Looking at Film from Every Angle

The Inbox (Mar. 15-21, 2014)

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Wesley Lovell

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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: Island of Lemurs: Madagascar

Visit the Gallery Here

Press Release: “The Fifth Beatle” Named Finalist for Foreward Reviews’ Annual Book Awards

THE FIFTH BEATLE has been named a finalist in Foreword Reviews’ 16th Annual Book of the Year Awards!

March 17, NEW YORK, NY— Vivek J. Tiwary’s debut graphic novel, The Fifth Beatle, has been named a finalist for Foreword Reviews’ 16th Annual Book Of The Year Awards in the Graphic Novels & Comics category. Foreword Reviews, the only review magazine solely dedicated to discovering new indie books, announced the finalists for its 16th Annual Book of the Year Awards on Friday, March 14th. Each year, Foreword Reviews highlights a small group of indie authors and publishers whose innovative work stands out among the crowd.

In the next two months, a panel of over 100 librarians and booksellers will determine the winners of these prestigious awards. The winners will be announced during the American Library Association Annual Conference, which will take place in Las Vegas on Friday, June 27th at 6pm, with awards in over 60 categories.

Vivek J. Tiwary, who is a multiple Tony Award–winning producer (Green Day’s American Idiot, The Addams Family, Mel Brooks’ The Producers) wrote the novel, which was painted by fanboy favorites Andrew C. Robinson (Dusty Star, King Conan, Starman, Superman) and Kyle Baker (The Shadow, Plastic Man.) The Fifth Beatle is the untold true story of Brian Epstein, the visionary manager who discovered and guided the Beatles to unprecedented international stardom. The Fifth Beatle is an inspirational story about the struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Epstein was homosexual when it was illegal to be so in the UK, Jewish during a period of pervasive anti-Semitism, and from Liverpool when it was considered just a dingy port town. He helped spread the Beatles’ message of love to the entire world, yet died painfully lonely at the young age of thirty-two, consumed by staggering ambition and the endless struggles that came with it. The Fifth Beatle is available in bookstores everywhere and on Amazon.com.

The Fifth Beatle film adaptation, written and produced by Tiwary, has Peyton Reed (BRING IT ON, THE BREAK-UP) signed on to direct and Academy Award-winner Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK) is attached as producer as well. It is the first ever feature film about The Beatles to secure music rights to their songs, granting unprecedented access to the Lennon/McCartney music catalog.

For more information on the Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Awards, please visit: https://botya.forewordreviews.com/finalists/2013/press-release/

About Vivek J. Tiwary
Vivek J. Tiwary is a New York Times bestselling author and an award-winning producer of Broadway shows, film, television, and graphic novels.

He is the producer and writer of “The Fifth Beatle,” a New York Times best-selling graphic novel based on the life of Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein. “The Fifth Beatle” has secured unprecedented access to Beatles’ music and a feature film is in development to shoot in 2014. “The Fifth Beatle” will be produced by Academy Award-winning producer Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, MILK, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.)

Vivek is attached to lead produce a Broadway adaptation of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. The production will include the participation of Morissette, as well as that of Pulitzer and Tony award winner Tom Kitt.

In television, Vivek sold a sitcom pilot “Punk Rock Dad” to CBS, based on the bestselling memoir/parenting manual by Pennywise lead singer Jim Lindberg. He is developing a number of additional series including Amelia Rules! — a children’s film franchise and television series based on the series of tween graphic novels by New York Times best-selling author Jimmy Gownley.

On Broadway, Vivek’s productions have won a combined 25 Tony Awards from 44 Tony nominations—every single one of his shows have been decorated. They include “The Addams Family,” Green Day’s “American Idiot” (the groundbreaking adaptation of the superstar rock band’s multi-platinum album), Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” (the most Tony Awards ever) and “Young Frankenstein”, “A Raisin In The Sun” (starring Sean Combs), and “A Little Night Music” (starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury). Off-Broadway, Vivek produced a theatrical collaboration between electropop/performance artists Fischerspooner and avant-garde theatre collective The Wooster Group (founded by Willem Dafoe, Spalding Gray, and others) that launched the 2008 Sao Paulo Art Bienal.

Vivek also serves on the Board of Directors for Valiant Entertainment (www.valiantentertainment.com), a multi-platform company that boasts the third largest and most-loved universe of comic book characters and has been hailed by the New York Times as “Marvel 2.0”.

Prior to founding Tiwary Entertainment Group (www.tiwaryent.com) and online music education/empowerment company StarPolish, Vivek held a number of major label music-industry positions, including launching and heading the Alternative Marketing Department at Mercury/PolyGram Records, and managing Video Promotion for Mercury/PolyGram, where he worked closely with MTV and VH1. Vivek has worked with artists covering the entire musical spectrum including Bruce Springsteen, Shania Twain, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam, Kiss, LL Cool J, John Mellencamp, Allen Ginsberg, Oasis, Hanson, 311 and The Mighty Mighty BossTones to name but a few.

Among many charitable pursuits, Vivek is the Co-Founder of Musicians On Call (www.musiciansoncall.org), a nonprofit organization that uses music and entertainment to complement the healing process.

