Exclusive: MGM+ has given a series order to The Institute, a thriller based on the 2019 Stephen King novel. Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone) and Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) are set to lead the drama from director/executive producer Jack Bender, writer/executive producer Benjamin Cavell and MGM+ Studios. Production is slated to begin in Nova Scotia later this year.
In the eight-episode The Institute, When 12-year-old genius Luke Ellis is kidnapped, he awakens at The Institute, a facility full of children who all got there the same way he did, and who are all possessed of unusual abilities. In a nearby town, haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson (Barnes) has come looking to start a new life, but the peace and quiet won’t last, as his story and Luke’s are destined to collide.
Barnes’ Tim Jamieson is a disillusioned ex-cop who takes a...
In the eight-episode The Institute, When 12-year-old genius Luke Ellis is kidnapped, he awakens at The Institute, a facility full of children who all got there the same way he did, and who are all possessed of unusual abilities. In a nearby town, haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson (Barnes) has come looking to start a new life, but the peace and quiet won’t last, as his story and Luke’s are destined to collide.
Barnes’ Tim Jamieson is a disillusioned ex-cop who takes a...
- 6/13/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
History repeats itself in this ingenious but surprisingly heartfelt sci-fi, which takes the premise of Groundhog Day and fashions from it a poignant statement about life and mortality. Refreshingly for the genre, it focuses on a middle-aged woman — a scientist-slash-physicist, even — whose 55th birthday and final breath will occur within the same week. But though there is an element of resistance to the latter, Omni Loop is unusual in that it isn’t simply about breaking the cycle; Bernardo Britto’s film is about facing the inevitable, gently phasing out the genre elements to reach an understated but emotional climax.
Zoya Lowe, when we first meet her, is a little girl who, a voiceover tells us, is predicted “to do incredible things one day” and “change the world”. The next time we see her, Zoya is now played by Mary-Louise Parker and things are not so positive: X-rays show a...
Zoya Lowe, when we first meet her, is a little girl who, a voiceover tells us, is predicted “to do incredible things one day” and “change the world”. The next time we see her, Zoya is now played by Mary-Louise Parker and things are not so positive: X-rays show a...
- 3/19/2024
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
“Omni Loop” begins at the midway point of “Groundhog Day.” Within the first five minutes, we learn that Zoya Lowe (Mary-Louise Parker) is stuck in a time loop that sees her reliving the last week of her life. She wakes up, receives a terminal diagnosis, spends some doctor-recommended quality time with her family, gets a nosebleed, takes a pill, and wakes up in the hospital again. Again and again, until she can predict exactly when a bird is going to poop on the bench where she sits with a chatty resident of her mom’s retirement home. It’s a priceless opportunity to delay the inevitable, and honestly? She’s over it.
There’s one detail of Zoya’s dilemma not mentioned above that really illuminates what type of move this is: Zoya isn’t dying of a brain tumor or an aggressive cancer, but a black hole in her chest.
There’s one detail of Zoya’s dilemma not mentioned above that really illuminates what type of move this is: Zoya isn’t dying of a brain tumor or an aggressive cancer, but a black hole in her chest.
- 3/14/2024
- by Katie Rife
- Indiewire
One of the distinguishing features that has propelled Mary-Louise Parker’s rise through the ranks of stage actors has been a searching quality she brings to plays such as “Proof” and “How I Learned to Drive,” as if there are other worlds beyond where she is immediately stationed and places her characters can’t reach no matter how much they extend themselves. Although Parker’s been great in films and TV, too, she’s hasn’t had the same opportunity onscreen to demonstrate her curiosity about the unknown. That becomes the main attraction of “Omni Loop,” writer-director Bernardo Britto’s melancholy time-travel drama, which stirs the kind of mixed emotions that Parker’s Zoya feels, having a week left to live and the ability to stave off the inevitable with a bottle full of blue pills that take her back five days at a time.
With Parker’s tactile imagination,...
With Parker’s tactile imagination,...
- 3/14/2024
- by Stephen Saito
- Variety Film + TV
Unlike the Miami transit service that gives the film its title and gets from first to final stop in just 16 minutes, Omni Loop takes time to wade through its tangled thicket of set-up and draw you in. But Bernardo Britto’s near-future sci-fi — about death, time travel and the cherished gifts in life we take for granted while pursuing that elusive something more — sneaks up on you. The same goes for the expertly synced performances of Mary-Louise Parker, bringing her characteristic flinty authenticity to a role that could easily have drowned in quirk, and Ayo Edebiri, demonstrating once again that she’s in the top tier of emerging American actors.
In a brief prologue, a 12-year-old girl (Riley Elise Fincher-Foster) stumbles upon a bottle of pills in the greenest of fields. “You’re gonna do incredible things one day,” a voice in her head tells her. “You’re gonna change the world.
In a brief prologue, a 12-year-old girl (Riley Elise Fincher-Foster) stumbles upon a bottle of pills in the greenest of fields. “You’re gonna do incredible things one day,” a voice in her head tells her. “You’re gonna change the world.
- 3/13/2024
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A sophomore film project (fka Omni Loop Blues) that was selected to participate in the Sundance Institute’s 2017 Screenwriters Lab looks be be ready a lucky seven years later. A favorite at the Sundance Film Festival connecting his shorts and his feature film debut in Jacqueline (Argentine), Bernardo Britto would have moved into production possibly more than a year ago in his backyard of Florida. Omni Loop features Ayo Edebiri and Mary-Louise Parker.
Gist: For years, Zoya Lowe has been traveling back in time, reliving the final week of her life without variation—until one day, something unexpected happens, and she seizes the chance to do everything she ever wanted.…...
Gist: For years, Zoya Lowe has been traveling back in time, reliving the final week of her life without variation—until one day, something unexpected happens, and she seizes the chance to do everything she ever wanted.…...
- 11/16/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
“Los Espookys” has been canceled after two seasons at HBO, Variety has confirmed.
The series starred Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Bernardo Velasco, and Fred Armisen. It originally debuted in 2019 with Season 2 launching in September 2022.
In the show, a group of friends in Mexico City turn their love of horror movies into a business by concocting scary situations and making people think they are real.
“We are thrilled we could deliver the unique and hilarious second season of ‘Los Espookys’ to viewers finally, more than three years after the series premiere, due to pandemic delays,” HBO said in a statement. “We thank Julio, Ana and Fred for this imaginative and delightfully bizarre world they created. We are not currently planning on a third season, but we would welcome the opportunity to work with this cast and crew in the future.”
Torres will remain in business with HBO, as he...
The series starred Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Bernardo Velasco, and Fred Armisen. It originally debuted in 2019 with Season 2 launching in September 2022.
In the show, a group of friends in Mexico City turn their love of horror movies into a business by concocting scary situations and making people think they are real.
“We are thrilled we could deliver the unique and hilarious second season of ‘Los Espookys’ to viewers finally, more than three years after the series premiere, due to pandemic delays,” HBO said in a statement. “We thank Julio, Ana and Fred for this imaginative and delightfully bizarre world they created. We are not currently planning on a third season, but we would welcome the opportunity to work with this cast and crew in the future.”
Torres will remain in business with HBO, as he...
- 12/2/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
In preparation for a summer return to in-person artist development labs, the Sundance Institute today named those selected as fellows for its 2022 Directors, Screenwriters and Native Labs.
Creatives developing original work for the screen as part of the Native Lab include Justin Ducharme (Positions), Taietsarón:sere ‘Tai’ Leclaire (How to Deal with Systemic Racism in the Afterlife), Daniel Pewewardy (Residential), Tiare Ribeaux (Huaka’i) and Tim Worrall (Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End).
Those participating in the Directors Lab and/or the Screenwriters Lab include Dina Amer (Cain and Abel), Zandashé Brown (The Matriarch), Caledonia Curry and Meagan Brothers (Sibylant Sisters), Hasan Hadi (The President’s Cake), Michael León and Ashley Alvafez (Crabs in a Barrel), Eliza McNitt (Black Hole), Olive Nwosu (Lady), Neo Sora (Earthquake) and Yuan Yang (Late Spring).
The Native Lab began online from May 2-6 and continues in person from May 9-14, in Santa Fe, Nm, for...
Creatives developing original work for the screen as part of the Native Lab include Justin Ducharme (Positions), Taietsarón:sere ‘Tai’ Leclaire (How to Deal with Systemic Racism in the Afterlife), Daniel Pewewardy (Residential), Tiare Ribeaux (Huaka’i) and Tim Worrall (Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End).
Those participating in the Directors Lab and/or the Screenwriters Lab include Dina Amer (Cain and Abel), Zandashé Brown (The Matriarch), Caledonia Curry and Meagan Brothers (Sibylant Sisters), Hasan Hadi (The President’s Cake), Michael León and Ashley Alvafez (Crabs in a Barrel), Eliza McNitt (Black Hole), Olive Nwosu (Lady), Neo Sora (Earthquake) and Yuan Yang (Late Spring).
