El Angel directed by Luis Ortega[/caption]
Eighty-seven countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards. Malawi and Niger are first-time entrants.
Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.
The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 2018 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Rona Azim’s Mother,” Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;
Algeria, “Until the End of Time,” Yasmine Chouikh, director;
Argentina, “El Ángel,” Luis Ortega, director;
Armenia, “Spitak,” Alexander Kott, director;
Australia, “Jirga,” Benjamin Gilmour, director;
Austria, “The Waldheim Waltz,” Ruth Beckermann, director;
Bangladesh, “No Bed of Roses,” Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director;
Belarus, “Crystal Swan,” Darya Zhuk, director;
Belgium, “Girl,” Lukas Dhont, director;
Bolivia, “The Goalkeeper,” Rodrigo “Gory” Patiño, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Never Leave Me,” Aida Begić, director;
Brazil, “The Great Mystical Circus,” Carlos Diegues, director;
Bulgaria, “Omnipresent,” Ilian Djevelekov, director;
Cambodia, “Graves without a Name,” Rithy Panh, director;
Canada, “Family Ties,” Sophie Dupuis, director;
Chile, “…And Suddenly the Dawn,” Silvio Caiozzi, director;
China, “Hidden Man,” Jiang Wen, director;
Colombia, “Birds of Passage,” Cristina Gallego, Ciro Guerra, directors;
Costa Rica, “Medea,” Alexandra Latishev, director;
Croatia, “The Eighth Commissioner,” Ivan Salaj, director;
Czech Republic, “Winter Flies,” Olmo Omerzu, director;
Denmark, “The Guilty,” Gustav Möller, director;
Dominican Republic, “Cocote,” Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias, director;
Ecuador, “A Son of Man,” Jamaicanoproblem, director;
Egypt, “Yomeddine,” A.B. Shawky, director;
Estonia, “Take It or Leave It,” Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo, director;
Finland, “Euthanizer,” Teemu Nikki, director;
France, “Memoir of War,” Emmanuel Finkiel, director;
Georgia, “Namme,” Zaza Khalvashi, director;
Germany, “Never Look Away,” Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director;
Greece, “Polyxeni,” Dora Masklavanou, director;
Hong Kong, “Operation Red Sea,” Dante Lam, director;
Hungary, “Sunset,” László Nemes, director;
Iceland, “Woman at War,” Benedikt Erlingsson, director;
India, “Village Rockstars,” Rima Das, director;
Indonesia, “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts,” Mouly Surya, director;
Iran, “No Date, No Signature,” Vahid Jalilvand, director;
Iraq, “The Journey,” Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, director;
Israel, “The Cakemaker,” Ofir Raul Graizer, director;
Italy, “Dogman,” Matteo Garrone, director;
Japan, “Shoplifters,” Hirokazu Kore-eda, director;
Kazakhstan, “Ayka,” Sergey Dvortsevoy, director;
Kenya, “Supa Modo,” Likarion Wainaina, director;
Kosovo, “The Marriage,” Blerta Zeqiri, director;
Latvia, “To Be Continued,” Ivars Seleckis, director;
Lebanon, “Capernaum,” Nadine Labaki, director;
Lithuania, “Wonderful Losers: A Different World,” Arunas Matelis, director;
Luxembourg, “Gutland,” Govinda Van Maele, director;
Macedonia, “Secret Ingredient,” Gjorce Stavreski, director;
Malawi, “The Road to Sunrise,” Shemu Joyah, director;
Mexico, “Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón, director;
Montenegro, “Iskra,” Gojko Berkuljan, director;
Morocco, “Burnout,” Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, director;
Nepal, “Panchayat,” Shivam Adhikari, director;
Netherlands, “The Resistance Banker,” Joram Lürsen, director;
New Zealand, “Yellow Is Forbidden,” Pietra Brettkelly, director;
Niger, “The Wedding Ring,” Rahmatou Keïta, director;
Norway, “What Will People Say,” Iram Haq, director;
Pakistan, “Cake,” Asim Abbasi, director;
Palestine, “Ghost Hunting,” Raed Andoni, director;
Panama, “Ruben Blades Is Not My Name,” Abner Benaim, director;
Paraguay, “The Heiresses,” Marcelo Martinessi, director;
Peru, “Eternity,” Oscar Catacora, director;
Philippines, “Signal Rock,” Chito S. Roño, director;
Poland, “Cold War,” Pawel Pawlikowski, director;
Portugal, “Pilgrimage,” João Botelho, director;
Romania, “I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians,” Radu Jude, director;
Russia, “Sobibor,” Konstantin Khabensky, director;
Serbia, “Offenders,” Dejan Zecevic, director;
Singapore, “Buffalo Boys,” Mike Wiluan, director;
Slovakia, “The Interpreter,” Martin Šulík, director;
Slovenia, “Ivan,” Janez Burger, director;
South Africa, “Sew the Winter to My Skin,” Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, director;
South Korea, “Burning,” Lee Chang-dong, director;
Spain, “Champions,” Javier Fesser, director;
Sweden, “Border,” Ali Abbasi, director;
Switzerland, “Eldorado,” Markus Imhoof, director;
Taiwan, “The Great Buddha+,” Hsin-Yao Huang, director;
Thailand, “Malila The Farewell Flower,” Anucha Boonyawatana, director;
Tunisia, “Beauty and the Dogs,” Kaouther Ben Hania, director;
Turkey, “The Wild Pear Tree,” Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director;
Ukraine, “Donbass,” Sergei Loznitsa, director;
United Kingdom, “I Am Not a Witch,” Rungano Nyoni, director;
Uruguay, “Twelve-Year Night,” Álvaro Brechner, director;
Venezuela, “The Family,” Gustavo Rondón Córdova, director;
Vietnam, “The Tailor,” Buu Loc Tran, Kay Nguyen, directors;
Yemen, “10 Days before the Wedding,” Amr Gamal, director.-
87 Countries Submit Films in 2018 Oscar Foreign Language Competition
[caption id="attachment_31248" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] El Angel directed by Luis Ortega[/caption]
Eighty-seven countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 91st Academy Awards. Malawi and Niger are first-time entrants.
