• VIDEO: Watch New Trailer for NATURE BOY, Documentary on Wrestling Legend Ric Flair

    Nature Boy ric flair ESPN has a released the new trailer for the 30 for 30 documentary “Nature Boy,” on wrestling legend Ric Flair, set to  premiere on Tuesday, November 7, at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.  Director Rory Karpf (“I Hate Christian Laettner,” “The Book of Manning”) will take an inside look at Flair’s story, including his triumphs, his tragedies, and his pivotal role in turning pro wrestling into mainstream sports entertainment. Real or Fake? It’s a question that’s long shadowed professional wrestling. But for one of the industry’s most legendary performers, there’s never been any separation between the ring and the world around it. His story starts in the Midwest, when a young Richard Fliehr set his sights on rising to stardom in a unique world, and decided to do anything necessary to get to where he wanted. A character was born, along with a singular desire “to be the man,” and a drive that made him as popular and polarizing as any figure ever to step into the ring. The success took a considerable toll – on his body, and on his wives and children – and in 2013 came a tragic postscript. But today, Flair remains as defiant as ever, proud of his legacy, eager to remain in the spotlight. This is the story of a man, a character, and their unbreakable connection. “This film was basically borne out of working with Rory Karpf on our ‘I Hate Christian Laettner’ documentary,” says 30 for 30 Executive Producer John Dahl. “Rory interviewed Ric for his take on sports villains and wanted to do a film on him next. After watching that interview for the Laettner film, we were convinced that Ric would be a fascinating subject to explore for our first feature-length 30 for 30 on a pro wrestler.” “Nature Boy” features two in-depth conversations between Karpf and Flair over a 16-month span, surrounded by interviews with those closest to the man himself; including Triple H, Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat, Baby Doll, Tully Blanchard, The Undertaker, Arn Anderson, Shawn Michaels, Sting and Road Warrior Animal as well as his first wife, Leslie Jacobs, and children along with others who know Flair best. “I grew up a huge wrestling fan in the 1980s and I was captivated by Ric Flair,” says director Rory Karpf. “It’s been a personally rewarding experience to tell the story of arguably the greatest wrestler of all time. Ric’s story transcends the wrestling business, and my hope is that it will appeal to wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike.”

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  • Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival to Open with MARSHALL + Feature Kathryn Bigelow, Spike Lee

    [caption id="attachment_22840" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Marshall Marshall[/caption] The 15th Annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) will be held from August 7 to 12, 2017, and will officially kick off with Reginald Hudlin’s Marshall. The 2017 Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival will kick-off with a presentation by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts’ department of digitization and preservation. On Monday, August 7 at 4 p.m. at the MVPAC the museum will preview, from their historical collection, home movies from Cab Calloway, among others.   Exclusive Spotlight Screenings: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Annapurna Pictures will screen Detroit starring John Boyega and Anthony Mackie. Talk-back to follow with Kathryn Bigelow, moderated by Khalil Muhammad, professor of History, Race and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School – Harvard University. From 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. Amazon Studio’s Crown Heights will screen starring Lakeith Stanfield and Nnamdi Asomugha. Opening Night film will be a special screening of Reginald Hudlin’s Marshall, presented by Open Road Films, on Tuesday, August 8 at 7 p.m. at the MVPAC. “The Color of Conversation” will immediately follow with Reginald Hudlin. Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m. at MVPAC, the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University will present a screening of the NAACP Image Award-nominated “Little Ballers” – talk-back to immediately follow. On Thursday, August 10 at 7 p.m. at MVPAC, the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Spike Lee will present clips from, the Netflix acquired, Rodney King starring Roger Guenveur Smith. The short film competition, sponsored by HBO and Saatchi & Saatchi Global Advertising, will be held Friday, August 11 from 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the MVPAC. Immediately following, at 5 p.m., HBO will showcase an episode of the network’s inventive series, Issa Rae’s “Insecure” with moderated talk-back. At 7 p.m. HBO’s “The Defiant Ones” will screen. Moderated talk-back to immediately follow with Allen Hughes and Dr. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. Spike Lee to present preview the Original Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It” on Saturday, August 12 at 7 p.m. at MVPAC. “The Color of Conversation” to follow. The annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival is presented by Run&Shoot Filmworks.

