I’m a veteran of several film festivals including the Newport Beach Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival, the American Film Institute's AFIFest Hollywood and AFI DOCS, the famed Venice International Film Festival, the San Luis Obispo SLO Film Fest, and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's family of festivals including the SBIFF, the SBIFF Wave Festivals and the SBIFF Showcase Film Series. To date I’ve written and published over 100 film reviews and have work posted on four sites including sbccfilmreviews.org, imdb.com. I have also been published in Classic Film Images magazine.
In addition to writing reviews and covering film festivals, I am currently seeking distribution for new films. I have contacts in several major markets including Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, and Cannes, France.
So when you’re looking for your film to get noticed, remember HollywoodGlee can help. We have professional marketers, respected critics and the most knowledgeable contacts on what film festival and/or distribution channel is right for you and your film.
See you at the movies!
Patrica Chidlaw unveils her artwork for the Official 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Poster. (Photo by Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
The 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is just around the corner with its slated run from February 8th to the 18th. While Santa Barbara is historically known as a Hollywood film premiere town, SBIFF announced this morning at its 2023 press conference, held at the Sullivan Goss Art Gallery in downtown Santa Barbara, a whopping 52 world premiere films as well as 78 US premieres! In all 43 countries will be represented through the visual medium of film. Los Angeles-based critic, Claudia Puig, is back as the festival’s programming director.
OPENING NIGHT FILM
SBIFF 2023 will kick off on Opening Night Wednesday, February 8 with the WORLD Premiere of MIRANDA’S VICTIM. Directed by Michelle Danner and starring Abigail Breslin, Ryan Phillippe, Luke Wilson, Donald Sutherland, Mireille Enos and Andy Garcia.
It’s 1963 when eighteen-year-old Patricia “Trish” Weir is kidnapped and brutally raped at knife-point. Committed to putting Ernesto Miranda in prison, Trish’s life is destroyed by America’s legal system as she triggers a law that transforms the nation.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM
SBIFF 2023 will close on Saturday, February 18 with the US Premiere of I LIKE MOVIES. Directed by Chandler Levack and starring Isaiah Lehtinen, Romina D’Ugo, Krista Bridges, Percy Hynes White.
Lawrence, a socially inept, 17-year-old cinephile, gets a job at a video store, where he forms a complicated friendship with his older female manager.
SBIFF Festival Roger Durling provides a sneak peek of the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, slated to run from February 8th to February 23rd, 2023, this morning January 18th, at the Sullivan Goss Art Gallery in downtown Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Larry GLeeson/HollywoodGlee)
During his tenure as festival director, Roger Durling, a master of his craft, has shown an uncanny ability in guiding the Santa Barbara Film Festival to a very organic, unique and distinct flavor. And, this year seems to be no exception. Mexican film auteur, Guillermo del Toro, has signed on to mentor a master class with his latest film, Pinocchio, to 3rd graders as part of the ever-expanding Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies (named after long-time festival advocate Mike DeGruy). In addition, SBIFF staffer Claire Waterhouse is spearheading the festival’s Film Studies Program to 30 student recipients from across the country. SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling stated this morning, “At a time where there’s a dwindling of movie theater attendance, the role of film festivals has never been more important. At SBIFF, with the 38th edition, our marching orders are clear, to celebrate movies and to nurture and exalt the film community, the artists as well as the cinephiles. It’s a great slate with 43 countries represented.”
Moreover, the festival has a formidable lineup of panels, tributes, and filmmaker seminars in store. Stay tuned for more!
From Special Screenings and international Oscar® submissions to captivating short films and powerful documentaries, tickets to AFIFEST 2022 will be available to purchase starting today, October 12 at 11:00 a.m. PT. Check out the film guide and full festival schedule now.
I have several films on my “must-see” list featured below. Stay tuned as the American Film Institute has combined AFI FEST and AFI DOCS this year in what is shaping up to be a spectacular showcase of film and cinema!
ALCARRAS
ALCARRAS – In Spain’s official Oscar® submission and the second feature from Carla Simón (SUMMER 1993, AFI FEST 2017), the close-knit Solé family, nestled in the rural village of Alcarràs, experiences an eventful summer when the livelihood of their peach orchard is threatened.
THE VOLCANO: RESCUE FROM WHAKAARI
In 2019, a volcano erupted on Whakaari in New Zealand without warning, raining down rocks and debris, and enveloping the island in a quiet, dark cloud of burning-hot steam. As the debris settled and onlookers gasped from the opposite shore, a rescue mission stirred into action; 47 tourists were trapped on the island, and another boat of tourists was just returning, having narrowly escaped. In this unbelievable new documentary from Academy Award® nominee Rory Kennedy (LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM, AFI FEST 2014), rescuers and survivors each recount their own version of the worst day of their lives, sharing what it means to cling to hope and life and to make impossible choices.
