Posted by editor@vimooz.com on March 31, 2009 under New York Surf Film Festival | 
The New York Surf Film Festival announced the official 2009 Screening Panel. Comprised of international and local surfers with a wide range of credentials, the panel of editors, filmmakers, artists, shapers and shop owners will judge the NYSFF 2009 Official Selections in the categories of Best Feature Length Film and Best Short Length Film. The “Viewer’s Choice Award” will be voted by the audience during the weekend of the festival.
Alex Karinsky is the creator of “NYC Wipeout” - the first NY surfing TV show, and founder of Gotham Surf Club.
Mike Becker is the founder of Nature Shapes Surfboards, the second largest surfboard company in NY.
Todd DiCiurcio is an artist and surfer living in Brooklyn, NY. Acclaimed for his portrait work, he has created a dialogue between art and music with his live drawings.
Alex Dick-Read is the Founding Editor of “The Surfer’s Path” magazine, which he started 12 years ago in the UK.
Lewis Samuels is the author of “Power Rankings” and has recently gone rogue with PostSurf.com. In the course of analyzing the greatest surfers on earth, Lewis has become perhaps the most hated man in surfing.
Thad Ziolkowski is the author of “On a Wave” (Grove/Atlantic 2002), a memoir about growing up surfing in Melbourne Beach, Florida during the 1970’s.
Jeremy Dean is a FL/NY Surfer who spent six years making the independent feature length documentary “Dare Not Walk Alone” about civil rights and social justice, appearing in theaters across the country in 2008.
Richard Phillips is an artist living and working in New York City. His paintings have been the subject of recent solo exhibitions at the Gagosian Gallery in Los Angeles and White Cube Gallery in London.
John M. Schultz was born and raised in New York. He is an archivist who maintains a sizable quiver of vintage and contemporary surfboards and is the recipient of two Emmy Awards for his documentary work.
Charlie Bunger, Jr. manages Bunger Surf Shop in Babylon, NY. Bunger Surf Shop is one of the oldest family-owned and operated surf shops in the USA. Charlie lives and surfs on Long Island.
Andrew Kessler has been living and skateboarding in New York City longer than you.
Dave Denis is the main man/stuff maker; a product of the Long Beach, New York surf scene circa 1986.
Tom Parrish is a 70’s North Shore shaping God who continues to make magic boards on Maui, where he also practices law when not surfing.
The New York Surf Film Competition is open to independently produced feature-length and short films in the surf genre. In order to be considered for the Festival’s Film Competition for U.S and International films, submitted films must have been completed after January 1, 2004. The running time for features must be greater than 30 minutes. Films under 30 minutes in length are eligible for participation in the Short Film Program. Submissions are open from January 5 to May 31st, 2009.
The submission form and complete information regarding eligibility and entry rules for the 2009 New York Surf Film Festival are available on the New York Surf Film Festival website at www.NYSurfFilm.com.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Langston Hughes African American Film Festival, Monaco Charity Film Festival |
4th Annual Monaco Charity Film Festival May 11-16, Fairmont Hotel, Monaco
- “The Steam Experiment”
The Monaco Charity Film Festival celebrates its 4th Annual Season of Film Screenings and Charity Galas, May 11-16 2009, at the Fairmont Hotel in Monte Carlo, with the World Premiere of Val Kilmer and Eric Roberts’ film “The Steam Experiment.” This years’ Festival is most excited to host this World Premier movie among many others, the screenings of which are free to the public. [via: press release]
Langston Hughes African American Film Festival at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (LHPAC) in Seattle, Washington, April 18th - 26th
- Alfre Woodard in “American Violet”
American Violet , a true story about race, poverty and the criminal justice system starring Nicole Beharie and Alfre Woodard will open the Sixth Annual Langston Hughes African American Film Festival at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (LHPAC) in Seattle, Washington, on April 18th. On April 26th the festival will wrap with the special partnership with the Seattle Latino International Film Festival and the West Coast Premiere of Celia The Queen, a documentary about the legendary Afro Cuban diva queen of salsa, Celia Cruz. The film’s director, Joe Cardona will be on hand to discuss his work.
The African American Film Festival runs nine consecutive nights from April 18th - 26th and all screenings will take place at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.
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Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under NewFilmmakers |
- Anthology Film Archives at 32 Second Avenue @ 2nd Street in New York City
On Wednesday, April 1st, NewFilmmakers Spring Festival begins its five-day screening series at Anthology Film Archives in New York City and will give audiences the chance to see real independent film. Tickets are only $6 and are good for all the films screening that evening.
Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Avenue @ 2nd Street
Wednesday, April 1
Deren Theater @ Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Rima Yamazaki MAYA ONODA: NOMADIC HOME
Thomas Campbell BIRTH OF THE SUN
R. Chett Hoffman & Bridget Matthews LIVE FROM NEW YORK …
7:15PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Jeremy Schaulin-Rious ONE THOUSAND STORIES
Mehmet Oztekin ULUMA
Renee Busse ROBERT OTIS
8:30PM NEWFILMMAKERS FEATURE PRESENTATION
John Kinsella THE AWKWARD STAGE
L. Brandon Krall AN EVENING WITH QUENTIN CRISP
Wednesday, April 1
Courthouse @ Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS EARLY SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Swati Kapila SWEET JESUS
Evan Waitt CHECKMATE
David Fiqueroa Garcia THE DETERMINIST
Carolyn M Bevacqua NINE FOURTEEN
7:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILM PROGRAM
George Fearns UH OH
Lindsay MacKay LACES
Morgan Carrier SON OF MINE
Jason Cross YOU CAN RUN …
Michael Vincent LIGHTHOUSE
8:30PM NEWFILMMAKERS FEATURE PRESENTATION
Ben Rodkin BIG HEART CITY
Thursday, April 2
Deren Theater @ Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Alison MacLean THE POWER AND THE GRACE: WW2 WOMEN
Megan Thompson LADIES OF THE LAND
7:15PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILMS
Jenna Feldman HOLOCAUST GIRLS
Yitz Brillant THE KIDDUSH MAN
Alexandra Rahmilevich POST SCRIPTUM
Tamara Erde ROBER
8:45PM NEWFILMMAKERS FEATURE FILM
Fred Baker ASSATA AKA JOANNE CHESIMARD
Thursday, April 2
Courthouse Theater @ Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS EARLY SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Jackson Waite A MOTOR LODGE RUB
Spencer Ockwell THE PEARL NECKLACE
Max Weissberg TAKE IT
Ryan Neil Postas SEVENTH AND HILL
7:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Nate Chapman GUNS & BUTTER
Matthew Petock JACKSON WARD
Nikolas Smith THE SMALL SOMEWHERE
Davy Sihali CAM2CAM
8:45PM NEWFILMMAKERS FEATURE PRESENTATION
David Rakowiecki SPOILER ALERT
Friday, April 3
Deren Theater at Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS DOCUMENTARY SERIES
David Gargani MONSTERS FROM THE ID
7:30PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Heidi Wicks THE AUDITION
Marc Kess MILDRED RICHARDS
Tanya Meronk AGNES MOORHEAD IS GOD!
