New York
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Curator Miriam Bale on New York’s La Di Da Film Festival
New York may have a film festival for every neighborhood, but La Di Da, the brainchild of programmer and critic Miriam Bale, has carved a niche for itself that feels more temporal than geographical. Now in its second year, the festival, whose title is a tip of the cap to Annie Hall’s choice refrain, has expanded upon its foundations as a communal haven for filmmakers creating aesthetically timeless, genre-friendly, and narratively experimental work. In doubling the selection, Bale deepens her exploration of films that, despite being very much of the here and now, feel as though they’ve been unearthed from […]
by Sarah Salovaara on Sep 12, 2013 -
Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon’s The Central Park Five at TIFF
It was horrific. One April night in 1989, a woman was jogging through New York’s Central Park when she was beaten and savagely raped. She lost 75% of her bodily fluids, lay in a coma for days and her face was pulverized so badly that friends identified her by a ring on her finger. Police picked up five black and Latino teenagers, secured confessions and launched one of the ugliest trials in New York’s history. Newspaper pundits and Donald Trump called for the death penalty. Even the African-American community turned their backs on the teens. After all, they were savages. […]
by Allan Tong on Sep 14, 2012 -
The Microbudget Conversation : Ex Girlfriends
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to take a master class with Ted Hope and Christine Vachon. Now out of respect to them I will not reveal all that was discussed, but what I can tell you is that my perspective of things has been altered quite a bit. I first started this blog with the intention of showcasing microbudget work as the passionate filmmaking it is…and fuck the rules. (The whole series of manifestos is evidence of that.) We were making cinema fast and cheap, and we needed to completely re-write the rules; a message that can be […]
by John Yost on Nov 15, 2011 -
Lady Vengeance: Halloween Dream
While theaters all across America have been raiding the vault to bring us horror favorites throughout the month of October, there’s just nothing like catching something gory, bloody, spooky or flat out disgusting on Halloween night, sweating in your topical costume and getting sugar-high on candy corn. Here are my All Hallow’s Eve picks from a few special theaters around the country, and if you don’t happen to reside in one of the cities below, there is always Netflix and Amazon streaming, several options on demand, and a typically killer lineup on Turner Classic Movies, including Lady Vengeance favorite Village […]
by Farihah Zaman on Oct 31, 2011 -
EMERGING VISIONS MUSINGS
First, to introduce myself: I’m Kate Barker-Froyland, a Brooklyn-based writer/director. For the past several years I’ve been making short films and music videos. My new project in development is called Song One, a narrative feature I wrote about music and falling in love. The movie’s set in New York, and it’ll be my first feature. I was really excited when I found out I’d be a part of the first year of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s/IFP’s Emerging Visions program, happening all day tomorrow. Each of us (25 filmmakers) has been paired up with a mentor who we’ll be […]
by Kate Barker-Froyland on Oct 2, 2011 -
Josh Radnor, happythankyoumoreplease
Josh Radnor, the writer-director-actor of, happythankyoumoreplease, has a day job: he stars on the hit CBS sitcom, How I Met Your Mother. (Radnor plays the titular “I”— perhaps the most famous “I” in pop-culture since Withnail & I.) happythankyoumoreplease is an immensely likeable New York ensemble film about young people trying to negotiate love and responsibility, and its Audience Award win at Sundance in 2010 marks Radnor, who makes his directorial debut with the movie, as a filmmaker to watch. happythankyoumoreplease features a number of outstanding performances by actors including Malin Akerman, Tony Hale, Zoe Kazan, Kate Mara, Pablo Schreiber, […]
by James Ponsoldt on Feb 28, 2011 -
NEW YORK FILM TAX CREDIT EXTENDED; POST CREDIT ADDED
It’s nice to end the week on some good news. From an email I received from the New York State Governor’s Office of Film and Television: New York State’s Film Production Tax Credit Program has been extended and expanded to provide multi-year support of $420 million per year. New York State also introduces its first free standing post production credit. New York State’s 2010-2011 Executive Budget includes a multi-year agreement to extend and expand New York State’s Film Production Tax Credit Program, sustaining the state’s 30 percent Film Production Credit program for another five years. In addition, a new incentive […]
by Scott Macaulay on Aug 6, 2010 -
NEW YORK’S LITTLE PEOPLE
I don’t think I’ve ever blogged about any of the tilt-shift videos that are all over the web. With this technique, real people, places and things look like they are miniatures. Here’s a cool one featuring a shrunken New York called “The Sandpit” by Sam O’Hare.
by Scott Macaulay on Jun 18, 2010 -
NEWFEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The 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, 2010 -
BROOKLYN INTERNATIONAL FILM FEST ANNOUNCES TITLES
The 13th annual Brooklyn International Film Festival (BiFF) will be held June 4th-13th at indieScreen and the Brooklyn Heights Cinema. This year’s BiFF will feature over 100 premieres from 92 countries, including a record 16 films made by Brooklyn filmmakers on Brooklyn sets. For more information, please visit: www.brooklynfilmfestival.org. Some of the feature films to be shown: Gabi on the Roof in July | NY Premiere Director: Lawrence Michael Levine Narrative Feature / United States, 2010 99 min An edgy character-driven ensemble comedy about ex-girlfriends, sibling rivalry and whipped cream set in a city that’s constantly in flux. Bad Day […]
by Jaimie Stettin on May 19, 2010
