New York, NY — January 18, 2023 — The 92nd Street Y, New York (92Ny), one of New York’s leading cultural venues, presents Caroline Shaw, vocals & Sō Percussion: Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part, with special guests Bora Yoon and Iarla Ó Lionáird, vocals, on February 4, 2023 at 7:30pm Et at the Kaufmann Concert Hall. The concert will also be available for viewing online for 72 hours from time of broadcast. Tickets for both the in-person and livestream options start at 25 and are available at 92ny.org/event/caroline-shaw-and-so-percussion..
Composer Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion make their only NYC appearance together this season. Their program draws from their Nonesuch recording project, Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part, with original songs and lyrics inspired by and reflecting the artists’ broad span of interests: James Joyce, a poem by Anne Carson, the Sacred Harp hymn book, American roots music, and more. The program will...
Composer Caroline Shaw and Sō Percussion make their only NYC appearance together this season. Their program draws from their Nonesuch recording project, Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part, with original songs and lyrics inspired by and reflecting the artists’ broad span of interests: James Joyce, a poem by Anne Carson, the Sacred Harp hymn book, American roots music, and more. The program will...
- 1/18/2023
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
Martine Syms's The African Desperate is now showing exclusively on Mubi in the series Debuts and Glitch Zone: Films by Martine Syms.When the college campus is deployed in film or in fiction, it is usually a symbol of possibility: the point at which the world is said to open up. But in Martine Syms’s debut feature, The African Desperate, the college campus feels like the claustrophobic vortex where possibility goes to die. The film’s protagonist, Palace, played brilliantly by the artist and poet Diamond Stingily, is in the last 24 hours of her low-residency Mfa program. Her final critique, supposedly celebratory, is less about her work and more about her teachers’ projections onto it. The day that follows is all anticlimax, like the slow afternoon hours still colored by bad morning sex. Much of the film’s tension is sustained by negation. Palace is consistently forced to say no: to her classmates,...
- 11/16/2022
- MUBI
The BFI London Film Festival will debut Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin’s latest project as part of Lff Expanded, the festival’s Immersive Art and Extended Realities strand, which runs from October 5-16, 2022.
Programmed by Ulrich Schrauth, the BFI’s Immersive Art and Xr Curator, this year’s Lff Expanded lineup showcases 20 projects from 17 countries across the world, all of which feature artists working in emerging technologies, such as interactive virtual reality, screen-based installations, augmented reality, mixed reality, immersive audio experience and live performance.
The lineup includes the World Premiere of Guy Maddin’s latest work Haunted Hotel: A Melodrama in Augmented Reality. Presented at BFI Southbank, this evocative, immersive exhibition transports the audience into a surreal paper world, created from an eclectic selection of clippings drawn from Maddin’s own personal archive, set to an intricate soundscape by acclaimed composer Magnus Fiennes. The project was commissioned by the Lff...
Programmed by Ulrich Schrauth, the BFI’s Immersive Art and Xr Curator, this year’s Lff Expanded lineup showcases 20 projects from 17 countries across the world, all of which feature artists working in emerging technologies, such as interactive virtual reality, screen-based installations, augmented reality, mixed reality, immersive audio experience and live performance.
The lineup includes the World Premiere of Guy Maddin’s latest work Haunted Hotel: A Melodrama in Augmented Reality. Presented at BFI Southbank, this evocative, immersive exhibition transports the audience into a surreal paper world, created from an eclectic selection of clippings drawn from Maddin’s own personal archive, set to an intricate soundscape by acclaimed composer Magnus Fiennes. The project was commissioned by the Lff...
- 8/24/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The BFI London Film Festival has revealed the line-up for Lff Expanded, its immersive art and extended realities strand (Oct. 5-16).
Programmed by Ulrich Schrauth, the BFI’s immersive art and Xr curator, this year’s program features interactive virtual reality, screen-based installations, augmented reality, mixed reality, immersive audio experience and live performance. The program will be at multiple venues on London’s South Bank.
The highlight of the program is the world premiere, commissioned by the festival, of Guy Maddin’s “Haunted Hotel: A Melodrama in Augmented Reality,” which promises to transport the audience into a surreal paper world, created from a selection of clippings drawn from Maddin’s own personal archive, set to a soundscape by composer Magnus Fiennes.
Schrauth describes the work as one “that invites audiences to explore a vibrant tableau of desire, deception and death.”
Schrauth said: “This year’s program considers pertinent issues of...
Programmed by Ulrich Schrauth, the BFI’s immersive art and Xr curator, this year’s program features interactive virtual reality, screen-based installations, augmented reality, mixed reality, immersive audio experience and live performance. The program will be at multiple venues on London’s South Bank.
The highlight of the program is the world premiere, commissioned by the festival, of Guy Maddin’s “Haunted Hotel: A Melodrama in Augmented Reality,” which promises to transport the audience into a surreal paper world, created from a selection of clippings drawn from Maddin’s own personal archive, set to a soundscape by composer Magnus Fiennes.
Schrauth describes the work as one “that invites audiences to explore a vibrant tableau of desire, deception and death.”
Schrauth said: “This year’s program considers pertinent issues of...
- 8/24/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Filmmakers Charlie Shackleton, Wu Tsang also to present works.
The world premiere of Guy Maddin’s Haunted Hotel – A Melodrama In Augmented Reality will headline the programme of BFI London Film Festival 2022’s Lff Expanded strand, for immersive art and extended realities.
A 20-minute immersive experience commissioned by the festival, German production Haunted Hotel will play at the BFI Southbank throughout the festival, and until October 30. It will use clippings from Maddin’s personal archive in “a surreal paper world”; viewers will look through virtual peep holes and “rooms filled with longing, hysteria and madness”, in what the festival describes...
The world premiere of Guy Maddin’s Haunted Hotel – A Melodrama In Augmented Reality will headline the programme of BFI London Film Festival 2022’s Lff Expanded strand, for immersive art and extended realities.
A 20-minute immersive experience commissioned by the festival, German production Haunted Hotel will play at the BFI Southbank throughout the festival, and until October 30. It will use clippings from Maddin’s personal archive in “a surreal paper world”; viewers will look through virtual peep holes and “rooms filled with longing, hysteria and madness”, in what the festival describes...
- 8/24/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Saturday Night Live‘s Cecily Strong will make her New York stage debut this December in an Off Broadway production of The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, Jane Wagner’s classic 1977 solo play that starred Lily Tomlin and was made into a 1991 film.
Tomlin and Wagner will serve as executive producers.
The play will begin performances Dec. 21 at The Shed’s Griffin Theater. The recently arrived Manhattan venue presents work in a variety of fields, from music and theater to sculpture and dance. Search for Signs will continue performances through Feb. 5, 2022, with an opening night on Jan. 11.
The production will mark Strong’s first stage role in New York, and will be directed by Tony-nominated Leigh Silverman. The creative team will include set design by Christine Jones and Mary Hamrick, costume design by Anita Yavich, lighting design by Stacey Derosier,...
Tomlin and Wagner will serve as executive producers.
The play will begin performances Dec. 21 at The Shed’s Griffin Theater. The recently arrived Manhattan venue presents work in a variety of fields, from music and theater to sculpture and dance. Search for Signs will continue performances through Feb. 5, 2022, with an opening night on Jan. 11.
The production will mark Strong’s first stage role in New York, and will be directed by Tony-nominated Leigh Silverman. The creative team will include set design by Christine Jones and Mary Hamrick, costume design by Anita Yavich, lighting design by Stacey Derosier,...
- 10/12/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
As the summer has wound down things got even hotter over at Urban Film Festival, which kicks off Sept 17-21st with this year seeing its strongest presence of Latino content to fill the void the New York International Latino Film Festival behind two years ago. So we decided to show the short filmmakers that feature Latino talent in their films some love in a new edition of ‘LatinoBuzz: Shipwrecked’ to see what they cannot live without! They are given a choice of a Film, Book, Companion from a film and an Album to be stranded with (we’ll deal with logistics another time).
Janine Salinas Schoenberg – "Jenny & Lalo"
Film: ‘Amelie’ - Because it's all I ever want to see when I'm having a bad day.
Book: ‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ because few books have ever made me both laugh out loud and sob hysterically.
Album: A mix of my husband Adam Schoenberg's music because it both moves and inspires me. Perfect for island solitude!
Companion: Maria Elena from ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ because she would be fun, spontaneous, and crazy enough to help us survive!
Adel L. Morales – "Missing Grandma"
Album: ‘Paid In Full’ by Eric B. & Rakim. I remember running to Moody’s Record Shop on White Plains Road in the Boogie Down the day after I heard Marly Marl drop it on Wbls for the first time. I picked up the 12-inch single of “Eric B. Is President” (the album didn’t drop right away) and was immediately blown away by the art on the label: a giant brown hand coming down from the skies to drop off pyramids on a nearly deserted earth. I knew from the jump that Rakim was bringing a higher level of thought to the hip-hop game. His conversion to the Nations of God’s and Earths gave him a preacher-like authority, as he stood for my positive energy than anyone before him. The man was a pioneer and a lyrical genius. He was using internal rhymes in his songs while cats were still struggling with end rhymes. Eric B’s beats were dope & got insanely better on their follow-up album, “Follow the Leader.” After I ran home and played that track a bunch, I flipped it over to listen to the B-side, which was “My Melody” and I damn near had a heart attack. I couldn’t believe my ears! Did this Mc and DJ, with the hottest track in the streets, put an even hotter track on the B-side? It was like finding a gold nugget in a riverbed. The greatest rap duo ever in my book.
Book: ‘Random Family’ by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc is a fascinating true story of two couples set in the Bronx during the mid-1980’s to late-1990’s. Despite the accurate portrayal of the lives and the cycle of poor choices made by uneducated people, there is a tiny glimmer of hope for the next generation. It makes me hope that someone’s child will eventually figure a way out of the messes created by inner city issues, like the high school drop out rate, teen pregnancy, and drug dealing. It describes in great exactness the time period in which I grew up in the Bronx and allows me to appreciate the courses I travelled to navigate those dangerous waters.
Companion : Sancho Panza from ‘Don Quixote.’ He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty literally or figuratively. He is often the voice of truth when his partner would rather hear anything but. But, it is the ability to keep his master safe from enemies, as well as from himself that seals the deal for me.
Film: ‘Adrift in Tokyo’ by Satoshi Miki is one of my favorite films of all time. I would chose this one to take with me if I was stranded on an island because it encompasses some of the things that I find essential to enjoying life on this planet. Miki is able to do this in both dramatic and comedic ways. It is about making connections with the world around us and with the people in it. Spending time getting to know someone often feels like a lost art in today’s faster-paced world. Characters learn to express emotion and not hide behind “manliness.” They atone for sins they’ve committed and attempt to right the wrongs of their past. This film reminds me that happiness can be found in the tiniest moments of pleasure and this film delivers tons of them as the laughs are frequent and come from the silliest places at the weirdest times.
Jess Dela Merced – "Hypebeasts"
Album: ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ had a lot of influence on me growing up and even more so today. I fall into many daydreams listening to it, imagining scenes to match or pretending some of the songs were soundtracks to my life. All her lyrics are starting to ring true as I grow older and the messages are always getting clearer with each listen. It's one of those albums that you can only fully comprehend once you're old and wrinkly.