Greg Townsend ALTERNATE ENDINGS
9:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS FEATURE PRESENTATION
Clive Young HOMEMADE HOLLYWOOD: FANS BEHIND THE CAMERA
Friday, April 3
Courthouse Theater @ Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Adam Bertocci BROOKLYN FORCE
Chloé Zhao THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS
Tal Shamir NEW YORK TRILOGY
Jonathan Sanden EXTROPY
Marc Grey EAST RIVER
7:45PM NEWFILMMAKERS FIRST FEATURE PRESENTATION
Wayne Gurman BRONX PARADISE
10:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS SECOND FEATURE PRESENTATION
Jay Buim TODD P GOES TO AUSTIN
Saturday, April 4
Deren Theater @ Anthology
7:00PM NewLatino Filmmakers Short Film
Shawna Baca 3:52
Leonard Zelig 434
Monica Winter Vigil MY WIFE IS A ZOMBIE
8:00PM NewLatino Filmmakers Feature Presentation
Jorge Algora THE MUD BOY
Saturday, April 4
Courthouse Theater @ Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS DOCUMENTARY & MORE SERIES
Leah Meyerhoff TEAM QUEEN
Alex Walker WE DREAMED AMERICA
7:15PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILM PROGRAM
John Bucher SHUT AND DIE LIKE AN AVIATOR
Benoit Ameil LA DINDE MARINEE
John Nijhawan DAN AND A VAN
Brian DeCroce COMMUNITY SERVICE
8:45PM NEWFILMMAKERS FIRST FEATURE PRESENTATION
Dana Gedrick WITNESSING HEADLINES
10:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS SECOND FEATURE PRESENTATION
Michael Nova X:THE HUMAN CONDITION
Sunday, April 5
Deren Theater @ Anthology
New York Filmmakers
Sunday, April 5
Courthouse Theater @ Anthology
6:00PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT SHORTS SERIES
Matt Schuman THE ONLY ONE LONELY
Sally O’Grady USER
Mary Adams TRAPPED
Seth Camillo CORN CRIB
DW Paone CONTINUITY MALFUNCTION
Adrienne Ho COMING BACK
Jo Meuris PK-GRANNY
Chris Flach SCELERA
Jed Mowshowitz PURE GOLD - 2CU2
Melissa Polin RESTLESS
Kantarama Gahigiri CHECK
Ian Strang PIVOT
Kevin Gannon MIDPOINT
Sara Pomerance RELAX AT HOME George Gross DUELLESS MORNING
Irin Evers SWEET DREAMS
Elmer Lang LUNKY BUSINESS
7:15PM NEWFILMMAKERS SHORT FILM PROGRAM
Aron Epstein & Daniel Stedman THE MOTH AND THE FIREFLY
Joselito Seldera HANDS OFF
Frederick Trevino THE NEW POSITION
Alex Stockman EVA RESTA AU PLACARD
8:30PM FIRST NEWFILMMAKERS FEATURE PRESENTATION
Alexander Berenbeim AN ENDGAME
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Tribeca Film Festival |
The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival announced today the return of its signature free community events - the Tribeca Drive-In, Family Festival Street Fair and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day. These free events draw thousands of people downtown to enjoy top-notch talent and entertainment, and also serve to highlight the restaurants, merchants, schools and community organizations of Tribeca. During these tough economic times, the Tribeca Film Festival has increased its free offerings so that more people can partake in the Festival. As previously announced, this year’s panel series will feature two free discussion programs to provide audiences with a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs of movie-making: the newly created “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper,” hosted by Barnes & Noble, will feature conversations about the art of screenwriting, and “Tribeca Talks: Industry” will focus on the business of film. For the first time, all New Yorkers and visitors will have the chance to purchase discount Festival tickets at the free Tribeca Community Kick-off Party on Monday, April 20, at Barnes & Noble on Warren Street. Also new this year, Onsite Energy will provide bio-diesel “green power” to power all of the free outdoor events. This year’s Tribeca Film Festival, presented by American Express, the founding sponsor of the Festival, will take place from April 22 - May 3, 2009.
“Our free community events are a hallmark of the Tribeca Film Festival,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. “We were conceived to bring people and business back downtown and we did that through film and community events. We are proud to continue to be the heartbeat of our community and we look forward to once again highlighting all that Tribeca has to offer.”
The free events are as follows:
2009 TRIBECA COMMUNITY KICK-OFF PARTY
Monday, April 20, 2009 Barnes & Noble (97 Warren Street at Greenwich Street)
Join us to celebrate the kick-off of this year’s Festival. The free party will run from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., and will offer children’s entertainment, a book signing and a special program presented by the Tribeca Film Festival. New Yorkers and visitors will have the opportunity to purchase discount tickets onsite to Festival screenings.
TRIBECA DRIVE-IN OUTDOOR SCREENINGS
Thursday - Saturday, April 23 - April 25, 2009 World Financial Center Plaza
The following films will be featured at the Tribeca Drive-In, co-sponsored by Snapple, the Festival’s eagerly-anticipated outdoor screening series that entertains families and movie lovers of all ages. This free event is open to the public and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. The programs will begin at 6:30 p.m., with screenings starting at dusk, approximately 8:15 p.m. The Tribeca Drive-In is also proudly hosted by Brookfield Properties, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Thursday, April 23
Tribeca will screen the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film in Shell-ebration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 25th Anniversary.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will make a special guest appearance along with reporter April O’Neil to show off their crime-fighting skills and take part in the Drive-In’s giant Pizza Party. New Yorkers will unite to attempt to smash the Guinness World Record of the largest gathering of people dressed as ninja turtles. To welcome the turtles, the plaza will be decorated with TMNT branded manhole covers and a new “lawn” will be installed in front of the screen. Families can climb inside the all-new Party Bus, a mobile TMNT treasure trove based on the original Party Wagon. Fans can get their face painted Turtle-style, take pictures at the photo-booth and pick-up new moves at the martial arts demos.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, directed by Steve Barron - After coming into contact with radioactive Ooze, four normal aquarium pets transform into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The turtles use the secret techniques of their mentor Splinter (a mutated rat) to protect New York City from crime. When Splinter is captured by his longtime enemy, Shredder, the turtles must work together to save their teacher and the day. (1990) Rated PG. For ages 6 & up.
This screening is part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 2009 tribute to 25 years of Turtle Power, providing new and old fans alike with bodacious, multi-experiential opportunities to interact with this iconic brand.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - Friday, April 24
Tribeca is proud to honor the work of legendary screenwriter William Goldman at this 40th anniversary screening of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Fellow film luminaries Scott Frank, Tony Gilroy, David Koepp and Aaron Sorkin will be on hand to help honor William Goldman at this special event.
