• Emmy Winner Cady McClain’s SEEING IS BELIEVING: WOMEN DIRECT to East Coast Premiere at SOHO International Film Festival

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    [caption id="attachment_22616" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Seeing is Believing: Women Direct Seeing is Believing: Women Direct[/caption] Emmy winning actress-turned-director Cady McClain’s Seeing is Believing: Women Direct will make its East Coast Premiere and is an Official Selection of the 2017 SOHO International Film Festival, screening Monday, June 19 at Village East Cinemas. Seeing is Believing: Women Direct is a documentary series directed, executive produced, written and edited by Cady McClain about women directors who are on the front lines of the field: from major award winners and those in the vanguard of television and feature films, to graduate students and frustrated auteurs. The first episode recently made its World Premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival, where it won an Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Short. Now, McClain will debut a feature-length version at SOHO International Film Festival. McClain has spent the past year traveling the globe, speaking to female directors of film and television and documenting their stories. The outcome is a feature film and a serialized documentary, providing insider access to the skills and tools needed to succeed as a woman in the directing field. When only 1.9% of the top 100 films are directed by women, it is a symptom of a larger problem: an ingrained cultural bias against women’s ability to lead. McClain believes the best way to create change is to show proof that the bias is based on outdated and false ideas. Considering all aspects of the directing experience, the series will show how these women drive through obstacles creative, cultural and professional. The series is also intended to serve as peer-to-peer mentorship for anyone of any gender looking for guidance and real world experience as they pursue their dreams of becoming a visual storyteller. Last fall, McClain started an IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign for the project’s post-production, which successfully met and then surpassed its $50,000 goal by 16%. Donations were fully tax-deductible due to not-for-profit sponsorship from The Film Collaborative. The series also received a micro grant and social media support from Awesome Without Borders via the Harnisch Foundation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k67qp3vjIGU “We are so excited to be sharing our feature-length version of this documentary with the SOHO International Film Festival this June,” said Cady McClain. “My husband (who is a producer on this doc) and I are both veterans of the festival having screened his narrative feature (I was his AP) and my short (he was my PA!) in 2013 and 2015. We’ve found the audiences at SOHO to be full of savvy film lovers and caring filmmakers. The personal support from the festival of our work is truly meaningful to us both.” The 50 interviewees include: Sarah Gavron (Suffragette, Brick Lane), Meera Menon (Equity), Oscar winner Lee Grant (Down and out in America), Lesli Linka Glatter (EP/Director, Homeland), Betty Thomas (highest grossing female director: The Brady Bunch Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeekquel) Bethany Rooney (200+ hours primetime TV & co-author of Directors Tell the Story), Lizzie Borden (Born In Flames, Working Girls (Sundance Jury Prize), two-time Oscar-winner Sarah Kernochan (documentaries: Marjoe, Thoth), Emmy-winner Anne Makepeace (I. M. Pei: Building China Modern, Robert Capa in Love and War), Rusudan Glurdijdze (Karlovy Vary winner: House of Others), Marianna Palka (Sundance: Good Dick, Bitch), Nicole Conn (lesbian genre films: A Perfect Ending, Elena Undone), producer Deborah Del Prete (Ender’s Game, The Spirit), plus John Wells (ER, West Wing), Mike Robin (Major Crimes), Deborah Riley Draper (Olympic Pride, American Prejudice, Versailles ‘73: American Runway Revolution) and many more. The producing team: Lead Producer: Kate Super (Director/Producer: Women on the Edge), Additional Producers: Amanda Quinn Olivar (Board member, The Chimaera Project), Kimberly McCullough (Director: Pretty Little Liars), Jon Lindstrom (Director: How We Got Away With It) and Li Lu (Director: There Is a New World Somewhere).

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  • ICARUS Voted Winner of Sundance Film Festival: London’s Inaugural Audience Favourite award

    [caption id="attachment_20053" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]ICARUS ICARUS[/caption] ICARUS directed by Bryan Fogel was voted the winner of Sundance Film Festival: London’s inaugural Audience Favorite award. Festivalgoers voted in the thousands for their favorite features across the four-day event at Picturehouse Central. The ruthless worlds of international sports and politics rarely collide as spectacularly on screen as they do in Bryan Fogel’s documentary thriller that’s sure to set off convulsions of controversy. Exemplifying the special bond between filmmaker and subject, Icarus is a portrait of the sacrifice some people make to stand up for truth, placing you at the heart of an international game of cat and mouse where a miscalculation can cost you your life. When Bryan Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller involving dirty urine, unexplained death, and Olympic Gold—exposing the biggest scandal in sports history. ICARUS had its U.K. premiere at Sundance Film Festival: London following its World Premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. where it received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award: The Orwell Award. image via Sundance Film Festival London at Picturehouse Central

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  • The Orchard to Release Jordan Ross’ Directorial Debut THUMPER from 2017 Tribeca | Video Clip

    [caption id="attachment_22607" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Thumper Thumper[/caption] Jordan Ross’s directorial debut Thumper, starring Pablo Schreiber (Orange is the New Black) has been acquired by The Orchard for release this year.  The gritty crime thriller, which debuted at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, was written and directed by Ross (Emmy Award-winner for True Life) and also stars Eliza Taylor (The 100), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Ben Feldman (Mad Men), Grant Harvey (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) and Daniel Webber (11.22.63). Set in a town of low-income and fractured families, Thumper is centered around a group of teens that are lured into working for a dangerous drug dealer. A new girl arrives into town hiding a dangerous secret that will impact everybody and change their lives forever. “Thumper is a movie so real, so authentic in its direction and performances, we were floored this was Jordan’s directorial debut,” said Paul Davidson, The Orchard’s EVP Film and Television. “There’s no doubt that this affecting drama will engage audiences, and we’re thrilled to be working with the entire team on its release.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnQvgIwHTKw

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  • Indie Film LANDING UP to World Premiere at Dances With Films and East Coast Premiere at Soho Film Festival

