First Reformed (2017)

National Board of Review Announces 2018 Film Honorees, GREEN BOOK Named Best Film of the Year

[caption id="attachment_32616" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] “Green Book” directed by Peter Farrelly[/caption] The National Board of Review named Green Book as Best Film of the Year, Bradley Cooper as Best Director of the Year for A Star is Born, Viggo Mortensen as Best Actor of the Year for his performance in Green Book, and Lady Gaga as Best Actress of the Year for her performance in A Star is Born. NBR President Annie Schulhof said, “We are proud to honor Green Book as our best film – it is a warm and heartfelt look at a remarkable friendship, brought to the screen at a moment where its story of love, compassion, and shared humanity deeply resonates. We are also thrilled to award Bradley Cooper as our best director – he is an extraordinary talent behind the camera, bringing a fresh and modern perspective, as well as superb craftsmanship and tremendous heart, to the classic story of A Star is Born.” The 2018 awards continue the NBR’s tradition of recognizing excellence in filmmaking, going back 109 years. This year 261 films were viewed by this select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. The National Board of Review’s awards celebrate the art of cinema, with categories that include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Original and Adapted Screenplay, Breakthrough Performance, and Directorial Debut, as well as signature honors such as Freedom of Expression and the William K. Everson Film History Award. The honorees will be feted at the NBR Awards Gala, hosted by Willie Geist, on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at Cipriani 42nd Street.
2018 National Board of Review Award WInners
Best Film: GREEN BOOK Best Director: Bradley Cooper, A STAR IS BORN Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen, GREEN BOOK Best Actress: Lady Gaga, A STAR IS BORN Best Supporting Actor: Sam Elliott, A STAR IS BORN Best Supporting Actress: Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Best Original Screenplay: Paul Schrader, FIRST REFORMED Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK Best Animated Feature: INCREDIBLES 2 Breakthrough Performance: Thomasin McKenzie, LEAVE NO TRACE Best Directorial Debut: Bo Burnham, EIGHTH GRADE Best Foreign Language Film: COLD WAR Best Documentary: RBG Best Ensemble: CRAZY RICH ASIANS William K. Everson Film History Award: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND and THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD NBR Freedom of Expression Award: 22 JULY NBR NBR Freedom of Expression Award: ON HER SHOULDERS Top Films (in alphabetical order) The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Black Panther Can You Ever Forgive Me? Eighth Grade First Reformed If Beale Street Could Talk Mary Poppins Returns A Quiet Place Roma A Star Is Born Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order) Burning Custody The Guilty Happy as Lazzaro Shoplifters Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order) Crime + Punishment Free Solo Minding the Gap Three Identical Strangers Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order) The Death of Stalin Lean on Pete Leave No Trace Mid90s The Old Man & the Gun The Rider Searching Sorry to Bother You We the Animals You Were Never Really Here
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EIGHTH GRADE, THE RIDER, FIRST REFORMED Win 2018 Gotham Independent Film Awards

[caption id="attachment_32902" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Rider by Chloe Zhao[/caption] Chloe Zhao’s The Rider snagged the top award for Best Feature at 2018 Gotham Independent Film Awards, but the night really belonged to Eighth Grade and First Reformed, who each won two awards, the most of the night. Eighth Grade won the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award for director Bo Burnham and Breakthrough Actor for Elsie Fisher; and First Reformed won the awards for Best Screenplay for Paul Schrader, along with Best Actor for Ethan Hawke. Documentary films were well represented this year with Hale County This Morning, This Evening directed by RaMell Ross taking home the award for Best Documentary; and another documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? directed by Morgan Neville, won the IFP Gotham Audience Award. The Favourite continued to dominate the early awards circuit winning the Special Jury Award For Ensemble Performance for Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz
Winners of 2018 Gotham Independent Film Awards
Best Feature The Rider Chloe Zhao, Director; Bert Hamelinck, Chloé Zhao, Mollye Asher, Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers (Sony Pictures Classics) Best Documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening RaMell Ross, Director; Joslyn Barnes, RaMell Ross, Su Kim, Producers (The Cinema Guild) Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade Best Screenplay Paul Schrader, First Reformed Best Actor Ethan Hawke, First Reformed Best Actress Toni Collette, Hereditary Breakthrough Actor Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade Breakthrough Series – Long Form Killing Eve Breakthrough Series – Short Form 195 Lewis Special Jury Award For Ensemble Performance The Favourite: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz IFP Gotham Audience Award: Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
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WE THE ANIMALS, EIGHTH GRADE, FIRST REFORMED Lead Nominations for 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards

[caption id="attachment_30337" align="aligncenter" width="1228"] We the Animals[/caption] We the Animals leads the nominations for the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards with 5 nods including Best First Feature, but missed out on a nomination for Best Feature. Nominees for Best Feature are Eighth Grade, First Reformed, If Beale Street Could Talk, Leave No Trace and You Were Never Really Here. Suspiria was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts. Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant and Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 5, 2019.
2019 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE
(Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.) Eighth Grade Producers: Eli Bush, Scott Rudin, Christopher Storer, Lila Yacoub First Reformed Producers: Jack Binder, Greg Clark, Gary Hamilton, Victoria Hill, David Hinojosa, Frank Murray, Deepak Sikka, Christine Vachon If Beale Street Could Talk Producers: Dede Gardner, Barry Jenkins, Jeremy Kleiner, Sara Murphy, Adele Romanski Leave No Trace Producers: Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini You Were Never Really Here Producers: Rosa Attab, Pascal Caucheteux, Rebecca O’Brien, Lynne Ramsay, James Wilson
BEST FIRST FEATURE
(Award given to the director and producer) Hereditary Director: Ari Aster Producers: Kevin Frakes, Lars Knudsen, Buddy Patrick Sorry to Bother You Director: Boots Riley Producers: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jonathan Duffy, Charles D. King, George Rush, Forest Whitaker, Kelly Williams The Tale Director/Producer: Jennifer Fox Producers: Sol Bondy, Lawrence Inglee, Mynette Louie, Oren Moverman, Simone Pero, Reka Posta, Laura Rister, Regina K. Scully, Lynda Weinman We the Animals Director: Jeremiah Zagar Producers: Andrew Goldman, Christina D. King, Paul Mezey, Jeremy Yaches Wildlife Director/Producer: Paul Dano Producers: Andrew Duncan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riva Marker, Oren Moverman, Ann Ruark, Alex Saks
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. (Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.) A Bread Factory Writer/Director/Producer: Patrick Wang Producers: Daryl Freimark, Matt Miller En el Séptimo Día Writer/Director/Producer: Jim McKay Producers: Alex Bach, Lindsey Cordero, Caroline Kaplan, Michael Stipe Never Goin’ Back Writer/Director: Augustine Frizzell Producers: Liz Cardenas, Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston Sócrates Writer/Director/Producer: Alex Moratto Writer: Thayná Mantesso Producers: Ramin Bahrani, Jefferson Paulino, Tammy Weiss Thunder Road Writer/Director: Jim Cummings Producers: Natalie Metzger, Zack Parker, Benjamin Weissner
BEST DIRECTOR
Debra Granik Leave No Trace Barry Jenkins If Beale Street Could Talk Tamara Jenkins Private Life Lynne Ramsay You Were Never Really Here Paul Schrader First Reformed
BEST SCREENPLAY
Richard Glatzer (Writer/Story By), Rebecca Lenkiewicz & Wash Westmoreland Colette Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty Can You Ever Forgive Me? Tamara Jenkins Private Life Boots Riley Sorry to Bother You Paul Schrader First Reformed
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Bo Burnham Eighth Grade Christina Choe Nancy Cory Finley Thoroughbreds Jennifer Fox The Tale Quinn Shephard (Writer/Story By), Laurie Shephard (Story By) Blame
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ashley Connor Madeline’s Madeline Diego Garcia Wildlife Benjamin Loeb Mandy Sayombhu Mukdeeprom Suspiria Zak Mulligan We the Animals
BEST EDITING
Joe Bini You Were Never Really Here Keiko Deguchi, Brian A. Kates, Jeremiah Zagar We the Animals Luke Dunkley, Nick Fenton, Chris Gill, Julian Hart American Animals Anne Fabini, Alex Hall, Gary Levy The Tale Nick Houy Mid90s
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Glenn Close The Wife Toni Collette Hereditary Elsie Fisher Eighth Grade Regina Hall Support the Girls Helena Howard Madeline’s Madeline Carey Mulligan Wildlife
BEST MALE LEAD
John Cho Searching Daveed Diggs Blindspotting Ethan Hawke First Reformed Christian Malheiros Sócrates Joaquin Phoenix You Were Never Really Here
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Kayli Carter Private Life Tyne Daly A Bread Factory Regina King If Beale Street Could Talk Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie Leave No Trace J. Smith-Cameron Nancy
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Raúl Castillo We the Animals Adam Driver BLACKkKLANSMAN Richard E. Grant Can You Ever Forgive Me? Josh Hamilton Eighth Grade John David Washington Monsters and Men
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast Suspiria Director: Luca Guadagnino Casting Directors: Avy Kaufman, Stella Savino Ensemble Cast: Malgosia Bela, Ingrid Caven, Lutz Ebersdorf, Elena Fokina, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper, Dakota Johnson, Gala Moody, Chloë Grace Moretz, Renée Soutendijk, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler
BEST DOCUMENTARY
(Award given to the director and producer) Hale County This Morning, This Evening Director/Producer: RaMell Ross Producers: Joslyn Barnes, Su Kim Minding the Gap Director/Producer: Bing Liu Producer: Diane Quon Of Fathers and Sons Director: Talal Derki Producers: Hans Robert Eisenhauer, Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme, Tobias N. Siebert On Her Shoulders Director: Alexandria Bombach Producers: Hayley Pappas, Brock Williams Shirkers Director/Producer: Sandi Tan Producers: Jessica Levin, Maya Rudolph Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Director/Producer: Morgan Neville Producers: Caryn Capotosto, Nicholas Ma
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
(Award given to the director) Burning South Korea Director: Lee Chang-Dong The Favourite United Kingdom Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Happy as Lazzaro Italy Director: Alice Rohrwacher Roma Mexico Director: Alfonso Cuarón Shoplifters Japan Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
BONNIE AWARD
Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the second Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines. Debra Granik Tamara Jenkins Karyn Kusama PRODUCERS AWARD The 22nd annual Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams Gabrielle Nadig Shrihari Sathe
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
The 25th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Alex Moratto Director of Sócrates Ioana Uricaru Director of Lemonade Jeremiah Zagar Director of We the Animals
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
The 24th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Alexandria Bombach Director of On Her Shoulders Bing Liu Director of Minding the Gap RaMell Ross Director of Hale County This Morning, This Evening
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THE FAVOURITE and FIRST REFORMED Lead 2018 IFP Gotham Awards Nominations

