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 November 11, 2007 iW NEWS | "Munyurangabo," "Afghan Muscles" and "Operation Filmmaker" Among Top AFI Fest Winners
Lee Isaac Chung's story of a Rwandan orphan who travels from Kigali to the countryside on a quest for justice, "Munyurangabo" won the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival's grand jury prize for best feature Sunday afternoon. "Afghan Muscles" by Andreas Dalsgaard and "Operation Filmmaker" by Nina Davenport shared the best documentary prize. Also taking nods at AFI Fest were "Spider," which won best short and "I Met the Walrus," which received best animated short. In audience prizes, Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" won best feature and Jeffrey Schwarz's "Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story" took best doc. "Kids + Money" received the audience prize for short and "Heckler" director Michael Addis won the festival's Audi "Truth in Art" competition. The three Jury Award winners each receive a $5000 prize of Eastman Kodak Motion Picture Film stock & Entertainment Partners Budgeting and Scheduling software package. The three Audience Award winners receive an AVID Technology Suite & Entertainment Partners Budgeting and Scheduling software package. "As with the all of the films we had at AFI FEST this year, the films in the competitive categories included really accomplished and inspired work from a diverse group of talented filmmakers," commented AFI Fest Artistic Director Rose Kuo in a statement. "I know the members of our jury had a particularly difficult time singling out one film." [Brian Brooks]  [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ]   AFI FEST '07 | Mungiu with Taylor & Foundas
At a Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel dinner celebrating the AFI Fest screening of the IFC Films/Red Envelope film, "4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days," director Christian Mungiu poses for an iPOP shot with Ella Taylor and Scott Foundas of the LA Weekly. The film, selected as the Romanian entry for the Oscar foreign language film race, won the Palme d'Or earlier this year in Cannes (see related indieWIRE article) and has been on a winning festival tour, including stops at the recent Telluride, Toronto and New York festivals. IFC will release the film in January. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  AFI FEST '07 | Malkovich, Reitman
Its hard to see John Malkovich at a party without immediately recalling moments of dialogue from the Spike Jonze classic, "Being John Malkovich. So after spotting him at Monday's "No Country for Old Men" premiere in Los Angeles and then the AFI Fest centerpiece party for "Juno," we found ourselves among a chorus of attendees whispering the familiar refrain, "malkovich, malkovich, malkovich..." Here, he takes a moment to pose with "Juno" director Jason Reitman. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  AFI FEST '07 | Edgar & Diablo
At the AFI Rooftop Village party celebrating the centerpiece screening of "Juno" accomplished writer/director/actor Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead," "Hott Fuzz") and "Juno" writer Diablo Cody. In a recent indieWIRE profile, Cody chatted about the new feature, directed by Jason Reitman and also gave a preview of her next feature project, "Girly Style." [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  AFI FEST '07 | Gaines, Cox, Rooftop
A group of large tents comprise the Rooftop Village, transforming a parking structure into a festive center for parties and hanging out during the ten day so of [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 9, 2007 AFI FEST '07 CRITICS NOTEBOOK | "Nailing" Vibrant Performances With a Mixed Bag of New Films
As the chaos of the market begins to settle in Southern California, the second round of AFI Fest premieres starts to prove itself somewhat valuable with a mixed bag of solid performances and above competent direction. First up, writter/director Henry Bean, the mastermind behind 2001's Jew turned neo-Nazi biopic "The Believer," returns with his sophomore feature, "Noise," starring Tim Robbins as David Owen, a frustrated New York City citizen who has decided to take the noise pollution of car alarms into his own hands. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 7, 2007 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES | Herzog, Docs and Truth at AFI Fest
It should surprise no one that Werner Herzog's new film about Antartica, "Encounters at the End of the World," is the antithesis of the most successful documentary releases in recent years, "March of the Penguins" and "An Inconvenient Truth." Talking about filmmaking and his latest project during an AFI Fest conversation earlier this week in Los Angeles, Herzog noted that he didn't want to make a film on "fluffy penguins" and he wasn't trying to make a movie overtly about the climate crisis, later adding that however effective the film, "An Inconvient Truth" is actually a slideshow. His remarks effectively challenged the large audience to reconsider its own views on non-fiction film as AFI Fest unspooled a roster of acclaimed new documentary films. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 6, 2007 AFI FEST '07 CRITICS NOTEBOOK | Sifting Through a Lack of Notable Debuts, One Doc Shines
