This review of “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song” first appeared when the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2021.
Like the blind men of lore groping to understand an elephant by focusing on a tail or a tusk or an ear, filmmakers have tended to approach the late singer, songwriter, poet and novelist Leonard Cohen in bits and pieces. Lian Lunson looked at his career through the lens of a 2005 tribute concert in “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,” Tony Palmer’s “Leonard Cohen: Bird on a Wire” was a long-lost chronicle of a single European tour in 1972 and Nick Broomfield’s “Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love” is as much about Broomfield’s own relationship with one of Cohen’s muses, Marianne Ihlen.
And now there’s Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine’s “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, a Song.” It purports to be about a single...
Like the blind men of lore groping to understand an elephant by focusing on a tail or a tusk or an ear, filmmakers have tended to approach the late singer, songwriter, poet and novelist Leonard Cohen in bits and pieces. Lian Lunson looked at his career through the lens of a 2005 tribute concert in “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,” Tony Palmer’s “Leonard Cohen: Bird on a Wire” was a long-lost chronicle of a single European tour in 1972 and Nick Broomfield’s “Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love” is as much about Broomfield’s own relationship with one of Cohen’s muses, Marianne Ihlen.
And now there’s Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine’s “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, a Song.” It purports to be about a single...
- 6/30/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Exclusive: In an interesting international tie-up, UK sales firm Protagonist Pictures and Germany’s 7500 and Stowaway producer Augenschein are teaming up to co-represent worldwide rights on select English-language movies.
Protagonist will serve as executive producers on the films in the new partnership and work with Augenschein to source finance for the projects. The companies will invest a portion of the funds generated by the sales into the co-development of select projects, with the aim of building a co-production slate.
The strategic alliance is not fully exclusive and will not prevent either company from continuing to work with others.
This is a smart move to bolster prominence in a market in which the streamers are increasingly dominant. We’ve heard for a while about the potential for sellers and distributors teaming up to increase their pulling power and distribution footprints.
The first project under the new deal will be elevated survival...
Protagonist will serve as executive producers on the films in the new partnership and work with Augenschein to source finance for the projects. The companies will invest a portion of the funds generated by the sales into the co-development of select projects, with the aim of building a co-production slate.
The strategic alliance is not fully exclusive and will not prevent either company from continuing to work with others.
This is a smart move to bolster prominence in a market in which the streamers are increasingly dominant. We’ve heard for a while about the potential for sellers and distributors teaming up to increase their pulling power and distribution footprints.
The first project under the new deal will be elevated survival...
- 6/16/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The singularly idiosyncratic casting of Charlotte Rampling and Willie Nelson as long-married ex-vaudevillians who operate a combination trailer park, horse ranch, and performance venue could be enough of a novelty factor to attract some curiosity seekers to “Waiting for the Miracle to Come.” But the movie itself, a deliberately paced fantasia of remembrance and reconciliation, is likely to divide viewers into disparate camps of the enchanted and the enervated in a modest digital release from Spotlight Pictures.
Filmed four years earlier on locations in and around Nelson’s ranch in Spicewood, Texas — including the preserved set for a fictional Western town constructed for “Red Headed Stranger,” the 1986 film based on Nelson’s platinum-selling album — “Waiting for the Miracle to Come” is the first dramatic feature written and directed by Lian Lunson, previously best known for such musical documentaries as “Willie Nelson: Down Home,” “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,...
Filmed four years earlier on locations in and around Nelson’s ranch in Spicewood, Texas — including the preserved set for a fictional Western town constructed for “Red Headed Stranger,” the 1986 film based on Nelson’s platinum-selling album — “Waiting for the Miracle to Come” is the first dramatic feature written and directed by Lian Lunson, previously best known for such musical documentaries as “Willie Nelson: Down Home,” “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,...
- 4/29/2019
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
Former Inxs frontman Michael Hutchence is the subject of a new BBC feature doc co-produced by Studio 54 and Searching For Sugar Man producer Passion Pictures.
The British public broadcaster is to air Mystify: Michael Hutchence on BBC Two, which will feature personal footage filmed by Hutchence and his former partner Kylie Minogue.
Written and directed by Richard Lowenstein, who worked on some of the band’s early music videos, the film is co-produced by the BBC, Ghost Pictures and Passion Pictures.
The film will look to uncover the secret and mysterious side of the singer and songwriter. It will tell the story of Hutchence, who died in 1997, through rare archive footage and intimate insights from friends, lovers, family and colleagues.
It will feature interviews with Helena Christensen and Michele Bennett, who have never spoken publicly about the rock star before, Minogue, Kathy Lette, Bono, Garry Gary Beers, Andrew Farriss,...
The British public broadcaster is to air Mystify: Michael Hutchence on BBC Two, which will feature personal footage filmed by Hutchence and his former partner Kylie Minogue.
Written and directed by Richard Lowenstein, who worked on some of the band’s early music videos, the film is co-produced by the BBC, Ghost Pictures and Passion Pictures.
The film will look to uncover the secret and mysterious side of the singer and songwriter. It will tell the story of Hutchence, who died in 1997, through rare archive footage and intimate insights from friends, lovers, family and colleagues.
It will feature interviews with Helena Christensen and Michele Bennett, who have never spoken publicly about the rock star before, Minogue, Kathy Lette, Bono, Garry Gary Beers, Andrew Farriss,...
- 4/26/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Waiting For The Miracle To Come’ will star Willie Nelson, and feature an original song by Bono and Nelson.
Los Angeles-based Spotlight Pictures has launched international sales on the modern fairytale Waiting For The Miracle To Come starring Willie Nelson, with Bono and Wim Wenders on board as executive producer.
Charlotte Rampling and Sophie Lowe also star in the story of a young girl who embarks on a journey of discovery who along the way encounters faith, love, and fulfilment.
Joining Bono and Wenders on the executive producer roster are Dale Brown, Mark Rodgers and Tyler Zacharia. Lian Lunson, Gaston Pavlovich,...
Los Angeles-based Spotlight Pictures has launched international sales on the modern fairytale Waiting For The Miracle To Come starring Willie Nelson, with Bono and Wim Wenders on board as executive producer.
Charlotte Rampling and Sophie Lowe also star in the story of a young girl who embarks on a journey of discovery who along the way encounters faith, love, and fulfilment.
Joining Bono and Wenders on the executive producer roster are Dale Brown, Mark Rodgers and Tyler Zacharia. Lian Lunson, Gaston Pavlovich,...
- 5/10/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Celebrate the legendary singer-songwriter, Leonard Cohen, when the fascinating and critically acclaimed documentary, Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man, arrives for the first time on Blu-ray™ (plus Digital HD) onFebruary 7 from Lionsgate. Narrated by Cohen himself, the film features performances of Leonard Cohen songs by such luminary artists as U2, Rufus Wainwright, Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker, Antony, Martha Wainwright, and Beth Orton, among others. Bonus features on this Blu-ray™ include exclusive performances not seen in the movie by Martha Wainwright, Perla Batalla, The Handsome Family, and Teddy Thompson, as well as a conversation with Leonard Cohen and audio commentary with the director! Making its debut just before the 2017 Grammy® Awards, the Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man Blu-ray™ will be available for the suggested retail price of $14.99.
