Living in the Future’s Past (2018)

  • 165 Films Documentary Feature Films Submitted for 2018 Oscar Race

    [caption id="attachment_28784" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind[/caption] One hundred sixty-six features have been submitted for consideration in the Documentary Feature category for the 91st Academy Awards®.  Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules in order to advance in the voting process. This year, for the first time, films that have won a qualifying award at a competitive film festival or have been submitted in the Foreign Language Film category as their country’s official selection, are also eligible in the category. A shortlist of 15 films will be announced on December 17. Films submitted in the Documentary Feature category may also qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture. Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. The 91st Oscars® will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide. The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are: “Above and Beyond: NASA’S Journey to Tomorrow” “Active Measures” “Amazing Grace” “American Chaos” “Andy Irons: Kissed by God” [caption id="attachment_25696" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco[/caption] “Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco” “Avicii: True Stories” “Bali: Beats of Paradise” “Bathtubs over Broadway” “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché” “Believer” “Better Angels” “Bill Coors: The Will to Live” “Bisbee ’17” “The Bleeding Edge” “Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat” “Breaking Point: The War for Democracy in Ukraine” “Call Her Ganda” “Charm City” “Chef Flynn” “The China Hustle” “Christian Audigier The Vif” “The Cleaners” “Communion” “Crime + Punishment” “Dark Money” “Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” “The Dawn Wall” “The Distant Barking of Dogs” “Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes” “Drug$” “Eating Animals” “Eldorado” “Fahrenheit 11/9” “Fail State” “Family in Transition” “Far from the Tree” “Filmworker” “The First Patient” “Foreign Land” “40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie” “Free Solo” “Garry Winogrand: All Things Are Photographable” “Generation Wealth” “Ghost Hunting” “Ghosthunter” “The Gilligan Manifesto” “The Gospel According to André” “Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami” “Graves without a Name” “The Great Buster: A Celebration” “Hal” “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” “Half the Picture” “The Heart of Nuba” “Hillbilly” “The Homeless Chorus Speaks” “Hondros” “Howard” “In Search of Greatness” “In the Land of Pomegranates” “Inventing Tomorrow” “Invisible Hands” “Itzhak” “Jane Fonda in Five Acts” “John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection” “The Judge” “Kangaroo: A Love Hate Story” “Killer Bees” “The King” “King in the Wilderness” “Kusama – Infinity” “The Last Race” “Leaning into the Wind: Andy Goldsworthy” “Letter from Masanjia” “Licu, a Romanian Story” “Living in the Future’s Past” “Liyana” “Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle” “Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story” “Love, Cecil” “Love, Gilda” “Love Is Tolerance – Tolerance Is Love – Make Tolerance Great Again!” “Making The Five Heartbeats” “Maria by Callas” “Matangi / Maya / M.I.A.” “McQueen” “Minding the Gap” “Monrovia, Indiana” “The Most Unknown” “New Moon” “93Queen” “Nossa Chape” “Of Fathers and Sons” “Of Love & Law” “On Her Shoulders” “Opera about Poland” “The Opera House” “The Oslo Diaries” “The Other Side of Everything” “The Panama Papers” “Path of Blood” “People’s Republic of Desire” “Philosopher King – Lee Teng-hui’s Dialogue” “Pick of the Litter” “Piripkura” “Police Killing” “Pope Francis – A Man of His Word” “The Price of Everything” “The Price of Free” “Qiu (Inmates)” “Quincy” “RBG” “The Rachel Divide” “The Raft” “Recovery Boys” “Restoring Tomorrow” “Reversing Roe” “The Road Movie” “Robin Williams: Come inside My Mind” “Ruben Blades Is Not My Name” “Samouni Road” “Saving Brinton” “Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland” “Science Fair” “Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood” “Searching for Ingmar Bergman” “Seeing Allred” “The Sentence” “Shirkers” “Shot in the Dark” “The Silence of Others” “Sisters of the Wilderness” “A Son of Man” “Songwriter” “Stan” “Studio 54” “Summer in the Forest” “Tea with the Dames” “That Summer” “That Way Madness Lies…” “They Fight” “They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead” “This Is Congo” “This Is Home: A Refugee Story” “Three Identical Strangers” “To Be Continued” “Transformer” “Travel Ban” “The Trial” “Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace” “Trust Machine” “Under the Wire” “United Skates” “Unknown Distance” “Up Down and Sideways” “The Waldheim Waltz” “We Could Be Heroes” “Weed the People” “What Haunts Us” “What Lies Upstream” “Whitney” “Wonderful Losers: A Different World” “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” “Yellow Is Forbidden” “Yellowing”