Nominations for the 91st Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.
The 91st Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
The 2018 submissions are:
Afghanistan, “Rona Azim’s Mother,” Jamshid Mahmoudi, director;
Algeria, “Until the End of Time,” Yasmine Chouikh, director;
Argentina, “El Ángel,” Luis Ortega, director;
Armenia, “Spitak,” Alexander Kott, director;
Australia, “Jirga,” Benjamin Gilmour, director;
Austria, “The Waldheim Waltz,” Ruth Beckermann, director;
Bangladesh, “No Bed of Roses,” Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, director;
Belarus, “Crystal Swan,” Darya Zhuk, director;
Belgium, “Girl,” Lukas Dhont, director;
Bolivia, “The Goalkeeper,” Rodrigo “Gory” Patiño, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Never Leave Me,” Aida Begić, director;
Brazil, “The Great Mystical Circus,” Carlos Diegues, director;
Bulgaria, “Omnipresent,” Ilian Djevelekov, director;
Cambodia, “Graves without a Name,” Rithy Panh, director;
Canada, “Family Ties,” Sophie Dupuis, director;
Chile, “…And Suddenly the Dawn,” Silvio Caiozzi, director;
China, “Hidden Man,” Jiang Wen, director;
Colombia, “Birds of Passage,” Cristina Gallego, Ciro Guerra, directors;
Costa Rica, “Medea,” Alexandra Latishev, director;
Croatia, “The Eighth Commissioner,” Ivan Salaj, director;
Czech Republic, “Winter Flies,” Olmo Omerzu, director;
Denmark, “The Guilty,” Gustav Möller, director;
Dominican Republic, “Cocote,” Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias, director;
Ecuador, “A Son of Man,” Jamaicanoproblem, director;
Egypt, “Yomeddine,” A.B. Shawky, director;
Estonia, “Take It or Leave It,” Liina Trishkina-Vanhatalo, director;
Finland, “Euthanizer,” Teemu Nikki, director;
France, “Memoir of War,” Emmanuel Finkiel, director;
Georgia, “Namme,” Zaza Khalvashi, director;
Germany, “Never Look Away,” Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director;
Greece, “Polyxeni,” Dora Masklavanou, director;
Hong Kong, “Operation Red Sea,” Dante Lam, director;
Hungary, “Sunset,” László Nemes, director;
Iceland, “Woman at War,” Benedikt Erlingsson, director;
India, “Village Rockstars,” Rima Das, director;
Indonesia, “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts,” Mouly Surya, director;
Iran, “No Date, No Signature,” Vahid Jalilvand, director;
Iraq, “The Journey,” Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, director;
Israel, “The Cakemaker,” Ofir Raul Graizer, director;
Italy, “Dogman,” Matteo Garrone, director;
Japan, “Shoplifters,” Hirokazu Kore-eda, director;
Kazakhstan, “Ayka,” Sergey Dvortsevoy, director;
Kenya, “Supa Modo,” Likarion Wainaina, director;
Kosovo, “The Marriage,” Blerta Zeqiri, director;
Latvia, “To Be Continued,” Ivars Seleckis, director;
Lebanon, “Capernaum,” Nadine Labaki, director;
Lithuania, “Wonderful Losers: A Different World,” Arunas Matelis, director;
Luxembourg, “Gutland,” Govinda Van Maele, director;
Macedonia, “Secret Ingredient,” Gjorce Stavreski, director;
Malawi, “The Road to Sunrise,” Shemu Joyah, director;
Mexico, “Roma,” Alfonso Cuarón, director;
Montenegro, “Iskra,” Gojko Berkuljan, director;
Morocco, “Burnout,” Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, director;
Nepal, “Panchayat,” Shivam Adhikari, director;
Netherlands, “The Resistance Banker,” Joram Lürsen, director;
New Zealand, “Yellow Is Forbidden,” Pietra Brettkelly, director;
Niger, “The Wedding Ring,” Rahmatou Keïta, director;
Norway, “What Will People Say,” Iram Haq, director;
Pakistan, “Cake,” Asim Abbasi, director;
Palestine, “Ghost Hunting,” Raed Andoni, director;
Panama, “Ruben Blades Is Not My Name,” Abner Benaim, director;
Paraguay, “The Heiresses,” Marcelo Martinessi, director;
Peru, “Eternity,” Oscar Catacora, director;
Philippines, “Signal Rock,” Chito S. Roño, director;
Poland, “Cold War,” Pawel Pawlikowski, director;
Portugal, “Pilgrimage,” João Botelho, director;
Romania, “I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians,” Radu Jude, director;
Russia, “Sobibor,” Konstantin Khabensky, director;
Serbia, “Offenders,” Dejan Zecevic, director;
Singapore, “Buffalo Boys,” Mike Wiluan, director;
Slovakia, “The Interpreter,” Martin Šulík, director;
Slovenia, “Ivan,” Janez Burger, director;
South Africa, “Sew the Winter to My Skin,” Jahmil X.T. Qubeka, director;
South Korea, “Burning,” Lee Chang-dong, director;
Spain, “Champions,” Javier Fesser, director;
Sweden, “Border,” Ali Abbasi, director;
Switzerland, “Eldorado,” Markus Imhoof, director;
Taiwan, “The Great Buddha+,” Hsin-Yao Huang, director;
Thailand, “Malila The Farewell Flower,” Anucha Boonyawatana, director;
Tunisia, “Beauty and the Dogs,” Kaouther Ben Hania, director;
Turkey, “The Wild Pear Tree,” Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director;
Ukraine, “Donbass,” Sergei Loznitsa, director;
United Kingdom, “I Am Not a Witch,” Rungano Nyoni, director;
Uruguay, “Twelve-Year Night,” Álvaro Brechner, director;
Venezuela, “The Family,” Gustavo Rondón Córdova, director;
Vietnam, “The Tailor,” Buu Loc Tran, Kay Nguyen, directors;
Yemen, “10 Days before the Wedding,” Amr Gamal, director.