Sure to please both die-hard Cohen fans and the newly initiated, this film is full of captivating music and offers an...
Sure to please both die-hard Cohen fans and the newly initiated, this film is full of captivating music and offers an...
- 1/27/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Women In Film is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for women, encouraging creative projects by women, and expanding and enhancing portrayals of women in all forms of global media. Given that women comprise fifty percent of the population, Wif's ultimate goal is to see the same gender parity reflected on and off screen. Founded in 1973, Wif focuses on advocacy and education, provides scholarships, grants and film finishing funds and works to preserve the legacies of all women working in the entertainment community.
Since 1977, Women In Film, Los Angeles has annually honored outstanding women in the entertainment industry – women who lead by example, who are creative, groundbreaking, and who excel at their chosen fields. This year’s Crystal + Lucy Awards® fundraising dinner, in support of Wif La’s educational and philanthropic programs and its advocacy for gender parity for women throughout the industry, is being held on Tuesday, June 16 in the Los Angeles Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City. The 2015 Crystal + Lucy Awards is sponsored by Max Mara, BMW of North America, and Tiffany & Co.
This year’s Crystal + Lucy Award honorees are:
2015 Crystal Award for Excellence in Film – Nicole Kidman 2015 Lucy Award for Excellence in Television – Jill Soloway 2015 Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® – Ava DuVernay The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future®” 2015 – Kate Mara Presented by Nicola Maramotti Global Brand Ambassador for Max Mara
2015 Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award – Sue Kroll 2015 Sue Mengers Award – Toni Howard
Cathy Schulman , President of Women In Film, Los Angeles, said in making the announcement, “We are proud to celebrate an extraordinary line-up of honorees this year. Each one of these women has made extraordinary contributions to the media art, and as a group they have forged sustainable careers that are emblematic of the positive and long overdue change that is taking root for women in Hollywood.”
Iris Grossman, President Emerita of Women In Film, Los Angeles, returning this year as Chair of the Awards, said “This year’s honorees are all women who have helped change the face of the business. Through their insight, determination, resilience and talent, they add substance and depth to their creative endeavors and to the entertainment industry as a whole.”
About the Honorees
Nicole Kidman / Crystal Award for Excellence in Film
The Crystal Awards were established in 1977 to honor outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry. Past recipients include Cate Blanchett, Laura Linney, Viola Davis, Annette Bening, Donna Langley, Jennifer Aniston, Diane English and the cast of The Women, Renée Zellweger, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock, Gwyneth Paltrow, Diane Lane, Halle Berry, Laura Ziskin, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Angela Bassett, Meg Ryan, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alfre Woodard, Polly Platt, Lauren Shuler Donner, Diane Warren, Amy Heckerling, Paula Weinstein, Martha Coolidge, Buffy Shutt and Kathy Jones, Gale Anne Hurd, Nancy Malone, Maya Angelou, Lily Tomlin, Ruby Dee, Penny Marshall, Jessica Tandy, Barbara Boyle, Nikki Rocco, Jean Firstenberg, Lee Remick, Lina Wertmuller, Bette Davis, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Sherry Lansing, Nora Ephron, Dawn Steel, Fay Kanin, Lillian Gish, Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close and Amy Pascal.
Academy Award winning actress Nicole Kidman is internationally-recognized for her range and versatility. In 2002, Kidman was honored with her first Oscar nomination for her performance in the innovative musical, "Moulin Rouge!" For that role, and her performance in the psychological thriller "The Others," she received dual 2002 Golden Globe nominations, winning for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2003, Kidman won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award and a Berlin Silver Bear for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry’s "The Hours." In 2010 Kidman starred in "Rabbit Hole," for which she received Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Actress. The film was developed by Kidman’s production company, Blossom Films. In October 2012 Kidman starred in Lee Daniel’s "The Paperboy." Her performance earned her an Aacta, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nomination.
Upcoming films include "Strangerland," "The Family Fang" and "Genius." Kidman is currently in production on "The Secret in Their Eyes." Next up, she will being shooting The Weinstein Company’s "Lion."
In January of 2006, Kidman was awarded Australia’s highest honor, the Companion in the Order of Australia. She was also named, and continues to serve, as Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Un Women, whose goals are to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality, to raise awareness of the infringement on women’s human rights around the world and to end violence against women. Along with her husband, Keith Urban, she has helped raise millions over the years for the Women’s Cancer Program which is a world-renowned center for research into the causes, treatment, prevention, and eventual cure of women’s cancer.
Jill Soloway / Lucy Award for Excellence in Television
The Lucy Awards were founded in 1994 by Joanna Kerns, Bonny Dore and Loreen Arbus and are presented in association with the Lucille Ball Estate. They were named for Lucille Ball, who was not only a legendary actress and comedienne, but also a producer, studio owner, creator and director. They are given to recognize women and men and their creative works that exemplify the extraordinary accomplishments she embodied; whose excellence and innovation have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. Past recipients include: Kerry Washington, The Women Of "Mad Men" (Christina Hendricks, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Jessica Paré, Kiernan Shipka), Bonnie Hammer, Nina Tassler, Courteney Cox, Holly Hunter, Salma Hayek, Shonda Rhimes and the women of "Grey’s Anatomy," Geena Davis, Debra Messing and Megan Mullally, Blythe Danner, Lily Tomlin, Rosie O’Donnell, Amy Brenneman, Tyne Daley, Phyllis Diller, Marcy Carsey, Carol Burnett, Barbara Walters, Shari Lewis, Garry Marshall, Angela Lansbury, Marlo Thomas, Gary David Goldberg, Diahann Carroll, Tracey Ullman, Fred Silverman, Imogene Coca, Camryn Manheim, Norman Lear, Bud Yorkin and the casts of "Sex and the City," " If These Walls Could Talk" and "If These Walls Could Talk 2."
Jill Soloway is the creator of Amazon Studios' Golden Globe-winning, "Transparent," a dark, deep, silly family series about boundaries, love and secrets.
Soloway won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival for her first feature, "Afternoon Delight." She recently founded WifeyTv, an internet brand producing and curating content to ignite the feminist revolution. Soloway is a three-time Emmy nominee for her work writing and producing "Six Feet Under."
She co-created the theater experiences, "Real Live Brady Bunch," "Miss Vagina Pageant," "Hollywood Hellhouse" and "Sit N Spin," and co-founded the community organization East Side Jews. Soloway lives with her family in Silver Lake.
Ava DuVernay / Dorothy Arzner Directors Award
Dorothy Arzner was the first female member of the Directors Guild of America. In her honor, the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® was established to recognize the important role women directors play in the film and television industries. Past recipients include: Jennifer Lee, Sofia Coppola, Pamela Fryman, Lisa Cholodenko, Catherine Hardwicke, Nancy Meyers, Barbra Streisand, Mimi Leder, Barbara Kopple, Gillian Armstrong, Lian Lunson, Joey Lauren Adams and Nicole Holofcener.
