This is not the documentary renaissance we hoped for. Despite its 2023 Oscar win for “Navalny,” CNN pulled back on non-fiction production. Non-fiction programming at Showtime Networks, which produced Oscar-nominated “Attica” in 2022, is no more.
“The New York Times Presents” series, which produced titles like “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” and “Framing Britney Spears,” is being phased out in favor of integrating non-fiction video into the media brand. Hot Docs is on the ropes; Participant, which produced documentaries like “An Inconvenient Truth,” “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” and “American Factory,” closed last month.
And then there’s Netflix, which is still very much in the documentary game under Adam Del Deo, Netflix VP of original documentary films and limited series — and can afford to be with nearly 270 million global subscribers. However, it’s a specific sort of gameplay: For tight, high-quality nonfiction work that’s heartwarming, or thrilling, or stars a celebrity,...
“The New York Times Presents” series, which produced titles like “The Killing of Breonna Taylor” and “Framing Britney Spears,” is being phased out in favor of integrating non-fiction video into the media brand. Hot Docs is on the ropes; Participant, which produced documentaries like “An Inconvenient Truth,” “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” and “American Factory,” closed last month.
And then there’s Netflix, which is still very much in the documentary game under Adam Del Deo, Netflix VP of original documentary films and limited series — and can afford to be with nearly 270 million global subscribers. However, it’s a specific sort of gameplay: For tight, high-quality nonfiction work that’s heartwarming, or thrilling, or stars a celebrity,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Sundance documentaries are alive and well. And it looks like there’s some acquisition action this year, too. Which Sundance documentaries have the best shot at landing in Oscar contention this year? It helps to get bought early or to have an international footprint.
A rickety theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers meant that many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution, or met serious delays before companies came through. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. But last year, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” which was rumored to be an HBO Documentary Films pickup for months, wasn’t announced until August 29, when other Sundance grads had been campaigning all summer.
One...
A rickety theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers meant that many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution, or met serious delays before companies came through. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. But last year, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” which was rumored to be an HBO Documentary Films pickup for months, wasn’t announced until August 29, when other Sundance grads had been campaigning all summer.
One...
- 1/31/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Media representation of disabled people is challenging to get right — too saccharine, and you’re veering towards inspiration porn, too maudlin, and you’re implying that a disabled life might not be a life worth living. “Ibelin,” the newest documentary from “The Painter and the Thief” filmmaker Benjamin Ree, strikes a poignant balance, acknowledging the ways that physical disability can limit a life while showing how one complex man expanded his world nonetheless.
Continue reading ‘Ibelin’ Review: Finding Freedom, Friendship And Secrecy In Online Gaming [Sundance] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Ibelin’ Review: Finding Freedom, Friendship And Secrecy In Online Gaming [Sundance] at The Playlist.
- 1/27/2024
- by Lena Wilson
- The Playlist
Between fascist propaganda, harassment campaigns, AI-generated Google results, and the collapse of digital publishing, it’s hard not to think of the internet as a wasteland. “Ibelin,” however, is a defining film about the positive side of the modern web experience, and connections forged online.
Directed by “The Painter and the Thief” helmer Benjamin Ree, the documentary marries form with function in stunning fashion, bringing to life the sprawling digital identity of its subject Mats Steen — a quadriplegic gamer who died at 25 from a degenerative disease — via his personal blog and his World of Warcraft campaigns. The resultant film is a moving, multifaceted masterwork that doubles as a cinematic epitaph to a vibrant (if secretive) young man.
Using thoughtfully engineered animation, “Ibelin” explores not only Mats’ complications, but a lifetime of personal experiences that remained a secret from his parents until they began grieving him. Though they believed him to be isolated and lonely,...
Directed by “The Painter and the Thief” helmer Benjamin Ree, the documentary marries form with function in stunning fashion, bringing to life the sprawling digital identity of its subject Mats Steen — a quadriplegic gamer who died at 25 from a degenerative disease — via his personal blog and his World of Warcraft campaigns. The resultant film is a moving, multifaceted masterwork that doubles as a cinematic epitaph to a vibrant (if secretive) young man.
Using thoughtfully engineered animation, “Ibelin” explores not only Mats’ complications, but a lifetime of personal experiences that remained a secret from his parents until they began grieving him. Though they believed him to be isolated and lonely,...
- 1/20/2024
- by Siddhant Adlakha
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has acquired Benjamin Ree’s Sundance World Cinema Documentary Competition selection Ibelin, the streamer confirmed on Friday morning.
‘Ibelin’: Sundance Review
The Norwegian documentary premiered on Thursday opening day and tells the story of Mats Steen, a gamer who died of a degenerative muscular disease at age 25.
His parents believed Mats led a solitary life without love and friendships, however after he died they learned he in fact led a rich digital life through the game World Of Warcraft which left a profound impact on a community of fellow gamers.
Ree (The Painter And The Thief) and his...
‘Ibelin’: Sundance Review
The Norwegian documentary premiered on Thursday opening day and tells the story of Mats Steen, a gamer who died of a degenerative muscular disease at age 25.
His parents believed Mats led a solitary life without love and friendships, however after he died they learned he in fact led a rich digital life through the game World Of Warcraft which left a profound impact on a community of fellow gamers.
Ree (The Painter And The Thief) and his...
- 1/19/2024
- ScreenDaily
Netflix has acquired “Ibelin,” a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Benjamin Ree (“The Painter and the Thief”) directed the film, which centers on a Norwegian gamer named Mats Steen, who died of a degenerative muscle disease at the age of 25. According to the official logline, “his parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around the world.”
“Many of my favorite documentary films and series of all time have been distributed by Netflix,” Ree said in a statement. “It’s a huge honor that Ibelin will now be on Netflix and Mats Steen’s story will be available to so many millions of people across the world. I couldn’t be more excited.”
Before the film’s premiere, Ree told Variety he hopes that “Ibelin” portrays the video game community in a positive light.
“This...
Benjamin Ree (“The Painter and the Thief”) directed the film, which centers on a Norwegian gamer named Mats Steen, who died of a degenerative muscle disease at the age of 25. According to the official logline, “his parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life, when they started receiving messages from online friends around the world.”
“Many of my favorite documentary films and series of all time have been distributed by Netflix,” Ree said in a statement. “It’s a huge honor that Ibelin will now be on Netflix and Mats Steen’s story will be available to so many millions of people across the world. I couldn’t be more excited.”
Before the film’s premiere, Ree told Variety he hopes that “Ibelin” portrays the video game community in a positive light.
“This...
- 1/19/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Just a day into the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Netflix has swooped on Ibelin, a new feature doc from Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree (The Painter and the Thief), in the first acquisition of the festival.
World premiering in Park City on Thursday afternoon, the title playing in World Cinema Documentary Competition tells the story of Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer who died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated existence, later discovering that Mats had long been leading a vibrant digital life that left a profound impact on a community of fellow gamers.
The film takes us on a journey through the breadth of Steen’s adventurous online life, introducing us to Ibelin, his charismatic World of Warcraft persona. Through reconstructed animated moments from his gameplay, narrated entries from his blog and interviews with people who knew him as Ibelin,...
World premiering in Park City on Thursday afternoon, the title playing in World Cinema Documentary Competition tells the story of Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer who died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25. His parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated existence, later discovering that Mats had long been leading a vibrant digital life that left a profound impact on a community of fellow gamers.
The film takes us on a journey through the breadth of Steen’s adventurous online life, introducing us to Ibelin, his charismatic World of Warcraft persona. Through reconstructed animated moments from his gameplay, narrated entries from his blog and interviews with people who knew him as Ibelin,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Paris-based sales house Charades has acquired international sales rights to “In a Violent Nature,” the debut feature film from writer and director Chris Nash that is set to premiere in Sundance’s Midnight Section on Jan. 22.
