Artsploitation Films acquired Playdurizm, a neon-colored fantasy/romance/drama directed by Turkish-born, 24-year-old Gem Deger. The independent English-language Czech Film, which world premiered at the Lausanne Underground Film Festival (and won its Jury Prize for Best Picture), blends violence, romance, sex and wry comedy into a story about a young man who awakens to finds himself in an exciting but troubling new reality.
The Atlanta Film Critics Circle announced their awards for best films and performances of 2020 with director Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland emerging as the number one film. The film also won the award for Best Director for Chloe Zhao and Best Cinematography for Joshua James Richards.
As part of the festival format in 2021, the directors of six Golden Bear winning films will decide on the prizes in the International Competition at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival and will view the films on the big screen in Berlin. A jury presidency is not planned for this year.
The short documentary COVID Diaries NYC, debuting Tuesday, March 9 (9:00-9:40 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO, chronicles the lives of five young filmmakers, ranging in age from 17 to 21, who turn their cameras on themselves to tell the stories of their families during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. The deeply personal film illuminates the plight of essential workers and their families during the early days of the COVID-19 crisis as they navigate the deadly virus and a country riven by social upheaval.
The Palm Springs International Film Awards has selected Leslie Odom, Jr. as the recipient of the Spotlight Award, Actor for One Night in Miami.
Sony Pictures Classics acquired Clint Bentley’s Jockey premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section. Jockey stars Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker, and Moises Arias.
Jamila Wignot’s documentary “Ailey, ” an intimate portrait of dance legend Alvin Ailey which world premiered at Sundance Film Festival, has been acquired by NEON for release.
Watch the first clip from Rebel Hearts, the new documentary directed by Pedro Kos world premiering at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.
Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut, the short film “The Human Voice” starring Tilda Swinton will open in theaters in New York, Miami and Los Angeles on March 12, 2021. It will be accompanied by a digitally restored re-issue of Almodóvar’s classic “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”.
Actor Delroy Lindo will be honored with the American Riviera Award at the 36th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival for his many attributes to the art of film over the years, and most recently, his work in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods from Netflix.
“Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time … ” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 March on Washington ‘I Have a Dream’ speech
Neon released the trailer for Philippe Lacôte’s sophomore feature, Night of the Kings, the Ivory Coast submission for this year’s Academy Awards, set to debut in the U.S. at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.