The Native Lab began online from May 2-6 and continues in person from May 9-14, in Santa Fe, Nm, for...
- 5/9/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
With a record number of 10,397 submissions, the 2020 Sundance Film Festival short film programmers undertook a herculean task to narrow the official selections down to 74 narrative, animated, and documentary shorts. After previewing 45 official selections made available for advance press screening, IndieWire culled 10 of the most artistically compelling, dramatically surprising, and emotionally resonate pieces. The filmmakers were then emailed and asked to share their inspiration and what they are working on next.
Although no theme unifies this year’s “must see” shorts, there are some trends to note. Perhaps because the list favors the U.S. narrative shorts, the many unique neighborhoods of Los Angeles play an outsized role in many storylines. Sundance alumni return with a vengeance, with last year’s “must-see” short filmmakers Terence Nance and Matthew Puccini and 2014 jury prize winner Bernardo Britto debuting superior new work. And the five-minute-or-less “short shorts” were more satisfying to consume than the...
Although no theme unifies this year’s “must see” shorts, there are some trends to note. Perhaps because the list favors the U.S. narrative shorts, the many unique neighborhoods of Los Angeles play an outsized role in many storylines. Sundance alumni return with a vengeance, with last year’s “must-see” short filmmakers Terence Nance and Matthew Puccini and 2014 jury prize winner Bernardo Britto debuting superior new work. And the five-minute-or-less “short shorts” were more satisfying to consume than the...
- 1/23/2020
- by Kim Adelman
- Indiewire
The Criterion Channel launches Monday, replacing that void left in cinephile hearts everywhere after the shuttering of FilmStruck just four months ago.
Subscribers can expect very little difference on the new service that wasn’t previously available on the Criterion Collection’s home at FilmStruck.
The service’s core, permanent library available on launch day is the over 1,000 movies, 350 shorts and 3500 supplemental materials that make up the Janus Film library. These are the classic arthouse films that for decades have been a mainstay in DVD restorations as part of the Criterion Collection.
Also Read: Why the New Criterion Channel Streaming Service Won't Be a 'Netflix Killer'
Criterion President Peter Becker referred to The Criterion Channel as “an art house at your house,” adding that the library is made up of the “last name” filmmakers that any movie buff should know well: (Michelangelo) Antonioni, (Jean-Luc) Godard, (François) Truffaut, (Akira) Kurosawa,...
Subscribers can expect very little difference on the new service that wasn’t previously available on the Criterion Collection’s home at FilmStruck.
The service’s core, permanent library available on launch day is the over 1,000 movies, 350 shorts and 3500 supplemental materials that make up the Janus Film library. These are the classic arthouse films that for decades have been a mainstay in DVD restorations as part of the Criterion Collection.
Also Read: Why the New Criterion Channel Streaming Service Won't Be a 'Netflix Killer'
Criterion President Peter Becker referred to The Criterion Channel as “an art house at your house,” adding that the library is made up of the “last name” filmmakers that any movie buff should know well: (Michelangelo) Antonioni, (Jean-Luc) Godard, (François) Truffaut, (Akira) Kurosawa,...
- 4/8/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
In just two weeks, a cinematic haven will launch. After the demise of FilmStruck left cinephiles in a dark depression, The Criterion Channel has stepped up to the plate to launch their own separate service coming to the U.S. and Canada on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, iOS, and Android and Android TV devices. Now, after giving us a taste of what is to come with their Movies of the Week, they’ve unveiled the staggeringly great lineup for their first month.
Along with the Criterion Collection and Janus Films’ library of 1,000 feature films, 350 shorts, and 3,500 supplementary features–including trailers, introductions, behind-the-scenes documentaries, interviews, video essays, commentary tracks, and rare archival footage–the service will also house films from Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Lionsgate, IFC Films, Kino Lorber, Cohen Media, Milestone Film and Video, Oscilloscope, Cinema Guild, Strand Releasing, Shout Factory, Film Movement,...
Along with the Criterion Collection and Janus Films’ library of 1,000 feature films, 350 shorts, and 3,500 supplementary features–including trailers, introductions, behind-the-scenes documentaries, interviews, video essays, commentary tracks, and rare archival footage–the service will also house films from Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Lionsgate, IFC Films, Kino Lorber, Cohen Media, Milestone Film and Video, Oscilloscope, Cinema Guild, Strand Releasing, Shout Factory, Film Movement,...
- 3/25/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Criterion Channel, the streaming service that is bringing classic films back online after the widely lamented shutdown last fall of WarnerMedia’s FilmStruck, has set the lineup for its launch on April 8. (See it below.)
The channel features the same Criterion Collection and Janus Films titles that were on FilmStruck, which went dark last fall, prompting a backlash among a long list of A-list directors, not to mention thousands of fans of the service. FilmStruck had been an effort to take the DNA of Turner Classic Movies into the streaming realm, with hundreds of Criterion titles at its core. Original programming from FilmStruck will also be back on the new channel, including Adventures in Moviegoing, Meet the Filmmakers, Observations on Film Art and 10 seasons of John Pierson’s Split Screen.
Subscriptions are $10.99 per month or $99.99 a year. A promotional offer lowers the lifetime price for those who sign up...
The channel features the same Criterion Collection and Janus Films titles that were on FilmStruck, which went dark last fall, prompting a backlash among a long list of A-list directors, not to mention thousands of fans of the service. FilmStruck had been an effort to take the DNA of Turner Classic Movies into the streaming realm, with hundreds of Criterion titles at its core. Original programming from FilmStruck will also be back on the new channel, including Adventures in Moviegoing, Meet the Filmmakers, Observations on Film Art and 10 seasons of John Pierson’s Split Screen.
Subscriptions are $10.99 per month or $99.99 a year. A promotional offer lowers the lifetime price for those who sign up...
- 3/22/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Omniboat: A Fastboat Fantasia
Lopsided, tonally off, and rarely complimentary, portmanteau films are more often that not miss than hit, but what happens when we mix Miami speed cigar boats and it’s the Bow + Arrow Ent. (Madeline’s Madeline) and the Borscht Corporation folk who are the captains of the deck? With Omniboat: A Fastboat Fantasia we’re expecting craziness to ensue with a collection of stories from a collection of filmmakers that have yet to be confirmed and some name actors with filming having taken place last summer.…...
Lopsided, tonally off, and rarely complimentary, portmanteau films are more often that not miss than hit, but what happens when we mix Miami speed cigar boats and it’s the Bow + Arrow Ent. (Madeline’s Madeline) and the Borscht Corporation folk who are the captains of the deck? With Omniboat: A Fastboat Fantasia we’re expecting craziness to ensue with a collection of stories from a collection of filmmakers that have yet to be confirmed and some name actors with filming having taken place last summer.…...
- 2/8/2019
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
We’ve been keeping tabs on this filmmaker since we first profiled his award-winning Sundance short and had the chance to witness how he worked in the long form when his feature debut Jacqueline, Argentine (Sundance Trading Card) landed at the same fest back in 2016. Omni Loop Blues looks to be his next project. Here is my interview with Bernardo Britto.… Read the rest
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- 4/3/2018
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
The Cinema Tropical Awards, which honor the best in Latin American film production, have announced the nominees for their seventh annual ceremony. They feature 23 films from eight countries nominated in six different categories: Best Feature Film; Best Documentary Film; Best Director, Feature Film; Best Director, Documentary Film; Best First Film and Best U.S. Latino Film.
Read More: LatinoBuzz: Nominees Announced for the 6th Annual Cinema Tropical Awards
The winners will be announced at a special evening ceremony at The New York Times Company headquarters in New York City on Friday, January 13. The winning films will be showcased as part of the Cinema Tropical Festival at Museum of the Moving Image this winter.
The jury for the festival this year includes the following: Carlos Aguilar, film critic and journalist; Fábio Andrade, film critic and screenwriter; Ela Bittencourt, film critic and programmer; Eric Hynes, Associate Curator of Film, Museum of the Moving Image; Toby Lee,...
Read More: LatinoBuzz: Nominees Announced for the 6th Annual Cinema Tropical Awards
The winners will be announced at a special evening ceremony at The New York Times Company headquarters in New York City on Friday, January 13. The winning films will be showcased as part of the Cinema Tropical Festival at Museum of the Moving Image this winter.
The jury for the festival this year includes the following: Carlos Aguilar, film critic and journalist; Fábio Andrade, film critic and screenwriter; Ela Bittencourt, film critic and programmer; Eric Hynes, Associate Curator of Film, Museum of the Moving Image; Toby Lee,...
