In their documentary Body Parts, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2022 and is now streaming on digital platforms, director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and producer Helen Hood Scheer confront issues of the male gaze and male supremacy within the film industry. The vastly informative film explores topics such as body doubling, beauty retouching in post, sexual harrassment on set and the introduction of intimacy coordination. Through candid interviews, an expansive array of archival footage and reenactments, this film thoroughly uncovers the darker history of sex on screen, also highlighting the ways in which tides are changing with more female filmmakers […]
The post Secrecy and the Creation of “Nakedness” On Screen: Director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Producer Helen Hood Scheer on Their Documentary, Body Parts first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Secrecy and the Creation of “Nakedness” On Screen: Director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Producer Helen Hood Scheer on Their Documentary, Body Parts first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/21/2023
- by Eliza Park
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
In their documentary Body Parts, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2022 and is now streaming on digital platforms, director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and producer Helen Hood Scheer confront issues of the male gaze and male supremacy within the film industry. The vastly informative film explores topics such as body doubling, beauty retouching in post, sexual harrassment on set and the introduction of intimacy coordination. Through candid interviews, an expansive array of archival footage and reenactments, this film thoroughly uncovers the darker history of sex on screen, also highlighting the ways in which tides are changing with more female filmmakers […]
The post Secrecy and the Creation of “Nakedness” On Screen: Director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Producer Helen Hood Scheer on Their Documentary, Body Parts first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Secrecy and the Creation of “Nakedness” On Screen: Director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Producer Helen Hood Scheer on Their Documentary, Body Parts first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/21/2023
- by Eliza Park
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Filmmakers Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Helen Hood Scheer investigate the past in order to push toward a more equitable future for women in front of and behind the camera in their Body Parts documentary. The director and producer discuss with CineMovie the growing movement to empower actresses and female filmmakers in changing both the narrative and employing intimacy coordinators on set to ensure women have a say in what they want to do with their bodies.
- 2/1/2023
- by luperhaas@cinemovie.tv (Lupe R Haas)
- CineMovie
Jane Fonda and Rose McGowan Strip Down the Myths of Movie Sex Scenes in ‘Body Parts’ Trailer — Watch
What is the effect of sex scenes in film? Who decides what is “sexy”?
Jane Fonda is among the many artists featured in the documentary “Body Parts,” which addresses what it means to undress onscreen. While some movies act as an informal sexual education for audiences, others act as vehicles to deepen the patriarchal straight male fantastical definition of what it means to be “sexy.”
Filmmakers Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Helen Hood Scheer capture Fonda, Rose McGowan, Karyn Kusama, Rosanna Arquette, Joey Soloway, Alexandra Billings, Angela Robinson, Emily Meade, and David Simon in the latest doc from Shout! Factory.
“I was at a place in my life where if you were asked to do something, especially by a man, you did it,” Fonda says in the film about filming the iconic “Barbella.”
Per the official synopsis, for too long cinema has been dominated by the male gaze. Innovative and incisive, “Body...
Jane Fonda is among the many artists featured in the documentary “Body Parts,” which addresses what it means to undress onscreen. While some movies act as an informal sexual education for audiences, others act as vehicles to deepen the patriarchal straight male fantastical definition of what it means to be “sexy.”
Filmmakers Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Helen Hood Scheer capture Fonda, Rose McGowan, Karyn Kusama, Rosanna Arquette, Joey Soloway, Alexandra Billings, Angela Robinson, Emily Meade, and David Simon in the latest doc from Shout! Factory.
“I was at a place in my life where if you were asked to do something, especially by a man, you did it,” Fonda says in the film about filming the iconic “Barbella.”
Per the official synopsis, for too long cinema has been dominated by the male gaze. Innovative and incisive, “Body...
- 1/6/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Shout! Studios has acquired North American rights to Body Parts, a documentary that takes a critical look at the way Hollwood shoots sex scenes.
Kristy Guevara-Flanagan directed and Helen Hood Scheer produced the feature that “traces the evolution of ‘sex’ on-screen,” according to a release, “exposing the uncomfortable realities behind some of the most iconic scenes in cinema history and celebrating the bold creators leading the way for change.”
