The Best Of All Worlds

  • Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema in Queens, NY, Reveals 2018 Film Lineup + New Home

    [caption id="attachment_29603" align="aligncenter" width="1242"]The Song of Sway Lake The Song of Sway Lake[/caption] Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema returns with a film lineup of 110 films and Regal Entertainment Group as the lead sponsor for the 2nd annual 10-day event in Queens, taking place from August 3rd to August 11th, 2018. While the festival organizers are saddened to leave the Kew Gardens Cinemas in Kew Gardens, they are very excited for what this means for the future of the film festival. For it’s sophomore year, Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema will be moving into its new home at Regal Entertainment Group’s UA Midway Stadium 9 in Forest Hills, Queens. The Opening Night Film at the Midway will be the New York Premiere of Ari Gold’s award-winning and critically acclaimed “The Song of Sway Lake” starring Rory Culkin on Friday, August 3rd at 6:30pm. On Sunday, August 12th, the festival’s Awards Dinner Gala returns to Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. To kick-off the sophomore edition, Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema has partnered with Queens Museum to bring A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S FEAST: A Celebration of Food, Art and Cinema. This spectacular one-night event, taking place inside the Queens Museum on Tuesday, July 31st from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., will feature over 30 food vendors from Queens and other parts of NYC. On Thursday, August 9th, the Queens Museum will be presenting a festival selected film, as part of their Passport Thursdays Outdoor Screening series. On Saturday, August 12th, The Center At Maple Grove will play host to two panels – The Jury’s Out: Meet the 2018 Festival Jurors, and A Change Overdue: Diversity in Cinema, a discussion on diversity in an independent film featuring invited filmmakers from the Festival. Friday, August 10th, UA Midway Stadium 9 will play host to the Festival’s Midnight Madness Grindhouse Horror Night.

    2018 Kew Gardens Festival of Cinema Film Lineup

    NARRATIVE FEATURES:

    A VIOLENT MAN Dir. Matthew Berkowitz, USA, 107 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE Ty is a little known MMA fighter until a viral video reveals him beating the undefeated world champion in a local gym. Ty is suddenly a murder suspect when the reporter covering his story is found dead, but why kill the journalist who would make him a legend? ALL EYES ON YOU Dir. Felix Maxim Eller, Germany, 88 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE The silent loner Marco is dreaming about a girl ever since they met, but she seems to have disappeared. In a cold Halloween night, he searches for her in the streets once again. Chased by a mysterious man, he soon discovers the darkest secrets of the city, initiating a nightmarish race against time. BEHIND THE BLUE DOOR Dir. Mariusz Palej, Poland , 93 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE For 11-year-old Lukas, an incredible adventure begins the moment he and his mom set off on a summer holiday trip and have a terrible car crash. His mom is in a coma, and the boy must visit his aunt Agatha. She brings him to her guesthouse by the seaside. Here, discovers a secret passage to a different dimension and soon learns what amazing and yet frightening mysteries this new world offers. The movie won Best Debut at Ale Kino! BLUE Dir. Gabriela Ledesma, USA, 109 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE Based on true events, Blue is a light hearted drama that tells the story of Helen Daniels, a young woman struggling to piece her world together after a botched suicide attempt. This is the debut feature film for writer/director Gabriela Ledesma. BRUCE!!!! Dir. Eden Marryshow, USA, 104 min. QUEENS PREMIERE Let’s be real: Bruce is an a**hole. He’s sh*tty to his friends. He’s sh*tty to pretty much every woman in his life. He has no job. He has no career. And his parents are tired of lending him money. And you know what? Honestly, all of this was working out pretty well for him, until he meets Kiera, falls hopelessly in love and is finally forced to grow the f*ck up… in his thirties. CHASING SUNSHINE Dir. Darren Coyle, USA, 63 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE A buddy, odd couple comedy where we follow Darcy and Jack as they drive all over the San Fernando Valley following clues on a scavenger hunt. DARCY Dir. Heidi Philipsen and Jon Russell Cring, USA, 96 min. QUEENS PREMIERE It’s summer break, and fifteen-year-old Darcy is working in her family’s motel, a seedy operation on the edge of town. Sustaining the motel is the practice of taking in occupants who have until only recently been incarcerated—an arrangement that Darcy’s parents have arranged with the Department of Corrections for a price. EDGE OF THE WORLD Dir. Randy Redroad, USA, 85 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE Mitch Davis has a long winning history as the Boys Ranch cross country coach. Admired for his leadership with at risk young men, he is well respected by his peers. But, since a devastating personal loss five years ago, Coach Davis has not been the same. HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN Dir. Milton Chassman, USA, 91 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE One part mockumentary, one part docu-drama, How to Grow Your Own could very well be cinema’s first ever mocku-drama! It tells the story of a weed-growing agoraphobic and the directionless stoner who comes to stay. INTO THE VALLI Dir. Nicholas Buscarino, USA, 77 min. WORLD PREMIERE Into the Valli takes us on a dive into Chris Parrella’s warped mind; which houses a multi-layered obsession to do whatever it takes to emulate the life of a legendary singer. As his family distances themselves, his obsession grows deeper in hopes he can reach the same level of success. MOVING PARTS Dir. Emilie Upczak, Trinidad and Tobago, 77 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE After the death of her father, Zhenzhen hires a smuggler to take her to the Caribbean island where her brother, Wei, works in construction. Wei gets her a job at a restaurant, but when the smuggler demands more cash, she is forced into a compromising position. Help comes unexpectedly from Evelyn, who runs an art gallery in the neighborhood—but the contrast between the dark rooms above the restaurant and the blindingly white gallery calls everyone’s innocence into question. MURDER MADE EASY Dir. Dave Palamaro, United States, 76 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE Best pals Joan and Michael host an elaborate dinner party for their dearest friends to remember the passing of Joan’s husband Neil. But as each guest arrives they find that their very lives are on the menu to protect a secret that links them all. Pop Horror.com calls Murder Made Easy: “A spectacular homage to the classic murder mysteries of Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock.” MY NAME IS BATLIR, NOT BUTLER Dir. Stare Yildirim, Turkey, 90 min. QUEENS PREMIERE In My Name is Batlir, Not Butler, the film’s protagonist says, “I’m not actually overweight, I just have some excess in a certain area….It is told in Anatolia that, the baby looks like whatever the mother craves for while she is pregnant. My mother craved for watermelon. I mostly talk to 52 Hertz, she is the loneliest whale in the world, and she is my best friend.” NYMPHADELLE Dir. Quentin de Jubécourt, France, 55 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE A long time ago, in a medieval world, Aegeus, son of Lord Theron, is forced to hide in the forest after the murder of his parents for political reasons. He meets there a young woman, Asteria, who decides to follow him on his journey. ONE BEDROOM Dir. Darien Sills-Evans, USA, 83 min. QUEENS PREMIERE Breaking up is easy. Moving out is hard. After five years of ups and downs, an African American 30-something couple in a gentrifying Brooklyn neighborhood spends their final afternoon together arguing and remember better days, as one of them moves out and hopefully on with her life. REGIONRAT Dir. Javier Reyna, USA, 99 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE Ray, a pothead underachieving teenager, feeling lonely after a self-imposed six months exile in Seattle, returns to his hometown and as he reconnects with friends, he is soon reminded why he left town in the first place. Based on the novel by Richard Laskowski. SNOWFLAKE Dir. Adolfo Kolmerer and William James, Germany, 121 min. In an odd twist of fate, Tan and Javid find themselves living out a bizarre screenplay page by violent page. While hunting down the murderer of their families, their reality turns topsy turvy when they read of their own untimely deaths and realize this screenplay is coming true. SOMETHING Dir. Stephen Portland, USA, 90 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE A man (Michael Gazin) and woman (Jane Rowen) are struggling to adjust to life with their new baby. But their situation begins to unravel further, when they start to suspect that a menacing stranger could be lurking, watching, even entering their home. This twisty and chilling single-location drama/horror/mystery will keep you guessing right up until the end, and even after that. SUSHI TUSHI OR HOW ASIA BUTTED INTO AMERICAN PRO FOOTBALL Dir. Ziad Hamzeh, USA, 90 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE The coach of a pro football team, The Portland Lobsters, that has lost 32 in a row, as a last resort, travels to Japan to buy a school of sumo wrestlers. He intends to bring the sumo wrestlers back to Maine to replace his inept offensive line. The team is eventually able to form a front line that allows their QB to throw a pass and not get sacked. T-JUNCTION Dir. Amil Shivji, Tanzania, 105 min. After the passing of her estranged father, Fatima makes an unlikely friend at a hospital, Maria. Bound by pain, Fatima keeps coming back to hear Maria’s tale of the T-junction where she found love and loss in a ragtag community. THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS Dir. Adrian Goiginger, Austria, 103 min. QUEENS PREMIERE A kid’s true story of his life in the unusual world of his heroin addict mother and their love of each other. THE DIRTY KIND Dir. Vilan Trub, USA, 85 min. WORLD PREMIERE Raymond, a young private investigator specializing in divorce, gets too ambitious and takes on a case that involves more than just snapping pictures of cheating couples. While searching for the estranged daughter of a client, Raymond discovers that she works as a stripper under the name Natalie Cottontail. Natalie’s exploits bring together a desperate collection of lost souls – sucking everyone down a drain of despair. THE DOCTOR’S CASE Dir. James Douglas, Canada, 66 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE The Master of Horror meets the Master Detective. When a diabolical English lord is murdered, Sherlock Holmes and Watson must unexpectedly exchange roles in order to solve ‘the perfect locked room mystery.’ Based on the short story by Stephen King. THE ESCORT Dir. Bizhan Tong, United Kingdom, 69 min. WORLD PREMIERE When Eric pays an escort, Veronica, for 60 minutes of her time he intends to convince her to quit this line of work. But Veronica is no damsel in distress and what ensues is a verbal battle of wits which peel away the layers of who they really are. What they find out about themselves and the secret Eric holds will ensure nothing remains the same again. THE MISSING SUN Dir. Brennan Vance, USA, 78 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE After a solar flare powers down her remote community, Alma discovers her husband Terry comatose. Suspecting he is having an out-of-body affair with an ex-lover, Alma attempts to bring him back to reality with help from Terry’s estranged, drug-addled son and the leader of a new-age religion that specializes in astral travel. THE SONG OF SWAY LAKE Dir. Ari Gold, USA, 94 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE It’s summer on Sway Lake, the most glamorous lake in the Adirondacks – former playground of the jazz-age New York aristocracy. Music collector Ollie Sway recruits his only friend, a rowdy Russian drifter, to help him steal a 78 record from his own family’s estate. TRAUMA Dir. Lucio A. Roja, Chile , 107 min. A shocking, brutal tale that blends the dark history of Chile’s recent past (violent and repressive military dictatorship of Pinochet) with the seemingly modern and progressive Chile of today. The two worlds clash when a group of women venture to the idyllic countryside for a weekend of fun. However, their outing soon turns nightmarish when a man, a victim of torture in the hands of the government, unleashes his pent-up rage on them. VIRGINIA MINNESOTA Dir. Daniel Stine, USA, 97 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE Separated for fifteen years by a childhood tragedy that robbed them of their mysterious and inspirational little friend, Virginia, two young women—Lyle and Addison—are reunited at the place both vowed never to return. Together, they embark on an illuminating overnight journey where they revisit painful memories and discover long-forgotten gifts Virginia had bestowed on them so many years before. WE (WIJ) Dir. Rene Eller, The Netherlands, 100 min. Sex, nihilism and aimless youth…During one hot summer in a Belgian-Dutch border village, eight teenagers play games of discovery to break the listless monotony. They challenge each other and themselves and soon, their sexual curiosity starts to blur the lines between right and wrong.

