Weather getting you down? Then why not crack open a new episode of Indie Beat?
On this installment I spoke to filmmaker Jennifer Phang, the rising talent behind the indie sci-fi hit “Advantageous.”
After a number of shorts, Phang released her first feature film “Half-Life” in 2008. It centered around siblings dealing with both the absence of their father and a global catastrophe.
Continue reading Podcast: Indie Beat Talks With ‘Advantageous’ Helmer Jennifer Phang at The Playlist.
On this installment I spoke to filmmaker Jennifer Phang, the rising talent behind the indie sci-fi hit “Advantageous.”
After a number of shorts, Phang released her first feature film “Half-Life” in 2008. It centered around siblings dealing with both the absence of their father and a global catastrophe.
Continue reading Podcast: Indie Beat Talks With ‘Advantageous’ Helmer Jennifer Phang at The Playlist.
- 7/24/2017
- by Christopher Bell
- The Playlist
Cavity Colors has gone interactive with their latest enamel pin. The worms festering in this poor zombie’s rotting eye socket can be spun with a flick of your wrist! Also in this round-up: a new TV spot for Hardcore Henry and a new trailer for Quentin Lee’s The Unbidden.
Zombie Enamel Pin: “It’S Going To Eat You!
Our first action pin! Use your finger to spin the maggots! Gross out all of your friends!
* Features Spinning Maggots inside the eye socket *
High-quality soft enamel pin with a Black Nickel Finish
Double rubber clutch on the back for secure attachment
Cavitycolors logo on the back
First pressing – Only 200 Available
Art By: Aaron Cavitycolors
Size: Approx 2 inches tall
Shipping: Currently In Production – Ships in approx. 5 – 7 days – $ 12.00.”
To learn more about the new zombie enamel pin, visit Cavity Colors’ website.
———
Hardcore Henry: “Strap in. Hardcore Henry is one of...
Zombie Enamel Pin: “It’S Going To Eat You!
Our first action pin! Use your finger to spin the maggots! Gross out all of your friends!
* Features Spinning Maggots inside the eye socket *
High-quality soft enamel pin with a Black Nickel Finish
Double rubber clutch on the back for secure attachment
Cavitycolors logo on the back
First pressing – Only 200 Available
Art By: Aaron Cavitycolors
Size: Approx 2 inches tall
Shipping: Currently In Production – Ships in approx. 5 – 7 days – $ 12.00.”
To learn more about the new zombie enamel pin, visit Cavity Colors’ website.
———
Hardcore Henry: “Strap in. Hardcore Henry is one of...
- 3/4/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
The San Francisco Film Society has announced the inaugural recipients of its Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowships, a brand new suite of services designed to support female writer/directors working on their second or third narrative feature through a combination of financial backing, innovative programs and events, mentorship services, industry connections and a growing community of fellow filmmakers. Supported by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and facilitated by Filmmaker360, the Film Society's filmmaker services department, these fellowships provide direct assistance to an under-served group of storytellers and help to build sustainable careers for women filmmakers all over the world.
Participants in the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship must be working on a second or third English-language narrative feature screenplay. They must have had a previous film premiere at a major international festival and priority is given to women working in the genres of science fiction, comedy, action, thriller and horror, which are traditionally under-represented for women filmmakers.
"We're thrilled to be kicking off this new initiative with such talented individuals, and to help bridge the support gap we have seen for many women in finding the resources they need, especially on their second or third feature film projects," said Michele Turnure-Salleo, director of Filmmaker360. "It's also very satisfying to support kick-ass women making edgy sci-fi, horror and comedies, and we hope this initiative contributes to leveling the playing field in those areas. Like our Sffs Producers Initiative, this program focuses on backing people rather than individual projects, and we are committed to helping these amazing folks realize their creative visions."
In 2013 and 2014, academic institutions such as the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California and the Center for Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State produced substantive reports on the state of women in the film industry, revealing startling statistics that point to drastic gender inequality. The latter group, for example, reports that in 2013, women accounted for just 6% of directors, 10% of writers, 15% of executive producers, 17% of editors and 3% of cinematographers. Additionally, women were found more likely to be working on romantic comedies, dramas or documentaries than the top-grossing genres of animation, sci-fi, action and horror.
