The release of "Drive-Away Dolls" has been marked by most of the trades as the first solo directorial feature of Ethan Coen, following his brother Joel's 2021 outing with "The Tragedy of Macbeth." And sure, it's a catchy headline to acknowledge that one-half of one of cinema's greatest directorial partnerships is stepping out on his own, but that doesn't tell the full story. For one thing, Ethan Coen already made his solo directorial debut with the documentary "Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind." More importantly, "Drive-Away Dolls" may have Coen listed as the solo director, but if you ask him, this was yet another co-directed project, but this time with his wife and longtime Coen Bros. editor, Tricia Cooke.
Cooke first worked with the Coens as an editor on "Miller's Crossing" fresh out of film school, seeking out the job not because they were the esteemed directors of "Blood Simple" and Raising Arizona" fame,...
Cooke first worked with the Coens as an editor on "Miller's Crossing" fresh out of film school, seeking out the job not because they were the esteemed directors of "Blood Simple" and Raising Arizona" fame,...
- 2/23/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro has nominated 27 Latino-driven films for inclusion in the National Film Registry. Among the suggestions are films that brought Oscar nominations to Latino actors and artists, including Salma Hayek, as Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in “Frida” (2002); Catalina Sandino Moreno, who portrayed a desperate undocumented pregnant immigrant in “Maria Full of Grace” (2004) and Demián Bichir, who played an undocumented worker in Los Angeles in “A Better Life” (2011). All were nominated for lead acting Oscars.
Other notable titles nominated by the congressman are Peter Sollett’s coming-of-age indie “Raising Victor Vargas,” Alfonso Arau’s romantic drama “Like Water for Chocolate (1992) and Darnell Martin’s “I Like It Like That” (1994), a story of a Puerto Rican family in the Bronx.
“Given the film industry’s continued exclusion of Latinos, we must make a special effort to ensure that Latino Americans’ contributions to American filmmaking are appropriately celebrated and included in the National Film Registry,...
Other notable titles nominated by the congressman are Peter Sollett’s coming-of-age indie “Raising Victor Vargas,” Alfonso Arau’s romantic drama “Like Water for Chocolate (1992) and Darnell Martin’s “I Like It Like That” (1994), a story of a Puerto Rican family in the Bronx.
“Given the film industry’s continued exclusion of Latinos, we must make a special effort to ensure that Latino Americans’ contributions to American filmmaking are appropriately celebrated and included in the National Film Registry,...
- 8/21/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Salma Hayek gets a lot of attention for her stunning looks, but her oeuvre proves she's a versatile and formidable actress. From action to drama to comedy, Hayek takes on every role with consummate aplomb. Her talent has garnered Oscar, Golden Globe, and Emmy award nominations.
Hayek started her acting career in the novela "Un Nuevo Amanecer" in the late-1980s. She then appeared in television shows, including "Teresa," "Street Justice," and "Dream On." She made her big screen debut with 1993's "Mi Vida Loca," portraying Gata -- a small yet memorable role. Her feature film debut led to bigger and bigger parts, leading her to become one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. While the 1990s saw her cultivate a reputation as a sex symbol, she's since lent her impressive acting chops to a wide range of films, such as experimental indie flicks, superhero blockbusters, and everything in between.
Hayek started her acting career in the novela "Un Nuevo Amanecer" in the late-1980s. She then appeared in television shows, including "Teresa," "Street Justice," and "Dream On." She made her big screen debut with 1993's "Mi Vida Loca," portraying Gata -- a small yet memorable role. Her feature film debut led to bigger and bigger parts, leading her to become one of the most sought-after actresses in Hollywood. While the 1990s saw her cultivate a reputation as a sex symbol, she's since lent her impressive acting chops to a wide range of films, such as experimental indie flicks, superhero blockbusters, and everything in between.
- 4/29/2023
- by Joe Garza
- Slash Film
Image Source: Getty Images/Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
Selena Gomez's recent appearance on "Saturday Night Live" on May 14 has stirred some controversy within the community. While some found one sketch hilarious, others thought it was an embarrassing and stereotypical portrayal of Mexican Americans. The sketch in question, "A Peek at Pico," is a talk show set in Pico Rivera, CA, a Latinx neighborhood in Southeast Los Angeles that doesn't normally get mainstream attention. The show's hosts, played by Melissa Villaseñor and Gomez (who are both Mexican American themselves), are dressed in heavily stereotyped chola attire, which includes white tank tops, plaid long-sleeved shirts, khakis, and big Aqua Net bangs with teased-out and heavily gelled hair. The punchline is that they refuse to let any guest on the show fully develop their story. Similarly, though, the whole skit seems underdeveloped.
Related: Selena Gomez's "SNL" Monologue Pays Homage to...
Selena Gomez's recent appearance on "Saturday Night Live" on May 14 has stirred some controversy within the community. While some found one sketch hilarious, others thought it was an embarrassing and stereotypical portrayal of Mexican Americans. The sketch in question, "A Peek at Pico," is a talk show set in Pico Rivera, CA, a Latinx neighborhood in Southeast Los Angeles that doesn't normally get mainstream attention. The show's hosts, played by Melissa Villaseñor and Gomez (who are both Mexican American themselves), are dressed in heavily stereotyped chola attire, which includes white tank tops, plaid long-sleeved shirts, khakis, and big Aqua Net bangs with teased-out and heavily gelled hair. The punchline is that they refuse to let any guest on the show fully develop their story. Similarly, though, the whole skit seems underdeveloped.
Related: Selena Gomez's "SNL" Monologue Pays Homage to...
- 5/19/2022
- by Yvette Montoya
- Popsugar.com
Film editors Lillian E. Benson and Richard Chew will receive Career Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions to film editing at the 72nd Annual Ace Eddie Awards, taking place on March 5 at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
“Lillian and Richard are rock star editors and represent the very best of our craft and profession,” said Ace president Kevin Tent. “Just look at those credits! Not only have they had incredibly prolific careers, but they’ve given back to our community in many ways, not the least of which by mentoring the next generation of editors. We are thrilled to honor these two special editors and look back at their amazing careers.”
Past recipients of the Ace Career Achievement Award include Alan Heim, Thelma Schoonmaker, Dede Allen, Janet Ashikaga, Craig Mckay, Margaret Booth, Carol Littleton, John Soh, Mark Goldblatt and Leon Ortiz-Gil, among many others.
Benson made history as...
“Lillian and Richard are rock star editors and represent the very best of our craft and profession,” said Ace president Kevin Tent. “Just look at those credits! Not only have they had incredibly prolific careers, but they’ve given back to our community in many ways, not the least of which by mentoring the next generation of editors. We are thrilled to honor these two special editors and look back at their amazing careers.”
Past recipients of the Ace Career Achievement Award include Alan Heim, Thelma Schoonmaker, Dede Allen, Janet Ashikaga, Craig Mckay, Margaret Booth, Carol Littleton, John Soh, Mark Goldblatt and Leon Ortiz-Gil, among many others.
Benson made history as...
- 1/25/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Caesar Cordova, a character actor who appeared with Al Pacino in “Scarface” and “Carlito’s Way,” died of natural causes Wednesday in Atlantic City, N.J. He was 84.
