Mark Wahlberg is bringing the real-life disaster story of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion to life on the big screen.
“Good Morning America” debuted the new trailer for the film, “Deepwater Horizon,” which features the stories of those who worked on the BP rig during its harrowing final hours. The April 2010 explosion killed 11 people and triggered the biggest oil spill in U.S. history.
Wahlberg stars as Mike Williams, an electrician who escaped from the burning rig. He’s joined by an impressive cast: Dylan O’Brien as floorhand Caleb Holloway; Gina Rodriguez as young crew member Andrea Fleytas; Kurt Russell as crew member Jimmy Harrell; and John Malkovich as BP representative Donald Vidrine.
“Deepwater Horizon,” hits theaters Sept. 30, 2016. Watch the trailer above and see the exclusive dramatic character posters below.
The first South Bay Film and Music Festival, which takes place from June 1 to 5, is billed as a celebration of the arts, jam-packed with an eclectic blend of cinema, music and art.
Highlighted by a 50th anniversary screening of the iconic surfing film “The Endless Summer,” SBFF showcases social impact, sport and music documentaries, features and short films. Question-and-answer sessions and panels with filmmakers take place throughout the event that has its headquarters in Hermosa Beach, with some events in El Segundo, Manhattan Beach and Palos Verdes.
Jon Fitzgerald, SBFF executive director, said there will be a “lot of discovery with filmmakers and musicians” at the festival.
“Beyond the quality of film and music, I believe we’re really going to create some unique experiences,” said Fitzgerald, who grew up in the South Bay and is a film industry professional who has directed numerous film festivals.
Fitzgerald said the community has opened its arms to the festival and the city has given him “universal support.”
“It’s nice when you come into a town and the city and the local government and officials all want to roll up their sleeves and help,” Fitzgerald said. “It makes it more rewarding and less challenging frankly. Anybody can go into a city and rent a theater and print a poster and say, ‘I’m going to show movies.’ But if the city is not behind it, it’s really harder to gain traction.”
“The South Bay Film and Music Festival is bringing a variety of stellar evenings to our beach city,” said Hermosa Beach Mayor Carolyn Petty, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to support the festival for five days, and encourage our community members from the South Bay and beyond to come enjoy an evening—or five—in Hermosa Beach.”
Opening night
The opening night Gala for SBFF Wednesday, June 1, starts with Taste of the South Bay, from 5 to 7 p.m., which features culinary specialties from more than 20 local restaurants, at the Hermosa Community Center, at the corner of Pier Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway. The evening also includes an art exhibition featuring surf artists and photographers and a performance from a jazz band.
Making its premiere at 7 p.m. is “Voyagers Without Trace,” a documentary about a French couple and their friend who took their cameras on a kayaking trip down the Green and Colorado Rivers in 1938. Director Ian McCluskey will be in attendance for a question-and-answer session.
Thursday special presentations
Classics from the silent film era and a modern classic from a horror icon highlight the Thursday, June 2 festivities.
A 30th anniversary screening of “Stand By Me,” Stephen King’s story of four friends who stumble upon a dead body, begins at 8:15 p.m., at the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes. A reception takes place from 6 to 8 p.m., prior to the screening.
Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo hosts a 90th anniversary screening of “The General,” starring Buster Keaton, beginning at 7 p.m. Bill Field, who re-opened the theater in 1968 as a silent movie theater, 47 years after its original opening, will accompany the 1926 film with a Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ that was built in 1925 and brought from Long Beach.
‘Endless Summer’
Iconic surf filmmaker Bruce Brown will he honored with the first “Action Sports Pioneer Award” before the screening of his classic documentary, “The Endless Summer,” about two surfers and their world travels, Saturday, June 4.
The day begins with a “Sea to See” reception from 4 to 5:30 p.m., which features more than 50 pieces of artwork from notable surf artists and photographers. The tribute to Brown takes place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by “The Endless Summer” screening.
(Photo courtesy of SBFF)
Surf Film Showcase
Aside from “The Endless Summer,” nine other surf films, short and feature length will be screening at SBFF.