    DOCUMENTARIES:

    BENEATH THE INK Dir. Cy Dodson, USA, 13 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE A timely look at hate and racism in one Southeastern Ohio community that reveals heartfelt moments of change and redemption. BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS Dir. Seth Fein, USA, 82 min. Have you seen the Unisphere? What do you see? Between Neighborhoods sees the interborough and international histories of imperialism and immigration that orbit the world, in Queens, across the last fifty years. HORROR MOVIE: A LOW BUDGET NIGHTMARE Dir. Gary Doust, Australia, 100 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE A filmmaker’s life-long dream turns into a nightmare when he sets out to make a super-low-budget horror film about an aborted fetus that seeks revenge on its family. With Hollywood ‘scream queen’ Dee Wallace (E.T., Cujo, The Howling) onboard, union issues and the budget spiralling out of control, it’s not long before things wildly go off the rails. KEW GARDENS: SAVE THE BRIDGE Dir. Jonathan Oliveira, USA, 19 min. WORLD PREMIERE A series of mom and pop shops reside on the Kew Gardens bridge which bring a variety of uniqueness to the community; but after the MTA pleas for the bridge to be brought down, three teens take it upon themselves to give the people of Kew Gardens a voice to speak out against the corporate giant. MODIFIED Dir. Aube Giroux, Canada, 87 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE Modified is a feature-length documentary-memoir that questions why genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not labeled on food products in the United States and Canada, despite being labeled in 64 countries around the world. NOTHING CHANGES: ART FOR HANK’S SAKE Dir. Matthew Kaplowitz, USA, 80 min. How far would you go to pursue your passion? At 87 years old, Hank Virgona commutes to his Union Square studio six days a week and makes art. Despite poor health, cancer, lack of revenue and obscurity as an artist, Hank is unrelenting in his quest to understand how life and art are the same. OPERATION WEDDING Dir. Anat Zalmanson-Kuznetsov, Israel and Latvia, 63 min. QUEENS PREMIERE Leningrad, 1970. A group of young Soviet Jews who were denied exit visas, plots to “hijack” an empty plane and escape the USSR. STAMP SHOW Dir. Michael Fishman, USA, 14 min. WORLD PREMIERE In 2016 the world’s largest stamp show, which takes place once every ten years, was held in NYC at the Javits Convention Center. The subject was intriguing though I knew it would be crowded and challenging (the official count for attendees was 23,017). With a small camera in hand, I set out to capture the experience of attending the sprawling show. THE COMMODORE STORY Dir. Steven Fletcher, United Kingdom, 120 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE A cram-packed 2-hour documentary that take us through Commodore’s world changing evolution from the 70’s to the 90’s from the PET, Vic20, C64 to the Amiga and beyond including the very rare C65 and the wave of new Commodore related products that are hitting the market today. Commodore was started by Jack Tramiel who was a survivor of the Holocaust. THIS LAND Dir. Alan Thompson, USA, 58 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE This land is our only home, yet due to our addiction to fossil fuels, a finite, non-renewable source of energy to sustain our lifestyles, we are putting our future at risk. This Land takes us from the Texas and Mexico border to the Dakotas, and then Northern Canada. We’ll meet native and local communities fighting against gas and oil pipelines and see what is at stake for our land, this land.

    SHORT FILMS:

    88 CENTS Dir. Tyler Pina, USA, 37 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE A TAXI OF COLDNESS Dir. Joonha Kim, South Korea, 20 min. ACE Dir. Jordan Gear, USA, 19 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE AN AMERICAN ATTORNEY IN LONDON Dir. Darrell Alden, United Kingdom, 15 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE ANGEL OF ANYWHERE Dir. James Kicklighter, USA, 22 min. ANOTHER GIRL Dir. Austin Kase, USA, 22 min. AWKWARD Dir. Jared Beekhuyzen, Australia, 13 min. WORLD PREMIERE BLESS ME FATHER Dir. Paul Horan, USA, 16 min. BUTTERFLIES Dir. Cady McClain, USA, 13 min. QUEENS PREMIERE CAST IRON CAN’T BE WELDED Dir. Buks Rossouw, South Africa, 19 min. CREATIVE BLOCK Dir. Nicola Rose, USA, 16 min. QUEENS PREMIERE DAMES IN CARS Dir. Jason Spagnuoli, USA, 6 min. DOOR TO DOOR Dir. Kevin Etherson, USA, 9 min. QUEENS PREMIERE E.RO.SION, NOUN Dir. Catriona Rubenis-Stevens, USA, 14 min. QUEENS PREMIERE FLOAT Dir. Tristan Seniuk and Voleak Sip, USA 24 min. QUEENS PREMIERE JESSICA Dir. Jessica Kingdon, USA, 11 min. JOE Dir. Kaye Tuckerman, USA, 20 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE LOSS Dir. Jayne Nicoletti, USA, 3 min. MS. LINDA Dir. Ciara Cordasco, USA, 3 min. MY NAME IS SOMEBODY Dir. Orges Bakalli, USA, 14 min. ONCE UPON A DREAM Dir. Anthony Nion, Belgium, 13 min. QUEENS PREMIERE PATH OF DREAMS Dir. Tamara Ruppart, Japan, 25 min. QUEENS PREMIERE PHOTOKILL Dir. Lance J. Reha, USA, 19 min. PIETAS Dir. Lance J. Reha, USA, 4 min. R.V Dir. Will Hawkes and Melissa Center, USA, 10 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE ROOSTER AND THE QUEEN Dir. Aaron Weisblatt , USA , 18 min. ROSE AND PEONY Dir. Sébastien Azzopardi , France, 11 min. SISTERS Dir. Charles Ancelle, USA, 21 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE ST. JOSEPH Dir. Kathrina Miccio, USA, 24 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE SWEETHEART Dir. Marco Spagnoli, Italy, 8 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE TABIIB (THE DOCTOR) Dir. Jim Savio, USA, 30 min. THE CONDUCTOR Dir. Xavier Guignard, United Kingdom, 22 min. EAST COAST PREMIERE THE GIRLS WERE DOING NOTHING Dir. Dekel Berenson, United Kingdom, 17 min. THE INVADERS Dir. Mateo Márquez, USA, 7 min. NEW YORK PREMIERE THE LONG WET GRASS Dir. Justin Davey, Ireland, 14 min. QUEENS PREMIERE THE NOISE OF THE LIGHT Dir. Valentin Petit, France, 23 min.

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  • ‘The Best of All Worlds’ ‘Jamaica Man’ Among Award Winners of 9th NYC Independent Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_20689" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption] Congratulations to the winners, nominees, and all the participants of the 2018 NYC Independent Film Festival.  Winners include The Girl in The Woods by Sebastian Sdaigui taking the awards for Best Director and Best Short Film; Jamaica Man winning the awards for Best Cinematography plus Best Documentary Feature; and Adrien Goiginger’s The Best of All Worlds, winning the award for Best Narrative Feature. The Girl In The Woods is a short film which explores crime, honor and violence in a post truth, hyper real world. It follows two social outcasts, Beatrix and Charlie, who find solace in one another while facing quirky characters they meet on the way from brothel girls to art dealers. In the quest to save the orphanage where they not only met but had the only sense of home, they find the money to pay off the orphanages debt by stealing from a Snuff director, Mr Sunshine. Triggering a showdown between between bad and not as bad. This short combines crime, comedy and a splash of blood. Jamaica Man is a subjective documentary profile of British expat Nigel Pemberton. A biographical picaresque, inspired narratively by Spalding Gray and visually by Slim Aarons, the film is a highly stylized and unconventional portrait of a raconteur nearing the end of his life. The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste Aller Welten) is a kid’s true story of his life in the unusual world of his heroin addict mother and their love of each other.

    Award Winners of 9th NYC Independent Film Festival

    The Girl in The Woods Best Director Sebastian Sdaigui, The Girl in the Woods Jamaica Man Best Cinematography Laura Hudock, Jamaica Man Best Narrative Feature The Best of All Worlds, Adrien Goiginger Best Short Documentary My Indiana Muse, Ric Serena, Jen Serena Best Documentary Feature Jamaica Man, Michael Weatherly Best Short Film The Girl in the Woods, Sebastian Sdaigui Best Super Short Film Strawberries, Donggyun Han Best Animation In a Heartbeat, Esteban Bravo, Beth David Best Music Video Closer, Luke Slattery Best Art/Experimental Film EGO, Kaya, David-Simon Dayan Best Short Sketch Comedy There’s Something About My Sister, Rebecca Shaw Best Web Series Saaba, Brandon Kramer TV Pilots Greenport, Shannon Goldman Best Actor Obi Abili, Forgotten Man Best Actress Marama Corlett, Afterword Best Short Script Finalist Graphic Best Short Script “Magic Trick”, Gerald Teaster, Kelley Cantrel Rone Best VR Video Rone, Lester Francois

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  • Newport Beach Film Festival 2018 Award Winners – ALL SQUARE Wins Best Film

    [caption id="attachment_29145" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]All Square All Square[/caption] The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) wrapped up its eight day run with the Southern California Premiere of All Square starring Josh Lucas, Michael Kelly, Pamela Adlon, Tom Everett Scott, Jay Larson and Andrew Sikking.  At the awards ceremony, All Square won the award for Best Film, along with Best Actor for Michael Kelly. The Newport Beach Film Festival screened over 350 films, representing 50 countries, that competed for Jury, Festival Honors and Audience Awards.

    NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL HONORS AWARDS

    Artists of Distinction: Jessica Pare A Canadian actress and singer, Jessica Pare made her Hollywood debut in Wicker Park and is known for her role on the AMC series Mad Men. Films she has starred in have been screened at the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Icon: Paco Delgado Paco was born in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain and has worked on films such as A Wrinkle In Time, Les Miserables, and The Danish Girl. He has been nominated for Academy Awards, and won the CDG award for his work in The Danish Girl. Breakout: Nadine Haders Nadine Haders is a costume designer known best for her work in the film Get Out. Previously, she had worked primarily in television costume design. Other films include Pay it Forward, The X-Files. Newcomer: Joe Sill New to the industry, Joe’s career jump started with the commercial Tesla – Modern Spaceship which he wrote, produced and directed. The commercial caught the attention of Elon Musk and many advertising agencies. He recently completed production on his first feature film Stray.

