Independent Filmmaker Project Minnesota (IFP Minnesota) presents the 15th annual Midwest Filmmaker Conference in partnership with Minneapolis Community & Technical College (MCTC) Saturday and Sunday, May 2-4, 2014. Conference sessions take place at MCTC and IFP Minnesota and are tied-in to the Next Look screening series at the Walker Art Center.

IFP Minnesota's Midwest Filmmaker Conference has developed over the years in scope and impact in response to Minnesota's vibrant independent film and media community. From students to seasoned pros, Minnesota media makers gather annually with one another and national experts for inspiration, learning and practical connections to financing and distribution.

IFP Minnesota Executive Director Andrew Peterson says, "We are thrilled to partner with Minneapolis Community & Technical College on our 15th Midwest Filmmaker Conference. As befitting an anniversary year, this year's Conference is a landmark celebration of independent film, introducing new financing and distribution strategies, providing special access to industry innovators, and featuring Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper's first-ever visit to Minnesota. The Conference and related screening series at the Walker Art Center are an amazing opportunity for the film and media community to come together, be inspired, and make important connections that can have a profound effect on all our work moving forward."

The Midwest Filmmaker Conference kicks off Saturday, May 3 at MCTC with keynote presenter James Belfer, Founder and Executive Producer of Dogfish Pictures, CEO and Managing Director of Dogfish Accelerator, and Producer of the indie features Compliance (Magnolia Pictures, Sundance NEXT 2012), Amy Heckerling's Vamps (Anchor Bay), Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage, 2011 Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner), Salvation Boulevard (IFC, Sundance 2011), The Romantics (Paramount Famous, Sundance 2010), and Prince Avalanche (Sundance 2013, Berlinale 2013), starring Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch and directed by David Gordon Green. Belfer discusses how Dogfish's first-ever accelerator program for film producers helps them build their production companies in a way that promotes financial viability and creative freedom.

The remainder of the day includes a panoply of industry professionals addressing topics ranging from screenwriting to distribution. Justin Simien, Writer/Director and Effie T. Brown, Producer of Dear White People present a case study of the production. (Note: Dear White People screens Friday, May 2 in the Next Look series at the Walker Art Center). The conference also includes: a conversation between Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper and producer Mary Jane Skalski (Mysterious Skin, directed by Greg Araki and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt; The Visitor; Pariah; and Win Win, starring Paul Giamatti); and a screenwriting panel with local writers Michael Starrbury (The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete), Nicole Brending (Whip Smart, being developed with Catherine Hardwicke), and Ken Rance (New in Town), moderated by Ben Robbins, Creative Director of the Nantucket Screenwriters Colony.

Saturday Conference activities conclude with a reception for guest presenters, open to the media and Conference attendees (location to be announced).

The Conference continues on Sunday, May 4 at IFP Minnesota with a perennial filmmaker favorite--individual consultations with Conference presenters.

The Midwest Filmmaker Conference cost is $75/IFP MN members; $100/non-members; $65/students and seniors. Pre-registration is required. Saturday lunch is included. 

More IFP MN Midwest Filmmaker Conference details will be announced and registration will be open soon.

- Following an announcement earlier this week of their official Opening/Closing night films, Cine Las Americas announced today the list of titles selected for participation in the Hecho en Tejas program at the 17th Cine Las Americas International Film

Festival, which runs April 22-27, 2014.

For this year, the Hecho en Tejas program showcases 14 films representing work by filmmakers

from around the state, including Austin, Arlington, Corinth, Edinburg, El Paso, Houston, San

Antonio, and San Marcos. While some of these films are indeed made by upcoming talent,

bringing diverse content and maturing, local voices that can reach universal audiences, the

selection also includes the works of veteran filmmakers. As a whole, these films add to Cine Las

America's level of diversity and artistic excellence, and compliment the festival's international

lineup, which includes more than 140 films from over 30 different countries.

"This year has been amazing for Texas films and filmmakers, and with 5 features and 9 shorts,

our Hecho en Tejas program is bigger than ever! I think that audiences will be surprised by the

level of diversity within this Hecho en Tejas lineup. Both in terms of places in Texas being

represented, and Texas filmmakers traveling outside of the state to tell stories of local, national

and international interest," Jean Lauer, Programming Director, Cine Las Americas.

Other sections of the festival also feature Texas-ties, including films in the Emergencia Youth

Film Competition, the Cine Joven: Mundos Diferentes telenovela from Austin School of Film,

and a retrospective of early Chicano films directed by San Antonio native, Efraín Gutiérrez. More

details to come about these programs.

About the 'Hecho en Tejas' program

Cine Las Americas presents "Hecho en Tejas," a series of films shot and/or produced in Texas,

to showcase the wide variety of work being produced in the state by filmmakers with varied

backgrounds. This year's Hecho en Tejas film presentations will take place during the festival on

Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 at the Marchesa Hall and Theater, Austin Film Society's

new home for classic, independent and art house film programming. For a fifth consecutive

year, Cine Las Americas is pleased to count on a partnership with the Texas Archive of the

Moving Image (TAMI), to present a jury award to the best "Hecho en Tejas" film.

