It’s almost time to get your Q on, St. Louis!!
The 10h Annual QFest St. Louis, presented by Cinema St. Louis, runs March 29th – April 2nd at the .Zack (3224 Locust St., St. Louis, Mo 63103)
The St. Louis-based Lgbtq film festival, QFest will present an eclectic slate of films from filmmakers that represent a wide variety of voices in contemporary queer world cinema. The mission of the film festival is to use the art of contemporary gay cinema to illustrate the diversity of the Lgbtq community and to explore the complexities of living an alternative lifestyle.
All screenings at the .Zack (3224 Locust St., St. Louis, Mo 63103). Individual tickets are $13 for general admission, $10 for students and Cinema St. Louis members with valid and current photo IDs.
Advance tickets may be purchased at the Hi-Pointe Backlot box office or website. For more info, visit the Cinema St. Louis site Here
http://www.
The 10h Annual QFest St. Louis, presented by Cinema St. Louis, runs March 29th – April 2nd at the .Zack (3224 Locust St., St. Louis, Mo 63103)
The St. Louis-based Lgbtq film festival, QFest will present an eclectic slate of films from filmmakers that represent a wide variety of voices in contemporary queer world cinema. The mission of the film festival is to use the art of contemporary gay cinema to illustrate the diversity of the Lgbtq community and to explore the complexities of living an alternative lifestyle.
All screenings at the .Zack (3224 Locust St., St. Louis, Mo 63103). Individual tickets are $13 for general admission, $10 for students and Cinema St. Louis members with valid and current photo IDs.
Advance tickets may be purchased at the Hi-Pointe Backlot box office or website. For more info, visit the Cinema St. Louis site Here
http://www.
- 3/16/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The new documentary from To Be Takei director Jennifer M. Kroot, The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, will have its World Premiere at SXSW this year. ScreenAnarchy is pleased to offer you this exclusive clip as an appetizer. In the clip Laura Linney, who starred in the television adaptation of his Tales of the City series, and Sir Ian McKellen speak fondly of their friend, both a literary and Lgbtq icon, not just to people of all walks in the Bay Area but from all over the World. The Untold Tales Of Armistead Maupin examines the life and work of one of the world's most beloved storytellers, following his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels have...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 3/8/2017
- Screen Anarchy
The one-time Mr Sulu is unique among the Star Trek fraternity for having become more famous and adored since he left the Starship Enterprise. So, what’s his problem with Jj Abrams’ blockbuster reboot?
A few months ago, George Takei was all over the internet. Admittedly, there’s nothing unusual about that. The online presence of the sparkly-eyed 79-year-old, formerly known as Mr Sulu from Star Trek, is genuinely ubiquitous; it can sometimes feel as though it’s his internet and the rest of us are merely squatters. His popularity could be measured purely in social media statistics (nearly 10m Facebook likes, 1.8 million followers on Twitter and 889,000 on Instagram) but that wouldn’t show how he uses those channels to encourage inclusivity and to speak out against bigotry and injustice with a wit that never loses its warmth. Takei is so charismatic, playful and intelligent that he has pulled off...
A few months ago, George Takei was all over the internet. Admittedly, there’s nothing unusual about that. The online presence of the sparkly-eyed 79-year-old, formerly known as Mr Sulu from Star Trek, is genuinely ubiquitous; it can sometimes feel as though it’s his internet and the rest of us are merely squatters. His popularity could be measured purely in social media statistics (nearly 10m Facebook likes, 1.8 million followers on Twitter and 889,000 on Instagram) but that wouldn’t show how he uses those channels to encourage inclusivity and to speak out against bigotry and injustice with a wit that never loses its warmth. Takei is so charismatic, playful and intelligent that he has pulled off...
- 10/6/2016
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Here's your daily dose of an indie film in progress -- at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. Nancy Logline: A gripping, psychological drama about a female imposter who lies to gain emotional intimacy. Elevator Pitch: Nancy is a female antihero in the vein of Travis Bickle, Walter White and Tony Soprano. Ultimately, she does a lot of twisted things because she's just looking for love. Production Team: Director/Writer: Christina ChoeProducers: Gerry Kim & Mayuran Tiruchelvam ("To Be Takei," "Across the Sea") Jonathan Duffy & Kelly Williams ("Hellion," "Beaver Triology IV," "Six Years")Casting Director: Lauren Grey About the Film: Recently, I found out that one of my favorite professors was a fraud. He was someone that we all revered. He taught us to "write what breaks your heart,...
- 6/3/2015
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
George Takei is back with a new web series. The activist and ex-Star Trek actor will take viewers behind-the-scenes of his life with husband Brad in the series It Takeis Two, premiering on April 7, 2015.
Entertainment Weekly reported on the Takeis’ upcoming show, self-described as a “heightened reality” series. George and Brad will show viewers what it’s like to live their very unusual daily lives, complete with everything from jetpacks to human hamster balls.
In the debut episode, dubbed “Seriously?!”, George tries to get his husband to embrace the craziness of the internet after Brad freaks out about a meme of himself and tries to expunge it from across the digital world. The theme of the first It Takeis Two episode is fitting, as George is a social media whiz. The ex-Star Trek actor boasts over 8.4 million likes on his Facebook page, as well as 1.6 million followers on Twitter.
Entertainment Weekly reported on the Takeis’ upcoming show, self-described as a “heightened reality” series. George and Brad will show viewers what it’s like to live their very unusual daily lives, complete with everything from jetpacks to human hamster balls.
In the debut episode, dubbed “Seriously?!”, George tries to get his husband to embrace the craziness of the internet after Brad freaks out about a meme of himself and tries to expunge it from across the digital world. The theme of the first It Takeis Two episode is fitting, as George is a social media whiz. The ex-Star Trek actor boasts over 8.4 million likes on his Facebook page, as well as 1.6 million followers on Twitter.
- 4/2/2015
- by Bree Brouwer
- Tubefilter.com
Television icon Leonard Nimoy died at age 83 today, but there's no questioning whether his work will live on for eternity. Spock is the thinking man's Fonz, a source of gravitas and cool wisdom whose appearances are deceiving. To celebrate, let's enjoy a Leonard Nimoy film fest that's entirely available to stream online riiiiight now. Here are some prime picks. "Star Trek II-vi" (Netflix) Something tells me you haven't indulged in Khan's wrath recently. It takes just a quick viewing of (gasp) Spock's funeral scene in the second film to make you remember how easy it is to get attached to these characters. Did you read Obama's small tribute to Spock? I was weeping in my car like Nicole Kidman in "Rabbit Hole" over that one. "Tj Hooker" (Crackle) You do realize that Nimoy and Shatner faced off on a pair of "Tj Hooker" episodes, don't you? It's elementary to point out,...
- 2/28/2015
- by Louis Virtel
- Hitfix
Seattle Asian American Film Festival opening with To Be Takei. The 2015 Seattle Asian American Film Festival will begin with the documentary To Be Takei, an exploration of the life of actor George Takei. Other landmark films being featured at the festival include Documented, a documentary on Pulitzer Prize winning [...]
Continue reading: To Be Takei opening 2015 Seattle Asian American Film Festival...
Continue reading: To Be Takei opening 2015 Seattle Asian American Film Festival...
- 2/11/2015
- by Derek Sun
- Film-Book
Jay Martin’s directorial debut also stars Luke Mitchell, Leven Rambin and Kris Kristofferson
Starz Digital Media has acquired all North American rights to Jay Martin’s crime thriller “7 Minutes” and will release the film theatrically and on VOD this summer.
“7 Minutes,” which premiered at the Austin Film Festival in October, marks the directorial debut of Martin, a veteran music video director who also wrote the screenplay.
Also Read: ‘Avengers’ Star Clark Gregg’s Comedy ‘Trust Me’ Acquired by Starz Digital Media
The film stars Luke Mitchell, Jason Ritter, Leven Rambin (“The Hunger Games”), Kris Kristofferson and Zane Holtz, and...
Starz Digital Media has acquired all North American rights to Jay Martin’s crime thriller “7 Minutes” and will release the film theatrically and on VOD this summer.
“7 Minutes,” which premiered at the Austin Film Festival in October, marks the directorial debut of Martin, a veteran music video director who also wrote the screenplay.
Also Read: ‘Avengers’ Star Clark Gregg’s Comedy ‘Trust Me’ Acquired by Starz Digital Media
The film stars Luke Mitchell, Jason Ritter, Leven Rambin (“The Hunger Games”), Kris Kristofferson and Zane Holtz, and...
- 1/22/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Just to remind everyone what a bellwether of Lgbt cinema it is — last year’s Sundance Film Festival brought us the U.S. (and often World) premieres of such exciting Lgbt films of 2014 as Love Is Strange, Stranger By The Lake, Lilting, To Be Takei, The Skeleton Twins and the Oscar-shortlisted The Case Against 8 just to mention a few. So basically you can expect that many of the films listed below will become the hits of 2015! This year’s festival runs January 22- February 1 in Park City, Utah. Nearly 120 films will be shown (selected from amongst the […]...
- 1/21/2015
- by Jenni Olson
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Just to remind everyone what a bellwether of Lgbt cinema it is — last year’s Sundance Film Festival brought us the U.S. (and often World) premieres of such exciting Lgbt films of 2014 as Love Is Strange, Stranger By The Lake, Lilting, To Be Takei, The Skeleton Twins and the Oscar-shortlisted The Case Against 8 just to mention a few. So basically you can expect that many of the films listed below will become the hits of 2015! This year’s festival runs January 22- February 1 in Park City, Utah. Nearly 120 films will be shown (selected from amongst the […]...
- 1/21/2015
- by Jenni Olson
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
At the beginning of (and throughout) every month, Netflix Streaming adds new movies and TV shows to its library. Here is a quick list of several that you might be interested in. Some of these may have previously been on Netflix, only to have been removed and then added back. Feel free to note anything we've left out in the comments below.Friends: The Complete Series (Jan. 1): We’ve been telling you about this all month! Play with our countdown calendar and clear some room on your schedule. Movies December 28 I, Frankenstein (2014)Labor Day (2013) January 1 101 Dalmatians (1996)Bad Boys II (2003)Batman & Robin (1997)Bruce Almighty (2003)Cast Away (2000)Get Low (2009)Election (1999)Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)Fort Bliss (2014)Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)Mean Girls (2004)Shall We Dance? (2004)To Be Takei (2014)The French Connection (1971)The Quiet Man (1952)The War of the Worlds (1953)Wayne’s World 2 (1993) January 2 Big FishBowling...
- 1/5/2015
- by Vulture Editors
- Vulture
What better way to ring in the New Year than to spend time with Joey, Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler and Phoebe? That’s the question Netflix has posed to its subscribers across North America and Canada after all ten seasons of Friends arrived on the streaming service on New Year’s Day.
Heralding no less than 238 episodes of the beloved sitcom — which ran from 1994 up until 2004 — fans will be left spoilt for choice, and it’s an addition that will no doubt instigate its fair share of late-night marathons.
Friends isn’t the only new addition to the company’s online selection though, with the likes of Bad Boys II, Cast Away and Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas also cropping up from January 1 onwards. From that point on, Netflix also has plans to introduce several new titles incrementally. For action devotees, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit will make its bow tomorrow,...
Heralding no less than 238 episodes of the beloved sitcom — which ran from 1994 up until 2004 — fans will be left spoilt for choice, and it’s an addition that will no doubt instigate its fair share of late-night marathons.
Friends isn’t the only new addition to the company’s online selection though, with the likes of Bad Boys II, Cast Away and Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas also cropping up from January 1 onwards. From that point on, Netflix also has plans to introduce several new titles incrementally. For action devotees, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit will make its bow tomorrow,...
- 1/2/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
With the new year comes a slew of new movies and TV shows on Netflix, and everyone's favorite streaming service is adding some great titles in January 2015.
On the movie side, a bevy of box-office heavyweights are being added to the instant mix, including Disney's live-action "101 Dalmatians," Jim Carrey's "Bruce Almighty," and Michael Bay actioner "Bad Boys II." Some smaller favorites are also coming to Netflix: Internet obsession "Mean Girls" returns (to stay?! Please!), Reese Witherspoon dark comedy "Election" gets a run, and this past summer's little-comedy-that-could, "Chef," makes its subscription service debut.
But wait, there's more!
"Friends" fans have been dying for the series to come to Netflix, and now that dream is coming true! Beginning January 1, subscribers will be able to watch every single episode, catching up with Monica, Joey, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe whenever and wherever they want. Other great shows being added in January...
On the movie side, a bevy of box-office heavyweights are being added to the instant mix, including Disney's live-action "101 Dalmatians," Jim Carrey's "Bruce Almighty," and Michael Bay actioner "Bad Boys II." Some smaller favorites are also coming to Netflix: Internet obsession "Mean Girls" returns (to stay?! Please!), Reese Witherspoon dark comedy "Election" gets a run, and this past summer's little-comedy-that-could, "Chef," makes its subscription service debut.
