On Aug. 29, 2012, Oscar Pistorius proudly carried the flag of South Africa as he and his country mates walked in the Parade of Nations during the 2012 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony. During the ensuing fortnight, the athlete known as "Blade Runner"—for the prosthetics he had not only mastered but on which he flew through the air with the greatest of ease—would win two gold medals and a silver. Born without tibia, Pistorius' legs were amputated beneath the knee when he was 11 months old. The greatest controversy in his life till then had been the uproar over whether he should've been allowed to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, as officials and...
- 11/11/2017
- E! Online
Shaholly Ayers is breaking the mold.
Born without her right arm below the elbow, the model has posed for magazines and catalogs and became the first amputee to walk New York Fashion Week without a prosthetic. But she says her rise to the top hasn’t been easy.
“I was bullied throughout my childhood,” she tells People. “People would say to me, ‘Oh you would be so pretty if you had two arms.’ They were always focused on the fact that I was missing my arm.”
So she made it her mission to change people’s perceptions.
“It was such a big deal for everybody.
Born without her right arm below the elbow, the model has posed for magazines and catalogs and became the first amputee to walk New York Fashion Week without a prosthetic. But she says her rise to the top hasn’t been easy.
“I was bullied throughout my childhood,” she tells People. “People would say to me, ‘Oh you would be so pretty if you had two arms.’ They were always focused on the fact that I was missing my arm.”
So she made it her mission to change people’s perceptions.
“It was such a big deal for everybody.
- 7/27/2017
- by Michelle Ward Trainor
- PEOPLE.com
Isaiah Acosta of Phoenix always dreamed about recording one of the rap songs he’d written, but there was one big problem: Born without a lower jaw, he has never been able to speak.
Then last year, while attending a Children’s Miracle Network function in Washington, D.C., as an ambassador for the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Isaiah, 17, told several people via texting (his preferred method of communicating) that he wanted to become a rapper.
One of those people, Topher Horman, a creative producer for Children’s Miracle Network, saw no reason why Isaiah’s dream couldn’t come true.
Then last year, while attending a Children’s Miracle Network function in Washington, D.C., as an ambassador for the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Isaiah, 17, told several people via texting (his preferred method of communicating) that he wanted to become a rapper.
One of those people, Topher Horman, a creative producer for Children’s Miracle Network, saw no reason why Isaiah’s dream couldn’t come true.
- 5/23/2017
- by Cathy Free
- PEOPLE.com
A home for Ivan is out there, he just hasn’t found it yet.
That’s the sad reality for this 10-month-old cat who can’t walk due to malformed legs.
According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in the two weeks that he’s been at the Boston shelter, Ivan hasn’t received a single adoption inquiry despite a steady flow of potential adopters.
Unfortunately, the cat’s physical challenges are an obstacle in finding forever. Born without radial bones in his front legs — which are also missing two toes on each paw — and a deformed left hind leg,...
That’s the sad reality for this 10-month-old cat who can’t walk due to malformed legs.
According to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in the two weeks that he’s been at the Boston shelter, Ivan hasn’t received a single adoption inquiry despite a steady flow of potential adopters.
Unfortunately, the cat’s physical challenges are an obstacle in finding forever. Born without radial bones in his front legs — which are also missing two toes on each paw — and a deformed left hind leg,...
- 3/1/2017
- by Amy Jamieson
- PEOPLE.com
Matt Stutzman just wanted to put a bit of food on the table for his wife and his three sons. Born without arms, he found himself out of work in 2009 and hardpressed to land a job. "People would tell me, 'If you had prosthetic arms, I'd hire you,' " Stutzman tells People. "I'd tell them, 'Just let me prove I can do this.' But no one wanted to give me a chance." So Stutzman, who had begun to grow depressed that he "wasn't doing his part" to provide for his family, came up with an idea that initially left...
- 9/10/2016
- by By Johnny Dodd, @Johnny_Dodd
- PEOPLE.com
Matt Stutzman just wanted to put a bit of food on the table for his wife and his three sons. Born without arms, he found himself out of work in 2009 and hardpressed to land a job. "People would tell me, 'If you had prosthetic arms, I'd hire you,' " Stutzman tells People. "I'd tell them, 'Just let me prove I can do this.' But no one wanted to give me a chance." So Stutzman, who had begun to grow depressed that he "wasn't doing his part" to provide for his family, came up with an idea that initially left...
- 9/10/2016
- by By Johnny Dodd, @Johnny_Dodd
- PEOPLE.com
Clocking in at 155 minutes, Viktoria is as narratively ambitious as debut feature films come. The first picture from director Maya Vitkova, Viktoria is a lengthy and admittedly dense drama, but one that is both audacious in its length, and also decidedly boundary pushing in its subject matter.