About the films

Features

Chateles del campo (Country Kids)

Dir. Jason Outenreath

Nicaragua/USA, Documentary, 2013

CHATELES DEL CAMPO is a playful and deeply personal documentary about growing up in rural

Nicaragua. Connecting educators, parents, and kids, the film explores crucial issues facing the

country through the lighthearted tone of its youthful protagonists. Following the students and

teachers of two rural elementary schools over the course of an academic year, school is

revealed not just as a place of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also a place to learn the

responsibilities of adulthood that loom large over many children's daily lives. CHATELES DEL

CAMPO explores the space where the forces of education, environment, and childhood collide,

and celebrates the fact that no matter the country, culture, or language, kids will be kids.

LaDonna Harris: Indian 101

Dir. Julianna Brannum

USA/ New Zealand, Biographical Documentary, 2013

The film is the first documentary about Native activist and national civil rights leader, LaDonna

Harris. After moving from Walters, OK to Washington DC with her US Senator husband, Harris

began an extensive and public life of Indian political and social activism. One of her first

assignments was to educate the executive branch of the US government on the unique role of

American Indian Tribes and their relationship with the federal government. This course was called

"Indian 101" and was taught for over 35 years. The film explores her achievements, the personal

struggles that led her to become a voice for Native peoples, and her contemporary work to

reshape Indian Country in America and abroad.

Las Marthas

Dir. Cristina Ibarra

USA/ Mexico, Documentary/History, 2013

The annual debutante ball in Laredo, Texas is unlike any other. Part of the largest celebration of

George Washington's birthday in the world, a select group of mostly Mexican-American girls is

chosen each year to dress in elaborate gowns representing iconic figures from America's

colonial history. Their goal: to recreate a party hosted by Martha Washington, but this time set

along the US/Mexico border. A year in the making, each girl's dress can weigh 100 lbs and cost

up to $30,000 -- nearly the median family income of Laredo. Las Marthas follows two of the

girls -- Laurita Garza Hovel and Rosario Reyes -- as they prepare for this extraordinary rite of

passage. The theatrical release of this film, which we are pleased to present, features footage

and delves more into complexities not included in the broadcast version.

Micha

Dir. Eugene Martin

USA, Drama/Coming of Age, 2013

The death eight years ago of Micha's Lebanese father left he and his Mexican mother destitute.

When his mother dies suddenly, it leaves Micha no choice but to leave Mexico and seek work

and a future in the United States. Micha attempts to navigate the northern route of migrant

and service workers to build a life for himself in Texas. After staying on the streets in Brownsville

and Dallas, Micha lands in the small town of Denton, Texas where he meets a homeless young

woman, Penny, who helps him learn how to survive and find community.

Waiting for Sandoval

Dir. David B. Carren

USA, Thriller/Fantasy, 2014

Daniel Ortiz lost the only thing that mattered to him when his fiancé was murdered in the

jungles of Central America ten years ago. When he attends a stage play about that painful era,

Daniel is suddenly pulled into the production itself, and finds himself trapped in a Central

American prison the woman he loves. Will he save her? Will they get a second chance? Or will

they die together in a place with no name or hope?

Shorts

Almost Crimes

Dir. Diego Vega

Peru/USA, Drama, 2013

Ex-Votos

Dir. Ivete Lucas

Mexico/USA, Drama, 2013

Gift of Gab

Dir. Diego Rico

USA, Comedy, 2013

Hinojosa

Dir. Juan Pablo González

USA/Mexico, Biographical Documentary, 2013

La cuesta: Worlding a Sidewalk

Dir. Alvaro Torres, Daniel Perera

Costa Rica/Guatemala/USA, Experimental Documentary, 2013

Life of Giorgio

Dir. Sergio Carvajal-Leoni

USA/Italy, Comedy, 2013

La dama y el caballo (The Horse Bride)

Dir. Simon Quiroz

USA, Drama/Fantasy, 2012

The Good Kind

Dir. Ofelia Yanez

USA, Drama/Coming of Age, 2013

The Book of Joe

Dir. Mario Pena

USA, Action/Sci-Fi, 2013

In a few days Stuttgart will be the global capital of animated film again. From April 22 to 27, 2014 the best animated films from all over the world can be seen at the 21st edition of the Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film (ITFS)– one of the biggest and most important international festivals for animated film. In more than 200 individual events,out of 2,300 entries, over 1,000 animated films represent the entire spectrum of the genre.

Click here for further information: programme schedule, programme highlights, industry highlights

There are numerous innovations in the competitions as well as in the supporting programme. Thus, the German Voice Actor Award is presented for the first time in the special event "Animation & Comedy" in Renitenztheater. "We are very happy that the nominees Anna Thalbach, Ilja Richter and Josefine Preuß will each perform their own program point on stage, including, for example, a live synchronization," stated Prof. Ulrich Wegenast, managing director programme of the ITFS. Posthumously the exceptional humorist Loriot will also be a guest: in a world premiere one of the most important German animator, Hayo Freitag (Werner 1 and 4, Captain Bluebeard etc.), presents the Loriot Animatic "The Egg", in which the master of humor was still creatively involved.

