The Montclair Film Festival (MFF) today announced that it has received funding to support urgently needed capacity building projects for the organization’s expansion into its new, year-round home at the Investors Bank Film & Media Center. Additionally, the MFF has been awarded expanded funding from multiple foundations for its ongoing mission to provide the best in film and media arts education.

The New Jersey Cultural Trust awarded funding in the amount of $40,000, to the MFF through the Cultural Trust’s Institutional and Financial Stabilization grant program.  This funding supports the MFF’s acquisition, development, and deployment of the Patron Manager CRM system, which operates on the trusted Salesforce™ platform and provides much-needed integration of MFF’s multiple Member, Sponsor, Donor, and ticketing systems into a single organizational management platform.

The Montclair Foundation awarded $2,500 to the MFF to support the one-time purchase of ticketing equipment for the Investors Bank Film & Media Center, the MFF’s new home and headquarters in downtown Montclair.

Additionally, the MFF received $30,000 from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and received a Citation of Excellence for achieving the highest standards of excellence as recognized by the MFF’s peers, as well as a $25,000 grant from the Horizon Foundation Of New Jersey, and $22,750 grant from the New Jersey Division Of Travel and Tourism.

“We are tremendously grateful to our generous grantors for their support of our mission and their recognition of our vision, “ said MFF Executive Director Tom Hall. “This support is vital to our expansion into new areas of opportunity, new audiences, and more efficient use of our resources, allowing us to better deliver world-class programs to our patrons.”

The Investors Bank Film and Media Center is scheduled to open in April 2017.

The 2017 Montclair Film Festival takes place April 28- May 7, 2017.

ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY CULTURAL TRUST

The New Jersey Cultural Trust was created in July 2000 as a public/private partnership to help ensure a stable and healthy nonprofit cultural industry in New Jersey that is sustainable even in the toughest of economic times. The Trust provides grants to support capital projects, endowments, and institutional and financial stabilization of arts, history, and humanities organizations in New Jersey. Funding for the grants comes from interest earned on the Cultural Trust Fund, which is a permanent investment fund.

ABOUT THE MONTCLAIR FOUNDATION

The Montclair Foundation is a nonprofit that awards grants to charitable organizations in the greater Montclair area. The Foundation was established to support not-for-profit organizations that meet health, educational, cultural, social service, and quality of life needs in the greater Montclair community.

ABOUT THE MONTCLAIR FILM FESTIVAL

The Montclair Film Festival, Inc. (MFF), a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, nurtures and showcases the talents of filmmakers from around the region and world. The MFF unites, empowers, educates and celebrates our region’s diverse cultural heritage and robust artistic community by presenting an annual spring festival and a growing assortment of engaging programs and events all year long. The sixth annual spring festival will take place from April 28 through May 7, 2017. MFF 2017 is made possible through generous support from Investors Bank, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, HackensackUMC Mountainside, the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, and Chubb, among others. For information about MFF, visit www.MontclairFilmFest.org.

When and Where?
The event will take place between the 20th and 25th of June 2017 in Espinho, a tourism orientated city and one of the summer hotspots of Portugal, 15 minutes south of Porto along the sea coastline.
All activities will be held in Centro Multimeios de Espinho, a modern infrastructure with high quality projection, a planetarium with an IMAX screen and free wireless Internet.

Why go?
FEST Training Ground is an excellent and unique opportunity on many levels. First, the amount of knowledge and experience shared by our experts is overwhelming. Second, the over 500 participants that arrive from around the world, gather in an enthusiastic atmosphere, where anything can happen: projects have been born, participants have been hired by experts, directors found financiers, filmmakers found their path.
FEST Training Ground is a big game changer an a major break for up and coming filmmakers.
In 2016, we welcomed participants from over 35 countries, such as England, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Spain, Lebanon, Brazil, Greece, Portugal, Nigeria, India, Poland, Russia, Romania, Iran, etc.

FEST Pitching Forum and FEST Industry Meetings
Parallel to FEST Training Ground, we also host FEST Pitching Forum, a singular opportunity for upcoming filmmakers to pitch their projects to top industry producers, financiers, fund managers and investors.
In a 5 minute pitch, each participant will have the chance to unravel their project, in whatever way seems more appropriate.

The FEST Industry Meetings are a platform where some of our most accomplished guests will be available for one-on-one advice on project development; this will be an extremely valuable tool for advanced participants wanting an input on their project development.

All-in-one
Training Ground is an all-in-one program: participants may enjoy a six-day deluxe training program, and also be able to attend the screenings of FEST New Directors | New Films Festival.
The beautiful sea-coast city of Espinho, one of the most popular summer locations in the country, will serve as scenery for this amazing week.

Panel discussion about the future of the Scottish film industry to include speakers from BBC Films, BFI, Film4 and Creative Scotland. In Conversation event with independent film producer Christine Vachon (Carol, Boys Don't Cry)

Glasgow Film Festival is pleased to announce the return of its specialist Industry Focus strand, following its successful debut in 2016.

Taking place during the Glasgow Film Festival, from Tuesday 21 to Friday 24 February, the four day event is open to anyone working in any aspect of filmmaking - from screenwriters to producers - and at any stage in their career, from students to established professionals.

A series of industry panel discussions, pitching opportunities and hands-on workshops, Industry Focus is designed for creators, producers and grassroots filmmakers to meet future collaborators, learn about the craft and business of filmmaking and progress their projects.

Highlights across the programme include:

•      Arthouse producing powerhouse Christine Vachon - who has been behind over 100 films including modern classics Boys Don't Cry, Still Alice, and Carol - discussing her career and the art of producing

•      Independent Producers Scotland (IPS) hosts panel discussion with UK funding executives, including BBC Head of Film Joe Oppenheimer, Film4 Head of Production Tracey Josephs, Senior Production and Development Executive for the BFI's Film Fund Lizzie Francke and Director, Screen at Creative Scotland Natalie Usher on the future of the Scottish film industry in IPS Filmmaking in Scotland: Devolution or Revolution?

•      Veteran Scottish film and TV producer Chris Young discussing the launch of the Young Films Foundation. Inspired by the Sundance Institute Feature Film Programme, the foundation will be a UK-wide screenwriting programme bringing aspiring new writers to Skye for an intensive week where writers will have the freedom to develop their own work while receiving personal, honest and critical guidance from established industry mentors.

•      Round Table sessions offering filmmakers the chance to have informal chats about their projects with leading funders, distributors and sales agents, with representatives from Creative Scotland, SFTN, Irish Film Board, Swedish Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Lionsgate UK, Bankside Films, Protagonist Pictures, Boudica and Embankment due to attend.

•      Finance Forum sessions discussing financing, international co-production and distribution, including focuses on financing opportunities for women in association with Women in Film and Television (WFTV) and international co-production with Scandinavia.

•      A series of events for new and grassroots filmmakers including Foot In The Door, a one stop shop for getting a first break in Scottish filmmaking; Filmmaker Speed Dating, which will match writers looking for directors and filmmakers looking for producers and Producer Session panels and Q&As to help new filmmakers get to grips with how the industry works

•      Exclusive industry screenings of some of the hottest films at GFF. Throughout the four days there will be lunches, drinks and informal social sessions giving attendees plenty of time to network and make new contacts.