Produced by Shudder under the streaming service’s Shudder Original banner, the film follows a vengeful undead monster as he methodically slaughters a group of campers in the wilderness after they remove a pendant from his resting grounds. Peter Kuplowsky and Shannon Hanmer are also producers on “In a Violent Nature,” which is set for release in 2024.
“‘In a Violent Nature’ reminded us of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and ‘Angst,’ but most of all, it’s the discovery of an incredibly talented director,” said Charades co-founders Pierre Mazars, Yohann Comte and Carole Baraton. “We are very grateful to be working with Shudder once again with whom we are building an incredible track record of genre films from ‘Revenge,...
Produced by Shudder under the streaming service’s Shudder Original banner, the film follows a vengeful undead monster as he methodically slaughters a group of campers in the wilderness after they remove a pendant from his resting grounds. Peter Kuplowsky and Shannon Hanmer are also producers on “In a Violent Nature,” which is set for release in 2024.
“‘In a Violent Nature’ reminded us of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ and ‘Angst,’ but most of all, it’s the discovery of an incredibly talented director,” said Charades co-founders Pierre Mazars, Yohann Comte and Carole Baraton. “We are very grateful to be working with Shudder once again with whom we are building an incredible track record of genre films from ‘Revenge,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Actors Ewan McGregor, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, directors Ruben Östlund, Ernst de Geer, Ramata-Toulaye Sy and Cannes Film Festival honcho Thierry Frémaux are some of the stellar guests set to walk the red carpet at the 47th edition of Sweden’s Göteborg Film Festival.
This year’s Göteborg Fest unspools from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4.
For his last run as artistic director of Scandinavia’s biggest film festival, Jonas Holmberg has selected 240 films from 82 countries, and what he calls “one of the strongest lineups ever” for Göteborg’s main Nordic competition strand. Among the highly anticipated titles vying for the coveted Best Nordic Film Dragon Award worth Sek 400,000, is Norway’s “Handling the Undead” by Thea Hvistendahl, set to kickstart the festival on the heels of its Sundance world premiere.
“This will be the first time we open with a zombie horror,” notes Holmberg, who looks forward...
This year’s Göteborg Fest unspools from Jan. 26 to Feb. 4.
For his last run as artistic director of Scandinavia’s biggest film festival, Jonas Holmberg has selected 240 films from 82 countries, and what he calls “one of the strongest lineups ever” for Göteborg’s main Nordic competition strand. Among the highly anticipated titles vying for the coveted Best Nordic Film Dragon Award worth Sek 400,000, is Norway’s “Handling the Undead” by Thea Hvistendahl, set to kickstart the festival on the heels of its Sundance world premiere.
“This will be the first time we open with a zombie horror,” notes Holmberg, who looks forward...
- 1/9/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
This year’s World Cinema Docu Competition sees The Painter and the Thief (2020) filmmaker Benjamin Ree among the pack of ten. Here is the line-up:
Agent of Happiness / Bhutan, Hungary — Amber is one of the many agents working for the Bhutanese government to measure people’s happiness levels among the remote Himalayan mountains. But will he find his own along the way? World Premiere. Available online for Public.
The Battle for Laikipia / Kenya, U.S.A. — Unresolved historical injustices and climate change raise the stakes in a generations-old conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya, a wildlife conservation haven.…...
Agent of Happiness / Bhutan, Hungary — Amber is one of the many agents working for the Bhutanese government to measure people’s happiness levels among the remote Himalayan mountains. But will he find his own along the way? World Premiere. Available online for Public.
The Battle for Laikipia / Kenya, U.S.A. — Unresolved historical injustices and climate change raise the stakes in a generations-old conflict between Indigenous pastoralists and white landowners in Laikipia, Kenya, a wildlife conservation haven.…...
- 12/6/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Award-winning studio Neon has announced They Follow, the long awaited sequel to the modern horror classic It Follows (2014), from visionary writer/director David Robert Mitchell and starring Maika Monroe. Bloody Disgusting has learned that Monroe will reprise her role of Jay Height, which earned her an Empire Award® nomination for It Follows.
In the first movie, Monroe’s Jay Height is a young woman followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter. In 2024, the threat is now Everywhere.
Check out an early piece of poster art for They Follow below.
Neon will introduce the title to international buyers this week at AFM, with principal photography beginning in 2024. Neon will co-produce the film alongside Good Fear Content. Mitchell serves as a producer with Jake Weiner and Chris Bender of Good Fear Content, and the original producers of It Follows, David Kaplan, Erik Rommesmo, Rebecca Green, Laura Smith.
They Follow...
In the first movie, Monroe’s Jay Height is a young woman followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter. In 2024, the threat is now Everywhere.
Check out an early piece of poster art for They Follow below.
Neon will introduce the title to international buyers this week at AFM, with principal photography beginning in 2024. Neon will co-produce the film alongside Good Fear Content. Mitchell serves as a producer with Jake Weiner and Chris Bender of Good Fear Content, and the original producers of It Follows, David Kaplan, Erik Rommesmo, Rebecca Green, Laura Smith.
They Follow...
- 10/30/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Production start scheduled for early 2024. Plot details remain under wraps.
Neon’s new sales division led by Kristen Figeroid is launching worldwide sales at AFM this week on They Follow, David Robert Mitchell’s sequel to his 2014 cult horror It Follows, with Maika Monroe reprising her role.
Monroe returns as Jay Height, who in the original survived a supernatural curse transmitted by sexual contact. Neon CEO Tom Quinn distributed that film when he led RADiUS and it grossed approximately $15m in North America.
They Follow is scheduled to commence shooting in early 2024 and plot details remain under wraps. It is...
Neon’s new sales division led by Kristen Figeroid is launching worldwide sales at AFM this week on They Follow, David Robert Mitchell’s sequel to his 2014 cult horror It Follows, with Maika Monroe reprising her role.
Monroe returns as Jay Height, who in the original survived a supernatural curse transmitted by sexual contact. Neon CEO Tom Quinn distributed that film when he led RADiUS and it grossed approximately $15m in North America.
They Follow is scheduled to commence shooting in early 2024 and plot details remain under wraps. It is...
- 10/30/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Former Sierra/Affinity sales head brings Laurel Charnetsky, Dan Stadnicki with her.
Neon has launched a sales division and brought on former Sierra/Affinity sales head Kristen Figeroid to lead the charge.
As president of international sales and distribution Figeroid will handle sales on the company’s production slate and third-party projects and leads a team featuring Laurel Charnetsky as VP, international acquisitions & operations, and Dan Stadnicki as manager, international sales & distribution.
Figeroid most recently served as managing director and EVP of sales & distribution at Sierra/Affinity and was expected to make a big move as that company’s owner eOne...
Neon has launched a sales division and brought on former Sierra/Affinity sales head Kristen Figeroid to lead the charge.
As president of international sales and distribution Figeroid will handle sales on the company’s production slate and third-party projects and leads a team featuring Laurel Charnetsky as VP, international acquisitions & operations, and Dan Stadnicki as manager, international sales & distribution.
Figeroid most recently served as managing director and EVP of sales & distribution at Sierra/Affinity and was expected to make a big move as that company’s owner eOne...
- 8/29/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Max’s first full month without ‘HBO’ in its rebranded title has a selection that kicks off summer 2023 in fine fashion. Three of the four iterations of “A Star Is Born,” including the most recent remake starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, are streaming on Max in June. The 1954 and 1976 films land June 1, while the 2018 version arrives June 8.
