Michelin Stars: Tales from the Kitchen (2017)

  • 2018 Woodstock Film Festival to Showcase Over 100 Films + Opens with KARL BERGER – MUSIC MIND

    [caption id="attachment_31849" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]Karl Berger of Karl Berger - Music Mind Karl Berger of Karl Berger – Music Mind[/caption] The fiercely independent 19th Annual Woodstock Film Festival will showcase more than 100 films and open with a live performance by the Karl Berger Band following the screening of the feature documentary Karl Berger – Music Mind, which offers “an inside look into the creative process and unique approach toward music that makes Karl Berger”. Matthew Heineman’s feature narrative debut A Private War, starring Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan and Stanley Tucci will close the film festival on the evening of Sunday, October 14th. There will be a panel discussion after the film screening of Lessons from a School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane, featuring the filmmakers, as well as panelists from the documentary Newtown. In the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre that took the lives of twenty first-graders and their teachers, local clergyman Father Bob Weiss receives a letter from a fellow priest in Dunblane, Scotland, whose community suffered an eerily similar fate in 1996. From across the Atlantic, the two priests forge a poignant bond through the shared experience of trauma and healing. Never before seen film clips of the filmmakers’ upcoming documentary about the mass shooting in Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, will be shown during the panel. Roger Ross Williams is the first African American director to win an Academy Award with his short film Music By Prudence. Williams has directed a wide variety of acclaimed films including God Loves Uganda, which was shortlisted for an Academy Award, and Life, Animated, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2017. Williams is on the Board of Governors for the Academy of motion pictures, Arts and Sciences, representing the Documentary branch, as well as being on the Diversity Committee for the Academy. This year Williams is our Special Guest Programmer whose selection spotlights some of his favorite contemporary works by filmmakers of color. Williams said, “I am thrilled to be a guest programmer at this year’s Woodstock Film Festival. The three films I have chosen demonstrate the scope, depth and creativity that is possible when we, as black filmmakers, tell our own stories.” These films include Hale County This Morning, This Evening, Shakedown, and Mr. SOUL!.

    NARRATIVE FEATURES

    Across The Universe, directed by Julie Taymor Almost Home, directed by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen Ask For Jane, directed by Rachel Carey Beyond the Night, directed by Jason Noto Cold Brook, directed by William Fichtner Dorst (Craving), directed by Saskia Diesing Dreams by the Sea, directed by Sakaris Stórá Fort Maria, directed by Thomas Southerland and S. Cagney Gentry Ghost Light, directed by John Stimpson Here and Now, directed by Roman Shumun Julia Blue, directed by Roxy Toporowych Keely and Du, directed by Dominique Cardona and Laurie Colbert Lez Bomb, directed by Jenna Laurenzo Little Woods, directed by Nia DaCosta Love Revisited, directed by Nicole van Kilsdonk Only A Switch, directed by Michael Vincent Paris Song, directed by Jeff Vespa A Private War, directed by Matthew Heineman ReRUN, directed by Alyssa Rallo Bennett Socrates, directed by Alex Moratto Spell, directed by Brendan Walter Swimming With Men, directed by Oliver Parker Then Came You, directed by Peter Hutchings Unlovable, directed by Suzi Yoonessi We Only Know So Much, directed by Donal Lardner Ward What They Had, directed by Elizabeth Chomko Wheels, directed by Paul Starkman Wildlife, directed by Paul Dano

