EIGHTH GRADE[/caption]
The HUMANITAS Prize which honors film and television writers whose work inspires compassion, hope, and understanding in the human family, has named fifty-eight film and television writers as finalists for the 44th Annual HUMANITAS Prize. All Prize winners will be announced at The 44th Annual HUMANITAS Prize event on Friday, February 8, 2019 at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
Six college students have also been named as finalists for The David and Lynn Angell College Comedy Fellowship and The Carol Mendelsohn College Drama Fellowship. The winning writers in each category will be awarded $20,000 in prize money.
HUMANITAS will also honor Marta Kauffman with The Kieser Award and Kenya Barris with the VOICE FOR CHANGE Award.
Marta Kauffman is a critically acclaimed writer/director/producer. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series for Friends, a series she co-created. She also co-created HBO’s Dream On, was the co-producer for NBC’s Veronica’s Closet, and is the co-creator of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie.
Kenya Barris is also a critically acclaimed writer/producer and the creator of ABC’s Black-ish and Grown-ish. He won The HUMANITAS Prize for Black-Ish: “Hope” in 2017. He won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series in 2016/17. He has received three nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Since its inception in 1974, The HUMANITAS Prize has awarded over $3.5 million to more than 360 deserving television and motion picture writers whose work examines what it means to be a fully realized human being in a world struggling with racism, terrorism, sexism, ageism, anti-Semitism, political polarization, religious fanaticism, extreme poverty, violence, and unemployment. By deeply exploring the cultures, lifestyles, sexual orientations, political views, and religious beliefs of people who are very different from ourselves, we can dissolve the walls of ignorance and fear that separate us from one another.
All winners, except for those in the Independent Feature Film and College Fellowship categories, designate a non-profit focused on nurturing the next generation of writers to receive their earnings. Past recipients have included Young Storytellers, Film2Future, P.S. Arts, The Heidelberg Project, Rosie’s Theatre Kids, International Documentary Association, and Inside Out Writers.
“HUMANITAS enjoyed an embarrassment of riches this year,” said HUMANITAS President Ali LeRoi, “There were so many incredible submissions from such gifted writers.”
The Price of Free
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EIGHTH GRADE, THE RIDER, TRANSMILITARY Among Finalists for 44th HUMANITAS Prize
[caption id="attachment_27753" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] EIGHTH GRADE[/caption]
The HUMANITAS Prize which honors film and television writers whose work inspires compassion, hope, and understanding in the human family, has named fifty-eight film and television writers as finalists for the 44th Annual HUMANITAS Prize. All Prize winners will be announced at The 44th Annual HUMANITAS Prize event on Friday, February 8, 2019 at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
Six college students have also been named as finalists for The David and Lynn Angell College Comedy Fellowship and The Carol Mendelsohn College Drama Fellowship. The winning writers in each category will be awarded $20,000 in prize money.
HUMANITAS will also honor Marta Kauffman with The Kieser Award and Kenya Barris with the VOICE FOR CHANGE Award.
Marta Kauffman is a critically acclaimed writer/director/producer. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series for Friends, a series she co-created. She also co-created HBO’s Dream On, was the co-producer for NBC’s Veronica’s Closet, and is the co-creator of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie.
Kenya Barris is also a critically acclaimed writer/producer and the creator of ABC’s Black-ish and Grown-ish. He won The HUMANITAS Prize for Black-Ish: “Hope” in 2017. He won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series in 2016/17. He has received three nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Since its inception in 1974, The HUMANITAS Prize has awarded over $3.5 million to more than 360 deserving television and motion picture writers whose work examines what it means to be a fully realized human being in a world struggling with racism, terrorism, sexism, ageism, anti-Semitism, political polarization, religious fanaticism, extreme poverty, violence, and unemployment. By deeply exploring the cultures, lifestyles, sexual orientations, political views, and religious beliefs of people who are very different from ourselves, we can dissolve the walls of ignorance and fear that separate us from one another.
All winners, except for those in the Independent Feature Film and College Fellowship categories, designate a non-profit focused on nurturing the next generation of writers to receive their earnings. Past recipients have included Young Storytellers, Film2Future, P.S. Arts, The Heidelberg Project, Rosie’s Theatre Kids, International Documentary Association, and Inside Out Writers.
“HUMANITAS enjoyed an embarrassment of riches this year,” said HUMANITAS President Ali LeRoi, “There were so many incredible submissions from such gifted writers.”
