• “Sleeping with Other People” to Open “I Am Michael” to Close Lineup for 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival

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    Sleeping With Other People, directed and written by Leslye Headland. The 2015 Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) running June 17 to 21, 2015, in Provincetown, Massachusetts will open with Leslye Headland’s SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE (pictured above), and close with I AM MICHAEL, directed by Justin Kelly. Spotlight Films are James Ponsoldt’s THE END OF THE TOUR, Paul Weitz’s GRANDMA and Jeffrey Schwartz’s TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL.  The Festival also unveiled its lineup of narrative and documentary features for its 17th edition. “The independent filmmaking community continues to produce remarkably high quality work, here and abroad, and our feature lineup is a testament to that!” said Connie White, Artistic Director of PIFF. “We are thrilled to welcome these new films and filmmakers to Provincetown in June, and we know that filmgoers will be engaged and entertained by these adventurous, thought-provoking and accomplished films.” The complete lineup of feature films is below. OPENING NIGHT SELECTION SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE – directed by Leslye Headland CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION I AM MICHAEL – directed by Justin Kelly SPOTLIGHT SELECTIONS THE END OF THE TOUR – directed by James Ponsoldt GRANDMA – directed by Paul Weitz TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL  – directed by Jeffrey Schwartz NARRATIVE FEATURES 99 HOMES – directed by Ramin Bahrani BEATBOX – directed by Andrew Dresher BREATHE – directed by Mélanie Laurent FRESNO – directed by Jamie Babbit FUNNY BUNNY – directed by Alison Bagnall LEARNING TO DRIVE – directed by Isabel Coixet A LITTLE CHAOS – directed by Alan Rickman MEET ME IN MONTENEGRO – directed by Alex Holdridge and Linnea Saasen NASTY BABY – directed by Sebastián Silva THE NEW GIRLFRIEND – directed by François Ozon PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS – directed by James C. Strouse RADIATOR – directed by Tom Browne THE SECOND MOTHER – directed by Anna Muylaert SHAUN THE SHEEP – directed by Mark Burton and Richard Starzak THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT – directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE – directed by Alanté Kavaïté TANGERINE – directed by Sean Baker TEN THOUSAND SAINTS – directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini THOSE PEOPLE – directed by Joey Kuhn TIRED MOONLIGHT – directed by Britni West WILDLIKE – directed by Frank Hall Green YOSEMITE – directed by Gabrielle Demeestere DOCUMENTARY FEATURES ALENTEJO, ALENTEJO – directed by Sérgio Tréfaut THE ARMOR OF LIGHT – directed by Abigail E. Disney BEST OF ENEMIES – directed by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville THE BIRTH OF SAKÉ – directed by Erik Shirai CALL ME LUCKY – directed by Bobcat Goldthwait CITY OF GOLD – directed by Laura Gabbert CLAMBAKE – directed by Andrea Meyerson DANNY SAYS – directed by Brendan Toller DO I SOUND GAY? – directed by David Thorpe HARRY & SNOWMAN – directed by Ron Davis IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE – directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg LARRY KRAMER IN LOVE AND ANGER – directed by Jean Carlomusto LISTEN TO ME MARLON – directed by Stevan Riley LIVE FROM NEW YORK! – directed by Bao Nguyen LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS – directed by Laurie Kahn-Leavitt OUT TO WIN – directed by Malcolm Ingram OUTERMOST RADIO – directed by Alan Chebot PACKED IN A TRUNK: THE LOST ART OF EDITH LAKE WILKINSON – directed by Michelle Boyaner PEGGY GUGGENHEIM: ART ADDICT – directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland THE STATE OF MARRIAGE – directed by Jeffrey Kaufman THE WOLFPACK – directed by Crystal Moselle

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  • 2015 Brooklyn Film Festival Reveals Lineup, and World Premiere of Ryan Carmichael’s But Not For Me

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    But Not for Me, Ryan Carmichael

    The 18th edition of the Brooklyn Film Festival film lineup will comprise of 108 features and shorts from 26 countries spread over 5 continents and of these, 17 are world premieres and 30 US premieres, with Ryan Carmichael’s But Not For Me as the lone narrative feature world premiere. This New York City film stars Marcus Carl Franklin, Elena Urioste, Maria Vermeulen and Roger Guenveur Smith.

    In addition to But Not For Me, BFF films with a NYC connection include Matthew Yeager’s US premiere Valedictorian, starring Brian Dell, Jennifer Prediger and Eleonore Hendricks; Onur Turkel’s Abby Singer/Songwriter , also starring Prediger, along with Turkel and Josephine Decker, Harvey Mitkas’ Devil Town, starring Lindsay Burdge, Alex Karpovsky, Lawrence Michael Levine, Jennifer Prediger (no, we’re not kidding), Sophia Takal, Brooke Bloom, Noah Gershman, Jen Kim, Alex Ross Perry and Caveh Zahedi; Alison Bagnall’s Funny Bunny, starring Kentucker Audley, Joslyn Jensen, Olly Alexander, Louis Cancelmi, Josephine Decker, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Grace Gonglewski, Caridad de la Luz and Nicholas Webber; Frank Hall Green’s  Wildlike, starring Ella Purnell, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Teddy Kyle Smith, Nolan Gerard Funk, Ann Dowd, Diane Farr, Joshua Leonard, and Jack & Robert Schurman’s documentary Wild Home.

    Special events during the fest include the 11th annual KidsFilmFest 2015 on Saturday, May 30th at the Made in NY Media Center by IFP; the Filmmakers Party on  June 3rd at Billet & Bellows; the BFF Exchange series of panels and a pitch session on June 6th; “The Illuminate Party,” also on  June 6th, and the June 7th Awards Ceremony.

    Main BFF venues are the Wythe Hotel and Windmill Studios in Greenpoint. Satellite locations include Nitehawk Cinema in Williamsburg, Made in New York Media Center By IFP in Dumbo, and BRIC House in Fort Greene.

    The complete Feature lineup for the 2015 Brooklyn Film Festival is as follows. Winners of the various festival awards as chosen by the fest juries and Board of Directors receive a total of $50,000 in prizes and film services from festival sponsors Panavision NY, Abelcine, Xeno Lights, Media Services, Film Friends, Mik Cribben Steady-Cam, Cinecall Soundtracks and Windmill Studios.

     Opening Night

    Manson Family Vacation Director: J. Davis – Two brothers (Jay Duplass and Linas Phillips) reunite when the more free-spirited brother shows up at the other’s door with nothing but a backpack. Together, they get to know each other again while touring the sites of Charles Manson’s exploits and exploring Manson’s contemporary life. EAST COAST PREMIERE

     Narrative Features

    Abby Singer/Songwriter Director: Onur Tukel – Divorced stockbroker Jamie Block was once an indie-rock star. Going through a life crisis, he teams up with a filmmaker to make a series of music videos in this trippy, funny film. EAST COAST PREMIERE

     But Not for Me Director: Ryan Carmichael – Will is a young writer working at an ad agency as a copywriter. Like many others his age, he is hiding his true passion for philosophy and music and holding back his true thoughts, until a relationship with a young woman inspires him. WORLD PREMIERE

     Devil Town Director: Harvey Mitkas – A young woman enlists a shady detective to help her find her missing sister in this neo-noir with a cast of indie film favorites.

