• 2013 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival Announces Finalist Films

    cinemalaya

    The popular Philippine indie festival Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival will be held on July 26 to August 4, 2013. 15 full length finalists/ filmmakers (10 new breed and 5 directors showcase) and 10 short films have been selected to be featured at the festival. The films in the New Breed Full Length Category will compete for the coveted Balanghai Award. Awards are also given in the Short Feature Category and the Directors Showcase.

    The ten finalists in the NEW BREED CATEGORY are:

    BABAGWA (Spider)
    By Jason Paul Laxamana
    An Internet scammer falls in love with a wealthy old maid while trying to swindle her using a fake Facebook profile.

    DEBOSYON
    By Alvin B. Yapan
    Mando, a Bikolano devotee of Ina, Virgin of Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bikolandia, injures himself in the middle of the forest at the foot of the Mayon Volcano. He will be nursed back to health by a mysterious woman, Salome, living there. They will fall in love with each other. But when Mando invites her to come with him to the plains, Salome refuses, saying a curse prohibits her from leaving the forest. Salome holds a secret that will devastate Mando’s love for her. Mando relies on his devotion to the Virgin of Peñafrancia to lift the curse, making him realize just how inextricably linked are the virtues of love and faith.

    INSTANT MOMMY
    By Leo Abaya
    In order to solve a personal predicament, Bechayda, a wardrobe assistant in TV commercials, pretends to be pregnant.

    The film is one summer’s journey with her as she reaches the fateful decision amidst a highly visualized world where the video screen not only reigns supreme but is also the frame within which a usually unsuspecting public accesses the content of image-makers.

    NUWEBE
    By Joseph Israel M. Laban
    Inspired by the actual story of one of the youngest mothers in Philippine history, NUWEBE follows the story of Krista who at the tender age of 9 got pregnant from the sexual abuse perpetrated by her own father. Her story is complex. Krista refuses to see herself as a victim. With an almost documentary style, NUWEBE follows Krista’s story as she demonstrates a level of resilience uncommon to her age. Her mother on the other hand is torn between her love for her child and her love for her husband.

    PUROK 7
    By Carlo Obispo
    A countryside dramedy (drama-comedy) that follows the story of 14-year-old Diana and her younger brother who live by themselves after their mother went abroad and their father lived with another woman.

    QUICK CHANGE
    By Eduardo Roy Jr.
    Life of Dorina a middle-aged transsexual looking for his niche amidst the complexities of the world he is in. This is a story of suffering, acceptance and hope.

    REKORDER
    By Mikhail Red
    REKORDER tells the story of a former 1980’s film cameraman who now currently works as a movie pirate operating in present day Manila. He routinely smuggles a digital camcorder into movie theaters in order to illegally record films. One night he records something else… And the footage goes viral.

    THE DIPLOMAT HOTEL
    By Christopher Ad Castillo
    Victoria Lansang is a popular news reporter who has been requested to mediate a hostage crisis. And in front of a national television audience, something horribly goes wrong and people are killed while Victoria suffers a mental breakdown.

    A year later, she’s eager to get back into the game but the only assignment she can get is to do a documentary on the last night of The Diplomat Hotel in Baguio City, a crumbling and abandoned building infamously known for its bloody past and its hauntings and has carved a place in Philippine ghost lore.

    Looking for redemption, she arrives there with her crew and they start filming. But as they get deeper into the night, the place starts to exert its will on them and they find out exactly what monstrous evil awaits at The Diplomat Hotel.

    By daybreak, their lives will never be the same again.

    TRANSIT
    By Hannah Espia
    TRANSIT begins and ends in an airport during a father and son’s transit flight from Tel Aviv to Manila. It tells the story of Moises, a Filipino single-dad working as a caregiver in Herzliya, Israel, who comes home to his son Joshua’s 4th birthday. It was on that day that Moises, together with their Filipino neighbors, Janet and her daughter Yael, find out that the Israeli government is going to deport children of foreign workers. Afraid of the new law, Moises and Janet decide to hide their children from the immigration police by making them stay inside the house.

    DAVID F.
    By Manny Palo
    Black is scientifically the absence of color, but not all who see it are color-blind, figuratively.

    David F. weaves three stories that take a look at the lineage of African Americans in the Philippines – from American soldiers in the Fil-Am war to the Amboys in the former Clark Airfield, and how we Pinoys take to them.

    It begins with the Philippine-American war in the early 1900’s when two Filipinos want to get the reward money for capturing David Fagan, the African-American soldier who deserted the U.S. army to join the Filipino revolutionaries against the new colonizers. Another thread of the film takes a look at the life of a Filipina during the Japanese occupation before the return of General Douglas MacArthur in 1944 who gives birth to a baby that turns out to be black-skinned.

    And then in contemporary times, a black gay impersonator in a comedy bar, whose father is an African American soldier based in Clark Air Base in Angeles City, tries to find his father who abandoned them.

    In the course of history, the “F” in “David F.” may spell different levels of discrimination. But would we also admit that we Filipinos are bigots ourselves?

    The ten finalists in the DIRECTORS SHOWCASE CATEGORY are:

    AMOR y MUERTE
    By Ces Evangelista
    AMOR y MUERTE is an erotic 16th Century period drama; an examination of the initial encounter between the Indios (natives) and their colonizers (Spaniards) and their conflicting views on love, passion, religion and sexuality.

    EXTRA
    By Jeffrey Jeturian
    EXTRA (A Bit Player) is a socio-realist drama-comedy film, which follows a seemingly usual day in the life of LOIDA MALABANAN (Vilma Santos) as she embarks on yet another shooting day of a soap opera as an extra. As the shoot goes on, we get a glimpse of the truth in the ruling system of the production as well as the exploitation on the marginalized laborers like her.

    PORNO
    By Adolfo B. Alix Jr.
    Three souls, one explicit illusion. To find the ultimate joy in their empty lives. A safe haven, where passion and love mean humanity, ecstasy means enlightenment; and the soul is the ultimate arbiter of the truth.

