Exclusive: Reptile co-stars Alicia Silverstone and Karl Glusman have been set to lead The Bird and the Bee, a sexually charged thriller that marks Justin Kelly’s third film for Yale Productions, on the heels of Welcome the Stranger and gay porn world-set crime drama King Cobra.
Written by Atlantis actor Jack Donnelly, the film was shot under a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement and wrapped production this week. Pic follows a successful executive (Silverstone) as she fights back a scorned younger lover (Glusman) who takes his obsession too far.
Producers included Jordan Yale Levine, Jordan Beckerman, and Jesse Korman of Yale Productions, as well as Scott Levenson and Lexi Tannenholtz. Exec producers included Jason Kringstein, John Wollman, Michael J. Rothstein, Jeffrey Tussi, Jeremy Rothstein, and Jodie Lazar, as well as Brian Unger, Gigi Lacks,...
Written by Atlantis actor Jack Donnelly, the film was shot under a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement and wrapped production this week. Pic follows a successful executive (Silverstone) as she fights back a scorned younger lover (Glusman) who takes his obsession too far.
Producers included Jordan Yale Levine, Jordan Beckerman, and Jesse Korman of Yale Productions, as well as Scott Levenson and Lexi Tannenholtz. Exec producers included Jason Kringstein, John Wollman, Michael J. Rothstein, Jeffrey Tussi, Jeremy Rothstein, and Jodie Lazar, as well as Brian Unger, Gigi Lacks,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The very long wait is almost over, and we are so ready to get back into the ring!
Heels Season 1 set things up beautifully for the story to continue, and today, Starz released the trailer and key art for Heels Season 2.
Let me tell you, this season does not disappoint!
Premiering on Friday, July 28 at midnight (Et) on the Starz app, Heels Season 2 makes its linear debut on Stars at 10/9c on the same day.
Starring Stephen Amell (Arrow) and Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), the small-town sports drama series is based on a wrestling league in rural Georgia and the family dynamics that brought it to life.
Heels is aptly named after the wrestling term for a villain or antagonist. Most stories center around heroes vs. villains, but in wrestling, it’s faces vs. heels.
Season two brings fans back to the family-owned wrestling organization, Duffy Wrestling League (Dwl), where brothers...
Heels Season 1 set things up beautifully for the story to continue, and today, Starz released the trailer and key art for Heels Season 2.
Let me tell you, this season does not disappoint!
Premiering on Friday, July 28 at midnight (Et) on the Starz app, Heels Season 2 makes its linear debut on Stars at 10/9c on the same day.
Starring Stephen Amell (Arrow) and Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), the small-town sports drama series is based on a wrestling league in rural Georgia and the family dynamics that brought it to life.
Heels is aptly named after the wrestling term for a villain or antagonist. Most stories center around heroes vs. villains, but in wrestling, it’s faces vs. heels.
Season two brings fans back to the family-owned wrestling organization, Duffy Wrestling League (Dwl), where brothers...
- 6/29/2023
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Starz released today the trailer and key art for season two of the critically-acclaimed drama “Heels,” which returns to the ring for season two on Friday, July 28 at midnight (Et) on the Starz app. Starring Stephen Amell (“Arrow”) and Alexander Ludwig(“Vikings”), the small-town sports drama series based on a wrestling league in rural Georgia will also debut via linear tv on Starz at 10:00 Pm Et/Pt in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, July 28, 2023.
“Heels” is aptly named after the wrestling term for a villain or antagonist. Most stories center around heroes vs. villains, but in wrestling, it’s faces vs. heels. Season two brings fans back to the family-owned wrestling organization, Duffy Wrestling League (Dwl), where brothers and rivals, Jack (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), continue to fightover their late father’s legacy and their individual versions of success, while also working to find their own...
“Heels” is aptly named after the wrestling term for a villain or antagonist. Most stories center around heroes vs. villains, but in wrestling, it’s faces vs. heels. Season two brings fans back to the family-owned wrestling organization, Duffy Wrestling League (Dwl), where brothers and rivals, Jack (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), continue to fightover their late father’s legacy and their individual versions of success, while also working to find their own...
- 6/29/2023
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
Exclusive: Lauren Staerck (Trust) and Natasha Henstridge (Species) are underway in England on Cinderella’s Revenge, a film that Andy Edwards (Zombie Spring Breakers) is directing for Mark Amin’s Sobini Films, that will give the classic fairy tale a horror twist.
In the film, Cinderella (Staerck)’s wicked stepsisters and stepmother push her too far, leading her to swap her glass slippers in pursuit of blood-soaked vengeance with the help of her Fairy Godmother (Henstridge).
Also starring Stephanie Lodge, Beatrice Fletcher, Megan Purvis and Darrell Griggs, Cinderella’s Revenge is produced by Sobini Films’ Amin, as well as Mark Lester, Cami Winikoff and Jessica Mathis.
“Cinderella is the most famous fairy tale in the world,” observes Amin. “We were able to develop a great horror script that is also a female empowerment story with global appeal.”
Previously appearing in films like Curse of Jack Frost, Staerck has also been...
In the film, Cinderella (Staerck)’s wicked stepsisters and stepmother push her too far, leading her to swap her glass slippers in pursuit of blood-soaked vengeance with the help of her Fairy Godmother (Henstridge).
Also starring Stephanie Lodge, Beatrice Fletcher, Megan Purvis and Darrell Griggs, Cinderella’s Revenge is produced by Sobini Films’ Amin, as well as Mark Lester, Cami Winikoff and Jessica Mathis.
“Cinderella is the most famous fairy tale in the world,” observes Amin. “We were able to develop a great horror script that is also a female empowerment story with global appeal.”
Previously appearing in films like Curse of Jack Frost, Staerck has also been...
- 6/15/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The long wait for Heels Season 2 is almost over.
Heels returns to the ring for season two on Friday, July 28 at midnight (Et) on the Starz app.
Starring Stephen Amell (Arrow) and Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), the gripping small-town drama series based on a wrestling league in rural Georgia will also debut on linear on Starz at 10:00 Pm Et/Pt in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, July 28, 2023.
Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling.
Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), are at war over their late father's legacy while working to find their identity and their individual versions of success.
Heel is a common wrestling term used to describe the antagonist or villain in the ring, however,...
Heels returns to the ring for season two on Friday, July 28 at midnight (Et) on the Starz app.
Starring Stephen Amell (Arrow) and Alexander Ludwig (Vikings), the gripping small-town drama series based on a wrestling league in rural Georgia will also debut on linear on Starz at 10:00 Pm Et/Pt in the U.S. and Canada on Friday, July 28, 2023.
Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling.
Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), are at war over their late father's legacy while working to find their identity and their individual versions of success.
Heel is a common wrestling term used to describe the antagonist or villain in the ring, however,...
- 5/12/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
“Heels” returns for season two on Friday, July 28 at midnight (Et) on the Starz app. Starring Stephen Amell (“Arrow”) and Alexander Ludwig (“Vikings”), the small-town drama series based on a wrestling league in rural Georgia will also debut on linear on Starz at 10:00 Pm Et/Pt in the US and Canada on Friday, July 28.
Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), are at war over their late father’s legacy while working to find their identity and their individual versions of success. “Heel” is a common wrestling term used to describe the antagonist or villain in the ring.
Season two begins after a spectacular showing at the South Georgia State Fair, and the Duffy Wrestling League’s popularity is suddenly on the upswing. Hoping to seize the opportunity, Jack and his cohorts...
Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), are at war over their late father’s legacy while working to find their identity and their individual versions of success. “Heel” is a common wrestling term used to describe the antagonist or villain in the ring.
Season two begins after a spectacular showing at the South Georgia State Fair, and the Duffy Wrestling League’s popularity is suddenly on the upswing. Hoping to seize the opportunity, Jack and his cohorts...
- 5/12/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
While the Toronto International Film Festival doesn’t boast a market as robust as Sundance or Cannes, there are always big deals; buyers like to see how movies wow Tiff critics and crowds. Most of all, the massive lineup of 300-plus films means that there’s the possibility of identifying a film that others overlook. “Nobody knew that movie was going to be what it was,” said Focus Features’ distribution chief Lisa Bunnell, remembering a little movie by Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker.” “The real surprise is nothing you can predict.”
Most Tiff slates are packed with Oscar contenders. Fox Searchlight has “The Favourite” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”; for Sony Pictures Classics it’s foreign-language titles “Capernaum,” “Sunset,” and “Never Look Away.” Annapurna has Barry Jenkins’ Tiff world premiere, “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and Jacques Audiard’s “The Sister Brothers,” while Focus brings “Boy Erased.”
However, it...
Most Tiff slates are packed with Oscar contenders. Fox Searchlight has “The Favourite” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”; for Sony Pictures Classics it’s foreign-language titles “Capernaum,” “Sunset,” and “Never Look Away.” Annapurna has Barry Jenkins’ Tiff world premiere, “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and Jacques Audiard’s “The Sister Brothers,” while Focus brings “Boy Erased.”
However, it...
- 9/6/2018
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Cannes Ends with…Awards — 3rd of 3
The heightened security with machine gun armed soldiers and policemen constantly patrolling was intensified after the Manchester Massacre. With a pall over the festival, one minute of silence was observed for the 22 murdered and flags hung at half-mast. In addition to that, the sudden death at 57 of the Busan Film Festival deputy director Kim Ji-seok and that of the James Bond star Roger Moore brought the film world into a new perspective as we join the larger world to face the random indications of human mortality. High security vs. cinema as a sanctuary of freedom is highlighted this year like no other time that I can recall in my 31 years here.President of the jury, Pedro Almodovar
But life does go on, the jury judges, the stars get press attention on the red carpet and the rest of us continue to wait patiently in...
The heightened security with machine gun armed soldiers and policemen constantly patrolling was intensified after the Manchester Massacre. With a pall over the festival, one minute of silence was observed for the 22 murdered and flags hung at half-mast. In addition to that, the sudden death at 57 of the Busan Film Festival deputy director Kim Ji-seok and that of the James Bond star Roger Moore brought the film world into a new perspective as we join the larger world to face the random indications of human mortality. High security vs. cinema as a sanctuary of freedom is highlighted this year like no other time that I can recall in my 31 years here.President of the jury, Pedro Almodovar
But life does go on, the jury judges, the stars get press attention on the red carpet and the rest of us continue to wait patiently in...
- 5/29/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Allied (Robert Zemeckis)
That thing we can’t take for granted: a film whose many parts – period piece, war picture, blood-spattered actioner, deception-fueled espionage thriller, sexy romance, and, at certain turns, comedy – can gracefully move in conjunction and separate from each other, just as its labyrinthine-but-not-quite plot jumps from one setpiece to the next with little trouble in maintaining a consistency of overall pleasure. Another late-career triumph for Robert Zemeckis,...
Allied (Robert Zemeckis)
That thing we can’t take for granted: a film whose many parts – period piece, war picture, blood-spattered actioner, deception-fueled espionage thriller, sexy romance, and, at certain turns, comedy – can gracefully move in conjunction and separate from each other, just as its labyrinthine-but-not-quite plot jumps from one setpiece to the next with little trouble in maintaining a consistency of overall pleasure. Another late-career triumph for Robert Zemeckis,...
- 2/17/2017
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Amazon has just announced the new titles coming to its streaming service in February, and though there aren’t a ton of high-profile additions, there are a handful of Prime originals and some solid films that you should probably watch if you haven’t already. The originals include the premiere of The Collection, which a press release calls “a gripping family drama and entrepreneurial fable” that’s “set in a post-war Paris fashion house.” There’s also Author: Jt Leroy Story, which is about the fictional literary persona created by Laura Albert, and the kid-focused Creative Galaxy Heart Day Special.
Outside of Amazon exclusives, you’ll be able to catch up on The Americans and watch 10 Cloverfield Lane, Captain Fantastic, and a good selection of James Bond movies in February.
The complete list of things that will be streaming on Amazon Prime is below.
Available February 1
Into The ...
Outside of Amazon exclusives, you’ll be able to catch up on The Americans and watch 10 Cloverfield Lane, Captain Fantastic, and a good selection of James Bond movies in February.
The complete list of things that will be streaming on Amazon Prime is below.
Available February 1
Into The ...
- 1/24/2017
- by Sam Barsanti
- avclub.com
Deadpool has had a surprising amount of staying power this awards season, earning its foul-mouthed self some Golden Globe nominations. Now it seems the members of the Writers Guild have fallen for its winking, self-referential masturbation jokes and given it a nod for best adapted screenplay. There it joins Arrival, Fences, Hidden Figures, and Nocturnal Animals. Over in the original category there are no big surprises as La La Land, Moonlight, and Manchester By The Sea continue to accumulate accolades. Hell Or High Water and Loving finish off that list. However, when it comes time for the Oscars, Moonlight and Loving will both compete as adapted screenplays. Moonlight originated with a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who has a story credit on the film, while the Academy decided Loving was based on the documentary The Loving Story. Three documentary screenplays were also nominated by the WGA: Author: The Jt LeRoy...