     Eadweard Director: Kyle Rideout – A psychological biopic that explores the mind of Eadweard Muybridge, the godfather of cinema, who was also the last American to receive a justifiable homicide verdict after killing his wife’s lover. EAST COAST PREMIERE

     Funny Bunny Director: Alison Bagnall – A young canvasser and a loner teenager who is estranged from his parents go on a journey to meet Ginger, the animal activist with whom the teen has developed an online relationship. EAST COAST PREMIERE

     God Bless the Child Directors: Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck – In this beautifully realized observational narrative, Harper, the oldest of five siblings, must take care of her siblings. EAST COAST PREMIERE

     Inferno Director: Vinko Moderndorfer – In this Slovenian realist drama, young working class family must deal with the struggles of unemployment while the global economy crumbles and local labor rebels. EAST COAST PREMIERE

    Sweaty Betty Directors: Joe Frank and Zachary Reed – Two stories come out of the row houses on the border of Washington, D.C. — a pig, Ms. Charlotte, is carted around, vying for a chance to be a team mascot for the Washington Redskins; and two teenage best friends come into ownership of a dog that they attempt to sell. EAST COAST PREMIERE

    Valedictorian Director: Matthew Yeager – Ben feels less and less in touch with his life in New York City, and over a year, he must confront the connections — or lack thereof — he feels with those he considers close. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

    Wildlike Director: Frank Hall Green – When teenage Mackenzie is sent to live with her uncle in Juneau, Alaska, she knows it’s not right for her. Shortly after arriving, she embarks on a journey headed south to find her mother.

    Documentary Features

    20 Years of Madness Director: Jeremy Royce – The founder of a mid-90’s Public Access TV show in Detroit reunites the cast twenty years later to make a new episode and discovers that his friends and former collaborators are struggling with the hard realities of adulthood.

     Chameleon Director: Ryan Mullins – The elusive undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas is one of Ghana’s most popular figures. Though the charismatic investigator has named and shamed various high profile malfeasants, his identity remains hidden. U.S. PREMIERE

     Deep Web Director: Alex Winter – Thirty-year-old entrepreneur Ross William Ulbricht has been convicted for operating the online black market Silk Road. This comprehensive documentary tracks the history of the site and the vigorously pursued case against Ulbricht.

     Frame by Frame Directors: Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli – Photography was outlawed in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan; however, with the fall of the Taliban, photographers have been key documenters of the changing nation.

     Help Us Find Sunil Tripathi Director: Neal Broffman – Four weeks after disappearing from his apartment as a student at Brown University, Sunil Tripathi was accused of being Suspect #2 in the Boston Marathon bombings. The false accusations disrupted his family, steadfastly working with his friends to find him.

     I Am Thor Director: Ryan Wise – Jon Mikl Thor was a bodybuilder, steel gender, and rock star in the 70’s and 80’s who led the theatrical band THOR. Today, he seeks to reclaim his mantle as a high-energy rock star. EAST COAST PREMIERE

     Paradiso Director: Omar A. Razzak – Projectionist Rafael works hard to tidy up and maintain Madrid’s last remaining adult movie theater, Duque de Alba. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

     Placebo Director: Abhay Kumar – One of the most competitive medical schools, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has an acceptance rate of less than 0.1%. The high academic standards leave a harsh toll on the students. U.S. PREMIERE

     We Were Rebels Directors: Katharina von Schroeder and Florian Schewe – Agel took up arms when he was ten to participate in the fight for an independent South Sudan. After leaving the conflict, Agel has returned to an independent South Sudan, where he is the captain of the national basketball team and worries over the young nation’s fragile democracy.

     Wild Home Directors: Jack Schurman and Robert Schurman – Deep in the woods of Maine, Bob Miner, a Vietnam Veteran rehabilitates abused and abandoned animals. He and his wife have built a kingdom for lions, tigers, hyenas, kangaroos, black bears, and over 200 other species of animals that attracts a diverse set of visitors.

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  • 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival Unveils Program Lineup

