Walter Mercado signed off every one of his wildly popular televised astrology readings with a vital and uplifting message, one which resonates just as much today: “Reciban de mi siempre mucho paz, pero sobre todo mucho mucho mucho amor.” May you receive from me always, peace, lots of peace, but above all, lots and lots of love.
The late Puerto Rican actor and dancer was the first and most widely televised astrologer in the world, gracing TV screens and radio stations in every Spanish-speaking market for nearly four decades beginning in the 1970s. He disappeared from public view amidst an arduous legal battle over the rights to his name and previous work, retreating to a fortress-like villa in San Juan. His outsized personality, dazzling capes, and uplifting message of love earned him the arduous devotion of millions of fans the world over. Mercado passed away in 2019, but his spirit endures,...
The late Puerto Rican actor and dancer was the first and most widely televised astrologer in the world, gracing TV screens and radio stations in every Spanish-speaking market for nearly four decades beginning in the 1970s. He disappeared from public view amidst an arduous legal battle over the rights to his name and previous work, retreating to a fortress-like villa in San Juan. His outsized personality, dazzling capes, and uplifting message of love earned him the arduous devotion of millions of fans the world over. Mercado passed away in 2019, but his spirit endures,...
- 7/9/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
A profound and poetic passage and a playful Fitzcarraldo allusion aside, Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia is a shockingly bad picture. Omnibus flicks are only as good as their best passages and as bad as their worst. While the film, made collectively by several talented filmmakers working under the banner of the Borscht Corporation, doesn’t reach a Movie 43-level of obnoxiousness, it comes close in a few sections. Its inclusion in Sundance’s Next category represents a troubling lack of judgment. The category was originally meant for lower-budget indies and emerging talent. Unfortunately, someone’s potentially stunning little indie didn’t make the cut and rather this over-bloated picture featuring several Sundance alumni was accepted instead. At my screening, the film inspired a few more walkouts than Flying Lotus’ nearly pornographic Kuso did last year. Kuso, however, worked while Omniboat was met with much silence when shown to a sober audience at 12:30 pm.
- 2/2/2020
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Comprising a portion of our top 50 films of last year, Sundance Film Festival has proven to yield the first genuine look at what the year in cinema will bring. We’ll be heading back to Park City this week, but before we do, it’s time to highlight the films we’re most looking forward to, including documentaries and narrative features from all around the world.
While much of the joy found in the festival comes from surprises throughout the 11 days, below one will find our 20 most-anticipated titles. Check out our picks and for updates straight from the festival, make sure to follow us on Twitter, and stay tuned to all of our coverage here.
20. The Truffle Hunters (Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw)
There will be no shortage of timely, issue-driven documentaries at Sundance Film Festival, as is the case each year, and we’re looking forward to seeing a...
While much of the joy found in the festival comes from surprises throughout the 11 days, below one will find our 20 most-anticipated titles. Check out our picks and for updates straight from the festival, make sure to follow us on Twitter, and stay tuned to all of our coverage here.
20. The Truffle Hunters (Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw)
There will be no shortage of timely, issue-driven documentaries at Sundance Film Festival, as is the case each year, and we’re looking forward to seeing a...
- 1/20/2020
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
"How many hours of the day do I try to make the body happy." Yet another beautifully painted animated short to enjoy. Agua Viva is the latest hand-painted short film made by animator / filmmaker Alexa Lim Haas. You may recognize her style, as we also posted her short film Glove about an astronaut's glove. Agua Viva premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and also played at the Rotterdam Film Festival. It's now available online to watch. The film is about a Chinese manicurist in Miami who attempts to describe feelings she doesn't have the words for about her days. The voice is provided by Mengda Zhang. It's worth a watch. Thanks to Short of the Week for the tip on this one. Original description from Vimeo: "A Chinese manicurist in Miami attempts to describe feelings she doesn't have the words for." Agua Viva is written, directed, and animated by...
- 5/28/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
New York-based animator Alexa Lim Haas made Filmmaker‘s 25 New Faces list in 2017 while her lovely short Agua Viva was still in post. With the film appearing on Vimeo this week, where it received a Staff Pick, now both we and all of you can experience it in its fully-inked glory. Agua Viva, which depicts the inner life of an immigrant Chinese nail salon worker in Miami, premiered at Sundance and Rotterdam this year and won jury prizes at SXSW and Dallas. It received quite a bit of support, including the Borscht Corp’s #NoBroZone Grant, the Time Warner 1st […]...
