• Grace Jones to Receive Career Achievement Award at Bahamas International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_23395" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami[/caption] Iconic actress, singer, songwriter, supermodel, and record producer Grace Jones will be honored with the prestigious Career Achievement Award at this year’s Bahamas International Film Festival, taking place December 10 to 17, 2017. Serving as the Festival’s most prestigious symbol of recognition, awarded in appreciation of the lifetime achievements of an actor, BIFF’s Career Achievement Award will be bestowed to Jones on the evening of Friday, December 15th at The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas. In addition to receiving BIFF’s Career Achievement Award, Jones will present her latest film, “Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami” – the acclaimed documentary from director Sophie Fiennes. Said Vanderpool, “Grace’s trademark charisma has fueled memorable performances for decades, but in watching her amazing body of work, the depth of her performances is unmistakable and equally as memorable. Having Grace in The Bahamas to receive the Career Achievement Award and present the highly acclaimed ‘Bloodlight and Bami’ is a huge honor for the festival and the audiences who will share in the experience. Grace is an legend, an icon and we are extremely thrilled to recognize her amazing career at the Bahamas International Film Festival.” Filmed over the course of a decade, the documentary, “Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami”, from director Sophie Fiennes (The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology) offers a stylish and unconventional look at the Jamaican-born model, singer, and New Wave icon. Grace Jones, the statuesque Jamaican model-turned-singer, actress and icon has made a career performing versions of herself. But who is the real Grace Jones behind the masks and makeup? This film moves between her personae onstage and off. Don’t expect a traditional music biography with sit-down interviews and archival footage. This treatment is as stylish and unconventional as its subject. In the subtitle, “bloodlight” refers to the studio signal for recording and “bami” is a Jamaican flatbread. They stand for art and life. Filmmaker Sophie Fiennes has previously made films about a philosopher, a dancer, and an artist. Each time, she conjures a fresh style for the material. (One of her early documentaries, Hoover Street Revival, profiled Jones’ brother Noel, the Los Angeles preacher). With Grace Jones, filmed over 10 years, we gain entry to her private spaces: her family in Jamaica, in the studio with long-time collaborators Sly & Robbie, and in Paris with her one-time image maker and lover, Jean-Paul Goude. In negotiations glimpsed on camera, she demonstrates that you wouldn’t want to go against her. “Sometimes you have to be a high-flying bitch.” Yet we also catch her in sweet and vulnerable moments. Interspersed throughout the film are performances from a 2016 concert staged for Fiennes’ camera. Strutting the stage like an Amazon in heels, Jones performs songs such as “Slave to the Rhythm,” “Love is the Drug” and “Amazing Grace” with multiple costume changes. This might be the first documentary with a credit for Corset Designer. Whatever mysteries she conceals, one thing is for certain: we can’t take our eyes off her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLxtZ0ElBss The Bahamas International Film Festival will showcase more than 82 films from 28 countries, including 12 world premieres, 4 international premieres and 57 Caribbean premieres. All of the films will be Bahamian premieres. BIFF 2017 takes place from December 10-13 in Harbour Island and December 14-17 in Nassau. The Festival’s opening night in Harbour Island will begin with a screening of Sean Baker’s critically acclaimed drama ‘The Florida Project’ starring Willem Dafoe.