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    Ewan McGregor, LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT The 69th edition of Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) which runs from June 17 to 28, unveiled its program lineup, which showcases 164 features from 36 countries, including 24 World Premieres, 8 International Premieres, 16 European Premieres, 84 UK Premieres and 2 Scottish Premieres. The 2015 Edinburgh International Film Festival boasts 134 new features, with highlights including the UK premiere of Asif Kapadia’s striking documentary AMY, about the life of music legend Amy Winehouse; the latest Disney-Pixar animated sensation INSIDE OUT, screening as the Festival’s Family Gala; Arnold Schwarzenegger as a tormented father tending his zombie daughter in MAGGIE; Andrew Mogel & Jarrad Paul’s THE D-TRAIN, starring Jack Black and James Marsden; while John Cusack and Paul Dano play different aged versions of Beach Boys legend Brian Walker in masterful music film LOVE & MERCY. This year’s EIFF will also be presenting a series of In-Person events, which will see names from the world of film interviewed live on stage at the Festival, including local hero Ewan McGregor, who will attend with his new film LAST DAYS IN THE DESERT (pictured above); Jane Seymour and Malcolm McDowell, both in Edinburgh for their starring roles in BEREAVE; cult Hong-Kong director Johnnie To, with his accompanying feature EXILED (supported by Create Hong Kong and Hong Kong Film Development Fund; and Brand Hong Kong and Hong Kong Economic Trade Office), and EIFF Honorary Patron Seamus McGarvey who returns with his cinematography ‘In Conversation’ series with two-time Academy Award® winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler. British films in competition for the Michael Powell Award (for Best British Feature Film and Best Performance in a British Feature Film) include 10 World Premieres and 3 UK Premieres. Among the contenders are Andrew Haigh’s beautiful portrait of a fractured relationship, 45 YEARS, with award-winning performances from Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay; relationship comedy BLACK MOUNTAIN POETS from Jamie Adams which was shot in just five days on the Black Mountains of Wales; Joseph Bull and Luke Seomore’s BLOOD CELLS about a farmer’s son and his nomadic lifestyle which he is forced to leave behind; the World Premiere of clever and complex sci-fi thriller BRAND NEW-U from acclaimed documentary-maker Simon Pummell; Jake Gavin’s HECTOR starring Peter Mullan as an affable homeless man; Martin Radich’s NORFOLK, a haunting and atmospheric film starring Denis Ménochet; Steven Nesbit’s Romeo and Juliet style drama NORTH v SOUTH starring Greta Scacchi, Steven Berkoff and Bernard Hill; BAFTA-Scotland award-winner Colin Kennedy’s directorial debut feature SWUNG; Jane Linfoot’s powerful psychological drama THE INCIDENT, which also receives its World Premiere, starring Ruta Gedmintas and Tom Hughes as a young couple whose comfortable life is disrupted when a troubled teenage girls enters their life and Ludwig and Paul Shammasian’s THE PYRAMID TEXTS starring James Cosmo, plus author Helen Walsh’s debut as writer/director, THE VIOLATORS, which follows two young girls from radically different backgrounds who meet and set off on a course which has profound implications. THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMSON, EIFF Honorary Patron Robert Carlyle’s directorial debut and the Festival’s Opening Gala, and IONA, Scott Graham’s striking family drama and the Closing Night Gala are also in contention for the Michael Powell Award. The International Feature Film Competition highlights filmmaking from around the world that is imaginative, innovative and deserving of wider recognition. This selection includes World Premiere LEN AND COMPANY from Tim Godsall; Rick Famuyiwa’s coming of age tale for the post hip-hop generation DOPE; Oliver Hirschbiegel’s tense World War II drama 13 MINUTES; I STAY WITH YOU by Artemio Narro, provocatively addressing the notions of power and control; and Niki Karimi’s enthralling drama NIGHT SHIFT. The UK Premiere of Marielle Heller’s THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL stars rising star Bel Powley, Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård; Doze Niu Chen-Zer’s PARADISE IN SERVICE, a non-judgemental portrait of life in a military-run Taiwanese brothel; YOU’RE UGLY TOO, from Irish director Mark Noonan; Ole Giæver and Marte Vold’s OUT OF NATURE, set in the great Norwegian outdoors; 600 MILES, a moody crime thriller from Mexican director Gabriel Ripstein starring Tim Roth; THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT from former EIFF Award Winner Kyle Patrick Alvarez, examining a psychology professor’s experiment gone wrong, and MANSON FAMILY VACATION, a boldly original look at family relationships from J Davis, round out the International Feature Film Competition. This year’s Festival hosts the Award for Best Documentary Feature Film, as well as introducing ‘Doc of the Day’, with each featured film supported by an associated event. Documentaries from around the globe include PROPHET’S PREY from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg, looking at the megalomaniacal leader of a fundamentalist church; Tiller Russell’s gripping PRECINCT SEVEN FIVE examining police corruption out of control; Marah Strauch’s vertiginous tribute to founding father of BASE jumping Carl Boenish SUNSHINE SUPERMAN; Ross Sutherland’s STAND BY FOR TAPE BACK-UP, based on his live Edinburgh Fringe show in 2014; and the World Premiere of WHEN ELEPHANTS FIGHT, an eye-opening spotlight on Britain’s ties to the illicit trade in Congolese conflict minerals, directed by Michael Ramsdell. Included in the line-up are Crystal Moselle’s Sundance sensation THE WOLFPACK, documenting an extraordinary family of film lovers who rarely leave their Manhattan home; ABOVE AND BELOW, a dazzling portrait of existence lived on the fringes of American society, directed by Nicolas Steiner; Ilinca Calugareanu’s CHUCK NORRIS vs COMMUNISM, which charts an opportunistic hustler creating a videotheque resistance in the face of 1980s Romanian communism; Damon Gameau’s devastating look at our everyday inadvertent sugar intake in THAT SUGAR FILM; and DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON by Douglas Tirola. Rounding out the Documentaries, including those announced previously, are David Nicholas Wilkinson’s enthralling journey into the origins of cinema THE FIRST FILM; a delve into the delights of sherry in José Luis López-Linares’ SHERRY & THE MYSTERY OF PALO CORTADO; Paul Goodwin’s entertaining look at the British sci-fi comic institution FUTURE SHOCK! THE STORY OF 2000AD; a love song to the rip-off Turkish pop cinema of the 60’s and 70’s REMAKE, REMIX, RIP-OFF directed by Cem Kaya; an insight into the Bedouin traditions of camel pageants and auctions, with one woman breaking taboos in NEARBY SKY by Nujoom Alghanem; THE IRON MINISTRY’s engrossing portrait of China’s railways by JP Sniadecki; Kevin Pollack’s ode what makes comedians tick in MISERY LOVES COMEDY, and the topical and enthralling THE NEWSROOM – OFF THE RECORD directed by Mikala Krogh. Also screening in the Documentary strand are Asif Kapadia’s critically acclaimed AMY and Grant McPhee’s BIG GOLD DREAM: SCOTTISH POST-PUNK AND INFILTRATING THE MAINSTREAM. EIFF will also host the World Premiere of the English-language version of UNDER MILK WOOD from Kevin Allen, a beautiful film adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ iconic classic starring Rhys Ifans and Charlotte Church and a contender for EIFF’s Audience Award. Other Audience Award nominees include Jon Watts’ thrilling COP CAR starring Kevin Bacon who plays a sheriff with plenty to hide and Patrick Brice’s smart and funny sex comedy THE OVERNIGHT starring Jason Schwartzman and Taylor Schilling; DESERT DANCER starring Reece Ritchie and Freida Pinto in the truly inspirational story of choreographer Afshin Ghaffarian; the World Premiere of actress Talulah Riley’s debut as writer/director, SCOTTISH MUSSEL; David Blair’s supernatural thriller THE MESSENGER and Isabel Coixet’s LEARNING TO DRIVE starring Patricia Clarkson and Sir Ben Kingsley. Also nominated for The Audience Award are THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL, AMY, BIG GOLD DREAM: SCOTTISH POST-PUNK AND INFILTRATING THE MAINSTREAM, YOU’RE UGLY TOO and THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT. The American Dreams strand looks at the very best new works from American independent cinema and showcases an exciting and varied group of films. Highlights include Gina Prince-Bythewood’s enthralling musical melodrama BEYOND THE LIGHTS starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Minnie Driver and Danny Glover and the UK Premiere of FRANNY starring Dakota Fanning, Theo James and featuring a powerhouse performance from Richard Gere as a billionaire philanthropist. European Premieres include WELCOME TO ME starring Kristen Wiig who delivers a hilarious and outstanding performance as Alice Klieg, a woman with borderline personality disorder, and Jamie Babbit’s dark comedy about the life of a sex addict in FRESNO. Additional films include Alex Holdridge and Linnea Saasen’s comedy-romance MEET ME IN MONTENEGRO in which they also star alongside Rupert Friend; road trip drama THE ROAD WITHIN starring Robert Sheehan, Dev Patel and Zoe Kravitz and Leslye Headland’s hilarious SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE with Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie and Adam Scott, all of which receive their UK Premieres at the Festival. A selection of new works from some of the world’s finest and established directors, Directors’ Showcase includes David Gordon Green’s tale of loneliness and longing, MANGLEHORN, with Al Pacino and Holly Hunter; Amy Berg’s gritty crime story EVERY SECRET THING starring Diane Lane and Elizabeth Banks; Peter Bogdanovich’s old fashioned sex comedy SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY, plus Masaharu Take’s award-winning story of a young Japanese woman who morphs in to a boxer in 100 YEN LOVE and Nobuhiro Yamashita’s quirky offbeat romantic comedy LA LA LA AT ROCK BOTTOM. Night Moves, a journey into the dark, thrilling and chilling side of cinema is guaranteed to delight horror fans with a selection of edge-of-your-seat cinematic gems. Feature films include multi-award winning director Bruce McDonald’s horrifying tale of evil trick-or-treaters, HELLIONS; Corin Hardy’s brilliantly terrifying debut feature THE HALLOW which screens in partnership with Scotland’s award-winning Horror festival, Dead by Dawn; Hungarian director Károly Ujj Meszáros’ fantasy film LIZA, THE FOX-FAIRY, and the World Premiere of British director Justin Trefgarne’s NARCOPOLIS starring Elliot Cowan as a troubled cop. All late night screenings will take place at EIFF HQ in Filmhouse where audiences can mingle with Festival guests, and enjoy late night food, and specially themed events until 3am every evening of the Festival. The Young and The Wild strand is brought to the Festival by EIFF’s intrepid Young Programmers, aged 15-19, who have selected the finest international shorts and features exploring the lives and issues of young people from around the world. Films include THE SISTERHOOD OF NIGHT, a compelling twist on teen fantasy as one girl’s lie leads to a small American town becoming the scene of a modern-day Salem Witch Trial, and inspiring documentary PIRATES OF SALÉ which follows four young performers in Morocco as they join the country’s first professional circus, plus a selection of Shorts. The FilmFest Junior strand is chosen for young audiences and includes exciting family film PAPER PLANES about a boy who wants to enter the world of junior paper planes championship and LABYRINTHUS, one for the gaming enthusiasts, which tells the story of a boy’s friends who are trapped inside a computer game. The New Perspectives strand offers exciting and challenging new works from talented and emerging filmmakers, including the International Premieres of INDEX ZERO by Italian filmmaker Lorenzo Sportiello, about a couple struggling to stay together in a futuristic Europe, and Emily Ting’s IT’S ALREADY TOMORROW IN HONG KONG, a Before Sunset-style romance set on the streets of Hong Kong. UK Premieres include touching and atmospheric romance SAND DOLLARS by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas; MELBOURNE, a gripping domestic drama set within a Tehran apartment by Nima Javidi, and Olympic boxing drama KOZA from Ivan Ostrochovský. FOCUS ON MEXICO, in partnership with the Year of Mexico in the UK, showcases some of the very best in Mexican cinema including new feature films, classics and a short film programme, with a total of 13 feature films screening at the Festival. These include the European Premiere of Gabriela Dominguez Ruvalcaba’s fascinating documentary THE DANCE OF THE MEMORY; a sexually-charged, grown up study of infidelity, discontent and regeneration in Ernesto Contreras’ THE OBSCURE SPRING; and THE BEGINNING OF TIME by Bernardo Arellano which looks at aging and survival during economic and social unrest in Mexico. A selection of Classic Mexican films will also screen as part of the Focus, including Roberto Gavaldón’s supernatural drama MACARIO, the first Mexican film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Carlos Enrique Taboada’s POISON FOR THE FAIRIES, an unusual gothic tale of witchcraft, told from a child’s point of view. As well as the usual focus on British shorts, the Animation strand features new and exciting work, plus some rarely-seen retrospective gems from across the world. This year’s program features not just one, but two Masters of Animation; previously announced Barry Purves, and cult favorite Ralph Bakshi, who will appear via Skype after a screening of FRITZ THE CAT and will also present an exclusive work-in-progress preview of his new short LAST DAYS OF CONEY ISLAND. Now it its 26th Year, The McLaren Award for Best New British Animation continues to charm audiences with two programs of the best new short animations from the UK. Other highlights include Ralph Bakshi’s classic and ambitious translation of JRR Tolkien’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS and his post-apocalyptic feature WIZARDS. There will also be an opportunity to explore the very best in international animation from around the world in INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION: PANORAMA. BLACK BOX returns with another round of thought-provoking and experimental films, plus the return for a third year of BLACK BOX LIVE that sees James Holcombe’s film, TYBURNIA accompanied by a live performance at the Traverse Theatre by Dead Rat Orchestra. Amongst the highlights are the World Premiere of Telemach’s Wiesinger KALEIDOSCOPE where he returns to Edinburgh for another idiosyncratic, feature-length film poem; a selection of shorts screenings in BLACK BOX SHORTS 1/2/3/4 and the UK Premiere of Félix Dufour-Laperrriè’s TRANSATLANTIC, an observational documentary essay about life on a cargo ship. The 69th Edinburgh International Film Festival opens with the World Premiere of Robert Carlyle’s Glasgow-set THE LEGEND OF BARNEY THOMSON starring Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson and Ray Winstone, and the Closing Gala is the World Premiere of Scott Graham’s IONA starring Ruth Negga (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D), Douglas Henshall (Shetland), Tom Brooke (The Boat That Rocked), Michelle Duncan (Atonement), Ben Gallagher and Sorcha Groundsell.