Vivek is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of both the Wharton School of Business and the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences. He also holds a filmmaking certificate from The New York Film Academy and is an acting student of Susan Batson/Black Nexxus Acting Studio.

Press Release: Freestyle Releasing “Jesus People” in Spring

FREESTYLE MARKS THE COMING OF ‘JESUS PEOPLE’ THIS SPRING

Hilarious Mockumentary Set for Day and Date Release on Multiple Platforms April 11th, 2014

Los Angeles, CA (March 18, 2014) – Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media (FDM) announced today that they have acquired theatrical and all DVD/VOD rights to JESUS PEOPLE, the improv-centered mockumentary-esque comedy from director Jason Naumann. The film features improv sensations Wendi McLendon-Covey (BRIDESMAIDS, ABC’s “The Goldbergs”), Mindy Sterling (AUSTIN POWERS trilogy, “Desperate Housewives”), Jennifer Elise Cox (THE BRADY BUNCH MOVIE, A VERY BRADY SEQUEL), Tim Bagley (THIS IS 40, KNOCKED UP), Laura Silverman (“Nurse Jackie,” “The Sarah Silverman Program”) and Academy Award-winner ™ Octavia Spencer (THE HELP). The film was produced and written by Dan Steadman & Rajeev Sigamoney (“The Captain”) and is slated for a theatrical and VOD release on April 11th, 2014.

In the vein of great comedic mockumentaries like WAITING FOR GUFFMAN and BEST IN SHOW, comes JESUS PEOPLE, based on the hilarious and popular Independent Comedy Network web series. The story charts the rise and fall of America’s worst Christian pop band, Cross My Heart. When Pastor Jerry (Joel McCrary from BEST IN SHOW) gets possibly awful medical news he is determined to reach his rebellious teen son while he still can. He finds four young musicians with varying levels of talent and their first single “Save The World” takes off on multiple (and some unexpected) radio formats just as the band starts to unravel.

FDM’s Susan Jackson brokered the deal with the producer’s rep Bill Vergos of Spy Filmz on behalf of the filmmakers.
“Jesus People is a hilarious film with great actors,” said Jackson, “With the great cast and comedic genre, It is a perfect Freestyle Day & Date.”
Recent Freestyle titles include BOTTLED UP with Melissa Leo, UNDERDOGS, with D.B. Sweeny and Natalie Imbruglia, TIGER EYES, the first big screen adaptation of a Judy Blume novel starring Willa Holland and the critically-acclaimed documentary SAMSARA from filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson.

Press Release: XYZ Films to Executive Produce “Redeemer”

XYZ FILMS TO EXEC PRODUCE AND HANDLE SALES ON THE CHILEAN MARTIAL ARTS ACTIONER ‘REDEEMER (REDENTOR)’

Principal photography to commence March 24th on location in Chile

Los Angeles, CA (March 17, 2014) – XYZ Films has announced that they will be executive producing and handling sales for the Spanish-language martial arts actioner REDEEMER (Redentor), which is headlined by Chilean action star Marko Zaror. Written and directed by Ernesto Diaz Espinoza, the film marks the fourth time that Espinoza and Zaror have worked together since 2006. It was produced by Espinoza, Zaror and Diego Moral Heimpell and is executive produced by XYZ Films. The film will begin principal photography on March 24th in Chile.

Former hitman Nicky Pardo (Zaror) has made a deal with God. Pardo will begin every day by holding a gun to his own head and pulling the trigger. And every day he does not die he will take it as a sign that he is meant to continue hunting down the men he used to work for.

Zaror has most recently been seen working in English opposite Scott Adkins (EXPENDABLES 2) as the principal villain in UNDISPUTED 3, and as Mel Gibson’s primary henchman in MACHETE KILLS. He is a highly trained martial artist across multiple disciplines who – like Tony Jaa, Donnie Yen and Iko Uwais – performs all of his own fight and stunt work without the use of any wires or CGI tricks. Zaror’s big break came when he was hired as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s body / stunt double on Peter Berg’s THE RUNDOWN, for which he won multiple stunt awards. He then returned to Chile where he and Espinoza collaborated on KILTRO, the first martial arts film ever produced in all of South America.

Espinoza most recently handled editing duties on Eli Roth’s Toronto festival title THE GREEN INFERNO. Apart from his work with Zaror, Espinoza was also included as a director on THE ABCs OF DEATH ANTHOLOGY and directed the festival hit BRING ME THE HEAD OF THE MACHINE GUN WOMAN.

XYZ executive produced and handled international sales on the hit action film THE RAID: REDEMPTION, which SPWA acquired and was released in the U.S. last year by Sony Pictures Classics. XYZ Films produced and is handling world sales on the sequel THE RAID 2, which SPWA also picked-up and Sony Pictures Classics is releasing in the U.S. on March 28th.

XYZ Films is handling international sales on several titles that recently premiered at Sundance including the competition film LIFE AFTER BETH, starring Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, Anna Kendrick, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Matthew Gray Gubler, Cheryl Hines, and Paul Reiser; the Sundance Park City at Midnight title KILLERS, which was co-directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel (The Mo Brothers); and the horror film DEAD SNOW: RED VS. DEAD, which XYZ executive produced. They are also handling foreign sales on Kevin Smith’s highly anticipated horror film TUSK, which is scheduled to be released later this year by A24. SPWA has also taken multiple territories on TUSK, including the United Kingdom, Italy and Latin America.

