The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has unveiled its 2015 line-up which includes films representing 54 countries, 23 world premieres and 53 U.S. premieres. The U.S. premiere of Niki Caro’s McFarland USA will close out the 30th fest. Based on the 1987 true story and starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello, the film follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. The unlikely band of runners overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well.
The festival runs from January 27-February 7.
Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.
World Premieres
A Better You, USA
Directed by Matt Walsh
Cast: Brian Huskey,...
The festival runs from January 27-February 7.
Below is the list of World and U.S. Premiere films followed by the list of titles by sidebar categories.
World Premieres
A Better You, USA
Directed by Matt Walsh
Cast: Brian Huskey,...
- 1/8/2015
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
A self-acknowledged "showcase for Academy Award frontrunners," the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is often overlooked for the actual films that earn it festival status. An amalgamation of international discoveries and ’merica’s circuit highlights, the Sbiff curates a week of best-of-the-best to pair with their star-praising. The 2015 edition offers another expansive selection, bookended by two films that aren’t on any radars just yet. Sbiff will open with "Desert Dancer," producer Richard Raymond’s directorial debut. Starring Reece Ritchie and Frieda Pinto, the drama follows a group of friends who wave off the harsh political climate of Iran’s 2009 presidential election in favor of forming a dance team, picking up moves from Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev thanks to the magic of YouTube. The festival will close with "McFarland, USA," starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello. Telling the 1987 true story of a Latino high school’s underdog cross-country team,...
- 1/8/2015
- by Matt Patches
- Hitfix
A gentle, poignant dramedy about getting out of your comfort zone, one that smashes the tropes of microbudget films with its wildly original story. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Middle-aged, divorced, and seemingly a bit of a stick in the mud, Judith (Tessa Peake-Jones: Doctor Who) is so mortified that her daughter, Lily (Eleanor Wyld: Frequencies), has dropped out of law school to go live at Bonobo House — aka, the local “monkey sex cult” commune in their small English town — that she can barely even admit it to herself, never mind to her snooty, judgy neighbor. But enough is enough, and so Judith heads over to try to convince Lily to drop out of dropping out and get back to her real life. Instead, the commune’s leader,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Middle-aged, divorced, and seemingly a bit of a stick in the mud, Judith (Tessa Peake-Jones: Doctor Who) is so mortified that her daughter, Lily (Eleanor Wyld: Frequencies), has dropped out of law school to go live at Bonobo House — aka, the local “monkey sex cult” commune in their small English town — that she can barely even admit it to herself, never mind to her snooty, judgy neighbor. But enough is enough, and so Judith heads over to try to convince Lily to drop out of dropping out and get back to her real life. Instead, the commune’s leader,...
- 12/4/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Titles include Shawn Christensen’s Before I Disappear and Suha Arraf’s Villa Touma [pictured]; guests include Mike Leigh and Ruben Ostlund.
The Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5) has unveiled the 12 features in competition for the Golden Puffin award, reserved for first or second time directors.
They include Us drama Before I Disappear, from director Shawn Christensen, which picked up the audience audience at SXSW, where it received its world premiere.
Also in the running is family drama Villa Touma, from Palestinian/Israeli director Suha Arraf, which played at Venice and Toronto; and Grzegorz Jaroszuk’s Kebab and Horoscope, which debuted at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The competition line-up includes:
Villa Touma,Suha ArrafThe Lack, Masbedo (It)Age of Cannibals, Johannes Naber (Ger)Before I Disappear, Shawn Christensen (Us-uk)Bonobo, Matthew Hammett Knott (UK)Heimurinn, Iris Elezi, Thomas LogorrheicThe Council of Birds, Timm Kröger (Ger)I Can Quit Whenever I Want,Sydney Sibilia (It)Kebab...
The Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 25 - Oct 5) has unveiled the 12 features in competition for the Golden Puffin award, reserved for first or second time directors.
They include Us drama Before I Disappear, from director Shawn Christensen, which picked up the audience audience at SXSW, where it received its world premiere.
Also in the running is family drama Villa Touma, from Palestinian/Israeli director Suha Arraf, which played at Venice and Toronto; and Grzegorz Jaroszuk’s Kebab and Horoscope, which debuted at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The competition line-up includes:
Villa Touma,Suha ArrafThe Lack, Masbedo (It)Age of Cannibals, Johannes Naber (Ger)Before I Disappear, Shawn Christensen (Us-uk)Bonobo, Matthew Hammett Knott (UK)Heimurinn, Iris Elezi, Thomas LogorrheicThe Council of Birds, Timm Kröger (Ger)I Can Quit Whenever I Want,Sydney Sibilia (It)Kebab...