    2018 AUDIENCE AWARDS:

    FEATURE NARRATIVE FILM Ride FOREIGN FILM The Drummer and the Keeper DOCUMENTARY Pick of the Litter ACTION SPORTS Time Well Spent ART, ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN Chesley Bonestell: A Brush With The Future CULINARY Cuban Food Stories ENVIRONMENTAL The Human Element FAMILY A Boy Called Sailboat MUSIC Up to Snuff SHORT DOCUMENTARY Aloha Aina Warrior SHORT NARRATIVE The Day of Matthew Montgomery

    2018 JURY AWARDS

    BEST FILM All Square BEST ACTOR Michael Kelly – All Square BEST ACTRESS Rusty Schwimmer – Wild Honey BEST DIRECTOR Frank Berry – Michael Inside BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Tom Comerford – Michael Inside BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: HONORABLE MENTION Rust BEST DOCUMENTARY Forever “B“ BEST DOCUMENTARY: HONORABLE MENTION Minding the Gap BEST SCREENWRITER Timothy Brady – All Square

    SHORT FILMS

    BEST NARRATIVE SHORT FILM DeKalb Elementary BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM The Bare Knuckle Carer BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM My Father’s Room BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM: HONORABLE MENTION Garden Party BEST MUSIC VIDEO Cold Little Heart

    2018 FESTIVAL HONORS:

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DIRECTING Shana Feste, Boundaries OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTING Maika Monroe, Shotgun OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ACTING Finn Wittrock, Locating Silver Lake OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE Shane Graham, Ride OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SCREENWRITING Will Elliott, Kirk C. Johnson, Nicholas Rutherford, Robert Schwartzman – The Unicorn OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FOREIGN FILM The Best of All Worlds OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: CINEMATOGRAPHY PRESENTED by ZEISS Hunting Lands OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: EDITING Juveniles OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: NARRATIVE FILM Meerkat Moonship (Maantuig) OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: NARRATIVE FILM The Mad Whale OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY FILM Social Animals OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY FILM Kiss the Joy: The Story of Joan Lind Van Blom

    SHORT FILMS:

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: SHORT Homeless OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FOREIGN SHORT FILM Voice (KOE) OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: ANIMATED SHORT FILM Departure OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE The Peculiar Abilities of Mr. Mahler – André Hennicke as Mr. Mahler OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY SHORT The Girl and The Picture OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY SHORT Fisk “Untitled Portrait” OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: DOCUMENTARY SHORT Land of the Wind (Tierra del Viento) OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FAMILY FILM SHORT Bullies OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILMMAKING: FAMILY FILM SHORT (FOREIGN) Earthy Encounters Encounters (UK)

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  • Richmond International Film & Music Festival Announces 2018 Award Winners

    [caption id="attachment_20689" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption] The 2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival (RIFF) wrapped on Sunday and handed out lots of awards to the wining writers, filmmakers, and musicians. The Richmond International Film Festival featured seven days of 150 cutting edge award-winning films from 35 countries – from France to Brazil, Australia to Cuba – plus up to 50 bands, panels, and daily events at various venues across Richmond.

    2018 Richmond International Film & Music Festival Winners

    2018 PIONEER AWARD Excellence in Public Service & Leadership Governor Terry McAuliffe 2018 LEGACY AWARD Danny Glover 2018 FOUNDERS AWARD Kate Bosworth

    RIFF GRAND JURY AWARDS

    2018 BEST FEATURE FILM Best of All Worlds 2018 BEST SHORT FILM Bagheera 2018 BEST FEATURE SCREENPLAY Wonder Drug 2018 BEST SHORT SCREENPLAY Mused

    BEST OF FEST AWARDS

    2018 BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE Streaker 2018 BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Becoming Who I Was 2018 BEST NARRATIVE SHORT Whole World For A Little World  2018 BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT Two Steps Back  2018 BEST ANIMATED SHORT Negative Space 2018 BEST EXPERIMENTAL SHORT The Last Dance  2018 BEST MUSIC VIDEO Glendale 2018 BEST WEB SERIES Dear Mankind

    OUTSTANDING MERIT AWARD

    2018 TRIBUTE AWARD “OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC” James Carrington for Edge of Daybreak

    MUSIC AWARDS

    2018 GRAND JURY PRIZE Rodney “The Soul Singer” Stith 2018 BEST AMERICANA Ezra Vancil 2018 BEST ALTERNATIVE INDIE Lauren Marsh 2018 LOCAL FAVORITE Mighty Joshua 2018 BEST WORLD Rumput Band with Danis Sugiyanto 2018 BEST R&B Zaxai 2018 BEST HIP HOP Angelo 2018 BEST CONTEMPORARY POP Kendra Black 2018 BEST ROCK Virginia Man 2018 BEST COUNTRY OR FOLK Mariana Bell 2018 BEST DJ Blacklight 2018 CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD Marcaux

    TRIBUTE AWARD

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC Sparky Quano

    CERTIFICATES FOR MUSIC

    2018 INNOVATION AWARD Jump In 2018 EMERGING ARTIST AWARD Tahj

    CERTIFICATES FOR FILM

    2018 BEST DIRECTING Can Ulkay for Ayla Daughter of War 2018 BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Edwin Stevens for Hunting Lands 2018 BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC 40 Years In The Making: The Magic Music Band 2018 BEST ACTOR Danila Kozlovsky for In The Hood 2018 BEST ACTRESS Sulem Calderon for Nona 2018 BEST ENSEMBLE CAST My Brothers 2018 RISING STAR AWARD Jeremy Miliker for Best of All Worlds 2018 RISING STAR AWARD Kyung-kin Lee for Ayla Daughter of War 2018 BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (TIE) Michael Polish for Nona Sophie Davout for My Brothers

    SCREENPLAY GENRE WINNERS

    2018 BEST ORIGINAL GENRE SCREENPLAY Amanda Keener for Fireflies 2018 BEST ORIGINAL FAMILY SCREENPLAY Lawrence Whitener for Finding Grace 2018 BEST ORIGINAL THRILLER SCREENPLAY Paul Littell for Breakthrough 2018 BEST ORIGINAL COMEDY SCREENPLAY Brian Schwab for Out Of The Woods 2018 BEST ORIGINAL ACTION SCREENPLAY Todd Sorrell for Parousia

    AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS

    FOR BEST FEATURE FILM Young and Innocent FOR BEST SHORT FILM (TIE) An Act of Terror The Break 2018 GRAND JURY HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS That Way Madness Lies UNAUTHORIZED! The Fighting Sioux In Faith We Grow: The Story of Pasture Valley Children’s Home 2e: Teaching the Twice Exceptional FIDDLIN’ Life Goes On Voices Beyond the Wall- Twelve Love Poems from the Murder Capital of the World

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM AND PUBLIC SERVICE

    Spec Campen

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC

    James Carrington for the film Edge of Daybreak

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  • Albuquerque Film & Music Experience 2018 to Feature Marisa Tomei, Prince All-Star Tribute Concert + Indie Films

