• Berlinale 2017: Fest Announces Winners of Generation Kplus Awards

    [caption id="attachment_20700" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Little Harbour (Piata loď ) Little Harbour (Piata loď )[/caption] The members of the Children’s Jury awarded Little Harbour (Piata loď ) by Iveta Grófová the winner of the Crystal Bear for the Best Film in Generation Kplus program at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival.   The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Film award is a tie – the prize went to Becoming Who I Was by Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, of Republic Korea, and Summer 1993 (Estiu 1993) by Carla Simón of Spain.

    Children’s Jury in Generation Kplus awards:

    Crystal Bear for the Best Film: Little Harbour (Piata loď ) By Iveta Grófová, Slovak Republic / Czech Republic 2017 We selected a film that is creative and authentic. It’s about two children who create a little world of their own, rules. We found the story very moving and the actors are very believable too. Special Mention: Mountain Miracle – An Unexpected Friendship (Amelie rennt) By Tobias Wiemann, Germany / Italy 2017 With great wit and fast-paced dialogue, this film describes the development of an unlikely friendship between two fascinating characters. Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film: Promise By Xie Tian, USA 2016 Set in a breath-taking landscape, this film tells the moving story of a Chinese boy. The convincing performances and masterful cinematography lend the film great authenticity. Special Mention Short Film: Hedgehog’s Home By Eva Cvijanovic, Canada / Croatia 2016 The message of this tale, that a home of one’s own is very important, is beautifully conveyed by the creative use of felt animation. We were also impressed by the unusual verse form of the narrative in this stop-motion film.

    International Jury Generation Kplus Awards:

    The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Film, endowed with € 7,500 by the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk (The Children’s Charity of Germany): tie Becoming Who I Was By Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, Republic Korea 2017 In this beautifully shot tale we learn in a wonderful bittersweet way how much a parent and a child can learn from each other. The filmmaker achieved the most difficult: making the audience laugh and cry many times. The film gave the jury confidence in humanity and if the values of the young hero of this story would be only reflected a little bit by its audience the world will become a better place. Summer 1993 (Estiu 1993) By Carla Simón, Spain 2017 In this remarkable film we learn through the eyes of a little girl how to cope with loss. The lesson that this incredible heroine learns and that moved us to tears is that no matter how much it hurts, it is the unconditional love of the people around you that will ease your pain. Besides the outstanding performance of the young main actress the jury was also very impressed by the beautiful cinematography and sensual mise-en-scène! The Special Prize of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Short Film, endowed with € 2,500 by the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk (The Children’s Charity of Germany): Grandfather (Aaba) By Amar Kaushik, India 2016 It tells a story of the circle of life in an elegiac and slow pace with a beautiful cinematography. Special Mention: Sabaku By Marlies van der Wel, The Netherlands 2016 This very short film tells with simple but very efficient use of extremely skilled artistic animation technique the story of a bird that goes around the world to find a new friend. The jury was blown away by its pace and incredible joy of the filmmaker to entertain her audience.

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  • Berlinale 2017: INSYRIATED and I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO Win Audience Awards

