The Inbox (Apr. 19-25, 2014)

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.

Image Gallery: Walk of Shame

View Gallery Here

Image Gallery: Brick Mansions (2 Photos Added)

View Updated Gallery Here

Press Release: “In Your Eyes” Premiers at Tribeca

JOSS WHEDON AND KAI COLE’S BELLWETHER PICTURES RELEASE “IN YOUR EYES” TO A WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE FILM’S APRIL 20 PREMIERE AT THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

Whedon makes surprise post-screening announcement.

Film is now available at www.inyoureyesmovie.com, powered exclusively by the Vimeo On Demand platform.

NEW YORK, NY (April 21, 2014) – At the Tribeca Film Festival last night, Joss Whedon and Kai Cole’s Bellwether Pictures made an unexpected move with its latest feature, IN YOUR EYES, giving instant access directly to fans around the world with a digital release immediately following its world premiere at the Festival. Whedon announced the plan in a surprise post-screening video message (https://vimeo.com/92169364 – see embed code below).

IN YOUR EYES is available now as a $5.00 digital rental on the film’s website: www.inyoureyesmovie.com. The release is being powered by the Vimeo On Demand platform and has been translated into Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, and Japanese for the worldwide release.

Bellwether Pictures, founded by Joss Whedon and Kai Cole, is a micro-studio committed to creating quality independent films and utilizing modern tools of distribution to bring these titles directly to their audience.

The company’s first film was Whedon’s contemporized Much Ado About Nothing. Their newest project, IN YOUR EYES, written and executive produced by Whedon and directed by Brin Hill (Ball Don’t Lie), adheres to this mission by skipping the traditional modes of distribution and taking the film directly to fans via a digital distribution strategy.

Cole explained: “It was always the plan to release IN YOUR EYES in a new and exciting way. It’s no secret that the distribution landscape is shifting rapidly and there are tools at our disposal as filmmakers that we could only dream about ten years ago.”

In partnership with Bellwether Pictures is producer Michael Roiff’s Night & Day Pictures (Waitress, Save the Date), which shepherded the film through production and has been instrumental in forming and executing the release strategy.

Roiff echoed Cole’s sentiments: “We’ve been aiming to do something like this from the get-go. When you work with Joss and Kai – you don’t get to say ‘but this is how it is usually done’, you have to say ‘and now for something completely different’.” He went on to say, “Finding a partner like Vimeo to power this release was incredible. They are fantastic people working to make the future of distribution happen today.”

“We are honored to be partnering with the masterminds behind IN YOUR EYES to bring the film directly to audiences worldwide,” said Vimeo’s General Manager of Audience Networks Greg Clayman. “As big Whedon fans we were drawn to the film immediately and our shared vision for disrupting traditional distribution models made this an amazing collaboration all around.”

A timeless boy-meets-girl story, wrapped in a supernatural, Whedonesque world, IN YOUR EYES stars Zoe Kazan, Michael Stahl-David, Nikki Reed, Mark Feuerstein, Jennifer Grey, and Steve Howey.

IN YOUR EYES Synopsis
In the frozen East Coast winter, Rebecca (Zoe Kazan) is withering away in a life of cocktail parties and lonely nights as the sheltered, soft-spoken wife of a successful doctor. Across the country in sun-drenched, arid New Mexico, charismatic ex-con Dylan (Michael Stahl-David) is struggling to find his footing and a fresh start. When these polar opposites realize they share an inexplicable connection, a unique metaphysical romance begins.

About Vimeo
Vimeo® is the high-quality video platform for creators and their audiences. Vimeo’s mission is to empower and inspire people around the world to create, share and discover videos. Vimeo has over 26 million registered members and reaches a global monthly audience of more than 168 million. Founded in 2004 and based in New York City, Vimeo, LLC is an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI).

Press Release: “Tanta Agua” Releases on DVD

COMING OF AGE DRAMEDY “TANTA AGUA” AVAILBLE ON DVD MAY 13

Latin-American Little Miss Sunshine nabbed top honors at Miami Film Fest

April 21, 2014 (NY, NY) – Film Movement, the distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, announces today that TANTA AGUA, the award-winning coming-of-age dramedy about a father determined to make the most of a rained-out vacation with his kids, will be released on DVD on May 13th in North America.

What could be worse than being 14 and on vacation with your father and little brother, stuck indoors during a seemingly endless rainstorm? Alberto and his two children set off to a hot springs resort for a short vacation. Alberto, who doesn’t see his kids much since the divorce, refuses to allow anything to ruin his plans. But the springs are closed until further notice due to heavy rains and Lucia’s adolescent rebellion clashes against her father’s enthusiastic efforts for family quality time. When she meets friends her age, equally boared at the rained-out resort, Lucia’s vacation starts looking up. But flings can be fleeting, and it’s her fathers reliable insistence they spend time together that proves to be the most meaningful part of tehir unexpectedly enjoyable getaway.

First-time filmmaking duo Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge bring a nuance and relatability to a multi-layered family story, introducing us at once to a frustrated but optimistic father just trying to impress his kids, and the teen psyche stuck somewhere between being a child and an adult, navigating the rocky waters of adolescent emotions. TANTA AGUA was recently honored with the Best First Feature Film Award by Cinema Tropical, the leading organization recognizing Latin-American filmmaking in the United States.

Available on DVD on May 15 at FilmMovement.com, Amazon.com and other retailers, TANTA AGUA on DVD includes short film HOME ROAD MOVIES, a British film by Robert Bradbrook. HOME ROAD MOVIES, 12 minutes in length, follows a father desperate to be the family man he’d always dreamed of with the help of the perfect family car. Also available on digital platforms including Amazon Instant, The Examiner calls TANTA AGUA “an instantly relatable comedy with hints of seriousness!”

TANTA AGUA | 2013 | Comedy/Drama | Spanish with English subtitles | 102 minutes I Unrated
Additional information, press kit, trailer and film stills can be found here.

About Film Movement:
Launched in 2003, Film Movement is a full-service North American distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, based in New York City. Film Movement has released more than 250 feature films and shorts from 50 countries on six continents, including top prize winners from Sundance, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Berlin, Tribeca and other prestigious festivals. Film Movement releases its films through numerous distribution channels, including thousands of art-house cinemas, universities and libraries; home video (Netflix and Amazon); television outlets (Sundance Channel, HBO, IFC and Showtime); Cable Video on Demand (including its very own branded cable VOD platform—Film Festival on Demand—available in over 40 million US homes); In-flight Entertainment (Alaska Airlines, Air Canada and United/Continental,) and broadband outlets (iTunes, Hulu, Amazon and YouTube).

Press Release: “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” To Screen at Cannes

STUDIO GHIBLI’S “THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA” TO SCREEN AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT FILM OF ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL FILM TO RECEIVE FALL 2014 RELEASE AND AWARDS SUBMISSIONS

New York, NY – April 22, 2014 – GKIDS, a distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences, announced that Studio Ghibli’s THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA will screen at the Cannes Film Festival in the Directors’ Fortnight section. It is the first film in fourteen years from legendary Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata. GKIDS has North American distribution rights for the film and is planning a fall 2014 theatrical release and Awards submissions.

