Documentaries come in al shapes and sizes. Some are groundbreaking works from experimental art world heavyweights while others are rudimentary pieces of filmmaking that are elevated by a captivating subject or theme.
Somewhere in the middle is Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan.
Directed by Linda Saffire and Adam Schlesinger, Restless Creature introduces viewers to Wendy Whelan, prime ballerina and tenured member of the New York City Ballet. With three decades of professional work under her belt, Whelan has worked with a who’s who of ballet greats, with legendary choreographers like Christopher Wheeldon even crafting roles specifically for her. However, when we meet Whelan, it’s not as she’s taking a bow after yet another superb performance. Instead this story is one as much about the human spirit and it’s resilience as it is specifically about Whelan and her work.
Blending archival materials from Whelan’s youth and present-set...
Somewhere in the middle is Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan.
Directed by Linda Saffire and Adam Schlesinger, Restless Creature introduces viewers to Wendy Whelan, prime ballerina and tenured member of the New York City Ballet. With three decades of professional work under her belt, Whelan has worked with a who’s who of ballet greats, with legendary choreographers like Christopher Wheeldon even crafting roles specifically for her. However, when we meet Whelan, it’s not as she’s taking a bow after yet another superb performance. Instead this story is one as much about the human spirit and it’s resilience as it is specifically about Whelan and her work.
Blending archival materials from Whelan’s youth and present-set...
- 5/30/2017
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.
– HBO has acquired the U.S. TV rights to “David Bowie: The Last Five Years,” directed and produced by Francis Whately. The film spotlights two critically acclaimed albums and the stage musical “Lazarus,” offering new insights into Bowie’s extraordinary creativity during the final five years of his life.
Featuring a wealth of rarely seen Bowie interviews, archival footage, audio from the recording sessions for “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” and unprecedented access to Bowie’s closest friends and artistic collaborators, the film is a tribute to one of the greatest rock icons of all time.
Read More: Film Acquisitions Rundown: Sony Picks Up Tom Hanks’ ‘Greyhound,’ Lionsgate Acquires ‘Rally Car’ and More
– The Weinstein Company will...
– HBO has acquired the U.S. TV rights to “David Bowie: The Last Five Years,” directed and produced by Francis Whately. The film spotlights two critically acclaimed albums and the stage musical “Lazarus,” offering new insights into Bowie’s extraordinary creativity during the final five years of his life.
Featuring a wealth of rarely seen Bowie interviews, archival footage, audio from the recording sessions for “The Next Day” and “Blackstar,” and unprecedented access to Bowie’s closest friends and artistic collaborators, the film is a tribute to one of the greatest rock icons of all time.
Read More: Film Acquisitions Rundown: Sony Picks Up Tom Hanks’ ‘Greyhound,’ Lionsgate Acquires ‘Rally Car’ and More
– The Weinstein Company will...
- 2/17/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
The distributor has acquired theatrical rights to Linda Safire and Adam Schlesinger’s film that had its world premiere at last year’s New York Film Festival.
The film is an intimate portrait of prima ballerina Wendy Whelan as she prepares to leave the New York City Ballet (Nycb) after a record-setting three decades with the company.
Saffire and Schlesinger also produced Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan, while Diana Dimenna served as executive producer.
Abramorama has set a May 24 debut at Film Forum and the Elinor Bunin Theater at Lincoln Center, with Los Angeles and other markets to follow. In addition, the film will play at the Miami International Film Festival and Riverrun International Film Festival.
Karol Martesko-Fenster, Richard Abramowitz and Robert Marcus brokered the deal on behalf of Abramorama with the filmmakers, Steven Schechter on behalf of Got The Shot Films, and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Linzee Trough.
The film is an intimate portrait of prima ballerina Wendy Whelan as she prepares to leave the New York City Ballet (Nycb) after a record-setting three decades with the company.
Saffire and Schlesinger also produced Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan, while Diana Dimenna served as executive producer.
Abramorama has set a May 24 debut at Film Forum and the Elinor Bunin Theater at Lincoln Center, with Los Angeles and other markets to follow. In addition, the film will play at the Miami International Film Festival and Riverrun International Film Festival.
Karol Martesko-Fenster, Richard Abramowitz and Robert Marcus brokered the deal on behalf of Abramorama with the filmmakers, Steven Schechter on behalf of Got The Shot Films, and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Linzee Trough.
- 2/15/2017
- ScreenDaily
The distributor has acquired theatrical rights to Linda Safire and Adam Schlesinger’s film that had its world premiere at last year’s New York Film Festival.
The film is an intimate portrait of prima ballerina Wendy Whelan as she prepares to leave the New York City Ballet (Nycb) after a record-setting three decades with the company.
Saffire and Schlesinger also produced Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan, while Diana Dimenna served as executive producer.
Abramorama has set a May 24 debut at Film Forum and the Elinor Bunin Theater at Lincoln Center, with Los Angeles and other markets to follow. In addition, the film will play at the Miami International Film Festival and Riverrun International Film Festival.
Karol Martesko-Fenster, Richard Abramowitz and Robert Marcus brokered the deal on behalf of Abramorama with the filmmakers, Steven Schechter on behalf of Got The Shot Films, and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Linzee Trough.
The film is an intimate portrait of prima ballerina Wendy Whelan as she prepares to leave the New York City Ballet (Nycb) after a record-setting three decades with the company.
Saffire and Schlesinger also produced Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan, while Diana Dimenna served as executive producer.
Abramorama has set a May 24 debut at Film Forum and the Elinor Bunin Theater at Lincoln Center, with Los Angeles and other markets to follow. In addition, the film will play at the Miami International Film Festival and Riverrun International Film Festival.
Karol Martesko-Fenster, Richard Abramowitz and Robert Marcus brokered the deal on behalf of Abramorama with the filmmakers, Steven Schechter on behalf of Got The Shot Films, and Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Linzee Trough.
- 2/15/2017
- ScreenDaily
The Film Society of Lincoln Center today announced the complete Spotlight on Documentary lineup for the 54th New York Film Festival, which begins on September 30 and ends on October 16. Among the more prominent selections are “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James’ “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” and Errol Morris’ “The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography,” among others; already announced titles for this year’s edition of Nyff, the 54th, include Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester by the Sea,” Maren Ade’s “Toni Erdmann” and Kelly Reichardt’s “Certain Women.” Find the full list of documentaries below.
Read More: Nyff Reveals Main Slate of 2016 Titles, Including ‘Manchester By the Sea,’ ‘Paterson’ and ‘Personal Shopper’
“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” (Steve James)
“The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography” (Errol Morris)
“Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” (Alexis Bloom & Fisher Stevens)
“The Cinema Travellers” (Shirley Abraham & Amit Madheshiya”)
“Dawson City: Frozen Times” (Bill Morrison)
“Hissen Habré,...
Read More: Nyff Reveals Main Slate of 2016 Titles, Including ‘Manchester By the Sea,’ ‘Paterson’ and ‘Personal Shopper’
“Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” (Steve James)
“The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography” (Errol Morris)
“Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” (Alexis Bloom & Fisher Stevens)
“The Cinema Travellers” (Shirley Abraham & Amit Madheshiya”)
“Dawson City: Frozen Times” (Bill Morrison)
“Hissen Habré,...
- 8/24/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
XLrator Media has acquired North American rights to the SXSW documentary Mateo by Aaron I. Naar.
The film will be released theatrically on XLrator Media’s Pace multi-cultural releasing label in on August 21 and on VOD and iTunes four days later.
