The longest running genre fest in the US, the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival (Boston SciFi for short) returned for its 48th annual event in Somerville, Ma last week.
I was only able to attend one of the five days, but I managed to squeeze in four features plus two panels. Here’s what I saw at this year’s Boston Science Fiction Film Festival.
The Warm Season
Boston SciFi hosted the world premiere of The Warm Season, a character-driven sci-fi drama with shades of Starman. As a young girl, Clive (Carie Kawa) encountered Mann (Michael Esparza), an alien in human disguise, who gave her a glowing rock before being captured by government agents. 25 years later in 1992, an escaped Mann returns to Clive’s failing motel to retrieve the “fail-safe” in order to return to his planet. Between the weather patterns and the government closing in, they only have three days to get him home.
I was only able to attend one of the five days, but I managed to squeeze in four features plus two panels. Here’s what I saw at this year’s Boston Science Fiction Film Festival.
The Warm Season
Boston SciFi hosted the world premiere of The Warm Season, a character-driven sci-fi drama with shades of Starman. As a young girl, Clive (Carie Kawa) encountered Mann (Michael Esparza), an alien in human disguise, who gave her a glowing rock before being captured by government agents. 25 years later in 1992, an escaped Mann returns to Clive’s failing motel to retrieve the “fail-safe” in order to return to his planet. Between the weather patterns and the government closing in, they only have three days to get him home.
- 2/22/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
Last year, Rolling Stone joined forces with IndieWire, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and online-education platform Yellowbrick to launch “Film and TV Industry Essentials,” an online certificate program that will cover multiple, interlacing careers in the film and television industry. Contributors include filmmakers such as Judd Apatow and Ang Lee as well as a range of craftspeople and executives from across the industry.
Now module 3, which focuses on the production process, is now available. Watch the trailer to survey course offerings below.
The completely online program,...
Now module 3, which focuses on the production process, is now available. Watch the trailer to survey course offerings below.
The completely online program,...
- 1/11/2021
- by RS Editors
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Fox has put in development Daylight, a one-hour thriller drama based on Marion Pauw’s bestselling Dutch novel Daglicht, from writer Denise Hahn (Untitled Jason Katims Project) and Blue Ant Studios. Pauw will serve as an executive producer on the project.
Written by Hahn, Daylight is a family drama and compulsive thriller that follows Iris, a high-powered Korean American lawyer, who makes the shocking discovery that a local convicted murderer is her estranged brother. When she learns the prisoner shares the same developmental disability as her son, she gets pulled into the case and ends up exposing a web of corruption and shocking family secrets that lead her to a truth she never expected. Daylight dives into discussing the stigma of disabilities, bias in the criminal justice system and the myth of the model minority — all through the lens of the Asian American experience.
Hahn executive produces with Laura Michalchyshyn...
Written by Hahn, Daylight is a family drama and compulsive thriller that follows Iris, a high-powered Korean American lawyer, who makes the shocking discovery that a local convicted murderer is her estranged brother. When she learns the prisoner shares the same developmental disability as her son, she gets pulled into the case and ends up exposing a web of corruption and shocking family secrets that lead her to a truth she never expected. Daylight dives into discussing the stigma of disabilities, bias in the criminal justice system and the myth of the model minority — all through the lens of the Asian American experience.
Hahn executive produces with Laura Michalchyshyn...
- 12/18/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s not easy to get to a classroom and study filmmaking these days — but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn about the craft straight from pros in the entertainment industry. That’s one of the reasons why Rolling Stone joined forces with IndieWire, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and the online-education platform Yellowbrick to launch “Film and TV Industry Essentials.”
The online certificate program offers introductions and insight into multiple, interlacing careers in film and television, with a roster of contributors that...
The online certificate program offers introductions and insight into multiple, interlacing careers in film and television, with a roster of contributors that...
- 11/27/2020
- by RS Editors
- Rollingstone.com
IndieWire is joining forces with Rolling Stone, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and online education platform Yellowbrick to launch “Film and TV Industry Essentials,” an online certificate program that will cover multiple, interlacing careers in the film and TV industry. Contributors include filmmakers such as Judd Apatow and Ang Lee as well as a range of craftspeople and executives from across the industry.
To sign up for email updates on the program, go here.
The completely online program, which will admit its first students in September, is comprised of modules covering the creative process, mechanics of crafts, business concepts, and criticism. The curriculum has been designed to help aspiring directors, producers, writers, and executives better understand their own inclinations and career paths. The organizers hope that Yellowbrick’s track record of attracting learners from diverse backgrounds will help draw talent that may not have otherwise found routes into the industry.
To sign up for email updates on the program, go here.
The completely online program, which will admit its first students in September, is comprised of modules covering the creative process, mechanics of crafts, business concepts, and criticism. The curriculum has been designed to help aspiring directors, producers, writers, and executives better understand their own inclinations and career paths. The organizers hope that Yellowbrick’s track record of attracting learners from diverse backgrounds will help draw talent that may not have otherwise found routes into the industry.
- 8/20/2020
- by IndieWire Staff
- Indiewire
The origin of this project goes as far back in our women's collective memory to the time in the late 80s when Janet Grillo was head of Acquisitions for New Line Cinema and Sara Risher was head of production. I was buying features for Lorimar or Republic Pictures. We did not know at that time that one day, after Janet had completed her directorial debut, the lovely and loving film "Fly Away," that Sara would tell a certain writer-producer. to show her script to Janet as a possible director.
Janet liked it and together they developed it further at L.A. Film Independent. They then won the PGA Script Award. They hired an 18-year-old who had been a child actress and was a Nyu Freshman just finishing a TV Career. She agreed to star in January and the film was shot the following May 2014.
It premiered in Geena Davis’ Inaugural 2015 Bentonville Film Festival in May 2015 where it won the Jury Geena Davis’ new effort to celebrate the work of women and diverse voices in media also is the only festival to guarantee distribution for its winners’ project.
“The goal of the festival is not just to showcase women and diversity—it’s to really have a proactive and powerful effect on the industry,” says Davis, Bff co-founder and founder and chair of the nonprofit Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. “We’re intent on being extremely proactive in showing the films that include women and that are very commercial. Our goal is to show that this is the direction in which things are heading and we should get there sooner.”
"Jack of the Red Hearts” has now arrived in theaters nationwide as of February 26, 2016. "Jack of the Red Hearts”. Arc Entertainment and Trent Drinkwaer who founded the Bentonville Film Festival with Geena guarantees a minimum of one week in AMC theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Mimai, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington D.C.
On its opening night, Thursday, February 25, Geena Davis, Famke Janssen, Phyllis Nagy (writer, “Carol”), Catherine Hardwicke (director, “Twilight ”) and Danielle Carrig (Svp Lifetime) joined "Jack of the Red Hearts” director Janet Grillo, producer Lucy Mukerjee-Brown and writer Jennifer Deaton for a special screening of the film and Q&A at the YouTube Space in L.A. In conjunction with Broad Focus, Lifetime, the Genna Davis Institute on Gender in Media and the Bentonville Film Festival, the Q&A, moderated by the Wrap’s Sharon Waxman, will begin immediately followed the 7pm screening.
It will play on Lifetime April 20 which is Autism Awareness Month. It will show again at Bentonville Film Festival’s second edition May 3 - 8 of this year.
Bentonville’s strong affiliation with Walmart, the only vendor and the largest still selling DVDs will release it in its stores and on its VOD site.
Anna Sophia Robb portrays “Jack,” a tough teenage runaway on the lam from her parole officer. The conniving street kid brazenly impersonates a trained caregiver and forms a unique bond with an 11 year-old autistic girl named Glory, brilliantly played by newcomer Taylor Richardson. Famke Janssen, as the child's desperate mother Kay, also bonds with the imposter, as a surrogate daughter she can actually talk to. And the girl’s cute older brother Robert (Israel Broussard) falls in love. When the deception is exposed and the cops descend, loving father Mark (Scott Cohen) struggles to hold his family together as the pieces of this puzzle are reshuffled into a new, satisfying whole.
"Jack of the Red Hearts” is directed by Janet Grillo (writer/director of “Fly Away” and executive producer of Emmy®-winning “Autism: The Musical”) and written by Jennifer Deaton. Both have strong ties to the autism community as Grillo is mother to a child on the autism spectrum and Deaton is aunt to a child on the spectrum. The producers are Stefan Nowicki, Joey Carey, Lucy Mukerjee-Brown, and Morgan White.
The film stars AnnaSophia Robb (“The Carrie Diaries,” “Soul Surfer”), Famke Janssen (“X-Men”), Scott Cohen (“One Life to Live”), Taylor Richardson (“Annie”), Israel Broussard (“The Bling Ring”) and John D’Leo (“Unbroken”).
For more information: https://www.facebook.com/jackoftheredhearts.
Janet liked it and together they developed it further at L.A. Film Independent. They then won the PGA Script Award. They hired an 18-year-old who had been a child actress and was a Nyu Freshman just finishing a TV Career. She agreed to star in January and the film was shot the following May 2014.
It premiered in Geena Davis’ Inaugural 2015 Bentonville Film Festival in May 2015 where it won the Jury Geena Davis’ new effort to celebrate the work of women and diverse voices in media also is the only festival to guarantee distribution for its winners’ project.
“The goal of the festival is not just to showcase women and diversity—it’s to really have a proactive and powerful effect on the industry,” says Davis, Bff co-founder and founder and chair of the nonprofit Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. “We’re intent on being extremely proactive in showing the films that include women and that are very commercial. Our goal is to show that this is the direction in which things are heading and we should get there sooner.”
"Jack of the Red Hearts” has now arrived in theaters nationwide as of February 26, 2016. "Jack of the Red Hearts”. Arc Entertainment and Trent Drinkwaer who founded the Bentonville Film Festival with Geena guarantees a minimum of one week in AMC theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Mimai, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington D.C.
On its opening night, Thursday, February 25, Geena Davis, Famke Janssen, Phyllis Nagy (writer, “Carol”), Catherine Hardwicke (director, “Twilight ”) and Danielle Carrig (Svp Lifetime) joined "Jack of the Red Hearts” director Janet Grillo, producer Lucy Mukerjee-Brown and writer Jennifer Deaton for a special screening of the film and Q&A at the YouTube Space in L.A. In conjunction with Broad Focus, Lifetime, the Genna Davis Institute on Gender in Media and the Bentonville Film Festival, the Q&A, moderated by the Wrap’s Sharon Waxman, will begin immediately followed the 7pm screening.
It will play on Lifetime April 20 which is Autism Awareness Month. It will show again at Bentonville Film Festival’s second edition May 3 - 8 of this year.
Bentonville’s strong affiliation with Walmart, the only vendor and the largest still selling DVDs will release it in its stores and on its VOD site.
