“People used to say I had my finger on the pulse,” Paul Simon tells Alex Gibney early in his artfully composed documentary, In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon. “I just have my finger out there and the pulse is running under it.” Either way, few people have had as central a role in American pop music and culture as Simon. Gibney, best-known for exposes including The Inventor, about Elizabeth Holmes’ tech-company fraud, and Going Clear, on Scientology, turns out to be the ideal director to explore Simon’s long, varied run.
Simon invited Gibney into his home studio in Wimberly, Texas, where the cameras watch him tinker with the sound on his latest album, Seven Psalms (released in May) and talk about his career, inspirations, aging and what the loss of hearing in his left ear has meant. With that album as an anchor, the film mostly flashes back and forth in time,...
Simon invited Gibney into his home studio in Wimberly, Texas, where the cameras watch him tinker with the sound on his latest album, Seven Psalms (released in May) and talk about his career, inspirations, aging and what the loss of hearing in his left ear has meant. With that album as an anchor, the film mostly flashes back and forth in time,...
- 9/9/2023
- by Caryn James
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Executive produced and directed by Liz Garbus, Alex Gibney and Roger Ross Williams, with episodes also helmed by Jed Rothstein, Andy Grieve and Sarah Dowland, The Innocence Files is a riveting, nine-part docuseries that dives deep into eight wrongful convictions that The Innocence Project and its affiliated Innocence Network fought tooth and nail to overturn. The Netflix series gets off to a binge-worthy start with its first three installments — “The Evidence: Indeed and Without Doubt,” “The Evidence: The Truth Will Defend Me,” and “The Evidence: The Duty to Correct” — all directed by Academy Award-winner Roger Ross Williams. (And if your time […]...
- 4/24/2020
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Executive produced and directed by Liz Garbus, Alex Gibney and Roger Ross Williams, with episodes also helmed by Jed Rothstein, Andy Grieve and Sarah Dowland, The Innocence Files is a riveting, nine-part docuseries that dives deep into eight wrongful convictions that The Innocence Project and its affiliated Innocence Network fought tooth and nail to overturn. The Netflix series gets off to a binge-worthy start with its first three installments — “The Evidence: Indeed and Without Doubt,” “The Evidence: The Truth Will Defend Me,” and “The Evidence: The Duty to Correct” — all directed by Academy Award-winner Roger Ross Williams. (And if your time […]...
- 4/24/2020
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Thirty years ago, Levon Brooks was accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a three-year old girl in Mississippi. Despite having an alibi, he was sentenced to life in prison based on bite mark analysis. A few months, later a second young girl was raped and murdered and Kennedy Brewer, the boyfriend of the victim’s mother was arrested and sentenced death for the crime, based on similar bite mark analysis.
Brewer subsequently wrote to The Innocence Project, which was able to get the pair exonerated and freed after having DNA evidence at the crime scene tested.
These cases form the first three episodes of Netflix’s The Innocence Files and were directed by American Jail director Roger Ross Williams,...
Brewer subsequently wrote to The Innocence Project, which was able to get the pair exonerated and freed after having DNA evidence at the crime scene tested.
These cases form the first three episodes of Netflix’s The Innocence Files and were directed by American Jail director Roger Ross Williams,...
- 4/14/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
In today’s TV news roundup, Quibi released the official trailer for “Nikki Fre$h” and Leslie Jordan has been cast as a series regular on “Call Me Kat.”
Casting
Leslie Jordan has joined the cast of “Call Me Kat” as a series regular. Jordan will play Phil, who works for Kat (Mayim Bialik) and bakes all the pastries at the Cat Cafe. Kat is helping Phil get a new lease on life after his recent breakup with his longtime partner. The role brings Jordan back to Fox, as he previously starred in the multi-cam comedy “The Cool Kids” for the network. The half hour series is executive produced by Darlene Hunt, Bialik, Jim Parsons, Todd Spiewak, Angie Stephenson and Miranda Hart.
Dates
AMC has announced Season 2 of “NOS4A2” will premiere on Monday, June 1 at 10 p.m. Et/ 7 p.m. Pt. The second season picks up eight years after the...