But wait, there's more!
"Friends" fans have been dying for the series to come to Netflix, and now that dream is coming true! Beginning January 1, subscribers will be able to watch every single episode, catching up with Monica, Joey, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, and Phoebe whenever and wherever they want. Other great shows being added in January...
- 12/16/2014
- by Tim Hayne
- Moviefone
Curious to know what movies are coming to Netflix Watch Instantly over the next few weeks? Get a head start and mark your calendars using the list below, just released to us by Netflix. Note: Listed below are just the movies, not the television shows. January 1 101 Dalmatians (1996) Bad Boys II (2003) Batman & Robin (1997) Bruce Almighty (2003) Cast Away (2000) Get Low (2009) Election (1999) Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) Fort Bliss (2014) Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003) Mean Girls (2004) Shall We Dance? (2004) To Be Takei (2014) The French Connection (1971) The Quiet Man (1952) The War of...
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- 12/16/2014
- by Movies.com
- Movies.com
Julie Chappell and Monica Delamater are the newest account executives at Falco Ink. Both have been with the showbiz PR firm for three years and have worked separately on campaigns for films including The Skeleton Twins, Fading Gigolo, The Cosmopolitans and To Be Takei. “Monica and Julie are a welcome addition to the leadership team,” Falco partner Janice Roland said. “They have a firm grasp on the importance of multidistribution platforms and cross media-content.”...
- 12/5/2014
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
Los Cabos International Film Festival took place this month of November. It was a brave move to keep it going after Cabo had been so hard hit by Hurricane Odile with winds of 125mph less than a month earlier. The vast destruction in our part of town was quickly being repaired though traces remained visible and repairs still to be done necessitated cutting the normal invitation list by half and doubling up hotel rooms for a few unlucky journalists. That being said, there were 15,000 attending the festival. Volunteers wore the worthy words on their t-shirts: #Unstoppable, and they were that.
For all the infrastructure problems of the city in the midst of rebuilding itself, the festival seemed to thrive with all sorts of invitees showing up from all over the world. It seemed like gala events, panels, master classes, coproduction meetings, works in progress, screenings and interviews were constantly taking place. It was a great team and we all felt part of it.
The festival is overseen by the executive board members Eduardo Sánchez Navarro, Alfonso Pascal Barcenas, Scott Cross and Sean Cross (who also founded Vail Film Festival) and is organized by the festival team of Alonso Aguilar (General Director), Alejandra Paulin (General Coordinator) - who was a great market director in Guadajalara before coming here, Maru Garzon (Head of Programming), Ana Molinar Trujillo (Communication Manager), and Monica Herrera (Film Programmer). My friend from Guadalajara, normally an English teacher, Fabian Cruz was also there working for the festival.
When Eduardo Sánchez Navarro Redo remembers how he first came to Los Cabos, there is no doubt in his mind that destiny and luck played an important part. When he married his wife 30 years ago, he decided to travel along the entire Pacific Coast, from Acapulco to Mazatlan, where he crossed over to La Paz eventually driving to Los Cabos. The beauty of the area impressed him and it was during this trip that he and his wife decided to buy a vacation home in Los Cabos, thus beginning a distinguished career as a principal player and developer of what is Los Cabos today. Over the course of more than 20 years, his company, Grupo Questro, has emerged as one of the most highly respected developers in all of Mexico. He, together with Juan Gallardo Thurlow, Scott Cross, and Sean Cross, founded the festival in 2012.
My job as a journalist was to explore and write, hard to do when you are having such fun 24/7. We journalists were all in one hotel where we were given space and time to bond. Travel writers mixed with trade writers: from Film Journal David Noh, whose article is worth sharing here, my colleagues Peter Rainer from NPR and Christian Science Monitor, Anne Thompson from Thompson on Hollywood on Indiewire, Godfrey Cheshire of RogerEbert.com and many others met and mixed. Also Ira Deutchman of Colombia University Film School and Emerging Pictures and Robin Brock of Creative Coalition were there with time to share dinners.
The filmmakers, in another hotel, mixed by day and at the communal lunches and parties. I will write more on them in an upcoming blog! After all, filmmakers are the backbone of our industry. Without them, we have nothing!
The agents, mostly from CAA, were placed in another hotel, luxurious and far away. As someone said, Cabos is like Cannes, only in November. If so, perhaps they were at the Eden Roc in Cap d’Antibes. (Actually they were at Hacienda Beach Club & Residences) CAA has always been an honored part of this festival. I have heard that that is because someone with lots of money from Mexico invests it in cinema through CAA and even started the festival. That is, however, pure conjecture. Under the guidance of CAA agent, Micah Green, people can be assured that the directions he sees and the decisions he makes about investing private individuals' capital into filmed entertainment is priceless. I could think of no one I would trust more --in this untrustworthy business we are in-- than Micah.
At least two other agents – Bec Smith and Rena Ronson from UTA -- were also there. Rena and Micah were on the Film Financing Panel moderated by Variety’s expert in all things Iberoamerican and my idol, John Hopewell. Other participants on the Film Finance Panel were Jonathan King, Evp of Production at Jeff Skoll’s Participant Media whose partnership with Canana formed Participant PanAmerican production fund. “No” by Pablo Lorrain was their first investment. Pp also financed "El Ardor" which played in Cannes and “Cesar Chavez”, directed by Diego Luna. Also on the panel were Mark Musselman of Canada’s 10X2yinc, the exec producer of “Eastern Promises” and most recently of “Remember” by Atom Egoyan which was also produced by Robert Lantos and son, also in Los Cabos. It went into production in 2014 and is tipped for Cannes. Other panelists included Raul Del Alto of Mexico’s Ag Studios (Itaca Films Mexico, Itaca Films USA, Itaca Films Colombia and Itaca Filkms Brazil, and Rena Ronson of UTA who, like Micah Green of CAA focuses on global film finance, distribution and marketing strategies for Independents and co-financed features and is fluent in Spanish because of her long time experience with Latin America.
At one point I looked up and found the European fund chiefs there as well, Laufey Gudjonsdottir from Iceland (where Interstellar was filmed), Katriel Schory from Israel Film Fund and Edith Sepp-Dallas from the Estonian Film Institute. They were there for Bpx. Best Practice Exchange is an initiative that brings together the leaders of film funding agencies from across the world to take part in high-level-workshops – one or two each year – designed to promote new standards of excellence in the provision of public funding for the support of film production, development and distribution. The aim of Bpx is to ensure that policies and procedures adopted by film funding agencies will act together, positively and proactively, to stimulate and sustain practices of international coproduction and cofinancing worldwide.
Triggered by the situation in which filmmaking outside the main production centers of Hollywood and Bollywood now finds itself, Bpx was created by Simon Perry, president of Ace (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen), in collaboration with Katriel Schory, executive director of the Israel Film Fund. It held its first workshop in February 2013 in Israel, and two further workshops in Toronto (September 2013) and Berlin (February 2014) and this was the third! Bravo!
Among the Mexican, Canadian and U.S. films that showed, the winners were as follow:
Mexico First
Mexico First winning film was ¨Llevate mis amores” ("All of Me") by Arturo Gonzalez. The film narrates the story of the generosity of the women of Las Patronas who feed the immigrants who ride La Bestia. The director was awarded a cash Prize of Usd $15,000. This film made me cry. I thought of it again when reading the L.A. Times article about the murder of Adrian Rodriguez and his assistant, Mexican good Samaritans who dedicated their scarce resources to feeding Central American migrants passing by on La Bestia, which is what the women in this movie do. And one of the women was at the festival too.
Los Cabos Competition
The Los Cabos Competition winner was “Güeros” by Alonso Ruizpalacios, also a winner at the Berlinale, Jerusalem Film Festival, Tribeca, Toronto and San Sebastian. Being sold internationally by Mundial, the joint venture of Canana (again!) and Im Global, the film has sold to Kino Lorber for U.S., Cannibal for Mexico, Dreams Hill for Italy, Noori for So. Korea and Maison Motion for Taiwan … "Güeros" is the undeniable triumph of a nouveau director who dares to pay homage the French New Wave on a wild detective hunt through Mexico City. In light of the 43 murdered students, this film, about students on strike, strikes a chord within the watcher. The film´s producer won a Usd $15,000 cash prize.
Work In Progress Mexico
The second Work in Progress Mexico prize was awarded to "Los Herederos," by Jorge Hernandez, a film that describes adolescent effervescence and idleness through a group of friends who spend their vacations adrenaline-seeking through parties, sex and alcohol. The winner received a Usd $10,000 cash prize.
Mexico-usa-canada Co-production Forum
The winner of the first Mexico- USA- Canada Co-production Forum was also announced: "Afronauts" by Frances Bodomo, based on the real life story of the Academia Nacional de Ciencias, Investigación Espacial e Investigación Astronómica of Zambia. Writer- Director Frances Bodomo received a Usd $8,000 cash prize. It also received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Mexico First: Fox +
In its second year running the México Primero: Fox+ chose one of the films that participated to have its distribution rights pre-bought for the Latin American and Caribbean (Except Brazil) markets. The México Primero: Fox+ prize consists of Usd $40,000 and was awarded to Isaac Ezban´s "El Incidente" ("The Incident"), two M.C. Escher-maze-like parallel stories about characters trapped in illogical endless spaces: two brothers and a detective locked on an infinite staircase, and a family locked on an infinite road… for a very long time. The international sales agent, Shoreline, will be showing the film at Ventana Sur December 3rd at 17:00 at Cinemark 3.
Work In Progress Mexico Fox +
In its second year running as well, Work in Progress México Fox+ selected a participating film to have its distribution rights pre-bought for the Latin American and Caribbean (Except Brazil) markets. The Usd $30,000 prize was awarded to Katina Medina Mora’s "Sabras que hacer conmigo" aka "En Contraluz", produced by Gerardo Gatica and Alberto Muffelmann.
Work In Progress Mexico Chemistry
This Third edition of the Festival also witnessed the first Work In Progress México –Chemistry award. Chemistry post-production studios granted the winner, Jorge Hernandez’s "Los Herederos", $45,000 Usd in color correction services.
Mexico – USA – Canada Splendor Omnia Mantarraya Co-production Forum
On its first year running, the Coproduction Forum Mexico- USA- Canada Splendor Omnia – MANTArraya will be granting a $30,000 Usd equivalent prize worth 40 hours of color correction, 40 hours of sound mixing, as well as a paid stay in Tepoztlan Morelos, site of their studios, to the winner "Afronauts" by Francez Bodomo (U.S.).
The key phrase to understanding Cabo is "Seeing what the neighbors do" as the festival and market connects Canada, U,S, and Mexico in showing of films and exploring coproduction. And the mixing of filmmakers and journalists from all three Americas was exciting in the possibilities it offered to everyone.
As for the hard-core business done there:
Mark Kassen will be directing "Criminal Empire for Dummies" written by Cliff Dorman. Kassen will also be producing the film along with James Gibb of Cutting Edge Group and Greg Hajdarowicz of Gremi Films. The deal took place at the exclusive resort Hacienda Beach Club & Residences and was reported by Variety.
Actor and producer Luis Gerardo Mendez ("Nosotros Los Nobles") signed a representation agreement with Paradigm. Reported by Variety. So I guess Paradigm also sent agents to Los Cabos.
Pat Saperstein of Variety also attended Los Cabos and scooped a story, that “Wolverine Hotel” from director Patricia Chica who was participating in the Coproduction Forum, is closing in on production with a "recent financing commitment from Jean-Guy Després, who will serve as exec producer. The edgy crime thriller is produced by Canada-based Byron Martin. Looking to cast a Latino actor as co-star, Chica met with rising Mexican thesp Luis Gerardo Mendez ('We Are the Nobles') during Afm though he has not yet been attached. 'A Latino star opens up a market', said Martin."
Celebrated producer Monica Lozano announced the launch of Alebrije Distribución. She has had her hand in 23 productions since her first film, "Amores Perros". "Instructions Not Included" the Us$ 5.5 million film that grossed Us$ 100 million worldwide was also her production. With this Pan-American initiative, the company will acquire distribution rights for the Latin and North American markets. Reported by Variety again!! You would think John was the only real reporter there. Pinske should be proud of him! Most of us got no scoops, but then, I guess we have to prove ourselves worthy - which I am not because at heart, I am not a reporter hunting for news, but rather a gatherer of information and a writer.
Speaking of Monica Lozano, the Germany-based international sales agent, Media Luna, acquired world rights to Internet Junkie, directed by Alexander Katzowicz and produced by Monica Lozano. Variety reports on this again!
