ACTIVITIES FOR AND WITH REFUGEES DURING THE 67TH BERLINALE
In 2017 the Berlin International Film Festival will again work towards furthering the integration of refugees. The Festival has always made a point of fostering understanding, tolerance, and acceptance, as well as responding to current events in society – not only with its film program, but also with many other activities.
The Berlinale will renew its collaboration with KulturLeben Berlin in order to promote the participation of the socially disadvantaged in the cultural life of the city. Tickets for vacant seats will again be available to people with low incomes at a 50 percent discount.
Last year several concrete projects were launched to support refugees. Due to the very positive feedback of the participants and the desire to achieve longer-lasting integration, these projects will be continued and expanded.
A call for donations
The Berlinale would like to urge Festival guests and visitors to make donations to the children and youth department of Zentrum ÜBERLEBEN (formerly called the Behandlungszentrum für Folteropfer e. V.). This Berlin-based centre provides psychological, social, and integrative support to children and adolescents who have been traumatized by torture, flight, and/or persecution. In addition to individual therapeutic care, group activities are an important feature of the centre’s work. The money collected last year enabled adolescents who have experienced flight and trauma to attend a film camp. There they were able to try out different positions in front of and behind the camera, and creatively explore topics of their choice, some of which were autobiographical.
Donations may be paid into an account (banking details are at the bottom of this press release) or made at 17 donation boxes distributed around the Festival grounds.
Participation
Movie mentors for refugees
Within the scope of a “movie mentoring”-project, volunteers from Berlin’s non-profit refugee aid organizations are asked to register as mentors and accompany refugees to Berlinale screenings.
With this project the Berlinale wants to show its appreciation to volunteers for their engagement and strengthen existing relationships, as well as promote cultural exchange.
LOLA at the Berlinale
Within the scope of a collaboration with the Berliner Volkshochschulen (VHS: schools for adult education), the Berlinale is offering 160 free tickets to VHS “integration classes” and their instructors. They will be able to select from eight German films screening in the LOLA series of the Berlinale at the Zoo Palast.
Guest trainees
During the Berlinale around 20 guest trainees who came to Germany as refugees will be given the chance to take a look at various fields behind the scenes of the Festival in collaboration with the Beratungs- und Betreuungszentrum für junge Flüchtlinge und Migrant*innen (BBZ/ KommMit e.V.).
Generation: School projects for “welcome classes”
For eleven years now, the Generation section has offered pupils the opportunity to participate within the framework of a school project in the Berlinale. With educational staff that is well versed in cinema, these pupils may see and discuss films, as well as work on assignments about them afterwards.
Since last year, the Berlinale’s school program has been extended to include “welcome classes” (introductory German language classes for refugees). This year ten “welcome classes” are to participate in the program.
Banking details for donations:
Zentrum ÜBERLEBEN GmbH
Bank für Sozialwirtschaft
IBAN: DE82 1002 0500 0001 5048 00
BIC: BFSWDE33BER
Reason for transfer: “Berlinale helps 2017”
Kenya’s film industry has seen a revival in recent years as the first edition of the NBO Film Festival was opened last Thursday.
The main feature at the first edition of the Film Festival was a drama entitled “Kati Kati ”, about the mystery that surrounds death.
‘Kati Kati’ a Swahili word , means Middle, it narrates the story of a young woman called ‘Kaleche’ who dies and moves on to the next life where others who have gone before her are trapped in a posthumous commune run by ‘Thoma’.
The film was written and directed by Mbithi Masya, a first time filmmaker, who said the story was deeply personal for him and his co-writer Mugambi Nthiga.
Kati Kati made its public Kenyan debut at a cinema in a Nairobi suburb where Hollywood and Bollywood films make up for almost all ticket sales.
The film won the Prize for the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
According to the organizers, the festival is aimed at growing cinema-going audiences for notable content from around the world, but mostly to give local films a platform to help take the industry to the next level.
Creative players in the industry say there is little support from the government to grow local talent and not enough projects to offer regular professionals work despite claims by the Kenya Film Commission saying it was worth 2 billion US dollars in 2016 up from 600 million in 2007.
LOS ANGELES (Jan. 28, 2017) — Riz Ahmed, Viola Davis, Michelle Dockery, Kathryn Hahn, Salma Hayek, Jonah Hill, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Ashton Kutcher, John Legend, James Marsden, Gina Rodriguez and Denzel Washington will be presenters at the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®, announced Executive Producer Kathy Connell.
These highly esteemed actors join a growing roster of peers who will honor their colleagues at the SAG Awards® Ceremony, a noteworthy assemblage that already includes Casey Affleck, Mahershala Ali, Millie Bobby Brown, Sophia Bush, Gabrielle Carteris, Common, Naomie Harris, Lucas Hedges, Taraji P. Henson, Rashida Jones, Brie Larson, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Janelle Monáe, Viggo Mortensen, Alia Shawkat, Octavia Spencer, Finn Wolfhard and Steven Yeun, along with Life Achievement Award presenters Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton. The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017 at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT).
Riz Ahmed joins the exclusive class of SAG Awards nominees for the first time this year, recognizing his role in The Night Of as an Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series.
Viola Davis has received four Actors® and a total of eight nominations, two of which are this year for Fences: Female Actor in a Supporting Role and as a member of the cast. She previously was honored as the leading actor and as a cast member in The Help (2012), and twice for her leading role in How to Get Away with Murder (2016, 2015). Her previous two nominations were for her supporting role and cast member of Doubt (2008).
Michelle Dockery has been presented with The Actor® three times for her portrayal of Lady Mary Crawley in Downton Abbey (Ensemble in a Drama Series 2016, 2015, 2013). She also received an individual nomination for the role and two additional nominations for the ensemble. She currently stars as the central character Letty Raines in TNT’s Good Behavior.