Set in Bulgaria during the fall of the communist regime and birth of its democratic system, Viktova’s film at first introduces us to a woman named Boryana (played by the brazenly magnetic Irmena Chichikova) who, through sparse dialogue and even more sparse direction, reveals that she is at once both politically antagonistic towards her ruling government and also pregnant with a child she doesn’t want to have. With dreams of leaving her sterile life in the arms of a country she despises and a husband who is nothing but a crony for that very government, she tries everything in her power to end the pregnancy, only to birth a child of absolute wonder. Born without a belly button, her daughter Viktoria becomes the “Child of the Century,” and ultimately a piece of propaganda for the government, receiving gift after gift from the country.
Throughout this portion of the narrative, and ultimately the film as a whole, Vitkova intersperses both archival footage timestamping the narrative as well as bursts of stark surrealism into what is an almost Dardenne-esque bit of neo-realism. Very much rooted in the type of cinema coming out of Bulgaria’s neighbor to the north, Romania, Vitkova’s direction is dry and static, making these brief punches of surrealism create a world that is at once naturalistic and lived in at yet oozing satirical otherworldliness. A nightmarish segment like the moment in which Viktoria is named Child of the Century, set in a blindingly white hospital room with groups of doctors and government stooges splitting the frame, make the film seem almost Lynchian when paired up against the quiet realism of the previous segments.
When Boryana’s mother arrives on the scene, played wonderfully by Mariana Krumova, the film evolves from strict political satire into something much more ambitious. This picture is as much about a nation on the brink as it is the place of women in Bulgarian society and ultimately the film becomes a familial drama about deep-seeded pains. The lengthy runtime here ultimately hints the viewer into what is a scatterbrained meditation on life in Bulgaria, but with Vitkova’s eyes squarely on the feminine experience this is a singular piece of work. And thankfully, the performances help elevate the material as well.
Chichikova holds much of the film’s weight upon her shoulders, and is more than capable. As the film evolves we begin to unravel layer after layer of Boryana, and discover that she’s more than just a political dissident. Deeply troubled by a less than stellar upbringing as the film goes into length about, Boryana is a character full of nuance and Chichikova’s performance feels completely lived in and coming out of a place of truth and emotional texture. Daria Vitkova is great as Viktoria, and Krumova is a real revelation as Dima, with her moments with Chichikova’s Boryana being really stand out sequences. Vitkova’s turn as Viktoria is a powerfully nuanced turn for such a young actress, and there’s something to her characterization of Viktoria that feels entirely real and raw.
While the film’s run time will absolutely leave some viewers at a pause, this is just the type of quiet, emotionally resonant bit of world cinema counter programming that people will be craving as we head into the summer film season. Marking the debut of a new and singular voice on the world cinema stage (aided by Krum Rodriguez’s brilliant, award-worthy cinematography), Viktoria is an audacious, admittedly scattershot, drama about everything from Bulgaria politics to the female body. While it might not all work, the world would be a far better place if more young directors were this ambitious.
Set in Bulgaria during the fall of the communist regime and birth of its democratic system, Viktova’s film at first introduces us to a woman named Boryana (played by the brazenly magnetic Irmena Chichikova) who, through sparse dialogue and even more sparse direction, reveals that she is at once both politically antagonistic towards her ruling government and also pregnant with a child she doesn’t want to have. With dreams of leaving her sterile life in the arms of a country she despises and a husband who is nothing but a crony for that very government, she tries everything in her power to end the pregnancy, only to birth a child of absolute wonder. Born without a belly button, her daughter Viktoria becomes the “Child of the Century,” and ultimately a piece of propaganda for the government, receiving gift after gift from the country.
Throughout this portion of the narrative, and ultimately the film as a whole, Vitkova intersperses both archival footage timestamping the narrative as well as bursts of stark surrealism into what is an almost Dardenne-esque bit of neo-realism. Very much rooted in the type of cinema coming out of Bulgaria’s neighbor to the north, Romania, Vitkova’s direction is dry and static, making these brief punches of surrealism create a world that is at once naturalistic and lived in at yet oozing satirical otherworldliness. A nightmarish segment like the moment in which Viktoria is named Child of the Century, set in a blindingly white hospital room with groups of doctors and government stooges splitting the frame, make the film seem almost Lynchian when paired up against the quiet realism of the previous segments.
When Boryana’s mother arrives on the scene, played wonderfully by Mariana Krumova, the film evolves from strict political satire into something much more ambitious. This picture is as much about a nation on the brink as it is the place of women in Bulgarian society and ultimately the film becomes a familial drama about deep-seeded pains. The lengthy runtime here ultimately hints the viewer into what is a scatterbrained meditation on life in Bulgaria, but with Vitkova’s eyes squarely on the feminine experience this is a singular piece of work. And thankfully, the performances help elevate the material as well.
