Matthew Mishory’s Documentary Who Are the Marcuses?
About Unlikely Philanthropists Whose $500 Million Gift Seeks
Peace and Climate Action Through Water Technology
Screens at Santa Barbara International Film Festival February 13 and 15
Who Are the Marcuses?, a feature documentary about a mysterious Long Island couple whose half a billion-dollar gift to Ben-Gurion University in Israel inspires peace and climate action through water tech, will screen at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival next month.
UC Santa Barbara alumnus Matthew Mishory (the upcoming Fioretta; Artur Schnabel: No Place of Exile) directed the film. Producers are Rubber Ring’s and Stone Canyon’s Bradford Schlei (Swingers, Spun) and Alvaro Fernandez along with executive producers Rob Levine (Law & Order, Columbo), Marc Bennett (Shared Legacies) and Rhino Films’ Stephen Nemeth (Dogtown and the Z Boys, Climate Refugees, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas).
“Our film has powerful messages about climate change, water technology, the environment, and philanthropy that can change our world,” Mishory says. “But films are also about storytelling, and this one tells a story so unbelievable and inspiring, it can only be true. Screening at Santa Barbara is a homecoming for me and a dream come true for the production team. The region is both a growing eco-technology hub and fragile coastal ecosystem.”
Who Are the Marcuses? reconstructs the lives of Holocaust refugees Lottie and Howard Marcus, an unassuming couple from Great Neck, New York, who retired to a modest two-bedroom apartment in San Diego, California. Former dentist Howard passed away in 2014 at age 104, and Lottie died less than two years later. In 2016, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev announced that the Marcuses had given them over half a billion dollars: the largest single charitable donation to the State of Israel in its history. The film simultaneously traces the development of Israel’s vital water technology from pre-state to the present; how the Marcuses’ endowment has ensured continued leading-edge development in water science for not only the Israeli people, but the world as a whole; sets the family’s gift in geopolitical context; and explores both its impact and implications for regional peace through technology exchange. It features an original score by legendary musician and peace activist David Broza.
Who were these virtually unknown philanthropists who had never publicly revealed their wealth or intentions? How did they accumulate millions by getting in on the early days of the greatest financial services empire ever built? What compelled them and their daughter Ellen to give it all away? And why were the Marcuses so captivated by the issue of water scarcity and a little-known but innovative university in the Israeli desert?
Who are the Marcuses? features Warren Buffett; Israeli President Isaac Herzog; historian Daniel Gordis; best-selling philosopher Micah Goodman; E. Randol Schoenberg; author and activist Seth M. Siegel, and many others. The film was shot on location in Israel and the USA throughout 2021.
The film will screen twice at the Festival:
Monday, February 13th, 2023 8:30AM PST
Metropolitan Metro 4 Theatre, Screen 4, 618 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 3PM PST (Reception to Follow)
Metropolitan Metro 4 Theatre, Screen 4, 618 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
ACADEMY BOARD OF GOVERNORS 2022-2023 OFFICERS ELECTED
LOS ANGELES, CA – Producer Janet Yang was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s Board of Governors.
Executive producer Janet Yang prior to a 25th Anniversary screening of “The Joy Luck Club” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday, August 22, 2018.
“Janet is a tremendously dedicated and strategic leader who has an incredible record of service at the Academy. She has been instrumental in launching and elevating several Academy initiatives on membership recruitment, governance, and equity, diversity, and inclusion,” noted Academy CEO, Bill Kramer. “I am thrilled that she is taking on the esteemed role of Academy President and look forward to working closely with her on our shared vision to serve our membership, celebrate the collaborative arts and sciences of motion pictures, and inspire the next generation of filmmakers.”
