Since 2009, Eid and Salman Khan’s releases have gone hand in hand. Except this year’s Tubelight, all the previous Salman Khan’s Eid releases – Wanted, Dabangg, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, Kick, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan – have been huge blockbusters. In fact, for a long time, no film was slated to release on Eid 2018Read More
The post Breaking: Salman Khan-starrer Race 3 and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-starrer Fanney Khan to clash on Eid 2018! appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Breaking: Salman Khan-starrer Race 3 and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-starrer Fanney Khan to clash on Eid 2018! appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 11/10/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Salman Khan is known for his action image, especially after the 2009 film Wanted, which gave his career a new lease of life. It’s a treat to see him single-handedly attack dozens of goons and defeating each one of them. Such sequences made his films like Dabangg, Bodyguard, Jai Ho, Ek Tha Tiger etc. quiteRead More
The post Omg! Salman Khan takes on a Sumo wrestler appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Omg! Salman Khan takes on a Sumo wrestler appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 9/14/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Hear hear, change of plans at Salman Khan Productions. That Salman Khan is most definitely doing the sequel to the 2008 blockbuster Wanted is now decided. But here’s a new development. Prabhu Dheva who directed the first part of Wanted has now been assigned the task of directing Dabangg 3 for Salman Khan. Wanted 2,Read More
The post Prabhu Dheva won’t direct Wanted 2, as he is directing Dabangg 3 appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Prabhu Dheva won’t direct Wanted 2, as he is directing Dabangg 3 appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 8/9/2017
- by Subhash K. Jha
- BollywoodHungama
Bollywood actor Inder Kumar, who worked in superstar Salman Khan-starrers like Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge and Wanted, died on early Friday. He was 43.
Raju Kariya, father of Inder's first wife Sonal, confirmed the news to Ians over phone from Amravati.
"It was a heart attack. It happened around 2 am on Friday. He was not suffering from anything (any disease)," Kariya told Ians.
Inder breathed his last at his residence in Four Bungalows, at Andheri, in Mumbai. He is survived by daughter Khushi, whom he had with Sonal, and his second wife Pallavi.
Raju Kariya, father of Inder's first wife Sonal, confirmed the news to Ians over phone from Amravati.
"It was a heart attack. It happened around 2 am on Friday. He was not suffering from anything (any disease)," Kariya told Ians.
Inder breathed his last at his residence in Four Bungalows, at Andheri, in Mumbai. He is survived by daughter Khushi, whom he had with Sonal, and his second wife Pallavi.
- 7/29/2017
- by TNM NEWS
- The News Minute
Actor Inder Kumar, who is remembered for playing Ajay in Salman Khan Starrer Wanted tragically passed away at the age of 45. The actor was at his Mumbai home when he passed away in his sleep after suffering a cardiac arrest. The news was confirmed to the media by his wife, Pallavi Sarraf. According to the actor’s family, he had no history of heart diseases or ailments in his life and his death was indeed a sad one. Starting his career in the late 90’s, Inder Kumar was seen in films including Masoom, Tumko Na Bhool Payenge, Maa Tujhe Salaam and Paying Guest. Most prominently, he was seen as popular character Mihir Virani in Ekta Kapoor’s drama, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. The actor was also infamously involved in a rape and assault case alleged by a model. He was arrested and later got out on bail. Rest in Peace!
- 7/28/2017
- FilmiPop
Popular actor Inder Kumar who has done films with superstar Salman Khan like Wanted and Tumko Na Bhool Payenge, Khiladoyan Ka Khiladi with Akshay Kumar among others is no more. The 43 year old actor reportedly suffered a heart attack at his residence in Four Bungalows, Andheri located in suburban Mumbai at around 2 amRead More
The post Salman Khan’s co-star and actor Inder Kumar passes away appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Salman Khan’s co-star and actor Inder Kumar passes away appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 7/28/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
- 7/8/2017
- GlamSham
Eid isn’t Eid if you don’t have a Salman Khan film to gush over. Since back in 2009, it is fully accepted in the industry that Salman owns Eid. Indian and world audiences have loved him over and again. Whether it was the remake of a Telugu film Pokiri in Wanted, the romantic spy action of Ek Tha Tiger or the cross-border comedy that was Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Salman has firmly settled himself as the man for Eid in Bollywood. Last year was no different with the blockbuster Sultan. From all indications however, this year will be different. Even though Kabir Khan is helming the megaphone again, this film is different to anything that has come before from Salman or Bollywood. For the first time, we are going to look at war from the perspective of the soldiers’ families.
“Kya tumhe yakeen hai?” From the poster, we have the immediate feel of change.
“Kya tumhe yakeen hai?” From the poster, we have the immediate feel of change.
- 6/25/2017
- by Githa Vanan
- Bollyspice
After having debuted in Bollywood with Taarzan: The Wonder Car, the gorgeous Ayesha Takia went on to do films like Dor, Salaam-e-Ishq, Wanted to name a few. Post her marriage to Farhan Azmi, she went on a sabbatical. The latest update on Ayesha Takia Azmi is that, she is now all set to make aRead More
The post Breaking: Ayesha Takia to make a comeback with Zindagi Yeh Zindagi appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post Breaking: Ayesha Takia to make a comeback with Zindagi Yeh Zindagi appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 6/17/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
There is just something magical about seeing your favourite celebrity perform live for you on stage. There is this connection as they dance sing or even just speak on stage that brightens up the night and mesmerises us. Now add in 5 big names on 1 stage and you get the Da-Bangg Tour.
The night began with a dance performance by Shiamak Sydney Dance Troupe to get the beat bumping. A medley of new and old tunes including ‘Tamma Tamma’ and ‘Laila Main Laila’ was well received, but after starting late, the audience was itching to see their beloved stars.
Then came Manish Paul in his only solo dancing routine for the Dabangg intro song. Not quite a theme song but he introduces everyone to arrive on stage like pre-performance hype. It seemed like he would be the weakest link to the whole night. Yet the host/actor doesn’t disappoint. He...
The night began with a dance performance by Shiamak Sydney Dance Troupe to get the beat bumping. A medley of new and old tunes including ‘Tamma Tamma’ and ‘Laila Main Laila’ was well received, but after starting late, the audience was itching to see their beloved stars.