To prepare for Margot Robbie’s performance in “Barbie” come July, one could watch one of her more intense roles as Tonya Harding in “I, Tonya” (2017). For some lighter summer watches, viewers might consider “Dolphin Tale” (2010), “Grease” (1978), “Hairspray” (2007) or “Tooth Fairy” (2010).
“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” (2023) starring Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek Pinault lands at Max after its theatrical release in February this year. Another major theatrical release from 2022, “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022), swims onto the streamer starting June 7.
As for TV series, “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson’s “The Idol,” starring Abel...
To prepare for Margot Robbie’s performance in “Barbie” come July, one could watch one of her more intense roles as Tonya Harding in “I, Tonya” (2017). For some lighter summer watches, viewers might consider “Dolphin Tale” (2010), “Grease” (1978), “Hairspray” (2007) or “Tooth Fairy” (2010).
“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” (2023) starring Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek Pinault lands at Max after its theatrical release in February this year. Another major theatrical release from 2022, “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022), swims onto the streamer starting June 7.
As for TV series, “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson’s “The Idol,” starring Abel...
- 6/1/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
HBO Max is no more. In its place are…HBO and Max. Warner Bros. Discovery’s big change to its premier streaming service was simply to take the “HBO” off of the name “HBO Max,” leaving just “Max.” But in announcing its list of new releases for Max in June 2023, Warner is highlighting all of the HBO content anyway. So here is everything you can expect to find on Max (including every new HBO show) this month.
Even though June 2023 is the first full month of Max’s existence without the helpful “HBO” modifier in front of it, literally all of its major original offerings are thanks to the pay cable network. June 4 sees the premiere of The Idol, the controversial TV project starring The Weeknd and written by Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson. After that, season 3 of Danny McBride evangelical comedy The Righteous Gemstones premieres on June 18. That will be...
Even though June 2023 is the first full month of Max’s existence without the helpful “HBO” modifier in front of it, literally all of its major original offerings are thanks to the pay cable network. June 4 sees the premiere of The Idol, the controversial TV project starring The Weeknd and written by Euphoria‘s Sam Levinson. After that, season 3 of Danny McBride evangelical comedy The Righteous Gemstones premieres on June 18. That will be...
- 6/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Max, the new name of HBO Max as of May 23rd, will be adding a new food series with Zooey Deschanel, an animated series set in the world of Gremlins, and the rebirth of Clone High to its streaming lineup in June 2023. The Idol, starring The Weeknd and Johnny Depp’s daughter, Lily-Rose, arrives on June 4th after dividing the crowd at Cannes, and the much-anticipated third season of Warrior kicks off on June 29th.
Max’s June lineup also includes new seasons of And Just Like That…, Painting with John, and The Righteous Gemstones. Theatrical releases making their way to the streaming service include Avatar: The Way of Water and Magic Mike’s Last Dance.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In June 2023:
June 1
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
A Star Is Born (1954)
A Star Is Born (1976)
Army of Darkness (1993)
Balls of Fury (2007)
Beautiful Creatures (2013)
Big Daddy (1999)
Breach (2007)
Bulworth (1998)
Class Act (1992)
Click...
Max’s June lineup also includes new seasons of And Just Like That…, Painting with John, and The Righteous Gemstones. Theatrical releases making their way to the streaming service include Avatar: The Way of Water and Magic Mike’s Last Dance.
Series & Films Arriving On Max In June 2023:
June 1
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
A Star Is Born (1954)
A Star Is Born (1976)
Army of Darkness (1993)
Balls of Fury (2007)
Beautiful Creatures (2013)
Big Daddy (1999)
Breach (2007)
Bulworth (1998)
Class Act (1992)
Click...
- 5/28/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
The highly discussed music limited series “The Idol” is set to premiere on Max on June 4. Starring Lily-Rose Depp, pop singer The Weeknd, and Dan Levy, the show involves a rising pop star Jocelyn (played by Depp) who gets involved with Tedros (The Weeknd), a sleazy nightclub owner who may also be a cult leader. She wants a rock career, while he’s focused on exploiting everyone he meets.
Watch the trailer for “The Idol”:
Also coming to the streamer next month is the second season of “And Just Like That,” the “Sex and the City” sequel. In Season 2 — which arrives on June 22 — Charlotte’s daughter is ready to lose her virginity, Carrie explores life and love after Big, and Miranda intensifies her relationship with Che.
Check out the “And Just Like That” Season 2 trailer:
Arriving on Max on June 27 is a documentary looking at the award-winning performance art...
Watch the trailer for “The Idol”:
Also coming to the streamer next month is the second season of “And Just Like That,” the “Sex and the City” sequel. In Season 2 — which arrives on June 22 — Charlotte’s daughter is ready to lose her virginity, Carrie explores life and love after Big, and Miranda intensifies her relationship with Che.
Check out the “And Just Like That” Season 2 trailer:
Arriving on Max on June 27 is a documentary looking at the award-winning performance art...
- 5/26/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
In its first acquisition at the Cannes Film Festival, Neon has picked up North American rights to director Pablo Berger’s animated feature “Robot Dreams” ahead of its world premiere in Cannes on Saturday.
The Spanish filmmaker of “Blancanieves” based his first animated feature on the award-winning graphic novel by Sara Varon. “Robot Dreams” screens Saturday in the Special Screenings section of the festival.
Neon previously scored three consecutive Palme d’Or wins with “Parasite,” “Titane” and “Triangle of Sadness.”
“Robot Dreams” is described as a “universal exploration of the importance and fragility of friendship.” It follows Dog, a New York canine who decides to build himself a robot companion. They become inseparable, to the rhythm of 1980s New York city, until the sad summer night when Dog is forced to abandon Robot at the beach.
Berger is also a producer on the film, alongside Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia Diaz and Ángel Durández,...
The Spanish filmmaker of “Blancanieves” based his first animated feature on the award-winning graphic novel by Sara Varon. “Robot Dreams” screens Saturday in the Special Screenings section of the festival.
Neon previously scored three consecutive Palme d’Or wins with “Parasite,” “Titane” and “Triangle of Sadness.”
“Robot Dreams” is described as a “universal exploration of the importance and fragility of friendship.” It follows Dog, a New York canine who decides to build himself a robot companion. They become inseparable, to the rhythm of 1980s New York city, until the sad summer night when Dog is forced to abandon Robot at the beach.
Berger is also a producer on the film, alongside Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia Diaz and Ángel Durández,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree, whose previous film “The Painter and the Thief” picked up a host of awards including Best Storytelling at Sundance, has given Variety exclusive access to his new doc film project, “Ibelin,” at the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival.
The film is named after the “World of Warcraft” avatar of Mats Steen, a young Norwegian man who died at the age of 25 from Dmd (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy), a rare genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration.
After his death, Mats’ parents discovered that their disabled son, who for the last 10 years of his life had been wheelchair-bound and needed constant medical assistance, has led a rich and eventful life online and made friends around the world on the way.
After acquiring the rights to his story through a book published by Mats’ father and the content of Mats’ blog, Ree decided to recreate Mats’ avatar’s life in...
The film is named after the “World of Warcraft” avatar of Mats Steen, a young Norwegian man who died at the age of 25 from Dmd (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy), a rare genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration.
After his death, Mats’ parents discovered that their disabled son, who for the last 10 years of his life had been wheelchair-bound and needed constant medical assistance, has led a rich and eventful life online and made friends around the world on the way.
After acquiring the rights to his story through a book published by Mats’ father and the content of Mats’ blog, Ree decided to recreate Mats’ avatar’s life in...
- 4/1/2022
- by Lise Pedersen
- Variety Film + TV
In a competitive situation, Neon has won the rights to develop Dorothy Baker’s 1962 novel “Cassandra at the Wedding,” in partnership with Seaview and John Early.
