In his latest documentary “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” Alex Gibney explores the singer-songwriter’s six-decade career. The Oscar winning director also captures Simon creating his latest album, “Seven Psalms,” which he made while losing hearing in his left ear. Although Gibney is mostly recognized for his rigorously researched investigative exposes, he is also skilled in creating portraits of cultural icons like Simon. In the 209-minute docu Gibney relies on Simon as well as signifigant figures in his life including wife Edie Brickell, Lorne Michaels and Art Garfunkel, who can be heard via archival footage, to tell his story.
In 2019 Gibney premiered his Mikhail Khodorkovsky documentary “Citizen K” at TIFF. “In Restless Dreams” will debut at TIFF on Sept. 10. Gibney is seeking distribution for the film.
Did you have final cut on this docu?
Yes. That was the arrangement we made going into it. I felt good about that.
In 2019 Gibney premiered his Mikhail Khodorkovsky documentary “Citizen K” at TIFF. “In Restless Dreams” will debut at TIFF on Sept. 10. Gibney is seeking distribution for the film.
Did you have final cut on this docu?
Yes. That was the arrangement we made going into it. I felt good about that.
- 9/9/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
“Explorer,” a portrait of Ranulph Fiennes, credited with the title, World’s Greatest Living Explorer, is set for a digital and on demand release.
The documentary feature peels back the layers of Fiennes’s life to go beyond his record-breaking achievements and reveal the man behind the myth. Fiennes was the first to circumnavigate the world from pole to pole, crossed the Antarctic on foot, broke countless world records and discovered a lost city in Arabia. He has traveled to the most dangerous places on Earth, lost half his fingers to frostbite, raised millions for charity and was nearly cast as James Bond. And, the man who prefers to be known as just ‘Ran,’ is a cousin to actors Ralph and Joseph.
With exclusive access to Fiennes, and his extensive film archive, preserved and cared for by the British Film Institute (BFI) National Archive, covering decades of expeditions and contributions from life-long friends and colleagues,...
The documentary feature peels back the layers of Fiennes’s life to go beyond his record-breaking achievements and reveal the man behind the myth. Fiennes was the first to circumnavigate the world from pole to pole, crossed the Antarctic on foot, broke countless world records and discovered a lost city in Arabia. He has traveled to the most dangerous places on Earth, lost half his fingers to frostbite, raised millions for charity and was nearly cast as James Bond. And, the man who prefers to be known as just ‘Ran,’ is a cousin to actors Ralph and Joseph.
With exclusive access to Fiennes, and his extensive film archive, preserved and cared for by the British Film Institute (BFI) National Archive, covering decades of expeditions and contributions from life-long friends and colleagues,...
- 8/26/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
When at some point in the near future “Neck” is released, it will not only be a new feature directed by Takeshi Kitano, but also, as the filmmaker himself claimed, his last directorial effort. Given the pace with which he has worked and also the fact Kitano tried to balance his many projects, as a director, a TV host, a painter and an author (to name but a few), it is perhaps no surprise to hear the 75-year-old wishing to slow down a bit. Still, the phenomenon that is Kitano still continues to fascinate audiences in his home country Japan as well as internationally ever since he has left his mark with feature such as “Hana-Bi” and “Kikujiro”, or, perhaps lesser known to some, as the host of formats like “Takeshi’s Castle”. In 2020, French filmmaker Yves Montmayeur, who already made features about Yakuza-cinema and Pink films, tackled the life and...
- 4/25/2022
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Alex Gibney, best known for documentaries such as “Taxi to the Dark Side” and “Going Clear,” is helming a new feature starring Viggo Mortensen (“Captain Fantastic”) and Cannes best actor winner Caleb Landry Jones (“Nitram”).
Produced and sold internationally by Altitude, thriller “Two Wolves” will be introduced to buyers at the virtual American Film Market next week. All rights are currently available.
Here’s the official description: The film tells the story of helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson who, during the Vietnam War, turned against his fellow soldiers to halt the massacre of unarmed civilians in the village of My Lai, and rescued survivors of the atrocities. But far from being treated as a hero, Thompson was branded a traitor and threatened with court-martial, while the actual perpetrators of the war crimes were lionized by supporters and pardoned by President Nixon. It came down to General William ‘Ray’ Peers to investigate...
Produced and sold internationally by Altitude, thriller “Two Wolves” will be introduced to buyers at the virtual American Film Market next week. All rights are currently available.
Here’s the official description: The film tells the story of helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson who, during the Vietnam War, turned against his fellow soldiers to halt the massacre of unarmed civilians in the village of My Lai, and rescued survivors of the atrocities. But far from being treated as a hero, Thompson was branded a traitor and threatened with court-martial, while the actual perpetrators of the war crimes were lionized by supporters and pardoned by President Nixon. It came down to General William ‘Ray’ Peers to investigate...
