PBS Intl. Delivers Squad of Sports-Themed Documentaries to MipTV Ahead of Paris Olympics (Exclusive)
U.S.-based global distributor PBS Intl. is bringing a squad of sports-themed documentaries to MipTV to tie in with the Olympic Games that’ll run this summer in Paris.
“Olympic Dreams” travels to Sierra Leone, one of the world’s poorest nations, as it struggles to recover from its 11-year civil war. It follows Sanusi Turay, a charismatic ex-Sierra Leonean Olympic sprinter, and his most talented athletes, Sarah Bona and Daddy Alie Bangura, through the trials and tribulations of training for the Games in 2004. Their battles are not just on the track — they must also fight poverty and corruption to achieve their goals.
“Olympic Dreams” was directed by Laura Ashton and Ron Orders. It was produced by Ilona Benjamin for Urban Films and Wgbh/Boston.
“The Boys of ’36” follows the journey of nine working-class boys from the University of Washington, who took the rowing world by storm when their...
“Olympic Dreams” travels to Sierra Leone, one of the world’s poorest nations, as it struggles to recover from its 11-year civil war. It follows Sanusi Turay, a charismatic ex-Sierra Leonean Olympic sprinter, and his most talented athletes, Sarah Bona and Daddy Alie Bangura, through the trials and tribulations of training for the Games in 2004. Their battles are not just on the track — they must also fight poverty and corruption to achieve their goals.
“Olympic Dreams” was directed by Laura Ashton and Ron Orders. It was produced by Ilona Benjamin for Urban Films and Wgbh/Boston.
“The Boys of ’36” follows the journey of nine working-class boys from the University of Washington, who took the rowing world by storm when their...
- 4/4/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Kering has expanded its six year old role in cinema collaboration to supporting the ‘Women at Sundance’ this year which includes The Sundance Fellowship Program which provides year-long support to a diverse group of six selected female filmmakers.
Cecilia Aldarondo, Elyse Steinberg, Rebecca Green, Janicza Bravo, Elizabeth Wood, and Laurens Grant
Although the six women chosen as Sundance Fellows are at various stages in their careers, all are actively attempting to fulfill their potential and create sustainable careers in a highly competitive environment.
Support includes stipends to come to Sundance Film Festival where they begin with their journey working with Sundance staff defining clear and realistic goals for the fellowship year. Each Fellow is paired an industry leader as mentor and a distinguished professional life coach to guide her through her own personal and professional development over the course of the year. Among the many opportunities for networking and learning...
Cecilia Aldarondo, Elyse Steinberg, Rebecca Green, Janicza Bravo, Elizabeth Wood, and Laurens Grant
Although the six women chosen as Sundance Fellows are at various stages in their careers, all are actively attempting to fulfill their potential and create sustainable careers in a highly competitive environment.
Support includes stipends to come to Sundance Film Festival where they begin with their journey working with Sundance staff defining clear and realistic goals for the fellowship year. Each Fellow is paired an industry leader as mentor and a distinguished professional life coach to guide her through her own personal and professional development over the course of the year. Among the many opportunities for networking and learning...
- 1/27/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Plus: Land Of Mine triumphs at AFI Fest; Warner Bros confirms Machinima acquisition; Tooley Productions, Square One sign German deal; and more.
Women In Film has announced the recipients of its 31st annual Film Finishing Fund grant programme in support of films by, for or about women.
The narrative winners are: Solace by Tchaiko Omawale; Band Aid by Zoe Lister-Jones; Miracle by Egle Vertelyte; and The Darkest Days Of Us by Astrid Rondero.
Documentary recipients are: Amor Puro Y Duro by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi; Canary In A Coal Mine by Jennifer Brea; Farida And Gulnaz by Clementine Malpas; Mudflow by Cynthia Wade and Sasha Friedlander; Tribe by Jordan Bryon; and When A Girl Is Born by Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra.
Martin Zandvliet’s Danish Oscar submission Land Of Mine won AFI Fest 2016’s World Cinema Audience Award, while Divines took the Breathrough Audience Award. The Future Perfect took New Auteurs Grand Jury Award. For the...