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  • 2017 Venice Film Festival Unveils Official Lineup Featuring George Clooney, Darren Aronofsky and More

    [caption id="attachment_23335" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Suburbicon Suburbicon[/caption] The Venice Film Festival today revealed the official lineup of films for the 74th edition of the festival taking place August 30 to September 9, 2017. The in-competition lineup features films Mother! by Darren Aronofsky, Suburbicon by George Clooney, and Downsizing by Alexander Payne.

    Venezia 74

    International competition of feature films, presented as world premieres AI WEIWEI – HUMAN FLOW Germany, USA, 140’ DARREN ARONOFSKY – MOTHER! USA, 120’ Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, Ed Harris GEORGE CLOONEY – SUBURBICON USA, 104’ Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Noah Jupe, Oscar Isaac GUILLERMO DEL TORO – THE SHAPE OF WATER USA, 119’ Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Octavia Spencer ZIAD DOUEIRI – L’INSULTE France, Lebanon, 110’ Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha, Camille Salameh, Rita Hayek ROBERT GUÉDIGUIAN – LA VILLA France, 107’ Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gérard Meylan, Jacques Boudet, Anaïs Demoustier, Robinson Stévenin ANDREW HAIGH – LEAN ON PETE United Kingdom, 121’ Charlie Plummer, Steve Buscemi, Chloë Sevigny ABDELLATIF KECHICHE – MEKTOUB, MY LOVE: CANTO UNO France, Italy, 180’ Shain Boumedine, Ophélie Baufle, Salim Kechiouche, Lou Luttiau, Alexia Chardard, Hafsia Herzi KOREEDA HIROKAZU – SANDOME NO SATSUJIN (THE THIRD MURDER) Japan, 124’ Fukuyama Masaharu, Yakusho Koji, Hirose Suzu XAVIER LEGRAND – JUSQU’À LA GARDE France, 90’ Denis Ménochet, Léa Drucker, Thomas Gioria, Mathilde Auneveux, Saadia Bentaïeb MANETTI BROS. – AMMORE E MALAVITA Italia, 133’ Giampaolo Morelli, Serena Rossi, Claudia Gerini, Carlo Buccirosso SAMUEL MAOZ – FOXTROT Israel, Germany, France, Switzerland, 113’ Lior Ashkenazi, Sarah Adler, Yonatan Shiray MARTIN MCDONAGH – THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI United Kingdom, 110’ Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, John Hawkes, Peter Dinklage ANDREA PALLAORO – HANNAH Italy, Belgium, France, 95’ Charlotte Rampling, André Wilms ALEXANDER PAYNE – DOWNSIZING USA, 140’ Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig VIVIAN QU – JIA NIAN HUA (ANGELS WEAR WHITE) China, France, 107’ Wen Qi, Zhou Meijun, Shi Ke, Geng Le, Liu Weiwei, Peng Jing SEBASTIANO RISO – UNA FAMIGLIA Italy, 105’ Micaela Ramazzotti, Patrick Bruel PAUL SCHRADER – FIRST REFORMED USA, 108’ Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles WARWICK THORNTON – SWEET COUNTRY Australia, 112’ con Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, Hamilton Morris, Thomas M. Wright PAOLO VIRZÌ – THE LEISURE SEEKER Italia, 112’ Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland FREDERICK WISEMAN – EX LIBRIS. THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY USA, 197’

