reviewsextraslinksguestbooksitemap
TheMovieReport.com
navigation buttons

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

F3PR: David Passman to receive 2016 NATO Marquee Award at CinemaCon

Film Flam Flummox

PRESS RELEASE


CARMIKE CINEMAS’ DAVID PASSMAN TO RECEIVE
2016 NATO MARQUEE AWARD AT CINEMACON

WASHINGTON D.C. (December 16, 2015) – The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) will honor David Passman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carmike Cinemas, with the 2016 NATO Marquee Award during this year’s CinemaCon, it was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon. CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 11–14, 2016 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Passman is being singled out by NATO for his unequalled dedication, commitment and service to the motion picture theatre industry. He will receive his industry tribute as part of CinemaCon’s “State of the Industry: Past, Present and Future” presentation on Tuesday morning, April 12.

“Everyone associated with NATO is thrilled to recognize David Passman with our most significant award,” noted John Fithian, President & CEO of NATO. “David completely revitalized a major theatrical circuit while simultaneously serving as Chairman of NATO for two terms. What more could you ask of an industry leader?”

“With genuine interest, care and concern for its success, David was deeply involved in the planning of CinemaCon during his tenure as NATO Chairman. His insight and guidance is valued by the entire CinemaCon team and it is only befitting that the industry single him out for all he has done with the 2016 NATO Marquee Award,” added Neuhauser.

Passman became director of Carmike Cinemas in June 2003 before being appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, as well as Chair of the Board’s Executive Committee in June 2009. Carmike Cinemas is the fourth largest U.S. exhibitor with 275 theatres, 2,931 screens, 51 Premium Large Format (PLF) auditoriums and entertainment complexes across 41 states. Most recently, Carmike Cinemas acquired the highly regarded Sundance Cinema theatre circuit – five theaters and 37 screens. Passman also established Carmike University, a skills development program in partnership with Troy University. Carmike University allows Carmike Cinema employees the opportunity to earn college level credit while working full time.

Prior to Carmike Cinemas, Passman served as President and CEO of book publishing and distribution company IBS-STL, Inc. In addition, Passman was President of Harland Printed Products and Harland Checks and a former partner at public accounting firm Deloitte & Touché LLP, where he served on its global Board of Directors and as a Managing Partner of the Atlanta Office. Passman has served on the Executive Committee of NATO for six years, where he recently concluded two terms as Chairman. He is currently the Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, serves on the board of Screenvision and is also on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the Will Rogers Foundation.

About CinemaCon

CinemaCon will attract upwards of 5,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry -- from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas -- all on hand to celebrate the moviegoing experience and the cinema industry. From exclusive Hollywood product presentations highlighting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon will help jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season at the box office.

CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also delighted to have as its official presenting sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, one of the industry’s greatest and highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies. Additional information on CinemaCon, the Official Convention of NATO, can be found at www.cinemacon.com.

About NATO

The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 30,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 57 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.


The Movie Report wants to attend all your film special events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!


Friday, December 11, 2015

F3Stage Review: Idina Menzel lets it all go & defies gravity in If/Then

Film Flam Flummox


While If/Then is one of the increasingly rare new musical productions in recent Broadway seasons to not be adapted from a previous media property--or, to be more specific, a movie--the latest collaboration between the award-winning Next to Normal creatives of composer Tom Kitt, lyricist/librettist Brian Yorkey, and director Michael Greif more than recalls a film: the 1998 Gwyneth Paltrow starrer Sliding Doors, which like this show follows the two divergent routes a woman's life can take based on differing outcomes of a seemingly small but overall life-altering incident. Unlike in that film, however, the life of If/Then's heroine Elizabeth Vaughan splinters into parallel paths during one pivotal visit to New York's Madison Square Park not through a chance occurrence but her own choice.


Idina Menzel as Elizabeth Vaughan
and the full cast of If/Then
in the original Broadway production
(photo by Joan Marcus)

The piece's success, particularly in the original 2014-2015 Broadway production and now the First National Tour currently playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, owes mostly to conscious choice, with a touch of good fortune as a magical finishing touch. From the earliest stages of the creative process, Kitt, Yorkey, and Greif worked with Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel to develop the role of Elizabeth--or, rather, roles of "Liz" and "Beth," as the two versions of Elizabeth are verbally differentiated following the scene- and scenario-setting opening number, appropriately titled "What If?" And from her casual opening utterance of "Hey, it's me," the part(s) accordingly fits Menzel as snugly and comfortably as a glove, and she for the entire piece. Setting aside the issue of either vocal or acting chops, there's something to be said for the value of sheer force of charisma in piloting a production, especially given this one's ambitious storytelling hook of depicting two distinct versions of the same character's story simultaneously. Menzel's formidable star presence and innate likability consistently keeps both hemispheres of Elizabeth and those in her orbit(s) compelling and engaging.

