Movie Reviews and News

BBC FILMS UNVEILS UPCOMING SLATE AT CANNES

2012-05-20T16:25:00.000+01:00

20^th May 2012, Cannes: After the positive reception in Cannes for Rufus Norris’ acclaimed Broken which opened Critics Week, BBC Films has unveiled their new slate, reaffirming their commitment to nurturing relationships with filmmakers and developing new talent.

BBC Films is thrilled to be welcoming back former collaborators on a number of exciting projects this year. Following An Education and most recently Dustin Hoffman’s Quartet, BBC Films will be working again with Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey of Wildgaze on two projects. Colm Toibin’s best-selling novel, Brooklyn will star Rooney Mara and has been adapted by Academy Award nominated Nick Hornby. Hornby’s novel A Long Way Down, has been adapted by Jack Thorne and will be directed by Pascal Chaumeil (Heartbreaker). It will star Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, and Emile Hirsch.

Having worked previously with Jeremy Thomas on Glastonbury and now Julien Temple’s Kinks’ film You Really Got Me, BBC Films will also be collaborating again with him on Dom Hemingway , the London-set black comedy starring Jude Law and Richard E. Grant to be directed by Richard Sheppard (Matador). Law will play Dom Hemingway, a safecracker with a loose fuse who after 12 years in prison travels with his best friend (played by Grant) to collect what he’s owed for not ratting on crime bosses.

Once again, BBC Films will join forces with Ruby Films on Saving Mr Banks which is set to shoot later this year with Disney and stars Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson. Scripted by Kelly Marcel, the film tells of the longstanding feud between Walt Disney and novelist P.L. Travers to obtain the rights to what was to become one of cinema’s family classics, Mary Poppins.

BBC Films is excited to be working in partnership with Steve Coogan and Armando Iannucci to bring Alan Partridge to the big screen next year with The Alan Partridge Movie (working title) which begins shooting in the Autumn. Produced by Baby Cow, Kevin Loader, Henry Normal and Armando Iannucci, the film is directed by Declan Lowney.

Having worked with Simon Curtis on My Week With Marilyn, BBC Films is delighted to be working with him on a new project, The Golden Lady. Written by acclaimed playwright Alexi Kaye Campbell, and produced by David Thompson (Origin Pictures), it tells the incredible contemporary story of Maria Altmann who,with enterprising young lawyer Randy Schoenberg, fought to reclaim several world famous Klimt paintings, including his most famous golden portrait of Maria’s aunt Adele Bloch-Bauer, that had been stolen from her family by the Nazis.

BBC Films’ relationship with David Heyman and Heyday Films continues with Testament of Youth, Juliette Towhidi’s adaptation of Vera Brittain’s heartbreaking First World War memoir. We are thrilled to announce today that Saoirse Ronan is now attached to play Vera.

Ralph Fiennes follows his directorial debut with BBC Films, BAFTA nominated Coriolanus, with Invisible Woman. Currently shooting and adapted by Abi Morgan, the film stars Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones, Kristin Scott Thomas and Tom Hollander. It is about a woman forgotten by history, a love so hidden it might never have existed: this is the story of Nelly Ternan’s secret love affair with Charles Dickens.

Having previously worked with Andrew Eaton on A Cock and Bull Story, BBC Films has teamed up again on Good Vibrations which is having its world premiere at the opening night of the Belfast Film Festival and is currently screening in the market at Cannes. The inspiring story of Belfast’s radical rebel and music lover Terri Hooley, it is directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, written by Glenn Patterson and Colin Carberry and produced by Eaton and Chris Martin.

Following The Awakening, BBC Films has collaborated with Nick Murphy on the psychological thriller Blood, with a screenplay by Bill Gallagher. Paul Bettany and Stephen Graham star as two brothers in a downwards spiral of guilt, paranoia and destruction with Mark Strong, Brian Cox and Natasha Little co-starring.

Blood has recently wrapped as has Sally Potter’s most recent feature and Mat Whitecross’ Spike Island.

Potter's untitled film, set in London, 1962 as the Cold War meets the sexual revolution, tells the story of two teenage girls whose lifelong friendship is threatened by a clash of desire and the determination to survive. Rising stars Elle Fanning and Alice Englert take the central roles, alongside Christina Hendricks, Timothy Spall, Annette Bening, Alessandro Nivola and Oliver Platt. Artificial Eye will distribute in the UK.

Coming of age drama, Spike Island, is a nostalgic snapshot of Britain in the early 1990s. To be distributed in the UK by Revolver and based on the Stone Roses’ most iconic performance, the film focuses on a group of young estate boys who have formed their own indie rock band and travel to see their favourite band’s 1990 Spike Island gig. Written by Chris Coghill, the film stars young British talent including Elliot Tittensor and Matthew McNulty.

“A winning combination of hot new talent and more experienced high-profile filmmakers and artists makes this year’s slate a genuinely rich, diverse and exciting proposition,” said Christine Langan, Head of BBC Films. “I’d particularly like to thank my small and dedicated team at BBC Films who continue to work with real passion and resourcefulness to provide fresh, original and compelling entertainment for the Great British public.”

BBC Films also has a strong commitment to new filmmakers and supports Film London’s Microwave scheme. Most recently they have worked with Jules Bishop on Borrowed Time and Ben Drew (aka Plan B) on his highly anticipated directorial debut, iLL Manors, which is out in June.

In a year that will see all eyes on London with the Olympic Games this summer, BBC Films is excited to be working on a number of projects in collaboration with the London 2012 Festival.

BBC Films will present four short films in a unique partnership with Film4 and LOCOG for the London 2012 Festival, where each company has commissioned and co-funded two projects. BBC Films has backed acclaimed writer/director Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk about Kevin) on Swimmer, a poetic journey through the waterways and coastline of the British Isles, and directing duo Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini (Streetdance) on What If with Vertigo Films Production a celebration of urban youth culture and London featuring Noel Clarke and the best of UK free running, skateboarding, BMXing and urban art.

They are also working with legendary director, Julien Temple, who will write, direct and produce London - The Modern Babylon a time-travelling journey to the heart of his hometown for BBC Films and BFI,with the support of BBC Archive and BFI National Archive. Reaching back to the dawn of film in London at the start of the 20^th century, the story unfolds in film archive, voices of Londoners past and present and the flow of popular music across the century; a stream of urban consciousness, like the river which flows through its heart.

Following a great year with the releases of the critically acclaimed We Need to Talk about Kevin, Jane Eyre, My Week With Marilyn, Coriolanus, Project Nim and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, BBC Films is delighted to see the release of Ol Parker’s teen romance Now is Good, James Marsh’s heart wrenching thriller Shadow Dancer, Dustin Hoffman’s hilarious directorial debut Quartet and Mike Newell’s sumptuous Dickens’ classic Great Expectations in the next twelve months.

Movie Reviews and News

Cate Blanchett and Mia Wasikowska confirmed for John Crowley’s Carol- Release

2012-05-18T12:30:00.000+01:00

18^th May 2012, Cannes: Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen at Number 9 Films are delighted to confirm that Cate Blanchett and Mia Wasikowska will star in the new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel ‘Carol’ (aka ‘The Price of Salt’).

Directed by BAFTA winning John Crowley (Intermission, ‘Boy A’), the acclaimed Phyllis Nagy (Mrs Harris) has written the adaptation based on renowned suspense author Patricia Highsmith’s novella (‘Strangers on a Train’, ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’). The film will be produced by Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley from Number 9 Films, and co-developed and co-financed by Film4. Filming starts February 2013 in London and New York.

Carol is a love story about pursuit, betrayal and passion that follows the burgeoning relationship between two very different women in 1950s New York. One, a girl in her twenties working in a department store who dreams of a more fulfilling life, and the other, a wife trapped in a loveless, moneyed marriage desperate to break free but fearful of losing her daughter in the process.

HanWay will be handling international sales on the film at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley at Number 9 Films commented: "We are thrilled to be working with Cate Blanchett and Mia Wasikowska, two of the most talented actors working today, in this striking adaptation of one of the twentieth century's most iconic writers, Patricia Highsmith. To be re-united with highly talented individuals, director John Crowley and writer Phylis Nagy is a testament to the quality of the project. We are delighted to have such a gifted team on board."

Tessa Ross at Film4 commented: "Carol is a beautiful and heart-breaking story and it's a testament to the talents of Phyllis and John that we've attracted actresses of Cate and Mia's calibre to star at the heart of it. We are delighted to be working with Liz and Stephen at Number 9 to help put together what promises to be a truly wonderful film."

Movie Reviews and News

TRIBECA FILM ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO THE COMEDY

2012-05-14T20:42:00.003+01:00

Sundance Drama Starring Tim Heidecker from Adult Swim Comedy Series “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”

***

“Heidecker’s Swanson is wired like Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, swapping violence for wisecracks.” – Hollywood.com

New York, NY – May 14, 2012 – Tribeca Film announced today that it has acquired all North American rights to The Comedy, director Rick Alverson’s provocative character study, which is already one of the most talked about films since it bowed at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The film, which Variety called “compulsively fascinating,” and Film Threat noted as “one of the most wildly inappropriate and pitch black comedies I’ve ever seen” also played South by Southwest and is set for BAMcinemaFEST this June, will be released in October 2012. Jagjaguwar, the prominent independent music label known for artists such as Bon Iver and Sharon Van Etten, produced The Comedy in conjunction with Greyshack Films and Larry Fessenden's Glass Eye Pix, along with Mike S. Ryan and Brent Kunkle producing. Rough House Pictures, the Production Company of Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Jody Hill, and Matt Reilly attached themselves to the film during Sundance.

Tribeca Film plans a select theatrical release day and date with on-demand platforms where it will be available in 40+ million homes through a variety of video-on-demand offerings, as well as iTunes, Amazon Watch Instantly, VUDU, Xbox and Samsung Media Hub.

On the cusp of inheriting his father's estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker, "Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!") is a man with unlimited options. An aging hipster in Brooklyn, he spends his days in aimless recreation with like-minded friends (“Tim & Eric” co-star Eric Wareheim, LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy and comedian Gregg Turkington a.k.a.“Neil Hamburger”) in games of comic irreverence and mock sincerity. As Swanson grows restless of the safety a sheltered life offers him, he tests the limits of acceptable behavior, pushing the envelope in every way he can. Heidecker’s deadpan delivery cleverly masks a deep desire for connection and sense in the modern world.The Comedy wears its name on its sleeve, but director Rick Alverson's powerful and provocative character study touches a darkness behind the humor that resonates with viewers long after the story ends.

“Tim Heidecker’s performance pushes the limits and the result is a film that feels refreshingly new and fearless,” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “We look forward to the film sparking conversation and debate when it reaches a wider audience through Tribeca Film.”

“My hope is that The Comedy may be seen as both a challenging, cautionary tale and an unapologetic immersion in a culture of irony and recreational cruelty many have come to find liberating,” said Rick Alverson. “We're very happy to be in the competent hands of Tribeca Film and look forward to a partnership that will bring this movie to a wide audience.”

The deal was negotiated for Tribeca Film by acquisitions consultant Randy Manis and Nick Savva, Director of Acquisitions, and on behalf of the filmmakers by Josh Braun and David Koh of Submarine.

About Tribeca Film:

Tribeca Film is a comprehensive distribution label dedicated to acquiring and marketing independent films across multiple platforms, including video-on-demand, theatrical, digital, home video and television. It is an initiative from Tribeca Enterprises designed to provide new platforms for how film can be experienced, while supporting filmmakers and introducing audiences to films they might not otherwise see. American Express continues its support of Tribeca and the independent film community by serving as the Founding Partner of Tribeca Film.

Movie Reviews and News

TRIBECA FILM ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO FOR ELLEN

2012-05-01T22:28:00.000+01:00

Writer-Director So Yong Kim’s Drama Premiered at Sundance,

Stars Paul Dano, Jon Heder and Jena Malone

***

“Dano’s intense commitment to the role, combined with the partially improvised dialogue, establishes the kind of spontaneity that marks the strong lead performances

in several of Robert Altman’s best films.” -Variety

New York, NY – May 1, 2012 – Tribeca Film announced today that it has acquired all North American rights to FOR ELLEN, a deeply felt dramatic study of a father’s efforts at reconciliation with his young daughter.

The film, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, is Kim’s follow-up to independent standouts TREELESS MOUNTAIN and IN BETWEEN DAYS. Bradley Rust Gray and Jen Gatien serve as producers through SoandBrad and DeerJen films.

Tribeca Film plans a fall release in select theatrical markets, beginning September 5th at New York’s Film Forum. FOR ELLEN will also be released via On Demand platforms where it will be available in 40+ million homes on a variety of video-on-demand offerings, as well as iTunes, Amazon Watch Instantly, VUDU, Xbox and Samsung Media Hub.

Aspiring rock star Joby Taylor (Paul Dano- THERE WILL BE BLOOD, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) has wanted nothing more than to “make it”, having flirted with fame but never crossed over into true success. In the midst of a low period in his life, he agrees to sign divorce papers with his estranged wife (Margarita Levieva- “Revenge,” “How To Make It In America”) in order to see money from the sale of their home, only to discover that by signing the papers, he will forfeit all custody of his six-year-old daughter, Ellen (newcomer Shaylena Mandigo). With a good-natured lawyer (Jon Heder-NAPOLEON DYNAMITE) unable to make headway in reversing the decision, and a girlfriend (Jena Malone- INTO THE WILD) that represents an era of his life that he might be ready to graduate from, Joby negotiates a visit with his daughter to explore whether he is able to walk away from his child, and whether it might be too late for reconciliation.

FOR ELLEN stems from Kim’s desire to understand her own father, and an imagined confrontation if he ever returned to her. Using the stark beauty and vast farmlands of an American winter as its backdrop, the film charts Joby’s emotional journey as he realizes what he has lost – and what, if anything, can still be saved.

“With a subtle, understated approach, esteemed director So Yong Kim has made a film that is both deeply moving and deeply resonant,” said Geoff Gilmore, Chief Creative Officer of Tribeca Enterprises. “Fueled by a remarkable performance by Paul Dano and delicately directed by Kim, we couldn’t be more excited to share this very special story about a father trying to connect with his young daughter.”

