While not all receive the golden ticket for a Park City premiere, the invaluable support available at the Sundance Institute is ongoing and takes several shapes and forms. Last year’s batch of Documentary Edit and Story Labs attendees included Anna Sandilands & Ewan McNicol who trimmed Uncertain, while Lyric Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe spliced into shape (T)Error. As underlined in the press release, this year’s eight projects touches of subjects of transgender parents, the aftermath of Sandy Hook tragedy, exonerated death row inmates and AIDS. Among the noteworthy names attending (June 19-27 and July 3-11) we find Lost in La Mancha duo of Keith Fulton & Lou Pepe (see pic above) and Informant director Jamie Meltzer’s tentatively titled Freedom Fighters. Here are the participants and creative folk for ’15.
Editors serving as Creative Advisors for the June 19-27 session are Marshall Curry (Point and Shoot), Ra’anan Alexandrowicz (The...
Editors serving as Creative Advisors for the June 19-27 session are Marshall Curry (Point and Shoot), Ra’anan Alexandrowicz (The...
- 6/15/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
It may be too early to call him an American cousin akin to the quasi-dark humor of Roy Andersson and Aki Kaurismäki, but is third film showcased a unique, well-developed, wry-tinged funny-bone. When you throw in his previous dramatic pair of films in The Builder (2010) and New Jerusalem (2011), it makes for an early filmography that would surely receive an unflattering grade of next to no bags of popcorn from the On Cinema at the Cinema critic duo. This is a good thing. Filmmaker by day, musician by night, Rick Alverson’s third feature film The Comedy, was among the best items of 2012′s Sundance Film Festival, suffice it to say that his fourth film, Entertainment, which was shot midway in the year, might contain more of that DNA. Gregg Turkington who co-wrote with Alverson toplines the pic which was photographed by cinematographer Lorenzo Hagerman (look for his stylistic flourishes in...
- 11/12/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Nov. 19, 2013
Price: DVD $29.95
Studio: Music Box
Brandon Darby (l.) working with Common Ground Collective, as seen in Informant.
The 2012 documentary Informant presents a portrait of Brandon Darby, a left-wing activist turned FBI informant and then Tea Party conservative whose actions led to the arrest of two protesters at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
In 2005, Texas-born Brandon Darby became an overnight hero when he traveled to Katrina-devastated New Orleans and braved toxic floodwaters to rescue a friend stranded in the Ninth Ward. Soon after, he became a co-founder and spokesperson for Common Ground, a successful grassroots relief organization. But over the next few years, he began hiding a shocking secret. After two young protestors, David McKay and Bradley Crowder, were arrested at the 2008 Republican National Convention, Darby revealed he had been instrumental in the indictment as an FBI informant. Today, having renounced his Left-wing past, Darby is a...
Price: DVD $29.95
Studio: Music Box
Brandon Darby (l.) working with Common Ground Collective, as seen in Informant.
The 2012 documentary Informant presents a portrait of Brandon Darby, a left-wing activist turned FBI informant and then Tea Party conservative whose actions led to the arrest of two protesters at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
In 2005, Texas-born Brandon Darby became an overnight hero when he traveled to Katrina-devastated New Orleans and braved toxic floodwaters to rescue a friend stranded in the Ninth Ward. Soon after, he became a co-founder and spokesperson for Common Ground, a successful grassroots relief organization. But over the next few years, he began hiding a shocking secret. After two young protestors, David McKay and Bradley Crowder, were arrested at the 2008 Republican National Convention, Darby revealed he had been instrumental in the indictment as an FBI informant. Today, having renounced his Left-wing past, Darby is a...
- 10/14/2013
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
When the late malevolent rightwing carny Andrew Breitbart provides your sole positive character reference out of nearly a dozen people speaking about you—some of whom were once your best friends—you might want to re-think your existence. In director Jamie Meltzer's mesmerizing documentary Informant, Brandon Darby—a onetime lefty activist darling turned FBI informant and rightwing spokesman—is slowly filleted by former associates. None, however, are more damning than his own documented actions, or the original interviews he gives Meltzer; he's tense, combative, defensive, and unconvincing as he argues on his own behalf. As is true with many fallen heroes, Darby's strength and Achilles heel were (are) one and the same. A handsome, magnetic alpha male, he's ...