Kathryn Hahn is a SAG Award nominee for Captain Fantastic, a distinction she shares with other cast members. She also was nominated last year as a member of the Transparent comedy series ensemble, in which she portrays Raquel Fein.
Salma Hayek received a nomination recognizing her Outstanding Performance in the title role of Frida (2002), the biographical movie for which Hayek also received an Imagen Award. Her latest movie, Beatriz at Dinner, opened earlier this month.
Jonah Hill received a SAG Award nomination for his supporting role in Moneyball(2011). He recently was seen in War Dogs (2016) and heard in the animated Sausage Party (2016), on which he also served as writer and executive producer.
Kate Hudson has been nominated for an Actor® three times. Two were for her performance in Almost Famous (2002): supporting role and a Cast in a Motion Picture. Her third was as a cast member in Rob Marshall’s Nine (2010).
Nicole Kidman has received seven SAG Awards nominations, including for this year’s supporting role in Lion. Her previous nominations include four for lead actor: Grace of Monaco (2014), Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012), Rabbit Hole (2010) and The Hours (2002). She also was recognized for supporting actor in The Paperboy (2012) and as a cast member of Rob Marshall’s Nine (2010), The Hours and Moulin Rouge! (2001).
Ashton Kutcher played the role of Fisher in dramatized biography Bobby (2006), which earned him an Outstanding Cast nomination. He can currently be seen in the series The Ranch on Netflix.
John Legend plays Keith in La La Land, which he also executive produced. The movie’s lead actors, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, are both nominated to take home an Actor®. Legend is also a musician with multiple Grammy Awards®, NAACP Image Awards and an Oscar®.
James Marsden is nominated as a member of the Westworld ensemble. He has two previous SAG Awards nominations for outstanding motion picture cast, one for Lee Daniel’s The Butler (2013) and other for Hairspray (2017).
Gina Rodriguez continues as the title character in Jane the Virgin, a role that earned her an Imagen Award, as the Peabody Award winning comedy returns to television for its third season. In movies, Rodriguez recently starred in Deepwater Horizon.
Denzel Washington joins the exclusive roster of actors simultaneously nominated in two Outstanding Performance categories for Fences: Male Actor in a Leading Role and Cast in a Motion Picture. He has three previous nominations as lead actor, for Flight, Training Day and The Hurricane. In addition, he was in consideration for The Actor® as a cast member of American Gangster.
About the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®
The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® presented by SAG-AFTRA with Screen Actors Guild Awards, LLC will be produced by Avalon Harbor Entertainment, Inc. and will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017 at 8 p.m. (ET) / 5 p.m. (PT). TBS and TNT subscribers can also watch the SAG Awards live through the networks’ websites and mobile apps. In addition, TNT will present a primetime encore of the ceremony immediately following the live presentation. The telecast is available internationally, including to U.S. military installations through the American Forces Network.
Prior to the televised ceremony, honorees for outstanding television and film stunt ensemble action performances will be announced from the red carpet during the People, EW & TNT’s SAG Awards® Red Carpet Live pre-show which will stream simultaneously on sagawards.tntdrama.com, sagawards.org, the People/Entertainment Weekly Network (People.com/PEN), EW.com, InStyle.com, Essence.com, and Time.combeginning at 5:30 p.m. (ET) / 2:30 p.m. (PT).
One of the awards season’s premier events, the SAG Awards® annually celebrates the outstanding motion pictures and television performances from the previous calendar year. Of the top industry honors presented to actors, only the SAG Awards are selected entirely performers’ peers in SAG-AFTRA, which this year number 121,546. The SAG Awards was the first televised awards show to acknowledge the work of union members and the first to present awards to motion picture casts and television ensembles. For more information about the SAG Awards®, SAG-AFTRA, TNT and TBS, visit sagawards.org/about.
Ceremony Caps Snowy Festival; Top Prizes Go To Dina, I don’t feel at home in this world anymore., Last Men in Aleppo, The Nile Hilton Incident
Chasing Coral, Crown Heights, Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower, Sueño en otroidioma (I Dream in Another Language) and Gook Win Audience Awards
Park City, Utah — After 10 days, 119 feature films and three feet of snow, an evening of humor and humanity marked the 2017 Sundance Film Festival’s Awards Ceremony, with host Jessica Williams emceeing and jurors presenting 27 prizes for feature filmmaking in Park City, Utah. Honorees, named in total below, range from sharp comedies to provocative and timely documentaries and represent new achievements in global independent storytelling. Human stories prevailed across categories, with Grand Jury Prizes awarded to Dina (U.S. Documentary), Last Men in Aleppo (World Documentary), I don’t feel at home in this world anymore. (U.S. Dramatic) and The Nile Hilton Incident (World Dramatic). Chasing Coral, showcased in the Festival’s environmental program The New Climate, won an Audience Award in the U.S. Documentary category.
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival (Photo via twitter)
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “This has been one of the wildest, wackiest and most rewarding Festivals in recent memory. From a new government to the independently organized Women’s March on Main, to power outages, a cyberattack and snow at record levels, the work of our artists rose above it all and challenged and changed us these last 10 days. I am most proud that, through it all, we have formed a community that is bound tighter by the art we make and the ideas we support.”
Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute (Photo via Sundance Institute)
Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, added, “Let’s take the amazing energy we feel here at the Festival when we share stories with one another, and work together on behalf of the arts for the future we want to see.”
The awards ceremony marked the culmination of the 2017 Festival, where 119 feature-length and 68 short films — selected from 13,782 submissions — were showcased in Park City, Salt Lake City and Sundance, Utah, alongside new episodic work, panels, music and New Frontier. The ceremony was live-streamed; video is available at youtube.com/sff.
