The Association of Film Commissioners International (Afci) has named the new members and officers of its 2024 board of directors with Marnie Gee of Creative BC (British Columbia) elected chairperson.
Gee takes over from Bas van der Ree of Netherlands Film Commission, who has completed a two-year term as chair, and will lead the majority-woman board as Afci works to further diversify and expand its global membership and implement a new strategic plan.
The new chairperson has been on the board since 2022 and previously served as second vice chair. She joined Creative BC in 2013 as a production services coordinator and worked...
Gee takes over from Bas van der Ree of Netherlands Film Commission, who has completed a two-year term as chair, and will lead the majority-woman board as Afci works to further diversify and expand its global membership and implement a new strategic plan.
The new chairperson has been on the board since 2022 and previously served as second vice chair. She joined Creative BC in 2013 as a production services coordinator and worked...
- 1/30/2024
- ScreenDaily
Eight out of 11 board members are women
The Association of Film Commissioners International (Afci) has elected its first female-majority board of directors and its first Europe-based chairperson in more than a decade.
Bas van der Ree from the Netherlands Film Commission becomes Afci’s first board chairperson representing Europe in more than a decade and will lead the organisation’s most geographically and culturally diverse board to date.
Eight out of 11 board members are women. Officers include 1st vice chair Donne Dawson from the Hawaii State Film Office, 2nd vice chair Silvia Echeverri from the Colombia Film Commission, secretary Sorrel Geddes...
The Association of Film Commissioners International (Afci) has elected its first female-majority board of directors and its first Europe-based chairperson in more than a decade.
Bas van der Ree from the Netherlands Film Commission becomes Afci’s first board chairperson representing Europe in more than a decade and will lead the organisation’s most geographically and culturally diverse board to date.
Eight out of 11 board members are women. Officers include 1st vice chair Donne Dawson from the Hawaii State Film Office, 2nd vice chair Silvia Echeverri from the Colombia Film Commission, secretary Sorrel Geddes...
- 2/4/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Bas van der Ree has been elected chairman of the Association of Film Commissioners International, becoming the first European to chair the organization in more than a decade. Van der Ree, who has been the Netherlands Film Commissioner since 2014 when the nation’s film production incentive was launched, previously served as Afci’s 1st vice chair.
He will lead what Afci describes as its “most geographically and culturally diverse board to date,” as well as the first female majority board – eight of 11 members – in its history. Founded in 1975, the Afci is a global nonprofit professional organization that represents city, state, regional, provincial and national film commission members on six continents.
“Afci’s board represents the diverse needs and interests of our members, and I feel very honored to serve as chair,” van der Ree said. “Our newly elected, culturally diverse board will aim to further nurture and grow sustainable connections...
He will lead what Afci describes as its “most geographically and culturally diverse board to date,” as well as the first female majority board – eight of 11 members – in its history. Founded in 1975, the Afci is a global nonprofit professional organization that represents city, state, regional, provincial and national film commission members on six continents.
“Afci’s board represents the diverse needs and interests of our members, and I feel very honored to serve as chair,” van der Ree said. “Our newly elected, culturally diverse board will aim to further nurture and grow sustainable connections...
- 2/4/2022
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Film Independent has unveiled their keynotes, conversations and panelists for the 15th annual Film Independent Forum. The Forum, which is traditionally a weekend event, will now be a week-long virtual event that will reach all corners of the globe from July 31 to August 7.
The event has set a roster of banner names in the industry, featuring a U.S. Filmmaker Keynote with Lulu Wang (The Farewell); a U.S. Executive Keynote with Elissa Federoff, President of Distribution at Neon; a Documentary Keynote with Dawn Porter; and a Global Executive Keynote with Ashok Amritraj, Chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment Group. Traditionally a weekend event, the Forum has expanded to a full week-long event accessible online to global audiences the week of July 31 to August 7.