- 1/4/2017
- by Esther Zuckerman
- avclub.com
The subject of the film Author: The Jt Leroy Story says she was attacked ‘with the fury of wasps’ after her deception was uncovered
In the late 90s and early 00s, before social media and smartphones, the coolest celebrities were coming in off a wave of grunge rock: Courtney Love, Eddie Vedder, Billy Corgan in music; Winona Ryder and Gus Van Sant in film. The fin de siècle vibe was parties, saturated colour, androgynous clothing. And the hottest literary commodity of the moment was Jt LeRoy.
LeRoy, a 25-year-old writer in a wig and hat, looked like a Culkin kid gone to seed. He went to all the cool parties. The social pages ran photos of him hanging out with Bono, Debbie Harry and Shirley Manson. When he was too shy to do readings of his work, his celebrity friends such as Lou Reed stepped in and read for him.
In the late 90s and early 00s, before social media and smartphones, the coolest celebrities were coming in off a wave of grunge rock: Courtney Love, Eddie Vedder, Billy Corgan in music; Winona Ryder and Gus Van Sant in film. The fin de siècle vibe was parties, saturated colour, androgynous clothing. And the hottest literary commodity of the moment was Jt LeRoy.
LeRoy, a 25-year-old writer in a wig and hat, looked like a Culkin kid gone to seed. He went to all the cool parties. The social pages ran photos of him hanging out with Bono, Debbie Harry and Shirley Manson. When he was too shy to do readings of his work, his celebrity friends such as Lou Reed stepped in and read for him.
- 12/28/2016
- by Brigid Delaney
- The Guardian - Film News
The struggle for racial equality in America, the careers of cinematographers, directors, and photographers, the immigration crisis, music as celebration and grief, and strange conspiracies — these were just a few of the places and stories that this year’s documentary offerings brought us. With 2016 wrapping up, we’ve selected 20 features in the field that most impressed, so check out our list below and, in the comments, let us know your favorites.
13th (Ava DuVernay)
Following the stunning Selma, which conveyed a present-tense urgency sorely lacking in many biopics and radically distributed screen-time away from Dr. King to communicate the collectivity inherent to any reform movement, Ava DuVernay has shifted her rhetorical approach, but her anger remains. Whereas Selma was emotive and explosive, 13th is lucid and level-headed, gradually and methodically making a case that black incarceration is actually just a reconfigured and rebranded form of slavery. Sticking to conventional but...
13th (Ava DuVernay)
Following the stunning Selma, which conveyed a present-tense urgency sorely lacking in many biopics and radically distributed screen-time away from Dr. King to communicate the collectivity inherent to any reform movement, Ava DuVernay has shifted her rhetorical approach, but her anger remains. Whereas Selma was emotive and explosive, 13th is lucid and level-headed, gradually and methodically making a case that black incarceration is actually just a reconfigured and rebranded form of slavery. Sticking to conventional but...
- 12/20/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Author: The Jt Leroy Story (Jeff Feuerzeig)
Author: The Jt LeRoy Story relives the literary hoax of the early aughts, the truly weird and out of control tale of Jt LeRoy. An allegedly gender-fluid HIV positive son of a West Virginia truck stop hooker, he rose to the heights of indie stardom befriending the likes of Courtney Love, Shirley Manson, Lou Reed, Michael Pitt, Billy Corgan and filmmakers Gus Van...
Author: The Jt Leroy Story (Jeff Feuerzeig)
Author: The Jt LeRoy Story relives the literary hoax of the early aughts, the truly weird and out of control tale of Jt LeRoy. An allegedly gender-fluid HIV positive son of a West Virginia truck stop hooker, he rose to the heights of indie stardom befriending the likes of Courtney Love, Shirley Manson, Lou Reed, Michael Pitt, Billy Corgan and filmmakers Gus Van...
- 12/9/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Reaching back over a half century, “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years” thrived with a contemporary mix of theaters and Hulu home viewing availability to become a major grossing event this weekend. The Ron Howard concert doc led an otherwise bleak set of new openers as audiences wait for top titles from festivals to reach theaters.
Included among the openers are two films from directors of Best Picture winners that got little attention: “Mr. Church” from Bruce Beresford (“Driving Miss Daisy”) and “Finding Altamira” from Hugh Hudson (“Chariots of Fire”). Fortunes take different paths. Ron Howard directed “Eight Days a Week,” while Clint Eastwood and Oliver Stone are nabbing attention with “Sully” at #1 and “Snowden” farther back in the pack, respectively.
Opening
“The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years” (Abramorama) – Metacritic: 72
$615,632 in 88 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $7,243 ; Cumulative: $772,467
Ron Howard is the latest Oscar-winner (see Eastwood,...
Included among the openers are two films from directors of Best Picture winners that got little attention: “Mr. Church” from Bruce Beresford (“Driving Miss Daisy”) and “Finding Altamira” from Hugh Hudson (“Chariots of Fire”). Fortunes take different paths. Ron Howard directed “Eight Days a Week,” while Clint Eastwood and Oliver Stone are nabbing attention with “Sully” at #1 and “Snowden” farther back in the pack, respectively.
Opening
“The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years” (Abramorama) – Metacritic: 72
$615,632 in 88 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $7,243 ; Cumulative: $772,467
Ron Howard is the latest Oscar-winner (see Eastwood,...
- 9/18/2016
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
He wrote bestselling books, made numerous public appearances, became a Hollywood "it" boy and befriended a slew of A-list celebrities, but author Jt Leroy never actually existed. In 2006, Laura Albert shocked the the literary world and Hollywood alike when she revealed that she was the person behind the beloved and celebrated young author - supposedly a HIV-positive transgender ex-prostitute who chronicled his troubled upbringing in the novel Sarah and The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things: Stories. Now 10 years after the scandal broke and Albert was labeled the mastermind of one of the entertainment's most elaborate hoaxes (a word...
- 9/16/2016
- by Jodi Guglielmi, @JodiGug3
- PEOPLE.com
He wrote bestselling books, made numerous public appearances, became a Hollywood "it" boy and befriended a slew of A-list celebrities, but author Jt Leroy never actually existed. In 2006, Laura Albert shocked the the literary world and Hollywood alike when she revealed that she was the person behind the beloved and celebrated young author - supposedly a HIV-positive transgender ex-prostitute who chronicled his troubled upbringing in the novel Sarah and The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things: Stories. Now 10 years after the scandal broke and Albert was labeled the mastermind of one of the entertainment's most elaborate hoaxes (a word...
- 9/16/2016
- by Jodi Guglielmi, @JodiGug3
- PEOPLE.com
Dwarfing fiction by a mile, the true story of writer Laura Albert’s avatar, Jt LeRoy in “Author: The Jt LeRoy Story”, questions our…
Continue reading on SydneysBuzz The Blog »...
Continue reading on SydneysBuzz The Blog »...
- 9/13/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
In fictional storytelling, truth is something to strive for. Sure, few attempt to separate themselves from reality, but ultimately, only some succeed in the pursuit thereof. “Author: The Jt Leroy Story”, a documentary from Jeff Feuerzeig, is as truthful as it gets. Yet its content is so wildly absurd, that it plays like a work […]
The post Documentary ‘Author: The Story of Jt Leroy’ Is A Fascinating Look At A Fabulist [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
The post Documentary ‘Author: The Story of Jt Leroy’ Is A Fascinating Look At A Fabulist [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
- 9/9/2016
- by Jason Ooi
- The Playlist
James + Semaj is a column where James Franco talks to his reverse self, Semaj, about new films. Rather than a conventional review, it is place where James and Semaj can muse about ideas that the films provoke. James loves going to the movies and talking about them. But a one-sided take on a movie, in print, might be misconstrued as a review. As someone in the industry it could be detrimental to James’s career if he were to review his peers, because unlike the book industry—where writers review other writer’s books—the film industry is highly collaborative, and a bad review of a peer could create problems. So, assume that James (and Semaj) love all these films. What they’re interested in talking about is all the ways the films inspire them, and make them think. James is me, and Semaj is the other side of me.
- 9/9/2016
- by James Franco
- Indiewire
To some, it was a major con, the kind of hoax that hurts. After all, author Jeremiah "Terminator" LeRoy hit the literary world hard with his novel Sarah (2000) and his short story collection The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things (2001). There were copious raves for these raw tales of child abuse, drugs, truck-stop sex and other bumps in the road for this HIV-positive, transgender male. Then, late in 2005, came the revelation that Jt Leroy was the invented male persona of Brooklyn-born Laura Albert, a former phone-sex operator turned San Francisco housewife and mother.
- 9/9/2016
- Rollingstone.com
The public exposure of “Jt LeRoy” was one of the biggest literary scandals of the new millennium. In October 2005, New York magazine published an article alleging that the HIV-positive, transgendered literary sensation, who claimed that their sordid tales of truck-stop prostitutes and drug-addicted runaways were based on their own abusive childhood, didn’t actually exist. Then a few months later, The New York Times revealed that the person who had been appearing at book signings and red-carpet premieres as LeRoy was actually named Savannah Knoop, and “LeRoy’s” publicist ”Speedie” was actually a San Francisco housewife named Laura Albert, who was also—to complicate things further—the true author of LeRoy’s books.
This tangled web of celebrity deception is chronicled in the new documentary Author: The Jt Leroy Story, and The A.V. Club is giving our readers in Chicago the opportunity to see the movie on Thursday ...
This tangled web of celebrity deception is chronicled in the new documentary Author: The Jt Leroy Story, and The A.V. Club is giving our readers in Chicago the opportunity to see the movie on Thursday ...
- 9/8/2016
- by Katie Rife
- avclub.com
With this Friday’s release of Clint Eastwood’s “Sully” — an awards contender, starring Tom Hanks as the pilot who made an emergency landing in the Hudson River — the remainder of 2016 box office will proceed at a breakneck pace. However, it may be tough to match this weekend against last year when “The Perfect Guy” and “The Visit” each crossed $25 million.
“Sully” looks to lead the weekend with over $20 million; it could be considerably higher. The Telluride premiere led to positive critical reaction, and its heroic story — along with Eastwood’s box-office draw after the mammoth “American Sniper” ($350 million domestic) — should give it heft.
In the 12 years since his last Oscar Best Picture winner, “Million Dollar Baby,” Eastwood made nine films. Two of them — “American Sniper” and “Gran Torino” — domestically grossed a half billion dollars combined. His other seven movies made less than $250 million total, mostly in the range of $30 million-$50 million each.
“Sully” looks to lead the weekend with over $20 million; it could be considerably higher. The Telluride premiere led to positive critical reaction, and its heroic story — along with Eastwood’s box-office draw after the mammoth “American Sniper” ($350 million domestic) — should give it heft.
In the 12 years since his last Oscar Best Picture winner, “Million Dollar Baby,” Eastwood made nine films. Two of them — “American Sniper” and “Gran Torino” — domestically grossed a half billion dollars combined. His other seven movies made less than $250 million total, mostly in the range of $30 million-$50 million each.
- 9/8/2016
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Welcome back to the Weekend Warrior, your weekly look at the new movies hitting theaters this weekend, as well as other cool events and things to check out.
This Past Weekend:
As expected, Labor Day weekend wasn’t good for the two new wide releases at all, although the romantic drama The Light Between Oceans (DreamWorks), starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, ended up doing far better of the two. Also as expected, Fede Alvarez’s Don’t Breathe (Screen Gems) won the weekend with a four-day total of $19.7 million, a little less than I predicted. The Light Between Oceans ended up with slightly over $6 million, roughly the same as my original prediction but 20th Century Fox’s thriller Morgan, starring Kate Mara, bomb-bomb-bombed with a ridiculously bad four-day opening of just $2.5 million in its first four days. The Mexican comedy No Manches Frida (Lionsgate/Pantelion) ended up faring better in just 362 theaters,...
This Past Weekend:
As expected, Labor Day weekend wasn’t good for the two new wide releases at all, although the romantic drama The Light Between Oceans (DreamWorks), starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, ended up doing far better of the two. Also as expected, Fede Alvarez’s Don’t Breathe (Screen Gems) won the weekend with a four-day total of $19.7 million, a little less than I predicted. The Light Between Oceans ended up with slightly over $6 million, roughly the same as my original prediction but 20th Century Fox’s thriller Morgan, starring Kate Mara, bomb-bomb-bombed with a ridiculously bad four-day opening of just $2.5 million in its first four days. The Mexican comedy No Manches Frida (Lionsgate/Pantelion) ended up faring better in just 362 theaters,...