- 10/28/2021
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Take a look at actress Emma Roberts ("Holidate") posing for "Citizen K", photographed by Brendan Wixted:
"I grew up with just my mom", said Roberts. "She and I were like best friends.
"She's a very independent woman and I admire that about her. In my life, I've tried to be like that. To be okay with being on my own and being independent. I just never have really been the kind of person that's out in public being inappropriate, I guess.
"I like to have fun as much as the next person but I tend to do it in private and just hang out with close friends. If I'm going to go out, I'll just do it with my really good friends.
"It's always great when a director is just supportive of what you're doing. They're not so much critiquing you but giving you more ideas, giving you tons of things to work with,...
"I grew up with just my mom", said Roberts. "She and I were like best friends.
"She's a very independent woman and I admire that about her. In my life, I've tried to be like that. To be okay with being on my own and being independent. I just never have really been the kind of person that's out in public being inappropriate, I guess.
"I like to have fun as much as the next person but I tend to do it in private and just hang out with close friends. If I'm going to go out, I'll just do it with my really good friends.
"It's always great when a director is just supportive of what you're doing. They're not so much critiquing you but giving you more ideas, giving you tons of things to work with,...
- 10/5/2021
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Exclusive: David Moulton has joined Oscar-winning factual production firm Passion Pictures as Creative Director.
Moulton joins from Minnow Films where he served as Director of Development. Working with SVODs on commissions like Netflix’s Bad Boy Billionaires, he also oversaw a slate of premium series and feature documentaries for HBO, Amazon and Sky Documentaries.
Prior to Minnow, Moulton worked on projects such as the BAFTA-winning The Murder Detectives and BBC1’s BAFTA and Emmy-nominated Ebola Frontline.
At Passion, Moulton will be tasked with diversifying Passion’s feature output into TV and streaming doc series.
Also joining the company at the same time will be Chris Williams, a recent graduate of the Mama Youth project, a program aimed at tackling the lack of people from under-represented groups in the media.
Feature documentaries from Passion in 2019 include The Australian Dream, Circus Of Books, Sid & Judy, Citizen K, Mystify and Andy Murray: Resurfacing.
Moulton joins from Minnow Films where he served as Director of Development. Working with SVODs on commissions like Netflix’s Bad Boy Billionaires, he also oversaw a slate of premium series and feature documentaries for HBO, Amazon and Sky Documentaries.
Prior to Minnow, Moulton worked on projects such as the BAFTA-winning The Murder Detectives and BBC1’s BAFTA and Emmy-nominated Ebola Frontline.
At Passion, Moulton will be tasked with diversifying Passion’s feature output into TV and streaming doc series.
Also joining the company at the same time will be Chris Williams, a recent graduate of the Mama Youth project, a program aimed at tackling the lack of people from under-represented groups in the media.
Feature documentaries from Passion in 2019 include The Australian Dream, Circus Of Books, Sid & Judy, Citizen K, Mystify and Andy Murray: Resurfacing.
- 2/2/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Rock Hudson: Accidental Activist’ to be directed by Stephan Kijak.
A documentary about how Hollywood icon Rock Hudson became “the single most influential AIDS patient ever” is in the works from UK outfit Altitude.
Rock Hudson: Accidental Activist will be directed by Stephen Kijak, with Altitude on board to produce and handle international sales, introducing the project to buyers at AFM online next week.
Altitude Distribution will release the film in the UK and Ireland.
The film will explore how Hudson’s death from AIDS-related complications in 1985 shocked the world and upended decades-old assumptions about his image. It also brought attention to the disease,...
A documentary about how Hollywood icon Rock Hudson became “the single most influential AIDS patient ever” is in the works from UK outfit Altitude.
Rock Hudson: Accidental Activist will be directed by Stephen Kijak, with Altitude on board to produce and handle international sales, introducing the project to buyers at AFM online next week.
Altitude Distribution will release the film in the UK and Ireland.
The film will explore how Hudson’s death from AIDS-related complications in 1985 shocked the world and upended decades-old assumptions about his image. It also brought attention to the disease,...
- 11/6/2020
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
One of Hollywood’s most famous leading men is getting the feature documentary treatment.
Rock Hudson: Accidental Activist comes from Stephen Kijak (Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, We Are X) and producers George Chignell (Citizen K, Listen to Me Marlon) and Will Clarke (Horrible Histories: The Movies — Rotten Romans, Filth), with Altitude set to produce and handle international sales, introducing the project to buyers at the virtual American Film Market next week.
Altitude Distribution will also release the film in the U.K. and Ireland.
An icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Rock Hudson was the man all women wanted and all ...
Rock Hudson: Accidental Activist comes from Stephen Kijak (Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, We Are X) and producers George Chignell (Citizen K, Listen to Me Marlon) and Will Clarke (Horrible Histories: The Movies — Rotten Romans, Filth), with Altitude set to produce and handle international sales, introducing the project to buyers at the virtual American Film Market next week.
Altitude Distribution will also release the film in the U.K. and Ireland.
An icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Rock Hudson was the man all women wanted and all ...
- 11/6/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
One of Hollywood’s most famous leading men is getting the feature documentary treatment.
Rock Hudson: Accidental Activist comes from Stephen Kijak (Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, We Are X) and producers George Chignell (Citizen K, Listen to Me Marlon) and Will Clarke (Horrible Histories: The Movies — Rotten Romans, Filth), with Altitude set to produce and handle international sales, introducing the project to buyers at the virtual American Film Market next week.
Altitude Distribution will also release the film in the U.K. and Ireland.
An icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Rock Hudson was the man all women wanted and all ...
Rock Hudson: Accidental Activist comes from Stephen Kijak (Scott Walker: 30 Century Man, We Are X) and producers George Chignell (Citizen K, Listen to Me Marlon) and Will Clarke (Horrible Histories: The Movies — Rotten Romans, Filth), with Altitude set to produce and handle international sales, introducing the project to buyers at the virtual American Film Market next week.
Altitude Distribution will also release the film in the U.K. and Ireland.
An icon of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Rock Hudson was the man all women wanted and all ...
- 11/6/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Production has commenced at London locations on Doug Liman’s “Lockdown,” starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 lockdown, “Lockdown” tells the story of how a sparring couple, played by Hathaway and Paxton, call a truce to attempt a high-risk, high-stakes jewelry heist at high-end department store, Harrods.
The film is produced by Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios and P.J. van Sandwijk’s Storyteller Productions. The producers are in advanced talks with Ben Stiller, Lily James, Stephen Merchant, Dulé Hill, Jazmyn Simon and Mark Gatiss to join the cast as the production continues to shoot in London in the coming weeks.
The film, written by Steven Knight, is shooting under strict pandemic protocols.
The film was originated by Storyteller Productions and its producers P.J. van Sandwijk and Michael Lesslie, who approached Doug Liman and Steven Knight and pushed the project from conception to filming within a ninety-day timeframe.
Set against the backdrop of the Covid-19 lockdown, “Lockdown” tells the story of how a sparring couple, played by Hathaway and Paxton, call a truce to attempt a high-risk, high-stakes jewelry heist at high-end department store, Harrods.
The film is produced by Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios and P.J. van Sandwijk’s Storyteller Productions. The producers are in advanced talks with Ben Stiller, Lily James, Stephen Merchant, Dulé Hill, Jazmyn Simon and Mark Gatiss to join the cast as the production continues to shoot in London in the coming weeks.
The film, written by Steven Knight, is shooting under strict pandemic protocols.
The film was originated by Storyteller Productions and its producers P.J. van Sandwijk and Michael Lesslie, who approached Doug Liman and Steven Knight and pushed the project from conception to filming within a ninety-day timeframe.
- 9/30/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
A celebration of the Paralympics movement and its heroes, Netflix’s “Rising Phoenix,” which debuts Aug. 26, gives sports fans a jolt of greatness, inspiration, history and drop-dead gorgeous photography.
Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui (“McQueen”) zero in on what makes athletes special: Their work ethic and determination. Some of the featured athletes include Matt Stutzman, an archery champion who was born without arms and uses his feet to shoot; Tatyana McFadden, a wheelchair racer who was told she couldn’t compete in high school; or Ellie Cole, a swimmer with one leg who continues to break records.
Besides McFadden, Cole and Stutzman, the film also features fencer Bebe Vio, sprinter Jonnie Peacock, runner Jean-Baptiste Alaize, powerlifter Cui Zhe, wheelchair rugby player Ryley Batt and South African track athlete Ntando Mahlangu.
The tenets of determination, positivity and motivation are threaded through the doc.
“People shy away from stories that encompass disabilities and suffering,...
Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui (“McQueen”) zero in on what makes athletes special: Their work ethic and determination. Some of the featured athletes include Matt Stutzman, an archery champion who was born without arms and uses his feet to shoot; Tatyana McFadden, a wheelchair racer who was told she couldn’t compete in high school; or Ellie Cole, a swimmer with one leg who continues to break records.
Besides McFadden, Cole and Stutzman, the film also features fencer Bebe Vio, sprinter Jonnie Peacock, runner Jean-Baptiste Alaize, powerlifter Cui Zhe, wheelchair rugby player Ryley Batt and South African track athlete Ntando Mahlangu.
The tenets of determination, positivity and motivation are threaded through the doc.
“People shy away from stories that encompass disabilities and suffering,...
- 8/26/2020
- by Carole Horst
- Variety Film + TV
Like so many schools around the world, the U.K.’s renowned National Film and Television School (NFTS) has closed its doors and moved to online learning amid a nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
To help deliver its curriculum, the NFTS has drafted in top talent including David Fincher, Sam Mendes, Ricky Gervais, Jesse Armstrong and Edgar Wright to give masterclasses via Zoom webinars to students.