That's no small accomplishment, considering that, taken individually, the two strands of the If/Then double helix are fairly thin. The "Liz" course begins when she, freshly moved back to the Big Apple focused on establishing her own life and asserting her own identity after 12 years of wedded non-bliss in Phoenix, elects to have an extended stay in the park with new neighbor Kate (LaChanze). This simple choice leads to her chance meeting with Josh (James Snyder), an Army doctor just returning from his second tour of duty. All manner of rom-com give-and-take thus ensues, as the easygoing Josh and the more guarded and by-the-book Liz collide but strike undeniable sparks that soon even she can neither deny nor resist. Instead of staying in the park with Kate, "Beth" accompanies her college friend Lucas (Anthony Rapp) on a protest he's organizing against a development project, and this path ironically puts her on the fast track on her long-coveted career as an urban planner, with very little time or interest in any affairs of the heart, despite her unhealthy attraction to her married boss Stephen (Daren A. Herbert) or the efforts of the not-so-secretly pining Lucas.


Idina Menzel as Liz; James Snyder as Josh
in the original Broadway production
(photo by Joan Marcus)

Neither of those storylines are terribly original or go in any terribly surprising directions in the micro sense, nor are they in the more macro thematic concern of the contrast between a woman choosing either love or a career. But the creativity and richness of If/Then comes in all levels of its execution, starting with Yorkey's book, which compensates for what it may lack in plot originality in engaging characterization. Menzel's early involvement in the creative process is evident, with the author giving the star plenty of opportunity to showcase the appealingly quirky sense of humor she's long shown in interviews and in concerts, whether in some crackling one-liners (delivered with perfect, deadpan precision by Menzel) or some narratively organic comic situations, namely in one comedic number whose title I dare not spoil here. To have Elizabeth's two best friends be a sassy lesbian (Kate) and a bisexual social activist (Lucas) seems cliché, but Yorkey is generous to them beyond their functions as sounding boards (and, in former's case, comic relief). Kate's own love story with Anne (Janine DiVita) is adequately developed in both timelines, but the treatment of Lucas is even more impressive. His sexuality is admirably treated without comment, with him falling into a relationship with Josh's best friend David (Marc Delacruz) on the Liz side, while being more intimately involved (in every sense) to the main action, to deeply affecting consequences, on the Beth side. Yorkey is, especially in the second act, ultimately a bit too generous to Kate and Lucas, for her duet with Anne and his with David, while certainly pleasant, stall the overall dramatic momentum heading into the climax.

But those two numbers are an exception to Kitt and Yorkey's score, which in form and function reinforce the idea of both its New York City setting, its inhabitants, and the world in general constantly in motion and always propelling forward toward a multitude of new configurations. While there are a couple of knockout numbers that can well stand on their own outside of the show (more on those later), they hold their maximum impact tied in their specific contexts, and despite the variations in sound that naturally come with the given dramatic moment, Kitt makes the musical whole hang together with a consistent, appealing light pop sound. Similarly modern-feeling but not overwhelmingly so, and very effectively reinforcing the idea of perpetual motion and shifting possibilities is Mark Wendland's set design, which makes versatile and visually striking, but unobtrusive, use of ever-shifting scaffolding, wooden frames, and a turntable. In what is reportedly a deviation from the Broadway design, a projection screen, notably for the top half of the proscenium frame, has been added for the tour, and it proves to be a savvy alteration for the road, mostly used to project maps of NYC that pinpoint the exact locations of each scene. The trickiest and most important shifts in "location," of course, are between the Liz and Beth timelines, and Greif makes sure only the most dim and inattentive viewer will not be able to follow the transitions, most obviously having Liz wear glasses and Beth not, but also having lighting designer Kenneth Posner code the Liz side with a red wash and Beth with blue. Spelled out in text this sounds a bit cumbersome and maybe even heavy handed, but in practice it plays out with rather graceful fludity, and Kitt, Yorkey, and Greif have a lot of fun with the juggling act of dual realities, such as having Beth going to bed with one guy and then literally seconds later shift to Liz waking with another.