"We all benefit from a more accurate and diverse portrayal of society on film," said Jennifer Rainin, CEO of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. "As more than 50% of the population, it's imperative that women have opportunities to share their stories on screen and that we see female characters valued as much as males, yet there's a lack of progress on these issues and little funding for female filmmakers working in narrative. Recognizing this gap, we've created the Women Filmmaker Fellowships as a way to build a critical mass of female filmmakers enjoying sustainable and thriving careers. I hope it inspires other film organizations and philanthropists to join us in building out this initiative, and to replicate this model."
Designed to grow organically over time to include additional programs and events, the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship is currently seeking additional funding partners. For more information, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360
2015 Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellows
Nikole Beckwith
Nikole Beckwith is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Her plays have been developed and performed with the Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, Here Arts Center, Colt Coeur, Lesser America, 3Ld and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater among others. Her newest play Untitled Matriarch Play (or Seven Sisters) was written at the National Theatre of London's Studio and premiered in rep at the Royal Court under the direction of Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone. Also a pen and ink artist, Beckwith's comics have been featured on NPR, Wnyc, the Huffington Post and the Hairpin, among others. Her first film "Stockholm, Pennsylvania" (2012 Nicholl Fellowship, 2012 Black List, 2013 Sundance Screenwriters Lab), which was adapted from her stage play of the same name, premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the Us Dramatic Competition. She lives in Brooklyn.
Jennifer Phang
Jennifer Phang's sophomore feature "Advantageous" won the Us Dramatic Competition Special Jury Prize in Collaborative Vision at Sundance 2015. The film will play at the San Francisco International Film Festival and Bam Cinemafest, and is expected to see a release in June. Her award-winning debut feature "Half-Life" premiered in 2008 at the Tokyo International and Sundance film festivals. It screened at SXSW and was distributed by Sundance Channel. She was invited to Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab and was awarded a Sffs FilmHouse Residency and Sundance Institute Feature Film Grants in support of "Advantageous." Phang was originally commissioned to create "Advantageous" as a short film for the Itvs Futurestates Program. A Berkeley-born daughter of a Chinese-Malaysian father and Vietnamese mother, Phang graduated from the Mfa directing program at the American Film Institute.
Stewart Thorndike
Stewart Thorndike is a writer/director from Tacoma, Washington. She makes female-driven genre films and her first film, "Lyle," was hailed as a "lesbian Rosemary's Baby " after its premiere at Outfest, where star Gaby Hoffmann won the Grand Jury Award for Best Actress. Thorndike attended Nyu's graduate film program and her thesis short film, "Tess and Nana," premiered at SXSW. Stewart's next film, "The Stay," is about a group of women at a hotel who are told to do bad things by a haunted Ted Talk, with Chloe Sevigny attached to star in the 2015 production. She is currently developing her second horror feature, "Daughter," about a love triangle between a single mother, her troubled teenage daughter and the witch who moves in next door. Thorndike plans to shoot "Daughter" in 2016.
Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowships will take place from April to October each year, overlapping with the Film Society's previously announced Producers Fellowship programs and the San Francisco International Film Festival (April 23 - May 7). Program support includes:
* A $25,000 - $40,000 cash grant, which must be used for living expenses. Individual amounts depend on place of residence and estimated travel costs to participate in Bay Area fellowship components.
* Placement in FilmHouse Residency program and access to all FilmHouse programs and activities.
* One-on-one consultation with film industry experts from the Bay Area and beyond regarding casting, financing, budgeting, legal issues, distribution and other relevant topics.
* Weekly one-on-one consultation services provided by Filmmaker360 staff, with feedback on screenplays, verbal pitch strategies and written materials such as synopsis and treatment.
* Presentations and networking opportunities with Bay Area narrative filmmakers.
* Expenses covered for one 3-day networking trip with a Filmmaker360 staff member from San Francisco to Los Angeles, for meetings with established industry professionals.