Subjects range from a 9-year-old Brazilian surfer who moved to California to pursue his dreams to a profile on India’s first female surfer.
Shorts Program
Three shorts programs takes place June 2, 3 and 4, at 9:30 p.m. The first program, on Thursday, June 2, features “Cause Cinema,” “where the movies engage and inspire,” according to Fitzgerald, who founded Cause Pictures and wrote his first book in 2012, “Film making for Change: Make Films That Transform the World.”
Competition
Thirteen films are competing in the documentary film competition. Subjects range from an Iditarod Sled Dog Race champion to the lives of three gay Palestinian friends. The films are screening throughout the festival.
Hazing to an 11-year-old boy competing at the World Paper Plane Championship are the subjects of two of the nine films up for Best Narrative Film.
Closing night
SBFF closes Sunday, June 5, with an awards ceremony and a screening of awards winning films.
The awards ceremony takes place from 7 to 7:30 p.m. and features awards for Jury Prize – Best Narrative Film,” “Jury Prize – Best Documentary Film,” and audience awards for narrative, documentary, Cause Cinema Spotlight and Surf Film Showcase.
A dessert reception takes place from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., followed by screenings of award winning films from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Music showcases
SBFF also features plenty for the music fan beginning Thursday, June 2, with singer/songwriters Isla June and Nick Shattuck performing at the South Coast Botanic Garden from 6 to 8 p.m. The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach hosts Salt Petal, Nick Valentini Collective, Dream Vacation and Niantic, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. the same evening.
Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach hosts a showcase, presented by World Arts, Friday, June 3, from 5 to 9 p.m., starring Gracie Gray, Marchan Noelle, Carlos Calvo and Frankie Bourne.
Hoist the Colors headlines the Standing Room Showcase in Hermosa Beach Saturday, June 4, from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., with Braeves, Foxtrax and Short Stories also performing.
A Music Pass is available for $75 that allows access to all music related films (about six in total), music showcases, panels and music–related receptions. A pass holder also receives complimentary wine and beer from sponsors during the happy hours in the Hospitality Suite at the Hermosa Community Center.
A music and film panel will also be offered that details how to get a song into a film or on television.
“It’s not as easy as you think,” Fitzgerald said. “There are roughly 10,000 independent films made a year now, almost all of those movies have music … where do they get their music? They’re not going to call up Universal Music and get Imagine Dragons.”
There are also plenty of networking opportunities.
“I’m going to have each of the musicians contribute one of their tracks and do a compilation CD,” Fitzgerald said. “That CD will be given to all the filmmakers and industry professionals that come through so that they can potentially be licensing some music.”
South Bay Sessions
South Bay Sessions takes place June 4 and 5. Each session highlights a “technology driven idea, project or company, that promotes social consciousness.” Four sessions, which will include tech demonstrations, will focus on the four categories including food/nutrition; environment/water/community resources: artistic expression/media impact; education/literacy/digital citizenship.
Working with the city
The festival’s founding partners include the City of Hermosa Beach and the Hermosa Beach Arts Foundation, which both contributed $15,000 to the founding of SBFF, under the umbrella of the Hermosa Cinema Society. The festival has had an ongoing presence in the community since last year with monthly screenings at the Hermosa Community Center.
Hermosa is the heart of the festival as Fitzgerald sees its expansion over the first several years. Fitzgerald was brought in as the film festival’s executive director after more than 20 years of directing numerous film festivals, including American Film Institute Fest, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi Film Festival, as well as being a co-founder of the Slamdance Film Festival.
Fitzgerald, who grew up in the South Bay, said bringing the festival to his hometown makes it “more special” than other film festivities he’s worked for in the past, even with the long hours. And being a “start-up” there’s little budget.
“The fact that the community really wants this, makes it that much more rewarding for me because I know I’m bringing something to this community that they really embrace,” he said.
In 1985, Will Allen became a member of The Buddhafield, a Los Angeles area spiritual group. A recent film school graduate, Allen began to chronicle the group’s activities that centered on their leader, a mysterious individual they called The Teacher, or Michel. Over time, the group’s dark side began to surface, until finally, a shocking allegation against The Teacher tore the group apart – all in front of Allen’s camera. This incredible archive of video footage became the basis for HOLY HELL.