Nominated for two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, five Critics Choice awards, eight NAACP Image Awards and five Independent Spirit Awards, writer/director Ava DuVernay's most recent film "Selma" chronicles the historic 1965 voting rights campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
She won the Best Director Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 for her acclaimed feature "Middle of Nowhere." Her previous narrative and documentary work includes the feature film "I Will Follow" and the documentaries Venus Vs.," "My Mic Sounds Nice" and "This is The Life."
In 2010, DuVernay founded the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (Affrm), a grassroots collective that distributes work from filmmakers of color. Prior to her directorial career, she worked as a film marketer and publicist for more than 14 years through her company, The DuVernay Agency.
Kate Mara / The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award
The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award® was inaugurated at Women In Film’s 2006 Crystal + Lucy Awards®. As the 13th year as presenting sponsor and longstanding Women In Film partner, Max Mara identifies an actress who is experiencing a turning point in her career through her work in the film and television industries with focus on her contributions to the community at large and recognizes her outstanding personal achievements and embodiment of style and grace. Past recipients include: Rose Byrne, Hailee Steinfeld, Chloë Grace Moretz, Katie Holmes, Zoë Saldana, Elizabeth Banks, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emily Blunt and Maria Bello.
Kate Mara made her feature film debut in "Random Hearts" for director Sydney Pollack. She then co-starred in Ang Lee’s "Brokeback Mountain" in which she portrayed Heath Ledger’s daughter. She also appeared in the Academy Award nominated film "127 Hours" with James Franco for director Danny Boyle and she co-starred in "Transcendence" alongside Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman, which marked the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister.
Mara recently completed filming on location in Budapest director Ridley Scott’s outer space action film The Martian alongside Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain. Last fall, she completed filming the psychological thriller "Man Down" in which she plays the wife of a war veteran, played by Shia Labeouf and "Captive" in which she stars with David Oyelowo as a single mother struggling with meth addiction in the adaptation of the best-selling book An Unlikely Angel. This summer she will film "Morgan" for director Luke Scott, son of Ridley Scott, who will produce. Audiences will next see her star in "Fantastic Four" alongside Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell.
She received an Emmy Award® nomination for her role in David Fincher’s critically acclaimed television series, "House of Cards" in which she co-starred alongside Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
Sue Kroll/ Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award
The Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award was created to honor the late director and great mentor Bruce Paltrow. This year, Wif Presenting Sponsor Tiffany & Co. has joined the Paltrow family in recognizing an entertainment industry professional who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to mentoring and supporting the next generation of filmmakers and executives. Past honorees include Kathleen Kennedy and Sherry Lansing.
Sue Kroll is President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures. As marketing chief, she oversees the strategic creation and implementation of marketing campaigns for the Studio’s global releases and collaborates closely with the Studio’s principals on the strategic development of its slate of films.
Her leadership of global marketing has propelled the studio’s releases to record-breaking box office and myriad awards. Most recently, the Best Picture Oscar nominee "American Sniper" became the top-grossing domestic film release of 2014 and has grossed more than $500 million worldwide. Other recent successes include the "Harry Potter," "Dark Knight," and "The Hobbit" film series, as well as such award-winning pictures as "Gravity," "Argo" and "The Departed."
Kroll joined Warner Bros. in 1994 and headed International Marketing from 2000 to 2008, when she was named to her current role at the studio. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Film Independent, the Los Angeles-based non-profit that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, and is one of the inaugural members of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.
Toni Howard / Sue Mengers Award
The Sue Mengers Award , named for the legendary agent and given for the first time in 2015, will be presented annually to a representative who is, and has been, instrumental in guiding careers. Sue Mengers was an icon in the entertainment industry. She was one of the most influential talent agents of her time, when women were not the norm, and she was devoted to her clients.
Toni Howard is a partner at ICM Partners. Toni joined the agency’s talent department in 1991 and quickly became a leader in the division, having served as its department head for the better part of a decade. She oversees a celebrated and eclectic group of actors who appear in film, television and on stage and have garnered an astonishing 46 Academy Award® nominations, 148 Emmy® nominations, and 125 Golden Globe® nominations. Among her award-winning clients are Alan Alda, Candice Bergen, Michael Caine, Bobby Cannavale, Edie Falco, Samuel L. Jackson, Topher Grace, Holly Hunter, Michael Keaton, Nathan Lane, Spike Lee, Laura Linney, Catherine O’Hara, Lily Rabe, Christina Ricci, Tim Robbins, Michael Sheen, Maggie Smith, James Spader, Julia Stiles, and Christopher Walken. Throughout her career at ICM Partners, Toni has mentored many young agents to incredibly successful careers of their own.
Prior to joining ICM, Toni was an agent at the William Morris Agency for seven years. She began her entertainment industry career as a casting director, working on such iconic projects as "Tootsie," "Superman," "The Right Stuff" and "Something About Amelia."
Recognized by her distinctive voice, Toni was cast by director Alexander Payne as the voice of agent ‘Evelyn Berman-Silverman’ in the film "Sideways."...
Since 1977, Women In Film, Los Angeles has annually honored outstanding women in the entertainment industry – women who lead by example, who are creative, groundbreaking, and who excel at their chosen fields. This year’s Crystal + Lucy Awards® fundraising dinner, in support of Wif La’s educational and philanthropic programs and its advocacy for gender parity for women throughout the industry, is being held on Tuesday, June 16 in the Los Angeles Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City. The 2015 Crystal + Lucy Awards is sponsored by Max Mara, BMW of North America, and Tiffany & Co.
This year’s Crystal + Lucy Award honorees are:
2015 Crystal Award for Excellence in Film – Nicole Kidman 2015 Lucy Award for Excellence in Television – Jill Soloway 2015 Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® – Ava DuVernay The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future®” 2015 – Kate Mara Presented by Nicola Maramotti Global Brand Ambassador for Max Mara
2015 Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award – Sue Kroll 2015 Sue Mengers Award – Toni Howard
Cathy Schulman , President of Women In Film, Los Angeles, said in making the announcement, “We are proud to celebrate an extraordinary line-up of honorees this year. Each one of these women has made extraordinary contributions to the media art, and as a group they have forged sustainable careers that are emblematic of the positive and long overdue change that is taking root for women in Hollywood.”
Iris Grossman, President Emerita of Women In Film, Los Angeles, returning this year as Chair of the Awards, said “This year’s honorees are all women who have helped change the face of the business. Through their insight, determination, resilience and talent, they add substance and depth to their creative endeavors and to the entertainment industry as a whole.”
