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.-
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.
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Watch Putin Offer His Opinion of Senator McCain in New Clip from Oliver Stone’s THE PUTIN INTERVIEWS
Showtime has released a new extended clip from Oliver Stone’s unprecedented conversations with Vladimir Putin, the docuseries – The Putin Interviews. The clip is pulled from hour four of the special, which features Stone’s most recent discussion with the Russian president this past February, following the U.S. presidential elections.
In the newly released clip, Putin offers his opinion of his former Cold War foe, Senator John McCain, that sheds light on how Putin views today’s global affairs in a historical context.
https://youtu.be/le7fv_9TfcE
Additionally, a new video for The Putin Interviews was released that features a behind-the-scenes look and interview with Stone, about the making of the television special.
https://youtu.be/FvNo0jRj7is
In one of multiple interviews over the course of two years, Oliver Stone interviews Russian President Vladimir Putin while he is driving, where Putin discusses his point of view on Edward Snowden.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD4eIM-8Vrc
Granted intimate access to both Putin’s professional and personal worlds, Oscar(R)-winning writer and director Oliver Stone (Platoon, Snowden), with the help of his longtime documentary producer Fernando Sulichin, interviewed the Russian leader more than a dozen times over the course of two years. Since first becoming the president of Russia in 2000, Putin has never before spoken at such length or in such detail to a Western interviewer, leaving no topic off limits. In scope and depth, The Putin Interviews recalls The Nixon Interviews, the series of conversations between David Frost and Richard Nixon that aired in the spring of 1977, 40 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2cJXEWkt60
The Putin Interviews will have its world television premiere on Showtime over four consecutive nights starting on Monday, June 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
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CHASING CORAL Releases New Trailer for World Oceans Day
Today, on World Oceans Day, a new trailer was released for the documentary Chasing Coral, set to debut globally July 14 on Netflix.
Chasing Coral taps into the collective will and wisdom of an ad man, a self-proclaimed coral nerd, top-notch camera designers, and renowned marine biologists as they reveal a phenomenon called “coral bleaching.” With its breathtaking photography and nail-biting suspense, Chasing Coral is a dramatic revelation that won’t have audiences sitting idle for long.
“Our oceans are dramatically changing and we are losing coral reefs on a global scale,” said Jeff Orlowski, director of Chasing Coral. “We spent three years with divers, underwater photographers, and experts to reveal the majesty of our oceans, and the rapidly changing reality we’re facing. We are excited to launch this trailer on World Oceans Day and help heighten awareness of the connection between humanity and our ocean.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6fHA9R2cKI
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Bill Duke Directed Indie Thriller CREATED EQUAL to World Premiere at American Black Film Festival | Trailer
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Created Equal[/caption]
Six years after stunning audiences with his shocking documentary, Dark Girls, actor/director Bill Duke returns to directing with the legal thriller Created Equal. Created Equal, based on the novel, Created Equal written by Roger A. Brown, will World Premiere at the 2017 American Black Film Festival on Thursday, June 15, 4pm, at the Miami Beach Cinematheque (1130 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL).
In a world where gender equality remains a critical issue, this controversial film, doesn’t set out to challenge the Catholic Church doctrine, but asks a very modern question… Should women be allowed into seminaries to study for the priesthood? “Created Equal is a film that gives you a voyeur experience into the stained glass ceiling that exists in the Catholic Church and asks the question about women being allowed into seminaries without actually taking sides,” shares Bill Duke. “We are so excited that the American Black Film Festival has officially selected our film as a world premiere and look forward to the conversation that is created around this highly debated topic.”
The film stars Broadway actor and singer Aaron Tveit (Grease Live!) Latina actress Edy Ganem (Devious Maids), Yohance Myles (Shots Fired), veteran actors Lou Diamond Phillips (Longmire) and GregAlan Williams (Greenleaf).
Desperate to become a priest in the Catholic Church, Alejandra “Allie” Batista (Edy Ganem) turns to Thomas Reilly (Aaron Tveit), a successful lawyer who files suit against the Archdiocese of New Orleans for sex discrimination without justifiable cause. As Allie’s case starts to make national headlines, both she and Tommy face serious backlash from the people in their lives. The trial unfolds and an extremist concocts a plot to stop the heresy against the church by attacking Alejandra and attempting to kill her if she doesn’t back off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Bw2UFlonM
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Sundance Selects to Release Jeff Unay’s THE CAGE FIGHTER Documentary
[caption id="attachment_22652" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
The Cage Fighter[/caption]
Jeff Unay’s documentary and directorial feature debut The Cage Fighter that premiered earlier this year at the 2017 San Francisco International Film Festival has been acquired by Sundance Selects for release in the US. It was written, directed and photographed by Jeff Unay.
The Cage Fighter is the story of a man in the fight of his life. Joe Carman is a blue-collar Washington State boilermaker and master plumber, a loving father and husband. Unable to cope with stresses at home, reeling from his wife’s recent illness and an ongoing custody battle, Joe escapes back into the fighting cage — the one place he’d promised never to set foot again. By trading his inner pain for physical blows, Joe struggles to heal himself and come to terms with his past. In the fighting cage, life’s problems are as simple as they are acute; but there, unlike in the real world, an old fighter can at least go down swinging.
“I am very excited that we are partnering with Sundance Selects to bring The Cage Fighter to the public,” said Jeff Unay, director. “Their prestigious label/brand of films coupled together with their penchant to distribute their films to the widest possible audience is extremely promising and very important to our film. We are proud to be part of the Sundance Selects family.”
“Jeff Unay’s impressive and beautiful debut unfolds like a narrative film in which the story of Joe Carman and his journey is portrayed with empathy and universal accessibility. We can’t wait to share his story with audiences across the country,” said Arianna Bocco, EVP of Acquisitions and Productions.
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French Musical Comedy FOOTNOTES to Open in New York on July 14
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Footnotes[/caption]
The French musical comedy Footnotes directed by Paul Calori and Kostia Testut will open in New York on Friday, July 14th at the Village East Cinema with a national release to follow.
Inspired by the films of Jacques Demy and Stanley Donen,Footnotes is a whimsical and original musical comedy about Julie, a young woman struggling to make ends meet in France’s radically changing economy. Living out of a backpack, Julie spends her days jumping from job to job until she’s finally offered a temporary stockroom position at a women’s luxury shoe factory. After making friends with the boss’s spunky receptionist Sophie and the ever-charming factory truck driver Samy, Julie thinks the hard times are behind her. But Julie’s dreams of stability collapse when management threatens to close down the factory. As her intrepid group of female colleagues get together to go on strike, Samy and the other truck drivers decide to side with the company’s scheming CEO. Julie must choose whether to keep a low profile (and a shot at permanent employment) or to resist and fight back on the picket line.
Footnotes stars Pauline Etienne, Olivier Chantreau, François Morel, Loïc Corbery and Julie Victor; and was an Official Selection of Palm Springs International Film Festival, Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, Filmfest DC and many more.