Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

  • 4 New Docs Including The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to Debut on Starz

    Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
    Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

    Four new documentaries including Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, the behind-the-scenes story of how the original Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders became a controversial pop culture phenomenon at the height of the Sexual Revolution have been acquired by Starz and will debut this year on the cable network. The documentary, Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders premieres on Monday, January 14 at 9 PM ET/PT .

    Read more


  • 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”

    Read more


  • Cinema Eye Honors Announces 2018 Audience Choice, Heterodox, Broadcast, Unforgettables and Nonfiction “Shorts List”

    [caption id="attachment_32398" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Won’t You Be My Neighbor?[/caption] The Cinema Eye Honors unveiled the first awards announcements for their 12th Annual awards, including The Unforgettables, their annual list of notable and significant nonfiction film subjects;  The Shorts List, an annual list of the year’s ten top Nonfiction Short Films; and nominees in four categories: Broadcast Film; Broadcast Series; the Heterodox Award, which recognizes fiction films that actively blur the line between fiction and documentary; and the annual Audience Choice Prize. The full list of nonfiction film and craft nominees, including the five nominees for Outstanding Nonfiction Short Film, will be revealed on Thursday, November 8. Eight films – Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s Free Solo, Stephen Loveridge’s Mantangi/Maya/M.I.A., Bing Liu’s Minding the Gap, Alexandria Bombach’s On Her Shoulders, Julie Cohen and Betsy West’s RBG, Sandi Tan’s Shirkers, Tim Wardle’s Three Identical Strangers and Morgan Neville’s Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – were nominated for the Audience Choice Prize and also saw their subjects recognized amongst this year’s Unforgettables. Rashida Jones and Alan Hicks’ Quincy and Dava Whisenant’s Bathtubs Over Broadway round out this year’s Audience Choice nominees. This is the first year that Cinema Eye will have an award to recognize Outstanding Nonfiction Series for Broadcast. Inaugural nominees in the Series category are Steve James’ America to Me (STARZ), Trey Borzilleri & Barbara Schroeder’s Evil Genius (Netflix), Zackary Canepari, Drea Cooper & Jessica Dimmock’s Flint Town (Netflix) Liz Garbus’ The Fourth Estate (Showtime) Matthew Heineman’s The Trade (Showtime) and Chapman Way & Maclain Way’s Wild Wild Country (Netflix). The 12th Annual Cinema Eye Honors will be presented on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City.

    AUDIENCE CHOICE PRIZE NOMINEES

    Bathtubs Over Broadway Directed by Dava Whisenant Free Solo Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. Directed by Stephen Loveridge Minding the Gap Directed by Bing Liu On Her Shoulders Directed by Alexandria Bombach Quincy Directed by Rashida Jones and Al Hicks RBG Directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West Shirkers Directed by Sandi Tan Three Identical Strangers Directed by Tim Wardle Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Directed by Morgan Neville

    NONFICTION SHORTS LIST

    (Five nominees in this category will be announced on Thursday, November 8) Baby Brother Directed by Kamau Bilal Concussion Protocol Directed by Josh Begley The Earth is Humming Directed by Garrett Bradley My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes Directed by Charlie Tyrell A Night at the Garden Directed by Marshall Curry Las Nubes Directed by Juan Pablo González Sister Hearts Directed by Mohammad Gorjestani Skip Day Directed by Patrick Bresnan and Ivete Lucas Volte Directed by Monika Kotecka and Karolina Poryzala Zhalanash – Empty Shore Directed by Marcin Sauter

    HETERODOX AWARD NOMINEES

    American Animals Directed by Bart Layton Obscuro Barrocco Directed by Evangelia Kranioti Skate Kitchen Directed by Crystal Moselle The Tale Directed by Jennifer Fox We the Animals Directed by Jeremiah Zagar

    BROADCAST FILM NOMINEES

    Baltimore Rising Directed by Sonja Sohn HBO Believer Directed by Don Argott HBO The Final Year Directed by Greg Barker HBO I Am Evidence Directed by Trish Adlesic and Geeta Gandbhir HBO Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press Directed by Brian Knappenberger Netflix This is Home: A Refugee Story Directed by Alexandra Shiva Epix

    BROADCAST SERIES NOMINEES

    America to Me Directed by Steve James Starz Evil Genius Directed by Trey Borzilleri and Barbara Schroeder Netflix Flint Town Directed by Zackary Canepari, Drea Cooper and Jessica Dimmock Netflix The Fourth Estate Directed by Liz Garbus Showtime The Trade Directed by Matthew Heineman Showtime Wild Wild Country Directed by Chapman Way and Maclain Way Netflix

    UNFORGETTABLES NONFICTION SUBJECTS OF 2018

    Annette Ontell 306 Hollywood América América Issei Sagawa Caniba Alex Honnold Free Solo Julita Salmerón Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle Nick Bollettieri Love Means Zero M.I.A. Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. Kiere Johnson, Bing Liu and Zack Mulligan Minding the Gap Abu Osama Of Fathers and Sons Nadia Murad On Her Shoulders Ruth Bader Ginsburg RBG Scotty Bowers Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood Georges Cardona, Jasmine Ng, Sophie Siddique and Sandi Tan Shirkers Edward Galland, David Kellman and Robert Shafran Three Identical Strangers Fred Rogers Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

    Read more


  • FREE SOLO Leads Nominations for 3rd Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards

    [caption id="attachment_32176" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]FREE SOLO FREE SOLO[/caption] Free Solo leads the nominees for this year’s  third annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards with six nominations and one honor, including Best Documentary, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi for Best Directors, Best Sports Documentary, Most Innovative Documentary, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and a Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary honor for Alex Honnold. Recognized with five nominations are Minding the Gap and Wild Wild Country. The nominations for Minding the Gap are Best Documentary, Best Sports Documentary, Bing Liu for Best Director and for Best First Time Director, and Best Cinematography. The nominations for Wild Wild Country are Best Documentary, Chapman Way and Maclain Way for Best First Time Directors, Most Innovative Documentary, Best Cinematography, and Best Limited Documentary Series. Recognized with four nominations are Dark Money, Hitler’s Hollywood and Won’t You Be My Neighbor? The nominations for Dark Money are Best Documentary, Kimberly Reed for Best Director, Best Political Documentary and Best Editing. The nominations for Hitler’s Hollywood are Best Documentary, Best Political Documentary, Rüdiger Suchsland for Best Director, and Most Innovative Documentary. The nominations for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? are Best Documentary, Morgan Neville for Best Director, Most Innovative Documentary and Best Editing. Three Identical Strangers received three nominations and an honor, including Best Documentary, Tim Wardle for Best Director, Best Editing and an honor for David Kellman and Bobby Shafran for Most Compelling Living Subjects of a Documentary. At the gala ceremony, filmmaker Stanley Nelson will be presented with the Critics’ Choice Impact Award, and multi award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore will be honored with the Critics’ Choice Lifetime Achievement Award. For the first year, the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards has introduced the Catalyst Sponsorship, a program for industry leaders to support the event. The inaugural sponsors include Focus Features, National Geographic Documentary Films, Netflix, Curiosity Stream, and others. “We are thrilled to celebrate this year’s outstanding documentary work at the upcoming event,” said Broadcast Film Critics Association President Joey Berlin. “The year 2018 has been called ‘The Year of the Documentary’ and we are so happy to give these films and shows the recognition and high praise that they deserve.” The winners will be presented their awards at a gala event, hosted by science educator and television personality Bill Nye, on Saturday, November 10 at BRIC in Brooklyn, New York. The nominees for the third annual Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards are:

    BEST DOCUMENTARY

    Crime + Punishment – Director: Stephen Maing (Hulu) Dark Money – Director: Kimberly Reed (PBS) Free Solo – Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (National Geographic Documentary Films) Hal – Director: Amy Scott (Oscilloscope) Hitler’s Hollywood – Director: Rüdiger Suchsland (Kino Lorber) Minding the Gap – Director: Bing Liu (Hulu) RBG – Directors: Julie Cohen, Betsy West (Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media) Three Identical Strangers – Director: Tim Wardle (Neon, CNN Films) Wild Wild Country – Directors: Chapman Way, Maclain Way (Netflix) Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – Director: Morgan Neville (Focus Features)

    BEST LIMITED DOCUMENTARY SERIES

    America to Me (Starz) Dirty Money (Netflix) Elvis Presley: The Searcher (HBO Documentary Films, Sony Pictures Television) Flint Town (Netflix) One Strange Rock (National Geographic) The Fourth Estate (Showtime Networks) The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling (HBO) Wild Wild Country (Netflix)

    BEST ONGOING DOCUMENTARY SERIES

    30 for 30 (ESPN) American Masters (PBS) Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN) Frontline (PBS) Independent Lens (PBS) Making a Murderer (Netflix) POV (PBS) The History of Comedy (CNN)

    BEST DIRECTOR

    Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi – Free Solo (National Geographic Documentary Film) Bing Liu – Minding the Gap (Hulu) Morgan Neville – Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Focus Features) Kimberly Reed – Dark Money (PBS) Rüdiger Suchsland – Hitler’s Hollywood (Kino Lorber) Tim Wardle – Three Identical Strangers (Neon, CNN Films)

    BEST FIRST TIME DIRECTOR

    Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster – Science Fair (National Geographic Documentary Films) Heather Lenz – Kusama – Infinity (Magnolia Pictures) Bing Liu – Minding the Gap (Hulu) Stephen Nomura Schible – Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda (MUBI) Rudy Valdez – The Sentence (HBO Documentary Films) Chapman Way and Maclain Way – Wild Wild Country (Netflix)

    BEST POLITICAL DOCUMENTARY

    RBG – Directors: Julie Cohen, Betsy West (Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media) Dark Money – Director: Kimberly Reed (PBS) Fahrenheit 11/9 – Director: Michael Moore (Briarcliff Entertainment) Flint Town – Directors: Zackary Canepari, Drea Cooper, Jessica Dimmock (Netflix) Hitler’s Hollywood – Director: Rüdiger Suchsland (Kino Lorber) John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls – Directors: George Kunhardt, Peter W. Kunhardt, Teddy Kunhardt (HBO) The Fourth Estate – Directors: Liz Garbus, Jenny Carchman (Showtime Networks)

    BEST SPORTS DOCUMENTARY

    Andre the Giant – Director: Jason Hehir (HBO) Being Serena (HBO) Free Solo – Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (National Geographic Documentary Film) John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection – Director: Julien Faraut (Oscilloscope Laboratories) Minding the Gap – Director: Bing Liu (Hulu) The Workers Cup – Director: Adam Sobel (Passion River)

    BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY

    Bad Reputation – Director: Kevin Kerslake (Magnolia Pictures) David Bowie: The Last Five Years – Director: Francis Whately (HBO Documentary Films) Elvis Presley: The Searcher – Director: Thom Zimny (HBO Documentary Films, Sony Pictures Television) Lynyrd Skynyrd: If I Leave Here Tomorrow – Director: Stephen Kijak (Showtime Networks) Quincy – Directors: Alan Hicks, Rashida Jones (Netflix) Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda – Director: Stephen Nomura Schible (MUBI) Whitney – Director: Kevin Macdonald (Roadside Attractions, Miramax)

    MOST COMPELLING LIVING SUBJECT OF A DOCUMENTARY

    (ALL LISTED IN THE CATEGORY WILL BE HONORED AT THE EVENT) Scotty Bowers – Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (Greenwich Entertainment, Kino Lorber, Starz!) Ruth Bader Ginsburg – RBG (Magnolia Pictures, Participant Media) Alex Honnold – Free Solo (National Geographic Documentary Film) Joan Jett – Bad Reputation (Magnolia Pictures) Quincy Jones – Quincy (Netflix) David Kellman and Bobby Shafran – Three Identical Strangers (Neon, CNN Films) John McEnroe – John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection (Oscilloscope Laboratories) Leon Vitali – Filmworker (Kino Lorber)

    MOST INNOVATIVE DOCUMENTARY

    306 Hollywood – Directors: Elan Bogarin, Jonathan Bogarin (PBS, El Tigre) Free Solo – Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi (National Geographic Documentary Film) Hitler’s Hollywood – Director: Rüdiger Suchsland (Kino Lorber) Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda – Director: Stephen Nomura Schible (MUBI) Wild Wild Country – Directors: Chapman Way, Maclain Way (Netflix) Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – Director: Morgan Neville (Focus Features)

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

    306 Hollywood – Cinematographers: Elan Bogarin, Jonathan Bogarin, Alejandro Mejía (PBS, El Tigre) The Dawn Wall – Cinematographer: Brett Lowell (The Orchard) Free Solo – Cinematographers: Jimmy Chin, Clair Popkin, Mikey Schaefer (National Geographic Documentary Film) Minding the Gap – Cinematographer: Bing Liu (Hulu) Pandas – Cinematographer: David Douglas (Warner Brothers) Wild Wild Country – Cinematographer: Adam Stone (Netflix)

    BEST EDITING

    Dark Money – Editor: Jay Arthur Sterrenberg (PBS) Filmworker – Editor: Tony Zierra (Kino Lorber) Free Solo – Editor: Bob Eisenhardt (National Geographic Documentary Film) John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection – Editor: Julien Faraut (Oscilloscope Laboratories) Three Identical Strangers – Editor: Michael Harte (Neon, CNN Films) Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – Editors: Jeff Malmberg, Aaron Wickenden (Focus Features)

    Read more


  • Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival Announces Complete 2018 Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_26747" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane and Chloë Grace Moretz appear in The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Desiree Akhavan, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2018 Sundance FIlm Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Jeong Park. Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane and Chloë Grace Moretz appear in The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Desiree Akhavan.[/caption] The 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, taking place July 12-22, 2018, announce the complete programming lineup, with two thirds of this year’s content directed by women, people of color and trans filmmakers. As previously announced, the 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival opens at the Orpheum Theatre with Kino Lorber’s “Studio 54,” Matt Tyrnauer’s vibrantly nostalgic documentary; and closes with FilmRise’s “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” Desiree Akhavan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner starring Chloë Grace Moretz. The festival features five world premieres including the deeply felt film from Taiwan, “Bao Bao”; “Bright Colors and Bold Patterns” directed by Michael Urie with a hilarious performance from Drew Droege; Laura Madalinski’s “Two in the Bush: A Love Story” a polyamorous love story; Jamie Patterson’s new feature film “Tucked” about two drag performers connecting across generations; and “Room to Grow” a documentary looking at the lives of queer teenagers today. As well as North American and US Premieres, “Eva & Candela,” “Sodom,” “Canary,” “Cola De Mono,” and “Daddy Issues.” Outfest Los Angeles’ documentary section shines a light on UNSUNG communities, including Alina Skrzesewska’s “Game Girls” which follows a couple as they struggle to navigate life in Los Angeles’ Skid Row, to the much anticipated SXSW Audience Award winner “Transmilitary” about those fighting for an equal chance to service their country. The proactive experimental film section, Platinum, continues to highlight boundary-pushing work with Myyki Blanco and SSION teaming up to create a new short film “No Leash” and a feature documentary by performance artist, Narcissister, in “Narcissister Organ Player.” The infamous Alchemy Party returns, this year at Navel, with 13 performers including Dorian Electra, Saturn Rising, and Slather Factory’s Bebe Huxley, and The Uhuruverse who will stretch your musical imagination. The 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival will also return to The Ford Theatres. These screenings will kick off on July 18 with a screening of “Bad Reputation,” a documentary about Joan Jett; then Documentary Centerpiece, “When the Beat Drops,” followed by “Postcards from London” and concluding with “Wild Nights with Emily” featuring Molly Shannon. The Closing Night Gala “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” will screen at The Theatre at Ace Hotel. Special events include the 2nd Annual Trans Summit with Oscar nominated and Emmy Award-winning director and producer Yance Ford as the keynote speaker; the Focus On Taiwan event showcasing a collection of Taiwanese films including “Bao Bao” and “Alifu, The Prince/ss”; free screenings of films “Believer,” a documentary from Imagine Dragons frontman, Dan Reynolds, “They,” a family drama from director Anahita Ghazvinizadeh and Showtime’s “Beyond The Opposite Sex”, the long-awaited sequel to groundbreaking film, “The Opposite Sex.” Lastly, OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project from Los Angeles LGBT Center and Outfest, will be premiering five new shorts on Sunday, July 22nd. Now in its sixth year, the OutSet program empowers youth ages 16-24 to share their stories though film.