Mateo is a music-driven documentary that explores Mexican-American and Cuban cultures and rhythms.
Naar produced with Benjamin Dohrmann. Andrew Lauren, Louis Venezia and Adam Schlesinger served as executive producers.
XLrator Media’s Barry Gordon brokered the deal with Amanda Lebow on behalf of the filmmakers.
Grindstone has picked up North American rights to the amily adventure Army Dog starring Casper Van Vien, Grace Van Dien, Stelio Savante. Barking Cow Media Group, Fairway Film Alliance and Rogue Arts LLC produced the story about an Afghanistan veteran who returns to the Us with his bomb sniffer Army dog as they take an eventful family camping trip.Amplify Releasing has acquired worldwide rights from Matador to Amy Rice’s documentary...
The film will be released theatrically on XLrator Media’s Pace multi-cultural releasing label in on August 21 and on VOD and iTunes four days later.
Mateo is a music-driven documentary that explores Mexican-American and Cuban cultures and rhythms.
Naar produced with Benjamin Dohrmann. Andrew Lauren, Louis Venezia and Adam Schlesinger served as executive producers.
XLrator Media’s Barry Gordon brokered the deal with Amanda Lebow on behalf of the filmmakers.
Grindstone has picked up North American rights to the amily adventure Army Dog starring Casper Van Vien, Grace Van Dien, Stelio Savante. Barking Cow Media Group, Fairway Film Alliance and Rogue Arts LLC produced the story about an Afghanistan veteran who returns to the Us with his bomb sniffer Army dog as they take an eventful family camping trip.Amplify Releasing has acquired worldwide rights from Matador to Amy Rice’s documentary...
- 8/6/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Sorry Oscars. But after the Indie Spirit Awards, the number two spot in terms of Award Season importance are the Cinema Eye Honors. Seems like it was only yesterday when Aj Schnack & Thom Powers teamed up for one basic, logical concept: an event that would reward yearly output of documentary film in a rightfully sound manner. With the wind in their sails, the 6th annual edition was held last night and deservingly so, adding to its double wins at the Idfa and Sundance, it is 5 Broken Cameras that took the top honors for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking. Co-directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi – political activism via you guessed it, five video cameras. The film was released via Kino Lorber.
The night’s only double winner, could be regarded as the silver medal doc film of the year: Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s Detropia grabbed the Outstanding...
The night’s only double winner, could be regarded as the silver medal doc film of the year: Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady’s Detropia grabbed the Outstanding...
- 1/10/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Vol. I Issue 5
Join us twice weekly. Send us links to your sizzle reels and film sites.
Two Short Listed Documentary Features
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, directed by Alison Klayman
Ai Weiwei is China's most famous international artist, and its most outspoken domestic critic. Against a backdrop of strict censorship and an unresponsive legal system, Ai expresses himself and organizes people through art and social media. In response, Chinese authorities have shut down his blog, beat him up, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention.
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and whose actions blur the boundaries of art and politics. First-time director Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai while working as a journalist in China. Her detailed portrait of Weiwei’s life and work allows us to follow Weiwei’s journey and his transformation of his life and works are perceived. Few artists have been able to use their public stature to help cause political change. Clearly this is the story of a giant killer. Regrettably the story continues and China continues to repress its people.
What’s special about Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is that the filmmaker was able to follow Ai Weiwei over several years. We are able to see a Chinese dissident whose home is watched by 1984-like cameras hung from telephone and power poles. We can only assume his home is bugged, his cell phone is bugged and all of his computers are bugged. The power of this work is seeing an artist functioning in this environment. Shocking. His spirit is best shown in his defiant art, his raised middle finger in the foreground of many still images of iconic monuments to the Chinese peoples’ struggles. He dares to challenge America’s biggest trading partner, debt holder and, by the end of the film, he is shown silenced, unable to comment because he was released from detention. The irony of this powerful work is that we and the world are shown to be complicit.
While the film lacks the slickness of many of the Academy’s short listed docs, its power flows from the subject. Clearly an artist whose work reflects his life experiences and struggle is a difficult subject. Weiwei constantly tweaks the authorities who clearly fear its citizens being free to express themselves and their feelings about their government globally. Yet the world is silent about this repressive government that spies on, beats up and terrorizes its citizens. This is another film that should be nominated. Its construction, score, shooting suggests that Ms. Klayman can, with some more experience, become an extraordinary filmmaker.
The Filmmakers
Alison Klayman, Director, Producer, Cinematographer
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorryis Alison Klayman's debut feature documentary, which she directed, produced, filmed and co-edited. She is a 2011 Sundance Documentary Fellow and one of Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film". She has been a guest on The Colbert Report, as well as CNN and NPR. Klayman lived in China from 2006 to 2010, working as a freelance journalist. She speaks Mandarin and Hebrew, and graduated from Brown University in 2006.
Adam Schlesinger, Producer
Adam Schlesinger is an award-winning independent film producer based in New York. He produced the Sundance Film Festival selections: Smash His Camera, which won for Best Director; Page One- Inside the New York Times; and God Grew Tired of Us, winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award.
Credits:
Director/Producer/Writer/Camera: Alison Klayman
Producer: Adam Schlesinger
Contributing Producer: Colin
Executive Producers: Andrew Cohen, Julie Goldman, Karl
Music: Ilan Isakov
Editor: Jen Fineran
Production Companies: Expressions United Media, Muse Film and Television, Never Sorry
Distribution: Sundance Selects, Artificial Eye
Bully, directed by Lee Hirsch A Case Study: How to be Short Listed and Gross $3Million
Bully, directed by Lee Hirsch
A Case Study: How to be Short Listed and Gross $3Million
Bully is a character-driven documentary that looks at how bullying has touched five children and their families. The five stories each represent a different facet of bullying. Filmed over the course of the 2009/2010 school year, Bully opens a window onto the lives of bullied kids, revealing a problem that transcends geographic, racial, ethnic and economic borders. It documents the responses of teachers and administrators to aggressive behaviors that defy “kids will be kids” clichés, and it captures a growing movement among parents and youths to change how bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in society as a whole.
Bully is a case study of how The Weinstein Company can take what would be a traditional non-theatrical documentary feature and turn it into both a cause and a theatrical event and, because of the rule changes at the Academy, have it come to be short listed for an Oscar.
Bully is an excellent film, it is well made, directed, edited and scored. Its characters and stories are well done. It’s just not in the same league as many of the documentary films short listed for this year’s Academy Award nomination.
When the film was released with an “R” rating, appropriate and consistent with the MPAA guidelines because of language and violence, the Weinsteins used the R rating to create a controversy which enabled the film to become a box office success and was the basis of a brilliant Academy campaign for a documentary nomination. This is one of the best examples (since Michael Moore and Roger and Menot being nominated for an Oscar) of creating a box-office success with a documentary. (Roger and Mewas distributed by Warners.) As of December 30, 2012 Bully had grossed over $3.5 million. (Box Office Mojo)
The MPAA gives an automatic “R” rating to films that use the “F” word. It has done this since its inception. This makes sense. The “F” word is inappropriate for children. But wait, Bullyis for middle and high school students! These schools can’t (or should not) show “R” rated films.
The MPAA rating system has never been particularly clear to Americans. Developed by the Motion Picture Association to prevent local and/or regional ratings it has always been “advisory”; however, some media outlets will not accept advertising or promote films with some of the harder ratings. The Weinsteins knew that this film would get an “R” rating because of the “F” word. No surprise. Yet how could this “important” film for school children to see be blocked from its audience?
