24th TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AIMS TO SUPPORT EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI VICTIMS by Alex Deleon   Jūzō Itami  The Tokyo International film festival (TIFF) which came into being in 1985 and is now in its 24th edition forms, is, along with Pusan in neighboring Korea, what might be called the "one-two punch" of leading Asian film festivals. This festival started off slowly and was only held every other year between 1985 and 1991, but fi...

  "Film festivals for the LGBT community are not just about cinema”, Lesli Klainberg, NewFest’s Executive Director commented in a phone interview. “They have always functioned as community building events where like-minded audiences can commune in the presence of filmmakers in a shared experience.” This cinematic sharing begins later this week as NewFest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Film  Festival kicks off an ambitious season of films currently playin...

Those needing an indie film fix will be happy to hear that The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival (NYIIFVF) is gearing up to return to Los Angeles with an exciting lineup of independent films, red carpet premieres and special events, taking place July 17-24, 2008. NYIIFVF kicks off with a film/art market and networking party at the stylish Cabana Club on Thursday July 17 from 6pm-Midnight. In keeping with NYIIFVF's unique and successful formula of 15 years, over 100 eclec...

Those needing an indie film fix will be happy to hear that The New York International Independent Film and Video Festival (NYIIFVF) is gearing up to return to Los Angeles with an exciting lineup of independent films, red carpet premieres and special events, taking place July 17-24, 2008. NYIIFVF kicks off with a film/art market and networking party at the stylish Cabana Club on Thursday July 17 from 6pm-Midnight. In keeping with NYIIFVF's unique and successful formula of 15 years, over 100 eclec...

Dynamic company, ITN Distribution Inc. (ITN) has announced that they have acquired worldwide sales rights to Johnny 316, an impossible love story starring Vincent Gallo (Buffalo 66, The Brown Bunny) and stunning actress and model Nina Brosh. ITN President Stuart Alson will act as exclusive agent for the feature film and plans to generate heavy sales out of Riviera F11 at the 2007 Marche DuFilm/Cannes. Other films on the ITN roster include, That’s the Way of the World starring Harvey Keitel;...

MIFF, the International Film Festival of Milan strikes an independent pose by moving to a spring date, separating it from previous complementary relations of simultaneity with the market. Nicknamed the Sundance of Europe, MIFF has seen an upsurge in participants, attendance and media focus in its previous October runs right before MIFED. The new spring date will propel it to new heights by giving MIFF an exclusive spotlight. “Now that AFM is moving to November, MIFF’s early spring setting...