This year’s jurors, invited in recognition of their accomplishments in the arts, technical craft and visionary storytelling, deliberated extensively before presenting awards from the stage; this year’s jurors were Diego Buñuel, Julie Goldman, Robert Greene, Susan Lacy, Larry Wilmore, Gael García Bernal, Peter Dinklage, Jody Hill, Jacqueline Lyanga, Jeannine Oppewall, Nai An, Sonia Braga, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Carl Spence, Marina Stavenhagen and Lynette Wallworth. Festival audiences voted for the Audience Awards in each of the U.S. and World Competitions and NEXT.
Feature film award winners in previous years include: Weiner, Sand Storm, The Birth of a Nation, Whiplash, Fruitvale Station, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Twenty Feet from Stardom, Searching for Sugarman, The Square, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Cartel Land, The Wolf Pack, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Dope, Dear White People, The Cove and Man on Wire.
FILM FESTIVAL FEATURE FILM AWARDS
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Larry Wilmore to: Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story.
The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Peter Dinklage to: I don’t feel at home in this world anymore. / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Macon Blair) — When a depressed woman is burglarized, she finds a new sense of purpose by tracking down the thieves, alongside her obnoxious neighbor. But they soon find themselves dangerously out of their depth against a pack of degenerate criminals. Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, David Yow, Jane Levy, Devon Graye.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Lynette Wallworth to: Last Men in Aleppo / Denmark, Syria (Director: Feras Fayyad) — After five years of war in Syria, Aleppo’s remaining residents prepare themselves for a siege. Khalid, Subhi and Mahmoud, founding members of The White Helmets, have remained in the city to help their fellow citizens—and experience daily life, death, struggle and triumph in a city under fire.
The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Sonia Braga to: The Nile Hilton Incident / Sweden, Germany, Denmark (Director and screenwriter: Tarik Saleh) — In Cairo, weeks before the 2011 revolution, Police Detective Noredin is working in the infamous Kasr el-Nil Police Station when he is handed the case of a murdered singer. He soon realizes that the investigation concerns the power elite, close to the President’s inner circle. Cast: Fares Fares, Mari Malek, Mohamed Yousry, Yasser Ali Maher, Ahmed Selim, Hania Amar.
The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary, Presented by Acura was presented by Barbara Kopple to: Chasing Coral / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Orlowski) — Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.
The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, Presented by Acura was presented by Taylor Sheridan to: Crown Heights / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Ruskin) — When Colin Warner is wrongfully convicted of murder, his best friend, Carl King, devotes his life to proving Colin’s innocence. Adapted from This American Life, this is the incredible true story of their harrowing quest for justice. Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Nnamdi Asomugha, Natalie Paul, Bill Camp, Nestor Carbonell, Amari Cheatom.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Barbara Kopple to: Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Piscatella) — When the Chinese Communist Party backtracks on its promise of autonomy to Hong Kong, teenager Joshua Wong decides to save his city. Rallying thousands of kids to skip school and occupy the streets, Joshua becomes an unlikely leader in Hong Kong and one of China’s most notorious dissidents.
The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Taylor Sheridan to: Sueño en otro idioma (I Dream in Another Language) / Mexico, Netherlands (Director: Ernesto Contreras, Screenwriter: Carlos Contreras) — The last two speakers of a millennia-old language haven’t spoken in 50 years, when a young linguist tries to bring them together. Yet hidden in the past, in the heart of the jungle, lies a secret concerning the fate of the Zikril language. Cast: Fernando Álvarez Rebeil, Eligio Meléndez, Manuel Poncelis, Fátima Molina, Juan Pablo de Santiago, Hoze Meléndez.
The Audience Award: NEXT, Presented by Adobe was presented by Bridget Everett to: Gook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Chon) — Eli and Daniel, two Korean American brothers who own a struggling women’s shoe store, have an unlikely friendship with 11-year-old Kamilla. On the first day of the 1992 L.A. riots, the trio must defend their store—and contemplate the meaning of family, their personal dreams and the future. Cast: Justin Chon, Simone Baker, David So, Curtiss Cook Jr., Sang Chon, Ben Munoz.
The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Susan Lacy to:
Peter Nicks for his film The Force / U.S.A. (Director: Peter Nicks) — This cinema verité look at the long-troubled Oakland Police Department goes deep inside their struggles to confront federal demands for reform, a popular uprising following events in Ferguson and an explosive scandal.
The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Jody Hill to:
Eliza Hittman for her film Beach Rats / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Eliza Hittman) — An aimless teenager on the outer edges of Brooklyn struggles to escape his bleak home life and navigate questions of self-identity, as he balances his time between his delinquent friends, a potential new girlfriend, and older men he meets online. Cast: Harris Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein, Kate Hodge.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Marina Stavenhagen to:
Pascale Lamche, for her film WINNIE / France (Director: Pascale Lamche) — While her husband served a life sentence, paradoxically kept safe and morally uncontaminated, Winnie Mandela rode the raw violence of apartheid, fighting on the front line and underground. This is the untold story of the mysterious forces that combined to take her down, labeling him a saint, her, a sinner.
The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Athina Tsangari to:
Francis Lee, for his film God’s Own Country / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Francis Lee) — Springtime in Yorkshire: isolated young sheep farmer Johnny Saxby numbs his daily frustrations with binge drinking and casual sex, until the arrival of a Romanian migrant worker, employed for the lambing season, ignites an intense relationship that sets Johnny on a new path. Cast: Josh O’Connor, Alec Secareanu, Ian Hart, Gemma Jones.