"Let's Play!" is the slogan of the Game Zone at the ITFS 2014 - the Schlossplatz in Stuttgart becomes a playground! Games stations offer visitors of all ages the opportunity to try out various games of the mainstream and indie sector and to compete in competitions against each other. "The ITFS expands its play area on the Schlossplatz – due to the the Game Zone the Planie-Allee is integrated into the festival events for the first time" says Dittmar Lumpp, managing director organisation and finances of the ITFS. Other venues, such as the youth center Jugendhaus Mitte and the city library, offer presentations and lectures by games experts and representatives of large and small game companies as well as workshops and the competition "Game Storm's Battle of the Bands".

As an important industry event, the presentation of the German Screenplay Award will be expanded. Under the motto "Stories and Series in the Castle" it will be awarded together with the prize Tricks for Kids - Series for the first time in the White Hall of the Neues Schloss in Stuttgart. In addition, the L-Bank could be won as location for industry platform Animation Production Day.

The successful collaboration with the Mercedes-Benz Museum (Animated Com Award, Easter holiday programmeof the children's film festival section Tricks for Kids) and U. I. Lapp GmbH (Animated Com Award and India Music & Animation) continues.

The newly established TELE 5 Special price “Leider geil!” will award one short film at the ITFS that breaks out of the usual categories, one that surprises and convinces. The prize is endowed with 5,000 Euros. The winner will be chosen from the categories: International Competition, Young Animation, Cartoons for Teens for Teens and Animated Com Award. (Nominated Films)

In the feature film competition AniMovie the ITFS shows numerous German premieres, including "The magic House" by Ben Stassen, "Lisa Limone and Maroc Orange a rapid Love Story" by Mait Laas,"Giovanni’s Island" by Mizuho Nishikubo or "Cheatin'" by Bill Plympton.

High-profile animation experts and artists could be won for the juries, including Fadi Abdelnour (Head of the Arab Film Festival Berlin), Mariola Brillowska (enfant terrible of the animated film), the experimental British animator Paul Bush, the two Israelis Tsvika Oren and Uri Kranot (Oscar nominated) the Danish animation icon Jannik Hastrup, the film producer Peter Rommel ("Wetlands", "Summer in Berlin"), Max Howard (as a former president of Warner Bros. feature Animation and vice president of Walt Disney Animation crucially involved in films like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit "and "The Lion King") and many more.

The role of competition curators has been significantly expanded. Iris Loos has been involved for several years in the Section Tricks for Kids. A new addition to the Animated Com Award is the animator and illustrator Kathi Kaeppel, and GameZone curator is Sabiha Ghellal, assistant professor for Experience and Interaction Design in the degree course “mobile media” at the Stuttgart Media University.

In the focus of this year's festival programme are host country Israel (in cooperation with the Israeli Consulate General in Munich), animation in World War I (with contemporary animated film rarities as well as resent cinematic confrontations), Abstract Animation (with the curator Vibeke Sørensen), Music & Animation ("Music for your Eyes" with Luca Ciarla and video artist Keziat as well as "Hattler vs. Hattler" with the legendary bassist Hellmut Hattler and his son, the media artist Max Hattler, in the music hall of Ludwigsburg). At the free open-air on the Schlossplatz highlights such as "Waltz with Bashir", this year's Oscar winner "Frozen","Wolf Children", "Monsters University" and "Epic" can be seen.

"With the program of the ITFS 2014 we managed to portray the wonderful theme of animated film in all its facets. With its 21st edition, the Festival of Animated Film has now grown up," the two managers Lumpp and Wegenast agree.
 

Hervé Chigioni and his graphic designer Gilles Frappier have based the poster design for the 67th Festival de Cannes on a photogram taken from Federico Fellini’s 8½, which was presented in the Official Selection in 1963.

In Marcello Mastroianni and Federico Fellini, we celebrate a cinema that is free and open to the world, acknowledging once again the artistic importance of Italian and European cinema through one of its most stellar figures.

“The way he looks at us above his black glasses draws us right in to a promise of global cinematographic happiness,” explains the poster’s designer. “The happiness of experiencing the Festival de Cannes together.”

In his films, Marcello Mastroianni continued to encapsulate everything that was most innovative, nonconformist and poetic about cinema. On seeing the poster for the first time, Chiara Mastroianni, the actor’s daughter, said simply: “I am very proud and touched that Cannes has chosen to pay tribute to my father with this poster. I find it very beautiful and modern, with a sweet irony and a classy sense of detachment. It’s really him through and through!”

The Festival de Cannes thanks Gaumont, which owns the rights to the film.  

The 2014 Festival poster is signed Lagency / Taste, Paris.

The graphic charter of the 2014 Festival was designed by Bronx, Paris.

***

That's the address we are meeting you ... you will know who we are... what's our mission... & what's our current activity...

join hands with us by submitting your short to AIM MISFC 2014....

meet our Jury as well.....

Spread a word in your friend circle & film circles. share on the social sites & apps... you can even make a fresh film & send or send the one you already have... 
they can even make a fresh film & send or send the one they already have... 

