Canadian Auteur Director David Cronenberg’s latest fare, The Shrouds, debuted in competition at Cannes, made its LA Premiere during the American Film Institute’s 2024 AFI FEST in Hollywood, Calif., Thursday, October 24, 2024, at the TCL Chinese Theatres. AFI FEST Programmer Malkin Kahn thanked the AFI FEST sponsors, community partners, the audience, festival volunteers, and “Elma” before introducing the film. Kahn eloquently delivered a few intimate details of the film such as Cronenberg’s impetus was John Donne’s poem, “A Valediction: of Weeping.”
According to the Poetry Foundation) “…Donne’s predilection for intricate rhetorical figures, paradoxes, surprising swerves in tone, associative leaps, and ingenious conceits can make them feel artificial, or made of artifice.” Cronenberg’s The Shrouds, follows a similar arc vacillating between the real and the surreal, swerving in tone with associative leaps and his use of ingenious conceits, that not only makes it feel artificial (futuristic) but deeply visceral.
Cronenberg opens the film with an ethereal prologue of an image of some sort of protoplasm floating in the ether. From a brilliantly executed match cut leads the viewer into the real world of Karsh (Vincent Cassel), the film’s protagonist, and his mouth. Karsh is in the dental chair. His dentist has diagnosed Karsh with tooth decay caused by grief. The empathic dentist fixes Karsh up on a blind date with an attractive woman who closely resembles his deceased wife. His date is mortified when Karsh meets his date at a restaurant in the cemetery next to the Grave Tech burial plots. Karsh feels the need to take his date outside for a private viewing of his Grave Tech creation. These early events set the tone of the film and the audience reaction almost overwhelmingly energetic.
Vincent Cassel and Diane Kruger
The film’s plot revolves around Karsh – a likely stand-in for Cronenberg himself. Karsh is a prominent businessman, inconsolable since the death of his loving wife (Diane Kruger). Karsh’s invention of Grave Tech, a revolutionary and controversial technology enables the living to monitor their dear departed on a live-stream feed via a radioactive shroud that could have been designed by YSL. One-night, multiple graves at the Grave Tech burial grounds, including that of Karsh’s wife (Diane Kruger), are desecrated.
The grave crime sets in motion the theoretical details present In “The becoming-body of David Cronenberg’s characters,” published by Editor da PUCRS, Rosangela Fachel de Medeiros, describes “the extreme and visceral way…David Cronenberg, a Canadian filmmaker, presents and investigates, in his films, the human body and the sexuality, and what social, cultural and artistic issues involved in this representation as evidence of the potential transformation of the body resulting from biotech advents and interaction with other bodies through violence or sex.”
Vincent Cassel and Sandrine Holt
Naturally, any thriller needs conspiracies, and The Shrouds has several involving the Russians, the Chinese, Karsh’s techie brother-in-law (played by Guy Pearce), the environmental movement based out of Iceland, his wife’s physician who also was his wife’s ex-beau, and the role of an angel Hungarian investor and his incredibly seductive wife (portrayed by Sandrine Holt. However, one conspiracy involving Maury and his wife leads to a desperate and wanton coupling between Karsh and Maury’s wife who is also Karsh’s dead wife’s sister (also portrayed by Kruger). This is where the plot really heats up, literally and figuratively, and begins reconciling the film’s various themes of grief, religion, technology, espionage, capitalism, and environmentalism.
Vincent Cassel and Diane Kruger
With an enthralling runtime of one hour and fifty-six minutes, The Shrouds is a wild ride steeped in absurdist, wet-dream-like surrealism. The film boasts a formidable and talented cast with Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce and Sandrine Holt, reinforcing Cronenberg’s cinematic vision. Howard Shore’s musical score brings the film home.
Fans of Cronenberg’s work will know how fortunate they all are to have the 81-year-old filmmaker making a second film after his “retirement” announcement at Cannes in 2014. Saint Laurent, the production arm of Yves Saint Laurent, financed and co-produced this riveting flick with SBS Productions, and Prospero Pictures. Other notable Cronenberg films include, The Fly (1986), Crash (1996), A History of Violence (2005), Eastern Promises (2007), Maps to the Stars (2014), and Crimes of the Future (2022).
Highly recommended viewing. The Shrouds is slated for a Spring 2025 theatrical release – no pun intended.
HollywoodGlee celebrating the start of the 2019 AFI FEST presented by Audi. (Photo credit: Larry Gleeson)
FESTIVAL TO PRESENT OVER 150 FILMS
OPENS ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
Tickets and Passes Available Online and at AFI FEST Box Office During Festival
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Los Angeles, CA, October 21, 2024 — The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today the sponsors and partners for AFI FEST 2024 presented by Canva. This year’s festival runs from October 23 through October 27 in Hollywood and the festival lineup includes 6 Red Carpet Premieres, 12 Special Screenings, 13 Luminaries selections, 15 Discovery films, 12 World Cinema selections, 14 Documentaries, 4 After Dark titles, 54 films in the Short Film Competition, and 28 films from the AFI Conservatory Showcase. There are 4 World Premieres, 6 North American Premieres and 7 U.S. Premieres.
Passes and tickets are available at FEST.AFI.com and at the AFI FEST Box Office located inside the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres Lobby during the festival. Sold-out screenings, including Red Carpet Premieres, will have a rush line.
Canva is this year’s Presenting Sponsor and additional Corporate Partners for AFI FEST 2024 presented by Canva are Official Water Partner FIJI Water, Premium Sponsor Apple Original Films, AMC Networks, First Entertainment Credit Union, Amazon MGM Studios and Netflix. AMC Networks is presenting this year’s AFI Conservatory Showcase scheduled for October 25.