Botched opportunities, bad acting and misguided directorial decisions seem to be recurring themes among the premieres at this year's AFI Fest. Though boasting quite an impressive array of great cinema out of the North American festivals from the last six months, the AFI programmers seem to be struggling to keep it together when it comes to newer material. World premieres like the abrasively haphazard American shocker "Pop Skull," directed by Adam Wingard, have audiences running for the lobby, keeping good on the catalog blurb's promise of being "literally difficult to look at." [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 5, 2007 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES | Culture, Commerce and L.A. Stories at AFI Fest & AFM
As a student at UCLA in the late 1970s, filmmaker Alex Cox ("Repo Man," "Sid & Nancy") would head out to Santa Monica with college friends, trying to crack the business veneer of the annual American Film Market, chatting up attendees and hoping to score a coveted party invite. Anything to find some money for early film projects. "Nothing has changed," he laughed on Saturday, addressing a group of AFI Fest filmmakers who had traveled over to the Market from Hollywood for the afternoon, "This is the life of the independent filmmaker." Cox, like many of the emerging filmmakers gathered at the Loews Beach Hotel, is at the festival with a new low-budget film, "Searchers 2.0." [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 2, 2007 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES | Strike Talk Stirs AFI Fest, AFM; WGA Sets Walkout for Monday
A U.S. film business facing a downbeat DVD market, concerns about the distribution of entertainment via new media outlets, and criticism that there are simply too many movies being made, is dangerously close to a walkout by the 12,000 unionized writers who create most of the mainstream films and television shows commercially distributed by the Hollywood studios and national TV networks. Barring a last minute resolution over the weekend here in Hollywood, the strike will officially begin at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, November 5th. [ read more in Biz ] [ 2 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Lead Story, Trends ] November 1, 2007 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES | L.A.'s The Place: A Tale of Two Festivals as AFI Fest Kicks Off
Chatting with a non-industry friend recently in Southern California, it became clear that Los Angeles movie fans who aren't frequent observers of the film industry sometimes find it hard to distinguish between LA's two major annual film festivals -- the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival and Film Independent's similarly named Los Angeles Film Festival. The friend was surprised at the impending arrival of AFI Fest (opening tonight in Hollywood): "Didn't that event happen a few months ago?" Not exactly. In a city where locals often refer to La Brea as a dividing line between the dense but distinctive halves of L.A. on its east and west sides, it should hardly surprise anyone that Angelenos would embrace two large, annual international film festivals. One essentially for each side of town. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] October 9, 2007BBC: Deneuve to be lauded at festival
French actress Catherine Deneuve will be honoured for her career at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival next month. The 63-year-old star will be the subject of a tribute along with US actress Laura Linney. BBC reports. [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ] July 9, 2007iW News | Kuo Named Artistic Director at AFI Fest
Film festival programmer, consultant and filmmaker Rose Kuo has been named Artistic Director at AFI Fest, the organization announced Monday. In her new position, Kuo will oversee the programming direction and "overall artistic vision" of the annual festival, taking place this year November 1 - 11 in Los Angeles. A fixture at the Telluride Film Festival for many years, Kuo has also served as a programming consultant specializing in Asian cinema and has worked for the San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Mill Valley Festivals. "Rose has a gift for spotting emerging talent, as well as a deep knowledge and appreciation of world cinema," said AFI Fest Director Christian Gaines in a statement. "Her leadership, along with the considerable programming talents of Shaz Bennett and Lane Kneedler, has combined to create a formidable programming team." [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Industry Moves ] November 15, 2006 Gong and Dunaway Greet
More from AFI Fest: Actress Gong Li greets actress Faye Dunaway during the after-party following the world premiere of "Curse of the Golden Flower" by Zhang Yimou. The film concluded the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  AFI Fest Winners Line up
More from AFI Fest: All the filmmakers receiving awards at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival made their way for the traditional line up photo. From left to right: "Vitus" director Fredi M. Murer (audience feature winner), "Grbavica" director Jasmila Zbanic (grand jury prize for international feature), "Screamers" director Carla Garapedian (audience prize-documentary) and producer Peter McAlevey (behind), "Fair Trade" director Michael Dreher (audience prize-short), and "Blindsight" director Lucy Walker (audience prize-documentary). [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "Vitus" and the Prize
More from AFI Fest '06: Director Fredi M. Murer sports his prize last weekend which he received a the AFI Fest awards brunch. Murer's "Vitus" took the fest's audience feature prize, and is pictured with Marla Halperin and Mark Halperin from Magic Lamp. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 13, 2006 World Premiere of "Curse of the Golden Flower" at AFI Fest