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  • WATCH the new NSFW DOPE Red Band Trailer

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    New Trailer for 2015 Sundance Hit DOPE Check out the new NSFW DOPE red band trailer, the hit movie out of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, that opens in theaters on June 19, 2015. Directed by Rick Famuyiwa, Produced by Forest Whitaker, Executive Produced by Pharrell Williams and Co-Executive Produced by Sean Combs, DOPE tells the story of Malcolm played by Shameik Moore, who is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles.  A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. DOPE also stars Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoe Kravitz, A$AP Rocky , Chanel Iman and Quincy Brown. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUBpnslcHVA  

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  • 3 Film Premieres, Music in Film Nights Featuring Pras Michel and More Added to 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival

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    GRAMMY Museum The 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival announced several additions to the 2015 Festival program, including Premiere section titles, Pras Michel and BT as part of the Music in Film Nights at the GRAMMY Museum, Tributes to Jonathan Demme and Rodrigo García, a Master Class with music video director Mathew Cullen, Diversity Speaks panels, the Los Angeles Times Young Hollywood Roundtable, and the Steed Symposium on cyber security. Three more titles were added to the Premieres section which features World Premieres of compelling new works from notable talent. Premieres (3) Consumed, dir. Daryl Wein, USA, World Premiere Consumed – USA (DIRECTOR Daryl Wein WRITERS Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones PRODUCERS Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones CAST Zoe Lister-Jones, Danny Glover,Victor Garber, Taylor Kinney, Anthony Edwards, Griffin Dunne, Kunal Nayyar, Beth Grant) Set in the complex world of genetically modified food, this dramatic thriller intertwines the stories of an organic farmer and a biotechnology CEO with the quest of a single mother working to uncover the cause of her son’s mysterious illness. World Premiere Frank and Cindy, dir. G.J. Echternkamp, USA, World Premiere Frank & Cindy – USA (DIRECTOR G.J. Echternkamp WRITER G.J. Echternkamp, Alex Holdridge PRODUCER Bill Perkins, John Pierce, Scoot McNairy, Bic Tran CAST Rene Russo, Oliver Platt, Johnny Simmons, Jane Levy, Marc Maron) In 1983, Cindy married a rock star, Frank. She imagined a life of glitz and glamor. But as life happened, Frank lost his mojo. Twenty years later, Cindy’s son, G.J., both appalled and amused by his parents’ behavior, picks up his video camera and aims it at them. In an attempt to mock his one-hit-wonder step-father, G.J. unintentionally creates a candid portrait of the pursuit of happiness – and love. World Premiere I am Thalente, dir. Natalie Johns, South Africa/USA, World Premiere I Am Thalente – South Africa/USA (DIRECTOR Natalie Johns WRITER Natalie Johns PRODUCERS Colin Kennedy, Oualid Mouaness, Salema Masekela, Jason Bergh, Julia Lebedev FEATURING Thalente Biyela, Tony Hawk, Kenny Anderson, Guy Mariano, Lance Mountain) One of the most promising young skaters in the world, Thalente Biyela, navigates growing up within the demands of professional skateboarding from the skate parks of Duban, South Africa to Venice, California. World Premiere On Thursday, June 11, as part of this year’s Music in Film Nights at the GRAMMY Museum, the Festival hosts an evening with Brian Transeau, better known as BT, one of the pioneers of modern American electronic music. He will play scores from Monster and Dark Places with live accompaniment and visuals. BT will also discuss his work from his classical roots to electronic music innovator. On Friday, June 12, the Festival welcomes Pras Michel and friends for an evening of performance and discussion in celebration of his documentarySweet Micky for President, with special guests who have used their art to champion causes close to their heart. As part of the Tributes section on Sunday, June 14 the Festival presents an evening with Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs,Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married), moderated by Elvis Mitchell, titled Jonathan Demme: An American Iconoclast, to reminisce about seminal moments of his career and give us a special sneak-peek of his upcoming film Ricki and the Flash, starring Meryl Streep. On Tuesday, June 16, in celebration of this year’s Guest Director, Rodrigo García (Nine Lives, In Treatment, Albert Nobbs), the Festival will hold Two for One: An Evening with Guest Director Rodrigo Garcia and Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, Beyond the Lights), an intimate conversation where they will compare notes about working with actors, women’s stories and the travails of independent filmmaking. An additional Festival Master Class has been announced. On Tuesday, June 16 acclaimed music video director Mathew Cullen will reflect on his journey as an artist while exploring the evolving art and science of storytelling. Hailed as one of the most imaginative music video and commercial directors of his generation, he will share some of his work, including a sneak peek of London Fields, his upcoming feature directorial debut. Cullen is an alumnus of Loyola Marymount University. The Master Class is sponsored by Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television. At the Diversity Speaks panels, taking place on Saturday, June 13 at the Conga Room at L.A. LIVE, content creators of color who embody innovation will discuss how they manage to combine their passions for storytelling, entrepreneurship and their cultural identities into success stories. In Prime Time: Adjusting the Color Spectrum on TV, the talent in front and behind the camera of some of today’s most celebrated TV shows engage in a dialogue to explore issues relating to race and cultural representation on the small screen. Panelists include: Kenya Barris, creator, Black-ish; Wendy Calhoun, writer, Empire; Andrea Navedo, actress, Jane the Virgin; Randall Park, actor, Fresh off the Boat; Our Lady J, writer, Transparent. Also part of Diversity Speaks is the Visions of Mandela panel, an exclusive premiere screening of a collection of films inspired by Nelson Mandela’s speeches, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Directors include Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo, 99 Homes), Eva Weber (Black Out) and James Marsh (The Theory of Everything, Man on Wire), Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding; New York, I Love You), Nabil Elderkin (Bouncing Cats) and Hank Willis Thomas (Question Bridge: Black Males). Diversity Speaks is sponsored by HBO and supported by Yvonne Huff and Jason Delane. On Sunday, June 14, the Los Angeles Times brings together a group of film’s rising stars in the Los Angeles Times Young Hollywood Roundtable. This lively discussion, moderated by reporter Amy Kaufman, will center on life in the industry and what it means to be thrust into the limelight. On Monday, June 15 the Festival presents the annual LMU Steed Symposium on Cyber Security: Is There A Safe Box in the Cloud? This event will include an entertaining and informative presentation by cyber security expert Ralph Echemendia, a screening of Implant, a short film created by Film Independent Fellow Casey Cooper Johnson, and a round table with cyber security experts, filmmakers and industry executives. The discussion will be moderated by KCRW¹s The Business host Kim Masters. The LMU Steed Symposium is funded by LMU Alumnus Michael Steed and is presented in partnership with Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television.  Mr. Steed is a member of the university¹s board of trustees and Managing Director of Paladin Capital Partners Fund, LP, a private equity firm.  