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PRINCESITA Crowned Biggest Winner of 2018 Raindance Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_32053" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Princesita[/caption]
Princesita directed by Marialy Rivas is the biggest winner of this year’s 26th Raindance Film Festival, winning four awards including Film of the Festival, Best International Feature, Best Performance for Sara Caballero and Best Cinematography for Sergio Armstrong. Created by the Larrain brothers, the film tells the story of twelve-year-old Tamara, who has been raised in a cult. This tense and sinister tale was written by Rivas in part to show the extremes to which men still believe they have ownership over women’s bodies. As a result of winning Film of the Festival and as per Raindance tradition, Marialy will be asked to direct next year’s Official Festival Trailer.
Best Director was awarded to Rene Eller for WE, adapted from a controversial novel by Elvis Peeters, WE is a story about abuses of power and privilege. Unconcerned with the consequences of their actions, the members of a privileged teen group of friends spur each other on to ever more sociopathic behavior. Lauren Mackenzie’s We The Kings a portrait of two tortured souls, played by Elliot James Langridge and Timothy West with electrifying intensity was awarded Best UK Feature and the Best Documentary went to Tre Maison Dasan, an incredibly intimate documentary giving the opportunity to those affected by the justice system, young and old alike, to share their stories. Piotr Domalewski’s Silent Night received the Discovery Award for Best Debut Feature with his insightful and tender film displaying powerful performances about the realities of a family reunited.
Richard Raymond (Souls of Totality), Aaron Dunleavy (Landsharks) and Emmanuel Vaughn-Lee (Earthrise) were the big winners in the Shorts Program with Souls of Totality receiving the award for Best Short of the Festival, Landsharks receiving Best UK Short and Earthrise winning Best Documentary Short.
Award winning short Souls of Totality centers in on a looming moment that can change everything and stars Emmy Award winning actress Tatiana Maslany and actor Tom Cullen and Landsharks follows the vicious cycle of misguided youths on a troubled estate, forced to carry out the dirty work of exploitative adults. Earthrise tells us the story of the first image ever captured of the Earth from space in 1968.
Told solely by the Apollo 8 astronauts, the film recounts their experiences and memories and explores the beauty, awe, and grandeur of the Earth against the blackness of space. Best Animated Short was awarded to Blind Mice directed by Nicholas D’Agostino about An ex-con gets wrapped up in a con within a con. Last but not least Best Music Video Award went to Solicitous a romantic, fairytale-like story about the relationship between two sensitive giants living in the mountains directed by Zuzanna Plisz.
The Award for Best Festival Campaign goes to Mike Rogers producer of the documentary Matsuchiyo – Life of a Geisha.
Full List of Winners of 26th Raindance Film Festival
Film of the Festival – Princesita Best UK Feature – We the Kings Best International Feature – Princesita Best Director – Rene Eller (We) Best Screenplay – Sophie Fillières (When Margaux meets Margaux) Best Cinematography – Sergio Armstrong (Princesita) Best Performance – Sara Caballero (Princesita) Best Documentary Feature – Tre Maison Dasan Discovery Award – Silent Night Best Short of the Festival – Souls of Totality Best UK Short – Landsharks Best Documentary Short – Earthrise Best Animation Short – Blind Mice Best Music Video – Solicitous Best Festival Campaign – Mike Rogers for Matsuchiyo – Life of a Geisha Webfest Jury Award – Bidune Kais (Undocumented) Webfest Audience Award – Gimel Raindance Spirit Award – This is Love
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FAIL STATE, Exec Produced by Dan Rather, Investigates Rise of Predatory For-Profit Colleges [Trailer]
[caption id="attachment_32050" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Fail State[/caption]
The award-winning investigative documentary Fail State executive produced by news legend Dan Rather, investigates the dark side of American higher education, chronicling the decades of policy decisions in Washington, D.C. that have given rise to a powerful and highly-predatory for-profit college industry. Fail Safe directed by Alex Shebanow, opens in theaters in Los Angeles on October 19 at Laemmle’s Music Hall, and in New York on November 9 at the Maysles Documentary Center Cinema, followed by a digital release via Gravitas Ventures on November, and national television debut on STARZ on December 17.
With echoes of the subprime mortgage crisis, the film lays bare how for-profit colleges exploit millions of low-income and minority students, leaving them with worthless degrees and drowning in student loan debt. Director Alexander Shebanow traces the rise, fall, and resurgence of the for-profit college industry, revealing its Wall Street Backing and the lawmakers enabling widespread fraud and abuse in American higher education.
