There are many paradoxes to being an indie filmmaker in 2016. Never has it been easier to make a quality movie, while at the same time it’s never been harder to maintain a stable career as a movie director. Equipment, viewing habit and the world are all rapidly changing, resulting in both opening and narrowing the opportunities for creative expression.
IndieWire checked in with the indie directors behind the “New Auteurs” and “American Independent” feature films at this year’s AFI Fest and asked: What is the most exciting and discouraging thing happening in filmmaking today?
Read More: 13 Lessons From Making a Film Festival Breakout: AFI Fest Directors Share Their Tips
Asaph Polonsky, “One Week and a Day”
Encouraging: That the miniseries “Olive Kitteridge” exists.
Discouraging: In Israel, where I made “One Week and a Day,” the Prime Minster, Bibi Netanyahu is now trying to shut down (before it even...
IndieWire checked in with the indie directors behind the “New Auteurs” and “American Independent” feature films at this year’s AFI Fest and asked: What is the most exciting and discouraging thing happening in filmmaking today?
Read More: 13 Lessons From Making a Film Festival Breakout: AFI Fest Directors Share Their Tips
Asaph Polonsky, “One Week and a Day”
Encouraging: That the miniseries “Olive Kitteridge” exists.
Discouraging: In Israel, where I made “One Week and a Day,” the Prime Minster, Bibi Netanyahu is now trying to shut down (before it even...
- 11/15/2016
- by Chris O'Falt and Casey Coit
- Indiewire
For many people, filmmaking is a process of ongoing education. The filmmakers who succeed are often the ones willing to learn from their mistakes and taking advice. IndieWire recently checked in with the up-and-coming indie directors behind the exciting films playing in the “New Auteurs” and “American Independent” categories at this year’s AFI Fest to find out what they learned while making their festival breakout.
Read More: AFI Fest 2016 – What Cameras Were Used to Shoot This Year’s Films
Kris Avedisian, “Donald Cried”: There was a time while shooting that I got lost in the process. I started to see the movie take shape but it was in a very deformed state. There are times when you have to make decisions, changes and adjust because of what you’re seeing. But it could be hard to know sometimes if I was only reacting to seeing scenes out of order,...
Read More: AFI Fest 2016 – What Cameras Were Used to Shoot This Year’s Films
Kris Avedisian, “Donald Cried”: There was a time while shooting that I got lost in the process. I started to see the movie take shape but it was in a very deformed state. There are times when you have to make decisions, changes and adjust because of what you’re seeing. But it could be hard to know sometimes if I was only reacting to seeing scenes out of order,...
- 11/14/2016
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Indiewire reached out to the filmmakers with films in the “New Auteurs” and “American Independent” sections of this year’s AFI Fest to find out what cameras they used and why they chose them.
Read More: AFI Fest 2016: 14 Movies We Can’t Wait to See at the Festival
“One Week and a Day”
Arri Alexa Xt
Dir. Asaph Polonsky: “It allowed scenes in long takes and the use of zoom lenses, sticks, dolly, Steadicam and handheld, were the tools that served the D.P., Moshe Mishali, and I the most as we tried to be subtle about reflecting the characters journeys visually.”
“Dark Night”
Arri Amira with Cooke lenses
Dir. Tim Sutton: “Good combination.”
“Divine”
Red Dragon
Dir. Houda Benyamin: “We wanted to work on the idea of focus — getting to details from the big picture, getting to things from a distance, which in a way symbolizes...
Read More: AFI Fest 2016: 14 Movies We Can’t Wait to See at the Festival
“One Week and a Day”
Arri Alexa Xt
Dir. Asaph Polonsky: “It allowed scenes in long takes and the use of zoom lenses, sticks, dolly, Steadicam and handheld, were the tools that served the D.P., Moshe Mishali, and I the most as we tried to be subtle about reflecting the characters journeys visually.”
“Dark Night”
Arri Amira with Cooke lenses
Dir. Tim Sutton: “Good combination.”