Book: ‘Catcher in the Rye’ will always be my favorite book. I identify with Holden so much, not sure if that's a good thing, but if I could make any movie in the world, it would be an adaptation of that book. One day I will find the loophole to get to the rights!
Film: ‘Coming to America’ because I need to stay happy on that island and would probably reenact it word for word to keep myself entertained. Also so I can listen to Sexual Chocolate and Soul Glo repeatedly.
Companion: Any character Robin Williams has played. I guess Genie for obvious reasons.
Daniel Pfeffer – "Milk & Honey"
Album: If I was stranded, I'd bring Coltrane's ‘A Love Supreme’ for it's timeless effect, so whenever I was losing hope of rescue, I'd put that on to calm my nerves, and let me know it all doesn't matter in the end, because the beauty is within and all around you.
Book: My book would have to be ‘Drown’ by Junot Diaz, because it would let me remember where I'm from, the metro area, and what it feels like to have immigrant parents.
Film: I love so many films, but I think one that is just poetry in motion for me would be Spike Lee's ‘He Got Game’. Whenever I was feeling homesick I'd just watch that. Plus the soundtrack is so good on it from the classical to the hip hop, I could be forever entertained!
Companion: No matter where I am in the world, I'd have to ask Shailene Woodley to come along so we could plan a film together, in case we were ever rescued and brought back to civilization.
Cristina Kotz Cornejo – "Hermanas"
Film: I think it would need to be a good comedy, either "Dr. Strangelove," The Pink Panther" or maybe "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam - something absurd to keep me laughing – oh wait, I guess if I have to choose one then it’s The Pink Panther can’t get enough of Peter Sellers!
Book: 1984 by George Orwell to remind me of what the world I left behind is becoming and to make me appreciate the absence of “big brother,” the internet and all the noise of everyday life.
Album: It’s not easy to choose an album but if I had to choose one it would be one of my favorites from childhood, That’s the Way of the World by Earth Wind and Fire. It will keep me busy dancing and singing the nights away in paradise.
Companion: Ellen Ripley from Alien because with her there I would be sure to eventually get off the island although 1984 will make me want to stay put, oh the dichotomy of life!
Javier Melero De Luca – "Silencio Chino"
Ok, the question puts me in survival mode, not in a curatorial one. I am going to need entertainment to cope with solitude on an island!!
Film: ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’ So many IMDb people could not be wrong. It would remind me that a lot of men dream of being on an island anyway. ("The Lives of Others" if the previous was not available).
Companion: Someone hot and resourceful like Lara Croft, I could try and hit on her, maybe even have an offspring.
Book: No doubt, The Lord of the Flies. Deep, insightful, metaphorical and well written. Useful on the island too.
Album: Tough call but I would go for Gently Disturbed by Avishai Cohen. They’re Venezuelan folk music meets Israeli jazz. Just mind-bending. P.S. Can't i just grab mi iPad before crashing on the island???
Geoffrey Guerrero – "J-1"
Album: If I was stranded on a deserted island I would need to have the Buenavista Social club album because their rich Latin rhythms and passionate songs of romance and love would make life more enjoyable and welcoming. And, being stranded in said island, anything with some latin beats and conga drums goes a long way in making life a little easier.
Companion: If I had to choose a companion from the movies it would have to be two companions: Eva Mendez and Gina Rodriguez. After a long day of cutting wood and preparing dinner, there's no other people I would rather have at my side than these 2 gorgeous young ladies. Who knows, maybe I'll get a back massage if I'm lucky.
Book: The one book I must have on this island is Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe," because if I'm gonna be stuck on an island I need to know there's a chance I'll survive. Some people say life is all about survival of the fittest and this book is a powerful story of a man stranded on an island for many years and by some miracle he survives and escapes the island in one piece. Which I think we'd all agree would be the ideal situation if stranded on such an island.
Film: "Amores Perros" or "Rabia."
Dennis Shinners – "Barrio Boy"
Film: "Stand By Me", "Titanic", "The Empire Strikes Back" (original release) or the "Alien" box set, just keeping the first two films. They are all about friendship and survival.
Album: I'd love to cram a ton of music onto an iPod, but if not allowed, it would be Prince's "Purple Rain". Why? Well, it's Prince's "Purple Rain"! Probably my favorite album of all time, though it's really tough to narrow down a favorite, let alone a fave Prince record. I'd try to sneak The Cure's "Disintegration", U2's "The Joshua Tree", Biggie's "Ready to Die" and a Jobim record (for sunset listening) by customs too.
Book: I've got way more music than books so I might trade this for a Nirvana, Velvet Underground, Peter Gabriel or Smashing Pumpkins album, but at the risk of sounding cliche or obvious, "The Catcher In the Rye". This way I'll always have a piece of New York City with me.
Companion: Samwise Gamgee from "Lord of the Rings". He's beyond loyal and cooks too, which will come in handy.
Albert Espinosa – "Pitahaya"
Album: ‘Great Escape’ by Blur because each song is incredible.
Film: ‘Good Will Hunting’. The Death of Robin Williams deeply affected me profoundly.
Book: ‘Tuesdays with Morrie.’ This book changed my life.
Companion : Leo of the series ‘Red Band Society’. Red band society, Fox's series is like my life as a child. It’s my autobiography. I am very happy for the coincidence between the release of the series and the festival.
Laila Petrone Peynado – "Your Love"
Album: Anita Baker – ‘Giving You the Best that I Got.’ I love her voice and each song on this album has accompanied me through different stages of my life. If I had been a singer, I would have been honored to have had her voice and career.
Book - Paulo Coelho – ‘Eleven Minutes.’ You're right there with the protagonist. The storyline, the way it is written, compels you to imagine it visually.
Film : ‘Mo' Better Blues.’ It's a movie I can watch over and over again, it makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and the soundtrack by the amazing Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard is just wonderful.
Companion : Marcello Mastroianni. Marcello was one-of-a-kind actor and I could spend hours talking to him about his experiences working with some of the most influential directors and movies of our time.
Wu Tsang - "You're Dead to Me"
Album : I'm not into albums much, but I'd have several of my favorite underground DJ's, like DJ Total Freedom, Nguzunguzu and Juliana Huxtable create an original mix for me. My island soundtrack would feature lots of traditional Banda music, which I love. I've shot several of my films in Mexico, and Banda always brings me back, like a snapshot of a moment in time. Maybe I could have my mix delivered to the island by drone.
Book: A written retrospective on Rainer Werner Fassbinder would be ideal. I figure if I can't watch movies at least I can read about them and visualize them in my mind, on a loop. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is my favorite. It's considered to be Fassbinder's masterpiece, but I'm always drawn to characters who let their hearts rule their heads. It's that blend of realism and romanticism, loneliness and love that would inspire and buoy me with no other constant but the waves lashing the shore.
Companion: My favorite character is always changing. But this week it's Sarah Linden from ‘The Killing.’ I guess I can relate to her troubled lonely existence. She's super flawed but also so powerful and talented, and deep down has a lot of heart and passion buried under that tough facade. I think we'd enjoy coping with our existentialism and creating our own mythology together on that island.
Jonathon Dillon – "Celluloid Dreams"
Album: Without a doubt, Louis Armstrong "The Definite Collection". I can say without a doubt Louis Armstrong is one of my favorite musicians of all time. When I hear that deep raspy voice I can't help but let all my worries fade away and transport to what life must have been like in the '30s.
Film: People laugh when I say this, but the film I define as one of the most perfectly executed pieces of cinema created is "Back to the Future." Head to tails, frame by frame, everything has purpose and continually pushes the story. Although Zemeckis has gone on to do other projects that he has received more acclaim for (i.e. "Forrest Gump"), I feel like I always watch "Back to the Future" and see something else he did that I didn't catch before that makes me stop and marvel at the film as a whole.
Book: Would graphic novels count? I grew up looking at comic books before I could even read, the visual imagery said it all, and the artwork would be just spell binding. I actually wanted to be a comic book artist as a kid, but then realized I couldn't sketch to save my life. I would lean towards Frank Miller's "Wolverine" or even Alan Moore's "Watchmen." If it had to be a book I'd probably want something on "How to Survive on an Island"....
Character: This is tough, and maybe I'm cheating, but the first feature I did the lead female protagonist was Katherine Parker (played by Rebecca Welsh). She was strong, independent, and above all, a survivor. I've always loved films with strong female characters, hence probably why I fell in love with this one from the moment of reading her on the page. And as they say, you are only as strong as the woman next to you. Honorable mention would obviously go to Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen in "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark"), and just about any of James Cameron's heroines.
Check out these filmmakers and many others at www.urbanworld.org
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
Janine Salinas Schoenberg – "Jenny & Lalo"
Film: ‘Amelie’ - Because it's all I ever want to see when I'm having a bad day.
Book: ‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ because few books have ever made me both laugh out loud and sob hysterically.
Album: A mix of my husband Adam Schoenberg's music because it both moves and inspires me. Perfect for island solitude!
Companion: Maria Elena from ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ because she would be fun, spontaneous, and crazy enough to help us survive!
Adel L. Morales – "Missing Grandma"
Album: ‘Paid In Full’ by Eric B. & Rakim. I remember running to Moody’s Record Shop on White Plains Road in the Boogie Down the day after I heard Marly Marl drop it on Wbls for the first time. I picked up the 12-inch single of “Eric B. Is President” (the album didn’t drop right away) and was immediately blown away by the art on the label: a giant brown hand coming down from the skies to drop off pyramids on a nearly deserted earth. I knew from the jump that Rakim was bringing a higher level of thought to the hip-hop game. His conversion to the Nations of God’s and Earths gave him a preacher-like authority, as he stood for my positive energy than anyone before him. The man was a pioneer and a lyrical genius. He was using internal rhymes in his songs while cats were still struggling with end rhymes. Eric B’s beats were dope & got insanely better on their follow-up album, “Follow the Leader.” After I ran home and played that track a bunch, I flipped it over to listen to the B-side, which was “My Melody” and I damn near had a heart attack. I couldn’t believe my ears! Did this Mc and DJ, with the hottest track in the streets, put an even hotter track on the B-side? It was like finding a gold nugget in a riverbed. The greatest rap duo ever in my book.
Book: ‘Random Family’ by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc is a fascinating true story of two couples set in the Bronx during the mid-1980’s to late-1990’s. Despite the accurate portrayal of the lives and the cycle of poor choices made by uneducated people, there is a tiny glimmer of hope for the next generation. It makes me hope that someone’s child will eventually figure a way out of the messes created by inner city issues, like the high school drop out rate, teen pregnancy, and drug dealing. It describes in great exactness the time period in which I grew up in the Bronx and allows me to appreciate the courses I travelled to navigate those dangerous waters.
Companion : Sancho Panza from ‘Don Quixote.’ He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty literally or figuratively. He is often the voice of truth when his partner would rather hear anything but. But, it is the ability to keep his master safe from enemies, as well as from himself that seals the deal for me.