About XYZ Films:
XYZ FILMS is an LA-based film production and sales company founded in 2008 by Bolotin, Spicer and Tertzakian, with partner Todd Brown joining the company in 2009.

Press Release: Logo Hosting “Gayest Cartoon Character of All Time” Tournament

SNAGGLEPUSS, STEWIE GRIFFIN, PEPPERMINT PATTY, VANITY SMURF AND OTHERS BATTLE IT OUT IN LOGO TV’S “GAYEST CARTOON CHARACTER OF ALL TIME” TOURNAMENT

First Round of March Madness, Bracket-Style Voting Opens Today on NewNowNext.com

Winner To Be Crowned On-Air Monday, April 7 During “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

NEW YORK, NY – March 19, 2014 – In the only non-sports bracket throw down you should care about this March Madness season, Logo TV, Viacom’s television, digital and social brand inspired by the LGBT community, is enlisting fans to take part in the biggest (and possibly queerest) animated royalty showdown this side of Bikini Bottom, where one victor will reign supreme and be crowned the “Gayest Cartoon Character of All Time.”

Featuring some out-and-proud toons (“South Park’s” Big Gay Al), some who’ve definitely made you wonder over the years (like “Scooby Doo’s” Velma or “Peanut’s” Peppermint Patty) as well as some that defy all explanation (can a rabbit, lion or a smurf be gay?) the field represents an eclectic mix of current and classic cartoon characters. Beginning today, fans can go to NewNowNext.com and TheBackLot.com to vote in a daily bracket face-off. The winner will be announced on-air as Logo will break into “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on April 7 for a not-to-be-missed acceptance speech.

After an intense and fan-fueled battle for nominations by the readers of TheBacklot.com and NewNowNext.com, the initial field was whittled down to 32 contenders who’ll compete in a traditional bracket-style competition with head-to-head fan voting battles until the gayest cartoon character is determined. On-air interstitials hosted by Logo TV’s Ryan Brockington (“NewNowNext Minute”), standup comedian Matteo Lane and Jason Carter (“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Pit Crew) will keep everyone up to date throughout the tournament. It’s up to fans to keep voting their favorites through to the next round and spread the word via the official Twitter hashtag #GayestCartoon.

The 16 “Gayest Cartoon Character” Brackets:
Division 1 (top left side of brackets)
Stewie Griffin (Family Guy) v. Squidward (Spongebob Squarepants)
Jigglypuff (Pokemon) v. Scar (The Lion King)
Mr. Garrison & Mr. Slave (South Park) v. Race Bannon & Dr. Quest (Jonny Quest)
Daria (Daria) v. Ray Gillette (Archer)

Division 2 (top right side of brackets)
Roger (American Dad) v. Captain Planet (Captain Planet)
Ambiguously Gay Duo (SNL) v. Peppermint Patty and Marcie (Peanuts)
Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes) v. Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)
Vanity Smurf (the Smurfs) v. Pizzazz (Jem and the Holograms)

Division 3 (bottom left side of brackets)
Big Gay Al (South Park) v. Jafar (Aladdin)
Elsa (Frozen) v. Robin (Super Friends)
Wayland Smithers (The Simpsons) v. Chozen (Chozen)
Velma (Scooby-Doo) v. Snagglepuss (Hanna-Barbara)

Division 4 (bottom left side of brackets)
Xandir (Drawn Together) v. Buttercup (Powerpuff Girls)
Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune (Sailor Moon) v Ren & Stimpy (Ren & Stimpy)
Betty Deville (Rugrats) v Genie (Aladdin)
He-Man/Prince Adam (He-Man) v. Him (the Powerpuff Girls)

ABOUT LOGO
Logo TV is a leading entertainment brand inspired by the LGBT community and reflects the creative class across television, digital and social platforms. Logo features one-of-a-kind personalities, shows, specials, and unique stories. Logo is part of MTV’s network of brands including MTV, MTV2, MTV.com, mtvU, MTV Hits and MTV Jams.

Press Release: “In the Name Of” Releases on DVD April 15

CONTROVERSIAL, STIRRING 2013 BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL WINNER “IN THE NAME OF” AVAILABLE ON DVD APRIL 15

Malgoska Szumowska’s Polish drama is an examination of love and spirituality.

March 19, 2014 (NY, NY) – Film Movement, the distributor of award-winning independent and foreign films, announces today that IN THE NAME OF, the award-winning Polish drama that portrays the life of a rural priest struggling with his homosexuality, will be released on DVD on April 15th in North America.

A Catholic priest who discovered his calling as a servant of God at the relatively late age of 21, Adam lives in a village in rural Poland where he works with teenagers with behvioral problems. He declines the advances of a young blonde named Ewa, saying he is already spoken for. However, celibacy is not the only reason for his rejection. Adam knows that he desires men and that his embrace of the priesthood has been a flight from his own sexuality. When he meets Lukasz, the strange and taciturn son of a simple rural family, Adam’s self-imposed abstinence becomes a burden perhaps too heavy to bear.

