The Inbox (Jun. 7-13, 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: Welcmoe to New York

Gallery Here

Image Gallery: Earth to Echo, updated

Gallery Here

Press Release: GKids Acquires “Boy and the World”

GKIDS ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS FOR BRAZILIAN FEATURE FILM “BOY AND THE WORLD” AT ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED FILM FESTIVAL

New York, NY – June 9, 2014 – GKIDS, a distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences, announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement for the North American rights to the upcoming animated feature BOY AND THE WORLD. The Brazilian film, directed by Alê Abreu, screened in competition on June 9 at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.

“From the very first notes on screen, Boy and the World announces itself as a special film, and a true discovery. We are excited to bring director Alê Abreu’s very personal film to North America, and share a compassionate, musical epic that domestic audiences are sure to embrace,” said Dave Jesteadt, Director of Distribution at GKIDS.

The movie has been garnering accolades at festivals around the world, including a Special Jury Mention at the Ottawa International Animation Festival; an honorable mention at the Festival do Rio; Best Brazilian Film – Youth Award at the Mostra Internacional de Cinema de São Paulo; and Best Animated Film at the 35th Festival Internacional Del Nuevo Cine Latino-Havana.

In BOY AND THE WORLD, Brazilian artist Alê Abreu brings to screen a strikingly unique visual style to show the conflicts of the world through the eyes of a young boy. Cuca lives a life of quiet wonder, exploring all that the countryside has to offer. But his cozy life is shattered when his father leaves for the city, prompting him to embark on a quest to reunite his family. The young boy’s journey unfolds like a tapestry, the animation taking on greater complexity and variety as his small world expands. Simple line drawings of the village give way to broad brushstrokes forming giant bushels of cotton lining country roads and sweeps of pastel churned into roaring waves. Approaching the city, industrial landscapes are inhabited by animal-machines, whirling carnival colors and exploding fireworks fill the sky above decoupage favelas, while flashing neon advertisements and garish shop windows illuminate the night. Entirely wordless, the narrative describes a clash between poor and rich, countryside and city, indigenous and imperial, handcrafted and mechanized – and throughout the tumult, the heart and soul of the people beats on as a song. Accompanying the stunning visuals is a rich soundscape of pan-flute, samba, and Brazilian hip-hop, creating the powerful visceral experience of a passage through life.

Press Release: Fandor Announces Queer Cinema Spotlight for Pride Month

Fandor Announces Queer Cinema Spotlight for Pride Month

22 LGBTQ Films Including Previously Unavailable TONGUES UNTIED

(New York, NY | June 9, 2014) Fandor, the leading curated subscription streaming service and home to the most extensive, expertly-curated LGBTQ library (available here), announces their 2014 Queer Cinema Spotlight for Pride Month.

Twenty-two films make up the series launching on June 10th, including films by Todd Haynes, Su Friedrich, Wong Kar-wai, Jean Genet, Todd Verow, Monika Treut, Derek Jarman and Cheryl Dunye and introducing the Fandor premiere of Marlon Riggs’ landmark film exploring the African-American gay community, TONGUES UNTIED.

Groundbreaking as much for its mixture of documentary, autobiographical and narrative styles as for its portrayal of the lives of black gay men, Riggs’ 1990 Teddy-winning film was among the first to address this largely taboo subject.

“This list represents only a handful of the exceptional LGBTQ films that we are delighted to offer,” stated Jonathan Marlow, Fandor’s co-founder and Chief Content Officer. “Unlike other streaming services, Fandor meticulously selects titles for our extensive library in order to bring many of the greatest films (LGBTQ and otherwise) available to our members.”

The series is a mix of well-known and award-winning films, including Todd Haynes 1991 Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning POISON, Wong Kar-wai’s Cannes “Best Director” award-winning HAPPY TOGETHER, Xavier Dolan’s Prix Regards Jeune-winning I KILLED MY MOTHER, Cheryl Dunye’s Teddy-winning THE WATERMELON WOMAN and Monika Treut’s VIRGIN MACHINE as well as some that are more of a rarity, including Jean Genet’s long-censored 1950 underground French gay “porn” film UN CHANT D’AMOUR.

Other films in the series include: Todd Verow’s VACATIONLAND, Paul Humfress and Derek Jarman’s SEBASTIANE, John Scagliotti’s AFTER STONEWALL, Bill Sherwood’s 1986 independent hit PARTING GLANCES, Angélique Bosio’s documentary about Bruce La Bruce, THE ADVOCATE FOR FAGDOM, Christopher Larkin’s A VERY NATURAL THING, Daniel Laabs’ 2014 short film EASY, Gene Nash’s DINAH EAST, Sébastien Lifshitz’s COME UNDONE, Su Friedrich’s HIDE AND SEEK and THE LESBIAN AVENGERS EAT FIRE, TOO (co-directed with Janet Baus), Enrique Buchichio LEO’S ROOM, Kerthy Fix’s Le Tigre documentary WHO TOOK THE BOMP? and Lucia Puenzo’s XXY.

Highlights of the 2014 Fandor Queer Spotlight Films:

TONGUES UNTIED (1989)
55 min, directed by Marlon Riggs

The seminal documentary on Black gay life, Emmy Award-winning director Marlon T. Riggs’ 1989 Tongues Untied uses poetry, personal testimony, rap and performance (featuring poet Essex Hemphill and others), to describe the homophobia and racism that confront Black gay men.