Casting
Leslie Jordan has joined the cast of “Call Me Kat” as a series regular. Jordan will play Phil, who works for Kat (Mayim Bialik) and bakes all the pastries at the Cat Cafe. Kat is helping Phil get a new lease on life after his recent breakup with his longtime partner. The role brings Jordan back to Fox, as he previously starred in the multi-cam comedy “The Cool Kids” for the network. The half hour series is executive produced by Darlene Hunt, Bialik, Jim Parsons, Todd Spiewak, Angie Stephenson and Miranda Hart.
Dates
AMC has announced Season 2 of “NOS4A2” will premiere on Monday, June 1 at 10 p.m. Et/ 7 p.m. Pt. The second season picks up eight years after the...
- 4/2/2020
- by Klaritza Rico
- Variety Film + TV
As everyone finishes binge-watching “Tiger King,” Netflix is preparing to release their next true crime documentary, “The Innocence Files.” The nine episode series looks at the attorneys and clients brought together as part of the Innocence Project, a non-profit organization committed to criminal justice reform and changing wrongful convictions. Episodes will be directed by Liz Garbus, Alex Gibney, Roger Ross Williams, Jed Rothstein, Andy Grieve, and Sarah Dowland.
The trailer for the series situates this as a show where the verdicts have already been decided — and the inherent knowledge that said verdict is wrong. Nine different cases are laid out, involving predominately men of color, who are serving long-term sentences for crimes they didn’t commit. One attorney says about one case that there is no physical evidence connecting the client to the crime. Are these convictions frame-up jobs to secure a conviction? That’s up for the viewer to...
The trailer for the series situates this as a show where the verdicts have already been decided — and the inherent knowledge that said verdict is wrong. Nine different cases are laid out, involving predominately men of color, who are serving long-term sentences for crimes they didn’t commit. One attorney says about one case that there is no physical evidence connecting the client to the crime. Are these convictions frame-up jobs to secure a conviction? That’s up for the viewer to...
- 4/2/2020
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
“I think the best thing that a lawyer can do with their license is get an innocent guy out of prison,” lawyer Ellen Eggers says in the trailer for Netflix’s The Innocence Files, a new docuseries focused on just that: the exoneration of the wrongfully imprisoned.
Executive-produced and directed by Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), Academy Award winner Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) and Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams (Music by Prudence) — with episodes also directed by Academy Award nominee Jed Rothstein...
Executive-produced and directed by Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus (What Happened, Miss Simone?), Academy Award winner Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) and Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams (Music by Prudence) — with episodes also directed by Academy Award nominee Jed Rothstein...
- 4/2/2020
- by Brenna Ehrlich
- Rollingstone.com
Netflix has ordered a docuseries titled “The Innocence Files,” Variety has learned exclusively.
The hour-long episodes detail the personal stories behind eight cases of wrongful conviction that the Innocence Project and organizations within the Innocence Network have worked to highlight and overturn. The series is broken down into three parts — The Evidence, The Witness, and The Prosecution. The subjects of the series will be Chester Hollman III, Kenneth Wyniemko, Alfred Dewayne Brown, Thomas Haynesworth, Franky Carrillo, Levon Brooks, Kennedy Brewer, and Keith Harward.
The entire nine-episode season will debut on Netflix on April 15.
“We are thrilled to be part of the groundbreaking Netflix series, ‘The Innocence Files,'” said Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck, Innocence Project co-founders and special counsel of the Innocence Project. “This is truly important television. Each episode reveals–step by step–how the American criminal justice system gets it wrong. These stories feature people whose freedom...
The hour-long episodes detail the personal stories behind eight cases of wrongful conviction that the Innocence Project and organizations within the Innocence Network have worked to highlight and overturn. The series is broken down into three parts — The Evidence, The Witness, and The Prosecution. The subjects of the series will be Chester Hollman III, Kenneth Wyniemko, Alfred Dewayne Brown, Thomas Haynesworth, Franky Carrillo, Levon Brooks, Kennedy Brewer, and Keith Harward.