    2018 OUTFEST LOS ANGELES LGBT FILM FESTIVAL LINE-UP

    GALA FILMS:

    STUDIO 54 – Opening Night Gala Dir: Matt Tyrnauer, USA, 2018, 98 min OUR FUTURE ENDS – Platinum Centerpiece, Co-Presented by Some Serious Business Dir: Clement Hil Goldberg, USA, 2018, 50 min WE THE ANIMALS – U.S. Centerpiece Dir: Jeremiah Zagar, USA, 2018, 93 min REINVENTING MARVIN – International Centerpiece Dir: Anne Fontaine, France, 2017, 115 min WHEN THE BEAT DROPS – Documentary Centerpiece Dir: Jamal Sims, USA, 2018, 87 min THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST – Closing Night Gala Dir: Desiree Akhavan, USA, 2018, 90 min

    DRAMATIC FEATURES

    1985 Dir: Yen Tan, USA, 2018, 85 min ANCHOR AND HOPE Dir: Carlos Marques-Marcet, Spain, 2017, 113 min BITTER MELON Dir: H.P. Mendoza, USA, 2018, 100 min BRIGHT COLORS AND BOLD PATTERNS – World Premiere Dir: Michael Urie (For the Stage) & David Horn (For the Screen), USA, 2018, 89 min CANARY (KANARIE) – North American Premiere Dir: Christiaan Olwagen, South Africa, 2018, 120 min COLA DE MONO – US Premiere Dir: Alberto Fuguet, Chile, 2017, 102 min CUERNAVACA Dir: Alejandro Andrade Pease, Mexico, 2017, 89 min DADDY ISSUES – US Premiere Dir: Amara Cash, USA, 2018, 88 min EVA & CANDELA (¿CÓMO TE LLAMAS?) – North American Premiere Dir: Ruth Caudeli, Colombia, 2018, 90 min EVENING SHADOWS Dir: Sridhar Rangayan, India, 2018, 102 min HARD PAINT (TINTA BRUTA) Dir: Filipe Matzembacher & Marcio Reolon, Brazil, 2018, 118 min I MISS YOU WHEN I SEE YOU Dir: Simon Chung, Hong Kong, 2018, 93 min MALILA: THE FAREWELL FLOWER Dir: Anucha Boonyawatana, Thailand, 2017, 96 min MAPPLETHORPE Dir: Ondi Timoner, USA, 2018, 102 min MONTANA Dir: Limor Shmila, Israel, 2017, 79 min PORCUPINE LAKE Dir: Ingrid Veninger, Canada, 2017, 84 min POSTCARDS FROM LONDON Dir: Steve McLean, United Kingdom, 2018, 87 min RIOT Dir: Jeffrey Walker, Australia, 2017, 106 min SKATE KITCHEN Dir: Crystal Moselle, USA, 2018, 105 min SODOM – North American Premiere Dir: Mark Wilshin, United Kingdom, 2017, 94 min THAT NIGHT OF NOVEMBER (NOVE DE NOVEMBRO) Dir: Lázaro Louzao, Spain, 2018, 84 min TUCKED – World Premiere Dir: Jamie Patterson, United Kingdom, 2017, 80 min TWO IN THE BUSH: A LOVE STORY – World Premiere Dir: Laura Madalinski, USA, 2017, 97 min WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY Dir: Madeleine Olnek, USA, 2018, 84 min

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

    BAD REPUTATION Dir: Kevin Kerslake, USA, 2018, 98 min CALL HER GANDA Dir: PJ Raval, Philippines/USA, 2018, 93 min CONVERSATIONS WITH GAY ELDERS: KERBY LAUDERDALE Dir: David Weissman, USA, 2017, 69 min DYKES, CAMERA, ACTION! Dir: Caroline Berler, USA, 2018, 58 min EVERY ACT OF LIFE Dir: Jeff Kaufman, USA, 2017, 92 min GAME GIRLS Dir: Alina Skrzeszewska, France/Germany, 2018, 90 min GOSPEL OF EUREKA Dir: Michael Palmieri & Donal Mosher, USA, 2018, 75 min THE ICE KING Dir: James Erskine, United Kingdom, 2018, 89 min LEITIS IN WAITING Dir: Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson & Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Tonga/USA, 2018, 72 min LOOKING FOR? Dir: Tung-Yen Chou, Taiwan, 2017, 60 min MAN MADE Dir: T Cooper, USA, 2018, 97 min MR. GAY SYRIA Dir: Ay?e Toprak, Turkey/France/Germany, 2017, 87 min ROOM TO GROW (World Premiere) Dir: Matt Alber & Jon Garcia, USA, 2018, 89 min SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD Dir: Matt Tyrnauer, USA, 2017, 98 min SHAKEDOWN Dir: Leilah Weinraub, USA, 2018, 82 min TRANSMILITARY Dir: Gabriel Silverman & Fiona Dawson, USA, 2018, 93 min

    EPISODIC PROGRAMS

    BONDING Created by: Rightor Doyle, USA, 2018, 108 min Two high school BFFS reunite and find they’re different as adults: he’s a newly-out gay man and she’s a dominatrix who’s going to tie him into her UNDERGROUND world of BDSM. VIDA Created by: Tanya Saracho, USA, 2018, 30 min “Vida” is a new Starz Original series about two Mexican-American sisters from the Eastside of Los Angeles who couldn’t be more different or distanced from each other. Circumstances force them to return to their old neighborhood, where they are confronted by the past and surprising truth about their mother’s identity. STRANGERS & FÉMININ/FÉMININ Created by: Mia Lidofsky (Strangers), USA, 2017, 52 min Created by: Chloé Robichaud & Florence Gagnon (Féminin/Féminin), Canada, 2017, 43 min Queer women are finding love and themselves in the second seasons of two of our favorite series from either side of the US/Canada border.

    EPISODIC SHOWCASE

    From the gay mafia to polyamory to queer and trans realities, this sampler of seven new independent series contemplates where our LGBTQ identities intersect, and how we can move forward together as a movement. RILEY PARRA Created by: Christin Baker, USA, 2018, 48 min Lesbian detective Riley discovers the city’s mean streets are actually a centuries-old battleground between angels and demons. THE FINDING HOME SERIES: LGBT IMMIGRANTS & ASYLUM SEEKERS Dir. Abraham Troen, USA, 2017, 63 min Explore the journeys of three queer immigrants in L.A. who have escaped persecution and violence in their native countries.

    PLATINUM SECTION: EXPERIMENTAL FILMS & LIVE EVENTS

    THE WILD BOYS (LES GARÇONS SAUVAGES) Dir: Bertrand Mandico, France, 2017, 110 min NARCISSISTER ORGAN PLAYER Dir: Narcissister, USA, 2017, 91 min BIXA TRAVESTY Dir: Claudia Priscilla & Kiko Goifman, Brazil, 2018, 75 min

    SHORTS SHOWCASE

    Dir: Multiple, UK, USA, Mexico, Canada, 2018, 100 min ALCHEMY PARTY Bae Bae, Bebe Huxley, Dorian Electra, London Jade, Lulo, Luna Lovebad, Mood Killer, Weston Allen, The Uhuruverse, Narcissister, Nebulae Cult, Saturn Rising

    SPECIAL EVENTS

    THEY Dir. Anahita Ghazvinizadeh, USA, 2017, 81 min After two years of taking hormone blockers to postpone puberty, a non-binary 14-year-old considers whether to transition and where to find their place in the world. BEYOND THE OPPOSITE SEX sponsored by Showtime Networks Dir. Emily Abt & Bruce Hensel, USA, 2018, 89 min In this sequel to Showtime’s The Opposite Sex, Rene and Jamie find that LIFE AFTER gender confirmation surgery comes with its own set of challenges. THE CARMILLA MOVIE sponsored by Shaftesbury Dir. Spencer Maybee, Canada, 2018, 94 min Laura and Carmilla’s domestic bliss is threatened by an unknown evil forcing the “Scooby gang” to team up once more to save their humanity. PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN sponsored by Annapurna Pictures Dir: Angela Robinson, USA, 2017, 108 min Angela Robinson introduces her latest feature about what inspired Harvard psychologist Dr. Marston (Luke Evans) to create the iconic Wonder Woman character. ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: THE DARE PROJECT & CLAY FARMERS Dir: Adam Salky, USA, 2005 & 2018, 33 min Revisit two Outfest classics, including the story of a gay theatre kid and a curious jock reconnecting as adults, and the 30-year anniversary of a moving rural drama reminiscent of Brokeback Mountain. THE ADVOCATE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS: A LONG ROAD TO FREEDOM sponsored by here TV & The Advocate Dir: William Clift, USA, 2018, 105 min Over the course of five decades, The Advocate has reported the breaking news and ongoing challenges of the LGBTQ community. BELIEVER sponsored by HBO Dir. Don Argott, USA, 2018, 101 min Imagine Dragons’ frontman Dan Reynolds makes it his mission to foster acceptance toward LGBTQ members of the Mormon Church by crafting an unforgettable rock festival. ALONE IN THE GAME sponsored by AT&T Entertainment Group Dir. Natalie Metzger & Michael Rohrbaugh, USA, 2018, 95 min This documentary chronicles the challenges and triumphs of LGBTQ athletes in sports today, featuring Robbie Rogers, Gus Kenworthy, Layana White and Megan Rapinoe. BAO BAO – World Premiere – sponsored by Taiwan Academy & Taiwan Ministry of Culture Dir. Guang-cheng Shie, Taiwan, 2018, 97 min A married lesbian couple’s relationship is challenged after one of the women promises their unborn child to another couple. ALIFU, THE PRINCE/SS sponsored by Taiwan Academy & Taiwan Ministry of Culture Dir. Wang Yu-Lin, Taiwan, 2017, 91 min The intersection of several individuals in present-day Taiwan creates a colorful tapestry of LGBTQ lives, including Alifu, a young hairdresser who longs for a sex-change operation. QUEEROES Jill Soloway, Lena Waithe and Tanya Saracho introduce an innovative new mentorship model to elevate queer, trans and POC storytelling. ONE MINUTE MOVIE CONTEST A selection of the work submitted to this year’s Outfest Fusion One Minute Movie Contest, on the topic of Keeping Silent / Speaking Truth. AIDS DIVA: THE LEGEND OF CONNIE NORMAN (Sneak Preview) Dir. Dante Alencastre, USA, 2018, 45 min Seizing her power as she confronts her mortality, trailblazing trans activist Connie Norman evolves as an irrepressible, challenging and soulful voice for the AIDS and queer communities of early 90’s Los Angeles.

    Panels & Workshops:

    MAKE THEM HEAR YOU: THE TRUTH ABOUT CONTENT BY & FOR LGBTQ+ WOMEN Sponsored by AT&T Hello Lab LGBTQ+ women have been at the forefront of many movements throughout history. However, in Hollywood, queer women remain the least represented community in front of and behind the camera. This discussion will explore the past, present, and future LGBTQ+ women in entertainment, bringing together trailblazers who are leading the charge for a more inclusive and multi-dimensional landscape. TRANS SUMMIT Whether you’re an actor, artist, activist or academic, you’re welcomed here. The afternoon will begin with our Academy Award-nominated keynote speaker Yance Ford (Strong Island), followed by three compelling case studies focused on specific areas of need in media representation. THE ROOM will then come together for an unedited, organic, and dynamic conversation about issues relating to the trans and non-binary experience, moderated by the LA Times’ award-winning reporter Tre’vell Anderson. BI IN THE BIZ sponsored by SAG-AFTRA and SAGIndie While the L, G and T communities have made great strides toward visibility in the culture, the B’s still remain relatively hidden, even in the entertainment industry. This panel will feature out bisexual actors and entertainment industry professionals discussing the specific challenges and opportunities for film, TV and online performers who identify as such. Break out of the bi closet as we explore the politics and the pragmatism of actors living out in the open. THE NEW AIDS NARRATIVE PANEL Nearly 30 years since the first films about the HIV/AIDS epidemic hit the big screen, a new wave of scripted dramas is emerging. Join Outfest and GLAAD for a discussion of the history of HIV/AIDS representation in cinema, and what the arrival of films like BPM (Beats Per Minute), 1985 and Bohemian Rhapsodymeans with regards to telling HIV/AIDS stories to a new generation.

    OUTFEST FORWARD

    SCREENWRITING LAB: LIVE READING Outfest’s annual live reading of scenes from the five scripts chosen for the 2018 Outfest Screenwriting Lab.

    OUTSET SHORTS SCREENING

    VICTORY BOULEVARD Dir/Scr: Jonny Alvarez, Producer: Ash Lavacca, Production Designers: Tristin Brown & Juliet Delgado, Mentor: Henry Alberto BLESS THE USA Dir/Scr: Sebastian Vergara, Co-Dir/Producer: Anthony Rizo, Production Design Mentor: Haharhel Valencia, Mentor: Marcos Davalos SIGNOURNEY WEAVER Dir/Scr: Andrea Ngeleka, Producer: Tiffany Patterson, Production Designer: Hesed Kim, Mentors: Doendray Gossfield & Quincy LeNear Gossfield THE CURSE Dir/Scr: Dave Berenato, Producer: Moira McFadden, Production Designer: Juliet Delgado, Mentors: Coley Sohn & Leanna Creel FLAMERS:BOTTOMS IN A BRUSHFIRE Dir/Scr: Capucine Berney, Producer: Alfredo Hernandez, Production Designer: Tristin Brown, Mentor: Assaad Yacoub.