Additionally, the film has been chosen as opening night film of the Annecy International Animation Festival, where Isao Takahata will be honored with the Special Cristal Award for his contributions to the world of animation

Eight years in the making, the film is the untold story of The Princess Kaguya, the heroine of the ancient Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.

An English-language version is being produced by Studio Ghibli and Geoffrey Wexler, with Frank Marshall of Kennedy/Marshall Executive Producing. This is the same team that handled English versions for the two previous Studio Ghibli films, The Wind Rises and From Up on Poppy Hill.

GKIDS and Studio Ghibli partnered on the 2013 release of the animated feature From Up on Poppy Hill and GKIDS handles North American theatrical distribution for the Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles including Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others. GKIDS also handles theatrical distribution for Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies, widely considered a masterpiece.

SYNOPSIS
Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo, a tiny girl grows into an exquisite young lady, raised by an old bamboo cutter and his wife. From the countryside to the grand capital city, even unseen she enthralls all who encounter her, including five noble suitors. Ultimately she must face her fate, punishment for her crime.

Based on the classic Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA is the newest film from Studio Ghibli and the strikingly beautiful culmination of decades of contemplation by its director, Studio Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata.

ABOUT STUDIO GHIBLI AND ISAO TAKAHATA
Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and is one of the most successful and well-respected animation studios in the world. Cultivating a creative force of talented directors, animators, and storytellers under the revered brilliance of Miyazaki and Takahata, Studio Ghibli’s films have been praised for their originality, dazzling animation, and epic storytelling. The films have become a beloved part of Japanese popular culture, and have garnered worldwide acclaim from audiences and critics alike.

Born in 1935 in Mie Prefecture, Japan, Isao Takahata graduated from The University of Tokyo with a degree in French literature. In 1985 he co-founded Studio Ghibli with Hayao Miyazaki, where he has directed five animated feature films: Grave of the Fireflies (1988), named one of the greatest films of all time by film critic Roger Ebert, Only Yesterday (1991), Pom Poko (1994), My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999), and THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA, released November 2013 in Japan. He also directed the live action documentary The Story of Yanagawa Waterways (1987). Takahata served as producer for Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and Castle in the Sky (1986). In 1998, Takahata received Japan’s Medal of Honor, The Purple Ribbon.

ABOUT GKIDS
GKIDS is a distributor of award-winning filmed entertainment specializing in feature animation for both adult and family audiences. The company has scored four Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations – the most for an independent distributor – with The Secret of Kells in 2010, A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita in 2012, and Ernest & Celestine in 2014. Current and Upcoming releases include Ignacio Ferreras’ Wrinkles, featuring Martin Sheen, Matthew Modine and George Coe and Ernest & Celestine, featuring Forrest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti, William H. Macy, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, and Jeffrey Wright. GKIDS also handles North American theatrical distribution for the Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others. GKIDS is longtime producer of the New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event and North America’s largest festival of film for children and teens. NYICFF jury members include Uma Thurman, Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Gus van Sant, Christine Vachon, Henry Selick and James Schamus.

Press Release: “Cold in July” To Premiere at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight

TWO FOR TWO: JIM MICKLE IS BACK AT CANNES “COLD IN JULY” TO HAVE ITS INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE AT DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT

Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard and Don Johnson Star; Film To Open Theatrically In The U.S. May 23rd

(New York, NY) April 22nd, 2014 – Jim Mickle does it again with his crispy Texas pulp, COLD IN JULY. Acquired by IFC Films for U.S. theatrical rights off of the film’s critically acclaimed world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, COLD IN JULY finds a home at the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight. This will be Jim’s second time in this selection after last year’s cannibal drama, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE.

Selected by delegate general Edouard Waintrop in his third year at the helm of the Fortnight, a long-running parallel program to the official selection, Waintrop stated, “COLD IN JULY plays with three subgenres of the cop movie – it’s a crazy and galvanizing movie”.

“It’s unbelievably flattering and rewarding to be invited back to Fortnight. Ever since reading Joe Lansdale’s wonderfully twisted novel, I’ve wanted to make a film that felt like that book. COLD IN JULY has been in our lives for a very long time and many times felt like it may never make it to the big screen. To return to the Croisette to show this film to the world makes all of that time well worth the wait”, said filmmaker Jim Mickle.

In COLD IN JULY, while investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall) puts a bullet in the brain of a low-life burglar, Freddy Russell (Wyatt Russell). Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father, Ben (Sam Shepard), rolls into town; hell-bent on revenge. However, not all is as it seems. Shortly after Dane kills the home intruder, his life begins to unravel into a dark underworld of corruption and violence. Twists and turns continue to pile up as the film reaches its inevitable destination: a gore-soaked dead end.

Michael C. Hall brings a shell-shocked vulnerability to his portrayal of Dane that contrasts perfectly with the grizzled “badasses” portrayed by Sam Shepard and Don Johnson. Directed with an excellent eye for the visual poetry of noir, this pulpy, southern-fried mystery is a throwback to an older breed of action films; one where every punch and shotgun blast opens up both physical and spiritual wounds. Cold in July is hard to shake as an east Texas summer.

IFC Films will release COLD IN JULY day-and-date, theatrically and on VOD May 23rd

Press Release: 18th Annual Rooftop Films Summer Series Announce Lineup

THE 18th ANNUAL ROOFTOP FILMS SUMMER SERIES ANNOUNCES FEATURE FILM LINEUP

Presented by Industry City

(New York, NY | April 22, 2014) Rooftop Films is proud to announce the feature film lineup for the 18th Annual Rooftop Films Summer Series presented by Industry City. This year’s series will feature more than 45 outdoor screenings of the best in new, independent, and foreign films, each screened against the backdrop of New York’s stunning skyline. This year’s series kicks off at Industry City in Sunset Park with some of the most exciting new short films from around the world on Friday, May 16th, followed by a special sneak preview of Gillian Robespierre’s upcoming A24 release Obvious Child on Saturday, May 17th.

The 2014 Rooftop Films Summer Series continues through the summer, with screenings each week in a variety of exciting and picturesque outdoor locations. Rooftop Films’ full feature film slate includes documentaries about mushroom hunters in search of human connection (The Last Season), no-budget trailer park filmmakers (Giuseppe Makes A Movie), untouched corners of endangered rainforest (Forest Of The Dancing Spirits), and idiosyncratic jazz legends (The Case Of The Three-Sided Dream); bold, mind-bending fiction (R100, The Infinite Man, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night); and sneak previews of the most exciting festival hits of the year, including razor-sharp comedies (Obvious Child, The One I Love, Skeleton Twins, Appropriate Behavior, Ping Pong Summer, The Trip To Italy) and powerful independent dramas (10,000KM, Cold In July, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter). Additionally, Rooftop Films will be presenting the World Premiere of Adam Newport-Berra’s powerful feature film debut, Thanksgiving.

