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THE
NINES
This first feature film by ambitious screenwriter John August
(Go, Big Fish, Corpse Bride) proves a rare experience. The
story is broken into three parts with Ryan Reynolds (Smokin’
Aces) playing different versions of the same character. In
the first part, Reynolds plays a crack-addicted TV star who
is forced to live under house-arrest with his publicist (Melissa
McCarthy) after he burns his own house down. In the second,
he is a TV star on the verge of super-stardom who begins to
distort reality. In the third, Reynolds’ car breaks
down and he is met by a beguiling woman (of course, Hope Davis).
When the film showed at Sundance, critics raved over Ryan
Reynolds break-through performance and heralded the challenging
premise which echoes the work of Michel Gondry and Charlie
Kaufman. For a film with such highly metaphysical themes,
it will be interesting to see what August takes on next.
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DEEP
WATER
In 1968, nine men competed in a race to be the first person
to sail around the world. Not all of them made it alive. Deep
Water, directed by Louise Osmond and Jerry Rothwell, follows
their struggle as they struggled against nature, the inevitability
of time and the psychological pressure of crossing vast oceans
all alone. This in an age well before technological comforts
like cell phones and satellite positioning. Actress Tilda
Swinton does a compelling job narrating, providing insight
into what these men did what they did and the motivating factors
that kept them going. After experiencing their arduous adventure,
you may never look at sailing the same way again.
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EIFF:
FADE OUT
Things are coming to a close here at the Edinburgh International
Film Festival: the press screenings have ended, the festival
videotheque is increasingly empty, and thoughts are turning
to everyone's journey home. There is a less frantic schedule
in these latter stages, so yesterday I was able to accept
an invitation from the EIFF's new artistic director, Hannah
McGill to participate in Make Sure They're Dead, a panel discussion
about film biography. (I was asked because I am currently
finishing a biography of Hal Ashby.) Alongside me on the panel
were the esteemed chronicler of classic Hollywood, Cari Beauchamp,
Diana Dors' biographer, Damon Wise, and moderator Andy Dougan,
himself an active film biographer. Though the event took place
at noon on a Friday, there was a surprisingly good turn-out
and a lot of audience participation in our lively discussion. |
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FIRST
WINNER OF SHORTNONSTOP
Here's a cool idea, a film festival that never ends. The shortnonstop
festival is gearing up to be something pretty interesting
and I would encourage any one with a good short to think about
submitting. The first film to win the grand prize of $1000
is the 3D animated THE RED KITE. (check this out it's good)
Six times a year ten finalists will be selected for the grand
prize, so shoot lots becasue the next deadline is October
5th. No specifics on what type of film you have to shoot,
it can be a doc, sci-fi, reality-based...anything.
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FESTIVAL STRATEGY
As Filmmaker correspondent Nick Dawson braves the harsh Scottish
terrain to bring us up-to-date coverage of the Edinburgh film
festival one considers with so many festivals to choose from,
how should a novice develop a cogent strategy for the festival
circuit? Last night I was able to attend a festival strategy
conference in New York produced by the IFP as part of its
"Industry Connect" series and sponsored by Warner
Independent. Mary Jane Skalski (producer, The Station Agent,
Mysterious Skin), Steven Rapheal (sales agent, Pan's Labyrinth,
La Vie en Rose), Kerry Weldon (executive director, New Fest)
and moderated by David Nugent (festival programmer, Newport,
Hamptons) sat down at the SoHo house for a sobering panel
on navigating the festival shark pit...
Read
the complete stories at Filmmakermagazine's Blog... |
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3RD ANNUAL
FILMMAKER CONFERENCE
Produced by IFP, the Conference will take place in NYC September
16 - 21.
This long-running national program connecting independent
projects with financiers, producers, broadcasters, distributors,
and programmers before they’re completed also serves
as the unofficial start of the Fall festival /market/networking
circuit in the US. Following on the heels of the Toronto International
Film Festival, buyers will converge in NYC three weeks from
now to screen and discuss potential involvement with the creative
teams of new narrative and documentary projects. The industry
is still registering, but filmmakers have known since mid-July
of their selection and are planning their game plans. Although
navigating the IFP Market has specific demands, how filmmakers
promote and talk about their projects and “work”
the event utilizes skills that can be deployed by any filmmaker
entering the “circuit.” This week Agnes Varnum
from IndieWIRE talked to a number of documentary filmmakers
who have made this journey. Click
Here for More Information
Link
to article on IndieWIRE
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THE
DIRECTOR INTERVIEWS - JOE SWANBERG, HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS
Whatever the merits or otherwise of the "mumblecore"
tag, one positive thing it has certainly done is help bring
deserved attention to filmmakers like Joe Swanberg. The precocious
25-year-old was born in Detroit, but moved around as a kid
before attending Southern Illinois University Carbondale,
where he studied film. After graduation, he used money he
had made from web design work to fund his first feature, Kissing
on the Mouth (2005), which played at the SXSW Film Festival
at the time the concept of "mumblecore" was born.
His sophomore effort, LOL — which features "noisehead"
contributions from many fellow mumblecorers — followed
the year after, and premieres on DVD August 28 through Benten
Films...
Click
here for the rest of the article
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