Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group/Entertainment Studios, has acquired North American VOD rights to the Horror-Thriller Sanzaru. Sanzaru will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms on November 16, 2021 through Freestyle Digital Media. Check out this scary trailer:
Sanzaru is a horror-thriller that tells the story of a nurse hired to care for an elderly woman who uncovers a shocking family secret. Evelyn, a young Filipina nurse, is living on an isolated estate while taking care of Dena, the aging matriarch of a Texas family. As Dena slips deeper into dementia, Evelyn begins to sense something ominous lurking behind the walls. Is the house a conduit for a malevolent supernatural force? Or is she just hearing things? As Evelyn’s paranoia pushes her to uncover her employer’s awful past, she may...
Sanzaru is a horror-thriller that tells the story of a nurse hired to care for an elderly woman who uncovers a shocking family secret. Evelyn, a young Filipina nurse, is living on an isolated estate while taking care of Dena, the aging matriarch of a Texas family. As Dena slips deeper into dementia, Evelyn begins to sense something ominous lurking behind the walls. Is the house a conduit for a malevolent supernatural force? Or is she just hearing things? As Evelyn’s paranoia pushes her to uncover her employer’s awful past, she may...
- 10/26/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Exclusive: Dark Sky Film has picked up U.S. distribution rights to Tribeca drama-horror My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To. The deal was negotiated by Ryan Kampe on behalf of Visit Films and Greg Newman on behalf of Dark Sky Films. The film follows two mysterious siblings who find themselves at odds over care for their frail and sickly younger brother. Starring are Patrick Fugit, Ingrid Sophie Schram, and Owen Campbell. Pic is written and directed by Jonathan Cuartas. Producers are Patrick Fugit, Kenny Riches, Ian Peterson, Anthony Pedone, and Jesse Brown. Visit Films is continuing international sales during the virtual Toronto market. Newman said, “My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To features standout performances and as a talented first time filmmaker, Cuartas is one to watch. We’re thrilled to be bringing this film to U.S. audiences.”
Jason Isaacs has joined the cast...
Jason Isaacs has joined the cast...
- 9/17/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
"Living here, you'll see, time has a way of standing still..." Dualist Films has unveiled an official trailer for an indie romantic comedy titled A Name Without a Place, the latest film from filmmaker Kenny Riches. This is an odd one. After a young man arrives in the Florida Keys, he meets the girl of his dreams. They escape troubles with the locals and stumble upon a secret estate of a narcissistic recluse, who may or may not have found the fountain of youth. Starring Charlotte Best and Bryan Burton as the main couple, Emma Lee and Gordon, plus Patrick Fugit, Elizabeth McGovern, Chris Parnell, David Sullivan, Siddharth Dhananjay, and Christine McCarthy. Well, this looks like an interesting film, not like anything else we've ever seen. I am digging Fugit's crazy-but-cool performance. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Kenny Riches' A Name Without a Place, direct from YouTube: Having...
- 8/25/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In today’s film news roundup, a Neil Armstrong documentary and “The Invisible Man” get release dates, “Forrest Gump” and “Saving Private Ryan” get re-released and Patrick Fugit gets cast.
Release Dates
Gravitas Ventures has bought worldwide rights to the Neil Armstrong documentary “Armstrong” and will open the film on July 12 in theaters and on demand, Variety has learned exclusively.
“Armstrong,” featuring the voice of Harrison Ford, is directed by David Fairhead (“Spitfire” and “Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo”), and produced by Gareth Dodds and Keith Haviland (“The Last Man on the Moon”). The film will open eight days before the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
“Armstrong” will include never-before-seen family home-movie footage and photos, showcasing Armstrong’s service as a fighter pilot in Korea, his test-pilot days, and the Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 missions.
****
Universal Pictures has set a March 13, 2020, release date for “The Invisible Man,...
Release Dates
Gravitas Ventures has bought worldwide rights to the Neil Armstrong documentary “Armstrong” and will open the film on July 12 in theaters and on demand, Variety has learned exclusively.
“Armstrong,” featuring the voice of Harrison Ford, is directed by David Fairhead (“Spitfire” and “Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo”), and produced by Gareth Dodds and Keith Haviland (“The Last Man on the Moon”). The film will open eight days before the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.
“Armstrong” will include never-before-seen family home-movie footage and photos, showcasing Armstrong’s service as a fighter pilot in Korea, his test-pilot days, and the Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 missions.
****
Universal Pictures has set a March 13, 2020, release date for “The Invisible Man,...
- 5/21/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Now in its 36th year, the Miami Intl. Film Festival continues to reflect the cultural vitality and international mindset of its home city. For festival director Jaie Laplante, the programming’s decidedly global focus is a way of accurately representing the city.
“Miami is a very dynamic and cosmopolitan place, really a crossroads between Europe and Latin America,” he says.
This year’s edition, which runs from March 1-10, will showcase more than 160 films from more than 40 different countries.
“We’ve always had a special affinity for works from the Ibero-American world — Spain, Portugal, the Caribbean, Central America, South America,” Laplante says. “It’s a reputation that has been built up over the years.”
To find the most significant international films, Miami’s programmers maintain a presence at the San Sebastian Intl. Film Festival, as well as at those in Ventana Sur and Buenos Aires.
There’s a significant amount...
“Miami is a very dynamic and cosmopolitan place, really a crossroads between Europe and Latin America,” he says.
This year’s edition, which runs from March 1-10, will showcase more than 160 films from more than 40 different countries.
“We’ve always had a special affinity for works from the Ibero-American world — Spain, Portugal, the Caribbean, Central America, South America,” Laplante says. “It’s a reputation that has been built up over the years.”
To find the most significant international films, Miami’s programmers maintain a presence at the San Sebastian Intl. Film Festival, as well as at those in Ventana Sur and Buenos Aires.
There’s a significant amount...
- 3/5/2019
- by Akiva Gottlieb
- Variety Film + TV
Quirky indie comedy The Strongest Man by Kenny Riches has been traveling the world since its Sundance world premiere and recently visited Europe Poland's capital city where the film competed in the first and second film section. The titular protagonist, Cuban construction worker Beef, thinks of himself as the strongest man, a skill he occasionally demonstrates and loves to ride his BMX. Beef along his sidekick and his closest friend Conan suffer by textbook arrested development, a syndrome of frozen puberty. The Strongest Man riffs off coming-of-age albeit in offbeat fashion of two adults trying to make sense out of life. The most common point of reference becomes Napoleon Dynamite, with The Strongest Man sharing an oddball brand of humour. Both protagonists start seeking and consequently...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/23/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Miami Blues: Riches’ Sophomore Effort Back Pedals
At its core, perhaps The Strongest Man could best be described as a character study concerning one man finding his voice and coming into his own. Except, we never really get to learn terribly too much about him, despite an overabundance of omnisciently shared inner thoughts. This sophomore effort of director Kenny Riches attempts to convey an alternative perspective in its depiction of growing up in the Us with immigrant parents, at least in what we’re accustomed to in these types of films about adolescent minded adults riding the fine line between fun and annoying. But the film’s tone fluctuates between buddy comedy, immigrant story, classist critique, character odyssey, and ultimately, romance, to the degree where none of these elements end satisfactorily.
Beef (Robert Lorie) works in construction with his best bud Conan (Paul Chamberlain). They’ve been friends since they were youths,...
At its core, perhaps The Strongest Man could best be described as a character study concerning one man finding his voice and coming into his own. Except, we never really get to learn terribly too much about him, despite an overabundance of omnisciently shared inner thoughts. This sophomore effort of director Kenny Riches attempts to convey an alternative perspective in its depiction of growing up in the Us with immigrant parents, at least in what we’re accustomed to in these types of films about adolescent minded adults riding the fine line between fun and annoying. But the film’s tone fluctuates between buddy comedy, immigrant story, classist critique, character odyssey, and ultimately, romance, to the degree where none of these elements end satisfactorily.
Beef (Robert Lorie) works in construction with his best bud Conan (Paul Chamberlain). They’ve been friends since they were youths,...
- 6/26/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Sandwiched between an opening scene that might be the film's worst (and incongruous to the rest of the picture), and a finale that goes on for ten minutes too long, writer/director Kenny Riches essentially creates a sizzle reel of mood and style that that acts as a calling card to Hollywood with "The Strongest Man." Indeed, just before the Sundance Film Festival premiere of his latest feature effort, Riches signed a deal with UTA, his first agency. And credit to whichever agent at the company took a moment and rolled the dice on Riches and his film. "The Strongest Man" isn't flashy, moves to it's own unique rhythms, and glides along with a very specific sense of humor. But to the observant eye, and patient viewer who decides to hop along with the film's welcoming tone, they'll witness the voice of a filmmaker bursting with ideas and a number of ways to share them,...