“Bully's R ratingsparks a nationwide protest. ...stars, theater owners, and Members of Congress have joined forces to protest the film's R rating as a result of the film having six swear words.” This is in the industry press. (Deadline)
The Weinsteins, of course with great fanfare, appealed the rating decision which got the film more press. They decided to release the film in just two markets to qualify for the documentary Academy award, without a rating, but continue the press-push to have the rating changed.
On April 5, The Weinstein Company announced that their doc, Bully, was to receive a PG-13 from the MPAA, with some minor cuts. After removing three uses of the F-word it was re-released in the new PG-13 version on April 13 and shortly after the run was expanded to 55 theatrical markets.
Deadline reported, “The big victory, even though they had to remove three F-words, was that they could keep the controversial school bus bullying scene unedited and uncut, which (the director) Hirsch continuously refused to edit, "since it is too important to the truth and integrity behind the film." Hirsch states: "I feel completely vindicated with this resolution. While I retain my belief that PG-13 has always been the appropriate rating for this film, as reinforced by Canada's rating of a PG, we have today scored a victory from the MPAA. The support and guidance we have received throughout this process has been incredible."
Let’s note that the MPAA is an industry trade association. The Weinsteins are members. It’s not exactly a group that battles. The ratings are advisory only.
The Weinstein press release continued the illusion, This decision by the MPAA is a huge victory for the parents, educators, lawmakers, and most importantly, children, everywhere who have been fighting for months for the appropriate PG-13 rating without cutting some of the most sensitive moments. Three uses of the 'F word' were removed from other scenes, which ultimately persuaded the MPAA to lower the rating. Hirsch made the documentary with the intent to give an uncensored, real-life portrayal of what 13 million children suffer through every year. The new rating, which came about with the great support from MPAA Chairman Chris Dodd, grants the schools, organizations and cities all around the country who are lined up and ready to screen Bully, including the National Education Association and the Cincinnati School District, the opportunity to share this educational tool with their children.”
It needs to be pointed out that this controversy was a set up. When The Weinstein Company released Bully "unrated" in theaters in New York and Los Angeles it barely earned $150,000. The film might be seen by a few hundred thousand people in theaters which is a theatrical success but not the millions of kids the filmmakers are on record to reach. (A $3.5 mil gross suggests at a $6 admission fee perhaps a half-million tickets were sold.) Millions of people don’t usually go to theaters to see docs. So a $3.5 mil theatrical gross makes this film a major theatrical success. It puts this film in the top 50 or so theatrical documentaries of all time.
But all along, the Weinsteins knew that the film can easily be provided in DVD and in video-on-demand to schools, teachers, students and families in an “Educational” version without the R rated language being included. The use of an educational version would totally serve the school market. This version could be provided for “free” or even for a modest fee if the Weinsteins were really interested in this aspect of marketing the film. The Bullybook is available now for sale and soon the Blu Ray and DVD. Seeing the film in a classroom and then talking about it is what educators do with films. There are over 100,000 school, church and other groups (like Girls Scouts) that can show this film to groups of kids.
Note: Full disclosure, I started a Move-on Campaign and petitioned the Weinsteins to offer
Bully for a Buck! after I saw the film. More than 480 people have signed the petition to date. No match for the hundreds of thousands who signed the rating controversy petition but I did not do any publicity. As a parent of two teens, I felt this was a far more logical thing to do to get the film out to children without the strong language. This petition continues on Change.org.
Bully Short Listed for an Academy Award
With the rule change at the Academy this year, the documentary branch is working as a committee of the whole to do both the short listing and the nomination. The committee members were sent 125 documentary features, mostly arriving at the tail end of the deadline, to review. The committee was made up of both documentary branch members and Academy members who have been nominated or won documentary Oscars. Obviously, few members saw all 125 documentaries. The short list of 15 films was made from tallying the results of each member’s list of their 15 top docs. I think the publicity for Bully insured it would make this list.
The Weinsteins also had it screened at the Academy as part of the Academy members screening program, one of the handful of documentaries that were screened as part of the weekend program. This also will likely help the film get on members’ radar. Smart. Last year, The Weinsteins’ film The Undefeatedwon the Documentary Oscar. They do a great job getting their films out.
Credits:
Directed by: Lee Hirsch
Produced by: Lee Hirsch, Cynthia Lowen
Written by: Lee Hirsch, Cynthia Lowen
Executive Producer: Cindy Waitt
Cinematography: Lee Hirsch
Edited by: Lindsay Utz, Jenny Golden
Original Score by: Ion Furjanic, Justin Rice/Christian Rudder
Consulting Editors: Enat Sidi, Cynthia Lowen
Music Supervisor: Brooke Wentz
Running Time: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some language
Short Notes and Update:
WGA Announces Nominees for Documentary Screenplay Award
The WGA announced six nominees for its documentary screenplay award: War, Mea Culpa and Sugar Man also are on the Academy shortlist of feature docs hoping to score an Oscar nomination.
Winners will be honored by the Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) at the 2013 Writers Guild Awards on Feb. 17 during simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.
Documentary Screenplay
The Central Park Five, written by Sarah Burns and David McMahon and Ken Burns; Sundance Selects
The Invisible War, written by Kirby Dick; Cinedigm Entertainment Group
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films
Searching for Sugar Man, written by Malik Bendejelloul; Sony Pictures Classics
We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, written by Brian Knappenberger; Cinetic Media
West of Memphis, written by Amy Berg & Billy McMillin; Sony Pictures Classics
Sundance Announces 2013 Documentary Competition:
U.S. Documentary Competition
The world premieres of 16 American documentary films.
99% - The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film/ U.S.A. (Directors: Audrey Ewell, Aaron Aites, Lucian Read, Nina Krstic) The Occupy movement erupted in September 2011, propelling economic inequality into the spotlight. In an unprecedented collaboration, filmmakers across America tell its story, digging into big picture issues as organizers, analysts, participants and critics reveal how it happened and why.
After Tiller/ U.S.A. (Directors: Martha Shane, Lana Wilson) — Since the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in 2009, only four doctors in the country provide late-term abortions. With unprecedented access, After Tiller goes inside the lives of these physicians working at the center of the storm.
American Promise/ U.S.A. (Directors: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson) — This intimate documentary follows the 12-year journey of two African-American families pursuing the promise of opportunity through the education of their sons.
Blackfish/ U.S.A. (Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite) — Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.
Blood Brother/ U.S.A. (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find.
Citizen Koch / U.S.A. (Directors: Carl Deal, Tia Lessin) — Wisconsin – birthplace of the Republican Party, government unions, “cheeseheads” and Paul Ryan – becomes a test market in the campaign to buy Democracy, and ground zero in the battle for the future of the Gop.
Cutie and the Boxer/ U.S.A. (Director: Zachary Heinzerling) — This candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. Anxious to shed her role of assistant to her overbearing husband, Noriko seeks an identity of her own.
Dirty Wars/ U.S.A. (Director: Richard Rowley) — Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill chases down the truth behind America’s covert wars.
Gideon's Army/ U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) — Gideon’s Army follows three young, committed Public Defenders who are dedicated to working for the people society would rather forget. Long hours, low pay and staggering caseloads are so common that even the most committed often give up.
God Loves Uganda/ U.S.A. (Director: Roger Ross Williams) — A powerful exploration of the evangelical campaign to infuse African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right. The film follows American and Ugandan religious leaders fighting “sexual immorality” and missionaries trying to convince Ugandans to follow biblical law.