    Out of Competition

    Important works by directors already established in previous editions of the Festival JON ALPERT – CUBA AND THE CAMERAMAN [NON-FICTION] USA, 113’ GIANNI AMELIO – CASA D’ALTRI [SPECIAL EVENTS] Italy, 16’ RITESH BATRA – OUR SOULS AT NIGHT USA, 101’ Jane Fonda, Robert Redford DAVID BATTY – MY GENERATION [NON-FICTION] United Kingdom, 85’ Michael Caine ANTONIETTA DE LILLO – IL SIGNOR ROTPETER Italy, 37’ Marina Confalone ABEL FERRARA – PIAZZA VITTORIO [NON-FICTION] Italy, 82’ STEPHEN FREARS – VICTORIA & ABDUL United Kingdom, 149’ Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Eddie Izzard WILLIAM FRIEDKIN – THE DEVIL AND FATHER AMORTH [NON-FICTION] USA, 68’ RACHID HAMI – LA MÉLODIE France, 102’ Kad Merad, Samir Guesmi, Renély Alfred, Youssouf Gueye TAKESHI KITANO – OUTRAGE CODA Japan, 104’ Beat Takeshi, Nishida Toshiyuki JERRY KRAMER – MAKING OF MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER [SPECIAL EVENTS] USA, 45’ JOHN LANDIS – MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER 3D [SPECIAL EVENTS] USA, 14’ Michael Jackson, Ola Ray FERNANDO LEÓN DE ARANOA – LOVING PABLO Spain, Bulgaria, 123’ Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard LUCRECIA MARTEL – ZAMA Argentina, Brazil, 115’ Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lola Dueñas, Matheus Nachtergaele, Juan Minujín DANIEL MCCABE – THIS IS CONGO [NON-FICTION] Congo, 91’ ERROL MORRIS – WORMWOOD USA, 300’ (TV series, 6 episodes) Peter Sarsgaard, Molly Parker, Christian Camargo, Scott Shepherd, Tim Blake Nelson, Bob Balaban STEPHEN NOMURA SCHIBLE – RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA [NON-FICTION] USA, Japan, 100’ FRANCESCO PATIERNO – DIVA! Italy, 75’ Barbora Bobulova, Anita Caprioli, Carolina Crescentini, Silvia D’Amico, Isabella Ferrari, Carlotta Natoli, Greta Scarano, Anna Foglietta, Michele Riondino MICHAËL R. ROSKAM – LE FIDÈLE Belgium, France, Netherlands, 130’ Matthias Schoenaerts, Adèle Exarchopoulos CHRIS SMITH – JIM & ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND. THE STORY OF JIM CARREY, ANDY KAUFMAN AND TONY CLIFTON [NON-FICTION] USA, Canada, 90’ SILVIO SOLDINI – IL COLORE NASCOSTO DELLE COSE Italy, Switzerland, 115’ Valeria Golino, Adriano Giannini, Arianna Scommegna, Laura Adriani JAMES TOBACK – THE PRIVATE LIFE OF A MODERN WOMAN USA, 71’ Sienna Miller, Alec Baldwin, Charles Grodin, Colleen Camp, Carl Icahn GIOVANNI TOTARO – HAPPY WINTER [NON-FICTION] Italy, 91’ S. CRAIG ZAHLER – BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99 USA, 132’ Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, Don Johnson, Udo Kier

    Venice Virtual Reality

    Competitive section of VR films, with a selection of out-of-competition VR films NICOLÁS ALCALÁ – MELITA USA, 24’ (Animation) LAURIE ANDERSON, HUANG HSIN-CHIEN – LA CAMERA INSABBIATA USA, 20’ (Animation) GABO ARORA – THE LAST GOODBYE USA, 20’ LYSANDER ASHTON, LEO WARNER – MY NAME IS PETER STILLMAN United Kingdom, 6’ (Amimation) MATHIAS CHELEBOURG – ALICE, THE VIRTUAL REALITY PLAY France, 20’ Robin Berry, Josh Jefferies EUGENE YK CHUNG – ARDEN’S WAKE EXPANDED USA, 16’ (Animation) NONNY DE LA PEÑA – GREENLAND MELTING USA, 11’ GINA KIM – DONGDUCHEON (BLOODLESS) South Korea, USA, 12’ URI KRANOT, MICHELLE KRANOT – NOTHING HAPPENS Denmark, France, 14’ (Animation) MI LI – SHI MENG LAO REN (THE DREAM COLLECTOR) China, 11’ (Animation) RICHARD MILLS, KIM-LEIGH PONTIN – NEFERTITI United Kingdom, 15’ (Animation) RAFAEL PAVÓN, NICOLÁS ALCALÁ – SNATCH VR HEIST EXPERIENCE USA, 5’ Rupert Grint, Luke Pasqualino, Lucien Laviscount, Phoebe Dynevor