About the Honorees
Nicole Kidman / Crystal Award for Excellence in Film
The Crystal Awards were established in 1977 to honor outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry. Past recipients include Cate Blanchett, Laura Linney, Viola Davis, Annette Bening, Donna Langley, Jennifer Aniston, Diane English and the cast of The Women, Renée Zellweger, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock, Gwyneth Paltrow, Diane Lane, Halle Berry, Laura Ziskin, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Angela Bassett, Meg Ryan, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alfre Woodard, Polly Platt, Lauren Shuler Donner, Diane Warren, Amy Heckerling, Paula Weinstein, Martha Coolidge, Buffy Shutt and Kathy Jones, Gale Anne Hurd, Nancy Malone, Maya Angelou, Lily Tomlin, Ruby Dee, Penny Marshall, Jessica Tandy, Barbara Boyle, Nikki Rocco, Jean Firstenberg, Lee Remick, Lina Wertmuller, Bette Davis, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Sherry Lansing, Nora Ephron, Dawn Steel, Fay Kanin, Lillian Gish, Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close and Amy Pascal.
Academy Award winning actress Nicole Kidman is internationally-recognized for her range and versatility. In 2002, Kidman was honored with her first Oscar nomination for her performance in the innovative musical, "Moulin Rouge!" For that role, and her performance in the psychological thriller "The Others," she received dual 2002 Golden Globe nominations, winning for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2003, Kidman won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award and a Berlin Silver Bear for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry’s "The Hours." In 2010 Kidman starred in "Rabbit Hole," for which she received Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Actress. The film was developed by Kidman’s production company, Blossom Films. In October 2012 Kidman starred in Lee Daniel’s "The Paperboy." Her performance earned her an Aacta, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nomination.
Upcoming films include "Strangerland," "The Family Fang" and "Genius." Kidman is currently in production on "The Secret in Their Eyes." Next up, she will being shooting The Weinstein Company’s "Lion."
In January of 2006, Kidman was awarded Australia’s highest honor, the Companion in the Order of Australia. She was also named, and continues to serve, as Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Un Women, whose goals are to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality, to raise awareness of the infringement on women’s human rights around the world and to end violence against women. Along with her husband, Keith Urban, she has helped raise millions over the years for the Women’s Cancer Program which is a world-renowned center for research into the causes, treatment, prevention, and eventual cure of women’s cancer.
Jill Soloway / Lucy Award for Excellence in Television
The Lucy Awards were founded in 1994 by Joanna Kerns, Bonny Dore and Loreen Arbus and are presented in association with the Lucille Ball Estate. They were named for Lucille Ball, who was not only a legendary actress and comedienne, but also a producer, studio owner, creator and director. They are given to recognize women and men and their creative works that exemplify the extraordinary accomplishments she embodied; whose excellence and innovation have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. Past recipients include: Kerry Washington, The Women Of "Mad Men" (Christina Hendricks, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Jessica Paré, Kiernan Shipka), Bonnie Hammer, Nina Tassler, Courteney Cox, Holly Hunter, Salma Hayek, Shonda Rhimes and the women of "Grey’s Anatomy," Geena Davis, Debra Messing and Megan Mullally, Blythe Danner, Lily Tomlin, Rosie O’Donnell, Amy Brenneman, Tyne Daley, Phyllis Diller, Marcy Carsey, Carol Burnett, Barbara Walters, Shari Lewis, Garry Marshall, Angela Lansbury, Marlo Thomas, Gary David Goldberg, Diahann Carroll, Tracey Ullman, Fred Silverman, Imogene Coca, Camryn Manheim, Norman Lear, Bud Yorkin and the casts of "Sex and the City," " If These Walls Could Talk" and "If These Walls Could Talk 2."
Jill Soloway is the creator of Amazon Studios' Golden Globe-winning, "Transparent," a dark, deep, silly family series about boundaries, love and secrets.
Soloway won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival for her first feature, "Afternoon Delight." She recently founded WifeyTv, an internet brand producing and curating content to ignite the feminist revolution. Soloway is a three-time Emmy nominee for her work writing and producing "Six Feet Under."
She co-created the theater experiences, "Real Live Brady Bunch," "Miss Vagina Pageant," "Hollywood Hellhouse" and "Sit N Spin," and co-founded the community organization East Side Jews. Soloway lives with her family in Silver Lake.
Ava DuVernay / Dorothy Arzner Directors Award
Dorothy Arzner was the first female member of the Directors Guild of America. In her honor, the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® was established to recognize the important role women directors play in the film and television industries. Past recipients include: Jennifer Lee, Sofia Coppola, Pamela Fryman, Lisa Cholodenko, Catherine Hardwicke, Nancy Meyers, Barbra Streisand, Mimi Leder, Barbara Kopple, Gillian Armstrong, Lian Lunson, Joey Lauren Adams and Nicole Holofcener.
Nominated for two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, five Critics Choice awards, eight NAACP Image Awards and five Independent Spirit Awards, writer/director Ava DuVernay's most recent film "Selma" chronicles the historic 1965 voting rights campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
She won the Best Director Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 for her acclaimed feature "Middle of Nowhere." Her previous narrative and documentary work includes the feature film "I Will Follow" and the documentaries Venus Vs.," "My Mic Sounds Nice" and "This is The Life."
In 2010, DuVernay founded the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (Affrm), a grassroots collective that distributes work from filmmakers of color. Prior to her directorial career, she worked as a film marketer and publicist for more than 14 years through her company, The DuVernay Agency.
Kate Mara / The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award
The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award® was inaugurated at Women In Film’s 2006 Crystal + Lucy Awards®. As the 13th year as presenting sponsor and longstanding Women In Film partner, Max Mara identifies an actress who is experiencing a turning point in her career through her work in the film and television industries with focus on her contributions to the community at large and recognizes her outstanding personal achievements and embodiment of style and grace. Past recipients include: Rose Byrne, Hailee Steinfeld, Chloë Grace Moretz, Katie Holmes, Zoë Saldana, Elizabeth Banks, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emily Blunt and Maria Bello.
Kate Mara made her feature film debut in "Random Hearts" for director Sydney Pollack. She then co-starred in Ang Lee’s "Brokeback Mountain" in which she portrayed Heath Ledger’s daughter. She also appeared in the Academy Award nominated film "127 Hours" with James Franco for director Danny Boyle and she co-starred in "Transcendence" alongside Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman, which marked the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister.
Mara recently completed filming on location in Budapest director Ridley Scott’s outer space action film The Martian alongside Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain. Last fall, she completed filming the psychological thriller "Man Down" in which she plays the wife of a war veteran, played by Shia Labeouf and "Captive" in which she stars with David Oyelowo as a single mother struggling with meth addiction in the adaptation of the best-selling book An Unlikely Angel. This summer she will film "Morgan" for director Luke Scott, son of Ridley Scott, who will produce. Audiences will next see her star in "Fantastic Four" alongside Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell.
She received an Emmy Award® nomination for her role in David Fincher’s critically acclaimed television series, "House of Cards" in which she co-starred alongside Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
Sue Kroll/ Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award
The Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award was created to honor the late director and great mentor Bruce Paltrow. This year, Wif Presenting Sponsor Tiffany & Co. has joined the Paltrow family in recognizing an entertainment industry professional who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to mentoring and supporting the next generation of filmmakers and executives. Past honorees include Kathleen Kennedy and Sherry Lansing.