His son, actor Panchito Gomez “American Me,” “Mi Vida Loca”), announced his death.
In Brian de Palma’s “Scarface,” Cordova played the taco cook at the El Paraiso lunch stand. Though the film was set in Miami, the scene was actually shot in downtown Los Angeles. In “Carlito’s Way,” he played the barber.
Cordova was a lifetime member of the Actors Studio. He also appeared on Broadway with Pacino in “Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?”
His film credits include “Where the Buffalo Roam,” opposite Peter Boyle and Bill Murray, “Nighthawks” with Sylvester Stallone and Billy Dee Williams and “Shark’s Treasure,” where he appeared opposite Cornel Wilde, who also wrote and directed the film.
On television, he had guest appearances on “Kojak,...
His son, actor Panchito Gomez “American Me,” “Mi Vida Loca”), announced his death.
In Brian de Palma’s “Scarface,” Cordova played the taco cook at the El Paraiso lunch stand. Though the film was set in Miami, the scene was actually shot in downtown Los Angeles. In “Carlito’s Way,” he played the barber.
Cordova was a lifetime member of the Actors Studio. He also appeared on Broadway with Pacino in “Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?”
His film credits include “Where the Buffalo Roam,” opposite Peter Boyle and Bill Murray, “Nighthawks” with Sylvester Stallone and Billy Dee Williams and “Shark’s Treasure,” where he appeared opposite Cornel Wilde, who also wrote and directed the film.
On television, he had guest appearances on “Kojak,...
- 8/28/2020
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Grammy-winning country artist Pam Tillis is making her return with the new album Looking for a Feeling, due out April 24th via her own Stellar Cat Records. As a preview of the upcoming project, the “Maybe It Was Memphis” singer has issued the smoky title track, a bit of Muscle Shoals-style country-soul in the key of Bobbie Gentry.
“Sister’s on a sidewalk listening to the devil’s lies/Brother’s on a mountaintop trying to get wise,” she begins, rattling off a cast of characters who are all looking...
“Sister’s on a sidewalk listening to the devil’s lies/Brother’s on a mountaintop trying to get wise,” she begins, rattling off a cast of characters who are all looking...
- 2/28/2020
- by Jon Freeman
- Rollingstone.com
Since any New York City cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.
Bam
Kelly Reichardt has programmed a series of films that inspired First Cow.
Museum of the Moving Image
A Kelly Reichardt retrospective is underway.
“See It Big! Outer Space” continues with Alien and Dark Star while 2001 continues playing alongside the museum’s incredible new exhibit.
Akira has screenings.
Metrograph
The earth is ending and there’s nothing we can do,...
Bam
Kelly Reichardt has programmed a series of films that inspired First Cow.
Museum of the Moving Image
A Kelly Reichardt retrospective is underway.
“See It Big! Outer Space” continues with Alien and Dark Star while 2001 continues playing alongside the museum’s incredible new exhibit.
Akira has screenings.
Metrograph
The earth is ending and there’s nothing we can do,...
- 2/27/2020
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Cineville has attached writer-director Dito Montiel to the independent dramatic thriller “Afterward,” Variety has learned exclusively.
Production is planned to start in the spring of 2019. Producers are Thomas D. Adelman, production manager on “The Usual Suspects”; Elizabeth Gast Napolitano; Frederic Demey (“Female Fight Squad”) and Carl Colpaert.
The story centers on a father’s struggle to deal with the passing of his daughter, which leads him on a quest for truth and justice against corruption and small town politics.
Montiel made his feature directorial debut on 2006’s “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” followed by “Fighting,” “The Son of No One,” “Empire State,” “Boulevard,” “Man Down,” and “The Clapper.”
“I’m excited to have Cineville behind me as we guide ‘Afterward’ into production,” he said. “While I’m hardly said to have a particular style or type of film I gravitate towards, ‘Afterward’ represents a challenging change of direction and a personal project for me,...
Production is planned to start in the spring of 2019. Producers are Thomas D. Adelman, production manager on “The Usual Suspects”; Elizabeth Gast Napolitano; Frederic Demey (“Female Fight Squad”) and Carl Colpaert.
The story centers on a father’s struggle to deal with the passing of his daughter, which leads him on a quest for truth and justice against corruption and small town politics.
Montiel made his feature directorial debut on 2006’s “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” followed by “Fighting,” “The Son of No One,” “Empire State,” “Boulevard,” “Man Down,” and “The Clapper.”
“I’m excited to have Cineville behind me as we guide ‘Afterward’ into production,” he said. “While I’m hardly said to have a particular style or type of film I gravitate towards, ‘Afterward’ represents a challenging change of direction and a personal project for me,...
- 10/3/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Chilean drama “Princesita” will receive its U.K. premiere as the opening film of the 26th Raindance Film Festival. Announcing its full line-up Wednesday the independent film festival also revealed it would host the world premiere of the first feature-length cinematic Vr experience, U.S.-Italian co-production “7 Miracles.”
“Rogue One” director Gareth Edwards will serve on the festival’s jury for its official competition section. The jury will judge the best international film, best U.K. film and best documentary, as well as categories for director, screenplay, performance, cinematography and the Discovery Award.
Edwards will be joined on the jury by British actors Ray Winstone, Annabelle Wallis, Adrian Lester, Laura Carmichael, Sienna Guillory, Carmen Ejogo, Aisling Loftus, Judi Shekoni, Juliet Stevenson, Jenny Agutter, Rufus Sewell, Greta Scacchi, Karen Bryson, Genevieve O’Reilly, Rupert Evans, and Jonathan Pryce. Writer John Harris Dunning, dancer Michael Flatley and head of music for Vice U.
“Rogue One” director Gareth Edwards will serve on the festival’s jury for its official competition section. The jury will judge the best international film, best U.K. film and best documentary, as well as categories for director, screenplay, performance, cinematography and the Discovery Award.
Edwards will be joined on the jury by British actors Ray Winstone, Annabelle Wallis, Adrian Lester, Laura Carmichael, Sienna Guillory, Carmen Ejogo, Aisling Loftus, Judi Shekoni, Juliet Stevenson, Jenny Agutter, Rufus Sewell, Greta Scacchi, Karen Bryson, Genevieve O’Reilly, Rupert Evans, and Jonathan Pryce. Writer John Harris Dunning, dancer Michael Flatley and head of music for Vice U.
- 8/22/2018
- by Robert Mitchell
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmakers Cody Jarrett and Siouxzan Perry are raising funds through Kickstarter to complete their documentary Tura!,the Incredible True Life Story of Tura Satana, the Russ Meyer & Burlesque Superstar, Asian American Cinema Pioneer and Ultimate Self-Empowered Female. Read the We Are Movie Geeks tribute to Tura Here
The Kickstarter link can be found Here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1486618309/tura-the-tura-satana-documentary
Here is a video from the filmmakers discussing their project and showing some of the footage they’ve already shot:
“Tura!” is the true life story of cult movie icon & burlesque dancer Tura Satana, chopped straight from the pages of her handwritten memoir. Best known as the star of Russ Meyer’s classic film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Tura stunned 1960’s movie audiences as the sexy, dominant, fast-driving, karate-wielding lesbian gang leader Varla. Her groundbreaking look, attitude, and performance were all years ahead of their time and continue to influence...
