The documentary, “Studio 54,” directed by Matt Tyrnauer (“Valentino: The Last Emperor”) that premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and played at a number of film festivals, including the Tribeca Film Festival, AFI Docs, Provincetown Film Festival, and Outfest, will premiere on A&E on Monday, February 11 at 10pm ET/PT.
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[/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”
The Front Runner[/caption]
The Virginia Film Festival returns to Charlottesville from November 1 to 4, with a deep and diverse program of more than 150 films and special guests including legendary actor, writer, and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich; director and producer Allen Hughes, noted activist Martin Luther King III; and more than 100 filmmakers from around the world.
The 2018 Virginia Film Festival will open with Green Book, the powerfully dramatic feature debut for director Peter Farrelly, inspired by a true friendship that transcended race, class, and the 1962 Mason-Dixon Line. The film is the story of world-class black pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), who hires New York bouncer Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) to drive him on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South. The pair must rely on the “Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were safe for African-Americans. Confronted with racism and danger – as well as unexpected humanity – they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.
The Festival will present Roma as the Centerpiece Film. Perhaps the most acclaimed and discussed film on the 2018 major film festival scene, Roma is director Alfonso Cuarón’s (Gravity) most personal work to date – a loving and lovely tribute to the unsung woman who raised him and to so many domestic workers like her. Both intimate in emotion and epic in scope, Roma follows Cleo, a domestic worker in Mexico City in the 1970s, and the upper-middle class family that she cares for. As her personal life and the political climate of Mexico City grow more and more tumultuous, Cleo remains on the sidelines, observing and absorbing the chaos and pain around her. First time actor, Yalitza Aparicio, plays Cleo with a quiet sensitivity. Vanity Fair has said of Roma, “Cuarón shows us wonders to remind us of the aching wonder of it all, how careless we are to not stop and assess everything, to not madly ask every stranger the detail of their lives, because in each may be a story we might come to bitterly regret not knowing.”
From director Jason Reitman comes the Closing Night Film, The Front Runner, a look back at a story that in so many ways set the stage for the political climate we live in today. Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman) came into the 1988 presidential election season as a can’t-miss prospect, combining boyish good looks and an easy charm with a political set of skills honed by a surprisingly successful 1984 campaign. When accusations of an extramarital affair set off an unprecedented media investigation of Hart’s personal life, a new era was born that changed the parameters of what is personal, what is public, and what it means for the way we choose our leaders. The film boasts a stellar cast including Vera Farmiga as Hart’s wife Lee, J.K. Simmons as his embattled campaign manager, and Alfred Molina as Ben Bradlee in this highly-touted adaptation of campaign veteran Matt Bai’s memoir All the Truth is Out.
L-R: Michelle Rodriguez, Viola Davis, and Elizabeth Debicki star in Twentieth Century Fox’s WIDOWS. Photo Credit: Courtesy Twentieth Century Fox.[/caption]
Widows – From visionary director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) comes Widows. After their criminal husbands die in an explosion, a group of women, led by Academy Award winner Viola Davis, must pull off their spouses’ next planned heist in order to pay off the crime boss that their recently departed partners owe.
Science Fair directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster[/caption]
The Festival will present a trio of heralded documentaries from National Geographic. They include: Science Fair, which follows nine high school students from disparate corners of the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks, and hormones on their quest to win the international science fair; Free Solo, a stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of free soloist climber Alex Honnold, as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock, Yosemite’s 3,000-foot El Capitan, without a rope; and Into the Okavango, the directorial debut of National Geographic photographer Neil Gelinas, who accompanied researchers on this stunning expedition down the Okavango River to discover how or why the river — which is the source of Africa’s wildlife lifeline — is drying up.
Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes[/caption]
Divide and Conquer – Alexis Bloom delivers this tale of the long rise and sudden fall of the late, disgraced media industry giant Roger Ailes, from his days in the Nixon and Bush White Houses to his time at the helm of Fox News, and his ignominious ouster at the dawn of the Me Too movement.