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  • Saoirse Ronan, Jessica Chastain and Mary J Blige to Receive Awards at Palm Springs International Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_25850" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Saoirse Ronan, Jessica Chastain and Mary J Blige Saoirse Ronan, Jessica Chastain and Mary J Blige[/caption] The 29th Palm Springs International Film Festival will present Saoirse Ronan, Jessica Chastain, and Mary J. Blige with awards at its annual Film Awards Gala.  They join previously announced 2018 honorees Timothée Chalamet, Gal Gadot, Holly Hunter, Allison Janney, Gary Oldman, Sam Rockwell and The Shape of Water. The Film Awards Gala, hosted by Mary Hart, will be held Tuesday, January 2nd at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs January 2 to 15, 2018. Saoirse Ronan will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress for her performance in Lady Bird. “Saoirse Ronan delivers one of the most outstanding performances of this year as an outspoken high school student growing up in Sacramento in the critically acclaimed film Lady Bird,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “Following her exceptional performances in Atonement and Brooklyn, Ronan is sure to receive her third Academy Award nomination. It is our honor to present the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress to Saoirse Ronan.” Ronan received the PSIFF International Star Award in 2016 for her performance in Brooklyn, going on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for the same role. Additional past recipients of the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress include Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Sandra Bullock, Halle Berry, Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, and Naomi Watts. In Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig proves herself a bold new cinematic voice with her directorial debut, excavating the humor and pathos in the turbulent bond between a mother and her teenage daughter. Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated, strong-willed mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird’s father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, amid a rapidly shifting American economic landscape, Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home. For her role in the film, Ronan has already received Best Actress from the Gotham Independent Film Awards and is nominated for Best Female Lead from the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Jessica Chastain will receive  the Chairman’s Award for Molly’s Game. “Jessica Chastain is an incredible actress who has continuously challenged herself with complex roles throughout her career,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “In her latest film, Molly’s Game, Chastain brings to life Molly Bloom’s story of a determined woman who goes from being an Olympic skier to making millions running an exclusive high-stakes poker game. It is our honor to present the Chairman’s Award to Jessica Chastain.” Chastain received the PSIFF Spotlight Award in 2012, going on to receive an Academy Award® nomination for The Help. Past recipients of the Chairman’s Award include Amy Adams, Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Richard Gere, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game is based on the true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain), an Olympic-class skier who ran one of the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans, and finally, unbeknownst to her, the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba), who learned that there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led us to believe. The film also stars Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Bill Camp, Chris O’Dowd and Brian d’Arcy James. Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal and Matt Jackson produced. STXfilms and the Mark Gordon Company’s Molly’s Game will open in select theaters nationwide December 25, 2017, and everywhere January 5, 2018. The Festival will present Mary J. Blige with the Breakthrough Performance Award for her performance in Mudbound. “Mary J. Blige is a global superstar in the world of music who continues to make her mark as an actress in both television and film,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “In her current film Mudbound, Blige gives a quiet yet fantastic performance as Florence Jackson, a strong woman supporting her sharecropper family in rural Mississippi. It is our honor to present the 2018 Breakthrough Performance Award to Mary J. Blige.” Past recipients of the Breakthrough Performance Award include Mahershala Ali, Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman, Brie Larson, Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike and Jeremy Renner. In the years they were honored, Ali, Cotillard, Hudson, Larson and Nyong’o went on to receive Academy Awards®, while Huffman, Pike and Renner received nominations. Set in the rural American South during World War II, Dee Rees’ Mudbound is an epic story of two families pitted against one another by a ruthless social hierarchy, yet bound together by the shared farmland of the Mississippi Delta. Mudbound follows the McAllan family, newly transplanted from the quiet civility of Memphis and unprepared for the harsh demands of farming. Despite the grandiose dreams of Henry (Jason Clarke), his wife Laura (Carey Mulligan) struggles to keep the faith in her husband’s losing venture. Meanwhile, Hap and Florence Jackson (Rob Morgan and Mary J. Blige), sharecroppers who have worked the land for generations, struggle bravely to build a small dream of their own despite the rigidly enforced social barriers they face. The war upends both families’ plans as their returning loved ones, Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund) and Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell), forge a fast but uneasy friendship that challenges the brutal realities of the Jim Crow South in which they live.

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  • THE SQUARE Sweeps 2017 European Film Awards, Wins Best Film, Best Director

    [caption id="attachment_22898" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Square Ruben Ostlunds The Square[/caption] The Square written and directed by Ruben Östlund is the big winner at this year’s 2017 European Film Awards held today in Berlin, winning 6 major awards including Best Film, Best Comedy, Best Director and Best Director for Ruben Östlund; and Best Actor for Claes Bang.

    2017 European Film Awards Winners

    EUROPEAN FILM 2017 THE SQUARE WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY Ruben Östlund EUROPEAN COMEDY 2017 THE SQUARE WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY Ruben Östlund EUROPEAN DISCOVERY 2017 – Prix FIPRESCI LADY MACBETH DIRECTED BY William Oldroyd WRITTEN BY Alice Birch EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY 2017 COMMUNION WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY Anna Zamecka EUROPEAN ANIMATED FEATURE FILM 2017 LOVING VINCENT DIRECTED BY Dorota Kobiela & Hugh Welchman WRITTEN BY Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman & Jacek Dehnel ANIMATION: Dorota Kobiela & Łukasz Mackiewicz EUROPEAN SHORT FILM 2017 TIMECODE by Juanjo Giménez EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2017 Ruben Östlund for THE SQUARE EUROPEAN ACTRESS 2017 Alexandra Borbély in ON BODY AND SOUL EUROPEAN ACTOR 2017 Claes Bang in THE SQUARE EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2017 Ruben Östlund for THE SQUARE EUROPEAN CINEMATOGRAPHER 2017 – Prix CARLO DI PALMA Michail Krichman for LOVELESS EUROPEAN EDITOR 2017 Robin Campillo for BPM (BEATS PER MINUTE) EUROPEAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER 2017 Josefin Åsberg for THE SQUARE EUROPEAN COSTUME DESIGNER 2017 Katarzyna Lewińska for SPOOR EUROPEAN HAIR & MAKE-UP ARTIST 2017 Leendert van Nimwegen for BRIMSTONE EUROPEAN COMPOSER 2017 Evgueni & Sacha Galperine for LOVELESS EUROPEAN SOUND DESIGNER 2017 Oriol Tarragó for A MONSTER CALLS EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Aleksandr Sokurov EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT IN WORLD CINEMA Julie Delpy EUROPEAN CO-PRODUCTION AWARD 2017 – Prix EURIMAGES Cedomir Kolar PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD 2017 for Best European Film STEFAN ZWEIG – FAREWELL TO EUROPE (VOR DER MORGENRÖTE) DIRECTED BY Maria Schrader WRITTEN BY Maria Schrader & Jan Schomburg

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  • Watch First Trailer for Andrew Haigh’s LEAN ON PETE, Starring Charlie Plummer, Steve Buscemi, Chloë Sevigny

