In Mountains–director Monica Sorelle’s feature debut–the Afro-Caribbean working class communities of Miami are under threat from the encroaching forces of neighborhood gentrification, reluctantly aided in part by conflicted blue collar laborer Xavier, a Haitian immigrant whose demolition assignments are growing ever closer to home, literally and figuratively. For the film, Sorelle won the 2024 Someone To Watch Emerging Filmmaker Award. What’s more? A rough cut of Mountains was workshopped at the 2022 Film Independent Producing Lab. (Also: Producing Lab applications are currently open.)
One of the many Miami-based filmmakers whose careers were kicked into high gear by the pollinating effect of Spirit Award Best Feature winner Moonlight’s 2015 shoot in the area, Cuban-American producer Robert Colom co-wrote the Mountains screenplay alongside Sorelle and brought the film to life finding strength in community–as well as a newfound ability to better pitch his material!–through the Fi Artist Development Labs.
One of the many Miami-based filmmakers whose careers were kicked into high gear by the pollinating effect of Spirit Award Best Feature winner Moonlight’s 2015 shoot in the area, Cuban-American producer Robert Colom co-wrote the Mountains screenplay alongside Sorelle and brought the film to life finding strength in community–as well as a newfound ability to better pitch his material!–through the Fi Artist Development Labs.
- 5/15/2024
- by Matt Warren
- Film Independent News & More
Monica Sorelle’s debut feature Mountains is currently screening at the Seattle International Film Festival, with its final screening tomorrow, May 14, and then on the festival’s streaming platform from May 20 – 27. Mountains, the debut feature by Miami-based filmmaker Monica Sorelle, opens with a Haitian proverb: Dèyè mòn gen mòn—behind mountains are mountains. We hear the brutal clamor of a towering demolition crane—perpetually under construction, Miami, where Mountains is set, has no mountains but these—as it rakes the shingles off a roof. The patriarch of the family at Mountains’ center is Xavier (Atibon Nazaire), a construction worker who’s been […]
The post Critic’s Notebook: Monica Sorelle’s Miami-Set Debut, Mountains first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Critic’s Notebook: Monica Sorelle’s Miami-Set Debut, Mountains first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/14/2024
- by Monica Uszerowicz
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Monica Sorelle’s debut feature Mountains is currently screening at the Seattle International Film Festival, with its final screening tomorrow, May 14, and then on the festival’s streaming platform from May 20 – 27. Mountains, the debut feature by Miami-based filmmaker Monica Sorelle, opens with a Haitian proverb: Dèyè mòn gen mòn—behind mountains are mountains. We hear the brutal clamor of a towering demolition crane—perpetually under construction, Miami, where Mountains is set, has no mountains but these—as it rakes the shingles off a roof. The patriarch of the family at Mountains’ center is Xavier (Atibon Nazaire), a construction worker who’s been […]
The post Critic’s Notebook: Monica Sorelle’s Miami-Set Debut, Mountains first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Critic’s Notebook: Monica Sorelle’s Miami-Set Debut, Mountains first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/14/2024
- by Monica Uszerowicz
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
For the perpetually impecunious (see: poor) indie filmmaker, a well-executed short or feature project can often be your best passport to the larger world. Left to our own scant devices, our calendars are unlikely to fill up with myriad jaunts to such exotic locales as Cannes, Venice, Locarno or, erm, Arkansas. But with a piping hot Dcp in hand, you not have not just an excuse to visit such places but an invitation. And few American cities are quite as dreamily summoned in the mind as day-glow Miami. After all: if it’s good enough for LeBron James, it’s good enough for us.
For 41 years, the Miami Film Festival has been showcasing innovative, inclusive work from new and emerging independent creators worldwide. Unsurprisingly, many of said creators are our own beloved Film Independent Fellows. In fact, a whopping 38 Fi Fellows will be in the Magic City next week to show new work,...
