It’s been years since we’ve been treated to a great Michelle Pfeiffer performance, and “Where Is Kyra” finally gives her that platform. The tragic, understated character study from “Mother of George” director Andrew Dosunmu constructs a hypnotic portrait of despair out of Pfeiffer’s sullen expression; opposite Kiefer Sutherland as her romantic interest, Pfieffer anchors this shadowy New York mood piece about a despondent middle-aged woman wrestling to find a modicum of stability.
Dosunmu’s atmospheric approach, which derives much of its style from long takes and lengthier pauses, provides both actors with the most experimental cinematic challenge of their resumes to date, and they tackle the assignment with palpable depth. “Where Is Kyra” falls short of channeling their performances into a fully satisfying whole, but it nevertheless fuses the talent of an ambitious filmmaker with actors eager to operate on his wavelength. “Mother of George” and “Restless City...
Dosunmu’s atmospheric approach, which derives much of its style from long takes and lengthier pauses, provides both actors with the most experimental cinematic challenge of their resumes to date, and they tackle the assignment with palpable depth. “Where Is Kyra” falls short of channeling their performances into a fully satisfying whole, but it nevertheless fuses the talent of an ambitious filmmaker with actors eager to operate on his wavelength. “Mother of George” and “Restless City...
- 1/27/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Poverty and destitution never looked as gorgeous as they do in the moody arthouse drama Where is Kyra? The third fiction feature from Sundance regular Andrew Dosunmu, after Mother of George and Restless City, casts Michelle Pfeiffer as an unemployed New Yorker whose money troubles grow exponentially after the death of her mother, who received a disability pension. This leads Kyra to do something rather radical that her sort-of boyfriend, played by Kiefer Sutherland, does not approve of.
Shot by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Bradford Young (Arrival) in what is arguably his career-best work in terms of the camerawork’s sheer breathtaking beauty,...
Shot by Oscar-nominated cinematographer Bradford Young (Arrival) in what is arguably his career-best work in terms of the camerawork’s sheer breathtaking beauty,...
- 1/24/2017
- by Boyd van Hoeij
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Director Ava DuVernay founded the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement in 2011, and as if she wasn’t busy enough, has now added another project to her plate. Array is a multi-platform distribution campaign intended to aid people of color and women who are in the filmmaking business. Where Affrm was primarily dedicated to telling black stories, Array is focused on all minorities who have faced difficulty or prejudice within the filmmaking industry.
Read More: Ava DuVernay Wants You to Be a Rebel and Join the Movement for Diverse Films
DuVernay founded Affrm in 2011 as a “distribution collective of minority arts organizations dedicated to diverse independent films.” Affrm’s Array Releasing has distributed a variety of films, including 2012 Sundance Best Director Winner “Middle of Nowhere,” 2011 Sundance selection “Restless City,” 2011 NAACP Image Award Nominee “I Will Follow” and 2015 Spirit Award Nominee “Out of My Hand.”
In a new video, DuVernay joins other...
Read More: Ava DuVernay Wants You to Be a Rebel and Join the Movement for Diverse Films
DuVernay founded Affrm in 2011 as a “distribution collective of minority arts organizations dedicated to diverse independent films.” Affrm’s Array Releasing has distributed a variety of films, including 2012 Sundance Best Director Winner “Middle of Nowhere,” 2011 Sundance selection “Restless City,” 2011 NAACP Image Award Nominee “I Will Follow” and 2015 Spirit Award Nominee “Out of My Hand.”
In a new video, DuVernay joins other...
- 6/22/2016
- by Kate Halliwell
- Indiewire
The transition of Film Independent’s Los Angeles Film Festival continues. Geographically, the fest has moved away from downtown to multiple Arclight locations. Opening night in Hollywood, Ricardo de Montreuil’s coming-of-age East L.A. drama “Lowriders,” starring Demián Bichir and Theo Rossi as father and estranged ex-con son, signaled the fest’s mission: Provide a diverse program directed by rising filmmakers: among the 42 competition films, 87% are first-and-second-timers, 43% are women and 38% are people of color, while 90% of the 58 total festival films are world premieres.
Developed by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, “Lowriders” (written by Cheo Hodari Coker, Joshua Beirne-Golden, Elgin James, and Justin Tipping), finally got made when the budget dropped—under Universal’s low-budget producing partner, Jason Blum—from $20 million to $5 million. The grittiness helps the scruffy, colorful movie, which Laff head Stephanie Allain loved for being “so Los Angeles, so culturally rich,” she told the Arclight crowd. “Made by filmmakers of color, ‘Lowriders’ embodies our mission.” (The film will go out under a Universal label that remains to be seen, per Blum.)
Since Allain took over in 2014, the festival has lost some of its key programming talent (David Ansen, Doug Jones, Maggie McKay); the sprawling program is now commandeered by film professor Roya Rastegar (Bryn Mawr College). Very much in charge is Laff’s high-powered director, studio-trained producer Allain (“Boyz ‘n the Hood,” “Hustle & Flow”), who has pulled her friend Elvis Mitchell into a role as year-round “curator,” which basically means hosting Q & As at Film Independent-programmed events at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
As Laff becomes more local, eclectic, multi-cultural, and interactive, the Laff seeks to occupy a niche and grow its audience via a more populist, less international festival.
Truth is, only a few top-ranked film festivals a year are must-attend destinations packed with high-end world premieres and star attendees. Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Venice, New York, and Telluride top the list. So there’s some logic to opting out of that competitive arena. Increasingly, fests like Tribeca and SXSW are pushing outside the area of indie film to create alluring events for audiences, from interactive transmedia showcases and TV series premieres to high-profile panels, Q & As, and “Master Classes.” So it makes sense to brand Laff with an identifiable niche.
Giving people awards and tributes is another route pursued by awards-friendly fests like Santa Barbara and Palm Springs, hence Saturday Laff will award “Selma” director Ava DuVernay as well as her distribution company Array Releasing (her own “Middle of Nowhere” plus “Ashes and Embers,” “Mississippi Damned,” “Kinyarwanda,” and “Restless City”) with the annual Spirit of Independence Award given to members of the independent film community who “advance the cause of independent film and champion creative freedom.” Last year, Array bought La Film Festival Us Fiction award-winner “Out of My Hand” for distribution, along with “Ayanda.”
Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”) is the 2016 Festival’s Guest Director; he’s offering a master class on sound design for “Creed.” And Nate Parker hosted a screening of Sundance Oscar contender “Birth of a Nation.” This weekend also brings a panel of women cinematographers.
The question is whether Allain’s quest for diversity will coincide with choosing the best movies, ones that create buzz for must-see titles—so far, actress Amber Tamblyn’s directing debut, “Paint It Black,” debuting Friday night at Lacma, has earned the most advance word of mouth. Established fest circuit titles such as Roger Ross Williams’ autism doc “Life, Animated,” closing night border film “Desierto” from Jonás Cuarón (“Gravity”), starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Mike Birbliglia and Ira Glass’s latest collaboration, improv comedy “Don’t Think Twice,” starring Keegan-Michael Key, are all worth seeing.
But for many of the unknown titles unspooling this week, audiences and buyers will just have to check them out and spread the word, good or bad. Otherwise, they’ll disappear into the ether.
Here are Indiewire’s Laff picks so far.
Related stories2016 Los Angeles Film Festival Awards: 'Heis (chronicles)', 'Blood Stripe' & 'Political Animals' Win BigThe TV Director's Hurdle: Why A Small-Screen Actor Is Making An Indie Feature To Get His Foot In The DoorFilm Independent Announces The 10 Projects Selected for Fast Track and Recipient Of Alfred P. Sloan Grant...
Developed by Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, “Lowriders” (written by Cheo Hodari Coker, Joshua Beirne-Golden, Elgin James, and Justin Tipping), finally got made when the budget dropped—under Universal’s low-budget producing partner, Jason Blum—from $20 million to $5 million. The grittiness helps the scruffy, colorful movie, which Laff head Stephanie Allain loved for being “so Los Angeles, so culturally rich,” she told the Arclight crowd. “Made by filmmakers of color, ‘Lowriders’ embodies our mission.” (The film will go out under a Universal label that remains to be seen, per Blum.)
Since Allain took over in 2014, the festival has lost some of its key programming talent (David Ansen, Doug Jones, Maggie McKay); the sprawling program is now commandeered by film professor Roya Rastegar (Bryn Mawr College). Very much in charge is Laff’s high-powered director, studio-trained producer Allain (“Boyz ‘n the Hood,” “Hustle & Flow”), who has pulled her friend Elvis Mitchell into a role as year-round “curator,” which basically means hosting Q & As at Film Independent-programmed events at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
As Laff becomes more local, eclectic, multi-cultural, and interactive, the Laff seeks to occupy a niche and grow its audience via a more populist, less international festival.