[caption id="attachment_28919" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] First Reformed[/caption] The nominations for the 2018 IFP Gotham Awards were announced this morning, with The Favourite, and First Reformed leading with three nominations each, including for Best Feature and Best Screenplay. Other nominees for Best Feature include If Beale Street Could Talk directed by Barry Jenkins, Madeline’s Madeline directed by Josephine Decker, and The Rider directed by Chloe Zhao. The nominees for Best Documentary include Bisbee ’17 directed by Robert Greene, Hale County, This Morning, This Evening directed by RaMell Ross, Minding the Gap directed by Bing Liu, Shirkers directed by Sandi Tan, and Won’t You Be My Neighbor? directed by Morgan Neville. Gotham Tributes will be given to actors Rachel Weisz and Willem Dafoe, director Paul Greengrass, and the Gotham Industry Tribute to Jon Kamen. The Gotham Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, November 26th at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
2018 IFP Gotham Award nominations

Best Feature
The Favourite Yorgos Lanthimos, director; Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Yorgos Lanthimos, producers (Fox Searchlight Pictures) First Reformed Paul Schrader, director; Jack Binder, Greg Clark, Victoria Hill, Gary Hamilton, Deepak Sikka, Christine Vachon, David Hinojosa, Frank Murray, producers (A24) If Beale Street Could Talk Barry Jenkins, director; Adele Romanski, Sara Murphy, Barry Jenkins, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Megan Ellison, producers (Annapurna Pictures) Madeline’s Madeline Josephine Decker, director; Krista Parris, Elizabeth Rao, producers (Oscilloscope Laboratories) The Rider Chloé Zhao, director; Bert Hamelinck, Sacha Ben Harroche, Mollye Asher, Chloé Zhao, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Documentary
Bisbee ‘17 Robert Greene, producer; Douglas Tirola, Susan Bedusa, Bennett Elliott, producers (4th Row Films) Hale County This Morning, This Evening RaMell Ross, director; RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes, Su Kim, producers (The Cinema Guild) Minding the Gap Bing Liu, director; Diane Quon, Bing Liu, producers (Hulu & Magnolia Pictures) Shirkers Sandi Tan, director; Sandi Tan, Jessica Levin, Maya Rudolph, producers (Netflix) Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Morgan Neville, director; Morgan Neville, Caryn Capotosto, Nicholas Ma, producers (Focus Features)
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Ari Aster for Hereditary (A24) Bo Burnham for Eighth Grade (A24) Jennifer Fox for The Tale (HBO) Crystal Moselle for Skate Kitchen (Magnolia Pictures) Boots Riley for Sorry to Bother You (Annapurna Pictures)
Best Screenplay
The Favourite, Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara (Fox Searchlight Pictures) First Reformed, Paul Schrader (A24) Private Life, Tamara Jenkins (Netflix) Support the Girls, Andrew Bujalski (Magnolia Pictures) Thoroughbreds, Cory Finley (Focus Features)
Best Actor
Adam Driver in BlacKkKlansman (Focus Features) Ben Foster in Leave No Trace (Bleecker Street) Richard E. Grant in Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Ethan Hawke in First Reformed (A24) Lakeith Stanfield in Sorry to Bother You (Annapurna Pictures)
Best Actress*
Glenn Close in The Wife (Sony Pictures Classics) Toni Collette in Hereditary (A24) Kathryn Hahn in Private Life (Netflix) Regina Hall in Support the Girls (Magnolia Pictures) Michelle Pfeiffer in Where is Kyra? (Paladin and Great Point Media) *The 2018 Best Actress nominating committee also voted to award a special Gotham Jury Award to Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz for their ensemble performance in The Favourite. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Breakthrough Actor
Yalitza Aparicio in Roma (Netflix) Elsie Fisher in Eighth Grade (A24) Helena Howard in Madeline’s Madeline (Oscilloscope Laboratories) KiKi Layne in If Beale Street Could Talk (Annapurna Pictures) Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie in Leave No Trace (Bleecker Street)
Breakthrough Series – Long Form
Alias Grace, Sarah Polley, Mary Harron, Noreen Halpern, executive producers (Netflix) Big Mouth, Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett, Mark Levin, creators; Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin & Jennifer Flackett, executive producers (Netflix) The End of the F***ing World, Andy Baker, Murray Ferguson, Petra Fried, Ed MacDonald, Dominic Buchanan, Jonathan Entwistle, executive producers (Netflix) Killing Eve, Sally Woodward Gentle, Lee Morris, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, executive producers (BBC America) Pose, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Steven Canals, creators; Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Alexis Martin Woodall, Sherry Marsh, executive producers (FX Networks) Sharp Objects, Marti Noxon, creator; Marti Noxon, Jason Blum, Gillian Flynn, Amy Adams, Jean-Marc Vallée, Nathan Ross, Gregg Fienberg, Charles Layton, Marci Wiseman, Jessica Rhoades, executive producers (HBO)
Breakthrough Series – Short Form
195 Lewis, Chanelle Aponte Pearson and Rae Leone Allen, creators Cleaner Daze, Tess Sweet and Daniel Gambelin, creators Distance, Alex Dobrenko, creator The F Word, Nicole Opper, creator She’s the Ticket, Nadia Hallgren, creator
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‘Eighth Grade’ ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’ Among Winners at 2018 Seattle International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_27753" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] EIGHTH GRADE[/caption] The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) today announced the winners of the 2018 Golden Space Needle Audience and Competition Awards. Eighth Grade received the Golden Space Needle Audience Award for Best Film and a Best Actress Award for Elise Fisher. Won’t You Be My Neighbor won Best Documentary and Grand Jury prizes went to The Reports on Sarah and Saleem, Dead Pigs, Rust, Inventing Tomorrow, and Thunder Road. Artistic Director Beth Barrett said, “Executive Director Sarah Wilke and I were thrilled to present Ethan Hawke with the Festival’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Cinema before a screening of Blaze, his latest directing effort, as well as welcoming Melanie Lynskey back to the Festival for a special screening of Seattle based local film, Sadie. We also had an incredible lineup of local films, and our documentary film selection continues to be among the best in the country. Back for the second year was SIFF’s New Works-in-Progress Forum, where we screened two narrative and two documentary features in the midst of their creative process to the Seattle audience of industry and festival attendees, as well as continuing our exploration of the intersections between cinema and Virtual Reality at our first Pop-up event, SIFF VR Zone at Pacific Place.”
2018 GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD WINNERS
The 2018 Golden Space Needle Awards are created by Seattle Artist, Piper O’Neill. GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST FILM Eighth Grade, directed by Bo Burnham (USA 2018) First runner-up: The Last Suit, directed by Pablo Solarz (Argentina/Poland/Spain/France/Germany 2017) Second runner-up: Champions, directed by Javier Fesser (Spain 2018) Third runner-up: C’est la vie!, directed by Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano (France/Canada/Belgium 2017) Fourth runner-up: Supa Modo, directed by Likarion Wainaina (Kenya/Germany 2018) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, directed by Morgan Neville (USA 2018) First runner-up: Pick of the Litter, directed by Don Hardy Jr., Dana Nachman (USA 2017) Second runner-up: Return to Mount Kennedy, directed by Eric Becker (USA 2018) Third runner-up: The Most Dangerous Year, directed by Vlada Knowlton (USA 2018) Fourth runner-up: The Russian Five, directed by Joshua Riehl (USA 2018) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DIRECTOR Gustav Möller, The Guilty (Denmark 2018) First runner-up: Pablo Solarz, The Last Suit (Argentina/Poland/Spain/France/Germany 2017) Second runner-up: Megan Griffiths, Sadie (USA 2018) Third runner-up: Debra Granik, Leave No Trace (USA 2018) Fourth runner-up: Albert Dupontel, See You Up There (France 2017) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTOR Miguel Ángel Solá, The Last Suit (Argentina/Poland/Spain/France/Germany 2017) First runner-up: Jakob Cedergren, The Guilty (Denmark 2018) Second runner-up: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed (USA 2017) Third runner-up: Jim Cummings, Thunder Road (USA 2018) Fourth runner-up: Ben Foster, Leave No Trace (USA 2018) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTRESS Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade (USA 2018) First runner-up: Rhaechyl Walker, My Name is Myeisha (USA 2018) Second runner-up: Sophia Mitri Schloss, Sadie (USA 2018) Third runner-up: Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Leave No Trace (USA 2018) Fourth runner-up: Ana Brun, The Heiresses (Paraguay/Uruguay/Germany/Brazil/Norway/France 2018) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM Emergency, directed by Carey Williams (USA 2017) First runner-up: About the Birds and the Bees, directed by J.J. Vanhanen (Finland 2017) Second runner-up: Wishing Box, directed by Wenli Zhang, Nan Li (USA 2017) Third runner-up: Cats Cradle, directed by Jonathan Napolitano (USA 2018) Fourth runner-up: Wave, directed by Benjamin Cleary, TJ O’Grady Peyton (Ireland 2017) LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION Presented by Women in Film – Seattle Dana Nachman, Pick of the Litter (USA 2017) This award is given to the female director’s film that receives the most votes in public balloting at the Festival. Lena Sharpe was co-founder and managing director of Seattle’s Festival of Films by Women Directors and a KCTS-TV associate who died in a plane crash while on assignment. As a tribute to her efforts in bringing the work of women filmmakers to prominence, SIFF created this special award and asked Women in Film – Seattle to bestow it.
SIFF 2018 COMPETITION AWARDS

