are Always Home (Sokun Al Sulhufat) Rawane Nassif, Canada/Lebanon/Qatar Configuration in Black and White Helga Fanderl, Germany Fire Lucy Parker, United Kingdom From Source to Poem Rosa Barba, Germany Fluid Frontiers Ephraim Asili, USA/CanadaWavelengths 3: Figures in the Landscape
There is much to manoeuvre in the world. When quotidian objects seemingly conspire against and constrict our movement, inevitably slowing us down in an over-accelerated world, attendant shifts in meaning and interventions can propose unforeseen detours. Mr. Yellow Sweatshirt Pacho Velez, Yoni Brook, USA Yeti Wojciech Bąkowski, Poland (100ft) Minjung Kim, South Korea/USA Heart of a Mountain Parastoo Anoushahpour, Ryan Ferko, Faraz Anoushahpour, Taiwan/Canada Rose Gold Sara Cwynar, USA Division Movement to Vungtau Benjamin Crotty, Bertrand Dezoteux, France Flores Jorge Jácome, PortugalWavelengths 4: As Above, So Below
Four exceedingly different films, each with its own documentary impulse, suggest rich interplay between metaphoric and physical horizon lines and amid shifting scales: of thread, of light and shadow, of environmental elements, of existential contemplation and of memory. La Libertad Laura Huertas Millán, Colombia/France/USA Palmerston Blvd. Dan Browne, Canada below-above André Lehmann, Switzerland Aliens Luis López Carrasco, SpainPAIRINGS
Beyond the One (Al di là dell’uno) Anna Marziano, France/Italy/Germany World Premiere Preceded by Strangely Ordinary this Devotion Dani Leventhal, Sheilah Wilson, USA International Premiere PROTOTYPE Blake Williams, Canada North American Premiere Preceded by Florence (Firenze) Erkki Kurenniemi, Finland North American Premiere Ta peau si lisse (A Skin so Soft) Denis Côté, Canada/Switzerland North American Premiere Preceded by Scaffold Kazik Radwanski, Canada North American PremiereFEATURES
Caniba Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, France North American Premiere Cocote Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias, Dominican Republic North American Premiere Dragonfly Eyes (蜻蜓之眼) Xu Bing, China/USA North American Premiere Good Luck Ben Russell, France/Germany North American Premiere Jeannette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc Bruno Dumont, France North American Premiere Le fort des fous Narimane Mari, France/Algeria/Switzerland/Germany/Greece/Qatar North American Premiere Mrs. Fang Wang Bing, France/China/Germany North American Premiere Occidental Neïl Beloufa, France North American Premiere The Nothing Factory (A Fábrica De Nada) Pedro Pinho, Portugal North American Premiere Previously announced Wavelengths titles at the Festival include Blake Williams’s PROTOTYPE and Denis Côté’s Ta peau si lisse (A Skin so Soft).
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THE DEUCE, THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE Among 2017 Toronto International Film Festival Primetime Program Lineup
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The Girlfriend Experience[/caption]
The 2017 Toronto International Film Festival Primetime program, now in its third year, continues to gain traction in episodic programming with five powerful, dramatic and thought-provoking premieres from countries including Canada, Brazil, Germany and the United States. The 2017 lineup showcases works created by Amy Seimetz, Lodge Kerrigan, Sarah Polley, Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese, David Simon, George Pelecanos, Andrucha Waddington and Jorge Furtado. The program includes Q&A sessions with show creators following each of the first screenings. ”
As the lines of length and venue for cinema are dissolving, I feel honored to be presenting some of the most cinematic, episodic content that is out in the world today,” said Michael Lerman, Primetime Programmer. “These shows not only represent great entertainment, but also the level of deep thought and research that can go into a long term storytelling project.”
This year’s lineup spotlights intense and provocative series such as The Deuce, starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal — a gritty new drama from David Simon and George Pelecanos (The Wire, Treme) that traces the evolution of the porn industry in NYC’s Times Square in the 1970s. The second season of The Girlfriend Experience, executive produced by Steven Soderbergh, is a reimagining of his 2009 critically acclaimed movie of the same name and explores the relationships between escorts and their elite clientele, for whom they provide far more than just sex. Season two focuses on entirely new characters and takes on a new format by following two parallel storylines, each written, directed and executive produced by Lodge Kerrigan and Amy Seimetz.
Adding further global appeal to the lineup, Dark, Netflix’s first German production, is a family saga with a supernatural twist, set in a present-day German town where the disappearance of a teenager exposes the double lives and long-hidden secrets of the local families. Under Pressure chronicles the daily routine of a medical team at a under-equipped and understaffed guerrilla hospital in a poverty-stricken community in Rio de Janeiro.
Previously announced series in the Canadian lineup include the CBC/Netflix original production Alias Grace, based on the award-winning novel by Margaret Atwood.