Director Zhang Yimou (far right) traveled to Los Angeles for the world premiere of his spectacular new film "Curse of the Golden Flower," starring Gong Li (second from left) and Chow Yun Fat (third from right). The film, set in China's Tang Dynasty of the 10th century, is the story of the Imperial family's reuniting just as a power struggle unfolds between the Empress (Gong Li) and Emperor (Chow Yun Fat). The film is China's official entry for best foreign-language Oscar consideration. Sony Pictures Classics' co-presidents, Michael Barker (left) and Tom Bernard (second from right) joined the group. SPC will release the film in the U.S. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  Darryl, Jessica and Wash in the Sun
The international documentary competition jury members headed out of the main tent at the AFI festival village Sunday afternoon into the warm afternoon. This year's jurors, actress Darryl Hannah, Academy Award-nominated director Jessica Sanders and ("Sing!") and filmmaker Wash Westmoreland ("Quinceanera") picked Mark Verkerk's "Buddha's Lost Children" for best doc. The film is the story of a Thai boxing champion's journey to save childen from the impoverished Golden Triangle region of the country. The jury also presented a special mention to J.B. Rutagarama's "Back Home." [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  Best Doc Audience Prize Winners
AFI Fest filmmakers and attendees went to the festival village atop the parkings structure at the ArcLight Sunday morning for the awards brunch. "Screamers" director Carla Garapedian (left) and producer Peter McAlevey joined "Blindsight" director Lucy Walker for some photos in front of the AFI backdrop. Both films shared the audience prize for best documentary. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 12, 2006 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES: International Stories Take Top Prizes as AFI Fest Wraps
One week after announcing its U.S. distribution deal at the American Film Market, Jasmila Zbanic's "Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams" won the narrative grand jury prize at AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival. Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlinale in February, the film is Bosnia and Herzegovina's official entry for the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award and Strand Releasing is planning a 2007 release of the acclaimed feature film. Set in a contemporary Sarajevo still reeling from the aftermath of war, the film is the story of a single mother who lives with her rebellious twelve-year-old daughter in the Grbavica district of Sarajevo, a neighborhood used as an internment camp during the conflict in the nineties. Unable to survive on government aid and hoping to provide for her daughter, she takes a day job in a shoe factory and a night job as a waitress in order to pay for her daughter's school trip, and along the way, her daughter discovers a dark secret. The jury singled out Peter Schonau Fog's "The Art of Crying" with a special mention at the festival. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] AFI Fest Honors "Grbavica" and "Buddha's Lost Children" With Top Jury Prizes
AFI Fest 2006 awarded its prizes Sunday in Los Angeles with Jasmila Zbanic's "Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams" winning the narrative grand jury prize at the festival. Bosnia and Herzegovina's official entry for the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award, the film was recently acquired by Strand Releasing. Mark Verkerk's "Buddha's Lost Children" won the documentary grand jury prize. Feature audience awards went to Carla Garapedian's "Screamers" and Lucy Walker's "Blindsight" (tie, documentary) and Fredi M. Murer's "Vitus" (narrative). The festival will close tonight (Sunday) with the world premiere of Zhang Yimou's "Curse of the Golden Flower." [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ] November 10, 2006 Adams, Judd and Donovan Before Their Screening
Director/screenwriter Joey Lauren Adams (right) joined stars Ashley Judd and Jeffrey Donovan at a dinner in Hollywood Thursday night prior to the screening of their film "Come Early Morning," which is screening as a Special Presentation at AFI Fest. The yummy dinner was hosted by American Beauty and invitees mixed with wine prior to the sit-down. The film, which screened at Deauville and Sundance, stars Judd as a stubborn, fiercely independent Southern woman with real intimacy issues. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  Roadside Dinner in LA
Roadside Attractions co-heads Eric d'Arbeloff and Howard Cohen at a dinner prior to the screening of their film, "Come Early Morning," which is screening as a Special Presentation at AFI Fest. The dinner was held at Eat in Hollywood, also attended by director/actress Joey Lauren Adams ("Chasing Amy") and actress Ashley Judd. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "Comic Evangelists" World Premiere at AFI
AFI Fest American Directions film "The Comic Evangelists" follows the travails of a Christian improv group lead by its messianic leader Rick (played by Dann Sytsma who is also co-director). When fellow improver Nigel suggests that the group head north to attend the Toronto International Improv Festival, they take a van up to the city excited about spreading the word of the Lord--but things go awry when one of the members comes out and the group take the stage via a big lie. The group (pictured here following their screening earlier this week at the festival--with co-directors Sytsma and Daniel Jones on the far right) had held a mock protest in the courtyard of the Arclight to draw attention to their film. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "Shoot the Messenger" at AFI