    [caption id="attachment_20697" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Insyriated Insyriated[/caption] The audience at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival has cast its votes, and the Panorama Audience Awards go to Insyriated by Philipp Van Leeuw for best fiction film and I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck for best documentary. Insyriated is a tautly-constructed chamber drama about trying to live a normal life in a war zone. It is the second film starring Hiam Abbass that has won the Panorama Audience Award (she also played the lead in Eran Riklis’s Lemon Tree in 2008). [caption id="attachment_20591" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]I Am Not Your Negro I Am Not Your Negro[/caption] Raoul Peck’s filmic essay I Am Not Your Negro about James Baldwin and his three assassinated friends – civil rights activists Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X – has also been nominated for an Academy Award as  Best Documentary Feature. The Panorama Audience Award has been given since 1999. Since 2011, not only the best fiction film but also the best documentary film have received awards. During the festival, moviegoers are asked to rate the films shown in Panorama on voting cards after the screenings. In 2017 a total of 29,000 votes were cast and counted. This year Panorama presented 50 feature-length films from 43 countries, of which 21 screened in the Panorama Dokumente series. Panorama Audience Award Winner Fiction Film 2017 Insyriated Belgium / France / Lebanon 2017 By Philippe Van Leeuw 2nd place Panorama Audience Award Fiction Film 2017 Close-Knit (Karera ga Honki de Amu toki wa) Japan 2017 By Naoko Ogigami 3rd place Panorama Audience Award Fiction Film 2017 1945 Hungary 2017 By Ferenc Török Panorama Audience Award Winner Panorama Dokumente 2017 I Am Not Your Negro France / USA / Belgium / Switzerland 2016 By Raoul Peck 2nd place Panorama Audience Award Panorama Dokumente 2017 Chavela USA 2017 By Catherine Gund, Daresha Kyi 3rd place Panorama Audience Award Panorama Dokumente 2017 Ghost Hunting (Istiyad Ashbah) France / Palestine / Switzerland / Qatar  2017 By Raed Andoni

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  • Berlinale 2017: Kompagnon Fellowships Go to Nora Fingscheidt, Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser

    Berlinale 2017: Kompagnon Fellowships The Kompagnon Fellowships and stipends of EUR 5,000 were awarded for the first time at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival to System Crasher (Systemsprenger) by Nora Fingscheidt, and Der grüne Wellensittich by Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser. With the Kompagnon Fellowships, Berlinale Talents and Perspektive Deutsches Kino have joined forces to support talented directors and screenwriters residing in Germany. The initiative does not, however, merely intend to further concrete film projects. In addition to strengthening the artists’ signatures, the mentoring program will provide the winners with professional coaching and a chance to network with the industry. The jury commented on Systemsprenger (System Crasher) by Nora Fingscheidt, “Nora Fingscheidt’s Systemsprenger (System Crasher) outlines the story of nine-year-old Benni, a problem child whose mother, unable to cope, hands her over to the authorities. But Benni proves resistant to all corrective measures – that is, until social worker Micha decides to risk establishing a personal relationship with the child and in doing so crosses a line. A disquieting, sensitive, and very well researched portrayal of our educational system and a poignant humanistic plea for those labelled difficult, non-conformist, or dysfunctional. Nora Fingscheidt refrains from providing answers, but instead lets the questions she has raised resound in space. Systemsprenger touched our hearts and lastingly affected our thinking.” In its statement on Der grüne Wellensittich by Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser, the jury commented, “Der grüne Wellensittich plays in Belarus and recounts the story of 34-year-old Mischa. At night he works as an autopsy assistant, during the day he paints corpses in oils. Mischa gets to know 17-year-old Anna, whose suicide attempt made it possible for them to meet in the first place. For both of them, loneliness has led to an obsession with death – yet out of this situation, authors Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser unleash the most beautiful forms of feeling alive: creativity and love. This fiction film treatment has realistic protagonists, in particular Mischa, who is supposed to play himself. Interweaving documentary principles and staged components, this experimental hybrid exploration promises to produce an extraordinary film in both form and content. This is all the more so because the authors never seem to judge or interpret – neither the people, nor the world in which they are trying to define themselves. Instead they observe and let spaces emerge that are driven by compelling images and characters, and not by authorial narrative intentions. When a radical trust in one’s material is stronger than all fears of rejection, then it becomes possible for unforgettable films with a heartbeat to evolve. Der grüne Wellensittich has this potential.”