    Orizzonti

    A competition dedicated to films that represent the latest aesthetic and expressive trends in international cinema ALI ASGARI – NAPADID SHODAN (DISAPPEARANCE) Iran, Qatar, 89′ with Sadaf Asgari, Amir Reza Ranjbaran, Nafiseh Zare, Sahar Sotoodeh GILLES BOURDOS – ESPÈCES MENACÉES France, Belgium, 105’ with Alice Isaaz, Vincent Rottiers, Grégory Gadebois, Suzanne Clément NANCY BUIRSKI – THE RAPE OF RECY TAYLOR Usa, 91′ LUCIEN CASTAING-TAYLOR, VERENA PARAVEL – CANIBA France , 90′ SOFIA DJAMA – LES BIENHEUREUX France, Belgium, 102′ with Sami Bouajila, Nadia Kaci, Amine Lansari, Lyna Khoudri ANNE FONTAINE – MARVIN France , 115′ with Finnegan Oldfield, Isabelle Huppert, Grégory Gadebois, Vincent Macaigne PABLO GIORGELLI – INVISIBLE Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, 87’ with Mora Arenillas, Mara Bestelli, Diego Cremonesi COSIMO GOMEZ – BRUTTI E CATTIVI Italy, France, 87’ with Claudio Santamaria, Marco D’Amore, Sara Serraiocco TZAHI GRAD – HA BEN DOD (THE COUSIN) Israel, 92′ with Ala Dakka, Tzahi Grad, Osnat Fishman AMICHAI GREENBERG – HA EDUT (THE TESTAMENT) Israel, Austria, 91’ with Ori Pfeffer, Rivka Gur, Hagit Dasberg Shamul, Ori Yaniv

    Cinema nel Giardino

    Films, talks, and visions DARIO ALBERTINI – MANUEL Italy, 97’ Andrea Lattanzi, Giulia Elettra Gorietti, Francesca Antonelli, Raffaella Rea RÄ DI MARTINO – CONTROFIGURA Italy, France, Morocco, Switzerland, 75’ Valeria Golino, Filippo Timi, Corrado Sassi, Nadia Kounda, Younes Bouab KATE MULLEAVY, LAURA MULLEAVY – WOODSHOCK USA, 116’ Kirsten Dunst, Pilou Asbaek, Joe Cole, Stephan Duvall BRUNO OLIVIERO – NATO A CASAL DI PRINCIPE Italy, Spain, 96’ Alessio Lapice, Massimiliano Gallo, Donatella Finocchiaro, Lucia Sardo, Antonio Pennarella MICHELE PLACIDO, ANDREA MOLAIOLI, GIUSEPPE CAPOTONDI – SUBURRA. LA SERIE Italy, 100’ Alessandro Borghi, Giacomo Ferrara, Eduardo Valdarnini, Francesco Acquaroli, Filippo Nigro, Claudia Gerini FRANÇOIS TROUKENS, JEAN-FRANÇOIS HENSGENS – TUEURS Belgium, France, 86’ Olivier Gourmet, Lubna Azabal, Kevin Janssens, Bouli Lanners

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  • 16 Short Films and Webisodes Selected as Semi-Finalists for 2017 NBCUniversal Short Film Festival