In addition, panels will cover financing, production and distribution of films to digital content across diverse platforms...
The event has set a roster of banner names in the industry, featuring a U.S. Filmmaker Keynote with Lulu Wang (The Farewell); a U.S. Executive Keynote with Elissa Federoff, President of Distribution at Neon; a Documentary Keynote with Dawn Porter; and a Global Executive Keynote with Ashok Amritraj, Chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment Group. Traditionally a weekend event, the Forum has expanded to a full week-long event accessible online to global audiences the week of July 31 to August 7.
In addition, panels will cover financing, production and distribution of films to digital content across diverse platforms...
- 6/30/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
- Ballast might have lead the total number of nominations, but it is Frozen River who picked up a pair, including Gotham Awards’ top prize. Really? If I were a betting man I’d have guessed right in two categories (Breakthrough Director and Actor), guessed half right in one (Best Ensemble) and would have terribly been wrong but pleasantly surprised with the Best Documentary going to Trouble the Water, and finally I’d would have been wrong on guessing Best Feature, and as you can guess, I’m perplexed on how Courtney Hunt’s border crossing drama faired a better chance in a category that was loaded in quality features. Best FEATUREBallast - Lance Hammer, director; Lance Hammer, Nina Parikh, producers (Alluvial Film Company)Frozen River - Courtney Hunt, director; Heather Rae, Chip Hourihan, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)Synecdoche, New York - Charlie Kaufman, director; Anthony Bregman, Charlie Kaufman, Spike Jonze,
- 12/3/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Family drama "Rachel Getting Married", border-smuggling saga "Frozen River" and struggling mother tale "Ballast" have shown their domination on the run for the 2009 Spirit Awards. Upon the announcement of the awards' nominees on Tuesday, December 2, it has been revealed that those three films have collected six counts each.
From all of the nominations "Rachel", "Frozen" and "Ballast" received, the three will have to go head-to-head for best feature title along with "Wendy and Lucy" and "The Wrestler". Their directors, Jonathan Demme, Courtney Hunt and Lance Hammer, will also compete for the best director prize which also lists Ramin Bahrani of "Chop Shop" and Tom McCarthy of "The Visitor" as the competitors.
On the performer categories, it is uncovered that Javier Bardem of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", Sean Penn of "Milk" and Mickey Rourke of "The Wrestler" are among the contenders for best male lead. Additionally, Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams have...
From all of the nominations "Rachel", "Frozen" and "Ballast" received, the three will have to go head-to-head for best feature title along with "Wendy and Lucy" and "The Wrestler". Their directors, Jonathan Demme, Courtney Hunt and Lance Hammer, will also compete for the best director prize which also lists Ramin Bahrani of "Chop Shop" and Tom McCarthy of "The Visitor" as the competitors.
On the performer categories, it is uncovered that Javier Bardem of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", Sean Penn of "Milk" and Mickey Rourke of "The Wrestler" are among the contenders for best male lead. Additionally, Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams have...
- 12/3/2008
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Thanks to Paul Outlaw for pointing us to the Spirit Award Nominees at IFC. Best Feature “Ballast” Producers: Lance Hammer, Nina Parikh “Frozen River” Producers: Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae “Rachel Getting Married” Producers: Neda Armian, Jonathan Demme, Marc Platt “Wendy and Lucy” Producers: Larry Fessenden, Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani “The Wrestler” Producers: Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin Best Director Ramin Bahrani, “Chop Shop” Jonathan Demme, “Rachel Getting Married” Lance Hammer, “Ballast” Courtney [...]...