Scenes like that, and the entire concept of If/Then, may thus sound like one slickly pulled off gimmick concerned more with cleverness than its characters, but the production never once loses sight of the beating, bleeding heart thanks to the actors. In an extremely rare case for a touring company, not only Menzel but LaChanze, Snyder, and her fellow Rent stage and screen alum Rapp are retained from the original Broadway cast, and their collective comfort in the roles and chemistry with each other immeasurably adds to the audience investment. More crucially, though, they also blend well with the newer principal members of the company such as DiVita, Delacruz, and Herbert, who more than pull their own weight. Perhaps the unsung hero of the entire production is Rapp. Befitting the character of Lucas, especially in the Beth storyline, his contribution is reliably rock solid but all too easily taken for granted, best epitomized by his quietly heartbreaking work in the act two Beth duet "Some Other Me" and most especially his startling act one solo "You Don't Need to Love Me," whose understated delivery is in inverse proportion to its emotional wallop.


Idina Menzel as Beth; Anthony Rapp as Lucas
in the original Broadway production
(photo by Joan Marcus)

Naturally, though, no wallop matches that delivered by its above-the-title leading lady, who even after a 20-year career on the boards manages to give a truly revelatory performance. By now Menzel's explosive vocal firepower is very familiar, and she doesn't disappoint in that department, but the restraint and nuance of her voice and overall performance initially takes one aback, particularly in act one. The skill with which she navigates and delineates the subtle yet distinct shades in expression, physicality, and vocal delivery that distinguish Liz from Beth and vice versa is easy to miss; in fact, at intermission I overheard another in the press rows somewhat dismissively declare that she's "talented, but with a limited acting range." But her act two work rather definitively silences any and all doubt that in addition to being a world class vocalist, she's also one forceful dramatic talent. The best example of this for me comes not with the justly show-stopping 11-o'clock number "Always Starting Over," which delivers all the full throttle über-power-ballad histrionics one expects and craves from a Menzel starring vehicle. Rather, the definitive moment occurs in an earlier, equally emotive act two number, "I Hate You," specifically the raw, bitterly venomous yet vulnerable and wounded ferocity with which she spits out the line "I loved you." It's as fearless, emotionally naked, and brutally, almost uncomfortably intimate and honest moment as anyone can find in all of musical theater--and a testament to how the singular gifts of a star at the top of her game can achieve an emotional liftoff that elevates an entire production to a certain gravity-defying transcendence and resonance.


Idina Menzel as Beth and Liz
in the original Broadway production
(photo by Joan Marcus)

The First National Tour production of If/Then is now playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through Sunday, January 3, then moves on to other cities throughout 2016. Watch the cast's Hollywood opening night curtain call here.

Buy the If/Then original Broadway cast album CD here.
Buy the If/Then original Broadway cast album MP3 here.
Buy the If/Then original Broadway cast album vinyl LP here.
Buy the If/Then sheet music here.



(Special thanks to Hollywood Pantages Theatre )


The Movie Report wants to attend and cover all your live stage productions! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

Follow me on Instagram - @twotrey23 Follow me on Twitter - @twotrey23 Subscribe to TheMovieReport.com YouTube Channel

Thursday, December 10, 2015

F3Stage: Idina Menzel & the If/Then cast take their Hollywood bows

Film Flam Flummox


Despite the fact she has performed live on a number of stages in Los Angeles in recent years, including no less than the Dolby Theatre on Oscar night and the Hollywood Bowl, Tony Award winner Idina Menzel marked her Southern California legit theater debut last night, Wednesday, December 9, at the Pantages Theatre, leading the First National Tour company of If/Then. Recreating the tailor-made role (by composer Tom Kitt, lyricist/librettist Brian Yorkey, and her Rent director Michael Greif) for which she was nominated for another Tony in the 2013-2014 season, Menzel is joined for the Hollywood engagement, in a very rare occurrence, the other three principal members of the original Broadway cast, LaChanze, James Snyder, and her fellow Rent alumnus on stage and screen, Anthony Rapp. A full review of the show is coming, but in the meantime watch this video of Menzel, Rapp, LaChanze, and Snyder taking their opening night bows below.


The First National Tour production of If/Then is now playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through Sunday, January 3, then moves on to other cities throughout 2016.

Buy the If/Then original Broadway cast album CD here.
Buy the If/Then original Broadway cast album MP3 here.
Buy the If/Then original Broadway cast album vinyl LP here.
Buy the If/Then sheet music here.

