The Florida Project[/caption]
The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), celebrating its 14th edition this year, kicks off today Sunday, December 10th with Sean Baker’s drama “The Florida Project” starring Willem Dafoe. BIFF 2017 will run through Sunday, December 17th.
For the sixth consecutive year, BIFF will be headed to Harbour Island on December 10-13 and concluding in Nassau from December 14-17, showcasing more than 82 films from 28 different countries including twelve world premiere, 4 international premieres, 57 Caribbean premieres, and all are Bahamian premieres.
The four competition categories at BIFF are Spirit of Freedom: Narrative; Spirit of Freedom: Documentary; New Visions; and Short Film. Additional categories out of competition are World Cinema; Special Screenings; Environmental and Oceans Spotlight and non-Jury Short Films.
Lane 1974
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Bahamas International Film Festival Opens Today with Sean Baker’s THE FLORIDA PROJECT
[caption id="attachment_24746" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Florida Project[/caption]
The Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), celebrating its 14th edition this year, kicks off today Sunday, December 10th with Sean Baker’s drama “The Florida Project” starring Willem Dafoe. BIFF 2017 will run through Sunday, December 17th.
For the sixth consecutive year, BIFF will be headed to Harbour Island on December 10-13 and concluding in Nassau from December 14-17, showcasing more than 82 films from 28 different countries including twelve world premiere, 4 international premieres, 57 Caribbean premieres, and all are Bahamian premieres.
The four competition categories at BIFF are Spirit of Freedom: Narrative; Spirit of Freedom: Documentary; New Visions; and Short Film. Additional categories out of competition are World Cinema; Special Screenings; Environmental and Oceans Spotlight and non-Jury Short Films.
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44th Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival Reveals Lineup, PRICED OUT, LANE 1974, PROOF OF LOYALTY, and More..
This year’s 44th Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival (NWFest44), which takes place November 1 to 5, 2017, will present sixteen features and twenty short form works in the film lineup.
Festival film highlights include Portland-based filmmaker Cornelius Swart’s PRICED OUT, a feature-length documentary exploration of the housing crisis in Portland and its disproportion impact on the African-American community; Lucy Ostrander and Don Sellers’ documentary PROOF OF LOYALTY, which relays the story of Kazuo Yamane, a Japanese Nisei, born in Hawaii to Japanese-born immigrants, who, despite suffering prejudice and discrimination after Pearl Harbor, joined up to fight and valiantly serve the US in World War II ; Julie Perini’s THE GENTLEMAN BANK ROBBER: THE STORY OF BUTCH LESBIAN FREEDOM FIGHTER rita bo brown, a portrait of a white, working-class butch from rural Oregon who joined the George Jackson Brigade, a revolutionary prison abolitionist group operating in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s, and became known as “The Gentleman Bank Robber”; POW WOW, Robinson Devor’s (ZOO, POLICE BEAT) documentary examining an annual country club party that takes place on former Native American land in the Coachella Valley; director SJ Chiro’s coming-of-age adventure LANE 1974, following life on a commune in Northern California, as witnessed through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl; and Matt McCormick’s BUZZ ONE FOUR, which tells the tale of the director’s grandfather and his involvement in a Cold-War era crash of an aircraft with a thermonuclear payload on board.
In addition to features, the Festival offers up three programs of short films. Shorts I: This is Here and Shorts II: Alliances, comprised of films from makers from across the Pacific Northwest, including festival alums Salise Hughes, Jodi Darby, Vanessa Renwick, Jon Behrens, and others, are joined by Ethnographic Visions: An Extended Shorts Program, which highlights longer, short films by Emily Wahl, Pam Minty, and Lynne Siefert.
Beyond the numerous screenings on offer, the Northwest Filmmakers’ Festival also provides opportunities for aspiring and working filmmakers to interact directly with peers and industry professionals through events at the Northwest Filmmakers’ Summit on November 4. A day of guest speakers, panels, and tech demos, the Summit’s aim is to provide information and discussion of issues and trends in independent filmmaking with a focus on regional opportunities and resources. Subjects explored include a presentation on “The Future of Lighting” by Aputure’s Mark Mathers, a panel discussion on cameras and lenses for professional production use, and a roundtable talk on best practices for sound design, working with composers with post-production in mind.
The Summit will also host a VR presentation by Digital One and a special live filmmaking event entitled Moving Picture Oregon in which five groups of filmmakers shoot a roll of Super 8 film based on an artwork in the Portland Art Museum’s Picturing Oregon exhibit. Later that night, the band Party Killer will perform a live soundtrack to the Super 8 films shot at the Moving Picture Oregon event in the Whitsell Auditorium for an event dubbed Party Killer Vs. Kodak.
This year’s Summit also includes a panel highlighting six Trailblazing Women of Independent Animation in the Northwest. Featuring Joanna Priestley, Rose Bond, Joan Gratz, Ruth Hayes, Marilyn Zornado, and Gail Noonan, the panel directly connects to a NWFest44 showing of the participants work, which in turn serves as a preview for a series of Northwest Tracking screenings focusing on each individual participant in November and December.
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2017 Downtown LA Film Festival Awards – A THOUSAND JUNKIES Wins Best Film
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A Thousand Junkies[/caption]
A Thousand Junkies, Tommy Swerdlow’s bittersweet dark comedy about a day in the life of three Los Angeles addicts — won this year’s top prize, Best Picture at the 2017 DTLA Film Festival.
Best Director for documentary feature was awarded to Miranda Bailey for The Pathological Optimist about the controversial vaccine researcher Dr. Andrew Wakefield. Adam Cushman was awarded Best Director for Restraint, his narrative feature about the dark side of suburbia.
The Best Documentary feature award was given to The Work, a powerful and poignant look at a new therapy changing the lives of convicts at Folsom Prison. The film, directed by Jairus Mcleary, will be released theatrically by The Orchard.
Top acting awards went to Sophia Mitria Schloss for Lane 1974 and Charlie Tahan for Super Dark Times.
