Michel Gondry’s latest film, the Noam Chomsky documentary “Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy," made its theatrical premiere just over two weeks ago. The movie combines Gondry’s unique, whimsical style of animation with a series of conversations the director had with Chomsky. One of our own writers was quite smitten with the film, describing it as “a reverse 'Drunk History'—surreal, humorous visualizations of sober ideas with their own internal logic.” Thankfully, the film’s release allowed for the chance to see Michael Gondry and Noam Chomsky together once again in a 30-minute chat during last month’s NYC Doc Festival. The discussion was put together by Democracy Now! and moderated by Anthony Arnove. Together, Gondry and Chomsky talk about how they originally met, how Chomsky comes up with his process of exploring ideas, and they also speak candidly about their educational achievements (or lack thereof). Like the film,...
- 12/5/2013
- by Ken Guidry
- The Playlist
This is a tough awards season! Lots of great movies to see, so little time! I'm catching up like crazy before we vote for the Critics' Choice Movie Awards for the Broadcast Film Critics Association. So I apologize if I haven't updated you with the latest on the awards season 2013-2014! And there were many award-giving bodies announcing nominations.
We already told you about the Rome Film Festival and the Film Independent Spirit Awards, now let's talk about the 2013 Gotham Awards, the Ida Documentary Awards, the Cinema Eye, and the Producers Guild announcing its best documentary choices.
First stop, we have the 2013 Gotham Awards where Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" topped the nominations with three nods including best feature, best actor for Chiwetel Ejiofor and breakthrough actor for Lupita Nyong'o.
Winners will be announced on Dec. 2nd where Richard Linklater, Forest Whitaker, and Katherine Oliver (head of the NYC...
We already told you about the Rome Film Festival and the Film Independent Spirit Awards, now let's talk about the 2013 Gotham Awards, the Ida Documentary Awards, the Cinema Eye, and the Producers Guild announcing its best documentary choices.
First stop, we have the 2013 Gotham Awards where Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" topped the nominations with three nods including best feature, best actor for Chiwetel Ejiofor and breakthrough actor for Lupita Nyong'o.
Winners will be announced on Dec. 2nd where Richard Linklater, Forest Whitaker, and Katherine Oliver (head of the NYC...
- 12/2/2013
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
As two more Afghan children are liberated (from their lives) by Nato this weekend, a new film examines the effects of endless Us aggression
(updated below)
Yesterday I had the privilege to watch Dirty Wars, an upcoming film directed by Richard Rowley that chronicles the investigations of journalist Jeremy Scahill into America's global covert war under President Obama and specifically his ever-growing kill lists. I will write comprehensively about this film closer to the date when it and the book by the same name will be released. For now, it will suffice to say that the film is one of the most important I've seen in years: gripping and emotionally affecting in the extreme, with remarkable, news-breaking revelations even for those of us who have intensely followed these issues. The film won awards at Sundance and rave reviews in unlikely places such as Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. But for now,...
(updated below)
Yesterday I had the privilege to watch Dirty Wars, an upcoming film directed by Richard Rowley that chronicles the investigations of journalist Jeremy Scahill into America's global covert war under President Obama and specifically his ever-growing kill lists. I will write comprehensively about this film closer to the date when it and the book by the same name will be released. For now, it will suffice to say that the film is one of the most important I've seen in years: gripping and emotionally affecting in the extreme, with remarkable, news-breaking revelations even for those of us who have intensely followed these issues. The film won awards at Sundance and rave reviews in unlikely places such as Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. But for now,...
- 3/31/2013
- by Glenn Greenwald
- The Guardian - Film News
Sundance Selects has acquired North American rights to Richard Rowley's "Dirty Wars," the company announced Sunday. "Dirty Wars" premiered in the U.S. documentary competition section at the Sundance Film Festival. Rowley's film follows investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill on an unexpected journey as he chases down the truth behind America's covert wars. The film, with a screenplay by Jeremy Scahill and David Riker, was produced by Anthony Arnove, Brenda Coughlin, and Scahill. "Our entire team was blown away by 'Dirty Wars,' Richard Rowley's tough-minded, gripping film that plays out like a detective story," said...
- 1/20/2013
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Documentaries continue to get snatched up in the early says of the Sundance Film Festival. Sunday, Sundance Selects nailed down a deal for North American rights to “Dirty Wars,” Richard Rowley’s look at investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill’s quest to expose America’s covert operations abroad. The film, part of the U.S. documentary competition, premiered at the Temple Theatre Friday night and screened again Saturday afternoon before the deal closed. Scahill and David Riker wrote the screenplay. Anthony Arnove, Brenda Coughlin and Scahill produced. “Our entire team was blown away by ‘Dirty Wars,’ Richard Rowley's tough-minded, gripping film that plays out like a detective story,” said Sundance Selects/IFC Films president Jonathan Sehring. “Jeremy Scahill's investigation into the war on terror being waged around the world is a vital, disturbing and incredibly humane story that will have people on both...
