Low Key Sci-Fi: “Moon” Nails Genre’s Appeal
EDITOR’S NOTE: This was originally published as a “snapshot review” as part of indieWIRE’s coverage of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Sam Rockwell gets a chance to showcase his broad performative range in the minimalist science fiction drama “Moon,” directed by Duncan Jones in the vein of the genre’s classic entries. Set in the near future, when Earth’s main source of energy comes from the moon, the story is refreshingly low …
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Owning His Film: “Easier with Practice” Director Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of interviews with directors whose films are screening at the 2009 CineVegas Film Festival. “Easier with Practice” (USA, 2009) Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez Cast: Brian Geraghty, Kel O’Neill, Marguerite Moreau, Jeanette Brox, Jenna Gavigan While on a road trip to promote his unpublished novel, Davy Mitchell finds himself falling for a mysterious phone sex caller. What initially attracted you to filmmaking and how …
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Blaxploitation Meets Art-House: “Modus Operandi” Director Frankie Latina
Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of interviews with directors whose films are screening at the 2009 CineVegas Film Festival. “Modus Operandi” (USA, 2009) World Premiere Director: Frankie Latina Cast: Randy Russell, Mark Borchardt, Michael Sottile, Danny Trejo, Barry Poltermann, Sarah Price, Xavier Leplae, Ayesha Mohan “Modus Operandi” is a revenge tale about a desperate CIA agent on a mission to find the man who murdered his wife. What …
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Hula-palooza! Docs Take Center Stage at 10th Maui Film Festival
Two docs will open the 10th Maui Film Festival taking place June 17 – 21. Director Dana Brown’s “Highwater” will open at the fest’s open air Celestial Cinema, a doc showcasing the 2005 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing in Oahu’s North Shore, while best foreign-language Oscar winner “Departures” by Yojiro Takita will open at the festival’s Castle Theatre. Other festival highlights include a Maverick Award for Willie Nelson, while Zooey Deschanel …
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Sundance Lab Focuses On Middle East; Post-Soviet Society
Sundance Institute announced the selection of 12 Documentary Film Fellows representing six projects to participate in the 6th Documentary Film Edit and Story Laboratory, set to run June 21 – 28 in Sundance, Utah. The Lab convenes filmmakers in the process of making feature-length independent documentaries for “an intensive week of creative feedback in a supportive community setting.” Films this year include stories of life in Post-Soviet societies such as Kyrgyzstan, …
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315 Shorts Set For Palm Springs Fest
The 2009 Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its roster of 315 films, selected from more than 2,500 worldwide entries. Now in its 15th year, ShortFest will showcase 76 World Premieres, 43 North American Premieres and 14 U.S. Premieres. All selections are structured into 52 themed programs, which will screen June 23-29, 2009, at the Camelot Theatres in Palm Springs, California. See attached or visit www.psfilmfest.org for a complete list of this …
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“The Drummer” Beats to Film Movement
North American rights to Kenneth Bi’s “The Drummer” have been acquired by Film Movement. The Mandarin and Cantonese language film stars Jackie Chan’s son Jaycee and is about a rebellious young man growing up in his gangster father’s shadow, who is forced to strike out alone and discovers the Zen world of drumming. The company’s president Adley Gartenstein negotiated the deal with Brigitte Suarez of The Match Factory. Film Movement anticipates …
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“No Impact Man” Consumes U.S. Rights
U.S. rights Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein’s documentary “No Impact Man” has been picked up by Oscilloscope Laboratories. The film, which had its world debut this year at the Sundance Film Festival, takes a look at the personal fallout resulting from one man’s decision to eliminate his family’s impact on the environment in downtown Manhattan. The film will screen at the upcoming SilverDocs and Los Angeles Film Festivals. Oscilloscope will open …
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Groth Stays On At CineVegas; Plante Named Director of Programming
Trevor Groth will stay on at CineVegas as Artistic Director, while Mike Plante has been named Director of Programming at the festival, which opens this week. There was some question as to Groth’s involvement with CineVegas after his recent appointment as Sundance’s Director of Programming. “It has been a privilege working with Mike for the past eight years at CineVegas and his contributions to the growth and success of the Festival …
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