The film features interviews with Senators Dick Durbin, Illinois and Senator Tom Harkin, Iowa; Governor Bill Haslam, Tennessee; Congresswoman Maxine Waters, California; Attorney General Jack Conway, Kentucky; F. King Alexander, President and Chancellor, Louisiana State University; Gail Mellow, President, LaGuardia Community College and many more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S64WANCgMek
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GIRL, HEARTBOUND, L’ANIMALE Win Top Awards at 2018 Zurich Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_29317" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Girl by Lukas Dhont[/caption]
The Zurich Film Festival awarded their 2018 Golden Eye for International Feature Film to GIRL by Lukas Dhont from Belgium/Netherlands, HEARTBOUND (HJERTELANDET) by Janus Metz and Sine Plambech from Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands for International Documentary Film, and L’ANIMALE by Katharina Mückstein from Austria for Focus: Switzerland, Germany, Austria.
The Emerging Swiss Talent Award for a Swiss film goes to WALDEN by Daniel Zimmermann and the Critics’ Choice Award goes to THE GUILTY (DEN SKYLDIGE) by Gustav Möller from Denmark. The Audience Award goes to COLD NOVEMBER (NËNTOR I FTOHTË) by Ismet Sijarina from Kosovo/Albania/Macedonia, the Kids Jury Award goes to LOS BANDO by Christian Lo from Norway/Sweden, and the Audience Award in the ZFF for Kids section goes to TABURIN by Pierre Godeau from France/Belgium.
2018 Zurich Film Festival AWARDS
International Feature Film Competition
The 14th Zurich Film Festival’s Golden Eye for Best Film in the International Feature Film Competition category goes to: GIRL by Lukas Dhont (Belgium, Netherlands) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdzu26tnUTc A Special Mention goes to: SHÉHÉRAZADE by Jean-Bernard Marlin (France)International Documentary Film Competition
The 14th Zurich Film Festival’s Golden Eye for Best Film in the International Documentary Film Competition category goes to: HEARTBOUND (HJERTELANDET) by Janus Metz and Sine Plambech (Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O2IiaMy3Js A Special Mention goes to: MINDING THE GAP by Bing Liu (USA)Focus: Switzerland, Germany, Austria
The 14th Zurich Film Festival’s Golden Eye for Best Film in the Focus: Switzerland, Germany, Austria Competition category goes to: L’ANIMALE by Katharina Mückstein (Austria) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYAin_46xtI A Special Mention goes to: DER LÄUFER (MIDNIGHT RUNNER) by Hannes Baumgartner (Switzerland) WELCOME TO SODOM by Florian Weigensamer and Christian Krönes (Austria)Emerging Swiss Talent Award
The Emerging Swiss Talent Award for Best Swiss Film in the Festival Program goes to: WALDEN by Daniel Zimmermann (Switzerland)Critics’ Choice Award
The Swiss Association of Film Journalists (SVFJ) award their prize for Best Debut Feature Film in the Competition Section to: THE GUILTY (DEN SKYLDIGE) by Gustav Möller (Denmark)Audience Award
Given to the best film from the three competition categories as chosen by viewers, the Audience Award goes to: COLD NOVEMBER (NËNTOR I FTOHTË) by Ismet Sijarina (Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia)Kids Jury Award
The Kids Jury gives their award to: LOS BANDO by Christian Lo (Norway, Sweden)Audience Award for Best Children’s Film
The Audience Award for Best Film in the ZFF for Kids section as chosen by our young viewers goes to: RAOUL TABURIN by Pierre Godeau (France, Belgium)Treatment Competition Award
The Award for Best Treatment goes to:Maurizius Staerkle Drux and Lenz Baumann for the project C.O.D.A. – CHILD OF DEAF ADULTS (Switzerland)
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Fourth Doc Stories Film Series Returns to Bay Area, Opens with ‘They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead’
[caption id="attachment_32041" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead[/caption]
The fourth Doc Stories, presented by SFFILM returns to the Bay Area from November 1 to 4 with a lineup featuring brand-new documentary films yet to be released alongside in-depth discussions with filmmaker guests in person.
The forward-thinking values of the San Francisco Bay Area are celebrated in the lineup especially by two remarkable portraits – General Magic and 5B – both featuring extraordinary archival footage conveying a unique “you were there” sense of urgency. Pressing issues from political indoctrination in Syria to maternal mortality rates here in the US take the stage alongside films such as They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead and United Skates, that use art and culture as a lens through which to tell larger stories.
This year’s wide-ranging lineup will also present the inaugural Doc Star Keynote Address, delivered by Lisa Nishimura, Head of Documentary and Comedy Programming at Netflix. Doc Stories 2018 is rounded out by compelling and diverse shorts programs: Doc Shorts focused around issues of community and place, and the return of the popular New York Times Op-Docs showcase.
The fourth Doc Stories runs November 1 to 4 at the Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street) and SFMOMA’s Phyllis Wattis Theater (151 3rd Street – Joyce and Larry Stupski Entrance at Minna Street).
Opening Night: They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead [Castro]
Morgan Neville, USA, 98 min. Director Morgan Neville expected to attend.
Morgan Neville, who charmed SFFILM Festival audiences this spring with his look at Mr. Rogers and his neighborhood, now playfully takes on the story of Orson Welles’s last production, The Other Side of the Wind, a semi-mythological cinematic experiment, posthumously completed and receiving its first public release this year. Neville eschews scholars and critics and lets those who knew and worked with the mercurial filmmaker tell the story of “the greatest movie never released.” The result is as lively and inventive as work of the master it reveals.