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  • Jeff Bridges LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST to Kick Off 4th Martha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_29106" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]LIVING IN THE FUTURE'S PAST, Jeff Bridges LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST, Jeff Bridges[/caption] The 4th Annual Martha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival begins Thursday, May 24th and concludes Sunday, May 27th, 2018, at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center in Vineyard Haven. This year’s Opening Night Event features the new documentary LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST. In this documentary, Jeff Bridges, alongside prominent scientists and authors, weaves evolution, emergence, entropy, dark ecology, and what some are calling ‘the end of nature’, into an engrossing story that helps us understand our place among the species of Earth’s household. This powerful, poetic and thought-provoking feature challenges our current way of thinking and provides original insights into our subconscious motivations, their unintended consequences and the changes we need to make to our psychology, and way of being, in order to solve the ecological crises we have brought upon ourselves as a result of our primitive thoughts and desires. Actor/Narrator Jeff Bridges is scheduled to appear via video message and a pre-screening reception begins at 6:30pm with David Hannon playing Jazz Piano. Some other special events at the 4th Annual MV Environmental Film Festival include: OCEAN WARRIORS: CHASING THE THUNDER with Producer Katie Carpenter, the MVRHS Student Art Show Reception and Awards, LOVE AND BANANAS: AN ELEPHANT STORY with David Casselman, a special Youth Event with Vineyard Conservation Society, and THE FARTHEST with Executive Producer Josh Rubin. Special Guests Include: Actor Jeff Bridges (video message for LIVING IN THE FUTURE’S PAST), Actor Pierce Brosnan (video message for Youth Event), Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary Founder David Casselman, Katie Carpenter (Producer, CHASING THE THUNDER), and Josh Rubin (Executive Producer, THE FARTHEST). Community collaborations with Polly Hill Arboretum, Island Grown Gleaning, Island Grown Initiative, and others.

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  • Albuquerque Film & Music Experience 2018 to Feature Marisa Tomei, Prince All-Star Tribute Concert + Indie Films

    Albuquerque Film & Music Experience 2018 to Feature Marisa Tomei, Prince All-Star Tribute Concert + Indie Films Back for its sixth year in the Duke City, the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience (AFME) announced its unique lineup of independent and blockbuster films, musical performances, panels, workshops, and Intimate Conversations with amazing talent in attendance.  AFME will be featuring showcase events with special guests, including Academy Award-winning actress Marisa Tomei, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ drummer Steve Ferrone, actor W. Earl Brown, Prince guitarist Dez Dickerson, guitarist Micki Free and many others. “As AFME continues its success with a fusion of movies, music and special events, we are very happy to present a stellar week of programming for the City of Albuquerque and out of town attendees,” said Ivan Wiener, AFME Executive Director. “Having filmmakers, musicians and celebrities from around the world converge at our festival has become a very cool experience for the community, especially for students of film, music and the arts who benefit through our non-profit.” The fun and exciting lineup for 2018 includes a little bit of everything for everyone. Marisa Tomei is presenting the documentary SEED: The Untold Story which she executive produced; a special screening of Purple Rain followed by a Prince Tribute Concert with Prince’s original guitarist Dez Dickerson, musician Micki Free, Elton John and Billy Joel bass player David Santos, and the one and only Steve Ferrone, drummer from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; the 20th Anniversary screening of There’s Something About Mary with actor W. Earl Brown in attendance; a screening of Marvel’s The Avengers on Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza as part of AFME’s family events; and an after party celebrating the life and music of Tom Petty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GUxC_nojsU With 80 film projects from all genres screening throughout the week (highlights below), some of the other socially impactful discussions at AFME will focus on diversity and equality, gun violence and creating a safer community for future generations, combatting heroin addiction, the environment, and dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Highlights of the 2018 Lineup Include: Monday, June 4th Opening Night Movie: The Bikes of Wrath – 7:30pm at the KiMo Theatre. Oklahoma to California: 1600 miles, $420, 30 days, 5 bikes, 3 cameras, 2 guitars and one of the most influential novels of the 20th century — The Bikes of Wrath is a story of adventure, human connection, and an in-depth look at today’s America through the lens of John Steinbeck’s seminal novel, The Grapes of Wrath. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJm6-5namR0 Tuesday, June 5th Killing Games: Wildlife in the Crosshairs – 3:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. In Killing Games, a groundbreaking exposé, actor, conservationist and Project Coyote Advisory Board Member Peter Coyote — with environmentalists, ranchers, public officials and Native Americans — brings these shadowy contests to light and speaks out against this hidden war on wildlife. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1w8-76iRYs New Mexico Short Movies – From 5:30–7:15pm at the KiMo Theatre. New Mexico is one of the top film destinations in the world. Local filmmakers are showcased through their amazing projects. Teen Safe Driving PSA, Today, Survive by the Red Light Cameras, Eternity Grows, Pulse: The Beat of Art, Undying, OM+ME and Mrs. Murphy’s Confession. Challah Rising in the Desert: The Jews of New Mexico­ – 7:00pm at the Jewish Community Center. Immerse yourself in the Jewish experience in New Mexico’s history. The feature documentary follows five settlements of the Jewish community in New Mexico, ranging from 400 years ago to the 1960s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeqE5EVYG6o Marvin Booker Was Murdered – 7:00pm at the African American Performing Arts Center. Homeless street preacher, Marvin Booker, was beaten to death outside a Denver Detention Center, and the City of Denver followed with inaction. Marvin Booker Was Murdered is a story of the Booker family, their attorneys, a federal civil trial and civil rights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BE0m7sQRTg World Premiere of “14 Cameras” – 8:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. A suspense thriller, 14 Cameras tells the story of a family of four whose summer vacation turns dark when the rental home’s owner spies on them through hidden cameras, broadcasting their most intimate moments on the web. Official After Party with Live Music by Jerry Hannan and Special Guests – 10:00pm at Duel Brewing Company. A distinguished songwriter and entertainer, Hannan recorded his own song, “Society” with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, which is featured in Sean Penn’s film Into the Wild.  “I Thought I Was You”, written by Jerry and brother Sean Hannan also plays in Into the Wild. Wednesday, June 6th Panel: Embracing Diversity in Film, Music and the Arts – 10:00am at Hotel Andaluz. Join Andrea L. Mays (Ph.D. American Studies), D’Santi Nava (a native of Santa Fe who descended of indigenous bloodlines: Mexhika Chichimeca, Otomi, Apache, SW Pueblo and Iberian Spaniard), Daryl DeLoach, Saneh Boothe, Diane Villegas, and Micki Free to discuss the importance of diversity in film, music and the arts. Panel: The Importance of Education in Film, Music and the Arts – 12:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Both inside and out of the classroom, film, music and arts education enriches the lives of students. Join the discussion, featuring Glenna Voigt (WK Kellogg Fellow and the former Founding Principal of the Media Arts Collaborative Charter School in Albuquerque), Dodie Montgomery (an actor, writer, producer, director for film and theatre, and a visual artist who has appeared on stage in Krakow, Poland – Belgrade, Serbia , and Beijing, China and can be seen on Longmire, The Night Shift, Manhattan, The Brave, I Am That, and A Can Full of Ashes), Andrea Mays (Ph.D. in American Studies), Carlos Contreras and Andrew Barrow. Meet and Greet with Micki Free, Steve Ferrone, David Santos and Dez Dickerson – 5:30pm to 7:00pm at Guitar Center AFME Comedy Shorts – 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Guild Cinema. Laugh along to incredible short comedy films, including Sam Did It, Lady Lillian, Dad Band, The Dinner Scene, Hole Punch, Match, House Rules and Rendez-vous with God. AFME Family Movie: The Avengers – 7:00pm at Albuquerque Civic Plaza. Bring the family out to Civic Plaza and catch a family favorite superhero movie. The Mad Hannans – 8:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. Brothers Jerry and Sean Hannan faced more than just sibling struggles; as bandmates, the pair went on a journey of rise, fall and reconciliation. This film of redemption features Sean Penn, Eddie Vedder, Jerry Harrison (Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, Talking Heads), and others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukB0w9xo8KE