HAPPY TOGETHER (1997)
96 min, directed by Wong Kar-wai

Winner of the Best Director Prize at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, Wong Kar-wai’s Happy Together is a cinematic balancing act, a stunning display of filmmaking style and a touching love story evenly mixed into one film. Hong Kong and world cinema have never seen anything quite like it. Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung, two of Hong Kong’s biggest stars, play a pair of gay lovers living out the waning days of their relationship as expatriates in Buenos Aires.

PARTING GLANCES (1986)
90 min, directed by Bill Sherwood

Heroic, funny and romantic, Parting Glances is a triumph for everyone who has ever been in love, straight or gay. Parting Glances, a pioneering film of gay cinema, is about the loyalties of friendship and the vicissitudes of romantic love. It’s about the relationship between gays and straights. And it’s about how we all try to do our jobs, be there for our friends and keep a love affair going, all at the same time.

POISON (1991)
85 min, directed by Todd Haynes

The second feature directed by Todd Haynes, Poison is a groundbreaking American independent film and was the most fervently debated film of the 1990s as well as a trailblazing landmark of queer cinema. A work of immense visual invention, Haynes’ spectacular follow-up to his legendary Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story is audacious, disturbing and thrillingly cinematic.

UN CHANT D’AMOUR (1950)
25 min, directed by Jean Genet

Originally made for Parisian gay porn collectors in 1950, Un chant d’amour is visually reminiscent of Jean Cocteau’s Blood Of A Poet and Kenneth Anger’s Fireworks. The story, set in a prison with three main characters, a guard and two prisoners, is a voyeuristic, confrontational, poetic masterpiece. Despite all elements of his writings being present, Jean Genet actually denounced the making of this film when he became popular as a novelist. Forbidden in France upon its release, and only available in the United States in a censored form and through underground distribution, Un chant d’amour is presented here in its complete version with a new transfer.

THE WATERMELON WOMAN (1997)
84 min, directed by Cheryl Dunye

Cheryl Dunye’s debut feature is as controversial as it is sexy and funny. Cheryl is a twenty-something black lesbian working as a clerk in a video store while struggling to make a documentary about Fae Richards, an obscure black actress from the 1930s. Cheryl is surprised to discover that Richards (known popularly as “the Watermelon Woman”) had a white lesbian lover. At the same time, Cheryl falls in love with a very cute white customer at the video store (Guinevere Turner from GO FISH).

Press Release: IndiePix to Put on Shorts

THIS JUNE, INDIEPIX FILMS PUTS ON SHORTS

New Short Films Initiative Will See June VOD Premieres of Three Award-Winning Films in Partnership with the Rated SR Film Festival: LATER THAN USUAL (6/10), EARLY MORNING (6/17) and MOVING STORIES (6/24); Successive Months Will Have at Least One New Short Film Premiere Per Week

New York, NY (June 10, 2014) — This June, as the weather begins to heat up, IndiePix Films will put on shorts — short films, that is! Cinephiles everywhere will thrill to a new initiative from IndiePix Films that will see the pioneering online film distributor acquire and release award-winning shorts from festivals around the world to the VOD marketplace. All short films will initially be available to stream and download through IndiePixFilms.com.

The initiative kicks off with three digital premieres from a new partnership with the Rated SR Socially Relevant Film Festival – which just had its first well-attended festival in New York City this March. A dynamic mix of documentary and narrative shorts that focus on social issues, the films include: LATER THAN USUAL, winner of the “Best Dramatic Short” at the Oregon Independent Film Festival, EARLY MORNING, the directorial debut of award winning Director of Photography, Harlan Bosmajian and MOVING STORIES, directorial debut of award-winning actress Nora Armani, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner in 2012.

These initial shorts will be released to the VOD market each Tuesday in June, beginning 6/10 through 6/24. Successive months will see the premieres of at least one new short film per week.

The debut shorts include:

“LATER THAN USUAL” -Winner of the Best Dramatic Short at the Oregon Independent Film Festival, LATER THAN USUAL depicts a day in the life of an elderly couple who have lived together for so long that they have nothing left to say to each other. A suggestive film that speaks through its silences, the non-verbal interactions between the couple make for sometimes funny and at other times poignant moments. Director David Hovan and his very talented cast – both over eighty-five years old – tell a very long and undoubtedly complex story in six minutes without any dialogue or background music.

Release date: Tue 6/10
SRP: $3.99
Running time: 6 minutes

“EARLY MORNING” – EARLY MORNING is the directorial debut of award winning Director of Photography Harlan Bosmajian, who has worked as a DP on over 30 feature films and TV including “Madmen”, “Strangers with Candy” and “The Social Network”. EARLY MORNING is the story of a military medic and father, who unexpectedly meets his son’s girlfriend in his Boston home early one morning after she has spent the night. While there seems to be a shared attraction between them, it turns out they have a mutual connection on a far deeper level.

Release date: Tue 6/17
SRP: $3.99
Running time: 15 minutes

“MOVING STORIES” – MOVING STORIES is the directorial debut of award-winning actress Nora Armani. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner in 2012. It is about two women – otherwise total strangers – linked through an apartment that one is moving out from, and the other is moving to. One woman is leaving behind New York, her hometown for the past 40 years, and relocating back to her birthplace of Germany, while the other is moving, yet again, in a long string of moves that have taken her from one apartment to the next in different cities, countries and even continents. Neither of them, however, realizes just how traumatic this next move may be.

