2017 ReelAbilities Film Festival Celebrates Determination and Unique Perspectives

Official Selections Announced - March 29-April 6, 2017 Festival

The Sixth Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival, Boston has announced the official selections for this year’s festival. Ten films have been selected and will be screened between March 29-April 6, 2017. 

ReelAbilities strives for the inclusion of all people and is dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with different abilities from a variety of communities. 

“The line-up for this year’s ReelAbilities Film Festival is one of the best we’ve ever had in Boston due to the number of high quality documentary films produced about people with disabilities,” said Mara Bresnahan, Festival Director.  “Each documentary challenges our audience to think differently about people with disabilities in a time when conversations about diversity are crucial. In addition to the variety of perspectives represented in the films, their stories unfold on the screen in a unique and beautiful way.”     

The films selected for the 2017 Festival include:

·       Life, Animated  – Directed by Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated is an Oscar-nominated documentary that introduces us to Own Suskind, a young man with autism who, as a child, was unable to speak until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate – immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films. Ron Suskind, Owen’s father and author of the New York Times bestseller that inspired the film, will lead a discussion on how these stories helped his family find their way through hard times.  

·       The Rebound– Directed by Shaina Allen, The Rebound follows the underdog journey of the Miami Heat Wheels wheelchair basketball team in their quest for a national championship. The screening will be followed by a discussion with members of the Boston Blazers, a local wheelchair basketball team.  

·       Asperger’s Are Us– Co-presented with the Bright Light Series, Asperger’s Are Us is a documentary about the first comedy troupe consisting of openly autistic people.  The film follows four friends from the North Shore of Boston as they prepare for their final, ambitious comedy show before going their separate way.  A discussion will follow with director Alex Lehmann and members of the comedy troupe.

·       True Smile– Directed by Juan Rayos, True Smile is an astonishing journey as seen through the eyes of 26-year-old Sergio Aznárez Rosado, who was born both blind and with autism, yet lives a life packed with adventure. Over the course of 30 days, Sergio embarks on a 1,300-kilometer tandem bike ride across Spain and Morocco with his brother, Juan Manuel, who pilots the bicycle. This screening is co-presented with Waypoint Adventure.

·       That Which is Possible– Directed by Michael Gitlin, That Which is Possible follows a community of painters, sculptors, musicians, and writers who create art at the Living Museum, an art space on the grounds of a large state-run psychiatric facility in Queens, NY. A discussion with artists from Gateway Arts will follow the screening.

·       My Hero Brother– Directed by Yonatan Nir, My Hero Brother follows a group of young Israelis with Down syndrome and their siblings as they embark on a demanding trip through the Indian Himalayas, where the conflicts and the complexities of their relationships come to the surface. My Hero Brother is co-presented with The Boston Jewish Film Festival.

·       Notes on Blindness – In 1983, after many decades of deterioration, writer and theologian John Hull became totally blind. To help him make sense of the upheaval in his life, he documented his experiences on audio cassette and in this film, actors lip-sync to the voices, resulting in a poetic and intimate story. A Skype Q&A with directors James Spinney and Peter Middleton will follow the screening.  This screening is co-presented with The DocYard.

·       Rachel Is – Directed by Charlotte Glynn, Rachel Is explores the relationship between Jane and Rachel, her daughter with a developmental disability as each seeks independence from the other.  A discussion will follow with Ms. Glynn, along with Susan Senator, author of Autism Adulthood: Strategies and Insights for a Fulfilling Life.

·       Gabe– Gabe Weil is a 27-year-old who was born with the most severe form of muscular dystrophy who was told he would be lucky to live past 25. The news that he was misdiagnosed, and might live well into his 50s, forces him to rethink his life from scratch.  Following the screening, a discussion will be held with director Luke Terrell.

·       Marathon:  The Patriots Day Bombing – Directed by Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern, this gripping documentary focuses on the emotional and physical recovery of the individuals whose lives were forever changed by the Boston Marathon bombing. Discussion to follow with film subjects Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky, moderated by Boston Globe reporter Eric Moskowitz. This screening is co-presented with GlobeDocs and Spaulding Rehabilitation Network.

The 2017 ReelAbilities Film Festival Boston is co-presented by The Boston Jewish Film Festival and sponsored by the Ruderman Family Foundation. 

“Issues of inclusion continue to be a challenge in the entertainment world,” said Sharon Shapiro, Trustee of the Ruderman Family Foundation.  “The ReelAbilities Film Festival in Boston showcases the accomplishments of those with differing abilities and reminds us of the value of including these individuals in mainstream films.”

The Ruderman Family Foundation has announced last month that they will be awarding their prestigious Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion (MER) to Oscar winning actress, Marlee Matlin, who is the only deaf performer to ever win the Oscar for acting and only one of three people with disabilities in Oscar history.

“We are so glad to be awarding Marlee Matlin with the $100,000 MER,” said Shapiro. “She has been a powerful force for inclusion throughout her career and especially in the film and television world. She is a lovely example of the fact that disabilities do not stand in the way of acting talent.”

Additional sponsors include the J.E. & Z.B. Butler Foundation, Nancy Lune Marks Family Foundation, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Special Needs Financial Planning, Emerson College, Mass Cultural Council, Jewish Community Day School, El Al Airlines, , Peapod by Stop & Shop, PLAN of Massachusetts & Rhode Island, Rita J. & Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, and Rockland Trust Bank.

The ReelAbilities Film Festival, Boston will take place at 11 theaters in and around  Boston, including Brattle Theatre, Cambridge Public Library, The Cotting School, Emerson College Bright Family Screening Room, JCC Greater Boston Riemer-Goldstein Theater, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Museum of Science Boston, Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, and the Somerville Theatre.  

All of the screenings, with the exception of Notes on Blindness and the Closing Night screening of Marathon: The Patriot’s Day Bombing are free, however advance registration is recommended.  All venues are wheelchair accessible.  Registration and tickets for individual screenings can be found online at reelboston.org. For the full film schedule or for additional information, visit reelboston.org.

Last week, we were joined by award-winning directors and producers such as Neal Moritz, Cathy Schulman, Don Hahn, Penney Finkelman Cox, Ted Hope, Rob Minkoff, entertainment executives such as Lionsgate’s Jen Hollingsworth and Laura Kennedy, OddLot’s Rachel Shane, Skybound’s David Alpert, and many more.

We would like to extend a special thanks to our sponsors and partners: Akin Gump, EP Financial Solutions, FTI Consulting, Hogan Lovells, Vine Alternative Investments, Fifth Third Bank, Media Funding Partners, The Hollywood Reporter and FilmFestivals.com.

Our next conference will be in New York where financiers representing billions in capital dedicated to investment allocation in film and television will be participating.

From a powerful and personal script by screenwriter Chris Roessner who was inspired by his experiences in Iraq, the film is an honest and candid depiction of the Second Gulf War told through the eyes of a group of American soldiers on the front lines. Sand Castle is the second feature film from acclaimed Brazilian director Fernando Coimbra (A Wolf at the Door), who also directed episodes from Season One of the Netflix global-hit series "Narcos."

 Watch the trailer

Set in Iraq in 2003, Sand Castle follows a group of American soldiers in the early days of the second Gulf War. Bearing witness to the heat and the horror is the inexperienced Private Matt Ocre (Nicholas Hoult), who together with several fellow soldiers is ordered to the outskirts of Baqubah to repair a water pumping station damaged by U.S. bombs. But as Ocre discovers, in an atmosphere where resentment and anger fester, trying to win the hearts and minds of the locals is a task fraught with danger. It's here, in the streets, squares and schools that he discovers the true cost of war.

Directed by: Fernando Coimbra

Written by: Chris Roessner

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Henry Cavill, Logan Marshall-Green, Glen Powell, Beau Knapp and Neil Brown Jr.

Produced by: Justin Nappi (Treehouse Pictures) and Ben Pugh (42) 

Launch Date: April 21, 2017

Run Time: 112 minutes

Materials: media.netflix.com

Independent Entertainment Studio Will Launch Sales On THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X At Filmart

Prolific independent entertainment studio IM Global has signed an output deal with one of China’s leading production and distribution companies, Enlight Pictures, to handle worldwide sales outside of China on the company’s upcoming slate, it was announced today by IM Global Founder and CEO Stuart Ford. 

IM Global will handle sales for up to six titles from Enlight’s upcoming slate starting at Filmart with Alec Su’s (The Left Ear) THE DEVOTION OF SUSPECT X.  Starring Wang Kai and Ruby Lin, the film is a compelling thriller based on the award-winning and critically acclaimed Japanese novel by Keigo Higashino.  The film will be released in China on March 31st.  China Lion holds North American, UK, Australian and New Zealand rights.