Ben Taylor, Festival and Industry Coordinator, said: “Scotland is rich in filmmaking talent so we're excited to have a dynamic programme that will help to further develop that talent through talks, workshops and presentations, presents Scottish filmmakers and projects in live pitching events to funders and distributors and facilitates filmmakers coming together and connecting.

We're excited to be working with such a wide range of amazing partners to host a programme that is international in its outlook and proactive in helping filmmakers.”

Rachel Fiddes, Glasgow Film Festival Manager said: "Glasgow is the centre for production in Scotland, and we are so pleased that we have been able to expand our industry programme in 2017 to reflect the demand for this from our local creatives and technicians, and from those from further afield too."

Passes for the Industry Focus strand cost £50 (with discounts available) and cover access to all talks and events, press and industry screenings and social events, plus ticket discounts to other Glasgow Film Festival screenings. Tickets are on sale now from: glasgowfilm.org/festival.

The Glasgow Film Festival Industry Focus is funded by Creative Scotland with programme partners Directors UK, Euroscript, BellRock Screenwriters Lab, Young Films, WFTV, University of Glasgow, Creative Europe and our media partner Screen International.

Forty years ago, the Berlinale launched the festival programme for the young cineastes. From the beginning the concept was embraced and celebrated by its target audiences and consequently expanded through the establishment of a further competition programme catering to adolescents. Since 2007, the Generation section has united the Kplus and 14plus competitions together under one roof and provided an opportunity not only for young people to participate in the greater conversation on cinema and culture that the festival represents.

In 2017, a grand total of 62 short and feature-length films hailing from 41 countries of production will take part in the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions. Both programmes feature a wide range of thematic concerns and aesthetic approaches. Animated productions rich in contrast, quiet observations, iconoclastic collages and sensitive dramas signalise the programme. Drawn from life, the films demonstrate the experiential horizons of young people – their desires and dreams, those things they wish to leave behind, those things that bind them and of their sense of longing to explore other realms.

“Our world is not in great shape. Often this means children and adolescents are left on their own and have to search for solutions and ways out of their predicaments. Generation shows young people on the move, crossing boundaries and tearing down walls, erecting barricades and overcoming them. Everything is in motion,” comments section head Maryanne Redpath in regard to this year’s programme.

Documentary Forms

The programme is enriched by a great variety of approaches to documentary filmmaking. Diverse methods of presentation are utilised by film-makers in the observation of their subjects. Ever vigilant but never intrusive, they reflect upon the wider themes of our times by capturing intimate portraits.  They provide privileged insight into closed-off spaces and direct our attention to the all too easily overlooked. They are always on the move, in search of images of the world and opportunities to render the invisible visible for all to see.

Short Films at Generation

In the short film competitions, Generation is presenting productions from a total of 28 countries. The three Kplus short film programmes are colourful, sensitive and serious; the young protagonists face the challenges life has set before them with great bravery, staking out new spaces for themselves with growing self-confidence. With strong contrasts and brisk pacing, explosive and soothing moments and no lack of twists and turns, the two 14plus short film programmes also pay tribute to the contradictory nature of our world.

Kplus Opening Film

The Generation Kplus competition will open at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt with a screening of Red Dog: True Blue by Kriv Stenders. Generation looks forward to starting the section’s 40^th anniversary edition with a bang in the presence of the Australian director and his cast.

Generation14plus

In addition to the previously announced selections, including the opening film for 14plus, Michael Winterbottom’s On the Road, the following productions have also been invited to screen at Generation14plus.

Ben Niao (The Foolish Bird)

The People’s Republic of China

By Huang Ji, Ryuji Otsuka

World premiere

For the sake of her mother, who lives far away, withdrawn Lynn searches for a way to be accepted into the local police academy. At the same time, the 16-year-old gets caught up in a criminal mess involving stolen cell phones. Huang Ji and Ryuji Otsuka (The Warmth of Orange Peel, Generation 2010) employ precise imagery to tell a story of isolation and lack of perspective in a small Chinese city marked by corruption, sexual violence and the all-permeating presence of new media.

Freak Show

USA

By Trudie Styler

World premiere

Somewhere between David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Freddy Mercury and Oscar Wilde, Billy has carved out his own spot in the sparkling firmament of pop culture. Though the denizens of his conservative surroundings find all this markedly less fabulous, Billy has no intention of deviating from his plan to campaign for the role of Homecoming Queen at his school. What at first seems a high school caper transforms into a bombastic yet nuanced drama, one which earns the attribution that Billy himself has also claimed as his own: trans-visionary. Aside from Alex Lawther’s brilliant performance, Bette Midler, Laverne Cox, Larry Pine and Ian Nelson also shine in this one-of-a-kind film.

Loving Lorna

Sweden

By Annika Karlsson, Jessica Karlsson

International premiere

In Ballymun, a poor suburb of Dublin, horses have been an integral part of everyday life for generations. 17-year-old Lorna’s family is no exception. Lorna would like to become a farrier after she finishes school, if only she weren’t plagued by a bad back. In this poetic study, the two Swedish directors paint a portrait of a young woman in search of happiness, fulfilled dreams and her own proper place in the world.

Não devore meu coração! (Don't Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl!)

Brazil / Netherlands / France

By Felipe Bragança

European premiere

The Rio Apa, the river marking the border between Paraguay and Brazil, serves as the central setting for this visually stunning, modern and powerful Romeo and Juliet story of the relationship between 13-year-old Joca and the mysterious Guaraní girl, Basano. Bragança tells his tale of an adolescent “amour fou” against the backdrop of contemporary conflicts concerning land theft and cultural identity. His fiction feature debut makes a strong impression on the big screen also through the successful use of both young Brazilian stars and local non actors.

Poi E: The Story of OurSong

New Zealand

By Tearepa Kahi

European premiere

The incredible story of a Maori pop song that took New Zealand’s charts by storm quite unexpectedly in 1984. Back in those days it was a near miracle for a piece of traditionally inspired music to become so popular. That is, until singer Dalvanius Prime, an imposing Maori with a powerfully smooth voice, and the singers of the Patea Maori Club came along. Prime had long been into soul – but now he combined the Maori-language song with modern beats and rap on stage. The media would have preferred to pretend he didn’t exist. Happily, both the song and video managed to become cult hits and helped many Maoris – especially young folks – to gain a new sense of self along the way.

The Inland Road

New Zealand

By Jackie van Beek

World premiere

On a road running through the New Zealand countryside, a fatal accident brings 16-year-old Tia together with expectant dad Will. Along with Will’s pregnant wife Donna and four-year-old Lily, a finely spun and electrifying drama about wounds both visible and invisible unfolds. This beautifully shot, atmospherically dense work is New Zealand native Jackie van Beek’s feature film debut as a director. Berlinale audiences have been able to enjoy her comedic and acting talents previously (What We Do in the Shadows, Generation 2014) as well as her work as a short film director (Go the Dogs, Generation 2011).

