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AFI Announces the Directors Selected for the AFI DWW+ Class of 2026

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

AFI ANNOUNCES THE DIRECTORS SELECTED FOR THE
AFI DWW+ CLASS OF 2026

Award-winning Filmmaker Marie Jamora Named Guest Artistic Director

Alums Include Lesli Linka Glatter, Siân Heder, Dime Davis, Cicely Tyson, Lee Grant, Gandja Monteiro, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Maya Angelou and More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, February 13, 2025 – Today, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced the filmmakers selected for the AFI DWW+ Class of 2026. Founded in 1974 as the Directing Workshop for Women, AFI DWW+ is a tuition-free year-long directing program, open to all applicants, that supports emerging narrative filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. The short films will premiere at the annual DWW+ Showcase in Spring 2026.

The artists selected for the AFI DWW+ Class of 2026 are Ragini Bhasin, Reena Dutt, Maja Fernqvist, Melissa Fisher, Ran Jing, Eunice Levis, Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz and Destinee Stewart.

The eight participants demonstrate a passion for visual storytelling, the tenacity to pursue a directorial career and a willingness to learn and grow, among other program requirements. Each participant went through a rigorous selection process and were ultimately selected from 20 finalists who met with the Final Selection Committee.

AFI also announced that Marie Jamora (AFI DWW Class of 2020) has been named the AFI DWW+ Guest Artistic Director for the Class of 2026.

“For over 50 years, AFI DWW+ has had a meaningful impact on the industry,” said Susan Ruskin, Dean of the AFI Conservatory and Executive Vice President of the American Film Institute. “We are honored that AFI DWW+ Alum and trailblazing director, Marie Jamora, will be guiding the new cohort as they create their films and showcase their unique visions. We look forward to watching the Class of 2026 flourish as directors and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.”

“AFI’s DWW changed my life – the short film that I produced in the program became my calling card that launched me into the television directing career I aspired to,” said Jamora. “The filmmakers in my class are not just my dearest friends, we continue to provide each other with support and feedback in our ongoing projects. I’m honored to be able to give back to the program that gave me so much, to design the curriculum setting up this amazing new cohort for success. Now more than ever, we need to elevate voices like theirs to contribute to the film industry that we all love and grew up dreaming about.”

Born and raised in Manila, Jamora is an award-winning filmmaker who has directed countless films and television programs, including episodes of FIRE COUNTRY, THE CLEANING LADY and QUEEN SUGAR. Most recently, she directed an episode of the MATLOCK reboot starring Academy Award® and Emmy® winner Kathy Bates. Her short film, FLIP THE RECORD, won the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short at Urbanworld and was shortlisted for the 90th Academy Awards®. Her first feature, WHAT ISN’T THERE, premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival. Jamora also produced and directed a project for Ava DuVernay, created for Starz. After two decades of filmmaking and teaching in the Philippines, she has taught at the AFI Conservatory and Sundance Co//ab. She is one of the leaders of the DGA’s Women’s Steering Committee’s Squad Mentorship program, the founder of the non-profit community organization Cinema Sala, and proudly one of the few Filipinos in the Directors Guild of America.

Jamora will act as a mentor for the DWW+ participants throughout the production cycle and industry showcase and oversee and direct the artistic curriculum, which is taught by film and television professionals working at top levels within the industry, as well as experienced Faculty from the AFI Conservatory.

As one of the longest-running and preeminent film and television workshops nationwide, AFI DWW+ has trained hundreds of artists whose directorial work has entertained global audiences and defined our collective cultural landscape. Distinguished Alums of the AFI DWW+ program include Maya Angelou, Anne Bancroft, Neema Barnette, Pippa Bianco, Tessa Blake, Tricia Brock, Ellen Burstyn, Rebecca Cammisa, Dyan Cannon, Dime Davis, Jan Eliasberg, Naomi Foner, Jennifer Getzinger, Lesli Linka Glatter, Lyn Goldfarb, Randa Haines, Siân Heder,  Victoria Hochberg, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Matia Karrell, Maggie Kiley, Lynne Littman, Nancy Malone, Gandja Monteiro, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro, Becky Smith, Cicely Tyson and Joanne Woodward. View full list of 350+ AFI DWW Alums here.

 

About the AFI DWW+ Class of 2026:

Ragini Bhasin

Ragini Bhasin is a South Asian writer/director and graduate of Chapman University film school who specializes in everyday thrillers and socially conscious films told with a feminist lens. Her shorts have screened at several Oscar®-qualifying festivals, including two recent shorts opening at Palm Springs ShortFest. Her films have also been featured in The Wrap’s ShortList festival, selected as Vimeo Staff Pick, and distributed by ARTE Channel, ShortsTV, Argo Channel and PBS. She received the Meredith MacRae Memorial Award from WIF, was a BAFTA Newcomer (2021–2024), won the 2022 Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge hosted by CAPE and Janet Yang Productions, and was a 2023 Film Independent’s Project Involve Directing fellow.

