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SXSW Film Festival producer Matt Dentler tells us that today is seeing a number of 2006 and 2007 festival favorites hitting theaters or expanding.
- SXSW 2007 Opening Night Film, The Lookout, opens on about 1,000 screens across the country courtesy of Miramax.
- SXSW 2007 selection, The Prisoner, or: How I Planned to Kill Tony Blair, expands in several markets this weekend courtesy of Red Envelope and Truly Indie.
- SXSW 2007 selection, After the Wedding, opens in NY/LA and select cities courtesy of IFC Films.
- SXSW 2006 jury award-winner, Live Free or Die, opens in select cities on the East Coast courtesy of THINKFilm.
- SXSW 2006 audience award-winner, Air Guitar Nation, opens in Los Angeles after a successful New York bow, courtesy of Docurama and Shadow Distribution.
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Here are some more details about the extras on the Alpha Dog DVD:
A Cautionary Tale: The Making of Alpha Dog -- This exclusive documentary look takes viewers behind the scenes for an inside look at the making of the film.
Witness Timeline: Get detailed information on each witness as the shocking events unfold.
Exclusive to the HD DVD/DVD: U-Control Witness Timeline - Access detailed information about each witness as the story's shocking events unfold, without interruption to the movie experience.
Alpha Dog will be released on DVD and HD DVD/DVD Combo on May 1.
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And speaking of DVD extras, we attended the World Premiere of The Bondage at the 2006 SXSW Film Festival. It was our #1 Top Pick of that festival and one of our Top Picks of the year. We saw it again at the Sedona International Film Festival a month ago, albeit with 15 minutes cut out of it. Now we hear from the filmmakers that some, if not all, of those deleted scenes will be included in the DVD extras when the time comes.
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Much thanks to the Kent Dispatch for quoting us in today's edition. The article talks about this Sunday's East Coast Premiere of Man in the Chair at the Kent Film Festival:
"As Larry Richman said in his review on PROnetworks, 'It's hard to imagine anyone of any age not being able to relate to this film and be moved by it.' 'Man in the Chair' is so groundbreaking that it has the potential to be a modern-day 'Grapes of Wrath.'"
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Cashback tied with Sweet Mud for the best narrative feature award at the 10th annual Bermuda International Film Festival. Cashback was our #1 Top Pick from the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival (of over 30 films screened there) and one of our Top Picks of 2006.
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The 2007 Tribeca Film Festival has now released its official schedule with dates, times, and locations for all screenings. As we reported earlier, there are 5 films in particular that we are excited about.
These are all World Premieres, and most of the cast, filmmakers, and crew will be in attendance to conduct a Q&A afterward.
The Air I Breathe, with an all-star cast including Sarah Michelle-Gellar, Kevin Bacon, Emile Hirsch, Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, and Forest Whitaker.
There will be 3 screenings:
Sun, Apr 29, 6:00pm
BMCC TribecaPAC Theater 1
Mon, Apr 30, 7:30pm
AMC 34th Street Theater 11
Fri, May 4, 6:00pm
BMCC TribecaPAC Theater 1
Charlie Bartlett, with Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr,, and Hope Davis.
There will be 4 screenings:
Tue, May 1, 5:30pm
Pace Schimmel Center
Thu, May 3, 4:00pm
AMC 34th Street Theater 11
Fri, May 4, 7:00pm
AMC Kips Bay Theater 15
Sun, May 6, Noon
AMC Kips Bay Theater 11
The Final Season, with Sean Astin, Michael Angarano, Powers Boothe, Rachel Leigh Cook, and Tom Arnold. We've covered this film extensively over the past year and had previously reported this selection.
There will be 3 screenings:
Sat, Apr 28, 8:30pm
Pace Schimmel Center
Tue, May 1, 3:30pm
AMC 34th Street Theater 9
Sat, May 5, 11:00am
AMC Kips Bay Theater 13
Nobel Son, with Shawn Hatosy, Alan Rickman, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, and Danny DeVito.
There will be 3 screenings:
Sat, Apr 28, 2:00pm
Clearview Chelsea West Theater 1
Mon, Apr 30, 4:00pm
Clearview Chelsea West Theater 2
Wed, May 2, 6:00pm
BMCC TribecaPAC Theater 1
Chasing 3000, with Trevor Morgan, Rory Culkin, Ray Liotta, and Lauren Holly.
There will be 4 screenings:
Sun, Apr 29, 6:15pm
AMC 34th Street Theater 13
Mon, Apr 30, 3:30pm
AMC 34th Street Theater 9
Wed, May 2, 6:15pm
AMC Kips Bay Theater 14
Sat, May 5, 5:00pm
Regal Cinemas Theater 10
Check out the Tribeca Film Festival site for the complete schedule.
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We generally try to avoid discussing projects when an actor is still "in talks" with the producers. Anything can happen, and it's usually best to report the info directly from the source. Now that his official site has posted it, we are happy to report that Michael Angarano (Sky High, Lords of Dogtown) will indeed star with Jet Li and Jackie Chan in what is being called "the untitled J&J project." There has been quite a bit of buzz about this in cyberspace the last week or so. Now we can put an end to the speculation.
"Rob Minkoff is directing, while Casey Silver produces," his site says. "Mike will play a troubled 17-year-old wannabe kung fu warrior who, after a humiliating defeat at the hands of a street gang, is sent back in time to ancient China on an impossible mission to set free the imprisoned Monkey King (Li) and return to him his all-powerful staff. John Fusco wrote the script."
