Rooftop Films in New York City, announced the selection of short films to screen on opening night, of the the 18th annual Rooftop Films Summer Series. Under the title, THIS IS WHAT WE MEAN BY SHORT FILMS, opening night on Friday, May 16th, will highlight some of the most exciting and original short films from around the world. The following night, Rooftop Films will present a special sneak preview screening of the upcoming A24 Films release OBVIOUS CHILD, described as a subversive, modern-day romantic comedy from writer/director Gillian Robespierre.
Full Lineup Announced for 40th Seattle International Film Festival; “The One I Love” to Close Fest
The One I Love
Seattle International Film Festival unveiled the complete lineup of films and events for the 40th annual Festival taking place May 15 to June 8, 2014. This year, SIFF will screen 440 films: 198 features (plus 4 secret films), 60 documentaries, 14 archival films, and 168 shorts, representing 83 countries. The Festival will open with the previously announced screening of JIMI: All Is By My Side, the Hendrix biopic starring Outkast’s André Benjamin from John Ridley, Oscar®-winning screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave, and close with Charlie McDowell’s twisted romantic comedy The One I Love, produced by Seattle’s Mel Eslyn and starring Elisabeth Moss and Mark Duplass.
Jury Revealed for 67th Cannes Film Festival
New Zealand director, producer and screenwriter Jane Campion, winner of the Palme d’or for The Piano, will be the President of the Jury of the 67th Cannes Film Festival. In addition to Campion, the Jury will also include five women and four men. Their task will be to decide between the 18 films in Competition in order to select the winners – to be announced on stage at the ceremony on Saturday 24th May. The winner of the Palme d’or will be screened during the Festival’s closing evening on Sunday 25th of May, in the presence of the Jury and the entire team of the winning film.
Winners Announced for Spring 2014 San Francisco Film Society SFFS / KRF Filmmaking Grants Totaling $300,000
Nine filmmaking teams will receive a total of $300,000 in funding in the latest round of San Francisco Film Society (SFFS) / Kenneth Rainin Foundation (KRF) Filmmaking Grants, to help with their next stage of production, from screenwriting to postproduction. The Film Society’s flagship SFFS / KRF Filmmaking Grants are awarded twice annually to filmmakers for narrative feature films that will have significant economic or professional impact on the Bay Area filmmaking community.
The Case Against 8 Selected as Opening Night Film for QDoc: Portland Queer Documentary Film Festival.
THE CASE AGAINST 8, which garnered its co-directors Ben Cotner, and Ryan White the award for Best Director at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and many other awards since, has been selected as the opening night film of this year’s QDoc: Portland Queer Documentary Film Festival. While other films have dealt with the electoral ups and downs of the marriage battle, THE CASE AGAINST 8 focuses on the extraordinary legal strategies that altered the landscape for marriage equality around the country, including Oregon.
‘Chef” and ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’ Win 2014 Tribeca Film Festival Audience Awards
Keep On Keepin’ On
Chef, written and directed by Jon Favreau, won the Heineken Audience Narrative award, and Keep On Keepin’ On, directed by Alan Hicks, received the Heineken Audience Documentary award at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. Each award comes with a cash prize of $25,000..
Maryland Film Festival Announces 2014 Opening Night Shorts and 2014 Closing Night Film, LITTLE ACCIDENTS
Little Accidents
Maryland Film Festival concluded its 2014 lineup announcements by unveiling its Opening Night Shorts program, and its Closing Night film, Sara Colangelo’s LITTLE ACCIDENTS. Also announced were two late-breaking features added to MFF 2014’s lineup, Riley Stearns’ FAULTS, and Desiree Akhavan’s APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.
2014 Tribeca Film Festival Announces Award Winners; “ZERO MOTIVATION” “POINT AND SHOOT” “MANOS SUCIAS” “KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON” Win Top Awards
ZERO MOTIVATION
The 13th annual Tribeca Film Festival, which runs through April 27, 2014, announced the winners of its competition categories. The world competition winners for narrative and documentary films were chosen from 12 narrative and 12 documentary features from 10 countries. Best New Director prizes were awarded to a first-time director for both narrative and documentary films, selected from a pool of 39 feature films throughout the program. Awards were also given for the best narrative short, best documentary short, and student visionary films in the short film competitions.
The winners, awards and comments from the jury who selected the recipients are as follows:
VIDEO Watch Trailer + Official Poster for Documentary WE COULD BE KING
The official trailer is released for the documentary WE COULD BE KING from two-time Emmy® nominated director Judd Ehrlich. WE COULD BE KING follows the riveting true story of two rival Philadelphia high schools forced to merge due to budget cuts. Their football team’s young, rookie coach and the school’s new principal fight to overcome insurmountable odds and inspire their young players to come together and lift each other toward a better future. WE COULD BE KING will open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on April 25th and be broadcast on ESPN2 on April 26th at 8pm.
Jim Mickle’s COLD IN JULY Among Lineup for 2014 Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight
COLD IN JULY
Jim Mickle’s COLD IN JULY still flying high from its critically acclaimed world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, has been selected in the program lineup for Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight. This will be Jim’s second time in this selection after last year’s cannibal drama, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE. IFC Films will release COLD IN JULY day-and-date, theatrically and on VOD May 23rd.
Camden International Film Festival announces Points North Fellowship; Filmmakers Invited to Apply
The Camden International Film Festival (CIFF) which celebrates its 10th anniversary this September 25-28, 2014, announced the expansion of the Points North Documentary Forum with the launch of the Points North Fellowship.
The Points North Fellowship enhances and expands upon the well-established Points North Pitch, a unique opportunity to pitch documentary works-in-progress to an international delegation of funders, commissioning editors and producers before a live audience. Five selected filmmakers (or filmmaking teams) will receive two VIP passes to the festival, four nights of accommodations and a stipend to subsidize their travel to Camden. The fellowship will begin with a day of intensive pitch training in partnership with the Maine Media Workshop (MMW) and focused industry mentorship held at the MMW’s Campus prior to the start of the festival, followed by the fifth annual Points North Pitch, held in the Camden Opera House on September 27, 2014.
40th Seattle International Film Festival To Open With Jimi Hendrix Biopic
The Seattle International Film Festival announced that the Opening Night Film for its 40th annual Festival will be Jimi: All Is By My Side. Musician, actor, and style icon André Benjamin stars as Seattle rock legend Jimi Hendrix in this film from Academy Award®-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave). Ridley is scheduled to attend the Opening Night festivities on Thursday, May 15.