Aaron Jeffrey has been acting professionally for almost 30 years. Although his time in the industry hasn’t always been easy, he’s always managed to find ways to keep moving forward in his career. As a result, he has built a solid resume and he’s gotten to work with some big names. Although most of his work has been on Australian projects, Aaron was recently introduced to American viewers thanks to his role in the Netflix series Pieces of Her. The show will likely help him gain even more opportunities – especially in the United States. If you don’t know much
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Aaron Jeffery...
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Aaron Jeffery...
- 3/14/2022
- by Camille Moore
- TVovermind.com
Pieces of Her Trailer — Netflix‘s Pieces of Her (2022) movie trailer has been released. The Pieces of Her trailer stars Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, Jessica Barden, Jacob Scipio, Joe Dempsie, Aaron Jeffery, Omari Hardwick, Gil Birmingham, David Wenham, Calum Worthy, Nicholas Burton, and Terry O’Quinn. Crew Minkie Spiro directed all of the episodes Pieces [...]
Continue reading: Pieces Of Her (2022) TV Show Trailer: Bella Heathcote Begins to Discover Toni Collette’s Secrets in Netflix’s Thriller Series...
Continue reading: Pieces Of Her (2022) TV Show Trailer: Bella Heathcote Begins to Discover Toni Collette’s Secrets in Netflix’s Thriller Series...
- 2/17/2022
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
"There are just some things... you don't understand." Netflix has revealed the first official trailer for a new mystery crime thriller series titled Pieces of Her, based on Karin Slaughter's bestselling novel of the same name. The best part about this is that stars the superbly talented Toni Collette, in a role where it seems she has some hidden sides. When a Saturday afternoon trip to the mall with her mother suddenly explodes into violence, an adrift young woman's conception of her mother is forever altered. As figures from her past start to resurface, she is forced to go on the run and on that journey, begins to piece together the truth of her mother's previous identity and uncovers secrets of her childhood. Also co-starring Bella Heathcote, with Jessica Barden, Jacob Scipio, Joe Dempsie, Aaron Jeffery, Omari Hardwick, Gil Birmingham, David Wenham, Calum Worthy, Nicholas Burton, and Terry O’Quinn.
- 2/15/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Pieces of Her is poised to be one of the most talked about shows of 2022.
Netflix on Tuesday dropped a thrilling trailer for the Toni Collette-fronted drama series, and we're excited.
The trailer asks a very valid question:
What would you do if your mother was not who you thought she was?
“There are just some things you don’t understand,” Laura (Collette) warns in the clip.
The big hook is that Collette's character reacts to a sudden act of violence, setting off a chain of events that nobody could have imagined.
It has a very Ozark feel about it, and given that the fellow Netflix hit is ending, this could be a worthy successor.
The trailer also boasts that the show came from the people who made Big Little Lies and The Undoing, so we're inclined to believe this will be yet another hit for the streaming service.
Netflix on Tuesday dropped a thrilling trailer for the Toni Collette-fronted drama series, and we're excited.
The trailer asks a very valid question:
What would you do if your mother was not who you thought she was?
“There are just some things you don’t understand,” Laura (Collette) warns in the clip.
The big hook is that Collette's character reacts to a sudden act of violence, setting off a chain of events that nobody could have imagined.
It has a very Ozark feel about it, and given that the fellow Netflix hit is ending, this could be a worthy successor.
The trailer also boasts that the show came from the people who made Big Little Lies and The Undoing, so we're inclined to believe this will be yet another hit for the streaming service.
- 2/15/2022
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
What would you do if your mother suddenly was not who you thought she was?
Netflix’s mystery thriller “Pieces of Her” stars Bella Heathcote as Andy Oliver, who is saved during a seemingly random act of violence by her mother Laura (Toni Collette), who seems remarkably adept at eliminating violent threats. Her actions lead Andy to investigate her mother’s mysterious past.
Based on Karin Slaughter’s New York Times–bestselling novel and helmed by producers of “Big Little Lies” and “The Undoing,” the upcoming series “Pieces of Her” premieres March 4 on Netflix.
Charlotte Stoudt, who wrote the series adaptation, serves as showrunner and executive producer, with Minkie Spiro directing. The eight-episode series is executive-produced by author Slaughter, Steve Hutensky, Casey Harver, Janice Williams, Lesli Linka Glatter, and Bruna Papandrea.
Jessica Barden, Jacob Scipio, Joe Dempsie, Aaron Jeffery, Omari Hardwick, Gil Birmingham, David Wenham, Calum Worthy, Nicholas Burton, and...
Netflix’s mystery thriller “Pieces of Her” stars Bella Heathcote as Andy Oliver, who is saved during a seemingly random act of violence by her mother Laura (Toni Collette), who seems remarkably adept at eliminating violent threats. Her actions lead Andy to investigate her mother’s mysterious past.
Based on Karin Slaughter’s New York Times–bestselling novel and helmed by producers of “Big Little Lies” and “The Undoing,” the upcoming series “Pieces of Her” premieres March 4 on Netflix.
Charlotte Stoudt, who wrote the series adaptation, serves as showrunner and executive producer, with Minkie Spiro directing. The eight-episode series is executive-produced by author Slaughter, Steve Hutensky, Casey Harver, Janice Williams, Lesli Linka Glatter, and Bruna Papandrea.
Jessica Barden, Jacob Scipio, Joe Dempsie, Aaron Jeffery, Omari Hardwick, Gil Birmingham, David Wenham, Calum Worthy, Nicholas Burton, and...
- 2/15/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Feature also sells to Latin America, German-speaking territories.
Heading into this week’s virtual EFM Montreal-based WaZabi Films has licensed US rights to Cinedigm on Australian drama Moon Rock For Monday.
Wazabi co-president Anick Poirier said the company has struck additional deals on the Lunar Pictures feature with Landfilm for German-speaking Europe, Youngjin Creative for South Korea, Sts for Japan, Encripta for Latin America, and Media4Fun for Poland.
Kurt Martin directed the story about Monday, a terminally ill girl who encounters a teenage fugitive with whom she ends up travelling to Australia’s Northern Territory to find the moon...
Heading into this week’s virtual EFM Montreal-based WaZabi Films has licensed US rights to Cinedigm on Australian drama Moon Rock For Monday.
Wazabi co-president Anick Poirier said the company has struck additional deals on the Lunar Pictures feature with Landfilm for German-speaking Europe, Youngjin Creative for South Korea, Sts for Japan, Encripta for Latin America, and Media4Fun for Poland.
Kurt Martin directed the story about Monday, a terminally ill girl who encounters a teenage fugitive with whom she ends up travelling to Australia’s Northern Territory to find the moon...
- 2/7/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Pieces of Her is coming soon to Netflix. The streaming service announced a premiere date and released the first photos of the upcoming drama. Starring Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, Jessica Barden, Jacob Scipio, Joe Dempsie, Aaron Jeffery, Omari Hardwick, Gil Birmingham, David Wenham, Calum Worthy, Nicholas Burton, and Terry O'Quinn, the drama is based on the best selling novel by Karin Slaughter.
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- 1/26/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
"All these bloody lies... I'm taking back what's mine." 4Digital Media has released an official US trailer for an Australian action western titled The Flood, from filmmaker Victoria Wharfe McIntyre. This premiered at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival last year, and it already opened in Australia (we also featured the Australian trailer last year), and arrives in the US this fall. "A tale of retribution, revenge, redemption and reconciliation." Set during WWII, when a woman's husband, daughter, land and innocence are ripped from her, she embarks on a brutal journey of retribution and revenge. Starring Alexis Lane as Jarah Banganha, with Shaka Cook, Dean Kyrwood, Dalara Williams, Karen Garnsey, Peter McAllum, Simone Landers, and Aaron Jeffery. There's a lot going on in this trailer, a ton of different characters, and action all over the place. All the US marketing is focused on Jarah, but she's not in this trailer as much as expected.
- 10/5/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Nicholas Burton (Damaged) and Aaron Jeffery (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) are set to recur in Netflix’s dramatic thriller series Pieces of Her, starring Toni Collette and Bella Heathcote.
Based on the 2018 book by bestselling crime author Karin Slaughter, the eight-episode series comes from an all-female creative team led by Charlotte Stoudt, Bruna Papandrea, Lesli Linka Glatter and Minkie Spiro, who will direct the season.
Written by Stoudt, who serves as showrunner, Pieces of Her is set in a sleepy Georgia town where a random act of violence sets off an unexpected chain of events for 30-year-old Andy Oliver (Heathcote) and her mother Laura (Collette). Desperate for answers, Andy embarks on a dangerous journey across America, drawing her towards the dark, hidden heart of her family.
Burton plays Andrew Queller, the younger son of Martin Queller (Terry O’Quinn) and the idealist of the family.
Jeffery plays a mysterious and potentially...
Based on the 2018 book by bestselling crime author Karin Slaughter, the eight-episode series comes from an all-female creative team led by Charlotte Stoudt, Bruna Papandrea, Lesli Linka Glatter and Minkie Spiro, who will direct the season.
Written by Stoudt, who serves as showrunner, Pieces of Her is set in a sleepy Georgia town where a random act of violence sets off an unexpected chain of events for 30-year-old Andy Oliver (Heathcote) and her mother Laura (Collette). Desperate for answers, Andy embarks on a dangerous journey across America, drawing her towards the dark, hidden heart of her family.
Burton plays Andrew Queller, the younger son of Martin Queller (Terry O’Quinn) and the idealist of the family.
Jeffery plays a mysterious and potentially...
- 4/2/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Victoria Wharfe McIntyre’s revenge thriller The Flood will get releases in the US, UK, and Latin America after a number of deals at the European Film Market.
Berlin-based Media Move licensed the rights, with 4Digital Media picking up North America and the UK, where it plans a digital and DVD release later this year, and Brazil’s Encripta to distribute in Latin America, where it plans a theatrical release in June.
McIntyre said while distinctly Australian, the film carried the universal themes of revenge, redemption and reconciliation through truth telling.
“We are thrilled to see our uniquely Australian voice popular on the international stage, sharing a narrative built around #metoo, Black Lives Matter, and colonisation,” she said.
Set during WWII, the film is a coming-of-age story detailing Jarah’s (Alexis Lane) growth from a sweet child to a strong, independent and ferocious woman taking on Australia’s corrupt and...
Berlin-based Media Move licensed the rights, with 4Digital Media picking up North America and the UK, where it plans a digital and DVD release later this year, and Brazil’s Encripta to distribute in Latin America, where it plans a theatrical release in June.
McIntyre said while distinctly Australian, the film carried the universal themes of revenge, redemption and reconciliation through truth telling.
“We are thrilled to see our uniquely Australian voice popular on the international stage, sharing a narrative built around #metoo, Black Lives Matter, and colonisation,” she said.
Set during WWII, the film is a coming-of-age story detailing Jarah’s (Alexis Lane) growth from a sweet child to a strong, independent and ferocious woman taking on Australia’s corrupt and...