The Kickstarter link can be found Here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1486618309/tura-the-tura-satana-documentary
Here is a video from the filmmakers discussing their project and showing some of the footage they’ve already shot:
“Tura!” is the true life story of cult movie icon & burlesque dancer Tura Satana, chopped straight from the pages of her handwritten memoir. Best known as the star of Russ Meyer’s classic film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, Tura stunned 1960’s movie audiences as the sexy, dominant, fast-driving, karate-wielding lesbian gang leader Varla. Her groundbreaking look, attitude, and performance were all years ahead of their time and continue to influence...
- 3/16/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Actress Dawna Lee Heising of MoreHorror in Hollywood plays Layla in the over the top murder mystery Murder at Thick City.
Check out all the full details and video in the official release below.
From The Press Release
This hilarious, over-the-top, murder mystery written by Gary Hardwick (Deliver Us From Eva, The Brothers) and directed by actress/producer, Nina Womack (The Power of Love, Melrose Place, Pacific Palisades) takes place present day at a fictitious strip club called "Thick City."
Starring Patrick Faucette (Tyler Perry's The Haves And The Have Nots) as Detective Monroe; Dawna Lee Heisling (MoreHorror in Hollywood; After School Massacre) as Layla; Rico McClinton (Battlefield) as Damien; Angel Aviles (Mi Vida Loca, Desperado) as Gina; Nina Womack (Melrose Place, Power of Love) as Angela;; Shaun Gerardo (Clock Out, Alpha & Omega 2) as Taylor; Richie Lillard (Club Lingerie) as Cinique; and last but not least, NeiCe Knight-Preuitt (Get Thee Behind Me,...
Check out all the full details and video in the official release below.
From The Press Release
This hilarious, over-the-top, murder mystery written by Gary Hardwick (Deliver Us From Eva, The Brothers) and directed by actress/producer, Nina Womack (The Power of Love, Melrose Place, Pacific Palisades) takes place present day at a fictitious strip club called "Thick City."
Starring Patrick Faucette (Tyler Perry's The Haves And The Have Nots) as Detective Monroe; Dawna Lee Heisling (MoreHorror in Hollywood; After School Massacre) as Layla; Rico McClinton (Battlefield) as Damien; Angel Aviles (Mi Vida Loca, Desperado) as Gina; Nina Womack (Melrose Place, Power of Love) as Angela;; Shaun Gerardo (Clock Out, Alpha & Omega 2) as Taylor; Richie Lillard (Club Lingerie) as Cinique; and last but not least, NeiCe Knight-Preuitt (Get Thee Behind Me,...
- 3/21/2015
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Sundance Institute and The Royal Film Commission - Jordan announced the six projects selected for the 10th anniversary of the Rawi Screenwriters Lab, which took place October 28 to November 1 in Amman, Jordan. Created as a cornerstone of the Institute’s deep commitment to artists in the Middle East, the Lab has supported over seventy artists from more than a dozen countries.
The two first features produced from the inaugural 2005 Lab premiered at the Sundance Film Festival: "Pomegranates and Myrrh," written and directed by Najwa Najjar (Palestine) and "Amreeka," written and directed by Cherien Dabis (Palestine/Jordan/Us). Notable alums of the Lab also include Mohammed Al Daradji ( "Son of Babylon" ) and Sally El Hosaini ( "My Brother The Devil" ).
More recently, 2009 Rawi alumna Haifaa Al Mansour (Saudi Arabia) premiered her first feature "Wadjda" at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. It was soon acquired by Sony Pictures Classics and was distributed to critical and audience acclaim from around the world. "Wadjda" is the first feature film shot entirely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the first ever by a Saudi female filmmaker.
The 10 th anniversary events in Amman included a panel on the craft of screenwriting led by Al Mansour, a public screening of "Zindeeq"by Lab Advisor Michel Khleifi, and a reception designed to connect local artists with filmmakers from across the region. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “Stories told by independent artists, whether working in the U.S. or internationally, provide remarkable windows into other cultures, and deepen understanding. Ten years into our work in the Middle East, we look forward to continuing to give voice to artists in the region.”
Michelle Satter, Founding Director of the Feature Film Program, said, “We deeply value our collaboration with the Royal Film Commission as well as the artists we have supported in the Middle East over the past 10 years. The films that have emerged from the Lab have reflected upon many of the region’s important cultural and political moments over the past decade. I am proud to see the work of these artists enriching the broader culture with unique and impactful stories."
George David, General Manager of the Royal Film Commission, said,“We are proud of what this Lab has accomplished over the past ten years. It is safe to say that Rawi, with the support of the Sundance Institute has become a recognized contributor to the development of Arab feature films. Cinematic works, which were born in Rawi, have been featured in major films festivals and released in cinema screens globally, exposing our Arab culture and heritage to the world.”
Modeled on the Institute’s renowned Us-based Screenwriters Labs, the Rawi Screenwriters Lab provides an opportunity for filmmakers from the Middle East region to develop their work under the guidance of accomplished screenwriters in an environment that encourages storytelling at its highest level. The Lab is led by the Royal Film Commission of Jordan and managed by Deema Azar, in consultation with Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, under the direction of Founding Director Michelle Satter and International Director Paul Federbush.
The Creative Advisors this year included Pavel Jech (This Is Not An American Movie"), Rawi Screenwriting Lab alum Najwa Najjar ("Eyes Of A Thief" , "Pomegranates And Myrrh" ), Hanna Weg ( "Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet" ), Jon Raymond ( "Night Moves," "Wendy and Lucy" ), and Michel Khleifi ( "Zindeeq" ).
The six artists selected for the 2014 Rawi Screenwriters Lab include:
Shake
Writer and Director: Deema Dabis (Jordan)
Free-spirited Kareemah decides to leave her home in Los Angeles to pursue her lifelong dream when she accepts an offer to tour Palestine with an international circus troop. As she struggles to manage her insecurities as a first-time performer, she is continuously shaken up by the complexities of life in Palestine.
Dabis received an Mfa in Cinema from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. From a young age she has always been in love with stories and believes fiercely that the power of creation and a new vision will not only bring healing and insight into our world but also has the potential to create alternative narratives and realities. She is working on a number of projects including her first short film The Sri Lankan , which received funding from the Jordan Film Fund.
Baghdad Perfume
Writer and Director: Roua Ahmad (Iraq)
The tale of a middle-class family and their struggles during the darkest period in Iraq between 2004 and 2006. As the occupation becomes more oppressive and water and electricity begin to run out, the family of three tries to stay together through kidnapping, illness, and the increasing danger of staying in Baghdad.
Ahmad was born on 1983 in Iraq. She received a certificate of participation from USC School of Cinematic Art and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Programming. She later got her Mfa in Directing and Editing from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. Filmmaking has been her ambition since the age of 12. After graduation she worked as an editor and screenwriter for a television production company. Her short films include The Last Hour , and have been screened and nominated for awards in 12 film festivals around the world.