WOMEN TALKING
Adapted from Miriam Toews’ acclaimed novel and based on real events, Academy Award®-nominated director Sarah Polley (STORIES WE TELL) tells the riveting story of a tight-knit group of women who are part of an isolated religious community with an epidemic of sexual abuse. In the wake of this horrific discovery, they must decide to forgive their attackers or leave the colony forever. Shifting the lens away from the heinous crime and onto its ramifications sets the stage for a nuanced yet incisive examination of patriarchal oppression, religious imperatives, and conflicting values. Featuring a formiddable ensemble cast including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, and Frances McDormand.
AFI FEST 2022
The complete AFI FEST program includes 125 titles (7 Red Carpet Premieres, 6 Special Screenings, 12 Discovery, 12 World Cinema, 12 Documentary, 30 Short Film Competition, 43 AFIConservatory and 3 Guest Artistic Director Selections). Of the official selections, 53% are directed by women, 32% are directed by BIPOC filmmakers and 11% are directed by LGBTQIA+ filmmakers. This year’s program represents 31 countries and includes six International Feature Oscar® submissions, ALCARRÀS (Spain), BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS (Mexico), CLOSE (Belgium), EO (Poland), JOYLAND (Pakistan) and SAINT OMER (France).
Returning filmmakers to AFI FEST include Lucien Castaing-Taylor (DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA), Guillermo del Toro (GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO), Alice Diop (SAINT OMER), Quentin Dupieux (SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING/FUMER FAIT TOUSSER), Alain Gomis (REWIND & PLAY), Sam Green (32 SOUNDS), Luca Guadagnino (BONES AND ALL), Kristy Guevara-Flanagan (BODY PARTS), Mark Gustafson (GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO), Mia Hansen-Løve (ONE FINE MORNING/UN BEAU MATIN), Joanna Hogg (THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER), Alejandro González Iñárritu (BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS), Nikyatu Jusu (NANNY), Rory Kennedy (THE VOLCANO: RESCUE FROM WHAKAARI), Léa Mysius (THE FIVE DEVILS), Andrea Pallaoro (MONICA), Hlynur Pálmason (GODLAND/VANSKABTE LAND/VOLAÐA LAND), Jafar Panahi (NO BEARS), Verena Paravel (DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA), Alice Rohrwacher (LE PUPILLE), Hong Sang-soo (WALK UP), Albert Serra (PACIFICTION), Carla Simón (ALCARRÀS), Jerzy Skolimowski (EO), Chris Smith (“SR.”), Steven Spielberg (THE FABELMANS) and Florian Zeller (THE SON).
AFI FEST 2022 will take place exclusively in person in Los Angeles from November 2-6. AFI members receive discounts on passes and tickets and other exclusive benefits. To become an AFI member, visit AFI.com/join/.
The World Premiere of Apple Original Film’s SELENA GOMEZ: MY MIND AND ME will open the festival and the U.S. premiere of Universal Pictures’ and Amblin Entertainment’s THE FABELMANS, directed by AFI Life Achievement Award recipient and Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg, will close AFI FEST 2022. Additional Red Carpet Premieres include BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS, directed by Academy Award®-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu; the U.S. Premiere of GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO, directed by Academy Award®-winning director Guillermo del Toro and Emmy Award® winner Mark Gustafson; LIVING, directed by Oliver Hermanus; SHE SAID, directed by Emmy Award®-winning director Maria Schrader; and THE SON, directed by Academy Award® winner Florian Zeller. Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay will serve as Guest Artistic Director at AFI FEST 2022 and will be showcasing three independent films amplifying the voices of women directors including HELLION (2014), directed by Kat Candler and starring Academy Award®-nominee Juliette Lewis and Aaron Paul; MOSQUITA Y MARI (2012) directed by Aurora Guerrero and YELLING TO THE SKY (2011), directed by Victoria Mahoney and starring Academy Award®-nominee Gabourey Sidibe and Zoë Kravitz.
Harvey Keitel and Daphna Kastner – AFI FEST 2021 Red Carpet Premiere Screening of THE POWER OF THE DOG, TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Nov. 11, 2021 – Photo Credit: Rob Latour/AFI/Shutterstock
RED CARPET PREMIERES
Kirsten Dunst – AFI FEST 2021 Red Carpet Premiere Screening of THE POWER OF THE DOG, TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Nov. 11, 2021 – Photo Credit: Rob Latour/AFI/Shutterstock
AFI rolls out the red carpet for the most anticipated films of the festival. Sure to be an exciting celebration of the best in film, the section delivers world-class filmmakers, talented actors and artisans, and a dose of Hollywood magic that can only be found at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre.
Festival to kick off in person January 19 and expand online with on-demand curated program beginning January 24
PARK CITY, UTAH – The nonprofit Sundance Institute today announced initial details for the upcoming 2023 Sundance Film Festival, taking place from January 19-29, 2023.
Designed with the priority of bringing the Sundance community back together in theaters to watch and experience next year’s culture-shaping stories, the Sundance Film Festival begins in person, in Utah in Park City, Salt Lake City, and the Sundance Resort, on January 19 and runs through the 29th. Beginning on Tuesday, January 24, the Festival expands, welcoming audiences across the country to view select films online.