- 1/20/2013
- by Jay A. Fernandez and Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Can’t believe I’m writing this, but AMC’s Sundance Selects is so far dominating the acquisitions marketplace at the Sundance Film Festival, even if it’s doing small documentary deals. They’ve just bought North American on Dirty Wars, the Richard Rowley-directed pic. That follows yesterday’s deal for The Summit. Here’s the announcement: Park City, Ut (January 20, 2013) – Sundance Selects announced today from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival that the company is acquiring North American rights to Richard Rowley’s Dirty Wars, which premiered in the U.S. documentary competition section. The film, with a screenplay by Jeremy Scahill and David Riker, was produced by Anthony Arnove, Brenda Coughlin, and Scahill. Rowley’s film follows investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill on an unexpected journey as he chasesdown the truth behind America’s covert wars. Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: “Our entire team was blown away by Dirty Wars,...
- 1/20/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
While not all films mentioned below are necessarily guaranteed future place among the Sundance Film Festival elite, it’s certainly a step in the right direction for the filmmakers and more importantly the producers backing the future of independent film. Among the eleven project participants below selected for the annual Creative Producing Labs and Creative Producing Summit (July 30 – August 3) in the Feature Film category we find such names as future superstars in Summer Shelton (she worked with Ramin Bahrani) and receives the first ever Bingham Ray Creative Producing Fellow, Tory Lenosky (worked as an assistant to Jay Van Hoy and Lars Knudsen) and Lucas Joaquin (second unit producer for Beasts of the Southern Wild). Here is the full press release below.
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative Producing Lab is a five-day Lab where narrative feature film producers work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative instincts,...
Feature Film Creative Producing Lab
The Feature Film Creative Producing Lab is a five-day Lab where narrative feature film producers work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors to develop their creative instincts,...
- 7/18/2012
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Colin Firth heads a production in the West End of London that aims to bring some of the most important passages of the past to life
An American theatrical phenomenon is staking its first claim on London's west end today in a performance in which all of the many actors involved, from Colin Firth to Juliet Stevenson, Sir Ben Kingsley and Sir Ian McKellen, will be happily upstaged by an unlikely rival – British history.
Firth is leading a host of talented names on stage at the Prince of Wales Theatre in the first British version of The People Speak, a show that aims to breath new life into the past by bringing audiences some of the most significant passages from recorded history.
Stars of the stage and screen will be joined by actresses Kelly Macdonald and Saffron Burrows, poet Benjamin Zephaniah, novelist Arundhati Roy and comedians Omid Djalili and Mark Steel,...
An American theatrical phenomenon is staking its first claim on London's west end today in a performance in which all of the many actors involved, from Colin Firth to Juliet Stevenson, Sir Ben Kingsley and Sir Ian McKellen, will be happily upstaged by an unlikely rival – British history.
Firth is leading a host of talented names on stage at the Prince of Wales Theatre in the first British version of The People Speak, a show that aims to breath new life into the past by bringing audiences some of the most significant passages from recorded history.
Stars of the stage and screen will be joined by actresses Kelly Macdonald and Saffron Burrows, poet Benjamin Zephaniah, novelist Arundhati Roy and comedians Omid Djalili and Mark Steel,...
- 9/18/2010
- by Richard Rogers, Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Actors have the privilege of exploring fictional characters, to see the world from the perspective of another person's imagined life. Sometimes, usually less often, we have the opportunity to speak the words of historical figures, to say the words they themselves spoke. This presents a different kind of challenge, in many ways, something I have been thinking about personally since becoming involved with a performance project and now documentary film called The People Speak, which is airing on History Channel, Sunday, December 13, at 8 pm (7 pm Central). (A soundtrack of music from the film is available from the Verve label December 9.) The project is inspired by Howard Zinn's books A People's History of the United States and, with Anthony Arnove, Voices of a People's History of the United States, two books that have had a deep influence on...
- 12/11/2009
- by Viggo Mortensen
- Huffington Post
History is teaming with education organization the People Speak for a dramatic documentary starring a host of celebrity talent.
Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, David Strathairn, Marisa Tomei and others will lend performances chronicling key moments in U.S. history. Damon will appear in a vignette about John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," Tomei will play factory worker Harriet Hanson Robinson, and Eddie Vedder will read Bob Dylan's "Masters of War."
The network will air a two-hour special titled "The People Speak" during the fourth quarter of next year and release at least 24 shortform segments through 2010 for online and VOD distribution.