"Yamaha 300", a participating project of the 1st Mexico – USA- Canada Coproduction Forum, produced by Valerium Arts (Mayra Espinosa y Jorge Michel Grau, producer and writer-director of the horror hit "Somos lo que hay" respectively, and Grau, the writer of the remake "We Are What We Are") and Uncorked Productions (Andrew Corkin, the producer of the horror film "What We Were"), will be one of the first projects to receive the development stage and postproduction support offered by The Good Film Fund, an initiative of Media Darling (Amy Darling) and The Chatanooga Film Festival. See Variety.
New York producer Dodgeville Films ("To Be Takei") will be joining Varios Lobos in Mexico to produce "Ya no estoy aquí", Fernando Frias’s second film, which was also a winner during Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund second edition. This film in the Coproduction Forum was reported on in Variety.
"Siete Horas" ("Seven Hours"), one of the winning projects of the second Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund edition, which will be directed by Chema Rodriguez and produced by Francisco Vargas, the renowned director of the film "El violin", made an alliance with the Spanish production companies Sin un Duro and Noodles Prods to co-produce the project. (Variety)
CineTren closed deals to handle Latin American distribution for Spring, a Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead film, whose Latin American Premiere was held at Los Cabos International Film Festival. Negotiations between Nate Bolotin and Marie Katz fromLos Angeles-based Xyz and Manuel Garcia from CineTren, took place at the Hotel Grand Solmar. Next time, I'll have to visit all the hotels!! See Variety article.
BH5 Group, which participates in the executive production of "Remember" by Atom Egoyan, will be working with Alonso Ruizpalacios, director of Güeros, in his second movie: Museo, a project that participated in the Ist Mexico- USA- Canada Co-production Forum. Even though Variety wrote about this, my blog on the three year old conglomerate of companies, BH5, was more complete:
BH5 Group Makes a Splash with Three Impressive Films at Los Cabos Int'l Film Fest
BH5, a conglomerate of five formerly independent production companies all run by various friends from the same film school, will be working the international markets much more. Besides the Toronto hit, Jodorowsky's "Dance of Reality", they are working with larger companies like Pathe now. Their work in progress, "You Will Know What To Do With Me" ("Sabras que hacer conmigo" aka "En Contraluz") which just won the The Usd $30,000 prize of Fox+, is seeking an international sales agent.
"Entrevero" by Max Zunino, also winner of the Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund second edition, was selected in the development project category by Ibermedia. See Variety.
And though Colombian Ciro Guerra, whose "The Wind Journeys" was produced by our German friends Roman Paul and Gerhard Meixner at Razor Film Production and by Burning Blue's prolific Diana Bustamente -- who is now also heading the Carthagena Film Festival -- showed in 2009 Cannes Un Certain Regard and was sold by Paris’ Elle Driver to 19 countries including Film Movement for U.S., announced to Variety's John Hopewell that his next film, "Embrace of the Serpent" will star U.S. actor Brionne Davis (“Savaged”) and Belgium’s Jan Bijvoet, the lead in Cannes Competition entry “Borgman” a really creepy dark comedy, he did not discuss his next project "Taganga" in the Coproduction Forum. "Taganga" is about a fisherman from a small village by the Colombian coast where many foreign-owned scuba diving centers have been established. A new law requiring local fisherman to change the motors of their boats forces him to earn quick money, so he chooses to dynamite to fish. The owner of the largest scuba diving center opposes this use of explosives. When the fisherman receives a death threat if he continues the dynamiting of fish, he assumes the center's owner is behind the threat. In order to prove it, he begins a series of fateful actions.
Finally, while it seems like Variety wrote all the news, I have one item which no one has reported on. Reese Witherspoon stated at her press conference in Los Cabos, where her film "Wild" premiered in a red carpet gala, that she is talking to Eugenio Derbez ("Instructions Not Included") to make a movie with him. I heard her say it and later spoke of this to Ben Odell (my next blog on Los Cabos features him). Ben (now partners with Eugenio at 3Pas Studios) said, Actually that would be a great idea but they had not spoken about it. However, they are both represented by CAA, so it would seem like a natural and really exciting pairing. After all, aren't "Legally Blond" and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" the same film? She is certainly on a role as a producer with "Wild" and David Fincher's "Gone Girl" as he is with his U.S. career. The studios are all courting her now, she said. More to come on this...
For all the infrastructure problems of the city in the midst of rebuilding itself, the festival seemed to thrive with all sorts of invitees showing up from all over the world. It seemed like gala events, panels, master classes, coproduction meetings, works in progress, screenings and interviews were constantly taking place. It was a great team and we all felt part of it.
The festival is overseen by the executive board members Eduardo Sánchez Navarro, Alfonso Pascal Barcenas, Scott Cross and Sean Cross (who also founded Vail Film Festival) and is organized by the festival team of Alonso Aguilar (General Director), Alejandra Paulin (General Coordinator) - who was a great market director in Guadajalara before coming here, Maru Garzon (Head of Programming), Ana Molinar Trujillo (Communication Manager), and Monica Herrera (Film Programmer). My friend from Guadalajara, normally an English teacher, Fabian Cruz was also there working for the festival.
When Eduardo Sánchez Navarro Redo remembers how he first came to Los Cabos, there is no doubt in his mind that destiny and luck played an important part. When he married his wife 30 years ago, he decided to travel along the entire Pacific Coast, from Acapulco to Mazatlan, where he crossed over to La Paz eventually driving to Los Cabos. The beauty of the area impressed him and it was during this trip that he and his wife decided to buy a vacation home in Los Cabos, thus beginning a distinguished career as a principal player and developer of what is Los Cabos today. Over the course of more than 20 years, his company, Grupo Questro, has emerged as one of the most highly respected developers in all of Mexico. He, together with Juan Gallardo Thurlow, Scott Cross, and Sean Cross, founded the festival in 2012.
My job as a journalist was to explore and write, hard to do when you are having such fun 24/7. We journalists were all in one hotel where we were given space and time to bond. Travel writers mixed with trade writers: from Film Journal David Noh, whose article is worth sharing here, my colleagues Peter Rainer from NPR and Christian Science Monitor, Anne Thompson from Thompson on Hollywood on Indiewire, Godfrey Cheshire of RogerEbert.com and many others met and mixed. Also Ira Deutchman of Colombia University Film School and Emerging Pictures and Robin Brock of Creative Coalition were there with time to share dinners.
The filmmakers, in another hotel, mixed by day and at the communal lunches and parties. I will write more on them in an upcoming blog! After all, filmmakers are the backbone of our industry. Without them, we have nothing!
The agents, mostly from CAA, were placed in another hotel, luxurious and far away. As someone said, Cabos is like Cannes, only in November. If so, perhaps they were at the Eden Roc in Cap d’Antibes. (Actually they were at Hacienda Beach Club & Residences) CAA has always been an honored part of this festival. I have heard that that is because someone with lots of money from Mexico invests it in cinema through CAA and even started the festival. That is, however, pure conjecture. Under the guidance of CAA agent, Micah Green, people can be assured that the directions he sees and the decisions he makes about investing private individuals' capital into filmed entertainment is priceless. I could think of no one I would trust more --in this untrustworthy business we are in-- than Micah.
At least two other agents – Bec Smith and Rena Ronson from UTA -- were also there. Rena and Micah were on the Film Financing Panel moderated by Variety’s expert in all things Iberoamerican and my idol, John Hopewell. Other participants on the Film Finance Panel were Jonathan King, Evp of Production at Jeff Skoll’s Participant Media whose partnership with Canana formed Participant PanAmerican production fund. “No” by Pablo Lorrain was their first investment. Pp also financed "El Ardor" which played in Cannes and “Cesar Chavez”, directed by Diego Luna. Also on the panel were Mark Musselman of Canada’s 10X2yinc, the exec producer of “Eastern Promises” and most recently of “Remember” by Atom Egoyan which was also produced by Robert Lantos and son, also in Los Cabos. It went into production in 2014 and is tipped for Cannes. Other panelists included Raul Del Alto of Mexico’s Ag Studios (Itaca Films Mexico, Itaca Films USA, Itaca Films Colombia and Itaca Filkms Brazil, and Rena Ronson of UTA who, like Micah Green of CAA focuses on global film finance, distribution and marketing strategies for Independents and co-financed features and is fluent in Spanish because of her long time experience with Latin America.
At one point I looked up and found the European fund chiefs there as well, Laufey Gudjonsdottir from Iceland (where Interstellar was filmed), Katriel Schory from Israel Film Fund and Edith Sepp-Dallas from the Estonian Film Institute. They were there for Bpx. Best Practice Exchange is an initiative that brings together the leaders of film funding agencies from across the world to take part in high-level-workshops – one or two each year – designed to promote new standards of excellence in the provision of public funding for the support of film production, development and distribution. The aim of Bpx is to ensure that policies and procedures adopted by film funding agencies will act together, positively and proactively, to stimulate and sustain practices of international coproduction and cofinancing worldwide.
Triggered by the situation in which filmmaking outside the main production centers of Hollywood and Bollywood now finds itself, Bpx was created by Simon Perry, president of Ace (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen), in collaboration with Katriel Schory, executive director of the Israel Film Fund. It held its first workshop in February 2013 in Israel, and two further workshops in Toronto (September 2013) and Berlin (February 2014) and this was the third! Bravo!
Among the Mexican, Canadian and U.S. films that showed, the winners were as follow:
Mexico First
Mexico First winning film was ¨Llevate mis amores” ("All of Me") by Arturo Gonzalez. The film narrates the story of the generosity of the women of Las Patronas who feed the immigrants who ride La Bestia. The director was awarded a cash Prize of Usd $15,000. This film made me cry. I thought of it again when reading the L.A. Times article about the murder of Adrian Rodriguez and his assistant, Mexican good Samaritans who dedicated their scarce resources to feeding Central American migrants passing by on La Bestia, which is what the women in this movie do. And one of the women was at the festival too.
Los Cabos Competition
The Los Cabos Competition winner was “Güeros” by Alonso Ruizpalacios, also a winner at the Berlinale, Jerusalem Film Festival, Tribeca, Toronto and San Sebastian. Being sold internationally by Mundial, the joint venture of Canana (again!) and Im Global, the film has sold to Kino Lorber for U.S., Cannibal for Mexico, Dreams Hill for Italy, Noori for So. Korea and Maison Motion for Taiwan … "Güeros" is the undeniable triumph of a nouveau director who dares to pay homage the French New Wave on a wild detective hunt through Mexico City. In light of the 43 murdered students, this film, about students on strike, strikes a chord within the watcher. The film´s producer won a Usd $15,000 cash prize.
Work In Progress Mexico
The second Work in Progress Mexico prize was awarded to "Los Herederos," by Jorge Hernandez, a film that describes adolescent effervescence and idleness through a group of friends who spend their vacations adrenaline-seeking through parties, sex and alcohol. The winner received a Usd $10,000 cash prize.
Mexico-usa-canada Co-production Forum
The winner of the first Mexico- USA- Canada Co-production Forum was also announced: "Afronauts" by Frances Bodomo, based on the real life story of the Academia Nacional de Ciencias, Investigación Espacial e Investigación Astronómica of Zambia. Writer- Director Frances Bodomo received a Usd $8,000 cash prize. It also received funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Mexico First: Fox +
In its second year running the México Primero: Fox+ chose one of the films that participated to have its distribution rights pre-bought for the Latin American and Caribbean (Except Brazil) markets. The México Primero: Fox+ prize consists of Usd $40,000 and was awarded to Isaac Ezban´s "El Incidente" ("The Incident"), two M.C. Escher-maze-like parallel stories about characters trapped in illogical endless spaces: two brothers and a detective locked on an infinite staircase, and a family locked on an infinite road… for a very long time. The international sales agent, Shoreline, will be showing the film at Ventana Sur December 3rd at 17:00 at Cinemark 3.
Work In Progress Mexico Fox +
In its second year running as well, Work in Progress México Fox+ selected a participating film to have its distribution rights pre-bought for the Latin American and Caribbean (Except Brazil) markets. The Usd $30,000 prize was awarded to Katina Medina Mora’s "Sabras que hacer conmigo" aka "En Contraluz", produced by Gerardo Gatica and Alberto Muffelmann.
Work In Progress Mexico Chemistry
This Third edition of the Festival also witnessed the first Work In Progress México –Chemistry award. Chemistry post-production studios granted the winner, Jorge Hernandez’s "Los Herederos", $45,000 Usd in color correction services.
Mexico – USA – Canada Splendor Omnia Mantarraya Co-production Forum
On its first year running, the Coproduction Forum Mexico- USA- Canada Splendor Omnia – MANTArraya will be granting a $30,000 Usd equivalent prize worth 40 hours of color correction, 40 hours of sound mixing, as well as a paid stay in Tepoztlan Morelos, site of their studios, to the winner "Afronauts" by Francez Bodomo (U.S.).
