SHINE (2017)

  • Watch Trailer + Poster for Salsa Music/Dance Drama SHINE Set in New York’s Spanish Harlem

    Shine movie poster The new trailer and poster is here for the salsa music/dance drama Shine set in New York’s Spanish Harlem, directed by Anthony Nardolillo,  and starring Jorge Burgos, Gilbert Saldivar, Kimberli Flores, Jadi Collado, Musetta Vander, with Alysia Reiner, and David Zayas. The film will be released in theaters on October 5, 2018. Two Puerto Rican brothers, Ralphi Matas (Jorge Burgos) and Junior (Gilbert Saldivar), from New York’s Spanish Harlem and the street’s best Salsa dancers, are separated after a tragedy only to reunite years later on opposing sides of gentrification. After 7 years of absence from New York City, Ralphi is back to develop commercial real estate in his old neighborhood. However, upon his return, Ralphi encounters his estranged brother, Junior, who followedin his father’s footsteps, Ramon Matas (David Zayas), and is now an elite salsa dancer and an unwavering activist AGAINST gentrification in the neighborhood. While having to face his past in order to succeed in the present, Ralphi must confront his boss Linda (Alysia Reiner) who is aggressively pursuing the lucrative development deal that brought him back to the city he was born, and thus is driving the wedge even further between him and his brother. On the other side, when Josie (Kimberli Flores), the new owner of their father’s dance studio, reveals she is behind on the mortgage payments. Junior rallies the local dance community to raise funds against all odds to save the dance studio, DESPITE the gentrification efforts of his brother. While the brothers have chosen opposite paths thus far, they are brought back together when Tio Julio (Nelson Gonzales) reminds them of the power of family and the importance of their community.

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

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

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  • Urbanworld Film Festival Reveals 2017 Festival Slate, Closes with U.S. Premiere of MARSHALL

    [caption id="attachment_22840" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Marshall Marshall[/caption] The Urbanworld Film Festival today revealed its 2017 film slate of 80 official selections. The festival will take place in Manhattan September 20 to 24, 2017 at AMC Empire 25 on 234 West 42nd Street. Film highlights include the thought-provoking HBO documentary “Baltimore Rising”, directed by “The Wire” actor Sonja Sohn, which will be showcased on Friday, September 22. The filmmaker follows activists, police officers, community leaders and gang affiliates who struggle to hold Baltimore together, in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death, even as the homicide rate hits record levels, and explores how to make change when change is hard. The U.S. premiere of Marshall will close the festival on Saturday, September 23. Long before he sat on the United States Supreme Court or claimed victory in Brown v. Board of Education, Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) was a young rabble-rousing attorney for the NAACP. The film marks the true story of his greatest challenge in those early days – a fight he fought alongside attorney Sam Friedman (Josh Gad), a young lawyer with no experience in criminal law: the case of black chauffeur Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), accused by his white employer, Eleanor Strubing of sexual assault and attempted murder. Award-winning journalist Tamron Hall will moderate a Q&A with Boseman, Brown, Gad and Academy Award® nominated director Reginald Hudlin immediately following the screening of the film. Reginald Hudlin will also serve as the ambassador for the 2017 Urbanworld Film Festival. The acclaimed director and producer is a pioneer of the modern black film movement, helming some of the most influential films and TV series of his generation including House Party, Boomerang and “Black Panther.” Most notably, he was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar® as one of the producers of Quentin Tarantino’s Academy Award® and Golden Globe® -winning film Django Unchained, one of the top-grossing Westerns of all time.

    2017 URBANWORLD FILM SLATE

    SPOTLIGHT PRESENTATIONS

    Marshall – Directed by Reginald Hudlin – Presented by Open Road Films (U.S. Premiere) Baltimore Rising – Directed by Sonja Sohn – Presented by HBO (U.S. Premiere) Tales: Trap Queen – Directed by Benny Boom – Presented by BET Networks (World Premiere) Queen Sugar – Directed by Julie Dash – Presented by OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (New York Premiere) Released – Presented by OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (New York Premiere) Double Play – Directed by Ernest Dickerson (U.S. Premiere) Blackout (Alumni Spotlight – 10th Anniversary) – Directed by Jerry LaMothe

    THE REVOLT YOUNG FILMMAKERS SHOWCASE

    Curiosities of the Quiet Boy – Directed by Quran Squire (New York Premiere) Laced – Directed by David Fortune (World Premiere) Night – Directed by Joosje Duk (New York Premiere) Role Model – Directed by TJ Noel-Sullivan (New York Premiere) Sad Mobius – Directed by Kiho Song (World Premiere) Khiluana (Toy) – Directed by Rajat Agrawal (World Premiere)