The novel follows Cassandra Edwards, a graduate student at Berkeley, who is gay, brilliant, nerve-wracked, and miserable. She drives to her family ranch in the foothills of the Sierras to attend the wedding of her identical twin, Judith, to a young doctor from Connecticut. Cassandra has plans to sabotage the wedding.
Sarah DeLappe, who wrote “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” for A24 which recently premiered at SXSW, and also wrote the Pulitzer-nominated play, “The Wolves,” will adapt for the screen and executive produce. Neon will produce the film, with Brad Becker-Parton and Greg Nobile on behalf of Seaview, along with Early and Leslie Conliffe from Intellectual Property Group.
The deal was negotiated by Mason Speta at Neon and Conliffe, on behalf of McIntosh & Otis who are...
The novel follows Cassandra Edwards, a graduate student at Berkeley, who is gay, brilliant, nerve-wracked, and miserable. She drives to her family ranch in the foothills of the Sierras to attend the wedding of her identical twin, Judith, to a young doctor from Connecticut. Cassandra has plans to sabotage the wedding.
Sarah DeLappe, who wrote “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” for A24 which recently premiered at SXSW, and also wrote the Pulitzer-nominated play, “The Wolves,” will adapt for the screen and executive produce. Neon will produce the film, with Brad Becker-Parton and Greg Nobile on behalf of Seaview, along with Early and Leslie Conliffe from Intellectual Property Group.
The deal was negotiated by Mason Speta at Neon and Conliffe, on behalf of McIntosh & Otis who are...
- 3/29/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has signed on to produce “Seeking Mavis Beacon,” a documentary that investigates the disappearance and reexamines the legacy of one of the most influential Black women in technology.
Jazmin Jones, a Brooklyn-based filmmaker, is directing the film. Beacon’s computer software program helped define the digital age by teaching a generation to type.
“Neon has been a perfect home for this project,” Jones said in a statement. “They understood our positionality as Black femmes and share our interest in disrupting traditional documentary form. The trusting relationship we have with Neon has exceeded my expectations of the possibilities for a first time Black queer nonbinary filmmaker — it’s been a blessing.”
Neon will produce alongside Guetty Felin, an independent filmmaker, teacher, film curator and co-founder of the multicultural film company BelleMoon Productions. Olivia McKayla Ross will co-produce.
It’s been a busy stretch for Neon. In recent months, the company...
Jazmin Jones, a Brooklyn-based filmmaker, is directing the film. Beacon’s computer software program helped define the digital age by teaching a generation to type.
“Neon has been a perfect home for this project,” Jones said in a statement. “They understood our positionality as Black femmes and share our interest in disrupting traditional documentary form. The trusting relationship we have with Neon has exceeded my expectations of the possibilities for a first time Black queer nonbinary filmmaker — it’s been a blessing.”
Neon will produce alongside Guetty Felin, an independent filmmaker, teacher, film curator and co-founder of the multicultural film company BelleMoon Productions. Olivia McKayla Ross will co-produce.
It’s been a busy stretch for Neon. In recent months, the company...
- 2/24/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has acquired worldwide rights to “Beba,” the first film from New York Afro-Latina artist Rebeca Huntt. The documentary-memoir had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, where it was hailed for its “originality, inventiveness and the urgency of Huntt’s voice,” Neon said in a statement.
The film, which weaves together music, 16mm film, poetry and interviews, will get a 2022 release from Neon. The daughter of a Dominican father and Venezuelan mother, Huntt, whose nickname is “Beba,” reflects on her childhood and adolescence in New York City while investigating the historical, societal and generational trauma she has inherited. Throughout the film, she searches for a way to forge her own creative path amidst racial and political unrest.
“Poetic, powerful and profound, ‘Beba’ is a courageous, deeply human self-portrait of an Afro-Latina artist hungry for knowledge and yearning for connection,” Neon said.
Huntt wrote and directed “Beba,” and produced with Sofia Geld.
The film, which weaves together music, 16mm film, poetry and interviews, will get a 2022 release from Neon. The daughter of a Dominican father and Venezuelan mother, Huntt, whose nickname is “Beba,” reflects on her childhood and adolescence in New York City while investigating the historical, societal and generational trauma she has inherited. Throughout the film, she searches for a way to forge her own creative path amidst racial and political unrest.
“Poetic, powerful and profound, ‘Beba’ is a courageous, deeply human self-portrait of an Afro-Latina artist hungry for knowledge and yearning for connection,” Neon said.
Huntt wrote and directed “Beba,” and produced with Sofia Geld.
- 10/2/2021
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
After a stellar year picking up awards at Berlin, South by Southwest, Edinburgh and Melbourne, “Ninjababy” continued its prize-winning streak at Norway’s top plaudits for national movies, the Amanda Awards. Their prize ceremony kicked off the Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund on Saturday night.
The second feature from TV-film director Yngvild Sve Flikke (“Women in Oversized Men’s Shirts”), the ebullient comedy-drama film won out in four major categories: director, actress (Kristine Kujath Thorp), supporting actor (Nader Khademi) and screenplay.
Flikke’s sophomore feature is based on the graphic novel by Sætre, The Art of Falling,” which itself won numerous youth literature awards in 2012 for the Norwegian illustrator. The film follows aspiring artist Rakel, 23, who unexpectedly discovers she is six months pregnant and that the father is not her boyfriend, The story then pursues a series of comedic, yet grounded, twists and turns.
“I’m a restless person,...
The second feature from TV-film director Yngvild Sve Flikke (“Women in Oversized Men’s Shirts”), the ebullient comedy-drama film won out in four major categories: director, actress (Kristine Kujath Thorp), supporting actor (Nader Khademi) and screenplay.
Flikke’s sophomore feature is based on the graphic novel by Sætre, The Art of Falling,” which itself won numerous youth literature awards in 2012 for the Norwegian illustrator. The film follows aspiring artist Rakel, 23, who unexpectedly discovers she is six months pregnant and that the father is not her boyfriend, The story then pursues a series of comedic, yet grounded, twists and turns.
“I’m a restless person,...
- 8/22/2021
- by Alexander Durie
- Variety Film + TV
The Golden Trailer Awards, which honor the best trailers in movie and TV/streaming marketing, awarded Paramount’s A Quiet Place: Part II its marquee Best of Show honor Thursday night during a ceremony in Greenville, Tn.
The awards, founded and run by sisters Evelyn Brady-Watters and Monica Brady, returned after pausing for a year because of the Covid pandemic, with last night’s ceremony honoring campaigns and the companies behind them culled from a widened eligibility window for content created between April 2019-April 2021.
That meant winners in the 16 categories revealed onstage included recent releases like Black Widow and F9 but also the likes of Joker, Uncut Gems, Queen & Slim and Jojo Rabbit, which also took honors last night at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. There were also a slew of non-show category winners announced from Trashiest Trailer to the Don Lafontaine Award for Best Voice Over (see the full...
The awards, founded and run by sisters Evelyn Brady-Watters and Monica Brady, returned after pausing for a year because of the Covid pandemic, with last night’s ceremony honoring campaigns and the companies behind them culled from a widened eligibility window for content created between April 2019-April 2021.
That meant winners in the 16 categories revealed onstage included recent releases like Black Widow and F9 but also the likes of Joker, Uncut Gems, Queen & Slim and Jojo Rabbit, which also took honors last night at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. There were also a slew of non-show category winners announced from Trashiest Trailer to the Don Lafontaine Award for Best Voice Over (see the full...
- 7/23/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The nominations are out for the 21st annual Golden Trailer Awards, which celebrate the pros who created the trailers and film marketing for new movies from the past two years. Check out the full list below.
