Mexican-us filmmaker Carlos López Estrada will deliver Sundance Film Festival: London’s keynote address at the festival’s third annual industry programme, with further speakers confirmed from Studiocanal, BFI, BBC Film, Film4, Bafta and Sky.
The festival runs at London’s Picturehouse Central from June 6-9.
López Estrada’s director credits include his feature debut Blindpostting which opened Sundance in 2018, and animation Raya And The Last Dragon, which he co-directed with Don Hall.
As a producer, he is founder of Antigravity Academy, a production company specialising in creating opportunities for emerging talent. Antigravity’s first produced project, Dìdi (弟弟), written and directed by Sean Wang,...
The festival runs at London’s Picturehouse Central from June 6-9.
López Estrada’s director credits include his feature debut Blindpostting which opened Sundance in 2018, and animation Raya And The Last Dragon, which he co-directed with Don Hall.
As a producer, he is founder of Antigravity Academy, a production company specialising in creating opportunities for emerging talent. Antigravity’s first produced project, Dìdi (弟弟), written and directed by Sean Wang,...
- 5/1/2024
- ScreenDaily
The 40th Edition of the Sundance Film Festival announced their 53 Short Films for the 2024 lineup in addition to a 20th anniversary 4K restored version of Napoleon Dynamite, as well as other Sundance fave re-releases.
There’s a 30th anniversary of Go Fish, 25th anniversary of Three Seasons and the 20th anniversary of Dig! (with 30 minutes of additional footage), titled Dig! Xx.
There’s also restorations of The Babadook and Pariah, and restorations of Mississippi Masala and The Times of Harvey Milk.
In addition, there’s several Sundance alum panels including Power of Story: Four Decades of Taking Chances about the legacy of independent storytelling featuring Miguel Arteta, Richard Linklater, Dawn Porter, and Christine Vachon; a screening of seminal short films from Sundance’s history hosted by Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass; and a workshop for emerging creators with Carlos López Estrada and others.
The shorts for 2024 were curated from 12,098 submissions,...
There’s a 30th anniversary of Go Fish, 25th anniversary of Three Seasons and the 20th anniversary of Dig! (with 30 minutes of additional footage), titled Dig! Xx.
There’s also restorations of The Babadook and Pariah, and restorations of Mississippi Masala and The Times of Harvey Milk.
In addition, there’s several Sundance alum panels including Power of Story: Four Decades of Taking Chances about the legacy of independent storytelling featuring Miguel Arteta, Richard Linklater, Dawn Porter, and Christine Vachon; a screening of seminal short films from Sundance’s history hosted by Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass; and a workshop for emerging creators with Carlos López Estrada and others.
The shorts for 2024 were curated from 12,098 submissions,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sundance Institute unveiled the lineup of 53 short films for the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, taking place Jan. 18-28 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah. The film fest will happen in person, with a selection of titles available online from Jan. 25-28. Sundance was forced to re-format its 2021 and 2022 editions as virtual events because of the pandemic, but it returned in physical form in 2023.
Celebrating its 40th edition, Sundance will also feature a slate of special screenings including a restored version of “Napoleon Dynamite,” which first premiered at the festival in 2004, as well as 2014’s “The Babadook” and 1984’s “The Times of Harvey Milk.” Festival programming also includes events with Richard Linklater, Miguel Arteta, Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, Carlos López Estrada, Sterlin Harjo, Steve James, Dawn Porter, Nzingha Stewart and Christine Vachon.
“Selecting the shorts for the Festival Program every year is an exercise in taking the pulse of film culture,...
Celebrating its 40th edition, Sundance will also feature a slate of special screenings including a restored version of “Napoleon Dynamite,” which first premiered at the festival in 2004, as well as 2014’s “The Babadook” and 1984’s “The Times of Harvey Milk.” Festival programming also includes events with Richard Linklater, Miguel Arteta, Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, Carlos López Estrada, Sterlin Harjo, Steve James, Dawn Porter, Nzingha Stewart and Christine Vachon.
“Selecting the shorts for the Festival Program every year is an exercise in taking the pulse of film culture,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Anniversary screenings include Park City hits Napoleon Dynamite, Mississippi Masala, The Babadook.
Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the 53 shorts as well as the eight films celebrating the festival’s 40th edition – a list which includes Park City hits Napoleon Dynamite, Mississippi Masala, and The Babadook.
The 40th edition celebration screenings and events are set for the second half of the festival from January 23-26, 2024, with a slate of retrospective programming that will bring alumni artists together for conversations and gatherings.
Sundance Film festival runs January 18-28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles...
Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the 53 shorts as well as the eight films celebrating the festival’s 40th edition – a list which includes Park City hits Napoleon Dynamite, Mississippi Masala, and The Babadook.
The 40th edition celebration screenings and events are set for the second half of the festival from January 23-26, 2024, with a slate of retrospective programming that will bring alumni artists together for conversations and gatherings.
Sundance Film festival runs January 18-28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles...
- 12/12/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Few American filmmakers of the last 40 years await a major rediscovery like Hal Hartley, whose traces in modern movies are either too-minor or entirely unknown. Thus it’s cause for celebration that the Criterion Channel are soon launching a major retrospective: 13 features (which constitutes all but My America) and 17 shorts, a sui generis style and persistent vision running across 30 years. Expect your Halloween party to be aswim in Henry Fool costumes.
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
- 8/21/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
The Sundance Film Festival Asia, an offshoot of the Sundance Institute, is to set up camp in Taipei, Taiwan this summer. The three-day mini festival will run Aug. 18-20 and be put together in association with local organizer G2Go Entertainment.
The event will showcase a handful of films curated by the Sundance Institute and host a short film competition that is open only to Taiwanese productions.
Panel discussions will accompany the festival to foster artistic exchange, providing opportunities for the Taiwan film industry to connect with Sundance’s executive team, and elevating Taiwan’s image and presence in the global independent film industry.
The jury for the Taiwan short film competition, includes: Kim Yutani, director of programming, Sundance Film Festival, Heidi Zwicker, Sundance senior programmer and Mike Plante, Sundance’s senior programmer, for short films. The winning film will receive a Nt$50,000 cash prize.
“The Asia edition is a...
The event will showcase a handful of films curated by the Sundance Institute and host a short film competition that is open only to Taiwanese productions.
Panel discussions will accompany the festival to foster artistic exchange, providing opportunities for the Taiwan film industry to connect with Sundance’s executive team, and elevating Taiwan’s image and presence in the global independent film industry.
The jury for the Taiwan short film competition, includes: Kim Yutani, director of programming, Sundance Film Festival, Heidi Zwicker, Sundance senior programmer and Mike Plante, Sundance’s senior programmer, for short films. The winning film will receive a Nt$50,000 cash prize.
“The Asia edition is a...