    Younger Days, directed by Paula van der Oest

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

    2030, directed by Johnny Boston The Advocates, directed by Rémi Kessler Carmine Street Guitars, directed by Ron Mann Dreaming of a Vetter World, directed by Bonnie Hawthorne The Feeling of Being Watched, directed by Assia Boundaoui For The Birds, directed by Richard Miron Ghost Fleet, directed by Shannon Service and Jeffrey Waldron Give Us This Day, directed by Jeff and Michael Zimbalist Hale County This Morning, This Evening, directed by RaMell Ross In Our Bones, directed by Alex Kimura The Interpreters, directed by Andres Caballero and Sofian Khan Karl Berger – Music Mind, directed by Julian Benedikt Michelin Stars – Tales from the Kitchen, directed by Rasmus Dinesen Mr. SOUL!, directed by Melissa Haizlip and Samuel Pollard A Murder In Mansfield, directed by Barbara Kopple Netizens, directed by Cynthia Lowen Personal Statement, directed by Julianne Dressner Shakedown, directed by Leilah Weinraub Somaliland, directed by Harry Lee and Ben Powell Stay Human, directed by Michael Franti Suicide: The Ripple Effect, directed by Greg Dicharry and Kevin Hines Up to Snuff, directed by Mark Maxey What Is Democracy?, directed by Astra Taylor The World Before Your Feet, directed by Jeremy Workman

    WRESTLE, directed by Lauren Belfer and Suzannah Herbert

    SHORTS

    1-0, directed by Nada ElAzhary; 59 Seconds, directed by Mauro Carraro; After Her, directed by Aly Migliori;  Antouni (Homeless), directed by Alik Tamar; Are You Still Singing?, directed by Gillian Barnes; A Year, directed by Jisun Jamie Lee; Beast, directed by Leonora Lonsdale; Beautiful Things, directed by Dina Waxman; Black Spirit, directed by Chakib Taleb-Bendiab; Boy Boy Girl Girl, directed by Ross Kauffman; Carolee, Barbara & Gunvor, directed by Lynne Sachs; The Christmas Rabbit, directed by Christophe Lopez-Huici; The Crying Room, directed by Shalom Auslander; Del Rio, directed by Raj Trivedi; Dinner, directed by Anna Gilmore; Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me), directed by Joseph Wallace; Ego, directed by Mario Addis; The English Teecher, directed by Andy and Carolyn London; Even Ants Strive for Survival, directed by Ren Xia; Funeral, directed by Leah Shore; Gamble, directed by Chayadol Lomtong; Goose in High Heels, directed by John R. Dilworth; He’s Watching, directed by Arthur Metcalf; Homing In, directed by Parker Hill; Jo, directed by Justine Williams; One Small Step, directed by Andrew Chesworth and Bobby Pontillas; Last Requests, directed by Courtenay Johnson; The Last Seance, directed by Laura Kulik; Lifeboat, directed by Skye Fitzgerald; Lucy, directed by Ruben Gutiérrez; The Magical Mystery of Musigny, directed by Emmett Goodman and John Meyer; Martin, directed by Sholto Crow; Melt Down, directed by Amy Jingyi Xu; Mirror Mirror, directed by Jacob Internicola; Mother, directed by Amanda Palmer; Moved to Tiers, directed by Avery Herzog; The Movie House on Main Street, directed by Teresa Torchiano; My Brother (Mi Hermano), directed by Alexis Gambis; Pour 585, directed by Patrick Smith; Rooster and The Queen, directed by Aaron Weisblatt; Salam, directed by Claire Fowler; Lessons from a School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane, directed by Kim A. Snyder; Shiva Baby, directed by Emma Seligman; Sorceress, directed by Max Blustin; Trump Bites, directed by Bill Plympton; Two Balloons, directed by Mark C. Smith; Unnatural, directed by Amy Wang; The Velvet Underground Played at My High School, directed by Tony Jannelli and Robert Pietri; Vicarious Resilience, directed by Eva Tenuto; Voice, directed by Takeshi Kushida; Welcome to the New World, directed by Jerry Suen & Anni Sultany; The Winds of Downhill, directed by Jedd and Todd Wider; Your Face Global Jam, directed by Ken Mora

