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Abigail Disney’s Fork Films, the production company and funder that has backed titles including The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales, Crip Camp and The Tale, has closed its doors, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
A handful of staff positions (fewer than 10) at the company, which put an emphasis on impact-driven documentary projects, have been terminated as a result of the closure. Disney first informed the staff of her decision in February, with the intention of shutting down entirely by September. Variety was the first to report the news.
“After much reflection, Abigail decided to close Fork Films,” a representative said in a statement. “Several Fork Films’ staff members will continue working on ‘The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales,’ its release and impact campaign in the coming months. She plans to continue making films.”
Founded in 2007 by Disney, the granddaughter of...
Abigail Disney’s Fork Films, the production company and funder that has backed titles including The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales, Crip Camp and The Tale, has closed its doors, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
A handful of staff positions (fewer than 10) at the company, which put an emphasis on impact-driven documentary projects, have been terminated as a result of the closure. Disney first informed the staff of her decision in February, with the intention of shutting down entirely by September. Variety was the first to report the news.
“After much reflection, Abigail decided to close Fork Films,” a representative said in a statement. “Several Fork Films’ staff members will continue working on ‘The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales,’ its release and impact campaign in the coming months. She plans to continue making films.”
Founded in 2007 by Disney, the granddaughter of...
- 10/4/2022
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Variety has the exclusive trailer for a new film on Ireland’s abortion rights struggle, executive produced by Abigail Disney.
Set to premiere at the Hot Docs Film Festival this week, “The 8th” tells the story of Ireland’s campaign to remove its constitutional ban on abortion, known as the 8th Amendment, against the backdrop of the conservative country’s transformation into a more liberal, secular society.
Both sides of the abortion debate are represented in “The 8th,” though its primary focus is the female leaders of the pro-choice campaign. In particular, the film follows veteran campaigner Ailbhe Smyth and self-described glitter-activist Andrea Horan as they chart a strategy of grassroots activism.
Directors Lucy Kennedy, Maeve O’Boyle and Aideen Kane said in a statement: “When the government called a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment, we knew this was one of the most important stories of our generation. Our goal...
Set to premiere at the Hot Docs Film Festival this week, “The 8th” tells the story of Ireland’s campaign to remove its constitutional ban on abortion, known as the 8th Amendment, against the backdrop of the conservative country’s transformation into a more liberal, secular society.
Both sides of the abortion debate are represented in “The 8th,” though its primary focus is the female leaders of the pro-choice campaign. In particular, the film follows veteran campaigner Ailbhe Smyth and self-described glitter-activist Andrea Horan as they chart a strategy of grassroots activism.
Directors Lucy Kennedy, Maeve O’Boyle and Aideen Kane said in a statement: “When the government called a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment, we knew this was one of the most important stories of our generation. Our goal...
- 5/26/2020
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Tribeca Film Institute, Gucci and the Oath Foundation today announced the 2018 grant recipients for the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund.
Six feature-length films that explore social issues, especially those affecting women and girls, will receive a total of $150,000.
The program, funded by Gucci with additional support from Oath Foundation, provides production and finishing finances, along with year-round support and guidance from Tfi.
In a decade of operation, the fund has supported 85 films, providing more than $1.4 million in grants. This year, the supported projects spotlight a range of diverse issues including: the resolve of three female political candidates who are challenging powerful incumbents in Congress; the U.S. opioid crisis; the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico; an unlikely alliance formed during a religious war; and the story of three women officers who are fighting to transform and restore a community’s trust in the police department.
The grantees were...
Six feature-length films that explore social issues, especially those affecting women and girls, will receive a total of $150,000.
The program, funded by Gucci with additional support from Oath Foundation, provides production and finishing finances, along with year-round support and guidance from Tfi.
In a decade of operation, the fund has supported 85 films, providing more than $1.4 million in grants. This year, the supported projects spotlight a range of diverse issues including: the resolve of three female political candidates who are challenging powerful incumbents in Congress; the U.S. opioid crisis; the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico; an unlikely alliance formed during a religious war; and the story of three women officers who are fighting to transform and restore a community’s trust in the police department.
The grantees were...
- 11/12/2018
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Fork Films, the New York-based production company founded by Abigail Disney and Gini Reticker, has revealed the 16 documentaries chosen to receive grants, which will go towards completing production. Chosen from over 500 applicants, the films address a wide range of topics including refugee and immigration stories, incarceration, civil rights, disability rights and media depictions of transgender people among other topics.
“The films we selected are sprawling in their subject matter, but they share an urgency and boldness in their DNA that makes it impossible to look away,” Abigail Disney.
“We’re deeply impressed by the incredible, diverse group of filmmakers,” added Reticker. “This slate of projects tell compelling, powerfully human stories from around the world that forces you to reconsider your perspective on topics you thought you knew about.”
This year’s grant money totaled $625K, up from last year’s $515K. To date, the company has given out almost $5M...
“The films we selected are sprawling in their subject matter, but they share an urgency and boldness in their DNA that makes it impossible to look away,” Abigail Disney.
“We’re deeply impressed by the incredible, diverse group of filmmakers,” added Reticker. “This slate of projects tell compelling, powerfully human stories from around the world that forces you to reconsider your perspective on topics you thought you knew about.”
This year’s grant money totaled $625K, up from last year’s $515K. To date, the company has given out almost $5M...
- 8/2/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Cameraperson's Kirsten Johnson on Jacques Derrida: "He is present." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Abigail Disney, director of The Armor Of Light and executive producer of Cameraperson with Gini Reticker, director of Pray The Devil Back To Hell, hosted an intimate, cosy and warm reception for Kirsten Johnson. Kirsten as cinematographer has filmed Laura Poitras's Citizenfour, Risk, and The Oath; Dawn Porter's Trapped; Kirby Dick's The Invisible War and This Film Is Not Yet Rated; Linda Hoaglund's The Wound And The Gift with Vanessa Redgrave; Amy Ziering and Dick's Derrida; Leah Wolchok's Very Semi-Serious; Johanna Hamilton's 1971; Christy Turlington's No Woman, No Cry; Catherine Gund's Born To Fly: Elizabeth Streb Vs. Gravity; Katy Chevigny's Election Day and Deadline co-directed by Kirsten.