The documentary, which held its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, includes interviews with actors Jane Fonda, Rosanna Arquette, Rose McGowan, Emily Meade and Alexandra Billings, directors Karyn Kusama and Angela Robinson, and TV show creators David Simon and Joey Soloway. Those industry insiders “provide a nuanced look at how different bodies––sizes, abilities, races, genders, and sexualities––are seen on screen and how the mechanisms of filmmaking center the male perspective. The film also follows the...
Kristy Guevara-Flanagan directed and Helen Hood Scheer produced the feature that “traces the evolution of ‘sex’ on-screen,” according to a release, “exposing the uncomfortable realities behind some of the most iconic scenes in cinema history and celebrating the bold creators leading the way for change.”
The documentary, which held its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, includes interviews with actors Jane Fonda, Rosanna Arquette, Rose McGowan, Emily Meade and Alexandra Billings, directors Karyn Kusama and Angela Robinson, and TV show creators David Simon and Joey Soloway. Those industry insiders “provide a nuanced look at how different bodies––sizes, abilities, races, genders, and sexualities––are seen on screen and how the mechanisms of filmmaking center the male perspective. The film also follows the...
- 11/29/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
MetFilm Sales has acquired worldwide rights for filmmaker Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s feature documentary “Body Parts” ahead of its world premiere Sunday in Tribeca Film Festival’s Spotlight section.
The pic shows the evolution of desire and sex on screen from a female perspective, “allowing women to reclaim the parts of themselves that have been objectified and exploited for decades,” according to a statement. It uncovers the processes involved in creating intimacy for mainstream American film and television, the toll these scenes exact on those directly involved, and the impact on women and girls in the real world.
The documentary features candid interviews with actors and creators who are advocating for real change, including Jane Fonda, Rosanna Arquette, Joey Soloway, Angela Robinson, Karyn Kusama, Rose McGowan, Alexandra Billings, Emily Meade and David Simon.
It highlights the voices of women like Sarah Scott and Sarah Tither-Kaplan who spoke out against abusive behavior on their sets,...
The pic shows the evolution of desire and sex on screen from a female perspective, “allowing women to reclaim the parts of themselves that have been objectified and exploited for decades,” according to a statement. It uncovers the processes involved in creating intimacy for mainstream American film and television, the toll these scenes exact on those directly involved, and the impact on women and girls in the real world.
The documentary features candid interviews with actors and creators who are advocating for real change, including Jane Fonda, Rosanna Arquette, Joey Soloway, Angela Robinson, Karyn Kusama, Rose McGowan, Alexandra Billings, Emily Meade and David Simon.
It highlights the voices of women like Sarah Scott and Sarah Tither-Kaplan who spoke out against abusive behavior on their sets,...
- 6/10/2022
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
There are 30 projects in first physical event since 2019.
New works from One Child Nation director Jialing Zhang and Chuck Norris vs. Communism filmmaker Ilinca Calugareanu are among the 30 projects participating in Cph:forum, the financing and co-production market of Cph:dox film festival.
The Forum will run from March 28-31, and will be the first in-person edition since 2019.
Scroll down for the full list of titles
Massachusetts-based Chinese filmmaker Zhang is participating with German-Dutch co-production The Total Trust (working title), produced by Knut Jager through Germany’s Filmtank. The documentary will examine the growth of surveillance culture in China, from cameras to AI profiling.
New works from One Child Nation director Jialing Zhang and Chuck Norris vs. Communism filmmaker Ilinca Calugareanu are among the 30 projects participating in Cph:forum, the financing and co-production market of Cph:dox film festival.
The Forum will run from March 28-31, and will be the first in-person edition since 2019.
Scroll down for the full list of titles
Massachusetts-based Chinese filmmaker Zhang is participating with German-Dutch co-production The Total Trust (working title), produced by Knut Jager through Germany’s Filmtank. The documentary will examine the growth of surveillance culture in China, from cameras to AI profiling.
- 2/10/2022
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
The International Documentary Association has unveiled 13 films receiving $850,000 in funds as part of its Enterprise Documentary Fund production grants.