- 5/26/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
“Like an Abel Ferrara Jr., [Calvin Lee] Reeder meshes thought and design with genre storylines, like a Euro-filmmaker making ’70s drive-in films,” wrote Mike Plante in his 2007 25 New Face profile of the Portland, Ore.-born filmmaker. Sixteen-years later, the alt-horror auteur is still moving between the border spaces of various horror and science-fiction sub-genres, with his newest work — the SXSW-premiering independent TV pilot Harbor Island — being one of the most existentially offbeat yet. The festival’s program book provides the narrative gist but not the work’s extremely odd affect, which is something like watching Rupert Pupkin act in […]
The post “I Like the Idea of Comedy in an Uninhabitable Place”: Director Calvin Lee Reeder on His SXSW-Premiering TV Pilot, Harbor Island first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Like the Idea of Comedy in an Uninhabitable Place”: Director Calvin Lee Reeder on His SXSW-Premiering TV Pilot, Harbor Island first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/12/2023
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
“Like an Abel Ferrara Jr., [Calvin Lee] Reeder meshes thought and design with genre storylines, like a Euro-filmmaker making ’70s drive-in films,” wrote Mike Plante in his 2007 25 New Face profile of the Portland, Ore.-born filmmaker. Sixteen-years later, the alt-horror auteur is still moving between the border spaces of various horror and science-fiction sub-genres, with his newest work — the SXSW-premiering independent TV pilot Harbor Island — being one of the most existentially offbeat yet. The festival’s program book provides the narrative gist but not the work’s extremely odd affect, which is something like watching Rupert Pupkin act in […]
The post “I Like the Idea of Comedy in an Uninhabitable Place”: Director Calvin Lee Reeder on His SXSW-Premiering TV Pilot, Harbor Island first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “I Like the Idea of Comedy in an Uninhabitable Place”: Director Calvin Lee Reeder on His SXSW-Premiering TV Pilot, Harbor Island first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 3/12/2023
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
While the chances of getting a feature film into Sundance may be slim, the short film submissions are just as competitive. For its first year back to in-person after two years of a virtual event, the festival received a record number of short films submissions, with 10,980 entries from around the world hoping to play in Park City. Shorts programmers Mike Plante and Heidi Zwicker had the task of whittling it down to 64 films and 4 episodic projects, and they assure aspiring Sundance filmmakers that they watch every single submission.
“We love all these films individually, but part of choosing them is how well they speak together as a program,” Zwicker told IndieWire during a recent interview. “They have to come together to create a cohesive whole, where each one is doing something different.”
Building the program holistically allows for a broad spectrum of genres and budgets, something Plante singles out as being unique to Sundance.
“We love all these films individually, but part of choosing them is how well they speak together as a program,” Zwicker told IndieWire during a recent interview. “They have to come together to create a cohesive whole, where each one is doing something different.”
Building the program holistically allows for a broad spectrum of genres and budgets, something Plante singles out as being unique to Sundance.
- 1/12/2023
- by Jude Dry and Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Sundance revealed the lineup for its Shorts and Indie Episodic programs today, featuring new work from filmmakers like Paul Feig and Ken Marino, “Roma” star Yalitza Aparicio Martinez, and Henry Winkler.
Sixty-four films were selected for the Shorts program from a record-high pool of 10,981 submissions. Spanning fiction, non-fiction, and animated works from artists in the U.S. and around the world, the program features both new and returning filmmakers. Aparicio Martinez will headline Mexico’s “Sweatshop Girl,” from writer-director Selma Cervantes, playing a seamstress who must hide her pregnancy to avoid getting fired. The Feig-produced “Help Me Understand” stars “The Office” actress Kate Flannery and Ken Marino among its ensemble cast. Angela Trimbur wrote and co-stars in “Mirror Girl,” while Sarafyan appears in the sci-fi short “Power Signal.”
The Indie Episodic lineup spotlights rising creators of independently produced content for episodic platforms. Four projects were chosen this year, including “Willie Nelson and Family,...
Sixty-four films were selected for the Shorts program from a record-high pool of 10,981 submissions. Spanning fiction, non-fiction, and animated works from artists in the U.S. and around the world, the program features both new and returning filmmakers. Aparicio Martinez will headline Mexico’s “Sweatshop Girl,” from writer-director Selma Cervantes, playing a seamstress who must hide her pregnancy to avoid getting fired. The Feig-produced “Help Me Understand” stars “The Office” actress Kate Flannery and Ken Marino among its ensemble cast. Angela Trimbur wrote and co-stars in “Mirror Girl,” while Sarafyan appears in the sci-fi short “Power Signal.”
The Indie Episodic lineup spotlights rising creators of independently produced content for episodic platforms. Four projects were chosen this year, including “Willie Nelson and Family,...
- 12/13/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
The Sundance Film Festival on Tuesday revealed its 2023 lineup of episodic projects and 64 shorts, the latter culled from the fest’s highest number of submissions at 10,981.
The shorts span 23 countries, including projects from Iran (Azheh) and Ukraine (Liturgy of anti-tank obstacles), with works from such artists as Paul Feig (Help Me Understand producer), Westworld actress Angela Sarafyan (Power Signal), The Office‘s Kate Flannery (Help Me Understand), Roma‘s Yalitza Aparicio Martinez (Sweatshop Girl), The Feels’ Angela Trimbur (Mirror Party), Party Down‘s Ken Marino (Help Me Understand), Bi Gan (director of Cannes Certain Regard title A Long Days Journey Into Night director) and Shannon Plumb (Walk of Shame) to name a few.
Related Story Sundance Film Festival Lineup Set With Ukraine War, Little Richard, Michael J. Fox, Judy Blume Docs; Pics With Anne Hathaway, Emilia Clarke, Jonathan Majors; More Related Story 'The Amazing Maurice' Heads To France,...
The shorts span 23 countries, including projects from Iran (Azheh) and Ukraine (Liturgy of anti-tank obstacles), with works from such artists as Paul Feig (Help Me Understand producer), Westworld actress Angela Sarafyan (Power Signal), The Office‘s Kate Flannery (Help Me Understand), Roma‘s Yalitza Aparicio Martinez (Sweatshop Girl), The Feels’ Angela Trimbur (Mirror Party), Party Down‘s Ken Marino (Help Me Understand), Bi Gan (director of Cannes Certain Regard title A Long Days Journey Into Night director) and Shannon Plumb (Walk of Shame) to name a few.
Related Story Sundance Film Festival Lineup Set With Ukraine War, Little Richard, Michael J. Fox, Judy Blume Docs; Pics With Anne Hathaway, Emilia Clarke, Jonathan Majors; More Related Story 'The Amazing Maurice' Heads To France,...
- 12/13/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sundance Film Festival has outlined some of the specific details for how it intends to go hybrid for the 2023 event, announcing Tuesday that the festival will begin exclusively in person in Utah for its first few days before opening up its online component.
Sundance 2023 runs Jan. 19-29, but the online component of the festival will then become available beginning on Jan. 24. Audiences will be able to view select films from the official selection online, though that includes all competition titles playing at the festival — including in the U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary and Next sections — as well as others across the film, episodic and shorts programs. Finally, on Jan. 28-29, the award-winning films from the year’s festival will be available both at in-person screenings and online.