SIFF 2018 OFFICIAL COMPETITION WINNER
GRAND JURY PRIZE The Reports on Sarah and Saleem (d: Muayad Alayan, Palestine/Netherlands/Germany/Mexico 2018) JURY STATEMENT: The Official Competition Jury Award goes to a work that through its complex and multi-dimensional characters tells a familiar story of infidelity in an original and wholly disarming way. We were struck by the unexpected journey taken by the two female leads towards empowerment, particularly given the political and social climate of a modern day divided Jerusalem. The Official Competition Jury Award goes to The Reports on Sarah and Seleem. SPECIAL JURY MENTION The Heiresses (d: Marcelo Martinessi, Paraguay/Uruguay/Germany/Brazil/Norway/France 2018) JURY STATEMENT: We would like acknowledge The Heiresses, a remarkable first feature from Paraguay by Marcelo Martinessi. 2018 Entries: The Devil’s Doorway (d: Aislinn Clarke, United Kingdom 2018, World Premiere) Garbage (d: Qaushiq Mukherjee, India 2018, North American Premiere) The Heiresses (d: Marcelo Martinessi, Paraguay/Uruguay/Germany/Brazil/Norway/France 2018, US Premiere) Leave No Trace (d: Debra Granik, USA 2018) Luna (d: Elsa Diringer, France 2017) Pig (d: Mani Haghighi, Iran 2018, North American Premiere) Team Hurricane (d: Annika Berg, Denmark 2017) The Reports on Sarah and Saleem (d: Muayad Alayan, Palestine/Netherlands/Germany/Mexico 2018, North American Premiere) Something Useful (d: Pelin Esmer, Turkey/France/Netherlands/Germany 2017, North American Premiere)
SIFF 2018 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE Rust (d: Aly Muritiba, Brazil 2018) JURY STATEMENT: For highlighting a very important social issue, through an inventive structure and phenomenal performances, we present the Ibero-American Competition Jury Award to Aly Muritiba’s Rust. SPECIAL JURY MENTION Rush Hour (d: Luciana Kaplan, Mexico 2017) JURY STATEMENT: The Jury wants to also recognize a wonderful discovery, told with a subtle, unique point of view. For her examination of suffering and humanity inside of an increasingly automotive environment, the Ibero-American Competition Jury awards a special mention to Luciana Kaplan’s Rush Hour. 2018 Entries: Champions (d: Javier Fesser, Spain 2018) Giant (d: John Garaño, Aitor Arregi, Spain 2017) Gold Seekers (d: Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbori, Paraguay 2017) The Heiresses (d: Marcelo Martinessi, Paraguay/Uruguay/Germany/Brazil/Norway/France 2018, US Premiere) Killing Jesus (d: Laura Mora Ortega, Colombia/Argentina 2017) Lots of Kids, A Monkey and a Castle (d: Gustavo Salmerón, Spain 2017) Marilyn (d: Martin Rodriguez, Argentina/Chile 2018, North American Premiere) Retablo (d: Peru/Germany/Norway 2017, North American Premiere) Rush Hour (d: Luciana Kaplan, Mexico 2017) Rust (d: Aly Muritiba, Brazil 2018) Virus Tropical (d: Santiago Calcedo, Colombia/Ecuador 2017)
SIFF 2018 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE Dead Pigs (d: Cathy Yan, China/USA 2018) JURY STATEMENT: For building an epic world, grounded in humanity, purposefully depicting the intricacies of the characters who exemplify the changes of a modernizing China, the New Directors Competition Jury award goes to Cathy Yan for Dead Pigs. SPECIAL JURY MENTION Scary Mother (d: Ana Urushadze, Georgia/Estonia 2017) JURY STATEMENT: Using striking and haunting visuals, this filmmaker confidently creates intimate and empathetic characters while depicting the struggle for artistic expression in a society that does not allow the full breadth of it. The jury would like to recognize Ana Urushadze with a special mention for her filmScary Mother. 2018 Entries: After the War (d: Annarita Zambrano, Italy/Belgium/Switzerland 2017) Amateurs (d: Gabriela Pichler, Sweden 2018) The Blessed (d: Sofia Djama, Algeria/France/Belgium/Qatar 2017) The Charmer (d: Milad Alami, Denmark/Sweden 2017) Dead Pigs (d: Cathy Yan, China/USA 2018) Sashinka (d: Kristina Wagenbauer, Canada (Québec) 2017, US Premiere) Scary Mother (d: Ana Urushadze, Georgia/Estonia 2017) Shuttle Life (d: Tan Seng Klat, Malaysia 2017, US Premiere) Supa Modo (d: Likarion Wainaina, Kenya/Germany 2018) Retablo (d: Alvaro L. Delgado-Aparicio, Peru/Germany/Norway 2017, North American Premiere)
SIFF 2018 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION
Thunder Road (d: Jim Cummings, USA 2018) JURY STATEMENT: For the bold and unpredictable lead performance and commitment to telling a hilarious and ultimately heartbreaking story of shifting family relations in the face of personal adversity and tragedy, the New American Cinema Competition Jury award goes to Thunder Road by Jim Cummings. 2018 Entries: Jinn (d: Nijla Mu’min, USA 2018) My Name is Myeisha (d: Gus Krieger, USA 2018) Noble Earth (d: Ursula Grisham, USA 2017, US Premiere) Prospect (d: Zeek Earl, Chris Caldwell, USA 2018) Sadie (d: Megan Griffiths, USA 2018) Thunder Road (d: Jim Cummings, USA 2018) Tyrel (d: Sebastián Silva, USA 2018) Wild Nights with Emily (d: Madeleine Olnek, USA 2018)
SIFF 2018 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
GRAND JURY PRIZE Inventing Tomorrow (d: Laura Nix, USA 2018) JURY STATEMENT: For it’s compelling cast of young visionaries from around the globe who are engaged and looking for solutions to the world’s environmental problems, Inventing Tomorrow offers us a sense of optimism and the certainty that science matters. SPECIAL JURY MENTION Afghan Cycles (d: Sarah Menzies, USA/France/Afghanistan 2018) JURY STATEMENT: For portraying a side of Afghanistan that we don’t usually see and the self confidence and bravery of the young women, we would like to acknowledge Afghan Cycles with a Documentary Competition Special Jury Mention. 2018 Entries: Afghan Cycles (d: Sarah Menzies, USA/France/Afghanistan 2018, US Premiere Inventing Tomorrow (d: Laura Nix, USA 2018) MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. (d: Stephen Loveridge, United Kingdom/USA 2018) People’s Republic of Desire (d: Hao Wu, China 2018) Queerama (d: Daisy Asquith, United Kingdom 2017) The Return (d: Malene Choi, Denmark 2018, US Premiere) Unarmed Verses (d: Charles Officer, Canada 2017, US Premiere) Warrior Women (d: Elizabeth A. Castle, Christina D. King, USA 2018, US Premiere)
SIFF 2018 YOUTH JURY FEATURES & FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AWARDS
YOUTH JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FILMS4FAMILIES FEATURE Zoo (d: Colin McIvor, Ireland 2017) JURY STATEMENT: For its well-developed, heartwarming plot, spectacular scenery, and believable acting. YOUTH JURY PRIZE FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE My Name is Myeisha (d: Gus Krieger, USA 2018) JURY STATEMENT: For its creative and non-linear storytelling that incorporates multiple art forms, including poetry, rap, beat-boxing, and dance, and its holistic portrayal of victims of police brutality. In addition, SIFF presents FutureWave Shorts during ShortsFest Weekend. These inspiring original short films represent some of the best short filmmaking from around the world. WAVEMAKER AWARD (GRAND PRIZE) iRony (d: Radheya Jegatheva, Australia 2017) JURY STATEMENT: We found that the animation was excellent, smart, and gorgeous. This film was paired with emotional and poignant prose about technology in this new world, sustaining our curiosity and interest throughout. PRODIGY CAMP SCHOLARSHIP The winner will be awarded a $1000 partial scholarship to the Prodigy Camp. Roommate (d: Jinho Rhee, USA 2017) FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD iRony (d: Radheya Jegatheva, Australia 2017)
SIFF 2018 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS
LIVE ACTION GRAND JURY PRIZE Caroline (d: Celine Held, Logan George, USA 2017) JURY STATEMENT: “Perfect” and “flawless” were two words our team used multiple times to describe this intense drama. A searing portrait of motherhood, it sent our blood pressure through the roof and arrested our attention until the very last second with its clever and powerful ending. The winner of the 2018 Live Action Short Jury Award goes to Caroline by Celine Held and Logan George. SPECIAL JURY MENTION Creme de Menthe (d: Jean-Marc E. Roy & Philippe David Gagné, Canada 2017) JURY STATEMENT: Unlike the liqueur for which it is titled, this film is bittersweet and complex, a poignant reminder of every grown child’s desire for parental validation, even posthumously. What the captivating lead finds instead are small victories amidst her “rush” to judgement and the rubble of her father’s later life. Our special mention award goes to the understated and masterful Creme de Menthe by Jean-Marc E. Roy and Philippe David Gagné. SPECIAL JURY MENTION The Victory of Charity (d: Albert Meisl, Austria 2017) JURY STATEMENT: This Austrian farce manages to create comedic gold with a mismatched pair of music professors: turning an act of charity–however maliciously motivated–into a hilarious treasure hunt around Vienna. For its endlessly humorous crafting of two endearingly ridiculous characters, on an earnest and equally ridiculous quest, we award a Special Mention to the short that left us in stitches, The Victory of Charity by Albert Meisl. DOCUMENTARY GRAND JURY PRIZE Juck [Thrust] (d: Olivia Kastebring, Julia Gumpert, Ulrika Bandeira, Sweden 2018) JURY STATEMENT: An unapologetic, empowering, and affecting call to action that demands attention. SPECIAL JURY MENTION The Driver is Red (d: Randall Christopher, USA 2017) JURY STATEMENT: An invigorating revelation of an important, lesser known part of history, full of inventive visuals and tension-filled storytelling ANIMATION GRAND JURY PRIZE Between the Lines (d: Maria Koneva, Russia 2017) JURY STATEMENT: A delightful and whimsical story from a skilled, emerging new voice in animation. SPECIAL JURY MENTION The Driver is Red (d: Randall Christopher, USA 2017) JURY STATEMENT: An invigorating revelation of an important, lesser known part of history, full of inventive visuals and tension-filled storytelling.
SIFF 2018 CHINA STARS AWARDS
CHINA STARS BEST FILM AWARD The Taste of Betel Nut (d: Jia Hu, p: Wei Sun, China 2017) CHINA STARS BEST FIRST FILM Dead Pigs (d: Cathy Yan, China/USA 2018) CHINA STARS BEST NEW TALENT Girls Always Happy (d: Mingming Yang, China 2018)
SIFF 2018 DOCUMENTARY FILM GRANT PROGRAM
The 2018 Clark Family Legacy Film Grant in the amount of $50,000 was awarded to Jordan Schiele for his film The Silk and the Flame and the Áegis Living Film Grant in the amount of $25,000 was awarded to Sarah Menzies for her film Afghan Cycles. These grants are given to documentary filmmakers who are working with excellence and integrity to bring important human stories to life. Both films were screened at this year’s Festival.
SIFF 2018 SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
GRAND PRIZE WINNER Youth Decay by Brandon Hall FINALISTS Anh Sang by Barry Brennessel Kibou by Cassie Hayasaka and Keith Hayasaka Plan B by Paige Gresty SEMI-FINALISTS Amelia Was Here! by Millie West Kelley’s Coffin by Jon Hartz Pale Souls by Michael Lavine The Rodeo King of Brooklyn by Paul Longo Seattle ‘94 by Charles Freeman Strange Trails by Jordan Short
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EIGHT GRADE and HALF THE PICTURE Win at Sundance London