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  • First 13 Films Revealed for 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest Online Film Festival

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    2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest Online Film Festival The 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest & Short Film Market announced the first 13 films chosen to represent the ShortFest Online Film Festival.  Now in its fifth year, the select films will play on a special section of the festival website (http://www.psfilmfest.org/onlinefest) starting May 26.  Online voting for these films will open on June 9 and run through June 20, with the “ShortFest Online Audience Award” announced at the Festival Award Ceremony on Closing Night. The films selected for the 2015 Palm Springs International ShortFest Online Film Festival include: Animator vs. Animation IV (USA) – A stick figure goes to war with his maker. Inventive and compulsively watchable, this is the continuation of a series that first went viral on the web in 2006. Director: Alan Becker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUrmub4i4ck The Deadman (Peru) – A young man who everyone believes is dead returns to his parent’s house after seven years, followed shortly by two “detectives”… Director: Franco Finocchiaro.  Cast: Miguel Iza, Hernan Romero, Ana Cecilia Natteri, Nicolas Galindo and Renato Rueda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_tH_KozVt4 Elgin Park (USA) – The story of the ban behind Elgin Park, a fictional 50s any town USA created entirely through miniatures and still photography. Director: Danny Yourd. Cast: Michael Paul Smith (as himself). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFuas2cHkFg Evil Mexican Child (Mexico) – The drawings of a seemingly sweet 4 year old Mexican boy wreak havoc on those depicted. When his mother realizes his father has a mistress, she suddenly is more supportive of his burgeoning talent.  Director: Michael Noonan. Cast: Xochitl Hernàndez, Nyno Bernal, Anahi Davila and Max De La Rosa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJJmFa3-ZVE The Evolution of an Artist // Thom Jones (USA) – Thom Jones doesn’t describe himself as a “designer” (except once in a while when he’s drunk), but he’s most certainly an artist – with spray paint, with wood and with motorcycle parts. Director: Craig Brooks. Cast: Thom Jones. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrVqTAGEY6o Milk! (UK) – Two lactose-craving brothers will stop at nothing to get their daily dose of milk… Director: Ben Mallaby. Cast: Toby Williams and Paul F Taylor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubWYf0C0rTY NYC Life: Narrated by Dorvid Attenborough (USA) – Special measures are called for when trying to find a mate in NYC… Director: Michael Slavens. Cast: David Friedlander, Marie Smith, Mike Rosengarten, Anna Elizabeth, Geoffrey Countryman, Shaun Ahuja, Tyler Jakes, Tiffany Marie Sparks, Kristen Dausch, Christina Toth, Alexandre F. Charlebois, Bianca Boragi, Timothy Hull and Jack and Milo Uhrmacher. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaVzzna6Erk Russian Roulette (UK) – Lucy, lonely and lovelorn, meets a cosmonaut on Chat Roulette that may be the answer to her dreams… Director: Ben Aston. Cast: Bec Hill and Stewart Lockwood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gAfgOOV-bY SAMUEL-613 (UK) – An angry young Hasidic man forgoes his controlling father in pursuit of a more seductive life in Eastern London. But the grass is not always greener on the other side of the cultural divide… Director: Billy Lumby. Cast: Theo Barklem-Biggs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8D8QJ8n3Nc solemates (USA) – The story of love and family…as seen from a shoe’s perspective. Director: Bryce Dallas Howard. Cast: Seth Gabel, Theo Howard Gabel, Beatrice Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Howard, Rance Howard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTD2nbp94rc Somewhere in Palm Springs (USA) – Shag-style animated tale about three gay men and their girl friend hanging out at a hotel pool, talking shit in Palm Springs. Director: Nate Clark. Cast: Nate Clark, Allen Loeb, Jennie Pierson, Drew Tarver and Jimmy Fowlie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQK18WE4PTM This Dynamic Opportunity (USA) – A not very good salesman meets an equally odd client from the internet to sell his new toothpaste brand. Director: Matt Mays. Cast: Tony Lewellen and Mike Betette. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBMDitBSaU4 We Are Fire (India) – Stunning documentary about a group of women (the ‘Gulabi Gang’) in red saris who join forces to help other women who have been oppressed or suffered wrongdoing in India. Director: Orlando Von Einsiedel. Cast: Champa Pal and Sampat Pal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4s1irbxgtI The ShortFest Online Film Festival will continue to play online through August 31 after the end of the festival.  

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  • 2015 American Black Film Festival Unveils Lineup, Opens with DOPE