- 12/2/2008
- by Ryan Adams
- AwardsDaily.com
By Stephen Saito
Jason Bateman and Sandra Oh braved the early call time this morning in Los Angeles to announce this year's nominees for the Spirit Awards. The awards will take place on February 21st, and will be broadcast live and uncut on IFC at 5pm Et/2pm PT. Here are the nominees:
Best Feature
"Ballast"
Producers: Lance Hammer, Nina Parikh
"Frozen River"
Producers: Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae
"Rachel Getting Married"
Producers: Neda Armian, Jonathan Demme, Marc Platt
"Wendy and Lucy"
Producers: Larry Fessenden, Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani
"The Wrestler"
Producers: Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin
Best Director
Ramin Bahrani, "Chop Shop"
Jonathan Demme, "Rachel Getting Married"
Lance Hammer, "Ballast"
Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"
Thomas McCarthy, "The Visitor"
Best First Feature
"Afterschool"
Director: Antonio Campos
Producers: Sean Durkin, Josh Mond
"Medicine for Melancholy"
Director: Barry Jenkins
Producer: Justin Barber
"Sangre de Mi Sangre"
Director: Christopher Zalla
Producers: Per Melita, Benjamin Odell
"Sleep Dealer"
Director: Alex Rivera
Producer: Anthony Bregman
"Synechdoce, New York"
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel
John Cassavetes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
"In Search of a Midnight Kiss"
Writer/Director: Alex Holdridge
Producers: Seth Caplan and Scoot McNairy
"Prince of Broadway"
Director: Sean Baker
Writers: Sean Baker, Darren Dean
Producer: Darren Dean
"The Signal"
Writer/Directors: David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry
Producers: Jacob Gentry and Alexander Motiagh
"Take Out"
Writer/Directors/Producers: Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou
"Turn the River"
Writer/Director: Chris Eigeman
Producer: Ami Armstrong
Best First Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"
Lance Hammer, "Ballast"
Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"
Jonathan Levine, "The Wackness"
Jenny Lumet, "Rachel Getting Married"
Best Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, "Sugar"
Charlie Kaufman, "Synecdoche, New York"
Howard A. Rodman, "Savage Grace"
Christopher Zalla, "Sangre de Mi Sangre"
Best Female Lead
Summer Bishil, "Towelhead"
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Tarra Riggs, "Ballast"
Michelle Williams, "Wendy and Lucy"
Best Male Lead
Javier Bardem, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"
Best Supporting Female
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Rosemarie DeWitt, "Rachel Getting Married"
Rosie Perez, "The Take"
Misty Upham, "Frozen River"
Debra Winger, "Rachel Getting Married"
Best Supporting Male
James Franco, "Milk"
Anthony Mackie, "The Hurt Locker"
Charlie McDermott, "Frozen River"
JimMyron Ross, "Ballast"
Haaz Sleiman, "The Visitor"
Best Cinematography
Maryse Alberti, "The Wrestler"
Lol Crowley, "Ballast"
James Laxton, "Medicine for Melancholy"
Harris Savides, "Milk"
Michael Simmonds, "Chop Shop"
Best Documentary
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
Director: Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
"Encounters at the End of the World"
Director: Werner Herzog
"Man on Wire"
Director: James Marsh
"The Order of Myths"
Director: Margaret Brown
"Up the Yangtze"
Director: Yung Chang
Best Foreign Film
"The Class" (France)
Director: Laurent Cantet
"Gomorrah" (Italy)
Director: Matteo Garrone
"Hunger" (UK/Ireland)
Director: Steve McQueen
"Secret of the Grain" (France)
Director: Abdellatif Kechiche
"Silent Light" (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)
Director: Carlos Reygadas
Robert Altman Award (Given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast)
"Synecdoche, New York"
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams
Someone to Watch Award
Barry Jenkins, "Medicine for Melancholy"
Nina Paley, "Sita Sings the Blues"
Lynn Shelton, "My Effortless Brilliance"
Truer Than Fiction Award
Margaret Brown, "The Order of Myths"
Sacha Gervasi, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil"
Darius Marder, "Loot"
Producers Award
Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy, "Treeless Mountain" and "I'll Come Running"
Jason Orans, "Goodbye Solo" and "Year of the Fish"
Heather Rae, "Frozen River" and "Ibid"...