In in an additional tweak, Sundance is requiring masks in all Sundance Film Festival spaces,...
Sundance 2023 runs Jan. 19-29, but the online component of the festival will then become available beginning on Jan. 24. Audiences will be able to view select films from the official selection online, though that includes all competition titles playing at the festival — including in the U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary and Next sections — as well as others across the film, episodic and shorts programs. Finally, on Jan. 28-29, the award-winning films from the year’s festival will be available both at in-person screenings and online.
In in an additional tweak, Sundance is requiring masks in all Sundance Film Festival spaces,...
- 8/30/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
In-person attendance to be prioritised with limited number of online P&i badges available.
Sundance Film Festival will take place from January 19-29, 2023, as an in-person event in Utah and will expand online on January 24.
In the first details to emerge on next year’s festival, Sundance Institute hierarchy said the digital offering will present an on-demand, curated selection of features. This will comprise all competition titles from the U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary, and Next strands, as well as other work from the overall selection.
The 2023 festival will take place in-person in Park City,...
Sundance Film Festival will take place from January 19-29, 2023, as an in-person event in Utah and will expand online on January 24.
In the first details to emerge on next year’s festival, Sundance Institute hierarchy said the digital offering will present an on-demand, curated selection of features. This will comprise all competition titles from the U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary, and Next strands, as well as other work from the overall selection.
The 2023 festival will take place in-person in Park City,...
- 8/30/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Sundance Institute and Picturehouse have announced additions to the 2022 Sundance Film Festival: London programme today.
Alongside the twelve feature films, two short film strands and industry events previously announced, the festival will also present a new podcast strand with live audiences, including Girls on Film and Evolution of Horror; a 25th-anniversary screening of Love Jones, a special screening of Danny Boyle’s Shallow Grave; and a screening of Janicza Bravo’s Lemon chosen by keynote speaker, producer Christine Vachon.
The Festival will open up the spirit of Sundance Film Festival to UK audiences by screening three films at upwards of 25 cinemas across the country. A Love Song, Free Chol Soo Lee and Good Luck To You, Leo Grande will screen alongside recorded Filmmaker Q&As during the festival dates of 9 to 12 June 2022.
For the first time ever, the festival will include an exciting programme of live podcast recordings within the line-up.
Alongside the twelve feature films, two short film strands and industry events previously announced, the festival will also present a new podcast strand with live audiences, including Girls on Film and Evolution of Horror; a 25th-anniversary screening of Love Jones, a special screening of Danny Boyle’s Shallow Grave; and a screening of Janicza Bravo’s Lemon chosen by keynote speaker, producer Christine Vachon.
The Festival will open up the spirit of Sundance Film Festival to UK audiences by screening three films at upwards of 25 cinemas across the country. A Love Song, Free Chol Soo Lee and Good Luck To You, Leo Grande will screen alongside recorded Filmmaker Q&As during the festival dates of 9 to 12 June 2022.
For the first time ever, the festival will include an exciting programme of live podcast recordings within the line-up.
- 5/16/2022
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its short film program, curated from an all-time high of 10,374 submissions.
The films — encompassing categories like domestic and international live-action as well as animation — will screen throughout the hybrid festival in person, at satellite venues, and online.
“Short films are such a vital part of the independent storytelling culture that Sundance Institute has consistently put its full support behind. We’re all happy for the opportunity this year’s hybrid in-person and online,” said Kim Yutani, director of programming at Sundance.
In addition to the new crop of shorts, Sundance will also roll out a retrospective titled “From The Collection,” celebrating four decades of its notable past creators. These include works from the likes of Garrett Bradley, Destin Daniel Cretton, Cheryl Dunye, Nash Edgerton, Tamara Jenkins and Taika Waititi.
“The films selected for the ‘From the Collection’ program run the stylistic and subject matter gamut,...
The films — encompassing categories like domestic and international live-action as well as animation — will screen throughout the hybrid festival in person, at satellite venues, and online.
“Short films are such a vital part of the independent storytelling culture that Sundance Institute has consistently put its full support behind. We’re all happy for the opportunity this year’s hybrid in-person and online,” said Kim Yutani, director of programming at Sundance.
In addition to the new crop of shorts, Sundance will also roll out a retrospective titled “From The Collection,” celebrating four decades of its notable past creators. These include works from the likes of Garrett Bradley, Destin Daniel Cretton, Cheryl Dunye, Nash Edgerton, Tamara Jenkins and Taika Waititi.
“The films selected for the ‘From the Collection’ program run the stylistic and subject matter gamut,...
- 12/10/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The Sundance Institute today unveiled the Short Film program for the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, as well as the “From the Collection” program—a lineup of 40 shorts from festivals past that will be available for streaming online, in celebration of the nonprofit’s 40th anniversary.
This year’s festival slate comprises work from 26 countries, with 59 shorts selected for from a record 10,374 submissions. All shorts will screen in programs or preceding features in-person in Utah, with most also screening online as part of the 40th anniversary collection, and an assortment screening in person at seven Satellite Screens venues around the country during the second weekend of the festival, taking place from January 20-30.
The “From the Collection” program will feature early works from notable directors including Garrett Bradley, Destin Daniel Cretton, Cheryl Dunye, Nash Edgerton, Tamara Jenkins and Taika Waititi, among others. It will play on demand on Sundance’s online platform,...
This year’s festival slate comprises work from 26 countries, with 59 shorts selected for from a record 10,374 submissions. All shorts will screen in programs or preceding features in-person in Utah, with most also screening online as part of the 40th anniversary collection, and an assortment screening in person at seven Satellite Screens venues around the country during the second weekend of the festival, taking place from January 20-30.
The “From the Collection” program will feature early works from notable directors including Garrett Bradley, Destin Daniel Cretton, Cheryl Dunye, Nash Edgerton, Tamara Jenkins and Taika Waititi, among others. It will play on demand on Sundance’s online platform,...