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    [caption id="attachment_22611" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Landing Up Landing Up[/caption] “Landing Up” directed by Dani Tenenbaum is a story about a girl with nothing to lose and everything to hide.   The film stars Maltin (“Working On It,” “Lipstick Jungle”), Ben Rappaport (ABC’s “For the People,” USA’s “Mr. Robot”), E’dena Hines (“5 Flights Up,” “Moll Flanders”), Dov Tiefenbach (“Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, “Homeland”), Theodora (Woolley) Miranne (“The Blacklist: Redemption,” “Blue Bloods”) and Jay DeYonker (“Royally,” “Puerto Ricans in Paris”), and is an Official Selection in Competition Features at Dances With Films, screening on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, at 9:30 p.m., at the TCL Chinese Theatres, located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. The East Coast Premiere will be held on Saturday, June 17th at 6:30 p.m. as an Official Selection of the Soho International Film Festival, screening at Village East Cinema (181-189 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003). Chrissie (Stacey Maltin) is young, wild, and living on the streets. She and her best friend Cece (E’dena Hines) use their youth and good looks to their advantage, playing a con game with strangers to put a roof over their heads, while all the time fantasizing about having enough money to score their dream apartment. When Chrissie meets David (Ben Rappaport), a funny, genuine guy who works his way into her heart, she falls for him and must decide whether to confess the real circumstances of her life or continue her carefully crafted lie at all costs—even the cost of someone’s life. (Running time: 98-minutes) Filmmaker and star Stacey Maltin says, “The film exists in two worlds: Chrissie’s life on the street and her romantic life with David. Chrissie’s life on the street is gritty and dangerous, but when Chrissie meets David, her world explodes into color. He’s everything she always wanted and the film jumps in tone and style to almost a romantic comedy feel. Ben has no idea of the realities that Chrissie is facing. Her life is so far outside his realm of comprehension he never suspects her secret, even as she hides the truth from him at every turn.” Director Dani Tenenbaum adds, “We are showing how people often exist in different parts of themselves. Chrissie’s carefully crafted lies lead her into a world that turns into a very real feeling of love. But can you ever really know someone if we all spend so much time crafting the perfect stories about ourselves?” This film has a tragic real life story as well. Just one month after principal photography wrapped, Maltin’s co-star E’dena Hines was tragically murdered by her boyfriend, which was devastating to the cast and crew. The story made national headlines, in part due to E’dena being the granddaughter of acting icon Morgan Freeman. “Landing Up” is E’dena’s last on-screen performance. Maltin adds, “E’dena was an incredible and loving human being who illuminated any room she entered. She had so much talent and this energy that was so raw and magnetic. She really gave herself over to playing Cece and it’s reflected in her performance. We miss her every day and wish she could have seen what she created with us.” Because of this tragic violence in real life, which happens all too often against women in the world, and because the film tackles homelessness, the filmmakers felt it was paramount to give their audience a call to action. They have partnered with the non-profit organizations Midnight Mission, which offers paths to self-sufficiency to men, women and children who have lost direction, and LA Family Housing, which helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty, to help raise awareness for these issues.

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  • Film Independent Selects 10 Projects and 24 Filmmakers for 14th Fast Track + RADIANT Awarded Grant

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    Film Independent, 10 projects and 24 filmmakers have been selected for the Film Independent’s 14th annual Fast Track film finance market. Held during the LA Film Festival, Fast Track helps producer-director teams advance their projects through meetings with top industry executives – financiers, agents, managers, distributors, production companies, and granting organizations. During three days of intensive meetings, participants build vital industry relationships and gain valuable exposure for their projects as they fast track their films towards completion. Film Independent will present the ninth annual Alfred P. Sloan Fast Track Grant, a $20,000 production grant to support a film that explores science and technology themes or that depicts scientists, engineers and mathematicians in engaging and innovative ways, to writer/director Annika Glac and producer Robyn Kershaw for their fiction feature film Radiant. A select list of Industry participants include: Bunim-Murray, CAA, Color Force, Electric City Entertainment, Fox Searchlight, Imperative Entertainment, June Pictures, LA Media Fund, Mandalay Pictures, Participant Media, Pilgrim Media Group, Preferred Content, ShivHans Pictures, Sight Unseen Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, Sycamore Pictures, Symbolic Exchange and UTA. Recent Fast Track projects completed include Lana Wilson’s The Departure, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival; Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton’s Bad Kids, which premiered at Sundance 2016; Maris Curran’s Five Nights in Maine which premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival; Chloe Zhao’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which premiered in U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and Directors’ Fortnight at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for three Film Independent Spirit Awards. The following filmmakers have been selected to participate Film Independent’s 2017 Fast Track program:

    2017 Fast Track Projects and Fellows

    Blow the Man Down, fiction feature, Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy – co-writers/co-directors, Drew Houpt, Producer An accidental murder. An established Madam who does her dirtiest business while the town willingly looks the other way. Fifty grand of cash up for grabs and the local men out to sea… enter two sisters with nothing and everything to lose. Cantering, fiction feature, HIKARI – writer/director/producer, Peter Maestrey – producer In order to escape her oppressive home life, a naïve paraplegic artist begins to illustrate for an erotic manga, putting her on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Farewell Tour, fiction feature, Sean Hackett – writer/director, Frederick Thornton – producer When three Christian fundamentalist teenagers with the dynamic of The Golden Girls help a local agnostic search Kansas City for his AWOL, terminally ill mother, they are forced to re-evaluate their true intentions and discover what truly binds their friendship. Followers, fiction feature, Tim Marshall – writer/director, Christina Radburn – producer A lonely woman who has lost all faith in God, becomes obsessed with her aqua-aerobics instructor after seeing the face of Jesus on his swimming shorts. Maybe Tomorrow, fiction feature, Eliza Lee – writer/director, Michelle Sy – producer, Sophia Chang – executive producer In 1978 London, with only 24 hours left on her visa, a young American musician, Chrissie Hynde, takes one last stab at keeping her rock ‘n roll dream alive. Radiant, fiction feature, Annika Glac – writer/director, Robyn Kershaw – producer Paris 1900, a physics prodigy glimpses a future world of unseen energy. Now she must battle the male scientific academy. The closer she gets to recognition, the more she realizes the battle is not with the male establishment but with the unleashed power of her own radioactive discovery. Son of A Very Important Man, fiction feature, Najwa Najjar – writer/director, Hani Kort – producer A Palestinian couple must travel to Israel in order to get a divorce and discover that sometimes the most unexpected roads in life are in the detours you didn’t mean to take. In response to a growing community of nonfiction filmmakers, the Fast Track finance market will also feature a new Documentary Fast Track session where selected projects will connect with industry executives dedicated to working in the nonfiction space: Minding the Gap, documentary feature, Bing Liu – producer/director, Diane Quon – producer A group of skateboarders confront domestic violence as they come of age in a rust-belt Midwestern town. Missing in Brooks Country, documentary feature, Jeff Bemiss and Lisa Molomot – producers/co-directors/cinematographers, Jacob Bricca – producer/editor In a small town in Texas, the border wall has already arrived. Untitled Claudia Sparrow Documentary, documentary feature, Claudia Sparrow – director, Steven J. Berger and Ryan Schwartz – producers A woman farmer from the beautiful highlands of South America stands up to a massive international mining conglomerate, defending the land, water, and people from devastating corporate greed. Film Independent Artist Development has also selected two additional filmmakers and their projects to receive support that will include participation in select Fast Track meetings and mentorship: Experience Designer, documentary feature, Mackenzie Fegan – producer On an apocalyptic commune in the Alaskan wilderness, a young man returns to confront his past in this unconventional non-fiction film. Selene, fiction feature, Maris Curran – writer/director Selene fears she has laryngitis again. On a routine doctor visit to get antibiotics, she is diagnosed with a rare condition that leaves her permanently voiceless. As her world turns upside down and she struggles to communicate and adapt, she discovers that this limitation leads to the opening of a new world.