Ngozi Onwura (director) and Sharon Foster (writer) of "Shoot the Messenger" at AFI Fest earlier this week. "Shoot" is described as a "controversial film that chronicles an idealistic black professional who decieds to become a teacher in order to enhance the lives of young black students." The film is screening in the festival's new African Voices section. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 9, 2006 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES: Mountains, Music, Genocide and More True Stories in AFI Fest Doc Competition
As is often the case at U.S. film festivals, the documentary competition can present some of a festival's strongest works. A number of acclaimed new non-fiction films are having their U.S. premiere at AFI Fest 2006, alongside a selection of world premieres. From the Toronto International Film Festival (and the recent London Film Festival) is British director Lucy Walker's "Blindsight," which had festgoers buzzing about its moving chronicle of a group of Tibetan blind children's quest to climb Mt. Everest. In all, there are eleven films screening in the festival's International Documentary Competition. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 1 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] AFI Fest Invites Audience Feedback
In a partnership with Audience by Withoutabox (a new online social network), AFI Fest is inviting its festival attendees to rate films, post comments, and review films after event screenings. Visitors can visit the new interactive website and keep blogs or access the social software via the on-site "Blog Bar" inside the box office at the fest's Arclight Cinemas Rooftop Village. The festival continues through November 12th. In a statement, festivals director Christian Gaines said: Our audiences are discoverers and tastemakers. It's wonderful for us to know what they think of the films we program, and for our filmmakers to get broader feedback. Withoutabox has done it again with Audience. [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ]  "Drama/Mex" and the AFI Fest
"Drama/Mex" director Gerardo Naranjo at the Arclight following the U.S. premiere of his film at AFI Fest. The film centers on the lives of a group of sexy Acapulco kids, which Naranjo describes as "low budget and a big heart." [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  Panahi in LA
Iranian director Jafar Panahi traveled to Los Angeles with his film "Offside," which is screening in the World Cinema section at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival. The film is a comedy about a frantic father who searches for his daughter who he fears has disguised herself as a boy so she can attend a qualifying match for the country's soccer/football team. Panahi is seen here at a party high atop the Arclight Theater's parking structure which is the AFI Fest's 'festival village' with tents, Audis and sweeping LA views. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "Back Home" at AFI Fest
Doc Filmmaker J.B. Rutagarama and his "three mothers" at a reception for his film, "Back Home" earlier this week at pub the Cat and the Fiddle in Hollywood. The film is a moving story about his return to Rwanda after surviving the geoncide of the 1990s in search of his lost family. Joining him is "British mom" Truus Bos, who put him up and helped him transition to the West. His "African mom," Immaculee Mukanyonga, in the US for the first time for the premiere, and "American mom" and the film's producer Linda Vaster, who brought JB to New York and helped him get a job as a TV cameraman. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "Full Grown" at Arclight
Director David Munro and producer Xandra Castleton at the Arclight Theater in Hollywood after introducing their film, "Full Grown Men," which is screening in the American Directions section at AFI Fest. The film about one man's bout with midlife crisis stars Amy Sedaris, Alan Cumming and Deborah Harry. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 8, 2006 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES: Foreign Films Get AFI Fest Star Treatment
AFI Fest rightfully styles itself as an international festival, showcasing foreign films from around the world in a city that is not always receptive to overseas fare. Though non-U.S. work may have difficulty at the box office during their regular rollouts in L.A., screenings are often full for foreign films at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival. In fact the festival has added three new sections this year, including a world cinema, African Voices and a "genre bending" Dark Horizons sidebar that includes science fiction/thriller titles from the U.K., U.S. and Asia. Additionally, this year's AFI is screening over a dozen best foreign-language Oscar contenders, of which four of the group's filmmakers met with journalists at a panel last weekend. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 7, 2006LA Weekly: Film Critics' Picks at AFI Fest
"Directed by John Ford," "Family Law," "Full Grown Men," "The Host," "Inland Empire," "Ten Canoes," "12:08 East of Bucharest," and "Who Loves the Sun" among the critics' picks at the LA Weekly. The films are currently screening at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, which continues through Sunday. [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ]  DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES: The Lure of Hollywood: Art and Commerce at AFM & AFI