    SANA DATI
    By Jerrold Tarog
    Andrea Gonzaga has accepted her fate by agreeing to marry a man she does not love. But a few hours before her wedding, someone arrives to remind her of the true love she once had and lost. SANA DATI is a love story about bittersweet compromises and real- life decisions. It is the third part of Jerrold Tarog’s Camera Trilogy after CONFESSIONAL and MANGATYANAN.

    THE LIARS
    By Gil M. Portes
    The Liars is the story of a journalist (Eloisa) whose expose’ of the truth results in life-changing consequences to a baseball team of poor boys. Inspired by a true story.

    The ten finalists in the SHORT FILM CATEGORY are:

    BAKAW by Ron Segismundo
    Bakaw is a day in the life of a child who steals at the Navotas fishport.

    KATAPUSANG LABOK by Aiess Athina E. Alonso
    Katapusang Labok depicts the struggles of fishermen who must deal with environmental abuse and the effects of coral harvesting on their livelihood.

    MISSING by Zig Madamba Dulay
    Missing tackles the subject of forced disappearances.

    ONANG by Jann Eric S. Tiglao
    Onang is the classic tale of a young probinsyana who seeks her fortune in the big city.

    PARA KAY AMA by Relyn A. Tan
    Para kay Ama is about a young Chinese-Filipino girl who discovers she has a half-brother when she meets him on the last day of her father’s wake. <p”>PUKPOK by Joaquin Adrian M. Pantaleon
    Pukpok is one adolescent’s transition to manhood as he hurdles a case characterized by excessive blood, superstition and a man with failing eyesight.

    SA WAKAS by Ma. Veronica Santiago
    Sa Wakas is a reflection on the bond of a father and daughter tested by cultural, political and religious hypocrisy.

    TAYA by Philip Adrian Bontayam
    Taya is about a 12-year-old boy who learns to play the game of life with a new set of friends. The film highlights how traditional Filipino games reflect the realities and disparities of our society.

    THE HOUSEBAND’S WIFE by Paulo P. O’Hara
    The Houseband’s Wife is an essay about a typical OFW family, with the OFW wife as breadwinner and the husband left in the Philippines to care for the children. Technology and the internet bridges the physical distance but shatters domestic harmony when the wife, on a Skype video call, sees a bra, not hers, hanging in the marital closet.

    TUTOB by Kissza Mari V. Campano
    Tutob begins when recent bombings in the region put authorities on alert. A mysterious, strange-looking native Maranao man dressed up in Muslim attire shows up. He is tasked to fetch a package from his boss’ contact. From a rural area in the mountains, he rides his motorcycle to the city to get the package. On his way back, he is stopped at an army checkpoint. Speaking Maranao, he says he doesn’t know what’s in the package, but the Visayan-speaking soldiers don’t understand him and insist on opening it.

    Read more

  • Documentary LEWD & LASCIVIOUS World Premiere to Sold Out Audience at 2013 Frameline

    Lewd & Lascivious

    The documentary LEWD & LASCIVIOUS had its sold out World Premiere at the 2013 FRAMELINE LGBT Film Festival in San Francisco. LEWD & LASCIVIOUS directed by Dr. Jallen Rix documents police harassment and public abuse on New Year’s Day 1965 of a gay and lesbian Mardi Gras Costume Ball attendees and how it changed the Gay civil rights landscape in San Francisco.

    According to the filmmakers, long before the rainbow flag, gay pride parades and even before “Stonewall” there was an incident in 1965 San Francisco that very few people know about. This critical event spotlighted in the film was actually what helped turned the tide on police brutality and gay bashing in the City By The Bay.

    The filmmakers are seeking major distribution of the documentary so they can bring this timely piece about the LGBT struggle for equality, to the broadest audience possible. “Hopefully soon, we will be picked up by one of the giants like HBO, LOGOS, or BRAVO,” added Director Dr. Rix.

    But first, the filmmakers are running a Kickstarter campaign to complete the production of the film. “Our friends and families have supported us in substantial ways up to this point,” said Director Rix. “We are confident with the exposure of Kickstarter and the ability it gives us to reach multitudes of people who understand how important our history is and what part this story played in the freedoms we enjoy today, we will raise the remainder of the funds we need by our deadline on July 23rd.”

    Lewd & Lascivious plan is to be in as many festivals as possible and to share the story with as many people as possible.

    http://youtu.be/ISmuXFsKSEM

    via press release

    Read more

  • Documentary “AMERICAN MOVIE” and Horror Film “COVEN” to Kick Off First Ever NEXT WEEKEND Film Festival in LA

    AMERICAN MOVIEAMERICAN MOVIE

    The first-ever NEXT WEEKEND film festival (an extension of the popular NEXT <=> section at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah) will be held August 8-11, 2013 at venues throughout Los Angeles. The festival will kick off with an outdoor screening of Chris Smith’s cult documentary AMERICAN MOVIE and Mark Borchardt’s horror film COVEN on August 8.

    AMERICAN MOVIE (Director: Chris Smith) — Inspired by such films as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead, Mark Borchardt has been making movies since he was a teenager. He has all the passion and drive it takes; but what he sorely lacks is money. In a questionable business move, he decides to finish and peddle his short film, Coven, in order to finance his dream picture, Northwestern. (Documentary – 107 minutes)

    American Movie premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary. It was named by the New York Times as one of “The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made.”

    COVEN (Director and screenwriter: Mark Borchardt) — In COVEN – the short film whose production is chronicled inAmerican Movie – an alcohol/drug abuser re-examines his life until he nearly dies from an overdose. Then a friend convinces him to join a self-help group which turns out to be demonic. (36 minutes)

    Read more

  • Why Are There No Sequels to Indie Films? Why?