    OUTFEST UCLA LEGACY PROJECT

    BUDDIES Dir: Arthur J. Bressan Jr., USA, 1985, 81 min DUCK SEASON (TEMPORADA DE PATOS) Dir: Fernando Eimbcke, Mexico, 2004, 90 min SHOPPING FOR FANGS Dir: Quentin Lee & Justin Lin, USA, 1997, 90 min SHOW ME LOVE (FUCKING ÅMÅL) Dir. Lukas Moodysson, Sweden, 1998, 89 min

    Read more


  • Watch New Trailer for Deliciously Scandalous SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD

    SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD The new trailer dropped today for the documentary Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, the deliciously scandalous story of Scotty Bowers directed by Matt Tyrnauer. The film is based on the Book: “Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars,” by Scotty Bowers with Lionel Friedberg. Greenwich Entertainment will release Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood on July 27th at the Arclight Hollywood in LA, and on August 3rd at the IFC Center in NY. Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood is the deliciously scandalous story of ScottyBowers, a handsome ex-Marine who landed in Hollywood after World War II and became confidante, aide de camp and lover to many of Hollywood’s greatest male — and female — stars. In the 1940s and ’50s, Scotty ran a gas station in the shadow of the studio lots where he would connect his friends with actors and actresses who had to hide their true sexual identities for fear of police raids at gay bars, societal shunning and career suicide. An unsung Hollywood legend, Bowers would cater to the sexual appetites of celebrities – straight and gay – for decades. In 2012, he finally spilled his secrets in the New York Times bestselling memoir “Full Service,” which revealed a dramatic, pre-Stonewall alternate history of Hollywood. While the studio PR machines were promoting their stars as wholesome and monogamous, Bowers was fulfilling the true desires of many of them. This cinema-vérité documentary tells his story, as well as presents eye-opening takes on icons from the Hollywood Golden Age including Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Ava Gardner and many more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qn6HxTJp0k

    Read more


  • Provincetown International Film Festival Announces 2018 Lineup, Closes with MAPPLETHORPE

    [caption id="attachment_28780" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]MAPPLETHORPE MAPPLETHORPE[/caption] The Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) announced their complete lineup of narrative, documentary and short films for the 20th anniversary edition. The festival will kick off with the New England premiere of WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY, starring Molly Shannon. Written and directed by Madeleine Olnek, the film is a dramatic comedy about the secret life of Emily Dickinson. Ondi Timoner’s MAPPLETHORPE, starring Matt Smith, has been selected as the Closing Night film. Additionally, acclaimed director Sean Baker will receive the “Filmmaker on the Edge” Award in conversation with John Waters, and actress Chloë Grace Moretz will be on hand to receive the festival’s Next Wave Award; Moretz’s latest film, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST, is a Spotlight selection. Said Artistic Director Lisa Viola, “For our 20th anniversary festival, we are absolutely thrilled to present a lineup featuring new work by a group of extraordinarily talented filmmakers, and we are especially proud that all five of our Spotlight films are directed by women!” The Provincetown International Film Festival runs June 13 to 17, 2018 in Provincetown, MA.

    2018 Provincetown International Film Festival Lineup

    OPENING NIGHT

    WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY – directed by Madeleine Olnek (Wednesday, June 13)

    CLOSING NIGHT

    MAPPLETHORPE – directed by Ondi Timoner (Sunday, June 17)

    SPOTLIGHT SELECTIONS

    THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST – directed by Desiree Akhavan (Thursday, June 14) AND BREATHE NORMALLY – directed by Ísold Ugadóttir (Friday, June 15) LEAVE NO TRACE – directed by Debra Granik (Saturday, June 16)

    SPECIAL SCREENINGS/EVENTS

    JOHN WATERS PRESENTS: I, OLGA – directed by Petr Kazda, Tomás Weinreb MODERN LOVE LIVE, presented by WBUR and The New York Times at the Provincetown Film Festival (Friday, June 15) FEMALE TROUBLE – directed by John Waters MIDNIGHT COWBOY – directed by John Schlesinger TANGERINE – directed by Sean Baker

    NARRATIVE FEATURES

    1985 – directed by Yen Tan BLINDSPOTTING– directed by Carlos López Estrada THE CAKEMAKER – directed by Ofir Raul Graizer THE CHILDREN ACT – directed by Richard Eyre DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT – directed by Gus Van Sant EIGHTH GRADE – directed by Bo Burnham THE GUILTY – directed by Gustav Möller HEARTS BEAT LOUD– directed by Brett Haley A KID LIKE JAKE – directed by Silas Howard LEMONADE – directed by Ioana Uricaru LOVELING – directed by Gustavo Pizzi MADELINE’S MADELINE – directed by Josephine Decker MARIO – directed by Marcel Gisler NIGHT COMES ON – directed by Jordana Spiro PUZZLE – directed by Marc Turtletaub WE THE ANIMALS – directed by Jeremiah Zagar

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

    CHEF FLYNN – directed by Cameron Yates DAWNLAND – directed by Adam Mazo, Ben Pender-Cudlip EVERY ACT OF LIFE – directed by Jeff Kaufman A FINE LINE – directed by Joanna James GENERATION WEALTH – directed by Lauren Greenfield THE GOSPEL OF EUREKA – directed by Donal Mosher, Michael Palmieri JOHN McENROE: IN THE REALM OF PERFECTION – directed by Julien Faraut LIFE IN THE DOGHOUSE – directed by Ron Davis McQUEEN – directed by Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING – directed by Nathaniel Kahn ROBIN WILLIAMS: COME INSIDE MY MIND – directed by Marina Zenovich SCIENCE FAIR – directed by Cristina Costantini, Darren Foster SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD – directed by Matt Tyrnauer THE SENTENCE – directed by Rudy Valdez STUDIO 54 – directed by Matt Tyrnauer THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS – directed by Tim Wardle TIME FOR ILHAN – directed by Norah Shapiro WESTWOOD: PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST – directed by Lorna Tucker WYETH – directed by Glenn Holsten

    SHORTS

    AFTER PROM – directed by Nona Schamus BABS – directed by Celine Held & Logan George BECAUSE YOU’RE HERE – directed by Mike Syers BRAINWORM BILLY – directed by Emily Hubley THE DARE PROJECT – directed by Adam Salky, written by David Brind EDWARD HOPPER & MARSHALL’S HOUSE – directed by Bob Burnett FEVAH – directed by Randall Dottin GIRL FRIEND – directed by Chloe Sarbib HEATHER HAS FOUR MOMS – directed by Jeanette L. Buck JUDITH LOVES MARTHA – directed by Anna Gaskell KEEPER – directed by Marnie Crawford Samuelson & Shane Hofeldt KHOL (OPEN) – directed by Faroukh Virani LANDLINE – directed by Matt Houghton THE LAYOVER – directed by Joe Stankus LONESOME WILLCOX – directed by Ryan Maxey & Zack Wright MARGUERITE – directed by Maria Gracia Turgeon MAUDE – directed by Anna Margaret Hollyman MEN DON’T WHISPER – directed by Jordan Firstman MOTHER MOTHER – directed by Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck NEGATIVE SPACE – directed by Ru Kuwahata & Max Porter NEUTRAL – directed by Nathan Barnatt PAID FOR BY – EPISODE 2 – DIANE BUSCH’S WOMEN’S ISSUE AD – directed by Dawn Smith SET ME AS A SEAL UPON THINE HEART – directed by Omer Tobi SHE IS JUICED: SLICE ONE – JO HAY – directed by Lois Norman SLEEPOVER – directed by Jimi Vall Peterson SUPER 8 DAZE – directed by Rob Hampton & John Morgan WOULD YOU LOOK AT HER – directed by Goran Stolevski WORLD OF TOMORROW EPISODE 2: THE BURDEN OF OTHER PEOPLE’S THOUGHTS –directed by Don Herzfeldt WREN BOYS – directed by Harry Lighton

    Read more


  • Nashville Film Festival Announces 28 Films on 2018 Animated Feature Competition, Special Presentations, Spectrum + Spectrum Q Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_27690" align="aligncenter" width="1080"]On Chesil Beach On Chesil Beach[/caption] Twenty-eight Special Presentations, Animated Feature, Spectrum and Spectrum Q films including the world premiere of BENCHED are set for the 49th Annual Nashville Film Festival.  Other films include ON CHESIL BEACH, starring Saoirse Ronan, fresh off her award winning role in Lady Bird, HOT SUMMER NIGHTS, starring Timothée Chalamet, whose role in Call Me By Your Name was critically acclaimed, BRAMPTON’S OWN, starring Rose McIver, Spencer Grammer and Jean Smart, as well as the 50th anniversary screening of ROSEMARY’S BABY, starring Mia Farrow, and a special screening of JURASSIC PARK, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, BD Wong and Samuel L. Jackson. The 2018 selections in the categories:

    Special Presentations

    Benched (World Premiere) – Based on the hit play “Rounding Third”, BENCHED is the tumultuous journey of two Little League coaches through an entire season, from their first tentative meeting to the climactic championship game. Cast: Garret Dillahunt, John C. McGinley, Directors: Robert Deaton, George Flanigen, Producers: Lindsey Clark, Brandon Gregory, Fred Roos (USA) Blindspotting (Tennessee Premiere) – Lifelong friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in this timely and wildly entertaining story about the intersection of race and class, set against the backdrop of a rapidly gentrifying Oakland. Cast: Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casal, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Director: Carlos López Estrada, Producers: Keith Calder, Jess Calder, Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs (USA) Brampton’s Own (World Premiere) – A struggling minor league baseball player retires and woefully returns to his small hometown, carefully dodging old wounds until confronted with THE ONE that hurts the most – the girl that got away. Cast: Rose McIver, Spencer Grammer, Jean Smart, Scott Porter, Alex Russell, Riley Voelkel, Director: Michael Doneger, Producers: Mark DiCristofaro, Michael Doneger (USA) Breath (Tennessee Premiere) – Based on Tim Winton’s novel and directed by Simon Baker, BREATH is the story of two teenage boys in 1970’s Western Australia who befriend an enigmatic surfer. Cast: Elizabeth Debicki, Simon Baker, Samson Coulter, Brock Fitzgerald, Richard Roxburgh, Rachael Blake. Director: Simon Baker, Producer: Simon Baker, Jamie Hilton, Mark Johnson (USA) Daphne & Velma (Tennessee Premiere) – DAPHNE AND VELMA tells the story of Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley from the Scooby Doo franchise. The mystery-solving teens are best friends but have only met online – until Daphne transfers to Velma’s school, Ridge Valley High, stocked with high-tech gadgetry by the school’s benefactor, tech billionaire Tobias Bloom. Cast: Sarah Jeffery, Sarah Gilman, Vanessa Marano, Courtney Dietz, Stephen Ruffin, Director: Suzi Yoonessi. Producer: Jaime Burke, Amy S. Kim, Ashley Tisdale, Jennifer Tisdale (USA) Eighth Grade (Tennessee Premiere) – Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school-the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year-before she begins high school. Cast: Emily Robinson, Josh Hamilton, Elsie Fisher, Missy Yager, Deborah Unger, Director: Bo Burnham, Producers: Eli Bush, Scott Rudin, Christopher Storer, Lila Yacoub (USA) First Reformed (Tennessee Premiere) – A pastor of a small church in upstate New York starts to spiral out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles, Michael Gaston, Philip Ettinger, Director: Paul Schrader. Producers: Jack Binder, Greg Clark, Gary Hamilton, Victoria Hill (USA) Harold and Maude – In conjunction with the documentary HAL, we celebrate this cult classic in which a young, rich, and death-obsessed Harold finds himself changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral. Cast: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles, Cyril Cusack, Charles Tyner, Director: Hal Ashby, Producers: Colin Higgins, Charles Mulvehill (USA) Hot Summer Nights Hot Summer Nights (Tennessee Premiere) – A lonely teenage boy is taken under the wing of the town rebel, falls in love with the prettiest girl in town, and gets entangled in a drug ring, all as the deadliest hurricane in New England history barrels towards the coast. Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Maika Monroe, Thomas Jane, William Fichtner, Maia Mitchell, Director: Elijah Bynum. Producers: Dan Friedkin, Ryan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas (USA) Jurassic Park – In director Steven Spielberg’s three-time Academy Award-winning blockbuster JURASSIC PARK paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler and mathematician Ian Malcolm are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, BD Wong, Samuel L. Jackson, Director: Steven Spielberg. Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen (USA) Leave No Trace (Tennessee Premiere) – A man and his 13-year-old daughter are living in a park when a small mistake tips them off to authorities and changes their lives forever. Cast: Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Dale Dickey, Dana Millican, Jeff Korber, Director: Debra Granik. Producers: Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini (USA) Mississippi Requiem (World Premiere) – A collection of four short films based on stories written by William Faulkner. Cast: James Franco, Topher Grace, Alicia Witt, Amy Smart, Beth Grant, Marianna Palka, Xosha Roquemore, Directors: Arkesh Ajay, Kelly Pike, Jerell Rosales, Marta Savina. Producers: Ariane Ackerberg, Cecilia Albertini, Juanita Cepero, Aaron Edmonds (USA) Never Goin’ Back (Tennessee Premiere) – Jessie and Angela, high school dropouts, are taking a week off to chill at the beach. Too bad their house got robbed, rent’s due, they’re about to get fired, and they’re broke. Cast: Maia Mitchell, Camila Morrone, Kyle Mooney, Aristotle Abraham II, Joel Allen. Director: Augustine Frizzell. Producers: Liz Cardenas, Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston, David Lowery. On Chesil Beach (Tennessee Premiere) – In the summer of 1962, a young couple of drastically different backgrounds experience an awkward and fateful wedding night. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emily Watson, Samuel West, Anne-Marie Duff, Billy Howe, Bebe Cave, Director: Dominic Cooke, Producers: Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley (United Kingdom). Rosemary’s Baby 50th Anniversary – A young wife comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world. Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Director: Roman Polanski. Producer: William Castle (USA)

    Animated Feature Competition

    The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales (Tennessee Premiere) – Whoever thinks that the countryside is calm and peaceful is mistaken. Cast: Kamel Abdessadok, Jules Bienvenu, Guillaum Bouchéde, Directors: Benjamin Renner, Patrick Imbert, Producers: Damien Brunner, Didier Brunner, Vincent Tavier (France) Cocolors (Southeast US Premiere) – There is a world in which ash fills the sky and the earth. Humanity, fearing the ash, had no choice but to cover themselves in protective suits and gigantic masks and live deep within the underground. Cast: Yuuki Takada, Sawako Hata, Mutsuki Iwanaka, Masaki Terasoma, Yoshiko Kamei, Yayoi Nakazawa, Director: Toshihisa Yokoshima, Producers: Jumpei Mizusaki, Ittatsu Shimizu (Japan) Virus Tropical (Tennessee Premiere) – Paola is born in a traditional Colombian family, or at least that is what they try to be. Cast: María Cecilia Sánchez, Alejandra Borrero, Diego Le?n Hoyos, Director: Santiago Caicedo, Producers: Carolina Barrera Quevedo, Santiago Caicedo (Colombia)