The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Gael Garcia Bernal to:
Matt Spicer and David Branson Smith, for their film Ingrid Goes West / U.S.A. (Director: Matt Spicer, Screenwriters: Matt Spicer, David Branson Smith) — A young woman becomes obsessed with an Instagram “influencer” and moves to Los Angeles to try and befriend her in real life. Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell, Billy Magnussen.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Inspirational Filmmaking was presented by Julie Goldman to: STEP / U.S.A. (Director: Amanda Lipitz) — With dreams of becoming the first in their families to attend college, a group of seniors from an inner-city Baltimore girls high school strives to make their step dance team a success against a backdrop of social unrest in a troubled city.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Storytelling was presented by Robert Greene to: Strong Island / U.S.A., Denmark (Director: Yance Ford) — Examining the violent death of the filmmaker’s brother and the judicial system that allowed his killer to go free, this documentary interrogates murderous fear and racialized perception, and re-imagines the wreckage in catastrophe’s wake, challenging us to change.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Editing was presented by Diego Buñuel to:
Editors Kim Roberts and Emiliano Battista for Unrest / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Brea) — When Harvard PhD student Jennifer Brea is struck down at 28 by a fever that leaves her bedridden, doctors tell her it’s “all in her head.” Determined to live, she sets out on a virtual journey to document her story—and four other families’ stories—fighting a disease medicine forgot.
A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award: The Orwell Award was presented by Diego Buñuel to: ICARUS / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Fogel) — When Bryan Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller involving dirty urine, unexplained death and Olympic Gold—exposing the biggest scandal in sports history.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Cinematography was presented by Gael Garcia Bernal to:
Director of Photography Daniel Landin for The Yellow Birds / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandre Moors, Screenwriters: David Lowery, R.F.I. Porto) — Two young men enlist in the army and are deployed to fight in the Iraq War. After an unthinkable tragedy, the returning soldier struggles to balance his promise of silence with the truth and a mourning mother’s search for peace. Cast: Tye Sheridan, Jack Huston, Alden Ehrenreich, Jason Patric, Toni Collette, Jennifer Aniston.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance was presented by Jacqueline Lyanga to:
Chanté Adams, in Roxanne Roxanne / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — The most feared battle MC in early-’80s NYC was a fierce teenager from the Queensbridge projects with the weight of the world on her shoulders. At age 14, hustling the streets to provide for her family, Roxanne Shanté was well on her way to becoming a hip-hop legend. Cast: Chanté Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, Elvis Nolasco, Kevin Phillips, Shenell Edmonds.
A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Director was presented by Jeannine Oppewall to:
Maggie Betts, for her film Novitiate / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Maggie Betts) — In the early 1960s, during the Vatican II era, a young woman training to become a nun struggles with issues of faith, sexuality and the changing church. Cast: Margaret Qualley, Melissa Leo, Julianne Nicholson, Dianna Agron, Morgan Saylor.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Excellence in Cinematography was presented by Marina Stavenhagen to:
Cinematographer Rodrigo Trejo Villanueva for Machines / India, Germany, Finland (Director: Rahul Jain) — This intimate, observant portrayal of the rhythm of life and work in a gigantic textile factory in Gujarat, India, moves through the corridors and bowels of the enormously disorienting structure—taking the viewer on a journey of dehumanizing physical labor and intense hardship.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Commanding Vision was presented by Carl Spence to: Motherland / U.S.A., Philippines (Director: Ramona S. Diaz) — Taking us into the heart of the planet’s busiest maternity hospital, the viewer is dropped like an unseen outsider into the hospital’s stream of activity. At first, the people are strangers. As the film continues, it’s absorbingly intimate, rendering the women at the heart of the story increasingly familiar.
A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Masterful Storytelling was presented by Lynette Wallworth to: RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked The World / Canada (Directors: Catherine Bainbridge, Alfonso Maiorana) — This powerful documentary about the role of Native Americans in contemporary music history—featuring some of the greatest music stars of our time—exposes a critical missing chapter, revealing how indigenous musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives and, through their contributions, influenced popular culture. Cast: Robbie Robertson, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Martin Scorsese, Tony Bennett, Steven Tyler, Iggy Pop.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography was presented by Athina Tsangari to:
Cinematographer Manu Dacosse for Axolotl Overkill / Germany (Director and screenwriter: Helene Hegemann) — Mifti, age 16, lives in Berlin with a cast of characters including her half-siblings; their rich, self-involved father; and her junkie friend Ophelia. As she mourns her recently deceased mother, she begins to develop an obsession with Alice, an enigmatic, and much older, white-collar criminal. Cast: Jasna Fritzi Bauer, Arly Jover, Mavie Hörbiger, Laura Tonke, Hans Löw, Bernhard Schütz.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematic Vision was presented by Sonia Braga to: Free and Easy / Hong Kong (Director: Jun Geng, Screenwriters: Jun Geng, Yuhua Feng, Bing Liu) — When a traveling soap salesman arrives in a desolate Chinese town, a crime occurs, and sets the strange residents against each other with tragicomic results. Cast: Xu Gang, Zhang Zhiyong, Xue Baohe, Gu Benbin, Zhang Xun, Yuan Liguo.
A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Screenplay was presented by Nai An to:
Screenwriter Kirsten Tan for Pop Aye / Singapore, Thailand (Director and screenwriter: Kirsten Tan) — On a chance encounter, a disenchanted architect bumps into his long-lost elephant on the streets of Bangkok. Excited, he takes his elephant on a journey across Thailand in search of the farm where they grew up together. Cast: Thaneth Warakulnukroh, Penpak Sirikul, Bong.
