Whether you are a filmmaker, or one of the Sundance programmers whose task it is to identify the films that make up a line-up, it is indeed the most wonderful time of the year. The 32nd edition of the Sundance Film Festival kicks off on January 21st with Park City and Salt Lake City. Two decades back, Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan’s Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern was the Grand Jury Prize winner in the Documentary section while Todd Solondz’s Welcome to the Dollhouse beat out the likes of Nicole Holofcener’s Walking and Talking, Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott’s Big Night, Mary Harron’s I Shot Andy Warhol and Alexander Payne’s Citizen Ruth for the Grand Jury Prize dramatic.
As per our tradition here on the site and as we all get ready for the festival, we like to propose an overview of the films we...
As per our tradition here on the site and as we all get ready for the festival, we like to propose an overview of the films we...
- 11/23/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
With 2007′s off-kilter Zoo, Sundance Film Fest habitual Robinson Devor showed his true colors. His unrestricted creativity in storytelling means that his future slate includes mutations in both the fiction and the non-fiction field. With a recent installation showing at MoMA, a docu-portrait on Sarah Jane (the woman who came within inches of assassinating President Gerald R. Ford) in the works, and a feature film that saw the passing of the seasons (a book to film adaptation of 1920′s Americana in You Can’t Win) Robinson with help from oft creative collaborator Charles Mudede have been working on a new docu-project that stitches dual narratives that are a century apart in Pow Wow. The docu, which received successful rounds of crowdfunding earlier in the year, appears to eerily underline a strong set of similarities despite an obvious gap in time.
Gist: This uses modern day desert characters to echo and...
Gist: This uses modern day desert characters to echo and...
- 11/13/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Following in the path of former Sundance premiered, Australian stamped films such as Animal Kingdom, Top of the Lake and last year’s The Babadook, Ariel Kleiman’s feature debut is a high profile project that received the Sundance Institute/Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award back in ’12 and was part of the 2012 June Directors and Screenwriters Labs. Production on Partisan began in late 2013 and actually shot for a spurt in Georgia, and originally had Oscar Isaac in the lead before being replaced by Vincent Cassel. It was reported that Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, French artist Sebastian Tellier and UK group Metronomy have each composed a karaoke song especially for the flick. Prior to this, Kleiman built an especially great rapport with the festival, his 2010 short Young Love won an Honorable Mention in Short Filmmaking, and his following short Deeper Than Yesterday (watch here) won the Kodak Discovery Award for Best Short Film...
- 11/13/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The Champs Elysees Film Festival's in partnership with U.S. in Progress awarded the U.S. in Progress Prize to "Creative Control" Director and the film's star, Benjamin Dickinson, and Producers Craig Shilowich, Melody Roscher, Zachary Mortensen and Mark de Pace. Dickenson's first feature film "First Winter" premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.
"Creative Control", a dark sci-fi comedy is the near-future story of four Brooklynites whose tech-obsessed lifestyles get the better of them. Anxious, ambitious ad executive starts a chain reaction of destruction when he becomes obsessed with his best friend's free-spirited girlfriend while working on a campaign for a new generation of Augmented Reality Glasses. The life-like avatar he creates of her becomes too life-like as the blurred boundary between reality and fantasy spreads into an out-of-control space where everyone's public, private and imaginary lives implode.
Benjamin Dickenson grew up in Wheaton, Illinois and moved to New York in 1999 to attend Nyu's undergraduate film program. After graduation he and some friends from school started Waverly Films in a warehouse in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Benjamin started directing music videos for Dfa record artists such as LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture and the Juan Maclean. He has since made videos for Q-Tip and Reggie Watts, the "disinformationist" who c is currently appearing on the IFC television series "Comedy Bang! Bang" which began airing on June 8, 2012 and was renewed for a third season which will premiere in 2014. He has also directed commercials for Google, The Ford Motor Corporation, BMW, MTV and Guitar Hero.
Producer Marc de Pace is a partner at Ghost Robot, another Bushwick production company. In 2011 Mark produced Benjamin's "First Winter"released by Film Movement. He exec produced Michael Cera's short film "Brazzaville Teen-Ager" and Joey Garfield's feature film "A Love Letter for You". HIs producing credits also include music videos for Bjork, The Rapture and Grizzly Bear and ads for Google, Toshiba and At&T.
U.S. in Progress Paris took place during the third edition of the Champs Elysées Film Festival in Paris, on June 11-12 2014. The program presented 4 U.S. indie films in post-production to European sales agents, distributors and festival programmers in order to achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe. The event has doubled the amount of submissions this year and is quickly achieving a winning track record.
The trajectories of the directing/ writing/ producing/ acting teams of the other three contenders are all trending distinctively upward:
Writer/director Matthew Lessner and producer David Henry Gerson presented "Automatic at Sea". Their short film "Chapel Perilous" previously won the 2014 Audience Award at Sundance. Matthew's previous feature "The Woods", distributed by Film Movement, premiered in the New Frontier Program at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and was shortlisted for Independent Spirit and Gotham Awards. The San Francisco Film Society has awarded him two grants for his upcoming feature "Terror Tuesday". Producer David Henry Gerson also starred and to my eye and in my opinion is one of the few mature (adult vs. boy-type) male leads in this new generation of actors. Manly, threatening and aloof in his role, in life he is also smart (a graduate of Colombia University with a bachelor's degree in English Literature and currently attending the American Film Institute) and engaged, as shown in the shorts he wrote and directed "Broken Badge" about a NYPD officer and American Standard about a veteran returning home from Afghanistan to his illegal immigrant girlfriend.
"Eugenia and John" directed by Hossein Keshavarz whose film "Dog Sweat" was released by Indiepix to critical acclaim in 2011 and which the New York Times called "polished; the young actors warmly believable" and NPR called "astonishingly gutsy" screened his second film, "Eugenia and John", produced by Mryam Azadi, Chad Burris and Amy Durning, stars Wesley Tunison and Venecia Troncoso who has the distinction of having starred in the Sundance hit, "Mosquita y Mari".
"Winning Dad" was written, directed and produced by Arthur Allen with producers Julia Bruk and Case Barden. This Lgbt romance is the debut feature of a young man whose career path after graduating St. John's College in Maryland, is as entertaining as his film. After supporting himself for several years in the Seattle Theater Community (and washing windows at the Space Needle), in 2008 he joined the United States Merchant Marines where he wrote "winning Dad" aboard the Usns Gilliland. On leaving, he was recruited by the Washington United for Marriage Coalition as part of its Speaker's Bureau to campaign for marriage equality in Washington State. In 2012 he began working for an Arabic translation company and represented the United States at the second Baghdad International Translation conference in Baghdad, Iraq.
If these four films are not quality enough to show the success of U.S. in Progress, the paths of the other films they have shown over the three years included Sundance film 2013's winning film "Ping Pong Summer" directed by Michael Tully and starring Susan Sarandon, Amy Sedaris, John Hannah, Judah Friedlander, and Lea Thompson was picked up for domestic distribution by Millennium and Gravitas and is currently in release theatrically in U.S. The premium international sales agent, Films Boutique, has sold it to France, Germany and Russia.
The former U.S. in Progress films, "Ping Pong Summer", "Sun Belt Express", Summer of Blood" by Onur Tukel whose film "Richard's Wedding" also showed in U.S. in Progress, are also showing at the Champs-Elysees Film Festival, the only film festival in Paris. This year Ceff is also hosting The Paris Coproduction Village with 12 feature films in development from Italy, U.S., Israel, The Philippines, Romania, Sri Lanka and U.S., Germany, Chile and Argentina, Thailand, Turkey, Italy and Canada, and Australia. It is also hosting the four-month Paris residents of the Cannes Film Festival's Cinefondation, a dozen young directors whose selection is based on the quality of their shorts or first feature film and on the merits of their project currenlty in development their motivation.
The Champs Elysees is alive with the energy infused by the top level of fresh new talent, meeting for cocktails if not over dinner and lunch every evening in the terrace of Publicis at the top the the Champs Elysees, overlooking the Arc de Triumph. ...