[caption id="attachment_27753" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] EIGHTH GRADE[/caption] Sundance Film Festival: London ’18 wrapped after four days, with the Audience Favourite award going to Eighth Grade directed by Bo Burnham; and director Amy Adrion was awarded a special Picturehouse #WhatNext Prize. Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school — the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year — before she begins high school. Eighth Grade had its International premiere at Sundance Film Festival: London following its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. Festivalgoers voted in the thousands for their favourite films across the four-day event at Picturehouse Central for this Audience Favourite Award. The special Picturehouse #WhatNext prize was awarded to Amy Adrion for the way her documentary Half the Picture represents key female voices and helps amplify the conversation around the treatment of female directors in Hollywood. With seven out of the twelve films presented in the main programme directed by women, the 2018 Sundance London festival celebrated female talent and asked #WhatNext for a fairer film future. Half the Picture had its European premiere at Sundance Film Festival: London following its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. At a pivotal moment for gender equality in Hollywood, successful women directors tell the stories of their art, lives and careers. Having endured a long history of systemic discrimination, women filmmakers may be getting the first glimpse of a future that values their voices equally. Over 30 filmmakers and actors attended the festival to introduce their films and participate in audience Q&As, including Toni Collette and Ari Aster for the Time Out Gala film Hereditary; Ethan Hawke for First Reformed; Idris Elba and cast members from his directorial debut Yardie; and Crystal Moselle and the cast of Skate Kitchen.
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WILDLIFE Starring Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal to Open 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_29567" align="aligncenter" width="1259"] Wildlife[/caption] The first films of the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) were revealed today along with big announcement that the 67th edition will open with the Australian premiere gala screening of Paul Dano’s directorial debut Wildlife – starring Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal and Australia’s Ed Oxenbould. The First Glance selection of 32 films demonstrating MIFF’s expansive reach was also uncovered. Based on the 1990 Richard Ford novel of the same name, Dano’s debut directorial outing (co-written by Zoe Kazan, seen alongside Dano at MIFF’s 2012 Ruby Sparks) tells a tender and empathetic story about a teen dealing with his family falling apart in 1960s Montana. A hit at Sundance and Cannes, Wildlife is a bittersweet and elegant debut that represents a major coming-of-age – both off screen and on – for Oxenbould, an actor who broke out in MIFF 2014’s Paper Planes and last year’s MIFF Premiere Fund-supported The Butterfly Tree. Buoyed by exquisite cinematography from Diego Garcia (Neon Bull, MIFF 2016; Cemetery of Splendour, MIFF 2015) the film’s fine-tuned attention to period detail underscores its exceptional performances. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gSi0Qvki3o “We are thrilled to announce Wildlife for this year’s Opening Night Gala. Paul Dano’s debut as a director provides a glimpse into a successful shift in his career from on screen to off, and the cast including Australia’s very own Ed Oxenbould (a special name here at MIFF) is an impressive way to kick off proceedings,” said MIFF’s Artistic Director Michelle Carrey. “This in addition to the sneak peek of the rest of the program is an exciting time. Finally we can start talking about the most important thing…the films!” This year’s MIFF program will feature more than 500+ screenings, including: Ethan Hawke features with both on and off-screen contributions: he portrays a troubled priest experiencing a ‘crisis of faith’ in cinematic legend Paul Schrader’s latest feast of brooding menace, First Reformed; in Blaze, Hawke directs a daringly unconventional biopic of an unsung country music legend, featuring newcomer Benjamin Dickey in the title role (which won him a Sundance acting award) and Alia Shawkat. Chloë Grace Moretz turns in a career-best performance in Desiree Akhavan’s sophomore feature The Miseducation of Cameron Post, winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize (US Dramatic); Cannes 2017 best actor winner Joaquin Phoenix features in Lynne Ramsay’s vengeance feature You Were Never Really Here, playing a war vet and ex-FBI agent whose new job includes rescuing children from paedophile rings; meanwhile, Bodied is the result of an unlikely pairing between Grammy-winning director Joseph Kahn and rapper turned producer Eminem who present their satirical story about an accidental battle-rap star. In a variety of filmmaking firsts, acclaimed TV director Michael Pearce makes his feature debut in the sly, unsettling Beast – an impressive British crime drama love story wrapped in an intriguing psychosexual thriller; veteran slow-cinema auteur Tsai Ming-liang makes his debut foray into virtual reality with The Deserted, a 55-minute experience with a wordless, near-feature length tale of ghosts, grief and fish; and a little closer to home, Nash Edgerton’s TV series directorial debut Mr Inbetween brings The Magician’s charismatic killer-for-hire Ray Shoesmith back to our screens. MIFF will screen all six episodes before its television premiere on Foxtel’s Showcase channel. The 2018 program delves deep into three iconic names spanning fashion, sport and Hollywood, starting with McQueen, a flamboyant portrait of one of the world’s most revered designers, Alexander McQueen – a man who once said “My shows are about sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. It’s for the excitement and the goosebumps. I want heart attacks. I want ambulances.” This biographical documentary by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui represents nothing less. Julien Faraut’s John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection serves up a fascinating combination of instructional clips and exquisite 16mm footage of tennis bad boy John McEnroe at the height of his career at the 1984 French Open; and looking into the life of another legend, Tommy Avallone’s Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man follows the trail of the star’s alleged appearances musing on the interconnection of pop culture and ordinary life. An Elephant Sitting Still takes us on a four-hour journey as Hu Bo paints a compelling, empathetic portrait of contemporary China in this FIPRESCI Prize-winning debut; and winner of SXSW’s Grand Jury Prize for documentary, People’s Republic of Desire is Hao Wu’s unsettling and fascinating look into the online world of live-streaming, social media and virtual relationships. Turning impending loss into a poignant, poetic dreamscape, The Seen and Unseen is the second feature from Indonesia’s Kamila Andini and winner of best youth film at the 2017 Asia Pacific Screen Awards; Tigers Are Not Afraid is a stunning contemporary fairytale that does for Mexico’s drug war what Guillermo del Toro did for the Spanish Civil War. Praised by Stephen King, the film saw Issa López become the first woman to win Fantastic Fest’s Best Horror Director award. Denmark’s Gustav Möller makes his directorial debut with the Sundance and Rotterdam award-winning The Guilty, an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller told entirely in real time. The UK’s Daniel Kokotajlo makes a devastating debut with Apostasy, a daring study of an all-female Jehovah’s Witness family riven by religious conflict starring Siobhan Finneran (Downton Abbey and Happy Valley); Babis Makridis proves he is coming into his own as a star with a second feature, Pity. A follow up to L (MIFF 2012), the quintessentially bleak and absurdist Greek New Wave comedy from the co-writer of The Lobster and Dogtooth was co-written with Yorgos Lanthimos’ key collaborator Efthymis Filippou (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, MIFF 2017). Irreverent Iranian director Mani Haghighi (A Dragon Arrives! MIFF 2016) presents his latest meta-comedy magic, Pig – a riotous Iranian film industry satire about a serial killer; and Vivian Qu continues to interrogate crime, corruption and control in modern-day China in Angels Wear White, which won her the Best Director award at the Golden Horse Film Festival. Based on Anna Seghers’ WWll novel of the same name, Transit is the slow-burn thriller from revered auteur Christian Petzold – a discomfiting fable of trans-European displacement that channels both Hitchcock and Casablanca; and one of contemporary cinema’s most esteemed directors Lucrecia Martel makes her long-awaited return with the historical fiction Zama, centred on an 18th-century Spanish magistrate marooned in a far-flung South American outpost where he’s losing touch with civilization and sanity. Spaghetti Western, ’70s Euro-pulp and delirious psychedelia collide in Let the Corpses Tan – a glorious homage to cinema’s seedier retro fringes from genre connoisseurs Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani; audiences will step back in time to the French fashion scene with legendary fashion photographer William Klein’s award-winning black and white mockumentary that is now a groovy cult classic, Who are you, Polly Maggoo? and nominated for Best Foreign Film at the 2018 Academy Awards, The Insult is the multi-award winning new work from Lebanese visionary Ziad Doueiri (The Attack, MIFF 2012). Delving into the complex emotions of passionate pop-music appreciation, emerging local director Jessica Leski presents I Used to be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story – an empathetic documentary exploring why we hold pop music so dear to our hearts. The NSFA-restored The Cheaters offers viewers a rare big-screen treat of a pioneering silent-era classic. A major landmark of Australian cinema, this is not just one of our earliest feature films – it’s one of the first by women filmmakers, the McDonagh sisters. The remaining fragments of the sisters’ popular first feature Those Who Love will screen alongside. An exhilarating debut feature from Australian director Jason Raftopoulos, the Venice-premiering West of Sunshine stars Pawno’s Damian Hill alongside his real-life step-son Ty Perham and Offspring’s Kat Stewart (Sucker, MIFF 2015). Shot in Melbourne, it explores fatherhood, trauma and second chances. Director Jeremy Sim’s (Last Cab to Darwin, Beneath Hill 60) Wayne is a must-see for moto-GP fans. Here, Sims explores a defining piece of Australian sporting history that saw Wayne Gardner conquer the world of motorcycle racing and return home a hero; while Island of the Hungry Ghosts takes audiences on a unique and moving cinematic journey through the intersection of Christmas Island’s migrating land crabs, lost souls caught in limbo and political detainees. Sundance award-winner, Stephen Loveridge digs deep into the life of his good friend Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasm in MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A, demonstrating her pull-no-punches personality and focus on political activism, and how this caused her career to suffer; and rounding up the First Glance lineup, directors Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown dive wholeheartedly into the African-American roller rink scene, circling around racial profiling, the roots of rap and communities in crisis with Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award winner, United Skates.
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Paul Schrader’s FIRST REFORMED, WE THE ANIMALS Among Winners at 2018 Montclair Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_28919" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] First Reformed[/caption] The seventh annual Montclair Film Festival took place April 26 through May 6, 2018, and on Saturday night, the festival announced the winners of the 2018 film competitions at the festival’s annual awards ceremony. “This year’s competition program features the work of artists who directly challenge us to deepen our thinking about the world in which we live” said Montclair Film Executive Director Tom Hall. “We are honored to share these films with our audiences, and congratulate all of our filmmakers on their outstanding work.” First Reformed, directed by Paul Schrader, was awarded the festival’s Fiction Feature Prize; with Julianne Nicholson receiving a Special Jury Prize for her performance in Matthew Newton’s Who We Are Now. Hale County This Morning, This Evening, directed by RaMell Ross, took home the Bruce Sinofsky Award in the festival’s Documentary Feature competition. This award was established in memory of Bruce Sinofsky and was presented by Mr. Sinofsky’s daughter, Claire Sinofsky. A Special Jury Prize was awarded to Black Mother, directed by Khalik Allah. We The Animals, directed by Jeremiah Zagar, was awarded with the Future/Now prize honoring emerging low-budget American independent filmmaking, with a Special Jury Prize given to Helena Howard for her performance in Madeline’s Madeline, directed by Josephine Decker. Crime + Punishment, directed by Stephen Maing, took home the New Jersey Films Award, which honors a select group of films made by New Jersey artists, with Liyana receiving a Special Jury Prize for directors Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp. Dark Money, directed by Kimberly Reed, took home the 4th Annual David Carr Award for Truth in Non-Fiction Filmmaking, which honors a filmmaker, selected by the festival, who utilizes journalistic techniques to explore important contemporary subjects and is presented in honor of Mr. Carr’s commitment to reporting on the media. The award was presented by Mr. Carr’s daughter, the filmmaker Erin Lee Carr.
2018 Montclair Film Festival Awards Winners
Fiction Feature Competition Winner First Reformed, Directed by Paul Schrader https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCF5Y8dQpR4 Fiction Feature Competition – Special Jury Prize Julianne Nicholson for her performance in Who We Are Now, Directed by Matthew Newton Bruce Sinofsky Prize for Documentary Feature Competition Winner Hale County This Morning, This Evening, Directed by RaMell Ross Documentary Feature Competition – Special Jury Prize Black Mother, Directed by Khalik Allah Future/Now Competition, presented by the Horizon Foundation For New Jersey – Future/Now Competition Winner We The Animals, Directed by Jeremiah Zagar Future/Now Competition – Special Jury Prize Helena Howard for her performance in Madeline’s Madeline, Directed by Josephine Decker New Jersey Films Competition Winner Crime + Punishment, Directed by Stephen Tiang New Jersey Films Competition – Special Jury Prize, Liyana, Directed by Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp Junior Jury Award American Animals, Directed by Bart Layton Junior Jury Special Jury Prize for Social Impact Crime + Punishment, Directed by Stephen Tiang
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First 12 Films Revealed for 12th Dallas International Film Festival