Damon and Brolin also are on board as executive producers, along with Speak co-director Chris Moore, Anthony Arnove, Howard Zinn, David McKillop and Russ McCarroll.
"This is a brand marriage made in heaven," History executive vp and Gm Nancy Dubuc said. "Matt and Chris are trying...
Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, David Strathairn, Marisa Tomei and others will lend performances chronicling key moments in U.S. history. Damon will appear in a vignette about John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," Tomei will play factory worker Harriet Hanson Robinson, and Eddie Vedder will read Bob Dylan's "Masters of War."
The network will air a two-hour special titled "The People Speak" during the fourth quarter of next year and release at least 24 shortform segments through 2010 for online and VOD distribution.
Damon and Brolin also are on board as executive producers, along with Speak co-director Chris Moore, Anthony Arnove, Howard Zinn, David McKillop and Russ McCarroll.
"This is a brand marriage made in heaven," History executive vp and Gm Nancy Dubuc said. "Matt and Chris are trying...
- 4/16/2009
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Josh Brolin is hoping to bring America's greatest speeches to the big screen with the help of stars like Matt Damon, Sean Penn and Pink.
The W star admits he has always been fascinated with the speeches of great Americans, from presidents to civil rights leaders, like Martin Luther King, Jr. - and now he's hoping to turn the star-studded readings into a motion picture event.
The People Speak is based on an idea from activists Anthony Arnove and Howard Zinn.
He explains, "Anthony and Howard created live performances of some of the speeches that have been taken out of people's history in the United States; some anonymous and some are famous from John Brown, which is the speech I perform, to Martin Luther King.
"We created something at the Majestic Theater in Boston and had Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, David Strathairn, Marisa Tomei and had 19 cameras film that. We did another one at the Malibu Performing Arts Center. I got Sean (Penn) to do that, Eddie Vedder, Taj Mahal, Pink, Benjamin Bratt, and Don Cheadle.
"I'm very proud of this. We have 96 hours of film that we're cutting together and I met with nine cable networks in New York and everybody is very excited about it."...
The W star admits he has always been fascinated with the speeches of great Americans, from presidents to civil rights leaders, like Martin Luther King, Jr. - and now he's hoping to turn the star-studded readings into a motion picture event.
The People Speak is based on an idea from activists Anthony Arnove and Howard Zinn.
He explains, "Anthony and Howard created live performances of some of the speeches that have been taken out of people's history in the United States; some anonymous and some are famous from John Brown, which is the speech I perform, to Martin Luther King.
"We created something at the Majestic Theater in Boston and had Viggo Mortensen, Danny Glover, David Strathairn, Marisa Tomei and had 19 cameras film that. We did another one at the Malibu Performing Arts Center. I got Sean (Penn) to do that, Eddie Vedder, Taj Mahal, Pink, Benjamin Bratt, and Don Cheadle.
"I'm very proud of this. We have 96 hours of film that we're cutting together and I met with nine cable networks in New York and everybody is very excited about it."...
- 11/24/2008
- WENN
Project Greenlight's Chris Moore will executive produce a miniseries and feature-length documentary based on historian-author Howard Zinn's 1980 book "A People's History of the United States."
Titled The People Speak, the project will feature music and readings based on America's struggles with war, class, race and the rights of women. Matt Damon, Marisa Tomei, Viggo Mortensen and Josh Brolin will provide performances for the project that will interweave archival footage, photographs and interviews, with Eddie Vedder and John Legend lending their musical talents. Danny Glover, David Strathairn and Kerry Washington also are set to appear.
"It's going to be a great piece of entertainment but more importantly something people can watch and learn and remember how great this country has been and how individual people have changed the course of history," Moore said. "It's going to make them think, laugh and cry and be proud to be American."
The project, also based on Zinn's companion book "Voices of a People's History of the United States" which he co-wrote with Anthony Arnove, will begin production in January in Boston.
Titled The People Speak, the project will feature music and readings based on America's struggles with war, class, race and the rights of women. Matt Damon, Marisa Tomei, Viggo Mortensen and Josh Brolin will provide performances for the project that will interweave archival footage, photographs and interviews, with Eddie Vedder and John Legend lending their musical talents. Danny Glover, David Strathairn and Kerry Washington also are set to appear.
"It's going to be a great piece of entertainment but more importantly something people can watch and learn and remember how great this country has been and how individual people have changed the course of history," Moore said. "It's going to make them think, laugh and cry and be proud to be American."
The project, also based on Zinn's companion book "Voices of a People's History of the United States" which he co-wrote with Anthony Arnove, will begin production in January in Boston.
- 12/11/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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