Anna Sophia Robb portrays “Jack,” a tough teenage runaway on the lam from her parole officer. The conniving street kid brazenly impersonates a trained caregiver and forms a unique bond with an 11 year-old autistic girl named Glory, brilliantly played by newcomer Taylor Richardson. Famke Janssen, as the child's desperate mother Kay, also bonds with the imposter, as a surrogate daughter she can actually talk to. And the girl’s cute older brother Robert (Israel Broussard) falls in love. When the deception is exposed and the cops descend, loving father Mark (Scott Cohen) struggles to hold his family together as the pieces of this puzzle are reshuffled into a new, satisfying whole.
"Jack of the Red Hearts” is directed by Janet Grillo (writer/director of “Fly Away” and executive producer of Emmy®-winning “Autism: The Musical”) and written by Jennifer Deaton. Both have strong ties to the autism community as Grillo is mother to a child on the autism spectrum and Deaton is aunt to a child on the spectrum. The producers are Stefan Nowicki, Joey Carey, Lucy Mukerjee-Brown, and Morgan White.
The film stars AnnaSophia Robb (“The Carrie Diaries,” “Soul Surfer”), Famke Janssen (“X-Men”), Scott Cohen (“One Life to Live”), Taylor Richardson (“Annie”), Israel Broussard (“The Bling Ring”) and John D’Leo (“Unbroken”).
For more information: https://www.facebook.com/jackoftheredhearts.
- 2/29/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
It's not easy to make a film about a particular issue prevelant in society - be it an illness, a social problem, a political situation - and make it dramatically interesting. This is especially true if the issue is one that has been around long enough for there to be a certain number of texts about it. In such cases, if there is nothing new to be said, or if the film isn't done in a new and interesting way, it can end up predictable and clichéd. Sadly, such is the case with Janet Grillo's Jack of the Red Hearts. While well-intentioned, with a very good performance by Taylor Richardson, it seems more fitted to be a TV movie-of-the-week as opposed to a theatrical release,...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 2/26/2016
- Screen Anarchy
It's not easy to make a film about a particular issue prevelant in society - be it an illness, a social problem, a political situation - and make it dramatically interesting. This is especially true if the issue is one that has been around long enough for there to be a certain number of texts about it. In such cases, if there is nothing new to be said, or if the film isn't done in a new and interesting way, it can end up predictable and clichéd. Sadly, such is the case with Janet Grillo's Jack of the Red Hearts. While well-intentioned, with a very good performance by Taylor Richardson, it seems more fitted to be a TV movie-of-the-week as opposed to a theatrical release,...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 2/26/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Continuing their support for women directors, Horizon Award co-founding producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell Taylor, and Christine Vachon, announced the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. Academy Award nominee Chloë Sevigny will bestow up-and-coming filmmakers Macarena Gaona, Juliette Gosselin, Shanice Malakai Johnson, and Florence Pelletier with the Horizon Award at a reception in Park City, Utah, with creative talent, producers, entertainment executives and media in attendance to celebrate these rising women directors and their achievements in independent filmmaking.
The Horizon Award ceremony and reception will take place on Sunday, January 24th, 2016 at 6:30 pm at the WireImage Portrait Studio at Village at the Lift (825 Main Street, Park City), co-hosted by Jeff Vespa.
The Horizon Award is an annual award that seeks to identify and mentor talented, up-and-coming female directors – the primary goal being to support women directors early enough in their development to help them overcome the hurdles in advancing their learning curve and careers.
In addition to the Horizon Award, the four winners will receive grants from the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. The Foundation supports the artistic achievements of female filmmakers through a series of grants that reflect Adrienne Shelly’s dedication to the art of filmmaking and her own successful transition from actress to filmmaker.
This year’s winners are:
Horizon Award First Place
Juliette Gosselin (University of Quebec in Montreal) & Florence Pelletier (Concordia University, Montreal)
Co-directors of "Mes Anges à Tête Noire"
Horizon Award Runners-Up
Macarena (Macqui) Gaona (New York University) Director of "Channel 999 and Channel 1000"
Shanice Malakai Johnson (Scottsdale Community College) Director of "End to the Suffering"
On making the announcement, Cassian Elwes said: “I’m so excited to announce the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. This year’s overwhelming number of submissions and caliber of work made it very hard indeed to pick just one winner – the jury identified one grand prize winner, and two runners-up. Additionally, we have added new partners to our already formidable team – proving that not only is the move towards gender equality in the zeitgeist, but that there are very real advocates amongst our peers. After the recent summit for systemic change (hosted by Sundance and Women in Film), I am more convinced than ever that we can make a difference and that history is on our side. I remain steadfastly committed to the idea that, one day soon, women will have exactly the same opportunities as men to direct movies.”
Franklin Leonard, Founder and CEO of The Black List and one of the award’s original advocates added: “We are passionate supporters of this award that recognizes fresh voices and perspectives in storytelling. This effort mirrors our own effort – the Black List's 500 Feminist Films project, created by our Director of Community, Kate Hagen. We look forward to mentoring the winners in the year to come.”
The jury was comprised of 38 influential directors, producers, and executives from the filmmaking community who viewed 483 short film submissions from over 200 colleges and universities world-wide, including the U.S., Canada, England, Australia, India, China, South Africa, Scotland, France, Mexico, Portugal, Columbia, Brazil, Russia, Serbia, the Ukraine, and more. This year, submissions increased by over one hundred from last year, with additional countries and universities participating. Submissions were received from Nyu, USC, UCLA, Chapman, Emerson, Penn State, Loyola Marymount, University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, Syracuse, Tcu, Ryerson (Toronto), Oxford, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Delhi, and more.
Now in its second year, the Horizon Award provides an all-expense-paid trip for the winning female college students to the Sundance Film Festival, where they will have the opportunity to present their films to some of the industry’s most influential names. The winners receive mentorship, festival access, and important introductions by Elwes, Howell, and Vachon to agents, producers, executives, festival staff, and other influencers throughout the Sundance Film Festival.
The Horizon Award was founded by producer, Cassian Elwes ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club"), and Michelle Satter, Founding Director, Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, in response to a Sundance Institute and Women In Film Los Angeles study that revealed that only 4.2% of the top 100 films each year from 2002-2013 were directed by women. Elwes partnered with Howell ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes," "The Place Beyond the Pines:), and Vachon ( "Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry," "One Hour Photo," "Far From Heaven"), to create the award as an opportunity for young female directors to have mentorship and networking opportunities in conjunction with Sundance, the home of American Independent film.
You can see links for more info on the study:
Phase I and II
Phase III
Sponsors and Partners for the 2016 Horizon Award are: The Black List, CreativeFuture, The Creative Mind Group, Done To Your Taste Catering, FilmLA, Indiegogo, Mprm Communications, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, Sundance Institute, Twitter, Verge, Vimeo, WireImage, Adina Design, and Women in Film. This impressive group has come together to support an award that they hope will continue to identify, nurture, and launch the careers of future female directors for years to come.
Full List of Jurors:
Stephanie Allain Producer ("Dear White People," "Hustle & Flow")
Dori Begley Magnolia Pictures (Svp, Acquisitions)
Amy Berg Director ("Janis: Little Girl Blue," "Deliver Us From Evil," "Prophet’s Prey")
Arianna Bocco IFC Films (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Robbie Brenner The Firm (Partner, President of Film)
Susan Carter Hall Painter
Amal ElWardi Zeal Media Company (Producer)
Cassian Elwes Producer ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club")
Janet Grillo Director ("Jack of the Red Hearts," "Fly Away")
Poppy Hanks Macro Venture (Svp, Development & Production)
Catherine Hardwicke Director ("Miss You Already," "Red Riding Hood," "Twilight")
Lynette Howell Taylor Producer ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes")
Liza Johnson Director ("Elvis & Nixon," "Return," "Hateship Loveship," "In the Air")
Eda Kowan Lionsgate (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Gina Kwon Amazon Studios (Executive, Comedy)
Helen Lee-Kim Good Universe (Partner, Head of International)
Laura Lewis CAA (Agent, Film Finance)
Alix Madigan Broad Green Pictures (Head, Creative)
Marianna Palka Actress/Director ("I’m the Same,""Always Worthy," "Good Dick")
Bruna Papandrea Pacific Standard (Producer/Partner)
Keri Putnam Sundance Institute (Executive Director)
Dee Rees Director ("Bessie," “Empire”)
Laura Rister Untitled Entertainment (Head of Production)
Rena Ronson UTA (Partner)
Michelle Satter Sundance Institute (Director, Feature Film Program)
Cathy Schulman Stx Entertainment (President & Chief Content Officer)
Lauren Selig Shake and Bake Productions (Executive Producer)
Mary Jane Skalski Producer ("The Visitor," "Mysterious Skin," "The Station Agent")
Lara Thompson E1 Entertainment (Svp, Worldwide Acquisitions)
Christine Vachon Producer ("Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry")
Ruth Vitale CreativeFuture (CEO)
Angie Wang Director ("Cardinal X")
Hanna Weg Producer ("Septembers of Shiraz")
Tanya Wexler Director ("Hysteria," "Finding North," "Ball in the House")
Joanne Wiles ICM (Partner/Agent, Motion Picture Talent)
Pam Williams Pam Williams Productions ("Lee Daniels’ The Butler," "Fail Safe")
Lisa Wilson The Solution Entertainment (Co-Founder/Partner)
So Yong Kim Director ("Love Song," "For Ellen," "In Between Days")...
The Horizon Award ceremony and reception will take place on Sunday, January 24th, 2016 at 6:30 pm at the WireImage Portrait Studio at Village at the Lift (825 Main Street, Park City), co-hosted by Jeff Vespa.
The Horizon Award is an annual award that seeks to identify and mentor talented, up-and-coming female directors – the primary goal being to support women directors early enough in their development to help them overcome the hurdles in advancing their learning curve and careers.
In addition to the Horizon Award, the four winners will receive grants from the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. The Foundation supports the artistic achievements of female filmmakers through a series of grants that reflect Adrienne Shelly’s dedication to the art of filmmaking and her own successful transition from actress to filmmaker.
This year’s winners are:
Horizon Award First Place
Juliette Gosselin (University of Quebec in Montreal) & Florence Pelletier (Concordia University, Montreal)
Co-directors of "Mes Anges à Tête Noire"
Horizon Award Runners-Up
Macarena (Macqui) Gaona (New York University) Director of "Channel 999 and Channel 1000"
Shanice Malakai Johnson (Scottsdale Community College) Director of "End to the Suffering"
On making the announcement, Cassian Elwes said: “I’m so excited to announce the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. This year’s overwhelming number of submissions and caliber of work made it very hard indeed to pick just one winner – the jury identified one grand prize winner, and two runners-up. Additionally, we have added new partners to our already formidable team – proving that not only is the move towards gender equality in the zeitgeist, but that there are very real advocates amongst our peers. After the recent summit for systemic change (hosted by Sundance and Women in Film), I am more convinced than ever that we can make a difference and that history is on our side. I remain steadfastly committed to the idea that, one day soon, women will have exactly the same opportunities as men to direct movies.”