"We look forward to working with Tribeca Film on the release and distribution of FOR ELLEN,” said Kim. We are honored to trust our film with such a talented and passionate team."

The deal was negotiated for Tribeca Film by Nick Savva, Director of Acquisitions, and on behalf of the filmmakers by CAA.

About Tribeca Film:

Movie Reviews and News

2012 Tribeca Film Festival Announces Attendance

2012-05-01T20:59:00.002+01:00

Audiences Pack Houses at Screenings and Panels for Festival’s 11^th Edition

[New York, NY – April 30, 2012] – The 2012 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by Founding Sponsor American Express, today announced that more than 380,000 people attended screenings, panels, talks and free community events – including the Tribeca Drive-In series, Family Festival Street Fair, Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day and the second annual Tribeca/NYFEST Soccer Day, as well as the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards and the Tribeca Film Institute Interactive Day – during the Festival’s 11^th edition.

Beginning on April 18 and running through April 29, the Festival hosted nearly 400 screenings and panels with more than 95% attendance. A total of 89 features and 60 short films from 46 countries were enjoyed by more than 116,000 movie-goers and panel attendees during the course of the 12-day Festival, with theaters frequently at capacity.

“Our 11^th Festival was an extraordinary 12 days filled with amazing films, unique experiences and incredible reactions from audiences,” said Nancy Schafer, Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Festival.

This year, the Tribeca Online Film Festival, presented by American Express, returned to offer a range of free content. Visitors to tribecafilm.com/tribecaonline watched a selection of world premiere features and shorts; interacted with experts from the worlds of film and technology through the Future of Film blog and 4 day speaker series; experienced the Festival from a far with video highlight segments; and sat front row at live-streamed events including the Universal Pictures 100^th anniversary panel with Robert De Niro and Judd Apatow; the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards honoring Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and Justin Bieber and Scooter Braun, and more; and the Festival awards ceremony.

TFF once again presented the popular Drive-In movie series on the Hudson River, which featured the classic summer thriller Jaws, adventure-comedy The Goonies and the world premiere of baseball documentary Knuckleball, co-sponsored by JetBlue and Time Warner Cable, hosted by Brookfield and supported by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In total, 8,600 enjoyed free, outdoor films and interactive entertainment—from a Goonie treasure hunt to knuckleball pitching with Major League ballplayers.

Festival organizers and NYPD Community Affairs Officer Rick Lee estimated that a crowd of 250,000 braved the chilly weather to enjoy the signature Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day on Saturday, April 28. The annual event, which featured live entertainment and family fun including performances from the casts of nine Broadway shows, visits from New York sports teams, and celebrations by local merchants and community groups took place in the Tribeca neighborhood. Later on the evening of the 28^th, a special screening of Marvel’s The Avengers closed out the 2012 Festival with 100 real-life heroes in attendance.

More than 3,515 attendees joined the Festival’s free panels and discussions. The return of the Tribeca/NYFEST Soccer Day, presented in partnership with NYFEST (New York Film & Entertainment Soccer Tournament), an organization co-founded by Sony Pictures Classics executive Dylan Leiner and film director Jeffrey Saunders, drew 3,000 attendees to the Chelsea fields along the Hudson River.

2012 Tribeca Film Festival anecdotes:

In all, 838 industry delegates attended TFF, representing 36 countries including Thailand, Greece, Denmark, South Korea and Australia.
Tickets to TFF’s 2012 screenings and events could be bought on Facebook through AudienceView Tiki—the first time a film festival offered this service to its online community.
Nineteen Tribeca Film Institute Film Fellows graduated from the yearlong film program at this year’s Festival.Five of the teens received college scholarship awards for their successful pitches to filmmakers and industry professionals.
Children featured in Once in a Lullaby: the PS 22 Chorus Story celebrated the documentary’s premiere at the SVA Theatre by breaking into a version of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” on the red carpet.
BURN, the winner of the Heineken Audience Award for Documentary, had a clear connection with audiences from the start of the Festival. At the film’s world premiere, the four Detroit Fire Department firefighters who joined directors Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez and executive producer Denis Leary were presented with a $25,000 grant by Momentous Insurance Brokerage and the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, facilitated by the Leary Firefighters Foundation.
Balthazar Ushca, the 67-year-old subject of the short film The Last Ice Merchant in the Long Story Short shorts program, traveled with his wife from Chimborazo, Ecuador, to participate in the Festival. This was their first time ever leaving Ecuador. Among their other “firsts” were the airplane trip and seeing a skyscraper. Their scariest New York experience? Riding an escalator.
Rodriguez, the subject of documentary Searching for Sugar Man, gave a surprise performance following the film’s New York premiere.
An audience member at a screening of Postcards from the Zoo asked Nicholas, the star, if he can do magic tricks as he does in the film. Without missing a beat, he pulled a glowing red orb out of the director's ear and theatrically swallowed it.
Jeroen van Velzen, director of World Documentary Competition entry Wavumba, traveled four days to get to New York from Lake Malawi, Africa—eight hours by bus, two days by train, and more than 18 hours by plane via Dubai. It was his first visit to America.

· At the world premiere of World Documentary Competition entry Downeast, filmmakers gave out the last empty sardine tins from the plant that the movie profiles.

· Films Searching For Sugar Man, BURN, Russian Winter, The List and Everyman’s Journey, Any Day Now and Graceland received standing ovations—not only after their premieres, but following Q&A’s, general screenings and even before a screening when Graceland director Ron Morales was introduced at his world premiere.

Movie Reviews and News

Guest Blog: Review of "Avengers Assemble"

2012-05-01T20:32:00.001+01:00

Movie Review: Avengers Assemble

That’s right folks, it’s that time of year again when Marvel have decided to roll out yet another superhero film - This time following the formation of The Avengers, the most explosive super-group since the X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

Avengers Assemble has been years in the making… or rather, years in the planning. Written and directed by Joss Whedon (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame), this latest instalment in the Marvel universe ties together a number of Marvel’s recent films, bringing their main characters together for an explosive romp through two hours of complete and unabashed comic-book geekiness.

Marvel fans everywhere will be crying tears of joy as they watch their favourite heroes romp through an action-packed comic-book extravaganza, and will no doubt geek out at the subtle references to by-gone storylines and signature cameo of the heroes creator, Stan Lee.

But what about the rest of us? Is this a film just for the die-hard fans?

To be honest, if you’re not a seasoned comic-book reader (or at least fan of the previous tie-in films) you’ll probably have some trouble getting to grips with the plot – not that it’s particularly difficult to understand, but you may just find yourself bored to tears by the ridiculously convoluted names and faux-scientific references.

Saving the World… Again

The infamous demigod, Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) has joined forces with an alien race known as the Chitauri to steal a powerful object called the Tesseract – an unlimited energy source that could easily bring about the destruction of Earth. In response to this heinous act, Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) is forced to recruit a number of superheroes to take on this menacing foe. And judging by Nick Fury’s globe-trotting appearances throughout the previous few films, he’s bound to have amassed plenty of air miles by now.

To Geek or Not to Geek?

The superheroes in question are no doubt household names – Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk and Captain America (as well as two lesser-known characters, Hawkeye and the Black Widow).

This is in no small way due to their recent individual films (which serve as a collection of tie-in prequels to Avengers Assemble). For those who have watched these films (most notably Iron Man 2 and Captain America), you will notice a number of crossovers in terms of the main plot. The Tesseract for example, first appeared in Captain America and our main villain, Loki, is the brother of the Norse hero, Thor.

Now, for comic-book geeks everywhere, this film is absolute gold-dust – The Avengers has always been an extremely popular comic-book series and the idea of providing each character with an individual film, then tying them into a central narrative to bring the group together, is reminiscent of its comic-book history.

But if you’re not a fan, you might just struggle to stay put until the end. As a comic-book movie, Avengers Assemble seemingly revolves around the ‘Wham! Bam! Pow!’ that readers are familiar with. While this is entertaining at first, the various combinations of Iron Man vs. Captain America vs. the Incredible Hulk get rather dull rather quickly. And once our eponymous heroes have sorted out their differences… there’s not much else to see.

All-star Cast

Having said that, the characterization in Avengers Assemble is absolutely top-notch. Robert Downey Jr. continues to play Iron Man with the wisecracking wit that has become synonymous with the character. Chris Evans’ version of Captain America represents the bravest and best of America’s all-stars. But it’s newcomer Mark Ruffalo who simply astounds. His portrayal of Bruce Banner (the Incredible Hulk) is utterly haunting – a man who is desperate and on the edge, a man whose only fear is of himself.

Unfortunately, Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) seems to only be there so she can leap around while wearing extremely tight clothing and ridiculously infeasible footwear. But let’s be honest… most of the young men who will be heading in droves to see this film won’t be staring at her shoes.

So Avengers Assemble is an all-round average film… it has some good action, entertaining fight scenes and might just keep your attention until the end. But it’s an undoubtedly better film if you know the series. The in-jeek out.

Guest review by Imogen Reed. Check out her review of Contraband too.

Movie Reviews and Newsokes will make sense to you, the plot-lines will excite you… and there’s plenty of opportunity to g

E.T. BIKE RIDE VOTED TOP UNIVERSAL PICTURES MOMENT OF PAST 100 YEARS

2012-04-30T19:14:00.000+01:00

London, 30th April, 2012 - The moment that Elliott cycles past the moonlight in the 1982 classic family film E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial has been named Universal's most memorable movie moment of the past 100 years by UK film fans.

As the studio celebrates its 100th Anniversary on 30th April 2012, a poll of over 1,000 Brits reveals that the scene from E.T. set to John Williams' famous score is the most cherished moment in its history (19.5%), followed by Roy Scheider delivering the famous line 'You're gonna need a bigger boat' in the 1975 classic Jaws (10.9%). To mark the centennial, a range of 15 titles including Mamma Mia! The Movie, The Birds, Jurassic Park and Gladiator have been released on DVD & Blu-ray featuring interactive Augmented Reality packaging.

The third most memorable moment according to fans was in the final scene in the 1985 hit film Back To The Future when Doc Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, helps Marty McFly get his time travelling DeLoreon home with the help of a clock tower and a bolt of lightning (7.6%).

Other scenes in the top ten include Russell Crowe's declaration 'My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius.' in Gladiator (fourth with 6.7%) and Meryl Streep in fifth place leading the ladies to the tune of Abba's Dancing Queen in Mamma Mia! The Movie (6.4%).

The list of the most loved Universal characters is led by Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly from Back To The Future with 9.3%, followed by action man Jason Bourne, played by Matt Damon (6.7%) in the Bourne Trilogy films. E.T. the alien took third place honours with 6.6% and Renée Zellweger's '30-something singleton' Bridget Jones, the only female character in the top ten, was fourth with 5.8%.

Funnyman Simon Pegg's Shaun from Shaun of the Dead was named the fifth most loved Universal character (5.6%) - beating the likes of Liam Neeson's Oskar Schindler (Schindler's List) and Jeff Bridges' 'Dude' from The Big Lebowski amongst others.

The 10 Most Memorable Universal Moments are:

1. E.T. - Elliott rides E.T. on his bike and takes off into the air past the moonlight - 19.5% 2. Jaws - 'You're gonna need a bigger boat' scene - 10.9% 3. Back To The Future - Lightning strikes the clock tower to power the DeLorean - 7.6% 4. Gladiator - Russell Crowe delivers the 'My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius' speech - 6.7% 5. Mamma Mia The Movie! - Meryl Streep leads the ladies through the island in singing 'Dancing Queen' - 6.4% 6. Spartacus - Mass 'I'm Spartacus' scene - 5.5% 7. American Pie - Jason Biggs experiments with apple pie - 5.3% 8. To Kill A Mockingbird - Gregory Peck's character Atticus Finch delivers a powerful courtroom closing argument - 4.8% 9. Billy Elliot - Billy Elliot dances through the streets - 4.5% 10. Bridget Jones Diary - Hugh Grant and Colin Firth fight scene - 4.1%

The 10 Most Loved Universal characters are:

1. Michael J Fox as Marty McFly in Back To The Future - 9.3% 2. Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in The Bourne Trilogy - 6.7% 3. E.T. the alien in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - 6.6% 4. Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones in Bridget Jones's Diary - 5.8% 5. Simon Pegg as Shaun in Shaun of the Dead - 5.6% 6. Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List - 5.3% 7. Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi as the Blues Brothers in The Blues Brothers - 4.8% 8. Russell Crowe as General Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator - 4.4% 9. Kirk Douglas as Spartacus in Spartacus - 3.9% 10. Jeff Bridges as Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski in The Big Lebowski - 3.3%

Eddie Cunningham, President, Universal Pictures International Entertainment commented:

"Universal Pictures' incredible library of films has produced indelible moments and iconic characters across the past 100 years. ET, Bridget Jones, Marty McFly, Jason Bourne and countless other iconic Universal characters are part of the fabric of cinema history and these films will continue to capture audiences' imaginations for years to come. It is not surprising that Elliot's bike ride in E.T. ranks as the UK's most memorable Universal moment, but what is so fantastic about timeless films like E.T. is that these characters and stories continue to appeal to new generations.

This year we are re-releasing E.T. in addition to Jaws, To Kill a Mockingbird and All Quiet on the Western Front on Blu-ray for the first time, so audiences can re-discover these films all over again. As part of our 100th Anniversary, we have also restored 10 Universal classic titles in an effort to preserve our cinema history and give audiences a chance to view our films in the highest quality possible."

Movie Reviews and News

New Poll

2012-04-29T15:55:00.000+01:00

I started a new poll on the movie playing equipment people own, largely because I found out by chance that Amazon.co.uk still sell movies on VHS. I fully expect DVD to top the poll with Blu-Ray second, but I'm interested to see if anyone's still got a VHS or even if any enthusiasts who own a cine projector ever come near this blog.