An actor from a successful indie film is paying the bills working in the restaurant at Hollywood's upscale ArcLight Cinemas complex, while upstairs an AFI Fest filmmaker is taking a few days off of work as an underpaid set P.A. to double as a "real filmmaker" while his latest film screens at the festival. Meanwhile out in Santa Monica, would-be producers trade business cards and buzz inside the crowded lobby of the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel at the American Film Market. Here in Los Angeles, more than in any other American city, the dream of making it in the movies seems to be on display everywhere you turn. Sit by the pool at your hotel and eavesdrop on guests talking about their screenplays or listen in on informed analysis of the "Borat" box office grosses during Sunday brunch. Of course, none of these are groundbreaking revelations about life in Los Angeles, but it's often a bit surprising to the occasional visitor. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 6, 2006Strand Takes US Rights to Bosnia Herzegovina Oscar Entry "Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams"
US rights to Jasmila Zbanic's "Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams" have been picked up by Strand Releasing from Match Factory Films, the Los Angeles-based distributor announced Monday. The film, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale in February, is Bosnia and Herzegovina's official entry for the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. The deal was negotiated by Strand's Jon Gerrans and Match Factory's Michael Weber at the American Film Market (AFM), currently underway in Santa Monica, CA. The film screens Tuesday night at AFI Fest, also underway in Los Angeles. Set in a contemporary Sarajevo still reeling from the aftermath of war, the film, according to Strand, is "a textured and authentic testament to the innate drive to triumph over conflict." Esma (Mirjana Karanovic) is a single mother who lives with her rebellious twelve-year-old daughter, Sara (Luna Mijovic), in the Grbavica district of Sarajevo, a neighborhood used as an internment camp during the conflict in the nineties. Unable to survive on government aid and hoping to provide some "extras" for her daughter, Esma takes a day job in a shoe factory and a night job as a nightclub waitress in order to pay for her daughter's school trip, and along the way, Sara discovers a dark secret. [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Acquisitions ] Regent Releasing Takes Worldwide Rights to "Freshman Orientation"
Regent Releasing has acquired the worldwide rights to Ryan Shiraki's comedy "Freshman Orientation," with Regent Worldwide Sales handling international sales at this year's American Film Market (AFM). The film, produced by Element Films, will be released in Spring 2007. The film centers on a typical Midwestern 18-year-old freshman (Sam Huntington) at a large state university eager to begin his wild college party life, but he instead discovers that school is not the beer-driven, sexual fantasy of his imagination. Determined to do anything to win over a beautiful sorority girl, he decides to pose as gay in order to entrench himself in her life. "Regent Releasing is thrilled to be working with the talented Ryan Shiraki and the creative forces at Element Films to bring 'Freshman Orientation' to theatres nationwide," commented Mark Reinhart, Regent's EVP of distribution and acquisitions in a statement. "This sharp and witty comedy is a welcome addition to our growing 2007 slate of quality film projects." [Brian Brooks] [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Acquisitions ]  Cruz Hayek en AFI
Coming full circle, actress Salma Hayek picked up a very young Penelope Cruz at LAX back in the day before she was all that (at least in the US--of course she's been all that all along) and, well, fast forward--joined her for the festivities at the "Volver" premiere at the Arclight, which screened as part of a tribute for Cruz. Que maravillosa! To read more about how it all begana and about the Fete de la Cruz, check out the article from earlier this weekend. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "History Boys" in LA
Director Nicholas Hytner's (second from right) "The History Boys" had its North American debut at AFI Fest Saturday evening in a cavernous theater at the ArcLight. All we can say is history never looked so sexy (for the most part). Joining Hytner for the Q&A following the film, which will be released by Fox Searchlight in the U.S. are the film's (and play) stars Frances de la Tour, Dominic Cooper (hot with dark hair), Samuel Barnett (other hot one) and Richard Griffiths who does an amazing job in the film (far right). [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "The Host" Plays Host
"The Host" director Joon-ho Bong can't go to far without the photographers en pursuit, and we're guilty too we guess. He's been called the Korean Steven Spielberg, and traveled to Los Angeles for the AFI Fest for his film, which will be released in the U.S. by Magnolia Pictures. He's seen here having a chat with the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) chair An Cheong Sook at a reception for the film over the weekend. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  Shaz and Ben on the Arclight Roof
AFI Fest senior programmer Shaz Bennett atop the roof at the Arclight for an evening soiree with "The Lonely Lights" director Benjamin M. Piety doing a little chit chat and pow wow and what-not Sunday evening. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 3, 2006 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES: Penelope Cruz in Spotlight at AFI Fest Tribute