- 9/7/2016
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
The full truth behind the existence of literary wonder Jt LeRoy is finally being brought to the public’s attention. ‘Author: The Jt Leroy Story,’ the new documentary about the celebrated writer who turned out to just be an invention of another scribe’s imagination, opens this Friday in select theaters. Amazon Studios and Magnolia Pictures will distribute the film, which was written and directed by Jeff Feuerzeig, into Landmark Sunshine Cinema and Lincoln Center’s Elinor Bunin Munroe Theatre in New York City. ‘Author: The Jt Leroy Story’s theatrical release comes after it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The documentary’ then screened at such other festivals as the San [ Read More ]
The post Uncover the Truth of Author: The Jt Leroy Story in Documentary’s Theatrical Release appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Uncover the Truth of Author: The Jt Leroy Story in Documentary’s Theatrical Release appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/7/2016
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
In 2000 a controversial novel entitled Sarah was released, marketed as the semi-autobiographical account of a teenage prostitute. Its author, Jt LeRoy, was notoriously shy and during the book-tour circuit would...
- 9/6/2016
- by Jazz Tangcay
- AwardsDaily.com
Now that the summer is cooling down, we’re entering perhaps the best time of year for cinephiles, with a variety of festivals — some of which will hold premieres of our most-anticipated 2016 features — gearing up. As we do each year, after highlighting the best films offered thus far, we’ve set out to provide a comprehensive preview of the fall titles that should be on your radar, and we’ll first take a look at selections whose quality we can attest to. Ranging from acclaimed debuts at Sundance, Cannes, and more, we’ve rounded up 25 titles that will arrive from September to December (in the U.S.) and are all well worth seeking out.
As a note, these didn’t make the cut, but you can see our reviews at the links: White Girl (9/2), Other People (9/9), London Road (9/9), Goat (9/23), Sand Storm (9/28), Do Not Resist (9/30), The Birth of a Nation (10/7), Desierto...
As a note, these didn’t make the cut, but you can see our reviews at the links: White Girl (9/2), Other People (9/9), London Road (9/9), Goat (9/23), Sand Storm (9/28), Do Not Resist (9/30), The Birth of a Nation (10/7), Desierto...
- 8/22/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
All this week, IndieWire will be rolling out our annual Fall Preview, including offerings that span genres, a close examination of some of the year’s biggest breakouts, all the awards contenders you need to know about now and special attention to all the new movies you need to get through a jam-packed fall movie-going season. Check back every day for a new look at the best the season has to offer, and clear your schedule, because we’re going to fill it right up.
“The Light Between Oceans,” September 2
Derek Cianfrance’s sweet spot is relationship dramas that don’t balk at showing just how damn hard it can be to love someone and to sustain that love (hi, “Blue Valentine”), and with his big screen adaptation of the bestselling novel of the same name, he takes those interests and skills right to a post-World War I landscape tailormade for a sweeping,...
“The Light Between Oceans,” September 2
Derek Cianfrance’s sweet spot is relationship dramas that don’t balk at showing just how damn hard it can be to love someone and to sustain that love (hi, “Blue Valentine”), and with his big screen adaptation of the bestselling novel of the same name, he takes those interests and skills right to a post-World War I landscape tailormade for a sweeping,...
- 8/15/2016
- by Kate Erbland, Chris O'Falt, Zack Sharf, Steve Greene, David Ehrlich, Anne Thompson and Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Many authors use a pseudonym to mask their real identity or to place distance between the text and themselves, but no one creates an entirely new identity with different experiences and actually send them out into the world. Well, that’s exactly what Laura Albert did. The 40-year-old San Francisco former phone-sex operator turned housewife created a literary persona named Jt Leroy, who took the world by storm with his “exploits” about his sordid childhood mired by prostitution, drug addiction, and vagrancy. The new documentary “Author: The Jt LeRoy Story” chronicles Albert’s creation from the height of LeRoy’s fame at fashion events and rock shows to the New York Times pulling the rug out from under the story. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Author: The Jt LeRoy Story’ Casts a Major Literary Scandal in New Light
The film is directed by Jeff Feuerzeig,...
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Author: The Jt LeRoy Story’ Casts a Major Literary Scandal in New Light
The film is directed by Jeff Feuerzeig,...
- 8/11/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
The Critics’ Choice Awards are getting real. The popular annual event show is branching off, thanks to a brand-new awards ceremony that will focus on the year’s best achievements in documentary features and non-fiction television, appropriately branded as the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards.
The Critics’ Choice Awards previously awarded documentary-facing awards, including Best Documentary Feature and Best Unstructured Reality Show, as part of its annual awards show.
Read More: What the Critics’ Choice Awards Can and Cannot Tell Us About the Emmy Race
The inaugural event will take place on Thursday, November 3 in Brooklyn, New York and feature awards in the following categories:
Best Documentary Feature Film (Theatrical Premiere) Best Documentary Feature (Television Premiere) Best Director of a Documentary Best First Documentary Feature Best Music Documentary Best Sports Documentary Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary Best Limited Documentary Series for Television Best Ongoing Documentary Series for Television Best...
The Critics’ Choice Awards previously awarded documentary-facing awards, including Best Documentary Feature and Best Unstructured Reality Show, as part of its annual awards show.
Read More: What the Critics’ Choice Awards Can and Cannot Tell Us About the Emmy Race
The inaugural event will take place on Thursday, November 3 in Brooklyn, New York and feature awards in the following categories:
Best Documentary Feature Film (Theatrical Premiere) Best Documentary Feature (Television Premiere) Best Director of a Documentary Best First Documentary Feature Best Music Documentary Best Sports Documentary Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary Best Limited Documentary Series for Television Best Ongoing Documentary Series for Television Best...
- 8/1/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The ‘truth’ about a fabricated literary sensation is fascinating but leaves much still unresolved
Jeremiah “Terminator” LeRoy was a phenomenon. The HIV-positive, transgender, drug-addicted child of a truck-stop prostitute, his autobiographical novels were a literary sensation. The slight, softly spoken author, cowering behind oversized sunglasses and wig, was propelled into celebrity circles, and courted by Asia Argento, Madonna, Courtney Love and others. Except Jt LeRoy didn’t exist. He was the invention of writer Laura Albert, who described him as an “avatar” through whom she could create with a freedom she didn’t have as herself. Jt in the flesh was played by Albert’s sister-in-law, Savannah Knoop.
This film explores the story – which is rather more complex and knotty than the “literary hoax” it was described as at the time – from Albert’s perspective. And while it gives a fascinating insight into her near pathological compulsion to try on other voices and identities,...
Jeremiah “Terminator” LeRoy was a phenomenon. The HIV-positive, transgender, drug-addicted child of a truck-stop prostitute, his autobiographical novels were a literary sensation. The slight, softly spoken author, cowering behind oversized sunglasses and wig, was propelled into celebrity circles, and courted by Asia Argento, Madonna, Courtney Love and others. Except Jt LeRoy didn’t exist. He was the invention of writer Laura Albert, who described him as an “avatar” through whom she could create with a freedom she didn’t have as herself. Jt in the flesh was played by Albert’s sister-in-law, Savannah Knoop.
This film explores the story – which is rather more complex and knotty than the “literary hoax” it was described as at the time – from Albert’s perspective. And while it gives a fascinating insight into her near pathological compulsion to try on other voices and identities,...
- 7/31/2016
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
This strange, exasperating documentary reveals the women behind the persona of the bestselling male writer who claimed to be the son of a prostitute
This intriguing if sometimes exasperating documentary features intertitles in punky cut-out lettering, maybe in homage to The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle. It is about a notorious literary hoax, from an era when misery memoirs were all the rage. Ten years ago, the bestselling young author Jt LeRoy – supposedly the son of a prostitute, writing harrowing fiction avowedly based on his horrific childhood – turned out to be a woman called Laura Albert. But was that a hoax? Didn’t Mary Ann Evans claim to be a man called George Eliot?
Related: Jt LeRoy unmasked: the extraordinary story of a modern literary hoax
Continue reading...
This intriguing if sometimes exasperating documentary features intertitles in punky cut-out lettering, maybe in homage to The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle. It is about a notorious literary hoax, from an era when misery memoirs were all the rage. Ten years ago, the bestselling young author Jt LeRoy – supposedly the son of a prostitute, writing harrowing fiction avowedly based on his horrific childhood – turned out to be a woman called Laura Albert. But was that a hoax? Didn’t Mary Ann Evans claim to be a man called George Eliot?
Related: Jt LeRoy unmasked: the extraordinary story of a modern literary hoax
Continue reading...
- 7/29/2016
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
In the late 90s, Jt LeRoy’s autobiographical tales of abuse as a young man became cult hits, beloved of celebrities from Lou Reed to Winona Ryder. Then the baffling story of the author’s true identity emerged. A new film reveals the makings of the myth
It was one of the strangest post-screening Q&As I’ve ever attended. It was the 2005 London Lesbian and Gay film festival. Among those on stage were Asia Argento, director and star of a movie called The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, and Jt LeRoy, author of the cult novel from which it was adapted. Plus someone called Emily Frasier. No one was quite sure who she was. The movie itself was a sleazy slice of southern gothic, ostensibly based on Jt LeRoy’s own shockingly traumatic boyhood. Dragged away from his foster parents by his truck-stop prostitute mother (played by Argento...
It was one of the strangest post-screening Q&As I’ve ever attended. It was the 2005 London Lesbian and Gay film festival. Among those on stage were Asia Argento, director and star of a movie called The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, and Jt LeRoy, author of the cult novel from which it was adapted. Plus someone called Emily Frasier. No one was quite sure who she was. The movie itself was a sleazy slice of southern gothic, ostensibly based on Jt LeRoy’s own shockingly traumatic boyhood. Dragged away from his foster parents by his truck-stop prostitute mother (played by Argento...
- 7/20/2016
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Before Kristen Stewart, James Franco, Helena Bonham Carter, and writer-director Justin Kelly turn it into a narrative drama, this fall the documentary Author: The Jt LeRoy Story will arrive. Acclaimed since its Sundance premiere, Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary follows a writer and actor who fooled the world with a man who identifies as transgender, tricking the rich and famous in Hollywood, the fashion world and elite literary circles. Ahead of a September release, the first trailer has now arrived.
We said in our review, “Author: The Jt LeRoy Story relives the literary hoax of the early aughts, the truly weird and out of control tale of Jt LeRoy. An allegedly gender-fluid HIV positive son of a West Virginia truck stop hooker, he rose to the heights of indie stardom befriending the likes of Courtney Love, Shirley Manson, Lou Reed, Michael Pitt, Billy Corgan and filmmakers Gus Van Saint and Asia Argento...
We said in our review, “Author: The Jt LeRoy Story relives the literary hoax of the early aughts, the truly weird and out of control tale of Jt LeRoy. An allegedly gender-fluid HIV positive son of a West Virginia truck stop hooker, he rose to the heights of indie stardom befriending the likes of Courtney Love, Shirley Manson, Lou Reed, Michael Pitt, Billy Corgan and filmmakers Gus Van Saint and Asia Argento...
- 7/20/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Dubbed the “biggest literary hoax of our time,” the true story behind the persona Jt LeRoy eluded many for over a decade, but when it emerged, it was a scandal on a level the literary world hadn’t seen in quite some time. Author Jt LeRoy was a rising star and beloved among literary scholars and […]
The post The Strange Truth Is Revealed In Trailer For Documentary ‘Author: The Jt LeRoy Story’ appeared first on The Playlist.
The post The Strange Truth Is Revealed In Trailer For Documentary ‘Author: The Jt LeRoy Story’ appeared first on The Playlist.
- 7/19/2016
- by Charles Dean
- The Playlist
"The biggest literary hoax of our time!" Amazon Studios and Magnolia Pictures have debuted the official trailer for a documentary called Author: The Jt LeRoy Story, which first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. I heard many great things about this film from lots of my colleagues, as it's apparently one of those remarkable I-can't-believe-this-is-real stories told in a very innovative way. Author: The Jt LeRoy Story is about author Jt LeRoy, who is actually a completely fabricated persona made up by writer Laura Albert. Spoiler! But that's what the doc is really about - how she pulled this off and why, and what it all means. If you're not sold by the end of this trailer, well, then maybe documentaries aren't for you. But seriously, this looks fascinating and incredibly entertaining, a deep dive into a crazy true story. Enjoy. Here's the official trailer for Jeff Feuerzeig...
- 7/19/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Jt (short for Jeremiah Terminator) LeRoy emerged as a literary sensation in the mid ’90s, which made it something of a surprise when it was revealed 10 years later that he didn’t actually exist. Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary “Author: The Jt LeRoy Story,” which tells of what’s been described as “the biggest literary hoax of our time,” just premiered its first trailer exclusively on Apple.