The titles, announced Monday at the Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival in Washington, D.C. are “After Sherman,” “Aftershock,” “Body Parts,” “Driver,” “Free Renty: Lanier v. Harvard,” “Hossain,” “Magic & Monsters,” “Razing Liberty Square,” “Riotsville, USA,” “Testament,” “Untitled Amazon Documentary,” “Untitled Free Speech Project” and “Untitled Stasi.”
Nausheen Dadabhoy and Jialing Zhang were named as recipients of the Logan Elevate Grants of $25,000 each. Supported by The Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, the Logan Elevate Grants support emerging women filmmakers of color.
“With unique vision and voice, these grantees confront us with complicated truths about our pasts, presents and futures, recalling for me Maya Angelou’s famous quote: Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better,” said Carrie Lozano, who was director of the Ida Enterprise Documentary Fund...
The titles, announced Monday at the Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival in Washington, D.C. are “After Sherman,” “Aftershock,” “Body Parts,” “Driver,” “Free Renty: Lanier v. Harvard,” “Hossain,” “Magic & Monsters,” “Razing Liberty Square,” “Riotsville, USA,” “Testament,” “Untitled Amazon Documentary,” “Untitled Free Speech Project” and “Untitled Stasi.”
Nausheen Dadabhoy and Jialing Zhang were named as recipients of the Logan Elevate Grants of $25,000 each. Supported by The Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, the Logan Elevate Grants support emerging women filmmakers of color.
“With unique vision and voice, these grantees confront us with complicated truths about our pasts, presents and futures, recalling for me Maya Angelou’s famous quote: Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better,” said Carrie Lozano, who was director of the Ida Enterprise Documentary Fund...
- 10/19/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Utopia Distribution has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the documentary For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close directed by Heather Ross (Girls on the Wall). The film chronicles the titular comedy trailblazer who became an improv comedy legend. The film is slated for a digital release in 2021.
The film will feature interviews with Bob Odenkirk and Jason Sudeikis as well as never-before-seen interviews with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. For Mad Men Only made its debut at SXSW earlier this year and spotlights Close’s journey from his “human torch” sideshow act to his influential and contentious rise at The Second City, mentoring such greats as Bill Murray, John Candy, and the aformentioned Fey, as well as the founders of the Upright Citizens Brigade (Ucb), among many others.
Inspired by his semi-autobiographical DC Comics anthology Wasteland, the docu delves into the inner workings of Close’s eccentric mind...
The film will feature interviews with Bob Odenkirk and Jason Sudeikis as well as never-before-seen interviews with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. For Mad Men Only made its debut at SXSW earlier this year and spotlights Close’s journey from his “human torch” sideshow act to his influential and contentious rise at The Second City, mentoring such greats as Bill Murray, John Candy, and the aformentioned Fey, as well as the founders of the Upright Citizens Brigade (Ucb), among many others.
Inspired by his semi-autobiographical DC Comics anthology Wasteland, the docu delves into the inner workings of Close’s eccentric mind...
- 10/7/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Fork Films, the New York-based production company founded by Abigail Disney and Gini Reticker, has revealed the 16 documentaries chosen to receive grants, which will go towards completing production. Chosen from over 500 applicants, the films address a wide range of topics including refugee and immigration stories, incarceration, civil rights, disability rights and media depictions of transgender people among other topics.
“The films we selected are sprawling in their subject matter, but they share an urgency and boldness in their DNA that makes it impossible to look away,” Abigail Disney.
“We’re deeply impressed by the incredible, diverse group of filmmakers,” added Reticker. “This slate of projects tell compelling, powerfully human stories from around the world that forces you to reconsider your perspective on topics you thought you knew about.”
This year’s grant money totaled $625K, up from last year’s $515K. To date, the company has given out almost $5M...
“The films we selected are sprawling in their subject matter, but they share an urgency and boldness in their DNA that makes it impossible to look away,” Abigail Disney.
“We’re deeply impressed by the incredible, diverse group of filmmakers,” added Reticker. “This slate of projects tell compelling, powerfully human stories from around the world that forces you to reconsider your perspective on topics you thought you knew about.”
This year’s grant money totaled $625K, up from last year’s $515K. To date, the company has given out almost $5M...