Inequality for All/ U.S.A. (Director: Jacob Kornbluth) — In this timely and entertaining documentary, noted economic-policy expert Robert Reich distills the topic of widening income inequality, and addresses the question of what effects this increasing gap has on our economy and our democracy.
Life According to Sam/ U.S.A. (Directors: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine) — Dr. Leslie Gordon and Dr. Scott Berns fight to save their only son from a rare and fatal aging disease for which there is no cure. Their work may one day unlock the key to aging in all of us.
Manhunt / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Greg Barker) — This espionage tale goes inside the CIA’s long conflict against Al Qaeda, as revealed by the remarkable women and men whose secret war against Osama bin Laden started nearly a decade before most of us even knew his name.
Narco Cultura/ U.S.A. (Director: Shaul Schwarz) — An examination of Mexican drug cartels’ influence in pop culture on both sides of the border as experienced by an La narcocorrido singer dreaming of stardom and a Juarez crime scene investigator on the front line of Mexico’s Drug War.
Twenty Feet From Stardom/ U.S.A. (Director: Morgan Neville) — Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead – until now. Day One Film
Valentine Road/ U.S.A. (Director: Marta Cunningham) — In 2008, eighth-grader Brandon McInerney shot classmate Larry King at point blank range. Unraveling this tragedy from point of impact, the film reveals the heartbreaking circumstances that led to the shocking crime as well as its startling aftermath.
________________________________________________________________________
Credits: Editing by Jessica Just for SydneysBuzz
________________________________________________________________________
Block Doc Workshops in Los Angeles February 2013
The International Documentary Association will be hosting Documentary Funding and Documentary Tune-Up Workshops with Block on February 9/10. http://www.eventbrite.com/org/169037034
Mitchell Block specializes in conceiving, producing, marketing & distributing independent features & consulting. He is an expert in placing both completed works into distribution & working with producers to make projects fundable. He conducts regular workshops in film producing in Los Angeles and most recently in Maine, Russia and in Myanmar (Burma).
Poster Girl, produced by Block was nominated for a Documentary Academy Award and selected by the Ida as the Best Doc Short 2011. It was also nominated for two Emmy Awards and aired on HBO. He is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Carrier, a 10-hour series that he conceived & co-created. Block is a graduate of Tisch School and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Television Academy, a founding member of BAFTA-la and has been teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts since 1979. Currently Block teaches a required class in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program. ______________________________________________________________________
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Join us twice weekly. Send us links to your sizzle reels and film sites.
Two Short Listed Documentary Features
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, directed by Alison Klayman
Ai Weiwei is China's most famous international artist, and its most outspoken domestic critic. Against a backdrop of strict censorship and an unresponsive legal system, Ai expresses himself and organizes people through art and social media. In response, Chinese authorities have shut down his blog, beat him up, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention.
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and whose actions blur the boundaries of art and politics. First-time director Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai while working as a journalist in China. Her detailed portrait of Weiwei’s life and work allows us to follow Weiwei’s journey and his transformation of his life and works are perceived. Few artists have been able to use their public stature to help cause political change. Clearly this is the story of a giant killer. Regrettably the story continues and China continues to repress its people.
What’s special about Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is that the filmmaker was able to follow Ai Weiwei over several years. We are able to see a Chinese dissident whose home is watched by 1984-like cameras hung from telephone and power poles. We can only assume his home is bugged, his cell phone is bugged and all of his computers are bugged. The power of this work is seeing an artist functioning in this environment. Shocking. His spirit is best shown in his defiant art, his raised middle finger in the foreground of many still images of iconic monuments to the Chinese peoples’ struggles. He dares to challenge America’s biggest trading partner, debt holder and, by the end of the film, he is shown silenced, unable to comment because he was released from detention. The irony of this powerful work is that we and the world are shown to be complicit.
While the film lacks the slickness of many of the Academy’s short listed docs, its power flows from the subject. Clearly an artist whose work reflects his life experiences and struggle is a difficult subject. Weiwei constantly tweaks the authorities who clearly fear its citizens being free to express themselves and their feelings about their government globally. Yet the world is silent about this repressive government that spies on, beats up and terrorizes its citizens. This is another film that should be nominated. Its construction, score, shooting suggests that Ms. Klayman can, with some more experience, become an extraordinary filmmaker.
The Filmmakers
Alison Klayman, Director, Producer, Cinematographer
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorryis Alison Klayman's debut feature documentary, which she directed, produced, filmed and co-edited. She is a 2011 Sundance Documentary Fellow and one of Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film". She has been a guest on The Colbert Report, as well as CNN and NPR. Klayman lived in China from 2006 to 2010, working as a freelance journalist. She speaks Mandarin and Hebrew, and graduated from Brown University in 2006.
Adam Schlesinger, Producer
Adam Schlesinger is an award-winning independent film producer based in New York. He produced the Sundance Film Festival selections: Smash His Camera, which won for Best Director; Page One- Inside the New York Times; and God Grew Tired of Us, winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award.
Credits:
Director/Producer/Writer/Camera: Alison Klayman
Producer: Adam Schlesinger
Contributing Producer: Colin
Executive Producers: Andrew Cohen, Julie Goldman, Karl
Music: Ilan Isakov
Editor: Jen Fineran
Production Companies: Expressions United Media, Muse Film and Television, Never Sorry
Distribution: Sundance Selects, Artificial Eye
Bully, directed by Lee Hirsch A Case Study: How to be Short Listed and Gross $3Million
Bully, directed by Lee Hirsch
A Case Study: How to be Short Listed and Gross $3Million
Bully is a character-driven documentary that looks at how bullying has touched five children and their families. The five stories each represent a different facet of bullying. Filmed over the course of the 2009/2010 school year, Bully opens a window onto the lives of bullied kids, revealing a problem that transcends geographic, racial, ethnic and economic borders. It documents the responses of teachers and administrators to aggressive behaviors that defy “kids will be kids” clichés, and it captures a growing movement among parents and youths to change how bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in society as a whole.
Bully is a case study of how The Weinstein Company can take what would be a traditional non-theatrical documentary feature and turn it into both a cause and a theatrical event and, because of the rule changes at the Academy, have it come to be short listed for an Oscar.
Bully is an excellent film, it is well made, directed, edited and scored. Its characters and stories are well done. It’s just not in the same league as many of the documentary films short listed for this year’s Academy Award nomination.
When the film was released with an “R” rating, appropriate and consistent with the MPAA guidelines because of language and violence, the Weinsteins used the R rating to create a controversy which enabled the film to become a box office success and was the basis of a brilliant Academy campaign for a documentary nomination. This is one of the best examples (since Michael Moore and Roger and Menot being nominated for an Oscar) of creating a box-office success with a documentary. (Roger and Mewas distributed by Warners.) As of December 30, 2012 Bully had grossed over $3.5 million. (Box Office Mojo)
The MPAA gives an automatic “R” rating to films that use the “F” word. It has done this since its inception. This makes sense. The “F” word is inappropriate for children. But wait, Bullyis for middle and high school students! These schools can’t (or should not) show “R” rated films.
The MPAA rating system has never been particularly clear to Americans. Developed by the Motion Picture Association to prevent local and/or regional ratings it has always been “advisory”; however, some media outlets will not accept advertising or promote films with some of the harder ratings. The Weinsteins knew that this film would get an “R” rating because of the “F” word. No surprise. Yet how could this “important” film for school children to see be blocked from its audience?
“Bully's R ratingsparks a nationwide protest. ...stars, theater owners, and Members of Congress have joined forces to protest the film's R rating as a result of the film having six swear words.” This is in the industry press. (Deadline)
The Weinsteins, of course with great fanfare, appealed the rating decision which got the film more press. They decided to release the film in just two markets to qualify for the documentary Academy award, without a rating, but continue the press-push to have the rating changed.