The digital offering showcases an on-demand, curated selection of feature films from the 2023 Festival, including all competition titles (U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary, and NEXT), as well as exciting work across other sections of the feature film program, alongside episodic work and short films. The 2023 Festival culminates with weekend screenings of this year’s Sundance Award–winning films on January 28–29, both in person and online.
Audiences globally can experience a regenerated edition of New Frontier that tunes to today’s times, emphasizing independent artistic practice and environmental engagement at the crossroads of film, art, and new media technology. New Frontier will feature a cutting-edge lineup of multimedia works and keynote discussions on a bespoke spatialized digital platform beginning January 24 when the online portion of the Festival kicks off. For the past two years, New Frontier has provided audiences with a gold-standard destination to experience the Festival together while physically apart.
“We are excited to bring the Sundance community together for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, a celebration of independent filmmaking. After two years of being apart, our priority is reuniting in person, while still sharing bold new films with audiences across the country through online access,” said Joana Vicente, CEO of the Sundance Institute. “We’ve designed this year’s Festival based on our learnings from previous years — embracing the traditions that have been meaningful in the past, while also looking toward accessibility for audiences and expanding the platform we provide our storytellers.”
The health and safety of the Sundance Institute staff, artists, volunteers, and audiences remains of the utmost importance to the Institute. The Sundance Institute continues to work with its COVID-19 safety team and are following all CDC guidelines. All staff and volunteers working the Festival will be required to mask and test weekly. Sundance is also requesting that attendees wear masks in all Sundance Film Festival spaces to keep themselves and other Festival community members safe while encouraging all attendees to test before attending and during the Festival and to be up to date on all COVID-19 vaccinations.
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival will be led by Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente. The Festival is programmed by a year-round team headed by Director of Programming Kim Yutani, along with Senior Programmers: Shari Frilot (also Chief Curator of New Frontier), John Nein (also Director of Strategic Initiatives), Mike Plante (Shorts), Charlie Sextro, Basil Tsiokos, Heidi Zwicker; Programmers: Ash Hoyle, Adam Montgomery, Sudeep Sharma, Ana Souza, Ania Trzebiatowska, and Stephanie Owens, who joins the team. The shorts programming team includes Emily Doe, Lisa Ogdie, Adam Piron, Mike Plante, DaManuel Richardson, Saidah Russell, Amanda Salazar, Irene Suico Soriano, Landon Zakheim, and Heidi Zwicker. Coordinators supporting the team include Cameron Asharian, Kat Hazelton, and Kelly Young. The full programming team is supported by programming associates and screeners.
“We can’t wait for our 2023 Festival to give a bold start to the year, with the help of our inspiring storytellers, ingenious creators, and engaged audiences,” said Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “For 39 years, the Sundance Film Festival has been a stalwart in the independent film community, and we’re thrilled to continue to be such an exciting annual gathering for artists and audiences.”
Program Submissions are currently open. They close on the following dates: Feature film submissions close September 5 (official) and September 26 (late), 2022. Short film submissions close September 5 (late), 2022. New Frontier submissions close September 9 (late), 2022. Episodic content submissions close August 26 (official) and September 12 (late), 2022. Details on applications, including frequently asked questions, are available here.
Members of the professional community accredited through the Press and Industry offices will have access to the 2023 program in person and online through on-demand viewing windows. In-person attendance is being prioritized with a limited number of online P&I badges available.
Information on ticket packages and venues will be announced in late September. Stay up to date at festival.sundance.org, and visit lodging.sundance.org to help plan your stay at the Festival.
Sundance Institute
As a champion and curator of independent stories, the Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists across storytelling media to create and thrive. Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, the Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. Sundance Collab, a digital community platform, brings a global cohort of working artists together to learn from each other and Sundance Advisors and connect in a creative space, developing and sharing works in progress. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences and artists to ignite new ideas, discover original voices, and build a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported and showcased such projects as Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), CODA, Flee, Passing, Clemency, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Zola, On the Record, Boys State, The Farewell, Honeyland, One Child Nation, The Souvenir, The Infiltrators, Sorry to Bother You, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Hereditary, Call Me By Your Name, Get Out, The Big Sick, Mudbound, Fruitvale Station, City So Real, Top of the Lake, Between the World & Me, Wild Goose Dreams, and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
ACADEMY BOARD OF GOVERNORS 2022-2023 OFFICERS ELECTED
LOS ANGELES, CA – Producer Janet Yang was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s Board of Governors.
Executive producer Janet Yang prior to a 25th Anniversary screening of “The Joy Luck Club” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday, August 22, 2018.
“Janet is a tremendously dedicated and strategic leader who has an incredible record of service at the Academy. She has been instrumental in launching and elevating several Academy initiatives on membership recruitment, governance, and equity, diversity, and inclusion,” noted Academy CEO, Bill Kramer. “I am thrilled that she is taking on the esteemed role of Academy President and look forward to working closely with her on our shared vision to serve our membership, celebrate the collaborative arts and sciences of motion pictures, and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.”