Release date: Tue 6/24
SRP: $3.99
Running time: 18 minutes

Press Release: Pharrell Williams Visits From One Hand to AnOTHER Summer Innovation Camp

Pharrell Williams Comes Home, visits From One Hand to AnOTHER Summer Innovation Camp, Speaks about the importance of education at his alma mater Princess Anne High School, Receives Key to the City of Virginia Beach.

June 7, 2014 Virginia Beach: Pharrell Williams returned home to Virginia Beach to headline Z104’s Shaggfest Saturday and spent the day encouraging local students in his From One Hand to AnOTHER program and his alma mater Princess Anne High School to make their dreams reality. Pharrell honored at High School homecoming event with Key to the City and a state proclamation to make June 7 Pharrell Williams Day in the state of Virginia.

Pharrell’s first stop was Parkway Elementary, one of nine sites where his educational charity, From One to AnOTHER hosts after school programs and Summer Innovation Camps offering a STEAMM curriculum (Science Technology Engineering Art Math and Motivation) to underserved children. There, Pharrell met with students who had just completed FOHTA’s Think Green program in which students identified future career goals and how they would employ environmentally sustainable practices in those careers.

From there, Pharrell headed to his alma mater, Princess Anne High School to kick off From One Hand to AnOTHER’s partnership with Everfi, Inc, the leading critical skills education company. Beginning this summer, EverFi will provide digital learning opportunities for students taking part in FOHTA’s Summer Innovation Camp. Over 600 third through eighth grade students will take part in the program and utilize Ignition – Digital Literacy & Responsibility™ and Vault – Understanding Money™, two EverFi digital learning experiences designed for elementary school students. The Ignition digital learning experience helps students live and succeed in a world filled with computers, helping them understand the skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow. Vault helps increase students’ knowledge and build the foundation for making good financial decisions at a young age.

The Princess Anne event was attended by 800 students, administrators and community officials, and included Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms and state delegate Ron Villanueva. The school band, where it all started for Pharrell, played “Happy” as he entered the gymnasium. Pharrell spoke on the importance of education, and honored his teachers, in particular his Band Teacher Alan Sharps, who was also in attendance. “Often times you hear celebrities say…’My teachers never thought I was never gonna be anything or they told me I couldn’t do it…so, look at me now.’ But that wasn’t my experience. My teachers here at P.A. kept telling me I could.” Pharrell encouraged kids to “Pay attention” in school. “This is what I want for all of you, I want you to have the same encouragement that I did. The one thing I would encourage you to do is never say ‘wanna’ just say ‘gonna.’ Because it works. Put it out there, figure out what the blueprint is…and you can do it.”

The event closed with Virginia Beach Mayor Sessoms presenting Pharrell with the Key to the City and the Governor’s office issuing a proclamation naming June 7 Pharrell Williams Day in the state of Virginia.

Of his organization, From One Hand to AnOTHER Pharrell said, “Children are filled with so much possibility and potential, but it’s critical that we surround them with opportunities to learn, to be creative, and to have access to passionate teachers and mentors. If we’re going to develop a prepared workforce and the future leaders of America, we need to make these kinds of critical learning opportunities possible. What Everfi is doing is aiding in that effort, teaching kids in a different way in which they will remain interested, because curiosity is at the heart of every lesson.”

Pharrell also called for higher wages for teachers and pay equality between women and men teachers.

Press Release: “Evergreen” Opens in NYC, Denver & Seattle

“Evergreen: The Road to Legalization” opening in NYC, Denver, Seattle

Documentary examines political process behind first state to legalize recreational marijuana

NEW YORK CITY – Marijuana documentary “Evergreen: The Road to Legalization” is set to open theatrically at Cinema Village (22 East 12th Street) beginning this Friday, June 13. The film is slated for daily screenings at 3:15 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. from June 13 – 19.

Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, and the filmmakers will be in attendance for a Q&A following the 7:00 P.M. screening on Friday, June 13. Tickets are available for pre-order on the Cinema Village website.

“Evergreen: The Road to Legalization” is a behind-the-scenes examination of Washington State Initiative 502, which legalized recreational marijuana for the first time in America at the state level. The 86-minute film shines a light on the heated battle that led to I-502’s passage, including its rippling impact on the future of U.S. drug policy.

First Run Features is distributing “Evergreen: The Road to Legalization” with theatrical openings in New York City (June 13), Denver (June 20) and Seattle (June 27). Play dates and venue information are available on the First Run Features website.

“Evergreen: The Road to Legalization” is a must-see case study for citizens, advocates and politicians as other states look to follow Washington and Colorado in reforming their own cannabis prohibition policies.

Director Riley Morton and the film’s producers are available for interviews this week. Please direct media inquiries and screener requests to the contacts listed above this release.

Press Release: Thundershorts Free Streaming Video Site Launches

On June 26, Thundershorts, An All-New, Free Streaming Video Site, Launches With An Original Slate Of Comedy That Is Both Funny Ha Ha And Also Funny In Like, A More Existential Way, Y’know?