The entire nine-episode season will debut on Netflix on April 15.
“We are thrilled to be part of the groundbreaking Netflix series, ‘The Innocence Files,'” said Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck, Innocence Project co-founders and special counsel of the Innocence Project. “This is truly important television. Each episode reveals–step by step–how the American criminal justice system gets it wrong. These stories feature people whose freedom...
- 3/9/2020
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
HBO Documentary Films and Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney will team up to investigate the bizarre tale of Theranos, the once multibillion-dollar healthcare company that made young founder Elizabeth Holmes a billionaire and an accused fraud in short order.
Gibney directed HBO’s Emmy-winning Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, and the Academy Award-winning Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
The documentary is in production now and comes as The Shape of Water co-scribe Vanessa Taylor was tapped this month to adapt the story into a feature film, Bad Blood, to be directed by Adam McKay and star Jennifer Lawrence as Holmes. The project is set up at Legendary.
Holmes was a Stanford drop-out in 2004 when she started the company she touted as a revolutionary approach to healthcare. Ten years later, with her Theranos valued at $9 billion, Holmes was the youngest “self-made female billionaire in the world,...
Gibney directed HBO’s Emmy-winning Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, and the Academy Award-winning Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
The documentary is in production now and comes as The Shape of Water co-scribe Vanessa Taylor was tapped this month to adapt the story into a feature film, Bad Blood, to be directed by Adam McKay and star Jennifer Lawrence as Holmes. The project is set up at Legendary.
Holmes was a Stanford drop-out in 2004 when she started the company she touted as a revolutionary approach to healthcare. Ten years later, with her Theranos valued at $9 billion, Holmes was the youngest “self-made female billionaire in the world,...
- 5/30/2018
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The American Cinema Editors (Ace) have announced nominations for the 68th Annual Ace Eddie Awards. The ceremony recognizes outstanding editing in 10 film, television, and documentary categories. Nominated for best edited feature film this year are “Dunkirk” and “Blade Runner 2049” in the dramatic category and “Baby Driver” and “Get Out” in the comedy category.
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Editing
Emmy winners such as “Veep,” “Big Little Lies,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” will also compete for Ace prizes this year. “Fargo,” “Better Call Saul,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” all have multiple Ace television nominees.
Winners will be revealed on January 26. Check out the full nominations list below.
Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic)
“Blade Runner 2049,” Joe Walker
“Dunkirk,” Lee Smith
“Molly’s Game,” Alan Baumgarten, Josh Schaeffer & Elliot Graham
“The Post,” Michael Kahn & Sarah Broshar
“The Shape of Water.” Sidney Wolinsky
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy)
“Baby Driver,” Jonathan Amos & Paul Machliss
“Get Out,...
Read More:2018 Oscar Predictions: Best Editing
Emmy winners such as “Veep,” “Big Little Lies,” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” will also compete for Ace prizes this year. “Fargo,” “Better Call Saul,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” all have multiple Ace television nominees.
Winners will be revealed on January 26. Check out the full nominations list below.
Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic)
“Blade Runner 2049,” Joe Walker
“Dunkirk,” Lee Smith
“Molly’s Game,” Alan Baumgarten, Josh Schaeffer & Elliot Graham
“The Post,” Michael Kahn & Sarah Broshar
“The Shape of Water.” Sidney Wolinsky
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy)
“Baby Driver,” Jonathan Amos & Paul Machliss
“Get Out,...
- 1/3/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
George Miller's "Mad Max: Fury Road" and Adam McKay's "The Big Short" were the big winners at the recently concluded Ace Eddie Awards. "Mad Max" took home Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic) while "The Big Short" won Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy). What? Not "The Martian?" Ha!
.Inside Out. (edited by Kevin Nolting, Ace) won Best Edited Animated Feature Film and .Amy. (edited by Chris King) won Best Edited Documentary (Feature).