On April 5, The Weinstein Company announced that their doc, Bully, was to receive a PG-13 from the MPAA, with some minor cuts. After removing three uses of the F-word it was re-released in the new PG-13 version on April 13 and shortly after the run was expanded to 55 theatrical markets.
Deadline reported, “The big victory, even though they had to remove three F-words, was that they could keep the controversial school bus bullying scene unedited and uncut, which (the director) Hirsch continuously refused to edit, "since it is too important to the truth and integrity behind the film." Hirsch states: "I feel completely vindicated with this resolution. While I retain my belief that PG-13 has always been the appropriate rating for this film, as reinforced by Canada's rating of a PG, we have today scored a victory from the MPAA. The support and guidance we have received throughout this process has been incredible."
Let’s note that the MPAA is an industry trade association. The Weinsteins are members. It’s not exactly a group that battles. The ratings are advisory only.
The Weinstein press release continued the illusion, This decision by the MPAA is a huge victory for the parents, educators, lawmakers, and most importantly, children, everywhere who have been fighting for months for the appropriate PG-13 rating without cutting some of the most sensitive moments. Three uses of the 'F word' were removed from other scenes, which ultimately persuaded the MPAA to lower the rating. Hirsch made the documentary with the intent to give an uncensored, real-life portrayal of what 13 million children suffer through every year. The new rating, which came about with the great support from MPAA Chairman Chris Dodd, grants the schools, organizations and cities all around the country who are lined up and ready to screen Bully, including the National Education Association and the Cincinnati School District, the opportunity to share this educational tool with their children.”
It needs to be pointed out that this controversy was a set up. When The Weinstein Company released Bully "unrated" in theaters in New York and Los Angeles it barely earned $150,000. The film might be seen by a few hundred thousand people in theaters which is a theatrical success but not the millions of kids the filmmakers are on record to reach. (A $3.5 mil gross suggests at a $6 admission fee perhaps a half-million tickets were sold.) Millions of people don’t usually go to theaters to see docs. So a $3.5 mil theatrical gross makes this film a major theatrical success. It puts this film in the top 50 or so theatrical documentaries of all time.
But all along, the Weinsteins knew that the film can easily be provided in DVD and in video-on-demand to schools, teachers, students and families in an “Educational” version without the R rated language being included. The use of an educational version would totally serve the school market. This version could be provided for “free” or even for a modest fee if the Weinsteins were really interested in this aspect of marketing the film. The Bullybook is available now for sale and soon the Blu Ray and DVD. Seeing the film in a classroom and then talking about it is what educators do with films. There are over 100,000 school, church and other groups (like Girls Scouts) that can show this film to groups of kids.
Note: Full disclosure, I started a Move-on Campaign and petitioned the Weinsteins to offer
Bully for a Buck! after I saw the film. More than 480 people have signed the petition to date. No match for the hundreds of thousands who signed the rating controversy petition but I did not do any publicity. As a parent of two teens, I felt this was a far more logical thing to do to get the film out to children without the strong language. This petition continues on Change.org.
Bully Short Listed for an Academy Award
With the rule change at the Academy this year, the documentary branch is working as a committee of the whole to do both the short listing and the nomination. The committee members were sent 125 documentary features, mostly arriving at the tail end of the deadline, to review. The committee was made up of both documentary branch members and Academy members who have been nominated or won documentary Oscars. Obviously, few members saw all 125 documentaries. The short list of 15 films was made from tallying the results of each member’s list of their 15 top docs. I think the publicity for Bully insured it would make this list.
The Weinsteins also had it screened at the Academy as part of the Academy members screening program, one of the handful of documentaries that were screened as part of the weekend program. This also will likely help the film get on members’ radar. Smart. Last year, The Weinsteins’ film The Undefeatedwon the Documentary Oscar. They do a great job getting their films out.
Credits:
Directed by: Lee Hirsch
Produced by: Lee Hirsch, Cynthia Lowen
Written by: Lee Hirsch, Cynthia Lowen
Executive Producer: Cindy Waitt
Cinematography: Lee Hirsch
Edited by: Lindsay Utz, Jenny Golden
Original Score by: Ion Furjanic, Justin Rice/Christian Rudder
Consulting Editors: Enat Sidi, Cynthia Lowen
Music Supervisor: Brooke Wentz
Running Time: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some language
Short Notes and Update:
WGA Announces Nominees for Documentary Screenplay Award
The WGA announced six nominees for its documentary screenplay award: War, Mea Culpa and Sugar Man also are on the Academy shortlist of feature docs hoping to score an Oscar nomination.
Winners will be honored by the Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) at the 2013 Writers Guild Awards on Feb. 17 during simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.
Documentary Screenplay
The Central Park Five, written by Sarah Burns and David McMahon and Ken Burns; Sundance Selects
The Invisible War, written by Kirby Dick; Cinedigm Entertainment Group
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, written by Alex Gibney; HBO Documentary Films
Searching for Sugar Man, written by Malik Bendejelloul; Sony Pictures Classics
We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, written by Brian Knappenberger; Cinetic Media
West of Memphis, written by Amy Berg & Billy McMillin; Sony Pictures Classics
Sundance Announces 2013 Documentary Competition:
U.S. Documentary Competition
The world premieres of 16 American documentary films.
99% - The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film/ U.S.A. (Directors: Audrey Ewell, Aaron Aites, Lucian Read, Nina Krstic) The Occupy movement erupted in September 2011, propelling economic inequality into the spotlight. In an unprecedented collaboration, filmmakers across America tell its story, digging into big picture issues as organizers, analysts, participants and critics reveal how it happened and why.
After Tiller/ U.S.A. (Directors: Martha Shane, Lana Wilson) — Since the assassination of Dr. George Tiller in 2009, only four doctors in the country provide late-term abortions. With unprecedented access, After Tiller goes inside the lives of these physicians working at the center of the storm.
American Promise/ U.S.A. (Directors: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson) — This intimate documentary follows the 12-year journey of two African-American families pursuing the promise of opportunity through the education of their sons.
Blackfish/ U.S.A. (Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite) — Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.
Blood Brother/ U.S.A. (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find.
Citizen Koch / U.S.A. (Directors: Carl Deal, Tia Lessin) — Wisconsin – birthplace of the Republican Party, government unions, “cheeseheads” and Paul Ryan – becomes a test market in the campaign to buy Democracy, and ground zero in the battle for the future of the Gop.
Cutie and the Boxer/ U.S.A. (Director: Zachary Heinzerling) — This candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. Anxious to shed her role of assistant to her overbearing husband, Noriko seeks an identity of her own.
Dirty Wars/ U.S.A. (Director: Richard Rowley) — Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill chases down the truth behind America’s covert wars.
Gideon's Army/ U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) — Gideon’s Army follows three young, committed Public Defenders who are dedicated to working for the people society would rather forget. Long hours, low pay and staggering caseloads are so common that even the most committed often give up.
God Loves Uganda/ U.S.A. (Director: Roger Ross Williams) — A powerful exploration of the evangelical campaign to infuse African culture with values imported from America’s Christian Right. The film follows American and Ugandan religious leaders fighting “sexual immorality” and missionaries trying to convince Ugandans to follow biblical law.
Inequality for All/ U.S.A. (Director: Jacob Kornbluth) — In this timely and entertaining documentary, noted economic-policy expert Robert Reich distills the topic of widening income inequality, and addresses the question of what effects this increasing gap has on our economy and our democracy.