- 12/10/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the most storied shows of the punk era was seen by just a tiny audience at an unlikely venue — a California mental hospital. The punk rockabilly band The Cramps and theatrical art-punk band The Mutants played the Napa State Hospital on June 13, 1978, one of a series of concerts programmed at the institution for its residents during that era. What made this concert different was its documentation — it was recorded on old Sony equipment by Bay Area documentarian Joe Rees and his Target Video crew. “Somebody told me you people are crazy, but I’m not […]
The post “We Had No Idea about the LSD, or that Napa Had a Farm….”: Mike Plante and Jason Willis on Their Cramps/Mutants Punk Doc, We Were There To Be There first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “We Had No Idea about the LSD, or that Napa Had a Farm….”: Mike Plante and Jason Willis on Their Cramps/Mutants Punk Doc, We Were There To Be There first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/13/2021
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
One of the most storied shows of the punk era was seen by just a tiny audience at an unlikely venue — a California mental hospital. The punk rockabilly band The Cramps and theatrical art-punk band The Mutants played the Napa State Hospital on June 13, 1978, one of a series of concerts programmed at the institution for its residents during that era. What made this concert different was its documentation — it was recorded on old Sony equipment by Bay Area documentarian Joe Rees and his Target Video crew. “Somebody told me you people are crazy, but I’m not […]
The post “We Had No Idea about the LSD, or that Napa Had a Farm….”: Mike Plante and Jason Willis on Their Cramps/Mutants Punk Doc, We Were There To Be There first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “We Had No Idea about the LSD, or that Napa Had a Farm….”: Mike Plante and Jason Willis on Their Cramps/Mutants Punk Doc, We Were There To Be There first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 7/13/2021
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
A new documentary short takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Cramps and the Mutants’ infamous performance at a psychiatric hospital in 1978.
Directed by Mike Plante and Jason Willis and produced by Field of Vision, We Were There to Be There explores the events that led to Cbgb mainstays the Cramps driving over 3,000 miles to perform at Napa State Hospital alongside San Francisco art-punks the Mutants.
The show is remembered as both a landmark moment for punk rock and for the perception of mental health care within U.S. popular culture,...
Directed by Mike Plante and Jason Willis and produced by Field of Vision, We Were There to Be There explores the events that led to Cbgb mainstays the Cramps driving over 3,000 miles to perform at Napa State Hospital alongside San Francisco art-punks the Mutants.
The show is remembered as both a landmark moment for punk rock and for the perception of mental health care within U.S. popular culture,...
- 6/22/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
“Dreamy visuals of teenhood — cool hair, telephones, starkly lit bedrooms, troubled outsiders — are laid over structured soundtracks that blend distinctive background ambiences with catchy songs,” is how Mike Plante described the early short films of Cam Archer for Filmmaker in 2006. The occasion was the release of Archer’s first feature, Wild Tigers I Have Known, which joined an emerging body of work that Plante called “art films for teens.” But when we next caught up with Archer, it was just after the Cannes Directors Fortnight premiere of his second feature, Shit Year, starring Ellen Barkin, and his focus had […]
The post “Every Image is Goodbye”: Cam Archer on Grief, Walks Home and His MoMA-Premiering Short, His Image first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Every Image is Goodbye”: Cam Archer on Grief, Walks Home and His MoMA-Premiering Short, His Image first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/2/2021
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
“Dreamy visuals of teenhood — cool hair, telephones, starkly lit bedrooms, troubled outsiders — are laid over structured soundtracks that blend distinctive background ambiences with catchy songs,” is how Mike Plante described the early short films of Cam Archer for Filmmaker in 2006. The occasion was the release of Archer’s first feature, Wild Tigers I Have Known, which joined an emerging body of work that Plante called “art films for teens.” But when we next caught up with Archer, it was just after the Cannes Directors Fortnight premiere of his second feature, Shit Year, starring Ellen Barkin, and his focus had […]
The post “Every Image is Goodbye”: Cam Archer on Grief, Walks Home and His MoMA-Premiering Short, His Image first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Every Image is Goodbye”: Cam Archer on Grief, Walks Home and His MoMA-Premiering Short, His Image first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 4/2/2021
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Every January, the Sundance Film Festival debuts many of the independent films that will dominate the cinematic conversation for the rest of the year. While this year’s virtual festival may be diminished in numbers, it is no less robust a showcase for the next generation of vanguard filmmakers.
While a lauded feature film debut can launch a career, showing a short film at Sundance is often a place for up and coming filmmakers to get a foot in the door. Taika Waititi, Dee Rees, the Duplass Brothers, and Andrea Arnold all showed shorts at Sundance before making their feature debuts. This year’s slate may herald the arrival of the next great cinematic voice.
Due to the smaller festival, this year’s shorts slate comprises 50 films, down from the festival’s typical 70 to 80. Contrary to popular belief, Sundance does not require premieres for its shorts, a fact Senior Shorts...
While a lauded feature film debut can launch a career, showing a short film at Sundance is often a place for up and coming filmmakers to get a foot in the door. Taika Waititi, Dee Rees, the Duplass Brothers, and Andrea Arnold all showed shorts at Sundance before making their feature debuts. This year’s slate may herald the arrival of the next great cinematic voice.
Due to the smaller festival, this year’s shorts slate comprises 50 films, down from the festival’s typical 70 to 80. Contrary to popular belief, Sundance does not require premieres for its shorts, a fact Senior Shorts...
- 1/27/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
To honor the legacy of beloved filmmaker Lynn Shelton, Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum and Duplass Brothers Productions have today announced the launch of the Lynn Shelton “Of a Certain Age” Grant. The $25,000 unrestricted cash grant will be awarded each year to a U.S.-based woman or non-binary filmmaker, age 39 or older, who has yet to direct a narrative feature.
Shelton, who passed away in May, was among the leading voices of American independent film, working on all sides of the camera on such films as “Humpday,” “Your Sister’s Sister,” “Outside In,” and “Sword of Trust.” Like the filmmakers the grant is intended to help, Shelton didn’t direct her own first feature (“We Go Way Back”) until she was 39. In the 15 years that followed, Shelton built a prolific and respected canon of both feature and television work.
“This grant seeks to reinforce that great filmmakers can emerge at any age,...
Shelton, who passed away in May, was among the leading voices of American independent film, working on all sides of the camera on such films as “Humpday,” “Your Sister’s Sister,” “Outside In,” and “Sword of Trust.” Like the filmmakers the grant is intended to help, Shelton didn’t direct her own first feature (“We Go Way Back”) until she was 39. In the 15 years that followed, Shelton built a prolific and respected canon of both feature and television work.
“This grant seeks to reinforce that great filmmakers can emerge at any age,...
- 7/14/2020
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
A grant fund has been set up in honor of the late “Humpday” filmmaker Lynn Shelton that will provide a $25,000 unrestricted cash grant to U.S. based women and nonbinary filmmakers, age 39 or older, who have yet to direct a narrative feature.
The “Of a Certain Age” grant was established by Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum alongside Duplass Brothers Productions, and the prize will be awarded each year.
“This grant seeks to reinforce that great filmmakers can emerge at any age, and to elevate the voices of a segment of the filmmaking community who have precious few resources dedicated to supporting them yet plenty of stories to tell,” Megan Griffiths, Shelton’s longtime friend and collaborator who is working in her capacity as a member of the board of Northwest Film Forum to help establish the grant, said in a statement. “Lynn was 39 when I met her on her first feature,...
The “Of a Certain Age” grant was established by Seattle’s Northwest Film Forum alongside Duplass Brothers Productions, and the prize will be awarded each year.
“This grant seeks to reinforce that great filmmakers can emerge at any age, and to elevate the voices of a segment of the filmmaking community who have precious few resources dedicated to supporting them yet plenty of stories to tell,” Megan Griffiths, Shelton’s longtime friend and collaborator who is working in her capacity as a member of the board of Northwest Film Forum to help establish the grant, said in a statement. “Lynn was 39 when I met her on her first feature,...