“This is a tremendous year in independent cinema,” says Dan Nuxoll, Program Director for Rooftop Films, “and I am particularly impressed by how many of the year’s breakthrough works are also tremendously entertaining films. Many of the films in this year’s Rooftop slate technically exist within the boundaries of traditional mainstream genres, but the brilliant ways in which the filmmakers explore and upend those categories make these films thrillingly engaging. It will be a fun summer on the roof.”

It is Rooftop Films’ goal with each event and each season to re-imagine their festival and reinvigorate their community. With live performances, audience interaction, and enhanced themed events at amazing new venues, Rooftop turns each film screening into an unforgettable event. This summer, Rooftop Filims’ enhanced special screenings will include live performances by renowned musicians, mushroom hunting on the world’s largest rooftop soil farm, ping-pong tournaments, and drag performances.

Please find below the line-up for the 2014 Summer Series listing of feature films. All shows include live-music before the screenings and most include filmmaker Q&As and complementary after parties. The Summer Series will also include over 13 programs of short films, and there will be additional feature films and special events announced shortly. The full schedule including locations and dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

In addition to our Presenting Sponsor Industry City, Rooftop Films is also pleased to announce their Signature Sponsors: New Amsterdam Spirits who are generously sponsoring Rooftop’s famous after parties; Talenti Gelato, who will be providing gelato pops to guests at select events; and AT&T, who will continue to support Rooftop Films for a third straight year.

Rooftop Films 2014 Summer Series Feature Films Line-up

10,000KM (Long Distance) (Carlos Marques-Marcet | 99 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Part of Rooftop Films SXSW Weekend
Separated by 10,000 kilometers, Alexandra and Sergi must rely on virtual communication to keep the flame of their relationship alive. But with their realities no longer shared and the touch of one another gone, the technology that has supposedly brought the world closer together may just tear them apart.

Appropriate Behavior (Desiree Akhavan | 82 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Shirin is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, politically correct bisexual and hip young Brooklynite but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Being without a cliché to hold onto can be a lonely experience.

The Case of the Three Sided Dream (Adam Kahan | 87 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Presented by Rooftop Films and Arts Brookfield
Free Screening. Multi-instrumentalist, civil rights activist and worshipper at the church of dreams, Rahsaan Roland Kirk overcame blindness, paralysis and social injustice to fundamentally alter the landscape of jazz.

Cold In July (Jim Mickle | 109 min.) NY Premiere
Jim Mickle’s Sundance hit is an ostensible thriller-cum-revenge flick, harking back to 80’s b-movies and delicately crafted around a simple premise that turns out to be anything but. Courtesy of IFC Films.

The Deadly Ponies Gang (Zoe McIntosh | 65 min.) International Premiere
Clint and Dwayne are two of a kind. The kind that start a pimped-out pony gang (ponies replete with glitter, oversized sunglasses, and bling) on the edges of rural New Zealand. Riding through town the duo deals some drugs, tries to snuggle up to some ladies, and attempts a fundraiser for new teeth while learning the lengths people will go for their mates.

The Disobedient (Mina Djukic | 112 min.) NY Premiere
Running through life with wild abandon, lifelong friends Leni and Lazar set out on an improvised countryside bike trip. Like tiny tornadoes they whirl around rural Serbia resulting in the type of destruction that can only come from true, disastrous love.

Five Star (Keith Miller | 82 min.)
Free Show. In a blend of fiction and reality, Five Star explores the relationship between two men – Primo, a five star general in the Bloods, and John, a young man trying to decide whether gang life is the path for him. As Primo mentors John in the workings of the gang world, a secret threatens both men’s futures. Winner of a Rooftop Filmmakers Fund grant.

Forest of the Dancing Spirits (Linda Västrik | 104 min.) NY Premiere
Deep within one of the world’s last untouched rainforests lives the Yaka/ Mbendjele tribe, a group of hunter-gatherers from the Congo Basin, who are about to discover the Western world’s intense lust for “progress.” Beyond just an ethnographic study, award-winning filmmaker Linda Västrik imbues each lush frame with humor, heartbreak and vibrant storytelling.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (Ana Lily Amirpour | 107 min.) Special Sneak Preview
A mysterious female vampire haunts an Iranian ghost town and falls for one of its alienated locals in this fantastical black-and-white romance. Produced by Elijah Wood, the Sundance-acclaimed title is a daring, original take on the genre.

Giuseppe Makes A Movie (Adam Rifkin | 83 min.) NY Premiere
Using his trailer park neighbors and homeless friends, former child-actor Giuseppe Andrews (Independence Day, Detroit Rock City) has made 30 underground feature films for almost no money. This is the stranger-than-fiction story of him making his newest film, “Garbonzo Gas.” Winner of a Rooftop Filmmakers Fund grant.

Happy Christmas (Joe Swanberg | 78 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Anna Kendrick stars as a newly single woman who crashes with her brother and wreaks havoc on his household in Joe Swanberg’s delicate comedy, which also features energetic turns by Melanie Lynskey and Lena Dunham. Courtesy of Magnolia Films.

The Infinite Man (Hugh Sullivan | 84 min.) New York Premiere
A man’s attempts to construct the ultimate romantic weekend backfire when his quest for perfection traps his lover in an infinite loop.

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (David Zellner | 105 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Austin-based filmmakers the Zellner brothers return to Rooftop with a touching absurdist odyssey starring Rinko Kikuchi as a Japanese woman who believes Fargo is a true story and ventures to Minnesota in search of the stolen money hidden during the classic Coen brothers film.

The Last Season (Sara Dosa | 90 min.) NY Premiere
Sara Dosa’s insightful directorial debut introduces viewers to the world of mushroom hunters in Chemult, Oregon, charting the relationships that are cultivated between men and nature, and attesting to the power of families we create.

The Living Stars (Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat | 60 min.) NY Premiere
Free screening. No script, no plot, just music and gyrating bodies. Living Stars is a sixty-minute dance party and everyone’s invited!

Mateo (Aaron I. Naar | 85 min.) NY Premiere
Part of Rooftop Films SXSW weekend
Matthew Stoneman, a ‘white guy’ from New Hampshire, learned to play authentic and fluent Spanish songs while serving time in an LA prison for robbery. At once his worst enemy and greatest fan, this is the unlikely story of Matthew (Mateo) busking the streets, traveling to Cuba and attempting to record his newest bolero record (romantic Latin tunes).

The One I Love (Charlie McDowell | 91 min.) Special Sneak Preview
A married couple on the brink of separation escapes to a beautiful vacation house for a weekend getaway in an attempt to salvage what’s left of their relationship. That’s about where normalcy ends in this highly original, dizzyingly bizarre directorial debut from acclaimed author Charlie McDowell. Courtesy of Radius-TWC.

Obvious Child (Gillian Robespierre | 90 min.) Opening Weekend Film
Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant just in time for the best/worst Valentine’s Day of her life in this film festival favorite. Courtesy of A24 Films. Winner of the Rooftop Films Eastern Effects Equipment Grant.