Teri E. Dorman, Vice President (chair, Membership Committee)
Donna Gigliotti, Vice President/Secretary (chair, Governance Committee)
Lynette Howell Taylor, Vice President (chair, Awards Committee)
Larry Karaszewski, Vice President (chair, History and Preservation Committee)
David Linde, Vice President/Treasurer (chair, Finance Committee)
Isis Mussenden, Vice President (chair, Museum Committee)
Kim Taylor-Coleman, Vice President (chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee)
Wynn P. Thomas, Vice President (chair, Education and Outreach Committee)
Yang is beginning her first term as president and her second term as a Governor-at-Large, a position for which she was nominated by the sitting Academy President and elected by the Board of Governors. Gigliotti, Karaszewski, Linde, Mussenden, and Thomas were re-elected as officers. It will be the first officer stint for Dorman, Howell Taylor, and Taylor-Coleman.
Yang’s extensive film-producing credits include “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Zero Effect,” “High Crimes,” “Dark Matter,” “Shanghai Calling” and the Oscar®-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” She won an Emmy® for the HBO film “Indictment: The McMartin Trial.” A member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since 2002, Yang most recently served on the Board as vice president and chair of the Membership Committee and prior to that, the Membership and Governance Committee. She is also co-chair of the Academy’s Asian Affinity Group.
The Board of Governors sets the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health, and assures the fulfillment of its mission. For a complete listing of the Academy’s 2022-2023 Board of Governors.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers, and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Hybrid Filmocracy Fest III Concludes and Award Winners Announced
Tentpole ‘Film Market’ Elevates Networking and Sales
Los Angeles, CA (July 19, 2022) – The third edition of Filmocracy Fest presented a strong lineup of features and shorts competing for top prizes, both in person and online, including the Best of the Fest category, which was available online-only. The Festival ended with a celebratory Awards Ceremony on July 17. Award Winners include:
Best Narrative Feature: 1-800-HOT NITE written and directed by Nick Richey Best Documentary Feature: HOSTILE written and directed by Sonita Gale Best Short Narrative: THESE HANDS WERE MADE FOR KNOCKIN’ directed by Laura Herring Best Short Documentary: ELSA directed by Cameron Mitchell
Best Student Film: HAIR, TIE, EGG, HOMEWORK, BOOKS by Lu Runxiao Audience Award – Narrative Feature: BUCK ALAMO written and directed by Ben Epstein Audience Award – Documentary Feature: ART AND KRIMES BY KRIMES by Alysa Nahmias Audience Award – Short: GROUNDED directed by Jesse Richards Inspiration Award: THE HUMAN TRIAL directed by Lisa Hepner and Guy Mossman
Watch the full Awards Ceremony here
The Festival also presented the second edition of its Film Market, a curated environment for independent filmmakers to come together and connect with industry leaders. This unique event streamlines the film acquisition process, removing intermediaries and allowing talent to present their work directly to executives. In its successful first edition, films were acquired and brought to Cannes for sales opportunities and distribution deals.
“I participated in the first Filmocracy virtual market and found it to be so productive and enjoyable that I didn’t hesitate to participate in the next one (and more ongoing in the future),” recalls Archstone Entertainment’s Jack Sheehan. “Not only was I impressed by the tech and the ease, efficacy, and intuitiveness of the platform, it seemed to flow almost effortlessly. I was lucky enough to find several projects I liked, one of which I actually closed a deal on and brought to the physical Cannes festival a month later, and we’re closing a multitude of deals, to both our and the filmmaker’s delight. I think this platform is top of the competition of virtual markets and will be a mainstay for years to come. Selfishly I hope not too many of my competitors find out about it!”
The number of participating buyers, sales agents, and distribution companies grew significantly since the last event. The robust list of participants for the second edition included some of the largest global film companies: Sundance, Endeavor Content, Blue Fox, 13 Film, XYZ Films, The Exchange, Radiant Films International, and Periphery, amongst many others. Some of the films up for sale included Steve Balderson’s ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT, Nicholas deKay’s THE ARK OF LILBURN, Austin Chapman’s LACRIMOSA, Christine Yoo’s 26.2 TO LIFE: THE SAN QUENTIN PRISON MARATHON, and Katie O’Regan’s GOOD MORNING MISS AMERICA. Amidst films picked up by top-name companies are Daniel Diosdad’s THE NOMAD (for international sales by Archstone Entertainment) and Juan P. Reyes’ SAMLAND (for South Korean rights by Strana Media), with negotiations ongoing for many more projects.