- 9/11/2013
- Village Voice
Title: Informant Music Box Films Director: Jamie Meltzer Screenwriter: Jamie Meltzer Cast: Brandon Darby, Scott Crow, Lisa Fithian, Caroline Heldman, Michael May, David Hanners Screened at: Review 2, NYC, 8/5/13 Opens: September 13, 2013 There’s a saying, “If you’re not liberal when you’re young, you have no heart. And if you’re not conservative when you’re older, you have no brains.” People do tend to become gradually more conservative as the years roll by, but there are extremes. Think of Italy’s Benito Mussolini, a socialist in his youth, a fascist when that served him politically. On the other hand, think of the retired Israeli information- gathering, terrorist fighting Shin Bet (in [ Read More ]
The post Informant Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Informant Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/27/2013
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
"How does a radical activist end up working for the FBI as an informant?" Today's trailer is for a doc that premiered last year and is just now being released by Music Box. It's called Informant and profiles radical left-wing activist turned FBI informant Brandon Darby. The doc won top prize at the Doc NYC Festival and also played the San Francisco & Austin Film Festivals. Not to be confused with Steven Soderbergh's The Informant! or the doc The Imposter, Informant dives into the mysterious story of an activist who turned out to be an FBI informant. Was he duping all of his friends? What's the real story? This looks quite fascinating. Watch the official Us trailer for Jamie Meltzer's documentary Informant, in high def from Apple: "What is the truth?" Winner of Best Documentary at the 2012 Doc NYC Festival, Informant is a fascinating, gripping portrait of Brandon Darby,...
- 8/25/2013
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In an age of massive surveillance and whistle-blowing, trust is quickly becoming the most valuable currency of them all. As activists continue to congregate online (and offline), knowing who you can confide in with complete confidence and solidarity can be at tricky business. But what if the one person you thought you could rely on, turned out to be working for the enemy? That's at the core of "Informant," an upcoming documentary with a rather remarkable story to tell. Described as a kind of " 'Fog Of War' for the age of Occupy" by Indiewire brethren Anthony Kaufman, Jamie Meltzer's Doc NYC Grand Jury Prize winning film tells the true tale of Brandon Darby, who co-founded grassrooots organization Common Ground, and seemed to fit every description you might have of someone committed to the left. Instead, to the shock and surprise of his friends and fellow activists, Darby had been...
- 8/20/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Music Box Films announced today that it has acquired U.S. rights to three new documentaries: Jamie Meltzer 's "Informant," Treva Wurmfeld 's "Shepard & Dark" and Klaartje Quirijn's "Anton Corbijn Inside Out." Synopses of the films provided by Music Box: Informant, directed by Jamie Meltzer, is the fascinating psychological portrait of Brandon Darby, a radical leftist activist who shocked friends and colleagues when he was exposed as an FBI informant at the 2008 Republican National Convention. Informant won the Grand Jury Prize at Doc NYC. Director Jamie Meltzer and producer George Rush negotiated the deal with Music Box Films. A summer release is planned. Treva Wurmfeld s Shepard & Dark captures the complex relationship between playwright/actor Sam Shepard and his close friend Johnny Dark as they prepare forty years of their correspondence for publication. Shepard & Dark was named one of the 50 Best Undistributed Films of 2012 by Film Comment, and won the Best.
- 4/9/2013
- by Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
New York's Doc NYC festival, which ran November 8-15, announces its jury and audience award winners. Included are Jamie Meltzer's "Informant," a portrait of radical activist-turned-fbi informant Brandon Darby, and Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief's "Rafea: Solar Mama," with follows an illiterate Jordanian woman who becomes a solar panel engineer. Full list below. Viewfinders Competition: The jury selected from among ten films in this section, chosen by the programmers for their distinct directorial visions. Grand Jury Prize Winner - Informant, directed by Jamie Meltzer, probes the radical activist turned FBI informant Brandon Darby Special Jury Prize Winner - Rafea: Solar Mama, directed by Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief, follows an illiterate Jordanian woman who becomes a solar panel engineer Metropolis Competition: The jury selected from among seven films in this section, which showcases films that exemplify the diverse range of stories...
- 11/16/2012
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
Following a week of over 100 films and events, the third edition of the ever-growing Doc NYC Festival came to a close Thursday night with a Closing Night screening of Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon's "The Central Park Five." But before the screening, Artistic Director Thom Powers led an awards presentation to hand out the prizes in the Festival's three Jury Prizes-the Viewfinder Competition, Metropolis Competition, and the Shorts Competition-as well as the SundanceNOW Audience Award. Of the ten films vying for the Viewfinders Compeition, chosen by the programmers for their "distinct directorial vision," the Grand Jury Prize went to Jamie Meltzer's "Informant," which investigates the radical activist turned FBI informant Brandon Darby. The Special Jury Prize went to Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief's "Rafea: Solar Mama," which follows an illiterate woman from Jordon who becomes a solar panel engineer. Among...