Filmmaker360 has a strong track record for supporting innovative work by female writer/directors. Four out of six of the projects that received funding in the most recent round of Sffs / Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grants-the Film Society's flagship grant program which has disbursed more than $2.8 million since its inception-were written and directed by women. Additionally, four films supported by Sffs grants, residencies and fiscal sponsorship had their world premieres at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival:
-Jennifer Phang's "Advantageous"
-Jenni Olson's "The Royal Road"
-Chloé Zhao's "Songs My Brothers Taught Me"
-Kris Swanberg's "Unexpected."
For information about all Filmmaker360 support services, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360 .
Participants in the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship must be working on a second or third English-language narrative feature screenplay. They must have had a previous film premiere at a major international festival and priority is given to women working in the genres of science fiction, comedy, action, thriller and horror, which are traditionally under-represented for women filmmakers.
"We're thrilled to be kicking off this new initiative with such talented individuals, and to help bridge the support gap we have seen for many women in finding the resources they need, especially on their second or third feature film projects," said Michele Turnure-Salleo, director of Filmmaker360. "It's also very satisfying to support kick-ass women making edgy sci-fi, horror and comedies, and we hope this initiative contributes to leveling the playing field in those areas. Like our Sffs Producers Initiative, this program focuses on backing people rather than individual projects, and we are committed to helping these amazing folks realize their creative visions."
In 2013 and 2014, academic institutions such as the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California and the Center for Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State produced substantive reports on the state of women in the film industry, revealing startling statistics that point to drastic gender inequality. The latter group, for example, reports that in 2013, women accounted for just 6% of directors, 10% of writers, 15% of executive producers, 17% of editors and 3% of cinematographers. Additionally, women were found more likely to be working on romantic comedies, dramas or documentaries than the top-grossing genres of animation, sci-fi, action and horror.
"We all benefit from a more accurate and diverse portrayal of society on film," said Jennifer Rainin, CEO of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. "As more than 50% of the population, it's imperative that women have opportunities to share their stories on screen and that we see female characters valued as much as males, yet there's a lack of progress on these issues and little funding for female filmmakers working in narrative. Recognizing this gap, we've created the Women Filmmaker Fellowships as a way to build a critical mass of female filmmakers enjoying sustainable and thriving careers. I hope it inspires other film organizations and philanthropists to join us in building out this initiative, and to replicate this model."
Designed to grow organically over time to include additional programs and events, the Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowship is currently seeking additional funding partners. For more information, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360
2015 Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellows
Nikole Beckwith
Nikole Beckwith is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Her plays have been developed and performed with the Public Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Clubbed Thumb, Here Arts Center, Colt Coeur, Lesser America, 3Ld and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater among others. Her newest play Untitled Matriarch Play (or Seven Sisters) was written at the National Theatre of London's Studio and premiered in rep at the Royal Court under the direction of Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone. Also a pen and ink artist, Beckwith's comics have been featured on NPR, Wnyc, the Huffington Post and the Hairpin, among others. Her first film "Stockholm, Pennsylvania" (2012 Nicholl Fellowship, 2012 Black List, 2013 Sundance Screenwriters Lab), which was adapted from her stage play of the same name, premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the Us Dramatic Competition. She lives in Brooklyn.
Jennifer Phang
Jennifer Phang's sophomore feature "Advantageous" won the Us Dramatic Competition Special Jury Prize in Collaborative Vision at Sundance 2015. The film will play at the San Francisco International Film Festival and Bam Cinemafest, and is expected to see a release in June. Her award-winning debut feature "Half-Life" premiered in 2008 at the Tokyo International and Sundance film festivals. It screened at SXSW and was distributed by Sundance Channel. She was invited to Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab and was awarded a Sffs FilmHouse Residency and Sundance Institute Feature Film Grants in support of "Advantageous." Phang was originally commissioned to create "Advantageous" as a short film for the Itvs Futurestates Program. A Berkeley-born daughter of a Chinese-Malaysian father and Vietnamese mother, Phang graduated from the Mfa directing program at the American Film Institute.
Stewart Thorndike
Stewart Thorndike is a writer/director from Tacoma, Washington. She makes female-driven genre films and her first film, "Lyle," was hailed as a "lesbian Rosemary's Baby " after its premiere at Outfest, where star Gaby Hoffmann won the Grand Jury Award for Best Actress. Thorndike attended Nyu's graduate film program and her thesis short film, "Tess and Nana," premiered at SXSW. Stewart's next film, "The Stay," is about a group of women at a hotel who are told to do bad things by a haunted Ted Talk, with Chloe Sevigny attached to star in the 2015 production. She is currently developing her second horror feature, "Daughter," about a love triangle between a single mother, her troubled teenage daughter and the witch who moves in next door. Thorndike plans to shoot "Daughter" in 2016.