- 7/14/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
With the help of a technical consultant and several dry runs, the online pitch day for the Tribeca Film Institute If/Then Short Documentary Program, originally set to be held at the Cleveland International Film Festival, went off without a hitch. Sure, there were elements that couldn’t be replaced — FaceTime can’t beat face time — but more than 300 people watched the pitches on April 16, and filmmakers James Christenson and Brennan Vance won a $25,000 grant for their project “To Be Reconciled.”
If/Then director Chloe Gbai said the turnout was higher than usual, including “a ton of industry — industry we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The way that Cleveland is positioned in the calendar, it’s a beloved festival, but it doesn’t get as much industry traffic as other festivals. There’s a lot of good that festivals and market do both for our industry and the economies where...
If/Then director Chloe Gbai said the turnout was higher than usual, including “a ton of industry — industry we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. The way that Cleveland is positioned in the calendar, it’s a beloved festival, but it doesn’t get as much industry traffic as other festivals. There’s a lot of good that festivals and market do both for our industry and the economies where...
- 5/17/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Eighth episodic works, 74 short films and nine special events were announced today as part of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The shorts were selected from 10,397 submissions hailing from 27 countries. In the press release, Kim Yutani, the Festival’s Director of Programming, said, “Authenticity and independent voices resonate across formats – and that’s evident across the full spectrum of this year’s Indie Episodic and Special Events slates. Defined by distinctive voices and enlightening viewpoints, these are riveting projects that find inspiration in the urgent stories and extraordinary individuals of our times.” Mike Plante, Senior Programmer, Shorts, said, “With an […]...
- 12/10/2019
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Eighth episodic works, 74 short films and nine special events were announced today as part of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. The shorts were selected from 10,397 submissions hailing from 27 countries. In the press release, Kim Yutani, the Festival’s Director of Programming, said, “Authenticity and independent voices resonate across formats – and that’s evident across the full spectrum of this year’s Indie Episodic and Special Events slates. Defined by distinctive voices and enlightening viewpoints, these are riveting projects that find inspiration in the urgent stories and extraordinary individuals of our times.” Mike Plante, Senior Programmer, Shorts, said, “With an […]...
- 12/10/2019
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The Museum of Modern Art has unveiled the full festival lineup for the 18th edition of Doc Fortnight, an annual showcase of the best in nonfiction film. The movies cover a range of topics, touching on everything from the cinematic legacy of Wyatt Earp to a deep look at Ferguson, Missouri, the Midwestern city that exploded into national consciousness when Michael Brown was shot by a police officer.
This year’s festival, which runs from Feb. 21 to 28 and boasts more than 17 documentary features, the bulk of which were directed by female filmmakers. That choice is an important one, because it comes at a time when attention is being focused on the film industry for failing to provide more directing opportunities to women.
The series opens with the premiere of “Serendipity,” a new offering from Prune Nourry that explores the artist’s use of various forms of media, including photography, film,...
This year’s festival, which runs from Feb. 21 to 28 and boasts more than 17 documentary features, the bulk of which were directed by female filmmakers. That choice is an important one, because it comes at a time when attention is being focused on the film industry for failing to provide more directing opportunities to women.
The series opens with the premiere of “Serendipity,” a new offering from Prune Nourry that explores the artist’s use of various forms of media, including photography, film,...
- 1/9/2019
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Of the projects announced in the Indie Episodic, Shorts and Special Events sections by the Sundance Film Festival today, 53% were directed or created by one or more women, 51% were directed or created by one or more filmmaker of color, and 26% by one or more people who identify as Lgbtqia.
Those stats made a difference in yielding a selection of titles which focus on an array of issues impacting our nation at a divided time, and ever since the election of President Donald Trump, the Park City, Utah cinematic confab remains one of the most vital bullhorns –from last year’s Women’s March and last January’s Respect Rally to launching documentaries about political crusaders (Rbg and An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power)–in regards to bridging the gap between differences and calling attention to immediate matters which effect us all before the globe goes sideways.
In regards to those projects addressing women’s issues,...
Those stats made a difference in yielding a selection of titles which focus on an array of issues impacting our nation at a divided time, and ever since the election of President Donald Trump, the Park City, Utah cinematic confab remains one of the most vital bullhorns –from last year’s Women’s March and last January’s Respect Rally to launching documentaries about political crusaders (Rbg and An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power)–in regards to bridging the gap between differences and calling attention to immediate matters which effect us all before the globe goes sideways.
In regards to those projects addressing women’s issues,...
- 12/3/2018
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
After hiring veteran festival programmer Kim Yutani to lead its programming team, the Sundance Film Festival has now announced a brand new batch of further programming hires. Yutani, who was previously a senior programmer for the festival and has worked at Sundance since 2006, was hired in May for the Director of Programming job left vacant by long-time programming head Trevor Groth earlier this year. The long-time programmer has now rounded out her team with a number of fresh faces, while also elevating some Sundance stalwarts.
Yutani commented in an official statement, “This year’s record-breaking number of submissions are phenomenally strong: we’re invigorated and inspired by the work we’ve been seeing. Our incredible — and growing! — programming team has refined our curation processes, ensuring that the conversations we have as we program continue to center, as always, on a Festival that represents a wide range of filmmakers and on-screen experiences.
Yutani commented in an official statement, “This year’s record-breaking number of submissions are phenomenally strong: we’re invigorated and inspired by the work we’ve been seeing. Our incredible — and growing! — programming team has refined our curation processes, ensuring that the conversations we have as we program continue to center, as always, on a Festival that represents a wide range of filmmakers and on-screen experiences.
- 11/19/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Festival to run in Utah from January 24-February 3.
Sundance Institute announced changes to its programming team less than two weeks before it unveils the 2019 festival programme, and unveiled several broad innovations under its inclusion policy, as well as the inaugural Sundance Institute Talent Forum.
Introducing new members to its programming team, the festival said it had expanded and refined the team “with an eye towards fresh perspectives and varied decision-making voices”.
Dilcia Barrera joins as programmer, Stephanie Owens as associate programmer, and Sudeep Sharma as shorts programmer. Ana Souza, formerly a programming coordinator, is promoted to manager, programming / associate programmer.
Sundance Institute announced changes to its programming team less than two weeks before it unveils the 2019 festival programme, and unveiled several broad innovations under its inclusion policy, as well as the inaugural Sundance Institute Talent Forum.
Introducing new members to its programming team, the festival said it had expanded and refined the team “with an eye towards fresh perspectives and varied decision-making voices”.
Dilcia Barrera joins as programmer, Stephanie Owens as associate programmer, and Sudeep Sharma as shorts programmer. Ana Souza, formerly a programming coordinator, is promoted to manager, programming / associate programmer.