    YOUTH INITIATIVE

    This year, the Woodstock Film Festival will present films written, filmed, directed, produced, and edited by passionate teens. The Woodstock Film Festival’s Youth Initiative is supported by the Thompson Family Foundation. Three out of the ten films were created by students who participated in the Woodstock Film Festival Summer Youth Film Lab, a three week immersive program underwritten by an anonymous donor, that gives teenagers an opportunity to learn about the art of film and practice the full spectrum of the filmmaking process with guidance from accomplished film industry professionals.
    After The Collapse, directed by Youth Film Lab participant Ethan Laclaverie Past the Fear, directed by Youth Film Lab participant Samuel Levine Mirror Mirror, directed by Youth Film Lab participant Jacob Internicola Along the Water, directed by Marissa Gaylin Can’t Hurry Love, directed by Lola Cook The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Suburbia, directed by Alex Alford and Zak Denley I Am The Only One, directed by Aicha Cherif Inclusion On The Air, directed by Eli Canter Silence, directed by Camille Dobbs Wake Up, directed by Maura Palden

    MUSIC VIDEOS

    This year, the Woodstock Film Festival is highlighting 11 outstanding music videos from talented artists from the United States, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg. These music videos will be screened online at the start of the festival.
    Boyish – Music by Japanese Breakfast Dumb Dumb– Music by Cipherella Found – Music by Toulouse Glendale– Music by Clans Land of the Fairies – Music by Rami Fortis Magic Meadow Music Video – Music by Journey Blue Heaven Mandarin – Music by Boogrov Paprika – Music by No Metal in this Battle Pora Sotunda – Music by The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices

    Solicitous– Music by Drekoty

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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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  • Napa Valley Film Festival Unveils 2017 Lineup, Opens with THE UPSIDE

    [caption id="attachment_24918" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Upside The Upside[/caption] The seventh annual Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) returns this fall with its five-day festival showcasing the year’s best new independent films from November 8 to 12, 2017.  The festival’s official opening night film is The Weinstein Company’s The Upside, directed by Neil Berger and starring Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman and Kevin Hart. Closing the festival will be the Molly’s Game, directed by Aaron Sorkin and starring Jessica Chastain, Kevin Costner and Idris Elba in the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an FBI target. This year’s line-up of Celebrity Tributes that salute the highest levels of cinematic achievement includes Charles Krug Legendary Filmmaker Nancy Meyers (It’s Complicated, The Intern), Raymond Vineyards Trailblazer Michael Shannon (The Current War, The Shape of Water), and Spotlight Tribute honoree Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me By Your Name; The Shape of Water). New this year, The Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch Humanitarian Tribute will be presented to Nikki Reed (Twilight, Ian Somerhalder Foundation) and Ian Somerhalder (The Vampire Diaries, Ian Somerhalder Foundation). The Celebrity Tributes program will take place on Thursday, November 9 at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville and will include video highlight reels and intimate on-stage conversations with Access Hollywood’s Natalie Morales. In addition to the Celebrity Tributes program, Will Ferrell (Anchorman; Daddy’s Home 2) will be honored with the Caldwell Vineyards Maverick Tribute on Friday, November 10, and the first annual Rising Star Showcase at Materra | Cunat Vineyards on Saturday, November 11 will honor a handful of young talent including Ana de Armas (War Dogs; Blade Runner 2049), Odeya Rush, (Lady Bird, Goosebumps), Austin Stowell (Battle of the Sexes, Bridge of Spies), Gregg Sulkin (Runaways, Faking It) and Alex Wolff (My Friend Dahmer; Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle). NVFF will kick off with their Sneak Preview Night on Tuesday, November 7 with a special presentation of Fox Searchlight Pictures’ The Shape of Water. The film, directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer and Michael Stuhlbarg, is an other-worldly tale of Elisa whose life is changed forever when she and a co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment at the hidden high-security government laboratory where they work. The festival will also play host to an incredible selection of films, including many of this year’s award-contenders, such as: 78/52 – (IFC) An unprecedented look at the iconic shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), the “man behind the curtain,” and the screen murder that profoundly changed the course of world cinema. Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe. Call Me By Your Name – (Sony Pictures Classics) In 1983, the son of an American professor is enamored by the graduate student who comes to study and live with his family in their northern Italian home. Together, they share an unforgettable summer full of music, food, and romance that will forever change them. Directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer and Michael Stuhlbarg. Michael Stuhlbarg is expected to attend. Chappaquiddick – (Entertainment Studios) Ted Kennedy’s life and political career become derailed in the aftermath of a fatal car accident in 1969 that claims the life of a young campaign strategist, Mary Jo Kopechne. Directed by John Curran and starring Jason Clarke, Bruce Dern, Ed Helms and Kate Mara. Crown Heights – (Amazon Studios) When Colin Warner is wrongfully convicted of murder, his best friend Carl King devotes his life to proving Colin’s innocence. Directed by Matt Ruskin and starring Nnamdi Asomugha and Lakeith Stanfield. Nnamdi Asomugha is expected to attend. The Current War – (The Weinstein Company) The dramatic story of the cutthroat race between electricity titans Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse to determine whose electrical system would power the modern world. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Nicholas Hoult, Michael Shannon and Katherine Waterston. Michael Shannon is expected to attend. Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool – (Sony Pictures Classics) A romance sparks between a young actor and a Hollywood leading lady. Directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Jamie Bell and Annette Bening. I, Tonya – (Neon) Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises among the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the sport is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes. Directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Allison Janney, Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan. LA 92 – (NatGeo) A look at the events that led up to the 1992 uprising in Los Angeles following the Rodney King beating by the police. Directed by Daniel Lindsay and T.J. Martin. The Leisure Seeker – (Sony Pictures Classics) A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker, traveling from Boston to The Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West. They recapture their passion for life and their love for each other on a road trip that provides revelation and surprise right up to the very end. Directed by Paolo Virzì and starring Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland. The rest of the NVFF film line-up is as follows:

    Core Competitions

    Narrative Features:

    American Folk, Directed by David Heinz The Boy Downstairs, Directed by Sophie Brooks The House of Tomorrow, Directed by Peter Livolsi I Can I Will I Did, Directed by Nadine Truong People You May Know, Directed by Shewin Shilati The Sounding, Directed by Catherine Eaton Stuck, Directed by Michael Berry Tater Tot & Patton, Directed by Andrew Kightlinger The Year of Spectacular Men, Directed by Lea Thompson

    Documentary Features:

    ACORN and the Firestorm, Directed by Reuben Atlas and Samuel D. Pollard Catching Sight of Thelma & Louise, Directed by Jennifer Townsend Coyote, Directed by Thomas Simmons A Fine Line, Directed by Joanna James The Gateway Bug, Directed by Johanna B. Kelly Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies, Directed by Amanda Ladd-Jones Mighty Ground, Directed by Delila Vallot Skid Row Marathon, Directed by Mark Hayes The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, Directed by Jennifer M. Kroot

    The Lounge

    Features:

    Amanda & Jack Go Glamping, Directed by Brandon Dickerson Class Rank, Directed by Eric Stoltz Coup d’etat, Directed by Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse Entanglement, Directed by Jason James A Happening of Monumental Proportions, Directed by Judy Greer Izzy Gets the F*ck Across Town, Directed by Christian Papierniak Life Hack, Directed by Sloan Copeland Quest, Directed by Santiago Rizzo The Relationtrip, Directed by Renée Felice Smith and C.A. Gabriel

    Special Presentations

    40 Years in the Making – The Magic Music Movie, Directed by Lee Aronsohn The Ataxian, Directed by Zack Bennett and Kevin Schlanser Back to Burgundy, Directed by Cédric Klapisch Bernard and Huey, Directed by Dan Mirvish Breakable You, Directed by Andrew Wagner California Typewriter, Directed by Doug Nichol Constructing Albert, Directed by Laura Collado and Jim Loomis Dog Years, Directed by Adam Rifkin Don’t Shoot the Zebra Pony, Directed by Kathryn Lauritzen Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table, Directed by Leslie Iwerks Fermented, Directed by Jon Cianfrani Food Evolution, Directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution, Directed by Jamie Redford Liyana, Directed by Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp Man In Red Bandana, Directed by Matthew Weiss Michelin Stars: Tales from the Kitchen, Directed by Rasmus Dinesen New Chefs on the Block, Directed by Dustin Harrison-Atlas Poisoning Paradise, Directed by Keely Shaye Brosnan Rebels On Pointe, Directed by Bobbi Jo Hart Served Like a Girl, Directed by Lysa Heslov Taming Wild: A Girl and a Mustang, Directed by Elsa Sinclair To the Edge of the Sky, Directed by Todd Wider and Jedd Wider Wasted! The Story of Food Waste, Directed by Anna Chai, Nari Kye  