Mike has no less than 5 independent films in the can awaiting release. We attended the World Premieres of 4 of them in the past year (The Bondage, Black Irish, Snow Angels, Man in the Chair) and are about to attend number 5 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York (The Final Season). This new project will be his first Hollywood studio film since 2005's Sky High and Lords of Dogtown.
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It has been widely reported over the past few days that Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door, Lords of Dogtown) would be taking on the role of Speed Racer in the upcoming Wachowski brothers film due out May 9, 2008. But it wasn't official until today.
Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures made the announcement.
"Emile Hirsch is one of today's fastest-rising young stars, which makes him the perfect choice to take the wheel of Speed's Mach 5," Rubinov said in a statement. "He continues to showcase his talents in a variety of challenging roles and we are thrilled to have him in the title role of Speed Racer."
Emile recorded this message to his fans:
"Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be in a movie like this with guys like Larry and Andy, who made The Matrix, which is just one of my favorite trilogies of all time. It's just a new vision, something you've never really seen before. It's futuristic, like Blade Runner meets Andy Warhol kind of pop art and just this kind of colorful world. There's something about racing. In America everybody has a car so everybody can be Speed in a weird way. One of the dangerous parts of the audition process for me was I'd get into the character of Speed and I'd be like driving home after the audition like (mimics racecar noise). You gotta be careful driving. It's crazy."
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Once I've attended a festival and chosen my Top Picks, I don't just move on to the next collection of films. I continue to follow the progress of those which I've selected as the best. And so, in that spirit, here are some upcoming festival bookings for films I've chosen as Top Picks:
Fay Grim --
* Philadelphia Film Festival. It will screen in the International Masters section. There will be 2 screenings:
Saturday, April 7 at 5:00 PM, The Bridge
Sunday, April 8 at 7:00 PM, Prince Music Theater
* Sarasota Film Festival, April 13-22.
* 5th Annual Independent Film Festival of Boston, April 25-30.
* Atlanta Film Festival, Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 PM. It is the official closing night film.
Cashback --
* Philadelphia Film Festival. It will be screened in the World Focus section. There will be 2 screenings:
Thursday, April 12 at 9:30 PM, Ritz Five
Saturday, April 14 at 5:15 PM, The Bridge
Swedish Auto --
* Philadelphia Film Festival. It will screen in the American Discoveries section. There will be 2 screenings:
Friday, April 6 at 7:15 PM, Ritz Five
Sunday, April 8 at 12:15 PM, Ritz Five
Snow Angels --
* Sundance Institute at BAM series. The series will run May 31-June 10 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
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And so another SXSW Film Festival has come and gone, and we were reminded why last year's SXSW was our favorite of the year -- it's the magical combination of festival producer Matt Dentler's decidely offbeat vision and the atmosphere of host city Austin, Texas (locals sport shirts saying "Keep Austin Weird"). The eclectic mix of cutting edge and provocative programming that makes SXSW different from the others was especially evident this year, and we had a hard time picking our favorites.
We laughed (Smiley Face, Flakes) and we cried (Pretty in the Face, Frownland). We were moved (Quiet City, When a Man Falls in the Forest) and we were horrified (Borderland, Trigger Man). But most of all, we enjoyed. We enjoyed the films, the parties, and, most of all, the people of this festival and this town.
It's always hard to narrow down the list to just a few, but I take the responsibility seriously and with pride. First, a note: I saw All the Boys Love Mandy Lane at SXSW and it was one of my Top Picks from the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, and I reviewed it then. So we'll set that one aside. And so, my Top Picks from the 2007 SXSW Film Festival, in no particular order:
He Was a Quiet Man
Billy The Kid
Fay Grim
Hal Hartley wrote, directed, produced, and even wrote the music for Fay Grim, and this sequel to 1998's Henry Fool stands as a truly original tale of espionage and intrigue with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Jeff Goldblum and Parker Posey turn in clever performances which match the feel of the story masterfully.
Billy the Kid is one of those rare documentaries that transcends genre. Jennifer Venditti's obvious caring and love for the film's subject, 15 year-old Billy Baker, is the guiding force here and I was thoroughly charmed from start to finish. I always hope for at least one pleasant surprise at festivals and this was it. No surprise it won the jury award for best documentary feature.
With an outstanding ensemble cast headed up by the astounding Christian Slater, He Was a Quiet Man is a triumph from the hand of writer-director Frank Cappello that left my head spinning. What I never expected going in was that the film would take a turn and end up smack dab in the middle of my favorite film genre, which, if I reveal those films, would spoil the twist. So I'll leave it at that.
As is my usual practice, I'll continue to follow the progress of these films regarding distribution, theatrical and DVD release, etc. These are the films I would recommend to friends, family, and anyone who asks, "so, what did you like?" And I recommend them to you.
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Snow Angels was one of our Top Picks from this year's Sundance Film Festival, and we've been reporting on its progress ever since (actually, we started writing about the film when it was cast). Earlier, we had reported on a distribution deal with Warner Brothers. We did not have official confirmation at the time, though. Now we do. According to today's Hollywood Reporter, Snow Angels is part of a deal between David Gordon Green and Warner Independent Pictures that will have the company back an upcoming project of his and release Snow Angels "next year."
This does, of course, confirm the information which was "leaked" earlier. You can expect this to spread pretty quickly through the media now. The Hollywood Reporter is syndicated and their articles appear in many other publications.