Franklin Leonard, Founder and CEO of The Black List and one of the award’s original advocates added: “We are passionate supporters of this award that recognizes fresh voices and perspectives in storytelling. This effort mirrors our own effort – the Black List's 500 Feminist Films project, created by our Director of Community, Kate Hagen. We look forward to mentoring the winners in the year to come.”
The jury was comprised of 38 influential directors, producers, and executives from the filmmaking community who viewed 483 short film submissions from over 200 colleges and universities world-wide, including the U.S., Canada, England, Australia, India, China, South Africa, Scotland, France, Mexico, Portugal, Columbia, Brazil, Russia, Serbia, the Ukraine, and more. This year, submissions increased by over one hundred from last year, with additional countries and universities participating. Submissions were received from Nyu, USC, UCLA, Chapman, Emerson, Penn State, Loyola Marymount, University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, Syracuse, Tcu, Ryerson (Toronto), Oxford, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Delhi, and more.
Now in its second year, the Horizon Award provides an all-expense-paid trip for the winning female college students to the Sundance Film Festival, where they will have the opportunity to present their films to some of the industry’s most influential names. The winners receive mentorship, festival access, and important introductions by Elwes, Howell, and Vachon to agents, producers, executives, festival staff, and other influencers throughout the Sundance Film Festival.
The Horizon Award was founded by producer, Cassian Elwes ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club"), and Michelle Satter, Founding Director, Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, in response to a Sundance Institute and Women In Film Los Angeles study that revealed that only 4.2% of the top 100 films each year from 2002-2013 were directed by women. Elwes partnered with Howell ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes," "The Place Beyond the Pines:), and Vachon ( "Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry," "One Hour Photo," "Far From Heaven"), to create the award as an opportunity for young female directors to have mentorship and networking opportunities in conjunction with Sundance, the home of American Independent film.
You can see links for more info on the study:
Phase I and II
Phase III
Sponsors and Partners for the 2016 Horizon Award are: The Black List, CreativeFuture, The Creative Mind Group, Done To Your Taste Catering, FilmLA, Indiegogo, Mprm Communications, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, Sundance Institute, Twitter, Verge, Vimeo, WireImage, Adina Design, and Women in Film. This impressive group has come together to support an award that they hope will continue to identify, nurture, and launch the careers of future female directors for years to come.
Full List of Jurors:
Stephanie Allain Producer ("Dear White People," "Hustle & Flow")
Dori Begley Magnolia Pictures (Svp, Acquisitions)
Amy Berg Director ("Janis: Little Girl Blue," "Deliver Us From Evil," "Prophet’s Prey")
Arianna Bocco IFC Films (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Robbie Brenner The Firm (Partner, President of Film)
Susan Carter Hall Painter
Amal ElWardi Zeal Media Company (Producer)
Cassian Elwes Producer ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club")
Janet Grillo Director ("Jack of the Red Hearts," "Fly Away")
Poppy Hanks Macro Venture (Svp, Development & Production)
Catherine Hardwicke Director ("Miss You Already," "Red Riding Hood," "Twilight")
Lynette Howell Taylor Producer ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes")
Liza Johnson Director ("Elvis & Nixon," "Return," "Hateship Loveship," "In the Air")
Eda Kowan Lionsgate (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Gina Kwon Amazon Studios (Executive, Comedy)
Helen Lee-Kim Good Universe (Partner, Head of International)
Laura Lewis CAA (Agent, Film Finance)
Alix Madigan Broad Green Pictures (Head, Creative)
Marianna Palka Actress/Director ("I’m the Same,""Always Worthy," "Good Dick")
Bruna Papandrea Pacific Standard (Producer/Partner)
Keri Putnam Sundance Institute (Executive Director)
Dee Rees Director ("Bessie," “Empire”)
Laura Rister Untitled Entertainment (Head of Production)
Rena Ronson UTA (Partner)
Michelle Satter Sundance Institute (Director, Feature Film Program)
Cathy Schulman Stx Entertainment (President & Chief Content Officer)
Lauren Selig Shake and Bake Productions (Executive Producer)
Mary Jane Skalski Producer ("The Visitor," "Mysterious Skin," "The Station Agent")
Lara Thompson E1 Entertainment (Svp, Worldwide Acquisitions)
Christine Vachon Producer ("Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry")
Ruth Vitale CreativeFuture (CEO)
Angie Wang Director ("Cardinal X")
Hanna Weg Producer ("Septembers of Shiraz")
Tanya Wexler Director ("Hysteria," "Finding North," "Ball in the House")
Joanne Wiles ICM (Partner/Agent, Motion Picture Talent)
Pam Williams Pam Williams Productions ("Lee Daniels’ The Butler," "Fail Safe")
Lisa Wilson The Solution Entertainment (Co-Founder/Partner)
So Yong Kim Director ("Love Song," "For Ellen," "In Between Days")...
- 1/22/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Read More: The 2015 Indiewire Ifp Independent Film Week Bible: Complete Panel/Keynote Coverage, Interviews and News Posted Earlier this week, as part of Ifp Film Week three filmmakers had the opportunity to pitch a feature film idea to a panel of current and former studio executives in an event called "The Art of the Narrative Pitch." These filmmakers were chosen through an online selection process and asked to pitch their film in 90 seconds or less. The panelists responded with critiques and broader insights about what it takes to get a producer's attention and get your film made. The floor was then opened up for a Q&A. Below is some of the advice shared by the panelists, sales agent Bill Strauss, acquisitions executive Sarah Lash, filmmaker Janet Grillo and creative executive Tamir Muhammad: 1. Don't bury important information. "I know 90 seconds is not a lot of time to add everything but...
- 9/23/2015
- by Wil Barlow
- Indiewire
Jack Of The Red Hearts and In My Father’s House were among the winners on Friday night at Geena Davis and Arc Entertainment’s inaugural Bentonville Film Festival (Bff) in Arkansas.
Janet Grillo’s Jack Of The Red Hearts claimed the jury award, while Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s In My Father’s House took the best documentary prize.
Best family feature was awarded to Morgan Matthews’ A Brilliant Young Mind, Meet The Patels from Geeta V Patel and Ravi V Patel took the Highest Diversity prize and Big Stone Gap from Adriana Trigiani won best ensemble award.
Stephanie Linus earned the best protagonist for her role in Dry, while Elizabeth Van Meter’s documentary Thao’s Library won the audience award.
The Dernsie Award for best screenplay sponsored by Bruce Dern and Jason Netter of Kickstart Productions went to Ani Simon-Kennedy for The Short History Of The Long Road.
The Bff Spirit...
Janet Grillo’s Jack Of The Red Hearts claimed the jury award, while Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg’s In My Father’s House took the best documentary prize.
Best family feature was awarded to Morgan Matthews’ A Brilliant Young Mind, Meet The Patels from Geeta V Patel and Ravi V Patel took the Highest Diversity prize and Big Stone Gap from Adriana Trigiani won best ensemble award.
Stephanie Linus earned the best protagonist for her role in Dry, while Elizabeth Van Meter’s documentary Thao’s Library won the audience award.
The Dernsie Award for best screenplay sponsored by Bruce Dern and Jason Netter of Kickstart Productions went to Ani Simon-Kennedy for The Short History Of The Long Road.
The Bff Spirit...
- 5/8/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Jack Of The Red Hearts
Famke Janssen ("X-Men") and AnnaSophia Robb ("The Carrie Diaries") have joined the cast of the indie drama "Jack Of The Red Hearts" which just began filming in New York.
Janet Grillo ("Fly Away") helms the story of a teenage con artist who tricks a desperate mother into hiring her as a live-in companion for her autistic daughter. [Source: Deadline]
Welcome to Happiness
Nick Offerman ("Parks and Recreation") has joined the cast of Oliver Thompson's metaphysical drama "Welcome to Happiness" at Minutehand Pictures. Filming is currently underway in Los Angeles.
Kyle Gallner plays a children's book author with a secret door in his closet. Offerman will play the character's father-figure and landlord. Olivia Thirlby, Molly C. Quinn, Frances Conroy, Paget Brewster, Josh Brener and Brendan Sexton III also star. [Source: Variety]
Untitled Bateman Comedy
"Bad Words" actor/director Jason Bateman will star in and direct a currently untitled FBI-themed comedy.
Famke Janssen ("X-Men") and AnnaSophia Robb ("The Carrie Diaries") have joined the cast of the indie drama "Jack Of The Red Hearts" which just began filming in New York.
Janet Grillo ("Fly Away") helms the story of a teenage con artist who tricks a desperate mother into hiring her as a live-in companion for her autistic daughter. [Source: Deadline]
Welcome to Happiness
Nick Offerman ("Parks and Recreation") has joined the cast of Oliver Thompson's metaphysical drama "Welcome to Happiness" at Minutehand Pictures. Filming is currently underway in Los Angeles.
Kyle Gallner plays a children's book author with a secret door in his closet. Offerman will play the character's father-figure and landlord. Olivia Thirlby, Molly C. Quinn, Frances Conroy, Paget Brewster, Josh Brener and Brendan Sexton III also star. [Source: Variety]
Untitled Bateman Comedy
"Bad Words" actor/director Jason Bateman will star in and direct a currently untitled FBI-themed comedy.
- 6/30/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Famke Janssen and AnnaSophia Robb have joined Jack Of The Red Hearts.
The upcoming indie drama tells the story of a teen con artist who fools a mother into hiring her as a caregiver for the woman's autistic daughter, reports Deadline.
Jack Of The Red Hearts will be directed by Janet Grillo and written by Jennifer Deaton.
Janssen is best known for playing Jean Grey in the X-Men franchise.
The star is also known for her television roles in Nip/Tuck and Netflix's Hemlock Grove. The second season of Hemlock Grove will be released on July 11.
Meanwhile, young actress Robb portrayed Carrie Bradshaw in The Carrie Diaries, which followed the high school-aged Sex and the City character.
The Carrie Diaries was cancelled in May after two seasons.
Watch the trailer for Hemlock Grove's second season below:...
The upcoming indie drama tells the story of a teen con artist who fools a mother into hiring her as a caregiver for the woman's autistic daughter, reports Deadline.
Jack Of The Red Hearts will be directed by Janet Grillo and written by Jennifer Deaton.
Janssen is best known for playing Jean Grey in the X-Men franchise.