Reena Dutt

Reena Dutt is dedicated to new and reimagined texts that catapult polarizing conversations through unexpected stories of the underheard. Her short film, FOUND is being used to start conversations within the transracial adoptee community, and TOO MANY BODIES was supported by NoRAnow.org and Survivors Empowered, advocating for gun reform. As a producer, her films have been screened at over 80 festivals including Sundance, Outfest, SF Dance and Frameline. She was a past producing fellow with SFFilm, TAP and Film Independent. Dutt is also a theater director working regionally in the USA and her next production opens in Long Beach in March.

Maja Fernqvist 

Maja Fernqvist is a multi-award-winning creative director, with many years of experience in the advertising industry. Fernqvist focuses on telling stories in artful and visually arresting ways. Her work includes music videos, art films, commercials and short films officially selected by film festivals such as LA Short Fest and Brooklyn Film Festival. Fernqvist was chosen by Lionsgate to direct a short film from the Twilight Saga Universe and selected as one of the emerging directors for SHOOT New Directors Showcase. Fernqvist’s work has received worldwide recognition from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Clios and British Television Advertising Awards.

Melissa Fisher

Melissa Fisher is an accomplished director, writer and multi-hyphenate in the industry with over 12 years of experience on Academy Award®-winning sets such as Damien Chazelle’s LA LA LAND and FIRST MAN, and Emmy Award®-winning shows like GLOW and THE DROPOUT. A graduate of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film, Fisher’s directorial work merges technical skill with poetic imagery to create emotionally evocative drama, tackling social justice themes and highlighting marginalized communities. Fisher’s recent short BUSCANDO ALMA focused on immigration and gender identity, and won numerous awards including the Oscar®-Qualifying Jury Award at Atlanta’s Out On Film Festival.

Ran Jing

Ran Jing is a transnational writer and director, acclaimed for her debut feature MODEL, which was featured in Variety China, won multiple awards at Academy Award®- and BAFTA-qualifying festivals, and had a theatrical release in China. Named one of ISA’s Top 25 Writers to Watch, Jing has written features for Ruyi Films. A former storyboard artist at Blue Sky Studios, she worked on blockbusters such as SPIES IN DISGUISE, THE PEANUTS MOVIE and the ICE AGE franchise. Her extensive experience in both Hollywood and China profoundly informs her passion for crafting nuanced, character-driven stories that explore themes of identity and belonging.

Eunice Levis

Writer and director, Eunice Levis, is a first-generation Dominican American from the Bronx, New York. Levis’ work focuses on genre-bending stories that explore technology, race, gender, history and diaspora identity. She was most recently a 2024 NALIP Media Accelerator fellow, and a Starz #TakeTheLead Writer’s Lab Intensive fellow. Levis was previously a Stowe Story Lab Fellow and a Netflix/NALIP Women of Color Short Film Incubator fellow. Her latest short, RO & THE STARDUST, a bilingual space fantasy, is currently streaming on Netflix. Levis is a film adjunct professor and holds an MA from New York University.

Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz 

Chaconne Martin-Berkowicz is a writer and director whose work explores desire, power dynamics and the female gaze. Her television writing credits include Amazon’s CRUEL INTENTIONS and Amazon’s I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. As a director, Martin-Berkowicz’s short film SCOTTY’S VAG premiered at SXSW and is now streaming on Vimeo, where it received a Staff Pick. Her previous short, IN SYNC, premiered at the Maryland Film Festival and is streaming on NoBudge. Martin-Berkowicz is a 2024 Sony Pictures TV Diverse Directors fellow and is developing her feature directorial debut. She holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University. 

Destinee Stewart

Destinee Stewart is a director and writer from Dallas, Texas, now based in Los Angeles, who explores identity, resilience and connection. Her most recent film, THE OTHER PARTNERS, premiered in 2024 at the Oscar®-qualifying RiverRun Film Festival, and her feature, WADE IN THE WATER, a psychological horror, has been supported by BendFilm: Basecamp and the Cucalorus Writing Residency. She is developing her proof-of-concept short film for her feature WADE IN THE WATER. Previously, she led international dubbing productions for Netflix, collaborating on global projects like LOVE IS BLIND, REPRESENT and IN HIS SHADOW.

AFI DWW+ is part of the AFI Conservatory’s Department of Innovative Programs, which also includes the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop. Through a range of learning opportunities, Innovative Programs serves a diverse community of aspiring visual storytellers to cultivate cutting-edge technological and media-making skills, bridge access to professional networks and place participants on an upward career trajectory.

Learn more at Conservatory.AFI.com/Innovative-Programs/.

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 one of the top film schools 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 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 elevating emerging storytellers and technology, including AFI DWW+ and the AFI Cinematography Intensive Workshop. 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 the AFI Conservatory

The AFI Conservatory opened its doors in 1969 to an inaugural class that included Terrence Malick, Caleb Deschanel and Paul Schrader. Today, the Conservatory offers a two-year MFA degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. In a collaborative production environment, AFI Fellows learn to master the art of storytelling, collectively creating up to 175 films a year. Fellows actively participate in the entire life cycle of a film, from development through production and exhibition.

Alumni of this elite program, ranging from modern masters to bold new voices defining the state of the art form, include Andrea Arnold, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Sam Esmail, Brad Falchuk, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Liz Hannah, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas, Polly Morgan, Rachel Morrison and Wally Pfister, among others.