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    Pharrell Williams Reveals DOPE Official Poster The 2015 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) taking place at the AMC Empire 25 in Times Square, New York City, June 11 to 14, 2015, unveiled its lineup of films, including documentaries, web originals, short films and narrative features.  Film director Rick Famuyiwa’s critically acclaimed film, Dope, will open the 19th annual American Black Film Festival on Thursday, June 11, at the SVA Theatre. Dope is a coming-of-age comedy/drama for the post hip-hop generation; its main characters are obsessed with ‘90s hip-hop. Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is warily surviving life in “The Bottoms” in Los Angeles, while juggling college applications, academic interviews and SATs. His dream is to attend Harvard. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into a gritty adventure filled with offbeat characters and bad choices that could allow him to go from being a geek to being dope to ultimately being himself. Open Road Films will release the film nationwide on June 19, 2015. Dope stars Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, Chanel Imanand Quincy Brown and is produced by Forest Whitaker and Nina Yang Bongiovi (Fruitvale Station). Pharrell Williams, Michael Y. Chow (Fruitvale Station), Rick Famuyiwa (The Wood, Brown Sugar) and David Lonner are executive producers.Sean “P. Diddy” Combs is co-executive producer, and Mimi Valdes and Caron Veazy are co-producers. The complete list of films selected for Spotlight, Narrative Features Competition, HBO Short Film Competition, ABFF Web Originals, and the ABFF Documentary Competition follows below: OPENING NIGHT FILM DOPE 2014 USA 115 MIN HD NY Premiere Sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America Courtesy of Open Road Films Directed by: Rick Famuyiwa Written by: Rick Famuyiwa Produced by: Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi Executive Producers:  Pharrell Williams, Michael Y. Chow, Rick Famuyiwa, David Lonner Co-Exec. Prod:  Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. Co-Prods: Mimi Valdes, Caron Veazys Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, Chanel Iman, Quincy Brown SPOTLIGHT SCREENINGS 2015 ABFF INDEPENDENT – Season 4 Premiere 2015 USA 35 MIN World Premiere ABFF Independent is a showcase of popular and award-winning films from the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) hosted by hip-hop artist, record producer and actor David Banner. AN UNEXPECTED HISTORY: THE STORY OF HENNESSY AND AFRICAN AMERICANS 2015 USA 49 MIN HD World Premiere Courtesy of Hennessy Directed by: Llewellyn Smith Produced by: Llewellyn Smith, Annie Stopford Featuring: Jason P. Chambers, PhD, Herbert P. Douglas Jr., Noel Hankin, Rhonda McDonald, Rodney Williams An Unexpected History celebrates Moët Hennessy’s hundred-year relationship with African American culture, as well as the role of African Americans in shaping the brand’s identity and success. The film recounts Hennessy’s historic role in bringing respect and opportunities to Black professionals and consumers, by focusing on the remarkable achievements of two of the brand’s most influential Black executives. BOYZ N THE HOOD + Q&A with director John Singleton to follow 1991 USA 108 MIN 35 mm Courtesy of Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Directed by: John SingletonWritten by: John Singleton Produced by: Steve Nicolaides Cast: Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Angela Bassett, Regina King John Singleton’s classic saga tells the story of a group of childhood friends growing up in a Los Angeles ghetto. BOXED IN + Q&A with actress and director Tasha Smith to follow 2014 USA 30 MIN HD World Premiere Directed by: Tasha Smith Written by: Tasha Smith Produced by: Tasha Smith, Kim Ogletree Cast: Walter Fauntleroy, Antonique Smith, Tyra Ferrell A Black man in NYC struggles with bipolar disorder, while his girlfriend and mother learn to deal with the pain of his manic episodes and struggle for mental survival. RUNAWAY ISLAND + Q&A with the director and cast to follow 2015 USA 85 MIN Estimated HD World Premiere Courtesy of TV One Directed by: Dianne Houston Written by: Christopher Brandt Produced by: Gingi Rochelle & Allison Wilmarth Cast: Lorraine Toussaint (Orange Is the New Black), Thomas Q. Jones (Being Mary Jane), Aisha Hinds (Star Trek Into Darkness), Leon Thomas (Victorious), A. Russell Andrews (Grey’s Anatomy, House of Payne),Erica Tazel (Justified), Melanie Liburd (CSI, Stalker). A pastor, an aging widow, and a socialite with cold feet visit a luxurious Gullah Sea Island resort to be rejuvenated by its holistic setting. NARRATIVE FEATURES FRENCH DIRTY 2015/USA/72min/HD/NY Premiere Directed by: Wade Allain-Marcus, Jesse Allain-Marcus Written by: Peter K. Hagen, Wade Allain-Marcus Produced by: Jason Wolf, Mel Jones Cast: Wade Allain-Marcus, Melina Lizette, Arjun Gupta After committing the carnal sin of sleeping with his best friend’s girlfriend, Vincent must deal with the consequences of his betrayal and hope that his bond with his brother-from-another-mother can withstand the blow GIRLFRIENDS’  GETAWAY 2 ** FEATURED ALUMNI SCREENING 2015/USA/84min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Roger M. Bobb Written by: Cas Sigers-Beedles Produced by: Roger M. Bobb, Angi Bones, Cas Sigers, Terri J. Vaughn Cast: Garcelle Beauvais, Terri J. Vaughn, Essence Atkins, Malinda Williams, Stephen Bishop, Khalil Kane Four girlfriends travel to Puerto Rico for a destination wedding and chaos ensues when the low-key wedding turns into a disaster. JOHN OF GOD THE MOVIE 2014/ Democratic Republic of Congo/86min/HD/North America Premiere Directed by: Selé M’Poko Written by: Selé M’Poko Produced by: Selé M’Poko, Alessia Michielan, Jo D. Jonz, Woody T. Richman, Pamela Lubell Cast: Jo D. Jonz, Jean Shaka Tshipamba, Moïse Ilunga John of God is the world’s greatest musician…in his own mind. KNUCKLEHEAD 2015/USA/81min/HD Directed by: Ben Bowman Written by: Bryan Abrams, Ben Bowman Produced by: Gbenga Akinnagbe, Ben Bowman Executive Producers: Jonathan Gray, Debra Azemar Cast: Gbenga Akinnagbe, Alfre Woodard, Amari Cheatom, Justin Myrick, Nikiya Mathis, Carla Duren Convinced prescription drugs will fix his mind, a mentally disabled man leaves Brooklyn for the first time to find the one doctor who he believes can cure him. LAST NIGHT 2014/USA/93min/HD/NY Premiere Directed by: Harold Jackson III Written by: Harold Jackson III Produced by: Harold Jackson III, Hope Taylor, Prince Levy Jr., Latecia Durham Cast: Judi Blair, Danny Gavigan, Benton Greene, Nedra McClyde, Nikkole Salter A woman’s last night alone before settling down is sidetracked by a chance meeting with an attractive stranger. SUPERMODEL *** FEATURED ALUMNI SCREENING 2015/USA/95min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Shawn Baker Written by:  Shawn Baker, Datari Turner Produced by: Datari Turner Cast: Tyson Beckford, Sessilee Lopez, Datari Turner, Roger Guenveur Smith, Fat Joe, Toccara Jones, Angela Simmons, Marc John Jefferies, Tatyana Ali, Nichole Galicia, Melissa De Sousa, Don Benjamin, Cassandra Freeman, Tobias Truvillion, Julito McCullum, Adam Senn A young girl from the Brooklyn housing projects goes from the subway to the runway, becoming one of the most sought after models in the fashion industry. But in the high stakes world of fashion and beauty, things aren’t always as pretty and glamorous as they seem. THE GIRL IS IN TROUBLE *** FEATURED ALUMNI SCREENING 2015/USA/94min/35mm/NY Premiere Directed by: Julius Onah Written by: Mayuran Tiruchelvam, Julius Onah Produced by: Dana Offenbach, Ryan Silbert, Robert Profusek, Jen Gatien Cast: Columbus Short, Wilmer Valderrama, Alicja Bachelda, Jesse Spencer A Lower East Side bartender becomes entangled in a murder mystery involving a desperate woman, a missing drug dealer and the scion of a powerful investment firm. THE NIGHT BEFORE 2015/USA/86min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Kenny Young Written by: Kenny Young Produced by: Phil James, Lisa D. Washington, Kim Hardin Executive Producers: Angela White, Felicia James Cast: Colin Egglesfield, David Faustino, Fred Willard, Anna Hutchinson, Brian White, Gary Owen A “ladies man” must face his own fear of commitment while hosting his best friend’s bachelor party. THE SIN SEER 2015/USA/119min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Paul