Four days after moving to online learning, BAFTA-winning writer-director Sally Wainwright was online and delivering the Nfts’ very first masterclass. Wainwright talked through her writing and directing process across both the BAFTA-winning “Last Tango in Halifax” and BBC One period drama “Gentleman Jack.”
Nfts students then logged into Zoom in their hundreds for David Fincher’s masterclass, in which he provided insights into the filmmaking process of his best known titles including “The Social Network,” “Gone Girl,” “Zodiac,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Panic Room” and “House of Cards.
To help deliver its curriculum, the NFTS has drafted in top talent including David Fincher, Sam Mendes, Ricky Gervais, Jesse Armstrong and Edgar Wright to give masterclasses via Zoom webinars to students.
Four days after moving to online learning, BAFTA-winning writer-director Sally Wainwright was online and delivering the Nfts’ very first masterclass. Wainwright talked through her writing and directing process across both the BAFTA-winning “Last Tango in Halifax” and BBC One period drama “Gentleman Jack.”
Nfts students then logged into Zoom in their hundreds for David Fincher’s masterclass, in which he provided insights into the filmmaking process of his best known titles including “The Social Network,” “Gone Girl,” “Zodiac,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Panic Room” and “House of Cards.
- 4/7/2020
- by Tim Dams
- Variety Film + TV
Juries will watch online and deliberate remotely.
Copenhagen’s Cph:dox is launching its first digital festival today (March 16), after the physical festival was cancelled on March 11 due to the Danish government’s Covid-19 national shutdown.
Festival organisers are working with digital platform Festival Scope and will offer at least 40 films for public viewing. The films, of which nearly all will have a director pre-recorded Q&a at the end of them, are being offered only to viewers with a Danish IP address.
Tine Fischer, director of Cph:dox, told Screen that the films will be on offer for 10 days, and the...
Copenhagen’s Cph:dox is launching its first digital festival today (March 16), after the physical festival was cancelled on March 11 due to the Danish government’s Covid-19 national shutdown.
Festival organisers are working with digital platform Festival Scope and will offer at least 40 films for public viewing. The films, of which nearly all will have a director pre-recorded Q&a at the end of them, are being offered only to viewers with a Danish IP address.
Tine Fischer, director of Cph:dox, told Screen that the films will be on offer for 10 days, and the...
- 3/16/2020
- by 1100142¦Wendy Mitchell¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
Moments ago, the 2020 Writers Guild Awards began their show. Interestingly, the ceremony kicked off by announcing both of the big Film prizes, Original Screenplay and Adapted Screenplay. The former was seen as a race between Noah Baumbach for Marriage Story and Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won for Parasite, with the winner the main competitor to Quentin Tarantino and Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood at Oscar. The latter? A close race with four of the five Academy Award nominees competing has turned into a battle between Greta Gerwig’s Little Women script and Taika Waiti’s script for Jojo Rabbit. How did it turn out? Read on for the winners… Original Screenplay went to Parasite, while Adapted Screenplay went to Jojo Rabbit. Parasite may well have some major momentum in Original going into Oscar night, while the Adapted race is officially too close to call. The Academy Awards...
- 2/2/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won-penned South Korean class thriller “Parasite” won Best Original Screenplay and Taika Waititi’s Nazi satire “Jojo Rabbit” won Best Adapted Screenplay at the Writers Guild Awards Saturday night.
The annual awards, which honor the best in film, TV, and radio writing, were handed out at dual ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.
Both “Parasite” and “Jojo Rabbit” are in the running for Oscars in their respective categories.
“Parasite” bested three Best Original Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “1917,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” and “Parasite.” The WGA swapped the fifth Oscar-nominated script, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” in favor of a nomination for “Booksmart.”
“Jojo Rabbit” also beat three Best Adapted Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “The Irishman,” “Joker,” and “Little Women.” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood was a WGA nominee and is not up for the Oscar,...
The annual awards, which honor the best in film, TV, and radio writing, were handed out at dual ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles.
Both “Parasite” and “Jojo Rabbit” are in the running for Oscars in their respective categories.
“Parasite” bested three Best Original Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “1917,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” and “Parasite.” The WGA swapped the fifth Oscar-nominated script, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” in favor of a nomination for “Booksmart.”
“Jojo Rabbit” also beat three Best Adapted Screenplay nominees up for the Writers Guild Award: “The Irishman,” “Joker,” and “Little Women.” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood was a WGA nominee and is not up for the Oscar,...
- 2/2/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
“Jojo Rabbit” has been named the best adapted screenplay of 2019 by the Writers Guild of America, which handed out its annual awards at simultaneous shows in Los Angeles and New York. “Parasite” has won the award as the best original screenplay, making it the first non-English-language feature to win a WGA award.
The film awards, which are traditionally held until the end of the show, were the first two categories of the night and were announced at the New York ceremony before the one in Los Angeles. Most of the nominees in those categories were heading to London for Sunday’s BAFTA Awards, so the unusual timing allowed them more time to get there from New York.
