RIP Actor Ben Gazzara Died in NY at 81

RIP Actor Ben Gazzara Died in NY at 81

Actor Ben Gazzara, known for his strong performances on film, television and on Broadway including his role in “The Big Lebowski,” died Friday in Manhattan, New York at the age of 81. The cause was pancreatic cancer, his lawyer, Jay Julien, said. Gazzara made his movie debut in 1957 in Calder Willingham’s “The Strange One,” and followed that film with “Anatomy of a Murder” In addition to the “The Big Lebowski,”other films included Spike Lee’s […]

Gonzo Style Documentary Bailout to Screen at 2012 Derby City Film Festival

Gonzo Style Documentary Bailout to Screen at 2012 Derby City Film Festival

The documentary Bailout will screen at this year’s Derby City Film Festival. Why? According to the filmmakers, since “Gonzo Journalism” was born at the Derby, it’s only fitting that Bailout will screen at this year’s Derby City Film Festival. The “Gonzo” style deviates from standard factual narratives by altogether jettisoning any pretext of objectivity where the author figures prominently as a character in the story. That definition fits the new feature documentary Bailout like silks […]

2012 New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival Announces Films and jury

2012 New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival Announces Films and jury

The New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival announced the jury and full lineup for the 2012 event, which runs March 2-25 at New York’s DGA Theater, Walter Reade Theater, IFC Center, Peter Norton Symphony Space, Asia Society, Scholastic Theater, and Cantor Film Center. NYICFF 2012 JURY: John Canemaker – Academy Award®-winning animatorAdam Gopnik – Author, essayist and New Yorker contributorTomm Moore – Academy Award® nominated animator/director (The Secret of Kells)Lynne McVeigh – Associate Professor of […]

The Artist Leads 18th Chlotrudis Awards Nominations

The Artist Leads 18th Chlotrudis Awards Nominations

THE ARTIST topped the Nominations for the 18th annual Chlotrudis Awards collecting Best Film, Director, Actor and Actress nods among its 7 nominations.

Four other films received 4 or more nominations, including fellow Best Movie nominees ANOTHER YEAR, director Mike Leigh’s latest, and the low-budget independent WEEKEND. The other front runner films are Lars von Trier’s dystopian MELANCHOLIA and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE.

In the Society’s most prestigious category, the Buried Treasure, the final nominees were THE ARBOR, a unique documentary about the late UK playwright Andrea Dunbar; the micro-budget LITTLEROCK following two Japanese siblings stranded in the US; THESE AMAZING SHADOWS, about The National Film Registry’s critical work to save historic films; the Canadian TRIGGER, an emotional study of two women’s lifelong friendship; and Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s newest, UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES.

The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film is a Boston-based non-profit group that teaches people to view film actively and experience the world through independent film, and encourages discussion.

Here is the complete list of the nominations for the 18th Annual Chlotrudis Awards: {jathumbnail off}

Documentary Filmmaker Josh Fox Arrested in Washington DC

Documentary Filmmaker Josh Fox Arrested in Washington DC

Documentary filmmaker Joshua Fox was arrested on Wednesday as he reportedly tried to film a House Science Committee hearing without proper media credentials. According to the NY Times, Josh Fox, whose HBO documentary “Gasland” raised questions about the safety of the natural gas drilling technique known as horizontal hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, was handcuffed and charged with unlawful entry. Mr. Fox is preparing a sequel to “Gasland  and brought a crew to film a hearing […]

South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival Announces 2012 Features Lineup

South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival Announces 2012 Features Lineup

The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival announced the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 9 – 17, 2012 in Austin, Texas.

The world premiere of Emmett Malloy’s documentary Big Easy Express was also confirmed as the Closing Night Film, which follows a train ride unlike any other with Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. Big Easy Express will screen on Saturday, March 17. The program will also include the world premiere of Colombia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer Pictures’ 21 Jump Street, screening in the Centerpiece slot on Monday, March 12.

The Narrative Feature Competition includes: Booster, directed by Matt Ruskin, Eden, directed by Megan Griffiths, Gayby, directed by Jonathan Lisecki, Gimme the Loot, directed by Adam Leon, Los Chidos, directed by Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Pilgrim Song, directed by Martha Stephens, Starlet, directed by Sean Baker, and The Taiwan Oyster, directed by Mark Jarrett.

The Documentary Feature Competition includes: Bay of All Saints, directed by Annie Eastman, Beware of Mr. Baker, directed by Jay Bulger, The Central Park Effect, directed by Jeffrey Kimball, Jeff, directed by Chris James Thompson, Seeking Asian Female, directed by Debbie Lum, The Sheik and I, directed by Caveh Zahedi, The Source, directed by Jodi Wille & Maria Demopoulos, and Welcome to the Machine, directed by Avi Zev Weider.