Ford said “We’ve really enjoyed working with our partners at Enlight on previous projects together and we’re delighted to be extending the relationship into a multiple picture arrangement. This deal also emphasizes our commitment to building a global audience for the best of Chinese cinema.”

Enlight Pictures’ upcoming slate also includes Yi-chi Lien’s romance ALL ABOUT SECRETS, Dong Chengpeng’s (Pancake Man aka Jian Bing Man) comedy/drama CITY OF ROCK, and Han Yan’s (Go Away Mr. Tumor) action/thriller ANIMAL WORLD.

IM Global has been an active player in the Chinese film industry since opening a Beijing office in 2013 and has previously handled international sales for Enlight Pictures’ Buddies In India, which grossed $108 million in China; Mojin: The Lost Legend, which grossed over $300 million, and was produced by Enlight along with Wanda and Huayi Brothers; Zhang Yibai’s I Belonged to you, which grossed over $100 million in China; Shupeng Yang’s Blood of Youth; and Timothy’s Kendall’s Hollywood Adventurers produced by Justin Lin.

Other big budget Chinese titles, IM Global has handled international sales on include the highest grossing Chinese film ever, Stephen Chow’s The Mermaid, which has grossed over $545 million worldwide to date; Huayi Brothers’ Mr. Six, which grossed over $138 million worldwide; romantic comedy Breakup Buddies, which grossed $195 million in China; The Wasted Times starring Zhang Ziyi; and Village Roadshow Asia’s suspense thriller Hide and Seek.

The deal was negotiated by SVP Sales and Acquisitions Asia Leslie Chen on behalf of IM Global and by International Sales and Distribution Manager Heidi Sun on behalf of Enlight Pictures.

In June 20 16, Los Angeles and Shanghai based Tang Media Partners (“TMP”) assumed a controlling ownership position in IM Global to help accelerate the company’s growth initiatives.  Simultaneously, TMP arranged a new, expanded television production joint venture among IM Global, TMP, and Tencent Holdings. The IM Global television JV included an innovative first-of-its-kind programming investment fund arranged by TMP. 

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ABOUT IM GLOBAL

IM GLOBAL was founded by Chief Executive Officer Stuart Ford in 2007. The prolific independent studio operates one of the world’s leading international film, television and music production, sales and distribution platforms, controlling a library of more than 600 films which have collectively grossed more than $6 billion in worldwide box office.  The company has financed or produced over thirty Hollywood feature films deploying more than $500 million in production capital, establishing itself as one of the most prolific film financiers outside of the major studios.  

The company’s Beijing office handles international distribution of many leading Chinese films, the import of Hollywood titles to the Chinese marketplace and also operates subsidiary Go Global, a marketing and publicity firm devoted to promoting Chinese films and entertainment brands in the international festival arena. IM Global is headquartered in Los Angeles and has satellite offices in New York, London, Munich, Mumbai, Mexico City, Beijing and Shanghai.  

ABOUT TANG MEDIA PARTNERS

Tang Media Partners is a next generation global content creation, development, financing and production company with an emphasis on forging connections between China and international markets across all media platforms through subsidiaries IM Global (Hacksaw Ridge, The Mermaid, Breakup Buddies), Chaotic Good Studios and partners such as Chinese tech giant, Tencent Holdings. Tang Media Partners is also behind such box-office hits as STX Entertainment’s Bad Moms and the critically acclaimed The Edge of Seventeen. Tang Media Partners is the new home to Chaotic Good Studios, the content company devoted to developing expansive franchises for globally recognized intellectual properties across the entertainment landscape.  They are creators of the premium analytic tool, Fanalytics, and the Chaotic Good Franchise Lab, a writer’s program focused on the creation of original multi-platform franchises across film, television, gaming and digital. Tang Media Partners was founded in 2015 by Donald Tang, former Bear Stearns & Co. Vice Chairman and Chairman and CEO of Bear Stearns Asia, Ltd., and is based in Los Angeles and Shanghai.

ABOUT ENLIGHT PICTURES

Beijing Enlight Pictures is one of China’s top three private film production companies.  After the breakout success of Enlight’s first movie Confession of Pain in 2006, the company focused on film distribution as a significant aspect of its operations.  In recent years, Enlight has operated under the mantra that “content is king”, and invested in a string of major releases.  Domestic box office record holder Lost in Thailand earned 1.26 billion RMB in ticket sales, a record that remains unbroken for Chinese films to this day.  In the first half of 2013, Enlight also released a string of movies that performed well both critically and in ticket sales, including the Golden Horse Award-winning cast of The Chef the Actor the Scoundrel, the Peter Chan-directed American Dreams in China, the directorial debut of actress Zhao Wei So Young, and Dearest, which won her a Golden Horse Award.  In 2014, Dad, Where Are We Going?,The Breakup Guru, Fleet of Time, and My Old Classmate were four of the ten top-grossing movies in China, earning 3.13 billion RMB, and making the company the best-performing private film company in China. In 2015, the company helped distribute Zhong Kui’s Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal and Triumph in the Skies, earning Spring Festival box office returns of 500 million RMB, as well as 470 million RMB from the production and distribution of The Left Ear.  Hollywood Adventures, produced by Fast and Furious director Justin Lin and Lost in Hong Kong directed by Xu Zheng, have also both been well-received in China and abroad. In 2016 the box-office of The Mermaid broke the record of Chinese movies in China, earning 3 billion RMB. In the past 10 years, the total box office of the films produced by Enlight Pictures has been over 20 billion RMB. 

The Los Angeles based Israel Film Festival, the largest showcase of Israeli films in the U.S., is launching its 31st edition by hosting an awards luncheon honoring CAA’s Adam Berkowitz, award-winning producer David Shore and real estate developer/philanthropist Max Webb, it was announced by Festival Founder and Executive Director Meir Fenigstein. Berkowitz, the co-head of the television department at Creative Artists Agency, has been named the 2017 IFF Career Achievement Award recipient. Writer/producer Shore will receive the 2017 IFF Visionary Award, and Max Webb, the founder of Shapell Properties, will collect the 2017 IFF Lifetime Achievement Award. The gala luncheon will take place on Thursday, March 16 at the Four Seasons Hotel, with Elon Gold serving as Master of Ceremonies.

Berkowitz is co-head of the television department at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), where he works with many of the world's leading television producers, writers and directors. Berkowitz has been instrumental in packaging and selling numerous television programs, including Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Arrested Development, Two and a Half Men, Masters of Sex, True Detective, Justified, Rescue Me, Big Love and Netflix's House of Cards, amongst others. Additionally, he sold the first Israeli series ever to Netflix, The Greenhouse, as well as the critically acclaimed Israeli series Fauda. Berkowitz also represents many of Israel's leading production companies, writers, directors and actors. Prior to joining CAA in 1997, Berkowitz was an Agent at the William Morris agency. He currently serves on the board of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society and is chairman of the entertainment division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles.

Shore created what was at one point the world's most watched television program, House. The first-season episode "Three Stories" won him a Peabody, a Humanitas Prize and the 2005 Emmy® Award for Outstanding Writing. Since then, David co-created Battle Creek for CBS and Sneaky Pete for Amazon, and served as an executive producer of Houdini and Doyle, which aired on Fox in 2016. David has served as a director of the Writers Guild of America, West; the Writers Guild Foundation; the Humanitas International Foundation; and the International Board of Israel based Save a Child's Heart, an organization that saves children throughout the world who have congenital heart defects.

Webb, who just celebrated his 100th birthday this month, was born on March 2, 1917 in Lodz, Poland, one of seven children to Avraham and Sheva Weisbrot. During the war, Max survived twelve labor camps and six concentration camps, including Auschwitz Birkenau, where in 1943 he met Nathan Shapell, with whom he developed a lifelong friendship and partnership. Max, along with his brothers-in-law Nathan and David Shapell, founded Shapell Industries in 1955. For over 60 years they have provided thousands of homes throughout California as well as commercial areas. Having survived the nightmare of the camps is a constant reminder that his life was given back to him as a miracle from G-d. Following liberation Max promised to do whatever he could to help those less fortunate and to rebuild the Jewish people. As a great humanitarian, he has kept that commitment over the years by giving generously of his time and money to numerous worthwhile causes and organizations.

