Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying will World Premiere as the opening film of the 55th New York Film Festival on Thursday, September 28. The film will open theatrically on November 17, 2017 from Amazon Studios.
In Richard Linklater’s lyrical road movie, as funny as it is heartbreaking, three aging Vietnam-era Navy vets—soft-spoken Doc (Steve Carell), unhinged and unfiltered Sal (Bryan Cranston), and quietly measured Mueller (Laurence Fishburne)—reunite to perform a sacred task: the proper burial of Doc’s only child, who has been killed in the early days of the Iraqi Invasion. As this trio of old friends makes its way up the Eastern seaboard, Linklater gives us a rich rendering of friendship, a grand mosaic of common life in the USA during the Bush era, and a striking meditation on the passage of time and the nature of truth. To put it simply, Last Flag Flying is a great movie from one of America’s finest filmmakers.
New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones said, “Last Flag Flying is many things at once—infectiously funny, quietly shattering, celebratory, mournful, meditative, intimate, expansive, vastly entertaining, and all-American in the very best sense. But to isolate its individual qualities is to set aside the most important and precious fact about this movie: that it all flows like a river. That’s only possible with remarkable artists like Steve Carell, Laurence Fishburne, and Bryan Cranston, and a master like Richard Linklater behind the camera.”
“It’s always special to be at the New York Film Festival, but to be premiering our movie on opening night, when you look at the half century of films that have occupied that slot, is a wonderful honor,” says Linklater.
The 18-day New York Film Festival, (September 28 – October 15), highlights the best in world cinema, featuring works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent.
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World Premiere of Richard Linklater’s LAST FLAG FLYING to Open 55th New York Film Festival
Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying will World Premiere as the opening film of the 55th New York Film Festival on Thursday, September 28. The film will open theatrically on November 17, 2017 from Amazon Studios.
In Richard Linklater’s lyrical road movie, as funny as it is heartbreaking, three aging Vietnam-era Navy vets—soft-spoken Doc (Steve Carell), unhinged and unfiltered Sal (Bryan Cranston), and quietly measured Mueller (Laurence Fishburne)—reunite to perform a sacred task: the proper burial of Doc’s only child, who has been killed in the early days of the Iraqi Invasion. As this trio of old friends makes its way up the Eastern seaboard, Linklater gives us a rich rendering of friendship, a grand mosaic of common life in the USA during the Bush era, and a striking meditation on the passage of time and the nature of truth. To put it simply, Last Flag Flying is a great movie from one of America’s finest filmmakers.
New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones said, “Last Flag Flying is many things at once—infectiously funny, quietly shattering, celebratory, mournful, meditative, intimate, expansive, vastly entertaining, and all-American in the very best sense. But to isolate its individual qualities is to set aside the most important and precious fact about this movie: that it all flows like a river. That’s only possible with remarkable artists like Steve Carell, Laurence Fishburne, and Bryan Cranston, and a master like Richard Linklater behind the camera.”
“It’s always special to be at the New York Film Festival, but to be premiering our movie on opening night, when you look at the half century of films that have occupied that slot, is a wonderful honor,” says Linklater.
The 18-day New York Film Festival, (September 28 – October 15), highlights the best in world cinema, featuring works from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent.
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2017 Brooklyn Film Festival Winners: Rodrigo Reyes’ LUPE UNDER THE SUN Wins Grand Chameleon Award
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LUPE UNDER THE SUN by RODRIGO REYES[/caption]
Lupe Under The Sun, a film inspired by the life of the director’s own grandfather and shot with a cast of non-actors in real locations won the top prizes at the Brooklyn Film Festival. The film directed by Rodrigo Reyes, won the Grand Chameleon Award and the prize for Best Narrative Feature. A Cambodian Spring by Chris Kelly , and An Insignificant Man by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla shared the award for Best Documentary.
Catherine Eaton’s The Sounding received the Audience award for Feature Narrative while the East Coast premiere of Kyle Eaton’s Shut Up Anthony grabbed the Spirit award for Feature Narrative.
“I couldn’t have wished for a better 20th anniversary! Everything fell into place as if it was always meant to be great from the start. A perfect combination of solid practical experience and pure magic,” said Marco Ursino, BFF Executive Director.
The Brooklyn Film Festival awarded the winners a total of $60,000 in prizes (products, services, and cash).
2017 WINNERS
GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD LUPE UNDER THE SUN by RODRIGO REYES Best Narrative Feature LUPE UNDER THE SUN by RODRIGO REYES Best Documentary – EX EQUO A CAMBODIAN SPRING by CHRIS KELLY AN INSIGNIFICANT MAN by KHUSHBOO RANKA & VINAY SHUKLA Best Short Documentary THE FOURTH KINGDOM by ALEX LORA & ADAN ALIAGA Best Narrative Short WATU WOTE: All of by KATJA BENRATH Best Animation TANGO by PEDRO GIONGO & FRANCISCO GUSSO Best Experimental COOKING WITH CONNIE by STAVIT ALLWEIS Best New Director EL REVENGE by FERNANDO FRAIHA Brooklyn Pride Award SWEET PARENTS by DAVID BLYSpirit Awards
Feature Narrative SHUT UP ANTHONY by KYLE EATON Feature Documentary MANIC by KALINA BERTIN Short Documentary SCRAP by CHRISTIAN FILIPPONE Short Narrative RHONNA & DONNA by DAINA ONIUNAS-PUSIC Experimental EXQUISITE CORPS by MITCHELL ROSE Animation PANIC ATTACK by EILEEN O’MEARAAudience Awards
Feature Narrative THE SOUNDING by CATHERINE EATON Feature Documentary DISCO’D by MATTHEW SIRETTA Short Documentary ASHLEY ASHLEY by TED SANANMAN Short Narrative PUNCHLINE by CHRISTOPHE SABER Experimental LIVE YOUR LIGHT by JENDRA JARNAGIN Animation COIN OPERATED by NICHOLAS ARIOLICertificates of Outstanding Achievement
Producer ESTELLE ARTUS & FRANCES BOXE for ACCORDING TO HER Screenplay SLOAN COPELAND for LIFE HACK Cinematography VEDAT ÖZDEMIR for RAUF Editing JOANNA NAUGLE for KATE CAN’T SWIM Style CATHERINE EATON for THE SOUNDING Original Score DAN VEKSLER for ACCORDING TO HER Actor Female GOLAB ADINEH for THE SIS Actor Male JOSH HELMAN for KATE CAN’T SWIM
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AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, SAMI BLOOD, and LANE 1974 Win Top Awards at Seattle International Film Festival
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AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, directed by Rodrigo Grande[/caption]
The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) today announced the winners of the 2017 Golden Space Needle Audience and Competition Awards. At The End Of The Tunnel, directed by Rodrigo Grande was voted winner of the Golden Space Needle Award – Best Film, along with Best Director for Rodrigo Grande; Dolores, directed by Peter Bratt won the Golden Space Needle Award – Best Documentary.
