Jinn

  • Athena Film Festival Reveals 2019 Lineup, Opens with Julia Hart’s FAST COLOR, Closes with KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE Featuring Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

    Fast Color
    Fast Color

    The Athena Film Festival (AFF) at Barnard College will open its 2019 edition on Thursday, February 28, with the New York premiere of “Fast Color.” The film, directed by Julia Hart and written by Hart and Jordan Horowitz, stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a hero forced to run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after abandoning her family, the only place she has left to hide is home. Lorraine Toussaint and David Strathairn co-star.

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  • CLARA’S GHOST, MR. SOUL!, NEW MONEY, WAITING: THE VAN DUREN STORY Win at 2018 Indie Memphis Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_32555" align="aligncenter" width="994"]Cinematography Award Winner James Laxton (Photo Courtesy of Indie Memphis) Cinematography Award Winner James Laxton (Photo Courtesy of Indie Memphis)[/caption] Indie Memphis Film Festival held its annual awards ceremony on Saturday, November 3rd announcing awards for all competition films.  For the Narrative Competition, the winner was CLARA’S GHOST by Bridey Elliott and the Duncan Williams Script Writing Award went to JINN by Nijla Mu’min; for Sounds (music-centric films), the winner was the feature documentary MR. SOUL! by Melissa Haizlip and Samuel D. Pollard, as well as the short “Gomenaki” by Someone Who Isn’t Me (directed by Alkis Papastathopoulos); for Hometowner (Memphis-centric films), the feature winner was RUKUS by Brett Hanover, with Hometowner music video “I’m Yours” by Faith Evans Ruch (directed by Melissa Anderson, Sweazy), as well as Departures Hometowner short “Windows” by Jason Allen Lee; the Documentary Competition Feature winner was SHAKEDOWN by Leilah Weinraub, along with an Indie Grant for the short doc “Getting By” by Jordan Danelz. Special Jury Awards went to Graham L. Carter’s SHOOT THE MOON RIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES and HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING by RaMell Ross. For the Shorts Competition, the winner for Hometowner Narrative Short was “Minority” by Will Robbins and the winner for Hometowner Documentary Short “Bonfire” by Kevin Brooks; the winner of the Documentary Short was “Black 14” by Darius Clark Monroe; and the winner of the Narrative Short was “Magic Bullet” by Amanda Lovejoy Street. On the festival’s Closing Night, the Audience Awards were announced at Downtown Memphis’ Halloran Centre by Executive Director Ryan Watt. The Narrative Feature winner was NEW MONEY by Jason Kohl; the Hometowner Feature winner was WAITING: THE VAN DUREN STORY by Greg Carey and Wade Jackson; the Sounds Feature winner was MR. SOUL! by Melissa Haizlip and Samuel D. Pollard; the Doc Feature winner was WRESTLE by Suzannah Herber and Lauren Belfer; and the Departures Feature winner was THE WASHING SOCIETY by Lynne Sachs. The Documentary Short winner was “Life on the Line” by Lea Suzuki; the Music Video winner was “Faithful” by King Kwofi (directed by Benjamin Stark); the After Dark Short winner was “Hair Wolf” by Marima Diallo; the Hometowner Narrative Short winner was “Best Wedding Gift” by Mark Jones; the Narrative Short winner was “Under Mom’s Skirt” by Sarah Heitz De Chabaneix; and the Hometowner Doc Short winner was “You Must Believe” by Lauren Squires Ready. In addition, The Black Filmmakers Pitch Rally (presented with crowdfunding partner Seed&Spark) took place on Friday, November 2nd, when twelve selected black filmmakers pitched their prospective film projects in hopes of receiving prizes including a $10K Bounty Prize provided by Epicenter Memphis, high-end color package from Apache, and much more, if they were to begin production on their film in Memphis by August 1st, 2018. Local Memphis filmmaker Dave Godbout was named the winner of the first Indie Memphis Film Festival Black Filmmakers Pitch Rally, as well as its $10K Bounty Prize, for his surreal comedy CHARMAINE. The coming-of-age sex comedy by Amanda Willoughby and Jessica Chaney, HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO A MAN, will receive a $1,000 donation to its crowdfunding campaign via Seed&Spark, and BLACK CHERRY by Amanda Layne Miller received an honorable mention. This year, Oscar-nominated cinematographer James Laxton (MOONLIGHT, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK) was honored with Indie Memphis’ inaugural “Indie Memphis Cinematography Award,” presented to him by Miriam Bale, Indie Memphis’ Artistic Director (newly promoted from Senior Programmer). His frequent collaborator Barry Jenkins congratulated him via a heartfelt video message at the ceremony; the two have been friends since they were students at Florida State University, where they became fast friends and kindred spirits. Jenkins said, “In these modern times that we live in, the work of the cinematographer goes unappreciated. I remember [Laxton and I] fusing in this way that we both had this visual idea of what the film was going to be. Sometimes I don’t know what I want, but I want it to be beautiful. And James understands what I want.” This award kicks off the awards season buzz for Laxton, whose work in Jenkins’ IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (Indie Memphis’ Centerpiece Presentation) is highly lauded. Laxton also appeared at the “New Ways of Seeing: Cinematography Workshop” alongside MADELINE’S MADELINE and THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST rising star cinematographer Ashley Connor. Laxton said of his award, “To be here in Memphis and accept this is very special. Memphis has clearly been an influence on Barry and me for a long time.” Actor/rapper Shayna McHayle (aka Junglepussy) was awarded with the “Indie Memphis Actor of the Year” award for her work in Andrew Bujalski’s SUPPORT THE GIRLS, Indie Memphis’ Closing Night selection, a comedy that portrays the pratfalls of women working at a female-run “sports bar with curves.” Bujalski presented McHayle with the award while singing her praises, saying, “From her first take on her first day, I knew we had something special.” McHayle’s award also puts her into the awards conversation, in a critically-acclaimed performance that garnered praise such as The New York Times describing her as delivering a “delightful, contrapuntal comic performance.” McHayle was overwhelmed with thanks for her win and dedicated her award to the women in her life. She said, “I want to give a special shout out to all the women in my family who have overcome adversity.”

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  • AFI FEST Reveals 2018 New Auteurs and American Independents Lineups

    [caption id="attachment_31999" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Elisabeth Moss in HER SMELL Elisabeth Moss in HER SMELL[/caption] Highlighting rising feature film directors and the best of independent filmmaking, the American Film Institute announced today the films that will be featured in the New Auteurs and American Independents sections at AFI FEST 2018 presented by Audi. New Auteurs is the festival’s platform for upcoming filmmakers from all over the world to showcase their new films. This year, the section is comprised of 18 films, with 12 helmed by female filmmakers. The American Independents section represents the best of independent filmmaking this year. Pushing boundaries of form and content across narrative and documentary cinema, this section includes 10 films — half of which are directed by women — from both new voices and filmmakers returning to AFI FEST. “The New Auteurs and American Independents sections are where you will find some of the boldest and most experimental work in the festival,” said Lane Kneedler, Director of Programming, AFI Festivals. “We encourage audiences to explore these unique films, and become acquainted with the emerging and provocative voices of their directors.” AFI FEST takes place November 8–15, 2018, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and other events will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt. The Opening Night Gala will be the World Premiere of ON THE BASIS OF SEX (directed by AFI Conservatory alumna Mimi Leder) and the Closing Night Gala will be the World Premiere of MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (directed by Josie Rourke).