Liquid Media Group’s Co-Founder and Interim CEO Joshua Jackson shares, “Liquid Media is very proud to be, for the second time, presenting sponsors of Filmocracy Fest. It is core to what we do to be able to support emerging storytellers, emerging voices, inside of our community. I’ve always felt very proud and very lucky to be part of this big, wild, funny, crazy—sometimes difficult—global community of storytellers, whether in front of the camera or behind it. Filmocracy Fest exists to uplift the community, to make it easier for us to find each other and our audiences, and the addition of the market is an amazing new tool for filmmakers. We couldn’t be happier to support this and look forward to seeing you at the next one.”
Film Market attendees paid a nominal fee of $100, with a VIP option available for $500 that allowed passholders to skip queues. The in-person portion of the event kicked off with a cocktail party, followed by initial meetings at LA Gondola. The following day, filmmakers had four minutes to rapid-fire pitch their films to their preferred media partners, either in person or digitally. Attendees were also invited to Opening Night of Filmocacy Fest to celebrate their cinematic achievements.
“I had a great time attending the Filmocracy Film Market,” says Los Angeles-based writer/director/producer Debbie Peiser. “Filmocracy created an amazing virtual experience from start to finish. I loved that they sent a brochure of which distributors would be attending so I could research and prepare before my meetings. It was so fun to sit in the virtual waiting room with other filmmakers. I was so impressed by the site design and I would definitely attend again!”
The Filmocracy Fest Film Market has established itself, in a very short time, as a vibrant and highly sought-after marketplace for the discovery of films and filmmaking talent by top name producers, distributors, and production companies. Filmocracy’s CEO Paul Jun concludes, “Our Film Market is filling an important need in the industry by putting filmmakers face-to-face with decisionmakers. Through our virtual platform we’re able to foster industry relationships for filmmakers who lack a professional network.”
About Filmocracy:
Filmocracy is a film and festival streaming platform that hosts over 100 film festivals each year and has a constantly evolving and rotating library of more than 3,500 streaming titles. Users are rewarded with virtual popcorn for watching and rating films, which can be spent in their shop to earn movie tickets, redeem gift cards, or attend virtual film festivals hosted from around the world. Filmocracy brings together a powerful combination of technologies to enhance the virtual cinema and conference experience for filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences around the world. Filmocracy’s mission is to help all independent filmmakers reach wider audiences and grow their communities through storytelling. Festival Co-Founder Paul Jun serves as CEO of Filmocracy. In December 2020, Filmocracy staged the First Annual Filmocracy Fest, an all-digital juried film festival presenting a slate of 44 films; panels; mentorship program; live performances; script readings; cause-related partners; and dozens of virtual conversations with directors and industry talent. Jon Fitzgerald serves as Executive Director.
*Press release courtesy of Henry Eshelman, Platform Media Group
Filmocracy, LA’s hybrid boutique festival, returns for its third edition with in-person screenings July 14-17 at Lumiere Cinema at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills, with its full complement of twenty-six films available online to stream nationwide via the Filmocracy digital platform.
Jon Fitzgerald
Filmocracy Fest got its start during the pandemic, when former AFI Fest programmer and Slamdance co-founder Jon Fitzgerald was working with Filmocracy, then a 3-D digital film festival engine and nascent streamer. “I had been doing some work with Filmocracy, supporting their various divisions, including their virtual festival initiative,” Fitzgerald recalls. “Paul Jun the Filmocracy CEO and I talked about creating our own Festival, as a showcase for the innovative programs the team had continued to develop.”
After Filmocracy Fest II this past December, Fest co-founder Fitzgerald and his partners opted to move the film exhibition portion of the Festival into summer. The Festival incorporates an Impact Expo, networking, and the second iteration of its digital Film Market, with filmmakers vying to get their projects in front of 45 acquisitions executives from Disney+, Myriad Pictures, and XYZ Films, among others. They will keep their Film Festival Summit in December, which will incorporate a new Film Festival Awards Program.