Chichikova holds much of the film’s weight upon her shoulders, and is more than capable. As the film evolves we begin to unravel layer after layer of Boryana, and discover that she’s more than just a political dissident. Deeply troubled by a less than stellar upbringing as the film goes into length about, Boryana is a character full of nuance and Chichikova’s performance feels completely lived in and coming out of a place of truth and emotional texture. Daria Vitkova is great as Viktoria, and Krumova is a real revelation as Dima, with her moments with Chichikova’s Boryana being really stand out sequences. Vitkova’s turn as Viktoria is a powerfully nuanced turn for such a young actress, and there’s something to her characterization of Viktoria that feels entirely real and raw.
While the film’s run time will absolutely leave some viewers at a pause, this is just the type of quiet, emotionally resonant bit of world cinema counter programming that people will be craving as we head into the summer film season. Marking the debut of a new and singular voice on the world cinema stage (aided by Krum Rodriguez’s brilliant, award-worthy cinematography), Viktoria is an audacious, admittedly scattershot, drama about everything from Bulgaria politics to the female body. While it might not all work, the world would be a far better place if more young directors were this ambitious.
- 4/29/2016
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
Born without her left forearm, model Kelly Knox never felt like she was missing out. "I never considered myself as disabled," Knox, 31, tells People. "Growing up, we never used the word; my arm is part of me, just like every other part is." So the London-based Knox was a bit surprised when she heard about a reality show in the U.K. aimed at people who are "beautiful, disabled and feel you could be the next Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss" back in 2008. "I felt intrigued because I never considered myself as disabled," Knox says. "I wanted to prove disabled people can be beautiful,...
- 4/6/2016
- by Julie Mazziotta, @julietmazz
- PEOPLE.com
Born without her left forearm, model Kelly Knox never felt like she was missing out. "I never considered myself as disabled," Knox, 31, tells People. "Growing up, we never used the word; my arm is part of me, just like every other part is." So the London-based Knox was a bit surprised when she heard about a reality show in the U.K. aimed at people who are "beautiful, disabled and feel you could be the next Naomi Campbell or Kate Moss" back in 2008. "I felt intrigued because I never considered myself as disabled," Knox says. "I wanted to prove disabled people can be beautiful,...
- 4/6/2016
- by Julie Mazziotta, @julietmazz
- PEOPLE.com
The Loft Film Fest is the first American festival member of the International Confederation of Art Cinemas (Cicae), which brings together more than 3,000 screens and approximately 16 festivals across Europe and around the world to promote the production and exhibition of quality independent films from all countries in all countries.
The Cicae award is designed to bring attention to excellent films in order for them to be seen in art houses around the world. The Cicae award is given out at festivals including the Berlinale Forum and Panorama, the Sarajevo International Film Festival, the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
The Loft Film Fest jury for documentary features includes Peter Belsito, film biz consultant, fest panelist and guest blogger for SydneysBuzz on Indiewire, actress/writer/producer Yareli Arizmendi ("Like Water for Chocolate," "A Day Without a Mexican") and Beverly Seckinger, director of University of Arizona Center for Documentary and Docscapes.
The short film jury includes Francesco Clerici, director of "Hand Gestures," Max Cannon, creator of the alternative comic strip "Red Meat", and Lupita Murillo of Kvoa News 4 Tucson.
The documentaries in competition are:
"Florence, Arizona"
Florence, Arizona is a cowboy town with a prison problem. Founded in 1866, this bastion of the Wild West is home to 8,500 civilians and 17,000 inmates spread over nine prisons. Through an unconventional lens, the documentary film "Florence, Arizona" weaves together the stories of four key residents of Florence, whose lives have all been shadowed in some way by the surrounding prison industrial complex. The result is an intricately crafted cinematic tapestry, threaded through with deep strands of Americana, humor, intimacy, and pathos, revealing as much about ourselves as it does about our modern carceral state. (Dir. by Andrea B. Scott, 2014, USA, 78 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Doc NYC
"Chuck Norris vs. Communism"
In the 1980s, under the Nicolae Ceaușescu regime, Romanians suffered from little access to foreign goods as well as an information blackout the Communist bureaucrats used to ensure ideological purity. But in clandestine screenings at neighbors’ homes of smuggled VHS tapes dubbed by a one-man distribution network, people got a glimpse of the Western world and a culture of muscular individuality with heroes like Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sylvester Stallone, and, of course, Chuck Norris.
In "Chuck Norris vs Communism," one sees the power of film to change individuals and whole societies. Through the stories of the hardworking female dubber (the most famous voice of Romania), the memories of everyday citizens, evocative re-creations of the time, and an enormous selection of clips from ’80s movies, first-time director Ilinca Calugareanu presents a film about the unexpected consequences of mass entertainment, leading to the conclusion that the greatest threat to Ceaușescu’s dictatorship might just have been the Vcr. (Dir. by Ilinca Calugareanu, 2014, UK/Romania/Germany, in Romanian with subtitles, 83 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival, Hot Docs
"Bounce"
From Brazilian favelas to dusty Congolese villages, from Neolithic Scottish isles to modern soccer pitches, "Bounce" explores the little-known origins of our favorite sports.