Women In Film has announced the recipients of its 31st annual Film Finishing Fund grant programme in support of films by, for or about women.
The narrative winners are: Solace by Tchaiko Omawale; Band Aid by Zoe Lister-Jones; Miracle by Egle Vertelyte; and The Darkest Days Of Us by Astrid Rondero.
Documentary recipients are: Amor Puro Y Duro by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi; Canary In A Coal Mine by Jennifer Brea; Farida And Gulnaz by Clementine Malpas; Mudflow by Cynthia Wade and Sasha Friedlander; Tribe by Jordan Bryon; and When A Girl Is Born by Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra.
Martin Zandvliet’s Danish Oscar submission Land Of Mine won AFI Fest 2016’s World Cinema Audience Award, while Divines took the Breathrough Audience Award. The Future Perfect took New Auteurs Grand Jury Award. For the...
- 11/17/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Women In Film has announced the recipients of its 31st annual Film Finishing Fund grant programme in support of films by, for or about women.
The narrative winners are: Solace by Tchaiko Omawale; Band Aid by Zoe Lister-Jones; Miracle by Egle Vertelyte; and The Darkest Days Of Us by Astrid Rondero.
Documentary recipients are: Amor Puro Y Duro by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi; Canary In A Coal Mine by Jennifer Brea; Farida And Gulnaz
by Clementine Malpas; Mudflow by Cynthia Wade and Sasha Friedlander; Tribe by Jordan Bryon; and When A Girl Is Born by Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra.
Sundance Institute has announced its fifth class of Women at Sundance Fellows to receive mid-career support. Each fellow is paired with a mentor and will receive a stipend to attend the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The fellows are: Elyse Steinberg (Weiner producer) and Elizabeth Wood (White Girl writer-director), Cecilia Aldarondo (Memories Of A Penitent Heart director), [link...
The narrative winners are: Solace by Tchaiko Omawale; Band Aid by Zoe Lister-Jones; Miracle by Egle Vertelyte; and The Darkest Days Of Us by Astrid Rondero.
Documentary recipients are: Amor Puro Y Duro by Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi; Canary In A Coal Mine by Jennifer Brea; Farida And Gulnaz
by Clementine Malpas; Mudflow by Cynthia Wade and Sasha Friedlander; Tribe by Jordan Bryon; and When A Girl Is Born by Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra.
Sundance Institute has announced its fifth class of Women at Sundance Fellows to receive mid-career support. Each fellow is paired with a mentor and will receive a stipend to attend the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The fellows are: Elyse Steinberg (Weiner producer) and Elizabeth Wood (White Girl writer-director), Cecilia Aldarondo (Memories Of A Penitent Heart director), [link...
- 11/17/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
On Sunday, Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams was awarded the Humanitarian Award and delivered a powerful speech at the 2016 Bet Awards.
The actor-activist spoke out about racial issues, social justice and even cultural appropriation in the applaud-inducing speech – the address prompted a Twitter debate and even landed Justin Timberlake in the hot seat after he tweeted about the speech.
"Freedom is somehow always conditional here," he said. " 'You're free,' they keep telling us … freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but, you know what, though? The hereafter is a hustle. We want it now."
Even though he is one...
The actor-activist spoke out about racial issues, social justice and even cultural appropriation in the applaud-inducing speech – the address prompted a Twitter debate and even landed Justin Timberlake in the hot seat after he tweeted about the speech.
"Freedom is somehow always conditional here," he said. " 'You're free,' they keep telling us … freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but, you know what, though? The hereafter is a hustle. We want it now."
Even though he is one...
- 6/27/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_
- People.com - TV Watch
On Sunday, Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams was awarded the Humanitarian Award and delivered a powerful speech at the 2016 Bet Awards. The actor-activist spoke out about racial issues, social justice and even cultural appropriation in the applaud-inducing speech - the address prompted a Twitter debate and even landed Justin Timberlake in the hot seat after he tweeted about the speech. "Freedom is somehow always conditional here," he said. " 'You're free,' they keep telling us … freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but, you know what, though? The hereafter is a hustle. We want it now." Even though he is...