(Special thanks to Hollywood Pantages Theatre )

The Movie Report wants to attend and cover all your live stage productions! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

Monday, December 7, 2015

F3PR: African-American Film Critics Association names Straight Outta Compton as top film of 2015

Film Flam Flummox

PRESS RELEASE


AFRICAN-AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION
NAMES STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
AS TOP FILM OF 2015

Will Smith, Teyonah Parris, and Ryan Coogler
Also Receive Wins from the Nation’s Premier
African-American Critics Group

The Danish Girl and Mad Max: Fury Road
Also Take Key Honors


Los Angeles, CA (December 7, 2015) – Movies that reflect the revolutionary undercurrent running through society dominated this year’s voting for the 7th AAFCA Awards. Straight Outta Compton, the surprise summer box office hit centered on the 90’s rap group N.W.A, captured an overwhelming majority of the votes cast by members of the association. The Universal Pictures film earned multiple awards for Best Picture, Best Ensemble and Best Supporting Actor for Jason Mitchell, who portrayed the group’s founder, Eazy-E. Awards were also given to Creed in the category of Best Director for Ryan Coogler; Michael B. Jordan for Breakout Performance and Tessa Thompson for Best Supporting Actress. The top acting honors went to Will Smith and Teyonah Parris for their roles in Concussion and Chi-Raq. AAFCA will hold its 7th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood, CA.

“Our members found an interesting theme in many of the films released this year, giving a voice to communities who have generally been underserved and marginalized in society,” says AAFCA president Gil Robertson. “With movies like Straight Outta Compton, Chi-Raq, 3 1/2 Minutes and Dope, filmmakers brought to life many storylines that are a reflection of what’s happening in our world today, including the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Pictures like Carol and The Danish Girl, give voice to another community that is too often ridiculed and ignored by the status-quo. With Creed, the members of AAFCA found an opportunity to celebrate a film with “a” universal message of hope, honor and perseverance -- something that everyone can embrace. Overall, it was a transformative year in cinema.”

The following is a complete list of 2015 AAFCA Awards winners.

  • Best Picture: Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
  • Best Director: Ryan Coogler, Creed (Warner Bros.)
  • Best Ensemble: Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
  • Best Actor: Will Smith, Concussion (Sony)
  • Best Actress: Teyonah Parris, Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions)
  • Best Supporting Actor: Jason Mitchell, Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
  • Best Supporting Actress: Tessa Thompson, Creed (Warner Bros.)
  • Best Independent Film: Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions)
  • Best Screenplay: Rick Famuyiwa, Dope (Open Road Films)
  • Breakout Performance: Michael B. Jordan, Creed (Warner Bros.)
  • Best Animation: The Peanuts Movie (20th Century Fox)
  • Best Documentary: A Ballerina’s Tale (Sundance Selects)
  • Best Song: "See You Again," Furious Seven (Atlantic Records)
  • Best TV Comedy: Black-ish (ABC)
  • Best TV Drama: How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
  • Best Cable/New Media TV Show: Survivor's Remorse (Starz)
AAFCA Top Ten Films of 2015 are as follows in order of distinction:

  1. Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
  2. Creed (Warner Bros.)
  3. Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.)
  4. Beasts of No Nation (Netflix)
  5. The Martian (20th Century Fox)
  6. 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets (Participant Media/HBO) / Dope (Open Road Films)
  7. Chi-Raq (Roadside Attractions)
  8. Carol (The Weinstein Company)
  9. The Big Short (Paramount Pictures)
  10. The Danish Girl (Focus Features)
As previously announced, AAFCA’s Special Achievement honors will be awarded to Codeblack Entertainment CEO, Jeff Clanagan; director John Singleton; Maverick Carter and LeBron James’ SpringHill Entertainment. New York Times film critic, Manohla Dargis will receive the organization’s Roger Ebert Award and HBO will receive the group’s Cinema Vanguard Award.

About AAFCA

The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is the premiere organization of African-American film media professionals. Founded in 2003, AAFCA’s members represent a geographically diverse cross-section of media covering the cinematic arts. The organization honors excellence in cinema by creating awareness for films with universal appeal to black communities, while emphasizing film about the black experience and those produced written, directed and starring performers of African descent. The association actively reviews the quality and standard of black talent, content and media coverage. AAFCA also supports the development of future black film critics and filmmakers. AAFCA is based in Los Angeles.

