Orion: The Man Who Would Be King (2015)

  • 21st Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Unveils Official Selections + Jeanie Finlay Retrospective

    Your Fat Friend by Jeanie Finlay
    Your Fat Friend

    The 21st annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival returns February 16-25, 2024 in Missoula, Montana featuring over 150 nonfiction films, and a virtual program streaming online February 19-29.

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  • “Ex Machina” is Big Winner of British Independent Film Awards; Wins Best British Independent Film

    Ex Machina Ex Machina was the big winner at the 2015 British Independent Film Awards winning four awards, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Alex Garland and Outstanding Achievement in Craft for its Visual Effects, by Andrew Whitehurst. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEcB7T-C0g8 Performance awards were spread across the board: Saoirse Ronan picked up Best Actress for Brooklyn and Tom Hardy won Best Actor for his dual role as Ronnie and Reggie Kray in Legend. Olivia Colman won her third BIFA for her Best Supporting Actress performance in The Lobster. Brendan Gleeson made it two years in a row, winning Best Supporting Actor for Suffragette this year after taking away Best Actor for Calvary last year. Colin Farrell presented the Most Promising Newcomer award to Abigail Hardingham for her breakthrough performance in Nina Forever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IokJt_05co In the closely-fought Best Documentary category, Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance won out over Amy, How to Change the World, Palio and A Syrian Love Story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzA9Ct44oes Room was named Best International Independent Film and Jacob Tremblay, the young star of the film, collected the award with the team. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Ci-pAL4eE Additionally, the Variety Award, which recognizes a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK, was presented to Kate Winslet. The Richard Harris Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Actor to British Film was presented to Chiwetel Ejiofor. Complete list of winners of 2015 Moët British Independent Film Awards Best British Independent Film Ex Machina Best Director Alex Garland, “Ex Machina” Best Actor Tom Hardy, “Legend” Best Actress Saoirse Ronan, “Brooklyn” Best Supporting Actor Brendan Gleeson, “Suffragette” Best Supporting Actress Olivia Colman, “The Lobster” Best Screenplay Alex Garland, “Ex Machina” Best Foreign Independent Film “Room” Best Debut Director (Douglas Hickox Award) Stephen Fingleton, “The Survivalist” Best Achievement in Craft Andrew Whitehurst (visual effects), “Ex Machina” Best Documentary “Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance” Most Promising Newcomer Abigail Hardingham, “Nina Forever” Producer of the Year Paul Katis and Andrew De Lotbiniere, “Kajaki: The True Story” Raindance Discovery Award “Orion: The Man Who Would Be King” Best Short Film “Edmond”

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  • THE LOBSTER Leads Nominations for 2015 Moët British Independent Film Awards