Jason Bateman and Sandra Oh braved the early call time this morning in Los Angeles to announce this year's nominees for the Spirit Awards. The awards will take place on February 21st, and will be broadcast live and uncut on IFC at 5pm Et/2pm PT. Here are the nominees:
Best Feature
"Ballast"
Producers: Lance Hammer, Nina Parikh
"Frozen River"
Producers: Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae
"Rachel Getting Married"
Producers: Neda Armian, Jonathan Demme, Marc Platt
"Wendy and Lucy"
Producers: Larry Fessenden, Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani
"The Wrestler"
Producers: Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin
Best Director
Ramin Bahrani, "Chop Shop"
Jonathan Demme, "Rachel Getting Married"
Lance Hammer, "Ballast"
Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"
Thomas McCarthy, "The Visitor"
Best First Feature
"Afterschool"
Director: Antonio Campos
Producers: Sean Durkin, Josh Mond
"Medicine for Melancholy"
Director: Barry Jenkins
Producer: Justin Barber
"Sangre de Mi Sangre"
Director: Christopher Zalla
Producers: Per Melita, Benjamin Odell
"Sleep Dealer"
Director: Alex Rivera
Producer: Anthony Bregman
"Synechdoce, New York"
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel
John Cassavetes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
"In Search of a Midnight Kiss"
Writer/Director: Alex Holdridge
Producers: Seth Caplan and Scoot McNairy
"Prince of Broadway"
Director: Sean Baker
Writers: Sean Baker, Darren Dean
Producer: Darren Dean
"The Signal"
Writer/Directors: David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry
Producers: Jacob Gentry and Alexander Motiagh
"Take Out"
Writer/Directors/Producers: Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou
"Turn the River"
Writer/Director: Chris Eigeman
Producer: Ami Armstrong
Best First Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"
Lance Hammer, "Ballast"
Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"
Jonathan Levine, "The Wackness"
Jenny Lumet, "Rachel Getting Married"
Best Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, "Sugar"
Charlie Kaufman, "Synecdoche, New York"
Howard A. Rodman, "Savage Grace"
Christopher Zalla, "Sangre de Mi Sangre"
Best Female Lead
Summer Bishil, "Towelhead"
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Tarra Riggs, "Ballast"
Michelle Williams, "Wendy and Lucy"
Best Male Lead
Javier Bardem, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"
Best Supporting Female
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Rosemarie DeWitt, "Rachel Getting Married"
Rosie Perez, "The Take"
Misty Upham, "Frozen River"
Debra Winger, "Rachel Getting Married"
Best Supporting Male
James Franco, "Milk"
Anthony Mackie, "The Hurt Locker"
Charlie McDermott, "Frozen River"
JimMyron Ross, "Ballast"
Haaz Sleiman, "The Visitor"
Best Cinematography
Maryse Alberti, "The Wrestler"
Lol Crowley, "Ballast"
James Laxton, "Medicine for Melancholy"
Harris Savides, "Milk"
Michael Simmonds, "Chop Shop"
Best Documentary
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
Director: Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
"Encounters at the End of the World"
Director: Werner Herzog
"Man on Wire"
Director: James Marsh
"The Order of Myths"
Director: Margaret Brown
"Up the Yangtze"
Director: Yung Chang
Best Foreign Film
"The Class" (France)
Director: Laurent Cantet
"Gomorrah" (Italy)
Director: Matteo Garrone
"Hunger" (UK/Ireland)
Director: Steve McQueen
"Secret of the Grain" (France)
Director: Abdellatif Kechiche
"Silent Light" (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)
Director: Carlos Reygadas
Robert Altman Award (Given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast)
"Synecdoche, New York"
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams
Someone to Watch Award
Barry Jenkins, "Medicine for Melancholy"
Nina Paley, "Sita Sings the Blues"
Lynn Shelton, "My Effortless Brilliance"
Truer Than Fiction Award
Margaret Brown, "The Order of Myths"
Sacha Gervasi, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil"
Darius Marder, "Loot"
Producers Award
Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy, "Treeless Mountain" and "I'll Come Running"
Jason Orans, "Goodbye Solo" and "Year of the Fish"
Heather Rae, "Frozen River" and "Ibid"...