- 8/2/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Best Documentary Short Films Oscar 2015: Illness and death are top subjects (photo: 'White Earth' by J. Christian Jensen) Eight films — most of them featuring illness and/or death as their focus — remain in the running for the 2015 Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced. Of those eight semi-finalists, three to five titles will be shortlisted for the 87th Academy Awards. (Scroll down to vote in our Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar 2015 poll.) The remaining eight Oscar 2015 contenders are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their directors and, in parentheses, their production companies: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, directed by Ellen Goosenberg Kent (Perry Films) Joanna, directed by Aneta Kopacz (Wajda Studio). Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace, directed by Jeff Dupre (Show of Force) The Lion's Mouth Opens, directed by Lucy Walker (Tree Tree Tree) One Child,...
- 10/22/2014
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tonight honored fifteen student winners from colleges and universities around the world at the 41st Student Academy Awards ceremony, held at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Hollywood.
The gold, silver and bronze medals were announced and presented by actors Adrian Grenier, Nate Parker and Oscar nominee Demian Bichir, and the Oscar-winning directing/producing team from the animated feature Frozen, Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck and Peter Del Vecho.
The 2014 Student Academy Award® winners are:
Alternative
Gold Medal: “Person,” Drew Brown, The Art Institute of Jacksonville, Florida
Silver Medal: “Oscillate,” Daniel Sierra, School of Visual Arts, New York
Animation
Gold Medal: “Owned,” Daniel Clark and Wesley Tippetts, Brigham Young University, Utah
Silver Medal: “Higher Sky,” Teng Cheng, University of Southern California
Bronze Medal: “Yamashita,” Hayley Foster, Loyola Marymount University, California
Documentary
Gold Medal: “The Apothecary,” Helen Hood Scheer, Stanford University
Silver Medal: “White Earth,...
The gold, silver and bronze medals were announced and presented by actors Adrian Grenier, Nate Parker and Oscar nominee Demian Bichir, and the Oscar-winning directing/producing team from the animated feature Frozen, Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck and Peter Del Vecho.
The 2014 Student Academy Award® winners are:
Alternative
Gold Medal: “Person,” Drew Brown, The Art Institute of Jacksonville, Florida
Silver Medal: “Oscillate,” Daniel Sierra, School of Visual Arts, New York
Animation
Gold Medal: “Owned,” Daniel Clark and Wesley Tippetts, Brigham Young University, Utah
Silver Medal: “Higher Sky,” Teng Cheng, University of Southern California
Bronze Medal: “Yamashita,” Hayley Foster, Loyola Marymount University, California
Documentary
Gold Medal: “The Apothecary,” Helen Hood Scheer, Stanford University
Silver Medal: “White Earth,...
- 6/8/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tonight honored fifteen student winners from colleges and universities around the world at the 41st Student Academy Awards ceremony, held at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Hollywood. The gold, silver and bronze medals were announced and presented by actors Adrian Grenier, Nate Parker and Oscar® nominee Demian Bichir, and the Oscar-winning directing/producing team from the animated feature “Frozen,” Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck and Peter Del Vecho. The 2014 Student Academy Award® winners are: Alternative Gold Medal: “Person,” Drew Brown, The Art Institute of Jacksonville, Florida Silver Medal: “Oscillate,” Daniel Sierra, School of Visual Arts, New York Animation Gold Medal: “Owned,” Daniel Clark and Wesley Tippetts, Brigham Young University, Utah Silver Medal: “Higher Sky,” Teng Cheng, University of Southern California Bronze Medal: “Yamashita,” Hayley Foster, Loyola Marymount University, California Documentary Gold Medal: “The Apothecary,” Helen Hood Scheer, Stanford University Silver Medal: “White Earth,...
- 6/8/2014
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
Actors Demian Bichir, Adrian Grenier and Nate Parker, along with the writing/directing/producing team of Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck and Peter Del Vecho, who earned Oscars for Frozen, will present at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 41st Student Academy Awards on Saturday, June 7, at 6 p.m. at the DGA Theater in Hollywood. The awards ceremony caps a week of industry activities for the 15 student filmmakers from the U.S. and abroad who were selected as winners this year.