The Festival will screen eight narrative and documentary titles in person. There will also be two in-person short programs of five films each. However, Filmocracy is committed to the hybrid model. Fitzgerald believes “filmmakers will always want to see their movies on the big screen, engage with audiences, and participate in Q&As, but they cannot always make it to every festival. We’ve seen ticket sales double by allowing audiences who can’t make it to Sundance or Los Angeles, for example, the opportunity to see and appreciate these emerging talents in their home theaters.” He predicts “hybrid is going to be the way of most fests, with a few exceptions from traditionalists. It will be up to filmmakers to know their goals, understand what each fest can do for them, and carve out the path that works for them and their project.”
Filmocracy Fest continues to focus on socially relevant storytellers, which comprise most movies selected for the 2022 slate. “One of our four key pillars is discovery,” Fitzgerald says. “We really like to support emerging artists, particularly those with visual style. The narrative filmmakers all take chances, and we have a number of social impact stories—shorts and features, narratives and documentaries—covering topics from police brutality to diabetes diagnosis, all with subjects that celebrate the human spirit.” As with the 2021 edition, these films will be connected to related causes via the Impact Expo, providing in-person and virtual audiences with the opportunity to learn more about the issues and take action.
Filmocracy’s parent company Liquid Media Group returns as the festival’s presenting sponsor, joined by founding sponsor iGEMS and partners Digital Cinema United, iNDIEFLIX, and Projektor.
“Last year’s film MY DEAD DAD, which sold to HBOMax on the heels of its sold-out Filmocracy Fest premiere, is a great example of what can happen when filmmakers are met with the support to get their stories in front of audiences,” concludes Liquid Media Group’s Chairman Josh Jackson, who delivered closing remarks to kick off the awards program during the December Festival. “Liquid is proud to stand alongside Filmocracy Fest in support of solving the current and future needs of filmmakers.”
Feature Narrative selections include:
ALCHEMY OF THE SPIRIT directed by Steve Balderson. Midway through its festival journey, veteran director Steve Balderson (FIRECRACKER, BECOMING ED) deftly and beautifully blurs the lines between character study, magical realism, and horror. In the film, renowned artist Oliver Black (Xander Berkeley: The Walking Dead, TERMINATOR 2, AIR FORCE ONE) wakes to discover his wife Evelyn (Sarah Clarke: 24, TWILIGHT) has died in their bed overnight. Disoriented and grief-stricken, Oliver tells no one and attempts to preserve her body. Meanwhile, Oliver’s agent (Mink Stole: SERIAL MOM, HAIRSPRAY) calls with a big commission – a new sculpture for a leading museum. Oliver passionately and poetically creates the sculpture as a replica of Evelyn’s face—a death mask. As he works, Evelyn’s senses wake up one after the other until she appears fully present. But is it really her? Or is Oliver hallucinating? Balderson is also world-premiering tantric sex short from YouTuber Davey Wavey at Outfest right after Filmocracy.
Xander Berkeley in Alchemy of the Spirit credit Dikenga Films
BUCK ALAMO directed by Ben Epstein. Unloading its existential chamber like a Texas folk song, this Austin and Calgary Film Festival veteran is a dreamlike portrait of a modern-day musical outlaw as he duels with Death. The film stars Sonny Carl Davis, Lorelei Linklater, Chase Joliet, Kriston Woodreaux, Lee Eddy, C.K. McFarland, James Epstein, George Ensle, and Bruce Dern.
DEATH OF A LADIES’ MAN directed by Matthew Bissonnette. This film, starring Gabriel Byrne (THE USUAL SUSPECTS, MILLER’S CROSSING, HEREDITARY), follows a carousing college professor’s life as it takes a series of unimaginable turns. All the old stories are given a new twist when he begins to have surreal hallucinations and learns he may not be long for this world.
Gabriel Byrne, credit Death of a Ladies Man.