- 6/25/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
The Strongest Man is a dry, dead-pan comedy about a Cuban man in Miami called Beef, played by Robert Lorie. Beef works in construction, but is known by friends and coworkers for being exceptionally strong. Beef is a good-sized man, but his natural strength goes far beyond the limits of any man I’ve ever met. Ultimately, this is a relatively insignificant fact about Beef, as his one love and passion in life is his gold-painted BMX bike, which he rides proudly like a child when not working construction or hanging art for a local rich white woman named Mrs. Rosen, played by Lisa Banes.
Beef’s best friend and coworker is the son of Korean immigrants and a seemingly talented yet underachieving man called Conan, played by Paul Chamberlain. The two spend most of their time together, often having peculiarly philosophical conversations in English, while Beef’s thoughts narrate the film in Spanish.
Beef’s best friend and coworker is the son of Korean immigrants and a seemingly talented yet underachieving man called Conan, played by Paul Chamberlain. The two spend most of their time together, often having peculiarly philosophical conversations in English, while Beef’s thoughts narrate the film in Spanish.
- 6/25/2015
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Sometimes it's the littlest films that have the most heart. If you've had a chance to see Kenny Riches's The Strongest Man then you know this weird and wonderful film has heart in spades. It's also pretty damn funny. FilmBuff is putting the film out on June 26 and we have an exclusive clip from the film below. The Strongest Man is a Miami-centric comedy about an anxiety-ridden Cuban-American man, who fancies himself the strongest man in the world. In a quest to recover his most beloved possession, his golden BMX bicycle, he finds and loses so much more. The film stars Robert "Meatball" Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes, David Park, Nancy Fong, Davy Rothbart, and Freddie Wong. Check out the...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/22/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Kenny Riches' quirky comedy The Strongest Man proved a hit at this year's Sundance Film Festival and with the film started a limited theatrical run and hitting iTunes on June 26th the first trailer has just arrived online.The Strongest Man is a Miami-centric comedy about an anxiety-ridden Cuban- American man, who fancies himself the strongest man in the world. In a quest to recover his most beloved possession, his golden BMX bicycle, he finds and loses so much more.Take a look at the trailer below!...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/4/2015
- Screen Anarchy
“The Strongest Man” is a record of determination; not just in plot, but in production as well. Riches’ stick-to-itiveness work method is on full display - par for the course for someone who, as a kid, lived, breathed, and ate skateboarding (and lots of concrete pavement).
History
Originally from Salt Lake City, Riches gained early experience making short films with childhood friends Patrick Fugit, Paul Chamberlain, and David Fetzer. Branching out from an interest in skate videos and visuals, Riches studied art in university, but his success as an artist was not enough to deter his silver screen goals.
“I realized I wasn’t making films and doing what I cared about, so that’s when I started writing again.”
Utilizing the fanbases of Patrick Fugit, and Ashly Burch of the popular web series “Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin’?,” Riches partially funded his first feature film, “Must Come Down,” by spearheading a strong Kickstarter campaign - a “good tool for young filmmakers” says Riches.
Friends/Family
“When we lived together, every day, me and [David Fetzer] would wake up and watch a movie. We’d assign each other screenwriting homework. We had our own form of school. [Patrick Fugit] and David are so invested in performance. They were my film school. They were the ones that showed me how to appreciate story and character and writing. That’s the language they spoke. Patrick - going to visit him on set. He’s so supportive and he’s the reason why I’d ever been on a film set in the first place.”
Riches brought along the majority of the same cast and crew from “Must Come Down” to “The Strongest Man” likening it to a family reunion and a reason to get his friends all together.
“I’m learning as I go. I don’t like when people bring ego to set. I like the collaborative spirit. I’m very happy I can bring my friends along and they all found where they fit. It’s a family that I try to keep together as long as I can.”
Writer/Director
“For the most part my films are regional, reactionary, and circumstantial. Just towards what is happening. Presently or in the past.”
On the strength of “The Strongest Man”’s Sundance premiere, Riches has signed with UTA, and now faces a difficult decision about the direction of his career. For now, Riches has only directed features of his own creation.
“I think I’m hitting that step of my career where filmmakers have to find answers to that question. Right now I’m not sure what I want. I want to do what I do, but I haven’t closed that door of taking a look at other projects. I wouldn’t trust someone to direct something I’ve written because it’s so specific and visual… things might be lost in translation.”
With his career taking off to new heights, finding balance in business and creation is about finding the right compromises to make.
“It’s really hard to stay focused on writing if you have a day job. And I just try to live as thin as possible. My cost of living is so low and it’s more important to me to focus on film rather than upgrade my car. That’s the struggle all filmmakers have: you don’t want to lose your voice, you want to make the stuff you want to make so you have to sacrifice a little.
Miami
“Having a relationship with this place gives it another texture that you just don’t get. It’s just a weird place.”
Trading salt lakes for saltier oceans, Riches moved to Miami after a period of restlessness and took inspiration from the city’s unique way of life. Set on the streets of Miami, “The Strongest Man” portrays a rare slice in an already legendary locale, incorporating ostentatious cultural norms with an introverted twist.
“My film is very Miami-centric, references that you’ll only know if you’ve ever been or lived [there]. Miami’s image of money and the complexities it brings with poverty and luxury bumped up right next to each other is interesting. All of that stuff is a part of the culture so I just thought it was appropriate for [Beef, the protagonist] to have a gold bike, but live in a tiny apartment across the street from a luxury condo development. Beef’s anxiety monster in the film is made of palm fronds and palm leaves that fall off the trees; they start decomposing and turn black. So everything was influenced by being there. My bike was stolen, just like Beef’s was.”
Contrasting, relative to the typical depictions of the city which have been immortalized in films like “Scarface” and series like “Miami Vice.” A city of stereotypical excess has never been so humbled, down to earth, and yet so rightly touted and honored at the same time.
“There’s something very exciting happening in the indie film scene in Miami. It’s the one place I’ve been where indie theaters are opening instead of closing.”
Beef
Though the protagonist “Beef,” portrayed by Robert “Meatball” Lorie, has the Miami affinity for the material, his monastic nature is equally level throughout the film. Lorie’s performance is akin to surface tension - constantly on the edge of rupturing; and his relatively transparent tone and goal is tempered by humorous deadpan along with mindful contemplation, perhaps giving more insight into Kenny Riches’ being rather than Beef’s.
“I had crazy bad anxiety. Beef is kind of a mash-up of me and [Rob Lorie.] I’m more introverted and he’s much more charming. I like the conflict it brings. Having this physically strong character who’s telling this story that’s engrained in masculine Latin culture, but on the inside… a small, insecure person – that juxtaposition set up something different.”
The Strongest Man
There’s an understandable amount of ambivalence when it comes to Riches’ sophomore effort - a dark comedy that carries indie’s knack for quirk and offbeat mindsets; featuring a storybook aesthetic like Wes Anderson, and sharing the esoteric humor of other Slc natives Jared and Jerusha Hess, the film finds terra firma on universal themes in spite of its individual attitude.
“As long as your characters are relatable. That’s the most important part. I’m interested in flawed human characters that anyone will get it. With “Must Come Down” I thought I was making a film that was more marketable or relatable, but this time I wrote something that I wanted, without considering how it would be received, and it’s interesting to me that this is the film that I went to Sundance with. Do what you want to do, oftentimes that voice is more honest.”
“The Strongest Man ” premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2015. FilmBuff has acquired North American distribution rights. Isa: Xyz Films .
Kenny Riches is the Vice President of the David Ross Fetzer Foundation which is a grant giving organization for filmmakers and playwrights dedicated in memory to the late David Fetzer. Riches is currently represented by UTA .
The Phoenix Film Festival is an annual international festival that takes place in Phoenix, Arizona.
Special thanks to Erik O’Malley.
History
Originally from Salt Lake City, Riches gained early experience making short films with childhood friends Patrick Fugit, Paul Chamberlain, and David Fetzer. Branching out from an interest in skate videos and visuals, Riches studied art in university, but his success as an artist was not enough to deter his silver screen goals.
“I realized I wasn’t making films and doing what I cared about, so that’s when I started writing again.”
Utilizing the fanbases of Patrick Fugit, and Ashly Burch of the popular web series “Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin’?,” Riches partially funded his first feature film, “Must Come Down,” by spearheading a strong Kickstarter campaign - a “good tool for young filmmakers” says Riches.