The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs September 7 to 17, 2017.
2017 Toronto International Film Festival Primetime program
Dark Germany, 2 episodes Showrunners: Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese Director: Baran bo Odar World Premiere The Deuce USA, 2 episodes Showrunners: David Simon, George Pelecanos Directors: Michelle MacLaren, Ernest Dickerson Episode 1, Canadian Premiere Episode 2, World Premiere The Girlfriend Experience Season 2, USA, 4 episodes Showrunners and directors: Amy Seimetz, Lodge Kerrigan World Premiere Under Pressure Brazil, 2 episodes Showrunners: Andrucha Waddington, Jorge Furtado Directors: Andrucha Waddington, Mini Kerti International Premiere Previously announced series in the Canadian lineup: Alias Grace Canada/USA, 2 episodes Showrunner: Sarah Polley Director: Mary Harron World Premiere
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2017 Toronto International Film Festival Adds More Galas and Special Presentations Films
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Michael Jackson’s Thriller 3D[/caption]
Six Galas and 32 Special Presentations have been added to the lineup of the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Audiences can look forward to innovative storytelling from some of the most prominent filmmakers and actors in Canada and around the world.
“We’re thrilled to bring Festival audiences some of the year’s most exciting films in our Gala and Special Presentations lineup,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “But beyond the sizzle of the premieres, this year’s selections show filmmakers continuing to take chances and push boundaries, whether they’re working in Hollywood or Hong Kong, Montreal or Munich.”
This second announcement brings the program’s total to 48 World Premieres, 10 International Premieres, 19 North American Premieres and 10 Canadian Premieres.
The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 7 to 17, 2017.
2017 Toronto International Film Festival GALAS
55 Steps Bille August, Germany/Belgium World Premiere Chappaquiddick John Curran, USA World Premiere Hochelaga, Terre des Âmes François Girard, Canada World Premiere My Days of Mercy Tali Shalom-Ezer, USA World Premiere The Leisure Seeker Paolo Virzì, Italy International Premiere Three Christs Jon Avnet, USA World Premiere2017 Toronto International Film Festival SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
The Captain (Der Hauptmann) Robert Schwentke, Germany/France/Poland World Premiere The Conformist (冰之下) Cai Shangjun, China North American Premiere The Cured David Freyne, Ireland/United Kingdom/France World Premiere The Escape Dominic Savage, United Kingdom World Premiere The Florida Project Sean Baker, USA North American Premiere Foxtrot Samuel Maoz, Israel/Germany/France/Switzerland Canadian Premiere I Love You, Daddy Louis C.K., USA World Premiere In the Fade (Aus dem Nichts) Fatih Akin, Germany/France North American Premiere Journey’s End Saul Dibb, United Kingdom World Premiere The Killing of a Sacred Deer Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland/United Kingdom North American Premiere Kodachrome Mark Raso, Canada/USA World Premiere Lean On Pete Andrew Haigh, USA/United Kingdom Canadian Premiere Loving Pablo Fernando León de Aranoa, Spain North American Premiere Michael Jackson’s Thriller 3D John Landis, USA North American Premiere Preceded By Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller Jerry Kramer, USA North American Premiere Manhunt John Woo, Hong Kong/China North American Premiere Mark Felt – The Man Who Brought Down the White House Peter Landesman, USA World Premiere Marrowbone Sergio G. Sánchez, Spain World Premiere Molly’s Game Aaron Sorkin, USA World Premiere The Motive (El Autor) Manuel Martín Cuenca, Spain World Premiere Number One (Numéro Une) Tonie Marshall, France World Premiere On Chesil Beach Dominic Cooke, United Kingdom World Premiere Outside In Lynn Shelton, USA World Premiere Papillon Michael Noer, Serbia/Montenegro/Malta World Premiere Racer and the Jailbird Michaël R. Roskam, Belgium/France North American Premiere Radiance (Hikari) Naomi Kawase, Japan/France North American Premiere Redoubtable Michel Hazanavicius, France North American Premiere Three Peaks (Drei Zinnen) Jan Zabeil, Germany/Italy North American Premiere Unicorn Store Brie Larson, USA World Premiere Who We Are Now Matthew Newton, USA World Premiere You Disappear (Du Forsvinder) Peter Schønau Fog, Denmark/Sweden International Premiere Youth (Fāng Huá) Feng Xiaogang, China World Premiere
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48 Films from International Filmmakers Among Contemporary World Cinema Slate of 2017 Toronto International Film Festival
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Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (Marlina si Pembunuh dalam Empat Babak)[/caption]
The Contemporary World Cinema slate of the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival will feature 48 titles from international filmmakers, that covers disparate regions of the world with a strong presence from Latin America, Scandinavia, and Central Europe.
“Each film in Contemporary World Cinema offers a much-needed look at another part of the world through the eyes of a storyteller embedded in that culture,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF. “Taken together, these four dozen films invite us all to expand and deepen our picture of the world.”