    NEW AUTEURS

    ACID FOREST (RŪGŠTUS MIŠKAS)– A wispy stretch of land from Russia to Lithuania is home to an unlikely tourist attraction: a dying forest of leafless trees overtaken by thousands of ancient black birds ruining the area with their acid-fortified feces. With daredevil cinematography and immaculate sound design, Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė’s debut is a beguiling snapshot of the juncture between nature’s destruction and rebirth. DIR Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė. Lithuania AKASHA – Documentarian Hajooj Kuka makes his attention-grabbing, intelligent debut with AKASHA, a comedy set in a rebel-held area of Sudan, where fighting has stopped amid the rainy season — and a man, a woman and an AK-47 are entangled in a love triangle. DIR Hajooj Kuka. SCR Hajooj Kuka. CAST Ekram Marcus, Kamal Ramadan, Ganja Chakado. Sudan, South Africa, Qatar, Germany ALL IS GOOD (ALLES IST GUT) – An arresting portrayal of a woman who refuses to see herself victimized by rape. Intimately and claustrophobically photographed, this humanistic film illustrates a rape internalized — acknowledged though never reckoned with — where a rapist’s presumed authority over a woman’s body is endemic of an oppressive, patriarchal society. DIR Eva Trobisch. SCR Eva Trobisch. CAST Aenne Schwarz, Andreas Döhler, Hans Löw, Tilo Nest, Lisa Hagmeister, Lina Wendel. Germany AND BREATH NORMALLY (ANDIÐ EÐLILEGA) – Lára is a single mother whose job as an Icelandic border guard is all that’s keeping her afloat. While training, Lára notices that the passport of Adja, a woman from Guinea-Bissau, has been forged. From there, Adja and Lára’s stories diverge and weave together again in Ísold Uggadóttir’s elegantly constructed drama of lives affected by the ongoing refugee crisis. DIR Ísold Uggadóttir. SCR Ísold Uggadóttir. CAST Kristín Thóra Haraldsdóttir, Babetida Sadjo, Patrik Nökkvi Pétursson. Iceland BLACK MOTHER – From red light districts to lush rainforests, director Khalik Allah’s brilliant film weaves together the sacred and the profane in a loving and lyrical ode to Jamaica and its people, a visual poem that is at once deeply felt love letter and ecstatic street-corner prayer. DIR Khalik Allah. USA THE CHAMBERMAID (LA CAMARISTA) – Lila Avilés’ debut feature follows Eve, a young maid in a luxurious Mexico City hotel, as she struggles with long hours and monotonous work. THE CHAMBERMAID is the touching story of her ambitions to rise above her current role and find a better life, and of her journey of self-discovery along the way. DIR Lila Avilés. SCR Juan Carlos Marquéz, Lila Avilés. CAST Gabriela Cartol, Teresa Sánchez. Mexico DEAD HORSE NEBULA – Awarded the Locarno Film Festival prize for Best Emerging Director, Tarik Aktas’ feature debut is either a real or imagined childhood memory of adults attempting to remove the body of a dead horse from an open field. This existential fever dream is a transformative experience, a distillation of the extraordinary suspense of day-to-day existence. DIR Tarik Aktas. SCR Tarik Aktas. CAST Barış Mert Bilgi, Ali Yavuz Ilman, Ömer Bora, Serkan Aydın, Dilara Topuklular, Hasan Türker, Mümin Süren, Serkan Özsalgıncı. Turkey DEAD PIGS (海上浮城) – Five lives collide in Cathy Yan’s quirky and comic debut — a bumbling pig farmer, a salon owner battling gentrification, an American ex-pat looking for the Chinese dream, a romantic waiter and a spoiled rich girl. DEAD PIGS sharply examines a contrasting China, where modern culture clashes with the traditional. DIR Cathy Yan. SCR Catha Yan. CAST Vivian Wu, Yang Hao Yu, Mason Lee, Li Meng, David Rysdahl. China THE DIVE (HATZLILA) – Following the death of their father, three estranged brothers — two veterans and one heading off to war — return to their family’s kibbutz to fulfill the patriarch’s final wish, setting off a firestorm of unsettled conflicts and long-buried resentments. DIR Yona Rozenkier. SCR Yona Rozenkier. CAST Yoel Rozenkier, Micha Rozenkier, Yona Rozenkier, Claudia Dulitchi, Miki Marmor, Daniel Sabag, Shmuel Edelman. Israel L’ANIMALE – On the verge of graduation and an uncertain future, a mischievous teenager rails against the societal and familial pressures of her suburban surroundings to seek autonomy in director/writer Katharina Mückstein’s masterfully perceptive and effervescent second feature about finding oneself by embracing the caged beast within and feeding its most insatiable cravings. DIR Katharina Mückstein. SCR Katharina Mückstein. CAST Sophie Stockinger, Kathrin Resetarits, Dominik Warta, Julia Franz Richter, Jack Hofer, Stefan Pohl, Dominic Marcus Singer, Simon Morzé, Eva Herzig, David Oberkogler, Martina Spitzer, Lisa C. Nemec, Johanna Orsini-Rosenberg, Gisela Salcher, Alexandra Schmidt. Austria LEMONADE (LUNA DE MIERE) – Incredible performances and beautiful cinematography herald a bold new voice in Romanian cinema in this tale of a young mother immigrating to America. Mara struggles to navigate the system, in a fight to bring her son a better life that might cost her everything. DIR Ioana Uricaru. SCR Tatiana Ionascu, Ioana Uricaru. CAST Malina Manovici, Steve Bacic, Dylan Scott Smith, Milan Hurduc, Ruxandra Maniu. Romania, Canada, Germany ONE DAY (EGY NAP) – This astounding debut feature follows 24 hours in the life of a harried mother as she navigates family work and betrayal. Anna struggles with kids, work and everyday life — but it’s an unspoken menace that really threatens this family. DIR Zsófia Szilágyi. SCR Zsófia Szilágyi, Réka Mán-Várhegy. CAST Zsófia Szamosi, Leo Füredi, Ambrus Barcza, Zorka Varga-Blaskó, Márk Gárdos, Annamária Láng, Éva Vándor, Károly Hajduk. Hungary RAFIKI – Kena likes to kick around a soccer ball with her boys. Bubbly Ziki likes to dance with her girls. Yet when their paths cross, the two fall in love. Banned in Kenya, Wanuri Kahiu’s gay romance is delightful and full of life. DIR Wanuri Kahiu. SCR Jenna Cato Bass, Wanuri Kahiu. CAST Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva, Jimmi Gathu, Nini Wacera, Dennis Musyoka, Patricia Amira. Kenya RAY & LIZ – In this immersive debut, director and photographer Richard Billingham returns to the squalid council flat outside of Birmingham where he and his brother were raised, in a confrontation and reconciliation with parents Ray and Liz. A complex and layered visual inquiry, Billingham’s probing gaze, rich saturated palette and meticulous compositions reveal a surrealistic beauty in memories of poverty. DIR Richard Billingham. SCR Richard Billingham. CAST Ella Smith, Justin Salinger, Patrick Romer, Deirdre Kelly, Tony Way, Sam Gittins, Joshua Millard-Lloyd. UK THE RETURN – In Malene Choi’s formally daring work of docufiction, the temporary residents of KoRoot — a Seoul-based guesthouse for transnational adoptees seeking information on their Korean birth parents — form a unique bond with one another while they each process the intense emotions inherent in their journey of self-discovery. DIR Malene Choi. SCR Sissel Dalsgaard Thomsen. CAST Philip Nicolai Flindt. Denmark, South Korea SIR – When an unexpected romance develops with her upper-class boss, a strong-willed maid in Mumbai finds herself treacherously close to breaking India’s rigid rules of class division. Director/writer Rohena Gera’s debut feature boasts a luminous lead performance by Tillotama Shome. DIR Rohena Gera. SCR Rohena Gera. CAST Vivek Gomber, Tillotama Shome. India, France STYX – Rike (Susanne Wolff) is sailing solo through open Atlantic waters. When she spots a vessel in the distance in a dire situation — a boat, brimming with migrants, is sinking — her voyage crystallizes into a sharp moral dilemma: What is an individual’s personal responsibility when faced with the refugee crisis? DIR Wolfgang Fischer. SCR Ika Kuenzel, Wolfgang Fischer. CAST Susanne Wolff, Gedion Wekesa Oduor. Germany, Austria TEMPORADA – Settling into a new job in an unfamiliar city, Juliana faces life as a single woman while navigating the financial and emotional tightrope walk that is life among Brazil’s working class in this beautiful and engrossing debut feature. DIR André Novais Oliveira. SCR André Novais Oliveira. CAST Grace Passô, Russo Apr, Rejane Faria, Hélio Ricardo. Brazil

    AMERICAN INDEPENDENTS

    THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM – Filmmaker John Chester documents the eight-year effort of an ambitious, life-changing personal venture: moving out of Los Angeles with his wife and building a diverse, sustainable farm. As the farm’s ecosystem begins to awaken, the couple explores the complexity of coexisting with nature and all its intricacies in this poignant documentary. DIR John Chester. SCR Mark Monroe, John Chester. USA BLOWIN’ UP – BLOWIN’ UP is an intimate portrait of a New York criminal court and the rebel heroines working to change the way women arrested for prostitution are prosecuted. Stephanie Wang-Breal’s essential and fascinating documentary reveals the complex hurdles sex workers must face, and the steadfast efforts of those helping to change their lives. DIR Stephanie Wang-Breal. SCR Stephanie Wang-Breal. USA COMMUNION LOS ANGELES – A dystopian vision of the present, this experimental documentary uses poetic time-lapse photography. An indistinguishable swell of half-audible monologues, radio frequencies and voicemails maintains a decidedly unsettling distance, even as the rhythms of reoccurring highway vistas, flickering street signs and neon-lit strip malls beckon you to fall under its trance. DIR Peter Bo Rappmund, Adam R. Levine. SCR Peter Bo Rappmund, Adam R. Levine. USA FAMILY – When her estranged brother calls in an emergency, workaholic Kate Stone (Taylor Schilling) reluctantly agrees to babysit her tween niece Maddie. Kate’s life quickly spins into chaos as one night turns into a week. She doesn’t think things could get much worse, until she learns Maddie wants to run away from home to join the life of the Juggalos. DIR Laura Steinel. SCR Laura Steinel. CAST Taylor Schilling, Bryn Vale, Brian Tyree Henry, Jessie Ennis, Blair Beeken, Matt Walsh, Allison Tolman, Eric Edelstein, Kate McKinnon, Fabrizio Guido. USA THE GRAND BIZARRE – The debut feature of acclaimed experimental animator Jodie Mack is a playful, eye-popping trip around the world, through its fabrics and textiles and their place in a busy international market: bright swaths of fabric, scarves and rugs dance along shorelines, in airport carousels and clotheslines to the pulse of irresistible pop soundscapes. DIR Jodie Mack. USA THE GREAT PRETENDER – In Nathan Silver’s latest comedy, four New Yorkers intersect within the framework of Mona’s (Maëlle Poesy-Guichard) autobiographical play. Furthering the themes of self-delusion Silver explored in THIRST STREET (2017), the film’s artificial hues of violet, yellow and green visually serve to blur the characters’ real lives with the play they’re all unwittingly performing in. DIR Nathan Silver. SCR Jack Dunphy. CAST Esther Garrel, Keith Poulson, Linas Phillips, Maëlle Poésy. USA HER SMELL – In HER SMELL, Becky Something (Elisabeth Moss) battles addiction and personal demons while trying to maintain her celebrity and creativity as lead musician of a ’90s punk-rock band. Backstage, Becky comes unhinged, bantering maniacally to her bandmates, friends and family as mascara runs down her face. With an uneasy, bass-heavy score and lengthy tracking close-ups, this is a nightmarish, abrasive ride to rock bottom. DIR Alex Ross Perry. SCR Alex Ross Perry. CAST Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Amber Heard. USA JINN – Being a teenager can already be dramatic. Now add religious conversion, first love, and having to change your favorite pizza topping. When her mother joins a local mosque, Summer is forced to explore whether she too wants to convert to Islam. Nijla Mu’min’s coming-of-age story grows into an exploration of spirituality seen through the eyes of a girl trying to find her place. DIR Nijla Mu’min. SCR Nijla Mu’min. CAST Zoe Renee, Simone Missick, Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Dorian Missick, Hisham Tawfiq and Kelly Jenrette. USA RELAXER – Indie film at its most raw is on display in this latest collaboration between director Joel Potrykus and his actor/muse Joshua Burge as Abbie, whose latest challenge forces him to stay on the couch while Y2K looms large. Lucky for him, there’s plenty of milk. DIR Joel Potrykus. SCR Joel Potrykus. CAST Joshua Burge, David Dastmalchian, Andre Hyland. USA THE WEEKEND – In Stella Meghie’s charming and witty romantic comedy, a comedian (Sasheer Zamata) hauls the baggage of her defunct relationship on a weekend getaway with friends, which happens to include her ex-boyfriend (Tone Bell) and his new girlfriend (DeWanda Wise). DIR Stella Meghie. SCR Stella Meghie. CAST Sasheer Zamata, Tone Bell, DeWanda Wise, Y’Lan Noel, Kym Whitley. USA