- 12/14/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Los Angeles’ annual AFI Fest presented by Audi kicks off this week, and boasts a robust slate of some of the festival season’s most beloved offerings and a few highly anticipated new premieres. If you’ve missed out on the rest of the year’s big festivals, AFI Fest is a prime opportunity to catch up on the starriest titles before awards season really kicks into high gear, along with enough bonafide premieres to keep even the most ravenous movie-goer very happy indeed.
Ahead, we pick out 14 of our most anticipated films from the fest, including a handful of genuine classics, some big contenders and at least one very buzzy debut. Take a look and start filling up your schedule now.
“Jackie”
The hype is real. Pablo Larrain’s English-language debut features Natalie Portman in not just the best performance of her career, but what’s currently shaping up...
Ahead, we pick out 14 of our most anticipated films from the fest, including a handful of genuine classics, some big contenders and at least one very buzzy debut. Take a look and start filling up your schedule now.
“Jackie”
The hype is real. Pablo Larrain’s English-language debut features Natalie Portman in not just the best performance of her career, but what’s currently shaping up...
- 11/7/2016
- by Kate Erbland, Eric Kohn, David Ehrlich, Chris O'Falt, Graham Winfrey, Zack Sharf and Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Some of the most intriguing films are mysteries. You’re not sure what you’re looking at until the final frame, and sometimes, even then, you’re left questioning what you’ve just seen with your own two eyes. Bernardo Britto’s mockumentary “Jacqueline (Argentine)”… Continue Reading →...
- 10/13/2016
- by Aramide A. Tinubu
- ShadowAndAct
Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden garner respect and authority by sacrificing their own safety and freedom for the betterment of society, ultimately an effort to save lives. Bernardo Britto’s film “Jacqueline (Argentine)” explores a different kind of political whistleblower, one who’s a little less concerned with uncovering the truth and a little more concerned with hanging out.
Read More: Sundance 2016 Review: ‘Jacqueline (Argentine)’ Is a Strangely Disjointed Film That Somehow Remains Captivating
The film follows a filmmaker (Wyatt Cenac) who receives a series of panicked emails and phones from Jacqueline Dumont (Camille Rutherford), a young French woman, who is living in exile in Argentina after leaking confidential government secrets that detailed a planned assassination. The filmmaker and his crew travel from Miami to Argentina to document her exile and to uncover the conspiracy, but soon discover that Jacqueline is more interested in having fun in Argentina than exposing the truth.
Read More: Sundance 2016 Review: ‘Jacqueline (Argentine)’ Is a Strangely Disjointed Film That Somehow Remains Captivating
The film follows a filmmaker (Wyatt Cenac) who receives a series of panicked emails and phones from Jacqueline Dumont (Camille Rutherford), a young French woman, who is living in exile in Argentina after leaking confidential government secrets that detailed a planned assassination. The filmmaker and his crew travel from Miami to Argentina to document her exile and to uncover the conspiracy, but soon discover that Jacqueline is more interested in having fun in Argentina than exposing the truth.
- 10/12/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Some of the most intriguing films are mysteries. You’re not sure what you’re looking at until the final frame, and sometimes, even then, you’re left questioning what you’ve just seen with your own two eyes. Bernardo Britto’s mockumentary “Jacqueline (Argentine)”… Continue Reading →...
- 10/4/2016
- by Aramide A. Tinubu
- ShadowAndAct
The Scene at ShortList 2016: TheWrap’s 5th Annual Short Film Festival (Photos) TheWrap’s Sharon Waxman and Steve Pond with the finalists at the 5th Annual ShortList Film Festival. “Glove” directors Alexa Lim Haas and Bernardo Britto at the the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival. “The Send-Off” directors Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival. “Slingshot” director David Hansen at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival. “Thunder Road” director Jim Cummings on stage at the fith annual ShortList Film Festival. “Maman(s)” director Maïmouna Doucouré on stage at the fifth annual ShortList Film Festival.
- 8/25/2016
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
One of the best films I saw at Sundance this year was not a feature-length one, but rather the short Glove, which fittingly screened before another space-related feature Operation Avalanche. Directed by Alexa Haas and Bernardo Britto, it’s an animated look at the true story of a glove that has been taking a journey through space since 1968. Hatched from an idea after viewing the Nasa documentary For All Mankind, it’s a wistful, gorgeously rendered look at space and time.
“That glove carries with it everything that went into the making of it,” Britto tells The Wrap, who debuted the short online. “Whereas Yearbook [her previous film] says we’re all going to be forgotten and this doesn’t really matter, Glove is saying that even though we can’t tell how far our actions and the things we make will go, they do have an impact on things and will go on forever.
“That glove carries with it everything that went into the making of it,” Britto tells The Wrap, who debuted the short online. “Whereas Yearbook [her previous film] says we’re all going to be forgotten and this doesn’t really matter, Glove is saying that even though we can’t tell how far our actions and the things we make will go, they do have an impact on things and will go on forever.
- 8/11/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"It'll still float on..." Now this is creative filmmaking at its finest. Inspired by a random throwaway shot in a Nasa documentary about the Apollo missions, Alexa Haas and Bernardo Britto decided to make a short film about an astronaut's glove somehow came loose and went floating into the abyss of space. The short film is titled Glove and it features hand-painted animation by Alexa Haas, telling a wondrous story of the life of this glove. I saw this at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, as it played in front of the film Operation Avalanche, which is pretty much perfect pairing. My only complaint is that I hate the looping of the final shot at the credits - once or twice was enough. Other than that, this is so much fun to watch. Enjoy. Thanks to The Wrap for debuting. The description for the film is short and...
- 8/11/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Animator Alexa Lim Haas remembers receiving a text message from her college friend and collaborator, Bernardo Britto, about a documentary about Nasa’s Apollo missions, “For All Mankind.” Britto was fixated on a throwaway shot of a glove coming loose from a compartment and floating away into space. “They don’t mention anything about it. They just focus on the astronauts,” she said. “And he’s just like, ‘How is there this glove floating around that no one’s talking about?'” That glove captured Haas and Britto’s imagination so much that they made an animated short about it.
- 8/10/2016
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Short films stand tall in southern California every year at the Palm Springs International Shortfest — after over 4,000 submissions, 327 shorts from over 50 countries were shown this past week at North America’s largest short film festival. The winners of this year’s festival, announced Sunday night, received combined prizes valued at approximately $115,000 with $20k of that being in cash.
“A common thread of immigration and compassion dominates our award winning films this year – echoing current issues around the world,” said Festival Director Helen du Toit. “After a stimulating and energizing week of storytelling and networking between the next generation of filmmakers, we leave with a sense of hope for a world that, despite some setbacks, does seem to be evolving slowly but surely.”
The Kosovan film “Home” by Daniel Mulloy, which rides along with a “young, happy family [who seem] to be going on holiday but is instead on a journey similar to millions of others,...
“A common thread of immigration and compassion dominates our award winning films this year – echoing current issues around the world,” said Festival Director Helen du Toit. “After a stimulating and energizing week of storytelling and networking between the next generation of filmmakers, we leave with a sense of hope for a world that, despite some setbacks, does seem to be evolving slowly but surely.”
The Kosovan film “Home” by Daniel Mulloy, which rides along with a “young, happy family [who seem] to be going on holiday but is instead on a journey similar to millions of others,...
- 6/28/2016
- by Kyle Kizu
- Indiewire
Short films from Kosovo, France, the Us and Switzerland are among the winners at the Palm Springs International ShortFest.
The Palm Springs International ShortFest has given its Best of Festival Award to Daniel Mulloly’s Home (pictured), from Kosovo, and its Grand Jury Award to Vincent Maury’s Minh Tâm, from France.
Nearly 20 other shorts from the 327 that screened at the event, which bills itself as the largest short film festival and only short film market in North America, also won awards.
The winner of the Best of Festival award gets a $5,000 cash prize and may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar consideration. The Grand Jury award comes with a $2,000 cash prize.
The jury – comprising David Ansen, Jeremy Boxer, Zorianna Kit, Molly Parker, Rachel Samuels and Alison Willmore – gave ShortFest’s Panavision Best North American Short award to La Laguna, from Mexico...
The Palm Springs International ShortFest has given its Best of Festival Award to Daniel Mulloly’s Home (pictured), from Kosovo, and its Grand Jury Award to Vincent Maury’s Minh Tâm, from France.
Nearly 20 other shorts from the 327 that screened at the event, which bills itself as the largest short film festival and only short film market in North America, also won awards.
The winner of the Best of Festival award gets a $5,000 cash prize and may be eligible to submit their film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Oscar consideration. The Grand Jury award comes with a $2,000 cash prize.
The jury – comprising David Ansen, Jeremy Boxer, Zorianna Kit, Molly Parker, Rachel Samuels and Alison Willmore – gave ShortFest’s Panavision Best North American Short award to La Laguna, from Mexico...