Other top prizes announced this evening were Best Screenplay for Zach’s Brown contemporary drama Hard Surfaces, Best Short Film for Reed Van Dyk’s Dekalb Elementary, Best Editing to Carl Ambrose and Francisco Bello for their work on the psychological thriller Most Beautiful Island, and Best Cinematography to Luis Montalvo and Carlos Rossini for the atmospheric documentary The Cloud Forest.
The following special prizes were also announced: Jury Prize for Creative Vision to Art Jones for his drama Forbidden Cuba; Female Pioneer Award to Iranian director Shiva Sanjari for her documentary biopic Here The Seats Are Vacant, and actor Leo Ramsey for his Breakthrough Performance in the contemporary coming-of-age story Blue Line Station.
The festival’s Audience Favorite Award was a tie, given to both Dare To Be Different, director Ellen Goldfarb’s nostalgic look back at influential Eighties radio station WLIR, and The Dating Project, Jonathan Cipiti’s exploration of courtship in the digital age.
2017 DTLA Film Festival Awards
FEATURES
Best Picture: A Thousand Junkies, directed by Tommy Swerdlow Best Actress in a Leading Role: Sophia Mitri Schloss | Lane 1974 Best Actor in a Leading Role: Charlie Tahan | Super Dark Times Best Screenplay: Zach Brown | Hard Surfaces Best Ensemble Cast: Dog Park, directed by Jade Jenise Dixon Best Documentary: The Work, directed by Jairus McLeary Best Director – Documentary Feature: Miranda Bailey | The Pathological Optimist Best Director – Narrative Feature: Adam Cushman | Restraint Best Cinematography: Luis Montalvo and Carlos Rossini | The Cloud Forest Best Foreign Film (TIE): Zoe Panoramas, directed by Rodrigo Guardiola and Gabriel Cruz Rivas Female Pioneer Award Here the Seats Are Vacant, directed by Shiva Sanjari Breakthrough Performance: Leo Ramsey | Blue Line Station Jury Prize for Creative Vision – Feature: Forbidden Cuba directed by Art Jones Audience Favorite Award (TIE): Dare To Be Different, directed by Ellen Goldfarb The Dating Project, directed by Jonathan Cipiti Best Film Editing: Carl Ambrose and Francisco Bello | Most Beautiful Island Best Score: Ben Frost | Super Dark Times Best Actors in Supporting Role: Blake Heron | A Thousand Junkies Matthew Brumlow | Blur Circle Michael Ferrell | Laura Gets A Cat Betty Gilpin | Future ’38SHORTS
Best Short Film: Dekalb Elementary, directed by Reed Van Dyk Jury Prize for Creative Vision – Shorts: The Point System, directed by Conner Bell Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast: Lost Dogs | Chris Lee, Edward Hong, Linda Him, Jen Yim, William Crespo, Joshua Han Best Webisode: Fakers, directed by Ryan Mitchel Best Short Film – Series: Sing For Me, directed by Sama Waham Best Film – Student Shorts: Geeta, directed Sohil Vaidya Best Director – Student Shorts: Noble Creatures, directed by Daniel Lafrentz Jury Prize for Creative Vision – Student Shorts: Light Sight, directed by Seyed M. Tabatabaei
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AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, SAMI BLOOD, and LANE 1974 Win Top Awards at Seattle International Film Festival
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AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, directed by Rodrigo Grande[/caption]
The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) today announced the winners of the 2017 Golden Space Needle Audience and Competition Awards. At The End Of The Tunnel, directed by Rodrigo Grande was voted winner of the Golden Space Needle Award – Best Film, along with Best Director for Rodrigo Grande; Dolores, directed by Peter Bratt won the Golden Space Needle Award – Best Documentary.
The awards were presented at a ceremony and breakfast held at the Space Needle. The 25-day Festival, which began May 18, featured 400 films representing 80 countries, including 36 World premieres (14 features, 22 shorts), 34 North American premieres (22 features, 12 shorts), 20 US Premieres (11 features, 9 shorts), and 750 Festival screenings and events.
Interim Artistic Director Beth Barrett said, “This year at SIFF, we celebrated extraordinary cinema from 80 countries over a marathon 25 days bringing to our audiences more than 750 screenings and events and introducing them to over 350 filmmakers and industry guests. Executive Director Sarah Wilke and I were thrilled to present Anjelica Huston with the Festival’s Outstanding Achievement Award in Acting before screening the World Premiere of her newest film Trouble, as well as welcoming Sam Elliott back to the the Festival for a special screening of his film, The Hero. We had an incredible lineup of local films, and our documentary film selection continues to be among the best in the country. We also launched a new program, the SIFF 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 VR/360.”
