Above the Clouds

  • 2019 Naples Intl Film Festival Filmmaker Awards – INTERNATIONAL FALLS, RUNNER, MISS VIRGINIA Win Awards

    2019 Naples International Film Festival Filmmaker Awards Winners
    (L to R): Artis-Naples’s David Filner, Akio “Jimmy” Sakurai (MR. JIMMY), NIFF’s Shannon Franklin, Nick Reid (MISS VIRGINIA), Peter Michael Dowd (MR. JIMMY), R.J. Daniel Hanna (MISS VIRGINIA), Bill Gallagher (RUNNER), Guor Mading Maker (RUNNER), Bill Margetson (HOUSEKEEPING), Isis Masoud (SOUTH MOUNTAIN), Andrew Aiello (INTERNATIONAL FALLS), Rebecca Tansley (THE HEART DANCES), John Hermann (STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN), Andrew Murton (ABOVE THE CLOUDS), Hilary Brougher (SOUTH MOUNTAIN), Leon Chambers (ABOVE THE CLOUDS), Artis-Naples’ Kathleen van Bergen (Photo by Charlie McDonald)

    The 2019 Naples International Film Festival announced the filmmaker award winners during the Closing Night Awards Ceremony with the jury prize for Best Narrative Feature (and a cash prize of $7,500) going to Amber McGinnis’ INTERNATIONAL FALLS, and the jury prize for Best Documentary Feature (and $7,500) given to Bill Gallagher’s RUNNER. Gallagher’s film RUNNER also took NIFF’s Audience Award for Documentary Feature (and an additional $2,000), while R.J. Daniel Hanna’s MISS VIRGINIA was the Audience Choice for Narrative Feature (also receiving $2,000).

    Read more

  • Austin Film Festival Announces 2018 Winners, THE INTERPRETERS Wins Hiscox Courage Award

    [caption id="attachment_32598" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Interpreters The Interpreters[/caption] Austin Film Festival (AFF) announced its 2018 Jury Award winners, Hiscox Audience and Courage Award Winners, and the Screenplay Competition winners. One film was selected to receive the Hiscox Courage Award. Voted on by the audience, the Hiscox Courage Award is presented to the film that best embodies the virtue of courage and to the filmmaker who best embraced the risk to share the story. The 2018 Hiscox Courage Award was awarded to The Interpreters, directed by Andres Caballero and Sofian Khan. The Interpreters is a documentary feature that follows local interpreters from Iraq and Afghanistan who worked with US forces and are now trying to rebuild their lives.

    2018 Austin Film Festival Jury Award Winners

    Narrative Feature: Clara, written by Akash Sherman and James Ewasiuk Documentary Feature: The Interpreters, directed by Andres Caballero and Sofian Khan Comedy Vanguard Feature: In Reality, written by Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, and Aaron Pryka Dark Matters Feature: Ghost Light, written by Geoffrey Taylor and John Stimpson Narrative Short presented by ShortsTV: Judas Collar, written by Alison James Narrative Student Short: Woman in Stall, written by Josh Boles Documentary Short: Father K, directed by Judd Ehrlich Animated Short: Sister, written by Siqi Song Scripted Digital Series presented by Stage 13: Song in the Sky, created by Samuel Frederich

    2018 Austin Film Festival Hiscox Audience Award Winners

    Narrative Feature: Above the Clouds, written by Simon Lord Documentary Feature: Care to Laugh, directed by Julie Getz Dark Matters Feature: Alive, written by Jules Vincent and Chuck McCue Comedy Vanguard Feature: In Reality, written by Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, and Aaron Pryka Texas Independent Feature: The Iron Orchard, written by Gerry De Leon and Ty Roberts Narrative Short: Everything Mattress, written by Chase Joliet Documentary Short: Father K, directed by Judd Ehrlich Animated Short: Lost & Found, written by Bradley Slabe Narrative Student Short: Tiny Warriors, written by Jono Chanin Scripted Digital Series: The Gary Gold Story, created by Greg Ash Marquee Feature: Green Book, written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, and Peter Farrelly