Teri E. Dorman, Vice President (chair, Membership Committee)
Donna Gigliotti, Vice President/Secretary (chair, Governance Committee)
Lynette Howell Taylor, Vice President (chair, Awards Committee)
Larry Karaszewski, Vice President (chair, History and Preservation Committee)
David Linde, Vice President/Treasurer (chair, Finance Committee)
Isis Mussenden, Vice President (chair, Museum Committee)
Kim Taylor-Coleman, Vice President (chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee)
Wynn P. Thomas, Vice President (chair, Education and Outreach Committee)
Yang is beginning her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large, a position for which she was nominated by the sitting Academy President and elected by the Board of Governors. Gigliotti, Karaszewski, Linde, Mussenden, and Thomas were re-elected as officers. It will be the first officer stint for Dorman, Howell Taylor, and Taylor-Coleman.
Yang’s extensive film-producing credits include “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Zero Effect,” “High Crimes,” “Dark Matter,” “Shanghai Calling” and the Oscar®-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” She won an Emmy® for the HBO film “Indictment: The McMartin Trial.” A member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since 2002, Yang most recently served on the Board as vice president and chair of the Membership Committee and prior to that, the Membership and Governance Committee. She is also co-chair of the Academy’s Asian Affinity Group.
The Board of Governors sets the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health, and assures the fulfillment of its mission. For a complete listing of the Academy’s 2022-2023 Board of Governors.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers, and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Hybrid Filmocracy Fest III Concludes and Award Winners Announced
Tentpole ‘Film Market’ Elevates Networking and Sales
Los Angeles, CA (July 19, 2022) – The third edition of Filmocracy Fest presented a strong lineup of features and shorts competing for top prizes, both in person and online, including the Best of the Fest category, which was available online-only. The Festival ended with a celebratory Awards Ceremony on July 17. Award Winners include:
Best Narrative Feature: 1-800-HOT NITE written and directed by Nick Richey Best Documentary Feature: HOSTILE written and directed by Sonita Gale Best Short Narrative: THESE HANDS WERE MADE FOR KNOCKIN’ directed by Laura Herring Best Short Documentary: ELSA directed by Cameron Mitchell
Best Student Film: HAIR, TIE, EGG, HOMEWORK, BOOKS by Lu Runxiao Audience Award – Narrative Feature: BUCK ALAMO written and directed by Ben Epstein Audience Award – Documentary Feature: ART AND KRIMES BY KRIMES by Alysa Nahmias Audience Award – Short: GROUNDED directed by Jesse Richards Inspiration Award: THE HUMAN TRIAL directed by Lisa Hepner and Guy Mossman
Watch the full Awards Ceremony here
The Festival also presented the second edition of its Film Market, a curated environment for independent filmmakers to come together and connect with industry leaders. This unique event streamlines the film acquisition process, removing intermediaries and allowing talent to present their work directly to executives. In its successful first edition, films were acquired and brought to Cannes for sales opportunities and distribution deals.
“I participated in the first Filmocracy virtual market and found it to be so productive and enjoyable that I didn’t hesitate to participate in the next one (and more ongoing in the future),” recalls Archstone Entertainment’s Jack Sheehan. “Not only was I impressed by the tech and the ease, efficacy, and intuitiveness of the platform, it seemed to flow almost effortlessly. I was lucky enough to find several projects I liked, one of which I actually closed a deal on and brought to the physical Cannes festival a month later, and we’re closing a multitude of deals, to both our and the filmmaker’s delight. I think this platform is top of the competition of virtual markets and will be a mainstay for years to come. Selfishly I hope not too many of my competitors find out about it!”
The number of participating buyers, sales agents, and distribution companies grew significantly since the last event. The robust list of participants for the second edition included some of the largest global film companies: Sundance, Endeavor Content, Blue Fox, 13 Film, XYZ Films, The Exchange, Radiant Films International, and Periphery, amongst many others. Some of the films up for sale included Steve Balderson’s ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT, Nicholas deKay’s THE ARK OF LILBURN, Austin Chapman’s LACRIMOSA, Christine Yoo’s 26.2 TO LIFE: THE SAN QUENTIN PRISON MARATHON, and Katie O’Regan’s GOOD MORNING MISS AMERICA. Amidst films picked up by top-name companies are Daniel Diosdad’s THE NOMAD (for international sales by Archstone Entertainment) and Juan P. Reyes’ SAMLAND (for South Korean rights by Strana Media), with negotiations ongoing for many more projects.
Liquid Media Group’s Co-Founder and Interim CEO Joshua Jackson shares, “Liquid Media is very proud to be, for the second time, presenting sponsors of Filmocracy Fest. It is core to what we do to be able to support emerging storytellers, emerging voices, inside of our community. I’ve always felt very proud and very lucky to be part of this big, wild, funny, crazy—sometimes difficult—global community of storytellers, whether in front of the camera or behind it. Filmocracy Fest exists to uplift the community, to make it easier for us to find each other and our audiences, and the addition of the market is an amazing new tool for filmmakers. We couldn’t be happier to support this and look forward to seeing you at the next one.”