The film crosses time, languages and continents to discover how the ball has staked its claim on our lives and fueled our passion to compete. Equal parts science, history and cultural essay, "Bounce" removes us from the scandals and commercialism of today’s sports world to uncover the true reasons we play ball, helping us reclaim our universal connection to the games we love. (Dir. by Jerome Thelia, 2015, USA / Brazil / Congo / India / Ireland / Italy / Mexico / UK, in English with subtitles, 71 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: SXSW
"Double Digits: The Story of a Neighborhood Movie Star"
Deep in the recesses of YouTube there is an ingenious artist who cannot be stopped. He consistently churns out 3-4 original feature-length films a year. He’s made action movies, horror movies, westerns and more. He’s not rich, he has no crew, no formal training and aside from his action figures, plays virtually every part. Welcome to the inspiring, imaginative, and often handmade world of Ultra-diy filmmaker Richard ‘R.G.’ Miller, a 50 year-old man who creates impossible blockbusters from his tiny studio apartment in Wichita, Kansas. His dream audience? More than 9 people. (Dir. by Justin Johnson, 2015, USA, 76 mins., Not Rated)
"Right Footed"
Born without arms as the result of a severe birth defect, Jessica Cox never allowed herself to believe that she couldn’t accomplish her dreams. An expert martial artist, college graduate and motivational speaker, Jessica is also the world’s only armless airplane pilot, a mentor, and an advocate for people with disability. Directed by Emmy Award winning filmmaker Nick Spark, "Right Footed" chronicles Jessica’s amazing story of overcoming adversity and follows her over a period of two years as she becomes a mentor for children with disabilities and their families, and a disability rights advocate working in the U.S.A. and abroad. (Dir. by Nick Spark, 2015, USA, in English with subtitles, 82 mins., Not Rated)
"Hand Gestures"
"Hand Gestures" follows the process of creating one of Velasco Vitali’s famous dog sculptures, from wax to glazed bronze, at the Battaglia Artistic Foundry in Milan. The film observes the work of a group of skilled artisans in this 100-year old foundry and reveals the ancient traditions of bronze sculpture making, unchanged since the sixth century B.C. This method is not taught in school, but is passed on in the ancient oral tradition and through apprenticeships from artisans. This documentary observes and feels the work of the Battaglia Artistic Foundry: a place where the past and present share the same gestures and where each gesture is a sculpture itself.
An artist who sculpts, who works the waxes, is treated in the same way as a craftsman who turns that wax into bronze, building and destroying other ephemeral sculptures: they have been making the same gestures for centuries, and by showing this to the camera they reveal historical “jumps” in time. Director Francesco Clerici has made a fine-tuned, carefully-observed study of a glorious thing to watch: artisans practicing their craft on film. Winner of the Fipresci award at Berlinale Forum 2015. (Dir. by Francesco Clerici, 2015, Italy, in Italian with subtitles, 77 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Berlin International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival
"Beaver Trilogy Part IV" (USA, dir. Brad Besser)
In 1979, Kutv in Salt Lake City acquired a new video camera. Trent Harris, a producer for the station’s offbeat show Extra, ventured out into the parking lot to test the new equipment and happened upon a young man taking pictures of the station’s news helicopter.
The kid, calling himself “Groovin’ Gary,” was the self-proclaimed Rich Little of Beaver, Utah. His infectious personality and small-town impressions of John Wayne, Sylvester Stallone, and Barry Manilow piqued Harris’s interest enough so he gave him a business card and asked that he alert him if anything newsworthy happened in his hometown. What happened next would become the foundation for "Beaver Trilogy," a unique collection of films that documented Harris’s multiple attempts at re-creating the original magic of the Beaver Kid. Director Brad Besser dives deep into the mystique of this cult classic, unraveling the mystery of Harris’s original inspiration. "Beaver Trilogy Part IV" explores the line between the quest for fame and the exploitation of those who pursue it. (Dir. by Brad Besser, 2015, USA, 84 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival, Hot Docs
The short films in competition are in two programs:
Program 1
Program 2
The awards will be presented on Sunday October 25 before the final screenings of the festival: "Mia Madre" at 7:15Pm and "Eisenstein in Guanajuato" at 7:45Pm.
Tickets and passes on sale now at www.loftfilmfest.org.
The Cicae award is designed to bring attention to excellent films in order for them to be seen in art houses around the world. The Cicae award is given out at festivals including the Berlinale Forum and Panorama, the Sarajevo International Film Festival, the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
The Loft Film Fest jury for documentary features includes Peter Belsito, film biz consultant, fest panelist and guest blogger for SydneysBuzz on Indiewire, actress/writer/producer Yareli Arizmendi ("Like Water for Chocolate," "A Day Without a Mexican") and Beverly Seckinger, director of University of Arizona Center for Documentary and Docscapes.
The short film jury includes Francesco Clerici, director of "Hand Gestures," Max Cannon, creator of the alternative comic strip "Red Meat", and Lupita Murillo of Kvoa News 4 Tucson.