The awards were presented at a ceremony and breakfast held at the Space Needle. The 25-day Festival, which began May 18, featured 400 films representing 80 countries, including 36 World premieres (14 features, 22 shorts), 34 North American premieres (22 features, 12 shorts), 20 US Premieres (11 features, 9 shorts), and 750 Festival screenings and events.
Interim Artistic Director Beth Barrett said, “This year at SIFF, we celebrated extraordinary cinema from 80 countries over a marathon 25 days bringing to our audiences more than 750 screenings and events and introducing them to over 350 filmmakers and industry guests. Executive Director Sarah Wilke and I were thrilled to present Anjelica Huston with the Festival’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Acting before screening the World Premiere of her newest film Trouble, as well as welcoming Sam Elliott back to the the Festival for a special screening of his film, The Hero. We had an incredible lineup of local films, and our documentary film selection continues to be among the best in the country. We also launched a new program, the SIFF New Works-in-Progress Forum, where we screened two narrative and two documentary features in the midst of their creative process to the Seattle audience of industry and festival attendees, as well as continuing our exploration of the intersections between cinema and VR/360.”
SIFF 2017 GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARDS
SIFF celebrates its films and filmmakers with the Golden Space Needle Audience Awards. Selected by Festival audiences, awards are given in six categories: Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Short Film. This year, over 82,000 ballots were submitted. GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST FILM AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, directed by Rodrigo Grande (Spain/Argentina 2016) First runner-up: KING’S CHOICE, directed by Erik Poppe (Norway 2016) Second runner-up: I, DANIEL BLAKE, directed by Ken Loach (United Kingdom/France/Belgium 2016) Third runner-up: PATTI CAKE$, directed by Geremy Jasper (USA 2017) Fourth runner-up: LANE 1974, directed by SJ Chiro (USA 2017) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY DOLORES, directed by Peter Bratt (USA 2017) First runner-up: CHASING CORAL, directed by Jeff Orlowski (USA 2017) Second runner-up: STEP, directed by Amanda Lipitz (USA 2017) Third runner-up: CITY OF GHOSTS, directed by Matthew Heineman (USA 2017) Fourth runner-up: DIRTBAG: THE LEGEND OF FRED BECKEY, directed by Dave O’Leske (USA 2017) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DIRECTOR Rodrigo Grande, AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL (Spain/Argentina 2016) First runner-up: Justin Chon, GOOK (USA 2017) Second runner-up: Philippe van Leeuw, IN SYRIA (Lebanon/France/Belgium 2017) Third runner-up: Mani Haghighi, A DRAGON ARRIVES! (Iran 2016) Fourth runner-up: Hirokazu Kore-eda, AFTER THE STORM (Japan 2016) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTOR David Johns, I, DANIEL BLAKE (United Kingdom/France/Belgium 2016) First runner-up: Leonardo Sbaraglia, AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL (Spain/Argentina 2016) Second runner-up: Timothy Spall, THE JOURNEY (United Kingdom 2016) Third runner-up: Fares Fares, THE NILE HILTON INCIDENT (Sweden/Denmark/Germany 2017) Fourth runner-up: Bogusław Linda, AFTERIMAGE (Poland 2016) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTRESS Lene Cecilia Sparrok, SAMI BLOOD (SAMEBLOD) (Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016) First runner-up: Elina Vaska, MELLOW MUD (Latvia 2016) Second runner-up: Danielle MacDonald, PATTI CAKE$ (USA 2017) Third runner-up: Sophia Mitri-Schloss, LANE 1974 (USA 2017) Fourth runner-up: Simone Baker, GOOK (USA 2017) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM DEFEND THE SACRED, directed by Kyle Bell (USA 2016) First runner-up: LITTLE POTATO, directed by Wes Hurley, Nathan M. Miller (USA 2017) Second runner-up: THE GENEVA CONVENTION, directed by Benoit Martin (France 2016) Third runner-up: FLUFFY, directed by Lee Filipovski (Serbia/Montenegro/Canada 2016) Fourth runner-up: THE CLEANSING HOUR, directed by Damien LeVeck (USA 2016) LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION Presented by Women in Film Seattle Amanda Lipitz, STEP (USA 2017) This award is given to the female director’s film that receives the most votes in public balloting at the Festival. Lena Sharpe was co-founder and managing director of Seattle’s Festival of Films by Women Directors and a KCTS-TV associate who died in a plane crash while on assignment. As a tribute to her efforts in bringing the work of women filmmakers to prominence, SIFF created this special award and asked Women in Film Seattle to bestow it.SIFF 2017 COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF confers five juried competition awards: SIFF Official Competition, Ibero-American Competition, New Directors Competition, New American Cinema Competition (FIPRESCI Prize), and Documentary Competition. The winners in each juried competition receives $5,000 in cash. SIFF 2017 OFFICIAL COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE SAMI BLOOD (SAMEBLOD) (d: Amanda Kernell, Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016) JURY STATEMENT: After viewing this excellent selection of eight outstanding, diverse films from eight different countries, we faced the challenging task of choosing a winner. For its beautifully nuanced and spare portrayal of the struggle to discover who you are, both because of and in spite of where you are from, featuring a stunning and expressive central performance and lush cinematography of a rarely seen culture, we present the Grand Jury Prize to Sami Blood. SPECIAL JURY MENTION MY HAPPY FAMILY (d: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross, Georgia/Germany/France 2017) JURY STATEMENT: For their deft handling of a large ensemble cast, for their approach to a subversively feminist story within a patriarchal culture, and for their ability to capture emotional chaos with depth, grace, and resonance, we present a Special Jury Mention for Excellence in Direction to Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross for My Happy Family. 