- 3/10/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
"Destroy me? They made me." Madman Films has released an official Australian trailer for The Flood, an intense revenge western thriller from Australia directly confronting their racism towards aboriginals. "A tale of retribution, revenge, redemption and reconciliation." This film recently premiered at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival a few months back, and it arrives in Australia in January coming up soon. Set during World War II, when a woman's husband, daughter, land and innocence are ripped from her, she embarks on a brutal journey of retribution and revenge. Starring Alexis Lane as Jarah Banganha, along with Shaka Cook, Dean Kyrwood, Dalara Williams, Karen Garnsey, Peter McAllum, Simone Landers, and Aaron Jeffery. Whoa this looks damn good! Seems to be a more gritty genre action film take on Australia's racism than the emotional dramas they've been making recently. That bar scene at the end of this! Hell yes. Here's the...
- 12/1/2020
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The Flood, Victoria Wharfe-McIntyre’s debut feature, follows a female heroine (Alexis Lane) as she exacts revenge on an unjust colonial Australia.
Due to premiere in cinemas December 8 via Madman and FanForce, it also stars Shaka Cook, Dean Kyrwood, Dalara Williams and Aaron Jeffery, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2020 Aacta Awards for his work on the film.
The post ‘The Flood’ (Trailer) appeared first on If Magazine.
Due to premiere in cinemas December 8 via Madman and FanForce, it also stars Shaka Cook, Dean Kyrwood, Dalara Williams and Aaron Jeffery, who is nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 2020 Aacta Awards for his work on the film.
The post ‘The Flood’ (Trailer) appeared first on If Magazine.
- 11/25/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Shannon Murphy’s feature debut Babyteeth leads the early Aacta Awards race, scoring nods in 12 out of 13 film categories, while Mystery Road and Stateless are ahead in television.
The Australian Academy revealed the first round of nominees for the annual awards over the weekend, to be presented across two ‘reimagined’ events later this month.
Television and documentary craft nominations, visual effects and animation, casting, hair and make-up and subscription television presenter categories are yet to be announced, expected on November 12.
Despite the disrupted year for film, some 19 narrative features are nominated so far.
However, six dominate alongside the aforementioned Babyteeth: Justin Kurzel’s True History of the Kelly Gang, with 10 nominations, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness with nine, Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man and Unjoo Moon’s I Am Woman close behind with eight and seven nominations respectively, and Natalie Erika James’ Relic with five. Each will...
The Australian Academy revealed the first round of nominees for the annual awards over the weekend, to be presented across two ‘reimagined’ events later this month.
Television and documentary craft nominations, visual effects and animation, casting, hair and make-up and subscription television presenter categories are yet to be announced, expected on November 12.
Despite the disrupted year for film, some 19 narrative features are nominated so far.
However, six dominate alongside the aforementioned Babyteeth: Justin Kurzel’s True History of the Kelly Gang, with 10 nominations, John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness with nine, Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man and Unjoo Moon’s I Am Woman close behind with eight and seven nominations respectively, and Natalie Erika James’ Relic with five. Each will...
- 11/2/2020
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
John Schwarz and Tyler Atkins.
Luke Hemsworth is playing the lead opposite teenager Rasmus King in Bosch and Rockit, writer-director Tyler Atkins’ debut feature which follows a father and son who are pursued by crooked cops.
Now shooting in Byron Bay, the privately-financed road movie/drama is a spin-off from Atkins’ 2018 short which starred King and Aaron Jeffery.
Deeper Water Pictures’ John Schwarz, who joined the project several weeks ago at the suggestion of Dop Ben Nott, is producing with Cathy Flannery.
Based on a true story, the plot follows Hemsworth’s Bosch and King’s 13-year-old Rockit as they embark on a late summer trip along the Australian coast.
Rockit believes he is on a magical holiday with his dad until he sees the cops are in pursuit. On the run, they struggle with numerous setbacks with hope, courage and determination.
Michael Sheasby and Martin Sacks play the cops...
Luke Hemsworth is playing the lead opposite teenager Rasmus King in Bosch and Rockit, writer-director Tyler Atkins’ debut feature which follows a father and son who are pursued by crooked cops.
Now shooting in Byron Bay, the privately-financed road movie/drama is a spin-off from Atkins’ 2018 short which starred King and Aaron Jeffery.
Deeper Water Pictures’ John Schwarz, who joined the project several weeks ago at the suggestion of Dop Ben Nott, is producing with Cathy Flannery.
Based on a true story, the plot follows Hemsworth’s Bosch and King’s 13-year-old Rockit as they embark on a late summer trip along the Australian coast.
Rockit believes he is on a magical holiday with his dad until he sees the cops are in pursuit. On the run, they struggle with numerous setbacks with hope, courage and determination.
Michael Sheasby and Martin Sacks play the cops...
- 8/18/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Philip Quast and Hermione Norris in ‘Between Two Worlds’.
After creating five of Australia’s most popular dramas – Always Greener, All Saints, Packed to the Rafters, Winners & Losers and A Place to Call Home – in a stellar 37-year career, Bevan Lee felt he had reached a crossroad.
If he followed one path, he would simply rest on his laurels and be content with his legacy. The other, far more attractive and challenging option: Create a drama unlike anything he’d ever done and which breaks the traditional rules of the genre.
Hence was born Between Two Worlds, a 10-part Seven Studios production which premieres on Seven on Sunday.
The first episode depicts two disparate and seemingly disconnected worlds, typified by one family of extreme wealth and privilege, the other middleclass and suburban.
“I decided I wanted to do a twisty, turny narrative which breaks the rules,” says Lee, who created the show last year,...
After creating five of Australia’s most popular dramas – Always Greener, All Saints, Packed to the Rafters, Winners & Losers and A Place to Call Home – in a stellar 37-year career, Bevan Lee felt he had reached a crossroad.
If he followed one path, he would simply rest on his laurels and be content with his legacy. The other, far more attractive and challenging option: Create a drama unlike anything he’d ever done and which breaks the traditional rules of the genre.
Hence was born Between Two Worlds, a 10-part Seven Studios production which premieres on Seven on Sunday.
The first episode depicts two disparate and seemingly disconnected worlds, typified by one family of extreme wealth and privilege, the other middleclass and suburban.
“I decided I wanted to do a twisty, turny narrative which breaks the rules,” says Lee, who created the show last year,...
- 7/24/2020
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
‘McLeod’s Daughters’ (Photo credit: Millennium Pictures).
Posie Graeme-Evans, co-creator of the Nine Network drama McLeod’s Daughters, is working on a feature film spin-off with producer Sue Clothier and screenwriter Emma Jensen.
Screen Tasmania is funding the early development of McLeods of Drovers Run, scripted by Jensen and produced by Graeme-Evans and Clothier.
Based on an origin story by Graeme-Evans, the plot sees tragic, unfinished business that begins in 1850s Scotland at the ancestral home of the McLeods return to haunt the present day family.
The logline reads: “In the end, family is all we have when the past will not die. That’s a good thing. Right?”
Graeme-Evans is convinced there is still a huge appetite for the McLeod’s franchise. Currently screening on Stan, the series won the Meaa’s The Great Australian Binge vote for Australia’s most favourite show.
A McLeod’s Daughters reunion attended by cast members Bridie Carter,...
Posie Graeme-Evans, co-creator of the Nine Network drama McLeod’s Daughters, is working on a feature film spin-off with producer Sue Clothier and screenwriter Emma Jensen.
Screen Tasmania is funding the early development of McLeods of Drovers Run, scripted by Jensen and produced by Graeme-Evans and Clothier.
Based on an origin story by Graeme-Evans, the plot sees tragic, unfinished business that begins in 1850s Scotland at the ancestral home of the McLeods return to haunt the present day family.
The logline reads: “In the end, family is all we have when the past will not die. That’s a good thing. Right?”
Graeme-Evans is convinced there is still a huge appetite for the McLeod’s franchise. Currently screening on Stan, the series won the Meaa’s The Great Australian Binge vote for Australia’s most favourite show.
A McLeod’s Daughters reunion attended by cast members Bridie Carter,...
- 6/21/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Sales slate includes Cannes Official Selection Nadia, Butterfly, You Will Remember Me.
With a week to go before the Cannes virtual market kicks off, Anick Poirier and Lorne Price’s WaZabi Films has picked up worldwide rights excluding Australia and New Zealand to Australian family drama Moon Rock For Monday.
Writer/director Kurt Martin’s film stars Aaron Jeffery, George Pullar and newcomer Ashlyn Louden-Gamble in the title role of Monday.
Moon Rock For Monday centres on a terminally ill girl and a fugitive who embark on a road trip to visit a moon rock the girl believes will heal her.
With a week to go before the Cannes virtual market kicks off, Anick Poirier and Lorne Price’s WaZabi Films has picked up worldwide rights excluding Australia and New Zealand to Australian family drama Moon Rock For Monday.
Writer/director Kurt Martin’s film stars Aaron Jeffery, George Pullar and newcomer Ashlyn Louden-Gamble in the title role of Monday.
Moon Rock For Monday centres on a terminally ill girl and a fugitive who embark on a road trip to visit a moon rock the girl believes will heal her.
- 6/15/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
‘McLeod’s Daughters.’
McLeod’s Daughters, the Nine Network drama co-created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, was proclaimed Australia’s most favourite show in the Great Australian Binge.
Fremantle’s Wentworth came second, followed by Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road series and Riley Turner Productions’ Kath & Kim (which is streaming on Netflix).
Fewer than 10 votes separated Fremantle’s Neighbours and Seven Studios’ Home and Away in fifth and sixth place.
Matchbox Pictures/For Pete’s Sake Productions’ The Heights ranked seventh, followed by Southern Star’s Puberty Blues, Rob Sitch’s 1997 classic The Castle – the most popular Aussie movie – and Southern Star’s Offspring.
Ludo Studio’s Bluey was voted the No. 1 children’s show. Michala Banas announced the results on YouTube last night.
The Meaa ran the initiative asking people to vote online for the Australian film or show they’ve loved watching in lockdown as part of the...
McLeod’s Daughters, the Nine Network drama co-created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, was proclaimed Australia’s most favourite show in the Great Australian Binge.
Fremantle’s Wentworth came second, followed by Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road series and Riley Turner Productions’ Kath & Kim (which is streaming on Netflix).
Fewer than 10 votes separated Fremantle’s Neighbours and Seven Studios’ Home and Away in fifth and sixth place.
Matchbox Pictures/For Pete’s Sake Productions’ The Heights ranked seventh, followed by Southern Star’s Puberty Blues, Rob Sitch’s 1997 classic The Castle – the most popular Aussie movie – and Southern Star’s Offspring.
Ludo Studio’s Bluey was voted the No. 1 children’s show. Michala Banas announced the results on YouTube last night.
The Meaa ran the initiative asking people to vote online for the Australian film or show they’ve loved watching in lockdown as part of the...
- 5/28/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
The Meaa’s The Great Australian Binge initiative, which invites people to vote online for the Australian film or show they’ve loved watching in lockdown, reveals a large fondness for nostalgic TV.
The most popular show thus far – voting closes at midnight this Sunday – is McLeod’s Daughters, the Nine Network drama co-created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, which is airing on Stan.
The show starring Bridie Carter, Sonia Todd, Jessica Napier, Rachael Carpani, Simmone Mackinnon and Aaron Jeffery ran on Nine for eight seasons from 2001 to 2009.
