AFI DOCS Programming Moves to the Fall as Pandemic Endures
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, February 2, 2022 – AFI FEST 2022 has officially announced its dates and call for entries. The 36th edition of AFI FEST will take place in Los Angeles, CA, on November 2-6, 2022. Entries open today and filmmakers are invited to submit fiction, documentary, experimental, and animated short films.
AFI also announced that because of the ongoing uncertainty due to the pandemic, AFI FEST will expand its programming with nonfiction films traditionally presented at AFI DOCS in Washington, DC.
Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO
“AFI’s goal is to provide a safe environment for artists and audiences alike,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “Uniting our events this year to be held in the fall will allow us to achieve this at a standard worthy of AFI and the storytellers who devote their lives to inspire and educate.”
AFI FEST will have submission deadlines — early, official and final — for fiction shorts (under 40 minutes) and nonfiction shorts (under 40 minutes). The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for the Live-Action and Animated Short Film categories for the annual Academy Awards®.
SHORT FILM SUBMISSION DATES
Early Deadline – Wednesday, March 2
Official Deadline – Wednesday, April 20
Final Deadline – Wednesday, June 15
Filmmakers can email Programming@AFI.com for more information about the submissions process.
For sponsorship opportunities at AFI FEST 2022, contact JL Hernandez at JHernandez@AFI.com.
Program highlights from AFI FEST 2021 include the Opening Night World Premiere of tick, tick…BOOM!; World Premieres of Halle Berry’s directorial debut BRUISED, SING 2 and SWAN SONG starring Mahershala Ali; Red Carpet Premieres of KING RICHARD directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Will Smith, Pedro Almodóvar’s PARALLEL MOTHERS and THE POWER OF THE DOG directed by Jane Campion and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee; and the Indie Contenders roundtable featuring Caitriona Balfe (BELFAST), Nicolas Cage (PIG), Colman Domingo (ZOLA), Ann Dowd (MASS), Dakota Johnson (THE LOST DAUGHTER) and Simon Rex (RED ROCKET).
The American Film Institute (AFI) is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers. AFI’s enduring traditions include the AFI Life Achievement Award, which honors the masters for work that has stood the test of time; AFI AWARDS, which celebrates the creative ensembles of the most outstanding screen stories of the year; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and the AFI Archive that preserve film history for future generations. AFI exhibition programs include AFI FEST, AFI DOCS, and a year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including the AFI Directing Workshop forWomen and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women. AFI’s newest program is AFI Movie Club, a daily global engagement for those who love the movies. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AFI FEST
Now in its 36th year, AFI FEST is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival historically presents screenings, panels, and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. This year’s edition takes place November 2-6, 2022. The festival includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films’ cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts presented in established AFI FEST sections. Additional information about AFI FEST is available at FEST.AFI.com. Connect with AFI FEST at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, Twitter.com/AFIFEST, Instagram/AmericanFilmInstitute and YouTube.com/AFI.
HollywoodGlee celebrating the start of the 2019 AFI FEST presented by Audi. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson)
(Press release provided by American Film Institute: Shari Mesulam)
Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall To Attend Opening Night
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will kick off the 13th annual TCM Classic Film Festival on Thursday, April 21stwith a 40th-anniversary screening of the beloved family sci-fi film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, with Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg in attendance along with Academy Award®-nominated producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. The 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival, held in the heart of Hollywood April 21st-24th, will center around the theme “All Together Now: Back to the Big Screen.”
TCM Host, Ben Mankiewicz, at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival Press Conference (Photo by Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
“I was 15 years old when E.T. came out and what was true then remains so today; the film continues to speak to both children and adults. And it’s fair to say that this is the most influential family film since The Wizard of Oz,” said Ben Mankiewicz, TCM primetime anchor and official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. “When Steven Spielberg started work on E.T., he didn’t imagine he was making a movie with mass appeal. We don’t get to say this often, but boy was Spielberg wrong.”