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Author: The Jt LeRoy Story’ Casts a Major Literary Scandal in New Light
Actually the pen name of Laura Albert, LeRoy made headlines for his novels and memoirs, capturing the popular imagination to such an extent that Albert eventually had to call upon a female friend to dress up and make public appearances as her authorial alter ego. Terry Gross, Laura Albert, Winona Ryder, Courtney Love, Madeleine Brand and others appear in “Author,” either as fans or interviewers of the...
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Author: The Jt LeRoy Story’ Casts a Major Literary Scandal in New Light
Actually the pen name of Laura Albert, LeRoy made headlines for his novels and memoirs, capturing the popular imagination to such an extent that Albert eventually had to call upon a female friend to dress up and make public appearances as her authorial alter ego. Terry Gross, Laura Albert, Winona Ryder, Courtney Love, Madeleine Brand and others appear in “Author,” either as fans or interviewers of the...
- 7/18/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
This month, Brooklyn plays home to the annual BAMCinemaFest, featuring both some tried and true festival favorites (imagine if Sundance just happened to take place in New York City in the summer) and some brand-new standouts. Here’s the best of what’s on offer, as curated and culled by the IndieWire film team.
“Little Men” New York City-centric filmmaker Ira Sachs has long used his keen observational eye to track the worlds of the city’s adult denizens with features like “Love is Strange” and “Keep the Lights On,” but he’s going for a younger set of stars (and troubles) in his moving new feature, “Little Men.” The new film debuted at Sundance earlier this year, where it pulled plenty of heartstrings (including mine) with its gentle, deeply human story of two seemingly different young teens (Theo Taplitz as the worldly Jake, Michael Barbieri as the more rough and tumble Tony) who quickly bond when one of them moves into the other’s Brooklyn neighborhood. Jake and Tony become fast friends, but their relationship is threatened by drama brewing between their parents, as Jake’s parents own the small store that Tony’s mom operates below the family’s apartment.When Jake’s parents (Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Ehle) are bothered by looming money troubles, they turn to Tony’s mom (Paulina García) and ask her to pay a higher rent, a seemingly reasonable query that has heart-breaking consequences for both families and both boys. It’s a small story that hits hard, thanks to wonderful performances and the kind of emotion that’s hard to fake. – Kate Erbland “Kate Plays Christine”
It’s usually easy enough to find common themes cropping up at various film festivals, but few people could have anticipated that this year’s Sundance would play home to two stories about Christine Chubbuck, a tragic tale that had been previously unknown by most of the population (the other Chubbuck story to crop up at Sundance was Antonio Campos’ closely observed narrative “Christine,” a winner in its own right). In 1974, Chubbuck — a television reporter for a local Sarasota, Florida TV station — killed herself live on air after a series of disappointing events and a lifetime of mental unhappiness. Robert Greene’s “Kate Plays Christine” takes an ambitious angle on Chubbuck’s story, mixing fact and fiction to present a story of an actress (Kate Lyn Sheil) grappling with her preparations to play Chubbuck in a narrative feature that doesn’t exist. Sheil is tasked with playing a mostly real version of herself, a heightened version of herself as the story winds on and even Chubbuck in a series of re-enactments. The concept is complex, but it pays off, and “Kate Plays Christine” is easily one of the year’s most ambitious and fascinating documentaries. – Ke
“Suited”
This eye-opening documentary focuses on Brooklyn-based tailoring company Bindle & Keep, which designs clothes for transgender and gender fluid clients. Produced by Lena Dunham and her “Girls” producer Jenni Konner, the HBO Documentary looks at fashion through the eyes of several people across the gender identity spectrum, including a transitioning teen in need of a suit for his Bar Mitzvah and a transgender man buying a tuxedo for his wedding. The film has a deep personal connection to Dunham, whose gender nonconforming sister Grace has been a vocal activist within the transgender community. “Suited” is the first solo-directing effort from Jason Benjamin, who previously co-directed the 2002 documentary “Carnival Roots,” about Trinidad & Tobago’s annual music festival. – Graham Winfrey
“Wiener-Dog”
Todd Solondz’s first directorial effort since 2011’s “Dark Horse” is literally about an animal this time. “Wiener-Dog” follows a dachshund that goes from one strange owner to the next, serving as a central character in four stories that bring out the pointlessness of human existence. The offbeat comedy’s stellar cast includes Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Julie Delpy and “Girls’” Zosia Mamet. Amazon nabbed all domestic media rights to the film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, while IFC Films is handling the theatrical release. Financed by Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures and produced by Christine Vachon’s Killer Films, the film marked Solondz’s first movie to play at Sundance since 1995’s “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” – Gw
“Last Night at the Alamo”
Eagle Pennell has become lost to film history, despite making two of the most important films of the modern indie era. His 1978 film “The Whole Shootin’ Match” inspired Robert Redford to start Sundance and his 1984 classic “Last Night at the Alamo” has been championed by Tarantino and Linklater, who along with IFC Films and SXSW founder Louis Black is responsible for the restoration that will be playing at Bam. “Alamo,” which tells the story of a cowboy’s last ditch effort to save a local watering hole, is credited for having given birth to the Austin film scene and for laying the groundwork for the rebirth of the American indie that came later in the decade. Pennell’s career was cut short by alcoholism, but “Alamo” stands tribute to his incredible talent, pioneering spirit and the influence he’s had on so many great filmmakers. – Chris O’Falt
Read More: Indie Legend Who Inspired Sundance, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ And More Will Have Classic Films Restored
“Author: The J.T. LeRoy Story”
J.T. Leroy was an literary and pop culture sensation, until it was revealed that the HIV-positive, ex-male-prostitute teenage author was actually the creation of a 40 year old mother by the name Laura Albert. Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary, starring Albert and featuring her recorded phone calls from the hoax, is the best yarn of 2016. You will not believe the twist-and-turns of the behind the scenes story of how Albert pulled off the hoax and cultivated close relationships (with her sister-in-law posing at Jt) with celebrities like filmmaker Gus Van Sant and Smashing Pumpkins’ Bill Corgan, both of whom play key supporting roles in this stranger-than-fiction film. Trust us, “Author” will be one of the most entertaining films you see this summer. – Co
“Dark Night”
Loosely based on the 2012 shooting in Aurora, Colorado during a multiplex screening of “The Dark Knight,” Tim Sutton’s elegantly designed “Dark Night” contains a fascinating, enigmatic agenda. In its opening moments, Maica Armata’s mournful score plays out as we watch a traumatized face lit up by the red-blue glow of a nearby police car. Mirroring the media image of tragedy divorced from the lives affected by it, the ensuing movie fills in those details. Like Gus Van Sant’s “Elephant,” Sutton’s ambitious project dissects the moments surrounding the infamous event with a perceptive eye that avoids passing judgement. While some viewers may find this disaffected approach infuriating — the divisive Sundance reaction suggested as much — there’s no doubting the topicality of Sutton’s technique, which delves into the malaise of daily lives that surrounds every horrific event of this type with a keen eye. It may not change the gun control debate, but it adds a gorgeous and provocative footnote to the conversation. – Eric Kohn
“A Stray”
Musa Syeed’s tender look at a Somali refugee community in Minneapolis puts a human face on the immigration crisis through the exploits of Adan (Barkhad Abdirahman), a young man adrift in his solitary world. Kicked out by his mother and unwelcome at the local mosque where he tries to crash, Adan meets his only source of companionship in a stray dog he finds wandering the streets. Alternating between social outings and job prospects, Adan’s struggles never strain credibility, even when an FBI agent tries to wrestle control of his situation to turn him into a spy. Shot with near-documentary realism, Syed’s insightful portrait of his forlorn character’s life recalls the earlier films of Ramin Bahrani (“Man Push Cart,” “Chop Shop”), which also capture an oft-ignored side of modern America. With immigration stories all too frequently coopted for political fuel, “A Stray” provides a refreshingly intimate alternative, which should appeal to audiences curious about the bigger picture — or those who can relate to it. – Ek
“Goat”
After making a blistering impression at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Andrew Neel’s fraternity psychodrama “Goat” comes to Bam with great acclaim and sky high anticipation. Starring breakout Ben Schnetzer and Nick Jonas, the film centers around a 19-year-old college student who pledges the same fraternity as his older brother, only to realize the world of hazing and endless parties is darker than he could ever imagine. In lesser hands, “Goat” would be a one-note takedown of hedonistic bro culture, but Neel’s slick direction brings you to the core of animalistic behavior and forces you to weigh the clashing egos of masculinity. By cutting underneath the layers of machismo, Neel creates a drama of insecurities buried beneath the war between predator and prey. It’s an intense and intelligent study of a world the movies have always been obsessed with. – Zack Sharf
Read More: Sundance: How Robert Greene and Kate Lyn Sheil Made the Festival’s Most Fascinating Documentary
“The Childhood of a Leader”
Brady Corbet has been one of the most reliable supporting actors in films like “Funny Games,” “Force Majeure,” “Clouds of Sils Maria” and more, and he even broke through as a lead in the great indie “Simon Killer,” but it turns out Corbet’s real skills are behind the camera. In his directorial debut, “The Childhood of a Leader,” the actor creates an unnerving period psychodrama that evokes shades of “The Omen” by way of Hitchcock. Set in Europe after Wwi, the movie follows a young boy as he develops a terrifying ego after witnessing the creation of the Treaty of Versailles. Cast members Robert Pattinson and Berenice Bejo deliver reliably strong turns, but it’s Corbet’s impressive control that makes the film a tightly-wound skin-crawler. His ambition is alive in every frame and detail, resulting in a commanding debut that announces him as a major filmmaker to watch. – Zs
“The Love Witch”
Meet your new obsession: A spellbinding homage to old pulp paperbacks and the Technicolor melodramas of the 1960s, Anna Biller’s “The Love Witch” is a throwback that’s told with the kind of perverse conviction and studied expertise that would make Quentin Tarantino blush. Shot in velvety 35mm, the film follows a beautiful, sociopathic, love-starved young witch named Elaine (Samantha Robinson, absolutely unforgettable in a demented breakthrough performance) as she blows into a coastal Californian town in desperate search of a replacement for her dead husband. Sex, death, Satanic rituals, God-level costume design, and cinema’s greatest tampon joke ensue, as Biller spins an arch but hyper-sincere story about the true price of patriarchy. – David Ehrlich
“Morris From America”
Coming-of-age movies are a dime a dozen (and the going rate is even cheaper at Sundance), but Chad Hartigan’s absurdly charming follow-up to “This Is Martin Bonner” puts a fresh spin on a tired genre. Played by lovable newcomer Markees Christmas, Morris is a 13-year-old New Yorker who’s forced to move to the suburbs of Germany when his widower dad (a note-perfect Craig Robinson) accepts a job as the coach of a Heidelberg soccer team. It’s tough being a teen, but Morris — as the only black kid in a foreign town that still has one foot stuck in the old world — has it way harder than most. But there’s a whole lot of joy here, as Hartigan’s sweet and sensitive fish out of water story leverages a handful of killer performances into a great little movie about becoming your own man. – De
BAMCinemaFest 2016 runs from June 15 – 26.
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Related storiesChristine Chubbuck: Video Exists of Reporter's On-Air Suicide That Inspired Two Sundance Films'Wiener-Dog' Trailer: Greta Gerwig Befriends a Dachshund in Todd Solondz's Dark Sundance Comedy'Little Men,' 'Wiener-Dog' and More Set for BAMcinemaFest 2016 -- Indiewire's Tuesday Rundown...