2017 Entries: 7 Minutes (d. Michele Placido, Italy/France/Switzerland 2016, North American Premiere) Bad Influence (d: Claudia Huaiquimilla, Chile 2016) Beach Rats (d: Eliza Hittman, USA 2017) Have A Nice Day (d: LIU Jian, China/Hong Kong 2017, North American Premiere) Hedi (d: Mohamed Ben Attia, Tunisia/Belgium/France/Qatar/UAE 2016) My Happy Family (d: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross, Georgia/Germany/France 2017) Sami Blood (Sameblod) (d: Amanda Kernell, Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016) Zoology (d: Ivan I. Tverdovsky, Russia/France/Germany 2016) SIFF 2017 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE THE WINTER (EL INVIERNO) (d: Emiliano Torres, Argentina/France 2016) JURY STATEMENT: A complex and multi-layered first feature that bends the Western genre to create a remarkable film that is as much about the relationship between two men, as it is about Man’s relationship to the landscape. SPECIAL JURY MENTION DEVIL’S FREEDOM (LA LIBERTAD DEL DIABLO) (d: Everardo González, Mexico 2017) JURY STATEMENT: A timely and urgent film on the ongoing Mexican drug war, that presents the many faces of violence without presenting any actual faces. The SIFF Ibero-American Competition aims to highlight the strength, creativity, and influence of storytelling in the region. The Ibero-American Competition is for films having their Seattle premiere during the Festival and without US distribution. 2017 Entries: Chameleon (d: Jorge Riquelme Serrano, Chile 2016, North American Premiere) Devil’s Freedom (La Libertad Del Diablo) (d: Everardo González, Mexico 2017, US Premiere) May God Save Us (d: Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Spain 2016) Pendular (d: Julia Murat, Brazil/Argentina/France 2017) Santa & Andres (d: Carlos Lechuga, Cuba/Colombia/France 2016) Two Irenes (d: Fabio Meira, Brazil 2017, North American Premiere) The Winter (El Invierno) (d: Emiliano Torres, Argentina/France 2016) Woodpeckers (d: José María Cabral, Dominican Republic 2017) SIFF 2017 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE BOUNDARIES (PAYS) (d: Chloé Robichaud, Canada (Québec) 2016) JURY STATEMENT: For its fully-fleshed portrayal of women and the dilemmas of their public and private lives and its absurdist feel for political process, we award the Grand Jury Prize to the French–Canadian film Boundaries. SPECIAL JURY MENTION THE INLAND ROAD (d: Jackie Van Beek, New Zealand 2017) JURY STATEMENT: We also single out Gloria Popata for her arresting debut as a troubled native New Zealander in the film The Inland Road. 2017 Entries: Anishoara (d: Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu, Germany 2016) Boundaries (Pays) (d: Chloé Robichaud, Canada (Québec) 2016) Diamond Island (d: Davy Chou, France 2016) The Inland Road (d: Jackie Van Beek, New Zealand 2017, North American Premiere) I Was A Dreamer (d: Michele Vannucci, Italy 2016, North American Premiere) Kati Kati (d: Mbithi Masya, Kenya 2016) The Man (d: Charlotte Sieling, Denmark 2017) Paris Prestige (d: Hamé Bourokba, Ekoué Labitey, France 2016) Quit Staring at My Plate (d: Hana Jušić, Croatia 2016) Struggle for Life (d: Antonin Peretjatko, Belgium 2016) SIFF 2017 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE LANE 1974 (d: SJ Chiro, USA 2017) JURY STATEMENT: A tough-minded, but tender look at the underside of 1970s counterculture life. 2017 Entries: American Folk (d: David Heinz, USA 2017) Columbus (d: Kogonada, USA 2017) Dara Ju (d: Anthony Onah, USA/Nigeria 2017) The Feels (d: Jenée Lamarque, USA 2017, World Premiere) In The Radiant City (d: Rachel Lambert, USA 2016) The Landing (d: Mark Dodson, David Dodson, USA 2016) Lane 1974 (d: SJ Chiro, USA 2017) Say You Will (d: Nick Naveda, USA 2017, World Premiere) SIFF 2017 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE BECOMING WHO I WAS (d: Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, South Korea 2016) JURY STATEMENT: We admired the filmmaker’s skill and commitment to capturing the relationship between the two subjects in this artfully crafted documentary. For a film that beautifully tells the story of a truly incredible emotional and spiritual journey, the jury awards the grand prize for documentary filmmaking to Becoming Who I Was. SPECIAL JURY MENTION WHAT LIES UPSTREAM (d: Cullen Hoback, USA 2017) JURY STATEMENT: For filmmaker Cullen Hoback’s journalistic integrity in revealing the unseemly collusion between public servants and lobbyists that lead to the poisoning of West Virginia’s water supply, we give a special jury mention to What Lies Upstream. Unscripted and uncut, the world is a resource of unexpected, informative, and altogether exciting storytelling. Documentary filmmakers have for years brought untold stories to life and introduced us to a vast number of fascinating topics we may never have known existed. The SIFF Documentary Jury members were Kathy McDonald (Documentary Magazine), Ryland Aldrich (producer, L.A. Times, Folk Hero & Funny Guy), and Shane Smith (Hot Docs). 2017 Entries: Becoming Who I Was (d: Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, South Korea 2016, US Premiere) Close Relations (d: Vitaly Mansky, Germany/Latvia/Estonia/Ukraine 2016, US Premiere) The Farthest (d: Emer Reynolds, Ireland 2017) Ghost Hunting (d: Raed Andoni, Palestine/France/Switzerland 2016, US Premiere) The Reagan Show (d: Pacho Velez, Sierra Pattengill, USA 2017) Roberto Bolle ― The Art Of Dance (d: Francesca Pedroni, Italy 2016, North American Premiere) Those Who Remain (d: Eliane Raheb, Lebanon/UAE 2016, North American Premiere) What Lies Upstream (d: Cullen Hoback, USA 2017) Winnie (d: Pascale Lamche, France/Netherlands/South Africa 2017) SIFF 2017 FUTUREWAVE AND YOUTH JURY AWARDS SIFF presents FutureWave Shorts during ShortsFest Weekend. These inspiring original short films represent some of the best short filmmaking from around the world. In addition SIFF presents films throughout the Festival curated for youth in our Films4Families and FutureWave feature programs. YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE PATTI CAKE$ (USA 2017), directed by Geremy Jasper JURY STATEMENT: For the unique, compelling characters and incredible music in this story of transformation. YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FILMS4FAMILIES FEATURE SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS (United Kingdom 2016), directed by Philippa Lowthorpe JURY STATEMENT: For its relatable story and characters, production design that captured the essence of an era, and combination of action, humor, and mystery. FUTUREWAVE SHORTS WAVEMAKER AWARD (GRAND PRIZE) The winner will be awarded a $1000 cash prize presented by Amazon.com BATTLES (BATAILLES) (Canada (Quebec) 2016), directed by Karen Pinette Fontaine JURY STATEMENT: For its richly composed visuals and poetic journey of self that takes the viewer from a hollow party atmosphere to a seemingly empty space that becomes filled with the narrator’s culture that is thriving within her. FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD FAMILY SHADOWS (USA 2016), directed by Laura Malatos FUTUREWAVE SHORTS PRODIGY CAMP SCHOLARSHIP The winners each will be awarded a $1250 partial scholarship to the 2017 Prodigy Camp. THE PETITION (USA, 2016), directed by Riley Goodwin and Kibiriti Majuto SIFF 2017 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS All short films shown