Election Day director Katy Chevigny and Deadline co-director with Kirsten Johnson Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Cameraperson, which was featured in Doc NYC's Short List programme,...
Abigail Disney, director of The Armor Of Light and executive producer of Cameraperson with Gini Reticker, director of Pray The Devil Back To Hell, hosted an intimate, cosy and warm reception for Kirsten Johnson. Kirsten as cinematographer has filmed Laura Poitras's Citizenfour, Risk, and The Oath; Dawn Porter's Trapped; Kirby Dick's The Invisible War and This Film Is Not Yet Rated; Linda Hoaglund's The Wound And The Gift with Vanessa Redgrave; Amy Ziering and Dick's Derrida; Leah Wolchok's Very Semi-Serious; Johanna Hamilton's 1971; Christy Turlington's No Woman, No Cry; Catherine Gund's Born To Fly: Elizabeth Streb Vs. Gravity; Katy Chevigny's Election Day and Deadline co-directed by Kirsten.
Election Day director Katy Chevigny and Deadline co-director with Kirsten Johnson Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Cameraperson, which was featured in Doc NYC's Short List programme,...
- 12/18/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Here’s your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress, as presented by the creators themselves. At the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
Netizens
Logline: “Netizens,” directed by “Bully” co-creator/producer Cynthia Lowen, follows targets of cyber harassment, along with lawyers, advocates, and policymakers, as they confront digital abuse and strive for equality and justice online. These powerful stories show how harassment presents significant barriers to women’s equal access to education, employment and expression.
Elevator Pitch:
“Netizens” follows women targeted by cyber harassment, along with lawyers, advocates, and policymakers, as they confront digital abuse and strive for equality and justice online. The documentary exposes how digital abuse impacts women’s equal access to education, employment, expression and opportunity,...
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
Netizens
Logline: “Netizens,” directed by “Bully” co-creator/producer Cynthia Lowen, follows targets of cyber harassment, along with lawyers, advocates, and policymakers, as they confront digital abuse and strive for equality and justice online. These powerful stories show how harassment presents significant barriers to women’s equal access to education, employment and expression.
Elevator Pitch:
“Netizens” follows women targeted by cyber harassment, along with lawyers, advocates, and policymakers, as they confront digital abuse and strive for equality and justice online. The documentary exposes how digital abuse impacts women’s equal access to education, employment, expression and opportunity,...
- 12/1/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Update: The Before Trilogy on Criterion is currently $39.95. Pre-order while you can.
After The Criterion Collection hinted at it and some of the own crew confirmed it, it’s now been officially revealed that one of their most-requested releases will be arriving next year. Richard Linklater‘s Before trilogy will be joining the colelction just a few weeks after Valentine’s Day, on February 28th, featuring new 2K restorations of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset as well as Before Midnight.
Special features include a new discussion with Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke, moderated by Kent Jones, and Athina Rachel Tsangari’s documentary on the making of the most recent feature. There’s also the full feature-length documentary Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny, and more. While we’re still waiting on cover art for the Linklater set, check out the full details on February’s line-up below, also including one...
After The Criterion Collection hinted at it and some of the own crew confirmed it, it’s now been officially revealed that one of their most-requested releases will be arriving next year. Richard Linklater‘s Before trilogy will be joining the colelction just a few weeks after Valentine’s Day, on February 28th, featuring new 2K restorations of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset as well as Before Midnight.
Special features include a new discussion with Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke, moderated by Kent Jones, and Athina Rachel Tsangari’s documentary on the making of the most recent feature. There’s also the full feature-length documentary Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny, and more. While we’re still waiting on cover art for the Linklater set, check out the full details on February’s line-up below, also including one...
- 11/15/2016
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Biographical doc tells the story of Citizenfour cinematographer Kirsten Johnson.
UK distributor Dogwood has picked up Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson for UK and Ireland distribution.
The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January and went on to win the Grand Jury Award at this year’s Sheffield Doc/Fest.
Noted documentary cinematographer Johnson’s credits include Laura Poitras’ Oscar-winning Edward Snowden doc Citizenfour and Kirby Dick’s The Invisible War, among many others.
Cameraperson tells her personal story through excerpts from the vast amount of footage she has shot throughout her career.
It was produced by Emmy Award-winner Marilyn Ness and exec produced by Abigail E. Disney (Pray the Devil Back to Hell) and Academy Award–nominated and Emmy Award–winning Gini Reticker, chief creative officer of Fork Films.
Dogwoof’s Oli Harbottle signed the deal with Paris-based sales company Cat&Docs.
Harbottle commented: “Cameraperson is a wonderfully inventive insight into one filmmaker’s personal journey...
UK distributor Dogwood has picked up Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson for UK and Ireland distribution.
The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January and went on to win the Grand Jury Award at this year’s Sheffield Doc/Fest.
Noted documentary cinematographer Johnson’s credits include Laura Poitras’ Oscar-winning Edward Snowden doc Citizenfour and Kirby Dick’s The Invisible War, among many others.
Cameraperson tells her personal story through excerpts from the vast amount of footage she has shot throughout her career.
It was produced by Emmy Award-winner Marilyn Ness and exec produced by Abigail E. Disney (Pray the Devil Back to Hell) and Academy Award–nominated and Emmy Award–winning Gini Reticker, chief creative officer of Fork Films.
Dogwoof’s Oli Harbottle signed the deal with Paris-based sales company Cat&Docs.
Harbottle commented: “Cameraperson is a wonderfully inventive insight into one filmmaker’s personal journey...