Sffs Women Filmmaker Fellowships will take place from April to October each year, overlapping with the Film Society's previously announced Producers Fellowship programs and the San Francisco International Film Festival (April 23 - May 7). Program support includes:
* A $25,000 - $40,000 cash grant, which must be used for living expenses. Individual amounts depend on place of residence and estimated travel costs to participate in Bay Area fellowship components.
* Placement in FilmHouse Residency program and access to all FilmHouse programs and activities.
* One-on-one consultation with film industry experts from the Bay Area and beyond regarding casting, financing, budgeting, legal issues, distribution and other relevant topics.
* Weekly one-on-one consultation services provided by Filmmaker360 staff, with feedback on screenplays, verbal pitch strategies and written materials such as synopsis and treatment.
* Presentations and networking opportunities with Bay Area narrative filmmakers.
* Expenses covered for one 3-day networking trip with a Filmmaker360 staff member from San Francisco to Los Angeles, for meetings with established industry professionals.
Filmmaker360 has a strong track record for supporting innovative work by female writer/directors. Four out of six of the projects that received funding in the most recent round of Sffs / Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grants-the Film Society's flagship grant program which has disbursed more than $2.8 million since its inception-were written and directed by women. Additionally, four films supported by Sffs grants, residencies and fiscal sponsorship had their world premieres at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival:
-Jennifer Phang's "Advantageous"
-Jenni Olson's "The Royal Road"
-Chloé Zhao's "Songs My Brothers Taught Me"
-Kris Swanberg's "Unexpected."
For information about all Filmmaker360 support services, visit sffs.org/filmmaker360 .
- 4/23/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Jennifer Phang hails from the San Fransisco Bay area but has lived in Malaysia. In her own words, she tends to obsess over great film and television, likes the ocean a lot and draws aesthetic inspiration from it. She studied Media at Pomona College and then studied in the Mfa Directing program at the American Film Institute, focusing on directing. Her first feature "Half-Life" premiered in 2008 at Sundance and Tokyo. Recently, she participated recently in the Sundance Screenwriters Feature Film Labs and the San Francisco Film Society FilmHouse Residency to make the feature "Advantageous." What it's about: In the near-future where soaring opulence overshadows hardship, Gwen and her daughter Jules do all they can to hold on to their joy together. What it's really about: It takes place in the future, it's science fiction. It envisions what a parent would do to protect their children's future. We look at the struggles we all face today,...
- 1/13/2015
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
The Sundance Film Institute announced the U.S. dramatic, world dramatic, U.S. documentary, world documentary and Next selections for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival today. The premier film festival in the United States, Sundance is coming off a banner 2014 edition that brought films earning year-end kudos such as "Whiplash," "Boyhood," "Dear White People," "Obvious Child" and "The Skeleton Twins" into the world. The 2015 slate just looks just as intriguing and, according to the festival, perhaps more emotional and challenging. In a statement from the Institute, the festival's director, John Cooper, remarked, "The selections for our 2015 Festival will take audiences on a wild ride of emotional extremes. With approaches ranging from comedic to dramatic, genre to documentary, experimental to short, independent filmmakers are bravely illuminating new opportunities for understanding and empathy.” Festival founder and cinema icon Robert Redford added, "The work of independent artists inevitably reflects the state of our culture...
- 12/3/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
Here's your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. "A Picture of You" Tweetable Logline: A serious movie about life that collides head-on into a funny movie about death. Elevator Pitch: Kyle and Jen, estranged siblings, travel from New York City to rural Pennsylvania to pack up the home of their recently deceased mother. While there, they inadvertently make a shocking discovery that turns their world upside-down. Production Team: Writer/director: J.P. Chan Story by: J.P. Chan and Jo Mei Producers: Yasmine Gomez, Robert M. Chang ("Half-Life"), J.P. Chan Executive Producer: Duane Andersen ("Surrogate Valentine") Director of Photography: Andrew Reed ("Cold Weather") ...