    Before MidnightBefore Midnight

    Audiences who have seen BEFORE MIDNIGHT in theaters have experienced a film that is extraordinary for two reasons: first, it’s a fantastic movie (after seeing it myself in April, I couldn’t agree more with TIME magazine critic Mary F. Pols, who said, “If I were only allowed to see one movie this year, I’d want it to be Before Midnight. If I were only allowed two trips to a theater this year, I’d see it twice”). Second, it’s an ultra-rare example of an independent film sequel – and even rarer, it is the second sequel of a film made with the creative team intact.

    A sequel to an independent film is rarer than one might think in an industry that is obsessed with creating franchises of sequels and spinoffs. Often indie filmmakers have little desire to revisit stories they have already committed to film and instead wish to move on to new material. In many cases that simply could be because a sequel is financially impossible. Very few independent films – even ones that win dozens of awards – end up making enough at the box office to cover their budgets, let alone enough money to make a follow-up. But it has happened – unfortunately, in most cases the sequel hasn’t continued the original filmmaker’s vision. In fact, in these cases the original filmmakers often aren’t even involved.

    blair-witch-project

    Independent horror films are the main target for sequels when the indie original makes a hit. After all, indie horror films often cost very little, which can lead to huge box office profits. For example, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT remains the most profitable independent film of all time, so a sequel was fast-tracked by the original’s distributor Artisan Films and was released less than eighteen months after the original. The original filmmakers received executive producer credit for the sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, but otherwise had little to do with the bigger-budget sequel (Blair Witch was made for $40,000, Book of Shadow’s budget ballooned to $15 million – still cheap by studio standards of course). While the sequel was profitable, it made a fraction of what the blockbuster original did in theaters and actually derailed what could have been a successful found footage franchise like the later Saw series, an indie original that spawned six sequels.

    Sequels to indie hits being taken out of the original filmmaker’s hands is not uncommon – S. Darko, the 2009 sequel to the 2001 indie cult favorite Donnie Darko, had no involvement from original writer/director Richard Kelly. Similarly, because of rights issues (it was issued without a copyright notice), George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead not only received multiple sequels made by Romero over the last forty-five years but has also had multiple remakes, a second continuity of more humorous “Living Dead” films, and many unofficial sequels, mostly of declining quality (though there are a few gems among them). Of course, this attempt to capitalize on successful independently produced original films isn’t limited to horror films – rumors persist that various studios have been trying to make official and unofficial sequels to the highest grossing independent film of all time, The Passion of the Christ!

    Other directors who started as indie filmmakers have simply remade their films once they received more financial support from studios, like Robert Rodriguez (who essentially remade his $7000 wonder El Mariachi as Desperado) and Sam Raimi (who recapped the entirety of The Evil Dead in the first few minutes of the sequel, Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn). Along the same lines, Kevin Smith made Mallrats, a bigger-budget one-day earlier prequel to his indie debut Clerks, but he went back to indie territory to make the next film in the loosely-connected sequence, Chasing Amy (he later did a sequel to Clerks and is planning another sequel). In other words, many indie directors find it difficult to move beyond their initial visions. However, even if the director is interested there are other factors can prevent an indie sequel. John Waters considered making a sequel to his controversial but financially successful Pink Flamingos but star Divine refused to participate.

    Of course, one of the wonderful things about independent film is that it is a wellspring of originality. Most who prefer indie films to Hollywood blockbusters do so in order to avoid the endless cycle of franchise movies and remakes from the big studios. So while some indie sequel gems are out there like Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke’s Before series (also Delpy’s own 2 Days in New York, which follows her 2 Days in Paris), the whole point of independent film is to discover new voices and vision in film. We should probably be thankful that we’re not seeing four or five sequels to Eraserhead or Slacker, right?

     

    Read more

  • New York Times’s Op-Docs is Looking For Documentary Filmmakers

    New York Times

    Op-Docs, the New York Times’s editorial department’s forum for short opinionated documentaries is looking for opinionated documentary shorts (running 3 to 10 minutes), Documentary filmmakers in the United States are invited to apply for a new pitch opportunity at this year’s Camden International Film Festival (CIFF): The pitch will take place as part of the Camden International Film Festival’s Points North Documentary Forum running from September 26 – 29, 2013.

    Six finalists will be selected to present their projects on stage in Camden, Maine, before a panel of judges from The New York Times (including the commissioning editor for opinion video, Jason Spingarn-Koff; Op-Docs coordinating producer Kathleen Lingo and series researcher Lindsay Crouse) and veteran Op-Docs filmmakers. This will be the first live video pitch event in North America for The New York Times. The event builds on the success of a recent Op-Docs pitch competition in England, at Sheffield Doc/Fest, which attracted more than 120 submissions.

    Op-Docs is The New York Times’s editorial department’s forum for short opinionated documentaries, produced with wide creative latitude and a range of artistic styles, covering current affairs, contemporary life and historical subjects. Contributors range from Oscar winners (Errol Morris, Alex Gibney, Roger Ross Williams, Jessica Yu) to emerging filmmakers and artists. View the films at NYTimes.com/OpDocs.

    The filmmaker with the winning pitch will have an opportunity to produce an Op-Doc video for The New York Times with a budget of $2,000 (USD). Subject to The New York Times’s approval, the documentary will premiere on NYTimes.com.

    The deadline for entries is Friday, August 9, 2013 at 11:59pm EST. For more information and a link to the online application see Camden International Film Festival’s Points North Documentary Forum.

    image via New York Times

    Read more

  • Rural Route Film Festival in Queens NYC Releases Full Line-Up for July 27 & Aug. 1-4

    TALL AS THE BAOBAB TREETALL AS THE BAOBAB TREE

    The Rural Route Film Festival is back for 2013 at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York City, and kicks off with a special July 27 environmental ‘Green’ screening of director Jared Fletcher’s  “SOURLANDS” and will close with a Sunday night shorts party on August 4. 

    The film lineup for the 2013 Rural Route Film Festival includes some of what the festival describes as ‘the best-but-least-seen’ new indie features, such as a fairytale space romance on the Kazakh Steppe, a Chilean western, a touching Senegalese drama, and a documentary about sub-Himalayan sisters caught in the crunch of modern China. 