Shkola nomer 3 (School Number 3)

Ukraine / Germany

By Yelizaveta Smith, Georg Genoux

World premiere

Thirteen adolescents from a rebuilt school in South Ukrainian Donbass relate their hopes and fears. In rigorously composed shots, the documentary film shows the protagonists in their everyday environment, while they tell of experiences that move them, of nascent new loves and personal loss alike. The war is often only immediately perceptible on the periphery, yet it makes its presence felt as an unavoidable frame of reference. The puristic way in which it is shot renders the overall impression made by Yelizaveta Smith and Georg Genoux’s film all the more haunting.

Soldado (Soldier)

Argentina

By Manuel Abramovich

World premiere

Following orders, rehearsing snappy marches and running through more drills than you can shake a drum stick at. A 19-year-old Argentinian man goes off into the army, where he becomes a drummer in a military band. A measured but poignant study of the collision between young individuality and military uniformity, which expands on the contradictions and uncertainties of entering into adulthood within the constraints of a rigid hierarchy. A coming-of-age story set in a “total institution”.

Already announced in the previous press release:

Almost Heaven, United Kingdom, Carol Salter - WP

Butterfly Kisses, United Kingdom, Rafael Kapelinski - WP

Ceux qui font les révolutions à moitié n'ont fait que se creuser un tombeau (Those Who Make Revolution Halfway Only Dig Their Own Graves), Canada, Mathieu Denis, Simon Lavoie - EP

Emo the Musical, Australia, Neil Triffett - IP

Mulher do pai (Nalu on the Border), Brazil / Uruguay, Cristiane Oliveira - IP

My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, USA, Dash Shaw - EP

On The Road, United Kingdom, Michael Winterbottom, screening out of competition – IP – opening film for 14plus

Krolewicz Olch (The Erlprince), Poland, Kuba Czekaj - EP

Weirdos, Canada, Bruce McDonald – EP

Generation Kplus

Amelie rennt (Mountain Miracle – An Unexpected Friendship)

Germany / Italy

By Tobias Wiemann

World premiere

Headstrong Amelie is the queen of cursing – at her parents, her patronising doctors and her damn asthma above all else. During a forced stay in a special clinic in South Tirol she suddenly decides to run away. During the arduous trek up the mountain she not only gains an unsolicited travelling companion, she is also confronted by risky trials of courage and the overwhelming tingle of first love. An emotional roller-coaster ride.

Becoming Who I Was

Republic of Korea

By Moon Chang-Yong, Jeon Jin

International premiere

Angdu is not your average boy, he is Rinpoche. In a past life he was actually a venerable Buddhist master. Together with his carer, he sets out one day on foot from India to distant Tibet, the centre of his faith. Questions about friendship and life in general accompany the duo on their trek through the awe-inspiring landscape of the remote alpine region. With its narrative approach steeped in a serene sense of concentration, this film, composed over a period of eight years, is a fundamental experience in its own right.

Estiu 1993 (Summer 1993)

Spain

By Carla Simón

World premiere

Summer in Catalonia, 1993. For six-year-old Frida, the death of her mother means the beginning of a whole new life. In the loving care of her uncle and his family far away from her home in Barcelona, she first has to get used to her new life in the countryside. Moments of childish mischievousness turn into thoughtful detachment. Despite the summery atmosphere, serious undertones underlie this precocious coming-of-age drama. The inevitable consequences of AIDS, in those days still incalculable, have induced in gentle images Carla Simón’s (Berlinale Talents alumna) stunning debut feature film.

Oskars Amerika (Oskar’s America)

Norway / Sweden

By Torfinn Iversen

World premiere

Torfinn Iversen’s feature debut is based on motifs and characters first explored in his short film Levi’s Horse (Generation, 2012). Now this moving portrait of an unusual friendship can be enjoyed at length on the big screen. Oskar’s deepest wish is to be able to ride on the prairie with his mother over summer break. But alas, everything turns out differently than expected and the 10-year-old is forced to spend his vacation on his grumpy grandfather’s farm. Oskar’s only friend is the outsider Levi, who talks with his pony. Together they hatch a plan to get away from their grim reality: they’ll row across the Atlantic to America in Grandfather’s boat!

Piata loď (Little Harbour)

Slovak Republic / Czech Republic / Hungary

By Iveta Grófová

World premiere

Crushed by her mother’s lack of affection for her, ten-year-old Jarka stumbles upon two abandoned infants. Together with her neighbour 8-year-old Kristian, she lovingly cares for the tiny twins in what becomes a welcome escape from her own dysfunctional family situation. The Slovakian director’s film is an adaptation of a novel by Monika Kompaníková, in which children assume the roles of adults. The story, sensitively told from the children’s perspective, employs dynamic imagery to trace the universal desire for family and a sense of emotional security and belonging.

Uilenbal (Owls & Mice)

The Netherlands

By Simone van Dusseldorp

International premiere

Meral is new in town and the first friend she makes is her little grey housemate: the mouse Peepeep. On a school trip both are confronted by the wonder and challenges of life. Meral is forced to watch as her beloved new buddy is swept up by an owl. In spite of this frightening development, through rocking musical numbers, owl pellets and the wonders of life in the woods Meral learns to understand the meaning of true friendship. Dutch director Simone von Dusseldorp will excite the audiences with this Generation highlight.

Upp i det blå (Up in the Sky)

Sweden

By Petter Lennstrand

International premiere

Pottan’s stressed-out parents actually wanted to drop her off at summer camp, but somehow the 8-year-old ends up at a scrapyard inhabited by extremely odd residents instead. Together the gang is hard at work building a homemade spaceship so that they can blast off for the stars. In his feature film debut, complete with a healthy dose of humour and a great appetite for adventure, television producer and puppeteer Petter Lennstrand tells a tale of unexpected friendships and what they can enable us to accomplish.

Wallay

France / Burkina Faso / Qatar

By Berni Goldblat

World premiere

When his father sends him off to Burkina Faso to visit relatives, 15-year-old Ady is excited at the prospect of being able to enjoy a laid-back vacation in his native land. Alas, on arrival the young man is met with a chilly reception and it soon becomes clear to him that his trip is not going to be the pleasant break from life back home that he expected. Swiss director Berni Goldblat approaches his feature film debut with the sharp eye of a documentary filmmaker in this depiction of everyday life in his adopted West African home of Burkina Faso.