[caption id="attachment_25672" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Won’t You Be My Neighbor?[/caption] In honor of its 12th anniversary, Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) released a preview of 12 features and shorts screening up the upcoming festival in Dallas taking place from Thursday, May 3 to Thursday, May 10, 2018. This year, for the first time ever, all competition feature and short film screenings at the Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) will take place at The Magnolia in Uptown’s West Village shopping center. The 2018 Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) will screen over 110 films from 25 countries and will include the 12 films listed below and a series of Special Events including a 25th anniversary event for Steven Spielberg’s three-time Academy Award®-winning blockbuster Jurassic Park. Won’t You Be My Neighbor – A film focused on the legacy of Mister Rogers by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (Twenty Feet from Stardom) McQueen – The fashion motion picture, directed by Ian Bonhôte, offers a personal look at the extraordinary life, career and artistry of fashion designer Alexander McQueen First Reformed – A film directed by Paul Schrader following Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke), a solitary, middle-aged parish pastor at a small Dutch Reform church in upstate New York on the cusp of celebrating its 250th anniversary Sammy Davis Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me – Directed by Samuel D. Pollard, the film is the first major film documentary to examine Davis’ vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th-century America 1985 – Inspired by the award-winning short film of the same name by director Yen Tan, the film follows a young man during the wave of the AIDS crisis Eighth Grade –Bo Burnham directs this film about 13-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school Loud Crazy Love (Texas Premiere) – Trey Hill and Scott Mayo direct this music documentary focused on Brian Welch’s (Korn) vicious battle with crystal meth, ultimately finding solace in one place he never thought he could belong: church The Iron Orchard (World Premiere) – The story of Jim McNeely, a young man thrust into the vibrant and brutal West Texas oil fields circa 1939 who works his way through the ranks to ultimately become a formidable wildcatter, directed by Ty Roberts Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich (Texas Premiere) – A reimagining of the Charles Band classic, from Dallas-Based, Cinestate. This Horror Comedy will headline DIFF’s “Almost Midnight” category. Sons of St. Clair – A music documentary directed by Tim Newfang following Krayzie and Bizzy of iconic R&B group Bone Thugs N Harmony into the recording studio as the duo sets out to prove to the younger generation that they can still create relevant music today Tejano (World Premiere) - Desperate for cash to pay his grandfather’s medical bills, a young man resorts to smuggling drugs across the Texas – Mexico border in this film directed by David Garcia
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Nashville Film Festival Announces 28 Films on 2018 Animated Feature Competition, Special Presentations, Spectrum + Spectrum Q Lineup