Ping Pong Summer (Michael Tully | 92 min.) NY Premiere
The year is 1985. Rad Miracle is a shy 13-year-old white kid who’s obsessed with two things: ping pong and hip hop. During his family’s annual summer vacation to Ocean City, Maryland, Rad makes a new best friend, experiences his first real crush, becomes the target of rich local bullies, and finds an unexpected mentor in his outcast next-door neighbor. Ping Pong Summer is about that time in your life when you’re treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you’re as funky fresh as it gets. Courtesy of Gravitas Ventures.

Pulp (Florian Habicht | 93 min.) Special Sneak Preview
One of the greatest bands to come out of the ‘90s is captured in this intimate and imaginative documentary, structured around Pulp’s final concert in their hometown of Sheffield. Pulp is a music-film like no other – at once a concert film, a nostalgic look back at an iconic band, and a thoughtful and sweetly charming tribute to the hometown fans that fell in love with them. Courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories.

R100 (Hitoshi Matsumoto | 94 min.) NY Premiere
When a mild-mannered Japanese mattress salesman joins a hidden, mysterious S&M club that specializes in surprising its clients in public and applying sadistic, sexual torture in any place at any time he soon realizes the price for pleasure may be too high. Courtesy of Drafthouse Films.

The Search For Emak Bakia (Oskar Alegria | 84 min.) NY Premiere
In 1926, the Surrealist artist Man Ray created an experimental film titled Emak Bakia, shot along a forgotten stretch of the Basque coast. Today, a filmmaker retraces Man Ray’s steps by foot, using chance and the wind to guide him in this poetic, indefinable documentary.

She’s Lost Control (Anja Marquardt | 95 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Part of Rooftop Films SXSW Weekend
Focusing on the life of a sex surrogate working in Manhattan, Anja Marquardt’s impressively assured directorial debut casts a penetrating gaze on the complexities of professional intimacy.

Skanks (David McMahon | 84 min.) NY Premiere
A small community theatre in Birmingham, Alabama mounts an original drag musical, “Skanks in a One Horse Town.” The cast of amateur performers bond to form a family of sorts while creating an unconventional show in the religion and football-obsessed south.

The Skeleton Twins (Craig Johnson | 90 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Living separate lives on opposite sides of the country, estranged siblings Maggie (Kristen Wiig) and Milo (Bill Hader) are at the ends of their ropes. But after a moment of crisis reunites them, Milo goes to spend time with Maggie in the small New York town where they grew up. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

Thanksgiving (Adam Newport-Berra | 85 min.) World Premiere
Alex & Amy are the perfect Brooklyn couple. They have a cat, a Thanksgiving table of bohemian friends, and a glowing future together. Yet the sudden holiday appearance of Amy’s mysterious brother Will quickly disrupts their idyllic lifestyle and calls into question what we’re truly “thankful” for.

The Trip To Italy (Michael Winterbottom | 115 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reprise their roles as themselves in this follow-up to the acclaimed The Trip in yet another off-the-cuff food adventure. Six meals in six different places on a road trip around Italy. Liguria, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi and ending in Capri. Courtesy of IFC Films.

We Are The Best (Lukas Moodysson | 90 min.) Special Sneak Preview
Swedish auteur Lukas Moodysson’s (Show Me Love, Together) raucous and ebullient film about three pre-teen outcasts who form an all-girl punk band. Courtesy of Magnolia Films.

Rooftop Films is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage and inspire the diverse communities of New York City by showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers and musicians. In addition to their annual Summer Series – which takes place in unique outdoor venues every weekend throughout the summer – Rooftop provides grants to filmmakers, teaches media literacy and filmmaking to young people, rents equipment at low-cost to artists and non-profits, and produces new independent films. At Rooftop Films, we bring underground movies outdoors.

Press Release: MTV Video Music Awards to Be First Major Award Show at The Forum

MTV’S 2014 “VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS” RETURNS TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO BECOME THE FIRST MAJOR AWARD SHOW EVER AT THE FORUM LIVE ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 24th

New York, NY (April 23, 2014) – MTV, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), announced today that the 2014 “Video Music Awards,” the loudest and at times, the most controversial, annual live celebration of music, is set to make its triumphant return to the west coast when it airs LIVE from the Forum, presented by Chase, in Inglewood, CA on Sunday, August 24th. This year’s VMAs will have the distinction of being the first major award show to ever take place at the historic “Fabulous” Forum. Continuing on the success of last year’s #RoadToTheVMAs social media and communications campaign, today’s announcement was made with a creative video (see below for embed code) unveiling the location of this year’s show via MTV’s various social media platforms including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

“I am thrilled to welcome the MTV Video Music Awards to the Forum in Inglewood. Since its reopening in January, the ‘Fabulous’ Forum has become the destination for music-lovers in Southern California. A truly historic location, and home to some of the greatest concerts and sporting events, the Forum is back, better than ever and ready to shine for decades more. We are truly excited to shine a spotlight on the reinvented Forum and our great city,” said James T. Butts, mayor, City of Inglewood.

“With its incomparable legacy as a world class music venue, the Forum is one of Southern California’s most iconic entertainment landmarks,” said Stephen Friedman, President of MTV. “The Forum has hosted some of the most legendary musical artists and performances ever seen and we can’t wait to add the 2014 Video Music Awards to this list and create the type of memorable moments that music fans will talk about for years to come.”

“We are thrilled to welcome the VMAs to the ‘Fabulous’ Forum for the first time,” said Sid Greenfeig, senior vice president, West Coast business operations, the Forum. “The VMAs are one of the year’s biggest celebrations of music and entertainment. What better place to showcase this international spectacle than the Forum – a venue known around the world as having hosted some of the biggest names in music and a venue that continues – with the recent completion of its reinvention – to deliver an unrivaled experience for both artists and music fans.”

The “Fabulous” Forum reopened in January 2014 following a comprehensive reinvention which has resulted in a world-class entertainment venue that bridges its iconic past with today’s state-of-the-art technology and amenities. The reinvention of the Forum has created the largest and most important indoor performance venue in the country designed with a focus on music and entertainment. New amenities include: a completely modernized arena bowl with superior acoustics; approximately 8,000 square feet of new event level hospitality offerings; lavish new VIP clubs; a 40,000 square foot outdoor terrace; and seven star-caliber dressing rooms as well as a return to the venue’s original exterior color – now officially known as “Forum red.” Since its re-opening in January, the Forum has hosted some of the biggest names in music and entertainment including a sold-out, six-night residency by the Eagles, Justin Timberlake, Imagine Dragons, Paul Simon & Sting and Kings of Leon.

Since opening in 1967, Forum was the home court for the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers NBA championship teams and has hosted some of the greatest musical performers of all time, including The Rolling Stones, Eagles, The Jackson 5, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Van Halen, The Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Prince and many others.