“Divine”
Red Dragon
Dir. Houda Benyamin: “We wanted to work on the idea of focus — getting to details from the big picture, getting to things from a distance, which in a way symbolizes...
- 11/11/2016
- by Casey Coit and Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
AFI Fest has announced the selections for its New Auteurs, American Independents, Midnights and Shorts sections. Already announced as part of the weeklong festival, which runs in Hollywood from November 10 – 17, are “Elle,” “20th Century Women” and the world premieres of both “The Comedian” and “Rules Don’t Apply.” Read the full announcement here, and see the New Auteurs, American Independents and Midnight selections below.
Read More: Warren Beatty’s ‘Rules Don’t Apply’ Will Open AFI Fest 2016
New Auteurs
“Always Shine” (dir. Sophia Takal)
“Buster’s Mal Heart” (dir. Sarah Adina Smith)
“Divines” (dir. Houda Benyamina)
“The Future Perfect” (dir. Nele Wohlatz)
“Godless” (dir. Ralitza Petrova)
“Kati Kati” (dir. Mbithi Masya)
“Kill Me Please” (dir. Anita Rocha da Silveira)
“One Week and a Day” (dir. Asaph Polonsky)
“Oscuro Animal” (dir. Felipe Guerrero)
“Still Life” (dir. Maud Alpi)
Read More: Watch: Lola Kirke Takes Us Inside the Mind of an Epileptic...
Read More: Warren Beatty’s ‘Rules Don’t Apply’ Will Open AFI Fest 2016
New Auteurs
“Always Shine” (dir. Sophia Takal)
“Buster’s Mal Heart” (dir. Sarah Adina Smith)
“Divines” (dir. Houda Benyamina)
“The Future Perfect” (dir. Nele Wohlatz)
“Godless” (dir. Ralitza Petrova)
“Kati Kati” (dir. Mbithi Masya)
“Kill Me Please” (dir. Anita Rocha da Silveira)
“One Week and a Day” (dir. Asaph Polonsky)
“Oscuro Animal” (dir. Felipe Guerrero)
“Still Life” (dir. Maud Alpi)
Read More: Watch: Lola Kirke Takes Us Inside the Mind of an Epileptic...
- 10/18/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
The 69th annual Locarno Film Festival finally concluded after eleven days and screenings of 279 films, and awarded its Palmarès. The Golden Leopard went to “Godless,” a first feature from Bulgaria’s Ralitza Petrova. The film portrait of the criminal underbelly of Bulgaria also took home Best Actress for Irena Ivanova.
The fest jury awarded João Pedro Rodrigues Best Director for “O Ornitólogo.” Romanian director Radu Jude won the Special Jury Prize for his film “Inimi Cicatrizate” (Scarred Hearts), which was inspired by the 1937 Max Blecher novel.
Read More: João Pedro Rodrigues’ ‘The Ornithologist’ Will Blow Your Mind — Locarno Review
The public favorite, Ken Loach’s “I, Daniel Blake,” about a UK retiree struggling to obtain medical assistance from the state, won the Audience Award; at Cannes, Indiewire’s Eric Kohn dubbed the film “Loach’s best movie in years.”
Read More: Cannes Review: Why ‘I, Daniel Blake’ is Ken Loach...
The fest jury awarded João Pedro Rodrigues Best Director for “O Ornitólogo.” Romanian director Radu Jude won the Special Jury Prize for his film “Inimi Cicatrizate” (Scarred Hearts), which was inspired by the 1937 Max Blecher novel.
Read More: João Pedro Rodrigues’ ‘The Ornithologist’ Will Blow Your Mind — Locarno Review
The public favorite, Ken Loach’s “I, Daniel Blake,” about a UK retiree struggling to obtain medical assistance from the state, won the Audience Award; at Cannes, Indiewire’s Eric Kohn dubbed the film “Loach’s best movie in years.”
Read More: Cannes Review: Why ‘I, Daniel Blake’ is Ken Loach...
- 8/13/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
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