Every week, I get several press releases, screening invitations and other notifications from a handful of studio contacts. While I won’t be sharing any information regarding my screening invites, some of the press releases might be of interest to my readers, so I thought I’d start sharing them in toto with all of you. These could include new image galleries for various films or important updates to upcoming releases from various smaller studios and art house production companies.

• Press Release: AFI Live Achievement Award Presented to Mel Brooks by Martin Scorsese
• Press Release: “Finders Keepers” to Use Kickstarter for Final Funding
• Press Release: New Documentary About Women and Firearms To Hit Theaters
• Press Release: AFI Docs Announces Screening of “Herblock: The Black & The White”
• Press Release: Roger L. Simon to Write “The Future Is Now”
• Press Release: AFI Docs Expands Presence to Washington, D.C.
• Press Release: “Ping Pong” to Release in Theaters
• Press Release: “Charge” Now Playing Nationwide
• Press Release: AFI Docs Announces 2013 Slate
• Press Release: “The Women Workers’ War” Wins Best Documentary Feature at Workers Unite! Festival

Press Release: AFI Live Achievement Award Presented to Mel Brooks by Martin Scorsese

MARTIN SCORSESE TO PRESENT MEL BROOKS WITH AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Brooks to be Honored at AFI Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre on Thursday, June 6, 2013

Special Broadcast Will Air Saturday, June 15 at 9:00 P.M. ET/PT on TNT and Sunday, July 24 on TCM as Part of an All-Night Tribute to Brooks

Los Angeles, CA, Monday May 20, 2013 – Martin Scorsese will present Mel Brooks with the American Film Institute’s 41st Life Achievement Award – America’s highest honor for a career in film. The private black tie gala will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on June 6 and will air on TNT Saturday, June 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT and as part of an all-night tribute to Brooks on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Sunday, July 24, at 8 p.m. ET. Brooks will be recognized for his range of mastery as a director, producer, writer, actor and composer.

Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time having received the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to cinema, two AFI Awards, an Academy® Award, a Palme d’Or, Grammy® Award, two Emmys®, four Golden Globes®, a BAFTA and three DGA Awards. Scorsese’s body of work includes films such as THE DEPARTED, GANGS OF NEW YORK, GOODFELLAS, HUGO, MEAN STREETS, RAGING BULL, TAXI DRIVER and the upcoming WOLF OF WALL STREET, which will be released in Fall 2013.

“For over 50 years, Mel Brooks has given the world its greatest gift – laughter,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. “At the American Film Institute, we also want to shine a proper light on his contributions to the art form as writer, producer, director and actor – and who better to bestow this honor than one of the masters of American film, Martin Scorsese.”

In addition to airing the AFI Life Achievement Award special, TCM’s July 24 celebration of Mel Brooks will include two of his classic films: the rarely shown THE TWELVE CHAIRS (1970), making its TCM debut, and THE PRODUCERS (1968), the wild comedy that earned Brooks an Oscar® for Best Original Screenplay. Also included with TCM’s presentation will be classic interviews with Brooks by television legends Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett.

Proceeds from the AFI Life Achievement Award gala event directly support the Institute’s national education programs and the preservation of American film history. Sponsors of the 2013 AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Mel Brooks include Audi of America, Deloitte, HP and American Airlines, the official airline of the American Film Institute.

About Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks, director, producer, writer, actor and composer, is in an elite group as one of the few creative individuals to earn all four major entertainment prizes – the Tony®, Emmy®, Grammy® and Oscar®. His career began in the borscht belt and then television, writing for YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS. He teamed up with Carl Reiner to write and perform the Grammy®-winning “2000 Year Old Man” comedy albums and books. Brooks and Buck Henry created the long running TV series GET SMART. Brooks won his first Oscar® in 1964 for writing and narrating the animated short THE CRITIC and his second for the screenplay of his first feature film THE PRODUCERS in 1968. Many hit comedy films followed including BLAZING SADDLES, DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT, HIGH ANXIETY, HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART I, LIFE STINKS, ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS, SILENT MOVIE, SPACEBALLS, TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THE TWELVE CHAIRS and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. His film company, Brooksfilms Limited, also produced critically acclaimed films such as 84 CHARRING CROSS ROAD, THE ELEPHANT MAN, THE FLY, FRANCES and MY FAVORITE YEAR. For three successive seasons, 1997-1999, Mel Brooks won Emmy Awards® for his role as Uncle Phil on the hit sitcom MAD ABOUT YOU. Brooks received three 2001 Tony Awards® and two Grammy Awards® for “The Producers: the New Mel Brooks Musical,” which ran on Broadway from 2001 to 2006. He followed that success with “The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein,” which ran on Broadway from 2007 to 2009, and both musicals continue to be performed and enjoyed by audiences all over the world. In 2009 Mel Brooks also received The Kennedy Center Honors, recognizing a lifetime of extraordinary contributions to American culture. His most recent projects include the Emmy®-nominated HBO comedy special MEL BROOKS AND DICK CAVETT TOGETHER AGAIN and a career retrospective DVD box set titled “The Incredible Mel Brooks: An Irresistible Collection Of Unhinged Comedy.”

About the AFI Life Achievement Award
The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Life Achievement Award was established by the AFI Board of Trustees on February 26, 1973. It is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated through a resolution passed by the AFI Board of Trustees:

“The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”

AFI Life Achievement Award Recipients
Mel Brooks joins an esteemed group of individuals who have been chosen for this distinguished honor since its inception in 1973.

1973 John Ford
1974 James Cagney
1975 Orson Welles
1976 William Wyler
1977 Bette Davis
1978 Henry Fonda
1979 Alfred Hitchcock
1980 James Stewart
1981 Fred Astaire
1982 Frank Capra
1983 John Huston
1984 Lillian Gish
1985 Gene Kelly
1986 Billy Wilder
1987 Barbara Stanwyck
1988 Jack Lemmon
1989 Gregory Peck
1990 David Lean
1991 Kirk Douglas
1992 Sidney Poitier
1993 Elizabeth Taylor
1994 Jack Nicholson
1995 Steven Spielberg
1996 Clint Eastwood
1997 Martin Scorsese
1998 Robert Wise
1999 Dustin Hoffman
2000 Harrison Ford
2001 Barbra Streisand
2002 Tom Hanks
2003 Robert De Niro
2004 Meryl Streep
2005 George Lucas
2006 Sean Connery
2007 Al Pacino
2008 Warren Beatty
2009 Michael Douglas
2010 Mike Nichols
2011 Morgan Freeman
2012 Shirley MacLaine
2013 Mel Brooks

About the American Film Institute
AFI is America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. AFI provides leadership in film, television and digital media and is dedicated to initiatives that engage the past, the present and the future of the moving image arts.

AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and AFI Archive, which preserve film heritage for future generations; the AFI Life Achievement Award – the highest honor for a career in film – now in its 41st year; AFI Awards, honoring the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year; AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies television events and movie reference lists, which have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers; year-round and special event exhibition through AFI Fest presented by Audi, AFI Docs presented by Audi and the AFI Silver Theatre; and educating the next generation of storytellers at the world renowned AFI Conservatory, recognized for the quality of its instructors and speakers and its notable alumni.

For more information about AFI, visit AFI.com or connect with AFI at facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, twitter.com/AmericanFilm and youtube.com/AFI.

About TNT and TCM
TNT is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 99 million households and ranking among cable’s top networks, TNT is home to such original drama series as DALLAS, FALLING SKIES, FRANKLIN & BASH, MAJOR CRIMES, PERCEPTION and RIZZOLI & ISLES, as well as the upcoming KING & MAXWELL and THE LAST SHIP. The network also features dramatic unscripted originals like the upcoming 72 HOURS, COLD JUSTICE and THE HERO. In addition, TNT is the cable home to popular dramas like BONES, CASTLE, THE MENTALIST and SUPERNATURAL; primetime specials, such as THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS; blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. TNT’s website is located at tntdrama.com.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world. Currently seen in more than 85 million homes, TCM features the insights of hosts Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests. As the foremost authority in classic films, TCM offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, along with regular programming events that include THE ESSENTIALS, hosted by Robert Osborne and Drew Barrymore, and the month-long 31 DAYS OF OSCAR® in February and Summer Under the Stars in August. TCM also stages special events and screenings, such as the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise; produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs; and hosts a wealth of materials at its website, tcm.com.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Press Release: “Finders Keepers” to Use Kickstarter for Final Funding

PRODUCER ED CUNNINGHAM TO PLAY ‘FINDERS KEEPERS’

Filmmakers to Enlist Help of Kickstarter for Final Stages of Funding for Feature Doc

Producer of the Academy Award winning documentary Undefeated and cult classic The King of Kong: A fistful of Quarters, Ed Cunningham has announced production on a feature length documentary, Finders Keepers. Cunningham, who also announces College Football for ESPN, will produce through his World Record Headquarters shingle and has put together a team including director Bryan Carberry, and independent producer Adam Gibbs.

With over 50-hours of footage already shot, the filmmakers have enlisted the help of Kickstarter to help fund the final stages of physical production, as well as post production. The 30-day Kickstarter campaign gets under way today with an initial goal of raising $80,000.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1857730587/finders-keepers-a-stranger-than-fiction-documentar?ref=live

Finders Keepers is a behind-the-scenes look at one of nation’s most riveting news stories about a severed human foot that is found in a grill bought at a 2007 auction in rural North Carolina. The documentary pulls back the curtain on the people at the center of the widely publicized and outrageous custody battle that ensued between the amputee and the grill’s purchaser over ownership of the leg.

Cunningham said, “From the moment I first heard the story, it reminded me immediately of ‘The King of Kong,’ as it was two very different men colliding in these very bizarre circumstances, and we were lucky enough to candidly document them as their sometimes difficult lives became intertwined. But the idea of being able to finish this as a feature length documentary had died until Bryan Carberry, the director, called and asked if we could try to finish it. With Adam Gibbs on to help produce the final production and post-production, kickstarter.com has given us a way to finish a film that likely would have not been made.”

Cunningham first heard about this story while on assignment for ESPN in Norman, and has a knack for finding ‘off the beaten path’ storylines. He and Seth Gordon (Identity Thief, Horrible Bosses, The King of Kong) discovered the story which led to the production and 2007 release of The King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters, which was sold to New Line Cinema. Other feature documentary credits include New York Doll, who he also produced with Gordon and Make Believe, which followed six of the world’s best young magicians as they battle for the title of Teen World Champ.

Carberry has previously worked with Cunningham on Make Believe and has directed videos for Scott Weiland and Adriano Goldschmied. This will be Carberry’s first feature film. Producer Adam Gibbs recently finished production on the feature film Lucky Them starring Toni Collette and Thomas Haden Church, and previously produced the feature film Live at the Foxes Den with Jackson Rathbone and Elliott Gould.

Press Release: New Documentary About Women and Firearms To Hit Theaters

In the Midst of America’s Debate Over Gun Control A New Documentary About Women and Firearms

Opening In Select Theaters & Available Nationwide On Demand Beginning July 3

Bringing a feminine perspective to the debate that’s currently raging across the nation, Cathryne Czubek’s new feature documentary A GIRL AND A GUN reveals how women have embraced an object whose history is deeply bound to men and masculinity. Filmed throughout the U.S., the film delves deep into the psyche of the American gun world to show the complex relationship between American women and their guns.

Penetrating far beyond Hollywood’s hyper-sexualized femme fatales, A GIRL AND A GUN candidly explores the modern American woman through intimate portraits of several women that revolve around fundamental issues of preservation, power, feminism and violence. Punctuated with archival footage and expert commentary to provide a rich historical and cultural context, the film presents a complex and empowering perspective on a deadly serious issue.

The intimate and graphic portrayals in A GIRL AND A GUN are of women who’ve carved themselves a place in the gun community, but their personal journeys in one way or another reflect the same issues every woman faces today.

A GIRL AND A GUN will not end the nation’s decisive battle over the legality or availability of guns, but it does give voice to those American women, young and old, who have been affected by firearms or believe in the right to responsibly and legally possess firearms.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Born in the South and raised in the Midwest, Director Cathryne Czubek grew up photographing and printing with her father in their darkroom at home. She eventually made her way to NYU to study politics yet decided to return to her photographic roots and earned an MFA at the School of Visual Arts. Cathryne has produced for a variety of commercial clients and has been supported by the the New York State Council for the Arts, the Paley Center for Media, Toronto Documentary Forum, Independent Feature Project, From the Heart Productions, and Women Make Movies.

After a successful World Premiere at DOC NYC festival in November 2012, A GIRL AND A GUN has received critical praise and recognition from numerous outlets, garnering much media attention due to recent news events. Cathryne has appeared on Huff Post Live, ABC News and several radio shows discussing guns and women’s issues.