Sue Kroll is President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures. As marketing chief, she oversees the strategic creation and implementation of marketing campaigns for the Studio’s global releases and collaborates closely with the Studio’s principals on the strategic development of its slate of films.
Her leadership of global marketing has propelled the studio’s releases to record-breaking box office and myriad awards. Most recently, the Best Picture Oscar nominee "American Sniper" became the top-grossing domestic film release of 2014 and has grossed more than $500 million worldwide. Other recent successes include the "Harry Potter," "Dark Knight," and "The Hobbit" film series, as well as such award-winning pictures as "Gravity," "Argo" and "The Departed."
Kroll joined Warner Bros. in 1994 and headed International Marketing from 2000 to 2008, when she was named to her current role at the studio. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Film Independent, the Los Angeles-based non-profit that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, and is one of the inaugural members of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.
Toni Howard / Sue Mengers Award
The Sue Mengers Award , named for the legendary agent and given for the first time in 2015, will be presented annually to a representative who is, and has been, instrumental in guiding careers. Sue Mengers was an icon in the entertainment industry. She was one of the most influential talent agents of her time, when women were not the norm, and she was devoted to her clients.
Toni Howard is a partner at ICM Partners. Toni joined the agency’s talent department in 1991 and quickly became a leader in the division, having served as its department head for the better part of a decade. She oversees a celebrated and eclectic group of actors who appear in film, television and on stage and have garnered an astonishing 46 Academy Award® nominations, 148 Emmy® nominations, and 125 Golden Globe® nominations. Among her award-winning clients are Alan Alda, Candice Bergen, Michael Caine, Bobby Cannavale, Edie Falco, Samuel L. Jackson, Topher Grace, Holly Hunter, Michael Keaton, Nathan Lane, Spike Lee, Laura Linney, Catherine O’Hara, Lily Rabe, Christina Ricci, Tim Robbins, Michael Sheen, Maggie Smith, James Spader, Julia Stiles, and Christopher Walken. Throughout her career at ICM Partners, Toni has mentored many young agents to incredibly successful careers of their own.
Prior to joining ICM, Toni was an agent at the William Morris Agency for seven years. She began her entertainment industry career as a casting director, working on such iconic projects as "Tootsie," "Superman," "The Right Stuff" and "Something About Amelia."
Recognized by her distinctive voice, Toni was cast by director Alexander Payne as the voice of agent ‘Evelyn Berman-Silverman’ in the film "Sideways."...
- 4/6/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Sophie Lowe and Gillian Alexy are among the Aussies making waves in Hollywood.
Lowe has just scored the co-lead in the feature Waiting for the Miracle to Come alongside Willie Nelson and Charlotte Rampling.
Alexy will star in drama series Outsiders, a tale of the struggle for power and control in the hills of Appalachia commissioned by the cable channel Wgn America.
Meanwhile Sullivan Stapleton will play an FBI special agent who investigates the case of a beautiful young tattooed woman whose memory has been wiped in the NBC drama pilot Blindspot.
Waiting for the Miracle to Come is the debut feature from writer-director Lian Lunson, whose credits include the documentaries Leonard Cohen: I.m Your Man and Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You: A Concert for Kate McGarrigle.
U2 frontman Bono will co-executive produce and write a song for Nelson which he will sing in the film,...
Lowe has just scored the co-lead in the feature Waiting for the Miracle to Come alongside Willie Nelson and Charlotte Rampling.
Alexy will star in drama series Outsiders, a tale of the struggle for power and control in the hills of Appalachia commissioned by the cable channel Wgn America.
Meanwhile Sullivan Stapleton will play an FBI special agent who investigates the case of a beautiful young tattooed woman whose memory has been wiped in the NBC drama pilot Blindspot.
Waiting for the Miracle to Come is the debut feature from writer-director Lian Lunson, whose credits include the documentaries Leonard Cohen: I.m Your Man and Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You: A Concert for Kate McGarrigle.
U2 frontman Bono will co-executive produce and write a song for Nelson which he will sing in the film,...
- 2/18/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
Willie Nelson's "Luck, Texas" — the Old West film set that sits on a corner of his sprawling Hill Country ranch — is opening its saloon doors to Hollywood once again. Waiting for the Miracle to Come, a fantasy adventure flick starring the country icon in one of its lead roles, will be filmed in the same Lone Star spot built for 1986's Red Headed Stranger, with production set to begin in March.
Written and directed by Australian filmmaker Lian Lunson, Waiting for the Miracle to Come is about a young girl,...
Written and directed by Australian filmmaker Lian Lunson, Waiting for the Miracle to Come is about a young girl,...
- 2/18/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Willie Nelson, Charlotte Rampling and newcomer Sophie Lowe have been cast in Waiting For The Miracle To Come, which will be the first feature film from writer-director Lian Lunson, whose previous music-centric documentaries include the Leonard Cohen pic Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man. Production is set to start next month at Nelson’s hometown of Spicewood, Texas. The pic will be exec produced by Lunson collaborators Bono and Wim Wenders; the U2 frontman will write an…...
- 2/18/2015
- Deadline
Production is set to begin next month in Texas on Lian Lunson’s Waiting For The Miracle To Come starring Willie Nelson, Charlotte Rampling and newcomer Sophie Lowe.
Lunson’s (pictured) Horse Pictures produces alongside Molly Mayeux, Terence Berry and Fabrica de Cine head Gaston Pavlovich, while Cave Pictures’ Dale Brown and Mark Rodgers serve as executive producers with Matthew Malek, Wim Wenders and Bono.
Fabrica de Cine recently boarded Martin Scorsese’s passion project Silence, which is currently shooting.
Waiting For The Miracle To Come will shoot at Nelson’s private ranch, Luck, and tells of a young woman whose quest for gold takes her on a journey more rewarding than she ever imagined.
“I wrote this script for Willie Nelson — his presence and stillness as an actor is unlike anyone else,” said Lunson, who wrote the screenplay and makes her feature directorial debut.
“And growing up I always wanted to be Charlotte Rampling, so bringing...
Lunson’s (pictured) Horse Pictures produces alongside Molly Mayeux, Terence Berry and Fabrica de Cine head Gaston Pavlovich, while Cave Pictures’ Dale Brown and Mark Rodgers serve as executive producers with Matthew Malek, Wim Wenders and Bono.
Fabrica de Cine recently boarded Martin Scorsese’s passion project Silence, which is currently shooting.
Waiting For The Miracle To Come will shoot at Nelson’s private ranch, Luck, and tells of a young woman whose quest for gold takes her on a journey more rewarding than she ever imagined.
“I wrote this script for Willie Nelson — his presence and stillness as an actor is unlike anyone else,” said Lunson, who wrote the screenplay and makes her feature directorial debut.
“And growing up I always wanted to be Charlotte Rampling, so bringing...
- 2/18/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The Trust
Veteran comedian Jerry Lewis has signed on to join Nicolas Cage, Elijah Wood and Sky Ferreira in Ben and Alex Brewer's currently shooting drama "The Trust". Lewis will play the father of Cage's character.
