The Cage Fighter[/caption]
Jeff Unay’s documentary and directorial feature debut The Cage Fighter that premiered earlier this year at the 2017 San Francisco International Film Festival has been acquired by Sundance Selects for release in the US. It was written, directed and photographed by Jeff Unay.
The Cage Fighter is the story of a man in the fight of his life. Joe Carman is a blue-collar Washington State boilermaker and master plumber, a loving father and husband. Unable to cope with stresses at home, reeling from his wife’s recent illness and an ongoing custody battle, Joe escapes back into the fighting cage — the one place he’d promised never to set foot again. By trading his inner pain for physical blows, Joe struggles to heal himself and come to terms with his past. In the fighting cage, life’s problems are as simple as they are acute; but there, unlike in the real world, an old fighter can at least go down swinging.
“I am very excited that we are partnering with Sundance Selects to bring The Cage Fighter to the public,” said Jeff Unay, director. “Their prestigious label/brand of films coupled together with their penchant to distribute their films to the widest possible audience is extremely promising and very important to our film. We are proud to be part of the Sundance Selects family.”
“Jeff Unay’s impressive and beautiful debut unfolds like a narrative film in which the story of Joe Carman and his journey is portrayed with empathy and universal accessibility. We can’t wait to share his story with audiences across the country,” said Arianna Bocco, EVP of Acquisitions and Productions.-
Sundance Selects to Release Jeff Unay’s THE CAGE FIGHTER Documentary
[caption id="attachment_22652" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Cage Fighter[/caption]
Jeff Unay’s documentary and directorial feature debut The Cage Fighter that premiered earlier this year at the 2017 San Francisco International Film Festival has been acquired by Sundance Selects for release in the US. It was written, directed and photographed by Jeff Unay.
The Cage Fighter is the story of a man in the fight of his life. Joe Carman is a blue-collar Washington State boilermaker and master plumber, a loving father and husband. Unable to cope with stresses at home, reeling from his wife’s recent illness and an ongoing custody battle, Joe escapes back into the fighting cage — the one place he’d promised never to set foot again. By trading his inner pain for physical blows, Joe struggles to heal himself and come to terms with his past. In the fighting cage, life’s problems are as simple as they are acute; but there, unlike in the real world, an old fighter can at least go down swinging.
“I am very excited that we are partnering with Sundance Selects to bring The Cage Fighter to the public,” said Jeff Unay, director. “Their prestigious label/brand of films coupled together with their penchant to distribute their films to the widest possible audience is extremely promising and very important to our film. We are proud to be part of the Sundance Selects family.”
“Jeff Unay’s impressive and beautiful debut unfolds like a narrative film in which the story of Joe Carman and his journey is portrayed with empathy and universal accessibility. We can’t wait to share his story with audiences across the country,” said Arianna Bocco, EVP of Acquisitions and Productions.
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French Musical Comedy FOOTNOTES to Open in New York on July 14
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Footnotes[/caption]
The French musical comedy Footnotes directed by Paul Calori and Kostia Testut will open in New York on Friday, July 14th at the Village East Cinema with a national release to follow.
Inspired by the films of Jacques Demy and Stanley Donen,Footnotes is a whimsical and original musical comedy about Julie, a young woman struggling to make ends meet in France’s radically changing economy. Living out of a backpack, Julie spends her days jumping from job to job until she’s finally offered a temporary stockroom position at a women’s luxury shoe factory. After making friends with the boss’s spunky receptionist Sophie and the ever-charming factory truck driver Samy, Julie thinks the hard times are behind her. But Julie’s dreams of stability collapse when management threatens to close down the factory. As her intrepid group of female colleagues get together to go on strike, Samy and the other truck drivers decide to side with the company’s scheming CEO. Julie must choose whether to keep a low profile (and a shot at permanent employment) or to resist and fight back on the picket line.
Footnotes stars Pauline Etienne, Olivier Chantreau, François Morel, Loïc Corbery and Julie Victor; and was an Official Selection of Palm Springs International Film Festival, Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, Filmfest DC and many more.