Doc Star Keynote Address: Lisa Nishimura [SFMOMA]
TRT 60 min.
Netflix’s Vice President of Original Documentary and Comedy Programming has had an enormous impact on the way filmmakers and viewers approach non-fiction filmmaking. Nishimura is an 11-year Netflix veteran and spearheaded Netflix’s Original Documentaries initiative in 2013. The non-fiction work developed under her tenure is comprised of a wide range of series and features including Ava DuVernay’s 13th, Werner Herzog’s Into the Inferno, and Liz Garbus’s What Happened Miss Simone? The current slate of films, including Reversing Roe, Shirkers, and Quincy, showcases Netflix’s commitment to female documentarians and compelling storytelling. Nishimura will discuss her thoughts on the current state of non-fiction filmmaking in an entertaining and informative Keynote.
Giving Birth in America: California [SFMOMA]
Clancy McCarty, USA, 18 min. (TRT 60 min) Director Clancy McCarty, Every Mother Counts founder Christy Turlington Burns, and additional guests expected to attend. Extended post-screening conversation.
Giving Birth in America is a documentary series that examines some of the reasons for the alarming current statistics about maternal mortality rates in the US. This fifth and most recent episode, California, focuses on Dr. Christina Gamboa, an OB-GYN in Watsonville who provides pre-natal care to an immigrant farmworker from Mexico with a high-risk pregnancy. The screening will be followed by an in-depth discussion with McCarty, Dr. Gamboa, and women’s health advocates.
New York Times Op-Docs [SFMOMA]
TRT 80 min. Directors Luisa Conlon, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, and Kathleen Lingo, Executive Producer of New York Times Op-Docs expected to attend.
The fourth edition of our annual exploration of the year’s best short documentaries from the New York Times’ award-winning series again shows the strength and versatility of the non-fiction form. This year’s program takes us from family reflections to pressing worldly issues and beyond—even to outer space.
The Truth About Killer Robots [SFMOMA]
Maxim Pozdorovkin, USA, 83 min. Director Maxim Pozdorovkin expected to attend.
This timely exploration of our increasingly mechanized world is a kaleidoscopic look at the automatically operating machines that are changing our daily lives in ways that run the gamut from intriguing to deadly. The film probes automation-influenced events both dramatic and incidental, from the death of a worker in a German Volkswagen factory to robotic displacement of laborers to the undermining of authentic human connection. Philosophers, journalists, and futurists add perspective and insight, sharing screen time with a non-human narrator.
Doc Shorts [SFMOMA]
TRT 70 min. Filmmakers Roxy Rezvany, Mohammed Gorjestani, Ivete Lucas, and Patrick Bresnan expected to attend.
Four expertly crafted and distinctly expressed short films center around issues of community and place. Whether navigating a transition from North Korea to the UK, a release from prison, or a trip to the beach, the people documented in these non-fiction pieces—Little Pyongyang (Roxy Rezvany, UK), Nuuca (Michelle Latimer, Canada/USA), Sister Hearts (Mohammad Gorjestani, USA), and Skip Day (Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan, USA)—are each in their different way adjusting to the changing world in which they find themselves.
Ghost Fleet [SFMOMA]
Shannon Service and Jeffrey Waldron, USA, 88 min. Co-director Shannon Service expected to attend.
The plight of fishermen enslaved on vessels in Southeast Asian waters is movingly documented through the linked stories of Patima Tungpuchayakul, a Thai activist who has helped return men to their homes, and Tun Lin, who escaped captivity after eleven years and now seeks justice for himself and others. The film follows a rescue mission off the shore of Indonesia where escaped men hide on remote islands and Thai ships continue their shocking practices.
General Magic [SFMOMA]
Sarah Kerruish and Matt Maude, USA, 93 min. Co-director Matt Maude and special guests expected to attend.
A portrait of Silicon Valley’s most important failed startup, General Magic details the rise and fall of the visionary company that envisioned the first smartphone, as well as e-commerce and emojis, years before any of them became ubiquitous. Told through the voices of several members of the team of gifted (and still dominant) engineers, programmers, and marketers, General Magic brings you into the heart of the story of a company that changed the world before the world was ready.
Of Fathers and Sons [SFMOMA]
Talal Derki, Germany/Syria/Lebanon, 99 min.
Posing as a photojournalist who supports jihad, director Talal Derki takes extraordinary risks and gains vivid access to the family and life of 45-year-old Abu Osama, one of the founders of Al-Nusra, the Syrian arm of Al-Qaeda. The father of eight sons, Abu Osama is a fearsome example of those who believe firmly in violence as a means to an end. Though certainly chilling at times, Of Fathers and Sons is also a deeply compassionate portrait of young boys who are not given options over their lives and futures.
Filmmakers in Conversation [SFMOMA]
TRT 75 min. Directors Bing Liu, RaMell Ross, and Sandi Tan expected to attend.
What are some of the ways that a filmmaker signals their point of view about their subjects? How does a film’s style and approach influence how the viewer absorbs and understands it? Join the creators of some of 2018’s most remarkable films, shot in a variety of styles and using innovative methods to explore stories both personal and topical, to explore these topics. Participants include Bing Liu (Minding the Gap), RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening), and Sandi Tan (Shirkers).
United Skates [SFMOMA]
Tina Brown and Dyana Winkler, USA 2018, 90 min. Directors Tina Brown and Dyana Winkler expected to attend.