Official After Party – 10:00pm at Rock & Brews with live music by American Horse Trio – Micki Free, David Santos and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ drummer Steve Ferrone. Thursday, June 7th Panel: Gun Violence: Shaping a Safer Community – 10:00am at Hotel Andaluz. How do we make our communities, schools, workplaces, and homes safer? Join the discussion on the pressing question facing our nation at this free panel, featuring Chris Schueler, Geri Lynn Matthews, Officer Gloria Marcott, and David Lane Williams. Intimate Conversation with Lee Zlotoff – 12:30pm to 1:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Want to learn more about award-winning writer, producer, director and creator of MacGyver? Don’t miss this chance to hear from Lee Zlotoff firsthand. Native American Film Block – 2:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. With documentary shorts and narrative shorts, this special event celebrates Native American films, including The Mayors of Shiprock, With Jackrabbit, and Neemkomok’. Ol’ Max Evans: The First Thousand  Years – 5:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. New Mexican author Max Evans’ life was an adventure—from a teenage cowboy, to a WWII soldier, ranch owner, mining speculator, painter, and author of The Rounders and The Hi Lo Country. Max and Pat Evans will be in attendance. Tribute to Prince: Purple Rain – 7:30pm at the KiMo Theatre. Enjoy a showing of the 1984 classic film with a New Mexico made music video to “Not Over You.” Prince Tribute Concert – 9:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Put on your best purple and white or diamonds and pearls for this fundraiser for the AFME Foundation. This once in a lifetime opportunity will showcase music by rock stars who knew and performed with Prince. Band includes Micki Free, Dez Dickerson, Steve Ferrone, David Santos, and local New Mexico musicians. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed in Prince related outfits. Friday, June 8th AFME Youth Acting Camp – 9:00am to 5:00pm at Hotel Andaluz. Aspiring actors and filmmakers aged 8—17 can join casting directors Faith & Bella from Good Faith Casting for a day of interactive learning. Lessons include audition technique, filming scenes and more. Intimate Conversation with Andrea Mays: How to Watch a Film – 10:00am at Hotel Andaluz. University of New Mexico’s Andrea L. Mays, Ph.D. will lead this workshop on strategies to get the most out of your film screening. Intimate Conversation with Eric Witt: The Changing Distribution Model – 12:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. From the big screen to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, technology is changing the distribution model for film and television. Learn more from Eric Witt, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Bill Richardson. Documentary Filmmaking 101 with Chris Schueler – 4pm to 7pm on Friday; 10am to 1pm Saturday at Hotel Andaluz. Emmy© Award-Winning Producer and Director, Chris Schueler will lead an intensive class on documentary production. Attendees must attend both sessions. SEED: The Untold Story – 7:30pm at the Hiland Theater. Academy Award-winning actress and SEED Executive Producer, Marisa Tomei, presents this important documentary. As many irreplaceable seeds near extinction, SEED reveals the harrowing and heartening story of passionate seed keepers as they wage a David and Goliath battle against chemical seed companies, defending a 12,000 year food legacy. The Maestro – 8pm at the KiMo Theatre. The Walking Dead’s Xander Berkeley stars as Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, a master teacher to film composer Jerry Herst in this film, set after the Second World War. Official After Party – Tribute to Tom Petty – 10pm at O’Niell’s Irish Pub. Event will feature live music by Jamie Harrison Band and The Noms’ Kevin Cummings. Saturday, June 9th When I Stutter – 10am at the KiMo Theatre. With the goal of bringing awareness and empathy to those who deal with communication disorder, When I Stutter showcases the stories of 19 people over the course of 4.5 years. Full of emotion, it is a must-see documentary. Intimate Conversation with W. Earl Brown – 10am at Hotel Andaluz. Join star of Deadwood, Preacher and There’s Something About Mary for stories about his experiences in the industry. Panel: Women – Equal To And Greater Than: Looking Forward Through the Rearview – 12:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Sexual harassment, inequality and diversity in the industry…this strong and diverse female panel tackles the tough subjects. Join Andrea Mays (Ph.D.), Augusta Myers, Brenda Wade, Christa Valdez and Marisa Tomei. The Best of All Worlds and Quick Fix – 1:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. Focusing on heroin awareness, The Best of All Worlds tells a true story of a child and his life with a heroine addicted mother. Quick Fix is a dramatic short of a man’s experience in finding much more than he bargained for when visiting an old friend. Sinatra in Palm Springs: The Place He Called Home – 4pm at The Guild Cinema. Sinatra loved Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. This documentary details his unique lifestyle and the spirit of the Sinatra era. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKPiT2ncMJo 20th Anniversary: There’s Something About Mary – 6:30pm at the Hiland Theater. Join us for the Farrelly Brothers’ hit where a man gets a chance to meet up with his dream girl from high school, even though his date with her back then was a complete disaster. W. Earl Brown (Warren) and others in attendance. The Divide – 4:30pm at the KiMo Theatre. Directed by and starring Perry King, the film is set in 1976 California and follows an aging rancher with a failing memory through the struggles of family and reconciliation. -ago tragedy collide to create the backdrop for this classic American Western. https://vimeo.com/224863571 Jeff Bridges Presents Living in the Future’s Past – Closing Night Movie. 8:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. Academy Award® Winner, Jeff Bridges, presents a poignant and beautiful tour de force of original thinking on environmental challenges and the future of our world. Q&A to follow. Official Closing Night After Party at Hotel Andaluz – 10:00pm with live music by Eli Del Puerto y Los Encantos. You never know who will join the band on stage. Last year it was Jeff Bridges and T Bone Burnett! Sunday, June 10th AFME Awards Brunch – 11am to 1pm at Hotel Andaluz. Presentation of awards to filmmakers and special guests at AFME. AFME Casting Call with Elizabeth Gabel and Lorrie Latham – 2:00pm to 5pm at Hotel Andaluz. Want to get more involved? You can learn about being an extra and become eligible to be cast for projects shooting in New Mexico this summer. Lorrie Latham from Godless, Only the Brave, and Night Shift, teams up with Elizabeth Gabel from No Country for Old Men, Logan, Hostiles and Sicario will be on hand for this AFME sponsored extras casting call. The year’s 2018 AFME Music Award will be presented to Steve Ferrone, esteemed drummer for Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers, previously of Eric Clapton’s band, and the Average White Band.

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  • Impressive Slate of 96 Feature Film Selections on Lineup for 4th Bentonville Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_27971" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Mary Goes Round Mary Goes Round[/caption] The inclusive lineup for this year’s 2018 Bentonville Film Festival includes 42 Competition Films, 13 episodic content presentations, notable showcase screenings of top festival films, critical favorites, anniversary screenings of classics, a presentation of family focused and animated greats, and every film to date from the Marvel Cinema Universe in a special free-to-the-public presentation for BFF’s film fans. “This year’s edition of the Bentonville Film Festival truly exemplifies our mission,” said BFF co-Founder Geena Davis. We are thrilled to honor industry pioneers, while at the same time recognizing current trendsetters and changemakers, and showcasing a new class of inclusive storytellers. To be able to bring them all together in one place to enact change – that is what BFF is all about.” Films in the dramatic feature competition this year include: Marisol Gomez-Mouakad’s ANJELICA; Sanghoon Lee’s BANANA SEASON; Kevin Arbouet’s BENJI THE DOVE; Marinanna Palka’s EGG; Tom Huang’s FIND ME; Sean Olson’s F.R.E.D.I.; Anne-Marie Hess’s GOOD AFTER BAD; Jenna Laurenzo’s LEZ BOMB; Molly McGlynn’s MARY GOES ROUND; Autumn McAlpin’s MISS ARIZONA; Vashhti Anderson’s MOKO JUMBIE; Santiago Rizzo’s QUEST; Alex Ranarivelo’s RIDE; Jenn McGowan’s RUST CREEK; Megan Griffith’s SADIE; Anthony Nardolillo’s SHINE; Ramaa Mosley’s TATTERDEMALION; Mark Dennis and Ben Foster’s TIME TRAP; Teddy Smith’s URBAN COUNTRY; Nadine Truong’s I CAN I WILL I DID; Suzi Yoonessi’s UNLOVABLE; and Kendall Goldberg’s WHEN JEFF TRIED TO SAVE THE WORLD. Documentary features in competition include: Marvin Blunte’s 6 WEEKS TO MOTHER’S DAY; Joanna James’s A FINE LINE; Skye Borgman’s ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT; Robin Hauser’s BIAS; Stacey Reiss’s DAUGHTERS OF THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION; Luis Prieto’s THE DISUNITED STATES OF AMERICA; Brian Ivie’s EMANUEL; Dan Habib’s INTELLIGENT LIVES; Susan Kucera’s LIVING IN FUTURE’S PAST; Trish Russo and Craig E. Shapiro’s LOVE ALWAYS, MOM; T Cooper’s MAN MADE; Sebastien Paquet’s MIND OVER MATTER; Rob Herring and Ryan Wirick’s THE NEED TO GROW; Kulap Vilaysack’s ORIGIN STORY; Kate Hickey’s ROLLER DREAMS; Mark Hayes’s SKID ROW MARATHON; Robin Berghaus’s STUMPED; Jillian Moul and Matthew Moul’s