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  • Indie Memphis Film Festival Announces 2018 Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_31953" align="aligncenter" width="1170"] MR. SOUL![/caption] This year’s 2018 Indie Memphis Film Festival is promising to be a very exciting and wildly varied one, with a lineup featuring five World Premiere screenings and one U.S. Premiere screening, as well as Special Presentations such as CABIN BOY with Chris Elliott in attendance and Barbara Loden’s feminist masterpiece WANDA presented by Amy Seimetz (Showtime’s “The Girlfriend Experience”), as well as a retrospective of the recent films of filmmaker Hong Sangsoo. The Opening Night film is Melissa Haizlip and Samuel D. Pollard’s MR. SOUL!, a documentary chronicling Ellis Haizlip, the host of a groundbreaking weekly TV show called SOUL! that aired from 1968-1973, Barry Jenkins’ IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK as the Centerpiece Presentation, and Andrew Bujaski’s SUPPORT THE GIRLS as the Closing Night selection, followed by Bujalski presenting the “Indie Memphis Actor of the Year” award for an unforgettable role by a promising new performer to one of the film’s stars, Shayna McHayle (aka Junglepussy). As previously announced, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU filmmaker Boots Riley will be the festival’s keynote speaker for the Black Creatives Forum as well as presenting BRAZIL (1985, Terry Gilliam). The festival also includes 165 short films and over 50 music videos. This year’s festival should prove to be a very diverse one, as fifty percent of the films in the Narrative Competition are directed by female-identifying filmmakers and fifty percent are directed by people of color; in the Documentary Competition, forty-three percent are directed by women and seventy-one percent by people of color. In addition to films from the United States, the festival also boasts titles from Spain, France, South Korea, Israel, Germany, Australia, Zambia, United Kingdom, Portugal, Canada, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    2018 Indie Memphis Film Festival Slate

    OPENING NIGHT

    MR. SOUL! (Dirs. Melissa Haizlip, Samuel D. Pollard) Before Oprah – Before Arsenio – there was Mr. SOUL! Ellis Haizlip makes television broadcast history with SOUL!, America’s first “black Tonight Show.” Featuring archive footage of Sidney Poitier, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Harry Belafonte, among others. Filmmaker Melissa Haizlip in attendance. 2018, 90 min, Documentary

    CENTERPIECE

    IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (Dir. Barry Jenkins) After her fiancé is falsely imprisoned, a pregnant young woman in Harlem sets out to clear his name and prove his innocence. 2018, 117 min, Drama

    CLOSING NIGHT

    SUPPORT THE GIRLS (Dir. Andrew Bujalski) The general manager at a highway-side ”sports bar with curves” has her incurable optimism and faith, in her girls, her customers, and herself, tested over the course of a long, strange day. Filmmaker Andrew Bujalski will present “Indie Memphis Actor of the Year” award to Shayna McHayle (aka Junglepussy). 2018, 94 min, Comedy

    NARRATIVE COMPETITION

    CLARA’S GHOST (Dir. Bridey Elliott) Set over the course of a single evening in the Reynolds family home in suburban Connecticut, Clara’s Ghost tells the story of Clara Reynolds who, fed up with constant ribbing from her self-absorbed showbiz family, finds solace in and guidance from the supernatural force she believes is haunting her. Filmmaker Bridey Elliott in attendance. Actors Abby Elliott, Chris Elliott, and Paula Niedert Elliott in attendance. 2018, 98 min, Comedy/Drama JINN (Dir. Nijla Mumin) A shape-shifting, pepperoni-loving, black teenage Instagram celebrity explores her identity and sexuality in the midst of her mother’s conversion to Islam. Filmmaker Nijla Mumin in attendance. 2018, 92 min, Drama JOBE’Z WORLD (Dir. Michael Bilandic) – World Premiere Jobe is a roller-blading delivery dude in NYC who, one endless night, delivers drugs to his favorite actor, Royce David Leslie. Filmmaker Michael Bilandic in attendance. 2018, 67 min, Comedy NEW MONEY (Dir. Jason B. Kohl) A struggling woman abducts her estranged father after he cuts her out of his will. 2018, 85 min, Drama/Thriller SEPULVEDA (Dirs. Jena English, Brandon Wilson) An existential urban road movie about three best friends who decide to drive L.A.’ s longest street. Filmmaker Brandon Wilson in attendance. 2016, 82 min, Comedy/Drama SHOOT THE MOON BETWEEN THE EYES (Dir. Graham Carter) – World Premiere Jerry and Carl have conned their way from one small Texas town to another. The plan for their final con goes haywire when one of them falls in love with Maureen, all while there’s a bumbling P.I. out for vengeance and hot on their trail. Filmmaker Graham Carter in attendance. 2018, 73 min, Comedy/ Drama /Musical/Romance SOLACE (Dir. Tchaiko Omawale) A 17-year-old orphan named Sole is shipped off to her estranged grandmother (Lynn Whitfield from EVE’S BAYOU) in Ladera Heights, Los Angeles. Sole plots her escape to New York while navigating a foreign environment, new friendships and a hidden eating disorder. Filmmaker Tchaiko Omawale in attendance. 2018, 127 min, Drama

    DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

    ENTRIALGO (Dir. Diego Llorente) – World Premiere A beautiful and meditative study of rural Asturias, Spain. Life goes on with a different pace in Entrialgo. Rubén and Aitor grow with this rhythm. Their life swifts between the solitude of the courtyards of their house, the games mixed with the work of the adults and the school where they interact with their equals. Game, solitude and animals are witnesses and companions of a year in the life of these children. Filmmaker Diego Llorente in attendance. 2018, 65 min, Documentary HALE COUNTY: THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING (Dir. Ramell Ross) Composed of intimate and unencumbered moments of people in a community, HALE COUNTY: THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING allows the viewer an emotive impression of the Historic South — trumpeting the beauty of life and consequences of the social construction of race, while simultaneously a testament to dreaming — despite the odds. Filmmaker RaMell Ross in attendance. 2018, 76 min, Documentary KINSHASA MAKAMBO (Dir. Dieudo Hamadi) Christian, Ben and Jean-Marie are fighting for political change of power and free elections in their country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But the incumbent President refuses to relinquish power. Kinshasa Makambo immerses us in the combat these three activists are engaged in, a combat that neither bullets, nor prison, nor exile seem able to stop. 2018, 74 min, Documentary SHAKEDOWN (Dir. Leilah Weinraub) From 2002 to 2015, filmmaker Leilah Weinraub documents explicit performances in an underground black-lesbian club in Los Angeles. Filmmaker Leilah Weinraub in attendance. 2018, 82 min, Documentary/LGBTQ SPEAK UP! (Dir. Amandine Gay) – US Premiere An exploration of the intersections of discrimination, art and blackness, featuring interviews with black women in France and Belgium. Filmmaker Amandine Gay in attendance; this screening in collaboration with “Blackness in French and Francophone Film” at Columbia University. 2018, 122 min, Documentary THIS ONE’S FOR THE LADIES (Dir. Gene Graham) The Dojo, which is a children’s karate school by day, becomes a male strip joint on Thursday nights where hundreds of women convene for a potluck fundraiser, a sense of community, and the opportunity to throw singles at the New Jersey Nasty Boyz. Filmmaker Gene Graham in attendance. 2018, 82 min, Documentary WRESTLE (Dir. Suzannah Herbert) An intimate and nuanced documentary that follows the wrestling team at J.O. Johnson High School in Huntsville, which has been on Alabama’s failing schools list for decades. Filmmaker Suzannah Herbert in attendance. 2018, 99 min, Documentary