Malgoska Szumowska’s visually powerful film, charged with striking imagery from Christ’s Passion, dares to broach the still-taboo topic of homosexuality in the priesthood. Confronted with his “forbidden” desires, her protagonist experiences both moments of bliss and utter dispair. It’s a film about confused emotions, repression and loneliness, and the possibility of perhaps finding oneself after all.

Available on DVD on April 15 at FilmMovement.com, Amazon.com and other retailers, IN THE NAME OF on DVD includes SUMMER VACATION, a short film from Israel by Sharon Maymon. Twenty-two minutes in length, the film follows a young man on a peaceful vacation with his family, until an encounter with the past threatens to derail the temporary paradise. Also available on digital platforms including Amazon Instant and Netflix, Indiewire calls IN THE NAME OF “a must see!”

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: Participant Media and Paramount Collaborate on “Ivory Tower” Distribution

PARTICIPANT MEDIA AND PARAMOUNT HOME MEDIA DISTRIBUTION COLLABORATE ON DISTRIBUTION OF CNN FILMS’ DOCUMENTARY IVORY TOWER DIRECTED BY ANDREW ROSSI

SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS ON BOARD FOR A JUNE 2014 THEATRICAL RELEASE

Los Angeles, CA (March 19, 2014) — Participant Media, Paramount Home Media Distribution, and Samuel Goldwyn Films announced today a collaboration to distribute CNN Films’ Ivory Tower. Andrew Rossi’s critically-acclaimed film about the American higher education system at a crisis point premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize and will have a June 2014 U.S. theatrical release through Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Following the film’s theatrical window, Ivory Tower will be distributed across home entertainment platforms through Paramount Home Media Distribution. Paramount will also handle all distribution outside of the U.S.

Participant Media, part of the team behind Rossi’s previous documentary, Page One: Inside the New York Times, has a long-term commitment to focusing on the importance of education. Building on campaigns for Waiting for Superman, which Paramount Vantage released in 2010, and Teach, which aired on CBS and Pivot last fall, Participant will mount a social action campaign for Ivory Tower that will launch in support of the film’s theatrical release.

As tuition spirals upward and student debt passes a trillion dollars, students and parents ask, “Is college worth it?” From the halls of Harvard to public and private colleges in financial crisis to education startups in Silicon Valley, an urgent portrait emerges of a great American institution at the breaking point.
Ivory Tower producers are Rossi and Josh Braun with executive producers Vinnie Malhotra and Amy Entelis. Kate Novack is co-producer and Andrew Coffman is associate producer.

Diane Weyermann, Participant’s Executive Vice President of Documentary Film said, “As we saw with Waiting for Superman and Teach, stories about education drive a profound passion and intense dialogue among viewers. After our great experience on Page One, we are happy to be working with Andrew again on this timely and inspiring film and to increase awareness of the real costs of higher education.”

“Ivory Tower unveils a number of critical truths about the state of higher education in America and we are delighted to be able to bring this important and enlightening film to audiences across all platforms,” said Syrinthia Studer, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Acquisitions, Paramount Home Media Distribution.

Peter Goldwyn, Senior Vice President of Samuel Goldwyn Films said, “We are thrilled to be working with Andrew and the team behind An Inconvenient Truth on this incredibly thoughtful and provoking film that is a must-see for every parent and student in the education system.”

“CNN Films is thrilled that Andrew Rossi’s exceptional portrait of collegiate education at a crossroads will finally get the wide audience it deserves, through this remarkable team of distributors. We are proud to partner with Participant, Paramount Home Media, and Samuel Goldwyn Films for the distribution of this feature across all platforms,” said Vinnie Malhotra, senior vice president, development and acquisitions for CNN Worldwide.

Added Rossi “Producing Ivory Tower with CNN Films has been an ideal experience, with true creative freedom and deep support. And with the dream team of Participant, Paramount and Goldwyn behind the film’s social action campaign and distribution, we hope that the film will advance a crucial conversation about the value of a transformative college experience, the dangers of student debt and, more broadly, the mission that colleges should fulfill for a 21st Century society. I am thrilled to be collaborating with Participant Media and Diane Weyermann again on a project that engages another vitally important cultural institution.”

The deal was negotiated by Participant COO Jeff Ivers, the Paramount Home Media Distribution acquisitions team, Ian Puente, Vice President and General Counsel for Samuel Goldwyn Films, with Josh Braun of Submarine and Stacey Wolf of CNN on behalf of CNN Films and the producers.

About Participant Media
Participant (ParticipantMedia.com) is a global entertainment company founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll to focus on feature film, television, publishing and digital content that inspires social change. Participant’s more than 45 films include GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, SYRIANA, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, FOOD, INC., WAITING FOR ‘SUPERMAN’, THE HELP, CONTAGION and LINCOLN. Through its films, social action campaigns, digital network TakePart.com and Pivot, its new television network for Millennials, Participant seeks to entertain, encourage and empower every individual to take action.

About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for certain DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment titles. PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.