After nearly six months of critical attention and acclaim for her lead performance in Pedro Almodovar's "Volver," actress Penelope Cruz stepped into Hollywood's spotlight on Thursday night, accepting this year's AFI Fest tribute on the second night of the festival. A veteran of some 40 films in just over 15 years, Cruz was joined by close friends and family at the AFI Fest event, thanking them for allowing her to pursue her acting dreams at the age of 17. Singling out her father in the audience, Cruz praised her parents who were, "so generous for letting me fly so young. I really appreciate, now that I am older, that it was hard for them -- they gave me that freedom." [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 2, 2006 DISPATCH FROM LOS ANGELES: Famous Faces and FILMEX in Spotlight as AFI Opens 20th Fest
A long line of men in tuxedos and women in cocktail dresses gathered outside the Kodak Theater on Hollywood Blvd. last night in Los Angeles, but while it wasn't Oscar night, a nearby red carpet was filled with name Hollywood actors and rows of screaming fans. The big crowd of formally dressed guests were waiting to check-in for the opening night of AFI Fest at Hollywood's legendary Grauman's Chinese Theater down the street. The festival, celebrating its 20th Anniversary, opened with the U.S. premiere of Emilio Estevez' "Bobby" and evoked the November 1971 kick-off of FILMEX, the venerable Los Angeles film festival that preceded the American Film Institute's AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] November 1, 2006AFI Fest Set for '06 Event
AFI Fest 2006, the Los Angeles International Film Festival from the American Film Institute, kicks off tonight (Wednesday) in Los Angeles. As Christy Lemire wrote in the Associated Press earlier today, "In a city where people leave to see movies -- and see and be seen -- at film festivals around the world, the American Film Institute is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its own festival." indieWIRE will have dispatches from AFI Fest beginning tomorrow in a special section of indieWIRE.com. [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ] October 12, 2006Maya Gets First Film, Carla Garapedian's "Screamers"
Maya Releasing, Moctesuma Esparza's new distribution company, has announced its first acquisition. The company has nabbed Carla Garapedian's modern-day genocide documentary "Screamers," featuring music from System of a Down. The film will have its world premiere at the upcoming AFI Fest in Los Angeles next month. A December opening in Los Angeles is on tap for the film, followed by a national launch in January. In other company news, co-chairman Esparza named Jeff Valdez, the former CEO and Chairman of Si TV, as his co-chairman at Maya Entertainemnt. Michael Harpster and Kevin Benson are on board as Maya Releasing's COO and President, respectively. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Acquisitions ] October 3, 2006 "The Fountain" and "Inland Empire" Added as AFI Fest Unveils Complete '06 Lineup
Darren Aronofsky's "The Fountain" and David Lynch's "Inland Empire" have been added as Centerpiece Galas at the 2006 AFI Fest in Los Angeles, joining Pedro Almodovar's "Volver" as centerpiece films at the festival, running November 1 - 12, 2006. The announcement was made as organizers unveiled the complete lineup for the festival, set to kick off with Emilio Estevez' "Bobby" (the closing film is still to be announced). Aronofsky's "The Fountain" stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, while Lynch's latest film stars Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons and Justin Theroux. Also added is a special evening with Ed Zwick. Aronofsky, Lynch and Zwick are all alumni of the the AFI Conservatory's directing program. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Lead Story, Lineups ] September 26, 2006American Film Institute Launches AFI Project 20/20
The American Film Institute has announced a new international cultural exchange program aimed at marking the 20 year anniversary of AFI FEST and connecting filmmakers around the world. AFI Project 20/20 will include up to 20 filmmakers with movies playing at this year's festival (November 1-12 in Hollywood, CA). With support from a number of national organizations, the program will promote cultural understanding and nurture filmmakers, connecting the directors and their work with audiences at festivals and other venues around the world as part of an international tour that will also include events and universities and other institutions. [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ] September 20, 2006AFI FEST Sets "Bobby" for Opening Night and Unveils 13 World Premieres
Emilio Estevez's "Bobby," the story of the night Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles in 1968, will open the 2006 AFI FEST, the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, much of the large ensemble cast from the film are expected to attend the opening night at the festival. Also announced were 13 of the films that will have their world premieres at the 2006 AFI FEST, including David Cunningham's "After," J.B. Rutagarama's "Back Home," Chad Lowe's "Beautiful Ohio," David Boyle's "Big Dreams, Little Tokyo," Alan White's "Broken," Daniel Jones & Dann Sytsma's "Comic Evangelists," Alante Kavaite's "Fissures / Ecoute Le Temps," David Stenn's "Girl 27," Henry Jaglom's "Hollywood Dreams," Yokihiko Tsutsumi's "Memories of Tomorrow," Sedika Mojadidi's "Motherland Afghanistan," Arnie Williams' "No Sweat," and Carla Garapedian's "Screamers." The festival will run from November 1 - 12, 2006, anchored again at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. For more information, visit the festival's website. [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ] August 29, 2006AFI Fest To Celebrate 20 Years