For 41 years, the Miami Film Festival has been showcasing innovative, inclusive work from new and emerging independent creators worldwide. Unsurprisingly, many of said creators are our own beloved Film Independent Fellows. In fact, a whopping 38 Fi Fellows will be in the Magic City next week to show new work,...
- 3/28/2024
- by Film Independent
- Film Independent News & More
The Independent Spirit Awards are an annual award given in the name of independent film, featuring all of the indie films which deserve honor and recognition - celebrating their 39th year. The 2024 winners of the Spirit Awards were announced Saturday evening, in their usual spot in Santa Monica near the beach - this time just a week before the Oscars. The big winner this year is the beloved Past Lives, taking both Best Film and Best Director (Celine Song also won a DGA Award for Best First Feature). The other nominations from all the 2023 releases included many outstanding indie films many cinephiles have been talking up all year, deserving of some extra time in the spotlight - gems like May December, American Fiction, Passages, Earth Mama, All of Us Strangers, Theater Camp, BlackBerry, and The Starling Girl. As usual, there are a few surprises: I've never heard of Chronicles of a Wandering Saint...
- 2/26/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in ‘Past Lives’ (Photo Credit: Jon Pack / Courtesy of A24)
Past Lives took home top film honors at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards, held on February 25th in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. The film also earned Celine Song the Best Director award, with American Fiction‘s Cord Jefferson and May December‘s Samy Burch earning screenplay honors.
On the television side, The Last of Us collected two awards: Nick Offerman for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series and Keivonn Montreal Woodard for Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series. Beef also netted two wins, with Ali Wong awarded Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series and the show earning the Best New Scripted Series award.
2024 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature (Award given to the producer.)
All of Us Strangers
Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin,...
Past Lives took home top film honors at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards, held on February 25th in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. The film also earned Celine Song the Best Director award, with American Fiction‘s Cord Jefferson and May December‘s Samy Burch earning screenplay honors.
On the television side, The Last of Us collected two awards: Nick Offerman for Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series and Keivonn Montreal Woodard for Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series. Beef also netted two wins, with Ali Wong awarded Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series and the show earning the Best New Scripted Series award.
2024 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature (Award given to the producer.)
All of Us Strangers
Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Another big award show took place this weekend (in addition to the SAG Awards), the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which celebrates indie film and TV. One thing about this awards show is that their idea of independent sometimes makes me scratch my head a bit, with HBO’s big-budget The Last of Us nominated a whole bunch in the TV category, along with Netflix’s Beef and several other streaming shows, which I’m not sure one could call independent. For films, there’s a $30 million budget cap. For TV, I’m honestly not sure what the benchmark is because Last of Us was notoriously an expensive show to shoot, costing at least $100 million.
Indeed, The Last of Us won some key awards on the TV side, winning Best Supporting Performance (for Nick Offerman) and Best Breakthrough Performance (for Keivonn Montreal Woodard). Over on the film side, American Fiction and...
Indeed, The Last of Us won some key awards on the TV side, winning Best Supporting Performance (for Nick Offerman) and Best Breakthrough Performance (for Keivonn Montreal Woodard). Over on the film side, American Fiction and...
- 2/26/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
The 2024 Independent Spirit Awards took place on Sunday at the traditional Santa Monica beach tent location, with Aidy Bryant hosting. “Past Lives” took home the coveted Best Feature award, with “Beef” being honored as Best New Scripted Series. Check out the full list of winners and nominees below.
Best Feature
“Past Lives”
Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon
“All of Us Strangers”
Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey
“American Fiction”
Producers: Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, Ben LeClair
“May December”
Producers: Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon
“Passages”
Producers: Michel Merkt, Saïd Ben Saïd
“We Grown Now”
Producers: Minhal Baig, Joe Pirro
Best Lead Performance
Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”
Jessica Chastain, “Memory”
Greta Lee, “Past Lives”
Trace Lysette, “Monica”
Natalie Portman, “May December”
Judy Reyes, “Birth/Rebirth”
Franz Rogowski, “Passages”
Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”
Teyana Taylor,...