- 11/16/2012
- by Eric Mattina
- Indiewire
Day three of the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival promises more great films and an appearance at the Hi-Pointe by director Joe Dante. And there are still 8 days to go!
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Saturday, November 10th
Director Jennifer Lynch
A Fall From Grace Program is at 11:00 am at the Tivoli Theatre – A Free Event Sliff guest Jennifer Lynch (Chained.) has plans to shoot her next film, A Fall from Grace, in St. Louis. Post-Dispatch film critic Joe Williams leads a...
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Saturday, November 10th
Director Jennifer Lynch
A Fall From Grace Program is at 11:00 am at the Tivoli Theatre – A Free Event Sliff guest Jennifer Lynch (Chained.) has plans to shoot her next film, A Fall from Grace, in St. Louis. Post-Dispatch film critic Joe Williams leads a...
- 11/10/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
After Better This World (which was one of my favorite documentaries of 2011), I admittedly questioned whether or not the world would need another documentary about Brandon Darby and the "Texas Two" -- David McKay and Bradley Crowder. Luckily Jamie Meltzer's Informant takes a different approach from what had already been done before in Better This World. While both films bring to question Darby's precarious role as an FBI informant, Meltzer's documentary opts to focus primarily on Darby, allowing him ample opportunity to spew his side of the story. From most accounts an ego-maniacal jerk, it is no surprise that Darby seems to enjoy having his time in the spotlight. It is impossible to tell if Darby has even considered whether or not he should trust Meltzer; if anything, Darby is so damn confident in his side of the story that he probably assumes that everyone will agree that he was right in his actions.
- 11/8/2012
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Informant, a thrilling documentary from Jamie Meltzer, tells the story of Austinite Brandon Darby, the former anarchist who turned in Brad Crowder and David McKay during the Rnc protests in 2008. How did Darby morph from someone who "would've attacked the government for what it was doing to people" in New Orleans during Katrina to someone who trusted governmental authority so much that he would inform on a planned/possible attack? Meltzer's film, through intimate interviews (almost like on-camera confessions) with Darby and some of his former associates, attempts to explain.
The movie introduces the viewer to Darby through his work with other activists co-founding the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He comes off as determined in his work to serve the people in the Ninth Ward. He and his pal Scott Crow (also an Austinite) brought guns to the city to combat the violence against "looters.
The movie introduces the viewer to Darby through his work with other activists co-founding the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He comes off as determined in his work to serve the people in the Ninth Ward. He and his pal Scott Crow (also an Austinite) brought guns to the city to combat the violence against "looters.
- 10/22/2012
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
The Austin Film Festival has announced its 2012 Film Competition winners from its seven categories. The films were selected from a record number of entries this year and were all chosen by industry jurors. "Sparrows Dance" by writer/director Noah Buschel prevailed in the Narrative Feature category, while Jamie Meltzer's "Informant" won best Documentary Feature; Bryan Buckley's "Asad," which he wrote and directed, took home the award for Narrative Short; "Hatch" by writer/director Christoph Kuschnig and writer Karl Goldblat topped the Narrative Student Short category; Timothy Reckart's "Head Over Heels" won for Animated Short; best Documentary Short went to Chelsea Hernandez and Erik Mauck's "See The Dirt"; and "Crumbs," directed by Nicco Vasquez and written by Keith Limon, won the Young Filmmakers Competition. The Austin Film Festival is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts...
- 10/22/2012
- by Justin Krajeski
- Indiewire
Here's the latest Austin and Texas film news.
Austin Film Festival announced its 2012 film competition awards, which includes the locally made short documentary, See The Dirt. Chelsea Hernandez's and Erik Mauck's film, about a Georgetown teen who collects vacuum cleaners, won Best Documentary Short. Director Jamie Meltzer's documentary Informant, about Austinite Byron Darby's turn from left-wing protestor to FBI informant, won Best Documentary Feature at this year's festival.Austin Film Society is hosting a member mixer with beer, snacks and short film clips from local filmmakers on Friday, October 26 from 5:30-7:30 pm at Austin Studios. The mixer is also providing info about the Love Austin initiative, which supports the municipal bond on the Austin ballot in November. Proposition 18 includes provisions to expand Austin Studios by transforming the neighboring National Guard Building into 50,000 square feet of office space for creative media professionals.In more festival news,...