Movie Reviews and News

2012 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES HEINEKEN AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS - ANY DAY NOW AND BURN

2012-04-29T15:51:00.000+01:00

New York, NY [April 28, 2012] – The 11th annual Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by founding sponsor American Express, announced the winners of the two Heineken Audience Awards tonight at the wrap party in New York City. This year for the first time two awards—one for narrative and one for documentary—were given to the audience choices for the best films. Any Day Now, directed by Travis Fine, was chosen to receive the Narrative award and BURN, directed by Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez, was chosen for the Documentary award. Each award comes with a cash prize of $25,000. Additionally as part of the Tribeca Film Festival Artists Awards program, Any Day Now receives the sculpture Ascension courtesy of Nathan Sawaya and BURNreceives Jacobs #16 "Blue Skies" courtesy of Peter Dayton & Winston Wächter Fine Art.

“It's gratifying to see audiences respond so overwhelmingly to these world premiere films,” said Nancy Schafer, Executive Director of the Tribeca Film Festival. “Both films strike uplifting and hopeful notes, and we look forward to them continuing to garner strong audience reaction long after the Festival is over.”

Throughout the Festival, which kicked off on April 18, audiences have been able to vote for the Heineken Audience Awards by completing nomination ballots upon exiting screenings of TFF films. Films in the World Narrative Competition, World Documentary Competition, Viewpoints, Spotlight and Cinemania sections were eligible.

Any Day Now begins when aspiring singer Rudy (Alan Cumming) pounds on the door to discover his neighbor's son Marco, a teenager with Down syndrome, left alone by his drug addicted mother with only the blaring stereo to keep him company. Family Services takes Marco, but days later Rudy sees him on the street and brings him home, where Rudy and his closeted district attorney partner Paul (Garret Dillahunt) become the stable family environment Marco has never had. But when authorities discover Rudy and Paul are gay, the men must battle a biased legal system to adopt the child they have come to love as their own. Set in 1970s Los Angeles and inspired by a true story, Any Day Now is a poignant and occasionally incendiary drama from TFF alum Travis Fine (The Space Between) that addresses gay adoption rights issues that are as relevant today as they were nearly 40 years ago. Augmenting the touching performances from Cumming and Dillahunt is Isaac Leyva, who offers a subtle yet impactful performance as a boy who inspires those around him to fight for what is right when no one else will. Cumming, Dillahunt and Leyva received a standing ovation for their performances at the premiere.

“We had a wonderful experience here two years ago,” said Fine. “We are absolutely thrilled and honored that audiences responded so strongly.”

BURN, executive produced by Denis Leary, introduces audiences to the men and women charged with saving Detroit, the once-roaring city that many have left for dead. With vast stretches of forsaken buildings left as kindling, the highest arson rate in the country, and a budget crisis of epic proportions, the city turns to new Fire Commissioner Donald Austin to shake up the system with hard-line decisions and drastic, often controversial measures. Cautiously regarded by the department as a bombastic outsider, the Detroit native sets out to demonstrate his commitment to helping his hometown rise from the ashes. Many of the film’s screenings at TFF were attended by members of the DFD and received standing ovations.

“We were told time and time again that there is no audience for a film about firefighters,” said Sanchez. Added Putnam, “We are so grateful for this honor and we hope it will help raise the profile of the film and let people know what’s going on in Detroit and across this country.”

Any Day Now will screen tomorrow (Sunday, April 29) at 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. and BURN at 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Clearview Cinemas Chelsea, as will the rest of the films that won awards at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. Specific times for the other films are available on the Festival website, www.tribecafilm.com. All other 2012 TFF award winners were announced previously at an awards show on Thursday, April 26, 2012. A full list of winners can be found at www.tribecafilm.com.

Movie Reviews and News

Tribeca Film Institute Announces 2012 Award Winners And Grantees For Tribeca All Access Program

2012-04-27T22:49:00.001+01:00

Ten Alumni Awards Further Year-Round Support for Filmmakers

[New York, NY – April 27, 2012] – The Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) announced the winners of the Tribeca All Access (TAA) Creative Promise Awards presented by Time Warner at a ceremony last night. The narrative Rhymes for Young Ghouls and the documentary The New Black were selected from 11 projects based on the strength of their vision and filmmaking promise. Each project received $10,000, as well as an original piece of art from a contemporary artist. Rhymes for Young Ghouls took home Stephen Hannock’s Study: A Recent History of Art in Southern California (Mass MoCA #169), 2012 andThe New Black received Hugo Tillman’s The Echeverria, 2008. The Institute also announced this year’s TAA alumni grants and fellowships during the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. The grants, all presented last night, total $92,000 in funds.

Now in its ninth year, TAA was created to help foster and nurture relationships between film industry executives and filmmakers from traditionally underrepresented communities. The 2012 TAA Creative Promise narrative jurors wereRosario Dawson, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Mekhi Phifer, and Gabourey Sidibe. The award’s documentary jurors were Claire Aguilar, Julie Goldman, Eugene Hernandez, Jean Tsien, and Debbie Zimmerman.

“Tribeca All Access represents a community of truly remarkable artists, and we are proud to support both the completion and effective dissemination of their work,” said Beth Janson, Executive Director of TFI.

This year’s Tribeca All Access Creative Promise winners included:

· TAA Creative Promise Award for Narrative

Rhymes for Young Ghouls

This film is a raucous coming of age tale about Aila, a young Mi’gMaq girl embroiled in the family drug trade who is coping with the suicide of her mother and the recent release of her imprisoned father.

Jeff Barnaby (writer/director); John Christou & Aisling Chin-Yee (producers)

· TAA Creative Promise Award for Documentary

The New Black

This documentary uncovers the complicated and often combative histories of the African-American and LGBT civil-rights movements.

Yoruba Richen (director); Yvonne Welbon & Angela Tucker (producers)

· TAA Creative Promise Honorable Mention for Narrative

Bypass

20 year-old Katie is popular, high-achieving and obese, but all of this is about to change when she undergoes a series of radical gastric and plastic surgeries. BYPASS is a modern day twist on Frankenstein in which the protagonist is herself both creator and monster.

Liliana Greenfield-Sanders (writer/director); Amy Basil & Rowen Riley (producers)

TAA’s programming and support for alumni this year included grants and fellowships for past TAA projects in development or new works by program alumni. The following grant recipients were announced:

TAA Alumni Documentary Grants

Support made possible by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The Path

In a dusty Pakistani village lives an 80 year-old barber who has rescued over 8,000 kidnapped children. The Pathfollows his journey from personal barber to Pakistan’s president to savior of thousands.

Senain Kheshgi (director/producer); Rasheed Ahmed (producer, Pakistan)

Out Run

This feature documentary follows two pioneering LGBT activists in conservative parts of the world as they undertake highly visible and dangerous new struggles as openly gay candidates running for public office.

S. Leo Chiang & Johnny Symons (directors/producers)

TAA OnTrack Grants

A grant to assist TAA alumni with the completion of their past TAA project or further the development of a new work-in-progress.

God Loves Uganda (Documentary)

This documentary is a journey into the heart of East Africa, where Ugandan pastors and their American counterparts spread God’s word and evangelical values to millions desperate for a better life. Inspired by his own roots in the African American Baptist church, director Roger Ross Williams seeks to explore a place where religion and African culture intersect.

Roger Ross Williams (producer/director); Julie Goldman (producer)

I Am Nojood (Narrative)

Based on the true story of Nojood, a 10-year-old Yemeni girl married off by her impoverished family and repeatedly abused by her 30-year-old husband. With the help of an activist lawyer and sympathetic judges, she becomes the youngest person ever to be granted a divorce in Yemen.

Kadija Al-Salami (writer/director); Anne Hubbell & Amy Hobby (producers)

TAA Adrienne Shelly Foundation Filmmaker Grant

A grant to aid in the advancement of talented women filmmakers.

Xanadu

An inveterate tomboy tries to win over the new girl in town, despite her flamboyant brother’s amusingly ineffectual attempts to sabotage her.

Rose Troche (director); Susan Austin (writer); Amy Lo (producer)

TAA Marketing & Web Fellowship

A collaboration between TAA and Push Creative, a full service branding agency, to encourage audience development – including a newly-designed website.

An American Promise

This documentary, 12 years in the making, chronicles the intricate school experiences of two African American boys and their families, offering an intimate look at the complexities of race, parenting, privilege and education at the dawn of the 21st century.

Michele Stephenson & Joe Brewster (directors/producers)

The Games for Change Fellowship for TAA Alumni

A collaboration between TAA and Games for Change (G4C), to support one alumnus in creating a game as part of the filmmaking process.

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines

From the birth of the comic book super-heroine in the 1940s to the blockbusters of today, WONDER WOMEN! looks at how popular representations of powerful women often reflect society’s anxieties about women’s liberation.

Kristy Guevara-Flanagan (director); Kelcey Edwards (producer)

TAA Packaging the Pitch Grant

A grant to support Alumni who need assistance developing a visual-based pitch for their project (i.e. trailer, location shooting, sample scene).

Spies of Mississippi (Documentary)

This documentary will bring to light in chilling detail how a secret shadow state government, determined to maintain segregation, spied on its own citizens in brazen defiance of the law. The dead, and some still living…will finally reveal their secrets.

Dawn Porter (director/producer)

Akilla’s Escape (Narrative)

Akilla is a narcotics trader who finds himself at the centre of a robbery and soon discovers the crime syndicate he once belonged to orchestrated the heist. Akilla’s Escape follows a man forced to face ethical dilemmas around his chosen path, while confronting a vicious cycle of youth violence.

Charles Officer (writer/director) Christina Piovesan (producer)

During this year’s Tribeca Film Festival (April 18-29), TFI filmmakers from Tribeca All Access participated in one-on-one industry meetings on Wednesday, April 25 and Thursday, April 26 to network with film industry executives, potentialinvestors, development executives, producers and agents.

The TAA Creative Promise Awards and the alumni grants were presented at an evening reception at The Box in Manhattan on April 26, 2012.

TAA is made possible by Bloomberg, with major support from Time Warner and additional support from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), New York State council on the Arts (NYSCA), The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, The Puffin Foundation, and The National Endowment of the Arts.

About the Tribeca Film Institute:

The Tribeca Film Institute is a 501(c)3 year round nonprofit arts organization founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in the wake of September 11, 2001. TFI empowers filmmakers through grants and professional development, and is a resource and advocate for individual artists in the field. The Institute’s educational programming leverages an extensive film community network to help underserved New York City students learn filmmaking and gain the media skills necessary to be productive citizens and creative individuals in the 21^st century. Administering a dozen major programs annually, TFI is a critical contributor to the fabric of filmmaking and aids in protecting the livelihood of filmmakers and media artists.

For more information and a list of all TFI programs visit www.tribecafilminstitute.org/

Movie Reviews and News

Anyone still use VHS?!

2012-04-27T16:08:00.000+01:00

I was pretty surprised when I found out yesterday, completely by chance, that Amazon.co.uk are still selling movies on VHS. It got me to wondering, do any readers of this blog still actually use / own a VHS player / recorder? We haven't had one for years, but since I know there are still enthusiasts who use cine film, I guess it makes sense that some video players are still going to be in regular use.

Movie Reviews and News

2012 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES AWARDS

2012-04-27T12:54:00.000+01:00

WAR WITCH, THE WORLD BEFORE HER, UNA NOCHE AND WAVUMBA

WIN TOP AWARDS IN JURIED WORLD COMPETITIONS

* * *

FESTIVAL AWARDS $180,000 IN CASH PRIZES

[April 26, 2012 – New York, NY] – The 11th annual Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, and presented by founding sponsor American Express, announced the winners of its competition categories tonight at a ceremony hosted at the Conrad New York in New York City. The Festival runs through April 29, 2012.

The world competition winners for narrative and documentary films were chosen from 12 narrative and 12 documentary features from 18 countries. Best New Director prizes were awarded to a first-time director for both narrative and documentary films, selected from a pool of 24 feature films throughout the program. Awards were also given for the best narrative short, best documentary short and student visionary films in the short film competitions. This year’s Festival included 89 features and 60 short films from 46 countries, programmed by a team led by Tribeca’s Chief Creative Officer Geoff Gilmore, new Artistic Director Frederic Boyer, and Director of Programming Genna Terranova.

Also announced at the awards were the Tribeca (Online) Film Festival feature and short film winners selected by the online audience. The winners of the Heineken Audience Awards, determined by audience votes throughout the Festival, will be announced on April 28.

“It’s been so gratifying to see the audiences react so positively to the films, and our juries have been equally passionate. I celebrate these immensely talented filmmakers,” said Nancy Schafer, TFF Executive Director.

“We salute the courage of the jury to award films that not only tell stories about real issues in the world, but are beautifully constructed and crafted,” said Frederic Boyer, TFF Artistic Director. "The amazing first-time performances by young actors are a tribute to the creativity of the films and filmmakers."

Screenings of all winning films will take place throughout the final day of the Festival, Sunday, April 29, at various venues. Specific times and ticketing information are available on the Festival website, www.tribecafilm.com.

In addition to cash awards and in-kind services provided by sponsors including American Express,

AKA, Persol, Apple, Company 3 and Kodak, the Festival presented the winners with original pieces of art created by acclaimed artists, including Cindy Sherman, JR and Stanley Whitney.

Following are the winners, awards and details on the jury who selected the recipients:

WORLD NARRATIVE COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2012 World Narrative Competition were Patricia Clarkson, Dakota Fanning, Mike Newell, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Jim Sheridan, and Irwin Winkler.

· The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature – War Witch, directed by Kim Nguyen (Canada). Winner receives $25,000 and the art award “The Wrinkles of The City, Los Angeles, Carl revealed on wood, 2011” by JR. Sponsored by AKA. The award was given by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Larry Korman, President of AKA.

Jury Comments: “This indelible character study of a girl who becomes a woman before our eyes in the midst of harrowing war gives words to the unspeakable. Riveting, heartbreaking, vivid, and eloquent, the movie balances scenes of crazy enemy hatred with moments of luminous private love.”

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film – Dariel Arrechada and Javier Nuñez Florian as Raul and Elio in Una Noche, directed by Lucy Mulloy (UK, Cuba, USA). Winners split $2,500. The award was given by Patricia Clarkson.