The following awards were presented at separate ceremonies at the Festival:
SHORT FILM AWARDS:
Jury prizes and honorable mentions in short filmmaking were presented at a ceremony in Park City on January 24. The Short Film Grand Jury Prize was awarded to:And so we put goldfish in the pool./ Japan (Director and screenwriter: Makoto Nagahisa). The Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction was presented to: Lucia, Before and After / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Anu Valia). The Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction was presented to: And The Whole Sky Fit In The Dead Cow’s Eye / Chile, U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Francisca Alegría). The Short Film Jury Award: Non-Fiction was presented to: Alone / U.S.A. (Director: Garrett Bradley). The Short Film Jury Award: Animation was presented to: Broken – The Women’s Prison at Hoheneck / Germany (Directors: Volker Schlecht, Alexander Lahl, Screenwriters: Alexander Lahl, Max Mönch). A Short Film Special Jury Award for Cinematography was presented to: Dadyaa — The Woodpeckers of Rotha / Nepal, France (Directors and screenwriters: Pooja Gurung, Bibhusan Basnet, Cinematographer: Chintan Rajbhandari),
and a Short Film Special Jury Award for Editing was presented to: Laps / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charlotte Wells, editor Blair McClendon).
The Short Film jurors were costume designer and wardrobe stylist Shirley Kurata, comedian, actor and writer Patton Oswalt and filmmaker David Lowery. The Short Film program is presented by YouTube.
GLOBAL FILMMAKING AWARDS:
The winning directors and projects of the 2017 Sundance Institute Global Filmmaking Awards, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world on the basis of their next screenplay, are: Yalda (Iran) / Massoud Bakhshi
Mignonnes (France) / Maimouna Doucoure
The Hanged (Brazil) / Fernando Coimbra
Untitled Rock Opera (Poland) / Agnieszka Smoczynska
The Sundance Institute / NHK Award was presented to: I Came By (United Kingdom) / Babak Anvari
SUNDANCE INSTITUTE | AMAZON STUDIOS PRODUCERS AWARDS Anish Savjani and Neil Kopp (producers, I don’t feel at home in this world anymore.) and Joslyn Barnes (producer, Strong Island) received the 2017 Sundance Institute | Amazon Studios Producers Awards. The award recognizes bold vision and a commitment to continuing work as a creative producer in the independent space, and grants money (via the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and Documentary Film Program) to emerging producers of films at the Sundance Film Festival.
The Sundance Film Festival®
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Manchester by the Sea, Boyhood, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Twenty Feet from Stardom, Life Itself, The Cove, The End of the Tour, Blackfish, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Super Size Me, Dope, Little Miss Sunshine, sex, lies, and videotape, Reservoir Dogs, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious and Napoleon Dynamite. The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute®. 2017 Festival sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors – Acura, SundanceTV, Chase Sapphire®, and Canada Goose; Leadership Sponsors – Adobe, AT&T, DIRECTV, Omnicom, Stella Artois® and YouTube; Sustaining Sponsors – American Airlines, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Creators League Studio, Daydream, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, GEICO, The Hollywood Reporter, IMDb, Jaunt, Kickstarter, Oculus and the University of Utah Health. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute’s year-round programs for independent artists. Look for the Official Sponsor seal at their venues at the Festival. sundance.org/festival
Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute’s signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – The motion picture academy calls “extremely troubling,” the possible visa ban of Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose feature film “The Salesman” is nominated for a best foreign language Oscar.
In a statement released Saturday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expressed concern that Farhadi and his cast and crew may not be permitted to attend next month’s Oscar ceremony in Los Angeles following President Trump’s plan to temporarily suspend issuing visas for people from Iran and six other Muslim countries.
Farhadi has not commented on his travel plans, but on Friday, the president of the National Iranian American Council, Trita Parsi, tweeted: “Confirmed: Iran’s Asghar Farhadi won’t be let into the US to attend Oscar’s.”
On Thursday, Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti, star of the “The Salesman,” tweeted she would boycott the Oscars — whether allowed to attend or not — in protest of Trump’s immigration policies, which she called “racist.”
In its statement Saturday, the academy said, “As supporters of filmmakers — and the human rights of all people — around the globe, we find it extremely troubling that Asghar Farhadi, the director of the Oscar-winning film from Iran ‘A Separation,’ along with the cast and crew of this year’s Oscar-nominated film ‘The Salesman,’ could be barred from entering the country because of their religion or country of origin.”
*Featured photo:This May 21, 2016 file photo shows actress Taraneh Alidoosti during a photo call for the film “Forushande” (The Salesman) at the 69th international film festival, Cannes, southern France. Alidoosti, star of the Oscar-nominated “The Salesman,” says she won’t attend the Academy Awards in protest of President Donald Trump’s immigration plans. Alidoosti called plans for a visa ban of Iranians “racist” in a message posted Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017, on Twitter. “The Salesman,” directed by Asghar Farhadi, was nominated for best foreign language film. Joel Ryan, FileAP Photo
Be the look of the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival! Cinema/Chicago is again hosting its annual design competition seeking the unique poster to be the key image for this year’s Festival, Oct 12-26, 2017. The winning designer, selected by a panel of Festival officials, will receive a $2,500 cash prize!
The official Festival poster is the signature look of the Chicago International Film Festival each year. Poster submissions should convey the experience of the Festival and be designed with the tagline “BECAUSE LIFE IS A MOVIE” Poster submissions must also conform to Cinema/Chicago’s design and submission guidelines and include the $25/entry fee. Submissions without the required elements (see below) or submission fee will not be considered.
Entries must be submitted by March 31, 2017 at 11:59pm CST. Late entries will not be accepted. Please read the Designer Agreement fully here. Complete rules and details are available here.
Design Guidelines:
All designs must be 27” x 40”, or scale to 27” x 40”
Must be vertically orientated
Design must be easily translated into a variety of mediums (online banners, book covers, etc.)