Already announced in the previous press release:

As duas Irenes (Two Irenes), Brazil, Fabio Meira - WP

Die Häschenschule - Jagd nach dem Goldenen Ei (Rabbit School - Guardians of the Golden Egg), Germany, Ute von Münchow-Pohl - WP

Primero enero (January), Argentina, Darío Mascambroni - EP

Red Dog: True Blue, Australia, Kriv Stenders - EP

Richard the Stork, Germany / Belgium / Luxembourg / Norway, Toby Genkel, Reza Memari - WP

Tesoros, Mexico, María Novaro - WP

Shi Tou (Stonehead), People’s Republic of China, Zhao Xiang - WP

Short FilmsGeneration 14plus

After the Smoke, Australia, Nick Waterman - WP

In a Nutshell, Switzerland, Fabio Friedli - WP

La prima sueca (Swedish Cousin), Argentina, Inés María Barrionuevo, Agustina San Martín - WP

Libélula (Firefly), Mexico, José Pablo Escamilla Gonzáles Aragón - IP

Milk, Lithuania, Daria Vlasova - WP

Morning Cowboy, Spain, Fernando Pomares - WP

Sheva Dakot (Seven Minutes), Israel, Assaf Machnes - IP

Sirens, Monaco, Emmanuel Trousse, screening out of competition - WP

Smashed, Australia, Sean Lahiff - WP

SNIP, Canada, Terril Calder - EP

The Jungle Knows You Better Than You Do, Columbia / Belgium, Juanita Onzaga – WP

U Plavetnilo (Into the Blue), Croatia / Slovenia / Sweden, Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic - WP

White Riot: London, United Kingdom, Rubika Shah - EP

Wolfe, Australia, Claire Randall - WP

Short Films Generation Kplus

1Minuutje natuur (1Minute of Nature), Netherlands, Stefanie Visjager, Katinka Baehr - IP

Aaba (Grandfather), India, Amar Kaushik - WP

Der kleine Vogel und die Raupe (The Little Bird and the Caterpillar), Switzerland, Lena von Döhren - WP

Dziedošais Hugo un viņa neticamie piedzīvojumi (Singing Hugo and His Incredible Adventures), Latvia, Reinis Kalnaellis - WP

Em busca da terra sem males (In Search of the Land Without Evil), Brazil, Anna Azevedo - WP

Engiteng‘ Narok Lukunya (Black Head Cow), USA, Elizabeth Nichols - EP  

Hedgehog´s Home, Canada / Czech Republic, Eva Cvijanovic - WP

Jazzoo, Sweden, Adam Marko-Nord - IP

Li.le, Georgia, Natia Nikolashvili - WP

Min Homosyster (My Gay Sister), Sweden / Norway, Lia Hietala - IP

Odd er et egg (Odd is an Egg), Norway / Portugal, Kristin Ulseth - IP

Promise, USA, Xie Tian - IP

Sabaku, Netherlands, Marlies van der Wel - IP

Terrain de jeux (Playground), France, Maxence Lemonnier - WP

The Catch, Canada, Holly Brace-Lavoie - WP

The Dress on Her, Taiwan, Wen Chih Yi- WP

Vulkánsziget (Volcanoisland), Hungary, Anna Katalin Lovrity - WP

Xalé Bu Rérr (Lost Child), Senegal, Abdou Khadir Ndiaye - WP

“Passion Food” is the motto of the eleventh Culinary Cinema, which will be held from February 12 to 17, 2017. This year eleven recent full-length films focusing on the relationship between food, culture and politics will be presented.

“Undoubtedly, passion – and its mastery – is a driving force behind the work of cooks and filmmakers, and simultaneously one of its themes,” Festival Director Dieter Kosslick says in explaining the motto.

At 7.30 pm the main programme of Culinary Cinema will present four world and one international premieres. Following these screenings, star chefs Eneko Atxa, Alexander Koppe, Tim Raue, Sebastian Frank and Christian Lohse will take turns serving a menu inspired by the films in the Gropius Mirror Restaurant.

The Spanish documentary Soul by José Antonio Blanco and Ángel Parra will open the programme. The film’s protagonist Eneko Atxa runs a restaurant complex near Bilbao in the Basque region. His exploration of the soul of cooking has him travelling to famous colleagues in Catalonia and Japan. Eneko Atxa (three Michelin stars, “Azurmendi”, Larrabetzu, province of Bizkaia) will create the meal on this first evening.

Barkeepers also have to master passions, as otherwise they might lose control of the situation. In the documentary Schumanns Bargespräche (Schumann’s Bar Talks) director Marieke Schroeder accompanies legendary barkeeper Charles Schumann to the world’s best bars. Alexander Koppe (one Michelin star, “Skykitchen”, Berlin) will cook.

In his episode of the Netflix series Chef’s Table (dir: Abigail Fuller), Tim Raue tells how he succeeded in turning the negative energies of his youth into positive ones by cooking. In another episode, David Gelb, who created Chef’s Table, takes us to Korea, to the kitchen of a hermitage where Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan prepares temple food. Tim Raue (two Michelin stars, “Tim Raue”, Berlin) will take up his position at the stove of Culinary Cinema for the seventh time.

In Mark Tchelistcheff’s film André – The Voice of Wine we learn that vines have to suffer to bear quality grapes. This knowledge from viniculture is, in a figurative sense, also true of André Tchelistcheff, an oenologist who emigrated from Russia. In the 1930s, after the end of Prohibition, he helped re-establish winemaking in California. Sebastian Frank (two Michelin stars, “Horváth”, Berlin) will serve the meal for this film.

In Monsieur Mayonnaise, Australian director Trevor Graham accompanies painter and filmmaker Philippe Mora who is researching his family’s eventful past. His father, Georges Mora alias Monsieur Mayonnaise fought in the Résistance. After the war he moved to Australia and founded an artist colony. Christian Lohse (two Michelin stars, “Fischers Fritz”, Berlin) will cook on this evening.

To wrap up the main programme, Culinary Cinema Goes Kiez will present the Canadian production Theater of Life by Peter Svatek at EISZEIT Kino. It shows how highly celebrated chef Massimo Bottura sets up a soup kitchen in Milan that cooks meals made from discarded food.  Markthalle Neun and restaurant “Restlos Glücklich” will be responsible for this evening’s meal.

At the late-night screenings (where no meals are served afterwards), the passion for good food and ecological engagement will remain the leitmotif. Should we eat animals or just pet them? This is the question explored by filmmakers John Papola and Lisa Versaci in At the Fork. And in Christopher LaMarca’s Boone, three young farmers from Oregon have a dilemma: they may milk their goats but are not allowed to sell the milk. In Atlantic, Risteard Ó Domhnaill examines how it was possible that the fish population of the vast North Atlantic was almost wiped out and the ecosystem destroyed. In addition Wendell Berry, who has shaped ecological thinking in the USA for the past 50 years is portrayed by Laura Dunn in Look & See: The Story of Wendell Berry.

The Canadian short film Hand.Line.Cod. by Justin Simms completes this year’s programme.

“In its eleventh year, Culinary Cinema will once more be a melting pot for films and cooks who explore the human body and soul through the topic of food. Is eating a passion, a vital activity, or a profit-oriented commercial sector? This requires clarification,” says Thomas Struck, curator of Culinary Cinema.

A fiery passion also blazes during Culinary Cinema’s“TeaTime”: The cookbook “Studio Olafur Eliasson: The Kitchen” features the communal spirit of cooking and creativity by one of today's most recognized artists („TeaTime“, Feb. 14, 2017). Kamal Mouzawak, Slow Food activist from Lebanon, reflects on problems of migration, and the relationship between a person’s homeland and food. (“TeaTime”, Feb. 15, 2017).

Nobody visiting the Festival should have to forego eating well: in cooperation with Markthalle Neun and Slow Food, delicious Berlinale Street Food will again be on sale at food trucks at the corner of Joseph-von-Eichendorf-Gasse and Alte Potsdamer Straße (Feb 8 - 19, 2017).