Launching on Thundershorts.com and its dedicated YouTube Channel, Premieres Will Include Seven Exclusive Episodic Series: “American Viral” Starring Michael Showalter (Wet Hot American Summer); “Teachers Lounge” Starring Ted Alexandro (“Inside Amy Schumer”) with cameos including Jim Gaffigan, Dave Attell & Janeane Garofalo; “Gabe & Max Need Help” Starring Comedians Gabe Delahaye, Max Silvestri and Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon Valley”); “Don’t Walk” Starring Max Silvestri, “Timeless Seasons”, “Augie, Alone” and “Loo Makes It Big”

Thundershorts Sizzle Reel

New York, NY, June 11, 2014 – It’s never been tried before, but what if there were funny videos… online? On June 26, Thundershorts, a unique, free streaming video site, will launch from SnagFilms, the award-winning video platform and 2014 Webby® finalist. Featuring original comedy shorts and episodes, the new site will initially debut seven exclusive series: “American Viral”, about one family’s outlandish attempts to recapture its YouTube fame; “Teachers Lounge”, featuring a bevy of A-list cameos, “Gabe & Max Need Help” which finds longtime friends and comedians Gabe Delahaye and Max Silvestri in couples counseling led by Kumail Nanjiani, “Don’t Walk,” a hilarious real-time adventure taking place entirely on New York City’s street corners, and three series starring up-and-coming comedy stars: “Timeless Seasons”, “Augie, Alone” and “Loo Makes It Big”. The series, available to viewers at no cost, will premiere exclusively on Thundershorts.com and all SnagFilms supported devices, including their award-winning, multi-platform app.

The initial slate of short-form comedy includes:

“American Viral” (Season One, 5 episodes, 4-7 mins. each) – In the vein of dysfunctional ensemble comedies such as “Arrested Development” comes this zeitgeisty sitcom about a family desperately trying to recapture the fame they achieved when a YouTube video of their son went viral. To that end, the shameless patriarch, Roger Busk (Michael Showalter), will stop at nothing to exploit his family. Showalter is well-known to comedy fans for his stints in the sketch comedy troupes and TV shows “The State” and “Stella”, as well as for writing and starring in cult-classic Wet Hot American Summer and his smash web series “Michael Showalter Showalter”; he also wrote this summer’s They Came Together, starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler. Co-starring Zandy Hartig (They Came Together, “Children’s Hospital”) as Mimi Busk, the series also features Janeane Garofalo (“Inside Amy Schumer”, Bravo’s upcoming “Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce”), actor/director David Wain (They Came Together, Wet Hot American Summer) and Steve Agee (“New Girl”, “Community”). “American Viral” was created and directed by Shandor Garrison, AnnaRose King and Jennifer Suhr and produced by Carolyn Mao.

“Teachers Lounge” (Season One, 10 episodes, 4-7 mins. each) – Ever wonder what goes on behind that mysterious “Teachers Lounge” door? This summer, pull up a small, uncomfortable metal chair for this hilarious, fly-on-the-wall look at the goings-on of a New York City elementary school. Created by and starring comedians Ted Alexandro (“Late Night with Conan O’Brien”, “Inside Amy Schumer”) and Hollis James as a music teacher and janitor, respectively, the series follows their interactions with bizarre coworkers, including teachers and administrators played by A-list comedians Jim Gaffigan, Dave Attell, Jim Norton, Todd Barry and Michael Che, with Janeane Garofolo as…the PA Announcer.

“Gabe & Max Need Help” (Season One, 4 episodes, 4-6 mins. each) – Where do friends turn when they have problems? Most wouldn’t jump right into therapy, but for longtime friends/comedians Gabe Delahaye and Max Silvestri, couples counseling just seemed right. Join the best-friend couple and their therapist (Kumail Nanjiani, “Silicon Valley”, “Portlandia”, “Veep”) as they tussle with hot-button relationship issues such as yogurt thievery. Gabe & Max was created by NY-based comedian Silvestri, a creative consultant on Funny of Die’s “Billy on the Street”, soon to be appearing in FYI’s “The Feed” with Marcus Samuelsson and Gail Simmons, and named by New York Magazine as one of the “Ten Comedians People Find Funny”; and Delahaye, an LA-based writer/comedian who has written for and appeared on Videogum, This American Life, McSweeny’s, Gawker, Funny or Die and Comedy Central.

“Don’t Walk” (Season One, 9 episodes, 1-2 mins. each) – Each episode is a mini-sitcom that takes place on a New York street corner during the time the “Don’t Walk” sign is illuminated. Following the main character (Max Silvestri, “Gabe & Max Need Help”), a guileless, friendly Midwestern transplant who is deathly afraid of jaywalking, “Don’t Walk” takes us along on the journey to his first day of work. Every street corner in New York is a new world populated by strange characters and unexpected adventures. “Don’t Walk” was created, written and shot by ew York writers Kemp Baldwin, Gates Bradley and Mike Laskasky.

Thundershorts will also be the exclusive home to three series welcoming up-and-coming comedy talent: “Timeless Seasons”, “Augie, Alone” and “Loo Makes It Big”. “Timeless Seasons,” created by and starring Sundance Institute fellow Hannah Bos, Tonya Glanz (“The Good Wife,” “Nurse Jackie”) and Amy Heidt (“A Problem Like Maria”), is home shopping network meets David Lynch meets your new scrapbooking stepmother. In “Augie, Alone”, created by and starring award-winning NYC writer Lee August Praley, we follow the titular character as he traverses the inanities of everyday life and records it all, mostly alone. With her heart in the arts, her head in the clouds and a passion for attention, “Loo Makes It Big” is brought to life in glorious Technicolor by comedian / filmmaker Marcie Hume. One way or another, Loo is going to be a star, a bright shiny star!