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, directed by George Roy Hill - Legendary outlaws Butch (Paul Newman) and Sundance (Robert Redford) live a daring life as successful train robbers until they rob the same train twice. They are forced to run when a relentless posse begins to trail them. Tracked through mountains, rivers, and towns, the two outlaws end up in a barn in Bolivia, where they prepare for one final showdown. Rated PG.
This renowned film won four Academy Awards®, including Goldman’s first for best screenplay. One of the most respected screenwriters in history, Gold¬man is also responsible for classics such as All the President’s Men (which brought him his second Oscar®), The Princess Bride, Misery, and Marathon Man, among others.
P-Star Rising (with a performance by The Electric Company) - Saturday, April 25
The third and final night of the Drive-In will feature a new documentary film by a local New York filmmaker making its World Premiere at the Festival, P-Star Rising, which chronicles the inspirational climb to fame of talented young rapper P-Star. P-Star will join fellow cast members from the hip-hop-infused PBS series The Electric Company to showcase their skills.
P-Star Rising, directed by Gabriel Noble. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. In the early ’80s, Jesse Diaz was a rising star in the hip-hop world. Now a broke single father in Harlem with two children to support, Jesse finds a shot at redemption in his nine-year-old daughter Priscilla Star, a precocious and immensely talented rapper. Director Gabriel Noble follows four years of father-daughter ups and downs as they navigate the grit and the glamour of the music biz. For ages 12 and up.
The Electric Company, produced by Sesame Workshop, uses a hip urban format to teach kids to love reading. It airs on Fridays on PBS KIDS GO!
TRIBECA FAMILY FESTIVAL STREET FAIR
Saturday, May 2
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Greenwich Street between Hubert and Chambers Streets
The Tribeca Family Festival, presented by founding sponsor American Express, will feature the annual Street Fair on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. along Greenwich Street (between Hubert and Chambers Streets). The fair, a Festival favorite that drew crowds of more than 225,000 people last year, is free and open to the public and promises to be a day of family fun and lively entertainment. Throughout the Street Fair will be talented performers, dancers, stilt walkers, Broadway performances, clowns, jugglers, arts and crafts, face painters, sand sculptors and more. Families can even find a quiet corner to listen to a master storyteller. Students from local schools will also be at the fair with creative fundraising activities and vibrant student artwork. The Street Fair will host restaurants, merchants and organizations from the Tribeca neighborhood.
American Express will set up guest information centers on Greenwich Street during the Family Festival to provide festival attendees with event and screening details, neighborhood information and guides to make the most of the festival going experience. American Express will also be on hand to provide information for Cardmember-only benefits at area shops and restaurants that the entire family can enjoy.
Broadway shows SHREK THE MUSICAL and In the Heights, Broadway Kids Care and American Ballet Theatre’s ABT II featuring Irlan Silva will perform on the main stage. Special concerts include The Dirty Sock Funtime Band and Hot Peas ‘N Butter. Also performing along Greenwich Street will be The Next Big Broadway Musical and Chicago City Limits, along with local youth ballet schools and dance troupes, singers, storytellers, puppeteers and performance groups from downtown schools. Newcomers this year include the theater group Making Books Sing and Poets House, whose wordplay will inspire the budding poet.
The Street Fair offers a variety of activities for children of all ages, including the popular Kite Garden, where kids can make their own kites, and the Bubble Garden, courtesy of the off-Broadway hit Gazillion Bubble Show, where youngsters can create gigantic bubbles. Madame Tussauds will return with wax figures of everyone’s favorite stars while Kidville and the Playgarden will provide hours of active fun.
Kids can get their hands dirty and explore their creative side in the Arts and Crafts Tent with hands-on artistic activities such as creating an imaginative jungle mural with Alex Beard of the Alex Beard Studio. They can also sculpt clay, make crafts, and learn the secrets of pixilation from popular neighborhood art institutions including Children’s Museum of the Arts and Church Street School for Music and Art. Young hip-hop artists can make their own beats with the pros from Scratch DJ Academy.
Victorian Gardens Amusement Park at Wollman Rink in Central Park brings the magic downtown with performances of The Sammie and Tudie Show, Jenny’s Big Hula Hoop Show, King Henry’s Magic Show, and Johnny Lightning and Magic Pete. Shows encourage audience participation and will bring smiles and giggles to all faces.
In addition, the Tribeca Fun Squad will lead Hula Hoop Contests, Dance-Offs and other Wacky Street Games.
The Radio Disney AM 1560 ROAD CREW will host interactive games and activities, giveaways and fun for the entire family.
Fandango will offer the chance to create paper bag puppets and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day will provide the ingredients for everyone to make their own soap.
Other sponsors bringing great activities to the Street Fair include Bloomberg, 101.9 RXP, The New York Times, Onsite Energy, Snapple, and Maclaren.
The Tribeca Film Center’s screening room at 375 Greenwich Street will offer a sneak peek of Scholastic’s Fall 2009 release of the non-fiction picture book Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again, about a remarkable dolphin with a prosthetic tail. This book is the fifth installment in the Turtle Pond Collection from Craig, Juliana and Isabella Hatkoff, the authors of Owen & Mzee. The event will include a Q & A with David Yates from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where Winter lives and an abbreviated screening of Winter’s documentary film. An encore of Downtown Youth Behind the Camera, a series of short films, will also be shown. These emerging filmmakers are elementary and middle school students from downtown New York City. All screenings are non-ticketed and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Posted by editor@vimooz.com on March 30, 2009 under Uncategorized |
- 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival American Independent Audience Award winning film “Prince of Broadway”
The 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival wrapped up Sunday night by posting its best attendance ever: more than 66,500 fans. It beat the record set in 2007 by nearly 14,000.
“Cherry Blossoms-Hanami,” Doris Dorrie’s moving drama about a man’s unlikely trip to Japan, won the 22nd Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film.
The Central and Eastern European Film Competition was won by “The Investigator,” the killer-turned-detective saga from Hungary by director Attila Gigor.
The $5,000 Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition award went to Aron Gaudet for his documentary “The Way We Get By,” about senior troop-greeters in Maine.
“Hungu” took the best animated short award, while “Gilles” won for best live-action short. This year’s winners are eligible for Oscar nominations because the Cleveland festival is an official qualifying event for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
American Independent Audience Award: “Prince of Broadway.”
Nesnadny and Schwartz Documentary Film Competition: “Trinidad.” [via]
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on March 27, 2009 under Full Frame Documentary Film Festival |
- “The September Issue”
The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, April 2 - 5, announces Center Frame program special guests, four panel conversations, the Garrett Scott Documentary Development Recipients and the Southern Documentary Fund (SDF) In-the-Works program for the 2009 Festival.