Best Feature
“Past Lives”
Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon
“All of Us Strangers”
Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey
“American Fiction”
Producers: Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, Ben LeClair
“May December”
Producers: Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon
“Passages”
Producers: Michel Merkt, Saïd Ben Saïd
“We Grown Now”
Producers: Minhal Baig, Joe Pirro
Best Lead Performance
Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”
Jessica Chastain, “Memory”
Greta Lee, “Past Lives”
Trace Lysette, “Monica”
Natalie Portman, “May December”
Judy Reyes, “Birth/Rebirth”
Franz Rogowski, “Passages”
Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”
Teyana Taylor,...
- 2/25/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Live from a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, California, it’s the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards! This year’s ceremony, which kicked off this afternoon, was hosted by “Saturday Night Live” alum Aidy Bryant and feted the best in indie film and TV.
This year’s pack of nominees included a slew of Oscar contenders and a number of indie gems, all competing for the biggest prizes in the indie sphere.
Celine Song’s “Past Lives” won Best Feature (which the filmmaker picked up just minutes after winning Best Director as well), while “The Holdovers” and “American Fiction” also enjoyed multiple wins, including a Best Performance win for “American Fiction” star Jeffrey Wright and Best Screenplay for writer Cord Jefferson, and a Best Supporting Performance win for “The Holdovers” standout Da’Vine Joy Randolph and a Breakthrough Performance win for newbie Dominic Sessa.
Thanks to the Spirits’ various TV categories,...
This year’s pack of nominees included a slew of Oscar contenders and a number of indie gems, all competing for the biggest prizes in the indie sphere.
Celine Song’s “Past Lives” won Best Feature (which the filmmaker picked up just minutes after winning Best Director as well), while “The Holdovers” and “American Fiction” also enjoyed multiple wins, including a Best Performance win for “American Fiction” star Jeffrey Wright and Best Screenplay for writer Cord Jefferson, and a Best Supporting Performance win for “The Holdovers” standout Da’Vine Joy Randolph and a Breakthrough Performance win for newbie Dominic Sessa.
Thanks to the Spirits’ various TV categories,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The 39th Independent Spirit Awards will stream live on Film Independent and IMDb’s YouTube channels on Sunday, February 25. Scroll down to see our official odds in all 12 film categories (with our predicted winners highlighted in gold) and be sure to make or update your own predictions while there’s still time.
Heading into the ceremony, which will be hosted by comic actress Aidy Bryant, “American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” stand as the year’s nominations leaders with five apiece. They will all face off in the top category of Best Picture, along with “Passages” (four total bids), “All of Us Strangers” (three), and “We Grown Now” (three).
Last year’s Spirit Awards previewed the Oscars success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which left both ceremonies with seven wins including Best Picture. Over the years, only eight recipients of the academy’s highest honor have first clinched the corresponding Spirit Award,...
Heading into the ceremony, which will be hosted by comic actress Aidy Bryant, “American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” stand as the year’s nominations leaders with five apiece. They will all face off in the top category of Best Picture, along with “Passages” (four total bids), “All of Us Strangers” (three), and “We Grown Now” (three).
Last year’s Spirit Awards previewed the Oscars success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which left both ceremonies with seven wins including Best Picture. Over the years, only eight recipients of the academy’s highest honor have first clinched the corresponding Spirit Award,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Get ready to embark on a picturesque journey in the Season 3 premiere of “Beach Cottage Chronicles” titled “Islands & Mountains,” airing on Magnolia at 8:30 Pm on Friday, February 23, 2024. Join host as they explore the captivating charm of three unique destinations across the United States.
First up is a tight-knit Massachusetts community, where quaint cottages line the shores, and a sense of community thrives. Discover the hidden gems and heartfelt stories behind these coastal abodes as the locals share their love for seaside living.