Lee, Buck and Del Vecho took home Oscars earlier this year for the Animated Feature Film winner Frozen, the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Along with becoming the first female feature director in the history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lee also wrote the screenplay for Frozen and co-wrote the 2012 Oscar nominee Wreck-it Ralph. Co-director Buck’s other animated feature credits include Pocahontas and Tarzan, and...
Lee, Buck and Del Vecho took home Oscars earlier this year for the Animated Feature Film winner Frozen, the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Along with becoming the first female feature director in the history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios, Lee also wrote the screenplay for Frozen and co-wrote the 2012 Oscar nominee Wreck-it Ralph. Co-director Buck’s other animated feature credits include Pocahontas and Tarzan, and...
- 6/2/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Fifteen students have been selected as winners in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 41st Student Academy Awards competition. They will arrive in Los Angeles for a week of industry activities that will culminate in the awards ceremony on Saturday, June 7, at 6 p.m., at the DGA Theater in Hollywood. The medal placements – gold, silver and bronze – in the five award categories will be announced at the ceremony.
http://www.oscars.org/awards/saa/index.html
The winners are (listed alphabetically by film title):
Alternative
“Oscillate,” Daniel Sierra, School of Visual Arts, New York
“Person,” Drew Brown, The Art Institute of Jacksonville, Florida
Animation
“Higher Sky,” Teng Cheng, University of Southern California
“Owned,” Daniel Clark and Wesley Tippetts, Brigham Young University, Utah
“Yamashita,” Hayley Foster, Loyola Marymount University, California
Documentary
“The Apothecary,” Helen Hood Scheer, Stanford University
“One Child,” Zijian Mu, New York University
“White Earth,” J. Christian Jensen,...
http://www.oscars.org/awards/saa/index.html
The winners are (listed alphabetically by film title):
Alternative
“Oscillate,” Daniel Sierra, School of Visual Arts, New York
“Person,” Drew Brown, The Art Institute of Jacksonville, Florida
Animation
“Higher Sky,” Teng Cheng, University of Southern California
“Owned,” Daniel Clark and Wesley Tippetts, Brigham Young University, Utah
“Yamashita,” Hayley Foster, Loyola Marymount University, California
Documentary
“The Apothecary,” Helen Hood Scheer, Stanford University
“One Child,” Zijian Mu, New York University
“White Earth,” J. Christian Jensen,...
- 5/18/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival has just been voted Best Film Festival Ever!……..maybe……if it hasn’t it should because this year’s fest has provided a breathtaking variety of docs, dramas, foreign flix, comedies, shorts, and….you name it!
Sliff.s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University.s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University.s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Friday, November 16th
Alter Egos
Alter Egos plays at 5:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre – Read The Wamg Review By Dana Jung Here
In the alternative world of Ârdizes an important mission with he discovers his...
Sliff.s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University.s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University.s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Friday, November 16th
Alter Egos
Alter Egos plays at 5:00pm at the Tivoli Theatre – Read The Wamg Review By Dana Jung Here
In the alternative world of Ârdizes an important mission with he discovers his...
- 11/16/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Director Fatih Akin's "The Edge of Heaven" was selected as the best narrative feature at the 10th annual RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The jury also awarded a best actress nod to "Heaven"'s Hanna Schygulla and gave Akin the award for best screenplay, an award he also won for the film at 2007's Festival de Cannes.
The BB&T Audience Award for best narrative went to Gareth Lewis' "The Baker". Best actor was Razvan Vasilescu for "California Dreamin'". The cinematography prize went to "California Dreamin"'s Cristian Nemescu, who also received a posthumous special jury prize for directing.
"Up the Yangtze" by Yung Chang won best documentary feature. The film's Shi Ging Wang won best cinematography. The audience award for documentary feature went to Helen Hood Scheer's "JUMP!" A special jury prize for best editing was given to Joelle Alexis for "The Champagne Spy".
"Intimacy", directed by Asley Sabin and David Redmon, won the Human Rights Award.
"Milan" won best narrative short and "Board Control" was selected best documentary short. "I Met the Walrus" received the best animated short prize.