    SPOTLIGHT

    Narrative: DIAMANTINO (Dirs. Gabriel Abrantes, Daniel Schmidt) Diamantino, the world’s premiere soccer star loses his special touch and ends his career in disgrace. Searching for a new purpose, the international icon sets on a delirious odyssey where he confronts neo-fascism, the refugee crisis, genetic modification, and the hunt for the source of genius. 2018, 92 min, Comedy/Drama/Fantasy I AM NOT A WITCH (Dir. Rungano Nyoni) Shula is the first child taken to a traveling witch camp, where she is told that should she cut the ribbon and attempt to escape, she will be cursed and transformed into a goat. 2017, 93 min, Drama MADELINE’S MADELINE (Dir. Josephine Decker) A theater director’s latest project takes on a life of its own when her young star takes her performance too seriously. 2018, 93 min, Drama/Thriller NOTES ON AN APPEARANCE (Dir. Ricky D’ambrose) A young man leaves behind an obscure cache of letters, postcards, and notebooks when he disappears. Actor Keith Poulson in attendance. 2018, 60 min, Drama SORRY ANGEL (Dir. Christophe Honoré) Jacques is an older writer from Paris. Arthur is a young student in Rennes. They instantly fall in love. But they’ll have to face rejection and sickness to keep it that way. 2018, 133 min, Drama/LGBTQ TYREL (Dir. Sebastián Silva) Tyler goes to an isolated cabin in the Catskills for a raucous all-dude weekend birthday party for a friend. He finds he is the sole black person there and grows increasingly uncomfortable. 2018, 86 min, Comedy/Thriller WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY (Dir. Madeleine Olnek) Dramatization of the little known side of the writer Emily Dickinson’s life, in particular her relationship with another woman. Actor Amy Seimetz in attendance. 2018, 84 min, Comedy Documentary: A BETTER MAN (Dirs. Attiya Khan, Lawrence Jackman) Filmmaker Attiya Khan documents her meetings with an abusive ex-boyfriend to show the healing and revelation that can happen for everyone involved when men take responsibility for their abuse. A fascinating and necessary exploration into restorative justice. 2017, 79 min, Documentary DIVIDE AND CONQUER: THE STORY OF ROGER AILES (Dir. Alexis Bloom) Director Alexis Bloom charts the rise and fall of the late Republican Party booster and controversial Fox News mogul who went down in flames amid multiple sexual harassment allegations. 2018, 107 min, Documentary THE GOSPEL OF EUREKA (Dirs. Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher) Love, faith, and civil rights collide in the south as evangelical Christians and drag queens step into the spotlight to explore the meaning of belief. Gospel drag shows and passion plays intermix in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. 2018, 75 min, Documentary MATANGI / MAYA /M.I.A (Dir. Stephen Loveridge) Drawn from a never before seen cache of personal footage spanning decades, Stephen Loveridge creates an intimate portrait of the Sri Lankan artist and musician known as M.I.A. 2018, 96 min, Documentary MINDING THE GAP (Dir. Bing Liu) Three young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship. 2018, 93 min, Documentary

    DEPARTURES

    AUGUST AT AKIKO’S (Dir. Christopher Makoto Yogi) Armed with just his suitcase and a sax, cosmopolitan musician Alex Zhang Hungtai (DIRTY BEACHES) returns home to the Big Island of Hawai‘i having been away for nearly a decade. 2018, 75 min, Experimental Drama BLACK MOTHER (Dir. Khalik Allah) Filmmaker Khalik Allah offers a portrait of Jamaica, the home of his maternal grandparents. He interviews people and edits the audio as if it were music (as much for rhythm as content), exploring various themes while accompanied by his unique visual style. Filmmaker Khalik Allah in attendance. 2018, 77 min, Experimental Documentary LIFE IS FARE (Dir. Sephora Woldu) An experimental musical film exploring wildly different perspectives on the East African nation of Eritrea. Filmmaker Sephora Woldu in attendance. 2018, 62 min, Experimental/Musical THE WASHING SOCIETY (Dir. Lynne Sachs) Filmmaker Lynne Sachs and playwright Lizzie Olesker document the disappearing neighborhood laundromats and the labor that is associated with them. Filmmaker Lynne Sachs in attendance. 2018, 44 min, 2018, Documentary Screening with: “I Am Somebody” (Dir. Madeline Anderson) A short political documentary by Madeline Anderson about black hospital workers on strike in Charleston South Carolina. 1970, 30 min, Documentary

    SOUNDS

    BETTY: THEY SAY I’M DIFFERENT (Dir. Philip Cox) A creative documentary exploring the extraordinary story of Betty Davis (former wife of Miles Davis) as legendary funk pioneer and a woman who championed the road for all independent female artists who followed. 2017, 54 min, Documentary THE DREAMER’S FIELD (Dir. Noam Stolerman) The heartfelt journey of three childhood friends who wish to escape their boring life in the kibbutz and become London’s hottest rock band. THE DREAMER’S FIELD is a bitter-sweet journey of three misplaced and misguided individuals coming to terms with the real world. 2017, 65 min, Documentary MILFORD GRAVES FULL MANTHIS (Dir. Jake Meginsky) The first ever feature-length portrait of renowned percussionist Milford Graves, exploring his kaleidoscopic creativity and relentless curiosity. 2018, 95 min, Documentary MR. SOUL! (Dirs. Melissa Haizlip, Samuel D. Pollard) Before Oprah, Before Arsenio, there was Mr. SOUL! Ellis Haizlip makes television broadcast history with SOUL!, America’s first “black Tonight Show.” Featuring archival footage of James Baldwin, Nikki Giovanni, Sidney Poitier, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Harry Belafonte, among others. Filmmaker Melissa Haizlip in attendance. 2018, 90 min, Documentary

    HOMETOWNER

    MEMPHIS MAJIC (Dir. Eddie Bailey) A riveting in-depth look at the city of Memphis through the lens of a 30 year old Memphis-born street dance called “Jookin’.” Filmmaker Eddie Bailey in attendance. 2018, 72 min, Documentary NEGRO TERROR: THE VOICE OF MEMPHIS (Dir. John Rash) – World Premiere A cinematic and musical portrait of a punk band’s role in the vibrant and eclectic underground music community of Memphis, TN. Filmmaker John Rash in attendance; Negro Terror to play live score during the film. 2018, 54 min, Documentary WAITING: THE VAN DUREN STORY (Dir. Greg Carey, Wade Jackson) – World Premiere In the 1970’s, out of the Memphis-Big Star scene came Van Duren, who was tipped to be the next Paul McCartney but instead faded into obscurity. Forty years later, two Australian friends come across his record and set out to discover what went wrong. Filmmakers Greg Carey and Wade Jackson and subject Van Duren in attendance. 2018, 80 min, Documentary RUKUS (Dir. Brett Hanover) A hybrid of documentary and fiction, RUKUS is a queer coming-of-age story set in the liminal spaces of furry conventions, southern punk houses, and virtual worlds. Filmmaker Brett Hanover in attendance. 2018, 87 min, Drama/LGBTQ

    SPECIAL EVENTS

    CABIN BOY with Chris Elliott (Dir. Adam Resnick) A fancy lad (Chris Elliott) en route to Hawaii meets unfriendly fishermen when he mistakenly boards their boat The Filthy Whore instead of a cruise ship to Hawaii. Star Chris Elliott in attendance. 1994, 81 min, Comedy Classic Picks with Boots Riley: BRAZIL (Dir. Terry Gilliam) Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) investigates a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro), and gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies. Introduced by filmmaker Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”). 1985, 143 min, Science Fiction

    Hong Sang-soo Recent Retro:

    Grass (2018, 66 min) In a small Café, Min-hee Kim plays a guest who prefers to observe but not interact with the other guests herself. The Day After (2017, 92 min) When a woman discovers a love poem that was written for her husband, she mistakenly believes that the author is her husband’s new secretary. On the Beach at Night Alone (2017, 101 min) After a publicized affair with her director, an actress leaves South Korea and goes to Hamburg, where she gains insight into the meanings of love and identity. My First Film: Live Cinema w/ Zia Anger Anger will offer live-commentary on previously unseen work, by way of a split screen and text edit, as she attempts to recount the stories behind her lost and abandoned work–including her first feature–and her struggles in an industry often hostile to women filmmakers. Southern Documentary Fund Presents Fresh Docs: Black Genius A free, work-in-progress screening of film by Memphis native Kalimah Abioto, who explores the brilliance of Memphis’ people while also confronting gentrification. This portrait of various Memphis black leaders will be presented by the director, and will be followed by a discussion. Southern Food & Music (Dir. Les Blank + Southern Foodways Shorts) From a Labor Day barbeque in Northern Mississippi with drummer Otha Turner to farm cooking with Texas musician Mance Lipscomb, from Louisiana Cajun cuisine to an award winning pastry chef in Alabama, and even a factory farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, this collection of short films by legendary documentarian Les Blank and Ava Lowrey (Southern Foodways) explores the intersection of music and food in the South. Blues Legend Otha Turner’s Truly Southern Barbecue (Ava Lowrey, 2016, 6 min) A Well Spent Life (Les Blank, 1971, 44 min) Yum! Yum! Yum! A Taste of Cajun and Creole Cooking of Louisiana (Les Blank, 1990, 31 min) Dol (Ava Lowrey, 2018, 6 min) Chicken Real (Les Blank, 1970, 23 min) WANDA (Dir. Barbara Loden) This 1970 independent film was written and directed by actress Barbara Loden, who also plays the title role. Wanda is an abused woman who turns to a life of crime, where she finds more abuse from men. Loden stated she was inspired to write it after reading a newspaper report that a woman had thanked a judge after he sentenced her to prison. Introduced by filmmaker and actress Amy Seimetz (Showtime’s “The Girlfriend Experience”). 1970, 102 min, Drama