Friends/Family
“When we lived together, every day, me and [David Fetzer] would wake up and watch a movie. We’d assign each other screenwriting homework. We had our own form of school. [Patrick Fugit] and David are so invested in performance. They were my film school. They were the ones that showed me how to appreciate story and character and writing. That’s the language they spoke. Patrick - going to visit him on set. He’s so supportive and he’s the reason why I’d ever been on a film set in the first place.”
Riches brought along the majority of the same cast and crew from “Must Come Down” to “The Strongest Man” likening it to a family reunion and a reason to get his friends all together.
“I’m learning as I go. I don’t like when people bring ego to set. I like the collaborative spirit. I’m very happy I can bring my friends along and they all found where they fit. It’s a family that I try to keep together as long as I can.”
Writer/Director
“For the most part my films are regional, reactionary, and circumstantial. Just towards what is happening. Presently or in the past.”
On the strength of “The Strongest Man”’s Sundance premiere, Riches has signed with UTA, and now faces a difficult decision about the direction of his career. For now, Riches has only directed features of his own creation.
“I think I’m hitting that step of my career where filmmakers have to find answers to that question. Right now I’m not sure what I want. I want to do what I do, but I haven’t closed that door of taking a look at other projects. I wouldn’t trust someone to direct something I’ve written because it’s so specific and visual… things might be lost in translation.”
With his career taking off to new heights, finding balance in business and creation is about finding the right compromises to make.
“It’s really hard to stay focused on writing if you have a day job. And I just try to live as thin as possible. My cost of living is so low and it’s more important to me to focus on film rather than upgrade my car. That’s the struggle all filmmakers have: you don’t want to lose your voice, you want to make the stuff you want to make so you have to sacrifice a little.
Miami
“Having a relationship with this place gives it another texture that you just don’t get. It’s just a weird place.”
Trading salt lakes for saltier oceans, Riches moved to Miami after a period of restlessness and took inspiration from the city’s unique way of life. Set on the streets of Miami, “The Strongest Man” portrays a rare slice in an already legendary locale, incorporating ostentatious cultural norms with an introverted twist.
“My film is very Miami-centric, references that you’ll only know if you’ve ever been or lived [there]. Miami’s image of money and the complexities it brings with poverty and luxury bumped up right next to each other is interesting. All of that stuff is a part of the culture so I just thought it was appropriate for [Beef, the protagonist] to have a gold bike, but live in a tiny apartment across the street from a luxury condo development. Beef’s anxiety monster in the film is made of palm fronds and palm leaves that fall off the trees; they start decomposing and turn black. So everything was influenced by being there. My bike was stolen, just like Beef’s was.”
Contrasting, relative to the typical depictions of the city which have been immortalized in films like “Scarface” and series like “Miami Vice.” A city of stereotypical excess has never been so humbled, down to earth, and yet so rightly touted and honored at the same time.
“There’s something very exciting happening in the indie film scene in Miami. It’s the one place I’ve been where indie theaters are opening instead of closing.”
Beef
Though the protagonist “Beef,” portrayed by Robert “Meatball” Lorie, has the Miami affinity for the material, his monastic nature is equally level throughout the film. Lorie’s performance is akin to surface tension - constantly on the edge of rupturing; and his relatively transparent tone and goal is tempered by humorous deadpan along with mindful contemplation, perhaps giving more insight into Kenny Riches’ being rather than Beef’s.
“I had crazy bad anxiety. Beef is kind of a mash-up of me and [Rob Lorie.] I’m more introverted and he’s much more charming. I like the conflict it brings. Having this physically strong character who’s telling this story that’s engrained in masculine Latin culture, but on the inside… a small, insecure person – that juxtaposition set up something different.”
The Strongest Man
There’s an understandable amount of ambivalence when it comes to Riches’ sophomore effort - a dark comedy that carries indie’s knack for quirk and offbeat mindsets; featuring a storybook aesthetic like Wes Anderson, and sharing the esoteric humor of other Slc natives Jared and Jerusha Hess, the film finds terra firma on universal themes in spite of its individual attitude.
“As long as your characters are relatable. That’s the most important part. I’m interested in flawed human characters that anyone will get it. With “Must Come Down” I thought I was making a film that was more marketable or relatable, but this time I wrote something that I wanted, without considering how it would be received, and it’s interesting to me that this is the film that I went to Sundance with. Do what you want to do, oftentimes that voice is more honest.”
“The Strongest Man ” premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2015. FilmBuff has acquired North American distribution rights. Isa: Xyz Films .
Kenny Riches is the Vice President of the David Ross Fetzer Foundation which is a grant giving organization for filmmakers and playwrights dedicated in memory to the late David Fetzer. Riches is currently represented by UTA .
The Phoenix Film Festival is an annual international festival that takes place in Phoenix, Arizona.
Special thanks to Erik O’Malley.
- 4/7/2015
- by Vincent Lay
- Sydney's Buzz
Following in the footsteps of Tangerine and Nasty Baby, there is plenty of valuable loot left untouched from Sundance’s Next section. The FilmBuff folks have picked up Kenny Riches’ The Strongest Man and according to Deadline, plans are for them to pop a wheelie and release the odd-ball laugher sometime this summer.
Gist: This is an anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more.
Worth Noting: Welcome to Miami….In our Trading Cards series profile, Riches says that is lead character Meatball is “a Miami artist and a real fixture in the city.”
Do We Care?: Major trades dismissed this mischievous little number, but we’re open to checking out this curiosity item.
Gist: This is an anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more.
Worth Noting: Welcome to Miami….In our Trading Cards series profile, Riches says that is lead character Meatball is “a Miami artist and a real fixture in the city.”
Do We Care?: Major trades dismissed this mischievous little number, but we’re open to checking out this curiosity item.
- 3/25/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Exclusive: FilmBuff has licensed North American rights to The Strongest Man, writer-director Kenny Riches’ film that premiered at Sundance in January. It centers on Beef (Robert Lorie), an anxiety-ridden Cuban-American construction worker in Miami who is the self-proclaimed world’s strongest man. He and his Korean-American friend Conan (Paul Chamberlain) go on an Odyssey-like quest to find their respective spirit animals and recover Beef's stolen BMX bike. Conan's…...
- 3/25/2015
- Deadline
Besides the Student Academy Award, which the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences awards to five students chosen for their under-40-minute short films, there is another short film grant program, in memory of David Ross Fetzer, that helps aspiring independent filmmakers create their own films.
The Davey Foundation is once again offering aspiring writers and filmmakers the chance to produce their own films by delivering three short film grants this year. The Davey Foundation was founded last year in honor of David Ross Fetzer, the Salt Lake City-based actor known for his work in indie projects such as "Must Come Down" and "Point B." Fetzer was committed to helping up-and-coming independent filmmakers and the foundation aims to continue his legacy.
Two of the grants are $5,000 each to produce a short film. The third allows the user to use a $10,000 Cinema Camera Package. The Davey Foundation stayed true to their promise of offering more from the grant in 2015, as last year they offered one $3,500 grant. The deadline is March 15, 2015.
Recipients of the grants will also be assigned mentors to help in the filmmaking process. The mentors include last year's grant recipient Ben Kegan ("The First Men") and award-winning filmmakers Kenny Riches ("The Strongest Man") and Dustin Guy Defa ("Person to Person," "Bad Fever").
Joining Riches and Defa this year as a finalist judge is David Zellner, writer and director of "Kumiko the Treasure Hunter."
For more information about the Davey Foundation and grants offered, click here.
...
The Davey Foundation is once again offering aspiring writers and filmmakers the chance to produce their own films by delivering three short film grants this year. The Davey Foundation was founded last year in honor of David Ross Fetzer, the Salt Lake City-based actor known for his work in indie projects such as "Must Come Down" and "Point B." Fetzer was committed to helping up-and-coming independent filmmakers and the foundation aims to continue his legacy.
Two of the grants are $5,000 each to produce a short film. The third allows the user to use a $10,000 Cinema Camera Package. The Davey Foundation stayed true to their promise of offering more from the grant in 2015, as last year they offered one $3,500 grant. The deadline is March 15, 2015.
Recipients of the grants will also be assigned mentors to help in the filmmaking process. The mentors include last year's grant recipient Ben Kegan ("The First Men") and award-winning filmmakers Kenny Riches ("The Strongest Man") and Dustin Guy Defa ("Person to Person," "Bad Fever").
Joining Riches and Defa this year as a finalist judge is David Zellner, writer and director of "Kumiko the Treasure Hunter."
For more information about the Davey Foundation and grants offered, click here.
...