About Samuel Goldwyn Films
Samuel Goldwyn Films is a major, independently owned and operated motion-picture company that develops, produces and distributes innovative feature films and documentaries. The company is dedicated to working with both world renowned and emerging writers/filmmakers and committed to filmed entertainment that offers original voices in uniquely told stories. This is best exemplified by the Academy Award® nominated THE SQUID AND THE WHALE and SUPER SIZE ME; AMAZING GRACE and Julie Delpy’s hit comedy 2 DAYS IN PARIS. Past Goldwyn titles include the critically hailed ELEGY starring Academy Award® winner Penélope Cruz, HARRY BROWN starring Michael Caine and the box office smash FIREPROOF. MAO’S LAST DANCER, directed by Academy Award® nominee Bruce Beresford was one of the top grossing independent films of 2010. Samuel Goldwyn Films released THE WHISTLEBLOWER, a powerful, ripped from the headlines thriller starring Academy Award® winner Rachel Weisz and the 2012 critics’ darling, ROBOT & FRANK, starring Academy Award® nominee Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler and Academy Award® winner Susan Sarandon. Additional Samuel Goldwyn Films releases include DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL, an acclaimed documentary about the late fashion icon, Gilles Bourdos’ RENOIR, the lush film about the famous painter’s later years and France’s official submission for the 2014 Academy Awards®, Academy Award® nominee James Cromwell starrer, STILL MINE, and the Jason Wise much buzzed about film SOMM. Upcoming releases include Academy Award®-winner Freida Mock’s critically acclaimed documentary ANITA featuring intimate and in-depth interviews with Anita Hill and filmmaker Lucia Puenzo’s haunting film and Argentina’s official submission to the 2014 Academy Awards® THE GERMAN DOCTOR.

About CNN and CNN Films
CNN Films brings documentaries beyond the small screen by developing strategic partnerships to leverage distribution opportunities at film festivals and in theaters. Amy Entelis, senior vice president of talent and content development for CNN Worldwide, and Vinnie Malhotra, senior vice president of development and acquisitions for CNN Worldwide, oversee the acquisition strategy of documentaries for CNN Films. Malhotra manages the day-to-day operation of CNN Films, and works directly with filmmakers to develop original projects.

CNN Worldwide is a portfolio of two dozen news and information services across cable, satellite, radio, wireless devices and the Internet in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Domestically, CNN reaches more individuals on television, the web and mobile devices than any other cable TV news organization in the United States; internationally, CNN is the most widely distributed news channel reaching more than 271 million households abroad; and CNN Digital is a top network for online news, mobile news and social media. Additionally, CNN Newsource is the world’s most extensively utilized news service partnering with hundreds of local and international news organizations around the world. CNN is division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company.

Press Release: “Nymphomaniac: Vol. II” Available on FlixFling

Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac: Vol. 2 Now Available on Innovative Streaming Movie Service FlixFling

Philadelphia, PA – March 20, 2014 – Innovative application-based subscription and On Demand streaming service FlixFling is pleased to announce that it will be following up on their successful release of Lars von Trier’s much talked-about film Nymphomaniac: Volume One with the streaming launch of Nymphomaniac: Volume Two beginning today, more than two weeks prior to its April 4th theatrical bow.

The film stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgård, Shia LaBeouf, and Stacy Martin. Volume Two stars Jamie Bell, Willem Dafoe, Mia Goth, and Jean-Marc Barr in addition to Gainsbourg, Skarsgård, Martin and LaBeouf, while Volume One featured Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Sophie Kennedy Clark, Connie Nielsen, and Udo Kier.

“We’re immensely pleased with the success of Volume One and are looking forward to releasing the conclusion,” said FlixFling CEO Thomas Ashley, who also embraced the publicity generated by the film’s explicit sexual nature. “We’re not afraid of controversy,” he said, adding “A lot of folks have been afraid of controversial or explicit films, saying that they were too extreme and that we shouldn’t release them but this is our business, whether a film is hard to watch or not. We serve the filmmaker’s vision.”

Von Trier’s film is being released in the US by indie distributor Magnolia Pictures, which has a dedicated channel on FlixFling and which distributed von Trier’s last film,Melancholia (also available on FlixFling). The service currently has approximately 15,000 titles, with many titles exclusive to the service. “We’ve got a good relationship with Magnolia,” said Ashley. “Magnolia’s catalogue embodies the FlixFling spirit of supporting great independent cinema.”

Please contact Caitlin Hughes at Caitlin@brigademarketing.com for more details and for interview opportunities with Thomas Ashley.

About FlixFling
FlixFling is the widest available VOD service, currently available on virtually all Internet-enabled mobile devices, laptops, and desktop computers, as well as on Yahoo Connected TVs, Samsung Apps, Google Play, Roku, Vidora, Vizio, Windows 8, from within Facebook, and in the iTunes App Store. The company is launching support for UltraViolet and an Xbox application early this spring.

FlixFling offers customers three ways to enjoy their favorite independent and hard-to-find films: A monthly subscription model, pay-as-you go rental, and the option to purchase their films and store them in the service’s digital locker, MyFlix. Customers can “fling” their favorite titles seamlessly between devices for an interactive, effortless movie-watching experience.