 

...well you will have to wait a little bit. The conference begins at 11.00 Paris time on the Champs Elysées...The UGC Normandie is getting ready to host 700 media.

Marcello Marcello...We love you!

Cannes reveals the list of Films in Official Selection.

Check the video capture of the press conference for the 67th Festival de Cannes, during which the 2014 Official Selection was announced, took place on Thursday, 17th April in Paris. Check the Line-up

 

 

    Attachment Size

Official Selection 2014-3.pdf	556.27 KB

Watch this crazy video and learn how FB is deliberately diluting your fb likes with fake people to reduce your organic reach, even if you pay to 'boost' your likes/fan page. Crazy!

http://www.booooooom.com/2014/02/25/end-facebook/

Watch this crazy video and learn how FB is deliberately diluting your fb likes with fake people to reduce your organic reach, even if you pay to 'boost' your likes/fan page. Crazy!

http://www.booooooom.com/2014/02/25/end-facebook/

The Cellar Door Film Festival is pleased to announce the winner of the Promo Reel Challenge! First place goes to Janet Heatherington for her entry 'No Wine, Just Spirits'. The CDFF congratulates Janet on her creative and entertaining entry. We are excited to use this promo reel to help spotlight Ottawa as a setting for the sinister and the supernatural.

View the promo reel here:

About Cellar Door Film Festival

Cellar Door Film Festival (CDFF) aims to be Ottawa’s first showcase of speculative cinema while celebrating the creativity of the Ottawa film scene and spotlighting the city as a setting for the sinister and supernatural.

CDFF invites filmmakers to submit speculative films of both short and feature length, which include, but are not limited to, films made within the genres of: horror, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, avant-garde, experimental, the supernatural, alternative history, mystery, grindhouse cinema, and everything else in between.

www.cdff.ca | facebook.com/CellarDoorFF | @CellarDoorFF

Independent Filmmaker Project Minnesota (IFP Minnesota) presents the 15th annual Midwest Filmmaker Conference in partnership with Minneapolis Community & Technical College (MCTC) Saturday and Sunday, May 2-4, 2014. Conference sessions take place at MCTC and IFP Minnesota and are tied-in to the Next Look screening series at the Walker Art Center.

IFP Minnesota's Midwest Filmmaker Conference has developed over the years in scope and impact in response to Minnesota's vibrant independent film and media community. From students to seasoned pros, Minnesota media makers gather annually with one another and national experts for inspiration, learning and practical connections to financing and distribution.

IFP Minnesota Executive Director Andrew Peterson says, "We are thrilled to partner with Minneapolis Community & Technical College on our 15th Midwest Filmmaker Conference. As befitting an anniversary year, this year's Conference is a landmark celebration of independent film, introducing new financing and distribution strategies, providing special access to industry innovators, and featuring Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper's first-ever visit to Minnesota. The Conference and related screening series at the Walker Art Center are an amazing opportunity for the film and media community to come together, be inspired, and make important connections that can have a profound effect on all our work moving forward."

The Midwest Filmmaker Conference kicks off Saturday, May 3 at MCTC with keynote presenter James Belfer, Founder and Executive Producer of Dogfish Pictures, CEO and Managing Director of Dogfish Accelerator, and Producer of the indie features Compliance (Magnolia Pictures, Sundance NEXT 2012), Amy Heckerling's Vamps (Anchor Bay), Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage, 2011 Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner), Salvation Boulevard (IFC, Sundance 2011), The Romantics (Paramount Famous, Sundance 2010), and Prince Avalanche (Sundance 2013, Berlinale 2013), starring Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch and directed by David Gordon Green. Belfer discusses how Dogfish's first-ever accelerator program for film producers helps them build their production companies in a way that promotes financial viability and creative freedom.

The remainder of the day includes a panoply of industry professionals addressing topics ranging from screenwriting to distribution. Justin Simien, Writer/Director and Effie T. Brown, Producer of Dear White People present a case study of the production. (Note: Dear White People screens Friday, May 2 in the Next Look series at the Walker Art Center). The conference also includes: a conversation between Sundance Film Festival Director John Cooper and producer Mary Jane Skalski (Mysterious Skin, directed by Greg Araki and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt; The Visitor; Pariah; and Win Win, starring Paul Giamatti); and a screenwriting panel with local writers Michael Starrbury (The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete), Nicole Brending (Whip Smart, being developed with Catherine Hardwicke), and Ken Rance (New in Town), moderated by Ben Robbins, Creative Director of the Nantucket Screenwriters Colony.

Saturday Conference activities conclude with a reception for guest presenters, open to the media and Conference attendees (location to be announced).

The Conference continues on Sunday, May 4 at IFP Minnesota with a perennial filmmaker favorite--individual consultations with Conference presenters.

The Midwest Filmmaker Conference cost is $75/IFP MN members; $100/non-members; $65/students and seniors. Pre-registration is required. Saturday lunch is included. 

More IFP MN Midwest Filmmaker Conference details will be announced and registration will be open soon.