This year’s In-Kind Sponsors include Panavision, Illuminar, Eventive, Ovation Hollywood, TCL Chinese Theatres, US Blanks, Cinegear and SirReel.
The Envelope by The Los Angeles Times is back as the festival’s Primary Media Partner and the Red Carpet Premieres Media Partner.
The Wall Street Journal, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and ABC7 On the Red Carpet are Official Media Partners.
Affiliate Media Partners include TheWrap, IndieWire, Screen International and KCRW.
The Official Media Partners and Affiliate Media Partners will each be presenting a dedicated Special Screening. The Wall Street Journal will present THE ORDER, Variety will present THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, The Hollywood Reporter will present SEPTEMBER 5, ABC7 On the Red Carpet will present NIGHTBITCH, TheWrap will present THE FIRE INSIDE, IndieWire will present I’M STILL HERE, Screen International will present BIRD and KCRW will present NICKEL BOYS.
This year’s Cultural Supporters include the European Languages and Movies in America (ELMA), SAGindie, Farhang Foundation, Japan House LA, Quebec Government Office, Spain Arts Villa Albertine, Consulate General of France in Los Angeles, Istituto Luce Cinecittà, Instituto Italiano de Cultura LA, Consulate General of Italy, Italian Trade Agency and Embassy of Spain.
This year’s Community Partners are African American Film Critics Association, Amoeba Music, Armenian Film Society, Asian American Media Alliance, Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience, Black Film Space, CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), Canadians Abroad, Cervantes of Los Angeles, Embassy of Spain, Film Fatales, Ghetto Film School, Goethe-Institut Los Angeles Association, Gold House, Greek LA Film Festival, Hollywood Brazilian Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, International Documentary Association, Japan Consulate, LA Filmforum, Lobos Boxing Club, Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition, NALIP (National Association of Latino Producers), New Filmmakers of LA, Queer Film LA, Rumble Boxing Gym West Hollywood, Science & Entertainment Exchange, South East European Film Festival, Trans Film Center, USC Center for Enthographic Media Arts, USC Women of Cinematic Arts, Visual Communications Media (VC Media) and Women in Film.
As previously announced, the festival will open with the World Premiere of MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS and close with the World Premiere of Clint Eastwood’s JUROR #2. Other Red Carpet Premieres section highlights include HERETIC starring Hugh Grant, the World Premiere of Robert Zemeckis’ HERE as the Centerpiece Screening, MARIA starring Angelina Jolie and the World Premiere of WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL. On Thursday, October 24, AFI will honor Robert Zemeckis with a Directors Spotlight, featuring an in-depth conversation between Zemeckis and Tom Hanks about his illustrious career. This event is free and open to the public subject to availability. Tickets must be reserved in advance and seating is not guaranteed.
To learn more about AFI FEST and to view the full festival lineup visit FEST.AFI.com
AFI is a nonprofit, donor-powered organization. Join AFI’s Premiere Circle to support the American Film Institute and enjoy access to FEST passes and exclusive one-of-a-kind opportunities at AFI FEST. To learn more, email Advancement@AFI.com.
About the American Film Institute (AFI)
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. The Conservatory, which counts Deniese Davis, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas and Rachel Morrison as Alumni, is ranked as one of the top film school in America. 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 presented by Canva and year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Maryland. AFI Movie Club is a destination for movie lovers from around the world to celebrate and engage with the art form every day. Other pioneering programs include workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive for Women. Read about all of these programs and more at AFI.com and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok.com/@americanfilminstitute and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.
About AFI FEST presented by Canva
Now in its 38th year, AFI FEST presented by Canva is a world-class event, showcasing the best films from across the globe. This year’s edition takes place in Los Angeles from October 23-27, 2024. With an innovative slate of programming, the five-day festival presents screenings, panels and conversations, featuring both master filmmakers and new cinematic voices. AFI FEST presented by Canva includes high-profile films with Q&As featuring the films’ cast and crew and a robust lineup of fiction and nonfiction features and shorts, providing a one-of-a-kind experience for movie fans. Additional information is available at FEST.AFI.com. Connect with AFI’s film festival at Facebook.com/AFIFEST, Twitter.com/AFIFEST, Instagram/AmericanFilmInstitute, TikTok/@AmericanFilmInstitute and YouTube.com/AFI.
About Canva
Launched in 2013, Canva is a free online visual communications and collaboration platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast range of templates ranging from presentations, documents, websites, social media graphics, posters, apparel to videos, plus a huge library of fonts, stock photography, illustrations, video footage, and audio clips, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful. Entertainment professionals can access resources to help them express their ideas, pitch film and TV projects, plan shoots and beyond at canva.com/entertainment.
The 27th edition of Dances With Films: LA returns June 20-30 with Los Angeles’ largest indie film-focused film festival. Adding a new co-presenting partnership with Outfest for additional LGBTQIA+ programming, a beefed-up Midnight Horror and Genre section, as well as continuing the celebration of music, dance, and family friendly programming in the Downbeat and Kidz sections, DWF: LA is set to deliver its most robust film schedule DWF has produced to date. That packed schedule will be bookended by the world premieres of Mahesh Pailoor’s heartfelt drama Paper Flowers as the Opening Night selection and Terre Weisman’s Max Dagan on Closing Night. All screenings will take place at the TCL Chinese Theatre (6925 Hollywood Blvd).
Since 1927, The TCL Chinese Theatre has been the home of the most important, star-powered red carpet movie premieres and special events, where Hollywood’s biggest and brightest talents have come to watch their movies. The most famous movie theatre on the globe is world-renowned for its unique forecourt of the stars, featuring cement hands and footprints of major movie stars, from Marilyn Monroe to Brad Pitt, and numerous stars from all eras of Hollywood. In 2013, the main theatre was relaunched as the world’s largest IMAX® theatre.