Film: ‘Adrift in Tokyo’ by Satoshi Miki is one of my favorite films of all time. I would chose this one to take with me if I was stranded on an island because it encompasses some of the things that I find essential to enjoying life on this planet. Miki is able to do this in both dramatic and comedic ways. It is about making connections with the world around us and with the people in it. Spending time getting to know someone often feels like a lost art in today’s faster-paced world. Characters learn to express emotion and not hide behind “manliness.” They atone for sins they’ve committed and attempt to right the wrongs of their past. This film reminds me that happiness can be found in the tiniest moments of pleasure and this film delivers tons of them as the laughs are frequent and come from the silliest places at the weirdest times.
Jess Dela Merced – "Hypebeasts"
Album: ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ had a lot of influence on me growing up and even more so today. I fall into many daydreams listening to it, imagining scenes to match or pretending some of the songs were soundtracks to my life. All her lyrics are starting to ring true as I grow older and the messages are always getting clearer with each listen. It's one of those albums that you can only fully comprehend once you're old and wrinkly.
Book: ‘Catcher in the Rye’ will always be my favorite book. I identify with Holden so much, not sure if that's a good thing, but if I could make any movie in the world, it would be an adaptation of that book. One day I will find the loophole to get to the rights!
Film: ‘Coming to America’ because I need to stay happy on that island and would probably reenact it word for word to keep myself entertained. Also so I can listen to Sexual Chocolate and Soul Glo repeatedly.
Companion: Any character Robin Williams has played. I guess Genie for obvious reasons.
Daniel Pfeffer – "Milk & Honey"
Album: If I was stranded, I'd bring Coltrane's ‘A Love Supreme’ for it's timeless effect, so whenever I was losing hope of rescue, I'd put that on to calm my nerves, and let me know it all doesn't matter in the end, because the beauty is within and all around you.
Book: My book would have to be ‘Drown’ by Junot Diaz, because it would let me remember where I'm from, the metro area, and what it feels like to have immigrant parents.
Film: I love so many films, but I think one that is just poetry in motion for me would be Spike Lee's ‘He Got Game’. Whenever I was feeling homesick I'd just watch that. Plus the soundtrack is so good on it from the classical to the hip hop, I could be forever entertained!
Companion: No matter where I am in the world, I'd have to ask Shailene Woodley to come along so we could plan a film together, in case we were ever rescued and brought back to civilization.
Cristina Kotz Cornejo – "Hermanas"
Film: I think it would need to be a good comedy, either "Dr. Strangelove," The Pink Panther" or maybe "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam - something absurd to keep me laughing – oh wait, I guess if I have to choose one then it’s The Pink Panther can’t get enough of Peter Sellers!
Book: 1984 by George Orwell to remind me of what the world I left behind is becoming and to make me appreciate the absence of “big brother,” the internet and all the noise of everyday life.
Album: It’s not easy to choose an album but if I had to choose one it would be one of my favorites from childhood, That’s the Way of the World by Earth Wind and Fire. It will keep me busy dancing and singing the nights away in paradise.
Companion: Ellen Ripley from Alien because with her there I would be sure to eventually get off the island although 1984 will make me want to stay put, oh the dichotomy of life!
Javier Melero De Luca – "Silencio Chino"
Ok, the question puts me in survival mode, not in a curatorial one. I am going to need entertainment to cope with solitude on an island!!
Film: ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’ So many IMDb people could not be wrong. It would remind me that a lot of men dream of being on an island anyway. ("The Lives of Others" if the previous was not available).
Companion: Someone hot and resourceful like Lara Croft, I could try and hit on her, maybe even have an offspring.
Book: No doubt, The Lord of the Flies. Deep, insightful, metaphorical and well written. Useful on the island too.
Album: Tough call but I would go for Gently Disturbed by Avishai Cohen. They’re Venezuelan folk music meets Israeli jazz. Just mind-bending. P.S. Can't i just grab mi iPad before crashing on the island???
Geoffrey Guerrero – "J-1"
Album: If I was stranded on a deserted island I would need to have the Buenavista Social club album because their rich Latin rhythms and passionate songs of romance and love would make life more enjoyable and welcoming. And, being stranded in said island, anything with some latin beats and conga drums goes a long way in making life a little easier.
Companion: If I had to choose a companion from the movies it would have to be two companions: Eva Mendez and Gina Rodriguez. After a long day of cutting wood and preparing dinner, there's no other people I would rather have at my side than these 2 gorgeous young ladies. Who knows, maybe I'll get a back massage if I'm lucky.
Book: The one book I must have on this island is Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe," because if I'm gonna be stuck on an island I need to know there's a chance I'll survive. Some people say life is all about survival of the fittest and this book is a powerful story of a man stranded on an island for many years and by some miracle he survives and escapes the island in one piece. Which I think we'd all agree would be the ideal situation if stranded on such an island.
Film: "Amores Perros" or "Rabia."
Dennis Shinners – "Barrio Boy"
Film: "Stand By Me", "Titanic", "The Empire Strikes Back" (original release) or the "Alien" box set, just keeping the first two films. They are all about friendship and survival.
Album: I'd love to cram a ton of music onto an iPod, but if not allowed, it would be Prince's "Purple Rain". Why? Well, it's Prince's "Purple Rain"! Probably my favorite album of all time, though it's really tough to narrow down a favorite, let alone a fave Prince record. I'd try to sneak The Cure's "Disintegration", U2's "The Joshua Tree", Biggie's "Ready to Die" and a Jobim record (for sunset listening) by customs too.
Book: I've got way more music than books so I might trade this for a Nirvana, Velvet Underground, Peter Gabriel or Smashing Pumpkins album, but at the risk of sounding cliche or obvious, "The Catcher In the Rye". This way I'll always have a piece of New York City with me.
Companion: Samwise Gamgee from "Lord of the Rings". He's beyond loyal and cooks too, which will come in handy.
Albert Espinosa – "Pitahaya"
Album: ‘Great Escape’ by Blur because each song is incredible.
Film: ‘Good Will Hunting’. The Death of Robin Williams deeply affected me profoundly.
Book: ‘Tuesdays with Morrie.’ This book changed my life.
Companion : Leo of the series ‘Red Band Society’. Red band society, Fox's series is like my life as a child. It’s my autobiography. I am very happy for the coincidence between the release of the series and the festival.
Laila Petrone Peynado – "Your Love"
Album: Anita Baker – ‘Giving You the Best that I Got.’ I love her voice and each song on this album has accompanied me through different stages of my life. If I had been a singer, I would have been honored to have had her voice and career.
Book - Paulo Coelho – ‘Eleven Minutes.’ You're right there with the protagonist. The storyline, the way it is written, compels you to imagine it visually.
Film : ‘Mo' Better Blues.’ It's a movie I can watch over and over again, it makes me laugh, it makes me cry, and the soundtrack by the amazing Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard is just wonderful.
Companion : Marcello Mastroianni. Marcello was one-of-a-kind actor and I could spend hours talking to him about his experiences working with some of the most influential directors and movies of our time.
Wu Tsang - "You're Dead to Me"
Album : I'm not into albums much, but I'd have several of my favorite underground DJ's, like DJ Total Freedom, Nguzunguzu and Juliana Huxtable create an original mix for me. My island soundtrack would feature lots of traditional Banda music, which I love. I've shot several of my films in Mexico, and Banda always brings me back, like a snapshot of a moment in time. Maybe I could have my mix delivered to the island by drone.
Book: A written retrospective on Rainer Werner Fassbinder would be ideal. I figure if I can't watch movies at least I can read about them and visualize them in my mind, on a loop. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is my favorite. It's considered to be Fassbinder's masterpiece, but I'm always drawn to characters who let their hearts rule their heads. It's that blend of realism and romanticism, loneliness and love that would inspire and buoy me with no other constant but the waves lashing the shore.
Companion: My favorite character is always changing. But this week it's Sarah Linden from ‘The Killing.’ I guess I can relate to her troubled lonely existence. She's super flawed but also so powerful and talented, and deep down has a lot of heart and passion buried under that tough facade. I think we'd enjoy coping with our existentialism and creating our own mythology together on that island.
Jonathon Dillon – "Celluloid Dreams"
Album: Without a doubt, Louis Armstrong "The Definite Collection". I can say without a doubt Louis Armstrong is one of my favorite musicians of all time. When I hear that deep raspy voice I can't help but let all my worries fade away and transport to what life must have been like in the '30s.
Film: People laugh when I say this, but the film I define as one of the most perfectly executed pieces of cinema created is "Back to the Future." Head to tails, frame by frame, everything has purpose and continually pushes the story. Although Zemeckis has gone on to do other projects that he has received more acclaim for (i.e. "Forrest Gump"), I feel like I always watch "Back to the Future" and see something else he did that I didn't catch before that makes me stop and marvel at the film as a whole.
Book: Would graphic novels count? I grew up looking at comic books before I could even read, the visual imagery said it all, and the artwork would be just spell binding. I actually wanted to be a comic book artist as a kid, but then realized I couldn't sketch to save my life. I would lean towards Frank Miller's "Wolverine" or even Alan Moore's "Watchmen." If it had to be a book I'd probably want something on "How to Survive on an Island"....
Character: This is tough, and maybe I'm cheating, but the first feature I did the lead female protagonist was Katherine Parker (played by Rebecca Welsh). She was strong, independent, and above all, a survivor. I've always loved films with strong female characters, hence probably why I fell in love with this one from the moment of reading her on the page. And as they say, you are only as strong as the woman next to you. Honorable mention would obviously go to Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen in "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark"), and just about any of James Cameron's heroines.
Check out these filmmakers and many others at www.urbanworld.org
Written by Juan Caceres , LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook...
- 9/10/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Starring Harmony Santana ("Gun Hill Road") and Laura Patalano, "You're Dead to Me" centers on a Chicana mother's eerie experience with love and loss as she prepares for her Dia de los Muertos celebration. From the film's website: As she prepares to receive family members on an important anniversary a mother cooks, cleans, and fights with her daughter over the way she dresses, often too "boyish." The argument reveals some rifts in their relationship and resolves itself in an unexpected and touching climax. Written by Adelina Anthony, directed by Wu Tsang and produced by Melissa Haizlip, the short film was produced in Film Independent's Project Involve and has been touring film...
- 6/18/2014
- by Shadow And Act
- ShadowAndAct
Let’s face facts, the days of the short film being your calling card are pretty much gone (along with the bank account you pillaged). The digital revolution did democratize filmmaking and it meant any Tom, Dick and Harry could pick up a camera and shoot a film. And they did, saturating the festival circuit and bringing about countless of needless short festivals in every neighborhood (this being especially true in NYC). In curating thousands of short films over the years, I’ve lost years of my life to the art. So, you can imagine the joy one gets when you come across those “bangers”. A film that never leaves you. Some of my dearest friends are people whose film I happened upon. There’s a support system that exists between people getting their short films out there. Maybe it’s the nerves. But there’s no competition to sell your film like with feature films. They just want their film to be seen and to share these small precious stories because they know they have about 10 minutes to leave a lasting impression. LatinoBuzz caught up with filmmakers whose short films are starting to make noise on the festival circuit and you will be pleasantly surprised at the disparity in their stories. Here’s to meeting these filmmakers with their features.