    Albuquerque Film & Music Experience 2018 to Feature Marisa Tomei, Prince All-Star Tribute Concert + Indie Films Back for its sixth year in the Duke City, the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience (AFME) announced its unique lineup of independent and blockbuster films, musical performances, panels, workshops, and Intimate Conversations with amazing talent in attendance.  AFME will be featuring showcase events with special guests, including Academy Award-winning actress Marisa Tomei, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ drummer Steve Ferrone, actor W. Earl Brown, Prince guitarist Dez Dickerson, guitarist Micki Free and many others. “As AFME continues its success with a fusion of movies, music and special events, we are very happy to present a stellar week of programming for the City of Albuquerque and out of town attendees,” said Ivan Wiener, AFME Executive Director. “Having filmmakers, musicians and celebrities from around the world converge at our festival has become a very cool experience for the community, especially for students of film, music and the arts who benefit through our non-profit.” The fun and exciting lineup for 2018 includes a little bit of everything for everyone. Marisa Tomei is presenting the documentary SEED: The Untold Story which she executive produced; a special screening of Purple Rain followed by a Prince Tribute Concert with Prince’s original guitarist Dez Dickerson, musician Micki Free, Elton John and Billy Joel bass player David Santos, and the one and only Steve Ferrone, drummer from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; the 20th Anniversary screening of There’s Something About Mary with actor W. Earl Brown in attendance; a screening of Marvel’s The Avengers on Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza as part of AFME’s family events; and an after party celebrating the life and music of Tom Petty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GUxC_nojsU With 80 film projects from all genres screening throughout the week (highlights below), some of the other socially impactful discussions at AFME will focus on diversity and equality, gun violence and creating a safer community for future generations, combatting heroin addiction, the environment, and dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Highlights of the 2018 Lineup Include: Monday, June 4th Opening Night Movie: The Bikes of Wrath – 7:30pm at the KiMo Theatre. Oklahoma to California: 1600 miles, $420, 30 days, 5 bikes, 3 cameras, 2 guitars and one of the most influential novels of the 20th century — The Bikes of Wrath is a story of adventure, human connection, and an in-depth look at today’s America through the lens of John Steinbeck’s seminal novel, The Grapes of Wrath. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJm6-5namR0 Tuesday, June 5th Killing Games: Wildlife in the Crosshairs – 3:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. In Killing Games, a groundbreaking exposé, actor, conservationist and Project Coyote Advisory Board Member Peter Coyote — with environmentalists, ranchers, public officials and Native Americans — brings these shadowy contests to light and speaks out against this hidden war on wildlife. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1w8-76iRYs New Mexico Short Movies – From 5:30–7:15pm at the KiMo Theatre. New Mexico is one of the top film destinations in the world. Local filmmakers are showcased through their amazing projects. Teen Safe Driving PSA, Today, Survive by the Red Light Cameras, Eternity Grows, Pulse: The Beat of Art, Undying, OM+ME and Mrs. Murphy’s Confession. Challah Rising in the Desert: The Jews of New Mexico­ – 7:00pm at the Jewish Community Center. Immerse yourself in the Jewish experience in New Mexico’s history. The feature documentary follows five settlements of the Jewish community in New Mexico, ranging from 400 years ago to the 1960s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeqE5EVYG6o Marvin Booker Was Murdered – 7:00pm at the African American Performing Arts Center. Homeless street preacher, Marvin Booker, was beaten to death outside a Denver Detention Center, and the City of Denver followed with inaction. Marvin Booker Was Murdered is a story of the Booker family, their attorneys, a federal civil trial and civil rights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BE0m7sQRTg World Premiere of “14 Cameras” – 8:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. A suspense thriller, 14 Cameras tells the story of a family of four whose summer vacation turns dark when the rental home’s owner spies on them through hidden cameras, broadcasting their most intimate moments on the web. Official After Party with Live Music by Jerry Hannan and Special Guests – 10:00pm at Duel Brewing Company. A distinguished songwriter and entertainer, Hannan recorded his own song, “Society” with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, which is featured in Sean Penn’s film Into the Wild.  “I Thought I Was You”, written by Jerry and brother Sean Hannan also plays in Into the Wild. Wednesday, June 6th Panel: Embracing Diversity in Film, Music and the Arts – 10:00am at Hotel Andaluz. Join Andrea L. Mays (Ph.D. American Studies), D’Santi Nava (a native of Santa Fe who descended of indigenous bloodlines: Mexhika Chichimeca, Otomi, Apache, SW Pueblo and Iberian Spaniard), Daryl DeLoach, Saneh Boothe, Diane Villegas, and Micki Free to discuss the importance of diversity in film, music and the arts. Panel: The Importance of Education in Film, Music and the Arts – 12:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Both inside and out of the classroom, film, music and arts education enriches the lives of students. Join the discussion, featuring Glenna Voigt (WK Kellogg Fellow and the former Founding Principal of the Media Arts Collaborative Charter School in Albuquerque), Dodie Montgomery (an actor, writer, producer, director for film and theatre, and a visual artist who has appeared on stage in Krakow, Poland – Belgrade, Serbia , and Beijing, China and can be seen on Longmire, The Night Shift, Manhattan, The Brave, I Am That, and A Can Full of Ashes), Andrea Mays (Ph.D. in American Studies), Carlos Contreras and Andrew Barrow. Meet and Greet with Micki Free, Steve Ferrone, David Santos and Dez Dickerson – 5:30pm to 7:00pm at Guitar Center AFME Comedy Shorts – 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Guild Cinema. Laugh along to incredible short comedy films, including Sam Did It, Lady Lillian, Dad Band, The Dinner Scene, Hole Punch, Match, House Rules and Rendez-vous with God. AFME Family Movie: The Avengers – 7:00pm at Albuquerque Civic Plaza. Bring the family out to Civic Plaza and catch a family favorite superhero movie. The Mad Hannans – 8:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. Brothers Jerry and Sean Hannan faced more than just sibling struggles; as bandmates, the pair went on a journey of rise, fall and reconciliation. This film of redemption features Sean Penn, Eddie Vedder, Jerry Harrison (Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, Talking Heads), and others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukB0w9xo8KE Official After Party – 10:00pm at Rock & Brews with live music by American Horse Trio – Micki Free, David Santos and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ drummer Steve Ferrone. Thursday, June 7th Panel: Gun Violence: Shaping a Safer Community – 10:00am at Hotel Andaluz. How do we make our communities, schools, workplaces, and homes safer? Join the discussion on the pressing question facing our nation at this free panel, featuring Chris Schueler, Geri Lynn Matthews, Officer Gloria Marcott, and David Lane Williams. Intimate Conversation with Lee Zlotoff – 12:30pm to 1:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Want to learn more about award-winning writer, producer, director and creator of MacGyver? Don’t miss this chance to hear from Lee Zlotoff firsthand. Native American Film Block – 2:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. With documentary shorts and narrative shorts, this special event celebrates Native American films, including The Mayors of Shiprock, With Jackrabbit, and Neemkomok’. Ol’ Max Evans: The First Thousand  Years – 5:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. New Mexican author Max Evans’ life was an adventure—from a teenage cowboy, to a WWII soldier, ranch owner, mining speculator, painter, and author of The Rounders and The Hi Lo Country. Max and Pat Evans will be in attendance. Tribute to Prince: Purple Rain – 7:30pm at the KiMo Theatre. Enjoy a showing of the 1984 classic film with a New Mexico made music video to “Not Over You.” Prince Tribute Concert – 9:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Put on your best purple and white or diamonds and pearls for this fundraiser for the AFME Foundation. This once in a lifetime opportunity will showcase music by rock stars who knew and performed with Prince. Band includes Micki Free, Dez Dickerson, Steve Ferrone, David Santos, and local New Mexico musicians. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed in Prince related outfits. Friday, June 8th AFME Youth Acting Camp – 9:00am to 5:00pm at Hotel Andaluz. Aspiring actors and filmmakers aged 8—17 can join casting directors Faith & Bella from Good Faith Casting for a day of interactive learning. Lessons include audition technique, filming scenes and more. Intimate Conversation with Andrea Mays: How to Watch a Film – 10:00am at Hotel Andaluz. University of New Mexico’s Andrea L. Mays, Ph.D. will lead this workshop on strategies to get the most out of your film screening. Intimate Conversation with Eric Witt: The Changing Distribution Model – 12:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. From the big screen to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, technology is changing the distribution model for film and television. Learn more from Eric Witt, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Bill Richardson. Documentary Filmmaking 101 with Chris Schueler – 4pm to 7pm on Friday; 10am to 1pm Saturday at Hotel Andaluz. Emmy© Award-Winning Producer and Director, Chris Schueler will lead an intensive class on documentary production. Attendees must attend both sessions. SEED: The Untold Story – 7:30pm at the Hiland Theater. Academy Award-winning actress and SEED Executive Producer, Marisa Tomei, presents this important documentary. As many irreplaceable seeds near extinction, SEED reveals the harrowing and heartening story of passionate seed keepers as they wage a David and Goliath battle against chemical seed companies, defending a 12,000 year food legacy. The Maestro – 8pm at the KiMo Theatre. The Walking Dead’s Xander Berkeley stars as Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, a master teacher to film composer Jerry Herst in this film, set after the Second World War. Official After Party – Tribute to Tom Petty – 10pm at O’Niell’s Irish Pub. Event will feature live music by Jamie Harrison Band and The Noms’ Kevin Cummings. Saturday, June 9th When I Stutter – 10am at the KiMo Theatre. With the goal of bringing awareness and empathy to those who deal with communication disorder, When I Stutter showcases the stories of 19 people over the course of 4.5 years. Full of emotion, it is a must-see documentary. Intimate Conversation with W. Earl Brown – 10am at Hotel Andaluz. Join star of Deadwood, Preacher and There’s Something About Mary for stories about his experiences in the industry. Panel: Women – Equal To And Greater Than: Looking Forward Through the Rearview – 12:30pm at Hotel Andaluz. Sexual harassment, inequality and diversity in the industry…this strong and diverse female panel tackles the tough subjects. Join Andrea Mays (Ph.D.), Augusta Myers, Brenda Wade, Christa Valdez and Marisa Tomei. The Best of All Worlds and Quick Fix – 1:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. Focusing on heroin awareness, The Best of All Worlds tells a true story of a child and his life with a heroine addicted mother. Quick Fix is a dramatic short of a man’s experience in finding much more than he bargained for when visiting an old friend. Sinatra in Palm Springs: The Place He Called Home – 4pm at The Guild Cinema. Sinatra loved Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. This documentary details his unique lifestyle and the spirit of the Sinatra era. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKPiT2ncMJo 20th Anniversary: There’s Something About Mary – 6:30pm at the Hiland Theater. Join us for the Farrelly Brothers’ hit where a man gets a chance to meet up with his dream girl from high school, even though his date with her back then was a complete disaster. W. Earl Brown (Warren) and others in attendance. The Divide – 4:30pm at the KiMo Theatre. Directed by and starring Perry King, the film is set in 1976 California and follows an aging rancher with a failing memory through the struggles of family and reconciliation. -ago tragedy collide to create the backdrop for this classic American Western. https://vimeo.com/224863571 Jeff Bridges Presents Living in the Future’s Past – Closing Night Movie. 8:00pm at the KiMo Theatre. Academy Award® Winner, Jeff Bridges, presents a poignant and beautiful tour de force of original thinking on environmental challenges and the future of our world. Q&A to follow. Official Closing Night After Party at Hotel Andaluz – 10:00pm with live music by Eli Del Puerto y Los Encantos. You never know who will join the band on stage. Last year it was Jeff Bridges and T Bone Burnett! Sunday, June 10th AFME Awards Brunch – 11am to 1pm at Hotel Andaluz. Presentation of awards to filmmakers and special guests at AFME. AFME Casting Call with Elizabeth Gabel and Lorrie Latham – 2:00pm to 5pm at Hotel Andaluz. Want to get more involved? You can learn about being an extra and become eligible to be cast for projects shooting in New Mexico this summer. Lorrie Latham from Godless, Only the Brave, and Night Shift, teams up with Elizabeth Gabel from No Country for Old Men, Logan, Hostiles and Sicario will be on hand for this AFME sponsored extras casting call. The year’s 2018 AFME Music Award will be presented to Steve Ferrone, esteemed drummer for Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers, previously of Eric Clapton’s band, and the Average White Band.

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  • NashFilm Announces 2018 Feature Films Lineup for Narrative, Documentary, New Directors & Graveyard Shift Competitions

    [caption id="attachment_25450" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Adventures in Public School Public Schooled Adventures in Public School[/caption] The Nashville Film Festival continues its lineup for the ten-day festival, running May 10 to 19, 2018, with the announcement of 48 additional feature films in Narrative, Documentary, New Directors and Graveyard Shift competitions. Capturing the essence of today’s most relevant social issues, historical stories and more, these 48 films hail from China, South Africa, Netherlands, Denmark, India, France and more, as well as 31 from the U.S. A jury of industry professionals will select the winning films that will take home up to $20,000 in cash and prizes. “We received over 6,100 film submissions and the process of determining the 48 participants was incredibly challenging as the caliber of submissions continues to astonish us each year,” said Artistic Director, Brian Owens. “We strive to always include a diverse roster of feature films that inspire, move and create meaningful conversations.” Below are the 2018 selections in the categories:

    Narrative Competition

    1985 (Southeast US Premiere) – A closeted young man goes home for the holidays and struggles to reveal his dire circumstances to his conservative family. Cast: Jamie Chung, Virginia Masden, Michael Chiklis, Director: Yen Tan, Producers: Hutch, Ash Christian (USA) Across the Waters (Southeast US Premiere) – ACROSS THE WATERS is the gripping tale of the Danish Jews’ escape to Sweden in October 1943. Cast: David Dencik, Danica Curcic, Director: Nicolo Donato, Producer: Peter Bech (Denmark) An Act of Defiance (Tennessee Premiere) – A South African lawyer risks his life and career to defend Nelson Mandela and his inner circle. Cast: Peter Paul Muller, Antoinette Louw, Sello Motloung, Sean Venter, Director: Jean van de Velde, Producers: Michael Auret, Richard Claus, Hugh Rogers (South Africa, Netherlands) Adventures In Public School (Southeast US Premiere) – A socially awkward home-schooled kid forces his way into public-school against his suffocating but loving mother’s wishes. Cast: Judy Greer, Daniel Doheny, Russell Peters, Grace Park, Siobhan Williams, Director: Kyle Rideout, Producer: Josh Epstein (Canada) Angels Wear White (Tennessee Premiere) – ANGELS WEAR WHITE is a powerful film noir that exposes the social injustices and difficult issues women face in contemporary China. Cast: Wen Qi, Zhou Meijun, Shi Ke, Geng Le, Liu Weiwei, Peng Jing, Director: Vivian Qu, Producer: Sean Chen (China) Bikini Moon (Tennessee Premiere) – A charismatic homeless woman captures the attention of a documentary film crew who are ready to exploit her story for their own shot at independent movie fame in this very modern, urban fairy tale set amidst a fractured ideal of family. Cast: Condola Rashad, Sarah Goldberg, Will Janowitz, Sathya Sridharan, Director: Milcho Manchevski, Producers: Anja Wedell, Munire Armstrong (USA) Craving (US Premiere) – Coco has no idea what to do with her life until she discovers her mother is terminally ill. Cast: Simone Kleinsma, Elise van ‘t Laar, Director: Saskia Diesing. Producers: Hans de Wolf, Hanneke Niens (Netherlands) Dating My Mother (Southeast US Premiere) – A single mother and her gay son navigate the world of online dating in search of their versions of Mr. Right. Cast: Kathryn Erbe, Patrick Reily, Kathy Najimy, James Le Gros, Paul Iacono, Director: Mike Roma, Producer: Ashley Hills (USA) DriverX (Tennessee Premiere) – Skidding into middle age, a “50-something” stay-at-home dad who recently lost his record store must start driving for a rideshare company to help support his working wife and two young daughters. Cast: Patrick Fabian, Tanya Clarke, Desmin Borges, Travis Schuldt, Melissa Fumero, Oscar Nunez, Director: Henry Barrial, Producers: Mark Stolaroff, Alex Cutler (USA) Fifty Springtimes (Southeast US Premiere) – A woman in her 50s loses her job, finds out she is about to become a grandmother and is given an opportunity to start life over again. Cast: Agnès Jaoui, Director: Blandine Lenoir, Producers: Fabrice Goldstein, Antoine Rein (France) Goliath (Southeast US Premiere) – When a young soon-to-be father is unable to defend in his girldfriend in an attack, he takes steps that may threaten everything he loves. Cast: Sven Schelker, Jasna Fritzi Bauer, Director: Dominik Locher. Producers: Rajko Jazbec, Dario Schoch (Switzerland) Prison Logic (Tennessee Premiere) – PRISON LOGIC is an original comedy that tracks the life of Tijuana Jackson, an ex-convict fresh out of prison, set on becoming a world renowned motivational speaker. Cast: Romany Malco Jr., Regina Hall, Tami Roman, Alkoya Brunson, Director: Romany Malco Jr., Producers: Romany Malco Jr., Josh Etting, Brian Etting (USA) Salvation (Southeast US Premiere) – Cris, a thirteen year old girl, is admitted to a hospital to undergo open heart surgery. There she meets Víctor, a boy her same age who says he’s a vampire and who proposes a different kind of salvation for her heart: immortality. Cast: Marina Botí, Laura Yuste, Alzira Gómez, Carmen Flores, Director: Denise Castro, Producer: Denise Castro (Spain) Shelter (Tennessee Premiere) – A subtle thriller set in Germany involving Mona, a Lebanese woman, and Naomi, an Israeli Mossad agent, sent to protect their informant who is recovering from plastic surgery to conceal her identity. Together for two weeks in a quiet apartment in Hamburg, the two women take us into a complex, multi-dimensional labyrinth of trust and mistrust, of honesty and deception, of loyalty and betrayal. Cast: Neta Riskin, Golshifteh Farahani, Haluk Bilginer, Director: Eran Riklis, Producers: Bettina Brokemper, Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre, Michael Eckelt, Eran Riklis (USA) When She Runs (Tennessee Premiere) – A young mother of limited means puts everything on the line to pursue her dream of becoming a competitive runner. Cast: Kirstin Anderson, Ivan Gehring, Jonah Graham. Directors: Robert Machoian, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, Producer: Laura Heberton (USA)

    Documentary Competition

    Chef Flynn (Tennessee Premiere) – With access to a trove of personal archival footage and including new, intimate vérité footage, director Cameron Yates creates a collage of Flynn’s singular focus and distinctive path through childhood. CHEF FLYNN shares a rare view of a young man’s successful rise from the inside. Director: Cameron Yates, Producers: Laura Coxson, Cameron Yates, Philipp Engelhorn (USA) Circles (US Premiere) – A Hurricane Katrina survivor who works to keep Black teenagers in school in Oakland, California finds his personal and professional lives colliding when his 15-year-old-son goes to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Cast: Eric Butler, Tre Thomas, Betsye Steele, Mercedes Morgan, Ted Quant, Director: Cassidy Friedman, Producer: Cassidy Friedman (USA) Crime + Punishment (Tennessee Premiere) – Meet the NYPD12: a group of minority whistleblower officers who risk everything to expose racially discriminatory policing practices and smash the blue wall of silence. Director: Stephen Maing. Producer: Stephen Maing, Ross Tuttle, Eric Daniel Metzgar (USA) Crossroads (Tennesee Premiere) – This documentary follows a team of at-risk African-American teenagers and their lacrosse coach on a most improbable and inspiring journey. Director: Ron Yassen, Producers: Lauren Griswold, John Hirsch (USA) Dark Money (Tennessee Premiere) – Kimberly Reed returns to her native state of Montana to expose the insidious reach of corporate interests into politics and to chronicle its grassroots opposition. Director: Kimberly Reed, Producers: Kimberly Reed, Katy Chevigny (USA) Every Act of Life (Southeast Premiere) – The life of Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally: 60 years of groundbreaking plays and musicals, the struggle for LGBT rights, addiction and recovery, finding true love, and the relentless pursuit of inspiration. Cast: Rita Moreno, Meryl Streep, Bryan Cranston, Christine Baranski, Director: Jeff Kaufman, Producers: Jeff Kaufman, Marcia Ross (USA) hillbilly (World Premiere) hillbilly is a documentary film that examines the iconic hillbilly stereotype in film and television. The film explores more than a hundred years of media representation of mountain and rural people, reveals how the hillbilly icon reflects America’s aspirational self-image over the decades, and offers an urgent exploration of how we see and think about poor, white, rural America. Cast: Billy Redden, Ronny Cox, bell hooks, Michael Apted, Silas House, Crystal Good, Frank X Walker. Directors: Sally Rubin, Ashley York. Producers: Sally Rubin, Ashley York. (USA). Minding the Gap (Tennessee Premiere) – Three young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust-Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship. Cast: Zack Mulligan, Keire Johnson, Bing Liu, Nina Bowgren, Director: Bing Liu, Producers: Bing Liu, Diane Quon (USA) A Murder in Mansfield (Tennessee Premiere) – In 1990, the testimony of a 12-year-old boy sealed his father’s fate. A jury convicted prominent Ohio doctor John Boyle of murdering Collier’s mother. 26 years later, the son returns determined to get an admission of guilt from his imprisoned father. Cast: Collier Landry, Director: Barbara Kopple, Producers: Barbara Kopple, David Cassidy, Ray Nowosielski (USA) On Her Shoulders (Tennessee Premiere) – Nadia Murad, a 23-year-old Yazidi, survived genocide and sexual slavery committed by ISIS. Repeating her story to the world, this ordinary girl finds herself thrust onto the international stage as the voice of her people. Away from the podium, she must navigate bureaucracy, fame and people’s good intentions. Cast: Nadia Murad, Directors: Alexandria Bombach, Producers: Hayley Pappas, Brock Williams (USA) Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland (Southeast US Premiere) – In 2015, Sandra Bland, a young black woman, was found hanging in a small-town Texas jail cell days after a traffic violation. Ruled a suicide, her death fueled worldwide allegations of a racially motivated police murder. The filmmakers embedded with Sandra’s family during their two-year battle to uncover the truth. Cast: Sandra Bland, Directors: Kate Davis, David Heilbroner, Producers: Nancy Knox Talcott, David Heilbroner (USA) The World Before Your Feet (Tennessee Premiere) – For over six years, and for reasons he can’t explain, Matt Green has been walking every block of every street in New York City – a journey of more than 8,000 miles. Cast: Matt Green, Director: Jeremy Workman, Producers: Jeremy Workman, Jesse Eisenberg (USA) Zero Weeks (Southeast US Premiere) – Weaving powerful stories together with insightful interviews from leading policy makers, economists, researchers and activists, ZERO WEEKS lays out a compelling argument for guaranteed paid leave for every American worker. Director: Ky Dickens, Producers: Ky Dickens, Alexis Jaworski (USA) Weed the People (Southeast US Premiere) – Cannabis has been off-limits to doctors and researchers in the US for the past 80 years, but recently scientists have discovered its anti-cancer properties. Armed with only these laboratory studies, desperate parents obtain cannabis oil from underground sources to save their children from childhood cancers. Director: Abby Epstein, Producers: Giancarlo Canavesio, Sol Tryon (USA)

    New Directors Competition

    3/4 (Southeast US Premiere) – Mila is a gifted pianist with a bright future, yet her father pays more attention to the rings of Saturn than to her goals, and her brother tries to distract her with his unwanted talent for the absurd. A portrait of a family, struggling to find meaning during their last summer together. Cast: Mila Mihova, Nikolay Mashalo. Director: Ilian Metev, Producers: Ilian Metev, Ingmar Trost (Bulgaria) After Louie (Tennessee Premiere) – AFTER LOUIE explores the contradictions of modern gay life and history through Sam, a man desperate to understand how he and his community got to where they are today. Cast: Alan Cumming, Zachary Booth, Sarita Choudhury. Director: Vincent Gagliostro. Producers: Lauren Belfer, Alan Cumming, Bryce Renninger (USA) Best of All Worlds (Tennessee Premiere) – The true story of a child and his life in the unusual world of his heroin addict mother and their love for one another. Cast: Verena Altenberger, Jeremy Miliker, Lukas Miko, Michael Pink, Reinhold G. Moritz, Philipp Stix. Director: Adrian Goiginger, Producers: Wolfgang Ritzberger, Nils Dünker (Austria) The Marriage (Southeast US Premiere) – Bekim and Anita are getting married, but she is unaware that he is still in love with his best friend Nol. Cast: Alban Ukah, Adriana Matoshi, Genc Salihu. Director: Blerta Zeqiri, Producer: Kreshnik Keka Berisha (Kosovo) Mountain Rest (World Premiere) – After sequestering herself to a small mountain town, an aging actress calls her estranged daughter and granddaughter home for reconciliation and one final celebration. Cast: Natalia Dyer, Frances Conroy, Kate Lynn Sheil, Shawn Hatosy, Joshua Brady, Karson Kern, Director: Alex O Eaton, Producers: Fernando Loureiro, Roberto Vasconcellos, Renata Nascimento (USA) Never Steady, Never Still (Tennessee Premiere) – A mother struggles to take control of her life in the face of advanced Parkinson’s disease, while her son battles his sexual and emotional identity amongst the violence of Alberta’s oil field work camps. Cast: Shirley Henderson, Théodore Pellerin, Mary Galloway, Nicholas Campbell, Jared Abrahamson, Hugo Ateo, Lorne Cardinal, Director: Kathleen Hepburn. Producers: James Brown, Tyler Hagan (Canada) Noblemen (Tennessee Premiere) – A 15-year-old boy, struggling with his adolescent years, is terrorized by a gang of bullies in a posh boarding school. This sets forth a chain of events that leads to a loss of life and innocence. Cast: Kunal Kapoor, Ali Haji, Director: Vandana Kataria, Producers: Siddharth Anand Kumar, Vikram Mehra (India) Still (Tennessee Premiere) – When Lily loses her way on a hike through the Appalachian wilderness, she finds rescue in the form of a peculiar married couple who have completely isolated themselves from the outside world. Cast: Lydia Wilson, Madeline Brewer, Nick Blood, Mark Ashworth, Kevin Wayne, Diesel Madkins, Director: Takashi Doscher, Producers: Alex P. Creasia, Takashi Doscher, Craig Miller, Gabrielle Pickle (USA) The Swan (Southeast US Premiere) – A wayward nine-year-old girl is sent to the countryside to work and mature, but finds herself instead deeply entangled in a drama she can hardly grasp. Cast: Thor Kristjansson, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Þuríður Blær Jóhannsdóttir, Gríma Valsdóttir, Katla M. Þorgeirsdóttir, Director: Ása Helga Hjörleifsdótirr, Producers: Birgitta Bjornsdottir, Hlín Jóhannesdóttir (Iceland)

