The 2015 Chicago South Asian Film Festival, presented by Zee Cinema, announced the winners of Jury and Audience Awards for Best Feature and Short Films of the 2015 Festival and presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Ms. Sharmila Tagore, an Indian cinema icon.
The Jury Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Kaaka Muttai (The Crow’s Egg)” (Director: M. Manikandan) / India / Chicago Premiere – When a pizza parlor opens on their playground, two carefree slum boys are consumed by the desire to taste this new-fangled dish called ‘Pizza’. Realizing that one pizza costs more than their family’s monthly income, they begin to plot ways to earn more money inadvertently beginning an adventure that will involve the entire city.
The People’s Choice Awards for Best Feature Film was presented to “Dukhtar (Daughter)” (Director: Afia Nathaniel) / Pakistan/ Chicago Premiere – In the mountains of Pakistan, a mother and her 10 year-old daughter flee their home on the eve of the girl’s marriage to a tribal leader. A deadly hunt for them begins.
The People’s Choice Awards for Best Feature Film was presented to “Sundar” (Director: Rohan Kanawade)/ India/ Chicago Premiere – Bangles, jhumkas, bindi, lipstick, blouse, sari and attitude to carry; Jayu walked in public and played dandiya during Navratri (nine days Hindu festival). Onlookers laughed and whistled mockingly. It was just another reason to make fun of him. He didn’t care, because it was his happiness, he was living. Until, he laid his eyes on his mother, who stood in between those onlookers. She beat him up before the entire neighborhood… It’s Navratri, again. Tonight is the last night. But this year, all he could do is look at others as they marched towards the dandiya ground, all dolled up.
The 2015 Chicago South Asian Film Festival Awards: The Jury Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Kaaka Muttai (The Crow’s Egg)” (Director: M. Manikandan) / India/ CHICAGO PREMIERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzOp7hRXOLo The Jury Award for Best Short Film was presented to “The Blue Sweater” (Director: Dhaneesh Jameson) /United States/ CHICAGO PREMIERE The Audience Award – People’s Choice Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Dukhtar (Daughter)” (Director: Afia Nathaniel) / Pakistan/ CHICAGO PREMIERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zo5xat8WLjU The Audience Award – People’s Choice Award for Best Feature Film was presented to “Sundar” (Director: Rohan Kanawade) / India/ CHICAGO PREMIERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWJOUGcr55A The Chicago’s Choice Award for Best Short Film was presented to “The First Session” (Director: Ryan Logan) / United States/ CHICAGO PREMIERE
Chris Rock who hosted the 77th Oscars telecast in 2005 will return to host the Oscars® for a second time, producers David Hill and Reginald Hudlin announced today. Rock will host the 88th Academy Awards® scheduled to be broadcast live on Oscar® Sunday, February 28, 2016, on the ABC Television Network. .
“Chris Rock is truly the MVP of the entertainment industry,” said Hill and Hudlin. “Comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, documentarian – he’s done it all. He’s going to be a phenomenal Oscar host!”
“I’m so glad to be hosting the Oscars,” said Rock. “It’s great to be back.”
“We share David and Reggie’s excitement in welcoming Chris, whose comedic voice has really defined a generation,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “He is certain to bring his amazing array of talents to this year’s show.”
“Chris may be best known as a stand-up comic, but we think of him as a creative innovator in many other ways. He is unafraid in his artistry,” said Academy CEO Dawn Hudson. “We couldn’t be happier to welcome him back to the Oscars.”
“Chris Rock is a comedic powerhouse who will bring tremendous energy to the event, and we’re honored to have him,” said Paul Lee, President ABC Entertainment Group.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Rock most recently directed the comedy special “Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo,” which premiered this month on HBO. In 2014 he wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed feature “Top Five,” and in 2009 ventured into the documentary world as a writer, producer and star of “Good Hair.”
Rock has enjoyed ongoing success in both film and television as a comedian, actor, writer, producer and director. His feature acting credits include “I Think I Love My Wife,” which he also wrote and directed, “Head of State” (writer, producer and director), “Death at a Funeral” (also producer), and the first three films in the blockbuster “Madagascar” series, as the voice of Marty. His other acting credits include “The Longest Yard,” “Nurse Betty,” “2 Days in New York” and “Lethal Weapon 4.” In 2011 Rock made his Broadway debut starring in “The Motherfucker with the Hat,” which was nominated for six Tony Awards®, including Best Play. In television, Rock created, executive produced and narrated the series “Everybody Hates Chris,” which ran from 2005 to 2009 and was inspired by Rock’s childhood. He was a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” from 1990 to 1993.