SIFF 2017 GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AUDIENCE AWARDS
SIFF celebrates its films and filmmakers with the Golden Space Needle Audience Awards. Selected by Festival audiences, awards are given in six categories: Best Film, Best Documentary, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Short Film. This year, over 82,000 ballots were submitted. GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST FILM AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, directed by Rodrigo Grande (Spain/Argentina 2016) First runner-up: KING’S CHOICE, directed by Erik Poppe (Norway 2016) Second runner-up: I, DANIEL BLAKE, directed by Ken Loach (United Kingdom/France/Belgium 2016) Third runner-up: PATTI CAKE$, directed by Geremy Jasper (USA 2017) Fourth runner-up: LANE 1974, directed by SJ Chiro (USA 2017) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DOCUMENTARY DOLORES, directed by Peter Bratt (USA 2017) First runner-up: CHASING CORAL, directed by Jeff Orlowski (USA 2017) Second runner-up: STEP, directed by Amanda Lipitz (USA 2017) Third runner-up: CITY OF GHOSTS, directed by Matthew Heineman (USA 2017) Fourth runner-up: DIRTBAG: THE LEGEND OF FRED BECKEY, directed by Dave O’Leske (USA 2017) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST DIRECTOR Rodrigo Grande, AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL (Spain/Argentina 2016) First runner-up: Justin Chon, GOOK (USA 2017) Second runner-up: Philippe van Leeuw, IN SYRIA (Lebanon/France/Belgium 2017) Third runner-up: Mani Haghighi, A DRAGON ARRIVES! (Iran 2016) Fourth runner-up: Hirokazu Kore-eda, AFTER THE STORM (Japan 2016) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTOR David Johns, I, DANIEL BLAKE (United Kingdom/France/Belgium 2016) First runner-up: Leonardo Sbaraglia, AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL (Spain/Argentina 2016) Second runner-up: Timothy Spall, THE JOURNEY (United Kingdom 2016) Third runner-up: Fares Fares, THE NILE HILTON INCIDENT (Sweden/Denmark/Germany 2017) Fourth runner-up: Bogusław Linda, AFTERIMAGE (Poland 2016) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST ACTRESS Lene Cecilia Sparrok, SAMI BLOOD (SAMEBLOD) (Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016) First runner-up: Elina Vaska, MELLOW MUD (Latvia 2016) Second runner-up: Danielle MacDonald, PATTI CAKE$ (USA 2017) Third runner-up: Sophia Mitri-Schloss, LANE 1974 (USA 2017) Fourth runner-up: Simone Baker, GOOK (USA 2017) GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARD – BEST SHORT FILM DEFEND THE SACRED, directed by Kyle Bell (USA 2016) First runner-up: LITTLE POTATO, directed by Wes Hurley, Nathan M. Miller (USA 2017) Second runner-up: THE GENEVA CONVENTION, directed by Benoit Martin (France 2016) Third runner-up: FLUFFY, directed by Lee Filipovski (Serbia/Montenegro/Canada 2016) Fourth runner-up: THE CLEANSING HOUR, directed by Damien LeVeck (USA 2016) LENA SHARPE AWARD FOR PERSISTENCE OF VISION Presented by Women in Film Seattle Amanda Lipitz, STEP (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 2017 COMPETITION AWARDS
SIFF confers five juried competition awards: SIFF Official Competition, Ibero-American Competition, New Directors Competition, New American Cinema Competition (FIPRESCI Prize), and Documentary Competition. The winners in each juried competition receives $5,000 in cash. SIFF 2017 OFFICIAL COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE SAMI BLOOD (SAMEBLOD) (d: Amanda Kernell, Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016) JURY STATEMENT: After viewing this excellent selection of eight outstanding, diverse films from eight different countries, we faced the challenging task of choosing a winner. For its beautifully nuanced and spare portrayal of the struggle to discover who you are, both because of and in spite of where you are from, featuring a stunning and expressive central performance and lush cinematography of a rarely seen culture, we present the Grand Jury Prize to Sami Blood. SPECIAL JURY MENTION MY HAPPY FAMILY (d: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross, Georgia/Germany/France 2017) JURY STATEMENT: For their deft handling of a large ensemble cast, for their approach to a subversively feminist story within a patriarchal culture, and for their ability to capture emotional chaos with depth, grace, and resonance, we present a Special Jury Mention for Excellence in Direction to Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross for My Happy Family. 2017 Entries: 7 Minutes (d. Michele Placido, Italy/France/Switzerland 2016, North American Premiere) Bad Influence (d: Claudia Huaiquimilla, Chile 2016) Beach Rats (d: Eliza Hittman, USA 2017) Have A Nice Day (d: LIU Jian, China/Hong Kong 2017, North American Premiere) Hedi (d: Mohamed Ben Attia, Tunisia/Belgium/France/Qatar/UAE 2016) My Happy Family (d: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross, Georgia/Germany/France 2017) Sami Blood (Sameblod) (d: Amanda Kernell, Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016) Zoology (d: Ivan I. Tverdovsky, Russia/France/Germany 2016) SIFF 2017 IBERO-AMERICAN COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE THE WINTER (EL INVIERNO) (d: Emiliano Torres, Argentina/France 2016) JURY STATEMENT: A complex and multi-layered first feature that bends the Western genre to create a remarkable film that is as much about the relationship between two men, as it is about Man’s relationship to the landscape. SPECIAL JURY MENTION DEVIL’S FREEDOM (LA LIBERTAD DEL DIABLO) (d: Everardo González, Mexico 2017) JURY STATEMENT: A timely and urgent film on the ongoing Mexican drug war, that presents the many faces of violence without presenting any actual faces. The SIFF Ibero-American Competition aims to highlight the strength, creativity, and influence of storytelling in the region. The Ibero-American Competition is for films having their Seattle premiere during the Festival and without US distribution. 