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  • Berlinale 2017: Adrian Goiginger’s THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS Wins Compass Perspektive Award for Best Film

    [caption id="attachment_20689" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption] Awarded for the first time this year and endowed with EUR 5,000, The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger is the winner of the 2017 Compass Perspektive Award for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The jury members watched the 14 films in the Berlinale’s Perspektive Deutsches Kino section, and after debating passionately, they picked their favorite – The Best of All Worlds. The jury commented, “The film is the story of seven-year-old Adrian, who lives in 1990s Salzburg with a heroin-addicted, but loving mother and her friends. His life is like an adventure playground – until both child services and the brutal reality of drug addiction threaten to destroy his world.” Director Adrian Goiginger’s film is based on his own childhood and is a disturbingly realistic portrayal of the seemingly hopeless battle between maternal love and addiction. Goiginger leaves open to interpretation whether it is the drug itself, or society’s way of dealing with it, that presents a greater threat to the child protagonist. With his sensitive direction of a brilliant ensemble cast, the film is touching without becoming kitschy; the unpretentious cinematography gets under your skin without being voyeuristic. The jury also spontaneously awarded a “special jury prize” to Final Stage directed by Nicolaas Schmidt. The jury commented, “Final Stage by Nicolaas Schmidt is an experiment in essayistic montage set in an urban consumer space. It comprises three sequences – separation, pain and reunion. The film turns cinema into an interactive space, in which the audience’s associations become the narrative. With this prize, we want to encourage young filmmakers to take structural-technical risks.”

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  • Berlinale 2017: BUTTERFLY KISSES and SCHOOL NUMBER 3 Win Top Generation 14plus Awards

    [caption id="attachment_20653" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Butterfly Kisses Butterfly Kisses[/caption] Butterfly Kisses by Rafael Kapelinski, of the United Kingdom is the winner of the Crystal Bear for the Best Film by the Youth Jury Generation 14plus at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival. The Generation 14plus International Jury awarded the Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus for the Best Film to School Number 3 (Shkola nomer 3) by Yelizaveta Smith and Georg Genoux. Crystal Bears and the Awards by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education) in Generation 14plus

    Youth Jury Generation 14plus Awards:

    Crystal Bear for the Best Film: Butterfly Kisses By Rafael Kapelinski, 2017, United Kingdom Propelled by the rhythm of its powerful soundtrack and imagery, this film awakens a terrifying suspicion in the viewer. Without resorting to simple accusations of guilt, it confronts us with an explosive issue which our society has so far been unable to resolve. The finely differentiated characterizations inspire profound empathy for the protagonists in the situations they face. From the kaleidoscopic opening sequence onwards, we are captivated by the haunting intensity of this electrifying feature film debut. Special Mention: Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves (Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau) By Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie, 2016, Canada With epic aspirations, this film is an accurate portrayal of destructive group dynamics. With brutal honesty, it gradually unleashes its hypnotic potential as the narrative unfolds. Contemporary footage, fictional life stories and performances fuse together to create a disturbing yet rousing cinematic work. Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film: Wolfe By Claire Randall, 2016, Australia By means of its authentic narrative and tactful approach to a sensitive subject, this documentary manages to demystify a taboo without sentimentality or judgment. With impressive honesty and intimacy, the protagonist discloses his experiences of psychological illness, accompanied by lovingly animated memory sequences. We thank the filmmaker for this factually informative and deeply moving work. Special Mention Short Film: SNIP By Terril Calder, 2016, Canada This film takes the viewer on a journey into a painful chapter of a country’s history. The synthesis of diverse animation styles provides for a compelling and emotionally direct exploration of this often neglected subject. We would like to thank the director for this unconventional approach to opening our generation’s eyes to the past as we head towards the future.