Along with filmmaker R.J. Cutler, Vogue Editor-at-Large André Leon Talley and Creative Director, Grace Coddington will participate in a moderated conversation following the screening of “The September Issue.” Joel Salatin will join director Robert Kenner for a discussion following “Food, Inc.” Director and subject of “The Yes Men Fix the World” Mike Bonanno will attend the festival to take part in a Q&A following the Center Frame program on Friday afternoon.
Other special guests include Executive Producer DA Pennebaker and subject Wavy Gravy of “Saint Misbehavin’: The Wavy Gravy Movie,” Louis Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens of “The Cove,” Courtney Bent and Tony Knight from “Shooting Beauty,” and William Gates, Steve James and Peter Gilbert with “Hoop Dreams.” Sam Pollard, Judy Bourne, Kathe Sandler and Bill Jersey will also participate in the Career Award to St. Clair Bourne.
Filmmaker Laura Poitras (”My Country, My Country,” “Flag Wars”) will lead “Working In Conflict,” a practical guide to working in conflict zones and with repressive governments, including the U.S., that will focus on the steps documentary filmmakers take to protect themselves, their subjects, and the translators, guides, and other people they work with. Filmmakers Andrew Berends, James Longley, and Ian Olds, U.S. filmmakers who have made films in Iraq and are now working in other difficult environments, will share the strategies that they have developed through on-the-ground experience.
As an extension of his essay “Wanted: Documentary Critics,” Programmer Thom Powers, of the Toronto International Film Festival and the Stranger Than Fiction series in New York, will moderate a discussion with reviewers and filmmakers about the need for trenchant documentary film criticism.
The festival will also present a conversation around the current state of the documentary industry “State of the Doc”, moderated by Nancy Buirski, Full Frame Founder and Independent Producer, and a discussion around this year’s thematic program “This Sporting Life,” moderated by Jason Stallman, Assistant to the Sports Editor, The New York Times. Filmmakers from the series, George Butler “The Good Fight,” Barbara Kopple “Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson,” and Arturo Cabanas “Man Up,” along with “Hoop Dreams” subject William Gates, will join curator Steve James for this conversation.
For the third year, Full Frame will join Ian Olds, Rachael Rakes and Thom Powers in honoring two first time filmmakers with the Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant. Only thirty-seven at the time of his death, filmmaker Garrett Scott made a distinctive mark in the documentary genre during his brief career. In his honor, the 2009 Garrett Scott Development Grant was awarded to Elinyisia Mosha for her untitled Tanzania documentary and Cameron Yates for “The Canal Street Madam”. Grant recipients will present ten-minute excerpts from their works-in-progress at the festival.
The Southern Documentary Fund (SDF) will present three works-in-progress by North Carolina filmmakers: “The Appropriate Genius,” directed by Rob Hill, “Bunny Estelle Sanders: The Mayor Who Stood Up,” directed by Erick Yates Green, and “Passing It On,” directed by Wil Weldon.
Panel conversations and work-in-progress programs are listed below, along with a list of special guests by program category.
Special Guests:
Center Frame
Robert Kenner, FOOD, INC.
Joel Salatin, FOOD, INC.
R.J. Cutler, THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE
Grace Coddington, THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE
André Leon Talley, THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE
Mike Bonanno, THE YES MEN
Special Programming
Louis Psihoyos, THE COVE
Fisher Stevens, THE COVE
William Gates, HOOP DREAMS
Peter Gilbert, HOOP DREAMS
Steve James, HOOP DREAMS
Courtney Bent, SHOOTING BEAUTY
Tony Knight, SHOOTING BEAUTY
Career Award
Judy Bourne
Sam Pollard
Bill Jersey, A TIME FOR BURNING
Kathe Sandler
This Sporting Life
Barbara Kopple, FALLEN CHAMP
George Butler, THE GOOD FIGHT
Arturo Cabanas, MAN UP
William Gates, HOOP DREAMS
Peter Gilbert, HOOP DREAMS
Steve James, THIS SPORTING LIFE / HOOP DREAMS
NEW DOCS
Wavy Gravy, SAINT MISBEHAVIN’: THE WAVY GRAVY MOVIE
Jahanara Romney, SAINT MISBEHAVIN’: THE WAVY GRAVY MOVIE
DA Pennebaker, SAINT MISBEHAVIN’: THE WAVY GRAVY MOVIE
Chris Hegedus, SAINT MISBEHAVIN’: THE WAVY GRAVY MOVIE
Denise Robinson, THE VISITORS
Panel Conversations:
State of the Doc
Documentaries have had a fragile hold on mass audiences and profits in the best of times. What now that the economy is imploding? Is the closing of specialty production and distribution houses truly a bellwether, or are doc filmmakers, ever resilient and relentless, finding new ways to make and market their films? This conversation will focus on the diverse distribution options available to documentary filmmakers, a realistic projection of their revenue, and what it takes to bring their films to various audiences. Moderated by Nancy Buirski (Full Frame Founder, Independent Producer).
This Sporting Life
Sports films have always been a thriving attraction for filmgoers. The natural dramatic arc of a season or a game has provided the structure for a wide body of entertaining and engaging films, both documentary and fiction. Why have the stories become so captivating? How much of their enduring allure depends on the characters or subjects as opposed to the overall game? In an extension of this year’s curated program, filmmakers and subjects from the series come together to discuss the ways in which documentary film continues to push the sports genre in new directions. Moderated by Jason Stallman (Assistant to the Sports Editor, The New York Times).
Wanted for Review
In November, programmer Thom Powers wrote “Wanted: Documentary Critics,” a critique of the current state of documentary criticism. It began, “Auteurism had Andrew Sarris. Abstract expressionism had Clement Greenberg. Punk rock had Lester Bangs. Where is the equivalent voice for today’s documentary scene?” Powers will address the ever-increasing discrepancy between the number of documentary films and the number of documentary critics in a discussion with reviewers and filmmakers about the need for trenchant documentary film criticism. Moderated by Thom Powers (Documentary Programmer, Toronto International Film Festival, Stranger Than Fiction).
Working in Conflict
A practical guide to working in conflict zones and with repressive governments, including the U.S., this panel will focus on the steps documentary filmmakers take to protect themselves, their subjects, and the translators, guides, and other people they work with. Unlike print or broadcast journalists, who often work for organizations that provide support, independent filmmakers often venture into dangerous places with no institutional backup. Andrew Berends, James Longley, and Ian Olds, U.S. filmmakers who have made films in Iraq and are now working in other difficult environments, will share the strategies that they have developed through on-the-ground experience. Moderated by Laura Poitras (”My Country, My Country”; “Flag Wars”).