The key phrase to understanding Cabo is "Seeing what the neighbors do" as the festival and market connects Canada, U,S, and Mexico in showing of films and exploring coproduction. And the mixing of filmmakers and journalists from all three Americas was exciting in the possibilities it offered to everyone.
As for the hard-core business done there:
Mark Kassen will be directing "Criminal Empire for Dummies" written by Cliff Dorman. Kassen will also be producing the film along with James Gibb of Cutting Edge Group and Greg Hajdarowicz of Gremi Films. The deal took place at the exclusive resort Hacienda Beach Club & Residences and was reported by Variety.
Actor and producer Luis Gerardo Mendez ("Nosotros Los Nobles") signed a representation agreement with Paradigm. Reported by Variety. So I guess Paradigm also sent agents to Los Cabos.
Pat Saperstein of Variety also attended Los Cabos and scooped a story, that “Wolverine Hotel” from director Patricia Chica who was participating in the Coproduction Forum, is closing in on production with a "recent financing commitment from Jean-Guy Després, who will serve as exec producer. The edgy crime thriller is produced by Canada-based Byron Martin. Looking to cast a Latino actor as co-star, Chica met with rising Mexican thesp Luis Gerardo Mendez ('We Are the Nobles') during Afm though he has not yet been attached. 'A Latino star opens up a market', said Martin."
Celebrated producer Monica Lozano announced the launch of Alebrije Distribución. She has had her hand in 23 productions since her first film, "Amores Perros". "Instructions Not Included" the Us$ 5.5 million film that grossed Us$ 100 million worldwide was also her production. With this Pan-American initiative, the company will acquire distribution rights for the Latin and North American markets. Reported by Variety again!! You would think John was the only real reporter there. Pinske should be proud of him! Most of us got no scoops, but then, I guess we have to prove ourselves worthy - which I am not because at heart, I am not a reporter hunting for news, but rather a gatherer of information and a writer.
Speaking of Monica Lozano, the Germany-based international sales agent, Media Luna, acquired world rights to Internet Junkie, directed by Alexander Katzowicz and produced by Monica Lozano. Variety reports on this again!
"Yamaha 300", a participating project of the 1st Mexico – USA- Canada Coproduction Forum, produced by Valerium Arts (Mayra Espinosa y Jorge Michel Grau, producer and writer-director of the horror hit "Somos lo que hay" respectively, and Grau, the writer of the remake "We Are What We Are") and Uncorked Productions (Andrew Corkin, the producer of the horror film "What We Were"), will be one of the first projects to receive the development stage and postproduction support offered by The Good Film Fund, an initiative of Media Darling (Amy Darling) and The Chatanooga Film Festival. See Variety.
New York producer Dodgeville Films ("To Be Takei") will be joining Varios Lobos in Mexico to produce "Ya no estoy aquí", Fernando Frias’s second film, which was also a winner during Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund second edition. This film in the Coproduction Forum was reported on in Variety.
"Siete Horas" ("Seven Hours"), one of the winning projects of the second Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund edition, which will be directed by Chema Rodriguez and produced by Francisco Vargas, the renowned director of the film "El violin", made an alliance with the Spanish production companies Sin un Duro and Noodles Prods to co-produce the project. (Variety)
CineTren closed deals to handle Latin American distribution for Spring, a Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead film, whose Latin American Premiere was held at Los Cabos International Film Festival. Negotiations between Nate Bolotin and Marie Katz fromLos Angeles-based Xyz and Manuel Garcia from CineTren, took place at the Hotel Grand Solmar. Next time, I'll have to visit all the hotels!! See Variety article.
BH5 Group, which participates in the executive production of "Remember" by Atom Egoyan, will be working with Alonso Ruizpalacios, director of Güeros, in his second movie: Museo, a project that participated in the Ist Mexico- USA- Canada Co-production Forum. Even though Variety wrote about this, my blog on the three year old conglomerate of companies, BH5, was more complete:
BH5 Group Makes a Splash with Three Impressive Films at Los Cabos Int'l Film Fest
BH5, a conglomerate of five formerly independent production companies all run by various friends from the same film school, will be working the international markets much more. Besides the Toronto hit, Jodorowsky's "Dance of Reality", they are working with larger companies like Pathe now. Their work in progress, "You Will Know What To Do With Me" ("Sabras que hacer conmigo" aka "En Contraluz") which just won the The Usd $30,000 prize of Fox+, is seeking an international sales agent.
"Entrevero" by Max Zunino, also winner of the Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund second edition, was selected in the development project category by Ibermedia. See Variety.
And though Colombian Ciro Guerra, whose "The Wind Journeys" was produced by our German friends Roman Paul and Gerhard Meixner at Razor Film Production and by Burning Blue's prolific Diana Bustamente -- who is now also heading the Carthagena Film Festival -- showed in 2009 Cannes Un Certain Regard and was sold by Paris’ Elle Driver to 19 countries including Film Movement for U.S., announced to Variety's John Hopewell that his next film, "Embrace of the Serpent" will star U.S. actor Brionne Davis (“Savaged”) and Belgium’s Jan Bijvoet, the lead in Cannes Competition entry “Borgman” a really creepy dark comedy, he did not discuss his next project "Taganga" in the Coproduction Forum. "Taganga" is about a fisherman from a small village by the Colombian coast where many foreign-owned scuba diving centers have been established. A new law requiring local fisherman to change the motors of their boats forces him to earn quick money, so he chooses to dynamite to fish. The owner of the largest scuba diving center opposes this use of explosives. When the fisherman receives a death threat if he continues the dynamiting of fish, he assumes the center's owner is behind the threat. In order to prove it, he begins a series of fateful actions.
Finally, while it seems like Variety wrote all the news, I have one item which no one has reported on. Reese Witherspoon stated at her press conference in Los Cabos, where her film "Wild" premiered in a red carpet gala, that she is talking to Eugenio Derbez ("Instructions Not Included") to make a movie with him. I heard her say it and later spoke of this to Ben Odell (my next blog on Los Cabos features him). Ben (now partners with Eugenio at 3Pas Studios) said, Actually that would be a great idea but they had not spoken about it. However, they are both represented by CAA, so it would seem like a natural and really exciting pairing. After all, aren't "Legally Blond" and "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" the same film? She is certainly on a role as a producer with "Wild" and David Fincher's "Gone Girl" as he is with his U.S. career. The studios are all courting her now, she said. More to come on this...
- 12/1/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Midway through International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa), the In the Basement director has talked about his period drama; while George Takei has revealed details on his WWII project and Autlook and picked up new titles.
Speaking at Amsterdam’s Eye centre, controversial Austrian director Ulrich Seidl, whose latest doc In The Basement (sold by Coproduction Office) is screening at the festival, revealed further details of his forthcoming costume film.
The film, a historical drama set in the late 18th century, has a working title of Herr Grasl. It is set in “the milieu of the poorest of the poor”.
These are young people, returning from war and having to engage in criminal activities to survive. Its main character is Herr. Grasl, a real-life Robin Hood-like figure who lived in the northern part of Austria fought back against the authorities and was eventually hanged at the age of 26. The film promises to be Seidl’s most ambitious yet.[p...
Speaking at Amsterdam’s Eye centre, controversial Austrian director Ulrich Seidl, whose latest doc In The Basement (sold by Coproduction Office) is screening at the festival, revealed further details of his forthcoming costume film.
The film, a historical drama set in the late 18th century, has a working title of Herr Grasl. It is set in “the milieu of the poorest of the poor”.
These are young people, returning from war and having to engage in criminal activities to survive. Its main character is Herr. Grasl, a real-life Robin Hood-like figure who lived in the northern part of Austria fought back against the authorities and was eventually hanged at the age of 26. The film promises to be Seidl’s most ambitious yet.[p...
- 11/25/2014
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Documentary festival to include a Q&A with CitizenFour director Laura Poitras and a strand dedicated to women in docs.
The 27th edition of International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) (Nov 19-30) opened last night with the world premiere of Heddy Honigmann’s Around the World in 50 Concerts - made to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
With guests ranging from Naomi Klein and British director Nick Broomfield to Star Trek’s George Takei, Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister and documentary legend D.A. Pennebaker, this year’s edition is shaping up to be a typically lively affair.
Idfa is also a key industry event. Over 300 distributors, sales agents and festival programmers are registered for the annual “Docs For Sales” bazaar.
Meanwhile, the Forum, Idfa’s co-financing and coproduction market, will kickstart a number of new projects, among them Heddy Honigmann’s latest doc 100Up, a film about people from around the world who are...
The 27th edition of International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (Idfa) (Nov 19-30) opened last night with the world premiere of Heddy Honigmann’s Around the World in 50 Concerts - made to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
With guests ranging from Naomi Klein and British director Nick Broomfield to Star Trek’s George Takei, Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister and documentary legend D.A. Pennebaker, this year’s edition is shaping up to be a typically lively affair.
Idfa is also a key industry event. Over 300 distributors, sales agents and festival programmers are registered for the annual “Docs For Sales” bazaar.
Meanwhile, the Forum, Idfa’s co-financing and coproduction market, will kickstart a number of new projects, among them Heddy Honigmann’s latest doc 100Up, a film about people from around the world who are...
- 11/20/2014
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Edge of Tomorrow One of the year's blockbusters that I would say is worthy of considering buying though be on the lookout for a movie titled Live. Die. Repeat. as that is the new branding this Tom Cruise sci-fi actioner is going by on DVD and Blu-ray shelves. Otherwise, not only do I consider this to be one of the best blockbusters of the year, I'd say it's one of the best movies of 2014 as well. Top tenc Eh, not so sure, but definitely worth your time.
Million Dollar Arm Rental time... at best. This isn't a very good movie and I'm not sure how it has a "fresh" RottenTomatoes score, but I guess if you lower your expectations far enough you'll be satisfied.
A Million Ways to Die in the West I'm not sure expectations can be lowered far enough for this one, however. Seth MacFarlane's follow-up to...
Million Dollar Arm Rental time... at best. This isn't a very good movie and I'm not sure how it has a "fresh" RottenTomatoes score, but I guess if you lower your expectations far enough you'll be satisfied.
A Million Ways to Die in the West I'm not sure expectations can be lowered far enough for this one, however. Seth MacFarlane's follow-up to...
- 10/7/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
If you happen to find yourself at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival between September 24 and October 8, you might want to check out their Midnight lineup. It is chock -- chock I tells ya! -- full of midnight film goodness. In total there are 46 films of the festival's 350 film lineup screening at the hour of midnight! In the Midnight Movies program, you get to see films like Tokyo Tribe, Over Your Dead Body and The World of Kanako. In the Midnight Horror program, you get to see ABCs of Death 2, Spring and the remastered 20.000 Days on Earth. In the Midnight Documentary program, you will see docs like To Be Takei. And in Midnight Music, you will get 20.000 Days on Earth and the remastered A Hard Day's Night. The...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 9/14/2014
- Screen Anarchy
George Takei has expressed interest in appearing in upcoming Star Trek films.
The actor rose to fame playing USS Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu in the original television series, and later reprised the role in six movies.
George Takei lip-syncs to Frozen's 'Let It Go' - video
Speaking to Parade, Takei said that he is "eager" to appear in the rebooted big screen franchise.
"All they have to do is ask me! I'm more than eager," he said.
"As you know, Leonard Nimoy did two of the rebooted films with Jj Abrams, and they're preparing another one because in two years, Star Trek's going to be 50 years old… so they'll be coming out with another major feature film with a rebooted cast."
Star Trek is currently scheduled to be released in 2016, with Roberto Orci taking over from Abrams as director.
Takei added that he remains close to his Star Trek...
The actor rose to fame playing USS Enterprise helmsman Hikaru Sulu in the original television series, and later reprised the role in six movies.
George Takei lip-syncs to Frozen's 'Let It Go' - video
Speaking to Parade, Takei said that he is "eager" to appear in the rebooted big screen franchise.
"All they have to do is ask me! I'm more than eager," he said.
"As you know, Leonard Nimoy did two of the rebooted films with Jj Abrams, and they're preparing another one because in two years, Star Trek's going to be 50 years old… so they'll be coming out with another major feature film with a rebooted cast."
Star Trek is currently scheduled to be released in 2016, with Roberto Orci taking over from Abrams as director.
Takei added that he remains close to his Star Trek...