Since the first “MTV Video Music Awards” aired in 1984, the VMAs instantly earned its reputation for delivering the most popular bands and artists to create the loudest, most influential and at times, the most controversial, annual live celebration of music in the world. No other award show has been responsible for creating more memorable or bigger musical moments in pop culture history than the MTV Video Music Awards. From Madonna, Michael Jackson, Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana to Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, JAY Z, Kanye West and Miley Cyrus, an appearance on the VMA stage can forever change the trajectory of an artist’s career in one single night.
To build anticipation for the 2013 “MTV Video Music Awards,” MTV launched a successful cross platform social communications campaign, #RoadToTheVMAs, which featured the Moonman in a myriad of iconic locations throughout Brooklyn and NYC. The campaign garnered more than 100 million social media impressions, including over half a million likes on Instagram, nearly 60 million impressions on Twitter, more than 40 million impressions on Facebook and over 1.2 million impressions on Tumblr.
The 2013 “MTV Video Music Awards” delivered big, with the award show ranking as cable’s #1 entertainment telecast of the year among P12-34 at the time. The first-ever award show to be broadcast live from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, the VMAs garnered a total audience of 10.1 million viewers, a 66 percent increase versus 2012, and the ratings jumped 47 percent compared to the previous year’s telecast, delivering a strong 7.8 P12-34 rating. The encore presentation of the show on MTV earned an additional 2.8 million total viewers, amounting to 12.9 million total viewers across both airings on MTV. Ratings for the 2013 “MTV Video Music Awards Pre-Show” increased 100 percent compared to the previous year with P12-34 and garnered a 3.6 rating among that demographic, and total viewers grew a whopping 119 percent with 4.6 million tuning in.* Additionally, the 2013 “MTV Video Music Awards” aired across MTV’s global network of more than 60 channels and enjoyed a double-digit ratings increase year over year in key international markets such as the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Argentina and more.

The 2013 “MTV Video Music Awards” shattered previous records across MTV’s web, mobile and social channels at the time ranking as the biggest VMA day in history in terms of total visitors, page views and streams. More than 4 million fans visited VMA content on MTV.com, mobile web and MTV app generating more than 15 million total streams – five times higher than the previous year’s show day – with the live stream portion now ranking as the biggest in Viacom’s history. MTV mobile saw its biggest day ever with more than 2 million visitors, 6 million page views and 1.8 million streams. During the two-hour telecast, social media exploded as fans passionately reacted to the performances and winners generating 120 national and worldwide trending topics on twitter, and 1.2 million Instagram likes.
Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves is the Executive Producer for the 2014 “MTV Video Music Awards.” Amy Doyle, Garrett English and Dave Sirulnick are Executive Producers. Joanna Bomberg, Jen Jones and Lee Lodge are Co-Executive Producers. Hamish Hamilton is Director. Wendy Plaut is Celebrity Talent Executive.

About MTV
MTV is the world’s premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy®, Grammy® and Peabody® award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV’s sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For more information, go to http://www.mtvpress.com

About the Forum:
The Forum underwent a reinvention that has created a thriving venue for both artists and music fans. The Forum opened on January 15 as the largest indoor performance venue in the country designed with a focus on music and entertainment. Architecturally, the interior of the bowl has been completely modernized and features flexible seating, ranging from 17,500 seats to 7,000 seats, enabling the venue to attract a wide variety of events. In addition to completely refurbished concourses, fans will enjoy approximately 8,000 square feet of new event level hospitality offerings, including food and beverage, merchandise and bathrooms. A tinted glass wall separates this concession area from the arena; ensuring fans do not miss a moment of the performance. Additionally, the Forum delivers a one-of-a-kind experience for artists thanks to its superior acoustics, intimate ambiance and state-of-the-art facilities. The new Forum was designed with artists in mind and includes seven, star-caliber dressing rooms that feature upgraded amenities, providing an unparalleled experience for all entertainers and performers.

Press Release: Snagfilms to Premiere One New Film Free on Its Streaming Site

FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, SNAGFILMS WILL BE PREMIERING ONE NEW FILM EXCLUSIVELY ON ITS FREE STREAMING SITE AND DEVICES EACH WEEK THROUGH 2014

Award-Winning and Festival Favorite Films Such as Magic Camp, RasTa: A Soul’s Journey and More Will Be Making Their Free VOD Debuts Each Monday

NEW YORK, NY, April 23, 2014 -Beginning in April and continuing through to the end of the year, SnagFilms, the award-winning social video-viewing platform and 2014 Webby nominee, will be premiering a new film each week. Encompassing a wide range of genres, SnagFilms viewers will have the opportunity to watch 40 acclaimed indies and documentaries for the very first time at no cost exclusively on SnagFilms.com.

The monthly premieres will offer unique content that complement holidays, and both current and special events. The first of April’s premieres, Alrick Brown’s powerful Sundance Audience Award-winning drama Kinyarwanda (4/7), commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. Released to coincide with the Tribeca Film Festival and Coachella, Let Fury Have the Hour (4/14), is a rough, raw and inspirational journey into the creative counter-culture of 2012. And, just in time for Easter comes Rabbit Fever (4/21),director Amy Do’s hare-raising documentary, a coming-of-age story that follows six competitors as they strive to win the top title at the National American Rabbit Convention – an event that draws more than 20,000 rabbits in one building, the largest mass of rabbits in the world

Additional films making their April and May debuts include:

Remember Where You Are
Premiere Date: April 28

Echoing the passion of Once, Remember Where You Are is a documentary of music, determination and human connection. After achieving what many aspiring musicians dream of and signing to a major record label, Catherine Feeny and Sebastian Rogers discovered the harsh realities that come with success and stardom. After they’re abruptly dropped from their labels and their dreams shattered, these two singer-songwriters redefine themselves and their art by taking off on a two-month long, 15,000 mile journey across the United States playing their music in the living rooms of fans, friends and strangers they met along the way.

Magic Camp
Premiere Date: May 5

Welcome to the real Hogwarts: to escape the pressures of growing up, magic-obsessed kids congregate at the one place they can be themselves; Tannen’s Magic Camp, the oldest and most prestigious training ground for young magicians. They want to prove their worth on the same stage where superstars like Blaine + Copperfield once performed. But to get there, they need to learn more than sleight of hand and tricks of the trade. They have to find the magic inside in this award-winning documentary from two-time Emmy-nominated director Judd Ehrlich (Run for Your Life, Mayor of the West Side).

RasTa: A Soul’s Journey
Premiere Date: May 12

Commemorate the May 11 deathiversary of reggae legend Bob Marley with this enlightening doc which follows one of his granddaughters, Donisha Prendergast, to eight countries — the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Israel, Canada and Jamaica — to explore the roots, evolution and impact of Rastafari. Acting as an irrepressible and charming guide, she educates viewers about a way of life that many know little about beyond the dreadlocks, ganja, and the red, gold, and green. And, along the way she encounters Rastafarian elders, musicians, poets, professors and individuals who share personal stories of the influence of Donisha’s iconic grandfather, Bob Marley.

The Carrier
Until They Are Home
Return From Tarawa
Premiere Date: May 19

Three films tied to Memorial Day make their free VOD debuts leading up to the national day of remembrance. The Carrier is Steven C. Barber’s behind-the-scenes documentary following the machinations in setting up the first college basketball game abroad the USS Carl Vinson in honor of the military’s dedication.; Until They Are Home, narrated by Kelsey Grammer, which chronicles the efforts of JPAC in searching for the remains of missing marines killed in The Battle of Tarawa in 1943; and, Return to Tarawa, narrated by Ed Harris, follows Tarawa battle vet Leon Cooper back to “Red Beach”in a powerful story of redemption and passion.