"Creative Control", a dark sci-fi comedy is the near-future story of four Brooklynites whose tech-obsessed lifestyles get the better of them. Anxious, ambitious ad executive starts a chain reaction of destruction when he becomes obsessed with his best friend's free-spirited girlfriend while working on a campaign for a new generation of Augmented Reality Glasses. The life-like avatar he creates of her becomes too life-like as the blurred boundary between reality and fantasy spreads into an out-of-control space where everyone's public, private and imaginary lives implode.
Benjamin Dickenson grew up in Wheaton, Illinois and moved to New York in 1999 to attend Nyu's undergraduate film program. After graduation he and some friends from school started Waverly Films in a warehouse in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Benjamin started directing music videos for Dfa record artists such as LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture and the Juan Maclean. He has since made videos for Q-Tip and Reggie Watts, the "disinformationist" who c is currently appearing on the IFC television series "Comedy Bang! Bang" which began airing on June 8, 2012 and was renewed for a third season which will premiere in 2014. He has also directed commercials for Google, The Ford Motor Corporation, BMW, MTV and Guitar Hero.
Producer Marc de Pace is a partner at Ghost Robot, another Bushwick production company. In 2011 Mark produced Benjamin's "First Winter"released by Film Movement. He exec produced Michael Cera's short film "Brazzaville Teen-Ager" and Joey Garfield's feature film "A Love Letter for You". HIs producing credits also include music videos for Bjork, The Rapture and Grizzly Bear and ads for Google, Toshiba and At&T.
U.S. in Progress Paris took place during the third edition of the Champs Elysées Film Festival in Paris, on June 11-12 2014. The program presented 4 U.S. indie films in post-production to European sales agents, distributors and festival programmers in order to achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe. The event has doubled the amount of submissions this year and is quickly achieving a winning track record.
The trajectories of the directing/ writing/ producing/ acting teams of the other three contenders are all trending distinctively upward:
Writer/director Matthew Lessner and producer David Henry Gerson presented "Automatic at Sea". Their short film "Chapel Perilous" previously won the 2014 Audience Award at Sundance. Matthew's previous feature "The Woods", distributed by Film Movement, premiered in the New Frontier Program at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011 and was shortlisted for Independent Spirit and Gotham Awards. The San Francisco Film Society has awarded him two grants for his upcoming feature "Terror Tuesday". Producer David Henry Gerson also starred and to my eye and in my opinion is one of the few mature (adult vs. boy-type) male leads in this new generation of actors. Manly, threatening and aloof in his role, in life he is also smart (a graduate of Colombia University with a bachelor's degree in English Literature and currently attending the American Film Institute) and engaged, as shown in the shorts he wrote and directed "Broken Badge" about a NYPD officer and American Standard about a veteran returning home from Afghanistan to his illegal immigrant girlfriend.
"Eugenia and John" directed by Hossein Keshavarz whose film "Dog Sweat" was released by Indiepix to critical acclaim in 2011 and which the New York Times called "polished; the young actors warmly believable" and NPR called "astonishingly gutsy" screened his second film, "Eugenia and John", produced by Mryam Azadi, Chad Burris and Amy Durning, stars Wesley Tunison and Venecia Troncoso who has the distinction of having starred in the Sundance hit, "Mosquita y Mari".
"Winning Dad" was written, directed and produced by Arthur Allen with producers Julia Bruk and Case Barden. This Lgbt romance is the debut feature of a young man whose career path after graduating St. John's College in Maryland, is as entertaining as his film. After supporting himself for several years in the Seattle Theater Community (and washing windows at the Space Needle), in 2008 he joined the United States Merchant Marines where he wrote "winning Dad" aboard the Usns Gilliland. On leaving, he was recruited by the Washington United for Marriage Coalition as part of its Speaker's Bureau to campaign for marriage equality in Washington State. In 2012 he began working for an Arabic translation company and represented the United States at the second Baghdad International Translation conference in Baghdad, Iraq.
If these four films are not quality enough to show the success of U.S. in Progress, the paths of the other films they have shown over the three years included Sundance film 2013's winning film "Ping Pong Summer" directed by Michael Tully and starring Susan Sarandon, Amy Sedaris, John Hannah, Judah Friedlander, and Lea Thompson was picked up for domestic distribution by Millennium and Gravitas and is currently in release theatrically in U.S. The premium international sales agent, Films Boutique, has sold it to France, Germany and Russia.
The former U.S. in Progress films, "Ping Pong Summer", "Sun Belt Express", Summer of Blood" by Onur Tukel whose film "Richard's Wedding" also showed in U.S. in Progress, are also showing at the Champs-Elysees Film Festival, the only film festival in Paris. This year Ceff is also hosting The Paris Coproduction Village with 12 feature films in development from Italy, U.S., Israel, The Philippines, Romania, Sri Lanka and U.S., Germany, Chile and Argentina, Thailand, Turkey, Italy and Canada, and Australia. It is also hosting the four-month Paris residents of the Cannes Film Festival's Cinefondation, a dozen young directors whose selection is based on the quality of their shorts or first feature film and on the merits of their project currenlty in development their motivation.
The Champs Elysees is alive with the energy infused by the top level of fresh new talent, meeting for cocktails if not over dinner and lunch every evening in the terrace of Publicis at the top the the Champs Elysees, overlooking the Arc de Triumph. ...
- 6/14/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Benjamin Dickinson’s dark sci-fi comedy took the top prize at the Us In Progress independent showcase in Paris on Wednesday (11).
The event, hosted by the Champs-Elysées Film Festival, aims to connect upcoming films from the Us independent scene with distributors and sales agents in Europe.
It is Dickinson’s second feature film after his debut First Winter, about a group of Brooklynite yoga students attending a retreat in an old house in upstate New York, which premiered in Tribeca.
In Creative Control, Dickinson has set the tale in the heart of Brooklyn’s creative community. The director stars as an ambitious young ad executive working on a campaign for a new generation of augmented reality glasses.
He loses his own hold on reality after he creates a life-like avatar of his fashion photographer best-friend’s girlfriend, played by up and coming actress Alexia Rasmussen (pictured). The youthful ensemble cast also features Nora Zehetner and Dan Gill.
Shot...
The event, hosted by the Champs-Elysées Film Festival, aims to connect upcoming films from the Us independent scene with distributors and sales agents in Europe.
It is Dickinson’s second feature film after his debut First Winter, about a group of Brooklynite yoga students attending a retreat in an old house in upstate New York, which premiered in Tribeca.
In Creative Control, Dickinson has set the tale in the heart of Brooklyn’s creative community. The director stars as an ambitious young ad executive working on a campaign for a new generation of augmented reality glasses.
He loses his own hold on reality after he creates a life-like avatar of his fashion photographer best-friend’s girlfriend, played by up and coming actress Alexia Rasmussen (pictured). The youthful ensemble cast also features Nora Zehetner and Dan Gill.
Shot...
- 6/11/2014
- ScreenDaily
Following their win of the 2014 Audience Award at Sundance for their short film Chapel Perilous , writer/director Matthew Lessner and producer David Gerson's new feature film Automatic at Sea has been selected as 1 of 4 auteur American films to screen at the Black Rabbit U.S. In Progress Paris program as a work in progress.
U.S. in Progress Paris will take place during the third edition of the Champs Elysées Film Festival in Paris, on June 11-12 2014. The program will present 4 Us indie films in post-production to European buyers in order to achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe.