2017 Entries: Chameleon (d: Jorge Riquelme Serrano, Chile 2016, North American Premiere) Devil’s Freedom (La Libertad Del Diablo) (d: Everardo González, Mexico 2017, US Premiere) May God Save Us (d: Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Spain 2016) Pendular (d: Julia Murat, Brazil/Argentina/France 2017) Santa & Andres (d: Carlos Lechuga, Cuba/Colombia/France 2016) Two Irenes (d: Fabio Meira, Brazil 2017, North American Premiere) The Winter (El Invierno) (d: Emiliano Torres, Argentina/France 2016) Woodpeckers (d: José María Cabral, Dominican Republic 2017) SIFF 2017 NEW DIRECTORS COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE BOUNDARIES (PAYS) (d: Chloé Robichaud, Canada (Québec) 2016) JURY STATEMENT: For its fully-fleshed portrayal of women and the dilemmas of their public and private lives and its absurdist feel for political process, we award the Grand Jury Prize to the French–Canadian film Boundaries. SPECIAL JURY MENTION THE INLAND ROAD (d: Jackie Van Beek, New Zealand 2017) JURY STATEMENT: We also single out Gloria Popata for her arresting debut as a troubled native New Zealander in the film The Inland Road. 2017 Entries: Anishoara (d: Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu, Germany 2016) Boundaries (Pays) (d: Chloé Robichaud, Canada (Québec) 2016) Diamond Island (d: Davy Chou, France 2016) The Inland Road (d: Jackie Van Beek, New Zealand 2017, North American Premiere) I Was A Dreamer (d: Michele Vannucci, Italy 2016, North American Premiere) Kati Kati (d: Mbithi Masya, Kenya 2016) The Man (d: Charlotte Sieling, Denmark 2017) Paris Prestige (d: Hamé Bourokba, Ekoué Labitey, France 2016) Quit Staring at My Plate (d: Hana Jušić, Croatia 2016) Struggle for Life (d: Antonin Peretjatko, Belgium 2016) SIFF 2017 NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE LANE 1974 (d: SJ Chiro, USA 2017) JURY STATEMENT: A tough-minded, but tender look at the underside of 1970s counterculture life. 2017 Entries: American Folk (d: David Heinz, USA 2017) Columbus (d: Kogonada, USA 2017) Dara Ju (d: Anthony Onah, USA/Nigeria 2017) The Feels (d: Jenée Lamarque, USA 2017, World Premiere) In The Radiant City (d: Rachel Lambert, USA 2016) The Landing (d: Mark Dodson, David Dodson, USA 2016) Lane 1974 (d: SJ Chiro, USA 2017) Say You Will (d: Nick Naveda, USA 2017, World Premiere) SIFF 2017 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION WINNER GRAND JURY PRIZE BECOMING WHO I WAS (d: Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, South Korea 2016) JURY STATEMENT: We admired the filmmaker’s skill and commitment to capturing the relationship between the two subjects in this artfully crafted documentary. For a film that beautifully tells the story of a truly incredible emotional and spiritual journey, the jury awards the grand prize for documentary filmmaking to Becoming Who I Was. SPECIAL JURY MENTION WHAT LIES UPSTREAM (d: Cullen Hoback, USA 2017) JURY STATEMENT: For filmmaker Cullen Hoback’s journalistic integrity in revealing the unseemly collusion between public servants and lobbyists that lead to the poisoning of West Virginia’s water supply, we give a special jury mention to What Lies Upstream. Unscripted and uncut, the world is a resource of unexpected, informative, and altogether exciting storytelling. Documentary filmmakers have for years brought untold stories to life and introduced us to a vast number of fascinating topics we may never have known existed. The SIFF Documentary Jury members were Kathy McDonald (Documentary Magazine), Ryland Aldrich (producer, L.A. Times, Folk Hero & Funny Guy), and Shane Smith (Hot Docs). 2017 Entries: Becoming Who I Was (d: Chang-Yong Moon, Jin Jeon, South Korea 2016, US Premiere) Close Relations (d: Vitaly Mansky, Germany/Latvia/Estonia/Ukraine 2016, US Premiere) The Farthest (d: Emer Reynolds, Ireland 2017) Ghost Hunting (d: Raed Andoni, Palestine/France/Switzerland 2016, US Premiere) The Reagan Show (d: Pacho Velez, Sierra Pattengill, USA 2017) Roberto Bolle ― The Art Of Dance (d: Francesca Pedroni, Italy 2016, North American Premiere) Those Who Remain (d: Eliane Raheb, Lebanon/UAE 2016, North American Premiere) What Lies Upstream (d: Cullen Hoback, USA 2017) Winnie (d: Pascale Lamche, France/Netherlands/South Africa 2017) SIFF 2017 FUTUREWAVE AND YOUTH JURY AWARDS SIFF presents FutureWave Shorts during ShortsFest Weekend. These inspiring original short films represent some of the best short filmmaking from around the world. In addition SIFF presents films throughout the Festival curated for youth in our Films4Families and FutureWave feature programs. YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FUTUREWAVE FEATURE PATTI CAKE$ (USA 2017), directed by Geremy Jasper JURY STATEMENT: For the unique, compelling characters and incredible music in this story of transformation. YOUTH JURY AWARD FOR BEST FILMS4FAMILIES FEATURE SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS (United Kingdom 2016), directed by Philippa Lowthorpe JURY STATEMENT: For its relatable story and characters, production design that captured the essence of an era, and combination of action, humor, and mystery. FUTUREWAVE SHORTS WAVEMAKER AWARD (GRAND PRIZE) The winner will be awarded a $1000 cash prize presented by Amazon.com BATTLES (BATAILLES) (Canada (Quebec) 2016), directed by Karen Pinette Fontaine JURY STATEMENT: For its richly composed visuals and poetic journey of self that takes the viewer from a hollow party atmosphere to a seemingly empty space that becomes filled with the narrator’s culture that is thriving within her. FUTUREWAVE SHORTS AUDIENCE AWARD FAMILY SHADOWS (USA 2016), directed by Laura Malatos FUTUREWAVE SHORTS PRODIGY CAMP SCHOLARSHIP The winners each will be awarded a $1250 partial scholarship to the 2017 Prodigy Camp. THE PETITION (USA, 2016), directed by Riley Goodwin and Kibiriti Majuto SIFF 2017 SHORT FILM JURY AWARDS All short films shown at the Festival are eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and Jury Award Shorts Competition. Jurors will choose winners in the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each jury winner will receive $2,500 and winners in each of the three categories may also qualify to enter their respective films in the Short Film category of the Academy Awards®. LIVE ACTION GRAND JURY PRIZE WOMEN&WINE (KVINNER&CAVA) (Norway, 2017), directed by Liv Karin Dahlstrøm JURY STATEMENT: For its honest depiction of friendship that, over a short period of time, authentically runs the spectrum from silly and beautiful to awkward and heartbreaking, we give the Jury Award for Best Live Action Short