The 43rd Portland International Film Festival (PIFF 43) announced the first wave of titles and special events for the 10-day showcase happening March 6 to 15. Three-film Opening Night program features The Climb, as well as shorts America and The Giverny Document (Single Channel); and First Cow directed by Kelly Reichardt as Closing Weekend centerpiece film.
The new trailer debuted for Mr. Jones from Academy Award nominee Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa, Spoor, In Darkness) – the extraordinary untold story of Gareth Jones, an ambitious young Welsh journalist who traveled to the Soviet Union in 1933 and uncovered the appalling truth behind the Soviet “utopia” and Stalin’s regime. Initially a regular news investigation, Jones’ quest quickly turned into a life-or-death journey… helping inspire George Orwell’s famous allegory Animal Farm.
Supermodel Slick Woods makes her feature film debut in Goldie, a poignant urban coming-of-age indie drama from director Sam de Jong. The film also starring George Sample III, Danny Hoch, A$AP Ferg, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Khris Davis opens in theaters and On Demand on February 21.
The indie film Run This Town directed by Ricky Tollman which premiered at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival released the first official trailer ahead of its release in theaters on March 6th. The film, reportedly inspired by former Toronto mayor Rob Ford’s crack-smoking scandal, stars Ben Platt as an aspiring journalist who gets the scoop of his life. Also starring in the film is Mena Massoud, Nina Dobrev, Scott Speedman, Gil Bellows with Jennifer Ehle and Damian Lewis
Continuing a tradition since 1986 of honoring personalities and institutions who have made a special contribution to filmmaking, at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, the director and artist Ulrike Ottinger will be honored with the Berlinale Camera.
The new trailer debuted today for the indie drama The Rest of Us, starring Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, The Hangover) which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. The film also starring Sophie Nélisse (Mean Dreams) and Jodi Balfour (The Crown) and Abigail Pniowsky (Arrival) opens in theaters on February 14, Valentines day.
Jon Stewart is back, and he has something to say.
Netflix released a trailer clip from Crip Camp, the documentary about Camp Jened, a camp for disabled teens in the 1970s that shaped the future of the disability-rights movement. Crip Camp world premiered as the opening-night film in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival, and will hit the streaming service in March.
The French animated fantasy indie film I Lost My Body (J’ai perdu mon corps) directed by Jérémy Clapin won Best Feature – Independent at the 47th Annual Annie Awards. I Lost My Body which is nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar, and is now streaming on Netflix also won the award for Writing in an Animated Feature.
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) announced the the winners of this year’s 2020 Ammodo Tiger Short Competition winning films – Apparition by Ismaïl Bahri, Communicating Vessels by Maïder Fortuné and Annie MacDonell, and Sun Dog by Dorian Jespers. The jury gave a special mention to Wong Ping’s Fables 2 by Wong Ping.
Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant along with his daughter Gianna Maria Onore — aka GiGi, died Sunday morning in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Kobe was 41. As first reported by TMZ, and confirmed by CNN, nine people were killed the crash on a hillside in Calabasas.
IFC Films released the trailer for the Harlem-set indie coming-of-age drama Premature, the second feature film by Rashaad Ernesto Green (2011’s Gun Hill Road), that premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Headlined by a brave, breakout lead performance from actress Zora Howard, who co-wrote the screenplay with Green, Premature also stars Joshua Boone, Michelle Wilson, Alexis Marie Wint, Imani Lewis, and Tashiana Washington.