Truth is, only a few top-ranked film festivals a year are must-attend destinations packed with high-end world premieres and star attendees. Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Venice, New York, and Telluride top the list. So there’s some logic to opting out of that competitive arena. Increasingly, fests like Tribeca and SXSW are pushing outside the area of indie film to create alluring events for audiences, from interactive transmedia showcases and TV series premieres to high-profile panels, Q & As, and “Master Classes.” So it makes sense to brand Laff with an identifiable niche.
Giving people awards and tributes is another route pursued by awards-friendly fests like Santa Barbara and Palm Springs, hence Saturday Laff will award “Selma” director Ava DuVernay as well as her distribution company Array Releasing (her own “Middle of Nowhere” plus “Ashes and Embers,” “Mississippi Damned,” “Kinyarwanda,” and “Restless City”) with the annual Spirit of Independence Award given to members of the independent film community who “advance the cause of independent film and champion creative freedom.” Last year, Array bought La Film Festival Us Fiction award-winner “Out of My Hand” for distribution, along with “Ayanda.”
Ryan Coogler (“Fruitvale Station”) is the 2016 Festival’s Guest Director; he’s offering a master class on sound design for “Creed.” And Nate Parker hosted a screening of Sundance Oscar contender “Birth of a Nation.” This weekend also brings a panel of women cinematographers.
The question is whether Allain’s quest for diversity will coincide with choosing the best movies, ones that create buzz for must-see titles—so far, actress Amber Tamblyn’s directing debut, “Paint It Black,” debuting Friday night at Lacma, has earned the most advance word of mouth. Established fest circuit titles such as Roger Ross Williams’ autism doc “Life, Animated,” closing night border film “Desierto” from Jonás Cuarón (“Gravity”), starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Mike Birbliglia and Ira Glass’s latest collaboration, improv comedy “Don’t Think Twice,” starring Keegan-Michael Key, are all worth seeing.
But for many of the unknown titles unspooling this week, audiences and buyers will just have to check them out and spread the word, good or bad. Otherwise, they’ll disappear into the ether.
Here are Indiewire’s Laff picks so far.
Related stories2016 Los Angeles Film Festival Awards: 'Heis (chronicles)', 'Blood Stripe' & 'Political Animals' Win BigThe TV Director's Hurdle: Why A Small-Screen Actor Is Making An Indie Feature To Get His Foot In The DoorFilm Independent Announces The 10 Projects Selected for Fast Track and Recipient Of Alfred P. Sloan Grant...
- 6/3/2016
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Echo Park is an understated indie romance starring Mamie Gummer and Tony Okungbowa as Sophie and Alex, a pair whose shifting lives and relationships mirror the gentrification shifts in their Los Angeles neighborhood. They find themselves drawn to each other as Sophie contemplates the end of a previous relationship and Alex considers a move back to his native London. Okungbowa, who also produced and co-starred in Andrew Dosunmu's acclaimed dramas Restless City and Mother of George and is familiar to some as the former in-house DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, made time to talk with Shadow And Act about his role in the new film. As a British-Nigerian native who grew up in both...
- 4/15/2016
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
The African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (Affrm) has launched its second annual membership drive - a 30-day push (May 4 through June 5) to raise funds that will, in short, allow the grassroots organization to continue to do what it's been doing for the last 4 years - distributing feature films by black filmmakers that tell stories centered on people of African descent. Thus far, Affrm has distributed a diverse mix of 8 feature films (fiction and documentary), including: "I Will Follow," "Kinyarwanda," "Restless City," "Middle of Nowhere," "Vanishing Pearls," "Big Words," "Better Mus Come,"...
- 5/4/2015
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Bradford Young’s work on Ava DuVernay’s civil rights biopic Selma and Jc Chandor’s A Most Violent Year landed him on Hollywood’s radar this Oscar season, but it also illuminates the diversity lacking year after year within the film industry and the Academy that represents it. Critics and DuVernay have praised Young’s aptitude for lensing African-American faces onscreen as beautifully as he does in Selma, a film about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s private and public struggles to turn the tide of the voting rights movement. “I’m never satisfied with the way I see my people photographed in movies,” Young confessed to me over the phone before the holidays. “I think it comes from a lack of consciousness – if you grew up in a community where you don’t know black people, I wouldn’t suspect you would photograph them in a concerned way.”
Few...
Few...
- 12/31/2014
- by Jen Yamato
- Deadline
The recipient of the 2014 St. Louis International Film Festival’s Women in Film Award is producer Katie Mustard.
Mustard has two feature films screening at Sliff – Growing Up And Other Lies and I Believe In Unicorns.
She joins previous Women in Film Award winners Yvonne Welbon, Barbara Hammer, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Marsha Hunt, Ry Russo-Young, Pamela Yates, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, and Nina Davenport.
Directors Darren Grodsky & Danny Jacobs Growing Up And Other Lies stars Adam Brody (The O.C.), Josh Lawson (House of Lies), Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show), Amber Tamblyn (Two and a Half Men). After living for years as a struggling artist in New York City, Jake is calling it quits and returning home to Ohio. On his last day in the city, he persuades his three oldest friends to help him retrace their greatest adventure together: a walk down the entire length of Manhattan. The film shows Sat.
Mustard has two feature films screening at Sliff – Growing Up And Other Lies and I Believe In Unicorns.
She joins previous Women in Film Award winners Yvonne Welbon, Barbara Hammer, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Marsha Hunt, Ry Russo-Young, Pamela Yates, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, and Nina Davenport.
Directors Darren Grodsky & Danny Jacobs Growing Up And Other Lies stars Adam Brody (The O.C.), Josh Lawson (House of Lies), Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show), Amber Tamblyn (Two and a Half Men). After living for years as a struggling artist in New York City, Jake is calling it quits and returning home to Ohio. On his last day in the city, he persuades his three oldest friends to help him retrace their greatest adventure together: a walk down the entire length of Manhattan. The film shows Sat.
- 11/18/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It is in the nature of the non-fiction film that the narrative mutates, takes a different shape, form and perspective. Wearing their colors on their parka sleeves and defending their filmmakers, naturally a progressive fest such as Sundance courts controversy. Photographed by the excellent Bradford Young (Restless City, Pariah, Middle of Nowhere, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, A Most Violent Year and now Selma) and Lol Crawley (Ballast, Better Things, Four Lions) at this time Jamey Phillips (a Filmmaker Mag Top 25 New Faces of 2014 personality) finds herself at a crossroads or a new beginning. Will Phillips take a different path for her long into the works doc?
Gist: This ventures back to Bill Cosby’s years in the civil rights movement, footage that connects Cosby’s more recent activism with his childhood and early work.
Production Co./Producers: Steve Golin
Prediction: Documentary Premieres.
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. Tbd (domestic...
Gist: This ventures back to Bill Cosby’s years in the civil rights movement, footage that connects Cosby’s more recent activism with his childhood and early work.
Production Co./Producers: Steve Golin
Prediction: Documentary Premieres.
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. Tbd (domestic...
- 11/14/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Premiering on Saturday, June 14th at the Los Angeles Film Festival, Echo Park is an understated indie romance starring Mamie Gummer and Tony Okungbowa as Sophie and Alex, a pair whose shifting lives and relationships mirror the gentrification shifts in their Los Angeles neighborhood. They find themselves drawn to each other as Sophie contemplates the end of a previous relationship and Alex considers a move back to his native London. Okungbowa, who also produced and co-starred in Andrew Dosunmu's acclaimed dramas Restless City and Mother of George and is familiar to some as the former in-house DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, made time to talk with Shadow And Act about his role...
- 6/10/2014
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
A project whose Kickstarter campaign we featured on this site in 2011, looks to be getting back on track, but with what looks like a fresh team behind the camera, as well as a new cast. When we first mentioned it 3 years ago, producer Nekisa Cooper (Pariah) and cinematographer Bradford Young (Mississippi Damned, Restless City, Mother Of George, Middle of Nowhere) were both attached to the project, written and to be directed by Maris Curran. Curran is still the writer and director of the film - titled Five Nights in Maine - but Carly Hugo and Matt Parker are now listed as producers, alongside Curran and David Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon...
- 5/8/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
While there is a likely Oscar-winner, a massive box set from HBO, and some true crowd-pleasers in this week’s What to Watch, it’s a bit of a downer compared to some more recent jam-packed weeks of Blu-ray and streaming greatness. We also couldn’t find an On Demand title this week worth mentioning, although Denis Villeneuve’s “Enemy,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, hits DirecTV On Demand this Thursday and you can bet we’ll be there to check it out before a March theatrical release. Until then, rent or buy something below.
Treme: The Complete Series
Photo credit: HBO
“Treme: The Complete Series”
HBO’s “Treme” never became the cultural touchstone that “The Wire” turned into over the year but it does have a loyal, devoted following who will be overwhelmed by the ability to own it all in one box set. One also gets the feeling that “Treme,...
Treme: The Complete Series
Photo credit: HBO
“Treme: The Complete Series”
HBO’s “Treme” never became the cultural touchstone that “The Wire” turned into over the year but it does have a loyal, devoted following who will be overwhelmed by the ability to own it all in one box set. One also gets the feeling that “Treme,...