Then came Manish Paul in his only solo dancing routine for the Dabangg intro song. Not quite a theme song but he introduces everyone to arrive on stage like pre-performance hype. It seemed like he would be the weakest link to the whole night. Yet the host/actor doesn’t disappoint. He...
- 5/4/2017
- by Githa Vanan
- Bollyspice
Veteran actor Vinod Khanna, who reportedly had a prolonged battle with cancer, passed away earlier this morning at the Hurkisondas hospital in Mumbai.
A picture of the actor looking frail had recently gone viral on the internet, raising concerns that he was suffering from cancer.
Khanna who was last seen in Shah Rukh Khan’s Dilwale was popular for his roles in films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Chandni, Qurbaani, Mere Apne, Wanted, Dabangg and several other films.
The post Vinod Khanna passes away appeared first on .
A picture of the actor looking frail had recently gone viral on the internet, raising concerns that he was suffering from cancer.
Khanna who was last seen in Shah Rukh Khan’s Dilwale was popular for his roles in films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Chandni, Qurbaani, Mere Apne, Wanted, Dabangg and several other films.
The post Vinod Khanna passes away appeared first on .
- 4/27/2017
- by Indicine Team
- indicine
Salman Khan has made the character of elder Hanuman of his own for whom he has lent the voice in Ruchi Narain’s animated film Hanuman Da Damdaar.
The director recently revealed that they discussed scenes with the actor, who gave plenty of inputs, before he dubbed for the part. “You always remember Salman’s lines from his movies,” says Ruchi. “Working with him, you realise that he’s not only a big star, but also being Salim Khan saab’s son, he knows what works and he takes the dialogues to the next level,” she further adds.
The actor’s popular dialogues have been incorporated in the film like ‘Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di…” from Wanted and a few other dialogues too.
Interestingly, one of the most endearing scenes in the film features Hanuman and Valmiki, wherein the latter tells the former, ‘Tum aaj bhi dil se bachche ho.
The director recently revealed that they discussed scenes with the actor, who gave plenty of inputs, before he dubbed for the part. “You always remember Salman’s lines from his movies,” says Ruchi. “Working with him, you realise that he’s not only a big star, but also being Salim Khan saab’s son, he knows what works and he takes the dialogues to the next level,” she further adds.
The actor’s popular dialogues have been incorporated in the film like ‘Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di…” from Wanted and a few other dialogues too.
Interestingly, one of the most endearing scenes in the film features Hanuman and Valmiki, wherein the latter tells the former, ‘Tum aaj bhi dil se bachche ho.
- 4/26/2017
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
After having started off her career in showbiz as a child model, the extremely talented and beautiful Ayesha Takia gradually went onto become a heroine in Bollywood. Ayesha soon became a popular star in Bollywood. Post her marriage to Farhan Azmi, she quit acting in films. Of late, Ayesha Takia and her husband Farhan AzmiRead More
The post This ‘Wanted’ girl is helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams. Read on to find out who! appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
The post This ‘Wanted’ girl is helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams. Read on to find out who! appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
- 4/16/2017
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Ayesha Takia was Bollywood’s eye candy before she got married and bid adieu to the big screen! And now, her latest pictures have taken the internet by storm, quite literally! Ayesha Takia was spotted attending an event recently and she looked, well, quite different. Seen at an event, Ayesha’s lips looked highly swollen and there was a visible difference in her cheekbones. Seems to us that Ayesha has gone the surgery way! There was a drastic difference in her face which became the talk of the town and in fact trended on social media. Many Twitteratis took no time to make memes out of Ayesha’ changed looks! While Ayesha Takia refused any such rumors of going under the knife, she let the media know about her plans to return to Bollywood and has already shot for a music video. Last seen in the Salman Khan starrer Wanted, she...
- 2/25/2017
- FilmiPop
Have you ever imagined, how would Salman Khan look if he plays the role of a father to a teenaged daughter? Well, if you are a head-over-heels Salman Khan fan, you will soon get to see the fatherly side of your favourite star as he plays a doting dad in his upcoming movie that will be rolled off shortly in 2017. According to sources, Salman was quite cool about playing a father and said, “I played a father in Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai when I was in my 30s. I’ve been there and done that. And in my next film, I’m playing the father to a 13-year-old girl.” When asked about the film, he enthusiastically added, “It’s a film about dancing. Like the Hollywood Step Up franchise. I’m going to be a properly trained dancer. You know how painful that is? Sultan was also painful. I...
- 1/2/2017
- FilmiPop
Salman Khan's fans troll Twinkle Khanna on Twitter, the actress has a perfect comeback to her haters
Call Salman Khan names or pass a joke on him, his loyal fans, who are always there to defend him no matter what, won't spare you for good and can go to extreme extents even if the superstar doesn't asks for. And the recent incident is the proof that the world is full of dim-witted people who like to jump their guns without getting into the depth of the situation. And the latest celebrity to face the wrath of Salman Khan's fans is the best selling author and columnist Twinkle Khanna aka Mrs Funnybones who got trolled on Twitter for her latest column on Salman Khan. To end the year on a good note, Twinkle Khanna came up with wackiest classifieds ads filled with humour that were meant to describe the year 2016 in a funny manner. And Twinkle, who is known for her satirical stories and funny fables, took...
- 12/26/2016
- FilmiPop
Salman Khan returns to a festive weekend that he created and has dominated for the last 6 out of 7 years. The only exception was 2013, when the megastar didn’t have a release.
It all started with Prabhu Deva’s ‘Wanted’ back in 2009, when Salman was going through the worst phase of his career. The film didn’t do well at multiplexes, but brought back his audience in smaller towns. ‘Wanted’ was a massive hit at single-screens.Read More
The post Salman Khan’s Eid Record: Blockbuster Galore appeared first on .
It all started with Prabhu Deva’s ‘Wanted’ back in 2009, when Salman was going through the worst phase of his career. The film didn’t do well at multiplexes, but brought back his audience in smaller towns. ‘Wanted’ was a massive hit at single-screens.Read More
The post Salman Khan’s Eid Record: Blockbuster Galore appeared first on .
