I received an email from writer/director Maria Maggenti (Puccini for Beginners) announcing the launch of A Working Writer, a website that she and writer Michael Seitzman have launched during the midst of this current WGA strike. The site will feature short video interviews of writers discussing their work and their thoughts about being working writers. First up: Eva Saks.
I want to take a moment and tell you guys about a new website that Peter Bowen, Nick Dawson and I from Filmmaker are involved with. First, the history. In the late Spring of this year Peter and I had several conversations with Focus Features president James Schamus about film websites — what’s good out there, what’s not, and, most specifically, what’s missing from the film blogosphere. James talked to us about his vision of a site that would be dense with original content appealing to both cineastes as well as a more general audience enthusiastic about specialty film. Intrinsic […]
At the recent Monterey Jazz Festval, two film legends — Clint Eastwood and John Sayles — talked about about the blues in an onstage discussion. The clip is below. Eastwood’s love of jazz and blues music is well known and can be felt through his numerous film scores. Sayles’s take on the art form can be best seen in his forthcoming film, Honeydripper, which is one of his best and hits theaters this holiday season.
Sadly, this just in from Adrienne Jones, Treasurer and Membership Director of the Black Documentary Collective: We regret to inform everyone that St Clair Bourne, our founder, has passed away. Details of his passing will follow. Also, information about his memorial service will be sent as soon as we have it. Members have expressed interest in making donations to the family. We would like to contribute money through our BDC/St Clair Bourne fund. If you wish to make a donation, please forward payment to: BDCP.O. Box 610Hamilton Grange StationNew York, NY 10031. In the memo line please write BDC/St Clair […]
Filmmaker‘s Managing Editor, Jason Guerrasio, returned from the film festival in Dubai this weekend and, like most visitors, he was knocked out by the pace of construction there. (See his photo-essays, below). In fact, a discussion of Dubai’s explosive growth — the political, social and design repercussions of such — is a hot topic at the moment, and two very different takes on the build-up of Dubai can be found online. The current issue of Metropolis contains three articles on Dubai, one of seven states belonging to the United Arab Emirates. (Thanks to Bergen Swanson for the link.) The first, […]
This series of photos will show you Dubai outside the festival walls. A LOOK AT DOWNTOWN DUBAI’S TOWERING SKYSCRAPERS FROM POOLSIDE OF THE HABTOOR GRAND RESORT, WHERE MOST OF THE MEDIA WERE STAYING. THE SKYLINE OF THE FUTURE. FOR EVERY BUILDING THAT’S FINSHED, THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE AROUND IT THAT ARE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION. HOW MANY CRANES CAN YOU FIND IN THIS SHOT? ACCORDING TO A REPORT, 30% OF THE WORLD’S CRANES ARE BEING USED IN DUBAI. GIRDLOCK ON ONE OF DUBAI’S THREE MAIN ROADWAYS, AL SUFOUTH ROAD, CAUSED A LOT OF HEADACHES GETTING TO AND FROM EVENTS. THREE […]
ANDY WARHOL AND DANNY WILLIAMS IN DIRECTOR ESTHER ROBINSON’S A WALK INTO THE SEA: DANNY WILLIAMS AND THE WARHOL FACTORY. COURTESY ARTHOUSE FILMS. Esther Robinson has an effusive passion for cinema that is infectious, and has led her to dedicate her career to helping artists and filmmakers. She studied film and television at NYU’s Tisch School for the Arts, and at the age of only 24 produced Alive TV, a television show for PBS about alternative and experimental film. In 1998, she started Wavelength Releasing, a company established to explore new ways to make, distribute and show movies, which was […]
The Dubai fest kicked into another gear Thursday night as the work week for Emiratis came to a close (their weekend is Friday and Saturday). With a performance by Gloria Estefan at Media City (her husband Emilio Estefan has his doc, 90 Millas, in the fest) and a gala reception highlighting their “Building Cultures” theme that went on until the wee hours, it was a fitting end to my week in Dubai. Though there were so many things that I wasn’t able to do and places I didn’t have time to visit, during my time here I met friendly people […]
There’s a very popular phrase used in the Arab world that usually ends every statement. And I’ve heard it a lot during my time here in Dubai. “The screening will begin at 7:00, insha’Allah.” “Your welcome pack will be in your room tonight, insha’Allah.” “The shuttle is on it’s way, insha’Allah.” (though, the constant gridlock on the three main roads in Dubai is a big proponent for the lack of shuttle service. Monorail service begins in 2009!) Translated in english insha’Allah means God willing and for most who work or live here the phrase is just part of everyday life. […]
As today is Human Rights Day, the 49th anniversary of the U.N.’s adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it’s a good time to link to Witness.org, the organization founded by musician Peter Gabriel that, as it explains on its home page, “uses video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations. We empower people to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools for justice, promoting public engagement and policy change.” Witness recently launched The Hub, which it calls “the first global platform dedicated to human rights media and action.” This section […]