at the Festival are eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and Jury Award Shorts Competition. Jurors will choose winners in the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each jury winner will receive $2,500 and winners in each of the three categories may also qualify to enter their respective films in the Short Film category of the Academy Awards®. LIVE ACTION GRAND JURY PRIZE WOMEN&WINE (KVINNER&CAVA) (Norway, 2017), directed by Liv Karin Dahlstrøm JURY STATEMENT: For its honest depiction of friendship that, over a short period of time, authentically runs the spectrum from silly and beautiful to awkward and heartbreaking, we give the Jury Award for Best Live Action Short to Women&Wine, directed by Liv Karin Dahlstrøm. SPECIAL JURY MENTION NOTHING EVER REALLY ENDS (INGENTING TAR NOENSINNE SLUTT) (Norway, 2017), directed by Jakob Rørvik JURY STATEMENT: For its exceptional craftsmanship in all areas of the filmmaking process we decided that Nothing Ever Really Ends could not go unmentioned. From the writing and directing to the editing and acting this film unfolds effortlessly. And all in the service of an incredibly entertaining and relatable story. SPECIAL JURY MENTION FANNY (Norway, 2017), directed by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel JURY STATEMENT: We’d also like to recognize a filmmaker who impressed us with an intimate and frank film about sexuality and loneliness. For his unique vision, heartbreaking honesty, and nuanced direction in the film Fanny, we’d like to award Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel a special jury award for emerging director. DOCUMENTARY GRAND JURY PRIZE REFUGEE (USA, 2016), directed by Joyce Chen and Emily Moore JURY STATEMENT: For many refugees, getting to the United States is only the first step of a decades-long journey. Refugee is the moving and powerful story of a mother of five, Aicha Diop, whose journey to obtain asylum encapsulates the hope of life in America, as well as its harsh political realities. SPECIAL JURY MENTION WAITING FOR HASSANA (Nigeria, 2017), directed by Ifunanya Maduka JURY STATEMENT: By bringing to light one young girl’s traumatic experience, this important documentary gives a voice to all 276 teenage girls whose lives were violently interrupted by Boko Haram in 2014. This film is a necessary reminder that an issue doesn’t vanish when its hashtag stops trending. ANIMATION GRAND JURY PRIZE PUSSY (CIPKA) (Poland, 2016), directed by Renata Gasiorowska JURY STATEMENT: A witty and whimsical animated short about a girl and her body, Pussy quickly takes the audience on a wild ride through female sex positivity. SPECIAL JURY MENTION THE HEAD VANISHES (France, 2016), directed by Franck Dion JURY STATEMENT: Through its beautiful animation and unique perspective, The Head Vanishes poignantly captures the exceptional challenges, the hopeful glimmers, the peaceful moments, and the continual struggles of dealing with a mentally ill parent. SHORT FILM JURIES FOR SIFF 2017 LIVE ACTION: Ina Pira (Vimeo), Lacey Leavitt (producer, Laggies, Safety Not Guaranteed) and Tony Fulgham (commercial director and independent filmmaker) DOCUMENTARY AND ANIMATION: Anna Sampers (Milwaukee FIlm), Nancy Chang (Reel Grrls) and David Chen (Slashfilm) SIFF 2017 360/VIRTUAL REALITY COMPETITION SIFF 360/VR AWARD Sponsored by Pixvana WE WHO REMAIN (USA, 2017) by Emblematic Group / Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson JURY STATEMENT: We are pleased to present the SIFF 360/VR Award, sponsored by Pixvana, to We Who Remain, a film that intimately brings the viewer inside the heart of a forgotten conflict in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Fusing elegant storytelling with sharp technical skill, the film weaves together narratives from a student, rebel soldier, journalist, and mother who have chosen to remain and relentlessly struggle to bring peace back to their land. SIFF is proud to be awarding this new cutting edge work and providing the winner with a $500 prize and the opportunity for the awarded film to be distributed globally through Pixvana’s SPIN Studio platform. The SIFF 360/VR Award jury is comprised of Julia Fryett, Kate Becker, and Sarah Wilke. SIFF 2017 CHINA STARS AWARDS The Seattle International Film Festival is pleased to have presented the following awards at the China Stars Award Ceremony on Friday, June 9th at the Pan Pacific Hotel. CHINA STARS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Qin Yi (The Beautiful Kokonor Lake) CHINA STARS EMERGING TALENT Liang Dong (The Door) CHINA STARS EMERGING ACTOR Yi Li Ha Mu. M (The Beautiful Kokonor Lake) SIFF 2017 CATALYST SCREENPLAY COMPETITION The Catalyst Screenplay Competition is a platform aimed at offering up-and-coming writers the opportunity to gain industry exposure through SIFF. This year, the Finalist and Grand Prize scripts were juried by script supervisor Emily Zulauf (Inside Out) and producer Brent Stiefel (Obvious Child). The winning script, The Tiger & the Protected, received a live read by SAG-AFTRA actors on Saturday, June 10. Grand Prize Winner The Tiger & the Protected by Jeff Scott Finalists I Can Change by Amy Lowe Starbin Keeper of the Cup by Larry Shulruff This Close by Marc Messenger Semi-Finalists Beasts Undiscovered by Jeremy Dehn and Catherine Dale Catherine’s Cross by Millie West Ladies by Natalie Nicole Dressel A Promise Kept by Linda Sunshine Until the End of the Ninth by Beth Bollinger The Zuckermans by Ethan Mermelstein
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Newark Black Film Festival to Open with Ava DuVernay’s 13TH
The Newark Black Film Festival (NBFF) kicks off its 43rd season on June 28 at the Newark Museum with 13th, Ava DuVernay’s exploration of the history of race, justice and mass incarceration in the U.S., focusing on the nation’s prisons that are disproportionately filled with African-Americans.
Youth Cinema, the accompanying summer-long series of free children’s features and short films, debuts on July 3 at The Newark Public Library and July 5 at the Museum.
Since its introduction by the Museum in 1974, the NBFF has provided a forum for emerging writers, directors, producers, performers that highlight the work and history of African Americans and the African Diaspora that reflect the diversity of viewpoints, from documentaries to the avant-garde. Screenings are followed by a Q&A session.
Screenings are free, but reservations are strongly suggested.
NEWARK BLACK FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
All screenings begin at 7 pm in the Newark Museum BJ Auditorium, unless otherwise noted.
June 28: 13th
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of race, justice and mass incarceration in the U.S., focusing on the nation’s prisons that are disproportionately filled with African-Americans.