You're Dead to Me dir. by Wu Tsang (USA)
LatinoBuzz : Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Wu: Initially I approached Adelina Anthony about co-writing a script about a “trans” character who is dealing with the death of a parent. It turned out that Adelina was already working on a beautiful script with a related theme and that ended up being the film we made! I really love this story, because it enabled me to play with elements of the supernatural to explore a very human story: dealing with irreconcilable feelings of losing someone, when you had already broken off the relationship before they died. Adelina's title "You're Dead to Me" refers to that experience, which can be especially painful when it comes to disowning a family member, because it is another thing entirely to process their physical passing.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Wu: I hope that this film can convey emotional truth about relationships between parents and transgender children, which can unfortunately sometimes be difficult. As a transgender filmmaker I have a personal stake in telling this story. On the other hand, I like that this film also plays with transgender identity to work within a ghost story genre convention. The ambiguity of who the missing child is (are they are boy or girl?) helps maintain the suspense. I studied some films closely, especially The Sixth Sense and The Others, as examples of when ghost characters can be ambiguous until the end of the story.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Wu: This project was developed through Film Independent's Project: Involve Fellowship, so there was a competitive process for us to team up and get our script green-lit. But once we did, we were able to work quickly with support from Find and the PBS National Minority Consortium. We had to work within some strict guidelines, but I always believe that rules provide a structure to be creative with (and against) the boundaries.
LatinoBuzz: Name one "Hustle"/"Guerrilla" moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Wu: Thanks to our stellar producer Melissa Haizlip, and the brilliance of our cinematographer Michelle Lawler, I don't recall having to cut any corners; we were able to get all the shots we needed. But we did have a few challenges with the location; at the last minute, we realized we didn't have a really crucial 'door buzzer' - and we ended up taping a chocolate bar to the wall - a little trick of lighting and sound effects, and voila!
- https://twitter.com/deadtomeshort
Milk and Honey dir. by Daniel Pfeffer (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Daniel: ‘Milk and Honey’ stems from a feature film script titled: Mama Left Me in the 607. I have been writing various drafts of the feature film script for years. At one point, while juggling freelance locations work on major motion pictures, I decided to take the bull by the horns and make a short film inspired by the feature. They are very different films but I thought it was important to make a short representation of what could be a much bigger picture. It was important for me to be able to showcase out of film school, such a personal story, and let an audience see the unique world of my main character, Maya. I loosely based Maya on a girl I fell in love with growing up in Ithaca, New York. Milk and Honey is my first short film produced independently out of film school. I was eager to direct again and keep honing in on my craft. I wanted to make a short without any strings attached.
Latinobuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Daniel: The short film genre has become beyond competitive, so it's hard to tell what opportunities can develop from making a short film. A part of me just feels honored and lucky as hell to be able to make a short outside of film school. It has been a blessing to get a team together and work towards one vision. On the other hand, I felt I had to make a short film to gain credibility and be able to market myself as a writer, producer, director. I wanted to keep expanding my network and create a new portfolio piece to compliment my feature film about an orphaned Puerto Rican girl, Maya, and how she copes with her problems in an abusive foster home.
Maya's story is based on a personal story, so I know the feature script might not sit well with producers and investors without a truly solid vision in place. I am marketing this film with attention to its unique setting, upstate New York. I would love to have my lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera come back for the feature, they are amazing to work with, incredibly talented, and have a special chemistry on screen. If I can use this short film to showcase my talent as a director/screenwriter to potential investors for a feature, then the short has been a success in my eyes.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Daniel: The short script writing process went through many stages. Because it was based off a longer screenplay, my first short draft had too many characters. It was overwhelming for a short film. My co-producer immediately advised me to cut characters for the sake of a better film. At first I craved to keep all the characters because the story and them were loosely based off my childhood. However, as I wrote the second draft I saw how much I could further develop my protagonist Maya, by eliminating the excess characters. It became clear this couldn't be a story about my youth, but had to be Maya's story and focus on her struggles and strength.
Funding the film was a battle because I didn't have any savings to back up my short. It's hard enough just to make rent in NYC, much less have savings for a short film. Instead I turned to Kickstarter and made a pledge video with my two lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera. We shot it the same week both of them had premiered their feature film Babygirl at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. It was a blessing having them on board, I couldn't have raised the funds without them. They provided a spirit and legitimacy that drew a lot of support and in turn a successful fundraising campaign. We didn't ask for too much money, but that was because Kickstarter doesn't grant you the funds if you don't make your goal! After working on major film productions for some pretty important producers in the metro area, I learned each departments' role on a set, and how truly important they were. I always tried to cut too many corners in film school, but this time I made sure I had the right players involved to be able to liberate myself as a director.
Making a short film on six thousand dollars is no easy feat, and we shot about five pages a day, which in hindsight, I do not recommend. On this production, I cut off some of the fat my other shorts suffered from. This time I was able to focus more on performances and storytelling, which I think should always be the ultimate goal! In the end, making a film is a team effort, so the struggle is always getting people involved that really want to bring your vision to life. There are always rifts, but the trick is to contain them, so the show can keep going. We filmed on all kinds of formats, RedCam, handicam, 8mm, Canon 7d and T2i - which later became a post production nightmare, but worth the sleepless nights to create a unique picture.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Daniel: A memorable moment was getting the only "dolly" shot in the film. I wanted to backtrack on Yainis as she storms out of her house and charges down the middle of the street. Since most of the film was handheld, we couldn't get the movement right even after trying the backtrack on foot with various lenses. So we took a volvo station wagon and opened the back hatch, placed our cinematographer in the hatch and rolled the car on neutral without the engine running. The shot came out beautifully and ended up in the final cut of the short!
- http://milkandhoneythemovie.com/
Solecito dir. by Oscar Ruiz Navia (Colombia)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Oscar: I was doing casting in different schools and institutions for another feature film project (Los Hongos, currently in post production) and I met the 2 teenagers of the film who told me the story of their loving breaking up. I realized that they both didn’t have any communication and I decided to propose them to make a fiction film about how they could meet again.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Oscar: I wanted to explore the representation of reality with non-professional actors playing themselves. This is something I´ve been always interested in.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Oscar: I did the film with a very low budget. I got a small grant and support from Danish artist Olafour Eliasson and the support of Tine Fisher form Cph:dox. Then after I got some support for 2 companies in Colombia, besides my own, Contravia Films. These 2 companies were Burning Blue and Post Bros. I also got support from my habitual French co-producer Arizona Productions. The film was a miracle, it was made with 3 people on the set with our script and with a very small camera. It was selected in Director´s Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival 2013.
- http://contraviafilms.com.co
Tinto dir. by Felix Solis (Chile/USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Felix: My co-writer Liza Fernandez who also plays Anita in the short was invited to visit her mother who owns vineyard land in Isla de Maipo, Chile. It had been quite some time since she had been there. I was drawn to the idea of what happens to us when we return to a place we have not been to in a long time. Also, having been born and raised in the concrete jungles of NYC, I was also inspired by the location. Lush rolling hills, farm land, cattle and vegetation soils. And the idea of placing a city urbanite in the unfamiliar landscape of countryside.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Felix: My initial drive to make a short was to follow the natural progression I was going through as an actor of film and television. You spend long enough hours on a set, and if you are even remotely aware of your surroundings and the inner workings of film and tv, you see what needs to happen, you have make your own film. Now that the process is somewhat complete for me, I am finding myself wanting to share my story in the hopes of becoming a part of a generation of NYC based filmmakers that will leave behind a library of cinematic stories. Whether financing comes from within or from afar. The story will always be grounded in my company's (Subway token films) identity "everydayers, derailments, and street level miracles".
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Felix: Well, the writing was relatively simple once we nailed the story we wanted to tell. There were specific variables that we knew were going to be unavoidable so that helped plot points. For example we were going to be on a vineyard. We were going to be in a foreign country. We were not going to have many locations. And we we're going to be doing most, if not all the work ourselves. These things helped narrow a script down to its basic core. Less is more.
As far as funding goes, there's the old adage "if you want something done right, do it yourself" I funded the entire project out of pocket. I used money I had saved from my years of working as an actor. One of the perks of living well below my means. The shooting process was as exciting an endeavor as anything I have ever had the pleasure of doing. I was blessed enough to put together a bare bones team that took very little time to trust me and feel connected to me in a way that allowed for all the things I didn't know, all the answers I didn't have, all my ignorance, to become learning moments and creative "explosions" if you will, that kept us from imploding. I also reminded myself of my theatre background, where it's all about the story and not one Individual aspect. We worked as a team top to bottom, don't get me wrong, there storms and catastrophes but we weathered them as a unit. This was my shooting process.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Felix: This is a great question! On the property in Isla de Maipo, Chile there is a mega tall free standing water tank tower, and when I saw it, I knew I wanted a shot from atop it. I hoped to maybe get a sunset or a sunrise. It just felt right to have it. I didn't know where in the short I would use it but I knew I wanted it. I asked my Director of Photography, Miguel Alvarez, about it, and I seem to recall him saying, "who's going up there, you or me?" I said to him "Well, as a director I should be willing to do first, anything that I would asks my actors or crew to do for me" and we left it at that. One day I was prepping inside the mainstay house and was told Miguel was climbing the water tank tower, when I went out, he was half way up and I could do nothing but watch as he scaled to the top and began shooting the sunset. Our production designer, Nazanin Shirazi, sat worried for her Dp. I was worried too, but have to admit, I did wonder what the footage would look like. We also did lots of driving with the camera pointing out of the window, throughout the surrounding areas, which always garners some nasty stares for the locals.
One final thing, I must confess, I never got the chance to climb to the top of the water tank tower. I owe him one. - http://www.subwaytokenfilms.com/
Alta Exposición dir. by Cecilia Robles (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Cecilia: Well, I studied filmmaking in Mexico, then France, then here in the USA. But this particular short is a stepping-stone between the novel and the feature film that is screaming to be produced. It turns out that in my younger years I was a daring and venturesome flight-attendant who happened to participate in, let's say peculiar activities. Since I could not tell anyone about my questionable adventures, I started compiling them on a diary. That diary became an erotic novel, ‘Bienvenidos a Bordo’ (Welcome on board) and then I adapted the best chapters into a full length screenplay (Alta EXPOSICiÓN. I know what you’re thinking…. And you know what? In my case it would have been true (wink-wink) The short allows me to introduce three of my favorite characters ;)
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Cecilia: Well, as I said, I would love to raise interest in the short to find funds for the long. The long is too expensive for me to produce alone. Also, I'd love to direct the long, so I needed to showcase what I was able to do as a director. The motto of this project is to encourage people to act towards the realization of their dreams; to remind them that no one should live in autopilot, which is basically what I did to produce it.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Cecilia: As I said, I wrote a book, a screenplay and a wait for it...Also a TV series! Yes! It could be a franchise: Bienvenidos A Bordo - the novel, Alta EXPOSICIÓN - the film, and Te La Volaste - the TV series. I would say the three are based on the semi-autobiographical intimate and artistic exploits of a young airline stewardess who takes a turbulent journey into the depths of self-discovery. So, long story Short: it comes from my novel ;). The funding: financed it myself, but I consider the crew my co-producers for the very low rates they gave me. It was really, really extra low budget. Everything was shot Guerilla Style, I had no insurance (Thank God no one got hurt). There were 9 speaking roles and we used their clothes and I hand made the flight-attendant uniforms... We needed 7 locations, a theater, an apartment, a hotel room, a trapeze school, a bar, an art gallery, and most importantly: an airplane mockup!!!