The star is also known for her television roles in Nip/Tuck and Netflix's Hemlock Grove. The second season of Hemlock Grove will be released on July 11.
Meanwhile, young actress Robb portrayed Carrie Bradshaw in The Carrie Diaries, which followed the high school-aged Sex and the City character.
The Carrie Diaries was cancelled in May after two seasons.
Watch the trailer for Hemlock Grove's second season below:...
- 6/29/2014
- Digital Spy
“The Carrie Diaries” star AnnaSophia Robb has joined Famke Janssen in leading indie drama “Jack of the Red Hearts,” which is now filming, reports Deadline. Production is now underway in New York under the direction of Janet Grillo. The indie drama follows Robb as a teenage con artist who tricks the mother (Janssen) of an autistic daughter into hiring her as a live-in companion. Sounds like this is quite a far cry from the wide-eyed teenage Carrie Bradshaw of Robb’s CW days. Robb played the high school version of the ultimate New York single girl made iconic by Sarah Jessica [...]
The post AnnaSophia Robb Starring in Indie Drama ‘Jack of the Red Hearts’ appeared first on Up and Comers.
The post AnnaSophia Robb Starring in Indie Drama ‘Jack of the Red Hearts’ appeared first on Up and Comers.
- 6/28/2014
- by Linda Ge
- UpandComers
Exclusive: Indie drama Jack Of The Red Hearts has begun filming in New York with X-Men‘s Famke Janssen and The Carrie Diaries‘ AnnaSophia Robb anchoring the cast. Janet Grillo (Fly Away) is directing the film about a teenage con artist who tricks a desperate mother into hiring her as a live-in companion for her autistic daughter. Writer Jennifer Deaton developed the project with Lucy Mukerjee-Brown at Film Independent’s Producers Lab, and Sundial Pictures is producing it hot off the release of the Jenny Slate-starring Sundance comedy Obvious Child. The company’s Stefan Nowicki, Joey Carey, and Morgan White are producing alongside […]...
- 6/27/2014
- Deadline
Janet Grillo is an Emmy Award winning producer, an Award winning writer and director, and a former Studio Executive. We date back to our days as acquisitions executives in the late 80s when I was with Republic and she was with New Line and based in New York. She came to L.A. for the American Film Market and stayed downtown. One day she went to a well known antique book store called Caravan Books (founded in 1954 and still operating!), located underneath the Biltmore Hotel at 5th and Grand and was held up at gunpoint! We were all totally confouned by such New York style brazenness confronting our New York friend.
In 2007, Janet executive produced the esteemed documentary Autism: The Musical with Bunim Murray Productions, which premiered on HBO in March, 2008. It is distributed by New Video. Autism: The Musical received the coveted audience awards at Newport, Palm Springs and Mill Valley Film Festivals, and premiered to uniformly excellent reviews at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was short listed for an Academy Award Nomination. It won two Emmy Awards in 2008, including Outstanding Non Fiction Special (i.e.; Best Documentary).
A filmmaker in her own right, Janet wrote and directed two short films; At the Beach starring Lucinda Jenney, and Flying Lessons starring Dana Delany (Desperate Houswives, Castle, China Beach). Flying Lessons premiered at Palm Springs International Film Festival in August of 2008, to good reviews. It was programmed by many prestigious festivals here and abroad, including the Atlanta, L.A. Short, Rhode Island and San Luis Obispo International Film Festivals. It won the Silver Lei Award for Excellence in Filmmaking at the Honolulu International Film Festival, the Best Dramatic Short at First Look Festival, L.A. and Best Performance at WILDsound Short Film Festival in Toronto, Canada. Her feature script, Fly Away, won the Dylan Thomas Award for Best International Screenplay from the 2010 Swansea Bay Film Festival in Wales.
Made as a SAG Ultra-Low Budget Independent film, and shot in 14 days, Fly Away premiered as 1 of 8 out of 2000 submissions in Dramatic Competition at the influential South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, this March.
Fly Away, went on to win the Best Film and Special Jury Prize for Performance (Ashley Rickards) at the Arizona International Film Festival. The film opened immediately afterwards in April 2011, in limited theatrical engagement, to rave reviews. It is currently distributed by FlatironFilms/ New Video via iTunes, NetFlix, Amazon and VOD/Time Warner-Comcast.
The complex portrayals of a single mother and her severely autistic teenager daughter (Beth Broderick and Ashley Rickards, who does not actually have the disorder), in collaboration with a talented ensemble, were widely lauded by major critics, as “exceptional...remarkable...first rate...as natural as breathing...The actors are so exemplary it is hard to imagine this is not a documentary,” and “deserving of an Oscar Nomination.”
Critical Acclaim For
Fly Away
“Fly Away is a gripping, life-enhancing low-budget little film about the physically and emotionally punishing struggles of a single mother raising an autistic child. The actors are so exemplary that it is difficult to imagine this is not a documentary. They might not be household names, but they will be...As the mother, Beth Broderick is as natural as breathing... In a class by herself (Rickards), she deserves, at the very least, an Oscar nomination. Not since Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker has any actor portrayed a handicapped child (especially one with autism) with the same depth of passion and realism. Her emotional range seems to know no limits. She’s more heartbreaking than the movie itself, and that is very high praise indeed.”
- The New York Observer By Rex Reed
“The lovely, heartbreaking "Fly Away" benefits from superb performances and a gripping story managed with simplicity and grace by writer-producer-director Janet Grillo. As sensitive and affecting as this mother-daughter drama may be, the film skillfully bypasses its genre's potential pitfalls, opting for intimacy over sensationalism, poignancy over sentimentality.... Broderick is wonderful, a delicate mix of the resolute and resigned, her face a quietly expressive map of pain and pride. But enough can't be said about Rickards, best known from TV's "One Tree Hill," who so convincingly embodies Mandy's wild child spontaneity, startling effusiveness and unwieldy physicality. She's remarkable — in a remarkably challenging role.”
- La Times By Gary Goldstein
“Treading warily into territory that few dramas dare to explore, “Fly Away” is a defiantly unsentimental look at the complex codependency between a harried single mother and her severely autistic daughter... Taking a coolheaded approach to hot-button issues, “Fly Away” overcomes its neatly bow-tied ending with strong performances (including Greg Germann as a sensitive neighbor) and a spare, intelligent script. Ms. Grillo has no need of wordiness: Jeanne’s bruised body and exhausted face say it all.”
- New York Times By Jeannette Catsoulis
“The best thing a serious, no-nonsense movie can do is give us a glimpse into the world of someone whose experiences are so far away from our own that they are difficult for us to even imagine... Jeanne is multidimensional in a very real, down to earth sense...Broderick plays Jeanne with a lost look on her face. She is overwhelmed by her circumstances, but is determined to persevere. After many changes in key, when the symphony that is this film comes to a close, we see that Jeanne may be about to face her biggest challenge yet. An ending can be seen as a new beginning, and this film leaves me hoping for a sequel.”
- Huffington Post By Joseph Smigelski
Also highly awarded, Ashley Rickards, the extraordinary young actress who plays the severely autistic teen Mandy, also stars in the new MTV comedy hit, Awkward. For which she was just listed as one of the 10 Breakout TV stars of 2011 in Entertainment Weekly. Ashley is Not autistic, obviously. Although most people think she is, after watching the film. She turned 18 when she shot Fly Away. Pretty remarkable range and talent, and at such a young age.
Previously, Janet worked at New Line Cinema for ten years, rising through the ranks to become the Senior Vice President of Production, East Coast. During this time she established an outstanding track record initiating the careers of many emerging filmmakers, including Reggie Hudlin, for whom she developed his feature debut, House Party. The film received the coveted Audience Award at Sundance, and went on to become a cult classic, grossing $25 million in North American theatrical revenues on a budget of $1.5 million. Janet then executive produced its two financially successful sequels. At New Line, Janet developed and executive produced Joseph B. Vasquez's acclaimed feature Hangin with the Homeboys starring John Leguizamo. It received the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. She then went on to develop and associate produce Pump Up the Volume starring Christian Slater, as well as Ted Demme directorial debut, Who's The Man. The same year, she also managed to develop and executive produce David O. Russell acclaimed feature debut, Spanking the Monkey. It won the Sundance Audience Award and launched his prestigious career.
After a decade at New Line, Janet left to produce independently. Since then she executive produced the critically acclaimed independent feature, Joe The King, which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Along with Ruth Charny (Grace of My Heart and Search and Destroy), Janet produced Searching for Paradise, which was developed by the Sundance Institute, and distributed on the Sundance Channel.
A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, with an Honors in Theatre, Janet also trained at William Esper Acting Studio in New York City. While completing her Mfa in Dramatic Writing at Nyu Tisch School of the Arts, she served as Assistant Literary Manager for Circle Repertory Company, where she was also a member of their Playwright Workshop Lab. In addition, Janet was a finalist for the American Film Innstitute Women's Workshop in Directing, 2008. Her feature screenplay, 2B, was a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab in 2009. Her plays have been publicly read at Playwrights' Horizons and by actors including Annette Bening, Patricia Arquette, Catherine O'Hara, Hart Bochner, Dana Delany, Bradley Whitford and Jane Kazmarek. She is a member of the Playwrights Workshop at Ensemble Studio Theatre, West. A frequent blogger for The Huffington Post, Janet is also an Autism Advocacy activist. The mother of a son on the Autism Spectrum, she served as a Board Member of Cure Autism Now, which merged with Autism Speaks in 2007. She currently resides in Los Angeles.
In 2007, Janet executive produced the esteemed documentary Autism: The Musical with Bunim Murray Productions, which premiered on HBO in March, 2008. It is distributed by New Video. Autism: The Musical received the coveted audience awards at Newport, Palm Springs and Mill Valley Film Festivals, and premiered to uniformly excellent reviews at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was short listed for an Academy Award Nomination. It won two Emmy Awards in 2008, including Outstanding Non Fiction Special (i.e.; Best Documentary).
A filmmaker in her own right, Janet wrote and directed two short films; At the Beach starring Lucinda Jenney, and Flying Lessons starring Dana Delany (Desperate Houswives, Castle, China Beach). Flying Lessons premiered at Palm Springs International Film Festival in August of 2008, to good reviews. It was programmed by many prestigious festivals here and abroad, including the Atlanta, L.A. Short, Rhode Island and San Luis Obispo International Film Festivals. It won the Silver Lei Award for Excellence in Filmmaking at the Honolulu International Film Festival, the Best Dramatic Short at First Look Festival, L.A. and Best Performance at WILDsound Short Film Festival in Toronto, Canada. Her feature script, Fly Away, won the Dylan Thomas Award for Best International Screenplay from the 2010 Swansea Bay Film Festival in Wales.