Press Release: AFI Docs Announces Screening of “Herblock: The Black & The White”

AFI DOCS presented by Audi ANNOUNCES GALA SCREENING HERBLOCK: THE BLACK & THE WHITE

Directed by Michael Stevens and Produced by George Stevens, Jr.

Traces Career and Influence of Washington Post Cartoonist Herb Block

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 21, 2013, WASHINGTON, DC – AFI DOCS presented by Audi announced today its gala presentation at the Newseum of the Washington, DC premiere of HERBLOCK: THE BLACK & THE WHITE written and directed by Michael Stevens and produced by George Stevens Jr. The film, traces the career and influence of the most influential political cartoonist of the 20th century and the people who became his subjects during his 55 years at the Washington Post. His work spanned thirteen presidents, contributed to the downfall of Senator Joseph McCarthy and President Richard Nixon and garnered three Pulitzer Prizes and the Medal of Freedom.

In the film, Ben Bradlee, Tom Brokaw, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Jules Feiffer, Ted Koppel, Eugene Robinson, Tom Friedman, David Brooks, Gwen Ifill, Rick Hertzberg, Victor Navasky and Richard Cohen give first-hand accounts of Block’s life and work. Jon Stewart and Lewis Black explore the place of political satire in American life. The filmmakers and many subjects are expected to be in attendance at the screening.

“It is an honor to celebrate HERBLOCK in the city he called home,” said AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale. “AFI DOCS goal is to catalyze change through art, and this film is a powerful portrait of a man who symbolized this power across decades.”

In addition to the gala screening, AFI DOCS will be hosting a Catalyst Session on the subject of Humor in Politics inspired by the film. George Stevens Jr., Co-Chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Founder of AFI in the White House Rose Garden in 1968, Oscar and Emmy winning filmmaker and long-time producer of the Kennedy Center Honors will be among the featured panelists.

As previously announced, AFI DOCS presented by Audi (formerly Silverdocs) returns for its 11th edition June 19-23, 2013. After a decade at the celebrated AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD, the festival will build upon the success of Silverdocs with a presentation of screenings and events at iconic venues on the National Mall and in the Penn Quarter area, as well as continue its full slate of programming at the American Film Institute’s AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center.

Press Release: Roger L. Simon to Write “The Future Is Now”

Primeridian Entertainment TAPS ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINATED SCREENWRITER ROGER L. SIMON TO PEN “THE FUTURE IS NOW”

Arcadiy Golubovich to Direct

May 21, 2013, Cannes – Primeridian Entertainment announced today that the company has appointed Academy Award® nominated screenwriter Roger L. Simon to pen their second feature project tentatively titled THE FUTURE IS NOW. Primeridian will fully finance the film and the company’s principal Arcadiy Golubovich will direct, with partner Tim O’Hair producing. The dystopian drama will be set in Washington, D.C.

Roger L. Simon was a frequent collaborator of multiple Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Paul Mazursky and was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award® for ENEMIES: A LOVE STORY (1989). He is the author of ten novels including best-selling novel “The Big Fix,” which he later adapted into a feature film directed by Richard Dreyfus (1978). Most recently, Simon wrote the original script for A BETTER LIFE (2011), which earned leading actor Demián Bichir an Academy Award® nomination.

“We are very excited to work with such a smart, seasoned, and talented writer such as Roger on this project,” said Arcadiy Golubovich, head of Primeridian Entertainment. “We developed this idea observing the American news media and power structure from my international perspective, and the notion of idealism gone awry.”

Golubovich most recently produced HIGH SCHOOL starring Adrien Brody and Colin Hanks, which was released theatrically by Anchor Bay in 2012, and DEMOTED starring Michael Vartan. THE FUTURE IS NOW will mark his directorial debut.

The company will begin casting in June and expects to film in the fall.

Primeridian Entertainment recently launched with their first feature film based on the life of the famed Soviet dissident and Nobel Prize winning author Alexander Solzhenitsyn, which Cyrus Nowrasteh (THE STONING OF SORAYA M., The Day Reagan Was Shot) will write and direct. The script will be based on D.M. Thomas’ prize winning Alexander Solzhenitsyn: A Century in His Life. Additional announcements are anticipated as the company sets forth its slate.

About Primeridian
Primeridian Entertainment is an international production company dedicated to producing and equity financing quality feature film and television projects with established filmmakers for the worldwide marketplace. Founded by Arcadiy Golubovich in collaboration with producer and former studio executive Tim O’Hair, the company will produce and finance 2 to 4 films per year.

Press Release: AFI Docs Expands Presence to Washington, D.C.

AFI DOCS PRESENTED BY AUDI (formerly Silverdocs) has been called a “Non-Fiction Nirvana” by Variety and the “premier showcase for documentary film” by The Hollywood Reporter.

Celebrating its 11th year June 19–23, AFI is thrilled to announce our critically acclaimed event is expanding its presence to Washington D.C., featuring new venues, new programming and new conversations – and we want you to be there!

If you support AFI by becoming a member or making a donation by May 31 you will be entered for a chance to win a pair of Opening Night Gala tickets to AFI DOCS, a two-night stay at Hotel Monaco and airfare provided by American Airlines, the official airlines of the American Film Institute.

A re-imagined experience, the festival will also introduce the AFI Catalyst Sessions – four discussions uniting filmmakers, thought leaders, policy-makers and engaged audiences to address the most pressing issues of our time — inspired by the documentaries at AFI DOCS. With films also screening at the AFI Silver Theatre, AFI DOCS is a docu-lover’s dream.

You can help ensure that great documentary filmmaking always has a place to call home. Become an AFI member or make a donation today. You’ll be happy you did – and you just might win a trip to D.C. too!

AFI DOCS Sweepstakes ends May 31.

Press Release: “Charge” Now Playing Nationwide

Exhilarating Documentary “Charge” Now Playing Nationwide

From the director of Faster and Fastest (Mark Neale), and narrated by actor and motorcycle enthusiast Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Trainspotting), CHARGE is proof that maniacs on motorcycles can be a force for global good.

Every screening begins with the 3-minute short film SOLAR ROADWAYS from GE FOCUS FORWARD and is followed by a pre-taped Q&A with Mr. Neale

NEW YORK / LOS ANGELES – For the visionaries, this is history. For lovers of gasoline-powered motor bikes it’s blasphemy. What is racing without the sound and fury of internal combustion engines? The documentary CHARGE from filmmaker Mark Neale (Faster, Fastest) – now playing in theaters nationwide (and opening Thursday in Los Angeles) – shows it’s about the future. It’s about change. It’s about the dream of a clean, green world. It’s about the dream of winning. And it’s about enormous risk – both financial and the very lives of the competitors.