Fremantle’s Wentworth is running second, followed by Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road series, Riley Turner Productions’ Kath & Kim (which is streaming on Netflix) and Fremantle’s Neighbours.
Nearly 5,500 people have voted so far. Each is automatically referred to a petition calling on Arts Minister Paul Fletcher to do more to support the people who make the entertainment that Australia loves. The...
The most popular show thus far – voting closes at midnight this Sunday – is McLeod’s Daughters, the Nine Network drama co-created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton, which is airing on Stan.
The show starring Bridie Carter, Sonia Todd, Jessica Napier, Rachael Carpani, Simmone Mackinnon and Aaron Jeffery ran on Nine for eight seasons from 2001 to 2009.
Fremantle’s Wentworth is running second, followed by Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road series, Riley Turner Productions’ Kath & Kim (which is streaming on Netflix) and Fremantle’s Neighbours.
Nearly 5,500 people have voted so far. Each is automatically referred to a petition calling on Arts Minister Paul Fletcher to do more to support the people who make the entertainment that Australia loves. The...
- 5/14/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Dean Kyrwood in ‘The Flood’ (Photo credit: Coco Banks Photography).
Dean Kyrwood will play psychic twin brothers in Alex Proyas’ surreal short film Mask of the Evil Apparition.
The first film to shoot at Proyas’ new self-contained studio in Sydney, it will star Bonnie Ferguson as Olivia, a young woman lost in a nocturnal, dreamlike city.
Antonio and his twin brother try to help Olivia find her way home but quickly realise she is being pursued by a shadowy cult known as The Mysterious Ones.
Although Antonio has the ability to psychically connect with the cult there is little he can do to protect her or himself from Olivia’s own evil supernatural twin.
It’s the filmmaker’s third collaboration with Ferguson, who appeared in his short Phobos and in a photographic exhibition. “I think Bonnie’s a star – a true film actor who can convey so much just with those incredible eyes,...
Dean Kyrwood will play psychic twin brothers in Alex Proyas’ surreal short film Mask of the Evil Apparition.
The first film to shoot at Proyas’ new self-contained studio in Sydney, it will star Bonnie Ferguson as Olivia, a young woman lost in a nocturnal, dreamlike city.
Antonio and his twin brother try to help Olivia find her way home but quickly realise she is being pursued by a shadowy cult known as The Mysterious Ones.
Although Antonio has the ability to psychically connect with the cult there is little he can do to protect her or himself from Olivia’s own evil supernatural twin.
It’s the filmmaker’s third collaboration with Ferguson, who appeared in his short Phobos and in a photographic exhibition. “I think Bonnie’s a star – a true film actor who can convey so much just with those incredible eyes,...
- 2/3/2020
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.’
Quentin Tarantino’s ninth movie Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood posted the biggest debut of his career in Australia last weekend, emulating its Us success.
The 1969-set drama/thriller starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie and Damon Herriman opened 68 per cent bigger than his previous best effort Django Unchained in 2012.
The downside: The Sony Pictures release sucked a lot of air from the second weekends of Universal’s Palm Beach and Transmission Films’ Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.
The top 20 titles raked in $14.4 million, 3 per cent up on the previous frame, according to Numero. Mind Blowing Films’ Bollywood film Mission Mangal and Magnum Films’ Hong Kong thriller Line Walker 2 had buoyant launches while Universal’s A Dog’s Journey opened with neither bark nor bite, mirroring its Us fate.
The lurid tale of a TV actor (DiCaprio) who wants...
Quentin Tarantino’s ninth movie Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood posted the biggest debut of his career in Australia last weekend, emulating its Us success.
The 1969-set drama/thriller starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie and Damon Herriman opened 68 per cent bigger than his previous best effort Django Unchained in 2012.
The downside: The Sony Pictures release sucked a lot of air from the second weekends of Universal’s Palm Beach and Transmission Films’ Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan.
The top 20 titles raked in $14.4 million, 3 per cent up on the previous frame, according to Numero. Mind Blowing Films’ Bollywood film Mission Mangal and Magnum Films’ Hong Kong thriller Line Walker 2 had buoyant launches while Universal’s A Dog’s Journey opened with neither bark nor bite, mirroring its Us fate.
The lurid tale of a TV actor (DiCaprio) who wants...
- 8/19/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
George Pullar.
George Pullar and newcomer Ashlyn Louden-Gamble have won the lead roles in Moon Rock for Monday, a coming-of-age road movie from first-time writer-director Kurt Martin.
Pullar, whose star is on the rise after roles in Fighting Season, Playing for Keeps and A Place to Call Home, will play homeless teenager Tyler.
Tyler is on the run from the cops when he meets Monday (Louden-Gamble), a terminally ill 11-year-old, at a train station. Forming an unlikely bond, they embark on a road trip across the country in search of a moon rock which Monday believes will heal her. The pair is pursued by the police who believe Tyler has kidnapped the girl.
Jim Robison, who formed Lunar Pictures after an affable split from Blake Northfield’s Bronte Pictures, will produce. Shooting is due to start in Sydney and Coober Pedy on August 26, funded by private investors and the Producer Offset.
George Pullar and newcomer Ashlyn Louden-Gamble have won the lead roles in Moon Rock for Monday, a coming-of-age road movie from first-time writer-director Kurt Martin.
Pullar, whose star is on the rise after roles in Fighting Season, Playing for Keeps and A Place to Call Home, will play homeless teenager Tyler.
Tyler is on the run from the cops when he meets Monday (Louden-Gamble), a terminally ill 11-year-old, at a train station. Forming an unlikely bond, they embark on a road trip across the country in search of a moon rock which Monday believes will heal her. The pair is pursued by the police who believe Tyler has kidnapped the girl.
Jim Robison, who formed Lunar Pictures after an affable split from Blake Northfield’s Bronte Pictures, will produce. Shooting is due to start in Sydney and Coober Pedy on August 26, funded by private investors and the Producer Offset.
- 8/12/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Hermione Norris.
Best known for her roles in Cold Feet and Luther, Hermione Norris is playing the lead in Seven Studios’ drama Between Two Worlds.
Created by Bevan Lee, the series follows the English actress as Cate Walford, whose husband Phillip is a vicious, philandering business tycoon. With her marriage on the ropes, she is caught in a tangled web of lies and manipulation.
Through a shocking twist of fate, her world collides with the seemingly disparate and disconnected, warm and loving world of a widow and her footy star son and musical daughter.
Philip Quast plays Phillip with A Place to Call Home’s Sara Wiseman as the widow Sophia Grey. The cast includes Wentworth’s Aaron Jeffery as a football coach, Megan Hajjar as Sophia’s daughter Bella, Alex Cubis as her brother Danny, Tom Dalzell as the Walford’s son Bart and Melanie Jarnson as Bart’s girlfriend.
Best known for her roles in Cold Feet and Luther, Hermione Norris is playing the lead in Seven Studios’ drama Between Two Worlds.
Created by Bevan Lee, the series follows the English actress as Cate Walford, whose husband Phillip is a vicious, philandering business tycoon. With her marriage on the ropes, she is caught in a tangled web of lies and manipulation.
Through a shocking twist of fate, her world collides with the seemingly disparate and disconnected, warm and loving world of a widow and her footy star son and musical daughter.
Philip Quast plays Phillip with A Place to Call Home’s Sara Wiseman as the widow Sophia Grey. The cast includes Wentworth’s Aaron Jeffery as a football coach, Megan Hajjar as Sophia’s daughter Bella, Alex Cubis as her brother Danny, Tom Dalzell as the Walford’s son Bart and Melanie Jarnson as Bart’s girlfriend.
- 4/16/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Cold Feet and Luther star Hermione Norris is to front high-concept Australian thriller Between Two Worlds.
The series is being produced by Seven Studios for its parent network, commercial broadcaster Seven Network. It is the latest series from the Australian network as it bolsters its global ambitions and follows the hire of Damon Pattison as Creative Director of Seven Studios UK and its European adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days from Slim Film + TV, which it owns a stake in.
Filming has just begun in Sydney on Between Two Worlds, which sees Norris play Cate Walford, whose relationship with vicious, business tycoon husband, Phillip, is on the ropes and sees a tempestuous home life trapped in a tangled web of lies and manipulation. Through a shocking twist of fate, this dark and murky world collides with the seemingly disparate and disconnected, warm and loving world of a widow and...
The series is being produced by Seven Studios for its parent network, commercial broadcaster Seven Network. It is the latest series from the Australian network as it bolsters its global ambitions and follows the hire of Damon Pattison as Creative Director of Seven Studios UK and its European adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days from Slim Film + TV, which it owns a stake in.
Filming has just begun in Sydney on Between Two Worlds, which sees Norris play Cate Walford, whose relationship with vicious, business tycoon husband, Phillip, is on the ropes and sees a tempestuous home life trapped in a tangled web of lies and manipulation. Through a shocking twist of fate, this dark and murky world collides with the seemingly disparate and disconnected, warm and loving world of a widow and...
- 4/16/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Lisa McCune and Peter Helliar in ‘How to Stay Married.’
Lisa McCune and Daniel Gillies are the final additions to the cast of Luke Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation: Rainfall.
Shooting in the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs, the sequel to Occupation sees the survivors of an intergalactic invasion fight back in a desperate ground war.
In her first film role since Josh Lawson’s The Little Death, McCune plays the military commander in charge of ground forces in the Sydney siege. The Los Angeles-based Gillies is a hard-line military leader that will do whatever it takes to win the alien war.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stevens and Trystan Go reprise their roles, joined by Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong, Lawrence Makoarely, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton.
“Daniel has been on my radar for a few years now.
Lisa McCune and Daniel Gillies are the final additions to the cast of Luke Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation: Rainfall.
Shooting in the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs, the sequel to Occupation sees the survivors of an intergalactic invasion fight back in a desperate ground war.
In her first film role since Josh Lawson’s The Little Death, McCune plays the military commander in charge of ground forces in the Sydney siege. The Los Angeles-based Gillies is a hard-line military leader that will do whatever it takes to win the alien war.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stevens and Trystan Go reprise their roles, joined by Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong, Lawrence Makoarely, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton.
“Daniel has been on my radar for a few years now.
- 11/4/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Izzy Stevens and Temuera Morrison in ‘Occupation Rainfall.’
Four weeks into the 12-weeks shoot on Occupation: Rainfall, writer-director Luke Sparke declares the sequel will be four times bigger in scale and ambition than the original Occupation.
The filmmaker is delighted with the performance of Ken Jeong, who has filmed his role as an American character who holds the key to the mystery of the rainfall.
Sparke was happy to encourage the Crazy Rich Asians and Hangover star to improvise, observing: “We let him loose to ad lib. He brings his unique style to the role, a very dry character. He had the crew in stitches at times.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson, the sequel picks up two years after the intergalactic invasion of Earth as survivors in Sydney fight back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could...
Four weeks into the 12-weeks shoot on Occupation: Rainfall, writer-director Luke Sparke declares the sequel will be four times bigger in scale and ambition than the original Occupation.
The filmmaker is delighted with the performance of Ken Jeong, who has filmed his role as an American character who holds the key to the mystery of the rainfall.