- 10/23/2012
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
Here's your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. "A Picture of You" Tweetable Logline: A serious movie about life that collides head-on into a funny movie about death. Elevator Pitch: Kyle and Jen, estranged siblings, travel from New York City to rural Pennsylvania to pack up the home of their recently deceased mother. While there, they inadvertently make a shocking discovery that turns their world upside-down. Production Team: Writer/director: J.P. Chan Story by: J.P. Chan and Jo Mei Producers: Yasmine Gomez, Robert M. Chang ("Half-Life"), J.P. Chan Executive Producer: Duane Andersen ("Surrogate Valentine") Director of Photography: Andrew Reed ("Cold Weather") ...
- 10/23/2012
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
Hi. Jennifer Phang here, back again to report on the Ifp No Borders Co-Production Market 2009. Quick notes: I'm twitterable at HalfLifeJen, here's our Half-Life website, and Half-Life facebook page. Friends, fans, indie/arthouse sympathizers, and all generally good-hearted people, please join up and help us spread the news of our approaching December release. Pictured on the right: filmmaker Tze Chun and I in silent agreement that blue/blue-gray with a black lanyard accent was the power ensemble of the day. No, we are not related. I have to get some sleep for Day 3, so I'll keep it to the important info and save the full gushing and wit for my third post next week. No Borders Day One saw our team (writer Dominic Mah, producer...
- 9/22/2009
- by Jennifer Phang
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
I'm Jennifer Phang, a writer-director currently blogging out of New York, about one day before No Borders. For twitter-lovers, I am now twitterable as HalfLifeJen. Our No Borders project is called Look For Water, a screenplay based on Dominic Mah's stageplay. It's a unique story, part romantic comedy, part paranormal thriller. Included here on the right is a pre-vis (pre-visualization) image from our look book. Dominic and I are long-time collaborators and are adapting the script together. I am directing, and we now have on board two producers I have worked with before: Producer Reuben Lim and co-executive producer Robert Chang (two of our big movers and shakers from our first feature together, Half-Life). Reuben is our primary...
- 9/18/2009
- by Jennifer Phang
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The rebirth of the gay rights movement and the battle over legalizing same-sex marriage will be the focus of the new indie documentary "A Non-Issue?"
The doc will follow Dr. John Corvino, a philosopher, lecturer and author of "The Gay Moralist," as he crisscrosses the nation engaging and debating those most against gay marriage. Personal stories will be showcased.
Robert Zimmer Jr. ("Half-Life"), Matthew Mishory ("Fellowship of the Dice") and Michael Einheuser ("InZer0") are producing. Mishory is directing as well.
"Existing illusions that 2008 America is a 'post-gay' society, that sexual orientation is a 'non-issue,' that the culture war is over -- were immediately vanquished," the producers said of the recent passage of Proposition 8 in California, which bans same-sex marriage. "The filmmakers believe the time to speak is now."
Production is set to start next year, with high-definition lensing from cinematographer Rachel Morrison.
The doc will follow Dr. John Corvino, a philosopher, lecturer and author of "The Gay Moralist," as he crisscrosses the nation engaging and debating those most against gay marriage. Personal stories will be showcased.
Robert Zimmer Jr. ("Half-Life"), Matthew Mishory ("Fellowship of the Dice") and Michael Einheuser ("InZer0") are producing. Mishory is directing as well.
"Existing illusions that 2008 America is a 'post-gay' society, that sexual orientation is a 'non-issue,' that the culture war is over -- were immediately vanquished," the producers said of the recent passage of Proposition 8 in California, which bans same-sex marriage. "The filmmakers believe the time to speak is now."
Production is set to start next year, with high-definition lensing from cinematographer Rachel Morrison.
- 11/24/2008
- by By Leslie Simmons
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tokyo -- The Tokyo International Film Festival will begin Saturday with Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung Chiu Wai, the stars of John Woo's historical epic "Red Cliff," walking a "green" carpet of recycled plastic in support of the environmental theme of the event's 21st edition.