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    NBCUniversal Short Film Festival 16 original short films and webisodes have been selected as semi-finalists for the 12th annual NBCUniversal Short Film Festival.   The webisodes and shorts, which include a mix of comedies and dramas, will be showcased at public screenings in New York on August 15 and 16 before the finalists are chosen. The finale screening and awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on October 18 at the Directors Guild of America. The complete list of semi-finalists are: Akashi, Writer & Director: Mayumi Yoshida Kana, a young Japanese woman, receives news that her grandmother has passed away. During her trip to attend the funeral, she recalls intimate conversations with her grandmother that lead her to examine her own life. Audible Static, Writer & Director: Sai Selvarajan Thaddeus, a clever teenager with a speech impediment, creates a new way to communicate his feelings to his crush. Brothers, Writer & Director: Emmett Lundberg Four transgender male friends explore life and love in Brooklyn. This episode of the web series focuses on Max as he opens up to his new girlfriend that he is transgender. Couples: Movie Night, Director: Ryan Sulak, Writer: Chris Sturgeon A quiet night-in for couple, Sara and Adam, turns into an epic thrill-ride to find the perfect movie in a race against time before Sara falls asleep. Cul-De-Sac, Director: Damon Russell, Writer: Shawn Christensen Parents living at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac discover a listening device inside their son’s teddy bear. The film stars Phoebe Tonkin (The Originals, The Vampire Diaries). Emergency, Director: Carey Williams, Writer: K.D Davila A group of Black and Latino college students carefully weigh the pros and cons of calling the police when faced with an emergency situation. Groundhog Day For A Black Man, Writer & Director: Cynthia Kao A Black man continually relives the same day until he can survive an encounter with the police. Joy Joy Nails, Writer & Director: Joey Ally Sarah manages a Korean-owned nail salon with an ever cheerful iron fist. New manicurist Mia, who is Chinese, starts working at the salon and attracts the affections of Sarah’s love interest. Threatened, Sarah becomes increasingly antagonistic toward Mia and later discover truths about herself and Joy Joy Nails. Lost Dogs, Director: Cullan Bruce, Writers: Cullan Bruce and Chris Lee A woman ridiculed by her family longs to escape. Striking a deal with her brother to clear his illegal debt, she delves deeper into darkness. Madaran, Writer & Director: Rayka Zehtabchi An Iranian mother decides whether to end or spare the life of her son’s killer. Misery Loves Company 1: “Pussy,” Director: Gloria Calderon Kellett, Writers: Sara Amini and Emily Chang Misery Loves Company 3: “Racist,” Director: Nadine Truong, Writers: Sara Amini and Emily Chang Two friends navigate being women of color in a post-election world, while trying (and failing) at a #blessedlife in LA. In this episode, Sara and Emily deal with cat-callers on the street. Mr. & Mrs. Kim, Director: Jaehuen Chung, Writer: Josh Aichenbaum Joshua Kim makes up a glamorous story about his Korean immigrants parents for his fourth grade class. He later discovers that their real-life backstory is more extraordinary than what he could have ever imagined. Mrs. Drake, Director: Caitlin FitzGerald, Writer: Kyle Warren Laura is a single mother struggling to raise her son Jack. She is thrown into a spiral of confusion and guilt when Jack comes home from school claiming his teacher locked him in a closet. Night Call, Director: Amanda Renee Knox, Writer: Joseph Sousa During a routine patrol, a Black female cop (Marlyne Barrett, Chicago Med) is called to a disturbance that leads to her making a life-altering decision. Pop Rox, Director: Nate Trinru, Writer: Alyssa Lerner Jesse, an Iranian-American teenage girl, decides to tell her best friend, Roxanne, that she’s in love with her.

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  • 2017 Open City Documentary Festival Unveils Lineup

    MOTHERLAND OR DEATH, Vitaly Mansky
    MOTHERLAND OR DEATH, Vitaly Mansky

    The 2017 Open City Documentary Festival today announced the program for the 7th edition of the festival, taking place in London from September 5 to 10, 2017.

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  • 13TH Director Ava DuVernay, World Premiere Music Videos + Comedians Added to Sundance NEXT FEST

    [caption id="attachment_14964" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Ava DuVernay Ava DuVernay[/caption] World premiere music videos, conversations between film legends and up-and-coming creatives and three female comedians have been added to the lineup for Sundance NEXT FEST, taking place August 10 to 13 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles.

    CONVERSATIONS

    Ava DuVernay (13th, Selma) will join a conversation, presented by FilmL.A., Inc., with director Justin Chon after Saturday’s 4:00 p.m. screening of Gook. Also on Saturday, Gente-fied executive producer America Ferrera, director/creator/co-writer Marvin Lemus, co-writer Linda Yvette Chavez and producer Aaliyah Williams will be in conversation following the noon screening of all seven episodes of the series. On Sunday, Emmy Award winner Larry Wilmore will join directors Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles and the subject of Dina for a conversation following the afternoon screening. Peter Bogdanovich (The Last Picture Show) will be in conversation with filmmaker Alex Ross Perry following Sunday’s 4:00 p.m. screening of Golden Exits.