Press contact:

American Film Institute

Shari Mesulam, Shari@themesulamgroup.co

#AFI, American Film Institute, television

AFI AWARDS EVENT CELEBRATES THE POWER OF ART TO HEAL, INSPIRE AND UNITE

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

AFI AWARDS EVENT CELEBRATES THE POWER OF ART

TO HEAL, INSPIRE AND UNITE

Sean Baker, Adrien Brody, Quinta Brunson, Jon M. Chu, Colman Domingo, Jesse Eisenberg, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Harrison Ford, Jodie Foster, Ariana Grande, Edward Norton, RaMell Ross, Zoe Saldaña, Denis Villeneuve and Michelle Yeoh Among Guests

AFI’s Founding Director George Stevens, Jr. Delivered Benediction

Richard Frank Scholarships Named in Honor of AFI AWARDS Recipients

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, February 6, 2025 – Today, the American Film Institute (AFI) celebrated the 2024 AFI AWARDS honorees, bringing together the creative community to honor excellence in the art of the moving image. Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, AFI AWARDS is the only national program that honors creative teams as a whole, recognizing the collaborative nature of the work by embracing those in front of and behind the camera.

In opening remarks, AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale spoke about the power of art to inspire empathy and hope, and how AFI AWARDS is a unique opportunity for everyone to appreciate and show their love for each other’s work. “It’s about community, it’s about camaraderie – never about competition.”

AFI then revealed its official rationales, provided below, for all 21 honorees, providing the cultural and artistic context to mark these outstanding creative endeavors as the year’s notable milestones. AFI AWARDS honorees include 10 outstanding motion pictures and 10 outstanding television programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of this year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image. An additional honoree was selected for an AFI Special Award, designated for works of excellence that fall outside of AFI AWARDS’ eligibility criteria. All the honored works advance the art of the moving image, inspire audiences and artists alike and enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form.

George Stevens, Jr., filmmaker, author and AFI’s Founding Director, delivered the official benediction. In his address, Stevens remembered the unique artistry of David Lynch (AFI Class of 1970), who passed away earlier this year. Addressing the honorees and guests, Stevens said, “Let’s remember the remarkable legacy of cinematic creativity that David left for us – the mystical beauty we found in living his dreams. And as we leave this ceremony with David in our hearts, let us dedicate ourselves to restoring our devastated movie capital – and to making certain that ‘the movies’ in all their forms – not be afraid of grace and beauty and rise to new heights to entertain and enlighten the world.”

AFI also announced that the Richard Frank Scholarship Fund at the AFI Conservatory, which was established in 2024, will award scholarships to AFI Fellows in the name of each of the 21 AFI AWARDS honorees. The scholarships will provide financial assistance to empower and amplify the voices of young storytellers.

The AFI AWARDS luncheon also featured the Institute’s signature March of Time montage – a unique cross-section of cinematic milestones from decades past, which places the motion picture and television program honorees into a historical context and provides a perspective on the evolution of the narrative arts.

View March of Time Video

 

Guests in attendance at the AFI AWARDS luncheon included Rose Abdoo, Pam Abdy, Lucia Aniello, Jacques Audiard, Sean Baker, Stephanie Beatriz, Kristen Bell, Edward Berger, Alan Bergman, Lionel Boyce, Adam Brody, Adrien Brody, Quinta Brunson, Camille, Matt Chessé, Jon M. Chu, Dylan Clark, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Robert A. Daly, Mike De Luca, Colman Domingo, Clément Ducol, Ayo Edebiri, Jesse Eisenberg, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Cynthia Erivo, Lilah Richcreek Estrada, Colin Farrell, Mona Fastvold, Rhenzy Feliz, Ralph Fiennes, Jean Picker Firstenberg, Harrison Ford, David Foster, Erin Foster, Jodie Foster, Sara Foster, Richard Frank, Jomo Fray, Petra Fried, Dede Gardner, Lesli Linka Glatter, Jeff Goldblum, Neil Goldman, Brett Goldstein, Ariana Grande, David Greenbaum, Jennifer Grey, Jessica Gunning, Justin Halpern, Fred Hechinger, Ethan Herisse, Boyd Holbrook, Moeka Hoshi, Pearlena Igbokwe, Mark Indelicato, Sean ‘Dino’ Johnson, Rachel Kondo, Peter Kujawski, Greg Kwedar, John Landgraf, Donna Langley, Bill Lawrence, Issa López, Justine Lupe, Clarence Maclin, Leonard Maltin, James Mangold, Justin Marks, Nava Mau, Christopher McDonald, Ted McGinley, Yariv Milchan, Cristin Milioti, Hiro Murai, Edward Norton, Deirdre O’Connell, Adriana Paz, Marc Platt, Samantha Quan, Edgar Ramírez, Matt Reeves, Kali Reis, RaMell Ross, Zoe Saldaña, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ted Sarandos, Patrick Schumacker, Michael Schur, Jason Segel, Helen Shaver, Francesca Sloane, Megan Statler, George Stevens, Jr., Christopher Storer, Peter Straughan, Luke Tennie, Jackie Tohn, Vache Tovmasyan, Michael Urie, Jon-Adrian ‘JJ’ Velazquez, Denis Villeneuve, Jeremy Allen White, Jessica Williams, Brandon Wilson, Michelle Yeoh, David Zaslav and more.