    Generation 14plus International Jury Awards:

    The Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Film, endowed with € 7,500 by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education): School Number 3 (Shkola nomer 3) By Yelizaveta Smith, Georg Genoux, 2016, Ukraine / Germany We give the Grand Prix to a film that unpacked itself slowly involving the audience through details and personal account from the perspective of its protagonists, delivering with a range of tenderness, trauma, and even banality and humor. It has a sensitive approach and is direct in form without discourse or presumption. We admire the collaboration between director, cinematographer and protagonists and how they built a space of trust. This film doesn’t let the narrative of war take over the emotional world of its young characters, who allowed us to connect with the most precious and intimate details of their lives. Special Mention: Ben The Foolish Bird (Niao) By Huang Ji, Ryuji Otsuka, 2017, People’s Republic of China Our special mention goes to a film that haunted us with its mystery and how it speaks about human relationships that pave their way through detached modern tools of communications. What sets this film apart are the well planned ellipses and the remarkable performance of the young actress, Yao Honggui from China. Special Prize of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Short Film, endowed with € 2,500 by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education): The Jungle Knows You Better Than You Do By Juanita Onzaga , 2016, Belgium / Colombia We give the special price for best short to a film that has a hybrid approach to the autobiographical. A film that hovers between the past and the present and yet has an intuitive way of showing us a character who couldn’t be closer to the filmmaker herself. Special Mention: U Plavetnilo (Into the Blue) By Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, 2017, Croatia / Slovenia / Sweden Special mention goes to a film which reveals the complexities of adolescence, when its four characters must confront their expectations and desires against a dramatic seaside landscape.

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  • Documentary INVISIBLE WOMEN: BEING A BLACK WOMAN IN CORPORATE AMERICA to Screen at Hollywood Black Film Festival | TRAILER

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    Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America The documentary Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America directed by Melody Shere’a will screen at the 2017 Hollywood Black Film Festival (HBFF).  The film which is executive produced by her talented sibling Monica Simmons, is the result of a year-long research study interviewing professional black women in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. Invisible Women uncovers and addresses issues around racism that profoundly affects black women in the corporate workplace. In the film, several women share respective experiences of disappointment and rejection when simply trying to earn a living and compete against women of other races for a higher step on the corporate ladder. The film will screen at the Hollywood Black Film Festival on Thursday, February 23rd at 2:15 p.m., hosted at the AMC Theater Marketplace 6 in Marina del Rey, CA. “For the production of Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America, we interviewed black women of varied professional levels who generously shared their previously untold stories and feelings around race-related issues on the job,” said Shere’a, HNTT Productions founder and CEO. “In conducting the research, we found the corporate practice of discrimination to be a common harsh reality faced by countless women of color. We also interviewed experts who provide employment reports and statistical data on this topic.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYztEMOuQ4Y According to Simmons, “Black women continue to experience racism on the job. We must be open to talking about this distressing issue to move toward a resolution. Obstacles that my sister and I have faced working in Corporate America were the inspiration behind Invisible Women: Being a Black Woman in Corporate America. Our film is meant to drive a movement for change in the workplace, especially the technology industry. ” “No longer should we be silenced. We need to speak up and call it what it is,” commented Shere’a. Unlike “Hidden Figures,” we are no longer in the 1950’s-60’s era. This racial discrimination against smart, educated, and powerful black women is unacceptable. We deserve a seat at the table, and we are demanding our place to exist, no longer will we continue to remain Invisible Women.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdUthH1rGhc&t=9s

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  • Jamie Patterson’s Alien Home Invasion Thriller, CAUGHT, to World Premiere at Fantasporto – Oporto International Film Festival

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    [caption id="attachment_20642" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]Caught Jamie Patterson Caught[/caption] Jamie Patterson’s (Fractured, City of Dreamers) alien home invasion thriller, Caught, will world premiere as an official selection in the Fantasy Films program at the Fantasporto – Oporto International Film Festival. Caught stars Mickey Sumner (Frances Ha, End of the Tour, The Mend), April Pearson (Skins. Tormented, Age of Kill) Cian Barry (Dr. Foster, Nina Forever), Ruben Crow (Doctors, Austenland), David Mounfield (This is Jinsy), and newcomers Aaron Davis and baby Regan Brown. While on an afternoon walk with their children, two small town reporters notice the military camped on a hilltop. Debating the possible significance of this activity, they answer their door when two unusual strangers come knocking and find themselves held hostage in their own home. “Very excited to have our world premiere of Caught at Fantasporto. This is a different kind of horror film. Inspired by films of the 70’s, I wanted a gritty, raw feel to the story because there’s nothing glossy about horror. This is my idea of alien art house,” said Director Jamie Patterson.