Make no mistake about it, Dances With Films truly is a “discovery” film festival. Yes, there is the occasional former Oscar nominee in the mix, but no – there are no “name” directors, per se. As opposed to some major market film festivals where several famous directors could dress up a home movie and it would still get programmed, DWF brings top fresh talent from all over the world to L.A. in droves.
And Dances With Films: LA (which we must specify now because they also have a very successful NYC version) is sitting on top of the film festival heap as the largest in Los Angeles. If you had ever attended DWF the past couple of years and been in the Chinese Theatre lobby, you’d see crowds to rival anything at any other big market fest. Seriously, it’s crazy in terms of the number of people filing into (often sold out) screenings, scores of filmmakers doing photos and interviews on their orange (red) carpets, and some man or woman on a microphone/bullhorn trying to direct them all. It’s a “scene”.
All this comes at a time when several stalwart/larger fests across the country are struggling and very close to closing shop. However, Dances With Films is thriving and offering a prime example and template as to how film festivals can continue to grow, be relevant, usher in the next generation of filmmakers, and compete with multiplex films when it comes to putting butts in seats by creating an exciting film going experience for all audiences (not just the hardcore indie cinephiles).
Look at these numbers: Among DWF: LA’s lineup of 232 films, including 38 narrative features, 17 documentary features, 25 television and streaming pilots, and 152 short films (101 narrative and 20 documentaries, 13 KIdz section, 18 Downbeat/Music), are an impressive number of films (117!) making world, international, North American, or U.S. premieres. That number includes 24 narrative features, 10 documentary features, 69 narrative shorts, 22 documentary shorts (including Downbeat), and 15 pilots which will have world premiere screenings at the Chinese Theater this week and next.
Thursday, June 20 features the World Premiere Opening Night presentation of Mahesh Pailoor’s Paper Flowers. Based on a true story, the film follows the poignant and inspirational journey of an ambitious USC graduate whose dream of making a difference as a Peace Corps volunteer is halted by a cancer diagnosis. Forced to return home and undergo treatment, he is immediately faced with the question “What is the true meaning of life when faced with limited time?” The international cast includes Kapil Talwalkar, Olivia Liang, Karan Soni, Faran Tahir, Meera Simhan, and Tom Everett Scott.
Sunday, June 30, DWF offers another world premiere as its Closing Night selection, Terre Weisman’s Max Dagan. The film follows the title character’s efforts to race against time to free his terminally ill father from prison following his conviction for the manslaughter of a California State Trooper. To do so, he’ll need to uncover the truth about what really happened, open old wounds, and somehow get the help of his estranged uncle and the daughter of the dead trooper, to find evidence that could set his father free. The impressive cast includes Rob Morrow, Zachary Gordon, Michael Madsen, Rob Brownstein, Lindsey Dresbach, Lisa Roumain, and Jay Mohr.
Additional narrative feature films making their world premieres are Nida Chowdhry’s surreal dark comedy Anxious. about a woman whose anxiety attack sends her down a rabbit hole where she meets versions of herself who take over her life. Verner Maldonado’s dark comedy Best Man Dead Man takes place during a bachelor party in the middle of nowhere which quickly turns into a night of murder and mystery when the best man ends up with a knife in his head. Everyone is a suspect and only an eccentric private eye can solve the crime. Kerry Ann Enright’s Nobody Wants to Shoot a Woman is a stark, intimate, yet unsentimental portrait of a mother marginalized by society who embraces a violent crime spree as a means to survive. Another title to look for will be Stimson Snead’s Tim Travers & The Time Travelers Paradox. Making its Southern California premiere, the Sci-Fi comedy is about a reclusive mad scientist who creates a time machine to kill his younger self to create the paradox over his ability to exist in a mission to stand alone with God at the end of time and tell the bastard off. The film features a cast of favorites including Samuel Dunning, Felicia Day, Joel McHale, Danny Trejo, and Keith David.
On the LGBTQIA+ programming front, David Beck and Jennifer Bobbi’s Regarding Us is an Outfest co-presented selection about a transgender woman who has a profound impact on the lives of two children after losing her teaching career. Nayip Anthony Garcia’s Almost Popular follows two high school juniors who go on a quest to fulfill their dream to become part of the elite POP Girls who rule the school. Parker Brennon’s queer horror anthology Hauntology is framed by a young woman taking her 12-year-old sister with runaway aspirations (on a journey around town, where she tells supernatural tales in which characters have more in common with the youngster than they first realize.
Once again, Dances With Films will please fans of horror and genre fare with its Midnight section of films led by four features making their world premieres. In Kevin Mix’s Death Perception, a group of college students at a screening party for a short film made by an aspiring filmmaker begin to get picked off one by one by a mysterious masked killer. Matt Warren’s Delicate Arch centers on four young friends who take a camping trip to Southern Utah in order to escape an ecological disaster. Alone in the desert, they soon realize they’re being observed by a mysterious cosmic force. Jeff Wolfe’s psychological thriller Mourning Rock stars Billy Burke as a state park ranger who, along with his wife, struggles to come to terms with their missing teenage son while dealing with a local mystery that questions their relationship. Craig Ouellette’s Straight On Till Morning follow a young couple falling for each other on a romantic road-trip — until they cross paths with a pious couple who have something much, much darker in mind.