 

AFI AWARDS 2024 OFFICIAL RATIONALES:

AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR

ANORA fractures the modern fairy tale with an explosion of originality. Sean Baker continues his pursuit of the untold stories of America, driven forward with force by Mikey Madison’s Brooklyn sex worker. This breakout performance shatters stereotype in a complex embodiment of hilarity and heartbreak while providing a crisp look at the modern world’s obsession with money, class and power – and the elusive nature of happily ever after.

THE BRUTALIST forges an upside-down American dream on the layered foundations of love, class and the darkest pains of the past. Brady Corbet’s opus stands as a monument to the power of the art form – brilliantly manifesting the age-old clash between artistic expression and the greed inherent in capitalism. At the cornerstone of this epic tale are tour-de-force performances from Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, who demand audiences answer the question: is the destination worth the journey?

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN enters the American cinematic songbook through the mind and music of Bob Dylan. At the heart and soul of James Mangold’s time capsule stands Timothée Chalamet, whose embodiment of Dylan’s superhuman genius – and his human frailties – brings electric life to an iconic enigma. Explosive inner conflicts are grounded in the masterful supporting performances of Edward Norton, Monica Barbaro and Elle Fanning, each of whom answer the question with their eyes – “How does it feel…to be on your own?”

CONCLAVE sends convention up in smoke in this pulse-pounding papal thriller. Edward Berger’s deft direction proves taut, smart and subversive, as Roman whispers drive this robe and dagger drama forward with force. Rare is the film that endlessly entertains while posing thorny theological questions about faith and doubt – delivered in powerhouse performances from the holy alliance of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.

DUNE: PART TWO unleashes all the powers of the art form to fulfill the prophecy of its predecessor. Denis Villeneuve’s peerless vision for the epic big screen provides an unparalleled immersive experience where audiences are first-hand witness to both pulse-pounding action and spell-binding artistry. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya lead the army of artists who imagine these worlds beyond spectacle and, perhaps most daringly, touch the heart of what is human.

EMILIA PÉREZ smashes the convention of the cinematic crime saga – with song and dance, murder and mayhem, and a thoughtful examination of gender and identity. Defying genre with every fresh step, Jacques Audiard’s stylishly provocative thriller continually explodes its narrative with powder keg performances from Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez – a true triple threat of today’s top talent.

NICKEL BOYS opens our eyes to America – both its capacity for cruelty and its strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. Adapting the acclaimed novel by Colson Whitehead with infinite intimacy, RaMell Ross shines a lyrical light on atrocities in the all-too-recent past. Experiencing the narrative through a floating, first-person lens proves a cinematic magic trick that both breaks and then remakes the rules of the art form – ultimately, illuminating the poetic power of movies as engines of empathy.

A REAL PAIN is a true joy – finding the power of family and friendship amongst the ruins of an inhuman past. Jesse Eisenberg presents this odd couple odyssey as a comic-tragic Kvetch-22, an emotionally impossible journey that finds its way forward through the wildly oscillating moods and manners of Kieran Culkin’s hilariously charismatic performance. Audiences will laugh aloud – and never forget.

SING SING sings a song of Shakespeare within the kingdom of incarceration – proving the capacity of creativity to restore and inspire those who suffer “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Greg Kwedar unlocks the talents of an extraordinary cast, led by Colman Domingo and an unprecedented ensemble of professionals and ex-prisoners who remind audiences, most powerfully, that it is art that will set you free.

WICKED ~PART I~ soars into the stratosphere of cinema history – a modern classic born from an evergreen concoction of cultural landmarks. The screen has rarely seen – or heard – towering performances like those delivered by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, leaving audiences Oz-struck across generations. And with Jon M. Chu the wizard behind the curtain, a brilliant creative ensemble creates an immersive world where one fights for what is right while encouraging us to believe we all can fly beyond the rainbow.

 

AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR

ABBOTT ELEMENTARY graduates into its third year raising the curve for contemporary comedy. Quinta Brunson’s endearing series unites the most familial and familiar of quick-witted characters and also stands tall as a timely monument to public school teachers and their personal devotion to a brighter future.

THE BEAR earns another AFI star in a season marked by an ever-simmering, often scorching tension between families, finances and fine dining. As temperatures rise in the pursuit of perfection, Christopher Storer’s masterful series calls upon the talents of an extraordinary front and back-of house ensemble to prove the show’s place in the pantheon as a “non-negotiable.”

HACKS raises the curtain on its third year with an audacious ambition – to bring new challenges, new life and new laughter to comedic characters that had fully-evolved in their journey to success. The results are triumphant. Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky have created a combustible alchemy in the relationship between Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, who prove yet again that they’re stronger together, in spite of themselves.

A MAN ON THE INSIDE retires old notions about the elderly by injecting a mature mystery into the everyday of a senior living community. Ted Danson proves the value of vintage, bringing an easy, intoxicating charm to Michael Schur’s delightful caper – a wholesome whodunit both light-hearted and life-affirming.