The jury also awarded a best actress nod to "Heaven"'s Hanna Schygulla and gave Akin the award for best screenplay, an award he also won for the film at 2007's Festival de Cannes.
The BB&T Audience Award for best narrative went to Gareth Lewis' "The Baker". Best actor was Razvan Vasilescu for "California Dreamin'". The cinematography prize went to "California Dreamin"'s Cristian Nemescu, who also received a posthumous special jury prize for directing.
"Up the Yangtze" by Yung Chang won best documentary feature. The film's Shi Ging Wang won best cinematography. The audience award for documentary feature went to Helen Hood Scheer's "JUMP!" A special jury prize for best editing was given to Joelle Alexis for "The Champagne Spy".
"Intimacy", directed by Asley Sabin and David Redmon, won the Human Rights Award.
"Milan" won best narrative short and "Board Control" was selected best documentary short. "I Met the Walrus" received the best animated short prize.
- 4/28/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- The Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for children will unspool U.S. director Helen Hood Scheer's "Jump!" as part of its 11th edition, complete with a live demonstration by competitive jump ropers, organizers said Tuesday.
Scheer's documentary feature about teenagers training for the world jump-rope championships will be one of 26 features among a 68-film lineup to screen as part of the Toronto International Film Festival's kids edition April 12-18.
The full lineup, unveiled Tuesday, includes Danish director Charlotte Sachs Bostrup's "Karla's World", Iranian helmer Gholam-Reza Ramezani's "Standing Alone" and German filmmaker Hayo Freitag's "The Three Robbers".
Other U.S. movies bound for Sprockets includes Devin Bell's "Crank Balls", Logan Smalley's "Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life," David Levy's "Good Morning" and Todd Kessler's "Keith".
Sprockets, which annually features a healthy offering from Western Europe, particularly Scandinavia, also will unspool Arne Lindner Naess's "SOS – Summer of Suspense" from Norway, and Swedish filmmaker Petter Naess' "Leaps & Bounds."
The festival will additionally feature 30 non-English-language films with subtitles to be read aloud for the benefit of young audiences.
Scheer's documentary feature about teenagers training for the world jump-rope championships will be one of 26 features among a 68-film lineup to screen as part of the Toronto International Film Festival's kids edition April 12-18.
The full lineup, unveiled Tuesday, includes Danish director Charlotte Sachs Bostrup's "Karla's World", Iranian helmer Gholam-Reza Ramezani's "Standing Alone" and German filmmaker Hayo Freitag's "The Three Robbers".
Other U.S. movies bound for Sprockets includes Devin Bell's "Crank Balls", Logan Smalley's "Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life," David Levy's "Good Morning" and Todd Kessler's "Keith".
Sprockets, which annually features a healthy offering from Western Europe, particularly Scandinavia, also will unspool Arne Lindner Naess's "SOS – Summer of Suspense" from Norway, and Swedish filmmaker Petter Naess' "Leaps & Bounds."
The festival will additionally feature 30 non-English-language films with subtitles to be read aloud for the benefit of young audiences.
- 3/12/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Los Angeles Film Festival
The evergreen topic of kids' competitions gets a new twist in Jump! a winning documentary about competitive jump roping that follows a group of charismatic young athletes from intensive training to the sport's world championships. Yes, to these kids, their families, coaches and supporters, jump roping is a serious sport that some affirm will one day become an Olympic event. Enlivened by spirited subject matter, engaging interviews and remarkable athleticism, "Jump!" has all the right moves for sustained festival play and could find a welcome reception in limited theatrical release before landing adroitly on TV and DVD.
No longer limited to a playground pastime or traditional double-dutch leagues, jump roping now involves 400,000 boys, girls and teens worldwide in local, regional and national events, culminating in the biennial world competition. Docu producer Helen Hood Scheer stepped into this unfamiliar arena for her directorial debut, following six teams of jumpers over two years beginning in 2005.
Scheer focuses on promising competitors from each team, including 19-year-old world champion Marcus, powerhouse high school teammates Nick and Jeff and speed demon Tori, 12. In-depth personal interviews with the athletes, as well as their coaches and family members, along with scenes of training sessions, establish each subject's personality and competitive goals.