Considering the current global economic crisis, the screening of "Red Cliff" -- the most expensive Asian movie ever made -- might seem counter to the intended tone of the nine-day festival.
But organizers hope Tiff's timely Earth-friendly focus, increased registration and splashy opening screening will help the event make its mark, sandwiched as it is between such major international film events as Pusan and Afm -- and overlapping with the Rome International Film Festival.
Following criticism that it was merely playing the green card with its eco theme, organizers said Wednesday that the festival will offset 23 tons of carbon dioxide emissions with the purchase...
Considering the current global economic crisis, the screening of "Red Cliff" -- the most expensive Asian movie ever made -- might seem counter to the intended tone of the nine-day festival.
But organizers hope Tiff's timely Earth-friendly focus, increased registration and splashy opening screening will help the event make its mark, sandwiched as it is between such major international film events as Pusan and Afm -- and overlapping with the Rome International Film Festival.
Following criticism that it was merely playing the green card with its eco theme, organizers said Wednesday that the festival will offset 23 tons of carbon dioxide emissions with the purchase...
- 10/16/2008
- by By Gavin J. Blair
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fifteen films will compete for the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prize at the 21st Tokyo International Film Festival, which announced its 2008 lineup on Thursday.
The festival kicks off Oct. 10 and features several world and international premieres. Among the competing films are Ivy Ho's "Claustrophobia," Jennifer Phang's "Half-Life," Johan Kramer's "Sing for Darfur" and Tetsu Maeda's "School Days with a Pig."
The Special Screenings section of the festival features several American films, including Justin Chadwick's "The Other Boleyn Girl," Eric Brevig's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and Andrew Stanton's "WALL-E."
John Woo's "Red Cliff" is scheduled to open the festival, which runs through Oct. 26.
Click here to see all the films competing for the Sakura.
Click here for more information about TIFF 2008.
The festival kicks off Oct. 10 and features several world and international premieres. Among the competing films are Ivy Ho's "Claustrophobia," Jennifer Phang's "Half-Life," Johan Kramer's "Sing for Darfur" and Tetsu Maeda's "School Days with a Pig."
The Special Screenings section of the festival features several American films, including Justin Chadwick's "The Other Boleyn Girl," Eric Brevig's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and Andrew Stanton's "WALL-E."
John Woo's "Red Cliff" is scheduled to open the festival, which runs through Oct. 26.
Click here to see all the films competing for the Sakura.
Click here for more information about TIFF 2008.
- 9/21/2008
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
- Submit a short film at Sundance. Get accepted. The relationship begins. A little more than 13 directors/screenwriters will be getting a helping hand via the likes of Robert Elswit, Stephen Gaghan, Atom Egoyan and Joan Tewkesbury this summer for the Sundance Institute's annual summer labs. Here are the following projects that will sweat it out in Utah this summer. The projects and participants selected for the June Directors Lab from May 26-June 21 are: Blood Abundance, Or The Half-life Of Antoinette/John Magary (writer/director), U.S.A.
Casa Grande/Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa (co-writer/director) & Karen Sztajnberg (co-writer), U.S.A./Brazil
MEADOWLANDZ/Moon Molson (writer/director), U.S.A.
Pariah/Dee Rees (writer/director), U.S.A.
Poletown/Daniel Casey (writer/director), U.S.A.
Return/Liza Johnson (writer/director), U.S.A.
Shockheaded Peter/Frank Budgen (writer/director), United Kingdom
TSHEPANG/Lara Foot Newton & Gerhard Marx (co-writers/co-directors), South Africa...
- 5/1/2008
- IONCINEMA.com
Sundance Film Festival
PARK CITY -- Sundance has been criticized in recent years for surrendering to Hollywood. Indeed, many of the movies in this year's dramatic competition have well-known actors in the cast, which is probably how they got made. But the festival still offers a showcase to truly independent filmmakers and highlights daring work that would otherwise never get any notice at all.
Half-Life, showing in the New Frontiers section, reminds us why Sundance was launched and why it continues to have value, despite all the swag and corporate sponsors. First-time writer-director Jennifer Phang demonstrates an original talent, and though the film has imperfections and sometimes shows the strains of its low budget, it is an imaginative and deeply affecting effort. Its boxoffice prospects are limited, but it will find appreciative audiences over time.