Jury Comments: “We give the award for Best Actor in a Narrative Feature to Dariel Arrechada and to Javier Nuñez Florian in Una Noche, for potent individual performances that together are even greater than the sum of their parts. Playing Raul and Elio, young Cuban men who goad each other on in a dream of fleeing Havana for a fantasy of Miami, Dariel locates Raul’s danger and sexual power as precisely as Javier taps into Elio’s essential sweetness. Both young actors are nonprofessionals who took great risks to tell a daring story. Each won our hearts.”

Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film – Rachel Mwanza as Komona in War Witch, directed by Kim Nguyen (Canada). Winner receives $2,500. The award was given by Jim Sheridan.

Jury Comments: “A nonprofessional actress, this remarkable young woman—barely a teenager when the movie was shot—so fully inhabits her role that there are no borders to her stunning performance, no distance at all between the actress and the unforgettable character Komona.”

Best Cinematography in a Narrative Feature Film – Cinematography by Trevor Forrest and Shlomo Godder, for Una Noche, directed by Lucy Mulloy (UK, Cuba, USA). Winner receives $5,000 and $50,000 in post-production services provided by Company 3. The award was given by Lisa Schwarzbaum.

Jury Comments: “Una Noche reveals a Havana we could never otherwise see, in its jumble of vibrant life, decay, and making do. There’s a ‘you are there’ documentary immediacy to the picture, shot on the fly and in the streets, that keeps us enthralled.”

Special Jury Mention – Alex Catalan for Unit 7. The announcement was made by Lisa Schwarzbaum.

Best Screenplay for a Narrative Feature Film – All In (La Suerte en Tus Manos), written by Daniel Burman and Sergio Dubcovsky and directed by Daniel Burman (Argentina). Winner receives $5,000. The award was given by Irwin Winkler.

Jury Comments: “We are impressed with the movie’s elegant and thoughtful balance of comedic lightness and deepness of soul; its ability to locate universal issues regarding families, lovers, kids, and running a business within the tangy specificity of an Argentinean Jewish poker-playing milieu; and its ability to cram vasectomies and rock ’n’ roll rabbis into the same story without breaking a sweat. Comedy is hard; All In handles it with ease.”

BEST NEW NARRATIVE DIRECTOR:

The jurors for the 2012 Best New Narrative Director Competition were Camilla Belle, Whoopi Goldberg, Susannah Grant, Zach Helm, Courtney Hunt, Kellan Lutz and Leelee Sobieski.

§ Best New Narrative Director – Lucy Mulloy, director of Una Noche (UK, Cuba, USA). Winner receives $25,000, presented by American Express; $50,000 in post-production services provided by Company 3; and the art award “Red Top, 2012” courtesy of Stanley Whitney & Team Gallery, New York. The award was given by Leelee Sobieski and Deb Curtis from American Express, Vice President, Entertainment Marketing & Sponsorships.

Jury Comments: “Lucy Mulloy’s Una Noche rang the bell inside all of our little director hearts. We simply thought the film was awesome, and it only grew in our esteem as we spoke of it after. It is a film that immediately connects any audience member it can find to the undeniable, hopeful, and naïve intentions of the young. It is so rich in its motivations, and so breathtaking in its outcomes, it is thoughtful and entertaining in perfect balance. Mulloy pulled us through social portrait to family drama, to true crime, to thriller, all with skill, grace, the realized intent of a sophisticated filmmaker, and deep love for humanity. So, Lucy, we would like you to accept the 2012 Best New Narrative Director award, and please consider us for your next picture.”

Special Jury Mention – P. Benoit, director of Stones in the Sun; and Sharon Bar-Ziv, director of Room 514. The announcement was made by Leelee Sobieski and Deb Curtis from American Express.

WORLD DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The jurors for the 2012 World Documentary Competition were Julia Bacha, Kim Cattrall, K’naan, Michael Moore, and Lucy Walker.

· Best Documentary Feature – The World Before Her, directed by Nisha Pahuja (Canada). Winner receives $25,000 and the art award “An Unpeopled Land in Uncharted Waters, 2010” by Kara Walker; courtesy of Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York. The award was given by Julia Bacha.

Jury Comments: “With unprecedented access, great compassion, and a keen eye for the universal, this year’s winner takes a hard and clear-eyed look at the trials of growing up female in today’s fast-changing world. Following young women who have taken diametrically opposed decisions on how to tackle the influence of global forces in their communities, the filmmaker takes us on a journey to examine how the pressures of faith, fashion, and family are bringing up a generation of women who are desperately searching for meaning amidst a reality of few real choices.”

Special Jury Mention – The Revisionaries, directed by Scott Thurman. The announcement was made by Michael Moore.

· Best Editing in a Documentary Feature – The Flat (Hadira), edited by Tali Halter Shenkar, directed by Arnon Goldfinger, (Israel, Germany). Winner receives $5,000. The award was given by Lucy Walker.

Jury Comments: “For a story so skillfully told that even though we thought this subject had been covered already by many great films, to our surprise a new story emerged that took us by surprise, left us on the edge of our seat, and will stay with us. The story is based on a complicated and murky journey into the unknown; however, thanks to the sure-handed and deceptively simple editing, it unfolded so clearly and powerfully that even a scene of the filmmaker and his mother lost in a rainy graveyard becomes beautifully climactic and memorable. This is a lesson in how a modestly shot family history can transcend its personal nature and become universal in its insights into human psychology thanks to great filmmaking craft.”

BEST NEW DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR COMPETITION:

The jurors for the 2012 Best New Documentary Director Competition were Stuart Blumberg, Jared Cohen, Rachel Grady, Bethann Hardison, Sal Masekela, Ricki Stern, and Olivia Wilde.

· Best New Documentary Director – Jeroen van Velzen for Wavumba (Netherlands). Winner receives $25,000, presented by American Express; and the art award “Untitled, 1980/2000” courtesy of Cindy Sherman & Metro Pictures. The award was given by Sal Masekela and Deb Curtis from American Express.

Jury Comments: “A modern day ‘Old Man and the Sea’ tale, set off the coast of Kenya, this lyrical film depicts the story of Masoud, a legend of shark fishing who, along with his young protégé, strives to end his days with one last grand catch. We the jury especially appreciated this new director’s confidence of style, his restraint and his deep relationship to a culture fast disappearing. It is a hypnotic story of man and nature, unafraid of silence, and full of a terrible beauty. We look forward to his next endeavor with great anticipation.”

Special Jury Mention – Christian Bonke and Andreas Koefoed, directors of Ballroom Dancer. The announcement was made by Sal Masekela and Deb Curtis from American Express.

SHORT FILM COMPETITION CATEGORIES:

The 2012 Best Narrative Short Competition jurors were Maureen Chiquet, Hugh Dancy, Aline Brosh McKenna, Bridget Moynahan, Drew Nieporent, Mohammed Saeed Harib, and Shari Springer Berman.

· Best Narrative Short – Asad, directed by Bryan Buckley (USA). Winner receives $5,000, sponsored by Persol; 10,000 feet of film stock donated by Kodak; and the art award “Nantes, 2009” courtesy of Walton Ford & Paul Kasmin Gallery. The award was given by Shari Springer Berman and Andrea Dorigo, President of Luxottica/Persol.

Jury Comments: “Asad is a lyrical, moving and beautifully realized portrayal of a world we rarely get to see in cinema. Every shot of the film is well thought out and specific to this unique world—a fishing village in Somalia. Yet Asad’s most astounding achievement is boasting an array of brilliant performances by a cast of Somali refugees. Congratulations to writer/director Bryan Buckley and his amazing cast on making a short film that is rather large in spirit, ambition and accomplishment.”

Special Jury Mention – Ritesh Batra, writer and director of Café Regular Cairo. The announcement was made by Shari Springer Berman.

The 2012 Best Documentary and Student Short Competition jurors were Scooter Braun, Robert Hammond, Brett Ratner, Susan Sarandon, James Spione, Shailene Woodley, and Susan Zirinsky.

· Best Documentary Short – Paraíso, directed by Nadav Kurtz (USA). Winner receives $5,000, sponsored by Persol, and the art award “Harmonium Mountain V” by Clifford Ross. The award was given by James Spione and Andrea Dorigo, President of Luxottica/Persol.

Jury Comments: “This film is a beautifully crafted portrait of a group of men with a sense of humanity and a very unique view of the world. In 10 minutes we were drawn into a story that told us about human nature, quality of life, economics, race, the importance of family and mortality. The men may be invisible to the world rushing below them, but they see through the windows they’re washing—deep into the lives and souls of the people behind the glass. It’s cinematically exquisite, with light so rich it’s thrilling to watch.”

Special Jury Mention – David Darg and Bryn Mooser, directors of Baseball in the Time of Cholera. The announcement was made by James Spione.

Student Visionary Award – Stitches, directed by Adiya Imri Orr (Israel). Winner receives support from Apple and the art award “Waterfall 104f” courtesy of Kim Keever & Kinz + Tillou Fine Art. The award was given by Susan Sarandon.

Jury Comments: “Stitches is a well written, powerfully acted film that exposes the rawness of two life partners who have decided to have a baby and now find themselves at the precipice of their relationship. The world around them still treats them like they don’t quite belong. Every confrontation, every expression feels like you’re touching an exposed nerve. Life, as you discover in this film, is not always neat.”

o Special Jury Mention –Tati Barrantes and Andinh Ha, writers and directors of Adirake. The announcement was made by Susan Sarandon.

TRIBECA (ONLINE) FILM FESTIVAL CATEGORIES:

The 2012 Tribeca (Online) Film Festival winners were voted on by visitors to tribecafilm.com.

· Tribeca (Online) Film Festival Best Feature Film: On The Mat, directed and written by Fredric Golding (USA). Winner receives $10,000, presented by American Express. The award was given by Geoffrey Gilmore and Deb Curtis from American Express.

Tribeca (Online) Film Festival Best Short Film: CatCam, directed by Seth Keal (USA). Winners receive $5,000. The award was given by Geoffrey Gilmore.

FULL LIST OF ELIGIBLE 2012 TFF FILMS IN EACH CATEGORY OF COMPETITION:

World Narrative Feature Competition:

· Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature: 12 films

· Best Actress in a Narrative Feature: 12 actresses

· Best Actor in a Narrative Feature: 12 actors

· Best Cinematography in a Narrative Feature: 12 films

· Best Screenplay for a Narrative Feature: 12 films

World Documentary Feature Competition:

· Best Documentary Feature: 12 films

· Best Editing in a Documentary Film: 12 filmmakers

All feature sections, first time directors with films making their North American, International, or World Premiere

· Best New Narrative Director: directors selected from 12 films

· Best New Documentary Director: directors selected from 12 films

Short Films in Competition:

· Best Narrative Short: 26 films

· Best Documentary Short: 17 films

· Student Visionary Award: 16 films

For more information on all of the films in the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, please visit tribecafilm.com.

Tickets for 2012 Festival:

Tickets for the Festival are $16.00 for evening and weekend screenings, and $8.00 for daytime weekday and late night screenings. Tickets can be purchased online at www.tribecafilm.com, or by telephone, toll free, at (866) 941-FEST (3378), or at one of the Ticket Outlets, with locations at Tribeca Cinemas at 54 Varick Street, Chelsea Clearview Cinemas at 260 West 23rd Street, and AMC Village VII at 66 3rd Avenue.

About the Tribeca Film Festival:

The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling.

The Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,300 films from more than 80 countries since its first edition in 2002. Since inception, it has attracted an international audience of more than 3.7 million attendees and has generated an estimated $725 million in economic activity for New York City.

Movie Reviews and News

Guest Blog - Review of "Contraband"

2012-04-26T19:29:00.000+01:00

Movie Review: Contraband

Contraband, starring Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale, is an American remake of the Icelandic film Reykjavik-Rotterdam. The script for the American version was adapted by Aaron Guzikowski and the film was directed by Baltasar Kormakur who also produced the Icelandic version.

The film is a combination of the 'will they won’t they get away with it' of Ocean’s Eleven combined with the edge of your seat action of Speed. It has been some time since there has been a film that can do this for its audience but this plot twists and turns keeping the viewer engaged and interested at all times.

The hero of the film is Chris played by Mark Wahlberg. Chris is a retired smuggler who has gone straight and now runs his own security firm and lives happily with his wife (Beckinsale) and his two children. Things go awry for Chris when his wife’s brother Andy played by Caleb Landry Jones botches a drug deal for boss Tim Briggs played by Giovanni Ribisi.

One last heist

As Chris unsuccessfully tries to reason with Briggs on behalf of his brother in law he ends up having no choice but to plan one last heist to bring back a van full of counterfeit cash into the US on a ship from Panama.

His best friend Sebastian, played by Ben Foster, encourages Chris to keep the job simple and instead bring back drugs which they obviously couldn't Fedex. However, Chris morally disagrees and is adamant to stick with his original plan to get the cash. Inevitably, Chris' absence puts his wife and family in danger and they receive several threatening visits from Briggs, prompting Chris to rely on Sebastian to care for his family in his absence.

The cast really bring this film together and make it watchable as each plays their role perfectly and entirely believably.

Not so simple

The film’s plot demonstrates the detail and sheer balls required to carry off a smuggling heist. Chris runs with his old crew in order to save his brother in law’s neck and return to his previous calm family man existence.

The film has elements of humour too, despite the gritty nature of much of the plot. Again this is largely due to the way the cast gel so well together. Particularly humorous is the contribution of Spiderman’s J K Simmons who plays the captain of the ship, and with whom Wahlberg’s character has previous history, as he was involved in his father getting sent down.

The film is somewhat hampered by the fact that hero and villain are largely separated by water for big chunks of the film. This is disappointing as the scenes between Ribsi and Wahlberg are great to watch. Of course the viewer is willing Wahlberg to succeed just as they do in Ocean’s Eleven however where the film does lack is the complete disregard for the authorities involved and any consequences. Despite several prison scenes involving Wahlberg’s father it is no deterrent and as usual makes prison life seem cool.

Why give up?