- 2/4/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Rolling out it’s fifth edition and growing beyond just Park City (Los Angeles hosted a summer event this year) the Next section has grown in size, has found plenty of distrib buyer interest and has a strong voice of its own. Becoming a home for low budget indie we like: smaller budgets sometimes bring out impressive creative outputs, in 2011 we had Sound of My Voice, Restless City and Bellflower. 2012 saw Compliance, I’m Not a Hipster and Sleepwalk With Me, while last year we were impressed by the likes of It Felt Like Love and Blue Caprice. This year we have eleven, instead of ten selections – the plus one bump might have to do with Madeleine Olnek’s The Foxy Merkins – she got to show off her film this summer in the Next Weekend L.A event (we mentioned above). In the coming-of-agers working with a different vibe and...
- 12/4/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Mother Of George is a poetic and moving second feature by Andrew Dosunmu (Restless City), starring Danai Gurira (Michonne from AMC’s The Walking Dead, The Visitor). Featuring stunning work by acclaimed cinematographer Bradford Young (Ain’T Them Bodies Saints), the film premiered to critical acclaim at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. In Mother Of George Isaach De Bankole and Gurira play Adenike and Ayodele, a Nigerian couple living in Brooklyn. He owns a small restaurant and has waited six years to start a new life with Ayo in the Us. Ayo and Adenike have a traditional Basotho wedding, culminating in a ceremony where Adenike is named for her yet to be conceived son, George. But as months pass, Ma George’s pregnancy attempts fail and her loneliness intensifies. Torn between her Basotho culture and new life in America, Ma George struggles to save her marriage, stopping at no cost to give Ayo his much-awaited son.
- 10/25/2013
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Now playing in limited release, "Mother of George" is one of those tiny movies you should seek out, wherever and however you can. Directed by Andrew Dosunmu ("Restless City"), the film premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival and was singled out for its sumptuous cinematography by Bradford Young (who also shot "Ain't Them Bodies Saints"). The film concerns a Nigerian couple living in Brooklyn who are experiencing some fertility problems, and the emotional fallout that follows. It's not exactly the most chipper of subjects, but Dosunmu draws you into the story, thanks largely to Young's painterly visuals and a lead performance by Danai Gurira (from AMC's highly rated zombie drama "The Walking Dead"). It's the rare drama that stays with you long after the credits have finished rolling, a deeply affected, gorgeously photographed glimpse into a world you likely know nothing about and probably barely knew existed. It speaks...
- 9/19/2013
- by Drew Taylor
- The Playlist
It was supposed to be the possible project that 12 Years a Slave filmmaker Steve McQueen would possibly direct after his stunning debut (Hunger), but now it’s one of the more prominent members of the current wave of talented indie filmmakers who’ll take on a project featuring one of Africa’s musical icons. TheWrap reports that Andrew Dosunmu (the helmer of Restless City and Mother of George – Oscilloscope Laboratories 09.07) will direct Fela Kuti – the biopic that Chris Abani and Focus’ own James Schamus have been drafting all the way back since 2009. In our books, this should make for one lush, visually sensual portraits.
Gist: Based on Michael Veal’s “Fela: The Life and Times of An African Musical Icon,” this is about the human rights activist, sexual revolutionary and political maverick. Fela Kuti was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was the king of Afrobeat,...
Gist: Based on Michael Veal’s “Fela: The Life and Times of An African Musical Icon,” this is about the human rights activist, sexual revolutionary and political maverick. Fela Kuti was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was the king of Afrobeat,...
- 9/16/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
"Mother of George" director Andrew Dosunmu will direct "Fela Kuti," the Fela Kuti biopic in development at Focus Features, Focus Features CEO James Schamus and co-ceo Andrew Karpen, announced today. The musical biopic will follow the life and times of Fela Kuti, the legendary king of Afrobeat who sought to harness the power of music to confront corruption in a politically unstable 1970s Nigeria. Dosunmu is himself a native of Nigeria. Dosunmu's latest feature "Mother of George" premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was released by Oscilloscope on Friday to rave reviews. His documentary "Hot Irons," won the Reel Award at the Toronto International Film Festival and Best Documentary at Fespaco, Africa’s largest film festival. His fiction feature debut, "Restless City" premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically by Screen Media Films in 2012. Dosunmu also has had a well-established career as a photographer and has directed music videos for.
- 9/16/2013
- by Ramzi De Coster
- Indiewire
When You’re Expecting: Dosunmu’s Sophomore Feature a Gorgeously Shot Tale of Immigrant Tradition
After debuting his 2011 feature Restless City to critical acclaim on the festival circuit and a limited theatrical release, Nigerian born director Andrew Dosunmu finally debuts the project he originally intended to film first, Mother of George, another tale informed by the rich (and rigid) traditions of the Nigerian immigrant community in Brooklyn. Returning with acclaimed cinematographer Bradford Young, Dosunmu’s latest is an electrically photographed film, a vibrant collection of luscious imagery, which elevates an otherwise rigid, pared down narrative.
We meet Adenike (Danai Gurira), who has recently emigrated from Nigeria to marry Ayodele (Isaach de Bankole) during their ceremony. Ayodele’s outspoken mother (Bukky Ajayi) blesses the bride, confirming the number of children they will conceive together, the first a boy to be christened George. But after eighteen months with none of the predicted results,...
After debuting his 2011 feature Restless City to critical acclaim on the festival circuit and a limited theatrical release, Nigerian born director Andrew Dosunmu finally debuts the project he originally intended to film first, Mother of George, another tale informed by the rich (and rigid) traditions of the Nigerian immigrant community in Brooklyn. Returning with acclaimed cinematographer Bradford Young, Dosunmu’s latest is an electrically photographed film, a vibrant collection of luscious imagery, which elevates an otherwise rigid, pared down narrative.
We meet Adenike (Danai Gurira), who has recently emigrated from Nigeria to marry Ayodele (Isaach de Bankole) during their ceremony. Ayodele’s outspoken mother (Bukky Ajayi) blesses the bride, confirming the number of children they will conceive together, the first a boy to be christened George. But after eighteen months with none of the predicted results,...
- 9/13/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Every year I pick a favorite film, among the many I see at the Maryland Film Festival, and this year it's a truly remarkable one—Mother of George. I knew going into this film that it would have good direction and cinematography having seen director Andrew Dosunmu and cinematographer Bradford Young’s last collaboration Restless City at the 2011 Mff, but they really took it to the next level with this one. Stunning is kind of an understatement to explain the opening of the film, as it has one of the most beautiful traditional Yoruba wedding ceremonies ever captured on film. Cinematographer Bradford Young explained in the Q&A after the film that he and the...
- 9/9/2013
- by Dankwa Brooks
- ShadowAndAct
Simply put. Nigerian photographer turned filmmaker Andrew Dosunmu (1999′s docu Hot Irons) is one of our favorite voices in American independent filmmaking. A member of the Sundance family, we were swooned by his lush Restless City (2011) and this past January, he made us melt with the meticulously detailed, family triage drama called Mother of George. which according to Nicholas (read review) come equipped with “breathtaking cinematography and the undeniably compelling and raw performance from the beautiful Danai Gurira.” Oscilloscope Laboratories release this gem next Friday, September 13th. Here’s an exclusive clip!
- 9/7/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Spike Lee‘s Kickstarter for The Newest Hottest Spike Lee Joint (here’s hoping he announces a real title soon and I can stop typing out all that word salad) ended just a few hours ago, more than $150,00 over its $1.25m goal. But even before the Kickstarter ended, Lee was hard at work assembling a cast for his crowd-funded feature. First came Stephen Tyrone Williams, a stage actor with a handful of film credits to his name (Children of God, Restless City), but a few hours later came a far more famous Williams. Michael K. Williams of The Wire and Boardwalk Empire has joined the film too. This casting alone guarantees that hordes of obsessive Wire fans will turn up to see Lee’s latest joint, which will be a love story about “human beings who are addicted to blood.” Williams (Michael K., that is) will not be playing the lead- that role will go to the...
- 8/21/2013
- by Adam Bellotto
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
With Spike Lee's blood addiction comedy now successfully funded on Kickstarter (its campaigning ended August 21, with a little over $1.4 million raised), the director has clearly found a preferred method for getting the word out about his films. Not only is he sending updates on casting for this new project (more info below), he's also using the crowdfunding platform to plug his upcoming joint, "Oldboy," which hits theaters in October. Michael K. Williams ("12 Years a Slave," "Boardwalk Empire," Omar from "The Wire") has been cast in the film, along with Stephen Tyrone Williams ("Restless City," "Children of "God") and the previously announced Zaraah Abrahams ("Waterloo Road").Despite this new casting, very little about the actual film is yet known, Update: except for its title, "Da Blood of Jesus." The Kickstarter page's tagline reads: "Humans who are addicted to blood. Funny, sexy and bloody. A new kind of love story (and...