- 11/9/2016
- by tom.grater@screendaily.com (Tom Grater)
- ScreenDaily
Women played a fundamental role during the Arab Spring in 2011, but their stories sadly often went untold. Notable exceptions to this trend were Gini Reticker's New York Times project Trials of Spring, however, Obaidah Zytoon's debut documentary The War Show provides new hope that we might now be on the cusp of a wave of important female perspectives from the Middle East. Operating like an audio-visual scrap-book that moves between Homs, Damascus and the director's hometown of Zabadani, this rapidly escalating autobiography focuses on the experiences of Zytoon and her friends during the ongoing civil war. Often using freeze-frames that mimic a Polaroid camera, this film produces an authentic snapshot of revolution and introduces her friends with an understandably emotional nostalgia. Once a risk-taking...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/11/2016
- Screen Anarchy
New York-based Fork Films announced on Tuesday it will provide grant funding for ten projects in different stages of development centring on human rights and social justice topics.
Recipients include $2 A Day by 2011 best documentary short Oscar nominee Jennifer Redfearn (pictured) and Tim Metzger, as well as Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp’s Liyana.
“We are really encouraged by the fearless nature of this year’s filmmakers in exploring topics of injustice, intolerance and inequality,” said Abigail Disney, CEO and president of Fork Films, and Gini Reticker, the company’s chief creative officer.
“In a year of particularly hateful and purely opinionated rhetoric, these storytellers are diving into challenging topics with empathy, thoughtfulness and nuance. We’re honoured to help these filmmakers share the lives and narratives of their subjects.”
Los Angeles-based non-profit organisation Outfest has announced the five fellows and their projects selected for its 2016 Screenwriting Lab. Michael Colucci, Jen Richards, [link...
Recipients include $2 A Day by 2011 best documentary short Oscar nominee Jennifer Redfearn (pictured) and Tim Metzger, as well as Aaron Kopp and Amanda Kopp’s Liyana.
“We are really encouraged by the fearless nature of this year’s filmmakers in exploring topics of injustice, intolerance and inequality,” said Abigail Disney, CEO and president of Fork Films, and Gini Reticker, the company’s chief creative officer.
“In a year of particularly hateful and purely opinionated rhetoric, these storytellers are diving into challenging topics with empathy, thoughtfulness and nuance. We’re honoured to help these filmmakers share the lives and narratives of their subjects.”
Los Angeles-based non-profit organisation Outfest has announced the five fellows and their projects selected for its 2016 Screenwriting Lab. Michael Colucci, Jen Richards, [link...
- 7/12/2016
- by govi2016@lawnet.ucla.edu (Alec Govi)
- ScreenDaily
The premiere post-tiff destination (September 20-25th) in the film community and a major leg up for narrative and non-fiction films in development, the Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) announced a whopping 140 projects selected for the Project Forum at the upcoming Ifp Independent Film Week. Made up of several sections (Rbc’s Emerging Storytellers program, No Borders International Co-Production Market and Spotlight on Documentaries), we find latest updates from the likes of docu-helmers Doug Block (112 Weddings) and Lana Wilson (After Tiller), and among the narrative items we find headliners in Andrew Haigh (coming off the well received 45 Years), Sophie Barthes (Cold Souls and Madame Bovary), Terence Nance (An Oversimplification of Her Beauty), Lawrence Michael Levine (Wild Canaries), Jorge Michel Grau (We Are What We Are), Eleanor Burke and Ron Eyal (Stranger Things) and new faces in Sundance’s large family in Charles Poekel (Christmas, Again) and Olivia Newman (First Match). Here...
- 7/22/2015
- by admin
- IONCINEMA.com
The partners have teamed up with Morgan Spurlock, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady plus Gini Reticker on a trio of shorts celebrating entrepreneurs that will go out on VOD, Vimeo and other platforms on July 15.
Tribeca Digital Studios and American Express co-produced the series. The three films are below. Synopses provided by Tribeca.
Buffalo Returns (main picture) by Gini Reticker
In the face of a powerful recession, crippling unemployment and a housing crisis, a small, creative and energetic band of Native American businesspeople, with the help of the buffalo, rebuild their community through a growing business, Native American Natural Foods, the company behind Tanka energy bars.
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Gini Reticker weaves together beautiful imagery set to the pulse of the Sioux Nation to carefully tell the story of two entrepreneurs who use tradition and ingenuity to bring opportunity and hope to the people on the Pine Ridge Reservation. After nearly going extinct, the buffalo...
Tribeca Digital Studios and American Express co-produced the series. The three films are below. Synopses provided by Tribeca.
Buffalo Returns (main picture) by Gini Reticker
In the face of a powerful recession, crippling unemployment and a housing crisis, a small, creative and energetic band of Native American businesspeople, with the help of the buffalo, rebuild their community through a growing business, Native American Natural Foods, the company behind Tanka energy bars.
Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Gini Reticker weaves together beautiful imagery set to the pulse of the Sioux Nation to carefully tell the story of two entrepreneurs who use tradition and ingenuity to bring opportunity and hope to the people on the Pine Ridge Reservation. After nearly going extinct, the buffalo...
- 7/15/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Ifp announced its 2014 slate of 133 new films in development and works in progress selected for its esteemed Project Forum at Independent Film Week. This one-of-a-kind event brings the international film and media community to New York City to advance new projects by nurturing the work of both emerging and established independent artists and filmmakers. Through the Project Forum, creatives connect with financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, new media and cross-platform storytelling that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences. Under the curatorial leadership of Deputy Director/Head of Programming Amy Dotson & Senior Director of Programming Milton Tabbot, this one-of-a-kind event takes place September 14-18, 2014 at Lincoln Center supporting bold new content from a wide variety of domestic and international artists.
“As we set to embark on our 36th Independent Film Week, we are impressed by the outstanding slate of both U.S. and international projects selected for this year’s Project Forum,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of Ifp. “We know that the industry will be as excited as we are with the accomplished storytellers and their diverse and boundary pushing films.”