The honors cover content created between April 2019 and April 2021 from studios, independent films and foreign films. Winners will be announced during a hybrid ceremony July 22 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, Tn. Winners in 16 categories will be honored during a livestream that starts at 7 p.m. Pt.
“We’re absolutely amazed at the talent we’ve seen over the past couple years,” said Evelyn Brady-Watters, who co-founded the GTAs with her sister, Monica Brady. “Especially with the turbulent times we’ve had, we’re honored to celebrate the incredible and entertaining work of our industry professionals, whose craft shines through and entertains us through good times and bad.”
Here are the nominees...
The honors cover content created between April 2019 and April 2021 from studios, independent films and foreign films. Winners will be announced during a hybrid ceremony July 22 at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, Tn. Winners in 16 categories will be honored during a livestream that starts at 7 p.m. Pt.
“We’re absolutely amazed at the talent we’ve seen over the past couple years,” said Evelyn Brady-Watters, who co-founded the GTAs with her sister, Monica Brady. “Especially with the turbulent times we’ve had, we’re honored to celebrate the incredible and entertaining work of our industry professionals, whose craft shines through and entertains us through good times and bad.”
Here are the nominees...
- 7/9/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
From “The Painter and the Thief” to “Apollo 11” and “Gunda,” Neon is proving to be a rich home to documentary film. The latest entry from the distributor is Jamila Wignot’s “Ailey,” a documentary about multi-hyphenate dancer, choreographer, director, and activist Alvin Ailey, who up until his death in 1989 inspired generations of dancers and founded the towering Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. “Ailey,” which first premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, releases on July 23 in theaters. Watch the official trailer for the film below.
Here’s the official synopsis, courtesy of Neon: “Many know the name Alvin Ailey, but how many know the man? Ailey’s commitment to searching for truth in movement resulted in pioneering and enduring choreography that centers on African American experiences. Director Jamila Wignot’s resonant biography grants artful access to the elusive visionary who founded one of the world’s most renowned dance companies,...
Here’s the official synopsis, courtesy of Neon: “Many know the name Alvin Ailey, but how many know the man? Ailey’s commitment to searching for truth in movement resulted in pioneering and enduring choreography that centers on African American experiences. Director Jamila Wignot’s resonant biography grants artful access to the elusive visionary who founded one of the world’s most renowned dance companies,...
- 5/27/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Alternativet Produksjon, the Norwegian film banner behind Guro Bruusgaard’s “Him,” has more thought-provoking projects in the pipeline, including Mariken Halle’s pandemic-themed film “The Outdoor School” and Katja Eyde Jacobsen’s feminist movie “The Second Sex.”
The company was launched in 2017 by four filmmakers, including Halle, Jacobsen, Bruusgaard and Magnus Mork to produce their movies collectively, with a special interest in politically or socially engaged projets. The banner’s latest film credit, “Him,” revolves around three males of different ages who experience some form of social humiliation. The buzzed-about film had its international premiere last month at the Moscow Festival, where it competed.
“The Second Sex,” which seems to be the female counterpart to “Him,” follows three generations of Norwegian women in different social settings. Weaving documentary and fictional elements, the film revolves around a grandmother, a mother and a daughter, and their relationship with one another. “The Second...
The company was launched in 2017 by four filmmakers, including Halle, Jacobsen, Bruusgaard and Magnus Mork to produce their movies collectively, with a special interest in politically or socially engaged projets. The banner’s latest film credit, “Him,” revolves around three males of different ages who experience some form of social humiliation. The buzzed-about film had its international premiere last month at the Moscow Festival, where it competed.
“The Second Sex,” which seems to be the female counterpart to “Him,” follows three generations of Norwegian women in different social settings. Weaving documentary and fictional elements, the film revolves around a grandmother, a mother and a daughter, and their relationship with one another. “The Second...
- 5/5/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
The 73rd annual Directors Guild of America Awards kicked off on Saturday evening. The awards honored the best directing in film and television of the past year.
This year, nominees Lee Isaac Chung for “Minari,” Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman,” David Fincher for “Mank,” Aaron Sorkin for “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” and Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland” vied for the top directorial prize for film, with Zhao winning.
On the TV side, “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Homeland,” and “The Flight Attendant” won the major prizes, shaking up the race as we head into Emmys season.
The DGA prize is often considered a bellwether for the Best Director Oscar. Recent DGA winners that went on to repeat at the Academy Awards include Alfonso Cuarón for “Roma,” Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water,” Damien Chazelle for “La La Land,” and Alejandro G. Iñárritu for both “The Revenant” and “Birdman...
This year, nominees Lee Isaac Chung for “Minari,” Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman,” David Fincher for “Mank,” Aaron Sorkin for “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” and Chloé Zhao for “Nomadland” vied for the top directorial prize for film, with Zhao winning.
On the TV side, “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Homeland,” and “The Flight Attendant” won the major prizes, shaking up the race as we head into Emmys season.
The DGA prize is often considered a bellwether for the Best Director Oscar. Recent DGA winners that went on to repeat at the Academy Awards include Alfonso Cuarón for “Roma,” Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water,” Damien Chazelle for “La La Land,” and Alejandro G. Iñárritu for both “The Revenant” and “Birdman...
- 4/11/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Chloé Zhao was named the best director of 2020 at the 73rd annual Directors Guild Awards, which were presented on Saturday in a virtual ceremony.
Zhao’s win for her quiet road film “Nomadland” makes her the second woman to win the DGA Award for feature film, after Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker” in 2010. Only 10 women have ever been nominated in the category, with this year marking the first time that two female directors were nominated in the category in one year. (The other was Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman.”)
The win for Zhao comes two weeks after “Nomaldland” also won the Producers Guild Award, making it the only film to win more than one prize from the four major guilds. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” won the Screen Actors Guild’s ensemble award, while “Promising Young Woman” and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” won Writers Guild Awards. The combination...
Zhao’s win for her quiet road film “Nomadland” makes her the second woman to win the DGA Award for feature film, after Kathryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker” in 2010. Only 10 women have ever been nominated in the category, with this year marking the first time that two female directors were nominated in the category in one year. (The other was Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman.”)
The win for Zhao comes two weeks after “Nomaldland” also won the Producers Guild Award, making it the only film to win more than one prize from the four major guilds. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” won the Screen Actors Guild’s ensemble award, while “Promising Young Woman” and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” won Writers Guild Awards. The combination...
- 4/10/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The 73rd Directors Guild of America Awards took place on Saturday, April 10 in a virtual ceremony. These kudos honored the best helmers of the year in film and television, as voted on by more than 18,000 members of the directing guild. The all-important DGA feature film nominees were Chloe Zhao (“Nomadland”), Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”), David Fincher (“Mank”), Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) and Aaron Sorkin (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”). Scroll down for the full winners list in three film and eight TV categories.
The DGA’s feature film category is one of the most telling bellwethers for the Best Director Oscar. The guild and the academy have only disagreed eight times over the past seven decades, including last year when Sam Mendes (“1917”) won the DGA but Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) claimed the Oscar. Will this year’s guild winner follow the path of so many prior champs?...
The DGA’s feature film category is one of the most telling bellwethers for the Best Director Oscar. The guild and the academy have only disagreed eight times over the past seven decades, including last year when Sam Mendes (“1917”) won the DGA but Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) claimed the Oscar. Will this year’s guild winner follow the path of so many prior champs?...
- 4/10/2021
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
When the 73rd Directors Guild of America Awards take place on April 10, look for some of the big winners to be Chloe Zhao (“Nomadland”), Regina King (“One Night in Miami”) and David France (“Welcome to Chechnya”). These kudos honor the best helmers of the year in film and television, as voted on by more than 18,000 members of the directing guild. Scroll down to see Gold Derby’s predictions in seven categories listed in order of their racetrack odds, with projected winners highlighted in gold.