Opening Theatrically May 27th, 2016
(Source: Press release provided by Nathaniel Baruch, brigademarketing.com)
Stunningly shot and deeply resonant, L’ATTESA heralds the arrival of a talented new voice. With Sicily as his backdrop, Piero Messina (assistant director on Paolo Sorrentino’s THE GREAT BEAUTY) navigates a range of emotions in telling the strange, irresistible story of the relationship between two women from different generations. Academy Award®-winner Juliette Binoche stars as Anna, who is meeting her son Giuseppe’s French girlfriend, Jeanne (Lou de Laâge), in the lead up to Easter festivities. Young and enchanting, Jeanne arrived with excitement before Giuseppe, whose continued delays and lack of presence cast a dark, mysterious shadow over the household. Why is Giuseppe not here and when will he appear? As Anna and Jeanne wait, they grow closer than either imagined they would, despite the secrets they’re harboring from one another.
About Director Piero Messina
Piero Messina was born in Caltagirone in 1981. Having graduated with honors from DAMS, he took a degree in directing at the Rome Film School. He has made numerous shorts and documentaries. His short films include TERRA, shown at the 65th Cannes festival in the Cinéfondation section; LA PRIMA LEGGE DI NEWTON, which received a Special Mention at the Rome Film Festival, a nomination for a Silver Ribbon and one for a Golden Globe; and LA PORTA, selected at the Rotterdam Festival. Among his documentaries, PIRRERA was shown at the Rome Film Festival and won, among others, the Libero Bizzarri Prize.
He worked as assistant director on Paolo Sorrentino’s films THIS MUST BE THE PLACE and LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (THE GREAT BEAUTY). He has directed documentaries for RAI and the programme Capolavori Svelati for Sky Arte. In January 2014, he directed the pilot short for the Giorgio Armani project Films of City Frames, aimed at students at some of the most important film schools in the world.
About Lou de Laâge
Lou de Laâge is a French actress and former model whose film credits Thomas Bardinet’s NINO (UNE ADOLESCENCE IMAGINAIRE DE NICO FERRER) (2011), Danièle Thompson’s comedy DES GENS QUI S’EMBRASSENT (2013) and Mélanie Laurent’s RESPIRE (2014). She recently garnered rave reviews for her performance in Anne Fontaine’s AGNUS DEI which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
About Juliette Binoche
Born in Paris, Juliette Binoche made her feature film debut in 1983 with LIBERTY BELL. Her performance in the 1988 film THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING thrust her into the international spotlight, and she was honored with an Academy Award in 1997 for her work in THE ENGLISH PATIENT. Binoche has continued to turn in acclaimed and successful performances, while remaining true to her commitment to high-quality projects. She starred in the French-Taiwanese film Flight of the RED BALOON (2007) as well as CERTIFIED COPY, for which she won Best Actress at the 2010 Cannes film festival. She recently earned rave reviews for her lead performance in the critically acclaimed hit CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA.