Killer of the Selawa
Writer and Director: Islam Azzazi (Egypt)
Co-Writer: Charles Akl (Egypt)
In the tense atmosphere following the revolution in Egypt, a man spends the night in a remote villa on the outskirts of Alexandria, trying to obtain a permit for his father’s weapons. After news spreads of a vicious, mythical beast in the area, the man finds himself caught up in a murderous accident.
Since his Dostoyevski inspired thesis project, Al-Kharaz (Beads) , Azzazi has directed and produced numerous Documentaries and short films. His documentaries include Wujouh Al-Fayoum (Fayoum Portraits) and Dominate Your Eyes. He has also produced and directed the short film Nahar we Leil (Day & Night), 2006. Azzazi has worked at El-Warsha Theatre Company where he coached actors and photographed theatrical productions. In 2007 he established a new production company Wika with three other filmmakers.
Charles Akl works as a writer, director, editor, art critic and photographer. After graduating from the University of Alexandria’s Faculty of Fine Arts in 2006, he has worked in several domains ranging from architecture design to writing and editing for several arts publications, including Magaz. Akl has also worked as the program coordinator at Al Mawred Al Thaqafy.
Tide
Writer and Director: Hussen Ibraheem (Lebanon)
A man and woman struggle in the aftermath of their son’s death. As the tide approaches their coastal home and they make their way by car to a relative’s house in the mountains, they must confront the tension the tragedy has created between them.
Ibraheem is an independent filmmaker, born in Beirut, Lebanon. After getting his BA in Architecture, Ibraheem followed his love for animation working as a freelance storyboard artist and character designer. Ibraheem was granted a scholarship from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts where he studied directing and cinematography. His second short film produced at Rsica, Typo, is currently touring 13 film festivals in Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, USA, UK, and Italy.
The Golden Cap Club
Writer and Director: Merva Faddoul (Lebanon)
A young girl comes of age as the organized world of the adults crumbles during the invasion of Kuwait in the early 1990s. Determined to win a trip to Disneyland, she collects bottle caps in an attempt to find the ‘golden cap,’ as her family tries to distract her from the sudden challenges they face.
Faddoul is an award-winning writer and director. She recieved an Mfa in Film Production from the University of Southern California and a BA in Communications from the Lebanese American University. Her short films have won grants from National Geographic and the Doha Film Institute and they have screened at dozens of festivals worldwide including the Cannes Short Film Corner, Human Rights Nights (Italy), Doha-Tribeca Film Festival, and Tricycle Cinema in London. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the International Academy of WebTV.
Snow
Writer and Director: Omaima Hamouri (Palestine)
Eight year-old Dina believes that an old family curse is behind the conflict that arises each summer between her parents, and becomes convinced that snow is the only way to solve their problems. With the help of her grandmother, she resolves to delay her parents’ divorce until the first snowfall.
Hamouri was born in 1988 in Jerusalem. She received her bachelor degree in Mass Media from Al-Quds University, followed by an Mfa in Editing and Screenwriting from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan. With a never-ending passion for telling human stories through film, Omaima is now working as an independent filmmaker.
The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program is supported by The Annenberg Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Rt Features, Time Warner Foundation, The Lincoln Motor Company, Red Crown Productions, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Hp, Steve Bing, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Microsoft, The Rockefeller Foundation, Nhk Enterprises, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, 3311 Productions, The Ammon Foundation, Firestone / von Winterfeldt Family Fund, Ford Foundation, Philip Fung-A3 Foundation, SAGIndie, Grazka Taylor, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and The Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund.
Sundance Institute Feature Film Program
Since its founding in 1981, the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program (Ffp) has supported an extensive list of ground-breaking independent films. Ffp films making their premieres this year include Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash (winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), Cutter Hodierne’s Fishing Without Nets (winner of the Directing Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), and Malik Vitthal’s Imperial Dreams (winner of the Best of Next Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival). Additional notable films supported over the program’s history include Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station , Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox , Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda , Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild , Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene , Dee Rees’ Pariah , Cary Fukunaga's Sin Nombre , Andrea Arnold's Red Road , Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know , Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now , Josh Marston’s Maria Full of Grace , Peter Sollett’s Raising Victor Vargas , John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch , Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream , Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don't Cry , Walter Salles’ Central Station , Chris Eyre and Sherman Alexie’s Smoke Signals , Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca , Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight , and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs .
undance.org/featurefilm
Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to connect audiences to their work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling as art and as a compelling and powerful way to inform, inspire and unite people. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook , Instagram,Twitter and YouTube.
The two first features produced from the inaugural 2005 Lab premiered at the Sundance Film Festival: "Pomegranates and Myrrh," written and directed by Najwa Najjar (Palestine) and "Amreeka," written and directed by Cherien Dabis (Palestine/Jordan/Us). Notable alums of the Lab also include Mohammed Al Daradji ( "Son of Babylon" ) and Sally El Hosaini ( "My Brother The Devil" ).
More recently, 2009 Rawi alumna Haifaa Al Mansour (Saudi Arabia) premiered her first feature "Wadjda" at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. It was soon acquired by Sony Pictures Classics and was distributed to critical and audience acclaim from around the world. "Wadjda" is the first feature film shot entirely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the first ever by a Saudi female filmmaker.
The 10 th anniversary events in Amman included a panel on the craft of screenwriting led by Al Mansour, a public screening of "Zindeeq"by Lab Advisor Michel Khleifi, and a reception designed to connect local artists with filmmakers from across the region. Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, said, “Stories told by independent artists, whether working in the U.S. or internationally, provide remarkable windows into other cultures, and deepen understanding. Ten years into our work in the Middle East, we look forward to continuing to give voice to artists in the region.”
Michelle Satter, Founding Director of the Feature Film Program, said, “We deeply value our collaboration with the Royal Film Commission as well as the artists we have supported in the Middle East over the past 10 years. The films that have emerged from the Lab have reflected upon many of the region’s important cultural and political moments over the past decade. I am proud to see the work of these artists enriching the broader culture with unique and impactful stories."
George David, General Manager of the Royal Film Commission, said,“We are proud of what this Lab has accomplished over the past ten years. It is safe to say that Rawi, with the support of the Sundance Institute has become a recognized contributor to the development of Arab feature films. Cinematic works, which were born in Rawi, have been featured in major films festivals and released in cinema screens globally, exposing our Arab culture and heritage to the world.”
Modeled on the Institute’s renowned Us-based Screenwriters Labs, the Rawi Screenwriters Lab provides an opportunity for filmmakers from the Middle East region to develop their work under the guidance of accomplished screenwriters in an environment that encourages storytelling at its highest level. The Lab is led by the Royal Film Commission of Jordan and managed by Deema Azar, in consultation with Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, under the direction of Founding Director Michelle Satter and International Director Paul Federbush.
The Creative Advisors this year included Pavel Jech (This Is Not An American Movie"), Rawi Screenwriting Lab alum Najwa Najjar ("Eyes Of A Thief" , "Pomegranates And Myrrh" ), Hanna Weg ( "Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet" ), Jon Raymond ( "Night Moves," "Wendy and Lucy" ), and Michel Khleifi ( "Zindeeq" ).