to Women&Wine, directed by Liv Karin Dahlstrøm. SPECIAL JURY MENTION NOTHING EVER REALLY ENDS (INGENTING TAR NOENSINNE SLUTT) (Norway, 2017), directed by Jakob Rørvik JURY STATEMENT: For its exceptional craftsmanship in all areas of the filmmaking process we decided that Nothing Ever Really Ends could not go unmentioned. From the writing and directing to the editing and acting this film unfolds effortlessly. And all in the service of an incredibly entertaining and relatable story. SPECIAL JURY MENTION FANNY (Norway, 2017), directed by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel JURY STATEMENT: We’d also like to recognize a filmmaker who impressed us with an intimate and frank film about sexuality and loneliness. For his unique vision, heartbreaking honesty, and nuanced direction in the film Fanny, we’d like to award Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel a special jury award for emerging director. DOCUMENTARY GRAND JURY PRIZE REFUGEE (USA, 2016), directed by Joyce Chen and Emily Moore JURY STATEMENT: For many refugees, getting to the United States is only the first step of a decades-long journey. Refugee is the moving and powerful story of a mother of five, Aicha Diop, whose journey to obtain asylum encapsulates the hope of life in America, as well as its harsh political realities. SPECIAL JURY MENTION WAITING FOR HASSANA (Nigeria, 2017), directed by Ifunanya Maduka JURY STATEMENT: By bringing to light one young girl’s traumatic experience, this important documentary gives a voice to all 276 teenage girls whose lives were violently interrupted by Boko Haram in 2014. This film is a necessary reminder that an issue doesn’t vanish when its hashtag stops trending. ANIMATION GRAND JURY PRIZE PUSSY (CIPKA) (Poland, 2016), directed by Renata Gasiorowska JURY STATEMENT: A witty and whimsical animated short about a girl and her body, Pussy quickly takes the audience on a wild ride through female sex positivity. SPECIAL JURY MENTION THE HEAD VANISHES (France, 2016), directed by Franck Dion JURY STATEMENT: Through its beautiful animation and unique perspective, The Head Vanishes poignantly captures the exceptional challenges, the hopeful glimmers, the peaceful moments, and the continual struggles of dealing with a mentally ill parent. SHORT FILM JURIES FOR SIFF 2017 LIVE ACTION: Ina Pira (Vimeo), Lacey Leavitt (producer, Laggies, Safety Not Guaranteed) and Tony Fulgham (commercial director and independent filmmaker) DOCUMENTARY AND ANIMATION: Anna Sampers (Milwaukee FIlm), Nancy Chang (Reel Grrls) and David Chen (Slashfilm) SIFF 2017 360/VIRTUAL REALITY COMPETITION SIFF 360/VR AWARD Sponsored by Pixvana WE WHO REMAIN (USA, 2017) by Emblematic Group / Trevor Snapp and Sam Wolson JURY STATEMENT: We are pleased to present the SIFF 360/VR Award, sponsored by Pixvana, to We Who Remain, a film that intimately brings the viewer inside the heart of a forgotten conflict in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Fusing elegant storytelling with sharp technical skill, the film weaves together narratives from a student, rebel soldier, journalist, and mother who have chosen to remain and relentlessly struggle to bring peace back to their land. SIFF is proud to be awarding this new cutting edge work and providing the winner with a $500 prize and the opportunity for the awarded film to be distributed globally through Pixvana’s SPIN Studio platform. The SIFF 360/VR Award jury is comprised of Julia Fryett, Kate Becker, and Sarah Wilke. SIFF 2017 CHINA STARS AWARDS The Seattle International Film Festival is pleased to have presented the following awards at the China Stars Award Ceremony on Friday, June 9th at the Pan Pacific Hotel. CHINA STARS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Qin Yi (The Beautiful Kokonor Lake) CHINA STARS EMERGING TALENT Liang Dong (The Door) CHINA STARS EMERGING ACTOR Yi Li Ha Mu. M (The Beautiful Kokonor Lake) SIFF 2017 CATALYST SCREENPLAY COMPETITION The Catalyst Screenplay Competition is a platform aimed at offering up-and-coming writers the opportunity to gain industry exposure through SIFF. This year, the Finalist and Grand Prize scripts were juried by script supervisor Emily Zulauf (Inside Out) and producer Brent Stiefel (Obvious Child). The winning script, The Tiger & the Protected, received a live read by SAG-AFTRA actors on Saturday, June 10. Grand Prize Winner The Tiger & the Protected by Jeff Scott Finalists I Can Change by Amy Lowe Starbin Keeper of the Cup by Larry Shulruff This Close by Marc Messenger Semi-Finalists Beasts Undiscovered by Jeremy Dehn and Catherine Dale Catherine’s Cross by Millie West Ladies by Natalie Nicole Dressel A Promise Kept by Linda Sunshine Until the End of the Ninth by Beth Bollinger The Zuckermans by Ethan Mermelstein
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2017 Seattle International Film Festival Announces Lineup of 400 Films, Closes with THE YOUNG KARL MARX
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The Young Karl Marx (Le jeune Karl Marx)[/caption]
The 43rd Seattle International Film Festival taking place May 18 to June 11, 2017, today unveiled a lineup of 400 films representing 80 countries.
Opening night kicks off Friday, May 18 with The Big Sick, starring and written by Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) along with his wife Emily V. Gordon. Closing this year’s Festival is the North American premiere of The Young Karl Marx, directed by Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro). The story follows 26-year-old Karl Marx (August Diehl) and his wife Jenny in exile in Europe, where they meet a man who provides them with the final piece needed for the foundation of Marxist theory.
At the annual Centerpiece Gala, SIFF will travel to 1990s Manhattan in the slice-of-life comedy, Landline. Director Gillian Robespierre brings back actress-comedienne Jenny Slate following their SIFF 2014 run of Obvious Child.
The World premiere of Theresa Rebeck’s Trouble will screen at Seattle’s historic SIFF Cinema Egyptian as SIFF honors the film’s executive producer and star, Anjelica Huston, with the Career Achievement in Acting Award. In addition to the award presentation and screening, the acclaimed actress is also slated for an on-stage interview at the Wednesday, June 7 event.