Life According to Sam/ U.S.A. (Directors: Sean Fine, Andrea Nix Fine) — Dr. Leslie Gordon and Dr. Scott Berns fight to save their only son from a rare and fatal aging disease for which there is no cure. Their work may one day unlock the key to aging in all of us.
Manhunt / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Greg Barker) — This espionage tale goes inside the CIA’s long conflict against Al Qaeda, as revealed by the remarkable women and men whose secret war against Osama bin Laden started nearly a decade before most of us even knew his name.
Narco Cultura/ U.S.A. (Director: Shaul Schwarz) — An examination of Mexican drug cartels’ influence in pop culture on both sides of the border as experienced by an La narcocorrido singer dreaming of stardom and a Juarez crime scene investigator on the front line of Mexico’s Drug War.
Twenty Feet From Stardom/ U.S.A. (Director: Morgan Neville) — Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea who these singers are or what lives they lead – until now. Day One Film
Valentine Road/ U.S.A. (Director: Marta Cunningham) — In 2008, eighth-grader Brandon McInerney shot classmate Larry King at point blank range. Unraveling this tragedy from point of impact, the film reveals the heartbreaking circumstances that led to the shocking crime as well as its startling aftermath.
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Credits: Editing by Jessica Just for SydneysBuzz
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Block Doc Workshops in Los Angeles February 2013
The International Documentary Association will be hosting Documentary Funding and Documentary Tune-Up Workshops with Block on February 9/10. http://www.eventbrite.com/org/169037034
Mitchell Block specializes in conceiving, producing, marketing & distributing independent features & consulting. He is an expert in placing both completed works into distribution & working with producers to make projects fundable. He conducts regular workshops in film producing in Los Angeles and most recently in Maine, Russia and in Myanmar (Burma).
Poster Girl, produced by Block was nominated for a Documentary Academy Award and selected by the Ida as the Best Doc Short 2011. It was also nominated for two Emmy Awards and aired on HBO. He is an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Carrier, a 10-hour series that he conceived & co-created. Block is a graduate of Tisch School and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, the Television Academy, a founding member of BAFTA-la and has been teaching at USC School of Cinematic Arts since 1979. Currently Block teaches a required class in the USC Peter Stark Producing Program. ______________________________________________________________________
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- 1/8/2013
- by Mitchell Block
- Sydney's Buzz
"The Imposter" and "Searching for Sugar Man" each received 5 nods from the Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking. 31 features and 5 shorts will vie for the best of the best in documentary filmmaking. Check out the full list of nominees below including the Audience Award and Heterodox Award.
Winners of the 6th Annual Cinema Eye Honors will be announced on January 9, 2013 as Cinema Eye returns for a third year to New York City.s Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens.
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking
5 Broken Cameras
Directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
Produced by Christine Camdessus, Serge Gordey, Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
Detropia
Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
Produced by Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady and Craig Atkinson
The Imposter
Directed by Bart Layton
Produced by Dimitri Doganis
Marina Abramović The Artist is Present
Directed by Matthew Akers
Produced by Jeff Dupre and Maro Chermayeff...
Winners of the 6th Annual Cinema Eye Honors will be announced on January 9, 2013 as Cinema Eye returns for a third year to New York City.s Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens.
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking
5 Broken Cameras
Directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
Produced by Christine Camdessus, Serge Gordey, Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
Detropia
Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
Produced by Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady and Craig Atkinson
The Imposter
Directed by Bart Layton
Produced by Dimitri Doganis
Marina Abramović The Artist is Present
Directed by Matthew Akers
Produced by Jeff Dupre and Maro Chermayeff...
- 12/11/2012
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
"The Social Network's" climb to Oscar victory was put to a halt by the Producers Guild, giving its much-coveted Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures to Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech!" (Full list of PGA Awards nominees and winners below)
Thus, making this one of the most unpredictable Oscars in recent years. Will the unclear antagonists and protagonists of "The Social Network" triumph over the "against all odds" story of "The King's Speech"?
Keep in mind that PGA has a better simulation of Oscar process (ten-picture slate, preferential ballot system) but still, taking the last ten years into account, PGA has matched only six out of the ten Best Picture Oscars.
In 2000, "Gladiator" won both Oscars and PGA, but 2001, PGA picked "Moulin Rouge!" but the Oscar went to "A Beautiful Mind."
.
In 2002, both Oscars and PGA chose "Chicago," and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King...
Thus, making this one of the most unpredictable Oscars in recent years. Will the unclear antagonists and protagonists of "The Social Network" triumph over the "against all odds" story of "The King's Speech"?
Keep in mind that PGA has a better simulation of Oscar process (ten-picture slate, preferential ballot system) but still, taking the last ten years into account, PGA has matched only six out of the ten Best Picture Oscars.
In 2000, "Gladiator" won both Oscars and PGA, but 2001, PGA picked "Moulin Rouge!" but the Oscar went to "A Beautiful Mind."
.
In 2002, both Oscars and PGA chose "Chicago," and "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King...
- 1/24/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
For those keenly interested in the award season race, here's the first big upset of the year: the winner of the Producer's Guild of America (PGA) Producer of the Year award for films released in 2010 -- aka the organization's Best Picture award -- is The King's Speech. That represents a big upset over The Social Network, and seems to dramatically alter predictions for the Oscar race. The full list of winners is after the break. This is the place that most had predicted The Social Network to be a winner once again. David Fincher's film has scored loads of other awards over the past two months, and a PGA win would have made it look like a real lock for a Best Picture win come Oscar time. Now it looks like The King's Speech could more of a contender for the Best Picture Oscar than some had thought. Remember...
- 1/24/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
hollywoodnews.com: Today the Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced this year’s winning motion picture and television productions at the 22nd Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
In addition to the competitive awards, the PGA honored several individuals with tribute awards including James Cameron with the 2011 Milestone Award; Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman with the 2011 Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television; Scott Rudin with the 2011 David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Motion Pictures; Laura Ziskin with the Visionary Award; Sean Penn with the 2011 Stanley Kramer Award; and RealD with the 2011 Vanguard Award.
The following is a list of 2011 Producer Guild Awards nominees and winners (in bold and noted with*), listed in alphabetical order by category, along with producers. The producers? names listed for each nominated production are listed in alphabetical order and are not necessarily the proper order of credits.
The theatrical...
In addition to the competitive awards, the PGA honored several individuals with tribute awards including James Cameron with the 2011 Milestone Award; Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman with the 2011 Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television; Scott Rudin with the 2011 David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Motion Pictures; Laura Ziskin with the Visionary Award; Sean Penn with the 2011 Stanley Kramer Award; and RealD with the 2011 Vanguard Award.
The following is a list of 2011 Producer Guild Awards nominees and winners (in bold and noted with*), listed in alphabetical order by category, along with producers. The producers? names listed for each nominated production are listed in alphabetical order and are not necessarily the proper order of credits.
The theatrical...
- 1/23/2011
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Producers Guild Awards created and even closer Oscar race. In an upset The King's Speech beat out The Social Network for Best Picture.
There has been a lot of speculation from different people about which film is poised to take home Oscar gold. Some say The Social Network s a lock, while others feel that The King's Speech is a strong contender to win because it fits nicely with past Oscar favorites because it is an uplifting period film. The two films are completely different so it will be a very close race.
As was expected, Toy Story 3 took home Best Animated Feature. I would have loved to see How To Train Your Dragon win, but that race is not as close. Waiting for Superman took home the Best Documentary last night.
