GIRL UNBOUND: THE WAR TO BE HER

  • CHAVELA, THE WOUND, SIGNATURE MOVE Among Winners of Outfest LA LGBT Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_23198" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Chavela Chavela[/caption] The 2017 Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival, which ran from July 6th to July 16th, announced the award winners.  Chavela won both the Documentary Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award; and Best US Narrative Feature Film prize went to Jennifer Reeder for Signature Move. The 2017 Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival closed with Trudie Styler’s comedic Freak Show, starring Bette Midler, Alex Lawther, AnnaSophia Robb, Abigail Breslin, Ian Nelson, Larry Pine and featuring a cameo from Laverne Cox.

    Outfest Los Angeles 2017 Award Winners

    Audience Awards

    Best Documentary Short Audience Award Little Potato, Directed by Wes Hurley and Nate Miller Best Documentary Feature Audience Award Chavela, Directed by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi Best Narrative Short Audience Award The Real Thing, Directed by Brandon Kelley Best Narrative Audience Award The Chances, Created by Shoshanna Stern and Josh Feldman, Directed by Anna Kerrigan Best Experimental Short Audience Award Pussy, Directed by Renata Gasiorowska Audience Award for Best First U.S. Narrative Feature A Million Happy Nows, Directed by Albert Alarr

    Grand Jury Awards

    Documentary Grand Jury Prize “We award Best Documentary Feature to Chavela, for its artistic style that elegantly and poetically brings together raw archival footage, animation, editing, and sound design.” Documentary Special Mention “For Excellence in Filmmaking we award a Special Jury mention to Girl Unbound: The War to Be Her, for its brave, humorous, and inspired depiction of Maria, a world class SQUASH player and her rock star family who live on their own terms and challenge misconceptions of feminism and Islam in the Muslim and Western worlds. This film illustrates Maria’s nonbinary journey, her quest for athletic excellence and her desire to show all girls everywhere that, “Fear is taught. That you are born free and you are born brave.”” U.S. Narrative Jury Prize Best Actor For his quiet intensity in a fresh and non-traditional coming of age role and his on-screen transformation both physically and emotionally, the US Narrative Jury honors Luka Kain for his outstanding performance in Saturday Church. U.S. Narrative Jury Prize Best Actress In a cast of strong female performances, she not only supported the ensemble cast but stood out with her comic timing and effortlessly hilarious presence. The US Jury Prize for Best Actress goes to Ever Mainard in The Feels. Best Screenwriting in a U.S. Feature For its naturalistic yet spare and unforced dialogue, even in the most harrowing of situations the award for Best Screenwriting in a U.S. Narrative goes to Eliza Hittman for Beach Rats. U.S. Grand Jury Prize For a delightful, well-acted and incisive romp into Chicago’s multi-cultural neighborhoods and a moving exploration of the unique bonds between mothers and daughters. Its inspiring message of love and acceptance explodes with humor and heart. We award the Best US Narrative Feature Film prize to Jennifer Reeder for Signature Move. U.S. Narrative Special Mention The US Narrative Jury would like to present a Special Mention for amplifying unheard voices with authenticity, highlighting the contemporary life of queer black woman with flair, vibrancy and substance to 195 Lewis. International Grand Jury Prize This film breaks new ground through skillful storytelling and stunning cinematography and an unflinching focus on masculinities – toxic or otherwise. The Jury Award for Best International Narrative Feature goes to the South African film The Wound, directed by John Trengove. International Special Mention For authentic, grounded storytelling that successfully captures a universal tale of youth, the International Narrative Feature Special Mention for Directing goes to Marcelo Caetano for his work on Body Electric. Best Documentary Short For its elegant storytelling, its economical sweep of history, and its sensitivity to lovers together in the struggle, whose intimate point of view enlightens and moves us to see the intricacies of the personal & political victories we can achieve together. The Best Documentary short prize goes to: Bayard & Me by Matt Wolf. Creatively employing the few surviving archival interviews to illuminate a forthright, outspoken, dynamic and sexy old school butch who was unstoppable in her quest for equality & fairness for lesbians, women and the queer community. The Best Documentary short prize goes to Jeanne Cordova: Butches, Lies & Feminism by Gregorio Davila. Documentary Short Special Mention The Special Mention goes to Al Otro Lado (The Other Side), directed by Rodrigo Alvarez Flores and Pedazos, directed by Alejandro Pena. Best Narrative Short Demonstrating restraint in both dialogue and narrative while also presenting a rich visual tapestry in a claustrophobic household, the film portrays an intense, simmering passion between two women yearning to break free from the norms of sexuality and caste (class) in a matriarchal Indian household. The Best Narrative Short Film Award goes to Goddess (Devi), directed by Karishma Dube.