    Graveyard Shift Competition

    Door In the Woods (Tennessee Premiere) – A struggling family installs a vintage door only to find it’s a portal to supernatural danger, leading to a heart wrenching choice. Cast: Jennifer Pierce Mathus, David Snell, C.J. Jones, John-Michael Fisher, Director: Billy Chase Gofort, Producers: Kerri Elder, Blake Elder, Billy Chace Goforth (USA) Found Footage 3D (Tennessee Premiere) – A group of filmmakers set out to make the first 3D found footage horror movie, but find themselves in a found footage horror movie when the evil entity from their film escapes into their behind-the-scenes footage. Cast: Carter Roy, Alena von Stroheim, Chris O’Brien, Director: Steven DeGennaro, Producers: Steven DeGennaro, Kim Henkel, Charles Mulford (USA) Get My Gun (Tennessee Premiere) – After an innocent prank leaves Amanda pregnant and out of a job, she finds herself on the verge of motherhood and the target of a psychotic stalker who will stop at nothing to get her hands on her unborn child. Cast: Kate Hoffman, Christy Casey, Rosanne Rubino, William Jousset, Director: Brian Darwas, Producer: Jennifer Carchietta (USA) Katrina’s Dream (US Premiere) – Katrina wishes to have children but her boyfriend Louis doesn’t. She falls in love with his best friend Ron, who becomes the man of her life. When the two men are involved in a car accident in which Ron loses his head and Louis his body, a drastic surgery helps them survive, but merged into one person. Cast: Dagna Vinet Litzenberger, Manfred Liechti, Adrian Furrer, Simon Esteban, Directors: Mirko Bischofberger, Dario Bischofberger. Producers: Mirko Bischofberger, Dario Bischofberger (Switzerland) The Laplace’s Demon (Nashville Premiere) – Eight people are imprisoned in a secluded mansion on an uninhabited island. After waiting in vain for the host, they find a model with eight self-propelled pawns that reproduces the movements of each group member in real time. Cast: Alessandro Zonfrilli, Carlotta Mazzoncini, Silvano Bertolin, Duccio Giulivi, Walter Smorti, Director: Giordano Giulivi, Producers: Silvano Bertolin, Ferdinando D’Urbano, Duccio Giulivi, Giordano Giulivi (Italy) Mickey Reece’s Alien (Southeast US Premiere) – Elvis Presley struggles with an existential meltdown before his TV comeback special. Spirituality, space, and divine art clash in his marriage to Priscilla and his obligations to those surrounding The King. Cast: Jacob Snovel, Cate Jones, Director: Mickey Reece, Producers: Jacob Snovel, Cate Jones, Mickey Reece. (USA) The Odds (Southeast US Premiere) – A young woman enlists in an underground game of pain endurance in the hope of winning the million dollar prize. She soon learns the real opponent is the man who’s running the game, as he employs horrific methods to manipulate and defeat her. Cast: Abbi Butler, James Fuertes, Sean Ramey, Les Parker, Katie Gunn, Director: Bob Giordano, Producers: Tom Steinmann, Kelly Frey, Alan McKenna (USA) PROTOTYPE (Southeast US Premiere) – As the deadliest natural disaster in US history strikes Galveston, Texas, taking an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 lives, a mysterious televisual device projects images of unknown origin. Director: Blake Williams, Producer: Marco Gualtieri (Canada) Zerzura (Southeast US Premiere) – ZERZURA is a feature-length ethnofiction shot in the Sahara desert. Mixing folktales and documentary, the film follows a young man from Niger who leaves home in search of an enchanted oasis. Cast: Ibrahim Affi, Zara Alhassane, Ahmoudou Madassane, Director: Christopher Kirkley, Producer: Christopher Kirkley, Rhissa Koutata, Ahmoudou Madassane, Guichene Mohamed (Niger|USA)

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  • Heartland International Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup, Opens with Rob Reiner’s LBJ

    [caption id="attachment_16239" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]LBJ LBJ[/caption] The 26th annual Heartland International Film Festival will take place October 12 to 22, 2017.  Director Rob Reiner will return to Heartland for the opening night screening of his new film “LBJ”  and will receive Heartland Film’s Pioneering Spirit: Lifetime Achievement Award. “LBJ” stars Woody Harrelson and is about Lyndon B. Johnson’s ascent to the presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Reiner will also be in attendance for special screenings of classic titles “Stand By Me” and “The Princess Bride” the next morning. “Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies” will close the festival on Sunday, October 22. “Laddie” is one daughter’s journey to discover her father, Alan Ladd, Jr, the quiet studio head and producer behind such iconic films as “Star Wars,” “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” “Chariots of Fire,” and “Young Frankenstein.” Amanda Ladd-Jones’ quest leads her to understand her father as the man that he is and the impact he’s had on American Cinema. Director Amanda Ladd-Jones will be in attendance to accept Heartland Film’s Pioneering Spirit: Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of her father. “We are kicking off the next 25 years of Heartland Film with a bang,” said Craig Prater, President of Heartland Film. “Our international lineup of films has expanded by 75 movies over last year, including 10 titles just announced as official entries for Best Foreign Language Film for the 2018 Academy Awards. We will welcome an unprecedented number of film groups, distributors, and filmmakers this year, and our board, staff, and volunteers are ready to elevate the Heartland International Film Festival from the industry’s best kept secret to a Midwest destination and marketplace. ” Heartland will host 16 premiere titles and more than 150 filmmakers and members of the international film industry, including Chaz Ebert, who will be in attendance for a special screening of the Roger Ebert documentary “Life Itself” and to moderate a film critics panel to include Klaus Eder, the general secretary of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). Additional panel topics include Indiana filmmaking, women in film, and entertainment law. Special presentation sneak previews of major motion pictures and documentaries will include; Heartland Film Truly Moving Picture Award winners “Breathe” , “The Florida Project”, and “Thank You for Your Service”; in addition to “Bill Nye: Science Guy”, “The Ballad of Lefty Brown”, and “Columbus”. For the first time ever, Heartland will feature 10 international titles recently announced as official entries for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2018 Academy Awards.

    KEY EVENTS AND DATES

    Opening Night Screening and After Party – “LBJ” Thursday, Oct. 12 – Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, 7 p.m. Narrative feature directed by Rob Reiner. Scheduled appearance by Director Rob Reiner. After party to feature live music from Josh Kaufman (“The Voice”). Sponsored by the David and Betty Klapper Family Foundation. GLOW: Awards Party Saturday, Oct. 21 – The Hi-Fi/Pure Eatery in Fountain Square, 7 p.m. GLOW: Awards Party is not your typical awards show. The night will shine a light on our top Festival award winners with a neon glow party featuring DJ Michael Graves, Pork and Beans Brass Band, Pinvault Pinball, food trucks, and more. Sponsored by the David and Betty Klapper Family Foundation. Filmmakers’ Brunch Sunday, Oct. 22 – The Montage, 11 a.m. Discover the inspiration behind some of your favorite Heartland Film Festival movies by joining the filmmakers for an informal brunch. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to speak one-on-one with storytellers and to hear different perspectives on all aspects of the filmmaking process. Closing Night Screening and After Party – “Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies” Sunday, Oct. 22 – AMC Castleton Square 14, 7 p.m. Documentary feature directed by Amanda Ladd-Jones. Scheduled appearance by Director Amanda Ladd-Jones. After-party to feature live music by Joshua Powell. Sponsored by the David and Betty Klapper Family Foundation.

    PANEL DISCUSSIONS

    Heartland Film Festival is excited to present four panel discussions exploring various aspects of the filmmaking industry including film criticism, Indiana filmmaking, women in film, and entertainment law. Most panel discussions are free and open to the public, but they do require a ticket for admittance. All panel discussions will take place at AMC Castleton Square 14 in the Woodbridge Pavilion. Film Critics Panel – Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m. What does it take to be a film critic? Join moderator Chaz Ebert as she discusses the intricacies of film criticism with renowned local and international industry professionals. Panelists include Klaus Eder (General Secretary of the International Federation of Film Critics), Christopher Lloyd, and Richard Propes. Free, but ticketed. Indiana Filmmakers Panel – Tuesday, Oct. 17, 6 p.m. What are the challenges and advantages of local filmmakers in Indianapolis? Join moderator Nathan Bechtold (Indiana Filmmakers Network) as he discusses the Indy film scene with local industry professionals. Panelists Amy Pauszek, Glenn Pratt, and Jack Lugar. Free, but ticketed. Women In Film Panel – Wednesday, Oct. 18, 5:30 p.m. What’s it like being a female filmmaker in a male dominated industry? Join moderator Barbara Ann O’Leary (Directed by Women) as she discusses tricks of the trade and industry insights with three industry professionals. Panelists Naghmeh Farzaneh, Laura Goodenow, and Andie Redwine. Free, but ticketed. Entertainment Law Panel: What’s Next for My Film? – Thursday, Oct. 19, 3 p.m. Completing a film requires hard work, creativity, and never-ending money-raising efforts. But what happens next? This panel of experts will help filmmakers understand their options. Should they secure a distributor and what does that mean? What are the advantages and disadvantages of filmmakers working the film festival circuit and what legal rights do filmmakers maintain? This and more will be addressed during this program of particular interest to filmmakers and fans of filmmaking. Moderated by Cate Sabatine (Co-chair, Indianapolis Bar Association’s Sports & Entertainment Law Executive Committee) with panelists Ron Elberger (Bose McKinney & Evans), Neil Friedman (Founder/President, Menemsha Films), Angelo Pizzo (“Hoosiers,” “Rudy,” “My All-American”).

    SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

    “Stand By Me” (1986) Narrative Feature, Columbia Pictures, Truly Moving Picture Award Winner – Directed by Rob Reiner After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy. Director Rob Reiner scheduled to attend. “The Princess Bride” (1987) Narrative Feature, 20th Century Fox, Truly Moving Picture Award Winner – Directed by Rob Reiner While home sick in bed, a young boy’s grandfather reads him a story called “The Princess Bride.” Director Rob Reiner scheduled to attend. “Life Itself” (2014) Documentary Feature, Magnolia Pictures – Directed by Steve James The life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, Roger Ebert. Featured subject Chaz Ebert scheduled to attend. “The Florida Project” Narrative Feature, A24, Truly Moving Picture Award Winner – Directed by Sean Baker Warm, winning and gloriously alive, Sean Baker’s The Florida Project is a deeply moving and unforgettably poignant look at childhood. Starring Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Valeria Cotto, and Bria Vinaite. “Bill Nye: Science Guy” Documentary Feature, PBS Films – Directed by David Alvarado, Jason Sussberg A famous television personality struggles to restore science to its rightful place in a world hostile to evidence and reason. “Thank You For Your Service” Narrative Feature, DreamWorks Pictures, Truly Moving Picture Award Winner – Directed by Jason Hall DreamWorks Pictures’ “Thank You for Your Service” follows a group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq who struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they’ve left the battlefield. Starring an ensemble cast led by Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Joe Cole, Amy Schumer, Beulah Koale, Scott Haze, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Brad Beyer, Omar J. Dorsey, and Jayson Warner Smith, the drama is based on the bestselling book by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author David Finkel. “Columbus” Narrative Feature, Front Row Filmed Entertainment – Directed by Kogonada When a renowned architecture scholar falls suddenly ill during a speaking tour, his son Jin (John Cho) finds himself stranded in Columbus, Ind. – a small Midwestern city celebrated for its many significant modernist buildings. Jin strikes up a friendship with Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), a young architecture enthusiast who works at the local library. As their intimacy develops, Jin and Casey explore both the town and their conflicted emotions: Jin’s estranged relationship with his father, and Casey’s reluctance to leave Columbus and her mother. “Breathe” Narrative Feature, Bleecker Street Media, Truly Moving Picture Award Winner – Directed by Andy Serkis For his directorial debut, Andy Serkis brings to life the inspiring true love story between Robin and Diana Cavendish (Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy), an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease. Written by two-time Academy Award® nominated writer William Nicholson, and shot by three-time Academy Award® winner Robert Richardson. “The Ballad of Lefty Brown” Narrative Feature, A24 – Directed by Jared Moshé When famed Frontier Lawman Eddie Johnson (Peter Fonda) is unexpectedly killed, his longtime sidekick and friend Lefty Brown (Bill Pullman) will stop at nothing to avenge Johnson’s death.

    U.S. AND WORLD PREMIERE TITLES

    “Voyage of the Southern Sun” U.S. Premiere, Documentary Feature, Australia – Directed by Robert Murphy Australian Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year, Michael Smith, discovered the delights and perils of true adventure in a solo circumnavigation in his tiny amphibious flying boat, Southern Sun, that retraced historical Qantas, Imperial and Pan Am airmail routes, in search of the glory days of 1930s aviation. “Marvin Booker Was Murdered” U.S. Premiere, Documentary Feature, U.S. – Directed by Wade Gardner Marvin Booker was murdered. The jail guards lied. The city of Denver covered it up. The Booker family lived it. Their attorneys exposed it. We reveal it. Director Wade Gardner and members of the Booker family are scheduled to attend. “blank 13” U.S. Premiere, Narrative Feature, Japan – Directed by Takumi Saitoh Following the death of his deadbeat father, a son discovers that there was more to him than anyone in the family suspected. Director/Actor Takumi Saitoh scheduled to attend. “Tatterdemalion” World Premiere, Narrative Feature, U.S. – Directed by Ramaa Mosley A dramatic thriller about an army veteran suffering from PTSD who returns home to the Ozarks to look for her brother, but finds an abandoned boy in the woods. As she searches for answers about who the child is, she discovers a mysterious world of folk lore, clan rules and lies. Director Ramaa Mosley and Actor Leven Rambin scheduled to attend. “No Postage Necessary” World Premiere, Narrative Feature, U.S. – Directed by Jeremy Culver When a brilliant computer hacker tries to win the heart of a war widow, he must become the man he’s always envisioned or risk going back to prison. Director Jeremy Culver, cast and crew scheduled to attend. “The New Fire” World Premiere, Documentary Feature, U.S. – Directed by David Schumacher The good news—there’s a new solution to climate change. The bad news—we may not like it. From MIT to Silicon Valley, young engineers are rebooting a controversial and all but abandoned technology—nuclear power. Director David Schumacher scheduled to attend. “Triumph: The Untold Story of Perry Wallace” World Premiere, Documentary Feature, U.S. – Directed by Richard Gentile Narrated by Academy Award® winner Forest Whitaker, “Triumph” is a unique window on America’s civil rights movement that chronicles Perry Wallace’s evolution from a reluctant “pioneer” in the final throes of the “Jim Crow” era to a determined “game-changer.” Director Richard Gentile scheduled to attend. “Mum’s List” U.S. Premiere, Narrative Feature, UK – Directed by Niall Johnson A heart-warming true life story of Singe and Kate Greene, whose lives were turned upside down when Kate was diagnosed with an incurable breast cancer. Over her last few months she creates her list: writing her thoughts and memories down to help the man she loved create the best life possible for their two sons after she is gone. Producer Nick Hamson or Producer Gareth Jones scheduled to attend. “Little Kyota Neon Hood” U.S. Premiere, Narrative Feature, Japan – Directed by Satsuki Okawa Kyota, a 12-year-old Japanese boy who’s never seen without his bright protective hood, learns that his beloved Scottish teacher is leaving town. The news causes a stir in the community, rekindling recent memories of their struggles in post-disaster Japan. Director/Writer Satsuki Okawa scheduled to attend. “Maestras – The Long Journey of Women to the Podium” U.S. Premiere, Documentary Feature, Germany – Directed by Günter Atteln, Maria Stodtmeier Being a female conductor means being an exception, even today. But why is it that there have been so few female conductors in the international music scene? Director/Producer Günter Atteln scheduled to attend. “The Maestro” U.S. Premiere, Narrative Feature, U.S. – Directed by Zach Richter, Sam Smith and Corey Petrick After the Second World War, budding film composer Jerry Herst moves to Hollywood to study with infamous master teacher Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Producer David J. Phillips scheduled to attend. “Defining Hope” World Premiere, Documentary Feature, U.S. – Directed by Carolyn Jones “Defining Hope” follows eight patients with life-threatening illnesses—and the nurses who guide them to make critical choices along the way—as they face death, embrace hope, and ultimately redefine what makes life worth living. Director Carolyn Jones scheduled to attend. “The Drawer Boy” U.S. Premiere, Narrative Feature, Canada/Mexico – Directed by Arturo Pérez Torres An actor arrives to rural Ontario to gather stories about farm life and make a play about it. When art attempts to imitate life, the line between truth and fiction is crossed. Director Arturo Pérez Torres scheduled to attend. “Instrument of War” World Premiere, Narrative Feature, U.S. – Directed by Adam Thomas Anderegg “Hello American. For you, the war is over.” When US B-24 bomber pilot Clair Cline is shot down and captured in northern Germany, one battle ends and another begins – to keep hope alive. Now behind Nazi barbed wire and oppression, Cline and his fellow POW’s must find a way to bond together to not just survive but transcend their captivity. Inspired by true events. Director Adam Thomas Anderegg and Producer Russ Kendall scheduled to attend. “A Normal Life” U.S. Premiere, Narrative Feature, U.S. – Directed by Alex Herz A week away from leaving for his first year of college, Michael becomes concerned about his parents’ overprotective tendencies toward his little brother, who has Down syndrome. Director Alex Herz scheduled to attend. “The Best of All Worlds” U.S. Premiere, Narrative Feature, Austria – Directed by Adrian Goiginger The true story of a kid’s life in the unusual world of his heroin-addict mother and their love for each other. World premiere at Berlinale 2017. Director Adrian Goiginger scheduled to attend.

    AWARD CATEGORIES AND FINALISTS

    Set to award $100,000 in cash prizes, the 2017 Heartland Film Festival will announce all of its winners at the Oct. 21 GLOW: Awards Party at the Hi-Fi in Fountain Square. Categories and Finalists include:

    Narrative Feature Finalists

    ($25,000 Grand Prize, $1,000 per non-winning Finalist) “American Folk” – Directed by David Heinz “The Drawer Boy” – Directed by Arturo Pérez Torres “Instrument of War” – Directed by Adam Thomas Anderegg “La Soledad” – Directed by Jorge Thielen Armand “Red Dog: True Blue” – Directed by Kriv Stenders

    Documentary Feature Finalists

    ($25,000 Grand Prize, $1,000 per non-winning Finalist) “Dealt” – Directed by Luke Korem “Liyana” – Directed by Amanda Kopp and Aaron Kopp “Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry” – Directed by Laura Dunn and Jef Sewell “Purple Dreams” – Directed by Joanne Hock “True Conviction” – Directed by Jamie Meltzer

    Narrative Short Finalists

    ($5,000 Grand Prize, $500 per non-winning Finalist) “Across the Line” – Directed by Nadav Shlomo Giladi “The Cage” – Directed by Ricky Staub “The Devil is in the Details” – Directed by Fabien Gorgeart “If Everything Was Real” – Directed by Stephane Mounkassa and Stefan Sundin “Me and My Father” – Directed by Alek Pietrzak

    Documentary Short Finalists

    ($5,000 Grand Prize, $500 per non-winning Finalist) “Abstraction” – Directed by Jonathan Cipiti “Edges” – Directed by Katie Stjernholm and Jonathan Hiller “The Good Fight” – Directed by Ben Holman “Kachach, Above Zaatari” – Directed by Bruno Pieretti “Refugee” – Directed by Emily Moore and Joyce Chen

    Animated Short Finalists

    ($5,000 Grand Prize, $500 per non-winning Finalist) “After All” – Directed by Michael Cusack “And the Moon Stands Still” – Directed by Yulia Ruditskaya “The Full Story” – Directed by Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Wilder “In a Heartbeat” – Directed by Beth David and Esteban Bravo “The Wishing Jar” – Directed by Denver Jackson

    The Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award ($5,000 total award)

    The Jimmy Stewart Legacy Award will honor a single winner, selected from the Festival’s feature-length narrative and documentary titles. The winning film will best embody the ongoing legacy of actor and national hero Jimmy Stewart and will demonstrate the triumph of the human spirit through determination and the defiance of odds, humble vulnerability, and courage in the face of adversity. Made possible by a partnership with The Stewart Family. Summer White Lynch Memorial Award – High School Film Competition Grand Prize ($2,000 total award, underwritten by Gary D. & Marlene Cohen) Finalists include winners of the Narrative, Documentary, Indiana Narrative, and Indiana

    Documentary categories of the High School Film Competition:

    “Gifted [Thanksgiving Post Mortem]” Narrative Winner – Directed by Freddy Macdonald, Switzerland “Two of Five Million” Documentary Winner – Directed by Socs and DZ Zavitsanos, U.S. “Family Tradition” Indiana Narrative Winner – Directed by Khyler Runnels and Matt Jacobs of Fort Wayne, Ind. “Kara Deady: The Pole Vaulter” Indiana Documentary Winner – Directed by Justin Park of Carmel, Ind. Indiana Spotlight Award ($5,000 total award) U.S. or World Premiere titles in the Indiana Spotlight category qualify for the Indiana Spotlight award.

