Female Faces in Film Story and photo by MICHELLE PASTER, AFI Daily News Magazine Editor Female filmmakers have a strong presence at AFI FEST this year. In two films, JELLYFISH, from Israel, and WITH YOUR PERMISSION, from Denmark, the female filmmakers' sensibilities impact character development and choice. Though the directors come from different cultures, the ties that bind their films are family, personal relationships, and love or the lack of it. In writer/director Shira Gefen's JE...
Girls On The Run by SHANNON DUNN for AFI oline Dailies When Dorothy admitted to Toto they weren't in Kansas anymore, she knew quite certainly she was in for a bumpy ride. It may be almost 70 years since audiences embraced the Wizard of Oz and that young girl on the run, but little has changed on the cinematic scene when it comes to women - young and old - who face and embrace turmoil to find an inner strength they didn't know they had. From female screenwriters who tell a real-life tale through...
For AFI online dailies By LANE KNEEDLER, AFI FEST Senior Programmer "I liked the idea that I could use this as a medium for making a (sort of) narrative video, and at the same time it is a document of a very particular online culture. I mean here I am having "sex" and this guy is talking about how his computer is "lagging" -- I think that's hilarious but it's not like, as a society, we weren't having disconnected sex before Second Life." Valerie Brewer d...
Live dailies from AFI FestBy STUART BRAZELL, AFI online Contributing Writer There is no denying that music can have a profound impact on film. Nothing is more emotionally satisfying than watching a great movie scene with the perfect song playing. Music can also inspire a film, and that is clear in this year's lineup of music-related films at AFI FEST 2007. The world premiere PUBLIC ENEMY: WELCOME TO THE TERRORDOME examines the powerful 20-year history of the influential hip-hop group, Public En...
By JOHN WILDMAN, Contributing Writer When a film lands in your theatre with the critics' worthy buzz that Cristian Mungiu's 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS does, there can be a tendency to regard it strictly as a "broccoli movie." You know, "you really should watch it because it's good for you" kind of film. And all too often we opt for the popcorn movie in the Cineplex next door. In this case, that
Often imitated, but never equaled, Kodak CONNECT is back at AFI FEST for its seventh straight year. The Kodak CONNECT program provides AFI FEST filmmakers with access to leading professionals from every corner of the film community through a series of scheduled, one-on-one meetings, as well as more informal lunches, breakfasts and cocktail hours. These film professionals offer AFI FEST filmmakers fresh insight and ex
Often imitated, but never equaled, Kodak CONNECT is back at AFI FEST for its seventh straight year. The Kodak CONNECT program provides AFI FEST filmmakers with access to leading professionals from every corner of the film community through a series of scheduled, one-on-one meetings, as well as more informal lunches, breakfasts and cocktail hours. These film professionals offer AFI FEST filmmakers fresh insight and ex
IT'S A SMALL WORLD (Asian Cinema)BY JUSTINA WALFORD from AFI dailies As a second generation Japanese-American, I spent much of my youth sitting next to my mother and pretending I could understand her Japanese soap operas and melodramatic samurai serials. What my mother and I laugh about to this day is how I "get" Japanese film and TV more than she does. I will guffaw at SMAP's sketch comedy when I don't understand a word and I will cry over an emotional monologue in a tearjerker Tokyo ...
The Screening Before the lights went down and the projector fired up, AFI FEST Director Christian Gaines welcomed audience members and attending artists to a special opening night. "I have to admit that it's both a pleasure and a bit of relief to kick things off tonight," he said. "Over the next 10 days, visitors from around the world and thousands of film fans will come to Hollywood to participate in this communal celebration of cinema, to yield to the experience and to honor th...
The 2007 AFI Fest kicked off with a roar Thursday night as a stellar gathering of Hollywood's power elite gathered for the opening night screening of United Artist's LIONS FOR LAMBS at the ArcLight Theater. The Red Carpet For film fans, waiting in line for a Hollywood premiere can be a balance between excitement and anticipation. But not for two eager, yet patient fans, Jember Carcaamo and Ana Martinez, who were the first two to arrive in line for premiere of LIONS FOR LAMBS. Carcaamo from W...
Way before Hollywood colonized the Southland, before even the Spanish Missionaries came to spread the word of God, the Tongva Indian tribe inhabited Los Angeles. As with most Indian tribes, they had a very close - almost spiritual - connection to the land. A simple "nga" sound gave words a sense of place. While we've inherited names like Cahuenga (the place of the mountain), Topanga (where the mountain meets the sea) and Tujunga (the place of the old woman), the city has most certainly...
Excellence Award Nominations End November 1stDon't miss the chance to nominate your colleagues and peers for the IFFS Excellence Awards. For the first time ever we will recognize festival professionals for their many contributions to independent film and the entertainment community.MoreInnovative Conference CurriculumThe 2007 conference agenda is packed with sessions and keynotes that will provide attendees with tools and knowledge that can be immediately implemented. This year's summit will pre...