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So...I started the day pretty early, as per usual when I'm flying west. My destination is the San Fernando Valley Film Festival in North Hollywood, California. I was out of the house at 6:30 AM. I wanted to get to the Philadelphia airport early since I'd heard it was a madhouse, as lots of flights had been canceled the day before due to the ice storm. Well, madhouse doesn't describe it. There were literally thousands of people waiting to check in, in long lines snaking through the terminal and out into the street. My flight was at 10:15 AM, so I figured I had plenty of time. Now, I normally don't wait in those lines because:
a) I just go to the kiosk and get my boarding pass there.
b) If that doesn't work I get in the Dividend Preferred line (for frequent travelers).
However...
a) The kiosks were not working -- either they didn't work at all or they worked but after you entered all your info it said it could not complete the transaction.
b) They had done away with the Preferred line because not enough ticket agents had shown up.
So...I had to get in one of the two long lines which stretched as far as the eye could see. I got in line around 8 AM. The closer it got to 10:15 AM the more I thought I'd miss my flight. Fortunately, while I was standing in line I got an alert on my phone that they delayed the flight an hour. So now it will be an 11:15 AM flight. Well, after waiting in line for 2 1/2 hours I started to realize that I still might not make it even at 11:15. A woman ahead of me said she'd been in line 5 hours. So I knew I wouldn't make it waiting there in that line. Then I overheard someone say that there were lines outside the building that were shorter, for the curbside check-in. So I left the line I'd been in for 2 1/2 hours and went outside. I waited on that line 1/2 hour until it was getting close to 11 AM. I asked someone if there was anything I could do since my flight was leaving. I was told to go to the front of the line and "take care of the guy." So I jumped to the front, slipped him a $5 (I almost gave him a $20 but decided to try $5 -- it worked) and he said "give me your ID and we'll have you on that plane." Just like that I had my boarding pass.
So...I go running upstairs to go through security. There are two lines and I am able to go in the shorter frequent flyer line so I am almost up to the X-ray machines. I have about 5 minutes until takeoff. The girl in front of me is clueless and she has a bag that stops the machines and a supervisor has to come. I finally get through and run my butt off to the gate. Turns out they hadn't even started boarding yet. The flight was now delayed to 11:40 AM. We finally get on board at 12 noon and sit at the gate. Turns out that the tug that pushes the plane out from the gate is frozen to the pavement and they can't move it. They find a 2nd tug and it tries to push the plane back but can't because it keeps slipping. So they have to wait for a tug with chains, but that tug is working on other planes. Finally we push back from the gate after about an hour, but we now have to go get deiced. We are #45 in line for deicing. We sat on the plane for another 3 hours waiting to get deiced and take off. We finally took off after sitting on the plane for 4 hours.
So now we are in the air. But I know I will miss my connecting flight from Denver to LA. That flight was supposed to get me to LA by 4 PM Pacific, and I'd check in around 5 PM. Now, you should know that the film screening I needed to attend was scheduled for 9 PM (or so I thought). Meanwhile, I called a friend who was supposed to be driving from Las Vegas to meet me there and update him on the status of the trip. The airline hands out some cookies in addition to the usual mini-pretzels as an offer of apology.
I finally arrive in Denver having missed my connection, and the next flight is 6:30 PM. That would get me into LA at 8 PM Pacific and to the hotel around 9 just when the film begins. I find the customer service to change flights and they tell me the 6:30 flight is booked up. They can only get me on the 7:43 PM flight. That would get me to the hotel around 10:15 PM, so maybe I'd catch the end of the movie and still be there for the discussion afterward. They put me on standby for 6:30 so maybe I'd get on it. Meanwhile, my Vegas friend and I agreed that it wasn't worth it for him to come, since we'd only have a couple of hours together and he'd be leaving at 7 AM Sunday. So he turned around and went back home. Then there is my bag, which came in on the flight with me but was now sitting in Denver. They said it would be put on the next flight, the 6:30, whether I was on it or not. So it would be waiting for me when I get to LAX.
I wasn't able to get on the 6:30 flight. So I had to take the 7:43. The plane landed in LA at 9:20 PM. So maybe I can catch the end of the movie. Suddenly I realized that I was an hour off. The movie wasn't at 9 PM, it was at 10 PM! So it would be from 10 PM to 11:30 PM and I just needed to get there by 11:30 at the latest. Piece of cake, right? So I go to get my bag and it's not there. Turns out it was still in Denver. They never put it on the plane. It has my camera and everything else I need except a few incidentals that I carry. So now I'm faced with the prospect of actually making it in time but not being able to take pictures (which is one of the main reasons I'm taking the trip in the first place).
I had booked a shuttle to take me to the hotel. It was supposed to be about an hour from the airport to the hotel. It's now close to 10 PM. So I go to the shuttle area and it's a madhouse. I wait and wait. The dispatcher puts me on a van and a couple on there start complaining that they have been waiting too long. So the driver decides to throw me off the van. Now I'm out of the van. Then the dispatcher starts arguing with the driver. He finally takes me on board, but instead of dropping me off first he is going to take the whiny couple because the guy has been on the phone with a supervisor. So we leave the airport around 10 PM. Remember, I need to get to the hotel by 11:30 PM the latest. So I have 90 minutes. Well, they get to the couple's destination over an hour later, around 11:15 PM. Then the guy wants the driver to take his female companion somewhere else. The driver starts arguing with him since they paid for one destination and not two. The guy refuses to pay. All this is going on as I'm watching my long trip winding down to nothing.
