Renaissance Hotels and Marriott’s Content Studio have partnered with Substance Over Hype to produce a new comedy short film, BUSINESS UNUSUAL. Business Unusual will have a global multiplatform release in early 2016, including a limited theatrical release.
The 12-minute film, shot throughout Chicago and on location at the newly transformed Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, boasts an impressive cast including Yoshua Sudarso (“Power Rangers Dino Charge”), Jason Gerhardt (“General Hospital,” ABC’s “Mistresses”), Grant Bowler (“Defiance,” “True Blood,” and “Ugly Betty”), Tia Carrere (“Wayne’s World”) and Brian Poli-Dixon (artist, actor, and former NFL receiver). Featured cameos from Chicago natives include Ozzie Guillen (former White Sox player), The O’My’s (Chicago-based band) and the world’s best parkour athletes and dancers from Substance Over Hype. A custom soundtrack that features local Chicago artists including The O’My’s will also accompany the film.
On the heels of “French Kiss” and “Two Bellmen,” Business Unusual, written and directed by Daniel Malakai Cabrera & Caine Sinclair, is the third original short film produced by the Marriott Content Studio.
Business Unusual centers around two ad executives and former colleagues, having just arrived in Chicago to compete against each other in a pitch. A pompous character, Chip, delivers the first pitch and receives extremely positive feedback from the clients. Following Chip’s seemingly successful presentation, David, (a less seasoned entrepreneur) nervously begins to present his pitch– when the client is suddenly called away to an emergency and is asked if he can finish the next day. David agrees and returns to his hotel. As he is anxiously preparing to revamp his pitch, the Navigator (Renaissance Hotels’ local concierge) persuades him to join other guests for an evening of discovery through beverage, food and local music in the hotel’s bar. Here he has a chance platonic encounter with a kind, wise, and successful woman named Ella. David finds his groove and is inspired to create an exceptionally fun and clever campaign, focused on the use of a Rube Goldberg machine that ultimately lands him the account. The Rube Goldberg machine in the film was designed by “America’s Got Talent” quarterfinalist Steve Price.-
Renaissance Hotels and Marriott Content Studio Announce Latest Original Film BUSINESS UNUSUAL
Renaissance Hotels and Marriott’s Content Studio have partnered with Substance Over Hype to produce a new comedy short film, BUSINESS UNUSUAL. Business Unusual will have a global multiplatform release in early 2016, including a limited theatrical release.
The 12-minute film, shot throughout Chicago and on location at the newly transformed Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, boasts an impressive cast including Yoshua Sudarso (“Power Rangers Dino Charge”), Jason Gerhardt (“General Hospital,” ABC’s “Mistresses”), Grant Bowler (“Defiance,” “True Blood,” and “Ugly Betty”), Tia Carrere (“Wayne’s World”) and Brian Poli-Dixon (artist, actor, and former NFL receiver). Featured cameos from Chicago natives include Ozzie Guillen (former White Sox player), The O’My’s (Chicago-based band) and the world’s best parkour athletes and dancers from Substance Over Hype. A custom soundtrack that features local Chicago artists including The O’My’s will also accompany the film.
On the heels of “French Kiss” and “Two Bellmen,” Business Unusual, written and directed by Daniel Malakai Cabrera & Caine Sinclair, is the third original short film produced by the Marriott Content Studio.
Business Unusual centers around two ad executives and former colleagues, having just arrived in Chicago to compete against each other in a pitch. A pompous character, Chip, delivers the first pitch and receives extremely positive feedback from the clients. Following Chip’s seemingly successful presentation, David, (a less seasoned entrepreneur) nervously begins to present his pitch– when the client is suddenly called away to an emergency and is asked if he can finish the next day. David agrees and returns to his hotel. As he is anxiously preparing to revamp his pitch, the Navigator (Renaissance Hotels’ local concierge) persuades him to join other guests for an evening of discovery through beverage, food and local music in the hotel’s bar. Here he has a chance platonic encounter with a kind, wise, and successful woman named Ella. David finds his groove and is inspired to create an exceptionally fun and clever campaign, focused on the use of a Rube Goldberg machine that ultimately lands him the account. The Rube Goldberg machine in the film was designed by “America’s Got Talent” quarterfinalist Steve Price.