Tickets for Culinary Cinema will go on sale starting at 10.00 am on February 6, 2017 at central ticket counters in the Arkaden am Potsdamer Platz, at Kino International, Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Audi City Berlin, and online at www.berlinale.de.

The films in the Culinary Cinema programme 2017:

André – The Voice of Wine - USA

By Mark Tchelistcheff
Documentary

World premiere

 

Atlantic– Ireland / Canada

By Risteard Ó Domhnaill

Documentary

German premiere

 

At The Fork - USA

By John Papola

Documentary

International premiere

 

Boone - USA

By Christopher LaMarca

Documentary
German premiere

 

Chef’s Table - Jeong Kwan - USA

By David Gelb
Documentary-Series

World premiere

 

Chef’s Table - Tim Raue - USA

By Abigail Fuller

Documentary-Series

World premiere

Hand.Line.Cod. - Canada

By Justin Simms

Documentary

Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry - USA

By Laura Dunn

Documentary

European premiere

 

Monsieur Mayonnaise - Australia / Germany

By Trevor Graham

Documentary

International premiere

Schumanns Bargespräche (Schumann’s Bar Talks) - Germany

By Marieke Schroeder

Documentary
World premiere

Soul - Spain

By Ángel Parra / José Antonio Blanco

Documentary
World premiere

Theater of Life - Canada

By Peter Svatek

Documentary

German premiere

Watch the mash up video with excerpts from films from the selection.

Coming next February, the 37th edition of the renowned film festival, considered in the Top 10 of the independent film festivals of the world, is coming, once again, to celebrate the most recent film production.

Every year at Mirror Mountain we put on an epic live show that combines music and film. In 2016 we presented City Fragments, a spectacular live performance by indie rock group Scary Bear Soundtrack with visuals by media artist Timothy I. Smith. Watch it on our Vimeo channel: vimeo.com/195902070

Q&A's with visiting filmmakers are a regular staple of Mirror Mountain screenings!

One of our 2016 award winners giving his acceptance speech!

The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (30 June - 8 July 2017) unveils the visual concept for its 17th edition, which is all about genre cinema. The multidisciplinary NIFFF EXTENDED programme, always in sync with an industry that endeavours to abolish the barriers between the arts, will work as a space for reflection and networking dedicated to what is at stake with the fantastic culture in domains like digital creation, audio-visual storytelling and contemporary literature.

A fantasy-inspired visual for 2017
The Neuchâtel-based white – brand design agency has created the NIFFF poster for the second year in a row. In order to deliver a unifying visual concept that celebrates the global reach of the festival and its unique identity rooted in genre films, white - brand design has drawn its inspiration from fantasy, hence this 3D imaginary world inhabited by supernatural plants and intriguing insects that enhance the photographic background, taken in a Canton of Neuchâtel forest.

More infos.

The excitement of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival happens both on-screen and off, with a robust slate of panels and music performances, many of which are free and live streamed so independent film and music fans can tune in from anywhere.
 
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “The conversations that start at the Festival and spread well beyond the mountain can now do so in realtime. Thanks to our live streams, fans of independent film and the latest in storytelling can connect with creative minds, get stories from behind the screen, and add context to the work we showcase.”
 
The Festival will live stream both panels in its longstanding Power of Story series. Power of Story: The New Climate, announced previously, will convene former Vice President of the United States Al Gore, global entrepreneur and philanthropist Jeff Skoll, scientist and broadcaster Dr. David Suzuki, former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, filmmaker Heather Rae, and moderator Amy Goodman.
 
As part of the Festival’s Art of Film Weekend (January 26-28), which celebrates the art and craft of creative storytelling, Power of Story: Art of Episodic Writing will gather Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood (Shots Fired), Larry Karaszewski (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Marti Noxon (To the Bone), Issa Rae (Insecure), Jill Soloway (Transparent), and moderator Michelle Satter (Founding Director, Sundance Institute Feature Film Program). Also in the Art of Film Weekend, the live-streamed Creative Tensions: Empathy will explore the forces that shape how and why we say we care for others.
 
A Celebration of Music and Film, hosted annually by the Sundance Institute Film Music Program as the centerpiece of its music programming at the Festival, returns this year with a special edition centered around the theme “There is a Crack In Everything / That's How the Light Gets In,” based on lyrics by Leonard Cohen. The evening will feature music and readings that celebrate free speech, diverse voices, and the power of art to unite us and propel us forward. Featuring a wide range of artists, including Common, Jim James,  Andra Day, Jenny Slate, Nick Offerman, Hunter Hayes, Ava DuVernay and Gael Garcia Bernal, the event will be streamed in 360-degree virtual reality from Festival Base Camp presented by Canada Goose to Festival Village presented by Acura.
 
Live music at the Festival includes performances at the Sundance ASCAP Music Café (free and open to all Festival credential holders 21 and older) by Michael Franti, Rooney, Clare Bowen, Josh Kelley and Andy Shauf, and performances at Festival Base Camp presented by Canada Goose by Thundercat, R.LUM.R, Chrome Canyon and live DJ set by Elijah Wood, Samora Pinderhughes, Lalah Hathaway, Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal as well as the first-ever local music showcase, featuring Talia Keys, Joshy Soul & The Cool, Bboy Federation Performers. The annual BMI Snowball Showcase will feature Angela McCluskey, Paul Cantelon , Sean McConnell , The National Parks, Rachel Crow, and The Hearings .
 
Other noteworthy live streamed conversations at the Festival include the Cinema Café daily series of informal chats, which this year will include conversations between Jon Hamm and Sam Elliott, Kumail Nanjiani and John Cho and others; more conversations will appear on sundance.org/program shortly.
 
Three short films from the 2017 Festival are available online: Dear Mr Shakespeare, an exploration of Shakespeare's intentions when writing Othello; Deer Squad: The Movie, one filmmaker’s story of going viral after befriending a group of wild deer in his backyard; and Project X, an undercover journey to the site of a hidden partnership, based on NSA documents. From the Special Events section, the pilot of I Love Dick is available on Amazon.
 
For dates, times, locations and ticket information for these and other offscreen events, including panels and live music hosted by our sponsors, visit sundance.org/festival.
 

Day One Press Conference (streaming live)
Thursday, January 19, noon PT / 1:00 p.m. MT / 3:00 p.m. ET
Sundance Institute President & Founder Robert Redford will participate in a conversation with Institute-supported artists Sydney Freeland (Deidre and Laney Rob a Train) and David Lowery (A Ghost Story), moderated by John Horn of KPCC-FM “The Frame,” followed by a Q&A with press in attendance with Redford, Institute Executive Director Keri Putnam and Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper.
 
Cinema Cafe: Jon Hamm and Sam Elliott (streaming live)
Saturday, January 21, 10:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. MT / 1:30 p.m. ET
 
Post-Truth and Consequences (streaming live)
Saturday, January 21, 1:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. ET
The film community shares a basic tenet of journalism in questioning society and challenging political orthodoxies. But how do we contend with a post-truth society? Lacking a fact-based shared reality, can media speak across the divide? Journalist David Folkenflik (NPR), filmmaker Peter Nicks (The Force), filmmaker Laura Poitras (Project X) and journalist James Risen (New York Times) explore how we re-legitimize truth.
 