Sparke was happy to encourage the Crazy Rich Asians and Hangover star to improvise, observing: “We let him loose to ad lib. He brings his unique style to the role, a very dry character. He had the crew in stitches at times.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson, the sequel picks up two years after the intergalactic invasion of Earth as survivors in Sydney fight back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount, the resistance and their unexpected allies uncover a plot that could...
- 10/24/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
‘Lords of Chaos.’
The organisers of Monster Fest aim to parlay the brand into a theatrical distribution gateway for Australian and international genre films.
Monster Films has successfully trialed the concept with Mandy, Panos Cosmatos’ neo-noir horror movie which it sub-licensed from Madman Entertainment.
Next year the distributor will release Luke Sparke’s Occupation: Rainfall, a sci-fi thriller which stars Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong, Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery and Zac Garred.
Monster’s Grant Hardie developed a relationship with Sparke after staging sold-out special event screenings for Occupation.
“We want to turn the Monster Fest brand into a legitimate theatrical pathway with a cinema network consisting of as many locations as we can secure to build audiences,” Hardie tells If. “Genre films are under-represented in cinemas.”
While he has no titles lined up to release apart from the Occupation sequel, he is open to talking to producers.
The organisers of Monster Fest aim to parlay the brand into a theatrical distribution gateway for Australian and international genre films.
Monster Films has successfully trialed the concept with Mandy, Panos Cosmatos’ neo-noir horror movie which it sub-licensed from Madman Entertainment.
Next year the distributor will release Luke Sparke’s Occupation: Rainfall, a sci-fi thriller which stars Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong, Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery and Zac Garred.
Monster’s Grant Hardie developed a relationship with Sparke after staging sold-out special event screenings for Occupation.
“We want to turn the Monster Fest brand into a legitimate theatrical pathway with a cinema network consisting of as many locations as we can secure to build audiences,” Hardie tells If. “Genre films are under-represented in cinemas.”
While he has no titles lined up to release apart from the Occupation sequel, he is open to talking to producers.
- 10/11/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
“Crazy Rich Asians” star Ken Jeong is starring in “Occupation: Rainfall,” the sequel to the 2018 Australian science-fiction movie “Occupation.”
Jeong will begin shooting in early October in Australian locations including the Hunter Valley and the Gold Coast. Other cast members include Temuera Morrison (“Aquaman”), Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens, Trystan Go, Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton.
Director Luke Sparke returns to helm the sequel with Monster Pictures on board as distributors across Australia and New Zealand.
“We’re building a whole new world with ‘Occupation: Rainfall’ and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing,” Sparke said.”I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here to shoot in October.”
“Occupation: Rainfall” picks up two years into the intergalactic invasion of earth,...
Jeong will begin shooting in early October in Australian locations including the Hunter Valley and the Gold Coast. Other cast members include Temuera Morrison (“Aquaman”), Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens, Trystan Go, Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton.
Director Luke Sparke returns to helm the sequel with Monster Pictures on board as distributors across Australia and New Zealand.
“We’re building a whole new world with ‘Occupation: Rainfall’ and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing,” Sparke said.”I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here to shoot in October.”
“Occupation: Rainfall” picks up two years into the intergalactic invasion of earth,...
- 9/19/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Ken Jeong.
In a casting coup writer-director Luke Sparke has signed Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong to play the lead in Occupation: Rainfall.
The sequel to Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation starts a four-month shoot spanning the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs tonight.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens and Trystan Go will reprise their roles from the original film.
Also joining the cast for the sequel are Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton, with more names to be revealed.
Sparke said: “We’re building a whole new world with Occupation: Rainfall and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing. I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here in October.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson,...
In a casting coup writer-director Luke Sparke has signed Crazy Rich Asians’ Ken Jeong to play the lead in Occupation: Rainfall.
The sequel to Sparke’s sci-fi thriller Occupation starts a four-month shoot spanning the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, the Snowy Mountains and Alice Springs tonight.
Temuera Morrison, Dan Ewing, Stephany Jacobsen, Aaron Jeffery, Zac Garred, Izzy Stephens and Trystan Go will reprise their roles from the original film.
Also joining the cast for the sequel are Lawrence Makoare, Vince Colosimo and Tamala Shelton, with more names to be revealed.
Sparke said: “We’re building a whole new world with Occupation: Rainfall and to have Ken join the film alongside our awesome returning cast members is mind blowing. I’ve admired his work and his successes for years and can’t wait to see what brings to the project when he arrives here in October.”
Co-written by Sparke and Felix Williamson,...
- 9/19/2018
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Lionsgate is proud to announce Occupation, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital September 25.
Prepare for invasion when the sci-fi epic Occupation arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital September 25 from Lionsgate. This film is currently On Demand. When a fleet of spaceships cover the sky in darkness and invade Earth, a small group of civilians band together to fight off their attackers to save their lives along with all of humanity. Featuring eye-grabbing special effects, the high-stakes action film stars Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, and Stephany Jacobsen. Occupation will be available on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.
Check out the trailer:
A town is suddenly plunged into darkness. In the sky, a fleet of spaceships appears. The aliens have been watching Earth for centuries; now they have arrived to seize control of our planet. As alien storm troopers cut...
Prepare for invasion when the sci-fi epic Occupation arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital September 25 from Lionsgate. This film is currently On Demand. When a fleet of spaceships cover the sky in darkness and invade Earth, a small group of civilians band together to fight off their attackers to save their lives along with all of humanity. Featuring eye-grabbing special effects, the high-stakes action film stars Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, and Stephany Jacobsen. Occupation will be available on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.
Check out the trailer:
A town is suddenly plunged into darkness. In the sky, a fleet of spaceships appears. The aliens have been watching Earth for centuries; now they have arrived to seize control of our planet. As alien storm troopers cut...
- 9/14/2018
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
From Saban Films comes Occupation, a story of survival and fighting off an alien invasion. The sci-fi film is arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and digital from Lionsgate. Read all the details below.
Prepare for invasion when the sci-fi epic Occupation arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital September 25 from Lionsgate. This film is currently On Demand. When a fleet of spaceships cover the sky in darkness and invade Earth, a small group of civilians band together to fight off their attackers to save their lives along with all of humanity. Featuring eye-grabbing special effects, the high-stakes action film stars Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, and Stephany Jacobsen. Occupation will be available on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.
Official Synopsis
A town is suddenly plunged into darkness. In the sky, a fleet of spaceships appears. The aliens have been watching Earth for centuries...
Prepare for invasion when the sci-fi epic Occupation arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital September 25 from Lionsgate. This film is currently On Demand. When a fleet of spaceships cover the sky in darkness and invade Earth, a small group of civilians band together to fight off their attackers to save their lives along with all of humanity. Featuring eye-grabbing special effects, the high-stakes action film stars Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, and Stephany Jacobsen. Occupation will be available on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.
Official Synopsis
A town is suddenly plunged into darkness. In the sky, a fleet of spaceships appears. The aliens have been watching Earth for centuries...
- 7/24/2018
- by Chris Salce
- Age of the Nerd
Saban Films have released a new trailer and poster for their upcoming release of alien invasion film Occupation. The film is written and directed by Luke Sparke.
It stars Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Stephany Jacobsen, Rhiannon Fish, Zachary Garred, Izzy Stevens, Charles Terrier, Charles Mesure, Trystan Go, Felix Williamson, Jacqueline McKenzie, Aaron Jeffery, and Bruce Spence.
synopsis:
A town is suddenly plunged into darkness. In the sky, a fleet of spaceships appears. The aliens have been watching Earth for centuries; now they have arrived to seize control of our planet. As alien storm troopers cut a deadly swath through the countryside, a ragtag group of townspeople realize they must band together for a chance to strike back at the invaders in this explosive sci-fi...
It stars Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Stephany Jacobsen, Rhiannon Fish, Zachary Garred, Izzy Stevens, Charles Terrier, Charles Mesure, Trystan Go, Felix Williamson, Jacqueline McKenzie, Aaron Jeffery, and Bruce Spence.
synopsis:
A town is suddenly plunged into darkness. In the sky, a fleet of spaceships appears. The aliens have been watching Earth for centuries; now they have arrived to seize control of our planet. As alien storm troopers cut a deadly swath through the countryside, a ragtag group of townspeople realize they must band together for a chance to strike back at the invaders in this explosive sci-fi...
- 6/6/2018
- QuietEarth.us
Blue Murder: Killer Cop..
The Seven Network has revealed its programming slate for the coming 18 months. Among it are a number of new Australia dramas, including: Olivia Newton-John, Warnie, Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story and the anticipated Blue Murder: Killer Cop, which sees Richard Roxburgh reprise his role as Roger Rogerson.
The network has also confirmed that The Secret Daughter, Wanted and 800 Words will return in 2017.
Also new for Seven are Million Dollar Cold Case, Yummy Mummies, The Aussie Property Flippers and Murder Uncovered. The network has also touted a controversial new show.—..now being filmed under a veil of secrecy..—.which it claims will be the most talked about program of 2017.
Seven has confirmed reality mainstays.My Kitchen Rules, House Rules, First Dates and Seven Year Switch for new seasons.
New international titles secured by the network include Trial and Error and Training Day.
Seven.s...
The Seven Network has revealed its programming slate for the coming 18 months. Among it are a number of new Australia dramas, including: Olivia Newton-John, Warnie, Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story and the anticipated Blue Murder: Killer Cop, which sees Richard Roxburgh reprise his role as Roger Rogerson.
The network has also confirmed that The Secret Daughter, Wanted and 800 Words will return in 2017.
Also new for Seven are Million Dollar Cold Case, Yummy Mummies, The Aussie Property Flippers and Murder Uncovered. The network has also touted a controversial new show.—..now being filmed under a veil of secrecy..—.which it claims will be the most talked about program of 2017.
Seven has confirmed reality mainstays.My Kitchen Rules, House Rules, First Dates and Seven Year Switch for new seasons.
New international titles secured by the network include Trial and Error and Training Day.
Seven.s...
- 10/27/2016
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
Turbo Kid
Written & Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell & Yoann-Karl Whissell
Canada / New Zealand, 2015
Turbo Kid is a post-apocalyptic love letter to the action-horror genre. It looks and sounds wonderful, with the kind of world building you would expect from ‘80s film aficionados. The writing-directing trio of François Simard, Anouk Whissell & Yoann-Karl Whissell dials up the kitsch and adds just enough heart to keep things from getting too zany. Unfortunately, a lackluster script and bland leading performance prevent Turbo Kid from being more than just a pleasant trifle, but it’s a bloody fun way to spend your Saturday night.
Turbo Kid is a movie for movie lovers. From the funky costumes to a pitch-perfect synth soundtrack, it gets all the details exactly right. Ironically, this loving homage to ‘80s cheese more closely resembles a classic western than a Cannon Films holdover. The reluctant hero duels it out with the...