CHARGE is proof that maniacs on motorcycles – seeking victory at maximum speed – can be a force for global good. The exhilarating movie, narrated by Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Trainspotting), follows several teams to the world’s first zero-emissions grand prix on the Isle of Man, including Portland, Oregon-based MotoCzysz.

The theatrical release of CHARGE in 15 U.S. markets (including Los Angeles and New York) during the week of May 20 is the fifth film in Cinedigm’s (NASDAQ: CIDM) new DOCURAMA multi-platform film brand and inaugural series of national theatrical screening events (http://www.docuramafest.com). The DOCURAMA film series is attracting national attention for its unique series that is bringing 7 award-winning documentary films in 7 weeks, from April 22 through June 16.

Synopsis: CHARGE captures a pivotal moment in motor sport history: the dawn of the zero-emissions racing era. It came on June 12, 2009, the day of the world’s first zero-emissions motorcycle grand prix. The race took place on the Isle of Man TT course, the most demanding and deadly circuit on the planet. The film begins in early 2009 amid the hectic preparations for the race and concludes over a year later at the 2010 TT Zero. The second race sees a huge leap in performance – proof that racing really does improve the breed and that maniacs on motorcycles can be a force for global good. The film follows the fortunes of several teams in the run-up to the 2009 race and on their return in 2010, 2011 and 2012, from swaggering US hotshots MotoCzysz to shoestring British-Indian contenders Team Agni and local heroes ManTTx Racing.

CHARGE is the dramatic and highly entertaining inside story of an unlikely group of pioneers – obsessed visionaries, ambitious businessmen, new-tech eccentrics, government ministers and hardcore racers – from as far afield as India, the USA, Germany and Britain. It’s a human story as well as a technological one: the teams’ hopes for personal glory and commercial success ride on their green machines. It’s about the dream of a clean, green world. It’s about the dream of winning.

In partnership with GE FOCUS FORWARD-Short Films, Big Ideas, a curatorial program inspired by GE’s vision of innovative people being the catalyst for world change, DOCURAMA will present a 3-minute short documentary with each feature film that has a complementary theme or subject matter. SOLAR ROADWAYS, from filmmaker Michele Ohayon, will be shown before every screening of CHARGE. What if roads and parking lots were solar, fueling enough energy from the sun to power nearby communities as well as electric vehicles? Scott and Julie, the inventors/creators have the answer. Every screening of CHARGE will be followed by a pre-taped Q&A with the director.

Press Release: “Ping Pong” to Release in Theaters

Docurama Premieres the Inspiring Documentary “Ping Pong” in Theaters Nationwide During the Week of May 27

Hugh and Anson Hartford’s film about seniors over 85 competing in the world championships for table tennis explores the hope, passion, prejudice, and immediacy of growing old

Every screening begins with Morgan Spurlock’s 3-minute short film YOU DON’T KNOW JACK from GE FOCUS FORWARD and is followed by a pre-taped Q&A with the feature film’s directors

LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK – In an engaging new documentary, seniors from across the planet compete in the World over 80s Table Tennis Championships in Inner Mongolia. Eight players from four continents, with seven hundred and three years between them, guide us through the extraordinary world of veteran sports.

Hugh and Anson Hartford’s film, PING PONG, interweaves the competition with intimate and candid portraits that explore the hope, passion, prejudice, and immediacy of growing old.

The theatrical release of PING PONG in 15 U.S. markets (including Los Angeles and New York) during the week of May 27 is the sixth film in Cinedigm’s (NASDAQ: CIDM) new DOCURAMA multi-platform film brand and inaugural series of national theatrical screening events (http://www.docuramafest.com). The DOCURAMA film series is attracting national attention for its unique series that is bringing 7 award-winning documentary films in 7 weeks, from April 22 through June 16.

The film played at major film festivals across the U.S., Canada, U.K. and around the world. Variety’s Dennis Harvey says the film is “engaging” and a “crowd-pleaser.”

Synopsis (filmed in 2012): Les D’Arcy is a living legend. At 89 years old, he’s obviously not received the memo about slowing down, and is going for gold, literally. He’s headed to China to compete in the over 80s Table Tennis Championships in Inner Mongolia. A seven time world champion, he still lifts weights to train – something he’s been doing for decades, after surviving a sickly childhood.

Of course compared to some, Les is a spring chicken. Australian legend Dorothy DeLow is 100, and finds herself a mega celebrity in this rarefied world. She’d better watch out though– Texan Lisa Modlich is fifteen years her junior and is determined to do what it takes to win her first gold.

The film follows eight players from five countries, as they prepare to compete in this extraordinary sporting event that is as much about the tenacity of the human spirit as it is about taking home the title.

In partnership with GE FOCUS FORWARD-Short Films, Big Ideas, a curatorial program inspired by GE’s vision of innovative people being the catalyst for world change, DOCURAMA will present a 3-minute short documentary with each feature film that has a complementary theme or subject matter. YOU DON’T KNOW JACK, from Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, will be shown before every screening of CHARGE. Jack Andraka, a high school sophomore, has developed a revolutionary new test for pancreatic cancer. The future of science is in the hands of our youth. Every screening of CHARGE will be followed by a pre-taped Q&A with the director.

The film will screen in the following states/cities next week:

Arizona
Phoenix/Scottsdale
California
Encino
Los Angeles
Palm Desert
Pasadena
San Diego
Connecticut
Hartford
New Haven
Montana
Helena
New York
Ithaca
New York
Ohio
Cleveland
Columbus
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh
Texas
Austin
San Antonio
Virginia
Richmond

Press Release: AFI Docs Announces 2013 Slate

AFI DOCS PRESENTED BY AUDI ANNOUNCES 2013 SLATE

Festival Opens with LETTERS TO JACKIE, Closes with CAUCUS, Celebrates with HERBLOCK and DOCUMENTED

Errol Morris Named 2013 Guggenheim Honoree

Washington, DC May 22, 2013 – AFI DOCS presented by Audi (formerly Silverdocs) today announced the full schedule of films that will premiere in its 11th edition June 19-23, 2013 at iconic venues on the National Mall, the Penn Quarter and at the American Film Institute’s AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. The festival will present 53 films selected from 1,929 submissions representing 30 countries with 3 World, 2 North American, 1 U.S. and 6 East Coast premieres. The festival opens with the theatrical premiere of LETTERS TO JACKIE (DIR Bill Couturié) and celebrates with HERBLOCK: THE BLACK & THE WHITE (DIR Michael Stevens) along with the world premiere Centerpiece Screening of DOCUMENTED (DIR Jose Antonio Vargas). The festival closes with the U.S. premiere of CAUCUS (DIR AJ Schnack). Errol Morris will be honored at the festival’s Charles Guggenheim Symposium for his contributions to the documentary genre.