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  • DUM SPIRO SPERO, THE REBEL SURGEON, THE UGLIEST CAR Among Top Winners of Krakow Film Festival

    57th Krakow Film Festival Awards On Saturday the winners of the 57th edition of Krakow Film Festival were announced at the award ceremony, hosted by Brian Scott, a journalist and a presenter well-known to Cracovians.   The international jury granted the awards to the best documentary, short and animated films, which for the entire festival week competed for the favors of the experts and the audience in 6 cinemas in Krakow. The full list of the winners and awarded films.

    INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

    THE GOLDEN HORN for the director of the best film – Pero Kvesić for the film DUM SPIRO SPERO (Croatia) For the author of a film who shows us beauty of life and love, finding the courage to deal with one’s own mortality in a humorous and dignified way. THE SILVER HORN for the director of the best medium‑length documentary film – Audrius Stonys for the film THE WOMAN AND THE GLACIER (Lithuania, Estonia) For a unique and poetic approach to documentary film making. This film is an experience of contemplation and silence where movement, time, life and death become the elements of our inner landscape. THE SILVER HORN for the director of the best feature‑length documentary film – Lissette Orozco for the film ADRIANA’S PACT (Chile) For a film in which the young director tells the story of a family with a secret as dark as her country’s latest history. She shows that for each one of us revealing the truth and dealing with it is a matter of personal courage. She lets us partake in her internal struggle and fascinating process of purification from the difficult past. SPECIAL MENTION for Marcin Borchardt for the film THE BEKSIŃSKIS. A SOUND AND PICTURE ALBUM (Poland) For a touching story about complex family relations rendered visible using the modest form of a family album. SPECIAL MENTION for Piotr Stasik for the film OPERA ABOUT POLAND (Poland) For an interesting artistic marriage of genres which produced a film rebel child. The FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Jury consisting of: Barbara Głębicka‑Giza (Poland), Antti Selkokari (Finland), Kaj van Zoelen (The Netherlands) has decided to award the International Film Critics Prize to Audrius Stonys for the film THE WOMAN AND THE GLACIER (Lithuania, Estonia), a film that has the refreshing audacity to use cinematic language as its main tool of expression. Without the need for words the film shows human insignificance in the majestic setting of nature. KFF Recommendation to the European Film Award: THE BEKSINSKIS. A SOUND AND PICTURE ALBUM

    INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION

    GOLDEN DRAGON for the director of the best film – Matteo Gariglio for the film EN LA BOCA (Switzerland, Argentina) Cinema can elevate an everyday life situation, such as the one of a family living in the neighbourhood of a football stadium, to something that acquires a universal meaning with a profound sense of humanity, touching for the audience. For its realistic and respectful portrait of the intimacy between all the family members living in what may be considered the most dangerous and poorest conditions. SILVER DRAGON for the director of the best documentary film – Tessa Louise Pope for the film THE ORIGIN OF TROUBLE (The Netherlands) For courage to pose painful questions and open up about her own personal story, using simple methods to portray complex family relations. SILVER DRAGON for the directors of the best animated film – Zbigniew Czapla for the film STRANGE CASE (Poland) For its personal and brilliant approach to the rotoscopic animation technique and to the exquisite relationship between the text and the rhythm of paintings made alive. SILVER DRAGON for the director of the best short fiction film – Kaveh Mazaheri for the film RETOUCH (Iran) For a poignant portrait of a woman who has to face the choice between life and death, freedom and captivity in the world where no rights exist. Jury Award for the Best European Film (nomination to the European Film Award in the short film category) – Matteo Gariglio for the film EN LA BOCA (Switzerland, Argentina) The International Federation of Film Societies (FICC) Jury consisting of: Samiran Biswas (India), Eva Campos Suárez (Spain), Sylwia Hamerska (Poland) has decided to grant the Don Quixote Award to the film RETOUCH directed by Kaveh Mazaheri (Iran) and the Special Mention to the film THE ORIGIN OF TROUBLE directed by Tessa Louise Pope (The Netherlands)

    INTERNATIONAL DocFilmMusic COMPETITION

    GOLDEN HEYNAL for the director of the best film – Till Schauder for the film WHEN GOD SLEEPS (USA, Germany) Out of the ten loud, emotional and inspiring music films, all of them set in a social context which offers depth and insight into different genres of music, we were blown away by the emotional impact of the film ‘When God Sleeps’ by Till Schauder. A touching story, combined with the lyrics of the songs and the suspense and rhythm of the film, helped to create a masterful piece of a music documentary which pulls you in from the beginning to the end. This kind of cinema is intimately close to the characters and enhances the atmosphere of the music. Every story we saw is related to the sense of artistic and existential alienation, but ‘When God Sleeps’ manages to cut to the core of it in every aspect. It gives voice to the universal artist’s condition through the portrait of a unique personality. The so-called Salman Rushdie of rap music, Shahin Najafi is not only a refugee singer but also an ultimate artist, ready to risk his life to remain on stage and perform. We watch him up close, while his talent and courage become an unbearable burden for him and his closest ones. Even though Shahin Najafi is the main figure in the film, all the people involved in the story have their own voices. This balance enables us to see everything from a variety of perspectives. We would love this award to be the starting point for a long series of successes worldwide.