“Little Men” New York City-centric filmmaker Ira Sachs has long used his keen observational eye to track the worlds of the city’s adult denizens with features like “Love is Strange” and “Keep the Lights On,” but he’s going for a younger set of stars (and troubles) in his moving new feature, “Little Men.” The new film debuted at Sundance earlier this year, where it pulled plenty of heartstrings (including mine) with its gentle, deeply human story of two seemingly different young teens (Theo Taplitz as the worldly Jake, Michael Barbieri as the more rough and tumble Tony) who quickly bond when one of them moves into the other’s Brooklyn neighborhood. Jake and Tony become fast friends, but their relationship is threatened by drama brewing between their parents, as Jake’s parents own the small store that Tony’s mom operates below the family’s apartment.When Jake’s parents (Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Ehle) are bothered by looming money troubles, they turn to Tony’s mom (Paulina García) and ask her to pay a higher rent, a seemingly reasonable query that has heart-breaking consequences for both families and both boys. It’s a small story that hits hard, thanks to wonderful performances and the kind of emotion that’s hard to fake. – Kate Erbland “Kate Plays Christine”
It’s usually easy enough to find common themes cropping up at various film festivals, but few people could have anticipated that this year’s Sundance would play home to two stories about Christine Chubbuck, a tragic tale that had been previously unknown by most of the population (the other Chubbuck story to crop up at Sundance was Antonio Campos’ closely observed narrative “Christine,” a winner in its own right). In 1974, Chubbuck — a television reporter for a local Sarasota, Florida TV station — killed herself live on air after a series of disappointing events and a lifetime of mental unhappiness. Robert Greene’s “Kate Plays Christine” takes an ambitious angle on Chubbuck’s story, mixing fact and fiction to present a story of an actress (Kate Lyn Sheil) grappling with her preparations to play Chubbuck in a narrative feature that doesn’t exist. Sheil is tasked with playing a mostly real version of herself, a heightened version of herself as the story winds on and even Chubbuck in a series of re-enactments. The concept is complex, but it pays off, and “Kate Plays Christine” is easily one of the year’s most ambitious and fascinating documentaries. – Ke
“Suited”
This eye-opening documentary focuses on Brooklyn-based tailoring company Bindle & Keep, which designs clothes for transgender and gender fluid clients. Produced by Lena Dunham and her “Girls” producer Jenni Konner, the HBO Documentary looks at fashion through the eyes of several people across the gender identity spectrum, including a transitioning teen in need of a suit for his Bar Mitzvah and a transgender man buying a tuxedo for his wedding. The film has a deep personal connection to Dunham, whose gender nonconforming sister Grace has been a vocal activist within the transgender community. “Suited” is the first solo-directing effort from Jason Benjamin, who previously co-directed the 2002 documentary “Carnival Roots,” about Trinidad & Tobago’s annual music festival. – Graham Winfrey
“Wiener-Dog”
Todd Solondz’s first directorial effort since 2011’s “Dark Horse” is literally about an animal this time. “Wiener-Dog” follows a dachshund that goes from one strange owner to the next, serving as a central character in four stories that bring out the pointlessness of human existence. The offbeat comedy’s stellar cast includes Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Julie Delpy and “Girls’” Zosia Mamet. Amazon nabbed all domestic media rights to the film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, while IFC Films is handling the theatrical release. Financed by Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures and produced by Christine Vachon’s Killer Films, the film marked Solondz’s first movie to play at Sundance since 1995’s “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” – Gw
“Last Night at the Alamo”
Eagle Pennell has become lost to film history, despite making two of the most important films of the modern indie era. His 1978 film “The Whole Shootin’ Match” inspired Robert Redford to start Sundance and his 1984 classic “Last Night at the Alamo” has been championed by Tarantino and Linklater, who along with IFC Films and SXSW founder Louis Black is responsible for the restoration that will be playing at Bam. “Alamo,” which tells the story of a cowboy’s last ditch effort to save a local watering hole, is credited for having given birth to the Austin film scene and for laying the groundwork for the rebirth of the American indie that came later in the decade. Pennell’s career was cut short by alcoholism, but “Alamo” stands tribute to his incredible talent, pioneering spirit and the influence he’s had on so many great filmmakers. – Chris O’Falt
Read More: Indie Legend Who Inspired Sundance, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ And More Will Have Classic Films Restored
“Author: The J.T. LeRoy Story”
J.T. Leroy was an literary and pop culture sensation, until it was revealed that the HIV-positive, ex-male-prostitute teenage author was actually the creation of a 40 year old mother by the name Laura Albert. Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary, starring Albert and featuring her recorded phone calls from the hoax, is the best yarn of 2016. You will not believe the twist-and-turns of the behind the scenes story of how Albert pulled off the hoax and cultivated close relationships (with her sister-in-law posing at Jt) with celebrities like filmmaker Gus Van Sant and Smashing Pumpkins’ Bill Corgan, both of whom play key supporting roles in this stranger-than-fiction film. Trust us, “Author” will be one of the most entertaining films you see this summer. – Co
“Dark Night”
Loosely based on the 2012 shooting in Aurora, Colorado during a multiplex screening of “The Dark Knight,” Tim Sutton’s elegantly designed “Dark Night” contains a fascinating, enigmatic agenda. In its opening moments, Maica Armata’s mournful score plays out as we watch a traumatized face lit up by the red-blue glow of a nearby police car. Mirroring the media image of tragedy divorced from the lives affected by it, the ensuing movie fills in those details. Like Gus Van Sant’s “Elephant,” Sutton’s ambitious project dissects the moments surrounding the infamous event with a perceptive eye that avoids passing judgement. While some viewers may find this disaffected approach infuriating — the divisive Sundance reaction suggested as much — there’s no doubting the topicality of Sutton’s technique, which delves into the malaise of daily lives that surrounds every horrific event of this type with a keen eye. It may not change the gun control debate, but it adds a gorgeous and provocative footnote to the conversation. – Eric Kohn
“A Stray”
Musa Syeed’s tender look at a Somali refugee community in Minneapolis puts a human face on the immigration crisis through the exploits of Adan (Barkhad Abdirahman), a young man adrift in his solitary world. Kicked out by his mother and unwelcome at the local mosque where he tries to crash, Adan meets his only source of companionship in a stray dog he finds wandering the streets. Alternating between social outings and job prospects, Adan’s struggles never strain credibility, even when an FBI agent tries to wrestle control of his situation to turn him into a spy. Shot with near-documentary realism, Syed’s insightful portrait of his forlorn character’s life recalls the earlier films of Ramin Bahrani (“Man Push Cart,” “Chop Shop”), which also capture an oft-ignored side of modern America. With immigration stories all too frequently coopted for political fuel, “A Stray” provides a refreshingly intimate alternative, which should appeal to audiences curious about the bigger picture — or those who can relate to it. – Ek
“Goat”
After making a blistering impression at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Andrew Neel’s fraternity psychodrama “Goat” comes to Bam with great acclaim and sky high anticipation. Starring breakout Ben Schnetzer and Nick Jonas, the film centers around a 19-year-old college student who pledges the same fraternity as his older brother, only to realize the world of hazing and endless parties is darker than he could ever imagine. In lesser hands, “Goat” would be a one-note takedown of hedonistic bro culture, but Neel’s slick direction brings you to the core of animalistic behavior and forces you to weigh the clashing egos of masculinity. By cutting underneath the layers of machismo, Neel creates a drama of insecurities buried beneath the war between predator and prey. It’s an intense and intelligent study of a world the movies have always been obsessed with. – Zack Sharf
Read More: Sundance: How Robert Greene and Kate Lyn Sheil Made the Festival’s Most Fascinating Documentary
“The Childhood of a Leader”
Brady Corbet has been one of the most reliable supporting actors in films like “Funny Games,” “Force Majeure,” “Clouds of Sils Maria” and more, and he even broke through as a lead in the great indie “Simon Killer,” but it turns out Corbet’s real skills are behind the camera. In his directorial debut, “The Childhood of a Leader,” the actor creates an unnerving period psychodrama that evokes shades of “The Omen” by way of Hitchcock. Set in Europe after Wwi, the movie follows a young boy as he develops a terrifying ego after witnessing the creation of the Treaty of Versailles. Cast members Robert Pattinson and Berenice Bejo deliver reliably strong turns, but it’s Corbet’s impressive control that makes the film a tightly-wound skin-crawler. His ambition is alive in every frame and detail, resulting in a commanding debut that announces him as a major filmmaker to watch. – Zs
“The Love Witch”
Meet your new obsession: A spellbinding homage to old pulp paperbacks and the Technicolor melodramas of the 1960s, Anna Biller’s “The Love Witch” is a throwback that’s told with the kind of perverse conviction and studied expertise that would make Quentin Tarantino blush. Shot in velvety 35mm, the film follows a beautiful, sociopathic, love-starved young witch named Elaine (Samantha Robinson, absolutely unforgettable in a demented breakthrough performance) as she blows into a coastal Californian town in desperate search of a replacement for her dead husband. Sex, death, Satanic rituals, God-level costume design, and cinema’s greatest tampon joke ensue, as Biller spins an arch but hyper-sincere story about the true price of patriarchy. – David Ehrlich
“Morris From America”
Coming-of-age movies are a dime a dozen (and the going rate is even cheaper at Sundance), but Chad Hartigan’s absurdly charming follow-up to “This Is Martin Bonner” puts a fresh spin on a tired genre. Played by lovable newcomer Markees Christmas, Morris is a 13-year-old New Yorker who’s forced to move to the suburbs of Germany when his widower dad (a note-perfect Craig Robinson) accepts a job as the coach of a Heidelberg soccer team. It’s tough being a teen, but Morris — as the only black kid in a foreign town that still has one foot stuck in the old world — has it way harder than most. But there’s a whole lot of joy here, as Hartigan’s sweet and sensitive fish out of water story leverages a handful of killer performances into a great little movie about becoming your own man. – De
BAMCinemaFest 2016 runs from June 15 – 26.
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Related storiesChristine Chubbuck: Video Exists of Reporter's On-Air Suicide That Inspired Two Sundance Films'Wiener-Dog' Trailer: Greta Gerwig Befriends a Dachshund in Todd Solondz's Dark Sundance Comedy'Little Men,' 'Wiener-Dog' and More Set for BAMcinemaFest 2016 -- Indiewire's Tuesday Rundown...
- 6/13/2016
- by Kate Erbland, Eric Kohn, David Ehrlich, Zack Sharf, Chris O'Falt and Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Life, Animated, which won the Directing Award at Sundance this year, has sold to multiple territories.
UK documentary distributor Dogwoof has closed deals for two more titles here in Cannes.
Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams’ Life Animated, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, winning the Directing Award, has sold to multiple territories: Japan (Transformer), Hong Kong (Edko), Scandinavia (Non Stop), Cis (CD Kino) and F.Yugoslavia (M.R.T.N. Media).
Based on a book by Pulitzer prize winning author Ron Suskind, the film is about Ron’s son, who after being diagnosed as autistic sunk into a silent world of his own. It was only through Disney animation films that he found a way of communicating with his family and the outside world.
The Orchard are set to release the film in the Us in July in an awards berth.
Dogwoof has also closed a deal for Jeff Feuerzeig’s (The Devil and Daniel...
UK documentary distributor Dogwoof has closed deals for two more titles here in Cannes.
Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams’ Life Animated, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, winning the Directing Award, has sold to multiple territories: Japan (Transformer), Hong Kong (Edko), Scandinavia (Non Stop), Cis (CD Kino) and F.Yugoslavia (M.R.T.N. Media).
Based on a book by Pulitzer prize winning author Ron Suskind, the film is about Ron’s son, who after being diagnosed as autistic sunk into a silent world of his own. It was only through Disney animation films that he found a way of communicating with his family and the outside world.
The Orchard are set to release the film in the Us in July in an awards berth.
Dogwoof has also closed a deal for Jeff Feuerzeig’s (The Devil and Daniel...
- 5/13/2016
- ScreenDaily
As the main topic of this year’s festival, Docaviv will feature a select group of thought-provoking films about a world that is changing with the collapse of physical and social boundaries, growing economic disparities, the waves of refugees and immigrants, civil wars, international terrorism, and the ultimate undoing of social solidarity.
Within the framework of this theme the program does not only include documentaries about terror and refugees, but also about a fragmented society which is losing its solidarity. Both in Israel and elsewhere the gap between the haves and the have-nots is widening, and so are the frustrations and the unrest. Israeli and international titles correlating to these themes can be found throughout the entire festival program:
“Death in the terminal” - Directors Tali Shemesh (“The Cemetery Club”) and Assaf Surd
A tense, minute-by-minute, Rashomon-style account of a tragic day. On October 18, 2015, a terrorist armed with a gun and a knife entered Beersheba’s bus terminal. Within 18 minutes Omri Levy, a soldier was killed and Abtum Zarhum, Eritrean immigrant asylum seeker, was lynched after being mistaken for a terrorist.
“The Settlers” - Premiered in Sundance, Director Shimon Dotan.
A far-reaching, comprehensive look at the Jewish settlement enterprise in the West Bank. It examines the origins of the settlement movement and the religious and ideological visions that propelled it, while providing an intimate look at the people at the center of the greatest geopolitical challenge now facing Israel and the international community. (Isa Contact: Cinephil)
“Town on a Wire” - premiered at Cph: Dox Dir: Uri Rosenwaks
While Tel Aviv is thriving, just ten minutes away lies the town of Lod, right in the backyard of Israel’s bustling urban center. Unlike its affluent neighbor, Lod is a city that suffers from the blight of racism, crime, and sheer desperation. Can it be saved? Is there some way to bring hope to Lod’s Arab and Jewish residents?