- 2/23/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The Davey Foundation is once again offering aspiring writers and filmmakers the chance to produce their own films by delivering three short film grants this year. The Davey Foundation was founded last year in honor of David Ross Fetzer, the Salt Lake City-based actor known for his work in indie projects such as "Must Come Down" and "Point B." Fetzer was committed to helping up-and-coming independent filmmakers and the foundation aims to continue his legacy. Two of the grants are $5,000 each to produce a short film. The third allows the user to use a $10,000 Cinema Camera Package. The Davey Foundation stayed true to their promise of offering more from the grant in 2015, as last year they offered one $3,500 grant. The deadline is March 15, 2015. Recipients of the grants will also be assigned mentors to help in the filmmaking process. The mentors include last year's grant recipient Ben Kegan ("The First Men") and award-winning filmmakers Kenny Riches.
- 2/17/2015
- by Travis Clark
- Indiewire
Sundance Review: Beautifully Oddball 'The Strongest Man' Marks Director Kenny Riches As One To Watch
Sandwiched between an opening scene that might be the film's worst (and incongruous to the rest of the picture), and a finale that goes on for ten minutes too long, writer/director Kenny Riches essentially creates a sizzle reel of mood and style that that acts as a calling card to Hollywood with "The Strongest Man." Indeed, just before the Sundance Film Festival premiere of his latest feature effort, Riches signed a deal with UTA, his first agency. And credit to whichever agent at the company took a moment and rolled the dice on Riches and his film. "The Strongest Man" isn't flashy, moves to it's own unique rhythms, and glides along with a very specific sense of humor. But to the observant eye, and patient viewer who decides to hop along with the film's welcoming tone, they'll witness the voice of a filmmaker bursting with ideas and a number of ways to share them,...
- 1/27/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Making their feature film debuts at Sundance are director Kenny Riches and cinematographer Tom Garner for the offbeat and ingratiating Miami-set buddy movie (of sorts), The Strongest Man. Artist and metalworker Robert Lorrie plays Beef, a Cuban construction worker set out on a small-scale spiritual odyssey across the streets and into the apartments of Miami. He’s accompanied by his pal Conan, played by YouTube star Freddie Wong, and their adventures have a shambling charm reminiscent a bit of Rick Linklater’s Slacker. The considerable appeal of the on-screen performers is echoed by Garner’s cinematography, which sees contemporary Miami in a way […]...
- 1/26/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Making their feature film debuts at Sundance are director Kenny Riches and cinematographer Tom Garner for the offbeat and ingratiating Miami-set buddy movie (of sorts), The Strongest Man. Artist and metalworker Robert Lorrie plays Beef, a Cuban construction worker set out on a small-scale spiritual odyssey across the streets and into the apartments of Miami. He’s accompanied by his pal Conan, played by YouTube star Freddie Wong, and their adventures have a shambling charm reminiscent a bit of Rick Linklater’s Slacker. The considerable appeal of the on-screen performers is echoed by Garner’s cinematography, which sees contemporary Miami in a way […]...
- 1/26/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
An unusually busy first weekend of on-site deal-making in Park City continued into the week as Fox Searchlight and Indian Paintbrush partnered on world rights to Me And Earl And The Dying Girl and The Orchard acquired The Overnight.
By the time the deal closed late on Sunday night Searchlight is understood to have invested mid-seven figures in the film.
Sales agent Wme Global and film-maker representatives Indian Paintbrush emerged with what they believe would be the best deal for all parties and resisted offers of up to $10m from a pack that included the Us majors, Lionsgate and TWC, with one studio willing to go higher than $12m in what would have resulted in a record Sundance advance.
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon directed Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (pictured) from Jesse Andrews’ Black List screenplay adapted from his eponymous novel.
Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke star in the tale of a high school student who reignites...
By the time the deal closed late on Sunday night Searchlight is understood to have invested mid-seven figures in the film.
Sales agent Wme Global and film-maker representatives Indian Paintbrush emerged with what they believe would be the best deal for all parties and resisted offers of up to $10m from a pack that included the Us majors, Lionsgate and TWC, with one studio willing to go higher than $12m in what would have resulted in a record Sundance advance.
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon directed Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (pictured) from Jesse Andrews’ Black List screenplay adapted from his eponymous novel.
Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke star in the tale of a high school student who reignites...
- 1/26/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
An unusually busy first weekend of on-site deal-making in Park City continued into the week as Fox Searchlight and Indian Paintbrush partnered on world rights to Me And Earl And The Dying Girl and The Orchard acquired The Overnight.
By the time the deal closed late on Sunday night Searchlight is understood to have invested mid-seven figures in the film.
Sales agent Wme Global and film-maker representatives Indian Paintbrush emerged with what they believe would be the best deal for all parties and resisted offers of up to $10m from a pack that included the Us majors, Lionsgate and TWC, with one studio willing to go higher than $12m in what would have resulted in a record Sundance advance.
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon directed Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (pictured) from Jesse Andrews’ Black List screenplay adapted from his eponymous novel.
Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke star in the tale of a high school student who reignites...
By the time the deal closed late on Sunday night Searchlight is understood to have invested mid-seven figures in the film.
Sales agent Wme Global and film-maker representatives Indian Paintbrush emerged with what they believe would be the best deal for all parties and resisted offers of up to $10m from a pack that included the Us majors, Lionsgate and TWC, with one studio willing to go higher than $12m in what would have resulted in a record Sundance advance.
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon directed Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (pictured) from Jesse Andrews’ Black List screenplay adapted from his eponymous novel.
Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke star in the tale of a high school student who reignites...
- 1/26/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
An unusually busy first weekend of on-site deal-making continued in Park City as The Orchard announced on Monday (January 26) it had taken North American rights to The Overnight and reports continued to swirl of Fox Searchlight’s pursuit of Me And Earl And The Dying Girl.
An action-packed weekend has already seen Open Road and Sony double up on Rick Famuyiwa’s Us Dramatic Competition selection and coming-of-age comedy Dope in a deal said to be worth $7m with a $20m P&A commitment.
Open Road will release in the Us and Sony handles international territories on the story, which takes place in a gang-ridden Los Angeles neighbourhood.
Meanwhile Fox Searchight was understood to be leading a pack of bidders over Sunday night for Us Dramatic Competition selection Me And Earl And The Dying Girl from Alfonso Gomez-Rejon starring Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke and Molly Shannon.
Weekend reports also claimed Sony Pictures Classics had picked up Us rights...
An action-packed weekend has already seen Open Road and Sony double up on Rick Famuyiwa’s Us Dramatic Competition selection and coming-of-age comedy Dope in a deal said to be worth $7m with a $20m P&A commitment.
Open Road will release in the Us and Sony handles international territories on the story, which takes place in a gang-ridden Los Angeles neighbourhood.
Meanwhile Fox Searchight was understood to be leading a pack of bidders over Sunday night for Us Dramatic Competition selection Me And Earl And The Dying Girl from Alfonso Gomez-Rejon starring Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke and Molly Shannon.
Weekend reports also claimed Sony Pictures Classics had picked up Us rights...
- 1/26/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Eric Lavallee: Name me three of your favorite “2014 discoveries”…
Kenny Riches: The album Grand America by Magic Mint. The album Apple Juice and Whiskey by Rachel Goodrich (Rachel Hoodrich). A 35mm slide of my friend David.
Lavallee: What is the genesis of The Strongest Man, why were the comedic elements treated during the script phase?
Riches: It’s kind of a composite of my experiences in Miami over the years — from having my bicycle stolen to seeing street dogs and chickens to the art fairs to hearing a friend’s story about a meditation class, and so on. I guess I tried to make a visually interesting film and much of the comedy is visual or relating to certain objects that move the story forward.
Lavallee: How did you come to cast Robert “Meatball” Lorie as the film’s lead misfit? Could you describe his character.
Riches: I wrote the film specifically for Meatball.
Kenny Riches: The album Grand America by Magic Mint. The album Apple Juice and Whiskey by Rachel Goodrich (Rachel Hoodrich). A 35mm slide of my friend David.
Lavallee: What is the genesis of The Strongest Man, why were the comedic elements treated during the script phase?
Riches: It’s kind of a composite of my experiences in Miami over the years — from having my bicycle stolen to seeing street dogs and chickens to the art fairs to hearing a friend’s story about a meditation class, and so on. I guess I tried to make a visually interesting film and much of the comedy is visual or relating to certain objects that move the story forward.
Lavallee: How did you come to cast Robert “Meatball” Lorie as the film’s lead misfit? Could you describe his character.
Riches: I wrote the film specifically for Meatball.