- 11/19/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Jeff Krulik is one of the best interviewers ever in documentary film history. That’s not hyperbole, that’s a fact.
However, in the above embedded podcast, Krulik has the tables turned on him by one of the best interviewers in film journalism, Mike Plante. That’s not hyperbole, either. That’s a fact, too. And, happily, Krulik is a wonderful storyteller, so this 100-minute chat is a breezy, informational, fascinating and educational discussion about Krulik’s influences, the Baltimore/D.C. music scene, a personal history of public access TV, a reminiscence about Ernest Borgnine and, oh, so much more.
On a personal note, I’ve known Krulik myself for several years now, yet I still learned a lot about the guy listening to this. Since I’m such a huge fan of his work, a lot of it makes more “sense” to me now, hearing about how such...
However, in the above embedded podcast, Krulik has the tables turned on him by one of the best interviewers in film journalism, Mike Plante. That’s not hyperbole, either. That’s a fact, too. And, happily, Krulik is a wonderful storyteller, so this 100-minute chat is a breezy, informational, fascinating and educational discussion about Krulik’s influences, the Baltimore/D.C. music scene, a personal history of public access TV, a reminiscence about Ernest Borgnine and, oh, so much more.
On a personal note, I’ve known Krulik myself for several years now, yet I still learned a lot about the guy listening to this. Since I’m such a huge fan of his work, a lot of it makes more “sense” to me now, hearing about how such...
- 3/28/2013
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
AFI Fest 2012 presented by Audi, a program of the American Film Institute, today announced the remaining sections and films that will screen in the festival.s World Cinema, Breakthrough, Midnight and Shorts programs. AFI Fest, which annually presents the best of world cinema in the movie capital of the world, will take place November 1 through 8 at the historic Grauman.s Chinese Theatre, the Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
World Cinema showcases the most anticipated and prize-winning international films of the year, Breakthrough highlights work discovered only through the submission process and Midnight.s selections are always haunting. Both World Cinema and Breakthrough feature a number of films making their North American or U.S. Premieres, including The Angels. Share, Greatest Hits, Laurence Anyways, Nairobi Half Life, Pieta, White Elephant and Zaytoun.
Two of the shorts in competition are from AFI Conservatory.s recent class of...
World Cinema showcases the most anticipated and prize-winning international films of the year, Breakthrough highlights work discovered only through the submission process and Midnight.s selections are always haunting. Both World Cinema and Breakthrough feature a number of films making their North American or U.S. Premieres, including The Angels. Share, Greatest Hits, Laurence Anyways, Nairobi Half Life, Pieta, White Elephant and Zaytoun.
Two of the shorts in competition are from AFI Conservatory.s recent class of...
- 10/16/2012
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Embedded above is a trio of (blurry) photos taken at the Jeff Krulik retrospective that was held at the Cinefamily theater in Los Angeles on August 26, 2012 as part of the Everything Is Festival III: The Domination event. Click each photo to embiggen.
The first photo features Krulik himself in the Cinefamily audience while his cult classic documentary Heavy Metal Parking Lot, which he co-directed with John Heyn, screens in front of him. (By the way, depicted on the screen happens to be Bad Lit’s favorite “character” from the film due his slurred delivery of the line, “Yo, Priest is the best, man.”)
The second photo is of Mike Plante and Jeff Krulik. Plante interviewed Krulik between the short films, which included Hmpl; the Michael Jackson episode of the long-lost “Parking Lot” TV show that was inspired by Hmpl and ran on the cable channel Trio for two seasons; the...
The first photo features Krulik himself in the Cinefamily audience while his cult classic documentary Heavy Metal Parking Lot, which he co-directed with John Heyn, screens in front of him. (By the way, depicted on the screen happens to be Bad Lit’s favorite “character” from the film due his slurred delivery of the line, “Yo, Priest is the best, man.”)
The second photo is of Mike Plante and Jeff Krulik. Plante interviewed Krulik between the short films, which included Hmpl; the Michael Jackson episode of the long-lost “Parking Lot” TV show that was inspired by Hmpl and ran on the cable channel Trio for two seasons; the...
- 8/27/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Cinemad’s Mike Plante sits down for a highly entertaining and enlightening chat with experimental documentary filmmaker Sam Green, who has gone from being nominated for an Academy Award for his film The Weather Underground to personally performing “live” documentaries such as Utopia in Four Movements and The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller.
There’s lots of things to learn here, like how to impress your doctor with one of your Oscar-nominated DVDs to more serious discussions of the power of live cinema. Plus, a surprise appearance by Vanessa Renwick!
Another great listen from the amazing Cinemad podcast series. Collect ‘em all!
Portrait of Sam Green by Vanessa Renwick.
There’s lots of things to learn here, like how to impress your doctor with one of your Oscar-nominated DVDs to more serious discussions of the power of live cinema. Plus, a surprise appearance by Vanessa Renwick!
Another great listen from the amazing Cinemad podcast series. Collect ‘em all!
Portrait of Sam Green by Vanessa Renwick.
- 8/21/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
This weekend's Sundance ShortsLab La panels offered a wealth of useful gleanings. Held at Google's Venice offices, panels included Story Development (director Spike Jonze and longtime editor Eric Zumbrunnen), Collaboration (director Azazel Jacobs, cinematographer Pj Raval, editor Annette Davey, production designer Kk Barrett, and moderator Matthew Harrison) and Working with Actors (Joshua Leonard, Nick Offerman, Gina Rodriguez, and moderator Matt Ross). Sundance director of programming Trevor Groth and programmers Landon Zakheim and Mike Plante also shared info and advice about submitting to the festival, presenting a case study on filmmaker Nicholas McCarthy's short film "The Pact" and its journey into becoming a feature within a year of playing at Sundance. Below are 12 key lessions for filmmakers--and anyone planning to collaborate in the medium. Story Development 1. Make it for yourself, make it your own. If you don't...
- 8/13/2012
- by Sophia Savage
- Thompson on Hollywood
The above scene at the Creative Capital retreat this weekend brought back a lot of memories. The arts funding organization’s semi-annual retreat was held at Williams College in Williamstown Massachusetts, and on the final evening the outdoor barbecue got drizzled out. So, it was moved indoors, and afterwards the cafeteria space became a party space, where artist grantees and consultants danced to Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.” A level up, Cinemad’s Mike Plante set up his microphones and recorded a podcast. The ’80s music, the party, and radio — it was like one of my own evenings in college, where I’d wander from Wollman Auditorium upstairs to Wkcr to do my radio show at Columbia. And yeah, there may have been a whiskey bottle involved as well.
Here’s Plante:
In this accidental ode to Drunk History, Cinemad sits down at the Creative Capital retreat with filmmakers Cam Archer...
Here’s Plante:
In this accidental ode to Drunk History, Cinemad sits down at the Creative Capital retreat with filmmakers Cam Archer...