    NATIONAL COMPETITION

    GOLDEN HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best film funded by the President of the Polish Filmmakers Association – Grzegorz Szczepaniak for the film THE UGLIEST CAR (Poland) For depicting the relationship between a son and a mother, touching and full of warm humour, in the tender journey in the most beautiful vehicle. SILVER HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best documentary film – Grzegorz Brzozowski for the film STRANGER ON MY COUCH (Poland) In appreciation of a colourful and wise story about the encounters of people from different worlds, which is transforming both for the characters and the audience. SILVER HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best animated film – Zbigniew Czapla for the film STRANGE CASE (Poland) For engaging us into a visually captivating kaleidoscope which reveals the truth about our helplessness when confronted with the immensity of life and our own imperfection. SILVER HOBBY‑HORSE for the director of the best fiction film – Damian Kocur for the film NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN (Poland) In appreciation of an evocative and unique story about loneliness, rejection and hope for sharing intimacy with another human being. SPECIAL MENTION – Jakub Radej for the film DUST (Poland) In appreciation of an analytical portrait of passing, which, under mundane activities, hides a profound secret of the loneliness of those facing life’s end. In the overwhelming emptiness left after a man, we can see the reflection of our own face. The Award of the Polish Filmmakers Association for the best film editing – Ziemowit Jaworski, Michał Marczak and Katarzyna Orzechowska for the film ZHALANASH (dir. Marcin Sauter) Maciej Szumowski Award for remarkable social awareness funded by the National Broadcasting Council – Monika Meleń for the film BY STANLEY FOR STANLEY The Award for the best short and documentary films producer in Poland funded by the Polish Audiovisual Producers Chamber of Commerce (KIPA) – Anna Gawlita from Kijora Film for films: OPERA ABOUT POLAND (dir. Piotr Stasik) and FESTIVAL (dir. Tomasz Wolski, Anna Gawlita) Best Cinematography Award under the patronage of The Polish Society of Cinematographers funded by Coloroffon Film – Tomasz Wolski for the film FESTIVAL

    AUDIENCE POLL AWARD

    THE REBEL SURGEON, dir. Erik Gandini (Sweden)

    THE AWARD OF THE STUDENT JURY

    ANIMATED IN POLAND AWARD Sound Mind Award – for the project of the film LAST STOP IS THE MOON, dir. Birute Sodeikaite, prod. Likaon Sp. z o.o., ART SHOT, National Audiovisual Institute

    DOC LAB POLAND AWARDS

    DOCS TO START HBO AWARD – for the project of the film LESSON OF LOVE, dir. Małgorzata Goliszewska, prod. Warsaw Film Center – Anna Stylińska KRAKOW FILM CLUSTER AWARD – for the project of the film THE WHALE FROM LORINO, dir. Maciej Cuske, prod. Pokromski Studio (Mikołaj Pokromski) DOK LEIPZIG SPECIAL MENTION – for the project of the film THE GRADUATE, dir. Adrian Apanel, prod. Furia Film (Małgorzata Małysa) EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY NETWORK SPECIAL MENTION (EDN) – project of the film TRANSFER, dir. Joanna Rożen, prod. Plesnar & Krauss Films (Maria Krauss) DOCS TO GO! KRAKOW TECHNOLOGY PARK AWARD – for the project THE WIND. A DOCUMENTARY THRILLER, dir. Michał Bielawski, prod. Telemark (Maciej Kubicki, Anna Kępińska) INSTITUTE OF DOCUMENTARY FILM SPECIAL MENTION – for the project of the film WEI®DY, dir. Paweł Dyllus, prod. Dyllus Film (Paweł Dyllus) DOC LAB POLAND AWARD for the biggest progress during workshops – Diana Kadłubowska and Krzysztof Kadłubowski for the project TODAY, TOMORROW… YESTERDAY

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  • Melbourne Documentary Film Festival Unveils Lineup, MISS KIET’S CHILDREN, THE CINEMA TRAVELLERS and More

    [caption id="attachment_22598" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]MISS KIET'S CHILDREN MISS KIET’S CHILDREN[/caption] The Melbourne Documentary Film Festival unveiled an ambitious slate of films from the major international film festivals, and opens unconventionally on July 9th, 2017 at Howler Art Space with an Opening Day Binge Watch of documentaries kicking off at 11am. The opening short is ‘The Satellite’ by Ann Johnson which tells the improbable true story of Australia first spacecraft. With 80 + documentaries in competition screened over 8 days at four venues: Howler Art Space, Long Play, Cinema Nova, and The Laneway Learning Centre. The Melbourne Documentary Film Festival is guaranteed to provide a rich array and diverse mix of documentaries direct from the festival circuit. Curated sections include Australian, Short Documentary, Music, Foodie, Art, Street Art, Environmental, LGBTI, Aboriginal, Investigative Journalism Documentaries, Pop Culture and World Cinema. On Saturday July 15th, 2017 from 9am The Laneway Learning Centre will host a Master Class on Documentary Filmmaking, Indigenous Filmmaking and a seminar on distribution from leading Australian distributors geared toward helping established and emerging filmmakers get ahead. On July 16th, 2017 from 9am The Laneway Learning Centre will a host a new initiative from the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival called Charity Docs where all money generated from ticket sales of that session will be equally donated to the Alzheimer’s Foundation and the RSPCA. Selected highlights of this year’s fest include the Melbourne premiers of high profile documentaries “One Heart One Spirit’ and a chance to see Jack Thompson speak about Indigenous issues The Cinema Travellers, God Knows Where I Am, Five Days on Lesvos, and Miss Kiets Children. Short documentary highlights include ‘For Flint’ direct from Tribeca and ‘Road to Webequie’ from TIFF, The Fixers from Doxa.

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  • Flying Lotus’ Psychedelic Nightmare KUSO from 2017 Sundance to Open in Theaters on July 21 | Trailer

    [caption id="attachment_19996" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Kuso A film still from Kuso by Steven Ellison.[/caption] Flying Lotus’ psych-out nightmare Kuso which made a buzzy debut at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, will open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles from July 21, and be available on Shudder. Kuso marks the feature directorial debut from Steve, the filmmaking alter-ego of Steve Ellison, better known as music producer, DJ and rapper Flying Lotus. Ellison’s name has become synonymous with creative innovation, having released five seminal studio albums, a slew of audio-visual marvels and, in the process, gaining two Grammy nominations including one for his work on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. Broadcasting through a makeshift network of discarded televisions, Kuso depicts the aftermath of Los Angeles’s worst earthquake nightmare. Viewers travel between screens and aftershocks into the twisted lives of the survived, experiencing a hallucination that is Cronenberg meets Ren & Stimpy . Using music, special effects and animation to take a unique look at the dark history of America, KUSO brings different characters and stories to the screen, and features a predominantly black cast. As an artist, renaissance man and auteur in the making, Steve’s work has been compared to the work of David Lynch and Matthew Barney. The film features Hannibal Buress (NEIGHBORS, Broad City ), Anders Holm (Workaholics, The Mindy Project), Tim Heidecker (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Eastbound and Down), and iconic Funk musician George Clinton, the film also includes an original score and musical collaborations with Aphex Twin and Akira Yamaoka. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDRYASntddo    

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  • AFI Celebrates 50th Anniversary Commencement with Honorees Carol Burnett, Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick

    [caption id="attachment_22586" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]AFI 2017 Honorary Degree recipients Marshall Herskovitz, Carol Burnett and Edward Zwick AFI 2017 Honorary Degree recipients Marshall Herskovitz, Carol Burnett and Edward Zwick[/caption] The American Film Institute (AFI) held a historic AFI Conservatory Commencement at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Monday, June 5, 2017.  The date of the event marked the 50th Anniversary of the Institute’s formation in 1967, with its honorees – the AFI Class of 2017, as well as Honorary Degree recipients Carol Burnett, Marshall Herskovitz (AFI Class of 1975) and Edward Zwick (AFI Class of 1975) – spanning the past, present and future of the art form. [caption id="attachment_22587" align="aligncenter" width="1196"]AFI Board of Directors Chair Robert A. Daly; President & CEO Bob Gazzale; President Emerita Jean Picker Firstenberg; Founding Director George Stevens, Jr.; Board of Trustees Chair Sir Howard Stringer AFI Board of Directors Chair Robert A. Daly; President & CEO Bob Gazzale; President Emerita Jean Picker Firstenberg; Founding Director George Stevens, Jr.; Board of Trustees Chair Sir Howard Stringer[/caption] In celebration of the Anniversary, AFI Founding Director George Stevens, Jr., joined AFI President Emerita Jean Picker Firstenberg and current AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale — bringing together all three presidents from AFI’s history. Joining them and the AFI Class of 2017 were Sir Howard Stringer, AFI Board of Trustees Chair, and Robert A. Daly, AFI Board of Directors Chair. “Fifty years ago, Gregory Peck and I announced the creation of the American Film Institute, with high aspiration and great hopes,” said Stevens. “Its mission was to advance and elevate the art of film, and one central idea was to create a Center for Advanced Film Studies [known today as the AFI Conservatory], a bridge for young people from learning to make films to becoming professional filmmakers. You, the graduates of 2017, are a fulfillment of that dream.” [caption id="attachment_22591" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]AFI Class of 2017 AFI Class of 2017[/caption] The Commencement honorees — including this year’s AFI Conservatory graduates, the world’s newest filmmakers — underscored the spirit of the Anniversary, as 2017 also marks the 50th birthday of THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW, and Herskovitz and Zwick are both prominent alumni of the Conservatory. A Doctorate of Fine Arts honoris causa was conferred upon Burnett by special guest Kristin Chenoweth, and Doctorates of Communication Arts honoris causa were conferred upon Herskovitz and Zwick by Firstenberg. All three Honorary Degree recipients shared words of wisdom with the Class of 2017. Chenoweth sang a refrain from Burnett’s trademark closing song, “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together.” Burnett began her comments with her trademark “Tarzan yell” and urged Fellows to “make great art,” while adding, “Nothing is impossible if you believe hard enough, and you work hard enough.” Herskovitz and Zwick shared anecdotes from their longtime creative collaboration, which began at the AFI Conservatory, and which Herskovitz described as “an extraordinary partnership — and the longest living partnership in Hollywood today.” “Leaving here you are not alone,” said Zwick, stressing the uniquely collaborative nature of the Conservatory program. “Your classmates will be there to serve as a living reminder of who you are and what you dream of.” As heard in remarks throughout the event, the AFI Conservatory program has a deep history of propelling alumni to success and acclaim ­— including, most recently, Patty Jenkins (AFI Class of 2000), whose WONDER WOMAN had the biggest box-office opening for a female director ever.

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  • Melbourne International Film Festival Reveals First Glance Selection, PATTI CAKE$, STEP, POP AYE and More