- 9/18/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Indiewire is more than happy to welcome a new addition to the blog network, /bent, which is now officially the queerest blog around these parts -- we'd like to think -- the most fabulous. The blog is the brainchild of longtime Indiewire Senior Writer Peter Knegt, who brings with him Matthew Hammett Knott (of Indiewire's "Heroines of Cinema" and Oscar Bitchfest fame), Berlin-based Toby Ashraf, London-based Sophie Smith and Toronto-based Oliver Skinner. And what exactly will they be doing? Well, here's a mission statement of sorts: Who needs a queer blog? Possibly not you, in which case, feel free to avoid. But for those even mildly intrigued, allow us to explain what we are offering. /bent is an irreverent look at how queer culture is represented on film and in other media. Whether we’re talking the heights of lesbian cinema, the lows of TV stereotypes or the latest politician’s homophobic outburst,...
- 1/22/2014
- by /bent
- Indiewire
The Oscar nominations are out, and in a new edition of this series, Indiewire senior writer Peter Knegt and regular columnist Matthew Hammett Knott are totally prepared to bitch about them. Here's the 10 things that collectively annoyed them the most about this morning's announcement: No Oprah Knott: Yep, I'm completely serious about this. There have only ever been two black actresses over the age of 50 nominated for an Oscar, which is a travesty in itself. A female character of that age who actually expresses her sex drive is a pretty rare occurrence in Hollywood - in an African American context, it's almost unprecedented. And despite its flaws, "The Butler" is a rare populist film that offers a defiantly black political viewpoint. But let's not get too serious. Why am I really disappointed? Because Noprah! Can you imagine her inspirational words of advice to young actresses on the red carpet? Her photo-ops with Lupita?...
- 1/16/2014
- by Peter Knegt and Matthew Hammett Knott
- Indiewire
In a special Thanksgiving-themed edition of this series, Indiewire senior writer Peter Knegt and regular columnist Matthew Hammett Knott face off about awards season.. It's almost Thanksgiving weekend, a perennial time for gratitude. Unless you're British or Canadian, as we are, and bound by no such tradition. So while we're happy to appropriate the Thanksgiving tradition of making wishes in this month's Oscar bitch fest, we regret to say we've given it our own, far-from-grateful twist. November is about the last point where one can still get away with fantasizing wildly about Oscar possibilities. So long as there are still unseen contenders out there, it seems a legitimate exercise. Not that these wishes have any basis in reality, as you will rapidly see. It's just an excuse for imagining a few juicy ways of turning a traditionally conservative and predictable race firmly on its head. Par example: "Monuments Men" is...
- 11/27/2013
- by Peter Knegt and Matthew Hammett Knott
- Indiewire
In the first edition of this series, writers Peter Knegt and Matthew Hammett Knott face off about various awards-season related topics... Knegt: So I guess since is the first Oscar bitchfest -- at least the first we're publicly displaying -- we should introduce the concept of what actually it is we're attempting here. Knott: It's pretty much there in the title -- as most of us who follow the Oscars know, the awards aren't exactly a reliable barometer of quality. Taking them too seriously only leads to disappointment. And while ignoring them is obviously an alternative, and no doubt a healthy one, for those of us who can't resist keeping watch on the race, the most satisfying approach seems to be a healthy dose of bitchiness. We're sitting on the outside while some of the most privileged and beautiful people on the planet congratulate themselves on their often mediocre cinematic achievements.
- 10/24/2013
- by Peter Knegt and Matthew Hammett Knott
- Indiewire
Heroines of Cinema has been a running column since summer 2012, with London-based writer Matthew Hammett Knott discussing females in the film industry -- whether filmmakers, actresses, cinematographers or fictional characters. Enjoy all the columns below: The 10 Most Exciting Young Female Directors In The World Today Hiring Women In Theory And Practice 10 Things You Really Should Know About Kathleen Kennedy The Good News And The Bad News About The Oscar Nominations An A-z Of Women In Film In 2012 Ten $100 Million Hits Starring Women Over 50 Can You Be A Bond Girl And A Good Feminist? A Conversation With Sally Potter Ava Duvernay And 10 More Trail-blazing Black Female Directors Valdis Oskarsdottir And The Invisible Art Of Editing 10 Reasons To Love Emma Thompson Tilda Swinton And Sally Potter'S Orlando The Life Cycle Of An Actress Ellen Kuras, Rockstar Among Cinematographers Rizzo From Grease Brenda Chapman'S Firing And The Five Stages Of Grief...
- 7/26/2013
- by Matthew Hammett Knott
- Indiewire
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