Tales of the Mafia continue to fascinate the public. Even after THE GODFATHER trilogy and television's THE SOPRANOS would seem to have covered every angle of this sub-genre, the new American Indie film CHICAGO OVERCOAT still finds some interesting life in the tales of the underground. The film has attracted strong audience response at its premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival this week.
A hit at the recent Chicago International Film Festival, the homegrown p...
A slate of cinema’s top award-winning filmmakers galvanized a sold-out event at VIFF’s 24th Annual Film &Television Forum on Saturday, October 3 at the Vancouver International Film Centre. New Filmmakers’ Day, the only event of its kind in Western Canada drew a packed house for such notable guests as Oscar-winning writer/director Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Synecdoche, New York) and award-winning cinematographers, Ellen Kuras (Away We Go, Shine a Lig...
Tony Rayns and Shelly Kraicer, programmers of the Vancouver International Film Festival's big Dragons & Tigers: The Cinemas of East Asia section, today announced that the program will showcase a total of 35 features, four mid-length films and 22 shorts (programmed to date). Dragons & Tigers, one of the pre-eminent showcases of East Asian films in the world, is presented with the generous support of Brad Birarda and Robert Sali. The series will feature five World Premieres, eight Internat...
by Sandy Mandelberger, TIFF Dailies Editor
The Gala Presentations here at the Toronto International Film Festival are certainly meant to dazzle....and they are doing just that by bringing name actors and directors to the fold for Toronto's enthusiastic public. Expect to see the following helmers tomake their way down the red carpet over the course of the next few days to present their latest films: Alejandro Amenábar, Miguel Arteta, Sylvain Chomet, Rodrigo Ga...
It was announced today that the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) will present Oscar® winner Roman Polanski with the Festival’s prestigious Golden Eye Award for his life’s work as a film director. The announcement was made today by ZFF Directors Karl Spoerri and Nadja Schildknecht.Roman Polanski is regarded as one of the most unconventional filmmakers of our time and will receive the Golden Eye Award on Sunday, September 27th, as part of ZFF’s ongoing “A Tribute To...” series during the 5th ...
The SILVERDOCS Documentary Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film events devoted to the non-fiction form, has joined forces with UK's Channel Four BRITDOC Foundation (www.britdoc.org/goodpitch) and the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program (www.sundanceinstitute.org/docsource) to present the North American tour of THE GOOD PITCH, a co-production market initiative that will be part of the Festival's industry events this week. The initiative received over 300 applications, with the ...
by Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Dailies Editor
The SILVERDOCS Documentary Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film events devoted to the non-fiction form, has joined forces with UK's Channel Four BRITDOC Foundation (www.britdoc.org/goodpitch) and the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program (www.sundanceinstitute.org/docsource) to present the North American tour of THE GOOD PITCH, a co-production market initiative that will be part of the Festival's industry events this...
New York Asian Film Festival (June 19 July 5) Announces Opening Night, Closing Night and Centerpiece Presentation Films Taking place at the IFC Center and Japan Society in New York City, the New York Asian Film Festival is the largest festival of popular Asian film in North America and we're proud to announce its Opening and Closing Night films as well as its Centerpiece Presentation. These three titles join a line-up of 45 feature films competing in this year¹s New York Asian Film Festival ...
When the Tribeca film festival management announced that this year's festival edition would program on the lighter side providing more uplifting and joyful fare, Woody Allen had an appropriate response. Films selected, including his, are only a palliative and people waking up in the middle of the night are driven by fears about losing their jobs and paying their bills. Though there was certainly joyful fare among the feature films screened and some ‘uplifts' in the documentary section, but m...
When the Tribeca film festival management announced that this year’s festival edition would program on the lighter side providing more uplifting and joyful fare, Woody Allen had an appropriate response. Films selected, including his, are only a palliative and people waking up in the middle of the night are driven by fears about losing their jobs and paying their bills. Though there was certainly joyful fare among the feature films screened and some ‘uplifts’ in the documentary section, ...
"Erev tov, Mr. Eran Riklis": “The words that come to mind when one sees “Lemon Tree”/”Etz Lemon”, which premiered this past week, and is currently playing at IFC, and “Syrian Bride”, are courage, resiliency, and loss. In “Lemon Tree”/”Etz Lemon”, the strong-willed Palestinian female lead, Salma Zidane, played by Hiam Abbass, from “The Visitor”, faces losing her inherited lemon orchard when an Israeli Defense Minister Navon and his wife, Mira Navon, played by Rona Lipa...
"Erev tov, Mr. Eran Riklis": “The words that come to mind when one sees “Lemon Tree”/”Etz Lemon”, which premiered this past week, and is currently playing at IFC, and “Syrian Bride”, are courage, resiliency, and loss. In “Lemon Tree”/”Etz Lemon”, the strong-willed Palestinian female lead, Salma Zidane, played by Hiam Abbass, from “The Visitor”, faces losing her inherited lemon orchard when an Israeli Defense Minister Navon and his wife, Mira Navo...
Happy Easter to all of the www.fest21.com patrons and members. May the glory of Easter be with you all. I am writting this announcement to say that Frank Sinatra Jr., Wayne Newton and Dianna Ross have not gotten back to our booking agent, as of yet. A movie takes 90 days to set up completely, in UpState New York. If the Stars whoI wish to appear, don't get in touch with Tony Cee Associates soon, I will have to postpone the flick. I am setting up the Saratoga Film Festival now, and that is easy. ...
Dieter Kosslick's comment that “Reality has actually surpassed fiction this year” fits rather well the 2009 edition of the Berlinale. Kosslick has directed the Berlinale since 2001 and helped to elevate it to rank with Cannes and Venice as one of three most important global film festivals. His take on the Berlinale as being political has often been criticized yet not detracted from the importance of the festival. The opening film THE INTERNATIONAL by Tom Twyker about the criminal activities...
International Jury – Competition Fantasy
Angel Sala – Film Festival of Catalunya (Sitges) Director (Esp)
Marina Anna Eich – Actress and Producer (Ale)
Bruno Chatelin – Journalist, Director of FilmFestivaks.com (Fra)
Luis Rosales –SciFiWorld Magazine - Director (Esp)
Tiago Alves – Antena 1 – Programming Director (Port)
International Jury– Competition Directors Week
Cayetana Muller – Lawyer - Expert in audiovisual rights (Esp)
Raul Veiga – Director (Esp)...
By Maria Esteves - January 28, 2009
Looking at life as art, actor-performing artist Randy Jones (RJ) is defined as an icon in popular culture. RJ began performing on stage at the age of eight, is known as The Cowboy from the pop musical group Village People, has appeared in three biographical films, performed 22 interviews, 122 articles has been written about him, has taken 56 pictorials, and appeared on 24 magazines front cover. RJ has been honored with countless awards, given keys to ...