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HOT SUGAR’S COLD WORLD Sets Release Date of November 6 | TRAILER
Hot Sugar’s Cold World, a fly-on-the-wall look into the life of a modern-day Mozart, Nick Koenig (Hot Sugar) as he creates one-of-a-kind music made entirely out of sounds from the world around him, will open November 6, 2015 in theaters and iTunes with special live performances to follow across the US and Canada.
Nick lives every young musician’s dream, but when his internet- famous girlfriend, (rapper Kitty) goes on tour and they split, he flies to Paris where he grew up, to move on with his life, while hunting for increasingly unique and exotic sounds to sample and turn into beats. Through his journey, Hot Sugar goes on some crazy adventures, meets some fascinating people and learns what it takes to survive as an artist.
With appearances by former members of Das Racist, legendary filmmaker Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers, Only Lovers Left Alive), the world’s most renowned Astrophysicist, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson (“Cosmos” on FOX) and comedian Martin Starr (HBO’s “Silicon Valley”) among a host of other musicians and personalities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V5CJaa5zLE
Hot Sugar’s Cold World, an official selections of 2015 SXSW Film Festival and 2015 Hot Docs Film Festival, is directed by Adam Bhala Lough, Executive Produced by David Gordon Green, Danny McBride and Jody Hill, and features Nick Koenig, Martin Starr, Kool AD, Heems, Dapwell, Kitty, Rachel Trachtenburg, Jim Jarmusch, Dr. Neil deGrasse, Tyson, Shelby Fero.
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TANGERINE, JAMES WHITE, ROOM, NASTY BABY Among 2015 Los Cabos International Film Festival Official Selections
The 2015 Los Cabos International Film Festival announced the films chosen for its fourth edition’s Official Selection, which is composed of Competencia Los Cabos (Mexico, USA and Canada) and México Primero sections. Nine films are in competition for Competencia Los Cabos, where North American films appear side-by-side, films that are from or co-produced with Mexico, USA and/or Canada can participate; and six films are in competition for México Primero, focusing on Mexican films.
The nine films in competition for Competencia Los Cabos:
From Afar “Desde allá” by Lorenzo Vigas (Mexico/Venezuela).
Tangerine by Sean Baker (USA) – Premiere in Mexico. (pictured above)
Room by Lenny Abrahamson (Canada/Ireland)
Chronic by Michel Franco (Mexico).
James White by Josh Mond (USA) – Premiere in Latin America
The Loved Ones “Les Êtres Chers” by Anne Émond (Canada) – Premiere in Mexico
A Monster with a Thousand Heads “Un monstruo de mil cabezas” by Rodrigo Plá (Mexico/France).
Nasty Baby by Sebastián Silva (USA/Chile) – Premiere in Mexico.
Sleeping Giant by Andrew Cividino (Canada).
The six competing films for México Primero are:
Semana Santa by Alejandra Márquez.
Sabrás qué hacer conmigo by Katina Medina Mora.
Charity “La caridad” by Marcelino Islas.
The Chosen Ones “Las elegidas” by David Pablos.
I Promise You Anarchy “Te prometo anarquía” by Julio Hernández Cordón.
Almacenados by Jack Zagha.
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OLD?! Documentary on the Journey of Aging to Screen at Benefit for Ashland Independent Film Festival
Film Director Kathy Roselli will hold a benefit screening of OLD?!, a 55 minute documentary that explores the process of aging through personal, humorous, inspiring, and deeply touching stories from area residents in all stages of their lives. Seeking to pull audiences into a conversation about the process of aging, OLD?! encourages viewers to explore and experience their own journeys of growing old.
Roselli, an Ashland, Oregon resident, drew on personal testimonials and insights from more than 70 Ashland area residents ages 10 days to 101 years, to make her film. The documentary has been featured at the Portland Film Festival; the SAFilm Fest (San Antonio, TX) ; the Real to Reel Film Festival (Kings Mountain, N.C), where it was recognized as Best Of Fest; and at IndieFEST (La Jolla, CA.) where it received an Award of Merit, Special Mention, Documentary Feature.
Roselli, who discovered her passion for filmmaking later in life, began her journey as a director with the short documentary, Portrait of Isabelle, about a young girl suffering from Rhett Syndrome. Roselli met her subject while working as a pediatric physical therapist. Since her first film, Roselli has produced two other short documentaries, Free Voice ~ Free Spirit and Breath In Three Verses (AIFF13), which have also done well at film festivals. OLD?!, is Roselli’s first feature length documentary. She drew inspiration from her own desire to hear about aging from real people rather than experts. “Aging is something we all do,” she said. “Making this film helped me embrace the third stage of my life.”