Spilt Milk
Premiere Date: May 27

In Blake Calhoun’s blackly funny film, Todd Wells (Jake Johnson, “New Girl”) is the disenchanted, disgruntled and disheveled assistant manager at the local grocery store. Once a popular high school standout, an accident changed his life and he now finds himself awkwardly stuck in a dead-end routine, unable to move forward. However, his future is about to change: after arriving late to his night-shift, Todd encounters a robber who takes him and everyone in the store hostage, forcing the motley group to wait-out the timelock on the manager’s safe. And, as personalities are revealed and the past explored, there’s a chuckle at every twist in this accidental comedy.

About SnagFilms
SnagFilms is an award-winning social video-viewing platform that offers entertainment lovers an extensive library of free movies on demand. The platform provides members the tools to discover, watch and recommend a wide range of professional online video content. The SnagFilms viewing experience is available everywhere, enabling audiences to watch movies on the web (including thousands of affiliate sites) as well as on sector-leading applications that are available on mobile, set-top box and home entertainment devices.

SnagFilms, Inc., also owns Indiewire, the independent film industry’s leading news service and blog network, twice named top entertainment site by the Webby Awards. Co-founded in 2008 by Ted Leonsis and Rick Allen, SnagFilms, Inc. was named as one of Red Herring’s 2013 Top-100 Technology Companies in North America. Snagfilms.com is nominated for a Webby as 2014’s top entertainment site. SnagFilms, Inc. is headquartered in Washington, DC with offices in New York and Los Angeles.

Press Release: “The Jewish Cardinal” Goes to DVD

DEEPLY HISTORICAL BOX OFFICE SURPRISE HIT “THE JEWISH CARDINAL” AVAILABLE ON DVD MAY 20

Portrait of a Jewish-born Catholic priest, confidant of Pope John Paul II whose mother died in Auschwitz, plays to sell-out crowds nationwide.

April 22, 2014 (NY, NY) – Film Movement, the distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, announces today that THE JEWISH CARDINAL, the deeply historical narrative that recounts the exceptional life of Jewish-born Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, will be released on DVD on May 20th in North America.

THE JEWISH CARDINAL tells the amazing true story of Jean-Marie Lustiger, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants who maintained his cultural identity as a Jew even after converting to Catholicism at a young age and later joining the priesthood. Quickly rising within the ranks of the Church, Lustiger was appointed Archbishop of Paris by Pope John Paul II – and found a new platform to celebrate his dual identity as a Catholic Jew, earning him both friends and enemies from either group. When Carmelite nuns settle down to build a convent within the cursed walls of Auschwitz, Lustiger finds himself a mediator between the two communities – and maybe forced at last to choose his side.

After a successful release in its native France, THE JEWISH CARDINAL was an official selection at the 2014 New York Jewish Film Festival, playing to sell-out crowds at the event presented by New York’s The Jewish Museum. Bolstered by success at the festival, the stirring, emotionally-resonant biopic began a record-breaking theatrical run, grossing over $100,000 and running for an unprecedented 10 weeks to sold-out crowds at art-house theaters around the country, making it one of Film Movement’s most successful theatrical releases ever. Film Movement releases THE JEWISH CARDINAL on DVD on the heels of a critically-acclaimed New York City opening.

Available on DVD on May 20 at FilmMovement.com, Amazon.com and other retailers, THE JEWISH CARDINAL on DVD includes the short film KOSHER, a French film by Isabelle Stead about a lonely Orthodox Jewish boy and the pig who miraculously shows up and sets his imagination off and running. Also available on digital platforms including Amazon Instant and Netflix, Village Voice says THE JEWISH CARDINAL “uses the luscious pleasures of the everyday to underscore and endure the big questions of identity, humanity, and home.”

THE JEWISH CARDINAL | 2013 | Drama | French with English subtitles | 90 minutes I Unrated

Press Release: Documentary About Japanese Love Hotels to Released in Theaters

HOT DOCS 2014: EYE-OPENING FEATURE DOC ABOUT JAPANESE LOVE HOTELS TO BE RELEASED IN THEATERS AND ON DEMAND FOLLOWED BY TV

GRIERSON AND ACADEMY AWARD WINNING PRODUCERS STRIKE DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH FILMBUFF TO BRING AUDIENCES INSIDE THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD OF ‘LOVE HOTEL’

New York, NY – April 24, 2014 – Digital entertainment curator FilmBuff announced today, prior to the film’s World Premiere at the 2014 Hot Docs Film Festival, that they will release the much anticipated feature documentary, LOVE HOTEL, in theaters and on demand this fall, followed by a television release.

Directed by British filmmaker Phil Cox (The Bengali Detective) and co-directed by Japanese filmmaker Hikaru Toda, the film takes an intimate look at the little-known and extraordinary world of Japanese “love hotels.” At the crossroads of a centuries-old history and at the risk of being permanently shut down by “entertainment police,” audiences are taken for the first time behind the curtain in this personal film exposing the salacious side of one of the world’s most conformist societies.

Pay by the hour or the night. Order sexy underwear, fancy dress or anything else imaginable from the discreet and invisible reception staff. Anything goes at the Angelo Love Hotel in Osaka, run by Manager Ozawa and his efficient staff. Small living spaces, long work hours and the need for privacy drive 2.4 million Japanese a day to seek respite from their daily lives and visit “love hotels.” But now, these unique establishments are fighting to stay afloat and keep their original identities against draconian new laws implemented by an increasingly conservative government. In this intimate portrait, we meet the everyday people who frequent the fantasy-themed rooms for refuge, privacy and play: a married couple visit to keep a spark alive in their relationship; two gay lawyers have nowhere else to meet; a popular dominatrix runs a thriving business. Mixing humor and moments of great pathos, and filmed with a rich cinematic eye, LOVE HOTEL provides a rare glimpse into a secret world destined to disappear.

“After three years inside a Love Hotel, a space never before filmed, it is incredibly exciting to be teaming up with FilmBuff to release our film. The importance of fantasy, intimacy and play in all our lives, which are at the core of LOVE HOTEL’s ‘raison d’etre’, is a topic of great relevance in any modern metropolis or industrialized society – not just Japan. We are really excited to see how audiences will respond and connect to our film as it is released across different platforms,” said director Phil Cox.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the filmmakers and their producers to release LOVE HOTEL throughout the world,” said FilmBuff’s Head of Content Steven Beckman. “The film provides a fascinating lens into a highly provocative and unique facet of Japanese society, yet manages to do so in a way that is relatable, compelling and engaging for audiences everywhere.”