- 1/23/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Writer/director Kenny Riches unveiled his feature debut "Must Come Down" a couple years back, hitting a handful of low key festivals and getting on the right radars. His sophomore effort "The Strongest Man" is now gearing up for a Sundance Film Festival premiere, and today we have an exclusive look at the movie. Starring Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit and Lisa Banes, the light, oddball story involves characters named Beef and Conan and a distinct prized possession: a solid gold BMX bike. Here's the official synopsis: Beef is a beefy Cuban man who believes that he is The Strongest Man in the World. He doesn’t want children, but he wants to tell his grandchildren about his life as The Strongest Man in the World. His best friend is a slight Korean man named Conan. Conan makes him think about things he normally doesn’t think,...
- 1/23/2015
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
It’s Day 1 at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, which can only mean that it’s time for Ioncinema.com to break out our 2015 Sundance Trading Cards Series. Last year we found out that these American independent film people profiles were a hit, so this year we return again, with more profiles, but we’ve sharpen our focus on the folks behind the films selected in the Next and U.S Dramatic Comp section.
The class of ’15 naturally includes the filmmakers and players in front of the camera, but also the creative folk behind it. Like the traditional sports cards, the back of the card gives you “stats” (here we focus on the filmography/other creative endeavors) and since we are still in the midst of a new year, we like to look back at each individual’s 2014 discoveries (from old film/book/music classics, sculptors, latest video games, television series,...
The class of ’15 naturally includes the filmmakers and players in front of the camera, but also the creative folk behind it. Like the traditional sports cards, the back of the card gives you “stats” (here we focus on the filmography/other creative endeavors) and since we are still in the midst of a new year, we like to look back at each individual’s 2014 discoveries (from old film/book/music classics, sculptors, latest video games, television series,...
- 1/23/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Representing Latin American, U.S. Latino, and non-Latino artists who explore multicultural relationships from singular perspectives, the films at this year's Sundance Film Festival include an array of stories that showcase the diverse creative voices that exist within the Latino filmmaking community.
This list includes both films that have been created fully or partially by Latin American or U.S. Latino filmmakers, as well as those that deal with themes and ideas relevant to the Latino experience in or outside the Unites States, even if these were not created by Latino artists. The increasing interest in these stories testifies to how rapidly Latinos are becoming constant and strong voices in all areas of the film industry.
In order to highlight as many of these talented creators and films as possible, we’ve created a list that includes all the films at the festival that are helmed by or that incorporate Latino talent and those that focus on a specific aspect pertinent to the Latino community. Some are obvious standouts like Argentina's acclaimed dark comedy "Wild Tales" or Colombia's "Liveforever" from Carlos Moreno.
Then there are those who at first sight might not fit the parameters of what one could think is a Latino film. This is the case of films like Eli Roth's "Knock Knock," which is an English-language horror film whose co-writers, producers, and part of the cast are originally from Chile. There is also " Aloft," a drama in the Spotlight section, which is set between Canada and Minnesota and stars Jennifer Connelly. It was written and directed by Academy Award nominated Peruvian filmmaker Claudia Llosa.
The third case includes those films that deal with subjects that have Latino elements or that explore diversity in the U.S in some way. Examples of these are "The Strongest Man" from Kenny Riches, a film narrated in Spanish by its protagonist "Beef," a charming, yet lost Cuban-American man in Miami; or "Cartel Land" by Matthew Heineman, which focuses on the violence shared between Mexico and U.S due to the drug-fueled chaos that afflicts the region. On a lighter note, there are films like “City of Gold” by Laura Gabbert, in which Los Angeles is seen through its ethnic food and local idiosyncrasies.
In an effort to give exposure to those films in the program that don’t get as much attention, the list below starts with the Shorts Programs and ends with the Dramatic Premieres. Each title is linked to its page on the Sundance website where screening times and locations can be found. Regardless of what films you watch at the festival, it is likely that your eyes will be expose to the work of some amazingly talented Latino filmmaker, writer or actor, or those who appreciate our stories as much as we do.
Shorts
"Spring" (Primavera) - Shorts Program 2
Latino Talent: Dir. Tania Claudia Castillo
Latino Theme: The short was created theough Mexico's renowned Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica (Ccc), and it focuses on
Elba, an introverted, lonely 14-year-old, who wants to bond with her sister Fernanda before she leaves home.
"Papa Machete" - Shorts Program 3
Latino Theme: Two hundred years ago, Haitian slaves defeated Napoleon's armies with the same tool used to work the land: the machete. "Papa Machete" explores a martial art evolved from this victory through the practice of one of its few remaining masters.
"Making it in America" - Shorts Program 4
Latino Theme: A Salvadoran immigrant who fled to the United States as a teenager is now a single mother striving to build a future for her family in Los Angeles.
"Stop" - Shorts Program 5
Latino Talent: Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green, Producer Rashaad Ernesto Green, Cinematographer Federico Cesca, Actors J.W. Cortes and Joshua Rivera.
Latino Theme: A young man's livelihood is put to the test when he is stopped by the police on his way home. Although not specific the Latino experience, the subject matter speaks to recent events involving minority groups and the use of excessive force by police
"Palm Rot" - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Dir. Ryan Gillis Lizama
Latino Theme: An old Florida fumigator discovers a mysterious crate in the Everglades that ruins his day.
"The Sun Like a Big Dark Animal" (El Sol Como un Gran Animal Oscuro) - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Directors Ronnie Rivera and Christina Felisgrau, Screenwriter Bernardo Britto, Producer Lucas Leyva
Latino Theme: This is Spanish-language short about a computer and a woman fall in love, only to be torn apart because of their inappropriate feelings for each other.
"{The And} Marcela & Rock" - Documentary Shorts Program 1
Latino Talent: Dir. Topaz Adizes, Assistant Directors Armando Croda and Sebastian Diaz
Latino Theme: Exploring the intimate spaces of modern-day relationships, this is the best couples therapy session you'll ever witness.
Special Events
Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge
Latino Talent: Directors Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Marialy Rivas
Latino Theme: Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge presents five winning narrative and documentary short films selected from 1,387 submissions representing 69 different countries.The project was designed to use the transformative power of storytelling to generate discussion, shift perceptions around extreme hunger and poverty, and harness the power of independent film to create a global conversation about these issues.
Sundance Kids
"The Game Maker" (El Inventor de Juegos)
Latino Talent: Dir. Juan Pablo Buscarini
New Frontier
"Liveforever" (Que Viva la Musica)
Latino Talent: Dir. Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters Alberto Ferreras and Alonso Torres, alongside the crew and cast.
Latino Theme: Hovering over the river that segregates Cali, Colombia, into haves and have-nots, a haunting presence identifies a perilous willingness among the populace to do anything that is asked of it. A blonde teenage girl, knowing she must change her life, leaves her well-appointed house and flagrantly gives herself over to this tolerant city, saying "yes" to everything provocative it offers her. Only the music tethers her body and spirit together, even as she reaches for redemption through a bold, delicious, and resplendent self-destruction. Inspired by the 1977 best-selling cult novel by Andres Caicedo.
Park City Midnight
"Knock Knock"
Latino Talent: Screenwriters Guillermo Amoedo & Nicolás López, Producers Miguel Asensio and Nicolás López, Cinematographer Antonio Quercia, Actresses Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas
"Reversal"
Latino Talent: Dir. José Manuel Cravioto, Producers Alex Garcia, Rodolfo Marquez and Daniel Posada, Editor Jorge Macaya, Actress Bianca Malinowski
Spotlight
"Aloft"
Latino Talent: Dir. Claudia Llosa
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Latino Talent: Dir. Damián Szifrón, as well as most of the cast and crew.
Latino Theme: Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Academy Award, this Argentine marvel is conformed of 6 stories about people giving in to their most savage instincts. Forgiveness is out o the question because revenge has never been so deranged and insanely comedic.
Next <=>
"H."
Latino Talent: Dir. Daniel Garcia
"Nasty Baby"
Latino Talent: Dir. Sebastián Silva, Producers David Hinojosa, Juan de Dios Larraín and Pablo Larraín
Latino Theme: Brooklyn artist Freddy (Sebastian Silva) is baby obsessed. His new project centers around newborns, and he and his boyfriend, Mo, have recruited their best friend, Polly (Kristen Wiig), to help them have a baby. On top of dealing with the stress of opening an art installation and the complications of conceiving a child via artificial insemination, the three begin to be harassed by The Bishop, a mentally ill neighborhood man. An escalating series of incidents threaten to derail the comfortable lives these people have built for themselves.
"Tangerine"
Latino Talent: Actress Kiki Kitana Rodriguez
Latino Theme: It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown, and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity.