We are excited to announce the selection for the third edition of Us in Progress Paris:
« Automatic at Sea » by Matthew Lessner
« Creative Control » by Benjamin Dickinson
« Eugenia and John » by Hossein Keshavarz
« Plastic Jesus » by Erica Dunton
Previous participants of Us in Progress included:
1982
by Tommy Oliver (Toronto 2013),
Ping Pong Summer
by Michael Tully (Sundance 2014, world sales by Films Boutique),
Bluebird
by Lance Edmands (Tribeca 2013, Karlovy Vary 2013),
I Used To Be Darker
by Matthew Porterfield (Sundance 2013, Berlinale 2013),
Milkshake
by David Andalman (Sundance 2013),
Hide Your Smiling Faces
by Daniel Patrick Carbone (Berlinale Generation 14Plus 2013, Tribeca 2013),
A Teacher
by Hannah Fidell (Sundance 2013, SXSW 2013), Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin’s
Now, Forager: a Film About Love and Fungi
by Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin (Rotterdam 2012, New Directors/New Films 2012, Gotham Awards nominee)
Sun Don’t Shine
by Amy Seimetz (SXSW 2012, Edinburgh Iff 2013, Gotham Awards nominee 2012)
Not Waving But Drowning
by Devyn Waitt (Sarasota Ff, world sales by Premium Films).
More information here:
http://www.blackrabbitfilm.com/us-in-progress/paris-2014-edition/
www.montelomax.com
http://www.ioncinema.com/news/us-in-progress-paris-tully-meyerhoff-and-zinn-among-6-selected...
U.S. in Progress Paris will take place during the third edition of the Champs Elysées Film Festival in Paris, on June 11-12 2014. The program will present 4 Us indie films in post-production to European buyers in order to achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe.
We are excited to announce the selection for the third edition of Us in Progress Paris:
« Automatic at Sea » by Matthew Lessner
« Creative Control » by Benjamin Dickinson
« Eugenia and John » by Hossein Keshavarz
« Plastic Jesus » by Erica Dunton
Previous participants of Us in Progress included:
1982
by Tommy Oliver (Toronto 2013),
Ping Pong Summer
by Michael Tully (Sundance 2014, world sales by Films Boutique),
Bluebird
by Lance Edmands (Tribeca 2013, Karlovy Vary 2013),
I Used To Be Darker
by Matthew Porterfield (Sundance 2013, Berlinale 2013),
Milkshake
by David Andalman (Sundance 2013),
Hide Your Smiling Faces
by Daniel Patrick Carbone (Berlinale Generation 14Plus 2013, Tribeca 2013),
A Teacher
by Hannah Fidell (Sundance 2013, SXSW 2013), Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin’s
Now, Forager: a Film About Love and Fungi
by Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin (Rotterdam 2012, New Directors/New Films 2012, Gotham Awards nominee)
Sun Don’t Shine
by Amy Seimetz (SXSW 2012, Edinburgh Iff 2013, Gotham Awards nominee 2012)
Not Waving But Drowning
by Devyn Waitt (Sarasota Ff, world sales by Premium Films).
More information here:
http://www.blackrabbitfilm.com/us-in-progress/paris-2014-edition/
www.montelomax.com
http://www.ioncinema.com/news/us-in-progress-paris-tully-meyerhoff-and-zinn-among-6-selected...
- 5/23/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards this morning. Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale served as presenters. Nominees for Best Feature include 50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter, The Artist and The Descendants.
Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
“The Film Independent Spirit Awards recognize the finest artistic achievements across the broad spectrum of independent filmmaking.from emerging talent working on a shoestring budget to established auteurs,” said Film Independent Senior Director Sean Mc Manus. “The 2012 nominees tell their stories in such an authentic way and reflect the inclusive nature of the independent filmmaking community. We are delighted to support them and expand the audience for their work.”
2012 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer,...
Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
“The Film Independent Spirit Awards recognize the finest artistic achievements across the broad spectrum of independent filmmaking.from emerging talent working on a shoestring budget to established auteurs,” said Film Independent Senior Director Sean Mc Manus. “The 2012 nominees tell their stories in such an authentic way and reflect the inclusive nature of the independent filmmaking community. We are delighted to support them and expand the audience for their work.”
2012 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer,...
- 11/29/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Earnest and terse, Dog Sweat is a movie that feels like it was made by the skin of its teeth, pulled together through sheer force of will; what’s a stake for the filmmaker becomes and indelible part of the experience for the audience in a way few films accomplish. A sprawling drama with multiple protagonists, tracks several young Iranian adults who in their own quiet, and in some cases not so quiet ways, are running up against the rampant oppression of an authoritarian theocracy and a older generation grown stale with compromise, who have grown complacent about lowered expectations for freedom and dignity. The director, Hossein Keshavarz, making his directorial debut, grasps on to one unforgettable tale after another: a young woman yearns to be a singer, while another engages in an affair with a married man as her home life teems with barely veiled misogyny. A pair of young couples,...
- 11/18/2011
- by Brandon Harris
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Dog Sweat
“Dog Sweat” is a fictional film about young people fighting to be free in Iran. We shot the film in Tehran illegally and at great personal risk to the cast and crew because we wanted to make an authentic film that shows the surprising fun, drama and irrepressible energy of a rebellious generation.
During film school, I developed a script called “This Modern Love” about Iranians who travel to the Philippines for vacation, that explored how Iranians act...
“Dog Sweat” is a fictional film about young people fighting to be free in Iran. We shot the film in Tehran illegally and at great personal risk to the cast and crew because we wanted to make an authentic film that shows the surprising fun, drama and irrepressible energy of a rebellious generation.
During film school, I developed a script called “This Modern Love” about Iranians who travel to the Philippines for vacation, that explored how Iranians act...
- 11/11/2011
- by Hossein Keshavarz
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Hossein Keshavarz's look at Iran's rebellious youth culture, "Dog Sweat," has been picked up by IndiePix for distribution. Recently nominated for the Acura Someone to Watch Award at the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards, the drama has played at festivals worldwide, including in Los Angeles and Tokyo. The company plans to open "Dog Sweat" theatrically this spring, followed by a DVD and on-Demand rollout later this year. "It is almost ...
- 3/2/2011
- Indiewire
With all the "Black Swan" hoopla, am I the only one who thinks that the film, while well-made, is not deserving of all these hyper-crazed adulations? Portman was good, but I prefer Annette Bening's understated performance in "The Kids Are All Right." Or heck, Jennifer Lawrence's "Winter's Bone" performance could easily outdance Portman's delusional ballerina portrayal any day.
And "Winter's Bone," celebrating its true independent spirit, was virtually snubbed at last night's Independent Spirit Awards. Sure, the excellent supporting cast was honored with Dale Dickey winning Best Supporting Female and John Hawkes for Best Supporting Male, but the engaging and deeply haunting Debra Granik movie (with the most nominations totaling to seven nods) lost out to...you guessed it, Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan." (Check out my "Winter's Bone" movie review right here)
And yes, I do admire Aronofsky, I thought "The Wrestler" was one of his personal...
And "Winter's Bone," celebrating its true independent spirit, was virtually snubbed at last night's Independent Spirit Awards. Sure, the excellent supporting cast was honored with Dale Dickey winning Best Supporting Female and John Hawkes for Best Supporting Male, but the engaging and deeply haunting Debra Granik movie (with the most nominations totaling to seven nods) lost out to...you guessed it, Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan." (Check out my "Winter's Bone" movie review right here)
And yes, I do admire Aronofsky, I thought "The Wrestler" was one of his personal...
- 2/27/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Well, every year the Independent Spirit Awards are handed out the night before the Oscars, and every year, it seems that they are honouring a completely different set of films, despite having a number of overlapping nominees. At this point, it almost seems like you don't want to win a Spirit Award because if you do, it means you won't end up winning the Oscar. Assuming history repeats itself, James Franco's chances of winning Best Actor for 127 Hours just got a little worse (not that he really had a shot in the first place), and Natalie Portman might not be the lock that everyone thinks she is. Black Swan also ended up taking home Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Cinematography, while John Hawkes and Dale Dickey took home Supporting Actor and Actress awards for Winter's Bone. The Kids Are All Right ended up getting Best Screenplay, while Exit Through the Gift Shop...