Opening Reception: 5:30 pm
Speakers: Khalil Muhammad, Prof. of History, Race and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School; and Lawrence Hamm, People Organization for Progress
Host: Gloria Hopkins Buck
July 5: Queen of Katwe – Family Night in the Museum Garden
Living in the slum of Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona and her family. Her world changes when she meets a missionary who teaches children how to play chess.
Enjoy pre-film activities at 7 pm with the Newark Chess Club, a mentorship program that teaches strategic theory and thought, through chess. Screening will follow at 8 pm.
Speaker and Host: Darryl Scipio, Newark Chess Club
July 12: Steps
A young attorney left traumatized after an armed robbery becomes an alcoholic, loses everything and spends 14 years on the streets. After he befriends a local pastor, his story shifts to one of redemption and love in this Indie film set in Jersey City.
Speakers: Eddie Harris, filmmaker/writer; and Penwah, actress/producer/comedian
Host: Richard Wesley, screenwriter/educator
July 19: Shashamane
This documentary, set in Shashamane, Ethiopia, tells the story of Africans returning to their homeland, after generations of slavery and oppression, to reclaim their African identity.
Speakers: Giulia Amati, Producer, Karl Courtenay Phillpotts, President, The Shashamane Settlement Community Development Foundation and Jake Homiak, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Anthropological Archives.
Host: Akil Khalfani, Director of Africana Institute, Essex County College
July 26: Millie & The Lords
Milagros Baez, a young Puerto Rican woman, has her life changed for the better when she learns about the Young Lords Party who fought for social justice in Spanish Harlem in the 1960s.
Speakers: Jennica Carmona, writer/director and Jessica Carmona, co-producer and plays the role of Millie
Host: TBD
August 2: John Lewis: Get in the Way
A portrayal of John Lewis’ personal journey of courage, disappointments and hard-won triumphs. Over decades, he has inspired others to stand up and seek justice for the marginalized.
Speaker: Kathleen Dowdey, producer/director
Host: TBD
NEWARK BLACK FILM FESTIVAL YOUTH CINEMA SCHEDULE
Youth Cinema will be held on Mondays at The Newark Public Library at 10:30 am and at the Newark Museum on Wednesdays at 1 pm.
Monday, July 3, The Newark Public Library
Wednesday July 5, Newark Museum
Tell Me Who I Am – A princess from Timbuktu and her magical friend take a journey in a time-travel ship into the 21st century.
George Washington Carver – Learn how Mr. Carver became one of the world’s foremost experts in agriculture and horticulture.
Adventures in Odyssey: Race to Freedom – With the help of friends, a young boy helps slaves escape through the Underground Railroad.
Monday, July 10, The Newark Public Library
Wednesday, July 12, Newark Museum
The Proud Family Movie – A young girl and her family go on vacation, only to be captured by a mad scientist.
Monday, July 17, The Newark Public Library
Wednesday, July 19, Newark Museum
Meltrek: Exploring Ancient Africa – Learn history, culture and contributions of various African civilizations.
Zarafa – In this African fable, a boy and a baby giraffe take a hot air balloon on an adventure from Africa to Europe.
Monday, July 24, The Newark Public Library
Wednesday, July 26, Newark Museum
Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness – Adventures of neighborhood kids of different racial cultures.
Sule and the Case of the Tiny Sparks – A young girl who wants to learn the meaning of a proverb seeks guidance from the proverb detective.
The Honest-to-Goodness Truth – Libby tries not to lie–she’s been taught that it’s good to be honest– sometimes the truth can be hard.
Monday, July 31, The Newark Public Library
Wednesday, August 2, Newark Museum
Mrs. Katz and Tush – Lamel, a young African-American boy, and Mrs. Katz, an elderly Jewish woman, develop an unusual friendship through their concern for a cat named Tush.
You’re Beautiful – 11-year-old Shola truly knows the internal conflict she faces and the pressures of dealing with school.
White Water – A boy in the Deep South discovers that no matter the fountain, water is water.
Monday, August 7, The Newark Public Library
Wednesday, August 9, Newark Museum
Queen of Katwe – Living in the slum of Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona and her family. Her world changes when she meets a missionary who teaches children how to play chess.
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Tim Smit’s Futuristic Thriller KILL SWITCH to Open on June 16th | Trailer
Kill Switch from writer-director Tim Smit, is an epic story framed from a first person perspective that makes you feel like you are in the film with a video-game style experience. Part apocalyptic and part thriller, the film explores a future where a pilot turned physicist (Stevens) has to save the world by harnessing parallel universes and channeling unlimited energy
The film starring Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast, “Downtown Abbey”) and Bérénice Marlohe (Skyfall), will open in select theaters and on demand on June 16th.
Acclaimed writer-director Tim Smit explodes on to the scene with his futuristic, VFX-heavy feature debut! Kill Switch charts the story of a pilot battling to save his family and the planet, based on Smit’s short What’s In The Box?
Set in a future version of the world, the video game style plot follows an experiment for unlimited energy, harnessing parallel universes, which goes wrong. Chased by drones and soldiers, pilot and physicist Will Porter must race through an imploding world to get the Redivider box to a tower, which will save humanity, including his family, in the real world.
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Eight Documentary Film Projects Selected for Sundance Institute Documentary Edit and Story Labs
The Sundance Institute has selected eight documentary film projects for its annual Documentary Edit and Story Labs, taking place in two sessions at the Sundance Resort in Utah from June 23 to July 1 and July 7 to 15.
The Documentary Edit and Story Lab creates an incubation space for nonfiction storytellers to creatively interrogate their projects during the later stages of post-production. Among the breathtaking scenery of the Sundance Mountain Resort, filmmakers take advantage of the Lab’s creative environment to intensively explore story, dramatic structure and character development, centering their work around their own original motivation and intention.
Overseen by Documentary Film Program Director Tabitha Jackson and Labs Director Kristin Feeley, each Lab brings together independent director and editor teams with world-renowned documentary filmmakers acting as advisors. For the second year the Lab will host writers-in-residence Eric Hynes and Logan Hill in a program designed to bring film critics and nonfiction filmmakers together to forge a deeper understanding of nonfiction film through immersion in the creative process.
“This vibrant array of projects illustrates the power of documentary filmmakers to use the language of cinema to tell untold stories, challenge and change perspectives and use their independent voice to speak truth to power,” said Jackson. “Convening these directors and editors, to refine and hone their craft with the help of our creative advisors, will we hope fuel their bold and pivotal work at this critical moment.”
Recent projects that have participated in the Documentary Edit and Story Lab include Unrest, Whose Streets?, Newtown, Strong Island and Cameraperson. The Lab is part of the 26 residential Labs the Institute hosts each year to discover and foster the talent of emerging independent artists in film, theatre, new media and episodic content.