Karenina and I -Norwegian actress Gørild Mauseth is challenged by the almost impossible task of playing Anna Karenina in a language she never spoke and in the author’s home country. She embarks on a journey throughout Russia to discover the real reasons why Tolstoy (Liam Neeson) wrote the novel. What Gørild does not know is that Anna Karenina will become the role of her life and change her forever.
The Last Race – The last surviving stock car track on Long Island, once home to over thirty, is the weekend retreat to many working-class stock car racers and enthusiasts. Director Michael Dweck documents the local enthusiasts as outside land developers begin to encroach.
Revolutionizing Dementia Care – Directed by Mason Williams and produced by the Community Idea Stations, this film reveals innovative approaches in memory care communities that are improving the well-being of patients and allowing them to live full and meaningful lives based on their abilities rather than their disabilities.
Run While You Can – Sam Fox attempts to run the Pacific Crest Trail, spanning from the Canadian to the Mexican border, in sixty days, beating the previous record. As the trail begins to take its toll on his mind and body, Fox begins to understand what his mother, who has Parkinson’s disease, goes through on a daily basis.
[caption id="attachment_28858" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Studio 54[/caption]
Studio 54 – Using footage from its heyday and interviews with two of the original owners, Studio 54 takes a look at the quick rise and fall of the most famous night club in the world. The club would usher in a new era of celebrity culture and glamour, while highlighting the legendary excesses of the era.
I AM NOT A WITCH[/caption]
I Am Not a Witch (United Kingdom) – In Rungano Nyoni’s directorial debut, a young girl in Zambia is sent to witch camp. Threatened that she will turn into a goat if she attempts escape, she must decide if freedom is worth the risk.
Never Look Away (Germany) – Directed by Academy Award winner, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Never Look Away tracks an artist’s career and relationships during the rise and fall of Nazi occupied Germany.
No Date, No Signature (Iran) – A forensic pathologist, Dr. Nariman, hits a motorcycle carrying a family in an accident. He urges them to take their son to a hospital, but they refuse and disappear into the night. When Dr. Nariman sees the boy has arrived deceased at his hospital and the cause of death ruled as food poisoning, he goes on a hunt for the truth.
Sunset (Hungary) – From László Nemes, the director of Son of Saul, comes this story of a woman searches for a connection to her family in 1913 Budapest and finds little help along the way.
Woman at War (Iceland) – An environmental activist plans her final demonstration after learning that she will soon become a mother.
Other films include our Centerpiece Film Roma (Mexico), and Spotlight Films,Birds of Passage (Colombia), El Angel (Argentina).
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco[/caption]
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion and Disco – A native of Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, Antonio Lopez gained international recognition as one of the most influential fashion illustrators of his time. His artistic vision and commitment to diversity revolutionized the fashion world, and his natural charisma allowed him to help launch the careers of icons like Grace Jones, Jessica Lange, and Jerry Hall.
Coby – When a 23-year-old transgender Ohio woman transitions, his physical and spiritual transformation affects the lives of all who love him, and inspires them to change their perspectives.
El Angel (Argentina) – Based on the true story of Argentina’s most infamous serial killer, Carlos Rubedo Puch, who began his life of crime at seventeen. The extremity of his crimes is a stark contrast with his handsome, charming demeanor.
Jason and Shirley – A fictional retelling of the making of the influential documentary, Portrait of Jason, from the perspective of the film’s subject, hustler and cabaret performer, Jason Holliday.
Good Manners – A Brazilian fairytale that finds two women from different classes coming together over the impending birth of a supernatural child under a full moon.
Narcissister Organ Player – Through her unabashedly erotic and often humorous performances, Narcissister showcases her approach to explorations of race, gender, and sexuality. From growing up as a mixed-race child, to her complex relationship with her mother, she addresses how these circumstances compelled her to create her performance character.
[caption id="attachment_29915" align="aligncenter" width="1199"]
Rafiki[/caption]
Rafiki – Two women fall in love in Kenya, despite their father’s political rivalry, and Kenya’s laws against homosexuality.
Sauvage – 22-year-old Leo works in Strasbourg as a prostitute. Working mostly on a quiet road in a wooded area, he belongs to a group of men that service the motorist clientele. Leo seems to not know or desire any other kind of life, despite friends and doctors questioning his lifestyle. Leo prizes his freedom and never lets go of his ability to love and be loved.