AFI Fest, the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, will celebrate 20 years and add a day for this year's edition as they mark their anniversary and commemorate fifteen year of FILMEX, the LA festival that was the predecessor to AFI Fest. The event will kick-off on Wednesday, November 1st and run through November 12th, based again at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. Among the plans already unveiled for AFI Fest include a performance of the one-man show "Sacred Monsters" by Peter Bogdanovich and a 24-hour movie marathon fundraiser. [Eugene Hernandez] [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ] December 18, 2005 First Person: Christian Gaines on Film Festivals
[This is the second in a new regular series of "First Person" articles written by members of the film community. It is meant to showcase the opinions of our readers. indieWIRE readers interested in contributing a future "First Person" column should contact us by email: office AT indiewire DOT com.] [The following includes excerpts from a keynote address at the International Film Festival Summit in New York City earlier this month.] Like most businesses, film festivals are at the mercy of all sorts of market forces - the economy, the evolution, growth or diminishment of countless forces regionally and globally that are often beyond the control of their organizers. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that too many people in your hometown understand or are aware of these forces. Your board just wants to know how many years before your festival becomes the 'Sundance of the Pacific', or the 'Cannes of the Antarctic'. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival News, Lead Story ] November 16, 2005AFI Director of Festivals Christian Gaines with AFI Festivals Director of Programming Nancy Collet hanging out at the AFI Fest Rooftop Village at the Arclight theaters in Hollywood. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] Outside Saturday's screening of "Breakfast on Pluto" at AFI Fest are star Cillian Murphy, director Neil Jordan and producer Alan Moloney. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] At the AFI Fest over the weekend, George Clooney talks with regular New York Times writer Lynn Hirschberg during one of the Times Talks sessions. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 14, 2005 "Kissed By Winter" "Refugee All Stars" "Tsotsi" and "C.R.A.Z.Y." Honored as AFI Fest Concludes
The AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival capped off its 2005 edition with an awards ceremony atop the Hollywood ArcLight parking structure at the event's festival village, awarding Norway's "Kissed by Winter" its grand jury prize in the international feature competition, while the audience award for best feature film went to both Canada's "C.R.A.Z.Y." and South Africa's "Tsotsi." [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story, Winners, World Cinema ] November 13, 2005Outside the Loft in the AFI Fest's Rooftop Village saturday night (left to right) Sony Pictures Classics co-president Michael Barker and Hollywood producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy, were chatting with "Breakfast on Pluto" director Neil Jordan and the film's producer Alan Moloney. Chatting with indieWIRE, Jordan praised the film's star Cillian Murphy for his work in the movie, which opens Wednesday. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 11, 2005 European Film Promotion's "New Faces in European Cinema"
European Film Promotion took their "New Faces in European Cinema" to the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival earlier this week, spotlighting up-and-coming directors from the continent at a party hosted by the organization at AFI Fest's Rooftop Village. The directors each took the mic on a stage to give a brief intro of their individual films, and then introduced a counterpart from the eight countries represented. From left to right starting at the bottom are: Ari Alexander Magnusson, director of "Screaming Masterpiece" (Iceland); Josef Fares, director of "Zozo" (Sweden); and Pavel Strnad, producer of "Wrong Side Up" (Czech Republic). Top left is AFI director of festivals, Christian Gaines; Richard Bracewell, director of "The Gigolos" (U.K.); hiding behind him is Markus Selin, producer of "Addiction" (Finland); Ruxandra Zenide, director of "RYNA" (Switzerland); Christian Alvart, director of "Antibodies" (Germany); Gijs van de Westelaken, producer of "06/05 The Sixth of May"; and finally, European Film Promotion president Claudia Landsberger. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  "Four Corners of Suburbia World Premiere
Giving the official pose at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival prior to their world debut screening of "The Four Corners of Suburbia" at the Hollywood ArcLight, (L-R) director Elizabeth Puccini, actor Alec Newman, actress Madchen Amick, actress Alice Evans, actor Paul Blackthorne and actor Brad Rowe. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 10, 2005 DISPATCH FROM L.A.: Four-Letter Word Film Explores the Etymology of an Expletive