[caption id="attachment_27690" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] On Chesil Beach[/caption] Twenty-eight Special Presentations, Animated Feature, Spectrum and Spectrum Q films including the world premiere of BENCHED are set for the 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival. Other films include ON CHESIL BEACH, starring Saoirse Ronan, fresh off her award winning role in Lady Bird, HOT SUMMER NIGHTS, starring Timothée Chalamet, whose role in Call Me By Your Name was critically acclaimed, BRAMPTON’S OWN, starring Rose McIver, Spencer Grammer and Jean Smart, as well as the 50th anniversary screening of ROSEMARY’S BABY, starring Mia Farrow, and a special screening of JURASSIC PARK, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, BD Wong and Samuel L. Jackson. The 2018 selections in the categories:
Special Presentations
Benched (World Premiere) – Based on the hit play “Rounding Third”, BENCHED is the tumultuous journey of two Little League coaches through an entire season, from their first tentative meeting to the climactic championship game. Cast: Garret Dillahunt, John C. McGinley, Directors: Robert Deaton, George Flanigen, Producers: Lindsey Clark, Brandon Gregory, Fred Roos (USA) Blindspotting (Tennessee Premiere) – Lifelong friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in this timely and wildly entertaining story about the intersection of race and class, set against the backdrop of a rapidly gentrifying Oakland. Cast: Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Director: Carlos López Estrada, Producers: Keith Calder, Jess Calder, Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs (USA) Brampton’s Own (World Premiere) – A struggling minor league baseball player retires and woefully returns to his small hometown, carefully dodging old wounds until confronted with THE ONE that hurts the most – the girl that got away. Cast: Rose McIver, Spencer Grammer, Jean Smart, Scott Porter, Alex Russell, Riley Voelkel, Director: Michael Doneger, Producers: Mark DiCristofaro, Michael Doneger (USA) Breath (Tennessee Premiere) – Based on Tim Winton’s novel and directed by Simon Baker, BREATH is the story of two teenage boys in 1970’s Western Australia who befriend an enigmatic surfer. Cast: Elizabeth Debicki, Simon Baker, Samson Coulter, Brock Fitzgerald, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake. Director: Simon Baker, Producer: Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson (USA) Daphne & Velma (Tennessee Premiere) – DAPHNE AND VELMA tells the story of Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley from the Scooby Doo franchise. The mystery-solving teens are best friends but have only met online – until Daphne transfers to Velma’s school, Ridge Valley High, stocked with high-tech gadgetry by the school’s benefactor, tech billionaire Tobias Bloom. Cast: Sarah Jeffery, Sarah Gilman, Vanessa Marano, Courtney Dietz, Stephen Ruffin, Director: Suzi Yoonessi. Producer: Jaime Burke, Amy S. Kim, Ashley Tisdale, Jennifer Tisdale (USA) Eighth Grade (Tennessee Premiere) – Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school-the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year-before she begins high school. Cast: Emily Robinson, Josh Hamilton, Elsie Fisher, Missy Yager, Deborah Unger, Director: Bo Burnham, Producers: Eli Bush, Scott Rudin, Christopher Storer, Lila Yacoub (USA) First Reformed (Tennessee Premiere) – A pastor of a small church in upstate New York starts to spiral out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles, Michael Gaston, Philip Ettinger, Director: Paul Schrader. Producers: Jack Binder, Greg Clark, Gary Hamilton, Victoria Hill (USA) Harold and Maude – In conjunction with the documentary HAL, we celebrate this cult classic in which a young, rich, and death-obsessed Harold finds himself changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral. Cast: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles, Cyril Cusack, Charles Tyner, Director: Hal Ashby, Producers: Colin Higgins, Charles Mulvehill (USA) Hot Summer Nights (Tennessee Premiere) – A lonely teenage boy is taken under the wing of the town rebel, falls in love with the prettiest girl in town, and gets entangled in a drug ring, all as the deadliest hurricane in New England history barrels towards the coast. Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Maika Monroe, Thomas Jane, William Fichtner, Maia Mitchell, Director: Elijah Bynum. Producers: Dan Friedkin, Ryan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas (USA) Jurassic Park – In director Steven Spielberg’s three-time Academy Award-winning blockbuster JURASSIC PARK paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler and mathematician Ian Malcolm are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, BD Wong, Samuel L. Jackson, Director: Steven Spielberg. Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen (USA) Leave No Trace (Tennessee Premiere) – A man and his 13-year-old daughter are living in a park when a small mistake tips them off to authorities and changes their lives forever. Cast: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Dale Dickey, Dana Millican, Jeff Korber, Director: Debra Granik. Producers: Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini (USA) Mississippi Requiem (World Premiere) – A collection of four short films based on stories written by William Faulkner. Cast: James Franco, Topher Grace, Alicia Witt, Amy Smart, Beth Grant, Marianna Palka, Xosha Roquemore, Directors: Arkesh Ajay, Kelly Pike, Jerell Rosales, Marta Savina. Producers: Ariane Ackerberg, Cecilia Albertini, Juanita Cepero, Aaron Edmonds (USA) Never Goin’ Back (Tennessee Premiere) – Jessie and Angela, high school dropouts, are taking a week off to chill at the beach. Too bad their house got robbed, rent’s due, they’re about to get fired, and they’re broke. Cast: Maia Mitchell, Camila Morrone, Kyle Mooney, Aristotle Abraham II, Joel Allen. Director: Augustine Frizzell. Producers: Liz Cardenas, Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, David Lowery. On Chesil Beach (Tennessee Premiere) – In the summer of 1962, a young couple of drastically different backgrounds experience an awkward and fateful wedding night. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emily Watson, Samuel West, Anne-Marie Duff, Billy Howe, Bebe Cave, Director: Dominic Cooke, Producers: Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley (United Kingdom). Rosemary’s Baby 50th Anniversary – A young wife comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world. Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Director: Roman Polanski. Producer: William Castle (USA)
Animated Feature Competition
The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (Tennessee Premiere) – Whoever thinks that the countryside is calm and peaceful is mistaken. Cast: Kamel Abdessadok, Jules Bienvenu, Guillaum Bouchéde, Directors: Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert, Producers: Damien Brunner, Didier Brunner, Vincent Tavier (France) Cocolors (Southeast US Premiere) – There is a world in which ash fills the sky and the earth. Humanity, fearing the ash, had no choice but to cover themselves in protective suits and gigantic masks and live deep within the underground. Cast: Yuuki Takada, Sawako Hata, Mutsuki Iwanaka, Masaki Terasoma, Yoshiko Kamei, Yayoi Nakazawa, Director: Toshihisa Yokoshima, Producers: Jumpei Mizusaki, Ittatsu Shimizu (Japan) Virus Tropical (Tennessee Premiere) – Paola is born in a traditional Colombian family, or at least that is what they try to be. Cast: María Cecilia Sánchez, Alejandra Borrero, Diego Le?n Hoyos, Director: Santiago Caicedo, Producers: Carolina Barrera Quevedo, Santiago Caicedo (Colombia)
Spectrum
Dark River (Tennessee Premiere) – Following the death of her father, Alice returns to her home village for the first time in 15 years, to claim the tenancy to THE FAMILY farm she believes is rightfully hers. Cast: Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, Sean Bean, Emse Creed-Miles, Aiden McCullough, Shane Attwooll, Director: Clio Barnard, Producer: Tracy O’Riordan (United Kingdom) Into the Okavango (Tennessee Premiere) – Botswana’s Okavango Delta is one of the planet’s last remaining true wildernesses, but studies have shown it is shrinking. A group of intrepid scientists embark on a four-month, 1500-mile journey upriver to the Okavango’s source to investigate why. Director: Neil Gelinas. Producer: Neil Gelinas (Angola, Botswana, USA) Lost In America (Tennessee Premiere) – LOST IN AMERICA follows director Rotimi Rainwater, a former homeless youth, as he travels the country to shine a light on the epidemic of youth homelessness in America. Cast: Rosario Dawson, Jewel, Halle Berry, Jon Bon Jovi, Senator Patrick Leahy. Director: Rotimi Rainwater, Producers: Brent C. Johnson, Mike C. Manning, Steve Vasquez Jr., Randy Sinquefield (USA) McQueen (Tennessee Premiere) – Alexander McQueen’s rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of McQueen’s own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence. Cast: Alexander McQueen, Director: Ian Bonhôte. Producers: Andee Ryder, Nick Taussig, Paul Van Carter (United Kingdom). Nico, 1988 (Tennessee Premiere) – The last year of singer Nico’s life, as she tours and grapples with addiction and personal demons. Cast: Trine Dyrholm, John Gordon Sinclair, Anamarie Marinca, Sandor Funtek, Director: Susanna Nicchiarelli, Producers: Valérie Bournonville, Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa, Joseph Rouschop (Belgium, Italy) Ryiuchi Sakamoto: Coda (Tennessee Premiere) – RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA is an intimate portrait of the Oscar-winning film composer as both artist and man. Cast: Ryuichi Sakamoto, Director: Stephen Schible, Producers: Eric Nyari, Stephen Schible (Japan, USA) Under the Tree (Tennessee Premiere) – When Baldwin and Inga’s next door neighbours complain that a tree in their backyard casts a shadow over their sundeck, what starts off as a typical spat between neighbours in the suburbs unexpectedly and violently spirals out of control. Cast: Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson| Edda Björgvinsdóttir, Sigurður Sigurjónsson,Þorsteinn Bachmann. Director: Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson, Producers: Grímar Jónsson, Sindri Páll Kjartansson, Thor Sigurjonsson (Iceland)
Spectrum Q
The Gospel of Eureka (Tennessee Premiere) – Love, faith and civil rights collide in a southern town as evangelical Christians and drag queens step into the spotlight to dismantle stereotypes. Cast: Mx Justin Vivian Bond, Directors: Donal Mosher, Michael Palmieri. Producer: Charlotte Cook (USA) Porcupine Lake (Tennessee Premiere) – A story of bravery and the secret world of girls during a fateful summer when adulthood has not yet arrived, but childhood is quickly vanishing. Cast: Charlotte Salisbury, Lucinda Armstrong Hall, Christopher Bolton, Delphine Roussel, Hallie Switzer, Director: Ingrid Veninger. Producers: Ingrid Veninger, Melissa Leo, Randi Kirshenbaum (Canada) Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (Tennessee Premiere) – A deliciously scandalous portrait of UNSUNG HOLLYWOOD legend Scotty Bowers, whose bestselling memoir chronicled his decades spent as sexual procurer to the stars. Cast: Scotty Bowers, Peter Bart, Robert Hofler, William Mann, Director: Matt Tyrnauer. Producer: Josh Braun, Corey Reeser (USA) To a More Perfect Union (Tennessee Premiere) – The award-winning documentary that tells the story of civil rights icon Edie Windsor and her landmark case that changed history. Cast: Edie Windsor, Roberta Kaplan, Rosie O’Donnell, Jeff Toobin, Nina Totenberg, Evan Wolfson, Lillian Faderman, Director: Donna Zaccaro. Producers: Paula Heredia, Donna Zaccaro (USA)
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2018 Sarasota Film Festival Announces Lineup, ‘1985’ EIGHTH GRADE’ ‘THE RIDER’ and More…