Next, venture into a tree-lined sanctuary in New York, where nature’s beauty meets rustic elegance. Explore the inspired designs and intimate stories behind each cottage nestled among the towering trees, providing a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Finally, experience the magic of Northern California, where mountains meet the beach in a breathtaking fusion of landscapes. From cozy cabins overlooking rugged cliffs...
First up is a tight-knit Massachusetts community, where quaint cottages line the shores, and a sense of community thrives. Discover the hidden gems and heartfelt stories behind these coastal abodes as the locals share their love for seaside living.
Next, venture into a tree-lined sanctuary in New York, where nature’s beauty meets rustic elegance. Explore the inspired designs and intimate stories behind each cottage nestled among the towering trees, providing a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Finally, experience the magic of Northern California, where mountains meet the beach in a breathtaking fusion of landscapes. From cozy cabins overlooking rugged cliffs...
- 2/16/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
“It goes without saying: congratulations on your work.” So said Film Independent President, at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Award nominee brunch on January 6. Held for the second consecutive year at Santa Monica’s beachfront Casa Del Mar hotel, the purpose of the annual gathering was twofold: to celebrate our current cohort of Spirit Award nominees, and to hand out the three Emerging Filmmaker Awards, each carrying with it a $25,000 unrestricted cash grant for its recipient. Welsh added, “The excellence you’ve brought this year has enlivened and inspired us at a critical time.”
The awards portion of the Saturday gathering–grand ballroom windows giving way to a spectacular beach view–was hosted by two of Hollywood’s buzziest performers and past Spirit Award nominees, Colman Domingo and Lily Gladstone. “It really feels incredible to be here and see all of you,” said Domingo, enthusiastically.
The sentiment was shared by Brenda Robinson,...
The awards portion of the Saturday gathering–grand ballroom windows giving way to a spectacular beach view–was hosted by two of Hollywood’s buzziest performers and past Spirit Award nominees, Colman Domingo and Lily Gladstone. “It really feels incredible to be here and see all of you,” said Domingo, enthusiastically.
The sentiment was shared by Brenda Robinson,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Film Independent
- Film Independent News & More
The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations — see the full list below — were unveiled on Tuesday, December 5, crowning the past year’s achievements in indie film. The actual awards ceremony, taking place on February 24, 2024 in the usual tent on the beach in Santa Monica, is a little less than three months away, but the films nominated today will carry new momentum into the rest of awards season, including the Oscar race. Joel Kim Booster (“Fire Island”) and Natalie Morales (“No Hard Feelings”) were the presenters of the nominees.
“American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” led the Indie Spirits noms with five each, including each of them getting a nod for Best Feature. Todd Haynes for “May December” and Celine Song for “Past Lives” also received Best Director nods. Natalie Portman for “May December,” Greta Lee for “Past Lives,” and Jeffrey Wright for “American Fiction” also received Best Lead Performance nods.
“American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” led the Indie Spirits noms with five each, including each of them getting a nod for Best Feature. Todd Haynes for “May December” and Celine Song for “Past Lives” also received Best Director nods. Natalie Portman for “May December,” Greta Lee for “Past Lives,” and Jeffrey Wright for “American Fiction” also received Best Lead Performance nods.
- 12/5/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Not long ago, an award-winning Polish composer who’d scored dozens of films approached Ula Śniegowska about U.S. in Progress, an industry event conceived as a bridge between the Polish and American markets that runs parallel to the American Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland.
“He approached me saying, ‘I’ve done enough in the Polish market. I need an introduction to the international market. Can you, as U.S. in Progress, help me?’” Śniegowska recalls. “It seems we are a perfect matchmaker for those types of companies to have their work exposed in the U.S.”