- 7/5/2016
- by Indicine Team
- indicine
Superstar Salman Khan through his Being Human initiative and otherwise has extended his support to varied social causes. The actor in his generous nature had also requested the fans and general public to sign a petition way back in 2012, in support of Dalbir Kaur who was then fighting for the release of her brother Sarabjit Singh from Pakistan prison. However, we hear that this part of the actor's support to the struggle hasn't been included in the film Sarbjit, a biopic on the Pakistani prisoner. Earlier in June 2012, we had reported that Salman Khan had taken to Twitter to ask his Pakistani fans to come in support of Dalbir Kaur's fight for justice for her brother Sarabjit, who was on the death row in Pakistan jail and was being falsely accused as a spy. The superstar had tweeted, "Requesting the people of pakistan to support me to help free surabjeet...
- 4/18/2016
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
After having shown his acting prowess in films like Singham, Wanted and many films down south, the much dreaded (reel life) villain Prakash Raj is one happy man today in real life. The reason? Well, his wife Pony Varma just delivered a baby boy today.
Sharing the joy to the world, an elated Prakash Raj took to Twitter and said, "Hi .. Me and pony are happy share with you this moment of joy in our life.. We had a lovely baby boy.. Today .. Bless him. Cheers".
Bollywood Hungama congratulates him and Pony Varma on the arrival of their bundle of joy.
Sharing the joy to the world, an elated Prakash Raj took to Twitter and said, "Hi .. Me and pony are happy share with you this moment of joy in our life.. We had a lovely baby boy.. Today .. Bless him. Cheers".
Bollywood Hungama congratulates him and Pony Varma on the arrival of their bundle of joy.
- 2/3/2016
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Writer-director-producer Greg Sneddon.s Bhutan-set drama Arrows of the Thunder Dragon is Australia.s entry for the best foreign language film Oscar.
Set in the 1970s, the story follows brother and sister Kuenphen and Jamyang who live in a remote Bhutanese village where they learn traditional archery from their old warrior grandfather.
Their mother's sudden sickness gives Kuenphen the opportunity to explore the world outside the village while Jamyang must stay home to weave, cook and get married- a fate she is not willing to accept without a fight.
The self-financed film was shot on location in the Himalayan mountains with a cast of local highland village people and a Bhutanese crew including DoP Leki Dorji, none of whom had worked on a feature. Jill Bilock is the editor.
"I'm thrilled to bits," Sneddon tell If. A former Buddhist monk, he got the idea for the film while on a pilgrimage to the country.
Set in the 1970s, the story follows brother and sister Kuenphen and Jamyang who live in a remote Bhutanese village where they learn traditional archery from their old warrior grandfather.
Their mother's sudden sickness gives Kuenphen the opportunity to explore the world outside the village while Jamyang must stay home to weave, cook and get married- a fate she is not willing to accept without a fight.
The self-financed film was shot on location in the Himalayan mountains with a cast of local highland village people and a Bhutanese crew including DoP Leki Dorji, none of whom had worked on a feature. Jill Bilock is the editor.
"I'm thrilled to bits," Sneddon tell If. A former Buddhist monk, he got the idea for the film while on a pilgrimage to the country.
- 10/8/2015
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
You just know if over-the-top ridiculous movies are your kind of thing. If you’re not one of those people, you’ll find justification for your dislike in bits of Welcome Back that just try too hard. But if you are a lover of rapid-fire absurdities, you’ll mostly giggle and chuckle as the plot becomes increasingly convoluted.
Overall, Welcome Back is exactly the kind of ridiculous, zingy stuff you expect from writer-director Anees Bazmee, with the right amount of nods to other films (Bunty Aur Babli, Ram Lakhan and Pk, to name a few), insults (personal favorite “moochwala bean bag”) and physical gags. But the humor isn’t always as smoothly sustained as in the original Welcome, and on occasions, perhaps not unexpectedly, the movie tries reaching too far and goes well past the gleeful “did they really go there?” disbelief into “why did they go there?” disbelief. (I...
Overall, Welcome Back is exactly the kind of ridiculous, zingy stuff you expect from writer-director Anees Bazmee, with the right amount of nods to other films (Bunty Aur Babli, Ram Lakhan and Pk, to name a few), insults (personal favorite “moochwala bean bag”) and physical gags. But the humor isn’t always as smoothly sustained as in the original Welcome, and on occasions, perhaps not unexpectedly, the movie tries reaching too far and goes well past the gleeful “did they really go there?” disbelief into “why did they go there?” disbelief. (I...
- 9/7/2015
- by Caitlin E. O'Conner
- Bollyspice
Bajrangi Bhaijaan magic is still continued in theaters and the megastar Salman Khan has now released the logo poster of his next release “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo”. The logo is looking classic like posters of Sooraj Barjatya’s other movies and we can say it confidently that this is called the Real Barjatya Movie logo.
The trailer of Prdp is expected to release on September 10 attaching with the prints of Salman’s production movie ‘Hero’ (however there is no confirmation from the official about it yet).
Prdp marks the super combination of Salman and Barjatya who delivered the blockbusters like Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Hum Sath Sath Hain. They are teaming up after a very long time and hence the excitement about this movie is beyond imagination.
Plus, Salman is playing double role in this family drama film so eagerness is double for this movie. Sonam Kapoor,...
The trailer of Prdp is expected to release on September 10 attaching with the prints of Salman’s production movie ‘Hero’ (however there is no confirmation from the official about it yet).
Prdp marks the super combination of Salman and Barjatya who delivered the blockbusters like Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and Hum Sath Sath Hain. They are teaming up after a very long time and hence the excitement about this movie is beyond imagination.
Plus, Salman is playing double role in this family drama film so eagerness is double for this movie. Sonam Kapoor,...
- 8/25/2015
- by BollySpice Editors
- Bollyspice
Back in 2008, Akshay Kumar set the Indian box office on fire with Singh Is Kinng. That film introduced filmgoers to Akshay's Harpreet Singh, a guileless Sikh do-gooder who gets caught up in mafia shenanigans. It also featured Akshay rapping a duet with Snoop Dogg on the soundtrack, which amuses me to no end. This October, the film gets a sequel with Singh Is Bliing (misspelling intentional).Singh Is Bliing is directed by Bollywood's new master of hyperbole, Prabhudeva. Prabhudeva's previous directorial efforts include Salman Khan's Wanted, Kumar's Rowdy Rathore, and Ajay Devgn's ludicrous Action Jackson. While his films have taken on a repetitive feeling, I'm a fan of Kumar's goofy charisma, and this kind of action spectacle suits him, so I'm going into Singh Is...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 8/23/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Dhaval Gada was all smiles at the recent trailer launch of his forthcoming co-production Singh is Bliing starring Akshay Kumar. Besides the amazing response that his film’s trailer was getting, what had the young producer elated were the words of praise coming from senior producer Boney Kapoor, who specially came at the event to encourage and cheer for him.