The film was produced by Grierson Award winning company Native Voice Films (UK) and Academy Award winning company Bonne Pioche (FR) in partnership with France 2, BBC Storyville, RTBF, Sabotage Films Vienna, ABC, and with the support of CNC, MEDIA and Procirep. Producers are Giovanna Stopponi (The Bengali Detective) and Sophie Parrault (Waste: The Nuclear Nightmare). Executive Producers include Emmanuel Priou, Yves Darondeau, Christophe Lioud (March of the Penguins), Karol Martesko-Fenster (Hell and Back Again), Gernot Schaffler (Rush), and Thomas Brunner (Hell and Back Again).

LOVE HOTEL is in the Love, Factually section at the 2014 Hot Docs Film Festival. Screening times:
Saturday, April 26 at 6:00PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
Monday, April 28 at 6:30PM at ROM Theatre
Saturday, May 3 at 6:00PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3

The deal was negotiated by FilmBuff Head of Content Steven Beckman and the filmmakers. FilmBuff will also be handling worldwide broadcast sales. For more information, connect with the film on Facebook.

About FilmBuff
Founded in 2007, New York-based FilmBuff is the leading distributor of incomparable digital entertainment. The Company draws upon its deep relationships within the film industry to curate content that consistently informs, entertains and inspires. FilmBuff designs innovative digital strategies to supply content to all on-demand outlets. Serving as a bridge between filmmakers and audiences, FilmBuff actively engages in conversations with fellow entertainment lovers through its exclusive access, original content and unique voice. Find FilmBuff content on all cable, satellite and telco services, game consoles, online retailers, wireless platforms and hardware manufacturers worldwide.

Press Release: Ann Druyan to Speak at AFI Conservatory Seminar

COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY WRITER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, DIRECTOR ANN DRUYAN TO SPEAK AT AFI CONSERVATORY’S 2014 SLOAN SEMINAR ON MAY 2, 2014

April 24, 2014, Los Angeles, CA – The American Film Institute (AFI) Conservatory today announced its 2014 Sloan Seminar guest will be Ann Druyan, writer, executive producer and director of COSMOS: A SPACE-TIME ODYSSEY (2014). Druyan will speak to AFI Conservatory Fellows on campus May 2, 2014. The Sloan Seminar is made possible by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, whose nationwide film program includes support for six leading film schools which provide screenplay and production awards to students who successfully integrate science and technology themes and characters into narrative films. The Sloan Seminar is held only once a year and considered a singular honor, featuring a select master filmmaker whose work in science and technology has greatly impacted the art form.

Ann Druyan is an American author and producer specializing in programming about cosmology and popular science. Druyan served as Creative Director on NASA’s legendary Voyager Interstellar Message Project. She was co-creator of the 1980 PBS documentary series COSMOS: A PERSONAL VOYAGE, hosted by her late husband Carl Sagan. She is a writer, executive producer and director of the follow-up COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY, hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson and airing Sundays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX and Mondays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Nat Geo. Druyan will screen an episode followed by a candid Q&A session with AFI Conservatory Fellows.

The goal of the Sloan program at the AFI Conservatory, now in its second decade, is to encourage the next generation of filmmakers to create more realistic and dramatic stories about science and technology and to challenge existing stereotypes of scientists, engineers and mathematicians. Past participants include Andy Serkis (2013), Leonard Mlodinow (2012), Vince Gilligan (2010), Randy Olson (2009), George Walczak (2008), Chris Paine (2007), Allen MacDonald (previous AFI Sloan Award recipient), Richard Catalani, Cheryl Heuton, Nicolas Falacci (2006) and John Underkoffler (2005).

The AFI Conservatory has hosted a number of leading scientists and professionals within the entertainment industry through the annual Sloan Seminar. At the seminar, a recent film or television show is screened, followed by a discussion with the filmmakers, science advisors or scientists/engineers related to the film/TV show’s topic. The Seminar gives AFI Fellows a chance to interact with leading scientists, engineers and film community professionals. Additionally, the Sloan Seminar is an opportunity to inspire new science/technology ideas for the AFI Fellows to use in their own films.

About the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
The New York based Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, founded in 1934, makes grants in science, technology, and economic performance. Sloan’s program in Public Understanding of Science and Technology, directed by Doron Weber, supports books, radio, film, television, theater and new media to reach a wide, non-specialized audience.

Sloan’s film program encourages filmmakers to create more realistic and accurate stories about science and technology and to challenge existing stereotypes about scientists and engineers in the popular imagination. Over the past decade, the Foundation has partnered with some of the top film schools in the country – including AFI, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, NYU, UCLA, and USC – and established annual awards in screenwriting and film production and an annual best-of-the-best Student Grand Jury Prize. Sloan also supports Screenplay Development Programs at Sundance, the Hamptons International Film Festival, Film Independent and Tribeca Film Festival and has developed several completed feature films such as Future Weather, Valley of Saints, Robot & Frank, A Birder’s Guide to Everything, and Computer Chess. As more finished films emerge from this development pipeline, the Foundation has partnered with the Coolidge Corner Theater and the ArtHouse Convergence to expand Coolidge’s Science on Screen program, pairing feature films with scientists, to 40 theaters nationwide. This program provides a unique distribution platform for Sloan films as one of the three films that the theatres show each year is a film that has received Sloan support.

The Foundation also awards annual Science and Technology Feature Film Prizes and has honored such films as The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Grizzly Man, I Origins, Agora, Decoding Annie Parker, and Another Earth. Sloan also partners with Ensemble Studio Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club in support of new science plays such as Isaac’s Eye about the rivalry between Isaac Newton and Robert Hooke and The Explorers Club, a witty satire about gender bias in science. For more information about the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation please visit sloan.org.

About Cosmos Studios
Carl Sagan, and those privileged to work with him, demonstrated there is a worldwide appetite for compelling entertainment that reflects our deepening understanding of cosmic evolution and our place in its great story. Ann Druyan, with support from entrepreneur Joe Firmage, founded Cosmos Studios in 2000 as a successor to Carl Sagan Productions, the company that produced the original series. Cosmos Studios, based in Ithaca, NY, creates, produces and distributes eye, brain, heart and soul-nourishing science-based entertainment integrated across all media. Most of all, Cosmos Studios aims to touch global audiences with the soaring spiritual high that comes from grasping science’s central revelation – our oneness with the cosmos. In addition to distributing COSMOS: A Personal Voyage and producing COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey, Cosmos Studios has produced three documentaries. Ms. Druyan remains its CEO and Mitchell Cannold, an executive producer of the new series, serves as President.

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 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 42nd 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 and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center; 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.