Highlights among the feature-length documentaries making world premieres include Sarah Schoellkopf, Jayson McNamara, Francisco Villa, and Melissa Daniels Norita, Executive produced by Jane Fonda, the film takes viewers on a gripping journey through Argentina’s tumultuous history, where Norita’s personal tragedy becomes a catalyst for change. Featured in the Downbeat section, and filmed almost entirely on iPhones, Eryl Cochran’s Dance As You Are is a playful documentary following 100 strangers from around Los Angeles as they come together to form adult dance teams for a recital. Razieme Iborra’s How the West Was One focuses on three unconventional cowgirls as they reshape our vision of the American West. Rebecca Corry’s Saving Jones looks at the filmmaker’s dedication to educating, advocating, and saving the lives of pit bulls, who are arguably the most abused, discriminated against and murdered dogs on earth. Oscar-winner Bill Guttentag’s latest, Spyral, tells the tragic true story of the toll that bipolarism and drug abuse takes on a woman’s life and her family via a decade of home videos, diaries, and social media.
Notable in the film festival world for the screening and promotion of television, web series pilots, and episodics, Dances With Films also has a healthy number of world premieres in this section.Elizabeth Cox and Kirill Yeretsky’s animated entry Ada focuses on the title character as she heads to the first day of her new job at the public library. She’s got A LOT on her mind, but soon realizes her daily reality–mundane duties, grumpy boss–is completely at odds with the urgency she feels about the pressing problems facing humanity. Dave Seger’s George of Tujunga introduces us to a small-town moron who has his perfectly meaningless life upended when his eight-year-old niece shows up at his door with nowhere else to go. Jason Lee Courson’s Seeking… centers on the growing pains of becoming a “chosen family” when three roommates (2 gay men, 1 straight man) all from different backgrounds, learn to cohabitate and navigate love and life in the big city. Brian Wallace and James Longley’s World Twistories explores eccentric people and their offbeat ideas throughout history. Presented by Tik-Tok sensation Paul Longley, the pilot episode looks at a coffee shop that opened in London in 1703 where you were required to speak Latin to get your coffee.
Along with a lineup of films overflowing with invention and innovation, Dances With Films’ short films also are spiced with several recognizable faces and names, including Russell Goldman’s Burn Out, which is executive produced by Jamie Lee Curtis and stars Tommie Earl Jenkins (Wednesday), Eli Vidis Newman’s Concrete, which stars four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris, Kestrin Pantera’s Dr. No Means No, which stars comedy duo The Sklar Brothers, and Breeda Wool (The Walking Dead), Mike Harris’ Mecánica, which stars Haley Joel Osment, and Olivia Sandoval (Fargo), and Danny Farber’s Thoughts and Prayers, which is executive produced by Amy Poehler.
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has closed after another successful run from February 8th to February 18th, 2023. In all, SBIFF showcased 52 world premiere films as well as 78 US premieres! Official events included screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre.
The Opening Night Film, Wednesday, February 8, featured the WORLD Premiere of MIRANDA’S VICTIM, a biographical crime drama, directed by Michelle Danner and starring Abigail Breslin, Ryan Phillippe, Luke Wilson, Donald Sutherland, Mireille Enos and Andy Garcia.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 09: Angela Bassett speaks onstage at the Montecito Award Ceremony during the 38th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at The Arlington Theatre on February 09, 2023 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for SBIFF)
Without missing a beat,the following evening SBIFF feted Angela Bassett, who incidentally is nominated for Best Supporting Oscar for this year’s performance in Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER directed by Ryan Coogler from Disney Studios. Bassett received the festival’s Montecito Award. The Montecito Award is named after one of the most beautiful and stylish areas in SantaBarbara. Past recipients include Penélope Cruz, Amanda Seyfried, Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts and Javier Bardem.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 10: Honoree Cate Blanchett poses with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award during the 38th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Arlington Theatre on February 10, 2023 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF)
On Friday, February 10th, the SBIFF Filmmaker Seminars kicked off with a timely topic of Overcoming Adversity/Fight the Power: Documentary Activism at Work at 11:00 am at Tamsen Gallery at 911 1/2 State Street across from the Fiesta 5 Theatre. The new and improved free film format (daily) screened TÁR, directed by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett, at 2:00 pm at the Arlington Theatre. Blanchett’s performance in TAR has a strong chance of landing the actress her third Academy Award. Consequently, SBIFF honored Blanchett with its OUTSTANDING PERFORMER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
The morning of Saturday, February 11th, brought out the Writers Panel featuring The Daniels (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Todd Field (Tár), Kazuo Ishiguro (Living), Rian Johnson (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery), Tony Kushner (The Fabelmans), Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), Ruben Östlund (Triangle of Sadness), Lesley Paterson (All Quiet on the Western Front), Sarah Polley (Women Talking).
The afternoon brought the Women’s Panel with Anne Alvergue – Director (The Martha Mitchell Effect), Ruth E. Carter – Costume Designer (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever),Hannah Minghella – Producer (The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse), Domee Shi – Director (Turning Red), Gwendolyn Yates Whittle – Sound Editor (Avatar: The Way of Water),Mary Zophres – Costume Designer (Babylon).
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 11: Jamie Lee Curtis speaks at the Maltin Modern Master Award ceremony during the 38th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at Arlington Theatre on February 11, 2023 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for SBIFF)
In the evening, SBIFF hosted the Maltin Modern Master Award honoring Jamie Lee Curtis. The Modern Master Award was established in 1995 and is the highest accolade presented by SBIFF. Created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry, it was re-named the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015 in honor of long-time SBIFF moderator and renowned film critic Leonard Maltin. Past recipients include Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, Bill Murray, Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Bruce Dern, Ben Affleck, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, George Clooney and Peter Jackson.
