Amy Koppelman’s adaptation floats in a haze of ethereal lite-tragedy towards its end and lacks explicit storytelling passion
Amy Koppelman directs this movie, which she has adapted from her 2003 novel: a painful, intimate, sincerely intended study of a young woman’s postnatal depression. Amanda Seyfried plays Julie, a children’s author who had a self-harming episode while she was looking after her infant son and after the birth of her second child is reluctant to take antidepressants. The tone is unsubtly set when Julie’s psychiatrist, played by Paul Giamatti, quotes Sylvia Plath’s poem Balloons. Was that a well-chosen author to invoke in the circumstances?
Finn Wittrock plays Julie’s too-good-to-be-true dreamboat of a partner Ethan and Amy Irving has a cameo as Julie’s mother, separated from Julie’s father – whose own history of mental illness is supposed be a contributory factor, though the coy, blurry Super-...
Amy Koppelman directs this movie, which she has adapted from her 2003 novel: a painful, intimate, sincerely intended study of a young woman’s postnatal depression. Amanda Seyfried plays Julie, a children’s author who had a self-harming episode while she was looking after her infant son and after the birth of her second child is reluctant to take antidepressants. The tone is unsubtly set when Julie’s psychiatrist, played by Paul Giamatti, quotes Sylvia Plath’s poem Balloons. Was that a well-chosen author to invoke in the circumstances?
Finn Wittrock plays Julie’s too-good-to-be-true dreamboat of a partner Ethan and Amy Irving has a cameo as Julie’s mother, separated from Julie’s father – whose own history of mental illness is supposed be a contributory factor, though the coy, blurry Super-...
- 2/8/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The Gotham Awards were handed out on November 29 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. So who won at these annual indie film kudos from The Gotham Film and Media Institute, which streamed on YouTube and Facebook? Scroll down for the complete list of winners in all categories.
Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter” and “Passing” went in as the two most nominated films with five apiece, but that didn’t automatically mean they were the front-runners. Categories at these awards are judged by panels of just a handful of industry insiders, often leading to unexpected, under-the-radar winners. You can’t count anyone out at an event where unique juries review all the nominated material.
Seersvp now for November 30: Film producers panel with ‘Being the Ricardos,’ ‘Belfast,’ ‘The Power of the Dog,’ ‘tick, tick… Boom!’
That means these awards can be quite idiosyncratic — they’re independent thinkers, and not...
Netflix’s “The Lost Daughter” and “Passing” went in as the two most nominated films with five apiece, but that didn’t automatically mean they were the front-runners. Categories at these awards are judged by panels of just a handful of industry insiders, often leading to unexpected, under-the-radar winners. You can’t count anyone out at an event where unique juries review all the nominated material.
Seersvp now for November 30: Film producers panel with ‘Being the Ricardos,’ ‘Belfast,’ ‘The Power of the Dog,’ ‘tick, tick… Boom!’
That means these awards can be quite idiosyncratic — they’re independent thinkers, and not...
- 11/30/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Depression isn’t rational, and the strongest aspect of “A Mouthful of Air” is its refusal to propose a one-to-one explanation for the cause of the common, and debilitating, condition. Writer/director Amy Koppelman’s adaptation of her 2003 novel of the same name charts the plight of new mom Julie (Amanda Seyfried), who unsuccessfully attempts to take her own life shortly before her child’s first birthday, and then strives to cope with negative thoughts and feelings she can’t shake. , and the latter will likely make it a tough sell when it debuts in theaters on Oct. 29.
Alternating between delicacy and preciousness, “A Mouthful of Air” begins with children’s novelist Julie caring for her infant son Teddy in the Manhattan apartment she shares with her husband Ethan (Finn Wittrock). After kissing Ethan goodbye in the morning, Julie places Teddy in an exersaucer and, before her sister-in-law Lucy (Jennifer Carpenter...
Alternating between delicacy and preciousness, “A Mouthful of Air” begins with children’s novelist Julie caring for her infant son Teddy in the Manhattan apartment she shares with her husband Ethan (Finn Wittrock). After kissing Ethan goodbye in the morning, Julie places Teddy in an exersaucer and, before her sister-in-law Lucy (Jennifer Carpenter...
- 10/27/2021
- by Nick Schager
- Variety Film + TV
‘A Mouthful of Air’ Review: Amanda Seyfried Anchors an Unflinching Drama About Postpartum Depression
Few things are harder to depict — or more urgent to recognize — than postpartum depression, so while Amy Koppelman’s “A Mouthful of Air” might be a low-budget drama shot with the simplicity of a first-time filmmaker who’s just trying not to trip over her own story, the degree of difficulty here is still off the charts. It’s a good thing, then, that Koppelman knows that story inside and out: Not only as someone who previously suffered from postpartum depression herself, but also as the author of the 2003 novel on which this movie is based.
Her intimate understanding of the shame and uncertainty born from such an inexplicable mood disorder (as well as the false promise of personal strength as a defense against depression) turns out to be the saving grace of . And yet, Koppelman’s attempts to do too much are easy to forgive in a film that...
Her intimate understanding of the shame and uncertainty born from such an inexplicable mood disorder (as well as the false promise of personal strength as a defense against depression) turns out to be the saving grace of . And yet, Koppelman’s attempts to do too much are easy to forgive in a film that...
- 10/27/2021
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
"A Mouthful of Air" is a new psychological drama, written and directed by Amy Koppelman, starring Amanda Seyfried, Finn Wittrock, Jennifer Carpenter, Michael Gaston, Amy Irving and Paul Giamatti, scheduled for release, October 29, 2021:
"... 'Julie Davis' (Seyfried) , a young wife and new mother, is on the mend and home from the hospital after being overwhelmed by post-partum depression and an attempted suicide..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"... 'Julie Davis' (Seyfried) , a young wife and new mother, is on the mend and home from the hospital after being overwhelmed by post-partum depression and an attempted suicide..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 10/7/2021
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
"A Mouthful of Air" is a new psychological drama, written and directed by Amy Koppelman, starring Amanda Seyfried, Finn Wittrock, Jennifer Carpenter, Michael Gaston, Amy Irving and Paul Giamatti, scheduled for release, October 29, 2021:
"... 'Julie Davis' (Seyfried) , a young wife and new mother, is on the mend and home from the hospital after being overwhelmed by post-partum depression and an attempted suicide..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"... 'Julie Davis' (Seyfried) , a young wife and new mother, is on the mend and home from the hospital after being overwhelmed by post-partum depression and an attempted suicide..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 9/22/2021
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
"I was walking through a world that was black & white.. Now I'm just starting to see color again." Sony Pictures has revealed an official trailer for a movie called A Mouthful of Air, based on the book of the same name written by author Amy Koppelman. This big screen adaptation also marks the feature directorial debut of Amy Koppelman, jumping into filmmaking finally after writing three books (so far) previously. Julie Davis writes bestselling children's books about unlocking your fears, but has yet to unlock her own. When her daughter is born, her second child, that trauma is brought to the forefront, and with it, a crushing battle to survive. Amanda Seyfried co-stars in this film with Finn Wittrock, joined by Paul Giamatti, Amy Irving, Jennifer Carpenter, and Michael Gaston. This looks like a powerful examination of how hard it is to become a parent and deal with fears, and...
- 9/20/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
There’s something about having a child that opens up a new world of emotions for parents. It doesn’t matter if you are fully “prepared” for the moment when the baby enters the world, you are likely going to be taken aback by the impact one little human can have on your life. And that is shown to have a huge effect on the main character in the new film, “A Mouthful of Air.”