Dhaval has previously worked with Kapoor and Prabhu Dheva in the Salman Khan-starrer Wanted (2009). And now, with Dhaval co-producing Singh is Bliing, Prabhu Dheva directing it, and the senior Kapoor lending his presence at the event, the trio was seen together again. Kapoor not only cheered for Dhaval, but he also praised him for having achieved much at such a young age. Kapoor said, “Dhaval mera baccha hai, he was working with us, Prabhu Deva and me during Wanted. He is presenting good films at such a young age…...
Dhaval has previously worked with Kapoor and Prabhu Dheva in the Salman Khan-starrer Wanted (2009). And now, with Dhaval co-producing Singh is Bliing, Prabhu Dheva directing it, and the senior Kapoor lending his presence at the event, the trio was seen together again. Kapoor not only cheered for Dhaval, but he also praised him for having achieved much at such a young age. Kapoor said, “Dhaval mera baccha hai, he was working with us, Prabhu Deva and me during Wanted. He is presenting good films at such a young age…...
- 8/22/2015
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
It was way back in 1994 when Naseeruddin Shah had taken Akshay Kumar as well as Suniel Shetty for a ride with his blind man act in Mohra. It had turned out to be a huge twist in the tale when as a businessman Jindal, Naseeruddin Shah had turned out to be a villain of the piece, instead of being a savor that he projected himself to be. Now 21 years later, it is John Abraham's turn to face the music, as he comes face to face with Naseeruddin Shah in a blind avtar again. The film is Welcome Back and this time around there is no pretense being put as the veteran actor is playing a comical don named Wanted Bhai in the Anees Bazmee directed action comedy. In the first of the series, it was Firoz Khan who came in the lives of Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar...
- 7/25/2015
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Salman Khan is said to be 'the man with a golden heart' as he is known to do good deeds. In fact, Salman is even synonymous with his foundation 'Being Human' that helps the needy. And now the actor takes the good deeds to a new level, by preaching them in his films [which is clearly evident in most of his recent (and some old too) movies]. Well, we bring you 10 such movies when Salman touched our hearts with his Good Samaritan acts. Take a look...
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Looking at Bajrangi Bhaijaan trailer, it seems like 'Bajrangi' Salman is on a mission to help out a mute girl child reach her home (Pakistan) despite several difficulties.
Wanted
Salman Khan played the undercover cop who saved everybody (including his girlfriend Ayesha Takia) from all the goons in Wanted.
Dabangg
Salman Khan played the 'Dabangg' police officer who was ready to protect his family from all problems no matter how cruelly they treated him.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Looking at Bajrangi Bhaijaan trailer, it seems like 'Bajrangi' Salman is on a mission to help out a mute girl child reach her home (Pakistan) despite several difficulties.
Wanted
Salman Khan played the undercover cop who saved everybody (including his girlfriend Ayesha Takia) from all the goons in Wanted.
Dabangg
Salman Khan played the 'Dabangg' police officer who was ready to protect his family from all problems no matter how cruelly they treated him.
- 7/15/2015
- GlamSham
Vijay Galani who produced the epic disaster Veer with Salman Khan has spent the last three years of his life fighting a long legal battle against the superstar. The honourable court has finally ruled in Galani's favour. And now Glani has sued Salman for Rs 250 crores. Reliving his entire nightmarish experience Galani states, "I've known Salman and his family for 20 years. Hamara saath uthna baithna hota ttha. In 1992 I produced Suryvanshi with Salman in the lead. Salman Khan suggested I produce Veer for him. He had asked his brother Sohail Khan and his friends Boney Kapoor, Subhash Ghai and Sajid Nadiadwala to produce Veer. He suggested I do it. I agreed. Anil Sharma was chosen to direct this lavish film." Then came the monetary arrangement. Explains Galani, "I agreed to give Salman a signing amount of Rs 10 crores for Veer. In his entire career Salman had not received this kind of a signing amount.
- 6/23/2015
- by Subhash K. Jha
- BollywoodHungama
Saturday 6th June saw the first episode of The Voice India. As many of you are aware, The Voice, is already an extremely popular international singing reality show concept. The Voice has now arrived in India and has the multi talented Himesh Reshammiya (Hr), Shaan, Mika Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan as its ‘fabulous four’ coaches. The show is hosted by popular television actor Karan Tacker. Two of the coaches are also seen in their new looks: our favourite coach Hr, wears golden shoes, and has a statement tattoo on his arm to show off his new lean look. While coach Sunidhi looks incredibly chic with her short hairstyle and trendy outfit.
The Voice India is split into three rounds: Blind auditions, Battle rounds and Live rounds. Saturday’s show opened with short introductions by the coaches, followed by their spectacular performances. Their opening acts were choreographed by Terence Lewis. Sunidhi Chauhan...
The Voice India is split into three rounds: Blind auditions, Battle rounds and Live rounds. Saturday’s show opened with short introductions by the coaches, followed by their spectacular performances. Their opening acts were choreographed by Terence Lewis. Sunidhi Chauhan...
- 6/13/2015
- by Jem Raj
- Bollyspice
Whatever Salman Khan does, he does with elan! In fact, nobody can beat the superstar when it comes to style and trends. Besides his acting, quirky style of dancing or experimenting with looks, the style
bhai is also known to glamourize accessories and all of them have been crazily aped by his die-hard fans. And why just his fans? even his co-stars have imitated his signature style at some point of time.
Over the years, Salman made various style statements (through various accessories) in his films and created a rage. Take a look...
Pendant: The off colored and matte finished club pendant that Salman is seen flaunting in his latest flick Bajrangi Bhaijaan is pretty cool and goes with the character in the film (who is an ardent
devotee of Lord Hanuman). We are sure this film will bring a new fad of mace.
Bracelet: The very popular firoza stone...
bhai is also known to glamourize accessories and all of them have been crazily aped by his die-hard fans. And why just his fans? even his co-stars have imitated his signature style at some point of time.
Over the years, Salman made various style statements (through various accessories) in his films and created a rage. Take a look...
Pendant: The off colored and matte finished club pendant that Salman is seen flaunting in his latest flick Bajrangi Bhaijaan is pretty cool and goes with the character in the film (who is an ardent
devotee of Lord Hanuman). We are sure this film will bring a new fad of mace.