Spider Mites of Jesus: The Dirtwoman Documentary – Richmond, Virginia natives recount their experiences with Donnie “Dirtwoman” Corker, a drag queen and pillar of the counterculture, and their influence on the community.
Sorry Angel – Arthur, an eager 22-year-old student, meets 35-year-old Jacques, a writer living in Paris with his young son. Embracing his sexual awakening, Arthur wishes to throw himself into their relationship without reservations. Jacques is hesitant to invest himself, as he struggles to come to terms with an AIDS diagnosis. The physical reality of Jacques’ illness complicates the fate of their romance, as both men realize that Arthur’s journey is just beginning as Jacques’ starts to close.
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.
UNITED SKATES[/caption]
AFI DOCS has finally revealed its full slate of 92 films representing 22 countries for the 16th edition of the American Film Institute’s five-day documentary film festival in the nation’s capital. AFI DOCS 2018 runs June 13 to 17 in Washington, DC, and Silver Spring, MD.
As previously announced, the festival will open with the world premiere of PERSONAL STATEMENT and will close with UNITED SKATES. ABOVE AND BEYOND: NASA’S JOURNEY TO TOMORROW screens as the Centerpiece Screening. Special Screenings include THE COLD BLUE, KINSHASA MAKAMBO, MR. SOUL! and WITKIN & WITKIN.
Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer in the film THE SHAPE OF WATER.[/caption]
The Shape of Water along with Hitman’s Bodyguard lead the nominations for the 19th annual Golden Trailer Awards competition that has emerged as the most recognized event devoted to the artistry of film marketers and companies that create movie trailers, commercials and posters worldwide.
GTA 19 will take place on Thursday, May 31st at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles hosted by comedienne and actress Michelle Buteau (“The Tick,” “Broad City,” “Key & Peele”).
Studio 54[/caption]
Matt Tyrnauer’s vibrantly nostalgic documentary, Studio 54, featuring interviews with many of the legendary nightclub’s famous patrons, as well as those who worked behind the scenes during its heyday will open the 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival. The festival will honor Angela Robinson as the recipient of the 2018 Achievement Award recipient. The Achievement Award Ceremony will take place at the Opening Night Gala at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on July 12, followed by the screening of Studio 54.
Angela Robinson, a celebrated filmmaker and champion of LGBTQ rights, will receive the Achievement Award, Outfest’s highest honor, presented in recognition of a body of work that has made a significant contribution to LGBT film and media. In a time where women still only make up a fraction of directors, Robinson has carved a space for herself in both film and television, and frequently deals with LGBTQ topics in her work, such as D.E.B.S., “The L Word”, Herbie Fully Loaded, “True Blood”, How to Get Away with Murder”, and most recently Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.
Outfest’s Executive Director Christopher Racster commented: “Outfest has a long and important legacy of launching filmmakers careers. I am incredibly proud that we have the opportunity honor an amazingly talented woman director whose career started at Outfest. Angela has forged a unique path of success within the industry. When jobs are hard to come by for women directors, Angela has blazed a path in high-profile television series, lauded independent films and major studio movies. Her unique vision, her sharp humor, and her humanity are constantly on display in each move she makes. Angela’s work is always fresh, intelligent and groundbreaking.”
“It is such an honor to receive the Outfest Achievement Award this year – I premiered the first short film I ever made at Outfest and every film I’ve made since. It’s a joy to be recognized by Outfest in this way so many years later,” Angela Robinson remarked.
Additional gala screenings include: Sundance NEXT Innovator Award winner We the Animals (U.S. Centerpiece), written and directed by Jeremiah Zagar; the sweeping French drama Reinventing Marvin (International Centerpiece), from filmmaker Anne Fontaine; famed choreographer and filmmaker Jamal Sims’ feature debut When the Beat Drops (Documentary Centerpiece) on the Deep South UNDERGROUND dance phenomenon known as “bucking”; and Our Future Ends (Platinum Centerpiece), a multimedia and multidisciplinary satire about near-extinct lemurs living on long-lost Lemuria.