Cage and Wood play two corrupt cops who are stuck working the evidence room of the Las Vegas police department. When one discovers there is a vault full of drug money sealed in the back of a convenience store, both cops team up to pull a heist. [Source: Deadline]
Untitled Kelly Reichardt Project
Michelle Williams will reteam with her "Wendy and Lucy" and "Meek's Cutoff" director Kelly Reichardt for a third and currently untitled indie drama. Reichardt is writing and directing, but plot details are unknown at this time. [Source: Variety]
Waiting For The Miracle To Come
Willie Nelson, Charlotte Rampling and newcomer Sophie Lowe have been cast in Lian Lunson's first film "Waiting For The Miracle To Come...
Veteran comedian Jerry Lewis has signed on to join Nicolas Cage, Elijah Wood and Sky Ferreira in Ben and Alex Brewer's currently shooting drama "The Trust". Lewis will play the father of Cage's character.
Cage and Wood play two corrupt cops who are stuck working the evidence room of the Las Vegas police department. When one discovers there is a vault full of drug money sealed in the back of a convenience store, both cops team up to pull a heist. [Source: Deadline]
Untitled Kelly Reichardt Project
Michelle Williams will reteam with her "Wendy and Lucy" and "Meek's Cutoff" director Kelly Reichardt for a third and currently untitled indie drama. Reichardt is writing and directing, but plot details are unknown at this time. [Source: Variety]
Waiting For The Miracle To Come
Willie Nelson, Charlotte Rampling and newcomer Sophie Lowe have been cast in Lian Lunson's first film "Waiting For The Miracle To Come...
- 2/18/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The Sundance Institute today announced the fifteen independent films that will make their digital debut this fall via the Institute's Artist Services program, which provides access to self-distribution for artists supported by the Institute. Titles will come out between August 13 and September 17. There is a very diverse range of films, but perhaps the most exciting is "Sing Me The Song That Says I Love You: A Concert For Kate McGarrigle," the recorded tribute concert for renowned Canadian singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle featuring her well known musical family – children Rufus and Martha Wainwright, older sisters Anna and Jane – and musical friends including Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, and Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons). Directed by Lian Lunson, the film made its world premiere at Sundance London in 2012 and had a theatrical run earlier this summer. See below for the full list of releases. For details visit sundance.org/nowplaying. Titles Available August 13 "An.
- 7/30/2013
- by Madeline Raynor
- Indiewire
The miracle of Rufus Wainwright's voice—that it can be at once so strong and so tender—is also the miracle of Wainwright's family, both in temperament and talent, right back to the singing and songwriting of Rufus and Martha Wainwright's mother, Kate McGarrigle, and her sister Anna. A song like Kate's "Talk to Me of Mendocino" unfolds like a map of plaintive, universal feeling, even as the exact destinations it charts it are wholly specific to her. That song and a host of other sun-touched folk numbers from the late Canadian singer receive stirring treatment in Lian Lunson's Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You, a stirring performance film documenting a Town Hall tribute concert organized by the Wainwrights and Anna McGarrigle in 2011, a year after Kate's death. Tho...
- 6/26/2013
- Village Voice
The concert doc Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You, Rufus and Martha Wainwright’s moving tribute to their recently deceased mom, Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle, screened to a packed theater at the Berlinale last week. (Participants in the film, directed by Lian Lunson, include Anna McGarrigle, Kate’s sister and writing partner; Norah Jones; and Jimmy Fallon, who tap-dances and does a song using a washboard and spoons.) Though Rufus was a bit jet-lagged and partied-out after a long night at the Paris Bar — “a fantastic institution of classic Berlinism,” as he put it — he was happy to be back in the city where he first got together with his husband, Jörn, and recorded his 2007 album Release the Stars. We spoke to him and Martha about the film, their competitive streak, and fame.Sing Me the Songs doesn’t have a lot of talking heads — most...
- 2/19/2013
- by Miranda Siegel
- Vulture
One of the highlights of my year has definitely been Sundance London, the first time Robert Redford’s film festival ever took its name outside of the Us, and brought it to our shores here in the UK.
For a weekend in April, we got the chance to see just over a dozen feature films that had debuted in January at Sundance in the Us, including the likes of Ry Russo-Young’s Nobody Walks, Josh Radnor’s Liberal Arts, and one of my personal favourite films of the year, Colin Trevorrow’s Safety Not Guaranteed.
In the intervening months, we’ve been awaiting confirmation on the festival’s fate for next year, and now Sundance have officially announced that Sundance London will not only be returning to the capital in 2013, but in 2014 as well.
The second Sundance London will be held from 25th-28th April, 2013, with passes and ticket packages...
For a weekend in April, we got the chance to see just over a dozen feature films that had debuted in January at Sundance in the Us, including the likes of Ry Russo-Young’s Nobody Walks, Josh Radnor’s Liberal Arts, and one of my personal favourite films of the year, Colin Trevorrow’s Safety Not Guaranteed.
In the intervening months, we’ve been awaiting confirmation on the festival’s fate for next year, and now Sundance have officially announced that Sundance London will not only be returning to the capital in 2013, but in 2014 as well.
The second Sundance London will be held from 25th-28th April, 2013, with passes and ticket packages...
- 10/25/2012
- by Kenji Lloyd
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Robert Redford says his Sundance London will be back next year after warm UK welcome for independent film festival
Robert Redford's Sundance film festival is to return to London for the second year running, the Oscar-winning actor and film-maker has announced. The event, which features films from Redford's annual celebration of independent movie-making in Park City, Utah, will take place from 25 to 28 April 2013 at the O2. It will also be returning in 2014.
"Sundance was warmly welcomed to London by engaged and adventurous audiences eager to take a chance on independent film, and this makes a second year all the more exciting for us," Redford said in a statement.
"The vibrant arts community in London has informed this decision as much as anything. Seeing what comes of nurturing a broader global community for new voices and varied perspectives in American independent film and music seems a worthy 21st-century endeavour."
The...
Robert Redford's Sundance film festival is to return to London for the second year running, the Oscar-winning actor and film-maker has announced. The event, which features films from Redford's annual celebration of independent movie-making in Park City, Utah, will take place from 25 to 28 April 2013 at the O2. It will also be returning in 2014.
"Sundance was warmly welcomed to London by engaged and adventurous audiences eager to take a chance on independent film, and this makes a second year all the more exciting for us," Redford said in a statement.
"The vibrant arts community in London has informed this decision as much as anything. Seeing what comes of nurturing a broader global community for new voices and varied perspectives in American independent film and music seems a worthy 21st-century endeavour."
The...
- 10/22/2012
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
London -- Rufus and Martha Wainwright are to unite on stage to perform and host a Q&A following the world premiere of Sing Me The Songs That Say I Love You ~ A Concert for Kate McGarrigle, as part of the inaugural Sundance London festival. Organizers said the Lian Lunson-directed movie about the music of the mother of the brother and sister will precede the event with the Wainwrigtht singer-songer writing dynasty as part of several special events for the movie and music festival. There will also be a worldwide theatrical premiere screening of documentary Coming Up For Air about rock act Placebo,
read more...
read more...