For over 30 years, the Festival has presented nearly 1,000 feature films, documentaries, television dramas and short films to close to million filmgoers and brought hundreds of Israeli filmmakers to the U.S. to share their art. The Israel Film Festival is produced by IsraFest Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization created in 1982. Among the Sponsors of the 31st Israel Film Festival are long-time partners Millennium Films, Rabinovich Foundation, New Regency Productions, Adelson Family Foundation, Israel Film Fund, The Hollywood Reporter, Eclipse, Variety, IAC (Israeli American Council), Israel Consulate in Los Angeles, Maurice Marciano Family Foundation, Diane & Guilford Glazer Foundation, Izek & Aline Shomof, IDB Bank, Four Seasons Hotel, The Orlando Hotel, Clear Channel, joined by Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Netflix, Showtime and Lionsgate.

www.israelfilmfestival.com *  310-247-1800/213-948-8800  *  info@israelfilmfestival.org

17 March 2017: The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission (KZNFC) will on March 27 and 28 host industry stakeholders in a two-day film Industry Indaba at the Silver Room, Greyville Racecourse - Durban.

In a first of its kind for KwaZulu-Natal, the Indaba seeks to bring together filmmakers, government agencies, the media and other voices under one roof as a way to create opportunities for the industry to engage, interact on a strategic level, and to find solutions to the challenges facing the industry.

“We look forward to hosting the film fraternity, particularly at this critical time when, together with our stakeholders, we will be sharing our strategies and discussing pertinent issues affecting the film industry. There are a number of new strategies being proposed and policies that are being reviewed at a national and provincial level and therefore we felt that the Indaba is well timed for active engagement. We are grateful for the support provided by the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), in particular MEC Sihle Zikalala as we continue to transform the industry and position the province as the best global film destination,” says Carol Coetzee CEO KZN Film Commission.

The first day of the Indaba will be dedicated to strategic presentations from EDTEA , KZN Film Commission, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the Department of Trade and Industry (the Dti), South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) and South African Screen Federation (SASFED).

The launch of the new film cluster will take place on the evening of the first day where KZNFC has invited the participants to view the new facility which is now available to our filmmakers and partners.

Day two of the proceedings will begin with an address by the MEC of EDTEA who has recently approved a new provincial film sector strategy, with the remainder of the day consisting of break-away discussions, where issues such as transformation, infrastructure, audience development, industry coordination, funding, and training institutions and quality assurance bodies will be tackled by a range of speakers from various organisations representing the film industry. The day will end with a feedback session, which will assist in mapping the way forward.

Since its establishment in 2010, the KZNFC has witnessed a plethora of achievements toward fulfilling its mandate of growing and transforming the provincial film industry by bringing about opportunities for the industry to interact and engage with the local and international markets. Over the years, the KZNFC has launched various skills development projects including but not limited to Internship Programmes, Women and Youth Incubation Programmes as well as Bursary Programmes.

“Part of hosting this Indaba is to highlight the achievements mentioned above, while also creating a platform to share knowledge and industry insights, and offer an opportunity for the voice of the industry leaders and experts to be heard,” adds Ms Coetzee. This Indaba will then assist the KZNFC to enhance its support throughout the value chain to local film industry stakeholders, ultimately transforming and enriching the province’s film industry as a whole.

About the KZN Film Commission

The KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission was established in accordance with a provincial Act passed in 2010 with mandate to facilitate the development of a sustainable film industry whilst promoting the region as a choice destination for film production. The commission has been in operation for three years and believes that constant engagement with our filmmakers is crucial to ensure that we remain relevant, effective and efficient.

Our shareholder, EDTEA, will be highlighting key shifts for the commission that bring exciting opportunities for the KZN film industry. 

Stills from Brother Jakob, Tales of the Singers and the Murderers and Dil Leyla

Every year, the cinema of a selected country is the special guest at Krakow Film Festival. This time, a vast part of the festival programme will be dedicated to the artistic output of Poland's western neighbour. In the "Focus on Germany" section, the latest documentary and short films will be shown, as well as films for young audience and a selection of student films. The filmmakers from Germany and Poland will meet at an industry conference.

- German films will also be included in three international competitions. It is a very powerful cinema, this year, 332 German films were submitted. It is high time to get back to this cinematography. For the first time, we presented German documentary films in 2008, and it was the Panorama of German cinema, which was shown then, that became the beginning of the presentations of national cinemas, but in the expanded formula, with the forum for producers, workshops and the industry conference, which should encourage joint production enterprises, says Krzysztof Gierat, the director of Krakow Film Festival.

In the main programme of the section "Focus on Germany," there will be 8 feature-length documentary films. "The Promise" (dir. Marcus Vetter and Karin Steinberger) is a story of the passion and the crime which shook the community of the state of Virginia in 1985. It is also a story about the first trial broadcast in the United States, seen through the eyes of its participants and the convicts themselves. Prisoners are also the main protagonists of the film "Tales of the Singers and the Murderers" (dir. Stefan Eberlein). The documentary film depicts the remarkable phenomenon of the national competition in which the convicts from all over Russia sing their way to victory with songs about longing, war, love and forgiveness.

Next two films were made in the Middle East, and both deal with the conflicts in that region. Katharina Waisburd, the director of "Holy Zoo," offers a new, original look at the subject matter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She thoroughly illustrates the relations of the Jewish and the Muslim employees of the zoo in Jerusalem - full of friendship, though not devoid of tensions. Whereas "Dil Leyla" (dir. Asli Özarslan) presents the inspiring fate of the youngest mayor in Turkey, a charismatic woman, Leyla Imret, who was 26 years old when she took up the post in a small town, Cizre, in the very heart of the Kurdish resistance movement. 

The films "Happy" and "Brother Jakob" are, in turn, very intimate looks of the filmmakers at their loved ones. In "Brother Jacob," the director Eli Roland Sachs makes an attempt to understand the decision of his brother, who converted to Islam after reading the Quran a few years earlier. The director Carolin Genreith, the daughter of the protagonist of the film "Happy,"looks for the answer to the question what is really behind her father's relationship with the thirty years his junior Thai woman. 

The film which deserves particular attention is the latest production by the eminent Ukrainian documentary filmmaker, Sergey Loznitsa, the multiple award-winner of the highest laurels at Krakow Film Festival. "Austerlitz" is a thought-provoking film, leading to deep reflection, which shows the observation of the contemporary tourists visiting the memorial sites of the victims of the Holocaust. The film won Grand Prix of the festival in Leipzig.

The partners of the section "Focus on Germany" are: the Consulate General of Germany in Krakow, Goethe-Institut in Krakow, German Films, the Nuremberg House in Krakow, the festival DOKLeipzig and Krakow Technology Park.

The 57^th Krakow Film Festival is held from May 28 to June 4, 2017.

Statement of The Creative Coalition on the release of President Trump’s budget proposing the elimination the National Endowment for the Arts.

This morning’s release of President Trump’s proposed budget confirmed earlier reports that he is calling for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Creative Coalition strongly opposes this extreme budget proposal and calls on the bipartisan supporters of the arts in Congress to overwhelmingly reject it. 

Eliminating funding for the NEA, which represents 0.004 percent of the federal budget, will not even begin to scratch the surface of the nation’s fiscal challenges, but it will have a devastating effect on the ability of many Americans to access the arts in their communities. Sixty-five percent of the NEA’s direct grants go to small and medium-sized arts groups, which are often the only source of arts funding in many rural and underserved communities. Forty percent of NEA-supported activities take place in high poverty neighborhoods. Every dollar invested by the federal government in the NEA leverages $7 from other sources. 

“The time has come for all Americans to stand up and call for the Right to Bear Arts™.  We must stand up for the right to maintain an imaginative and expressive population. And we must prevent these draconian funding cuts for the NEA from becoming a devastating reality, “said Tim Daly, President of The Creative Coalition. “We cannot afford to dismiss the arts as something expendable, an unnecessary luxury or treat it as something extra, like dessert. The arts must be part of the main course.”

“How does eliminating funding for the arts make America great?  It is the arts that remind us what is great about America and inspire us to make our world a better place,” said Robin Bronk, CEO of the Creative Coalition. “Eliminating funding for the NEA will not hurt Broadway or Hollywood, but it hurts small town theaters, museums and community arts organizations. It hurts our wounded warriors who experience the healing power of the arts through their participation in NEA funded creative arts therapies. Without the NEA there will be less creativity, less imagination and less freedom of expression and that hurts all of us.”

Theatrical Premiere at IFC CENTER in New York on April 14, 2017
Additional Cities to follow
 

Abramorama will handle the North American theatrical distribution of John Scheinfeld’s documentary Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary.  The film played to critical and audience acclaim in the fall of 2016 at its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and also at the Toronto International Film Festival, IDFA and DOC NYC. Set against the social, political and cultural landscape of the times, “Chasing Trane” brings John Coltrane to life as a fully dimensional being, inviting the audience to engage with Coltrane the man, Coltrane the artist. Featuring interviews with Wynton Marsalis, Sonny Rollins, Dr. Cornel West, President Bill Clinton and Common, among others, Coltrane’s own words are spoken by Denzel Washington.   The film is produced by Spencer Proffer, John Beug, Scott Pascucci and Dave Harding. “Chasing Trane” will be released theatrically beginning in New York April 14, 2017 with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and additional cities to follow.