Read More: Fall 2021 Movie Preview: 60+ Must-See Films
As seen in the trailer for “A Mouthful of Air,” the film follows the story of a young mother that seemingly has it all together.
Continue reading ‘A Mouthful Of Air’ Trailer: Amanda Seyfried & Finn Wittrock Star In Amy Koppelman’s New Family Drama at The Playlist.
Read More: Fall 2021 Movie Preview: 60+ Must-See Films
As seen in the trailer for “A Mouthful of Air,” the film follows the story of a young mother that seemingly has it all together.
Continue reading ‘A Mouthful Of Air’ Trailer: Amanda Seyfried & Finn Wittrock Star In Amy Koppelman’s New Family Drama at The Playlist.
- 9/20/2021
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Sony Pictures announced a slew of release dates late Thursday, including its Whitney Houston and George Foreman biopics, children’s book adaptation Harold and the Purple Crayon and its acquired title A Mouthful of Air. The studio also moved back the opening of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by four months.
I Wanna Dance with Somebody, TriStar’s story about pop legend and part-time movie star Houston, gets a December 23, 2022, opening slot. Naomi Ackie stars as the iconic singer with Kasi Lemmons is directing.
The Untitled George Foreman Biopic from Affirm Films, which tells the story of the former boxer’s rise from Olympic gold medalist to fighting Muhammad Ali and eventually becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in history, is set for September 16, 2022. Khris Davis stars as Foreman in the pic from director George Tillman Jr.
Columbia Pictures’ Harold and the Purple Crayon, based on Crockett Johnson’s best-seller and starring Zachary Levi,...
I Wanna Dance with Somebody, TriStar’s story about pop legend and part-time movie star Houston, gets a December 23, 2022, opening slot. Naomi Ackie stars as the iconic singer with Kasi Lemmons is directing.
The Untitled George Foreman Biopic from Affirm Films, which tells the story of the former boxer’s rise from Olympic gold medalist to fighting Muhammad Ali and eventually becoming the oldest heavyweight champion in history, is set for September 16, 2022. Khris Davis stars as Foreman in the pic from director George Tillman Jr.
Columbia Pictures’ Harold and the Purple Crayon, based on Crockett Johnson’s best-seller and starring Zachary Levi,...
- 9/10/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Sony Pictures announced Thursday it has blocked out an awards-friendly spot on Dec. 23, 2022 for the Whitney Houston biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” starring Naomi Ackie.
Coming up first on Oct. 29 is the novel adaptation “A Mouthful of Air,” starring Amanda Seyfried, Finn Wittrock, Amy Irving and Paul Giamatti. Amy Koppelman wrote and directed “A Mouthful of Air,” about a children’s book author haunted by a dark secret. It’s produced by Mike Harrop, Koppelman, Amanda Seyfried, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler.
Other dates announced include a Sept. 16, 2022 spot for the untitled George Foreman biopic directed by George Tillman, Jr. and stars Khris Davis and Sullivan Jones. Following the life and times of the heavyweight champion, it has a screenplay by Frank Baldwin and George Tillman Jr., and original screenplay by Dan Gordon.
Meanwhile, children’s book adaptation “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” will open Nov. 18, 2022 instead of the previous date...
Coming up first on Oct. 29 is the novel adaptation “A Mouthful of Air,” starring Amanda Seyfried, Finn Wittrock, Amy Irving and Paul Giamatti. Amy Koppelman wrote and directed “A Mouthful of Air,” about a children’s book author haunted by a dark secret. It’s produced by Mike Harrop, Koppelman, Amanda Seyfried, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler.
Other dates announced include a Sept. 16, 2022 spot for the untitled George Foreman biopic directed by George Tillman, Jr. and stars Khris Davis and Sullivan Jones. Following the life and times of the heavyweight champion, it has a screenplay by Frank Baldwin and George Tillman Jr., and original screenplay by Dan Gordon.
Meanwhile, children’s book adaptation “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile” will open Nov. 18, 2022 instead of the previous date...
- 9/10/2021
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: We hear that the movie The Re-Education of Molly Singer is currently in production with Britt Robertson playing the title character who is a struggling young lawyer, yearning for her carefree days and raucous university nights from a decade ago.
Also headlining the cast of the Andy Palmer-directed movie is Nico Santos, Holland Roden, Wendie Malick and Ty Simpkins.
In the Todd Friedman and Kevin Haskin written feature, the former Queen of Campus Molly Singer has just botched the biggest case of her career due to her inability to let go of her hard partying lifestyle. Rather than firing her, Molly is tasked by her boss Brenda to re-enroll at her old alma mater, to befriend her socially awkward son, Elliot (Simpkins), and guide him through an already tumultuous freshman year. Equipped with her quick wit, years of experience and her best friend Paulie, Molly discovers that college...
Also headlining the cast of the Andy Palmer-directed movie is Nico Santos, Holland Roden, Wendie Malick and Ty Simpkins.
In the Todd Friedman and Kevin Haskin written feature, the former Queen of Campus Molly Singer has just botched the biggest case of her career due to her inability to let go of her hard partying lifestyle. Rather than firing her, Molly is tasked by her boss Brenda to re-enroll at her old alma mater, to befriend her socially awkward son, Elliot (Simpkins), and guide him through an already tumultuous freshman year. Equipped with her quick wit, years of experience and her best friend Paulie, Molly discovers that college...
- 7/30/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has acquired global rights to Maven Screen Media’s A Mouthful of Air based on Amy Koppelman’s novel of the same name.
Koppelman also wrote and directed the movie, which Deadline first reported, starring Mank Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried, American Horror Story‘s Finn Wittrock, Amy Irving, Paul Giamatti, Jennifer Carpenter, Britt Robertson, Josh Hamilton, Michael Gaston, Darren Goldstein and Alysia Reiner.
Seyfried plays Julie Davis — warm, kind, loving to her husband and child — who writes bestselling children’s books about unlocking your fears. But she has yet to unlock the dark secret that has haunted her own life. When her second child is born, that trauma is brought to the fore, and with it, a crushing battle to survive.
“Amanda and I hope that — in some small way — Julie’s story will help remove the stigma of mental illness from motherhood or at...
Koppelman also wrote and directed the movie, which Deadline first reported, starring Mank Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried, American Horror Story‘s Finn Wittrock, Amy Irving, Paul Giamatti, Jennifer Carpenter, Britt Robertson, Josh Hamilton, Michael Gaston, Darren Goldstein and Alysia Reiner.
Seyfried plays Julie Davis — warm, kind, loving to her husband and child — who writes bestselling children’s books about unlocking your fears. But she has yet to unlock the dark secret that has haunted her own life. When her second child is born, that trauma is brought to the fore, and with it, a crushing battle to survive.
“Amanda and I hope that — in some small way — Julie’s story will help remove the stigma of mental illness from motherhood or at...
- 4/28/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar winner Natalie Portman is set to star and executive produce HBO Films’ The Days of Abandonment, based on Elena Ferrante’s best-selling novel. The film, which is currently in pre-production, hails from writer-director Maggie Betts (Novitiate), Portman and her MountainA Films, Maven Screen Media, Len Amato’s Crash & Salvage and Fandango. Ferrante also serves as an executive producer.
Written and directed by Betts, The Days of Abandonment revolves around Tess, played by Portman. When Tess, a woman who abandoned her own dreams for a stable home life, is in turn abandoned by her husband, her world is thrown off its axis. Adapted from Ferrante’s tour-de-force novel of the same name, The Days of Abandonment is a visceral, no-holds-barred journey into the mind of a woman in crisis that confronts the norms of motherhood and female identity as Tess traverses the darkest reaches of her own psyche.