"The Strongest Man"
Latino Talent: Actor Robert Lorie
Latino Theme: Beef is a beefy Cuban man who believes that he is The Strongest Man in the World. He doesn’t want children, but he wants to tell his grandchildren about his life as The Strongest Man in the World. His best friend is a slight Korean man named Conan. Conan makes him think about things he normally doesn’t think, like the fact that Beef thinks in Spanish, rather than English. Illy, the adopted daughter of a rich art collector, brings out an anxious side in Beef. But it is when his prized possession—a solid gold BMX bicycle—is stolen from him that Beef finds and loses so much more than he thought he could.
World Dramatic Competition
"The Second Mother"
Latino Talent: Dir. Anna Muylaert and her cast and crew
Latino Theme: Val is the kind of live-in housekeeper who takes her work seriously. She wears a crisp maid's uniform while serving perfect canapés; she serves her wealthy São Paulo employers day in and day out while lovingly nannying their teenage son whom she's raised since toddlerhood. Everyone and everything in the elegant house has its place until one day, Val’s ambitious, clever daughter Jessica arrives from Val’s hometown to take the college entrance exams. Jessica’s confident, youthful presence upsets the unspoken yet strict balance of power in the household; Val must decide where her allegiances lie and what she's willing to sacrifice.
U.S. Documentary Competition
"Cartel Land"
Latino Theme: In the Mexican state of Michoacán, Dr. Jose Mireles, a small-town physician known as "El Doctor," shepherds a citizen uprising against the Knights Templar, the violent drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region for years. Meanwhile, in Arizona's Altar Valley—a narrow, 52-mile-long desert corridor known as Cocaine Alley—Tim "Nailer" Foley, an American veteran, heads a small paramilitary group called Arizona Border Recon, whose goal is to halt Mexico’s drug wars from seeping across our border.
"City of Gold"
Latino Theme: As the unabashed cradle of Hollywood superficiality and smoggy urban sprawl, Los Angeles has long been condemned as a cultural wasteland. In the richly penetrating documentary odyssey City of Gold, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us another Los Angeles, where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America.
"Western"
Latino Theme: In his classic novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens famously wrote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." That line sums up the story ofWestern, the latest film from Bill and Turner Ross, a documentary destined to become a classic itself. Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico, two towns on opposite sides of the border have shared a harmonious history until the specter of cartel violence threatens to divide them.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Latino Talent: Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
"Dope"
Latino Talent: Actors Tony Revolori, Michael Flores, Allen Maldonado, Lidia Porto, and Sergio Garcia
Latino Theme: Malcolm is a high school geek with a high-top fade, carefully navigating life in The Bottoms, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Inglewood, California. He and his fellow outcasts share a voracious appreciation for all things '90s hip-hop, opting to sport Cross-Colours and Z. Cavariccis at the risk of being clowned at school. He dreams of attending Harvard, but first he has to make it home every day. When a drug dealer takes a shine to Malcolm and invites him to his birthday party, Malcolm’s crew is swirled into a hilarious blender of offbeat characters and bad choices where redemption can only be found in Bitcoin.
"The Stanford Prison Experiment"
Latino Talent: Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Actors Moises Arias and Armand Vasquez
Documentary Premieres
"Fresh Dressed"
Latino Theme: With funky, fat-laced Adidas, Kangol hats, and Cazal shades, a totally original look was born—Fresh—and it came from the black and brown side of town where another cultural force was revving up in the streets to take the world by storm. Hip-hop, and its aspirational relationship to fashion, would become such a force on the market that Tommy Hilfiger, in an effort to associate their brand with the cultural swell, would drive through the streets and hand out free clothing to kids on the corner.
Dramatic Premieres
"Experimenter"
Latino Talent: Dir. Michael Almereyda and Actor John Leguizamo
"Last Days in the Desert"
Latino Talent: Dir. Rodrigo García and Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki
"Lila & Eve"
Latino Talent: Producers Tanya Lopez and Priscilla Porianda, Actors Jennifer Lopez, Andre Royo, Marisela Zumbado and Rey Hernandez
Latino Theme: When teenage Stephon is killed in a drive-by shooting, his mother, Lila, slips into a paralyzing grief. She joins a support group for women who have lost children to crime and meets Eve, a woman whose little girl was killed the same night as Stephon. Lila and Eve form a friendship, and Lila begins to crawl out of her depression. She develops a burning desire to find justice for her son, and she presses the authorities for answers, but they are slow-moving and ineffective. It’s Eve who has the idea first—join together, find the drug dealers who shot Stephon dead, and bring them to justice themselves.
This list includes both films that have been created fully or partially by Latin American or U.S. Latino filmmakers, as well as those that deal with themes and ideas relevant to the Latino experience in or outside the Unites States, even if these were not created by Latino artists. The increasing interest in these stories testifies to how rapidly Latinos are becoming constant and strong voices in all areas of the film industry.
In order to highlight as many of these talented creators and films as possible, we’ve created a list that includes all the films at the festival that are helmed by or that incorporate Latino talent and those that focus on a specific aspect pertinent to the Latino community. Some are obvious standouts like Argentina's acclaimed dark comedy "Wild Tales" or Colombia's "Liveforever" from Carlos Moreno.
Then there are those who at first sight might not fit the parameters of what one could think is a Latino film. This is the case of films like Eli Roth's "Knock Knock," which is an English-language horror film whose co-writers, producers, and part of the cast are originally from Chile. There is also " Aloft," a drama in the Spotlight section, which is set between Canada and Minnesota and stars Jennifer Connelly. It was written and directed by Academy Award nominated Peruvian filmmaker Claudia Llosa.
The third case includes those films that deal with subjects that have Latino elements or that explore diversity in the U.S in some way. Examples of these are "The Strongest Man" from Kenny Riches, a film narrated in Spanish by its protagonist "Beef," a charming, yet lost Cuban-American man in Miami; or "Cartel Land" by Matthew Heineman, which focuses on the violence shared between Mexico and U.S due to the drug-fueled chaos that afflicts the region. On a lighter note, there are films like “City of Gold” by Laura Gabbert, in which Los Angeles is seen through its ethnic food and local idiosyncrasies.
In an effort to give exposure to those films in the program that don’t get as much attention, the list below starts with the Shorts Programs and ends with the Dramatic Premieres. Each title is linked to its page on the Sundance website where screening times and locations can be found. Regardless of what films you watch at the festival, it is likely that your eyes will be expose to the work of some amazingly talented Latino filmmaker, writer or actor, or those who appreciate our stories as much as we do.
Shorts
"Spring" (Primavera) - Shorts Program 2
Latino Talent: Dir. Tania Claudia Castillo
Latino Theme: The short was created theough Mexico's renowned Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica (Ccc), and it focuses on
Elba, an introverted, lonely 14-year-old, who wants to bond with her sister Fernanda before she leaves home.
"Papa Machete" - Shorts Program 3
Latino Theme: Two hundred years ago, Haitian slaves defeated Napoleon's armies with the same tool used to work the land: the machete. "Papa Machete" explores a martial art evolved from this victory through the practice of one of its few remaining masters.
"Making it in America" - Shorts Program 4
Latino Theme: A Salvadoran immigrant who fled to the United States as a teenager is now a single mother striving to build a future for her family in Los Angeles.
"Stop" - Shorts Program 5
Latino Talent: Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green, Producer Rashaad Ernesto Green, Cinematographer Federico Cesca, Actors J.W. Cortes and Joshua Rivera.
Latino Theme: A young man's livelihood is put to the test when he is stopped by the police on his way home. Although not specific the Latino experience, the subject matter speaks to recent events involving minority groups and the use of excessive force by police
"Palm Rot" - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Dir. Ryan Gillis Lizama
Latino Theme: An old Florida fumigator discovers a mysterious crate in the Everglades that ruins his day.
"The Sun Like a Big Dark Animal" (El Sol Como un Gran Animal Oscuro) - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Directors Ronnie Rivera and Christina Felisgrau, Screenwriter Bernardo Britto, Producer Lucas Leyva
Latino Theme: This is Spanish-language short about a computer and a woman fall in love, only to be torn apart because of their inappropriate feelings for each other.
"{The And} Marcela & Rock" - Documentary Shorts Program 1
Latino Talent: Dir. Topaz Adizes, Assistant Directors Armando Croda and Sebastian Diaz
Latino Theme: Exploring the intimate spaces of modern-day relationships, this is the best couples therapy session you'll ever witness.
Special Events
Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge
Latino Talent: Directors Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Marialy Rivas
Latino Theme: Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge presents five winning narrative and documentary short films selected from 1,387 submissions representing 69 different countries.The project was designed to use the transformative power of storytelling to generate discussion, shift perceptions around extreme hunger and poverty, and harness the power of independent film to create a global conversation about these issues.