- 12/2/2008
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
- I’m getting to this a little late today – I had morning and afternoon screenings for Milk and Doubt respectively, but for the most part I’m pleased by some of the names and film titles that were nominated in the fifteen categories and especially glad to see that Lance Hammer’s Ballast grabbed six nominations but I’m perplexed by one of the two films it shares a total of six nominations with. Perhaps I need to see Frozen River for a second time --- with the exception of Melissa Leo’s perf, I couldn’t help but feel that everything came across as manufactured, by the numbers and that it played out like a Hollywood movie rather than a poignant indie film with a punch. Below you’ll find the different categories, the nominations and some commentary on my part on who will win and who should win.
- 12/2/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Not every award show honors the big blockbuster movies. That’s why we have the Spirit Awards, which pays tribute to all the indie flicks of the year. The nominations for 2009 have just been announced, and there are some great movies on the list! Check out the nominees for best picture below, and click here for the entire list . Tune in on February 21st at 5Pm, 2Pm Pacific to see the show. Best Feature "Ballast" Producers: Lance Hammer, Nina Parikh "Frozen River" Producers: Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae "Rachel Getting Married" Producers: Neda Armian, Jonathan Demme, Marc Platt "Wendy and...
- 12/2/2008
- Hollyscoop.com
- The Ifp announced the nominees for the 18th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards and not surprisingly, it is Lance Hammer’s Ballast that came out on top with four noms: Best Feature, Breakthrough Director, Breakthrough Actor and Best Ensemble Performance. Hammer’s eloquent rendering of a fractured family tree is such a solid film that we can expect a repeat pattern in nominations for the Indie Spirit Awards. While nominations in many of the categories hold up well (Best Ensemble and both Breakthrough categories), it is the Best Feature category’s exclusion of Antonio Campos’ Afterschool and Ramin Bahrani’s Chop Shop and the inclusion of The Visitor and Frozen River that makes me wonder if the four person nominating committee had a different mandate for their selection process. While McCarthy’s film certainly has a collection of strong moments and Frozen River counts on a fine white-trash perf from Leo,
- 10/20/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
- #15. BallastDirector/Writer: Lance Hammer Producers: Nina Parikh and HammerDistributor: Diy route.The Gist: The opening images of Ballast present a young boy drifting freely in a vast Mississippi Delta flatscape and a middle-aged man immobilized by grief in the darkness of a small rural home. If, among other possibilities, the first can be regarded as an image of hope for “what can be”, and the second an image of regret for “what has become”, it is the emotional expanse between these poles that successive images will seek to reconcile. Fact: Hammer has done digital design and computer graphic work for Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. See It: You've got to respect someone who decides not to leave the fate of his film in anyone's hands and take on the task of distributing it on his own terms. Release Date/Status?: October 1st release at the Film Forum. Hammer
- 9/4/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
- #91. Ballast Director/Writer: Lance Hammer Producers: Nina Parikh and Hammer Distributor: Currently Seeking Distribution The Gist: A riveting, lyrical portrait of an emotionally frayed family whose lives are torn asunder by a tragic act in a small Mississippi Delta town. Fact: Hammer has done digital design and computer graphic work for Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. See It: Perhaps the most promising film to come out of this year's Sundanace, the film won the Directing Award: Dramatic and the Excellence in Cinematography Award: Dramatic. Release Date/Status?: Selected for the Sundance and Berlin film festivals, this should find an indie distributor fairly quickly and perhaps a limited summer or fall release stateside. ...
- 1/28/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
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