- 8/21/2013
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
In just a few years, Bradford Young has emerged as one of the most auspicious and distinctive cinematographers in American independent film. First noticed in 2011 for his work on Andrew Dosunmu’s Restless City and Dee Rees’ Pariah, he was profiled by the New York Times the following year for his subtle, carefully framed cinematography on Ava DuVernay’s Middle of Nowhere. In just the past year, Young confirmed his early promise with two sumptuous and yet highly disparate visions: for David Lowery’s Texas-set period film Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (opening this week) and Dosunmu’s Brooklyn-based contemporary drama Mother of George […]...
- 8/14/2013
- by Anthony Kaufman
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
At this year's Sundance Film Festival, Andrew Dosunmu's "Mother of George" received strong buzz and lots of notice, largely thanks to Danai Gurira's standout performance (which is why we named her one of our 15 Breakout Artists To Watch). Gurira is probably best known as Michonne on AMC's "The Walking Dead" and/or for her stellar film debut in "The Visitor." But reteaming with Dosunmnu—their first film together was "Restless City," which screened at Sundance two years ago—seems to have paid off with a role in a movie that will certainly get her landing on more radars. "Mother of George" is a beautifully shot portrait of a Nigerian-American couple's marriage in Brooklyn, highlighting the wife's (Gurira) struggles with her husband's (Isaach De Bankole) expectations, a meddlesome mother-in-law, and trying to get pregnant. As we said, reception in Park City for the film was enthusiastic, and even more,...
- 8/8/2013
- by Diana Drumm
- The Playlist
Watch: Gorgeous New Trailer for 'Mother of George,' Sundance Drama About Nigerian Family in Brooklyn
The new film from Andrew Dosunmu ("Restless City"), "Mother of George," premiered at Sundance this year and went on to get picked up by Oscilloscope Laboratories. The film, which tells the story of a Nigerian family that must deal with the realization they may not be able to have children. The film stars Danai Gurira ("The Walking Dead," "The Visitor") and Isaach De Bankolé ("White Material," "Night on Earth") as well as Yaya Decosta Alafia ("The Kids are Alright") and Tony Okungbowa ("The Ellen Degeneres Show"). The film was produced by Indiewire influencers Parts & Labor. Check out the film's gorgeous trailer below:...
- 8/7/2013
- by Bryce J. Renninger
- Indiewire
But of course it's sumptuous! It's an Andrew Dosunmu film, shot by Bradford Young. What else would you expect? You did see Restless City, right? So dig it... Oscilloscope Laboratories will release Andrew Dosunmu's lauded Sundance competition drama entry Mother of George on September 13, 2013 - likely in a limited release to start. The visually-stunning, heartbreaking drama stars Danai Gurira as Adenike, who weds the charismatic Ayodele (Isaach De Bankolé), the owner of a small Nigerian restaurant in Brooklyn. Their traditional wedding culminates in a ceremony where Adenike is named for her yet-to-be-conceived son, George. But as the months pass without pregnancy,...
- 8/6/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Every year I pick a favorite film, among the many I see at the Maryland Film Festival, and this year it's a truly remarkable one—Mother of George. I knew going into this film that it would have good direction and cinematography having seen director Andrew Dosunmu and cinematographer Bradford Young’s last collaboration Restless City at the 2011 Mff, but they really took it to the next level with this one. Stunning is kind of an understatement to explain the opening of the film, as it has one of the most beautiful traditional Yoruba wedding ceremonies ever captured on film. Cinematographer Bradford Young explained in the Q&A after the film that he and the...
- 5/21/2013
- by Dankwa Brooks
- ShadowAndAct
From the Wicked, Carry Us Away: Saulter’s Debut an Energetic Cold War Period Piece
Jamaican writer/director Storm Saulter makes an impressive debut with period piece Better Mus’ Come, a drama depicting the vicious political climate in 1978 Kingston. Utilizing a cast of mostly nonprofessional actors, Saulter explores the unrest caused by the gangland violence enacted by the two political parties of the time, the Pnp (People’s National Party, referred to as the Socialists) and the Jlp (Jamaica Labour Party, referred to as the Labourites). What’s even more impressive than Saulter’s co-writing and directorial skills has to be the visually stunning look he brings to the proceedings as a first time cinematographer. Vibrantly arresting, Saulter explores the history of Cold War politics on another small island, one we’re not accustomed to seeing.
In 1978 Kingston, the reigning party is the Pnp, led by Prime Minister Michael Manley...
Jamaican writer/director Storm Saulter makes an impressive debut with period piece Better Mus’ Come, a drama depicting the vicious political climate in 1978 Kingston. Utilizing a cast of mostly nonprofessional actors, Saulter explores the unrest caused by the gangland violence enacted by the two political parties of the time, the Pnp (People’s National Party, referred to as the Socialists) and the Jlp (Jamaica Labour Party, referred to as the Labourites). What’s even more impressive than Saulter’s co-writing and directorial skills has to be the visually stunning look he brings to the proceedings as a first time cinematographer. Vibrantly arresting, Saulter explores the history of Cold War politics on another small island, one we’re not accustomed to seeing.
In 1978 Kingston, the reigning party is the Pnp, led by Prime Minister Michael Manley...
- 3/13/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Everything from street hustlers and school teachers to Nobel prize winners and Islamist extremists in a feast of African film
We have selected eight films from five African countries to look out for in 2013 – the year of the 23rd edition of Fespaco – the bi-annual pan-African film and television festival of Ouagadougou.
Burn it up Djassa by Lonesome Solo (Cote d'Ivoire)
Labelled "a film by the people for the people", Burn it up Djassa is about a young street hustler in Abidjan looking for a break. After shooting his first feature, Lonesome Solo escaped the war torn Cote d'Ivoire and has not been seen since.
Half of a Yellow Sun by Biyi Bandele (Nigeria/UK)
The adaptation of Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi-Adiche's Orange Prize-winning and bestselling epic, stars Thandie Newton and Chewitel Ejiofor. Nigerian investors contributed with 80% of the budget to fellow Nigerian director and writer Bandele's feature debut.
Jeppe on a Friday by Shannon Walsh,...
We have selected eight films from five African countries to look out for in 2013 – the year of the 23rd edition of Fespaco – the bi-annual pan-African film and television festival of Ouagadougou.
Burn it up Djassa by Lonesome Solo (Cote d'Ivoire)
Labelled "a film by the people for the people", Burn it up Djassa is about a young street hustler in Abidjan looking for a break. After shooting his first feature, Lonesome Solo escaped the war torn Cote d'Ivoire and has not been seen since.
Half of a Yellow Sun by Biyi Bandele (Nigeria/UK)
The adaptation of Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi-Adiche's Orange Prize-winning and bestselling epic, stars Thandie Newton and Chewitel Ejiofor. Nigerian investors contributed with 80% of the budget to fellow Nigerian director and writer Bandele's feature debut.
Jeppe on a Friday by Shannon Walsh,...
- 1/23/2013
- The Guardian - Film News
Last year, Andrew Dosunmu’s Restless City generated quite the buzz on the festival circuit, securing a limited release in theaters and establishing the former fashion photographer as one of the most exciting new voices in film. At Sundance, the Nigerian-born Donsunmu continues in this tradition with Mother of George, his second feature film, once again examining the complicated lives of African immigrants in America. The film begins in a swirl of color and movement with the traditional Nigerian wedding of Adenike (Danai Gurira) and Ayodele (Isaach De Bankole), who receive a special blessing from the groom’s outspoken mother (Bukky Ajayi) for the future conception of a...
- 1/21/2013
- by Zeba Blay
- ShadowAndAct
Park City — The vibrant evocation of a particular ethnic community in New York City goes only so far in sustaining rapt interest in Mother of George, a pictorially unusual but dramatically listless tale of how longstanding traditions impinge on the lives of a young Nigerian couple trying to conceive a baby. A narrow thematic focus and a severely claustrophobic visual scheme will limit admiration of this seriously intentioned work to the artier realms of the festival and independent circuits. Nigerian-born director Andrew Dosunmu’s first feature, Restless City, which focused on a Senegalese musician eking out a living in
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- 1/20/2013
- by Todd McCarthy
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
#5. Interior. Leather Bar
Who: While everyone may be familiar with actor/director James Franco, they not be as aware of the filmmaker he’s paired with to direct Interior. Leather Bar, Travis Mathews. With a background in documentary, Mathews professes to use this and his Masters in Counseling Psychology to make films that focus on gay men and intimacy. He already has a series of short films about gay men and bedrooms and a well received 2012 feature film, I Want Your Love to his name.
What: His pairing with Franco on a project aims to recreate the lost 40 minutes of footage that William Friedkin was forced to cut from his controversial 1980 film Cruising.
Where: Franco’s interview also features a clip, while Franco’s co-director posted the trailer on his vimeo channel.
When: Shot in Los Angeles, CA over the course of a day in July, 2012, produced by RabbitBandini Productions...