Written and directed by critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker John Scheinfeld (“The U.S. vs. John Lennon” and “Who Is Harry Nilsson...?”), “Chasing Trane” is the definitive documentary film about an outside-the-box thinker with extraordinary talent whose boundary-shattering music continues to impact and influence people around the world. This smart, passionate, thought-provoking and uplifting documentary is for anyone who appreciates the power of music to entertain, inspire and transform.  The film is produced with the full participation of the Coltrane family and the support of the record labels that collectively own the Coltrane catalog.

Although Coltrane did not do any television interviews during his lifetime…and only a handful of radio interview, he will have an active and vibrant presence in the film beyond remarkable performance clips through thoughts he expressed during print interviews. His words are spoken by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington.
 
“In many of his roles Denzel radiates an exceptional quiet strength.” says the film’s director-writer John Scheinfeld.  "Coltrane, many of his friends told me, embodied a similar strength. That’s why Denzel was my first choice to speak his words and I’m thrilled he made the time to participate in our film.”
 
The producers of the film stated, "We entered into this project with great respect for John Coltrane and his music.  Our deep appreciation for both only increased during the production of the film, as we witnessed the profound impact that his music still has on so many people — a breadth of audience that defies any simple categorization.”
Richard Abramowitz added, “I’ve been a fan of John Scheinfeld’s work for years, particularly his Harry Nillson film, and the opportunity to work with him on this exceptional piece about a man of unequaled gifts is, indeed, a privilege.”

Coming off their recent success with Ron Howard's The Beatles: Eight Days A Week-The Touring Years, Abramorama has proven time and again that they are specialists at releasing music driven long-form documentaries. Other music related films that Abramorama has launched include Cameron Crowe’s Pearl Jam Twenty; Sacha Gervasi’s Anvil! The Story Of Anvil; Green Day’s Heart Like A Hand Grenade, Laurie Anderson’s Heart of a Dog, Dave Stewart’s Stevie Nicks: In Your Dreams, The Zen of Bennett and Bernard Shakey’s Greendale.

About Abramorama
Abramorama is the preeminent theatrical distributor of music films in the US today and recognized for the consistent high quality of its work on award winning feature films. An innovator in the focused, personalized form of film distribution and event cinema, Abramorama provides invaluable alternatives to filmmakers and content owners. An industry leader in marketing and promotion, Abramorama continues to trail-blaze exciting new pathways for filmmakers to find their audience.  Over the course of more than a decade, Abramorama has successfully distributed and marketed hundreds of films, including Ron Howard’s GRAMMY Award-winning The Beatles: Eight Days A Week-The Touring Years; Tomer Heymann's Mr. Gaga; Dawn Porter’s Trapped; Kim A. Snyder’s Newtown; Charles Ferguson’s Time To Choose; Asif Kapadia’s Senna; Neil Young’s Greendale; Cameron Crowe’s Pearl Jam Twenty; Sacha Gervasi’s Anvil! The Story Of Anvil; Banksy’s Academy Award®-nominated, Exit Through The Gift Shop, the surprise indie hit Awake: The Life of Yogananda, Laurie Anderson’s astonishing New York Times critics’ pick, Heart of a Dog, Showtime’s Listen To Me Marlon (National Board of Review Winner) and Draft House Releasing's The Look of Silence (2016 Documentary Academy Award®-Nominee and 2015 IDA Best Documentary Winner).  For more information visit www.abramorama.com
 
About writer-director John Scheinfeld
Emmy®, Grammy® and Writers Guild Award nominee and Telly Award-winner John Scheinfeld is a highly respected writer-director-producer of documentaries for theatrical and television distribution with a broad range of subjects and critically-acclaimed films to his credit including The U.S. vs. John Lennon, Who Is Harry Nilsson and (Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?, We Believe, and Dick Cavett's Watergate. In addition, Scheinfeld has also created and written pilot scripts for drama series for ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and received his MFA from Northwestern University.
 
About producer Spencer Proffer:
Spencer Proffer is a highly regarded media producer and strategist with a long history of connecting with audiences. His productions and those he has been integrally involved with have garnered Academy, Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy and Tony awards and nominations, and as music producer, Proffer’s titles have sold millions of records. He has expanded his pedigree by architecting and producing original content for films, brands and distribution companies to get their message across, utilizing music as an organic component.
 
About producer John Beug
John Beug's career spans over 30 years in the music industry, including overseeing music video, long form television and DVD production for Warner Music Group and its record labels. A four-time Emmy nominated producer, Beug's credits include an Emmy Award for Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival and Grammy Awards for When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors and Tom Petty’s Running Down A Dream.
 
About producer Scott Pascucci:
Scott Pascucci is CEO of Concord Bicycle Music, a leading independent music company based in Beverly Hills, comprised of Bicycle Music and Concord Music Group.  He has served in various producer capacities on music-centric films such as the Grammy Award Winning Ron Howard-directed The Beatles: Eight Days A Week -- The Touring Years, As I Am: The Life and Times of DJ AM, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train A Comin', and Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival.  He was previously President & COO of Exclusive Releasing, and President of Rhino Entertainment, a division of Warner Music Group where he also served as Co-Chairman of Frank Sinatra Enterprises.

About producer Dave Harding:
Dave Harding is an award winning film and television producer and production executive associated with the Academy Award Nominated Encounters At The End of the World, as well as his work on The Grizzly Man, The U.S. vs John Lennon, Leonard Cohen-I’m Your Man, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, and most recently, I Hope You Dance. Honored with three Emmy nominations for his work in television, and one Emmy win for “Wage Slaves-Not Getting By in America,” Harding produced or supervised more than 1000 hours of documentary and non-fiction programs for television while Exec VP of indie powerhouse Creative Differences.  

 Celebrating Asian Cinema Excellence with Finest Filmmakers  

The 15^th Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum concluded today with the Awards Presentation Ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Filmmakers, leading film financiers and industry professionals from across the world attended to celebrate this HAF milestone, and the presentation of 14 awards that recognise the promising and potential of remarkable film projects.

Over the past three days, HAF attracted leading film financers, producers, distributors and buyers across the world, connecting them with talented filmmakers through business meetings and seminar, pitching and networking events: the newly launched Work-in-Progress Lab facilitated projects already in production to secure post-production funds, sales agents or film festival support; Operation Greenlight helped foster talented local directors to make their debut feature film; sponsored by iQIYI the seminar "New Opportunities in the Explosive Growth of Online Entertainment" invited respected industry leaders to share fruitful insights of latest market trends, and enriching content for on-line platforms.

Celebrating Asian Cinema Excellence

Over the years, HAF has been at the forefront in fostering quality movies and has nurtured a significant number of film projects generating critical acclaim and industry recognition. This year, the 14 award winners were selected from a total of 33 film projects across 15 countries and regions, featuring young emerging directors developing their first feature films. Many of the films are family-driven projects that touch on contemporary social issues, while some others give voice to minorities in society. One observable trend for example, is the increase in the number of women filmmakers.

The total value of the awards presented amounted to approximately HK$1,588,000 (US$204,600) in cash and value in-kind, thanks to the generous support of various sponsors and partners.

1. HAF Awards (Presented by Create HK, Hong Kong Film Development Fund and HAF)

Mr. Jerry LIU, Head of Create Hong Kong kicked off the ceremony by presenting two HAF Awards to Impossible Split(Hong Kong) and NARAtive Film 2017-2018 - Yuko(Japan) for Hong Kong Project and non-Hong Kong Project categories respectively. Each project will receive a cash prize of HK$150,000 (approx.US$19,300) in recognition of their originality and creativity.

2. iQIYI's Special Award (Presented by iQIYI)                                                              

HAF's Premium Sponsor for the third year in a row, iQIYI presented the iQIYI’s Special Award to The Patient (China), offering a cash award of HK$100,000 (approx.US$12,900) to encourage and support film talents from the Chinese speaking territories. 

3. mm2 Award (Presented by mm2 Asia Limited)                                                                                Forget You, Still Love You? (Hong Kong) was honoured the mm2 Award which aims to embrace Chinese-language film projects that exhibit good commercial and artistic quality. The winner will receive the cash award of HK$100,000 (approx.US$12,900).

4. HAF/FOX Project Award                                                                                                    (Presented by Fox Networks Group and Fox International Productions)

Established to strengthen the development of Chinese-language cinema, the HAF/FOX Project Award went to Drifting Lives (China). The winning project will receive cash award of US$10,000 (approx.HK$78,000) and a development contract with FOX.