“Foucoammare”/ “Fire at Sea” - by Gianfranco Rosi - winner of Golden Bear, Berlinale 2016 -every day the inhabitants of the Italian Island Lampedusa are confronted with the flight of refugees to Europe . These people long for peace and freedom and often only their dead bodies are pulled out of the water. (Contact Isa: Doc & Film Int’l. U.S.: Kino Lorber)
“Between fences” – by Avi Mograbi -. In an Israeli detention center asylum-seekers from Eritrea and Sudan can’t be sent back to their own countries, but have no prospects in Israel either thanks to the country’s policies. Chen Alon and Avi Mograbi, initiate a theatre workshop to give these people the opportunity to address their own experiences of forced migration and discrimination and to confront an Israeli society that views them as dangerous infiltrators.
“A Syrian Love Story” – by Sean McAllister -You can’t be Che Guevara and a mother Amer tells Raghda, but maybe she can't do it any other way. After years of struggle, life without her homeland and the revolution has no meaning for her. It is hard to determine what is more demanding in this bold film: the revolution, or the search for inner peace. (Contact Isa: Cat & Docs)
“Homo Sapiens” – by Nikolaus Geyrhalter - what does humanity leave behind when its gone? It sometimes seems as if the mark that humans leave on this planet will last forever. The truth is that the iron, bricks, cement, and steel – the human traces everywhere abandoned and forgotten – are erased by the forces of nature. This unusually beautiful film may lack people and words, but that leaves even more room for thought.(Contact Isa: Autlook)
“Land of the Enlightened” – Premiered at Sundance Ff 2016. Shot over seven years on evocative 16mm footage, first-time director Pieter-Jan De Pue paints a whimsical yet haunting look at the condition of Afghanistan left for the next generation. As American soldiers prepare to leave, we follow De Pue deep into this hidden land where young boys form wild gangs to control trade routes, sell explosives from mines left over from war, making the new rules of war based on the harsh landscape left to them. (Contact Isa: Films Boutique)
“Flickering Truth” - Premiered at Toronto Ff 2015. Director Pietra Brettkelly (The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins) directs this harrowing, compelling film about the power of cinema to preserve our history and in so doing potentially change our futures. (Contact Isa: Film Sales Company)
“Requiem for the American Dream” - Directed by Peter D. Hutchison, Kelly Nyks, Jared P. Scott. In ten chilling but lucid chapters, Noam Chomsky, one of the great intellectuals of our time, analyzes the “system,” which allows wealthy capitalists to seize the reins of government and turn those without wealth into a passive herd, willing to forego power, solidarity, and democracy itself. (U.S.: Gravitas. Contact Isa: Films Transit)
The festival will open with a first film by Israeli director Roman Shumunov
“Babylon Dreamers” Directed by Roman Somonob. An intimate report about a troupe of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, from one of Ashdod’s poorest neighborhoods; they struggle to survive facing harsh conditions - poverty, mental illness, and broken families. They channel their anger and cling to their dream of attending and winning the International Breakdance Championship.
Israeli Competition
Some 70 Israeli films produced over the last year were submitted out of which 13 films have been selected for the Israeli Competition. They will be competing for the largest cash prize for documentary filmmaking in Israel 70,000 Nis (Us$ 15,000). Other awards in the competition include the Mayor’s Prize for the Most Promising Filmmaker, the Prize for Editing, the Prize for Cinematography, the Prize for Research, and the Prize for Original Score.
"The Wonderful Kingdom of Papa Alaev," directors Tal Barda, Noam Pinchas -Tajikistan’s answer to the Jackson Family. A modern-day Shakespearean tale about a famous Tajik musical family, controlled by their charismatic patriarch-grandfather - Papa Alaev.
"A Tale of Two Balloons" by Zohar Wagner - The tale of a women who thought a pair of perfect breasts would help her find true love. But when that love came along, those perfect breasts had to go.
"Aida's Secrets," director Alon Schwarz - At 68, Izak learns he has a brother he never knew about. As part of the discoveries about the family, the film uncovers the story of the Displaced Persons camps- the vibrant and often wild social life that flourished immediately after WW2.
"Child Mother" by Yael Kipper and Ronen Zaretzky - The story of elderly women born in Morocco and Yemen, who were married off when they were still little girls. Only now, as they enter the final chapter of their lives, do they openly face their past and the ways it still affects them and their families.
"The Last Shaman" directed by Raz Degan - Inspired by an article he read, James decides to travel to the Amazon rainforests, in search of a shaman whom he thinks can save him from a clinical depression that haunts him.
"The Patriarch's Room" by Danae Elon -The bizarre imprisonment of the former head of the Greek Orthodox Church in a tiny monastic cell in Jerusalem’s Old City leads to a fascinating journey in search of the truth, penetrating the remote world of the priesthood. The complex and unfamiliar picture that emerges is revealed here, on camera, for the very first time.
"Poetics of the Brain" by Nurith Aviv –weaving associative links between her personal biographical stories and neuroscientists’ accounts of their work. They discuss topics such as memory, bilingualism, reading, mirror neurons, smell, traces of experience.
"Shalom Italia," by Tamar Tal Anati (winner of Docaviv for Life in Stills) -Three Italian Jewish brothers set off on a journey through Tuscany, in search of a cave where they hid as children to escape the Nazis. Their quest, full of humor, food and Tuscan landscapes, straddles the boundary between history and myth, both of which really, truly happened.
"Week 23" by Ohad Milstein - Rahel, the daughter of a Swiss bishop, is coping with a difficult pregnancy in Israel. One of the identical twins she is carrying has died in utero, and now poses an almost certain threat to its sibling. The doctors are unequivocal about it. They tell Rahel that she should abort the surviving fetus and end her pregnancy.
"The Settlers" by Shimon Dotan; Town On A Wire directed by Uri Rosenwaksand Eyal Blachson; Death in the Terminal by Tali Shemesh and Asaf Sudry, and Babylon Dreamers by Roman Shumunov.
The Members of the selection committee included Sinai Abt, artistic director of the Docaviv Film Festival; director Reuven Brodsky, winner of Docaviv in 2012 for his film Home Movie and of Honorable Mention at Docaviv in 2015 and film editor Ayelet Ofarim.
Twelve films have been selected for the International Competition, which will open with the The Happy Film by Stefan Seigmeister. Also competing are Jerzy Sladkowski’s Don Juan, winner of the Idfa Award; Author: The J.T. LeRoy Story about the imaginary cult figure who became the darling of New York society and nightlife, picked up by Amazon at Sundance as its first doc title. Another festival favorite is A Flickering Truth and Sean McAllister's daring award winning documentary A Syrian Love Story.
The Depth of Field Competition will open with LoveTrue by director Alma Har’el, who will be a juror for the Israeli Film Competition. This is the Competition’s third year, held in conjunction with the Film Critics’ Forum that will award films for an outstanding and daring artistic vision. Other films that will be screened as part of the competition include Sundance winners Kate Plays Christine by Robert Greene, and Pieter-Jan De Pue’s hybrid documentary The Land of the Enlightened; other titles that will be shown are Hotel Dallas by wife and husband artist duo Livia Ungur and Sherng-Lee Huang, The Hong Kong Trilogy by noted cinematographer Christopher Doyle , and the musical- turned into documentary London Road by Rufus Norris and Alecky Blythe.
The Masters Section, a new category in the festival, highlighting new films by world renowned directors will be opened by Fire at Sea by director Gianfranco Rosi, winner of the Golden Bear at this year’s Berlinale. Avi Mograbi’s Between Fences will be accompanied by a play by the Holot Legislative Theater, with a cast of actors that includes Israelis and African asylum seekers.
Other films in this section include amongst others Junun, Paul Thomas Anderson’s portrayal of a musical project involving Shye Ben-Tzur and Jonny Greenwood, Homo Sapiens by director Nikolaus Geyrhalter, Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine by director Alex Gibney, To the Desert by director Judd Neeman, Unlocking the Cage by directors D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, De Palma by co-director Noah Baumbach and He Named Me Malala by David Guggenheim.
The Panorama selection of films will include amongst others the moving Strike a Pose, by Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan about the dancers who accompanied Madonna on her “Blond Ambition” tour, Roger Ross Williams ‘Life, Animated depicting the remarkable story of an autistic boy, who learned how to communicate with his surroundings through Disney films, Those Who Jump about an African refugee who films attempts by other refugees to jump the barbed wire border fence in North Africa and Louis Theroux: My Scientology Film.
This year’s Arts Section will include Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble by Academy Award winner Morgan Neville; I Don’t Belong Anywhere: The Cinema of Chantal Akerman, which was produced shortly before her tragic death, Listen to Me, Marlon, which tells the story of Marlon Brando through the audio recordings he made throughout his life, Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict, the salacious story of art collector Peggy Guggenheim, Koudelka Shooting Holy Land, Gilad Baram’s film about famous Czech photographer Josef Koudelka’s travels along the Separation Fence, and more.
Seven films produced by the top film schools in Israel were selected to compete in the annual Student Film Competition. The prize for the competition was donated by the Gottesman family in memory of Ruti Gottesman, a leading supporter of Docaviv and of documentary.
The Members of the selection committee included Karin Ryvind Segal, programming director for Docaviv, Hila Avraham, curator and expert on film and audiovisual media preservation and screenwriter Danny Rosenberg, whose work includes the films My Father’s House , Susia and the television series Johnny and the Knights of the Galilee.
Special Guests attending the Festival:
Award winning Director Ondi Timoner, will be attending the Israeli premiere of her film Russell Brand: A Second Coming. Her Sundance-winning film Dig! will be among the music documentaries screened at the Tel Aviv Port. In conjunction with the Film Department of Beit Berl College, Timoner will also be conducting a special master class for students, professionals, and amateurs.
This year’s festival will include a special tribute to acclaimed director Nikolaus Geyrhalter who will be attending the festival with his recent Homo Sapiens. This year’s festival will also include two previous films of his, Our Daily Bread and Abendland,.
International jury members attending the festival include:
Adriek van Nieuwenhuyzen, Director of the Idfa industry office; Gary Kam, producer of Planet of Snail; film director Alma Har’el (Bombay Beach; LoveTrue) ; Nilotpal, Director of Docedge Kolkata, Sascha Lara Bleuler, Director of the Human Rights Film Festival in Zurich, and film director Tatiana Brandrup.
The Israeli jurors include:
Director Dror Moreh, director and producer Barak Heymann, director Robby Elmaliah, producer Elinor Kowarsky, photographer David Adika, and film editor Tal Rabiner.
Around town. A record number of twelve screening venues spread out across Tel Aviv will offer free screenings. These are: Habima Square, the Beit Danny Community Center, the Hatikvah neighborhood, the Arab-Jewish Community Center in Jaffa, the rooftop of Tel Aviv City Hall, WeWork, Levinsky Park, Bar Kayma, Beit Romano, the Nalaga’at Center, Picnic Little Italy-Sarona Tel Aviv, and Artport.
Outdoors. The Tel Aviv Port will continue to host the festival this year, with outdoor screenings of music films with guest deejays from KZRadio. Films to be screened at the port include Janis: Little Girl Blue, The Reflektor Tapes about the band Arcade Fire, P.T Andersoan’s Junun about the musical collaboration between Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, Nigel Godrich, and a dozen Indian musicians.
Festival Firsts. DocaviVR: a collaboration between Docaviv and Steamer, Israel’s first Interactive and Virtual Reality Film Festival, presents original documentary projects from Israel and around the world, created especially for viewing with Vr gear. The event will take place at Beit Romano. A cinema will pop up in one of Tel Aviv’s trendy hubs, with 25 stations equipped with Vr gear.
The Docommunity conference aims to promote dcomentary across the country by bringing together cultural coordinators and artistic directors from across the country to introduce them to the latest documentary films from Israel and around the world.
The Platform for Alternative Documentation at Artport art space: A performative piece that brings together film artists, social activists, and researchers studying the various aesthetic, social, and philosophical aspects of documentation. Curated by Laliv Melamed and Gilad Reich.
Young audiences. For the first time, films from The Next Doc will be screened, a special initiative of Docaviv, the Second Channel, and the New Fund for Film and Television, which led to the production of three films created especially for a teenage audience.
Docaviv will also be hosting the final event of Docu Young, at which films by students in residential schools, who participated in film workshops , will be screened.
The Docyouth Competition will feature the best documentary films produced by students in high school film programs throughout the country. For the first time, voting for this year’s competition will be held online and open to high school students across the country.
Among the Screenings of docs for kids are Victor Kosakovsky’s “Varicella”, and “Landfilharmonic”.
Over the course of the festival, 110 films will be screened.
Within the framework of this theme the program does not only include documentaries about terror and refugees, but also about a fragmented society which is losing its solidarity. Both in Israel and elsewhere the gap between the haves and the have-nots is widening, and so are the frustrations and the unrest. Israeli and international titles correlating to these themes can be found throughout the entire festival program:
“Death in the terminal” - Directors Tali Shemesh (“The Cemetery Club”) and Assaf Surd
A tense, minute-by-minute, Rashomon-style account of a tragic day. On October 18, 2015, a terrorist armed with a gun and a knife entered Beersheba’s bus terminal. Within 18 minutes Omri Levy, a soldier was killed and Abtum Zarhum, Eritrean immigrant asylum seeker, was lynched after being mistaken for a terrorist.