Sunday morning, February 12th, brought out the Producers Panel, 11:00am at the Arlington Theatre featuring Gail Berman (Elvis), Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun: Maverick), Todd Field (Tár), Dede Gardner (Women Talking), Malte Grunert (All Quiet on the Western Front), Erik Hemmendorff (Triangle of Sadness), Kristie Macosko Krieger (The Fabelmans), Jon Landau (Avatar: The Way of Water), Jonathan Wang (Everything Everywhere All at Once).
Sunday afternoon highlighted the International Directors Panel, 2:00pm at the Arlington Theatre with Colm Bairéad (The Quiet Girl), Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), Lukas Dhont (Close), Santiago Mitre (Argentina, 1985), Jerzy Skolimowski (Eo).
On Monday February 13th, the Filmmaker Seminar “Say it Loud: How Under-Represented Voices Get Heard,” featured Maureen Bharoocha, Director (The Prank) Alison Millar, Director (Lyra) Caylee So, Director (The Harvest) Victor Nunez, Director (Rachel Hendrix) Angie Wang, Juror (Director, MDMA (2017)).
The Daily Free Filmfeatured David Crosby: Remember My Name – 2:00pm @ Arlington Theatre. The screening was followed by a Q&A with Director A.J. Eaton.
In the evening the Variety Artisans Award, took place at the Arlington Theatre, recognizing M. M. Keeravaani – Songwriter (RRR), Son Lux – Composer (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Catherine Martin – Costume Designer (Elvis), Florencia Martin – Production Designer (Babylon), Claudio Miranda – Cinematography (Top Gun: Maverick), Adrien Morot – Hairstyling/Make Up (The Whale), Paul Rogers – Editing (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Eric Saindon – VFX (Avatar: The Way of Water), Sound Team (All Quiet on the Western Front).
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 14: Brendan Fraser receives the American Riviera Awardonstage at the American Riviera Award Ceremony during the 38th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Arlington Theatre on February 14, 2023 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for SBIFF)
On Tuesday, Brendan Fraser was honored with the American Riviera Award and an in-person conversation about his career, leading up to this year’s performance as Charlie in the A24 film THE WHALE, a story from Darren Aranofsky, of a reclusive English teacher living with severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption.
The American Riviera Award was established to recognize actors who have made a significant contribution to American Cinema. Previous recipients include Kristen Stewart, Delroy Lindo, Renée Zellweger, Viggo Mortenson, Sam Rockwell, Jeff Bridges, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Robert Redford, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Annette Bening, Sandra Bullock, Mickey Rourke, Tommy Lee Jones, Forrest Whitaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane.
Wednesday brought The Virtuosos, moderated by Deadline’s Dave Karger, and featured AUSTIN BUTLER (ELVIS), KERRY CONDON (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN), DANIELLE DEADWYLER (TILL), NINA HOSS (TÁR), STEPHANIE HSU (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE), JEREMY POPE (THE INSPECTION), KE HUY QUAN (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE), JEREMY STRONG (ARMAGEDDON TIME). The VirtuososAward is an honor created to recognize a select group of talent whose noteworthy performances in film have elevated them into the national cinematic dialogue.
Thursday, Colin Farrell & Brendan Gleeson, received the Cinema Vanguard Award, presented by Director Martin McDonagh. The CinemaVanguardAward recognizes actors who have forged their own path, taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film.
Colin Farrell has had a distinguished career of nearly twenty-plus years in film and television. He can be seen in Warner Bros.’ The Batman for director Matt Reeves; in the MGM film Thirteen Lives for director Ron Howard; in the BBC / AMC drama “The North Water”; and After Yang which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and also made its North American debut at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Farrell was most recently seen in Tim Burton’s 2019 live action film Dumbo and Fox’s 2018 ensemble feature Widows, directed by Steve McQueen and co-starring Viola Davis. In 2017, Farrell made his second film with Yorgos Lanthimos, The Killing of the Sacred Deer opposite Nicole Kidman for A24. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival along with Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled in which he also starred with Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning, and Kirsten Dunst. That same year, he appeared opposite Denzel Washington in the Sony film Roman Israel, Esq., written and directed by Dan Gilroy.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 16: Honorees Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson pose with their Cinema Vanguard Awards during the 38th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Arlington Theatre on February 16, 2023 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF)
A former teacher, Dublin-born Brendan Gleeson left the profession to pursue a career in his first love – acting. He joined the Irish theater company Passion Machine and has since starred on the stage, in films, and on television, winning fans and awards worldwide. Other recent films include: The Coen Brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs for Netflix; Hampstead, opposite Diane Keaton; Paddington 2 also starring Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins, and Julie Walters; Trespass Against Us opposite Michael Fassbender; Vincent Perez’s Alone in Berlin opposite Emma Thompson; Assassin’s Creed once again with Michael Fassbender; the Warner Bros. Ben Affleck Live By Night; Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea; and Suffragette opposite Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep, once again winning the BIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor.
The next evening, Martin McDonagh (The Banshees Of Inisherin) and Todd Field (Tár) were honored as the Best Directors of the Year. Scott Feinberg, Executive Editor of Awards at the Hollywood Reporter hosted the evening.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 17: (L-R) Todd Field, Martin McDonagh and Scott Feinberg speak onstage at the Outstanding Directors of the Year Award Ceremony during the 38th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at the Arlington Theatre on February 17, 2023 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for SBIFF)
After a clip from The Banshees of Inisherin, director Martin McDonagh stated that although he started out with plays, McDonagh noted that he always would’ve preferred to do movies, as those were his great love. In fact, McDonagh never had a great fondness for theater, finding that plays could be somewhat dull. So, when he started writing plays, he tried to take them as far from dullness as he could, attempting to infuse as much cinematic character as possible. When McDonagh made the jump to film, his biggest fear was making films that could be seen as playlike, being overly wordy or limited in scope.