    Spectrum

    Dark River (Tennessee Premiere) – Following the death of her father, Alice returns to her home village for the first time in 15 years, to claim the tenancy to THE FAMILY  farm she believes is rightfully hers. Cast: Ruth Wilson, Mark Stanley, Sean Bean, Emse Creed-Miles, Aiden McCullough, Shane Attwooll, Director: Clio Barnard, Producer: Tracy O’Riordan (United Kingdom) Into the Okavango (Tennessee Premiere) – Botswana’s Okavango Delta is one of the planet’s last remaining true wildernesses, but studies have shown it is shrinking. A group of intrepid scientists embark on a four-month, 1500-mile journey upriver to the Okavango’s source to investigate why. Director: Neil Gelinas. Producer: Neil Gelinas (Angola, Botswana, USA) Lost In America (Tennessee Premiere) – LOST IN AMERICA follows director Rotimi Rainwater, a former homeless youth, as he travels the country to shine a light on the epidemic of youth homelessness in America. Cast: Rosario Dawson, Jewel, Halle Berry, Jon Bon Jovi, Senator Patrick Leahy. Director: Rotimi Rainwater, Producers: Brent C. Johnson, Mike C. Manning, Steve Vasquez Jr., Randy Sinquefield (USA) McQueen (Tennessee Premiere) – Alexander McQueen’s rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale, laced with the gothic. Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this documentary is an intimate revelation of McQueen’s own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerizing genius of profound influence. Cast: Alexander McQueen, Director: Ian Bonhôte. Producers: Andee Ryder, Nick Taussig, Paul Van Carter (United Kingdom). Nico, 1988 (Tennessee Premiere) – The last year of singer Nico’s life, as she tours and grapples with addiction and personal demons. Cast: Trine Dyrholm, John Gordon Sinclair, Anamarie Marinca, Sandor Funtek, Director: Susanna Nicchiarelli, Producers: Valérie Bournonville, Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa, Joseph Rouschop (Belgium, Italy) Ryiuchi Sakamoto: Coda (Tennessee Premiere) – RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: CODA is an intimate portrait of the Oscar-winning film composer as both artist and man. Cast: Ryuichi Sakamoto, Director: Stephen Schible, Producers: Eric Nyari, Stephen Schible (Japan, USA) Under the Tree (Tennessee Premiere) – When Baldwin and Inga’s next door neighbours complain that a tree in their backyard casts a shadow over their sundeck, what starts off as a typical spat between neighbours in the suburbs unexpectedly and violently spirals out of control. Cast: Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson| Edda Björgvinsdóttir, Sigurður Sigurjónsson,Þorsteinn Bachmann. Director: Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson, Producers: Grímar Jónsson, Sindri Páll Kjartansson, Thor Sigurjonsson (Iceland)

    Spectrum Q

    The Gospel of Eureka (Tennessee Premiere) – Love, faith and civil rights collide in a southern town as evangelical Christians and drag queens step into the spotlight to dismantle stereotypes. Cast: Mx Justin Vivian Bond, Directors: Donal Mosher, Michael Palmieri. Producer: Charlotte Cook (USA) Porcupine Lake (Tennessee Premiere) – A story of bravery and the secret world of girls during a fateful summer when adulthood has not yet arrived, but childhood is quickly vanishing. Cast: Charlotte Salisbury, Lucinda Armstrong Hall, Christopher Bolton, Delphine Roussel, Hallie Switzer, Director: Ingrid Veninger. Producers: Ingrid Veninger, Melissa Leo, Randi Kirshenbaum (Canada) Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (Tennessee Premiere) – A deliciously scandalous portrait of UNSUNG HOLLYWOOD  legend Scotty Bowers, whose bestselling memoir chronicled his decades spent as sexual procurer to the stars. Cast: Scotty Bowers, Peter Bart, Robert Hofler, William Mann, Director: Matt Tyrnauer. Producer: Josh Braun, Corey Reeser (USA) To a More Perfect Union (Tennessee Premiere) – The award-winning documentary that tells the story of civil rights icon Edie Windsor and her landmark case that changed history. Cast: Edie Windsor, Roberta Kaplan, Rosie O’Donnell, Jeff Toobin, Nina Totenberg, Evan Wolfson, Lillian Faderman, Director: Donna Zaccaro. Producers: Paula Heredia, Donna Zaccaro (USA)

    Read more


  • 2018 Florida Film Festival Announces Lineup, Opens with “American Animals”

    Jared Abrahamson, Evan Peters, Blake Jenner and Barry Keoghan appear in American Animals by Bart Layton, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute. Today the Florida Film Festival announced the program lineup of 183 films representing 38 countries, for the 27th Annual Festival, taking place April 6 to 15, 2018, in Maitland and Winter Park, Florida. The festival will open with American Animals directed by Bart Layton, and close with the 75th Anniversary Screening of  Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt. “This is going to be a banner year in every aspect,” commented Matthew Curtis, Florida Film Festival Programming Director. “With a greater number of films making their Florida debut than ever before, we could not be more excited about introducing these talented filmmakers and presenting such an extraordinary and diverse group of films to our audience. We are proud that this year’s lineup includes 82 women filmmakers–the most ever and more than 45% of our total programming! Their voices will be represented everywhere in the Festival, including our first-ever experimental shorts program (“Sunspots: New Visions of the Avant Garde”), and our first-ever “X Real” Doc shorts program completely directed by women. Let the story-gazing begin!” The 21 features and 59 short films in the American Independent Competition will be eligible for up to three awards each: a Grand Jury Award for best film in that category, a Special Jury Award given at the jury’s discretion for exceptional achievements, and an Audience Award determined by audience votes for Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, and Best Short Film. International films are also eligible for Audience Awards for Best International Feature and Best International Short, and an Audience Award will be given for the Best Midnight Short as well.

    2018 Florida Film Festival OFFICIAL SELECTION:

    OPENING NIGHT FILM:

    American Animals – Directed by Bart Layton, USA, 2018, 116 MIN, East Coast Premiere Star Blake Jenner will be in attendance for the Opening Night Film and Party, and will participate in a post-film Q&A with the audience

    SPOTLIGHT FILMS:

    Borg McEnroe – Directed by Janus Metz, Sweden/Denmark/Finland, 2017, 107 MIN, Rated R, In English and Swedish with English subtitles The Guilty – Directed by Gustav Möller, Denmark, 2018, 85 MIN, In English and Danish with English subtitles, East Coast Premiere Hearts Beat Loud – Directed by Brett Haley, USA, 2018, 97 MIN, East Coast Premiere A Kid Like Jake – Directed by Silas Howard, USA, 2018, 92 MIN, Florida Premiere Lean on Pete – Directed by Andrew Haigh, UK, 2017, 121 MIN, Southeast Premiere RBG – Directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West, USA, 2018, 97 MIN Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood – Directed by Matt Tyrnauer, USA, 2017, 98 MIN, Southeast Premiere Three Identical Strangers – Directed by Tim Wardle, UK, 2018, 96 MIN Tully – Directed by Jason Reitman, USA, 2018, 94 MIN, Rated R We the Animals – Directed by Jeremiah Zagar, USA, 2018, 94 MIN, East Coast Premiere Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – Directed by Morgan Neville, USA, 2018, 94 MIN

    NARRATIVE FEATURES COMPETITION:

    Call Me Brother – Directed by David Howe, USA, 2018, 77 MIN, World Premiere Cold November – Directed by Karl Jacob, USA, 2017, 92 MIN, Southeast Premiere The Feels – Directed by Jenée LaMarque, USA, 2017, 90 MIN Locating Silver Lake – Directed by Eric Bilitch, USA, 2018, 110 MINS, East Coast Premiere Prison Logic – Directed by Romany Malco Jr., USA, 2018, 95 MINS, Florida Premiere Quality Problems – Directed by Brooke & Doug Purdy, USA, 2017, 107 MIN, Southeast Premiere Savage Youth – Directed by Michael Curtis Johnson, USA, 2018, 97 MIN, Southeast Premiere Say You Will – Directed by Nick Naveda, USA, 2017, 98 MIN, Southeast Premiere Tatterdemalion – Directed by Ramaa Mosley, USA, 2017, 101 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing White Rabbit –  Directed by Daryl Wein, USA, 2018, 71 MIN, East Coast Premiere

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES COMPETITION:

    Ask the Sexpert – Directed by Vaishali Sinha, USA/India, 2017, 83 MIN, Southeast Premiere Dark Money – Directed by Kimberly Reed, USA, 2018, 98 MIN, Florida Premiere Getting Naked: A Burlesque Story – Directed by James Lester, USA, 2017, 86 MIN, Southeast Premiere The Last Race – Directed by Michael Dweck, USA, 2018, 74 MIN, Florida Premiere Mole Man – Directed by Guy Fiorita, USA, 2017, 87 MIN, Southeast Premiere Mr. Fish: Cartooning from the Deep End – Directed by Pablo Bryant, USA, 2017, 70 MIN, Southeast Premiere My Indiana Muse – Directed by Ric & Jen Serena, USA, 2018, 44 MIN, Southeast Premiere The Power of Glove – Directed by Andrew Austin and Adam Ward, USA, 2017, 65 MIN, Southeast Premiere Samantha’s Amazing Acro-Cats – Directed by Jacob Feiring, USA, 2017, 58 MIN, Southeast Premiere This is Home – Directed by Alexandra Shiva, USA/Jordan, 2018, 91 MIN, Southeast Premiere TransMilitary – Directed by Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson, USA, 2018, 92 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing

    DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION:

    Alaska DGAF – Directed by David Freid, USA, 2018, 11 MIN, World Premiere Curious Kaleo – Directed by Judie Muhrez, Shana Kheradyar, Dylan McGale, and Tara Salveson, USA, 2018, 11 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing A Few Things About Robert Irwin. – Directed by Lisanne Skyler, USA, 2017, 7 MIN, Southeast Premiere Footprint – Directed by Sara Newens, USA, 2018, 17 MIN, World Premiere The Forger – Directed by Alexandra Garcia, Samantha Stark, and Pamela Druckerman, USA, 2017, 16 MIN, In French with English subtitles, Florida Premiere JessZilla – Directed by Emily Sheskin, USA, 2017, 7 MIN, Florida Premiere Let My People Vote – Directed by Gilda Ann Brasch, USA, 2018, 17 MIN, World Premiere Little Fiel – Directed by Irina Patkanian, USA/Mozambique, 2017, 16 MIN, Southeast Premiere Lotte That Silhouette Girl – Directed by Elizabeth Beecherl and Carla Patullo, USA, 2018, 10 MIN, East Coast Premiere Nueva Vida – Directed by Jonathan Seligson, USA, 2017, 7 MIN, Southeast Premiere Please – Directed by Erica Rose, USA, 2018, 7 MIN, World Premiere The Shift – Directed by Elivia Shaw and Paloma Martinez, USA, 2017, 8 MIN, Southeast Premiere The Tables – Directed by Jon Bunning, USA, 2017, 15 MIN, Florida Premiere Taobao – Directed by Noah Sheldon, USA/China, 2018, 4 MIN, In Mandarin with English subtitles, East Coast Premiere Used: A Documentary – Directed by Rolando Nieves, USA, 2017, 15 MIN, Southeast Premiere Winter’s Watch – Directed by Brian Bolster, USA, 2017, 14 MIN, Florida Premiere

    NARRATIVE SHORTS COMPETITION:

    The Accomplice – Directed by Jonathan Hoeg and John F. Beach, USA, 2017, 8 MIN, Florida Premiere After Her – Directed by Aly Migliori, USA, 2018, 15 MIN, World Premiere An Alien Walks Into A Bar – Directed by Eli Bildner, USA, 2017, 5 MIN, Florida Premiere/2nd US Showing Anna & the Asteroid – Directed by Scott Sherman, USA, 2017, 25 MIN, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing Artifice – Directed by Kevin Byrnes, USA, 2018, 4 MIN, World Premiere Caroline – Directed by Celine Held and Logan George, USA, 2018, 12 MIN, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing Control – Directed by Kimmy Gatewood, USA, 2017, 15 MIN, Florida Premiere El Afilador (The Sharpener) – Directed by James Casey, USA/MEXICO, 2018, 9 MIN, North American Premiere, In Spanish with English subtitles Emergency – Directed by Carey Williams, USA, 2017, 12 MIN, Southeast Premiere End Times – Directed by Bobby Miller, USA, 2018, 9 MIN, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing everything’s gonna be okay – Directed by Matt Soson, USA, 2018, 15 MIN, World Premiere Falling – Directed by Ewen Wright, USA, 2018, 19 MIN, East Coast Premiere Five Minutes – Directed by Justine Bateman, USA, 2017, 10 MIN, Southeast Premiere Flatbush Misdemeanors – Directed by Dan Perlman and Kevin Iso, USA, 2017, 15 MIN, Southeast Premiere Fran This Summer – Directed by Mary Evangelista, USA, 2018, 9 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Haircut – Directed by David Brundige, USA, 2018, 7 MIN, World Premiere Home Shopper – Directed by Dev Patel, USA/Singapore, 2018, 16 MIN, East Coast Premiere I Got This – Directed by Erik Bork, USA, 2018, 22 MIN, World Premiere Iron Hands – Directed by Johnson Cheng, USA/China, 2017, 11 MIN, In Mandarin with English Subtitles, Florida Premiere Life After – Directed by Ria Tobaccowala, USA, 2018, 12 MIN, Florida Premiere Life Boat – Directed by Lorraine Nicholson, USA, 2017, 18 MIN, Southeast Premiere Magic Bullet – Directed by Amanda Lovejoy Street, USA, 2018, 19 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Mama Jane – Directed by Lisa Maria Hall, USA, 2018, 12 MIN, World Premiere Men Don’t Whisper – Directed by Jordan Firstman, USA, 2017, 22 MIN, Florida Premiere My Loyal Audience – Directed by Megan Seely, USA, 2017, 12 MIN Painting with Joan – Directed by Jack Henry Robbins, USA, 2018, 4 MIN, East Coast Premiere Sweet & Lo – Directed by Clay Liford, USA, 2018, 14 MIN, World Premiere Valentina – Directed by Mary Angélica Molina, USA, 2017, 8 MIN, Florida Premiere , In English and Spanish with English subtitles Wyrm – Directed by Christopher Winterbauer, USA, 2017, 20 MIN, East Coast Premiere

    ANIMATED SHORTS COMPETITION:

    Abnie Oberfork: A Tale of Self-Preservation – Directed by Shannon Fleming, USA, 2017, 5 MIN, Florida Premiere Aquacade – Directed by Caroline Voagen Nelson, USA, 2017, 3 MIN, Southeast Premiere The Driver is Red – Directed by Randall Christopher, USA, 2017, 15 MIN Fired Up – Directed by Elyse Kelly and Dan Fipphen, USA/Colombia/Israel, 2017, 3 MIN, Florida Premiere For Educational Purposes Only – Directed by David Nessl, USA, 2018, 3 MIN, US Premiere Fundamental – Directed by Shih-Chieh Chiu, USA/Taiwan, 2017, 7 MIN, Southeast Premiere Jeom – Directed by Kangmin Kim, USA/South Korea, 2018, 4 MIN, In Korean with English subtitles, Florida Premiere Nevada – Directed by Emily Ann Hoffman, USA, 2017, 12 MIN, Southeast Premiere Phototaxis – Directed by Melissa Ferrari, USA, 2017, 7 MIN, Southeast Premiere Seahorse Man – Directed by Diana Carter, USA, 2018, 3 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Shahkboy – Directed by Jake Peckar, USA, 2017, 5 MIN, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing Undiscovered – Directed by Sara Litzenberger, USA, 2017, 3 MIN The Velvet Underground Played At My High School – Directed by Robert Pietri and Tony Jannelli, USA, 2018, 7 MIN, Southeast Premiere Weekends – Directed by Trevor Jimenez, USA, 2017, 15 MIN, Florida Premiere

    INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE:

    The Cakemaker – Directed by Ofir Raul Graizer, Israel/Germany, 2017, 104 MIN, In English, Hebrew and German with English subtitles Euthanizer – Directed by Teemu Nikki, Finland, 2017, 85 MIN, In Finnish with English subtitles, East Coast Premiere Mama – Directed by Nicholas Brennan, USA/Uganda, 2017, 7 MIN, In Luganda with English subtitles, Florida Premiere Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts – Directed by Mouly Surya, Indonesia/France/Malaysia/Thailand, 2017, 93 MIN, In Indonesian with English subtitles, Southeast Premiere Soufra – Directed by Thomas Morgan, USA/Lebanon, 2017, 73 MIN, In Arabic with English subtitles, Florida Premiere

    INTERNATIONAL SHORTS:

    The App – Directed by Julián Merino, Spain, 2017, 15 MIN, In Spanish with English subtitles, Florida Premiere Beatrice – Directed by Lorena Alvarado, Italy, 2017, 9 MIN, In Italian with English subtitles, Southeast Premiere Daughter – Directed by Mara Tamkovich, Poland, 2018, 29 MIN, In Polish with English subtitles, World Premiere Do I Have Boobs Now? – Directed by Milena Salazar and Joella Cabalu, Canada, 2017, 7 MIN, East Coast Premiere Fern – Directed by Johnny Kelly, UK, 2017, 6 MIN, East Coast Premiere Gaze – Directed by Farnoosh Samadi, Iran/Italy, 2017, 14 MIN, In Persian with English subtitles, East Coast Premiere Iris – Directed by Gabrielle Demers, Canada, 2017, 10 MIN, In French with English subtitles, Southeast Premiere Limit – Directed by Javad Daraei, Iran, 2017, 8 MIN, In Persian with English subtitles, East Coast Premiere The Log (Halko) – Directed by Teemu Nikki, Finland, 2016, 7 MIN, In Finnish with English subtitles, Florida Premiere Merry-Go-Round – Directed by Ruslan Bratov, Russian Federation, 2017, 13 MIN, In Russian with English subtitles, North American Premiere My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes – Directed by Charlie Tyrell, Canada, 2018, 14 MIN, East Coast Premiere The Old Woman Who Hid Her Fear Under the Stairs – Directed by Faye Jackson, UK, 2018, 16 MIN, World Premiere Shadow Animals – Directed by Jerry Carlsson, Sweden, 2017, 22 MIN, In Swedish with English subtitles, East Coast Premiere Slap Happy – Directed by Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, Canada, 2017, 11 MIN, East Coast Premiere State of Emergency Motherfucker – Directed by Sébastien Petretti, Belgium, 2017, 6 MIN, In French with English subtitles Thursday Night – Directed by Gonçalo Almeida, Portugal, 2017, 8 MIN, Southeast Premiere True Love in Pueblo Textil – Directed by Horatio Baltz, Cuba/USA, 2017, 5 MIN, In Spanish with English subtitles, Southeast Premiere Wren Boys – Directed by Harry Lighton, UK, 2017, 11 MIN, East Coast Premiere

    INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED SHORTS:

    The Burden – Directed by Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Sweden, 2017, 14 MIN, In Swedish with English subtitles, Southeast Premiere Catherine – Directed by Britt Raes, Belgium, 2017, 12 MIN Dead Horses – Directed by Marc Riba and Anna Solanas, Spain, 2016, 6 MIN, In Catalan with English subtitles, Florida Premiere The Death, Dad & Son – Directed by Denis Walgenwitz and Winshluss, France, 2017, 14 MIN, East Coast Premiere Intimity – Directed by Elodie Dermange, Switzerland, 2017, 5 MIN, East Coast Premiere The Laughing Spider – Directed by Keiichi Tanaami, Japan, 2016, 7 MIN, Florida Premiere Life Before Life – Directed by Rao Heidmets, Estonia, 2017, 7 MIN, In English and Estonian with English subtitles, Florida Premiere Negative Space – Directed by Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata, France, 2017, 6 MIN The Noise of Licking – Directed by Nadja Andrasev, Hungary, 2016, 9 MIN, Southeast Premiere Perfect Town – Directed by Anaïs Voirol, Switzerland, 2017, 4 MIN, Florida Premiere Wicked Girl – Directed by Ayce Kartal. France/Turkey, 2017, 8 MIN, In Turkish with English subtitles

    SUNSPOTS: NEW VISIONS OF THE AVANT GARDE:

    Animal Cinema – Directed by Emilio Vavarella, USA, 2017, 12 MIN, East Coast Premiere Blot – Directed by Benjamin Rouse, USA, 2017, 2 MIN, Florida Premiere A Diptych to Educate Birds – Directed by Noah Engel, USA, 2017, 1 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Dot Matrix – Directed by Lauren Cook, USA, 2017, 4 MIN, Southeast Premiere Edge of Alchemy – Directed by Stacey Steers, USA, 2017, 19 MIN, Florida Premiere The Garden of Delight – Directed by Michael Fleming, Netherlands/USA, 2017, 12 MIN, East Coast Premiere Growing Girl – Directed by Marnie Ellen Hertzler, USA, 2017, 12 MIN Holy Pink: Fragrant – Directed by Clementine Leger and Benjamin Whatley, USA, 2018, 2 MIN, World Premiere The Knits – Directed by Lisa Birke, Canada, 2017, 10 MIN, Florida Premiere Mountain Castle Mountain Flower Plastic – Directed by Annapurna Kumar, USA, 2017, 3 MIN, Southeast Premiere OK, Call Me Back – Directed by Emily Ann Hoffman, USA, 2017, 5 MIN, Southeast Premiere

    MIDNIGHT FEATURES:

    Ghost Stories – Directed by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, UK, 2017, 98 MIN, Florida Premiere King Cohen – Directed by Steve Mitchell, USA/Canada, 2017, 109 MIN Revenge – Directed by Coralie Fargeat, France, 2017, 108 MIN, In English and French with English Subtitles, East Coast Premiere Summer of 84 – Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, USA/Canada, 2018, 105 MIN, East Coast Premiere

    MIDNIGHT SHORTS:

    BFF Girls – Directed by Brian Lonano, USA, 2018, 13 MIN, In English and Japanese with English subtitles, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing Bigfoot’s Love Slave – Directed by Heather Tom, USA, 2017, 5 MIN, Southeast Premiere Cee Cee’s Bedtime Stories #3 Cee Cee and the Ex-Calibahhh – Directed by Joy Buran and Noelle Melody, USA, 2017, 1 MIN, Southeast Premiere/2nd US Showing DaemonRunner – Directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, Australia, 2017, 5 MIN, East Coast Premiere Empire of Dirt – Directed by Adam Mason, USA, 2018, 8 MIN, US Premiere Hair Wolf – Directed by Mariama Diallo, USA, 2018, 12 MIN, East Coast Premiere The Jerry Show – Directed by Stephen Stull, USA, 2017, 9 MIN Little Donnie (The Ten Inch Terror) – Directed by Chel White, USA, 2018, 4 MIN, North American Premiere Little Wonder – Directed by Jordan Carlman, USA, 2018, 3 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Master Blaster – Directed by Sawako Kabuki, Japan, 2016, 4 MIN, In Japanese with English subtitles, East Coast Premiere The Order of the Orchid – Directed by Alex Italics, USA, 2018, 7 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing Peen Zine – Directed by Simeon Kondev, USA, 2017, 3 MIN, East Coast Premiere/2nd US Showing We Love You, Stephanie! – Directed by Sara Ambra, USA, 2018, 6 MIN, World Premiere We Summoned a Demon – Directed by Chris McInroy, USA, 2017, 6 MIN, Florida Premiere Zablah – Directed by Rachel Nakawatase and Ryan Betschart, USA, 2018, 4 MIN, World Premiere

    SPECIAL SCREENINGS:

    FAMILY FILMS:

    The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales… – Directed by Benjamin Renner and Patrick Imbert, France/Belgium, 2017, 83 MIN, Rated G, In French with English subtitles, Southeast Premiere Lu Over the Wall – Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, Japan, 2017, 112 MIN, Southeast Premiere

    FOOD FILMS:

    Back to Burgundy – Directed by Cédric Klapisch, France, 2017, 113 MIN, In English, French, and Spanish with English subtitles Ramen Heads – Directed by Koki Shigeno, Japan, 2017, 93 MIN, In Japanese with English subtitles, Florida Premiere

    MUSIC FILMS:

    40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie – Directed by Lee Aronsohn, USA, 2017, 99 MIN, Southeast Premiere The Godfathers of Hardcore – Directed by Ian McFarland, USA/Belgium/Cuba/France/Germany/Italy/Netherlands/Switzerland, 2017, 95 MIN, Florida Premiere Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami – Directed by Sophie Fiennes, Ireland/UK, 2017, 115 MIN, East Coast Premiere

    FLORIDA FILMS:

    FLORIDA SHORTS: THE BEST OF BROUHAHA:

    Barely There – Directed by Hannah Lee, USA, 2017, 2 MIN Blood for Blood – Directed by Jared Bolhuis, USA, 2017, 8 MIN The Day Comedy Died – Directed by Nick Pletcher and Angelo Guevara-Malavé, USA, 2017, 6 MIN Extinguished – Directed by Ashley Anderson and Jacob Mann, USA, 2017, 4 MIN Flicker – Directed by Amanda Belawski, USA, 2018, 3 MIN, World Premiere A Grave Matter – Directed by Dylan Thompson, USA, 2017, 6 MIN, World Premiere If – Directed by Gabriel Valbuena, USA, 2017, 7 MIN, Florida Premiere In a Heartbeat – Directed by Esteban Bravo and Beth David, USA, 2017, 4 MIN Mama I Wanna March – Directed by Malcolm Baity, USA, 2017, 15 MIN Peacekeeper – Directed by Tyler Knutt and Nicholas Markart, USA, 2017, 13 MIN The Stranger – Directed by Katherine Oostman, USA, 2018, 13 MIN, World Premiere Thump – Directed by Ben Roth, USA, 2017, 2 MIN Tom in Couchland – Directed by James Just, USA, 2017, 2 MIN

    FLORIDA FILMS:

    A Greater Society – Directed by Craig A. Colton and Stacy Goldate, USA, 2018, 87 MIN, World Premiere Long Time Coming – Directed by Jon Strong, USA, 2018, 90 MIN, World Premiere A Mediocre Documentary with Tom and Dan – Directed by Kirk Murray, USA, 2018, 77 MIN, World Premiere

    CLOSING NIGHT RETRO FILM:

    Shadow of a Doubt – Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, USA, 1943, 108 minutes, 75th Anniversary Screening!

    Read more


  • Greenwich Entertainment to Release Matt Tyrnauer’s Documentary SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD

    SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD Matt Tyrnauer’s documentary SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD which premiered to strong reviews and sold-out crowds at the Toronto International Film Festival in September will be released theatrically in April of 2018 by recently formed NYC-based distributor Greenwich Entertainment. Best known for his acclaimed films VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR and CITIZEN JANE: BATTLE FOR THE CITY, Tyrnauer’s latest film tells the story of Scotty Bowers, a World War II Marine combat veteran who became a legendary bi-sexual male hustler and all-purpose date-arranger for Hollywood movie stars from the 1940’s through the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980’s. The film has been called “the juiciest documentary in years” (Vulture), “criminally entertaining” (Vanity Fair ), and a “resonant and funny portrait of a larger-than-life character” (The Film Stage). At the age of 89, Bowers’ 2012 tell-all biography “Full Service: My Adventures in Hollywood and the Secret Sex Lives of the Stars” (Grove Press) was a best-selling sensation, and offered a powerful counter-narrative of Hollywood, as well as a revised view of the intimate lives of many of the greatest names of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The cinema verite feature film contains a nuanced portrait of the now 94-year-old Bowers, and also contains fresh revelations, and a trove of newly discovered archival footage and photos of Bowers from the 40s, 50s and beyond. The film documents how Bowers became a confidante, aide de camp and lover to many of Hollywood’s greatest male–and female—stars. Out of a gas station in the shadow of the studio lots, he began connecting his band of friends from the military with those who had to hide their often complex true sexual identities from the public in the pre-Stonewall era. Prepare yourself for a different take on Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, Ava Gardner and many more icons from the Hollywood Golden Age. Bowers, with the vigor of someone decades younger is an unparalleled raconteur. Tyrnauer’s camera follows him over several months as he meets up with old colleagues—some of them from his L.A. Confidential-esque gas stations days–who corroborate his picaresque tales. “Scotty is a classic American type: fun, happy-go-lucky, eager to please, big-hearted and literally up for anything – a “greatest generation” guy who was also perhaps was one of the great sexual athletes of his day. Matt captures the still-spry, and now 94-year-old Scotty brilliantly and uses his story as a jumping off place to evoke a secret bygone Hollywood and the pressure on that era’s film stars to conform publicly, at least, to the unvarying standard of monogamous heterosexuality,” said Greenwich co-managing director Ed Arentz. “We’re thrilled to have it as one of our inaugural releases.” Tyrnauer, also a journalist (former editor-at-large of Vanity Fair) long heard about Bowers and his gas station in the course of reporting stores about the hidden history of Los Angeles. Eventually, he discovered that the elusive Scotty was still alive and living in Laurel Canyon. “From the moment I met Scotty, I felt he was one of the most extraordinary characters I’d ever come across. He’s one of the last living links to a very different time in Hollywood—and the rest of the world–when same-sexuality was an unmentionable taboo, punishable by prison sentences. Scotty allowed people to live more authentic lives by arranging liaisons for people who, by great necessity, had to hide their true identities to shield themselves from dire consequences,” Tyrnauer said. “I’m really looking forward to collaborating with Ed and the team at Greenwich Entertainment to share Scotty’s story and get this film seen by audiences across North America.” SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, recently had its international premiere at the Rome Film Festival, and its U.S. premiere Saturday at DOC NYC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FExFEVQyAw