(Source: Press release provided by Shipra Gupta, brigademarketing.com)
From June 22–26, the 14th edition of AFI DOCS showcases 94 films representing 30 countries. Screenings will take place in Washington, DC, at the Newseum and the Landmark E Street Cinema, and in Sil…
I will be analyzing the three films, Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1957), and Ran (1985), in relation to how these Akira Kurosawa films represent men and their relationship to social structures, and to violence in reference to historical truth and to socio-economic realities. In Rashomon, Kurosawa breaks the traditional narrative mold of his earlier films with Arthouse Cinema depicting a murder of a samurai and the rape of his Lady by a bandit. The samurai is depicted as a clean cut, upright guardian as he walks carrying the reigns of the horse that his properly attired Japanese Lady rides upon in traditional ruling class attire complete with hat and facial netting protecting her delicate, porcelain-like skin from the harmful rays of the sun. The bandit, on the other hand, is dressed with tattered garb, no shirt, unshaven and a general unkempt appearance and he is frequently swatting and defending himself from the attention of big flies evidenced by his scratching and swatting at the loud buzzing of the flies. As the samurai and the Lady make their way through the woods, the bandit slowly watches like a snake watching his prey. Eventually, the bandit confronts the samurai in broad-action, sword dueling scenes and in hand to hand combats as daggers are brandished and eventually the bandit subdues the samurai and forcefully takes the Lady’s honor. (People: Akira Kurasawa)
The men this film is focusing on are men that take care of the weaker sexed women and use violence to get what they want and need. (Prince) The use of violence to protect the weak and to get what is wanted will be seen again and again in Seven Samurai, in Ran, as well as in the remainder of Rashomon, as four varying versions of the same crime are presented with one version containing a hidden secret. In my opinion, this film is a reflection of Japanese society in 1950. The Japanese samurai has been killed as democratization is the driving force behind the new society and that the new culture is at risk of becoming a society of thieves and bandits. (People: Akira Kurasawa)
Americanization has been taking place with a new constitution being implemented. Furthermore, the Japanese “sword,” the army, has been removed. It is my belief the four versions represent varying perspectives on WWII. Yet, by the end of Rashomon, an acceptance of the past has taken place and hope for the future is being put forth symbolized by the wood cutter’s willingness to trade the valuable, pearl-handled dagger he kept for himself, in return for the safety and well-being of the newborn. (Prince, The Warrior’s Camera: The cinema of Akira Kurosawa) This, in my opinion, is Kurosawa showing through the woodcutter’s action that there is there is hope for the future of Japan without the weapons of the samurai and the army.
With the 1955 film Seven Samurai, ten years have passed since the end of WWII. Japan is struggling to find it’s own identity. For the most part, Japanese society has all but turned its back on the samurai way and is leaning heavily toward a full embrace of Western ideals and economics. Kurosawa sees the ideals of the samurai as a way for Japan to embrace the past taking the strong, good ideals of the legendary samurai and reinventing the samurai as a present day, or contemporary figure as he fears Japan is losing its identity. (People: Akira Kurasawa) The film opens with the bandits coming to rob the peasant farmers of their grain and barley. The peasants can’t defend themselves and fear for their survival. They decide to hire a samurai to protect and help defend them from the marauding bandits. Interestingly, Kurosawa depicts the first samurai as out of work true to a struggling contemporary Japanese economy. The samurai prepares himself as a priest and rescues a baby from a crazed kidnapper. The kidnapper is impaled by a sword and stumbling from the hut and in slow-motion drops dead to the ground. The samurai emerges and holds the baby aloft. The samurai uses violence to protect and safeguard the baby. I believe Kurosawa uses the baby again here in Seven Samurai, as he did in Rashomon, to foreshadow a hopeful future for Japan.
The men in Seven Samurai, are distinctly drawn into two classes, the upper class samurai and the peasant farmers and bandits. Kurosawa depicts the samurai living almost exclusively by a code of loyalty, duty responsibility and honor. He embodies these men as transcending selfishness and individualism, sacrificing themselves to protect the peasants. In addition, he includes a peasant who was not born into the samurai class as the possibility of social mobility in post WWII Japanese society and through the samurai and the hard work, sense of duty and fighting loyalty of the peasants victory is possible. Kurosawa uses violence as abstract realism. The fight scenes are very physical, very kinetic. His use of the long lens and camera angles draws the viewer’s eye in and creates a very contemporary feel. (Giddens) Furthermore, in the final scenes, Kurosawa is linking the ideals of the samurai at the film’s end with the buried samurai on the hillside with the future of Japan. As Japan is struggling to find its identity Kurosawa is showing them a way through the abyss- the dirty, muddy fight scenes – through the surviving samurai tradition of loyalty, self-sacrifice and sense of duty. In the closing moments of Seven Samurai, the surviving samurai agree that they survived and that the peasant farmer’s are the ones who have won. Kurosawa is saying that the Japanese can have a better future if they are willing to reach for it and work for it.