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Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup, and Award for Burt Reynolds
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Vic Edwards (Burt Reynolds) and Ariel Winter (Lil) share a moment at McDougalís Pub in DOG YEARS. Photo by Bob Franklin.[/caption]
The Second Annual Vero Beach Wine + Film Festival (VBWFF) has announced the official selections for the 2017 event, held June 8 to 11 at various screening locations in Vero Beach, FL. VBWFF focuses on providing a truly unique festival, allowing guests to fully experience films with tailored wine and drink pairings, special guests and immersive viewing. Films were submitted in the categories of Documentary, Narrative, Short and NEXT UP! (young filmmakers).
Florida resident and notable actor, producer, director Burt Reynolds will be honored with VBWFF’s highest honor, the Life Worth Living Legend Award.
Reynolds founded the nearby historic Jupiter Theatre, once one of the most renowned cultural centers in South Florida, which operated as a dinner theater and local arts institution from 1979-96. In it’s prime, more stars performed at the Jupiter Theatre than any other venue in Palm Beach County, including Martin Sheen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julie Harris and Judd Nelson.
Festival Founder and Director, Jerusha Stewart, said “We’re thrilled to be presenting award-winning actor Burt Reynolds with the VBWFF Life Worth Living Legend Award. Burt is a star among stars who’s enchanted millions with his charisma and comedic style. We’re excited and honored to present his latest film, ‘Dog Years’ in its Florida Premiere after opening at Tribeca.”
Stewart continues on the unique experiential screenings during VBWFF, “One of the things that makes VBWFF so unique is that we plan for movies to be experienced differently – whether through venue or the presentation – VBWFF is definitely a ‘Sip, See, Savor!’ experience! Unlike most festivals, we want guests to experience the film, not just watch it.”
Full list of film selections linked below, highlights include:
Dog Years
Starring Burt Reynolds and Ariel Winter, Dog Years tells the story of an aging, former movie star is forced to face the reality that his glory days are behind him.
Director: Adam Rifkin; Producer: Neil Mandt; Narrative
The Letter Carrier
Set in 1860 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, The Letter Carrier is the story of a boy and his family hidden from slavery and a parent’s will to protect their freedom at all costs.
Director: Jesse L. Martin; Short
Finding Kukan
Filmmaker Robin Lung investigates the case of Li Ling-Ai, the un-credited female producer of KUKAN, a landmark color film that revealed the atrocities of World War II China to American audiences, and was the first-ever American feature documentary to receive an Academy Award in 1942.
Producer & Director: Robin Lung; Documentary
VBWFF experiential screenings include:
Perfume War
The multiple award winning documentary follows a single mom as she creates an unlikely weapon in the fight for world peace, turning Afghan farms from illegal opium farms into legal flower farms.
Director: Michael Melski; Documentary
* Molly Smith, Academy Award Winning Producer of La La Land, will host an intimate lunch and talk with Barb Stegemann, CEO & Founder, The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc. and star of “Perfume War.”
STRAWS
Narrated by actor Tim Robbins, STRAWS make its Florida premiere at VBWFF. Director and producer Linda Booker created the documentary to expose the negative impact of the billions of plastic straws that live in our landfills and oceans.
Director: Linda Booker; Documentary
*Following the screening, there will be a private sea turtle walk on the beach and a Q&A with Booker.
Discovering Dave
The story of David Drake, a South Carolina slave potter/craftsman who created beautiful pottery, including jars, during the turbulent 1800s.
Director: Mark Albertin; Documentary
*Guests will be able to view up close and handle pottery usually kept in museums under glass.
Bartender at Large
The documentary on the art of bartending and the world of craft cocktails provides a look at the modern cocktail renaissance.
Director: Erick Castro; Documentary
*Guests will take part in a cocktail demo at local hotspot, Grind + Grape, before screening.
Decanted
The documentary gives a look inside one of the most intimate wine growing regions in the world, Napa Valley, as we follow the journey of new beginnings, mastering a craft, and what it takes to make it in the wine business.
Director: Nick Kovacic; Documentary
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Watch Chilling First Trailer for Australian Indie Thriller LOST GULLY ROAD
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Lost Gully Trailer[/caption]
Here is the first trailer for the Australian thriller Lost Gully Trailer directed by Donna McRae. The film tells the story of Lucy, a directionless young woman who travels to a secluded cottage in the forest to wait for her sister. With no television and little communication with the outside world she spends her days alone and drinking to pass the time. That is, until her unexpected host decides to keep her company…
Lucy is played by Adele Perovic (The Code), with supporting cast Eloise Mignon (The Cherry Orchard), John Brumpton (The Loved Ones), and Jane Clifton (Prisoner, Cell Block H).
Lost Gully Trailer is directed by Donna McRae, who’s debut film Johnny Ghost (2012) was hailed as “Stylistically removed from your average gore film and just as chilling as some of the best “ by Fangoria, called an “immediate classic” by Hellnotes, and given 5 stars from Filmthreat.
The film features beautiful cinematography from Laszlo Baranyai (HSC, ACS), exquisite production design from visual artist Michael Vale, and a haunting score by Dave Graney and Clare Moore.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates and soon to be announced festival dates.
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LEMON, GOOK, BITCH Among 7 Films from 2017 Sundance Selected to Screen at Sundance NEXT FEST
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Lemon[/caption]
Seven films from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, paired with three energizing musical performances will screen at the upcoming Sundance NEXT FEST. The fest lights up Los Angeles August 10-13 at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, and this year will include presentation of the Institute’s Vanguard Awards to Quentin Tarantino and Dee Rees.
The festival’s NEXT FEST After Dark program on Thursday, August 10, will feature a 25th anniversary screening of Reservoir Dogs on restored 35mm and presentation of the Institute’s Vanguard Leadership Award to Quentin Tarantino. Reservoir Dogs debuted at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival following Tarantino’s participation in the Institute’s Directors Lab and returned to its roots with a From the Collection screening at this year’s Festival.
Sundance NEXT FEST continues on Friday with the LA premiere of absurd comedy Lemon directed by Janicza Bravo, with a performance by powerhouse vocalist Lizzo. Saturday’s lineup includes: Sundance NEXT FEST’s first-ever episodic selection — a special screening of seven episodes of the comedic drama Gente-fied, created by Marvin Lemus; the 2017 Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award: NEXT-winner Gook; and Bitch, starring Jason Ritter and Jaime King, paired with a performance by Sleigh Bells who just released their fourth LP, Jessica Rabbit. Sunday’s events include: the Los Angeles premieres of Dina, a documentary about an unconventional love story that took home the Grand Jury Prize in Park City; Alex Ross Perry’s latest film Golden Exits; and Michelle Morgan’s witty love letter to the city of angels, LA Times, accompanied by a live performance by LA-based duo Electric Guest, the band behind the hit “Dear to Me.” Additional program elements for the daytime screenings, including live Q&As with movie icons, will be announced.
Sundance alum Dee Rees, writer and director of Pariah, Bessie and Mudbound, will receive the Vanguard Award at Sundance NEXT FEST, celebrating an emerging artist with creative independence. Rees is an alumna of Sundance Screenwriters, Creative Producing and Directors Labs. She has been the recipient of Sundance Institute’s Time Warner Fellowship and Annenberg Film Fellowship and premiered two feature films at the Sundance Film Festival, Pariah in 2011 and Mudbound in 2017. The Vanguard Award includes a cash grant and mentorship from industry professionals and Institute staff. Rees will be the sixth recipient of this award; past recipients include Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station). The Vanguard Award was founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter.
Thursday, August 10
7:30 p.m. – Reservoir Dogs
Reservoir Dogs / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Quentin Tarantino) — They were perfect strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush and the ruthless killers realize one of them is a police informant. But which one? This 25th anniversary screening will be presented on a 35mm print. Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen. 25th ANNIVERSARY
Friday, August 11
8:00 p.m. – Lemon + Lizzo
Lemon / U.S.A. (Director: Janicza Bravo, Screenwriters: Janicza Bravo, Brett Gelman) — Lemon: a person or thing that proves defective, imperfect, or unsatisfactory. A man whose blind girlfriend is leaving him, whose career is going nowhere and whose family is disappointed in him—Isaac Lachmann is 40. He doesn’t know how he got there. Things were supposed to work out differently. Cast: Brett Gelman, Judy Greer, Michael Cera, Nia Long, Shiri Appleby, Fred Melamed. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
Lizzo wields the kind of voice that’s right at home in soul, pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock and gospel. The vivacious and versatile vocalist’s impassioned delivery and dynamic range bonds the six tracks on her major label debut EP, Coconut Oil (Nice Life Recording Company/Atlantic Records). Lauded by Noisey, Entertainment Weekly, Paste, Rolling Stone, Spin, Idolator, and more, the EP boasted the hit “Good As Hell,” which was featured on the Original Soundtrack to Barbershop: The Next Cut and churned out over 7.3 million Spotify streams and 1.3 million YouTube views in less than six months.
Saturday, August 12
12:00 p.m. – Gente-fied
Gente-fied / U.S.A. (Director, creator and co-writer: Marvin Lemus, Co-writer: Linda Yvette Chavez, Executive Producers: Charles D. King, Aaliyah Williams, America Ferrera) — Seven characters deal with the effects of change in L.A.’s Boyle Heights. Bicultural millennials and old-school business owners hustle to create spaces that celebrate their Latino identities—even while faced with rent hikes, a housing crisis, and a steady stream of outsiders threatening to gentrify their barrio. NEXT FEST will screen all seven episodes of this short-form episodic series. Cast: Edsson Morales, Alicia Sixtos, Victoria Ortiz, Yareli Arizmendi, Salvador Velez Jr, Rafael Sigler, Art Bonilla. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
4:00 p.m. – Gook
Gook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Chon) — Eli and Daniel—Korean American brothers who run a shoe store in Paramount, California—form an unlikely friendship with Kamilla, an 11-year-old African American girl. As Daniel dreams of becoming a recording artist and Eli struggles to keep the store afloat, LA’s racial tensions erupt during the infamous 1992 riots. Cast: Justin Chon, Simone Baker, David So, Curtiss Cook Jr., Sang Chon, Ben Munoz. Winner of the Audience Award: NEXT at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
8:00 p.m. – Bitch + Sleigh Bells
Bitch / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marianna Palka) — A woman snaps under crushing life pressures and assumes the psyche of a vicious dog. Her philandering, absentee husband is forced to become reacquainted with his four children and sister-in-law as they attempt to keep the family together during this bizarre crisis. Cast: Jason Ritter, Jaime King, Marianna Palka, Brighton Sharbino, Rio Mangini, Kingston Foster. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
Sleigh Bells wasted no time after getting off the ground in 2009, releasing three blistering records in four years. Ready for a break from the road, they took their time on their fourth LP, Jessica Rabbit, writing and finishing the record several times only to realize that they wanted to push themselves and the music further. The result is an intense and vulnerable record that’s highly evolved and completely uncategorizable, a major statement from a band wholly committed to advancing their dynamic, uncompromising vision. Jessica Rabbit is the first release on the band’s own record label, Torn Clean.
Sunday, August 13
12:00 p.m. – Dina
Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
4:00 p.m. – Golden Exits
Golden Exits / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — The arrival of a young foreign girl disrupts the lives and emotional balances of two Brooklyn families. Cast: Emily Browning, Adam Horovitz, Mary-Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Jason Schwartzman, Chloë Sevigny. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
8:00 p.m. – L.A. Times + Electric Guest
L.A. Times / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michelle Morgan) — In this classically styled comedy of manners set in Los Angeles, sophisticated thirtysomethings try to determine whether ideal happiness exists in coupledom or if the perfectly suited couple is actually just an urban myth. Cast: Michelle Morgan, Dree Hemingway, Jorma Taccone, Kentucker Audley, Margarita Levieva, Adam Shapiro. LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
Electric Guest – L.A.-based duo Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton – recently released Plural on Downtown/Interscope Records. The record finds the duo at the absolute top of their game, infusing their version of electronic r&b with an even more confident, adventurous spirit than their 2012 debut album, Mondo, displayed, which Rolling Stone called “a Beck-ian journey into L.A. slacker soul, full of hooky neon jams.” MTV named Electric Guest an Artist To Watch, NME tagged them as a Band Of The Week, and they made the rounds at festivals in addition to taking late night TV by storm with performances on Letterman, Fallon, Conan and more.
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French Film AFTER LOVE Starring Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) Opens in NYC on August 9 | Trailer
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After Love[/caption]
The French film, After Love, (L’économie du couple) directed by Joachim Lafosse and starring Bérénice Bejo (The Artist), and Cédric Kahn will open theatrically at The Quad in NYC on Wednesday, August 9, with a national release to follow.
From the director of Our Children, Joachim Fosse, comes the story of Boris (Cédric Kahn) and Marie (Bérénice Bejo), a couple who have decided to separate after 15 years together. They have two girls that they adore, but tensions rise as cash-strapped Boris continues to live in the family home. Neither of the two is willing to compromise, making their apartment a war zone.
After Love captures with great magnitude, the painfully intimate, harrowingly drama, emotional and financial complexities of a separation, at the end of a long love story.
The film was an official selection at Directors Fortnight – Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, London Film Festival, AFI Fest and many more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDpmIYR6kmY
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Watch Trailer for Country Music Film FOREVER MY GIRL, in Theaters on January 19
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Forever My Girl[/caption]
If you like country music or just music in general, definitely watch the official trailer for Forever My Girl. The film written and directed by Bethany Ashton Wolf, and based on the novel by Heidi McLaughlin, will be released in theaters January 19, 2018. (updated)
Forever My Girl tells the story of country music super-star Liam Page (Alex Roe) who left his bride, Josie (Jessica Rothe), at the altar choosing fame and fortune instead. However, Liam never got over Josie, his one true love, nor did he ever forget his Southern roots in the small community where he was born and raised. When he unexpectedly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his high school best friend, Liam is suddenly faced with the consequences of all that he left behind.
In addition to Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, the film stars Abby Ryder Fortson, Travis Tritt, Judith Hoag and John Benjamin Hickey.
The film features Original Songs:
“Don’t Water Down My Whiskey”
Written by Brett Boyett and Jackson Odell
Performed by Alex Roe
“Enough”
Written by Brett Boyett and Jackson Odell
Performed by Alex Roe
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Emmy Winner Cady McClain’s SEEING IS BELIEVING: WOMEN DIRECT to East Coast Premiere at SOHO International Film Festival
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Seeing is Believing: Women Direct[/caption]
Emmy winning actress-turned-director Cady McClain’s Seeing is Believing: Women Direct will make its East Coast Premiere and is an Official Selection of the 2017 SOHO International Film Festival, screening Monday, June 19 at Village East Cinemas.
Seeing is Believing: Women Direct is a documentary series directed, executive produced, written and edited by Cady McClain about women directors who are on the front lines of the field: from major award winners and those in the vanguard of television and feature films, to graduate students and frustrated auteurs. The first episode recently made its World Premiere at Newport Beach Film Festival, where it won an Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Short. Now, McClain will debut a feature-length version at SOHO International Film Festival.
McClain has spent the past year traveling the globe, speaking to female directors of film and television and documenting their stories. The outcome is a feature film and a serialized documentary, providing insider access to the skills and tools needed to succeed as a woman in the directing field.
When only 1.9% of the top 100 films are directed by women, it is a symptom of a larger problem: an ingrained cultural bias against women’s ability to lead. McClain believes the best way to create change is to show proof that the bias is based on outdated and false ideas. Considering all aspects of the directing experience, the series will show how these women drive through obstacles creative, cultural and professional. The series is also intended to serve as peer-to-peer mentorship for anyone of any gender looking for guidance and real world experience as they pursue their dreams of becoming a visual storyteller.
Last fall, McClain started an IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign for the project’s post-production, which successfully met and then surpassed its $50,000 goal by 16%. Donations were fully tax-deductible due to not-for-profit sponsorship from The Film Collaborative. The series also received a micro grant and social media support from Awesome Without Borders via the Harnisch Foundation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k67qp3vjIGU
“We are so excited to be sharing our feature-length version of this documentary with the SOHO International Film Festival this June,” said Cady McClain. “My husband (who is a producer on this doc) and I are both veterans of the festival having screened his narrative feature (I was his AP) and my short (he was my PA!) in 2013 and 2015. We’ve found the audiences at SOHO to be full of savvy film lovers and caring filmmakers. The personal support from the festival of our work is truly meaningful to us both.”
The 50 interviewees include: Sarah Gavron (Suffragette, Brick Lane), Meera Menon (Equity), Oscar winner Lee Grant (Down and out in America), Lesli Linka Glatter (EP/Director, Homeland), Betty Thomas (highest grossing female director: The Brady Bunch Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeekquel) Bethany Rooney (200+ hours primetime TV & co-author of Directors Tell the Story), Lizzie Borden (Born In Flames, Working Girls (Sundance Jury Prize), two-time Oscar-winner Sarah Kernochan (documentaries: Marjoe, Thoth), Emmy-winner Anne Makepeace (I. M. Pei: Building China Modern, Robert Capa in Love and War), Rusudan Glurdijdze (Karlovy Vary winner: House of Others), Marianna Palka (Sundance: Good Dick, Bitch), Nicole Conn (lesbian genre films: A Perfect Ending, Elena Undone), producer Deborah Del Prete (Ender’s Game, The Spirit), plus John Wells (ER, West Wing), Mike Robin (Major Crimes), Deborah Riley Draper (Olympic Pride, American Prejudice, Versailles ‘73: American Runway Revolution) and many more.
The producing team: Lead Producer: Kate Super (Director/Producer: Women on the Edge), Additional Producers: Amanda Quinn Olivar (Board member, The Chimaera Project), Kimberly McCullough (Director: Pretty Little Liars), Jon Lindstrom (Director: How We Got Away With It) and Li Lu (Director: There Is a New World Somewhere).
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ICARUS Voted Winner of Sundance Film Festival: London’s Inaugural Audience Favourite award
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ICARUS[/caption]
ICARUS directed by Bryan Fogel was voted the winner of Sundance Film Festival: London’s inaugural Audience Favorite award. Festivalgoers voted in the thousands for their favorite features across the four-day event at Picturehouse Central.
The ruthless worlds of international sports and politics rarely collide as spectacularly on screen as they do in Bryan Fogel’s documentary thriller that’s sure to set off convulsions of controversy. Exemplifying the special bond between filmmaker and subject, Icarus is a portrait of the sacrifice some people make to stand up for truth, placing you at the heart of an international game of cat and mouse where a miscalculation can cost you your life.
When Bryan Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller involving dirty urine, unexplained death, and Olympic Gold—exposing the biggest scandal in sports history.
ICARUS had its U.K. premiere at Sundance Film Festival: London following its World Premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, U.S.A. where it received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award: The Orwell Award.
image via Sundance Film Festival London at Picturehouse Central
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The Orchard to Release Jordan Ross’ Directorial Debut THUMPER from 2017 Tribeca | Video Clip
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Thumper[/caption]
Jordan Ross’s directorial debut Thumper, starring Pablo Schreiber (Orange is the New Black) has been acquired by The Orchard for release this year. The gritty crime thriller, which debuted at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival, was written and directed by Ross (Emmy Award-winner for True Life) and also stars Eliza Taylor (The 100), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Ben Feldman (Mad Men), Grant Harvey (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) and Daniel Webber (11.22.63).
Set in a town of low-income and fractured families, Thumper is centered around a group of teens that are lured into working for a dangerous drug dealer. A new girl arrives into town hiding a dangerous secret that will impact everybody and change their lives forever.
“Thumper is a movie so real, so authentic in its direction and performances, we were floored this was Jordan’s directorial debut,” said Paul Davidson, The Orchard’s EVP Film and Television. “There’s no doubt that this affecting drama will engage audiences, and we’re thrilled to be working with the entire team on its release.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnQvgIwHTKw
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Indie Film LANDING UP to World Premiere at Dances With Films and East Coast Premiere at Soho Film Festival
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Landing Up[/caption]
“Landing Up” directed by Dani Tenenbaum is a story about a girl with nothing to lose and everything to hide. The film stars Maltin (“Working On It,” “Lipstick Jungle”), Ben Rappaport (ABC’s “For the People,” USA’s “Mr. Robot”), E’dena Hines (“5 Flights Up,” “Moll Flanders”), Dov Tiefenbach (“Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, “Homeland”), Theodora (Woolley) Miranne (“The Blacklist: Redemption,” “Blue Bloods”) and Jay DeYonker (“Royally,” “Puerto Ricans in Paris”), and is an Official Selection in Competition Features at Dances With Films, screening on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, at 9:30 p.m., at the TCL Chinese Theatres, located at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. The East Coast Premiere will be held on Saturday, June 17th at 6:30 p.m. as an Official Selection of the Soho International Film Festival, screening at Village East Cinema (181-189 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003).
Chrissie (Stacey Maltin) is young, wild, and living on the streets. She and her best friend Cece (E’dena Hines) use their youth and good looks to their advantage, playing a con game with strangers to put a roof over their heads, while all the time fantasizing about having enough money to score their dream apartment. When Chrissie meets David (Ben Rappaport), a funny, genuine guy who works his way into her heart, she falls for him and must decide whether to confess the real circumstances of her life or continue her carefully crafted lie at all costs—even the cost of someone’s life. (Running time: 98-minutes)
Filmmaker and star Stacey Maltin says, “The film exists in two worlds: Chrissie’s life on the street and her romantic life with David. Chrissie’s life on the street is gritty and dangerous, but when Chrissie meets David, her world explodes into color. He’s everything she always wanted and the film jumps in tone and style to almost a romantic comedy feel. Ben has no idea of the realities that Chrissie is facing. Her life is so far outside his realm of comprehension he never suspects her secret, even as she hides the truth from him at every turn.”
Director Dani Tenenbaum adds, “We are showing how people often exist in different parts of themselves. Chrissie’s carefully crafted lies lead her into a world that turns into a very real feeling of love. But can you ever really know someone if we all spend so much time crafting the perfect stories about ourselves?”
This film has a tragic real life story as well. Just one month after principal photography wrapped, Maltin’s co-star E’dena Hines was tragically murdered by her boyfriend, which was devastating to the cast and crew. The story made national headlines, in part due to E’dena being the granddaughter of acting icon Morgan Freeman. “Landing Up” is E’dena’s last on-screen performance.
Maltin adds, “E’dena was an incredible and loving human being who illuminated any room she entered. She had so much talent and this energy that was so raw and magnetic. She really gave herself over to playing Cece and it’s reflected in her performance. We miss her every day and wish she could have seen what she created with us.”
Because of this tragic violence in real life, which happens all too often against women in the world, and because the film tackles homelessness, the filmmakers felt it was paramount to give their audience a call to action. They have partnered with the non-profit organizations Midnight Mission, which offers paths to self-sufficiency to men, women and children who have lost direction, and LA Family Housing, which helps people transition out of homelessness and poverty, to help raise awareness for these issues.
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Film Independent Selects 10 Projects and 24 Filmmakers for 14th Fast Track + RADIANT Awarded Grant
10 projects and 24 filmmakers have been selected for the Film Independent’s 14th annual Fast Track film finance market. Held during the LA Film Festival, Fast Track helps producer-director teams advance their projects through meetings with top industry executives – financiers, agents, managers, distributors, production companies, and granting organizations. During three days of intensive meetings, participants build vital industry relationships and gain valuable exposure for their projects as they fast track their films towards completion.
Film Independent will present the ninth annual Alfred P. Sloan Fast Track Grant, a $20,000 production grant to support a film that explores science and technology themes or that depicts scientists, engineers and mathematicians in engaging and innovative ways, to writer/director Annika Glac and producer Robyn Kershaw for their fiction feature film Radiant.
A select list of Industry participants include: Bunim-Murray, CAA, Color Force, Electric City Entertainment, Fox Searchlight, Imperative Entertainment, June Pictures, LA Media Fund, Mandalay Pictures, Participant Media, Pilgrim Media Group, Preferred Content, ShivHans Pictures, Sight Unseen Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, Sycamore Pictures, Symbolic Exchange and UTA.
Recent Fast Track projects completed include Lana Wilson’s The Departure, which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival; Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton’s Bad Kids, which premiered at Sundance 2016; Maris Curran’s Five Nights in Maine which premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival; Chloe Zhao’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, which premiered in U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and Directors’ Fortnight at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for three Film Independent Spirit Awards.
The following filmmakers have been selected to participate Film Independent’s 2017 Fast Track program:
2017 Fast Track Projects and Fellows
Blow the Man Down, fiction feature, Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy – co-writers/co-directors, Drew Houpt, Producer An accidental murder. An established Madam who does her dirtiest business while the town willingly looks the other way. Fifty grand of cash up for grabs and the local men out to sea… enter two sisters with nothing and everything to lose. Cantering, fiction feature, HIKARI – writer/director/producer, Peter Maestrey – producer In order to escape her oppressive home life, a naïve paraplegic artist begins to illustrate for an erotic manga, putting her on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Farewell Tour, fiction feature, Sean Hackett – writer/director, Frederick Thornton – producer When three Christian fundamentalist teenagers with the dynamic of The Golden Girls help a local agnostic search Kansas City for his AWOL, terminally ill mother, they are forced to re-evaluate their true intentions and discover what truly binds their friendship. Followers, fiction feature, Tim Marshall – writer/director, Christina Radburn – producer A lonely woman who has lost all faith in God, becomes obsessed with her aqua-aerobics instructor after seeing the face of Jesus on his swimming shorts. Maybe Tomorrow, fiction feature, Eliza Lee – writer/director, Michelle Sy – producer, Sophia Chang – executive producer In 1978 London, with only 24 hours left on her visa, a young American musician, Chrissie Hynde, takes one last stab at keeping her rock ‘n roll dream alive. Radiant, fiction feature, Annika Glac – writer/director, Robyn Kershaw – producer Paris 1900, a physics prodigy glimpses a future world of unseen energy. Now she must battle the male scientific academy. The closer she gets to recognition, the more she realizes the battle is not with the male establishment but with the unleashed power of her own radioactive discovery. Son of A Very Important Man, fiction feature, Najwa Najjar – writer/director, Hani Kort – producer A Palestinian couple must travel to Israel in order to get a divorce and discover that sometimes the most unexpected roads in life are in the detours you didn’t mean to take. In response to a growing community of nonfiction filmmakers, the Fast Track finance market will also feature a new Documentary Fast Track session where selected projects will connect with industry executives dedicated to working in the nonfiction space: Minding the Gap, documentary feature, Bing Liu – producer/director, Diane Quon – producer A group of skateboarders confront domestic violence as they come of age in a rust-belt Midwestern town. Missing in Brooks Country, documentary feature, Jeff Bemiss and Lisa Molomot – producers/co-directors/cinematographers, Jacob Bricca – producer/editor In a small town in Texas, the border wall has already arrived. Untitled Claudia Sparrow Documentary, documentary feature, Claudia Sparrow – director, Steven J. Berger and Ryan Schwartz – producers A woman farmer from the beautiful highlands of South America stands up to a massive international mining conglomerate, defending the land, water, and people from devastating corporate greed. Film Independent Artist Development has also selected two additional filmmakers and their projects to receive support that will include participation in select Fast Track meetings and mentorship: Experience Designer, documentary feature, Mackenzie Fegan – producer On an apocalyptic commune in the Alaskan wilderness, a young man returns to confront his past in this unconventional non-fiction film. Selene, fiction feature, Maris Curran – writer/director Selene fears she has laryngitis again. On a routine doctor visit to get antibiotics, she is diagnosed with a rare condition that leaves her permanently voiceless. As her world turns upside down and she struggles to communicate and adapt, she discovers that this limitation leads to the opening of a new world.