Known internationally for his groundbreaking stand-up comedy, Rock has won four Emmy® Awards for his comedy series and specials, including “Chris Rock – Kill the Messenger,” “The Chris Rock Show” and “Chris Rock: Bring the Pain,” and has achieved record audience numbers around the world. He also has earned three Grammy® Awards for his comedy albums Never Scared, Bigger and Blacker and Roll with the New.
The 88th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be broadcast exclusively on IFC on February 27, 2016, LIVE at 2:00 pm PT / 5:00 pm ET. This year marks the 31st edition of the awards show that celebrates the best of independent film. This year’s nominees will be announced at a press conference on Tuesday, November 24 at the W Hollywood and 
The 2015 Tallgrass Film Festival announced their filmmaker awards during a rousing ceremony preceding their Closing Night Gala screening of Ian and Eshom Nelms’ WAFFLE STREET on Sunday, October 18 at the Orpheum Theater in Wichita, Kansas.
Matt Sobel’s TAKE ME TO THE RIVER, (pictured above) was named “Best Narrative Feature,” and Abigail Disney & Kathleen Hughes’ ARMOR OF LIGHT, chosen as “Best Documentary Feature.”
Justin Johnson’s DOUBLE DIGITS: THE STORY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE STAR (pictured above) got the nod for both “Best First Feature,” as well as the Golden Strands Vanguard Award for “Dedication to the Craft of Filmmaking” for the film’s subject, R.G. Miller.
The Vimeo Audience Awards were led by Emily Ting, who added to her big night by receiving the $1000 Narrative prize for ALREADY TOMORROW IN HONG KONG. Producer Dennie Aig was on hand to accept the $1000 Documentary prize for Philllip Barbeau’s UNBRANDED. Benjamin Wolff’s BIS GLIECH took home the Audience Award and $500 prize for the short film category. The awards for Emily Ting provided a happy exclamation point to the filmmaker’s return to Tallgrass following her films MAN FROM RENO (2014), THE KITCHEN (2012), and BIG BAD SWIM (2005) (all of which she served as either a producer, associate producer or executive producer).
The 51st Chicago International Film Festival announced its Competition Juries, with Director/Producer/Writer Andrew Davis serving as President of this year’s 
Jerrold Tarog’s HENERAL LUNA the Philippines’ submission for 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar category for the 88th Academy Awards, 
Two more Centerpiece Galas, WHERE TO INVADE NEXT, directed by Michael Moore, and THE 33, directed by Patricia Riggen have been added to 2015 AFI FEST. WHERE TO INVADE NEXT, directed by Michael Moore, will screen on Saturday, November 7 at the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei747zi9iYY
THE 33, directed by Patricia Riggen and starring Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Mario Casas, Juan Pablo Raba, Adriana Barraza, Kate del Castillo, Cote de Pablo, Bob Gunton and Gabriel Byrne, will screen on Monday, November 9 at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOoIBOYqHyw
AFI FEST’s Special Screenings section will feature 45 YEARS (DIR Andrew Haigh); ANOMALISA (DIR Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson, AFI Class of 2006); CAROL (DIR Todd Haynes); LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT (DIR Rodrigo García); THE LOBSTER (DIR Yorgos Lanthimos); MACBETH (DIR Justin Kurzel); and QUEEN OF THE DESERT (DIR Werner Herzog).
The full festival lineup and schedule will be unveiled on Wednesday, October 21. The 29th edition of 
SHE’S WILD AGAIN TONIGHT, Fia Sandlund’s contemporary interpretation of the play, Miss Julie, will world premiere at 
The thriller COLLIDE, originally titled Autobahn, directed by Eran Creevy, and starring Nicholas Hoult, Academy Award nominee Felicity Jones, and Academy Award winners Anthony Hopkins and Ben Kingsley 
ANGUISH, a thriller written and directed by Sonny Mallhi, which premiered in July at the 
2015 Los Cabos International Film Festival 
Chevalier directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari is the winner of the Best Film Award at the 2015 London Film Festival. In the film, six men set out on the Aegean Sea aboard a yacht, and before long, male bonding and one-upmanship give way to a loosely defined yet hotly contested competition to determine which of them is “the best in general.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZckUiocInM
Pawel Pawlikowski, whose Ida won the LFF Best Film prize in 2013, and is the president of the Official Competition jury at this year’s