- 2/27/2011
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
I went 10/13 with my predictions of the Indie Spirits today -- my misfires came in the Best Picture and Best Actress categories thinking that Winter's Bone had the edge over Black Swan. Not that Winter's Bone didn't have a good night (it won in the Best Supporting categories - I thought that Bill Murray had the edge over John Hawkes is where I flubbed as well) but it was indeed a Black Swan event -- with additional wins for Directing (Darren Aronofsky) and Cinematography (Matthew Libatique). You can find the winners in bold below. Best Feature 127 Hours Black Swan Greenberg The Kids Are All Right Winter's Bone Best Director Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan Danny Boyle, 127 Hours Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right Debra Granik, Winter's Bone John Cameron Mitchell, Rabbit Hole Best Screenplay Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini, Winter's Bone Nicole Holofcener,...
- 2/27/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: The day before the annual Academy Awards ceremony belongs to the Spirit Awards, when Hollywood’s independent film community – which currently reflects the Oscar community thanks to double-dipping films like “Black Swan,” “Winter’s Bone” and “The Kids Are All Right” – takes to the sands in Santa Monica for what host Joel McHale calls “the coolest awards show, because it’s casual, in a tent on a beach, and people are drinking, and vomiting.”
Let’s hope there isn’t as much throw up as McHale predicts. We wouldn’t want 2011 Spirit Awards nominees Annette Bening, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, James Franco, Ben Stiller or John C. Reilly slipping in someone else’s vomit on the way to the stage.
All kidding aside, the Spirit Awards are a laid-back affair, a lighter appetizer to the glamorous Oscars. The ceremony will be televised in IFC beginning at 10 p.
Hollywoodnews.com: The day before the annual Academy Awards ceremony belongs to the Spirit Awards, when Hollywood’s independent film community – which currently reflects the Oscar community thanks to double-dipping films like “Black Swan,” “Winter’s Bone” and “The Kids Are All Right” – takes to the sands in Santa Monica for what host Joel McHale calls “the coolest awards show, because it’s casual, in a tent on a beach, and people are drinking, and vomiting.”
Let’s hope there isn’t as much throw up as McHale predicts. We wouldn’t want 2011 Spirit Awards nominees Annette Bening, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, James Franco, Ben Stiller or John C. Reilly slipping in someone else’s vomit on the way to the stage.
All kidding aside, the Spirit Awards are a laid-back affair, a lighter appetizer to the glamorous Oscars. The ceremony will be televised in IFC beginning at 10 p.
- 2/26/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
With all the emerging talent on display at this year's Spirit Awards, it's easy to get caught up in what's new and next in terms of the films we'll be seeing in the future, but what's often overlooked is the surfeit of new places and experiences that has been on display in independent cinema over the course of the past year. Actors routinely take audiences into emotional terrain where they haven't been before, but in 2010, it was often the surroundings that shared the spotlight.
In "Winter's Bone," director Debra Granik showed off a side of America that's rarely seen onscreen with the poverty-stricken rural community that exists as its own insular world in the mountains of Missouri and Best First Feature nominee "Get Low" showed the majesty of Tennessee during the '30s. "The Kids Are All Right" and "Greenberg" reveled in both sides of Los Angeles, demonstrating the way...
In "Winter's Bone," director Debra Granik showed off a side of America that's rarely seen onscreen with the poverty-stricken rural community that exists as its own insular world in the mountains of Missouri and Best First Feature nominee "Get Low" showed the majesty of Tennessee during the '30s. "The Kids Are All Right" and "Greenberg" reveled in both sides of Los Angeles, demonstrating the way...
- 2/25/2011
- by IFC
- ifc.com
Best Documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop" It's hard to know whether street artist Banksy's feature documentary is what it claims to be—a doc about an obsessive man who falls in love with the world of street art (where artists place their work in public, risking arrest for vandalism), fashioning himself as the most financially successful street artist in history—or is Banksy's best prank to date. The film follows the life of buffoonish French expatriate Thierry Guetta, a happy-go-lucky proprietor of an overpriced hipster-wear store in West Hollywood with the curious habit of videotaping everything that happens to him. Guetta persuades his cousin, a street artist known as Space Invader, to become the subject of a "documentary," which leads Guetta to other street artists like Obama icon-maker Shepard Fairey and ultimately to the white whale of street artists: the ultra-secretive Banksy (interviewed in silhouette, of course...
- 1/20/2011
- backstage.com
hollywoodnews.com: Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced the winners of its four filmmaker grant awards at the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant and Nominee Brunch held at Boa Steakhouse in West Hollywood. Sandra Oh and Terrence Howard hosted the casual event and handed out the honors.
Winners for the additional categories will be revealed at the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards at Santa Monica beach on Saturday, February 26, 2011. The ceremony will air exclusively on IFC at 10:00 p.m. Et/Pt, and as previously announced, actor and comedian Joel McHale will serve as host.
“This is the 18th year we have given out these grant awards, and they have now helped 47 emerging artists share their work with a larger audience, pay bills for their film, or get them started on their next project,” said Film Independent Executive Director Dawn Hudson.
Winners for the additional categories will be revealed at the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards at Santa Monica beach on Saturday, February 26, 2011. The ceremony will air exclusively on IFC at 10:00 p.m. Et/Pt, and as previously announced, actor and comedian Joel McHale will serve as host.
“This is the 18th year we have given out these grant awards, and they have now helped 47 emerging artists share their work with a larger audience, pay bills for their film, or get them started on their next project,” said Film Independent Executive Director Dawn Hudson.
- 1/16/2011
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
Every year, the Spirit Awards celebrate the best in independent film.
The nominees were announced for the 26th Annual Spirits, to be handed out on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 10pm Et/Pt, live on the Independent Film Channel (IFC).
After winning the top prize at the Gotham Awards, Winter’s Bone leads with seven nominations.
Winter’s Bone was nominated for Best Film, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Cinematography.
The Best Film nominees also include 127 Hours, Greenberg, The Kids Are All Right and Black Swan.
The Kids Are All Right had five nominations while Black Swan, Greenberg and Rabbit Hole each landed four.
127 Hours, Jack Goes Boating and Tiny Furniture found three each.
Rabbit Hole received nominations for its performances from Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart playing grieving parents, as well as a director’s nod for John Cameron Mitchell, best known...
The nominees were announced for the 26th Annual Spirits, to be handed out on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 10pm Et/Pt, live on the Independent Film Channel (IFC).
After winning the top prize at the Gotham Awards, Winter’s Bone leads with seven nominations.
Winter’s Bone was nominated for Best Film, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Cinematography.
The Best Film nominees also include 127 Hours, Greenberg, The Kids Are All Right and Black Swan.
The Kids Are All Right had five nominations while Black Swan, Greenberg and Rabbit Hole each landed four.
127 Hours, Jack Goes Boating and Tiny Furniture found three each.
Rabbit Hole received nominations for its performances from Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart playing grieving parents, as well as a director’s nod for John Cameron Mitchell, best known...
- 12/2/2010
- by Fiona
- Filmofilia
The nominations of 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced on Tuesday, November 30 in Los Angeles by Jeremy Renner and Eva Mendes. And some movies which have received Oscar buzz such as "127 Hours" and "Black Swan" are touted for Best Feature at the upcoming Spirit Awards.
For this title, the two movies will fight against "Greenberg", "The Kids Are All Right" and "Winter's Bone". The latest mentioned flick, which is fresh from grabbing two kudos at Gotham Independent Film Awards, has a chance to be a big winner at Spirits Awards since it takes the most nods.
The drama leads Debra Granik to be a contender for Best Director prize. She will face a tight competition with Darren Aronofsky, Danny Boyle in addition to Lisa Cholodenko and John Cameron Mitchell for this title.
The cast including Jennifer Lawrence, Dale Dickey and John Hawkes are additionally up for Best Female Lead,...
For this title, the two movies will fight against "Greenberg", "The Kids Are All Right" and "Winter's Bone". The latest mentioned flick, which is fresh from grabbing two kudos at Gotham Independent Film Awards, has a chance to be a big winner at Spirits Awards since it takes the most nods.
The drama leads Debra Granik to be a contender for Best Director prize. She will face a tight competition with Darren Aronofsky, Danny Boyle in addition to Lisa Cholodenko and John Cameron Mitchell for this title.
The cast including Jennifer Lawrence, Dale Dickey and John Hawkes are additionally up for Best Female Lead,...