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  • Michael Winterbottom’s THE TRIP TO SPAIN to Close San Sebastian Film Festival Culinary Zinema Program

    [caption id="attachment_24291" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]THE TRIP TO SPAIN THE TRIP TO SPAIN[/caption] Culinary Zinema, the San Sebastian Film Festival section combining food and film will feature seven films, and close with The Trip to Spain directed by Michael Winterbottom. The opening film, Michelin Stars – Tales from the Kitchen, looks at the highs and lows of the Michelin Guide in this golden age of gastronomy. It is directed by Rasmus Dinesen, author of the films Det forbudte landshold (The Forbidden Team), about the first Tibetan national football team; Verdens bedste kok (World’s Finest Chef), about the victory of Danish chef Rasmus Kofoed at the Bocuse d’Or championship; and the documentary TV series Star Chefs about Michelin-starred restaurants. Laura Collado collaborated with Justin Webster (Muerte en León and El fin de ETA / The Demise of ETA, Zinemira 2016) on the Al Jazeera series People & Power. Jim Loomis has worked as a cinematographer and editor for productions by BBC, ARTE and CNN. Together they helm the feature film Constructing Albert, about the “most underrated chef in the world”, Albert Adrià, brother of the man who created El Bulli. In her first feature film, E il cibo va / Food on the Go, Mercedes Córdova, director of the prize-winning short Acá nunca está nublado, looks at the tradition of Italian food in the diaspora a hundred years after millions of Italians immigrated to Argentina. Another first work is The Cakemaker, by Ofir Raul Graizer, whose short film La discotheque screened in the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2015. The film, a co-production between Germany and Israel which competed at Karlovy Vary, tells the tale of a young German pastry chef who heads for Jerusalem in search of answers when his lover dies. Koki Shigeno, a veteran director of TV documentaries, has now made his first feature-length film, Ramen Heads, selected for Hot Docs (Canadian International Documentary Film Festival). The film follows Osamu Tomita, today’s king of the ramen in Japan, on a 15-month tour of the lives of the masters of this dish and its legions of followers. Masakazu Fukatsu debuts in feature films with Papa no obento wa sekaiichi / Dad’s Lunch Box, the true story of a father and his daughter -which went viral on social media- brought together by the bento box in which people carry their packed lunches in Japan. Michael Winterbottom, to whom the Festival dedicated a retrospective in 2003, formerly competed in the Official Selection with Nine Songs (2004), winner of the Best Cinematography Award, Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005) and Genova (2008), recognized with the Silver Shell for Best Director. The Trip to Spain, selected for Tribeca, is his first incursion to Culinary Zinema. After The Trip and The Trip to Italy, Winterbottom renews his collaboration with actors Steve Coogan (Philomena) and Rob Brydon (Would I Lie to You?) to analyze six meals in six places on a road trip through Spain, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coast. To complete the experience, the screenings will be followed by meals linked to the content of the films.