Betts executive...
Written and directed by Betts, The Days of Abandonment revolves around Tess, played by Portman. When Tess, a woman who abandoned her own dreams for a stable home life, is in turn abandoned by her husband, her world is thrown off its axis. Adapted from Ferrante’s tour-de-force novel of the same name, The Days of Abandonment is a visceral, no-holds-barred journey into the mind of a woman in crisis that confronts the norms of motherhood and female identity as Tess traverses the darkest reaches of her own psyche.
Betts executive...
- 4/13/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried is set to star as Elizabeth Holmes in Hulu’s The Dropout. She replaces Kate McKinnon who in February exited the limited drama series based on ABC News/ABC Radio’s podcast about the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos.
Seyfried will also serve as a producer on the project, from Disney Television Studios’ 20th Television and Searchlight, which is eying a summer start.
Elizabeth Holmes (Seyfried), the enigmatic Stanford dropout who founded medical testing start-up Theranos, was lauded as a Steve Jobs for the next tech generation. Once worth billions of dollars, the myth crumbled when it was revealed that none of the tech actually worked, putting thousands of people’s health in grave danger. The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female...
Seyfried will also serve as a producer on the project, from Disney Television Studios’ 20th Television and Searchlight, which is eying a summer start.
Elizabeth Holmes (Seyfried), the enigmatic Stanford dropout who founded medical testing start-up Theranos, was lauded as a Steve Jobs for the next tech generation. Once worth billions of dollars, the myth crumbled when it was revealed that none of the tech actually worked, putting thousands of people’s health in grave danger. The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female...
- 3/29/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar-nominee Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda), rising actor Billy Howle (Outlaw King), Tony-winner Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story) and Southside With You breakout Parker Sawyers have joined Naomi Watts in survival thriller Infinite Storm.
Malgorzata Szumowska’s (Never Gonna Snow Again) feature is based on the true story of Pam Bales (Watts), a mother, nurse and mountain guide, who was on a solitary trek up Mount Washington when she got caught in a blizzard, leading to a daring rescue of a stranger (Howle) as both nightfall and the storm bear down on them.
Principal photography starts early next week in Europe. Bleecker Street recently pre-bought U.S. rights while Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is handling international on the film.
Written by Josh Rollins and based on Ty Gagne’s article High Places: Footprints in the Snow Lead to an Emotional Rescue, the film is being produced by Maven Screen Media’s Celine Rattray,...
Malgorzata Szumowska’s (Never Gonna Snow Again) feature is based on the true story of Pam Bales (Watts), a mother, nurse and mountain guide, who was on a solitary trek up Mount Washington when she got caught in a blizzard, leading to a daring rescue of a stranger (Howle) as both nightfall and the storm bear down on them.
Principal photography starts early next week in Europe. Bleecker Street recently pre-bought U.S. rights while Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is handling international on the film.
Written by Josh Rollins and based on Ty Gagne’s article High Places: Footprints in the Snow Lead to an Emotional Rescue, the film is being produced by Maven Screen Media’s Celine Rattray,...
- 2/18/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Amanda Seyfried will be honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival with the 2021 Montecito Award, which recognizes an actor’s career achievements and is named for one of the beautiful and stylish areas in Santa Barbara.
Seyfried was recently nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critic’s Choice Award for her work in “Mank,” and she joins honorees at this year’s festival including Sacha Baron Cohen, Zendaya, Riz Ahmed, Vanessa Kirby, Maria Bakalova and more.
“Amanda gives one of the best performances of 2020 in ‘Mank’ and makes us do a double take about her whole career. This is a defining moment for her, and a rediscovery for us.” Sbiff’s executive director Roger Durling said in a statement.
Other past recipients for the Montecito Award have included Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore,...
Seyfried was recently nominated for a Golden Globe and a Critic’s Choice Award for her work in “Mank,” and she joins honorees at this year’s festival including Sacha Baron Cohen, Zendaya, Riz Ahmed, Vanessa Kirby, Maria Bakalova and more.
“Amanda gives one of the best performances of 2020 in ‘Mank’ and makes us do a double take about her whole career. This is a defining moment for her, and a rediscovery for us.” Sbiff’s executive director Roger Durling said in a statement.
Other past recipients for the Montecito Award have included Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan, Isabelle Huppert, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Julianne Moore,...
- 2/9/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Every November, as families gather for Thanksgiving and look ahead to the end of the year, the film industry starts to dream about Sundance. Well, 2020 may have challenged a lot of annual traditions, but the Sundance one lives on: Yes, the 2021 edition has shrunk to seven days, and most audiences will experience it far from Park City. The festival is being planned as a mostly virtual affair (with some drive-ins in the Los Angeles area), which means that there won’t be the usual buzz on Main Street driving audiences to discover new movies.
Thankfully, there won’t be a shortage of movies. In the process of researching our annual Sundance wish list, IndieWire had no trouble finding 50 movies that we hope make the cut in this year’s lineup. Filmmakers have started to hear back from the festival and the full selection is expected to go public next month,...
Thankfully, there won’t be a shortage of movies. In the process of researching our annual Sundance wish list, IndieWire had no trouble finding 50 movies that we hope make the cut in this year’s lineup. Filmmakers have started to hear back from the festival and the full selection is expected to go public next month,...
- 11/24/2020
- by Eric Kohn, Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich, Chris O'Falt, Zack Sharf, Ryan Lattanzio, Chris Lindahl and Jude Dry
- Indiewire
For a festival that promotes new voices, how much fun would it be to see this debut break into the line-up? Proving that there is no age limit to begin a career behind the camera, author Amy Koppelman adapts from her own novel for what feels like a mental health companion piece to I Smile Back. Her debut screenplay was brought to screen by helmer Adam Salky and premiered at Sundance in 2015 and her directorial debut A Mouthful of Air enlists Britt Robertson, Amy Irving, Finn Wittrock, Jennifer Carpenter, Sundance vet Paul Giamatti and soon to be seen in David Fincher’s Mank Amanda Seyfried in the film’s lead role.…...
- 11/13/2020
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Production company was founded by Celine Rattray (‘The Kids Are Alright’) and Trudie Styler (‘American Honey’).
Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler’s Maven Screen Media is moving into TV production and short-form digital content after securing investment from the UK Creative Content Eis Fund, launched last year in association with the BFI.
London and New York-based Rattray has produced more than 45 films, including Oscar-nominated The Kids Are All Right, and set up Maven Pictures in 2011 with Styler, producing Cannes jury prize winner American Honey and Sundance award winnerThe Kindergarten Teacher. The company recently rebranded as Maven Screen Media.
The undisclosed...
Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler’s Maven Screen Media is moving into TV production and short-form digital content after securing investment from the UK Creative Content Eis Fund, launched last year in association with the BFI.
London and New York-based Rattray has produced more than 45 films, including Oscar-nominated The Kids Are All Right, and set up Maven Pictures in 2011 with Styler, producing Cannes jury prize winner American Honey and Sundance award winnerThe Kindergarten Teacher. The company recently rebranded as Maven Screen Media.
The undisclosed...
- 8/12/2020
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and filmmakers and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.
As we all stay safe and keep our social distance, here is a very special episode for you all. The incredibly talented writer/director Brian Koppelman joined us to discuss his accomplished career, specifically the two feature films he directed with David Levien: Knockaround Guys and Solitary Man. If you’re a film fan, you know Koppelman and Levien for Rounders, the John Dahl movie starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton that gained cult status as poker became a mainstream sport. The duo wrote the script for the film, highlighting their specific style of dialogue that lives on to this day.