Celebrating its 13th edition, U.S. in Progress was launched as a showcase for emerging independent American filmmakers. Each year, the event presents a curated selection of American indie titles in the final stages of production to European sales agents, distributors and festival programmers. This year’s edition takes place Nov. 8 – 10.
Since its inception,...
“He approached me saying, ‘I’ve done enough in the Polish market. I need an introduction to the international market. Can you, as U.S. in Progress, help me?’” Śniegowska recalls. “It seems we are a perfect matchmaker for those types of companies to have their work exposed in the U.S.”
Celebrating its 13th edition, U.S. in Progress was launched as a showcase for emerging independent American filmmakers. Each year, the event presents a curated selection of American indie titles in the final stages of production to European sales agents, distributors and festival programmers. This year’s edition takes place Nov. 8 – 10.
Since its inception,...
- 10/24/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Fusion Entertainment has signed Monica Sorelle (director and co-writer), Robert Colom (co-writer and producer) and Chris Renois (actor), the trio behind the acclaimed independent drama Mountains.
The film premiered at Tribeca Festival, where it received Special Jury Mention for Best Narrative Film. It also won the audience award at BlackStar and was an official selection at the Toronto Film Festival. Mountains has garnered glowing reviews, with Deadline calling it “Affecting and meditative… An enormously impressive feature debut. It will have its Los Angeles premiere at the upcoming AFI Fest.
Mountains marks the debut feature of Miami-based Haitian-American writer-director Sorelle, also a producer and visual artist who worked in the casting department on Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight. The film is a loving look at the intergenerational frictions within a Haitian-American family in a rapidly gentrifying Miami, exploring the desires and conflicts of three main characters: Xavier (Atibon Nazaire), a middle-aged demolition...
The film premiered at Tribeca Festival, where it received Special Jury Mention for Best Narrative Film. It also won the audience award at BlackStar and was an official selection at the Toronto Film Festival. Mountains has garnered glowing reviews, with Deadline calling it “Affecting and meditative… An enormously impressive feature debut. It will have its Los Angeles premiere at the upcoming AFI Fest.
Mountains marks the debut feature of Miami-based Haitian-American writer-director Sorelle, also a producer and visual artist who worked in the casting department on Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight. The film is a loving look at the intergenerational frictions within a Haitian-American family in a rapidly gentrifying Miami, exploring the desires and conflicts of three main characters: Xavier (Atibon Nazaire), a middle-aged demolition...
- 10/23/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Film Independent has set seven filmmakers for the 2023 edition of its Producing Lab, an intensive program designed to help creative, independent producers develop their skills and further their careers. The list includes Camila Grimaldi & Farah Jabir (AmeriGirl), Rob Cristiano (Gone by Morning), Daniel Tantalean (In the Summers), Valeria Contreras (Not My Name), Annalisa Shoemaker (Obsolete), and Fiona Hardingham (Smoke Country).
Film Independent looks to bolster its Fellows by introducing them to film professionals who can advise them on both the craft and business of independent producing. Each is paired with a Creative Advisor, with whom they’ll look to develop a project over the course of the program. Rebecca Green will serve as lead creative advisor for this year’s program, which will also feature an expansive roster of guest speakers: Jason Michael Berman, Apoorva Charan, Marissa Frobes, Nate Kamiya, Kristen Konvitz, Stephen Lee, Alex Lo, Lauren Mann, Jack Pearkes,...
Film Independent looks to bolster its Fellows by introducing them to film professionals who can advise them on both the craft and business of independent producing. Each is paired with a Creative Advisor, with whom they’ll look to develop a project over the course of the program. Rebecca Green will serve as lead creative advisor for this year’s program, which will also feature an expansive roster of guest speakers: Jason Michael Berman, Apoorva Charan, Marissa Frobes, Nate Kamiya, Kristen Konvitz, Stephen Lee, Alex Lo, Lauren Mann, Jack Pearkes,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Watching Mountains, which just made its international debut as part of the Toronto Film Festival’s Centerpiece program, I could not help but think of two other landmark films it seems to recall in its own way. One was 2019’s The Last Black Man In San Francisco, a remarkable story of gentrification and its effect on those being edged out of their home that starred Jimmie Falls and launched the career of Jonathan Majors. The other was the 1960 film version of Lorraine Hansberry’s oft-performed A Raisin in the Sun in which Sidney Poitier as Walter Lee Younger played a struggling husband, son and father with a dream for a new house and a better life for his family.