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  • Ben Affleck, and Pixar’s Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera to be Honored at 1st Annual Film Festival Dedicated to Autism

    [caption id="attachment_20638" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Ben Affleck Ben Affleck[/caption] Oscar-winning director, actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck and Oscar–winning Pixar Animation Studios’ filmmakers Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera will receive special honors at the 1st Annual AutFest International Film Festival presented by the Autism Society on April 22 to 23, 2017 at the AMC Orange 30 in Orange, CA. Said Scott Badesch, President of Autism Society of America: “The first Annual AutFest International Film Festival is a perfect opportunity for us to celebrate the role film is now playing in autism awareness. We are proud to honor outstanding filmmakers Ben Affleck, Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera, for their cinematic portrayals of the complexity of human emotions, as we can see with our two spotlighted films The Accountant and Inside Out.” Celebrating autism awareness “from spectrum to screen,” AutFest is the first film festival solely dedicated to an autism audience and filmmakers. Its mission is to further advance the well-being of all with an autism diagnosis, as well as to educate the nation about autism and the important need to fully respect and value each person with autism. AutFest wishes to celebrate films that promote autism awareness and support autistic filmmakers and artists that have chosen film as their profession. “For more than eight years we’ve been honored to partner with the Autism Society through our regular screenings of AMC Sensory Friendly Films, which allows families with special needs to see films in a welcoming environment,” said Nikkole Denson-Randolph, Vice President, Alternative & Special Content, AMC Theatres. “We’re thrilled to continue that partnership by serving as the host of this important, impactful event.” A number of special awards will be handed out at a special ceremony at the conclusion of AutFest including Best Film, Best Director, Best Documentary, Best Actor, Best Actress as well as an Audience Award. A Best Autistic Filmmaker Award will be presented to an autistic filmmaker. AutFest is also inviting student graphic designers to create a festival poster that depicts the festival’s theme “from spectrum to screen.” Winning posters will be used as the festival’s official poster as well as for official materials such as t-shirts and postcards. The poster contest is hosted by We Are Lions, a marketplace for products created and designed by individuals with disabilities. AutFest Honorary Committee Members include seven-time Emmy® winner and autism advocate Ed Asner, actress Kristen Bell (House of Lies), actor Dax Shepard (CHIPS), Emmy-winning actress comedian Sarah Silverman, Golden Globe®-nominated actor Matthew Modine (Stranger Things), Emmy-nominated actor Gary Cole (Veep), Autism Speaks co-founder Bob Wright, The Suzanne Wright Foundation president Liz Feld, Warner Bros. president and CCO Peter Roth and Autism Society’s VP of Development Matt Asner.

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  • Berlinale Talents 2017 Announces Winners – THE BUS TO AMERIKA Wins VFF Talent Highlight Award