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165 Films Documentary Feature Films Submitted for 2018 Oscar Race
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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”
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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”
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Napa Valley Film Festival Announces 2018 Film Line-Up
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Green Book[/caption]
The Napa Valley Film Festival returns this fall with its five-day festival showcasing the year’s best new independent films from November 7 to 11 in Napa, California. The eighth edition of the Festival will kick off with the Sneak Preview Night on Tuesday, November 6 with a special presentation of The Front Runner, directed by Jason Reitman and starring Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons and Alfred Molina. The film is the story of American Senator Gary Hart’s presidential campaign in 1988 as it is derailed when he is caught in a scandalous love affair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAOYDcnVx6E
The festival’s official Opening Night film on Wednesday, November 7 is Green Book, directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and Linda Cardellini. In the film, Tony Lip (Mortensen), a bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley (Ali), a world-class Black pianist, on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on “The Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for African-Americans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkZxoko_HC0&t=3s
Closing the festival on Sunday, November 11 is HBO Films’ Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind. Directed by Marina Zenovich, the documentary gives an intimate look into the life and work of the revered master comedian and actor, Robin Williams.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caIFNg_JRL4
CELEBRITY TRIBUTES
Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix, Ant-Man and the Wasp) will receive this year’s Charles Krug “Legendary Actor” honor at this year’s Celebrity Tributes program that salutes the highest levels of cinematic achievement. The Celebrity Tributes program will take place on Thursday, November 8 at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville, and will include video highlight reels and intimate on-stage conversations with Access Hollywood’s Natalie Morales. Additional honorees will be announced in the coming weeks. In addition, NVFF will be honoring the esteemed alumni of The Groundlings Theatre and School with the Miner Family Winery “Legacy Ensemble” award on Friday, November 9. Accepting on behalf of The Groundlings are Stephanie Courtney (Progressive Insurance’s Flo), Taran Killam (Saturday Night Live, Single Parents), Laraine Newman (Saturday Night Live, Coneheads), Cheri Oteri (Saturday Night Live, Scary Movie) and Julia Sweeney (Saturday Night Live, It’s Pat). Later that evening, Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own) will be honored with the Davis Estates “Visionary Tribute” following a screening of the documentary This Changes Everything. The second annual Rising Star Showcase presented by Materra | Cunat Family Vineyards on Saturday, November 10 will honor a handful of young talent including Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story, The Nun), Billy Magnussen (Maniac, Game Night), Camila Mendes (Riverdale, The New Romantic), Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel, Maze Runner: The Death Cure), Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One, X-Men: Dark Phoenix) and Alexandra Shipp (Love, Simon, X-Men: Dark Phoenix).AWARD SEASON CONTENDERS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A Private War (Aviron Pictures) – One of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time, Marie Colvin is an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontline of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless. Directed by Matthew Heineman and starring Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan, Stanley Tucci and Tom Hollander. At Eternity’s Gate (CBS Films) – A look at the life of painter Vincent van Gogh during the time he lived in Aries and Auvers-sur-Oise, France. Directed by Julian Schnabel and starring Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen and Oscar Isaac. Capernaum (Sony Pictures Classics) – Capernaum tells the story of Zain, a Lebanese boy who sues his parents for the “crime” of giving him life. Directed by Nadine Labaki and starring Michel Merkt and Khaled Mouzanar. Devil’s Garden – Devil’s Garden is a national forest treasure in the far northeast corner of California, and home to the last sustainable herd of wild horses in this state. However, they are in danger of becoming completely wiped away because of profit taking entities on our public lands. Directed by Victoria Bergqvist and Scott Powers. Do You Trust This Computer? – Do You Trust This Computer? explores the promises and perils of our new era. Will A.I. usher in an age of unprecedented potential, or prove to be our final invention? Directed by Chris Paine. High-Sensitive Youth in the Horse-Heart-Space – What happens when adopted and foster children and rescued horses, cast off by their owners, meet? This documentary explores the friendship between two beings so different and yet so alike. A friendship where both sides long to connect their heart-space. Directed by Jolanda Ellenberger. Never Look Away (Sony Pictures Classics) – German artist Kurt Barnert has escaped East Germany and now lives in West Germany but is tormented by his childhood under the Nazis and the GDR-regime. Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and starring Tom Schilling, Sebastian Koch and Paula Beer. Pick of the Litter (IFC) – Pick of the Litter follows a litter of puppies from the moment they’re born and begin their quest to become guide dogs for the blind. Directed by Don Hardy Jr. and Dana Nachman. Sharkwater Extinction – Sharkwater Extinction is a thrilling, action adventure journey that follows filmmaker Rob Stewart as he exposes the billion-dollar illegal shark fin industry and the political corruption behind it. Directed by Rob Stewart. Sgt Stubby: An American Hero (Fun Academy Motion Pictures) – The true story of a stray dog who joins his new master on the battlefields of the First World War. For his valorous actions, Sgt. Stubby is still recognized as the most decorated dog in American history. Directed by Richard Lanni and starring Logan Lerman, Helena Bonham Carter and Gerard Depardieu. The Biggest Little Farm (Neon) – Documentarian John Chester and his wife Molly work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles. Directed by John Chester. Uncrushable – Uncrushable tells the story of the Northern California fires through the eyes of those most affected in the area. Victims who lost homes or businesses, first responders, chefs and winemakers share their harrowing accounts throughout the film, as a fallen community begins to rebuild through the amazing help of its neighbors, chefs and friends. Directed by Tyler Florence. Valley of the Boom (National Geographic Channel) – A look at the tech boom of the 1990s in Silicon Valley. Directed by Matthew Carnahan, produced by Arianna Huffington and starring Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn and Lamorne Morris. Vox Lux (Neon) – An unusual set of circumstances brings unexpected success to a pop star. Directed by Brady Corbet and starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Willem Dafoe. Wheelman (Netflix) – A getaway driver for a bank robbery realizes he has been double crossed and races to find out who betrayed him. Directed by Jeremy Rush and starring Frank Grillo. The rest of the NVFF film line-up is as follows:Narrative Features:
Are You Glad I’m Here, Directed by Noor Gharzeddine Ask For Jane, Directed by Rachel Carey Cold Brook, Directed by William Fichtner Grace, Directed by Devin Adair Only Humans, Directed by Vanessa Knutsen Spare Room, Directed by Jenica Bergere Tomorrow, Directed by Martha Pinson When We Grow Up, Directed by Zorinah Juan You Can Choose Your Family, Directed by Miranda BaileyDocumentary Features:
A Fatherless Generation, Directed by Nathan Cheney Afghan Cycles, Directed by Sarah Menzies Cancer Rebellion, Directed by Hernan Barangan (World Premiere) Father’s Kingdom, Directed by Lenny Feinberg General Magic, Directed by Matthew Maude and Sarah Kerruish The Interpreters, Directed by Sofian Khan and Andres Caballero The Trouble with Wolves, Directed by Collin Monda TransMilitary, Directed by Gabriel Silverman, Co-Directed by Fiona Dawson Up to Snuff, Directed by Mark MaxeyVerge
Madness, Farewell, Directed by Benjamin Font (World Premiere) Ordinary Days, Directed by Jordan Canning, Kris Booth and Renuka Jeyapalan Ride, Directed by Alex Ranarivelo Summer ‘03, Directed by Becca Gleason The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova, Directed by Zack Bernbaum The Long Dumb Road, Directed by Hannah Fidell Thunder Road, Directed by Jim Cummings We Are Boats, Directed by James Bird (North American Premiere) White Tide: The Legend of Culebra, Directed by Theo LoveDocumentary Showcase
Accidental Climber, Directed by Steven Oritt (World Premiere) Bias, Directed by Robin Hauser Hesburgh, Directed by Patrick Creadon Hurley, Directed by Derek Dodge Life in the Doghouse, Directed by Ron Davis My Indiana Muse, Directed by Ric Serena and Jennifer Serena On My Way Out: The Secret Life of Nani and Popi, Directed by Brandon Gross and Skyler Gross Science Fair, Directed by Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster The Price of Free, Directed by Derek Doneen The Things We Keep, Directed by Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman (North American Premiere) This Changes Everything, Directed by Tom Donahue Turning Point, Directed by James Keach Unlikely, Directed by Jaye Fenderson and Adam Fenderson (World Premiere)Food & Beverage Spotlight
Agave: Spirit of a Nation, Directed by Nick Kovacic and Matthew Riggieri Brewmaster, Directed by Douglas Tirola Hiro’s Table, Directed by Lynn Hamrick (World Premiere) Soufra, Directed by Tomas Morgan ULAM: Main Dish, Directed by Alexandra Cuerdo The festival will also feature Short Film Programs with 16 Narrative Shorts and 16 Documentary Shorts.