Bracelet: The very popular firoza stone...
- 5/30/2015
- GlamSham
Festival resurges as launch pad for awards contenders while sales agents are prepared for healthy market
Those up in arms over Hollywood’s limited roles for women and minorities should be excited for the diversity of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, which kicks off Thursday with no shortage of films that address the broad range of human experience, while renewing the festival as a key launch platform for awards season hopefuls.
For all the talk of work drying up for over-40 actresses, they’re well represented this year in Park City between “Lila & Eve” with Jennifer Lopez and Viola Davis, “Strangerland...
Those up in arms over Hollywood’s limited roles for women and minorities should be excited for the diversity of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, which kicks off Thursday with no shortage of films that address the broad range of human experience, while renewing the festival as a key launch platform for awards season hopefuls.
For all the talk of work drying up for over-40 actresses, they’re well represented this year in Park City between “Lila & Eve” with Jennifer Lopez and Viola Davis, “Strangerland...
- 1/22/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Actor Salman Khan celebrates his 49th birthday today. Ever since the flamboyant ‘bad boy’ of Hindi Cinema made his debut in 1988 with the film Biwi Ho To Aisi, he has always maintained a good balance between his work as a entertainer and his work as a humanitarian.
Khan is one of the biggest stars in the Hindi film industry. After his debut he impressed with his roles in films like Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Saajan, Karan Arjun, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Phir Milenge, Tere Naam and Khamoshi. While he had a loverboy image in the nineties, he completely transformed into an action hero in recent years.
Trendsetter
Khan increasingly appeared as the larger-than-life hero who single-handedly saved the world from all political games, while he beats up an army of bad guys on his own.
The films he did contained bizarre action sequences we had only...
Khan is one of the biggest stars in the Hindi film industry. After his debut he impressed with his roles in films like Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Saajan, Karan Arjun, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Phir Milenge, Tere Naam and Khamoshi. While he had a loverboy image in the nineties, he completely transformed into an action hero in recent years.
Trendsetter
Khan increasingly appeared as the larger-than-life hero who single-handedly saved the world from all political games, while he beats up an army of bad guys on his own.
The films he did contained bizarre action sequences we had only...
- 12/27/2014
- by Charla Manohar
- Bollyspice
Announcements for the lineup for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, taking place between January 22nd and February 1st, are starting to roll out. Watch this page for updates as more films and sections are revealed.
Premieres
Brooklyn (John Crowley, UK)
Digging for Fire (Joe Swanberg, USA)
Don Verdean (Jared Hess, USA)
End of the Tour (James Ponsoldt, USA)
Experimenter (Michael Almereyda, USA)
Grandma (Paul Weitz, USA)
I Am Michael (Justin Kelly, USA)
I'll See You In My Dreams (Brett Haley, USA)
Last Days in the Desert (Rodrigo Garcia, USA)
Lila & Eve (Charles Stone III, USA)
Mississipi Grind (Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden, USA)
Mistress America (Noah Baumbach, USA)
Seoul Searching (Benson Lee, USA/Korea)
Sleeping with Other People (Leslye Headland, USA)
Ten Thousand Saints (Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, USA)
True Story (Rupert Goold, USA)
A Walk in the Woods (Ken Kwapis, USA)
Zipper (Mora Stephens, USA)
Documentary Premieres
Beaver Trilogy Part IV (Brad Besser,...
Premieres
Brooklyn (John Crowley, UK)
Digging for Fire (Joe Swanberg, USA)
Don Verdean (Jared Hess, USA)
End of the Tour (James Ponsoldt, USA)
Experimenter (Michael Almereyda, USA)
Grandma (Paul Weitz, USA)
I Am Michael (Justin Kelly, USA)
I'll See You In My Dreams (Brett Haley, USA)
Last Days in the Desert (Rodrigo Garcia, USA)
Lila & Eve (Charles Stone III, USA)
Mississipi Grind (Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden, USA)
Mistress America (Noah Baumbach, USA)
Seoul Searching (Benson Lee, USA/Korea)
Sleeping with Other People (Leslye Headland, USA)
Ten Thousand Saints (Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, USA)
True Story (Rupert Goold, USA)
A Walk in the Woods (Ken Kwapis, USA)
Zipper (Mora Stephens, USA)
Documentary Premieres
Beaver Trilogy Part IV (Brad Besser,...
- 12/16/2014
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Tevar is the fourth remake of 2003 Telugu blockbuster Okkadu originally starring Mahesh Babu, Bhumika Chawla and Prakash Raj. Arjun Kapoor (2 States), Sonakshi Sinah (Lootera) and Manoj Bajpai (Rajneeti) take on the respective pivotal roles for the Hindi remake under the banner of Sanjay Kapoor Entertainment Pvt Ltd.
It features music by Sajid-Wajid (Wanted, Dabangg) and lyrics by Kausar Munir with the vocal talents of Shafqat Amanat Ali (‘Manchala’ – Hasse Toh Phasse), Shruti Hasan (‘Alvida’ – D-Day), Ritu Pathak (‘Jalebi Bai’ – Double Dhamaal) amongst others.
Superman introduces our larger than life protagonist with much fan fare that is not far from typical. It is a decent enough number but suffers from two drawbacks. Kausar Munir’s lyrics are rife with the right amount youthful arrogance but the line, ‘jo leve panga, kar doon maa behn’, is arguably in bad taste if not down right disrespectful to women. Secondly, the track is right...
It features music by Sajid-Wajid (Wanted, Dabangg) and lyrics by Kausar Munir with the vocal talents of Shafqat Amanat Ali (‘Manchala’ – Hasse Toh Phasse), Shruti Hasan (‘Alvida’ – D-Day), Ritu Pathak (‘Jalebi Bai’ – Double Dhamaal) amongst others.
Superman introduces our larger than life protagonist with much fan fare that is not far from typical. It is a decent enough number but suffers from two drawbacks. Kausar Munir’s lyrics are rife with the right amount youthful arrogance but the line, ‘jo leve panga, kar doon maa behn’, is arguably in bad taste if not down right disrespectful to women. Secondly, the track is right...