Here's the complete list winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 66th Ace Eddie Awards:
Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic):
Mad Max: Fury Road -- Margaret Sixel -- Winner
The Martian -- Pietro Scalia (Ace)
The Revenant -- Stephen Mirrione (Ace)
Sicario -- Joe Walker (Ace)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens -- Maryann Brandon (Ace) and Mary Jo Markey (Ace)
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy):
Ant-Man -- Dan Lebental (Ace) and Colby Parker, Jr. (Ace)
The Big Short...
.Inside Out. (edited by Kevin Nolting, Ace) won Best Edited Animated Feature Film and .Amy. (edited by Chris King) won Best Edited Documentary (Feature).
Here's the complete list winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 66th Ace Eddie Awards:
Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic):
Mad Max: Fury Road -- Margaret Sixel -- Winner
The Martian -- Pietro Scalia (Ace)
The Revenant -- Stephen Mirrione (Ace)
Sicario -- Joe Walker (Ace)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens -- Maryann Brandon (Ace) and Mary Jo Markey (Ace)
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy):
Ant-Man -- Dan Lebental (Ace) and Colby Parker, Jr. (Ace)
The Big Short...
- 1/31/2016
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The American Cinema Editors has announced the nominees of their 66th Annual Ace Eddie Awards and J.J. Abrams' "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is one of the contenders in the Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic) category while Peyton Reed's "Ant-Man" is a nominee in the Comedy category.
Writer/director Nancy Meyers ("The Intern," "It's Complicated," "Something's Gotta Give") will receive the Ace Golden Eddie Filmmakers of the Year Award. Winners will be announced during a January 29 gala at the Beverly Hilton.
Here's the complete list of the nominees of the 66th Ace Eddie Awards:
Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic):
Mad Max: Fury Road -- Margaret Sixel
The Martian -- Pietro Scalia (Ace)
The Revenant -- Stephen Mirrione (Ace)
Sicario -- Joe Walker (Ace)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens -- Maryann Brandon (Ace) and Mary Jo Markey (Ace)
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy):
Ant-Man -- Dan Lebental (Ace) and Colby Parker,...
Writer/director Nancy Meyers ("The Intern," "It's Complicated," "Something's Gotta Give") will receive the Ace Golden Eddie Filmmakers of the Year Award. Winners will be announced during a January 29 gala at the Beverly Hilton.
Here's the complete list of the nominees of the 66th Ace Eddie Awards:
Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic):
Mad Max: Fury Road -- Margaret Sixel
The Martian -- Pietro Scalia (Ace)
The Revenant -- Stephen Mirrione (Ace)
Sicario -- Joe Walker (Ace)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens -- Maryann Brandon (Ace) and Mary Jo Markey (Ace)
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy):
Ant-Man -- Dan Lebental (Ace) and Colby Parker,...
- 1/5/2016
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
American Cinema Editors (Ace) today announced nominations for the 66th Annual Ace Eddie Awards recognizing outstanding editing in ten categories of film, television and documentaries. Winners will be revealed during Ace’s annual black-tie awards ceremony on Friday, January 29, 2016 in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel and will be presided over by Ace President, Alan Heim.
As previously announced, writer/director Nancy Meyers will receive the Ace Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year award. Two Career Achievement honorees will be announced later this week.
Nominees For 66th Annual Ace Eddie Awards Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic): Mad Max: Fury Road
Margaret SixelThe Martian
Pietro Scalia, ACEThe Revenant
Stephen Mirrione, Ace
Sicario
Joe Walker, Ace
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Maryann Brandon, Ace & Mary Jo Markey, Ace
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy):
Ant-Man
Dan Lebental, Ace & Colby Parker, Jr., ACEThe Big Short
Hank Corwin, ACEJoy
Jay Cassidy,...
As previously announced, writer/director Nancy Meyers will receive the Ace Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year award. Two Career Achievement honorees will be announced later this week.
Nominees For 66th Annual Ace Eddie Awards Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic): Mad Max: Fury Road
Margaret SixelThe Martian
Pietro Scalia, ACEThe Revenant
Stephen Mirrione, Ace
Sicario
Joe Walker, Ace
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Maryann Brandon, Ace & Mary Jo Markey, Ace
Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy):
Ant-Man
Dan Lebental, Ace & Colby Parker, Jr., ACEThe Big Short
Hank Corwin, ACEJoy
Jay Cassidy,...