    Special Programming Awards

    Emerging Talent This assured debut feature film combines dreamy cinematography, honest and energetic performances, and snappy, contemporary dialogue, heralding the arrival of a fresh new voice in queer Asian cinema, the 2017 Programming Award for Emerging Talent goes to Samantha Lee for Maybe Tomorrow. Freedom This long overdue BIOGRAPHY of a civil rights icon merges empathetic documentary filmmaking with the tenacity of investigative journalism to highlight the injustices that trans people still face today, the 2017 Programming Award for Freedom goes to David France and Victoria Cruz for The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. Artistic Vision For a chilling tale that blends Hitchcockian suspense filtered through the eerie Icelandic countryside with a rumination on the lingering effects of past trauma, the 2017 Programming Award for Artistic Achievement goes to Erlingur Thoroddsen for Rift. Fox Inclusion Feature Film Award Boys For Sale, Directed by Itako Fox Inclusion Short Film Award Ma, Directed by Vera Miao

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  • Toronto’s 14th Human Rights Watch Film Festival Unveils Lineup, Opening with A SYRIAN LOVE STORY

    [caption id="attachment_21041" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]A Syrian Love Story A Syrian Love Story[/caption] Toronto’s 14th annual Human Rights Watch Film Festival, presented by TIFF and Human Rights Watch, will feature an eight-film lineup that galvanizes an impassioned call for social change through extraordinary stories of struggle, survival and hope.  Showcasing brave cinematic works at the forefront of the human rights movement, the festival presents documentary feature films from Afghanistan, Canada, China, Egypt, France, the United States, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Syria, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Running from March 29 to April 6 at TIFF Bell Lightbox, the festival kicks off with an opening night fundraising reception followed by a screening of A Syrian Love Story — a documentary that dives into the refugee experience through the telling of a love story between a Palestinian freedom fighter and a Syrian revolutionary who met as political prisoners — and closes with Nick de Pencier’s Black Code, which follows cyber stewards who travel the world to expose unprecedented levels of global digital espionage. Additional highlights include the Toronto premiere of Tickling Giants, which follows a popular television show host who has been dubbed “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” and Alanis Obomsawin’s We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice, an epic documentary chronicle of a legal battle waged against the injustices inflicted on Indigenous children in Canada. Complete film lineup Opening Night Film. A Syrian Love Story dir. Sean McAllister | UK/France/Lebanon/Syria 2015 | 76 min. | 14A International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2015 Comrades and lovers Amer and Raghda met in a Syrian prison cell 15 years ago. When director Sean McAllister first meets their family in 2009, Raghda is back in prison, leaving Amer to look after their four boys alone; but as the Arab Spring sweeps the region, the family’s fate shifts irrevocably. Filmed over five years, the film charts their incredible odyssey to political freedom. For Raghda and Amer, it is a journey of hope, dreams and despair: for the revolution, their homeland and each other. Wednesday, March 29 at 8 p.m. Complicit dirs. Heather White and Lynn Zhang China/Hong Kong/USA/Netherlands 2017 | 88 min. | PG | North American Premiere A courageous factory worker struggling with leukemia helps a group of young Chinese workers who have also been poisoned while making our favourite cell phones and electronic gadgets. Filmed over four years, this lushly photographed film takes the audience on an 8,000-mile journey to the world’s electronics factory floors and the neighbourhoods and hospitals surrounding the world’s largest electronics supplier, Foxconn. Complicit reveals the human costs of global outsourcing while highlighting the choices made by a group of inspired activists seeking change. Thursday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. Nowhere to Hide dir. Zaradasht Ahmed | Norway/Sweden 2016 | 86 min. | 14A | Canadian Premiere International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2016 