Press Release: “Tosca’s Kiss” Rights Acquired by Icarus Films

Icarus Films Acquires Restored Opera Classic TOSCA’S KISS

March 20, 2014, New York: Icarus Films today announced its acquisition of all North American distribution rights, including theatrical, non-theatrical, home entertainment, and television rights to the beloved 1984 documentary TOSCA’S KISS (87 minutes), directed by Daniel Schmid (1941–2006).

Giuseppe Verdi’s “finest work,” as he himself described it, still stands today on the Piazza Buonarotti in Milan. It is the “Casa di riposa” founded by Verdi in 1896–the world’s first rest home for retired opera singers. In TOSCA’S KISS, Schmid captured a world in which these wonderful singers (many of whom had significant careers on the opera stage) re-live and re-enact their triumphant roles of the glorious past. TOSCA’S KISS is a touching and often hilarious film on the subject of aging and the power and timeless capacity of music to inspire.

A favorite among opera and music lovers worldwide, TOSCA’S KISS inspired Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut QUARTET. Now completely restored by the Cinémathèque Suisse, with supervision by the film’s noted cinematographer Renato Berta, TOSCA’S KISS was selected and premiered at the 2013 Venice Film Festival.

The deal for North American distribution was negotiated by Jonathan Miller for Icarus Films and Marcel Hoehn, producer of the film, for T & C Films of Zurich, Switzerland. Icarus Films plans a summer theatrical release followed by DVD and digital distribution for home entertainment audiences in the fall.

Previews are available for covering journalists and film programmers. The new restoration of TOSCA’S KISS is available on DCP and other digital formats to film festivals and theatrical bookers.

Press Release: “Who Is Dayani Cristal?” Gets Theatrical Premiere

“Who Is Dayani Cristal?” Gets Theatrical Premiere

Winner, World Cinema Cinematography Award – Sundance Film Festival; Official Selection – New York Film Festival

New York, NY, March 20, 2014 – Kino Lorber is proud to announce the U.S. theatrical premiere of WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL?, a new documentary focused on the human toll of the U.S. immigration crisis. Starring Gael García Bernal (Y Tu Mamá También, No) and directed by Marc Silver, the film will open on April 25th in New York, followed by a release to select cities nationwide.

Winner of the Sundance 2013 World Cinema Cinematography Award and an official selection at the 51st New York Film Festival, WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL? adds critical perspective to the intense immigration reform debate in the United States.

In this piercing documentary that pushes the edges of the non-fiction form, acclaimed Mexican actor and activist Gael García Bernal tells the story of one of the many migrant workers who lost their lives in the stretch of Arizona desert known as “the corridor of death.” As Mr. Bernal retraces this man’s steps along the migrant trail in Central America, he and director Marc Silver show how one life can become a powerful testimony to the tragic results of the U.S. war on immigration.

With contributions from the dedicated forensic examiners of the Pima County Morgue in Arizona, the film seeks to answer questions surrounding the death of this yet-unidentified man. As the investigation unfolds, Mr. Bernal embeds himself among migrant travelers on their own mission to cross the border. He witnesses first-hand the dangers these men, women and children face on their way to the United States, also offering new insight into their sacrifices in search for a better life.

Gael García Bernal and director Marc Silver have created an unique experiential documentary that illuminates an urgent issue of immigration. The film brings viewers intimately close to the often-invisible lives that have been affected by a broken immigration policy.

WHO IS DAYANI CRISTAL? was produced by London-based Pulse Films, Canana Films, Gael García Bernal, Julián Levin and Pablo Cruz. The film was made with the support of Impact Partners, Candescent Films, Ford Foundation and The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Fund.

ABOUT KINO LORBER:
With a library of 800 titles, Kino Lorber Inc. has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 30 years, releasing over 25 films per year theatrically under its Kino Lorber, Kino Classics, and Alive Mind Cinema banners, including four Academy Award® nominated films in the last six years. In addition, the company brings over 70 titles each year to the home entertainment market with DVD and Blu-ray releases under its 5 house brands, distributes a growing number of third party labels, and is a direct digital distributor to all major platforms including iTunes, Netflix, HULU, Amazon, Vimeo and others.

Press Release: Whole Foods Features Pop-Up Concession Stand at NYICFF

WHOLE FOODS MARKET POP-UP CONCESSIONS STAND AT NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FILM FESTIVAL

FEATURING FREE SNACKS AND GIVEAWAYS FROM ORGANIC VALLEY, STONYFIELD FARM, MRS. MEYERS, POPCORN, INDIANA, GOGO SQUEEZ, CLIF BAR AND MORE SATURDAY MARCH 22 & SUNDAY MARCH 23 AT SVA THEATRE

March 21, 2014 – New York, NY – Whole Foods Market will present a Pop-Up Concession Stand at this weekend’s New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival. Instead of the usual candy and soda concessions, audiences attending NYICFF screenings at the SVA Theatre (333 West 23rd Street) on March 22 & 23, 2014 will be treated to free healthy snacks and giveaways from vendors such as Organic Valley, Stonyfield Farm and Mrs. Meyers.