One confusing element is quite why Chris gave up smuggling in the first place. Presumably it is because his father got caught and his wife disapproves. However his wife is quite accepting of the mission when it is her own flesh and blood at risk. The viewer is also expected to believe that Wahlberg’s father had his proudest moment when his son went back on the straight and narrow and started the family firm. Not so believable when we see that he in fact runs the prison in which he resides.

Beckinsale is a believable wife and carries off her duty as a woman in peril well. She is also a great example of a woman who will protect her family at all costs as she goes up against Briggs in several settings.

Date night movie

All in all this is a very watchable movie with a plot that whilst turbulent doesn’t require a great deal of thinking about making it a great weekend movie. For once the action involved doesn’t make it biased toward the male viewer and there is plenty to keep the female audience interested. This means that couples can easily select this movie for their date night and at just under two hours long the film is not too gruelling on time.

Guest review by Imogen Reed.

Buy Contraband (the movie, not actually contraband as that would of course be illegal!! :-D):

Movie Reviews and News

A secret history of Hitchcock's Vertigo

2012-04-26T16:29:00.001+01:00

Imagine the cinematic masterpiece Vertigo re-told by its tragic heroine:

The Testament of Judith Barton, a novel

http://www.thetestamentofjudithbarton.com/

http://www.facebook.com/TheTestamentofJudithBarton

Judy Barton may be the most-watched and least understood woman in movie history. Generations of viewers think Scottie Ferguson tells us all we need to know about her when he sputters, "You were his girl!" at Vertigo's climax. But what if the woman we've come to sympathize with by the time Scottie levels his deadly accusation is neither Gavin Elster's mistress, nor a willing accessory to murder?

The Testament of Judith Barton, published with permission of The Hitchcock Trust and favorably reviewed by Kirkus, tells Judy's behind-the-scenes side of the story in her own voice. Like Wicked for The Wizard of Oz, it reveals the secret history of a classic film from a mysterious woman's point of view.

Kirkus Reviews says, "Barton is telling her own tale this time around, and that turns out to be a good thing... This is a serious work, a multifaceted journey for devotees of Vertigo to contemplate and enjoy."

http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/wendy-powers/the-testament-of-judith-barton/#review

Movie Reviews and News

Get your movie trivia & comic freak on with Freakdroid for iOS & Android

2012-04-26T15:03:00.002+01:00

Porto Alegre, Brazil - Digital4You, an innovative application and software developer, is excited today to announce the release of Freakdroid onto the App Store and Google Play. Free to download and enjoy, Freakdroid uniquely blends trivia gaming with a fully fleshed out digital comic experience all in one. The app stars a grumpy robot goof - Freakdroid - who is always willing to challenge users to matches in film knowledge supremacy or simply provide a bit of comedic relief. Best yet, this unique app is integrated with Facebook, Twitter, and OpenFeint to make gaming or simply enjoying Freakdroid a social undertaking. Freakdroid is currently available for free on both the App Store and Google Play in respective mobile markets' Entertainment categories.

Freakdroid is the latest addition to Digital4You's wonderfully wacky Freakverse of mobile apps. The app is equal parts movie trivia experience, wacky virtual comic, and social networking utility all starring a grumpy yet hilarious robot - Freakdroid! Possibly the moodiest droid in the universe he's the main attraction of the app and users are free challenge him to a movie quiz to put his assertion that he knows human film better than, well, any human to the test. To ensure that users always have something to look forward to, Freakdroid's movie quiz game is updated with new questions everyday.

Trivia scores are posted to online leaderboards courtesy of OpenFeint so users can see how they stack up against other players but if users want a different type of diversion they can explore the app's complete comic narrative chronicling Freakdroid's hilarious, beautifully animated misadventures too. Even though Freakdroid might not be the most social robot users can be as social as they want via full Facebook and Twitter integration. If you're in the market for a few moments of distracting entertainment, a serious movie trivia gaming session, or something in between there's always a reason to pop Freakdroid open and explore!

Device Requirements:

* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

* Requires iOS 4.3 or later

* 16.9 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Freakdroid 1.1.0 is Free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category.

Digital4You: http://www.digital4you.com.br

Freakdroid 1.1.0: http://www.digital4you.com.br/portfolio

Download from iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/app/freakdroid/id496249621

Movie Reviews and News

Heineken And The Tribeca Film Institute Announce The Heineken Affinity Award

2012-04-24T21:02:00.003+01:00

Premier Beer Importer and Trailblazing Film Institute Join Forces to Establish a New $20,000 Award for One Rising African-American Filmmaker

(New York, NY) APRIL 24, 2012 – Today, Heineken USA, the world’s leading international brewer, and the Tribeca Film Institute announced their partnership to establish and launch the Heineken Affinity Award. The award, which aims to empower and recognize a working generation of African American filmmakers and encourage them to continue to craft stories that share their experiences and visions, will launch during this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Heineken USA will host a private launch event on April 27^th to raise awareness about the program. The winner of the Heineken Affinity Award, a rising African-American filmmaker (age 21 and over) will be honored with a $20,000 cash award and year round project support and professional development from the Tribeca Film Institute.

“Heineken is ecstatic to launch the first-ever Affinity Award with the prestigious Tribeca Film Institute,” said Carolyn Concepcion, Brand Manager of Heineken. “Heineken prides itself as a brand that opens the world to our consumers through unique and unexpected experiences. We hope to use the first-ever Affinity Award as a platform to further expose the work of talented African-American filmmakers.”

Heineken and the Tribeca Film Institute will survey a wide range of industry executives to nominate an African-American filmmaker who exhibits great creative potential and will benefit from extra exposure and resources for their next creative project. Based on the nominations, the Tribeca Film Institute will invite filmmakers over the age of 21 to apply for the award.

“The Tribeca Film Institute is excited to partner with Heineken on the Affinity Award and continue to provide support for working filmmakers from communities that are underrepresented in the film industry,” said Tamir Muhammad, Feature Programming Director of Tribeca Film Institute. “We look forward to seeing the submissions for the Affinity Award and announcing the winner in 2013 alongside Heineken.”

Submissions will be judged on how well it fulfills the mission of the Tribeca Film Institute, the quality and strength of the proposal, the potential for international and US distribution, as well as the filmmakers’ previous body of work. The Affinity Award winner will be announced during the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival.

For more information about the Heineken Affinity Award please visit www.tribecafilminstitute.org, or follow Heineken on Twitter at @Heineken_US.

About Heineken USA Inc.

Heineken USA Inc., the nation's premier beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, which is the world's most international brewer. Brands imported into the U.S. include: Heineken Lager, the world's most international beer brand; Heineken Premium Light; Amstel Light, a leading imported light beer brand; Newcastle Brown Ale, the leading imported ale in the United States; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew. Heineken USA is also the exclusive USA importer for the Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from FEMSA Cerveza of Mexico. Please visitwww.EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com.

About the Tribeca Film Institute

The Tribeca Film Institute is a 501(c)(3) year-round nonprofit arts organization founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in the wake of September 11, 2001. TFI empowers filmmakers through grants and professional development, and is a resource for and supporter of individual artists in the field. The Institute’s educational programming leverages an extensive network of people in the film industry to help New York City students learn filmmaking and gain the media skills necessary to be productive citizens and creative individuals in the 21st century.

Movie Reviews and News

Tribeca Film Institute Announces 2012 Award Winners For TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund And First-Ever Heineken Voces Grants

2012-04-23T22:40:00.001+01:00

[New York, NY – April 23, 2012] – The Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) announced the award winners for the TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund and first-ever Heineken VOCES grant at a celebration over the weekend for Latin American filmmakers during the Tribeca Film Festival. The funds, totaling $60,000, support innovative Latin American film and video artists to help them explore stories reflecting diverse cultures and gain exposure in the film industry.

The TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund awards $10,000 grants to animation, documentary, or hybrid feature-length films in advanced development, production or post-production from filmmakers living and working in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Grantees also receive exclusive guidance from TFI to ensure that each film reaches completion and enters the U.S. marketplace from the best possible vantage point. The Fund is sponsored by Moviecity and CANACINE.

“We are proud to support this year’s Latin America Fund and Heineken VOCES winners, and look forward to helping these six filmmakers further develop their films,” said Ryan Harrington, Director of Documentary Programming for TFI. “The VOCES grant extends our Latin Fund’s reach by allowing us to work with filmmakers in the United States as well as talent based in Latin America. With the help of our partners, we can continue to provide a platform where these compelling stories can be experienced by a larger audience.”

The winning films were selected by a jury of industry professionals including Fernando Rovzar, Executive Producer of La Casa de Mi Padre and Producer of Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark; Cynthia Lopez, Vice-President of American Documentary / POV; and actor/filmmaker Ricardo Darin (The Secret in Their Eyes, The Aura, Nine Queens).

The following four films are winners of this year’s TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund:

City of the Caesars (Chile), Directed & Produced by Francisco Hervé, Edited by Andrea Chignoli -- Two conspiracy theories. Two ordinary men. Wisdom, immortality and natural resources are at stake in a mythical place somewhere in Patagonia.

Cuando los Muertos Estan Mas Secos/When the Dead Are Drier (Bolivia), Directed & Produced by Claudio Araya Silva and Produced by Yara Morales Rivera -- In the eighties, more than 50 women committed suicide in a small peasant community. Hermenegildo and Pedro return to their community, attempting to retrace the paths of memory regarding the deaths of their wives. The trip aims to unravel the mystery surrounding the life and death of these women.

Elena (Brazil), Directed & Produced by Ana Petra Costa - The film recounts the journey of Petra, a young Brazilian woman who dreams of becoming an actress but is warned not to do so by her mother. Against these admonitions, Petra moves to New York City where the reasons why she was advised against this path begin to unfold.

The Shark’s Eye (Argentina), Directed by Alejo Hoijman and Produced by Gema Juarez Allen -- Summer is coming to Nicaragua and Maycol and Bryan will start to learn their families’ trade, shark hunting. In a place where traditional trades disappear in favor of drug trafficking, these two boys choose their future. A coming of age film set in the forgotten Caribbean coast of Nicaragua.

As part of the Latin Fund, the Heineken VOCES grant provides two additional grants to narrative and documentary projects helmed by Latino filmmakers (over the age of 21) who live and work in the United States. The mission of the grant is to encourage American Latino filmmakers to redefine, invent, explore and create visions and stories that reflect their diverse cultures.

“We are excited to recognize and honor the first-ever Heineken VOCES grantees and to help empower these filmmakers on their creative journey," said Carolyn Concepcion, Brand Manager of Heineken. “At Heineken, we celebrate and open your world through unique and unexpected experiences, making them unforgettable and extraordinary. The VOCES grant encompasses an invaluable mentorship by the prestigious Tribeca Film Institute that exemplifies the Heineken brand promise.”

The winners of the first-ever Heineken VOCES grants include:

· Heineken VOCES Award for Documentary

Las Marthas

A documentary about an extraordinary rite of passage in Laredo, Texas where Mexican-American debutantes are presented at a grand Colonial ball dressed as American revolutionaries – a border tradition that’s 114 years old.

Directed & Produced by Cristina Ibarra and Produced by Erin Ploss-Campoamor

· Heineken VOCES Award for Narrative

Feriado (Holiday)

The sheltered life of Juan Pablo is turned upside down when he must spend the carnival holiday with his wealthy family at their hacienda in the Ecuadorian Andes and meets Juano, a self-assured black metal fan from the nearby pueblo.

Written & Directed by Diego Araujo

Produced by Hanne-Lovise Skartveit, Juan Sebastián Jácome & Andrés Longares

Executive Produced by Frida Torresblanco

Cinematography by Bradford Young

About the Tribeca Film Institute:

About Heineken USA

Heineken USA Inc., the nation's premier beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, which is the world's most international brewer. European brands imported into the U.S. include Heineken Lager, the world's most international beer brand; Heineken Light; Amstel Light, a leading imported light beer brand; Newcastle Brown Ale, the leading imported ale in the United States; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew. Heineken USA is also the exclusive USA importer for the Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from Mexico. For a safe ride home, download the Heineken USA-sponsored Taxi Magic™ application from your smartphone at taximagic.heineken.com. Please visitwww.EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com.

About Moviecity

Moviecity is the best premium entertainment experience in Latin America. The premium channel package offers recent movies, original productions, series, documentaries, concerts and exclusive events, all without commercial breaks and with the highest audio and video quality. More than 1,000 programs each month, offered through six different channels that have a unique personality and eleven different options to access the content. Moviecity wants to entertain and satisfy the preferences of the different audiences at home. LAPTV, LLC owns the Moviecity brand and is a partnership formed by Paramount Pictures, Fox International Channels and 20th Century Fox Television.

About CANACINE

The National Chamber of the Film Industry (CANACINE) is an institution driven by public interest and represented throughout all of Mexico. CANACINE represents the general interest of the film industry in Mexico, from which companies dedicate themselves to the production and distribution of films for theater and television, commercial screening venues for short or feature-length films, as well as film studios, post-production houses, film labs and workshops that are directly connected to the film industry. CANACINE's associates also include established & up-and-coming production and distribution companies, film exhibitors and video recording houses. CANACINE, which had its origins in 1942, includes as its members Cinepolis, Cinemex, Cinemark, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Disney, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Videocine, Gussi Artecinema, Quality Films, Corazón Films and Blockbuster, among others.

About the Tribeca Film Festival

Movie Reviews and News

Juries Announced For 2012 Tribeca Film Festival And Tribeca Film Institute Programs

2012-04-16T21:13:00.003+01:00

JURIES ANNOUNCED FOR 2012 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL AND TRIBECA FILM INSTITUTE PROGRAMS

***

Academy Award-Winning Producer/Director Irwin Winkler To Serve as Jury President

***

Patricia Clarkson, Hugh Dancy, Rosario Dawson, Dakota Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Susannah Grant, Kellan Lutz, Michael Moore, Mike Newell, Brett Ratner, Susan Sarandon, Olivia Wilde, and Shailene Woodley are among the Jurors

New York, NY – April 16, 2012 – The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by founding partner American Express, today announced its jurors – a diverse group of 39 individuals, including award-winning filmmakers, writers and producers, acclaimed actors, respected critics and global business leaders. Irwin Winkler has been named President of the Jury. The Jury will be divided among the six competitive Festival categories and will announce the winning films, filmmakers and actors in those categories at the TFF Awards Night ceremony, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg on April 26, which will stream live on TribecaFilm.com. The 2012 Festival runs from April 18 –29.