Put them together and you have the bones of what makes director and co-writer (with producer Robert Colom) Monica Sorelle’s affecting and meditative debut feature so powerful. The film had...
Put them together and you have the bones of what makes director and co-writer (with producer Robert Colom) Monica Sorelle’s affecting and meditative debut feature so powerful. The film had...
- 9/16/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Tunisian auteur Mohamed Ben Attia’s new work “Behind the Mountains,” which will soon launch from the Venice Film Festival’s Horizons section, sees the director add a supernatural element to the social dramas for which he is known.
Attia’s third feature reunites the director with Majd Mastoura, star of his breakout drama “Hedi” — about a repressed young man ignited by a free-spirited woman — which won best debut and actor honors at the 2016 Berlin Film Festival.
In “Mountains,” Mastoura plays a man named Rafeek who, after spending four years in jail, takes his only son to the Atlas Alps in the Northwest of Tunisia to prove to him that he can fly.
“The idea goes back to my high school years” said Ben Attia of the film. “It was just a picture I had in my mind; the picture of a man who is running until, little by little,...
Attia’s third feature reunites the director with Majd Mastoura, star of his breakout drama “Hedi” — about a repressed young man ignited by a free-spirited woman — which won best debut and actor honors at the 2016 Berlin Film Festival.
In “Mountains,” Mastoura plays a man named Rafeek who, after spending four years in jail, takes his only son to the Atlas Alps in the Northwest of Tunisia to prove to him that he can fly.
“The idea goes back to my high school years” said Ben Attia of the film. “It was just a picture I had in my mind; the picture of a man who is running until, little by little,...
- 8/24/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
New York, NY – The 22nd Tribeca Film Festival announced their Jury Prizes for 2023 on June 15th. Best U.S. Narrative was rewarded to “Cypher,” directed by Chris Moukarel, a narrative of rapper Tierra Whack. Best International Narrative goes to A Strange Path” and Best Documentary is “Between the Rains.”
“A Strange Path” (Dir: Guto Parente) is a Brazilian film concerning a filmmaker who returns home and encounters his estranged father. “Between the Rains” (Dir: Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thuranira) is a coming-of-age story that follows an orphan as he adapts to radically changing climate conditions in Northern Kenya.
Click Tribeca At Home, June 19th-July 2nd, 2023
Photo credit: TribecaFilm.com
Awards were distributed in the following feature film competition categories – U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary, New Narrative Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize, honoring a woman writer or director. Awards were also given in the short film categories – Narrative,...
“A Strange Path” (Dir: Guto Parente) is a Brazilian film concerning a filmmaker who returns home and encounters his estranged father. “Between the Rains” (Dir: Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thuranira) is a coming-of-age story that follows an orphan as he adapts to radically changing climate conditions in Northern Kenya.
Click Tribeca At Home, June 19th-July 2nd, 2023
Photo credit: TribecaFilm.com
Awards were distributed in the following feature film competition categories – U.S. Narrative, International Narrative, Documentary, New Narrative Director, and the Nora Ephron Prize, honoring a woman writer or director. Awards were also given in the short film categories – Narrative,...
- 6/18/2023
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In her directorial debut Mountains, Monica Sorelle approaches the story of a Haitian family confronting gentrification with a delicate and discerning eye. The languidly paced feature observes Xavier (Atibon Nazaire), a demolition worker contemplating buying a better home while navigating the implications of his Miami neighborhood’s changing dynamics.