NYICFF screenings at the SVA Theatre this weekend include the North American premieres of Giovanni’s Island and Patema Inverted; an encore screening of the Festival’s Opening Night film, Amazonia; as well as two of the Festival’s popular short film programs, Short Films One (for ages 5-10) and Heebie Jeebies: Spooky, Freaky & Bizarre (for ages 10 to adult).

ABOUT WHOLE FOODS MARKET:
Founded in 1978 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com) is the leading retailer of natural and organic foods and America’s first national “Certified Organic” grocer. In fiscal year 2013, the Company had sales of approximately $13 billion and currently has over 373 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market employs more than 80,000 team members and has been ranked for 17 consecutive years as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by Fortune magazine.

ABOUT NYICFF:
Established in 1997, NYICFF is an Oscar®-qualifying event and North America’s largest film festival for children and teens ages 3-18. The most recent edition attracted a sold-out-in-advance audience of 30,000. NYICFF 2014 takes place March 7-30, with 100+ films from around the world, plus gala premieres, retrospectives, filmmaker Q&As, filmmaking workshops, audience voting, and the NYICFF Awards Ceremony. Festival sponsors include Whole Foods, Meredith Parents Network, and Scholastic, with funding support by National Endowment for the Arts, NY State Council on the Arts, and NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. In addition to the annual March festival, NYICFF presents year-round film programming both in New York and nationally, including annual children’s film festivals in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Philadelphia.

Press Release: HBO Documentary “The Case” to Get Theatrical Release

HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS TO RELEASE THE CASE AGAINST 8 IN THEATERS JUNE 6

Film Won A 2014 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award And SXSW Audience Award

NEW YORK, March 21, 2014 – THE CASE AGAINST 8, directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White, will be released in theaters Friday, June 6 by HBO Documentary Films and debut Monday, June 23 on HBO, coinciding with the first anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality. Following its June 6 platform theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles, the documentary will expand to select cities June 13. A crowd-pleaser on the festival circuit, THE CASE AGAINST 8 won the 2014 Sundance Film Festival Directing Award in the U.S. Documentary category and a SXSW Audience Award in the Festival Favorites category.

THE CASE AGAINST 8 takes a riveting inside look at the groundbreaking Supreme Court case that overturned Proposition 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage. Five years in the making, the film chronicles the struggle that changed history and paved the way for marriage equality battles nationwide. With exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the powerhouse legal team of conservative Ted Olson and liberal David Boies, who previously faced off as opposing counsel in Bush v. Gore, along with the four plaintiffs in the suit, the film provides a definitive account of the battle that effectively ended marriage discrimination in California.

“We feel it’s important to bring the story of the men and women behind this roller-coaster battle to screens across the country, and we’re extremely proud to bring attention to a fundamental civil rights issue that faces the country today,” commented Sheila Nevins, president, HBO Documentary Films.

Today, 17 states and the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriage, while 33 states have either constitutional bans or laws prohibiting marriage equality. Since Prop 8 was struck down on June 26, 2013, there have been more than 50 federal and state lawsuits challenging the bans all over the country.

An HBO Documentary Films release, THE CASE AGAINST 8 is directed and produced by Ben Cotner and Ryan White; editor, Kate Amend; associate editor, Helen Kearns; music by Blake Neely; co-producers, Rebekah Fergusson and Jessica Lawson; associate producer, Carin Bortz. For HBO: supervising producer, Sara Bernstein; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

Press Release: Line-Up Announced for 12th Annual Indian Film Festival

THE 12th ANNUAL INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF LOS ANGELES ANNOUNCES CLOSING NIGHT GALA AND FILM LINE-UP

Closing Night Gala film will be culinary comedy JADOO by London-based director Amit Gupta

Highlights include Anurag Kashyap’s UGLY, Sundance Festival favorite LIAR’S DICE, Irrfan Khan’s QISSA, and Mumbai spotlight films BOMBAY TALKIES and MONSOON SHOOTOUT

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 18, 2014) – Today, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) proudly announced its 2014 lineup of narrative and documentary features and short films for this year’s festival. The impressive program reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema, as well as the future of Indian filmmaking, with cutting-edge filmmakers and emerging voices bringing their acclaimed films to Los Angeles.

The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Celebrating its 12th year, IFFLA will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception.

JADOO, a delightful and delicious exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. JADOO is written and directed by IFFLA alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. The red-carpet screening will be followed by an exclusive after-party at Nirvana-Bombay Palace in Beverly Hills.

As previously announced, IFFLA will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s SOLD, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.

IFFLA 2014 presents more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, IFFLA supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.

“I’m thrilled and proud that IFFLA’s line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said IFFLA’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. “We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films.”

Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, UGLY, an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; LIAR’S DICE, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature QISSA: THE TALE OF A LONELY GHOST, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of NETPAC Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival HANK AND ASHA, an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s FANDRY, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; BRAHMIN BULLS starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and SIDDHARTH, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and IFFLA alum Richie Mehta (Amal).

The festival’s feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India’s unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of THE AUCTION HOUSE, an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite POWERLESS, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; FAITH CONNECTIONS, IFFLA alum Pan Nalin’s beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning SHEPHERDS OF PARADISE, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.