- 12/1/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Natalie Portman is going to get a stiff competition from Jennifer Lawrence at 2011 Independent Spirit Awards. The nominees for the annual awards dedicated to independent filmmakers have been announced on Tuesday, November 30, and both actresses were unraveled to be among those up for Best Female Lead.
29-year-old Natalie received the nomination for her portrayal of a ballet dancer in "Black Swan", while 20-year-old Jennifer got her nod for her role as a teen on a desperate search to find her missing father in "Winter's Bone". Both of them were nominated along with Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams.
In addition to Natalie's acting nom, her psychological thriller "Black Swan" has nabbed three other nods. It is vying for Best Feature along with "Winter's Bone", "127 Hours", "Greenberg" and "The Kids Are All Right". Additionally, it also collected nomination for its director Darren Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique.
Jennifer's "Winter's Bone", in the meantime,...
29-year-old Natalie received the nomination for her portrayal of a ballet dancer in "Black Swan", while 20-year-old Jennifer got her nod for her role as a teen on a desperate search to find her missing father in "Winter's Bone". Both of them were nominated along with Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams.
In addition to Natalie's acting nom, her psychological thriller "Black Swan" has nabbed three other nods. It is vying for Best Feature along with "Winter's Bone", "127 Hours", "Greenberg" and "The Kids Are All Right". Additionally, it also collected nomination for its director Darren Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique.
Jennifer's "Winter's Bone", in the meantime,...
- 12/1/2010
- by celebrity-mania.com
- Celebrity Mania
The 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominees have been announced, and there are a lot of great films that are being recognized. Winter's Bone racked up seven nominations after it won Best Feature at the Gotham Awards. Other films on the list include, 127 Hours, Black Swan, Greenberg, and The Kids Are All Right.There's some great competition this year, 127 Hours, Black Swan, and Winter's Bone are three of the best movies I've seen this year, but I think Winter's Bone will take the win on this one.
These nominations are only given to films which were produced for under $20 million. The awards will be handed out on February 26 live on IFC with host Joel McHale.
Check out the nominee list below and let us know what you think! Who would you like to see win?
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer)
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right...
These nominations are only given to films which were produced for under $20 million. The awards will be handed out on February 26 live on IFC with host Joel McHale.
Check out the nominee list below and let us know what you think! Who would you like to see win?
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer)
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right...
- 11/30/2010
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
The nominees for the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards were announced this morning from Los Angeles, once again honouring the year's best independent films shot on shoestring budgets (specifically under $20 million). Leading the pack was Debra Granik's Winter's Bone, which picked up seven nods including Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Male and Female Leads. Considering that the film also just won Best Feature at The Gotham Awards [1] this week, could it be gaining momentum as a possible Oscar contender? Other films with multiple nominations include Lisa Cholodenko's The Kids Are All Right, John Cameron Mitchell's Rabbit Hole, and Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. It was also pretty cool to see The Last Exorcism picking up a few mentions, although Never Let Me Go seems to have been snubbed, getting just one nomination for Best Cinematography. Ouch. We won't find out who wins until Saturday, February 26th, 2011, with a...
- 11/30/2010
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Every year after the Gotham Awards choose their winners, the nominees for the Independent Spirit Awards are announced. Leading with nominations this year is Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours, Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan and Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone. All three may make my best of the year list and each and every year I wholeheartedly agree with their picks. It is by far my favorite awards show and while I sometimes disagree with the winners I am always excited to see the smaller productions receive recognition for their amazing work.
The nominations are only given to films which were produced for under $20 million and the awards will be handed out on February 26 live on IFC.
Missing in action:
Where is Gareth Edwards’ Monsters? It was his first feature and he produced it for under ten grand.
Honestly Rabbit Hole deserves the nomination for best picture more than The Kids Are Alright.
The nominations are only given to films which were produced for under $20 million and the awards will be handed out on February 26 live on IFC.
Missing in action:
Where is Gareth Edwards’ Monsters? It was his first feature and he produced it for under ten grand.
Honestly Rabbit Hole deserves the nomination for best picture more than The Kids Are Alright.
- 11/30/2010
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Cool! "Winter's Bone" Dominates Independent Spirit Awards Nominations! See Complete List of Nominees
I'm so glad that "Winter's Bone" has been receiving all the accolades. I love this film when it was shown in limited release last summer. The backwoods drama won big at the Gothams Awards winning Best Feature and Best Ensemble, and now, it dominated the Independent Spirit Awards with seven nominations including Best Feature, Director for Debra Granik, Screenplay for Granik and Anne Rosellini, Female Lead for Jennifer Lawrence, Supporting Female for Dale Dickey, Supporting Male for John Hawkes, and Cinematography for Michael McDonough. ("Winter's Bone" Movie Review)
"Winter's Bone" will compete against "127 Hours," "Black Swan," "Greenberg" and "The Kids Are All Right" for best picture.
Related Links:
"127 Hours" interviews with James Franco, Danny Boyle, and Simon Beaufoy
"Greenberg" Movie Review and Interviews with Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, and Rhys Ifans
"The Kids Are All Right" Movie Review and Interviews with Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, and...
"Winter's Bone" will compete against "127 Hours," "Black Swan," "Greenberg" and "The Kids Are All Right" for best picture.
Related Links:
"127 Hours" interviews with James Franco, Danny Boyle, and Simon Beaufoy
"Greenberg" Movie Review and Interviews with Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, and Rhys Ifans
"The Kids Are All Right" Movie Review and Interviews with Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, and...
- 11/30/2010
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Historically the Spirit Awards tend to honor a few of the major Oscar players each year but a win at the Spirits can sometimesLe be the last hurrah, a consolation prize as some would say, if the work is too "edgy" for lack of a less exhaustively employed word. Last year's big winner was Precious (refresh your memory?) It took home Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress and Adapted Screenplay. There were only three crossover winners from Spirits to Oscars last year : Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Mo'Nique (Precious) and the screenplay for Precious. (The Hurt Locker was considered a 2008 film.)
So what fared well this year? Black Swan got four nods including Best Actress for "sweet girl" Natalie Portman. But it could peak at the right time. Full list after the jump with Winter's Bone (7) and The Kids Are All Right (5) leading the pack.
Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner announced the nominees.
So what fared well this year? Black Swan got four nods including Best Actress for "sweet girl" Natalie Portman. But it could peak at the right time. Full list after the jump with Winter's Bone (7) and The Kids Are All Right (5) leading the pack.
Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner announced the nominees.
- 11/30/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
After Winter's Bone won Best Feature at the first award ceremony of the season [1] Monday, it kept its momentum up Tuesday by getting seven nominations at the Film Independent Spirit Awards [2]. That's more nominations than any other film on the list, beating out fellow Best Feature nominees 127 Hours, Black Swan, Greenberg, and The Kids Are All Right. These nominations are only given to films which were produced for under $20 million, so other big award contenders like Inception, The Social Network and Toy Story 3 don't qualify. The awards will be handed out on February 26 live on IFC with host Joel McHale. Check out the full list of nominations after the jump. Here are all the nominees. Best Feature (Award given to the Producer) 127 Hours Black Swan Greenberg The Kids Are All Right Winter’s Bone Best Director Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan Danny Boyle, 127 Hours Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right Debra Granik,...
- 11/30/2010
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
The announcements came at 11am Est (watch below). The full list of nominees follows underneath the video player (of note, Tanya Hamilton was nominated for Best First Feature for her directorial debut, Night Catches us, and Samuel L. Jackson in the Best Supporting Male category, for his performance in Mother and Child):
The list of nominations:
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer)
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right
Winter’s Bone
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik, Winter’s Bone
John Cameron Mitchell, Rabbit Hole
Best First Feature (Award given to the director and producer)
Everything Strange and New
Get Low
The Last Exorcism
Night Catches Us
Tiny Furniture
John Cassavetes Award
(Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
Daddy Longlegs
The Exploding Girl
Lbs.