“We are honored to have this accomplished group dedicate the time and care it takes to view and discuss the films in competition this year,” said Jane Rosenthal, Co-Founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.

In addition, the Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) announced the nine individuals who will serve as jurors for the Tribeca All Access (TAA) Creative Promise Awards, presented by Time Warner. The winning projects will be announced during the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26. The non-profit also announced the three jurors for the Latin America Media Arts Fund, including the Heineken VOCES awards. Jurors for the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund were announced earlier this week.

The six TFF juries will award $175,000 in cash and prizes. TAA will award an additional $20,000: $10,000 for narrative and $10,000 for documentary. All winners will also receive a work of original art by an acclaimed artist as part of the Tribeca Film Festival Artists Awards program, sponsored by Chanel. In addition, TFI will award $60,000 in grants to Latin American film and video artists, including two $10,000 Heineken VOCES grants for Latin American filmmakers living and working in the United States.

Following is a list of all 2012 Festival, Tribeca All Access and Tribeca Film Institute jurors and their respective categories.

World Competition Categories:

The jurors for the 2012 World Narrative Competition are:

Patricia Clarkson: Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG Award-nominated actress. Films include: Cairo Time, Easy A, Friends with Benefits, Shutter Island, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Whatever Works, Elegy, Lars and the Real Girl, Goodnight and Good Luck, Station Agent, Pieces of April and the upcoming The East.
Dakota Fanning: SAG Award-nominated actress. Films include: I am Sam, War of the Worlds, The Secret Life of Bees, The Twilight Saga, The Runaways and the upcoming films, Now Is Good and Effie.
Mike Newell: BAFTA Award-winning director. Films include Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Mona Lisa Smile, Donnie Brasco, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Enchanted April, Dance with a Stranger and the upcoming BBC project Great Expectations.
Lisa Schwarzbaum: film critic from Entertainment Weekly, her work has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Vogue and More, among other publications. She is a member of the National Society of Film Critics and former chair of the New York Film Critics Circle.
Jim Sheridan: 6-time Oscar-nominated Irish director. Films include Brothers, Get Rich or Die Tryin', In America, In the Name of the Father, The Field and My Left Foot.
Irwin Winker: Oscar & BAFTA award-winning producer/director. Films include Rocky, GoodFellas, The Right Stuff, Raging Bull, De-Lovely, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, Guilty by Suspicion and the upcoming The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, to be directed by Martin Scorsese.

The jurors for the 2012 World Documentary Competition are:

Julia Bacha: Noted documentary filmmaker and media strategist at the nonprofit Just Vision. Films include: Budrus (TFF 2009 Special Mention), Encounter Point (TFF 2006 Selection), Control Room (Writer/Editor) and the TFF 2012 short documentary selection My Neighbourhood.
Kim Cattrall: Golden Globe Award-winning actress and author. TV roles include: Sex and the City and the miniseries Any Human Heart. Films include: Sex and the City, Meet Monica Velour (TFF 2010 selection) andThe Ghost Writer.
K’naan: Award-winning Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and musician.
Michael Moore: Palme d’Or, Cesar & Oscar-winning director, producer, author and activist. Films includeCapitalism: A Love Story, Sicko, Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine and Roger & Me.
Lucy Walker: Two-time Oscar-nominated director. Films include: Countdown to Zero, Waste Land,Blindsight, Devil’s Playground and the short The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom.

Emerging Competition Categories:

The jurors for the 2012 Best New Narrative Director are:

Camilla Belle: Noted young actress. Films include: 10,000 BC, Push, Father of Invention, The Chumscrubber, The Ballad of Jack & Rose and the upcoming Open Road.
Whoopi Goldberg: Oscar, Tony, Grammy, Emmy award winner and humanitarian.
Susannah Grant: Oscar and BAFTA nominee and WGA-winning screenwriter, director, and producer. Projects include: The Soloist, In Her Shoes, Erin Brockovich, 28 Days and the current TV Series A Gifted Man.
Zach Helm: WGA-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director. Films include: Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Stranger Than Fiction and the upcoming Freezing People is Easy.
Courtney Hunt: Noted screenwriter and director. Her debut film Frozen River gained her an Academy Award nomination and two Independent Spirit nominations, and won the Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Filmmaking at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
Kellan Lutz: Up-and-coming actor. Films include: The Twilight Saga, Nightmare on Elm Street, Immortalsand the upcoming Java Heat.
Leelee Sobieski: Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actress. Films include: Public Enemies, Eyes Wide Shut, A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, 88 Minutes, Never Been Kissed, The Glass House and My First Mister. TV Roles include: Joan of Arc, Uprising and the new CBS drama NYC 22.

The jurors for the 2012 Best New Documentary Director are:

Stuart Blumberg: Oscar-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director. Films include: The Kids Are All Right, Leaves of Grass, By the People: The Election of Barack Obama, The Girl Next Door, Keeping the Faith and the upcoming Thanks For Sharing.
Jared Cohen: Director of Google Ideas, Senior Fellow at the Council for Foreign Relations and author of One Hundred Days of Silence: America and the Rwanda Genocide and Children of Jihad: A Young American's Travels Among the Youth of the Middle East.
Rachel Grady: Oscar-nominated director and producer. Films include: Detropia, Freakonomics, 12^th & Delaware, Jesus Camp and The Boys of Barak.
Bethann Hardison: Noted former model and Manager, Documentarian and Editor at Large for Vogue Italia.
Sal Masekela: Television host and producer. Projects include: The ESPN X Games, Red Bull Signature Series and E!'s Daily 10. Has also produced the documentaries Bra Boys, Disposable Hero: The Brian Deegan Story and the feature Street Dreams. He is a subject of TFF 2012 short film selection Alekesam.
Ricki Stern: Independent Spirit and Emmy-nominated director and producer. Films include: Burma Soldier, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (TFF 2010), The Devil Came on Horseback, The Trials of Darryl Hunt and the TFF 2012 selection Knuckleball!
Olivia Wilde: Noted actress, activist, and up-and-coming producer. Films include TRON: Legacy, Cowboys & Aliens, the upcoming Rush from Ron Howard, Warner Bros.' The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, and TFF 2012 selections Deadfall and the short documentary, Baseball in the Time of Cholera, which she executive produced.

Short Film Competition Categories:

The jurors for the 2012 Narrative Short Film Competition are:

Maureen Chiquet: Global CEO of Chanel. Glamour’s 2008 Woman of the Year and listed 4 times on Fortune Magazine’s International Power 50 List. She sits on the Yale University President’s Council on International Activities, the Supervisory Board & Human Resources Committee of Vivendi, the Board of Directors – Peek, Aren’t You Curious? and the Board of Trustees of the New York Academy of Art.
Hugh Dancy: Emmy-nominated actor. Films include: Martha Marcy May Marlene, Our Idiot Brother, the upcoming Dorothy of Oz and the TFF 2012 selection Hysteria. Currently on Broadway in Venus in Fur.
Aline Brosh McKenna: BAFTA and WGA-nominated screenwriter. Films include: We Bought a Zoo, I Don’t Know How She Does It, Morning Glory, 27 Dresses and The Devil Wears Prada.
Bridget Moynahan: Actress and star of CBS’s Blue Bloods. Films include: Battle Los Angeles, Ramona and Beezus, Lord of War, I, Robot and Coyote Ugly.
Drew Nieporent: Famed restaurateur, whose two-Michelin star restaurant Corton was featured in the acclaimed HBO documentary A Matter of Taste.
Mohammed Saeed Harib: Creator and director of Freej, the Middle East's pioneering 3D animated series from the UAE. Current projects include the recently directed Freej Folklore, the largest Arabic theatrical production, and the upcoming animated feature The Prophet.
Shari Springer Berman: Oscar and Emmy nominated Director, screenwriter, and producer. Films include:American Splendor, Cinema Verite, The Nanny Diaries, The Extra Man and the upcoming Imogene.

The jurors for the 2012 Documentary and Student Short Film Competitions are:

Scooter Braun: Music entrepreneur who discovered Justin Bieber and orchestrated his rise to global super stardom. He currently manages a growing roster of young stars and heads up two record labels through the Universal Music Group.
Robert Hammond: Co-founder and Executive Director of Friends of the High Line. In addition to being a self-taught artist, Robert has served as a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was awarded the Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome in 2010.
Brett Ratner: Noted director and producer. He directed the Rush Hour trilogy, Red Dragon, X-Men: Last Stand and Tower Heist. He also produced Horrible Bosses, Catfish, PBS' American Masters: Woody Allen - A Documentary and Mirror, Mirror.
Susan Sarandon: Oscar-winning actress, activist, mother and New Yorker. Films include: Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Bernard and Doris, Enchanted, Dead Man Walking, Thelma & Louise, Bull Durham and the upcoming films Cloud Atlas and The Wedding.
James Spione: Oscar-nominated director, producer, editor and writer. Films include: Incident in New Baghdad, Our Island Home and American Farm.
Shailene Woodley: Independent Spirit and National Board of Review Award-winning actress for her role inThe Descendants. Currently starring in The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
Susan Zirinsky: Primetime Emmy and Peabody-winning executive producer. Projects include: 48 Hours,Documentaries, 9/11: Ten Years Later, Three Days in September and Flashpoint.

TAA Creative Promise Awards

The jurors for the 2012 TAA Creative Promise Award—Narrative are:

Rosario Dawson: Actress known for roles in Kids, Rent, Seven Pounds, Sin City, Alexander, Grindhouse, Men in Black II, Chelsea Walls, Sidewalks of New York, He Got Game, Eagle Eye and Unstoppable.Upcoming films include Fire With Fire, alongside Bruce Willis and Josh Duhamel, and Danny Boyle’s Trance.
Cuba Gooding, Jr.: Oscar-winning actor who has appeared in Jerry Maguire, Men of Honor, As Good As It Gets, Radio, American Gangster, and most recently the George Lucas-helmed Red Tails.
Mekhi Phifer: Actor known for films including Clockers, Flypaper, 8 Mile, Othello, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, The Imposter and the Fox series Lie to Me, as well as the Emmy Award-winning series ER. He recently made his Broadway debut starring in Stickfly.
Gabourey Sidibe: Oscar-nominated actress for her leading role in Lee Daniels’ Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire. Currently appearing in the Showtime series The Big C, and recently appeared in the films Tower Heist and Yelling to the Sky.

The jurors for the 2012 TAA Creative Promise Award—Documentary are:

Claire Aguilar: Vice President of Programming at the Independent Television Service (ITVS), which funds, promotes and distributes independently produced programming to public media.
Julie Goldman: Founder of Motto Pictures and producer and executive producer of feature documentaries. Projects include the Oscar award-winning The Cove, Valentino The Last Emperor and Buck.
Eugene Hernandez: Director of Digital Strategy at the Film Society of Lincoln Center and a founder of Indiewire.
Jean Tsien: Acclaimed documentary film editor. Projects including Something Within Me and Dixie Chicks: Shut Up & Sing have been screened throughout the world, in theaters and on television, and have been honored with numerous awards and accolades.
Debra Zimmerman: Executive Director of Women Make Movies, the NY-based non-profit, which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary of supporting independent women filmmakers.

TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund

The jurors for the TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund, including the Heineken VOCES awards are:

· Fernando Rovzar: Co-founder of Mexico-based Lemon Films. Producer of the Broadway hit Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark and executive producer of La Casa de Mi Padre, starring Will Ferrell, Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal.

· Cynthia Lopez: Vice President for American Documentary/POV, overseeing the development of the organization, programming/content development and delivery and strategic planning. Founding board member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).

· Ricardo Darin: Internationally-renowned actor with over 40 films to his credit. Projects include Nine Queens(Nueve Reinas), The Son of the Bride (El Hijo de la Novia), The Aura and The Secret in their Eyes (winner of the 2010 Oscar for Best Foreign Film).

Tickets for 2012 Festival:

Tickets for the Festival will be $16.00 for evening and weekend screenings, and $8.00 for all late night and weekday matinee screenings. Tickets are now on sale to the general public and can be purchased online atwww.tribecafilm.com/festival, by telephone at (646) 502-5296 or toll free at (866) 941-FEST (3378), or at one of the Ticket Outlets, with locations at Tribeca Cinemas at 54 Varick Street, Clearview Cinemas Chelsea at 260 W. 23rd Street, and AMC Loews Village VII at 66 3rd Avenue. The 2012 Festival will continue offering ticket discounts for evening and weekend screenings for students, seniors and select downtown Manhattan residents. Discounted tickets are available at Ticket Outlet locations only. Discounted ticket packages can only be purchased online and by phone. Additional information and further details on the Festival can be found at www.tribecafilm.com.

About the Tribeca Film Festival:

About the 2012 Festival Sponsors:

As Founding Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, American Express is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of filmmaking, bringing business and energy to New York City and offering Cardmembers and festivalgoers the opportunity to enjoy the best of storytelling through film.

The Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to announce the return of its Signature Sponsors: Accenture, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Apple, Bloomberg, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), Brookfield, Cadillac, Caesars Atlantic City, ESPN, Heineken USA, JetBlue, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Magnum® Ice Cream, NBC 4 New York, NCM Media Networks, New York Nonstop, Stolichnaya Vodka, The New York Times, Time Warner Cable, as well as its Cultural Partner the Doha Film Institute. The Festival is also honored to welcome the following new Signature Sponsors: BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Focus Forward - a partnership between GE and CINELAN, and OppenheimerFunds.

About the Tribeca Film Institute:

For more information and a list of all TFI programs visit www.tribecafilminstitute.org/

Movie Reviews and News

Popular Movie App Offers More for Free

2012-04-16T11:55:00.001+01:00

Bath, United Kingdom - Renniksoft, creator of the popular Movie Genius app, today is proud to announce more free features and a simplified upgrade path for their movie recommendation iPhone software. Instead of recommending movies by matching cast or crew, Movie Genius actually compares the plots and themes of films and suggests ones that match in subject and style to past favourites.