The popular Bollywood by Night series returns this year with BOMBAY TALKIES and MONSOON SHOOTOUT. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, BOMBAY TALKIES is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. MONSOON SHOUTOUT is a thrilling debut by IFFLA alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.

The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted KUSH; Sundance award winner LOVE.LOVE.LOVE.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s THE FLY.

Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival’s website.
About IFFLA
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.

OPENING NIGHT GALA

SOLD
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2014/97min
Director: Jeffrey D. Brown
Producer: Jane Charles
Executive Producer: Emma Thompson
Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown
Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant
Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.

CLOSING NIGHT

JADOO
Los Angeles Premiere
UK/2013/84 mins
Director: Amit Gupta
Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott
Screenwriter: Amit Gupta
Composer: Stephen Warbeck
Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey

Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.

FEATURE FILMS

BEFORE MY EYES (ANKHON DEKHI)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/107min
Director: Rajat KapoorProducer: Manish Mundra
Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao

Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’

BRAHMIN BULLS
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/96min/2013
Director: Mahesh Pailoor
Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji
Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner

Mahesh Pailoor’s tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid’s Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.

FANDRY
North American Premiere
India/2013/103min
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha
Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule
Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule

Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule’s impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family’s struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya’s carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family’s “untouchable” status, and the film’s gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film’s explosive conclusion – Manjule’s socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.

HANK AND ASHA
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/73min
Director: James E. Duff
Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides

James E. Duff’s feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world’s gotten smaller.

LIAR’S DICE
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/104min
Director: Geetu Mohandas
Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai
Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta

Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala’s missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas’ film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.

PHORING
North American Premiere
India/2013/128min
Director: Indranil Roychowdhury
Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal
Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha
Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee

Indranil Roychowdhury’s stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel’s presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.

QISSA: THE TALE OF A LONELY GHOST (2013)
Los Angeles Premiere
Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min
Director: Anup Singh
Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel
Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal

Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature QISSA details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.

SIDDHARTH
Los Angeles Premiere
Canada-India/2013/96min
Director: Richie Mehta
Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray
Screenwriter: Richie Mehta
Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee

A celebrated IFFLA alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta’s chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.

UGLY
North American Premiere
India/2013/128mins/DCP
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Writer: Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari,
Arun Rangachari
Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava

When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul’s car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali’s mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, IFFLA alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that’s sure to keep the heart racing.

WRITERS (SULEMANI KEEDA)
North American Premiere
India/2013/90min
Director: Amit V Masurkar
Writer: Amit V Masurkar
Producer: Datta Dave
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani

Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar’s slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they’re on the path to selling out. Masurkar’s film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new “hindie” cinema.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

THE AUCTION HOUSE: A TALE OF TWO BROTHERS
World Premiere
UK/2014/85min
Director: Ed Owles
Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi

The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.

FAITH CONNECTIONS
Los Angeles Premiere
France-India/2013/115min/DCP
Director: Pan Nalin
Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe

Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. IFFLA alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.

POWERLESS (KATIYABAAZ)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/82min
Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler
Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa

In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.

SHEPHERDS OF PARADISE
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/50min
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan
Composer: Bilal Iran

Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, SHEPHERDS OF PARADISE is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.

BOLLYWOOD BY NIGHT

BOMBAY TALKIES
North American Premiere
India/117min/2013
Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga
Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui

A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?

MONSOON SHOOTOUT
Los Angeles Premiere
India-UK-Netherlands/2013/88min
Director: Amit Kumar
Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt
Screenwriter: Amit Kumar
Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa

A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.

SHORTS

AARTI
Shorts Program 2
WORLD PREMIERE
USA/2013/4min
Director: David Walter Lech
Producer: Terrie Samundra

A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.

ALCHEMY
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/5min
Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh
Producer: Pritesh Varia

A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.

BHIWANI JUNCTION
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/18min
Director: Abhi Singh
Producer: Abhi Singh

A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.

BLACK ROCK (KAATAL)
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/22min
Director: Vikrant Pawar
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India

Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.

THE FLY (MAKHI)
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
India/2013/31min
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India

Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.

BELOVED (HUMSAFAR)
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher
Producer: DSK Supinfocom

A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.

JAYA
Shorts Program 2
USA/2013/19min
Director: Puja Maewal
Producer: Puja Maewal

Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.

KUSH
Shorts Program 1
India/2013/25min
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani

A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.

LITTLE GYPSY (KACHHO GADULO)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat
Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom

Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.

LOVE.LOVE.LOVE.
Shorts Program 2
Los Angeles Premiere
Russian Federation/2013/12min
Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram
Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko

An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. LOVE. LOVE.LOVE. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

OUTPOST
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India-USA/2013/17min
Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai
Producer: Aditi Anand

In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.

PRESENCE
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/17min
Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan

Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.

SKIN DEEP
Screens with WRITERS
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/20min
Director: Hardik Mehta
Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari

Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility–that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.

SMALL YELLOW FIELD (TAU SERU)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
Australia-India/2013/8min
Director: Rodd Rathjen
Producer: Rodd Rathjen

In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad’s curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.

THE PUPPET (TAMAASH)
Screens with SHEPHERDS OF PARADISE
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/32min
Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh

A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control.

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