- 12/11/2014
- by Sheetal Tiwari
- Bollyspice
John Nein was not always a Senior Programmer at the Sundance Film Festival — it’s only been eight years. When he began at Sundance in 2002 he was always watching movies of course. More than that, like John Cooper said, he just didn’t shut up when he was in the room; he was opinionated and spoke his opinions. He also always liked international cinema as he was born in Ireland and grew up in The Netherlands, Belgium and London where his father worked for international companies. When he was 12 he came to the U.S.
The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
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The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
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- 12/6/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The competition movie line-up has been revealed for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, which runs from January 22nd to February 1st 2015. Below the announcement video you'll find the U.S. and World Competition categories, as well as the Next section.
Out of the 12,166 submissions that the festival received this year only 185 were selected. It looks like there are going to be a lot of great films this year. I always enjoy going to Sundance because you never know what film gems are just waiting to be seen.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy,...
Out of the 12,166 submissions that the festival received this year only 185 were selected. It looks like there are going to be a lot of great films this year. I always enjoy going to Sundance because you never know what film gems are just waiting to be seen.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy,...
- 12/4/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
After Happy New Year, none of the new releases has done well at the box office. In fact November has turned out to be one of the poorest ever for Bollywood in last few years. Hence, all eyes are on the first release of December, Action Jackson, to bring in some revival of sorts for the industry. It is pretty much required as well since good run for a film only fetches audience for the next that hits the screens. Now since sentiments amongst audience have been so disturbed for last few weeks that it is ending up impacting even the opening day of so many films where there are no footfalls being registered whatsoever.
All of this means that the opening of the Ajay Devgn-Sonakshi Sinha starrer is being awaited with bated breath. A lot is riding on the film, also due to the fact that it...
All of this means that the opening of the Ajay Devgn-Sonakshi Sinha starrer is being awaited with bated breath. A lot is riding on the film, also due to the fact that it...
- 12/4/2014
- by Joginder Tuteja
- Bollyspice
Today the first wave of titles playing at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival were announced and while the majority of the titles are new to me the names in front of the camera most certainly are not as you'll see the likes of Michael Fassbender, Nicole Kidman, Saoirse Ronan, Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Jack Black, James Marsden, Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Jemaine Clement, Sarah Silverman, Toni Collette, Vincent Cassell and many, many more among the titles featured. I have collected several photos from many of the films playing the festival, which will take place from January 22 - February 1 in Utah next year. Today's selection includes the U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition, World Cinema Documentary Competition and Next program. I'll be adding a few more pictures soon enough, but for now, have a look and see what stands out.
- 12/3/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
America’s hottest and most eagerly anticipated film festival is nearly upon us! Running January 22 to February 1, 2015 in Park City, Utah, the annual Sundance Film Festival has launched its initial lineup of in-competition films in the Dramatic, World Cinema, Documentary and Next slates. In all, 66 films were announced in this initial lineup, with the Premieres and Documentary Premieres arriving December 8 and the Short Film slate arriving December 9.
Among the lineup, as always, are some intriguing prospects. The Us Dramatic Competition features films starring stars such as Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine (Z for Zachariah), Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor (The D Train), Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman (The Overnight), and Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back), among many others, and new films from recently hot directors including Alfonso-Gomez Rejon, Andrew Bujalski, and Craig Zobel.
Among the lineup, as always, are some intriguing prospects. The Us Dramatic Competition features films starring stars such as Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine (Z for Zachariah), Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor (The D Train), Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman (The Overnight), and Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back), among many others, and new films from recently hot directors including Alfonso-Gomez Rejon, Andrew Bujalski, and Craig Zobel.
- 12/3/2014
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
New films from Nicole Kidman, Michael Fassbender, Louie Psihoyos and Sebastian Silva are featured in the festival’s line-up of Us and world competition strands and the Next programme.
Sundance Film Festival director John Cooper and head of programming Trevor Groth have unleashed their first volley of films in what will be a 118-strong line-up overall culled from 12,166 submissions. Of these, 103 features are world premieres. The festival will run January 22 to February 1.
Us Dramatic Competition includes Craig Zobel’s post-apocalytpic tale Z For Zachariah starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine; Jack Black in comedy The D Train; and Kristen Wiig in the 1970s San Francisco-set coming-of-age story The Diary Of A Teenage Girl.
Other likely highlights are Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s The Stanford Prison Experiment starring Billy Crudup and Ezra Miller; and Saoirse Ronan in Stockholm, Pennsylvania, about a young woman who returns to live with her parents after she is freed from her abductor of 17 years...
Sundance Film Festival director John Cooper and head of programming Trevor Groth have unleashed their first volley of films in what will be a 118-strong line-up overall culled from 12,166 submissions. Of these, 103 features are world premieres. The festival will run January 22 to February 1.
Us Dramatic Competition includes Craig Zobel’s post-apocalytpic tale Z For Zachariah starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine; Jack Black in comedy The D Train; and Kristen Wiig in the 1970s San Francisco-set coming-of-age story The Diary Of A Teenage Girl.
Other likely highlights are Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s The Stanford Prison Experiment starring Billy Crudup and Ezra Miller; and Saoirse Ronan in Stockholm, Pennsylvania, about a young woman who returns to live with her parents after she is freed from her abductor of 17 years...
- 12/3/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
It all started with a cab ride, fittingly enough. That's where "Dr. Cabbie" star, producer and co-writer Vinay Virmani happened to meet a Toronto taxi driver who used to be a surgeon in his native India, giving the young actor the seed for the idea that would eventually become his follow-up to the 2011 hit "Breakaway."
Directed by Quebec filmmaker Jean-François Pouliot in his first English-language project, the film stars Virmani as Deepak, a recent Indian med-school grad who immigrates to Canada only to find out that his degree isn't recognized. Forced to get a job as a cabbie, but still looking to follow in his late father's footsteps and put his medical training to good use, Deepak begins running a mobile clinic out of the back of his taxi, quickly becoming something of local hero.
Rather than tackle a pair of serious social issues like immigration and healthcare via a straight-laced drama,...
Directed by Quebec filmmaker Jean-François Pouliot in his first English-language project, the film stars Virmani as Deepak, a recent Indian med-school grad who immigrates to Canada only to find out that his degree isn't recognized. Forced to get a job as a cabbie, but still looking to follow in his late father's footsteps and put his medical training to good use, Deepak begins running a mobile clinic out of the back of his taxi, quickly becoming something of local hero.
Rather than tackle a pair of serious social issues like immigration and healthcare via a straight-laced drama,...