We shot everything "a escondiditas", stole the shots everywhere except for the airplane cabin, which btw, I could have never afford it, alas I can't tell you how I got it, because I made a pact. :)
As for post, I did the editing. For the music, I hit the lottery with this amazing composer that was worth every single last penny of my miserable budget. As for the animated logo, I ended up becoming a friend of the animator because he really delivered for a ridiculous amount of $. The crew was minimal and everybody was very cooperative! Without my precious crew, my line producer and all the people that I convinced through exacerbated enthusiasm, I would have never been able to make it for that kind of money.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Cecilia: All of them. It was such an intense and fast learning experience for me, that I created 12 vlogs and uploaded them on my blog. Basically I give quick tips about all that I learned on each step of the way. I just sat in front of my Mac shared some guerrilla-nugget-experiences throwing in some footage, pictures and advices for when wearing several hats at once. You can watch them here: http://ceciliarobles.com
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
You're Dead to Me dir. by Wu Tsang (USA)
LatinoBuzz : Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Wu: Initially I approached Adelina Anthony about co-writing a script about a “trans” character who is dealing with the death of a parent. It turned out that Adelina was already working on a beautiful script with a related theme and that ended up being the film we made! I really love this story, because it enabled me to play with elements of the supernatural to explore a very human story: dealing with irreconcilable feelings of losing someone, when you had already broken off the relationship before they died. Adelina's title "You're Dead to Me" refers to that experience, which can be especially painful when it comes to disowning a family member, because it is another thing entirely to process their physical passing.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Wu: I hope that this film can convey emotional truth about relationships between parents and transgender children, which can unfortunately sometimes be difficult. As a transgender filmmaker I have a personal stake in telling this story. On the other hand, I like that this film also plays with transgender identity to work within a ghost story genre convention. The ambiguity of who the missing child is (are they are boy or girl?) helps maintain the suspense. I studied some films closely, especially The Sixth Sense and The Others, as examples of when ghost characters can be ambiguous until the end of the story.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Wu: This project was developed through Film Independent's Project: Involve Fellowship, so there was a competitive process for us to team up and get our script green-lit. But once we did, we were able to work quickly with support from Find and the PBS National Minority Consortium. We had to work within some strict guidelines, but I always believe that rules provide a structure to be creative with (and against) the boundaries.
LatinoBuzz: Name one "Hustle"/"Guerrilla" moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Wu: Thanks to our stellar producer Melissa Haizlip, and the brilliance of our cinematographer Michelle Lawler, I don't recall having to cut any corners; we were able to get all the shots we needed. But we did have a few challenges with the location; at the last minute, we realized we didn't have a really crucial 'door buzzer' - and we ended up taping a chocolate bar to the wall - a little trick of lighting and sound effects, and voila!
- https://twitter.com/deadtomeshort
Milk and Honey dir. by Daniel Pfeffer (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Daniel: ‘Milk and Honey’ stems from a feature film script titled: Mama Left Me in the 607. I have been writing various drafts of the feature film script for years. At one point, while juggling freelance locations work on major motion pictures, I decided to take the bull by the horns and make a short film inspired by the feature. They are very different films but I thought it was important to make a short representation of what could be a much bigger picture. It was important for me to be able to showcase out of film school, such a personal story, and let an audience see the unique world of my main character, Maya. I loosely based Maya on a girl I fell in love with growing up in Ithaca, New York. Milk and Honey is my first short film produced independently out of film school. I was eager to direct again and keep honing in on my craft. I wanted to make a short without any strings attached.
Latinobuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Daniel: The short film genre has become beyond competitive, so it's hard to tell what opportunities can develop from making a short film. A part of me just feels honored and lucky as hell to be able to make a short outside of film school. It has been a blessing to get a team together and work towards one vision. On the other hand, I felt I had to make a short film to gain credibility and be able to market myself as a writer, producer, director. I wanted to keep expanding my network and create a new portfolio piece to compliment my feature film about an orphaned Puerto Rican girl, Maya, and how she copes with her problems in an abusive foster home.
Maya's story is based on a personal story, so I know the feature script might not sit well with producers and investors without a truly solid vision in place. I am marketing this film with attention to its unique setting, upstate New York. I would love to have my lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera come back for the feature, they are amazing to work with, incredibly talented, and have a special chemistry on screen. If I can use this short film to showcase my talent as a director/screenwriter to potential investors for a feature, then the short has been a success in my eyes.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Daniel: The short script writing process went through many stages. Because it was based off a longer screenplay, my first short draft had too many characters. It was overwhelming for a short film. My co-producer immediately advised me to cut characters for the sake of a better film. At first I craved to keep all the characters because the story and them were loosely based off my childhood. However, as I wrote the second draft I saw how much I could further develop my protagonist Maya, by eliminating the excess characters. It became clear this couldn't be a story about my youth, but had to be Maya's story and focus on her struggles and strength.
Funding the film was a battle because I didn't have any savings to back up my short. It's hard enough just to make rent in NYC, much less have savings for a short film. Instead I turned to Kickstarter and made a pledge video with my two lead actors, Yainis Ynoa and Joshua Rivera. We shot it the same week both of them had premiered their feature film Babygirl at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. It was a blessing having them on board, I couldn't have raised the funds without them. They provided a spirit and legitimacy that drew a lot of support and in turn a successful fundraising campaign. We didn't ask for too much money, but that was because Kickstarter doesn't grant you the funds if you don't make your goal! After working on major film productions for some pretty important producers in the metro area, I learned each departments' role on a set, and how truly important they were. I always tried to cut too many corners in film school, but this time I made sure I had the right players involved to be able to liberate myself as a director.
Making a short film on six thousand dollars is no easy feat, and we shot about five pages a day, which in hindsight, I do not recommend. On this production, I cut off some of the fat my other shorts suffered from. This time I was able to focus more on performances and storytelling, which I think should always be the ultimate goal! In the end, making a film is a team effort, so the struggle is always getting people involved that really want to bring your vision to life. There are always rifts, but the trick is to contain them, so the show can keep going. We filmed on all kinds of formats, RedCam, handicam, 8mm, Canon 7d and T2i - which later became a post production nightmare, but worth the sleepless nights to create a unique picture.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Daniel: A memorable moment was getting the only "dolly" shot in the film. I wanted to backtrack on Yainis as she storms out of her house and charges down the middle of the street. Since most of the film was handheld, we couldn't get the movement right even after trying the backtrack on foot with various lenses. So we took a volvo station wagon and opened the back hatch, placed our cinematographer in the hatch and rolled the car on neutral without the engine running. The shot came out beautifully and ended up in the final cut of the short!
- http://milkandhoneythemovie.com/
Solecito dir. by Oscar Ruiz Navia (Colombia)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Oscar: I was doing casting in different schools and institutions for another feature film project (Los Hongos, currently in post production) and I met the 2 teenagers of the film who told me the story of their loving breaking up. I realized that they both didn’t have any communication and I decided to propose them to make a fiction film about how they could meet again.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Oscar: I wanted to explore the representation of reality with non-professional actors playing themselves. This is something I´ve been always interested in.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Oscar: I did the film with a very low budget. I got a small grant and support from Danish artist Olafour Eliasson and the support of Tine Fisher form Cph:dox. Then after I got some support for 2 companies in Colombia, besides my own, Contravia Films. These 2 companies were Burning Blue and Post Bros. I also got support from my habitual French co-producer Arizona Productions. The film was a miracle, it was made with 3 people on the set with our script and with a very small camera. It was selected in Director´s Fortnight at Cannes Film Festival 2013.
- http://contraviafilms.com.co
Tinto dir. by Felix Solis (Chile/USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Felix: My co-writer Liza Fernandez who also plays Anita in the short was invited to visit her mother who owns vineyard land in Isla de Maipo, Chile. It had been quite some time since she had been there. I was drawn to the idea of what happens to us when we return to a place we have not been to in a long time. Also, having been born and raised in the concrete jungles of NYC, I was also inspired by the location. Lush rolling hills, farm land, cattle and vegetation soils. And the idea of placing a city urbanite in the unfamiliar landscape of countryside.
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Felix: My initial drive to make a short was to follow the natural progression I was going through as an actor of film and television. You spend long enough hours on a set, and if you are even remotely aware of your surroundings and the inner workings of film and tv, you see what needs to happen, you have make your own film. Now that the process is somewhat complete for me, I am finding myself wanting to share my story in the hopes of becoming a part of a generation of NYC based filmmakers that will leave behind a library of cinematic stories. Whether financing comes from within or from afar. The story will always be grounded in my company's (Subway token films) identity "everydayers, derailments, and street level miracles".
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Felix: Well, the writing was relatively simple once we nailed the story we wanted to tell. There were specific variables that we knew were going to be unavoidable so that helped plot points. For example we were going to be on a vineyard. We were going to be in a foreign country. We were not going to have many locations. And we we're going to be doing most, if not all the work ourselves. These things helped narrow a script down to its basic core. Less is more.
As far as funding goes, there's the old adage "if you want something done right, do it yourself" I funded the entire project out of pocket. I used money I had saved from my years of working as an actor. One of the perks of living well below my means. The shooting process was as exciting an endeavor as anything I have ever had the pleasure of doing. I was blessed enough to put together a bare bones team that took very little time to trust me and feel connected to me in a way that allowed for all the things I didn't know, all the answers I didn't have, all my ignorance, to become learning moments and creative "explosions" if you will, that kept us from imploding. I also reminded myself of my theatre background, where it's all about the story and not one Individual aspect. We worked as a team top to bottom, don't get me wrong, there storms and catastrophes but we weathered them as a unit. This was my shooting process.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Felix: This is a great question! On the property in Isla de Maipo, Chile there is a mega tall free standing water tank tower, and when I saw it, I knew I wanted a shot from atop it. I hoped to maybe get a sunset or a sunrise. It just felt right to have it. I didn't know where in the short I would use it but I knew I wanted it. I asked my Director of Photography, Miguel Alvarez, about it, and I seem to recall him saying, "who's going up there, you or me?" I said to him "Well, as a director I should be willing to do first, anything that I would asks my actors or crew to do for me" and we left it at that. One day I was prepping inside the mainstay house and was told Miguel was climbing the water tank tower, when I went out, he was half way up and I could do nothing but watch as he scaled to the top and began shooting the sunset. Our production designer, Nazanin Shirazi, sat worried for her Dp. I was worried too, but have to admit, I did wonder what the footage would look like. We also did lots of driving with the camera pointing out of the window, throughout the surrounding areas, which always garners some nasty stares for the locals.
One final thing, I must confess, I never got the chance to climb to the top of the water tank tower. I owe him one. - http://www.subwaytokenfilms.com/
Alta Exposición dir. by Cecilia Robles (USA)
LatinoBuzz: Where did the idea come from to do a short film?