The list of nominations:
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer)
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right
Winter’s Bone
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik, Winter’s Bone
John Cameron Mitchell, Rabbit Hole
Best First Feature (Award given to the director and producer)
Everything Strange and New
Get Low
The Last Exorcism
Night Catches Us
Tiny Furniture
John Cassavetes Award
(Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
Daddy Longlegs
The Exploding Girl
Lbs.
- 11/30/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
As award season draws nearer, theaters will be flooded with prestige-seeking dramas, stars will tout their recent turns as arrogant survivalists, stuttering monarchs, or grieving mothers, and audiences will clamor to catch up, seeking those films deemed the very best of 2010.
Are you ready? Because it has begun.
This morning in Hollywood, Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner announced the nominees for the Spirit Awards, which honors the best of independent cinema. Lots of love was shown to Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone, and Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right, which snagged seven and five nominations respectively, while Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan earned four nods, as did Noah Baumbach’s Greenberg and John Cameron Mitchell’s Rabbit Hole.
Below is the full list of honorees, courtesy of IFC, which will air the awards ceremony on February 26th at 10Pm.
Best Feature
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right...
Are you ready? Because it has begun.
This morning in Hollywood, Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner announced the nominees for the Spirit Awards, which honors the best of independent cinema. Lots of love was shown to Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone, and Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right, which snagged seven and five nominations respectively, while Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan earned four nods, as did Noah Baumbach’s Greenberg and John Cameron Mitchell’s Rabbit Hole.
Below is the full list of honorees, courtesy of IFC, which will air the awards ceremony on February 26th at 10Pm.
Best Feature
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right...
- 11/30/2010
- by Kristy Puchko
- The Film Stage
The Gotham Awards gave their top prize to Debra Granik's Ozark noir "Winter's Bone" last night, and today the film leads the Spirit Award pack with seven nominations. Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner presented the full list of nominees in West Hollywood this morning, with Lisa Cholodenko's "The Kids Are All Right" pulling in five nominations, and "Black Swan," "Greenberg" and "Rabbit Hole" nabbing four each.
The Spirit Awards, an annual celebration of the best in indie film, will take place Saturday, February 26th and will be hosted by Joel McHale this year. IFC will be broadcasting the event that night at 10pm. You can find out more about the awards and how the nominations and voting process work here.
The nominees:
Best Feature
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right
Winter's Bone
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik,...
The Spirit Awards, an annual celebration of the best in indie film, will take place Saturday, February 26th and will be hosted by Joel McHale this year. IFC will be broadcasting the event that night at 10pm. You can find out more about the awards and how the nominations and voting process work here.
The nominees:
Best Feature
127 Hours
Black Swan
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right
Winter's Bone
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik,...
- 11/30/2010
- by Alison Willmore
- ifc.com
"Winter's Bone" and "The Kids Are All Right" leads the field of nominees for the 2011 Independent Spirit Awards. The full list is after the jump.
The nominees are:
Best Feature
"127 Hours"
"Black Swan"
"Greenberg"
"The Kids Are All Right"
"Winter's Bone"
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"
Danny Boyle, "127 Hours"
Lisa Cholodenko, "The Kids Are All Right"
Debra Granik, "Winter's Bone"
John Cameron Mitchell, "Rabbit Hole"
Best First Feature
"Everything Strange and New"
"Get Low"
"The Last Exorcism"
"Night Catches Us"
"Tiny Furniture"
John Cassavetes Award
"Daddy Longlegs"
"Lbs."
"Lovers of Hate"
"Obselidia"
"The Exploding Girl"
Best Screenplay
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, "The Kids Are All Right"
Debra Granik and Anne Roselini, "Winter's Bone"
Nicole Holofcener, "Please Give"
David Lindsay-Abaire, "Rabbit Hole"
Todd Solondz, "Life During Wartime"
Best First Screenplay
Diane Bell, "Obselidia"
Lena Dunham, "Tiny Furniture"
Nik Fackler, "Lovely, Still"
Robert Glaudini, "Jack Goes Boating"
Dana Adam Shapiro and Evan M. Wiener,...
The nominees are:
Best Feature
"127 Hours"
"Black Swan"
"Greenberg"
"The Kids Are All Right"
"Winter's Bone"
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"
Danny Boyle, "127 Hours"
Lisa Cholodenko, "The Kids Are All Right"
Debra Granik, "Winter's Bone"
John Cameron Mitchell, "Rabbit Hole"
Best First Feature
"Everything Strange and New"
"Get Low"
"The Last Exorcism"
"Night Catches Us"
"Tiny Furniture"
John Cassavetes Award
"Daddy Longlegs"
"Lbs."
"Lovers of Hate"
"Obselidia"
"The Exploding Girl"
Best Screenplay
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, "The Kids Are All Right"
Debra Granik and Anne Roselini, "Winter's Bone"
Nicole Holofcener, "Please Give"
David Lindsay-Abaire, "Rabbit Hole"
Todd Solondz, "Life During Wartime"
Best First Screenplay
Diane Bell, "Obselidia"
Lena Dunham, "Tiny Furniture"
Nik Fackler, "Lovely, Still"
Robert Glaudini, "Jack Goes Boating"
Dana Adam Shapiro and Evan M. Wiener,...
- 11/30/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Marc.Aurelio Jury Award for Best Film: Kill Me Please by Olias Barco
Marc.Aurelio Grand Jury Award: Hævnen . In a Better World by Susanne Bier
Marc.Aurelio Special Jury Award: Poll by Chris Kraus
Marc.Aurelio Jury Award for Best Actor: Toni Servillo for Una Vita Tranquilla
Marc.Aurelio Jury Award for Best Actress: the entire female cast of Las Buenas hierbas
Special Plaque of the President of the Italian Republic for the film which best emphasizes human and social values: Dog Sweat by Hossein Keshavarz
Marc.Aurelio Audience Award for Best Film . Bnl: Hævnen . In a Better World by Susanne Bier
Marc.Aurelio Award for Best Documentary in the Extra section: De Regenmakers by Floris-Jan Van Luyn
Marc.Aurelio Award for Emerging New Talents: Kaspar Munk for Hold Om Mig
Marc.Aurelio Alice nella città Under 12 Award: I Want To Be a Soldier by Christian Molina
Marc.Aurelio...
Marc.Aurelio Grand Jury Award: Hævnen . In a Better World by Susanne Bier
Marc.Aurelio Special Jury Award: Poll by Chris Kraus
Marc.Aurelio Jury Award for Best Actor: Toni Servillo for Una Vita Tranquilla
Marc.Aurelio Jury Award for Best Actress: the entire female cast of Las Buenas hierbas
Special Plaque of the President of the Italian Republic for the film which best emphasizes human and social values: Dog Sweat by Hossein Keshavarz
Marc.Aurelio Audience Award for Best Film . Bnl: Hævnen . In a Better World by Susanne Bier
Marc.Aurelio Award for Best Documentary in the Extra section: De Regenmakers by Floris-Jan Van Luyn
Marc.Aurelio Award for Emerging New Talents: Kaspar Munk for Hold Om Mig
Marc.Aurelio Alice nella città Under 12 Award: I Want To Be a Soldier by Christian Molina
Marc.Aurelio...
- 11/7/2010
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Austin Film Festival has announced its winners today, and with no further ado, here they are:
Best Narrative Feature: Adios Mundo Cruel – Writers: Jack Zagha Kababie, Enrique Chmelnik Narrative Feature Special Jury Mention: Dog Sweat – Writers: Maryam Azadi, Hossein Keshavarz Best Documentary Feature: Louder Than a Bomb - Directors: Greg Jacobs, Jon Siskel Best Narrative Short: Katrina’s Son - Writer: Ya’Ke Narrative Short Special Jury Mention: The Six Dollar Fifty Man - Writers: Louis Southerland Best Documentary Short: Birthright – Director: Sean Mullens Best Animated Short: The Lost Thing - Director: Shaun Tan Best Narrative Student Short: Down in Number 5 - Writer: Kim Spurlock
The Festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which means the award-winning narrative short and narrative student short films are also eligible for an Academy Award, so try to see them again in their encore screenings, and you just...