Featured works at the 2014 Independent Film Week include filmmakers and content creators from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. From documentarians Tony Gerber ("Full Battle Rattle"), Pamela Yates ("Granito: How To Nail A Dictator"), and Penny Lane ("Our Nixon") to Michelangelo Frammartino ("Quattro Volte") and Alexis Dos Santos ("Unmade Beds"), as well as new work from critically acclaimed artists and directors Aurora Guerrero ("Mosquita y Mari"), Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy"), Travis Matthews ("Interior. Leather. Bar") and Yen Tan ("Pit Stop").
Independent Film Week brings the international film and media community to New York City to advance new documentary and narrative works-in-progress and support the future of storytelling. The program nurtures the work of both emerging and established independent artists and filmmakers through the facilitation of over 3,500+ custom, one-to-one meetings with the financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, new media and cross-platform storytelling that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences. In recent years, it has also played a vital role in launching the first films of many of today’s rising stars on the independent scene including Rama Burshtein ("Fill The Void"), Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine"), Marshall Curry ("If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth LIberation Front"), Laura Poitras ("The Oath"), Denis Villeneuve ("Incendies") and Benh Zeitlin ("Beasts of the Southern Wild").
For the full 2014 Project Forum slate visit Here
New For 2014
Evenly split between documentary and narrative features, selected projects hail from throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada, as well Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. New this year, Ifp will be including web series in it programming, as well as spotlighting Latin & Central American artists and content with 15 projects featured across all programs in the Forum.
In a joint effort to recognize the importance of career and creative sustainability, Ifp and Durga Entertainment have partnered on a new $20,000 filmmaker grant for an alumnus of Ifp. The grant is intended for active, working filmmakers who are also balancing a filmmaking career with parenting. The grant provides a $20,000 unrestricted prize to encourage the recipient to continue on her or his career path of making quality independent films. American directors or screenwriters working in narrative film who have participated in the Ifp Filmmaker Labs or Ifp Independent Film Week's Emerging Storytellers or No-Borders International Co-Production market are encouraged to apply by the deadline of August 8, 2014.
Narrative Feature Highlights
Narrative features and webseries in Rbc’s Emerging Storytellers and No Borders International Co-Production Market sections highlight new work from top emerging and established creative visionaries on the U.S. and international independent scene.
This year’s slate includes new feature scripts featuring directors Dev Benegal ("Road, Movie"), Alexis Dos Santos ("Unmade Beds"), Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin ("Now, Forager"), Michelangelo Frammartino ("Le Quattro Volte"),Terry George ("Hotel Rwanda"), Rashaad Ernesto Green ("Gun Hill Road"), Aurora Guerrero ("Mosquita Y Mari"), Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy"),Alison Klayman ("Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry"), Travis Mathews ("Interior. Leather Bar"), Stacie Passon ("Concussion"), Yen Tan ("Pit Stop"), as well as up-an-coming actor/directors Karrie Crouse ("Land Ho!") and Peter Vack ("Fort Tilden""I Believe in Unicorns").
Producers and executive producers of note attached to participating projects include Jennifer Dubin and Cora Olson ("Good Dick"), Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams ("Hellion"),Laura Heberton ("Gayby"), Dan Janvey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"), Kishori Rajan ("Gimme the Loot"), Adele Romanski ("The Myth of the American Sleepover"), Kim Sherman ("A Teacher"), Susan Stover ("High Art"), and Alicia Van Couvering ("Tiny Furniture").
Web Storytellers Highlights
For the first time this year, Ifp presents a dedicated spotlight within the Rbc’s Emerging Storytellers program for creators developing episodic content for digital platforms. The inaugural slate for the Web Storytellers spotlight includes new works from filmmakers Desiree Akhavan ("Appropriate Behavior", HBO’s Girls), Calvin Reeder ("The Rambler"), and Gregory Bayne ("Person of Interest"), as well as producers Elisabeth Holm ("Obvious Child"), Susan Leber ( "Down to the Bone"), and Amanda Warman ("The Outs,"Whatever This Is"). Two of the series participating are currently in post-production, and will be making their online debut in the coming months – Rachel Morgan’s Middle Americans, starring Scott Thompson, Carlen Altman, and Alex Rennie, and Daniel Zimbler and Elisabeth Gray’s Understudies, starring Richard Kind and David Rasche. [p Spotlight On Documentaries Highlights
The documentary selection includes new work from seasoned non-fiction directors such as Emmy winners Robert Bahar andAlmudena Carracedo ("Made in La"), Pamela Yates ("Granito: How to Nail a Dictator"),Ramona Diaz ("Imelda," "Don’t Stop Believin’") Gini Reticker ("Pray the Devil Back to Hell") Tony Gerber ("Full Battle Rattle"); from producers such as Court 13’s Benh Zeitlin and Dan Janvey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"), Liran Atzmor ("The Law in These Parts"), Tim Williams ("Once In A Lifetime") and Hilla Medalia ("Web Junkie"), and follow-up second features from recent doc world “breakouts”Steve Hoover ("Blood Brother") Penny Lane ("Our Nixon"), Michael Collins ("Give Up Tomorrow"), and Michael Nichols and Christopher Walker ("Flex is Kings").
Exciting new work from debut documentary directors previously known for fiction films include Alex Sichel ("All over Me") with her personal doc The Movie about Anna, Lisa Cortés (producer, "Precious") with "Mothership: The Untold Story of Women and Hip Hop," and Daniel Patrick Carbone ("Hide Your Smiling Faces") with Phantom Cowboys.
Sponsors
Independent Film Week’s Premier sponsors are Royal Bank of Canada (Rbc) and HBO. Gold sponsors are A&E IndieFilms and SAGIndie. Silver sponsors are Durga Entertainment, Eastman Kodak Company, National Film & Video Foundation of South Africa and Telefilm Canada. Official Independent Film Week Partner is Film Society of Lincoln Center. Independent Film Week is supported, in part, by funds provided by the Ford Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council for the Arts and Time Warner Foundation.