The six artists selected for the 2014 Rawi Screenwriters Lab include:
Shake
Writer and Director: Deema Dabis (Jordan)
Free-spirited Kareemah decides to leave her home in Los Angeles to pursue her lifelong dream when she accepts an offer to tour Palestine with an international circus troop. As she struggles to manage her insecurities as a first-time performer, she is continuously shaken up by the complexities of life in Palestine.
Dabis received an Mfa in Cinema from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. From a young age she has always been in love with stories and believes fiercely that the power of creation and a new vision will not only bring healing and insight into our world but also has the potential to create alternative narratives and realities. She is working on a number of projects including her first short film The Sri Lankan , which received funding from the Jordan Film Fund.
Baghdad Perfume
Writer and Director: Roua Ahmad (Iraq)
The tale of a middle-class family and their struggles during the darkest period in Iraq between 2004 and 2006. As the occupation becomes more oppressive and water and electricity begin to run out, the family of three tries to stay together through kidnapping, illness, and the increasing danger of staying in Baghdad.
Ahmad was born on 1983 in Iraq. She received a certificate of participation from USC School of Cinematic Art and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Programming. She later got her Mfa in Directing and Editing from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts. Filmmaking has been her ambition since the age of 12. After graduation she worked as an editor and screenwriter for a television production company. Her short films include The Last Hour , and have been screened and nominated for awards in 12 film festivals around the world.
Killer of the Selawa
Writer and Director: Islam Azzazi (Egypt)
Co-Writer: Charles Akl (Egypt)
In the tense atmosphere following the revolution in Egypt, a man spends the night in a remote villa on the outskirts of Alexandria, trying to obtain a permit for his father’s weapons. After news spreads of a vicious, mythical beast in the area, the man finds himself caught up in a murderous accident.
Since his Dostoyevski inspired thesis project, Al-Kharaz (Beads) , Azzazi has directed and produced numerous Documentaries and short films. His documentaries include Wujouh Al-Fayoum (Fayoum Portraits) and Dominate Your Eyes. He has also produced and directed the short film Nahar we Leil (Day & Night), 2006. Azzazi has worked at El-Warsha Theatre Company where he coached actors and photographed theatrical productions. In 2007 he established a new production company Wika with three other filmmakers.
Charles Akl works as a writer, director, editor, art critic and photographer. After graduating from the University of Alexandria’s Faculty of Fine Arts in 2006, he has worked in several domains ranging from architecture design to writing and editing for several arts publications, including Magaz. Akl has also worked as the program coordinator at Al Mawred Al Thaqafy.
Tide
Writer and Director: Hussen Ibraheem (Lebanon)
A man and woman struggle in the aftermath of their son’s death. As the tide approaches their coastal home and they make their way by car to a relative’s house in the mountains, they must confront the tension the tragedy has created between them.
Ibraheem is an independent filmmaker, born in Beirut, Lebanon. After getting his BA in Architecture, Ibraheem followed his love for animation working as a freelance storyboard artist and character designer. Ibraheem was granted a scholarship from The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts where he studied directing and cinematography. His second short film produced at Rsica, Typo, is currently touring 13 film festivals in Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, USA, UK, and Italy.
The Golden Cap Club
Writer and Director: Merva Faddoul (Lebanon)
A young girl comes of age as the organized world of the adults crumbles during the invasion of Kuwait in the early 1990s. Determined to win a trip to Disneyland, she collects bottle caps in an attempt to find the ‘golden cap,’ as her family tries to distract her from the sudden challenges they face.
Faddoul is an award-winning writer and director. She recieved an Mfa in Film Production from the University of Southern California and a BA in Communications from the Lebanese American University. Her short films have won grants from National Geographic and the Doha Film Institute and they have screened at dozens of festivals worldwide including the Cannes Short Film Corner, Human Rights Nights (Italy), Doha-Tribeca Film Festival, and Tricycle Cinema in London. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America and the International Academy of WebTV.
Snow
Writer and Director: Omaima Hamouri (Palestine)
Eight year-old Dina believes that an old family curse is behind the conflict that arises each summer between her parents, and becomes convinced that snow is the only way to solve their problems. With the help of her grandmother, she resolves to delay her parents’ divorce until the first snowfall.
Hamouri was born in 1988 in Jerusalem. She received her bachelor degree in Mass Media from Al-Quds University, followed by an Mfa in Editing and Screenwriting from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan. With a never-ending passion for telling human stories through film, Omaima is now working as an independent filmmaker.
The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program is supported by The Annenberg Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Rt Features, Time Warner Foundation, The Lincoln Motor Company, Red Crown Productions, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Hp, Steve Bing, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Microsoft, The Rockefeller Foundation, Nhk Enterprises, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, 3311 Productions, The Ammon Foundation, Firestone / von Winterfeldt Family Fund, Ford Foundation, Philip Fung-A3 Foundation, SAGIndie, Grazka Taylor, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and The Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund.
Sundance Institute Feature Film Program
Since its founding in 1981, the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program (Ffp) has supported an extensive list of ground-breaking independent films. Ffp films making their premieres this year include Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash (winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), Cutter Hodierne’s Fishing Without Nets (winner of the Directing Prize at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival), and Malik Vitthal’s Imperial Dreams (winner of the Best of Next Audience Award at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival). Additional notable films supported over the program’s history include Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station , Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox , Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda , Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild , Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene , Dee Rees’ Pariah , Cary Fukunaga's Sin Nombre , Andrea Arnold's Red Road , Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know , Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now , Josh Marston’s Maria Full of Grace , Peter Sollett’s Raising Victor Vargas , John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch , Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream , Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don't Cry , Walter Salles’ Central Station , Chris Eyre and Sherman Alexie’s Smoke Signals , Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca , Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight , and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs .
undance.org/featurefilm
Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its artistic development programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to connect audiences to their work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling as art and as a compelling and powerful way to inform, inspire and unite people. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook , Instagram,Twitter and YouTube.
- 11/10/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Last summer "The Purge" unassumingly broke and entered into theaters nationwide. A proudly B-movie affair, produced lovingly by "Paranormal Activity" kingpin Jason Blum, it starred Ethan Hawke and "Game of Thrones" star Lena Headley as a pair of well-off homeowners whose lives descend into chaos during the annual Purge -- a nationwide event where, for 12 hours, any form of crime is legal (and emergency medical services and police are suspended). Things, typically, go awry.
But while "The Purge" entered theaters with a whimper, it certainly left with a bang, making an unexpectedly healthy return on its modest budget and serving as the foundation of a probably franchise that, with any luck, will rival "Paranormal Activity" in terms of the numbers of installments and complexity of its respective mythology. The first follow-up film, "The Purge: Anarchy," arrives this week and takes an entirely different approach to the annual day of super violent cleansing.
But while "The Purge" entered theaters with a whimper, it certainly left with a bang, making an unexpectedly healthy return on its modest budget and serving as the foundation of a probably franchise that, with any luck, will rival "Paranormal Activity" in terms of the numbers of installments and complexity of its respective mythology. The first follow-up film, "The Purge: Anarchy," arrives this week and takes an entirely different approach to the annual day of super violent cleansing.