- 9/19/2014
- by Rick Mele
- Moviefone
Choreographer turned director Prabhu Dheva, who has been pretty successful with his ventures like Wanted, Rowdy Rathore and Ramaya Vastavaiya is gearing up for his next release Action Jackson. But away from the film's release, we hear that Prabhu has been roped in to direct Ekta Kapoor's next venture under her banner Balaji Motion Pictures.
Confirming the development Tanuj Garg, CEO at Balaji Motion Pictures says, "Yes we have been talking to Prabhu for a while and we will be working together next year. However, right now we are still working on a script and are yet to lock the same."
Though Tanuj refuses to divulge more details of the project, we hear that the film will be a youth based thriller featuring newcomers, and is expected to go on floors by July 2015.
Confirming the development Tanuj Garg, CEO at Balaji Motion Pictures says, "Yes we have been talking to Prabhu for a while and we will be working together next year. However, right now we are still working on a script and are yet to lock the same."
Though Tanuj refuses to divulge more details of the project, we hear that the film will be a youth based thriller featuring newcomers, and is expected to go on floors by July 2015.
- 9/10/2014
- BollywoodHungama
Saturday’s Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa opened with hosts Ranvir and Manish explaining this weeks ‘Teen Ka Tadka’ concept in their typical style!
Judge Remo then performed his version of Teen Ka Tadka along side Lauren Gottlieb and choreographer Salman Khan. Their act was based on a particular scene from Hindi mythology ‘Ramayan’ where judge Remo played the role of Raavan who was trying to kidnap Sitaji (played by Lauren) and the old vulture Jatayu who tried to save Sitaji was played by Salman. Their song reflected the religious theme of their act. It truly was a spell binding performance and it gave the audience a clear reflection as to what todays acts would be like.
It was then time to welcome the special guests on stage who would form the Teen Ka Tadka. Sana Saeed, Faisal, Dadi from Comedy Nights with Kapil, Krystle D’Souza, Mukti Mohan and Ellie Avram were all welcomed on stage.
Judge Remo then performed his version of Teen Ka Tadka along side Lauren Gottlieb and choreographer Salman Khan. Their act was based on a particular scene from Hindi mythology ‘Ramayan’ where judge Remo played the role of Raavan who was trying to kidnap Sitaji (played by Lauren) and the old vulture Jatayu who tried to save Sitaji was played by Salman. Their song reflected the religious theme of their act. It truly was a spell binding performance and it gave the audience a clear reflection as to what todays acts would be like.
It was then time to welcome the special guests on stage who would form the Teen Ka Tadka. Sana Saeed, Faisal, Dadi from Comedy Nights with Kapil, Krystle D’Souza, Mukti Mohan and Ellie Avram were all welcomed on stage.
- 9/3/2014
- by Jem Raj
- Bollyspice
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is about to make a comeback of sorts when his latest film, Kick, opens worldwide on July 25. That’s the Friday that falls just ahead of the beginning of the Eid al Fitr holiday, generally one of the most profitable periods for Bollywood titles locally and abroad. Beginning in 2008, films toplined by Khan staked a claim on Eid which celebrates the end of Ramadan. They have included big hits Wanted, Dabaang, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger — the latter the 4th highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time worldwide. But in 2013, it was rival Shah […]...
- 7/23/2014
- Deadline
Saturday’s show opened with much excitement as superstar Salman Khan would be gracing the stage of Jhalak once again. Before Salman’s entry, host Manish lost his watch, and host Ranvir lost his glasses! Then Salman entered the show and performed on the super hit Kick song (which has music by Himesh Reshammiya), ‘Jumme Ki Raat’. Salman was warmly welcomed by the hosts, contestants and judges. Salman also returned host Manish’s watch.
Next, it was time to get back to business, and find out the two contestants that would be in this week’s face-off. As always, all the contestants were called on stage but this time, judge Madhuri, announced that all the contestants are safe this week and that there would be no eliminations! All the contestants breathed a sigh of relief, and the hosts told the audience that the votes would be added to next weeks...
Next, it was time to get back to business, and find out the two contestants that would be in this week’s face-off. As always, all the contestants were called on stage but this time, judge Madhuri, announced that all the contestants are safe this week and that there would be no eliminations! All the contestants breathed a sigh of relief, and the hosts told the audience that the votes would be added to next weeks...
- 7/23/2014
- by Jem Raj
- Bollyspice
Daawat-e-Ishq not only features the brand new jodi of Aditya Roy Kapoor (Aashiqui 2) and Parineeti Chopra (Ishaqzaade) but sees Sajid-Wajid (Dabangg) composing their first Yash Raj venture. Needless to say, music enthusiasts are curious to see what is in stock for us from this unlikely merger.
Daawat-e-Ishq’s songs have been penned by Kausar Munir while vocalists featured on the soundtrack include Sonu Nigam (‘Abhi Mujhme Kahin’ – Agneepath), Javed Ali (‘Tera Deedar Hai’ – Jannat 2), Sunidhi Chauhan (‘Sheila Ki Jawaani’ – Tees Maar Khan), Shreya Ghoshal (‘Chikni Chameli’ – Agneepath), Shalmali Kholgade (‘Pareshaan’ – Ishaqzaade) and Wajid (‘Jalwa’ – Wanted).
The title track opens the soundtrack and is an energetic qawaali/electronica by Javed Ali and Sunidhi Chauhan. Ali and Chauhan make a brilliant pair and complement the lyrical back and forth well. Munir’s expert grasp of Urdu is only surpassed by his impressive culinary innuendos. All in all, a powerful start to the soundtrack.
Daawat-e-Ishq’s songs have been penned by Kausar Munir while vocalists featured on the soundtrack include Sonu Nigam (‘Abhi Mujhme Kahin’ – Agneepath), Javed Ali (‘Tera Deedar Hai’ – Jannat 2), Sunidhi Chauhan (‘Sheila Ki Jawaani’ – Tees Maar Khan), Shreya Ghoshal (‘Chikni Chameli’ – Agneepath), Shalmali Kholgade (‘Pareshaan’ – Ishaqzaade) and Wajid (‘Jalwa’ – Wanted).
The title track opens the soundtrack and is an energetic qawaali/electronica by Javed Ali and Sunidhi Chauhan. Ali and Chauhan make a brilliant pair and complement the lyrical back and forth well. Munir’s expert grasp of Urdu is only surpassed by his impressive culinary innuendos. All in all, a powerful start to the soundtrack.