    WORLD PREMIERE MUSIC VIDEOS

    Highlighting the connection between music and movies, three brand-new music videos have been added to the lineup and will screen before films. Temptation — Joey Bada$$ Directed by Nathan R. Smith. A little girl journeys through Brooklyn as an omniscient Joey Bada$$ protects her from the alluring temptations she encounters. The track is featured on Joey Bada$$’ latest album, All-Amerikkkan Bada$$. The music video will premiere Saturday, August 12 with the 4:00 p.m. screening of Gook. Do It, Try It — M83 Written and directed by David Wilson. A family outing to a burger joint sparks an argument between the parents whilst two children draw pictures to entertain themselves, taking the viewer into their imaginations. This four-minute adventure of mixed media film, fusing live action and hand-drawn animation, premieres Sunday, August 13 with the noon screening of Dina. Fingers — Hundred Waters Directed by Allie Avital. Fingers is an eerie meditation on the dissolution of a relationship featuring 10,000 live insects.The music video will make its world premiere on Sunday, August 13 with the 4:00 p.m. screening of Golden Exits.

    COMEDIANS

    Kate Berlant will host the screening of Lemon and performance by Lizzo on Friday, August 11 at 8:00 p.m. Berlant has been described by The New York Times as a “magnetic improvisational comic” and named by Time Out New York as one of New York City’s “Top Three Comics to Watch.” She is also one of Comedy Central’s “Comics to Watch.” Kate Micucci will host Saturday‘s 8:00 p.m. screening of Bitch and performance by Sleigh Bells. Micucci can be seen in The Little Hours with Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dave Franco, Molly Shannon and John C. Reilly. Kate is co-creator and co-star of the group GARFUNKEL AND OATES, with Riki Lindhome. They were one of Variety’s comics to watch in 2010 and their two-woman show regularly sold out Largo and UCB. Natasha Leggero will host Sunday’s 8:00 p.m. screening of L.A. Times and performance by Electric Guest. Leggero has built her body of work with numerous roles on prominent television series including NBC’s Community, FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Arrested Development, Comedy Central’s Reno 911 and Drunk History, ABC’s Suburgatory, the sketch comedy Key and Peele, Comedy Bang! Bang! Chelsea Lately, and The Tonight Show, among many others.

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  • World Premiere of Woody Allen’s WONDER WHEEL to Close New York Film Festival

    Wonder Wheel Woody Allen’s Wonder Wheel will make its World Premiere as the Closing Night film of the 55th New York Film Festival on Saturday, October 14.  Amazon Studios will release Wonder Wheel on December 1, 2017. In a career spanning 50 years and almost as many features, Woody Allen has periodically refined, reinvented, and redefined the terms of his art, and that’s exactly what he does with his daring new film. We’re in Coney Island in the 1950s. A lifeguard (Justin Timberlake) tells us a story that just might be filtered through his vivid imagination: a middle-aged carousel operator (James Belushi) and his beleaguered wife (Kate Winslet), who eke out a living on the boardwalk, are visited by his estranged daughter (Juno Temple)—a situation from which layer upon layer of all-too-human complications develop. Allen and his cinematographer, the great Vittorio Storaro, working with a remarkable cast led by Winslet in a startlingly brave, powerhouse performance, have created a bracing and truly surprising movie experience. New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones said, “I’m not quite sure what I expected when I sat down to watch Wonder Wheel, but when the lights came up I was speechless. There are elements in the film that will certainly be familiar to anyone who knows Woody Allen’s work, but here he holds them up to a completely new light. I mean that literally and figuratively, because Allen and Vittorio Storaro use light and color in a way that is stunning in and of itself but also integral to the mounting emotional power of the film. And at the center of it all is Kate Winslet’s absolutely remarkable performance—precious few actors are that talented, or fearless.” The New York Film Festival has showcased Allen’s work on two other occasions: Bullets Over Broadway was Centerpiece of NYFF32 in 1994 and Celebrity was Opening Night of NYFF36 in 1998. The New York Film Festival taking place September 28 to October 15, 2017, highlights the best in world cinema, featuring works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. Earlier this summer, NYFF announced Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying as Opening Night and Todd Haynes’s Wonderstruck as the Centerpiece selection. The retrospective section honors Robert Mitchum’s centenary.