[caption id="attachment_27753" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] EIGHTH GRADE[/caption] The 2018 Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) announced its full line-up, including its Centerpiece, Spotlight, Narrative Feature Competition, Independent Visions Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Narrative, Documentary, and Short Films. The Festival also announced its five SFF Focus Panels – Sports in Cinema, Environment, Science, and Sustainability, Women’s Comedic Voices, Redefining Manhood, and Musings on Musicians. “In honor of our 20th anniversary, we have programmed a lineup that celebrates the past, present, and future of the Sarasota Film Festival that is sure to delight our dedicated and passionate audiences,” said Mark Famiglio, Chairman and President of the Sarasota Film Festival. “The selection includes a diverse group of narratives and voices that will create engaging conversations about today’s most important topics.” In the Festival’s Centerpiece section is 1985, about a closeted gay man, unable to come out to his friends and family during the beginning of the AIDS crisis, staring Academy Award®-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, who will be attendance at the Festival. Also a Centerpiece selection is Bo Burnham’s feature film directorial debut, EIGHTH GRADE, a portrait of young teenagers discovering their identities online and in reality. Bo will be in attendance for a Q&A following the film’s screening during the Festival. The Spotlight section will include narrative films Brett Haley’s HEARTS BEAT LOUD, Silas Howard’s A KID LIKE JAKE, Andrew Haigh’s LEAN ON PETE, Hannah Fidell’s THE LONG DUMB ROAD, Dominic Cooke’s ON CHESIL BEACH, Chloé Zhao’s THE RIDER, and Madeline Olnek’s WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY, and documentary films Eugene Jarecki’s THE KING, Ali Weinstein’s MERMAIDS, Barbara Kopple’s A MURDER IN MANSFIELD, and Morgan Neville’s WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? Each year the Sarasota Film Festival focuses on social issues to highlight throughout its program. The Sports in Cinema Focus returns this year, welcoming Ben and Orson Cummings and their film KILLER BEES, produced by Shaquille O’Neill. Other films in this focus include the Closing Day Film, Jason Kohn’s LOVE MEANS ZERO and Dana Adam Shapiro’s DAUGHTERS OF THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE DALLAS COWBOY CHEERLEADERS. In consideration of sustainability of communities and the planet, films in the SFF Environment, Science, and Sustainability Focus include Susan Kucera’s LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST, Chad Freidrichs’ EXPERIMENTAL CITY, Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, and Jeff Springer’s RODENTS OF UNUSUAL SIZE, and Rory Kennedy’s ABOVE AND BEYOND: NASA’S JOURNEY TO TOMORROW. In a groundbreaking year for women, the festival presents SFF Focus: Women’s Comedic Voices, a lineup featuring all female directors. Films in the category include Wendy McColm’s BIRDS WITHOUT FEATHERS, Bridey Elliott’s CLARA’S GHOST, Caroline Golum’s A FEAST OF MAN as well as LONG DUMB ROAD and WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY. The films in the SFF Focus: Redefining Manhood, provide a glimpse at the questions regarding masculine identities, include Bing Liu’s MINDING THE GAP, as well as 1985, THE RIDER, and WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? The final SFF Focus: Musings on Musicians, presents an array of films exploring the relationships between music and film. Films in the category include Laura Parnes’ TOUR WITHOUT END, T.G. Herrington and Danny Clinch’s A TUBA TO CUBA, Derek Ahonen’s THE TRANSCENDENTS, Sophie Fiennes’ GRACE JONES: BLOODLIGHT AND BAMI, Jake Meginsky and Neil Young’s MILFORD GRAVES FULL MANTIS, Scott Smith’s CHASING THE BLUES, Stephen Loveridge’s MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A, as well as THE KING and HEARTS BEAT LOUD. The Narrative Feature Competition will showcase DON’T LEAVE HOME directed by Michael Tully, I AM NOT A WITCH, directed by Rungano Nyoni, MADELINE’S MADELINE, directed by Josephine Decker, THE QUEEN OF FEAR directed by Valeria Bertuccelli and Fabiana Tiscornia, THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN directed by Kamila Andini, SUPPORT THE GIRLS directed by Andrew Bujalski as well as CLARA’S GHOST. The Documentary Feature Competition will include GENERATION WEALTH directed by Lauren Greenfield, GENESIS 2.0 directed by Christian Frei and Maxim Arbugaev, HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING directed by RaMell Ross, OF FATHERS AND SONS directed by Talal Derki, THE SENTENCE directed by Rudy Valdez, as well as DAUGHTERS OF THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE DALLAS COWBOY CHEERLEADERS and MINDING THE GAP. The Independent Visions Competition will feature BLACK MOTHER directed by Khalik Allah, LIFE AND NOTHING MORE directed by Antonio Méndez Esparza, MAISON DU BONHEUR directed by Sofia Bohdanowicz, NOTES ON APPEARANCE directed by Ricky D’Ambrose, as well as BIRDS WITHOUT FEATHERS, A FEAST OF MAN, MILFORD GRAVES FULL MANTIS, and TOUR WITHOUT END. The jury for the competition films will consist of the following individuals: producer Autumn Bailey-Ford, Emmy®-nominated writer and producer Mark Bailey, documentary filmmaker Orson Cummings, New York Magazine film critic David Edelstein, Factory 25 film distributor Matt Grady, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Director – New York Programs and Membership Patrick Harrison, film professor Del Jacobs, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Penny Lane, actress Penelope Ann Miller, The Hollywood Reporter film writer Tatiana Siegel, founder and publisher of Women and Hollywood Melissa Silverstein, and Sarasota County Circuit court judge and filmmaker Charles Williams. Narrative films include: ALL YOU CAN EAT BUDDHA directed by Ian Lagarde, AMERICAN ANIMALS directed by Bart Layton, AUGUST IN BERLIN directed by Becky Smith, BIKINI MOON directed by Milcho Manchevski, BLACK KITE directed by Tarique Qayumi, CAN HITLER HAPPEN HERE? directed by Saskia Rifkin, COLD SKIN directed by Xavier Gens, COME SUNDAY directed by Joshua Marston, DELENDA directed by Ralph Moffettone, DIMINUENDO directed by Adrian Stewart, EN EL SÉPTIMO DÍA directed by Jim McKay, FIRST REFORMED directed by Paul Schrader, A FRENCHMAN IN FLORIDA directed by Dante Rhev, HOLIDAY directed by Isabella Eklof, LET THE SUNSHINE IN directed by Claire Denis, MAKTUB directed by Oded Raz, SANTA INOCENCIA directed by Maritxell Campos Olivé, SHELTER directed by Eran Riklis, TATTERDEMALION directed by Ramaa Mosley, TINKER directed by Sonny Mahrler, VIRGINIA, MINNESOTA directed by Daniel Stine, VIRUS TROPICAL directed by Santiago Caicedo, WE THE ANIMALS directed by Jeremiah Zagar, WHITE RABBIT directed by Daryl Wein, ZAMA directed by Lucrecia Martel, as well as CHASING THE BLUES and THE TRANSCENDENTS. Documentary films include: 306 HOLLYWOOD directed by Elan Bogarin and Jonathan Bogarin, ANTONIO LOPEZ 1970: SEX FASHION & DISCO directed by James Crump, ASK THE SEXPERT directed by Vaishali Sinha, BISBEE ’17 directed by Robert Greene, CHEF FLYNN directed by Cameron Yates, CRACKING ACES: A WOMAN’S PLACE AT THE TABLE directed by H. James Gilmore, CRIME + PUNISHMENT directed by Stephen Maing, DISTANT CONSTELLATION directed by Shevaun Mizrahi, FATHER’S KINGDOM directed by Lenny Feinberg, FREEDOM FOR THE WOLF directed by Rupert Russell, THE GREAT FLIP-OFF directed by Dafna Yachin, HALF THE PICTURE directed by Amy Adrion, LA FLOR DE LA VIDA directed by Adriana Leoff and Claudia Abend, LOTS OF KIDS, A MONKEY AND A CASTLE directed by Gustavo Salmerón, MAYNARD directed by Sam Pollard, OLD DOG directed by Sally Rowe, ON HER SHOULDERS directed by Alexandria Bombach, THE PAIN OF OTHERS directed by Penny Lane, RBG directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen, SISTERS directed by Justyna Tafel, THAT SUMMER directed by Göran Hugo Olsson, THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS directed by Tim Wardle as well as THE EXPERIMENTAL CITY, GRACE JONES: BLOODLIGHT AND BAMI, KILLER BEES, LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST, MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A., RODENTS OF UNUSUAL SIZE, and A TUBA TO CUBA. As previously announced Golden Globe®-nominated and Independent Spirit Award®-nominated Eric Stoltz’s coming-of-age comedy CLASS RANK will be the Festival’s Opening Night film and Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy®-winning Rory Kennedy’s ABOVE AND BEYOND: NASA’S JOURNEY TO TOMORROW will serve as Closing Night film. The Festival will also be honoring renowned actor Steve Guttenberg and Academy Award®-nominated actress Virginia Madsen with Career Achievement Awards during the closing weekend.
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Ashland Independent Film Festival Rolls Out 2018 Program | ‘First Reformed’, ‘On Chesil Beach’, ‘Hearts Beat Loud’ and More ..