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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 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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  • American Black Film Festival Announces 2018 Official Selections

    [caption id="attachment_29489" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Jinn - Nijla Mu'min Jinn – Nijla Mu’min[/caption] The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) continues its 22-year legacy of providing a platform for diverse storytelling and emerging filmmakers, by announcing the 2018 official selections in all screening categories. The festival returns to Miami Beach, FL from June 13-17. From nearly 700 submissions, more than 40 films were selected for the 2018 ABFF lineup, representing a varied group of filmmakers who explore thought-provoking topics affecting people from around the world. The list also includes five alumni filmmakers and four world premieres. “ABFF attendees will experience groundbreaking works from a global selection of independent filmmakers. We are excited to showcase the films from our finalists this June in Miami Beach, Florida,” says Lamonia Deanne Brown, Director of Programming at ABFF Ventures. In 2017,the festival drew more than 8,500 attendees, generating millions of dollars in economic activity in Miami Beach and supported numerous local businesses along Lincoln Road. The 2018 American Black Film Festival Line Up (all categories):

    NARRATIVE FEATURES (In Competition)

    ANIMATOR / U.S.A. Director:Logan Hall and Julian Jones Cast: Levenix Riddle, McKenzie Chinn, Phillip Edward Van Lear, Anita Chandwaney and Geno Walker An artist gains the power to draw the future. When his girlfriend commits suicide, he learns he can erase the past, with chilling consequences. World Premiere BEFORE THE VOWS / Ghana Director:Nicole Amarteifio Cast:John Dumelo, Maame Adjei and Nathaniel Kweku Nii and Afua, a happy couple based in Ghana, devise an unconventional plan to ensure a long and happy marriage. CANAL STREET / U.S.A. Director:Rhyan LaMarr Cast:Bryshere Y. Gray, Mykelti Williamson, Mekhi Phifer, Woody McClain and Jamie Hector After a young mans is accused of murdering his classmates, his father, who is an attorney, defends him in court and struggles to hold onto his faith. World Premiere JINN / U.S.A. Director: Nijla Mu’min Cast:Zoe Renne, Simone Missick, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Hisham Tawfiq, Kelly Jenrette, Ashlei Foushee, Damien Smith and Maya Morales A shape-shifting, pepperoni-loving black teenage Instagram celebrity, exploresher identity and sexuality in the midst of her mother’s conversion to Islam. SPRINTER / Jamaica, U.S.A. Director: Storm Saulter Cast:Dale Elliott, Kadeem Wilson, Shantol Jackson and Bryshere Y. Gray A Jamaican teen hopes a meteoric RISE in TRACK AND FIELD can reunite him with his mother who has lived illegally in the U.S. for over a decade. World Premiere

    NARRATIVE SHOWCASE (Non-Competitive)

    A BOY. A GIRL. A DREAM. / U.S.A. Director: Qasim Basir Cast:Omari Hardwick, Meagan Good, Jay Ellis and Dijon Talton On the night of the 2016 presidential election, Cass, an L.A. club promoter, takes a thrilling and emotional journey with Frida, a Midwestern visitor. CHILDREN OF MUD / Nigeria Director: Imoh Umoren Cast:Liz Benson, Matilda Obaseki and Bassey Ekpenyong Children of Mudis a Nollywood story about love, hope and overcoming obstacles. THE FLEA / U.S.A. Director:Nicanson Guerrier Cast: Isaac Beverly, Sh’Kia Dennis and Kendall Mason Set in the Miami landmark, Flea Market USA, we follow assistant manager Quentin Parker on what is supposed to be his last day at the flea market. World Premiere

    HBO SHORTS

    EMERGENCY / U.S.A. Director: Carey Williams Cast:Darrell Lake, Jason Woods, Peter Pasco, Michael Segovia and Shaw Jones A group of young Black and Latino boys come home to their worst nightmare: An unconscious White girl on the floor of their apartment. Faced with this emergency, they weigh the pros and cons of calling the police. HAIR WOLF / U.S.A. Director: Mariama Diallo Cast:Kara Young, Taliah Webster, Madeline Weinstein, Trae Harris and Jermaine Crawford Set in a black hair salon in rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn, New York, the local residents fend off a strange new monster: white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture. MOTHS & BUTTERFLIES / U.S.A. Director: Alfonso Johnson Cast: Amari Cheatom and Gillian Glasco “Moths” follows Lenny, a socially awkward, schizoaffective man & Cherisse, a high-energy BOUNDLESS soul, as they try to accept themselves in this New York tale about mental illness, love, and the longing to be understood. DAYS AFTER YOUR DEPARTURE / Haiti, U.S.A. Director: Sam Sneed Cast: Joekenneth Museau After losing his mother to a years long battle with cancer, Joekenneth Museau is left to question the meaning of his own existence. SUITABLE / U.S.A. Director:Thembi L. Banks Cast: Kelli Jordan, Tiffany Tenille and Derick Anthony Brandy, a high school tom boy, comes to terms with her sexuality when she decides what she’ll wear to the prom. At its core, this film tackles issues of sexuality, gender and the realities young, black women face as they come-of-age in modern society.

    WEB SERIES

    AVANT GUARDIANS / U.S.A. Director: Clarence Williams, IV Cast:Alesia Etinoff and Zainab Johnson A woke dramedy that covers a range of social justice topics such as mass incarceration, trans/homophobia, and bullying. The Guardian Angel to the 12 year-old future 3rdBlack President, Razz, is mandated to go to therapy with an ArchAngel, Dr. Hanniel. THE YARD / U.S.A. Director:John “Dr. Teeth” Tucker Cast:Fonzworth Bentley, Montrel Miller, Shaina Farrow, DJ Baby Yu and Korey Bryant Set on the campus of Booker A&T, a fictional historically black university, The Yard, is an animated sitcom that follows the comical adventures of five freshmen. Together these flawed students are about to get their first taste of the real world and experience numerous missteps as they navigate college and life. KELOID / U.S.A. Director:Huriyyah Muhammad Cast:Reynaldo Piniella and Kenna Jackson The story revolves around know-it all teenager Keloid, who is born with super abilities he neither wants nor is able to control and his strong-willed, overprotective mother, Marielle. Together they must find a way to survive Keloid’s adolescence, while maintaining SECRETS that keep them safe, and hiding from mistakes in their past that haunt them. BROOKLYNIFICATION / U.S.A. Director: Keith Miller Cast: Karl Williams, Felecia Harrelson, Lamar Cheston and Tallie Medel Brooklynificationis an uncomfortable comedy series about gentrification in New York’s most storied borough. This diverse cast of characters takes on the good, the bad, and the awkward as transforming neighborhoods face the unexpected encounters of Brooklyn’s rapidly changing streets. I AM NOT CHARLOTTE / U.S.A. Director:Jean Pierre Chapoteau Cast: Yani Simone and Darriel Violenes Charlotte, a college student, discovers she is in love with Jake and is convinced that inviting him to dinner will seal the deal. Charlotte takes advice from a few people that she knows all too well to help her win over her crush.

    DOCUMENTARIES

    FANTASTIC: THE LEGACY OF SLUM VILLAGE / U.S.A. Directors: Moe Lynch Cast: T3, Baatin, J Dilla, Q-tip, Common, Sway and Elzhi Fantastic tells the story of how three young men from the east side of Detroit formed one of the most underrated groups in hip hop history. From hustle to success through tragedy and breakups, the legacy of Slum Village lives on. World Premiere NOT IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD / South Africa, Brazil, U.S.A. Director:Kurt Orderson Cast:Real life citizens Not in my Neigbourhoodgives the account of citizens on the FRONTLINE of the struggle against the intersectional nature of Gentrification from three seemingly World Class Cities: Cape Town, S?o Paulo, and New York. It follows their daily struggles, trials and triumphant moments, as they try to shape the cities they live in, from the bottom up. MAYNARD / U.S.A. Director: Sam Pollard Cast:President Bill Clinton, Ambassador Andrew Young, Rev. Al Sharpton, Mayor Kasim Reed, Mayor Shirley Franklin, Mayor Bill Campbell, Mayor Sam Massel, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Joseph Lowery He was Obama before Obama, Maynard Holbrook Jackson became first black Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia in 1973 and this film is an exploration into a man who had dreams and ambitions to be a public servant for his people seeing that it was the next logical step in THE JOURNEY that had been started by Dr. King and so many others who had blazed the trail during the years of horrific segregation.