Other notable filmmakers presenting their work include Patrick Creadon (IF YOU BUILD IT), Sean and Andrea Nix Fine (LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM), Barbara Kopple (RUNNING FROM CRAZY) and Lucy Walker (THE CRASH REEL).

The festival’s new all-day forum for thought leaders, filmmakers and audience members, the AFI Catalyst Sessions: The Art of Moving Reality, will focus on immigration, education, intellectual property and humor in politics.

“2013 is a year filled with dynamic changes: After ten years, the festival previously known as Silverdocs is now AFI DOCS presented by Audi” said Sky Sitney, Festival Director. “AFI DOCS reflects that we have expanded to a new environment in downtown Washington, DC which will be easily accessible to audiences eager to discover this year’s most compelling documentaries. At the same time, we are continuing a full slate of programming at our longstanding venue, the AFI Silver Theatre & Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD. At AFI DOCS, America’s premier showcase for documentary film, we present the most provocative, challenging and compelling investigations of reality that filmmakers from America and around the world have conjured over the last year.”

2013 AFI DOCS PRESENTED BY AUDI FESTIVAL PROGRAM

GALA SCREENINGS AND SPOTLIGHT EVENTS:

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

OPENING NIGHT: LETTERS TO JACKIE DIR Bill Couturié. USA.
When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, the world came to a crashing halt as the nation grieved for its leader whose promise of a brighter future was cut tragically short. During this time the president’s widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, received thousands of letters from the public offering their heartfelt condolences. Oscar®-winning filmmaker Bill Couturié’s touching film focuses on these deeply personal letters that flooded in from all over the country to comfort a woman they greatly admired who was not just the fashionable First Lady, but also a wife and a mother. Set against a treasure trove of archival footage taken during the Kennedy era, the moving letters are read by twenty of today’s top actors including Jessica Chastain, Chris Cooper, Viola Davis, Zooey Deschanel, Kirsten Dunst, Anne Hathaway, Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, Mark Ruffalo, Octavia Spencer, Channing Tatum, Betty White and Michelle Williams. Filmmaker and select talent will be in attendance for this theatrical premiere.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

GALA SCREENING: HERBLOCK: THE BLACK & THE WHITE DIR Michael Stevens. USA.
Filmmaker Michael Stevens paints a lively portrait of influential Washington Post editorial cartoonist Herbert Block whose distinguished 55-year career spanning 13 presidents earned him three Pulitzer Prizes and the Medal of Freedom. Covering a time when cartoons had clout, HERBLOCK celebrates the days of old school print journalism and media satire. Luminaries, including Carl Bernstein, Lewis Black, Ben Bradlee, Ted Koppel, Bob Woodward and Jon Stewart contribute their insights into Block’s life, work and indelible influence. The film’s producer George Stevens, Jr., Founder of the American Film Institute, will attend along with notables in the film.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE: MUSCLE SHOALS DIR Greg “Freddy” Camalier. USA.
Filmmaker Greg “Freddy” Camalier chronicles the unique sound that emerged from the Deep South of 1960s America that would attract some of the most diverse musical talent of the time. The place was Muscle Shoals, Alabama and this is the story of how its sound, and the people who created it, left its mark on music history. There will be a special post-screening performance by Candi Staton with the Washington Performing Arts Society Choir.

Friday, June 21, 2013

CENTERPIECE SCREENING: DOCUMENTED DIR Jose Antonio Vargas. USA.
In 2011, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas outed himself as an undocumented immigrant in The New York Times Magazine. The World Premiere of his film DOCUMENTED chronicles the aftermath as he travels around the country as an immigration reform activist and provocateur, lands a historic Time magazine cover story; and unexpectedly re-connects with his mother in the Philippines, whom he hasn’t seen in nearly 20 years. Filmmaker and subjects in attendance.

GUGGENHEIM SYMPOSIUM: The Charles Guggenheim Symposium honors the legacy of the late four-time Academy® Award-winning filmmaker Charles Guggenheim. This year the Symposium celebrates Errol Morris, one of the most significant and original voices in documentary cinema. His films have examined the intricate complexities of the human psyche, uncovered fascinating beauty beneath the eccentric, proved the shrouded realms of war and global politics and made a significant contribution towards freeing an innocent man from prison. The Symposium will feature a series of excerpts from Morris’ body of work and he will be joined on stage to discuss his career. His films include A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME (1991); FAST, CHEAP AND OUT OF CONTROL (1997); THE FOG OF WAR: ELEVEN LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF ROBERT S. MCNAMARA (2003); GATES OF HEAVEN (1978); STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (2009); THE THIN BLUE LINE (1988); and VERNON, FLORIDA (1981).

Saturday, June 22, 2013

CLOSING NIGHT: CAUCUS DIR AJ Schnack. USA.
While the GOP leadership race in 2012 played itself out for the nation on primetime television with camera ready sound bytes and speeches, a documentary film crew led by filmmaker AJ Schnack went behind the scenes to capture the not-so-ready-for-primetime moments that culminate in a fascinating view of the lead-up to the crucial Iowa caucus. The documentary features conservative hopefuls Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Rick Perry and a particularly intimate view of Rick Santorum. Filmmaker and subjects in attendance for the US Premiere.

FEATURE FILM SELECTIONS:

12 O’CLOCK BOYS: DIR Lotfy Nathan. USA.
Cruising recklessly through the streets of Baltimore, notorious dirt bike gang, the 12 O’Clock Boys, are heroes to some and a menace to others. Director Lotfy Nathan’s debut feature follows a young boy named Pug over the course of several years as he strives to be accepted into their world.

THE ACT OF KILLING: DIR Joshua Oppenheimer, Christine Cynn, Anonymous. Denmark/ Norway/UK.
Disturbing and unforgettable, this unique film takes the viewer inside the complex psychology of Indonesian death squad leaders. Encouraging the killers to re-enact scenes of genocide in front of the camera, the filmmakers capture the men’s boastful pride and their slow realization of the full scope of their brutal crimes.

AFTER TILLER: DIR Martha Shane, Lana Wilson. USA.
The 2009 murder of George Tiller in a Kansas Lutheran church left only four physicians providing late-term abortions in the United States. These four – two women, two men – provide exceptionally intimate access to their professional and personal domains, revealing nuanced decisions likely to surprise viewers on either side of the great abortion divide.