Made as a SAG Ultra-Low Budget Independent film, and shot in 14 days, Fly Away premiered as 1 of 8 out of 2000 submissions in Dramatic Competition at the influential South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, this March.
Fly Away, went on to win the Best Film and Special Jury Prize for Performance (Ashley Rickards) at the Arizona International Film Festival. The film opened immediately afterwards in April 2011, in limited theatrical engagement, to rave reviews. It is currently distributed by FlatironFilms/ New Video via iTunes, NetFlix, Amazon and VOD/Time Warner-Comcast.
The complex portrayals of a single mother and her severely autistic teenager daughter (Beth Broderick and Ashley Rickards, who does not actually have the disorder), in collaboration with a talented ensemble, were widely lauded by major critics, as “exceptional...remarkable...first rate...as natural as breathing...The actors are so exemplary it is hard to imagine this is not a documentary,” and “deserving of an Oscar Nomination.”
Critical Acclaim For
Fly Away
“Fly Away is a gripping, life-enhancing low-budget little film about the physically and emotionally punishing struggles of a single mother raising an autistic child. The actors are so exemplary that it is difficult to imagine this is not a documentary. They might not be household names, but they will be...As the mother, Beth Broderick is as natural as breathing... In a class by herself (Rickards), she deserves, at the very least, an Oscar nomination. Not since Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker has any actor portrayed a handicapped child (especially one with autism) with the same depth of passion and realism. Her emotional range seems to know no limits. She’s more heartbreaking than the movie itself, and that is very high praise indeed.”
- The New York Observer By Rex Reed
“The lovely, heartbreaking "Fly Away" benefits from superb performances and a gripping story managed with simplicity and grace by writer-producer-director Janet Grillo. As sensitive and affecting as this mother-daughter drama may be, the film skillfully bypasses its genre's potential pitfalls, opting for intimacy over sensationalism, poignancy over sentimentality.... Broderick is wonderful, a delicate mix of the resolute and resigned, her face a quietly expressive map of pain and pride. But enough can't be said about Rickards, best known from TV's "One Tree Hill," who so convincingly embodies Mandy's wild child spontaneity, startling effusiveness and unwieldy physicality. She's remarkable — in a remarkably challenging role.”
- La Times By Gary Goldstein
“Treading warily into territory that few dramas dare to explore, “Fly Away” is a defiantly unsentimental look at the complex codependency between a harried single mother and her severely autistic daughter... Taking a coolheaded approach to hot-button issues, “Fly Away” overcomes its neatly bow-tied ending with strong performances (including Greg Germann as a sensitive neighbor) and a spare, intelligent script. Ms. Grillo has no need of wordiness: Jeanne’s bruised body and exhausted face say it all.”
- New York Times By Jeannette Catsoulis
“The best thing a serious, no-nonsense movie can do is give us a glimpse into the world of someone whose experiences are so far away from our own that they are difficult for us to even imagine... Jeanne is multidimensional in a very real, down to earth sense...Broderick plays Jeanne with a lost look on her face. She is overwhelmed by her circumstances, but is determined to persevere. After many changes in key, when the symphony that is this film comes to a close, we see that Jeanne may be about to face her biggest challenge yet. An ending can be seen as a new beginning, and this film leaves me hoping for a sequel.”
- Huffington Post By Joseph Smigelski
Also highly awarded, Ashley Rickards, the extraordinary young actress who plays the severely autistic teen Mandy, also stars in the new MTV comedy hit, Awkward. For which she was just listed as one of the 10 Breakout TV stars of 2011 in Entertainment Weekly. Ashley is Not autistic, obviously. Although most people think she is, after watching the film. She turned 18 when she shot Fly Away. Pretty remarkable range and talent, and at such a young age.
Previously, Janet worked at New Line Cinema for ten years, rising through the ranks to become the Senior Vice President of Production, East Coast. During this time she established an outstanding track record initiating the careers of many emerging filmmakers, including Reggie Hudlin, for whom she developed his feature debut, House Party. The film received the coveted Audience Award at Sundance, and went on to become a cult classic, grossing $25 million in North American theatrical revenues on a budget of $1.5 million. Janet then executive produced its two financially successful sequels. At New Line, Janet developed and executive produced Joseph B. Vasquez's acclaimed feature Hangin with the Homeboys starring John Leguizamo. It received the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. She then went on to develop and associate produce Pump Up the Volume starring Christian Slater, as well as Ted Demme directorial debut, Who's The Man. The same year, she also managed to develop and executive produce David O. Russell acclaimed feature debut, Spanking the Monkey. It won the Sundance Audience Award and launched his prestigious career.
After a decade at New Line, Janet left to produce independently. Since then she executive produced the critically acclaimed independent feature, Joe The King, which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Along with Ruth Charny (Grace of My Heart and Search and Destroy), Janet produced Searching for Paradise, which was developed by the Sundance Institute, and distributed on the Sundance Channel.
A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, with an Honors in Theatre, Janet also trained at William Esper Acting Studio in New York City. While completing her Mfa in Dramatic Writing at Nyu Tisch School of the Arts, she served as Assistant Literary Manager for Circle Repertory Company, where she was also a member of their Playwright Workshop Lab. In addition, Janet was a finalist for the American Film Innstitute Women's Workshop in Directing, 2008. Her feature screenplay, 2B, was a finalist for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab in 2009. Her plays have been publicly read at Playwrights' Horizons and by actors including Annette Bening, Patricia Arquette, Catherine O'Hara, Hart Bochner, Dana Delany, Bradley Whitford and Jane Kazmarek. She is a member of the Playwrights Workshop at Ensemble Studio Theatre, West. A frequent blogger for The Huffington Post, Janet is also an Autism Advocacy activist. The mother of a son on the Autism Spectrum, she served as a Board Member of Cure Autism Now, which merged with Autism Speaks in 2007. She currently resides in Los Angeles.
- 2/22/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Please join us for a screening of "Fly Away" followed by a Q&A with Director/Writer Janet Grillo and Cast Members Jr Bourne and Reno. The event will be Wednesday, November 16th at 7:00 Pm at the Nyit Auditorium on Broadway, 1871 Broadway (Between 61st and 62nd Streets), New York City.Made as a SAG Ultra-Low Budget Independent film, and shot in 14 days, "Fly Away" premiered as 1 of 8 out of 2000 submissions in Dramatic Competition at the influential South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, this March. "Fly Away" immediately opened afterwards, in limited theatrical engagement in key cities, to rave reviews.The complex portrayals of a single mother and her severely Autistic teenager daughter (Beth Broderick and Ashley Rickards, who does not actually have the disorder), in collaboration with a talented ensemble (Greg Germann, Jr Bourne and Reno), were widely lauded by major critics, as "exceptional…remarkable…first rate…...
- 11/4/2011
- by help@backstage.com ()
- backstage.com
Ashley Rickards turned 19 in May, and she has a lot to celebrate this year. In March, her film "Fly Away" premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival, earning Rickards raves for her portrayal of Mandy, a 16-year-old autistic girl. Written and directed by Janet Grillo and co-starring Beth Broderick as Mandy's mother, the film is now available on DVD, with 10 percent of the profits going to Autism Speaks.Currently, Rickards can be seen in a wildly different role on MTV's scripted series "Awkward." She stars as Jenna Hamilton, a teenage wallflower who finds herself becoming the talk of her high school after an accident is misconstrued as a suicide attempt. The irreverent series follows Jenna's journey as she finds her place in the high school hierarchy. "It's a very inspiring and empowering journey for anybody, not just young girls," Rickards notes. "The subjects we touch on in the...
- 7/21/2011
- by help@backstage.com (Jenelle Riley)
- backstage.com
Autism is a tough topic to tackle on film. Not only do you run the risk of upsetting folks by misrepresenting the condition, but if you take it too far, drowning the viewers in the severity of the disorder, the film loses its entertainment value. Well, writer-director Janet Grillo has found a happy medium and that makes her first feature film, Fly Away, not only an honest and moving telling, but an enjoyable one, too. The film stars Beth Broderick as Jeanne, the mother of an autistic child, Mandy (Ashley Rickards). Not only must Jeanne raise Mandy on her own, but ensure she’s getting the proper clinical attention and treatment,...
- 4/27/2011
- by Perri Nemiroff
- ShockYa
Emotional and involving yet also clear-eyed and with a cool wisdom, Janet Grillo’s Fly Away is a sharply observed and strongly acted tale of a mother learning to allow her autistic teenage daughter to transition into the adult world. Beth Broderick plays Jeanne, a single mom with her own home-office corporate consulting business. Ashley Rickards is her daughter Mandy, and the two have a tight, well-ordered relationship, with Jeanne trying to grow her business during the day while Mandy attends a special needs school. But when Mandy begins a series of violent outbursts at that school, Jeanne’s almost preternatural composure begins to crack.
Exploring not just autism from a mother’s perspective but also the struggle all of us have to maintain our own identities and emotional lives amidst all that life throws at us, Fly Away has a remarkably sagacious insight into all of its characters. The...
Exploring not just autism from a mother’s perspective but also the struggle all of us have to maintain our own identities and emotional lives amidst all that life throws at us, Fly Away has a remarkably sagacious insight into all of its characters. The...
- 4/16/2011
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Nobility counts for so much in people and so little in movies. Director Janet Grillo's "Fly Away" is an exceedingly noble film. I admire its commitment to autism education even while I admit I did not like it very much. Its heart is in the right place, and I'm sure it was a labor of love for Grillo and for many in her cast and crew.
It is the story of mother's struggle to care and provide for her autistic daughter, Mandy. She's 16 and despite medication and her mother's constant attention and hard-work, her behavior isn't improving. Mandy's too much of a handful for her public school teachers, who continually press mom Jeanne to get Mandy into a full time care and education facility while Jeanne fights like the Dickens to keep her family together.
That, along with a warm and optimistic love story between Jeanne and a man...
It is the story of mother's struggle to care and provide for her autistic daughter, Mandy. She's 16 and despite medication and her mother's constant attention and hard-work, her behavior isn't improving. Mandy's too much of a handful for her public school teachers, who continually press mom Jeanne to get Mandy into a full time care and education facility while Jeanne fights like the Dickens to keep her family together.
That, along with a warm and optimistic love story between Jeanne and a man...
- 4/16/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
One of my more pleasant surprises at SXSW was Janet Grillo's Fly Away. It's a film that's been flying under the radar -- this trailer's been out since December, but it wasn't until Apple picked it up that it really got any attention. It's a shame, because it was a great little movie, a story about a disabled child that wasn't about a disabled child, but rather about the rather complicated and often difficult family dynamics that are involved. Here's a bit o' synopsis for you:
The poignant yet humor filled story about a single mother of a teenager severely impacted by autism, forced to reckon with her daughter's future. As her child becomes an adult, what used to work, no longer does. What will sustain her daughter, and herself? A parent-child love story, when love means letting go.