- 6/27/2016
- ScreenDaily
While making a first film is notoriously difficult, making a second film can often be even more challenging. To help a talented crop of filmmakers avoid the dreaded “sophomore slump,” the Sundance Institute today unveiled the FilmTwo Initiative. Led by the Institute’s Feature Film Program, with support from Founding Partner NBCUniversal, the FilmTwo Initiative will offer 13 directors creative and strategic guidance in navigating the unique challenges of making their second feature films. The inaugural FilmTwo Fellows are Andrew Ahn (Spa Night), Shaz Bennett (Alaska is a Drag), Bernardo Britto (Jacqueline (Argentine)), Steven Caple Jr. (The Land), Jonas Carpignano (Mediterranea), Marta Cunningham […]...
- 5/17/2016
- by Paula Bernstein
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Exclusive: Buoyed by a fresh North American deal for Sundance hit Morris From America, Ryan Kampe jets into Berlin with a bevy of buzzy festival titles set to receive their market premieres.
The slate includes Ramzi Ben Sliman’s French drama and Berlinale selection My Revolution, about a French-Tunisian teenager who unwittingly becomes a poster boy for the Arab Spring as he tries to win the heart of his love.
Samuel Vincent, Anamaria Vartolomei, Lucien Le Guern, Lubna Azabal, and Samir Guesmi star. Visit represents worldwide rights excluding France.
Rotterdam title Suntan from Argyris Papadimitropoulos is a dark ‘coming-of-middle-age’ drama that just premiered in Holland and stars Makis Papadimitriou as a lonely, middle-aged doctor of a tiny holiday island who become obsessed with a young tourist.
Elli Tringou, Milou Van Groessen, Dimi Hart, Hara Kotsali, and Marcus Collen also star. Odeon will distribute in Greece and Cyprus.
Visit’s slate comprises several Sundance titles led by [link...
The slate includes Ramzi Ben Sliman’s French drama and Berlinale selection My Revolution, about a French-Tunisian teenager who unwittingly becomes a poster boy for the Arab Spring as he tries to win the heart of his love.
Samuel Vincent, Anamaria Vartolomei, Lucien Le Guern, Lubna Azabal, and Samir Guesmi star. Visit represents worldwide rights excluding France.
Rotterdam title Suntan from Argyris Papadimitropoulos is a dark ‘coming-of-middle-age’ drama that just premiered in Holland and stars Makis Papadimitriou as a lonely, middle-aged doctor of a tiny holiday island who become obsessed with a young tourist.
Elli Tringou, Milou Van Groessen, Dimi Hart, Hara Kotsali, and Marcus Collen also star. Odeon will distribute in Greece and Cyprus.
Visit’s slate comprises several Sundance titles led by [link...
- 2/6/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Commonly known as a lieu that breeds new filmmaking talents, Nicholas Bell and I look back at the filmmakers who made the most noteworthy splash at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Here are our Top 10 New Voices countdown:
#10. Jim Cummings – Thunder Road (Short)
Producer on Patrick Wang’s The Grief of Others and Trey Edward Shults’s Krisha, Jim Cummings showed everyone who is the “boss” with the devilishly funny, conceptually sophisticated and fastidiously well executed short film. In one stroke, Cummings demonstrates a formal rigour, an impressionable, sumptuous pulse and fall-out-of-your-seat choreography. Winner of the top prize with the Short Film Grand Jury Prize, Thunder Road is a crowd pleaser and one heck of a lucky charm calling card. (El)
#9. Bernardo Britto – Jacqueline (Argentine)
On our radar two years back with his animated short (Yearbook), we were quite surprised by the form and the off the chart text...
#10. Jim Cummings – Thunder Road (Short)
Producer on Patrick Wang’s The Grief of Others and Trey Edward Shults’s Krisha, Jim Cummings showed everyone who is the “boss” with the devilishly funny, conceptually sophisticated and fastidiously well executed short film. In one stroke, Cummings demonstrates a formal rigour, an impressionable, sumptuous pulse and fall-out-of-your-seat choreography. Winner of the top prize with the Short Film Grand Jury Prize, Thunder Road is a crowd pleaser and one heck of a lucky charm calling card. (El)
#9. Bernardo Britto – Jacqueline (Argentine)
On our radar two years back with his animated short (Yearbook), we were quite surprised by the form and the off the chart text...
- 2/4/2016
- by IONCINEMA.com Contributing Writers
- IONCINEMA.com
With a decent sized sampling of thirty-one features and several four star quality shorts viewed, my assessment of the ’16 edition is as follows: the Premieres category delivered in terms of A quality offerings, the U.S Dramatic Comp had far more “misses” than “hits”, and there is plenty to be excited about from the micro indie auteurs found from the bountiful Next section. To further recognize this section’s importance and cred, I’d definitely create a jury award to go alongside the Audience award — perhaps the composition of that jury could follow the free-thinking artist matching they promote for their Sundance Next Fest. And speaking of the jury folk — I’m a little dismayed that a conventional film such as The Birth of a Nation took precedence over a technically sound, risk-taker film such as Christine. Change appears to be in the air, with Robert Redford contemplating the future...
- 2/3/2016
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Some of the most intriguing films are mysteries. You’re not sure what you’re looking at until the final frame, and sometimes, even then, you’re left questioning what you’ve just seen with your own two eyes. Bernardo Britto’s mockumentary “Jacqueline (Argentine)” left me with this particular feeling. So full of twist and turns, it’s a film that is as fascinating as it is exasperating. Britto was inspired by Laura Poitras’ Academy Award winning documentary “Citizenfour”, about Nsa spy Eric Snowden. However, “Jacqueline (Argentine)” is something else entirely. The film follows an unnamed struggling film director (played by Wyatt Cenac) who, while house-sitting for a friend in Miami,...
- 2/1/2016
- by Aramide A Tinubu
- ShadowAndAct
Jacqueline (Argentine) marks the debut feature film from both director Bernardo Britto and Dp Eric Yue. Starring former Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac, the film unfolds as an playful blend of mockumentary and political thriller. Below, Filmmaker speaks with Yue about what he calls the film’s “documentary/stylized” aesthetic. The film premiered in the Next program at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Yue: I was approached by Bernardo and the producers who are friends of mine from college. […]...
- 1/28/2016
- by Soheil Rezayazdi
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Jacqueline (Argentine) marks the debut feature film from both director Bernardo Britto and Dp Eric Yue. Starring former Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac, the film unfolds as an playful blend of mockumentary and political thriller. Below, Filmmaker speaks with Yue about what he calls the film’s “documentary/stylized” aesthetic. The film premiered in the Next program at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Yue: I was approached by Bernardo and the producers who are friends of mine from college. […]...
- 1/28/2016
- by Soheil Rezayazdi
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Films include Irish feature Mammal starring Barry Keoghan.
Sundance Channel Global has acquired five features from this year’s Sundance Film Festival and will exclusively premiere the titles shortly after the festival.
They include Mammal, The Fits, Spa Night, Jacqueline (Argentine) and My Friend In The Park (Mi Amiga Del Parque).
Mammal has been acquired from Picture Tree International Central and Eastern Europe, Iberia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa.
The film, directed by Rebecca Daly, sees Australian actress Rachel Griffiths play a woman who befriends a young homeless man, played by Barry Keoghan, following the death of her son. Mammal is Irish director Daly’s second film following The Other Side Of Sleep, which debuted in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2011.
The Fits and Jacqueline (Argentine) have been acquired for Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Dutch Benelux, Iberia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa.
The Fits, sold by...
Sundance Channel Global has acquired five features from this year’s Sundance Film Festival and will exclusively premiere the titles shortly after the festival.
They include Mammal, The Fits, Spa Night, Jacqueline (Argentine) and My Friend In The Park (Mi Amiga Del Parque).
Mammal has been acquired from Picture Tree International Central and Eastern Europe, Iberia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa.
The film, directed by Rebecca Daly, sees Australian actress Rachel Griffiths play a woman who befriends a young homeless man, played by Barry Keoghan, following the death of her son. Mammal is Irish director Daly’s second film following The Other Side Of Sleep, which debuted in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes in 2011.
The Fits and Jacqueline (Argentine) have been acquired for Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Dutch Benelux, Iberia, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa.
The Fits, sold by...
- 1/28/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Eric Lavallee: Name me three of your favorite “2015 discoveries”.
Bernardo Britto: Jacques Demy’s Lola, Mexican singer Daniela Romo, Cool Cat Saves The Kids.
Lavallee: What was the first gist of an idea that you thought of before crystallizing this into what would become your first feature?
Britto: The very first germ of an idea was “what if Sans Soleil was actually kind of like a thriller?” And then it sort of snowballed from there.