- 7/31/2012
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Mike Plante‘s first feature-length documentary Be Like an Ant is now available for viewing on the indie film website Fandor. The doc profiles Paul, a Vietnam veteran who built his own four-floor house with his own hands around his old crummy mobile home. No blueprints. No building permits. No mortgage. And a 30-year commitment. Consider joining up for Fandor if you aren’t member already and watch the film here.
Plante has been a film journalist, curator, distributor and festival programmer for many years and previously directed the short documentary Razorcake, as well as made short videos for the Sundance Film Festival.
For more info, please visit the film’s official website. Or just go ahead and watch it on Fandor.
Plante has been a film journalist, curator, distributor and festival programmer for many years and previously directed the short documentary Razorcake, as well as made short videos for the Sundance Film Festival.
For more info, please visit the film’s official website. Or just go ahead and watch it on Fandor.
- 7/12/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Cinemad’s Mike Plante sits down for a raucous, free-wheeling, free-associatin’ interview with cinema’s greatest mad tinkerer, Craig Baldwin. It’s a real trip!
Crashing topics from Baldwin’s childhood film influences to his collage narrative filmmaking process to advice on how to run a successful microcinema to the future of the Artists Television Access space and more will careen around the inside of your brain until it melts out of your ears like goo.
Listen and learn, people!
Crashing topics from Baldwin’s childhood film influences to his collage narrative filmmaking process to advice on how to run a successful microcinema to the future of the Artists Television Access space and more will careen around the inside of your brain until it melts out of your ears like goo.
Listen and learn, people!
- 6/29/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Mike Plante delivers another knockout interview podcast, this time with one of Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film’s favorite filmmakers, Vanessa Renwick of the Oregon Dept. of Kick Ass. And kick ass she certainly does, cinematically speaking.
At the beginning of the interview, Plante makes the interesting observation that if one is lucky enough to have seen a lot of Renwick’s films then one tends to feel like they know the filmmaker personally despite never having physically met her. That’s exactly how we feel at Bad Lit. But now, we feel like we know her even more due to this intimate and personal audio interview.
And if you want to get acquainted with Renwick’s films, then you can start with the Other Cinema compilation DVD Nomads & No-Zones until the filmmaker releases her own highly anticipated solo disc.
At the beginning of the interview, Plante makes the interesting observation that if one is lucky enough to have seen a lot of Renwick’s films then one tends to feel like they know the filmmaker personally despite never having physically met her. That’s exactly how we feel at Bad Lit. But now, we feel like we know her even more due to this intimate and personal audio interview.
And if you want to get acquainted with Renwick’s films, then you can start with the Other Cinema compilation DVD Nomads & No-Zones until the filmmaker releases her own highly anticipated solo disc.
- 6/20/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
For this week’s Must Read, I don’t know if this is a one-off or a series, but I hope it’s a continuing series. Mike Plante of Cinemad has posted up an article from the old print version of the online zine — and it’s a doozy! Stan Brakhage meets Godfrey Reggio!I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m completely digging BadAzz MoFo’s poster hall of fame series of posts. Here’s a great one for The Land That Time Forgot and The People That Time Forgot, movies most people have probably forgotten since they suck so bad. Also, Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity, which apparently isn’t as sleazy as it sounds.Donna k. gushes over Troy, NY’s Empac again and perhaps for the last time.Migrating Forms is going on right now and there were lots of write-ups about the films and filmmakers,...
- 5/13/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
This Week’s Absolute Must Read is Clint Enns’ extremely helpful guide for filmmakers submitting to film festivals, including tips on figuring out the essentials to put into your information packet and how to figure out which festivals are good for your film. Clint’s work screens in a ton of festivals, so the man knows what he’s talking about.This Week’s Absolute Must Listen is the Cinemad Podcast #7 in which journalist Mike Plante interviews two very fine fellows: Ed Halter and Thomas Beard of the Brooklyn-based microcinema, Light Industry. All three men discuss their experience curating for festivals and give tips on how to run a successful microcinema or screening series. If knowledge is power, this one is powerful enough to blow your head off.GreenCine Daily interviews Jonas Mekas about his recent film My Mars Bar Movie, which is running at the Anthology this weekend.Congrats...
- 4/15/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
The Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente is on through April 22. Diego Lerer's not only posted his own recommendations but also gathered more from Gabe Klinger, Robert Koehler, Jaime Pena and Neil Young. What's more, the Ferroni Brigade has programmed a series of midnight screenings featuring Croatian martial arts icon Bore Lee.
In other news. Tim Roth will be the president of the Un Certain Regard Jury at Cannes (May 16 through 27).
The North American premiere of Woody Allen's To Rome with Love will open the Los Angeles Film Festival (June 14 through 24).
Cinema Eye has released a statement of protest against the Us Department of Homeland Security's ongoing harassment of documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras signed by 60 people in the community, over 40 of them filmmakers themselves.
Fiachra Gibbons: "It's the film that is making millions of Turkish hearts swell with even more patriotic pride than usual. Fetih 1453, a turbans-and-testosterone epic,...
In other news. Tim Roth will be the president of the Un Certain Regard Jury at Cannes (May 16 through 27).
The North American premiere of Woody Allen's To Rome with Love will open the Los Angeles Film Festival (June 14 through 24).
Cinema Eye has released a statement of protest against the Us Department of Homeland Security's ongoing harassment of documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras signed by 60 people in the community, over 40 of them filmmakers themselves.
Fiachra Gibbons: "It's the film that is making millions of Turkish hearts swell with even more patriotic pride than usual. Fetih 1453, a turbans-and-testosterone epic,...
- 4/12/2012
- MUBI
Take that, SyFy Channel! Producer, distributor, Cinemad founder, Sundance programmer and occasional Filmmaker contributor has passed along the second of his “Mike Plante’s Home Movie Show.” In the show notes, he writes: “Sundance 2012 filmmakers Brent Green, Don Hertzfeldt, Nicholas McCarthy and David Zellner go searching for ghosts in Park City. We find some ghosts but learn more about people who want to see ghosts.” If you are paranormally-inclined, check it out.
… Read the rest...
… Read the rest...
- 4/2/2012
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
There was something spooky going on at the Sundance Film Festival this year, as long as you went off the ranch to find it. When filmmakers Don Hertzfeldt, Nicholas McCarthy, Brent Green and David Zellner pile into a car with journalist Mike Plante to head for the nearest snow-covered graveyard, they’re bound to swap scary stories and get into some trouble.
As any fan of the TV show Ghost Hunters knows, spirits like to leave messages on audio tape. For whatever reason, they simply enjoy leaving what can be considered answering machine messages from beyond the grave as their preferred way to reach out to the living. Despite Hertzfeldt’s extended attempt to debunk the notion of hauntings, did the intrepid Sundance crew actually catch a buzzing from some specter trying to get their attention?
And, if anything can be gleaned from this haunted car ride, it’s that...