Eight wheels and a roller rink hold special significance in the African American community, as the act of roller skating provides a meaningful, vibrant, and safe way for people to express themselves. Examining the historical and cultural influence of skating rinks around the county, filmmakers Dyana Winkler and Tina Brown document recent rink closures and discriminatory regulations that make it harder for skaters to gather, while celebrating the community that is determined to keep the spirit and their skating alive.
5B [Castro] – WORLD PREMIERE
Dan Krauss, USA, 93 min. Director Dan Krauss expected to attend.
In the mid-1980s, a simple number and letter designated a ward on the fifth floor of San Francisco General Hospital, the first in the country designed specifically to deal with AIDS patients. The unit’s emphasis on humanity and consideration of holistic well-being was a small miracle in the midst of a devastating crisis and the ensuing panic about risk and infection. The story of 5B is stirringly told through first-person testimony of patients, their loved ones, and hospital staff who volunteered to work on the ward, resulting in a bittersweet and moving monument to a moment in San Francisco history and a celebration of quiet heroes worthy of remembrance and renewed recognition. Presented in Collaboration with the Telluride Film Festival.
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Supernatural Horror Film SOUL TO KEEP to World Premiere at Shriekfest [Trailer]
The supernatural horror film Soul To Keep, co-directed by David Allensworth and Monière, will have its world premiere at Shriekfest on Saturday October 6th in Hollywood.
Soul To Keep tells the story of Beelzebub, a demon hell-bent on consuming and taking control of souls, who hunts down siblings and their lifelong friends at a rundown country house.
“Soul to Keep is a great possession horror film that uses a deaf character to uniquely tell the story,” says Shriekfest’s festival director Denise Gossett. “This is a film that horror fans are going to love and we are thrilled to be showing our first ever open captioned film!” she adds.
The introduction of a deaf lead character, Tara, played by deaf actress Sandra Mae Frank, allows the exploration of unique modalities in the narrative style, notably the use of sign language throughout the film. All the actors flawlessly learnt and incorporated the sign language into their performances to serve the purpose of the story. This inclusive aspect of the unrepresented Deaf Community makes the production accessible to hard-of-hearing audiences as well as creating a dialogue between the Deaf and Hearing populations.
“The Deaf element in this film came to me originally as something of a scare tactic, and it blossomed into an important statement about bringing communities together,” says director David Allensworth. “Our co-writer Eric Bram’s wife is partially deaf, as well as one of our producers, Matt Meyer, who has partial hearing loss.”
“I wanted to bring out the elements of a minority group – the deaf and hard at hearing – and showcase them as heroes. In addition, I wanted to tell a horror story with real proven metaphysical elements, not another horror-slasher film,” adds co-director Monière.
ERIN, a cute yet timid 22-year-old, and her confident twin brother JOSH inherit their grandpa’s creepy country house. Rusty broken barn. Swampy pond. No better way to christen the home than to throw a party with their school friends. Josh brought his sweetheart, TARA, and their closeness is apparent. Tara is deaf, and all the friends speak with her through sign language. Everyone, except for BRANDON, the self-centered boyfriend of GRACE, Erin’s childhood friend-turned-Dark-Wiccan.
It’s all fun and games until the lights go out. Josh searches the dark and damp basement to find the fuse box, only to discover a secret ritual room, complete with animal bones, blood, and meat arranged in a large triangle. Not to mention the nearby grimoire – a demonic spell book. The group is convinced now that the sibling’s grandpa truly went crazy.
Grace, being familiar with it all, reads over the grimoire to discover a spell to conjure the very powerful demon, BEELZEBUB – one of the seven Princes of Hell. Drunk and high, the group thinks it’s a fun idea to conduct a possession spell to see if it’ll work. And to their surprise… it does! Beelzebub has finally arrived and he will stop at nothing to consume their souls.
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Dr. Denis Mukwege Subject of Documentary THE MAN WHO MENDS WOMEN Awarded Nobel Peace Prize [Trailer]
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Dr. Denis Mukwege in The Man Who Mends Women – The Wrath of Hippocrates[/caption]
Dr. Denis Mukwege, world renowned Congolese surgeon and the subject of the documentary “The Man Who Mends Women – The Wrath Of Hippocrates” was today awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Man Who Mends Women – The Wrath Of Hippocrates is the portrait of the impressive life and work of internationally renowned gynecologist Dr. Denis Mukwege from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He received the 2014 prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, for his struggle against sexual violence. Dr. Mukwege medically assisted over 40,000 sexually abused women in sixteen years of professional practice. He is a winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
Sexual violence against women has been used as a weapon of war for years in the violence-ridden and poverty-stricken Democratic Republic of Congo. In order to provide medical, psychological and emotional aid to the victims, Dr. Mukwege founded the Panzi hospital in Bukavu in 1999. Besides his work as a physician Dr. Mukwege also defends human rights and seeks to raise global awareness on the issue of sexual violence in his country. He condemns the political reluctance to tackle the problem and is not afraid to hit the nail on the head.
His work is not without danger, as Dr. Mukwege experienced in 2012, when armed men entered his home and started shooting. Mukwege and his family survived the attack, but his guard was killed. The doctor now lives cloistered in his hospital in Bukavu under the protection of the United Nation peacekeepers. The women, whose physical and emotional integrity and dignity have been restored, stand beside him, true activists for peace, and hungry for justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU62X6iV1ZI
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Nadia Murad, Subject of Documentary ON HER SHOULDERS, Awarded Nobel Peace Prize [Trailer]
Yazidi genocide survivor-turned-global advocate Nadia Murad, the subject of Alexandria Bombach’s documentary ON HER SHOULDERS, was announced today as the recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict.