Press Release: MTV Announces Summer Schedule

MTV ANNOUNCES SUMMER SCHEDULE AT 2014 UPFRONT INCLUDING: NEW SERIES “FINDING CARTER” AND “SNACK-OFF,” RETURNING HITS “TEEN WOLF” AND “RIDICULOUSNESS,” AND NEW MUSIC DOCUMENTARY “9 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF ED SHEERAN”

Network Greenlights New Series “Slednecks,” “Beyond Dance” and “One Bad Choice” “Snooki & JWOWW,” “Real World” and “Girl Code” Picked Up for New Seasons

Victoria Justice Gives Audience First-Look at Scripted Drama “Eye Candy”

Bastille, Zedd and Paramore Perform at the MTV Upfront Presentation

NEW YORK, NY (April 24, 2014) — MTV, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), today announced a diverse summer programming slate featuring a mix of scripted, reality and competition series including the premieres of new series “Finding Carter” and “Snack-Off,” along with the highly anticipated return of “Teen Wolf” season four and Rob Dyrdek’s “Ridiculousness” season five at its annual Upfront Presentation at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

In addition, the network greenlit new series including the Alaska-based “Slednecks,” “Beyond Dance” which pushes the boundaries of dance competition, and “One Bad Choice” which goes inside true stories where one decision made a massive impact on a young person’s life. The network also announced that “Snooki & JWOWW,” “Real World” and “Girl Code” will return for new seasons. Additionally, MTV2 will debut a second season of “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out” this summer.

On the music front, MTV is rolling out a new documentary series, “9 Days and Nights,” that will capture the story of one artist at a turning point in their life and career. The first 60-minute installment will premiere in June and feature British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, with appearances by Taylor Swift and Pharrell Williams. The series is a continuation of the highly rated, award-winning music documentaries that have captivated MTV viewers in recent years featuring the likes of Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Drake, Demi Lovato and Nicki Minaj, among others. In addition, MTV will continue to feature its successful cross-platform “Artist to Watch” music campaign showcasing emerging artists. Previous MTV “Artists to Watch” include Ed Sheeran, Bastille and Zedd.

The upfront presentation also highlighted how MTV is stepping up its ongoing “always on” strategy to create a two way conversation with its audience that is true to the brand and authentic to this generation. MTV has always infused interactive pop culture conversations into and around the network’s programming across all platforms. Moving forward, MTV is rolling out this short form dialogue on air, across its schedule and its massive social footprint of 188 million fans by injecting vibrant and captivating visuals and interstitial content that illuminate real-time news, events and trending topics. MTV’s stepped up “always on” strategy creates multiple real-time marketing opportunities for its partners.

MTV’s annual Upfront event was hosted by MTV’s Nicole Byer of the hit series “Girl Code,” MTV2’s Andrew Schulz and Charlamagne of “Guy Code,” and featured phenomenal performances by Bastille performing their hit “Pompeii.” Paramore, who was introduced by Rita Ora, performed their hit songs “Still Into You” and “Ain’t It Fun.” Grammy Award-winning EDM extraordinaire and recent MTV “Movie Awards” performer Zedd entertained the audience with his hit “Clarity” and was then joined on-stage by Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams for an epic closing with their song “Stay the Night.”

The event also featured appearances by MTV on-air talent including Victoria Justice debuting a first-look at her new MTV series “Eye Candy,” along with Molly Tarlov of “Awkward,” Chrissy Teigen and Yassir Lester from the upcoming cooking competition show with a comedic twist, “Snack-Off,” Gregg Sulkin from “Faking It” and Chris Distefano and Melanie Iglesias from MTV2’s “Off the Bat from the MLB Fan Cave.”

As part of its continued evolution, Logo TV, the brand inspired by the LGBT community, is partnering with Milojo Productions (Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos) for a new series “The Secret Guide to Fabulous Living” (working title) premiering this summer. Taking a note from Stephen Colbert who said “if you want to know where to invest, follow the gays,” the 30-minute comedic “how to” series will underscore that it’s not about having it all, but rather knowing what to do with what you have – showcasing to everybody, straight or gay, some of our experts’ secrets for living a stylish life – from freshening up your home, to overhauling your wardrobe or planning the menu for a dinner party.

MTV’s 2014 Summer Premiere Schedule:

“9 Days and Nights of Ed Sheeran” – Tuesday, June 10 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT:
New 60-minute documentary film that will take fans inside the world of British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, one of the fastest-rising stars in pop music today. With extraordinary, intimate access to Sheeran, this film will be a portrait of a young artist at a critical juncture in his life, filled with the energy of a career that he hopes is largely ahead of him.

“Teen Wolf” Season Four – Monday, June 23 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT:
Still healing from tragic losses, Scott, Stiles, Lydia and Kira return to a new semester of school with more human worries than supernatural, while also trying to help their new friend, Malia, integrate back into society. But Kate Argent’s surprising resurrection brings a new threat to Beacon Hills along with the emergence of another mysterious enemy known simply as The Benefactor.

“Finding Carter” – Tuesday, July 8 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT:
“Finding Carter” is a family drama that centers on Carter, a teenage girl who thinks she has the perfect life until one night after a police bust at a high school party she is told that the woman who she believes to be her biological mother actually abducted her as a toddler. For a first look at “Finding Carter,” CLICK HERE.

“Ridiculousness” – Thursday, July 10 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT:
“Ridiculousness” hosted by Rob Dyrdek returns for a fifth season with some of the most insane viral videos in history. Watch Dyrdek, along with co-hosts Sterling “Steelo” Brim and Chanel “West Coast,” take on all new categories.

“Snack-Off” – Thursday, July 10 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT:
From the mind of Rob Dyrdek comes a cooking competition show with a comedic twist that is truly unlike any other, where it takes mundane munchies and elevates them to a fully baked art form. Hosted by Chef, Restaurateur and food personality, Eddie Huang, “Snack-Off” is a half-hour show where a group of amateur chefs battle it out in an array of “snack” inspired challenges vying not only for a cash prize but to have their recipe included in the “Snack-Off cookbook and the coveted spork necklace. The panel includes supermodel Chrissy Teigen, master chef Jason Quinn and comedian Yassir Lester.

Newly Announced Series:
“Slednecks” is a new, half-hour docu-series following a group of ‘outdoor tough’ friends living in the modern-day Wild, Wild West of Alaska. It’s an inside look at their unique lifestyle where the world can be tougher and more dangerous than anywhere else in the lower 48. Yet these “Sled-necks” make the most of what they have, always making sure they have a good time doing it and maintaining the close bonds they have forged as friends.

“One Bad Choice” is a new series that explores the consequences of young people who made a single, terrible decision that irrevocably changed their lives forever. Shocking, surprising, and deeply emotional, “One Bad Choice” takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride filled with twists and turns, suspense, drama and redemption through scripted storytelling based on true stories.

“Beyond Dance” is a weekly hour-long competition show that challenges professional dancers to perform and compete in ways that push well beyond traditional dance. Led by premiere choreographers Rich & Tone who have worked artists ranging from Miley Cyrus to Michael Jackson, the dancers will battle it out in extreme challenges that take performances to the next level. Whether it’s dancing on the side of a building, underwater, or in zero gravity, these dancers will have to push themselves farther than ever for a chance at a cash prize and the title of “Beyond Dance” champion. Hosted by Jason Dundas (VH1’s “Big Morning Buzz Live”).

Photos from MTV’s 2014 Upfront presentation, as well as information and art for new and returning series can be found at www.MTVPress.com.   

About MTV
MTV is the world’s premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy®, Grammy® and Peabody® award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV’s sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For more information, go to www.mtvpress.com.