Koppelman and Levien are currently busy with their hit show Billions, which we...
As we all stay safe and keep our social distance, here is a very special episode for you all. The incredibly talented writer/director Brian Koppelman joined us to discuss his accomplished career, specifically the two feature films he directed with David Levien: Knockaround Guys and Solitary Man. If you’re a film fan, you know Koppelman and Levien for Rounders, the John Dahl movie starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton that gained cult status as poker became a mainstream sport. The duo wrote the script for the film, highlighting their specific style of dialogue that lives on to this day.
Koppelman and Levien are currently busy with their hit show Billions, which we...
- 3/26/2020
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: West Duchovny is set as a series regular opposite Jordana Spiro and Josh Andrés Rivera in Vegas High, HBO Max’s coming-of-age period drama pilot from writer Sarah-Raquel Jimenez, director Gillian Robespierre and Michael Showalter’s Semi-Formal Prods. HBO Max is the studio.
Written by Jimenez and directed by Robespierre, Vegas High is inspired by Jimenez’s own experience. It is a 1990s-set coming-of-age story about Laura, a girl who’s caught between two worlds: the fast-paced lifestyle of Las Vegas and her strong Mormon faith and community.
Duchovny will play Paige, the President of the Mormon Church’s “Young Women” organization, who firmly believes in wholesome values.
Jimenez and Robespierre executive produce alongside Showalter and Jordana Mollick for Semi-Formal Productions and Michael Lewen.
Vegas High is the first major TV role for Duchovny, the daughter of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni. She previously recurred on Syfy’s The Magicians...
Written by Jimenez and directed by Robespierre, Vegas High is inspired by Jimenez’s own experience. It is a 1990s-set coming-of-age story about Laura, a girl who’s caught between two worlds: the fast-paced lifestyle of Las Vegas and her strong Mormon faith and community.
Duchovny will play Paige, the President of the Mormon Church’s “Young Women” organization, who firmly believes in wholesome values.
Jimenez and Robespierre executive produce alongside Showalter and Jordana Mollick for Semi-Formal Productions and Michael Lewen.
Vegas High is the first major TV role for Duchovny, the daughter of David Duchovny and Tea Leoni. She previously recurred on Syfy’s The Magicians...
- 2/5/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Actress Amanda Seyfried was all-energy as she continued shooting for her new indie drama film "A Mouthful Of Air" here.
The "Mamma Mia!" star was spotted filming scenes with both a real baby and a prop doll, reports dailymail.co.uk.
Also Read:?Tom Hanks recalls two actors when he was starting his career
In between takes, she was seen talking to first time director Amy Koppelman and even kissing a puppy as her colleagues laughed.
The "Mean Girls" actress flaunted her taut midriff in a white tee worn under a checked shirt and a denim jacket. She also wore a pair of washed out baggy jeans with rolled up bottoms and a pair of wedge heels.
"A Mouthful Of Air" is adapted from the novel of the same name by Koppelman, who wrote the adapted screenplay and is also directing.
The "Mamma Mia!" star was spotted filming scenes with both a real baby and a prop doll, reports dailymail.co.uk.
Also Read:?Tom Hanks recalls two actors when he was starting his career
In between takes, she was seen talking to first time director Amy Koppelman and even kissing a puppy as her colleagues laughed.
The "Mean Girls" actress flaunted her taut midriff in a white tee worn under a checked shirt and a denim jacket. She also wore a pair of washed out baggy jeans with rolled up bottoms and a pair of wedge heels.
"A Mouthful Of Air" is adapted from the novel of the same name by Koppelman, who wrote the adapted screenplay and is also directing.
- 10/1/2019
- GlamSham
Exclusive: Production gets underway next week in the U.S. on feature drama A Mouthful Of Air, starring Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!), Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story), Amy Irving (Yentl), Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter) and Paul Giamatti (Sideways).
Written and directed by Amy Koppelman (I Smile Back) and based on Koppelman’s novel of the same name, the script is a character piece examining the relationship between the creative process and mental illness. Seyfried will star as Julie, a new mom and children’s book author, who escapes into the bright Crayola colored world of her creation in order to leave behind the darkness caused by her post partum depression.
Wittrock will play Ethan, Julie’s husband. Irving will play Julie’s mother, Carpenter will play her sister in law and Giamatti will play her doctor.
The film is being produced by Mike Harrop, Koppelman, Seyfried, Lee Cohen MD and Maven Pictures...
Written and directed by Amy Koppelman (I Smile Back) and based on Koppelman’s novel of the same name, the script is a character piece examining the relationship between the creative process and mental illness. Seyfried will star as Julie, a new mom and children’s book author, who escapes into the bright Crayola colored world of her creation in order to leave behind the darkness caused by her post partum depression.
Wittrock will play Ethan, Julie’s husband. Irving will play Julie’s mother, Carpenter will play her sister in law and Giamatti will play her doctor.
The film is being produced by Mike Harrop, Koppelman, Seyfried, Lee Cohen MD and Maven Pictures...
- 9/5/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
In her comedy, there are few places Sarah Silverman fears to go, and the same seems to be true of her dramatic choices. "It was so clear from early on in the shoot that Sarah was giving everything to it and she was really just inspiring everyone so much," I Smile Back director Adam Salky told me last month onstage at The Contenders Presented By Deadline. "And was just so fearless in the way she attacked the role." In the film based on Amy Koppelman's 2008 novel, the…...
- 12/7/2015
- Deadline
Addiction narratives are more alike than unalike, and the only distinctive aspect of I Smile Back is that its depressed addict, Laney Brooks, is played by the raunchy comedian Sarah Silverman in her first major dramatic role. She’s very good. Laney is a rich girl who was abandoned as a child by her dad, and though she’s married with two kids to a doting insurance executive (Josh Charles), she’s still acting out like crazy—boozing, snorting cocaine, picking up strange and not-strange men, among them the husband of a close friend. Her masochism has an aura of entitlement. She wants to be cruisin’ for a bruisin’.Scripted by Paige Dylan and Amy Koppelman, the movie improves on Koppelman’s ungainly novel but is generally dreary and light on insight. Director Adam Salky steers clear of the usual addiction-movie clichés, but he doesn’t have anything to replace them with,...
- 10/24/2015
- by David Edelstein
- Vulture
Snapshots into a life unraveling, I Smile Back is an unpleasant, earnest look at the struggles of coping with bipolar disorder and addiction. New Jersey housewife and mother of two children, Laney Brooks is prone to mistakes. Chief among them her decision to abruptly stop taking the lithium tablets that treat her mental disorder. She pounds alcohol at dinner, snorts cocaine in the bathroom, and cheats on her husband with their friend, but even when she’s home there’s a cavernous distance between the married couple.
This, the second feature film from Dare director Adam Salky, is the type of intimate suburban drama that’s a regular feature on film festival circuits. It feels recognizable if not familiar up until its depressing final few scenes. The biggest difference being that I Smile Back unexpectedly stars an unrelentingly vulnerable Sarah Silverman.
Silverman’s most notable work has been as a potty-mouthed,...
This, the second feature film from Dare director Adam Salky, is the type of intimate suburban drama that’s a regular feature on film festival circuits. It feels recognizable if not familiar up until its depressing final few scenes. The biggest difference being that I Smile Back unexpectedly stars an unrelentingly vulnerable Sarah Silverman.
Silverman’s most notable work has been as a potty-mouthed,...