(Special thanks to AAFCA)

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

31st Film Independent Spirit Award nominations

Film Flam Flummox


John Boyega and Elizabeth Olsen announced the nominees for Film Independent's 31st annual Spirit Awards this morning at a press conference at the W Hotel in Hollywood.

BEST FEATURE

Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.

  • Anomalisa
    Producers: Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman, Dino Stamatopoulos, Rosa Tran
  • Beasts of No Nation
    Producers: Daniel Crown, Idris Elba, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Amy Kaufman, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker
  • Carol
    Producers: Elizabeth Karlsen, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley
  • Spotlight
    Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar
  • Tangerine
    Producers: Sean Baker, Karrie Cox, Marcus Cox, Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou
BEST FIRST FEATURE

Award given to the director and producer.

  • The Diary of a Teenage Girl
    Director: Marielle Heller
    Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit
  • James White
    Director: Josh Mond
    Producers: Max Born, Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin, Melody Roscher, Eric Schultz
  • Manos Sucias
    Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka
    Producers: Elena Greenlee, Márcia Nunes
  • Mediterranea
    Director: Jonas Carpignano
    Producers: Jason Michael Berman, Chris Columbus, Jon Coplon, Christoph Daniel, Andrew Kortschak, John Lesher, Ryan Lough, Justin Nappi, Alain Peyrollaz, Gwyn Sannia, Marc Schmidheiny, Victor Shapiro, Ryan Zacarias
  • Songs My Brothers Taught Me
    Director/Producer: Chloé Zhao
    Producers: Mollye Asher, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Angela C. Lee, Forest Whitaker
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD

Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.

  • Advantageous
    Writer/Director/Producer: Jennifer Phang
    Writer/Producer: Jacqueline Kim
    Producers: Robert Chang, Ken Jeong, Moon Molson, Theresa Navarro
  • Christmas, Again
    Writer/Director/Producer: Charles Poekel
  • Heaven Knows What
    Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie
    Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie
    Producers: Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear McClard
  • Krisha
    Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
    Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith
  • Out of My Hand
    Writer/Director: Takeshi Fukunaga
    Writer/Producer: Donari Braxton
    Producer: Mike Fox
BEST DIRECTOR

  • Sean Baker, Tangerine
  • Cary Joji Fukunaga, Beasts of No Nation
  • Todd Haynes, Carol
  • Duke Johnson & Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa
  • Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
  • David Robert Mitchell, It Follows
BEST SCREENPLAY

  • Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa
  • Donald Margulies, The End of the Tour
  • Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, Spotlight
  • Phyllis Nagy, Carol
  • S. Craig Zahler, Bone Tomahawk
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

  • Jesse Andrews, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
  • Jonas Carpignano, Mediterranea
  • Emma Donoghue, Room
  • Marielle Heller, The Diary of a Teenage Girl
  • John Magary, story by Russell Harbaugh and Myna Joseph, The Mend
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • Cary Joji Fukunaga, Beasts of No Nation
  • Michael Gioulakis, It Follows
  • Ed Lachman, Carol
  • Reed Morano, Meadowland
  • Joshua James Richards, Songs My Brothers Taught Me
BEST EDITING

  • Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie, Heaven Knows What
  • Tom McArdle, Spotlight
  • Nathan Nugent, Room
  • Julio C. Perez IV, It Follows
  • Kristan Sprague, Manos Sucias
BEST FEMALE LEAD

  • Cate Blanchett, Carol
  • Brie Larson, Room
  • Rooney Mara, Carol
  • Bel Powley, The Diary of a Teenage Girl
  • Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Tangerine
BEST MALE LEAD

  • Christopher Abbott, James White
  • Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation
  • Ben Mendelsohn, Mississippi Grind
  • Jason Segel, The End of the Tour
  • Koudous Seihon, Mediterranea
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

  • Robin Bartlett, H.
  • Marin Ireland, Glass Chin
  • Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anomalisa
  • Cynthia Nixon, James White
  • Mya Taylor, Tangerine
BEST SUPPORTING MALE

  • Kevin Corrigan, Results
  • Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
  • Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
  • Richard Jenkins, Bone Tomahawk
  • Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD

Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

  • Spotlight
    Director: Tom McCarthy
    Casting Directors: Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee
    Ensemble Cast: Michael Cyril Creighton, Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
BEST DOCUMENTARY

Award given to the director and producer.