1-800-HOT-NITEdirected by Nick Richey. This sophomore feature from award-winning writer/director Nick Richey (LOW, LOW) stars Dallas Young (Cobra Kai, THE ROYAL, Mixed-ish), Gerrison Machado (The Power), Mylen Bradford (Abbott Elementary), and Ali Richey (LOW, LOW). From the moment the police break down Tommy’s (Young) door and arrest his father, his world is turned upside down. Faced with a parentless future, Tommy escapes child protective services’ custody with his best friends Steve (Bradford) and O’Neill (Machado) into LA’s streets—packed with men trying to rob them, cops chasing them, a python, a fist fight, a first kiss, and phone sex. Throughout it all, Tommy keeps calling an 800 number, as he feels the woman on the line (Ali Richey) is the only adult he can confide in. By the end of the night, the boys’ brotherhood breaks down as they cross the threshold into adulthood. Quiver Distribution snatched the film up after playing at Dances with Films last month, and will release the film on November 8.
l-r Mylen Bradford, Gerrison Machado, and Dallas Young 1800 hot nite. (Photo credit Halfway Crooks Productions.)
Documentary selections include:
THE HUMAN TRIAL directed by Lisa Hepner. In 2011, Lisa Hepner and her husband Guy Mossman heard about a radical stem cell treatment for diabetes, a disease that shockingly kills more than five million people each year. Driven by a desire to cure Lisa of her own type 1 diabetes (T1D), the filmmakers were given unprecedented, real-time access to a clinical trial—only the sixth-ever embryonic stem cell trial in the world. What follows is an intimate journey with the patients and scientists who put themselves on the line to be first.
Doctors working. (Photo credit The Human Trial)
KAEPERNICK & AMERICA directed by Tommy Walker and Ross Hockrow. Ever since he started to oppose police brutality, civil rights activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s actions have reverberated worldwide, as shown in this documentary. The Hollywood Reporter reviewed the film out of Tribeca, saying “If we take a step back, we can see the faint outlines of another, more urgent, narrative thread in Kaepernick & America—one that encourages an all too rare kind of integrity and commitment to creating a more just world.”
ART & ART KRIMES BY KRIMES directed by Alysa Nahmias. While locked up for six years in federal prison, artist Jesse Krimes secretly creates monumental works of art—including an astonishing 30-foot mural made with prison bed sheets, hair gel, and newspaper. He smuggles out each panel piece-by-piece with the help of fellow artists, only seeing the mural in totality upon coming home. As Jesse’s work captures the art world’s attention, he struggles to adjust to life outside, living with the threat that any misstep will trigger a life sentence.
Artist Jesse Krimes in front of his mural. Photo credit Art & Art Krimes by Krimes
ONE PINT AT A TIME directed by Aaron Hose. Craft beer generates tens of billions of dollars annually for the US economy. Despite beer’s Egyptian and African heritage, these traditions have been mostly forgotten and are rarely found in American brewing culture. Today, Black-owned breweries make up less than 1% of the nearly 9,000 breweries in operation in the United States. Eager to shift the historical perception of who makes and drinks beer, Black brewers, brand owners, and influencers across the country are reshaping the craft beer industry and the future of America’s favorite adult beverage. Thrillist said, ONE PINT AT A TIME was “…an invaluable and visually captivating spotlight on the adversities of Black Americans realizing their dreams to own a brewery.”
Huston Lett Bastet Brewing. (Photo credit One Pint at a Time)
Fitzgerald is wistful as he looks back at history and ahead to the future of Filmocracy. “It has been bittersweet, in that the creativity of the Filmocracy team continues to develop exciting new elements that can be integrated into the virtual piece, anchored by the “Filmocracyland” virtual map,” the 3-D map of festivals Filmocracy builds for online festivalgoers to navigate. “Yet, one of the key components of a successful film fest is creating in-person experiences for audiences, filmmakers, and industry professionals. This, of course, was not possible during Covid. We went from virtual to hybrid, and 2022 will be more of a boutique hybrid we’re looking forward to sharing with Los Angeles and the world.”
SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has announced the 2023 film festival will take place in Santa Barbara, CA from February 8 through February 18.