    Lean on Pete Watch first trailer for Andrew Haigh’s Lean On Pete, based on the beloved novel by Willy Vlautin — a deeply moving story about love, loneliness, family, and friendship, told through the unique prism of one boy’s connection to a very special racehorse. Lean On Pete premiered to exceptional reviews at the Venice Film Festival in competition and also played Telluride and Toronto earlier this year. Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) arrives in Portland, Oregon with his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel), both of them eager for a fresh start after a series of hard knocks. While Ray descends into personal turmoil, Charley finds acceptance and camaraderie at a local racetrack where he lands a job caring for an aging Quarter Horse named Lean On Pete. The horse’s gruff owner Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and his seasoned jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny) help Charley fill the void of his father’s absence—until he discovers that Pete is bound for slaughter, prompting him to take extreme measures to spare his new friend’s life. Charley and Pete head out into the great unknown, embarking on an odyssey across the new American frontier in search of a loving aunt Charley hasn’t seen in years. They experience adventure and heartbreak in equal measure, but never lose their irrepressible hope and resiliency as they pursue their dream of finding a place they can call home. Featuring an incredible breakout turn by Charlie Plummer (The Dinner; King Jack; Ridley Scott’s forthcoming All The Money in the World) and memorable supporting work by indie stalwarts Buscemi, Sevigny and Steve Zahn, Lean on Pete is a compassionate and heartrending look at the desire for love, family, and acceptance that drives all of us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzlazAyylw8

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  • World Premiere of Emilio Estevez’s THE PUBLIC to Open 2018 Santa Barbara International Film Festival | Trailer

    [caption id="attachment_25833" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Public The Public[/caption] The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will open with the worldwide premiere of The Public at the Arlington Theatre on Wednesday, January 31, 2018. The Public, written and directed by Emilio Estevez, stars Estevez, Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Christian Slater, Taylor Schilling, Che “Rhymefest” Smith, Gabrielle Union, Jacob Vargas, Michael K. Williams, and Jeffrey Wright. “I’ve long admired Emilio Estevez as an artist – actor – director. With the public – I feel he has done his most personal and fully realized work. the public speaks wonderfully about our current divided country – but it also does not preach – it keeps us cinematically immersed. I can honestly say this is the proudest choice for opening during my tenure at SBIFF. I cherish the friendship with Emilio and admire his accomplishment with the public,” stated Roger Durling, Executive Director of SBIFF. The Public follows a group of homeless library patrons, who, after learning that emergency shelters are at capacity during a brutal Midwestern cold front, refuse to leave Cincinnati’s downtown public library at closing time. In what begins as a nonviolent Occupy sit in and ragtag act of civil disobedience, quickly escalates into a stand-off with local riot police, a no-nonsense crisis negotiator, and a savvy DA with lofty political ambitions. Amidst dropping temperatures and flaring tempers on both sides of the lockdown, uncertainty looms around how the situation can be resolved without resorting to violence, while law enforcement officials and local media spin the facts to serve their own political agendas. This David versus Goliath story puts the spotlight on some of our nation’s most challenging issues: homelessness, mental illness, and drug addiction, and sets the drama inside one of our last bastions of democracy-in-action: your public library. “I’m absolutely delighted, thrilled, and humbled to be chosen by Roger Durling for the great honor of kicking off SBIFF 2018 with the public. Roger’s long standing commitment of supporting independent filmmakers makes the Santa Barbara International Film Festival a vital showcase for artists. Once again, the festival will screen a wide and wonderful variety of distinguished films and our picture has indeed, found itself in some lovely company,” says Emilio Estevez. The 33rd annual festival runs from Wednesday, January 31 through Saturday, February 10, 2018.

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  • GET OUT, JANE, BPM Named 2017 Best Films by D.C. Film Critics Association

    [caption id="attachment_25828" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]BPM (Beats Per Minute), BPM (Beats Per Minute),[/caption] “Get Out,” a smart, hair-raising satire about prejudice and race relations from writer-director Jordan Peele, lead the Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) 2017 honorees winning Best Film. Frances McDormand’s searing turn as a grieving, unapologetically outspoken mother nabbed the Best Actress award for the darkly comedic “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Other acting honors for that film went to Sam Rockwell as Best Supporting Actor and Best Acting Ensemble for the cast as a whole. Best Supporting Actress was awarded to Laurie Metcalf, as a working-class mother in “Lady Bird.” For their thoughtful adaptation of author Hillary Jordan’s acclaimed 2008 novel about the relationship between two families—one black, one white—living in the 1940s Jim Crow South, Dee Rees and Virgil Williams earned Best Adapted Screenplay accolades for “Mudbound.” Brooklynn Prince clinched the Best Youth Performance category for “The Florida Project.” Best Documentary kudos went to “Jane” and “BPM (Beats Per Minute),” Robin Campillo’s touching story of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 1990s France, took Best Foreign Language Film honors. The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association comprises 52 DC-VA-MD-based film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet. Voting was conducted from December 5-7, 2017.