The documentaries in competition are:
"Florence, Arizona"
Florence, Arizona is a cowboy town with a prison problem. Founded in 1866, this bastion of the Wild West is home to 8,500 civilians and 17,000 inmates spread over nine prisons. Through an unconventional lens, the documentary film "Florence, Arizona" weaves together the stories of four key residents of Florence, whose lives have all been shadowed in some way by the surrounding prison industrial complex. The result is an intricately crafted cinematic tapestry, threaded through with deep strands of Americana, humor, intimacy, and pathos, revealing as much about ourselves as it does about our modern carceral state. (Dir. by Andrea B. Scott, 2014, USA, 78 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Doc NYC
"Chuck Norris vs. Communism"
In the 1980s, under the Nicolae Ceaușescu regime, Romanians suffered from little access to foreign goods as well as an information blackout the Communist bureaucrats used to ensure ideological purity. But in clandestine screenings at neighbors’ homes of smuggled VHS tapes dubbed by a one-man distribution network, people got a glimpse of the Western world and a culture of muscular individuality with heroes like Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sylvester Stallone, and, of course, Chuck Norris.
In "Chuck Norris vs Communism," one sees the power of film to change individuals and whole societies. Through the stories of the hardworking female dubber (the most famous voice of Romania), the memories of everyday citizens, evocative re-creations of the time, and an enormous selection of clips from ’80s movies, first-time director Ilinca Calugareanu presents a film about the unexpected consequences of mass entertainment, leading to the conclusion that the greatest threat to Ceaușescu’s dictatorship might just have been the Vcr. (Dir. by Ilinca Calugareanu, 2014, UK/Romania/Germany, in Romanian with subtitles, 83 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival, Hot Docs
"Bounce"
From Brazilian favelas to dusty Congolese villages, from Neolithic Scottish isles to modern soccer pitches, "Bounce" explores the little-known origins of our favorite sports.
The film crosses time, languages and continents to discover how the ball has staked its claim on our lives and fueled our passion to compete. Equal parts science, history and cultural essay, "Bounce" removes us from the scandals and commercialism of today’s sports world to uncover the true reasons we play ball, helping us reclaim our universal connection to the games we love. (Dir. by Jerome Thelia, 2015, USA / Brazil / Congo / India / Ireland / Italy / Mexico / UK, in English with subtitles, 71 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: SXSW
"Double Digits: The Story of a Neighborhood Movie Star"
Deep in the recesses of YouTube there is an ingenious artist who cannot be stopped. He consistently churns out 3-4 original feature-length films a year. He’s made action movies, horror movies, westerns and more. He’s not rich, he has no crew, no formal training and aside from his action figures, plays virtually every part. Welcome to the inspiring, imaginative, and often handmade world of Ultra-diy filmmaker Richard ‘R.G.’ Miller, a 50 year-old man who creates impossible blockbusters from his tiny studio apartment in Wichita, Kansas. His dream audience? More than 9 people. (Dir. by Justin Johnson, 2015, USA, 76 mins., Not Rated)
"Right Footed"
Born without arms as the result of a severe birth defect, Jessica Cox never allowed herself to believe that she couldn’t accomplish her dreams. An expert martial artist, college graduate and motivational speaker, Jessica is also the world’s only armless airplane pilot, a mentor, and an advocate for people with disability. Directed by Emmy Award winning filmmaker Nick Spark, "Right Footed" chronicles Jessica’s amazing story of overcoming adversity and follows her over a period of two years as she becomes a mentor for children with disabilities and their families, and a disability rights advocate working in the U.S.A. and abroad. (Dir. by Nick Spark, 2015, USA, in English with subtitles, 82 mins., Not Rated)
"Hand Gestures"
"Hand Gestures" follows the process of creating one of Velasco Vitali’s famous dog sculptures, from wax to glazed bronze, at the Battaglia Artistic Foundry in Milan. The film observes the work of a group of skilled artisans in this 100-year old foundry and reveals the ancient traditions of bronze sculpture making, unchanged since the sixth century B.C. This method is not taught in school, but is passed on in the ancient oral tradition and through apprenticeships from artisans. This documentary observes and feels the work of the Battaglia Artistic Foundry: a place where the past and present share the same gestures and where each gesture is a sculpture itself.
An artist who sculpts, who works the waxes, is treated in the same way as a craftsman who turns that wax into bronze, building and destroying other ephemeral sculptures: they have been making the same gestures for centuries, and by showing this to the camera they reveal historical “jumps” in time. Director Francesco Clerici has made a fine-tuned, carefully-observed study of a glorious thing to watch: artisans practicing their craft on film. Winner of the Fipresci award at Berlinale Forum 2015. (Dir. by Francesco Clerici, 2015, Italy, in Italian with subtitles, 77 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Berlin International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival
"Beaver Trilogy Part IV" (USA, dir. Brad Besser)
In 1979, Kutv in Salt Lake City acquired a new video camera. Trent Harris, a producer for the station’s offbeat show Extra, ventured out into the parking lot to test the new equipment and happened upon a young man taking pictures of the station’s news helicopter.