- 6/27/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_
- PEOPLE.com
On Sunday, Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams was awarded the Humanitarian Award and delivered a powerful speech at the 2016 Bet Awards. The actor-activist spoke out about racial issues, social justice and even cultural appropriation in the applaud-inducing speech - the address prompted a Twitter debate and even landed Justin Timberlake in the hot seat after he tweeted about the speech. "Freedom is somehow always conditional here," he said. " 'You're free,' they keep telling us … freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but, you know what, though? The hereafter is a hustle. We want it now." Even though he is...
- 6/27/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_
- PEOPLE.com
Note: Stanley Nelson’s acclaimed new documentary, “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” will begin its theatrical run at Film Forum in NYC this Wednesday, September 2, with a national roll-out to follow. In this installment of Shadow And Act's "Frame By Frame" series, Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Laurens Grant, who produced 'The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution," discusses the process of research, cold calls, and funding for historical documentaries. The Hunt for Red October / The Hunt for Archives Working with archival documentaries often feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. I hear...
- 8/31/2015
- by Laurens Grant
- ShadowAndAct
Note: 'The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution' screens this Sunday, June 21, as the closing night film at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in New York City. In this installment of Shadow And Act's Frame By Frame series, Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Laurens Grant, who produced 'The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution," discusses the process of research, cold calls, and funding for historical documentaries. For info on tickets for this Sunday's screening of visit: http://www.ifccenter.com/films/the-black-panthers-vanguard-of-the-revolution/. The Hunt for Red October / The Hunt for Archives Working with archival documentaries often feels...
- 6/17/2015
- by Laurens Grant
- ShadowAndAct
Note: Shadow And Act's Frame By Frame series continues with Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Laurens Grant, who produced the upcoming Sundance documentary 'The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution.' Here, she discusses the process of research, cold calls, and funding for historical documentaries. Find Part 1 of Grant's article Here. The Hunt for Red October / The Hunt for Archives Working with archival documentaries often feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. I hear countless stories of how local news stations threw out film footage because there were no funds to preserve it or retain an archivist. Or how local libraries don’t have the funds to preserve ...
- 1/25/2015
- by Laurens Grant
- ShadowAndAct
The documentary short that follows below, produced by Stanley Nelson and Laurens Grant, titled "Black Panthers Revisited," explores what we, today, can learn from the Black Panther party, in challenging police brutality. I should note that Nelson's latest feature documentary, "The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution," which promises to be a definitive portrait of the Black Panther Party - its rise and fall - premieres at the Sundance Film Festival this week, so this New York Times short film is likely in consideration of, and an extension of that. The feature film aims to paint a complete and accurate account of...
- 1/23/2015
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The holidays are winding down and that means we at Ioncinema.com are gearing up for our annual pilgrimage to Park City where an A-list of documentaries is now set to premiere. Earlier this month Tabitha Jackson and the Sundance doc programming team let the cats out of the bag, unsurprisingly announcing much anticipated Us Doc Competition titles such as the Ross Brothers’ Western, Louie Psihoyos’ Racing Extinction, Marc Silver’s 3 1/2 Minutes and Lyric Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe’s (T)Error, along with some surprises like Bryan Carberry and Clay Tweel’s bizarro Kickstarted doc Finders Keepers (see trailer below). Having been produced by the fine folks behind The King of Kong and Undefeated, the film bears all the markings of its well regarded pedigree, yet appears to be of even odder ilk, following the story that unfolded when a severed human foot was discovered in a grill bought at a North Carolina auction.
- 12/30/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Our next conversation in the ongoing Frame By Frame series is with acclaimed filmmaker Laurens Grant, whose decades-long career includes directing the 2012 Emmy-winning documentary on Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens, and producing the Emmy and Peabody award-winning "Freedom Riders" in 2010. Here, Laurens discusses how she found her way into making documentary films, her cinematic influences, and the impact of her work. On her beginnings in documentary: I never planned on being a documentary filmmaker. I received a bachelor's degree in journalism and my lifelong dream was to be a foreign correspondent. I wanted to be the next Langston ...
