There are a few film directors whose appeal splits people right down the middle. Some hate the work and some are devoted groupies. However, if the response to a particular director bridges the entire spectrum, then it is all the proof needed that this talented film artist's sensibility cannot be ignored. For myself, always a sucker for the sweeping operatic gesture in film, I find myself to be a disciple of the British director Ken Russell. Russell did not think small in hi...

Europe's Finest takes over film package from Celluloid Dreams for digital distribution As of now the Cologne digital cinema distribution platform Europe's Finest is offering nine festival successes from the current slate of Celluloid Dreams in DCI-conform standard for direct booking for European digital cinemas. Among them are films such as BETTER THINGS, DEAD IN 3 DAYS, KILL DADDY GOODNIGHT, LET'S MAKE MONEY, WEDDING DIRECTOR, WHEN A MAN COMES HOME, and WHITE NIGHT WEDDING. All films wer...

By Maria Esteves - June 9, 2009 The "Body & Soul NYC" 2009 Memorial Day Weekend dance celebration presented by John Davis, JD Productions with world renown DJs Joaquin "Joe" Claussell, Francois "K" Kevorkian (MAESTRO documentary film), and Danny Krivit (The God Father of Disco, MAESTRO documentary films) was held at the historical Webster Hall, New York, Sunday, May 24,  6:00 PM. The evening featured talent warm-up by Andi Hanely, lights by Ariel, and host...

Interview with Mandy Stein, Marky Ramone, and Bob Gruen, "Burning Down the House: Story of CBGB"The happy and proud director, Mandy Stein, dedicated "Burning Down The House: The Story of CBGB" to her mother, and manager of "The Ramones", Linda Stein, as she stated, "it would have been her birthday today". (Linda was murdered October 30, 2007 in her home)Interview with Mandy Stein:Sharon Abella: Where did your footage come from? Mandy Stein: "All different places, but Amos Poe, I'd always kno...

The happy and proud director, Mandy Stein, dedicated "Burning Down The House: The Story of CBGB" to her mother, and manager of "The Ramones", Linda Stein, as she stated, "it would have been her birthday today".   (Linda was murdered October 30, 2007 in her home)_________________Interview with Mandy Stein:Sharon Abella: Where did your footage come from?  Mandy Stein:  "All different places, but Amos Poe, I'd always known about his footage, which is beautiful,...

By Maria Esteves - August 19, 2008 The Ninth Annual New York International Latino Film Festival (NYILFF) 2008 Awards Ceremony presented by HBO was held at El Morocco Theater & Nightclub, Sunday, July 27, 2008, 8:00 PM. The award acknowledges the best in filmmaking and emerging directors of Latino descent. The award announcers were NYILFF founder/executive director Calixto Chinchilla and executive director Elizabeth Gardner. A special live performance by Comedy Troupe, ROOM 28 preceded the c...

The Northwest Film Center presents:MILOS FORMAN: August 1-14"I discovered very soon that you can speak different languages and have different customs, but human nature is the same everywhere."-Milos FormanMilos Forman has been making films of remarkable wit and insight for more than 40 years, first in Czechoslovakia and then, after the 1968 Soviet invasion, in the United States. No matter how disparate they seem on the surface, his works are united by a deep empathy for his characters, especiall...

Every time Forest Whitaker showed up on a talk show to hock his new film "The Last King of Scotland", I felt an unease in the pit of my stomach.  Every clip shown of the film throughout this ever-raging fire of awards season has been a full assault display of Whitaker in screaming pipes mode.  I came to expect that this was the only note the performance would deliver; one of excessive volume and fury-induced spittle.As it turns out, there's a reason why Whitaker has been generati...