The 2018 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival will close on July 22 at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel with Desiree Akhavan’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, an unapologetically bold take on the topic of conversion therapy, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Jennifer Ehle, Sasha Lane, John Gallagher Jr., and Forrest Goodluck.
Outfest’s Direct of Programming Lucy Mukerjee commented: “After scouring the world for the past year to find the best LGBTQ films, our galas capture that queer pioneering spirit that lives across the ages. From our Opening Night Studio 54, where we learn the back story of the vibrancy that Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager brought to creating a safe HAVEN for LGBTQ folk to the urgency of expression in When the Beat Drops from long-time choreographer Jamal Sims, we see that freedom of identity cannot be held down. Even something as simple as coming of age in We Are Animals looks at new territory in Jeremiah Zagar’s deft hands. The breadth of our galas this year also continues Outfest’s commitment to celebrate female voices including the work of acclaimed director Anne Fontaine and Desiree Akhavan’s sophomore effort, proving once again we will be seeing exciting things from her for a long time to come. I am thrilled we are bringing back the Platinum Centerpiece – Our Future Ends – which combines many genres to tell a story about how to keep a culture from extinction. Happily our queer culture is far from that place!”
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.
AMERICAN ANIMALS[/caption]
The 13th Annual Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) will showcase 80 of the latest in independent feature, documentary, short and family films from 28 countries, from May 31 to June 3 in Great Barrington and June 1 to 3 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
“Among the many things I love about the BIFF is its increasing reflection on and discovery of our global community,” notes the festival’s Founder and Artistic Director, Kelley Vickery. “The characters and stories in this year’s films are as diverse as ever—showing us unique perspectives of what life is like for a broad range of people in very different places and circumstances. BIFF always celebrates independent filmmakers and we are especially excited to honor the talented and evocative career of Rachel Weisz. We are continuing our “Tea Talks” series with engaging films and discussions and very proud to have a special event with a screenplay reading of MUMBET. We strive to bring a special festival to our vibrant community, so we truly believe there is something for everyone!”
On Thursday, May 31, in Great Barrington, the festival opens this year with the Sundance hit AMERICAN ANIMALS. This docudrama is the extraordinary and thrilling true story of four friends who brazenly attempt to execute one of the most audacious art heists in US history.
The following day, on June 1, In Pittsfield, BIFF will open at the Beacon in Pittsfield with the rock-and-rolling BAD REPUTATION about the one and only Joan Jett. The documentary follows her incredible, uncompromising and influential career. You will leave singing “I love rock ‘n’ roll!” The opening night begins with a party at the Beacon Cinema followed by the presentation of the NINTH annual “Next Great Filmmaker Award.”
On Friday, June 1 – Tribute Night – The festival will pay tribute to the Academy Award-winning actor, Rachel Weisz for her remarkable achievement in film. Over the past 25 years, Ms. Weisz has displayed her fearlessness, intelligence and talent in over 64 roles and has won or been nominated for nearly every industry award – from a BAFTA, to a Golden Globe, to an Oscar. We celebrate the incredible body of work she has already created and the creative peaks she continues to climb. As part of the tribute, Ms. Weisz will be in conversation with David Edelstein, New York chief film critic on the stage of the Mahaiwe following by a screening of her new film DISOBEDIENCE.
The festival will host the Special Event – Staged script reading of the upcoming film MUMBET and Q&A after the reading with the cast and crew. Director/Producer Alethea Root, writer Stephen Glantz, producer Kim Waltrip, executive producers Jayne Atkinson and Elizabeth Aspenlieder, co-producer Jana Laiz, Diane Pearlman and Jameelah Nuruddin, production designer Carl Sprague, and costume designer Kevin Draves, Governor Deval Patrick and State Representative Smitty Pignatelli will all be in attendance.
She could neither read nor write, yet with fearless courage, Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman used the very words written by the men she served, “all men are created free and equal” to challenge the courts and sue for her freedom, changing the course of history 80 years before the Emancipation Proclamation. This is the true story of an unsung American hero who was truly a founding Mother of our country.”