    Yorgos Lanthimos’ THE LOBSTER The Lobster topped the list of nominations for the 2015 Moët British Independent Film Awards with 7 nominations, including Best British Independent Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay andProducer of the Year. Colin Farrell is nominated for Best Actor and Olivia Colmanand Ben Whishaw for their supporting roles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR_NcqD-Gfs 45 Years and Macbeth received six nominations each, including Best British Independent Film and Best Director. 45 Years also has nominations for its screenplay, for Producer of the Year, and for its stars Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillardare nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress and Macduff, Sean Harris, for Best Supporting Actor. The film’s Cinematography also gets a nod. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg5cpiX18TA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqHhKuCQmoY Asif Kapadia’s Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy, has five nominations, for Director, Documentary, Producer of the Year, for its Editing and for Best British Independent Film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE Completing the Best British Independent Film line up is Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, which is nominated for Director and Screenplay. The film’s Production Design and Visual Effects are also recognised. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bggUmgeMCdc Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne-Marie Duff are all nominated for their performances in Suffragette. Alicia Vikander is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in The Danish Girl. Tom Hardy is nominated (just once) for Best Actor for his performance as both Kray twins in Legend. Father and son Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson are both nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Suffragette and Brooklyn, respectively. Brooklyn’s other nominations come for Nick Hornby’s Screenplay and for Best Actress Saoirse Ronanand Best Supporting Actress Julie Walters. The film’s Casting is also nominated, in the Outstanding Achievement in Craft category. Amy Jump’s Screenplay for High-Rise, adapted from the novel by JG Ballard, is nominated. The film’s cast are recognised too: Tom Hiddleston is nominated forBest Actor, Sienna Miller for Supporting Actress and Luke Evans for Supporting Actor. There are five first-time performance nominees this year (Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Tom Hiddleston, Marion Cotillard and Luke Evans) and nine past winners: Tom Hardy, Brendan Gleeson Anne-Marie Duff, Olivia Colman, Michael Fassbender, Helena Bonham Carter, Julie Walters and Ben Whishaw, who was BIFA’s Most Promising Newcomer in 2001. This year’s Most Promising Newcomers are Agyness Deyn for Sunset Song, Mia Goth for The Survivalist, Abigail Hardingham for Nina Forever, Milo Parker for Mr Holmes and Bel Powley for A Royal Night Out. Nina Forever and The Survivalist are both nominated for The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director for directors The Blaine Brothers and Stephen Fingleton. The other first-time directors nominated are John Maclean for Slow West, Corin Hardy for The Hallow and Paul Katis for Kajaki: The True Story, which is also nominated for Producer of the Year.The Violators is also nominated for Producer of the Year. Nominated for Best Documentary along with Amy, are Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance, How to Change the World, Palio and A Syrian Love Story. The nominations for the new Discovery Award, which recognises innovation and vision in lower-budget films, are Aaaaaaaah!, Burn Burn Burn, Orion: The Man Who Would Be King, The Return and Winter. The Variety Award, which recognizes a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK, will be presented to Kate Winslet. The winners will be announced at The Moët British Independent Film Awards on Sunday 6 December at Old Billingsgate. 