Because the Writers Guild limits eligibility to scripts written under the guild’s Minimum Basic Agreement or under the contracts of several allied international guilds, some significant Oscar contenders are always missing from the WGA nominees each year.
The film awards, which are traditionally held until the end of the show, were the first two categories of the night and were announced at the New York ceremony before the one in Los Angeles. Most of the nominees in those categories were heading to London for Sunday’s BAFTA Awards, so the unusual timing allowed them more time to get there from New York.
Because the Writers Guild limits eligibility to scripts written under the guild’s Minimum Basic Agreement or under the contracts of several allied international guilds, some significant Oscar contenders are always missing from the WGA nominees each year.
- 2/2/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Writers Guild of America handed out its top awards of the year in concurrent ceremonies on both the East and West Coasts on Saturday night, with big winners including “Parasite” and “Jojo Rabbit” on the film side and “Succession” and “Barry” in TV.
Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won took home the award for original screenplay for “Parasite,” winning out over nominees such as Noah Baumbach for “Marriage Story.” Bong expressed his gratitude to WGA members for reading his script in translation. “You understood the structure of our story and the nuance of our dialogue — it’s amazing,” he said.
In English, Bong made a reference to President Donald Trump’s polarizing political agenda by observing: “Some people make the barriers higher. We writers, we love to destroy the barriers.”
The other major film winner was “Jojo Rabbit” by Taika Waititi, which won over competitors including Todd Phillips and Scott Silver for “Joker.
Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won took home the award for original screenplay for “Parasite,” winning out over nominees such as Noah Baumbach for “Marriage Story.” Bong expressed his gratitude to WGA members for reading his script in translation. “You understood the structure of our story and the nuance of our dialogue — it’s amazing,” he said.
In English, Bong made a reference to President Donald Trump’s polarizing political agenda by observing: “Some people make the barriers higher. We writers, we love to destroy the barriers.”
The other major film winner was “Jojo Rabbit” by Taika Waititi, which won over competitors including Todd Phillips and Scott Silver for “Joker.
- 2/2/2020
- by Michael Schneider, Cynthia Littleton and Alex Stedman
- Variety Film + TV
The Writers Guild of America revealed its winners for the 72nd annual edition of its awards, which were held simultaneously at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles and at the Edison Ballroom in New York City on February 1. About 15,000 WGA members vote on the best writing of the prior calendar year in an array of genres.
But beware Oscar predictors: Often a few film scripts nominated for an Academy Award are deemed ineligible. Only screenplays written under the guild’s guidelines or those of several international partners are allowed to vie for the WGA Awards. That accounts for its relatively low success rate at previewing the eventual Oscar nominees compared to the other guilds.
Among those ineligible for consideration this year are some of the leading Oscar contenders, including the original screenplays for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Pain and Glory.” The former is by Quentin Tarantino,...
But beware Oscar predictors: Often a few film scripts nominated for an Academy Award are deemed ineligible. Only screenplays written under the guild’s guidelines or those of several international partners are allowed to vie for the WGA Awards. That accounts for its relatively low success rate at previewing the eventual Oscar nominees compared to the other guilds.
Among those ineligible for consideration this year are some of the leading Oscar contenders, including the original screenplays for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Pain and Glory.” The former is by Quentin Tarantino,...
- 2/1/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
The 2020 WGA Awards will be handed out on Saturday, February 1, so which films and TV shows will be honored as the best writing achievements of the year? Scroll down for our complete predictions in 10 categories, listed in order of our racetrack odds. Our projected winners are highlighted in gold.
Sign UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
Our odds have been calculated by combining the predictions of more than 1,600 Gold Derby users who have placed their bets here in our predictions center thus far. That includes Expert journalists from major media outlets, the Editors who cover awards year-round for Gold Derby, and the everyday Users like you who make up our largest predictions bloc. One of our savvy Users usually outscores the rest of us when it comes to anticipating the winners.
We’re currently predicting Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won to win Best Original Screenplay...
Sign UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
Our odds have been calculated by combining the predictions of more than 1,600 Gold Derby users who have placed their bets here in our predictions center thus far. That includes Expert journalists from major media outlets, the Editors who cover awards year-round for Gold Derby, and the everyday Users like you who make up our largest predictions bloc. One of our savvy Users usually outscores the rest of us when it comes to anticipating the winners.
We’re currently predicting Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won to win Best Original Screenplay...
- 1/31/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Oscar-winning producer John Battsek (One Day In September) is exiting Passion Pictures after a stellar 20-year run to launch La and London-based company Ventureland with Kerstin Emhoff, Ali Brown, and director Paul Hunter of U.S. production and commercials firm Prettybird.
Ventureland will produce a range of content across the documentary and scripted spaces but will also work in branded content, technology, music and original IP.