The kid, calling himself “Groovin’ Gary,” was the self-proclaimed Rich Little of Beaver, Utah. His infectious personality and small-town impressions of John Wayne, Sylvester Stallone, and Barry Manilow piqued Harris’s interest enough so he gave him a business card and asked that he alert him if anything newsworthy happened in his hometown. What happened next would become the foundation for "Beaver Trilogy," a unique collection of films that documented Harris’s multiple attempts at re-creating the original magic of the Beaver Kid. Director Brad Besser dives deep into the mystique of this cult classic, unraveling the mystery of Harris’s original inspiration. "Beaver Trilogy Part IV" explores the line between the quest for fame and the exploitation of those who pursue it. (Dir. by Brad Besser, 2015, USA, 84 mins., Not Rated) Official Selection: Sundance Film Festival, Hot Docs
The short films in competition are in two programs:
Program 1
Program 2
The awards will be presented on Sunday October 25 before the final screenings of the festival: "Mia Madre" at 7:15Pm and "Eisenstein in Guanajuato" at 7:45Pm.
Tickets and passes on sale now at www.loftfilmfest.org.
- 10/13/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Nick Vujicic has inspired millions with his story, and now he's ready to make his TV debut on TLC.
Vujicic, 32, was born without arms and legs as a result of a rare congenital condition called Tetra-amelia syndrome. In the new special which follows the daily lives of Vujicic, his wife and son, cameras document how the 32-year-old father overcomes the challenges of being limbless.
"All my life I've been faced with different obstacles, and I've had to be creative to overcome them," Vujicic says in the exclusive clip.
"If I could help my family by me helping myself, I'm going...
Vujicic, 32, was born without arms and legs as a result of a rare congenital condition called Tetra-amelia syndrome. In the new special which follows the daily lives of Vujicic, his wife and son, cameras document how the 32-year-old father overcomes the challenges of being limbless.
"All my life I've been faced with different obstacles, and I've had to be creative to overcome them," Vujicic says in the exclusive clip.
"If I could help my family by me helping myself, I'm going...
- 6/8/2015
- by Alexandra Hurtado, @AliMarieHurtado
- People.com - TV Watch
Liam Porter is 7 years old. He lives in Augusta, Georgia, and recently, he got a new arm. Born without part of his left arm, Porter had a traditional prosthetic when he was younger, but his mom Ryan told the The Augusta Chronicle that it was cumbersome for a growing boy. "It didn't really move," she said. "So to a little kid, it was nothing but dead weight. He did a lot without it." His new arm, though, is an improvement in every way. Not only is it lighter and easier to move, it's also aesthetically modeled after the armor worn...
- 1/13/2015
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
The first Bulgarian film ever to screen at Sundance, Maya Vitkova’s “Viktoria” manages to say a lot in very few words. “I think words are useless,” the director offered following the film’s premiere, “the emotion is in the image.” Unfolding against the backdrop of the fall of communism, Vitkova’s lyrical imagery elevates her semi-autobiographical debut to poetic heights. Born without an umbilical chord, baby Viktoria’s relationship with her mother (Irmena Chichikova) is severed before it even begins. Hailed as a living symbol of the communist party, the love Viktoria knows growing up is more gubernatorial than it is maternal. Acerbic and absurdist in equal measure, the film forges a powerful metaphorical link between the physical body and the body politic. It’s November 10, 1979, ten years before the fall of communism and Boranya (Chichikova) and her husband Ivan (Dimo Divov) are quietly writhing beneath a set of...
- 1/27/2014
- by Emma Myers
- Indiewire
When wounded veterans get together on the baseball field with kids who are living with amputations, they don't just learn about fielding and hitting - they also learn about courage in life. A few weeks ago, 12-year-old Nicholas Knotts was playing softball at his junior high in Oxford, Mich., when he heard one of the kids in the outfield snicker, "Easy out," just as he stepped up to bat. Born without a fibula, Knotts's left foot was amputated when he was 10 months old, and as he stood there waiting for the pitch, he watched as the opposing team members moved in close,...
- 10/17/2013
- by Johnny Dodd
- PEOPLE.com
That’s one big baby! Baby Jasleen was born naturally on July 26 — and she weighed 13.47 pounds! But what undiagnosed medical condition caused the bigger-than-normal baby?
Oh, baby! Jasleen was born on July 26 at University Hospital in Leipzig, Germany, weighing in at a whopping 13 pounds, 4 ounces! And while most babies her size are delivered via caesarean section, baby Jasleen’s mother delivered her daughter naturally!
Germany’s Biggest Baby Born Without C-Section
Jasleen was delivered naturally on July 26, weighing 13.47 pounds and measuring 22.6 inches long, making her the largest newborn in Germany, surpassing a baby boy named Jihad who was born in Berlin in 2011 and weighed 13 pounds. Both mother and baby Jasleen are doing well, though the newborn remains hospitalized in the neonatal care unit.
