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16 articles
Scott Foundas: “I think any organization has to change with time”
11 hours ago
The rumor-mill expected it, and The Film Society of Lincoln Center’s executive director Mara Manus officially confirmed Wednesday afternoon the appointment of L.A. Weekly critic Scott Foundas as the group’s new Associate Program Director, replacing Kent Jones who left earlier this year to join Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation. Coincidentally or not, Foundas’ new position adds to the recent move by some veteran critics into the festival programming realm, including Newsweek’s … »
“Fox” in the City: Anderson & Friends in Manhattan
14 hours ago
“I’ve been spending a lot of time in France recently, but this is the Paris that I remember most in my life,” filmmaker Wes Anderson said last night, standing in front of the screen at New York City’s Paris Theater on 58th St. in Manhattan. Across the street at Bergdorff Goodman’s, the windows of the famous 5th Ave. department store were filled with scenes from his new movie, “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” … »
IFC Films Has “Cracks”
14 hours ago
IFC Films has announced that it has acquired the North American rights to “Cracks,” the feature directorial debut of Jordan Scott. Starring Eva Green, the film premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, marking another recent late buy out of the fest (“Mother and Child,” “The Jonses” and “The Good Heart” were all picked up last week). The deal was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, IFC Films VP of Acquisitions and … »
Gigapix and Anchor Bay Announce 5-Film Partnership
17 hours ago
Essential Entertainment’s President of Worldwide Distribution, John Fremes, announced a multi-picture agreement today with Gigapix Studios for five “G” and “PG” rated live action kids’ films through its subsidiary Recess Films. The five live action films and one CG animated film will be produced by Gigapix Studios over the next three years. Anchor Bay Entertainment will have rights for first look in the U.S. with Essential Entertainment handling all International rights. … »
20 Films To Contend For Animated Feature Oscar
19 hours ago
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has released a list of the twenty films that have submitted themselves for consideration for this year’s Best Animated Feature Oscar. The unusually high number means that for the second time in the award’s history (and the first time since 2002), five films will be nominated for the award. This news should please the many folks who felt this year’s impressive batch of … »
cinemadaily | Now On DVD
20 hours ago
One of the most critically acclaimed films of 2008, Lance Hammer’s “Ballast” comes to DVD this week, courtesy of Kino. “Superficially, Ballast is a distinctly American work, but Hammer infuses it with a European sensibility that separates it from the rest of the pack,” writes Michael Tully at Hammer to Nail in his survey of the week’s DVD releases. Watch the DVD trailer for “Ballast” on YouTube. Another of the finest … »
Emily & Sarah Kunstler: “This is a film about legacy”
21 hours ago
Once deemed “the most hated lawyer in America,” activist attorney William Kunstler fought for civil rights alongside Martin Luther King Jr., defended the Chicago Seven and ended his career by controversially taking on mob bosses and the Central Park jogger as clients. In their documentary “William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe,” which opens in theaters this Friday in New York, sisters Emily and Sarah Kunstler explore their father’s legacy from both political … »
Box Office 2.0: Two Notable Diy Releases That Opened In “Precious”‘s Shadow
10 November 2009 10:35 AM, PST
While obviously the indie box office story of this past weekend was Lee Daniels’ “Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire.” With final numbers now in, its record breaking per-theater average can officially be confirmed. In fact, the film managed to gross $72,458 more than estimated - putting its average at an astounding $104,025. However, since this weekend’s estimates column - and many more columns to come - are sure … »
cinemadaily | “The Messenger” Spreads the Word in the Us
10 November 2009 8:56 AM, PST
After a debut at Sundance ‘09 and an award-winning stint at the Berlinale, Oren Moverman’s “The Messenger” comes to Us audiences this Friday in a limited release. The film stars Ben Foster (in his first starring role) as Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery, who, with Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), is part of the Casualty Notification Office in the U.S. Army. He receives his assignment after becoming injured and now works in … »
Rise of the Critic-Turned-Programmer?
10 November 2009 6:50 AM, PST
With the appointment of Newsweek critic David Ansen as Los Angeles Film Festival’s new Artistic Director yesterday, the programming ranks at fests are swelling with people who have made their names in film criticism. The New York Film Festival’s programming committee is packed with critics, who took a bit of a lashing earlier this Fall from one of their own, A.O. Scott in the New York Times. AFI Fest’s new programmer … »
Philippe Diaz: “I think that movies can help make the world a better place”
10 November 2009 6:17 AM, PST
In his new documentary “The End of Poverty,” filmmaker Philippe Diaz examines the root causes of global poverty and challenges the effectiveness our current economic system. The film opens in New York on November 13 and in Los Angeles on November 25. indieWIRE contacted Diaz via email to discuss the film and his career. Please introduce yourself. I started as a director and became a producer very early on, ending up … »
“Easier with Practice” on Hollywood Blvd!
9 November 2009 7:31 PM, PST
iW caught up with the guys from “Easier with Practice” on Hollywood Blvd. near the Kodak Theatre after walking the red carpet. Writer/director Kyle Patrick Alvarez (right) and star Brian Geraghty screened their film at the recent AFI Fest, which ended over the weekend. In the film two brothers set off on a road trip in an effort to promote an unpublished novel, written by the older brother, Davy.However, the idealism … »
Strand Consummates Rights to “Sex”
9 November 2009 2:26 PM, PST
U.S. rights to Sarah Watt’s “My Year Without Sex” have been acquired by Strand Releasing from The Works International at the American Film Market (Afm), the company unveiled Monday. The La-based distributor’s Jon Gerrans negotiated the deal with Joy Wong of The Works, and Strand plans a Spring 2010 release. Starring Sacha Horler (“Praise”) and Matt Day (“Muriel’s Wedding”), the film centers on a couple, Ross and Natalie, who are forced … »
cinemadaily | Sheffield Wrap
9 November 2009 11:12 AM, PST
The 2009 Sheffield Doc/Fest wrapped up this weekend and this year’s edition has left the Guardian’s David Cox asking: “Is this the end of the line for the impartial documentary?” “This year, the normally clubby atmosphere of Sheffield’s documentarists’ convention has been shaken by a genuine row,” reports Cox. “The intensity of the debate at the Campaigning Documentaries: The Thin Line Between Passion and Propaganda session reflects the seriousness of what’s … »
A Tale of Two Trailers: The De-Gaying of “A Single Man”
9 November 2009 9:44 AM, PST
While the heterosexualized poster for Tom Ford’s not-so-heterosexual “A Single Man” caused a wee stir last week, it seems the recently released trailer has just re-enforced those complaints. A comparative study of the trailer that Tom Ford’s production company released as the film premiered in Venice and Toronto and the trailer The Weinstein Company just put out tells quite the tale. The new trailer uses the same music and mostly the … »
Eugene Hernandez: Building Buzz
9 November 2009 5:55 AM, PST
New York, NY, November 9, 2009—“Precoius” v. “Up in the Air”? That was the case on Thursday night in Manhattan as the two expected Oscar contenders hosted competing events in New York City. Colin Powell caused a stir as he mingled inside Soho’s new Crosby Street Hotel during the party for “Precious.” Across the room, Quincy Jones held court for awhile before the two joined forces for a power chat and … »
16 articles