MR. & MRS. SMITH is a killer romance. With domesticity as a false front for secrets and lies, Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover’s globe-trotting thriller celebrates the pulse-pounding similarities between murder and couples therapy. The chemistry between its stars – Glover and Maya Erskine – proves explosive and as the smoke clears, demands we ask how well we know those closest to us.

NOBODY WANTS THIS is just what the world needs most – a smart, clever, funny romantic comedy that serves as an optimistic inspiration for divided times. Erin Foster’s light-hearted love story imagines “a rabbi and an agnostic walk into a bar,” and what follows lifts audiences’ hearts with the undeniably effervescent chemistry of Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. Which begs a toast – “L’Chaim!”

THE PENGUIN elevates pulp comics to prestige drama. Lauren LeFranc’s layered storytelling frames gritty Gotham in shadow, a lawless landscape with mob families battling for power and redemption. Colin Farrell dominates the dark through the sheer power of presence, and with Cristin Milioti as his underworld rival, together they bring both fire and ice to the canon of gangster classics.

SHŌGUN commands an epic vision that sails beyond the boundaries of television. Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks breathe new life into the classic novel from James Clavell – expanding upon its subtleties with rich cultural authenticity. Standing tall at its center is Hiroyuki Sanada – around whose rising sun orbits a stellar ensemble that evokes emotion transcending the barriers of language as they question what it means to seize, wield and hold power.

SHRINKING delves into the complexities of everyday with a fearless smile. Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein’s series provides a couch for audiences to lie and laugh upon – encouraging self-reflection, inspiring discovery and, ultimately, embracing moments of unexpected joy. At the foundation of a brilliant acting ensemble stands Harrison Ford, who transcends his own blockbuster iconography to show it is his heart that has earned his place as an American icon.

TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY shines a blinding light on unknown terrors in the dark – and illuminates a cultural chasm that divides us. Issa López’s heart-pounding mystery makes masterful use of the unseen to immerse audiences in an other-worldly environment that haunts from within. Standing stalwart among the shadows are Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, whose powerhouse performances uncover the unembodied power of greed and its corrosion of the spirit, the soil and the soul.

 

AFI SPECIAL AWARD

BABY REINDEER proves unrelenting in its exploration of what is kind and what is crazy – and does so as one of the year’s most uncompromising entertainments. Richard Gadd’s searing autobiographical series masks the darkest of pain with the most uncomfortable of comedy, and his brilliant performance – alongside Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau – underscores the pathos by illuminating universally authentic emotions.

The 2024 recipients join a distinguished group of previous AFI AWARDS honorees whose works define the art form and contribute to our rich cultural legacy. View past AFI AWARDS honorees.

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 schools 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 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  on social media at Facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute, YouTube.com/AFI, X.com/AmericanFilm, TikTok/@AmericanFilmInstitute, and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.

Press contact:

American Film Institute

Shari Mesulam, Shari@themesulamgroup.com

American Film Institute

AFM® is coming back to Los Angeles for its 46th edition (November 11-16, 2025)

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

 

AFM® is coming back to Los Angeles for its 46th edition (November 11-16, 2025).

 

After an extensive evaluation of multiple venues across Los Angeles to meet the industry’s specific needs and size, the IFTA® Board of Directors has selected the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City as the new home of the  American Film Market (AFM).  It is ideally situated just minutes from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Westwood and next door to the AMC Century City 15 for screenings. Newly renovated, the Fairmont is a perfect blend of prestige, accessibility, amenities, and pricing consistent with recent years.

(Photo courtesy of Fairmont Century Plaza)
(Photo courtesy of Fairmont Century Plaza)

AFM’s return to Los Angeles holds special significance in the aftermath of the recent devastating fires. It will be heartening to gather as colleagues here once again, where AFM started, and in doing so to take part in the rebuilding of the city that is a vital hub of our industry.

Over the decades, AFM has evolved from solely a transactional space into an essential event where industry leaders come together to launch the latest films and projects, assess the marketplace, share insights, and stay abreast of the rapid changes shaping our business. Your feedback has underscored the importance of AFM as a gathering space and of Los Angeles as the optimal location. The Fairmont offers the location that best responds to that call for an elegant setting that maximizes convenience and encourages productivity.

Details about exhibition opportunities, registration, and the event’s agenda will be available shortly.

 

 

(News release courtesy of Jennifer Garnick)

Jennifer Garnick | VP, Communications
Independent Film & Television Alliance
jgarnick@ifta-online.org | +1.310.446.1006
#AFI, American Film Institute

SHORTSTV PARTNERS WITH THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE (AFI) TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF THE DIRECTING WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN (DWW)

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

SHORTSTV PARTNERS WITH THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE (AFI) TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF THE DIRECTING WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN (DWW)

The AFI short film showcase will be available to watch weekly on the ShortsTV channel and to stream via the ShortsTV channel on Amazon Prime Video US and UK and on ShortsTV+ from November 10th.