    2018 Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition Winners

    Drama Screenplay Award presented by the Writers Guild of America, East: Horsehead Girls by Wenonah Wilms Comedy Screenplay Award presented by Sony Pictures Animation: Sex APPeal by Tate Elizabeth Hanyok Sci-Fi Screenplay Award: Our Own Devices by Paul Vance Enderby Entertainment Award (scripts that can be produced under $10 million): Project Horizon by Charles Morris, II Horror Screenplay Award: The Patience of Vultures by Greg Sisco AMC Drama Teleplay Pilot Award: Worth by Stuti Malhotra Comedy Pilot Award: What Will Jessie Do? by Kevin Luperchio Short Screenplay Award: Ruby Throat by Sarah Polhaus Scripted Digital Series Award presented by Stage 13: Epizootic by Dan Young Drama Teleplay Spec Award: The Handmaid’s Tale, “Rebels” by Angela Jorgensen Comedy Teleplay Spec Award: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, “Kimmy Volunteers!” by Maggie Gottlieb Playwriting Award: Particular Disposition by Benjamin Fulk Fiction Podcast Award: The Rest Stop at the End of the Universe by Samuel Suksiri

    2018 Austin Film Festival Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship Winners

    In addition, producer Barry Josephson announced the selected fellows for the inaugural Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship, which will provide a one-on-one mentorship with Josephson and his team in Los Angeles for the writers of one feature screenplay and one teleplay pilot. The winners were: Feature Screenplay: The Death of Colm Canter by Revati Dhomse & Hector Lowe Teleplay Pilot: Lifers Anonymous by Sean Collins-Smith

    Read more

  • 25th Austin Film Festival Announces Full Lineup, BEN IS BACK, WIDOWS, GREEN BOOK

    [caption id="attachment_30734" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Widows L-R: Michelle Rodriguez, Viola Davis, and Elizabeth Debicki star in Twentieth Century Fox’s WIDOWS. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox.[/caption] Steve McQueen’s and Gillian Flynn’s modern-day thriller Widows, Peter Farrelly’s drama Green Book starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, Mike Leigh’s period piece Peterloo are among the the full schedule of films announced for the 25th Anniversary edition of the Austin Film Festival  taking place this October 25 to November 1. The festival lineup also includes Mickey Rourke-starring boxing drama Tiger, Paul Dano’s Wildlife starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan, and Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges family drama Ben is Back bowing as AFF’s Centerpiece selection. Other World Premieres include The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova (a comedy about estranged siblings traveling to Poland to track down the remains of the their grandmother’s childhood dog), F/11 and Be There (a documentary about famed photographer Burk Uzzle), The Amaranth (a thriller about a mysterious retirement community), A Girl Named C (Emily Kassie’s documentary about a family grappling with the discovery that their 11-year-old daughter was raped), and Waiting for the Miracle to Come (Lian Lunson’s whimsical drama starring Willie Nelson and Charlotte Rampling).

    Austin Film Festival’s 2018 slate

    Marquee Features

    And Breathe Normally Writer/Director: Isold Uggadottir Ben is Back Writer/Director: Peter Hedges Boy Erased Writer/Director: Joel Edgerton Can You Ever Forgive Me? Writers: Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty Director: Marielle Heller El Chicano Writers: Ben Hernandez Bray, Joe Carnahan Director: Ben Hernandez Bray Everybody Knows Writer/Director: Asghar Farhadi The Favourite Writers: Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara Director: Yorgos Lanthimos The Front Runner Writers: Matt Bai, Jay Carson, Jason Reitman Director: Jason Reitman Fullsterkur Director: Todd Sansom Green Book Writers: Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly Director: Peter Farrelly Happy as Lazarro Writer/Director: Alice Rohrwacher Little Woods Writer/Director: Nia DaCosta The Long Dumb Road Writers: Hannah Fidell, Carson Mell Director: Hannah Fidell Peterloo Writer/Director: Mike Leigh Shoplifters Writer/Director: Hirokazu Koreeda Tiger Writers: Michael Pugliese, Prem Singh Director: Alister Grierson Widows Writers: Gillian Flynn & Steve McQueen Director: Steve McQueen Wildlife Writers: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan Director: Paul Dano Worlds of Ursula K. LeGuin Writer/Director: Arwen Curry