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Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Palm Beach International Film Festival |
- Image from Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) Opening Film “Stone of Destiny”
The Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) announced its highly anticipated film line-up for the 14th edition, April 23-27, 2009. Executive Director Randi Emerman announced that more than 110 films will screen at this year’s event, which now spans five days. ”We’re a little shorter this year, yet we have added more venues, as well as a second weekend featuring the ‘Best of the Fest,” said Emerman. “The festival takes pride in our determination to bring Palm Beach County only the highest of quality in today’s independent film world!”
The 2009 Festival will present features, documentaries, shorts and student shorts from the U.S. and around the world, including Canada, Italy, England, Germany, Israel, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and India, and will play host to filmmakers, producers, and actors to represent and discuss their films. The festival also features a special Italian Cinema sidebar, curated by Veronica De Laurentiis.
Opening night kicks off with the charming comedy adventure “Stone of Destiny.” Charles Martin Smith (American Graffiti, The Untouchables) brings a fine wit and charm to this tale. The film stars Charlie Cox, Kate Mara, Robert Carlyle (Full Monty), Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings) and Ciaron Kelly and retells the true story of four young Glaswegian students who, in 1951, outwitted the British authorities in their successful attempt to take back the Coronation Stone -Stone of Scone, a beloved symbol of Scottish pride - from Westminster Abbey back to its country of origin. Writer/Director Charles Martin Smith will be in attendance.
Closing Night will feature the romantic comedy “500 Days of Summer.” Directed by Marc WebbZooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this is a story of boy meets girl, and a true-to-life and unique dissection of the unruly and unpredictable year-and-a-half of one young man’s no-holds-barred love affair. and starring
This year PBIFF is proud to honor some of the great talents in the industry. The first honorees to be recognized for their excellence in film are Academy Award-nominated actor James Cromwell, who will receive the Career Achievement Award. Cromwell’s expansive career includes such memorable films as Babe, The Green Mile, The Longest Yard, The Queen and most recently portrayed George H. W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s W. Director Joel Zwick will receive the Visionary Award. Zwick directed My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time - which also had an early debut at PBIFF! Zwick has success in every genre, from film to theater to television, having the direction of well over 500 episodes to his credit.
Additional honorees will soon be announced. The annual PBIFF black-tie Awards Gala celebration takes place on Friday, April 24 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club and ori will once again be hosted by the ever-popular and charming Tristan Rogers.
Other special events and features include:
- Enjoy a Conversation with Director Joel Zwick on Saturday, April 25, at 10 am at the Seagate Beach Club, Delray Beach. Meet the legendary director and enjoy a continental breakfast overlooking the sparkling Atlantic Ocean while partaking in an informal Q&A. The director will discuss how he launched his career in both television and film and offer insight into the industry. Joel Zwick directed My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time, produced by Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Gary Goetzman. Mr. Zwick is recognized as Hollywood’s most prolific director of episodic television, having the direction of five hundred and twenty-five episodes to his credit
- With continuous diligent support to the future of film, the PBIFF will be holding seminars throughout the festival. They will touch on topics such as Finding an Agent, and the 2nd Annual production finance conference, The Business of Film: From Idea to Audience, sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Film and Entertainment.
- PBIFF will present the Student Showcase of Films Screenings on Sunday, April 25, at Cobb Theatres Downtown at the Gardens honoring the student filmmakers and celebrating the artistic successes they have achieved in this field. The PBIFF is pleased to spotlight the talent of our youth and considers this investment in future filmmakers to be one of the most important features of the PBIFF.
- PBIFF presents a special “Sing-a-Long Screening Under the Stars” on Sunday, April 26 at 8pm.Gather your friends, bring a blanket, a nice bottle(s) of wine, and an evening picnic and enjoy a sing-a-long version of “Mamma Mia” under the stars along the Intracoastal Waterway in Boynton Beach.
- Following the screening of Roots Of Reggae - The Ernest Ranglin Story on Sunday night, April 26, 10 pm, continue jamming into the night with filmmaker and well-known Los Angeles DJ Native Wayne Jobson. This will be an opportunity to spend a music- and dance-filled evening with a reggae star and independent filmmaker at Delray’s hottest nightclub Delux.
- PBIFF presents the World Showcase of Italian Cinema curated by guest programmer Veronica De Laurentiis, best-selling author and actor, and the daughter of famed film star Silvana Mangano and legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis. Sunday, April 26 at the Sunrise Cinemas Mizner.
- On Monday, April 27 PBIFF will present a Special Screening of Shout It Out at Boca Raton High School at 1pm. Directed by Bess O’Brien, Shout it Out tells the story of a group of teenagers making their way through high school. The film follows them through some of the more tumultuous moments of teenage hood. Shout it Out is based on eight months of research with Vermont teens, all songs written by VT teens and acted by local teens.
- And, of course, the ever-popular Weekend of Shorts and the Voices of Local Films.
- PBIFF presents the “Best of the Fest Weekend,” with encore screenings of the most popular films of the festival on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 at the Cobb Theaters in Jupiter.
Screenings of this year’s films will be centered primarily at Sunrise Cinemas, Mizner Park in Boca Raton, with special presentations throughout the county, including Movies of Delray, Lake Worth Playhouse, FAU and Cobb Theaters Jupiter and Downtown at the Gardens.
Tickets and passes are on sale now! Platinum passes are available for $1,000, which includes unlimited admission to all films, parties and the Black tie Awards Gala; Premiere passes are available for $500, which provides admission to all films and select parties; Gold passes are available for $150, which includes unlimited admission to all films with the exception of opening and closing nights, and seminars; and a student pass is $25 with valid student ID, which allows students to see all films and seminars on a space-available basis. Tickets for all movies are regular theatre admission (may differ by theatre) and can be purchased at each theater’s box office, or in advance at www.pbifilmfest.org or www.brownpaperticket.com.
The Palm Beach International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization supporting film programs in local schools and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of future filmmakers by helping them fulfill their dreams to one-day work in the world of film. For more information, please call (561) 362-0003 or visit the festival web site at www.pbifilmfest.org. Read more of this article »
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on March 26, 2009 under RiverRun International Film Festival |
- Image from Fox Searchlight’s (500) Days of Summer
The RiverRun International Film Festival announced the full lineup of films to be featured at the upcoming 2009 Festival. Held April 22‐29, the 11th annual Festival will screen 37 feature films and 63 shorts from 26 countries.
The Festival will kick off with the Opening Night screening of (500) DAYS OF SUMMER with director Marc Webb in attendance. Guillermo Arriaga’s directorial debut THE BURNING PLAIN, starring Charlize Theron and Kim Bassinger, will screen as the CENTERPIECE PREMIERE, and the festival’s Closing Night will feature a screening of the Harold Lloyd classic 1928 silent comedy SPEEDY accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra.
RiverRun will also present its inaugural Emerging Master Award to filmmaker (and Winston‐Salem native) Ramin Bahrani following a screening of his latest film GOODBYE SOLO.