LONDON (November 7, 2024) – ShortsTV, the world’s leading network dedicated to short films, has announced an exciting partnership with the American Film Institute (AFI) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the AFI Directing Workshop for Women (AFI DWW) initiative. This groundbreaking, tuition-free program has paved the way for traditionally underrepresented filmmakers, championing their voices in the industry since its inception. Among its esteemed alumni are Emmy Award-nominated director Dime Davis and DGA President and Emmy Award-nominated director Lesli Linka Glatter.

Beginning Sunday, November 10th, ShortsTV viewers can tune in every Sunday night at 9pm ET/6pm PT to watch a selection of short films created by talented DWW+ alumni as part of the initiative, including:

– Picture Day directed by Kelly Pike

– Some Boys Don’t Leave directed by Maggie Kiley

– Wild Horses directed by Stephanie Martin

– Zelos directed by Thoranna Sigurdardottir

This celebration will go on to feature a wider AFI showcase to close out the year, spotlighting the remarkable contributions of other talented AFI filmmakers. ShortsTV subscribers via Amazon Prime Video in the UK and the US will be able to enjoy a hand-picked selection of DWW films compiled in two exclusive film collections from November 1st. Additionally, ShortsTV+ subscribers will have full access to all available DWW+ and AFI films via the app.

As part of this collaboration, audiences will also have the opportunity to engage with exclusive interviews featuring prominent AFI DWW+ alumni, including Kelly Pike, director of the award-winning short Picture Day which premieres on Sunday November 17th. The film is about an Asian American tomboy growing up on military bases struggling to fit in at a new school. When she decides to assert control over her life, one small act of rebellion sparks trouble at home, forcing her to face harsh realities about gender, power, and finding one’s place in the world. The film won Best Live Action Short at the Warsaw Film Festival, the Young Cineaste Award at Palm Springs International ShortFest and is Oscar qualified. These insightful conversations will provide a deeper understanding of the journeys and experiences of these talented directors.

Join us in celebrating diversity, creativity, and empowerment in filmmaking as we honor the legacy of the AFI DWW+ initiative.

ShortsTV CEO and Founder Carter Pilcher says “We are thrilled to partner with the American Film Institute to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Directing Workshop for Women. This collaboration not only honors the pioneering women who have shaped the industry but also empowers a new generation of filmmakers. At ShortsTV, we believe in the power of diverse voices and storytelling, and we are excited to highlight these incredible short films that inspire and elevate underrepresented talent in cinema.”

Director of Programming Jade Tan says, “At ShortsTV, we are dedicated to highlighting the amazing and trailblazing work of the American Film Institute and their Directing Workshop for Women initiative. This program has been instrumental in nurturing the talent of underrepresented filmmakers, and we are proud to give a platform to their compelling stories. Supporting underrepresented groups lies at the heart of our mission, and we believe that by amplifying these voices, we can enrich the cinematic landscape for all audiences.”

For more information, please contact:

Jade Tan ,Director of Programming

ShortsTV , j.tan@shorts.tv

 

About AFI DWW+

The AFI DWW+ is a tuition-free program at the AFI Conservatory that educates traditionally underrepresented filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. Participants leave the program with the knowledge and tools necessary to best leverage their creative talents and achieve their career goals. Participants receive full AFI Alumni benefits, and their completed projects are screened at the DWW+ Showcase in front of a wide network of industry professionals to celebrate their progress as artists and continue the longstanding tradition of DWW+ supporting inclusive and transformative storytelling.

The AFI DWW+ was launched in 1974 as the Directing Workshop for Women (DWW), one of the first gender impact programs of its kind in the cinematic arts, as well as one of the longest-running and preeminent film and television workshops nationwide. Among its earliest participants were such imperative creative voices as Maya Angelou, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Lee Grant, Jessie Maple, Cicely Tyson and many more. Since the program’s inception, DWW+ has trained over 350 filmmakers who give voice to historically underrepresented perspectives.

About the AFI Conservatory

The AFI Conservatory opened its doors in 1969 to an inaugural class that included Terrence Malick, Caleb Deschanel and Paul Schrader. Today, the Conservatory offers a two-year MFA degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. In a collaborative production environment, AFI Fellows learn to master the art of storytelling, collectively creating up to 175 films a year. Fellows actively participate in the entire life cycle of a film, from development through production and exhibition.

Alumni of this elite program, ranging from modern masters to bold new voices defining the state of the art form, include Andrea Arnold, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Aster, Deniese Davis, Sam Esmail, Brad Falchuk, Affonso Gonçalves, Susannah Grant, Liz Hannah, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, Matthew Libatique, David Lynch, Melina Matsoukas, Polly Morgan, Rachel Morrison and Wally Pfister, among others.

About ShortsTV

ShortsTV is the first and leading 24/7, linear and OTT HD TV channel dedicated to short form video entertainment, including movies and series. ShortsTV has the largest catalog of quality short form video entertainment, including award-winning and star-studded live action, animated and documentary shorts from filmmakers around the globe. Distributed globally, the channel is available in over 100 million homes across the US, India, Europe, and Latin America (where it’s known as TVCortos).  It is available across the US on DirecTV (channel 573), AT&T U-Verse (channel 1789), AT&T TV NOW, Google Fiber (channel 603) and Hotwire (channel 560). ShortsTV also operates an advertising-supported connected TV channel called ‘Shorts’, which acts as a gateway to the exciting world of short films and an introduction to the premium ShortsTV service. It is available in the UK on Rakuten TV.

