VIMooZ

Jeremy O’Keefe is the director of the new independent film SOMEWHERE SLOW, now playing at the Brooklyn Film Festival in Brooklyn, New York through Saturday, June 9, 2013. SOMEWHERE SLOW, also an Official Selection at Cinequest, Omaha Film Festival, Vail Film Festival and the Monadnock International Film Festival, is described by the Brooklyn Film Festival as “intimate, raw and funny,” and “a searing and complex portrait of Anna Thompson, a 40 year old skin care rep, coasting through an unfulfilled marriage and an estranged relationship with her family.”

by DeVon Hyman

April 26th 2013 marked the official New York City release of Terence Nance’s Dream Hampton, and Jay Z executive produced “Oversimplification” Described as “Happy American Sexiness” (New York Times) the autobiographical nature of the film takes you on a journey of Mr Nance’s inner most thoughts, played out on the big screen, narrated by what would seemingly be the conscious subconscious. After viewing the film, I was left with many a question, as my intrigue was at an all-time high. I sat down with Terence to pick his brain on all things Oversimplified, from the blueprinting of the capture of his ideas, to his co-star selection.

by DeVon Hyman

It is an age old conclusion that experience is the best teacher. A hands on tool when applied can be the greatest conduit to redemption, and maturation.  An a youngster, Indy filmmaker Damon Terry;’s life was marred by much trial and tribulation. At his own doing, he became a young man on his way to being a statistic for all intents and purposes. Stereotypically, and similar to many others reared in the environment which spawned his upbringing. Ultimately landing in prison, Terry used the time to reflect and rectify. Overhauling not only his perspective, but his goals in life he was ready for his second chance at freedom, and opportunity. When it came, he hit the grown running; inspired by a restored faith in a highpower, whom he praises at every moment, Damon Terry was moved by a calling to literature and eventually script-writing. A passion was born, a career iniated, and the rest, is the subject for documentation. Often compared to others whose platform of the gospel, has brought upon exponential success, Damon Terry seeks to follow in that path, yet in a uniquely refreshing manner which adds to the intrigue of this brothers existence. I present to you, the life and times of Independent filmmaker Damon Terry. 

by Francesca McCaffery

Garnering the illustrious Grand Prix at Cannes this year, Reality is an Italian film that is much more American in nature than we would want to believe possible.  Following up his gritty, grimy crime drama Gomorrah,  director Matteo Garrone is a master at keeping it real while telling a profound story about humanity in its most vulnerable state.(It helps that Garrone has a natural talent for finding brilliant non-actors. His lead actor is actually a prisoner who had to get permission to come to set and film.) 

Shot in the city of Naples, Reality opens taking us right into a city that is grimy and filled with the sweat and dirt of every day people hustling and struggling. Crammed into tiny apartments together, with extended families living several to a room, you can smell the city of Naples from the beautiful opening.  His story centers around Luciano (an amazing Aniello Arena), a local fishmonger who is busy unloading robotic pasta-makers for extra cash with his wife, and trying to make a decent living for the entire family.  Apparently, the reality show Big Brother is somewhat of a major obsession in Italy in its own incarnation there, and at a friend’s wedding, the dorky hipster “Enzo” from the cast makes a paid appearance, wishing the bride and groom congrats. As a gag, Luciano dresses a woman and schticks around for a few moments with Enzo, garnering a cherished photo with Enzo for his daughter. When sweetly bull-dozed by cellphone by the same daughter, as well as his amused wife, to come to the mall for an “audition” for Big Brother, Luciano at first refuses, not really caring a bit. But then, to make everyone happy and shut them up, he decides to go. What follows is a long and winding trip into the psyche of someone who trades his life for a profound, inexplicable fantasy version, and it is completely mesmerizing to watch.

Please don’t forget to check out the remaining two weeks of the  Docuweeks 2012, the incredible film festival of the International Documentary Association, playing at NYC’s IFC Center through August 30^th. There are some great, new, Oscar-worthy documentary films playing there now, and VIMOOZ will be giving you capsule reviews throughout the festival. (Docuweeks started in Los Angeles today, August 10^th, at the Laemmle Noho 7 Theater.

One wonderful documentary is We Women Warriors, which “follows three native women caught in the crossfire of Colombia’s warfare who use nonviolent resistance to defend their peoples’ survival. Colombia has 102 aboriginal groups, one-third of which face extinction because of the conflict. Trapped in a protracted predicament financed by the drug trade, indigenous women are resourcefully leading and creating transformation imbued with hope. We Women Warriors bears witness to neglected human rights catastrophes and interweaves character-driven stories about female empowerment, unshakable courage, and faith in the endurance of indigenous culture.” 

Nicole Karsin, the director the doc of We Women Warriors, speaks with VIMOOZ:

Written by Francesca McCaffery Cyril Tuschi’s new documentary film, Khordorkovsky, tells the story of oligarch Mikhail Khordorkovsky, then the wealthiest man in Russia before his arrest by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in 2003. Tuschi has directed short films and music videos, and his feature was Slight Changes in Temperature and Mind in 2004. A former night club owner, theater worker, and philosophy student, Tuschi has  the open mind, gentle humor and rigorous intellect needed to […]

Francesca McCaffery had the great pleasure of speaking with Steve James (Director) and Alex Kotlowitz (producer), who are the creative team who put together the riveting new documentary “The Interrupters,” about gang intervention specialists working the Chicago streets with the unique non-profit, CeaseFire. CeaseFire was founded by epidermologist Gary Slutkin. Slutkin, who battled the cholera and AIDs epidemic in Africa for years, believes that the spread of violence mimics that of infectious diseases. This innovative […]

  Hello! Azazel, you’re in town (in NYC) for the BAM Festival?Yeah! It feels really nice. It’s the best way to kind of kind of home. You know, I live in Los Angeles now- so, to come home to New York, where my folks and friends are, where I was raised, and to have a film that’s being well received, it’s been really important to me. And it’s summer here! Everyone is so curious about […]