Who: While everyone may be familiar with actor/director James Franco, they not be as aware of the filmmaker he’s paired with to direct Interior. Leather Bar, Travis Mathews. With a background in documentary, Mathews professes to use this and his Masters in Counseling Psychology to make films that focus on gay men and intimacy. He already has a series of short films about gay men and bedrooms and a well received 2012 feature film, I Want Your Love to his name.
What: His pairing with Franco on a project aims to recreate the lost 40 minutes of footage that William Friedkin was forced to cut from his controversial 1980 film Cruising.
Where: Franco’s interview also features a clip, while Franco’s co-director posted the trailer on his vimeo channel.
When: Shot in Los Angeles, CA over the course of a day in July, 2012, produced by RabbitBandini Productions...
- 1/17/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Mother of George
Director: Andrew Dosunmu
Writer(s): Darci Picoult
Producer(s): Cunningham & Maybach Films’ Patrick Cunningham and Chris Maybach, Parts and Labor’s Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy, Carly Hugo and Matthew Parker
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Tony Okungbowa, Yaya Alafia, Bukky Ajayi
I considered myself a fan of Andrew Dosunmu’s work precisely about ten minutes into his debut feature, Restless City. Workshopped at the 2005 Directors and Screenwriters Labs, it’s been a long time coming for what is his sophomore feature, Mother of George. Examining the interconnectedness between family and home both past and present, I’m thinking that his second collaboration with cinematographer Bradford Young might offer a better visual and narrative balance and a rich tapestry highlighting the immigrant experience. Auteur cinema’s Isaach De Bankolé toplines alongside Danai Gurira.
Gist: Co-written with Darci Picoult,...
Director: Andrew Dosunmu
Writer(s): Darci Picoult
Producer(s): Cunningham & Maybach Films’ Patrick Cunningham and Chris Maybach, Parts and Labor’s Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy, Carly Hugo and Matthew Parker
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Tony Okungbowa, Yaya Alafia, Bukky Ajayi
I considered myself a fan of Andrew Dosunmu’s work precisely about ten minutes into his debut feature, Restless City. Workshopped at the 2005 Directors and Screenwriters Labs, it’s been a long time coming for what is his sophomore feature, Mother of George. Examining the interconnectedness between family and home both past and present, I’m thinking that his second collaboration with cinematographer Bradford Young might offer a better visual and narrative balance and a rich tapestry highlighting the immigrant experience. Auteur cinema’s Isaach De Bankolé toplines alongside Danai Gurira.
Gist: Co-written with Darci Picoult,...
- 1/12/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Continuing with Sundance 2013 first looks, here's Andrew Dosunmu discussing his first post-Restless City project, Ma'George (or Mother Of George), which will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this month. The talent alone that's involved in Ma'George, both in front of and behing the camera, should excite you: there's cinematographer extraordinaire Bradford Young, who also shot Andrew's Restless City, Dee Rees' Pariah, and Ava DuVernay's Middle Of Nowhere. And then there's the film's starring cast: Danai Gurira plays the lead character (a woman torn between...
- 1/8/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Continuing with Sundance 2013 first looks, here's a first glance at Andrew Dosunmu's first post-Restless City project, Ma'George (or Mother Of George), which will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next January, 2013. The talent alone that's involved in Ma'George, both in front of and behing the camera, should excite you: there's cinematographer extraordinaire Bradford Young, who also shot Andrew's Restless City, Dee Rees' Pariah, and Ava DuVernay's Middle Of Nowhere. And then there's the film's starring cast: Danai Gurira plays the lead character...
- 11/30/2012
- by Courtney
- ShadowAndAct
With all the support Andrew Dosunmu’s Ma’ George received from the Sundance Institute, I think it’s time for the delivery. Known in the labs/formerly titled as “Mother of George,” this 2005 Directors Lab, 2005 January Screenwriters Lab, 2006 Annenberg Film Fellowship Grant and more recently, 2012 Cinereach Project at Sundance Institute Grant recipient technically would have been Dosunmu’s feature fiction debut project, but Restless City (Sundance ’11) came to fruition and ended up being a bijou in the Next section at the fest, and after showcasing that film last year (including the AFI Fest – where we sat down with the helmer), financing and a cast (including Isaach De Bankolé) firmly in place meant that production began and is now firmly in post-production phase. Dosunmu’s savvy Restless City cinematographer Bradford Young once again helps with the cityscape lensing with the Red, and Danai Gurira (Restless City) and drop dead gorgeous Yaya DaCosta...
- 11/20/2012
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
As Tambay last week told us it would be, Andrew Dosunmu's quietly haunting film, Restless City, is finally available for purchase on DVD. If you've been living under a rock, just got out of jail, or are simply new to S&A, here's the rundown on the Screen Media Films-released Restless City: Restless City tells the story of young, nomadic Senegalese immigrant, Djbirl (played by Sy Alassane), an aspiring musician, struggling to survive on the fringes of New York City. When he falls in love with a prostitute (Jamaican-born model/actress Nicole Grey) who works for Bekay, the local loan shark, he suddenly finds some much needed...
- 10/10/2012
- by Emmanuel Akitobi
- ShadowAndAct
Affrm's third theatrical release - Andrew Dosunmu's enchanting acclaimed feature film debut, Restless City - is now available for rent via VOD, starting today, October 2. So those who didn't get to see it in theaters earlier this year (and I know a lot of you didn't), it's now just a few clicks away, courtesy of Screen Media Films. Look for it as a digital rental on iTunes, in HD and Sd, at usual prices. The hard copy (DVD) release will come a week from today, for those who prefer that format; it will also be available as a digital purchase at that time as well. But until then, you can rent it via iTunes, and watch on...
- 10/2/2012
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Babs Olusanmokun, who some might remember from Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City (or on TV in popular series like Law & Order: Ci, The Unit and others) co-stars in this film adaptation of director Nick Sandow and writer Michael Batistick’s critically acclaimed stage play Ponies, which saw a 2-week theatrical run at New York’s Cinema Village last month. Set in New York City within the world of Off Track Betting (Otb), Ponies reflects the anxieties faced by recent immigrants to post-9/11 America. The main characters have fled their home countries because of war or other forms of strife, but they find that America is not necessarily a safe haven. Babs also...
- 8/7/2012
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Newcomer Sky Nicole Grey, the star of Storm Saulter's Better Mus Come and Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City, spoke to S&A yesterday prior to the closing awards ceremony of the American Black Film Festival, in which her debut acting film Better Mus' was up for Best Director, Best Narrative and Best Actor. By the way, lead actor Sheldon Shepherd won the best actor award for his powerful performance as gang leader Ricky in the political drama. The young talented Grey is also a model and a singer. Who knew? She also is working on a script titled The 20's Girl, about a black girl in New York during the 1920's. Watch her interview below where she talks about...
- 6/25/2012
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
Directed by Storm Saulter from a screenplay penned by Saulter, Paul Bucknor and Joshua Bratter, Better Mus’ Come –a fictionalized account based on real life events - is set during Jamaica’s 1970’s political turmoil among government’s socialism supporters and the Labor Union rebels to the 1978 Green Bay Massacre, in which the government tacked down and annihilated these opposing gangs. Better mostly stars non-professional actors, aside from veteran actor Roger Guenveur Smith’s rousing minor role as the Prime Minister, including Skulls gang leder Ricky (Sheldon Shepherd), Kemala (Restless City’s Nicole Sky Grey), Ricky’s nemesis Dogheart...
- 6/22/2012
- by Vanessa Martinez
- ShadowAndAct
From our Chicana from Chicago, Christine Davila:
I took in a few panels over the weekend down here at L.A. Film Fest that I really appreciated for sparking some provocative dialogue I am eager to continue throughout the Festival. I found it especially interesting how different the U.S. Latino and Black film communities are responding to their storytelling plight in talking about their respective representation in media. Meanwhile the lively Latino panel, which was perhaps the broadest in scope, was eloquent and skillfully led by L.A. Times’ Reed Johnson who brought a high level of articulation in his profesh moderating. As panel junkies know, a good moderator is key to an engaging panel and essential to keep it on point. Here are my takeaways on the three panels:us Latino Film Panel at Laff
The Blackhouse Foundation - The Art and Social Responsibility of Festival Programming – Sponsored by Bet
Moderated by Film Independent’s Lacma film curator and go-to festival moderator, Elvis Mitchell, I was particularly impressed at the messaging clarity and solidarity of the black film community’s efforts and goals for equal representation. The panelists were very tuned-in with monitoring their talent behind and in front of the camera, and in this case stressing the importance of festival curators, which was identified as one of three instrumental factors to enable their films getting out there.
