Interview with English/Turkish Cypriot actor Akin Gazi, the hot new face of BIG cinema ('The Devil's Double', 2011; 'Black Gold' 2011; and now 'Zero Dark Thirty', 2012). Look out for this up and coming mega talent. He has already been on the side of buses in Qatar... Will UK be next? Read our up close and personal interview below.   ME: How did you get into acting and when did you know that you want to act? AKIN: When I was a child I loved spending time in my imaginat...

The Slovenian film ‘A Trip’ (‘Izlet’, 2011) by writer/director Nejc Gazvoda will represent Slovenia at the 2013 Oscars. Out of all international films contending for the ‘Foreign Film’ category, only one will win for 'Best Foreign Film'. The 85th Academy Awards will take place Feb. 24, 2013. 'A Trip' has received nominations and awards at international film festivals the world over. It won ‘Best Screenplay’ by Nejc Gazvoda, ‘Best Acting&r...

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM 'Sally Fischer Public Relations' “TRASHED” (2012) screened Saturday, September 29 at 9:00PM at the Apollo Piccadilly Cinema in London Academy Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons and Academy Award-winning composer Vangelis attended screening “TRASHED” HITS PICCADILLY AND TAKES JEREMY IRONS ON A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY, DISBELIEF AND HOPE   London, UK: Candida Brady brings her hot topic film "TRASHED" to the Raindance Film Festiva...

Scott Hillier, President of ÉCU – The European Independent Film Festival and Oscar award-winning independent filmmaker is offering a credit on his latest documentary in exchange for transcription and translation work (Arabic – English). We have been shooting in Libya and have 10 interviews (maximum 30 mins long). This is an unpaid position but you will gain a valuable credit of which you can use in your future filmmaking career opportunities or job prospects. This is a heartf...

“The difference in European independent cinema is that it doesn’t leave anyone indifferent” Interview: 29th of January, 2012 We interviewed Scott Hillier, a film and documentary director, producer, and President of ÉCU- The European Independent Film Festival . By Mariana Castaño (Paris) Scott Hillier is a “storyteller”. “Storyteller” is the word he uses himself, in a manner of English that he speaks at the speed of light. His eyes and hands move quickly an...

26/01 If you have a good story, pursue it — immediately and at any cost — preaches Scott Hillier, Oscar honored filmmaker and president of ÉCU – The European Independent Film Festival. Scott, in pursuit of a good story, is doing just that. Departing for Libya this evening, Scott and his crew will film a documentary following Jihan Mansur Kikhia, the daughter of former Libyan Foreign Affairs Minister Mansur Kikhia, as she seeks to uncover the truth about her father’s...

Derby City Film Festival Announces 2012 Selections  56 films to screen during the three day festival including 24 International films from 16 Countries, 8 World Premieres & 5 US Premieres    LOUISVILLE, KY. (January 2nd) —    The organizers of The Derby City Film Festival are pleased to announce the selections for the 2012 edition to be held in February. In total 56 films will screen during the three day festival which will be held February 17th - 19...

                photo from Venice poster at La Biennale, 68.This past week I attended the 8th annual Reykjavik Film Festival (RIFF) after going nonstop from Venice La Biennale, then to TIFF and then to RIFF. I was tired of course but so anxious to catch up on the films that I had missed at the former festivals that appeared also in Iceland. One of these films was one that had received a great buzz in Venice, a lyrica...

                photo from Venice poster at La Biennale, 68.This past week I attended the 8th annual Reykjavik Film Festival (RIFF) after going nonstop from Venice La Biennale, then to TIFF and then to RIFF. I was tired of course but so anxious to catch up on the films that I had missed at the former festivals that appeared also in Iceland. One of these films was one that had received a great buzz in Venice, a lyrica...

                                photo from Venice poster at La Biennale, 68. This past week I attended the 8th annual Reykjavik Film Festival (RIFF) after going nonstop from Venice La Biennale, then to TIFF and then to RIFF. I was tired of course but so anxious to catch up on the films that I had missed at the former festiv...