    Best Premiere Awards ($3,500 awards)

    One Narrative Feature and one Documentary Feature holding its U.S. or World Premiere will be eligible for Best Premiere Award consideration.

    Audience Choice Awards

    There will be one Audience Choice Award winner for the Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short categories.

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  • Berlinale 2017: Complete List of Awards – ON BODY AND SOUL Wins Golden Bear

    [caption id="attachment_20704" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Testről és lélekről On Body and Soul by Ildikó Enyedi On Body and Soul (Testről és lélekről) by Ildikó Enyedi[/caption] A slaughterhouse in Budapest is the setting of a strangely beautiful love story, the Hungarian film On Body and Soul by Ildikó Enyedi, crowned winner of the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival.  The film also is the winner of the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award.

    THE AWARDS OF THE 67th BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

    PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL JURY

    GOLDEN BEAR FOR BEST FILM (awarded to the film’s producer) Testről és lélekről On Body and Soul by Ildikó Enyedi SILVER BEAR GRAND JURY PRIZE Félicité by Alain Gomis SILVER BEAR ALFRED BAUER PRIZE for a feature film that opens new perspectives Pokot Spoor by Agnieszka Holland SILVER BEAR FOR BEST DIRECTOR Aki Kaurismäki for Toivon tuolla puolen (The Other Side of Hope/Die andere Seite der Hoffnung) SILVER BEAR FOR BEST ACTRESS Kim Minhee in Bamui haebyun-eoseo honja (On the Beach at Night Alone) by Hong Sangsoo SILVER BEAR FOR BEST ACTOR Georg Friedrich in Helle Nächte (Bright Nights) by Thomas Arslan SILVER BEAR FOR BEST SCREENPLAY Sebastián Lelio and Gonzalo Maza for Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) by Sebastián Lelio SILVER BEAR FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION in the categories camera, editing, music score, costume or set design Dana Bunescu for the editing in Ana, mon amour by Călin Peter Netzer

    GWFF BEST FIRST FEATURE AWARD

    GWFF BEST FIRST FEATURE AWARD Estiu 1993 Summer 1993 Sommer 1993 by Carla Simón

    GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD

    GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY AWARD Istiyad Ashbah Ghost Hunting by Raed Andoni

    PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM JURY

    GOLDEN BEAR FOR BEST SHORT FILM Cidade Pequena Small Town Kleine Stadt by Diogo Costa Amarante SILVER BEAR JURY PRIZE (SHORT FILM) Ensueño en la Pradera Reverie in the Meadow Träumerei in der Prärie by Esteban Arrangoiz Julien AUDI SHORT FILM AWARD Street of Death by Karam Ghossein SPECIAL MENTION Centauro Centaur Zentaur by Nicolás Suárez BERLIN SHORT FILM NOMINEE FOR THE EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS Os Humores Artificiais The Artificial Humors Die Künstlichen Humore by Gabriel Abrantes

    PRIZES OF THE JURIES GENERATION

    Children’s Jury Generation Kplus CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Film Piata loď Little Harbour Das fünfte Schiff by Iveta Grófová SPECIAL MENTION Amelie rennt Mountain Miracle — An Unexpected Friendship by Tobias Wiemann CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Short Film Promise Versprechen by Xie Tian SPECIAL MENTION Hedgehog’s Home Das Haus des Igels by Eva Cvijanovic

    International Jury Generation Kplus

    THE GRAND PRIX OF THE GENERATION KPLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best feature-length film Becoming Who I Was Werden wer ich war by Chang-Yong Moon and Jin Jeon tie Estiu 1993 Summer 1993 Sommer 1993 by Carla Simón THE SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE GENERATION KPLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best short film Aaba Grandfather Großvater by Amar Kaushik SPECIAL MENTION Sabaku by Marlies van der Wel

    Youth Jury Generation 14plus

    CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Film Butterfly Kisses by Rafael Kapelinski SPECIAL MENTION Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n’ont fait que se creuser un tombeau Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves by Mathieu Denis and Simon Lavoie CRYSTAL BEAR for the Best Short Film Wolfe by Claire Randall SPECIAL MENTION SNIP by Terril Calder

    International Jury Generation 14plus

    THE GRAND PRIX OF THE GENERATION 14PLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best feature-length film, Shkola nomer 3 School Number 3 by Yelizaveta Smith and Georg Genoux SPECIAL MENTION Ben Niao The Foolish Bird by Huang Ji and Ryuji Otsuka THE SPECIAL PRIZE OF THE GENERATION 14PLUS INTERNATIONAL JURY for the best short film, The Jungle Knows You Better Than You Do by Juanita Onzaga SPECIAL MENTION U Plavetnilo Into the Blue by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović

    PRIZES OF INDEPENDENT JURIES

    PRIZES OF THE ECUMENICAL JURY Competition Testről és lélekről (On Body and Soul) by Ildikó Enyedi Special Mention: Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) by Sebastián Lelio Panorama Tahqiq fel djenna (Investigating Paradise) by Merzak Allouache Special Mention: I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck Forum Maman Colonelle (Mama Colonel) by Dieudo Hamadi Special Mention: El mar la mar by Joshua Bonnetta and J.P. Sniadecki PRIZES OF THE FIPRESCI JURY Competition: Testről és lélekről (On Body and Soul) by Ildikó Enyedi Panorama: Pendular by Julia Murat Forum: Shu’our akbar min el hob (A Feeling Greater Than Love) by Mary Jirmanus Saba GUILD FILM PRIZE The Party by Sally Potter CICAE ART CINEMA AWARD Panorama: Centaur by Aktan Arym Kubat Forum: Newton by Amit V Masurkar LABEL EUROPA CINEMAS Insyriated by Philippe Van Leeuw TEDDY AWARD Best Feature Film: Una mujer fantástica (A Fantastic Woman) by Sebastián Lelio Best Documentary/Essay Film: Ri Chang Dui Hua (Small Talk) by Hui-chen Huang Best Short Film: Min Homosyster (My Gay Sister/Meine Homoschwester) by Lia Hietala Special Jury Award: Karera ga Honki de Amu toki wa (Close-Knit) by Naoko Ogigami Special Teddy Award: Monika Treut CALIGARI FILM PRIZE El mar la mar by Joshua Bonnetta and J.P. Sniadecki PEACE FILM PRIZE El Pacto de Adriana (Adriana’s Pact) by Lissette Orozco AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL FILM PRIZE La libertad del diablo (Devil’s Freedom) by Everardo González (Berlinale Special) HEINER CAROW PRIZE Fünf Sterne (Five Stars) by Annekatrin Hendel

    READERS’ JURIES AND AUDIENCE AWARD

    PANORAMA AUDIENCE AWARD Fiction Film Insyriated by Philippe Van Leeuw PANORAMA AUDIENCE AWARD Documentary Film I Am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck BERLINER MORGENPOST READERS’ JURY AWARD Testről és lélekről (On Body and Soul) by Ildikó Enyedi TAGESSPIEGEL READERS’ JURY AWARD Maman Colonelle (Mama Colonel) by Dieudo Hamadi HARVEY – MÄNNER READERS’ JURY AWARD God’s Own Country by Francis Lee

    DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

    COMPASS-PERSPEKTIVE-AWARD Die beste aller Welten (The Best Of All Worlds) by Adrian Goiginger Special Jury Prize: Final Stage by Nicolaas Schmidt KOMPAGNON-FELLOWSHIP System Crasher (Systemsprenger) by Nora Fingscheidt (Berlinale Talents 2017) Der grüne Wellensittich by Levin Peter and Elsa Kremser (Perspektive Deutsches Kino 2016) ARTE INTERNATIONAL PRIZE Lost Country by Vladimir Perišić (Serbia), produced by KinoElektron (France), MPM Film (France) and Trilema Films (Serbia) EURIMAGES CO-PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT AWARD Razor Film Produktion (Germany) for The Wife of the Pilot (Director: Anne Zohra Berrached) VFF TALENT HIGHLIGHT AWARD Producer Nefes Polat (Turkey) for The Bus to Amerika (Director: Derya Durmaz)

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  • Berlinale 2017: Adrian Goiginger’s THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS Wins Compass Perspektive Award for Best Film

    [caption id="attachment_20689" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger[/caption] Awarded for the first time this year and endowed with EUR 5,000, The Best of All Worlds (Die Beste aller Welten) by Adrian Goiginger is the winner of the 2017 Compass Perspektive Award for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The jury members watched the 14 films in the Berlinale’s Perspektive Deutsches Kino section, and after debating passionately, they picked their favorite – The Best of All Worlds. The jury commented, “The film is the story of seven-year-old Adrian, who lives in 1990s Salzburg with a heroin-addicted, but loving mother and her friends. His life is like an adventure playground – until both child services and the brutal reality of drug addiction threaten to destroy his world.” Director Adrian Goiginger’s film is based on his own childhood and is a disturbingly realistic portrayal of the seemingly hopeless battle between maternal love and addiction. Goiginger leaves open to interpretation whether it is the drug itself, or society’s way of dealing with it, that presents a greater threat to the child protagonist. With his sensitive direction of a brilliant ensemble cast, the film is touching without becoming kitschy; the unpretentious cinematography gets under your skin without being voyeuristic. The jury also spontaneously awarded a “special jury prize” to Final Stage directed by Nicolaas Schmidt. The jury commented, “Final Stage by Nicolaas Schmidt is an experiment in essayistic montage set in an urban consumer space. It comprises three sequences – separation, pain and reunion. The film turns cinema into an interactive space, in which the audience’s associations become the narrative. With this prize, we want to encourage young filmmakers to take structural-technical risks.”

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