He finally agrees to take the woman where she wants to go but then decides to just drop her off at a gas station. He says she could call the police if she wants. They argue some more. He takes her to where she needs to go. Now he finally is taking me to the hotel. Guess where it is? It's another hour's drive away on the other side of the city. He told me that if he had taken me first, I would have been there by 11:15 PM or so, perfect timing. But now it's almost 12:30 AM and I'm finally arriving. This is 3 hours after the plane landed and I'm finally at the hotel, after 2 1/2 hours driving around in a shuttle van.
So it was 21 hours from the time I stepped out of my house until I walked into the hotel. It's now 12:30 AM. The film surely would have been over for an hour and everyone with the film would be gone. But I decided that instead of checking in to my room I would go to the theater and see if anyone there could at least tell me who had shown up. I open the theater door, and what do I see up on the big screen? The film which should have been over by now. The movie was still on. So after 21 hours of traveling from door to door I actually still got there before the end of the movie.
I spotted the folks I was there to meet and sat down to watch what was left of the film. And fortunately, there was another photographer there who would be able to take some shots and send them to me, so it wouldn't a total loss. Everything was conspiring against me all day, but in the end, that one last hour made all the difference in the world.
I won't mention the two airlines or van service that were incredibly inept. But it wasn't the super shuttle I thought it would be. And the airlines didn't seem to be united in their efforts to get me safely across the US on their airways. Sure, weather was the predominant factor at the outset. But there was a lot that could have been done differently along the way. I mean, come on, there's a storm and there is only one tug available with the ability to push planes back from the gate? But hey, they gave us cookies for our inconvenience. And boy, were they just yummy.
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In Severance, a group of defense workers goes off on a corporate retreat ("team building") and are confronted by a menace. But what is facing them is not just some unseen killer, no, it's the terror of an unforgiving public who's been there, done that. They don't just have to win over the attacker -- they have to win over the audience as well. Or should I say that's the challenge of writer-director Christopher Smith, and he succeeds with ease.
A veteran ensemble cast makes up this motley crew, all well-versed in the art of sight gags and comedic timing. No small feat, then, that Danny Dyer's Steve is still able to provide comic relief in a film that's already quite satirical. The goal of this trip is a little r&r, but Steve misread it as sex and drugs and r&r. He is a standout here. Laura Harris also shines as Maggie, who has a little Ripley in her just waiting to burst out. Toby Stephens, Claudie Blakley, Andy Nyman, Babou Ceesay, and Tim McInnerny all turn in perfectly nuanced tongue-in-cheek performances while remaining frighteningly real.
Severance looks like a big budget film but with indie sensibility. The opening strains of the Small Faces' Itchykoo Park had me from the opening credits. As in the best horror films, the score becomes a character unto itself. It plays with the audience's funny bone, and there is a plethora of jump-out-of-your-seat moments which owe themselves to masterful sound editing. Liberal handheld shots and outstanding visual effects round out the scare factor, and believe me, it's there.
Severance, like most good slasher flicks, borders on satire but Smith dares to take it a step further. It gingerly walks that line down the center, still managing to elicit plenty of gasps among the laughs. No small feat in a genre that leaves little room for originality. You'll laugh, you'll scream, and you'll applaud with equal levels of excitement. It's hard to imagine even the skeptics not being taken in by this one. Severance is a delicious treat worthy of the unforgiving midnight madness masses.
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Elliott Lester's Love is the Drug screened tonight at the San Fernando Valley Film Festival in North Hollywood, California. Star John Patrick Amedori (The Butterly Effect, Stick It) attended and stayed around afterward to chat with us.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
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Fay Grim is, on its face, a tale of espionage and intrigue told with a nod and a wink. As the sequel to his extraordinary Henry Fool, Hal Hartley creates a surprising blend of film noir and hardboiled spy thriller that starts with a knowing smile and large dose of laughter and turns as poignant and warm as any film I've seen this year.
Parkey Posey is Fay Grim, an unwitting Mata Hari caught between the love of her exiled husband Henry Fool and the questionable intentions of a charming CIA operative. As Agent Fulbright, Jeff Goldblum is a master of wit and sarcasm, in a role that seems tailored to his talents. He has never been better. James Urbaniak is Fay's brother Simon, jailed but renowned for his wildly popular books of poetry. His love of his work and his sister brings a jolt of passion to contrast the dour nature of the spies which eventually populate Fay's world. And Liam Aiken is Fay's oversexed 14 year-old son. Although that may be a bit redundant. Aiken's understated style is remarkably "old soul" for someone his age.
The entire film is shot Dutch angle, the off-kilter style made famous by Orson Welles and used primarily in horror films and psychological thrillers to impart a sense of foreboding. In Fay Grim, using that style from opening credits to closing is intriguing at first, deceptively clever the next. For just as the viewer begins to fall for the perfectly timed comedic elements and wit of Hartley's brilliant script, something happens. The film takes a dark yet strangely comforting turn as these characters magically become sympathetic before our eyes. What began as dark comedy morphs into romantic drama, and the transition is masterful. Slow pacing gives way to breathtaking action, and we are sucked right into the vortex.