Oliver Stone has done a fabulous job rearing his son, Princeton graduate, Sean Stone. Sean's wings have been strengthening as he has been working, interning, and meeting world leaders along side of his brilliant filmmaker father, and is demonstrating to the world that he, too, can soar. With a recent journey to Iran, with film as the primary focus, and his first feature film, "Graystone", nearing completion, this 26 year old has seen and done things most of us only read about.Q: SHARON ABELLA:...

This programme, organised by the International Film Festival with the Amiens (France) and Fribourg (Switzerland) international festivals, will exclusively comprise feature films at the end of their filming or at the post-production stage. Cinema in Motion 7 will take place on Monday, 19 September 2011 at the 59th International Film Festival in San Sebastian. This rendezvous is open to filmmakers from the Maghreb, Portuguese-speaking African countries and developing Arab countries: Algeria, A...

“Killer of Sheep” Director, Charles Burnett, on The LA Riots Born in Mississippi, raised in Watts,  educated at UCLA Film School, “Killer of Sheep” director,  Charles Burnett is one of the most influential African American filmmakers.  Watch live from the Korean American Film Festival/New York on March 19, 2011, as he discusses the likeliness of another LA Riots, redlining, the LAPD and teaching his children how to handle the police if ever confronted by them. Cou...

  JUST TALKING 18/3 AT 13th tdf   The Just Talking section of the 13th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival concluded on Friday, March 18, 2011 at the Excelsior Lounge of the Electra Palace Hotel. Participating in the discussion were directors Nikos Megrelis (Shooting vs. Shooting) Chronis Pechlivanidis (South Central Gospel), Athanasios Karanikolas (Khaima), Visa Koiso-Kanttila (Portrait of a Man), Jennifer Arnold (A Small Act), Lea Binzer (Pelican’s Watch), David Andre ...

The History of African Animation By Mohamed Ghazala African animation started about 70 years ago in Egypt and was founded by the Frenkel brothers. It’s interesting to note that the first pioneers of animation in Africa were not professional artists or animators; they were just a group of Jewish carpenters who immigrated to Egypt from Russia in search of freedom and work. They achieved the unexpected; the first African animated cartoon was created. Despite problems...

Launching it’s 12th Year The New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival continues To Explore the Cinema of this Rich and Diverse Culture:February 7-14, 2008The American Sephardic Federation/Sephardic House, in association with Yeshiva University Museum, announces the 2008 New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival line up, celebrating a dozen years of exciting and thought provoking films. With the expansion to multiple locations, this one-of-a-kind event running February 7 – 14, 2008 will offer a...

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...

The NY International Sephardic Jewish Film Festival, the first festival dedicated to showcasing international films with distinctly Sephardic themes, celebrates 10 years of cinematic explorations of Sephardic Jewry presented in a weeklong series of screenings, compelling panel discussions, and events. The festival, co-sponsored by the Yeshiva University Museum and the Manhattan JCC will take place from February 2 to 8, 2006 with screenings at the Center for Jewish History and one screening at t...

SKYY SHORT FILM PROJECT WINNERS New York City Is Destination For 72 Hour ShootThe finalists of SKYY Vodka’s first-ever SKYY SHORT FILM PROJECT: One Script, Three Different Filmmakers, Three Very Different Films, was announced today at an Eyes on SKYY event at the SKYY View Lounge in Park City, Utah. An innovative program supporting aspiring filmmakers in the short film format, the SKYY VODKA SHORT FILM PROJECT was launched in Park City in 2003 with call to entries ending June 30, 2003. Hundr...

The finalists of SKYY Vodka’s first-ever SKYY SHORT FILM PROJECT: One Script, Three Different Filmmakers, Three Very Different Films, was announced today at an Eyes on SKYY event at the SKYY View Lounge in Park City, Utah.An innovative program supporting aspiring filmmakers in the short film format, the SKYY VODKA SHORT FILM PROJECT was launched in Park City in 2003 with call to entries ending June 30, 2003. Hundreds of filmmakers submitted a filmed “PITCH” about why they want to be a dir...