Lavallee: Could you briefly talk about the visual style of the film – what were you and Eric aiming for?
Britto: We wanted something that was digital and real and fun. We wanted it to look authentic and feel dynamic.
Bernardo Britto: Jacques Demy’s Lola, Mexican singer Daniela Romo, Cool Cat Saves The Kids.
Lavallee: What was the first gist of an idea that you thought of before crystallizing this into what would become your first feature?
Britto: The very first germ of an idea was “what if Sans Soleil was actually kind of like a thriller?” And then it sort of snowballed from there.
Lavallee: Could you briefly talk about the visual style of the film – what were you and Eric aiming for?
Britto: We wanted something that was digital and real and fun. We wanted it to look authentic and feel dynamic.
- 1/26/2016
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Lined up for the International Film Festival Rotterdam's Bright Future program this year are works by Ana Cristina Barragán, Samuele Sestieri, Kaweh Modiri, Lee Seung-won, Jonas Rothlaender, Bernardo Britto, Yi Cui, Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito, Fernanda Romandía, Arun Karthick, Emiliano Rocha Minter, Yosuke Okuda, Pimpaka Towira, Uchida Eiji, Vlado Skafar, Penny Lane, Matt Johnson, Elisa Miller, Adilkhan Yerzhanov, Tsubota Yoshifumi, Lucile Hadžihalilovic, Simon Stone, Pietro Marcello, Bi Gan, João Salaviza, Pascale Breton, Svetla Tsotsorkova, Avishai Sivan, Jony Perel, Alex Santiago Pérez and many others. » - David Hudson...
- 1/6/2016
- Keyframe
Lined up for the International Film Festival Rotterdam's Bright Future program this year are works by Ana Cristina Barragán, Samuele Sestieri, Kaweh Modiri, Lee Seung-won, Jonas Rothlaender, Bernardo Britto, Yi Cui, Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito, Fernanda Romandía, Arun Karthick, Emiliano Rocha Minter, Yosuke Okuda, Pimpaka Towira, Uchida Eiji, Vlado Skafar, Penny Lane, Matt Johnson, Elisa Miller, Adilkhan Yerzhanov, Tsubota Yoshifumi, Lucile Hadžihalilovic, Simon Stone, Pietro Marcello, Bi Gan, João Salaviza, Pascale Breton, Svetla Tsotsorkova, Avishai Sivan, Jony Perel, Alex Santiago Pérez and many others. » - David Hudson...
- 1/6/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
History's FutureScheduled to open later this month (27 January - 7 Febuary 2016), the 45th International Film Festival Rotterdam has announced the titles included in its competition, which has scaled back the number of films competing to eight this year.Tiger Award COMPETITIONHistory's Future – Fiona Tan (The Netherlands, world premiere)The Land of the Enlightened – Pieter-Jan De Pue (Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, European premiere)Motel Mist – Prabda Yoon (Thailand, world premiere)Oscuro animal – Felipe Guerrero (Colombia, Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany, Greece, world premiere)Radio Dreams – Babak Jalali (USA, world premiere)La última tierra – Pablo Lamar (Paraguay, The Netherlands, Chile, Qatar, world premiere)Where I Grow Old – Marília Rocha (Brazil, Portugal, world premiere)A Woman, a Part – Elisabeth Subrin (USA, world premiere)
Bright FUTUREAlba – Ana Cristina Barragán (Ecuador, Mexico, Greece, world premiere)Alone – Park Hongmin (South Korea, international premiere)Animal político – Tião (Brazil, world premiere)The Bear Tales – Samuele Sestieri, Olmo Amato (Italy,...
Bright FUTUREAlba – Ana Cristina Barragán (Ecuador, Mexico, Greece, world premiere)Alone – Park Hongmin (South Korea, international premiere)Animal político – Tião (Brazil, world premiere)The Bear Tales – Samuele Sestieri, Olmo Amato (Italy,...
- 1/5/2016
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Kate Plays ChristineThe lineup for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, taking place between January 21 -31, has been announced.U.S. Dramatic COMPETITIONAs You Are (Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, USA): As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation. Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Heaton, Amandla Stenberg, John Scurti, Scott Cohen, Mary Stuart Masterson. World Premiere The Birth of a Nation (Nate Parker, USA): Set against the antebellum South, this story follows Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner, accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. After witnessing countless atrocities against fellow slaves, Nat devises a plan to lead his people to freedom. Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union, Mark Boone Jr. World PremiereChristine (Antonio Campos,...
- 12/7/2015
- by Notebook
- MUBI
We might look back to 2015’s 10 film line-up as a true vintage year for the Next section. With the likes of Rick Alverson’s Entertainment, Sebastián Silva’s Nasty Baby, Matt Sobel’s Take Me to the River, Sean Baker’s Tangerine and section winner Josh Mond’s James White, we’d be hard pressed to say that this year’s 10 selected film selection is a better crop, but so far with names such as Tim Sutton and his super secretive third film (Dark Night – see pic above), video helmer we adore in Nicolas Pesce’s debut (The Eyes of My Mother), short film Yearbook fest winner Bernardo Britto’s first (Jacqueline Argentine), big Slamdance home run hitter with The Dirties’ Matt Johnson (Operation Avalanche) and the Venice to Park City bound The Fits from Anna Rose Holmer are all films we eagerly await. Here is the 10 section of what the fest calls “pure,...
- 12/2/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Following on the previously announced Midnight slate, Sundance has announced the 65 titles comprising its competition and Next slates. More films to be announced soon, but the 65 to sort through here are more than enough to investigate in the meantime. Some quickly noted highlights: Actress documentarian Robert Greene graduates to Sundance with his fourth feature Kate Plays Christine, and two films from recent 25 New Faces, Anna Rose Holmer and Bernardo Britto. U.S. Dramatic Competition As You Are / U.S.A. (Director: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Screenwriters: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Madison Harrison) — As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the […]...
- 12/2/2015
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Following on the previously announced Midnight slate, Sundance has announced the 65 titles comprising its competition and Next slates. More films to be announced soon, but the 65 to sort through here are more than enough to investigate in the meantime. Some quickly noted highlights: Actress documentarian Robert Greene graduates to Sundance with his fourth feature Kate Plays Christine, and two films from recent 25 New Faces, Anna Rose Holmer and Bernardo Britto. U.S. Dramatic Competition As You Are / U.S.A. (Director: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Screenwriters: Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, Madison Harrison) — As You Are is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the […]...
- 12/2/2015
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Titles include Tallulah starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney, and Chad Hartigan’s Morris From America (pictured); Next strand also announced.Scroll down for full list
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
- 12/2/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The American Film Institute announced today the films that will screen in the World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight, Shorts and Cinema’s Legacy programs at AFI Fest 2015 presented by Audi.
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
AFI Fest will take place November 5 – 12, 2015, in the heart of Hollywood. Screenings, Galas and events will be held at the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre, the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres, Dolby Theatre, the Lloyd E. Rigler Theatre at the Egyptian, the El Capitan Theatre and The Hollywood Roosevelt.
World Cinema showcases the most acclaimed international films of the year; Breakthrough highlights true discoveries of the programming process; Midnight selections will grip audiences with terror; and Cinema’s Legacy highlights classic movies and films about cinema. World Cinema and Breakthrough selections are among the films eligible for Audience Awards. Shorts selections are eligible for the Grand Jury Prize, which qualifies the winner for Academy Award®consideration. This year’s Shorts jury features filmmaker Janicza Bravo,...
- 10/22/2015
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
American indie film love is on full display at a fest that I’ve coined farm version of Telluride. The 8th edition of the Wassaic Project Film Festival will take off at the tail end of the month and the curators have landed Todd Haynes’ masterwork Safe and a foursome of worthy items (not including a special in-progress feature film screening) for the ’15 edition.
Sundance preemed items in Marielle Heller’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe’s (T)error will be shown alongside SXSW/Cannes profiled Krisha from Trey Edward Shults and Sam Cullman’s Tribeca showcased Art and Craft. The fest runs from July 31st until August 2nd in Wassaic, New York. Pitch up a tent and go watch these features – as well as shorts selected by the Wassaic Project and Jason Sondhi of Vimeo Staff Picks and Short of the Week.
Sundance preemed items in Marielle Heller’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl and Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe’s (T)error will be shown alongside SXSW/Cannes profiled Krisha from Trey Edward Shults and Sam Cullman’s Tribeca showcased Art and Craft. The fest runs from July 31st until August 2nd in Wassaic, New York. Pitch up a tent and go watch these features – as well as shorts selected by the Wassaic Project and Jason Sondhi of Vimeo Staff Picks and Short of the Week.
- 7/20/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Representing Latin American, U.S. Latino, and non-Latino artists who explore multicultural relationships from singular perspectives, the films at this year's Sundance Film Festival include an array of stories that showcase the diverse creative voices that exist within the Latino filmmaking community.