On Tuesday morning the Oscar nominees will be announced and the following list of nominees and...
There has been a lot of speculation from different people about which film is poised to take home Oscar gold. Some say The Social Network s a lock, while others feel that The King's Speech is a strong contender to win because it fits nicely with past Oscar favorites because it is an uplifting period film. The two films are completely different so it will be a very close race.
As was expected, Toy Story 3 took home Best Animated Feature. I would have loved to see How To Train Your Dragon win, but that race is not as close. Waiting for Superman took home the Best Documentary last night.
On Tuesday morning the Oscar nominees will be announced and the following list of nominees and...
- 1/23/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
There are 54 days until the Academy Awards event; the actual celebration will air on Sunday, February 27th, 2010, at the Kodak Theater; and ABC will air it.
As already reported Oscar-winner for her role in Precious, Mo’nique will co-host the announcement of the nominees on Tuesday January 25th, and all the recently released pre-Oscar awards lists may provide a bit of insight into what that names and titles Mo’nique will call out in about 2 weeks – specifically, the influential Producers Guild and Writers Guild award nominees, both included below:
Starting with Producers Guild Nominees: No big surprises; all the expected suspects are here; although, Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island is noticeably absent, thanks, in part, to its early release date, and may have been forgotten.
The Social Network has remained triumphant in this field in just about every single other awards tournament, so this should be a sure win. The rest follow…...
As already reported Oscar-winner for her role in Precious, Mo’nique will co-host the announcement of the nominees on Tuesday January 25th, and all the recently released pre-Oscar awards lists may provide a bit of insight into what that names and titles Mo’nique will call out in about 2 weeks – specifically, the influential Producers Guild and Writers Guild award nominees, both included below:
Starting with Producers Guild Nominees: No big surprises; all the expected suspects are here; although, Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island is noticeably absent, thanks, in part, to its early release date, and may have been forgotten.
The Social Network has remained triumphant in this field in just about every single other awards tournament, so this should be a sure win. The rest follow…...
- 1/5/2011
- by Tony
- ShadowAndAct
The Producers Guild of America has announced their nominations for the ten best motion pictures of 2010, which expanded to match the Academy Award’s “Best Picture” category last year. There aren’t many surprises in the list though, and it’s a safe bet to expect the Oscar nominations to shake out with the same films on top at the end of January.
The top PGA prize, the Darryl F. Zanuck award, has successfully predicted the “Best Picture” winner 14 out of the 21 years, including the last four in a row.
The PGA also revealed their picks for the best animated and documentary features, granting some much needed recognition to the delightful Despicable Me and the under-appreciated doc Smash His Camera, as well as the usual suspects of frontrunners and favorites.
Individual awards will also be presented to James Cameron (the Milestone Award), Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman (Norman Lear Award...
The top PGA prize, the Darryl F. Zanuck award, has successfully predicted the “Best Picture” winner 14 out of the 21 years, including the last four in a row.
The PGA also revealed their picks for the best animated and documentary features, granting some much needed recognition to the delightful Despicable Me and the under-appreciated doc Smash His Camera, as well as the usual suspects of frontrunners and favorites.
Individual awards will also be presented to James Cameron (the Milestone Award), Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman (Norman Lear Award...
- 1/5/2011
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
The Producers Guild of America and Writers Guild of America have announced the nominees for their own 2011 awards. It comes out as no surprise anymore that such movies as "Inception" and "Black Swan", which have received a lot of praises during 2010, land nods at both prize-giving events.
The two films along with "The Fighter" and "The Kids Are All Right" are mentioned at The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures category. All of them will also compete for Best Original Screenplay at Writers Guild Awards.
Meanwhile, Adapted Screenplay category at Writers Guild Awards has the likes of "127 Hours", "The Social Network", "The Town" and "True Grit" as contenders. These four films are up against each other and a bunch of other films for the coveted Darryl F. Zanuck Award.
"Toy Story 3", in the meantime, gets two honors at Producers Guild Awards, being named the...
The two films along with "The Fighter" and "The Kids Are All Right" are mentioned at The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures category. All of them will also compete for Best Original Screenplay at Writers Guild Awards.
Meanwhile, Adapted Screenplay category at Writers Guild Awards has the likes of "127 Hours", "The Social Network", "The Town" and "True Grit" as contenders. These four films are up against each other and a bunch of other films for the coveted Darryl F. Zanuck Award.
"Toy Story 3", in the meantime, gets two honors at Producers Guild Awards, being named the...
- 1/5/2011
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Here’s the full rundown of award nominations for the 2011 Producer Guild Awards in Theatrical Motion Picture and Television. See who the producers thought wore the crowd in 2010.
The theatrical motion picture nominees are:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours
Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan
Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception
Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
The Fighter
Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
The Kids Are All Right
Producers: Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray
The King’S Speech
Producers: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
The Social Network
Producers: Dana Brunetti, Ceán Chaffin, Michael De Luca, Scott Rudin
The Town
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Graham King
Toy Story 3
Producer: Darla K. Anderson
True Grit
Producers: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
Despicable Me
Producers: John Cohen,...
The theatrical motion picture nominees are:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours
Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan
Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception
Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
The Fighter
Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
The Kids Are All Right
Producers: Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray
The King’S Speech
Producers: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
The Social Network
Producers: Dana Brunetti, Ceán Chaffin, Michael De Luca, Scott Rudin
The Town
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Graham King
Toy Story 3
Producer: Darla K. Anderson
True Grit
Producers: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
Despicable Me
Producers: John Cohen,...
- 1/5/2011
- by Alexis James-Whitehead
- BuzzFocus.com
And for best Pro Golfer the nomin--- er, oh yes yes.
The Producers Guild of America. Righty-o.
Best Picture
127 Hours Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
The Fighter David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
The Kids Are All Right Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray
The King's Speech Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
The Social Network Dana Brunetti, Cean Chaffin, Michael De Luca, Scott Rudin
The Town Basil Iwanyk, Graham King
Toy Story 3 Darla K. Anderson
True Grit Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
The snubbee here in terms of Oscar buzz is Winter's Bone. But it's a tiny indie and maybe that's not what the PGA wanted to value? Still it's absence reminds us that the Best Picture race, is really down to those 11 films. Last year, there were only about 12 films standing before Oscar nominations were announced.
The Producers Guild of America. Righty-o.
Best Picture
127 Hours Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
The Fighter David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
The Kids Are All Right Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray
The King's Speech Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin
The Social Network Dana Brunetti, Cean Chaffin, Michael De Luca, Scott Rudin
The Town Basil Iwanyk, Graham King
Toy Story 3 Darla K. Anderson
True Grit Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
The snubbee here in terms of Oscar buzz is Winter's Bone. But it's a tiny indie and maybe that's not what the PGA wanted to value? Still it's absence reminds us that the Best Picture race, is really down to those 11 films. Last year, there were only about 12 films standing before Oscar nominations were announced.
- 1/4/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
The Producers Guild of America announced the nominations for the 2011 Producers Guild Awards.
Highly acclaimed films The Social Network, True Grit, 127 Hours and Black Swan are all nominated in the Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures category, with Toy Story 3, Despicable Me and How to Train Your Dragon competing for the Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures.
The winners will be announced by Judd Apatow at the 22nd Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 22 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The nominations in full are below:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures –
127 Hours: Producers Danny Boyle and Christian Colson Black Swan: Producers Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy and Brian Oliver Inception: Producers Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas The Fighter: Producers David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg The Kids Are All Right: Producers Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and...