In the end, Hartley's sharp dialog combined with the amazing performances of a perfectly matched ensemble cast makes for a delicious cinematic cocktail. Told with the luxury of one able to write, produce, direct, edit, and even compose the music, Hal Hartley has crafted a smart, sexy tale of espionage with tongue just barely planted in cheek. Fay Grim is one part Dashiell Hammett, one part Raymond Chandler, and one part Ian Fleming, shaken and maybe stirred as well.
Posted by phileysmiley at 11:28 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Glacier Bay is one of the sweetest and most poignant short films I've seen on the festival circuit, and I've seen dozens. It recently played the prestigious Sedona International Film Festival. It's likely that you'll see your life, or those around you, reflected in Artie and Connie.
Artie (James Noble, who also produced) and Connie (Dorothy Bryce) are in their twilight years, sometimes forgetful and often abrasive, yet somehow managing to elicit some hearty laughs that literally had me falling out of my seat. Attending the confirmation of their cousin Michael, they appear to be the typical aging old codgers with which we are all so familiar. But things are not what they seem, and you are sure to be touched by the give and take of these two marvelous actors and the direction this film takes.
Glacier Bay is beautifully and elegantly directed by Douglas Moser from a Frederick J. Stroppel script, and shot with loving care by veteran cinematographer Christo Bakalov. Mostly a two-person dialog, the theatrical feel and focus on our two protagonists is so compelling that Glacier Bay will leave you wanting more.
Try to catch Glacier Bay as it makes its rounds of America's best festivals. It's a surprising little gem of a film that hit very close to home for me, and will likely do the same for you.
Posted by phileysmiley at 07:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Earlier, we posted some pics from the SXSW Film Awards and reported on a few of the big winners. Now here is the complete list of winners from the 2007 SXSW Film Festival competitions.
Jury Awards:
-REEL Shorts :
Special Jury Award - Clear Cut, Simple / Director: Vineet Dewan
Winner - Pop Foul / Director: Moon Molson
- Animated Shorts :
Special Jury Award - One Rat Short / Director: Alex Weil
Winner - Tragic Story with a Happy Ending / Director: Regina Pessoa
-Experimental Shorts :
Special Jury Award - The Lonely Lights. The Color of Lemons. / Director:
Benjamin M. Piety
Winner - 27,000 Days / Director : Naveen Singh
- Music Videos :
Special Jury Award - Constantines, 'Working Full-TIme' / Director: Drew
Lightfoot
Winner - Thom Yorke, 'Harrowdown Hill' / Director: Chel White
- Texas High School Competition :
Special Jury Award - Daily Routine / Director: Adela Escobar
Winner - Murder for 9 Points / Director: Brandon Day
- Documentary Feature:
Special Jury Award - Cat Dancers / Director: Harris Fishman
Special Jury Award - Audience of One / Director: Michael Jacobs
Winner - Billy the Kid / Director: Jennifer Venditti
- Narrative Feature :
Special Jury Award - Frownland / Director: Ronald Bronstein
Special Jury Award - Orphans / Director: Ry Russo-Young
Winner - Itty Bitty Titty Committee / Director: Jamie Babbit
Audience Awards:
- Emerging Visions:
Winner - The Price of Sugar / Director: Bill Haney
- Documentary Feature:
Winner - Run Granny Run / Director: Marlo Poras
- Narrative Feature:
Winner - Skills Like This / Director: Monty Miranda
For more information, go to www.sxsw.com.
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It has truly been an exciting week here at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. But half a world away (well, not quite) the buzz is just starting for the prestigious 2007 Tribeca Film Festival in New York, and the selections are now being rolled out.
Here are a handful of films we are particularly excited about:
In the Encounters section --
The Air I Breathe, with an all-star cast including Sarah Michelle-Gellar, Kevin Bacon, Emile Hirsch, Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, and Forest Whitaker.
Charlie Bartlett, with Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr,, and Hope Davis.
The Final Season, with Sean Astin, Michael Angarano, Powers Boothe, Rachel Leigh Cook, and Tom Arnold. We've covered this film extensively over the past year and had previously reported this selection.
Nobel Son, with Shawn Hatosy, Alan Rickman, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, and Danny DeVito.
In the Family Film Festival section:
Chasing 3000, with Trevor Morgan, Rory Culkin, Ray Liotta, and Lauren Holly.
Dates, times, and locations will be announced soon. Check out the Tribeca Film Festival site for more details and the lists of films announced so far.
Posted by phileysmiley at 07:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The ceremony was held for the Film Awards for the 2007 SXSW Film Festival on Tuesday night (see details in earlier post). Here are the winners in the major categories.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Jury Award for Documentary Feature --
Winner: Billy the Kid
Accepting: Director Jennifer Venditti and producer Chiemi Karasawa
Jury Award for Narrative Feature -- Runners-up: Frownland, Accepting: Director Ronald Bronstein and Orphans, Accepting: Director Ry Russo-Young
Jury Award for Narrative Feature --
Winner: Itty Bitty Titty Committee
Accepting: Director Jamie Babbit
Audience Award for Documentary Feature --
Winner: Run Granny Run
Accepting: Director Marlo Poras
Audience Award for Narrative Feature --
Winner: Skills Like This
Accepting: Director Monty Miranda and producer Donna Dewey
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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The World Premiere of Helvetica took place on Tuesday afternoon at the Austin Convention Center. This was only the 2nd completely sold out show I'd seen (the other was All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) and the only 2nd sold out show in this particular venue (over 400 seats). All this for a film about a font. Who knew? Designers and geeks in general probably know what the Helvetica typeface is. But even those who don't will enjoy this fascinating history of something that is so ubiquitous in our lives that we look at it all day and probably never think about it. But you will after seeing this film.