Sundance Kids
"The Game Maker" (El Inventor de Juegos)
Latino Talent: Dir. Juan Pablo Buscarini
New Frontier
"Liveforever" (Que Viva la Musica)
Latino Talent: Dir. Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters Alberto Ferreras and Alonso Torres, alongside the crew and cast.
Latino Theme: Hovering over the river that segregates Cali, Colombia, into haves and have-nots, a haunting presence identifies a perilous willingness among the populace to do anything that is asked of it. A blonde teenage girl, knowing she must change her life, leaves her well-appointed house and flagrantly gives herself over to this tolerant city, saying "yes" to everything provocative it offers her. Only the music tethers her body and spirit together, even as she reaches for redemption through a bold, delicious, and resplendent self-destruction. Inspired by the 1977 best-selling cult novel by Andres Caicedo.
Park City Midnight
"Knock Knock"
Latino Talent: Screenwriters Guillermo Amoedo & Nicolás López, Producers Miguel Asensio and Nicolás López, Cinematographer Antonio Quercia, Actresses Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas
"Reversal"
Latino Talent: Dir. José Manuel Cravioto, Producers Alex Garcia, Rodolfo Marquez and Daniel Posada, Editor Jorge Macaya, Actress Bianca Malinowski
Spotlight
"Aloft"
Latino Talent: Dir. Claudia Llosa
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Latino Talent: Dir. Damián Szifrón, as well as most of the cast and crew.
Latino Theme: Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Academy Award, this Argentine marvel is conformed of 6 stories about people giving in to their most savage instincts. Forgiveness is out o the question because revenge has never been so deranged and insanely comedic.
Next <=>
"H."
Latino Talent: Dir. Daniel Garcia
"Nasty Baby"
Latino Talent: Dir. Sebastián Silva, Producers David Hinojosa, Juan de Dios Larraín and Pablo Larraín
Latino Theme: Brooklyn artist Freddy (Sebastian Silva) is baby obsessed. His new project centers around newborns, and he and his boyfriend, Mo, have recruited their best friend, Polly (Kristen Wiig), to help them have a baby. On top of dealing with the stress of opening an art installation and the complications of conceiving a child via artificial insemination, the three begin to be harassed by The Bishop, a mentally ill neighborhood man. An escalating series of incidents threaten to derail the comfortable lives these people have built for themselves.
"Tangerine"
Latino Talent: Actress Kiki Kitana Rodriguez
Latino Theme: It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown, and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity.
"The Strongest Man"
Latino Talent: Actor Robert Lorie
Latino Theme: Beef is a beefy Cuban man who believes that he is The Strongest Man in the World. He doesn’t want children, but he wants to tell his grandchildren about his life as The Strongest Man in the World. His best friend is a slight Korean man named Conan. Conan makes him think about things he normally doesn’t think, like the fact that Beef thinks in Spanish, rather than English. Illy, the adopted daughter of a rich art collector, brings out an anxious side in Beef. But it is when his prized possession—a solid gold BMX bicycle—is stolen from him that Beef finds and loses so much more than he thought he could.
World Dramatic Competition
"The Second Mother"
Latino Talent: Dir. Anna Muylaert and her cast and crew
Latino Theme: Val is the kind of live-in housekeeper who takes her work seriously. She wears a crisp maid's uniform while serving perfect canapés; she serves her wealthy São Paulo employers day in and day out while lovingly nannying their teenage son whom she's raised since toddlerhood. Everyone and everything in the elegant house has its place until one day, Val’s ambitious, clever daughter Jessica arrives from Val’s hometown to take the college entrance exams. Jessica’s confident, youthful presence upsets the unspoken yet strict balance of power in the household; Val must decide where her allegiances lie and what she's willing to sacrifice.
U.S. Documentary Competition
"Cartel Land"
Latino Theme: In the Mexican state of Michoacán, Dr. Jose Mireles, a small-town physician known as "El Doctor," shepherds a citizen uprising against the Knights Templar, the violent drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region for years. Meanwhile, in Arizona's Altar Valley—a narrow, 52-mile-long desert corridor known as Cocaine Alley—Tim "Nailer" Foley, an American veteran, heads a small paramilitary group called Arizona Border Recon, whose goal is to halt Mexico’s drug wars from seeping across our border.
"City of Gold"
Latino Theme: As the unabashed cradle of Hollywood superficiality and smoggy urban sprawl, Los Angeles has long been condemned as a cultural wasteland. In the richly penetrating documentary odyssey City of Gold, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us another Los Angeles, where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America.
"Western"
Latino Theme: In his classic novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens famously wrote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." That line sums up the story ofWestern, the latest film from Bill and Turner Ross, a documentary destined to become a classic itself. Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico, two towns on opposite sides of the border have shared a harmonious history until the specter of cartel violence threatens to divide them.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Latino Talent: Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
"Dope"
Latino Talent: Actors Tony Revolori, Michael Flores, Allen Maldonado, Lidia Porto, and Sergio Garcia
Latino Theme: Malcolm is a high school geek with a high-top fade, carefully navigating life in The Bottoms, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Inglewood, California. He and his fellow outcasts share a voracious appreciation for all things '90s hip-hop, opting to sport Cross-Colours and Z. Cavariccis at the risk of being clowned at school. He dreams of attending Harvard, but first he has to make it home every day. When a drug dealer takes a shine to Malcolm and invites him to his birthday party, Malcolm’s crew is swirled into a hilarious blender of offbeat characters and bad choices where redemption can only be found in Bitcoin.
"The Stanford Prison Experiment"
Latino Talent: Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Actors Moises Arias and Armand Vasquez
Documentary Premieres
"Fresh Dressed"
Latino Theme: With funky, fat-laced Adidas, Kangol hats, and Cazal shades, a totally original look was born—Fresh—and it came from the black and brown side of town where another cultural force was revving up in the streets to take the world by storm. Hip-hop, and its aspirational relationship to fashion, would become such a force on the market that Tommy Hilfiger, in an effort to associate their brand with the cultural swell, would drive through the streets and hand out free clothing to kids on the corner.
Dramatic Premieres
"Experimenter"
Latino Talent: Dir. Michael Almereyda and Actor John Leguizamo
"Last Days in the Desert"
Latino Talent: Dir. Rodrigo García and Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki
"Lila & Eve"
Latino Talent: Producers Tanya Lopez and Priscilla Porianda, Actors Jennifer Lopez, Andre Royo, Marisela Zumbado and Rey Hernandez
Latino Theme: When teenage Stephon is killed in a drive-by shooting, his mother, Lila, slips into a paralyzing grief. She joins a support group for women who have lost children to crime and meets Eve, a woman whose little girl was killed the same night as Stephon. Lila and Eve form a friendship, and Lila begins to crawl out of her depression. She develops a burning desire to find justice for her son, and she presses the authorities for answers, but they are slow-moving and ineffective. It’s Eve who has the idea first—join together, find the drug dealers who shot Stephon dead, and bring them to justice themselves.
- 1/21/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Breaking into Sundance's notorious Next section that launched films like "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" and "Obvious Child," Kenny Riches' second feature "The Strongest Man" has found its place among the group of bold and innovative features that came before him. Riches heavily foregrounds the film's Miami setting and diverse cast in an eccentric narrative that explores the futility of chasing legacies in a world that's constantly in flux. Beef (Robert Lorie) searches for his stolen bicycle in an unconscious nod to De Sica's "Bicycle Thieves," even as Riches explores a story that's clearly marching to the beat of its own drum. What's your film about in 140 characters or less? The Strongest Man follows Beef, an anxiety-ridden Cuban construction worker, and his Korean friend Conan, as their lives get bumped off track the moment they agree to attend a spiritual meditation class. Now what's it Really about?...
- 1/17/2015
- by Ana Souza
- Indiewire
Yesterday we featured an exclusive clip for the <=> section confrère Kenny Riches’ The Strongest Man, today we have another look at one of the items in our beloved Next program. After having premiered at Locarno Film Festival back in August, Charles Poekel’s Christmas, Again lands in Park City for its U.S debut. Starring Kentucker Audley and Hannah Gross, on the tech side we find cinematographer Sean Price Williams and editor Robert Greene.
Described by Sundance as “the ideal Christmas story for cold-blooded cynics tired of the disingenuous nature of the season,” in this exclusive clip below, we find the characters of Noel (Audley) and Lydia (Gross) contemplate a season with possible left over inventory.
Described by Sundance as “the ideal Christmas story for cold-blooded cynics tired of the disingenuous nature of the season,” in this exclusive clip below, we find the characters of Noel (Audley) and Lydia (Gross) contemplate a season with possible left over inventory.