With his final epic film, the Shakespearean Japanese interpretive, Ran, based on “King Lear,” Kurosawa has pulled away from such overt optimism of Seven Samurai, and the darker themes from his earlier Shakespearean Japanese interpretive, Throne of Blood, based on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” have taken hold. Kurosawa sees his government taking sides with huge corporations at the expense of the Japanese people. A truly authentic Japanese identity post WWII is becoming very difficult. Kurosawa has for all intents and purposes lost faith in the Japanese government and it’s chance at a more hopeful, authentic Japan based on the ideals of the samurai society. Kurosawa has seen the Japanese samurai ideals subverted almost entirely into the corporation. (Nolletti) His film Ran, (1965) is a white flag to the winds of fate – the lost hope of an independent, authentic Japan. (IMDB: Akira Kurosawa) The sons of Lord Hidetora are, in my opinion, representative of the sons of Japan after WWII. Not to be content with their individual kingdoms, each is driven to conquer, capture and unify the people by a woman, Lady Kaede who is hell bent on revenging her family’s demise at the hand of Lord Hidetora years earlier. A case can be made Japan had come full circle from the civil warring era that Kurosawa sets these films, with serfdoms battling one another and samurais waging the battles for the lord of the serfdom, much like the warriors that served the three castles and the Lord of each castle to the economic juggernaut that Japan became in the 1970’s and early 1980’s following WWII. (Prince, “Remaking Kurosawa: Translations and Permutations in Global Cinema”)
Seemingly, Kurosawa has thrown his hands up in the air with Ran, and has reached the conclusion that Japan is fated and his efforts to see his native country return to, or even evolve into, a strong, masculine state again will not be fulfilled. Japanese suffering is just the way the world works. Kurosawa conveys this with the image of a castle burning with horsemen rushing in and killing is everywhere. Moreover, the ending of Ran, depicts Taramaru on the top of his family’s burned out castle ruins. A drastic cut pull out gives appearance Taramaru is part of the ruin and poses the adage that Justice is blind. Seemingly, Kurosawa feels modern Japan, like, the Japan depicted in Ran, is being decided on the whims of a feminized bureaucracy attempting to avenge a humiliating defeat through the economic windfalls of hue corporations. Kurosawa’s films after this period moved into dreamlike states and fantasia.
The messages Kurosawa sets forth in these masterpieces are relevant today. Economically, Japan is struggling due to a global recession, a major earthquake and a resultant three-story tsunami (possibly fate) along with a nuclear release of radioactive material occurring at the Fukushima nuclear power plants. Notwithstanding, Japan as a culture, has succeeded in maintaining aspects of the samurai culture in its work ethic and in its value of loyalty. Nevertheless, as a nation, Japan did not invite the international community to participate in assessing and containing the nuclear spillage nor in rectifying the leakage from the Fukushima Daiichi reactor. As Kurosawa elegantly, and eloquently shows, the Japanese people are a people steeped in a strong, rich and powerful tradition. One can only hope that when they need to, they ask for help in overcoming an adversary to ensure the health and survival of its people despite class differences. In closing, I believe Japan still looks to the West before it charts its course for the future – much like Kurosawa’s western genre influence in these films. And despite the great film director’s dismay, the Japanese people and the strong ideals of the samurai remain vibrant, alive as they work, struggle and fight for a better future.
Works Cited
Prince, Stephen. The Warrior’s Camera: The cinema of Akira Kurosawa. Princeton University Press, 1999.
Giddens, Gary. Kurosawa in Action. 22 July 2015 .
Nolletti, Arthur. “”Perspectives on Kurosawa”.” Film Quarterly Summer 1996: 52-54.
Prince, Stephen. “”Remaking Kurosawa: Translations and Permutations in Global Cinema”.” The Journal of Japanese Studies 37.1 (2011): 229-233.
People: Akira Kurasawa. 19 July 2015 .
IMDB: Akira Kurosawa. 18 July 2015 .