The medical term used for babies who are born weighing more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces is “fetal macrosomia,” which makes vaginal delivery difficult and increases the risk that...
Oh, baby! Jasleen was born on July 26 at University Hospital in Leipzig, Germany, weighing in at a whopping 13 pounds, 4 ounces! And while most babies her size are delivered via caesarean section, baby Jasleen’s mother delivered her daughter naturally!
Germany’s Biggest Baby Born Without C-Section
Jasleen was delivered naturally on July 26, weighing 13.47 pounds and measuring 22.6 inches long, making her the largest newborn in Germany, surpassing a baby boy named Jihad who was born in Berlin in 2011 and weighed 13 pounds. Both mother and baby Jasleen are doing well, though the newborn remains hospitalized in the neonatal care unit.
The medical term used for babies who are born weighing more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces is “fetal macrosomia,” which makes vaginal delivery difficult and increases the risk that...
- 7/31/2013
- by HL Intern
- HollywoodLife
An inspiring teenager is ready to take on the final surgeries that will complete the face she never had. Born without eyes or a nose, Cassidy Hooper is excited that doctors are finally going to complete her nose.
Cassidy Hooper is one brave girl! The seventeen year old from Charlotte, North Carolina is about to go through the final surgery to construct the facial features that she was born without — and she is in great spirits.
Teen Born Without Eyes Or Nose Prepares For Final Surgeries
Doctors have never been able to definitively answer why Cassidy was born without eyes or a nose, but they believe that these features just did not develop in the first two weeks she was developing in her mother’s womb, as they typically do. Her road to facial construction has not been an easy one, but she has maintained her optimism and positive spirits over the years.
Cassidy Hooper is one brave girl! The seventeen year old from Charlotte, North Carolina is about to go through the final surgery to construct the facial features that she was born without — and she is in great spirits.
Teen Born Without Eyes Or Nose Prepares For Final Surgeries
Doctors have never been able to definitively answer why Cassidy was born without eyes or a nose, but they believe that these features just did not develop in the first two weeks she was developing in her mother’s womb, as they typically do. Her road to facial construction has not been an easy one, but she has maintained her optimism and positive spirits over the years.
- 7/25/2013
- by Kristine Hope Kowalski
- HollywoodLife
"It's our first trip to Oregon, and with an eclectic crowd like this," Ryan Seacrest said at the opening of Wednesday's American Idol, "there's no telling who or what we may find." Well, Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler found a handful of talented singers with moving backstories, including a Britney Spears lookalike named Britnee. Britnee Kellogg, a divorced, single mom of two young boys, told a touching story of abandoning her dream for her cheating husband. Appropriately, she performed "You're No Good" and had Jennifer singing along. "I'm feeling you right now," the judge said. Randy liked Kellogg's...
- 2/2/2012
- by Aaron Parsley
- PEOPLE.com
John Hooper selects 10 of his favourite Rome-based films from Hepburn in Roman Holiday to Fellini's La Dolce Vita
• As featured in our Rome city guide
Roman Holiday, William Wyler, 1953
Insulated from the commotion of Roman life, Via Margutta is a cobbled street near the Spanish Steps, draped in ivy and lined nowadays with art galleries, restaurants and boutiques. It was home to Federico Fellini and Truman Capote. And at number 51, Crown Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) began her fleeting love affair with an American foreign correspondent, Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) in the enchanting, if improbable, comedy that shot Hepburn to fame and forever welded Vespas to Rome in the popular imagination. "You have my permission to withdraw..." slurs Hepburn, unaware she has previously been sedated, as she lets her skirt slip to the floor. "Why, thank you very much," replies the gentlemanly Peck and leaves her to sleep alone. It...
• As featured in our Rome city guide
Roman Holiday, William Wyler, 1953
Insulated from the commotion of Roman life, Via Margutta is a cobbled street near the Spanish Steps, draped in ivy and lined nowadays with art galleries, restaurants and boutiques. It was home to Federico Fellini and Truman Capote. And at number 51, Crown Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) began her fleeting love affair with an American foreign correspondent, Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) in the enchanting, if improbable, comedy that shot Hepburn to fame and forever welded Vespas to Rome in the popular imagination. "You have my permission to withdraw..." slurs Hepburn, unaware she has previously been sedated, as she lets her skirt slip to the floor. "Why, thank you very much," replies the gentlemanly Peck and leaves her to sleep alone. It...