- Following an announcement earlier this week of their official Opening/Closing night films, Cine Las Americas announced today the list of titles selected for participation in the Hecho en Tejas program at the 17th Cine Las Americas International Film

Festival, which runs April 22-27, 2014.

For this year, the Hecho en Tejas program showcases 14 films representing work by filmmakers

from around the state, including Austin, Arlington, Corinth, Edinburg, El Paso, Houston, San

Antonio, and San Marcos. While some of these films are indeed made by upcoming talent,

bringing diverse content and maturing, local voices that can reach universal audiences, the

selection also includes the works of veteran filmmakers. As a whole, these films add to Cine Las

America's level of diversity and artistic excellence, and compliment the festival's international

lineup, which includes more than 140 films from over 30 different countries.

"This year has been amazing for Texas films and filmmakers, and with 5 features and 9 shorts,

our Hecho en Tejas program is bigger than ever! I think that audiences will be surprised by the

level of diversity within this Hecho en Tejas lineup. Both in terms of places in Texas being

represented, and Texas filmmakers traveling outside of the state to tell stories of local, national

and international interest," Jean Lauer, Programming Director, Cine Las Americas.

Other sections of the festival also feature Texas-ties, including films in the Emergencia Youth

Film Competition, the Cine Joven: Mundos Diferentes telenovela from Austin School of Film,

and a retrospective of early Chicano films directed by San Antonio native, Efraín Gutiérrez. More

details to come about these programs.

About the 'Hecho en Tejas' program

Cine Las Americas presents "Hecho en Tejas," a series of films shot and/or produced in Texas,

to showcase the wide variety of work being produced in the state by filmmakers with varied

backgrounds. This year's Hecho en Tejas film presentations will take place during the festival on

Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 at the Marchesa Hall and Theater, Austin Film Society's

new home for classic, independent and art house film programming. For a fifth consecutive

year, Cine Las Americas is pleased to count on a partnership with the Texas Archive of the

Moving Image (TAMI), to present a jury award to the best "Hecho en Tejas" film.

About the films

Features

Chateles del campo (Country Kids)

Dir. Jason Outenreath

Nicaragua/USA, Documentary, 2013

CHATELES DEL CAMPO is a playful and deeply personal documentary about growing up in rural

Nicaragua. Connecting educators, parents, and kids, the film explores crucial issues facing the

country through the lighthearted tone of its youthful protagonists. Following the students and

teachers of two rural elementary schools over the course of an academic year, school is

revealed not just as a place of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also a place to learn the

responsibilities of adulthood that loom large over many children's daily lives. CHATELES DEL

CAMPO explores the space where the forces of education, environment, and childhood collide,

and celebrates the fact that no matter the country, culture, or language, kids will be kids.

LaDonna Harris: Indian 101

Dir. Julianna Brannum

USA/ New Zealand, Biographical Documentary, 2013

The film is the first documentary about Native activist and national civil rights leader, LaDonna

Harris. After moving from Walters, OK to Washington DC with her US Senator husband, Harris

began an extensive and public life of Indian political and social activism. One of her first

assignments was to educate the executive branch of the US government on the unique role of

American Indian Tribes and their relationship with the federal government. This course was called

"Indian 101" and was taught for over 35 years. The film explores her achievements, the personal

struggles that led her to become a voice for Native peoples, and her contemporary work to

reshape Indian Country in America and abroad.

Las Marthas

Dir. Cristina Ibarra

USA/ Mexico, Documentary/History, 2013

The annual debutante ball in Laredo, Texas is unlike any other. Part of the largest celebration of

George Washington's birthday in the world, a select group of mostly Mexican-American girls is

chosen each year to dress in elaborate gowns representing iconic figures from America's

colonial history. Their goal: to recreate a party hosted by Martha Washington, but this time set

along the US/Mexico border. A year in the making, each girl's dress can weigh 100 lbs and cost

up to $30,000 -- nearly the median family income of Laredo. Las Marthas follows two of the

girls -- Laurita Garza Hovel and Rosario Reyes -- as they prepare for this extraordinary rite of

passage. The theatrical release of this film, which we are pleased to present, features footage

and delves more into complexities not included in the broadcast version.

Micha

Dir. Eugene Martin

USA, Drama/Coming of Age, 2013

The death eight years ago of Micha's Lebanese father left he and his Mexican mother destitute.

When his mother dies suddenly, it leaves Micha no choice but to leave Mexico and seek work

and a future in the United States. Micha attempts to navigate the northern route of migrant

and service workers to build a life for himself in Texas. After staying on the streets in Brownsville

and Dallas, Micha lands in the small town of Denton, Texas where he meets a homeless young

woman, Penny, who helps him learn how to survive and find community.

Waiting for Sandoval

Dir. David B. Carren

USA, Thriller/Fantasy, 2014

Daniel Ortiz lost the only thing that mattered to him when his fiancé was murdered in the

jungles of Central America ten years ago. When he attends a stage play about that painful era,

Daniel is suddenly pulled into the production itself, and finds himself trapped in a Central

American prison the woman he loves. Will he save her? Will they get a second chance? Or will

they die together in a place with no name or hope?