Director Gary Hustwit conducted a Q&A after the screening.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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As we posted earlier, Monday night's big event was a screening of Smiley Face, from director Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin, The Doom Generation), at the Paramount Theater. It's a comedy told from the perspective of one woman, Jane, played with amazing realism by Anna Faris. The cast is loaded with veterans in cameos and supporting roles, and as a followup to one of the heaviest films of the decade (Mysterious Skin), you can't go much farther towards the other end of the spectrum. This was easily the funniest film of the festival, but I wonder how many in the audience were partaking of the item which is the subject matter of the film (starts with marij and ends with uana).
Araki's Q&A was one of the best I've seen. The guy is a fireball.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance
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The SXSW Film Festival morphs into a Film and Music Festival from Wednesday on. The "film only" part of the festival ends on Tuesday night. But they continue to show films from Wednesday through the end of the Music Festival. But the Film Awards are held on Tuesday night. I know, I know, it sounds confusing. You see, all the films in competition for awards are screened at least one time from Friday to Tuesday. Other films do debut after Tuesday, but they aren't in competition and thus are not up for awards. And the films that are in competition (or were, as it were) continue to be shown after Tuesday for those who weren't able to catch them during the competition phase. Well, that's the simplest way for me to explain why the Film Awards are presented in the middle of the festival.
The ceremony was preceded by a reception in the lobby of the Convention Center. All those up for awards were invited to the party. This included the filmmakers, cast, and crew members who had been present for their screenings. It gave us a chance to mingle and chat once again with those whom we'd met over the past week. We were able to follow up on discussions held in haste after the various films' Q&A sessions, now in an environmnent much more conducive to conversation. I had a terrific talk with Billy the Kid director Jennifer Venditti. Her film was shaping up to be my favorite, and I wished her luck in the Documentary Feature category.
The awards are broken down into two categories: Jury Awards and Audience Awards. The Jury Awards are chosen by distinguished groups of film industry folk and others who are respected in the community. These are the most esteemed awards. Those are followed by the awards tallied up from ballots handed out to the audience at competition screenings.
The two major categories are Documentary Feature and Narrative Feature, so our focus was on those two categories in both the Jury and Audience sections, i.e., 4 awards.
And the winners were:
Jury Award for Documentary Feature --
Winner: Billy the Kid (Needless to say, I was thrilled that my Top Pick won the award, and Ms. Venditti was overjoyed)
Jury Award for Narrative Feature --
Two runners-up: Frownland and Orphans (Frownland was another of our favorites -- see the posts below)
Winner: Itty Bitty Titty Committee
Audience Award for Documentary Feature --
Winner: Run Granny Run (Granny sat right behind me so I gave her a high five)
Audience Award for Narrative Feature --
Winner: Skills Like This
Congratulations to all the winners, runners-up, and nominees!
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On Monday I attended the World Premiere of Trigger Man at the Alamo S. Lamar. Written, directed, shot, edited, and produced by Ti West (now doing Cabin Fever 2), this film is intense and riveting. If you like first-person shooter games, you'll love Trigger Man. Like Borderland, (see earlier post) it's based on fact so it's that much more chilling. The small ensemble cast all turned in excellent performances.
West was there for the Q&A along with members of the cast and crew.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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Once I had gotten into "festival mode" (no food, no sleep) I was able to take in a wide range of films, from small indies to documentaries to big movies with big stars, or at least they looked big. I was amazed at how cheaply some of these films were made -- in terms of money but not quality. For example, He Was a Quiet Man is a film that looks big budget but was not, and I must remain hush-hush on the true cost. But it's amazing what can be done today with the right friends and the right equipment.
I saw some gems as the festival continued past the weekend (we covered Friday-Sunday earlier). As I posted below, Monday afternoon I headed to the Alamo South Lamar for the World Premiere of Aaron Katz's Quiet City. I had seen his first feature, Dance Party, USA , at last year's SXSW Film Festival so I was anxiously awaiting this one. And it did not disappoint. Beautifully shot by Andrew Reed, with tastes of Gus Van Sant and cinematographer Tim Orr, the film is a tender story of 2 people who meet at a time in their lives when they are both open to the possibilities that being young and living in New York City affords. Some pictures from the Q&A are posted below.
The same venue hosted the World Premiere of Trigger Man. Written, directed, shot, edited, and produced by Ti West (now doing Cabin Fever 2), this film is intense and riveting. If you like first-person shooter games, you'll love Trigger Man. Like Borderland, it's based on fact so it's that much more chilling. The small ensemble cast all turned in excellent performances.
Monday night's big event was a screening of Smiley Face, from director Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin, The Doom Generation), at the Paramount Theater. It's a comedy told from the perspective of one woman, Jane, played with amazing realism by Anna Faris. The cast is loaded with veterans in cameos and supporting roles, and as a followup to one of the heaviest films of the decade (Mysterious Skin), you can't go much farther towards the other end of the spectrum. This was easily the funniest film of the festival, but I wonder how many in the audience were partaking of the item which is the subject matter of the film (starts with marij and ends with uana). Araki's Q&A was one of the best I've seen. The guy is a fireball.