Shari Frilot, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival: There was much (due) love and props given to Frilot for her ardent and tireless championing of films of color at Sundance. She pointed out how after Lee Daniel’s breakout hit, Precious which premiered at 2009 Sundance and went on to win a couple Academy Awards, the next couple years it was the black films that were the first to be sold off the mountain including the dazzling lesbian coming of age film, Pariah. She questioned why this achievement was not picked up or lauded in the mainstream media. Its indeed curious and perhaps a telling point on the cultural gatekeeper front – (shortage of black critics and journalists?) Having witnessed Shari’s highly charged and articulate arguing for gloriously imperfect, fresh and raw films I respect how she truly changes the way the film programming conversation takes place by discussing films’ drive, potential and power. I aspire to “bring it” like she does in my own programming career. Acknowledging the personal efforts she puts in to make the festival seem accessible to filmmakers of color who may not bother putting Sundance on their radar, the idea of doing a black college tour came up.
Ava DuVernay, filmmaker (Middle of Nowhere) and founder of Affrm: DuVernay’s emotion for the topic at hand along with her experience from her publicist days and current roles as filmmaker and distributor made her a stirring contributor to the conversation. Ava thanked L.A. Film Festival Director Stephanie Allain for programming Middle of Nowhere as a gala screening which elevates her film with a high profile slot within the festival. A packed house at Wednesday’s gala screening will be quite significant to the black filmmaking community given the massive 800 seat theater and checking the L.A. Film Fest website its at Rush which will make for an exciting milestone! The winner of the Best Director Award at Sundance Film Festival shared her personal observations like being stunned to see empty seats at the black film screenings at Sundance which is unheard of in the notoriously hard-to-get tickets Festival. She mentioned that while she is frequently featured on Shadow and Act, the African Diaspora blog on the Indiewire network, she has never been on Indiewire’s main page. DuVernay expressed her desire to see more films that move and operate beyond ‘black bodies’.
There was mention of films touted as successful black films when they happen to be by non-black filmmakers. I can’t help but think the room was thinking about Gimme the Loot written and directed by Adam Leon and Beasts of the Southern Wild written and directed by Benh Zeitlin. Both films have been praised and celebrated for their poignant storytelling and vivid portrayal of their black protagonists’ lifestyles – and the filmmakers happen to be white Jewish New Yorkers. And both films were quickly picked up for distribution at their respective festival premieres. I have to admit that if we are talking about presenting positive representation in films my belief is that individually, these two films offer a lot as far as image conversion for eschewing mis-representation by avoiding stereotypes about black folks. There’s nobody smoking crack or perpetuating violent crime in Gimme the Loot, and in Beasts the poetic punch of self-sufficient little Hushpuppy in the die-hard persevering displaced fictional community that alludes to the forgotten 9th Ward post-Katrina, shows a triumph of spirit against the government and society’s response efforts following the devastating natural catastrophe in the dominantly affected marginalized population.
Bradford Young, cinematographer (Middle of Nowhere, Pariah, Restless City): A Howard University alumus, the in-demand cinematographer more gently echoed Ava’s sentiment about the limited accessibility and representation of black filmmakers but I feel he gave a bit more benefit of the doubt to black films by non-black filmmakers by his eloquent word of choice to weigh the debate; “Intention”. The way he talks about his own cinematic approach is greatly influenced by the intention of the story and point of view. A NY Times article recently featured the cinematographer and made note of his full frame and close up shots in Middle of Nowhere. Indeed the luscious and texture he brings to shooting skincolor sticks out in my mind having seen it at Sundance. Bradford is one cool cat with lots of soul. All panelists agreed and were especially thankful for his eyes.
Roya Rastegar, Ph.D, Festival Programmer: Inventive cinematography, curation by more females and people of color and innovative distribution were three ways Rastegar outlined to help minority filmmakers distinguish their work and get seen by the public. I would love to get my hands on her dissertation, History of Consciousness (here’s a taste) in which she investigates the role of festivals in shaping marginalized culture. Armed with such interesting facts on the history of film festivals, (did you know Stalin created the first film festival?) Rastegar added a lot of context to the origins and current state of film festivals. She also shared the behind the scenes conversations of film programmers when talking about films of color and the rueful tendency to dismiss these films because they aren’t so called ‘good enough’. She made no hesitation in pointing out that Tribeca Film Festival did not have one single black film in competition this year.
U.S. Latino Cinema: Welcome to the Bi-Literate Future - Presented by San Antonio Film Commission and Afci (Association of Film Commissions International)
I had the privilege of participating on this panel which was prefaced by a Univision spot highlighting their new campaign efforts of reaching a bi-lingual audience. In it, an old woman recalls being prevented from speaking her language as a child in school and then we cut to today’s young U.S. Latino man who flips from Spanish to English talking about his liking alternative band, The Strokes as much as Spanish-language pop rock band, Juanes.
What it was about: Our Latino population in the U.S. is now more than ever embracing a bi-lingual, or more importantly, a bi-literate culture. Will films reflect the changing demographic of the U.S. as a bi-literate (a Spanish and English language culture) be commercially successful and be able to find an audience? And perhaps more importantly, will the studio system be able to adapt to the successful strategies many in the independent world are using to create commercially viable content?
Douglas Spain (Star Maps, Walkout, Band of Brothers) is used to wearing multiple hats and so acted as both panelist and moderator. Spain offered up his experience as an actor/producer/director as a gay latino filmmaker who has successfully worked in independent film and studio and television mediums. His quest for staying true to himself with the roles and films he is making rang resonant to all.
Ralph Lopez, San Antonio filmmaker: The producer of Wolf which premiered at this year’s SXSW talked about his aim is to create and tell stories that transcend color. Like his provocative film about the complexities faced by the victim of a bishop’s inappropriate behavior, his collaborations with director black filmmaker Ya Ke Smith comes first and foremost from a place of telling moving stories.
Gabriela Tagliavini, filmmaker (Ladies Night, Without Men, The Mule: Having had big success with Spanish language film Ladies Night in 2006, Gabriela switched languages and directed Eva Longoria in the English language film,Without Men which sold to many international territories given Longoria’s international brand name. With her upcoming film, The Mule she is looking to take advantage of the crime action genre and star Sharon Stone to offer real commentary on immigration and the dangerous toll of the U.S. Mexico border.
Luis Reyes, historian and author of the comprehensive book, Hispanics in Hollywood: The old school gent on our panel made some slightly more conventional suggestions on how to make a successful bi-literate film like “know your audience” and attaching a well known actor to your film so you can market it.
I added my two cents and in retrospect I think my thoughts coincided with Rastegar’s in the proactive vein of here’s what we can-do positive approach of encouraging budding filmmakers to utilize genre (horror and gay U.S. Latino films stand out from the stack and are sought after by festival programs). I also asked my fellow panelists if they found the U.S. Latino filmmaking community as fragmented as I see it. Unlike Black or Lgbt film organizations I feel the U.S. Latino community has much more work in becoming inclusive within our distinct bi-lingual backgrounds in order to successfully empower and advocate for our films. Organizations like Nalip and Laliff were mentioned in answer. But in my opinion and with all respect, I find Nalip a bit cliquesh and lacking a younger pulse and generation of organizers, and Laliff is too inconsistent to make fundamental cultural change. Although we touched on the question of the challenges our community faces working in Spanish versus English I’m not sure we fully stayed on point in attempting to answer the ambitious subject and interesting talking points raised. But the audience seemed more the type of wanting basic advice on how to break into filmmaking so most questions and conversations was directed to the filmmakers on the panels and in that regard it was a successful exchange.
Café Latino presented by HBO and supported by University of Guadalajara Foundation
Made evident by the participating film clips that were shown before the panel there is much genre and story diversity in the Latino films at L.A. Film Fest this year. I’m especially happy the Festival recognizes the growing influence of the Mexican documentary by having selected Reportero by Bernardo Ruiz, Caniculaby Jose Alvarez and Drought by Evererdo Gonzalez. The panel was ostensibly about the Festival’s Latin American filmmakers and how they explore their roles as storytellers in an increasingly global world. With such a high number of panelists and so many interesting topics broached however, it left one wanting more time to engage with the personable talents onstage.
Reed Johnson encouraged the panelists to chime in at will which Alejandro Brugues, director of Cuban Zombie film, Juan of the Dead took full advantage of to defend big hollywood films like The Avengers, which Gonzalez initially brought up if only to point out the David and Goliath challenge filmmakers in Mexico face having to compete for screens against these big money backed blockbusters. Brugues set himself apart from the group by defending his love for the blockbuster which inspired him to direct films. Unlike his peers’ ‘artful’ films he considers his film strictly for public entertainment (he joked that his film is actually a documentary). Yet at the same time he admits he took advantage of the Zombie genre a la Romero to infuse it with his personal observations of contemporary Cuban society – which he would not have been able to shoot in Cuba otherwise.
Meanwhile Arturo Pons who was born in Mexico but has lived and worked in Spain for the past ten years described his conception for his surreal satire, The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man not necessarily about immigration but a visual canvas with which to paint the total disorientation that confronts Mexico. Ruiz talked about seeing himself as a ‘translator’ or vessel to tell stories. Alvarez talked about how he does not think of his audience as he makes his films however he does aspire to showcase Mexico Profundo in showing the vast and vibrant indigenous artistry and folklore and deliberately resisting the the media’s monopolized perpetuation of the drug violence and corruption. Lastly, Dominga Sotomayor, the 27 year old director of Thursday till Sunday whose next film Tarde Para Morir was selected to the first ever Sundance Mahindra Screenwriters Lab, added that like Mexico, in Chile there is a growing number of filmmakers but no real venues to find their audience.