- 9/6/2014
- Digital Spy
According to the person who knows him best, George Takei doesn’t become the George Takei whose unique voice you know and love until he’s had a cup of green tea. “When he wakes up in the morning, his voice is like this,” says the actor’s husband, Brad Takei, using a high-pitched chipmunk voice. “Then I give him some hot green-tea and he gets into the groove.” Brad, who married George in 2008 and took his last name, was speaking with us last month in the Chart Room of the Queen Mary 2, the Cunard line’s flagship ocean liner, while we waited for the “trans-Atlantic premiere” of To Be Takei, which opened in theaters last weekend. Though the documentary about the Star Trek alum’s life is George-centric, his partner of 27 years plays a heavy part. After the screening, George joked, “He stole the show from me!” The idea...
- 8/28/2014
- by E. Alex Jung
- Vulture
In recent years, George Takei, once known mainly as the guy who played Sulu on the original Star Trek in the '60s, has become a fixture on talk shows and just about everywhere else — partly because of his out-and-proud status as a gay American, and partly because of his willingness to speak about his family’s imprisonment in a World War II Japanese-American internment camp. He’s a great spokesman for these causes — funny, self-deprecating, earnest but not sanctimonious. But he also bridges an important gap: He can speak both to America’s sordid, bigoted past and to its fundamental capacity for goodness. He’s a man who was imprisoned by his country — literally, for his ethnicity, and figuratively, for his sexual orientation. And yet, here he is, persistent, happy, driven. The very picture of the country’s can-do spirit. Jennifer M. Kroot’s To Be Takei is the...
- 8/22/2014
- by Bilge Ebiri
- Vulture
The Austin Film Society teams up with aGLIFF tonight to bring the new documentary To Be Takei (my review for Paste) to the Marchesa for a one-off screening. It's a touching and genuinely funny profile of George Takei, whose career has taken him from Star Trek to social media icon and gay rights activist. This month's Roger Corman series continues this weekend with X: The Man With The X-Ray Eyes. This 1963 thriller screens tonight and again on Sunday in a 35mm print. On Wednesday night, Afs presents SXSW doc Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton (Don's review) and then the Barbara Stanwyck Essential Cinema series will close Thursday with Ball Of Fire. Screening in 35mm, this classic 1941 Howard Hawks comedy, written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett, pairs Stanwyck with Gary Cooper.
Over at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, The Complete David Lynch series is winding down but has several more gems on the way.
- 8/22/2014
- by Matt Shiverdecker
- Slackerwood
Living Long and Prospering: Kroot Recounts the Star’s Trek From Internment to the Internet
Thanks to his witty and sincere presence on various social media platforms, George Takei has been born again as a sort of cyber celebrity whose meme-esque social commentary has become an internet staple, despite the loss of translation of his singular silky smooth baritone voice into jpgs and text. With To Be Takei, director Jennifer M. Kroot compounds the actor’s life and career into a 94 minute portrait of virtuous celebrity, glorifying the man’s faith in humanity while reluctant to give any real critique of his public or private persona.
You are either a Trekkie or some kind of sci-fi derelict, but either way it’s likely you are familiar with the USS Enterprise’s original Commander Sulu, known to the Star Trek illiterate, the Lbgt community and the internet at large simply as Takei.
Thanks to his witty and sincere presence on various social media platforms, George Takei has been born again as a sort of cyber celebrity whose meme-esque social commentary has become an internet staple, despite the loss of translation of his singular silky smooth baritone voice into jpgs and text. With To Be Takei, director Jennifer M. Kroot compounds the actor’s life and career into a 94 minute portrait of virtuous celebrity, glorifying the man’s faith in humanity while reluctant to give any real critique of his public or private persona.
You are either a Trekkie or some kind of sci-fi derelict, but either way it’s likely you are familiar with the USS Enterprise’s original Commander Sulu, known to the Star Trek illiterate, the Lbgt community and the internet at large simply as Takei.
- 8/22/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
I hate to be the one to inform you of this, but Hollywood is in a box office slump. A Great Depression of film profitability, where consumer scorn for summer blockbusters is bitter dust, choking the once-fertile farmland of summer tentpole season. How bad is it? This year, the total domestic gross of all our summer films comes to a paltry $3.46B domestic (for convenience’s sake, assume all total gross figures to be domestic from here on out). And this makes 2014 the first year since 2006 where the total gross was under $4B. Technically, the summer’s not over- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, that George Takei doc To Be Takei or the horror film As Above, So Below could all potentially pull in a billion or two… but that seems a tad unlikely. Unless To Be Takei ends with half-hour of Takei in closeup; eyes glowing red, sultry...
- 8/22/2014
- by Adam Bellotto
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
There was a time when two veteran straight actors such as John Lithgow and Alfred Molina, taking on the roles of a gay couple and their subsequent travails at married life would have been the tabloid equivalent of shock and awe. It still might raise some eyebrows, but Ira Sachs’ Love Is Strange is a testimony to societal progress in terms of storytelling. Now it will face the box office as the Specialty title platforms this weekend via Sony Classics. A real-life gay marriage takes the spotlight this weekend courtesy of Starz Digital doc To Be Takei about the multi-faceted actor/activist and social media talent who is best known for playing Hikaru Sulu in TV’s original Star Trek. It will be joined by Millennium Entertainment’s Are You Here with Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis and Amy Poehler which will open day and date by Mad Men writer Matthew Weiner.
- 8/22/2014
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline
George Takei’s laugh is as recognizable as his voice, and you’ll hear a lot of both in the new documentary To Be Takei, which covers the 77-year-old Star Trek star’s life from his childhood in a Japanese American internment camp, to his journey from closeted actor to activist alongside his husband/business partner Brad Takei.
You also hear a lot of laughter when Takei takes our Pop Culture Personality Test. Watch the video and read a full transcript below. To Be Takei opens in select theaters and hits On Demand and iTunes Aug. 22.
EW: What movie did you see too young?...
You also hear a lot of laughter when Takei takes our Pop Culture Personality Test. Watch the video and read a full transcript below. To Be Takei opens in select theaters and hits On Demand and iTunes Aug. 22.
EW: What movie did you see too young?...
- 8/21/2014
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
George Takei (pronounced Tak-ay, not Tak-eye or Tak-eee - and don't you forget it!) has a speech he often gives. It's a formal speech about the persecution his family experienced in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, that briefly funnels into an impassioned urging for gay rights. At some point in there, Star Trek is mentioned. This also summarizes the new George Takei documentary, To Be Takei. Japanese internment camps, gay rights, and Star Trek - it's pretty safe to say that those who know Takei best from his popular Facebook comedy posts will be getting a different Mr. Sulu. But nevertheless, To Be Takei is well-edited and easily digestible, even for a straight Caucasian non-Trekker such as myself. Don't get me wrong, a sense of...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 8/21/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Directed by Jennifer M. Kroot with George Takei, Brad Takei, Walter Koenig, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols.
It’s the voice. That mellifluous, basso profundo, deep down rumbling that issues words, sentences, entire speeches with such authority, sincerity and such relish that we cannot but pay attention. We hang on every word because we hear the intelligence, the humor, the irony and most of all the joy of someone who is in love; with life, with his partner, with acting, with being in the world and a part of human society, with the absolute joy of living. That voice is as recognizable and distinctive as Orson Welles, John Huston, Ed Begley or Roger Corman, that voice takes us by the hand and reveals to us a life lived full out, in every sense of the word; complicated, tragic, loving, generous and most of all fun.
It appears to be...
It’s the voice. That mellifluous, basso profundo, deep down rumbling that issues words, sentences, entire speeches with such authority, sincerity and such relish that we cannot but pay attention. We hang on every word because we hear the intelligence, the humor, the irony and most of all the joy of someone who is in love; with life, with his partner, with acting, with being in the world and a part of human society, with the absolute joy of living. That voice is as recognizable and distinctive as Orson Welles, John Huston, Ed Begley or Roger Corman, that voice takes us by the hand and reveals to us a life lived full out, in every sense of the word; complicated, tragic, loving, generous and most of all fun.
It appears to be...
- 8/21/2014
- by Sam Moffitt
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Director/writer Jennifer M. Kroot documents one of America’s most beloved national treasures, Star Trek star and civil rights activist George Takei, in To Be Takei. The actor is of course most known for his role as Hikaru Sulu of the USS Enterprise, though in recent years, he has become a recognized face in the equal marriage community in addition to supporting human rights in general. He was one of the more than 100,000 people of Japanese descent — many of them Americans — who were confined to internment camps after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. Takei starred in the 2012 musical Allegiance, based on this experience. This unique list of personal attributes, accomplishments and allegiances makes Takei the perfect theme for Kroot’s documentary, a light-hearted affair despite the weightiness of some of its issues. Fans of Takei, who love him not only as Sulu but also as a Facebook and Twitter legend, won...
- 8/20/2014
- by Emily Estep
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
To Be Takei is an entertaining and moving look at the many roles played by eclectic 76-year-old actor/activist George Takei whose wit, humor and grace has allowed him to become an internationally beloved figure.
It balances unprecedented access to the day-to-day life of George and his husband/business partner Brad Takei with George’s fascinating personal journey, from his childhood in a Japanese American internment camp, to his iconic and groundbreaking role as Sulu on “Star Trek,” through his rise as an internet phenomenon with over 6-million Facebook likes.
From director Jennifer M. Kroot, this insightful film features interviews with George Takei, Brad Takei, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Dan Savage, and Walter Koenig.
The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014, played in St. Louis at Q Fest in April and opens in select cities, VOD platforms and iTunes on August 22nd.
Recently I spoke...
It balances unprecedented access to the day-to-day life of George and his husband/business partner Brad Takei with George’s fascinating personal journey, from his childhood in a Japanese American internment camp, to his iconic and groundbreaking role as Sulu on “Star Trek,” through his rise as an internet phenomenon with over 6-million Facebook likes.
From director Jennifer M. Kroot, this insightful film features interviews with George Takei, Brad Takei, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Dan Savage, and Walter Koenig.
The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014, played in St. Louis at Q Fest in April and opens in select cities, VOD platforms and iTunes on August 22nd.
Recently I spoke...
- 8/20/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Jennifer M. Kroot’s To Be Takei is an affectionate portrait of the hardest-working member of the original cast of Star Trek, George Takei. That’s pronounced tuh-Kay, not tuh-kai, as so many have misspoken it over the years, including but not limited to William Shatner, whose strained non-relationship with Takei — particularly Shatner’s absence from Takei’s wedding — is one of the film’s many running threads. Others include Takei’s recent Internet fame, his intimate partnership with his husband, Brad, how Takei’s campaigning for marriage equality contributed to them being able to get married in the first place, and, perhaps most poignantly, Los Angeles–born Takei’s time spent in internment camps as a c...
- 8/20/2014
- Village Voice
George Takei is an easy man to like. Even in his late seventies, the Star Trek actor and activist has seen a meteoric rise in the popular consciousness. His Facebook page, filled with wry photos and Lgbt-friendly articles, has amassed nearly seven and a half million followers. His face and voice is a familiar sight to anyone who has turned on a television set, either from his playful, purry exclamations of “Oh my!” in commercials or playing himself on programs like The Big Bang Theory. Meanwhile, he boldly went where few public figures had gone before: a path to become an ardent advocate for gay marriage equality. (Today, Takei is married to his longtime boyfriend, Brad.)
In the pleasant and entertaining biographical doc To Be Takei, director Jennifer M. Kroot shows a different side of celebrity. Beloved by more fans by the day, the 77-year-old look like the most down-to-earth celebrity in Los Angeles.
In the pleasant and entertaining biographical doc To Be Takei, director Jennifer M. Kroot shows a different side of celebrity. Beloved by more fans by the day, the 77-year-old look like the most down-to-earth celebrity in Los Angeles.
- 8/20/2014
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
Anyone who follows George Takei on Facebook, has tuned in to his frequent appearances on “The Howard Stern Show,” or marveled at one of his amazing Amazon reviews (seriously, look them up), knows that the former “Star Trek” actor lives life with an unprecedented amount of zippy good humor, especially for a man well into his seventies. And this isn’t even taking into account his tireless humanitarian efforts, mostly on the subject of gay rights. For a tiny, elderly, Japanese man, he’s also an unstoppable force of nature. In the new documentary “To Be Takei,” it becomes clear that Takei is a man who defies expectations and subverts stereotypes at virtually every turn. It’s just a shame the movie wasn’t as progressive as its subject. Most will remember Takei as Sulu from the original “Star Trek” series, helming the starship Enterprise during the entire television run...
- 8/19/2014
- by Drew Taylor
- The Playlist
We wanted to discuss magic, laughter and the difficult stuff that lies in between on this week’s show because Robin Williams was so much more than a comedian. One of the very best, to be sure, but he was like a Guinness World Record holder who somehow found time for a dozen other hobbies. Which he then mastered. So what was supposed to be a normal-length segment ballooned into a winding conversation about a tireless artist’s power to find a human connection in everything he did. We talk funny stuff, dark stuff, and Geoff explains how Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire made him understand his own dad. Plus, we speak with To Be Takei director Jennifer M. Kroot about chronicling Sulu in his natural habitat (and a little on how to hide in plain sight with a massive camera on your shoulder). You should follow the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on Twitter for...