Pola Changnon
“E.T. is the perfect example of a modern classic movie that combines both innovative direction and heartfelt performances,” said, Pola Changnon, general manager of TCM. “This film is beloved by millions around the world and we’re honored to have it open our festival.”
At the center of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is Elliott, is a young boy who befriends an extra-terrestrial who is accidentally left behind on Earth. As Elliott attempts to help his new friend contact his home planet, so that he might be rescued, they must elude scientists and government agents determined to apprehend the alien for their own purposes…which results in an adventure greater than any of them could have imagined. Premiering on June 11, 1982, the film was a box office hit that became the highest-grossing film at the time, beating out Star Wars. The beloved masterpiece was directed by Spielberg and produced by Kennedy and Marshall.
TCM has previously announced iconic actress and comedian Lily Tomlin will be honored with a hand and footprint ceremony in the courtyard of the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatre Imax® in Hollywood. In addition, the third Robert Osborne Award, recognizing an individual who has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic film alive for future generations, will be presented to one of the world’s most respected film critics and historians, Leonard Maltin.
About E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Journey back to the magic and adventure of “one of the great American films” (Leonard Maltin) with E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, the beloved masterpiece from Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg. Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, and Robert MacNaughton star in the unforgettable story of a lost alien and the 10-year-old boy who helps him find his way home. Digitally remastered for optimal picture and sound, this astounding story is sure to thrill viewers of all ages again with its timeless message of trust, courage, and the overwhelming power of friendship.
About the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival
Movie lovers from around the globe will descend upon Hollywood for the 13th edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival. The 2022 festival is set to take place from Thursday, April 21 – to Sunday, April 24, 2022. Over four packed days and nights, attendees will be treated to an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions, special events, and more.
TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz will serve as the official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. The festival’s official hotel and central gathering point will be The HollywoodRoosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will also offer special rates for festival attendees. Screenings and events during the festival will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the HollywoodLegion Theater at Post 43, as well as other Hollywood venues.
Larry Gleeson poses in front of TCM Past exhibit at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, Calif. (Photo courtesy of HollywoodGlee)
Berlinale Talents: Let’s Get to Work – Public Talks with Adam Stockhausen, Ari Wegner, Zazie Beetz, Isabelle Huppert, Jutta Allmendinger, and Many More!
BerlinaleTalents opens its doors for the 20th time to celebrate filmmakers and explore new avenues of creativity with the always-welcome involvement of the cinema-loving public. This anniversary year appropriately sees familiar faces appear throughout the broader festival program: no less than 109 alumni have returned either as directors, actors, producers, or in other labors of cinema, and enhance 65 of the films present at the Berlinale with their talent. Take the example of Carla Simón, the director ofAlcarràs, who partook in Berlinale Talents in 2018 and has collaborated now with fellow alumnae, cinematographer Daniela Cajías (BT 2018), editor Ana Paff (BT 2018), and producer María Zamora (BT 2006) for her film in Competition.
Berlinale Talents encourages the exchange between these generations collectively: 20 outstanding alumni have joined this year as jury members, mentors, and colleagues to shape the selection and program; among them, the successful cinematographers Ari Wegner and Elen Lotman in the Camera Studio, while filmmakers Akosua Adoma Owusu, María Laura Ruggiero, Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, Jennifer Reeder and producer Bianca Balbuena contribute to the script-development labs.
The Joy of Making – The 2022 Focus
Berlinale Talents proposes a thematically connected curriculum of around 50 talks, workshops, labs, and think-tanks (“Talents Tanks”). Under the umbrella of “Labours of Cinema,” 75 filmmakers, activists, and decision-makers join the 200 Talents and the Berlinale audiences. The nine public talks and workshops with renowned guests will be accessible free of charge via live-stream from the website and on social media, while the talk with French actor Isabelle Huppert, to whom the Berlinale Homage 2022 is dedicated, will go ahead as an in-person event with a live public audience at the HAU Hebbel am Ufer (HAU1).
