Academy President Tom Sherak announced today that Academy Award®-winner Brian Grazer will be the replacement for Brett Ratner as the producer of the 84th Academy Awards. This will be the first time Grazer has produced the Oscar® telecast. “Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” said Sherak. “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars®.” “I […]
One day after Brett Ratner, quit as producer of the 84th Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Tom Sherak announced that Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host of the 84th Academy Awards. “I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well,” said Sherak. In the statement, Murphy said, “First and foremost I want to say that I completely understand and support […]
Chinese film producer and director Zhang Yimou will be the 2011 recipient of the FIAPF-International Federation of Film Producers Associations Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film in the Asia-Pacific region. The honour will be awarded at the fifth annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards ceremony on November 24. {jathumbnail off} 
Former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier died at the age of 67 from liver cancer. The filmmakers behind the film, “Joe Frazier: When the Smoke Clears” issued a statement on their website, “It is with deep sadness that all of us involved with the film learned of Joe’s sad passing. Our thoughts are with his friends and family. We are truly grateful for the time Joe spent with us to share his story. We hope […]
The 14th annual Savannah Film Festival rounded out a full week of special screenings and award presentations by honoring Golden Globe-nominated actor Aaron Eckhart (“The Dark Knight,” “Erin Brockovich”), actor James Marsden (“27 Dresses,” “X-Men”) and the writing/directing brother team of Jay and Mark Duplass (“Cyrus,” “The Puffy Chair”) during the event’s closing weekend. {jathumbnail off}
Brett Ratner has resigned as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards after reportedly using the homophobic F-word at an event on Sunday night. He reportedly said “Rehearsal is for f*gs,” in response to a question at the event. In a statement issued later today, the Academy said, This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open […]
Durban International Film Festival manager Nashen Moodley has been appointed as director of the Sydney Film Festival. Moodley will take up his new position in January. The Sydney Film Festival takes place from June 6 to 17, 2012 while the Durban International Film Festival runs from July 19 to 29, 2012.{jathumbnail off}
The Fourth Annual Bel-Air Film Festival was held in from October 12th-17th, and included screening 36 Feature, Documentary, Short, and Student Films. “The 2011 Bel-Air Film Festival is proud to have showcased the work of filmmakers that have expressed their creativity and innovative spirits, and we are pleased to announce this year’s winners.” –Melody Storm, President of Bel-Air Film Festival.
2011 Bel-Air Film Festival winning film includes: {jathumbnail off}
The 14th Indie Memphis Film Festival ran November 3rd thru 6th, and wrapped on Sunday night with its awards ceremony. A Little Closer by director Matthew Petock took the top Jury prize for best film. In the film, set in rural Virginia, Sheryl struggles to balance her work as a housekeeper and raising her two sons, fifteen year-old Marc and eleven year-old Stephen. Hoping to meet the love of her life and bring home a father for her boys, she frequents a depressing, weekly mixer for the towns aging singles set. Meanwhile, Marc is desperate to lose his virginity, and spends his days working at a used car lot. And his brother Stephen, in the throes of sexual discovery, becomes infatuated with his schoolteacher while struggling to win the approval of a group of peers who adamantly detest her.
Heaven + Earth + Joe Davis, directed by Peter Sasowsky won the Jury award for Best Documentary. The film takes the viewer with Joe Davis,a peg-legged artist and motorcycle mechanic from Mississippi, around the world and into the visual and philosophical landscape of his art.
The complete list of winners: {jathumbnail off}
Founder Sophoan Sorn will serve as guest curator and director of the 5th San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF5), taking place January 12th-14th, 2012 at the Stockton Empire Theatre on the Miracle Mile, and January 15th at the Janet Leigh Theatre at University of the Pacific. Sophoan Sorn is presently director of San Francisco’s Berlin & Beyond Film Festival. Sorn inaugurated SJIFF in June of 2008. During his three-year tenure through 2010, he expanded SJIFF […]
The Savannah College of Art and Design held its 14th annual Savannah Film Festival, October 29 – November 5, 2011 in historic downtown Savannah, Georgia and wrapped with honoring the best films that screened at the festival. This year’s competition films competed for more than $80,000 in cash and prizes.
The Greenlandic film ‘Inuk’ ddirected by American Mike Magidson was the big winner, taking home the awards for Best Narrative Feature, Best Director, and Best Editing.
2011 Savannah Film Festival award winners {jathumbnail off}
Despite rain, snow and even power outages, the 12th Flickers RI International Horror Film Festival drew crowds to the see the 42 films that were screened during the “cinematic symphony of horror”, October 27th-30th, 2011.
Attending this year were the cast and crew from eight of the international films screened during the Festival including Imposter, Vampyre Compendium, Beg, Inkubus, and Last Seen on Delores Street for their premieres along with directors and producers Marc Masciandaro, Matteo Bernardini from Italy, Devi Snively, Augustin Fuentes, and Kevin and Shanna MacDonald.
Winners of top prizes for the 2011 Festival {jathumbnail off}