    [caption id="attachment_19920" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Patti Cake$ Patti Cake$[/caption] For its 66th edition, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) has revealed its First Glance selection of 30 films that will screen at this year’s festival from August 3 to 20, 2017, including the Australian premiere of Jane Campion’s much anticipated new television series Top of the Lake: China Girl. Artistic Director Michelle Carey says, “We’re hoping that this sneak peek of the 2017 program gives you a taste of what’s to come.  The calibre of films on offer this year is very impressive, from Australian stalwart Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake: China Girl to breakout hit Patti Cake$, MIFF brings you the story of the world through curated and unforgettable screen experiences.” Straight from a standing ovation in Cannes, this special Australian premiere of the entire second season, directed by Jane Campion and MIFF Accelerator alumnus Ariel Kleiman from a script by Campion and Gerard Lee (My Mistress, MIFF 14), will show all six episodes in three concurrent two-hour sessions – a unique opportunity to see the series before its television premiere on BBC First on Foxtel.  Top of the Lake: China Girl (Australia) is a crime mystery story that finds Detective Robin Griffin (Elisabeth Moss) recently returned to Sydney and trying to rebuild her life. When the body of an Asian girl washes up on Bondi Beach, there appears little hope of finding the killer, until Robin discovers ‘China Girl’ didn’t die alone. Also starring Nicole Kidman, Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), David Dencik (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Ewen Leslie (The Daughter) and Accelerator alumnus Alice Englert (The Boyfriend Game, MIFF 16). Also hotting up the screen will be Australian premieres Golden Exits (USA), the latest film from Alex Ross Perry (Listen Up Phillip MIFF 14; Queen of Earth, MIFF 15), an unnerving ensemble drama shot on 16mm that boasts a star-studded cast led by Emily Browning, Chloë Sevigny, Jason Schwartzman with Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz and a moody score by Keegan De Witt; and The Lost City of Z (USA), James Gray’s (The Immigrant MIFF 14) sumptuous and poignant Amazon adventure based on real life explorer Percy Fawcett’s quest to find the fabled city of El Dorado, starring Charlie Hunnam, Sienna Miller, Robert Pattinson and featuring lush 35mm cinematography by Darius Khondji. Leading Australian director Kriv Stenders (The Principal, MIFF 15; Red Dog MIFF 11) returns to MIFF with two productions: The Go-Betweens – Right Here (Australia), a documentary charting the four-decade long story of beloved indie rock band The Go-Betweens, in their own words and with never-before-seen archival footage; and Australia Day (Australia), an excoriating, illuminating take on our country’s most fraught debate, set over a pulse-racing 12 hours on 26 January with a powerhouse ensemble cast including Bryan Brown, Matthew Le Nevez, Sean Keenan, Shari Sebbens and Jenny Wu (who also features in Top of the Lake: China Girl). Local comedies include Ali’s Wedding, based on the real-life experience of lead actor Osamah Sami’s ill-fated arranged marriage the absurd and poignant tale about family in multicultural Australia stars Don Hany with direction by Jeffrey Walker (Jack Irish: Bad Debts, MIFF 12), and That’s Not Me (Australia). Ali’s Wedding is a fast-paced comedy of very Muslim manners that shines with wit, humanity and crowd-pleasing charisma; while That’s Not Me is Gregory Erdstein’s (Two Devils, MIFF 14) charming feature debut about a young woman and aspiring actor who takes advantage of her identical twin sister’s success and fame, featuring an impressive performance by writer/star Alice Foulcher in dual roles. In Mountain (Australia), Jennifer Peedom (Sherpa, MIFF 15) returns to the mountains that so captivate her in a unique cinematic and musical collaboration. Working with high-altitude cinematographer Renan Ozturk, bestselling author Robert Macfarlane (Mountains of the Mind) and the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Richard Tognetti, Peedom has created a breathtaking cine-sonic journey through awe-inspiring vistas narrated by Willem Dafoe. One of Australia’s most innovative filmmakers and MIFF regular Amiel Courtin-Wilson (Hail MIFF 11; Ruin, MIFF 13) captures two legends – free jazz pioneer Cecil Taylor and modern dance artist Min Tanaka – in an intimate performance piece like no other in The Silent Eye (Australia). Shot over three days in 2016 at Taylor’s New York home, the film captures these two masters riffing, offering the audience a glimpse of the creative process at its most sublime. Master international filmmakers bring their works to the big screen at MIFF with Terrence Malick’s Song to Song (USA), a beautifully lensed love story set against the backdrop of the Austin music scene, with a luminous cast including Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman and Cate Blanchett; and Sally Potter’s (Ginger and Rosa, MIFF 12) caustic comic satire of a broken, post-Brexit England, The Party (UK), offering a masterclass of acting from a stellar ensemble headed by Kristin Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson and Timothy Spall, and filmed entirely in stunning black and white. The director of A Bigger Splash, Luca Guadagnino, presents his most accomplished film yet: a passionate Italian summer romance headed by Armie Hammer and star on the rise Timothée Chalamet. Adapted from André Acimen’s novel with a script co-written by James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name (Italy) is a sensuous story of first love and the end of adolescence. Turning galvanizing portraits of marginalized women into his own niche, Sebastián Lelio (Gloria, MIFF 13) returns with another beguiling character study, delivering a nuanced and moving account of a vital fight for love, acceptance, and respect that won both Best Screenplay and Best LGBT Film at Berlin. But A Fantastic Woman (Chile) belongs to its determined, defiant titular character and the stunning performance by transgender actress Daniela Vega, making one of the most memorable and formidable movie debuts in recent history. Peter Mackie Burns’ nuanced debut feature Daphne (UK) is a character study about a dissatisfied young woman in present-day London – featuring a superb performance from Emily Beecham in title role – that balances complex comedy and disarming drama and offers a refreshing portrait of contemporary womanhood. Music video director Geremy Jasper’s fabulous feature debut Patti Cake$ (USA), about an aspiring rapper, is a triumphant tale of how music can give a nobody a voice, which wowed critics and audiences alike at Sundance and Cannes. But the film belongs to Australian acting discovery Danielle McDonald, who was dubbed the breakout star of Sundance for her sensational performance as the New Jersey battler and hailed as the “Next Big Thing” by The Hollywood Reporter. [caption id="attachment_19636" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Pop Aye – Kirsten Tan Pop Aye – Kirsten Tan[/caption] Another acclaimed feature debut is Kirsten Tan’s Pop Aye (Thailand), the warm and ever-so-strange tale of a Bangkok architect, his elephant and 300 miles of mid-life crisis, which won the Special Jury Award for Screenwriting at Sundance and the Big Screen Award at Rotterdam. God’s Own Country (UK) was also a favorite at Berlin (Teddy Jury Award winner) and Sundance, where it won the World Cinema Dramatic Best Director Award and comparisons to Brokeback Mountain. Francis Lee’s emotionally rich feature debut captures the quiet yearning of forbidden romance with heated sex scenes and a documentary-like depiction of British rural life that subverts the familiar path taken by queer love stories. The makers of Spring (MIFF 15) return with The Endless (USA), an engrossing high-concept horror centred on two brothers following their escape from a cult. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead write, direct and star in a film of creeping dead that is part horror, part science fiction, which skirts the supernatural and keeps the audience guessing until the very end. With over 62,000 oil paintings and a cast including Chris O’Dowd and Saoirse Ronan, Oscar-winning filmmaker Hugh Welchman (Peter and the Wolf) and Polish painter Dorota Kobiela bring the story of Vincent Van Gogh’s last days to the screen in the world’s first feature-length painted animation, Loving Vincent (UK). Inspired by Van Gogh’s own words – “we cannot speak other than by our paintings” – and using an army of painters from across Europe, every single frame of the film is an oil painting (12 per second) and the result is a truly astonishing visual feast that demands to be seen on the biggest of screens. [caption id="attachment_19944" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Step A still from STEP by Amanda Lipitz,.[/caption] Winner of the Sundance Special Jury Prize for Inspirational Filmmaking, STEP (USA) charts the senior year of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women step-dance team as they chase dual dreams – to be state champions and to be the first in their families to go to college – against the backdrop of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Fun and empowering, the film optimistically explores community, sisterhood and the realities of being black and female in contemporary America. Another timely examination of race relations in America is Haitian auteur Raoul Peck’s (Fatal Assistance, MIFF 13) Oscar-nominated I Am Not Your Negro (USA): a stirring portrait of the writer, civil rights activist and queer icon James Baldwin and his lifelong fight against racial and sexual injustice, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Award-winning filmmaker Matthew Heinemann’s (Cartel Land, MIFF 15) new film focuses on the anonymous activists of Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently in the heartland of ISIS’s self-declared caliphate. City of Ghosts (USA) is an urgent, deeply personal real-world thriller about the world’s most crucial fight against misinformation. In 2012, Iraq veteran David Crowley posted a YouTube trailer for his planned libertarian opus, Gray State, warning of America’s looming Second Civil War. Three years on, the rising alt-right filmmaker, his Muslim wife and their daughter were found slaughtered, “Allahu Akbar” smeared on the walls in blood. A conspiracy or something even more horrific? Executive produced by Werner Herzog, Erik Nelson’s A Gray State (USA) is a riveting murder mystery, a political thriller and an unparalleled psychological profile of a mind descending into paranoia. Jumping over to New Zealand, the program will feature Pecking Order (New Zealand), which follows the members of the 148-year-old Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club as they prepare for the National Show. Their president has brought them championship glory over the years, but is now facing off against the next generation of poultry fanciers who seem determined to knock down this award-winning cock of the walk. This entertaining flockumentary uncovers a cutthroat world of passion, obsession, power struggles, and competition. It’s like a Kiwi Best in Show, only real … and with chooks! Also from NZ, MIFF regular and Accelerator alumnus Florian Habicht (Pulp: A Film About Life, Death and Supermarkets MIFF 14; Love Story MIFF 12) welcomes you to Spookers (NZ), a former psychiatric hospital outside Auckland, where visitors gather to be petrified by killer clowns and zombies at the Southern Hemisphere’s largest ‘scream park’. Habicht reveals the personalities beneath the costumes, wigs and greasepaint with characteristic affection and humor in this funny, compelling documentary. And the MIFF shorts program will deliver a string of highlights and award winners from the festival circuit including A Gentle Night (China), the Short Film Palme d’Or winner from the 2017 Cannes Film Festival by MIFF Accelerator alumnus Qiu Yang (The World, MIFF 14; Under the Sun, MIFF 2015); Small Town (Portugal), the dark, mysterious and beautiful coming-of-age story that took out the Golden Bear for Best Short at the 2017 Berlinale; DeKalb Elementary (USA), a tense drama, by filmmaker Reed Van Dyk (Nasty HardcoreXXX Amateur Couple, MIFF 14) based on the real 911-call during an incident at a school in Atlanta, Georgia that was the winner of the International Competition Grand Prix prize at the 2017 Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival; and The Hedonists (Hong Kong), the new comedy from 2013 festival guest Jia Zhang-ke (A Touch of Sin, MIFF 13) about a trio of unemployed laborers who find work in the most unlikely of places – a bizarre theme park.