Cecilia: Well, I studied filmmaking in Mexico, then France, then here in the USA. But this particular short is a stepping-stone between the novel and the feature film that is screaming to be produced. It turns out that in my younger years I was a daring and venturesome flight-attendant who happened to participate in, let's say peculiar activities. Since I could not tell anyone about my questionable adventures, I started compiling them on a diary. That diary became an erotic novel, ‘Bienvenidos a Bordo’ (Welcome on board) and then I adapted the best chapters into a full length screenplay (Alta EXPOSICiÓN. I know what you’re thinking…. And you know what? In my case it would have been true (wink-wink) The short allows me to introduce three of my favorite characters ;)
LatinoBuzz: What do you want your short film to do for you?
Cecilia: Well, as I said, I would love to raise interest in the short to find funds for the long. The long is too expensive for me to produce alone. Also, I'd love to direct the long, so I needed to showcase what I was able to do as a director. The motto of this project is to encourage people to act towards the realization of their dreams; to remind them that no one should live in autopilot, which is basically what I did to produce it.
LatinoBuzz: What was the writing, funding and shooting process?
Cecilia: As I said, I wrote a book, a screenplay and a wait for it...Also a TV series! Yes! It could be a franchise: Bienvenidos A Bordo - the novel, Alta EXPOSICIÓN - the film, and Te La Volaste - the TV series. I would say the three are based on the semi-autobiographical intimate and artistic exploits of a young airline stewardess who takes a turbulent journey into the depths of self-discovery. So, long story Short: it comes from my novel ;). The funding: financed it myself, but I consider the crew my co-producers for the very low rates they gave me. It was really, really extra low budget. Everything was shot Guerilla Style, I had no insurance (Thank God no one got hurt). There were 9 speaking roles and we used their clothes and I hand made the flight-attendant uniforms... We needed 7 locations, a theater, an apartment, a hotel room, a trapeze school, a bar, an art gallery, and most importantly: an airplane mockup!!!
We shot everything "a escondiditas", stole the shots everywhere except for the airplane cabin, which btw, I could have never afford it, alas I can't tell you how I got it, because I made a pact. :)
As for post, I did the editing. For the music, I hit the lottery with this amazing composer that was worth every single last penny of my miserable budget. As for the animated logo, I ended up becoming a friend of the animator because he really delivered for a ridiculous amount of $. The crew was minimal and everybody was very cooperative! Without my precious crew, my line producer and all the people that I convinced through exacerbated enthusiasm, I would have never been able to make it for that kind of money.
LatinoBuzz: Name one “Hustle”/”Guerrilla” moment where you did what you had to do to get the shot/scene?
Cecilia: All of them. It was such an intense and fast learning experience for me, that I created 12 vlogs and uploaded them on my blog. Basically I give quick tips about all that I learned on each step of the way. I just sat in front of my Mac shared some guerrilla-nugget-experiences throwing in some footage, pictures and advices for when wearing several hats at once. You can watch them here: http://ceciliarobles.com
Written by Juan Caceres . LatinoBuzz is a weekly feature on SydneysBuzz that highlights Latino indie talent and upcoming trends in Latino film with the specific objective of presenting a broad range of Latino voices. Follow [At]LatinoBuzz on Twitter and Facebook .
- 4/4/2014
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
Last week I offered up my top 5 fiction films to look out for in 2013, and as promised, here is my non-fiction list of films coming through the pipeline bound to make an impression and impact this year. Two are profiles of influential iconic American activists whose work and spirit have left indelible marks on their generation and reintroduction through the docs will serve to celebrate and carry on their positive influence as Latinos. The other films deal with redefining our perception of American identity, gender and human rights while wielding cinematic ingenuity and power. As these films prove, docs can be just as striking in their characterization and cinematic form as their fiction counterparts, in addition to their intrinsic educational value. Take note, all of these are seeking opportunities to engage with their audiences so again click on the links to follow and show your interest in their work so we can bring awareness and demand their exhibition.
1. Las Marthas by Cristina Ibarra, produced by Erin Ploss-Campoamor
In Laredo Texas, there exists a debutante ball held by the exclusive Society of Martha Washington that takes place every year celebrating George Washington's birthday. A 114 year-old tradition, the lavish affair presents members' daughters- all of aristocratic pedigree and lineage dating back to the foundation of Texas, who dress up in grand, colonial gowns representing characters from the American Revolution. Las Marthas follows a couple of high achieving, bi-literate and conscious young Mexican Americans going through the lengthy preparations as they enter this rite of passage that ends with a parade that draws huge crowds. What's especially remarkable about the whole patriotic event is that we are talking about a city that is 94% Latino. Laredo became part of Texas in 1848, when everything north of the Rio Grande became the United States. Many families who stayed, benefited off the oil boom and settled into an upper class aristocracy. Many generations later these are still the most prominent Laredo citizens and proud bearers of this historic tradition.
I'm so proud of this chicana sister for revealing this world. She has intuitively seized on and explored this unique legacy, which clearly demonstrates the vibrant bi-culture of Texas and shows how aptly the founding father narrative belongs to Mexican Americans. She is also working on a fiction feature titled Love and Monster Trucks about an 18-year-old Chicana artist named Impala Mata who can't wait to escape her 4x4 truck-obsessed, Texas bordertown family. Sounds so cool. Need to track that one too. Filmmakers website here
2. Cesar'S Last Fast by Richard Ray Perez, produced by Molly O'Brien
Back in the Spring on Chavez's anniversary I wrote about this documentary in progress here on the site. Cut to today and I’m happy to share it is just about ripe and ready for its premiere. Wisely and effectively entering the vast legacy by angling on Chavez's 1988 Fast for Life, the film focuses on conveying the private sacrifice and spiritual conviction behind Chavez's struggle for the humane treatment of American farm workers. With each and every day adding up that he refused to eat in protest of the rampant use and ill effects of growers spraying pesticides on farm workers, Chavez seriously risked his health and life and in turn inspired a nation. It boasts never-before-seen footage in which artists and activists came to see him, endeared in solidarity by his fortitude, including the likes of Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Kennedy family, interviews with his son Paul Chavez, Chicano filmmaker Luis Valdez, activist veteran, Dolores Huerta and Martin Sheen, along with showing the press hoopla this man was able to attract back then It’s taken years for the family to trust someone with his story so it’s telling that Rick has managed to gain their support.
Film contact <CesarsLastFast@earthlink.net>
Website, Facebook
3. Ruben Salazar: Man In The Middle by Phillip Rodriguez, produced by City Projects
On August 29 1970, just as the Chicano Moratorium March, a protest denouncing the extremely high number of Chicano soldier casualties in Vietnam (front of the line browns), was winding down, a tear gas canister was suddenly thrown by La County police into the old Silver Platter Cafe on Whittier Blvd, killing the pioneering civil rights journalist Ruben Salazar. Set to broadcast on PBS in the Fall, this documentary is the first thorough investigation into the life and mysterious death of Salazar who was raised in El Paso and went on to become a brilliant reporter covering Vietnam, the Olympics and the Chicano movement for the La Times and Kmex TV 34 television, making him the first Mexican American to cover news for mainstream outlets. In that critical and turbulent moment in the Chicano rights movement, Salazar gave voice, rationale and dignity to Chicanos’ fight to demand equality. An inquest was later regarding his untimely death made but murder charges were never brought. Instead Los Angeles County paid $700,000 to the Salazar family to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit.
Just last month, after two years of requests, Philip Rodriguez finally won the battle to uncover case details when Maldefsued Sheriff Lee Baca for withholding unredacted records regarding the 42 year old case. This new unearthed footage, photos and documents will appear in the film along with interviews with Salazar’s family, friends, colleagues as well as the deputy who threw the fatal tear gas missile, Tom Wilson. So the story goes, there had been allegedly a tip that an armed man entered the bar (hence blindly throwing tear gas while folks were in there?). For the first time we might get answers and insight surrounding the mysterious and suspicious circumstances of this leading Latino voice. As quoted on Kpcc, Phillip Rodriguez says, “I think this is one of the most important stories that has remained on the margins and that has been characterized as a regional or an ethnic story and it’s a fantastic American story”.
4. The Wildness by Wu Tsang produced by Kathy Rivkin
Although this premiered at a few noteworthy film festivals in 2012 including Austin's SXSW, Outfest in Los Angeles and Moma in NYC last December, I’m thrilled to know there is still a long life ahead towards sharing this beautiful experience with the public so it definitely deserves to be on the Watch Out For list. A dazzling requiem to the 7th & Alvarado corner bar joint, Silver Platter, specifically the transformation and haven as a Latin/Lgbt/immigrant community spurred on by the introduction of performance parties known as Wildness, produced by a fiercely talented collective including Wu Tsang, the director of the film. The intersection of stories and people borne out of that multi cultural, trans and cross-generational magic potion is fascinating and poignant to behold in this cinematic and audiovisual piece. The cinematography captures the wonderful and tragic beauty, and by personifying the bar as a majestic hostess welcoming all wayward transients, the film pulses with heart. Currently looking for distribution opportunities (repped by Cinetic). Check out the trailer below and go to the Facebook for more info.
5. Who Is Dayani Crystal? by Marc Silver, produced by Canana and Pulse
I highlighted this unique docu-drama about the discovery of a migrant found dead in the border desert and the unfolding mystery of his identity with the parallel of retracing his journey, as part of my Wtf is Latino at Sundance post. The film will open the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival this Thursday and I will be onsite to cover the audience's reaction (Don't forget to follow me on twitter for my sporadic Sff coverage). Not only is it a feat of ingenuity in the way the narrative is structured, it's an extremely urgent topic deserving a larger audience to provoke more humanity and thought into the pressing immigration reform debate. I guarantee this one will travel to many festivals in 2012 and get theatrical distribution, in no small part helped by the compassionate and driven producer and narrator, Gael Garcia Bernal. Last year, Searching for Sugarman screened in the same Day One screening slot, was subsequently snapped up by Sony Pictures and as of last week officially nominated for an Academy Award. Hmmmm. Get updates by following their twitter @DayaniCristal
Film Contact: lucas@pulsefilms.co.uk...
1. Las Marthas by Cristina Ibarra, produced by Erin Ploss-Campoamor
In Laredo Texas, there exists a debutante ball held by the exclusive Society of Martha Washington that takes place every year celebrating George Washington's birthday. A 114 year-old tradition, the lavish affair presents members' daughters- all of aristocratic pedigree and lineage dating back to the foundation of Texas, who dress up in grand, colonial gowns representing characters from the American Revolution. Las Marthas follows a couple of high achieving, bi-literate and conscious young Mexican Americans going through the lengthy preparations as they enter this rite of passage that ends with a parade that draws huge crowds. What's especially remarkable about the whole patriotic event is that we are talking about a city that is 94% Latino. Laredo became part of Texas in 1848, when everything north of the Rio Grande became the United States. Many families who stayed, benefited off the oil boom and settled into an upper class aristocracy. Many generations later these are still the most prominent Laredo citizens and proud bearers of this historic tradition.