- 8/15/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Montreal’s genre festival ran from July 17-Aug 6 and saw audiences of more than 129,000; its Frontières co-production market also drew a record attendance, up 30% on 2013.
With more than 129,000 people attending screenings and events over its 18th year, Fantasia International Film Festival co-director Mitch Davis (pictured) has marked the event as an “extraordinary” year.
Speaking to Screen, Davis was particularly pleased that the smaller films shone through.
“We showcased just over 160 feature films, which is more than our norm and is, frankly, no subtle number,” said Davis. “The worry in doing that is the chancing that certain so-called smaller films could somehow fall between the cracks.
“I’m thrilled to say that this didn’t happen. It’s often the smaller independent discovery titles that we have some of the strongest love for and we go the extra mile to make sure they stand out and even then, anything could happen. Happily, a good...
With more than 129,000 people attending screenings and events over its 18th year, Fantasia International Film Festival co-director Mitch Davis (pictured) has marked the event as an “extraordinary” year.
Speaking to Screen, Davis was particularly pleased that the smaller films shone through.
“We showcased just over 160 feature films, which is more than our norm and is, frankly, no subtle number,” said Davis. “The worry in doing that is the chancing that certain so-called smaller films could somehow fall between the cracks.
“I’m thrilled to say that this didn’t happen. It’s often the smaller independent discovery titles that we have some of the strongest love for and we go the extra mile to make sure they stand out and even then, anything could happen. Happily, a good...
- 8/10/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Montreal’s genre festival ran from July 17-Aug 6 and saw audiences of more than 129,000; its Frontières co-production market also drew a record attendance, up 30% on 2013.
With more than 129,000 people attending screenings and events over its 18th year, Fantasia International Film Festival co-director Mitch Davis (pictured) has marked the event as an “extraordinary” year.
Speaking to Screen, Davis was particularly pleased that the smaller films shone through.
“We showcased just over 160 feature films, which is more than our norm and is, frankly, no subtle number,” said Davis. “The worry in doing that is the chancing that certain so-called smaller films could somehow fall between the cracks.
“I’m thrilled to say that this didn’t happen. It’s often the smaller independent discovery titles that we have some of the strongest love for and we go the extra mile to make sure they stand out and even then, anything could happen. Happily, a good...
With more than 129,000 people attending screenings and events over its 18th year, Fantasia International Film Festival co-director Mitch Davis (pictured) has marked the event as an “extraordinary” year.
Speaking to Screen, Davis was particularly pleased that the smaller films shone through.
“We showcased just over 160 feature films, which is more than our norm and is, frankly, no subtle number,” said Davis. “The worry in doing that is the chancing that certain so-called smaller films could somehow fall between the cracks.
“I’m thrilled to say that this didn’t happen. It’s often the smaller independent discovery titles that we have some of the strongest love for and we go the extra mile to make sure they stand out and even then, anything could happen. Happily, a good...
- 8/10/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
This past Wednesday, August 6th, saw the close of the 18th edition of Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival; and now that the dust has settled, we have the full list of this year's award winners plus the Fest's dates for 2015.
From the Press Release:
Returning to its home at Concordia University after the location’s massive 2013 renovations, the acclaimed Fantasia International Film Festival, North America’s longest-running genre film fest, benefited from having three theaters in which to screen its record 160+ films.
Among the numerous highlights that took place during the three-week festival were the crowd-pleasing, revelatory world premieres of Leo Gabriadze’s Cybernatural (review here), Sarah Adina Smith’s The Midnight Swim, and Bennett Jones’ I Am A Knife With Legs. Also of note were massively successful screenings of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy, Lee Su-jin’s Han Gong-ju, Keishi Otomo’s Rurouni Kenshin – Kyoto Inferno,...
From the Press Release:
Returning to its home at Concordia University after the location’s massive 2013 renovations, the acclaimed Fantasia International Film Festival, North America’s longest-running genre film fest, benefited from having three theaters in which to screen its record 160+ films.
Among the numerous highlights that took place during the three-week festival were the crowd-pleasing, revelatory world premieres of Leo Gabriadze’s Cybernatural (review here), Sarah Adina Smith’s The Midnight Swim, and Bennett Jones’ I Am A Knife With Legs. Also of note were massively successful screenings of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy, Lee Su-jin’s Han Gong-ju, Keishi Otomo’s Rurouni Kenshin – Kyoto Inferno,...
- 8/9/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
Sundance Institute today announced the participants for its annual Creative Producing Labs and Creative Producing Summit, both held the week of July 28 at the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. These activities are part of the Institute’s year-round Creative Producing Initiative, which encompasses a series of Labs, Fellowships and other signature events that support independent producers. The Creative Producing Labs and Summit wrap the summer season of 10 residential Labs hosted in Utah by Sundance Institute, collectively representing 15 weeks of residency support and mentorship for the most promising new independent film and theater projects from the United States and around the world.
Nine films, both documentary and narrative, will participate in the Labs (July 28 – August 1), where they will work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative producing, communication and problem-solving skills in all stages of film production. These Producing Fellows will also receive ongoing creative and strategic support throughout the year, as well as direct granting for further development and production. This year’s Fellows represent nine projects identified by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program and Documentary Film Program. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, ”Independent producers play a critical role in discovering, fighting for and shaping original voices. Sundance Institute is committed to developing and supporting independent producers whose skills and tenacity are critical to maintaining the health and vibrancy of independent film.”
Immediately following the Labs, the Summit (August 1-4) takes place. The Creative Producing Summit is a three-day, invitation-only gathering that connects 40 independent filmmakers with more than 50 top film industry professionals including producers, distributors, sales agents, financiers and broadcasters to build a dialogue on film producing and the state of the independent film industry. Programmed events include case study sessions, panels, roundtable discussions, one-on-one meetings and pitching sessions. Panelists this year include Michael Barker (Sony Pictures Classics), Christine Vachon (Killer Films), Tom Quinn (Radius-twc), Paul Mezey (Journeyman Pictures), Rena Ronson (UTA), Ron Yerxa (Bona Fide Productions),
Diane Weyermann (Participant), Jessica Lacy (ICM), John Sloss (Cinetic), Jess Search (BritDoc), Kevin Iwashina (Preferred Content), Lois Vossen (Independent Lens), Ian Bricke (Netflix) and Josh Braun (Submarine).
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative Producing Lab allows emerging narrative feature film producers to work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative and strategic instincts and skills in all stages of film production. This year’s Creative Advisors include producers Paul Mezey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"),Pam Koffler ("Boys Don’t Cry"), Jay Van Hoy ("Love is Strange") and Julie Lynn ("Albert Nobbs").
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Feature Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Black Bats
Producing Fellows: Adam Hendricks and John Lang
Feeling cast out from society, two teens form a romantic relationship under the belief that they’re transforming into monsters. What begins as fantasy ends with horrific consequences as they both lose touch with reality. (Writer/Director: Rick Spears)
Adam Hendricks has had over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry, including development positions at The Jinks/Cohen Company and Macari Edelstein Entertainment. Adam left development to raise financing and produce the independent feature film Caroline and Jackie (Tribeca Ff 2012). He developed and produced a variety of web series for Fourth Wall Studios, including Dirty Work, winner of the 2012 Emmy for Original Interactive Programming. In 2013, Adam partnered with John Lang to form Divide & Conquer, a production company specializing in independent films, as well as commercials for clients including Ford, EA Sports and Victory Motorcycles.
John Lang began his career in Austin, Texas, working with the Austin Cinemathéque and South by Southwest Film Festival. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2008, John has worked in a variety of fields within the film industry including production, development, festivals, and sales. In 2011, John joined Rough & Tumble Films as a development and production executive, where he co-produced We Gotta Get Outta this Place (Tiff 2013). In 2013, John partnered with Adam Hendricks to form the commercial and feature film production company, Divide & Conquer.
I’m No Longer Here
Producing Fellows: Gerry Kim and Mayuran Tiruchelvam
Following the death of his older brother, a teenage Mexican boy is forced to migrate to New York City. When he arrives, he quickly realizes that the violence plaguing his home is no match for the feelings of alienation and loneliness he experiences in America. (Writer/Director: Fernando Frias)
Gerry Kim & Mayuran Tiruchelvam formed Dodgeville Films to produce humanistic narrative and documentary films. Their most recent documentary, "To Be Takei," a portrait of actor/activist GeorgeTakei, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Starz Digital Media. Gerry produced House of Suh, a feature documentary that premiered at HotDocs in 2010 and aired on MSNBC. Mayuran wrote and co-produced "The Girl is in Trouble," executive produced by Spike Lee, and line-produced "The Mend," which premiered at SXSW in 2014. In addition to " I’m No Longer Here," Gerry and Mayuran are developing Christina Choeʼs Nancy, which was selected for the 2013 Ifp Emerging Storytellers Lab, the 2013 Venice Film Festivalʼs Biennale College Cinema Program, and Film Independentʼs Fast Track. They are in post-production on the documentary Farewell, Ferris Wheel, a participant in the 2014 Film Independent Documentary Lab. They received their MFAs from Columbia University in New York City.
Microchip Blues
Producing Fellow: Riel Roch Decter
Fed up with his mundane existence working at the microchip factory, Jimmy teams up with a washed up mystic scientist to build the world's fastest microchip, win back his ex-girlfriend and save his factory from going quantum. (Writer/Director: Aaron Beckum)
Riel Roch Decter is a Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based producer and the Co-Founder of Memory, a new media and film company. Riel began his career as the Director of Production for the independent production company Olympus Pictures working on such films a "Rabbit Hole" and "Beginners." He has produced numerous awarding-winning films including the short "Night Giant"and the feature film The Wait, starring Jena Malone and Chloë Sevigny which premiered at SXSW 2013.
Tracktown, USA
Producing Fellow: Laura Wagner
In a small American town obsessed with competitive running, a famous but sheltered and lonely young runner rebels against her parents, coach and everything she’s ever known in the midst of her first Olympic Trials. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremy Teicher, Co-Writer: Alexi Pappas)
Laura Wagner is an independent producer, founder of Bay Bridge Productions and current resident at San Francisco Film Society’s FilmHouse. She recently produced the feature film"It Felt Like Love" by Eliza Hittman, which premiered at Sundance in 2013 and opened in theaters in 2014. She also produced the film "Memorial Day" by Josh Fox, and she was Associate Producer of the documentary "John Leguizamo: Tales from a Ghetto Klown," which premiered on PBS and "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey," the award-winning Imax film directed by the creators of "Stomp."
We the Animals
Mark Silverman Honoree & Producing Fellow: Jeremy Yaches
Based on the bestselling novel by Justin Torres,We the Animals is about the brutal yet loving dynamic of a mixed-race working class family, seen through the eyes of the youngest son, as he discovers his heritage, his sexuality and his madness. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremiah Zagar, Co-Writer: Dan Kitrosser)
Jeremy Yaches is an Emmy-nominated producer and co-founder of Public Record, a production company that specializes in film, TV, branded content, and commercials. He produced the award-winning documentary "In A Dream," which has screened all over the world and was broadcast on HBO. A graduate of Boston University, Jeremy lives and works in Brooklyn.
Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab
The Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab allows documentary filmmakers to work intensively with award-winning Creative Advisors to hone their craft. The Lab includes sessions on financing, creative distribution, marketing and outreach for independent documentary films. This year’s Creative Advisors include Producers Bonni Cohen ("The Island President"), Brenda Coughlin ("Dirty Wars"), Josh Penn (Court 13) in addition to Nancy Willen (Acme PR), Jess Search (Britdoc), and Josh Braun (Submarine).
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Documentary Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Transgender Youth Documentary
Director: Eric Juhola
Producer: Jeremy Stulberg
The Mathis Family in Colorado Springs struggle when their 6-year-old transgender daughter, Coy, is banned from the girl's bathroom at her elementary school. Coy's parents hire a lawyer to fight back and the family is thrust into the media spotlight, causing their lives to change forever.
Eric Juhola founded the film and television production company Still Point Pictures and produced the Gotham Award nominated documentary "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," winning 8 best documentary prizes at festivals around the world, followed by a theatrical release and Us broadcast on the Sundance Channel. Eric has additionally directed and produced documentaries and specials for Itvs/PBS, Discovery Channel, MTV, TLC, and TruTV, and has been featured at many film festivals including Tribeca.
Jeremy Stulberg is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and motion picture editor. His feature documentary, "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," co-directed with his sister Randy, screened at over 40 film festivals in the Us and Europe Jeremy has produced and edited award winning documentaries and feature films such as "My Mother’s Garden" (HotDocs, MSNBC) and "White Horse" (Berlin Ff 2008, HBO).
