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COMMENTARY: When Art, Sexuality and Religion Collide, What is the Role of a Film Festival?
All these wonderful things —
... , a theater owned by Cinemark, whose CEO gave nearly 10K to the Yes on 8 cause. All of this calls into question - just what is the role of a film festival? Is it, at Araki asserts, to "promote tolerence and equality"? On Film Independent's home page , the statement reads:Is a diverse community -- and importantly the tolerence and promotion of that diversity -- so essential to the make up of a major film festival that it's impossible for one to have core religious beliefs that conflict with those of the majority of your suppliers (filmmakers) and consumers (audience)? Is ...
Spirit Awards. Nominations.
GreenCine Daily —
"Ballast, Frozen River and Rachel Getting Married led the field with six nominations each at the 2009 Film Independent's 24th Annual Spirit Awards," report Erin Maxwell and Michael Jones for Variety. "All three are in the running for best feature, best director and best female lead for actresses Anne Hathaway, Melissa Leo and Tarra Riggs."
Here's the full list; the awards ceremony's set for February 21, 2009, three days before Oscar Night. ...
The Wrestler, Frozen River Lead Spirit Award Nominations
Film School Rejects —
If you aren’t familiar with the Independent Spirit Awards then you are really missing out. This award program is run by Film Independent, an organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Every year the voting members — of which I am one — choose the best films and performances from the independently produced films of the year. It is currently in its 23rd year and the awards event will take place on February 21, 2009 in Santa Monica.
This afternoon the nominations for ...
FINDING YOUR VOICE (AND BUDGET) AT NETFLIX
Filmmaker Magazine —
From a press release I just received from Film Independent: Today Film Independent and Netflix announced the immediate launch of the Netflix FIND Your Voice Film Competition, which will award one aspiring first-time feature filmmaker the means, guidance and resources to make a full-length, narrative film. The winner of the competition, who will own all rights to his or her film, will be determined between now and July 2009. In addition to production resources needed to make the film, the winner will receive a $150,000 cash production grant funded by Netflix, plus turnkey ...
Behind the Scenes of the Independent Spirit Awards
Cinematical —
Most of us complain about the Academy Awards, which will be presented next Sunday, but most of us can't do anything about them. In the first place, most of us can't even vote for them!
Ah, but the Independent Spirit Awards are different: almost anyone can vote for them. All you have to do is become a member of Los Angeles-based Film Independent (annual membership: $95) and then register to vote.
The Film Nest has an interesting article on someone who went through the process. Film Independent members in general have no input ...
2009 Independent Spirit Awards - Live Blog and Results
Film School Rejects —
Since we’ve been sort of lax on putting together our weekly installment of the Shouting Match feature, we’ve decided that a little live argument/discussion is in order. And almost as if it was written, today happens to be the day of the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards. So the easy decision was to live-blog the awards ceremony, which will be broadcast on IFC at 5pm Eastern Time. FSR Managing Editor Cole Abaius and myself will be utilizing the brilliant technology below, the Cover It Live system, to provide commentary as the awards show rolls on. So be sure to be here, else ye shall be square. ...
2009 Independent Spirit Awards in Photos
Cinematical —
... The 2009 Independent Spirit Awards will take place today in Los Angeles, and you can watch the ceremony live on IFC beginning at 5pm EST. We'll have a full report following the awards with winners and whatnot, but in the meantime check out some photos from this year's Spirit Awards below and a complete list of the nominees after the jump. ...
'Wrestler', Rourke Win Independent Spirit Awards
Get The Big Picture —
The Wrestler was the big winner at the Independent Spirit Awards, with Mickey
Rourke winning the penultimate (and media-created) showdown fellow nominee Sean Penn before tomorrow
night's Academy Awards.
Darren Aronofsky wasn't even nominated for Best Director, which is kind of surprising, but it won Best Picture, Best
Actor, and Best Cinematography at the much looser awards celebration, which showcase lower budget
films. ...
THE FIND FILM FINANCING CONFERENCE
Filmmaker Magazine —
At last year’s FIND Film Financing Conference in Los Angeles, Mark Gill told us the sky is falling. This year’s keynote speaker, Endgame Entertainment CEO James H. Stern, had a more optimistic message . Referencing Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers , Stern reminded the crowd, “We are lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time for great opportunities.” Stern encouraged the crowd of filmmakers to not just make better movies, but smarter ones that keep a film’s audience — and how to reach it — in mind well before the cameras roll, not just after the film is complete. He cited distribution execs ...
HOW DRAMA DIED AT THE FILMMAKER FORUM
Filmmaker Magazine —
Film Independent 's Filmmaker Forum is underway this weekend, and we asked writer/director Zak Forsman to attend and report back. Here's the first of his posts. I’ve just locked picture on my first feature-length motion picture and it seems I couldn’t be entering the world of distribution at a worse time. I strolled into the DGA in Los Angeles for day one of the Film Independent Filmmaker Forum optimistic and eager. I left it determined to batten down the hatches in preparation for stormy seas ahead. Veteran producer Jeremy Thomas ( Creation , The Last Emperor , Crash ) ...