[caption id="attachment_27690" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] On Chesil Beach[/caption] The Ashland Independent Film Festival announced its lineup for the five-day festival taking place April 12 to 16, 2018, and featuring over 120 films chosen from nearly a thousand films submitted to the festival, or specially selected by AIFF Artistic and Executive Director Richard Herskowitz. Special screenings include the upcoming features First Reformed (directed by Paul Schrader and starring Ethan Hawke), On Chesil Beach with Saoirse Ronan, Brett Haley’s Hearts Beat Loud with Nick Offerman, Andrew Haigh’s Oregon-filmed Lean on Pete, and Borg vs. McEnroe, starring Shia LeBoeuf, plus 2018 Sundance Film Festival award-winning documentaries Minding the Gap, On Her Shoulders, and Crime + Punishment.
Award Recipients
AIFF will present Rogue Awards to two special guests, Academy Award®-winning actor Chris Cooper and Seattle-based director Lynn Shelton. Cooper launched his film acting career with his role as a union organizer in Matewan, the first of five films he appeared in directed by John Sayles, and won the Academy Award in 2002 for his supporting role in Adaptation. In addition to participating in the TalkBack panel “Talking Acting with Chris Cooper,” Cooper will present on Opening Night the world premiere of a film he narrated and executive produced, Intelligent Lives, accompanied by director Dan Habib and executive producer Marianne Leone Cooper. Cooper met Marianne Leone in 1979 at an acting class in New York City. Their son, Jesse Lanier Cooper, was born three months prematurely in October 1987 and developed cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Chris and Marianne became advocates for inclusive education and champions of kids with special needs. Jesse was a mainstreamed student at Silver Lake Regional High School where he was an honor student. In 2005, Jesse died suddenly from a seizure at age 17. Intelligent Lives explores how our society’s narrow views of intelligence have led to the segregation of people with intellectual disabilities. AIFF will also present a Rogue Award to Lynn Shelton, who will present her sixth feature film, Outside In, starring Edie Falco and Jay Duplass and released by The Orchard. Shelton, proudly based in Seattle, has had a stellar career as an independent film director since winning the Grand Jury Award at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival with her debut feature, We Go Way Back. Since then, Shelton’s films, including Humpday (2009), Your Sister’s Sister (AIFF2012), and Laggies (2012) have garnered awards and acclaim at Sundance, the Film Independent Spirit Awards, and the Gotham Independent Film Awards, as well as theatrical distribution from Magnolia and A24. Beginning with Mad Men in 2010, Lynn has directed over 25 episodes of television series including New Girl, Fresh Off the Boat, Master of None, Maron, and GLOW. The recipient of AIFF’s 2018 Pride Award, honoring filmmakers who have made significant contributions to LGBTQ media, is Zackary Drucker, an independent media artist and trans woman whose work crosses boundaries between the art world and popular culture. Drucker has performed and exhibited her work internationally in museums, galleries, and film festivals including the 2014 Whitney Biennial, MoMA PS1, Hammer Museum, and SF MoMA, among others. She is also a producer on the Golden Globe® and Emmy®-winning Amazon series Transparent. She will screen an episode of this series and two films featuring her late friend and mentor, Flawless Sabrina: Drucker’s video, She Gone Rogue and The Queen, Frank Simon’s rarely screened documentary of the 1967 Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant. Other special guests attending this year’s Festival include James Ivory, recipient of AIFF2017’s Lifetime Achievement Award and a 2018 Academy Award for his screenplay of Call Me By Your Name. Ivory will return to present the restored classic Shakespeare Wallah and join in a conversation after the screening with Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Artistic Director Bill Rauch. AIFF is reafﬁrming its mission to promote independent ﬁlmmaking by honoring companies that have built the infrastructure of the independent ﬁlm movement and challenged Hollywood’s dominance. This year, tribute will be paid to Milestone Films, which has gained an international reputation for releasing classic cinema masterpieces, groundbreaking documentaries, and American independent features. Since 2007, Milestone has concentrated on the restoration and worldwide distribution of films outside the Hollywood mainstream featuring “lost” films by and about African Americans, Native Americans, LGBTQ, and women. Milestone co-founders Dennis Doros and Amy Heller will present their recent restoration of No Maps on My Taps, accompanied by its director, George Nierenberg. The screening will be followed by a live performance and “tap-in” (with all audience members who bring tap shoes) led by dancer Suzanne Seiber. The second “Indie Institution” honoree will be the Independent Documentary Association (IDA). IDA’s educational, advocacy, production support, and exhibition programs, including the Pare Lorentz and Enterprise Documentary Funds and Documentary Magazine, provide resources, create community and defend rights and freedom for documentary artists, activists, and journalists. IDA’s Director of Programming and Policy, Claire Aguilar, joined by the films’ directors and subjects, will present The Blessing (an IDA Pare Lorentz Fund grantee) and Crime + Punishment (Enterprise Documentary Fund grantee, and winner of a jury prize at Sundance). Aguilar will also moderate the TalkBack panel “Seeking Justice in Documentary.” According to Festival director Richard Herskowitz, “The tribute to Milestone Films’ restoration and distribution is part of a larger programming focus this year on classic cinema that includes Shakespeare Wallah and No Maps on My Taps. Exposure to classic films, I believe, inspires indie film audiences and filmmakers (from James Ivory to Lynn Shelton) to question and reinvent filmmaking conventions.” The emphasis on classic film is highlighted in this year’s festival posters, based on images from the animated films of Stacey Steers. Steers’ sculptural media installations will be on view at the Schneider Museum of Art as part of an exhibition, The Animated Image ( April 12 – May 12) co-curated by Herskowitz and Schneider Museum director Scott Malbaurn. Also in this exhibition are animated media installations by Chris Doyle, Rick Silva, and Matt Bollinger. Steers’ trilogy of animated films featuring collages of silent film actresses in magical settings will be presented with new scores composed by Ashland-based composers Terry Longshore and Tessa Brinckman, which they will perform live on Saturday, April 14 at SOU Music Recital Hall. Also on that program will be a live performance accompanying the Russian silent film The Dying Swan, a Milestone Films release, with a score created by Ashland-based international opera and film score composer Joby Talbot. Talbot will perform on piano, joined by cellist Michal Palzewicz and violinist Jessica Lambert. Other classic film-themed screenings include Love, Cecil, the documentary on Academy Award-winning costume and set designer and photographer Cecil Beaton that will be accompanied by its director Lisa Immordino Vreeland. Film archivist Michael Zahs, the charismatic film archivist and subject of the documentary feature film Saving Brinton, will demonstrate an early Magic Lantern, a progenitor of the film projector, following Saving Brinton’s screening at the Historic Ashland Armory. Zahs will also demonstrate the Magic Lantern to kids during AIFF’s Family Day of film presentations and hands-on filmmaking activities at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum on Saturday, April 14.
2018Ashland Independent Film Festival Program Summary

2018 Documentary Feature Selections
América The Blessing Citizen Blue & The March Crime + Punishment Dark Money Five Seasons The Foreigner’s Home The Gospel of Eureka I Am Maris: Portrait of a Young Yogi Intelligent Lives Itzhak The King Liyana Love, Cecil Minding the Gap Modified Mr. Fish: Cartooning from the Deep End No Maps on My Taps On Her Shoulders One October The Queen The Reluctant Radical & Symphony for Nature: The Britt Orchestra at Crater Lake A River Below Saving Brinton Skid Row Marathon Sky and Ground A Tuba to Cuba Two Trains Runnin’
2018 Narrative Feature Selections
Back at the Staircase Borg v. McEnroe The Dying Swan First Reformed For Izzy Fort Maria Hearts Beat Loud The Last Hot Lick Lean on Pete On Chesil Beach Outside In People People The Rainbow Experiment Shakespeare Wallah Wild Honey
SHORTS PROGRAMS
Curated Programs CineSpace KidFlix: Best of the New York Children’s International Film Festival Animated Worlds: Stop-Motion Classics with Mark Shapiro Zackary Drucker: Trans Film Television Competition Program Short Stories 1: In the Light of Day Short Stories 2: After Hours Short Docs 1: About Work Short Docs 2: About Community Short Stories and Docs: About Family Locals Only Locals Only 1: Family Friendly – Launch Student Film Competition Locals Only 2: Ashland Roots Locals Only 3: On the River, On the Land
PERFORMANCES
Silent Scores: The Dying Swan and Stacey Steers’ Trilogy with Tessa Brinckman, Terry Longshore, and Joby Talbot Live Tap-in with Suzanne Seiber following No Maps on My Taps
FAMILY DAY AT SCIENCEWORKS
Saturday, April 14, 10am-5pm: Hands-on film activities and presentations by NASA’s Ralph Grau, archivist Michael Zahs, and LAIKA’s Mark Shapiro
AIFF MEDFORD
4 shows at Collaborative Theatre Project on March 21, April 14 and 16, and a special screening at Kids Unlimited of Dolores with Peter Bratt and Dolores Huerta (May 3)
EXHIBITION AT SCHNEIDER MUSEUM OF ART: THE ANIMATED IMAGE
Media installations by Stacey Steers, Chris Doyle, Matt Bollinger, and Rick Silva on view April 12 – May 12.
TALKBACKS
Talking Acting with Chris Cooper Seeking Justice in Documentary Composing Scores for Classic and Contemporary Films
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First Reformed (2017)

2018 National Board of Review Award WInners

Winners of 2018 Gotham Independent Film Awards

2019 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE

BEST FIRST FEATURE

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD

BEST DIRECTOR

BEST SCREENPLAY

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

BEST EDITING

BEST FEMALE LEAD

BEST MALE LEAD

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD

BEST DOCUMENTARY

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

BONNIE AWARD

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD

2018 IFP Gotham Award nominations

Best Feature

Best Documentary

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award

Best Screenplay

Best Actor

Best Actress*

Breakthrough Actor

Breakthrough Series – Long Form

Breakthrough Series – Short Form

2018 GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD WINNERS

SIFF 2018 COMPETITION AWARDS

SIFF 2018 OFFICIAL COMPETITION WINNER

SIFF 2018 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION

SIFF 2018 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION

SIFF 2018 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION

SIFF 2018 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

SIFF 2018 YOUTH JURY FEATURES & FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AWARDS

SIFF 2018 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS

SIFF 2018 CHINA STARS AWARDS

SIFF 2018 DOCUMENTARY FILM GRANT PROGRAM

SIFF 2018 SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

2018 Montclair Film Festival Awards Winners

Special Presentations

Animated Feature Competition

Spectrum

Spectrum Q

Award Recipients

2018Ashland Independent Film Festival Program Summary

2018 Documentary Feature Selections

2018 Narrative Feature Selections

SHORTS PROGRAMS

PERFORMANCES

FAMILY DAY AT SCIENCEWORKS

AIFF MEDFORD

EXHIBITION AT SCHNEIDER MUSEUM OF ART: THE ANIMATED IMAGE

TALKBACKS