5. Wouter Barendrecht Award                                                                                           (Presented by Wouter Barendrecht Film Foundation, Create Hong Kong and Hong Kong Film Development Fund)

Dedicated to the memory of the late Wouter Barendrecht, the renowned film producer and one of the founders of HAF, the Wouter Barendrecht Award went to La Luna (Singapore). This cash award of HK$50,000 (approx.US$6,400) recognises a project by a director under 35 who has not made more than three feature films.

6. Paris Coproduction Village Award (Presented by Paris Coproduction Village)                              

The Asadas (Hong Kong) obtained the Paris Coproduction Village Award, and will be invited to participate in the Paris Coproduction Village event at the Champs-Elysèes Film Festival 2017 with sponsoring hospitality valued at Euro 4,000 (approx.HK$33,000).

7. Network of Asian Fantastic Films Award                                                                        (Presented by Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival)

The Network of Asian Fantastic Films Award was given to Femme Fatale (Japan) with sponsored hospitality of US$2,700 (approx.HK$20,900) to participate in the 2017 Network of Asian Fantastic Films project market, which will take place in July at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea.

8. Wutianming Post-Production Award                                                                                (Presented by China Film Foundation–Wutianming Fund For Young Talents)

The Wutianming Post-Production Award is set up to foster young talent working on Chinese film projects. The award went to Rainbow Mountain (China) with sponsored post-production services at the National Animation Industry Park in Tianjin valued at RMB300,000 (approx. HK$340,000).

9. White Light Post-Production Award (Presented by White Light Studio)                                        

White Light Studio will sponsor two in-kind awards for selected projects from HAF and WIP Lab respectively, in order to promote cinematic innovation and promising Asian directors. The awards went toLa Luna (Singapore) from HAF and Village Rockstars (India) from WIP Lab. Each project will be offered post-production services valued at US$15,000 (approx. HK$116,500) at their studio in Bangkok.

10. G2D Post-Production Award (Presented by G2D) 

G2D will sponsor two in-kind awards for I AM A BANANA (Singapore, Canada) from HAF and The Third Wife (Vietnam) from WIP Lab.  Each winning project will be sponsored US$15,000 (approx. HK$116,500) towards a sound package for a film including sound services in foley, sound design, dialogue editing and atmosphere sound.

11. Wanda WIP Lab Award (Presented by Wanda Pictures)

The new Wanda WIP Lab Award celebrates a creative and original Chinese-language feature film project. The cash award of HK$100,000 (approx. US$12,900) was awarded to Omotenashi (Taiwan, Japan).

12. "Hong Kong Goes to Cannes"  Shortlisted Projects

To help open the door to the international film community, HAF is proud to collaborate with Marché du Film, Festival de Cannes to present the “Hong Kong Goes to Cannes” program, and revealed the first round selection of four projects from the WIP Lab for presentation and pitching at the Cannes Film Festival in May, including Omotenashi, Third Wife, Village Rockstars andEchoes.

Mr. Roger GARCIA, Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, said, “We are delighted to celebrate the 15^th anniversary milestone of HAF and we continue to seek out and provide new opportunities for filmmakers. We look forward to the continued growth – both creatively and commercially – of Asian cinema. HAF’s role in developing the cinemas of our region continues to underline Hong Kong’s position as a premier film project hub in Asia.”

HAF Projects Achieving Critical Acclaim

Over the years a significant number of HAF projects have been made into outstanding films that achieve global awards, critical acclaim and box office success. Recent successes at the Berlin Film Festival 2017 for example, include HUANG Ji and OTSUKA Ryuji's Foolish Bird (Special Mention, Generation 14plus section), Dechen Roder's Honeygiver Among the Dogs and YANG Heng's Ghost in the Mountains (Panorama section) which received recognition.

Other past highlights include KUROSAWA Kiyoshi’s Tokyo Sonata (Jury Prize, Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival 2008); KIM Jee-woon’sThe Good, the Bad, the Weird (No. 1 box office in South Korea, 2008); Brillante MENDOZA’s Kinatay (Best Director, Cannes Film Festival 2009); Ann HUI’sNight and Fog (Busan International Film Festival 2009); WEI Te-sheng’s Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Best Feature Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Film Score, Best Sound Effects and Audience Choice Award, Golden Horse Awards 2011); Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL’s Cemetery of Splendour (Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival 2015); YANG Chao’s Crosscurrent (Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution, Berlin Film Festival 2016); Philip YUNG’s Port of Call (Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best New Performer and Best Cinematography, Hong Kong Film Awards 2016) and many others. 

For further project details, please explore: 

WIP Lab︰http://www.haf.org.hk/wip2017

Operation Greenlight︰https://www.haf.org.hk/operationgreenlight

Photos download︰goo.gl/VgwxXv

For more information about HAF, please visit our official website at http://www.haf.org.hk/ and HAF Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/hafhkiffs/.

- END -

About The Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF)

The Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is widely recognized as an established film financing platform in Asia. The HAF brings Asian filmmakers with upcoming film projects to Hong Kong for co-production ventures with top film financiers, producers, bankers, distributors and buyers. Attracting more than 1,000 filmmakers and financiers from at least 35 countries and regions, around 25 to 30 projects are selected annually to participate in the three-day event.

HAF has partnered with international organisations to provide a range of opportunities to participants. Previous partners include iQIYI (China), Fox International Productions (Greater China) (US), Cinemart (the Netherlands), Asian Project Market (South Korea), Golden Horse Film Project Promotion (Taiwan), New Cinema Network (Italy) and others. Cash and in-kind awards to the value of around US$150,000 are made with support from Create Hong Kong and Film Development Fund among others.

Past participants include China's JIA Jiangke, JIANG Wen, LU Chuan and NING Hao; Hong Kong's Peter CHAN, Stanley KWAN, Ann HUI, Fruit CHAN and PANG Ho-cheung; Taiwan's TSAI Ming-Liang, WEI Te-Sheng, CHUNG Mong-Hong and Leon DAI; Japan's KORE-EDA Hirokazu, KUROSAWA Kiyoshi, KAWASE Naomi and IWAI Shunji; South Korea's PARK Chan-wook, KIM Jee-woon, BONG Joon-ho and IM Sang-soo; as well as Thailand's Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL, Ekachai UEKRONGTHAM, Nonzee NIMIBUTR and Pen-ek RATANARUANG.

About The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited (HKIFFS)

Uniting the World through Film

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organisation dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film.

Committed to the development of a vibrant film culture in Hong Kong and Asia, the Society organises two annual flagship events in March and April: “Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF)” and “Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).”  “HKIFF Cine Fan”, a monthly screening programme features a variety of curated contemporary, retrospective and thematic showcases was also launched in April 2013.

Through its year-round programmes, the mission of the Society is to strengthen global appreciation of Asian and Chinese film culture and to promote inspiring films from around the world, enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong. Passionately believing in the power of films to unite cultures and generations, the HKIFFS is devoted to giving thousands of film lovers around the region direct access to the world’s most inspired films all year round.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Isentia

Winnie Ma                              Tel:  +852 3987 8135             E-mail: winnie.ma@isentia.com

Cherry Chan               Tel:  +852 3987 8134             E-mail: cherry.chan@isentia.com

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society

Colleen Cheng           Tel:  +852 2102 7362             E-mail: colleen_cheng@hkiff.org.hk

Appendix 1：The 15th Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum Award List

1. HAF Award

HAF Award （Hong Kong Project）

Director：Tommy TOM Chung-sing

Producer：Adam WONG

Production Company：Picturethat Limited

Details詳情：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120181829_1624.pdf

2. iQIYI's Special Award 

Director：YANG Long

Producer ：ZHOU Jia

Production Company：Shenzhen Surprise Movie Co., Ltd.

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120182820_1654.pdf

3.  mm2 Award

Director：Kenneth LAI Siu-kwan, Paul SZE Pak-lam

Producer：TIN Kai-man, LAU Wing-tai

Production Company：Vow Production Limited

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120181612_1612.pdf

4. HAF/FOX Project Award 

Director：Danlly LI

Producer：Ray CHAN

Production Company：Kozmo Production Company Limited,

                                     YNTV Motion Magic Digital Studios Co., Ltd.

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project2/20170120183149_123.pdf

5. Wouter Barendrecht Award

Director：M. Raihan HALIM

Producer：Asra AMAN

Production Company：Papahan Films Pte. Ltd.

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120181916_1627.pdf

6. Paris Coproduction Village Award

Director：NAKANO Ryota

Producer：OGAWA Shinji

Production Company：Bridgehead Inc.