A Celebration of Music and Film
Saturday, January 21, 6:00-9:00 p.m. PT / 7:00-10:00 p.m. MT / 9:00 p.m.-midnight ET
Centered on the theme “There is a Crack in Everything / That’s How the Light Gets In” based on lyrics by Leonard Cohen, join us for an evening of music and readings celebrating free speech, diverse voices, and the the power of art to unite us and propel us forward. Musical performances from Common, Andra Day,Hunter Hayes, Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Rotana Tarazbouni with speakers including Gael Garcia Bernal, Ava DuVernay, Jenny Slate, Rory Kennedy, Nick Offerman and more to be announced.
 
Power of Story: The New Climate (streaming live)
Sunday, January 22, 1:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. ET
We are living in a new climate, and not just the one created by global warming. As our political outlook shifts toward deeper denial, and corporate interests work to obscure the story and the science, how can visual storytellers create new narratives that change the conversation, the culture, and possibly the world? Former Vice President Al Gore, global entrepreneur and philanthropist Jeff Skoll, scientist and broadcaster Dr. David Suzuki, former President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, filmmaker Heather Rae, and moderator Amy Goodman discuss how filmmakers can elevate understanding and urgency among policymakers and the public alike.
 
Cinema Cafe: Kumail Nanjiani and John Cho (streaming live)
Monday, January 23, 10:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. MT / 1:30 p.m. ET
 
Women in Science (streaming live)
Tuesday, January 24, 1:00 p.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. MT / 4:00 p.m. ET
Although women have conducted pioneering scientific work for centuries, their stories are too seldom told. Why are there still relatively few female scientists, in the real world and on screen? How are they depicted in film? Join cognitive neuroscientist Heather Berlin (Science Goes to the Movies), systems engineer Tracy Drain (NASA Jet Propulsion Lab), screenwriter Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy), filmmaker Jennifer Phang (Advantageous), and moderator Nell Greenfieldboyce (NPR). Supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
 
Power of Story: Art of Episodic Writing (streaming live) — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Thursday, January 26, 1:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. ET
The episodic storytelling landscape continues to evolve, inspiring groundbreaking work populated by unforgettable characters. No longer limited by traditional production or distribution platforms, independent artists and media outlets are exploring how to reach and sustain audiences in changing times. Join Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood (Shots Fired), Larry Karaszewski (The People v. O.J. Simpson), Marti Noxon (To the Bone), Issa Rae (Insecure), Jill Soloway (I Love Dick), and moderator Michelle Satter (Sundance Institute) in conversation about creating and navigating the future of episodic storytelling.
 
Look Over Here: Crafting VR Narratives— ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Thursday, January 26, 3:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. ET
Lynette Wallworth (Collisions) and Saschka Unseld (Dear Angelica) are at the forefront of an emerging medium. Wallworth frequently explores environmental and social justice themes in her work, and Unseld is creating a collection of VR films with emotions at their core. In this fireside chat, the filmmakers will compare notes on writing and directing for a 360-degree screen.
 
Creative Tensions: Empathy (streaming live) — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Friday, January 27, 2017, 9:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. MT / noon ET
This is not your typical panel. Join us for Creative Tensions: Empathy to explore the forces that shape how and why we say we care for others. In a conversation expressed through movement, participants reveal their stance on issues by where they stand in the room. Can art make people more tolerant? Is it possible to empathize with those who don’t share our core values? Where do you "stand" on the purpose of art? Presented by the Sundance Institute Theatre Program, in partnership with IDEO.
 
Producers Confidential — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Friday, January 27, 1:00 p.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. MT / 4:00 p.m. ET
Producers are often seen as a film’s construction foreman—asked to find financing and to stay on budget and on time. But rarely are they recognized as artists. Join producers Alix Madigan-Yorkin (L.A. Times) and Joslyn Barnes (Strong Island) in an intimate conversation with moderator Anne Lai (Sundance Institute) to hear about their toughest failures, their proudest moments, and what continues to inspire each of them as a creative force.
 
Vision Builders: The Art of Production Design — ART OF FILM WEEKEND
Saturday, January 28, 1:00 p.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. MT / 4:00 p.m. ET
Production designers' work extends far beyond building sets. They shape storyworlds, creating intricate environments that unfold narratives, develop characters, and articulate themes. But how do you build an entire world (on a budget)—and incorporate emotion, psychology, and other intangibles? Production designers David Gropman (Fences), Jeannine Oppewall (L.A. Confidential) and Inbal Weinberg (Blue Valentine) explore how concepts become reality.

 
 
The Sundance Film Festival®
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Boyhood, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Twenty Feet from Stardom, Life Itself, The Cove, The End of the Tour, Blackfish, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Super Size Me, Dope, Little Miss Sunshine, sex, lies, and videotape, Reservoir Dogs, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious and Napoleon Dynamite. The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute®. 2017 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, SundanceTV, Chase Sapphire^®, and Canada Goose; Leadership Sponsors – Adobe, AT&T, DIRECTV, Omnicom, Stella Artois^® and YouTube; Sustaining Sponsors – American Airlines, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Creators League Studio, Daydream, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, GEICO, The Hollywood Reporter, IMDb, Jaunt, Kickstarter, Oculus and the University of Utah Health. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute's year-round programs for independent artists. Look for the Official Sponsor seal at their venues at the Festival. sundance.org/festival

Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
 

 Featuring a four-day program of independent short films in all styles and genres, Nevada’s largest film festival is preparing to welcome filmmakers and industry talent for its 13th season in Boulder City.

“We’re presenting a very diverse array of international films at the festival this year,” said Lee Lanier, executive director and co-founder of the Dam Short Film Festival. Approximately 100 filmmakers are expected to attend the event, which offers 113 short films organized into 22 thematic programs during its run February 8th-11th, 2017. The films are created by students, hobbyists, independent filmmakers, and industry professionals.

In addition to a lineup of short films from across the globe, the festival hosts numerous parties and events. “The festival continues to attract a strong and growing group of sponsors that have really enhanced the event with special screenings, a silent auction, an outrageous VIP party at Forge Social House, and more,” said Lanier. This year, the festival is backed by organizations such as the Nevada Arts Council, Nevada Public Radio, Volunteers of America, Sempra Energy, Final Draft, as well as many local sponsors and individual contributors.

Two special screenings are scheduled for Tuesday, February 7th. "Dealer" is an anthology feature film co-directed by 6 Las Vegas filmmakers. The Music Video Showcase presented by Bad Moon Booking will follow "Dealer" and offers a group of unique music videos, many featuring local talent.

The Dam Short Film Festival will take place at the Boulder City’s original movie house, the historic Boulder Theatre, which was the first building in the state to have air conditioning. Built in 1931, the building was purchased in 1999 and subsequently restored by actor/musician Desi Arnaz Jr. Tickets for an individual programs are available online or at the door for $9, and a four-day pass good for all screenings and events is $100. Visit http://www.damshortfilm.org for festival and ticketing information.