Written & Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell & Yoann-Karl Whissell
Canada / New Zealand, 2015
Turbo Kid is a post-apocalyptic love letter to the action-horror genre. It looks and sounds wonderful, with the kind of world building you would expect from ‘80s film aficionados. The writing-directing trio of François Simard, Anouk Whissell & Yoann-Karl Whissell dials up the kitsch and adds just enough heart to keep things from getting too zany. Unfortunately, a lackluster script and bland leading performance prevent Turbo Kid from being more than just a pleasant trifle, but it’s a bloody fun way to spend your Saturday night.
Turbo Kid is a movie for movie lovers. From the funky costumes to a pitch-perfect synth soundtrack, it gets all the details exactly right. Ironically, this loving homage to ‘80s cheese more closely resembles a classic western than a Cannon Films holdover. The reluctant hero duels it out with the...
- 8/30/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Stars: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Edwin Wright. Aaron Jeffery, Romano Orzri, Orphée Ladouceur | Written and Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell
As a kid there were three distinct phases in my movie-watching life. The first was when we rented a Betamax player from the local electrical retailer – who just happened to be the only place that rented the tapes too! That didn’t last. Obviously. And we never did upgrade to VHS, instead going wthout for years. That was until the second phase… In 1989/1990, after incessantly hounding my mother to get a VHS recorder because everyone else had one, she bought one of those huge silver behemoths, apparently one of the first front-loaders, from my uncle who in turn had got it from a guy in a pub who needed the money for beer! That Christmas I recorded Everything – on Granada VHS tapes may I add...
As a kid there were three distinct phases in my movie-watching life. The first was when we rented a Betamax player from the local electrical retailer – who just happened to be the only place that rented the tapes too! That didn’t last. Obviously. And we never did upgrade to VHS, instead going wthout for years. That was until the second phase… In 1989/1990, after incessantly hounding my mother to get a VHS recorder because everyone else had one, she bought one of those huge silver behemoths, apparently one of the first front-loaders, from my uncle who in turn had got it from a guy in a pub who needed the money for beer! That Christmas I recorded Everything – on Granada VHS tapes may I add...
- 8/28/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
When you add a pinch of '80s nostalgia with a dash of action and gore and mix them together you get Turbo Kid, which will be released in the U.K. on Blu-ray in October. Also: an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip from Extinction and first details on the web series It Came from Candi's Lab.
Turbo Kid: Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release Turbo Kid on Blu-ray in the U.K. on October 5th. Turbo Kid stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Edwin Wright, and Aaron Jeffery.
From Blu-ray.com: "Synopsis: Turbo Kid is a celebration of all things that were awesome about the age of movies on VHS. It's packed with nods to 1980s pop culture (even down to Atari-style credits and its synth-tastic score) and riffs on the kids' adventure movies such as BMX Bandits, The Monster Squad, and The Goonies.
And for the hardcore fans, there's...
Turbo Kid: Lionsgate Home Entertainment will release Turbo Kid on Blu-ray in the U.K. on October 5th. Turbo Kid stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Edwin Wright, and Aaron Jeffery.
From Blu-ray.com: "Synopsis: Turbo Kid is a celebration of all things that were awesome about the age of movies on VHS. It's packed with nods to 1980s pop culture (even down to Atari-style credits and its synth-tastic score) and riffs on the kids' adventure movies such as BMX Bandits, The Monster Squad, and The Goonies.
And for the hardcore fans, there's...
- 8/27/2015
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Two new clips have been revealed for a favorite of SXSW, Turbo Kid. Also in this morning's round-up: U.S. distribution for Garm Wars: The Last Druid, release details for Unnatural, and the Rebound premiere at The Downtown Independent.
Turbo Kid: Released by Epic Pictures Group, Turbo Kid will have its official theatrical and VOD release next Friday on August 28th.
"In a post-apocalyptic future a young solitary scavenger obsessed with comic books must face his fears and become a reluctant hero when he meets a mysterious girl. From horror masterminds Ant Timpson (The ABCs Of Death 1 & 2, Housebound) and Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun)."
Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, Turbo Kid stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Aaron Jeffery, and Michael Ironside.
To read Heather's review of Turbo Kid and her interview with directors François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and Anouk Whissell, visit the following:
Review...
Turbo Kid: Released by Epic Pictures Group, Turbo Kid will have its official theatrical and VOD release next Friday on August 28th.
"In a post-apocalyptic future a young solitary scavenger obsessed with comic books must face his fears and become a reluctant hero when he meets a mysterious girl. From horror masterminds Ant Timpson (The ABCs Of Death 1 & 2, Housebound) and Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun)."
Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, Turbo Kid stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Aaron Jeffery, and Michael Ironside.
To read Heather's review of Turbo Kid and her interview with directors François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and Anouk Whissell, visit the following:
Review...
- 8/21/2015
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Patrick Ewald and Shaked Berenson, the principals of Epic Pictures have been around the independent and international scene for many years. Mr. Berenson has served on the Ifta Board of Directors since September 2011. (Ifta, Independent Film and Television Association is the indie lobbying and trade organization that puts on the American Film Market every November in Santa Monica)
From film development, financing and production to international sales representation and U.S. distribution, Patrick and Shaked attribute their success to the people they work with rather than upon genres or formulaically successful pictures. They stress the need to find unique standout films to be made by people they trust and like. With so many films now being made (and released) Patrick and Shaked both stress the need to find films which will rise above the “white noise” of current films.
Read More: Exclusive: Epic Pictures' Award-winning 'Jeruzalem' U.S. Premiere Slated for August 23rd
Making the film is only a small part of the process and so they value the filmmakers themselves and in fact, choose their projects based upon the individuals making the film who will be with them for at least 18 more months making the festival and market rounds, publicizing the release in U.S. if not also for the launches in other countries and more importantly who will be with them on the next films they make as well.
They seek out relationships with exceptional producers and talent in order to secure A-level, high-quality projects both domestically and in Europe and Asia. Films they name as “standout unique films” are “She’s Gotta Have It”, “Laws of Gravity”, “Tampopo”.
They are gratified that Sundance has recognized the special qualities in both “Turbo Kid” and “ Entertainment." It affirms and legitimizes their own recognition of the next generation of filmmakers with unique views of what makes a movie special. And to see them in the almost sold-out vintage 1,500 seat Theatre at the Ace Hotel, one of L.A.’s most lavish and historic film venues, downtown at 9th and Broadway will be great.
Both of these films are distinctly unique. One was in Sundance’s Midnight Section and the other was in the Next section this past January.
Read More: Sundance Next Fest Happens This Weekend in L.A.
“Turbo Kid” producer Ant Timpson from “The ABCs of Death” of Magnolia Pictures called them about the project. He had some money and the film was in pre-production but they needed final equity. Anne-Marie Gélinas
in Quebec arranged the equity with a Canadian bank. She is very straight forward; it took four days to make the deal and in six or seven days the money was all in. Being independent allows for such quick turnaround. And knowing the people attached for such a long time made the decision easy. Jason Eisener from “Hobo with a Shotgun” and Ant Simpson were key.
“Turbo Kid” is a fan boy comic book film but when they read the script, they knew it was not easy; other companies would be more risk-adverse, but they trusted the filmmakers to deliver. Now everyone is bringing them special films. Formula films are more certain, but less interesting to them. When they choose well, as they did with “Turbo Kid”, then they want to make more movies with those filmmakers.
“Turbo Kid” which premiered in Sundance has gone on the festival route to win Best Director at Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, the Audience Award at SXSW Film Festival and the Audience Award for Best Film and Best Art Direction (Sylvain Lemaitre ) at Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival. Epic Pictures Releasing will release the film “day & date” in theaters and premium VOD in the U.S. and U.K. (through Lionsgate) on August 28. Next will be its Los Angeles Premiere.
"Turbo Kid" / Canada, New Zealand (Directors and screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — Set in a post apocalyptic year of 1997, this nostalgic tribute to ’80s action-adventure films follows an orphaned teenager who goes on an adventure to save his female-robot companion from the hands of the evil warlord who controls the only water supply. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright.
The comparison between “Turbo Kid” and “Entertainment” is vast. Where “Turbo Kid” was completely planned with a perfectly orchestrated visual style, dialogue, pacing, music, clearly blueprinted in every detail, “Entertainment” which they entered at pre-production stage was in Rick Alverson’s head and not at all on the page. Rick said he knew it would work and they had to trust him to deliver. Initially Epic was financing a big chunk of equity but at a certain point another investor took a larger piece; however Epic was committed to financing whatever was missing. Magnolia will release the film in the U.S.; it is a perfect fit for them. Cinetic was the producer rep on the film. Epic will represent the film internationally and has already licensed it to NonStop for Sweden. It is playing Locarno this August 5-15 competing for the Golden Leopard; that is a perfect stage for it to be seen by European distributors.
"Entertainment " / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — In an attempt to revive his dwindling career and reunite with his estranged daughter, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the California desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. Los Angeles Premiere
Epic not only acquires third-party projects but initiates and produces its own films like “Tales of Halloween” which just premiered in Fantasia Film Festval. Mike Mendez presented the concept to them and two months later they were shooting this omnibus by ten high profile genre directors. Epic will release it theatrically on October 16, to be followed by “ Jeruzalem” a perfect film at a perfect time for an Israeli horror film.
Headquartered in Hollywood, California, Epic Pictures Group is a worldwide film and television production, financing, international sales and domestic distribution company. Epic Pictures Group represents worldwide sales for both its own slate of films and third party content with an annual slate of ten to twenty films. Its U.S. distribution operation Epic Pictures Releasing directly books in theaters, and makes its own TV and home video digital deals.
Patrick Ewald became the CEO of worldwide theatrical motion picture company Epic Pictures Group, Inc. in 2007. Mr. Ewald’s career in the film business spans over 17 years as a senior level executive and he has been involved in the development, financing, production and marketing of over 100 films. A New York City native, Mr. Ewald graduated from Duke University with a degree in film studies.
Read More: Sundance Programmer Charlie Reff Dishes Out About Next Fest 2015
Shaked Berenson is the COO and Co-Founder of Epic Pictures Group and oversees the day-to-day operations with an active hand in the development and production of all its films and television projects. During his five years with Epic Pictures Group, Mr. Berenson has produced and executive produced over twelve movies including the Animated “Space Dogs 3D” which grossed over $20 million in worldwide box-office. Most recently, Mr. Berenson produced 'Mega Spider' by Mike Mendez ('gravedancers').
Epic Pictures Group http://www.epic-pictures.com 6725 Sunset Blvd., Ste 330 Hollywood, CA 90028 Youtube: youtube.com/epicpicturesgroup
Facebook:facebook.com/epicpicturesgroup
Twitter: twitter.com/epic_pictures
Pinterest: pinterest.com/epicpictures...
From film development, financing and production to international sales representation and U.S. distribution, Patrick and Shaked attribute their success to the people they work with rather than upon genres or formulaically successful pictures. They stress the need to find unique standout films to be made by people they trust and like. With so many films now being made (and released) Patrick and Shaked both stress the need to find films which will rise above the “white noise” of current films.
Read More: Exclusive: Epic Pictures' Award-winning 'Jeruzalem' U.S. Premiere Slated for August 23rd
Making the film is only a small part of the process and so they value the filmmakers themselves and in fact, choose their projects based upon the individuals making the film who will be with them for at least 18 more months making the festival and market rounds, publicizing the release in U.S. if not also for the launches in other countries and more importantly who will be with them on the next films they make as well.