Battsek and Emhoff have previously teamed up to produce Emmy-winning projects Manhunt: The Inside Story Of The Hunt For Bin Laden and The Tillman Story, as well as The Final Year, Sergio and Legion Of Brothers. The duo have worked together on-and-off for more than a decade and the majority of Passion’s U.S. productions have been based out of Prettybird’s La facilities.
Battsek co-founded Passion Pictures Films in 1999 with Andrew Ruhemann and won the company’s first Oscar with One Day In September,...
Ventureland will produce a range of content across the documentary and scripted spaces but will also work in branded content, technology, music and original IP.
Battsek and Emhoff have previously teamed up to produce Emmy-winning projects Manhunt: The Inside Story Of The Hunt For Bin Laden and The Tillman Story, as well as The Final Year, Sergio and Legion Of Brothers. The duo have worked together on-and-off for more than a decade and the majority of Passion’s U.S. productions have been based out of Prettybird’s La facilities.
Battsek co-founded Passion Pictures Films in 1999 with Andrew Ruhemann and won the company’s first Oscar with One Day In September,...
- 1/21/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
When the collective republics of the Soviet Union began their conscious uncoupling in the early 1990s, many Russians saw the collapse as a bold new step toward freedom and democracy. Mikhail Khodorkovsky saw cash. The future billionaire had grown up with dreams of being an engineer — he lived on the corner of Cosmonaut Street and Rocket Boulevard, and confessed that “all my life, I’ve been interested in things that explode” — and was a card-carrying member of the Communist youth league Komsomol. Then, in the Perestroika era, he found a...
- 1/15/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
I would like to have been in Moscow to observe the well-preserved body of Vladimir Lenin on the day that “Citizen K” was released. You can be assured that he would be turning over in whatever receptacle is holding his bearded frame, because somehow the gods might have allowed Lenin to watch this movie and […]
The post Citizen K Review: It serves as entertainment and enlightenment equally appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Citizen K Review: It serves as entertainment and enlightenment equally appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/12/2020
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Yes, we know: January has a reputation for being a dumping ground for films that smell a little iffy from a distance — witness this year’s Jan. titles Dolittle and Like a Boss. But it’s also the month when most of the world gets a first look at prestige films that previously only played in big cities (see: Les Miserables, the cop procedural that’s France’s Oscar submission for Best Foreign-Language Film), some intriguing stuff from the indie-movie sector (The Assistant, Color Out of Space) and a few...
- 1/7/2020
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
The Writers Guild of America revealed nominations on January 6 for the 72nd annual edition of its awards, which will be held simultaneously in La and Gotham on Feb. 1. The original screenplay nominees are: “Booksmart,” “Knives Out,” “Marriage Story,” “1917” and “Parasite.” The adapted screenplay contenders are: “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “The Irishman,” ” Jojo Rabbit,” “Joker” and “Little Women.”
Only scripts written under the guild’s guidelines or those of several international partners are allowed to vie for the WGA Awards. That accounts for its relatively low success rate at previewing the eventual Oscar nominees compared to the other guilds.
Among those ineligible for consideration this year are some of the leading Oscar contenders, including the original screenplays for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and “Pain and Glory.” The former is by Quentin Tarantino, who refuses to join the guild. The latter ran afoul of the requirement that foreign...
Only scripts written under the guild’s guidelines or those of several international partners are allowed to vie for the WGA Awards. That accounts for its relatively low success rate at previewing the eventual Oscar nominees compared to the other guilds.
Among those ineligible for consideration this year are some of the leading Oscar contenders, including the original screenplays for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and “Pain and Glory.” The former is by Quentin Tarantino, who refuses to join the guild. The latter ran afoul of the requirement that foreign...
- 1/6/2020
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Moments ago, the Writers Guild of America announced their 2020 nominees. The big Guild precursors are going to come hot and heavy over the next 24 hours, but today brought the WGA. As you’ll see, they gave boosts to major contenders for Best Picture, kept a few films alive, and snubbed a handful of movies. Some things never change, right? Below you’ll see who the Writers Guild selected, but keep in mind that titles like Clemency, Downton Abbey, The Farewell, Judy, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Midsommar, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Pain and Glory, The Peanut Butter Falcon, and Waves were not eligible, while The Two Popes was ruled Original for this Guild, though for the Academy Awards it’ll be Adapted. Anyway, take a look at the nominations… Here are the WGA nominees: Original Screenplay 1917, Written by Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns; Universal Pictures Booksmart, Written...
- 1/6/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in screenwriting during 2019.
Among the nominees are Greta Gerwig for “Little Women,” Noah Baumbach for “Marriage Story” as well as Bong Joon Ho for “Parasite.” Todd Phillips and Scott Silver picked up a nom for “Joker.”
WGA winners will be announced during concurrent galas in Los Angeles and New York on Feb. 1.
The announcement comes just one day before Oscar nominations voting closes on Tuesday.
Last year, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” starring Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant won the WGA prize for adapted screenplay, while “Eighth Grade” picked up best original screenplay.