Xavier, his wife Esperance (Sheila Anozier) and their adult son Junior (Chris Renois) live in Little Haiti, a vibrant enclave in Miami that’s home to tens of thousands of Haitian immigrants. The neighborhood’s name is credited to Viter Juste, an activist who moved to Miami from Brooklyn in 1973 and convinced other Haitians to join him. The area’s proximity to both the beach and the city’s downtown made it attractive. Today, its protection from major flooding — it’s 10 feet above sea level — has caught the eye of developers and real estate agents. They’ve marketed Little Haiti as...
Xavier, his wife Esperance (Sheila Anozier) and their adult son Junior (Chris Renois) live in Little Haiti, a vibrant enclave in Miami that’s home to tens of thousands of Haitian immigrants. The neighborhood’s name is credited to Viter Juste, an activist who moved to Miami from Brooklyn in 1973 and convinced other Haitians to join him. The area’s proximity to both the beach and the city’s downtown made it attractive. Today, its protection from major flooding — it’s 10 feet above sea level — has caught the eye of developers and real estate agents. They’ve marketed Little Haiti as...
- 6/16/2023
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 22nd Tribeca Festival, presented by Okx, announced its winners for its competition categories on Thursday. Top honors at the ceremony, held at Racket NYC, went to “Cypher” for Best U.S. Narrative Feature, “A Strange Path,” for Best International Narrative Feature and “Between the Rains” for Best Documentary Feature. Awards were given in the following competition categories: Feature Film, Short Film, Audio Storytelling, Immersive, Games, Human / Nature, AT&T Untold Stories, and Tribeca X.
Speaking about Chris Moukarbel’s “Cypher,” the jury declared that its victory was for “its kaleidoscopic use of music, created imagery and found materials, in service of an interrogation of celebrity, conspiracy culture and the nature of narrative reality itself.”
Speaking to the victory bestowed upon Guto Parente’s “A Strange Path,” the Jury commented: “In considering the International Narrative Feature Award, one film rose to the top with its surprising warmth and deeply compelling storytelling.
Speaking about Chris Moukarbel’s “Cypher,” the jury declared that its victory was for “its kaleidoscopic use of music, created imagery and found materials, in service of an interrogation of celebrity, conspiracy culture and the nature of narrative reality itself.”
Speaking to the victory bestowed upon Guto Parente’s “A Strange Path,” the Jury commented: “In considering the International Narrative Feature Award, one film rose to the top with its surprising warmth and deeply compelling storytelling.
- 6/15/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Cypher, written and directed by Chris Moukarbel, took the best U.S. narrative feature prize at the Tribeca Festival. The pseudo-documentary about the rise of Tierra Whack world premiered here last week. The jury cited “its kaleidoscopic use of music, created imagery and found materials, in service of an interrogation of celebrity, conspiracy culture and the nature of narrative reality itself.”
Smoking Tigers won Best Performance in the U.S. narrative category for Ji-Young Yoo as well as Best Screenplay for So Young Shelly Yo, who directed the film about a Korean-American girl staggering under her parents’ separation in her feature directorial debut. Best Cinematography went to Caroline Costa for The Graduates, directed by Hannah Peterson, about a high school senior facing the one-year mark of a tragic school shooting that took her boyfriend.
The 22nd annual Tribeca Festival runs June 7-18. It announced the winning storytellers today at an awards ceremony at Racket NYC.
Smoking Tigers won Best Performance in the U.S. narrative category for Ji-Young Yoo as well as Best Screenplay for So Young Shelly Yo, who directed the film about a Korean-American girl staggering under her parents’ separation in her feature directorial debut. Best Cinematography went to Caroline Costa for The Graduates, directed by Hannah Peterson, about a high school senior facing the one-year mark of a tragic school shooting that took her boyfriend.