The selected projects for the Documentary Edit and Story Lab are:
Jacqueline Olive (director) / Always in Season (USA): As the trauma of more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present, Always in Season follows relatives of the perpetrators and victims seeking justice and reconciliation – all in the midst of police shootings, church burnings and heated national debate about the value of black lives.
Marilyn Ness (director), Don Bernier (editor) / Charm City (USA): During three years of unparalleled violence in Baltimore, Charm City delivers an unexpectedly candid, observational portrait of those left on the frontlines. With grit, fury and compassion, a group of police, citizens and government officials grapple with the consequences of violence and try to reclaim their future.
Sedika Mojadidi (director), Sinead Kinnane (editor) / Facing the Dragon (Afghanistan/USA): Filmmaker Sedika Mojadidi follows two compelling Afghan women, a Member of Parliament and a journalist, as the international community withdraws from Afghanistan, threatening its fragile democracy.
Naziha Arebi (director), Alice Powell (editor) / Freedom Fields (UK/Libya): In post-revolution Libya, a group of women are brought together by one dream: to play football for their nation. But as the country descends into civil war, their personal stories of aspirations, love and struggle collide with history.
Petra Costa (director), Jordana Berg (editor) / Impeachment (Brazil): An epic tragedy of corruption and betrayal, Impeachment is a behind-the-scenes look at the ousting of Brazil’s first female president. With unique access to the president and other key politicians, the film unravels like a political thriller as Brazil falls into disarray, echoing the undoing of so many democracies throughout the world.
Cristina Ibarra (co-director/co-editor), Alex Rivera (co-director/co-editor) / The Infiltrators (USA): When two young immigrant-activists get detained by Border Patrol, on purpose, their mission to expose the abuses inside a detention center becomes much more complex and dangerous than they imagined.
Hao Wu (director), Nanfu Wang (editor) / People’s Republic of Desire (China/USA): In China’s popular live-streaming showrooms, three millennials seek fame, fortune and human connection, ultimately finding the same promises and perils online as in their real lives.
Christina D. King (co-director), Elizabeth Castle (co-director), Kristen Nutile (editor) / Warrior Women (USA): Chronicling the lifelong struggle of a Lakota mother and daughter in the American Indian Movement’s fight for Native liberation from the 1970s to today, where they are protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock, North Dakota.
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THE FENCER, Finland’s Entry for Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, Sets Release Date | Trailer
The Fencer directed by Klaus Härö – 2016 Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as Finland’s official selection and shortlist finalist at the 2016 Academy Awards (Best Foreign Language Film) will be released in the US in Summer 2017. The film will open at City Cinemas in New York on July 21 and at the Royal and Playhouse 7 in Los Angeles on August 11. A national release will follow.
A young man, Endel Nelis (Märt Avandi), arrives in Haapsalu, Estonia in the early 1950s. Having left Leningrad to escape the secret police, he finds work as a teacher and organizes a sports club for his students. Endel learns to love the children and begins to looks after them; most are orphans as a result of the Russian occupation. He starts teaching them his great passion – fencing. Fencing becomes a form of self-expression for the children and Endel is quickly seen as their role model and a father figure.
Endel’s popularity with his students causes a conflict with the school’s principal. Envious and suspicious, the principal starts investigating Endel’s background and discovers a secret from his past. When an opportunity arises for the children to participate in a national fencing tournament in Leningrad, Endel must make a choice: risk everything to take the children to Leningrad, or disappoint them by putting his safety first.
The Fencer was inspired by the true story of Endel Nelis, Estonia’s legendary fencing maestro.
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New Media Film Festival Announces Winners, THE DARK & WOUNDED Wins Grand Prize
[caption id="attachment_22686" align="aligncenter" width="960"]
The Dark & The Wounded – James Picard[/caption]
The Dark & The Wounded directed by James Picard and Jeff Dean triumphed over 87 new media films and content, to win the Grand Prize at the 8th Annual New Media Film Festival that ran June 6 to 8, 2017.
THE WINNERS ARE:
GRAND PRIZE
The Dark & The Wounded (screened in Short Category)
Director: James Picard, Jeff Dean
Country: Canada, USA
Running time: 26:24
World premiere!
To go beneath the surface of our distracted reality and get to the root of what is really happening to us as individuals, society and as a species on the planet. By getting past our fears we can become more compassionate and understanding towards ourselves and others, beyond fear, there truly is freedom.
BEST 3D
Chrysalis
Director: Ina Conradi, Mark Chavez
Country: Singapore
Running time: 7:03
L.A. premiere!
Chrysalis is a tale of personal struggles and endurance. The film is based on an old legend about the butterfly‘s struggles to evolve.
BEST ANIMATION
Bosatsu – Year of the Dragon
Director: Siddharth Ahluwalia
Country: USA
Running time: 6:13
Based on a dream and has been made with the hope of finding the Unknown.
BEST APP
Recontact: Istanbul
Director: Eray Dinc
Country: Turkey
Running time: :27
L.A. premiere!
In a recorded city, are you the one watching or being watched? Play the leading r
BEST DIGITAL COMIC
The Nothing Spirit
Written by: Grace Fiorre
Country: US
World premiere!
Her new disease caused her to lose alot of weight and for that reason the kids started to pick on her in school. She started being homeschooled, which gave her the opportunity to follower her dream and become an author.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Unlocked: The World of Games, Revealed
Director: Jeremy Snead
Country: USA
Running time: 3:00
L.A. premiere!
Unlocked is a groundbreaking 8 part documentary series that provides firsthand stories by industry icons, celebrities, consumers, and field experts on the culture, technology, history, and future of the video game industry.
BEST DRONE
Running into air
Director: Sebastian Wöber
Country: Austria
Running time: 3:00
L.A. premiere!
Who didn’t have dreams about flying as a kid? On film it’s possible. This is me running into the air and filming cinematic landscapes on my flight over Switzerland.
BEST FEATURE
Non – Transferable
Director: Brendan Bradley
Country: Turkey, USA
Running time: 84:00
World premiere!
Stuck with vacation reservations in her ex-boyfriends, Amy Tyler decides if she can’t change the tickets…why not change the guy?
Cast Members:
Ashley Clements (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Poe Party),
Shanna Malcolm (HeyYoShanna, Bob Thunder),
Katie Wee (Return Of the Mac, 2 Broke Girls),
Matthew Scott Montgomery (So Random!, Jane The Virgin),
Amin Joseph (Baywatch, Call Me King),
Sara Fletcher (Frankenstein MD, Days of our Lives),
Daniel Vincent Gordh (The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Hollywood Acting Studio),
Joey Richter (Starkid, I Ship It),
Shira Lazar (What’s Trending)
BEST MOBILE/TABLET
Cuba LIbre
Director: Felixe de Becker and Colin Bates
Country: Cuba
Running time: 6:41
World premiere!