[caption id="attachment_25672" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?[/caption]
On Sunday, June 3, BIFF will close with the highly acclaimed Sundance hit, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? about the life and legacy of Mr. Rogers. The film was directed by Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville and produced by Nicholas Ma who will be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening. Film courtesy of Focus Features.
306 Hollywood by Elan Bogarín and Jonathan Bogarín[/caption]
The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, today announced its lineup of features and short films. The 21st annual festival will take place April 5 to 8, 2018, in Durham, North Carolina.
The NEW DOCS program includes 42 titles – 32 features and 10 shorts – selected from nearly 1,800 submissions from around the globe. These films are eligible for the Full Frame Audience Award and are shortlisted for a variety of additional juried awards offering a combined value of $40,000 in cash prizes. Award winners will be announced at the annual Awards Barbecue on Sunday, April 8. The Invited Program includes 22 feature films screening out of competition.
Renowned filmmaker Joe Berlinger will curate the 2018 Thematic Program, and the festival will honor Jehane Noujaim’s illustrious body of work with the 2018 Tribute. Delving into the fascinating genre of true crime, the Thematic Program will feature films that follow individual cases and consider the ways documentary uniquely represents the complexities, and limitations, of the American judicial system. For the Tribute, Full Frame will showcase Noujaim’s lauded films exploring themes of resilience, freedom, democracy, and free speech.
The Fourth Estate[/caption]
The 2018 Tribeca Film Festival revealed its feature film lineup championing the discovery of emerging voices and celebrating new work from established filmmaking talent. To close the Festival, Tribeca will World Premiere The Fourth Estate, from Oscar®-nominated director Liz Garbus, which follows The New York Times’ coverage of the Trump administration’s first year. The Centerpiece Gala will be the World Premiere of Drake Doremus’ sci-fi romance Zoe starring Ewan McGregor, Léa Seydoux, Rashida Jones, and Theo James. The 2018 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 18-29.
The 2018 feature film program includes 96 films from 103 filmmakers. Of the 96 films, 46% of them are directed by women, the highest percentage in the Festival’s history. The lineup includes 75 World Premieres, 5 International Premieres, 9 North American Premieres, 3 U.S. Premieres, and 4 New York Premieres from 27 countries. This year’s program includes 46 first time filmmakers, with 18 directors returning to the Festival with their latest feature film projects. Tribeca’s 2018 slate was programmed from more than 8,789 total submissions.
Fifty-one narratives and 45 documentaries will debut over the course of the 12-day festival. The Competition section features 12 documentaries, 10 U.S. narratives and 10 international narratives; 14 Spotlight Narratives, 15 Spotlight Documentaries; 5 Midnight, 16 Viewpoints selections; and 11 Special Screenings.
The films in competition will compete for cash prizes totaling $165,000, as well as artwork from the Artists Awards program, offering work from acclaimed contemporary artists in select categories. One of the first awards to honor excellence in storytelling by a female writer or director, the 6th annual Nora Ephron Award, presented by CHANEL, will award a $25,000 prize to a woman who embodies the spirit and boldness of the late filmmaker.
This year’s Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, sponsored by Mohegan Sun, includes 5 documentaries and 1 narrative feature film, as well as a shorts program and more to be announced.
The 2018 film selections are as follows:
The Kindergarten Teacher[/caption]
The 2018 Sundance Film Festival returns to Park City, Salt Lake City and at Sundance Mountain Resort, from January 18 to 28, and today announced the feature films lineup showcasing bold, independent storytelling.
For the 2018 Festival, 110 feature-length films were selected, representing 29 countries and 47 first-time filmmakers, including 30 in competition.These films were selected from 13,468 submissions including 3,901 feature-length films and 8,740 short films. Of the feature film submissions, 1,799 were from the U.S. and 2,102 were international. One-hundred feature films at the Festival will be world premieres
Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “The work of independent storytellers can challenge and possibly change culture, illuminating our world’s imperfections and possibilities. This year’s Festival is full of artfully-told stories that provoke thought, drive empathy and allow the audience to connect, in deeply personal ways, to the universal human experience.”