BIG PITCH OPENS FOR APPLICATIONSThe Big Pitch at BRITDOC is the UK's only international pitching forum - a golden opportunity for 12 filmmakers to pitch their documentary projects to an exceptional panel of commissioning editors and film funders from the US, Europe and the Far East.Last year our panel included HBO, IFC, ARTE, Sundance Institute, ITVS, NHK Japan, Netflix, Discovery Films and SBS Australia and over two thirds of the projects received funding as a direct result of pitching.All proj...
The Franco American Cultural Fund today announced the line-up for the12th Annual City of Lights, City of Angels (COL•COA) film festival that will run from April 14-20. The festival will feature 48 films, including 27 features, 20 shorts and a World Premiere of a restored masterpiece. Acclaimed French comedy « Welcome to the Land of Shtis, » which is shattering all box office records in France, will have its North American premiere at COL•COA on opening night, April 14, 2008. The new Dany...
Wednesday, February 13-------The new age of digital cinema, and how it will effect everything from production to distribution to exhibition, was the hot topic at this past weekend's EFM Industry Debates, sponsored by the European Film Market (EFM) and its official main partner Arts Alliance Media (AAM). Building on the success of last year’s collaboration, this year’s debates dealt with the opportunities and challenges of digital film distribution and sales. Under the heading “...
The 2008 Gasparilla Film Festival (Wednesday, February 27th- Sunday, March 2nd, 2008) will feature a film produced by Tampa native Jeff Balis and directed by Scott Prendergast on its Opening Night at Tampa Theatre, Wednesday, February 27th. (The screening will be preceded by an Opening Night VIP party, which will begin at 6pm. The screening will start at 7:45pm) The movie 'Kabluey' has been called a 'charming and pointed comedy- a genuine discovery' by the Hollywood Reporter. 'Kabluey' stars L...
By Rhiannon HobbinsSo after years of dreaming about being a filmmaker you decided to finally go for it. You begged, borrowed and maxed out your credit cards. The house had to be remortgaged and you even had to bail on the Christmas skiing holiday. You’ve seriously never been so bloody broke.But you’ve got no regrets, you’ve made your film and the rest will be easy. But the fact is that it can be just as difficult to land a distribution deal. And after all the sacrifices and hard work, ther...
Monday, January 28---------With filmmakers and professionals back at their home bases, a few last minute deals for this year's Sundance season were still announced on the Festival's final day. Sony Pictures Classics, who have been unusually active this year, has closed a deal for North American rights to Jonathan Levine's THE WACKNESS, which stars Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley as a New York City pscyhiatrist who trades therapy for marijuana. The film, which won the Feature Audience Award...
Ok - this is a new year and a chance to start a fresh right? Well 2007 saw the launch of my website - www.jennifer-warren.com and it seemed my genius web guru decided to opt me in for a mandatory blog. Great idea - everybody knows that a blog is the best way to self-market and to get your opinion out there. However it soon became to me like that empty journal you feel guilty about not writing in. Sure I made a point of posting while on the circuit at Tribeca Film Festival and then nearly 6 mont...
17th Annual Gotham Awards Winners AnnouncedINTO THE WILD Named Best Feature; SICKO Named Best Documentary; JUNO’s Ellen Page named Breakthrough ActorNew York, NY (PRWEB) November 28, 2007 -- Kicking off the film awards season, IFP, the nation's largest membership organization of independent filmmakers, tonight announced the winners of the competitive awards at the 17th Annual Gotham Awards ceremony. Established in 1991, the Gotham Awards are one of the leading awards for independent films and ...
HORROR: HA-HA By JON KORN, FPS Kodak Connect/Associate Programmer for AFI Online dailies Before the film begins... I'd like to get something off my chest regarding zombie movie behavior etiquette: If you happen to be one of a handful of survivors on the run from relentless zombie attacks AND you happen to get bitten during an unfortunate zombie skirmish. Do everyone a favor -- just admit it. Yes, it's awkward and yes, they will have to shoot you in the head (have to kill the brain, after ...
Cinequest Distribution proudly announces its recent partnership with Rivercoast Films Distribution, a new video company founded by former First Look Home Entertainment veterans Michael Katchman and Tony Ventura.Both Cinequest Distribution and Rivercoast champion the release of independent films which deserve a global audience but might not be given that chance due to being films which do not fit a typical Hollywood formula. With less than one percent of U.S. and less than five percent of interna...
The Film Financing Circle (FFC) is an integral program in the inaugural Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi. The FFC takes place from October 15 - 17, 2007 at the Emirates Palace, and presents a multifaceted approach to elevating the international entertainment community's awareness of Abu Dhabi's emergence onto the film scene. The FFC encompasses several extraordinary events guaranteed to optimize networking connections between international financiers and film executives f...
Dawn Hudson, Executive Director of Film Independent, announced today the third-annual Filmmaker Forum will be held October 19- 21 at the Directors Guild of America, giving attendees access to some of the most innovative names in indie filmmaking. “Our Filmmaker Forum is not your conventional ‘How to Make it in the Business’ seminar,” said Dawn Hudson, Executive Director of Film Independent. “It’s an honest, off-the-record discussion about a filmmaker’s options. Our highly respect...