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS: DIR Grace Lee. USA.
Filmmaker Grace Lee set out in search of other Asian American women bearing the same name and found Grace Lee Boggs, a 95-year-old Chinese American philosopher, activist and force of nature whose remarkable life and work traversed the major social movements of the last century and warranted a film of her own.

ANITA: DIR Freida Mock. USA.
For three days in October 1991 a mesmerized nation watched as a composed yet demure Oklahoma law professor accused a Supreme Court nominee of flagrant, serial sexual harassment. With hard-earned discernment gleaned in the intervening years, Anita Hill recalls the events of that autumn and shares her remarkable personal history.

APPROVED FOR ADOPTION: DIR Jung Henin, Laurent Boileau. Belgium/France.
Skilled Korean graphic novelist Jung Henin was only five years old when he was adopted by a Belgian family who raised him as one of their own. Through a mixture of live action footage and his own beautiful animation, the adult Jung shares his story of growing up in a world where he always felt different.

BEST KEPT SECRET: DIR Samantha Buck. USA.
Erik, Rahamid and Kareem, among others, have found an unexpected haven in a Newark, New Jersey public high school where a fiercely dedicated staff supports students such as themselves with autism and learning disabilities. Looming over them, however, is a ticking clock where at the age of 21 they will “age out.”

BLACKFISH: DIR Gabriela Cowperthwaite. USA.
When SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau was mauled to death by a “killer whale,” the tragedy was dismissed as a freak accident. In actuality, it was one of many such violent incidents between well-meaning trainers and wild orcas living in captivity. BLACKFISH takes an unflinching look at the disturbing practices that keep marine parks in business.

BRAVE MISS WORLD: DIR Cecilia Peck. USA.
Two months before she was crowned Miss World in 1998, Linor Abargil, an Israeli beauty queen, was raped in a violent attack by an acquaintance. Ten years later she is ready to talk about her ordeal as she travels the world to hear the stories of other rape victims and help them speak out.

CAMP 14 – TOTAL CONTROL ZONE: DIR Marc Wiese. Germany.
Little is known about the shadowy world of North Korea, but former prisoner Shin Dong-hyuk has lived to tell his harrowing story. Born inside a North Korean “death camp,” Shin knew of no other reality beyond the barbed-wire fences that encompassed a life of fear, hard labor, starvation and torture.

THE CRASH REEL: DIR Lucy Walker. USA.
A mere two months before the 2010 Winter Olympics, game-changing pro snowboarder Kevin Pearce suffered a traumatic brain injury that derailed his life, career and a much-anticipated rivalry with competitor Shaun White. Oscar®-nominee Lucy Walker’s engaging, intimate portrayal of Pearce’s recuperation explores the understated heroism of a recovering champion.

CUTIE AND THE BOXER: DIR Zachary Heinzerling. USA.
When Noriko moved to New York City, her plans to study art were derailed by love. Now, 40 years into her marriage to Ushio, a painter many years her senior, Noriko seeks her own artistic identity as her 80-year-old husband struggles to establish his legacy. This is a poignant portrait of marriage, sacrifice, aging and dedication.

DRAGON GIRLS: DIR Inigo Westmeier. Germany.
This exuberant film tells the tale of three adolescent girls studying to become fighters at the largest kung fu academy in China. These three faces (among 26,000) spend every waking moment training, managing injuries and coping with the school’s intense (and often abusive) discipline policies.

EXPEDITION TO THE END OF THE WORLD: DIR Daniel Dencik. Denmark.
A motley crew of scientists and artists sets sail for the frozen fjords of Northeast Greenland, which are accessible only because of the melting ice cap. The stunning, unexplored landscapes of the Arctic form the backdrop of this madcap expedition to the end of the world.

THE GENIUS OF MARIAN: DIR Banker White, Anna Fitch. USA.
Filmmaker Banker White’s mother Pam is slowly succumbing to Alzheimer’s disease, which is the same fate that befell her own mother Marian, a noted artist, before her. In this intimate portrait of a woman at her most vulnerable, Pam works to help preserve a meaningful personal legacy before it is too late.

GIDEON’S ARMY: DIR Dawn Porter. USA.
In this smart, insightful documentary, filmmaker Dawn Porter sheds light on the plight of one of our country’s most valuable and unsung warriors: the public defender. Following a small group of dedicated public defenders in the South, GIDEON’S ARMY highlights the daily battles they face within a flawed legal system.

GOD LOVES UGANDA: DIR Roger Ross Williams. USA.
Blending vérité style with candid testimonials, filmmaker Roger Ross Williams tracks a group of missionaries from the evangelical Christian right as they take their religious crusade from the comfort of Middle America to the ravaged villages of a fiercely divided Uganda. GOD LOVES UGANDA paints a disturbing portrait of religious fundamentalism taken to extremes.

IF YOU BUILD IT: DIR Patrick Creadon. USA.
A David and Goliath story for the recession era, IF YOU BUILD IT documents a year in the innovative “Studio H” architectural program. The film examines the work of Emily Pilloton and Matt Miller who give the teens of a crumbling rural town a chance to build a better future.

I LEARN AMERICA: DIR Gitte Peng, Jean-Michel Dissard. USA.
At a public high school in New York City dedicated to serving newly arrived immigrants, teenage students from more than 50 countries come together in a unique educational experience. I LEARN AMERICA follows four students over the course of a year as they search for a future of their own.

INEQUALITY FOR ALL: DIR Jacob Kornbluth. USA.
This riveting film takes an eye-opening look at the ever-widening gap in America’s income inequality and the dire threat it poses to the country’s future. Economic policy expert Robert Reich offers a passionate and fully accessible perspective on what happened to the vanishing American middle class and what might be done to fix it.

THE KILL TEAM: DIR Dan Krauss. USA.
A powerful portrait of wartime atrocities and the men who commit them, this riveting film focuses on an American platoon in Afghanistan who waged a campaign of terror against the Afghani civilians they were sworn to protect. A chilling look at the madness of war that very few will forget.

LES INVISIBLES: DIR Sébastien Lifshitz. France.
In May 1968, activists in Paris rioted for many different causes, including gay rights. Interviewing some of the gays and lesbians who fought for recognition and respect from the postwar years, through the riots and into the present, LES INVISIBLES shows a different side of the fight for liberty, fraternity and equality. North American Premiere.