    Read more


  • DOC NYC 2017 to Close with NY Premiere of ERIC CLAPTON: LIFE IN 12 BARS + Announces Lineup

    [caption id="attachment_23415" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars[/caption] DOC NYC announced the full lineup of over 250 films and events for its eighth edition, running November 9 to 16 at the IFC Center in Greenwich Village and Chelsea’s SVA Theatre and Cinepolis Chelsea.  Special Events include Closing Night Film, the NYC premiere of Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars, directed by Lili Fini Zanuck, with the acclaimed musician in attendance; Centerpiece Film, the world premiere of Far From the Tree, director Rachel Dretzin’s adaptation of Andrew Solomon’s bestselling book; and the NYC premiere of Wormwood, an ambitious new project from Errol Morris exploring the 1953 death of a CIA agent.  The NYC premiere Greg Barker’s The Final Year, accompanied by members of the Obama administration, will open the festival. World premieres at the festival include A Murder in Mansfield, by Barbara Kopple (Miss Sharon Jones!), which explores the impact of a 1989 murder on a family; Maynard, by Sam Pollard (Two Trains Runnin’), about Atlanta’s first black mayor, Maynard Jackson; Naila and the Uprising, by Julia Bacha (Budrus), about the hidden role women played in the First Intifada, a project that won last year’s DOC NYC Pitch Perfect competition;  Father’s Kingdom, by Larry Feinberg, exploring the legacy of Father Divine, who attracted over a million followers and claimed to be God; The Iconoclast, by King Adz, about notorious art forger Michel van Rijn; and The Godfathers of Hardcore, by Ian McFarland, on the long-lived NYC hardcore punk band Agnostic Front. Among this year’s U.S. premieres are David Bowie: The Last Five Years, by Francis Whately, an intimate look at the creative final years of the music icon; Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco, by James Crump, a portrait of the most influential fashion illustrator of 1970s New York and Paris; Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, by Matt Tyrnauer, about the man who was the secret sexual procurer to the stars; The Stranger, by past DOC NYC award winner Nicole N. Horanyi, about a woman who discovers the man of her dreams has secrets; Armed with Faith, by Geeta Gandbhir and Asad Faruqi, which follows the heroic Pakistani Bomb Disposal Unit; Soufra, by Thomas Morgan, and executive produced by Susan Sarandon, about a woman who starts her own successful catering company in a Lebanese refugee camp; EuroTrump, by Stephen Robert Morse and Nicholas Hampson, on the Dutch Donald Trump, Geert Wilders; and The Beatles, Hippies and Hells Angels: Inside the Crazy World of Apple, by Ben Lewis, a look back at the wild early days of Apple Corps. “Documentary storytellers help us make sense of the tumultuous times we’re living in with artistry, humor and inspiring characters,” said Director of Programming Basil Tsiokos. “This year’s DOC NYC line-up gives audiences fresh insight into high profile figures and shines a light on lesser-known individuals who leave a big impression.” Tsiokos led the program selection in collaboration with Artistic Director Thom Powers and Executive Director Raphaela Neihausen. The festival is curated in 18 sections that include two new strands: New World Order, with 6 films about global issues in the news, including Sky & Ground, which follows an extended family of refugees as they escape Syria; and Spiral, about the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in Europe. Centerstage, an 8-title section focused on performing and performers, presents the world premieres of The Problem with Apu, in which a South Asian-American comedian explores the impact of the character from The Simpsons; and Repeat Attenders, about musical theater superfans. In the festival’s two feature competition sections, 8 films appear under the Viewfinders section for distinct directorial visions. They include the world premiere of Mole Man, about an autistic man who has built a 50-room structure in his backyard; and the U.S. premieres of The Judge, about the first female Shari’a judge in the Middle East, and Silas, about a Liberian environmental activist. In the Metropolis competition section, 7 films are dedicated to stories set in New York City. They include the world premieres of The Iron Triangle, about the resistance to the urban renewal of Queens’ Willets Point; Vigilante: The Incredible True Story of Curtis Sliwa and the Guardian Angels, an unfiltered look at the founder of the controversial group; and Miracle on 42nd Street, about an apartment complex providing housing to performing artists, including past residents Alicia Keys, Terrence Howard and Angela Lansbury. Other returning sections include high-profile Special Events; national and global takes inAmerican Perspectives and International Perspectives; and thematic sections Fight the Power (on activism), Sonic Cinema (on music), True Crime (on crime), Science Nonfiction (on science and technology), Modern Family (on unconventional families),Wild Life (on animals), Art & Design (on artists), and Behind the Scenes (on filmmaking). Short-form content (85 films in total) is represented by the festival’s Shorts Competition and DOC NYC U (showcasing student work). The following is a breakdown of programming by section:

    OPENING NIGHT

    THE FINAL YEAR Dir: Greg Barker (NYC PREMIERE) Greg Barker gives an unprecedented look at the shaping of US foreign policy by following key members of outgoing US President Barack Obama’s administration.

    CLOSING NIGHT

    ERIC CLAPTON: LIFE IN 12 BARS Dir: Lili Fini Zanuck (NYC PREMIERE) An intimate, revealing musical odyssey on the life and career of guitar virtuoso Eric Clapton, told by those who have known him best.

    CENTERPIECE

    FAR FROM THE TREE Dir: Rachel Dretzin (WORLD PREMIERE) An adaptation of Andrew Solomon’s bestselling book examining how parents face their children’s extreme differences, challenging ideas of “normalcy.”

    SPECIAL EVENT

    WORMWOOD Dir: Errol Morris (NYC PREMIERE) DOC NYC’s Visionaries Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Errol Morris (The Fog of War) investigates the 1953 death of a CIA agent in this innovative new project.

    VIEWFINDERS COMPETITION

    THE JUDGE Dir: Erika Cohn (US PREMIERE) A vérité legal drama about the first woman appointed to a Shari’a court in the Middle East, providing rare insights into both Islamic law and gendered justice. LOVE, CECIL Dir: Lisa Immordino Vreeland (NYC PREMIERE) An affectionate portrait of Cecil Beaton, a multi-talented photographer, writer and painter who also designed sets and costumes for films like My Fair Lady. LOVE MEANS ZERO Dir: Jason Kohn (NYC PREMIERE) Infamous and influential tennis coach Nick Bollettieri has trained champions that include Andre Agassi and Boris Becker, but greatness comes at a personal price. MOLE MAN Dir: Guy Fiorita (WORLD PREMIERE) An autistic man is faced with the possibility of losing the only home he has ever known—and the remarkable 50-room structure he’s built in the backyard. NAILA AND THE UPRISING Dir: Julia Bacha (WORLD PREMIERE) Filmmaker Julia Bacha (Budrus) reveals the hidden history of the key role women played in the Palestinian uprising known as the First Intifada. SILAS Dirs: Anjali Nayar, Hawa Essuman (US PREMIERE) A rousing profile of Liberian activist Silas Siakor, a tireless crusader against illegal logging and a symbol of resistance for a new generation. THE STRANGER Dir: Nicole N. Horanyi (INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE) Amanda, a 25-year-old single mother, meets the man of her dreams on Facebook… but she soon discovers that the charming, worldly Casper has secrets. THIS IS CONGO Dir: Daniel McCabe (NYC PREMIERE) Filmmaker Daniel McCabe examines multiple sides of the fractious war in the Democratic Republic of Congo in this stunningly shot film.

    METROPOLIS COMPETITION

    ANTONIO LOPEZ 1970: SEX FASHION & DISCO Dir: James Crump (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) A portrait of the most influential fashion illustrator of 1970s New York and Paris, known for discovering talents such as Pat Cleveland and Grace Jones. CRADLE OF CHAMPIONS Dir: Bartle Bull (NYC PREMIERE) Three amateur boxers compete for glory and life-changing opportunities in New York City’s legendary Golden Gloves tournament. THE IRON TRIANGLE Dirs: Prudence Katze, William Lehman (WORLD PREMIERE) Workers and owners of auto repair shops in Queens’ Willets Point face off against gentrification and urban renewal for the future of their livelihoods and community. MIRACLE ON 42ND STREET Dir: Alice Elliott (WORLD PREMIERE) The surprising history of Manhattan Plaza and its embrace of the performing arts, featuring famed former residents including Alicia Keys, Terrence Howard and Angela Lansbury. Screening with Lucy Walker’s Oh, What A Beautiful City (A City Symphony). A celebration of summertime in NYC. OH, RICK! Dirs: Dustin Sussman, Aaron Rosenbloom (WORLD PREMIERE) A profile of comedian Rick Crom, long-running emcee at Greenwich Village’s Comedy Cellar, featuring Ray Romano, Colin Quinn, Sarah Silverman and Wanda Sykes. STILL WATERS  Dir: Peter Gordon (WORLD PREMIERE) In Bushwick, where rapid gentrification is pushing out Latino families, a unique alternative after-school program serves as a haven for the community. VIGILANTE: THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF CURTIS SLIWA AND THE GUARDIAN ANGELS Dir: David Wexler (WORLD PREMIERE) An unfiltered look back at 1970s and ’80s NYC through the eyes of Curtis Sliwa, founder of the controversial crime prevention patrol the Guardian Angels.

    AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES

    12TH AND CLAIRMOUNT Dir: Brian Kaufman (NYC PREMIERE) Hundreds of hours of home movies, archival footage, illustrations and new oral histories offer multiple perspectives of the 1967 Detroit uprising. 32 PILLS: MY SISTER’S SUICIDE Dir: Hope Litoff (NYC PREMIERE) Years after the suicide of her sister Ruth, a talented but troubled artist, director Hope Litoff tries to make sense of her loss. FAIL STATE Dir: Alex Shebanow (NYC PREMIERE) Executive produced by Dan Rather, Fail State explores the dark side of higher education in America, focusing on the rise of for-profit colleges. FATHER’S KINGDOM Dir: Lenny Feinberg (WORLD PREMIERE ) In the first half of the 20th century, Father Divine, an African-American spiritual leader, gained over a million followers by claiming to be God. THE GROWING SEASON Dir: Evan Briggs (WORLD PREMIERE) An intimate, bittersweet portrait of growing up and growing old, set in a nursing home that also houses a preschool program. MAYNARD Dir: Sam Pollard (WORLD PREMIERE) Director Sam Pollard constructs a portrait of charismatic trailblazer Maynard Jackson, who became Atlanta’s first black mayor in 1973. METH STORM Dirs: Brent Renaud, Craig Renaud (NYC PREMIERE ) DEA agents face the Sisyphean task of curbing the influx of Mexican ice, a more potent form of meth, into poor, rural communities in Arkansas. SHOT IN THE DARK Dir: Dustin Nakao Haider (NYC PREMIERE) Orr Academy’s high school basketball team is a refuge from the brutal realities of the streets of Chicago’s West Side.

    INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

    ARMED WITH FAITH Dirs: Geeta Gandbhir, Asad Faruqi (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) A suspenseful portrait of the men of the Pakistani Bomb Disposal Unit, who risk their own lives every day to combat homegrown and international terrorism. ASK THE SEXPERT Dir: Vaishali Sinha (NYC PREMIERE) A lighthearted look at India’s Dan Savage, Dr. Mahinder Watsa, a 93-year-old retired gynecologist. Is he a hero of progress or an enemy of traditional values? A BETTER MAN Dirs: Attiya Khan, Lawrence Jackman (US PREMIERE) Twenty years after their break-up, filmmaker Attiya Khan confronts her ex-boyfriend to take responsibility for their abusive relationship. CUBA AND THE CAMERAMAN Dir: Jon Alpert (NYC PREMIERE) For more than 40 years, acclaimed filmmaker Jon Alpert has enjoyed privileged access to Cuba, chronicling its changes from Havana to the countryside. ISLAND SOLDIER Dir: Nathan Fitch (NYC PREMIERE) Residents of the remote islands of Micronesia question whether the benefits of US protection are worth the human costs of fighting its wars. LOVESICK Dirs: Ann S. Kim, Priya Giri Desai (WORLD PREMIERE) In India, where marriage is a must but AIDS carries a stigma, Dr. Suniti Solomon serves as matchmaker for her HIV-positive patients. THE PINK HOUSE Dir: Sascha Ettinger Epstein (INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE) In a remote Australian gold-mining town, a genteel 70-year-old madam struggles to keep the oldest working brothel afloat in this entertaining portrait. Screening with Sam Ketay’s A Wonderful Place. Octogenarian Norma shares stories while giving a tour of her property atop her John Deere tractor. SOUFRA Dir: Thomas Morgan (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) Working with a diverse group of Middle Eastern women, Mariam Shaar attempts to expand her catering company, based in a refugee camp near Beirut.

    NEW WORLD ORDER

    EUROTRUMP Dirs: Stephen Robert Morse, Nicholas Hampson (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) An in-depth exploration of Geert Wilders, the “Dutch Donald Trump,” as the controversial politician seems poised to become the Prime Minister of the Netherlands. INSHA’ALLAH DEMOCRACY Dir: Mohammed Ali Naqvi (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) Following Pakistan’s former dictator, General Pervez Musharraf, as he runs for president, the filmmaker questions if democracy is truly possible in Pakistan. PLAYING GOD Dir: Karin Jurschick (US PREMIERE) A candid, complex portrait of compensation assessor Ken Feinberg, a man tasked with putting a dollar value on human lives in the wake of tragedies like 9/11 and Sandy Hook. RECRUITING FOR JIHAD Dirs: Adil Khan Farooq, Ulrik Imtiaz Rolfsen (NYC PREMIERE) Over several years, a journalist follows a charismatic, outspoken Norwegian missionary as he recruits young converts to Islam, and to fight for ISIS in Syria. SKY & GROUND Dirs: Talya Tibbon, Joshua Bennett (WORLD PREMIERE) A compelling, ground-level immersion into the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time, accompanying a large, extended family by foot from Syria to asylum in Germany. SPIRAL Dir: Laura Fairrie (US PREMIERE) An urgent, alarming look at the rise of anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial and physical and verbal assaults against Jews throughout Europe, particularly in France.