- 1/16/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The likes of Alex Ross Perry, Ana Lily Amirpour, Gillian Robespierre and Michael Tully populated the eleven-set selection last year, and it’s become such a popular destination that Sundance organizers gave the Next section it’s own sister event in Los Angeles in the summer. This year’s selection of ten films has some familiar filmmaker names, and lesser-known entities such as this knee-slapper cocktail from the sunshine state.
Late next week, filmmaker Kenny Riches will be headed to Park City with The Strongest Man, a portrait of “an anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more.”
In this exclusive clip below, we witness Beef (local artist Floridian Robert “Meatball” Lorie) receiving a quasi-stern warning about overstepping the boundaries. Look for the Uncle Boonmee type character lurking in the background.
Late next week, filmmaker Kenny Riches will be headed to Park City with The Strongest Man, a portrait of “an anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more.”
In this exclusive clip below, we witness Beef (local artist Floridian Robert “Meatball” Lorie) receiving a quasi-stern warning about overstepping the boundaries. Look for the Uncle Boonmee type character lurking in the background.
- 1/15/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Exclusive: Visit Films has filled out its Sundance sales slate, adding international rights to People, Places, Things and The Strongest Man as well as world rights excluding Australia and New Zealand to Sam Klemke’s Time Machine.
New York-based president Ryan Kampe and his team will represent the films in Park City next week where all three will receive their world premiere prior to market premieres at the Efm in Berlin.
The trio joins Visit’s previously announced sales title It Follows, David Robert Mitchell’s genre film that screens in Park City At Midnight.
Jim Strouse’s comedy People, Places, Things plays in the World Dramatic Competition and stars Jemaine Clement from Flight Of The Conchords as a graphic artist who must grapple with single fatherhood after he walks in on his girlfriend in bed with another man.
Stephanie Allyne, Regina Hall and Jessica Williams round out the key cast. ICM and Cinetic...
New York-based president Ryan Kampe and his team will represent the films in Park City next week where all three will receive their world premiere prior to market premieres at the Efm in Berlin.
The trio joins Visit’s previously announced sales title It Follows, David Robert Mitchell’s genre film that screens in Park City At Midnight.
Jim Strouse’s comedy People, Places, Things plays in the World Dramatic Competition and stars Jemaine Clement from Flight Of The Conchords as a graphic artist who must grapple with single fatherhood after he walks in on his girlfriend in bed with another man.
Stephanie Allyne, Regina Hall and Jessica Williams round out the key cast. ICM and Cinetic...
- 1/12/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Announcements for the lineup for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, taking place between January 22nd and February 1st, are starting to roll out. Watch this page for updates as more films and sections are revealed.
Premieres
Brooklyn (John Crowley, UK)
Digging for Fire (Joe Swanberg, USA)
Don Verdean (Jared Hess, USA)
End of the Tour (James Ponsoldt, USA)
Experimenter (Michael Almereyda, USA)
Grandma (Paul Weitz, USA)
I Am Michael (Justin Kelly, USA)
I'll See You In My Dreams (Brett Haley, USA)
Last Days in the Desert (Rodrigo Garcia, USA)
Lila & Eve (Charles Stone III, USA)
Mississipi Grind (Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden, USA)
Mistress America (Noah Baumbach, USA)
Seoul Searching (Benson Lee, USA/Korea)
Sleeping with Other People (Leslye Headland, USA)
Ten Thousand Saints (Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, USA)
True Story (Rupert Goold, USA)
A Walk in the Woods (Ken Kwapis, USA)
Zipper (Mora Stephens, USA)
Documentary Premieres
Beaver Trilogy Part IV (Brad Besser,...
Premieres
Brooklyn (John Crowley, UK)
Digging for Fire (Joe Swanberg, USA)
Don Verdean (Jared Hess, USA)
End of the Tour (James Ponsoldt, USA)
Experimenter (Michael Almereyda, USA)
Grandma (Paul Weitz, USA)
I Am Michael (Justin Kelly, USA)
I'll See You In My Dreams (Brett Haley, USA)
Last Days in the Desert (Rodrigo Garcia, USA)
Lila & Eve (Charles Stone III, USA)
Mississipi Grind (Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden, USA)
Mistress America (Noah Baumbach, USA)
Seoul Searching (Benson Lee, USA/Korea)
Sleeping with Other People (Leslye Headland, USA)
Ten Thousand Saints (Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, USA)
True Story (Rupert Goold, USA)
A Walk in the Woods (Ken Kwapis, USA)
Zipper (Mora Stephens, USA)
Documentary Premieres
Beaver Trilogy Part IV (Brad Besser,...
- 12/16/2014
- by Notebook
- MUBI
New films from Nicole Kidman, Michael Fassbender, Louie Psihoyos and Sebastian Silva are featured in the festival’s line-up of Us and world competition strands and the Next programme.
Sundance Film Festival director John Cooper and head of programming Trevor Groth have unleashed their first volley of films in what will be a 118-strong line-up overall culled from 12,166 submissions. Of these, 103 features are world premieres. The festival will run January 22 to February 1.
Us Dramatic Competition includes Craig Zobel’s post-apocalytpic tale Z For Zachariah starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine; Jack Black in comedy The D Train; and Kristen Wiig in the 1970s San Francisco-set coming-of-age story The Diary Of A Teenage Girl.
Other likely highlights are Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s The Stanford Prison Experiment starring Billy Crudup and Ezra Miller; and Saoirse Ronan in Stockholm, Pennsylvania, about a young woman who returns to live with her parents after she is freed from her abductor of 17 years...
Sundance Film Festival director John Cooper and head of programming Trevor Groth have unleashed their first volley of films in what will be a 118-strong line-up overall culled from 12,166 submissions. Of these, 103 features are world premieres. The festival will run January 22 to February 1.
Us Dramatic Competition includes Craig Zobel’s post-apocalytpic tale Z For Zachariah starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine; Jack Black in comedy The D Train; and Kristen Wiig in the 1970s San Francisco-set coming-of-age story The Diary Of A Teenage Girl.
Other likely highlights are Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s The Stanford Prison Experiment starring Billy Crudup and Ezra Miller; and Saoirse Ronan in Stockholm, Pennsylvania, about a young woman who returns to live with her parents after she is freed from her abductor of 17 years...
- 12/3/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
How important is the Sundance Film Festival's Next program? The yearly slate of edgier fare has led to critically acclaimed art house hits such as "Obvious Child," "Listen Up Phillip" and "Sound of My Voice." It also has inspired the Los Angeles-based Sundance Next Festival, which just wrapped up its second edition this past August. So while it may not have the prestige of the U.S. dramatic competition, Next films are something any movie lover should pay attention to. Along with the top competition categories, the Sundance Institute announced the Next slate for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and it features some indie star power. Kristen Wiig stars in Sundance alum Sebastian Silva's "Nasty Baby" (which makes it back-to-back festivals for the "Skeleton Twins" star), John C. Reilly and Michael Cera appear in the comedy "Entertainment" and former "Girls" star Chris Abbott and Cynthia Nixon star in Josh Mond's "James White.
- 12/3/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
The 2nd annual South Texas Underground Film Festival, running Oct. 3-6 in Corpus Christi, Texas, is a massive celebration of international alternative cinema, including plenty from Texas filmmakers, of course.
The fest opened on the 3rd with the drop-dead hilarious comedy Pictures of Superheroes by Austin filmmaker Don Swaynos.
But, there’s still plenty more to see throughout the jam-packed weekend wherein films screen from morning until, well, early into the next morning.
The film that’s absolutely not to be missed is the screening on the 6th at 10:30 a.m. of Savage Witches, the amazing celebration of the art of filmmaking by British directors Daniel Fawcett & Clara Pais. A colorful spectacle of multiple filmmaking styles, Savage Witches is a real joy to experience.
Also to be on the lookout for are on the 5th at 11:00 a.m. is the new rockin’ documentary Mondo Fuzz: Twilight of the...
The fest opened on the 3rd with the drop-dead hilarious comedy Pictures of Superheroes by Austin filmmaker Don Swaynos.
But, there’s still plenty more to see throughout the jam-packed weekend wherein films screen from morning until, well, early into the next morning.
The film that’s absolutely not to be missed is the screening on the 6th at 10:30 a.m. of Savage Witches, the amazing celebration of the art of filmmaking by British directors Daniel Fawcett & Clara Pais. A colorful spectacle of multiple filmmaking styles, Savage Witches is a real joy to experience.
Also to be on the lookout for are on the 5th at 11:00 a.m. is the new rockin’ documentary Mondo Fuzz: Twilight of the...
- 10/4/2013
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
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