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120181442_1603.pdf

7. Network of Asian Fantastic Films Award

Director：MIYAKE Kyoko

Producer：Guillaume DE SEILLE

Production Company：Arizona Productions

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120181545_1609.pdf

8.Wutianming Post Production Award

Director：Degena Yun

Producer：ZHANG Yang

Production Company：Beijing Mailisi Film & Culture Co., Ltd.                                                                            

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120182929_1660.pdf

9. White Light Post-Production Award

White Light Post-Production Award（HAF Project）

Director：M. Raihan HALI

Producer：Asra AMAN

Production Company：Papahan Films Pte. Ltd.

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170120181916_1627.pdf

White Light Post-Production Award（WIP Lab Project）

Director：Rima DAS

Producer ：Rima DAS

Production Company：Flying River Films

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/wiplabproject/20170214120847_79.pdf

10. G2D Post-Production Award

G2D Post-Production Award（HAF Project）

Director：Honey B SINGH

Producer：Mona SINGH, Gabrielle Kelly

Production Company：Honeylove Films

Details詳情：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/project/20170203181833_1681.pdf

G2D Post-Production Award（WIP Lab Project）

Director： NGUYEN Phuong Anh

Producer：TRAN thi Bich Ngoc

Production Company：An Nam Productions, Three Colour Productions

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/wiplabproject/20170225103616_181.pdf

11. Wanda WIP Lab Award

Director： Jay CHERN

Producer：Jay CHERN, KITAGAWA Junichi

Production Company ：Epic Entertainment Co., Ltd. , Shochiku Studio Co., Ltd.

Details詳情：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/wiplabproject/20170225103439_178.pdf

12. The first four “Hong Kong Goes to Cannes”Shortlisted Projects

Director： Jay CHERN

Producer：Jay CHERN, KITAGAWA Junichi

Production Company：Epic Entertainment Co., Ltd. , Shochiku Studio Co., Ltd.

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/wiplabproject/20170225103439_178.pdf

Director： NGUYEN Phuong Anh

Producer：TRAN thi Bich Ngoc

Production Company：An Nam Productions, Three Colour Productions

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/wiplabproject/20170225103616_181.pdf

Director：Rima DAS

Producer：Rima DAS

Production Company：Flying River Films

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/wiplabproject/20170214120847_79.pdf

Director：Amikam KOVNER, Assaf SNIR

Producer：Yoni PARAN,  Keren MICHAEL,

Production Company：Dori Media Paran

Details：https://www.haf.org.hk/upload/files/wiplabproject/20170225103101_169.pdf

The last week of April will belong to Visegrad Film Forum, which is going to be held at the Faculty of Film and Television of Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, Slovakia. As a consequence of critically acclaimed and trending TV series along with growing demand for new media formats, the new names closely linked with television production were brought to the programme of this extraordinary educational and networking event.

Great beauty of architecture by Ludovica Ferrario!

A key member of Paolo Sorrrentino's team Ludovica Ferrario brings breath-taking settings with great sense of details, proportions and geometry in Oscar awarded Great Beauty, Youth and latest TV mini-series Young Pope. As she was not allowed to shoot in sacred buildings of Vatican she recreated full scale replica of Sistine chapel and St. Peter facade in Rome's studios. Her career as a production designer had begun with the work of director Franco Zeffireli. Furthermore, she cooperated with creators such as Wim Wenders at Palermo Shooting and Certified Copy with Abbas Kiorostami. 

Steve Matthews - grey eminence of TV production!

London based producer Steve Matthews became globally known after his work on all three Neil Jordan's historical-fiction drama television series The Borgias following controversial family from Vatican set in 16th century. At present he is defining trends and future of the European TV standard as an executive producer of HBO film channel for the Middle and Eastern Europe. His projects are open mainly to filmmakers coming from Visegrad countries. He is currently working on a Polish TV series Blinded by lights and had prepared a ground for recently aired Czech criminal series Wasteland and Hungarian action drama Golden Life. 

Master of observational cinema Sergei Loznitsa

The Cannes Festival awarded hawk-eyed filmmaker, Sergei Loznitsa, who brought attention with the feature length documentary Maidan capturing anti-government protests in Ukraine. His recent documentary Austerlitz is exploring the phenomena of tourists’ behaviour while visiting Nazi extermination camps. With regard the Loznitsa documentary he was the first-ever Ukrainian filmmaker to compete for Cannes' Palme d'Or, making his feature film debut My Joy in 2010. The film was followed by In the Fog describing story from western frontiers of the USSR. 

Visegrad Film Forum expands outside Europe!

Students of El Nahda Association for Scientific & Cultural Renaissance from exotic Cairo, Egypt will meet with National Film School; IADT Dun Laoghaire from Dublin, Ireland; University of Arts from Belgrade, Serbia; and National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University from Kiev, Ukraine including schools from V4 countries - The Academy of Performing Arts - Faculty of Film and Television in Bratislava; University of Silesia in Katowice; Eszterházy Károly University in Eger and The Film Academy of Miroslav Ondříček in Písek.

New names, new master classes and some extraordinary experiences!

6th Visegrad Film Forum (VFF) will take place at the Faculty of Film and Television in Bratislava from April 25 - 29, 2017. Participants will enjoy five amazing days full of screenings of student films, master classes with renowned experts, case studies of interesting film projects, discussions, and workshops. All together with exceptional guest Colin Arthur. Father of phenomenal creatures and legendary British SFX artist with a massive impact on films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Conan the Barbarian and The Neverending Story. Everything he did with almost no CGI! 

Visegrad Film Forum 

Venue: Faculty of Film and Television VŠMU

Deadline for online accreditation: April 15, 2017

Deadline for accreditation with special discount: March 30, 2017

Accreditation with special discount: 25 Eur / 15 Eur for students (the price without discount will be 30 Eur / 20 Eur for students)

You can register here: www.as.visegradfilmforum.com

website: www.visegradfilmorum.com

facebook: www.facebook.com/VisegradFilmForum

Organiser: Boiler, NGO
Co-Organizer: Faculty of Film and Television VŠMU 
Financially supported by: International Visegrad Fund 
Partner schools: The Academy of Performing Arts - Faculty of Film and Television in Bratislava (FTF VŠMU Bratislava), University of Silesia in Katowice, Eszterházy Károly University in Eger (EKU Eger), The Film Academy of Miroslav Ondříček in Písek (FAMO Písek), Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrad (FDA Belehrad), National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University in Kyjev (KNUTCT Kyjev), Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dublin (IADT Dublin), El Nahda Association for Scientific & Cultural Renaissance in Cairo 

Under the patronage of the Mayor of Bratislava Ivo Nesrovnal. 

infovff@gmail.com | www.visegradfilmforum.com | https://www.facebook.com/VisegradFilmForum

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The winners of the 2016 48FILM Project International short film competition are from around the world, with UK’s CHOKE capturing three of the top awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. 

The 48FILM Project (www.48filmproject.com), a leading online short film competition, has created one of the largest Grand Prizes in the genre’s history – a $100,000 production budget to film a feature film. The festival producers will be awarding the collective of 2016 winners (Best in each category) with a production budget of $100,000 to make a feature film that will commence shooting this summer in Greece. 

"We have seen a new level of excellence this year that is a testament to the unsung skilled artists around the world. Our winners are a diverse cultural community and we are looking forward to seeing how their talent translates into feature filmmaking," said Executive Producer, Chris Siametis. "The 48FILM Project was created to provide a unique and powerful platform for creatives to showcase their work - while the Grand Prize was initiated to take that skill set to a new, commercially viable level.” 

United Kingdom captured the top awards with CHOKE (London, UK) receiving three recognitions including Best Film, Best Director for Nancy Paton, and Best Cinematography for Liam Iandoli. While VICTOIRE (France) nabbed Best Music Original Score for Matthew Morgan, and an Actress Award in a Supporting role for Julia Robert. USA’s MORNINGWOOD won Best Writing Award for original script. Gergana D. Angelova won the Best Film Editing Award for INSIGHT (BULGARIA). Canadian actor Oliver Price won Best Actor Award in a leading role for THE WANDERER (CANADA) and Tyler Derench won a Best Supporting Actor Award for A NIGHT AT CAGNEY'S (USA). Shannon Beeby won a Best Actress Award for APPLES (USA) and The People’s Choice Award was given to THE NURSARY (USA). 