Roselli brings her film to the Varsity Theatre as a way to share the work with the many locals she interviewed, and also to support the non-profit Ashland Independent Film Festival. There will be a question and answer session with the director following the screening.
“It’s the perfect documentary to draw in the community and see local people on screen sharing their
stories,” said Cathy Dombi, Executive Director of the Ashland Independent Film Festival. “We are very
appreciative that Kathy is supporting the creative work of independent film makers through her own creative explorations.”
The benefit showing of OLD?! will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19th. Tickets are available at the Varsity Theatre Box Office, 166 N. Main St., Ashland, at the time of the event for $8. There will be no advance ticket sales.
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15 Documentary Films to Compete at 28th IDFA; Fest to Open with A FAMILY AFFAIR
15 films will compete in the feature-length documentary competition of the upcoming 28th International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), which takes place in Amsterdam from November 18 to 29, 2015. The 28th IDFA opens on 18 November with A Family Affair by Dutch director Tom Fassaert. In A Family Affair, Fassaert explores the delicate history of his own family, which is marked by conflict. This personal journey takes him through four generations, and becomes complicated when his grandmother makes an unexpected confession. A Family Affair competes in both IDFA’s feature-length documentary and Dutch documentary competitions.
Bolshoi Babylon by Nick Read (Russia / UK)
A revealing look behind the scenes of the world-famous Russian Bolshoi Theatre, where a constant struggle between ambition, love of art and nepotism is played out.
Carolina’s World by Mariana Viñoles (Uruguay)
An affectionate portrait of 20-year-old Caro, who has Down’s syndrome. Sitting at her mother’s kitchen table, she talks openly about her life.
Clear Years by Frédéric Guillaume (Belgium)
An intimate, candid account of a man watching through his camera lens as his family falls apart.
Don Juan by Jerzy Sladkowski (Sweden / Finland)
A funny, painful portrait of 22-year-old Oleg, whose mother Marina is trying to free him from his lethargic state.
A Family Affair by Tom Fassaert (the Netherlands)
Hoping to gain insight into his family history, Tom Fassaert heads to South Africa to visit his grandmother Marianne. But Marianne has something else in mind.
Natural Disorder by Christian Sønderby Jepsen (Denmark)
Jacob, who has cerebral palsy, will never lead a normal life. But who defines what is normal? In a play, he defends his right to exist as an abnormal person.
Next Stop: Utopia by Apostolos Karakasis (Greece / Germany / France)
Greek workers take over their abandoned workplace. Their movement becomes a beacon of solidarity – but how long can they keep going?
Patient by Jorge Caballero (Colombia)
While Nubia fights and fears for the life of her terminally ill daughter, we are given a bewildering insight into the absurd bureaucracy of the health system in Colombia.
The Road by Zanbo Zhang (China)
The construction of a gigantic motorway in China brings three parties into opposition with one another: the local population, the construction company and the labourers.
Snow Monkey by George Gittoes (Australia)
A collage of joy and brutality in Afghanistan. Local gang members take acting roles in a Pashtun film directed by an open-minded Australian.
Sonita by Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami (Iran / Germany)
Illegally living in Tehran, 18-year old Afghani refugee Sonita dreams of being a rapper in this exciting document of her search for her own life path through life.
A Strange Love Affair with Ego by Ester Gould (the Netherlands)
Her admiration for the self-assurance of her sister Rowan prompts the filmmaker to explore our narcissistic society – with shocking results.
Thru You Princess by Ido Haar (Israel)
A virtual musical encounter between a cappella singer Princess Shaw from New Orleans and Israeli composer-producer Kutiman leads to an internet hit.
Thy Father’s Chair by Antonio Tibaldi and Alex Lora (Italy / USA)
Ageing Orthodox Jewish twins Abraham and Shraga have to look on as a clean-up team gets to grips with their polluted home in Brooklyn.
Ukrainian Sheriffs by Roman Bondarchuk (Ukraine / Latvia / Germany)
Tragi-comic portrait of a pair of sheriffs in a remote Ukrainian village where – alongside various simmering situations – political developments are also a threat to order.
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FLOWERS, Spain’s Oscar Entry, to Be Released in US | TRAILER
FLOWERS (Loreak), Spain’s submission for 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar category for the 88th Academy Awards, will be released in the US, later this Fall 2015, via Music Box Films. The film opens at New York’s Paris Theater on Oct. 30, followed by Los Angeles on Nov. 27.