The Contemporary World Cinema program is being bolstered with a series of 23 World Premieres, among them Argentinian filmmaker Diego Lerman’s A Sort of Family, South African Khalo Matabane’s The Number, Iraqi Mohamed Jabarah Al-daradji’s The Journey, Finnish Teemu Nikki’s Euthanizer and Australian actor Simon Baker’s directorial debut, Breath. The program also highlights an impressive selection of films that have captivated audiences worldwide, including Félicité by Alain Gomis and the animated film The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales by Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert.
2017 Toronto International Film Festival Contemporary World Cinema Program
A Ciambra Jonas Carpignano, Italy/France/USA/Germany International Premiere A Sort of Family (Una Especie de Familia) Diego Lerman, Argentina/Brazil/France/Poland World Premiere Alanis Anahí Berneri, Argentina World Premiere Ana, mon amour Călin Peter Netzer, Romania/Germany/France North American Premiere Angels Wear White (Jia Nian Hua) Vivian Qu, China/France North American Premiere April’s Daughter (Las Hijas de Abril) Michel Franco, Mexico North American Premiere Arrhythmia Boris Khlebnikov, Russia/Finland/Germany North American Premiere Beyond Words Urszula Antoniak, Netherlands/Poland World Premiere Birds Without Names (Kanojo ga Sono Na wo Shiranai Toritachi) Kazuya Shiraishi, Japan World Premiere Breath Simon Baker, Australia World Premiere Dark is the Night (Madilim ang Gabi) Adolfo Alix Jr., Philippines World Premiere Directions (Posoki) Stephan Komandarev, Bulgaria/Germany/Macedonia North American Premiere Disappearance (Verdwijnen) Boudewijn Koole, Netherlands/Norway International Premiere Euthanizer (Armomurhaaja) Teemu Nikki, Finland World Premiere Félicité Alain Gomis, France/Senegal/Belgium/Germany/Lebanon North American Premiere Good Favour Rebecca Daly, Ireland/Belgium/Denmark/Netherlands World Premiere Hannah Andrea Pallaoro, Italy/Belgium/France North American Premiere Insyriated Philippe Van Leeuw, Belgium/France/Lebanon Canadian Premiere Life and nothing more Antonio Méndez Esparza, Spain/USA World Premiere Longing (Gaagua) Savi Gabizon, Israel North American Premiere Looking for Oum Kulthum Shirin Neshat, Germany/Austria/Italy/Lebanon/Qatar North American Premiere Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (Marlina si Pembunuh dalam Empat Babak) Mouly Surya, Indonesia/France/Malaysia/Thailand North American Premiere Miami Zaida Bergroth, Finland International Premiere Motorrad Vicente Amorim, Brazil World Premiere Nina Juraj Lehotský, Slovakia/Czech Republic North American Premiere On Body and Soul Ildikó Enyedi, Hungary North American Premiere Samui Song (Mai Mee Samui Samrab Ter) Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Thailand/Germany/Norway North American Premiere Sergio & Sergei (Sergio & Serguéi) Ernesto Daranas Serrano, Spain/Cuba World Premiere The Big Bad Fox & Other Tales (Le Grand Méchant Renard et autres contes) Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert, France North American Premiere The Insult (L’Insulte) Ziad Doueiri, France/Lebanon Canadian Premiere The Journey (Al Rahal) Mohamed Jabarah Al-daradji, Iraq/United Kingdom/France/Qatar/Netherlands World Premiere The Lodgers Brian O’Malley, Ireland World Premiere The Number Khalo Matabane, South Africa World Premiere The Royal Hibiscus Hotel Ishaya Bako, Nigeria World Premiere The Summit (La Cordillera) Santiago Mitre, Argentina/Spain/France North American Premiere Tulipani, Love, Honour and a Bicycle Mike van Diem, Netherlands/Italy/Canada World Premiere Under the Tree (Undir Trénu) Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson, Iceland/Denmark/Poland/Germany International Premiere Veronica (Verónica) Paco Plaza, Spain International Premiere Wajib Annemarie Jacir, Palestine/France/Germany/Colombia/Norway/Qatar/United Arab Emirates North American Premiere Western Valeska Grisebach, Germany/Bulgaria/Austria North American Premiere Previously announced Canadian titles in the Contemporary World Cinema programme include Simon Lavoie’s The Little Girl Who Was Too Fond Of Matches, Adam MacDonald’s Pyewacket, Kyle Rideout’s Public Schooled, Ingrid Veninger’s Porcupine Lake, Mina Shum’s Meditation Park, Robin Aubert’s Les Affamés, Pat Mills’ Don’t Talk to Irene, and Tarique Qayumi’s BLACK KITE. The 42nd Toronto International Film Festival runs September 7 to 17, 2017.