This list includes both films that have been created fully or partially by Latin American or U.S. Latino filmmakers, as well as those that deal with themes and ideas relevant to the Latino experience in or outside the Unites States, even if these were not created by Latino artists. The increasing interest in these stories testifies to how rapidly Latinos are becoming constant and strong voices in all areas of the film industry.
In order to highlight as many of these talented creators and films as possible, we’ve created a list that includes all the films at the festival that are helmed by or that incorporate Latino talent and those that focus on a specific aspect pertinent to the Latino community. Some are obvious standouts like Argentina's acclaimed dark comedy "Wild Tales" or Colombia's "Liveforever" from Carlos Moreno.
Then there are those who at first sight might not fit the parameters of what one could think is a Latino film. This is the case of films like Eli Roth's "Knock Knock," which is an English-language horror film whose co-writers, producers, and part of the cast are originally from Chile. There is also " Aloft," a drama in the Spotlight section, which is set between Canada and Minnesota and stars Jennifer Connelly. It was written and directed by Academy Award nominated Peruvian filmmaker Claudia Llosa.
The third case includes those films that deal with subjects that have Latino elements or that explore diversity in the U.S in some way. Examples of these are "The Strongest Man" from Kenny Riches, a film narrated in Spanish by its protagonist "Beef," a charming, yet lost Cuban-American man in Miami; or "Cartel Land" by Matthew Heineman, which focuses on the violence shared between Mexico and U.S due to the drug-fueled chaos that afflicts the region. On a lighter note, there are films like “City of Gold” by Laura Gabbert, in which Los Angeles is seen through its ethnic food and local idiosyncrasies.
In an effort to give exposure to those films in the program that don’t get as much attention, the list below starts with the Shorts Programs and ends with the Dramatic Premieres. Each title is linked to its page on the Sundance website where screening times and locations can be found. Regardless of what films you watch at the festival, it is likely that your eyes will be expose to the work of some amazingly talented Latino filmmaker, writer or actor, or those who appreciate our stories as much as we do.
Shorts
"Spring" (Primavera) - Shorts Program 2
Latino Talent: Dir. Tania Claudia Castillo
Latino Theme: The short was created theough Mexico's renowned Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica (Ccc), and it focuses on
Elba, an introverted, lonely 14-year-old, who wants to bond with her sister Fernanda before she leaves home.
"Papa Machete" - Shorts Program 3
Latino Theme: Two hundred years ago, Haitian slaves defeated Napoleon's armies with the same tool used to work the land: the machete. "Papa Machete" explores a martial art evolved from this victory through the practice of one of its few remaining masters.
"Making it in America" - Shorts Program 4
Latino Theme: A Salvadoran immigrant who fled to the United States as a teenager is now a single mother striving to build a future for her family in Los Angeles.
"Stop" - Shorts Program 5
Latino Talent: Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green, Producer Rashaad Ernesto Green, Cinematographer Federico Cesca, Actors J.W. Cortes and Joshua Rivera.
Latino Theme: A young man's livelihood is put to the test when he is stopped by the police on his way home. Although not specific the Latino experience, the subject matter speaks to recent events involving minority groups and the use of excessive force by police
"Palm Rot" - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Dir. Ryan Gillis Lizama
Latino Theme: An old Florida fumigator discovers a mysterious crate in the Everglades that ruins his day.
"The Sun Like a Big Dark Animal" (El Sol Como un Gran Animal Oscuro) - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Directors Ronnie Rivera and Christina Felisgrau, Screenwriter Bernardo Britto, Producer Lucas Leyva
Latino Theme: This is Spanish-language short about a computer and a woman fall in love, only to be torn apart because of their inappropriate feelings for each other.
"{The And} Marcela & Rock" - Documentary Shorts Program 1
Latino Talent: Dir. Topaz Adizes, Assistant Directors Armando Croda and Sebastian Diaz
Latino Theme: Exploring the intimate spaces of modern-day relationships, this is the best couples therapy session you'll ever witness.
Special Events
Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge
Latino Talent: Directors Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Marialy Rivas
Latino Theme: Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge presents five winning narrative and documentary short films selected from 1,387 submissions representing 69 different countries.The project was designed to use the transformative power of storytelling to generate discussion, shift perceptions around extreme hunger and poverty, and harness the power of independent film to create a global conversation about these issues.
Sundance Kids
"The Game Maker" (El Inventor de Juegos)
Latino Talent: Dir. Juan Pablo Buscarini
New Frontier
"Liveforever" (Que Viva la Musica)
Latino Talent: Dir. Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters Alberto Ferreras and Alonso Torres, alongside the crew and cast.
Latino Theme: Hovering over the river that segregates Cali, Colombia, into haves and have-nots, a haunting presence identifies a perilous willingness among the populace to do anything that is asked of it. A blonde teenage girl, knowing she must change her life, leaves her well-appointed house and flagrantly gives herself over to this tolerant city, saying "yes" to everything provocative it offers her. Only the music tethers her body and spirit together, even as she reaches for redemption through a bold, delicious, and resplendent self-destruction. Inspired by the 1977 best-selling cult novel by Andres Caicedo.
Park City Midnight
"Knock Knock"
Latino Talent: Screenwriters Guillermo Amoedo & Nicolás López, Producers Miguel Asensio and Nicolás López, Cinematographer Antonio Quercia, Actresses Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas
"Reversal"
Latino Talent: Dir. José Manuel Cravioto, Producers Alex Garcia, Rodolfo Marquez and Daniel Posada, Editor Jorge Macaya, Actress Bianca Malinowski
Spotlight
"Aloft"
Latino Talent: Dir. Claudia Llosa
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Latino Talent: Dir. Damián Szifrón, as well as most of the cast and crew.
Latino Theme: Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Academy Award, this Argentine marvel is conformed of 6 stories about people giving in to their most savage instincts. Forgiveness is out o the question because revenge has never been so deranged and insanely comedic.
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"H."
Latino Talent: Dir. Daniel Garcia
"Nasty Baby"
Latino Talent: Dir. Sebastián Silva, Producers David Hinojosa, Juan de Dios Larraín and Pablo Larraín
Latino Theme: Brooklyn artist Freddy (Sebastian Silva) is baby obsessed. His new project centers around newborns, and he and his boyfriend, Mo, have recruited their best friend, Polly (Kristen Wiig), to help them have a baby. On top of dealing with the stress of opening an art installation and the complications of conceiving a child via artificial insemination, the three begin to be harassed by The Bishop, a mentally ill neighborhood man. An escalating series of incidents threaten to derail the comfortable lives these people have built for themselves.
"Tangerine"
Latino Talent: Actress Kiki Kitana Rodriguez
Latino Theme: It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown, and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity.
"The Strongest Man"
Latino Talent: Actor Robert Lorie
Latino Theme: Beef is a beefy Cuban man who believes that he is The Strongest Man in the World. He doesn’t want children, but he wants to tell his grandchildren about his life as The Strongest Man in the World. His best friend is a slight Korean man named Conan. Conan makes him think about things he normally doesn’t think, like the fact that Beef thinks in Spanish, rather than English. Illy, the adopted daughter of a rich art collector, brings out an anxious side in Beef. But it is when his prized possession—a solid gold BMX bicycle—is stolen from him that Beef finds and loses so much more than he thought he could.
World Dramatic Competition
"The Second Mother"
Latino Talent: Dir. Anna Muylaert and her cast and crew
Latino Theme: Val is the kind of live-in housekeeper who takes her work seriously. She wears a crisp maid's uniform while serving perfect canapés; she serves her wealthy São Paulo employers day in and day out while lovingly nannying their teenage son whom she's raised since toddlerhood. Everyone and everything in the elegant house has its place until one day, Val’s ambitious, clever daughter Jessica arrives from Val’s hometown to take the college entrance exams. Jessica’s confident, youthful presence upsets the unspoken yet strict balance of power in the household; Val must decide where her allegiances lie and what she's willing to sacrifice.
U.S. Documentary Competition
"Cartel Land"
Latino Theme: In the Mexican state of Michoacán, Dr. Jose Mireles, a small-town physician known as "El Doctor," shepherds a citizen uprising against the Knights Templar, the violent drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region for years. Meanwhile, in Arizona's Altar Valley—a narrow, 52-mile-long desert corridor known as Cocaine Alley—Tim "Nailer" Foley, an American veteran, heads a small paramilitary group called Arizona Border Recon, whose goal is to halt Mexico’s drug wars from seeping across our border.
"City of Gold"
Latino Theme: As the unabashed cradle of Hollywood superficiality and smoggy urban sprawl, Los Angeles has long been condemned as a cultural wasteland. In the richly penetrating documentary odyssey City of Gold, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us another Los Angeles, where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America.