Directed by Jon Garaño and Jose Mari Goenaga, Flowers is the story of three women, three lives altered by the mere presence of bouquets of flowers. Ane’s life takes a turn when a bouquet of flowers is delivered to her house every week. Always at the same time and always anonymously. Lourdes and Tere’s lives are also affected by some mysterious flowers. A stranger leaves a weekly bouquet in memory of someone important in their lives. This Flowers that will make feelings blossom inside them that had seemed long forgotten… But in the end, they are nothing more than flowers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L33oXnK75w
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2015 Hamptons International Film Festival Awards, RAMS, and MISSING PEOPLE Win Top Awards
The 2015 Hamptons International Film Festival announced their award winners, and RAMS, directed by Grimur Hákonarson won The HIFF Award for Best Narrative Feature. RAMS is Iceland’s official selection for the Academy Awards. MISSING PEOPLE, directed by David Shapiro, received the HIFF Award for Best Documentary Feature. OVER, directed by Jörn Threlfall, and LAST DAY OF FREEDOM, directed by Dee Hibbert-Jones, Nomi Talisman, received the HIFF Awards for Best Narrative Short Film and for Best Documentary Short Film, respectively.
EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT, directed by Ciro Guerra, received the Honorable Mention for Narrative Feature and PATRIOT, directed by Eva Riley, received Honorable Mention for Narrative Short Film. CHUCK NORRIS VS. COMMUNISM, directed by Ilinca Calugareanu, received the Honorable Mention for Documentary Feature.
HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2015 WINNERS:
HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Feature sponsored by The Wall Street Journal
Rams, directed by Grimur Hákonarson
Honorable Mention for Narrative Feature
Embrace of the Serpent, directed by Ciro Guerra
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Feature sponsored by ID Films
Missing People, directed by David Shapiro
Honorable Mention for Documentary Feature
Chuck Norris Vs. Communism, directed by Ilinca Calugareanu
HIFF Award Winner for Best Narrative Short Film sponsored by The Wall Street Journal
Over, directed by Jörn Threlfall
Honorable Mention for Narrative Short Film
Patriot, directed by Eva Riley
HIFF Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film sponsored by ID Films
Last Day of Freedom, directed by Dee Hibbert-Jones, Nomi Talisman
Victor Rabinowitz and Joanne Grant Award for Social Justice
The Uncondemned, directed by Michele Mitchell, Nick Louvel
Tangerine Entertainment Juice Fund Award
Suffragette, directed by Sarah Gavron
Suffolk County Film Commission Next Exposure Grant
When I Live My Life Over Again, directed by Robert Edwards
The 2015 Brizzolara Family Foundation Award for a Film of Conflict and Resolution
The Uncondemned, directed by Michele Mitchell, Nick Louvel
The Zelda Penzel “Giving Voice to the Voiceless” Award: Dedicated to Those Who Suffer
in Silence
The Champions, directed by Darcy Dennett
2015 VARIETY 10 ACTORS T0 WATCH
Christopher Abbott, James White
Emory Cohen, Brooklyn
Thomas Mann, The Preppie Connection
Bel Powley, A Royal Night Out
Rebecca Ferguson, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton
Maika Monroe, It Follows
Keith Stanfield, Straight Outta Compton
Tessa Thompson, Selma
Jessie T. Usher, Independence Day: Resurgence
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MEDITERRANEA by Jonas Carpignano to Open Stockholm Film Festival | TRAILER
Mediterranea by Jonas Carpignano is the opening film of this year’s Stockholm Film Festival. The film will also participate in the prestigious Stockholm XXVI Competition, competing for the Bronze Horse.
Mediterranea, starring Koudous Seihon and Alassane Sy och Aisha, is the story of two young men leaving their home country Burkina Faso to make the dangerous trip over the Mediterranean to Italy. Carpignano’s feature film debut is a touching portrayal of African migrants in Italy, building upon his previous short films A Chjàna (2012) and Young Lions of Gypsy (2014). The film is connected to this year’s Spotlight theme Migration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaALVBbde_A
“I’ve always loved Stockholm, both the city and the festival, so it is a great honor to have been selected as the opening film of the festival. This film is five years in the making, and there were moments when we didn’t know if it would ever get finished. The fact that it’s out there, and that it can play on a stage as big as that of the Stockholm Film Festival is surreal and humbling,” says Jonas Carpignano, director of Mediterranea.