2015 MOËT BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS Best British Independent Film sponsored by Moët & Chandon 45 YEARS Tristan Goligher, Andrew Haigh AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia EX MACHINA Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, Alex Garland THE LOBSTER Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos MACBETH Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Laura Hastings-Smith, Todd Louiso, Jacob Koskoff, Michael Lesslie, Justin Kurzel Best Director 45 YEARS Andrew Haigh AMY Asif Kapadia EX MACHINA Alex Garland THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos MACBETH Justin Kurzel Best Screenplay sponsored by BBC Films 45 YEARS Andrew Haigh BROOKLYN Nick Hornby EX MACHINA Alex Garland HIGH-RISE Amy Jump THE LOBSTER Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou Best Actress sponsored by MAC MARION COTILLARD Macbeth CAREY MULLIGAN Suffragette CHARLOTTE RAMPLING 45 Years SAOIRSE RONAN Brooklyn ALICIA VIKANDER The Danish Girl Best Actor sponsored by Movado TOM COURTENAY 45 Years COLIN FARRELL The Lobster MICHAEL FASSBENDER Macbeth TOM HARDY Legend TOM HIDDLESTON High-Rise Best Supporting Actress HELENA BONHAM CARTER Suffragette OLIVIA COLMAN The Lobster ANNE-MARIE DUFF Suffragette SIENNA MILLER High-Rise JULIE WALTERS Brooklyn Best Supporting Actor LUKE EVANS High-Rise BRENDAN GLEESON Suffragette DOMHNALL GLEESON Brooklyn SEAN HARRIS Macbeth BEN WHISHAW The Lobster Most Promising Newcomer sponsored by The London Edition AGYNESS DEYN Sunset Song MIA GOTH The Survivalist ABIGAIL HARDINGHAM Nina Forever MILO PARKER Mr Holmes BEL POWLEY A Royal Night Out The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) sponsored by 3 Mills Studios THE HALLOW Corin Hardy KAJAKI: THE TRUE STORY Paul Katis NINA FOREVER Chris & Ben Blaine SLOW WEST John Maclean THE SURVIVALIST Stephen Fingleton The Discovery Award sponsored by Raindance AAAAAAAAH! Andrew Starke, Steve Oram BURN BURN BURN Daniel-Konrad Cooper, Tim Phillips, Charlie Covell, Chanya Button ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING Jeanie Finlay THE RETURN Oliver Nias WINTER Tilly Wood, Paula Crickard, Heidi Greensmith Best Documentary AMY James Gay-Rees, Asif Kapadia DARK HORSE: THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF DREAM ALLIANCE Judith Dawson, Louise Osmond HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD Bous De Jong, Al Morrow, Jerry Rothwell PALIO James Gay-Rees, John Hunt, Cosima Spender A SYRIAN LOVE STORY Elhum Shakerifar, Sean McAllister Producer of the Year TRISTAN GOLIGHER 45 Years JAMES GAY-REES Amy PAUL KATIS, ANDREW DE LOTBINIERE Kajaki: The True Story CECI DEMPSEY, ED GUINEY, YORGOS LANTHIMOS, LEE MAGIDAY The Lobster DAVID A HUGHES, DAVID MOORES The Violators Outstanding Achievement in Craft ADAM ARKAPAW Cinematography – Macbeth MARK DIGBY Production Design – Ex Machina CHRIS KING Editing – Amy FIONA WEIR Casting – Brooklyn ANDREW WHITEHURST Visual Effects, Ex Machina Best British Short Film BALCONY Tom Kimberly, Ali Mansuri, Toby Fell-Holden CRACK Joseph Taussig, Peter King EDMOND Emilie Jouffroy, Nina Gantz LOVE IS BLIND Lizzie Brown, Dan Hodgson MANoMAN Kamilla Kristiane Hodøl, Simon Cartwright Best International Independent Film CAROL Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley, Christine Vachon, Phyllis Nagy, Todd Haynes FORCE MAJEURE Erik Hemmendorff, Marie Kjellson, Philippe Bober, Ruben Östlund GIRLHOOD Bénédicte Couvreur, Céline Sciamma ROOM Ed Guiney, David Gross, Emma Donoghue, Lenny Abrahamson SON OF SAUL Gábor Sipos, Gábor Rajna, Cara Royer, László Nemes