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  • 38th Durban International Film Festival Awards, A FATHER’S WILL Wins Best Film

    [caption id="attachment_23317" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]A Father's Will A Father’s Will[/caption] The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) announced this year’s award-winners at the 38th DIFF Awards ceremony, with the award for the Best Feature Film going to A Father’s Will; and the award for Best South African Feature Film going to Vaya directed by Akin Omotoso. The Best Director for a South African Film went to John Trentgrove The Wound. The Best South African Documentary award was taken by Strike A Rock, directed by Aliki Saragas which the jury described as a powerful documentary that reflects the context of the current South African society; while the Best International Documentary went to Dusk Chorus directed by Nika Šaravanja and Alessandro D’Emilia. The award for Best Direction in the international competition, went to A Father’s Will (Bakyt Mukul, Dastan Zhapar Uulu) in addition to the award for Best Cinematography (Akjol Bekbolotov). The Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award for the film that best reflects human rights issues which comes with a cash prize donated by the Amnesty International went to Strike a Rock and Mama Colonel ; and the African Critic Award was won by Serpent which also opened DIFF this year.

    38th  Durban International Film Festival Awards

    Best Feature Film – A Father’s Will Best South African Feature – Vaya Best Director for a South African Film: John Trentgrove The Wound Best Direction – A Father’s Will (Bakyt Mukul, Dastan Zhapar Uulu.) Best Cinematography – A Father’s Will (Akjol Bekbolotov) Best Screenplay – La Soledad (Jorge Thielen Armand, Rodrigo Michelangeli) Best Actor – Nakhane Touré (The Wound) Best actress – Mariam Al Ferjani (Beauty and the Dogs) Best editing – La Soledad (Felipe Guerrero) Artistic Bravery – Liyana Best International Short Film – Witnesses Best African Short Film – All of Us Best South African Short – The Hangman Best South African Documentary Film – Strike A Rock Best International Documentary Film – Dusk Chorus

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  • VIDEO: Poster + Watch Official Trailer for Eliza Hittman’s Sundance Award Winning Indie Drama BEACH RATS

    Beach Rats Neon has released the official trailer and poster for the Sundance Film Festival award-winning indie drama Beach Rats, from filmmaker Eliza Hittman, a follow-up to her debut It Felt Like Love. The film will be released in select theaters starting August 25th. Beach Rats poster Beach Rats premiered earlier this year at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival where the film won the Best Director award for Eliza Hittman. An aimless teenager (Harris Dickinson) on the outer edges of Brooklyn struggles to escape his bleak home life and navigate questions of self-identity, as he balances his time between his delinquent friends, a potential new girlfriend, and older men he meets online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df0TQJBkPP4

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  • Cecilia Aldarondo Delves into the Secrecy Her Uncle’s Death In MEMORIES OF A PENITENT HEART | Trailer

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    Memories of a Penitent Heart Twenty-five years after her uncle died of AIDS, filmmaker Cecilia Aldarondo delves into the secrecy surrounding his death in the documentary Memories of a Penitent Heart. Memories of a Penitent Heart, which premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, will have its national broadcast premiere on the PBS documentary series POV (Point of View) on July 31, 2017. Like many gay men in the 1980s, Miguel moved to New York City in search of a life out of the closet; he found a career in theater and a rewarding relationship. Yet in the midst of the AIDS crisis, his devout Catholic mother pressured him to repent for his homosexuality on his deathbed. Twenty-five years later, his niece Cecilia Aldarondo breaks the silence surrounding her uncle’s death, sifting through conflicting memories of a man she never really knew. She locates Miguel’s estranged partner and begins to unlock long-dormant family secrets. Through home movies, audio recordings, family photos, letters and interviews, Cecilia Aldarondo’s Memories of a Penitent Heart reconstructs her uncle Miguel’s New York life, one he lived far from his family, especially his religious mother. Along the way, her investigation untangles a knot of family secrets, denials and repressed conflicts. Born and raised in the 1970s in Puerto Rico, Miguel Dieppa was a gay man eager to leave the island in search of Broadway fame in New York City. Aldarondo’s investigation begins with a two-year search for Miguel’s long-time partner, Bob, who disappeared after Miguel’s funeral. When she eventually finds him, he is living in Pasadena, California, as Father Aquin, a Franciscan monk. Through the reminiscences of Aquin and others who knew him, Miguel emerges as a charismatic and vivacious actor and playwright, struggling to live comfortably in his own skin. We see glimpses into Miguel’s restlessness in his autobiographical play, Island Fever: “I guess that’s a diagnosis for my case. It’s that feeling that creeps on up on those who have known wide spaces, or long to do so.” Miguel seems eternally torn between two identities. His New York friends know him as Michael, a freedom-loving gay thespian, while to his family in Puerto Rico he remains Miguel, the obedient son who downplays his sexuality. Unexpectedly, Miguel begins to get sick, and although he refuses to be tested, telltale skin lesions on his legs indicate AIDS as the underlying illness. Miguel’s illness places Bob on a collision course with Miguel’s mother, Carmen, as the two come to represent opposing faces of faith. Fearing that her son is not yet “dead to life but dead to grace,” Carmen feels Miguel can only find redemption if he repents. Delving into her family’s trove of secrets, Aldarondo’s Memories of a Penitent Heart examines the light and dark sides of faith and how we fight over the memories of those we love. In the director’s intensely personal film, Miguel’s friends and family reflect on their imperfect relationships. Considering her own flaws, Miguel’s sister (Aldarondo’s mother) Nylda reflects, “The bottom line is that we all need to survive and we use different ways of surviving, according to our gifts, our limitations and our circumstances.” That prompts her daughter to ask, “Can’t we survive and look out for others as well?” Memories of a Penitent Heart is a brave and honest exhumation of buried resentments that ultimately reveals how reflections on grief, betrayal and love bring us closer to reconciliation.