About Ifp
The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) champions the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Made in NY Media Center by Ifp, a new incubator space developed with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. Ifp represents a growing network of 10,000 storytellers around the world, and plays a key role in developing 350 new feature and documentary works each year. During its 35-year history, Ifp has supported over 8,000 projects and offered resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers, including Debra Granik, Miranda July, Michael Moore, Dee Rees, and Benh Zeitlin. More info at www.ifp.org.
“As we set to embark on our 36th Independent Film Week, we are impressed by the outstanding slate of both U.S. and international projects selected for this year’s Project Forum,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of Ifp. “We know that the industry will be as excited as we are with the accomplished storytellers and their diverse and boundary pushing films.”
Featured works at the 2014 Independent Film Week include filmmakers and content creators from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. From documentarians Tony Gerber ("Full Battle Rattle"), Pamela Yates ("Granito: How To Nail A Dictator"), and Penny Lane ("Our Nixon") to Michelangelo Frammartino ("Quattro Volte") and Alexis Dos Santos ("Unmade Beds"), as well as new work from critically acclaimed artists and directors Aurora Guerrero ("Mosquita y Mari"), Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy"), Travis Matthews ("Interior. Leather. Bar") and Yen Tan ("Pit Stop").
Independent Film Week brings the international film and media community to New York City to advance new documentary and narrative works-in-progress and support the future of storytelling. The program nurtures the work of both emerging and established independent artists and filmmakers through the facilitation of over 3,500+ custom, one-to-one meetings with the financiers, executives, influencers and decision-makers in film, television, new media and cross-platform storytelling that can help them complete their latest works and connect with audiences. In recent years, it has also played a vital role in launching the first films of many of today’s rising stars on the independent scene including Rama Burshtein ("Fill The Void"), Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine"), Marshall Curry ("If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth LIberation Front"), Laura Poitras ("The Oath"), Denis Villeneuve ("Incendies") and Benh Zeitlin ("Beasts of the Southern Wild").
For the full 2014 Project Forum slate visit Here
New For 2014
Evenly split between documentary and narrative features, selected projects hail from throughout the U.S., Europe and Canada, as well Africa, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. New this year, Ifp will be including web series in it programming, as well as spotlighting Latin & Central American artists and content with 15 projects featured across all programs in the Forum.
In a joint effort to recognize the importance of career and creative sustainability, Ifp and Durga Entertainment have partnered on a new $20,000 filmmaker grant for an alumnus of Ifp. The grant is intended for active, working filmmakers who are also balancing a filmmaking career with parenting. The grant provides a $20,000 unrestricted prize to encourage the recipient to continue on her or his career path of making quality independent films. American directors or screenwriters working in narrative film who have participated in the Ifp Filmmaker Labs or Ifp Independent Film Week's Emerging Storytellers or No-Borders International Co-Production market are encouraged to apply by the deadline of August 8, 2014.
Narrative Feature Highlights
Narrative features and webseries in Rbc’s Emerging Storytellers and No Borders International Co-Production Market sections highlight new work from top emerging and established creative visionaries on the U.S. and international independent scene.
This year’s slate includes new feature scripts featuring directors Dev Benegal ("Road, Movie"), Alexis Dos Santos ("Unmade Beds"), Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin ("Now, Forager"), Michelangelo Frammartino ("Le Quattro Volte"),Terry George ("Hotel Rwanda"), Rashaad Ernesto Green ("Gun Hill Road"), Aurora Guerrero ("Mosquita Y Mari"), Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy"),Alison Klayman ("Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry"), Travis Mathews ("Interior. Leather Bar"), Stacie Passon ("Concussion"), Yen Tan ("Pit Stop"), as well as up-an-coming actor/directors Karrie Crouse ("Land Ho!") and Peter Vack ("Fort Tilden""I Believe in Unicorns").
Producers and executive producers of note attached to participating projects include Jennifer Dubin and Cora Olson ("Good Dick"), Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams ("Hellion"),Laura Heberton ("Gayby"), Dan Janvey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"), Kishori Rajan ("Gimme the Loot"), Adele Romanski ("The Myth of the American Sleepover"), Kim Sherman ("A Teacher"), Susan Stover ("High Art"), and Alicia Van Couvering ("Tiny Furniture").
Web Storytellers Highlights
For the first time this year, Ifp presents a dedicated spotlight within the Rbc’s Emerging Storytellers program for creators developing episodic content for digital platforms. The inaugural slate for the Web Storytellers spotlight includes new works from filmmakers Desiree Akhavan ("Appropriate Behavior", HBO’s Girls), Calvin Reeder ("The Rambler"), and Gregory Bayne ("Person of Interest"), as well as producers Elisabeth Holm ("Obvious Child"), Susan Leber ( "Down to the Bone"), and Amanda Warman ("The Outs,"Whatever This Is"). Two of the series participating are currently in post-production, and will be making their online debut in the coming months – Rachel Morgan’s Middle Americans, starring Scott Thompson, Carlen Altman, and Alex Rennie, and Daniel Zimbler and Elisabeth Gray’s Understudies, starring Richard Kind and David Rasche. [p Spotlight On Documentaries Highlights
The documentary selection includes new work from seasoned non-fiction directors such as Emmy winners Robert Bahar andAlmudena Carracedo ("Made in La"), Pamela Yates ("Granito: How to Nail a Dictator"),Ramona Diaz ("Imelda," "Don’t Stop Believin’") Gini Reticker ("Pray the Devil Back to Hell") Tony Gerber ("Full Battle Rattle"); from producers such as Court 13’s Benh Zeitlin and Dan Janvey ("Beasts of the Southern Wild"), Liran Atzmor ("The Law in These Parts"), Tim Williams ("Once In A Lifetime") and Hilla Medalia ("Web Junkie"), and follow-up second features from recent doc world “breakouts”Steve Hoover ("Blood Brother") Penny Lane ("Our Nixon"), Michael Collins ("Give Up Tomorrow"), and Michael Nichols and Christopher Walker ("Flex is Kings").
