Known for his hard-hitting award-winning documentaries "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent" and "Cocaine Cowboys," filmmaker Billy Corben isn't one to shy away from difficult subject matters. His latest film, "Dawg Fight," is no exception. A brutal exposé on underground backyard Mma fighting in one of Miami's toughest and poorest neighborhoods, "Dawg Fight" is unflinching in its depiction of the dark side of the American dream. It's so dark, in fact, that two of the fighters featured in the film are now dead. Read More: What Does Netflix's Investment in Documentaries Mean for Filmmakers? "To me, it's continuing in our tradition of telling stories that are twisted takes on the American dream," Corben recently told Indiewire. Given the subject matter, which involves desperate men beating each other to bloody pulps for money, Corben realized early on that it might not be an easy sell for distributors. "Everybody is...
- 3/13/2015
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Documentary maker Billy Corben has been mining Miami for tough-minded material for nearly two decades, including notable projects such as Cocaine Cowboys and Espn’s two The U docs about the University of Miami’s rogue athletic program. He also produced and directed Raw Deal: A Question of Consent, which had a spot at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001. But he’s never had a film like Dawg Fight, nor a more complicated response from would-be distributors. “Of all…...
- 3/5/2015
- Deadline
"For a decade starting in the late 60s, the Kashmere Stage Band — a funk-infused outfit rooted in a poor, predominantly black neighborhood in northeast Houston — built a reputation as the most formidable high school band in the country." Scott Tobias for NPR: "Under the leadership of Conrad O Johnson Sr, a prodigious musician in his own right (he once played with Count Basie), the band zigged where others zagged, embracing the sounds (and moves) of James Brown and Otis Redding while its peers were mimicking the ossified standards of 40s big bands. In competition — and on recordings — the contrast was clear: The Kashmere Stage Band was lively, exuberant, spontaneous and contemporary, and the also-rans were square nostalgists."
"Three decades after graduation, members reunite to honor their beloved 93-year-old bandleader, teacher and role model," writes Eric Hynes in Time Out New York. "Amid its celebrations of black power, ambitious Afros and fly female trombonists,...
"Three decades after graduation, members reunite to honor their beloved 93-year-old bandleader, teacher and role model," writes Eric Hynes in Time Out New York. "Amid its celebrations of black power, ambitious Afros and fly female trombonists,...
- 9/25/2011
- MUBI
Documentary filmmaker Billy Corben kicked off his career with 2001’s Raw Deal: A Question Of Consent, a provocative (and risible) Sundance conversation-starter that used real footage to determine the verity of a rape charge at a University Of Florida fraternity. From there, Corben firmly established himself as a chronicler—and even champion—of outlaws, from the drug smugglers of Cocaine Cowboys, Cocaine Cowboys II, and Square Grouper: The Godfathers Of Ganja to the notorious Miami Hurricanes football teams of the ’80s in the 30 For 30 doc “The U.” His latest effort, Limelight, extends some more sympathy to the ...
- 9/22/2011
- avclub.com
Florida Film Festival programming director Matthew Curtis hung out out with filmmaker Billy Corben at the Enzian Theater in Orlando last night during a screening of Corben's documentary, "Square Grouper." (Next week, Corben will premiere an even newer documentary, "Limelight," at the Tribeca Film Festival.) The two spoke affectionately of Corben's longtime history with the festival, as his first feature, "Raw Deal: A Question of Consent," played there ten years ago.
- 4/15/2011
- Indiewire
I’ve been a fan of Billy Corben, Alfred Spellman and their Miami-based production company Rakontur since the highly entertaining documentary Cocaine Cowboys premiered in 2005 at the Tribeca Film Festival. Their latest, Square Grouper: The Godfathers of Ganja recently had its world premiere at South By Southwest, and The Film Stage sat down with director Corben, producer Spellman, producer/researcher Lindsay Snell, and a member of the film’s infamous Black Tuna Gang chronicled in the film, straight out of jail – Robert Platshorn.
After a film festival and college tour, the film will be released on DVD (April 19th) and Video on Demand (April 22nd) by Magnolia Pictures. Rakontur’s next film, Limelight will follow in Cocaine Cowboy’s footsteps, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival next month.
Tfs: Thanks for sitting down with us – your stories from your first film Raw Deal: A Question of Consent to Cocaine Cowboys...
After a film festival and college tour, the film will be released on DVD (April 19th) and Video on Demand (April 22nd) by Magnolia Pictures. Rakontur’s next film, Limelight will follow in Cocaine Cowboy’s footsteps, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival next month.
Tfs: Thanks for sitting down with us – your stories from your first film Raw Deal: A Question of Consent to Cocaine Cowboys...
- 3/22/2011
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
NEW YORK -- Continuing a flurry of recent deals under its new head of acquisitions, Marie Therese Guirgis, indie banner Wellspring has acquired U.S rights to Dans ma peau (In My Skin), the first feature directed by Marina de Van. Peau, which follows a young woman's increasing fascination with her body after sustaining an injury at a party, premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain and will be released theatrically at the end of the year. De Van, who co-wrote Francois Ozon's 8 Women and Under the Sand, penned the script and stars in Peau. Laurence Farenc served as producer. The deal was brokered by Guirgis and Pierre Menahem of Paris-based sales outfit Celluloid Dreams. Also this month, Wellspring snapped up international rights to Billy Corben's controversial documentary Raw Deal as well as another documentary, Horns and Halos, by Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley (HR 3/18).
- 3/25/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Indie banner Wellspring has picked up international rights to Billy Corben's controversial documentary Raw Deal, as well as another documentary, Horns and Halos by Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley. The acquisitions are the first for Wellspring under the company's newly appointed head of acquisitions, Marie Therese Guirgis, who was upped from director of acquisitions this month (HR 3/11).
- 3/18/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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