Field, on the other hand, talked about his original interest in music, after a clip from Tar, and how working at a movie theater caused him to fall in love with the medium. Even so, he originally intended to pursue music in school, though he followed a girl into theater. Field stated that he had the character of Lydia Tár running around his head for years.
After ten days, the 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival came to a close with the U.S Premiere of “I LIKE MOVIES.”
I Like Movies
In closing, while last year, SBIFF had its triumphant return to in-person screenings, panels, and events with 48 world premier and 95 U.S. premieres, this year’s SBIFF expanded its free screenings and its run back to its more recent fare of ten days of film with 52 world premieres and 78 U.S. premieres. In addition, with the American Film Institute’s Hollywood AFI FEST and AFI DOCS combining into a very truncated five days of film, SBIFF was able to attract pre-eminnent filmmakers such as Barbara Kopple (an AFI DOCS Board member). Furthermore, with the world famous Sundance Film Festival being laser-focused on first-time filmmakers (over 50% of its 2023 programming was devoted to first-time filmmakers), and underserved filmmakers, SBIFF was also able to attract film wizardry from Gabriela Cowperthwaite and her riveting geopolitical documentary, The Grab, featuring investigative reporter, Nathan Halverson of the non-profit, Center for Investigative Reporting.
SBIFF Q&A with Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite (center) and Investigative Reporter Mathan Halverson (left) following the screening of The Grab, a geopolitical documentary on “the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet.” (Photo cr. Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
SBIFF’s Programming Director Claudia Puig summed it up by saying, “This 38th edition of the SantaBarbara International FilmFestival drew filmmakers from as far as Turkey, India, Israel, and Sierra Leone, half of whom were women. We were delighted with the enthusiastic reception to our diverse program of 200 films from 43 countries. Cinema is one of the most powerful vehicles for empathy, providing a window of understanding to all who seek to look through it. We thank the filmmakers in attendance and our avid SantaBarbara audience for so heartily embracing the festival experience. Several films prompted standing ovations and packed theaters, marking 2023 a full-throttled return to celebrating cinema from around the globe.”
An eclectic jury composed of Angie Wang, Antonio Marziale, Christina Birro, Elizabeth Marighetto, Gwen Deglise, Jean Oppenheimer, Jeff Arch, Lela Meadow Conner, Leslie Ekker, Margy Rochlin, Nicole Noren, Perry Lang, Robert Abele, Steven Raphael, Tim Cogshell, and Tim Matheson, deemed the following films award worthy:
Audience Choice Award sponsored by The SantaBarbara Independent: 26.2 TO LIFE Directed by Christine Yoo
Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema: I LIKE MOVIES Directed by Chandler Levack
Jeffrey C. Barbakow Award – Best International Feature Film: A MAN (ARU OTOKO) Directed by Kei Ishikawa
Best Documentary Award: A BUNCH OF AMATEURS Directed by Kim Hopkins
Nueva Vision Award for Spain/Latin America Cinema: MANUELA Directed by Clara Cullen
Best Middle Eastern/Israeli Film Award: THE TASTE OF APPLES IS RED (TA’AM AL TUFAH, AHMAR) Directed by Ehab Tarabieh
Best Nordic Film Award: SUMMERLIGHT AND THEN COMES THE NIGHT (SUMARLJÓS OG SVO KEMUR NÓTTIN) Directed by Elfar Aðalsteins
Social Justice Award for Documentary Film: BLACK MAMBAS Directed by Lena Karbe
ADL Stand Up Award, sponsored by ADL SantaBarbara/Tri-Counties, the Skinner Social Impact Fund, and Steve & Cindy Lyons: THE QUIET GIRL (AN CAILÍN CIÚIN) Directed by Colm Bairéad
Best Documentary Short Film Award: NOWHERE TO GO BUT EVERYWHERE (行き止まりのむこう側) Directed by Masako Tsumura, Erik Shirai
Bruce Corwin Award – Best Live-Action Short Film: THE MOISTURE (RUTUBET) Directed by Turan Haste
*Now eligible for the 2024 Academy Awards
Bruce Corwin Award – Best Animated Short Film: EPICENTER (소문의 진원지) Directed by Heeyoon Hahm
*Now eligible for the 2024 Academy Awards
This years films (and Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies), in my opinion, were the crux of what makes the Santa Barbara Film Festival the massively successful community event that it is. Santa Barbara has historically been a Hollywood film premiere town hearkening back to the silent film era. And, Roger Durling, the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival for two decades now, has been able to tap into this zeitgeist over and over again while making the festival more accessible to Santa Barbarans and more inclusive to all ranks of filmmakers. Until next year, I’ll see you at the movies!
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 18: SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling speaks at the Awards Breakfast during the 38th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at El Encanto on February 18, 2023 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF)
About the SantaBarbara International FilmFestival
The SantaBarbara International FilmFestival (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 SantaBarbara community through film.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community throughout 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 SantaBarbara on State Street to serve as a home for its many educational programs and a place for creativity and learning.
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.
The 13th TCM Classic Film Festival got underway with a full day of events, films, and talks. Kicking it all off was the “Meet TCM,” an event designed specifically to share staffer insight into the network, how it’s produced and what is coming up. In addition, the wildly popular, “So You Think You Know Movies,” was filled to the rafters at the Roosevelt Hotel as movie buffs and film fanatics battled it out in this fun-filled annual quiz competition headed up by Bruce Goldstein, founder of Rialto Pictures and the repertory program director of New York’s Film Forum. The Opening Night Reception this year was held poolside at the Hollywood Roosevelt. And without further adieu, the 40th anniversary of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX officially opened the 2022 festival.
Check out some of the highlights!