Yes, that reads awfully shmaltzy, and it sounds a little Lifetime-y.
The poignant yet humor filled story about a single mother of a teenager severely impacted by autism, forced to reckon with her daughter's future. As her child becomes an adult, what used to work, no longer does. What will sustain her daughter, and herself? A parent-child love story, when love means letting go.
Yes, that reads awfully shmaltzy, and it sounds a little Lifetime-y.
- 4/14/2011
- by TK
Outside of the glitz, glamour, and red carpets at SXSW, one can find some truly personal cinema in the festivals daunting lineup. This year one such film, Fly Away, tells a small, intimate story with little frills but much insight. It's the story of a single mother struggling with the demands of her autistic daughter.
Read more on SXSW 2011 Video Interview: Fly Away writer/director Janet Grillo and actress Beth Broderick...
Read more on SXSW 2011 Video Interview: Fly Away writer/director Janet Grillo and actress Beth Broderick...
- 3/28/2011
- by Brian Kelley
- GordonandtheWhale
At the risk of sounding callous, there are few types of film that are more emotionally manipulative than those that involve children. Viewers hate to see a child suffer, they hate to see a parent suffer, yet they pack the theaters like a clown car to see these films. Frequently the films are either painfully maudlin or cloyingly sappy. Film makers prey on the gooey center of viewers (and critics, for that matter) and twist their sympathies in the cheapest of fashions.
Fly Away is not one of those films, nor is Janet Grillo one of those directors. The film has its share of sadness and woe, but it doesn't resort to weak heartstring tactics to deliver its message. Fly Away centers on Jeanne (Beth Roderick, perhaps best known as Zelda on "Sabrina The Teenage Witch"), the harried divorced mother of Mandy, her 16 year-old daughter who has severe autism. Jeanne has,...
Fly Away is not one of those films, nor is Janet Grillo one of those directors. The film has its share of sadness and woe, but it doesn't resort to weak heartstring tactics to deliver its message. Fly Away centers on Jeanne (Beth Roderick, perhaps best known as Zelda on "Sabrina The Teenage Witch"), the harried divorced mother of Mandy, her 16 year-old daughter who has severe autism. Jeanne has,...
- 3/17/2011
- by TK
Talk show host Conan O'Brien took to the stage for a rousing Q&A following the world premiere of the doc in which he's "the star," Rodman Flender's "Conan O'Brien Can't Stop." Conan jumped up and down and ran a few circles around Flender who was joined on stage by SXSW Film Festival Producer Janet Grillo. For more on the film, read iW's interview with the director.
- 3/16/2011
- Indiewire
One of the great elements of Catherine Hardwicke's films throughout the years has been a sense of place and community, whether it was the loose-knit family of orphaned Southern California skaters in "Lords of Dogtown," the tenuous, hard-won relationship between the warm-hearted vampire clan of the Cullens and the occasionally chilly human population of Forks, Washington in "Twilight" or even in her latest film "Red Riding Hood," where Amanda Seyfried's titular character goes from beloved daughter and belle of the town to an outcast whose societal freefall after her encounter with the big bad wolf feels particularly cruel given how strongly the director sets up the world around her.
So there's little surprise that Hardwicke's "Director's Workshop" Saturday afternoon at SXSW, which is fast becoming a home away from home for the helmer who went to the University of Texas' School of Architecture after growing up in the Texas bordertown of McAllen,...
So there's little surprise that Hardwicke's "Director's Workshop" Saturday afternoon at SXSW, which is fast becoming a home away from home for the helmer who went to the University of Texas' School of Architecture after growing up in the Texas bordertown of McAllen,...
- 3/14/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
Courtesy of SXSW A scene from “Fly Away”
It’s been 81 years since Virginia Wolff published her famous essay, more than 20 since I read it, and even more before I followed her advice that “a woman must have a room of her own, if she is to write.”
When my mother was my age, she considered the best part of her life as behind her. When my grandmother was this age, considered herself “old.” And my great-grandmother most certainly was.
It’s been 81 years since Virginia Wolff published her famous essay, more than 20 since I read it, and even more before I followed her advice that “a woman must have a room of her own, if she is to write.”
When my mother was my age, she considered the best part of her life as behind her. When my grandmother was this age, considered herself “old.” And my great-grandmother most certainly was.
- 3/12/2011
- by Janet Grillo
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
With the 2011 SXSW Film Conference and Festival kicking off a week from tomorrow in Austin, indieWIRE is releasing its first slate of SXSW filmmaker interviews, as part of the "Meet the 2011 SXSW Filmmakers" series, that spotlights directors with films in this year's Narrative Competition, Documentary Competition and Emerging Visions lineups. Today's first crop include Janet Grillo's "Fly Away" (Narrative Competition), Vikram Gandhi's documentary "Kumaré" (Documentary Competition) and Guy ...
- 3/3/2011
- indieWIRE - People
With the 2011 SXSW Film Conference and Festival kicking off a week from tomorrow in Austin, indieWIRE is releasing its first slate of SXSW filmmaker interviews, as part of the "Meet the 2011 SXSW Filmmakers" series, that spotlights directors with films in this year's Narrative Competition, Documentary Competition and Emerging Visions lineups. Today's first crop include Janet Grillo's "Fly Away" (Narrative Competition), Vikram Gandhi's documentary "Kumaré" (Documentary Competition) and Guy ...
- 3/3/2011
- indieWIRE - People
With the 2011 SXSW Film Conference and Festival kicking off a week from tomorrow in Austin, indieWIRE is releasing its first slate of SXSW filmmaker interviews, as part of the "Meet the 2011 SXSW Filmmakers" series, that spotlights directors with films in this year's Narrative Competition, Documentary Competition and Emerging Visions lineups. Today's first crop include Janet Grillo's "Fly Away" (Narrative Competition), Vikram Gandhi's documentary "Kumaré" (Documentary Competition) and Guy ...
- 3/3/2011
- Indiewire
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: We have a little bit of time to process the extensive South By Southwest film line up, which was unveiled by festival programmers earlier this week. This year’s event, scheduled to take over beautiful Austin, Texas from March 11 to 19, will showcase 130 features including 60 world premieres, 12 North American premieres and 16 U.S. premieres.
“SXSW prides itself on taking chances, sifting for films that are the seedlings of the next generation of must-see artists,” said Film Conference and Festival Producer Janet Pierson. “This year’s line up is full of emerging voices and filmmakers who transcended the resources they had on hand, often with an alchemist’s touch.”
As we prepare to bring you exclusive coverage from Austin, I went ahead and singled out the 15 films I’m most looking forward to seeing while in town. The descriptions were provided by the SXSW press team,...
Hollywoodnews.com: We have a little bit of time to process the extensive South By Southwest film line up, which was unveiled by festival programmers earlier this week. This year’s event, scheduled to take over beautiful Austin, Texas from March 11 to 19, will showcase 130 features including 60 world premieres, 12 North American premieres and 16 U.S. premieres.
“SXSW prides itself on taking chances, sifting for films that are the seedlings of the next generation of must-see artists,” said Film Conference and Festival Producer Janet Pierson. “This year’s line up is full of emerging voices and filmmakers who transcended the resources they had on hand, often with an alchemist’s touch.”
As we prepare to bring you exclusive coverage from Austin, I went ahead and singled out the 15 films I’m most looking forward to seeing while in town. The descriptions were provided by the SXSW press team,...
- 2/4/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
In the first purchase of the upcoming SXSW Film Festival, New Video has acquired Janet Grillo's "Fly Away." New Video plans to give the film a limited theatrical run through its Flatiron Film Co. on April 26, with a focus on digital, cable VOD and DVD distribution. "Fly Away" is Grillo's feature debut and one of the eight titles in SXSW's narrative feature competition. "Fly Away" will make its world ...
- 2/3/2011
- Indiewire
Eight films competing in feature category at Austin gathering include story of one man and his boat and film set in an La flat
With its focus on new and up-and-coming film-makers, Austin's SXSW is perhaps the least ostentatious of culture festivals. Perhaps there's something in the Texas water, for the newly announced competition lineup also features a number of movies that adopt a "less is more" approach.
Of the eight films that will vie for the top prize in the narrative feature section, Chris Eyre's A Year in Mooring is about a man (Josh Lucas) and his boat, Terry McMahon's Charlie Casanova takes place mostly in a bar and hotel, and Matt D'Elia's American Animal is a two-hander set in a Los Angeles flat shared by a terminally ill eccentric and his room-mate.
Other films to screen in competition will include Aimee Lagos's 96 Minutes, Janet Grillo's Fly Away,...
With its focus on new and up-and-coming film-makers, Austin's SXSW is perhaps the least ostentatious of culture festivals. Perhaps there's something in the Texas water, for the newly announced competition lineup also features a number of movies that adopt a "less is more" approach.
Of the eight films that will vie for the top prize in the narrative feature section, Chris Eyre's A Year in Mooring is about a man (Josh Lucas) and his boat, Terry McMahon's Charlie Casanova takes place mostly in a bar and hotel, and Matt D'Elia's American Animal is a two-hander set in a Los Angeles flat shared by a terminally ill eccentric and his room-mate.
Other films to screen in competition will include Aimee Lagos's 96 Minutes, Janet Grillo's Fly Away,...
- 2/3/2011
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
The South by Southwest Film Festival announced its feature film line-up Wednesday, piling heaps of cinematic goodness on an already stellar program that includes Jodie Foster’s The Beaver, Duncan Jones’ Source Code, Ti West’s The Innkeepers, Conan O’Brien’s tour documentary, and the latest Simon Pegg-Nick Frost comedy, Paul, with Seth Rogen.
Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight) returns to the festival with her latest film, Red Riding Hood starring Amanda Seyfried, after the writer-director spoke on a screenwriting panel in 2009.
Plus a few favorites from the Sundance Film Festival last month, like Tom McCarthy’s Win Win, Morgan Spurlock’s The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, and Max Winkler’s Ceremony.
I’m extremely excited, even if I’m already having flashbacks to intense sleep deprivation. Like the last two years, I’ll be on the ground covering as much of the festival as I can within the packed 9 days of screenings,...
Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight) returns to the festival with her latest film, Red Riding Hood starring Amanda Seyfried, after the writer-director spoke on a screenwriting panel in 2009.
Plus a few favorites from the Sundance Film Festival last month, like Tom McCarthy’s Win Win, Morgan Spurlock’s The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, and Max Winkler’s Ceremony.
I’m extremely excited, even if I’m already having flashbacks to intense sleep deprivation. Like the last two years, I’ll be on the ground covering as much of the festival as I can within the packed 9 days of screenings,...