Shorts

Almost Crimes

Dir. Diego Vega

Peru/USA, Drama, 2013

Ex-Votos

Dir. Ivete Lucas

Mexico/USA, Drama, 2013

Gift of Gab

Dir. Diego Rico

USA, Comedy, 2013

Hinojosa

Dir. Juan Pablo González

USA/Mexico, Biographical Documentary, 2013

La cuesta: Worlding a Sidewalk

Dir. Alvaro Torres, Daniel Perera

Costa Rica/Guatemala/USA, Experimental Documentary, 2013

Life of Giorgio

Dir. Sergio Carvajal-Leoni

USA/Italy, Comedy, 2013

La dama y el caballo (The Horse Bride)

Dir. Simon Quiroz

USA, Drama/Fantasy, 2012

The Good Kind

Dir. Ofelia Yanez

USA, Drama/Coming of Age, 2013

The Book of Joe

Dir. Mario Pena

USA, Action/Sci-Fi, 2013

Now in its 43nd year, the renowned New Directors/New Films festival, presented jointly by The Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, introduces New York audiences to the work of emerging or not-yet-established filmmakers from around the world.  With a focus on diversity, original narratives, and outstanding direction, the programmers from MOMA and the Film Society selected features by innovative film makers from recent film festivals but also from individual submissions. 27 features and 13 shorts from 29 countries were selected. The widespread thematic range of the features and documentaries frequently crossing  genres covered thrillers,  comedies, race relations, political conflicts, social and sexual divisions  as well as productions breaking the dividing lines of traditional  and documentary film making  such as,  ‘A Spell to Ward off Darkness’, ‘20,000 Days on Earth’, and  ‘We Come as Friends’.

Among my favorites films were, TRAP STREET, Vivian Qu (China, 2013): A surveyor’s assistant falls in love with a young women not realizing that she is employed by a secret government lab. His life is turned upside down when authorities suspect him of treason and he enters a Kafkaesque paranoid universe. Presumed guilty by the interrogators he does not know what the charges are. Qu presents a courageous perspective on an innocent being trapped and victimized by security services in contemporary China. Yet in her subdued narrative she avoids melodramatic accounts and follows the passage and reaction of the assistant surveyor. A SPELL TO WARD OFF THE DARKNESS, Ben Rivers & Ben Russel, (Estonia / France, 2013): A three part marvelously filmed voyage through a remote communal setting in Estonia recording young parents and their children at play, the protagonist   Robert Lowe a musician spending time in the Finnish wilderness, to a sojourn in a Norwegian music hall with a black metal rock band. The three contexts of the film, the commune, isolation in nature, and the musical performance seem juxtaposed yet flow into each other and present the search of an individual for elements sustaining his identity. YOUTH, Tom Shoval, (Israel & Germany, 2013): An intriguing story of twin brothers trying to save their family’s home by kidnapping a girl from an affluent background for ransom and hiding her in an abandoned bomb shelter of their apartment building. They run into unexpected obstacles, the girls is from an orthodox background and on the Sabbath no one answers the kidnappers’ phone calls with ransom demands, her parents do not miss her since she always spends weekends with friends, funds from her credit card can only be drawn in a very small amount, and there is great pressure since the older brother has to return to his army post on Monday.  We have an excellent psychological portrait of the brothers, their strained relation and the realistic depiction of a family under duress. A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT, Ana Lily Amirpour (USA, 2014): This Iranian vampire movie with an original spell binding concept driving it is set in the bizarre and surreal underbelly of a fictional bad city inhabited by low level outsiders, petty criminals, drug addicts, and prostitutes. The female part time vampire is engaged in robbing her victims but also getting romantically involved with a young man trying to leave the area. A ditch filed with dead bodies shown several times mirrors the down beat mood of the story. Superbly photographed in contrasting black and white well composed shots, the film conveys nocturnal gloomy scenarios with its appealing few characters. WE COME AS FRIENDS, Hubert Sauper (France/Austria, 2014): A powerful witty yet depressing documentary style exploration of the new colonialism in Africa as shown through American missionaries, corporate interests and corrupt governments. Religious self-involved Texan preachers and their ignorant families try to save the natives with Jesus, seemingly naive UN workers stand by, and exploitative Chinese corporate managers complete the scene.  The ‘natives’ receive clothing and are instructed with solar powered bibles while their indigenous mores are destroyed. Land is taken by unscrupulous investors from Asia and the West with the cooperation of local corrupt government officials. As noted by Sauper the South Sudan president recently requested the return of $4 billion stolen by his officials. The outsiders are grabbing the future of Africa and as the local saying goes “the moon belongs to the white man”.  We Come As Friends is an impressive and convincing presentation of the problematic path carved today by outsiders for many Africans, certainly up to par  with Sauper’s acclaimed 2004 documentary  Darwin’s Nightmare. 20,000 DAYS ON EARTH, Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard (UK, 2014): Playing subject and object in this experimental docu-fiction production the musician and actor Nick Cave narrates an imaginary day of his life offering a unique biopic on his artistic creativity and self-obsession. It consists in part of apparent deceptions, following the trajectory of his memory which may or may not be correct. The incorporation of documentary elements and personal episodes such as a therapy session has a compelling attraction, though the audience for the film may be mostly his fans. STORY OF MY DEATH, Albert Serra (Spain/France, 2013): Focusing on the legendary figures of Casanova and Dracula Serra offers over two and a half hours an unconventional interpretation. In the first part of the film an erudite, rational and philosophizing Casanova engages in carnal pleasures maintaining an upbeat presence while in the second part of the film the prince of darkness, Dracula a somber,   quiet, emotion less yet grotesque romantic figure seduces and turns the three women of the rustic farm where Casanova is staying. A wolf pack kills Casanova’s servant at the end. Casanova is dying and Dracula well and alive. Serra makes full use of his cinematographic skills providing cryptic allegorical and surreal imagery in superbly staged 18th century candle-lit settings.