    Berlinale Talents 2017 Prizes were awarded to the winning filmmakers at the close of the 15th edition of Berlinale Talents at the Berlin International Film Festival.  As part of the “Talent Project Market,” the VFF Talent Highlight Award, endowed with € 10,000, went to The Bus to Amerika by producer Nefes Polat and director Derya Durmaz (Turkey). Cash prizes of €1,000 each were awarded to the Cuban producer Maria Carla del Rio and the Singaporean producer Jeremy Chua for their nominated projects. For the fifth time, the Robert Bosch Stiftung awarded during Berlinale Talents film prizes to promote international cooperation between German and Arab filmmakers, endowed with up to € 60,000 each. Animation: Night by director Ahmad Saleh (Jordan) and producers Jessica Neubauer (Germany) and Saleh Saleh (Jordan) Short Film: The Trap by director Nada Riyadh (Egypt) and producers Eva Schellenbeck (Germany) and Ayman El Amir (Egypt) Documentary: Behind Closed Doors (Mor L’Bab) by director Yakout Elhababi (Morocco) and producers Karoline Henkel (Germany) and Hind Sah (Morocco / France) Co-Partner Nespresso kicked off the vertical video contest “Nespresso Talents 2017” during Berlinale Talents. The competition is open for entries until April 17, 2017, at nespresso.com/talents. Winners will be officially announced during the Cannes Film Festival and receive a cash prize and participation in a mentoring programme. “Once again, this year’s Berlinale Talents proves to be the festival’s innovation lab. Where else can young filmmakers and experienced experts from every culture, country and profession have such open, inspiring exchange and collaborate on bringing new films to life? I wish these Talents success as they turn their ideas into reality. And above all: Have courage!” said the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Prof. Monika Grütters, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Berlinale Talents. Throughout over 100 events and workshops, Talents discussed and worked with renowned experts and mentors, including Paul Verhoeven and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Christo, Agnieszka Holland, Ana Lily Amirpour, Isabel Coixet, Andres Veiel, Gurinder Chadha, Laura Poitras, Timothy Spall and many more. Berlinale Talents opened on Sunday with this year’s Berlinale International Jury President Paul Verhoeven and Berlinale International Jury member Maggie Gyllenhaal setting the tone for this year’s edition. “Be courageous and step into the unknown,” was Paul Verhoeven’s encouragement for the Talents. Christo, in his 90-minute discussion with the audience, called for creative work to be based in real contexts: “The most important thing of all our work is that it is about real things: real wind, real wet, real dry, real fear.” The days to come were a journey towards discovering personal, creative and filmic moments of courage. Talents alumna Ana Lily Amirpour, who returned this year as an expert, summed up what makes Berlinale Talents so special: “I loved it here when I came in 2010, and I still feel the same. It’s invigorating to be around so many people from everywhere in the world who are just madly in love with their ideas.”

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  • FANNY’S JOURNEY, THE FREEDOM TO MARRY, AIDA’S SECRETS Among Winners of 2017 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_20631" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]FANNY’S JOURNEY FANNY’S JOURNEY[/caption] The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) wrapped the 17th edition of the festival and handed out its first-ever Jury Prizes along with its annual Audience Awards. Fanny’s Journey, the story of a brave, resourceful young girl who leads a small band of orphans through Nazi-occupied France, won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, while The Freedom to Marry, a thrilling and inspiring insiders’ look at the greatest civil rights movement of today, nabbed Best Documentary Feature. Winning the Audience Award for Best Short Film is Oscar®-nominated Joe’s Violin, the story of how a musical instrument unites a Holocaust survivor and a Bronx schoolgirl. The complete list of the 2017 AJFF Jury Prize Winners. Narrative Feature Jury Prize Winner: FANNY’S JOURNEY The moving, beautifully realized story of a young Jewish girl, who led a group of children to safety during the Holocaust. Compellingly acted by young leads and elegantly directed by Lola Doillon, Fanny’s Journey adeptly balances the brightness of the human spirit with the darkness of its depravity. Documentary Feature Jury Prize Winner: AIDA’S SECRETS The affecting account of two long-lost brothers, one raised in Canada and the other in Israel, who discover each other and attempt to uncover the story behind their separation after the Holocaust. Both historical and deeply personal, Aida’s Secrets is a powerful human tale about the meaning of family. EMERGING FILMMAKERS Winner: Eran Kolirin for BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS Beyond the Mountains and Hills shows an Israeli family in the throes of various crises that intersect in surprising and illuminating ways, giving us new insights into the contemporary Israeli landscape. The director seamlessly interweaves realistic and poetic imagery to create a cinematic picture of life at the edge of change. BUILDING BRIDGES Winner: THE 90 MINUTE WAR When all else fails, the unthinkable becomes plausible. The 90 Minute War depicts, in small and large ways, the realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through its realistic characters and complex parallel narratives, the film illustrates — with occasional humor and nuanced wit — that anything besides compromise in this conflict would be absurd HUMAN RIGHTS Winner: THE FREEDOM TO MARRY This film is an insightful examination into the history behind the struggle for marriage equality. Even though viewers may well and probably do know the outcome, it keeps them engaged and invested in learning the critical journey and the key players in the extra-legal battle. The film helps the viewer understand both the legal process in taking a human rights case to the Supreme Court and the need to galvanize public opinion. SHORTS Winner: THE LAST BLINTZ It is no easy feat to juggle themes such as gentrification, Jewish history, community activism and personal loss within the confines of a half hour. But that’s exactly what this film does, using the setting of an old New York establishment to explore the way memories come to define iconic locations to the point where change seems unthinkable — and then arrives, no matter how much resistance there is to stop it. For its ability to present a powerful ode to nostalgia and a wistful portrait of the march of time, we award our top prize to The Last Blintz.