In terms of the Academy Awards, only WGA nominees “Roma,” “Vice” and “Green Book” went on last year to garner Oscar noms in the original category. On the adapted side, the Oscar and WGA noms were the same...
Among the nominees are Greta Gerwig for “Little Women,” Noah Baumbach for “Marriage Story” as well as Bong Joon Ho for “Parasite.” Todd Phillips and Scott Silver picked up a nom for “Joker.”
WGA winners will be announced during concurrent galas in Los Angeles and New York on Feb. 1.
The announcement comes just one day before Oscar nominations voting closes on Tuesday.
Last year, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” starring Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant won the WGA prize for adapted screenplay, while “Eighth Grade” picked up best original screenplay.
In terms of the Academy Awards, only WGA nominees “Roma,” “Vice” and “Green Book” went on last year to garner Oscar noms in the original category. On the adapted side, the Oscar and WGA noms were the same...
- 1/6/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America, East have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in screenwriting during 2019. Following up two big Golden Globes wins, rising awards contender “1917” landed an Original Screenplay nomination for Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, along with nods for comedies “Knives Out,” “Booksmart,” and Globes-winner “Parasite,” as well as Noah Baumbach’s drama “Marriage Story.”
Baumbach’s partner, writer-director Greta Gerwig, landed a nomination for Adapted Screenplay for “Little Women.” Shockingly omitted was Anthony McCarten’s script for Netflix’s “The Two Popes,” which may turn up on Oscar nominations morning in the less competitive Adapted category; the WGA considered it as Original because McCarten’s play on which it was based had not been produced when the script was written.
And documentarian Alex Gibney scored not one but two nominations, for “Citizen K” as well as “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley.
Baumbach’s partner, writer-director Greta Gerwig, landed a nomination for Adapted Screenplay for “Little Women.” Shockingly omitted was Anthony McCarten’s script for Netflix’s “The Two Popes,” which may turn up on Oscar nominations morning in the less competitive Adapted category; the WGA considered it as Original because McCarten’s play on which it was based had not been produced when the script was written.
And documentarian Alex Gibney scored not one but two nominations, for “Citizen K” as well as “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley.
- 1/6/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America, East have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in screenwriting during 2019. Following up two big Golden Globes wins, rising awards contender “1917” landed an Original Screenplay nomination for Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, along with nods for comedies “Knives Out,” “Booksmart,” and Globes-winner “Parasite,” as well as Noah Baumbach’s drama “Marriage Story.”
Baumbach’s partner, writer-director Greta Gerwig, landed a nomination for Adapted Screenplay for “Little Women.” Shockingly omitted was Anthony McCarten’s script for Netflix’s “The Two Popes,” which may turn up on Oscar nominations morning in the less competitive Adapted category; the WGA considered it as Original because McCarten’s play on which it was based had not been produced when the script was written.
And documentarian Alex Gibney scored not one but two nominations, for “Citizen K” as well as “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley.
Baumbach’s partner, writer-director Greta Gerwig, landed a nomination for Adapted Screenplay for “Little Women.” Shockingly omitted was Anthony McCarten’s script for Netflix’s “The Two Popes,” which may turn up on Oscar nominations morning in the less competitive Adapted category; the WGA considered it as Original because McCarten’s play on which it was based had not been produced when the script was written.
And documentarian Alex Gibney scored not one but two nominations, for “Citizen K” as well as “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley.
- 1/6/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood, The Farewell are ineligible.
Last night’s Golden Globe winners Parasite and 1917 are among the original screenplay nominees announced on Monday (January 6) by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in the run-up to the 72nd Annual awards.
Globe winner Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood is ineligible, as is The Farewell. The other original screenplay contenders are Marriage Story, Booksmart, and Knives Out.
Adapted screenplay nominees are A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, The Irishman, Jojo Rabbit, Joker, and Little Women.
Documentary screenplay contenders are Citizen K, Foster, The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley,...
Last night’s Golden Globe winners Parasite and 1917 are among the original screenplay nominees announced on Monday (January 6) by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in the run-up to the 72nd Annual awards.
Globe winner Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood is ineligible, as is The Farewell. The other original screenplay contenders are Marriage Story, Booksmart, and Knives Out.
Adapted screenplay nominees are A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood, The Irishman, Jojo Rabbit, Joker, and Little Women.
Documentary screenplay contenders are Citizen K, Foster, The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley,...
- 1/6/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Big commercial hits and a number of awards-season regulars were written in today as the WGA announced its 2020 Writers Guild Awards nominees for outstanding achievement in screenwriting writing during 2019. Check out the full list below.
The Original Screenplay category covers comedy, drama, mystery and more as the scribes behind Universal’s 1917, UA’s Booksmart, Lionsgate’s Knives Out, Netflix’s Marriage Story and Neon’s South Korean pic Parasite will vie for the hardware. The Adapted Screenplay race is among Tristar’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Netflix’s The Irishman, Fox Searchlight’s Jojo Rabbit, Warner Bros’ Joker and Sony’s Little Women.