The 22nd annual Tribeca Festival runs June 7-18. It announced the winning storytellers today at an awards ceremony at Racket NYC.
- 6/15/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2023 Tribeca Festival has announced its award winners across various competition categories, with Cypher, A Strange Path and Between the Rains among the films winning the top prizes.
Cypher won the founders award for best U.S. narrative feature with the prize going to director Chris Moukarbel.
Cypher follows YouTube rapper Tierra Whack, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos as she navigates fame and receives praise until a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling events that follow Tierra and her team to Dubai as they start to question being watched as a part of fame.
A Strange Path dominated the international narrative competition, winning best feature (Guto Parente), performance (Carlos Francisco), screenplay (Parente) and cinematography (Linga Acácio).
Between the Rains won best documentary feature (Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thuranira) and cinematography in a doc feature (Brown).
Smoking Tigers, which was the first...
Cypher won the founders award for best U.S. narrative feature with the prize going to director Chris Moukarbel.
Cypher follows YouTube rapper Tierra Whack, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos as she navigates fame and receives praise until a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling events that follow Tierra and her team to Dubai as they start to question being watched as a part of fame.
A Strange Path dominated the international narrative competition, winning best feature (Guto Parente), performance (Carlos Francisco), screenplay (Parente) and cinematography (Linga Acácio).
Between the Rains won best documentary feature (Andrew H. Brown and Moses Thuranira) and cinematography in a doc feature (Brown).
Smoking Tigers, which was the first...
- 6/15/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Cypher,” a drama about the astronomical rise of rapper Tierra Whack, and “A Strange Path,” which follows a young filmmaker who returns to his country of Brazil during the pandemic to reconnect with his father, won the top prizes for U.S. narrative feature and international narrative feature, respectively, at this year’s Tribeca Festival.
“Between the Rains,” a film that captures the Turkana-Ngaremara community as they contend with prolonged drought, took home the award for documentary feature. The festival, which dropped the word “film” from its name in 2021, hosts more than 600 events across New York City and hands out awards in categories including short film, audio storytelling and games. This year’s edition ends on June 18.
“We take great pride in recognizing this year’s collection of diverse, trailblazing works and creators,” said Cara Cusumano, festival director and VP of programming. “Today’s honorees are a compelling testament that...
“Between the Rains,” a film that captures the Turkana-Ngaremara community as they contend with prolonged drought, took home the award for documentary feature. The festival, which dropped the word “film” from its name in 2021, hosts more than 600 events across New York City and hands out awards in categories including short film, audio storytelling and games. This year’s edition ends on June 18.
“We take great pride in recognizing this year’s collection of diverse, trailblazing works and creators,” said Cara Cusumano, festival director and VP of programming. “Today’s honorees are a compelling testament that...
- 6/15/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
A low-key, poetic exploration of life’s ironies, Monica Sorelle’s feature debut Mountains frames the disappearance of Miami’s Little Haiti with a warm, compassionate gaze recalling the masters of social realism––akin to Roberto Rossellini with the touch of Ousmane Sembène’s lighter films. With a title drawn from a Haitian proverb “behind mountains there are mountains,” the film retains a light touch, somewhat more sad than mad as Little Haiti disappears in the city’s building boom. A modest dream home is unobtainable once the real estate vultures circle the neighborhood and Xavier Sr. (Atibon Nazaire), a demolition worker, plays a role in changing his neighborhood permanently, making way for young Whole Foods-shopping professionals to displace families and small businesses.
Xavier Sr. lives in a small bungalow with crossing guard / homemaker wife Esperance (Sheila Anoizer) and their floundering 20-something son Junior (Chris Renois), an aspiring stand-up comedian.
Xavier Sr. lives in a small bungalow with crossing guard / homemaker wife Esperance (Sheila Anoizer) and their floundering 20-something son Junior (Chris Renois), an aspiring stand-up comedian.
- 6/12/2023
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
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