    Highlighted films include 

    Opening Night Film | NY Premiere SOURLANDS. Dir. Jared Flesher. 78min. Documentary. 2012. Sourlands, NJ.

    “SOURLANDS” weaves a provocative tale of ecology, energy, and agriculture through a deep forest surrounded by the sprawling suburbs of New Jersey. It’s a rampaging deer herd, invasive plants, and wholesale habitat destruction threatening the local ecosystem. Farmers in the surrounding valley struggle against high land prices, high property taxes, and increasingly erratic weather patterns; a local entrepreneur struggles to find a market for his innovative clean-tech product. But pay close attention, and the challenges facing this community look a lot like the challenges facing ecosystems, farmers, and visionary entrepreneurs everywhere. The message of cautious hope presented in the film is just as universal: to start solving complicated environmental problems, we need to forgo quick fixes and start restoring the natural world – and people’s connection to it – from the forest floor up.

    Director Jared Flesher is an award-winning reporter, photojournalist, and documentary filmmaker. His articles have been published by The New York Times,The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, Grist, The Huffington Post, The Columbia Journalism Review. His first feature documentary, The Farmer and the Horse, has aired more than 40 times on PBS and is distributed nationally by Chelsea Green Publishing and Passion River Productions.

    TALL AS THE BAOBAB TREE. Dir. Jeremy Teicher. 82min. Narrative. 2012. Sinthiou Mbadane & Mbour, Thiès, Senegal.

    Coumba and her little sister Debo are the first to leave their family’s remote West African village, where meals are prepared over open fires and water is drawn from wells, to attend school in the bustling city. But when an accident suddenly threatens their family’s survival, their father decides to sell 11-year-old Debo into an arranged marriage. Torn between loyalty to her elders and her dreams for the future, Coumba hatches a secret plan to rescue her young sister from a fate she did not choose.

    “As Tall as the Baobab Tree” was shot on location by a U.S. director who did work in the same region two years earlier, receiving an Academy Award nomination for a piece in which he gave locals cameras to film their own stories. This is the first feature film in the Pulaar language, with a cast made up of local villagers playing roles that mirror their own lives: the two main characters are played by real-life sisters who actually are the first kids from their family to go to school. The actors’ improvisational approach culminates in a dramatic and uniquely authentic ensemble performance, with scenes often resulting in spontaneous truthful moments that blur the lines between fiction and reality. A highlight of this year’s Rotterdam Film Festival ‘Bright Futures’ section

    SALT Dir. Diego Rougier. 112min. Narrative. 2011. Región de Tarapacá, Chile.

    Sergio is a washed-up Spanish director, obsessed with making a western in Chile’s Atacama Desert (the driest place in the world).  Producers in Barcelona tear his screenplay to shreds, sending him on a journey to northern Chile in search of the inspiration that will salvage his story. Once Sergio arrives, however, he is mistaken for the region’s long-lost gunslinger hero, pitting him up against thugs involved with ‘shady business’ across the Bolivian border. The local crime boss suddenly has an old score to settle with him, and apparently so does his attractive wife. Sergio will have a good script…if he leaves alive.

    “SALT” is the journey of an author becoming his own character and his impossible return. This gorgeous widescreen film pays loving homage to Sergio Leone while playfully subverting the old school western genre in modern South America. Rougier’s feature film debut has been winning awards around the world, including Best Film at First Time Fest in NY earlier this year.

    For the complete lineup, visit Rural Route Film Festival

    Read more

  • János Szász’s THE NOTEBOOK Wins GRAND PRIX – CRYSTAL GLOBE at the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

    THE NOTEBOOK (LE GRAND CAHIER / A nagy füzet ) directed by János SzászTHE NOTEBOOK (LE GRAND CAHIER / A nagy füzet ) directed by János Szász

    THE NOTEBOOK (LE GRAND CAHIER / A NAGY FÜZET ) directed by János Szász won the GRAND PRIX – CRYSTAL GLOBE at the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival which took place from June 28th to July 6th in Czech Republic. THE NOTEBOOK is described as a fascinating and hard-hitting adaptation of the controversial first novel by Hungarian writer Agota Kristof about 13-year-old twins forced to spend the last years of the Second World War with their cruel grandmother somewhere near the Hungarian border. A FIELD IN ENGLAND directed by Ben Wheatley was awarded the SPECIAL JURY PRIZE. In the film, which takes place in England during the Civil War, a group of men flee from a raging battle but they are captured and forced to take part in a hunt for treasure supposedly buried somewhere in a field. But before they start digging, they gobble up some strange-looking mushrooms and then everything goes ‘crazy.’

    GRAND PRIX – CRYSTAL GLOBE (25 000 USD)
    LE GRAND CAHIER / A NAGY FÜZET
    Directed by: János Szász
    Hungary, Germany, Austria, France, 2013

    SPECIAL JURY PRIZE (15 000 USD)
    A FIELD IN ENGLAND
    Directed by: Ben Wheatley
    United Kingdom, 2013

    BEST DIRECTOR AWARD
    Jan Hřebejk
    for the film HONEYMOON / LÍBÁNKY
    Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, 2013

    BEST ACTRESS AWARD
    Amy Morton
    for her role in the film BLUEBIRD
    Directed by: Lance Edmands
    USA, Sweden, 2012

    Louisa Krause
    for her role in the film BLUEBIRD
    Directed by: Lance Edmands
    USA, Sweden, 2012

    Emily Meade
    for her role in the film BLUEBIRD
    Directed by: Lance Edmands
    USA, Sweden, 2012

    Margo Martindale
    for her role in the film BLUEBIRD
    Directed by: Lance Edmands
    USA, Sweden, 2012

    BEST ACTOR AWARD
    Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
    for his role in the film XL
    Directed by: Marteinn Þórsson
    Iceland, 2013