- 10/23/2015
- by Zachary Shevich
- We Got This Covered
Sarah Silverman drew all eyes in a sexy low-cut dress at the La premiere of I Smile Back on Wednesday. The comedian, who was joined by the film's director, Adam Salky, and her costars Shayne Coleman and Mia Barron, turned heads on the red carpet while striking poses for the cameras. In the movie, which is based on a novel from author Amy Koppelman, Sarah takes on her first dramatic role as a married mother who's hit rock bottom due to drug and alcohol abuse. Read on for more of Sarah's sizzling night out, then check out the trailer for I Smile Back, which hits theaters on Oct. 23.
- 10/22/2015
- by Monica Sisavat
- Popsugar.com
As part of our "How I Shot That" series, Indiewire asked cinematographer Eric Lin about shooting Adam Salky's "I Smile Back," which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and opens in select theaters on October 23 and On Demand on November 6. Based on Amy Koppelman's 2008 novel, the film stars Sarah Silverman as a suburban wife and mother who struggles with depression and addiction. What camera and lens did you use? Arri Alexa with Cooke S2/S3 Lenses How do you decide what camera to use? I'm very cautious about the tools I use. If someone is asking which camera we should shoot on and I'm offered up choices, it's always because it's either going to fit the aesthetic or the style of production. There's always something about the medium that makes sense for the project. If I know I'm going to be in very small quarters or there are...
- 10/21/2015
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Premiering this Wednesday in Toronto, "I Smile Back" gathered early steam at Sundance for Sarah Silverman's tangy turn as a housewife over the edge. Director Adam Salky's film, co-written by the source material's novelist Amy Koppelman, pushes the comic actress to the brink as suburban mom Laney, who's barely able to maintain a facade of normalcy. She's a manic depressive who, after taking the kids to school or putting them to bed, plunges into an abyss of drug and sex addiction unknown to her husband (Josh Charles). And then she falls down one more time. This upsetting movie, even when careening into melodrama, is a real showcase for Silverman, who embodies a frittered woman willingly complicit in her own downfall, and who wants redemption — but not quite yet. Broad Green Pictures, which is supporting an awards campaign for Silverman, opens "I Smile Back" October 23. Read More: Sarah Silverman...
- 9/12/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
Here’s the first trailer for I Smile Back, which features Sarah Silverman in a highly-praised dramatic performance as a woman dealing with overwhelming depression. The film was on our list of fall movies to look out for; written by Amy Koppelman and Paige Dylan and directed by Adam Salky, the film premiered at Sundance earlier this […]
The post ‘I Smile Back’ Trailer: Sarah Silverman Gets Raw appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘I Smile Back’ Trailer: Sarah Silverman Gets Raw appeared first on /Film.
- 9/11/2015
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Brace yourself to reassess your assumptions about funny woman Sarah Silverman. Yes, she's made her name at being an unflinchingly honest and caustic comedienne, and it's not unfair to say she paved the way for Amy Schumer's brand of comedy and success. While she did play a small dramatic supporting role in Sarah Polley's excellent 2012 drama, "Take This Waltz," you've never seen Silverman quite as raw and vulnerable as she is in the upcoming Sundance breakout film, "I Smile Back." Read More: Spotlight On Sarah Silverman At The 38th Mill Valley Film Festival Written by Amy Koppelman (the wife of screenwriter and podcaster Brian Koppelman) and Paige Ryan, and directed by Adam Salky ("Dare"), "I Smile Back" centers on a woman on the verge of a breakdown and in the throes of a serious spiritual crisis that leads her to a string of self-destructive habits. The movie co-stars Josh Charles,...
- 9/11/2015
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
The California Film Institute will present a Spotlight on Sarah Silverman at the 38th Mill Valley Film Festival. The evening will feature a screening of her latest film "I Smile Back," which premiere at Sundance back in January, and will be followed by a live on-stage conversation and presentation of the Mvff Award.
Sarah Silverman is a two-time Emmy winner actress whose repertoire includes everything from film and television, stand-up comedy, to iconic online videos She became an author when she released a book in 2010, the New York Times Bestseller, The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee. Silverman debuted an hour-long stand-up special, “We are Miracles,” on HBO in 2013. She was awarded a 2014 Primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special category. The special was also nominated for Outstanding Variety Special, and Silverman recently received a WGA nomination as well. An album of the special was recently released through Sub Pop Records, which earned her a 2015 Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album.
Silverman's latest feature, "I Smile Back," is a film adaption of a novel by Amy Koppelman in which she plays the lead role. She also has wrapped production on Ashby opposite Mickey Rourke and Emma Roberts and recently had a recurring role on season 2 of the Golden Globe nominated series “Masters of Sex.” Silverman grew up in New Hampshire and attended New York University. In 1993 she joined “Saturday Night Live” as a writer and feature performer and has not stopped working since.
"I Smile Back" Synopsis:
Laney is an attractive, intelligent suburban wife and devoted mother of two adorable children. She has the perfect husband who plays basketball with the kids in the driveway, a pristine house, and a shiny SUV for carting the children to their next activity. However, just beneath the façade lie depression and disillusionment that send her careening into a secret world of reckless compulsion. Only very real danger will force her to face the painful root of her destructiveness and its crumbling effect on those she loves.
At the core of I Smile Back’s power is an indelible performance. Sarah Silverman reinvents herself as a dramatic actress in the career-defining, intensely layered, and heartbreaking role of Laney. Deftly directed by Adam Salky (Dare, 2009 Sundance Film Festival), "I Smile Back" is at times darkly humorous but also harrowing and unflinching as an authentic, humanizing portrait that offers no easy resolution for a damaged woman struggling to come to terms with herself.
"I Smile Back" will be release in theaters by Broad Green Pictures on October 23.
Sarah Silverman is a two-time Emmy winner actress whose repertoire includes everything from film and television, stand-up comedy, to iconic online videos She became an author when she released a book in 2010, the New York Times Bestseller, The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee. Silverman debuted an hour-long stand-up special, “We are Miracles,” on HBO in 2013. She was awarded a 2014 Primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special category. The special was also nominated for Outstanding Variety Special, and Silverman recently received a WGA nomination as well. An album of the special was recently released through Sub Pop Records, which earned her a 2015 Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album.
Silverman's latest feature, "I Smile Back," is a film adaption of a novel by Amy Koppelman in which she plays the lead role. She also has wrapped production on Ashby opposite Mickey Rourke and Emma Roberts and recently had a recurring role on season 2 of the Golden Globe nominated series “Masters of Sex.” Silverman grew up in New Hampshire and attended New York University. In 1993 she joined “Saturday Night Live” as a writer and feature performer and has not stopped working since.
"I Smile Back" Synopsis:
Laney is an attractive, intelligent suburban wife and devoted mother of two adorable children. She has the perfect husband who plays basketball with the kids in the driveway, a pristine house, and a shiny SUV for carting the children to their next activity. However, just beneath the façade lie depression and disillusionment that send her careening into a secret world of reckless compulsion. Only very real danger will force her to face the painful root of her destructiveness and its crumbling effect on those she loves.
At the core of I Smile Back’s power is an indelible performance. Sarah Silverman reinvents herself as a dramatic actress in the career-defining, intensely layered, and heartbreaking role of Laney. Deftly directed by Adam Salky (Dare, 2009 Sundance Film Festival), "I Smile Back" is at times darkly humorous but also harrowing and unflinching as an authentic, humanizing portrait that offers no easy resolution for a damaged woman struggling to come to terms with herself.
"I Smile Back" will be release in theaters by Broad Green Pictures on October 23.
