AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival (held June 21 to 27) announced its distinguished winners. Best Feature directors receive $5,000. Best US Feature: WO AI NI MOMMY (I LOVE YOU, MOMMY) directed by Stephanie Wang-Breal, which documents eight-year-old Chinese Fang Sui Yong and her adoption by a Jewish couple from Long Island who name her “Faith.” The film follows Faith and her parents’ twist-and-turn journey over a year and a half. Best World Feature: THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS directed by Vadim Jendreyko, which chronicles eighty-five-year-old Svetlana Geier who has dedicated her life to language. Considered the greatest translator of […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 30, 2010The LA Film Festival (held June 17-27) announced its winners. The prize for Best Narrative Feature went to Danish director Pernille Fischer Christensen for A Family. The Documentary Award went to J. Clay Tweel for his doc Make Believe. Christensen and Tweel both receive $50,000. L.A. Film Festival winners (descriptions provided by the festival): Narrative Award (for Best Narrative Feature): A Family (En Familie) directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen (Denmark). The conflict between love and duty plays out in this stunning, award-winning saga about a successful Danish family that faces agonizing choices when its charismatic patriarch falls ill. Documentary Award […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 30, 2010The Sundance Institute announced its 12 Documentary Film Fellows and their five projects in the seventh Documentary Edit and Story Laboratory. Taking place from June 19-27 at a resort in Sundance, Utah, this Lab supports visionary filmmakers and their projects. Fellows are selected from a pool of 60 active, Sundance-funded documentary projects. Lab Fellows are: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz (Directing Fellow), Michael Collins (Directing Fellow), Heather Courtney (Directing Fellow), Ramona Diaz (Directing Fellow), Ron Goldman (Editing Fellow), Kyle Henry (Editing Fellow), Stephen Maing (Directing Fellow), Leah Marino (Editing Fellow), Eric Daniel Metzgar (Editing Fellow), Jonathan Oppenheim (Editing Fellow), Trina Rodriquez (Editing Fellow), […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 25, 2010The Sundance Institute has announced the inaugural Shortslab: LA, a three-part, all-day workshop that will offer filmmakers inside guidance through the development, production, and exhibition of short films. Shortlabs: LA will be held Saturday, July 31st at the Downtown Independent Theater (251 South Main Street) in Los Angeles. Tickets are $150. For information or to purchase tickets visit: www.sundance.org/shortslab Here is the workshop schedule: Story Development (9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.): Acclaimed filmmakers including Sundance Film Festival alumni share their experiences working with short-form during their careers. These tales from the trenches will focus on conceptualization and script development. Participants […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 22, 2010This July 9-29, Sundance will debut its first Sundance Institute Theatre Lab East Africa on the island of Manda, off the coast of Kenya. This Lab, guided by Philip Himberg, Producing Artistic Director of Sundance Institute Theatre Lab, will help artists with the creative process and the development of their projects. Much like the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab, Sundance Institute East Africa will involve shared training and mentorship. According to Himberg, this East African partnership honors African cultural customs, but also breaks new grounds. Fellows and participants come from all over the region. 2010 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab in East […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 17, 2010The Brooklyn International Film Festival (BiFF) has announced its 2010 winners. The 13th annual BiFF ran from June 4th- 13th at indieScreen in Williamsburg and at Brooklyn Heights Cinema. Winners were selected from over 101 film film premieres. A total of $50,000 in prizes and services were awarded to the winners. Here is the list of awards: GRAND CHAMELEON AWARD THE MINUTEMEN MOVIE by Corey Wascinski Best Narrative Feature GABI ON THE ROOF IN JULY by Lawrence Michael Levine Best Documentary THE MINUTEMEN MOVIE by Corey Wascinski Best Narrative Short NAISSANCES by Anne Émond Best Animation SPUTNIK 5 by Susanna […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 17, 2010The 22nd NewFest, New York’s LGBT Film Festival announced its winners over the weekend. Top winners include Xavier Dolan’s I Killed My Mother for Best Narrative Feature and The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls by Leanne Pooley for Best Documentary. The Festival took place June 3-13 in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood. List of winners Jury Awards: Best Narrative Short: “Curious Thing” by Alain Hain Best Documentary Short: (Tie) “At Night I Was Beautiful” by Steven Wilsey; “Last Address” by Ira Sachs Best Documentary Feature: “The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls” by Leanne Pooley Best Narrative Feature: “I Killed My Mother” by […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 15, 2010This year’s annual Labor Day ritual in Navada, Burning Man, will also be the site of the inaugural Black Rock City Film Festival (BRCFF), a festival dedicated to shorts which will take place on August 31, 2010. BRCFF is now calling for entries. The fest is seeking shorts— anything under 30 min— that will appeal to the Burning Man crowd. The regular deadline is July 1, and the late deadline is July 15. Learn more about submitting your film here.
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 11, 2010This summer, Aspen Film and Aspen Institute are joining forces to present New Views: Premiere Documentaries, a series that features acclaimed documentaries and filmmakers. New Views debuts on July 8 at the Aspen Ideas Festival, and it will continue on Monday evenings from Jul 19- August 9. Each screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the director or a special guest. Five new documentaries exploring music, visual art, and photography will premiere at the festival. Click here to learn more. The New Views Line up: July 8: The Furious Force of Rhymes The Aspen Institute presents an advance […]
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 9, 2010NBC Universal’s Short Cuts Film Festival is now accepting submissions for its 2010 edition. Previously known as “Comedy Short Cuts,” the festival, now in its 5th year, has expanded to include drama, horror, and sci-fi. The deadline for submissions is August 13th. Prizes for finalists include an opportunity to pitch NBC Digital Studios, and the winner will receive a pilot script deal with Universal Media Studios. The semi-finals of this bi-coastal fest will take place in New York in September 2010 and the finals will happen in Los Angeles on October 20. Learn how to submit your short here.
by Jaimie Stettin on Jun 9, 2010