Full list of 48FILM Project Winners is as follows: 

CHOKE (UNITED KINGDOM) - BEST SHORT FILM, BEST DIRECTING, BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 

MORNING WOOD (USA – NEVADA) - BEST WRITING 

INSIGHT (BULGARIA) - BEST FILM EDITING 

VICTOIRE (FRANCE) - BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) 

THE WANDERER (CANADA -MONTREAL) - BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE 

APPLES (USA-TEXAS) - BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE 

A NIGHT AT CAGNEY'S (USA - CALIFORNIA) - BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE 

VICTOIRE (FRANCE) - BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE 

THE NURSERY (USA-CALIFORNIA) - PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 

Official Selection 48FILM Project 2016 (In alphabetical order):

A NIGHT AT CAGNEY'S (USA-CALIFORNIA) 

APPLES (USA-TEXAS) 

AS I SAW HER (USA-MICHIGAN) 

CHOKE (UK) 

COVENANT (CANADA) 

FRANCIS (USA–CALIFORNIA) 

FROM LIFE (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) 

INSIGHT (BULGARIA) 

MORNING WOOD (USA–NEVADA) 

PAGAN PARTY (USA–CALIFORNIA) 

PANDA (ITALY) 

THE WANDERER (CANADA) 

THE HAIRCUT (GREECE) 

TITOLO (ITALY) 

VICTOIRE (FRANCE) 

"Whether novice, professional or veterans - all 48Film Project submissions are judged equally and presented to a large pool of industry veterans," said Francesco Vitali, 48FILM Project Executive Producer. "Over the years our winners have taught us new levels of ingenuity and shown us true creativity, which is why we encourage everyone to view the winning entries: you may find your next amazing collaborators amongst our entries." 

ABOUT THE 48FILM FESTIVAL

The 48FILM Festival is open to everyone: beginner to professional, from all nations. The competition opens in January and closes late November. Once registered, a competing team selects a genre and when to start the clock. 48FILM Project provides three elements that are required to be included: a character, a line, and a prop. Filmmakers then have 48 hours to create a short film in English or with English subtitles that is four to seven minutes in length and upload it to www.48filmproject.com/competition/2017/register 

With entries from more than 130 countries of the world, the festival attracted some of the industry’s top decision makers for its 2016 Jury, including: 

Scott Adler (award-winning producer "The Taking of Deborah Logan", “The Vault"), Ryan Carnes (award-winning actor and producer, known for "Letters from Iwo Jima", directed by Clint Eastwood, "Doctor Who" and "Desperate Housewives"), Alex Cutler (Producer of Henry Barrial’s award-winning feature "PIG", "Don Peyote" with Anne Hathaway,and "UNTOGETHER" starring Ben Mendelsohn, Jamie Dornan.), Luke Daniels (award-winning producer of a string of Hollywood hits include "Yoga Hosers", "Outlaws and Angels", "Punching Henry", and "The Tiger Hunter"), Brandon K. Hogan (Producer for "Half Past Dead", "The Three Little Stooges", was also granted additional thanks for his contribution to "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice"), Michael Hothorn (award-winning casting director and producer known for "Mr & Mrs Smith", "Minority Report", and "Planet of The Apes"), Joey Paul Jensen (casting director of "The Three Little Stooges" and "Beautifully Broken", Francesco Vitali (director of "Gates of Hades", as well as Co-Founder of the 48FILM Festival.

The festival is made possible by the generous support of leading sponsors including UVO, MAGIX, VEGAS PRO Creative Software, and ANGELOPOULOS HAIR COMPANY.

For more information, please visit the official site here - www.48filmproject.com 

www.twitter.com/48FilmProject

www.facebook.com/48FILMPROJECT 

www.instagram.com/48FilmProject 

In its 20th Anniversary Edition, the American Sephardi Federation (ASF) today announced the programs for its weeklong celebration of diverse stories and rich histories portrayed in film at the New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival (NYSJFF).

The Festival features a different themed program each day. Select nights are dedicated to the Moroccan, Iraqi, Greek, and Yemenite Jewish communities.

For the first time at the Festival, the untold stories of how Sephardic Jews from Algeria, Tunisia, and Greece suffered during the Holocaust are shared during a full day of films, “Sephardim in the Shoah” (Sunday, April 2). “From Ethiopia to Israel” (Tuesday, April 4) explores the challenges of emigration.

“An Evening of Empowering Sephardi Women” (Monday, April 3) showcases three films that explore women’s experiences and highlight differences in gender relations and expectations between Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities. ASF’s Young Leadership Board is hosting “Love, Sephardi Style” (Tuesday, April 4) an evening of short films that explore modern romance and relationships from several Sephardi perspectives, including Israeli and Persian. An interactive discussion will follow with an award-winning Jewish Iranian-American filmmaker.

“For this important NYSJFF 20th Anniversary Edition, we are proud to present poignant and powerful programs that speak to the issues of our time and all time,” said Sara Nodjoumi, Artistic Director of the New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival. “There are stories of immigration, persecution, and resistance. Perspectives on everything from the making of the modern Middle East to the modern experiences of finding romance in traditional Sephardi communities. The number of quality films this year is a sign of vitality and the increasing interest in the varied experiences of Sephardim,” Nodjoumi said.

NYSJFF Artistic Director Sara Nodjoumi produced The Iran Job and is a programming alumna of the Tribeca Film Festival. “Sara has scoured the globe for movies of Sephardi interest and the results are the strongest film line-up in the NYSJFF’s storied history,” said Jason Guberman-P., ASF's Executive Director.

Joining her as the NYSJFF's Producer is French opera singer, David Serero. Serero previously created and starred in ASF's successful theatrical season (Merchant of Venice, Othello, and Nabucco). Most recently he performed at ASF for the President of Portugal. “We are elated that David is applying his many talents to make this NYSJFF the most memorable yet,” said Guberman.

The Festival will screen all films and events at ASF’s home, the Center for Jewish History (15 West 16^th Street), near Union Square in Chelsea. The complete list of selected NYSJFF films with dates, times and ticket information can be found at www.nysephardifilmfestival.org and below:

March 30 – Thursday: Opening Night

7:00 p.m. Reception

Pomegranate Award Ceremony

April 1 - Saturday: - Iraqi Night

8:30 p.m. Letters from Baghdad directed by Sabine Krayenbühl & Zeva Oelbaum

Feature Documentary, USA, France, UK, 2016, 95 min

Letters from Baghdad is the story of a true original—Gertrude Bell—sometimes called the female “Lawrence of Arabia.” A British spy, explorer, and political powerhouse, Bell played a pivotal role in the creation of Iraq. Voiced and executive produced by the Academy Award-winner Tilda Swinton and featuring newly discovered primary source documentation and rare footage, the film unveils this dramatic story of the modern Middle East.

Filmmakers in attendance for Q&As.

April 2 – Sunday: Sephardim in the Shoah

2:00 p.m. TheNight of Fools directed by Rami Kimchi

Docu-Drama, Israel, 2014, 56 min

This film reveals the little-know story of Algeria’s mostly Jewish underground movement during WWII. With only 400 volunteers versus the Vichy garrison of 25,000 troops, the underground succeeded in taking control of Algiers for one night, before handing the city over the Americans, who arrive via an amphibious landing the next morning.

            4:00 p.m. Victor Young Perez directed by Jacques Ouaniche

            Feature Narrative, France, 2013, 110 min

Victor "Young" Perez is the heartbreaking true story of a Tunisian Jew, the World Flyweight Champion in 1931 and 1932, who was deported to Auschwitz.

            6:30 p.m. Cloudy Sunday directed by Manoussos Manoussakis

Feature Narrative, Greece, 2016, 118 min

Set in Thessaloniki (Salonica) during the Nazi occupation in 1943, this film tells the story of the forbidden love between Estrea, a young Jewish woman, and Giorgos, the brother-in-law of the famed composer Vassilis Tsitsanis.

April 3 - Monday: An Evening of Empowering Sephardi Women

            5:00 p.m. Dimona Twist directed by Michael Aviad

            Feature Documentary, Israel, 2016, 70 min

Like most of Israel’s southern periphery, Dimona was a town created for primarily Middle Eastern Jewish immigrants and refugees. Seven courageous Sephardi women share their stories about being shipped to this desert town originally built in the 1950s. Determined to create meaningful lives they found creative ways to overcome poverty and discrimination.

7:00 p.m. TheWomen’s Balcony directed by Emil Ben-Shimon

Feature Narrative, Israel, 2016, 96 min

When a women’s balcony collapses during a Bar Mitzvah—a close-knit Sephardic congregation in Jerusalem fractures along gender lines. This popular crowd-pleaser about women speaking truth to patriarchal power is accompanied by stirring music and sumptuous food.

This will be preceded by the World Premiere of A Gravedigger’s Daughter, directed by Shira Gabay (15 min narrative short, Israel).