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 02: SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling speaks onstage at the Opening Night Film “The Phantom of the Open” during the 37th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival at Arlington Theatre on March 2, 2022 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for SBIFF)
“SBIFF has long been a place to celebrate and showcase the enduring power of cinema. As we have been confronted with difficult times, film and festivals have continued to be a place for reflection and inspiration. It is with that in mind that we excitedly prepare the 38th SBIFF edition and look forward to bringing the year’s best cinema and talent to our devoted patrons” says Roger Durling, SBIFF’s Executive Director.
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival presented by UGG® will be happening LIVE from February 8 – February 18, 2023. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre.
Last year, SBIFF returned to in-person screenings, panels, and events. The festival had 48 world premieres, 95 U.S. premieres, with honorary awards feted on Javier Bardem, Nicole Kidman, Kristen Stewart, Penélope Cruz, Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Caitriona Balfe, Ariana DeBose, Alana Haim, Ciarán Hinds, Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Simon Rex, Saniyya Sidney, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kenneth Branagh, Jane Campion, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and Steven Spielberg. The film festival’s final lineup and schedule will be announced in January 2023.
[L-R: SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem at the 37th Santa Barbara International Film Festival] (Photo Credit: Getty/Santa Barbara International Film Festival)
Passes for the 2023 Festival are on sale now for 25% off. For additional information or to buy passes, visit sbiff.org.
About the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization dedicated to discovering and showcasing the best in independent and international cinema. Over the past 37 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes and symposiums, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire the Santa Barbara community through film.
SBIFF continues its commitment to education and the community through many free educational programs and events. In 2016, SBIFF entered a new era with the acquisition of the historic and beloved Riviera Theatre. After a capital campaign and renovation, the theatre is now SBIFF’s new state-of-the-art, year-round home, showing new international and independent films every day. In 2019, SBIFF opened its own Education Center in downtown Santa Barbara on State Street to serve as a home for its many educational programs and a place for creativity and learning.
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 6, 2022) – Indie Rights has acquired Worldwide rights to Nicola Rose’s female coming-of-age comedyGoodbye, Petrushka. Indie Rights and Parsley Productions are pleased to announce a week-long engagement in Los Angeles (July 15-21) at Cinelounge Sunset and a one-night NYC event on July 17 planned prior to a release on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada on July 21, to be followed shortly by other major streaming platforms. This is a film you do not want to miss…
Check out the trailer!
This little-indie-that-could, which is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance. It’s deeply silly, and (at least for me) wonderful in that the “success” of the young woman’s journey isn’t predicated on a wedding bells wrap up. And I know you know what I mean.
The film killed it at Dances With Films, and is now going to do a week run at Cinelounge (July 15-21) in Los Angeles before streaming everywhere.
Rose’s feature film directorial debut, Goodbye, Petrushka focuses on Claire (Lizzie Kehoe), a romantic, a puppeteer, and a fish out of water at college. Following a chance meeting with Thibault, a French figure skater at the end of his career, and at the behest of her crazy, rich best friend, Claire leaves school and moves from New York to Paris. Once there, she meets Thibault again and they embark on a unique project together with her puppets. However, her new life is constantly thwarted by obstinate French bureaucrats, her job as a nanny for a horrible Parisian family, and a frustratingly toxic relationship she has also managed to land herself. Claire’s Paris is less a personal renaissance and more a relentless series of faux pas. In the end, she will have to figure out that to find happiness, she will need to put herself first and listen to her own unique, silly, and beautiful heart.
GOODBYE PETRUSHKA, the little-indie-that-could, is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance.
Rose said, “Goodbye, Petrushka is a story about a young woman’s growing-up experience in all its weird, messy glory. I have always wished there were more stories about young people, especially young women, making mistakes — sometimes huge, embarrassing, goofy mistakes — yet coming out stronger and smarter at the other end. We are thrilled that Indie Rights is inspired by the story and decided to champion it. We were independent in every sense of the word — not just in terms of our production, but also when it came to the story we wanted to tell.”
GOODBYE PETRUSHKA, the little-indie-that-could, is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance.