    THE 2017 WAFCA AWARD WINNERS:

    Best Film: Get Out Best Director: Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) Best Actor: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) Best Actress: Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) Best Acting Ensemble: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Best Youth Performance: Brooklynn Prince (The Florida Project) Best Voice Performance: Anthony Gonzalez (Coco) Best Motion Capture Performance: Andy Serkis (War for the Planet of the Apes) Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele (Get Out) Best Adapted Screenplay: Virgil Williams and Dee Rees (Mudbound) Best Animated Feature: Coco Best Documentary: Jane Best Foreign Language Film: BPM (Beats Per Minute) Best Production Design: Production Designer: Dennis Gassner; Set Decorator: Alessandra Querzola (Blade Runner 2049) Best Cinematography: Roger A. Deakins, ASC, BSC (Blade Runner 2049) Best Editing: Paul Machliss, ACE; Jonathan Amos, ACE (Baby Driver) Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch (Blade Runner 2049) The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC: The Post

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  • Milwaukee Film Festival Announces 2018 Festival Dates

    Milwaukee Film Festival Celebrating a decade in the community, Milwaukee Film today announced that the 2018 Milwaukee Film Festival will take place from October 18 to November 1, 2018. The annual 15-day festival will include feature films, shorts programs, education screenings, post-film conversations, panels, and parties. “We couldn’t have reached this incredible milestone without the warm embrace of the Milwaukee community,” states Jonathan Jackson, Executive and Artistic Director of Milwaukee Film. “Over the past ten years, we have strived to bring the best independent and international cinema to the city, and our amazing audience, members, donors, and sponsors have repaid us in kind, allowing for this period of unprecedented growth. We look forward to bringing the best in film to you for decades to come.” Festival organizers hope the later dates will expand programming opportunities to gain access to premieres from such renowned festivals as the Toronto International Film Festival, Festival de Cannes, and Telluride Film Festival. The Call for Entries for the 2018 Milwaukee Film Festival will open in January 2018.

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  • American Film Institute Announces AFI AWARDS 2017 – Top 10 Films of 2017

    [caption id="attachment_24746" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Florida Project The Florida Project[/caption] The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the Official Selections of AFI AWARDS 2017, celebrating the year’s most outstanding 10 films and 10 television programsdeemed culturally and artistically significant. In addition to the 20 honorees, AFI also recognizes THE VIETNAM WAR with an AFI Special Award. AFI AWARDS is a coveted honor for its noncompetitive celebration of collaboration. Honorees are selected based on works that advance the art of the moving image, enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form, inspire audiences and artists alike and make a mark on American society. “At a time when the world seems defined by division, storytellers bring us together as one,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “AFI AWARDS is honored to celebrate this community of artists who challenge and inspire us, entertain and enlighten us — ultimately reminding us of our common heartbeat.” Honorees will gather on January 5, 2018, for recognition at the annual AFI AWARDS private luncheon in Los Angeles, CA.

    AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR

    THE BIG SICK CALL ME BY YOUR NAME DUNKIRK THE FLORIDA PROJECT GET OUT LADY BIRD THE POST THE SHAPE OF WATER THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI WONDER WOMAN

    AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR

    BIG LITTLE LIES THE CROWN FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN GAME OF THRONES THE GOOD PLACE THE HANDMAID’S TALE INSECURE MASTER OF NONE STRANGER THINGS 2 THIS IS US

    AFI SPECIAL AWARD

    THE VIETNAM WAR

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  • ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS – 16 Animated Shorts From Around The World Opens in Theaters on December 29th

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    [caption id="attachment_25815" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Gokurosama Gokurosama[/caption] The ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS returns to theaters across North America and will open at the Quad Cinema in New York on December 29th (with many other cities to follow), presenting 16 exceptional and inspiring animated shorts from around the world. “Because animation is such a natural medium for dealing with abstract ideas and existential concerns, the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS has always included a number of thoughtful and engaging films,” says founder and curator Ron Diamond. “However, more than in previous years, I believe that this year’s program really offers contemporary animation that expresses deeply felt issues in our own country and around the world.” These films include Niki Lindroth von Bahr’s Annecy Grand Prix-winning “The Burden,” a melancholy, funny and moving film that explores the tribulations, hopes and dreams of a group of night-shift employees, uniquely capturing the zeitgeist of our time. At the other end of the spectrum, David OReilly’s playful and profound “Everything,” based on the work of the late philosopher Alan Watts, explores the interconnectedness of the universe and the multiplicity of perspectives that underlie reality. Perhaps the most relevant film in the show is a 50-year-old short that was restored by The ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS with grants from ASIFA-Hollywood and The National Film Preservation Foundation. “Hangman,” by Paul Julian and Les Goldman, and based on a poem by Maurice Ogden, explores themes of injustice and personal responsibility in its tale of a town whose residents, afraid to speak up, are methodically executed by the title character. Other program highlights include “Dear Basketball,” Disney veteran Glen Keane’s animation of a poem by Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, written on the occasion of his imminent retirement; Academy Award-winning Pixar director Pete Docter’s 1990 CalArts student film “Next Door”; and “Casino,” the latest film from director Steven Woloshen, who, for some 30 years, has been creating award-winning experimental films by drawing directly on film stock. The 19th ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS represents the work of artists from eight countries, including nine women. 16 animated short films presented in order of appearance – Total Running Time: 93 minutes Can You Do It – Quentin Baillieux, France Tiny Big – Lia Bertels, Belgium Next Door – Pete Docter, U.S. The Alan Dimension – Jac Clinch, UK Beautiful Like Elsewhere – Elise Simard, Canada Hangman – Paul Julian and Les Goldman, U.S. The Battle of San Romano – Georges Schwizgebel, Switzerland Gokurosama – Clémentine Frère, Aurore Gal, Yukiko Meignien, Anna Mertz, Robin Migliorelli, Romain Salvini, France Dear Basketball – Glen Keane, U.S. Island – Max Mörtl and Robert Löbel, Germany Unsatisfying – Parallel Studio, France My Burden – Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Sweden Les Abeilles Domestiques (Domestic Bees) Alexanne Desrosiers, Canada Our Wonderful Nature: The Common Chameleon – Tomer Eshed, Germany Casino – Steven Woloshen, Canada Everything – David OReilly, U.S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQH9zrb6V9Q