The first episodes of “American Viral”, “Teachers Lounge”, “Gabe & Max Need Help”, and “Don’t Walk” will all premiere on June 26, with remaining Season One episodes debuting on a weekly basis thereafter. All other Thundershorts Exclusives will be launched on June 26 for binge-viewing.

About SnagFilms
SnagFilms’ award-winning streaming video platform offers entertainment lovers an extensive library of over 5,000 free movies, TV series and web originals 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 was a Webby finalist as 2014’s top entertainment site and a 2013 Webby Honoree. SnagFilms, Inc. is headquartered in Washington, DC with offices in New York and Los Angeles. For further information, visit snagfilms.com.

Press Release: GKids Acquires Rights to “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness”

GKIDS ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO THE STUDIO GHIBLI DOCUMENTARY “THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS” AT ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL

New York, NY – June 12, 2014 – GKIDS, a distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences, announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Studio Ghibli for the North American rights to the documentary, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, prior to its appearance at Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Directed by Mami Sunada (Death of a Japanese Salesman) the film provides a rare fly-on-the-wall look at the inner workings of one of the world’s most enigmatic and successful animation studios.

The deal was negotiated by Geoffrey Wexler for Studio Ghibli and Eric Beckman for GKIDS. In addition to The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, GKIDS distributes Studio Ghibli’s From Up on Poppy Hill, as well Isao Takahata’s upcoming The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, which will release theatrically and be submitted for awards consideration in fall, 2014. GKIDS also handles North American theatrical distribution for the Studio Ghibli library.

SYNOPSIS
Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli – the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential “other director” Isao Takahata – over the course of a year as the studio rushes to complete two films, Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises and Takahata’s The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. The result is a rare “fly on the wall” look at the inner workings of one of the world’s most celebrated animation studios, and an insight into the dreams, passion and singular dedication of these remarkable creators.

Press Release: AFI Conservatory’s 2014 Commencement

AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE CONSERVATORY 2014 COMMENCEMENT CELEBRATES 127 NEW FILMMAKERS

Honorary Degrees Presented to Robert Towne and Cicely Tyson by Francis Ford Coppola and Jon Avnet

LOS ANGELES, CA, June 12, 2014 – The American Film Institute (AFI) conferred Doctorate of Fine Arts degrees honoris causa upon screenwriter Robert Towne and actress Cicely Tyson, during the AFI Conservatory 2014 commencement of 127 graduates at Hollywood’s historic TCL Chinese Theatre. Esteemed director Francis Ford Coppola presented the honor to Robert Towne with whom he worked on THE GODFATHER (1972); director, screenwriter, producer and 2013 AFI Honorary Degree recipient Jon Avnet (AFI Class of 1972) presented to Cicely Tyson (AFI Directing Workshop for Women, Class of 1977), who he directed in FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (1991). A surprise appearance by screenwriter and THE X-FILES creator Chris Carter marked the Institute’s farewell to director Robert Mandel (F/X, SCHOOL TIES, THE X-FILES), who previously announced his departure as Dean of the Conservatory after nine years. Mandel directed the groundbreaking show’s pilot. AFI will establish a nine-year scholarship in Mandel’s name for each of his years as Dean.

The AFI Conservatory is renowned for its collaborative approach to hands-on filmmaking and its advanced training of the next generation of storytellers in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. The AFI Conservatory is also respected for its diversity of emerging talent – this year’s class comprises of 55 women and 72 men, with 33 of the graduates coming from international countries.

Towne and Tyson join an esteemed group of artists previously honored with the AFI Honorary Degree: Robert Altman, Maya Angelou, Saul Bass, Kathryn Bigelow, Mel Brooks, Anne V. Coates, Caleb Deschanel, Clint Eastwood, Roger Ebert, Nora Ephron, James Earl Jones, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kathleen Kennedy, John Lasseter, Spike Lee, David Lynch, Helen Mirren, Thelma Schoonmaker, Haskell Wexler, Robert Wise, John Williams and many more.

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. Sony is a proud supporter of the AFI Conservatory and its mission to train the next generation of storytellers.

Press Release: 61st Sydney Film Festival Announces Award Winners

61st SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FESTIVAL AWARD WINNERS AT CLOSING NIGHT GALA

The 61st Sydney Film Festival’s prestigious awards were announced during the Closing Night Gala at the State Theatre tonight.

Before the awards were announced, NSW Minister for the Arts, Troy Grant said, “Sydney Film Festival is a highlight of the city’s rich arts calendar and plays an important role in the local and national film industry. The New South Wales Government, through Screen NSW and Destination NSW, is proud to support another successful year for the Festival.”

SFF CEO Leigh Small said, “Our Closing Night Gala marks the end of another successful 12-day Festival, and the seventh consecutive year of growth in attendance. This year we welcomed over 156,000 people to screenings, events and talks.”

SFF Festival Director Nashen Moodley said, “From the unforgettable Opening Night film 20,000 Days on Earth and the star-studded premiere of David Michôd’s The Rover to the emotional standing ovation at Tender and the warmly received 2014 Cannes Palme d’Or winner Winter Sleep, this year’s Festival truly was one to remember.”