Film Market attendees paid a nominal fee of $100, with a VIP option available for $500 that allowed passholders to skip queues. The in-person portion of the event kicked off with a cocktail party, followed by initial meetings at LA Gondola. The following day, filmmakers had four minutes to rapid-fire pitch their films to their preferred media partners, either in person or digitally. Attendees were also invited to Opening Night of Filmocacy Fest to celebrate their cinematic achievements.
“I had a great time attending the Filmocracy Film Market,” says Los Angeles-based writer/director/producer Debbie Peiser. “Filmocracy created an amazing virtual experience from start to finish. I loved that they sent a brochure of which distributors would be attending so I could research and prepare before my meetings. It was so fun to sit in the virtual waiting room with other filmmakers. I was so impressed by the site design and I would definitely attend again!”
The Filmocracy Fest Film Market has established itself, in a very short time, as a vibrant and highly sought-after marketplace for the discovery of films and filmmaking talent by top name producers, distributors, and production companies. Filmocracy’s CEO Paul Jun concludes, “Our Film Market is filling an important need in the industry by putting filmmakers face-to-face with decisionmakers. Through our virtual platform we’re able to foster industry relationships for filmmakers who lack a professional network.”
About Filmocracy:
Filmocracy is a film and festival streaming platform that hosts over 100 film festivals each year and has a constantly evolving and rotating library of more than 3,500 streaming titles. Users are rewarded with virtual popcorn for watching and rating films, which can be spent in their shop to earn movie tickets, redeem gift cards, or attend virtual film festivals hosted from around the world. Filmocracy brings together a powerful combination of technologies to enhance the virtual cinema and conference experience for filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences around the world. Filmocracy’s mission is to help all independent filmmakers reach wider audiences and grow their communities through storytelling. Festival Co-Founder Paul Jun serves as CEO of Filmocracy. In December 2020, Filmocracy staged the First Annual Filmocracy Fest, an all-digital juried film festival presenting a slate of 44 films; panels; mentorship program; live performances; script readings; cause-related partners; and dozens of virtual conversations with directors and industry talent. Jon Fitzgerald serves as Executive Director.
*Press release courtesy of Henry Eshelman, Platform Media Group
Filmocracy, LA’s hybrid boutique festival, returns for its third edition with in-person screenings July 14-17 at Lumiere Cinema at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills, with its full complement of twenty-six films available online to stream nationwide via the Filmocracy digital platform.
Jon Fitzgerald
Filmocracy Fest got its start during the pandemic, when former AFI Fest programmer and Slamdance co-founder Jon Fitzgerald was working with Filmocracy, then a 3-D digital film festival engine and nascent streamer. “I had been doing some work with Filmocracy, supporting their various divisions, including their virtual festival initiative,” Fitzgerald recalls. “Paul Jun the Filmocracy CEO and I talked about creating our own Festival, as a showcase for the innovative programs the team had continued to develop.”
After Filmocracy Fest II this past December, Fest co-founder Fitzgerald and his partners opted to move the film exhibition portion of the Festival into summer. The Festival incorporates an Impact Expo, networking, and the second iteration of its digital Film Market, with filmmakers vying to get their projects in front of 45 acquisitions executives from Disney+, Myriad Pictures, and XYZ Films, among others. They will keep their Film Festival Summit in December, which will incorporate a new Film Festival Awards Program.
The Festival will screen eight narrative and documentary titles in person. There will also be two in-person short programs of five films each. However, Filmocracy is committed to the hybrid model. Fitzgerald believes “filmmakers will always want to see their movies on the big screen, engage with audiences, and participate in Q&As, but they cannot always make it to every festival. We’ve seen ticket sales double by allowing audiences who can’t make it to Sundance or Los Angeles, for example, the opportunity to see and appreciate these emerging talents in their home theaters.” He predicts “hybrid is going to be the way of most fests, with a few exceptions from traditionalists. It will be up to filmmakers to know their goals, understand what each fest can do for them, and carve out the path that works for them and their project.”
Filmocracy Fest continues to focus on socially relevant storytellers, which comprise most movies selected for the 2022 slate. “One of our four key pillars is discovery,” Fitzgerald says. “We really like to support emerging artists, particularly those with visual style. The narrative filmmakers all take chances, and we have a number of social impact stories—shorts and features, narratives and documentaries—covering topics from police brutality to diabetes diagnosis, all with subjects that celebrate the human spirit.” As with the 2021 edition, these films will be connected to related causes via the Impact Expo, providing in-person and virtual audiences with the opportunity to learn more about the issues and take action.
Filmocracy’s parent company Liquid Media Group returns as the festival’s presenting sponsor, joined by founding sponsor iGEMS and partners Digital Cinema United, iNDIEFLIX, and Projektor.