- 7/17/2014
- by Drew Taylor
- Moviefone
With Isle of Dogs’ director Tammi Sutton’s latest feature Ripped-Off gearing up for principal photography in Los Angeles, CA this spring, we caught up with the filmmaker to discuss what happens when car thieves steal the wrong vehicle (this being a Sutton film, all sorts of stylized hell will break loose, more than likely). Read on.
Currently casting, Ripped-Off was written by Jeff Sisson, and will be produced by Caprice Conley, with cinematography by Jonas Navickas. The film’s tagline is as follows; “They stole the wrong car... Now heads are gonna’ roll."
“The inception of Ripped-Off honestly started when I was winding down filming my last two features in Europe and England,” stated Sutton (her last feature currently in release, the gritty Andrew Howard and Barbara Nedeljakova-starring crime thriller Isle of Dogs, bowed to DVD via Green Apples on January 28, 2014.)
“When I was there and homesick for Los Angeles,...
Currently casting, Ripped-Off was written by Jeff Sisson, and will be produced by Caprice Conley, with cinematography by Jonas Navickas. The film’s tagline is as follows; “They stole the wrong car... Now heads are gonna’ roll."
“The inception of Ripped-Off honestly started when I was winding down filming my last two features in Europe and England,” stated Sutton (her last feature currently in release, the gritty Andrew Howard and Barbara Nedeljakova-starring crime thriller Isle of Dogs, bowed to DVD via Green Apples on January 28, 2014.)
“When I was there and homesick for Los Angeles,...
- 4/16/2014
- by Sean Decker
- FEARnet
Jenni Rivera's former manager is on a rampage after the late singer's family published Jenni's biography -- claiming she's the Real author ... and now, the manager wants at least $10 million. Laura Lucio filed a lawsuit against Jenni's estate and family, claiming she managed Jenni since 2004 ... and during that time, she and Jenni co-authored the singer's bio --- "Mi Vida Loca" ("My Crazy Life").Laura claims the book had several publish dates which were pushed...
- 1/27/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Breaking Bad’s home stretch has a premiere date, and is getting a talk show.
The final eight episodes of AMC’s acclaimed meth-drama will get underway starting Sunday, Aug. 11, the network announced at its upfront presentation to advertisers on Wednesday. The episodes technically represent the second half of the fifth season of the show.
AMC also announced its adding a post-episode chat show, Talking Bad. The network hopes to continue the success that it has enjoyed with its post-Walking Dead talk show, The Talking Dead. No word yet who will host.
The network is also developing a sci-fi drama titled Ballistic City,...
The final eight episodes of AMC’s acclaimed meth-drama will get underway starting Sunday, Aug. 11, the network announced at its upfront presentation to advertisers on Wednesday. The episodes technically represent the second half of the fifth season of the show.
AMC also announced its adding a post-episode chat show, Talking Bad. The network hopes to continue the success that it has enjoyed with its post-Walking Dead talk show, The Talking Dead. No word yet who will host.
The network is also developing a sci-fi drama titled Ballistic City,...
- 4/17/2013
- by James Hibberd
- EW - Inside TV
Latina actresses wanted -- the non-hot-blodded need not apply.
Casting calls circulating online for reality shows in search of Latinas are raising a furor from Hispanic bloggers who slam the want ads for appealing to stereotypes.
Here’s a call from Dam Legacy Entertainment searching for a sexy mother modeled on the Gloria Delgado-Pritchett character from “Modern Family” to play a Hispanified tiger mother.
Do your friends describe you as a Hot Latina mom...even go so far to call you the real life Sofia Vegara? (sic)
New TV Show is now searching for hot blooded, passionate, attractive, Latina moms that have effectively raised successful children through real life, old-school Latin traditions…
Requirements: Real Latina Moms who are as big and brash and full of confidence in their parenting style! Should have at least on (sic) kid in his/her 20's.
Chica and the City was the first to blast the want ad,...
Casting calls circulating online for reality shows in search of Latinas are raising a furor from Hispanic bloggers who slam the want ads for appealing to stereotypes.
Here’s a call from Dam Legacy Entertainment searching for a sexy mother modeled on the Gloria Delgado-Pritchett character from “Modern Family” to play a Hispanified tiger mother.
Do your friends describe you as a Hot Latina mom...even go so far to call you the real life Sofia Vegara? (sic)
New TV Show is now searching for hot blooded, passionate, attractive, Latina moms that have effectively raised successful children through real life, old-school Latin traditions…
Requirements: Real Latina Moms who are as big and brash and full of confidence in their parenting style! Should have at least on (sic) kid in his/her 20's.
Chica and the City was the first to blast the want ad,...
- 1/9/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Sundance Institute has hired Paul Federbush to become International Director, Feature Film Program (Ffp), a highly sought-after job which Alesia Weston left open when she left in May to become Executive Director of the Jerusalem Film Centre and Fesival. Federbush began September 24 and is reporting to Michelle Satter, Founding Director, Feature Film Program.
Paul is already reaching out into new geographic areas searching for those filmmakers who have the greatest potential for making a brand new mark on the worldwide film business. His responsibility is the planning and execution of the international work of Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program which includes year round support for International artists through Labs, granting, and ongoing mentorship providing creative and tactical support. Federbush will oversee international Labs in collaboration with local partners in the Middle East and India, outreach and discover new international filmmakers and projects, steward programs such as the Sundance Institute|Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award and Sundance| Nhk Award, and support the international artists participating in the annual Sundance Labs in Utah. In addition he will develop opportunities to further advance and broaden the scope of the Ffp’s International initiative.
We congratulate Paul and are proud to be able to say that we have known him since his early days at Fine Line. Federbush is a seasoned production, acquisition, and distribution executive with eighteen years of experience in the entertainment industry. Most recently Federbush, along with partner Laura Kim, started a distribution company, Red Flag Releasing. Prior to forming Red Flag, Federbush served as Senior Vice President of Production and Acquisitions at Warner Independent Pictures where he oversaw the acquisition, production, and development of projects including Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, and Hany Abu Assad’s Paradise Now.
For nearly three decades, Sundance Institute has promoted independent storytelling to inform and inspire audiences across political, social, religious and cultural differences. Through Labs, direct artist granting, special projects with key partners and the Sundance Film Festival, the Institute serves as the leading advocate for independent artists worldwide. Sundance Institute Feature Film Program Over its 30-year history, the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program has supported an extensive list of award-winning and groundbreaking independent films.
Ffp films currently in the marketplace include Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar’s Beasts of the Southern Wild (winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival), Craig Zobel’s Compliance, Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish’s Sleepwalk With Me, Todd Louiso and Sarah Koskoff’s Hello I Must Be Going, and Ira Sachs’ Keep the Lights On. Recent international Ffp films include Sally El Hosaini’s My Brother the Devil, Andrei Zyvagintsev’s Elena, Edwin’s Postcards from the Zoo, Alejandro Landes’ Porfirio, and the festival films Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda and Ziad Douieri’s L’Attack.Additional notable films supported over the program’s history include Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene, Dee Rees’ Pariah, Maryam Keshavarz’s Circumstance, Cherien Dabis' Amreeka, Cary Fukunaga's Sin Nombre, Fernando Eimbcke's Lake Tahoe, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s Half Nelson, Andrea Arnold's Red Road, Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know, Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now, Debra Granik’s Down to the Bone, Josh Marston’s Maria Page 2 Full of Grace, Lisa Cholodenko’s Laurel Canyon, Peter Sollett’s Raising Victor Vargas, John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don't Cry, Lucrecia Martel’s La Cienaga, Walter Salles’ Central Station, Chris Eyre and Sherman Alexie’s Smoke Signals, Nicole Holofcener’s Walking and Talking, Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight, Tamara Jenkins’ Slums of Beverly Hills, and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.
Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to inform, inspire, and unite diverse populations around the globe. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Born into Brothels, Trouble the Water, Son of Babylon, Amreeka, An Inconvenient Truth, Spring Awakening, Light in the Piazza and Angels in America, and through its New Frontier initiative, has brought the cinematic works of media artists including Pipilotti Rist, Doug Aitken, Pierre Huyghe, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Matthew Barney . Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. # # #...
Paul is already reaching out into new geographic areas searching for those filmmakers who have the greatest potential for making a brand new mark on the worldwide film business. His responsibility is the planning and execution of the international work of Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program which includes year round support for International artists through Labs, granting, and ongoing mentorship providing creative and tactical support. Federbush will oversee international Labs in collaboration with local partners in the Middle East and India, outreach and discover new international filmmakers and projects, steward programs such as the Sundance Institute|Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award and Sundance| Nhk Award, and support the international artists participating in the annual Sundance Labs in Utah. In addition he will develop opportunities to further advance and broaden the scope of the Ffp’s International initiative.
We congratulate Paul and are proud to be able to say that we have known him since his early days at Fine Line. Federbush is a seasoned production, acquisition, and distribution executive with eighteen years of experience in the entertainment industry. Most recently Federbush, along with partner Laura Kim, started a distribution company, Red Flag Releasing. Prior to forming Red Flag, Federbush served as Senior Vice President of Production and Acquisitions at Warner Independent Pictures where he oversaw the acquisition, production, and development of projects including Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, and Hany Abu Assad’s Paradise Now.
For nearly three decades, Sundance Institute has promoted independent storytelling to inform and inspire audiences across political, social, religious and cultural differences. Through Labs, direct artist granting, special projects with key partners and the Sundance Film Festival, the Institute serves as the leading advocate for independent artists worldwide. Sundance Institute Feature Film Program Over its 30-year history, the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program has supported an extensive list of award-winning and groundbreaking independent films.
Ffp films currently in the marketplace include Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar’s Beasts of the Southern Wild (winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival), Craig Zobel’s Compliance, Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish’s Sleepwalk With Me, Todd Louiso and Sarah Koskoff’s Hello I Must Be Going, and Ira Sachs’ Keep the Lights On. Recent international Ffp films include Sally El Hosaini’s My Brother the Devil, Andrei Zyvagintsev’s Elena, Edwin’s Postcards from the Zoo, Alejandro Landes’ Porfirio, and the festival films Haifaa Al Mansour’s Wadjda and Ziad Douieri’s L’Attack.Additional notable films supported over the program’s history include Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene, Dee Rees’ Pariah, Maryam Keshavarz’s Circumstance, Cherien Dabis' Amreeka, Cary Fukunaga's Sin Nombre, Fernando Eimbcke's Lake Tahoe, Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden’s Half Nelson, Andrea Arnold's Red Road, Miranda July’s Me and You and Everyone We Know, Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now, Debra Granik’s Down to the Bone, Josh Marston’s Maria Page 2 Full of Grace, Lisa Cholodenko’s Laurel Canyon, Peter Sollett’s Raising Victor Vargas, John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don't Cry, Lucrecia Martel’s La Cienaga, Walter Salles’ Central Station, Chris Eyre and Sherman Alexie’s Smoke Signals, Nicole Holofcener’s Walking and Talking, Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight, Tamara Jenkins’ Slums of Beverly Hills, and Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.
Sundance Institute Sundance Institute is a global nonprofit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981. Through its programs for directors, screenwriters, producers, composers and playwrights, the Institute seeks to discover and support independent film and theatre artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work. The Institute promotes independent storytelling to inform, inspire, and unite diverse populations around the globe. Internationally recognized for its annual Sundance Film Festival, Sundance Institute has nurtured such projects as Born into Brothels, Trouble the Water, Son of Babylon, Amreeka, An Inconvenient Truth, Spring Awakening, Light in the Piazza and Angels in America, and through its New Frontier initiative, has brought the cinematic works of media artists including Pipilotti Rist, Doug Aitken, Pierre Huyghe, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Matthew Barney . Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. # # #...
- 10/9/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Here’s a bit of good news:
Tfh guru and friend-of-the-site Allison Anders will direct The June Carter Cash Story, an original movie about the life of June Carter Cash (wife of Johnny). The movie will star Jewel and starts filming (ahem) this June in Atlanta, for a schedule premiere on Lifetime this fall. I’d break down all the posts in the trades (Deadline! The Hollywood Reporter!), but Allison was kind enough to give us the lowdown directly.
[The June Carter Cash Story] tells June Carter’s story from her point of view (so it’s different from Walk The Line which was about Cash). While the film is also about her marriage to Johnny Cash, even his drug problem is focused back on June and her own recovery. The film is also about her life as a girl in Virginia in the Carter Family, her first two marriages, her children, and her own creativity — her drive,...
Tfh guru and friend-of-the-site Allison Anders will direct The June Carter Cash Story, an original movie about the life of June Carter Cash (wife of Johnny). The movie will star Jewel and starts filming (ahem) this June in Atlanta, for a schedule premiere on Lifetime this fall. I’d break down all the posts in the trades (Deadline! The Hollywood Reporter!), but Allison was kind enough to give us the lowdown directly.
[The June Carter Cash Story] tells June Carter’s story from her point of view (so it’s different from Walk The Line which was about Cash). While the film is also about her marriage to Johnny Cash, even his drug problem is focused back on June and her own recovery. The film is also about her life as a girl in Virginia in the Carter Family, her first two marriages, her children, and her own creativity — her drive,...
- 5/9/2012
- by Danny
- Trailers from Hell
Bite-sized pieces of TV news, including items on "Hell's Kitchen," "Conan" and more:
- Ever wonder what a hybrid of "The Bachelor" and "The Voice" would look like? Well, this summer, Fox has the answer. "The Choice," hosted by Cat Deeley, features four celebrity bachelors in spinning chairs with their backs to their eligible bachelorettes. During round one, the men can only use the suitors' voices -- as they share information about themselves -- to make "The Choice." When a bachelor likes what he hears, he pulls his "love handle," bringing him face-to-face with his potential mate. It premieres June 7. [Fox]
- Fox has also tweaked its summer schedule a little. "Hell's Kitchen" will now kick off Season 10 at 8 p.m. Et Monday, June 4, followed by "MasterChef" at 9 p.m. Both shows will air twice a week, on Mondays and Tuesdays. [Fox]
- Lifetime has greenlit a biopic of country-music legend June Carter Cash,...