They seek out relationships with exceptional producers and talent in order to secure A-level, high-quality projects both domestically and in Europe and Asia. Films they name as “standout unique films” are “She’s Gotta Have It”, “Laws of Gravity”, “Tampopo”.
They are gratified that Sundance has recognized the special qualities in both “Turbo Kid” and “ Entertainment." It affirms and legitimizes their own recognition of the next generation of filmmakers with unique views of what makes a movie special. And to see them in the almost sold-out vintage 1,500 seat Theatre at the Ace Hotel, one of L.A.’s most lavish and historic film venues, downtown at 9th and Broadway will be great.
Both of these films are distinctly unique. One was in Sundance’s Midnight Section and the other was in the Next section this past January.
Read More: Sundance Next Fest Happens This Weekend in L.A.
“Turbo Kid” producer Ant Timpson from “The ABCs of Death” of Magnolia Pictures called them about the project. He had some money and the film was in pre-production but they needed final equity. Anne-Marie Gélinas
in Quebec arranged the equity with a Canadian bank. She is very straight forward; it took four days to make the deal and in six or seven days the money was all in. Being independent allows for such quick turnaround. And knowing the people attached for such a long time made the decision easy. Jason Eisener from “Hobo with a Shotgun” and Ant Simpson were key.
“Turbo Kid” is a fan boy comic book film but when they read the script, they knew it was not easy; other companies would be more risk-adverse, but they trusted the filmmakers to deliver. Now everyone is bringing them special films. Formula films are more certain, but less interesting to them. When they choose well, as they did with “Turbo Kid”, then they want to make more movies with those filmmakers.
“Turbo Kid” which premiered in Sundance has gone on the festival route to win Best Director at Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, the Audience Award at SXSW Film Festival and the Audience Award for Best Film and Best Art Direction (Sylvain Lemaitre ) at Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival. Epic Pictures Releasing will release the film “day & date” in theaters and premium VOD in the U.S. and U.K. (through Lionsgate) on August 28. Next will be its Los Angeles Premiere.
"Turbo Kid" / Canada, New Zealand (Directors and screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — Set in a post apocalyptic year of 1997, this nostalgic tribute to ’80s action-adventure films follows an orphaned teenager who goes on an adventure to save his female-robot companion from the hands of the evil warlord who controls the only water supply. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright.
The comparison between “Turbo Kid” and “Entertainment” is vast. Where “Turbo Kid” was completely planned with a perfectly orchestrated visual style, dialogue, pacing, music, clearly blueprinted in every detail, “Entertainment” which they entered at pre-production stage was in Rick Alverson’s head and not at all on the page. Rick said he knew it would work and they had to trust him to deliver. Initially Epic was financing a big chunk of equity but at a certain point another investor took a larger piece; however Epic was committed to financing whatever was missing. Magnolia will release the film in the U.S.; it is a perfect fit for them. Cinetic was the producer rep on the film. Epic will represent the film internationally and has already licensed it to NonStop for Sweden. It is playing Locarno this August 5-15 competing for the Golden Leopard; that is a perfect stage for it to be seen by European distributors.
"Entertainment " / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — In an attempt to revive his dwindling career and reunite with his estranged daughter, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the California desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. Los Angeles Premiere
Epic not only acquires third-party projects but initiates and produces its own films like “Tales of Halloween” which just premiered in Fantasia Film Festval. Mike Mendez presented the concept to them and two months later they were shooting this omnibus by ten high profile genre directors. Epic will release it theatrically on October 16, to be followed by “ Jeruzalem” a perfect film at a perfect time for an Israeli horror film.
Headquartered in Hollywood, California, Epic Pictures Group is a worldwide film and television production, financing, international sales and domestic distribution company. Epic Pictures Group represents worldwide sales for both its own slate of films and third party content with an annual slate of ten to twenty films. Its U.S. distribution operation Epic Pictures Releasing directly books in theaters, and makes its own TV and home video digital deals.
Patrick Ewald became the CEO of worldwide theatrical motion picture company Epic Pictures Group, Inc. in 2007. Mr. Ewald’s career in the film business spans over 17 years as a senior level executive and he has been involved in the development, financing, production and marketing of over 100 films. A New York City native, Mr. Ewald graduated from Duke University with a degree in film studies.
Read More: Sundance Programmer Charlie Reff Dishes Out About Next Fest 2015
Shaked Berenson is the COO and Co-Founder of Epic Pictures Group and oversees the day-to-day operations with an active hand in the development and production of all its films and television projects. During his five years with Epic Pictures Group, Mr. Berenson has produced and executive produced over twelve movies including the Animated “Space Dogs 3D” which grossed over $20 million in worldwide box-office. Most recently, Mr. Berenson produced 'Mega Spider' by Mike Mendez ('gravedancers').
Epic Pictures Group http://www.epic-pictures.com 6725 Sunset Blvd., Ste 330 Hollywood, CA 90028 Youtube: youtube.com/epicpicturesgroup
Facebook:facebook.com/epicpicturesgroup
Twitter: twitter.com/epic_pictures
Pinterest: pinterest.com/epicpictures...
- 8/7/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
At their annual retreat, the traditional internal kick-off for the big Sundance Film Festival this January, programmer Charlie Reff was able to take some time to talk with me about Next Fest.
My colleague Carlos Aguilar has already written about this big L.A. event here, so I will cover other areas and fill in on the music components of the film program.
Each film is its own event so that audiences will go to one film and not necessarily all films. Though the series package is selling well, the individual ticket sales are significant not only selling out but in bringing in new audiences. Getting L.A. people’s attention is not an easy task, but the pairing of movies and music in the unique way Next is creating, plus the spectacular venue, the Theatre at the Ace Hotel, one of L.A.’s most lavish and historic film venues, downtown at 9th and Broadway, will also bring out new audiences who care about preservation of our art deco landmarks.
This year more than half the films that showed in Sundance came out quickly theatrically this spring and summer followed by their VOD releases. If they did not get released theatrically then they were eligible to be chosen for Next if they were sufficiently “renegade” in the best spirit of indie filmmakers, like past films “Obvious Child”, “Compliance”, “Appropriate Behavior”, “Tangerine” and “Escape from Tomorrow”.
Out of the six films chosen for the unconventional and forward thinking of their narrative styles – including one doc -- there is a full range of experience to be had.
Four films showing in the evening are paired with live musical acts which somehow fit the film in mood or in ideas and are new and next in film and music.
In addition there will be three world premiere music videos and a full-body, mind-blowing virtual reality flight simulator, Birdly which was shown this past Sundance in the New Frontier exhibition. You can experience being a bird from a first-person perspective through a full-body virtual reality set up….it’s free, in the mezzanine of The Theatre of the Ace Hotel and available through an onsite waitlist system.
The world premiere music videos are Superhumanoid’s music video for “Anxious in Venice”, premiering Friday along with Noah Baumbach’s out of the mold “Mistress America” (Fox Searchlight) followed by a live performance by Sky Ferreira.Health’s album trailer for “Death Magic” as part of Saturday evening’s screening of “ Entertainment“ (Magnolia Releasing) starring Michael Cera will be followed by a solo performance by Sharon Van Etten. “Death Magic” is directed by acclaimed graphic designer, title designer, and editor Pablo Ferro, who has worked alongside some of the most respected filmmakers of all time including Stanley Kubrick, Hal Ashby and Tim Burton. An experimental short film by Eddie Alcazar with soundtrack by Flying Lotus, “Fuckkkyouuu”, will premiere Sunday at the “Turbo Kid” (Epic Pictures Releasing) screening with a back-to-back DJ battle between Neon Indian and Toro Y Moi.
Pairing music audiences with movie audiences aims to bring new awareness of new art canvasses to people who do not have a lot of crossover knowledge of film on one hand or of music on the other. Musicians often want to make movies and both they and filmmakers have had the carpets pulled out from under them and are struggling to find their way amidst digitization. It seems self-evident that fimmakers appreciate music since soundtracks and even the most incidental music in a film can make or break it. By pairing “Mistress America” with Sky Ferreira, Charlie is sure Sky’s fans will love “Mistress America” which will result in new discussions and will perhaps begin to define how to make sense of movies to music audiences. The cross-pollination of audiences enriches everyone.
The two daytime films, “Cronies” by Michael Larnell and “Finders Keepers” will be followed by conversations, paired respectively with Robert Townsend, one of the Godfathers of the Independent Film World, actor, writer, director and producer of first of “Hollywood Shuffle” followed by many other films; and Saturday’s “Finders Keepers” directors Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel with Thomas Middletich (“Silicon Valley” ) along with the film’s subject John Wood himself! Speakers were chosen by the filmmakers who were told to ask who was influential them them and who would they want to see their film.
Among the filmmakers, cast and musicians expected to attend Sundance Next Fest are Rick Alverson, Noah Baumbach, Bryan Carberry, Munro Chambers, Greta Gerwig, Health, Tim Heidecker, Lola Kirke, Michael Larnell, François Simard, Superhumanoids, Gregg Turkington, Clay Tweel, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell.
Attendance is expected to be around 10,000 judging by lat year’s numbers. Last year all three film with music event was sold out. The opening screening in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery was huge and the screenings over three days had about 1,000 at each event.
Next is not just a film festival; it is an Event.
Sundance Next Fest is supported by Principal Sponsors – Acura and Adobe; Major Sponsor – Kickstarter; Media Sponsor – Kcrw; and Supporting Sponsors – Beachside Films, Dolby, FilmL.A., Inc., ShopHouse, Shudder, Skullcandy®, Southwest Airlines, Stella Artois®, The Theatre at Ace Hotel and the Utah Film Commission. As part of their presence at the festival, Adobe and Kickstarter will host panels open to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons;
Below is the full program in detail. Even more details and tickets ($15-25) now on sale can be found at sundance.org/next.
Friday, August 7, 8:00 p.m.
"Anxious in Venice" (Band: Superhumanoids, Director: Taylor Cohen) — It's 4:37 a.m. and someone straps a camera to your chest. Nearby, your hungover bandmate sips gas station coffee and the director yells about missing the sunrise. You hate performance music videos but you're sure this one will be different. Then again, when you've been up all night and are shooting without a permit -- you can't be sure of anything. Welcome to Anxious In Venice. Music Video. World Premiere
"Mistress America" / U.S.A. (Director: Noah Baumbach, Screenwriters: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig) — Tracy is a lonely college freshman in New York, having neither the exciting university experience nor the glamorous metropolitan lifestyle she envisioned. But when she is taken in by her soon-to-be stepsister, Brooke – a resident of Times Square and adventurous gal about town – she is rescued from her disappointment and seduced by Brooke's alluringly mad schemes. Cast: Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke. Los Angeles Premiere
Sky Ferreira — Sky Ferreira has quickly established herself as one of today’s most exciting new faces in music, film and fashion. She first signed to Capitol Records at the early age of 15 where she eventually wrote & executive produced her critically acclaimed debut album, Night Time, My Time. As an actress, she has worked with many independent filmmakers including Eli Roth, Liza Johnson & Matthew Porterfield. Sky is currently recording her highly anticipated new album, Masochism.