- 2/3/2011
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
‘Tapping into the cultural zeitgeist,’ at SXSW 2011
Austin, Texas – The SXSW 2011 Feature Film Lineup was unveiled Wednesday afternoon. The festival lineup will consist of 130 features, in nine full days of programming, promising to deliver a film-going experience unlike previous years.
With a reputation for taking chances on relatively unknown filmmakers, the SXSW panel of judges carefully picked 130 films from 1,792 feature-length film submissions, (1,323 U.S. and 469 international). The program consists of 60 World Premieres, 12 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres.
The main competition categories return with eight Narrative Features, and eight Documentary Features, both competing for their respective Grand Jury Prize. New for films in competition this year, are awards for screenplay, editing, cinematography, music, and acting.
(The Midnighters and SXFantastic feature sections, along with the short film program, will be announced next week.)
Here are a few of the Features to be screened, among many others.
Narratives:
The Beaver (World Premiere)
Dir.
Austin, Texas – The SXSW 2011 Feature Film Lineup was unveiled Wednesday afternoon. The festival lineup will consist of 130 features, in nine full days of programming, promising to deliver a film-going experience unlike previous years.
With a reputation for taking chances on relatively unknown filmmakers, the SXSW panel of judges carefully picked 130 films from 1,792 feature-length film submissions, (1,323 U.S. and 469 international). The program consists of 60 World Premieres, 12 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres.
The main competition categories return with eight Narrative Features, and eight Documentary Features, both competing for their respective Grand Jury Prize. New for films in competition this year, are awards for screenplay, editing, cinematography, music, and acting.
(The Midnighters and SXFantastic feature sections, along with the short film program, will be announced next week.)
Here are a few of the Features to be screened, among many others.
Narratives:
The Beaver (World Premiere)
Dir.
- 2/3/2011
- by Albert Art
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Readers of Sound On Sight can be sure that we will indeed be covering the SXSW Film Festival once again. As previously reported, Duncan Jones’ latest film Source Code is opening the festival and there will also be premieres for the documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Greg Mottola’s Paul, and Jodie Foster’s The Beaver. Now the full line-up has been announced it is incredible.
Hit the jump to check out the line-up, and be sure to visit our site during the event.
The 2011 SXSW Film Festival runs from March 11 – 19th in Austin, Texas.
SXSW Film Announces 2011 Features Lineup
Austin, Texas – February 2, 2011 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 11 – 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas. The 2011 lineup continues the SXSW tradition of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, highlighting emerging talent and breakthrough performances and supporting first-time filmmakers.
Hit the jump to check out the line-up, and be sure to visit our site during the event.
The 2011 SXSW Film Festival runs from March 11 – 19th in Austin, Texas.
SXSW Film Announces 2011 Features Lineup
Austin, Texas – February 2, 2011 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 11 – 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas. The 2011 lineup continues the SXSW tradition of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, highlighting emerging talent and breakthrough performances and supporting first-time filmmakers.
- 2/3/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
"Win Win," starring Paul Giamatti, left, and Alex Shaffer, will screen at SXSW
Aimée Lagos’ thriller “96 Minutes,” starring Brittany Snow; Chris Eyre’s “A Year in Mooring” and “American Animal” from writer-director Matt D’Elia are among the films that will screen in competition at next month’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
These films will be joined in the Headliners section by Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan in Tom McCarthy’s “Win Win,” Takashi Miike’s “13 Assassins,” Rainn Wilson in “Super” and others previously announced including Jodie Foster’s “The Beaver,” Greg Mottola’s “Paul,” the documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” from director Rodman Flender, and the opening-night world premiere of Duncan Jones’ “Source Code.”
The following are highlights from the lineup announced Wednesday, with descriptions provided by the festival.
Narrative Feature Competition “96 Minutes”
Director, Writer: Aimée Lagos
Four young lives. One night. One terrifying event.
Aimée Lagos’ thriller “96 Minutes,” starring Brittany Snow; Chris Eyre’s “A Year in Mooring” and “American Animal” from writer-director Matt D’Elia are among the films that will screen in competition at next month’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
These films will be joined in the Headliners section by Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan in Tom McCarthy’s “Win Win,” Takashi Miike’s “13 Assassins,” Rainn Wilson in “Super” and others previously announced including Jodie Foster’s “The Beaver,” Greg Mottola’s “Paul,” the documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” from director Rodman Flender, and the opening-night world premiere of Duncan Jones’ “Source Code.”
The following are highlights from the lineup announced Wednesday, with descriptions provided by the festival.
Narrative Feature Competition “96 Minutes”
Director, Writer: Aimée Lagos
Four young lives. One night. One terrifying event.
- 2/3/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
"Win Win," starring Paul Giamatti, left, and Alex Shaffer, will screen at SXSW
Aimée Lagos’ thriller “96 Minutes,” starring Brittany Snow; Chris Eyre’s “A Year in Mooring” and “American Animal” from writer-director Matt D’Elia are among the films that will screen in competition at next month’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
These films will be joined in the Headliners section by Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan in Tom McCarthy’s “Win Win,” Takashi Miike’s “13 Assassins,” Rainn Wilson in “Super” and others previously announced including Jodie Foster’s “The Beaver,” Greg Mottola’s “Paul,” the documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” from director Rodman Flender, and the opening-night world premiere of Duncan Jones’ “Source Code.”
The following are highlights from the lineup announced Wednesday, with descriptions provided by the festival.
Narrative Feature Competition “96 Minutes”
Director, Writer: Aimée Lagos
Four young lives. One night. One terrifying event.
Aimée Lagos’ thriller “96 Minutes,” starring Brittany Snow; Chris Eyre’s “A Year in Mooring” and “American Animal” from writer-director Matt D’Elia are among the films that will screen in competition at next month’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
These films will be joined in the Headliners section by Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan in Tom McCarthy’s “Win Win,” Takashi Miike’s “13 Assassins,” Rainn Wilson in “Super” and others previously announced including Jodie Foster’s “The Beaver,” Greg Mottola’s “Paul,” the documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” from director Rodman Flender, and the opening-night world premiere of Duncan Jones’ “Source Code.”
The following are highlights from the lineup announced Wednesday, with descriptions provided by the festival.
Narrative Feature Competition “96 Minutes”
Director, Writer: Aimée Lagos
Four young lives. One night. One terrifying event.
- 2/3/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
South by Southwest, lovingly abbreviated to SXSW, for those who don’t know, is one of the premiere geek film festivals held in the United States. Always held in Austin, Texas, this year it runs from March 11-19, and it’s definitely one to watch out for. The official lineup has been revealed on the festival’s site, and you can take a look at part of it below.
It’s a pretty exciting assortment of movies set up for those lucky enough to attend, going across the board in terms of genre and profile. Below you can see the Narrative Feature Competition and the Documentary Feature Competition. The Headliners, over at the site, features some of the bigger films, such as Paul, Source Code (the opening night premiere), Win Win and The Beaver. Take a look at those below, and the rest over at the link above.
Narrative Feature...
It’s a pretty exciting assortment of movies set up for those lucky enough to attend, going across the board in terms of genre and profile. Below you can see the Narrative Feature Competition and the Documentary Feature Competition. The Headliners, over at the site, features some of the bigger films, such as Paul, Source Code (the opening night premiere), Win Win and The Beaver. Take a look at those below, and the rest over at the link above.
Narrative Feature...
- 2/2/2011
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
The South By Southwest Film Conference and Festival announced this year's features lineup. The festival takes place March 11-19 in Austin, Texas.
There are a total of 130 features screening this year including 60 world premieres, 12 North American premieres and 16 U.S. premieres! This year the a total of 1,792 feature-length films were submitted, which is the most ever.
There are going to be some amazing films shown this yea. Opening night kicks off with Duncan Jones' Source Code (Moon). The fest rolls on with Jodie Foster‘s The Beaver, Greg Mottola‘s Paul, Sundance Grand Prize doc winner How to Die in Oregon, Errol Morris‘ Tabloid, Victoria Mahoney‘s Yelling to the Sky, Azazel Jacob‘s Terri. There will also be a special screening of Catherine Hardwicke‘s Red Riding Hood.
The Midnight and SXFantastic sections will be announced with the shorts program next week.
See the complete lineup below via...
There are a total of 130 features screening this year including 60 world premieres, 12 North American premieres and 16 U.S. premieres! This year the a total of 1,792 feature-length films were submitted, which is the most ever.
There are going to be some amazing films shown this yea. Opening night kicks off with Duncan Jones' Source Code (Moon). The fest rolls on with Jodie Foster‘s The Beaver, Greg Mottola‘s Paul, Sundance Grand Prize doc winner How to Die in Oregon, Errol Morris‘ Tabloid, Victoria Mahoney‘s Yelling to the Sky, Azazel Jacob‘s Terri. There will also be a special screening of Catherine Hardwicke‘s Red Riding Hood.
The Midnight and SXFantastic sections will be announced with the shorts program next week.
See the complete lineup below via...
- 2/2/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
South by Southwest Film is delighted to present the features lineup for the 2011 Film Program. We’re excited to share all this amazing, cutting edge filmmaking talent with the world.
Find the complete lineup here, and take a peek at our Feature Competitions:
Narrative Feature Competition
96 Minutes
Director & Writer: Aimée Lagos
(World Premiere)
A Year in Mooring
Director: Chris Eyre, Writer: Peter Vanderwall
(World Premiere)
American Animal
Director & Writer: Matt D’Elia
(World Premiere)
Charlie Casanova (Ireland)
Director & Writer: Terry McMahon
(World Premiere)
Fly Away
Director & Writer: Janet Grillo
(World Premiere)
Happy New Year
Director & Writer: K. Lorrel Manning
(World Premiere)
Natural Selection
Director & Writer: Robbie Pickering
(World Premiere)
Small, Beautifully Moving Parts
Directors & Writers: Annie J. Howell & Lisa Robinson
(World Premiere)
Documentary Feature Competition
A Mouthful
Director: Sally Rowe
(World Premiere)
Better This World
Directors: Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega
(World Premiere)
The City Dark
Director: Ian Cheney...
Find the complete lineup here, and take a peek at our Feature Competitions:
Narrative Feature Competition
96 Minutes
Director & Writer: Aimée Lagos
(World Premiere)
A Year in Mooring
Director: Chris Eyre, Writer: Peter Vanderwall
(World Premiere)
American Animal
Director & Writer: Matt D’Elia
(World Premiere)
Charlie Casanova (Ireland)
Director & Writer: Terry McMahon
(World Premiere)
Fly Away
Director & Writer: Janet Grillo
(World Premiere)
Happy New Year
Director & Writer: K. Lorrel Manning
(World Premiere)
Natural Selection
Director & Writer: Robbie Pickering
(World Premiere)
Small, Beautifully Moving Parts
Directors & Writers: Annie J. Howell & Lisa Robinson
(World Premiere)
Documentary Feature Competition
A Mouthful
Director: Sally Rowe
(World Premiere)
Better This World
Directors: Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega
(World Premiere)
The City Dark
Director: Ian Cheney...