“We are thrilled to be able to represent Goodbye, Petrushka,” said Linda Nelson, co-Founder of Indie Rights. “A film from a young woman’s point of view that is funny, heart-felt, romantic, set in New York and Paris, and includes animation and puppets – what more could one ask for? Like the film’s main character, we see big things for this film and look forward to introducing it to a world-wide audience.”
GOODBYE PETRUSHKA, the little-indie-that-could, is a rare female coming-of-age/romantic comedy hybrid that actually isn’t focused on the actual romance.
The deal was negotiated by Linda Nelson on behalf of Indie Rights and Goodbye, Petrushka Producer Tierney Boorboor. Serving and supporting as Executive Producers are Mark A. Baum, Ed Cuffe, Mike Reuten, and Imraan Farukhi.
About Indie Rights
Indie Rights is an innovative, independent movie studio that prides itself on having a personal touch when it comes to producing and distributing movies and TV. Founded by Michael Madison and Linda Nelson because they believed that the future was bright for independent artists and that there was a better way to produce and distribute movies, Indie Rights has been in business since 2000, when they produced their first film, NSYNC BIGGER THAN LIVE a Giant Screen Movie that played to sold out crowds worldwide. For more info, visit https://www.indierights.com/.
Alex Liu’s comedic sex education documentary Arrives on TVOD June 7 On all major streaming and cable platforms in the U.S. and Canada
A FILM THAT TALKS ABOUT SEX IN A WAY YOU LIKELY
HAVEN’T SEEN AND WITH PEOPLE YOU WOULDN’T EXPECT
To right the wrongs of his all-American sex education, 36-year-old health reporter Alex Liu goes on a quest to uncover naked truths and hard facts—no matter how awkward it gets. From neuroscience labs to church pews, A Sexplanation features provocative conversations with psychologists, sex researchers, a Jesuit priest, and several generations of Alex’s own family. With humor and grit, Alex takes audiences on a playful, heartfelt journey from a shame-filled past to a happier, healthier, sexier future.
Not your typical queer, Asian American, comedic sex education documentary about the universal search for love, connection, and family acceptance. A SEXPLANATION is an award-winning film that has been screened at 32 film festivals on four continents, eight countries, and 18 states. Festival awards include Audience Award, Feature Documentary (Cinequest, Inside Out LGBTQ, Asian American International, ReelQ, Paris International), Jury Award, Feature Documentary (DC Asian Pacific, Honolulu Rainbow), Jury Award, Best First Time Film (Tallgrass), and Audience Award, Feature Film (Phoenix).
Directed by Liu, A Sexplanation is written by Leonardo Neri and Alex Liu, produced by Steven Flynn, and edited by Brian Emerick and Alex Liu. Brian Emerick serves as Cinematographer.
Day 3 at the 13th TCM Classic Film Festival brought forth a plethora of memories and good feelings. Film critic Leonard Maltin received the Robert Osborne Award and spoke at length about film as a true art form followed up by a tour de force performance by Actor John Barrymore in the 1932 Counsellor at Law.
In addition, several cast members from the 1982 classic, Diner, gathered for a pre-screening conversation at the Hollywood Legion Theatre. Also, Warren Beatty was in the house at the TCL Chinese IMAX Theatre for a conversation with TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz following the Beatty-led Heaven Can Wait (1981).
Check out the Highlights!
Respected film critic Leonard Maltin receives the Robert Osborne Award presented by actor and director Warren Beatty and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 23: (L-R) TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, Robert Osborne Award recipient Leonard Maltin, and special guest Warren Beatty attend the Robert Osborne Award Reception during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the Hollywood Legion Theater on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TCM)
Special guests Kevin Bacon, Tim Daly, Steve Guttenberg, and Paul Reiser join TCM host Dave Karger for the 40th-anniversary screening of “Diner”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 23: (L-R) Special guests Paul Reiser, Tim Daly, Kevin Bacon, Steve Guttenberg, and TCM host Dave Karger attend the screening of “Diner” during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the Hollywood Legion Theater on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for TCM)
Warren Beatty joins TCM host Ben Mankiewicz for a screening of “Heaven Can Wait,” followed by a conversation about the film
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 23: (L-R) TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, special guest Warren Beatty, and General Manager of Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon attend the screening of “Heaven Can Wait” during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the The Hollywood Roosevelt on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for TCM.
