Gravitas Ventures has picked up the documentary Stylebender, on the UFC Middleweight phenomenon and former world champion Israel Adesanya, for North America.
Zoë McIntosh followed Adesanya, known in the ring as “the last stylebender” for five years making the non-fiction feature, which premiered at the Tribeca film festival last year. Stylebender is less a classic sports doc than an exploration of Adesanya’s origins, family upbringing, and his struggles, as a shy Nigerian kid, growing up in rural New Zealand in the 2000s, to find his own way in the world. We see Adesanya working with his trainer and mentor, Eugene Bareman, as well as his therapist, as he discusses issues of masculinity, bullying, and mental health.
“After screening Stylebender in Tribeca, I could feel in my bones there was something supremely special about this film, and about Adesanya’s story,” said Gravitas’ Danielle Gasher. “There is a vulnerable and...
Zoë McIntosh followed Adesanya, known in the ring as “the last stylebender” for five years making the non-fiction feature, which premiered at the Tribeca film festival last year. Stylebender is less a classic sports doc than an exploration of Adesanya’s origins, family upbringing, and his struggles, as a shy Nigerian kid, growing up in rural New Zealand in the 2000s, to find his own way in the world. We see Adesanya working with his trainer and mentor, Eugene Bareman, as well as his therapist, as he discusses issues of masculinity, bullying, and mental health.
“After screening Stylebender in Tribeca, I could feel in my bones there was something supremely special about this film, and about Adesanya’s story,” said Gravitas’ Danielle Gasher. “There is a vulnerable and...
- 5/15/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On the eve of Cannes, film financing and sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment has made several key promotions as well as adding a new hire to its team.
Shane Kelly, who has been with the company since 2019, is being promoted to senior vice president, international sales and acquisitions. In this new role, he will continue to oversee sales and distribution efforts while formalizing the addition of project acquisitions as part of his purview, continuing to report to Mister Smith CEO David Garrett. In his previous role as VP international sales and distribution, Kelly has been instrumental in helping manage the company’s slate through sales, financing, marketing and distribution.
In addition, Emma Mason is being promoted to vice president, international marketing and publicity and will continue to lead the marketing and publicity team and oversee festival strategy for the Mister Smith slate.
Katie Hogan is being promoted to distribution and marketing executive,...
Shane Kelly, who has been with the company since 2019, is being promoted to senior vice president, international sales and acquisitions. In this new role, he will continue to oversee sales and distribution efforts while formalizing the addition of project acquisitions as part of his purview, continuing to report to Mister Smith CEO David Garrett. In his previous role as VP international sales and distribution, Kelly has been instrumental in helping manage the company’s slate through sales, financing, marketing and distribution.
In addition, Emma Mason is being promoted to vice president, international marketing and publicity and will continue to lead the marketing and publicity team and oversee festival strategy for the Mister Smith slate.
Katie Hogan is being promoted to distribution and marketing executive,...
- 5/13/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Mister Smith is overseeing international sales and co-representing North American rights with WME Independent.
UK sales outfit Mister Smith is overseeing international sales and co-representing North American rights with WME Independent on New Zealand documentary feature Stylebender, directed by Zoe McIntosh.
It will premiere in June in the documentary competition at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival.
The feature follows underdog mixed martial arts (Mma) champion Israel Adesanya’s journey to the top of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He was born in Nigeria, before relocating to New Zealand as a child, overcoming abuse, bullying and racism to become the...
UK sales outfit Mister Smith is overseeing international sales and co-representing North American rights with WME Independent on New Zealand documentary feature Stylebender, directed by Zoe McIntosh.
It will premiere in June in the documentary competition at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival.
The feature follows underdog mixed martial arts (Mma) champion Israel Adesanya’s journey to the top of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He was born in Nigeria, before relocating to New Zealand as a child, overcoming abuse, bullying and racism to become the...
- 5/31/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Alice Troughton’s The Lesson screening in Spotlight.
For the first time more than half of Tribeca Festival’s competition selections have been directed by women, the festival said as it announced the entire line-up on Tuesday.
Some 19 films or 68% of the 28-strong competition line-up hail from women, while 39 or 36% are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two Indigenous filmmakers. Overall 109 features will screen at the New York festival from June 7-18.