- 2/2/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Released today, the South By Southwest Film Conference and Festival has announced the features lineup for this year’s fest, which will take place March 11-19 in Austin, Texas.
130 features (consisting of 60 world premieres, 12 North American premieres and 16 U.S. premieres) will screen this year from a record-high 1,792 feature-length films submitted to SXSW producer Janet Pierson and her team.
Highlights include opening night film Source Code, from Duncan Jones (Moon), Jodie Foster‘s The Beaver, Greg Mottola‘s Paul, Sundance Grand Prize doc winner How to Die in Oregon, Errol Morris‘ Tabloid, Victoria Mahoney‘s Yelling to the Sky, Azazel Jacob‘s Terri and a special screening of Catherine Hardwicke‘s Red Riding Hood.
See the complete lineup below. The Midnight and SXFantastic sections will be announced with the shorts program next week.
Narrative Feature Competition
96 Minutes
Director & Writer: Aimée Lagos
Four young lives. One night. One terrifying event. These 96 minutes will change everything.
130 features (consisting of 60 world premieres, 12 North American premieres and 16 U.S. premieres) will screen this year from a record-high 1,792 feature-length films submitted to SXSW producer Janet Pierson and her team.
Highlights include opening night film Source Code, from Duncan Jones (Moon), Jodie Foster‘s The Beaver, Greg Mottola‘s Paul, Sundance Grand Prize doc winner How to Die in Oregon, Errol Morris‘ Tabloid, Victoria Mahoney‘s Yelling to the Sky, Azazel Jacob‘s Terri and a special screening of Catherine Hardwicke‘s Red Riding Hood.
See the complete lineup below. The Midnight and SXFantastic sections will be announced with the shorts program next week.
Narrative Feature Competition
96 Minutes
Director & Writer: Aimée Lagos
Four young lives. One night. One terrifying event. These 96 minutes will change everything.
- 2/2/2011
- by Jason Guerrasio
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) just announced their entire 2011 feature film lineup, and there’s isn’t a lot of note, with regards to this blog’s focus.
Titles you should be aware of – all of which we’ve previously profiled on Shadow And Act – include, Victoria Mahoney’s feature film debut, Yelling To The Sky (which will actually make its world debut at the Berlin Film Festival later this month); plus Blacktino, the first feature film from writer/director Aaron Burns, a self-described “blacktino nerd from Austin, Texas,” who got his start at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios doing visual effects; Benda Bilili, a documentary about a band of homeless, disabled Congolese; and last, but not least, Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey, a documentary about the black man that happens to be the man behind the puppet (which also played at Sundance).
There might be...
Titles you should be aware of – all of which we’ve previously profiled on Shadow And Act – include, Victoria Mahoney’s feature film debut, Yelling To The Sky (which will actually make its world debut at the Berlin Film Festival later this month); plus Blacktino, the first feature film from writer/director Aaron Burns, a self-described “blacktino nerd from Austin, Texas,” who got his start at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios doing visual effects; Benda Bilili, a documentary about a band of homeless, disabled Congolese; and last, but not least, Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey, a documentary about the black man that happens to be the man behind the puppet (which also played at Sundance).
There might be...
- 2/2/2011
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
The South by Southwest Film Festival has announced their features lineup for the 2011’s Festival, which will take place March 11th to the 19th in Austin Texas. Read the full press release after the jump. SXSW Film Announces 2011 Features Lineup Austin, Texas – February 2, 2011 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 11 – 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas. The 2011 lineup continues the SXSW tradition of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, highlighting emerging talent and breakthrough performances and supporting first-time filmmakers. The Midnighters and SXFantastic feature sections, along with the short film program, will be announced next week. “This is the most exciting moment for us. After a fantastic festival of discovery in 2010, we can finally unveil the line up for this year’s event,” says Film Conference and Festival Producer Janet Pierson. “SXSW prides itself on taking chances, sifting for...
- 2/2/2011
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
Janet Grillo, a producer (Autism: The Musical, Searching for Paradise), former New Line executive, and writer/director (the short, Flying Lessons), has directed her first feature, Fly Away. From the film’s website:
Based on the award-winning short Flying Lessons, Fly Away tells the moving story of a single mother, Jeanne, grappling with the challenge of raising her autistic teenage daughter, Mandy. As Mandy becomes more and more unmanageable, so too does Jeanne?s life. Over the period of two weeks, Jeanne is confronted with the most difficult decision a parent can make: to let go, allowing her child to grow, but also grow apart, or to hold on tight and fall together.
The filmmakers are currently in post-production, so look for the film in 2011. The trailer is below.
Fly Away Trailer from Fly Away on Vimeo.
Based on the award-winning short Flying Lessons, Fly Away tells the moving story of a single mother, Jeanne, grappling with the challenge of raising her autistic teenage daughter, Mandy. As Mandy becomes more and more unmanageable, so too does Jeanne?s life. Over the period of two weeks, Jeanne is confronted with the most difficult decision a parent can make: to let go, allowing her child to grow, but also grow apart, or to hold on tight and fall together.
The filmmakers are currently in post-production, so look for the film in 2011. The trailer is below.
Fly Away Trailer from Fly Away on Vimeo.
- 12/25/2010
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Perhaps it was because it was the first night of Afm, or perhaps it was a prequel to the first night of AFI Fest, but whatever the occasion, it was a great party Wednesday night at The Cat and Fiddle on Sunset Boulevard given by SXSW Film Conference and Festival. Janet Pierson was the regal hostess and everyone seemed to have a film in post. From Janet Grillo with Fly Away, Seth Nagel, Stephen Israel with three films in post no less: I Am Ben, Audrey and The Secret Lives of Dorks, Matt Wahl to Sam Kitt whose Cherry is…...
- 11/4/2010
- Sydney's Buzz
Palm Springs International Film Festival
PALM SPRINGS -- Well-deserving of its slot on the Academy Awards shortlist for best documentary, "Autism: The Musical" is a moving testament to love and hope in the face of a diagnosis that seems to be reaching epidemic proportions.
While the five remarkable young performers spotlighted in Tricia Regan's film exhibit types of behavior that are as wide-ranging as the long-impenetrable neurological disorder itself, they share a diligent support group in the form of family members and the passionate acting teacher who has found a way to tap into their inner world.
In fact, the main attraction is beside the point, as Regan is less concerned with the actual show these kids put on than with the intriguing steps taken to get them there over the course of a six-month period.
Slated to air on HBO in April, the film also merits theatrical exposure, especially if it makes the cut when Oscar nominations are announced Jan. 22.
Aside from pointing out the unsettling fact that autism was diagnosed in 1 in 10,000 children in 1980 but today affects 1 in about 150 American children, the film dispenses with statistics and factoids in favor of a more intimate approach.
First we meet Elaine Hall, a former TV drama coach who redirected her professional energies after her son, Neal, was diagnosed with a severe form of autism.
Upon discovering that bringing in creative people -- such as actors, writers and musicians -- to engage her son proved more successful than traditional therapies, Hall developed the Miracle Project, a musical theater program catering to both special-needs and developmentally on-track kids.
Joining now-12-year-old Neal in that first category are four other fascinating children, including 14-year-old Lexi, who looks like a typical teen and sings like a Broadway baby; sensitive, articulate-beyond-his-years Wyatt; resident dinosaur expert Henry, who turns out to be Stephen Stills' son; and 9-year-old cello virtuoso Adam.
Watching Coach E. unlock some of those doors and windows into the kids' closely guarded inner lives is as absorbing as hearing their parents' fears and frustrations is heartbreaking.
And as is Regan's and Hall's intention, that journey to opening night ultimately proves more rewarding than whatever transpires after the curtain comes up.
AUTISM: THE MUSICAL
HBO Documentary Films
Bunim/Murray Prods. in association with In Effect Films
Credits:
Director/director of photography: Tricia Regan
Producers: Tricia Regan, Perrin Chiles, Sasha Alpert
Executive producers: Jonathan Murray, Joey Carson, Janet Grillo, David S. Glynn, Kristen Stills
Music: Mike Semple
Editor: Kim Roberts
Running time -- 94 minutes
No MPAA rating...
PALM SPRINGS -- Well-deserving of its slot on the Academy Awards shortlist for best documentary, "Autism: The Musical" is a moving testament to love and hope in the face of a diagnosis that seems to be reaching epidemic proportions.
While the five remarkable young performers spotlighted in Tricia Regan's film exhibit types of behavior that are as wide-ranging as the long-impenetrable neurological disorder itself, they share a diligent support group in the form of family members and the passionate acting teacher who has found a way to tap into their inner world.
In fact, the main attraction is beside the point, as Regan is less concerned with the actual show these kids put on than with the intriguing steps taken to get them there over the course of a six-month period.
Slated to air on HBO in April, the film also merits theatrical exposure, especially if it makes the cut when Oscar nominations are announced Jan. 22.
Aside from pointing out the unsettling fact that autism was diagnosed in 1 in 10,000 children in 1980 but today affects 1 in about 150 American children, the film dispenses with statistics and factoids in favor of a more intimate approach.
First we meet Elaine Hall, a former TV drama coach who redirected her professional energies after her son, Neal, was diagnosed with a severe form of autism.
Upon discovering that bringing in creative people -- such as actors, writers and musicians -- to engage her son proved more successful than traditional therapies, Hall developed the Miracle Project, a musical theater program catering to both special-needs and developmentally on-track kids.
Joining now-12-year-old Neal in that first category are four other fascinating children, including 14-year-old Lexi, who looks like a typical teen and sings like a Broadway baby; sensitive, articulate-beyond-his-years Wyatt; resident dinosaur expert Henry, who turns out to be Stephen Stills' son; and 9-year-old cello virtuoso Adam.
Watching Coach E. unlock some of those doors and windows into the kids' closely guarded inner lives is as absorbing as hearing their parents' fears and frustrations is heartbreaking.
And as is Regan's and Hall's intention, that journey to opening night ultimately proves more rewarding than whatever transpires after the curtain comes up.
AUTISM: THE MUSICAL
HBO Documentary Films
Bunim/Murray Prods. in association with In Effect Films
Credits:
Director/director of photography: Tricia Regan
Producers: Tricia Regan, Perrin Chiles, Sasha Alpert
Executive producers: Jonathan Murray, Joey Carson, Janet Grillo, David S. Glynn, Kristen Stills
Music: Mike Semple
Editor: Kim Roberts
Running time -- 94 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 1/11/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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