- 7/20/2014
- by Sheetal Tiwari
- Bollyspice
Bollywood megastar Salman Khan took part in a video conference with the UK press as part of his promotions for his upcoming Eid release Kick. The 48 year old actor was joined by his female co-star Jacqueline Fernandez, as well as author Chetan Bhagat, who co-wrote the screenplay to the film along with director Sajid Nadiadwala. The video conference took place at a hotel in Central London with a video link to Mumbai where cast members took questions from journalists regarding the film. Here are just some of the discussions which took place during the conference.
When asked by one reporter what attracted him to be a part of Kick, Salman replied, “I didn’t read the script. I just read bits and portions of it and knew the film. So it was very easy for me to do the movie because just on the narrative, it sounded like a very interesting and young project.
When asked by one reporter what attracted him to be a part of Kick, Salman replied, “I didn’t read the script. I just read bits and portions of it and knew the film. So it was very easy for me to do the movie because just on the narrative, it sounded like a very interesting and young project.
- 7/19/2014
- by Bodrul Chaudhury
- Bollyspice
The music of Kick released on Monday and has been fully appreciated by music lovers and critics alike. BollySpice had previously bought you the news, from Music Director Himesh Reshammiya, that there will be a musical surprise for fans before Eid from Kick. That surprise has now been revealed: Salman Khan has sung 2 more songs for Himesh in the album. Apart from crooning in the song ‘Hangover’ for Meet Bros Anjjan, Salman has also lent his voice to the unplugged versions of ‘Jumme Ki Raat’ and ‘Tu Hi Tu’.
While Salman fans have loved this special surprise from their idol, Salman thinks otherwise about his singing abilities. Speaking to Toi in a recent interview, Salman said, “I sing badly but I can sing just about anytime. I don’t care about how I sing… I sing, I don’t care. But to be suddenly put in a spot and being told to sing,...
While Salman fans have loved this special surprise from their idol, Salman thinks otherwise about his singing abilities. Speaking to Toi in a recent interview, Salman said, “I sing badly but I can sing just about anytime. I don’t care about how I sing… I sing, I don’t care. But to be suddenly put in a spot and being told to sing,...
- 7/10/2014
- by Jem Raj
- Bollyspice
Kick is the latest Eid offering from Salman Khan after Wanted, Dabangg, Bodyguard and Ek Tha Tiger, all of which have been top grossers at the box office. Kick is a remake of the Telugu film of the same name making this Salman’s 5th remake of a South Indian film in the past decade. Kick also sees the re-teaming of Salman with Nadiadwala and Grandson Entertainment, their last collaboration being Jaan-e-Mann.
Kick also stars Jacqueline Fernandez (Murder 2 and Race 2), Randeep Hooda (Highway and Jism 2) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Gangs of Wasseypur and Lunchbox) in pivotal roles. It features compositions by Meet Bros Anjan (‘Baby Doll’ – Ragini Mms 2), Himesh Reshammiya (Bodyguard) and Yo Yo Honey Singh (‘Party All Night’ – Boss) with vocals from Shreya Ghoshal (‘Teri Meri Prem Kahani’ – Bodyguard), Mohd. Irfan (‘Phir Mohabbat’ – Murder 2), Mika Singh (‘Subah Hone Na De’ – Desi Boyz) and Salman Khan. Lyrics have been penned by Mayur Puri,...
Kick also stars Jacqueline Fernandez (Murder 2 and Race 2), Randeep Hooda (Highway and Jism 2) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Gangs of Wasseypur and Lunchbox) in pivotal roles. It features compositions by Meet Bros Anjan (‘Baby Doll’ – Ragini Mms 2), Himesh Reshammiya (Bodyguard) and Yo Yo Honey Singh (‘Party All Night’ – Boss) with vocals from Shreya Ghoshal (‘Teri Meri Prem Kahani’ – Bodyguard), Mohd. Irfan (‘Phir Mohabbat’ – Murder 2), Mika Singh (‘Subah Hone Na De’ – Desi Boyz) and Salman Khan. Lyrics have been penned by Mayur Puri,...
- 7/10/2014
- by Sheetal Tiwari
- Bollyspice
Last seen in One By Two, Abhay Deol has now bagged his next film, that's to be directed by cinematographer Sethu Sriram. The film in question is titled Snafu and will also feature Manjot Singh alongwith Abhay. Sethu Sriram of Wanted and Omg Oh My God! fame was keen on signing Abhay since he knew that Abhay could pull this off well. After many readings, one hears that Abhay is convinced and pretty charged up about the role. For starters, 'Snafu' is term that has originated in the army, it means Situations Normal All F****ed Up.
In the film, Abhay will be essaying the character of Kabir Taneja, a young highflying corporate consultant in Mumbai mediating mega deals with most men with big money. And Manjot will play the character of Sunny Singh, a meek and submissive slum dweller. Snafu is a thriller around common place situations as the...
In the film, Abhay will be essaying the character of Kabir Taneja, a young highflying corporate consultant in Mumbai mediating mega deals with most men with big money. And Manjot will play the character of Sunny Singh, a meek and submissive slum dweller. Snafu is a thriller around common place situations as the...
- 6/25/2014
- BollywoodHungama
Actor Inder Kumar who was arrested for allegedly raping a struggling actress has been granted bail today by the sessions court but only on the bond of Rs. 30,000.
Inder Kumar was charged under sections 376 (rape), 324 (causing grievous) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The victim (the struggling model) had accused actor Inder Kumar of raping her thrice under the pretext of granting her meaty roles in films. She also alleged the actor of being violent as she claimed that she had been thrashed by a beer bottle. However, during the trial, Inder Kumar who has a troubled relationship with his wife, had stated that they had consensual sex.
Inder Kumar has acted in some popular films like Wanted, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Kahi Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, Ghunghat, Masoom among others.
Inder Kumar was charged under sections 376 (rape), 324 (causing grievous) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The victim (the struggling model) had accused actor Inder Kumar of raping her thrice under the pretext of granting her meaty roles in films. She also alleged the actor of being violent as she claimed that she had been thrashed by a beer bottle. However, during the trial, Inder Kumar who has a troubled relationship with his wife, had stated that they had consensual sex.
Inder Kumar has acted in some popular films like Wanted, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, Kahi Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, Ghunghat, Masoom among others.
- 6/10/2014
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
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