Exciting new work from debut documentary directors previously known for fiction films include Alex Sichel ("All over Me") with her personal doc The Movie about Anna, Lisa Cortés (producer, "Precious") with "Mothership: The Untold Story of Women and Hip Hop," and Daniel Patrick Carbone ("Hide Your Smiling Faces") with Phantom Cowboys.
Sponsors
Independent Film Week’s Premier sponsors are Royal Bank of Canada (Rbc) and HBO. Gold sponsors are A&E IndieFilms and SAGIndie. Silver sponsors are Durga Entertainment, Eastman Kodak Company, National Film & Video Foundation of South Africa and Telefilm Canada. Official Independent Film Week Partner is Film Society of Lincoln Center. Independent Film Week is supported, in part, by funds provided by the Ford Foundation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council for the Arts and Time Warner Foundation.
About Ifp
The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) champions the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Made in NY Media Center by Ifp, a new incubator space developed with the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. Ifp represents a growing network of 10,000 storytellers around the world, and plays a key role in developing 350 new feature and documentary works each year. During its 35-year history, Ifp has supported over 8,000 projects and offered resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers, including Debra Granik, Miranda July, Michael Moore, Dee Rees, and Benh Zeitlin. More info at www.ifp.org.
- 7/25/2014
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
On the heels of the 39th edition of the Toronto Int. Film Festival (Sept 4-14), Ifp’s Independent Film Week is where a plethora of fiction, non-fiction and new this year, web-based series from the likes of Desiree Akhavan and Calvin Reeder find future coin. Sectioned off as projects at the very beginning of financing to those that are nearing completion, there happens to be tons of Sundance alumni in the names below. Among those that caught our attention we have Medicine for Melancholy‘s Barry Jenkins’ sophomore feature, produced by Bad Milo!‘s Adele Romanski, Moonlight is about “two Miami boys navigate the temptations of the drug trade and their burgeoning sexuality in this triptych drama about black queer youth”. Concussion‘s Stacie Passon digs into the thriller genre with Strange Things Started Happening. Produced by vet Mary Jane Skalski (Mysterious Skin), this is about “a woman who has...
- 7/24/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
When the news broke this morning that three women would share this year 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, we here at Tribeca were especially ecstatic. Two of the women honored today - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee - were the subjects of the documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which was named Best Documentary Feature when it premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. The third winner is a pro-democracy campaigner from Yemen, Tawakkol Karman. All three were commended for "their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work." Back in 2008, Elisabeth Donnelly interviewed Gini Reticker, who directed Pray the Devil Back to Hell in partnership with producer Abigail Disney. In light of today's news, we thought we would re-run the interview. The movie is quite powerful, and still relevant, as are the women's stories within. If you ...
- 10/7/2011
- TribecaFilm.com
Roberta Grossman’s Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh and Gini Reticker’s Pray the Devil Back to Hell (above, lower photo) will be screened as part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 28th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series on Wednesday, November 11, at 7 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. Admission is free. Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh tells the story of poet, diarist, and paratrooper Hannah Senesh, who took part in the only military rescue mission for Jews during the Holocaust. Blessed Is the Match was also produced by Grossman, who will be present to take questions from [...]...
- 11/9/2009
- by Anna Robinson
- Alt Film Guide
Errol Morris, on Oscar winner in 2004 for his documentary "The Fog of War," has made the cut that could lead to another Academy Award nomination for his latest film, "Standard Operating Procedure," a study of torture in Abu Ghraib in Iraq.
Morris' film, from Participant and Sony Pictures Classics, is one of 15 films that have made it through a preliminary round of voting by the Academy's documentary branch steering committee and are now eligible to compete for one of the five nominations in the feature documentary category.
Bill Maher's "Religulous," the top-grossing doc of the year with $12.6 million domestically, failed to make the list, though plenty of other hot-button topics were represented.
Joshua Tickell's "Fuel" looks at the energy crisis; Patrick Creadon's "I.O.U.S.A.," from Roadside Attractions, takes on the credit crunch; Peter Gilbert and Steve James' "At the Death House Door" examines a case of capital punishment...
Morris' film, from Participant and Sony Pictures Classics, is one of 15 films that have made it through a preliminary round of voting by the Academy's documentary branch steering committee and are now eligible to compete for one of the five nominations in the feature documentary category.
Bill Maher's "Religulous," the top-grossing doc of the year with $12.6 million domestically, failed to make the list, though plenty of other hot-button topics were represented.
Joshua Tickell's "Fuel" looks at the energy crisis; Patrick Creadon's "I.O.U.S.A.," from Roadside Attractions, takes on the credit crunch; Peter Gilbert and Steve James' "At the Death House Door" examines a case of capital punishment...
- 11/17/2008
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lives During Wartime: Its uplifting message makes all the difference in 'Pray the Devil Back to Hell' The sound of gunfire quickly cancels out Angelique Kidjo's beautiful singing at the start of the uplifting and engaging political documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." It's time for the film's horrifying history lesson to begin. Explanatory text and folk art images outline the actions responsible for the chaos in the West African nation of Liberia going back to Christmas Eve 1989 and the rise to power of Charles Taylor. Warlords form an alliance dubbed "Lurd" and battle Taylor for control of the government. Their soldiers of choice are young boys outfitted with guns and let loose on the countryside. Into the bloodshed march a community of brave women tired of the violence and poverty crippling their nation. Both Christian and Muslim, these Liberian women unite from various groups: the Women in Peacebuilding Network,...