- 3/20/2012
- by Stuart Kemp
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Christopher Walken, Shirley MacLaine, Ashley Greene and Adam Beach have all joined the cast of the upcoming Lian Lunson’s project titled The Boom Boom Room!
The whole thing is already being described as “a magical tale set in a desert milieu” and you must admit that with this team on board it already sounds interesting.
Australian director/writer Lian Lunson describes the story as having “the essences of everyday life but in a fairy tale landscape, but thanks to the guys from the Playlist, we have more details about the whole thing, so check it out:
“In the California desert, in a mystical and magical town, live the once great Vaudeville stars, Dixie Meade and Jimmy Riggs (Walken and MacLaine). They have long awaited the return of the baby girl they were forced to give up to find her way back to them. One day, Adeline Winter (Ashley Greene), a mysterious and beautiful girl,...
The whole thing is already being described as “a magical tale set in a desert milieu” and you must admit that with this team on board it already sounds interesting.
Australian director/writer Lian Lunson describes the story as having “the essences of everyday life but in a fairy tale landscape, but thanks to the guys from the Playlist, we have more details about the whole thing, so check it out:
“In the California desert, in a mystical and magical town, live the once great Vaudeville stars, Dixie Meade and Jimmy Riggs (Walken and MacLaine). They have long awaited the return of the baby girl they were forced to give up to find her way back to them. One day, Adeline Winter (Ashley Greene), a mysterious and beautiful girl,...
- 2/20/2011
- by Fiona
- Filmofilia
Here are a few interesting and/or noteworthy projects that were recently added to IMDbPro's database of development titles.
Mr. Hughes – Christopher Nolan is moving on from billionaire Batman Bruce Wayne to billionaire bat-crazy Howard Hughes with his next film - a pet project based on Michael Drosnin's biography "Citizen Hughes: The Power, the Money and the Madness," which recounts the wealthy aviator's extensive handwritten memoir.
The Look of Love – Diane Keaton and Ed Harris star in the romancer from Arie Posin about a widow who finds herself overcome with emotions when she meets a guy who bears a striking resemblance to her late husband.
The Boom Boom Room – Christopher Walken, Shirely MacLaine, Adam Beach and Ashley Greene star in Aussie filmmaker Lian Lunson's fairy tale drama about a pair of desert-dwelling former Vaudeville stars whose lives become intertwined with a young, beautiful girl. Bono and director Wim Wenders serve as the film's executive producers.
Free Ride – Aberration Films' Susan Dynner (Punk's Not Dead) produces this indie project written and directed by Shana Sosin that was recently selected to participate in Film Independent's 10th annual Director's Lab. The film centers on a single mom caught up in the Florida drug trade during the late 1970s as she struggles to make a better life for her two daughters.
The Bridge on the Drina – Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica's latest opus takes place in a Bosnian town and chronicles three centuries of the war-torn region's transformations. Kusturica will adapt the screenplay based on Nobel Prize-winning author Ivo Andric's 1945 novel of the same name.
If you know of something in the works, you can submit it via our online submission form.
Mr. Hughes – Christopher Nolan is moving on from billionaire Batman Bruce Wayne to billionaire bat-crazy Howard Hughes with his next film - a pet project based on Michael Drosnin's biography "Citizen Hughes: The Power, the Money and the Madness," which recounts the wealthy aviator's extensive handwritten memoir.
The Look of Love – Diane Keaton and Ed Harris star in the romancer from Arie Posin about a widow who finds herself overcome with emotions when she meets a guy who bears a striking resemblance to her late husband.
The Boom Boom Room – Christopher Walken, Shirely MacLaine, Adam Beach and Ashley Greene star in Aussie filmmaker Lian Lunson's fairy tale drama about a pair of desert-dwelling former Vaudeville stars whose lives become intertwined with a young, beautiful girl. Bono and director Wim Wenders serve as the film's executive producers.
Free Ride – Aberration Films' Susan Dynner (Punk's Not Dead) produces this indie project written and directed by Shana Sosin that was recently selected to participate in Film Independent's 10th annual Director's Lab. The film centers on a single mom caught up in the Florida drug trade during the late 1970s as she struggles to make a better life for her two daughters.
The Bridge on the Drina – Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica's latest opus takes place in a Bosnian town and chronicles three centuries of the war-torn region's transformations. Kusturica will adapt the screenplay based on Nobel Prize-winning author Ivo Andric's 1945 novel of the same name.
If you know of something in the works, you can submit it via our online submission form.
- 2/19/2011
- by Eric Greene
- IMDbPro News
Australian actress Lian Lunson is set to make her debut dramatic feature with the the contemporary fable "The Boom Boom Room" and has assembled an impressive cast to help her out reports Screen Daily.
Acting veterans Christopher Walken and Shirely MacLaine will join young stars Ashley Greene ("Twilight") and Adam Beach (”Flags Of Our Fathers,” “Windtalkers”) in the story of a young woman (Greene) who sets out on a journey to learn the truth about her family. She soon comes upon a pair of old vaudeville stars (Walken, MacLaine) who transform her life.
Bono and director Wim Wenders will serve as executive producers. Lunson, who wrote the script, also directed the acclaimed Leonard Cohen documentary “I’m Your Man".
Acting veterans Christopher Walken and Shirely MacLaine will join young stars Ashley Greene ("Twilight") and Adam Beach (”Flags Of Our Fathers,” “Windtalkers”) in the story of a young woman (Greene) who sets out on a journey to learn the truth about her family. She soon comes upon a pair of old vaudeville stars (Walken, MacLaine) who transform her life.
Bono and director Wim Wenders will serve as executive producers. Lunson, who wrote the script, also directed the acclaimed Leonard Cohen documentary “I’m Your Man".
- 2/15/2011
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Sit back, close your eyes, and imagine the pleasure of hearing Christopher Walken say the words, "Boom boom room". Imagine the different permutations: the dark whisper; the clipped, shouted exclamation; the weirdly emphasised enunciation. And be happy in the knowledge that all this may soon come to pass, since The Boom Boom Room has cast Walken, along with Shirley MacLaine, Twilight star Ashley Greene, and Adam Beach.There are few details so far, but the sales pitch has it as a magical tale set in the New Mexico desert, featuring a young woman's quest to unravel a secret in her family's past. It's not too much of a stretch to infer that Greene is the young woman then, and that Walken and MacLaine will be the two retired Vaudeville stars she encounters on her life-changing journey.Lian Lunson (Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man) will direct from his own screenplay, and...
- 2/15/2011
- EmpireOnline
Ashley Greene, Chris Walken, Shirley MacLaine & Adam Beach To Star In Lian Lunson's 'Boom Boom Room'
Exclusive Long-Form Synopsis Given Australian filmmaker and actress Lian Lunson is heading in a completely different direction for her debut feature-length dramatic effort. The helmer behind the celebrated Leonard Cohen documentary, "I'm Your Man," which featured a memorable and intimate Bono, Edge and Cohen performance in New York's tiny Slipper Room venue, is venturing into the narrative feature arena for her next picture. And she's amassed quite the cast. Titled, "The Boom Boom Room," the mystical drama and modern-day fable will feature Christopher Walken, Shirely MacLaine, "Twilight" starlette Ashley Greene and Adam Beach ("Flags Of Our Fathers," "Windtalkers") with Bono…...