I'm so proud of this chicana sister for revealing this world. She has intuitively seized on and explored this unique legacy, which clearly demonstrates the vibrant bi-culture of Texas and shows how aptly the founding father narrative belongs to Mexican Americans. She is also working on a fiction feature titled Love and Monster Trucks about an 18-year-old Chicana artist named Impala Mata who can't wait to escape her 4x4 truck-obsessed, Texas bordertown family. Sounds so cool. Need to track that one too. Filmmakers website here
2. Cesar'S Last Fast by Richard Ray Perez, produced by Molly O'Brien
Back in the Spring on Chavez's anniversary I wrote about this documentary in progress here on the site. Cut to today and I’m happy to share it is just about ripe and ready for its premiere. Wisely and effectively entering the vast legacy by angling on Chavez's 1988 Fast for Life, the film focuses on conveying the private sacrifice and spiritual conviction behind Chavez's struggle for the humane treatment of American farm workers. With each and every day adding up that he refused to eat in protest of the rampant use and ill effects of growers spraying pesticides on farm workers, Chavez seriously risked his health and life and in turn inspired a nation. It boasts never-before-seen footage in which artists and activists came to see him, endeared in solidarity by his fortitude, including the likes of Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Kennedy family, interviews with his son Paul Chavez, Chicano filmmaker Luis Valdez, activist veteran, Dolores Huerta and Martin Sheen, along with showing the press hoopla this man was able to attract back then It’s taken years for the family to trust someone with his story so it’s telling that Rick has managed to gain their support.
Film contact <CesarsLastFast@earthlink.net>
Website, Facebook
3. Ruben Salazar: Man In The Middle by Phillip Rodriguez, produced by City Projects
On August 29 1970, just as the Chicano Moratorium March, a protest denouncing the extremely high number of Chicano soldier casualties in Vietnam (front of the line browns), was winding down, a tear gas canister was suddenly thrown by La County police into the old Silver Platter Cafe on Whittier Blvd, killing the pioneering civil rights journalist Ruben Salazar. Set to broadcast on PBS in the Fall, this documentary is the first thorough investigation into the life and mysterious death of Salazar who was raised in El Paso and went on to become a brilliant reporter covering Vietnam, the Olympics and the Chicano movement for the La Times and Kmex TV 34 television, making him the first Mexican American to cover news for mainstream outlets. In that critical and turbulent moment in the Chicano rights movement, Salazar gave voice, rationale and dignity to Chicanos’ fight to demand equality. An inquest was later regarding his untimely death made but murder charges were never brought. Instead Los Angeles County paid $700,000 to the Salazar family to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit.
Just last month, after two years of requests, Philip Rodriguez finally won the battle to uncover case details when Maldefsued Sheriff Lee Baca for withholding unredacted records regarding the 42 year old case. This new unearthed footage, photos and documents will appear in the film along with interviews with Salazar’s family, friends, colleagues as well as the deputy who threw the fatal tear gas missile, Tom Wilson. So the story goes, there had been allegedly a tip that an armed man entered the bar (hence blindly throwing tear gas while folks were in there?). For the first time we might get answers and insight surrounding the mysterious and suspicious circumstances of this leading Latino voice. As quoted on Kpcc, Phillip Rodriguez says, “I think this is one of the most important stories that has remained on the margins and that has been characterized as a regional or an ethnic story and it’s a fantastic American story”.
4. The Wildness by Wu Tsang produced by Kathy Rivkin
Although this premiered at a few noteworthy film festivals in 2012 including Austin's SXSW, Outfest in Los Angeles and Moma in NYC last December, I’m thrilled to know there is still a long life ahead towards sharing this beautiful experience with the public so it definitely deserves to be on the Watch Out For list. A dazzling requiem to the 7th & Alvarado corner bar joint, Silver Platter, specifically the transformation and haven as a Latin/Lgbt/immigrant community spurred on by the introduction of performance parties known as Wildness, produced by a fiercely talented collective including Wu Tsang, the director of the film. The intersection of stories and people borne out of that multi cultural, trans and cross-generational magic potion is fascinating and poignant to behold in this cinematic and audiovisual piece. The cinematography captures the wonderful and tragic beauty, and by personifying the bar as a majestic hostess welcoming all wayward transients, the film pulses with heart. Currently looking for distribution opportunities (repped by Cinetic). Check out the trailer below and go to the Facebook for more info.
5. Who Is Dayani Crystal? by Marc Silver, produced by Canana and Pulse
I highlighted this unique docu-drama about the discovery of a migrant found dead in the border desert and the unfolding mystery of his identity with the parallel of retracing his journey, as part of my Wtf is Latino at Sundance post. The film will open the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival this Thursday and I will be onsite to cover the audience's reaction (Don't forget to follow me on twitter for my sporadic Sff coverage). Not only is it a feat of ingenuity in the way the narrative is structured, it's an extremely urgent topic deserving a larger audience to provoke more humanity and thought into the pressing immigration reform debate. I guarantee this one will travel to many festivals in 2012 and get theatrical distribution, in no small part helped by the compassionate and driven producer and narrator, Gael Garcia Bernal. Last year, Searching for Sugarman screened in the same Day One screening slot, was subsequently snapped up by Sony Pictures and as of last week officially nominated for an Academy Award. Hmmmm. Get updates by following their twitter @DayaniCristal
Film Contact: lucas@pulsefilms.co.uk...
- 1/17/2013
- by Christine Davila
- Sydney's Buzz
Outfest 2012, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (Lgbt) media, has announced the award winners of its 30th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
The nation’s leading Lgbt festival and the oldest continuously running film festival in the city ran from July 12th to 22nd. Outfest 2012 closed with Brian Dannelly’s Struck by Lightning, starring Chris Colfer. Allison Janney, Rebel Wilson, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney and Ashley Rickards.
Special Programming Awards
Special Programming Award for Freedom
Sponsored by The Mondrian Los Angeles
I Am A Woman Now, Directed by Michiel van Erp
For illuminating the stories of the first generation of transwomen who forged their paths with grace, courage, and fabulousness and the pioneering surgeon who changed history for transpeople everywhere, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Freedom goes to I Am A Woman Now, directed by Michiel van Erp.
Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement
Sponsored by Fandango
She Male Snails, Directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark
For its bold imagination, provocative storytelling, striking imagery and unshakable emotional impact, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement goes to Ester Martin Bergsmark, director of She Male Snails.
Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent
Sponsored by Katten Muchin Rosenmann Llp
Marialy Rivas, Writer/Director
For crafting a stylistically fearless film to match the excitement, danger and chaos that can erupt with youthful sexual exploration, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent goes to Marialy Rivas, the writer/director of Young & Wild.
Audience Awards
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Ramada Plaza Hotel West Hollywood
A Force Of Nature, Directed by Barbara Kopple
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Wolfe Video
The First Date, Directed by Janella Lacson
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
I Stand Corrected, Directed by Andrea Meyerson
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Innovative Artists
Any Day Now, Directed by Travis Fine
Audience Award for Outstanding First U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by HBO (cash prize of $5,000 from HBO)
Mosquita Y Mari, (Isa:Film Collaborative), Directed by Aurora Guerrero
Jury Awards
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, Directed by Antony Osso.
For its sensitive portrayal of enduring love that spans seven decades, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film goes to The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, directed by Antony Osso.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Cre – Computer Rentals & Av Solutions
Dol (First Birthday), Directed Andrew Ahn
For its honest exploration of the complexities of culture, family and relationships, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film to Dol (First Birthday), directed by Andrew Ahn.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Avalon
Wildness, Directed by Wu Tsang
With beautiful cinematography, a vibrant score and poetic storytelling, this year’s winning documentary succeeded in taking on the complexities of class, culture and difference in a most timely and brave fashion. The Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film goes to Wildness, directed by Wu Tsang.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by The Los Angeles Athletic Club
My Brother The Devil, Directed by Sally El Hosaini
For its taut narrative, sensitive interrogation of masculinity, excellent performances by an ensemble cast, and intense cinematic experience, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film goes to My Brother The Devil, directed by Sally El Hosaini.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
Sponsored by The Avenue Hollywood
Fenessa Pineda, Mosquita Y Mari
This actress brought nuance and subtlety to a fresh coming of age story. For beautifully capturing the fleeting moments of transition from innocence to curiosity to self-discovery, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film goes to Fenessa Pineda in Mosquita Y Mari.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film
Alan Cumming, Any Day Now
For bringing depth, humor, fierce wit, and emotional integrity to a moving portrait of a man who unexpectedly finds a family and the strength to fight for it, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film goes to Alan Cumming in Any Day Now.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting
Sponsored by Yellow Cab
Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, Keep The Lights On
For masterfully constructing an emotionally honest portrait of a relationship that spans the better part of a decade and artfully weaving the mundane and the momentous, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting goes to Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias for Keep The Lights On.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue
Keep The Lights On, (Isa: Films Boutique), Directed by Ira Sachs
This film resonated with us for its confidence, complexity, and emotional intelligence. For taking us on a challenging but poetic journey through the landscape of a long-term relationship, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film goes to Keep The Lights On, directed by Ira Sachs.
For more information, log on to http://www.outfest.org/fest2012/
To download high-res images, please visit: ftp://ftp.mprm.com/outfest2012
Outfest 2012: The 30th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival is presented by HBO. Grand Sponsors include Absolut and Ease Entertainment Services. Under the Stars Series Sponsor is presented by Oxygen. The Automotive Partner is Mini. Other sponsors at the Premiere level include: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Directors Guild of America, Directv, The Hollywood Reporter, The Los Angeles Times, Merrill Lynch, Out, Variety and 104.3MYfm, The Official Sponsors are Barefoot Wines, Big Picture Group, Coca-Cola, Luca Bites, Lichter Yu & Associates, NBCUniversal, Orbitz, Propaganda Media, Room & Board, Southwest Airlines, Stella Artois, techpal, and Verizon Wireless. Day Sponsors are The David Geffen Foundation, Frontiers/InLA, Hollywood & Highland, Instinct Magazine, The Lesbian News, Lifetime, Logo, Sony Pictures, and Wells Fargo, Organizational Funders: Andrew Kuehn Foundation, City of West Hollywood, Department of Cultural Affairs, Hollywood Foreign Press, and Los Angeles County Arts. For more information about Outfest 2012 sponsorship, visit www.outfest.org/sponsor.
About Outfest
Outfest celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2012 with a yearlong celebration honoring the organization's rich film history, innovative filmmakers and cultural legacy. The anniversary celebration includes the signature film festival, a major film restoration, a new logo, a new monthly screening series and a comprehensive social media campaign. Founded by volunteers on the campus of UCLA in 1982, Outfest has grown into an internationally recognized organization that works to promote Lgbt equality through the arts. For three decades Outfest has brought together film lovers, artists, celebrities and entertainment industry professionals to create a world-class forum for stories that reflect and often transform Lgbt lives. Outfest has showcased over 5,600 films to audiences, reaching close to one million people, educated and mentored hundreds of emerging filmmakers and protected over 18,000 stories and images through the Outfest Legacy Project for Lgbt Film Preservation, the only program of its kind in the world.
The nation’s leading Lgbt festival and the oldest continuously running film festival in the city ran from July 12th to 22nd. Outfest 2012 closed with Brian Dannelly’s Struck by Lightning, starring Chris Colfer. Allison Janney, Rebel Wilson, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney and Ashley Rickards.