    U.S. NARRATIVE FEATURES

    Alaska Is A Drag – Directed by Shaz Bennett (East Coast Premiere) Bruce!!! – Directed by Eden Marryshow (New York Premiere) Covers – Directed by Malcolm M. Mays (World Premiere) Quest – Directed by Santiago Rizzo (U.S. Premiere) Shine – Directed by Anthony Nardolillo (World Premiere) The Price – Directed by Anthony Onah – Presented by Samuel Goldwyn (East Coast Premiere) Varsity Punks – Directed by Anthony Solorzano (East Coast Premiere)

    WORLD NARRATIVE FEATURES

    Brown Girl Begins (Canada) – Directed by Sharon Lewis (World Premiere) Cargo (Bahamas) – Directed by Kareem J. Mortimer (New York Premiere) Catching Feelings (South Africa) – Directed by Kagiso Lediga (East Coast Premiere) Moko Jumbie (Trinidad & Tobago) – Directed by Vashti Anderson (East Coast Premiere) Stay (Japan) – Directed by Darryl Wharton-Rigby (World Premiere) Tourments D’Amour (France) – Directed by Caroline Jules (New York Premiere)

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

    Behind the Curtain: Eclipsed – Directed by Collins J. Harris IV – Presented by BET International (New York Premiere) Coach Jake – Directed by Ian Phillips (World Premiere) Geek Girls – Directed by Gina Hara – Presented by Women Make Movies (U.S. Premiere) Milwaukee 53206 – Directed by Keith McQuirter Speaking Tongues / Somos Lengua – Directed by Kyzza Terrazas (East Coast Premiere) Teach Us All – Directed by Sonia Lowman – Presented by ARRAY (East Coast Premiere) Word Is Bond – Directed by Sacha Jenkins – Presented by Saboteur (World Premiere)

    NARRATIVE SHORTS

    Ablution – Directed by Omar Al Dakheel (World Premiere) AKASHI (あかし) – Directed by Mayumi Yoshida Atone – Directed by Damon L. Smith (East Coast Premiere) Big City – Directed by Jordan Bond and Lachlan Ryan Hijo por Hijo (Child For Child) – Directed by Juan Avella (New York Premiere) Cocoon – Directed by Mei Liying Covered – Directed by Desha Dauchan (New York Premiere) Dayton Jones – Directed by Nelson George (World Premiere) Emergency – Directed by Carey Williams Flip the Record – Directed by Marie Jamora Fractured – Directed by Arnold Chun (East Coast Premiere) French – Directed by Josza Anjembe Just Go – Directed by Pavels Gumennikovs (New York Premiere) Last Looks – Directed by Cierra Glaude (World Premiere) Lunch Time – Directed by Alireza Ghasemi (New York Premiere) Oscar Micheaux – Directed by JD Walker (U.S. Premiere) Out Again – Directed by Robin Cloud Search Party – Directed by Tesia Walker Shadow of Man – Directed by Kristof Sagna (U.S. Premiere) Silence Radio – Directed by Kartik Singh (U.S. Premiere) So Far From God – Directed by Bret Polish (World Premiere) Something More Banal – Directed by Shalini Adnani Suitable – Directed by Thembi Banks (U.S. Premiere) The Tale of Four – Directed by Gabourey Sidibe (New York Premiere) Teachers – Directed by Mark Columbus (World Premiere) The Bill – Directed by Caralene Robinson (New York Premiere) The Jump Off – Directed by Jovan James (World Premiere) The Middlegame – Directed by Kristen Hester (World Premiere) The Paris Project – Directed by Tamara P. Carter (World Premiere) Vernon Walks – Directed by Santiago A. Zannou (U.S. Premiere)

    DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

    Waiting for Hassana – Directed by Ifunanya Maduka Alone – Directed by Garrett Bradley

    ANIMATION SHORTS

    Victor & Isolina – Directed by William D. Caballero Sophia – Directed by Zsofia Opra-Szabo Mosquito: Bite of Passage – Directed by Brian Vincent Rhodes and Eric Cheng

    WEB ORIGINALS

    Docket 32357 – Directed by Randy Wilkins (East Coast Premiere) High And Mighty – Directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada (East Coast Premiere) I Love Bekka and Lucy – Directed by Rachael Holder (East Coast Premiere) Independent – Created by We Are Famous (East Coast Premiere)

    MUSIC VIDEOS

    Beautiful Soul (Featuring Elán Varner) – Directed by Jac Benson II (World Premiere) Know Your Worth (Featuring Halima Akinlade) – Directed by Emily Gurland Can I Exist (Featuring Missio) – Directed by Jeff Ray Sunday Saxon (Featuring Old Man Saxon) – Directed by Anthony Yano Hays

    SCREENPLAYS

    Amber’s Alert – Written by Thada Catalon Eliza – Written by Kym Mosley Pale Horse – Written by Chris Courtney Martin Muted – Written by Brandi Nicole Payne

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