The Festival is currently accepting media credential requests from traditional media outlets and online personalities with a qualified following. Members of the press should utilize the contact information listed in this release, or visit our Press Information page at http://www.damshortfilm.org/2017-press-information. Additionally, sponsorship opportunities are still available. Interested sponsors may contact Tsvetelina Stefanova at 702-279-4921 or tsvet(at)damshortfilm(dot)org.

37th EDITION OF THE OPORTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL STARTS THE 24 FEBRUARY TILL 4TH MARCH.

Coming next February, the 37th edition of the renowned film festival, considered in the Top 10 of the independent film festivals of the world, is coming, once again, to celebrate the most recent film production.

With two main competitions, Director’s Week (for all kinds of films) and Fantasy (for fantasy genre shorts and features) , the festival has received offers from 60 countries, of which only 35 were integrated in the final selection. Known as a place to discover new talent, Fantasporto has several world openings and a main theme in 2017, “The Cinema of Our Times”.

In fact, all major problems of today’s world are reflected in the film production in competition, whether of the imagination/fantasy section or on real life issues in the Directors Week.  Portuguese Cinema also integrates the final line-up, including films from professionals and film schools.

The 2017 Tribute goes to director Ate de Jong whose cult film Drop Dead Fred celebrates 25 years after its release. It will also be an occasion to honor the presence of recently deceased actress Carrie Fisher (Star Wars) who plays, with Rik Mayall, an important role in the film. De Jong will also present in person his newest film Love is Thicker than Water.

 The festival will screen many current issues such as war themed features like Bloodlands (Albania) or Land of Light about the refugee Syrian children, the problem of adultery in a Muslim country in Sins of the Flesh (Egypt), the difficulties of the integration of migrants in The Citizen (Hungary)  or the sustainability of our planet  and foreign menaces in lots of sci-fi recent production such as in Realive (Spain) , Division 19 (UK/USA) , Caught (UK) or The Darkest Dawn (UK). Burocrats are fiercely portrayed in Punch the Clock (Brazil) and the effects of the world’s economic crisis are clear in Lines by Greek director Vassilis Mazomenos.  The Evil Within (USA), by Andrew Getty will have its world opening, after its director has was found dead in 2015.  The Net, by celebrated awarded director Kim Ki-Duk, brings a new light on the Korean north and south problem. Robots, space travelling, spirits, zombies and aliens in all sorts of imaginative narratives are guaranteed fun and joy for fantasy fans with Neil Stryker and the Tyrant of Time, The Attack of the Leatherhosen Zombies, OMG I’m A Robot, The Rift, Rewind, Seoul Station or Tuos. A Ilha dos Cães, A Floresta das Almas Perdidas and  Comboio de Sal e Açucar are the representatives of Portugal in the competitions.

A retrospective of Tawain action/martial arts films of the 60´s and 70´s and a retro of recent Argentinean fantasy features, as well as a presentation of fantasy novellas coming from Brazilian TV Globo, complete the program.

The Opening film is The Age of Shadows, by Jee-woon Kim, Korean candidate to the Oscars and former Fantasporto winner in 2011 with A Tale of Two Sisters. The Closing ceremony features the Henry James based , Brazilian film Though the Shadow by Walter Lima Jr.

http://www.tripper.pt/film/top-independent-film-festivals-not-miss-lifetime#.VngXqDb6S7Y

All the info. Daily updates. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B13tmTtxfkXXOVR0ckRybG5VWEE?usp=sharing

BERGAMO FILM MEETING International Film Festival
35th edition | March 11-19, 2017
 

The 35th edition of Bergamo Film Meeting - which will take place from March 11 to 19, 2017 - is starting to take shape: the already announced retrospective devoted to award-winning Czech director Miloš Forman will be complemented by a focus on the new talents in contemporary cinema. Supported by the EU through the MEDIA sub-program of Creative Europe, the Festival offers a privileged overlook on the filmmakers of our continent, not only through the Competition - Exibition and the documentary film section, but also with "Europe, Now!", which will feature the complete filmography of three up and coming directors - Thanos Anastopoulos (Greece), Dominique Cabrera (France) and Dagur Kári (Iceland) – and, last but not least, through the usual focus on animation cinema, this year devoted to Estonian filmmaker Chintis Lundgren.

The 35th edition of Bergamo Film Meeting will officially open Friday, March 10 at the Teatro Donizetti: the program of the evening includes a screening - at 9:00 PM - of the 180' full version of Amadeus - Director's Cut, preceded at 8:00 PM by the opening of the exhibition "Milos Forman, la ribellione e lo sfarzo. Costumi da Oscar di Theodor Pištěk" (Milos Forman, rebellion and pageantry. Oscar-winning costumes by Theodor Pištěk) that will bring to Bergamo the priceless original costumes created for Amadeus and Valmont by Academy Award-winning designer Theodor Pištěk.

BFM35 OPENING

Bergamo, Friday, March 10 | Teatro Donizetti | 8:00 PM - Exhibition opening
Miloš Forman, rebellion and pageantry. Oscar-winning costumes by Theodor Pištěk
A journey through Miloš Forman's cinema seen through the original film costumes from Amadeus (1985) and Valmont (1990), created by Czech designer Theodor Pištěk, Academy Award winner for the first film and nominated for an Oscar for the latter. Kept by the Tirelli archive in Rome, the costumes will be on display for the first time in Italy. Original sketches by Pištěk will enrich the exhibition, along with set stills and posters of Forman's films from the Terry Posters archive in Prague. 
The exhibition will be open from March 10 to 19, 2017.

9:00 PM | Amadeus-Director's Cut 
Screening of the film Amadeus in its full 180' version of 2002, with remastered soundtrack and three previously unreleased scenes that were not included in the 1985 theatrical release. 

See it first at the Fest: 15 Feature Premieres!

Program Highlights:

Centerpiece Screening: Born in China, USA/China, Special Preview Screening
the latest True Life Adventure from Disneynature

Fest Flashback: Panda! Go Panda!, Japan
A favorite from our 20-year archive, from the legendary team that formed Studio Ghibli

Closing Spotlight: Ancien and the Magic Tablet, Japan, North American Premiere
a fender and genre-bending anime fantasty

Ivan Tsarevitch & the Changing Princess, France, North American Premiere
Michel Ocelot's new cut-out masterpiece

Window Horses, Canada, New York Premiere
visually stunning and poetic

Swallows and Amazons, UK, North American Premiere
based on the beloved novels of Arthur Ransome

Six diverse short film programs for all ages and one program of Birthday shorts

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 25. View the complete lineup and schedule at nyicff.org/tickets

The 2017 incarnation of the world's most popular film noir festival, Noir City, is returning to the legendary Egyptian theater February 16 through 22, with 20 exceptional films ranging from the mid-twentieth century to today and culled from all parts of the globe. "The Big Knockover" is a veritable history of the heist film, from black-and-white Hollywood classics such as Criss Cross (1949) and The Asphalt Jungle (1950), to stunning contemporary thrillers like The Aura (2005) and Victoria (2015). Noir City's lineup explores, in films both suspenseful and comedic, the desperate lengths to which people will go to beat the system and hit the big time. 