Best Narrative Feature: Adios Mundo Cruel – Writers: Jack Zagha Kababie, Enrique Chmelnik Narrative Feature Special Jury Mention: Dog Sweat – Writers: Maryam Azadi, Hossein Keshavarz Best Documentary Feature: Louder Than a Bomb - Directors: Greg Jacobs, Jon Siskel Best Narrative Short: Katrina’s Son - Writer: Ya’Ke Narrative Short Special Jury Mention: The Six Dollar Fifty Man - Writers: Louis Southerland Best Documentary Short: Birthright – Director: Sean Mullens Best Animated Short: The Lost Thing - Director: Shaun Tan Best Narrative Student Short: Down in Number 5 - Writer: Kim Spurlock
The Festival is accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which means the award-winning narrative short and narrative student short films are also eligible for an Academy Award, so try to see them again in their encore screenings, and you just...
- 10/23/2010
- by Jenn Brown
- Slackerwood
The 17th Annual Austin Film Festival and Conference is now underway! From Oct. 21-28, the Austin Film Festival will be host to filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, industry pros, and people who just love film. One man (Executive Writer - Don Simpson) from the Smells Like Screen Spirit crew has single handedly completed the task of reviewing 9 of the films screening at Aff 2010 in the next week, to provide a sneak preview just for you. Stay tuned for further coverage of the festival throughout the next week; including interviews, tweets and many more reviews. _____________________________________________ Conviction (2010) | Review "...Goldwyn takes a few too many dramatic shortcuts and abides all too closely to preexisting formulas and conventions. There is no narrative depth or subtext; what you see is exactly what you get. The only real chance that Goldwyn takes is in casting Rockwell against type (Swank is cast in an all too predictable and standard...
- 10/21/2010
- by Dave Campbell
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Director: Hossein Keshavarz Writer: Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Azadi Starring: Ahmad Akbarzadeh, Tahereh Esfahani, Bagher Forohar, Shahrokh Taslimi, Rahim Zamani Utilizing a guerrilla-cum-cinema vérité aesthetic -- probably out of necessity and for style -- producer-director-editor Hossein Keshavarz documents the lives of several young people who are attempting to discover personal freedom within the confines of contemporary Iran. Misunderstood by their parents and family elders and feeling oppressed by conservative Islamic society, these young Iranians find ways to rebel against oppression while, at least for the most part, staying under the radar and making enough compromises to safely survive. Massoud (Shahrokh Taslimi) begins the film as a womanizer with a penchant for whiskey. He is of a generation who, having been silenced by their government, has retreated to the comfort of drinking (“Dog Sweat” is a slang term for a popular black market liquor in Iran) and drug use. It takes an...
- 10/19/2010
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Rome -- Actress Julianne Moore will be the main guest at the International Rome Film Festival, which also announced it would honor Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" on the 50th anniversary of its release.
Along with Moore, the festival announced that Keira Knightley, Eva Mendes and Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Kahn would be among those gracing the red carpet for the festival's fifth edition, which will run Oct. 28-Nov. 5.
Among the hot titles are Massy Tadjedin's "Last Night" -- starring Knightley and Mendes -- Jim Loache's "Oranges and Sunshine," "Rabbit Hole" from John Cameron Mitchell and Lisa Cholodenko's "The Kids Are All Right," which stars Moore as part of a lesbian couple raising two children.
In addition to the out-of-competition screening of "The Kids Are All Right," Moore will co-host a master class and will receive the Marcus Aurelius Award for lifetime achievement.
Alian Corneau's "Crime d'amore" will screen out of competition,...
Along with Moore, the festival announced that Keira Knightley, Eva Mendes and Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Kahn would be among those gracing the red carpet for the festival's fifth edition, which will run Oct. 28-Nov. 5.
Among the hot titles are Massy Tadjedin's "Last Night" -- starring Knightley and Mendes -- Jim Loache's "Oranges and Sunshine," "Rabbit Hole" from John Cameron Mitchell and Lisa Cholodenko's "The Kids Are All Right," which stars Moore as part of a lesbian couple raising two children.
In addition to the out-of-competition screening of "The Kids Are All Right," Moore will co-host a master class and will receive the Marcus Aurelius Award for lifetime achievement.
Alian Corneau's "Crime d'amore" will screen out of competition,...
- 10/7/2010
- by By Eric J. Lyman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Always one of the most enjoyable events of the year, the 17th Austin Film Festival is gearing up to kick-off next month.
The annual event takes place from October 21-28 in Austin, Texas with movies such as Natalie Portman's "Black Swan" on the docket.
With other films set to screen including "Meek's Cutoff," "127 Hours," and "Fair Game," the full lineup is as follows:
Marquee Screenings
"127 Hours" – Danny Boyle (Writer/Director), Simon Beaufoy (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Black Swan" – Darren Aronofsky (Director), Andres Heinz (Writer), John McLaughlin (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Peep World" – Barry W. Blaustein (Director), Peter Himmelstein (Writer) – (U.S. Premiere)
"Bloodworth" – Shane Dax Taylor (Director), W. Earl Brown (Writer) – (World Premiere)
"Blue Valentine" – Derek Cianfrance (Writer/Director), Joey Curtis (Writer), Camille DeLavigne (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Exporting Raymond" – Phil Rosenthal (Director) – (World Premiere)
"Fair Game" – Doug Liman (Director), Jez & John-Henry Butterworth (Writers) – (Regional Premiere)
"High School" – John Stalberg (Writer/Director...
The annual event takes place from October 21-28 in Austin, Texas with movies such as Natalie Portman's "Black Swan" on the docket.
With other films set to screen including "Meek's Cutoff," "127 Hours," and "Fair Game," the full lineup is as follows:
Marquee Screenings
"127 Hours" – Danny Boyle (Writer/Director), Simon Beaufoy (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Black Swan" – Darren Aronofsky (Director), Andres Heinz (Writer), John McLaughlin (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Peep World" – Barry W. Blaustein (Director), Peter Himmelstein (Writer) – (U.S. Premiere)
"Bloodworth" – Shane Dax Taylor (Director), W. Earl Brown (Writer) – (World Premiere)
"Blue Valentine" – Derek Cianfrance (Writer/Director), Joey Curtis (Writer), Camille DeLavigne (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Exporting Raymond" – Phil Rosenthal (Director) – (World Premiere)
"Fair Game" – Doug Liman (Director), Jez & John-Henry Butterworth (Writers) – (Regional Premiere)
"High School" – John Stalberg (Writer/Director...
- 9/21/2010
- GossipCenter
The Austin Film Festival has unveiled the program for its 17th edition, which runs October 21-28.
"Black Swan," "127 Hours," "Peep World," "Meek's Cutoff," "Conviction," "Brother's Justice," "Fair Game," and many more, including 23 U.S. and world premieres and a handful of locally-made projects, will screen at the fest. The opening, centerpiece and closing night films have not yet been announced.
Festival line-up is below:
Marquee Screenings
"127 Hours" – Danny Boyle (Writer/Director), Simon Beaufoy (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Black Swan" – Darren Aronofsky (Director), Andres Heinz (Writer), John McLaughlin (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Peep World" – Barry W. Blaustein (Director), Peter Himmelstein (Writer) – (U.S. Premiere)
"Bloodworth" – Shane Dax Taylor (Director), W. Earl Brown (Writer) – (World Premiere)
"Blue Valentine" – Derek Cianfrance (Writer/Director), Joey Curtis (Writer), Camille DeLavigne (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Exporting Raymond" – Phil Rosenthal (Director) – (World Premiere)
"Fair Game" – Doug Liman (Director), Jez & John-Henry Butterworth (Writers) – (Regional Premiere)
"High School" – John Stalberg (Writer/Director...
"Black Swan," "127 Hours," "Peep World," "Meek's Cutoff," "Conviction," "Brother's Justice," "Fair Game," and many more, including 23 U.S. and world premieres and a handful of locally-made projects, will screen at the fest. The opening, centerpiece and closing night films have not yet been announced.