Until now the free version of the app only gave recommendations for the Comedy film genre, but the latest release also provides War, Western, Adventure, Crime, Thriller, Drama, Music, Comedy, Science Fiction and Fantasy movie genre recommendations for free. In addition, a simplified upgrade path removes advertisements and enables the Family, Animation, Horror, Action and Sport bonus genre recommendations.

Backed by a database containing tens of thousands of films and powered by unique movie matching software, Movie Genius has been described as "one of the hottest new apps on the iPhone" by Top iPhone App Reviews and as "a very cool app indeed" by The Daily App Show.

"Movie Genius has only allowed limited recommendations in the free version up until now" said Clive Skinner, founder of Renniksoft. "But we decided to provide much more of the functionality for free to allow everyone to experience the type of movie recommendations you'd normally only get from friends or family."

Movie Genius also allows sharing of recommended movies via social media sites, renting or buying of films throught iTunes and viewing of YouTube trailers and clips. Film overviews, cast lists, photos, biographies, filmographies, ratings and votes add to the extensive information provided by the app.

Device Requirements:

* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

* Requires iOS 4.0 or later

* 8.9 MB

Pricing and Availability:

Movie Genius 2.4 is Free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category. Further film genres are enabled via in-app purchase.

http://www.renniksoft.com

Movie Reviews and News

Guest Post - Review of Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away"

2012-04-13T22:06:00.001+01:00

A review of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away

Have you ever seen an animated film produced by the talent at Studio Ghibli? Great animated movies aren’t limited to those produced by the artists at Disney or Pixar, and the impressive illustrators at the Japanese Studio Ghibli can certainly give American studios a run for their money. If you haven’t seen a Studio Ghibli movie, there is none that I could more highly recommend than their 2001 classic, Spirited Away. Illustrated and directed by the legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away exemplifies the magic of an old-school animated film that can still captivate an audience.

So, what makes this movie worth the hype?

A brief synopsis

The film tells the story of a young girl named Chihiro, who is on her way to move into a new house with her mom and dad in some distant town. You can tell from the start of the movie that Chihiro isn’t happy about the move as she sits in the back of her parent’s car, watching the scenery zoom by. Her dad suddenly takes an unplanned shortcut that leads the three to an ominous tunnel which opens up to what looks like an abandoned theme park. The three explore the ruins of the park until certain events transpire with the onset of nightfall: Chihiro notices that spirits inhabit the ruins at night, and when she hurries to warn her parents of this news, she discovers that they’ve been turned into pigs.

Chihiro is forced to live in this spirit realm so she can figure out a way to save her parents. She’s helped in this endeavor by the spirit Haku, who looks not much older than Chihiro even though he’s lived among the spirits for ages. Haku gets Chihiro a job in the nearby bathhouse, a gorgeously drawn structure that serves as the main setting for the film. The bathhouse is run by Yubaba, the notoriously tricky and powerful witch who begrudgingly allows Chihiro to work for her. While at the bathhouse, Chihiro meets mystical creatures and fantastic entities of all shapes and sizes as she tries to deal with being a human girl in the foreign setting of the spirit world. She runs into many trials along her way, but I won’t spoil the ending for you. You just have to see it for yourself!

Dominating themes

More than anything else, Spirited Away is a movie about perseverance and finding courage when you find yourself completely out of your comfort zone. Chihiro’s transition throughout the film from childlike immaturity to a more adult and responsible look on life is both poignant and stunning. She’s just a little girl preoccupied with the sudden upheaval of home life as she knew it, and suddenly everything she knows about the human world is thrown out too. She has to perform manual labor in a bathhouse run by bizarre and sometimes ill-meaning spirits in an effort to free her parents from perpetual captivity, all the while outwitting the players that try to do her harm.

No words do justice to the breathtaking animation in the movie. Hayao Miyazaki makes you forget that you’re even watching an animated feature, so life-like and magical are his characters, settings, and ear for dialogue. His depiction of the spiritual world is nothing short of miraculous.

Overall, Chihiro’s struggle to grow up in a strange world is a stirring performance for an animated movie, and not one worth missing. Do yourself a favor and checkout Spirited Away as soon as you can. You won’t be sorry that you did.

About the Author:

This guest contribution was submitted by Samantha Gray, who specializes in writing about online bachelors degree. Questions and comments can be sent to: samanthagray024@gmail.com.

I didn't ask Samantha to review this particular movie, but she ended up picking a film I adore - I thought Spirited Away was a wonderful movie. My review of Spirited Away.

Movie Reviews and News

Postman Pat: The Movie Cinema Release Date Announced for 24th May 2013

2012-04-13T21:57:00.001+01:00

Oh no! Now that I've got a toddler, this is the sort of movie I'll be watching...

POSTMAN PAT® THE MOVIE

UK CINEMA RELEASE ANNOUNCED FOR

FRIDAY 24^th MAY 2013

LONDON, UK (April 13, 2012) – Icon Film Distribution, Lionsgate UK, Classic Media and RGH Entertainment, the animation development and production unit of Rubicon Group Holding (RGH), are pleased to announce that Postman Pat® will be making his big screen debut in Postman Pat: The Movie, which will be released in CG 3-D Stereoscopic in cinemas across the UK onFriday, 24^th May 2013.

The film finds Pat, everyone’s favourite postman, coming face-to-face with the temptations of money, status and a shiny new suit when he enters a national TV talent show that threatens to tear him away from his hometown of Greendale and the friends he loves. What happens when kindness meets selfishness? When local fame meets global notoriety? A nice cup of tea is kicked aside by a frappacappucino? Pat is set to find out as he falls for the age old temptation of the grass being greener…

The renowned voice cast is led by actor Stephen Mangan (Episodes, Green Wing, Dirk Gently) as Postman Pat. Academy Award® and BAFTA® Award Winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, Moulin Rouge!), Rupert Grint, who achieved international fame as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter film series, and David Tennant (Doctor Who, Harry Potter) will join Stephen in bringing the world ofPostman Pat to life on the big screen.

Postman Pat: The Movie is currently in production, directed by Mike Disa (Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil) from a screenplay co-written by the award-winning Kim Fuller (Spice World, High Heels & Low Lifes) and Annika Bluhm, the long-time Producer of thePostman Pat television series. The film is being produced by RGH’s Robert Anich and Miles Horst and Classic Media’s Ceri Barnes and Annika Bluhm, with RGH Entertainment’s Randa Ayoubi and David Corbett and Classic Media’s Eric Ellenbogen and Doug Schwalbe serving as executive producers.

Movie Reviews and News

Tribeca Film Institute and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Announce 2012 TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund Recipients

2012-04-12T22:03:00.003+01:00

TRIBECA FILM INSTITUTE AND THE ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION

ANNOUNCE 2012 TFI SLOAN FILMMAKER FUND RECIPIENTS

***

$150,000 Awarded to Three Projects that Dramatize Science and Technology Themes in Film

***

Award Committee Includes Ryan Phillippe, Stephen Lang, Neuroscientist Joseph E. LeDoux, Professor of Astrophysical Sciences J. Richard Gott, and Other Film and Science Experts

[New York, NY – April 12, 2012] – The Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) today announced the films that will receive financial and creative support from the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. This year, three projects, chosen from 130 applicants from around the world, will be awarded a total of $150,000 and will be recognized at the annual Tribeca Film Festival, taking place April 18-29, 2012. The winning films include: Unmanned, Computer Chessand Resonance. The projects, which all emphasize science and technology in their storylines, focus on subjects including anew style of war fought by remote control, tensions between human ingenuity and machines in the computer chess tournaments of the 1980s, and the impact of brain abnormalities on interpersonal relationships.

The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund awards grants to narrative film projects that dramatize science and technology themes in film or that portray scientists, engineers, or mathematicians in prominent character roles. Grant recipients receive year-round mentorship from science experts and members of the film industry with the goal to help their projects at any stage move towards completion. 2012 marks the 11^th year of the partnership between TFI and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a founding sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival and TFI.

The winning projects were selected by an Award Committee made up of film and science notables including actor Ryan Phillippe (Flags of Our Fathers, The Lincoln Lawyer); actor Stephen Lang (Avatar, Public Enemies, Terra Nova); producer Michael Shamberg (Pulp Fiction, Erin Brockovich, Django Unchained); neuroscientist Joseph E. LeDoux; professor of astrophysical sciences J. Richard Gott (Princeton); and molecular endocrinologist Dr. Carter Bancroft.

“For the past 11 years, Tribeca has collaborated with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to support compelling film projects with science and technology themes and help them reach a wider audience,” said Tamir Muhammad, Director of Feature Programming, TFI. “Programs like the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, the Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize for Screenwriting, and this year’s retrospective screening and panel of WarGames at the Festival showcase our longstanding partnership. We look forward to the continued success of the program, and to working with this year’s deserving grantees.”

“We are very proud to celebrate our long standing partnership with Tribeca, which has helped produce an exciting array of film projects, readings and panels that present new ways to think about science and technology,” said Doron Weber, Vice President, Programs at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. “This year’s talented filmmakers and their diverse range of stories —from a new style of war fought with drones, to the ongoing struggle between humans and machines to the complexities of our own brain — attest to the growing appeal of movies that engage our minds as well as our hearts.”

Selected projects for funding:

· Unmanned

A young Air Force drone operator struggles to balance the stresses of going to war for the first time with the challenges of being a good father and husband, as he commutes each day between suburban family life and a new style of war fought by remote control. The short version of this film received an earlier Sloan Foundation production grant and is premiering at this year’s Festival. Casey Cooper Johnson (writer/director), Casey Fenton (producer), Peter W. Singer (story by), Sevdije Kastrati (cinematographer)

· Computer Chess

This film focuses on a computer chess tournament in the 80’s, transporting viewers to a nostalgic moment when the battle of technology versus the human spirit seemed a little more up for grabs.

Andrew Bujalski (writer/director), Houston King (producer), Alex Lipschultz (producer)

· Resonance

Two damaged young men trying to reclaim their lives, push each other to the breaking point until they realize that only their friendship will save them. Portraying the crossroads of neurology and psychiatry, the film examines how the brain's functioning affects the way we interact, and how medical science treats brain abnormalities. DaraBratt (director/writer), Keiran Dick (writer), Andrew Fierberg (producer), Robert Gerber (executive producer)

On Monday, April 23, the grant-winning film projects will have scenes from their screenplays performed by an esteemed cast at the invitation-only Sloan Work-In-Progress Readings at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space.

In addition to financial and year-round ancillary support, TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund grant recipients will receive exposure to industry executives, financiers and producers during the Tribeca Film Festival including the opportunity to present their projects to industry executives during one-on-one pitch sessions at TFI Industry Meetings. These opportunities help winners take their project to the next level. For example, Future Weather (writer/director Jenny Deller), which won a TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund grant in 2010, will have its world premiere at that this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. One of last year’s grantees, A Birder’s Guide to Everything (Rob Meyer, director, screenwriter; Luke Matheny, screenwriter; Paul Miller, producer) currently has Oscar winner Sir Ben Kingsley (Ghandi, House of Sand and Fog, Hugo) attached to the project. Another winner from last year, screenwriter and director Lara Shapiro (Talking Book) is now doing extensive research with inventor and entrepreneur Ray Kurzweil himself, to transform her work about the Kurzweil Reading Machine into a screenplay.

As part of their ongoing partnership, Sloan and TFI recently awarded Penny Stock by Grainger David (NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts) the 2012 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Student Grand Jury Prize for Screenwriting. The $50,000 grant recognizes exceptional feature screenplays that dramatize science and technology themes, and includes year-round support from TFI, including mentorship and guidance from scientific and film industry professionals.

At this year’ s Festival, the Sloan Foundation and TFI will also present a Sloan retrospective screening and panel ofWarGames as well as the world premiere and panel of Future Weather, a 2010 TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund winner, as part of “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie.”

WarGames - Sloan Retrospective Screening and Panel

Saturday, April 28 at SVA Theater 1

The screening of the Academy Award®-nominated film WarGames from director John Badham, which uses advances in national security and the vulnerabilities of new technology as the backdrop for a coming-of-age thriller will include a panel after the movie with director John Badham, actress Ally Sheedy, Bitcoin Technical Lead Gavin Andresen, William D. Casebeer, PhD, Program Manager, Defense Sciences Office at DARPA (USAF, retired), and others to discuss the historical relationship between military strategy and technical innovation, storytelling with gaming and simulation tools, and the challenges of depicting cutting-edge technology on the big screen.

Future Weather – Screening and Panel

Sunday, April 29 at SVA Theater 2

The world premiere of Future Weather, inspired by a New Yorker article on global warming, which follows a teenage loner who becomes obsessed with ecological disaster, forcing her alcoholic grandmother to rethink their futures will include a conversation after the film with writer/director Jenny Deller, producer Kristin Fairweather, Future Weather actress Lili Taylor, and others to discuss how an article about a scientific and environmental issue planted the seed for an intimate fiction film and inspired an environmentally sensitive production.

About the Tribeca Film Institute:

For more information and a list of all TFI programs visit www.tribecafilminstitute.org/

About the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

The New York based Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, founded in 1934, makes grants in science, technology, and economic performance. Sloan’s program in public understanding of science and technology, directed by Doron Weber, supports books, radio, film, television, theater and new media to reach a wide, non-specialized audience.

Sloan’s film program encourages filmmakers to create more realistic and accurate stories about science and technology and to challenge existing stereotypes about scientists and engineers in the popular imagination. In addition to Screenplay Development Programs, Sloan has supported such film projects as Future Weather, a coming of age story about a young woman who finds personal meaning in science, starring Lili Taylor and Amy Madigan (premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival), Valley of Saints and Robot and Frank both of which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and shared the Sloan Feature Film Prize.

The Foundation has sponsored screenwriting and film production workshops at Sundance, the Hamptons, Tribeca, and Film Independent, and honored feature films such as Obselidia, Agora and Another Earth. Sloan also partners with Ensemble Studio Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club in support of new science plays such as Photograph 51, the story of Rosalind Franklin and her role in the discovery of the double helical structure of DNA. For more information about the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation please visit www.sloan.org.