- 11/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Lives During Wartime: Its uplifting message makes all the difference in 'Pray the Devil Back to Hell' The sound of gunfire quickly cancels out Angelique Kidjo's beautiful singing at the start of the uplifting and engaging political documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." It's time for the film's horrifying history lesson to begin. Explanatory text and folk art images outline the actions responsible for the chaos in the West African nation of Liberia going back to Christmas Eve 1989 and the rise to power of Charles Taylor. Warlords form an alliance dubbed "Lurd" and battle Taylor for control of the government. Their soldiers of choice are young boys outfitted with guns and let loose on the countryside. Into the bloodshed march a community of brave women tired of the violence and poverty crippling their nation. Both Christian and Muslim, these Liberian women unite from various groups: the Women in Peacebuilding Network,...
- 11/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Pray the Devil Back to Hellby Steve Ramos, Writer Lives During Wartime: Its uplifting message makes all the difference in 'Pray the Devil Back to Hell' The sound of gunfire quickly cancels out Angelique Kidjo's beautiful singing at the start of the uplifting and engaging political documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." It's time for the film's horrifying history lesson to begin. Explanatory text and folk art images outline the actions responsible for the chaos in the West African nation of Liberia going back to Christmas Eve 1989 and the rise to power of Charles Taylor. Warlords form an alliance dubbed "Lurd" and battle Taylor for control of the government. Their soldiers of choice are young boys outfitted with guns and let loose on the countryside. Into the bloodshed march a community of brave women tired of the violence and poverty crippling their nation. Both Christian and Muslim,...
- 11/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Lives During Wartime: Its uplifting message makes all the difference in 'Pray the Devil Back to Hell' The sound of gunfire quickly cancels out Angelique Kidjo's beautiful singing at the start of the uplifting and engaging political documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." It's time for the film's horrifying history lesson to begin. Explanatory text and folk art images outline the actions responsible for the chaos in the West African nation of Liberia going back to Christmas Eve 1989 and the rise to power of Charles Taylor. Warlords form an alliance dubbed "Lurd" and battle Taylor for control of the government. Their soldiers of choice are young boys outfitted with guns and let loose on the countryside. Into the bloodshed march a community of brave women tired of the violence and poverty crippling their nation. Both Christian and Muslim, these Liberian women unite from various groups: the Women in Peacebuilding Network,...
- 11/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The rise in post-apocalyptic fiction over the past half-decade has sprung from a spreading skepticism that mankind can maintain some semblance of order when the "long emergency" finally comes. This lack of faith may be due to what we've seen in recent years in Africa and Eastern Europe, where scarcity and economic collapse has led to outright barbarism, complete with mass genocide, clannish infighting, and human lives being reduced to commodities. Consider Liberia. In 1989, in the midst of violent civil conflict, charismatic warlord Charles Taylor stepped in and built a regime dedicated to making chaos commonplace. Taylor's strategy: Keep Liberian citizens too disorganized to fight back, thus encouraging them to cede more and more power. The scenario that seems all too imitable, even in our enlightened 21st century. Gini Reticker's documentary Pray The Devil Back To Hell recalls Liberia's darkest days, when Taylor set makeshift armies of drug-addicted...
- 11/7/2008
- by Noel Murray
- avclub.com
By Neil Pedley
Those nursing a Halloween hangover can enjoy a little hair of the dog with some amusing takes on terror, a double bill featuring the greatly missed Bernie Mac and a trio of Fantastic Fest titles coming their way.
"The Alphabet Killer"
Eliza Dushku reunites with "Wrong Turn" director Rob Schmidt for this supernatural riff on the infamous Alphabet murders that took place in Rochester, NY in the early '70s. Dushku stars as the lead investigator in a series of brutal child killings who's struck down by a severe mental breakdown. Two years later, her career as a detective is ostensibly over, yet when the killings inexplicably start up again, so do her crippling hallucinations and she must find a way to track down the serial killer with or without the help of her former colleagues at the police department. Timothy Hutton, Cary Elwes and Michael Ironside...
Those nursing a Halloween hangover can enjoy a little hair of the dog with some amusing takes on terror, a double bill featuring the greatly missed Bernie Mac and a trio of Fantastic Fest titles coming their way.
"The Alphabet Killer"
Eliza Dushku reunites with "Wrong Turn" director Rob Schmidt for this supernatural riff on the infamous Alphabet murders that took place in Rochester, NY in the early '70s. Dushku stars as the lead investigator in a series of brutal child killings who's struck down by a severe mental breakdown. Two years later, her career as a detective is ostensibly over, yet when the killings inexplicably start up again, so do her crippling hallucinations and she must find a way to track down the serial killer with or without the help of her former colleagues at the police department. Timothy Hutton, Cary Elwes and Michael Ironside...
- 11/3/2008
- by Neil Pedley
- ifc.com
Still in indie film focus, we now have the trailer for the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." Gini Reticker, documentarian of previous films "New School Order" and "The Heart of the Matter," directs this powerful docu of the brave women of war-troubled Liberia. The Academy Award-nominated team Gini Reticker, Kate Taverna and Kirsten Johnson teamed up with Abigail E. Disney to produce this powerful documentary feature. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas.
- 10/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Still in indie film focus, we now have the trailer for the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." Gini Reticker, documentarian of previous films "New School Order" and "The Heart of the Matter," directs this powerful docu of the brave women of war-troubled Liberia. The Academy Award-nominated team Gini Reticker, Kate Taverna and Kirsten Johnson teamed up with Abigail E. Disney to produce this powerful documentary feature. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas.
- 10/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Still in indie film focus, we now have the trailer for the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell."Gini Reticker, documentarian of previous films "New School Order" and "The Heart of the Matter," directs this powerful docu of the brave women of war-troubled Liberia. The Academy Award-nominated team Gini Reticker, Kate Taverna and Kirsten Johnson teamed up with Abigail E. Disney to produce this powerful documentary feature. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas. The synopsis of the film tells us a gripping account of a group of brave women who demanded peace for Liberia, a nation torn to shreds by a decades-long civil war. The women's historic achievement finds its voice in a narrative that intersperses interviews, archival images, and scenes of present-day Liberia together to recount the memories of a few of the women who were there. In 2003, Liberia...