(T)error
Co-Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
"(T)error" is the inside story of ******, an active counterterrorism informant for the FBI. Filmed on the ground, it captures the dramatic unraveling of the informant's 20-year career with the Bureau after the target of his investigation realizes that he’s been set up.
Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, Lyric R. Cabral is an independent documentary filmmaker and photojournalist based in New York City. Cabral's photography has been recently published through the Gordon Parks Foundation, the Aperture Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution Photography Initiative, and National Geographic Channel UK.
David Felix Sutcliffe is an independent documentary filmmaker recently named one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” His first film, "Adama," was broadcast on PBS in November 2011. Sutcliffe has worked as a cinematographer on films in Paris, Indonesia, Kenya, and Kansas, and has taught documentary film for the Harlem Children’s Zone, the Tribeca Film Institute, and the Brooklyn Arts Council since 2003.
Uncertain
Co-Directors/Co-Producers: Anna Sandilands & Ewan McNicol
On the shores of a dying lake, neighbors in the once outlaw town of Uncertain, Texas, are haunted by their pasts and battling demons for a future more certain—a tender, humorous southern gothic tale.
Anna Sandilands is a documentary filmmaker and founder of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Ewan McNicol she has made the short films "The Roper," "Missing," "Ufologist," "Dirt Racer," and "Oil Man" and make TV commercials and communications for clients including Google, Apple, Nike, Nokia and BlackBerry. Anna was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Ewan McNicol is a documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, photographer and partner of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Anna Sandilands, his work has received awards including the Webby for Best Documentary, The One Club’s One Screen award for Best Documentary, an Effie and been nominated for a Cinema Eye award. Their films have been screened at film festivals including Sundance, BFI London International Film Festival, Edinburgh, SXSW, True/False, Seattle, Hot Docs, Silverdocs, Visions du Reel and Idfa. Ewan was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Speed Sisters
Producer: Avi Goldstein
The Middle East’s first all-women motor racing team has come together in Palestine. What will it take to go further and faster than anyone thought they could? Speed Sisters captures the drive to follow your dreams against the odds, leaving in its trail shattered stereotypes about gender and the Arab world.
Avi Goldstein co-founded SocDoc Studios to produce story-driven films that engage audiences with social issues. He recently completed the documentary film "Fire Lines" (to be distributed by Journeyman Pictures) with the Ma'an Network in Bethlehem and Common Ground Productions. Avi received an BA in Psychology from Princeton University and was previously a consultant at Vantage Partners, a Boston-based negotiation and relationship management consulting firm spun out of the Harvard Negotiation Project. He recently completed an Ma in Non-Profit Management and Leadership, and facilitates interest-based negotiation and problem-solving skills workshops for high schools students. "Speed Sisters" is his first feature-length documentary.
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theater artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to inform, inspire, and unite diverse populations around the globe. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as "Born into Brothels," "Trouble the Water," "Son of Babylon," "Amreeka," "An Inconvenient Truth," "Spring Awakening," "I Am My Own Wife," "Light in the Piazza" and "Angels in America."Join Sundance Institute on Facebook,Twitter and YouTube.
Nine films, both documentary and narrative, will participate in the Labs (July 28 – August 1), where they will work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative producing, communication and problem-solving skills in all stages of film production. These Producing Fellows will also receive ongoing creative and strategic support throughout the year, as well as direct granting for further development and production. This year’s Fellows represent nine projects identified by Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program and Documentary Film Program. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, ”Independent producers play a critical role in discovering, fighting for and shaping original voices. Sundance Institute is committed to developing and supporting independent producers whose skills and tenacity are critical to maintaining the health and vibrancy of independent film.”
Immediately following the Labs, the Summit (August 1-4) takes place. The Creative Producing Summit is a three-day, invitation-only gathering that connects 40 independent filmmakers with more than 50 top film industry professionals including producers, distributors, sales agents, financiers and broadcasters to build a dialogue on film producing and the state of the independent film industry. Programmed events include case study sessions, panels, roundtable discussions, one-on-one meetings and pitching sessions. Panelists this year include Michael Barker (Sony Pictures Classics), Christine Vachon (Killer Films), Tom Quinn (Radius-twc), Paul Mezey (Journeyman Pictures), Rena Ronson (UTA), Ron Yerxa (Bona Fide Productions),
Diane Weyermann (Participant), Jessica Lacy (ICM), John Sloss (Cinetic), Jess Search (BritDoc), Kevin Iwashina (Preferred Content), Lois Vossen (Independent Lens), Ian Bricke (Netflix) and Josh Braun (Submarine).
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative Producing Lab allows emerging narrative feature film producers to work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative and strategic instincts and skills in all stages of film production. This year’s Creative Advisors include producers Paul Mezey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"),Pam Koffler ("Boys Don’t Cry"), Jay Van Hoy ("Love is Strange") and Julie Lynn ("Albert Nobbs").
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Feature Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Black Bats
Producing Fellows: Adam Hendricks and John Lang
Feeling cast out from society, two teens form a romantic relationship under the belief that they’re transforming into monsters. What begins as fantasy ends with horrific consequences as they both lose touch with reality. (Writer/Director: Rick Spears)
Adam Hendricks has had over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry, including development positions at The Jinks/Cohen Company and Macari Edelstein Entertainment. Adam left development to raise financing and produce the independent feature film Caroline and Jackie (Tribeca Ff 2012). He developed and produced a variety of web series for Fourth Wall Studios, including Dirty Work, winner of the 2012 Emmy for Original Interactive Programming. In 2013, Adam partnered with John Lang to form Divide & Conquer, a production company specializing in independent films, as well as commercials for clients including Ford, EA Sports and Victory Motorcycles.
John Lang began his career in Austin, Texas, working with the Austin Cinemathéque and South by Southwest Film Festival. Since relocating to Los Angeles in 2008, John has worked in a variety of fields within the film industry including production, development, festivals, and sales. In 2011, John joined Rough & Tumble Films as a development and production executive, where he co-produced We Gotta Get Outta this Place (Tiff 2013). In 2013, John partnered with Adam Hendricks to form the commercial and feature film production company, Divide & Conquer.
I’m No Longer Here
Producing Fellows: Gerry Kim and Mayuran Tiruchelvam
Following the death of his older brother, a teenage Mexican boy is forced to migrate to New York City. When he arrives, he quickly realizes that the violence plaguing his home is no match for the feelings of alienation and loneliness he experiences in America. (Writer/Director: Fernando Frias)
Gerry Kim & Mayuran Tiruchelvam formed Dodgeville Films to produce humanistic narrative and documentary films. Their most recent documentary, "To Be Takei," a portrait of actor/activist GeorgeTakei, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Starz Digital Media. Gerry produced House of Suh, a feature documentary that premiered at HotDocs in 2010 and aired on MSNBC. Mayuran wrote and co-produced "The Girl is in Trouble," executive produced by Spike Lee, and line-produced "The Mend," which premiered at SXSW in 2014. In addition to " I’m No Longer Here," Gerry and Mayuran are developing Christina Choeʼs Nancy, which was selected for the 2013 Ifp Emerging Storytellers Lab, the 2013 Venice Film Festivalʼs Biennale College Cinema Program, and Film Independentʼs Fast Track. They are in post-production on the documentary Farewell, Ferris Wheel, a participant in the 2014 Film Independent Documentary Lab. They received their MFAs from Columbia University in New York City.
Microchip Blues
Producing Fellow: Riel Roch Decter
Fed up with his mundane existence working at the microchip factory, Jimmy teams up with a washed up mystic scientist to build the world's fastest microchip, win back his ex-girlfriend and save his factory from going quantum. (Writer/Director: Aaron Beckum)
Riel Roch Decter is a Canadian-born, Los Angeles-based producer and the Co-Founder of Memory, a new media and film company. Riel began his career as the Director of Production for the independent production company Olympus Pictures working on such films a "Rabbit Hole" and "Beginners." He has produced numerous awarding-winning films including the short "Night Giant"and the feature film The Wait, starring Jena Malone and Chloë Sevigny which premiered at SXSW 2013.
Tracktown, USA
Producing Fellow: Laura Wagner
In a small American town obsessed with competitive running, a famous but sheltered and lonely young runner rebels against her parents, coach and everything she’s ever known in the midst of her first Olympic Trials. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremy Teicher, Co-Writer: Alexi Pappas)
Laura Wagner is an independent producer, founder of Bay Bridge Productions and current resident at San Francisco Film Society’s FilmHouse. She recently produced the feature film"It Felt Like Love" by Eliza Hittman, which premiered at Sundance in 2013 and opened in theaters in 2014. She also produced the film "Memorial Day" by Josh Fox, and she was Associate Producer of the documentary "John Leguizamo: Tales from a Ghetto Klown," which premiered on PBS and "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey," the award-winning Imax film directed by the creators of "Stomp."
We the Animals
Mark Silverman Honoree & Producing Fellow: Jeremy Yaches
Based on the bestselling novel by Justin Torres,We the Animals is about the brutal yet loving dynamic of a mixed-race working class family, seen through the eyes of the youngest son, as he discovers his heritage, his sexuality and his madness. (Co-Writer/Director: Jeremiah Zagar, Co-Writer: Dan Kitrosser)
Jeremy Yaches is an Emmy-nominated producer and co-founder of Public Record, a production company that specializes in film, TV, branded content, and commercials. He produced the award-winning documentary "In A Dream," which has screened all over the world and was broadcast on HBO. A graduate of Boston University, Jeremy lives and works in Brooklyn.
Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab
The Documentary Film Creative Producing Lab allows documentary filmmakers to work intensively with award-winning Creative Advisors to hone their craft. The Lab includes sessions on financing, creative distribution, marketing and outreach for independent documentary films. This year’s Creative Advisors include Producers Bonni Cohen ("The Island President"), Brenda Coughlin ("Dirty Wars"), Josh Penn (Court 13) in addition to Nancy Willen (Acme PR), Jess Search (Britdoc), and Josh Braun (Submarine).
The Fellows and projects selected for the 2014 Documentary Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Transgender Youth Documentary
Director: Eric Juhola
Producer: Jeremy Stulberg
The Mathis Family in Colorado Springs struggle when their 6-year-old transgender daughter, Coy, is banned from the girl's bathroom at her elementary school. Coy's parents hire a lawyer to fight back and the family is thrust into the media spotlight, causing their lives to change forever.
Eric Juhola founded the film and television production company Still Point Pictures and produced the Gotham Award nominated documentary "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," winning 8 best documentary prizes at festivals around the world, followed by a theatrical release and Us broadcast on the Sundance Channel. Eric has additionally directed and produced documentaries and specials for Itvs/PBS, Discovery Channel, MTV, TLC, and TruTV, and has been featured at many film festivals including Tribeca.
Jeremy Stulberg is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and motion picture editor. His feature documentary, "Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa," co-directed with his sister Randy, screened at over 40 film festivals in the Us and Europe Jeremy has produced and edited award winning documentaries and feature films such as "My Mother’s Garden" (HotDocs, MSNBC) and "White Horse" (Berlin Ff 2008, HBO).
(T)error
Co-Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
"(T)error" is the inside story of ******, an active counterterrorism informant for the FBI. Filmed on the ground, it captures the dramatic unraveling of the informant's 20-year career with the Bureau after the target of his investigation realizes that he’s been set up.
Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, Lyric R. Cabral is an independent documentary filmmaker and photojournalist based in New York City. Cabral's photography has been recently published through the Gordon Parks Foundation, the Aperture Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution Photography Initiative, and National Geographic Channel UK.
David Felix Sutcliffe is an independent documentary filmmaker recently named one of the “25 New Faces of Independent Film.” His first film, "Adama," was broadcast on PBS in November 2011. Sutcliffe has worked as a cinematographer on films in Paris, Indonesia, Kenya, and Kansas, and has taught documentary film for the Harlem Children’s Zone, the Tribeca Film Institute, and the Brooklyn Arts Council since 2003.
Uncertain
Co-Directors/Co-Producers: Anna Sandilands & Ewan McNicol
On the shores of a dying lake, neighbors in the once outlaw town of Uncertain, Texas, are haunted by their pasts and battling demons for a future more certain—a tender, humorous southern gothic tale.
Anna Sandilands is a documentary filmmaker and founder of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Ewan McNicol she has made the short films "The Roper," "Missing," "Ufologist," "Dirt Racer," and "Oil Man" and make TV commercials and communications for clients including Google, Apple, Nike, Nokia and BlackBerry. Anna was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Ewan McNicol is a documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, photographer and partner of Lucid Inc. a communications company that makes work for clients based in real stories and documentary films. With Anna Sandilands, his work has received awards including the Webby for Best Documentary, The One Club’s One Screen award for Best Documentary, an Effie and been nominated for a Cinema Eye award. Their films have been screened at film festivals including Sundance, BFI London International Film Festival, Edinburgh, SXSW, True/False, Seattle, Hot Docs, Silverdocs, Visions du Reel and Idfa. Ewan was named Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 Fresh Faces To Watch” in 2013.