LET THE FIRE BURN: DIR Jason Osder. USA.
On May 13, 1985, Philadelphia authorities battling the black liberation group MOVE dropped incendiary explosives onto an Osage Avenue row house. The ensuing inferno killed five children and six adults, destroying 61 homes. This unfathomable saga of simmering fanaticism is adeptly retold without commentary, using archival footage including previously withheld materials.

LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM: DIR Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine. USA.
Progeria is an extremely rare and fatal disease in which children suffer the afflictions of accelerated aging. Sam Berns is one such child who shares his life with remarkable grace and courage. Meanwhile, Berns’ physician parents work tirelessly to find a way to help their son and other children combat the deadly disease. East Coast Premiere.

LOST FOR LIFE: DIR Joshua Rofé. USA.
Is it right for juvenile offenders to receive lifetime prison sentences without parole? Can some killers truly change and make a meaningful contribution to society as free men? This thought-provoking film explores the complex issue with input from both the perpetrators – all charged with first-degree murder – and the victims’ families. World Premiere.

THE MACHINE WHICH MAKES EVERYTHING DISAPPEAR: DIR Tinatin Gurchiani. Georgia/Germany.
A film director puts out a casting call for local townspeople in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, and the taped “auditions” become the springboard for this portrait of contemporary Eurasian life. As the citizens open up with surprising intimacy, the filmmaker follows some of them in their real lives with fascinating results.

MCCULLIN: DIR Jacqui Morris. UK.
British photojournalist Don McCullin escaped a hardscrabble childhood to create many of the most profound images of late-20th century wars on three continents. A pensive yet vulnerable McCullin looks back on his career with wistful, sometimes haunted memories touching on the essence of war and his ambivalence about documenting horrific events.

MISTAKEN FOR STRANGERS: DIR Tom Berninger. USA.
This hilarious film follows indie band The National on the road for a year through the eyes of singer Matt Berninger’s bumbling brother, Tom. As tensions boil, the film Tom meant to make falls apart, and what evolves is a touching, authentic, and delightfully wry portrait of two brothers who could not be more different.

THE NEW BLACK: DIR Yoruba Richen. USA.
This thought-provoking film examines how African-American voters have become bitterly divided on the issue of gay marriage because of homophobia rampant in one of the pillars of the African-American community – the church. Focusing on the fight for marriage equality in Maryland, it argues that this hot-button issue is a matter of civil rights.

OUR NIXON: DIR Penny Lane. USA.
Among the stranger remnants of the Watergate era are some 500 reels of Super 8 home movies created by aspiring – and conspiring – filmmakers named Haldeman, Ehrlichman and Chapin. This recently released FBI treasure, with commentary from the secret White House tapes, reveals extraordinary access to everyday intrigues of the Nixon White House.

THE PUNK SINGER: DIR Sini Anderson. USA.
Musician and feminist icon Kathleen Hanna blazed a politically minded musical trail whose influence can still be felt. Director Sini Anderson’s film is an energetic and intimate look at Hanna’s life and work, from her days in Bikini Kill to her decision to step away from music in recent years.

REMOTE AREA MEDICAL: DIR Jeff Reichert, Farihah Zaman. USA.
People wait for more than a day outside the Bristol Motor Speedway, lining up not for tickets but for necessary medical and dental procedures that are otherwise beyond their means. Telling stories from those who rely on the clinics, REMOTE AREA MEDICAL serves as a sobering look at life for the uninsured.

RENT-A-FAMILY, INC.: DIR Kaspar Astrup Schröder. Denmark.
A service in Japan offers actors to stand in for family members, their presence providing support at negotiations and filling weddings. Struggling and depressed, Ryuichi runs one such company, sending himself to fill in for those who need family members and, in many ways, to get away from his own. East Coast Premiere.

RUNNING FROM CRAZY: DIR Barbara Kopple. USA.
The Hemingways have long been one of America’s most notable families, from literary legend Ernest Hemingway to his famous model granddaughter Margaux and her sister, Academy Award®-nominated actress Mariel. Behind closed doors, however, the family has been plagued by mental illness, substance abuse and suicide, which seems to carry from one generation to the next.

TEENAGE: DIR Matt Wolf. USA.
Those magical and often difficult years between childhood and adulthood didn’t always have a label. In fact, the word “teenager” didn’t even exist until 1945. This fascinating documentary, based on the Jon Savage book of the same name, illuminates the period in which teenagers emerged to claim their unique place in history.

THE TRIALS OF MUHAMMAD ALI: DIR Bill Siegel. USA.
When charismatic fighter Cassius Clay embraced Islam and renamed himself Muhammad Ali, the boxing icon came under fire for refusing to serve in the Vietnam War. This enlightening film examines the tumultuous period in Ali’s life that saw him forced into a legal battle with the U.S. government that almost cost him his livelihood.

WE CAME HOME: DIR Ariana Delawari. USA.
Afghan-American musician Ariana Delawari shares the personal story of how she re-connected with her homeland in this thought-provoking film. Born in Los Angeles, Delawari’s life is turned upside down after 9/11. When her parents move back to Kabul, she spends a decade documenting their transition and her own awakening, through music, to her Afghan heritage.

WHITE BLACK BOY: DIR Camilla Magid. Denmark.
The sun is among the least of his worries for Shida, a Tanzanian boy with albinism. Because witchdoctors believe in the mystical power of albino’s limbs, the white-skinned are often hunted for a bounty. WHITE BLACK BOY looks at Shida’s first year at a boarding school, where he is momentarily safe from harm. North American Premiere.

A WILL FOR THE WOODS: DIR Amy Browne. USA.
As lymphoma thwarts all attempts at treatment, Clark Wang makes his funeral plans. Rather than preserve his body with toxic chemicals, his last wish is for a “green” burial. Environmental preservation takes on a poignant intimacy in this touching portrait of a multi-faceted, ebullient advocate and his final legacy.

WRONG TIME WRONG PLACE: DIR John Appel. Netherlands.
On July 22, 2011, Norway experienced its deadliest attack on native soil since World War II. Through intimate interviews with survivors of the tragedy and the families of victims, this powerful film takes a haunting look at the result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

SHORT FILM SELECTIONS:

NOT ANYMORE: A STORY OF REVOLUTION: DIR Matthew VanDyke, Nour Kelze. USA.
This vivid film explores the Syrian revolution as told through the experiences of two of its deeply affected citizens. Mowya is a dedicated male rebel fighter and Nour a young female journalist who risks her life in pursuit of the truth. By sharing their harrowing stories, each hopes to inspire action.