The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when TV newscasts inform us that global warming has begun to have drastic effects all over the world. But in a suburban neighborhood of northern California, an Asian-American family is undergoing a lot of the same stresses that have always plagued families. Saura (Julia Nickson) is a single mother raising daughter Pam (Sanoe Lake) and younger son Timothy (Alexander Agate). Her new live-in lover, the much younger Wendell (Ben Redgrave), is taking a distinctly unfatherly interest in Pam. For her part, Pam is fixated on a neighbor, Scott (Leonardo Nam), the adopted son of a fundamentalist couple. Scott, however, has recently discovered his homosexuality and is having an affair with a black teacher (Lee Marks).
All of the turmoil in these two households is piercingly caught by Phang. There are plenty of moments of dark humor in the interactions of the characters, but there is also real pain and anguish. Performances vary in quality. Nickson and Lake contribute astute portrayals, but some of the supporting actors are less effective. Redgrave is too callow to capture Wendell's tortured personality, and his psychotic behavior in the final reel is not fully convincing.
But the film rests on the performance of young Agate, and here Phang has scored a triumph. Much of the film is seen through his eyes, and he conveys a wisdom well beyond his years, along with the wounds of a sensitive boy ignored or abused by the people who should be looking after him. Although the film has harsh comments to make about America's contributions to an environmental crisis, its most passionate concern is with this young boy. If we can't pay attention to our children, Phang seems to say, the earth is hardly worth saving.
Despite all that he suffers, Timothy has the resilience of many withdrawn children. He even begins to develop some supernatural powers. Phang and her expert crew execute some wonderful special effects to convey Timothy's paranormal vision. There are even a few brilliant animated sequences to suggest the boy's fears and imaginative powers. The picture is exceptionally well photographed by Aasulv Wolf Austad, and the music by Michael S. Patterson is haunting. Half-Life marks the debut of a promising, truly independent film artist.
HALF-LIFE
Fade to Blue Prods. in association with Mark E. Lee Prods. and Lane Street Pictures
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Jennifer Phang
Producers: Reuben Lim, Alan T. Chan, Robert Zimmer Jr.
Executive producers: Dylan Shields, Mark E. Lee
Director of photography: Aasulv Wolf Austad
Production designer: Aiyana Trotter
Music: Michael S. Patterson
Co-producers: Ben Berkowitz, Anthony Begonia, Robert M. Chang, Kristian Hansen
Co-executive producers: Wendy Jean Bennett, Richard Hall
Editor: Harry Yoon
Supervising editor: Gloria Vela
Cast:
Pam Wu: Sanoe Lake
Timothy Wu: Alexander Agate
Saura Wu: Julia Nickson
Wendell Olson: Ben Redgrave
Scott Parker: Leonardo Nam
Jonah Robertson: Lee Marks
Richard Parker: James Eckhouse
Lorraine Parker: Susan Ruttan
Running time -- 107 minutes
No MPAA rating...
PARK CITY -- Sundance has been criticized in recent years for surrendering to Hollywood. Indeed, many of the movies in this year's dramatic competition have well-known actors in the cast, which is probably how they got made. But the festival still offers a showcase to truly independent filmmakers and highlights daring work that would otherwise never get any notice at all.
Half-Life, showing in the New Frontiers section, reminds us why Sundance was launched and why it continues to have value, despite all the swag and corporate sponsors. First-time writer-director Jennifer Phang demonstrates an original talent, and though the film has imperfections and sometimes shows the strains of its low budget, it is an imaginative and deeply affecting effort. Its boxoffice prospects are limited, but it will find appreciative audiences over time.
The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when TV newscasts inform us that global warming has begun to have drastic effects all over the world. But in a suburban neighborhood of northern California, an Asian-American family is undergoing a lot of the same stresses that have always plagued families. Saura (Julia Nickson) is a single mother raising daughter Pam (Sanoe Lake) and younger son Timothy (Alexander Agate). Her new live-in lover, the much younger Wendell (Ben Redgrave), is taking a distinctly unfatherly interest in Pam. For her part, Pam is fixated on a neighbor, Scott (Leonardo Nam), the adopted son of a fundamentalist couple. Scott, however, has recently discovered his homosexuality and is having an affair with a black teacher (Lee Marks).