Design must incorporate the Festival’s official “eyes” logo (available here)
Design must reflect the theme “BECAUSE LIFE IS A MOVIE” and include that text
Design must clearly state: 53rnd Chicago International Film Festival
Design must include the festival dates: October 12-27, 2017
Design must include website: ChicagoFilmFestival.com
Artists must use their own original artwork; Copyrighted characters, images or clip art will not be accepted (with the exception of the Chicago International Film Festival logo)
Submission Guidelines:
All file submissions must be in pdf, jpeg or png format
Entries must be submitted at 300 dpi (CMYK)
File must be no larger than 12MB
Entries must include a completed Submission Form
To submit multiple designs, submit the Form and entry fee for each design
La La Land continues its strong showing on the awards circuit with a whopping 14 Oscar nominations tying the all-time nominations record 0f 14 set by All About Eve (1950) and tied first by Titanic (1997).
Meryl Streep receives a record-breaking 2oth Oscar nmination for her role in Florence Foster Jenkins (Photo via imdb)
Legendary Hollywood actress, Meryl Streep, received a record-breaking 20th Oscar nomination for her role as a deluded singer in Florence Foster Jenkins. Ms. Streep breaks her own record of 19 nominations.
O.J.: Made in America, a Documentary Feature nominee, is the longest film ever nominated for an Academy Award with a run time of 7 hours and 47 minutes.
La La Land is the first musical with original music and story to receive a Best Picture nomination since All That Jazz (1979) and the second since Anchors Aweigh (1945).
Denzel Washington is the seventh individual to receive Acting and Best Picture nominations for the same film, joining Warren Beatty, Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper.
With his Best Picture nomination for Manchester by the Sea, Matt Damon becomes only the third individual to be nominated in the Acting, Writing and Best Picture categories. The others are Warren Beatty and George Clooney.
With their Best Picture nominations for Moonlight, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner become the first individual producers to have nominations in the Best Picture category in four consecutive years.
In the acting categories, seven individuals are first-time nominees (Andrew Garfield, Mahershala Ali, Lucas Hedges, Dev Patel, Isabelle Huppert, Ruth Negga and Naomie Harris). Six of the nominees are previous acting winners (Denzel Washington, Jeff Bridges,Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Octavia Spencer).
The 89th Academy Awards will be announced in the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center, Sunday, February 26, 2017. Jimmy Kimmel is scheduled to host and the program will air on ABC at 7PM EST. Without further ado,
The Nominees are:
Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees
Casey Affleck
Manchester by the Sea
Andrew Garfield
Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling
La La Land
Viggo Mortensen
Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington
Fences
Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees
Mahershala Ali
Moonlight
Jeff Bridges
Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges
Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel
Lion
Michael Shannon
Nocturnal Animals
Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees
Isabelle Huppert
Elle
Ruth Negga
Loving
Natalie Portman
Jackie
Emma Stone
La La Land
Meryl Streep
Florence Foster Jenkins
Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees
Viola Davis
Fences
Naomie Harris
Moonlight
Nicole Kidman
Lion
Octavia Spencer
Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams
Manchester by the Sea
Animated Feature Film
Nominees
Kubo and the Two Strings
Travis Knight and Arianne Sutner
Moana
John Musker, Ron Clements and Osnat Shurer
My Life as a Zucchini
Claude Barras and Max Karli
The Red Turtle
Michael Dudok de Wit and Toshio Suzuki
Zootopia
Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Clark Spencer
Cinematography
Nominees
Arrival
Bradford Young
La La Land
Linus Sandgren
Lion
Greig Fraser
Moonlight
James Laxton
Silence
Rodrigo Prieto
Costume Design
Nominees
Allied
Joanna Johnston
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Colleen Atwood
Florence Foster Jenkins
Consolata Boyle
Jackie
Madeline Fontaine
La La Land
Mary Zophres
Directing
Nominees
Arrival
Denis Villeneuve
Hacksaw Ridge
Mel Gibson
La La Land
Damien Chazelle
Manchester by the Sea
Kenneth Lonergan
Moonlight
Barry Jenkins
Documentary (Feature)
Nominees
Fire at Sea
Gianfranco Rosi and Donatella Palermo
I Am Not Your Negro
Raoul Peck, Rémi Grellety and Hébert Peck
Life, Animated
Roger Ross Williams and Julie Goldman
O.J.: Made in America
Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow
13th
Ava DuVernay, Spencer Averick and Howard Barish
Documentary (Short Subject)
Nominees
Extremis
Dan Krauss
4.1 Miles
Daphne Matziaraki
Joe’s Violin
Kahane Cooperman and Raphaela Neihausen
Watani: My Homeland
Marcel Mettelsiefen and Stephen Ellis
The White Helmets
Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara
Film Editing
Nominees
Arrival
Joe Walker
Hacksaw Ridge
John Gilbert
Hell or High Water
Jake Roberts
La La Land
Tom Cross
Moonlight
Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon
Foreign Language Film
Nominees
Land of Mine
Denmark
A Man Called Ove
Sweden
The Salesman
Iran
Tanna
Australia
Toni Erdmann
Germany
Makeup and Hairstyling
Nominees
A Man Called Ove
Eva von Bahr and Love Larson
Star Trek Beyond
Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo
Suicide Squad
Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson
Music (Original Score)
Nominees
Jackie
Mica Levi
La La Land
Justin Hurwitz
Lion
Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka
Moonlight
Nicholas Britell
Passengers
Thomas Newman
Music (Original Song)
Nominees
Audition (The Fools Who Dream)
from La La Land; Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Can’t Stop The Feeling
from Trolls; Music and Lyric by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster
City of Stars
from La La Land; Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
The Empty Chair
from Jim: The James Foley Story; Music and Lyric by J. Ralph and Sting
How Far I’ll Go
from Moana; Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Best Picture
Nominees
Arrival
Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Aaron Ryder and David Linde, Producers
Fences
Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington and Todd Black, Producers
Hacksaw Ridge
Bill Mechanic and David Permut, Producers
Hell or High Water
Carla Hacken and Julie Yorn, Producers
Hidden Figures
Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams and Theodore Melfi, Producers
La La Land
Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz and Marc Platt, Producers
Lion
Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Angie Fielder, Producers
Manchester by the Sea
Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck and Kevin J. Walsh, Producers
Moonlight
Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, Producers
Production Design
Nominees
Arrival
Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Paul Hotte
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
Hail, Caesar!