    EMERGING DIRECTORS – Section #1

    UP NORTH / U.S.A. Directors:Emil Pinnock, Damaine Radcliff Cast:Eugene Clark, Ian Duff, Gabriel Ellis, Kris Lofton, Emil Pinnock, Damaine Radcliff When it comes to the prison system, it’s just as hard getting out as going in. Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, predators and prey FIGHT TO SURVIVE on the streets of Harlem and in the prisons of New York. Up North, an Independent Original Series for TV, explores systems of incarceration, and systems of marginalization in modern day America. SEARCHING FOR ISABELLE / U.S.A. Director: Stephanie Jeter Cast: Charlee Marie Cotton, Stephanie Stockstill, Aida Delaz, Gage Wallace, Joshua J. Volkers While being held captive, Isabelle discovers a mysterious ability to project herself to the outside world. When she appears to her friends in a desperate appeal for help, they work together to try and find her – but time is running out. LALO’S HOUSE / Haiti, U.S.A. Director: Kelley Kali Cast:Garcelle Beauvais, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Jasmin Jean-Louis, Kyra Rose Inspired by true events, two young sisters must escape a child sex trafficking ring disguised as a Catholic orphanage after being taken from their home in Haiti. MOTHERS / U.S.A. Director:Aurora Ferlin Cast:Mickaëlle X. Bizet, Marta Cross, Mark Anthony Williams, Victor Rodriguez, Keena Ferguson When the teenage son of Denise Matthews is murdered, she struggles not to surrender to her grief. Despite her husbands’ concerns, Denise is determined to confront the accused killer in court. The morning of the arraignment she finds support in a chance encounter with an unlikely stranger. World Premiere

    EMERGING DIRECTORS – Section #2

    PAS HONTEUX / U.S.A. Director:John D. Tucker Cast:Travis LaBranch, Leon Lamar, Javicia Leslie, LaToya Edwards The story of a young African American slacker that wakes up one day speaking French. The film brings to light the fact that we not only judge people by their looks but also by the way they speak. So, what if a young urban African American suddenly speaks French? World Premiere FRENCH FRIES / U.S.A. Director:Janine Sherman Barrois Cast: Rebecca Naomi Jones, Carl McDowellMAYNARD A young, hip African-American foodie couple fights to resolvecommunication problems in a modern marriage of six years, four months and three and a half days. Sydney comes home to find that her husband, Jason, having an impromptuguys’ night. She winds up escaping to a hotel to work in silence, though that is not how the night unfolds. World Premiere TRAPEZE /U.S.A. Director:Mark Anthony Green Cast:Rance Nix, Otmara Marrero, Kitty Cash, Sinead Bovell, David Deblinger Oren got the email of his dreams-an invitation to a meeting his company’s CEO. That is if he can actually make it to the meeting. As he navigates through New York City’s decrepit public transportation, women who are out of his league, and a right-winged pedi-cab driver, he’s faced with an even bigger obstacle: political correctness. World Premiere JITTERS / U.S.A. Director: Otoja Abit Cast: Otoja Abit, Jason Patric, Walker Hare Minutes before nuptials, a neurotic young man locks himself away in the back room of a church with the best man he knows.

    EMERGING DIRECTORS – Section #3

    A CRAFTSMAN / U.S.A. Director:Sanford Jenkins Jr. Cast: Marvin Gay, Shirley Jordan, Leonard R. Garner Jr. Overcome with grief, as his late wife’s presence permeates the space they once share, a rural woodworker builds a coffin to be his final resting place. Until a neighbor visits. A FATHER’S LOVE / U.S.A. Director:RonReaco Lee Cast:Terayle Hill, Adriyan Rae, Tichina Arnold, E Roger Mitchell On the toughest day of his life, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL stand-out Andrew is dealing with what teenagers go through and he has a difficult choice to make in regard to his girlfriend and her being pregnant. World Premiere BODEGA! / U.S.A. Directors: Donna Augustin-Quinn & Talibah L. Newman Cast:Aleksandr Krasnopolskiy, Anna Orlova, Eric Jennings, Hadiyah Robinson, Asha Winter, Eden Marryshow, Layla Silvestre, Sawandi Wilson, William Perry In a community facing rapid gentrification, Bodega takes an intimate, yet comedic and dramatic, look at what can happen when people are made to feel like strangers in a city they helped build. When a middle class family moves into Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, an elder in THE FAMILY says something inappropriate, causing the local African American community to take extreme measures in order to receive an apology. FEVAH / U.S.A. Director:Randall Dottin Cast:Russell Hornsby, LaRoyce Hawkins, and Melissa Jackson Indira holds onto her heartbreak like a lost treasure. It’s hers and no one is going to tell her what to do with it. Her one-and-only love disappeared 18 months ago leaving her alone to take care of their son. Finally back on her feet with a new place and a new man, she’s ready for the next chapter when her child’s father shows up-making her question the very nature of the treasure she’s been holding onto for so long. PROTOTYPE / U.S.A. Director:Christopher Ortega Cast:Adrian Snow, Milena Phillips, Preston Butler, III, Kali Raquel An Afrofuturist, sci-fi film about a mother and daughter living in isolation on a remote Science compound who work to quickly patent the most human-like artificial intelligence on Earth. As prototype after prototype fail, Sol, who conducts empathy tests on her mother’s android creations, is pressured by her mom, Annette, to deliver a passing test or continue to be confined to the limits of the property. World Premiere WHERE THE WATER RUNS / U.S.A. Director: DuBois Ashong Cast: Darryl Dunning II, Bria Wade, Kyra Locke, Joseph Callari Set during the worst drought in LA history a water transporter uncovers a plot to privatize South Central’s dwindling water supply.

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  • Seattle International Film Festival Announces 2018 Lineup of Over 400 Films

    [caption id="attachment_28016" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot[/caption] This year’s 44th edition of the Seattle International Film Festival revealed today the complete lineup of 433 films, plus guests and events for the 25-day Festival that runs May 17 to June 10, 2018.   Opening night kicks off Thursday, May 17 with The Bookshop from acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet (Learning to Drive, Elegy), distributed by Greenwich Entertainment. The film is set in a seaside village in England where a grieving widow (Emily Mortimer) pursues her lifelong dream of opening a bookshop. She introduces the townsfolk to the world’s best literature and stirs a cultural awakening, but her efforts are ruthlessly opposed by a powerful local (Patricia Clarkson) causing a reclusive resident (Bill Nighy) to join the fight to keep the bookshop open. The film is based on the bestselling novel by Penelope Fitzgerald. The annual Centerpiece Gala, Sorry to Bother You, pulls no punches in its portrayal of racial dynamics in the workplace. This new film ushers in an utterly original and wildly creative new voice on the film scene from debut director and musician Boots Riley. Director Boots Riley is scheduled to attend the Seattle premiere to take place Saturday, June 2, at 5:30 PM, at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian. The Seattle premiere of Ethan Hawke’s Blaze will also screen at the historic SIFF Cinema Egyptian as SIFF honors Mr. Hawke’s work with the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema. In addition to the award presentation and screening, the acclaimed actor is slated for an on-stage interview at the Friday, June 8 event. Also scheduled is An Afternoon with Melanie Lynskey, where the Festival pays tribute to this celebrated actress. The iconic scene-stealing actress makes her way to SIFF on Sunday, May 27 for the Seattle premiere of Northwest Filmmaker Megan Griffiths’ film Sadie with an onstage discussion following the film. Seattle favorite, Gus Van Sant’s Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, closes SIFF 2018 with a bang! Starring Joaquin Phoenix in a transformative performance as Portland cartoonist John Callahan who, after a car accident leaves him disabled, uses his sardonic humor and brutal honesty to battle with a lifetime of addiction. “Sifting through over 4,000 film submissions each year, finding just 240 features is somewhat of a treasure hunt,” said SIFF Artistic Director Beth Barrett. “We’re looking for dynamic, diverse stories. This year, we’re overjoyed to share that over 43-percent of the feature films are female directed. We’re thrilled to jump into the 44th Festival and share these voices from around the globe with over 150,000 film enthusiasts in Seattle over the course of 25 days.”

    GALAS

    Opening Night Gala The Bookshop Spanish director Isabel Coixet heads to the English coast circa 1959, where a headstrong widow (Emily Mortimer) opens a bookstore in a sleepy village and encounters both pride and prejudice from the provincial locals. Winner of Best Film, Director, and Screenplay at Spain’s Goya Awards. (d: Isabel Coixet c: Emily Mortimer, Bill Nighy, Patricia Clarkson, Julie Christie, Hunter Tremayne, United Kingdom 2017, 110 min) Centerpiece Gala Sorry to Bother You Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, and Armie Hammer star in the exhilarating directorial debut of musician Boots Riley, a biting and bonkers satire that follows a black telemarketer who discovers an unknown skill which gives him magical selling powers that shoot him up the corporate ladder. (d: Boots Riley c: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Steven Yeun, Jermaine Fowler, Armie Hammer, Omari Hardwick, David Cross, Danny Glover, USA 2018, 112 min) Closing Night Gala Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot Joaquin Phoenix gives a transformative performance in Gus Van Sant’s sensitive and caustically funny portrait of Portland cartoonist John Callahan who, after a car accident leaves him disabled, uses his sardonic humor and brutal honesty to battle with a lifetime of addiction. The outstanding supporting cast includes Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black, and musician Beth Ditto in her impressive film debut. (d: Gus Van Sant c: Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, Jack Black, Beth Ditto, USA 2018, 113 min)

    SPECIAL GUESTS

    AN AFTERNOON WITH Melanie Lynskey FILM: Sadie Since making her debut at age 16 opposite a young Kate Winslet in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures, the New Zealand-born Melanie Lynskey has become one of American cinema’s most reliable character actors. From Ever After: A Cinderella Story to Shattered Glass, The Informant! to The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Hello I Must Be Going to I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, and TV work ranging from HBO’s “Togetherness” and “Animals” and Cartoon Network’s “Over the Garden Wall” to 12 years on CBS’ “Two and a Half Men,” her passionate dedication to her craft has created a class of charismatic characters defined by their grace, sensitivity, quirkiness, and kindness. This afternoon, SIFF will welcome her to the stage for an interview featuring film clips from her career, followed by a screening of one of Lynskey’s latest films, Sadie, directed by Seattle-based Megan Griffiths (The Night Stalker, Lucky Them, Eden), with music by Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready. There will also be an opportunity for audience questions following the screening.