A diverse selection of 522 feature films, including 106 industry world premieres and 364 market premieres, have been confirmed to screen at the 28th American Film Market (AFM) October 31 to November 7, 2007, in Santa Monica, it was announced today by Jonathan Wolf, Executive Vice President, Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) and AFM’s Managing Director.A total of 34 different languages will be represented on the screening schedule of this year’s AFM.In addition, Wolf announced tha...
The Inaugural IFFS Excellence Awards will be presented at the December program and for the first time, will honor and pay tribute to the dedicated professionals and executives managing film festivals. Festivals continue to provide a vital intersection where the major stakeholders in the entertainment industry converge. For decades the tireless work of the film festival professional has made monumental impacts on the industry for individual filmmakers, buyers, sellers, and countless organizations...
The official website has launched (www.meiff.com) for the first annual Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF), premiering October 14-19, 2007; and the Call for Entries is now under way. Over five days, MEIFF will present more than 50 films within a diverse slate of regional and international films with an emphasis on emerging artists. Grand Jury Prize winners will receive substantial production grants towards the funding of their next project, awarded in the categories of Narrative, Do...
NomadsLand.com, the online platform for social issue filmmakers, today announced its release of enhanced social networking and distribution tools to assist filmmakers in making films about pressing global issues.NomadsLand (www.nomadsland.com) has been described as "YouTube and MySpace for progressive directors and producers." Designed by filmmakers for filmmakers, NomadsLand is the home for a growing worldwide collective of creative directors, video producers, production companies and...
NomadsLand.com, the online platform for social issue filmmakers, today announced its release of enhanced social networking and distribution tools to assist filmmakers in making films about pressing global issues.NomadsLand (www.nomadsland.com) has been described as "YouTube and MySpace for progressive directors and producers." Designed by filmmakers for filmmakers, NomadsLand is the home for a growing worldwide collective of creative directors, video producers, production companies and distribut...
AFI Fest located in Los Angeles and taking place in November celebrates film and the art of filmmaking. With its rooftop village, located right next to the Arclight, its star studded gala premieres and receptions the atmosphere surrounding the fesival is sure to ensure everyone who attends AFI Fest an amazing atmosphere and ambiance to increase their festival experience.
Grand Jury Award for International Feature: GRBAVICA (Special Mention: THE ART OF CRYING)
Aquafina Pure Vision Award - Grand Jury Award for International Documentary: BUDDHA'S LOST CHILDREN (Special Mention: BACK HOME)
Grand Jury Award for International Short: DISAPPEARING (Special Mention: SILENCE IS GOLDEN)
Audience Award - Feature: VITUS
Audience Award - Documentary: BLINDSIGHT and SCREAMERS (Tie)
Audience Award - Short: FAIR TRADE
AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi announces its award winners. ...
Grand Jury Award for International Feature: GRBAVICA (Special Mention: THE ART OF CRYING) Aquafina Pure Vision Award - Grand Jury Award for International Documentary: BUDDHA'S LOST CHILDREN (Special Mention: BACK HOME) Grand Jury Award for International Short: DISAPPEARING (Special Mention: SILENCE IS GOLDEN) Audience Award - Feature: VITUS Audience Award - Documentary: BLINDSIGHT and SCREAMERS (Tie) Audience Award - Short: FAIR TRADE AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi announces its award winners. ...
Scenes from CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, starring Gong Li and Chow Yun Fat, directed by Zhang Yimou, making its world premiere as the Closing Night Gala Presentation of AFI FEST 2006. The Closing Night Gala Presentation, making its world premiere at AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi, is CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, directed and co-written by Zhang Yimou. CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER stars Chow Yun Fat, Gong Li and Jay Chou. The film is set during China's Tang Dynasty of the 10th century. The Imperial...
Interview (Part 1) with Nancy Collet, Driector, Programming, AFI FestWe were fortunate enough to have an opportunity to interview Nancy Collet, programming director for the AFI film festival. She has been with the festival for 10 years and is originally from Manhattan. In 2006, AFI Fest is celebrating its 20th year as a program of the American Film Institute. The festival grew out of Filmex, which premiered "The Last Picture Show" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. An exThe move to the Arclight happe...
Interview With Nancy Collet, Director, Programming, AFI Fest
Rita M. Johnson
We were fortunate enough to have an opportunity to interview Nancy Collet, programming director for the AFI film festival. She has been with the festival for 10 years and is originally from Manhattan. In 2006, AFI Fest is celebrating its 20th year as a program of the American Film Institute. The festival grew out of Filmex, which premiered "The Last Picture Show" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. An ex
The move to the...
"David Lynch is an artist," explained American Film Institute President and CEO Jean Picker Firstenberg. Firstenberg introduced the writer-director and his new film, INLAND EMPIRE, Friday's Centerpiece Gala Presentation at AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi. "He see things we don't see," Firstenberg added about the AFI Conservatory alum. Lynch was accepted as a directing fellow in 1970 and received a grant from AFI to make a 34-minute film, THE GRANDMOTHER. Firstenberg explained: "We are proud to s...