On Tuesday I attended the World Premiere of Pretty in the Face at the Alamo Downtown. This was another one-man show, with Nate Meyer producing, writing, directing, filming, and editing. It was all shot with a MiniDV camcorder and a single mike mounted on the camera. It's just incredible what can be done with today's technology. Very low cost and low production values, perhaps, but a beautiful story nonetheless which transcends the medium. If there's a theme which has connected many of the films I've seen here, it's disconnection. This one is another poignant look at what is missing in our emotional lives and the ways in which we try to fill those voids.
The World Premiere of Helvetica took place on Tuesday afternoon at the Austin Convention Center. This was only the 2nd completely sold out show I'd seen (the other was All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) and the only 2nd sold out show in this articular venue (over 400 seats). All this for a film about a font. Who knew? Designers and geeks in general probably know what the Helvetica typeface is. But even those who don't will enjoy this fascinating history of something that is so ubiquitous in our lives that we look at it all day and probably never think about it. But you will after seeing this film.
It's always hard to narrow down the list of films I attended to a few Top Picks, but I'll try to do that. Stay tuned.
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt was present at a press conference for the World Premiere of The Lookout at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival. Here is some video I shot. The first question is mine.
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Monday afternoon I headed to the Alamo South Lamar for the World Premiere of Aaron Katz's Quiet City. I had seen his first feature, Dance Party, USA , at last year's SXSW Film Festival so I was anxiously awaiting this one. And it did not disappoint. Beautifully shot by Andrew Reed, with tastes of Gus Van Sant and cinematographer Tim Orr, the film is a tender story of 2 people who meet at a time in their lives when they are both open to the possibilities that being young and living in New York City affords.
Writer-director Aaron Katz was present for a Q&A, along with much of the cast and crew.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Writer-director Aaron Katz with cast & crew
Lead actors Erin Fisher (Jamie) and Cris Lankenau (Charlie)
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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Sunday night I arrived at the Alamo Downtown for the midnight screening of Borderland. This was yet another World Premiere (where else could you see 4 in one day?) and writer-director Zev Berman personally introduced himself to all the patrons waiting in the pouring rain as the previous screening at that venue was running late. The fact that this was in the midnight screenings section should tell you a lot right off the bat. But what made this horror film so horrifying is that it all happened. Borderland is based on the true story of ritual sacrifice killings conducted by a group of drug dealers in Mexico a few years back. I've been seeing many films at the last few festivals which have been very hard to watch, and this was no exception. Fortunately, we all knew that going in. Without needing to clear the theater for a screening afterward, the Q&A with Berman and cast members Rider Strong and Brian Presley ended close to 3 AM. But we could have stayed all night. Rider Strong (Boy Meets World, Cabin Fever) is one of those actors who, having started very young, has such a naturalistic acting style that his performance here was frightening on many levels. In reality, he's an extremely bright, sensitive young man and truly a delight to talk to.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Writer-director Zev Berman, Rider Strong, Brian Presly
Rider Strong
Rider Strong
Rider and me (shot by director Zev Berman)
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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To recap what we posted earlier, on Sunday I attended another World Premiere, this one in the Documentary Feature Competition, at a screening space inside the Austin Convention Center. I love docs, and generally try to catch a few at each festival I attend. Some of the best films I've seen in the past year were docs. They often delight and surprise. And this one sure did. Billy The Kid is a look at the life of a 15 year-old kid from Maine, discovered by director Jennifer Venditti while casting a feature which required high school students as extras. She met this unique kid and was compelled to tell the world about Billy. This film turned out to be the pleasant surprise I'd been looking for.
Director Jennifer Venditti led off the Q&A. I raised my hand and asked, "where is Billy now?" Jennifer smiled and said, "I don't know, where is Billy now?" As the sound system exploded with AC/DC's "Billy the Kid," she turned to the wings, and out struts Billy looking like a rock star in shades. The audience went wild.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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To celebrate the release of Shortbus on DVD today, a party was held at Maggie Mae's on 6th street here in downtown Austin. Much to everyone's surprise, writer-director John Cameron Mitchell sang a couple of sets while the film showed on screens all around.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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The SXSW Film Festival isn't just about films. There are many panels as well. And in addition to the films and panels there are parties. Lots of them. In fact, Austin is known for being quite the late-night town and during the festival all heck breaks loose. There are official festival parties, film parties, and, well, any other excuse to throw one. Some are invitation only but many are open to anyone with a festival credential.
In fact, there are so many parties that it is possible to attend SXSW and do nothing but attend parties. There are usually a number of them taking place at the same time. For example, I had a stack of no less than 7 invitations for parties on Sunday night. The bad news is, they all take place at the same time. The good news is, they don't all necessarily start and end at the same time, so it is conceivable that one could simply go from one to the next and make it to all 7.
Now, yours truly attends film festivals to see films. So I can honestly tell you that most of the invites end up in the trash. But I have made it to a few. Mostly to eat. Remember what I posted earler -- "festival mode" means no sleep and no food. But a stop at one of the parties will get you a meal so that you can move on to the next film.
There was a terrific party to celebrate the World Premiere of Elvis and Annabelle at a great club called Six. Star Max Minghella was in attendance. I also stopped by one of the festival's official opening night parties where I ran into Joseph Gordon-Levitt from The Lookout (see the pics posted earlier) and David Boreanaz, whose film Suffering Man's Charity played here. There was also a very surreal happening to celebrate the release of Shortbus on DVD. Maggie Mae's was the location for this one, at which director John Cameron Mitchell sang (who knew?). He did a couple of sets with another singer and guitarist, while the film showed on screens all around. I chatted with Alan Cumming there, who is also in Suffering Man's Charity.