L.A. Film Festival is going on through Sunday and a bunch of added screenings have been slotted. Check out film guide and buy tickets here.
I took in a few panels over the weekend down here at L.A. Film Fest that I really appreciated for sparking some provocative dialogue I am eager to continue throughout the Festival. I found it especially interesting how different the U.S. Latino and Black film communities are responding to their storytelling plight in talking about their respective representation in media. Meanwhile the lively Latino panel, which was perhaps the broadest in scope, was eloquent and skillfully led by L.A. Times’ Reed Johnson who brought a high level of articulation in his profesh moderating. As panel junkies know, a good moderator is key to an engaging panel and essential to keep it on point. Here are my takeaways on the three panels:us Latino Film Panel at Laff
The Blackhouse Foundation - The Art and Social Responsibility of Festival Programming – Sponsored by Bet
Moderated by Film Independent’s Lacma film curator and go-to festival moderator, Elvis Mitchell, I was particularly impressed at the messaging clarity and solidarity of the black film community’s efforts and goals for equal representation. The panelists were very tuned-in with monitoring their talent behind and in front of the camera, and in this case stressing the importance of festival curators, which was identified as one of three instrumental factors to enable their films getting out there.
Shari Frilot, Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival: There was much (due) love and props given to Frilot for her ardent and tireless championing of films of color at Sundance. She pointed out how after Lee Daniel’s breakout hit, Precious which premiered at 2009 Sundance and went on to win a couple Academy Awards, the next couple years it was the black films that were the first to be sold off the mountain including the dazzling lesbian coming of age film, Pariah. She questioned why this achievement was not picked up or lauded in the mainstream media. Its indeed curious and perhaps a telling point on the cultural gatekeeper front – (shortage of black critics and journalists?) Having witnessed Shari’s highly charged and articulate arguing for gloriously imperfect, fresh and raw films I respect how she truly changes the way the film programming conversation takes place by discussing films’ drive, potential and power. I aspire to “bring it” like she does in my own programming career. Acknowledging the personal efforts she puts in to make the festival seem accessible to filmmakers of color who may not bother putting Sundance on their radar, the idea of doing a black college tour came up.
Ava DuVernay, filmmaker (Middle of Nowhere) and founder of Affrm: DuVernay’s emotion for the topic at hand along with her experience from her publicist days and current roles as filmmaker and distributor made her a stirring contributor to the conversation. Ava thanked L.A. Film Festival Director Stephanie Allain for programming Middle of Nowhere as a gala screening which elevates her film with a high profile slot within the festival. A packed house at Wednesday’s gala screening will be quite significant to the black filmmaking community given the massive 800 seat theater and checking the L.A. Film Fest website its at Rush which will make for an exciting milestone! The winner of the Best Director Award at Sundance Film Festival shared her personal observations like being stunned to see empty seats at the black film screenings at Sundance which is unheard of in the notoriously hard-to-get tickets Festival. She mentioned that while she is frequently featured on Shadow and Act, the African Diaspora blog on the Indiewire network, she has never been on Indiewire’s main page. DuVernay expressed her desire to see more films that move and operate beyond ‘black bodies’.
There was mention of films touted as successful black films when they happen to be by non-black filmmakers. I can’t help but think the room was thinking about Gimme the Loot written and directed by Adam Leon and Beasts of the Southern Wild written and directed by Benh Zeitlin. Both films have been praised and celebrated for their poignant storytelling and vivid portrayal of their black protagonists’ lifestyles – and the filmmakers happen to be white Jewish New Yorkers. And both films were quickly picked up for distribution at their respective festival premieres. I have to admit that if we are talking about presenting positive representation in films my belief is that individually, these two films offer a lot as far as image conversion for eschewing mis-representation by avoiding stereotypes about black folks. There’s nobody smoking crack or perpetuating violent crime in Gimme the Loot, and in Beasts the poetic punch of self-sufficient little Hushpuppy in the die-hard persevering displaced fictional community that alludes to the forgotten 9th Ward post-Katrina, shows a triumph of spirit against the government and society’s response efforts following the devastating natural catastrophe in the dominantly affected marginalized population.
Bradford Young, cinematographer (Middle of Nowhere, Pariah, Restless City): A Howard University alumus, the in-demand cinematographer more gently echoed Ava’s sentiment about the limited accessibility and representation of black filmmakers but I feel he gave a bit more benefit of the doubt to black films by non-black filmmakers by his eloquent word of choice to weigh the debate; “Intention”. The way he talks about his own cinematic approach is greatly influenced by the intention of the story and point of view. A NY Times article recently featured the cinematographer and made note of his full frame and close up shots in Middle of Nowhere. Indeed the luscious and texture he brings to shooting skincolor sticks out in my mind having seen it at Sundance. Bradford is one cool cat with lots of soul. All panelists agreed and were especially thankful for his eyes.
Roya Rastegar, Ph.D, Festival Programmer: Inventive cinematography, curation by more females and people of color and innovative distribution were three ways Rastegar outlined to help minority filmmakers distinguish their work and get seen by the public. I would love to get my hands on her dissertation, History of Consciousness (here’s a taste) in which she investigates the role of festivals in shaping marginalized culture. Armed with such interesting facts on the history of film festivals, (did you know Stalin created the first film festival?) Rastegar added a lot of context to the origins and current state of film festivals. She also shared the behind the scenes conversations of film programmers when talking about films of color and the rueful tendency to dismiss these films because they aren’t so called ‘good enough’. She made no hesitation in pointing out that Tribeca Film Festival did not have one single black film in competition this year.
U.S. Latino Cinema: Welcome to the Bi-Literate Future - Presented by San Antonio Film Commission and Afci (Association of Film Commissions International)
I had the privilege of participating on this panel which was prefaced by a Univision spot highlighting their new campaign efforts of reaching a bi-lingual audience. In it, an old woman recalls being prevented from speaking her language as a child in school and then we cut to today’s young U.S. Latino man who flips from Spanish to English talking about his liking alternative band, The Strokes as much as Spanish-language pop rock band, Juanes.
What it was about: Our Latino population in the U.S. is now more than ever embracing a bi-lingual, or more importantly, a bi-literate culture. Will films reflect the changing demographic of the U.S. as a bi-literate (a Spanish and English language culture) be commercially successful and be able to find an audience? And perhaps more importantly, will the studio system be able to adapt to the successful strategies many in the independent world are using to create commercially viable content?
Douglas Spain (Star Maps, Walkout, Band of Brothers) is used to wearing multiple hats and so acted as both panelist and moderator. Spain offered up his experience as an actor/producer/director as a gay latino filmmaker who has successfully worked in independent film and studio and television mediums. His quest for staying true to himself with the roles and films he is making rang resonant to all.
Ralph Lopez, San Antonio filmmaker: The producer of Wolf which premiered at this year’s SXSW talked about his aim is to create and tell stories that transcend color. Like his provocative film about the complexities faced by the victim of a bishop’s inappropriate behavior, his collaborations with director black filmmaker Ya Ke Smith comes first and foremost from a place of telling moving stories.
Gabriela Tagliavini, filmmaker (Ladies Night, Without Men, The Mule: Having had big success with Spanish language film Ladies Night in 2006, Gabriela switched languages and directed Eva Longoria in the English language film,Without Men which sold to many international territories given Longoria’s international brand name. With her upcoming film, The Mule she is looking to take advantage of the crime action genre and star Sharon Stone to offer real commentary on immigration and the dangerous toll of the U.S. Mexico border.
Luis Reyes, historian and author of the comprehensive book, Hispanics in Hollywood: The old school gent on our panel made some slightly more conventional suggestions on how to make a successful bi-literate film like “know your audience” and attaching a well known actor to your film so you can market it.
I added my two cents and in retrospect I think my thoughts coincided with Rastegar’s in the proactive vein of here’s what we can-do positive approach of encouraging budding filmmakers to utilize genre (horror and gay U.S. Latino films stand out from the stack and are sought after by festival programs). I also asked my fellow panelists if they found the U.S. Latino filmmaking community as fragmented as I see it. Unlike Black or Lgbt film organizations I feel the U.S. Latino community has much more work in becoming inclusive within our distinct bi-lingual backgrounds in order to successfully empower and advocate for our films. Organizations like Nalip and Laliff were mentioned in answer. But in my opinion and with all respect, I find Nalip a bit cliquesh and lacking a younger pulse and generation of organizers, and Laliff is too inconsistent to make fundamental cultural change. Although we touched on the question of the challenges our community faces working in Spanish versus English I’m not sure we fully stayed on point in attempting to answer the ambitious subject and interesting talking points raised. But the audience seemed more the type of wanting basic advice on how to break into filmmaking so most questions and conversations was directed to the filmmakers on the panels and in that regard it was a successful exchange.