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 21: (L-R) President of Kids, Young Adults, and Classics for Warner Bros. Entertainment Tom Ascheim, Chairman and Chief Content Officer, U.S. Networks Group, for Warner Bros. Discovery Kathleen Finch, special guest Steven Spielberg, General Manager of Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon, and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz attend the 40th Anniversary Screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” during Opening Night at the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on April 21, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TCM)
Opening Night screening of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” featuring a conversation with director Steven Spielberg
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 21: <> on April 21, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TCM)
Film historian and author Cari Beauchamp celebrates the 90th anniversary of “The Jewel Robbery” with a sold-out screening
TCM host Dave Karger and special guest Topher Grace speak at the screening of Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Poolside at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, California.
Special guest Topher Grace and TCM host Dave Karger attend the poolside screening of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”
Stay tuned for Day 2 including the Lily Tomlin hand and footprint ceremony!
Larry Gleeson attends the hand and footprint ceremony for Lily Tomlin at the TCL Chinese Theatre during Day 2 of the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival.
Today’s AFI Movie Club pick is a madcap (screwball comedy) story of a boy, a girl, and a leopard, BRINGING UP BABY (1938) features Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant – both ranked by AFI among the greatest screen legends of all time. The film alsoappears on AFI’s lists of the greatest American films – both the original iteration and the 10th-anniversary edition – as well as among the greatest filmed comedies and love stories of all time. Although not truly a remake, the 1972 film What’s Up Doc?, starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal, was inspired by Bringing Up Baby, according to interviews with its director, Peter Bogdanovich. In 2007 Bringing Up Baby was ranked 88th on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies–10th Anniversary Edition list of the greatest American films, moving up from the 97th position it held on AFI’s 1997 list. Available for Screening on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Google Play among others such as Microsoft, Vudu, and iTunes. Until next time, I’ll see you at the movies!
About AFI Movie Club
AFI has created a global, virtual gathering of those who love the movies. As a non-profit, AFI Movie Club is a member-powered organization, dependent upon the support of its movie fans. To support AFI Movie Club please consider becoming a member or donating. AFI Movie Club was launched as a free program to raise the nation’s spirits by bringing artists and audiences together. AFI shines a spotlight on an iconic movie each day. Audiences can “gather” at AFI.com/MovieClub to find out how to watch the featured movie of the day with the use of their preexisting streaming service credentials. (Source: AFI News Release)
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)
TCM to Honor Lily Tomlin with Hand and Footprint Ceremony and
Leonard Maltin with Robert Osborne Award
Additional Titles Announced for 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival in
Hollywood, April 21-24, 2022
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) today announced it will honor iconic actress and comedian LilyTomlin with a hand and footprint ceremony in the courtyard of the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatre Imax® in Hollywood during the 13thTCM Classic Film Festival on Friday, April 22. 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. Festival passes for the annual event are currently on sale, with Early Bird pricing in place until December 10th.
In conjunction with the honors at the event, Maltin will introduce a screening of Counsellor at Law (1933) starring John Barrymore during the festival. Fans can also enjoy screenings of newly announced titles – After the Thin Man (1936), Hail the Conquering Hero (1944), Force of Evil (1948), Baby Face (1933), and The Slender Thread (1965).
“I am thrilled that the TCM Classic Film Festival will be returning to Hollywood in 2022 and that we’ll have the opportunity to celebrate these two legitimate legends in person,” said Ben Mankiewicz, TCM primetime anchor and official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. “Lily Tomlin’s work has endured for decades because she brings a consistent joyous authenticity and richness to every character she plays. She pulls it off whether she’s performing sketch comedy on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In; working inside an ensemble cast in Robert Altman’s Nashville; trying to sneak a dead body out of a hospital with Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton in 9 to 5; reinventing herself in Grace and Frankie; or breaking new ground in her innovative one-woman show, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” Mankiewicz said. “And Leonard Maltin continues to be an indispensable source of film knowledge. His books were IMDB and Wikipedia in the pre-internet age. If you didn’t have a copy – or six – of Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide, you weren’t a serious film buff. He made information about movies accessible and compelling to millions of fans. I know because I was one.”
Tomlin, a Tony®, Grammy®, eight-time Emmy®, and two-time Peabody Award® winner, has had a remarkable career starting in the 1960s starring in cinematic classics, television staples, and on stage. This marks the tenth year TCM has featured a hand and footprint ceremony at the legendary TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®. In 2011, Peter O’Toole was the honoree, followed by Kim Novak in 2012, Jane Fonda in 2013, Jerry Lewis in 2014, Christopher Plummer in 2015, Francis Ford Coppola in 2016, Carl and Rob Reiner in 2017, Cicely Tyson in 2018, and Billy Crystal in 2019.
Maltin is best known for his widely-used reference work Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide and its companion volume Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide, as well as his 30-year run on television’s Entertainment Tonight. He teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and hosts the weekly podcast “Maltin on Movies” with his daughter Jessie.
The Robert Osborne Award was established at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival in honor of the first primetime host and anchor of TCM, who helped millions of viewers discover and enter the world of classic movies, and dedicated his life to preserving and sharing the movies he loved. Past awards have been presented to Martin Scorsese and Kevin Brownlow.
Tomlin and Maltin were announced to receive these honors at the 2020 TCM Classic Film Festival, which was canceled due to the pandemic. To learn more, please visit tcm.com/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. For the latest news and information, follow us on social at #TCMFF.
This year’s theme is “All Together Now: Back to the Big Screen.” In 2022, reunite with fellow fans, the movies, the memories, the stars, and the glamour. It’s all back live and in person, just as it should be, and where it all began in Hollywood. From high school reunions to homecomings, TCM will celebrate milestones from the past as we look forward to making new memories together.
About Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin, one of America’s foremost comediennes, continues to venture across an ever-widening range of media, starring in television, theater, motion pictures, animation, video, and social media. Throughout her extraordinary career, Tomlin has received numerous awards, including eight Emmys, with 25 primetime and five daytime nominations; a Tony for her one-woman Broadway show, Appearing Nitely; a second Tony for Best Actress, a Drama Desk Award, and an Outer Critics’ Circle Award for her one-woman performance in Jane Wagner’s The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe; a CableAce Award for Executive Producing the film adaptation of The Search; a Grammy for her comedy album, This is a Recording as well as nominations for her subsequent albums Modern Scream, And That’s the Truth, and On Stage; and two Peabody Awards–the first for the ABC television special, Edith Ann’s Christmas (Just Say Noël), and the second for narrating and executive producing the HBO film, The Celluloid Closet. In 2003, she received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and, in December 2014, was the recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in Washington DC.
About Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is one of the world’s most respected film critics and historians. He is best known for his widely-used reference work Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide and its companion volume Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide, as well as his 30-year run on television’s Entertainment Tonight. He teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, appears regularly on Turner Classic Movies, and hosts the weekly podcast “Maltin on Movies” with his daughter Jessie. His latest book is Starstruck: My Unlikely Road to Hollywood; others include Hooked on Hollywood, The 151 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons, andThe Great Movie Comedians, The Disney Films, and The Art of the Cinematographer. He served two terms as President of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association was appointed by the Librarian of Congress to sit on the Board of Directors of the National Film Preservation Foundation. He hosted and co-produced the popular Walt Disney Treasures DVD series and has appeared on innumerable television programs and documentaries. He is the recipient of awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, American Society of Cinematographers, the Telluride Film Festival, George Eastman House, Anthology Film Archives and San Diego’s Comic-Con International. Perhaps the pinnacle of his career was his appearance in a now-classic episode of South Park. (Or was it Carmela consulting his Movie Guide on an episode of The Sopranos?) He holds court at leonardmaltin.com. Follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
About the TCL Chinese Theatres
Since 1927, The TCL Chinese Theatre has been the home of the most important, star-powered red carpet movie premieres and special events, where Hollywood’s biggest and brightest talents have come to watch their movies. The most famous movie theatre on the globe is world-renowned for its unique forecourt of the stars, featuring cement hands and footprints of major movie stars, from Marilyn Monroe to Brad Pitt, and numerous stars from all eras of Hollywood. In 2013, the main theatre was relaunched as the world’s largest IMAX® theatre.
Jane Campion’s latest work, The Power of the Dog, screened as part of a Red Carpet Premiere at the historic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood California, during the American Film Institute’s AFI FEST 2021, on Thursday, November 11th. Campion is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. She is the second of seven women ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and the first female filmmaker to receive the Palme d’Or; both of these achievements came for The Piano (1993).
Kodi Smit-McPhee – AFI FEST 2021 Red Carpet Premiere Screening of THE POWER OF THE DOG, TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Nov. 11, 2021 – Photo Credit: John Salangsang/AFI/Shutterstock
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
Director Jane Campion – AFI FEST 2021 Red Carpet Premiere Screening of THE POWER OF THE DOG, TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Nov. 11, 2021 – Photo Credit: John Salangsang/AFI/Shutterstock
Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jane Campion, Kirsten Dunst and Benedict Cumberbatch – AFI FEST 2021 Red Carpet Premiere Screening of THE POWER OF THE DOG, TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Nov. 11, 2021 – Photo Credit: John Salangsang/AFI/Shutterstock
DirectKathryn Hahn – AFI FEST 2021 Red Carpet Premiere Screening of THE POWER OF THE DOG, TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles, California, Nov. 11, 2021 – Photo Credit: John Salangsang/AFI/Shutterstock
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
The Power of the Dog, written and directed by Campion, is set in 1925 Montana and circles around two well-off brothers who own an influential ranching operation. The Burbank brothers, played by Jesse Plemons and Benedict Cumberbatch, come across as polar opposites. Phil Burbank, played by Cumberbatch, is an infamous Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale University who prefers the daily grind of working the ranch with the hired hands. Cumberbatch brings a deep dark presence to the character in what might be his best performance to date. Plemmons plays Gordon Burbank, the slower, mild-mannered younger brother, embodying a ranch gentleman with grace and style. Kirsten Dunst portrays Rose Gordon, a compelling love interest as a saloon-style restaurant owner who serves dinners to the locals with her son, Peter, portrayed by Kodi Smith-McPhee in a breakout performance.
While The Power of the Dog is set in Montana, the actual film location is New Zealand – adding a surreal quality. And, Campion’s writing matches it full force. The twists and turns in the dramatic, psychological, roller-coaster ride narrative combined with Cumberbatch’s powerful, dark character portrayal set the audience on the edge of their seats and their eyes fixed on the big screen. Undoubtedly, Campion is in the mix for her second Oscar for screenwriting and appears to be in the mix for a directorial nod as well.
Q & A, on November 11th, 2021, following the screening of The Power of the Dog, inside Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre. (Photo by Larry Gleeson/HollywoodGlee)
Following the screening, a fun-filled Q & A unfolded as the film’s actors, editor, cinematographer, and director sparred, cajoled, and informed under the watchful eye of moderator Hahn as she effectively marshaled the energies of The Power of the Dog conversation. The Power of the Dog, set for a December 1st, 2021, release date, is a magnificent and majestic work tantalizing and titillating – a bonafide Oscar contender for now – in multiple categories! Highly recommended. One of the year’s best films!
(Source: AFI News Release)