    CENTERSTAGE

    BEHIND THE CURTAIN: TODRICK HALL Dir: Katherine Fairfax Wright (NYC PREMIERE) American Idol contestant and RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Todrick Hall races to complete an autobiographical musical and take the live show on the road to his devoted fans. GETTING NAKED: A BURLESQUE STORY Dir: James Lester (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) Uncovering New York City’s neo-burlesque subculture, this entertaining film offers a lingering look at several sexy denizens of the nightlife scene. THE PROBLEM WITH APU Dir: Michael Melamedoff (WORLD PREMIERE) South Asian-American comedian Hari Kondabolu confronts his long-standing “nemesis,” Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, better known as the Kwik-E-Mart owner on The Simpsons. REBELS ON POINTE Dir: Bobbi Jo Hart (NYC PREMIERE) A globetrotting profile of NYC’s beloved Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male dance troupe that fuses camp humor with classical ballet performed in drag. REPEAT ATTENDERS Dir: Mark Dooley (WORLD PREMIERE) An entertaining portrait of musical theatre superfans, for whom shows like Les Miz,Starlight Express and Cats are an obsession, a refuge and a place where they belong. Screening with Ben Kitnick’s Catskills. An 86-year-old dancer remembers the heyday of the upstate resort community. SAMMY DAVIS, JR.: I’VE GOTTA BE ME Dir: Sam Pollard (NYC PREMIERE) A star-studded roster of interviewees (including Jerry Lewis, Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal) pay tribute to the legendary, multi-talented song-and-dance man. SIGHTED EYES/FEELING HEART Dir: Tracy Heather Strain (NYC PREMIERE) A moving account of the life of black playwright, communist, feminist, lesbian and outspoken trailblazer Lorraine Hansberry (A Raisin in the Sun). STANDING UP Dir: Jonathan Miller (WORLD PREMIERE) An Egyptian lawyer, a couch-surfing custodian and an Orthodox Jew walk into a comedy club… and end up starring in a film about three unlikely aspiring stand-up comics.

    TRUE CRIME

    COLD BLOODED: THE CLUTTER FAMILY KILLINGS Dir: Joe Berlinger (SNEAK PREVIEW) Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Joe Berlinger reexamines the infamous 1959 murder of a Kansas family that Truman Capote explored in his landmark nonfiction novel In Cold Blood. (USA, 86 min.) THE ICONOCLAST Dir: King Adz (WORLD PREMIERE) A portrait of a Dutch art connoisseur and descendant of Rembrandt – in truth, a con man who made millions trafficking in forged and stolen art and antiquities. A MURDER IN MANSFIELD Dir: Barbara Kopple (WORLD PREMIERE) Oscar®-winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple explores the legacy of the 1989 murder of Noreen Boyle in Mansfield, Ohio and its impact on her family. WHAT HAUNTS US Dir: Paige Goldberg Tolmach (NYC PREMIERE) An investigation into a rash of suicides among the men in the filmmaker’s high school graduating class reveals a disturbing cover-up centered around a popular coach. Screening with Elivia Shaw and Paloma Martinez’s The Shift. Spend an overnight shift with the emergency dispatchers for the city of San Francisco. WHITE BOY Dir: Shawn Rech (NYC PREMIERE) The story of “White Boy Rick,” a legend of Detroit’s drug world in the 1980s, still imprisoned for a juvenile offense for the past 30 years.

    SCIENCE NONFICTION

    THE EXPERIMENTAL CITY Dir: Chad Freidrichs (NYC PREMIERE) A fascinating chronicle of an almost successful attempt to build the city of the future by a visionary scientist and futurist comic strip writer in the 1960s. HAPPENING: A CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTION Dir: James Redford (NYC PREMIERE) Seeking hope for a sustainable tomorrow, filmmaker James Redford crosses the country to chronicle the clean energy revolution already taking place. HOT GREASE Dirs: Sam Wainwright Douglas, Paul Lovelace, Jessica Wolfson (WORLD PREMIERE) A fascinating look at biodiesel, a growing industry with the potential to undercut the dominance of Big Oil—and it all starts with recycled cooking oil. THE NEW FIRE Dir: David Schumacher (NYC PREMIERE) Innovative young nuclear engineers attempt to develop next-generation reactors to provide clean and safe solutions to the world’s future energy needs.

    WILD LIFE

    DONKEYOTE Dir: Chico Pereira (NYC PREMIERE) A 73-year-old Spanish man dreams of walking the Trail of Tears with his donkey and his dog—but getting to America from Spain presents a challenge. EATING ANIMALS Dir: Christopher Quinn (NYC PREMIERE) Based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer and produced and narrated by Natalie Portman, this unflinching exposé looks at the devastating costs of our dietary choices. RODENTS OF UNUSUAL SIZE Dirs: Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer (WORLD PREMIERE) This quirky film follows bounty hunters and other colorful Gulf residents as they try to defend Louisiana from the invasive giant swamp rat known as the nutria. Screening with Olivier Bernier’s A Garbage Story. Over 30 years in the garbage business, Nick has become a bonafide trash connoisseur. SAMANTHA’S AMAZING ACROCATS Dir: Jacob Feiring (NYC PREMIERE) A woman pins her dreams of stardom on a traveling cat circus, but how long can she hold on as debt mounts and success seems elusive? Screening with Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman’s Nobody Loves Me. High in the Andes, a frog with an unusual appearance is threatened with extinction.

    ART & DESIGN

    44 PAGES Dir: Tony Shaff (NYC PREMIERE) A heartwarming, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the landmark 70th anniversary issue of beloved children’s magazine, Highlights. BIG TIME Dir: Kaspar Astrup Schröder (NYC PREMIERE) A portrait of superstar Danish architect Bjarke Ingels as he takes on his largest project yet, relocating to New York City to create the new 2 World Trade Center. FIVE SEASONS: THE GARDENS OF PIET OUDOLF Dir: Thomas Piper (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) A portrait of visionary landscape designer Piet Oudolf, known for public works like the High Line that redefine our conception of gardens as works of art. LARGER THAN LIFE Dir: Tiffany Bartok (NYC PREMIERE) An intimate look at the life and death of Kevyn Aucoin, who moved from small town Louisiana to become a legendary makeup artist to supermodels and celebrities. MADDMAN: THE STEVE MADDEN STORY Dir: Ben Patterson (NYC PREMIERE) The rags-to-riches story of designer footwear mogul Steve Madden, who nearly lost everything because of his connections to notorious “Wolf of Wall Street,” Jordan Belfort. MORE ART UPSTAIRS Dir: Jody Hassett Sanchez (NYC PREMIERE) Who gets to decide what is good art? A competition touting the biggest cash prize in the art world finds cultural elitism butting up against Midwest populism. MR. FISH: CARTOONING FROM THE DEEP END Dir: Pablo Bryant (NYC PREMIERE) Finding it increasingly challenging to publish his subversive art, will controversial political cartoonist Mr. Fish be forced to sell out in order to sell his art?

    MODERN FAMILY

    6 WEEKS TO MOTHER’S DAY Dir: Marvin Blunte (WORLD PREMIERE) In a remote jungle in Thailand, a unique democratic school provides orphans with education and empowerment under the watchful eyes of the woman they call Mother Aew. AMAZONA Dir: Clare Weiskopf (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) The director tries to make sense of the elder woman’s decision to leave her children behind to live in the jungle after a family tragedy. ELISH’S NOTEBOOKS Dir: Golan Rise (INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE) Discovering a secret cache of journals written for them by their late mother, Elisheva’s children confront their complex feelings for their emotionally distant parent. HARMONY Dir: Lidia Sheinin (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) Battle lines are drawn when an elderly Russian woman finds her comfortable apartment invaded by her family. Screening with Laura Checkoway’s Edith+Eddie. The love story of America’s oldest interracial newlyweds is threatened by a family feud. LIFE TO COME Dir: Claudio Capanna (US PREMIERE) Surrounded by the sounds of machines and doctors in white coats, severely premature twins Eden and Léandro fight for their survival. LOTS OF KIDS, A MONKEY AND A CASTLE Dir: Gustavo Salmerón (NYC PREMIERE) Spanish actor-turned-director Gustavo Salmerón captures his eccentric, extraordinary mother, who had three dreams: having lots of kids, a monkey and a castle. PLOT 35 Dir: Eric Caravaca (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) French actor-turned-director Eric Caravaca unearths personal family history in search of his sister Charlotte, who died as a toddler before he was born. Screening with Matt Sukkar’s Durango. Adolescent brothers cope with loss over a summer in bucolic Colorado. THANK YOU FOR COMING Dir: Sara Lamm (NYC PREMIERE) After learning she was conceived via a sperm donor, Sara becomes a genealogical detective, navigating ancestry databases and DNA tests for clues to his identity.

    BEHIND THE SCENES

    BLUE VELVET REVISITED Dir: Peter Braatz (NYC PREMIERE) Three decades after documenting the filming of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, the director crafts an unconventional yet accessible meditation on the cult classic film. JIM & ANDY: THE GREAT BEYOND… Dir: Chris Smith (NYC PREMIERE) Offbeat documentarian Chris Smith (American Movie) reveals just how fully Jim Carrey took on the persona of idiosyncratic comedian Andy Kaufman on the set of Man on the Moon. KING COHEN Dir: Steve Mitchell (NYC PREMIERE) A look at the heyday of guerrilla filmmaking through a celebration of the work of maverick filmmaker Larry Cohen, known as “the John Cassavetes of exploitation.” SAVING BRINTON Dirs: Andrew Sherburne, Tommy Haines (NYC PREMIERE) An eccentric collector is on a mission to restore and preserve a cache of early films and cinema memorabilia, the legacy of a pioneering but forgotten Iowa showman. SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD Dir: Matt Tyrnauer (US PREMIERE) A deliciously scandalous portrait of unsung Hollywood legend Scotty Bowers, whose bestselling memoir chronicled his decades spent as sexual procurer to the stars.

    FIGHT THE POWER

    ATOMIC HOMEFRONT Dir: Rebecca Cammisa (NYC PREMIERE) A citizens’ movement confronts government bureaucracy to uncover the atomic secrets of St. Louis, Missouri in order to keep their families safe. BALTIMORE RISING Dir: Sonja Sohn Actress Sonja Sohn (HBO’s The Wire) returns to Baltimore in her directorial debut to chronicle the city in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death. MANKILLER Dir: Valerie Red-Horse Mohl (NYC PREMIERE) Wilma Mankiller rose from poverty to become the first female chief of the Cherokee nation, battling rampant sexism, political rivals and health challenges. NOTHING WITHOUT US Dir: Harriet Hirshorn (NYC PREMIERE) Female activists, scientists and scholars in the US and Africa demonstrates the vital role that women have played—and continue to play—in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING Dir: Mila Turajlic (NYC PREMIERE) A locked door in her family’s Belgrade home provides the gateway to understanding the filmmaker’s remarkable mother and Serbia’s tumultuous political inheritance. QUEERCORE: HOW TO PUNK A REVOLUTION Dir: Yony Leyser (NYC PREMIERE) Misfits in both the mainstream gay and homophobic punk scenes, Bruce LaBruce and GB Jones invented a radical underground subculture that spread around the world. UNFRACTURED Dir: Chanda Chevannes (INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE) Shot over the last year of the historic grassroots fight against fracking in New York state, a raw, intimate look at biologist and activist Sandra Steingraber. ZERO WEEKS Dir: Ky Dickens (NYC PREMIERE) In most countries, workers have paid leave and job security to care for a newborn or family emergency—but not in the US, costing us all a heavy price.

    SONIC CINEMA

    THE BEATLES, HIPPIES AND HELLS ANGELS: INSIDE THE CRAZY WORLD OF APPLE Dir: Ben Lewis (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) An entertaining look behind the scenes at Apple Corps, which The Beatles hoped would allow them to spread their countercultural message throughout the world. BILL FRISELL: A PORTRAIT Dir: Emma Franz (NYC PREMIERE) A warm profile of Bill Frisell, a widely inventive guitarist who crosses musical boundaries, featuring Bonnie Raitt, Hal Willner, Paul Simon, Nels Cline, and more. DAVID BOWIE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS Dir: Francis Whately (US PREMIERE) An intimate look at the remarkably creative final years of David Bowie, through the production of his final two albums, and the stage musical, Lazarus. THE GODFATHERS OF HARDCORE Dir: Ian McFarland (WORLD PREMIERE) For over 35 years and still going strong, Agnostic Front’s Vinnie Stigma and Roger Miret have been synonymous with the New York punk scene. HELLO HELLO HELLO : LEE RANALDO : ELECTRIC TRIM Dir: Fred Riedel (NYC PREMIERE) Legendary Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo embarks on the recording of a new experimental concept album with a little help from some friends. ITZHAK Dir: Alison Chernick (NYC PREMIERE) Widely considered the greatest living violinist, Itzhak Perlman takes us on a journey through his music and life. STREETLIGHT HARMONIES Dir: Brent Wilson (WORLD PREMIERE) A who’s who of musicians trace the evolution of doo wop in the 1950s, from street corners to radio stations all across America.

    SHORTS

    Shorts: Body Language On the limits and potential of the human body, exploring dance, tattoos, pro wrestling, meditation and light sensitivity. Shorts: City Lights The ups and downs of city living, featuring artists, improv, hard work, boxing and table tennis. Shorts: Dream Weavers About fulfilling dreams and reimagining the world, featuring Cuban cigar factory workers, men seeking wives, a mail-order bride and more. Shorts: The Future is Feminine Everyday women and girls who inspire, including a housekeeper turned real estate entrepreneur, children’s rights advocate, unlikely athletes and special birthday girl. Shorts: Justice For All True crime and the criminal justice system, exploring death row, surveillance, juvenile offenders, police corruption, war criminals and capital punishment. Shorts: Mother Earth Protecting the planet, from Standing Rock and anti-fracking activism, to saving orangutans and sea turtles. Shorts: The New Normal America, before and after 11/8/16, exploring the Trump campaign, a divided electorate, immigration anxiety, fake news and disturbing parallels to past regimes. Shorts: Recorded Memory The past looms large in these affecting stories about confronting family relationships, reckoning with career decisions, remembering trauma and more. Shorts: Strange But True Quirky real life stories exploring insomnia, dreams, fetishes, first love, conspiracy theories and psychic abilities. Shorts: Surviving the System Finding oneself in and out of the criminal justice system, in stories about a police traffic stop that escalates into violence and a restaurant offering former prisoners a second chance.

    DOC NYC U

    DOC NYC U: THE NEW SCHOOL SHOWCASE Selections from The New School’s Documentary Media Studies program, featuring a tap dancer, migratory birds, New York life, selfies and a yodeling punk singer destined for greatness. DOC NYC U: NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY SHOWCASE NYFA selections profile a Hiroshima orphan, a Central Park mainstay, a wolf rescuer, a persecuted journalist and a lost city. DOC NYC U: NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SHOWCASE NYU’s NewsDoc offerings explore a controversial Tibetan boarding school program in China and the growing popularity of taxi driving as a career for women in India. DOC NYC U: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SHOWCASE Work from Columbia Journalism School’s Documentary Project profiles deportation fears under Trump, a drug crisis in the Muslim community and adult illiteracy. DOC NYC U: SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS SHOWCASE SVA’s SocDoc program presents profiles of artists, musicians, designers, a vintage barbershop, broken hearts and Native American activism.