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  • French Film FALSE CONFESSIONS Starring Isabelle Huppert Sets US Release Date | Trailer

    [caption id="attachment_22569" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]False Confession False Confession[/caption] False Confessions, a film directed by Luc Bondy, starring Academy Award nominee Isabelle Huppert (Elle), and Louis Garrel (Mon Roi) will open in New York on July 14 at Lincoln Plaza Cinema and at Angelika Film Centerand; at the Laemmle Royal in LA on July 21.  A national release will follow. Luc Bondy’s final feature film as director draws talent from both stage and screen to bring Marivaux’s play into 21st century Paris. Bondy staged the play and directed the movie at the same time, using the same actors for both productions. Isabelle Huppert commands the screen as Araminte, the wealthy widow who unwittingly hires the smitten Dorante (Garrel) as her accountant. Secrets and lies accumulate as Dorante and his accomplice, Araminte’s manservant Dubois (Yves Jacques), manipulate not only the good-hearted Araminte, but also her friend and confidante, Marton (Manon Combes). Dorante, by turns pitiable and proficient, but always deferential to his social better, walks a fine line in his quest to arouse an equal desire in the object of his affections. Bulle Ogier delivers a memorable turn as Araminte’s mother, who suspects the young man’s intentions, but wants to push her daughter into the arms of an aged, hard-up Count (Jean-Pierre Malo). Filmed in part on-site at the Théâtre de l’Odéon, the film blurs the distinction between stage and screen, offering a new turn on this classic take on the psychology of love. After Luc Bondy’s death in 2015, his wife Marie-Louise Bischofberger contributed to the completion ofFalse Confessions to achieve her late husband’s vision for the film.

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  • 2017 New York Asian Film Festival Unveils Lineup, BAD GENIUS, BIRDSHOT, THE VILLAINESS and More

    [caption id="attachment_22573" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Bad Genius Bad Genius[/caption] The 16th New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) will take place from June 30 to July 13 at the Film Society and July 14 to 16 at the SVA Theatre. North America’s leading festival of popular Asian cinema will showcase 57 feature films, including 3 International Premieres, 21 North American Premieres, 4 U.S. Premieres, and 15 films making their New York City debuts. This year, all three of NYAFF’s Gala screenings are brilliant reinventions of the thriller genre. The Opening Gala will be the International Premiere of Nattawut Poonpiriya’s Bad Genius, the first Southeast Asian film to open the festival, with the director and stars in attendance.  In this exhilarating high school thriller, straightA students Lynn (Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying) and Bank (Chanon Santinatornkul) stage a heist that will undermine the U.S. university entrance system after they lose their own scholarships. The Centerpiece Gala of the festival will be the North American Premiere of Mikhail Red’s Birdshot, a continuation of the festival programmers’ efforts to champion films from Southeast Asia, and the Philippines in particular. The Closing Gala is the U.S. Premiere of Jung Byunggil’s The Villainess, fresh from its Midnight screening in Cannes. The adrenaline soaked action film stars Kim Okvin as a ruthless female assassin trained in China who starts a new life with South Korea’s Intelligence Agency. New to NYAFF in 2017 is the Main Competition section, featuring seven diverse works by first or second time directors that are all having their North American premieres at the festival. Competing are Bad Genius (Thailand), Birdshot (Philippines), A Double Life (Japan), The Gangster’s Daughter (Taiwan), Kfc (Vietnam), Jane (South Korea), and With Prisoners (Hong Kong). The competition jury will be announced at a later date, with winners revealed on the festival’s final night at Film Society of Lincoln Center on July 13. More now than ever, Hong Kong cinema is at the core of the festival’s programming: faithful to its Chinatown origins, this year’s edition celebrates the best filmmaking from the Special Administrative Region with a central Hong Kong Panorama section, commemorating the 20th anniversary of its establishment, with major support from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York. Over the past two decades, Hong Kong cinema has continuously influenced and inspired many filmmakers in Asia and in the world. This year’s lineup proves the originality and excellence of its production is intact: from a powerful condemnation of life inside the territory’s juvenile detention centers (With Prisoners), to a wartime epic about resistance heroes during the Japanese occupation (Our Time Will Come), to a tale of corruption and redemption set in the underbelly of 1960s Hong Kong (Dealer/Healer), the films bear testimony to the city’s rich cinema history. The core of the panorama will be a special (and first of its kind) focus on the exciting new generation of directors, titled Young Blood Hong Kong. As part of the 20th anniversary, the festival is looking to the future of Hong Kong cinema, rather than its past: these recent Hong Kong directors are working in various genres, tackling a range of social issues, and paying homage to the film traditions they grew up with, from tenement dramas to vampire comedies. Meanwhile, NYAFF continues to bring established, major filmmakers from the region: Lawrence Lau, who, along with Ann Hui, is one of Hong Kong’s best neorealist directors, will be introducing his star studded crime action drama Dealer/Healer; the Panorama will spotlight the new generation from the region with guest filmmaker Wong Chun and screenwriter Florence Chan with Mad World, Derek Hui with This Is Not What I Expected, and Alan Lo with Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight. Other films by first time Hong Kong directors in this year’s lineup are Derek Tsang’s Soul Mate, Yan Pakwing and Chiu Sinhang’s Vampire Cleanup Department, and Andrew Wong’s With Prisoners. The 2017 lineup also includes five LGBTQ themed films: two dramas with transsexual protagonists, Naoko Ogigami’s CloseKnit from Japan, and Cho Hyunhoon’s drama Jane from South Korea; two coming of age high school youth dramas, Ahn Jungmin’s Fantasy of the Girls from South Korea, and Leste Chen’s 2006 Eternal Summer from Taiwan, which merits a second look a decade on; and Lee Sangil’s wild and violent mystery thriller Rage, featuring Go Ayano (NYAFF 2016 Rising Star Asia awardee) as a homeless stranger invited into the home of a semi closeted salaryman (Satoshi Tsumabuki) as his live in lover. Another highlight of this year’s festival are three films that celebrate Japan’s unique “Roman Porno” genre, each having their North American premieres: Aroused by Gymnopedies, Dawn of the Felines, and Wet Woman in the Wind. Nikkatsu, Japan’s oldest film studio, is celebrating 45 years since they birthed the soft core Roman Porno genre (roman derives from the French word for novel). Invented to save a dying industry, they gave carte blanche to directors with minimal rules: keep it under 80 minutes with a sex scene every ten. This allowed for wild stream of consciousness works of both the highest and lowest caliber. Now, Nikkatsu has enlisted top contemporary talent for the Roman Porno Reboot Project, taking the provocative, envelope pushing format to a whole new level. In addition to the festival’s screenings, the NYAFF awards a number of honorees each year, including this year’s recipients: The 2017 NYAFF Lifetime Achievement Award goes to veteran Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Kafai, who will attend a three film tribute, including Johnnie To’s Election, Longman Leung & Sunny Luk’s Cold War 2 and Tsui’s Hark’s The Taking of Tiger Mountain 3D. In a career spanning 35 years, Leung has worked with the iconic directors Li Hanhsiang, Wong Karwai, Stanley Kwan, and JeanJacques Annaud, and starred opposite the screen legends Jackie Chan, Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Jet Li, and Fan Bingbing. Leung was arguably the first Hong Kong star to become an international heartthrob, in JeanJacques Annaud’s The Lover. THe Star Asia Award recipient is Korean movie star Gang Dongwon, whose charisma and emotional investment in his performances gives his films a unique edge. His most iconic films include Lee Myungse’s Duelist, Park Jinpyo’s Voice of a Murderer, and Jang Hoon’s Secret Reunion. Last year, NYAFF presented two of his films, The Priests and A Violent Prosecutor, and in 2017, the festival will be joined by Gang to present a special screening of the magical fable Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned. The Screen International Rising Star Asia Award will be given to Thailand’s Chutimon “Aokbab” Chuengcharoensukying. The 21 year old model, who is still a student at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, found fame last year in Thank You for Sharing, an eight minute, viral short about cyberbullying. The NYAFF is opening with her feature debut, Bad Genius, in which she stars as a high school student who masterminds an ambitious heist of the American university entrance exam system. It’s a demanding role, in which her quick witted character must navigate a complex moral universe where parents and teachers don’t always know best.