- 10/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Still in indie film focus, we now have the trailer for the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." Gini Reticker, documentarian of previous films "New School Order" and "The Heart of the Matter," directs this powerful docu of the brave women of war-troubled Liberia. The Academy Award-nominated team Gini Reticker, Kate Taverna and Kirsten Johnson teamed up with Abigail E. Disney to produce this powerful documentary feature. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas.
- 10/17/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Balcony Releasing sent us a brand new movie poster for the upcoming documentary “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” by director Gini Reticker. Synopsis: Pray the Devil Back to Hell is the gripping account of a group of brave women who demanded peace for Liberia, a nation torn to shreds by a decades-long civil war. The women’s historic achievement finds its voice in a narrative that intersperses interviews, archival images, and scenes of present-day Liberia together to recount the memories of a few of the women who were there. In 2003, Liberia was a country devastated by decades of political dislocation, humanitarian crisis, and street-to-street urban warfare. Charles Taylor, then President of Liberia, had emptied the country’s pockets as creatively as [...]...
- 10/17/2008
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
We now take a look at the indie film "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." The documentary is helmed by Gini Reticker, 2004 Academy Award® short nominee for "Asylum" which she shared with Sandy McLeod. This is also the winner of the Sundance Film Festival Short Filmmaking Award. Additionally, the film was honored with the Best Documentary Feature Award at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. An important film detailing the struggle for peace in a nation devastated by a seemingly neverending civil war. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas.
- 10/7/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
We now take a look at the indie film "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." The documentary is helmed by Gini Reticker, 2004 Academy Award® short nominee for "Asylum" which she shared with Sandy McLeod. This is also the winner of the Sundance Film Festival Short Filmmaking Award. Additionally, the film was honored with the Best Documentary Feature Award at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. An important film detailing the struggle for peace in a nation devastated by a seemingly neverending civil war. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas.
- 10/7/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
We now take a look at the indie film "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." The documentary is helmed by Gini Reticker, 2004 Academy Award® short nominee for "Asylum" which she shared with Sandy McLeod. This is also the winner of the Sundance Film Festival Short Filmmaking Award. Additionally, the film was honored with the Best Documentary Feature Award at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. An important film detailing the struggle for peace in a nation devastated by a seemingly neverending civil war. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas. We recommend you check out the official site here. What's the all about? Pray the Devil Back to Hell is the gripping account of a group of brave women who demanded peace for Liberia, a nation torn to shreds by a decades-long civil war. The women's historic achievement finds its voice in a narrative that intersperses interviews,...
- 10/7/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
We now take a look at the indie film "Pray the Devil Back to Hell." The documentary is helmed by Gini Reticker, 2004 Academy Award® short nominee for "Asylum" which she shared with Sandy McLeod. This is also the winner of the Sundance Film Festival Short Filmmaking Award. Additionally, the film was honored with the Best Documentary Feature Award at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. An important film detailing the struggle for peace in a nation devastated by a seemingly neverending civil war. Balcony Releasing distributes the Fork Films production on November 7th this year in limited areas.
- 10/7/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Click image above to enlarge
Cinematical has just received this exclusive poster for Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which took home the Best Documentary award at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Gini Reticker, the buzz-worthy doc tells of a courageous group of Liberian woman who came together and stood up to those holding their country hostage in an attempt to bring peace back to the land.
The synopsis adds, "Thousands of women - ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim - came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they took on the warlords and nonviolently forced a resolution during the stalled peace talks. A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia.
Cinematical has just received this exclusive poster for Pray the Devil Back to Hell, which took home the Best Documentary award at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Gini Reticker, the buzz-worthy doc tells of a courageous group of Liberian woman who came together and stood up to those holding their country hostage in an attempt to bring peace back to the land.
The synopsis adds, "Thousands of women - ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim - came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they took on the warlords and nonviolently forced a resolution during the stalled peace talks. A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honors the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia.
- 10/2/2008
- by Erik Davis
- Cinematical
A Swedish horror film and a documentary following a female peace activist in war-torn Liberia has scooped the top awards at New York's Tribeca Film Festival on Thursday.
Let the Right One In - directed by Tomas Alfredson - took the award for Best Narrative Feature, beating 11 other finalists.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell - directed by Gini Reticker and narrated by singer Angelique Kidjo - won Best Documentary Feature. Both films each won $25,000 (GBP12,500).
Other films to be honoured at the festival include My Marlon and Brando (Best New Narrative Filmmaker Award ) and Spanish director Carlos Carcas won Best New Documentary Filmmaker for Old Man Bebo.
The Best Actor in a Feature Film award went to Thomas Turgoose and Piotr Jagiello for their roles in the British film Somers Town, while the Best Actress Award went to Eileen Walsh for her role in the Irish movie Eden.
The Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, celebrated its seventh year. They founded the festival in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center in a bid to spur the economic and cultural revitalisation of lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.
Let the Right One In - directed by Tomas Alfredson - took the award for Best Narrative Feature, beating 11 other finalists.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell - directed by Gini Reticker and narrated by singer Angelique Kidjo - won Best Documentary Feature. Both films each won $25,000 (GBP12,500).
Other films to be honoured at the festival include My Marlon and Brando (Best New Narrative Filmmaker Award ) and Spanish director Carlos Carcas won Best New Documentary Filmmaker for Old Man Bebo.
The Best Actor in a Feature Film award went to Thomas Turgoose and Piotr Jagiello for their roles in the British film Somers Town, while the Best Actress Award went to Eileen Walsh for her role in the Irish movie Eden.
The Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, celebrated its seventh year. They founded the festival in 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center in a bid to spur the economic and cultural revitalisation of lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.
- 5/2/2008
- WENN
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