Our 2021 DGA Awards odds are based on the combined forecasts of 1,600 Gold Derby readers, including Experts we’ve polled from major media outlets, Editors who cover awards year-round for this website, Top 24 Users who did the best predicting last year’s winners, All-Star Users who had the best prediction scores over the last two years, and the mass of Users who make up our biggest predictions bloc.
Our 2021 DGA Awards odds are based on the combined forecasts of 1,600 Gold Derby readers, including Experts we’ve polled from major media outlets, Editors who cover awards year-round for this website, Top 24 Users who did the best predicting last year’s winners, All-Star Users who had the best prediction scores over the last two years, and the mass of Users who make up our biggest predictions bloc.
- 4/8/2021
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
The 15 shortlisted contenders for Best Documentary Feature showcase the diversity and power in vérité storytelling with such a vast array of subjects and visions. From racial injustice and voter suppression to government conspiracies and emotionally connecting with animals, these stories, from all corners of life, illuminate the world we live in today.
Both the 15 semi-finalists and five nominees were determined by preferential voting. Final voting for the winner is widened to all academy members who attest to having watched all the nominees. Let’s take a closer look at the 15 films and their performances at the precursor awards.
The film that tackles 2020’s most pressing issue is “76 Days,” which gives an insider view of overwhelmed frontline workers caring for patients battling Covid-19 in Wuhan hospitals during its citywide lockdown. The direct cinema filmmaking highlights the doctors and nurses’ nonstop care, sustained compassion, and waves of anguish, all while donning...
Both the 15 semi-finalists and five nominees were determined by preferential voting. Final voting for the winner is widened to all academy members who attest to having watched all the nominees. Let’s take a closer look at the 15 films and their performances at the precursor awards.
The film that tackles 2020’s most pressing issue is “76 Days,” which gives an insider view of overwhelmed frontline workers caring for patients battling Covid-19 in Wuhan hospitals during its citywide lockdown. The direct cinema filmmaking highlights the doctors and nurses’ nonstop care, sustained compassion, and waves of anguish, all while donning...
- 3/14/2021
- by Nick Ruhrkraut
- Gold Derby
Oscar voting is wrapping on Wednesday, but it ain’t over ’til it’s over. Film distributor Neon, the reigning champion at the Academy Awards for best picture with “Parasite,” has another stack of contenders this year, all unique in awards discussions. CEO and co-founder Tom Quinn has always pushed the boundaries of cinema, and deeply believes in cultural representation in front and behind the camera, and the way consumers and Academy voters accept the film medium.
“Neon’s entire mission is built around the power of cinema,” Quinn says. “Cinema for us starts in the theater, a collective body of strangers coming together to see a director’s vision — unedited, uninterrupted — and with that comes great power.”
In this bonus episode of the “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,” Quinn talks about Neon’s robust slate, which includes the comedy “Palm Springs,” international features like “Night of the Kings,” and docs...
“Neon’s entire mission is built around the power of cinema,” Quinn says. “Cinema for us starts in the theater, a collective body of strangers coming together to see a director’s vision — unedited, uninterrupted — and with that comes great power.”
In this bonus episode of the “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,” Quinn talks about Neon’s robust slate, which includes the comedy “Palm Springs,” international features like “Night of the Kings,” and docs...
- 3/9/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Directors Guild of America has announced its nominations for the 2021 awards season, a big deal considering what a bellwether the DGA Awards are for the Best Director race at the Academy Awards. Prior to the 2020 DGA Awards ceremony, the last six DGA winners all went on to repeat at the Academy Awards: Alfonso Cuaron for “Roma,” Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water,” Damien Chazelle for “La La Land,” and Alejandro G. Iñárritu for both “The Revenant” and “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).” Sam Mendes won the 2020 DGA Award for “1917,” but it was Bong Joon Ho who prevailed at the Oscars for “Parasite.”
The Directors Guild of America started to award a prize for first-time feature filmmaking beginning in 2015 and have done so again in 2021. The five winners of the DGA’s first-time prize are Alex Garland for “Ex Machina,” Garth Davis for “Lion,” Jordan Peele for “Get Out,...
The Directors Guild of America started to award a prize for first-time feature filmmaking beginning in 2015 and have done so again in 2021. The five winners of the DGA’s first-time prize are Alex Garland for “Ex Machina,” Garth Davis for “Lion,” Jordan Peele for “Get Out,...
- 3/9/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Guild nominees include directors of Boys State, Bridgerton, WandaVision and The Undoing.
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has named the nominees for its television, commercials and documentary awards.
Included in the list are the directors of feature documentaries The Truffle Hunters, My Octopus Teacher, Welcome to Chechnya, Boys State and The Painter And The Thief.
In the TV categories, British director Julie Anne Robinson gets a nod for her work on Bridgerton in a dramatic series line-up that also includes directors of Ozark, The Mandalorian, Better Call Saul and Homeland.
The DGA’s TV movie and limited series nominations...
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has named the nominees for its television, commercials and documentary awards.
Included in the list are the directors of feature documentaries The Truffle Hunters, My Octopus Teacher, Welcome to Chechnya, Boys State and The Painter And The Thief.
In the TV categories, British director Julie Anne Robinson gets a nod for her work on Bridgerton in a dramatic series line-up that also includes directors of Ozark, The Mandalorian, Better Call Saul and Homeland.
The DGA’s TV movie and limited series nominations...
- 3/8/2021
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
The Directors Guild of America (DGA) announced the television nominations for the 2020 DGA Awards on Monday, honoring “Ted Lasso,” “WandaVision,” and “The Queen’s Gambit” as examples of some of the finest directorial work that the medium has to offer.
Both Comedy and Drama categories saw complete turnover in nominees from 2019, with none of the series honored last year airing episodes during the window of eligibility in 2020. Therefore the celebration is guaranteed to get an injection of fresh blood, a welcome development with any awards body.
Curiously, the wide open field allowed for some surprising series to garner their first ever DGA nominations, including AMC’s “Better Call Saul” and Disney+’s “The Mandalorian.”
Also announced today were the DGA Award nominations for Documentary, including nods for “Boys State” and “The Truffle Hunters.”
The Theatrical Feature Film and First-Time Feature Film nominees for this year’s DGA Awards will be announced Tuesday,...
Both Comedy and Drama categories saw complete turnover in nominees from 2019, with none of the series honored last year airing episodes during the window of eligibility in 2020. Therefore the celebration is guaranteed to get an injection of fresh blood, a welcome development with any awards body.
Curiously, the wide open field allowed for some surprising series to garner their first ever DGA nominations, including AMC’s “Better Call Saul” and Disney+’s “The Mandalorian.”
Also announced today were the DGA Award nominations for Documentary, including nods for “Boys State” and “The Truffle Hunters.”
The Theatrical Feature Film and First-Time Feature Film nominees for this year’s DGA Awards will be announced Tuesday,...
- 3/8/2021
- by Libby Hill
- Indiewire
Neon said Thursday that it is partnering with film-centric social media platform Letterboxd to make six of the distributor’s Oscar-shortlisted pics available exclusively on the service for a week beginning Monday. Those titles include Victor Kossakovsky’s documentary Gunda and Jasmila Žbanić’s Quo Vadis, Aida?, the official Oscar submission of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It will mark the U.S. premiere dates for both titles, and the first time Letterboxd will be offering new films that have not streamed on any other platforms.
Those two, plus the documentaries Notturno and The Painter and the Thief along with Andrei Konchalovsky’s Dear Comrades! and Philippe Lacôte’s Night of the Kings, are involved in the deal. The will be available from March 8-14 as a package for $19.99.