“Last year’s film MY DEAD DAD, which sold to HBOMax on the heels of its sold-out Filmocracy Fest premiere, is a great example of what can happen when filmmakers are met with the support to get their stories in front of audiences,” concludes Liquid Media Group’s Chairman Josh Jackson, who delivered closing remarks to kick off the awards program during the December Festival. “Liquid is proud to stand alongside Filmocracy Fest in support of solving the current and future needs of filmmakers.”
Feature Narrative selections include:
ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT directed by Steve Balderson. Midway through its festival journey, veteran director Steve Balderson (FIRECRACKER, BECOMING ED) deftly and beautifully blurs the lines between character study, magical realism, and horror. In the film, renowned artist Oliver Black (Xander Berkeley: The Walking Dead, TERMINATOR 2, AIR FORCE ONE) wakes to discover his wife Evelyn (Sarah Clarke: 24, TWILIGHT) has died in their bed overnight. Disoriented and grief-stricken, Oliver tells no one and attempts to preserve her body. Meanwhile, Oliver’s agent (Mink Stole: SERIAL MOM, HAIRSPRAY) calls with a big commission – a new sculpture for a leading museum. Oliver passionately and poetically creates the sculpture as a replica of Evelyn’s face—a death mask. As he works, Evelyn’s senses wake up one after the other until she appears fully present. But is it really her? Or is Oliver hallucinating? Balderson is also world-premiering tantric sex short from YouTuber Davey Wavey at Outfest right after Filmocracy.
Xander Berkeley in Alchemy of the Spirit credit Dikenga Films
BUCK ALAMO directed by Ben Epstein. Unloading its existential chamber like a Texas folk song, this Austin and Calgary Film Festival veteran is a dreamlike portrait of a modern-day musical outlaw as he duels with Death. The film stars Sonny Carl Davis, Lorelei Linklater, Chase Joliet, Kriston Woodreaux, Lee Eddy, C.K. McFarland, James Epstein, George Ensle, and Bruce Dern.
DEATH OF A LADIES’ MAN directed by Matthew Bissonnette. This film, starring Gabriel Byrne (THE USUAL SUSPECTS, MILLER’S CROSSING, HEREDITARY), follows a carousing college professor’s life as it takes a series of unimaginable turns. All the old stories are given a new twist when he begins to have surreal hallucinations and learns he may not be long for this world.
Gabriel Byrne, credit Death of a Ladies Man.
1-800-HOT-NITEdirected by Nick Richey. This sophomore feature from award-winning writer/director Nick Richey (LOW, LOW) stars Dallas Young (Cobra Kai, THE ROYAL, Mixed-ish), Gerrison Machado (The Power), Mylen Bradford (Abbott Elementary), and Ali Richey (LOW, LOW). From the moment the police break down Tommy’s (Young) door and arrest his father, his world is turned upside down. Faced with a parentless future, Tommy escapes child protective services’ custody with his best friends Steve (Bradford) and O’Neill (Machado) into LA’s streets—packed with men trying to rob them, cops chasing them, a python, a fist fight, a first kiss, and phone sex. Throughout it all, Tommy keeps calling an 800 number, as he feels the woman on the line (Ali Richey) is the only adult he can confide in. By the end of the night, the boys’ brotherhood breaks down as they cross the threshold into adulthood. Quiver Distribution snatched the film up after playing at Dances with Films last month, and will release the film on November 8.
l-r Mylen Bradford, Gerrison Machado, and Dallas Young 1800 hot nite. (Photo credit Halfway Crooks Productions.)
Documentary selections include:
THE HUMAN TRIAL directed by Lisa Hepner. In 2011, Lisa Hepner and her husband Guy Mossman heard about a radical stem cell treatment for diabetes, a disease that shockingly kills more than five million people each year. Driven by a desire to cure Lisa of her own type 1 diabetes (T1D), the filmmakers were given unprecedented, real-time access to a clinical trial—only the sixth-ever embryonic stem cell trial in the world. What follows is an intimate journey with the patients and scientists who put themselves on the line to be first.
Doctors working. (Photo credit The Human Trial)
KAEPERNICK & AMERICA directed by Tommy Walker and Ross Hockrow. Ever since he started to oppose police brutality, civil rights activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s actions have reverberated worldwide, as shown in this documentary. The Hollywood Reporter reviewed the film out of Tribeca, saying “If we take a step back, we can see the faint outlines of another, more urgent, narrative thread in Kaepernick & America—one that encourages an all too rare kind of integrity and commitment to creating a more just world.”
ART & ART KRIMES BY KRIMES directed by Alysa Nahmias. While locked up for six years in federal prison, artist Jesse Krimes secretly creates monumental works of art—including an astonishing 30-foot mural made with prison bed sheets, hair gel, and newspaper. He smuggles out each panel piece-by-piece with the help of fellow artists, only seeing the mural in totality upon coming home. As Jesse’s work captures the art world’s attention, he struggles to adjust to life outside, living with the threat that any misstep will trigger a life sentence.