Online, ShortsTV offers hundreds of the world’s best independent shorts for download from stores in over 90 countries, including iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon, as well as a subscription on-demand service on Amazon Prime Video Channels in the US, UK, Netherlands, Italy, France, Belgium, Sweden, India and Spain (where it’s known as TVCortos). Since 2006, ShortsTV has been the only presenter of the ‘Oscar Nominated Short Films’ theatrical release in cinemas across the US and Canada, South America, Europe, India, Australia and South Africa.

ShortsTV is owned by Shorts International Ltd, is headquartered in London, England and is represented in the United States by Shorts Entertainment Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary located in Los Angeles. The company is led by Chief Executive Carter Pilcher and is majority owned by Shorts Entertainment Holdings with AMC Networks a significant minority shareholder.

#AFI, AFI Life Achievement Award, American Film Institute

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA TO RECEIVE 50TH AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA TO RECEIVE 50TH AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

America’s Highest Honor For A Career In Film

To Be Presented

On April 26, 2025, At Gala Tribute

To Benefit AFI’s Education And Arts Initiatives

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Los Angeles, CA, October 29, 2024 – The American Film Institute (AFI) Board of Trustees announced today that Francis Ford Coppola will be the 50th recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award, America’s highest honor for a career in film. The award will be presented to Coppola at a Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 26, 2025.

Francis Ford Coppola will be the 50th recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award.

“Francis Ford Coppola is a peerless artist – one who has created seminal works in the canon of American film, and has also inspired generations of filmmakers who now embody his artistry and his independent spirit,” said Kathleen Kennedy, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. “AFI is honored to present him with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award.”

Coppola’s THE GODFATHER, THE GODFATHER PART II and APOCALYPSE NOW are ranked among history’s greatest films in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list. He is one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of our time; a six-time Academy Award®-winning (including the Board of Governors’ Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award) director, writer and producer of such films as PATTON, THE GODFATHER TRILOGY, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, THE CONVERSATION, APOCALYPSE NOW, THE OUTSIDERS, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA and his latest epic, MEGALOPOLIS.

As the co-founder of American Zoetrope with George Lucas, Coppola initiated and nourished the careers of talents such as Carroll Ballard, John Milius, Sofia Coppola, and actors Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, James Caan, Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfus, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, Matt Dillon and Diane Lane. As a writer, director, producer and technological pioneer, he created a body of work that has helped shape contemporary American cinema. Coppola’s latest film MEGALOPOLIS is a Roman epic set in modern times with an all-star cast including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne and Aubrey Plaza. This year, the film made its world premiere to a 10-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and was released theatrically and in IMAX globally earlier this fall.

The AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute special will return for its 10th year with Turner Broadcasting to air on TNT, followed by encore presentations on Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

The American Film Institute is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. All proceeds from the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute Gala support AFI’s education and arts initiatives. Learn more about AFI at AFI.com.

AFI Life Achievement Award Recipients

The 50th AFI Life Achievement Award Honoree joins an esteemed group of individuals who have been chosen for this distinguished honor since its inception.

1973   John Ford

1974   James Cagney

1975   Orson Welles

1976   William Wyler

1977   Bette Davis

1978   Henry Fonda

1979   Alfred Hitchcock

1980   James Stewart

1981   Fred Astaire

1982   Frank Capra

1983   John Huston

1984   Lillian Gish

1985   Gene Kelly

1986   Billy Wilder

1987   Barbara Stanwyck

1988   Jack Lemmon

1989   Gregory Peck

1990   David Lean

1991   Kirk Douglas

1992   Sidney Poitier

1993   Elizabeth Taylor

1994   Jack Nicholson

1995   Steven Spielberg

1996   Clint Eastwood

1997   Martin Scorsese

1998   Robert Wise

1999   Dustin Hoffman

2000   Harrison Ford

2001   Barbra Streisand

2002   Tom Hanks

2003   Robert De Niro

2004   Meryl Streep

2005   George Lucas

2006   Sean Connery

2007   Al Pacino

2008   Warren Beatty

2009   Michael Douglas

2010   Mike Nichols

2011   Morgan Freeman

2012   Shirley MacLaine

2013   Mel Brooks

2014   Jane Fonda

2015   Steve Martin

2016   John Williams

2017   Diane Keaton

2018   George Clooney

2019   Denzel Washington

2022   Julie Andrews

2024   Nicole Kidman

About the AFI Life Achievement Award

The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Board of Trustees established the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1973. It is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated through a resolution passed by the AFI Board of Trustees: “The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”

Most recently, AFI presented the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award to Nicole Kidman on Saturday, April 27, at a Gala Tribute in Hollywood. Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, Zac Efron, Cynthia Erivo, Morgan Freeman, Barry Jenkins, David E. Kelley, Joey King, Mimi Leder, Mike Myers, Edward James Olmos, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jane Seymour, Meryl Streep, Brian Tee, Miles Teller, Lulu Wang, Naomi Watts and more filled the Dolby Theatre to celebrate Kidman’s award-winning career and her indelible impact on the moving arts. The event also featured tributes honoring Kidman, including speeches from Zoe Saldaña, Aaron Sorkin, Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, among others and taped messages from Hugh Jackman, Jane Campion, Jimmy Fallon, Cate Blanchett, George Miller, Baz Luhrmann and Russell Crowe.