Out of a selection of 12 films in Official Competition, the Sydney Film Prize was awarded to Two Days, One Night directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

The inaugural Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary was awarded to the brave and confronting 35 Letters, directed and written by Janine Hosking. Special mention went to Tender directed by Lynette Wallworth.

The Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films were also announced, with the Dendy Live Action Short Award going to I Want to Dance Better at Parties, directed and written by Matthew Bate and Gideon Obarzanek. The Yoram Gross Animation Award went to Phantom Limb, directed, written and produced by Alex Grigg. The Rouben Mamoulian Award for Best Director was awarded to Eddy Bell for Grey Bull.

The Event Cinema Australian Short Screenplay Award, also new this year, was awarded to Welcome to Iron Knob directed and written by Dave Wade. Special mention also went to Matt Durrant for his short film Pocket Money.

The Closing Night Gala also featured a sold-out screening of New Zealand vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. Filmmakers and stars Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clements and Jonathan Brugh were in attendance.

EDITOR’S NOTES:

The Sydney Film Prize
Out of a selection of 12 films in Official Competition, the Sydney Film Prize was awarded to Two Days, One Night directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

The Dardenne brothers have won the Palme d’Or twice: for Rosetta (1999) and The Child (2005). Two Days, One Night stars Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose, The Dark Knight Rises) as a woman who has one weekend to convince her colleagues to sacrifice their bonuses so she can keep her job.

“For its masterfully elegant storytelling, its dedication to a fiercely humanistic, super-realist worldview, its brave, essential commitment to community solidarity, and its celebration of a woman’s power and vitality, we are delighted to present the Sydney Film Prize to Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes’ Two Days, One Night,” said Jury President Rachel Perkins.

Sydney Film Festival’s 2014 Official Competition Jury comprised Rachel Perkins as Jury President, filmmakers Khalo Matabane (South Africa) and Oh Jung-wan (South Korea), film critic and curator Shelly Kraicer (Canada) and Australian actress Rachael Blake.

“In Amsterdam, where we are for the release of Two Days, One Night, we have just learned that our film has been awarded the Official Competition prize at Sydney Film Festival. We are delighted and very honoured to receive this award, and would like to thank the jury, as well as our lead actress Marion Cotillard for her wonderful Sandra. In Australia, as everywhere else, solidarity is a value worth fighting for. Thank you,” said Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne were born and raised in Belgium. They started their filmmaking career by making social-activist documentaries, then later switching to fiction. Their 1999 feature Rosetta won the Palme d’Or and many other awards and helped change Belgian labour laws. Their other films include The Son (2002), the Palme d’Or-winning The Child (2005) and The Kid with a Bike (2011).

This year, the internationally recognised SFF Official Competition, now in its seventh year, awards a $61,000 cash prize in recognition of the most courageous, audacious and cutting-edge film from the 12 features selected.

The SFF Official Competition was established in 2008 and is endorsed by Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films (the regulating organisation for international film festivals). 12 feature films are selected for Official Competition on the basis that they demonstrate ‘emotional power and resonance; are audacious, cutting-edge, courageous; and go beyond the usual treatment of the subject matter’.

Previous Sydney Film Festival Official Competition winners include: Only God Forgives (2013), Alps (2012), A Separation (2011), Heartbeats (2010), Bronson (2009) and Hunger (2008).

The selection of films in Competition for the SFF 2014 Sydney Film Prize were:

20,000 Days on Earth
UK | Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard | Screenwriters: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard, Nick Cave | Producers: James Wilson, Dan Bowen | Distributor: Madman Entertainment

Black Coal, Thin Ice
China, Hong Kong | Director, Screenwriter: Diao Yinan | Producers: Qu Vivian, Wan Juan, Shen Yang, Zhang Dajun | Cast: Liao Fan, Gwei Lun Mei, Wang Xuebing | World Sales: Fortissimo Films

Boyhood
USA | Director, Screenwriter: Richard Linklater | Producers: Cathleen Sutherland, Richard Linklater | Cast: Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater | Distributor: Universal Pictures International Australas

Fish & Cat
Iran | Director, Screenwriter: Shahram Mokri | Producer: Sepehr Seyfi | Cast: Babak Karimi, Saeed Ebrahimifar, Abed Abest | World Sales: Iranian Independents

The Kidnapping of Michel Houllebecq
France | Director, Screenwriter: Guillaume Nicloux | Producers: Sylvie Pialat, Marco Cherqui | Cast: Michel Houllebecq, Luc Schwarz, Mathieu Nicourt

Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
USA | Director: David Zellner | Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner | Producers: Nathan Zellner, Cameron Lamb, Chris Ohlson, Andrew Banks, Jim Burke | Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Nobuyuki Katsube, Kanako Higashi | Distributor: Palace Films

Locke
UK | Director, Screenwriter: Steven Knight | Producers: Paul Webster, Guy Heeley | Cast: Tom Hardy, Ruth Wilson, Olivia Colman | Distributor: Madman Entertainment

The Rover
Australia | Director, Screenwriter: David Michôd | Producers: Liz Watts, David Linde, David Michôd | Cast: Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, Scoot McNairy | Distributor: Roadshow Films

Ruin
Australia | Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Michael Cody | Cast: Sang Malen, Ros Mony | Distributor: Madman Entertainment

Snowpiercer
South Korea | Director: Bong Joon-ho | Screenwriters: Bong Joon-ho, Kelly Masterson | Producers: Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun, Park Tae-jun, Robert Bernacchi, David Minkowski, Matthew Stillman | Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton | Distributor: Roadshow Films

Two Days, One Night
Belgium, France, Italy | Directors, Screenwriters: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne | Producers: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, Denis Freyd | Cast: Marion Cotillard, Olivier Gourmet, Catherine Salée, Fabrizio Rongione | Distributor: Madman Entertainment

Each Jury Member and winner of the Sydney Film Prize for 2014 will receive an exquisite timepiece from our watch partner Philip Stein.

The Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary
For the first time, out of a selection of 10 finalists, the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary awarded a generous cash prize of $10,000 to acknowledge excellence in documentary production. The winner of the Documentary Australia Foundation Award went to 35 Letters.

“The winning documentary is an inventive and deeply moving account of 31-year-old Melbourne writer Angelique Flowers, who is given only months to live, and the different ways in which she and her family face her impending death,” said DAF Award for Australian Documentary Jury Member Dr Mitzi Goldman.

“Unflinchingly, this film shows us Angelique’s desperate search for a way to die with dignity – one made all the more difficult by her parents opposing belief that she should die as God intended, and her sibling’s determination to help her die as she chooses, even though it is against the law. Dealing with difficult subject matter that is universal in its urgency and relevance, the film tells a very personal story in an artistic and honest style that delicately balances personal suffering with the larger ethical and moral questions posed by voluntary euthanasia. This is a brave and confronting attempt to bring a subject rarely discussed in Australia back into the public arena.”

“We’d also like to give special mention to the film Tender – a film that guides us through emotionally loaded territory without succumbing to mawkishness. The director Lynette Wallworth’s achievement in covering multiple personal stories during often heightened moments with both sensitivity and humour is singular and done with great skill. The film is authentic, powerful and ultimately, true to its title – Tender.”

Previous winners of the Australian Documentary prize at Sydney Film Festival include: Buckskin (2013), Killing Anna (2012), Life in Movement (2011) and The Snowman (2010). In 2009 the prize was shared between Contact and A Good Man (each film received a $10,000 cash prize).

The 2014 Jury for the Documentary Australia Foundation Prize includes producer, comedian and presenter Andrew Denton, filmmaker Gabe Klinger, and award-winning documentarian and CEO of the Documentary Australia Foundation Dr Mitzi Goldman.

The selection of films in competition for the Documentary Australia Foundation Award for Australian Documentary Film were:

On Michelle Flowers’ 35th birthday she received a bundle of letters from her younger sister Angelique. This was no humdrum correspondence; rather they were birthday wishes full of charm and wit. The letters expressed Angelique’s love of nature, art and literature, and most of all her unique and joyful personality, despite suffering from a painful disease since her mid-teens. A year on, she’s in the last phases of terminal illness, and is struggling to find a peaceful way to die – not in

a hospice, but somewhere altogether more in tune with her spirit.

Janine Hosking’s innovative and moving film follows Angelique’s final months as she struggles to find grace in an inflexible health care system. Janine Hosking won a Walkley Award in 1997. Her films include Mademoiselle and the Doctor, My Khmer Heart, Ganja Queen, The Pageant and I’m Not Dead Yet (SFF 2011).

A community centre in Port Kembla is the warm heart of this extraordinary documentary from artist-filmmaker Lynette Wallworth. Burials are not just an emotional trauma, but a financial struggle for cash-strapped locals. The centre’s committee decides to investigate other options, including running their own not-for-profit funeral business. As discussions on just how to proceed continue, the close knit group must deal with a terminal illness close to home. With stunning visuals and music from maverick maestros Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, this beautiful documentary speaks tenderly of love and death.

Lynette Wallworth is an Australian artist whose practice spans video installation, photography and film. Her work has been presented in the USA, UK, New Zealand, Melbourne and Sydney.

The Dendy Awards for Australian Short Film
The Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films were also tonight, with the Dendy Live Action Short Award going to I Want to Dance Better at Parties, directed and written by Matthew Bate and Gideon Obarzanek; the Yoram Gross Animation Award went to Phantom Limb, directed, written and produced by Alex Grigg; and the Rouben Mamoulian Award for Best Director was awarded to Eddy Bell for Grey Bull.

“If this crop of short films reflects what is happening in our industry right now, and where we are headed, then these are very exciting times for Australian film,” said SFF Dendy Jury member Natasha Pincus. “Across the board, the craft of the films was superb. We found it very challenging to compare films of such varied genres and tastes and in the end, we focused on investigating how successful each individual film was in satisfying its own intent, assessing its level of achievement within the terms it set for itself.”

“We would like to wholeheartedly congratulate all of the filmmakers on their wonderful work. The Dendys are the pre-eminent awards competition for short film in Australia and there is a reason why all of you have been chosen to be a part of this competition. We encourage you not to despair if your film does not receive an award this year, and remember that it is far harder to be selected as a nominee than it is to be awarded a winner.”

The 2014 Jury for the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Film was comprised of Australian filmmakers Michael Cody and Natasha Pincus, and Canadian filmmaker Richie Mehta.