“Over the past few years, RiverRun has developed a loyal following and built a reputation as one of the country’s most prestigious regional film festivals. I think that’s because we place such an emphasis on filmmakers and the power and urgency of new cinematic voices, such as Ramin Bahrani, the recipient of our inaugural Emerging Master Award,” said Andrew Rodgers, RiverRun’s Executive Director. “As far as what’s different this year, we’ve extended the dates of the Festival to accommodate an increased demand for tickets; added a new non‐competition sidebar section to showcase more films by emerging talents and greatly expanded the caliber of our Special Presentations. We’re also proud to unveil the strongest Narrative Competition lineup that we’ve ever had.”
The 2009 installment of RiverRun also features an extensive lineup of films with local and North Carolina connections. For starters, University of North Carolina‐Greensboro faculty members have three films represented in this year’s program, including ROCATERRANIA directed by Brett Ingram, in the Documentary Competition; the documentary WITH THESE HANDS: THE STORY OF AN AMERICAN FURNITURE FACTORY directed by Matt Barr, in the Spotlight section; and the short film SAPSUCKER, directed by Christopher Holmes, in the Late Night Shorts program. The University of North Carolina School of the Arts is also once again represented in the program, with the short film CASTING SESSION, directed by Austin Jennings, in the Late Night Shorts Program. Additionally, RiverRun will show a work‐in‐progress screening the science fiction cautionary tale EYEBORGS in the Late Night section, shot almost entirely in Winston‐Salem and directed by local filmmaker Richard Clabaugh. And of course, RiverRun is proud to present the local premiere of GOODBYE SOLO, directed by Winston‐Salem native Ramin Bahrani and shot almost entirely in Winston‐Salem.
2009 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
NARRATIVE COMPETITION:
HEART OF FIRE - Germany/Italy/Austria & France / Director: Luigi Falorni - A 6‐year‐old girl is taken from an orphanage and pressed into service during the Eritrean Struggle for Independence from Ethiopia.
IL DIVO - Italy & France / Director: Paolo Sorrentino - Visually inventive biopic based on real‐life Italian politician Giulio Andreotti and the investigation into his ties to the Mafia. Winner of the Prix du Jury at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
MOMMY IS AT THE HAIRDRESSER’S - Canada / Director: Léa Pool - The comfortable suburban life of three siblings is disrupted when their mother abandons them, forcing their father to take responsibility.
RUMBA - France & Belgium / Directors: Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon & Bruno Romy - Offbeat comedy about a couple whose lives and passion for dancing undergoes a major shift, forcing them to learn all new steps.
THREE MONKEYS - Turkey/France & Italy / Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan - A family suffers from a communication breakdown when the father takes the blame for a crime he didn’t commit. Winner of the Best Directors prize at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
TREELESS MOUNTAIN - South Korea & USA / Director: So Yong Kim - Two young Korean sisters are forced to rely on each other and redefine their sense of family when their mother decides to leave in order to find their father.
TULPAN - Germany/Kazakhstan/Poland/Russia & Switzerland / Director: Sergey Dvortsevoy - An eager young man in Kazakhstan tries to get his own flock of sheep and win the heart of the only eligible bachelorette around. Winner of the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival.
A WOMAN IN BERLIN - Germany & Poland / Director: Max Färberböck -In order to protect herself from abuse, a German woman seeks out a protector during the 1945 Red Army invasion of Berlin, but the encounter forces them to both reevaluate their lives.
The 2009 Narrative Competition jury includes Lucasfilm distribution executive Eric Besner; filmmaker Jennifer Chambers Lynch (”Boxing Helena,” “Surveillance”); Salon.com film critic Andrew O’Hehir; Michael Kutza,Founder and Artistic Director of the Chicago International Film Festival; and a film student from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. In 2008, Fatih Akin’s “The Edge of Heaven” won the Best Narrative Feature jury prize and Gareth Lewis’ “The Baker” won the Narrative Audience Award.
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION:
ART & COPY - USA / Director: Doug Pray - A history of the advertising industry coupled with an analysis of how advertising messages change lives.
FOOD INC. - USA / Director: Robert Kenner - The illusions of what we all eat will be shattered in this no‐holds barred film about the global food supply and how unhealthy it has become.
FOOTBALL UNDER COVER - Germany / Directors: Ayat Najafi & David Assmann - A women’s soccer team in Berlin takes action when they learn that the national women’s team in Iran is prohibited from competing in public or playing a real match.
GUEST OF CINDY SHERMAN - USA / Directors: Tom Donahue & Paul Hasegawa‐Overacker - Filmmaker Hasegawa‐Overacker explores his failed relationship with world‐renowned artist Cindy Sherman.
KALINOVSKI SQUARE - Estonia / Director: Yury Khashchavatski - When protestors stood in opposition of the 2006 reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, the government clamped down. In a country with seemingly corrupt officials, it’s hard to be heard.
ROCATERRANIA - USA / Director: Brett Ingram - Seventy‐six year‐old North Carolina native Renaldo Kuhler has spent his life constructing the minute details of an imaginary world, right down to the sewer systems. For the first time, he invites the world inside.
UNMISTAKEN CHILD - Israel / Director: Nati Baratz - Part travelogue and part coming‐of‐age journey, a young monk treks through Nepal and Tibet to find the reincarnation of his spiritual master, Lama Konchog, providing a rare glimpse into a spiritual world rarely seen by outsiders.
WAVERIDERS - Ireland & UK / Director: Joel Conroy - Despite all the attention that Hawaii has gotten as the birthplace of surfing, the sport has deep roots and a fascinating history in Ireland.
The 2009 Documentary Competition jury includes Facets Cinematheque Film Program Director Charles Coleman; Christian Gaines, Director of Festivals for imdb.com; Nancy Kalow, Professor at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University; Hollywood Reporter Managing Editor Dave Morgan; and a film student from Wake Forest University. In 2008, Yung Chang’s “Up the Yangtze” won the Best DocumentaryFeature jury prize and Helen Hood Scheer’s “JUMP!” won the Documentary Audience Award.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS:
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER - USA - Director: Marc Webb - Not your typical romantic comedy, this fast‐paced story dissects the unruly and unpredictable year‐and‐a‐half love affair of a young couple. Cast: Joseph Gordon‐Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. (Opening Night)
THE BURNING PLAIN - USA - Director: Guillermo Arriaga - Two women struggle with overwhelming guilt and a desire to live life on their own terms, despite the turmoil it causes in their relationships. Cast: Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger. (Centerpiece Premiere)
GARRISON KEILLOR: THE MAN ON THE RADIO IN THE RED SHOES - USA - Director: Peter Rosen - A documentary portrait of the star of “Prairie Home Companion,” revealing the real man behind the fictitious community of Lake Wobegon.
GOODBYE SOLO - USA - Director: Ramin Bahrani - When a young Senegalese taxi driver named Souléymane is hired by a tough, elderly white southerner to drive him to the peak of a secluded mountain in two weeks time, the two men form an unlikely bond.
THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND - USA - Director: John Ford - Following charges of conspiracy to murder President Lincoln, a doctor is sent to prison in the Dry Tortugas, where his skills come in handy during an outbreak of yellow fever. This 1936 classic is on loan from the private collection of Martin Scorsese.
SHALL WE KISS? - France - Director: Emmanuel Mouret - After meeting a charming man and spending a nice evening with him, things are about to turn intimate when Emilie tells a story about another couple whose lives were turned upside down because of just such an intimate moment.
SPEEDY - USA - Director: Ted Wilde - Harold Lloyd’s classic 1928 silent comedy explores the theme of modernization, pitting the last horse‐drawn trolley in New York City against the evil forces of the transit monopoly. The Alloy Orchestra will perform live accompaniment. (Closing Night)
SURVEILLANCE - USA & Germany - Director: Jennifer Chambers Lynch - FBI agents roll into a small town on the heels of a series of gruesome highway murders by a pair of vicious serial killers. But things get complicated when everyone has a wildly different story to tell. Cast: Bill Pullman, Julia Ormond & French Stewart.
WORLD’S GREATEST DAD - USA - Director: Bob Goldthwait - In this dark comedy, when a single father and aspiring writer loses his son in a tragic accident, he gains sudden notoriety and unexpected opportunities, but they come with strings attached. Cast: Robin Williams.
SPOTLIGHT: While RiverRun has always featured non‐competition sidebars in the annual Festival, 2009 marks the first year for the Spotlight section. Created to provide a showcase for films of a particular type or style, this year’s Spotlight focuses on American and Canadian documentaries by emerging talents.
‘BAMA GIRL - USA - Director: Rachel Goslins - Amidst a strictly segregated Greek system, a young black woman seeks to become the homecoming queen at the University of Alabama, but her quest proves to be more difficult because of her skin color.
FOR THE LOVE OF MOVIES: THE STORY OF AMERICAN FILM CRITICISM - USA - Director: Gerald Peary - The history of film criticism in America told through interviews with dozens of the most influential critics, illustrating how they transformed the world of cinema.
THE GARDEN - USA - Director: Scott Hamilton Kennedy - The existence of the country’s largest urban farm, located in South Central Los Angeles, is threatened by city politics and in danger of closure. 2008 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature.
HERB AND DOROTHY - USA - Director: Megumi Sasaki - Retired postal clerk Herb Vogel and his wife Dorothy, a librarian, live humble lives but are celebrities in the art world, having amassed one of the country’s most important and valuable collections of Minimalist and Conceptual Art.
OFFICIAL REJECTION - USA - Director: Paul Osborne - Two filmmakers document the painful and confusing process of navigating the film festival circuit and building an audience for their independent feature.
PRESSURE COOKER - USA - Directors: Jennifer Grausman & Mark Becker - In an inner‐city high school where fewer than 65 percent of the students graduate, a demanding culinary arts instructor helps her students find a way out by winning competitions and earning scholarships to attend top cooking schools.
SAVING LUNA - Canada - Directors: Suzanne Chisholm & Michael Parfit - When a lonely killer whale gets separated from her pod and interacts with the locals in a remote Canadian Fjord, it stirs a heated debate over whether it’s better to leave wild animals alone or allow them into our lives.
WITH THESE HANDS: THE STORY OF AN AMERICAN FURNITURE FACTORY - USA - Director: Matt Barr - When family‐owned Hooker Furniture, based in Martinsville, Virginia, closed its doors after 83 years, local filmmaker and RiverRun alum Barr chronicled the factory’s final days.
Other Non‐Competition Features:
IDIOTS AND ANGELS - USA - Director: Bill Plympton - When an unlikable guy wakes up one morning and discovers he has grown wings that make him act nice, he tries everything he can to get rid of them. (Animation)
SITA SINGS THE BLUES - USA - Director: Nina Paley - An animated version of the epic Sanskrit tale of Ramayana set to the 1920’s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, this multi‐layered film effortlessly brings a feminist bent to the classic ancient Indian story of infidelity and distrust. (Animation)
I SELL THE DEAD - USA - Director: Glenn McQuaid - On the eve of his execution, a long‐time grave robber confides in a priest about his peculiar adventures in the resurrection trade. (Late Night)
EYEBORGS - USA - Director: Richard Clabaugh - Set in the not‐too‐distant future where government surveillance has reached unprecedented levels, this cautionary tale features incredible CGI of mobile, robotic surveillance cameras. (Late Night)
SHORTS: RiverRun presents five different shorts programs that showcase 62 different films, including two Oscar‐nominees, 26 student films, and shorts from 15 different countries. A majority of the shorts selected for this year’s RiverRun are eligible for a variety of jury awards. (For a full list of short films, please contact the Festival.)
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS -
To get anywhere in life, you have to pursue your goals… or at least express your dreams. The people featured in this year’s lineup of documentary shorts have all passionately mobilized their hopes and dreams, particularly exemplified by the devotion of Jewish Orthodox parents (UNATTACHED), the resilient defenders of the British Red Squirrel (NUTKIN’S LAST STAND), and the courage of Martin Luther King, Jr. on his last day in the Oscar‐ nominated (THE WITNESS - FROM THE BALCONY OF ROOM 306).
NARRATIVE SHORTS 1 - Everyone has something to hide. In this collection of shorts, we explore the many ways people try to hide their indiscretions. While some do it for sadistic pleasure (FAMILY THERAPY) and some for perceived good (GAINING GROUND), others simply lie about their nefarious affairs, only to burden their families with the many skeletons in the closet (TEN FOR GRANDPA). No matter what the transgression, however, there is a revelation to be found.
NARRATIVE SHORTS 2 - With each passing year, we grow older, wiser - and arguably - more vulnerable. We learn to trust our instincts and respect our strengths, while the bumps along the way help shape our future choices. In these shorts, we see the world from the perspective of a boy’s fantastic imagination (YOU, ME AND CAPTAIN LONGBRIDGE), a teenager’s unplanned pregnancy (PREMATURE), and a boy’s unconventional friendship with a blow‐up doll (POP ART).
ANIMATION SHORTS - Unconventional, hardly mainstream, thought‐provoking and visionary… The world is our oyster when a keen imagination and a well‐trained hand collide. In our collection of animated shorts the characters often challenge the status quo, be it with the end of human domination with psychotic birds (LAST TIME IN CLERKENWELL), quibbling morticians in the Academy Award‐nominated (THIS WAY UP), or a spunky little dog with high energy and a big, misguided heart in Bill Plympton’s newest short (HOT DOG).