 

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 schools 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 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, Twitter.com/AmericanFilm and Instagram.com/AmericanFilmInstitute.

 

About TNT

TNT, a Warner Bros. Discovery brand, is watched by more people than any other cable network and known for big, lean-forward television that takes viewers on a thrill ride of electrifying stories, dynamic characters and premium events. TNT is home to some of television’s most popular sports franchises and unscripted and scripted originals including “AEW: Rampage,” “Rich & Shameless,” and “The Lazarus Project”. TNT also presents primetime specials and sports coverage, including the NHL, NBA and NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships. Website: www.tntdrama.com

 

About Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents classic films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting “where then meets now.” TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. With more than two decades as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through popular events such as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise. In addition, TCM produces the wildly successful podcast “The Plot Thickens,” which has had more than 9 million downloads to date. TCM hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app. Fans can also enjoy a classic movie experience on the TCM hub on Max.

 

Press contact:

American Film Institute

Shari Mesulam, Shari@themesulamgroup.com

#AFI, #AFIFEST, American Film Institute, TCL Chinese Theatre

FILM REVIEW: The Shrouds (David Cronenberg): 2024

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

David Cronenberg

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)
#AFIDOCS, #AFIFEST, Academy Awards, AFIDocs, American Film Institute, Arlington Theater, Documentary, Maltin Award, Opening Night, Oscar, outstanding performer of the year, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, SBIFF Virtuosos, Sundance, Sundance Film Festival, Tribute, World Premiere

2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Wrap

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

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 Santa Barbara. 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 Film featured 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 Virtuosos Award 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 Cinema Vanguard Award 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 Santa Barbara International Film Festival 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 Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara/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 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 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 Santa Barbara on State Street to serve as a home for its many educational programs and a place for creativity and learning.

#AFI, #AFIDOCS, #AFIFEST, AFI FEST, AFIDocs, American Film Institute, Apple TV, TCL Chinese Theatre

AFI FEST 2022 Tickets on Sale Now

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

From Special Screenings and international Oscar® submissions to captivating short films and powerful documentaries, tickets to AFI FEST 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 AFI Conservatory 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.

Stay tuned!

 

#AFI, American Film Institute

AFI Alumni Projects at the 2022 American Black Film Festival

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

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

Tari Wariebi (AFI Class of 2020), Swing

Chris Hong (AFI Class of 2021), Assistant Editor

 

From AFI News Release

#AFI, American Film Institute, television

AFI Awarded $350,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

Funding To Support Unprecedented Research On Short Films And Diversity In Early Hollywood

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced today that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) awarded AFI a $350,000 grant to embark upon a landmark initiative to study thousands of short films released in the silent and early sound eras. Titled Behind the Veil after a lost 1914 film directed by pioneering filmmaker Lois Weber, the project will be spearheaded by the AFI research team at the AFI Catalog, the world’s most authoritative, freely accessible database of every American feature film and co-production released in the first century of the art form. The project is intended to document the cultural impact of women and people of color in the creation, distribution, and reception of early cinema.

According to the NEH, the project is being funded in part by a special initiative called A More Perfect Union, which will “help Americans commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 by exploring, reflecting on, or telling stories of our quest for a more just, inclusive and sustainable society throughout our history.”

“Film scholarship has long favored feature-length titles, and this partiality has significantly limited historians’ efforts to study how people from diverse communities made films and how they saw themselves onscreen. Behind the Veil is essential to working toward establishing a more inclusive and accurate canon of American film history,” said Sarah Blankfort Clothier, Manager of the AFI Catalog. “Documenting short film creators will provide opportunities for discovering the work of storytellers who have been excluded to date and open new doors of possibility for a more accurate account of America’s cultural legacy.”

 

A Fool and His Money - Film Still
Film still from A FOOL AND HIS MONEY (1912) – the earliest known surviving short film featuring an all-Black cast

The research initiative aims to chronicle the groundbreaking work of female and BIPOC pioneers who were working mainly on short films in the early days of American filmmaking, including Alice Guy Blaché, the world’s first female director who made hundreds of shorts; William D. Foster, America’s first Black filmmaker who worked solely in the short film form; and actors such as Sessue Hayakawa, Tsuru Aoki, Myrtle Gonzalez, Red Wing and countless others who got their start in short films. By documenting early short films and those involved in their creation, the AFI Catalog will work to expand the scope of scholarship to bring marginalized perspectives into view and unearth the complex, multi-layered diversity within American film history.

Behind the Veil will continue the innovative work from the AFI Catalog on diversity and parity in Hollywood. In 2019, AFI received a $350,000 grant from the NEH for the Women They Talk About initiative, a groundbreaking project that documented the widely unrecorded contributions of female filmmakers in the silent film era and uncovered the true story of women’s pioneering role in the creation of American cinema.

 

(Source: AFI News Release)