"Western"
Latino Theme: In his classic novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens famously wrote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." That line sums up the story ofWestern, the latest film from Bill and Turner Ross, a documentary destined to become a classic itself. Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico, two towns on opposite sides of the border have shared a harmonious history until the specter of cartel violence threatens to divide them.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Latino Talent: Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
"Dope"
Latino Talent: Actors Tony Revolori, Michael Flores, Allen Maldonado, Lidia Porto, and Sergio Garcia
Latino Theme: Malcolm is a high school geek with a high-top fade, carefully navigating life in The Bottoms, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Inglewood, California. He and his fellow outcasts share a voracious appreciation for all things '90s hip-hop, opting to sport Cross-Colours and Z. Cavariccis at the risk of being clowned at school. He dreams of attending Harvard, but first he has to make it home every day. When a drug dealer takes a shine to Malcolm and invites him to his birthday party, Malcolm’s crew is swirled into a hilarious blender of offbeat characters and bad choices where redemption can only be found in Bitcoin.
"The Stanford Prison Experiment"
Latino Talent: Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Actors Moises Arias and Armand Vasquez
Documentary Premieres
"Fresh Dressed"
Latino Theme: With funky, fat-laced Adidas, Kangol hats, and Cazal shades, a totally original look was born—Fresh—and it came from the black and brown side of town where another cultural force was revving up in the streets to take the world by storm. Hip-hop, and its aspirational relationship to fashion, would become such a force on the market that Tommy Hilfiger, in an effort to associate their brand with the cultural swell, would drive through the streets and hand out free clothing to kids on the corner.
Dramatic Premieres
"Experimenter"
Latino Talent: Dir. Michael Almereyda and Actor John Leguizamo
"Last Days in the Desert"
Latino Talent: Dir. Rodrigo García and Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki
"Lila & Eve"
Latino Talent: Producers Tanya Lopez and Priscilla Porianda, Actors Jennifer Lopez, Andre Royo, Marisela Zumbado and Rey Hernandez
Latino Theme: When teenage Stephon is killed in a drive-by shooting, his mother, Lila, slips into a paralyzing grief. She joins a support group for women who have lost children to crime and meets Eve, a woman whose little girl was killed the same night as Stephon. Lila and Eve form a friendship, and Lila begins to crawl out of her depression. She develops a burning desire to find justice for her son, and she presses the authorities for answers, but they are slow-moving and ineffective. It’s Eve who has the idea first—join together, find the drug dealers who shot Stephon dead, and bring them to justice themselves.
This list includes both films that have been created fully or partially by Latin American or U.S. Latino filmmakers, as well as those that deal with themes and ideas relevant to the Latino experience in or outside the Unites States, even if these were not created by Latino artists. The increasing interest in these stories testifies to how rapidly Latinos are becoming constant and strong voices in all areas of the film industry.
In order to highlight as many of these talented creators and films as possible, we’ve created a list that includes all the films at the festival that are helmed by or that incorporate Latino talent and those that focus on a specific aspect pertinent to the Latino community. Some are obvious standouts like Argentina's acclaimed dark comedy "Wild Tales" or Colombia's "Liveforever" from Carlos Moreno.
Then there are those who at first sight might not fit the parameters of what one could think is a Latino film. This is the case of films like Eli Roth's "Knock Knock," which is an English-language horror film whose co-writers, producers, and part of the cast are originally from Chile. There is also " Aloft," a drama in the Spotlight section, which is set between Canada and Minnesota and stars Jennifer Connelly. It was written and directed by Academy Award nominated Peruvian filmmaker Claudia Llosa.
The third case includes those films that deal with subjects that have Latino elements or that explore diversity in the U.S in some way. Examples of these are "The Strongest Man" from Kenny Riches, a film narrated in Spanish by its protagonist "Beef," a charming, yet lost Cuban-American man in Miami; or "Cartel Land" by Matthew Heineman, which focuses on the violence shared between Mexico and U.S due to the drug-fueled chaos that afflicts the region. On a lighter note, there are films like “City of Gold” by Laura Gabbert, in which Los Angeles is seen through its ethnic food and local idiosyncrasies.
In an effort to give exposure to those films in the program that don’t get as much attention, the list below starts with the Shorts Programs and ends with the Dramatic Premieres. Each title is linked to its page on the Sundance website where screening times and locations can be found. Regardless of what films you watch at the festival, it is likely that your eyes will be expose to the work of some amazingly talented Latino filmmaker, writer or actor, or those who appreciate our stories as much as we do.
Shorts
"Spring" (Primavera) - Shorts Program 2
Latino Talent: Dir. Tania Claudia Castillo
Latino Theme: The short was created theough Mexico's renowned Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica (Ccc), and it focuses on
Elba, an introverted, lonely 14-year-old, who wants to bond with her sister Fernanda before she leaves home.
"Papa Machete" - Shorts Program 3
Latino Theme: Two hundred years ago, Haitian slaves defeated Napoleon's armies with the same tool used to work the land: the machete. "Papa Machete" explores a martial art evolved from this victory through the practice of one of its few remaining masters.
"Making it in America" - Shorts Program 4
Latino Theme: A Salvadoran immigrant who fled to the United States as a teenager is now a single mother striving to build a future for her family in Los Angeles.
"Stop" - Shorts Program 5
Latino Talent: Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green, Producer Rashaad Ernesto Green, Cinematographer Federico Cesca, Actors J.W. Cortes and Joshua Rivera.
Latino Theme: A young man's livelihood is put to the test when he is stopped by the police on his way home. Although not specific the Latino experience, the subject matter speaks to recent events involving minority groups and the use of excessive force by police
"Palm Rot" - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Dir. Ryan Gillis Lizama
Latino Theme: An old Florida fumigator discovers a mysterious crate in the Everglades that ruins his day.
"The Sun Like a Big Dark Animal" (El Sol Como un Gran Animal Oscuro) - Animation Spotlight
Latino Talent: Directors Ronnie Rivera and Christina Felisgrau, Screenwriter Bernardo Britto, Producer Lucas Leyva
Latino Theme: This is Spanish-language short about a computer and a woman fall in love, only to be torn apart because of their inappropriate feelings for each other.
"{The And} Marcela & Rock" - Documentary Shorts Program 1
Latino Talent: Dir. Topaz Adizes, Assistant Directors Armando Croda and Sebastian Diaz
Latino Theme: Exploring the intimate spaces of modern-day relationships, this is the best couples therapy session you'll ever witness.
Special Events
Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge
Latino Talent: Directors Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Marialy Rivas
Latino Theme: Sundance Institute Short Film Challenge presents five winning narrative and documentary short films selected from 1,387 submissions representing 69 different countries.The project was designed to use the transformative power of storytelling to generate discussion, shift perceptions around extreme hunger and poverty, and harness the power of independent film to create a global conversation about these issues.
Sundance Kids
"The Game Maker" (El Inventor de Juegos)
Latino Talent: Dir. Juan Pablo Buscarini
New Frontier
"Liveforever" (Que Viva la Musica)
Latino Talent: Dir. Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters Alberto Ferreras and Alonso Torres, alongside the crew and cast.
Latino Theme: Hovering over the river that segregates Cali, Colombia, into haves and have-nots, a haunting presence identifies a perilous willingness among the populace to do anything that is asked of it. A blonde teenage girl, knowing she must change her life, leaves her well-appointed house and flagrantly gives herself over to this tolerant city, saying "yes" to everything provocative it offers her. Only the music tethers her body and spirit together, even as she reaches for redemption through a bold, delicious, and resplendent self-destruction. Inspired by the 1977 best-selling cult novel by Andres Caicedo.
Park City Midnight
"Knock Knock"
Latino Talent: Screenwriters Guillermo Amoedo & Nicolás López, Producers Miguel Asensio and Nicolás López, Cinematographer Antonio Quercia, Actresses Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas
"Reversal"
Latino Talent: Dir. José Manuel Cravioto, Producers Alex Garcia, Rodolfo Marquez and Daniel Posada, Editor Jorge Macaya, Actress Bianca Malinowski
Spotlight
"Aloft"
Latino Talent: Dir. Claudia Llosa
"Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)
Latino Talent: Dir. Damián Szifrón, as well as most of the cast and crew.
Latino Theme: Nominated for the Best Foreign Language Academy Award, this Argentine marvel is conformed of 6 stories about people giving in to their most savage instincts. Forgiveness is out o the question because revenge has never been so deranged and insanely comedic.
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"H."