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – APRIL 25, 2016, WASHINGTON, DC – Today, AFI DOCS, the American Film Institute’s annual documentary celebration held June 22–26, 2016, in the nation’s capital, announced the festival’s Opening and Closing Night films. Opening AFI DOCS 2016 is the North American premiere of Magnolia Pictures’ ZERO DAYS, directed by Alex Gibney. Closing the festival is Music Box Films’ NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU, directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. Both Gala screenings will be held at the Newseum, which has joined the festival this year as the Official Gala Screening Partner. Located on historic Pennsylvania Avenue, the Newseum is a champion for free expression around the world and features seven levels of interactive exhibits including 15 galleries and 15 theaters.
AFI DOCS is proud to announce the return of AT&T as Presenting Sponsor.
“With AT&T’s continued support, we are thrilled to kick off and close AFI DOCS 2016 with two remarkable films that remind us why documentaries are essential viewing for all who love film. To have this trio of filmmakers — Alex Gibney, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady — bookend the festival is a true honor,” said Michael Lumpkin, Director of AFI DOCS.
The Opening Night Gala of the North American premiere of ZERO DAYS will be held on June 22 at the Newseum and will feature a Q&A with Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney after the screening. ZERO DAYS explores Stuxnet, a self-replicating computer worm discovered in 2010 that was commissioned by the U.S. and Israeli governments to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program. Gibney’s work has been celebrated at AFI DOCS in the past: he was honored at the AFI DOCS Charles Guggenheim Symposium in 2014 and he presented his film STEVE JOBS: THE MAN IN THE MACHINE in 2015.
The Closing Night Gala screening of NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU will be held on June 26 at the Newseum and will feature a post-screening discussion with film subject Norman Lear and Academy Award®-nominated directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady. The film chronicles the life and work of Lear, a television icon known for his keen writing and producing talents. His legendary TV shows, which include ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE JEFFERSONS and MAUDE, boldly addressed the topics of race, class and feminism in the 1970s and ’80s. Ewing and Grady previously brought their Oscar®-nominated film JESUS CAMP to AFI DOCS in 2006.
Tickets to AFI DOCS, including Opening Night and Closing Night screenings, will be available early to AFI members exclusively from May 9–17, and to the public on May 18. Passes for AFI DOCS 2016 are now on sale at AFI.com/afidocs. More information about AFI DOCS screenings and other special events will be announced in the coming weeks.
About the Newseum
The Newseum is dedicated to free expression and the five freedoms of the First Amendment: religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Headquartered on historic Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., the Newseum’s compelling, dynamic and engaging exhibits, programs and education initiatives help ensure that these fundamental freedoms remain strong and protected both today and for future generations. The Newseum Institute promotes the study, exploration and education of the challenges confronting freedom through its First Amendment Center and the Religious Freedom Center. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, including the Freedom Forum. For more information, visit newseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. We offer the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider*. And we help businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.
*Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and data roaming; LTE roaming; voice roaming; and world-capable smartphone and tablets in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier. International service required. Coverage not available in all areas. Coverage may vary per country and be limited/restricted in some countries.
About AFI DOCS
AFI DOCS is the American Film Institute’s annual documentary festival in the Washington, DC area. Presenting the year’s best documentaries, AFI DOCS is the only festival in the U.S. dedicated to screenings and events that connect audiences, filmmakers and policy leaders in the seat of our nation’s government. The AFI DOCS advisory board includes Ken Burns, Davis Guggenheim, Chris Hegedus, Werner Herzog, Rory Kennedy, Barbara Kopple, Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Stanley Nelson, D A Pennebaker, Agnès Varda and Frederick Wiseman. The AFI DOCS advisory board includes Ken Burns, Davis Guggenheim, Chris Hegedus, Werner Herzog, Rory Kennedy, Barbara Kopple, Spike Lee, Errol Morris, Stanley Nelson, D A Pennebaker and Frederick Wiseman. Now in its 14th year, the festival will be held June 22–26, 2016 in landmark Washington, DC venues and the historic AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, MD. Visit AFI.com/afidocs and connect on twitter.com/afidocs, facebook.com/afidocs and youtube.com/AFI.
Enjoy these pictures courtesy of Turner Classic Movies!