Jonas Carpignano visited Stockholm Film Festival 2014, competing in Stockholm XXV Short Film Competition with his short film Young Lions of Gypsy (2014).
The 26th Stockholm International Film Festival will take place November 11 to 22, 2015
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Complete List of Films + Trailers for 81 Countries in Competition for 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar
Eighty-one countries have submitted films for consideration in the 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar category for the 88th Academy Awards.
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Video Clips + Images from Horror Film CLASSROOM 6
Check out some video clips and images from CLASSROOM 6, a found-footage horror film directed by Jonas Odenheimer, available on VOD and iTunes today, Friday, October 9, 2015.
In CLASSROOM 6, a local reporter and her assembled TV crew explore a school haunted by a horrific past. The team soon realizes that the location is home to an evil and ancient force that wants them dead.
https://vimeo.com/141674449
https://vimeo.com/141674451
https://vimeo.com/141674450
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Toni Collette, Tracy Letts, Sam Trammell Join Daniel Radcliffe In Daniel Ragussis’s Upcoming Thriller IMPERIUM
Academy-Award Nominee Toni Collette (pictured above) (The Sixth Sense, Little Miss Sunshine, United States of Tara), Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts (Homeland) and Sam Trammell (True Blood) join Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter franchise, Horns) in director/co-writer Daniel Ragussis ‘s upcoming feature film IMPERIUM, to be distributed by Lionsgate Premiere, the Company’s newly-launched specialty film label utilizing a mix of traditional and multiplatform release strategies.
Daniel Radcliffe stars as the title character, Nate Foster, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he specializes in domestic terrorism and covert operations. Toni Collette joins as a veteran battle-hardened colleague FBI Agent Angela Zampino, with Tracy Letts joining as Dallas Wolf, a modern-day leader of the white supremacy movement and Sam Trammell plays Jerry Conrad a seemingly normal suburban Dad who is also the local Ayran youth recruiter.
Based on true events, IMPERIUM focuses on the FBI agent as he goes undercover and joins a white supremacist group in order to expose a sizable terrorist plot to create a dirty bomb. The bright up-and-coming analyst must confront the challenge of sticking to a new identity while maintaining his real principles as he navigates the dangerous underworld of white supremacy.
The script was co-written by former FBI agent Mike German whose counterterrorism activities during his 16-year tenure inspire the plot of the film.
IMPERIUM commences production this month in Hopewell, Virginia and is executive produced by Andrew Mann, Jeff Elliott, Chad Moore, Barry Brooker and Stan Wertlieb in addition to Eric Gold and Warren Goz of Sculptor Media. The film is produced by Atomic Features and Tycor International Film Company producers, TY Walker, Dennis Lee and Simon Taufique. Green-Light International is handling foreign sales and brokered the domestic Lionsgate deal. IMPERIUM will be released by Lionsgate Premiere.
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Gripping Thriller REMEMBER Starring Christopher Plummer Added to Lineup for Chicago International Film Festival | TRAILER
Remember directed by Atom Egoyan, has been added to the lineup for the 51st Chicago International Film Festival and will screen on Tuesday, October 27, 2015. Remember is described as “a gripping thriller in which the darkest chapter of the 20th century collides with a contemporary mission of revenge.”
Remember tells the story of Zev Guttman (Academy Award® Winner Christopher Plummer), a 90-year-old struggling with memory loss who is living out his final years in a serene retirement home. A week following the death of his beloved wife Ruth, he suddenly gets a mysterious package from his close friend Max (Academy Award® Winner Martin Landau), containing a stack of money and a letter detailing a shocking plan. Both Zev and Max were prisoners in Auschwitz, and the same sadistic guard was responsible for the death of both their families-a guard who, immediately after the war, escaped Germany and has been living in the U.S. ever since under an assumed identity. Max is wheelchair-bound but in full command of his mental faculties; with his guidance, Zev will embark on a cross-continental road-trip to bring justice once and for all to the man who destroyed both their lives.
Academy Award® nominated director Atom Egoyan creates a thrillingly fast-paced revenge story that, in a highly original and deeply intimate way, deals with the aftermath of one of the most deplorable and significant events in recent history. With an incredible lead performance from Christopher Plummer as the frail but unstoppable Zev, Remember manages to keep audiences on the edge of their seats while giving them something to think about long after the film is over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFxXCoprNqc