Here is the new trailer for Quest, Jonathan Olshefski’s moving chronicle of a close knit African-American family living in North Philadelphia.
Filmed with vérité intimacy for almost a decade, Quest has swept top documentary awards at festivals across the country since it premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, including the Grand Jury prize at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. It will open in Philadelphia on December 1 (Landmark’s Ritz at the Bourse), New York on December 8 (Quad Cinema) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Monica) on December 15. A wider national rollout will follow.
Beginning at the dawn of the Obama presidency, the film follows the Raineys: father Christopher “Quest” Rainey, who juggles various jobs to support his family; Christine’a “Ma Quest,” who works at a women’s shelter; Christine’a’s son William, who is undergoing cancer treatment while caring for his baby son; and PJ, Quest and Christine’a’s young daughter. In a neighborhood besieged by inequality and neglect, they nurture a community of hip hop artists in their home music studio. It’s a safe space where all are welcome, but this creative sanctuary can’t always shield them from the strife that grips their neighborhood. Epic in scope, Quest is a vivid illumination of race and class in America, and a profound testament to love, healing and hope.
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VIDEO: New Trailer for QUEST, An Epic Portrait of an American Family, Opens in NY on Dec. 8
Here is the new trailer for Quest, Jonathan Olshefski’s moving chronicle of a close knit African-American family living in North Philadelphia.
Filmed with vérité intimacy for almost a decade, Quest has swept top documentary awards at festivals across the country since it premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, including the Grand Jury prize at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. It will open in Philadelphia on December 1 (Landmark’s Ritz at the Bourse), New York on December 8 (Quad Cinema) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Monica) on December 15. A wider national rollout will follow.
Beginning at the dawn of the Obama presidency, the film follows the Raineys: father Christopher “Quest” Rainey, who juggles various jobs to support his family; Christine’a “Ma Quest,” who works at a women’s shelter; Christine’a’s son William, who is undergoing cancer treatment while caring for his baby son; and PJ, Quest and Christine’a’s young daughter. In a neighborhood besieged by inequality and neglect, they nurture a community of hip hop artists in their home music studio. It’s a safe space where all are welcome, but this creative sanctuary can’t always shield them from the strife that grips their neighborhood. Epic in scope, Quest is a vivid illumination of race and class in America, and a profound testament to love, healing and hope.
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Whistler Film Festival Unveils Lineup, Opens with Winston Churchill Biopic DARKEST HOUR
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DARKEST HOUR[/caption]
The 17th Whistler Film Festival, aka ‘Canada’s Coolest Film Fest’, will take place from November 29 to December 3, 2017, and feature 87 fresh films (46 features and 41 shorts) from over 15 countries.
WFF is set to open with Joe Wright’s DARKEST HOUR, starring Gary Oldman and Lily James. Endorsed by Winston Churchill’s estate, the film tells the story of Churchill’s refusal to engage in peace treaty negotiations with Nazi Germany during WWII, and his determination to fight on against incredible odds. Closing the festival is the World Premiere of THE MOMENT. Darcy Hennessey Turenne’s latest documentary feature uncovers the origin of Freeride Mountain Biking and its provenance in British Columbia by following a dedicated group of adventure seekers who changed the course of the sport forever.
Oscar-contending films screening at WFF include the Western Canadian premieres of I, TONYA, one of the most pleasant surprises of this year’s festival season about disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding, directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Margot Robbie; THE DISASTER ARTIST, directed and starring James Franco along with Dave Franco, tells the true-life story of Tommy Wiseau, Hollywood outsider and director of the cult-hit THE ROOM, which will also debut as the “From the Vault” selection; and Canada’s entry in this year’s Best Foreign-Language film Oscar competition HOCHELAGA, LAND OF SOULS directed by François Girard.
Additional critically acclaimed directors with works premiering in the festival include Richard Linklater, with LAST FLAG FLYING starring Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell and Laurence Fishburne, about three ex-marines who reunite thirty years after the Vietnam War; Émile Gaudreault with FATHER AND GUNS 2 (DE PÉRE EN FLIC 2), Canada’s highest grossing film of the year; Oscar Winner Mike Van Diem with the Netherlands, Italy, Canada co-production TULIPANI: LOVE, HONOUR, AND A BICYCLE; and acclaimed Canadian documentarian Alan Zweig with his latest film THERE IS A HOUSE HERE, about an Inuk rock singer Lucie Idlout.
Director of Programming Paul Gratton stated: ”It is gratifying to see that the Whistler Film Festival’s ever growing reputation as a cool film festival in which to showcase original work is growing well beyond our borders. The quality of our American Indie submissions was way up this year, as was the quality of our hundreds of Canadian entries. The Borsos jury will have a particularly challenging time picking the winners this year.”
Programming strands include American Indies, Canada 150, Contenders, Doc Bloc, Family Feature, First Features, From Overseas, From The Vault, Mountain Culture, ShortWork, Transgressive Tales, and World Premieres.
This year WFF is proud to boast that all five films in its “American Indies” strand will grace Canadian screens for the first time in Whistler. American Indies include STORY OF A GIRL, the directorial debut from Kyra Sedgwick starring Kevin and Sosie Bacon; THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN starring Bill Pullman directed by Jared Moshe; THE LEARS directed by longtime Whistler Alumnus and Canadian filmmaker Carl Bessai starring Bruce Dern, Sean Astin and Anthony Michael Hall; NEVER HERE directed by Camille Thoman starring the late Sam Shepard in his last performance on screen; and PAINLESS directed by Jordan Horowitz starring Canadian actor Joey Klein. Other American films include PERMISSION directed by Brian Crano starring Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens and Jason Sudeikis; BERNARD AND HUEY directed by Slamdance Founder Dan Mirvish with the original script written by the legendary Jules Feiffer; and HEAVEN’S FLOOR directed by Lori Stoll based on the true story of a LA photographer who heads to Iqualuit for a shoot. And it’s not just Americans are entrusting WFF with their Canadian premieres. From Hungary, WFF will present Eva Gardos’ Chinatown style film noir set in Budapest during the early years of World War II. BUDAPEST NOIR is the story of an investigator trying to uncover the truth about a prostitute’s murder, though no one around him seems to care.
This year, 20 Canadian films will compete for Canada’s second largest festival prize -Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature. Borsos titles include eight World Premieres featuring work from WFF Alumni including Pat Kiely with SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING starring Jacob Tierney, Jessica Paré, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Kevin Zegers, Kathleen Turner and Wallace Shawn; PRODIGALS directed by Michelle Ouellet starring Sara Canning and David Alpay; Jackie English’s first feature BECOMING BURLESQUE about a Muslim woman who turns to burlesque dancing starring Shiva Negar; Gail Harvey’s crime thriller NEVER SAW IT COMING based on the novel by Linwood Barclay; NOBODY FAMOUS directed by Sarah Rotella; plus three features from Vancouver based directors including 8 MINUTES AHEAD by Ben Hoskyn shot over the course of four years in Vancouver and China; THE PRODIGAL DAD, a home-grown sort of Toni Erdmann directed by Robert Wenzek; and THE CANNON directed by WFF Alumni Marshall Axani, who won the inaugural MPPIA Short Film Award.
Canadian premieres in the Borsos competition include Hannah Cheesman and Mackenzie Donaldson’s coming of age story, THE DEFINITES, Daniel DiMarco’s atmospheric character study JUGGERNAUT starring Jack Kesy and Amanda Crew, and the family friendly Christmas story SANTA STOLE OUR DOG: A MERRY DOGGONE CHRISTMAS starring Ed Asner from DIY master Bryan Michael Stoller. Western Canadian premieres in the Borsos Competition include Carlos and Jason Sanchez’s first time feature A WORTHY COMPANION starring Evan Rachel Wood and Vancouver’s Julia Sarah Stone produced by the TIFF Canadian producers of the year, Luc Déry and Kim McCraw, ALL YOU CAN EAT BUDDHA the original and rhythmic visual buffet from first time director Ian Lagarde, Grayson Moore and Aidan Shipley’s drama CARDINALS featuring an unforgettable performance from Sheila McCarthy, Vladimir de Fontenay’s Canada/France co-production MOBILE HOMES starring Imogen Poots, Callum Keith Rennie and Callum Turner, TRENCH 11 an unusual WWI dark thriller starring Rossif Sutherland, the comedic drama VENUS about a man transitioning to a woman, and PORCUPINE LAKE, a beloved coming of age story about two best friends directed by DIY queen Ingrid Veninger. Also screening alongside PORCUPINE LAKE is the making of documentary feature THE OTHER SIDE OF PORCUPINE LAKE directed by Julian Papas. Other Canadian films screening at the festival out of competition include ANOTHER WOLFCOP directed by Lowell Dean, the hilarious sex comedy A SWINGERS WEEKEND directed by Jonathan Cohen, and the original crime drama ORDINARY DAYS shot in three segments by three directors Jordan Canning, Kris Booth and Renuka Jeyapalan. In addition to the World Premiere of THE MOMENT which closes the fest, Mountain Culture films include A TO B ROLLERSKI directed by Arnis Aspers about an athlete who “rollerskis” from the Arctic to Baja, DEPTH PERCEPTION the latest brainchild of Travis Rice directed by Chip Taylor and Chris Murphy accompanied by the short series SOMETHING from The Manboys as well as compilation of short mountain based films from some of the industry’s finest athletes and storytellers. This year’s Doc Bloc competition features a very diverse film line-up. In keeping with the theme of emerging talent, WFF is pleased to present the World Premiere of BECOMING ICONIC, Neal Thibedeau’s incisive look at aspiring New York based director Jonathan Barker’s first feature with Nicolas Cage, Gina Gershon and Faye Dunaway, and interviews with such directing legends as Adrian Lyne, John Badham, Jodie Foster and Taylor Hackford about their first time on set as directors. Additional films in this section include WORLD OF DARKNESS, a detailed look at the history and evolution of one the most popular goth lifestyle games of all time, will receive its Canadian Premiere at our fest; and THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRÉ, a probing biodoc of André Leon Talley, former editor of Vogue Magazine, featuring interviews with everyone from Anna Wintour to Tom Ford.WFF 2017 COMPLETE FEATURE FILM LISTING BY STRAND:
American Indies:
THE BALLAD OF LEFTY BROWN (United States) Dir. Jared Moshe THE LEARS (Canada, United States) Dir. Carl Bessai NEVER HERE (United States) Dir. Camille Thoman PAINLESS (United States) Dir. Jordan Horowitz STORY OF A GIRL (United States) Dir. Kyra SedgwickCanada 150:
ANOTHER WOLFCOP (Canada) Dir. Lowell Dean FATHER AND GUNS 2 (DE PÉRE EN FLIC 2) (Canada) Dir. Émile Gaudreault HEAVEN’S FLOOR (Canada, United States) Dir. Lori Stoll JUGGERNAUT (Canada) Dir. Daniel DiMarco MOBILE HOMES (Canada, France) Dir. Vladimir de Fontenay ORDINARY DAYS (Canada) Dir. Jordan Canning, Kris Booth, Renuka Jeyapalan PORCUPINE LAKE (Canada) Dir. Ingrid Veninger TRENCH 11 (Canada) Dir. Leo SchermanContenders:
THE DARKEST HOUR (United Kingdom) Dir. Joe Wright THE DISASTER ARTIST (United States) Dir. James Franco HOCHELAGA, LAND OF SOULS (HOCHELAGA, TERRE DES ÂMES) (Canada) Dir. François Girard I, TONYA (United States) Dir. Craig GillespieThe Doc Bloc:
BECOMING ICONIC (United States) Dir. Neal Thibedeau THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRE (United States) Dir. Kate Novack THE OTHER SIDE OF PORCUPINE LAKE (Canada) Dir. Julian Papas THERE IS A HOUSE HERE (Canada) Dir. Alan Zweig WORLD OF DARKNESS (Sweden) Dir. Giles AldersonFamily Feature:
SANTA STOLE OUR DOG: A MERRY DOGGONE CHRISTMAS! (Canada) Dir. Bryan Michael StollerFirst Features:
ALL YOU CAN EAT BUDDHA (Canada) Dir. Ian Lagarde BECOMING BURLESQUE (Canada) Dir. Jackie English CARDINALS (Canada) Dir. Aidan Shipley & Grayson Moore THE DEFINITES (Canada) Dir. Hannah Cheesman & Mackenzie DonaldsonFrom Overseas:
BUDAPEST NOIR (Hungary) Dir Éva Gárdos TULIPANI: LOVE, HONOUR, AND A BICYCLE (Canada, Netherlands, Italy) Dir. Mike Van DiemFrom The Vault:
THE ROOM (United States) Dir. Tommy WiseauMountain Culture:
A TO B ROLLERSKI (Latvia, United States, Canada, Mexico) Dir. Arnis Aspers DEPTH PERCEPTION Dir. Chip Taylor & Chris MurphyTransgressive Tales:
A SWINGER’S WEEKEND (Canada) Dir. Jonathan Cohen A WORTHY COMPANION (Canada) Dir. Carlos Sanchez & Jason Sanchez BERNARD AND HUEY (United States) Dir. Dan Mirvish THE CANNON (Canada) Dir. Marshall Axani PERMISSION (United States) Dir. Brian Crano VENUS (Canada) Dir. Eisha MarjaraWorld Premieres:
8 MINUTES AHEAD (Canada, China) Dir. Ben Hoskyn NEVER SAW IT COMING (Canada) Dir. Gail Harvey NOBODY FAMOUS (Canada) Dir. Sarah Rotella PRODIGALS (Canada) Dir. Michelle Ouellet THE PRODIGAL DAD (Canada) Dir. Robert Wenzek SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING (Canada) Dir. Pat KielyWFF 2017 Feature Films Eligible for the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature:
A WORTHY COMPANION ALL YOU CAN EAT BUDDHA BECOMING BURLESQUE THE CANNON CARDINALS THE DEFINITES HOCHELAGA, LAND OF SOULS JUGGERNAUT MOBILE HOMES NEVER SAW IT COMING NOBODY FAMOUS PORCUPINE LAKE PRODIGALS THE PRODIGAL DAD SANTA STOLE OUR DOG: A MERRY DOGGONE CHRISTMAS SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING TRENCH 11 TULIPANI: LOVE, HONOUR AND A BICYCLE VENUS 8 MINUTES AHEAD
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AFI FEST 2017 Presentations and Conversations Lineups Feature Christopher Nolan, Angelina Jolie and More
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Angelina Jolie, FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER[/caption]
Conversations on directing with Christopher Nolan and on storytelling with Angelina Jolie and Loung Ung are among the events on the Presentations and Conversations lineups for AFI FEST 2017 presented by Audi. Other events include a roundtable of documentary filmmakers presented by the Los Angeles Times; The Hollywood Reporter’s Indie Contenders Roundtable with eight standout artists; an in-depth conversation with director Patty Jenkins; a conversation with filmmaker Agnès Varda; and a conversation with Martin McDonagh and Sam Rockwell about THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI, presented by Variety.
AFI FEST takes place November 9 to 16, 2017, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and other events will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
PRESENTATIONS
CINEMATIC STORYTELLING: A CONVERSATION WTH CHRISTOPHER NOLAN Director/writer/producer Christopher Nolan discusses his latest film, Dunkirk, centering on the British maneuvers from the land, sea and air as the military and civilians attempt to save 400,000 soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk, France, during World War II. A special 70mm film presentation of Dunkirk will precede the discussion. WORLD CINEMA MASTER IN CONVERSATION: AGNÈS VARDA French auteur and AFI FEST 2013 Guest Artistic Director Agnès Varda sits down for a discussion of her career and her new film Faces Places (co-directed with French installation artist JR). The event begins with a screening of Faces Places. The event will be moderated by Serge Toubiana, President of UniFrance.CONVERSATIONS
INDIE CONTENDERS ROUNDTABLE Hear from a diverse panel of artists who have done standout work in independent film this year. Presented by The Hollywood Reporter and moderated by columnist and blogger Scott Feinberg, the panel will feature a 90-minute discussion with the artists about their careers and influences, as well as the challenges and rewards of working on indies. Panelists include Sean Baker (THE FLORIDA PROJECT), Richard Gere (NORMAN: THE MODERATE RISE AND TRAGIC FALL OF A NEW YORK FIXER), Salma Hayek (BEATRIZ AT DINNER), Diane Kruger (IN THE FADE), Kumail Nanjiani (THE BIG SICK), Robert Pattinson (GOOD TIME), Margot Robbie (I, TONYA) and Lois Smith (MARJORIE PRIME). The roundtable is presented by The Hollywood Reporter and will be moderated by Scott Feinberg their lead awards analyst. DOC ROUNDTABLE Los Angeles Times film critic Justin Chang sits down with a panel of distinguished directors behind some of the most talked-about and acclaimed documentaries of the year. The panelists will include Evgeny Afineevsky (CRIES FROM SYRIA), Greg Barker (THE FINAL YEAR), Kasper Collin (I CALLED HIM MORGAN), Feras Fayyad (LAST MEN IN ALEPPO), Yance Ford (STRONG ISLAND), Bryan Fogel (ICARUS), Steve James (ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL), Amanda Lipitz (STEP) and Brett Morgen (JANE). The roundtable it presented by the Los Angeles Times. ON DIRECTING: PATTY JENKINS WONDER WOMAN director and AFI Conservatory alumna Patty Jenkins sits down for a moderated, in-depth discussion. ON DIRECTING: SOFIA COPPOLA Director/writer Sofia Coppola sits down to discuss her latest film, THE BEGUILED, set during the American Civil War and centering on an all-female Southern boarding school that takes in a wounded Union soldier, with unsettling results. ON ACTING: BRINGING APES TO LIFE – ANDY SERKIS, TERRY NOTARY, MATT REEVES, JOE LETTERI Actors Andy Serkis and Terry Notary, director Matt Reeves and Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Letteri of the critically acclaimed and visually stunning WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES sit down for a panel discussion on how performance capture and visual effects bring complex and emotional characters to life. ON COLLABORATIVE STORYTELLING: ANGELINA JOLIE AND LOUNG UNG Director Angelina Jolie and writer Loung Ung discuss the artistic and cross-cultural collaboration that brought FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER to the screen. Based on Ung’s autobiography, the film centers on a young girl who must embark on a harrowing quest for survival amid the sudden rise and terrifying reign of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER is Cambodia’s official Best Foreign Language Film Oscar® submission. CINEMA’S LEGACY: A CONVERSATION WITH JORDAN PEELE GET OUT director/writer Jordan Peele sits down for an in-depth conversation about his film and the impact and legacy of GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER (1967), the groundbreaking, Oscar® winner about an interracial romance starring Sidney Poitier that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER will screen following the conversation. IN CONVERSATION: MARTIN MCDONAGH AND SAM ROCKWELL Director/writer/producer Martin McDonagh and actor Sam Rockwell, who have a long relationship working together for both the stage and screen, sit down for a moderated discussion with Jenelle Riley of Variety on THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI, a darkly comedic drama centering on a mother (Frances McDormand) who makes a bold move to find her daughter’s murderer, riling local law enforcement. The conversation is presented by Variety.
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Lady Macbeth Leads with 15 Nominations for 2017 British Independent Film Awards | Complete List
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Lady Macbeth[/caption]
Lady Macbeth topped the list of nominations for the 2017 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) with 15 nominations including Best British Independent Film. The Death of Stalin, I Am Not a Witch follow with 13 nominations each; and God’s Own Country and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri each nominated 11 times. Overall, debut features dominate the nominations list, with the first-time writers, producers and directors of Lady Macbeth, I Am Not a Witch and God’s Own Country all recognized in the three newcomer categories – Debut Screenwriter, Breakthrough Producer and The Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director – as well as Best Screenplay, Best Director and Best British Independent Film.
Past BIFA winners Armando Iannucci and Martin McDonagh are the writer-directors of this year’s other two Best British Independent Film nominees, The Death of Stalin and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Both films have two nominees in the Best Supporting Actor category, with The Death of Stalin’s Simon Russell Beale and Steve Buscemi taking on Three Billboards’ Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell. Frances McDormand is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in Three Billboards and Andrea Riseborough for Supporting Actress for The Death of Stalin. Both films also have nominations for Best Director, Best Screenplay.
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool has four nominations including two for past BIFA winners Jamie Bell and Julie Walters, nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
Gary Oldman will receive The Variety Award at the ceremony.The Variety Award recognizes a director, actor, writer or producer who has made a global impact and helped to focus the international spotlight on the UK. Past winners include Kate Winslet, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Greengrass, Jude Law, Kenneth Branagh, Liam Neeson, Sir Michael Caine, Naomie Harris, Daniel Craig, Helen Mirren and Richard Curtis.
Winners will be announced by host Mark Gatiss at the British Independent Film Awards Ceremony on Sunday December 10 at Old Billingsgate.
Best British Independent Film
The Death of Stalin God’s Own Country I Am Not a Witch Lady Macbeth Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriBest International Independent Film
The Florida Project Get Out I Am Not Your Negro Loveless The SquareBest Director
Armando Iannucci (The Death of Stalin) Francis Lee (God’s Own Country) Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Rungano Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch) William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth)Best Screenplay
Alice Birch (Lady Macbeth) Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin (The Death of Stalin) Francis Lee (God’s Own Country) Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Rungano Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch)Best Actress
Emily Beecham (Daphne) Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Margaret Mulubwa (I Am Not a Witch) Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth) Ruth Wilson (Dark River)Best Actor
Jamie Bell (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool) Paddy Considine (Journeyman) Johnny Harris (Jawbone) Josh O’Connor (God’s Own Country) Alec Secareanu (God’s Own Country)Best Supporting Actress
Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth) Patricia Clarkson (The Party) Kelly MacDonald (Goodbye Christopher Robin) Andrea Riseborough (The Death of Stalin) Julie Walters (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)Best Supporting Actor
Simon Russell Beale (The Death of Stalin) Steve Buscemi (The Death of Stalin) Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Ian Hart (God’s Own Country) Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)Most Promising Newcomer sponsored by The London EDITION
Naomi Ackie (Lady Macbeth) Harry Gilby (Just Charlie) Cosmo Jarvis (Lady Macbeth) Harry Michell (Chubby Funny) Lily Newmark (Pin Cushion)The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
Deborah Haywood (Pin Cushion) Francis Lee (God’s Own Country) Thomas Napper (Jawbone) Rungani Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch) William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth)Debut Screenwriter
Alice Birch (Lady Macbeth) Gaby Chiappe (Their Finest) Johnny Harris (Jawbone) Francis Lee (God’s Own Country) Rungani Nyoni (I Am Not a Witch)Breakthrough Producer
Gavin Humphries (Pin Cushion) Emily Morgan (I Am Not a Witch) Brendan Mullin, Katy Jackson (Bad Day For The Cut) Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (Lady Macbeth) Jack Tarling, Manon Ardisson (God’s Own Country)The Discovery Award
Even When I Fall Halfway In Another Life Isolani R My Pure LandBest Documentary
Almost Heaven Half Way Kingdom Of Us Uncle Howard WilliamsBest British Short Film
1745 Fish Story The Entertainer Work Wren BoysBest Cinematography
Ben Davis (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) David Gallego (I Am Not a Witch) Tat Radcliffe (Jawbone) Thomas Riedelsheimer (Leaning Into the Wind) Ari Wegner (Lady Macbeth)Best Casting
Shaheen Baig (Lady Macbeth) Shaheen Baig, layla Merrick-Wolf (God’s Own Country) Sarah Crowe (The Death of Stalin) Sarah Halley Finn (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Debbie McWilliams (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)Best Costume Design
Dinah Collin (My Cousin Rachel) Suzie Harman (The Death of Stalin) Sandy Powell (How to Talk to Girls at Parties) Holly Rebecca (I Am Not a Witch) Holly Waddington (Lady Macbeth)Best Editing
Johnny Burke (Williams) David Charap (Jawbone) Jon Gregory (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Peter Lambert (The Death of Stalin) Joe Martin (Us And Them)Best Effects
Nick Allder, Ben White (The Ritual) Luke Dodd (Journeyman) Effects team (The Death of Stalin) Dan Martin (Double Date) Chris Reynolds (Their Finest)Best Make Up & Hair Design
Julene Paton (I Am Not a Witch) Jan Sewell (Breathe) Nadia Stacey (Journeyman) Nicole Stafford (The Death of Stalin) Sian Wilson (Lady Macbeth)Best Music
Carter Burwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Fred Frith (Leaning Into The Wind) Matt Kelly (I Am Not a Witch) Paul Weller (Jawbone) Christopher Willis (The Death of Stalin)Best Production Design
Jacqueline Abrahams (Lady Macbeth) Cristina Casali (The Death of Stalin) James Merifield (Final Portrait) Nathan Parker (I Am Not a Witch) Eve Stewart (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool)Best Sound
Anna Bertmark (God’s Own Country) Maiken Hansen (I Am Not a Witch) Andy Shelley, Steve Griffiths (Jawbone) Joakim Sundström (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Sound team (Breathe)
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VIDEO: Watch First Trailer for Muay Thai Boxing Thriller A PRAYER BEFORE DAWN
Watch Joe Cole fights his way out in first trailer for Muay Thai boxing thriller A Prayer Before Dawn. The film, directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire premiered earlier this year at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, and is set to be released in 2018 by A24.
A Prayer Before Dawn is the remarkable true story of Billy Moore, a young English boxer incarcerated in two of Thailand’s most notorious prisons. He is quickly thrown into a terrifying world of drugs and gang violence, but when the prison authorities allow him to take part in the Muay Thai boxing tournaments, he realizes this might be his chance to get out. Billy embarks on a relentless, action-packed journey from one savage fight to the next, stopping at nothing to do whatever he must to preserve his life and regain his freedom. Shot in a an actual Thai prison with a cast of primarily real inmates, A Prayer Before Dawn is a visceral, thrilling journey through an unforgettable hell on earth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp88Nuci68c
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2017 Twin Cities Film Fest Awards – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Wins Best Film
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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri[/caption]
The Twin Cities Film Fest announced its 2017 award winners Saturday evening, and named Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” as the year’s Best Feature Film. “The Bachelors,” a father-son drama starring J.K. Simmons, was named a finalist in several categories and walked away with the Indie Vision Breakthrough Award for Simmons’ teenage co-star Josh Wiggins.
The festival’s top non-fiction awards went to documentaries spotlighting the great migrations of refugees now underway around the globe. Ai Weiwei’s “Human Flow,” was named Best Documentary; Amanda Bailly’s “8 Borders, 8 Days” won the 2017 Non-Fiction Indie Vision Award.
The 2017 Audience Awards went to “Instructions for Living,” a drama co-starring and co-written by Minnesota native Morgan Owens; “Coyote,” a documentary about the life and disappearance of acclaimed sailor Mike Plant who grew up in the state; and ‘Hearts Want,” a sweeping short romance directed by Twin Cities filmmaker Jason P. Schumacher.
Minnesota native Lea Thompson returned home to the state to open the festival with her comedic directorial debut “The Year of Spectacular Men.” The film is written by her daughter Madelyn Deutch, who stars in the comedy opposite her sister Zoe. At Saturday evening’s award ceremony, Madelyn was named this year’s Indie Vision Breakthrough Artist for narrative filmmaking.
“The creativity of Madelyn’s script, the strength of her performance, and the uniqueness of Lea’s first film, set the tone for the entire festival,” says Jatin Setia, Twin Cities Film Fest’s executive director. “We billed this year as the ‘Year of Spectacular Women,’ in part because we were captivated by these memorable female-driven films we were seeing on the festival circuit and also in recognition of the fact that over 50 percent of all our titles this year were directed/produced by women. Madelyn’s award is just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of the female talent we celebrated this year.”
On the festival’s closing day, TCFF also honored actress, and Minnesota native, Rachael Leigh Cook with the festival’s coveted North Star Award.
2017 Twin Cities Film Fest Award Winners
Best Feature Film: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” directed by Martin McDonagh. Best Documentary: “Human Flow,” directed by Ai Weiwei Best Short Film: “Cat Killer,” directed by Wes Jones. Audience Award, Narrative: “Instructions For Living,” directed by Sarah Heinss (Runner-Up: “Aquarians,” directed by Michael M. McGuire) Audience Award, Non-Fiction: “Coyote,” directed by Thomas Simmons (Runner-Up: “Victor’s Last Class,” directed by Brendan Brandt) Audience Award, Short Film: “Hearts Want,” directed by Jason P. Schumacher (Runner-Up: “Wet Dreams: One Woman’s Chance at Touching Gold,” directed by Darren Coyle) Indie Vision Breakthrough Award — Narrative: Madelyn Deutch (screenplay, “The Year of Spectacular Men”) Indie Vision Breakthrough Award — Non-Fiction: “8 Borders, 8 Days,” directed by Amanda Bailly Indie Vision Breakthrough Award – Best Performance: Josh Wiggins (“The Bachelors” and “Walking Out”) Fun Is Good Bill Murray Comedic Shorts Award: “Lady Lillian,” directed by Amber Johnson North Star Award for Excellence: Rachael Leigh Cook TCFF 2017 Changemaker Award: Lexi Reed Holtum, executive director and lobbyist of the Steve Rummler Hope Network, for her work advocating on behalf of Steve’s Law and the 2015 state funding that enabled first responders to have the resources they need to implement the law. Holtum was also responsible for the creation of the network’s Overdose Prevention Program, fostering partnerships between hospitals, treatment and sober living facilities, and communities to reduce opioid overdose deaths.
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STRAWBERRY DAYS and PLASTIC CHINA Win Golden Tine Awards at Devour! The Food Film Fest
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Strawberry Days[/caption]
Eight Filmmakers from around the globe have become the winners of the coveted Golden Tine Awards as the seventh edition of Devour! The Food Film Fest comes to a close in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
Strawberry Days, directed by Wiktor Ericsson, won Best Feature Drama for shining an intimate light on a part of the food industry we don’t often see up close; and Jiu-liang Wang’s Plastic China won Best Feature Documentary for tackling a massive global issue and bringing it right down to a human, in fact child size, level.
Shingo Usami received the Golden Tine Award in the Best Short Drama category for Riceballs, a film built on small moments around food for a father and son. Best Short Documentary went to Patrick Bresnan for The Rabbit Hunt which follows a family on a rabbit hunt as sugar cane fields are being burned. Best Animation went to Fabio Friedli’s In a Nutshell, a clever and creative film that makes unexpected but legitimate links.
Honourable mentions go to Aube Giroux for her film Modified and Kevin Kossowan for his short, Kill Day. The jurors were impressed by the way Giroux’s film wove together a political and personal story, ambitiously assembling an assortment of footage and techniques from home movies to interviews.
The Devour! jury was incredibly moved by Kevin Kossowan’s Kill Day. Never has a butcher so eloquently summed up the somewhat conflicted, ongoing struggle to put ethically sourced meat on the table. Kossowan takes a topic so many people would rather look away from and brings it to life in a very poetic and poignant way.
The Nourish Nova Scotia Youth Food & Film Challenge winner was also awarded at today’s brunch. Presented by CBC’s Tom Murphy, Christelinda Laureijs took home the $500.00 Nourish Nova Scotia Youth Food & Film Challenge prize to support a healthy eating initiative in their school/community for her film, Food for the Planet. Laureijs was also gifted a brand-new CBC prize, a $500 GoPro Kit.
The eighth edition of Devour! will take place October 24 to 28, 2018.
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2017 Directors Guild of Canada Awards – “Luk’Luk’I” Wins Discovery Award
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Luk’Luk’I[/caption]
The 2017 Directors Guild of Canada Awards were presented last night in Toronto, and emerging filmmaker Wayne Mapeemukwa won the 2017 DGC Discovery Award for his film Luk’Luk’I.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV1734KZvIA
Bruce McDonald won the award for Best Feature Film director for his film the Weirdos; and Fred Peabody won the award for Best Documentary Film director and Best Picture Editing for All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception and the Spirit of I.F. Stone.
The Awards were presented at the annual event on Saturday, October 28, 2017, and all the presenters for the evening were all female directors working in the industry today.
“Part of the DGC’s mandate is to celebrate excellence,” stated Tim Southam, National President, DGC. “And these women and men have worked together to inspire and create exceptional works. It is especially important now to showcase Canada’s successes and I am proud to work side by side with these talented filmmakers.”
2017 Directors Guild of Canada Awards
DGC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Don Shebib DON HALDANE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Anne Sirois OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM Bruce McDonald – Weirdos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iXeBAw53X0 OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES Holly Dale – Mary Kills People OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMATIC SERIES Helen Shaver – Vikings OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY SERIES Aleysa Young – Baroness Von Sketch Show OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FAMILY SERIES Dean Bennett – Heartland ALLAN KING AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DOCUMENTARY All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception and the Spirit of I.F. Stone – Fred Peabody https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_cKC0_sGu0 BEST PICTURE EDITING – DOCUMENTARY Jim Munro – All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception and The Spirit of I.F. Stone BEST SHORT FILM (tie) Gatekeeper Tuesday 10:08 A.M. BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE FILM Awakening the Zodiac – Lisa Soper BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES Rob Gray – Cardinal BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – TELEVISION SERIES John Dondertman – Orphan Black, Human Raw Material BEST PICTURE EDITING – FEATURE FILM Ron Sanders/Sandy Pereira – Mean Dreams BEST PICTURE EDITING – MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES Teresa De Luca – Cardinal BEST PICTURE EDITING – TELEVISION SERIES Donald Cassidy – Vikings – In the Uncertain Hour Before the Morning BEST SOUND EDITING – FEATURE FILM Ratchet & Clank – Nelson Ferreira, J.R. Fountain, Dashen Naidoo, John D. Smith BEST SOUND EDITING – MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI-SERIES Cardinal – Claire Dobson, Nelson Ferreira, Paul Germann, David McCallum, Jane Tattersall BEST SOUND EDITING – TELEVISION SERIES Vikings, The Last Ship – Claire Dobson, Andrew Jablonski, David McCallum, Steve Medeiros, Brennan Mercer, Dale Sheldrake, Jane Tattersall
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“Insecure” Star Jay Ellis Named Celebrity Ambassador of 2018 American Black Film Festival
The 22nd American Black Film Festival (ABFF) returns to Miami, June 13 to 17, 2018 with actor Jay Ellis, star of the popular HBO series “Insecure” serving as the 2018 Celebrity Ambassador.
Jay Ellis currently stars as ‘Lawrence’ on HBO’s critically-acclaimed comedy series, ”Insecure,” which follows a young African-American woman as she navigates familiar insecure situations in Los Angeles, while Lawrence, her ex-boyfriend, faces his own expectations for himself and his professional and personal success and happiness. Ellis also starred as ‘Bryce “Blue” Westbrook’ on the hit BET series, “The Game.” His additional television credits include roles on “Masters of Sex,”, “Grace and Frankie,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “NCIS.” On the big screen, Ellis is currently on location in Cape Town, South Africa filming “The Maze” for Sony Pictures, with producer Neal Mortiz. Ellis recently wrapped production on the indie, “A Boy. A Girl. A Dream: Love on Election Night,” with castmates Omari Hardwick and Meagan Good, directed by Qaism Basir.
“It’s an honor to serve as ambassador for the 2018 American Black Film Festival. Jeff’s vision for ABFF and his continued passion to create a platform for storytellers and content creators of color has been inspiring to me and many others. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of building on the mission of ABFF,” says Jay Ellis.
“We are delighted to welcome Jay Ellis to the ABFF family. His commitment to new and diverse stories embodies the mission of this festival. Jay’s career trajectory exemplifies the importance of supporting and uplifting our own. We feel very fortunate to have him as our 2018 ambassador and are excited about what his participation will bring to our event,” said Jeff Friday, CEO of ABFF Ventures.
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2017 Austin Film Festival Awards – IN BLUE and TRANSFORMER Win Film Jury Awards
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Transformer[/caption]
The Austin Film Festival (AFF) announced the 2017 Script Competition Winners and the Film Competition Jury Award Winners.
In Blue directed by Jaap van Heusden won the award for Best Narrative Feature, and Transformer directed by Michael Del Monte won the award for Best Documentary Feature.
In “In Blue”, a flight attendant who has successfully existed as a single independent woman for years finds herself delivering a child mid flight. This moment flips her world on its head.
Transformer tells the story of former US Marine and world record weightlifter Matt Kroczaleski who was publicly outed as transgender in the summer of 2015. The reaction was universal: her sponsors abandoned her, she was disowned by her parents, and banned from competing. Now Janae, she must find her place in society, unable to lose the muscle she once so desperately gained and living one day as an alpha male and the next day as a delicate girl.
2017 Austin Film Festival Film Competition Jury Award Winners
Narrative Feature: In Blue written by Jan-Willem den Bok and Jaap van Heusden Narrative Feature Honorable Mention: Boost written by Darren Curtis Documentary Feature in partnership with POV: Transformer directed by Michael Del Monte Comedy Vanguard Feature: Don’t Talk to Irene written by Pat Mills Dark Matters Feature: Freddy/Eddy written by Tini Tüllman Narrative Short presented by ShortsTV: Demon written by Caleb Slain Narrative Student Short: Towards the Sun written by Elie Choufany and Monica Santis Documentary Short: Los Comandos directed by Joshua Bennett and Juliana Schatz Preston Animated Short: Second to None written by Vincent Gallagher Scripted Digital Series presented by Stage 13: Cleaner Daze created by Tess Sweet and Daniel Gambelin2017 Austin Film Festival Script Competition Winners
Drama Screenplay Award presented by the Writers Guild of America, East: Brokenhearted by Caroline Hopkins Comedy Screenplay Award presented by Sony Pictures Animation: The Olympian by Troy Miller Sci-Fi Screenplay Award presented by Skybound Entertainment: Every Horizon Beyond by Henry Tranton Enderby Entertainment Award: Apacheria by Andrew Reuland & Joey Grossfield Horror Screenplay Award: Family Photos by Chad Harris AMC One-Hour Pilot Award: Breakfield by Caitlin Schneiderhan Sitcom Pilot Award: The Big D by Jill Taylor Short Screenplay Award: Ringneck by Michael Allcock Scripted Digital Series Award presented by Stage 13: The Range by Adam Groff One-Hour Spec Award: Black Mirror: Punchbag by Steven Snell Sitcom Spec Award: You’re the Worst: Antiversary by Cara Brown Playwriting Award underwritten by Sweetwood Creative: Signature Photo by Michael Bucklin Fiction Podcast Award presented by Public Radio International: How to Build a Fire by Kat Sandler
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First 15 Films Revealed for 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam
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The Florida Project[/caption]
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) revealed the first 15 films selected for its 47th edition, among which are Sean Baker’s The Florida Project and Guillermo del Toro’sThe Shape of Water. Other selections include work by Wang Bing, Constantin Popescu and Alexey Fedorchenko. The festival will take place from January 24 to February 4, 2018.
IFFR celebrates film art from all over the world and continues to present its programme in four sections, each with its own distinct character: Bright Future (including the Hivos Tiger Competition and the Tiger Competition for Short Films); Voices; Deep Focus and Perspectives. Short films are strongly represented throughout the festival.
Also among the first titles are the international premieres of La fleurière by Ruben Desière (Belgium/Slovakia) and The Bottomless Bag by Rustam Khamdamov (Russia). Other festival highlights include Wang Bings Golden Leopard winning Mrs. Fang; Les garçons sauvages by French filmmaker Bertrand Mandico; Zhang Miaoyan’s Silent Mist (China/France); and the world premiere of the short film project with history in a room filled with people with funny names 4 by Korakrit Arunanondchai (USA/Thailand/South Africa/UK).
The first 15 films confirmed for the 47th IFFR:
BRIGHT FUTURE
The Flower Shop (La fleurière), Ruben Desière, Belgium/Slovakia, international premiere The Wild Boys (Les garçons sauvages), Bertrand Mandico, France All You Can Eat Buddha, Ian Lagarde, Canada, European premiereVOICES
Anna’s War, Alexey Fedorchenko, Russia, European premiere Pororoca, Constantin Popescu, Romania/France Silent Mist, Zhang Miaoyan, China/France, European premiereVOICES/Limelight
The Florida Project, Sean Baker, USA The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro, USADEEP FOCUS
The Bottomless Bag, Rustam Khamdamov, Russia, international premiere Mrs. Fang, Wang Bing, Hong Kong/France/Germany Marquis of Wavrin, from the manor to the jungle (Marquis de Wavrin, du manoir à la jungle), Grace Winter, Luc Plantier, BelgiumSHORT FILM
Glimpse, Artur Zmijewski, Poland/Germany I Have Nothing to Say, Ying Liang, Taiwan/Hong Kong with history in a room filled with people with funny names 4, Korakrit Arunanondchai, USA/Thailand/South Africa/UK, world premiereMID-LENGTH
The Worldly Cave, Zhou Tao, China, European premiere
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VIDEO: Watch Daniel McCabe’s Eye Opening Documentary THIS IS CONGO Trailer
Here is the powerful trailer for Daniel McCabe’s eye opening documentary This is Congo which will have its New York premiere at the upcoming DOC NYC 2017. The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Venice Film Festival and will also screen at the upcoming IDFA 2017.
After living in the Congo for 7+ years, McCabe gained unprecedented access to top military officials and well-connected locals, allowing him to give a truly unfiltered look into one of the longest conflicts in the world, and the people surviving within it. This is Congo examines multiple sides of the fractious war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following a former rebel whistle blower, a beloved frontline Commander and Mama Romance, a charismatic mineral dealer working on the black market.
This is Congo is a highly-immersive, unfiltered look into one of the longest conflicts in the world. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen more than five million conflict-related deaths, multiple regime changes and the wholesale impoverishment of its people in the past two decades. This is Congo immerses the viewer onto the frontlines of battle with key players including a whistleblower and military commanders to provide a truly unfiltered and unique look into the conflict plaguing Congo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WfWODjDYAk