D. Hannah Written by: Paul D. Hannah Produced by: Paul D. Hannah, Angela White, Isaiah Washington Cast: Lisa Arrindell Anderson, Isaiah Washington, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, C. Thomas Howell, Michael Ironside, Richard Brooks A woman becomes trapped in a murderous web deception and uses her gift of discernment to discover the truth. WHAT LOVE WILL MAKE YOU DO 2015/USA/95min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Lisa Haynes Written by: Lisa Haynes Produced by: Lisa Haynes, Andre Congo, Justin Bones, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Brad James, Ty Johnston, Victoria Rowell Cast: Darrin Dewitt Henson, Judi Blair, Victoria Rowell, Darryl Booker, Sir Brodie, Carl Anthony Payne II, Brad James An attorney from a prestigious law firm falls in love with a beautiful woman of his dreams, but later discovers her father is seeking revenge against him over a court case gone terribly wrong. HBO® SHORT FILM COMPETITION BLACK CARD 2015/USA/14min/HD/New York Premiere Directed by: Pete Chatmon Written by: Tony Patrick Produced by: Christina DeHaven, Tony Patrick, Dorian Missick, Dylan Verrechia, ELEW Executive Producer: Pete Chatmon Cast: Dorian Missick, Simone Missick, Hisham Tawfiq, Stephen Hill, Erika Myers, Malikha Mallette, April Matthis, Valence Thomas In a culture requiring an ID card and commitment to the code, an African American couple is about to find out just how far the boundaries can be pushed…. CHAINING DAY 2014/USA/11min/HD/New York Premiere Directed by: Dominic Haxton Written by: Chris Bailey Produced by: Chris Bailey Cast: Dusan Brown, Shawn Kenneth A young boy commits an accidental murder, which causes a stir in the community and forces him to choose between his loyalty to the gang he belongs to OR saving what’s left of his innocence by turning himself into the police. FIRST DATE, LAST DATE 2015/USA/7min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Derege Harding Written by: E.V. Anderson Produced by: Derege Harding Cast: Andrea Bordeaux, Daniel Hall Soul mates Sara and Michael carry on their first date as the world comes to an end. JOY 2015/USA/15min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Solomon Onita Jr. Written by: Solomon Onita Jr. Produced by: Elsie Dortelus, Terrence J. Grant, Solomon Onita Jr. Cast: Sope Aluko, Bayo Akinfemi, Hannah Tarver, Georgina E. Okon, Brooke-Monaé Westbrook A Nigerian middle-aged woman living in America struggles to convince her traditionalist husband not to circumcise their ten-year-old daughter. STANHOPE 2015/USA/18min/HD/World Premiere Directed by: Solvan Naim Written by: Solvan Naim Produced by:  Solvan Naim, Akshay Bhansali Cast: Malik Lockett, Johnnie Mae, Rob Morgan, Nedra McClyde, Simeon Buresch Stanhope is a drama about a teenage inner-city kid from Brooklyn who gets caught up in a web of violence as a paid assassin. ABFF WEB ORIGINALS – GROUP 1 #JOSH 2014 USA 15:35 MIN HD World Premiere Directed by: Edson Jean, Nick Katz Written by: Episode-1 Joshua Jean-Baptiste; Episode-2 Mimi Davila, Marckenson Charles, Maria Corina Ramirez; Episode-3 Joshua Jean-Baptiste, Mimi Davila, Maria Corina Ramirez Produced by: Edson Jean, Nick Katz, Barry Katz Cast: Joshua Jean Baptiste, Edson Jean, Shira Abergel, Marckenson Charles A naive, chaste acting student (Josh) seeks guidance from his immoral problematic roommate in hopes to become a leading man. ACKEE & SALTFISH 2015 UNITED KINGDOM 16:21 MIN HD Directed by: Cecile Emeke Written by: Cecile Emeke Produced by: Cecile Emeke, Abraham Popoola Cast: Michelle Tiwo, Vanessa Babirye Everyday moments are never mundane with these two hilarious best friends in Ackee & Saltfish. ESCORTS 2015 USA 21:37 MIN HD New York Premiere Directed by: Dave Patten Written by: Dave Patten, Josh West. Produced by: Dave Patten, Alexx Ray, Chris Bauer Executive Producer: David Ricks Cast: Dave Patten, David Ricks, Alexx Ray, Richard Amezcua Pragmatic hipster Jay Miller’s successful small business of selling sex to his collegiate peers becomes infinitely more difficult when one of his employees dies while “working.” ALL ABOUT THE MCKENZIES 2014 UNITED KINGDOM 20:51 MIN HD World Premiere Directed by: Samuell Benta Written by: Samuell Benta Produced by: Samuell Benta Cast: Samuell Benta, Jason Pennycooke, Ria Horsford, Frankie Clarence, Destinee Tombling, Sheldon Nicolls, Fenella James All about comedy, all about drama, it’s All About The McKenzies. BLACK ACTRESS SERIES – SEASON TWO 2015 USA 23:34 MIN HD New York Premiere Directed by: William Alexander Runnels Written by: Episode 1-Andrea Lewis; Episode 2-Andrea Lewis, Austin Hall; Episode 3 – Andrea Lewis Produced by: Andrea Lewis, Brian Walker, Tatyana Ali, Essence Atkins, Brad Kaaya, Carol Desousa Cast: Andrea Lewis, Allison Edwards-Crewe, Rob Vincent The life of an actress who wants to be more than just Black. ABFF WEB ORIGINALS – GROUP II DOWNTOWN GIRLS 2014 USA 17:35 MIN HD New York Premiere Directed by: Emebeit Beyene & Chandra Russell Written by: Jessica Lamour Produced by: Jacques Lamour, Emebeit Beyene, Crystal Boyd, Chandra Russell Cast: Emebeit Beyene, Crystal Boyd, Chivonne Michelle, Chandra Russell To raise money to launch their own business, four girls turn their Lower East Side apartment into a lucrative nightclub. DOCKET 32357 2014 USA 24:11 MIN HD World Premiere Directed by: Randy Wilkins Written by: Eljon Wardally Produced by: Jessica Karen Brown, Juan Caceres Cast: Tara Gadomski, Ashley Denise Robinson A successful businesswoman and a grieving housewife struggle to overcome loneliness in the face of a shared tragedy. Q’S ONE NIGHT STANDS 2014 USA 17 MIN HD World Premiere Directed by:  Terrence L. Moore Written by: Terrence L. Moore Produced by: Michael Galvan Executive Producers: Terrence L.  Moore, Jenny Cadenillas, Uana Coccoloni Cast: Kee Seymore, Susana Victoria Perez, Joshua Windley, Kajuana Shuford, Dominic Marcus, Gayle Samuels A comedy about a guy so fed up with traditional dating he commits to having only one-night stands. THE INCREDIBLE LIFE OF DARRELL 2015 USA 14:31 MIN HD New York Premiere Directed by: Darrell Lake Written by: Darrell Lake Produced by: Darrell Lake Cast: Darrell Lake, Tru Collins, Joy Regullano, Larry Karman, Justin Bryant Rapp, Pete George The spectacularly mundane adventures of an incredible average Joe in small town Wakooki, Arizona. AMERICAN KOKO 2015 USA 24 MIN HD New York Premiere Directed by: Diarra Kilpatrick & Miles Orion Feld Written by: Diarra Kilpatrick Produced by: Anna Micayla Feld Cast: Diarra Kilpatrick, Terrence Colby Clemons, Miles Orion Feld, Elaine Kao, Cedric Sanders Employees of the “Everyone’s a Little Racist (EAR) Agency” do their best to tackle every race problem that comes through their door, but for lead agent Akosua Miller, the biggest case of all may be her own… ABFF DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION The following films compete for the Best Documentary award. One winner will be announced during the “Best of the ABFF” awards ceremony, Sunday, June 14. ALTHEA 2014 USA 77 MIN HD Directed by: Rex Miller Produced by: Nancy Buirski, Elisabeth Haviland James, Rex Miller Executive Producers: John Amos, Billie Jean King, William Ackman Principal Subject(s): Billie Jean King, Nick Bollettieri, David Dinkins, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe Althea Gibson, a truant from the rough streets of Harlem, emerged as a most unlikely queen of the highly segregated tennis world of the 1950s. AN AMERICAN ASCENT 2015 USA 64 MIN HD New York Premiere Directed by: Andy Adkins, George Potter Written by: Andy Adkins, James Mills Produced by: George Potter, Andy Adkins Principal Subject(s): Stephen Shobe, Erica Wynn, Tyrhee Moore, Scott Briscoe, Billy Long, Rosemary Saal, Ryan Mitchell, Stephen DeBerry, Adina Scott, James Kagambi, Robby Rechord, Madhu Chikkaraju, Aaron Devine, Jon Krakauer, Conrad Anker An American Ascent documents the first African American expedition to tackle North America’s highest mountain, Denali, while shedding light on the complex relationship many African Americans have with the outdoors. NAT KING COLE – AFRAID OF THE DARK 2014 UNITED KINGDOM 94 MIN HD New York Premiere Directed by: Jon Brewer Produced by: Jon Brewer Principal Subject(s): Maria Cole, Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, Johnny Mathis and more… A poignant authorized feature documentary on the life and legacy of Nat King Cole. via Indiewire