    Marquee Television

    Counterpart Season 2 Episode 1 Premiere Creator: Justin Marks Executive Producer: Jordan Horowitz Friends from College Season 2 Episode 1 Premiere Creators: Francesca Delbanco & Nicholas Stoller

    Narrative Features

    Above the Clouds Writer: Simon Lord Director: Leon Chambers ClaraClara Writers: Akash Sherman, James Ewasiuk Director: Akash Sherman The Comet Writer: Torben Bech Director: Bård Røssevold Delia & Sammy Writer/ Director: Therese Cayaba Fishbowl Writers: Stephen Kinigopoulos, Piero Iberti Director: Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Kinigopoulos Last Summer Writer/Director: Jon Jones Laugh or Die Writers: Heikki Kujanpää, Mikko Reitala Director: Heikki Kujnapää Love Goes Through Your Mind Writers: Shruti Swaminathan, Ronak Shah Director: Ronak Shah Major Arcana Writer/Director: Josh Melrod Speaking in Tongues Writers: Nathan Deming, Lawrie Doran Director: Nathan Deming Undercliffe Writer: Bruce McLeod Director: Lisa Mulcahy

    Comedy Vanguard Features

    Antiquities Writers: Daniel Campbell, Graham Gordy Director: Daniel Campbell The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova Writer: Michael Whatling Director: Zack Bernbaum In Reality Writers: Ann Lupo, Esteban Pedraza, Aaron Pryka Director: Ann Lupo Lost & Found Writer/Director: Liam O Mochain Original Sin (Pecado Original) Writers: Jean Lee, Maia Nikiphoroff Director: Jean Lee Simple Wedding Writers: Sara Zandieh, Stephanie Wu Director: Sara Zandieh

    Dark Matters Features

    Alive. Writers: Jules Vincent, Chuck McCue Director: Rob Grant The Amaranth Writer: Eileen Shields Director: Albert Chi Beyond the Night Writer/Director: Jason Noto The Black String Writers: Brian Hanson, Richard Handley Director: Brian Hanson The Dark Red Writers: Dan Bush, Conal Byrne Director: Dan Bush Empathy, Inc. Writer: Mark Leidner Director: Yedidya Gorestman Ghost Light Writer: John Stimpson, Geoffrey Taylor Director: John Stimpson The Lake Vampire Writer/Director: Carl Zitelmann

    Documentary Feature

    A Girl Named C Director: Emily Kassie Care to Laugh Director: Julie Getz F/11 and Be There Director: Jethro Waters Fathers of Football Director: Bradley Beesley For The Birds Director: Richard Miron Ghosthunter Director: Ben Lawrence The Interpreters Directors: Andres Caballero, Sofian Khan Long Time Coming: A 1955 Baseball Story Writers: Jon Strong, Ted Haddock, John King, Mike Quinn Jr. Director: Jon Strong The Money Stone Director: Stuart Harmon Surviving Bokator Writers: Mark Bochsler, Kevin Schjerning, Fernanda Rossi Director: Mark Bochsler Turning Point Director: James Keach

    Texas Independent Features

    Also Starring Austin Writer: Mike Blizzard, Laura Colwell, Lara Morgan Director: Mike Blizzard The Iron Orchard Writer: Gerry De Leon Director: Ty Roberts Jules of Light and Dark Writer/Director: Daniel Laabs Texas Cotton Writers: Tyler Russell, Jameel Khaja Director: Tyler Russell Waiting for the Miracle to Come Writer/Director: Lian Lunson

    Read more