Also scheduled is An Afternoon with Sam Elliott, where the festival will pay tribute to the all-American actor. Along with his iconic voice, Elliott makes his way to SIFF on Saturday, May 27th for the Seattle premiere of his newest film The Hero following an onstage discussion that afternoon.
Receiving raving reviews following its’ world premiere at SXSW is Seattle native S.J. Chiro’s first full-length feature, Lane 1974. Drawing off of Chiro’s own childhood experiences as well as those described in Clane Hayward’s memoir “The Hypocrisy of Disco”, SIFF is thrilled to present this 1970s coming-of-age narrative.
One of several interactive events features Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World, a documentary by Catherine Bainbridge celebrating the achievements and contributions of Native Americans in modern American music. Along with the screening of the film, guests will also enjoy Indigenous Centered Perspectives, an exhibit showcasing works by four indigenous artists at the Paramount Theater. The Friday, May 26 event is hosted by SIFF in collaboration with Amazon Video Direct, STG, and Longhouse Media.
“This year’s robust line-up includes a wide variety of programs ranging from heartfelt features from comedy favorites to thought-provoking documentaries, as well as once in a lifetime conversations with Hollywood legends,” says Interim Artistic Director Beth Barrett. “We are thrilled to jump into our 43rd edition and introduce spectacular programming from across the world to over 150,000 film enthusiasts in Seattle over the course of 25 days.”
GALAS
Opening Night Gala The Big Sick The hilarious, romantic, and moving true story of the cross-cultural courtship between Pakistan-born comedian Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon Valley”) and his wife Emily (Zoe Kazan) comes to life in this utterly delightful comedy from director Michael Showalter and producer Judd Apatow. (d: Michael Showalter c: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, USA 2017, 119 min) Centerpiece Gala Landline The director and star of Obvious Child reunite for this uproarious slice-of- life story about two sisters (Jenny Slate and breakout star Abby Quinn) in pre-cell-phone 1990s Manhattan who discover that their father is having an affair, and conspire to expose him. (d: Gillian Robespierre c: Jenny Slate, John Turturro, Edie Falco, Abby Quinn, Jay Duplass, Finn Wittrock, USA 2017, 93 min) Closing Night Gala The Young Karl Marx North American Premiere Director Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) presents a lush period drama that joins 26-year- old Karl Marx (August Diehl) and his wife Jenny in exile in Europe, where they meet Friedrich Engels, who provides the final piece needed for the foundation of Marxist theory. (d: Raoul Peck c: August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps, Hannah Steele, Olivier Gourmet, France/Germany/ Belgium 2016, 118 min)SPECIAL GUESTS
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ACTING AWARD Anjelica Huston Featuring Trouble Plus screenings of The Grifters and The Witches Anjelica Huston is a powerhouse of a woman whose career has spanned over 50 years: through modeling, film, television, and on the page. Born into the family of renowned film director John Huston and legendary grandfather Walter Huston, Anjelica was sure to make a splash in the industry with both her unique beauty and strong presence. Her penchant for and exquisite skill in portraying tenacious, crafty, emotionally strong women has undoubtedly made her among the greatest actresses of our time. Past honorees of the SIFF Outstanding Achievement in Acting Award include Laura Dern, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Viggo Mortensen, Kyle MacLachlan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Kevin Bacon, Edward Norton, Sissy Spacek, Joan Allen, and Anthony Hopkins amongst others. AN AFTERNOON WITH Sam Elliott Featuring The Hero He of the gruff baritone voice and the luxuriant mustache, Sam Elliott is the quintessential portrait of the American cowboy, a quality he’s drawn on since he first appeared onscreen in the 1969 Oscar® winner Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. From Tombstone to Gettysburg, The Big Lebowski to Mask, Road House to Thank You for Smoking, ad campaigns for Coors and the American Beef Council, and TV work ranging from “Mission: Impossible” to “Justified,” his rugged, commanding presence is an unmistakable gift to American pop culture and any genre lucky enough to have him.COMPETITIONS
Official Competition
7 Minutes (d. Michele Placido, Italy/France/Switzerland 2016, North American Premiere) Bad Influence (d: Claudia Huaiqimilla, Chile 2016) Beach Rats (d: Eliza Hittman, USA 2016) Have A Nice Day (d: LIU Jian, China/Hong Kong 2017, North American Premiere) Hedi (d: Mohamed Ben Attia, Tunisia/Belgium/France/Qatar/Uae 2016) My Happy Family (d: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross, Georgia/Germany/France 2017) Sami Blood (d: Amanda Kernell, Sweden/Norway/Denmark 2016) Zoology (d: Ivan I. Tverdovsky, Russia/France/Germany 2016)New Directors Competition