Artist Jesse Krimes in front of his mural. Photo credit Art & Art Krimes by Krimes
ONE PINT AT A TIME directed by Aaron Hose. Craft beer generates tens of billions of dollars annually for the US economy. Despite beer’s Egyptian and African heritage, these traditions have been mostly forgotten and are rarely found in American brewing culture. Today, Black-owned breweries make up less than 1% of the nearly 9,000 breweries in operation in the United States. Eager to shift the historical perception of who makes and drinks beer, Black brewers, brand owners, and influencers across the country are reshaping the craft beer industry and the future of America’s favorite adult beverage. Thrillist said, ONE PINT AT A TIME was “…an invaluable and visually captivating spotlight on the adversities of Black Americans realizing their dreams to own a brewery.”
Huston Lett Bastet Brewing. (Photo credit One Pint at a Time)
Fitzgerald is wistful as he looks back at history and ahead to the future of Filmocracy. “It has been bittersweet, in that the creativity of the Filmocracy team continues to develop exciting new elements that can be integrated into the virtual piece, anchored by the “Filmocracyland” virtual map,” the 3-D map of festivals Filmocracy builds for online festivalgoers to navigate. “Yet, one of the key components of a successful film fest is creating in-person experiences for audiences, filmmakers, and industry professionals. This, of course, was not possible during Covid. We went from virtual to hybrid, and 2022 will be more of a boutique hybrid we’re looking forward to sharing with Los Angeles and the world.”
SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced the 2023 film festival will take place in Santa Barbara, CA from February 8 through February 18.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling speaks onstage at the Opening Night Film “The Phantom of the Open” during the 37th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at Arlington Theatre on March 2, 2022 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for SBIFF)
“SBIFF has long been a place to celebrate and showcase the enduring power of cinema. As we have been confronted with difficult times, film and festivals have continued to be a place for reflection and inspiration. It is with that in mind that we excitedly prepare the 38th SBIFF edition and look forward to bringing the year’s best cinema and talent to our devoted patrons” says Roger Durling, SBIFF’s Executive Director.
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival presented by UGG® will be happening LIVE from February 8 – February 18, 2023. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre.
Last year, SBIFF returned to in-person screenings, panels, and events. The festival had 48 world premieres, 95 U.S. premieres, with honorary awards feted on Javier Bardem, Nicole Kidman, Kristen Stewart, Penélope Cruz, Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Caitriona Balfe, Ariana DeBose, Alana Haim, Ciarán Hinds, Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Simon Rex, Saniyya Sidney, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kenneth Branagh, Jane Campion, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and Steven Spielberg. The film festival’s final lineup and schedule will be announced in January 2023.
[L-R: SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem at the 37th Santa Barbara International Film Festival] (Photo Credit: Getty/Santa Barbara International Film Festival)
Passes for the 2023 Festival are on sale now for 25% off. For additional information or to buy passes, visit sbiff.org.
About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 37 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through many free educational programs and events. In 2016, SBIFF entered a new era with the acquisition of the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. After a capital campaign and renovation, the theatre is now SBIFF’s new state-of-the-art, year-round home, showing new international and independent films every day. In 2019, SBIFF opened its own Education Center in downtown Santa Barbara on State Street to serve as a home for its many educational programs and a place for creativity and learning.
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 6, 2022) – Indie Rights has acquired Worldwide rights to Nicola Rose’s female coming-of-age comedyGoodbye, Petrushka. Indie Rights and Parsley Productions are pleased to announce a week-long engagement in Los Angeles (July 15-21) at Cinelounge Sunset and a one-night NYC event on July 17 planned prior to a release on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada on July 21, to be followed shortly by other major streaming platforms. This is a film you do not want to miss…
Check out the trailer!
This little-indie-that-could, which is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance. It’s deeply silly, and (at least for me) wonderful in that the “success” of the young woman’s journey isn’t predicated on a wedding bells wrap up. And I know you know what I mean.
The film killed it at Dances With Films, and is now going to do a week run at Cinelounge (July 15-21) in Los Angeles before streaming everywhere.
Rose’s feature film directorial debut, Goodbye, Petrushka focuses on Claire (Lizzie Kehoe), a romantic, a puppeteer, and a fish out of water at college. Following a chance meeting with Thibault, a French figure skater at the end of his career, and at the behest of her crazy, rich best friend, Claire leaves school and moves from New York to Paris. Once there, she meets Thibault again and they embark on a unique project together with her puppets. However, her new life is constantly thwarted by obstinate French bureaucrats, her job as a nanny for a horrible Parisian family, and a frustratingly toxic relationship she has also managed to land herself. Claire’s Paris is less a personal renaissance and more a relentless series of faux pas. In the end, she will have to figure out that to find happiness, she will need to put herself first and listen to her own unique, silly, and beautiful heart.
GOODBYE PETRUSHKA, the little-indie-that-could, is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance.