Speed Sisters
Producer: Avi Goldstein
The Middle East’s first all-women motor racing team has come together in Palestine. What will it take to go further and faster than anyone thought they could? Speed Sisters captures the drive to follow your dreams against the odds, leaving in its trail shattered stereotypes about gender and the Arab world.
Avi Goldstein co-founded SocDoc Studios to produce story-driven films that engage audiences with social issues. He recently completed the documentary film "Fire Lines" (to be distributed by Journeyman Pictures) with the Ma'an Network in Bethlehem and Common Ground Productions. Avi received an BA in Psychology from Princeton University and was previously a consultant at Vantage Partners, a Boston-based negotiation and relationship management consulting firm spun out of the Harvard Negotiation Project. He recently completed an Ma in Non-Profit Management and Leadership, and facilitates interest-based negotiation and problem-solving skills workshops for high schools students. "Speed Sisters" is his first feature-length documentary.
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theater artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to inform, inspire, and unite diverse populations around the globe. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as "Born into Brothels," "Trouble the Water," "Son of Babylon," "Amreeka," "An Inconvenient Truth," "Spring Awakening," "I Am My Own Wife," "Light in the Piazza" and "Angels in America."Join Sundance Institute on Facebook,Twitter and YouTube.
- 7/30/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
George Takei — the former Star Trek actor and present Facebook phenom and Lgbt activist — invited press aboard the Queen Mary 2 on Monday for a screening of his new documentary, To Be Takei. The film, shot over a three-year period, details the many obstacles the 77-year-old had to overcome as a closeted Asian-American actor, and profiles his newly married life with husband and business partner, Brad. Photos To Boldly Go: 15 Key 'Star Trek' Moments For director Jennifer M. Kroot, a fascination with George grew from Star Trek fandom to activist admiration, and eventually to his autobiography,
read more...
read more...
- 7/29/2014
- by Ted Simmons
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As we know, a passage through the many Sundance labs doesn’t guarantee a gold ticket for Park City in January, but undoubtably its certainly a professional nudge in the right direction. A total of nine films (5 fiction) will be heading to the Labs (July 28 – August 1) with this year’s Creative Advisors including folk we’ve mentioned on several occasion here in Paul Mezey (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Pam Koffler (Boys Don’t Cry), Jay Van Hoy (Love is Strange) and Julie Lynn (Albert Nobbs). Among this year’s summer camp for film producers we have the likes of Riel Roch Decter (who produced 2013 SXSW entry The Wait
from helmer M. Blash) and producer Laura Wagner (from Eliza Hittman’s It Felt Like Love fame). Here are the projects and producers heading up to the mythic location. Press release follows.
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative...
from helmer M. Blash) and producer Laura Wagner (from Eliza Hittman’s It Felt Like Love fame). Here are the projects and producers heading up to the mythic location. Press release follows.
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative...
- 7/29/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
You know, there is only - ever - one bad thing about reviewing the full lineup for the Fantasia International Film Festival. It is the sad, sad truth that you are not going to see everything you want because there is just so damn much of it. Holy hell, look at this final wave of films! Eli Roth's Green Inferno. Tommy Wirkola's Dead Snow: Red vs Dead. Mitsutake Kurando's Gun Woman starring Japanese cult starlet Asami. And a documentary about George Takei, To Be Takei? The list is simply massive! I have to stop writing and catch my breath.Read on, fearless readers! Fantasia Celebrates Its 18th Birthdaywith Over 160 Feature Films Montreal, Thursday July 10, 2014 - 2014 is the year that Fantasia turns 18. We can't believe it...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 7/10/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Montreal-based genre festival to screen over 160 films at its 18th edition, which runs July 17-Aug 6.
Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled the full line-up for its 18th edition, which takes place in Montreal from July 17-Aug 6.
Along with those previously announced in the first two waves, this year’s festival will also host the world premieres of Gun Ho Jang’s Heavenly Sword, Simon Boisvert’s Bold & Brash: Filmmaking Boisvert Style, Nick Szostakiwskyj’s Black Mountain Side, Maude Michaud’s Dys-, Chad Archibald & Matt Wiele’s Ejecta and LeRoy McCoy’s McCoy the Space Cowboy.
As previously announced, Jacky in the Kingdom of Women and Welcome to New York bookend this year’s festival.
Strands
Jonas Alexander Amby’s Cannes title When Animals Dream will receive its North American premiere as part of the festival’s Camera Lucida strand, which will also screen the likes of Josephine Decker’s Thou Wast Mild and Lovely and the North...
Fantasia International Film Festival has unveiled the full line-up for its 18th edition, which takes place in Montreal from July 17-Aug 6.
Along with those previously announced in the first two waves, this year’s festival will also host the world premieres of Gun Ho Jang’s Heavenly Sword, Simon Boisvert’s Bold & Brash: Filmmaking Boisvert Style, Nick Szostakiwskyj’s Black Mountain Side, Maude Michaud’s Dys-, Chad Archibald & Matt Wiele’s Ejecta and LeRoy McCoy’s McCoy the Space Cowboy.
As previously announced, Jacky in the Kingdom of Women and Welcome to New York bookend this year’s festival.
Strands
Jonas Alexander Amby’s Cannes title When Animals Dream will receive its North American premiere as part of the festival’s Camera Lucida strand, which will also screen the likes of Josephine Decker’s Thou Wast Mild and Lovely and the North...
- 7/10/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Following previous announcements of their film lineup, the Fantasia International Film Festival has released their full lineup of movies to be shown at the 18th Annual festival, starting July 17.
New additions to the lineup include 2014 Cannes Selection When Animals Dream, directed by Jonas Alexander Amby and the return of Fantasia’s showcase of animated films, Axis.
Tickets for the festival go on sale starting July 16, and the festival runs through August 5.
View the whole press release of additional announcements below:
Fantasia Celebrates Its 18th Birthday
With Over 160 Feature Films Montreal, Thursday July 10, 2014 – 2014 is the year that Fantasia turns 18. We can’t believe it either. Fantasia’s 18th birthday means over 160 features and something in the neighborhood of 300 shorts, many being shown for the first time on this continent, a good number screening here for the first time anywhere in the world.In addition to being stacked with a multitude of breathtaking debut filmmaker discoveries,...
New additions to the lineup include 2014 Cannes Selection When Animals Dream, directed by Jonas Alexander Amby and the return of Fantasia’s showcase of animated films, Axis.
Tickets for the festival go on sale starting July 16, and the festival runs through August 5.
View the whole press release of additional announcements below:
Fantasia Celebrates Its 18th Birthday
With Over 160 Feature Films Montreal, Thursday July 10, 2014 – 2014 is the year that Fantasia turns 18. We can’t believe it either. Fantasia’s 18th birthday means over 160 features and something in the neighborhood of 300 shorts, many being shown for the first time on this continent, a good number screening here for the first time anywhere in the world.In addition to being stacked with a multitude of breathtaking debut filmmaker discoveries,...
- 7/10/2014
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Watch the first trailer for director Jennifer M. Kroot’s To Be Takei.
Starring George Takei, Brad Takei, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Dan Savage, and Walter Koenig, the film will premiere July 3rd on Directv and opens in theaters, On Demand and iTunes on August 22nd.
To Be Takei is an entertaining and moving look at the many roles played by eclectic 76-year-old actor/activist George Takei whose wit, humor and grace has allowed him to become an internationally beloved figure.
It balances unprecedented access to the day-to-day life of George and his husband/business partner Brad Takei with George’s fascinating personal journey, from his childhood in a Japanese American internment camp, to his iconic and groundbreaking role as Sulu on “Star Trek,” through his rise as an internet phenomenon with over 6-million Facebook likes.
The film shows what it truly means To Be Takei.
To Be Takei...
Starring George Takei, Brad Takei, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, Dan Savage, and Walter Koenig, the film will premiere July 3rd on Directv and opens in theaters, On Demand and iTunes on August 22nd.
To Be Takei is an entertaining and moving look at the many roles played by eclectic 76-year-old actor/activist George Takei whose wit, humor and grace has allowed him to become an internationally beloved figure.
It balances unprecedented access to the day-to-day life of George and his husband/business partner Brad Takei with George’s fascinating personal journey, from his childhood in a Japanese American internment camp, to his iconic and groundbreaking role as Sulu on “Star Trek,” through his rise as an internet phenomenon with over 6-million Facebook likes.
The film shows what it truly means To Be Takei.
To Be Takei...
- 6/30/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
George Takei has already taken over your Facebook feed. Now, it's time for him to take over your TV screens and movie theaters … again. See video: Sundance: George Takei Compares Anti-Gay Marriage Utah Governor To Segregationist George Wallace The longtime “Star Trek” veteran is the subject of the bio-doc “To Be Takei,” which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and hits theaters and VOD in August. The well-reviewed film starts with Takei's early days in internment camps for Japanese-Americans, and then follows his rise to sci-fi hero and 1970s sex symbol. Also read: George Takei Uses Facebook to Publicize Anti-Gay Attack The story,...
- 6/30/2014
- by Jordan Zakarin
- The Wrap
A new trailer has been unveiled for George Takei's documentary To Be Takei.
The documentary takes a look at Takei's illustrious life. He is beloved for playing Hikaru Sulu in the Star Trek television series and is also known for his activism in the Lgbt community.
Takei's former Star Trek co-stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle Nichols make appearances in the documentary.
John Cho, who plays Sulu in Jj Abrams' Star Trek movies, also speaks about Takei's impact on his life as an Asian-American actor.
"There weren't many Asians on the television so when George would come on it would be a special thing," Cho says in the trailer.
In May, Takei was awarded the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards for his impact on the Lgbt community.
To Be Takei will arrive in cinemas on August 22 in the Us.
The documentary takes a look at Takei's illustrious life. He is beloved for playing Hikaru Sulu in the Star Trek television series and is also known for his activism in the Lgbt community.
Takei's former Star Trek co-stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle Nichols make appearances in the documentary.
John Cho, who plays Sulu in Jj Abrams' Star Trek movies, also speaks about Takei's impact on his life as an Asian-American actor.
"There weren't many Asians on the television so when George would come on it would be a special thing," Cho says in the trailer.
In May, Takei was awarded the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards for his impact on the Lgbt community.
To Be Takei will arrive in cinemas on August 22 in the Us.
- 6/28/2014
- Digital Spy
A new trailer has been unveiled for George Takei's documentary To Be Takei.
The documentary takes a look at Takei's illustrious life. He is beloved for playing Hikaru Sulu in the Star Trek television series and is also known for his activism in the Lgbt community.
Takei's former Star Trek co-stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle Nichols make appearances in the documentary.
John Cho, who plays Sulu in Jj Abrams' Star Trek movies, also speaks about Takei's impact on his life as an Asian-American actor.
"There weren't many Asians in the television so when George would come on it would be a special thing," Cho says in the trailer.
In May, Takei was awarded the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards for his impact on the Lgbt community.
To Be Takei will arrive in cinemas on August 22 in the Us.
The documentary takes a look at Takei's illustrious life. He is beloved for playing Hikaru Sulu in the Star Trek television series and is also known for his activism in the Lgbt community.
Takei's former Star Trek co-stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle Nichols make appearances in the documentary.
John Cho, who plays Sulu in Jj Abrams' Star Trek movies, also speaks about Takei's impact on his life as an Asian-American actor.
"There weren't many Asians in the television so when George would come on it would be a special thing," Cho says in the trailer.
In May, Takei was awarded the Vito Russo Award at the GLAAD Media Awards for his impact on the Lgbt community.
To Be Takei will arrive in cinemas on August 22 in the Us.
- 6/28/2014
- Digital Spy
Starz Digital Media announced Thursday the George Takei documentary To Be Takei will debut July 3 on DirecTV and will run exclusively on the platform until Aug. 5. On Aug. 22, To Be Takei will be released theatrically in the United States and Canada and will also be available on all major video on demand outlets on that date.
To Be Takei, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, offers “an entertaining and moving look at the many roles played by eclectic 77-year old actor/activist George Takei,” states a press release. Written and directed by Jennifer M. Kroot (It Came From Kuchar...
To Be Takei, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, offers “an entertaining and moving look at the many roles played by eclectic 77-year old actor/activist George Takei,” states a press release. Written and directed by Jennifer M. Kroot (It Came From Kuchar...
- 6/19/2014
- by Chancellor Agard
- EW.com - PopWatch
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