Saturday, August 8, 3:30 p.m.
"Finders Keepers" / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it, therefore, to be his rightful property. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between directors Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel, subject John Wood and special guests Aubrey Plaza and Thomas Middleditch.
Saturday, August 8, 8:00 p.m.
"Death Magic" (Band: Health, Director: Pablo Ferro) — The sun slowly sets; its beauty soundtracked by a serene yet melancholy sound. As the last rays of light slip behind the clouds, a violent transformation takes place. The music, ever-changing and explosive, creates the imagery… supergraphic and never seen before! The quick cuts in sync with the music, introduce the emotional range and complexity of Health’S new album Death Magic. Album Trailer. World Premiere
"Entertainment" / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — In an attempt to revive his dwindling career and reunite with his estranged daughter, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the California desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. Los Angeles Premiere
Sharon Van Etten — Singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten writes from free-flowing emotional honesty and vulnerability, creating a bond with the listener that few contemporary musicians can match. Following her 2012 break-through Tramp, last year’s follow up Are We There and her new Ep I Don’t Want to Let You Down, Van Etten finds herself in full stride, writing, producing and performing.
Sunday, August 9, 3:30 p.m.
"Cronies" / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael J. Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director Michael J. Larnell and special guest Robert Townsend.
Sunday, August 9, 8:00 p.m.
"Fuckkkyouuu" (Director: Eddie Alcazar, Music: Flying Lotus) — With the ability to travel in time, a lonely girl finds love and comfort by connecting with her past self. Eventually faced with rejection she struggles with her identity and gender, and as time folds onto itself only one of them can remain. Cast: Jesse Sullivan, Charles Baker. Experimental Short / Music Video. World Premiere
"Turbo Kid" / Canada, New Zealand (Directors and screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — Set in a post apocalyptic year of 1997, this nostalgic tribute to ’80s action-adventure films follows an orphaned teenager who goes on an adventure to save his female-robot companion from the hands of the evil warlord who controls the only water supply. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. Los Angeles Premiere
Neon Indian (DJ set) B2B Toro Y Moi (DJ set) — Neon Indian, the brainchild of Alan Palomo, is defined by a unique electro-mangled sound which has attracted fans and opening slots before acts like Massive Attack, The Flaming Lips, Phoenix and Chromeo. Toro Y Moi, the guise of Chaz Bundick, channels a wide swath of stylistic influences into his electronics-incorporating music and cites Big Star, Talking Heads and Todd Rundgren as some of his inspirations.
My colleague Carlos Aguilar has already written about this big L.A. event here, so I will cover other areas and fill in on the music components of the film program.
Each film is its own event so that audiences will go to one film and not necessarily all films. Though the series package is selling well, the individual ticket sales are significant not only selling out but in bringing in new audiences. Getting L.A. people’s attention is not an easy task, but the pairing of movies and music in the unique way Next is creating, plus the spectacular venue, the Theatre at the Ace Hotel, one of L.A.’s most lavish and historic film venues, downtown at 9th and Broadway, will also bring out new audiences who care about preservation of our art deco landmarks.
This year more than half the films that showed in Sundance came out quickly theatrically this spring and summer followed by their VOD releases. If they did not get released theatrically then they were eligible to be chosen for Next if they were sufficiently “renegade” in the best spirit of indie filmmakers, like past films “Obvious Child”, “Compliance”, “Appropriate Behavior”, “Tangerine” and “Escape from Tomorrow”.
Out of the six films chosen for the unconventional and forward thinking of their narrative styles – including one doc -- there is a full range of experience to be had.
Four films showing in the evening are paired with live musical acts which somehow fit the film in mood or in ideas and are new and next in film and music.
In addition there will be three world premiere music videos and a full-body, mind-blowing virtual reality flight simulator, Birdly which was shown this past Sundance in the New Frontier exhibition. You can experience being a bird from a first-person perspective through a full-body virtual reality set up….it’s free, in the mezzanine of The Theatre of the Ace Hotel and available through an onsite waitlist system.
The world premiere music videos are Superhumanoid’s music video for “Anxious in Venice”, premiering Friday along with Noah Baumbach’s out of the mold “Mistress America” (Fox Searchlight) followed by a live performance by Sky Ferreira.Health’s album trailer for “Death Magic” as part of Saturday evening’s screening of “ Entertainment“ (Magnolia Releasing) starring Michael Cera will be followed by a solo performance by Sharon Van Etten. “Death Magic” is directed by acclaimed graphic designer, title designer, and editor Pablo Ferro, who has worked alongside some of the most respected filmmakers of all time including Stanley Kubrick, Hal Ashby and Tim Burton. An experimental short film by Eddie Alcazar with soundtrack by Flying Lotus, “Fuckkkyouuu”, will premiere Sunday at the “Turbo Kid” (Epic Pictures Releasing) screening with a back-to-back DJ battle between Neon Indian and Toro Y Moi.
Pairing music audiences with movie audiences aims to bring new awareness of new art canvasses to people who do not have a lot of crossover knowledge of film on one hand or of music on the other. Musicians often want to make movies and both they and filmmakers have had the carpets pulled out from under them and are struggling to find their way amidst digitization. It seems self-evident that fimmakers appreciate music since soundtracks and even the most incidental music in a film can make or break it. By pairing “Mistress America” with Sky Ferreira, Charlie is sure Sky’s fans will love “Mistress America” which will result in new discussions and will perhaps begin to define how to make sense of movies to music audiences. The cross-pollination of audiences enriches everyone.
The two daytime films, “Cronies” by Michael Larnell and “Finders Keepers” will be followed by conversations, paired respectively with Robert Townsend, one of the Godfathers of the Independent Film World, actor, writer, director and producer of first of “Hollywood Shuffle” followed by many other films; and Saturday’s “Finders Keepers” directors Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel with Thomas Middletich (“Silicon Valley” ) along with the film’s subject John Wood himself! Speakers were chosen by the filmmakers who were told to ask who was influential them them and who would they want to see their film.
Among the filmmakers, cast and musicians expected to attend Sundance Next Fest are Rick Alverson, Noah Baumbach, Bryan Carberry, Munro Chambers, Greta Gerwig, Health, Tim Heidecker, Lola Kirke, Michael Larnell, François Simard, Superhumanoids, Gregg Turkington, Clay Tweel, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell.
Attendance is expected to be around 10,000 judging by lat year’s numbers. Last year all three film with music event was sold out. The opening screening in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery was huge and the screenings over three days had about 1,000 at each event.
Next is not just a film festival; it is an Event.
Sundance Next Fest is supported by Principal Sponsors – Acura and Adobe; Major Sponsor – Kickstarter; Media Sponsor – Kcrw; and Supporting Sponsors – Beachside Films, Dolby, FilmL.A., Inc., ShopHouse, Shudder, Skullcandy®, Southwest Airlines, Stella Artois®, The Theatre at Ace Hotel and the Utah Film Commission. As part of their presence at the festival, Adobe and Kickstarter will host panels open to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons;
Below is the full program in detail. Even more details and tickets ($15-25) now on sale can be found at sundance.org/next.
Friday, August 7, 8:00 p.m.
"Anxious in Venice" (Band: Superhumanoids, Director: Taylor Cohen) — It's 4:37 a.m. and someone straps a camera to your chest. Nearby, your hungover bandmate sips gas station coffee and the director yells about missing the sunrise. You hate performance music videos but you're sure this one will be different. Then again, when you've been up all night and are shooting without a permit -- you can't be sure of anything. Welcome to Anxious In Venice. Music Video. World Premiere
"Mistress America" / U.S.A. (Director: Noah Baumbach, Screenwriters: Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig) — Tracy is a lonely college freshman in New York, having neither the exciting university experience nor the glamorous metropolitan lifestyle she envisioned. But when she is taken in by her soon-to-be stepsister, Brooke – a resident of Times Square and adventurous gal about town – she is rescued from her disappointment and seduced by Brooke's alluringly mad schemes. Cast: Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke. Los Angeles Premiere
Sky Ferreira — Sky Ferreira has quickly established herself as one of today’s most exciting new faces in music, film and fashion. She first signed to Capitol Records at the early age of 15 where she eventually wrote & executive produced her critically acclaimed debut album, Night Time, My Time. As an actress, she has worked with many independent filmmakers including Eli Roth, Liza Johnson & Matthew Porterfield. Sky is currently recording her highly anticipated new album, Masochism.
Saturday, August 8, 3:30 p.m.
"Finders Keepers" / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it, therefore, to be his rightful property. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between directors Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel, subject John Wood and special guests Aubrey Plaza and Thomas Middleditch.
Saturday, August 8, 8:00 p.m.
"Death Magic" (Band: Health, Director: Pablo Ferro) — The sun slowly sets; its beauty soundtracked by a serene yet melancholy sound. As the last rays of light slip behind the clouds, a violent transformation takes place. The music, ever-changing and explosive, creates the imagery… supergraphic and never seen before! The quick cuts in sync with the music, introduce the emotional range and complexity of Health’S new album Death Magic. Album Trailer. World Premiere
"Entertainment" / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — In an attempt to revive his dwindling career and reunite with his estranged daughter, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the California desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. Los Angeles Premiere
Sharon Van Etten — Singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten writes from free-flowing emotional honesty and vulnerability, creating a bond with the listener that few contemporary musicians can match. Following her 2012 break-through Tramp, last year’s follow up Are We There and her new Ep I Don’t Want to Let You Down, Van Etten finds herself in full stride, writing, producing and performing.
Sunday, August 9, 3:30 p.m.
"Cronies" / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael J. Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director Michael J. Larnell and special guest Robert Townsend.
Sunday, August 9, 8:00 p.m.
"Fuckkkyouuu" (Director: Eddie Alcazar, Music: Flying Lotus) — With the ability to travel in time, a lonely girl finds love and comfort by connecting with her past self. Eventually faced with rejection she struggles with her identity and gender, and as time folds onto itself only one of them can remain. Cast: Jesse Sullivan, Charles Baker. Experimental Short / Music Video. World Premiere
"Turbo Kid" / Canada, New Zealand (Directors and screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — Set in a post apocalyptic year of 1997, this nostalgic tribute to ’80s action-adventure films follows an orphaned teenager who goes on an adventure to save his female-robot companion from the hands of the evil warlord who controls the only water supply. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. Los Angeles Premiere
Neon Indian (DJ set) B2B Toro Y Moi (DJ set) — Neon Indian, the brainchild of Alan Palomo, is defined by a unique electro-mangled sound which has attracted fans and opening slots before acts like Massive Attack, The Flaming Lips, Phoenix and Chromeo. Toro Y Moi, the guise of Chaz Bundick, channels a wide swath of stylistic influences into his electronics-incorporating music and cites Big Star, Talking Heads and Todd Rundgren as some of his inspirations.