A provocative new documentary premiering at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival this week has a title too racy to be listed on the large digital marquee inside Hollywood's Arclight cinemas. Yet, movie tickets here at AFI Fest boldly proclaim its title: "Fuck." The origins of the four-letter word, the prevalence of its usage in movies, on TV and in music, and the tightening of restrictions regarding free expression in this country are among the topics explored in Steve Anderson's new film. Through animated segments by Bill Plympton, and conversations with late author Hunter S. Thompson, filmmaker Kevin Smith, critic Michael Medved, columnist Judith Martin (aka "Miss Manners"), rapper Ice-T, porn figure Ron Jeremy, newsman Sam Donaldson, comedians Billy Connolly, Janeane Garofalo, and Drew Carey, and more, Anderson considers the history of the word and its role in popular culture and throughout history. [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] At AFI Fest Tuesday, Margaret Cho arrives at the screening of the film "Bam Bam & Celeste," the new film that she wrote and stars in. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 9, 2005 Quebecois Actor Marc-Andre Grondin Dazzles
Following a screening of Quebecois director Jean-Marc Vallee's sensational Toronto International Film Festival '05 audience award winner "C.R.A.Z.Y." at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival yesterday, a couple of people were overheard saying about the film's lead actor Marc-Andre Grondin, "he's the Canadian Gael [Garcia Bernal]." Their features do have some resemblance and Grondin definitely gave quite an impressive performance in the film, which is a unique coming-of-age story. The film is Canada's official entry for foreign-language Academy Award consideration. Distribution in the U.S. is still pending -- we hope it gets out there! [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  Transamerica Does the Red Carpet
The screening and party for "Transamerica" was quite a glittering affair Sunday night. The film's star Felicity Huffman brought out her fellow "Desperate Housewives" co-stars for the event, causing a frenzy, naturally. The film, directed by Duncan Tucker (right), is gathering some Oscar buzz, at least according to television show Access Hollywood and others. Tucker is pictured here with Sebastian Dungan who is one of the film's producers. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ]  Dentler and Jeremy's After "Fuck"
Legendary porn figure Ron Jeremy (left) joked that he'd look short standing next to South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) producer Matt Dentler (right) when posing for this photo. Dentler, who hosted a SXSW cocktail party at AFI Fest's Festival Village at the Hollywood ArcLight, later joked that there were probably other ways he'd make up for it. Jeremy is attending the AFI Fest for Steve Anderson's "Fuck," which takes a look at the origin of the 'F' word. The film had its world premiere at the festival. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, SXSW ]  A Happy Trio
Wellspring acquisitions exec Rob Williams (left), director Andrew Bujalski ("Funny Ha Ha") and Film Independent programming director Rachel Rosen took in a chat at a party Monday night hosted by the South by Southwest Film Festival atop the festival village at AFI Fest. The party included quite an eclectic guest list including Marla Maples, Ron Jeremy and director Vincent Gallo as well as a load of filmmakers. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 8, 2005 DISPATCH FROM L.A.: Hoping for Oscar Attention, A Trio of Foreign Language Titles Win Over Audiences at AFI Fest
This year's AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, screening ten foreign-language titles submitted for Oscar consideration, includes a trio of titles that in the first half of the event have each been a hit with festivalgoers. Marc Ruthermond's "Sophie Scholl - The Final Days" and Gavin Hood's "Tsotsi were popular over the festival's first weekend and over the past two days, crowds have embraced Jean-Marc Vallee's "C.R.A.Z.Y." Other foreign submissions to the Academy Awards(R) playing at this year's AFI Fest include France's "Merry Christmas" (Joyeux Noel), Georgia's "Tblisis-Tblisi," Hungary's "Fateless," Israel's "What a Wonderful Place," Mexico's "On the Other Side," Norway's "Kissed by Winter" (Vinterkyss), and Sweden's "Zozo." [ read more in On The Scene ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festival Dispatches, Lead Story ] Gigolos in Hollywood
A Guardian Unlimited blog post by Jon Morrison from Punk Cinema (producers of the "The Gigolos") in the U.K. details the early reactions to their AFI Fest debut, and has the filmmakers chasing Paris Hilton and Andy Garcia in Hollywood: "Improvised publicity moment" is one way of describing our behaviour. "Shameless" would be another. We spotted Paris Hilton flouncing out through a nightclub at 3am and chased her down the street. We dragged Sacha - the top Gigolo in the movie - after us, trying to position him next to her and get it all on a camera phone. [permalink] [ filed under AFI Fest, Festivals ] At the AFI Fest screening of "Sorry, Haters" Monday night, Sean Penn with the film's star Robin Wright Penn and the filmmaker Jeff Stanzler. [ read more in iPOP ] [ 0 comments ] [ filed under AFI Fest, AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival ] November 7, 2005AP: "Housewives" Come out for "Transamerica"
Emmy winner Felicity Huffman got by with a little help from her "Desperate Housewives" friends at the Hollywood premiere of her big-screen headlining debut in "Transamerica." Screened Sunday night at AFI Fest 2005, the dark comedy appears to be on the Oscar fast-track, with wide praise for Huffman's performance as a transsexual woman. "It's a funny road movie," Huffman told AP. "And the backdrop happens to be it's about a transgendered woman, which I play, named, 'Bree.' Not Marcia's (Cross's "Housewives" character) 'Bree,' my 'Bree.' And i''s about her going on the road with her long-lost son." [permalink] [ filed under |