SURVIVING HOME; Maya Washington’s THROUGH THE BANKS OF THE RED CEDARS; P.J. Marcellino, and Hermon Farahi’s WHEN THEY AWAKE and Sally Colón-Petree’s WOMEN LIKE US. The Episodic Projects vying for prizes are: Ben Strang’s Beast; Morgan Beck’s Brooke; Keith Miller’s Brooklynification; Jennifer Morrison’s Fabled; Raj Trivedi’s From Jappan; Corrie Chen and Tori Garrett’s Mustangs FC; Kholi Hicks’s Reaver Vs. Specter; Max Rissman’s Root for the Villain; Will Seefried’s Sink Sank Sunk; Andrew Olsen’s SusaneLand; Jeremy Redleaf’s Threads; Milena Govich’s Unspeakable; and Allison Vanore’s Whatta Lark (Ep 1). BFF previously announced that Elissa Downs’s THE HONOR LIST would make its world premiere as the Opening Night selection, with Lea Thompson’s THE YEAR OF SPECTACULAR MEN screening as this year’s Centerpiece selection. Special Spotlight selections include; Carlos Lopez Estrada’s drama BLINDSPOTTING, about the intersection of race and class, set against the backdrop of a rapidly gentrifying Oakland; Sara Driver’s documentary BOOM FOR REAL, about legendary New York City-centric artist Jean-Michel Basquiat; Brett Haley’s crowd-pleaser HEARTS BEAT LOUD, starring Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons as a father and daughter, who form an unlikely songwriting duo; Julie Cohen and Betsy West documentary RBG, about the inestimable Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Andrew Bujalski’s latest, SUPPORT THE GIRLS, about a restaurant manager attempting to outmaneuver the owner as she tries to help one of her employees; and Jennifer Fox’s Sundance hit, THE TALE, which stars Laura Dern, Ellen Burstyn, and Common, in a devastating film which dramatizes Fox’s reconciling her memories of her first sexual relationship with the reality of what actually transpired. The Sony/ConAgra Outdoor Theatre @ Lawrence Plaza will offer a number of family-friendly and animated hits including; the recent Academy Award winner, Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina’s COCO, Ang Lee’s classic, CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000); Otto Bell’s adventure film, THE EAGLE HUNTRESS (2016); both Joe Johnston’s JUMANJI (1995) and Jake Kasdan’s recent blockbuster hit, JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, and Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook’s animated classic, MULAN (1998), celebrating its 20th Anniversary. Additional highlights and events within the film festival are; the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Finalists screening on Wednesday, May 3, followed by a Q&A with founder Nic Novicki; the special Project Zero screening and event on, Sunday, May 5, to raise awareness for the Arkansas-based organization’s mission to diligently and passionately promote adoption through the foster care system; the Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center, Ready Nation, Moms in Film and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families presentation of Raising America on Friday, May 4, followed by a panel discussion with Kyle Peterson, Alysia Reiner and others; the Samsung Create Event, on Thursday, May 23, presenting student filmmakers challenged to make a short film based on the mission of BFF by utilizing a Samsung Galaxy phone and tablet; and Marvel Experience, Wednesday May 2 – Friday May 4, at Skylight Cinema which will offer the ultimate Marvel Experience for film fans, with free film screenings, themed concessions and galactic experiences. For the 4th consecutive year, BFF will remain the only film festival in the world to offer guaranteed distribution to its narrative feature film winner. BFF’ s distribution partners include AMC Theatres, Lifetime, Starz, ACI-Inspires and others. In 2018, BFF will add new prizes for its other juried categories. Through a partnership with MarVista Entertainment, the winner of the Short Film Competition will be awarded a directing role on one of MarVista’s future feature films, providing an opportunity for diverse ideas, opinions and stories to be heard. The winner of the Documentary Film Competition will receive a mentorship prize package sponsored by ITVS, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that has, for over 25 years, funded and partnered with a diverse range of documentary filmmakers to produce and distribute untold stories. The Episodic Competition winner will receive a prize package sponsored by SeriesFest, an award winning festival dedicated to showcasing the best and boldest in episodic storytelling from around the world, that includes a screening at the SeriesFest Season 4 in Denver, a consultation with an industry professional, and a VIP Badge.

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  • 2018 Sarasota Film Festival Announces Lineup, ‘1985’ EIGHTH GRADE’ ‘THE RIDER’ and More…

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

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