All of the turmoil in these two households is piercingly caught by Phang. There are plenty of moments of dark humor in the interactions of the characters, but there is also real pain and anguish. Performances vary in quality. Nickson and Lake contribute astute portrayals, but some of the supporting actors are less effective. Redgrave is too callow to capture Wendell's tortured personality, and his psychotic behavior in the final reel is not fully convincing.
But the film rests on the performance of young Agate, and here Phang has scored a triumph. Much of the film is seen through his eyes, and he conveys a wisdom well beyond his years, along with the wounds of a sensitive boy ignored or abused by the people who should be looking after him. Although the film has harsh comments to make about America's contributions to an environmental crisis, its most passionate concern is with this young boy. If we can't pay attention to our children, Phang seems to say, the earth is hardly worth saving.
Despite all that he suffers, Timothy has the resilience of many withdrawn children. He even begins to develop some supernatural powers. Phang and her expert crew execute some wonderful special effects to convey Timothy's paranormal vision. There are even a few brilliant animated sequences to suggest the boy's fears and imaginative powers. The picture is exceptionally well photographed by Aasulv Wolf Austad, and the music by Michael S. Patterson is haunting. Half-Life marks the debut of a promising, truly independent film artist.
HALF-LIFE
Fade to Blue Prods. in association with Mark E. Lee Prods. and Lane Street Pictures
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Jennifer Phang
Producers: Reuben Lim, Alan T. Chan, Robert Zimmer Jr.
Executive producers: Dylan Shields, Mark E. Lee
Director of photography: Aasulv Wolf Austad
Production designer: Aiyana Trotter
Music: Michael S. Patterson
Co-producers: Ben Berkowitz, Anthony Begonia, Robert M. Chang, Kristian Hansen
Co-executive producers: Wendy Jean Bennett, Richard Hall
Editor: Harry Yoon
Supervising editor: Gloria Vela
Cast:
Pam Wu: Sanoe Lake
Timothy Wu: Alexander Agate
Saura Wu: Julia Nickson
Wendell Olson: Ben Redgrave
Scott Parker: Leonardo Nam
Jonah Robertson: Lee Marks
Richard Parker: James Eckhouse
Lorraine Parker: Susan Ruttan
Running time -- 107 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 1/24/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- The Sundance Film Festival announced its New Frontier multimedia, live performance and panel discussion lineup and an added world premiere for the main fest: Andrew Fleming's comedy Hamlet 2.
Hamlet 2, starring Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler and David Arquette and which has no domestic distributor, premieres Jan. 21 out of competition in the Premieres slate. It stars Coogan as a high school drama teacher who creates a musical sequel to Hamlet based on the premise that no one died in the original play. Elisabeth Shue and Melonie Diaz round out the ensemble cast.
This year's seven New Frontier features are art-inspired films that use new narrative structures. Screenings include James Benning's art sculpture study "casting a glance," Michelange Quay's look at Hatian politics Eat, For This is My Body, Jennifer Phang's family drama Half-Life and Mia Trachinger's genetic mutation love story Reversion.
Yang Fudong's historical biographies "Seven Intellectuals in Bamboo Forest, Parts 4 and 5" and the multi-director French animated omnibus "Fear(s) of the Dark" round out the features slate.
Hamlet 2, starring Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Amy Poehler and David Arquette and which has no domestic distributor, premieres Jan. 21 out of competition in the Premieres slate. It stars Coogan as a high school drama teacher who creates a musical sequel to Hamlet based on the premise that no one died in the original play. Elisabeth Shue and Melonie Diaz round out the ensemble cast.
This year's seven New Frontier features are art-inspired films that use new narrative structures. Screenings include James Benning's art sculpture study "casting a glance," Michelange Quay's look at Hatian politics Eat, For This is My Body, Jennifer Phang's family drama Half-Life and Mia Trachinger's genetic mutation love story Reversion.
Yang Fudong's historical biographies "Seven Intellectuals in Bamboo Forest, Parts 4 and 5" and the multi-director French animated omnibus "Fear(s) of the Dark" round out the features slate.
- 12/20/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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