Production Design: Jess Gonchor; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
La La Land
Production Design: David Wasco; Set Decoration: Sandy Reynolds-Wasco
Passengers
Production Design: Guy Hendrix Dyas; Set Decoration: Gene Serdena
Short Film (Animated)
Nominees
Blind Vaysha
Theodore Ushev
Borrowed Time
Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Robert Valley and Cara Speller
Pearl
Patrick Osborne
Piper
Alan Barillaro and Marc Sondheimer
Short Film (Live Action)
Nominees
Ennemis Intérieurs
Sélim Azzazi
La Femme et le TGV
Timo von Gunten and Giacun Caduff
Silent Nights
Aske Bang and Kim Magnusson
Sing
Kristof Deák and Anna Udvardy
Timecode
Juanjo Giménez
Sound Editing
Nominees
Arrival
Sylvain Bellemare
Deepwater Horizon
Wylie Stateman and Renée Tondelli
Hacksaw Ridge
Robert Mackenzie and Andy Wright
La La Land
Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan
Sully
Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
Sound Mixing
Nominees
Arrival
Bernard Gariépy Strobl and Claude La Haye
Hacksaw Ridge
Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright, Robert Mackenzie and Peter Grace
La La Land
Andy Nelson, Ai-Ling Lee and Steve A. Morrow
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
David Parker, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Mac Ruth
Visual Effects
Nominees
Deepwater Horizon
Craig Hammack, Jason Snell, Jason Billington and Burt Dalton
Doctor Strange
Stephane Ceretti, Richard Bluff, Vincent Cirelli and Paul Corbould
The Jungle Book
Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Dan Lemmon
Kubo and the Two Strings
Steve Emerson, Oliver Jones, Brian McLean and Brad Schiff
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
John Knoll, Mohen Leo, Hal Hickel and Neil Corbould
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Nominees
Arrival
Screenplay by Eric Heisserer
Fences
Screenplay by August Wilson
Hidden Figures
Screenplay by Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi
Lion
Screenplay by Luke Davies
Moonlight
Screenplay by Barry Jenkins; Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Nominees
Hell or High Water
Written by Taylor Sheridan
La La Land
Written by Damien Chazelle
The Lobster
Written by Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou
Manchester by the Sea
Written by Kenneth Lonergan
20th Century Women
Written by Mike Mills
Thank you to Oscars Producers Jennifer Todd and Mike DeLuca!
Pictured left to right, Oscars Producers Jennifer Todd and Mike DeLuca. (Photo courtesy of Oscars.org)
Moonlight, Manchester by the Sea and Love & Friendship win two awards each, as Isabelle Huppert claims two top honours.
By Rich Cline
The UK’s leading critics spread the love among a range of films at the 37th Critics’ Circle Film Awards on Sunday night at The May Fair Hotel in London. Hosted by actor-filmmakers Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, the star-studded black-tie ceremony saw Damien Chazelle’s musical La La Land crowned Film of the Year, with top prizes going to films from Ireland, France, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Australia and the USA.
In a surprise move, Director of the Year was won by Hungarian filmmaker Laszlo Nemes for his Oscar-winning drama Son of Saul. Screenwriter went to Kenneth Lonergan for Manchester by the Sea, which also won Actor of the Year for Casey Affleck. Moonlight was presented with both supporting acting categories, for Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali, who tied with Love & Friendship’s Tom Bennett. Bennett’s costar Kate Beckinsale was on hand to claim the British/Irish Actress prize, while Andrew Garfield won British/Irish Actor for his performances in both Hacksaw Ridge and Silence.
Iconic French actress Isabelle Huppert also took home two awards. She was presented the prestigious Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film before going on to win in the Actress of the Year category for her performance in Mia Hansen-Love’s Things to Come.
Maren Ade’s acclaimed Toni Erdmann added to its global accolades as it was named Foreign-Language Film of the Year, while Gianfranco Rosi’s Fire at Sea took the Documentary honours. And Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake won The Attenborough Award for British/Irish Film of the Year.
Other winners included A Monster Calls‘ 14-year-old star Lewis MacDougall, named Young British/Irish Performer of the Year, and writer-director Babak Anvari, who won The Philip French Award for Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker for his feature debut Under the Shadow. Cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grovlen claimed the Technical Achievement Award for his bravura work on the one-take German thriller Victoria.
For the fifth year running, The May Fair Hotel hosted the event, with winners Beckinsale, Harris, Loach, Bennett, MacDougall and Anvari among an array of stars on the red carpet. Guests at the ceremony included George MacKay, Emma Greenwell, Morfydd Clark, Mica Levi, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Sennia Nanua, Ben Cohen, Kristina Rihanoff and filmmakers John Carney, Otto Bell and Mia Hansen-Love.
The Critics’ Circle Film Awards are sponsored by The May Fair Hotel and Suqqu, along with Millbank Casting & Management, Cooper Searle Personal Management, Audi, Remy Martin, Sacred, Voss, 31 Dover and Cameo Productions.