- 12/4/2018
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
New York-based animator Alexa Lim Haas made Filmmaker‘s 25 New Faces list in 2017 while her lovely short Agua Viva was still in post. With the film appearing on Vimeo this week, where it received a Staff Pick, now both we and all of you can experience it in its fully-inked glory. Agua Viva, which depicts the inner life of an immigrant Chinese nail salon worker in Miami, premiered at Sundance and Rotterdam this year and won jury prizes at SXSW and Dallas. It received quite a bit of support, including the Borscht Corp’s #NoBroZone Grant, the Time Warner 1st […]...
- 12/4/2018
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
ShortList 2018: ‘Agua Vida’ Director on Telling a Chinese Immigrant’s Story in the Trump Era (Video)
Alexa Lim Haas credits President Trump in part for spurring her to make the most of her prescient animated short “Agua Vida,”a finalist in TheWrap’s seventh annual ShortList Film Festival.
Lim Haas began working on the film — about the daily routine of a Chinese immigrant woman who works in a nail salon in Florida — nearly two years ago, just before the 2016 presidential election.
“It felt different after Trump got elected,” she told TheWrap. “It became motivation, and I felt activated to make it more.”
Lim Haas, the daughter of Filipino immigrants, said much of “Agua Vida” is based on the experiences of her family members, particularly those who work in service industries. “I’m just really interested in what they think about and what they do, because their routine is so repetitive, day to day,” she said.
Also Read: ShortList 2018: Why 'Night Shift' Director Spent a Lot...
Lim Haas began working on the film — about the daily routine of a Chinese immigrant woman who works in a nail salon in Florida — nearly two years ago, just before the 2016 presidential election.
“It felt different after Trump got elected,” she told TheWrap. “It became motivation, and I felt activated to make it more.”
Lim Haas, the daughter of Filipino immigrants, said much of “Agua Vida” is based on the experiences of her family members, particularly those who work in service industries. “I’m just really interested in what they think about and what they do, because their routine is so repetitive, day to day,” she said.
Also Read: ShortList 2018: Why 'Night Shift' Director Spent a Lot...
- 8/8/2018
- by Juliette Verlaque
- The Wrap
TheWrap is pleased to announce the 12 finalists in the seventh annual ShortList Film Festival, launching today online.
The finalists, hand-picked from the world’s top film festivals over the last year, will stream on the site starting today through August 22, 2018 — allowing visitors to vote on their favorites.
The Audience Prize and The Industry Prize winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize during a ceremony to take place at the AMC Century City in Los Angeles on Thursday, August 23.
The films in the main competition are a mix of foreign language, drama, comedy and animation created by filmmakers from around the globe.
Also Read: Meet: The 2018 ShortList Film Festival Jurors!
In addition, eight student films from top colleges and universities included in TheWrap’s ranking of film schools have been named finalists in a sidebar competition.
The contenders come from filmmakers who studied at USC, UCLA, University of North Carolina School of the Arts,...
The finalists, hand-picked from the world’s top film festivals over the last year, will stream on the site starting today through August 22, 2018 — allowing visitors to vote on their favorites.
The Audience Prize and The Industry Prize winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize during a ceremony to take place at the AMC Century City in Los Angeles on Thursday, August 23.
The films in the main competition are a mix of foreign language, drama, comedy and animation created by filmmakers from around the globe.
Also Read: Meet: The 2018 ShortList Film Festival Jurors!
In addition, eight student films from top colleges and universities included in TheWrap’s ranking of film schools have been named finalists in a sidebar competition.
The contenders come from filmmakers who studied at USC, UCLA, University of North Carolina School of the Arts,...
- 8/8/2018
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
Festival concluded in Austin, Texas, at weekend.
March 19 Update: Wes Anderson’s Isle Of Dogs was named Headliners audience award winner on Monday, after Olivia Newman’s First Match earned the Narrative Feature Competition award on Saturday night (March 17).
Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson prevailed in the Documentary Feature Competition on Saturday with TransMilitary, while John Hyams’ All Square took audience award honours in the Narrative Spotlight Section, and The Dawn Wall by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer triumphed in Documentary Spotlight.
Timur Bekmambetov’s Profile won in Visions, Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade was declared winner in Midnighters, and Alonso Ruizpalacios...
March 19 Update: Wes Anderson’s Isle Of Dogs was named Headliners audience award winner on Monday, after Olivia Newman’s First Match earned the Narrative Feature Competition award on Saturday night (March 17).
Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson prevailed in the Documentary Feature Competition on Saturday with TransMilitary, while John Hyams’ All Square took audience award honours in the Narrative Spotlight Section, and The Dawn Wall by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer triumphed in Documentary Spotlight.
Timur Bekmambetov’s Profile won in Visions, Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade was declared winner in Midnighters, and Alonso Ruizpalacios...
- 3/19/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Audience Awards to be handed out on March 17.
March 17 Update: Olivia Newman’s First Match was named audience award winner of the 2018 SXSW Narrative Feature Competition on Saturday night (March 17).
Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson prevailed in the Documentary Feature Competition with TransMilitary, while John Hyams’ All Square took audience award honours in the Narrative Spotlight Section, and The Dawn Wall by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer triumphed in Documentary Spotlight.
Timur Bekmambetov’s Profile won in Visions, Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade was declared winner in Midnighters, and Alonso Ruizpalacios and So Yong Kim won in Episodic for Vida.
Earlier...
March 17 Update: Olivia Newman’s First Match was named audience award winner of the 2018 SXSW Narrative Feature Competition on Saturday night (March 17).
Gabriel Silverman and Fiona Dawson prevailed in the Documentary Feature Competition with TransMilitary, while John Hyams’ All Square took audience award honours in the Narrative Spotlight Section, and The Dawn Wall by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer triumphed in Documentary Spotlight.
Timur Bekmambetov’s Profile won in Visions, Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade was declared winner in Midnighters, and Alonso Ruizpalacios and So Yong Kim won in Episodic for Vida.
Earlier...
- 3/17/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Audience Awards to be handed out on March 17.
Jim Cummings’ Midwest-set drama Thunder Road was anointed winner of the 2018 SXSW Narrative Feature Competition on Tuesday night (March 13).
The corresponding Documentary Feature Competition winner was People’s Republic Of Desire by Hao Wu.
In the short film awards, Carey Williams’ Emergency won Narrative Shorts, while Charlie Tyrell’s My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes prevailed in Documentary Shorts, Milk by Santiago Menghini won Midnight Shorts, and Alexa Lim Haas’ Agua Viva was named winner of Animated Shorts.
An Uncertain Future by Iliana Sosa and Chelsea Hernandez won the Texas Shorts category.
Jim Cummings’ Midwest-set drama Thunder Road was anointed winner of the 2018 SXSW Narrative Feature Competition on Tuesday night (March 13).
The corresponding Documentary Feature Competition winner was People’s Republic Of Desire by Hao Wu.
In the short film awards, Carey Williams’ Emergency won Narrative Shorts, while Charlie Tyrell’s My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes prevailed in Documentary Shorts, Milk by Santiago Menghini won Midnight Shorts, and Alexa Lim Haas’ Agua Viva was named winner of Animated Shorts.
An Uncertain Future by Iliana Sosa and Chelsea Hernandez won the Texas Shorts category.
- 3/14/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Juried prizes were presented tonight at the 25th annual Swsw Film Festival. Jim Gaffigan, in Austin to represent the Miranda Bailey-directed ensemble comedy “You Can Choose Your Family,” presided as host. The venue was the Paramount Theatre, a 103-year-old landmark just blocks from the Texas Capitol.
SXSW will continue screening films through Saturday, when most of the festival’s audience awards recipients will be announced. The exception is for the headlining films, such as “A Quiet Place,” “Blockers,” and “Ready Player One” — those verdicts follows on March 19.
This year’s line-up comprised 256 total features and shorts, culled from 8,183 submissions. Best narrative feature “Thunder Road” was adapted from the namesake, one-take short that won a Grand Jury award at Sundance in 2016.
Lena Dunham’s “Tiny Furniture” (2010) and Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Short Term 12” (2013) are among the best-known past jury victors at SXSW. IndieWire’s Dana Harris helped choose the Louis Black “Lone Star” honoree,...
SXSW will continue screening films through Saturday, when most of the festival’s audience awards recipients will be announced. The exception is for the headlining films, such as “A Quiet Place,” “Blockers,” and “Ready Player One” — those verdicts follows on March 19.
This year’s line-up comprised 256 total features and shorts, culled from 8,183 submissions. Best narrative feature “Thunder Road” was adapted from the namesake, one-take short that won a Grand Jury award at Sundance in 2016.