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 29: Actress Angela Lansbury speaks onstage at ‘The Manchurian Candidate’ during day 2 of the TCM Classic Film Festival 2016 on April 29, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25826_005 (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Turner) *** Local Caption *** Angela Lansbury
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 29: Director/producer John Singleton speaks onstage at the ‘Boyz n the Hood’ screening during day 2 of the TCM Classic Film Festival 2016 on April 29, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25826_008 (Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images for Turner) *** Local Caption *** John Singleton
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 29: (L-R) Lassie, Brigitte aka Stella and Clyde aka Marley attend Man’s Best Friend: Dogs in Film panel during day 2 of the TCM Classic Film Festival 2016 on April 29, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25826_009 (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Turner) *** Local Caption *** Lassie; Clyde aka Marley; Brigitte aka Stella
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 29: Actors Lee Meriwether (L) and Adam West attend ‘Batman: The Move’ during day 2 of the TCM Classic Film Festival 2016 on April 29, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25826_006 (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Turner) *** Local Caption *** Lee Meriwether; Adam West
Please click images for captions.
Director John Singleton attends the 25th anniversary screening of Boyz N the Hood at the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival. Checkout the behind-the-scenes clip from the groundbreaking film!
Iconic director Francis Ford Coppola is honored at the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival Handprint/Footprint Ceremony and introduces a screening his film The Conversation.
Adam West and Lee Meriwether made a special appearance at the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival screening of Batman.
The 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival showcases canine performers in their Dogs in Movies Panel featuring Lassie, Bridget and Clyde along with their trainers.
Stay tuned for more updates including Illeanna Douglas with Carl Reiner during An Afternoon With Carl Reiner/Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid!
Take a five day trip to Asia by seeing eleven brand new Asian films including the recently announced Mr. Six and Sweet Bean!
Mr. Six
This thrilling new film from gifted auteur Guan Hu (Cow) immerses us in the crime-riddled labyrinth of Beijing’s rapidly changing underworld. Based on actual events, Mr. Six is the story of a fascinating man whose life reflects the history of a nation.
In a welcome return to acting, great Beijing writer-director Feng Xiaogang stars as the mysterious Mr. Six. Many years ago Mr. Six was a notorious gangster. That was back when there was still such a thing as honour among thieves, when criminals earned respect and maintained principles. These days Mr. Six is all but forgotten, a living relic residing in a hutong, or narrow alley.
Feng Xaiogang as Mr. Six (Credit: China Lion Film)
One day Six’s son, Xiaobo (Li Yifeng), is abducted by some spoiled punks after scratching their precious Ferrari. Mr. Six, who has been diagnosed with a serious heart condition, realizes that he must do whatever it takes to get his son back and forge a meaningful bond with him while there is still time — even if that means returning to the life he thought he had left behind. Beijing’s new generation of thugs are all flash and no ethics, but Mr. Six, calling on a few friends from his past for assistance, finds that the old ways can still be used to get a difficult job done.
With Guan’s impeccable narrative power behind the camera and Feng’s subtle character-making magic in front of it, Mr. Six sees a panoply of diverse talents come together to tell a gripping story that bridges Chinas old and new. – Giovanna Fulvi, tiff
Sweet Bean
Adapted from the novel by Durian Sukegawa, the new film by Naomi Kawase is a graceful ode to the invisible essences of existence — to the beauty and joy we can discover once we learn to listen to nature and feel the life that is coursing through and all around us.
“Sweet Bean” is a delicious red bean paste, the sweet heart of the dorayaki pancakes that Sentaro (Masatoshi Nagase) sells from his little bakery to a small but loyal clientele. Absorbed in sad memories and distant thoughts, Sentaro cooks with skill but without enthusiasm. When seventy-six-year-old Tokue (Kirin Kiki) responds to his ad for an assistant and cheerfully offers to work for a ridiculously low wage, Sentaro is skeptical about the eccentric old lady’s ability to endure the long hours. But when she shows up early one morning and reveals to him the secret to the perfect an — listening to the stories of wind, sun and rain that the beans have to tell — Sentaro agrees to take her on, trusting her strange ability to connect with nature. With Tokue’s new home-cooked an recipe, Sentaro’s business begins to flourish — but along with her smiles and culinary skill, Tokue is afflicted with an illness that, once revealed, drives her into isolation once again.