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  • 13th Tallgrass Film Festival Announces Film Lineup; Opens with BAND OF ROBBERS, Closes with WAFFLE STREET

    BAND OF ROBBERS

    The 13th Tallgrass Film Festival taking place October 14 to 18, 2015, announced the full schedule of 203 films (54 features, 149 short films). Gala selections include the Opening Night film, Adam and Aaron Nees’ comedy BAND OF ROBBERS and the Closing Night selection of Ian and Eshom Nelms’ comedy WAFFLE STREET, bookending Valerie Weiss’ A LIGHT BENEATH THEIR FEET which will screen as the Stubbornly Independent competition winner.

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  • Monument to Michael Jackson, Frame by Frame, Wins Grand Jury Prizes at 2015 Nashville Film Festival

    Monument to Michael Jackson The Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) 2015 announced the 46th Annual Competition Award winners, including Grand Jury Prizes to Monument to Michael Jackson (pictured above), Orion: The Man Who Would Be King and other notable films. Best Original Song went to Brian Wilson for “One Kind of Love” fromLove & Mercy. According to the jury, its palpable portrayal of a child torn between two worlds earned Daytimer the Live Action Short Grand Jury Prize. Bear Storyset itself a very high bar both stylistically and narratively and delivered across the board, which garnered it the Grand Jury Prize for Animated Short. La Vie en rose comme dans les films provided a humble glimpse into the complicated world of memory; the short received the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary Short. Each of these three shorts will be automatically qualified for Academy Award® consideration. Bridgestone Narrative Competition Grand Jury Prize – Monument to Michael Jackson, directed by Darko Lungolov Honorable Mention – WildLike, directed by Frank Hall Green
    The Bridgestone Narrative Competition Grand Jury Prize went to Monument to Michael Jackson. The film was, “at times a political farce, a relationship drama and an inspiring tale of tenacity in the face of adversity.”The jury also awarded Geraldine Chaplin from Sand Dollars the Best Actress award, while Boris Milivojevic from Monument to Michael Jackson received the Best Actor award. Best Screenplay went to Shonali Bose for Margarita, with a Straw, and the Film Musicians Secondary Market Fund Award for Best Music in a Feature Film went to Ramon Cordero, Benjamin De Menil and Edilio Paredes for Sand Dollars. The Special Jury Prize for Cinematography was awarded to Tony Mirza for Eadweard.
    Gibson Music Films/Music City Competition Grand Jury Prize – Orion: The Man Who Would Be King, directed by Jeanie Finlay Honorable Mention – Sweet Micky for President, directed by Ben Patterson
    The jury said Orion, “hits every note… and then some. It was a completely unpredictable yet always entertaining and moving documentary.”The jury awarded the Special Jury Prize for Best Import to Tomi Fujiyama in Made in Japan.
    Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize – Frame by Frame, directed by Mo Scarpelli and Alexandra Bombach Honorable Mention – Welcome to Leith, directed by Michael Beach and Christopher K. Walker
    “Frame by Frame is a fascinating look into life in Afghanistan that celebrates its growing photography culture, with unprecedented access and interviews,” the jury said. “The film is beautifully crafted and we’re so honored to present these first time filmmakers with the Documentary Grand Jury Prize, and hope that they will continue to make inspiring films.”The Special Jury Prize for Direction went to Jimmy Chin and E. Chai Vasahelyi forMeru.
    New Directors Competition Grand Jury Prize – Songs She Wrote About People She Knows, directed by Kris Elgstrand Honorable Mention – Naz & Maalik, directed by Jay Dockendorf
    Songs She Wrote About People She Knows received the Grand Jury Prize, “for its quirky plot, high production values, and unique yet relatable characters, the New Directors Jury awarded its Grand Jury Prize to Songs She Wrote About People She Knows. Lead actress Arabella Bushnell delivers a particularly strong performance as an aspiring pop singer, complete with highly original and hilarious songs. Writer/director Kris Elgstrand is a strong new voice in independent cinema and we are excited to see what he comes up with next. “ The jury awarded Krisha Fairchild with Best Actress for Krisha and Daniel Cerqueira with Best Actor for Radiator. The Special Jury Prize for Direction went to Sarah Adina Smith for The Midnight Swim.
    Best Original Song Winner – “One Kind of Love,” from Love & Mercy, written and performed by Brian Wilson Honorable Mention – “Found You,” from In My Father’s House, written and performed by Rhymefest
    Graveyard Shift Competition
    Grand Jury Prize (tie) – Alléluia, directed by Fabrice du Welz Grand Jury Prize (tie) — They Look Like People, directed by Perry Blackshear
    “The jury found itself unable to determine a hierarchy between exquisite works of passion, madness, human bonds and inhuman horror.”The jury awarded for Best Actress to Amy Everson in Felt and Best Actor to MacLeod Andrews in They Look Like People. The Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Use of Music went to Rain the Color of Blue with a Little Red in It.