- 2/14/2011
- The Playlist
The Toronto International Film Festival is definitely starting off with a bang this year. First,we learned that Tiff was ignoring the tradition of opening the fest with a Canadian film when Jon Amiel's Creation was selected to kick things off. (Even though there are a few free screenings earlier on Thursday's Day One, plus Lone Scherfig's An Education, which is starting a half hour before Creation around the corner from the opening-night Elgin Theatre.) But at least, while not official, the first Tiff film is actually a screening of Lian Lunson's Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, so some Can-Con informally starts things off.
But this twist was only step one. Next came the protests.
See, the festival is starting a new program this year called City to City, which showcases a group of films that are focused on a particular locale. The inaugural location: Tel Aviv.
But this twist was only step one. Next came the protests.
See, the festival is starting a new program this year called City to City, which showcases a group of films that are focused on a particular locale. The inaugural location: Tel Aviv.
- 9/10/2009
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
- This year Ioncinema.com is covering the 2006 edition of the Sundance Film Festival Live from Park City, Utah. Weâ.ll be on hand to cover the festival, and while we wonâ.t be able to cover everything from A to Z: here is a comprehensive beforehand look at the selections in each of the festivalâ.s sections. (Note: To access individual preview pages, simply click on the links below) January 19th to the 29th, 2006Counting Down: updateCountdownClock('January 19, 2006'); A Matter of Degrees - Davis Guggenheim Adam's Apples - Anders Thomas Jensen All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise - Shari Cookson Battle in Heaven - Carlos Reygadas Beyond Beats and Rhymes: A Hip-Hop Head Weighs In On Manhood in Hip-Hop Culture - Byron Hurt Clear Cut: The Story of Philomath, Oregon - Peter Richardson Dreamland - Jason Matzner Ev Confidential: Who Killed the Electric Car? - Chris Paine Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out
- 1/16/2006
- IONCINEMA.com
TORONTO -- Built around a tribute concert that took place at the Sydney Opera House in January of this year, "Leonard Cohen I'm Your Man" is an affectionate and intimate celebration of the acclaimed troubadour in stirring music and words.
Culling 13 performances from the "Came So Far for Beauty" evening, which was produced by concept album maestro Hal Willner, Australian filmmaker Lian Lunson has gracefully woven in testimonials from his musical peers, personal photos and artwork, and alternately candid and amusing self-analysis from the notoriously private man of the hour-and-a-half, himself.
While Cohen's far-reaching fan base will be pleased -- his ruminations on love and loneliness have been embraced by everybody from Diana Ross to punk rockers -- the Lions Gate release also serves as a terrific primer for the as-yet uninitiated.
Among the many musical riches are heartfelt performances of Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel #2" and "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright, who's accompanied on the latter by his sister Martha and Joan Wasser; while "Suzanne" and "I'm Your Man" are done interpretive justice by Nick Cave.
There's also a beautiful rendition of "Anthem" by Perla Battala and Julie Christensen and a delightfully theatrical take on "Death of a Ladies Man" by Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton.
And, as icing on Cohen's 70th birthday cake, the man whose low, gravelly rumble of a singing voice only grows more intriguing with age is joined by U2 for an eloquent reading of "Tower of Song" produced exclusively for the film.
The only drawback is that many of those terrific performances are subject to requisite cutaways to pertinent images or interview subjects in the interest of pacing and time, but presumably they'll be made available for enjoying uninterrupted and repeatedly on DVD.
LEONARD COHEN I'M YOUR MAN
Lions Gate Films
Credits:
Director: Lian Lunson
Producers: Lian Lunson, Mel Gibson
Executive producers: Erik Nelson, Kevin Beggs, Sandra Stern, Bruce Davey
Cinematographers: Geoff Hall, John Pirozzi, Lian Lunson, Brit Marling
Editor: Mike Cahill
Music: Leonard Cohen
Performers:
Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Bert Orton, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family, Antony, Julie Christensen, Perla Battala, Leonard Cohen and U2
Running time -- 98 minutes
MPAA rating: Not yet rated...
Culling 13 performances from the "Came So Far for Beauty" evening, which was produced by concept album maestro Hal Willner, Australian filmmaker Lian Lunson has gracefully woven in testimonials from his musical peers, personal photos and artwork, and alternately candid and amusing self-analysis from the notoriously private man of the hour-and-a-half, himself.
While Cohen's far-reaching fan base will be pleased -- his ruminations on love and loneliness have been embraced by everybody from Diana Ross to punk rockers -- the Lions Gate release also serves as a terrific primer for the as-yet uninitiated.
Among the many musical riches are heartfelt performances of Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel #2" and "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright, who's accompanied on the latter by his sister Martha and Joan Wasser; while "Suzanne" and "I'm Your Man" are done interpretive justice by Nick Cave.
There's also a beautiful rendition of "Anthem" by Perla Battala and Julie Christensen and a delightfully theatrical take on "Death of a Ladies Man" by Jarvis Cocker and Beth Orton.
And, as icing on Cohen's 70th birthday cake, the man whose low, gravelly rumble of a singing voice only grows more intriguing with age is joined by U2 for an eloquent reading of "Tower of Song" produced exclusively for the film.
The only drawback is that many of those terrific performances are subject to requisite cutaways to pertinent images or interview subjects in the interest of pacing and time, but presumably they'll be made available for enjoying uninterrupted and repeatedly on DVD.
LEONARD COHEN I'M YOUR MAN
Lions Gate Films
Credits:
Director: Lian Lunson
Producers: Lian Lunson, Mel Gibson
Executive producers: Erik Nelson, Kevin Beggs, Sandra Stern, Bruce Davey
Cinematographers: Geoff Hall, John Pirozzi, Lian Lunson, Brit Marling
Editor: Mike Cahill
Music: Leonard Cohen
Performers:
Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Bert Orton, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family, Antony, Julie Christensen, Perla Battala, Leonard Cohen and U2
Running time -- 98 minutes
MPAA rating: Not yet rated...
- 9/12/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- The Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday snapped back to reality by unveiling 29 documentaries for its upcoming lineup, including world premieres for films by Sydney Pollack, Josh Gilbert and Ward Serril. Toronto booked Sydney Pollack's Sketches of Frank Gehry -- a portrait of the famed architect -- into its Masters series, while also welcoming Ward Serrill's The Heart of the Game, a look at a high school girls basketball team. U.S. director Lian Lunson is bringing Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, a portrait of the music artist, while slots have been reserved for Danish director Tomas Gislason's Tour de France docu Overcoming, and Alex Hinton's Pick Up the Mic, a portrait of the underground gay hip hop movement.
- 8/11/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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