Neon, which distributed last year’s Best Picture Oscar winner Parasite, made Gunda one of the first U.S. deals at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival.
It will mark the U.S. premiere dates for both titles, and the first time Letterboxd will be offering new films that have not streamed on any other platforms.
Those two, plus the documentaries Notturno and The Painter and the Thief along with Andrei Konchalovsky’s Dear Comrades! and Philippe Lacôte’s Night of the Kings, are involved in the deal. The will be available from March 8-14 as a package for $19.99.
Neon, which distributed last year’s Best Picture Oscar winner Parasite, made Gunda one of the first U.S. deals at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival.
- 3/4/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Distributor Neon is partnering with Letterboxd, the fast-growing global social network for movie discussion and discovery, to give the platform’s users access to the studio’s slate of documentary and foreign films shortlisted for the 93rd Academy Awards. From March 8 through March 14, Letterboxd users can stream all of Neon’s six shortlisted titles for the discounted bundle price of $19.99 over at watch.neonrated.com. This news marks the first time Letterboxd will be offering new films that have not streamed on any other platforms directly to its member base.
The six films included in the bundle will be documentary contender “Gunda” directed by Victor Kossakovsky and executive produced by Joaquin Phoenix; Gianfranco Rosi’s “Notturno,” which is Italy’s submission for the Best International Feature Academy Award; “The Painter and the Thief,” directed by Benjamin Ree and shortlisted for the Best Documentary Oscar; Andrei Konchalovsky’s Best International Feature submission from Russia,...
The six films included in the bundle will be documentary contender “Gunda” directed by Victor Kossakovsky and executive produced by Joaquin Phoenix; Gianfranco Rosi’s “Notturno,” which is Italy’s submission for the Best International Feature Academy Award; “The Painter and the Thief,” directed by Benjamin Ree and shortlisted for the Best Documentary Oscar; Andrei Konchalovsky’s Best International Feature submission from Russia,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Could this be Norway’s year at the Oscars? An unprecedented number of Norwegian productions and co-productions are on this year’s shortlists, exciting the domestic media, industry and audiences.
“Recognition from the Oscars is a great inspiration for all of us who have an ambition to reach outside our own borders,” says Yngve Saether of Motlys, who served as executive producer of Norway’s shortlisted international feature submission “Hope.” “And it builds confidence. Even though it’s a long way to four nominations, the shortlistings are welcome reminders that our films have something to do out there.”
Likewise, Anita Larsen, producer of the documentary “Gunda,” about the life cycle of a majestic Norwegian sow, through her company Sant og Usant, says: “I believe this will create a broader interest both for Norwegian stories, filmmakers and new co-productions opportunities.”
“Hope,” an intense and well-liked personal drama from helmer Maria Sødahl,...
“Recognition from the Oscars is a great inspiration for all of us who have an ambition to reach outside our own borders,” says Yngve Saether of Motlys, who served as executive producer of Norway’s shortlisted international feature submission “Hope.” “And it builds confidence. Even though it’s a long way to four nominations, the shortlistings are welcome reminders that our films have something to do out there.”
Likewise, Anita Larsen, producer of the documentary “Gunda,” about the life cycle of a majestic Norwegian sow, through her company Sant og Usant, says: “I believe this will create a broader interest both for Norwegian stories, filmmakers and new co-productions opportunities.”
“Hope,” an intense and well-liked personal drama from helmer Maria Sødahl,...
- 3/4/2021
- by Alissa Simon
- Variety Film + TV
As hooks go, The Painter and the Thief has a great one: The Oscar-shortlisted documentary, by 31-year-old Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree, follows a friendship between a Czech painter and the tattooed gangster who stole two of her most valuable works from an Oslo art gallery. What begins as a caper with a twist, however, soon reveals itself to be a much deeper rumination on things like friendship, self-destructiveness and the artistic impulse.
“I read about the robbery from newspapers in Norway,” explains Ree via a Zoom call from his home in Oslo, where he’s seated beside a sun-mimicking ...
“I read about the robbery from newspapers in Norway,” explains Ree via a Zoom call from his home in Oslo, where he’s seated beside a sun-mimicking ...
As hooks go, The Painter and the Thief has a great one: The Oscar-shortlisted documentary, by 31-year-old Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree, follows a friendship between a Czech painter and the tattooed gangster who stole two of her most valuable works from an Oslo art gallery. What begins as a caper with a twist, however, soon reveals itself to be a much deeper rumination on things like friendship, self-destructiveness and the artistic impulse.
“I read about the robbery from newspapers in Norway,” explains Ree via a Zoom call from his home in Oslo, where he’s seated beside a sun-mimicking ...
“I read about the robbery from newspapers in Norway,” explains Ree via a Zoom call from his home in Oslo, where he’s seated beside a sun-mimicking ...
I first met Tom Quinn, the film distributor Neon’s co-founder, at a party at the Telluride Film Festival in August 2019. With his film talent in attendance, including “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho and “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” star Adèle Haenel, a 10-minute side conversation with the CEO has remained prevalent in my mind. At the time, I conveyed to him my thoughts that Bong’s film from South Korea had a real chance to win best picture at the Oscars later in the year. I probably wasn’t the first person to make such a declaration, as the film had premiered at Cannes months earlier, and the buzz was palpable, even though it probably wasn’t believed by the masses as of yet. Without skipping a beat, Quinn almost ignored the comment, quickly stating, “That’s great, but do you know what I really want? I want...
- 2/22/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
This year’s contenders are a crew of motley, scrappy, more-indie-than-usual films, led by frontrunners “Nomadland” (Searchlight) and “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Paramount/Netflix). Which factors will determine those that cross the nomination finish line?
Here’s what I have gleaned about what’s likely in the two-months delayed voting period (March 5-10), when 9,362 Oscar voters (up 893 from 2020) from 17 branches may pick the final contenders in 23 categories. Nominations come March 15, ahead of the latest-ever Oscars on April 25.
1. Besides actors, international Academy voters carry the most sway.
This year, 49 percent of invited new Academy members came from overseas, including such Europeans as the music branch’s Bernie Taupin (“Rocket Man”), director Ladj Ly (“Les Miserables”), and actors Florence Pugh (“Little Women”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”).
Look at overseas awards for clues of which films have support. It helps to know that Denmark’s “Another Round,” starring popular Mads Mikkelsen,...
Here’s what I have gleaned about what’s likely in the two-months delayed voting period (March 5-10), when 9,362 Oscar voters (up 893 from 2020) from 17 branches may pick the final contenders in 23 categories. Nominations come March 15, ahead of the latest-ever Oscars on April 25.
1. Besides actors, international Academy voters carry the most sway.
This year, 49 percent of invited new Academy members came from overseas, including such Europeans as the music branch’s Bernie Taupin (“Rocket Man”), director Ladj Ly (“Les Miserables”), and actors Florence Pugh (“Little Women”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”).
Look at overseas awards for clues of which films have support. It helps to know that Denmark’s “Another Round,” starring popular Mads Mikkelsen,...
- 2/19/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
This year’s contenders are a crew of motley, scrappy, more-indie-than-usual films, led by frontrunners “Nomadland” (Searchlight) and “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Paramount/Netflix). Which factors will determine those that cross the nomination finish line?
Here’s what I have gleaned about what’s likely in the two-months delayed voting period (March 5-10), when 9,362 Oscar voters (up 893 from 2020) from 17 branches may pick the final contenders in 23 categories. Nominations come March 15, ahead of the latest-ever Oscars on April 25.