    Ground Zero Tennessee First Competition
    Grand Jury Prize – The Keepers, directed by Joann Self Selvidge and Sara Kaye Larson
    Southwest Airlines Audience Award Overall Winner In My Father’s House, Ricki Stern & Annie Sundberg, scored 4.99 out of 5 Southwest Airlines Audience Award Winners Narrative Competition – Eadweard, Kyle Rideout, director Documentary Competition – In My Father’s House, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, directors Special Presentations  – Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, director Spectrum – The Waiting Country Woman, Li Yangiu, director Music Films/Music City – Revival: The Sam Bush Story, Kris Wheeler and Wayne Franklin Tennessee First – Mind/Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw, Rick Goldsmith, director New Directors Competition – The Challenger, Kent Moran, director Graveyard Shift – They Look Like People, Perry Blackshear, director Southwest Airlines Audience Awards  – Documentaries – Top Five
    1. In My Father’s House, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, directors
    2. Mind/Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw, Rick Goldsmith, director
    3. The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young, Annika Iltis and Timothy Kane, directors
    4. Revival: The Sam Bush Story, Kris Wheeler and Wayne Franklin, directors
    5. Imba Means Sing, Danielle Bernstein, director
    Southwest Airlines Audience Awards –  Narratives – Top Five
    1. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, director
    2. The Challenger, Kent Moran, director
    3. Love & Mercy, Bill Pohlad, director
    4. Ain’t It Nowhere, Scott Murphy, director
    5. I’ll See You in My Dreams, Brett Haley, director
    Tennessee Horizon Audience Award for Best Shorts
    Presented by TN Film, Music & Entertainment Commission and Native Magazine Winner (tie) – Daddy’s Little Girl, directed by Chad McClarnon Winner (tie) – Usetocould, directed by Drew Maynard
    Sponsored Awards
    NPT Human Spirit Award – My Voice, My Life, directed by Ruby Yang Women in Film & Television Award – Yosemite, directed by Gabrielle Demeestere Outstanding LGBT Film – Naz & Maalik, directed by Jay Dockendorf Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Award – Alfonso Gomez-Rejon for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Lipscomb University Prize of the Ecumenical Jury – Rosenwald, directed by Aviva Kempner.
      Complete List of Short Film Award Winners Live Action Short – Grand Jury Prize: Daytimer, directed by Riz Ahmed (United Kingdom) Live Action Short – Honorable Mention: Tzniut, directed by David Formentin (USA) Live Action Short – Honorable Mention: Saturday, directed by Mike Forshaw (United Kingdom) Special Jury Prize for Visual Storytelling: The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometer 375, directed by Omar El Zohairy (Egypt) Animated Short – Grand Jury Prize: Bear Story, directed by Gabriel Osorio (Chile) Animated Short – Honorable Mention: Man on the Chair, directed by Dahee Jeong (France) Special Jury Prize for Achievement in Animation: Pineapple Calamari, directed by Kasia Nalewajka (United Kingdom) Documentary Short – Grand Jury Prize: La Vie en rose comme dans les films, directed by Christophe M. Saber (Switzerland) Documentary Short – Honorable Mention: Autofocus, directed by Boris Poljak (Croatia) Special Jury Prize for Bridging the Gap Between Experimental and Documentary Filmmaking: Object, directed by Paulina Skibinska (Poland) Experimental Short – Grand Jury Prize: (null), directed by Michael Lange, David Gesslbauer (Germany) Experimental Short – Honorable Mention: Play Within a Play, directed by Yasmijn Karhof (Netherlands) Student Short – Grand Jury Prize: Wire Cutters, directed by Jack Anderson (USA) Student Short – Honorable Mention: The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometer 375, directed by Omar El Zohairy (Egypt) Watkins Young Filmmaker Award: Poet Against Prejudice, directed by Faiza Almontaser (USA) Web Series Grand Jury Prize: 24 Hour Records, directed by Brad Cash (USA) Web Series Honorable Mention: HelLA, directed by Rory Uphold (USA) Graveyard Shift Grand Jury Prize for Short Film: Alone, directed by Didier Philippe (France) Graveyard Shift Honorable Mention for Short Film: Primrose Lane, directed by Nick Phillips (USA) Ground Zero Tennessee First Shorts Documentary Award: Muddy Pond, directed by Tyler Jones Ground Zero Tennessee First Short Narrative Award: Trying Not to Explode, directed by Dave Dorsey Tennessee Horizon Audience Award for Best Shorts presented by TN Film, Music & Entertainment Commission and Native Magazine (Nominees – winner announced Thursday, April 23) Contrary to Likeness, directed by Motke Dapp Daddy’s Little Girl, directed by Chad McClarnon Futureman, directed by Patrick Sheehan How I Got Made, directed by Tracy S. Facelli Nashville in Harmony: Ten Years of Using Music to Build Community, directed by Steven C. Knapp Usetocould, directed by Drew Maynard Steven Goldmann Visionary Award: World of Tomorrow, directed by Don Hertzfeldt (USA)

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