Credit – NYTimes.com
Using cookery to explore her perennial theme of communion with nature, in An Kawase also poignantly addresses the discrimination that condemns many like Tokue to live their lives segregated from the rest of society. Beautifully shot and quietly moving, An is a humble masterpiece from a singularly accomplished filmmaker. – Giovanna Fulvi, tiff
(Macao, March 16, 2016) – The Asian Film Awards (AFA), organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), hosted a star-studded welcome dinner at Conrad Macao, Cotai Central tonight as a prelude to the gala awards event which will be held on Mar. 17, 2016. The event saw celebrities, sponsors and VIP guests came together to celebrate the film industry in Asia and enjoy an evening of celebration and entertainment.
Inaugurated in 2007, the Asian Film Awards (AFA) celebrates excellence in Asian cinema through the annual presentation of awards to the many diverse talents and films that make up the dynamic film industries across the region. This year, the AFA is sponsored by Sands Resorts Cotai Strip Macao and The Venetian® Macao, with Cotai Water Jet as the official ferry operator. The ceremony will be held on March 17, 2016 (Thursday) at The Venetian Theatre at The Venetian Macao, one of the most luxurious entertainment venues in Greater China.
AFA is once again supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) along with the collaboration of various Macau organizations, including Macao Foundation, Macau Artistes Association, Suncity Group, Macau Group, MBL and Taipa Village who will jointly present “The 10th Asian Film Awards Welcome Dinner”, in order to welcome the honourable nominees, guests, co-organizers, partners, and industry representatives who will join us at this year’s Award Ceremony. Representatives of the three founding organizations of AFA, including Dr. Wilfred Wong Ying-wai,GBS,JP, President of AFA Academy and Hong Kong International Film Festival; Mr. KIM Dong-ho, Honorary Director of Busan International Film Festival; as well as Mr. Yasushi Shiina, Director General of TIFFCOM, also attended the welcome dinner to celebrate the spectacular event.
This year, Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA) for the first time will partner with the acclaimed U.S. luxury jewellery brand ‘Hearts On Fire’ to present the Hearts On Fire-AFA Special Awards to recognize the achievements of outstanding legends and icons in the Asian film industry. Two Rising Star of Asia Awards will go to Hong Kong singer-cum-actor Pakho Chau and Korean actress Clara Lee. Receiving his first movie award, Pakho started as a teenager modeling for many luxury brands, and he made his debut as a singer back in 2007. Passionate about both music and writing songs, his talent and creativity have earned him numerous awards over the years, establishing him as one of the top singers in Hong Kong. Pakho made his screen debut in Love Is Elsewhere in 2008, and soon took up various challenging leading roles. His roles as a fervent young doctor in I Sell Love, a cheating husband in S for Sex, S for Secret, and a billionaire in Love Detective made a lasting impression on his audiences. 2015 was a breakthrough for him and he was highly acclaimed for his role as Elephant Man a cold-blooded killer in Guilty, and recently, he created a theme song for My Wife is a Superstar, singing the voice of the husband.
Meanwhile, Clara had starred in many TV drama series since 2005, and made her big-screen debut in Five Senses of Eros in 2009. A sexy icon, she also ranked second in Mode Lifestyle Magazine – 100 Most Beautiful Women In The World in 2014 and has been regarded as “the most beautiful Asian woman” since she was the only Asian star on the list. Her lively performance as a medical intern in the popular TV drama series Emergency Couple further strengthened her fan base. Clara also made a spectacular presence in Hong Kong by starring in her first action film Line Walker produced in Hong Kong, and Prince, in which she partnered with actors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, which will also be in theatres soon. The promising actress will serve as the hostess of the 10th Asian Film Awards Ceremony to be held on Thursday, March 17. With a great passion for acting, Pakho and Clara are thrilled to receive the honors and will strive to master every role with excellence.
For further information on Hearts On Fire-AFA Special Awards, please visit the official website: http://www.asianfilmawards.asia/
(Press release and photos courtesy of Asian Film Awards Academy)