    SPECIAL MENTION
    PAPUSZA
    Directed by: Joanna Kos-Krauze, Krzysztof Krauze
    Poland, 2013

    EAST OF THE WEST – FILMS IN COMPETITION

    EAST OF THE WEST AWARD (20 000 USD)
    FLOATING SKYSCRAPERS / PŁYNĄCE WIEŻOWCE
    Directed by: Tomasz Wasilewski
    Poland, 2013

    SPECIAL MENTION
    MIRACLE / ZÁZRAK
    Directed by: Juraj Lehotský
    Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, 2013

    DOCUMENTARY FILMS IN COMPETITION

    BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM OVER 30 MINUTES LONG (5 000 USD)
    PIPELINE / TRUBA
    Directed by: Vitaly Manskiy
    Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, 2013

    BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM UNDER 30 MINUTES LONG (5 000 USD)
    BEACH BOY
    Directed by: Emil Langballe
    United Kingdom, 2013

    SPECIAL MENTION
    THE MANOR
    Directed by: Shawney Cohen
    Canada, 2013

    FORUM OF INDEPENDENTS

    INDEPENDENT CAMERA AWARD
    THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE / LAS COSAS COMO SON
    Directed by: Fernando Lavanderos
    Chile, 2012

    AUDIENCE AWARD
    REVIVAL
    Directed by: Alice Nellis
    Czech Republic, 2013

    CRYSTAL GLOBE FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CINEMA

    Theodor Pištěk
    Czech Republic

    Oliver Stone
    USA

    John Travolta
    USA

    FESTIVAL PRESIDENT´S AWARD

    Vojtěch Jasný
    Czech Republic

    NON-STATUTORY AWARDS

    AWARD OF INTERNATIONAL FILM CRITICS (FIPRESCI)
    SHAME / STYD
    Directed by: Yusup Razykov
    Russia, 2013

    THE ECUMENICAL JURY AWARD
    BLUEBIRD
    Directed by: Lance Edmands
    USA, Sweden, 2012

    FEDEORA AWARD
    VELVET TERRORISTS / ZAMATOVÍ TERORISTI
    Directed by: Ivan Ostrochovský, Pavol Pekarčík, Peter Kerekes
    Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Croatia, 2013

    EUROPA CINEMAS LABEL AWARD
    LE GRAND CAHIER / A NAGY FÜZET
    Directed by: János Szász
    Hungary, Germany, Austria, France, 2013

    Read more

  • WATCH Trailer for “ICEBERG SLIM: PORTRAIT OF A PIMP” in Theaters July 19th

    ICEBERG SLIM: PORTRAIT OF A PIMP

    ‘ICEBERG SLIM: PORTRAIT OF A PIMP’, the documentary film about the life of Chicago pimp Iceberg Slim (1918-1992) and how he reinvented himself from pimp to author has a new trailer and release date. The film is scheduled for release on Friday July 19, 2013.

    Produced by Ice-T and directed by Ice-T’s long time manager Jorge Hinojosa, comes a documentation based on the life and times of notorious pimp, highly regarded author of seven ground breaking novels. The pen that produced Pimp, Trick Baby, Mama Black Widow, Long White Con, Airtight Willie and Me, Doom Fox, Death Wish: A Story of the Mafia, and The Naked Soul of Ice Berg Slim among others under the urban fiction genre; as the star of Holloway House Publishing the man born Robert Lee Maupin during World War I in Chicago, Iceberg Slim’s novels seemed to always take on an autobiographical tone which was very compelling and attractive to those who could relate to his experiences in the underworld of prostitution, which during those days were a commodity. At the height of his reign he had well over 400 women, what better than a man of his caliber to become the voice for a world which before then had existed in the shadows. In his footstep, other novelists were bred, and millions of copies were sold. Critically acclaimed by the Washington Post, “Iceberg Slim may have done for the pimp what Jean Genet did for the homosexual and thief: articulate the thoughts and feelings of someone who’s been there.” With his work’s translation into languages such as German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish and Greek, Iceberg Slim had become an Urban institution. Before his death in 1992, Iceberg Slim’s catalog had established him as the #2 highest selling African American author to date, second only to the legendary Alex Haley, with even a forray into poetry with the early 70’s release of his collection, Reflections

    Including candid interviews, with well know artists, scholars, friends and family alike Iceberg Slim: Portrait of A Pimp seeks to unveil even more of the secrets and flare which made the man, the inspiration to many who have submitted to the intrigue of such a domineering individual. Slated for release Friday July 19th, the film will be available for limited viewing Nationwide, distributed by Phase 4 Films.

    http://youtu.be/bCbLhmLsw5k

    Read more

  • WATCH Trailer for “BREAKING THE GIRLS” in Theaters July 26th

    breaking-the-girls-poster

    The trailer was released for the upcoming suspense film “BREAKING THE GIRLS” from IFC Films.  Directed by Jame Babbit, and starring Amanda Crew, Adrianne Palicki, Brit Marling, and Madeline Zima, the film centers around a murder plot gone wrong.

    Two college Students, Sara and Alex have come together with the perfect plot for revenge against each other’s archenemies – MURDER. A reality to Alex, a figment of imagination and wishful thinking on the part of Sara; a truth not shared with her cohort, when Alex actualizes their thoughts, Sara finds herself framed for murder in this suspenseful drama.

    http://youtu.be/l4yEqsVTNAU

    Read more

  • “I WANT MY NAME BACK” Director Roger Paradiso Speaks on the Journey of the Sugar Hill Gang Rap Documentary

    I Want My Name Back Documentary - Sugar Hill Gang

    Starring hip hop icons and pioneers, Wonder Mike and Master Gee I WANT MY NAME BACK highlights the rise and fall, road to redemption of these former members of the legendary Sugar Hill Gang. After releasing arguably the greatest Rap single and changing the face of Hip Hop history, they were the victim of identity theft as well copyright and trademark violations as a result of what is still today the highest selling song in the genre that so many have grown to love and support today. Achieving platinum status on all of their first three albums as a collective, one would assume that their legacy would have been solidified, both in theory and in financial reward. 30 years removed from the creation of Rappers Delight the duo have fought long and hard for their intellectual property and acknowledgement. The reality of their story is disheartening, yet very necessary in the education of artists and fans alike. Their battle against former label Sugar Hill Records, as well as the background to their rise, as documented by critically acclaimed director Roger Paradiso in conjunction with One Village Entertainment, a division of Image Entertainment, and part of Robert Johnson’s RLJ Entertainment is available via Video on Demand, as well as many other leading digital outlets including iTunes, Sony, Amazon and features the likes of Grandmaster Caz (The Cold Crush Brothers), Melle Mel (Grandmaster Flash), and Vinnie and Treach (Naughty by Nature).