- 9/1/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Sarah Silverman is set to receive the Mill Valley Film Festival Award after a screening of her film "I Smile Back" at the festival (October 8 through 18, 2015) and an onstage Q&A. "I Smile Back," scooped by Broad Green out of Sundance and set for October 23 release, marks a serious dramatic turn for Silverman (excellent before as a recovering alcoholic in Sarah Polley's "Take This Waltz"). She plays Laney, a suburban housewife whose facade is slipping away in the face of manic depression, and drug and sex addiction unknown to her long-suffering husband, played by Josh Charles ("The Good Wife"). This upsetting movie, even when careening into melodrama, is a real showcase for Silverman, who embodies a frittered woman willingly complicit in her own downfall, who wants redemption — but not quite yet. The film is directed by Adam Salky and written by Paige Dylan and co-writer Amy Koppelman, who penned...
- 8/24/2015
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
The Toronto International Film Festival has added 5 Galas and 19 Special Presentations to its huge and highly anticipated international lineup including the Closing Night Film, Paco Cabezas’s Mr. Right.
In July, it was announced that Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition will open the 2015 Festival. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper and Judah Lewis, Demolition will have its world premiere on September 10 at Roy Thomson Hall.
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Ridley Scott, Deepa Mehta, Lenny Abrahamson, Brian Helgeland, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Jason Bateman, Cary Fukunaga, Catherine Corsini, Stephen Frears, Tom Hooper, Hany Abu-Assad, Meghna Gulzar, Terence Davies, Jonás Cuarón, Julie Delpy, Rebecca Miller, Rob Reiner, Catherine Hardwicke, Pan Nalin, Lorene Scafaria, David Gordon Green, Matthew Cullen, Gaby Dellal, James Vanderbilt and Marc Abraham.
The various films listed below star Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Susan Sarandon, Gary Oldman, Toni Collette, Drew Barrymore,...
In July, it was announced that Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition will open the 2015 Festival. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper and Judah Lewis, Demolition will have its world premiere on September 10 at Roy Thomson Hall.
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Ridley Scott, Deepa Mehta, Lenny Abrahamson, Brian Helgeland, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Jason Bateman, Cary Fukunaga, Catherine Corsini, Stephen Frears, Tom Hooper, Hany Abu-Assad, Meghna Gulzar, Terence Davies, Jonás Cuarón, Julie Delpy, Rebecca Miller, Rob Reiner, Catherine Hardwicke, Pan Nalin, Lorene Scafaria, David Gordon Green, Matthew Cullen, Gaby Dellal, James Vanderbilt and Marc Abraham.
The various films listed below star Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Susan Sarandon, Gary Oldman, Toni Collette, Drew Barrymore,...
- 8/18/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The 40th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival now has something of a slate. Festival toppers Cameron Bailey and Piers Handling presided over a press conference Tuesday morning where more than 34 films were announced including the world premieres of "The Martian," "The Family Fang" and "Demolition." It's an intriguing initial lineup for the venerable Canadian institution and something of a steadying the ship after losing some major debuts to Venice, Telluride and the New York Film Festival over the past few years. Well, maybe. The most impressive world premieres include the aforementioned "Demolition" with Jake Gyllenhaal (officially the best opening night film in recent memory), "The Family Fang" with Nicole Kidman, "Legend" with Tom Hardy, "Trumbo" with Bryan Cranston, "The Martian" with Matt Damon and Lance Armstrong doc "The Program" with Ben Foster and Michael Moore's latest documentary, "Where to Invade Next." Notable films that will have premiered...
- 7/28/2015
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
While top tier Sundance items in Rick Alverson’s Entertainment, Josh Mond’s James White and Matt Sobel’s Take Me to the River are still without a distributor, the more than a dozen selections in Sundance’s U.S. Dramatic Comp are, at quick glance, close to being all snapped up. Deadline reports that Broad Green Pictures are going to give some tough love to I Smile Back, an addiction drama that was an audience and critic divider back in January. In what could be the distributor’s lead horse in the awards-worthy season, no mention has been made about a release date, but we imagine that this will be positioned sometime during the fall season. The company has a slate of about eight pictures (including Jeremy Saulnier’s Green Room which might premiere in Cannes) awaiting release.
Gist: Written by Amy Koppelman (who authored the book) and Paige Dylan,...
Gist: Written by Amy Koppelman (who authored the book) and Paige Dylan,...
- 3/10/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Read More: Sarah Silverman Shocks Sundance with her Dramatic Performance in 'I Smile Back' Sarah Silverman is ready to tackle the dramatic world, and she's putting a smile on for the venture. Broad Green Pictures has acquired the North American rights to the Adam Salky-directed "I Smile Back," based on the novel by Amy Koppelman. In "I Smile Back," Silverman plays Laney, a woman who seems to have the perfect life: A loving husband, kids she cares for, and a gorgeous home. Looks can be deceiving though, and Laney spirals down a path of self-destruction as she indulges and drugs and sex. Can she find forgiveness? "Sarah's raw and vulnerable performance will astonish audiences and define her as an incredible dramatic talent," said Gabriel Hammond, CEO of Bgp, and Daniel Hammond, Bgp Chief Creative Officer. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to give "I Smile Back...
- 3/10/2015
- by Travis Clark
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Broad Green Pictures has acquired North American rights to I Smile Back, the Adam Salky-directed film that premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at January's Sundance Film Festival and won strong notices for its downward spiraling heroine, played by Sarah Silverman. Pic is based on Amy Koppelman's novel and she adapted it with Paige Dylan. Salky directed the 2009 Sundance film Dare, and Silverman stars in I Smile Back with Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia…...
- 3/10/2015
- Deadline
Stockholm, Pennsylvania
Every year, the Sundance Film Festival finds itself packed with several promising features, filled with established performers and breakout stars, and filmmakers screening their first feature alongside veterans of the profession. One of the unfortunate downsides of such a rich array of features, however, is that not every film is able to secure a distributor during the length of the festival, regardless of how intriguing or well-made they are. Here are ten features from the 2015 incarnation of the festival that found themselves without distribution, but which hopefully do become available to the non-festival viewing audience at some point. As with past incarnations of this list, the films are in alphabetical order.
1) Advantageous
The science fiction genre has often allowed filmmakers to explore current day issues in allegory form, allowing them to dig into what causes societal concerns by viewing it from a different perspective. In that sense, Jennifer Phang...
Every year, the Sundance Film Festival finds itself packed with several promising features, filled with established performers and breakout stars, and filmmakers screening their first feature alongside veterans of the profession. One of the unfortunate downsides of such a rich array of features, however, is that not every film is able to secure a distributor during the length of the festival, regardless of how intriguing or well-made they are. Here are ten features from the 2015 incarnation of the festival that found themselves without distribution, but which hopefully do become available to the non-festival viewing audience at some point. As with past incarnations of this list, the films are in alphabetical order.
1) Advantageous
The science fiction genre has often allowed filmmakers to explore current day issues in allegory form, allowing them to dig into what causes societal concerns by viewing it from a different perspective. In that sense, Jennifer Phang...
- 2/9/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Independent cinema is where some actors go to defy expectations and try roles outside of their comfort zone. You'll find dramatic stars trying out small comedies, and big comedians putting on their best serious face. With I Smile Back, an adaptation of Amy Koppelman's book of the same name, we get the latter. But this isn't just a gimmick of a raunchy comic trying to get dark just for shock value as Sarah Silverman steps into the lead role with flying colors, delivering a brutal, relentless depiction of addiction and sadness as a mother struggling with substance abuse everyday, popping pills, snorting coke and chugging vodka. Silverman is anything but happy as upper class housewife as Laney, whose fluctuation between depression and faux happiness is immediately unsettling and worrisome. She goes from having a bleak conversation on life after having adulterous, cocaine-fueled sex with a married friend (Thomas Sadoski...