Until next time…. I’ll see you at the movies!
Larry Gleeson poses in front of the TCM display at the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival. (Photo courtesy of HollywoodGlee/Larry Gleeson)
TCM’s Critically Acclaimed Podcast To Spotlight Iconic Actress Pam Grier
Actress Pam Grier will be on the first episode of season four of “The Plot Thickens.” (Image courtesy of Warner Media)
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) award-winning podcast The Plot Thickens will premiere season four this fall, in which trailblazing actress Pam Grier shares her remarkable life story with host Ben Mankiewicz.
Ben Mankiewicz
“The word ‘iconic’ is overused in this industry, but Pam has been a true revolutionary regarding the depiction of Black women in Hollywood,” said host Ben Mankiewicz. “Pam’s characters are
unapologetic, tough, and fiercely independent, just like she was when she started in Hollywood five decades ago and remains to this day.”
Pam Grier starred in the lead role of Coffy and is depicted on the film’s poster above.
In August of 1973, an unknown Black actress named Pam Grier knocked James Bond out of the number one spot at the box office. Pam Grier was the lead in Coffy, a Blaxploitation film with a ridiculously low budget, tons of nudity, and blood-splattering violence. Pam was just 24, and she was suddenly Hollywood’s first female action hero.
Pam Grier will be appearing this weekend at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood to introduce her breakout film Coffy. This will be Pam Grier’s first appearance at the TCM Classic Film.
Stay tuned this summer for the first trailer for season four of “The Plot Thickens.” Previous seasons are available on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
About The Plot Thickens
The Plot Thickens is the official podcast from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) about movies and the people who make them. Season one premiered in May 2020, diving into the life and work of Oscar®-nominated director, writer, and actor Peter Bogdanovich. Season two, “The Devil’s Candy,” launched in June 2021 and chronicled the tumultuous production of the 1990 film The Bonfire of the Vanities. Season three uncovered fresh insights into the life and times of the iconic Lucille Ball and debuted in October 2021. The podcast has garnered more than six million downloads and several industry awards: it was named a Webby Honoree in 2021 and 2022; won best-branded podcast from the 2021 Adweek Podcast Awards; and was nominated for best entertainment podcast at the Ambie Awards two years in a row. It has been featured on “best-of” lists from The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, NPR and Vanity Fair.
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 critically acclaimed series like The Essentials, along with 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, the TCM Big Screen Classics screening series, and the TCM Classic Cruise. In addition, TCM produces the wildly successful podcast “The Plot Thickens,” which has had more than 6 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 Classics Curated by TCM hub on HBO Max.
The red carpet that leads up the steps to the hope of being in the limelight.
A poetic celebration of the insuperable quest for expression and freedom.
An upward journey to contemplate the past and move ahead towards the promise of a revival. From Tuesday, May 17 to Saturday, May 28, the Festival de Cannes will hold its 75th edition, and here is its poster.
Just as the unforgettable Truman embodied by the one-and-only Jim Carrey whose fingers brush his horizon, the Festival de Cannes takes the extreme nature of the world in its stride in order to grasp it again. The climate crisis, humanitarian disasters, and armed conflicts… the reasons for concerns are numerous. As in 1939 and in 1946, the Festival is once again asserting its strong conviction that art and cinema are where contemplation and the renewal of society unravel. And yet it remains faithful to its founding commitment enshrined in article 1 of its rules: “The purpose of the Festival International du Film, in a spirit of friendship and universal cooperation, is to reveal and showcase quality films in the interest of the evolution of the art of cinematography.”
Peter Weir and Andrew Niccol’s The Truman Show(1998) is a modern reflection of Plato’s cave and the decisive scene urges viewers to not only experience the border between reality and its representation but to ponder the power of fiction, between manipulation and catharsis. Just as Truman escapes falsehood as he rises, the Festival, with its famous ascending red carpet, offers viewers the truth of the artists when they enter the theater.