“The Settlers” - Premiered in Sundance, Director Shimon Dotan.
A far-reaching, comprehensive look at the Jewish settlement enterprise in the West Bank. It examines the origins of the settlement movement and the religious and ideological visions that propelled it, while providing an intimate look at the people at the center of the greatest geopolitical challenge now facing Israel and the international community. (Isa Contact: Cinephil)
“Town on a Wire” - premiered at Cph: Dox Dir: Uri Rosenwaks
While Tel Aviv is thriving, just ten minutes away lies the town of Lod, right in the backyard of Israel’s bustling urban center. Unlike its affluent neighbor, Lod is a city that suffers from the blight of racism, crime, and sheer desperation. Can it be saved? Is there some way to bring hope to Lod’s Arab and Jewish residents?
“Foucoammare”/ “Fire at Sea” - by Gianfranco Rosi - winner of Golden Bear, Berlinale 2016 -every day the inhabitants of the Italian Island Lampedusa are confronted with the flight of refugees to Europe . These people long for peace and freedom and often only their dead bodies are pulled out of the water. (Contact Isa: Doc & Film Int’l. U.S.: Kino Lorber)
“Between fences” – by Avi Mograbi -. In an Israeli detention center asylum-seekers from Eritrea and Sudan can’t be sent back to their own countries, but have no prospects in Israel either thanks to the country’s policies. Chen Alon and Avi Mograbi, initiate a theatre workshop to give these people the opportunity to address their own experiences of forced migration and discrimination and to confront an Israeli society that views them as dangerous infiltrators.
“A Syrian Love Story” – by Sean McAllister -You can’t be Che Guevara and a mother Amer tells Raghda, but maybe she can't do it any other way. After years of struggle, life without her homeland and the revolution has no meaning for her. It is hard to determine what is more demanding in this bold film: the revolution, or the search for inner peace. (Contact Isa: Cat & Docs)
“Homo Sapiens” – by Nikolaus Geyrhalter - what does humanity leave behind when its gone? It sometimes seems as if the mark that humans leave on this planet will last forever. The truth is that the iron, bricks, cement, and steel – the human traces everywhere abandoned and forgotten – are erased by the forces of nature. This unusually beautiful film may lack people and words, but that leaves even more room for thought.(Contact Isa: Autlook)
“Land of the Enlightened” – Premiered at Sundance Ff 2016. Shot over seven years on evocative 16mm footage, first-time director Pieter-Jan De Pue paints a whimsical yet haunting look at the condition of Afghanistan left for the next generation. As American soldiers prepare to leave, we follow De Pue deep into this hidden land where young boys form wild gangs to control trade routes, sell explosives from mines left over from war, making the new rules of war based on the harsh landscape left to them. (Contact Isa: Films Boutique)
“Flickering Truth” - Premiered at Toronto Ff 2015. Director Pietra Brettkelly (The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins) directs this harrowing, compelling film about the power of cinema to preserve our history and in so doing potentially change our futures. (Contact Isa: Film Sales Company)
“Requiem for the American Dream” - Directed by Peter D. Hutchison, Kelly Nyks, Jared P. Scott. In ten chilling but lucid chapters, Noam Chomsky, one of the great intellectuals of our time, analyzes the “system,” which allows wealthy capitalists to seize the reins of government and turn those without wealth into a passive herd, willing to forego power, solidarity, and democracy itself. (U.S.: Gravitas. Contact Isa: Films Transit)
The festival will open with a first film by Israeli director Roman Shumunov
“Babylon Dreamers” Directed by Roman Somonob. An intimate report about a troupe of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, from one of Ashdod’s poorest neighborhoods; they struggle to survive facing harsh conditions - poverty, mental illness, and broken families. They channel their anger and cling to their dream of attending and winning the International Breakdance Championship.
Israeli Competition
Some 70 Israeli films produced over the last year were submitted out of which 13 films have been selected for the Israeli Competition. They will be competing for the largest cash prize for documentary filmmaking in Israel 70,000 Nis (Us$ 15,000). Other awards in the competition include the Mayor’s Prize for the Most Promising Filmmaker, the Prize for Editing, the Prize for Cinematography, the Prize for Research, and the Prize for Original Score.
"The Wonderful Kingdom of Papa Alaev," directors Tal Barda, Noam Pinchas -Tajikistan’s answer to the Jackson Family. A modern-day Shakespearean tale about a famous Tajik musical family, controlled by their charismatic patriarch-grandfather - Papa Alaev.
"A Tale of Two Balloons" by Zohar Wagner - The tale of a women who thought a pair of perfect breasts would help her find true love. But when that love came along, those perfect breasts had to go.
"Aida's Secrets," director Alon Schwarz - At 68, Izak learns he has a brother he never knew about. As part of the discoveries about the family, the film uncovers the story of the Displaced Persons camps- the vibrant and often wild social life that flourished immediately after WW2.
"Child Mother" by Yael Kipper and Ronen Zaretzky - The story of elderly women born in Morocco and Yemen, who were married off when they were still little girls. Only now, as they enter the final chapter of their lives, do they openly face their past and the ways it still affects them and their families.
"The Last Shaman" directed by Raz Degan - Inspired by an article he read, James decides to travel to the Amazon rainforests, in search of a shaman whom he thinks can save him from a clinical depression that haunts him.
"The Patriarch's Room" by Danae Elon -The bizarre imprisonment of the former head of the Greek Orthodox Church in a tiny monastic cell in Jerusalem’s Old City leads to a fascinating journey in search of the truth, penetrating the remote world of the priesthood. The complex and unfamiliar picture that emerges is revealed here, on camera, for the very first time.
"Poetics of the Brain" by Nurith Aviv –weaving associative links between her personal biographical stories and neuroscientists’ accounts of their work. They discuss topics such as memory, bilingualism, reading, mirror neurons, smell, traces of experience.
"Shalom Italia," by Tamar Tal Anati (winner of Docaviv for Life in Stills) -Three Italian Jewish brothers set off on a journey through Tuscany, in search of a cave where they hid as children to escape the Nazis. Their quest, full of humor, food and Tuscan landscapes, straddles the boundary between history and myth, both of which really, truly happened.
"Week 23" by Ohad Milstein - Rahel, the daughter of a Swiss bishop, is coping with a difficult pregnancy in Israel. One of the identical twins she is carrying has died in utero, and now poses an almost certain threat to its sibling. The doctors are unequivocal about it. They tell Rahel that she should abort the surviving fetus and end her pregnancy.
"The Settlers" by Shimon Dotan; Town On A Wire directed by Uri Rosenwaksand Eyal Blachson; Death in the Terminal by Tali Shemesh and Asaf Sudry, and Babylon Dreamers by Roman Shumunov.
The Members of the selection committee included Sinai Abt, artistic director of the Docaviv Film Festival; director Reuven Brodsky, winner of Docaviv in 2012 for his film Home Movie and of Honorable Mention at Docaviv in 2015 and film editor Ayelet Ofarim.
Twelve films have been selected for the International Competition, which will open with the The Happy Film by Stefan Seigmeister. Also competing are Jerzy Sladkowski’s Don Juan, winner of the Idfa Award; Author: The J.T. LeRoy Story about the imaginary cult figure who became the darling of New York society and nightlife, picked up by Amazon at Sundance as its first doc title. Another festival favorite is A Flickering Truth and Sean McAllister's daring award winning documentary A Syrian Love Story.
The Depth of Field Competition will open with LoveTrue by director Alma Har’el, who will be a juror for the Israeli Film Competition. This is the Competition’s third year, held in conjunction with the Film Critics’ Forum that will award films for an outstanding and daring artistic vision. Other films that will be screened as part of the competition include Sundance winners Kate Plays Christine by Robert Greene, and Pieter-Jan De Pue’s hybrid documentary The Land of the Enlightened; other titles that will be shown are Hotel Dallas by wife and husband artist duo Livia Ungur and Sherng-Lee Huang, The Hong Kong Trilogy by noted cinematographer Christopher Doyle , and the musical- turned into documentary London Road by Rufus Norris and Alecky Blythe.
The Masters Section, a new category in the festival, highlighting new films by world renowned directors will be opened by Fire at Sea by director Gianfranco Rosi, winner of the Golden Bear at this year’s Berlinale. Avi Mograbi’s Between Fences will be accompanied by a play by the Holot Legislative Theater, with a cast of actors that includes Israelis and African asylum seekers.
Other films in this section include amongst others Junun, Paul Thomas Anderson’s portrayal of a musical project involving Shye Ben-Tzur and Jonny Greenwood, Homo Sapiens by director Nikolaus Geyrhalter, Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine by director Alex Gibney, To the Desert by director Judd Neeman, Unlocking the Cage by directors D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, De Palma by co-director Noah Baumbach and He Named Me Malala by David Guggenheim.
The Panorama selection of films will include amongst others the moving Strike a Pose, by Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan about the dancers who accompanied Madonna on her “Blond Ambition” tour, Roger Ross Williams ‘Life, Animated depicting the remarkable story of an autistic boy, who learned how to communicate with his surroundings through Disney films, Those Who Jump about an African refugee who films attempts by other refugees to jump the barbed wire border fence in North Africa and Louis Theroux: My Scientology Film.
This year’s Arts Section will include Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble by Academy Award winner Morgan Neville; I Don’t Belong Anywhere: The Cinema of Chantal Akerman, which was produced shortly before her tragic death, Listen to Me, Marlon, which tells the story of Marlon Brando through the audio recordings he made throughout his life, Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict, the salacious story of art collector Peggy Guggenheim, Koudelka Shooting Holy Land, Gilad Baram’s film about famous Czech photographer Josef Koudelka’s travels along the Separation Fence, and more.
Seven films produced by the top film schools in Israel were selected to compete in the annual Student Film Competition. The prize for the competition was donated by the Gottesman family in memory of Ruti Gottesman, a leading supporter of Docaviv and of documentary.
The Members of the selection committee included Karin Ryvind Segal, programming director for Docaviv, Hila Avraham, curator and expert on film and audiovisual media preservation and screenwriter Danny Rosenberg, whose work includes the films My Father’s House , Susia and the television series Johnny and the Knights of the Galilee.
Special Guests attending the Festival:
Award winning Director Ondi Timoner, will be attending the Israeli premiere of her film Russell Brand: A Second Coming. Her Sundance-winning film Dig! will be among the music documentaries screened at the Tel Aviv Port. In conjunction with the Film Department of Beit Berl College, Timoner will also be conducting a special master class for students, professionals, and amateurs.
This year’s festival will include a special tribute to acclaimed director Nikolaus Geyrhalter who will be attending the festival with his recent Homo Sapiens. This year’s festival will also include two previous films of his, Our Daily Bread and Abendland,.
International jury members attending the festival include:
Adriek van Nieuwenhuyzen, Director of the Idfa industry office; Gary Kam, producer of Planet of Snail; film director Alma Har’el (Bombay Beach; LoveTrue) ; Nilotpal, Director of Docedge Kolkata, Sascha Lara Bleuler, Director of the Human Rights Film Festival in Zurich, and film director Tatiana Brandrup.
The Israeli jurors include:
Director Dror Moreh, director and producer Barak Heymann, director Robby Elmaliah, producer Elinor Kowarsky, photographer David Adika, and film editor Tal Rabiner.
Around town. A record number of twelve screening venues spread out across Tel Aviv will offer free screenings. These are: Habima Square, the Beit Danny Community Center, the Hatikvah neighborhood, the Arab-Jewish Community Center in Jaffa, the rooftop of Tel Aviv City Hall, WeWork, Levinsky Park, Bar Kayma, Beit Romano, the Nalaga’at Center, Picnic Little Italy-Sarona Tel Aviv, and Artport.
Outdoors. The Tel Aviv Port will continue to host the festival this year, with outdoor screenings of music films with guest deejays from KZRadio. Films to be screened at the port include Janis: Little Girl Blue, The Reflektor Tapes about the band Arcade Fire, P.T Andersoan’s Junun about the musical collaboration between Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, Nigel Godrich, and a dozen Indian musicians.
Festival Firsts. DocaviVR: a collaboration between Docaviv and Steamer, Israel’s first Interactive and Virtual Reality Film Festival, presents original documentary projects from Israel and around the world, created especially for viewing with Vr gear. The event will take place at Beit Romano. A cinema will pop up in one of Tel Aviv’s trendy hubs, with 25 stations equipped with Vr gear.