Anishoara (d: Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu, Germany 2016) Boundaries (d: Chloé Robichaud, Canada (Québec) 2016) Diamond Island (d: Davy Chou, France 2016) The Inland Road (d: Jackie Van Beek, New Zealand 2017, North American Premiere) I Was A Dreamer (d: Michele Vannucci, Italy 2016, North American Premiere) Kati Kati (d: Mbithi Masya, Kenya 2016) The Man (d: Charlotte Sieling, Denmark 2017) Paris Prestige (d: Hamé Bourokba, Ekoué Labitey, France 2016) Quit Staring at My Plate (d: Hana Jušić, Croatia 2016) Struggle for Life (d: Antonin Peretjatko, Belgium 2016)Ibero-American Competition
Chameleon (d: Jorge Riquelme Serrano, Chile 2016, North American Premiere) Devil’s Freedom (d: Everardo González, Mexico 2017, US Premiere) May God Save Us (d: Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Spain 2016) Pendular (d: Julia Murat, Brazil/Argentina/France 2017) Santa & Andres (d: Carlos Lechuga, Cuba/Colombia/France 2016) Two Irenes (d: Fabio Meira, Brazil 2017, North American Premiere) The Winter (d: Emiliano Torres, Argentina/France 2016) Woodpeckers (d: José María Cabral, Dominican Republic 2017)New American Cinema Competition
American Folk (d: David Heinz, USA 2017) Columbus (d: Kogonada USA 2017) Dara Ju (d: Anthony Onah, USA/Nigeria 2017) The Feels (d: Jenée Lamarque, USA 2017, World Premiere) In The Radiant City (d: Rachel Lambert, USA 2016) The Landing (d: Mark Dodson and David Dodson, USA 2016) Lane 1974 (d: SJ Chiro, USA 2017) Say You Will (d: Nick Naveda, USA 2017, World Premiere)Documentary Competition
Becoming Who I Was (d: Moon Chang-Yong, Jeon Jin, South Korea 2016, US Premiere) Close Relations (d: Vitaly Mansky, Germany/Latvia/Estonia/Ukraine 2016, US Premiere) The Farthest (d: Emer Reynolds, Ireland 2017) Ghost Hunting (d: Raed Andoni, Palestine/France/Switzerland 2016 US Premiere) The Reagan Show (d: Pacho Velez, Sierra Pattengill, USA 2017) Roberto Bolle – The Art Of Dance (d: Francesca Pedroni, Italy 2016, North American Premiere) Those Who Remain (d: Eliane Raheb, Lebanon/Uae 2016, North American Premiere) What Lies Upstream (d: Cullen Hoback, USA 2017) Winnie (d: Pascale Lamche, France/Netherlands/South Africa 2017)AFRICAN PICTURES
Borders (d: Apolline Traoré c: Amelie Mbaye, Naky Sy Savane, Burkina Faso 2017, 90 min, North American Premiere) Hedi (d: Mohamed Ben Attia c: Majd Mastoura, Rym Ben Messaoud, Sabah Bouzouita, Hakim Boumessoudi, Ombia Ben Ghali, Tunisia 2016, 89 min) Investigating Paradise (d: Merzak Allouache c: Salima Abada, Younès Sabeur Chérif, France 2017, 135 min, North American Premiere) Kalushi (d: Mandla Dube c: Thabo Rametsi, Thabo Malema, Welile Nzuza, Jafta Mamabolo, Pearl Thusi, Gcina Mhlophe, South Africa 2016, 107 min) The Nile Hilton Incident (d: Tarik Saleh c: Fares Fares, Mari Malek, Mohamed Yousry, Yasser Ali Maher, Ahmed Selim, Hania Amar, Sweden 2017, 106 min) The Wedding Party (d: Kemi Adetiba c: Adesua Etomi, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Banky Wellington, Nigeria 2016, 110 min) Winnie (d: Pascale Lamche, France 2017, 98 min) Wùlu (d: Daouda Coulibaly c: Ibrahim Koma, Inna Modja, Ismael Ndiaye, Jean-Marie Traore, Dembele Habib, Mariame Ndiaye, Quim Gutierrez, Oliver Rabourdin, France 2016, 95 min)CHINA STARS
The Beautiful Kokonor Lake (d. XING-HAO Shen c: Qin Yi, Jiang Ping, Jennifer Shu Chang. Huang Hong, Tony Rui-Xin, China 2017, 98 min) The Door (d. XING-HAO Shen c: JIANG Wu, JIANG Qingin, ZHU Xu, FU Ying, LI Naiwen, China 2017, 98 min, North American Premiere) Free and Easy (d. JUN Geng c: ZU Gang, ZHANG Zhiyong, XUE Baohe, WANG Xuxu, GU Benbin, ZHANG Xun, YUAN Liguo China 2016, 99 min) God of War (d. Gordon Chan c: Sammo Hung, Vincent Zhao, Regina Wan, Yasuaki Kurata, Keisuke Koide, China 2017, 130 min) Have a Nice Day (d. LIU Jian c: Yang Siming, Cao Kou, Ma Xiaofeng, Zhu Changlong, China 2017, 77 min) Knife in the Clear Water (d. WANG Xuebo c: YANG Shengcang, ZHOU Jinhua, YANG Fan, YANG Xue, China 2016, 93 min, US Premiere) Love and Duty (d. WANCANG Bu c: RUAN Lingyu, JIN Yan, China 1931, 153 min) The Song of Cotton (d. ZHU Yuancheng c: YAN Bingyan, WANG Deshun, China 2016, 90 min) Soul on a String (d. ZHANG Yang c: Kimba, Quni Ciren, Siano Dudiom Zahi, Solange Nima, China 2016, 142 min) Tea Pets (d. Gary Wang v: SHI Lei, YUAN Zeyu, JI Guanlin, China 2017, 93 min) Short films from the Beijing Film Academy: Bloom (d. SUN Yiran and XU Jiyao c: Yiran SUN, Jiyao XU, China 2017, 8 min) Elephant King (d. FU Yan and FU Chao c: Wang Naizhen, Fan Meng, Fu Yan, Fu Yongcha, China 2017, 11 min) Free Throw Line (d. ZHANG Yixin China 2017, 7 min) I Come From Prairie (d. Nuhan Arisbek, China 2017, 8 min) The Sea (d. LI Yifan, China 2017 c: Jinshan Wang Feiyu Chen, Yihao Qian, 7 min)CULINARY CINEMA
Cook Up a Storm (d: Raymond Yip Wai Man c: Alberto Calvet Gonzalez, You Ge, Yong-hwa Jung, Barbora Mottlová, Yan Tang, USA 2017, 97 min) Fermented (d: Jonathan Cianfrani c: Edward Lee, USA 2017, 67 min, World Premiere) Food Evolution (d: Scott Hamilton Kennedy c: Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, Michael Pollan, Charles Benbrook, USA 2016, 92 min) Kakehashi: A Portrait of Chef Nobuo Fukuda (d: Andrew Gooi c: Nobuo Fukuda, Sarah Fukuda, Kazuko Fukuda, Japan 2017, 46 min, World Premiere) Lives with Flavor (d: Pablo Gasca Gollas c: Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, Marco Beteta,Martha Ortiz,Israel Ronzon, Alberto Albarran, Patricia Muñoz Zurita, Salomé Freixas, Gonzalo Serrano, Mexico 2017, 52 min, World Premiere) New Chefs on the Block (d: Dustin Harrison-Atlas c: Frank Linn, Aaron Silverman, Kate Diamond, Michel Richard, Danny Meyer, Mike Isabella, Tim Carman, Emily Sprissler, USA 2016, 96 min) The Turkish Way (d: Luis Gonzalez c: Joan Roca, Josep Roca, Jordi Roca, Sabiha Apaydin, Maksut Askar, Mehmet Gurs, Sina Sucuka, Spain 2016, 120 min)FACE THE MUSIC