Austin Film Festival announced its 2012 film competition awards, which includes the locally made short documentary, See The Dirt. Chelsea Hernandez's and Erik Mauck's film, about a Georgetown teen who collects vacuum cleaners, won Best Documentary Short. Director Jamie Meltzer's documentary Informant, about Austinite Byron Darby's turn from left-wing protestor to FBI informant, won Best Documentary Feature at this year's festival.Austin Film Society is hosting a member mixer with beer, snacks and short film clips from local filmmakers on Friday, October 26 from 5:30-7:30 pm at Austin Studios. The mixer is also providing info about the Love Austin initiative, which supports the municipal bond on the Austin ballot in November. Proposition 18 includes provisions to expand Austin Studios by transforming the neighboring National Guard Building into 50,000 square feet of office space for creative media professionals.In more festival news,...
- 10/22/2012
- by Jordan Gass-Poore'
- Slackerwood
Writer-director Bryan Buckley's "Asad" was named best narrative short and Timothy Reckart's "Head Over Heels" was chosen top animated short by the Austin Film Festival, which announced its winners Sunday. Winners were selected from a record number of entries this year by a panel of industry jurors. Also read: Michael Moore's New Plan: Eliminate the Oscar Documentary Rules The following winners were selected by category: Narrative Feature: "Sparrows Dance," writer/director Noah Buschel; Documentary Feature: "Informant," director Jamie Meltzer; Narrative Short: "Asad," writer/director Bryan Buckley (pictured above); Narrative Student Short: "Hatch," writer/director Christoph Kuschnig, writer...
- 10/21/2012
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Informant, an intense documentary which focuses on Austinite Brandon Darby, is documentarian Jamie Meltzer's latest film. The movie is made up of interviews with Darby, a former anarchist who informed on two young men during the 2008 Rnc, and his (former) friends and co-workers.
Meltzer is currently an assistant professor in the Mfa program in Documentary Film and Video at Stanford, and his previous films include Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story, Welcome to Nollywood and the short La Caminata. His Informant will show as part of Austin Film Festival on Sunday 10/21 and Wednesday 10/24.
Before the fest kicked off, Meltzer answered some questions I had via email.
Slackerwood: Why did you decide to make a film about Brandon Darby? Did you know him before you started working on the movie?
Jamie Meltzer: I first discovered this story when Brandon posted his "open letter" declaring he was an informant, which...
Meltzer is currently an assistant professor in the Mfa program in Documentary Film and Video at Stanford, and his previous films include Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story, Welcome to Nollywood and the short La Caminata. His Informant will show as part of Austin Film Festival on Sunday 10/21 and Wednesday 10/24.
Before the fest kicked off, Meltzer answered some questions I had via email.
Slackerwood: Why did you decide to make a film about Brandon Darby? Did you know him before you started working on the movie?
Jamie Meltzer: I first discovered this story when Brandon posted his "open letter" declaring he was an informant, which...
- 10/18/2012
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
Raindance have just announced their line-up for their 20th annual film festival. The 2012 festival will, like every year showcase some of the best independent movies that we can expect in the coming year and beyond. Raindance 2012 will take place 26th September to 7th October at the Apollo Cinema, Piccadilly Circus in London. This year we can expect to see 105 features, more than 138 shorts, 64 UK Premieres, 13 International Premieres, 5 European Premieres, 19 World Premieres and 24 Directorial Debuts from 38 countries.
Scroll down to see the full press release as well as all the feature films that will be showing at the festival. To find out more, click here to visit their official site.
Opening the festival on Wednesday 26th September is the International Premiere of Here Comes The Devil a powerful fantasy horror from Mexico. Shot in Tijuana, a married couple lose their children while on a family trip near some caves in Tijuana.
Scroll down to see the full press release as well as all the feature films that will be showing at the festival. To find out more, click here to visit their official site.
Opening the festival on Wednesday 26th September is the International Premiere of Here Comes The Devil a powerful fantasy horror from Mexico. Shot in Tijuana, a married couple lose their children while on a family trip near some caves in Tijuana.
- 9/4/2012
- by David Sztypuljak
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
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