- 7/13/2011
- by John Hooper
- The Guardian - Film News
The list of nominees in the fiction categories at the 51st Monte Carlo Television Festival, to be held in June, is as follows: TV Films Best Television Film
Born Without Childbirth (Czech Republic)
Death Of A President (France)
Mademoiselle (France)
Defenseless (Germany)
Kongo (Germany)
Edda Ciano and the Communist Man (Italy)
A School Behind Bars (Japan)
The Goddess of the Toilet (Japan)
Threads of our Hearts (Japan)
It's Me, Grandma (South Korea) Best Director
Filip Renc - Born Without Childbirth (Czech Republic)
Pierre Aknine - Death Of A President (France)
Christian Faure - Mademoiselle (France)
René Heisig - Defenseless (Germany)
Peter Keglevic - Kongo (Germany)
Graziano Diana - Edda Ciano and the Communist Man (Italy)
Makoto Kiyohiro - A School Behind Bars (Japan)
Hajime Takezono - The Goddess of the (more)...
Born Without Childbirth (Czech Republic)
Death Of A President (France)
Mademoiselle (France)
Defenseless (Germany)
Kongo (Germany)
Edda Ciano and the Communist Man (Italy)
A School Behind Bars (Japan)
The Goddess of the Toilet (Japan)
Threads of our Hearts (Japan)
It's Me, Grandma (South Korea) Best Director
Filip Renc - Born Without Childbirth (Czech Republic)
Pierre Aknine - Death Of A President (France)
Christian Faure - Mademoiselle (France)
René Heisig - Defenseless (Germany)
Peter Keglevic - Kongo (Germany)
Graziano Diana - Edda Ciano and the Communist Man (Italy)
Makoto Kiyohiro - A School Behind Bars (Japan)
Hajime Takezono - The Goddess of the (more)...
- 4/20/2011
- by By Catriona Wightman
- Digital Spy
Born without an immune system, four-month-old Palestinian boy Mohammad Abu Mustaffa will die without a bone marrow transplant . a procedure that can only be done in an Israeli hospital. Can the Israelis and Palestinians be able to put aside their differences to protect the child? Directed by Israeli journalist Shlomi Eldar and produced by Ehud Bleiberg and Yoav Ze'evi, the timely documentary Precious Life debuts Thursday, May 5 (8:30-10:00 p.m. Et/Pt), on HBO. The film received the 2010 Ophir Award (the Israeli Academy Award®) for Best Documentary. Set against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "Precious Life" is an appeal for peace, exploring the challenges and prejudices that must be overcome when officials from conflicting nations...
- 4/18/2011
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Publisher's Note: If you have not seen Dexter yet, avoid the Internet until you have.
As I mentioned on Thursday, I spent the weekend working at the Miami Music Festival and attending the attached conference. It was great, if a bit on the busy side, and I'm really glad that I got to be involved with that. Last night was the closing night of the Festival and I was working a venue inside our local Hard Rock Cafe, and the whole thing ran super smoothly which was awesome. I felt bad for our last artist though, as he and his band had, hands down, the most exciting set of the night but because he went on at 1 a.m. the only people there were his friends. In an effort to make up for the exposure he didn't get last night, I'm abusing my internet power once again; the group, Tristan Clopet and the Juice,...
As I mentioned on Thursday, I spent the weekend working at the Miami Music Festival and attending the attached conference. It was great, if a bit on the busy side, and I'm really glad that I got to be involved with that. Last night was the closing night of the Festival and I was working a venue inside our local Hard Rock Cafe, and the whole thing ran super smoothly which was awesome. I felt bad for our last artist though, as he and his band had, hands down, the most exciting set of the night but because he went on at 1 a.m. the only people there were his friends. In an effort to make up for the exposure he didn't get last night, I'm abusing my internet power once again; the group, Tristan Clopet and the Juice,...
- 12/14/2009
- by Intern Rusty
The Los Angeles International Film Festival, which ran from June 18-28, has decided on its winners. Here’s a breakdown of what films and filmmakers came away with awards.
Sam Fleischner and Ben Chace’s Wah Do Dem (What They Do) earned the Target Filmmaker Award for best narrative film, while Juan Carlos Rulfo and Carlos Hagerman’ Those Who Remain (Los Que se Quedan) took home the Target Documentary Award. The two top festival awards, which have a $50,000 cash prize each that go to the directors, were announced at Film Independent’s Filmmaker Awards Ceremony Brunch at the Hammer Museum in Westwood.
Wah Do Dem is the story a man who takes a Caribbean cruise alone after he is dumped by his girlfriend. Those Who Remain looks at Mexican families who are left behind after some of their family members emigrate north. This year the fest also presented a new award,...
Sam Fleischner and Ben Chace’s Wah Do Dem (What They Do) earned the Target Filmmaker Award for best narrative film, while Juan Carlos Rulfo and Carlos Hagerman’ Those Who Remain (Los Que se Quedan) took home the Target Documentary Award. The two top festival awards, which have a $50,000 cash prize each that go to the directors, were announced at Film Independent’s Filmmaker Awards Ceremony Brunch at the Hammer Museum in Westwood.
Wah Do Dem is the story a man who takes a Caribbean cruise alone after he is dumped by his girlfriend. Those Who Remain looks at Mexican families who are left behind after some of their family members emigrate north. This year the fest also presented a new award,...
- 6/29/2009
- by Matt Raub
- The Flickcast
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