- 2/2/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Sarah Silverman was her playful, jokey self when she sat down with Indiewire hours before world premiering her new film "I Smile Back" at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. In her first starring role, that sparkle is gone. "I Smile Back," stars Silverman as Laney, a suburban wife and mother who struggles with depression, reckless behavior and addiction. Within the first first 20 or so minutes of Adam Salky's harrowing drama, based on the 2008 novel by Amy Koppelman, Laney goes on a drug and alcohol fueled rampage that causes her husband (Josh Charles) to check her into rehab. Silverman is astonishing in the role, fearless in her portrayal of a woman on the verge of self destruction."I Smile Back" is one of the most hotly anticipated films playing this year solely based on the interest in your dramatic performance. What's that like? I feel like it's just set up for.
- 1/28/2015
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
Based on Amy Koppelman’s book published by the independent press Two Dollar Radio — a book depicting the destructive despair of a housewife spiraling into drugs and bad sex — I Smile Back is being touted here at Sundance as the feature dramatic debut of Sarah Silverman, the comedian whose shocking riffs are always delivered with an unnerving sweetness and sexy demeanor. Attempting to channel — or perhaps remold — Silverman’s persona to the demands of the novel (adapted by Koppelman and Paige Dylan) is Adam Salky, who returns to Sundance following his debut picture, Dare. I Smile Back premieres […]...
- 1/25/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Based on Amy Koppelman’s book published by the independent press Two Dollar Radio — a book depicting the destructive despair of a housewife spiraling into drugs and bad sex — I Smile Back is being touted here at Sundance as the feature dramatic debut of Sarah Silverman, the comedian whose shocking riffs are always delivered with an unnerving sweetness and sexy demeanor. Attempting to channel — or perhaps remold — Silverman’s persona to the demands of the novel (adapted by Koppelman and Paige Dylan) is Adam Salky, who returns to Sundance following his debut picture, Dare. I Smile Back premieres […]...
- 1/25/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
CreativeFuture and Hp are partnering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on a series of panels and workshops at The Sundance House Presented by Hp, reflecting a shared commitment to technology that empowers artists to bring groundbreaking storytelling to audiences.
CreativeFuture is also presenting the inaugural Horizon Award, along with co-sponsors The Black List, The Creative Mind Group, Indiegogo, The Sundance Institute, Twitter, Vimeo, and Women in Film. The Horizon Award was created by producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell, and Christine Vachon to recognize and provide mentorship to talented, up-and-coming female filmmakers.
The Sundance House Presented by Hp (also known as the Kimball Arts Center) is located at 638 Park Avenue in Park City (corner of Main and Heber).
Saturday, January 24
10:30 Am – Noon Mt
Panel: Creativity Matters: A Discussion on the Cultural, Ethical, and Economic Implications of Creativity (part of official Sundance program)
Description: From film and television, to books and music, to software and video games, the digital revolution has transformed nearly every aspect of how audiences and fans access creative works. Panelists will discuss the cultural and economic value of creativity, how individual creatives can protect their work at all stages in the creative process, and how the creative community must unite and advocate for the fundamental rights of creators to be compensated for their work.
Panelists: Cassian Elwes, Producer (Margin Call, Dallas Buyers Club, All is Lost); David Ginsberg, Cto, Sundance Institute; Jim Zafarana, VP and General Manager, Commercial Solutions, Hp; and Ruth Vitale, Executive Director, CreativeFuture – moderated by Josh Dickey, Entertainment Editor, Mashable.
Sunday, January 25
10:30 Am – Noon Mt
Panel: Sundance Then and Now – The Changing Nature of Being a Filmmaker in the Digital Age(part of official Sundance program)
Description: How have technological advancements in filmmaking and distribution and changes in how films are marketed to audiences impacted the creative process? Sundance veterans and newcomers will share personal experiences spanning several decades and discuss how filmmakers can embrace this new reality while continuing to push the boundaries of independent film.
Panelists: Nikole Beckwith, Writer/Director (Stockholm, Pennsylvania); Chloe Zhao, Writer/Director (Songs My Brothers Taught Me); Paul Federbush, International Director, Feature Film Program, Sundance Institute; and Ruth Vitale, Executive Director, CreativeFuture – moderated by Franklin Leonard, Founder, The Black List.
Sunday, January 25
2:00 Pm – 3:30 Pm Mt
Artist Workshop: Pitching and Marketing the Independent Film
Description: This how-to guide for filmmakers on pitching and publicizing projects will feature examples of well-packaged pitches and publicity strategies from throughout the pre-production, festival circuit, and release stages. The workshop will be presented by Mark Pogachefsky, Co-founder and President of Mprm Communications, and Adam Krentzman, former CAA Agent and current Director of Community Outreach at CreativeFuture.
Monday, January 26
2:00 Pm – 3:30 Pm Mt
Conversation: The Making of I Smile Back
Description: A conversation with Adam Salky, director of I Smile Back, which was selected for the 2015 U.S. Dramatic Competition. Salky (Dare, 2009 Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee) will be joined by co-writers Amy Koppelman and Paige Dylan and producer Michael Harrop.
7:00 Pm – 9:00 Pm Mt
Presentation of the Horizon Award
Description: Reception to present the inaugural Horizon Award, which recognizes talented, up-and-coming female filmmakers. The award and a $10,000 check will be presented to the winning filmmaker by Sharon Waxman, CEO and Editor in Chief of The Wrap, along with CreativeFuture Executive Director Ruth Vitale and the Horizon Award founders – producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell, and Christine Vachon. The Horizon Award is sponsored by The Black List, The Creative Mind Group, CreativeFuture, Indiegogo, The Sundance Institute, Twitter, Vimeo, and Women in Film. The winning short, selected from more than 400 submissions, will premier at the reception.
About CreativeFuture
CreativeFuture is a coalition made up of more than 350 companies and organizations – encompassing film, television, music, and book publishing – that promotes the value of creativity, expanded digital access to legitimate content, and the fundamental right of creators to determine how their works are distributed. For more information, visit www.CreativeFuture.org.
About Hp
Hp creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. With the broadest technology portfolio spanning printing, personal systems, software, services and It infrastructure, Hp delivers solutions for customers' most complex challenges in every region of the world. More information about Hp is available at http://www.hp.com.
CreativeFuture is also presenting the inaugural Horizon Award, along with co-sponsors The Black List, The Creative Mind Group, Indiegogo, The Sundance Institute, Twitter, Vimeo, and Women in Film. The Horizon Award was created by producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell, and Christine Vachon to recognize and provide mentorship to talented, up-and-coming female filmmakers.
The Sundance House Presented by Hp (also known as the Kimball Arts Center) is located at 638 Park Avenue in Park City (corner of Main and Heber).
Saturday, January 24
10:30 Am – Noon Mt
Panel: Creativity Matters: A Discussion on the Cultural, Ethical, and Economic Implications of Creativity (part of official Sundance program)
Description: From film and television, to books and music, to software and video games, the digital revolution has transformed nearly every aspect of how audiences and fans access creative works. Panelists will discuss the cultural and economic value of creativity, how individual creatives can protect their work at all stages in the creative process, and how the creative community must unite and advocate for the fundamental rights of creators to be compensated for their work.