The full list of winners for the 37th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards:
FILM OF THE YEAR La La Land
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR Toni Erdmann
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR Fire at Sea
BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR I, Daniel Blake
ACTOR OF THE YEAR presented by Millbank and Cooper Searle Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR presented by Suqqu Isabelle Huppert – Things to Come
SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR (tie) Mahershala Ali – Moonlight
Tom Bennett – Love & Friendship
SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR presented by Cameo Naomie Harris – Moonlight
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR László Nemes – Son of Saul
SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR Kenneth Lonergan – Manchester by the Sea
BRITISH/IRISH ACTOR Andrew Garfield – Hacksaw Ridge, Silence
BRITISH/IRISH ACTRESS Kate Beckinsale – Love & Friendship
YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER presented by The May Fair Hotel Lewis MacDougall – A Monster Calls
BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER Babak Anvari – Under the Shadow
BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM Sweet Maddie Stone – Brady Hood
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT Victoria – Sturla Brandth Grovlen, cinematography
DILYS POWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM Isabelle Huppert
(Source: criticscircle.org)
*Featured photo, left to right; Kate Beckinsale, Isabelle Huppert and Naomie Harris (Photo credit: Dave Bennett/Getty)
The 2017 version of the Slamdance Film Festival is well under way with the first weekend under its belt. The festival opened Friday, January 20th and runs through January 26th in Park City, Utah.
Slamdance is a showcase for raw and innovative filmmaking self governed – by Filmmakers, for Filmmakers. The year-round organization serves new and emerging artists, filmmakers and storytellers.
Here are some opening weekend highlights:
Expressive Intelligence Studios does a special live commentary as a user plays their interactive game, BAD NEWS, presented in Digital Interactive Gaming Program, a unique immersive experience combining live theater and live coding. (Photo credit: Peter Lueders)Slamdance artist gather at G-Tech Happy Hour. (Photo credit: Ian Stroud)(L-R) DIRECTOR JHENG-NENG LI (AEROTROPOLIS), Clementine Leger (Festival Mgr.), Peter Baxter, Slamdance Co-Founder and President, actor Chia_lun Yang (AEROTROPOLIS). (Photo Credit: Eseel Borlasa)Filmmaker, Matteo Borgardt, director of YOU NEVER HAD IT: AN EVENING WITH BUKOWSKI (Photo credit: Ian Stroud)
Alumni of the AFI Conservatory belong to an elite and special family – they are the storytellers that entertain, educate and inspire audiences around the world.
Their talents and accomplishments are the reason the AFI Conservatory is consistently named one of the top film schools in the world.
AFI invites alumni to stay connected with their artistic family and to preserve the legacy they have helped to create.
AFI ALUMNI BENEFITS
AFI continues to be a resource for alumni after graduation through the following benefits and privileges:
Alumni receive the AFI Alumni Connection, the official monthly AFI alumni e-newsletter, special offers, invitations to exclusive alumni events and are given opportunities to join and participate in seminars and groups.
Alumni receive access to the AFI Backlot, an online resource for personal and professional networking and an easy way to stay connected.
Alumni receive advance notice for tickets to screenings and galas for AFI FEST presented by Audi, as well as discounts on festival passes and packages.
Alumni receive application fee waivers when submitting a film for consideration to AFI FEST and AFI DOCS.
Alumni receive discounted rates for the Ted Ashley and Mark Goodson Screening Rooms on the AFI Campus.
Alumni are extended borrowing privileges from the Louis B. Mayer Library.
Be sure we have your current contact information on file to receive these benefits, updates and invitations. For more information, email alumni@AFI.com.
*Alumni benefits are subject to change without advance notice.
ALUMNI NETWORK
In addition to official AFI events, there are other ways to connect with fellow alumni to network, find and post jobs, reconnect and meet friends:
The AFI Backlot is an online platform exclusive to the AFI community. Sign up at AFI.com/Backlot and put your AFI network to work for you!
AFI Alumni Google Group is an email listserve moderated by alumni. To join, contact nameebaijal@gmail.com.
Reel Grit is a weekly genre movie screening on the AFI Campus. Hosted on Sunday nights, the event is open to alumni and special guests. To be added to the mailing list, contact alumni@AFI.com.
LEND A HELPING HAND
Do you want a deeper connection to AFI and have some time and resources to commit? Consider involvement in the following programs:
ALUMNI MENTOR PROGRAM: CONNECT
Created by alumni, the program matches Fellows with alumni to gain the benefit of advice — professional and personal — as they look toward graduation and beyond. If you are interested in becoming a mentor or receiving information regarding the Alumni Mentor Program, please contact alumni@AFI.com.
INTERNSHIPS: PROMOTE
AFI Conservatory Fellows look for internships during fall, spring and summer terms. As alumni, you know first-hand the drive and work ethic of AFI Fellows. If you or someone in your company or production office can use the creative support of talented Fellows, please contact alumni@AFI.com with your internship opportunities.
PROGRAM INITIATIVES: VOLUNTEER
Alumni volunteers serve as leaders in effecting the continued growth and development of AFI programs and initiatives. Volunteer opportunities include participation in applicant outreach and recruitment, script reading and evaluation, workshops, regional networks, committees and special campaigns.
SUPPORT THE ALUMNI FUND: GIVE BACK
A nonprofit organization, AFI relies on financial contributions from its alumni to support the ongoing work of the Conservatory. Gifts to the Alumni Fund provide financial aid, support faculty positions, renovate facilities and upgrade equipment. All gifts count toward participation, an important expression of alumni commitment to today’s Fellows.
A call for donations
Kenya’s film industry has seen a revival in recent years as the first edition of the 