Highly acclaimed films The Social Network, True Grit, 127 Hours and Black Swan are all nominated in the Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures category, with Toy Story 3, Despicable Me and How to Train Your Dragon competing for the Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures.
The winners will be announced by Judd Apatow at the 22nd Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 22 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The nominations in full are below:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures –
127 Hours: Producers Danny Boyle and Christian Colson Black Swan: Producers Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy and Brian Oliver Inception: Producers Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas The Fighter: Producers David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg The Kids Are All Right: Producers Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and...
- 1/4/2011
- by Jamie Neish
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Here are the nominees for the Producers Guild Awards. The PGA nominations are almost like a prediction of the movies that will end up being nominated for and Oscar at the Academy Awards. Last year 9 out of 10 films nominated for the PGA ended up being nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
I agree with most of the nominees of the nominees on the list. I'm surprised to see The Town on there. I know a lot of people liked it, but I honestly don't know why. And as much as I loved Toy Story 3 I don't think it's a best picture film. I would have loved to see Winters Bone on the list as well, it was a much better film than The Town. Thats just my opinion. Check out the full list of nominees below and tell us what you think!
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award...
I agree with most of the nominees of the nominees on the list. I'm surprised to see The Town on there. I know a lot of people liked it, but I honestly don't know why. And as much as I loved Toy Story 3 I don't think it's a best picture film. I would have loved to see Winters Bone on the list as well, it was a much better film than The Town. Thats just my opinion. Check out the full list of nominees below and tell us what you think!
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award...
- 1/4/2011
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Two big guild award nomination sets are being announced today, the first being those from the Producers Guild of America, with the Writers Guild nods to come not long from now. The PGA nominations are widely seen as an indicator of what we can expect in the Best Picture Oscar race -- ten films get the Producer's Guild nod, and if they don't exactly mirror the ten pictures nominated for Oscar, the Oscar list isn't likely to deviate much. Almost all the pictures you'd expect to be on this list are on it -- hit the jump for the full details. Here are the nominations: 127 Hours, Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson Black Swan, Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver Inception, Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas The Fighter, Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg The Kids Are All Right, Producers: Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray The King's Speech,...
- 1/4/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
The Producers Guild of America announced their nominees for the 22nd annual PGA Awards today and to nobody’s surprise all the usual suspects were nominated, including “The Social Network,” “The King’s Speech,” “The Town” and “Black Swan.”
In addition, the PGA revelaed their nominees in the unusually competitive animation category, with “Despicable Me,” “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Toy Story 3″ earning the nods.
Like the Oscars, the Producers Guild has recently expanded the number of nominees for their top category, Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures, naming 10 contenders instead of the traditional five.
Despite the enlarged field, however, there were few surprises. Nine of the 10 nominees were previously nominated for Best Picture by the Critics’ Choice Awards, with the only difference being the nomination of “The Kids Are All Right” by the PGA in place of “Winter’s Bone.”
The similarity between the PGA nominees and...
In addition, the PGA revelaed their nominees in the unusually competitive animation category, with “Despicable Me,” “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Toy Story 3″ earning the nods.
Like the Oscars, the Producers Guild has recently expanded the number of nominees for their top category, Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures, naming 10 contenders instead of the traditional five.
Despite the enlarged field, however, there were few surprises. Nine of the 10 nominees were previously nominated for Best Picture by the Critics’ Choice Awards, with the only difference being the nomination of “The Kids Are All Right” by the PGA in place of “Winter’s Bone.”
The similarity between the PGA nominees and...
- 1/4/2011
- by Scott Harris
- NextMovie
The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has announced the television and motion picture nominations for the 2011 Producers Guild Awards. The three motion picture categories include The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures; The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures; and The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures.
The guild previously announced that James Cameron, Laura Ziskin, Scott Rudin, the producing team of Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and gasp, RealD (!) will receive honorary awards.
The Producers Guild Awards ceremony will be hosted by Judd Apatow and will be held Jan. 22.
Here's the complete list of nominees (Check our Awards Avenue for complete winners/nominees for all award-giving bodies):
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours
Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan
Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception
Producers: Christopher Nolan,...
The guild previously announced that James Cameron, Laura Ziskin, Scott Rudin, the producing team of Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and gasp, RealD (!) will receive honorary awards.
The Producers Guild Awards ceremony will be hosted by Judd Apatow and will be held Jan. 22.
Here's the complete list of nominees (Check our Awards Avenue for complete winners/nominees for all award-giving bodies):
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours
Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan
Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception
Producers: Christopher Nolan,...
- 1/4/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
On Tuesday, the PGA announced the television and motion picture nominations for the 2011 Producers Guild Awards. In what hints to be a preview of the 10 Best Picture Oscar nominations coming up at the end of this month, Warner Bros. Pictures big-budget The Town being included as one of the PGA’s ten over the indie Winter”S Bone was not a total surprise. We’ll see if the same can be said of the 3 films nominated in the animated category on January 25th. The PGA went with Despicable Me over Disney’s Tangled and Sony Pictures Classics The Illusionist.
Here are the nominees:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours, Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson Black Swan, Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver Inception, Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas The Fighter, Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg The Kids Are All Right,...
Here are the nominees:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours, Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson Black Swan, Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver Inception, Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas The Fighter, Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg The Kids Are All Right,...
- 1/4/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Nominees for the 22nd annual Producers Guild Awards were announced this morning, and if you have been paying even the slightest bit of attention during the awards race, you could guess the 10 titles picked for Best Picture, otherwise known as the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award.
Regular nominees like “The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech” led the list, paired alongside the likes of “127 Hours,” “Black Swan,” “Inception,” “The Fighter,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “The Town,” “Toy Story 3” and “True Grit.”
If there’s a big winner, it’s Ben Affleck’s “The Town,” which also found its way into the Top 10 nominated by the Broadcast Film Critics Association for their Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, which air Friday, Jan. 14. Does this mean it will make the cut when the Academy picks 10 later this year?
The guild previously announced,...
Hollywoodnews.com: Nominees for the 22nd annual Producers Guild Awards were announced this morning, and if you have been paying even the slightest bit of attention during the awards race, you could guess the 10 titles picked for Best Picture, otherwise known as the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award.
Regular nominees like “The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech” led the list, paired alongside the likes of “127 Hours,” “Black Swan,” “Inception,” “The Fighter,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “The Town,” “Toy Story 3” and “True Grit.”
If there’s a big winner, it’s Ben Affleck’s “The Town,” which also found its way into the Top 10 nominated by the Broadcast Film Critics Association for their Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, which air Friday, Jan. 14. Does this mean it will make the cut when the Academy picks 10 later this year?
The guild previously announced,...
- 1/4/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
This morning the first of the major guild awards were announced, the 2011 nominations for 22nd annual Producers Guild Awards. Last year the 10 nominations matched up almost perfectly with the 10 Best Picture nominations with Avatar, District 9, Inglorious Basterds, Up In The Air, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Up, and Precious all making it. The only two differences were Star Trek and Invictus getting PGA nods while A Serious Man and The Blind Side grabbed Bp noms.
This year the major snub was Winter’s Bone, but other than that you can bet at least 8 of the below will nab Best Picture noms. Check out the list via Deadline.
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours, Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan, Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception, Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
The Fighter, Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
The Kids Are All Right,...
This year the major snub was Winter’s Bone, but other than that you can bet at least 8 of the below will nab Best Picture noms. Check out the list via Deadline.
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
127 Hours, Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson
Black Swan, Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver
Inception, Producers: Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas
The Fighter, Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg
The Kids Are All Right,...
- 1/4/2011
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
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