Marcus, Nick, Jeff and Tori are among the contenders who go on to the annual ESPN-broadcast national competition that forms the centerpiece of the docu as the filmmakers feature the top athletes and most imposing events. Originality and risk-taking are among the hallmarks of jump roping, inspiring competitors to devise increasingly complex and challenging routines that they are surprisingly open to sharing with others.
Scheer's informal interviews and mobile digital camerawork spotlighting intense contest sequences adeptly capture the essence of the sport. Scott B. Morgan's dynamic editing, employing split screen and widescreen, multiple-image techniques, echoes the jumpers' creativity. While the filmmakers' enthusiasm for the sport is equal to their subjects', some repetitive sequences are unnecessary and several scenes and interviews that are marred by poor audio or unfocused shots could be edited or handled in voice-over. The multiplicity of participants is sometimes difficult to follow and overall at least 10 minutes could be cut from the 100-minute running time.
Throughout the film, the contestants make a lasting impression with their skill, determination, camaraderie and anything-goes enthusiasm. "Jump!" amply demonstrates that jump roping is a rapidly growing sport that deserves a place alongside more traditional athletic events -- and maybe even a shot at the Olympics.
JUMP!
Nutshell Prods.
Credits:
Director/producer/director of photography: Helen Hood Scheer
Screenwriters: Helen Hood Scheer, Scott B. Morgan
Executive producer: Andrew Herwitz
Music: Matt Messina
Editor: Scott B. Morgan
Running time -- 100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
The evergreen topic of kids' competitions gets a new twist in Jump! a winning documentary about competitive jump roping that follows a group of charismatic young athletes from intensive training to the sport's world championships. Yes, to these kids, their families, coaches and supporters, jump roping is a serious sport that some affirm will one day become an Olympic event. Enlivened by spirited subject matter, engaging interviews and remarkable athleticism, "Jump!" has all the right moves for sustained festival play and could find a welcome reception in limited theatrical release before landing adroitly on TV and DVD.
No longer limited to a playground pastime or traditional double-dutch leagues, jump roping now involves 400,000 boys, girls and teens worldwide in local, regional and national events, culminating in the biennial world competition. Docu producer Helen Hood Scheer stepped into this unfamiliar arena for her directorial debut, following six teams of jumpers over two years beginning in 2005.
Scheer focuses on promising competitors from each team, including 19-year-old world champion Marcus, powerhouse high school teammates Nick and Jeff and speed demon Tori, 12. In-depth personal interviews with the athletes, as well as their coaches and family members, along with scenes of training sessions, establish each subject's personality and competitive goals.
Marcus, Nick, Jeff and Tori are among the contenders who go on to the annual ESPN-broadcast national competition that forms the centerpiece of the docu as the filmmakers feature the top athletes and most imposing events. Originality and risk-taking are among the hallmarks of jump roping, inspiring competitors to devise increasingly complex and challenging routines that they are surprisingly open to sharing with others.
Scheer's informal interviews and mobile digital camerawork spotlighting intense contest sequences adeptly capture the essence of the sport. Scott B. Morgan's dynamic editing, employing split screen and widescreen, multiple-image techniques, echoes the jumpers' creativity. While the filmmakers' enthusiasm for the sport is equal to their subjects', some repetitive sequences are unnecessary and several scenes and interviews that are marred by poor audio or unfocused shots could be edited or handled in voice-over. The multiplicity of participants is sometimes difficult to follow and overall at least 10 minutes could be cut from the 100-minute running time.
Throughout the film, the contestants make a lasting impression with their skill, determination, camaraderie and anything-goes enthusiasm. "Jump!" amply demonstrates that jump roping is a rapidly growing sport that deserves a place alongside more traditional athletic events -- and maybe even a shot at the Olympics.
JUMP!
Nutshell Prods.
Credits:
Director/producer/director of photography: Helen Hood Scheer
Screenwriters: Helen Hood Scheer, Scott B. Morgan
Executive producer: Andrew Herwitz
Music: Matt Messina
Editor: Scott B. Morgan
Running time -- 100 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 7/23/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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