As any fan of the TV show Ghost Hunters knows, spirits like to leave messages on audio tape. For whatever reason, they simply enjoy leaving what can be considered answering machine messages from beyond the grave as their preferred way to reach out to the living. Despite Hertzfeldt’s extended attempt to debunk the notion of hauntings, did the intrepid Sundance crew actually catch a buzzing from some specter trying to get their attention?
And, if anything can be gleaned from this haunted car ride, it’s that...
- 3/30/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
In the cold Park City night air, professional stuntman Nash Edgerton (Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith) teaches filmmaking brothers Nathan and David Zellner (Goliath) how to throw a punch in this “home movie” by journalist/curator/filmmaker Mike Plante for the Sundance Film Festival. You know, it’s not as easy as it looks.
Edgerton, who doubled for Ewan McGregor in two Star Wars films and did stunts for The Matrix, Superman Returns and other high-profile blockbusters, is also an indie filmmaker himself who broke into his profession by producing short films showcasing his stunt work. Which is really a pretty smart way to go about things, provided one is as professional and serious about his work as Edgerton is, otherwise weaker souls might just end up dead, really.
In above home movie, Plante includes clips from Edgerton’s short film Lucky, where he leaps around a speeding car,...
Edgerton, who doubled for Ewan McGregor in two Star Wars films and did stunts for The Matrix, Superman Returns and other high-profile blockbusters, is also an indie filmmaker himself who broke into his profession by producing short films showcasing his stunt work. Which is really a pretty smart way to go about things, provided one is as professional and serious about his work as Edgerton is, otherwise weaker souls might just end up dead, really.
In above home movie, Plante includes clips from Edgerton’s short film Lucky, where he leaps around a speeding car,...
- 3/8/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Phantom Love
"For three decades filmmaker Nina Menkes has made poetic, evocative films that have placed her in the forefront of American experimentalists," writes Kevin Thomas in the Los Angeles Times. "She's a visionary who trusts in the power of image, movement and composition to communicate narrative, meaning and emotion." The retrospective Nina Menkes: Cinema as Sorcery opens at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater tomorrow with Dissolution, her "most accessible but also most accomplished work."
The La Weekly's Karina Longworth: "In Queen of Diamonds (1991) — my pick for the must-see rediscovery of the program — Menkes's sister and frequent collaborator Tinka Menkes plays Firdaus, a bored, beautiful blackjack dealer at an off-Strip Vegas casino…. Sixteen years later, when Menkes returned to the theme of a statuesque, obsessively manicured brunette sleepwalking through a casino job in the La Koreatown-set Phantom Love, she'd take a tonal and visual U-turn. Phantom's hazy black-and-white cinematography and...
"For three decades filmmaker Nina Menkes has made poetic, evocative films that have placed her in the forefront of American experimentalists," writes Kevin Thomas in the Los Angeles Times. "She's a visionary who trusts in the power of image, movement and composition to communicate narrative, meaning and emotion." The retrospective Nina Menkes: Cinema as Sorcery opens at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater tomorrow with Dissolution, her "most accessible but also most accomplished work."
The La Weekly's Karina Longworth: "In Queen of Diamonds (1991) — my pick for the must-see rediscovery of the program — Menkes's sister and frequent collaborator Tinka Menkes plays Firdaus, a bored, beautiful blackjack dealer at an off-Strip Vegas casino…. Sixteen years later, when Menkes returned to the theme of a statuesque, obsessively manicured brunette sleepwalking through a casino job in the La Koreatown-set Phantom Love, she'd take a tonal and visual U-turn. Phantom's hazy black-and-white cinematography and...
- 2/21/2012
- MUBI
An avid podcast listener (like me) could hardly stumble across better news today than this fresh item from the Zellner Bros: "Mike Plante has great taste and a vast knowledge of film. His venture Cinemad has been many wonderful things; a zine, a blog, a DVD almanac, a distributor and podcast. His latest podcast installment interviews the Zb's, hopefully we did it justice. A lot of important issues were covered from Sasquatches to Salo to Chuck Berry."
What's more, this is Cinemad's sixth podcast and, as it happens, for nearly every one of them, there's a relevant upcoming event worth noting. David and Nathan Zellner's new feature, Kid-Thing, for example, will be making its premiere at Sundance in a few weeks. As for the other five:
Nina Menkes. We've got a cinema devoted to her films even now; its virtual doors are open through July.
Azazel Jacobs. His touching...
What's more, this is Cinemad's sixth podcast and, as it happens, for nearly every one of them, there's a relevant upcoming event worth noting. David and Nathan Zellner's new feature, Kid-Thing, for example, will be making its premiere at Sundance in a few weeks. As for the other five:
Nina Menkes. We've got a cinema devoted to her films even now; its virtual doors are open through July.
Azazel Jacobs. His touching...
- 1/2/2012
- MUBI
Calvin Reeder’s trippy art-horror film The Oregonian lands in New York today for one screening at Brooklyn’s Nitehawk Cinema.
When we selected Reeder for our 25 New Faces series, Mike Plante wrote:
“I’m not really sure” how he arrived at his alt-horror style, Reeder says. “Just sorta roll the dice. I do love Sleepaway Camp. I just like to make movies all bent up, I guess.” Originally from Portland, Ore., and living in Seattle up until this year, Reeder played extensively with the great art-punk bands the Popular Shapes and the Intelligence. But he got notoriety, for better or worse, with the twisted public access show and later-feature film Jerkbeast, co-made with Brady Hall.
Perhaps stemming from his musical background, the sound designs in his films are complex in their layering of thick aural moods. They give the movies the feeling of old folk songs telling brutal tales.
When we selected Reeder for our 25 New Faces series, Mike Plante wrote:
“I’m not really sure” how he arrived at his alt-horror style, Reeder says. “Just sorta roll the dice. I do love Sleepaway Camp. I just like to make movies all bent up, I guess.” Originally from Portland, Ore., and living in Seattle up until this year, Reeder played extensively with the great art-punk bands the Popular Shapes and the Intelligence. But he got notoriety, for better or worse, with the twisted public access show and later-feature film Jerkbeast, co-made with Brady Hall.
Perhaps stemming from his musical background, the sound designs in his films are complex in their layering of thick aural moods. They give the movies the feeling of old folk songs telling brutal tales.
- 11/16/2011
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
I presume this article is from a ways back, but I only stumbled upon it yesterday: Jonathan Rosenbaum reprinted his reflections on the Edinburgh Film Festival from 1976. It’s a very long, in-depth piece, but if you want the hot, underground film content, scroll down to Rosenbaum describing a screening of Tom Tom the Piper’s Son causing a near riot and a review of Yvonne Rainer’s Film About a Woman Who….The L.A. Times has a lengthy piece on the ambitious “Alternative Projections” screening series on the avant-garde that just launched in Los Angeles.Mike Plante presents his fourth Cinemad podcast, this time chatting with the elusive James Fotopoulos. (And I mean that in terms of his work, not in terms of getting him on the phone for a chat.)I don’t know much about the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (Empac), but donna k.
- 10/16/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
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