An additional selection of highlights includes: Nelson George’s The Announcement, Gotham Chopra’s Decoding Deepak, Jay & Mark Duplass’ The Do-Deca-Pentathalon, Mark Ford’s Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots, Matt Piedmont’s Casa de mi Padre, Patrick Forbes’ Wikileaks: Secrets & Lies, Adam Sherman’s Crazy Eyes, Jacob Rosenberg’s Waiting for Lightning, Tom Kingsley & Will Sharpe’s Black Pond, Kristen Sheridan’s Dollhouse, Gareth Huw Evans’ The Raid, Ben Shapiro’s Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American Superheroines and William Friedkin’s Killer Joe.

The 2012 SXSW Film Festival will feature: {jathumbnail off}

2012 Oscar Nominated Short Films in Theatre On February 10

2012 Oscar Nominated Short Films in Theatre On February 10

ShortsHD working with Magnolia Pictures will release The Oscar® Nominated Short Films 2012 in over 200 theatres across the United States and Canada on February 10th, 2012.

New York Release Date:  February 10, 2012 Animation, Live Action and Documentary at the IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue, New York.

Los Angeles Release Date:  February 10, 2012 Animation and Live Action at Landmark’s The Nuart Theatre, West LA and Regency Theatres’ South Coast Plaza, Santa Ana.

Los Angeles Release Date:  February 17, 2012 Documentary Shorts at Laemmle’s Music Hall 3

Three theatrical programs will give audiences around the country an opportunity to watch the nominated shorts in the Animation, Live Action and Documentary categories prior to the 84th Academy Awards® ceremony on February 26th.

**Separate admission for each program** {jathumbnail off}

Kentucky Filmmakers to Shine At 2012 Derby City Film Festival

Kentucky Filmmakers to Shine At 2012 Derby City Film Festival

A total of 56 films from 16 countries, including 24 International selections, will be screened at the upcoming Derby City Film Festival, February 17th – 19th, but this year films from current and former Kentucky residents are the one’s dominating the field. Of the films who’s filmmakers are from Kentucky, seven of them are feature films, four are shorts and one is a documentary. Another feature film “Sam Steel and the Crystal Chalice” is from […]

2012 One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival to focus on protests and unrest

2012 One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival to focus on protests and unrest

The 14th annual One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival has chosen a topical and compelling theme for this year’s event, which will focus on continuing protests and unrest in various parts of the world. One World’s films will show that, even though protest events from Bahrain to Greece to the USA have different means and goals, they all have one common element: committed young people who are demanding change in the established order […]

Documentary ‘A Life Ascending’ on DVD February 28

Documentary ‘A Life Ascending’ on DVD February 28

‘A Life Ascending’, from director Stephen Grynberg will be available on DVD February 28. More than 8 years after a tragic avalanche took the lives of 7 skiers exploring the Canadian Alps, Ptarmigan Films will release “A Life Ascending”,  a documentary following Ruedi Beglinger, the legendary mountain guide who led that fateful expedition.  Award-winning filmmaker Stephen Grynberg, himself a loyal, longtime client of Beglinger’s Selkirk Mountain Experience, intimately explores the unique lives of Beglinger and […]

Jean Dujardin of The Artist and Christopher Plummer of Beginners Amond 18th SAG Award Winners

Jean Dujardin of The Artist and Christopher Plummer of Beginners Amond 18th SAG Award Winners

Screen Actors Guild presented its coveted Actor® statuette for the outstanding motion picture and primetime television performances of 2011 and honored with individual awards were Viola Davis, Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer and Octavia Spencer for performances in motion pictures

Dick Van Dyke presented Mary Tyler Moore with Screen Actors Guild’s highest honor, the 48th Annual Life Achievement Award, following a filmed tribute. Jessica Chastain introduced a film salute to SAG’s regional branches, spotlighting memorable moments created by actors who live and work across the nation. Meryl Streep introduced a filmed “In Memoriam” tribute to the actors we have lost in the past year.

The complete list of recipients of the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® follows.

18th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® RECIPIENTS

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
JEAN DUJARDIN / George – “THE ARTIST” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark – “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Hal – “BEGINNERS” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson – “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark
BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD / Hilly Holbrook
ALLISON JANNEY / Charlotte Phelan
CHRIS LOWELL / Stuart Whitworth
AHNA O’REILLY / Elizabeth Leefolt
SISSY SPACEK / Missus Walters
OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson
MARY STEENBURGEN / Elaine Stein
EMMA STONE / Skeeter Phelan
CICELY TYSON / Constantine Jefferson
MIKE VOGEL / Johnny Foote {jathumbnail off}

62nd Berlin International Film Festival Completes Competition With Addition of Chinese Film White Deer Plain

62nd Berlin International Film Festival Completes Competition With Addition of Chinese Film White Deer Plain

With Wang Quan’an’s Bai lu yuan (White Deer Plain) from the People’s Republic of China, the Competition of the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival is now complete. 18 films will be vying for the Golden and Silver Bears in the Berlinale Palast. A total of 23 films will be showing in the Competition programme. There will also be two special screenings in the Berlinale Palast. Bai lu yuan (White Deer Plain) People’s Republic of Chinaby […]