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  • 15 Documentary Feature Films Advance in Oscar Race

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    [caption id="attachment_23408" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Human Flow, Ai Weiwei Human Flow[/caption] The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has selected 15 films in the Documentary Feature category that will advance in the voting process for the 90th Academy Awards. One hundred seventy films were originally submitted in the category. The Academy’s Documentary Branch will now select the five nominees from among the 15 titles. Nominations for the 90th Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 23, 2018. The 90th Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. The 15 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production companies: “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail,” Mitten Media, Motto Pictures, Kartemquin Educational Films and WGBH/FRONTLINE “Chasing Coral,” Exposure Labs in partnership with The Ocean Agency & View Into the Blue in association with Argent Pictures & The Kendeda Fund “City of Ghosts,” Our Time Projects and Jigsaw Productions “Ex Libris – The New York Public Library,” Ex Libris Films “Faces Places,” Ciné Tamaris “Human Flow,” Participant Media and AC Films “Icarus,” Netflix Documentary in association with Impact Partners, Diamond Docs, Chicago Media Project and Alex Productions “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” Paramount Pictures and Participant Media “Jane,” National Geographic Studios in association with Public Road Productions “LA 92,” Lightbox “Last Men in Aleppo,” Larm Film “Long Strange Trip,” Double E Pictures, AOMA Sunshine Films and Sikelia “One of Us,” Loki Films “Strong Island,” Yanceville Films and Louverture Films “Unrest,” Shella Films and Little by Little Films  

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  • THE SHAPE OF WATER Leads with 14 Nominations for 23rd Critics’ Choice Awards

    [caption id="attachment_25167" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Shape Of Water Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer in the film THE SHAPE OF WATER.[/caption] “The Shape of Water” leads the nominations for the 23rd Annual Critics’ Choice Awards with 14 nods including Best Picture, and Best Director for Guillermo del Toro. The winners will be revealed live at the star-studded Critics’ Choice Awards gala on Thursday, January 11, 2018 on the CW Network . “Call Me By Your Name,” “Dunkirk,” “Lady Bird,” and “The Post” impressed with eight nominations each, and are all in the running for Best Picture and Best Director, among others. “Blade Runner 2049” earned seven nominations, followed by “The Big Sick” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” each with six, and “Get Out” and “I, Tonya” with five.

    FILM NOMINATIONS FOR THE 23rd ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS

    BEST PICTURE

    The Big Sick Call Me by Your Name Darkest Hour Dunkirk The Florida Project Get Out Lady Bird The Post The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

    BEST ACTOR

    Timothée Chalamet – Call Me by Your Name James Franco – The Disaster Artist Jake Gyllenhaal – Stronger Tom Hanks – The Post Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread Gary Oldman – Darkest Hour

    BEST ACTRESS

    Jessica Chastain – Molly’s Game Sally Hawkins – The Shape of Water Frances McDormand – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Margot Robbie – I, Tonya Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird Meryl Streep – The Post

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

    Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project Armie Hammer – Call Me By Your Name Richard Jenkins – The Shape of Water Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Patrick Stewart – Logan Michael Stuhlbarg – Call Me by Your Name

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

    Mary J. Blige – Mudbound Hong Chau – Downsizing Tiffany Haddish – Girls Trip Holly Hunter – The Big Sick Allison Janney – I, Tonya Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird Octavia Spencer – The Shape of Water

    BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

    Mckenna Grace – Gifted Dafne Keen – Logan Brooklynn Prince – The Florida Project Millicent Simmonds – Wonderstruck Jacob Tremblay – Wonder

    BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

    Dunkirk Lady Bird Mudbound The Post Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

    BEST DIRECTOR

    Guillermo del Toro – The Shape of Water Greta Gerwig – Lady Bird Martin McDonagh – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Christopher Nolan – Dunkirk Luca Guadagnino – Call Me By Your Name Jordan Peele – Get Out Steven Spielberg – The Post

    BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

    Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor – The Shape of Water Greta Gerwig – Lady Bird Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani – The Big Sick Liz Hannah and Josh Singer – The Post Martin McDonagh – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Jordan Peele – Get Out

    BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

    James Ivory – Call Me by Your Name Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber – The Disaster Artist Dee Rees and Virgil Williams – Mudbound Aaron Sorkin – Molly’s Game Jack Thorne, Steve Conrad, Stephen Chbosky – Wonder

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

    Roger Deakins – Blade Runner 2049 Hoyte van Hoytema – Dunkirk Dan Laustsen – The Shape of Water Rachel Morrison – Mudbound Sayombhu Mukdeeprom – Call Me By Your Name

    BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

    Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau, Jeff Melvin – The Shape of Water Jim Clay, Rebecca Alleway – Murder on the Orient Express Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis – Dunkirk Dennis Gassner, Alessandra Querzola – Blade Runner 2049 Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer – Beauty and the Beast Mark Tildesley, Véronique Melery – Phantom Thread

    BEST EDITING

    Michael Kahn, Sarah Broshar – The Post Paul Machliss, Jonathan Amos – Baby Driver Lee Smith – Dunkirk Joe Walker – Blade Runner 2049 Sidney Wolinsky – The Shape of Water

    BEST COSTUME DESIGN

    Renée April – Blade Runner 2049 Mark Bridges – Phantom Thread Jacqueline Durran – Beauty and the Beast Lindy Hemming – Wonder Woman Luis Sequeira – The Shape of Water

    BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

    Beauty and the Beast Darkest Hour I, Tonya The Shape of Water Wonder

    BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

    Blade Runner 2049 Dunkirk The Shape of Water Thor: Ragnarok War for the Planet of the Apes Wonder Woman

    BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

    The Breadwinner Coco Despicable Me 3 The LEGO Batman Movie Loving Vincent

    BEST ACTION MOVIE

    Baby Driver Logan Thor: Ragnarok War for the Planet of the Apes Wonder Woman

    BEST COMEDY

    The Big Sick The Disaster Artist Girls Trip I, Tonya Lady Bird

    BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

    Steve Carell – Battle of the Sexes James Franco – The Disaster Artist Chris Hemsworth – Thor: Ragnarok Kumail Nanjiani – The Big Sick Adam Sandler – The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

    BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

    Tiffany Haddish – Girls Trip Zoe Kazan – The Big Sick Margot Robbie – I, Tonya Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird Emma Stone – Battle of the Sexes

    BEST SCI-FI OR HORROR MOVIE

    Blade Runner 2049 Get Out It The Shape of Water

    BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

    BPM (Beats Per Minute) A Fantastic Woman First They Killed My Father In the Fade The Square Thelma

    BEST SONG

    Evermore – Beauty and the Beast Mystery of Love – Call Me By Your Name Remember Me – Coco Stand Up for Something – Marshall This Is Me – The Greatest Showman

    BEST SCORE

    Alexandre Desplat – The Shape of Water Jonny Greenwood – Phantom Thread Dario Marianelli – Darkest Hour Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer – Blade Runner 2049 John Williams – The Post Hans Zimmer – Dunkirk

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  • Sundance Film Festival Unveils 2018 New Frontier Lineup of VR, AR, MR and AI

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    [caption id="attachment_25803" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]The Sun Ladies VR The Sun Ladies VR[/caption] The 2018 edition of New Frontier at the Sundance Film Festival will showcase a curated collection of cutting-edge independent experimental media works by creators who are pushing the artistic development of the new mediums of VR, AR, mixed reality (MR) and AI. Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, said, “Technology-enabled storytelling continues to develop into a thriving industry. It’s essential to protect the creative spaces where creators can develop work and reach audiences independent of commercial pressures. The work that we showcase at New Frontier sets the agenda for the year in creative cross-media storytelling.”

    FILMS AND PERFORMANCE

    ★ / Austria (Lead Artist: Johann Lurf)  —  This film, compiling shots of clear night-time skies from throughout film history in chronological order, reveals that what humans may regard as an absolute image is actually quite unstable. This instability occurs not only of evolving technological parameters, but also as a result of period-specific trends in culture. A Thousand Thoughts / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Sam Green, Joe Bini, Producers: Janet Cowperthwaite, Sam Green, Josh Penn) — A live cinema portrait of the legendary classical music group the Kronos Quartet. Green narrates the film and Kronos performs the soundtrack live. A meditation on music itself – the act of listening closely to music, the experience of feeling music deeply, and the power of music to change the world. Cast: David Harrington, John Sherba, Hank Dutt, Sunny Yang. Deep Astronomy and the Romantic Sciences / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Cory McAbee, Producers: Cory McAbee, Daryle Conners, Steve Holmgren, Richard Cole) — A live sci-fi event, presented in the form of two master’s classes, featuring music, animation and artwork. Topics include the colonization of other planets, sentimentality reform, transdimensional drifting, the proper way to view the universe and the reason that humans exist. Cast: Cory McAbee. Organ Player / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Narcissister) — This hybrid performance/documentary film explores how ancestral data is stored in our bodies, impacting the lives we lead. On the personal level, the film investigates how the artist’s complex family history compelled them to create the masked, erotic performance character Narcissister. Cast: Narcissister, Sarah Lumpkin, Oscar Lumpkin, Bernard Lumpkin, Carmine Boccuzzi.