- 8/8/2014
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
Seventy-six years after making history, Jesse Owens remains synonymous with grace.
But it was not just his amazing speed and agility on the track that imbued him with uncommon grace, as PBS' "American Experience: Jesse Owens" proves Tuesday, May 1 (check local listings).
Owens contended with disgusting examples of racism. The son of a sharecropper and the grandson of slaves, he shattered records at the 1936 Olympics. Yet both in Germany and the United States, including New York, he was treated shabbily.
"It was his dignity, grace and poise in the face of 1930s America and Hitler's Aryan nation," that struck her, filmmaker Laurens Grant tells Zap2it.
"He was a pioneer of what it means to be a living sports figure and sports icon and role model," she says.
The one-hour film smoothly weaves interviews with former teammates, spectators at the 1936 Olympics and people who knew Owens, who died in 1980 at...
But it was not just his amazing speed and agility on the track that imbued him with uncommon grace, as PBS' "American Experience: Jesse Owens" proves Tuesday, May 1 (check local listings).
Owens contended with disgusting examples of racism. The son of a sharecropper and the grandson of slaves, he shattered records at the 1936 Olympics. Yet both in Germany and the United States, including New York, he was treated shabbily.
"It was his dignity, grace and poise in the face of 1930s America and Hitler's Aryan nation," that struck her, filmmaker Laurens Grant tells Zap2it.
"He was a pioneer of what it means to be a living sports figure and sports icon and role model," she says.
The one-hour film smoothly weaves interviews with former teammates, spectators at the 1936 Olympics and people who knew Owens, who died in 1980 at...
- 5/1/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
"The agony and perverse ecstasy of unrequited love permeate Terence Davies's The Deep Blue Sea," writes Graham Fuller at the top of his interview with the director. Also in the new March/April 2012 issue of Film Comment: Jonathan Rosenbaum remembers Gilbert Adair (plus a few online exclusives: Adair on Mae West and his "Cliché Expert's Guide to the Cinema"), Anton Dolin examines "The Strange Case of Russian Maverick Aleksei German" (see, too, J Hoberman's 1990 piece for Fc on German) and Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life tops the Reader's "20 Best Films of 2011" Poll — plus comments.
Then there are the shorter bits from the issue online: Nicolas Rapold on Pablo Giorgelli's Las Acacias and Athina Rachel Tsangari's Attenberg (more from Eric Hynes [Time Out New York, 4/5], Eric Kohn [indieWIRE], Anthony Lane [New Yorker], Dennis Lim [New York Times], Karina Longworth [Voice], Henry Stewart [L] and Michael Tully [Hammer to Nail]), Phillip Lopate on Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb's This Is Not a Film...
Then there are the shorter bits from the issue online: Nicolas Rapold on Pablo Giorgelli's Las Acacias and Athina Rachel Tsangari's Attenberg (more from Eric Hynes [Time Out New York, 4/5], Eric Kohn [indieWIRE], Anthony Lane [New Yorker], Dennis Lim [New York Times], Karina Longworth [Voice], Henry Stewart [L] and Michael Tully [Hammer to Nail]), Phillip Lopate on Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb's This Is Not a Film...
- 3/7/2012
- MUBI
The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival has announced the world premiere of Laurens Grant's "Jesse Owens" as its Opening Night film on Thursday, April 12 in Durham, Nc. The film about the African American track and field star is produced and written by Full Frame Tribute honoree Stanley Nelson. Nelson will receive a tribute with a line-up of four of his titles: "The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords," "Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple," "A Place of Our Own" and "Sweet Honey in the Rock." Full press release reprinted below: Full Frame Announces Opening Night Film and 2012 Tribute Programming Honoring Stanley Nelson Durham, N.C., - March 6, 2012 – The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival has announced the World Premiere of Laurens Grant’s “Jesse Owens” as its 2012 Opening Night Film on Thursday, April 12, at the Carolina Theatre. Produced and...
- 3/6/2012
- by Austin Dale
- Indiewire
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.