    FULL LINEUP (57)

    Titles in bold are included in the Main Competition

    CHINA (6)

    Battle of Memories (Leste Chen, 2017) Blood of Youth (Yang Shupeng, 2016) Duckweed (Han Han, 2017) Extraordinary Mission (Alan Mak & Anthony Pun, 2017) Someone to Talk to (Liu Yulin, 2016) Soul on a String (Zhang Yang, 2016)

    HONG KONG PANORAMA (11)

    Cold War 2 (Longman Leung, Sunny Luk, 2016) Dealer/Healer (Lawrence Lau, 2017) Election (Johnnie To, 2005) Mad World (Wong Chun, 2016) Our Time Will Come (Ann Hui, 2017) Soul Mate (Derek Tsang, 2016) The Taking of Tiger Mountain (Tsui Hark, 2014) This Is Not What I Expected (Derek Hui, 2017) Vampire Cleanup Department (Yan Pakwing, Chiu Sinhang, 2017) With Prisoners (Andrew Wong, 2017) Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight (Alan Lo, 2017)

    JAPAN (15)

    Aroused by Gymnopedies (Isao Yukisada, 2016) CloseKnit (Naoko Ogigami, 2017) Dawn of the Felines (Kazuya Shiraishi, 2016) Destruction Babies (Tetsuya Mariko, 2016) A Double Life (Yoshiyuki Kishi, 2016) Happiness (Sabu, 2016) Japanese Girls Never Die (Daigo Matsui, 2016) The Long Excuse (Miwa Nishikawa, 2016) Love and Other Cults (Eiji Uchida, 2017) The Mole Song: Hong Kong Capriccio (Takashi Miike, 2016) Rage (Lee Sangil, 2016) Suffering of Ninko (Norihiro Niwatsukino, 2016) Survival Family (Shinobu Yaguchi, 2017) Traces of Sin (Kei Ishikawa, 2016) Wet Woman in the Wind (Akihiro Shiota, 2016)

    SOUTH KOREA (11)

    Fabricated City (Park Kwanghyun, 2017) Fantasy of the Girls (Ahn Jungmin, 2016) Jane (Cho Hyunhoon, 2016) Ordinary Person (Kim Bonghan, 2017) A Quiet Dream (Zhang Lu, 2016) A Single Rider (Lee Jooyoung, 2017) Split (Choi Kookhee, 2016) The Tooth and the Nail (Jung Sik, Kim Whee, 2017) The Truth Beneath (Lee Kyoungmi, 2016) Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned (Uhm Taehwa, 2016) The Villainess (Jung Byunggil, 2017)

    SOUTHEAST ASIA (6)

    Bad Genius (Nattawut Poonpiriya, Thailand, 2017) Birdshot (Mikhail Red, Philippines, 2016) Kfc (Le Binh Giang, Vietnam, 2017) Mrs. K (Ho Yuhang, Malaysia, 2016) Saving Sally (Avid Liongoren, Philippines, 2016) Town in a Lake (Jet Leyco, Philippines, 2015)

    TAIWAN (6)

    Eternal Summer (Leste Chen, 2006) The Gangster’s Daughter (Chen Meijuin, 2017) Godspeed (Chung Monghong, 2016) Mon Mon Mon Monsters (Giddens, 2017) The Road to Mandalay (Midi Z, 2016) The Village of No Return (Chen Yuhsun, 2017)

    DOCUMENTARIES (2)

    Bamseom Pirates Seoul Inferno (Jung Yoonsuk, 2017) Mrs. B., A North Korean Woman (Jero Yun, 2016)

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