WeTalkDuringMovies.com (http://www.wetalkduringmovies.com/), an online social media movie viewing site, announces its recent launch. The new site allows individuals to communicate with one another by voice or text chat while watching streaming video. Film buffs can now take part in a community where other viewers don't mind commentary during the show."WeTalkDuringMovies.com is revolutionary because it allows individuals from across the country to get together in a fun and interesting way,&q...
Friday, September 14------One of the most controversial films of the Festival, Alan Ball's feature directorial debut, NOTHING IS PRIVATE has been acquired for $1.25 million by Warner Independent and Netflix offshoot Red Envelope. This is the first directorial effort of Alan Ball, the Oscar-winning writer of AMERICAN BEAUTY and the creator of the HBO series SIX FEET UNDER. The film has been considered a hot potato due to its unflinching portrayal of the often painful sexual awakening of a young...
I wasn't able to attend the Finance Conference, but Kristina F. Jordan was and she sent in this:Firstly, it was held in the newly opened (only three weeks old) Landmark Theatres at Pico and Westwood, which significantly elevates the theatre going experience for indie audiences. It looks good, it feels good, and there's a cool bar where we were hosted to tasty hor d'oeuvres and drinks by American Express during the lunch break and after conference reception.Secondly, given the chan...
Friday, June 15------The Main Competition section of SILVERDOCS consists of 10 documentary features, all competing for the coveted Sterling Award. The films represent some of the most innovative, provocative and compelling non-fiction films of the year. Jurors determining the prizes include: Liesl Copland, head of acquisitions of Red Envelope Entertainment, the newly created original content division of Netflix; Matt Dentler, the Producer of the South by Southwest Film Conference & Festiva...
Clint Eastwood will receive this year’s Spirit of Independence Award at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival. The Spirit of Independence Award will be given to Eastwood at a special event on Thursday, June 28 sponsored by Target. Tony Bennett, who is the focus of a new documentary for which Clint Eastwood serves as executive producer, will present Eastwood with this honor.The Spirit of Independence Award event is an opportunity for emerging filmmakers to hear Eastwood speak about his work, h...
Film Independent announced the full program line-up for the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival (Thursday, June 21 – Sunday, July 1), including the Opening Night and Closing Night films.As previously announced, Academy Award®-winning actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood will receive this year’s Spirit of Independence Award on Thursday, June 28 at a special event sponsored by Target. Tony Bennett, who is the focus of a new documentary for which Clint Eastwood serves as executive producer, will pre...
Film Independent announced today that Academy Award(R)-winning actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood will receive this year's Spirit of Independence Award at the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival. The Spirit of Independence Award will be given to Eastwood at a special event on Thursday, June 28, sponsored by Target. Tony Bennett, who is the focus of a new documentary for which Clint Eastwood serves as executive producer, will present Eastwood with this honor. The Spirit of Independence Award event is ...
Sunday, March 11—Cinequest Co-founder Kathleen Powell presented the awards on the closing night of the festival.(Descriptions excerpted from the Cinequest program guide.)Director's AwardsGLOBAL VISION AWARD: to the filmmaker who defies convention and exhibits work of universal vision, making bold use of storytelling to create evocative cinema of the future.FRESH AIR/FRISS LEVEGÕ (Hungary)From its wry opening in a Hungarian Lonely Hearts ballroom dance to its daring ending, Ágnes Kocsis...
The Miami International Film Festival (MIFF), presented awards to films today in three competition categories: Documentary Features, Ibero-American Dramatic Features, and World Cinema Features. Jurors in the three categories, along with the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), awarded prizes to films in competition during the 2007 Festival. The ceremony, which took place at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, was hosted by Mexican actress Gabriela Ribero and from Burkina F...
At filmfestivals.com we have always believed that the Internet could offer new avenues for indie films facing the bottlenecks of film distribution.We have been evangelists of that idea to the extent of raising money from VC and funding a VOD platform for indie films from festivals on filmfestivalsTV.com. So what?If all of this does sound familiar to you, and not even newsworthy, I should add that we did this in 1999...OoopsBig mistake in the "time to market".Since that episode we have...
Tuesday, February 13----Actress-turned-director Julie Delpy's TWO DAYS IN PARIS, which had its world premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival a few days ago, has been purchased for North American rights. The Samuel Goldwyn Company and Netflix's Red Envelope Entertainment have announced the joint acquisition of the film, which they are planning to release in the US and Canada this coming summer. TWO DAYS IN PARIS is a romantic comedy about a French woman photographe...
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Stiges Film Festival (Spain)
Mill Valley Film Festival (San Francisco, USA)
Film Independent 2006 Filmmaker Fourm (Los Angelos, USA) 26th to 28th October...
Cinequest Turns Sweet 16 in San Jose (March 1-March 12)“This will be the most electrifying Cinequest Film Festival yet—until next year,” announced Halfdan Hussey, Cinequest Co-founder and Executive Director, as he faced an audience that filled the historic 1,100-seat California Theatre in downtown San Jose. Who knows what next year will bring? But without a doubt, the March 1st opening night was the best in Cinequest history. Strolling into the California Theatre is like entering a cathedr...