US Narrative Competition selections include world premieres of Shelly Yo’s Smoking Tigers, about a Korean American girl navigating an elite high school, and Monica Sorelle’s portrait of...
For the first time more than half of Tribeca Festival’s competition selections have been directed by women, the festival said as it announced the entire line-up on Tuesday.
Some 19 films or 68% of the 28-strong competition line-up hail from women, while 39 or 36% are directed by Bipoc filmmakers, including two Indigenous filmmakers. Overall 109 features will screen at the New York festival from June 7-18.
US Narrative Competition selections include world premieres of Shelly Yo’s Smoking Tigers, about a Korean American girl navigating an elite high school, and Monica Sorelle’s portrait of...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The new company will produce films and TV dramas aimed at the international market.
Global production company Sweetshop and expanding Israeli company Green Productions are joining forces to launch a new Australia and New Zealand-based outfit, called Sweetshop & Green.
The new company, which will become fully operational in October, will produce films and TV dramas aimed at the international market.
Sharlene George, founding partner and global executive producer of Sweetshop, co-heads the joint venture with Israeli producer Gal Greenspan, co-founder and CEO of Green Productions. Both take the title of joint managing director.
Veteran Israeli producer Moshe Edery, president and...
Global production company Sweetshop and expanding Israeli company Green Productions are joining forces to launch a new Australia and New Zealand-based outfit, called Sweetshop & Green.
The new company, which will become fully operational in October, will produce films and TV dramas aimed at the international market.
Sharlene George, founding partner and global executive producer of Sweetshop, co-heads the joint venture with Israeli producer Gal Greenspan, co-founder and CEO of Green Productions. Both take the title of joint managing director.
Veteran Israeli producer Moshe Edery, president and...
- 9/9/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
“…because you have a penis”
The Young Women’s Christian Association of New Zealand has launched a campaign to demand equal pay for women.
To resolve the reality that women in New Zealand are paid 10% less for doing the same job as men, men are charged 10% more than women in an ad created by Ddb Auckland.
The campaign, which centres around the website demandequalpay.org.nz, hopes to get 10,000 signatures from women and men to pressure the government into making salaries fairer.
Monica Briggs, CEO of Ywca Auckland said: “It is the belief of the Ywca Auckland that by raising public awareness around this issue and giving some education around the facts, that people will debate the issue and just as importantly, pledge their support at demandequalpay.org.nz – so that government can be urged to adopt the Pay Equality Bill, drafted by Dr Judy McGregor, the out-going Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.
The Young Women’s Christian Association of New Zealand has launched a campaign to demand equal pay for women.
To resolve the reality that women in New Zealand are paid 10% less for doing the same job as men, men are charged 10% more than women in an ad created by Ddb Auckland.
The campaign, which centres around the website demandequalpay.org.nz, hopes to get 10,000 signatures from women and men to pressure the government into making salaries fairer.
Monica Briggs, CEO of Ywca Auckland said: “It is the belief of the Ywca Auckland that by raising public awareness around this issue and giving some education around the facts, that people will debate the issue and just as importantly, pledge their support at demandequalpay.org.nz – so that government can be urged to adopt the Pay Equality Bill, drafted by Dr Judy McGregor, the out-going Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.
- 12/4/2012
- by Robin Hicks
- Encore Magazine
City Hall Restaurant / Getty Images: Andrew H. Walker Tuesday morning, a little over halfway through the Festival, Tribeca Co-Founder Jane Rosenthal hosted an intimate event for all the women in film at this year's Festival. The group, which included filmmakers, producers, jurors, and actresses, gathered together at City Hall restaurant in Tribeca for some coffee, brunch, introductions, and good old-fashioned networking. (l) Abbie Cornish / (r) Jessica Alba, Jane Rosenthal / Getty Images: Andrew H. Walker Around the restaurant, women were sharing stories about their own films, and also recommendations about things they'd seen - and loved - at the Festival. Jurors Selma Blair and Cheryl Hines were catching up in a corner, while makers of short films Gemma Lee (The Wake), Zoe McIntosh (Day Trip), Melanie Schiele (Delilah, Before), and Maggie Kiley (some boys don't leave) were catching up with Shorts Programmer Sharon Badal. Badal told the group how...
- 4/27/2010
- TribecaFilm.com
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