Authors — Paula Bernstein
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Trailer Watch: Hany Abu-Assad’s The Idol
Two-time Academy Award nominated director Hany Abu-Assad follows up Paradise Now and Omar with The Idol, which now has a U.S. trailer. Inspired by the true story of Palestinian Mohammad Assaf, who was crowned Arab Idol champion in 2013, the film focuses on Assaf’s childhood in Gaza where he dreams of a successful musical career. The Idol, which premiered at TIFF 2015, was partially filmed on location in Gaza, the first feature to be shot there in decades. Adopt Films will release the film in New York on May 6 and nationwide on May 13.
by Paula Bernstein on Mar 10, 2016 -
2016 Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship Awarded to Eileen Meyer
The 2016 Karen Schmeer Film Editing Fellowship has been awarded to film editor Eileen Meyer, best known for her work on the award-winning documentary Best of Enemies. In announcing the news, the awards committee said, “Eileen impressed us with her confident spirit, strong work ethic, and the ways in which she has been pushing herself to new professional heights. We also loved her playful and insightful editorial style in her work as an editor of Best of Enemies.” Meyer will receive the fellowship on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at the SXSW Film Festival Awards Ceremony in Austin, Texas. In addition to a […]
by Paula Bernstein on Mar 10, 2016 -
Hot Docs Selects Forum Projects for 2016
The Hot Docs Forum, the annual pitching event that stimulates international co-production financing, has announced this year’s 19 projects, representing 16 different countries. Selected from over 200 submissions, the below projects will present their pitches in front of a round table of leading commissioning editors, film fund representatives, financiers, programming executives and delegates from around the world. One high profile project, Objective: Change the World, otherwise known as “the Bill Nye film,” has already managed to raise $859,000 via Kickstarter, making it the most funded documentary ever on the crowdfunding platform. “We want to congratulate this year’s incredibly diverse projects, which showcase a […]
by Paula Bernstein on Mar 9, 2016 -
Here’s How to Direct Catherine Hardwicke-Style
With Twilight in 2008, Catherine Hardwicke became the first female director to launch a successful blockbuster movie franchise (the film grossed $400 million worldwide). But rather than direct the sequel films in the blockbuster series, Hardwicke opted to take on more daring fare, such as Red Riding Hood, a dark re-telling of the fairy tale. But when that 2011 film was both a critical and financial disappointment, Hardwicke found she was no longer a hot commodity in Hollywood. Unlike male directors who are allowed a flop or two, female filmmakers are held to a higher standard, she quickly found. Instead of vying for the next superhero […]
by Paula Bernstein on Mar 9, 2016 -
Kickstarting VIVA DIVA, a Short Film Starring Mya Taylor
Mya Taylor will follow up her Film Independent Spirit Award-winning performance in Tangerine with performances in several short films which tackle transgender issues. Her latest project, VIVA DIVA, which is billed as “the story of two trans women of color Rozene and Diva, on a road trip of a lifetime,” is aiming to raise $10,000 on Kickstarter. Written and directed by Sundance Institute Native Lab fellow, Daniel Flores, VIVA DIVA is a road trip movie featuring Rozene and Diva as they make their way down to Guadalajara for gender reassignment surgery. Rozene stops in on her father to try to get answers about […]
by Paula Bernstein on Mar 7, 2016 -
Mike Nichols Documentary and Dazed and Confused Event Added to Sundance 2016 Lineup
With just a little more than a month to go until The Sundance Film Festival, the festival has announced additions to the lineup, including the premiere of Douglas McGrath’s documentary Becoming Mike Nichols and three “From the Collection” archival screenings. Becoming Mike Nichols is slated to air on HBO on Feb. 22. Also on the program is a new Special Event featuring Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused along with live commentary from the filmmaker and his pal Jason Reitman. The archival screenings include John Sayles’ City of Hope, Kelly Reichardt’s River of Grass and Nicole Holofcener’s Walking and Talking. The festival runs January 21-31, 2016. Below are the […]
by Paula Bernstein on Dec 17, 2015 -
Too Late, New John Hawkes Crime Thriller, Gets 35mm-Only Release
Recent films as disparate as The End of the Tour and Spectre were shot in 35mm. But Too Late, which stars John Hawkes as a troubled private investigator tasked with finding a missing woman, takes the 35mm trend one step further. Shot in the 35mm Techniscope format, the film will get a special 35mm-only theatrical release in spring 2016. Written and directed by Dennis Hauck in his feature film debut, Too Late unfolds in five chapters. “We made this movie to be seen on the big screen, with an audience, and yes, on 35mm,” said Hauck in a statement. “Home video, streaming, and VOD are all great, but […]
by Paula Bernstein on Dec 17, 2015 -
2016 Tribeca Film Festival Unveils New Storytellers Program
The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) doesn’t take place until April 13-24, 2016, but the festival is already planning ahead. Today TFF announced that it will launch a new platform, Tribeca Talks: Storytellers, a series of in-depth conversations with leading creators, during next year’s festival. Tina Fey and Tom Hanks are the first two creators announced. The panel series will take place at the Tribeca Festival Hub, which will return to Spring Studios this year and will host a series of virtual reality and immersive storytelling experiences, panel discussions and musical experiences. On April 19, Imagination Day, powered by the Hatchery, will […]
by Paula Bernstein on Dec 16, 2015 -
Watch: What is “Lynchian”?
What defines the unmistakeable cinema of David Lynch? This recent video essay explores this question, using text from David Lynch: The Man from Another Place, the new book by Dennis Lim. “The paradox of the Lynchian sensibility is that it is at once easy to recognize and hard to define,” intones Kevin B. Lee in What is “Lynchian”? over at Fandor Keyframe. From the quaint small towns of Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet where darkness lurks beneath the surface to the haunted Los Angeles nightscapes of Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, Lynch’s films find skewed perspectives on familiar settings. Returning to certain indelible images, Lynch has mined the same themes […]
by Paula Bernstein on Dec 16, 2015 -
Watch: The Tarantino Death Toll
Ever wonder how many people have died in Quentin Tarantino films? Or what’s behind the director’s seeming obsession with killing? Kevin B. Lee, Chief Video Essayist at Fandor, has tackled the bloody topic with a video essay on the body count in Tarantino’s films. Note the video’s warning: “the following video contains disturbing imagery of extreme violence and death.” In the text essay that accompanies the video (which you can watch above), Lee explains that he created this video after the release of Tarantino’s last film, Django Unchained, but this is the first time it’s being published (read the essay to understand […]
by Paula Bernstein on Dec 16, 2015