    Director Roger Paradiso - I Want My Name Back Director Roger Paradiso – I Want My Name Back

    I had the opportunity to sit down with the eyes behind the feature film, and get acquainted with not only the production process, as well as his resume, and what ultimately drew him to the project as a whole; well accredited for his work with many a great actor and actress on blockbuster cinematography, this project admittedly was compelling in a different manner. Challenges abound, the fortitude to bring their story to the big screen is beyond admirable. Find out more, in our exclusive interview with Director Roger Paradiso.

    VIMOOZ: What was the unique element of Wonder Mike and Master Gee’s story which in your mind made it screen-worthy?

    Roger Paradiso: The issue of Identity theft was appealing to me, as well as the authenticity of their thirty-year friendship. Those things coupled with the courage to persevere and keep the fight going for ownership of their names was compelling, and I felt that it was a screen-worthy story.

    VIMOOZ: In the production process what were some of the road blocks that you faced?

    Roger: One of the biggest challenges was that we absolutely could not get the Robinson Family to participate in any way, which ultimately we accepted. In addition, there was also a lack of photographs and video on them. The thing you have to remember is that at their peak, they were pre-MTV and I dont think Sugar HIll Records was into promoting individual artists; Not to mention, of course we had no money.

    VIMOOZ: Do you feel that any of their story was unfortunately compromised in the final cuts?

    Roger: No. I am a DGA member and had final cut. We were lucky, no one from distribution tried to interfere.They were supportive of the story and thus far I guess you can say we got some pretty good reviews on our 20 city Festival Tour so we knew the film worked with audiences.

    VIMOOZ: Were you a fan of Sugar Hill Gang?

    Roger: Personally, I was more of a classic rock fan. However, I had heard of them, but I never dreamed of making a film with them. Also I never could have imagined what their story was and how important it is for artists of all disciplinesto see this film. It is certainly imperative that all fans of music and the arts see the film. It is a story that should appeal to everyone who isconcerned about the preservation and sanctity of Identity and the continuing fight for human rights.

    VIMOOZ: Years from now when you look back on the experience as a whole, what will you relish most about working these two gentleman, who are Rap Icons?

    Roger: I feel the bond between Mike and Guy will last forever. As artists we must trust and support each other through all the obstacles and distractions that life brings. It’s quite a journey and the making of this film was full of obstacles and distractions, but we stuck together and got through it. I also know that as a result of our work great friendships will continue with Josh Green and Milton Maldonado as well as Peter Waggoner and Sean Smith. We were a Band of Brothers. The crew and cast were great.

    VIMOOZ: In the past you have worked with some tremendously talented individuals such as Robert DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Pierce Brosnan, and the late Tupac Shakur; tell us about that:

    Roger: We all got along and had a good time and were honest with each other. I think that when making a movie years ago you tried to have fun to cut back on some of the tensions. I still try to work that way, but the business has become very corporate. But they were all great guys and artists. Hey what about the women? Ive worked with some very successful actresses whom were not mentioned; the likes of Kim Bassinger, Dolly Parton, Fran McDormand, Mira Sorvino, Renee Russo, Cher, many others including the day players and the crew. We had a good time and made some very good movies.

    As for “I Want My Name Back” I want peope to know that the film is currently available on DVD at Amazon.com and Walmart.com. and all digital platforms like iTunes, Sony, Amazon plus VOD on all major systems around the country.

    VIMOOZ: What are your feelings about the feedback that the film has received thus far?

    Roger: Well Josh and I saw the evolving film business change drastically for Indies and we basically made the film festival circuit our theatrical release. The festival people are some of the nicest people in the business and we had a blast. Every stop was great, from the Toronto Film Festival to DOC NYC, on to Slamdance. Internationally, we were a big hit in Finland and Australia. Audiences really got the movie.

    VIMOOZ: When you set out on a directing a project, what is your blueprint process; furthermore, what are your expectations; ultimately what do you want the audience to get out of the final product?

    Roger: The film experience is all about an original story about people that enlightens and hopefully entertains. You do the best you can do to tell the truth about the human condition whether it is a comedy, tragedy or somewhere in between. We’ve been telling stories forever. And will continue! That’s why I’m never worried about the formats. Content over format is what I believe in. People should be empowered by technology to tell their stories and not intimidated by technology.

    VIMOOZ: Are there any projects forthcoming in calendar years ’13 and ’14 that we should be looking out for ?

    Roger: I’m doing a film based on a novel by Jack Engelhard called “Days of the Bitter End” Not sure that will be the title of the movie. But I hope it is a different journey for audiences and that they enjoy the trip. It’s about some artists and the early sixties in Greenwich Village.

    http://youtu.be/L-W1muPO8rg

    Read more

  • LISTEN to Sneak Preview of Celine Dion’s Track from “UNFINISHED SONG”

    UNFINISHED SONG

    A special sneak preview of the title track from the film, UNFINISHED SONG, performed by multi-platinum recording artist Celine Dion, with music and lyrics by iconic songwriter Diane Warren is now available for fans exclusively on CelineDion.com. The song will become available in its entirety on the site in coming weeks. UNFINISHED SONG is currently playing in theaters.