Festival line-up is below:
Marquee Screenings
"127 Hours" – Danny Boyle (Writer/Director), Simon Beaufoy (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Black Swan" – Darren Aronofsky (Director), Andres Heinz (Writer), John McLaughlin (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Peep World" – Barry W. Blaustein (Director), Peter Himmelstein (Writer) – (U.S. Premiere)
"Bloodworth" – Shane Dax Taylor (Director), W. Earl Brown (Writer) – (World Premiere)
"Blue Valentine" – Derek Cianfrance (Writer/Director), Joey Curtis (Writer), Camille DeLavigne (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)
"Exporting Raymond" – Phil Rosenthal (Director) – (World Premiere)
"Fair Game" – Doug Liman (Director), Jez & John-Henry Butterworth (Writers) – (Regional Premiere)
"High School" – John Stalberg (Writer/Director...
- 9/21/2010
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
One Lucky Elephant, The Tillman Story, A Family, Dog Sweat: Los Angeles Film Festival 2010 (June 19)
Pat Tillman as shown in Amir Bar-Lev‘s The Tillman Story (top); Flora and David in Lisa Leeman‘s One Lucky Elephant (middle); Jesper Christensen in Pernille Fischer Christensen‘s A Family (bottom) The documentaries One Lucky Elephant and The Tillman Story, Pernille Fischer Christensen‘s A Family, and Hossein Keshavarz‘s Dog Sweat are a few of the highlights at the Los Angeles Film Festival on Saturday evening, June 19. Lisa Leeman‘s One Lucky Elephant portrays the heartfelt relationship between a circus owner and an elephant named Flora. Flora, ready to retire, must get used to living among other elephants after spending her life in a circus surrounded by another type of animal (human beings). Amir Bar-Lev‘s The Tillman Story examines the exploitation of National Football League player Pat Tillman as a red-white-and-blue poster boy for the American military, whose powers-that-be later decided to lie about Tillman’s...
- 6/19/2010
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Invoking the subversive urgency of cinema vérité, filmmaker Hossein Keshavarz interweaves the lives of seven young people in contemporary Iran. Misunderstood by their families and oppressed by conservative Islamic society, they act out their personal desires behind closed doors. A feminist finds herself in an affair with a married man; new lovers search for a place to be physically intimate; a gay man is pressured to leave his partner for an ...
- 6/17/2010
- indieWIRE - People
Invoking the subversive urgency of cinema vérité, filmmaker Hossein Keshavarz interweaves the lives of seven young people in contemporary Iran. Misunderstood by their families and oppressed by conservative Islamic society, they act out their personal desires behind closed doors. A feminist finds herself in an affair with a married man; new lovers search for a place to be physically intimate; a gay man is pressured to leave his partner for an ...
- 6/17/2010
- indieWIRE - People
Invoking the subversive urgency of cinema vérité, filmmaker Hossein Keshavarz interweaves the lives of seven young people in contemporary Iran. Misunderstood by their families and oppressed by conservative Islamic society, they act out their personal desires behind closed doors. A feminist finds herself in an affair with a married man; new lovers search for a place to be physically intimate; a gay man is pressured to leave his partner for an ...
- 6/17/2010
- Indiewire
The 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival is set to run June 17-27 in a brand new location. Oh, it’s still in L.A, but it’s moving across town, from Westwood — where it’s been held the past few years — all the way over to Downtown.
The main “hub” for the fest will be the new L.A. Live complex, but there will also be screenings at other locations, such as the Downtown Independent and Redcat theaters. The city is really trying to build downtown up into a major arts and culture hub, so the festival moving there fits in with that agenda. Film Independent, the organization that runs Laff, also runs the annual Independent Spirit Awards, an event that also moved downtown — from Santa Monica — this year.
On Bad Lit, I tend to like to put up festival lineups that include days and times of screenings. However, since I...
The main “hub” for the fest will be the new L.A. Live complex, but there will also be screenings at other locations, such as the Downtown Independent and Redcat theaters. The city is really trying to build downtown up into a major arts and culture hub, so the festival moving there fits in with that agenda. Film Independent, the organization that runs Laff, also runs the annual Independent Spirit Awards, an event that also moved downtown — from Santa Monica — this year.
On Bad Lit, I tend to like to put up festival lineups that include days and times of screenings. However, since I...
- 5/17/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Pernille Fischer Christensen’s A Family The 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival runs June 17-27. Dog Sweat (Aragh Sagee.) Iran/USA (Director Hossein Keshavarz Writers Hossein Keshavarz, Maryam Azadi Producers Maryam Azadi, Hossein Keshavarz, Alan Oxman. Cast Ahmad Akbarzadeh, Tahereh Esfahani, Bagher Forohar, Shahrokh Taslimi, Rahim Zamani.) Shot clandestinely in Tehran, the subversive Dog Sweat intertwines the lives of six young Iranians as they struggle to satisfy their private desires in the face of conservative Islamic society. World Premiere A Family (En Familie.) Denmark (Director Pernille Fischer Christensen Writers Kim Fupz Aakeson, Pernille Fischer Christensen Producers Sisse Graum Jørgensen, Vinca Wiedemann. Cast Jesper Christensen, Lene Maria Christensen, Line Kruse, Pilou Asbæk, Anne Louise Hassing.) The conflict between love and duty plays out in this stunning, [...]...
- 5/5/2010
- by Anna Robinson
- Alt Film Guide
Like the headline says, the complete lineup for the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival has been announced and it's a fascinating, eclectic mix. How happy am I to see music doc Separado! in there? Pretty damn happy, as it's one of my absolute favorites of the year and has been resoundingly overlooked. Read the complete announcement below!
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Los Angeles (May 4, 2010) - Today Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and year-round artist development programs and exhibition events, announced the official selections for the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Festival will run from Thursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 27 in downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live. Now in its sixteenth year, the Festival is recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American...
Normal 0 false false false En-ca X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Los Angeles (May 4, 2010) - Today Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and year-round artist development programs and exhibition events, announced the official selections for the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Festival will run from Thursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 27 in downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live. Now in its sixteenth year, the Festival is recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American...
- 5/4/2010
- Screen Anarchy
Today Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and year-round artist development programs and exhibition events, announced the official selections for the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Festival will run from Thursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 27 in downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live. Now in its sixteenth year, the Festival is recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema and providing the movie-loving public with access to critically acclaimed filmmakers, film industry professionals, and emerging talent from around the world.
The 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 40 countries. This year, the Festival received more than 4,700 submissions from filmmakers around the world. The final selections represent 28 World, North American, and U.S. premieres, which more...
The 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 40 countries. This year, the Festival received more than 4,700 submissions from filmmakers around the world. The final selections represent 28 World, North American, and U.S. premieres, which more...
- 5/4/2010
- by Staff
- Hollywoodnews.com
Normal.dotm 0 0 1 3258 18575 Film Independent 154 37 22811 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false
- Focus Features' The Kids Are All Right to Kick Off Festival -
- World Premiere of Universal Pictures' 3-D CGI Feature Despicable Me Selected for Closing Night -
- Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse to have World Premiere -
- Galas include Animal Kingdom, Cyrus, Mahler on the Couch, Revolución,& Waiting for Superman -
Los Angeles (May 4, 2010) - Today Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and year-round artist development programs and exhibition events, announced the official selections for the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Festival will run from Thursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 27 in downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live. Now in its sixteenth year, the Festival is recognized as a world-class event, showcasing...
- Focus Features' The Kids Are All Right to Kick Off Festival -
- World Premiere of Universal Pictures' 3-D CGI Feature Despicable Me Selected for Closing Night -
- Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse to have World Premiere -
- Galas include Animal Kingdom, Cyrus, Mahler on the Couch, Revolución,& Waiting for Superman -
Los Angeles (May 4, 2010) - Today Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival, and year-round artist development programs and exhibition events, announced the official selections for the 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times. The Festival will run from Thursday, June 17 to Sunday, June 27 in downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live. Now in its sixteenth year, the Festival is recognized as a world-class event, showcasing...
- 5/4/2010
- by maint
- Film Independent
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