Special Programming Awards
Special Programming Award for Freedom
Sponsored by The Mondrian Los Angeles
I Am A Woman Now, Directed by Michiel van Erp
For illuminating the stories of the first generation of transwomen who forged their paths with grace, courage, and fabulousness and the pioneering surgeon who changed history for transpeople everywhere, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Freedom goes to I Am A Woman Now, directed by Michiel van Erp.
Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement
Sponsored by Fandango
She Male Snails, Directed by Ester Martin Bergsmark
For its bold imagination, provocative storytelling, striking imagery and unshakable emotional impact, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Artistic Achievement goes to Ester Martin Bergsmark, director of She Male Snails.
Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent
Sponsored by Katten Muchin Rosenmann Llp
Marialy Rivas, Writer/Director
For crafting a stylistically fearless film to match the excitement, danger and chaos that can erupt with youthful sexual exploration, the Outfest Special Programming Award for Emerging Talent goes to Marialy Rivas, the writer/director of Young & Wild.
Audience Awards
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Ramada Plaza Hotel West Hollywood
A Force Of Nature, Directed by Barbara Kopple
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Wolfe Video
The First Date, Directed by Janella Lacson
Audience Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
I Stand Corrected, Directed by Andrea Meyerson
Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Innovative Artists
Any Day Now, Directed by Travis Fine
Audience Award for Outstanding First U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by HBO (cash prize of $5,000 from HBO)
Mosquita Y Mari, (Isa:Film Collaborative), Directed by Aurora Guerrero
Jury Awards
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film
Sponsored by Greenhouse Studios
The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, Directed by Antony Osso.
For its sensitive portrayal of enduring love that spans seven decades, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Short Film goes to The Devotion Project: More Than Ever, directed by Antony Osso.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film
Sponsored by Cre – Computer Rentals & Av Solutions
Dol (First Birthday), Directed Andrew Ahn
For its honest exploration of the complexities of culture, family and relationships, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Short Film to Dol (First Birthday), directed by Andrew Ahn.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film
Sponsored by Avalon
Wildness, Directed by Wu Tsang
With beautiful cinematography, a vibrant score and poetic storytelling, this year’s winning documentary succeeded in taking on the complexities of class, culture and difference in a most timely and brave fashion. The Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature Film goes to Wildness, directed by Wu Tsang.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by The Los Angeles Athletic Club
My Brother The Devil, Directed by Sally El Hosaini
For its taut narrative, sensitive interrogation of masculinity, excellent performances by an ensemble cast, and intense cinematic experience, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film goes to My Brother The Devil, directed by Sally El Hosaini.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
Sponsored by The Avenue Hollywood
Fenessa Pineda, Mosquita Y Mari
This actress brought nuance and subtlety to a fresh coming of age story. For beautifully capturing the fleeting moments of transition from innocence to curiosity to self-discovery, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film goes to Fenessa Pineda in Mosquita Y Mari.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film
Alan Cumming, Any Day Now
For bringing depth, humor, fierce wit, and emotional integrity to a moving portrait of a man who unexpectedly finds a family and the strength to fight for it, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film goes to Alan Cumming in Any Day Now.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting
Sponsored by Yellow Cab
Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, Keep The Lights On
For masterfully constructing an emotionally honest portrait of a relationship that spans the better part of a decade and artfully weaving the mundane and the momentous, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Screenwriting goes to Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias for Keep The Lights On.
Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film
Sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue
Keep The Lights On, (Isa: Films Boutique), Directed by Ira Sachs
This film resonated with us for its confidence, complexity, and emotional intelligence. For taking us on a challenging but poetic journey through the landscape of a long-term relationship, the Outfest 2012 Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic Feature Film goes to Keep The Lights On, directed by Ira Sachs.
For more information, log on to http://www.outfest.org/fest2012/
To download high-res images, please visit: ftp://ftp.mprm.com/outfest2012
Outfest 2012: The 30th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival is presented by HBO. Grand Sponsors include Absolut and Ease Entertainment Services. Under the Stars Series Sponsor is presented by Oxygen. The Automotive Partner is Mini. Other sponsors at the Premiere level include: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Directors Guild of America, Directv, The Hollywood Reporter, The Los Angeles Times, Merrill Lynch, Out, Variety and 104.3MYfm, The Official Sponsors are Barefoot Wines, Big Picture Group, Coca-Cola, Luca Bites, Lichter Yu & Associates, NBCUniversal, Orbitz, Propaganda Media, Room & Board, Southwest Airlines, Stella Artois, techpal, and Verizon Wireless. Day Sponsors are The David Geffen Foundation, Frontiers/InLA, Hollywood & Highland, Instinct Magazine, The Lesbian News, Lifetime, Logo, Sony Pictures, and Wells Fargo, Organizational Funders: Andrew Kuehn Foundation, City of West Hollywood, Department of Cultural Affairs, Hollywood Foreign Press, and Los Angeles County Arts. For more information about Outfest 2012 sponsorship, visit www.outfest.org/sponsor.
About Outfest
Outfest celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2012 with a yearlong celebration honoring the organization's rich film history, innovative filmmakers and cultural legacy. The anniversary celebration includes the signature film festival, a major film restoration, a new logo, a new monthly screening series and a comprehensive social media campaign. Founded by volunteers on the campus of UCLA in 1982, Outfest has grown into an internationally recognized organization that works to promote Lgbt equality through the arts. For three decades Outfest has brought together film lovers, artists, celebrities and entertainment industry professionals to create a world-class forum for stories that reflect and often transform Lgbt lives. Outfest has showcased over 5,600 films to audiences, reaching close to one million people, educated and mentored hundreds of emerging filmmakers and protected over 18,000 stories and images through the Outfest Legacy Project for Lgbt Film Preservation, the only program of its kind in the world.
- 7/25/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Ira Sachs' Keep the Lights On took home the Grand Jury Award for Outstanding U.S. Dramatic feature at Outfest, the 30th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The feature, which Music Box Films will release Sept. 7, charts the ups-and-downs of a long-term relationship. It also earned a screenwriting prize for Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias. Grand Jury Awards were also presented to Sally El Hosaini’s My Brother the Devil, named Outstanding International Dramatic Feature Film, and Wu Tsang’s Wildness, named Outstanding Documentary Feature Film. The Audience Award winners included the dramatic feature Any Day Now, directed
read more...
read more...
- 7/22/2012
- by Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Outfest has just announced the lineup for its 30th Anniversary Edition. The festival's outdoor Closing Night screening will be Brian Dannelly's "Struck By Lightning," written by and starring "Glee" phenom Chris Colfer. [Go Here for our interview with him.] Gala screenings include "Keep the Lights On" (Ira Sachs, Us Dramatic Centerpiece), "Young & Wild" (Marialy Rivas, International Centerpiece), "How to Survive a Plague" (David France, Documentary Centerpiece), and "Mosquita Y Mari" (Aurora Guerrero, Fusion Centerpiece). The festival's Five in Focus series will spotlight five hot new talents. This year's honorees are: Alica Luz Rodriguez (actress, "Young & Wild"), Wu Tsang (director, "Wildness"), Sally El Hosaini (writer/director, "My Brother the Devil"), Matthew Wilkas (actor, "Gayby") and Michael Marius Pessah (cinematographer,...
- 6/4/2012
- by Bryce J. Renninger
- Indiewire
Director Wu Tsang's "Wildness" is a chronicle of the Silver Platter, an Lgbt immigrant bar in Los Angeles. Tsang had no filmmaking experience prior to directing "Wildness," so he had to teach himself how to write and edit. He says that money was a certainly a major issue in the production of the film, but his biggest challenge was telling a story that could appeal to all audiences. "Not only because I'm an artist with an experimental background, but because my experience of the world - and the experiences of my subjects - are so far outside the realm of what people expect to be 'normal,'" says Tsang. "Yet at the same time, we all know ourselves to be humans with the same impulses, desires, and weaknesses as everybody else - so my struggle was figuring out how to create representations that were 'relatable' for wider audiences, while...
- 3/4/2012
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Sound On Sight will once again be covering the SXSW Film Festival this year, making it our second time attending. 130 feature films will screen at the Austin, Texas fest taking place March 9-17, including 65 World Premieres, 17 North American Premieres and 10 U.S. Premieres. As previously announced, Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s The Cabin in the Woods will have the honours of opening the festival, and now they have released the full list of films – and it’s looking pretty amazing. Enjoy!
Narrative Feature Competition
This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:
Booster
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin
When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted.
Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail (World Premiere)
Eden
Director: Megan Griffiths,...
Narrative Feature Competition
This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:
Booster
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin
When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted.
Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail (World Premiere)
Eden
Director: Megan Griffiths,...
- 2/3/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry, shot by Bob Gruen in 1977
Rock 'N' Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen
screens as part of 24 Beats per Second
SXSW Film has just announced its features lineup for the 2012 edition, running March 9 through 17. We already knew that the Opening Night Film would be Drew Goddard's The Cabin in the Woods. For its Closing Night Film, the festival will host the world premiere of of Emmett Malloy’s documentary Big Easy Express (more below). The lineup, with descriptions from the festival:
Narrative Feature Competition
Booster
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin. When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted. Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail. (World Premiere)
Eden
Director: Megan Griffiths, Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips, Megan Griffiths, Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong Kim.
Rock 'N' Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen
screens as part of 24 Beats per Second
SXSW Film has just announced its features lineup for the 2012 edition, running March 9 through 17. We already knew that the Opening Night Film would be Drew Goddard's The Cabin in the Woods. For its Closing Night Film, the festival will host the world premiere of of Emmett Malloy’s documentary Big Easy Express (more below). The lineup, with descriptions from the festival:
Narrative Feature Competition
Booster
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin. When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted. Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail. (World Premiere)
Eden
Director: Megan Griffiths, Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips, Megan Griffiths, Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong Kim.
- 2/1/2012
- MUBI
With Sundance 2012 Film Festival over, the next big one on the horizon is South by Southwest, which we’ll be heavily covering. The biggest chunk of the line-up has been announced today, which has some great premieres including 21 Jump Street, Tiff and Sundance hit The Raid, Will Ferrell‘s Casa de mi Padre, the documentary Girl Model (which we liked at Tiff), as well as the next from Broken Lizard, The Babymakers. There are many other promising titles included and you can see them all below. Check back for our coverage for the fest, kicking off March 9th.
Narrative Feature Competition
This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:
Booster
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin
When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted.
Narrative Feature Competition
This year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:
Booster
Director/Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin
When Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted.
- 2/1/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Attendees of South by Southwest 2012 are in for a treat. 130 feature films will screen at the Austin, Texas festival taking place March 9-17. Among them are 65 World Premieres, 17 North American Premieres and 10 U.S. Premieres. The organization already announced [1] Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon's The Cabin in the Woods would open the festival (the movie is phenomenal [2]) and today the majority of the remaining line up has been revealed. One of the highlights is the unbelievably smart and hilarious 21 Jump Street, directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller. Both of those are World Premieres. Other highlights include The Hunter, Killer Joe, The Babymakers, frankie goes boom, God Bless America, The Imposter, The Raid, Bernie and Casa de mi Padre just to name a few. After the jump, read descriptions of all the films that have been announced so far. Before I copy and paste the rest of the list, a few minor notes.
- 2/1/2012
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.