- Ever wonder what a hybrid of "The Bachelor" and "The Voice" would look like? Well, this summer, Fox has the answer. "The Choice," hosted by Cat Deeley, features four celebrity bachelors in spinning chairs with their backs to their eligible bachelorettes. During round one, the men can only use the suitors' voices -- as they share information about themselves -- to make "The Choice." When a bachelor likes what he hears, he pulls his "love handle," bringing him face-to-face with his potential mate. It premieres June 7. [Fox]
- Fox has also tweaked its summer schedule a little. "Hell's Kitchen" will now kick off Season 10 at 8 p.m. Et Monday, June 4, followed by "MasterChef" at 9 p.m. Both shows will air twice a week, on Mondays and Tuesdays. [Fox]
- Lifetime has greenlit a biopic of country-music legend June Carter Cash,...
- 5/3/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
The Palm Springs International ShortFest, billed as the largest short film festival in North America, has announced its Festival award winners! 331 short films were screened, but in the end, only 18 categories were awarded.
I love and totally support the Palm Springs International ShortFest, many winners move on to nab an Oscar! According to Festival Director, Darry Macdonald, "It.s been a remarkable year for ShortFest, with record attendance and a rapturous response to the programming by audiences, industry and filmmakers alike. The Film Market and industry programs were particulary active, adding hugely to the Festival.s success. I.m confident a number of major future filmmakers emerged here this year and will go on to enliven the feature film world."
And the winners of the 2011 Palm Springs International ShortFest are:
Jury Awards
Best Of Festival Award - $2,000 cash and Software Package courtesy of The Showbiz Café & Store; Ultimate Stock Footage...
I love and totally support the Palm Springs International ShortFest, many winners move on to nab an Oscar! According to Festival Director, Darry Macdonald, "It.s been a remarkable year for ShortFest, with record attendance and a rapturous response to the programming by audiences, industry and filmmakers alike. The Film Market and industry programs were particulary active, adding hugely to the Festival.s success. I.m confident a number of major future filmmakers emerged here this year and will go on to enliven the feature film world."
And the winners of the 2011 Palm Springs International ShortFest are:
Jury Awards
Best Of Festival Award - $2,000 cash and Software Package courtesy of The Showbiz Café & Store; Ultimate Stock Footage...
- 6/27/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The Sundance Institute has announced fourteen projects for its 30th director and screenwriting labs. To be held at the Sundance Resort in Utah from May 30-June 30, 2011, the lucky lab participants are listed below, along with details of their selves and their feature projects. Here’s the official word from the Institute:
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
- 5/2/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
The Sundance Institute has announced fourteen projects for its 30th director and screenwriting labs. To be held at the Sundance Resort in Utah from May 30-June 30, 2011, the lucky lab participants are listed below, along with details of their selves and their feature projects. Here’s the official word from the Institute:
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
- 5/2/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Filed under: Features, Hot Topic
Whether or not it lives up to expectations, 'Sucker Punch' is succeeding in striking a blow for one of the most maligned subgenres: the girl-gang movie.
Here at Moviefone, we can't figure out why girl-gang movies like 'Sucker Punch' are such a rarity. If one sexy, kick-ass babe is good, more are better, right? So why do they seem to come along so rarely?
Sure, there were a couple of 'Charlie's Angels' movies a decade ago, but those were based on a pre-sold title and featured three popular actresses, so they're no indication of the health of the girl-gang movie. Besides, other than those two, what else is there? 'D.E.B.S.'? 'Set It Off'? 'Mi Vida Loca' (more of a serious, realistic drama than the fun exploitation movies we're talking about)?
Continue...
Whether or not it lives up to expectations, 'Sucker Punch' is succeeding in striking a blow for one of the most maligned subgenres: the girl-gang movie.
Here at Moviefone, we can't figure out why girl-gang movies like 'Sucker Punch' are such a rarity. If one sexy, kick-ass babe is good, more are better, right? So why do they seem to come along so rarely?
Sure, there were a couple of 'Charlie's Angels' movies a decade ago, but those were based on a pre-sold title and featured three popular actresses, so they're no indication of the health of the girl-gang movie. Besides, other than those two, what else is there? 'D.E.B.S.'? 'Set It Off'? 'Mi Vida Loca' (more of a serious, realistic drama than the fun exploitation movies we're talking about)?
Continue...
- 3/24/2011
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
If you’re not familiar with Kickstarter.com, you should know it’s the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world, including film, art and technology. Any person can pledge any amount towards a project they feel should be developed and in return they receive unique gifts selected by the project creators. Indie helmers Allison Anders and Kurt Voss are using Kickstarter to finance the costs of their feature film Strutter -- the closing chapter in the trilogy that began with Border Radio and was last left off with Sugar Town. The two studied at UCLA together after meeting as production assistants on Wim Wender’s Paris, Texas and since then, they together or separately written and directed over 20 films and a number of television episodes and music videos. We guess this means that, Anders will work on this project in the first portion of 2011 before heading into Smile Now,...
- 11/18/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Giving the type of performances worthy of year-end-awards, co-stars Annette Bening and Naomi Watts will bring plenty of attention to filmmaker Rodrigo García's engaging melodrama “Mother and Child”, due for release this May from Sony Pictures Classics. While a melodrama in the best sense of the word, a tale of mothers, daughters and family relationships, Garcia also creates stand-out roles for Samuel L. Jackson and Jimmy Smits as key men who share the lives of the film’s fascinating women. Thanks to Jackson and Smits, “Mother & Child” becomes a film for everyone, not just a tale for women. Rodrigo also makes beautiful use of Los Angeles’ diverse communities (with the help of cinematographer Xavier Pérez Grobet and production designer Christopher Tandon). Receiving positive audience response at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival where it screened in the Spotlight section, ‘Mother & Child’ earns comparisons to L.A.-set ensemble dramas from Paul Thomas Anderson...
- 3/3/2010
- Upcoming-Movies.com
New York, NY (November 1, 2009)- Sony Pictures Classics announces its acquisition of United States’ rights to Rodrigo García’s Mother And Child from Wme Global. The film debuted at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival as a Gala Presentation, where it was actively pursued by several Us distributors.
Mother And Child is the moving tale about the choices we make, the chances we miss, the opportunities we seize and the power of the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
The film was written and directed by Rodrigo García (Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her and Nine Lives) and produced by Lisa Maria Falcone through her Everest Entertainment and Julie Lynn via her Mockingbird Pictures. The films’ director of photography is Xavier Grobet (City Of Ember, The Woodsman, Nacho Libre,) Steven Weisberg edited (Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, Permanent Midnight), with music by Ed Shearmur (Wings Of The Dove,...
Mother And Child is the moving tale about the choices we make, the chances we miss, the opportunities we seize and the power of the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child.
The film was written and directed by Rodrigo García (Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her and Nine Lives) and produced by Lisa Maria Falcone through her Everest Entertainment and Julie Lynn via her Mockingbird Pictures. The films’ director of photography is Xavier Grobet (City Of Ember, The Woodsman, Nacho Libre,) Steven Weisberg edited (Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, Permanent Midnight), with music by Ed Shearmur (Wings Of The Dove,...
- 11/2/2009
- Makingof.com
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