- 8/6/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Musicians Sky Ferriera, Sharon Van Etten and dee-jays Neon Indian and Toro Y Moi are now part of the expanding Sundance Film Festival family. Sundance’s Next Fest (August 7th to the 9th) kicks off early on August 2nd, with a showing of Jon Watt’s Cop Car — the filmmaker made the industry news headlines this week when he signed onto direct the new Spiderman. Now in its third year, the fest which intertwines filmmakers and musicians or surprise mentors of the arts is comprised of films from the ’15 edition of the festival with only a pair of Next titles being re-programmed in Rick Alverson’s Entertainment and Michael J. Larnell’s
Cronies. Our Nicholas Bell will be covering the event for the site. Here’s the full lineup:
Sunday, August 2, 8:30 p.m. – Sundance Next Fest Kick Off Event
Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Cop Car / U.S.
Cronies. Our Nicholas Bell will be covering the event for the site. Here’s the full lineup:
Sunday, August 2, 8:30 p.m. – Sundance Next Fest Kick Off Event
Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Cop Car / U.S.
- 6/24/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
"Find them, kill them..." Throw on a poncho, you're about to get splattered with fake blood. If you haven't seen the trailer for this film, and you can stand buckets of blood, you need to watch it. Turbo Kid was one of the films playing in the Midnight category at Sundance this year, and while I never got to see it myself, I heard that it was pretty crazy. This trailer finally lets us in on just how insane it is, with gore like no other in a retro unrated action movie gone mad. The film stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Edwin Wright, Aaron Jeffery and Romano Orzari. This seems kind of like a low budget splatter version of Scott Pilgrim, though SlashFilm said it's "like no other film in the last decade". Fire it up! Here's the trailer for François Simard, Anouk Whissell & Yoann-Karl Whissell's Turbo Kid,...
- 6/23/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Turbo Kid Trailers and Clip. François Simard‘s Turbo Kid (2015) movie trailers, movie clip entitled “The Blender” star Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Edwin Wright, and Aaron Jeffery. Turbo Kid‘s plot synopsis: “It’s 1997. In a ruined post-apocalyptic world, the orphaned Kid survives on his own through drought-ridden nuclear winter, traversing the Wasteland on his BMX, scavenging for scraps to trade for a scant supply of water. When his perpetually chipper, pink-haired new best friend Apple is kidnapped by a minion of evil overlord Zeus, the Kid summons the courage of his comic book hero and prepares to deliver turbocharged justice to Zeus, his buzzsaw-handed sidekick Skeletron, and their vicious masked army.”
This movie looks very fun, full retro goodness, very much in the vain of Kung Fury and Planet Terror.
Turbo Kid also stars Romano Orzari, Evan Manoukian, Anouk Whissell, François Simard, and Tyler Hall.
Watch Turbo Kid movie trailers,...
This movie looks very fun, full retro goodness, very much in the vain of Kung Fury and Planet Terror.
Turbo Kid also stars Romano Orzari, Evan Manoukian, Anouk Whissell, François Simard, and Tyler Hall.
Watch Turbo Kid movie trailers,...
- 6/18/2015
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
"I wish I could have been more like the real Turbo Rider." "But you could totally be Turbo Kid." A new release trailer for SXSW favorite Turbo Kid has landed along with an official theatrical and VOD release date: August 28th. Ready to roll?
"In a post-apocalyptic future a young solitary scavenger obsessed with comic books must face his fears and become a reluctant hero when he meets a mysterious girl. From horror masterminds Ant Timpson (The ABCs Of Death 1 & 2, Housebound) and Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun)."
Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, Turbo Kid stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Aaron Jeffery, and Michael Ironside. Epic Pictures Group will release Turbo Kid in theaters and VOD August 28th.
To read Heather's review of Turbo Kid and her interview with directors François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and Anouk Whissell, visit the following:
Review Interview
The post Watch the New Trailer for Turbo Kid,...
"In a post-apocalyptic future a young solitary scavenger obsessed with comic books must face his fears and become a reluctant hero when he meets a mysterious girl. From horror masterminds Ant Timpson (The ABCs Of Death 1 & 2, Housebound) and Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun)."
Directed by François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell, Turbo Kid stars Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Aaron Jeffery, and Michael Ironside. Epic Pictures Group will release Turbo Kid in theaters and VOD August 28th.
To read Heather's review of Turbo Kid and her interview with directors François Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and Anouk Whissell, visit the following:
Review Interview
The post Watch the New Trailer for Turbo Kid,...
- 6/17/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Based off their segment from the original The ABC’s of Death, filmmakers Yoann-Karl Whissell, Anouk Whissell and François Simard have expanded their post-apocalyptic story with Turbo Kid. The feature film adaptation returns to the isolated wastelands of 1997 where we follow a young loner known only as “The Kid” (Munro Chambers), who befriends a mysteriously optimistic girl by the name of Apple (Laurence Leboeuf). The pair quickly realize they need each other in order to survive after Apple is kidnapped by an evil warlord named Zeus (Michael Ironside). “The Kid” is then forced to step up and become a superhero (of sorts) via a mechanized suit that gives him the powers he needs in order to overcome the psychotic leader and save his new friend before it’s too late.
Feeling like if George Miller (Mad Max) had remade the 1989 kids classic, The Wizard, Turbo Kid is pure cinematic ecstasy...
Feeling like if George Miller (Mad Max) had remade the 1989 kids classic, The Wizard, Turbo Kid is pure cinematic ecstasy...
- 3/18/2015
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Wentworth and Devil.s Playground have dominated in the 2015 Astra nominations, between them securing all nominations in the acting and Australian drama categories.
More than 30 Australian subscription channels have been shortlisted as finalists across the 17 Astra categories (finalists for Channel of the Year are announced separately).
This year, for the first time, a number of professionals from wider creative industries joined subscription television executives in the judging process. The result is a diverse range of nominations (for instance, in the Most Outstanding Reality Program category, Aussie productions The Real Housewives of Melbourne is nominated up against Outback Coroner and Afl football show The Recruit, as well as Us programs Deadliest Catch and Gold Rush) while, for the first time, community channel Aurora has earned its first Astra in its 20-year history.
.The finalists announced today represent the best content on Australian television,. Astra CEO Andrew Maiden said in a statement released to media.
More than 30 Australian subscription channels have been shortlisted as finalists across the 17 Astra categories (finalists for Channel of the Year are announced separately).
This year, for the first time, a number of professionals from wider creative industries joined subscription television executives in the judging process. The result is a diverse range of nominations (for instance, in the Most Outstanding Reality Program category, Aussie productions The Real Housewives of Melbourne is nominated up against Outback Coroner and Afl football show The Recruit, as well as Us programs Deadliest Catch and Gold Rush) while, for the first time, community channel Aurora has earned its first Astra in its 20-year history.
.The finalists announced today represent the best content on Australian television,. Astra CEO Andrew Maiden said in a statement released to media.
- 2/10/2015
- by Emily Blatchford
- IF.com.au
Turbo Kid
Written and Directed by Yoann-Karl Whissell, Anouk Whissell and François Simard
Canada/New Zealand, 2014
Turbo Kid is as if your favorite Saturday morning cartoon from the 80s got the most fucked up live action adaptation, and yes, that’s a compliment. Based off the short they did for The ABCs of Death, the film from Yoann-Karl Whissell, Anouk Whissell and François Simard takes place in an apocalyptic wasteland in 1997 where a young kid (Munro Chambers) becomes friends with a girl named Apple (Laurence Lebeouf). When Apple is captured by the evil overlord Zeus (Michael Ironside), the kid finds a superhero suit that gives him the powers to free Apple and save the wasteland.
The filmmakers wear their influenes on their sleeve and numerous aspects, from the setting to costuming, call back to the Mad Max series. Plenty of the film harkens back to the stories we would create when we were kids.
Written and Directed by Yoann-Karl Whissell, Anouk Whissell and François Simard
Canada/New Zealand, 2014
Turbo Kid is as if your favorite Saturday morning cartoon from the 80s got the most fucked up live action adaptation, and yes, that’s a compliment. Based off the short they did for The ABCs of Death, the film from Yoann-Karl Whissell, Anouk Whissell and François Simard takes place in an apocalyptic wasteland in 1997 where a young kid (Munro Chambers) becomes friends with a girl named Apple (Laurence Lebeouf). When Apple is captured by the evil overlord Zeus (Michael Ironside), the kid finds a superhero suit that gives him the powers to free Apple and save the wasteland.
The filmmakers wear their influenes on their sleeve and numerous aspects, from the setting to costuming, call back to the Mad Max series. Plenty of the film harkens back to the stories we would create when we were kids.
- 2/2/2015
- by Dylan Griffin
- SoundOnSight
Turbo Kid is hands down the most entertaining film that screened at Sundance this year. I had a ridiculous amount of fun watching this movie, and it one I know that a lot of you would like as well. Everything about this movie exploded with pure awesomeness in the most nostalgic and extreme ways.
To start off, the story is set in a post-apocalyptic 1997. Most of the world's population has been wiped out by acid rain, and fresh water is rare resource to come across. There are no cars in the film, so everyone, including the hardcore villains, ride bicycles as their main mode of transportation. Some of them are even decked out Mad Max style. In fact, the movie had a very Mad Max vibe to it, only it was more amusing.
The film centered on a orphaned kid (Munro Chambers) who is surviving in this world after his...
To start off, the story is set in a post-apocalyptic 1997. Most of the world's population has been wiped out by acid rain, and fresh water is rare resource to come across. There are no cars in the film, so everyone, including the hardcore villains, ride bicycles as their main mode of transportation. Some of them are even decked out Mad Max style. In fact, the movie had a very Mad Max vibe to it, only it was more amusing.
The film centered on a orphaned kid (Munro Chambers) who is surviving in this world after his...
- 1/30/2015
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Whenever I go to the Sundance Film Festival, the movies that I look forward to seeing most are the Park City At Midnight films. Those are the crazy fun genre movies that a lot of you would also enjoy watching. Sundance has announced the movie lineup for those film as well as the films in the Spotlight and New Frontier sections. It looks like there are a lot of cool movies that are going to be worth watching this year. Especially in the Park City At Midnight lineup. I'm really excited about going this year! Check out the Competition movie line-up here.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon,...
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon,...
- 12/6/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
John Nein was not always a Senior Programmer at the Sundance Film Festival — it’s only been eight years. When he began at Sundance in 2002 he was always watching movies of course. More than that, like John Cooper said, he just didn’t shut up when he was in the room; he was opinionated and spoke his opinions. He also always liked international cinema as he was born in Ireland and grew up in The Netherlands, Belgium and London where his father worked for international companies. When he was 12 he came to the U.S.
The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
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The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
tt3694760 autoPossibil...
- 12/6/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Fans of writer/director Eli Roth have two very different films to look forward to: The Green Inferno, an homage to Italian cannibal movies, and Knock Knock, a home intrusion psychological thriller. While the theatrical release of the former is delayed, the latter, which stars Keanu Reeves, will make its world premiere as part of Sundance’s Park City at Midnight lineup, and the first batch of photos from the film have been unveiled.
“Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man’s life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare.”
Directed by Eli Roth off a script he wrote with Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
In addition to Knock Knock, the Park City at Midnight selections also include Hellions, It Follows, The Hallow, and more. The Sundance Film Festival...
“Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man’s life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare.”
Directed by Eli Roth off a script he wrote with Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
In addition to Knock Knock, the Park City at Midnight selections also include Hellions, It Follows, The Hallow, and more. The Sundance Film Festival...
- 12/5/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
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