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  • See Poster, and Watch Trailer for Amy Whinehouse Documentary AMY

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    Amy Winehouse documentary The poster and trailer are released for the Amy Winehouse documentary, AMY, which world premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, and is scheduled to open in New York & Los Angeles on July 3, 2015 followed by nationwide on July 10, 2015. From BAFTA award-winning director Asif Kapadia (SENNA), AMY tells the incredible story of six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse – in her own words. Featuring extensive unseen archive footage and previously unheard tracks, this strikingly modern, moving and vital film shines a light on the world we live in, in a way that very few can. Amy Winehouse Documentary AMY Trailer Poster A once-in-a-generation talent, Amy Winehouse was a musician that captured the world’s attention. A pure jazz artist in the most authentic sense – she wrote and sung from the heart using her musical gifts to analyse her own problems. The combination of her raw honesty and supreme talent resulted in some of the most unique and adored songs of the modern era. Her huge success, however, resulted in relentless and invasive media attention which coupled with Amy’s troubled relationships and precarious lifestyle saw her life tragically begin to unravel. Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at the age of 27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE

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  • The Orchard to Release Joachim Trier’s drama Louder Than Bombs from 2015 Cannes

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    Joachim Trier’s drama Louder Than Bombs Joachim Trier’s drama Louder Than Bombs, an official selection of this year’s, 2015 Cannes Film Festival, is set for release in the U.S. via The Orchard.  Louder Than Bombs is Trier’s follow-up to Reprise and Oslo, and August 31st. The film stars Golden Globe winner Gabriel Byrne (Miller’s Crossing, The Usual Suspects), Academy Award® nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), and Isabelle Huppert (two-time Best Actress Cannes winner: in 1978 for Violette and 2001 for The Piano Teacher).   The ensemble cast is rounded out by the Academy Award® nominated actors Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) and David Strathairn (Good Night, And Good Luck) and newcomerDevin Druid. Louder Than Bombs was co-written by Eskil Vogt. The pair collaborated on Trier’s two previous, critically heralded features. Three years after the death of his wife, acclaimed photographer Isabelle Reed (Huppert), Gene (Byrne) keeps everyday life going with his shy teenage son, Conrad (Druid).  A planned exhibition of Isabelle’s photographs prompts Gene’s older son, Jonah (Eisenberg), to return to the house he grew up in – and for the first time in a very long time, the father and the two brothers are living under the same roof. Underneath the affection and friction that is a part of restored family life between these three, we feel the striking loss that marks each of them. At the same time, the three have markedly different memories of their wife and mother. The film observes these three men as they find ways to live together and reconcile themselves both to the loss of – and each other’s sense of – the exceptional woman who influenced their lives so profoundly. Grief, mixed with surprising humor, informs all that happens – as each of these three men take meaningful steps forward both as individuals and as a renewed but forever changed family. Director Joachim Trier stated, “I’m thrilled to be working with a company as innovative and forward thinking as The Orchard in bringing our film to North American audiences. We shot the film in the U.S., so it’s particularly meaningful to have found this great partner for our release.”

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  • Cannes Award Winning Film THE MEASURE OF A MAN to BE Released in the U.S.

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    THE MEASURE OF A MAN, starring Vincent Lindon Kino Lorber will release in the U.S. and Canada, Stephane Brizé’s (Mademoiselle Chambon) THE MEASURE OF A MAN, starring Vincent Lindon (Mademoiselle Chambon, Bastards, Friday Night, La Moustache), winner of the Best Actor award at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. The film was directed by Mr. Brizé and co-written by Brizé and Olivier Gorce. This is Stephane Brizé’s sixth feature film. The film, stars Vincent Lindon as a working-class man struggling with unemployment and then, facing a difficult moral choice as a security guard in a supermarket, Brizé supports his lead with a brilliantly directed cast of non-professional performers playing dramatized versions of themselves. Kino Lorber, which released Stephane Brizé’s Mademoiselle Chambon in the United States to both critical acclaim and box office success (grossing over $530,000 in theaters alone), is planning to release the film in theatres in the fall of 2015, after prestigious North American festival dates. Home media and digital releases will follow in 2016. Richard Lorber comments: “Cannes brought us the gift to work again with Stephane Brizé and Vincent Lindon, after our great success with their Mademoiselle Chambon. With THE MEASURE OF A MAN’s hugely deserved Best Actor honor, we’re keen to share this gift with North American audiences. This deeply moving performance and uniquely framed tale delivers a profound new humanistic insight into questions of economic justice.”

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  • Five Classics by French Director Claude Sautet to Premiere in NYC

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    Rialto Pictures will release five films, for the first time on DCP, by legendary French director Claude Sautet at New York’s Lincoln Plaza Cinemas the week of June 12-18.

    Rialto Pictures will release five films, for the first time on DCP, by legendary French director Claude Sautet at New York’s Lincoln Plaza Cinemas the week of June 12-18, 2015.

    Claude Sautet (1924-2000), who began his filmmaking career in the early 1950s assisting such directors as Georges Franju (Eyes Without a Face) and Jacques Becker (Touchez Pas Au Grisbi), first tasted success with the crime thriller Classe Tous Risques (1960), but was unfairly overlooked as the New Wave directors dominated French cinema.

    After spending much of the 1960s as a screenwriter – and earning a reputation as a master “script doctor” – Sautet re-emerged as a director to watch. His collaborations with Austrian-born actress Romy Schneider, leading men Michel Piccoli and Yves Montand, screenwriter Jean-Loup Dabadie, and cinematographer Jean Boffety, yielded romantic, yet haunting, films that embodied the privileges and struggles of the French bourgeoisie following the political upheavals of the 1960s.The series features three of his collaborations with Schneider – Les Choses De La Vie (1970), the policier Max et Les Ferrailleurs (1971), and César and Rosalie (1972) – along with the rarely-seen Vincent, François, Paul and The Others (1974), starring Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, and Gérard Depardieu, and Sautet’s final film, Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud (1995). All five films will have their U.S. premieres in new DCP format and are not available on Blu-ray or DVD.

    LES CHOSES DE LA VIE (1970)

    LES CHOSES DE LA VIE

    Runtime: 85 minutes
    Cast: Michel Piccoli, Romy Schneider, Léa Massari

    Winner, Prix Louis Delluc
    Nominated, Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or

    Pierre’s (Michel Piccoli) life flashes before his eyes following a car accident, focusing on his decision to leave his wife (Léa Massari) for a younger woman, Hélène (Romy Schneider).

     

    MAX ET LES FERRAILLEURS (1971)

    MAX ET LES FERRAILLEURS

    Runtime: 112 minutes
    Cast: Michel Piccoli, Romy Schneider, François Périer, Bernard Fresson

    Max (Michel Piccoli) has only one thing on his mind: putting away criminals. When yet another bunch of professional criminals get away, Max unexpectedly runs into an old army buddy, Abel (Bernard Fresson), who has turned to a life of petty crime with a small band of hoodlums, the “ferrailleurs,” or junkmen, of the title. He hatches a plan to trick the group of amateurs into committing a major crime, using Abel’s girlfriend Lily (Romy Schneider) as unwitting bait.

    CÉSAR AND ROSALIE (1972)

    CÉSAR AND ROSALIE

    Runtime: 111 minutes
    Cast: Romy Schneider, Yves Montand, Sami Frey

    After her divorce, Rosalie (Romy Schneider) splits her time between her family and the wealthy César (Yves Montand). When David (Sami Frey), an old flame of Rosalie’s, appears, the two men battle each other for her affections.

     

    VINCENT, FRANÇOIS, PAUL AND THE OTHERS (1974)

    VINCENT, FRANÇOIS, PAUL AND THE OTHERS

    Runtime: 114 minutes
    Cast: Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, Serge Reggiani, Gérard Depardieu

    Three friends, Vincent (Yves Montand), François (Michel Piccoli), and Paul (Serge Reggiani), confront problems in work, love, and money. Sautet presents an all-too-true snapshot of mid-life crises in middle-class France.

    NELLY AND MONSIEUR ARNAUD (1995)

    NELLY AND MONSIEUR ARNAUD

    Runtime: 107 minutes
    Cast: Emmanuelle Béart, Michel Serrault, Jean-Hugues Anglade

    Winner, Prix Louis Delluc
    Winner, César Award for Best Actor (Michel Serrault) and Best Director (Claude Sautet)

    Nelly (Emmanuelle Béart) is behind on her rent and saddled with an unemployed and uninterested husband. When she meets Monsieur Arnaud (Michel Serrault), an older and wealthier man, Nelly sees a chance to escape from poverty and loneliness. Arnaud enlists her help with transcribing his memoirs and, as their unconventional relationship blossoms, barely-contained emotions threaten to break free.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsWZaftED7A

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  • #DopeMovie Starring Zoë Kravitz, Rapper A$AP Rocky at 2015 Cannes Film Festival

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    Dope Movie dopemovie Front row (left to right): Actors Chanel Iman, Shameik Moore / Second row (left to right): Executive Producer Pharrell Williams, Actors Zoë Kravitz, Quincy Brown, Amin Joseph, Director Rick Famuyiwa, Actors A$AP Rocky, Tony Revolori and Kiersey Clemons celebrate Open Road Films’ DOPE in Cannes.  DOPE was the closing night film of the Directors’ Fortnight, screening on the evening of May 22nd. DOPE will be released in the United States on June 19, 2015. #DopeMovie. Dope Movie dopemovie Executive Producer Pharrell Williams and actress Zoë Kravitz celebrate Open Road Films’ DOPE in Cannes.

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