April 4 – Tuesday: From Ethiopia to Israel

5:00 p.m. Red Leaves directed by Bazi Gete

Feature Narrative, Israel, 2014, 80 min

Meseganio Tadela, 74, is a hard, obstinate man who emigrated from Ethiopia to Israel 28 years ago with his family. After losing his wife, Meseganio sets out on a journey that leads him through his children's homes realizing that he belongs to a rapidly disappearing class that believes in retaining Ethiopian-Jewish culture.

            Young Professionals Night: Love, Sephardi Style

            7:00 p.m. Dear God directed by Erez Tadmor and Guy Nattiv

            Short Narrative, Israel, 2014, 16 min

Aaron is a simple man who guards the Wailing Wall. Day after day, a mysterious woman puts a note in between the ancient stones, and Aaron, recovering and reading the papers, fulfills her deepest wish.

7:15 p.m. Jewish Blind Date directed by Anaëlle Morf

Short Narrative, Switzerland, 2016, 16 min

Unhappy in love, Mary Lou decides to reconnect with her religious roots by marrying an observant Jew. In order to get married, she has to pass the “Shidduch Test,” which will determine whether her life will be a success or failure.        

8:00 p.m. Love, Iranian-American Style directed by Tanaz Eshaghian

Feature Documentary, USA, 2006, 63 min

Sexual purity, money, and a mother's worries come together in this humorous guided tour of America's status-obsessed Iranian Jewish community. As Tanaz’s Iranian family attempts to marry her off now that she's reached the age of 25, she vacillates between soppy American ideas of romance, and a more business-like Persian approach, and in the end may be unable to execute either.

Filmmaker in attendance for Q&As.

April 5 - Wednesday: A Greek Odyssey

6:00 p.m. Trezoros: The Lost Jews of Kastoria directed by Lawrence Russo & Larry Confino

Feature Documentary, Greece, USA, 2016, 93 min

Using never before seen archival footage, this moving documentary set in the idyllic city of Kastoria, illuminates the lives of the Greek Sephardic community until Nazis took control of the town - dooming the substantial and storied community that had existed since the times of the Roman Empire.

Filmmakers in attendance for Q&As.

8:00 p.m. The Queen of Rebetiko: My Sweet Canary directed by Roy Sher

Feature Documentary, Greece, 2011, 90 min

The story of three young musicians from Greece, Turkey, and Israel who embark on a musical journey to tell the story of Greece’s best-known and best-loved Rebetiko singer, Roza Eskenazi, a woman who sang the way she lived: with passion, fire, and love.

April 6 – Thursday: Closing Night

Maimonides Friendship Award Ceremony 

7:00 p.m. Sallah Shabati directed by Ephraim Kishon

Feature Narrative, Israel, 1964, 110 min

This sharp, often hilarious satire that became the most successful film in Israeli history, is about new immigrants Sallah and his family, who are left in a shack near their promised apartment and are abandoned for months. This 1964 classic won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, putting Israel on the international film stage for the first time.

Ticket prices are as follows:

Opening Night plus Festival Pass = $100 

Festival Pass excluding Opening Night = $50

Young Professionals Night= $25 

Individual Film = $10 

About the American Sephardi Federation:

The American Sephardi Federation, based at the Center for Jewish History, proudly preserves and promotes the history, traditions, and rich mosaic culture of Greater Sephardic communities as an integral part of the Jewish experience. ASF hosts high-profile events and exhibitions, produces widely-read online (Sephardi World Weekly and Sephardi Ideas Monthly) and print (The Sephardi Report) publications, supports research, scholarship, and the National Sephardic Library, and represents the Sephardi voice in diplomatic and Jewish communal affairs as a member of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Please visit us at www.facebook.com/americansephardifederation I Download the brochure with the complete program

FOCAL International is delighted to announce the shortlisted nominations for their 14th annual FOCAL International Awards. These nominations range from Oscar-winners and landmark restorations of cinematic masterpieces, to essential investigative journalism into world history and celebratory productions of cultural icons.

Set to take place on 25th May, 2017 at the Royal Lancaster London Hotel, the FOCAL International Awards recognise producers, directors, researchers and other creative media professionals for excellence in the use and preservation of stock and archival footage across 16 categories, 13 of which are announced today.

Belinda as Carmen and Dwayne Johnson as Mitch Buchannon in the film BAYWATCH by Paramount Pictures, Montecito Picture Company, FlynnPicture Co., and Fremantle Productions   Photo credit: Frank Masi

Copyright: © 2017 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Calgary Underground Film Festival announced the full lineup for the 2017 festival running April 17-23 at Globe Cinema. The lineup for the 14th edition of the festival includes 28 genre-busting features and two shorts packages. 

"We always get so excited pulling together the lineup each year, and each year we feel it’s our favourite, but this year we are really proud of it!,” said Festival Director and Programmer Brenda Lieberman. 

Highlights of this year’s festival include: 

• The Sundance hit THE LITTLE HOURS will open the festival with Director Jeff Baena and actress Aubrey Plaza (PARKS AND REC, THE TO DO LIST) in attendance. An especially fun Opening Night film, as the comedy about medieval nuns, takes place on Easter Monday. 
• A 15th Anniversary Screening of the cult Calgary-shot film FUBAR with Director Michael Dowse and cast member Dave Lawrence in attendance 
• A Free National Canadian Day Film Screening of PONTYPOOL with Canadian master Bruce McDonald, and stars Stephen McHattie and Lisa Houle in attendance 
• Two local features: BLOOD MOUNTAIN (Dir. Jason Wan Lim) and LOST SOLACE (Dir. Chris Scheuerman)
• Four local shorts: BURNING ALL THE PAST AWAY (Dir. Doug Cook),  
• MARAUDER (Dir. Brendon Rathbone), NO MORE MOMENTS (Dir. Spencer Jo Burgess) and A SHORT FILM ABOUT PERVERTS (Dir. Ted Stenson) 
• The return of the always-popular and kid-friendly SATURDAY MORNING ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT-CEREAL CARTOON PARTY
• A panel / networking event about sustainability in the film industry on Earth Day
• Confirmed guests include Canadian actor Michael Ironside (Amy Jo Johnson’s THE SPACE BETWEEN) and Karam Gill, the director of the documentary G FUNK about hip-hop icon Warren G
• New indie arcade games featured as part of CUFFcade, custom arcade cabinets free of charge to play at Globe Cinema 

The full lineup of films can be found at calgaryundergroundfilm.com General admission tickets are now on sale and cost $10 ($8 for students, members and seniors). $40 multi-pack tickets are also available. All evening screenings at CUFF are licensed, with the festival bar serving beer, wine and mixed drinks. Before all screenings DJs are set up in the theatre, performing music inspired by the theme of the film.  

A media festival kit, including stills from all films, can be found on the below Dropbox link: 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lnx66rqk0tyzcby/AADH98HMzHATdIvdsbXgl6Dva?dl=0

The 18th Havana Film Festival New York (www.HFFNY.com) comes to a close with the 8th Havana Star Prize Awards Ceremony followed by the NY premiere of the musical documentary The Forbidden Shore (dir. Ron Chapman) - a portrayal of over 40 exceptional Cuban musicians and artists. With his ambitious new film, Chapman captures the full gamut of what's happening now in Cuba, both the most exciting artists and the distinct musical scenes they move in, from classic son and salsa, to trova, reggaeton, rock, jazz, metal, rap, electronic, classical, choral, pop, rumba, conga, timba, and more! 

 Chapman was born in Toronto, Canada. His 2014 film Who the F**K is Arthur Fogel, (Lady Gaga, U2, The Police, Madonna...) was distributed in over 40 countries, and his 2015 critically- acclaimed award-winning documentary, The Poet of Havana (Carlos Varela, Jackson Browne, Benicio Del Toro...) on HBO.

One of the shining stars of the Cuban underground music movement is the native poetess and rapper, Telmary Diaz. She has collaborated with the likes of Isaac Delgado, Los Van Van, and the Buena Vista Social Club, and performed and recorded with figures from the international hip-hop and electronica community. Her first album "A Diario" was prized the CubaDisco award for Best Hip Hop Album in 2008. Telmary has recently wrapped up recording her second album, "Libre."

HFFNY has established itself as an integral site of cultural celebration for and of the Latino community of NYC, as well as one of the most prominent Latino international film festivals in the U.S. Annually, the Festival promotes the richness and diversity of Latino voices with programs that feature an international variety of award-winning films, Q&A sessions, retrospectives, and panel discussions with notable local and international directors, actors, and producers. As a platform for artistic and cultural exchange, HFFNY celebrates the work of existing and emerging Latino talent while creating bridges between filmmakers and the people of NYC. 

For more information, please visit us at  www.hffny.com.

CONTACT: Isamar Checo - press@hffny.com / 212.687.2146 Please RSVP if you would like to cover the Red Carpet and/or Closing Night Event.