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMA

    A Tribute to Ethan Hawke FILM: Blaze A modern day renaissance artist, Ethan Hawke’s creative talent continues to flourish in several realms of expression. An actor, screenwriter, novelist, and filmmaker, his body of work is broad as it is deep in a career that now spans three decades. From portraying a rock-steady police sergeant and cowboy, to a sensitive teenage poet and young heartthrob, his versatility as an actor is renowned, cementing him as one of the great performers of this generation. SIFF will present Ethan Hawke with the Seattle International Film Festival Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema. A Q&A with Hawke will follow the screening of his new film, Blaze. Past honorees of the SIFF Outstanding Achievement Awards include Anjelica Huston, Laura Dern, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Viggo Mortensen, Kyle MacLachlan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Kevin Bacon, Edward Norton, Sissy Spacek, Joan Allen, Spike Lee, among others.

    FILMS WITH PARTIES

    Saturday Film and Party The Cake General, North American Premiere SATURDAY, MAY 19, 5:30 PM – Party to follow screening FILM: MAJESTIC BAY PARTY: NORDIC MUSEUM Based on a true story, the directorial debut of popular Swedish personalities Filip and Fredrik is an outrageous, unconventional comedy set in the 1980s about an eccentric resident of “the most boring town in Sweden” who decides to put his sleepy hamlet on the map by assembling the world’s longest layer cake. (d: Filip Hammar, Fredrik Wikingsson c: Mikael Perssbrandt, Helena Bergström, Agnes Lindström Bolmgren, Tomas von Brömssen, Sweden 2018, 101 min) Saturday Film and Party Won’t You Be My Neighbor? SATURDAY, MAY 26, 6:00 PM – Party to follow screening FILM: SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN PARTY: THE HOUSE STUDIOS Oscar®-winning director Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom) presents the heartwarming life of Fred Rogers, whose cherished PBS series, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” used cardigans, puppets, and the Land of Make-Believe to imaginatively and compassionately inspire children, while not shying away from complicated issues. (d: Morgan Neville f: Fred Rogers, USA 2018, 93 min) Kirkland Opening Night The Drummer and the Keeper THURSDAY, MAY 31, 8:00 PM – Party to precede screening PARTY AND FILM: KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER When a drummer for an up-and-coming Dublin rock band is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, he is forced to join a weekend mixed-ability soccer team and makes fast friends with a 17-year-old with Asperger’s Syndrome in this poignant and charming bro-com between two odd and lonely souls. (d: Nick Kelly c: Dermot Murphy, Jacob McCarthy, Peter Coonan, Ireland/USA 2017, 93 min)

    SPECIAL PRESENTATION

    L’INFERNO WITH LIVE SCORE BY MY GOODNESS Thursday, May 31 | 7:00 PM | The Triple Door Seattle rock band My Goodness bring their expansive blues-inspired sound to The Triple Door for a live accompaniment to the 1911 Italian silent film, a macabre tour de force inspired by Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” featuring ground-breaking special effects and a cast of thousands.

    SPOTLIGHT PRESENTATIONS

    HIGHLANDER WITH LIVE SOUNDTRACK BY DJ NICFIT Wednesday, May 23 | 6:30 PM | SIFF Cinema Egyptian When originally released in 1986, this franchise-inspiring fantasy adventure about an immortal Scottish swordsman featured a handful of new songs from rock icons Queen. Now, Seattle’s own DJ NicFit reimagines the cult classic with a decades-spanning all-Queen playlist performed live on two turntables. FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL: CHERISHED GEMS Wednesday, June 6 | 9:15 PM | SIFF Cinema Egyptian Ranging from industrial training videos to forsaken home movies, comedians Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher’s vast VHS library features the world’s largest collection of strange, outrageous, and profoundly stupid videos, the best (and worst) of which they have carefully curated and present along with live comedy commentary. EIGHTH GRADE Saturday June, 9, 6:30 PM | SIFF Cinema Egyptian Sunday, June 10, 12:30 PM | SIFF Cinema Uptown Newcomer Elsie Fisher, in a star-making performance, perfectly captures the everyday humiliations and triumphs of a modern-day thirteen-year-old making her way through the last week of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year in the auspicious filmmaking debut of comedian Bo Burnham.

    COMPETITIONS

    Official Competition

    The Devil’s Doorway (d: Aislinn Clarke, United Kingdom 2018, World Premiere) Garbage (d: Q (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) 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) Team Hurricane (d. Annika Berg, Denmark 2017)

    New Directors Competition

    After the War (d: Annarita Zambrano, France/Italy/Belgium/Switzerland 2017) Amateurs (d: Gabriela Pichler, Sweden 2018) The Blessed (d: Sofia Djama, France/Belgium 2017) The Charmer (d: Milad Alami, Denmark/Sweden 2017) Dead Pigs (d: Cathy Yan, China/USA 2018) Retablo (d: Alvaro Delgado-Aparicio L., Peru/Germany/Norway 2018, North American Premiere) Sashinka (d: Kristina Wagenbauer, Canada (Québec) 2017, US Premiere) Scary Mother (d: Ana Urushadze, Georgia/Estonia 2017) Shuttle Life (d: Tan Seng Kiat, Malaysia 2017, US Premiere) Supa Modo (d: Likarion Wainaina, Kenya/Germany 2018)

    Ibero-American Competition

    Champions (d: Javier Fesser, Spain 2018, North American Premiere) Giant (d: Jon GaranÞo, Aitor Arregi, Spain 2017) Gold Seekers (d: Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbori, Paraguay 2017) Killing Jesus (d: Laura Mora Ortega, Colombia/Argentina 2017) Lots of Kids, A Monkey and a Castle (d: Gustavo Salmerón, Spain 2017) Marilyn (d: Martiìn Rodriguez, Argentina/Chile 2018, North American Premiere) Rush Hour (d: Luciana Kaplan, Mexico 2017) Rust (d: Aly Muritiba, Brazil 2018) Virus Tropical (d: Santiago Caicedo, Colombia/Ecuador 2017)

    New American Cinema Competition

    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/Canada 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)

    Documentary Competition

    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, Sri Lanka/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) Unarmed Verses (d: Charles Officer, Canada 2017, US Premiere) Warrior Women (d: Elizabeth A. Castle, Christina D. King, USA 2018, US Premiere)

    AFRICAN PICTURES

    The African Storm (d: Sylvestre Amoussou, Benin/France 2017) The Blessed (d: Sofia Djama, France/Belgium 2017) Cook Off (d: Tomas L. Brickhill, Zimbabwe 2017, North American Premiere) Ellen (d: Daryne Joshua, South Africa 2017, North American Premiere) I Am Not a Witch (d: Rungano Nyoni, Zambia/France/United Kingdom 2017) Looking for Oum Kulthum (d: Shirin Neshat, Germany/Austria/Italy/Lebanon/Qatar 2017) Maki’la (d: Machérie Ekwa Bahango, Democratic Republic of Congo/France 2018, North American Premiere) Razzia (d: Nabil Ayouch, France/Morocco/Belgium 2017) Silas (d: Hawa Essuman, Anjali Nayar, Canada/South Africa/Kenya 2017) Supa Modo (d: Likarion Wainaina, Kenya/Germany 2018)

    CHINA STARS

    Awards will be presented to: Best New Talent Award: Mingming Yang for Girls Always Happy Best First Film Award: Dead Pigs by Cathy Yan Best Film Award: The Taste of Betel Nut – Angels Wear White (d: Vivian Qu, China/France 2017) Dead Pigs (d: Cathy Yan, China/USA 2018) Girls Always Happy (d: Mingming Yang, China 2018, North American Premiere) Love Education (d: Sylvia Chang, Mainland China/Taiwan 2017) People’s Republic of Desire (d: Hao Wu, China 2018) The Silk and the Flame (d: Jordan Schiele, USA/China 2018, US Premiere) Susu (d: Yixi Sun, China/United Kingdom 2017, US Premiere) The Taste of Betel Nut (d: Jia Hu, Mainland China/Hong Kong 2017, North American Premiere) The Widowed Witch (d: Chenglie Cai, China 2018, North American Premiere) Wrath of Silence (d: Yukun Xin, China 2017, North American Premiere)

    CULINARY CINEMA

    Brewmaster (d: Douglas Tirola, USA/Czech Republic 2018) Constructing Albert (d: Laura Collado, Jim Loomis, Spain 2017) Cuban Food Stories (d: Asori Soto, Cuba/USA 2018) Michelin Stars: Tales from the Kitchen (d: Rasmus Dinesen, Denmark 2017) Schumann’s Bar Talks (d: Marieke Schroeder, Germany 2017) Scotch – A Golden Dream (d: Andrew Peat, Taiwan 2017) Soufra (d: Thomas Morgan, USA 2017)

    FACE THE MUSIC

    Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story (d: Steve Sullivan, United Kingdom 2018) Blaze (d: Ethan Hawke, USA 2018) Industrial Accident – The Story of Wax Trax! Records (d: Julia Nash, USA/Belgium/Canada/Germany 2018) Looking for Oum Kulthum (d: Shirin Neshat, Germany/Austria/Italy/Lebanon/Qatar 2017) Making the Grade (d: Ken Wardrop, Ireland 2017) MATANGI / Maya / M.I.A (d: Stephen Loveridge, Sri Lanka/United Kingdom/USA 2018) Nico, 1988 (d: Susanna Nicchiarelli, Italy/USA 2017) Rubén Blades Is Not My Name ( d: Abner Benaim, Panama/Argentina/Colombia 2018) Ryuichi Sakamoto:Coda (d: Stephen Nomura, Japan/USA 2017)

    NORTHWEST CONNECTIONS

    Afghan Cycles (d: Sarah Menzies, USA/France/Afghanistan 2018, US Premiere) Automata (d: Van Alan, USA 2017) The Faces of Zandra Rhodes (d: David Wiesehan, USA 2018, World Premiere) The Most Dangerous Year (d: Vlada Knowlton, USA 2018, World Premiere) Prospect (d: Zeek Earl, Chris Caldwell, USA/Canada 2018) Return to Mount Kennedy (d: Eric Becker, USA 2018) Sadie (d: Megan Griffiths, USA 2018)

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  • SXSW 2018: “Thunder Road” and “People’s Republic of Desire” Win Top Jury Awards

    [caption id="attachment_27557" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Thunder Road - Jim Cummings Thunder Road – Jim Cummings[/caption] The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival last night announced the 2018 Jury and Special Award winners of the SXSW Film Festival Awards at the awards ceremony hosted by actor and comedian Jim Gaffigan.  Thunder Road directed by Jim Cummings won the award for Best Narrative  Feature Film, and People’s Republic of Desire directed by Hao Wu won the award for Best Documentary Feature Film. SXSW continues showing films through Saturday, March 17.