The Docommunity conference aims to promote dcomentary across the country by bringing together cultural coordinators and artistic directors from across the country to introduce them to the latest documentary films from Israel and around the world.
The Platform for Alternative Documentation at Artport art space: A performative piece that brings together film artists, social activists, and researchers studying the various aesthetic, social, and philosophical aspects of documentation. Curated by Laliv Melamed and Gilad Reich.
Young audiences. For the first time, films from The Next Doc will be screened, a special initiative of Docaviv, the Second Channel, and the New Fund for Film and Television, which led to the production of three films created especially for a teenage audience.
Docaviv will also be hosting the final event of Docu Young, at which films by students in residential schools, who participated in film workshops , will be screened.
The Docyouth Competition will feature the best documentary films produced by students in high school film programs throughout the country. For the first time, voting for this year’s competition will be held online and open to high school students across the country.
Among the Screenings of docs for kids are Victor Kosakovsky’s “Varicella”, and “Landfilharmonic”.
Over the course of the festival, 110 films will be screened.
- 5/11/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Sundance chiefs reveal plans for the UK offshoot of the indie film festival and how they worked with Picturehouse on this year’s programme.
The line-up for the 4th Sundance Film Festival: London (June 2-5) has been revealed and includes a raft of international premieres, shorts and panel discussions.
The festival will comprise 11 UK and international feature film premieres from this year’s Sundance Film Festival as well as 15 shorts, including a strand dedicated to UK shorts screened at Park City in January.
Titles include Weiner, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s documentary following the scandal surrounding Anthony Weiner’s NYC mayoral campaign, which won the Us Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and will receive its European premiere in London.
International premieres include Sian Heder’s Tallulah, starring Ellen Page; Clea DuVall’s The Intervention, which won Melanie Lynskey the Us Dramatic Special Jury Award for Individual Performance; and Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary Author: The Jt LeRoy Story.
UK...
The line-up for the 4th Sundance Film Festival: London (June 2-5) has been revealed and includes a raft of international premieres, shorts and panel discussions.
The festival will comprise 11 UK and international feature film premieres from this year’s Sundance Film Festival as well as 15 shorts, including a strand dedicated to UK shorts screened at Park City in January.
Titles include Weiner, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s documentary following the scandal surrounding Anthony Weiner’s NYC mayoral campaign, which won the Us Grand Jury Prize at Sundance and will receive its European premiere in London.
International premieres include Sian Heder’s Tallulah, starring Ellen Page; Clea DuVall’s The Intervention, which won Melanie Lynskey the Us Dramatic Special Jury Award for Individual Performance; and Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary Author: The Jt LeRoy Story.
UK...
- 4/20/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Kristen Stewart, James Franco and Helena Bonham Carter are all in negotiations to board Justin Kelly’s transgender biopic, Jt LeRoy.
The Hollywood Reporter has the casting scoop, with news emerging from the ongoing Berlin Film Festival. There, Fortitude are aiming to launch the feature to foreign investors, though the addition of Stewart, Franco and Carter has been the first major sign of progress from the drama. Set to be written and directed by Kelly, it’s understood the filmmaker will take inspiration from Savannah Knoop’s memoir Girl Boy Girl: How I Became Jt Leroy, and it’s safe to assume that either Stewart or Bonham Carter are circling either the role of Knoop or author Laura Albert.
At the time of going to press, THR cautions that both Carter and Stewart are yet to put pen to paper. James Franco, meanwhile, is a lock, reuniting with Justin Kelly...
The Hollywood Reporter has the casting scoop, with news emerging from the ongoing Berlin Film Festival. There, Fortitude are aiming to launch the feature to foreign investors, though the addition of Stewart, Franco and Carter has been the first major sign of progress from the drama. Set to be written and directed by Kelly, it’s understood the filmmaker will take inspiration from Savannah Knoop’s memoir Girl Boy Girl: How I Became Jt Leroy, and it’s safe to assume that either Stewart or Bonham Carter are circling either the role of Knoop or author Laura Albert.
At the time of going to press, THR cautions that both Carter and Stewart are yet to put pen to paper. James Franco, meanwhile, is a lock, reuniting with Justin Kelly...
- 2/10/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
One of the films from this year's Sundance Film Festival that I'm still chewing on is Author: The Jt LeRoy Story. The documentary by Jeff Feuerzeig is well-made and obviously was produced with an enormous amount of access to Laura Albert, the writer at the heart of the very, very strange saga. That's part of the problem, though. I'm not sure why anyone would ever trust a single word out of Albert's mouth, especially not on the subject of Jt LeRoy, and in the end, her involvement makes me believe the movie less, not more. For those unfamiliar with the story, Jt LeRoy was a literary phenomenon in the late '90s, a young author who became a celebrity as much for his backstory as for his prose. People like Bono and Courtney Love and Gus Van Sant and Billy Corgan all believed fervently in LeRoy, and while secrecy was...
- 2/10/2016
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Plus: Production begins on The Last Word; Keira Knightley circles Collateral Beauty; Music Box acquires Sundance entry The Innocents; and more…
Aaron Eckhart stars in Courage, based on Jim Dent’s novel Courage Beyond The Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story and Spotlight will commence sales at the Efm this week.
Angelo Pizzo directed the film about about a university athlete who receives a shocking diagnosis following an injury. Clarius distributed Courage in the Us last November under the title My All American.
Production is underway in the Los Angeles area on Mark Pellington’s The Last Word starring Shirley Maclaine and Amanda Seyfried. Bleecker Street will distribute the drama in the Us and Myriad Pictures handles international sales at the Efm. Anne Heche, Philip Baker Hall and Scott Speedman and Tom Everett Scott round out the key cast.Kristin Stewart and Helena Bonham Carter are in talks and James Franco is attached to star in Jt Leroy, about...
Aaron Eckhart stars in Courage, based on Jim Dent’s novel Courage Beyond The Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story and Spotlight will commence sales at the Efm this week.
Angelo Pizzo directed the film about about a university athlete who receives a shocking diagnosis following an injury. Clarius distributed Courage in the Us last November under the title My All American.
Production is underway in the Los Angeles area on Mark Pellington’s The Last Word starring Shirley Maclaine and Amanda Seyfried. Bleecker Street will distribute the drama in the Us and Myriad Pictures handles international sales at the Efm. Anne Heche, Philip Baker Hall and Scott Speedman and Tom Everett Scott round out the key cast.Kristin Stewart and Helena Bonham Carter are in talks and James Franco is attached to star in Jt Leroy, about...
- 2/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Plus: Keira Knightley circles Collateral Beauty; Music Box acquires Sundance entry The Innocents; Alcon sets writer for The Ice Twins; and more…
Aaron Eckhart stars in Courage, based on Jim Dent’s novel Courage Beyond The Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story and Spotlight will commence sales at the Efm this week.
Angelo Pizzo directed the film about about a university athlete who receives a shocking diagnosis following an injury. Clarius distributed Courage in the Us last November under the title My All American.
Kristin Stewart and Helena Bonham Carter are in talks and James Franco is attached to star in Jt Leroy, about the hoax female blogger who passed herself off as a transgender male. Lbi Entertainment /Aquarius / Rabbit Bandini Productions produce and Fortitude International represents international rights.Keira Knightley is reportedly in talks to star opposite Will Smith in New Line/Village Roadshow’s drama Collateral Beauty. Warner Bros will distribute in the Us on March...
Aaron Eckhart stars in Courage, based on Jim Dent’s novel Courage Beyond The Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story and Spotlight will commence sales at the Efm this week.
Angelo Pizzo directed the film about about a university athlete who receives a shocking diagnosis following an injury. Clarius distributed Courage in the Us last November under the title My All American.
Kristin Stewart and Helena Bonham Carter are in talks and James Franco is attached to star in Jt Leroy, about the hoax female blogger who passed herself off as a transgender male. Lbi Entertainment /Aquarius / Rabbit Bandini Productions produce and Fortitude International represents international rights.Keira Knightley is reportedly in talks to star opposite Will Smith in New Line/Village Roadshow’s drama Collateral Beauty. Warner Bros will distribute in the Us on March...
- 2/9/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Here’s a good sign of momentum: weeks after a documentary premiered at Sundance and received its first wave of fine reviews, the figure known as Jt Leroy is having their life story turned into a feature film. THR tell us Kristen Stewart, James Franco, Helena Bonham Carter, and writer-director Justin Kelly (the Franco-led I Am Michael) will team for Jt Leroy, which examines the eponymous figure — itself the outlet for a writer and actor who fooled the world with “a man who identifies as transgender, tricking the rich and famous in Hollywood, the fashion world and elite literary circles.”
If contracts are arranged, Carter and Stewart will respectively star as Laura Albert and Savannah Knoop, Leroy’s writing and public personas. There are many directions in which this narrative can reach, evidenced by the fact that writer-director-actress Asia Argento, who adapted Leroy’s The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,...
If contracts are arranged, Carter and Stewart will respectively star as Laura Albert and Savannah Knoop, Leroy’s writing and public personas. There are many directions in which this narrative can reach, evidenced by the fact that writer-director-actress Asia Argento, who adapted Leroy’s The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,...
- 2/9/2016
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Jt LeRoy, the literary sensation who palled around with celebrities and romanced Asia Argento before being unmasked as a hoax a decade ago, is getting a biopic: THR reports that Kristen Stewart, Helena Bonham Carter, and James Franco are in talks to join Jt LeRoy, a film about the two women who dreamed up the stunt, from I Am Michael's Justin Kelly. Bonham Carter would take the role of Laura Albert, who wrote the work credited to LeRoy; Stewart would play Savannah Knoop, who impersonated LeRoy in public (and now co-wrote this movie's script). Franco is set to play Knoop's brother, who was married to Albert. Ten years after being unmasked, LeRoy is having another moment in the spotlight: A documentary, Author: The Jt LeRoy Story, just earned rave reviews at Sundance.
- 2/9/2016
- by Nate Jones
- Vulture
There are few celebrity stories as fascinating as Jt Leroy's. The author behind the beloved "non-fiction" bestseller “The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things” (which was turned into a 2004 film by Asia Argento) earned the kind of status the writer's don't often receive, rubbing shoulders with folks like Marilyn Manson, Shirley Manson, Courtney Love, and Billy Corgan. But all of that changed when, in 2006, Jt Leroy was revealed to be the creation of Laura Albert, who furthered the duplicity by having Savannah Knoop play LeRoy in public. And now, that wild story is coming to the big screen. THR reports that Kristen Stewart, James Franco, and Helena Bonham Carter will star in "Jt LeRoy." Justin Kelly, who previously directed Franco in "I Am Michael," will be behind the camera and pen the script for this one, which is based on Knoop's memoir. Kyle Buchanan at Vulture adds that Stewart would play Knoop,...
- 2/9/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
James Franco is attached and Kristen Stewart and Helena Bonham Carter are in negotiations to join the Justin Kelly-directed author hoax story "Jt LeRoy" for Lbi Entertainment, Aquarius and Rabbit Bandini Productions.
The behind-the-scenes true story tale will be based on the memoir "Girl Boy Girl" and life rights from Savannah Knoop. Knoop and her sister-in-law Laura Albert were behind an elaborate ruse - the creation of the literary persona Jeremiah 'Terminator' LeRoy (J.T. LeRoy), a gay-male-ex-truck-stop-prostitute-turned literary-wunderkind.
For a decade Albert penned the books under the pseudonym and over several years Knoop attended public events as the character, leading to a bizarre double life of the latter pretending to be a transgender author who was embraced by the fashion, film and literary world elite.
Filming aims to begin later this year.
Source: THR...
The behind-the-scenes true story tale will be based on the memoir "Girl Boy Girl" and life rights from Savannah Knoop. Knoop and her sister-in-law Laura Albert were behind an elaborate ruse - the creation of the literary persona Jeremiah 'Terminator' LeRoy (J.T. LeRoy), a gay-male-ex-truck-stop-prostitute-turned literary-wunderkind.
For a decade Albert penned the books under the pseudonym and over several years Knoop attended public events as the character, leading to a bizarre double life of the latter pretending to be a transgender author who was embraced by the fashion, film and literary world elite.
Filming aims to begin later this year.
Source: THR...
- 2/9/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Kristen Stewart, James Franco and Helena Bonham Carter are circling the biopic Jt Leroy, a Hollywood-set transgender story. Justin Kelly, who directed James Franco in 2015's I Am Michael, will helm the film from a script he wrote. The true story goes behind the scenes of the hoax of Jt LeRoy, a woman who pretended to be a man who identifies as transgender, tricking the rich and famous in Hollywood, the fashion world and elite literary circles. { "nid": 822486, "type": "news", "title": "Kristen Stewart on Suppressing Emotions and Giving in to First Love", "path": "http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kristen-stewart-
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- 2/8/2016
- by Rebecca Ford, Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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