Berlinale Talents 2022 is putting work front and center. Despite the fundamentally digital nature of the event this year, the program has been designed in a “hands-on” spirit: the opening session will take us to the workbench of The French Dispatch with Wes Anderson’s long-standing production designer Adam Stockhausen and the model-making team around Simon Weisse. Alongside this, the focus on work will uncover often overlooked crafts in an array of disciplines: be it the management of background cast on Babylon Berlin or The Matrix Resurrections or the handiwork of Ari Wegner, the artist behind the cinematography of Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog.
Berlinale Talents is also continuing its clarion call for change in the four areas close to the initiative’s heart (Gender Equality & Diversity; Quality Education & Work; Climate Action; Justice & Understanding) and has invited guests and Talents to help bridge thinking and action across their more than 70 home countries: socially engaged actor Zazie Beetz (Joker) and producer Jonas Weydemann (Systemsprenger) discuss new initiatives for more inclusion and diversity on set and in the film with young activists from the industry. Based on an anonymous internal survey, the financial situation of the 200 Talents will also constitute the focus of a session involving Skadi Loist in conversation with Jutta Allmendinger and Lisa Basten. A closer analysis of the facts will provide the basis for a wider assessment of income, livelihood, and equal opportunities in the cultural sector.
Live and for All – An Overview of the Public Events
It Began as a Holiday – Modelmaking for The French Dispatch – A live workshop with Adam Stockhausen, Simon Weisse, and his model-making colleagues from Wes Anderson’s crew.
Crowd Pleaser: How to Work with Extras – A talk with Julia Fidel, head of Berlinale Series, and casting directors and assistant directors Sarah Dickinson, Laura Mihartescu, and Dennis Becker.
Work Arounds: Solutions for Social Sustainability – Actor Zazie Beetz and producer Jonas Weydemann in conversation with the new fellows of the Talents Footprints – Mastercard Enablement Programme 2022.
Berlinale Homage: In Conversation with Isabelle Huppert – This year’s recipient of the Honorary Golden Bear in a live talk on stage with Dennis Lim, Director of Film at the Lincoln Centre in New York. (With live audience. Tickets available at www.berlinale.de)
Kill Your Darlings: Editors in Visibility – Editor Susan Korda (One of Us) offers a passionate appeal for the often-hidden art and craft of film editing.
Paid with Passion: Talents and Their Finances – Skadi Loist from the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, in conversation with the President of the Berlin Social Science Centre, Jutta Allmendinger, and Lisa Basten, the Divisional Head of Art and Culture at ver.di, and selected Talents from around the globe.
Before Your Inner Eye: Seeing as a Profession – Talents alumna and Australian cinematographer Ari Wegner (Lady Macbeth) offers her insights into the professional ‘Seeing of a Story’ and her detailed process of preparation and production for Jane Campion’s visually striking film, The Power of the Dog.
Working Titles: Labour Portrayed On-Screen – Dorothee Wenner debates with directors from the current Berlinale program about their cinematic confrontations with labor in contexts of social and political upheaval.
Great Work: Meet the Berlinale Winners – Berlinale’s Artistic Director, Carlo Chatrian, leads a surprise round of 2022 Bear-winners and other awarded filmmakers to this digital “after-work” of the Labours of Cinema week.(The publication of the guests involved will take place on the day of the event.)
Talents Footprints: New Projects for More Sustainability in Film
The Talents Footprints – Mastercard Enablement Programme, enabled by Berlinale Talents’ co-partner Mastercard, successfully enters its second round. German-American actor Zazie Beetz (Joker), Jeannette Liendo, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communication for Mastercard Europe, and producer and alumnus Jonas Weydemann (Systemsprenger) have been appointed to the jury. They will select three fellows from the alumni community who have self-founded social organizations, cultural networks, and educational projects that sustainably and systematically improve gender justice, environmental protection, and inclusion in the film industry. The three fellows will be announced on February 13 during the “Dine & Shine goes Global” event.
Berlinale Talents is an initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival, a business division of Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH, and is supported by the Minister of State for Culture and the Media, Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme of the European Union, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the German Federal Foreign Office, the German Federal Film Board, Mastercard, and ARRI.
(Press release provided by Berlinale Press Office)