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS - Waking up early to see the newest cartoons is a tradition that adults and children alike can appreciate. Once again, RiverRun has created its own version of Saturday Morning Cartoons with the hope of challenging the idea of what a cartoon should be. We have an unconventional cooking lesson (WESTERN SPAGHETTI), a weatherman angered by the weather (THE WEATHERMAN) and a whole menagerie
of adventurous animals (ROADKILL, BARE, GOTCH YA’, FINDERS KEEPERS and THE COYOTE AND THE TORTOISE). This popular program has something for kids of all ages! Sponsored by Piedmont Federal, tickets are $1.00 for all children under 18.
LATE NIGHT SHORTS - Our late night shorts are known for being a little out of the ordinary. This year we focused on the various manifestations of love and obsession. Included in our motley crew are Parisian pirates fighting over a girl (SWASHBUCKLERS) and a mother disposing of her son’s pets so that he will seek out her motherly love (GARY & MILDRED). We also have a racy short about teenage love (LOVE YOU MORE) and a guy obsessed with finding the bird that keeps him up at night (SAPSUCKER). No matter your mood, these shorts are worth staying up late.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on March 25, 2009 under City of Lights City of Angels (COL•COA) |
- Lost in Rio,” starring Jean Dujardin as a gauche, culturally inept French agent
The Franco-American Cultural Fund today announced the line-up for the 13th Annual City of Lights, City of Angels (COL•COA) film festival that will run from April 20-26. The festival will present 50 films, including 30 features and 20 shorts, as well as World and International Premieres like the opening night film, “Someone I Loved” (”Je l’aimais”), which will be released in France on May 6, 2009. Starring Daniel Auteuil and Marie-Josée Croze, co-written and directed by Zabou Breitman, the film is based on the best-selling novel by Anna Gavalda.
“We are delighted with the quality and diversity of French films this year that tell stories appealing to international audiences,” stated festival director François Truffart. “These films cross all genres and once again affirm and validate the recent successes of French cinema around the world and particularly in the U.S.”
Caroline Bottaro’s first feature “Queen To Play,” starring Sandrine Bonnaire and Kevin Kline, will be presented at COL•COA on the same day as its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday April 25, 2009. The COL•COA competition will close on Sunday April 26, with the anticipated North American Premiere of critical and commercial success “Welcome,” co-written and directed by Philippe Lioret, Panorama selection at the 2009 Berlinale.
Among the numerous comedies selected, the International Premiere of “OSS 117, Lost in Rio,” starring Jean Dujardin as a gauche, culturally inept French agent, will be shown at COL•COA one week after its release in France. Eric Tolédano and Olivier Nakache, writer-directors of the COL•COA 2006 Audience award “Those Happy Days,” return with the World Premiere of their new film “So Close.”
COL•COA will present the three most awarded films at the 2009 César awards: “Séraphine,” (seven César including film, actress, and screenplay), “Mesrine: A Film in Two Parts” (best director and actor) and “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life” (most promising actor and actress).
The program will also feature the work of an unprecedented number of women writer-directors, including Josiane Balasko (”A French Gigolo”), Caroline Bottaro (”Queen To Play”), Zabou Breitman (”Someone I Loved” and the COL•COA Classic “Beautiful Memories”), Anne Fontaine (”The Girl from Monaco”), Anna Novion (”Grown-ups”) and Claire Simon (”God’s Offices”).
City of Lights, City of Angels is funded by the Franco-American Cultural Fund, a unique partnership between the Directors Guild of America (DGA), the Motion Picture Association (MPA), France’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW), with the vital support of L’ARP (France’s Association of Authors, Directors and Producers) the Los Angeles Film and TV Office of the French Embassy and Unifrance.
The festival showcases some of France’s most celebrated filmmakers, including Costa-Gavras (”Eden is West”), André Téchiné (”The Girl on the Train”), Raymond Depardon (”Modern Life),” Christophe Honoré (”La Belle Personne”) and an homage to the late Claude Berri (”Tchao Pantin”).
Other highlights include the North American Premiere of two critically-acclaimed thrillers, “Secrets of State” and “Spy(ies),” the dark comedy “Louise-Michel” (2009 Sundance World Cinema Jury Prize for Originality) and the new film from writer-director François Dupeyron, “With a Little Help From Myself.”
Several American distributors will present their films at COL•COA: IFC Films (”La Belle Personne”), Music Box Films (“Séraphine”), Liberation Entertainment (“Hello Goodbye”), Magnolia Pictures (“The Girl from Monaco”) and Senator Distribution (“Mesrine: A Film in Two Parts“).
For the second year, the highly successful COL•COA High School screenings will host a record 2,400 Los Angeles area students this year in association with ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America).
The Happy Hour Talks, the popular panel series introduced in 2007 in association with Variety, will again target interested audience and industry professionals with topics ranging from foreign film distribution to young audiences.
The 2009 competition will include the COL•COA Audience award, the COL•COA Critics award in association with the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), the COL•COA Short Film award and a newly created COL•COA First Feature award.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on under Independent Film Festival of Boston |
The Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston) has announced the films that will be featured at the 2009 Independent Film Festival of Boston.
The seventh annual festival will be held April 22-April 28, 2009.
“THE BROTHERS BLOOM” directed by Rian Johnson and starring Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, and Rachel Weisz, will open the festival on Wednesday, April 22nd at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. Rian Johnson and selected cast will be in attendance for the Opening Night screening.
Some highlights of the 2009 festival include Ondi Timoner’s (”Dig!”) Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning documentary WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, Guillermo Arriaga’s (writer of “Babel”, “21 Grams”) directorial debut THE BURNING PLAIN starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, LA MISSION starring Benjamin Bratt, IN THE LOOP starring James Gandolfini, Hirokazu Koreeda’s STILL WALKING, Robert Siegel’s (writer of “The Wrestler”) BIG FAN starring Patton Oswalt and Kevin Corrigan, and Olivier Assayas’ SUMMER HOURS starring Juliette Binoche, and WORLD’S GREATEST DAD directed by Bobcat Goldthwait.
Numerous films with strong Boston ties will make their New England premieres at the festival this April, including Jonathan Hock’s THE LOST SON OF HAVANA, Bestor Cram’s JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON, Aron Gaudet’s THE WAY WE GET BY, Laura Longsworth’s LUCKEY, Gerald Peary’s FOR THE LOVE OF MOVIES: THE STORY OF AMERICAN FILM CRITICISM, Amy Grill’s SPEAKING IN CODE, Andrew Bujalski’s BEESWAX, Alex Karpovsky’s TRUST US, THIS IS ALL MADE UP, Ian McFarland’s CHIP ON MY SHOULDER, George Kachadorian’s SHOOTING BEAUTY, Al Ward’s BLOOD, SWEAT & CHEERS, and Tze Chun’s CHILDREN OF INVENTION.
Special guests attending the festival include Chris Cooper, Benjamin Bratt, Bobby and Peter Farrelly, Kevin Corrigan, Luis Tiant, and many more to be announced in the coming weeks.
INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL OF BOSTON 2009 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS: Read more of this article »