THE OTHER DAVE: DIR Pasquale Greco. USA.
Meet Dave, an ordinary man whose life took an extraordinary turn when he was struck by lightning and lived to tell about it. Ever since, Dave’s life has taken a series of quirky twists and turns while his mind has been left with an altered perception of reality.

OUTLAWED IN PAKISTAN: DIR Habiba Nosheen, Hilke Schellmann. USA.
This powerful film follows the courageous journey of one young girl in rural Pakistan. After being raped by four men, Kainat Soomro boldly fights the conventions of her society and takes the men to court. Facing a deeply flawed legal system and odds stacked against her, Soomro risks everything to demand justice.

SLOMO: DIR Joshua Izenberg. USA.
What would really happen if you quit your lucrative job and just did what you wanted all day? Take a brief look into the mind of John Kitchin, a doctor who traded his medical practice for rollerblades and sandy beaches, and explore the neurological and spiritual joys of slow acceleration.

STRAIGHT WITH YOU: DIR Daan Bol. Netherlands.
Though only 11 years old, Melvin has already become comfortable enough in his sexuality to come out to his parents and his best friend. Bullying and other outside pressures have kept him from going fully public with this self-awareness but now he must decide how to handle with delicacy a schoolgirl’s crush on him.

VULTURES OF TIBET: DIR Russell Bush. USA/Canada.
For years the “sky burial” has been a private and mysterious death ritual in Tibet where corpses are offered to wild vultures for consumption. In recent years, however, this fascinating practice has become increasingly commercialized as tourists from around the world flock to witness it with their own eyes.

WE WILL LIVE AGAIN: DIR Josh Koury, Myles Kane. USA.
To what lengths would you go in order to live again? Take a fascinating peek inside the Cryonics Institute where caretakers work to preserve the frozen bodies of 99 people who hoped to be brought back to life one day through creative leaps in scientific research.

WHEN THE SONG DIES: DIR Jamie Chambers. UK.
This poetic film weaves the fading folklore and songs of Scotland together in a rich tapestry that pays tribute to a vanishing era. Set against the evocative Scottish landscape, WHEN THE SONG DIES is a meditation on past and present featuring the exquisite haunting melodies of yesteryear.

Film stills and festival shots are available for press use only and can be downloaded from AFI.com/AFIDOCS/pressroom.aspx.

AWARDS:

Audience Awards will be bestowed upon films based on the results of ballots cast by festival attendees after theater screenings. The winners of the Audience Awards for Best Feature and Short will be announced on Sunday, June 23, 2013, the closing day of the festival.

AFI DOCS WASHINGTON COMMITTEE:

The following individuals have generously supported AFI DOCS and are helping to bring the Festival into Washington, DC.

Michelle D. Freeman
James V. Kimsey
Ted Leonsis
Courteney Monroe
Howard T. Owens

SPONSORS:

AFI DOCS thanks our 2013 festival sponsors including:
Presenting Sponsor: Audi
Official Sponsors: American Airlines, Coca-Cola, Stella Artois
Major Sponsors: Amtrak, Arlington + Co., Bertha Foundation, Maryland Film Office
Featured Sponsors: Google; Hewlett-Packard; Hotel Monaco, Washington DC, a Kimpton Hotel; The Newseum; Office of Motion Picture & Television Development; Sony
Supporting Sponsor: The Hamilton, Nell Minow
Presenting Media Sponsor: ABC News
Primary Media Sponsor: National Geographic Channel
Official Media Sponsor: The Hollywood Reporter
Major Media Sponsor: The Washington Post
Affiliate Media Sponsors: 88.5 American University Radio, Howard University Television, Maryland Public Television, Variety, WAMU, WHUT, YELP

About AFI DOCS presented by Audi
AFI DOCS presented by Audi (formerly Silverdocs) is an internationally recognized event that honors excellence in filmmaking, supports the diverse voices and free expression of independent storytellers and celebrates the power of documentary to improve our understanding of the world. Now in its 11th year, the festival is embarking on a transformational chapter in its history with an expansion into landmark Washington, DC venues and with the AFI Catalyst Sessions which serve as stimuli for national public discourse and an opportunity to engage our nations leaders with filmmakers striving to shine a light on the greatest issues of today. The festival historically has attracted over 27,000 documentary enthusiasts, policy-makers and thought leaders. Visit AFI.com/AFIDOCS and connect on twitter.com/AFIDocs, facebook.com/AFIDocs and youtube.com/AFI.

About the American Film Institute
AFI is America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. AFI provides leadership in film, television and digital media and is dedicated to initiatives that engage the past, the present and the future of the moving image arts. AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and AFI Archive, which preserve film heritage for future generations; the AFI Life Achievement Award – the highest honor for a career in film – now in its 41st year; AFI Awards, honoring the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year; AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES television events and movie reference lists, which have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers; year-round and special event exhibition through AFI Fest presented by Audi, AFI Docs presented by Audi and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center; and educating the next generation of storytellers at the world renowned AFI Conservatory, renowned for the quality of its instructors and speakers, and its notable alumni.

For more information about AFI, visit AFI.com or connect with AFI at twitter.com/AmericanFilm, facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute and youtube.com/AFI.

About Audi
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. Audi was a top-performing luxury brand in Europe during 2012, and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Through 2016, AUDI AG will invest about $17 billion on new products, facilities and technologies. Visit audiusa.com or audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

Press Release: “The Women Workers’ War” Wins Best Documentary Feature at Workers Unite! Festival

Massimo Ferrari’s THE WOMEN WORKERS’ WAR wins Best Documentary Feature at the Workers Unite! Film Festival

29 women. A 550-Day Occupation.

Powerful New Documentary about the Longest Women Workers’ Occupation in Italian History

FrankiejPub is proud to announce that The Women Workers’ War has won the Best Documentary Feature prize at the Workers Unite! Film Festival.

MaGa Production and Thalia Group have produced a story about truly inspirational women who made, and continue to make, a difference in a country currently experiencing the worst economic and moral crisis imaginable.

Massimo Ferrari’s THE WOMEN WORKERS’ WAR focuses specifically on two Italian women who have the courage to affect change.

Rosa is a factory worker at ““Tacconi Sud” in Latina. She led 28 of her colleagues in an active and civil resistance; occupying the factory (550 days). The lives of these women are chronicled from inside the factory; showing their unique way of resistance–a company practically abandoned by its owners. Rosa kept a diary of this occupation on Facebook–which has brought her great attention.

Margherita is a businesswoman and owner of the biscuit factory Dogliani of Carrara. She decided to use a different entrepreneurial model to force change. When these two extraordinary women meet, the results are amazing.