    Described as a feel-good, heartwarming story about how music can inspire you, UNFINISHED SONG stars Academy Award nominee Terence Stamp as Arthur, a grumpy pensioner who can’t understand why his wife Marion (Academy Award® winner Vanessa Redgrave) would want to embarrass herself singing silly songs with her unconventional local choir. But choir director Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton) sees something special in the reluctant Arthur and refuses to give up on him. As she coaxes him out of his shell, Arthur realizes that it is never too late to change and, aged 70, Arthur finally dares to unlock his emotions and reach out to his estranged son, James (Christopher Eccleston).

    http://youtu.be/APJrftBzSeA

    Read more

  • Melbourne International Film Festival Announces Complete 2013 Film Lineup

    ALL IS LOST - JC ChandorALL IS LOST directed by JC Chandor, starring Robert Redford

    The Melbourne International Film Festival announced the full list of films to screen at the upcoming festival scheduled to run from 25 July – 11 August, 2013. As announced earlier, the festival will open with Pedro Almodóvar’s I’M SO EXCITED!; and the festival will close with the Australian Premiere of ALL IS LOST – JC Chandor’s follow-up to the Oscar nominated Margin Call sees Robert Redford shine in his most physically demanding, powerful performance ever. This year the Festival is marking its halfway point with a special world premiere Centerpiece Gala screening of Tim Winton’s THE TURNING, a film adaptation of Tim Winton’s bestselling novel The Turning, which consists of 17 chapters – each featuring a different director and cast.

    The Australian Showcase section will feature homegrown filmmaking including the world premiere of three MIFF Premiere Fund-supported films: These Final Hours, the feature film debut of writer/director Zak Hilditch, featuring a fresh, local take on the apocalypse subgenre with a cast that includes Nathan Phillips (Wolf Creek); MIFF Accelerator Alumni Rhys Graham’s (Words from the City, MIFF 07) Galore, in which four teens navigate the flashpoint of adolescent relationships; and documentary In Bob We Trust, directed by Lynn-Maree Milburn (Autoluminescent: Rowland S Howard, MIFF 11), which goes behind the scenes with controversial Catholic provocateur Father Bob, documenting one of the most turbulent times in his career: his forced retirement and eviction from the church he called home for 38 years.

    Other Australian films include Red Obsession which charts the modern fortunes of Bordeaux’s most famous export; Mystery Road in which Ivan Sen, as scriptwriter, editor, cinematographer and director, has created a stunning film, supported by a cast that includes Hugo Weaving, Ryan Kwanten, Jack Thompson and Jack Charles;Fallout the untold story of Nevil Shute’s famed novel On the Beach and the film of the same name; Lygon St – Si Parla Italiano, the true story of Melbourne’s most iconic street, as told by the men and women who made it; one of the few films set and shot in war-ravaged Laos, The Rocket is the debut feature from Australian documentarian Kim Mordaunt; and in Persons of Interest, director Haydn Keenan explores four persons of interest – including Roger Milliss, Michael Hyde, Frank Hardy and Gary Foley – and the allegations contained in their previously secret ASIO files.

    This year the Festival presents a new spotlight on Arabic Cinema – From Palestinian Territory, director of the Golden Globe-winning Paradise Now (MIFF 05), Hany Abu-Assad returns with his Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize-winning take on the Israel–Palestine conflict, Omar; the debut fiction feature from documentary filmmaker Hala Lotfy, Coming Forth by Day is a rare example of independent Egyptian cinema; the first feature ever shot entirely inside Saudi Arabia, by the country’s first female director, Wadjda is a boundary pushing gem; and adapted from Yasmina Khadra’s much-acclaimed book of the same name, The Attack is the heart-wrenching new feature from renowned Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri.

    Returning in 2013, This Sporting Life presents films focusing on incredible athletes from the worlds of tennis, boxing, snowboarding, mountain climbing, surfing, motor sports and martial arts. While most documentaries have focused on Muhammad Ali’s sporting career, Bill Siegel looks at Ali’s toughest bout: his showdown with the American government in The Trials of Muhammad Ali; Uncharted Waters follows Australian Wayne Lynch, “the ultimate soul surfer”, throughout his career; Venus and Serena Williams are not only the most successful sisters in tennis, they’re also amongst the most successful athletes ever – in Maiken Baird and Michelle Major’s revealing documentary Venus and Serena, the siblings’ highs and lows on and off the court are captured over an eventful year. Plus see 1970s Formula One in Weekend of a Champion, a deadly descent from K2 in The Summit, follow three girls at the illustrious Shaolin Tagu Kung Fu School in Dragon Girls plus see firsthand the dangers of snowboarding with Festival guest Kevin Pearce in Lucy Walker’s film The Crash Reel.

    From the front lines of Occupy to the Russki rebellions of Pussy Riot, Defying the Times: Activism on Film takes a close eye to the art of resistance and a raised fist in the air to the powers that be. 99% – The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film is an expansive, unprecedented documentary that illustrates the motives and consequences of the movement through the collected footage of more than 100 contributors; focusing on the pivotal post-WWII era in British history, The Spirit of ’45, Ken Loach’s first feature length documentary since 1998’s The Flickering Flame, is a timely, unapologetically polemical call to arms for the Labour spirit that engendered an unprecedented period of progressive politics in the UK, which endured until the rise of Margaret Thatcher; and in Powerless, Kanpur, an industrial town of three million-plus in India, is the image of a modern dystopia: crumbling infrastructure, poverty, pollution and rolling power blackouts. This aptly named film documents, in often hair-raising detail, the common Robin Hood practice of power stealing for redistribution, and the futile attempts of the authorities to stop it.

    The Documentaries program includes from Karachi, Pakistan, where 10-year-old runaway Omar grapples with the question of home in These Birds Walk and Brazil where we look at their most important artist of the 20th century in the Berlinale Forum FIPRESCI Prize winning Hélio Oiticica, to New York underground filmmaker Beth B’s giddily trashy and confronting look alternative burlesque scene in Exposed and the aid effort following the 2010 Haiti earthquake in Fatal Assistance, documentaries really can take you anywhere.

