Posted by editor@vimooz.com on April 22, 2009 under San Joaquin International Film Festival | 
The San Joaquin Film Society announced that Academy Award-nominated, “Indie Animation King” Bill Plympton will receive the inaugural El Dorado Award at the 2nd San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF2, May 14-23). The El Dorado Award honors an exceptional artist whose artistry, creativity, and originality has made a tremendous impact on independent cinema. The award will be presented to Mr. Plympton at the Central Valley Premiere screening of his latest animated feature “Idiots and Angels,” on Saturday, May 16, 2009, 6:30PM, at the Stockton Empire Theatre (1825 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95202).
The next morning, Mr. Plympton will present a Master Class at the festival’s annual Filmmakers and VIP Brunch on Sunday, May 17, 2009, 10:00AM at the Matinée Movie Lounge. At the in-depth seminar, Mr. Plympton will share his artistic and business experiences in animated cinema, demonstrate with live drawings, screen exclusive short films from his repertoire, and interact in a Q&A session with the audience.
ABOUT “IDIOTS AND ANGELS”
Synopsis: Angel is a selfish, abusive, morally bankrupt man who hangs out as his local bar, berating the other patrons. One day, Angel mysteriously wakes up with a pair of wings on his back. The wings make him do good deeds, contrary to his nature. He desperately tries to rid himself of the good wings, but eventually finds himself fighting those who view the wings as their ticket to fame and fortune. (USA, 2008, 78 minutes)
Screening at major festivals around the world - “Idiots and Angels” had its World Premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It was honored with a Special Distinction Award at the prestigious 2008 Annecy International Animation Festival in France. In Porto, Portugal in March 2009, the film was awarded the Grand Prize at FantasPorto, one of the biggest film festivals in Europe. The El Dorado Award screening of “Idiots and Angels” at SJIFF2 in Stockton will be the film’s first presentation to an audience in California’s 400-mile Central Valley.
ABOUT DIRECTOR BILL PLYMPTON
Bill Plympton was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He moved to New York City, upon graduation from Portland State University in Graphic Design. He began his career creating cartoons for publications such as New York Times, National Lampoon, Playboy and Screw. In 1987 he was nominated for an Oscar® for his short Your Face. After producing many shorts which appeared on MTV and Spike and Mike’s, he turned his talent to features. Since 1991 he’s made 9 feature films, 6 of them, The Tune, Mondo Plympton, I Married A Strange Person, Mutant Aliens, Hair High and Idiots and Angels. In 2005, Bill’s received another Oscar® nomination, this time for a short film Guard Dog.
ABOUT THE SAN JOAQUIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The 2nd San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF2) runs May 14 to 23, 2009 in various venues across the city of Stockton, California, and will feature over 120 films from 40 countries.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on October 6, 2008 under Woodstock Film Festival |
The Ninth Annual Woodstock Film Festival wrapped yesterday as filmmakers, industry members and national and regional press trickled out of picturesque Woodstock, each with fond memories of the festival, a strengthened love of independent film and a select few, with a Woodstock Film Festival Maverick Award Statue. The festival congratulates every WFF filmmaker for their great accomplishments and participation in the festival and wishes them great success in their future projects.
The Award Ceremony were held for the first at the historic Backstage Productions in nearby Kingston, NY. Nearly 500 people attended! Presenters included Ang Lee, Melissa Leo, John Sayles, Maggie Renzi, David Strathairn, Morgan Spurlock, Haskell Wexler, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mark Duplass, Amy Taubin, Karen Durbin, Bill Plympton, John Sloss, Amy Gossels, Ellen Kuras, Pamela Marvin, Sabine Hoffman, and Sloane Klevin.
It was the first time the WFF Awards Ceremony was open to the public, and the largest to date. Filmmakers gave it an immediate thumbs up:
“This has been an amazingly warm and welcoming and genuine award ceremony,” said Focus Features CEO James Schamus, the 2008 Trailblazer Award Recipient.
“It was wonderful too see how the festival has grown …. and still has maintained its particular charm and eccentricity and hands on feel. All a testament to your guidance and instincts. Brava!” exclaimed actor David Strathairn.
“The awards ceremony was one of the best ones we have ever been to….it had such a great feel,” said Schamus’ former Good Machine partner - producer Ted Hope.
Next Year’s Tenth Anniversary Festival is set for September 30 through Ocotber 4th.
Look below for a list of our Award Winners, Jurors and Sponsors.
THE HONORARY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD was presented to cinematographer Haskell Wexler, by writer/director/actor John Sayles, producer Maggie Renzi, and actor David Strathairn (award previously announced).
THE HONORARY TRAILBLAZER AWARD was presented to James Shamus, CEO of Focus Features and award winning writer/producer, by director Ang Lee and actor Melissa Lee (award previously announced).
THE HONORARY MAVERICK AWARD was presented to director/screenwriter/-actor/editor/comic book
writer, Kevin Smith, by producer John Sloss (award previously announced).
THE AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE goes to LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Dir. Tomas Alfredson) followed closely by ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO (Dir. Kevin Smith) and PRIDE AND GLORY (Dir. Gavin O’Connor).
THE AUDIENCE AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY goes to PLAYING FOR CHANGE: MUSIC FOR PEACE (Dir. Jonathan Walls and Mark Johnson) followed closely by MILTON GLASER: TO INFORM AND DELIGHT (Dir. Wendy Keys) and AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD (Dir. Dan Stone and Patrick Gambuti Jr.).
THE LEE MARVIN BEST FEATURE NARRATIVE AWARD went to PRINCE OF BROADWAY (Dir. Sean Baker)
With a HONORABLE MENTION to MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY (Dir. Barry Jenkins)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE went to IN A DREAM (Dir. Jeremiah Zagar)
The Diane Seligman Award for BEST SHORT NARRATIVE went to GLORY AT SEA, (Dir. Benh Zeitlin)
The Diane Seligman Award for BEST STUDENT SHORT FILM went to SIKUMI (On the Ice), (Dir. Andrew Okpeaha Maclean)
The Diane Seligman Award for BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY went to PICKIN’ AND TRIMMIN’, (Dir. Matt Morris)
The Maverick Award for BEST ANIMATED FILM went to BERNI’S DOLL, (Dir. Yann J (Jouette))
The Haskell Wexler Award for BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY went to AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, (Dir. Dan Stone; Cinematographers Daniel Fernandez, Tim Gorski, Simeon Houtman, James Joyner, Jonathan Kane, Mathieu Mauvernay, and John “Rip” Odebralski)
The James Lyons Award for BEST EDITING of a FEATURE DOCUMENTARY went to IN A DREAM, (Editors, Keiko Deguchi and Jeremiah Zagar)
The James Lyons Award for BEST EDITING of a FEATURE NARRATIVE went to WERE THE WORLD MINE, (Editor, Jennifer Lilly)
Tags: Amy Gossels, Amy Taubin, Ang Lee, Bill Plympton, David Strathairn, Ellen Kuras, Haskell Wexler, John Sayles, John Sloss, Karen Durbin, Maggie Renzi, Mark Duplass, Mary Stuart Masterson, Melissa Leo, Morgan Spurlock, Pamela Marvin, Sabine Hoffman, Sloane Klevin, Woodstock Film Festival