1. Besides actors, international Academy voters carry the most sway.
This year, 49 percent of invited new Academy members came from overseas, including such Europeans as the music branch’s Bernie Taupin (“Rocket Man”), director Ladj Ly (“Les Miserables”), and actors Florence Pugh (“Little Women”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”).
Look at overseas awards for clues of which films have support. It helps to know that Denmark’s “Another Round,” starring popular Mads Mikkelsen,...
Here’s what I have gleaned about what’s likely in the two-months delayed voting period (March 5-10), when 9,362 Oscar voters (up 893 from 2020) from 17 branches may pick the final contenders in 23 categories. Nominations come March 15, ahead of the latest-ever Oscars on April 25.
1. Besides actors, international Academy voters carry the most sway.
This year, 49 percent of invited new Academy members came from overseas, including such Europeans as the music branch’s Bernie Taupin (“Rocket Man”), director Ladj Ly (“Les Miserables”), and actors Florence Pugh (“Little Women”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”).
Look at overseas awards for clues of which films have support. It helps to know that Denmark’s “Another Round,” starring popular Mads Mikkelsen,...
- 2/19/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Predicting the winner of the Best Documentary Feature Oscar will become a lot easier in the new year when the academy announces the 15 films that have made the shortlist. Those semi-finalists are culled from the 150 plus titles that qualify every year for consideration. (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2021 Oscars predictions for Best Documentary Feature.)
To winnow these down to a manageable number, the academy adds newly eligible documentary feature to a virtual screening room available to all 500 plus members of the documentary branch. While all members are encouraged to watch as many of these as they can, one-fifth of the voters are assigned each title. In the new year, each branch member will submit a preferential ballot listing their top 15 choices.
All of these ballots will be collated to determine the 15 semi-finalists. Branch members will then be encouraged to watch those films on this list that they haven’t...
To winnow these down to a manageable number, the academy adds newly eligible documentary feature to a virtual screening room available to all 500 plus members of the documentary branch. While all members are encouraged to watch as many of these as they can, one-fifth of the voters are assigned each title. In the new year, each branch member will submit a preferential ballot listing their top 15 choices.
All of these ballots will be collated to determine the 15 semi-finalists. Branch members will then be encouraged to watch those films on this list that they haven’t...
- 2/10/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
There’s still a ton of mystery about what will receive Oscar nominations this year, but today a tiny bit of that disappeared. Yes, the Academy announced nine category shortlists, helping to let us know who and what are still in contention below the line. The categories are as follows: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects. Read on below to view the lists… Here is their press release: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced shortlists in nine categories for the 93rd Academy Awards®: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, International Feature Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, Music (Original Score), Music (Original Song), Animated Short Film, Live Action Short Film and Visual Effects. Download shortlists by category here. Documentary Feature Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary...
- 2/9/2021
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
The academy released the 2021 Oscars shortlists in nine categories on Tuesday, February 9. The hopefuls in a wide range of races found out if they are remain in contention for the 93rd annual Academy Awards. Among these are the marquee categories for Best International Feature Film (which was pared down to 10 films from the 93 submitted) and Best Documentary Feature (which went from 238 to 15).
Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from upwards of 100 submissions apiece. The Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Visual Effects races as well as the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action — were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
Two hundred and thirty-eight films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title,...
Both music awards – Best Original Song and Best Original Score — were winnowed down to just 15 contenders from upwards of 100 submissions apiece. The Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Visual Effects races as well as the three awards for shorts – animated, documentary and live-action — were culled from dozens of entries to 10 apiece.
Documentary Feature
Two hundred and thirty-eight films were eligible for consideration; there are 15 on the shortlist. Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees. The films, listed in alphabetical order by title,...
- 2/9/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
The largest field of documentaries in Oscar history has been narrowed down to 15 semifinalists, with almost all of the films that were expected to advance to the shortlist doing so.
Kirsten Johnson’s “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” Garrett Bradley’s “Time,” Alexander Nanau’s “Collective,” Viktor Kosakovskiy’s “Gunda,” James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham’s “Crip Camp” and David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya,” which led all of the year’s nonfiction films in previous nominations and wins, were among the films that advanced from the record field of 238 qualifying docs. That number shattered the previous record of 170 eligible documentaries, which was set in 2017.
Other films that made the shortlist included “All In: The Fight for Democracy,” “Boys State,” “MLK/FBI,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “The Painter and the Thief,” “76 Days” and “The Truffle Hunters.” Two documentaries that were also entered in the Oscars’ international race, Chile’s “The Mole Agent” and Italy’s “Notturno,...
Kirsten Johnson’s “Dick Johnson Is Dead,” Garrett Bradley’s “Time,” Alexander Nanau’s “Collective,” Viktor Kosakovskiy’s “Gunda,” James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham’s “Crip Camp” and David France’s “Welcome to Chechnya,” which led all of the year’s nonfiction films in previous nominations and wins, were among the films that advanced from the record field of 238 qualifying docs. That number shattered the previous record of 170 eligible documentaries, which was set in 2017.
Other films that made the shortlist included “All In: The Fight for Democracy,” “Boys State,” “MLK/FBI,” “My Octopus Teacher,” “The Painter and the Thief,” “76 Days” and “The Truffle Hunters.” Two documentaries that were also entered in the Oscars’ international race, Chile’s “The Mole Agent” and Italy’s “Notturno,...
- 2/9/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the shortlists for nine categories for the upcoming Oscars. The categories and number of films include documentary feature (15), documentary short subject (10), international feature (15), makeup and hairstyling (10), original score (15), original song (15), animated short film (10), live action short film (10) and visual effects (10).
The shortlist voting concluded on Feb. 5, and the remaining will move on to the official phase one voting, which will take place on March 5-9. The Oscar nominations will be announced on March 15, with the show scheduled to take place on April 25.
The full lists are below with snubs and surprises:
Documentary Feature
Fifteen films will advance in the documentary feature category out of 238 films eligible films. Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“76 Days” (MTV Documentary Films) – directed by Weixi Chen, Hao Wu, Anonymous “All In: The Fight for Democracy” (Amazon Studios) – directed by Lisa Cortes,...
The shortlist voting concluded on Feb. 5, and the remaining will move on to the official phase one voting, which will take place on March 5-9. The Oscar nominations will be announced on March 15, with the show scheduled to take place on April 25.
The full lists are below with snubs and surprises:
Documentary Feature
Fifteen films will advance in the documentary feature category out of 238 films eligible films. Members of the documentary branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.
“76 Days” (MTV Documentary Films) – directed by Weixi Chen, Hao Wu, Anonymous “All In: The Fight for Democracy” (Amazon Studios) – directed by Lisa Cortes,...
- 2/9/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscar shortlists are out in nine categories including International Film, Documentary Feature, Music Score and Song, Makeup & Hairstyling, Visual Effects and Shorts. These are the first indicator of strength in the race for the 93rd Annual Academy Awards and, though the lists contain few real surprises, is especially good news for those films that are mentioned more than once.
Leading the pack with three mentions apiece are Netflix’s holiday film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, David Fincher’s Mank and Disney’s Mulan.
Films receiving two mentions each are The Little Things, One Night in Miami, Birds of Prey, The Life Ahead, The Midnight Sky, Minari, Soul, The One and Only Ivan, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Tenet. Also doubling up in both the Documentary Feature and International Feature Film categories...
Leading the pack with three mentions apiece are Netflix’s holiday film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, David Fincher’s Mank and Disney’s Mulan.
Films receiving two mentions each are The Little Things, One Night in Miami, Birds of Prey, The Life Ahead, The Midnight Sky, Minari, Soul, The One and Only Ivan, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Tenet. Also doubling up in both the Documentary Feature and International Feature Film categories...
- 2/9/2021
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
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