Rose said, “Goodbye, Petrushka is a story about a young woman’s growing-up experience in all its weird, messy glory. I have always wished there were more stories about young people, especially young women, making mistakes — sometimes huge, embarrassing, goofy mistakes — yet coming out stronger and smarter at the other end. We are thrilled that Indie Rights is inspired by the story and decided to champion it. We were independent in every sense of the word — not just in terms of our production, but also when it came to the story we wanted to tell.”
GOODBYE PETRUSHKA, the little-indie-that-could, is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance.
“We are thrilled to be able to represent Goodbye, Petrushka,” said Linda Nelson, co-Founder of Indie Rights. “A film from a young woman’s point of view that is funny, heart-felt, romantic, set in New York and Paris, and includes animation and puppets – what more could one ask for? Like the film’s main character, we see big things for this film and look forward to introducing it to a world-wide audience.”
GOODBYE PETRUSHKA, the little-indie-that-could, is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance.
The deal was negotiated by Linda Nelson on behalf of Indie Rights and Goodbye, Petrushka Producer Tierney Boorboor. Serving and supporting as Executive Producers are Mark A. Baum, Ed Cuffe, Mike Reuten, and Imraan Farukhi.
About Indie Rights
Indie Rights is an innovative, independent movie studio that prides itself on having a personal touch when it comes to producing and distributing movies and TV. Founded by Michael Madison and Linda Nelson because they believed that the future was bright for independent artists and that there was a better way to produce and distribute movies, Indie Rights has been in business since 2000, when they produced their first film, NSYNC BIGGER THAN LIVE a Giant Screen Movie that played to sold out crowds worldwide. For more info, visit https://www.indierights.com/.
The 26th annual edition of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) took place in Miami Beach from June 15-19, followed by online screenings and events from June 20-30. On the final day of programming, ABFF announced their award winners, including ANOTHER COUNTRY – which associate producer and AFI Alum Christal Henry (AFI Class of 2005) worked on – as the grand prize winner of the HBO Short Film Award. Congratulations to all of the AFI Alumni who had projects featured at the festival this year!
Spotlight
A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Katrelle Kindred (AFI DWW Class of 2018), Director
Jeffrey Waldron (AFI Class of 2005), Cinematographer
Nathan Ogilvie (AFI Class of 1995), Art Director
Mars Feehery (AFI Class of 2010), Assistant Art Director
Robert Konowalow (AFI Class of 2010), Construction Coordinator
Jake Vollmer (AFI Class of 2019), Art Department Assistant
Lily Shapiro (AFI Class of 2009), Visual Effects Producer
Chad Cohlmia (AFI Class 2006), Gaffer
RAP SH!T
Deniese Davis (AFI Class of 2012), Executive Producer
Lynarion Hubbard (AFI Class of 2007), Editor
Marian Jiménez (AFI Class of 2012), Visual Effects Assistant Editor
Web Series Competition
BOURN KIND: THE TINY KINDNESS PROJECT
Tamika Lamison (AFI DWW Class of 2002), Executive Producer
HBO® Short Film Award
ANOTHER COUNTRY
Christal Henry (AFI Class of 2005), Associate Producer
AURINKO IN ADAGIO
Constanza Castro (AFI Class of 2015), Executive Producer
Salvador Pérez (AFI Class of 2015), Supervising Editor
PENS & PENCILS
Gia-Rayne Harris (AFI Class of 2021), Director
Gem Little (AFI Class of 2021), Writer/Producer
Veronica Bouza (AFI Class of 2020), Cinematographer
Lily Judge (AFI Class of 2020), Editor
Kiana Fowlkes (AFI Class of 2021), Production Assistant
THE FAMILY MEETING
Margaret Riley (AFI Class of 1991), Producer
Voices of Culture
FIVE
David Orantes (AFI Class of 2021), Director
Duran Jones (AFI Class of 2021), Writer/Producer
Dawit Adera (AFI Class of 2021), Cinematographer
Eric Osman (AFI Class of 2021), Editor
Alexandre Oger (AFI Class of 2021), Unit Production Manager
Xiaojie Wu (AFI Class of 2021), Graphic Designer
Razzaaq Boykin (AFI Class of 2021), Grip
Robert Hunter (AFI Class of 2020), Grip
Harry Lipnick (AFI Class of 2021), Grip
Steven Jared Mangurten (AFI Class of 2021), Key Grip
The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (SLO Film Fest) has announced its newest addition to the SLO Film Festival family! Following her participation in the most recent festival, Chelsea Baumberger has been hired as the new Development Director at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, responsible for expanding fundraising efforts.
The SLO County native, 32, has worked as the festival’s Development Assistant since December 2021. Before joining the SLO Film Festival, Baumberger worked as an Account Manager in New York City where she built and cultivated relationships with over 250 independent and corporate retail buyers across North America, and as a store and eCommerce manager with a focus on growing brand presence.
“We are very excited to have Chelsea on board in this position. She jumped right in as the Development Assistant late last year, and helped us exceed our fundraising goal for the 2022 Festival and is already hard at work developing new prospects” said Film Festival Board President, Paul Metchik.