The 2014 edition of New Directors / New Films certainly delivers on its promise, the introduction of innovative ground breaking films to a discerning public.

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Claus Mueller, filmexchange@gmail.com

Best Film: The Ferry, directed by: Shi Wei [China]
Best Director: Jacek Bromski, for: One Way Ticket to the Moon [Poland]
Best Actor: Ercan Kesal, for Yozgat Blues [Turkey]
Best Actress: Simona Stasova, for: The Self Lover [Czech Republic]
Best Documentary: Healing a Solder’s Heart, directed by: Stephen Olsson [USA]
Best Screenplay: Abdelilah Hamdouchi, for: Behind Closed Doors [Morocco]
Best Cinematography: Dave Mossop & Eric Crosland, for: Into the Mind [Canada]
Humanitarian Award: Welcome Yankee, directed by: Benoit Desjardins [Canada]
Best Short: Haleema, directed by: Boris Schaarschmidt [Sudan]
Best Musical: The White Horse Inn, directed by: Christian Theede [Germany]
Best Music Video: Moving Out, directed by: Sean McCarthy [USA]
Best Animation: Monkey Rag, directed by: Joanna Davidovich [USA]
Best Comedy: Jake Squared, directed by: Howard Goldberg [USA]
Federico Fellini Award: Ali Jaberansari, for: Falling Leaves [Iran]
Orson Welles Award: Sophie Le Neveu, for: America [USA]
Best Experimental Film: This is Shanghai, directed by: Robert Whitworth [China]
Best Student Film: Joo Hyun Lee, for: Sweet Corn [South Korea]
Best Children’s Film: Little Brother, directed by: Serik Aprymov [Kazakhstan]
Best Short Children’s Film: Practice Makes Perfect, directed by: Devon Avery [UK]

www.TiburonFilmFestival.com

The 17th Over The Fence Comedy Film Festival’s Call-for-entries  Now Open

OTF aims to celebrate new and independent filmmakers, their comic masterpieces and their excellent sense of humour. We are committed to encouraging and stimulating comedy film production worldwide, and to producing a festival which celebrates, entertains & inspires through comedy.

We are a grassroots festival dedicated to championing the indie & new filmmakers – who are the starting point of a flourishing filmmaking industry. We aim to create of a vibrant, stimulating, inspiring environment for filmmakers & audiences, and, to bring laughter, thought, &  joy to people.

Our mission is to offer a refreshing challenge to people’s ideas of ‘what comedy is’, to give our audience a whole new experience of the way in which funny stories can be told through a the wide variety of filmmaking styles, genres, and, from all countries across the world!

http://www.overthefence.com.au/?page_id=540

The Stanley Film Festival (SFF), presented by NBC Universal's Chiller and produced by the Denver Film Society, begins today and will run through Sunday, April 27. SFF opens with the Colorado produced, Doc of the Dead with Director Alexandre O. Philippe in attendance. After the film, guests will be treated to a Zombie themed after party with Zombie Burlesque (courtesy of Lannie's Clocktower Caberet) and the Denver County Fair's Corpses and Crowns beauty pageant winners. 

The Stanley Film Festival will close with the film What We Do In The Shadows with Director Taika Waititi (Eagle vs Shark, Boy) in person for a post screening Q&A. A special performance from Denver band, Munly & the Lupercalians will follow the film at the Closing Night Party. 

Tickets for both the Opening and Closing Night Parties are still available online. Individual tickets to festival screenings can also be purchased online or at the Festival Ticketing and Information Center (located at the garden level of the Stanley Hotel). 

# # #

Stanley Film Festival:  Set at the notoriously haunted and historic inspiration for Stephen King's THE SHINING, The Stanley Film Festival showcases the best in classic and contemporary horror cinema at the Stanley Hotel in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado. Operated by the Denver Film Society, the festival is a labor of love dedicated to crafting a more interactive experience for genre filmmakers and fans. Presenting emerging artists and established luminaries within the genre, the four-day event features live shows, installations, industry panels, the "Stanley Dean's Cup" student film competition, and spooky secrets within a frightening, yet elegant atmosphere that can function as a true horror summit for all.