Movie Reviews and News

ERIC BANA, REBECCA HALL BEGIN PRODUCTION NEXT WEEK ON JOHN CROWLEY - DIRECTED INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE THRILLER

2012-04-12T21:28:00.002+01:00

ERIC BANA, REBECCA HALL BEGIN PRODUCTION NEXT WEEK ON

JOHN CROWLEY-DIRECTED INTERNATIONAL SUSPENSE THRILLER;

SUPPORTING CAST, CREW SET FOR U.K. SHOOT

NEW YORK, April 11^th, 2012 – Production begins next week in the U.K. on Focus Features and Working Title Films’ untitled international suspense thriller starring Eric Bana (of Focus’ Hanna) and Golden Globe Award nominee Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Town) for director John Crowley (Boy A). The original screenplay is by Steven Knight, Academy Award nominee for Dirty Pretty Things and BIFA Award nominee for Focus’ Eastern Promises.

Rounding out the cast are British Independent Film Award nominee Riz Ahmed (Four Lions); Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent (Iris); Olivier Award nominee Kenneth Cranham (An Inspector Calls); BAFTA Award nominee Anne-Marie Duff (Nowhere Boy); in his fifth film for Focus, Ciarán Hinds (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy); and Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee Julia Stiles (Dexter). Adriano Goldman (Focus’ Jane Eyre) is the feature’s cinematographer; Jim Clay and Natalie Ward, both of Focus’ The Debt, are the production designer and costume designer, respectively.

Mr. Bevan and Mr. Fellner are producing the film with Chris Clark (The Guard), and Working Title’s Liza Chasin is executive producer. Focus holds worldwide rights to the feature, and will commence overseas sales at the Cannes International Film Festival in May.

In the thriller, two ex-lovers, Martin (to be played by Mr. Bana) and Claudia (Ms. Hall), find their loyalties tested and their lives at risk when they are joined together on the defense team in a terrorism trial.

Working Title Films, co-chaired by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner since 1992, is one of the world’s leading film production companies. Founded in 1983, Working Title has made nearly 100 films that have grossed over $5 billion worldwide. Its films have won 6 Academy Awards, 30 BAFTA Awards, and prestigious prizes at the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals. The company’s 2012 slate includes Baltasar Kormákur’s Contraband, starring Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale, which recently posted the company’s all-time biggest domestic box office opening weekend; Les Misérables, directed by Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway; and Joe Wright’s epic love story Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, and Aaron Johnson.

Focus Features and Focus Features International (www.focusfeatures.com) comprise a singular global company. This worldwide studio makes original and daring films that challenge the mainstream to embrace and enjoy voices and visions from around the world that deliver global commercial success. The company operates as Focus Features in North America, and as Focus Features International (FFI) in the rest of the world.

Upcoming Focus releases include Moonrise Kingdom, the new feature from Wes Anderson that will world-premiere as the opening-night film of the 2012 Cannes International Film Festival, starring Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman; Lorene Scafaria’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley; Sam Fell and Chris Butler’s ParaNorman, the new 3D stop-motion comedy thriller from animation company LAIKA; Jamie Travis’ contemporary comedy For a Good Time, Call…, starring Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller; the historical tale Hyde Park on Hudson, directed by Roger Michell and starring Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney; and the aforementioned Anna Karenina.

Focus Features is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

Movie Reviews and News

Sky Movies HD announces deal with MGM to show entire James Bond library

2012-04-12T17:23:00.002+01:00

JAMES BOND: UNINTERRUPTED AND ON DEMAND COMING SOON TO SKY MOVIES HD

Sky Movies HD announces deal with MGM to show entire James Bond library

Sky Movies HD has today announced that the entire James Bond film catalogue, from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, will be available on the service from October 2012. Customers will be able to enjoy all of the titles from the iconic franchise, as well as upcoming releases, in HD and without commercial interruption.

The twenty-two official Bond titles from EON Productions, from DR NO to QUANTUM OF SOLACE, will be shown on Sky Movies Showcase HD. In addition, the two non EON titles 1967 CASINO ROYALE and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN will also be available in HD to Sky Movies Showcase HD customers. The upcoming official Bond film SKYFALL, which will be released theatrically on October 26, 2012 in the UK, will arrive on Sky Movies Box Office and in the Sky Store in the spring of 2013.

The deal marks the first time the complete catalogue of Bond films will have ever been shown uninterrupted and in high definition (HD) in the UK. It offers Bond fans an unrivalled opportunity to experience the films via Sky Movies’ comprehensive movies service - on the linear channels, on demand and on the go.

The films will come into license to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the franchise, with the first film, DR NO, released on 5 October 1962.

“We are simply delighted to have secured the Bond films for our customers” comments Ian Lewis, Director of Sky Movies. “Everything about these films is iconic – whether it’s the cars, the gadgets or the catchphrases. What’s more, they’ve become hugely significant culturally; demonstrating the best of British film. It’s an honour for us to have all of them for our customers, and we will ensure that we do them justice across Sky Movies, giving our customers the best possible experience in watching them. It’s an exciting time for Sky Movies and this is just one of many exciting plans we have coming up in the months ahead.”

Chris Ottinger, President, International Television Distribution & Acquisitions, MGM said, “It is the first time that the entire Bond collection will be shown side-by-side on one channel and we are really pleased to be able to showcase all of the British classics on Sky Movies.”

Sky Movies review programme 35MM will also be showing behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive interviews of SKYFALL alongside the James Bond collection.

For more information visit: www.skymovies.com, or www.sky.com. For a sneak peek and the latest news on SkyFall, visit www.007.com.

Movie Reviews and News

Tribeca announces Tribeca Online Film Festival program - take part in Tribeca from anywhere in the US

2012-04-09T19:29:00.005+01:00

TRIBECA ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL CONTINUES EXTENSION

OF FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE WITH RANGE OF FREE ONLINE CONTENT

Online Festival Marks Third Year of Cultivating Digital Environment with Exclusive Content Including Free Streaming of Four World-Premiere Feature-Length Festival Films,

Live, and Interactive Special Events

***

Universal Studios 100^th Anniversary Celebration With Robert De Niro,

Meryl Streep and Judd Apatow Is Among the Live Streaming Events

New York, NY [APRIL 9, 2011] – The 2012 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) today unveiled the lineup and programming for the Tribeca Online Film Festival, presented by founding partner American Express. The third year of the pioneering digital initiative continues the extension of the TFF experience across digital platforms, allowing domestic audiences to view select feature and short films for free, including four world-premiere features to be streamed just after their TFF theatrical premieres. Audiences across the country will get front row access to the exclusive Festival content and hear filmmakers and industry leaders talking about the future of the industry as TFF’s 11^th edition runs concurrently in lower Manhattan from April 18 to 29.

The 2012 Tribeca Online Film Festival offers film enthusiasts new avenues to experience a film festival. Audiences will get to vote, via tribecaonline.com, on the best online feature and short, with winners receiving a total of $16,000 in prize money. Tribeca Online is employing the latest digital video and web technology to deliver an immersive, interactive experience, re-contextualizing Festival content and presentation.

Four world premiere feature selections from the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, and five short films, three of which are world premieres, will be available during the online Festival. Each film will have limited screening windows and capacity. Reservations begin on April 10 for American Express Cardmembers (who will also get access to select content from distribution label Tribeca Film upon registration) and April 16 for the general public. Online viewers will be able to vote for the Best Tribeca Online Feature Film, a prize of $10,000, and the Best Tribeca Online Short Film, a prize of $5,000. Winners will be announced at the Tribeca Film Festival Awards on April 26. There will also be a social voting competition, based solely on popularity: the number of “likes” that film accrues on the Tribeca Online Film Festival film detail page. The feature film and the short film that drive the most Facebook likes on the page will each receive a separate $500 prize. Winners will be announced on April 30.

The complete list of feature films streamed on the Tribeca Online Film Festival is as follows:

· Babygirl, directed and written by Macdara Vallely. (Ireland, USA) – World Premiere, Viewpoints. For as long as she can remember, Bronx teenager Lena has watched her mom Lucy squander her life on a series of deadbeat men. When Victor, her mom’s latest boy toy, starts hitting on Lena, she sets up a trap to expose Victor for the creep he is… but the plan backfires. Macdara Vallely crafts a heartfelt drama about the emotional highs and lows in the moment between childhood and adulthood.

· On The Mat, directed and written by Fredric Golding. (USA) – World Premiere, Viewpoints and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. Achieving greatness in high school wrestling requires a level of devotion unmatched perhaps by any other sport. That greatness has become a yearly expectation at Lake Stevens High, winner of seven Washington state championships in the past 10 years. Narrated by Lake Stevens wrestling alum Chris Pratt (Moneyball), this riveting documentary follows the team over the course of a season as they fight through injuries and academic issues to maintain their school’s legacy.

· The Russian Winter, directed by Petter Ringbom. (Russia) – World Premiere, Spotlight. Brooklyn-born John Forté was a Grammy-nominated musician in The Fugees at 21 and a federal prison inmate at 26. When his prison sentence was remarkably commuted in 2008, Forté was given a second chance to share his talents with the world. Chronicling his concert tour across Russia, this inspirational documentary takes us on Forté’s personal journey—one that’s as much about having his voice heard as having his music heard. In English, Russian with subtitles.

· Town of Runners, directed by Jerry Rothwell. (UK) – World Premiere, Viewpoints. Over the past two decades the small, rural Ethiopian town of Bekoji has been the unlikely home to numerous Olympic champion long-distance runners, whose athletic success has paved the way for a generation of young Ethiopians searching for a better future. With a keen artistic eye, TFF award winner Jerry Rothwell (Donor Unknown) follows two teenage track hopefuls who face the challenge of growing up and striving for greatness in a developing nation. In Amharic, Oromo with subtitles.

The short films streaming on Tribeca Online are:

BFF (World Premiere) Directed and written by Neil LaBute. Jack and Jill have been “best friends forever,” and when Jill suspects that her boyfriend is cheating on her, Jack offers to help her.

CatCam (New York Premiere) Directed by Seth Keal. German engineer Jürgen Perthold was intrigued about where his newly adopted stray, Mr. Lee, disappeared to for days on end, so he developed the CatCam to help solve the mystery.

Scenes from a Visit to Japan (World Premiere) Directed and written by Joel Schlemowitz. An experimental film invoking diverse cultural landscapes, suggesting a collective struggle of humanity between apocalyptic visions of the past, present, and future, and the redemptive power of the human spirit.

Transmission (International Premiere) Directed and written by Zak Hilditch. Following a deadly pandemic that has decimated the world’s population, a father drives his nine-year-old daughter from the west coast of Australia to the safe zone.

Doggy Bags (World Premiere) Directed and written by Edward Burns. A young man suspects the girl he is dating to be hiding a secret after she routinely orders massive amounts of food to go. Produced by American Express as a result of the 2011 My Movie Pitch contest. This film is ineligible for awards.

Nine additional short films will be made available through FOCUS FORWARD – Short Films, Big Ideas, a partnership between GE and CINELAN. Five will premiere on tribecafilm.com beginning today, April 9, when the Tribeca Online Film Festival site goes live. The last four, which are world premieres, will debut on tribecafilm.com on April 25, simultaneous with their TFF premieres at Tribeca Cinemas. The four world premiere films are directed by Nelson George, Katy Chevigny, Steven Cantor, and Michèle Ohayon. Each film is three minutes long and tells an amazing story of innovators making our world a better place.

Select events will be streamed live as part of the Tribeca Online Film Festival, with TFF’s many other events, Q&As and conversations being captured on video for dynamic segments to be posted each day on tribecafilm.com, giving online audiences a comprehensive Festival experience. Among the live events scheduled are:

· April 19 at 3pm EDT - A celebration of Universal Studios 100^th Anniversary, featuring

Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Judd Apatow sharing their favorite moments and memories from Universal's extraordinary history.

· April 26 at 7pm EDT - TFF Awards Night, saluting the best of the Festival;

· April 27 at 11am EDT - Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards, celebrating innovation across the

media, entertainment and technology spectrum.

Visit www.Tribecaonline.com for all the details.

# # #

To keep up with Tribeca, visit the Tribeca Film Festival website at www.tribecafilm.com, and log in at http://www.tribecafilm.com/newsletters/, where you can also subscribe to the Tribeca Newsletter.

Like the Tribeca Film Festival Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TribecaFilm. Follow us on Twitter @TribecaFilmFest and join the conversation by using the hashtag #TFF or #TOFF for the Tribeca Online Film Festival.

About the Tribeca Film Festival:
The Tribeca Film Festival helps filmmakers reach the broadest possible audience, enabling the international film community and general public to experience the power of cinema and promote New York City as a major filmmaking center. It is well known for being a diverse international film festival that supports emerging and established directors.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center, to spur the economic and cultural revitalization of the lower Manhattan district through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival brings the industry and community together around storytelling.

The Tribeca Film Festival has screened more than 1,300 films from more than 80 countries since its first edition in 2002. Since inception, it has attracted an international audience of more than 3.7 million attendees and has generated an estimated $725 million in economic activity for New York City.

About the 2012 Festival Sponsors:
As Founding Sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, American Express is committed to supporting the Festival and the art of filmmaking, bringing business and energy to New York City and offering Cardmembers and festivalgoers the opportunity to enjoy the best of storytelling through film.

The Tribeca Film Festival is pleased to announce the return of its Signature Sponsors: Accenture, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Apple, Bloomberg, Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), Brookfield, Cadillac, Caesars Atlantic City, ESPN, Heineken USA, JetBlue, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Magnum® Ice Cream, NBC 4 New York, NCM Media Networks, New York Nonstop, Stolichnaya Vodka, The New York Times, Time Warner Cable, as well as its Cultural Partner the Doha Film Institute. The Festival is also honored to welcome the following new Signature Sponsors: BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin, Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Hotels & Resorts, FOCUS FORWARD - a partnership between GE and CINELAN, and OppenheimerFunds.

Movie Reviews and News