A deeply moving documentary portrait, ON HER SHOULDERS was the winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s U.S. Documentary Directing Award and has won awards at some of the world’s top film festivals. It will open on Friday, October 19 at New York’s Village East Cinemas, followed by Los Angeles on October 24, with a national rollout to follow.
Twenty-three-year-old Nadia Murad’s life is a dizzying array of important undertakings—from giving testimony before the U.N. to visiting refugee camps to soul-bearing media interviews and one-on-one meetings with top government officials. With deep compassion and a formal precision and elegance that matches Nadia’s calm and steely demeanor, director Alexandria Bombach (who also shot and edited the film) follows this strong-willed young woman, who survived the 2014 genocide of the Yazidis in Northern Iraq and escaped sexual slavery at the hands of ISIS to become a relentless beacon of hope for her people, even when at times she longs to lay aside this monumental burden and simply have an ordinary life.
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Denzel Washington to Receive AFI Life Achievement Award
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Denzel Washington in Roman J. Israel, Esq.ael[/caption]
Denzel Washington will receive the 47th AFI Life Achievement Award, America’s highest honor for a career in film, awarded annually the American Film Institute (AFI). The award will be presented to Washington at a Gala Tribute on Thursday, June 6, 2019, in Los Angeles, CA, and the AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute special will return for its seventh year with Turner Broadcasting to air on TNT, followed by encore presentations on sister network Turner Classic Movies (TCM).
“Denzel Washington is an American icon,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Chair, AFI Board of Trustees. “As an actor, he stands tall as a heroic, stoic embodiment of the best in all of us, and he does so with heart, humanity and one of the brightest smiles to ever light up the screen. Equally formidable as director and producer, he is a creative force to be reckoned with — and one of the most vital, relevant artists working today. AFI is proud to present him with its 47th Life Achievement Award.”
Actor, director and producer Denzel Washington is an iconic leading man whose career spans five decades — an esteemed repertoire ranging from screen to stage, in works defined by his towering presence as heroic everymen, troubling antiheroes and real-life figures with complicated, often controversial histories. His cinematic legacy includes powerhouse, Academy Award®-winning performances in GLORY (1989) and TRAINING DAY (2001), as well as celebrated roles in CRY FREEDOM (1987), MALCOLM X (1992), THE HURRICANE (1999), FLIGHT (2012) and ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ. (2017), earning additional nominations for each. Washington has crafted compelling, unforgettable characters in recurring collaborations with master directors past and present, bringing stalwart grit and nuanced complexity to films essential to the American canon, such as Jonathan Demme’s PHILADELPHIA (1993), Spike Lee’s INSIDE MAN (2006) and Ridley Scott’s AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007) — and to blockbuster, crowd-pleasing fare such as Edward Zwick’s (AFI Class of 1975) CRIMSON TIDE (1995), Tony Scott’s MAN ON FIRE (2004) and Antoine Fuqua’s THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (2016). A creative force behind the camera as well, Washington has helmed critically acclaimed films, including ANTWONE FISHER (2002) and THE GREAT DEBATERS (2007), in which he also stars. He won a 2010 Tony® for his performance in the play “Fences,” and directed, produced and starred in the 2016 film adaptation that earned him Best Actor and Best Picture Oscar® nominations, as well as AFI AWARDS recognition.
Washington’s filmography also includes MO’ BETTER BLUES (1990), MISSISSIPPI MASALA (1991), THE PELICAN BRIEF (1993), COURAGE UNDER FIRE (1996), THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (2004), THE EQUALIZER (2014) and THE EQUALIZER 2 (2018).
AFI Life Achievement Award Recipients
1973 John Ford 1974 James Cagney 1975 Orson Welles 1976 William Wyler 1977 Bette Davis 1978 Henry Fonda 1979 Alfred Hitchcock 1980 James Stewart 1981 Fred Astaire 1982 Frank Capra 1983 John Huston 1984 Lillian Gish 1985 Gene Kelly 1986 Billy Wilder 1987 Barbara Stanwyck 1988 Jack Lemmon 1989 Gregory Peck 1990 David Lean 1991 Kirk Douglas 1992 Sidney Poitier 1993 Elizabeth Taylor 1994 Jack Nicholson 1995 Steven Spielberg 1996 Clint Eastwood 1997 Martin Scorsese 1998 Robert Wise 1999 Dustin Hoffman 2000 Harrison Ford 2001 Barbra Streisand 2002 Tom Hanks 2003 Robert De Niro 2004 Meryl Streep 2005 George Lucas 2006 Sean Connery 2007 Al Pacino 2008 Warren Beatty 2009 Michael Douglas 2010 Mike Nichols 2011 Morgan Freeman 2012 Shirley MacLaine 2013 Mel Brooks 2014 Jane Fonda 2015 Steve Martin 2016 John Williams 2017 Diane Keaton 2018 George Clooney
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Actor Michael Greyeyes to Receive August Schellenberg Award of Excellence
Nêhiyaw actor, choreographer, director and educator Michael Greyeyes will receive the 2018 August Schellenberg Award of Excellence at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.
The August Schellenberg Award of Excellence (the “Augie”) is an annual prize that recognizes significant professional and personal achievement by an Indigenous actor, of any gender, from Turtle Island (North America). Michael Greyeyes will receive his award at the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival’s Awards Presentation on Sunday, October 21 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.