Nowhere to Hide follows male nurse Nori Sharif through five years of dramatic change, providing unique access into one of the world’s most dangerous and inaccessible areas: the “triangle of death” in central Iraq. Initially filming stories of survivors as American and Coalition troops retreat from Iraq in 2011, conflicts continue with Iraqi militias, and the population flees accompanied by most of the hospital staff; Nori is one of the few who remains. When ISIS advances on Jalawla in 2014 and takes over the city, he too must flee with his family at a moment’s notice, and turns the camera on himself. PRECEDED BY: Fantassút / Rain on the Borders dir. Federica Foglia | Canada 2016 | 16 min. | 14A Over 11,000 refugees from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries lived for months in dismal conditions hoping for the borders to open, and to continue their journey through the Balkan route. Friday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m. Tickling Giants dir. Sara Tacksler | Egypt 2016 | 111 min. | 14A | Toronto Premiere In the midst of the Egyptian Arab Spring, Bassem Youssef makes a decision that’s every mother’s worst nightmare: he leaves his job as a heart surgeon to become a full-time comedian. Dubbed “The Egyptian Jon Stewart,” Bassem creates the most-viewed television program in the Middle East: he has 30 million viewers per episode, compared to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’s 2 million. In a country where free speech is not settled law, Bassem comes up with creative ways to non-violently challenge abuses of power. He endures physical threats, protests and legal action, all because of jokes. No unicorns or falafel were harmed in the making of this film. Saturday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Sara Tacksler. We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice dir. Alanis Obomsawin | Canada 2016 | 163 min. | PG Toronto International Film Festival 2016 In 2007, the Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations filed a landmark discrimination complaint against Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada. They argued that child and family welfare services provided to First Nations children on reserves and in Yukon were underfunded and inferior to services offered to other Canadian children. Veteran director Alanis Obomsawin’s We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice documents this epic court challenge, giving voice to the tenacious childcare workers at its epicenter. Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m. Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin. Girl Unbound: The War to be Her dir. Erin Heidenreich | Afghanistan 2016 | 80 min. | PG Toronto International Film Festival 2016 In Waziristan, “one of the most dangerous places on earth,” Maria Toorpakai defies the Taliban by disguising herself as a boy so she can play sports freely. But when she becomes a rising star, her true identity is revealed, bringing death threats on her and her family. Undeterred, they continue to fight for their freedom. Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. No Dress Code Required dir. Cristina Herrera Borquez | Mexico 2016 | 92 min. | PG | Canadian Premiere International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2016 Victor and Fernando are stylists in Mexicali, Mexico who are the go-to professionals for the city’s socialites. To their customers, they were a lovely couple — until they decided to legally marry. Losing the support of customers and friends and confronting a backlash of criticism, through their fight they woke up members of Mexicali’s society to fight homophobia and inequality. Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m. Introduction by Kyle Knight, Researcher, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program, Human Rights Watch. Closing Night Film. Black Code dir. Nick de Pencier | Canada 2015 | 90 min. Toronto International Film Festival 2016 Based on the book by Prof. Ron Deibert, Black Code is the story of how the internet is being controlled and manipulated by governments in order to censor and monitor their citizens. As they battle for control of cyberspace, ideas of citizenship, privacy and democracy are challenged to the core. Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m. Introduction and Q&A by filmmaker Nicholas De Pencier, with guest speaker Prof. Ron Deibert.

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