Behind the Curtain: Todrick Hall (d: Katherine Fairfax Wright f: Todrick Hall, Teresa Stanley, Wayne Brady, Chester Lockhart, Jesse Pattison, Brenda Cornish, Vonzell Solomon, Jenni Thomasson, Jazlyn Nicole Miller, USA 2017, 105 min) Bill Frisell, A Portrait (d: Emma Franz f: Bill Frisell, Paul Motian, Jim Hall, Mike Gibbs, Jason Moran, Jim Woodring, Joey Baron, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen, John Zorn, Australia 2017, 114 min) Chavela (d: Catherine Gund f: Chavela Vargas, Pedro Almodóvar, USA 2017, 90 min) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with live soundtrack by The Invincible Czars (d: John S. Robertson c: John Barrymore, Brandon Hurst, Martha Mansfield, Charles Lane, Cecil Clovelly, USA 1920, 79 min) Give Me Future (d: Austin Peters, USA 2017, 85 min) A Life in Waves (d: Brett Whitcomb f: Suzanne Ciani, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Kitaro, Peter Baumann, Dorit Chrysler, Sarah Davachi, Don Buchla, USA 2016, 75 min) On the Road (d: Michael Winterbottom f: Wolf Alice, James McArdle, Leah Harvey, Swim Deep, Bloody Knees, United Kingdom 2016, 112 min) The Paris Opera (d: Jean-Stéphane Bron f: Stéphane Lissner, Benjamin Millepied, France 2016, 110 min)NORTHWEST CONNECTIONS
The Cage Fighter (d: Jeff Unay f: Callie Carman, Joe Carman, Delanee Carman, Vernon Beach, USA 2017, 83 min) Crazywise (d: Phil Borges, Kevin Tomlinson f: Adam Gentry, Ekhaya Esima, Angeles Arrien, Phil Borges, Carroll Dunham, USA 2017, 82 min, World Premiere) Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey (d: Dave O’Leske, USA 2017, 96 min) Lane 1974 (d: SJ Chiro c: Sophia Mitri Schloss, Katherine Moennig, Annette Toutonghi, Sara Coates, USA 2017, 80 min) Pow Wow (d: Robinson Devor, USA 2016, 75 min) Rocketmen (d: Webster Crowell c: Alycia Delmore, Basil Harris, Christopher Dietz, Ian Fraser, Ben Laurance, USA 2017, 67 min, World Premiere) Wallflower (d: Jagger Gravning c: David Call, Atsuko Okatsuka, Conner Marx, USA 2017, 84 min, World Premiere)360˚/VR STORYTELLING POWERED BY WONDERTEK
360˚/VR STORYTELLING POP-UP, POWERED BY WONDERTEK LABS Weekends from Friday, May 19 – Saturday, June 10 Passholder Happy Hours and Festival Forums times SIFF Lounge, presented by Vulcan Productions While the emerging tech behind-the-scenes of virtual reality and 360˚ have been evolving over the past few years, 360˚ filmmakers and VR content creators have been organically evolving a new language and tools for storytelling in this space. WonderTek Labs has curated a selection of some of the best in 360˚ storytelling from creators from the Seattle region and around the globe, showcased on Google Daydream headsets, that highlight a spectrum of where 360˚ storytelling is today. Selections will include a work-in-progress cut of Seattle-based Mechanical Dreams’ Potato Dreams, the VR companion to SIFF’s short-film selection Little Potato; a reprise presentation of “The Stranger” Genius Award winner Tracy Rector’s Eagle Bone; Madrid-based Future Lighthouse’s groundbreaking branded storytelling piece Beefeater XO (a top-10 finalist for the Tribeca X Prize); an interactive VR episode for Spanish hit television series “El Ministerio Del Tiempo”; a selection of the best work to come out of the four SIXR Cinematic VR Hackathons; and other content TBD. 360˚/VR STORYTELLING PLAYTANK Saturday, June 10 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM SIFF Film Center Are you a filmmaker who wants to learn more about transitioning to 360˚/VR, or a VR dev who wants to connect with filmmakers? Do you have a 360˚ or VR project in mind and want to connect with other folks interested in working on projects? Do you have expertise to share, or things you want to learn? The 360˚/VR Storytelling PlayTank is a hand-on, interactive event intended to bring together the Seattle 360˚/VR and filmmaking communities for a morning of topical small-group breakout conversations, hands-on demos and workshops, and informal opportunities to connect like-minded creatives, show personal projects and demos, and learn about emerging technologies. The PlayTank will kick off with a Geekout Breakout Session Breakfast, where participants will join small, mentor-facilitated, small-group breakout sessions on topics including Spatial Audio, 360˚ Production and Post Production, Branching Narrative in 360˚ Storytelling, 360˚ Documentary Storytelling, and Ethics in Developing 360˚/VR Content. Mettle CEO Chris Bobotis will be on hand to present a hands-on workshop for Mettle’s 360˚ editing plug-ins for Adobe Premiere. Bring your laptop to participate (you must have Adobe Premiere; you can download a free 30-day trial version if you don’t own Premiere). Participants will receive a free temporary license to use Mettle’s products as a part of this workshop. Upstairs in the PlayTank, participants will explore hands-on demos and workshops, and grab another coffee and connect organically with others in the community. The PlayTank is an open and collaborative space. Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops and demos to share.