Latino Talent: Dir. Daniel Garcia
"Nasty Baby"
Latino Talent: Dir. Sebastián Silva, Producers David Hinojosa, Juan de Dios Larraín and Pablo Larraín
Latino Theme: Brooklyn artist Freddy (Sebastian Silva) is baby obsessed. His new project centers around newborns, and he and his boyfriend, Mo, have recruited their best friend, Polly (Kristen Wiig), to help them have a baby. On top of dealing with the stress of opening an art installation and the complications of conceiving a child via artificial insemination, the three begin to be harassed by The Bishop, a mentally ill neighborhood man. An escalating series of incidents threaten to derail the comfortable lives these people have built for themselves.
"Tangerine"
Latino Talent: Actress Kiki Kitana Rodriguez
Latino Theme: It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown, and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity.
"The Strongest Man"
Latino Talent: Actor Robert Lorie
Latino Theme: Beef is a beefy Cuban man who believes that he is The Strongest Man in the World. He doesn’t want children, but he wants to tell his grandchildren about his life as The Strongest Man in the World. His best friend is a slight Korean man named Conan. Conan makes him think about things he normally doesn’t think, like the fact that Beef thinks in Spanish, rather than English. Illy, the adopted daughter of a rich art collector, brings out an anxious side in Beef. But it is when his prized possession—a solid gold BMX bicycle—is stolen from him that Beef finds and loses so much more than he thought he could.
World Dramatic Competition
"The Second Mother"
Latino Talent: Dir. Anna Muylaert and her cast and crew
Latino Theme: Val is the kind of live-in housekeeper who takes her work seriously. She wears a crisp maid's uniform while serving perfect canapés; she serves her wealthy São Paulo employers day in and day out while lovingly nannying their teenage son whom she's raised since toddlerhood. Everyone and everything in the elegant house has its place until one day, Val’s ambitious, clever daughter Jessica arrives from Val’s hometown to take the college entrance exams. Jessica’s confident, youthful presence upsets the unspoken yet strict balance of power in the household; Val must decide where her allegiances lie and what she's willing to sacrifice.
U.S. Documentary Competition
"Cartel Land"
Latino Theme: In the Mexican state of Michoacán, Dr. Jose Mireles, a small-town physician known as "El Doctor," shepherds a citizen uprising against the Knights Templar, the violent drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region for years. Meanwhile, in Arizona's Altar Valley—a narrow, 52-mile-long desert corridor known as Cocaine Alley—Tim "Nailer" Foley, an American veteran, heads a small paramilitary group called Arizona Border Recon, whose goal is to halt Mexico’s drug wars from seeping across our border.
"City of Gold"
Latino Theme: As the unabashed cradle of Hollywood superficiality and smoggy urban sprawl, Los Angeles has long been condemned as a cultural wasteland. In the richly penetrating documentary odyssey City of Gold, Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold shows us another Los Angeles, where ethnic cooking is a kaleidoscopic portal to the mysteries of an unwieldy city and the soul of America.
"Western"
Latino Theme: In his classic novel A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens famously wrote "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." That line sums up the story ofWestern, the latest film from Bill and Turner Ross, a documentary destined to become a classic itself. Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico, two towns on opposite sides of the border have shared a harmonious history until the specter of cartel violence threatens to divide them.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
"Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Latino Talent: Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
"Dope"
Latino Talent: Actors Tony Revolori, Michael Flores, Allen Maldonado, Lidia Porto, and Sergio Garcia
Latino Theme: Malcolm is a high school geek with a high-top fade, carefully navigating life in The Bottoms, one of the toughest neighborhoods in Inglewood, California. He and his fellow outcasts share a voracious appreciation for all things '90s hip-hop, opting to sport Cross-Colours and Z. Cavariccis at the risk of being clowned at school. He dreams of attending Harvard, but first he has to make it home every day. When a drug dealer takes a shine to Malcolm and invites him to his birthday party, Malcolm’s crew is swirled into a hilarious blender of offbeat characters and bad choices where redemption can only be found in Bitcoin.
"The Stanford Prison Experiment"
Latino Talent: Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Actors Moises Arias and Armand Vasquez
Documentary Premieres
"Fresh Dressed"
Latino Theme: With funky, fat-laced Adidas, Kangol hats, and Cazal shades, a totally original look was born—Fresh—and it came from the black and brown side of town where another cultural force was revving up in the streets to take the world by storm. Hip-hop, and its aspirational relationship to fashion, would become such a force on the market that Tommy Hilfiger, in an effort to associate their brand with the cultural swell, would drive through the streets and hand out free clothing to kids on the corner.
Dramatic Premieres
"Experimenter"
Latino Talent: Dir. Michael Almereyda and Actor John Leguizamo
"Last Days in the Desert"
Latino Talent: Dir. Rodrigo García and Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki
"Lila & Eve"
Latino Talent: Producers Tanya Lopez and Priscilla Porianda, Actors Jennifer Lopez, Andre Royo, Marisela Zumbado and Rey Hernandez
Latino Theme: When teenage Stephon is killed in a drive-by shooting, his mother, Lila, slips into a paralyzing grief. She joins a support group for women who have lost children to crime and meets Eve, a woman whose little girl was killed the same night as Stephon. Lila and Eve form a friendship, and Lila begins to crawl out of her depression. She develops a burning desire to find justice for her son, and she presses the authorities for answers, but they are slow-moving and ineffective. It’s Eve who has the idea first—join together, find the drug dealers who shot Stephon dead, and bring them to justice themselves.
- 1/21/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
What if the end of the world was imminent, and you were tasked with collecting the most important names, faces and incidents that make up Earth's history? That is the premise of Bernardo Britto's stunning, Sundance-winning short film "Yearbook," in which a man in a mundane job must decide what parts of humanity have been important enough to survive annihilation, and what not. The short, which earned a spot on our list of favorite short films of 2014 won the Jury Prize for Animation at Sundance 2014 and then went on to play at festivals around the world. It is now a part of The New Yorker's first season of short films. In an interview with Filmmaker Magazine, Britto explained that the inspiration behind the short came as a result of his own feelings of futility when it comes to art. "It didn't mean anything, and people would just forget about it,...
- 1/14/2015
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
Last week, Scott posted Dustin Guy Defa’s Person to Person, one of the first short films to be featured on The New Yorker‘s new shorts catalogue. Another 25 New Face, Bernardo Britto, has now joined the site with his Sundance Jury Prize-winning Yearbook. The animated film imagines a man who has been tasked with cataloguing the world’s history before an alien-sent missile destroys earth. It’s poignant, funny and quietly heartbreaking in equal measure.
- 12/22/2014
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Last week, Scott posted Dustin Guy Defa’s Person to Person, one of the first short films to be featured on The New Yorker‘s new shorts catalogue. Another 25 New Face, Bernardo Britto, has now joined the site with his Sundance Jury Prize-winning Yearbook. The animated film imagines a man who has been tasked with cataloguing the world’s history before an alien-sent missile destroys earth. It’s poignant, funny and quietly heartbreaking in equal measure.
- 12/22/2014
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Not unlike the previous year, a whopping eight thousand plus short films were submitted to Sundance this year. Among some of the filmmaker names that we are already familiar with, we find several feature filmmakers moonlighting back to the short form; basically the short is healthier than ever. Topping the 2015 crop, we have Jake Mahaffy (whose feature, Free in Deed appears to be somewhere in post) who contributes to our understanding of 13th century rule with the year specific, A.D. 1363, The End of Chivalry. We have Cutie and the Boxer helmer working in the fiction form with Hugh the Hunter and form the same vintage 2013 year, fellow feature film helmer Shaka King (director of Newlyweeds) turns in a short in Mulignans (see pic above). Michael Mohan who has been to Sundance with features One Too Many Dates and Save the Date, returns with Pink Grapefruit.
Crossing into the international shorts,...
Crossing into the international shorts,...
- 12/9/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
There will be some Eloise and Lena Dunham, protests from Hong Kong, self-declared pop-ups from Canada, and unbelievable animated images of the final moments of a World War II hero. Those are just a few of the offerings among the 60 short films revealed today by the Sundance Film Festival. In the last of its four official announcements, the 31st annual Park City shindig rolled out an eclectic mix culled from the 8,061 submissions in the category that perhaps shows the true scope of Sundance most acutely.
The fest runs January 22-February 1. (As in past years, Deadline co-Editor-in-Chief, Film Mike Fleming Jr. and myself will be in Park City.)
Here is the full short films list:
U.S. Narrative Short Films
Actresses / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Hersh) — The film follows the relationship between a young, aspiring actress and an established off-Broadway star.
A.D. 1363, The End of Chivalry / U.
The fest runs January 22-February 1. (As in past years, Deadline co-Editor-in-Chief, Film Mike Fleming Jr. and myself will be in Park City.)
Here is the full short films list:
U.S. Narrative Short Films
Actresses / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeremy Hersh) — The film follows the relationship between a young, aspiring actress and an established off-Broadway star.
A.D. 1363, The End of Chivalry / U.
- 12/9/2014
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline
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