Tonight is the big "overlap party." It serves as both the closing night party for the film festival and the opening night party for the music festival which will take over the next few days here. When movie people mingle with music people a good time is guaranteed to be had by all. It follows the annual Awards Ceremony at which the competition winners will be announced along with audience favorites.
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As I posted earlier, the World Premiere of He Was a Quiet Man took place on Saturday night at the majestic Paramount Theater. Christian Slater, Elisha Cuthbert, William H. Macy, and John Gulager star. I had a chance to chat with Slater before the film and I've rarely met a more kind and gracious actor. His generosity was heartwarming. The theater was packed to the rafters, and it was one of the most well-received films I've seen so far. I enjoyed it and was writing a review in my head, as I often do, when the film took an unexpected turn that I was not prepared for. In the end, I found myself comparing this film to some of my favorites, but to even say what they are would be spoilers. Director Frank Cappello conducted a fascinating Q&A afterward. I also learned a bit more about the making of He Was a Quiet Man later that night when, at another film, I happened to sit next to cinematographer Brandon Trost. That was a happy accident and a rare treat. This film was so new that it wasn't even fully complete yet, but no doubt very few in the audience were aware. It was a standout of the festival for me so far.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Writer-director Frank Cappello
Christian Slater
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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The 2007 SXSW Film Festival hosted the World Premiere of Frownland, which was part of the prestigious Narrative Feature Competition. The audience was quite moved by the film, including myself. Writer-director Ronald Bronstein conducted a heartfelt Q&A afterward with several cast and crew members in attendance.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Special thanks to Dan Molyneux for his assistance.
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Sunday was the day we hit "festival mode" here at SXSW. That's how I define that high octane period when seeing films takes precedence over being in bed or putting food in my mouth. It also means that opportunities to report on the events are few and far between, so I'll try to briefly catch you up on the past day's excitement.
The Narrative Feature Competition is what interests me the most at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival. These are generally the small independent films, usually looking for a distribution deal, which debut here and hopefully go on to bigger and better things. I think of the competition as the best place to find those undiscovered gems which make attending film festivals so rewarding. I've been trying to see as many of the Narrative Feature Competition films as possible, so I started my day at the Alamo Downtown with Ronald Bronstein's Frownland. This was another World Premiere, with most of the cast, crew, and filmmakers in attendance and also seeing it for the very first time. Frownland affected me deeply, and I'll be back to write a bit more later. Bronstein and several cast and crew members participated in the Q&A following the film. Along with Saturday's When a Man Falls in the Forest and Flakes, I've now seen 3 of the competition films.
Then it was back to the beautiful Paramount Theater for the World Premiere of He Was a Quiet Man, with Christian Slater, Elisha Cuthbert, William H. Macy, and John Gulager. I had a chance to chat with Slater before the film and I've rarely met a more kind and gracious actor. His generosity was heartwarming. The theater was packed to the rafters, and it was one of the most well-received films I've seen so far. I enjoyed it and was writing a review in my head, as I often do, when the film took an unexpected turn that I was not prepared for. In the end, I found myself comparing this film to some of my favorites, but to even say what they are would be spoilers. Director Frank Cappello conducted a fascinating Q&A afterward. I also learned a bit more about the making of He Was a Quiet Man later that night when, at another film, I happened to sit next to cinematographer Brandon Trost. That was a happy accident and a rare treat. This film was so new that it wasn't even fully complete yet, but no doubt very few in the audience were aware.
Later in the evening I attended another World Premiere, this one in the Documentary Feature Competition, at a screening space inside the Austin Convention Center. I love docs, and generally try to catch a few at each festival I attend. Some of the best films I've seen in the past year were docs. They often delight and surprise. And this one sure did. Billy The Kid is a look at the life of a 15 year-old kid from Maine, who director Jennifer Venditti discovered while casting a feature which required high school students as extras. She met this kid and was compelled to tell the world about Billy. This turned out to be the pleasant surprise I'd been looking for, and I'll be posting some pictures of the Q&A with Jennifer and Billy (who was an unexpected "special guest").
Finally, I ended up back at the Alamo Downtown for the midnight screening of Borderland. Yes, this was another World Premiere (where else could you see 4 in one day?) and director Zev Berman personally introduced himself to all the patrons waiting in the pouring rain as the previous screening at that venue was running late. The fact that this was in the midnight screenings section should tell you a lot right off the bat. But what made this horror film so horrifying is that it all happened. Borderland is based on the true story of ritual sacrifice killings conducted by a group of drug dealers in Mexico a few years back. I've been seeing many films at the last few festivals which have been very hard to watch, and this was no exception. Fortunately, we all knew that going in. Without needing to clear the theater for a screening afterward, the Q&A with Berman and cast members Rider Strong and Brian Presley ended close to 3 AM. But we could have stayed all night. Rider Strong (Boy Meets World, Cabin Fever) is one of those actors who, having started very young, has such a naturalistic acting style that his performance here was frightening on many levels. In reality, he's an extremely bright, sensitive young man and truly a delight to talk to.
Believe it or not, there were other events which I attended Sunday, and I'll post back about the "other" part of the festival (it's not what you think) as soon as I can.
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