    2018 SXSW Film Festival Awards:

    Feature Film Grand Jury Awards

    NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION Winner: Thunder Road Director: Jim Cummings Special Jury Recognition For First Feature: The New Romantic Director: Carly Stone Special Jury Recognition for Writing: Jinn Director/Screenwriter: Niljla Mu’min DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION Winner: People’s Republic of Desire Directors: Hao Wu Special Jury Recognition for Best Cast: This One’s For The Ladies Director: Gene Graham Special Jury Recognition for Best Feminist Reconsideration of a Male Artist: Garry Winogrand: All Things are Photographable Director: Sasha Waters Freyer

    Short Film Grand Jury Awards

    NARRATIVE SHORTS Winner: Emergency Director: Carey Williams Special Jury Recognition for Acting: Actor: Shirley Chen from Krista DOCUMENTARY SHORTS Winner: My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes Director: Charlie Tyrell MIDNIGHT SHORTS Winner: Milk Director: Santiago Menghini ANIMATED SHORTS Winner: Agua Viva Directors: Alexa Lim Haas Special Jury Recognition: JEOM Director: Kangmin Kim MUSIC VIDEOS Winner: “Second Hand Lovers” – Oren Laviev Director: Oren Lavie Special Jury Recognition for Acting: “Territory” – The Blaze Director: The Blaze TEXAS SHORTS Winner: An Uncertain Future Director: Iliana Sosa & Chelsea Hernandez TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS Winner: The Night I Lost My Favorite Jacket Director: Jenna Krumerman Special Jury Recognition: CCISD Strong Director: Sofia Rasmussen INDEPENDENT EPISODICS Winner: Beast Director: Ben Strang Special Jury Recognition: She’s the Ticket Director: Nadia Hallgren

    SXSW Film Design Awards

    EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN Winner: The Gospel of Eureka Designer: Matt Taylor Special Jury Recognition: A Little Wisdom Designer: Adam Zhu EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN Winner: Counterpart Director: Karin Fong Special Jury Recognition: Godless Director: John Likens

    SXSW Special Awards

    SXSW LUNA® Gamechanger Award – Narrative Winner: First Match Director: Olivia Newman Special Jury Recognition: Unlovable Director: Suzi Yoonessi SXSW LUNA® Chicken & Egg Award – Documentary Winner: On Her Shoulders Director: Alexandria Bombach Special Jury Recognition: ¡Las Sandinistas! Director: Jenny Murray SXSW Louis Black “Lone Star” Award To honor SXSW co-founder/director Louis Black, a jury prize was created in 2011 called the Louis Black “Lone Star” Award, to be awarded to a Texas film in content, filmmaker residency, or primary shooting location. (Opt-in Award) Louis Black “Lone Star” Award Winner: Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Director: Dana Adam Shapiro SXSW Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award In honor of a filmmaker whose work strives to be wholly its own, without regard for norms or desire to conform. The Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award is presented to a filmmaker from our Visions screening category. SXSW Adam Yauch Hörnblowér Award Presented to: Prospect directed by Zeek Earl & Chris Caldwell Vimeo Staff Picks Award In celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the Staff Picks channel, Vimeo Staff Pick Award here at SXSW. Films featured in the Narrative, Documentary, Animation, and Texas Shorts competitions are eligible for this award, which includes a $5,000 cash prize and, of course, a Vimeo Staff Pick. The Winning film will be released on Vimeo on Wednesday, March 14. Vimeo Staff Picks Award Presented to: Krista directed by Danny Madden SXSW Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship Presentation The Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship is a year-long experience that encourages and champions the talent of an emerging documentary editor. Awarded annually, the fellowship was created to honor the memory of gifted editor Karen Schmeer. Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship Presented to: Kristin Bye for X

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  • SXSW Film Festival Announces 2018 Features Film Lineup, Opens with John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place”

    A Quiet Place by John Krasinski
    A Quiet Place (Credit: Paramount Pictures © 2017 Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved.)

    The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals announced the features lineup and opening night film for the 25th edition of the Film Festival, running March 9 to 18, 2018 in Austin, Texas. During the nine days of SXSW 132 features will be shown.

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  • 8 Indie Filmmaking Team Win Spring 2017 SFFILM / Rainin Filmmaking Grants

    San Francisco Film Society Eight filmmaking teams will receive a total of $300,000 in funding in the latest round of SFFILM / Rainin Filmmaking Grants to help with the next stage of their creative process, from screenwriting to postproduction. SFFILM / Rainin Filmmaking Grants are awarded twice annually to filmmakers whose narrative feature films will have significant economic or professional impact on the Bay Area filmmaking community and meaningfully explore pressing social issues. More than $4 million has been awarded since the launch of this grant program in 2009, making the SFFILM, in partnership with the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, the largest grant-maker for independent narrative films in the United States. The SFFILM / Rainin Filmmaking Grant program has funded more than 50 projects since its inception, including Geremy Jasper’s Sundance breakthrough Patti Cake$, which is on its way to a July theatrical release; Alex and Andrew Smith’s Walking Out starring Matt Bomer and Josh Wiggins, which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival; Chloé Zhao’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which screened at Sundance and Cannes in 2015 and has created buzz across the international festival circuit; Short Term 12, Destin Cretton’s sophomore feature which won both the Narrative Grand Jury Award and Audience Award at South by Southwest 2013; Ryan Coogler’s debut feature Fruitvale Station, which won the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, the Un Certain Regard Avenir Prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the narrative category at Sundance 2013; and Ben Zeitlin’s debut phenomenon Beasts of the Southern Wild, which won Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize and Cannes’ Camera d’Or in 2012 and earned four Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture). The jury noted in a statement: “This group of finalists was exceptionally strong, and we are thrilled to support these eight bold and deeply human films, which collectively represent such a wide range of tones, styles, voices, and artistic visions. These filmmakers showcase the ever-growing talent coming out of San Francisco, and their work will contribute to the growing strength, diversity, and richness of the Bay Area filmmaking community.”

    SPRING 2017 SFFILM / RAININ FILMMAKING GRANT WINNERS

    The Continental Aron Kantor, writer/director; K.M. Soehnlein, cowriter – screenwriting – $25,000 A young, gay Latino immigrant working at New York’s legendary Continental Baths gets swept up in the burgeoning gay rights movement and the early disco scene while navigating an affair with his married boss. Jinn Nijla Mu’min, writer/director; Avril Speaks, producer – post-production – $50,000 Summer is a carefree, Black teenage Instagram celebrity whose world is turned upside down when her mother abruptly converts to Islam and becomes a different person. At first resistant to the faith, she begins to reevaluate her identity after becoming attracted to a Muslim classmate, crossing the thin line between physical desire and piety. Josephine Beth de Araújo, writer/director – screenwriting – $25,000 An obedient eight-year-old girl unintentionally witnesses a rape in Golden Gate Park. Unraveling with fear and paranoia, her subsequent violent outbursts put her family and classmates in jeopardy. Music Moves Us Cyrus Tabar, writer/director – screenwriting – $25,000 In a near future where music is outlawed in an authoritarian state, a passionate woman and her friends throw illegal techno dance parties in Oakland, California, and broadcast on a bootleg pirate radio station to bring people together. Refuge Mohammad Gorjestani, writer/director; Malcolm Pullinger, producer – screenwriting – $25,000 Set in 2025, Refuge depicts a brewing cyberwar between the US and Iran which puts Sonia, a young Iranian refugee and activist, at risk of deportation or internment. Her only escape may come at a greater price than she’s willing to pay. A Rooster on the Fire Escape Guetty Felin, writer/director/producer; Danielle Dreis, producer – packaging – $25,000 Upon coming to America, the Celestin family was hopping to leave behind the traumas of the brutal dictatorship of their tropical native land, but the sacrifices they made for their freedom create a dark spiral from which they might not recover. Sorry to Bother You Boots Riley, writer/director; Jonathan Duffy, George Rush and Kelly Williams, producers – production – $75,000 Sorry To Bother You tells the story of Cassius Green, a Black telemarketer who discovers a magical key to telemarketing success, propelling him into a macabre universe where he is selected to lead a species of genetically manipulated horse-people. We the Animals Jeremiah Zagar, writer/director; Jeremy Yaches and Christina King, producers – post-production – $50,000 Based on the bestselling novel by Justin Torres, We the Animals explores the beautiful and savage nature of family and the viscerally charged landscape of youth through the eyes of Jonah, the youngest son of a mixed-race, working-class couple, as he discovers his artistic identity.

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