Films in the Festival come from the United States, England, Japan, France, Argentina, and Germany and span eight decades of filmmaking. Festival producer, programmer and all around Czar of Noir Eddie Muller clarifies that despite the change of pace, "This doesn't mean we've run out of films from the original noir movement. That remains our primary focus, and it is films of that period the Film Noir Foundation is dedicated to rescuing and restoring. But this particular theme—heist films—is much richer when the parameters are expanded to include films from different countries and eras. By making that leap, a more intriguing experience emerges for those loyal patrons who join us for the full ride." Eddie will be maestro for the week-long Festival to delight patrons with intrigue and sordid anecdotes from Hollywood.

“We are excited for this year's Noir City to return after a fantastic run at the Egyptian last summer,” says SIFF Interim Artistic Director, Beth Barrett, "Audiences in Seattle can't get enough of dark and thrilling cinema and there’s no better or more atmospheric movie palace to host Noir City in than the Egyptian."

Opening Night the Egyptian will be transformed into a haven for gangsters, molls, vixens, and villains, with Noir-themed wine and a shadowy cityscape photo booth to capture patrons at their fiendish best. The Opening Night film sets the stage for the Festival with the gold standard of heist noir, The Asphalt Jungle (1950), presented in 35mm. John Huston's classic proves that while there's no perfect crime there is a perfect ensemble cast, including Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen, Louis Calhern, and Marilyn Monroe in her screen debut. 

Join us on this journey around the globe showcasing how the "heist" was the perfect compliment to Noir with style, sexiness, and cynicism that crossed all international borders. 

Passes for NOIR CITY 2017 are on sale at http://www.siff.net/cinema/film-festivals/noir-city-2017. Full schedule and individual tickets are available now.

Thursday, February 16 - Wednesday,  February 22
SIFF Cinema Egyptian
Festival Passes: $150 | $100 Members
Single film admission: $15 | $10 Members | $14 Seniors and Youth
SIFF Cinema Vouchers accepted at the rate of two for each single admission.

 NOIR CITY 2017 LINEUP
 
Thursday, February 16
The Asphalt Jungle
A major heist goes off as planned, until bad luck and double crosses cause everything to unravel. (d: John Huston c: Sterling Hayden, Louis Calhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, Sam Jaffe, Marilyn Monroe, USA 1950, 112 min)
 
Criss Cross
An armored truck driver and his lovely ex-wife conspire with a gang to have his own truck robbed on the route. (d: Robert Siodmak c: Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo, Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, USA 1949, 89 min)
 
Friday, February 17
Kansas City Confidential 
An ex-con trying to go straight is framed for a million dollar armored car robbery and must go to Mexico in order to unmask the real culprits. (d: Phil Karlson c: John Payne, Coleen Gray, Preston Foster, Neville Brand, Lee Van Cleef, Jack Elam, Dona Drake, USA 1952, 99 min)
 
Violent Saturday
Three men case a small town very carefully, with plans to rob the bank on the upcoming Saturday, which turns violent and deadly. (d: Richard Fleischer c: Victor Mature, Richard Egan, Lee Marvin, Stephen McNally, Sylvia Sidney, USA 1955, 90 min)
  
Saturday, February 18
The Ladykillers
Five diverse oddball-criminal-types planning a bank robbery, rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians. (d: Alexander Mackendrick c: Katie Johnson, Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, USA 1955, 91 min)

The League of Gentlemen
A disgruntled veteran recruits a group of disgraced colleagues to perform a bank robbery with military precision. (d: Basil Dearden c: John Hawkins, Nigel Patrick, Roger Livesey, Bryan Forbes, Richard Attenborough, USA 1960, 116 min)

The Killing
A gang of greedy petty criminals plan a race track robbery. The plan gets foiled and disaster ensues. (d: Stanley Kubrick c: Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Elisha Cook, USA 1956, 85 min)

Cruel Gun Story
A convict fresh out of prison, with a handicapped sister, is coerced by a wealthy mob boss into organizing an armored racetrack car heist. (d: Takumi Furukawa c: Jô Shishido , Chieko Matsubara, Tamio Kawaji, Yûji Odaka, Minako Kazuki, Japan 1964, 87 min)

Sunday, February 19
The Brink’s Job
Crime story based on the real armed robbery of the Brink's Building in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17th, 1950. (d: William  Friedkin c: Peter Falk, Peter Boyle, Allen Garfield, Warren Oates, Gena Rowlands, Paul Sorvino, USA 1978, 104 min)

The Sicilian Clan
A young, ambitious mobster plans an elaborate diamond heist while seducing the daughter of a ruthless mob patriarch as a determined police commissioner closes in on all of them. (d: Henri Verneuil c: Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Lino Ventura, Irina Demick, Sydney Chaplin, France/USA 1969, 122 min)

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
In New York, armed men hijack a subway car and demand a ransom for the passengers. Even if it's paid, how could they get away? (d: Joseph Sargent c: Waltar Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, USA 1974, 104 min)

Charley Varrick
A man, his wife, and their friend, stage a bloody bank robbery, unaware they are stealing money from the Mob. (d: Don Siegel c: Walter Matthau, Andrew Robinson, Joe Don Baker, John Vernon, Felicia Farr, USA 1973, 111 min)

Monday, February 20
Rififi
Transplanted American director Dassin executes the most suspenseful robbery sequence of all time in this legendary crime classic. Jean Servais leads the gang. (d: Jules Dassin c: Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel, Janine Darcey, Pierre Grasset, France 1955, 122 min)

Classe Tous Risques
As the police close in, a wanted Frenchman assesses his relationship with his estranged family and his former friends. (d: Claude Sautet c: Lino Ventura, Sandra Milo, Jean-Paul Belmondo, France 1960, 110 min)

Blue Collar
Three workers, Zeke, Jerry, and Smokey, are working at a car plant and drinking their beers together. One night when they steal away from their wives to have some fun they get the idea to rob the local union's bureau safe. (d: Paul Schrader c: Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, Ed Begley Jr., Harry Bellaver, USA 1978, 114 min)

Straight Time
After being released on parole, a burglar attempts to go by society's rules. He soon finds himself back in jail at the hands of a power-hungry parole officer. When he is released again, he assaults the parole officer, steals his car, and returns to a life of crime. (d: Ulu Grosbard c: Dustin Hoffman, Harry Dean Stanton, Gary Busey, Theresa Russell, M. Emmet Walsh, Kathy Bates, USA 1978, 114 min)

Tuesday, February 21
TBA
Film pending 
 
The Aura
A deluded taxidermist plans the perfect crime. (d: Fabián Bielinsky c: Ricardo Darin, Dolores Fonzi, Alejandro Awada, Pablo Cedron, Argentina/Spain/France 2005, 134 min)

Wednesday, February 22
Cash on Demand
A charming but ruthless criminal holds the family of a bank manager hostage as part of a cold-blooded plan to steal 97,000 pounds. (d: Quentin  Lawrence c: Peter Cushing, André Morell, Richard Vernon, Norman Bird, United Kingdom 1961, 84 min)
 
Victoria
A young Spanish woman who has newly moved to Berlin finds her flirtation with a local guy turn potentially deadly as their night out with his friends reveals a dangerous secret. (d: Sebastian Schipper c: Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski, Burak Yigit, Max Mauff, Andre M. Hennicke, Germany 2015, 140 min)