Panelists: Cassian Elwes, Producer (Margin Call, Dallas Buyers Club, All is Lost); David Ginsberg, Cto, Sundance Institute; Jim Zafarana, VP and General Manager, Commercial Solutions, Hp; and Ruth Vitale, Executive Director, CreativeFuture – moderated by Josh Dickey, Entertainment Editor, Mashable.
Sunday, January 25
10:30 Am – Noon Mt
Panel: Sundance Then and Now – The Changing Nature of Being a Filmmaker in the Digital Age(part of official Sundance program)
Description: How have technological advancements in filmmaking and distribution and changes in how films are marketed to audiences impacted the creative process? Sundance veterans and newcomers will share personal experiences spanning several decades and discuss how filmmakers can embrace this new reality while continuing to push the boundaries of independent film.
Panelists: Nikole Beckwith, Writer/Director (Stockholm, Pennsylvania); Chloe Zhao, Writer/Director (Songs My Brothers Taught Me); Paul Federbush, International Director, Feature Film Program, Sundance Institute; and Ruth Vitale, Executive Director, CreativeFuture – moderated by Franklin Leonard, Founder, The Black List.
Sunday, January 25
2:00 Pm – 3:30 Pm Mt
Artist Workshop: Pitching and Marketing the Independent Film
Description: This how-to guide for filmmakers on pitching and publicizing projects will feature examples of well-packaged pitches and publicity strategies from throughout the pre-production, festival circuit, and release stages. The workshop will be presented by Mark Pogachefsky, Co-founder and President of Mprm Communications, and Adam Krentzman, former CAA Agent and current Director of Community Outreach at CreativeFuture.
Monday, January 26
2:00 Pm – 3:30 Pm Mt
Conversation: The Making of I Smile Back
Description: A conversation with Adam Salky, director of I Smile Back, which was selected for the 2015 U.S. Dramatic Competition. Salky (Dare, 2009 Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee) will be joined by co-writers Amy Koppelman and Paige Dylan and producer Michael Harrop.
7:00 Pm – 9:00 Pm Mt
Presentation of the Horizon Award
Description: Reception to present the inaugural Horizon Award, which recognizes talented, up-and-coming female filmmakers. The award and a $10,000 check will be presented to the winning filmmaker by Sharon Waxman, CEO and Editor in Chief of The Wrap, along with CreativeFuture Executive Director Ruth Vitale and the Horizon Award founders – producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell, and Christine Vachon. The Horizon Award is sponsored by The Black List, The Creative Mind Group, CreativeFuture, Indiegogo, The Sundance Institute, Twitter, Vimeo, and Women in Film. The winning short, selected from more than 400 submissions, will premier at the reception.
About CreativeFuture
CreativeFuture is a coalition made up of more than 350 companies and organizations – encompassing film, television, music, and book publishing – that promotes the value of creativity, expanded digital access to legitimate content, and the fundamental right of creators to determine how their works are distributed. For more information, visit www.CreativeFuture.org.
About Hp
Hp creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. With the broadest technology portfolio spanning printing, personal systems, software, services and It infrastructure, Hp delivers solutions for customers' most complex challenges in every region of the world. More information about Hp is available at http://www.hp.com.
- 1/21/2015
- by Erin Grover
- Sydney's Buzz
With January being the traditional low point of the movie season, cinephiles from around the world look to the Sundance Film Festival for some glimmer of hope. America’s preeminent independent film festival has graduated some heavy-hitters over the years, including Whiplash, Ida, and Boyhood from last year’s class. 2015’s program boasts an unprecedented balance between drama and comedy premieres, ensuring that everyone from general audiences to discerning film students will leave happy. Like any good buffet table, however, Sundance simply has too much good stuff to consume, unless you don’t mind unbuckling your belt in a crowded movie theater. With that in mind, here are a few of the more hotly-anticipated titles from this year’s festival.
The Psychology Triumvirate
Psychology buffs rejoice! This year’s Sundance is presenting three movies that might someday be found in a Psych 101 course syllabus. From the U.S. Dramatic Competition,...
The Psychology Triumvirate
Psychology buffs rejoice! This year’s Sundance is presenting three movies that might someday be found in a Psych 101 course syllabus. From the U.S. Dramatic Competition,...
- 1/7/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
John Nein was not always a Senior Programmer at the Sundance Film Festival — it’s only been eight years. When he began at Sundance in 2002 he was always watching movies of course. More than that, like John Cooper said, he just didn’t shut up when he was in the room; he was opinionated and spoke his opinions. He also always liked international cinema as he was born in Ireland and grew up in The Netherlands, Belgium and London where his father worked for international companies. When he was 12 he came to the U.S.
The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
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Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
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The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
Next <=>
Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
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- 12/6/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The competition movie line-up has been revealed for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, which runs from January 22nd to February 1st 2015. Below the announcement video you'll find the U.S. and World Competition categories, as well as the Next section.
Out of the 12,166 submissions that the festival received this year only 185 were selected. It looks like there are going to be a lot of great films this year. I always enjoy going to Sundance because you never know what film gems are just waiting to be seen.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy,...
Out of the 12,166 submissions that the festival received this year only 185 were selected. It looks like there are going to be a lot of great films this year. I always enjoy going to Sundance because you never know what film gems are just waiting to be seen.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a first look at groundbreaking new voices in American independent film.
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy,...
- 12/4/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Today the first wave of titles playing at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival were announced and while the majority of the titles are new to me the names in front of the camera most certainly are not as you'll see the likes of Michael Fassbender, Nicole Kidman, Saoirse Ronan, Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Jack Black, James Marsden, Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Jemaine Clement, Sarah Silverman, Toni Collette, Vincent Cassell and many, many more among the titles featured. I have collected several photos from many of the films playing the festival, which will take place from January 22 - February 1 in Utah next year. Today's selection includes the U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition, World Cinema Documentary Competition and Next program. I'll be adding a few more pictures soon enough, but for now, have a look and see what stands out.
- 12/3/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
America’s hottest and most eagerly anticipated film festival is nearly upon us! Running January 22 to February 1, 2015 in Park City, Utah, the annual Sundance Film Festival has launched its initial lineup of in-competition films in the Dramatic, World Cinema, Documentary and Next slates. In all, 66 films were announced in this initial lineup, with the Premieres and Documentary Premieres arriving December 8 and the Short Film slate arriving December 9.
Among the lineup, as always, are some intriguing prospects. The Us Dramatic Competition features films starring stars such as Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine (Z for Zachariah), Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor (The D Train), Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman (The Overnight), and Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back), among many others, and new films from recently hot directors including Alfonso-Gomez Rejon, Andrew Bujalski, and Craig Zobel.
Among the lineup, as always, are some intriguing prospects. The Us Dramatic Competition features films starring stars such as Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine (Z for Zachariah), Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor (The D Train), Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman (The Overnight), and Sarah Silverman (I Smile Back), among many others, and new films from recently hot directors including Alfonso-Gomez Rejon, Andrew Bujalski, and Craig Zobel.
- 12/3/2014
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Last year, it was Damien Chazelle’s richly texturized, foot-tapping, finger-snapping sophomore pic Whiplash that instantly became the “it” film to beat in the sixteen competition offerings. In 2015, we have Sundance habituals in James C. Strouse, Craig Zobel and Andrew Bujalski measuring up against Park City feature film first-timers in Marielle Heller, Patrick Brice, Chloé Zhao, Nikole Beckwith and Kris Swanberg. Here are the sixteen offerings in the 2015 U.S. Dramatic Competition:
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero...
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero...
- 12/3/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
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