Young business man journeys to Havana Cuba for work, only to find a beautiful distraction…
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Inertia by Orfan Inspired by the sentiments of Werner Herzog
Director: Ted Beagles
Country: UK
Running time: 4:34
Armed with only a harmonium, Orfan performs ‘Inertia’ in places where he shouldn’t be. Security descends.
BEST NEW MEDIA
My Millennial Life
Director: Maureen Judge
Country: Canada
Running time: 2:20
US premiere!
An interactive documentary follows millenials, living a reality that sees nearly half of their age group either unemployed or underemployed. Combining verité filming, interviews, video diary, text and statistics, the i-DOoc puts a human face on the quandary of finding a place in 21st century society.
BEST PILOT
Adventure Travel
Director: Ho Kwok Man, Berry
Country: Hong Kong
Running time: 4:45
World premiere!
An interactive game show. Participants will travel only with directions from TV producers and TV viewers. To earn money, participants have to finish challenges to earn virtual points.
BEST SCRIPT
Render
Written by: Kirill Kiselev
Country: USA
World premiere!
A woman who can enter the minds of artificially intelligent machines is pulled into a hidden war with a corporate government.
Top 3 Script Winners receive memberships in The Hatchery, InkTip, iPitch.tv and Sell A Script:Top 3 winners – Render, Clash of the Gods, Alan
BEST SHORT
MATE
Director: Tom Connolly
Country: UK
Running time: 7:30
L.A. premiere!
Two nihilistic colleagues hatch a plan in a cafe, paying no attention to the stranger at their table. Their good natured victim is left with a simple choice to make, upon which his future rests.
BEST SNIPLER-30 SECOND PITCH
Life Interrupted
Director: Steven Wishnoff
Country: USA
Running time: :30
World premiere!
Half Hour single -camera comedy, starring several fan-favorites about a former child actor whose life and career peaked at age 10. He is about to turn 50 with nothing in life the way he thought it would or should be.
BEST SRC – Socially Responsible Content
Ode to Lesvos
Director: Talal Derki
Country: Greece
Running time: 11:30
US premiere!
Ode to Lesvos is the inspiring story about a small group of fishermen and old ladies from the town of Skala Sikamineas on Lesvos, who received hundreds of thousands of refugees with open arms during summer of 2016. As a result of their selfless efforts the villagers were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
BEST STEAM
Adrift
Director: Cath Le Couteur
Country: Chile, USA and space
Running time: 11:00
L.A. premiere!
Exploring the mysteries and contradictions of space junk: a sometimes beautiful, but potentially destructive museum of space exploration hurtling above our heads.
BEST STUDENT
AEON a 3D Student film
Director: Derek O’Dell
Country: USA
Running time: 4:00
Aeon, a long, indefinite, period — is an abstract immersive audio-visual experience. A study on the behavior of energy over a period of time. Created using experimental 2D/3D animation techniques.
BEST TRAILER
Dream Big: Engineering Our World
Director: Greg MacGillivray
Country: Space and USA
Running time: 2:00
World premiere!
Dream Big: Engineering Our World is narrated by Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges, and is a first film of its kind for IMAX® and giant screen theatres that will transform how we think about engineering.
BEST VIRTUAL REALITY
Et Moi – 360
Director: Herman Fredlund
Country: Sweden
Running time: 2:59
L.A. premiere!
The film is about a couple from the past dancing through memories in Berlin. The story ends in Grunau abandoned Ballroom then two urban explorers arrive.
BEST WEB SERIES
You are nothing Ep 3
Director: Mike Stivala, Mark Travis
Country: USA
Running time: 6:50
World premiere!
A web series disguised as a self-help video tutorial – or perhaps, a parody of one – that uses the crumbing life of Mitch Repter as a teaching tool for a bizarre philosophy of life.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION TO JERRY COPE – SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CONSERVATION AWARD PRODUCER A LOVE SONG FOR EARTH (this award was only given to one other person, Leonardo Di Caprio)
Love Song to the Earth
Running time: 4:15
Special Presentation (during awards ceremony) – Love Song To The Earth video featuring Paul McCartney, Sean Paul, Colbie Callait, Natasha Bedingfield, Q’orianka Kilcher and others. Directed by Trey Fanjoy, Produced by Jerry Cope. All proceeds from the Love Song project benefit Friends Of The Earth and the United Nations Foundation. Premiered with Ban Ki-mmon in Paris at UNFCCC COP21.
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WE WHO REMAIN Wins Seattle International Film Festival’s First 360/VR Award
The Seattle International Film Festival has presented the first SIFF 360/VR Award, recognizing excellence in virtual reality filmmaking to We Who Remain by Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson.
The winner will receive $500 and the opportunity for the awarded film to be distributed globally through Pixvana’s SPIN Studio platform. This year, the jury’s decision was guided by three criteria: story, impact, and technical prowess. Jury members included Julia Fryett (Director of Marketing & Community Development, Pixvana), Kate Becker (Director, Seattle Office of Film + Music) and Sarah Wilke (Executive Director, SIFF).
In a statement the jury said, “We are pleased to present the SIFF 360/VR Award, sponsored by Pixvana, to We Who Remain, a film that intimately brings the viewer inside the heart of a forgotten conflict in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Fusing elegant storytelling with sharp technical skill, the film weaves together narratives from a student, rebel soldier, journalist, and mother who have chosen to remain and relentlessly struggle to bring peace back to their land.” We Who Remain is produced by Emblematic Group and directed by Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson.
360/VR Films Presented at SIFF 2017
After Solitary by Emblematic Group / Cassandra Herrman and Lauren Mucciolo Behind the Fence by Lindsay Branham and Jonathan Olinger Eagle Bone by Tracy Rector The Giant by New Media Ltd. / Mike Anderson, Ryan Dickle, and Abigail Horton Journey VR by Eugene Capon Love! A Virtual Reality Dance Story by Jess Kantor The Ministry of Time by Future Lighthouse / Nicolás Alcalá Potato Dreams by Mechanical Dreams / Wes Hurley (Work-in-Progress) Say Our Name by State Media / Stina Hamlin Silent Resonance by Pixvana / Scott Squires Syzygy: Paul Taylor Dance Company by Andrew Asnes We Who Remain by Emblematic Group / Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson All twelve films included in the 360/VR Storytelling Pop-Up at the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival will be available for viewing at the SIFF Lounge.