‘We are really proud to support short filmmaking with this award,” said Nick Hayes, Icon Film Head of Theatrical Operations. “This year’s selection presents a very high standard and we don’t envy the jury who responsibility it was to choose. For us, supporting short film is an important part of ensuring we have a healthy feature-film industry in Australia, something we at Dendy are very proud of.”

The Dendy Awards for Australian Short Film have been sponsored by Dendy Cinema for 26 years and these awards have launched and aided the careers of many great Australian filmmakers.

2014 is the 45th year SFF has featured a short-film competition. These ground breaking awards have kick started the careers of many prominent filmmakers, including Jane Campion, Phillip Noyce and Ivan Sen, who were all past competitors.

The 10 finalists for the 2014 Dendy Award for Australian Short Film were:

A South Sudanese refugee happens upon a bull he believes is his spiritual totem. He decides to rescue it from the abattoir where he works. Once home, the animal begins to jeopardise the family’s chance at fitting into their new life.

In need of some form of human contact, a grieving man takes up dance classes with a young instructor. This hybrid film, based on co-director Gideon Oberzanke’s internationally successful stage production, fuses documentary, drama and dance.

When a young boy accidentally shoots a stranger with his father’s gun, it is left to the nonchalant townsfolk of Iron Knob to cover it up as quickly as possible – then get back to whatever it was that they were doing before…

Event Cinemas Australian Short Screenplay Award
The inaugural Event Cinemas Australian Short Screenplay Award for 2014 was awarded to Welcome to Iron Knob, directed and written by Dave Wade. Special mention also went to Matt Durrant for his short film Pocket Money.

Sponsored by Event Cinemas, this award provides a $5000 cash prize for best short screenplay to one of the short fiction films selected for the SFF program. All Australian short films screening in the Festival were eligible.

“Event Cinemas is proud to present this new short screenplay award to Dave Wade for Welcome to Iron Knob, the story of a little mishap within an Australian bush community and the unique characters of the town who depict a rich array of Australian qualities in getting back to normal,” said Anthony Kierann, General Manager Event Cinemas George Street.

“Dave Wade is no stranger to screenplay nominations and has scored a gem with this short film. Event Cinemas acknowledges the original thoughts, ideas and character creations that a writer pens to paper, that is then put into the collective magic of the filmmaking process to present quintessential Australian Short films.

“We would like to make special mention to Matt Durrant for his film Pocket Money. Event looks forward to seeing all of the Australian short-film finalists going on to future success both locally and into the international arena.”

The Australian short films eligible for the 2014 Event Cinemas Australian Short Screenplay Award were:

Crochet Noir Australia | 2013 | 8 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter: Jessica Harris | Cast: Ant Neate, Chess Julia Allan, Jacinta Stapleton

Embrace Australia | 2013 | 16 mins | In English
Director: George-Alex Nagle | Screenwriter: Huna Amweero

Grey Bull Australia | 2013 | 15 mins | In English and Denka with English subtitles
Director, Screenwriter: Eddy Bell | Cast: Dylan Watson, Mayik Deng, Akuein Kueth

The iMom Australia | 2013 | 14 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Ariel Martin | Cast: Matilda Brown, Marta Dusseldorp, Karl Beattie

I Want to Dance Better at Parties Australia | 2013 | 29 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter: Matthew Bate, Gideon Obarzanek | Cast: Steven Rodgers, Elizabeth Nabben, Phillip Rose

Meeting Susan Australia | 2014 | 9 mins | In English
Director: Darius Devas | Cast: Alison Bell, Jan Friedl, David Patterson

Phantom Limb Australia, UK | 2013 | 5 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter, Producer: Alex Grigg | Cast: Clifford Hume, Sarah Jones

Pocket Money Australia | 2013 | 10 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter: Matt Durrant | Cast: Majdi Slaibi, Taha Saleh, Bill Kalaoun

Showboy Australia | 2013 | 15 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter: Samuel Leighton-Dore | Cast: Lucas Pittaway, Mal Kennard, Richie Finger

Stuffed Australia | 2013 | 22 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter: Warwick Young | Cast: Travis Cotton, Anita Hegh, Jan Oxenbould

The Video Dating Tape of Desmondo Ray, Aged 33 and ¾ Australia | 2013 | 4 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter: Steve Baker | Cast: Bill Waters

Welcome to Iron Knob Australia | 2013 | 21 mins | In English
Director, Screenwriter: Dave Wade | Cast: Linda Cropper, Jessica Ryles, Chris Duncan

ABOUT SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL
Sydney Film Festival screens feature films, documentaries, short films and animated films across the city at the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Opera Quays, the Art Gallery of NSW, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, the Apple Store, SFFTV at Martin Place, Skyline Drive-In Blacktown, and the Festival Hub at Town Hall.

The Festival is a major event on the New South Wales cultural calendar and is one of the world’s longest-running film festivals. For more information visit www.sff.org.au

Sydney Film Festival also presents 12 films that vie for the Official Competition, a highly respected international honour that awards a $60,000 cash prize based on the decision of a jury of international and Australian filmmakers and industry professionals. Previous Sydney Film Prize winners include: Only God Forgives (2013), Alps (2012), A Separation (2011) – which went on to win an Academy Award, Heartbeats (2010), Bronson (2009) and Hunger (2008).

The 61st Sydney Film Festival is supported by the NSW Government through Screen NSW, the Federal Government through Screen Australia, and the City of Sydney. The Festival’s Strategic partner is the NSW Government through Destination NSW.