Lena Dunham’s “Tiny Furniture” (2010) and Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Short Term 12” (2013) are among the best-known past jury victors at SXSW. IndieWire’s Dana Harris helped choose the Louis Black “Lone Star” honoree,...
- 3/14/2018
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
As film nonprofits go, Miami’s Borscht Corp has a different way of doing things. Whether it’s buying a speedboat as the first step in fundraising for a feature, or “canceling” a secret party on social media to throw off the cops, Borscht’s organizational methods are as experimental and visionary as the work it produces. That includes the Borscht Film Festival, a “quasi-yearly” event showcasing films, sculpture, performances, and installations by emerging regional filmmakers.
While Borscht may sound obscure, it lies at the heart of Barry Jenkins’ success. When Borscht co-founder (and “Moonlight” co-producer) Andrew Hevia saw Miami native Jenkins’ first feature, the San Francisco-set “Medicine for Melancholy,” he became determined to bring Jenkins back to Miami to shoot a film. Borscht commissioned a short film from Jenkins, “Chlorophyl,” for the 2011 festival. “That sort of re-awakened [Jenkins] to the city,” said Borscht co-founder Lucas Leyva, an accomplished filmmaker and producer himself.
While Borscht may sound obscure, it lies at the heart of Barry Jenkins’ success. When Borscht co-founder (and “Moonlight” co-producer) Andrew Hevia saw Miami native Jenkins’ first feature, the San Francisco-set “Medicine for Melancholy,” he became determined to bring Jenkins back to Miami to shoot a film. Borscht commissioned a short film from Jenkins, “Chlorophyl,” for the 2011 festival. “That sort of re-awakened [Jenkins] to the city,” said Borscht co-founder Lucas Leyva, an accomplished filmmaker and producer himself.
- 3/9/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
One of the best films I saw at Sundance this year was not a feature-length one, but rather the short Glove, which fittingly screened before another space-related feature Operation Avalanche. Directed by Alexa Haas and Bernardo Britto, it’s an animated look at the true story of a glove that has been taking a journey through space since 1968. Hatched from an idea after viewing the Nasa documentary For All Mankind, it’s a wistful, gorgeously rendered look at space and time.
“That glove carries with it everything that went into the making of it,” Britto tells The Wrap, who debuted the short online. “Whereas Yearbook [her previous film] says we’re all going to be forgotten and this doesn’t really matter, Glove is saying that even though we can’t tell how far our actions and the things we make will go, they do have an impact on things and will go on forever.
“That glove carries with it everything that went into the making of it,” Britto tells The Wrap, who debuted the short online. “Whereas Yearbook [her previous film] says we’re all going to be forgotten and this doesn’t really matter, Glove is saying that even though we can’t tell how far our actions and the things we make will go, they do have an impact on things and will go on forever.
- 8/11/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"It'll still float on..." Now this is creative filmmaking at its finest. Inspired by a random throwaway shot in a Nasa documentary about the Apollo missions, Alexa Haas and Bernardo Britto decided to make a short film about an astronaut's glove somehow came loose and went floating into the abyss of space. The short film is titled Glove and it features hand-painted animation by Alexa Haas, telling a wondrous story of the life of this glove. I saw this at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, as it played in front of the film Operation Avalanche, which is pretty much perfect pairing. My only complaint is that I hate the looping of the final shot at the credits - once or twice was enough. Other than that, this is so much fun to watch. Enjoy. Thanks to The Wrap for debuting. The description for the film is short and...
- 8/11/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
For this week’s Ioncinema.com’s Short Film Corner, we feature Yearbook, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, where it deservedly was awarded the Short Film Grand Jury Prize. Recently listedl as one of Filmmaker Mag’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, writer/director Bernardo Britto’s densely packed, darkly prophetic tail of an average working man tasked with cataloging all of recorded history before Earth is destroyed by a retaliatory alien attack is a startlingly deep philosophic discussion of what keeping a record actually means.
It’s also a tragic, yet moving depiction of a classic man at work/wife at home trope, as well as an earnestly hand made animated short that calls on the tonality of Chris Ware’s hyper stylized tragicomic work and reaches far beyond its formative stricture to something of simple cinematic greatness. I had the opportunity to pose the young filmmaker...
It’s also a tragic, yet moving depiction of a classic man at work/wife at home trope, as well as an earnestly hand made animated short that calls on the tonality of Chris Ware’s hyper stylized tragicomic work and reaches far beyond its formative stricture to something of simple cinematic greatness. I had the opportunity to pose the young filmmaker...
- 8/2/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
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