    NEW TECHNOLOGIES

    Experience Realistic Touch in Virtual Reality / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Andrew Mitrak, Greg Bilsland, Joe Michaels, Jake Rubin, Key Collaborator: Dr. Bob Crockett) — HaptX brings realistic touch to virtual reality for the first time. The innovative technology lets VR users feel the shape, movement, texture and temperature of digital objects. By providing advanced haptic feedback and natural interaction, HaptX enables unprecedented levels of realism in virtual experiences. Awavena / U.S.A, Australia, Brazil (Lead Artist: Lynette Wallworth, Key Collaborators: Nicole Newnham, Tashka Yawanawa, Laura Soriano de Yawanawa) The Yawanawa, an indigenous Amazonian people, see immersive technologies as tools they can co-opt to share their connected worldview.  Inviting artist Lynette Wallworth to their community,  the Yawanawa share the visions of Hushahu, their first woman Shaman, and our technology renders visible the luminous world they have always known. Cast: Hushahu Yawanawa, Tata Yawanawa, Mutum Community.

    ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

    Frankenstein AI: A Monster Made by Many / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Lance Weiler, Nick Fortugno, Rachel Ginsberg, Key Collaborators: Nick Childs, Hunter Owens, Brandon Powers) — By challenging dystopian perspectives around Artificial Intelligence, this immersive experience reimagines Shelley’s seminal work to examine the cultural ramifications of pervasive, ubiquitous technology. Participants interact with an artificial intelligence, co-creating a shared narrative around the implications of unleashing this naive, intelligent “monster,” both mythical and imminent, into the world. TendAR / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Samantha Gorman, Danny Cannizzaro) — A humorous and provocative installation that combines interactive storytelling, AR and emotion/face recognition technology to promote discussion about current topics in biometric data and artificial intelligence. Your guide: a fish-like creature who amusingly analyzes the partners collaborating in the experience, their emotions and the world around them.

    VIRTUAL/MIXED REALITY INSTALLATIONS

    Zikr: A Sufi Revival / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Gabo Arora, John Fitzgerald, Matthew Niederhauser, Key Collaborators: Selim Bensedrine, Igal Nassima, Jennifer Tiexiera, Wilson Brown) — This interactive social VR experience uses song and dance to transport four participants into ecstatic Sufi rituals, while also exploring the motivations behind followers of this mystical Islamic tradition, still observed by millions around the world. Elastic Time / Switzerland (Lead Artist: Mark Boulos, Key Collaborators: Robin Mange, Javier Bello Ruiz) — A mixed reality interactive documentary about space-time, narrated by astronomer Tony Stark (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics). A real-time hologram of your body is integrated into the observatory room; using the controllers, you bend space and time to your will, creating black holes, wormholes and time portals. Cast: Tony Stark. Hero / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari, Key Collaborators: Brooks Brown, Mark Harwood, Sinclair Fleming) — An immersive, large-scale installation that explores humanity in our modern era of civilian warfare. In this vérité VR experience with multi-sensory engagement, participants embark upon their own primal journey. When everyday life is disrupted by profound crisis only human connection can inspire hope. Cast: Masoume Khonsari, Perla Daoud, Samer Sakka, Sam Sako, Said Faraj, Sue Shaheen. VR_I / Switzerland (Lead Artists: Gilles Jobin, Caecilia Charbonnier, Sylvain Chagué, Key Collaborators: Jean-Paul Lespagnard, Carla Scaletti, Camilo De Martino) — Blending art with technology, VR_I resulted from the encounter between Swiss choreographer Gilles Jobin and the founders of Artanim, Caecilia Charbonnier and Sylvain Chagué. In this contemplative virtual dance piece, five spectators, immersed together and in real time, use avatars to investigate a performance among surprising effects of scale. Cast: Susana Panadés Diaz, Victoria Chiu, Diya Naidu, Gilles Jobin, Tidiani N’Diaye. BattleScar / U.S.A., France (Lead Artists: Martin Allais, Nico Casavecchia, Key Collaborators: Arnaud Colinart, Raphael Penasa, Andrew Geller, René Pinell) — New York City, 1978: When Lupe, a Puerto Rican-American teen, meets fellow runaway Debbie, the Bowery’s punk scene and the Lower East Side are their playground. This coming-of-age narrative explores identity through animation and immersive environments as Lupe’s handwritten journals guide users through her year. Cast: Rosario Dawson. DICKGIRL 3D(X) / United Kingdom (Lead Artist: Sidsel Meineche Hansen, Key Collaborator: James B Stringer) — DICKGIRL 3D(X) is the non-binary version of EVA v3.0, an avatar purchased online and appropriated by the artist. Through DICKGIRL 3D(X), the viewer becomes a post-human pleasure-seeker in an encounter with a submissive clay-like sculpture. SPHERES: Songs of Spacetime / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Eliza McNitt, Key Collaborators: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, Jess Engel, Arnaud Colinart) — Dive into the heart of a black hole and uncover the hidden songs of the cosmos. In this interactive VR experience, the breakthrough discovery of gravitational waves transforms how we see the Universe. Fall into the darkness, and you will find the light. Wolves in the Walls (Chapter 1) / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Pete Billington, Jessica Shamash, Key Collaborators: Edward Saatchi, Saschka Unseld, Jennine Willett, Zach Morris) — All is not as it seems when 8-year-old Lucy’s imagination proves to be reality. Help her discover what’s hiding inside the walls of her house in this immersive fable, based on the work by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, and choreographed by acclaimed immersive-theater company, Third Rail. Cast: Elisa Davis, Elizabeth Carena, Cadence Goblirsch Chorus / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Tyler Hurd, Key Collaborators: Chris Milk, Megan Ellison, Justice) — Crystals, lasers, monsters, heroines. Transform into fantastical female warriors in this social virtual reality experience. Six people can band together to battle evil in this epic journey of empowerment, all orchestrated to the song “Chorus” by Justice.