  • (T)ERROR
    Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
    Producer: Christopher St. John
  • Best of Enemies
    Directors/Producers: Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville
  • Heart of a Dog
    Director/Producer: Laurie Anderson
    Producer: Dan Janvey
  • The Look of Silence
    Director:Joshua Oppenheimer
    Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen
  • Meru
    Directors/Producers: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
    Producer: Shannon Ethridge
  • The Russian Woodpecker
    Director/Producer: Chad Gracia
    Producers: Ram Devineni, Mike Lerner
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

Award given to the director.

  • Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
    Director: Ciro Guerra
  • Girlhood (France)
    Director: Céline Sciamma
  • Mustang (France, Turkey)
    Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
  • A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Sweden)
    Director: Roy Andersson
  • Son of Saul (Hungary)
    Director: László Nemes
19th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD

The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

  • Darren Dean
  • Mel Eslyn
  • Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith
22nd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD

The 22nd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.

  • God Bless the Child
    Directors: Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
  • King Jack
    Director: Felix Thompson
  • Songs My Brothers Taught Me
    Director: Chloé Zhao
21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD

The 21st annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

  • Among the Believers
    Directors: Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi
  • Incorruptible
    Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
  • A Woman Like Me
    Directors: Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex Sichel

(Special thanks to Film Independent and Ginsberg-Libby)


The Movie Report wants to attend all your film awards events! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

Friday, November 13, 2015

AFI FEST presented by Audi 2015 reviews

The Movie Report


  • The Big Short ****
  • By the Sea ** 1/2
  • Concussion ** 1/2
  • Dheepan ***
  • 45 Years ***
  • Free in Deed *** Q&A video
  • Hitchcock/Truffaut *** Q&A video
  • James White *** Q&A video
  • The Lady in the Van **
  • Landfill Harmonic *** Q&A video live performance video
  • The Lobster *** 1/2
  • Macbeth *** 1/2 Q&A video
  • Son of Saul (Saul Fia) ***
  • Youth *** 1/2 Q&A video
  • Where to Invade Next ***


The Movie Report wants to attend all your film festivals for coverage! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

please buy from my eBay Wish List

please buy from my Amazon.com Wish List

Thursday, November 12, 2015

AFI FEST presented by Audi 2015 Award Winners

Film Flam Flummox


The award winners for AFI FEST 2015 presented by Audi were announced at a special brunch ceremony this morning at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

NEW AUTEURS AWARDS

  • New Auteurs Grand Jury Award
    Land and Shade, directed by César Augusto Acevedo
  • Special Jury Mention for Direction
    Disorder, directed by Alice Winocour
  • Special Jury Mention for Screenplay
    Desde Allá, written by Lorenzo Vigas
AUDIENCE AWARDS
  • Breakthrough Section
    Ma, directed by Celia Rowlson-Hall
  • New Auteurs Section
    Mustang, directed by Deniz Gamze Ergüven
  • American Independents Section
    James White, directed by Josh Mond
  • World Cinema Section
    Landfill Harmonic, directed by Brad Allgood, Graham Townsley & Juliana Penaranda-Loftus
SHORT FILM GRAND JURY AWARDS
  • Grand Jury Award for Live Action Short
    Boys, directed by Isabella Carbonell
  • Grand Jury Award for Animated Short
    World of Tomorrow, directed by Don Hertzfeldt
  • Live Action Short Special Jury Mention for Innovative Storytelling
    Rate Me, directed by Fyzal Boulifa
  • Live Action Short Special Mention for Nonfiction Filmmaking
    The Reagan Shorts: Ronald Reagan Lights the Lights, Ronald Reagan Pardons a Turkey, Maryland Public Television Interviews the Reagans, directed by Pacho Velez
  • Animated Short Special Jury Mention for Screenwriting
    Teeth, written by Tom Brown & Daniel Gray
  • Animated Short Special Jury Mention for Creative Vision
    Manoman, directed by Simon Cartwright


The Movie Report wants to attend all your film festivals for coverage! Please send any and all invitations to this address. Thanks!

please buy from my eBay Wish List

please buy from my Amazon.com Wish List

Friday, October 30, 2015

The Movie Report #843, October 30, 2015

The Movie Report

#843, October 30, 2015


MOVIES:
  • Burnt **
  • Our Brand Is Crisis ** 1/2
  • Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse **

please buy from my eBay Wish List

please buy from my Amazon.com Wish List

Instagram: @twotrey23

Twitter: @twotrey23