Café Latino presented by HBO and supported by University of Guadalajara Foundation
Made evident by the participating film clips that were shown before the panel there is much genre and story diversity in the Latino films at L.A. Film Fest this year. I’m especially happy the Festival recognizes the growing influence of the Mexican documentary by having selected Reportero by Bernardo Ruiz, Caniculaby Jose Alvarez and Drought by Evererdo Gonzalez. The panel was ostensibly about the Festival’s Latin American filmmakers and how they explore their roles as storytellers in an increasingly global world. With such a high number of panelists and so many interesting topics broached however, it left one wanting more time to engage with the personable talents onstage.
Reed Johnson encouraged the panelists to chime in at will which Alejandro Brugues, director of Cuban Zombie film, Juan of the Dead took full advantage of to defend big hollywood films like The Avengers, which Gonzalez initially brought up if only to point out the David and Goliath challenge filmmakers in Mexico face having to compete for screens against these big money backed blockbusters. Brugues set himself apart from the group by defending his love for the blockbuster which inspired him to direct films. Unlike his peers’ ‘artful’ films he considers his film strictly for public entertainment (he joked that his film is actually a documentary). Yet at the same time he admits he took advantage of the Zombie genre a la Romero to infuse it with his personal observations of contemporary Cuban society – which he would not have been able to shoot in Cuba otherwise.
Meanwhile Arturo Pons who was born in Mexico but has lived and worked in Spain for the past ten years described his conception for his surreal satire, The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man not necessarily about immigration but a visual canvas with which to paint the total disorientation that confronts Mexico. Ruiz talked about seeing himself as a ‘translator’ or vessel to tell stories. Alvarez talked about how he does not think of his audience as he makes his films however he does aspire to showcase Mexico Profundo in showing the vast and vibrant indigenous artistry and folklore and deliberately resisting the the media’s monopolized perpetuation of the drug violence and corruption. Lastly, Dominga Sotomayor, the 27 year old director of Thursday till Sunday whose next film Tarde Para Morir was selected to the first ever Sundance Mahindra Screenwriters Lab, added that like Mexico, in Chile there is a growing number of filmmakers but no real venues to find their audience.
L.A. Film Festival is going on through Sunday and a bunch of added screenings have been slotted. Check out film guide and buy tickets here.
- 6/20/2012
- by Christine Davila
- Sydney's Buzz
A pair of titles in our Most Anticipated Films for 2012 in #39. Andrew Dosunmu (Ma George) and #30. Mark Jackson (Untitled Sicily Project) are two of the lucky fifteen filmmakers to have received coin in the shape of 2012 Cinereach Project at Sundance Institute grants. Recipients include a trio of titles that we caught in Park City back in January in Terence Nance’s An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, Ira Sach’s Keep the Lights On, and Destin Daniel Cretton’s I Am Not a Hipster. Here’s the press release.
Post-Production Feature Film Grants
Keep the Lights On
Writer/director: Ira Sachs
The story of a tumultuous, decade-long relationship between two men in New York City. Keep the Lights On premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
Ira Sachs is a writer and director based in New York City. His films include Married Life (2007), The Delta (1997) and the 2005 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winning Forty Shades of Blue.
Post-Production Feature Film Grants
Keep the Lights On
Writer/director: Ira Sachs
The story of a tumultuous, decade-long relationship between two men in New York City. Keep the Lights On premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
Ira Sachs is a writer and director based in New York City. His films include Married Life (2007), The Delta (1997) and the 2005 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winning Forty Shades of Blue.
- 6/6/2012
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Congrats to Andrew Dosunmu (Ma George), and Cutter Hodierne (Fishing Without Nets - half poster above) whose projects were 2 of 15 selected to recieve a total of $200,000 in grants this year as part of the Cinereach Project at the Sundance Institute. Both projects have been covered extensively here on S&A, the former being Andrew's second feature after his acclaimed debut Restless City; will received a post-production grant; and the latter being a feature adaptation of an award-winning short film of the same name, will receive a development grant. Also due congratulations is Terence Nance and his acclaimed feature debut, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, a...
- 6/4/2012
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
New in theaters this weekend... Well, it's not really new, but for those of you in Denver, it will be. Affrm continues its Restless City national push, opening the film in Denver today, June 1, at Denver Film Center/Colfax, for a 1-week run. So if you're in that city, and you're at all interested in seeing Andrew Dosunmu's enchanting acclaimed feature film debut, here's your chance! Remember, you've got only 1 week and then, poof, just like that, it's gone! Opening wider today (188 screens) is Battlefield America, from the team that brought you You Got Served. Marques Houston, Mekia Cox, Christopher Michael...
- 6/1/2012
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Andrew Dosunmu’s debut fiction feature, Restless City (currently in release from Affrm in New York, L.A. and Atlanta), is perhaps the most ravishing film you’ll see on a movie screen right now. An immigrant crime drama set along Canal Street about a Senagalese motorcycle messenger, a local crime boss, and the beautiful woman that comes between them, the film combines the sensitive eye of Dosunmu, a fashion photographer and music video director, with the masterful cinematography of Bradford Young. The result is a film that reimagines our urban landscape in bold, fresh ways.
I interviewed Dosunmu for the current issue of Filmmaker, and the full interview is print only. But here’s an excerpt on Dosunmu and Young’s collaboration. And go see the film! You can find showtimes here at its website.
Filmmaker: Tell me about working with your cinematographer, Bradford Young. As a photographer with a very specific eye,...
I interviewed Dosunmu for the current issue of Filmmaker, and the full interview is print only. But here’s an excerpt on Dosunmu and Young’s collaboration. And go see the film! You can find showtimes here at its website.
Filmmaker: Tell me about working with your cinematographer, Bradford Young. As a photographer with a very specific eye,...
- 4/28/2012
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Title: Restless City Director: Andrew Dosunmu Starring: Sy Alassane, Nicole Grey, Tony Okungbowa, Danai Gurira Strikingly photographed but dramatically inert, “Restless City” chronicles the story of a young African immigrant trying to make it on the mean streets of New York City. In a bit of a case of the emperor’s new clothes, praise for this art-minded cinematic import recalls Andrew Sarris’ “Russian Tea Room Syndrome,” which posits that sophisticated cineastes will willingly accept in a foreign (or foreign-contextualized) film the sorts of lapses in character and story that in an American film they would utterly reject, basically for the sake of appearing cultured. A ”Next” section selection at last year’s Sundance Film [ Read More ]...
- 4/27/2012
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
New York City’s “Made in New York” marketing credit, which offers NY-shot movies and television productions free, co-branded citwide advertising, is expanding. Now offered to these productions are additional bus shelters, subway advertising and TV spots. Participating projects are eligible to receive the following packages (and, as noted, must pay a very small percentage of their production budget to a New York charity):
A production with a below-the-line budget between $5-$10 million:
40 Bus Shelters (4 week run)
500 Subway boards (4 week run)
13,000 taxi cabs (2 week run)
City covers cost of producing the creative elements
production donates .1% of its production cost to a NY Charity
A production with a below-the-line budget under $5 million:
20 Bus Shelters (4 week run)
250 Subway boards (4 week run)
13,000 taxi cabs (2 week run)
City covers cost of producing the creative elements
production donates .1% of its production cost to a NY Charity
One of the initial recipients of the expanded...
A production with a below-the-line budget between $5-$10 million:
40 Bus Shelters (4 week run)
500 Subway boards (4 week run)
13,000 taxi cabs (2 week run)
City covers cost of producing the creative elements
production donates .1% of its production cost to a NY Charity
A production with a below-the-line budget under $5 million:
20 Bus Shelters (4 week run)
250 Subway boards (4 week run)
13,000 taxi cabs (2 week run)
City covers cost of producing the creative elements
production donates .1% of its production cost to a NY Charity
One of the initial recipients of the expanded...
- 4/20/2012
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Director Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City will open in limited theatrical release in New York, L.A. and Atlanta April 27. Distributor Affrm, which acquired U.S. rights to the film in March, will then expand it to five additional cities May 4. The Hollywood Reporter here exclusively hosts the premiere of the trailer for the film, which had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2011. The trailer will be in theaters this weekend. Danai Gurira, Anthony Okungbowa and Babs Olusanmokun star in the story of an African immigrant surviving on the fringes of New York City. Eugene M. Gussenhoven
read more...
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- 4/3/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement has acquired U.S. theatrical rights to Restless City, which had its world premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film will receive a theatrical release April 27. Directed by Andrew Dosunmu, Restless City tells the story of an African immigrant with a passion for music surviving on the fringes of New York City. Sy Alassane, Nicole Grey, Danai Gurira, Anthony Okungbowa and Babs Olusanmokun star. Eugene Gussenhoven wrote the screenplay. Sundance Review: 'Restless City' Is a Stunning Look at New York's West African Immigrant Community Katie Mustard and Matthew Parker produced
read more...
read more...
- 3/2/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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