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  • HBO to Air Documentary DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS

    DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS, directed and produced by Francis Whately, spotlights two critically acclaimed albums and the stage musical “Lazarus,” offering new insights into his extraordinary creativity during the final five years of his life.  HBO has acquired the documentary film with an expected air date later this year. Featuring a wealth of rarely seen Bowie interviews, archival footage, audio from the recording sessions for “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” and unprecedented access to Bowie’s closest friends and artistic collaborators, the film is a tribute to one of the greatest rock icons of all time. On Feb. 12, David Bowie posthumously swept the 2017 Grammy Awards with five wins for “Blackstar,” his final album, including: Best Rock Performance; Best Alternative Music Album; Best Recording Package; Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical; and Best Rock Song. “Looking at Bowie’s extraordinary creativity during the last five years of his life has allowed me to reexamine his life’s work and move beyond the simplistic view that his career was simply predicated on change,” says Whately. “HBO, whose global output the world admires, is a great channel to get this incredible documentary out to the U.S. fans.” Perhaps no period of David Bowie’s extraordinary career has inspired more fascination, more surprise or more questions. DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS focuses on three major projects: the albums “The Next Day” and the jazz-infused “Blackstar” (released on Bowie’s 69th birthday, two days before his death), and the musical “Lazarus.” The film includes revealing interviews with, among others, Tony Visconti, Bowie’s longtime producer, musicians who contributed to “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” Jonathan Barnbrook, the graphic designer of both albums, and Robert Fox, producer of “Lazarus,” along with cast members from the show, providing a unique behind-the-scenes look at Bowie’s creative process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2bL6ARhkUw

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  • Cleveland International Film Festival to Open with CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER and Close with THE HERO

    [caption id="attachment_20622" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER[/caption] The 41st Cleveland International Film Festival is kicking-off its 12-day run on March 29 with the click of a typewriter, opening with CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER, directed by Doug Nichol.  The film features a cast of artists, writers, and collectors who remain loyal to the typewriter as their preferred tool, and oftentimes their muse. The film also movingly documents the struggles of California Typewriter, one of the last standing repair shops in America dedicated to keeping the aging machines in working order. Featuring Tom Hanks, John Mayer, David McCullough, and Sam Shepard, among others, this film will leave you looking at your own relationship with technology. On Sunday, April 9th, the Festival will close with THE HERO directed by CIFF39 alum Brett Haley (I’ll See You in My Dreams). The film is moving, sharply observed character study starring the great Sam Elliott as Lee Hayden, a Western film icon whose best performances are behind him. Faced with a cancer diagnosis, Lee’s priorities are refocused, causing him to assess the life he has led. With a star-studded cast including Nick Offerman, Laura Prepon, and Krysten Ritter, THE HERO addresses the question most people face at one time or another in their lifetime: what kind of legacy will I leave? The 41st Cleveland International Film Festival will be held March 29 to April 9, 2017 at Tower City Cinemas and select neighborhood screening locations.

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