    Now in its third year TeleScope: Visions from the EU, run in conjunction with Festival Scope, offers an outstanding program of celebrated European filmmaking. From a startling and timely film by writer/director Thanos Anastopoulos’ The Daughter, which showcases his fascination with the human cost of Greece’s fiscal catastrophe, to the sophomore feature from Dutch phenom Jaap van Heusden, The New World, a powerful, quietly told vignette of cautious romance and improbable redemption, TeleScope gives an insight into all facets of EU filmmaking.

    This year music fanatics of all tastes can feast on our biggest Backbeat ever. Take a glimpse behind the scenes of The National on tour as they are joined by front-man Matt Berninger’s younger brother Tom, a general layabout, as a roadie in Mistaken for Strangers, a mystifying, hilarious and very much improvised investigation of the relationship between these two extremely different brothers. The backup singers who made great songs greater and enhanced the voices of music icons from Mick Jagger to Stevie Wonder step into the limelight in Morgan Neville’s (Troubadours, MIFF 11)Twenty Feet From Stardom. In Artifact, despite being platinum-sellers, Jared Leto’s Thirty Seconds To Mars hadn’t seen a cent of royalties, so they tried to exit their contract. Their label sued them for $30 million. What began as an object lesson from EMI resulted in a David-and-Goliath struggle between a floundering industry and its indentured servants. And from Australia, charting the colourful three-decade history of the Cosmic Psychos and their enigmatic, entertaining front man, Cosmic Psychos: Blokes You Can Trust features interviews with band members and grunge icons, as well as raucous archival footage that captures the unadulterated larrikinism of three beer-swilling Aussies taking on the world.

    A perennial favourite, Night Shift offers hardy cinema lovers with a taste for the extreme all the blood-soaked brutality, zombies, reanimated corpses, psychedelic madness and Japanese weirdness they can handle. Sitting at the heart of this ten-film-strong program is MIFF Premiere Fund supported feature Patrick, which will have its world premiere at the Festival. Mark Hartley’s re-imagining of the 1978 Ozploitation classic he celebrated in Not Quite Hollywood (MIFF 08), stars Rachel Griffiths, Sharni Vinson (You’re Next, MIFF 13), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) and Damon Gameau (Balibo, Save Your Legs!). Also see director Ben Wheatley’s psychedelic trip into magic and madness in A Field in England and Takashi Miike’s Lesson of the Evil – which sees him make a triumphant return to the blood-strewn savagery that made his name.

    Accent on Asia showcases the always unique and remarkable films from our region. MIFF regulars bring new wares – legendary actor/filmmaker Takeshi Kitano returns to the crime genre with a film that depicts the yakuza as a dysfunctional business, only with more blood in Outrage Beyond; Jia Zhang-ke (I Wish I Knew, MIFF 11) has built an angry, gritty, beautifully shot drama in A Touch of Sin; Hirokazu Kore-eda’s (I Wish, MIFF 12) Like Father, Like Son delivers a gentle and moving story of personal redemption that playfully navigates its way through the drama; and South Korean Hong Sang-soo (In Another Country, MIFF 12, The Day He Arrives, MIFF 11), gives us his most stripped back yet with Nobody’s Daughter Haewon. MIFF is also pleased to present the Australian Premiere of Accelerator alumnus Anthony Chen Ilo Ilo. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival 2013 Caméra d’Or, this beautifully observed, autobiographical slice of life looks at the conflicts that can emerge between cultures while revealing that some relationship troubles are universal.

    Also sitting alongside the Accent on Asia program is a special spotlight on North Korea – Juche Days: North Korea on Film, presented in two different ways; Inside the DPRK take us inside one of the world’s most unfamiliar countries, to present tales from within the DPRK facilitated by Western filmmakers: an extremely rare Western–North Korean co-production, Comrade Kim Goes Flying is a screwball comedy about a young woman pursuing her individual dream in the face of community disapproval; and a revolutionary comedy about the cinematic genius of North Korea’s late Dear Leader Kim Jong-il, the MIFF Premiere Fund supported Aim High in Creation! sees Australian director Anna Broinowski (Forbidden Lie$, MIFF 07) setting out to make a film-within-a-film, based on the rules of his manifesto The Cinema and Directing. Meanwhile, in Juche Showtime: Films of the DPRK, take the opportunity to sample some films from the world’s least seen cinema culture, including Hong Kil Dong, Kim Kil-in’s wire-fighting kung fu epic (which has been told on both sides of the North and South), as well as the high melodrama of Jo-kyong-sun’s A Broad Bellflower.

    Taking the art of storytelling where live action can never go, our Animation Showcaseoffers mind-bending, captivating and spooky animated films for adults. Bleakly beautiful and told in silvery animation, Padak is a bittersweet allegory of nihilism and resistance from South Korea; The Apostle, Spain’s first stop-motion feature, is a haunting journey into Gothic folklore; and The Congress Ari Folman’s follow-up to Waltz With Bashir(MIFF 08) is an audacious metaphysical sci-fi satire: part live action, part loony animation overflowing with ideas.

    International Panorama features a swathe of titles from Cannes including the feature-length debut from MIFF Accelerator alumnus Kazik Radwanski, Tower; in Mood Indigo, the ever-whimsical Michel Gondry reunites Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris (The Spanish Apartment, MIFF 03) for this adaptation of Boris Vian’s uniquely wondrous cult novel Froth on the Daydream; with bountiful betrayal and abundant bitchiness, Passion is a classic Brian de Palma (Redacted, MIFF 08) psychological thriller; and from award-winning director Reha Erdem (Kosmos, MIFF 10;Times and Winds, MIFF 07) comes Jîn, the story of a young Kurdish rebel who breaks away to find life and solace in the wilderness.

    Melbourne International Film Festival runs July 25 – August 11, 2013.

    Read more