- 1/4/2016
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The distributor has acquired North American rights from Yari Film Group to Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police, which screens in the Cannes market today.
The documentary, based on guitarist Andy Summers’ memoir One Train Later, recounts the story of the UK band’s rise to fame, their break-up and 2007 reunion tour.
Andy Grieve directed and recently served as editor on The Armstrong Lie and We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks.
Norman Golightly, Nicolas Cage and Bob Yari produced and William J Immerman served as executive producer. Summers composed the score.
Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police screens at 8.30pm at the Palais – Bory.
The documentary, based on guitarist Andy Summers’ memoir One Train Later, recounts the story of the UK band’s rise to fame, their break-up and 2007 reunion tour.
Andy Grieve directed and recently served as editor on The Armstrong Lie and We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks.
Norman Golightly, Nicolas Cage and Bob Yari produced and William J Immerman served as executive producer. Summers composed the score.
Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police screens at 8.30pm at the Palais – Bory.
- 5/17/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
In the creatively combative trio the Police, guitarist Andy Summers is the quiet one, less comfortable with the spotlight than singer/bassist Sting, and more reserved than drummer Stewart Copeland. Director Andy Grieve uses Summers's memoir One Train Later as the basis for Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police, a documentary that echoes the musician's measured tone. Summers was a wunderkind and late bloomer, immersed in London's Swinging Sixties music scene by his early twenties, but not achieving his own success until nearly forty. (In footage from the Eighties, his decade-younger bandmates try to convince one interviewer that the Andy Summers who played with the Animals and Soft Machine was actually his father.) Through disappointment and stardom...
- 3/18/2015
- Village Voice
Judging by the Park City crowds that attempted to elbow their way into the world premiere of Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief one might say this is Alex Gibney’s most talked-about film to date.
And that is saying a lot for the veteran documentarian who has made a career out of pushing boundaries.
The film adopts a similar structure to Lawrence Wright’s 2013 bestseller of the same name, focusing on eight people who broke away from the grip of the Scientology community and their difficult, often troubling, stories that resulted.
As the title of both film and book suggests, ‘The Prison Of Belief’ is what Gibney and Wright refer to as the boxed-in walls that confine a person into believing what they are told. It is, as Gibney puts it, “that ‘terrifying certainty of faith’ that gives comfort in not having to ask the tough questions everyday.”
We meet at...
And that is saying a lot for the veteran documentarian who has made a career out of pushing boundaries.
The film adopts a similar structure to Lawrence Wright’s 2013 bestseller of the same name, focusing on eight people who broke away from the grip of the Scientology community and their difficult, often troubling, stories that resulted.
As the title of both film and book suggests, ‘The Prison Of Belief’ is what Gibney and Wright refer to as the boxed-in walls that confine a person into believing what they are told. It is, as Gibney puts it, “that ‘terrifying certainty of faith’ that gives comfort in not having to ask the tough questions everyday.”
We meet at...
- 1/29/2015
- ScreenDaily
“I didn’t live a lot of lies. But I lived one big one. You know, it’s different I guess. Maybe it’s not. But yeah, it’s… And what I said in there with just how this story is all over the place and there are these two… you know, these just complete opposite narratives. You know… The only person that can actually start to let people understand what the true narrative is, is me. And you should know that better than anybody else to the get into the… the real nature and the real detail of the story. Because we haven’t heard it yet is the truth.”
– Lance Armstrong; January 14, 2013
In 2008, Academy Award® winning filmmaker Alex Gibney set out to make a documentary about Lance Armstrong’s comeback to the world of competitive cycling. Widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the history of sports,...
– Lance Armstrong; January 14, 2013
In 2008, Academy Award® winning filmmaker Alex Gibney set out to make a documentary about Lance Armstrong’s comeback to the world of competitive cycling. Widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the history of sports,...