    SHORT LIST

    ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL Dir: Steve James Steve James (Hoop Dreams) profiles a small, family-run Chinatown bank—the only financial institution indicted following the 2008 financial crisis. Courtesy of PBS Distribution. THE B-SIDE: ELSA DORFMAN’S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY Dir: Errol Morris DOC NYC’s Visionaries Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Errol Morris (The Fog of War) profiles legendary large-format photographer Elsa Dorfman. Courtesy of NEON/Netflix. CHASING CORAL Dir: Jeff Orlowski Following his acclaimed film Chasing Ice, director Jeff Orlowski sets out to chronicle the environmental devastation happening to the world’s coral reefs. Courtesy of Netflix. CITY OF GHOSTS Dir: Matthew Heineman Anonymous Syrian citizen journalists risk their lives to stand up against ISIS and report the truth about the Syrian conflict. Courtesy of Amazon Studios/A&E IndieFilms/IFC Films. DINA Dirs: Antonio Santini, Dan Sickles An unforgettable couple, both on the autism spectrum, navigate the complexities of sex and romance in this Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning film. Courtesy of The Orchard. FACES PLACES Dirs: Agnès Varda, JR French New Wave legend Agnès Varda and acclaimed photographer JR travel the French countryside, celebrating ordinary people through extraordinary photo murals. Courtesy of Cohen Media Group. THE FINAL YEAR Dir: Greg Barker (NYC PREMIERE) Greg Barker gives an unprecedented look at the shaping of US foreign policy by following key members of outgoing US President Barack Obama’s administration. Courtesy of Motto Pictures/Passion Pictures. THE FORCE Dir: Peter Nicks An immersion into the beleaguered Oakland Police Department as it attempts to reform its scandal-ridden image. Courtesy of Kino Lorber/PBS Independent Lens. ICARUS Dir: Bryan Fogel An unexpected exposé of a complex doping operation at the heart of Russia’s Olympics program. Courtesy of Netflix. JANE Dir: Brett Morgen Brett Morgen (On the Ropes) reconstitutes 50-year-old National Geographic footage into a poetic look at primatologist Jane Goodall. Courtesy of National Geographic Documentary Films. KEDI Dir: Ceyda Torun This infectious portrait captures Istanbul through the eyes of its colorful street cats.Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories/YouTube Red. ONE OF US Dirs: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady This year’s Visionaries Tribute honorees Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (Jesus Camp) penetrate the insular world of New York’s Hasidic community. Courtesy of Netflix. RISK Dir: Laura Poitras Oscar-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras (Citizenfour) creates a complex portrait of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and his team. Courtesy of NEON/Showtime Documentary Films. STEP Dir: Amanda Lipitz The inaugural class of the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women strives for success both academically and through its fierce step dancing team. Courtesy of Fox Searchlight. STRONG ISLAND Dir: Yance Ford Yance Ford explores the long-lasting impact on his African-American family of his brother’s murder, killed by a white man who was never punished for his crime. Courtesy of Netflix.

    Read more


  • 12th Rome Film Fest Unveils Official Selections, ‘HOSTILES’, ‘THE PLACE’, ‘I,TONYA’ and More…

    [caption id="attachment_24801" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Hostiles by Scott Cooper Hostiles[/caption] The 12th Rome Film Fest has unveiled its Official Selection Lineup, which includes some of the most buzzed about films.  The festival will open with Hostiles directed by Scott Cooper and starring Christian Bale; and close with The Place directed by Paolo Genovese. Set in 1892, Hostiles tells the story of a legendary army captain (Christian Bale) who reluctantly accepts escorting a Cheyenne warlord leader (Wes Studi) and his family to their lands. During the trip they will meet a young widow (Rosamund Pike) whose dear ones have been assassinated in those plains, and together they will have to survive that ruthless landscape and hostile Comanche tribes. In The Place, a mysterious man always sits at the same table as a restaurant, ready to meet the greatest wishes of eight visitors in exchange for tasks to be performed. How will they be willing to push the protagonists to achieve their desires?

    2017 Rome Film Fest Official Selection

    ABRACADABRA by Pablo Berger, Spain, France, Belgium, 2017, 96’ Cast: Maribel Verdú, Antonio de la Torre, José Mota, José María Pou, Quim Gutiérrez, Priscilla Delgado, Julián Villagrán, Javivi LOS ADIOSES | THE ETERNAL FEMININE by Natalia Beristain, Mexico, 2017, 85’ Cast: Karina Gidi, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Tessa Ia, Pedro de Tavira Egurrola IN BLUE by Jaap van Heusden, Netherlands, 2017, 102’ Cast: Maria Kraakman, Bogdan Iancu, Ellis van den Brink, Maria Rainea, Ada Gales, Patrick Vervueren BORG MCENROE by Janus Metz, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, 2017, 100’ Cast: Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf, Stellan Skarsgård, Tuva Novotny, Ian Blackman, Robert Emms, Scott Arthur CABROS DE MIERDA | THE YOUNG SHEPHERD by Gonzalo Justiniano, Chile, 2017, 118’ Cast: Nathalia Aragonese, Daniel Contesse, Elías Collado, Corina Posada de Gregorio, Luis Dubbó, Nicolás Rojas, Sara Becker Rodríguez C’EST LA VIE! (LE SENS DE LA FÊTE) by Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache, France, 2017, 117’ Cast: Jean-Pierre Bacri, Gilles Lellouche, Jean-Paul Rouve, Vincent Macaigne, Alban Ivanov, Eye Haidara, Suzanne Clément, Hélène Vincent, Benjamin Lavernhe CUERNAVACA by Alejandro Andrade Pease, Mexico, 2017, 90’ Cast: Carmen Maura, Emilio Puente, Moisés Arizmendi, Mariana Gajá, Diego Álvarez García, Dulce Domínguez, Aranza Beltrán DETROIT by Kathryn Bigelow, United States, 2017, 142’ Cast: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Anthony Mackie, Hannah Murray, Jack Reynor FERRARI: RACE TO IMMORTALITY by Daryl Goodrich, United Kingdom, 2017, 91’ | Doc | O FILME DA MINHA VIDA | THE MOVIE OF MY LIFE by Selton Mello, Brazil, 2017, 113’ Cast: Johnny Massaro, Vincent Cassel, Bruna Linzmeyer, Selton Mello, Ondina Clais, Bia Arantes, Martha Nowill, Rolando Boldrin, João Pedro Prates HIKARI | AND THEN THERE WAS LIGHT by Tatsushi Omori, Japan, 2017, 138’ Cast: Arata Iura, Eita, Kyoko Hasegawa, Manami Hashimoto, Kaho Minami, Mitsuru Hirata, Masayo Umezawa, Nayuta Fukuzaki, Ama Gu, Atsuya Okada, Hirara Hayasaka OPENING FILM HOSTILES by Scott Cooper, United States, 2017, 127’ Cast: Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi, Jesse Plemons, Adam Beach, Rory Cochrane, Ben Foster THE HUNGRY by Bornila Chatterjee, India, United Kingdom, 2017, 100’ Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Tisca Chopra, Neeraj Kabi, Arjun Gupta, Sayani, Antonio Aakeel, Suraj Sharma I, TONYA by Craig Gillespie, United States, 2017, 121’ Cast: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Julianne Nicholson, Paul Walter Hauser, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney KANOJO GA SONO NA WO SHIRANAI TORITACHI | BIRDS WITHOUT NAMES by Kazuya Shiraishi, Japan, 2017, 123’ Cast: Yu Aoi, Sadawo Abe, Tori Matsuzaka, Eri Murakawa, Masaaki Akahori, Muck Akazawa, Shû Nakajima, Yutaka Takenouchi KŘIŽÁČEK | LITTLE CRUSADER by Václav Kadrnka, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, 2017, 90’ Cast: Karel Roden, Aleš Bílík, Matouš John, Jana Semerádová, Jiří Soukup, Michal Legíň, Jana Ol’hová, Ivan Krúpa, Eliška Křenková, Jan Bednář, Tomáš Bambušek LAST FLAG FLYING by Richard Linklater, United States, 2017, 125’ Cast: Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne LOGAN LUCKY by Steven Soderbergh, United States, 2017, 119’ Cast: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Hilary Swank, Daniel Craig, Seth MacFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston, Dwight Yoakam, Sebastian Stan, Brian Gleeson, Jack Quaid LOVE MEANS ZERO by Jason Kohn, United States, 2017, 90’ | Doc | MADEMOISELLE PARADIS by Barbara Albert, Austria, Germany, 2017, 97’ Cast: Maria Dragus, Devid Striesow, Lukas Miko, Katja Kolm, Maresi Riegner, Johanna Orsini-Rosenberg, Stefanie Reinsperger, Susanne Wuest, Christoph Luser MARIA BY CALLAS, IN HER OWN WORDS by Tom Volf, France, 2017, 95’ | Doc | MON GARÇON | MY SON by Christian Carion, France, 2017, 84’ Cast: Guillame Canet, Mélanie Laurent, Olivier De Benoist, Antoine Hamel, Mohamed Brikat, Lino Papa, Marc Robert, Pierre Langlois, Tristan Pagès, Christophe Rossignon, Pierre Desmaret MUDBOUND by Dee Rees, United States, 2017, 134’ Cast: Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Rob Morgan, Jonathan Banks, Garrett Hedlund NADIE NOS MIRA | NOBODY’S WATCHING by Julia Solomonoff, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, United States, 2017, 102’ Cast: Guillermo Pfening, Elena Roger, Rafael Ferro, Cristina Morrison, Kerry Sohn, Pascal Yen-P­ster, Paola Baldion, Marco Antonio Caponi, Mayte Montero, Petra Costa, Mirella Pascual, Moro Anghileri, Javana Mundi ONE OF THESE DAYS by Nadim Tabet, Lebanon, 2017, 80’ Cast: Manal Issa, Yumna Marwan, Reine Salameh, Panos Aprahamian, Nicolas Cardahi, Julien Farhat, Walid Feghali THE ONLY LIVING BOY IN NEW YORK by Marc Webb, United States, 2017, 89’ Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Jeff Bridges, Pierce Brosnan, Kiersey Clemons, Tate Donovan, Cynthia Nixon, Callum Turner PRENDRE LE LARGE | CATCH THE WIND by Gaël Morel, France, 2017, 103’ Cast: Sandrine Bonnaire, Mouna Fettou, Kamal El Amri, Ilian Bergala, Lubna Azabal UNA QUESTIONE PRIVATA | RAINBOW: A PRIVATE AFFAIR by Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani, Italy, France, 2017, 84’ Cast: Luca Marinelli, Valentina Bellè, Lorenzo Richelmy SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD by Matt Tyrnauer, United States, 2017, 98’ | Doc | SKYGGENES DAL | VALLEY OF SHADOWS by Jonas Matzow Gulbrandsen, Norway, 2017, 91’ Cast: Adam Ekeli, Katherine Fagerland, John Olav Nilsen STRONGER by David Gordon Green, United States, 2017, 119’ Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Clancy Brown, Carlos Sanz, Frankie Shaw, Danny McCarthy, Lenny Clarke TORMENTERO by Rubén Imaz, Mexico, Colombia, Dominican Republic, 2017, 80’ Cast: José Carlos Ruiz, Gabino Rodríguez, Mónica Jiménez, Rosa Márquez, Waldo Facco, Nelly Valencia, Ausencio Valencia, Leonardo Verdejo TOUT NOUS SÉPARE by Thierry Klifa, France, 2017, 98’ Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Diane Kruger, Nekfeu, Nicolas Duvauchelle TROUBLE NO MORE by Jennifer Lebeau, United States, 2017, 59’ | Doc | LA VIDA Y NADA MÁS | LIFE & NOTHING MORE by Antonio Méndez Esparza, Spain, United States, 2017, 110’ Cast: Andrew Bleechington, Regina Williams, Robert Williams, Ry’nesia Chambers WHO WE ARE NOW by Matthew Newton, United States, 2017, 99’ Cast: Julianne Nicholson, Emma Roberts, Zachary Quinto, Jimmy Smits, Jess Weixler, Jason Biggs

    IN COLLABORATION WITH ALICE NELLA CITTÀ

    THE BREADWINNER by Nora Twomey, Ireland, Canada, Luxemburg, 2017, 93’ | Animation | MAZINGER Z INFINITY by Junji Shimizu, Japan, 2017, 95’ | Animation | SATURDAY CHURCH by Damon Cardasis, United States, 2017, 82’ Cast: Luka Kain, Margot Bingham, Regina Taylor, Marquis Rodriguez, MJ Rodriguez, Indya Moore, Alexia Garcia, Kate Bornstein, Jaylin Fletcher

    EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT IT

    This section includes a selection of films to be screened at the Rome Film Fest after a remarkable international debut. BABYLON BERLIN by Tom Tykwer, Henk Handloegten, Achim von Borries, Germany, Episodes 1 and 2, 2×45’ | TV Series | Cast: Liv Lisa Fries, Volker Bruch, Peter Kurth, Leonie Benesch, Severija Janušauskaitė, Matthias Brandt, Lars Eidinger, Fritzi Haberlandt, Mišel Matičević INSYRIATED by Philippe Van Leeuw, Belgium, France, Lebanon, 2017, 85’ Cast: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Abou Abboud, Juliette Navis MZEVLEBI | HOSTAGES by Rezo Gigineishvili, Georgia, Poland, Russia, 2017, 104’ Cast: Irakli Kvirikadze, Tina Dalakishvili, Merab Ninidze, Darejan Kharshiladze, Avtandil Makharadze THE PARTY by Sally Potter, United Kingdom, 2017, 71’ Cast: Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall UNE PRIÈRE AVANT L’AUBE | A PRAYER BEFORE DAWN by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, France, United Kingdom, 2017, 117’ Cast: Joe Cole, Vithaya Pansringarm, Nicolas Shake PROMISED LAND by Eugene Jarecki, United States, Germany, 2017, 117’ | Doc |

    SPECIAL EVENTS

    CLOSING FILM THE PLACE by Paolo Genovese, Italy, 2017, 105’ Cast: Valerio Mastandrea, Marco Giallini, Sabrina Ferilli, Vinicio Marchioni, Silvia D’Amico, Giulia BETWEEN CINEMA AND MUSIC NYSFERATU – SYMPHONY OF A CENTURY by Andrea Mastrovito, United States, 2017, 67’ | Animation | SELECTED BY… BERNARDO BERTOLUCCI DA’WAH by Italo Spinelli, Indonesia, 2017, 64’ Cast: Wahyu Rafli, Muhammad Hasan Masduqi, Ahmad Yazid, Muhammad Shofi A TIMELESS DIRECTOR SPIELBERG by Susan Lacy, United States, 2017, 147’ | Doc |

    Read more