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Palm Springs International ShortFest Announces 2017 Lineup Featuring Idris Elba, Kate Winslet and More
[caption id="attachment_22679" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Idris Elba in Five by Five[/caption]
This year’s 23rd Palm Springs International ShortFest taking place June 20-26, 2017, at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs will showcase 338 films including 46 World Premieres, 12 International Premieres, 42 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres.
“Each year, the quality of films we watch for ShortFest keeps getting stronger,” said Festival Director Lili Rodriguez. “It makes our job of narrowing down the final selection that much harder, but also incredibly rewarding. There are so many unique and strong voices and we’re really proud to champion these films at the festival.”
This year’s star-studded shorts feature Academy Award® winners and nominees, as well as film and television stars including Summer Phoenix in Across My Land (USA/France); Thomas Lennon and Lennon Parham in All Exchanges Final (USA); Tatiana Maslany in Apart From Everything (Canada); The Dark of Night (USA) directed by Robin Wright and starring Leslie Bibb and Sam Rockwell; Sir Ian McKellen in Edmund the Magnificent (UK); Toby Jones in The Entertainer (UK); Julian Sands in The Escape (UK); Idris Elba in Five by Five (UK); Rick Fox in Game (USA); Carrie Coon in Great Choice (USA); Kate Winslet in The Lost Letter (Ireland); Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale in Martha Monster (Australia); Valerie Harper in My Mom and the Girl (USA); Helena Bonham Carter in Poles Apart (UK); Show Business (USA) directed by Clark Duke; and Super Sex directed by Matthew Modine and starring Kevin Nealon, Edward Asner, Elizabeth Perkins and Efren Ramirez.
In addition to ShortFest’s award-winning short films, each year the Festival also welcomes a long guest list of filmmakers and industry attendees for the ShortFest Forums of panels and roundtables. Other prominent industry figures from AMPAS®, Anonymous Content, CAA, Cartoon Network, FX Networks, ICM Partners, NASA, Preferred Content, Seed&Spark, UTA, Vimeo and other organizations will participate in three days of ShortFest Forums covering a wide range of emerging trends and new practices in the global film community.
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Diane Keaton Honored with American Film Institute’s 45th AFI Life Achievement Award
Actor, director, writer and icon Diane Keaton was honored with the American Film Institute’s 45th AFI Life Achievement Award – America’s highest honor for a career in film – on Thursday, June 8, in an evening filled with laughter, stories, song and surprises at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
The televised special, AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: A TRIBUTE TO DIANE KEATON, will air on TNT June 15 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT), followed by an encore presentation on sister network Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on July 31 during a night of programming dedicated to her career.
Keaton’s Tribute brought to the stage seven previous AFI Life Achievement Award honorees as performers and presenters for this historic event: Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Morgan Freeman, Steve Martin, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Sidney Poitier. Additional presenters who paid tribute to Keaton included Lisa Kudrow, Rachel McAdams, Martin Short, Sarah Silverman, Emma Stone, Reese Witherspoon and surprise guest Woody Allen.
Among the artists who gathered to celebrate Keaton were Candice Bergen, James L. Brooks, Jerry Bruckheimer, Richard Donner, Illeana Douglas, Richard Dreyfuss, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Diane English, Andy Garcia, Vince Gilligan, Patty Jenkins (AFI Class of 2000), Carol Kane, Andie MacDowell, Nancy Meyers, Meg Ryan, Carole Bayer Sager, Jane Seymour, Steve Tyrell, Jacki Weaver and Dianne Wiest.
The evening began with a special onstage commemoration of AFI’s 50th Anniversary by AFI Founding Director George Stevens, Jr., and AFI founding Board of Trustees Vice Chair and Hollywood icon Sidney Poitier. “‘Film, without the American contribution, is unimaginable,'” said Stevens, quoting the words of Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., founding AFI Board of Trustees member. “That truth, and the belief of the founding Trustees and the importance of the motion picture, inspired an American Film Institute that would advance and elevate the art of film in the United States.”
Acclaimed cinematographer and AFI Conservatory Class of 1972 alumnus Frederick Elmes (BLUE VELVET, THE NIGHT OF) was awarded the 2017 Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal for his commitment to excellence in film and television.
Steve Martin and Martin Short opened the Tribute to Diane Keaton with a hilarious musical roast of the actress and her body of work. The evening’s additional highlights included clips spanning her career and touching remarks and anecdotes from guests and presenters, with an emphasis on feminist spirit and empowerment.
The evening concluded with a surprise and rare appearance by Woody Allen, who presented the AFI Life Achievement Award to Keaton.
“The minute I met her, she was a great, great inspiration to me. Much of what I’ve accomplished in my life, I owe for sure to her,” Allen said. “This is a woman who is great at everything she does — actress, writer, photographer, director.”
Accepting the prestigious honor, Keaton concluded the evening by singing a rendition of “Seems Like Old Times,” the love theme from Annie Hall.
Building upon the evening’s theme of celebrating female artistry, the inaugural Audi Fellowship for Women, which will support the entire two-year AFI Conservatory enrollment for one promising female director, was spotlighted earlier at the event. Audi, an enduring supporter of the motion picture arts, and of AFI for over 14 years, is now investing in the future of our dynamic community by expanding opportunities for female storytellers. Natalie Camou, in attendance at the event, received the first-ever Fellowship, and will begin her journey as a Directing Fellow at the AFI Conservatory in August 2017.
A special moment was also taken to recognize AFI Conservatory alumna Patty Jenkins, whose Wonder Woman this past weekend garnered the biggest box-office opening ever for a female director.
Image: HOLLYWOOD, CA – JUNE 08: Honoree Diane Keaton arrives at American Film Institute’s 45th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Diane Keaton at Dolby Theatre on June 8, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner)
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David Bly’s Romantic Drama SWEET PARENTS to World Premiere at Brooklyn Film Festival | Trailer
Sweet Parents directed by David Bly, follows a young couple trying to make it in New York; and will world premiere at the 2017 Brooklyn Film Festival on Friday, June 9th at 8:30pm.
The film starring Leah Rudick, David Bly, Casey Biggs, Barbara Weetman, Chris Roberti, Sunita Mani, Willie C. Carpenter, Katie Hartman, and Daniel Marin, follows the pursuit of success, and subsequent struggle, in the New York culinary and art worlds.
Gabby, a sculptor, and Will, a chef, start side relationships with a successful older man and woman in a last ditch hope of supporting their careers, ultimately pitting true love against ambition.
Sweet Parents is not about the young couple moving to New York to pursue their dreams, full of fire and passion, but rather, it’s about the couple that has been there for 10 years, burnt out, contemplating giving it all up, asking themselves “What’s the point? Why are we still here?” and making one last ditch effort to avoid the feeling that the last 10 years have been a waste for Will & Gabby.