    2017 San Sebastian Film Festival – Culinary Zinema –  Films

    MICHELIN STARS – TALES FROM THE KITCHEN RASMUS DINESEN (DENMARK) OPENING NIGHT FILM At a moment in time when humanity is obsessed with food –photographing every dish, worshipping cooks and flaunting trophy meals on social media–, this documentary goes under the surface and offers an in-depth, honest and relevant view into the world and day-to-day of Michelin chefs and restaurants. Telling tales from a grand menu of culinary temples as well as digging into the greatness and flaws of the Michelin Guide in this golden age of gastronomy. THE CAKEMAKER OFIR RAUL GRAIZER (GERMANY – ISRAEL) Cast: Tim Kalkhof, Sarah Adler, Zohar Strauss, Sandra Sade, Roy Miller Thomas, a young German pastry maker, is having an affair with Oren, a married Israeli man who makes frequent business trips to Berlin. When Oren dies in a car accident in Israel, Thomas heads for Jerusalem in search of answers to his death. Using a false name, Thomas worms himself into the life of Anat, his lover’s recently widowed wife, to the point of becoming assistant chef in her bar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ7144Mc2lw RAMEN HEADS KOKI SHIGENO (JAPAN) Osamu Tomita, Japan’s reigning king of ramen, takes us deep into his world, revealing every single step of his obsessive approach to creating the perfect soup and noodles, and his relentless search for the highest-quality ingredients. This is a documentary record of 15 months in the lives of Japan’s top ramen masters and their legions of devoted fans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3E9MGOK4LY E IL CIBO VA / FOOD ON THE GO MERCEDES CÓRDOVA (ARGENTINA – ITALY – USA) Gastronomic culture is the result of man’s travels in search of new things to eat. For proof, we only have to look at how Italian food journeyed to America with the mass migrations. Almost a hundred years later, retracing the steps of food and its voyage to New York and Buenos Aires, we now find the foundation of a new tradition of Italian food in exile. What relationship does it bear to its country of origin? Can we talk about Italian food outside of Italy? PAPA NO OBENTO WA SEKAIICHI / DAD’S LUNCH BOX MASAKAZU FUKATSU (JAPAN) Cast: Toshimi Watanabe, Reina Takeda This is a heart-warming true story of the father and daughter connected by bento, the Japanese packed lunch in a box. Throughout her three years at high school, the young girl would eat the bento made for her every day by her father. On her last day she found that her lunchbox contained a picture of the very first bento that her father had made for her with a handwritten message from him. The girl tweeted the occurrence, making 350,000 people cry on Twitter. The message was retweeted more than 80,000 times and got 260,000 ‘likes’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftIP00C0Uu0 CONSTRUCTING ALBERT LAURA COLLADO, JIM LOOMIS (SPAIN – ESTONIA) At the dawn of the 21st century, El Bulli restaurant revolutionized the world of gastronomy, making chef Ferran Adrià the king of haute cuisine. Behind such a success, was an unrecognized creative genius: Ferran’s younger brother, Albert. In 2013, Albert Adrià was considered the world’s most underrated chef. Enigma, the crown of his gastronomic empire opens with a clear goal: to become one of the best restaurants in the world. This is Albert’s attempt to escape the shadow of legendary El Bulli and enter the Pantheon of great chefs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdFwpOAR-o4 THE TRIP TO SPAIN MICHAEL WINTERBOTTOM (UK) Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon CLOSING NIGHT FILM Michael Winterbottom is on the road for the third time with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, after their success with The Trip and The Trip to Italy. Six meals in six different places on a road trip through Spain from the North Atlantic to the Mediterranean coast – visiting Cantabria, the Basque Country, Aragon, Rioja, Castile La Mancha and ending in Andalucia. Steve, now turned 50, is still chasing love – he wants to get back together with his ex-girlfriend Mischa, but she is with another man. Rob’s acting career is going from strength to strength, his family life is fulfilling – he has had another child since Steve last saw him. Steve has just starred as a chef in a US TV series and is asked to do a set of restaurant reviews in Spain to publicise the show. As usual Rob will write the newspaper articles, this time using Don Quixote as inspiration. Meanwhile Steve is hoping to write a more ambitious book based on this trip and his earlier experiences in Spain. He imagines himself in the tradition of writers such as Orwell, Hemingway, and Laurie Lee. After all, Steve is now an Oscar nominated writer… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTvy8ab1NSo

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