- 10/4/2013
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I support this new NYC Film Fest which a lot of our friends attended and also support. I went to their inaugural event in NYC a few weeks back and it felt good and I certainly like their Indie lineup. The following is from a recent press release:
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
- 3/11/2013
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
In the Doc NYC documentary "Can't Stand Losing You," which had its world premiere Friday at the festival, The Police guitarist Andy Summers revisits the past he laid bare in his hit 2007 memoir "One Train Later." Coming on the heels of the band's massively successful worldwide reunion tour that wrapped in 2008, the film, directed by Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin, frames the English musician's fascinating backstory with exclusive concert footage and behind-the-scenes access. In other words, if you're a fan of The Police (and really, who isn't?), then "Can't Stand Losing You" is a must-see. Prior to the film's unveiling at Doc NYC, Indiewire sat down with Summers in a dimly lit but lavishly outfitted hotel suite -- fit for a rock star, you might say -- at the Gramercy Park Hotel. In our chat with the icon, Summers opened up about why he chose to rehash his life for a second time,...
- 11/14/2012
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
Director Pablo Croce Tribeca: Tell us a little about Like Water. Pablo Croce: Like Water takes audiences on the journey of reigning Ufc champ Anderson Silva. It's a look into the most private and honest day-to-day life of the man behind the fighter. It's a great doc that minimizes the use of talking heads to tell the story. Nothing can truly recreate reality as it is. We get close very close in arts, but the unpredicted chain of events of reality is never surpassed. This film uses a cinema verite approach to narrate the events, subtle moments and facts of this man's journey from one controversial fight to the other. I must say our editor Andy Grieve was fundamental on achieving this. What an amazing editor! Tribeca: What is the inspiration for the title of the film? Pablo Croce: It comes from Anderson and an interview with Bruce Lee...
- 4/24/2011
- TribecaFilm.com
It's a good day for funny people, especially if your name is Tina Fey or Seth MacFarlane.
Fey's series, 30 Rock, was handed 22 Emmy nominations this morning, which stands as a record for a comedy series. She and Alec Baldwin were also nominated for acting awards. Plus, for the first time some of the other actors on NBC's laffer were recognized. Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan all picked up supporting nominations.
MacFarlane's Family Guy was also nominated for best comedy series, the first time an animated show has cracked that category since The Flintstones in 1961. Two years ago MacFarlane decided to pull his show from contention in the animated series category to have it considered for best comedy.
Mad Men, the drama about the advertising world in the sixties, picked up 16 nominations in the drama categories, including a best actor nod for Jon Hamm. Hamm is also nominated as...
Fey's series, 30 Rock, was handed 22 Emmy nominations this morning, which stands as a record for a comedy series. She and Alec Baldwin were also nominated for acting awards. Plus, for the first time some of the other actors on NBC's laffer were recognized. Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan all picked up supporting nominations.
MacFarlane's Family Guy was also nominated for best comedy series, the first time an animated show has cracked that category since The Flintstones in 1961. Two years ago MacFarlane decided to pull his show from contention in the animated series category to have it considered for best comedy.
Mad Men, the drama about the advertising world in the sixties, picked up 16 nominations in the drama categories, including a best actor nod for Jon Hamm. Hamm is also nominated as...
- 7/16/2009
- CinemaSpy
- Congratulations are in order for not only the winners (Jason Kohn's Manda Bala picked up 3 awards!) and the nominees (many films that I'm hoping will receive an extended life theatrically and via home viewing), but to those who conceived the first edition of the Cinema Eye Honors. A reportedly successful event took form like only 40 bed times ago after a couple of folks noticed that the Oscar voters weren't doing the best job to honor the non-fiction, this becomes an instantly credible showcase for filmmakers who push the doc envelope. What will most likely be dubbed 'the Oscars for docu filmmakers', I imagine that next year's event will only be better prepared, fine-tuned, will have more corporate sponsorship and will probably include some live coverage on Ioncinema.com's part. In the mean time you can find a transcript of how the night went by IndieWire and you can get
- 3/19/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.