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  • VIDEO: Watch Official Trailer for BRAD’S STATUS Starring Ben Stiller

    Brad's Status Amazon Studios has released the trailer for the indie film Brad’s Status, written and directed by Mike White, and starring Ben Stiller, Michael Sheen, Luke Wilson.  The film which also stars Jemaine Clement, Jenna Fischer and Austin Abrams, will be released in theaters on September 15th, 2017. When Brad Sloan (Ben Stiller) accompanies his college bound son to the East Coast, the visit triggers a crisis of confidence in Brad’s Status, writer and director Mike White’s bittersweet comedy. Brad has a satisfying career and a comfortable life in suburban Sacramento where he lives with his sweet-natured wife, Melanie (Jenna Fischer), and their musical prodigy son, Troy (Austin Abrams), but it’s not quite what he imagined during his college glory days. Showing Troy around Boston, where Brad went to university, he can’t help comparing his life with those of his four best college friends: a Hollywood bigshot (White), a hedge fund founder (Luke Wilson), a tech entrepreneur (Jemaine Clement), and a political pundit and bestselling author (Michael Sheen). As he imagines their wealthy, glamorous lives, he wonders if this is all he will ever amount to. But when circumstances force him to reconnect with his former friends, Brad begins to question whether he has really failed or is, in some ways at least, the most successful of them all.

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  • 2017 HollyShorts Film Festival Unveils Competition Short Films Lineup

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    [caption id="attachment_11940" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Super Sex Super Sex[/caption] The Academy Awards® qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival unveiled today it’s official lineup of in-competition short films for the upcoming 13th edition of the festival.  HollyShorts, which is LA’s biggest shorts film festival takes place August 10 to 19 at the TCL Chinese Theater, Roosevelt Hotel, Harmony Gold Theater and other venues throughout Hollywood. This year’s festival received an all time record of 4,000 submissions from 65 countries. 400 shorts will compete for the Best Short Film Prize and Grand Jury Prize, Best Director among other top categories. 2017 HollyShorts official selections include: Walking Dead’s Emma Bell’s Directorial debut horror short Scratch; Matthew Modine’s comedy Super Sex starring his daughter Ruby Modine, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins, Ed Asner and Efren Ramirez; John Stamos’s short Ingenue-ish; Julia Barnett’s Chasing Grace Produced by Connie Britton starring Christopher Backus, and Lydia Tracy; Joshua Shultz’s Strobe starring Sammi Hanratty; Brett Gursky’s Graffiti starring Cassie Scerbo; Erin Elder’s Penny Sucker starring James Paxton; Russell Simpson’s Home starring Sharon Lawrence and Marianne Jean-Baptiste; Jack Henry Robbins Hot Winter: A Film By Dick Pierre; Bill Plympton’s animated short Cop Dog, Spike Lee’s Lil Joints $15 Dollar Kicks Directed by Jenn Shaw. Tye Sheridan and Nikola Todorovic co-founders of VR production company Aether will oversee the first-ever VR Experience at this year’s HollyShorts. As previously reported the festival will open with a special screening of Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece Full Metal Jacket on Thursday August 10 followed by a Q&A with Matthew Modine.

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