“August ‘Augie’ Schellenberg is an icon, but to me he is much more than this,” says Michael Greyeyes. “Augie was my friend and mentor. In his work, and the way he lived his life. I learned from him in countless ways. This award is a profound honor and affirms that Augie’s commitment to excellence and his spirit of generosity remain with me.”
In a career spanning 31 years, Michael Greyeyes has moved fluidly between stage and screen, from his work as a dancer with The National Ballet of Canada to diverse performances in Bruce McDonald’s Dance Me Outside, to his title role in Crazy Horse (TNT), and for acclaimed directors such as John Sayles, Chris Eyre, and Terrence Malick.
His selected directing credits include: Pimooteewin (The Journey), the first Cree language opera with libretto by Tomson Highway, Almighty Voice and his Wife (Native Earth Performing Arts) and Seven Seconds (2010 imagineNATIVE). In 2010, Greyeyes founded Signal Theatre and has created a number of full-length theatre works, including from thine eyes, Nôhkom, and A Soldier’s Tale for the National Arts Centre, and Bearing, a searing exploration of Canada’s Indian residential school legacy for the 2017 Luminato Festival. He is an Associate Professor in the Theatre department at York University, where he teaches devised theatre and screen performance. Professor Greyeyes is published in the Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Research in Canada, and Performing Indigeneity: New Essays on Canadian Theatre, Vol. 5.
Most recently, he has appeared in AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead and in an acclaimed performance as legendary Hunkpapa leader Sitting Bull, in Woman Walks Ahead (A24) co-starring Jessica Chastain, that received its world premiere at TIFF 2017. He can next be seen in the third season of HBO’s True Detective and as the lead in Jeff Barnaby’s feature film Blood Quantum.
The August Schellenberg Award of Excellence was launched in partnership with Joan Karasevich Schellenberg to honor her late husband, actor August (Augie) Schellenberg, and the spirit of his work. This annual award is presented to gifted Indigenous actors based on the longevity and impact of their careers, as well as their professionalism and involvement in mentorship and community work. Past Augie recipients include Tantoo Cardinal in 2015, Tom Jackson in 2016, and Tina Keeper in 2017.
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Romanian Composer Sebastian Androne-Nakanishi Wins International Film Music Competition
The Romanian composer Sebastian Androne-Nakanishi is the winner of the 7th International Film Music Competition, which took place during the Zurich Film Festival. Androne-Nakanishi takes home the Golden Eye for Best International Film Music 2018.
304 composers from 44 countries took part in this year’s Film Music Competition. The jury, presided over by former Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer and US film composer Cliff Martinez, chose five compositions to enter the final. In addition to the winning composition, soundtracks from France, Belgium, Spain and Canada were also nominated.
The five nominated compositions were world premiered live at the Tonhalle Maag by the 100-strong Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich under the baton of Frank Strobel. Participants were asked to score Steve Cutts’ short film HAPPINESS for symphony orchestra.
In addition to Cliff Martinez, this year’s jury also comprised the German conductor Frank Strobel, the Swiss film composer and pianist Christine Aufderhaar and the Swiss director Sabine Gisiger. The Film Music Concert that followed was entitled ‘Thriller’.
The International Film Music Competition is organiszd by the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (TOZ) in collaboration with the Forum Filmmusik.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9dZQelULDk
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Alan Alda to Receive SAG Life Achievement Award
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Alan Alda in Wanderlust[/caption]
Award-winning actor, writer, director, producer, Alan Alda has been named the 55th recipient of SAG-AFTRA’s highest tribute: the SAG Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment. Alda will be presented the performers union’s top accolade at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, which will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, at 8 p.m. (ET)/ 5 p.m. (PT).
Given annually to an actor who fosters the “finest ideals of the acting profession,” the SAG Life Achievement Award will join Alda’s exceptional catalog of pre-eminent industry and public honors. His career has earned him induction into the Television Hall of Fame, an Oscar® nomination, six Emmys® (plus an International Emmy® Special Founder’s Award and 29 additional Emmy® nominations), four SAG Award® nominations, six Golden Globes®, four DGA Awards (including the D. W. Griffith Award), the WGA’s Valentine Davis Award, three Tony Award® nominations and more. In fact, he is one of only six people to receive Oscar®, Tony® and Emmy® nominations in the same year. This abbreviated list doesn’t even mention his numerous honors from the scientific community, including most recently the National Academy of Sciences Public Welfare Medal.
“It is an honor and privilege to announce that our SAG Life Achievement Award will be presented to the fabulous Alan Alda,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “He is an artist whose body of work is a testament to the craft and the magic of our business. His ability to make us laugh, to think and to feel is extraordinary. From theater to television, movies, and new media Alan’s dedication and talent are exceeded only by his contributions to a just and caring society.”
Alda landed his first movie role in 1963’s Gone Are the Days!, which starred the legendary Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee (both of whom preceded Alda as SAG Life Achievement Award recipients). He went on to show his range in dozens of additional movies, including his Oscar® nominated role as Senator Ralph Owen Brewster in 2004’sThe Aviator.
Among Alda’s many other films are Bridge of Spies (2015, Best Picture Oscar winner), The Longest Ride (2015),Wanderlust (2012), Tower Heist (2011), Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993),Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Neil Simon’s California Suite (1978), Same Time, Next Year (1978), The Mephisto Waltz (1971) and Paper Lion (1968). He also starred in and wrote The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979), and starred in, wrote and directed A New Life (1988), Sweet Liberty (1986) and The Four Seasons (1981).
But he’s not resting on his laurels. Alda will next be seen in the as-yet untitled Noah Baumbach project starring Scarlett Johansen and Adam Driver.