The Stanley Hotel: Famous for its old world charm, The Stanley Hotel boasts spectacular views in every direction and is less than six miles from Rocky Mountain National Park. Multi-million dollar renovations have restored this 155-guestroom hotel to its original grandeur. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and member of Historic Hotels of America; only an hour away from Denver, it is ideal destination for a Colorado getaway.

The Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 and it was just two years later that chief housekeeper Elizabeth Wilson was injured in an explosion while she was lighting acetylene lanterns in room 217. She survived the incident, but guests have reported sensing her presence in the room ever since. Other guests have reported lights flicking on and off, doors opening and closing and laughter and footsteps when no one else is around in other rooms and facilities throughout the hotel. The Stanley Hotel is consistently ranked the #1 haunted hotel in the world.

is an entertainment brand dedicated to delivering round-the-clock scares with its commitment to producing diverse and high-quality horror content.  Chiller's eclectic slate of adrenaline-fueled, soul-stirring entertainment includes a broad offering of original movies and specials, genre films, documentary and reality shows (Fear Factor) and some of the most thought-provoking and suspenseful series ever on television (The River, Dead Like Me, Tales from the Darkside, Outer Limits).  With its recently-created Chiller Films initiative, Chiller also produces feature films for select theaters and On-Demand.  Chiller network is currently available in over 42 million homes.  To learn more, visit: www.chillertv.com. Chiller. Scary Good.

The Denver Film Society: Founded in 1978, the Denver Film Society (DFS) is a membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution that produces film events throughout the year, including the award-winning Starz Denver Film Festival and the popular, summertime series Film on the Rocks. With a vision to cultivate community and transform lives through film, the Film Society provides opportunities for diverse audiences to discover film through creative, thought-provoking experiences.

The permanent home of the Denver Film Society, the Sie FilmCenter, is Denver's only year-round cinematheque, presenting a weekly-changing calendar of first-run exclusives and arthouse revivals both domestic and foreign, narrative and documentary - over 600 per year, all shown in their original language and format. DFS's one-of-a-kind programs annually reach more than 200,000 film lovers and film lovers-in-training. 

Grand Heritage Hotel Group: Founded in 1989 by John Cullen, Grand Heritage Hotel Group is one of the nation's premier owner operators of independent luxury hotels and resorts. Its properties are sought-after destinations that offer consistent luxury, quality and exceptional surroundings. Several Grand Heritage properties enjoy prestigious distinction as designated Historic Hotels of America. The company prides itself on the vision and strategic expertise of its leadership. Highly innovative and experienced professionals collectively boast more than 50 years of hands-on experience in all aspects of the hotel and hospitality business and are recognized for imaginative and entrepreneurial style. Grand Heritage owns and operates hotels in North America; it also operates Grand Heritage Hotels International Brand, which has a number of properties in Europe, The Middle East, India and North Africa.

Odessa International Film Festival launches a crowdfunding campaign to support the National Competition and organization of the festival. Using one of the leading crowdfunding platforms Indiegogo Odessa IFF targets to raise 25 000 USD before the next edition.

Political instability and economic crisis in Ukraine have jeopardized carrying out the 5th Odessa International Film Festival. Due to the lack of state and private funding, the team of the festival is doing everything to maintain the level of the program and organization. They believe that now as never before the mission of Odessa IFF is to support Ukrainian filmmakers and to bring attention of the international filmmaking community to the changes and threats Ukraine is going through and to hold the National Competition this year. It is the first time Odessa IFF has asked for public support to help sustain the festival in such complicated times for Ukraine.

Fund raising drive has been launched at the international crowdfunding website www.indiegogo.com. The campaign will run for 50 days and the necessary amount accounts USD 25 000. The money will be used to cover technical equipment, accommodation, venues and other organizational expenses. Direct link to the campaign:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/5th-odessa-film-festival-help-us-make-it-happen

The international film community has already shown its solidarity with the festivals in Ukraine. Heads of more than 120 film festivals, including those of Cannes, Berlin, Venice and Warsaw have signed a letter of appeal last month.

Odessa International Film Festival was established in 2010 as an audience festival with the concept of bringing the best films from all over the world of so called "art mainstream" to Ukrainian audience and to promote Ukrainian cinema. Founded in a beautiful city in Odessa with great cinematographic history the Festival proved a dynamic development reaching 115 000 admissions in 2013. The concept of the Festival includes International Competition, National Competition, Open air screenings, Film Industry Office, Summer Film School, retrospectives and special events. 

For additional information please contact us or visit our frequently updated website www.oiff.com.ua
 

It's now a 7 day event and will showcase over 100 films in 2015!  Join the hottest new film festival in the greater Los Angeles area!  Located in the heart of the North Hollywood (NoHo) Arts District, this festival is a must-go!  All films are played in a real digital movie theater (not a screening room) and it offers a red carpet event, a party, and a number of symposiums talking about financing, distribution and new media.  Look out for celebrities here!  Last year we had a handful of surprise appearances as well as notable cast members from accepted films that made the event shine bright.  We take submissions by either Film Freeway or Withoutabox.

Do it now while the entry fee is cheap!  for more information and pictures from last year's event, go to our website.  www.nohocinefest.com