    MOBILE VR LINEUP

    Dinner Party / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Charlotte Stoudt, Laura Wexler, Angel Manuel Soto, Key Collaborators: Rachel Skidmore, Bryn Mooser, Erik Donley) — A short virtual reality thriller that dramatizes the incredible story of Betty and Barney Hill, who in the 1960’s reported the first nationally known UFO abduction case in America. Cast: Malcolm Barrett, Sarah Sokolovic. Dispatch / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Edward Robles) — A small-town police dispatcher faces the greatest challenge of his career during an all-night crime spree. Cast: Martin Starr, Julianna Guill, Graham Shiels, Beth Grant, Samuel Stricklen, Kelly Jenrette. Eyes in the Red Wind / South Korea (Lead Artists: Sngmoo Lee, Jongmin kim, Youngsam Jung, Key Collaborators: Jaehyun Park, Myuonggoo Ji, Youngsik Yu) — Friends and family members gather to throw a ‘soul scooping’ ritual, to pacify the soul of a drowned man. When a possessed shaman reveals the murderous truth behind the death on the table, lust and secrets come to the fore. Cast: Sungmi Kim, Jaehyun Kim, Jeongmi Lee, Nara Kim. Masters of the Sun / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: will.i.am, apl de ap, Taboo, Key Collaborators: Pasha Shapiro, Ernst Weber, Sara Ramaker, Eddie Axley) — In 1983, Los Angeles was spared from utter destruction driven by an ancient evil. The ghetto became ground zero for drug epidemic that transformed citizens into soul-sucking zombies through Z-Drops, until a ragtag crew used one weapon to take their city back: hip-hop. Cast: Rakim, Queen Latifah, Jason Isaacs, Stan Lee, KRS-One, Slick Rick. Micro Giants / China (Lead Artist: Yifu Zhou, Key Collaborators: Teng Wang, Shuyi Qiao, Jia Zhang) — A computer-generated VR experience that gives an unprecedented and highly engaging perspective of insect life. When participants enter into the micro world, tiny flowers and insects in normal life now become mighty trees and beasts. Cast: Pantawit Kiangsiri. On My Way / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Yung Jake, Key Collaborators: Mike Rosenstien, Ari Kuschnir, Andrew Schwartz) — In a Tesla, multiple Yung Jakes rap about money, cars, drugs and things of that nature, among interactive elements. Cast: Yung Jake. Space Explorers: A New Dawn / Canada, U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Paul Raphaël, Felix Lajeunesse, Key Collaborators: Morgan Spurlock, Ryan Horrigan, Stéphane Rituit) Experience the journey of NASA astronauts as they navigate the trials and sacrifices of their training and missions. An immersive VR experience that shines a light on mankind’s most ambitious endeavor to understand our planet, our universe and our origins. Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jeanette Epps, Jessica Meir, Victor Glover, Michael Gernhardt. The Sun Ladies VR / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Maria Bello, Celine Tricart, Christian Stephen, Key Collaborators: Wesley Allsbrook, Tim Gedemer, Mark Simpson) An in-depth look at the personal journey of Xate Singali: from her roots as a famous singer in Kurdistan, through ISIS sex slavery, and to her new life as a soldier on the front lines as she starts a female-only Iraqi fighting unit called the Sun Ladies. Cast: Maria Bello. The Summation of Force / Australia (Lead Artists: Narelle Autio, Trent Parke, Matthew Bate, Key Collaborator: Anton Andreacchio) — In a moonlit suburban yard, two brothers battle one another in a mythic game of cricket. A study of the motion, physics and psychology of elite sport; a cosmic, dreamlike and darkly beautiful metaphor for life. Cast: Jem Autio Parke, Dash Autio Parke. Your Spiritual Temple Sucks / Taiwan (Lead Artist: John Hsu) — Mr. Chang arrives to his “Spiritual Temple,” a place that represents one’s destiny. To solve his marital crisis and financial problems, he summons his guardian – The Thunder God. They attempt to tidy his life, which turns out to be a big mistake…with hilarious consequences. Cast: Ctwo, Sun Ke-Fang, Han Chang, Andy Tsai, Wei Hao Tseng, Liu Kuan-Ting. Image: A still image from The Sun Ladies VR by Celine Tricart, Christian Stephen and Maria Bello, an official selection of the New Frontier VR Experiences program at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Lucid Dreams Productions.

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