Because of WGA rules (see below), Original Screenplay for Oscar contenders Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — the Quentin Tarantino-penned pic that led all films with three wins at the Golden Globes on Sunday — and Pedro Almodovar’s Pain & Glory aren’t eligible for WGA noms this year.
The Original Screenplay category covers comedy, drama, mystery and more as the scribes behind Universal’s 1917, UA’s Booksmart, Lionsgate’s Knives Out, Netflix’s Marriage Story and Neon’s South Korean pic Parasite will vie for the hardware. The Adapted Screenplay race is among Tristar’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Netflix’s The Irishman, Fox Searchlight’s Jojo Rabbit, Warner Bros’ Joker and Sony’s Little Women.
Because of WGA rules (see below), Original Screenplay for Oscar contenders Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — the Quentin Tarantino-penned pic that led all films with three wins at the Golden Globes on Sunday — and Pedro Almodovar’s Pain & Glory aren’t eligible for WGA noms this year.
- 1/6/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The screenplays for “The Irishman,” “Little Women,” “Marriage Story” and “Parasite” have all been nominated by the Writers Guild of America, which announced the nominees for its 2020 Writers Guild Awards on Monday.
In the Original Screenplay category, “Marriage Story” and “Parasite” were joined by “Booksmart,” “Knives Out” and “1917.” In Adapted Screenplay, “Little Women” and “The Irishman” will be competing against “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Jojo Rabbit” and “Joker.”
Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” one of the favorites for the original-screenplay Oscar, was not nominated by the guild. But its absence should not be interpreted as a snub, because the Writers Guild restricts eligibility for its awards to screenplays written under its Minimum Basic Agreement, or under the jurisdiction of a collective bargaining agreement in a handful of other countries. This year, that rule disqualified “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” as well as “The Farewell,...
In the Original Screenplay category, “Marriage Story” and “Parasite” were joined by “Booksmart,” “Knives Out” and “1917.” In Adapted Screenplay, “Little Women” and “The Irishman” will be competing against “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Jojo Rabbit” and “Joker.”
Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” one of the favorites for the original-screenplay Oscar, was not nominated by the guild. But its absence should not be interpreted as a snub, because the Writers Guild restricts eligibility for its awards to screenplays written under its Minimum Basic Agreement, or under the jurisdiction of a collective bargaining agreement in a handful of other countries. This year, that rule disqualified “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” as well as “The Farewell,...
- 1/6/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Other titles set for release include ‘Black Christmas’, ‘The Kingmaker’ and ‘Pink Wall’.
Action sequel Jumanji: The Next Level and Blumhouse horror Black Christmas lead this weekend’s releases at the UK box office, which may see Frozen II fall from the top slot.
Released through Sony, Jumanji: The Next Level reunites stars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black with director Jake Kasdan.
Together, they scored a box office hit with Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle in December 2017, which opened with £8.15m (including £4.11m in previews) and went on to gross £38.5m.
The sequel sees four young...
Action sequel Jumanji: The Next Level and Blumhouse horror Black Christmas lead this weekend’s releases at the UK box office, which may see Frozen II fall from the top slot.
Released through Sony, Jumanji: The Next Level reunites stars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black with director Jake Kasdan.
Together, they scored a box office hit with Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle in December 2017, which opened with £8.15m (including £4.11m in previews) and went on to gross £38.5m.
The sequel sees four young...
- 12/13/2019
- by 1100453¦Michael Rosser¦9¦
- ScreenDaily
Periscoop Film has taken Beleux rights to For Sama, White Riot, Citizen K and Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson And The Band.
Dutch art house distributor Periscoop Film has taken Benelux rights to four high-profile new feature documentaries, all of which are screening at Idfa this week.
They are: For Sama, from Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts; Rubika Shah’s debut feature White Riot which won the Grierson Award for best documentary earlier this year; Alex Gibney’s Citizen K, about the rise and fall of Mikhail Khodorkovsky; and Daniel Roher’s music documentary Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson And The Band...
Dutch art house distributor Periscoop Film has taken Benelux rights to four high-profile new feature documentaries, all of which are screening at Idfa this week.
They are: For Sama, from Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts; Rubika Shah’s debut feature White Riot which won the Grierson Award for best documentary earlier this year; Alex Gibney’s Citizen K, about the rise and fall of Mikhail Khodorkovsky; and Daniel Roher’s music documentary Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson And The Band...
- 11/26/2019
- by 57¦Geoffrey Macnab¦41¦
- ScreenDaily
The fall season has been strong for specialty films heading for Oscars, with “Harriet” (Focus), “Judy” (Roadside Attractions), “Parasite” (Neon), and “Jojo Rabbit” (Fox Searchlight) leading the way before the Thanksgiving holiday. With mainstream studio fare like “Ford v Ferrari” (20th Century Fox) and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” (Universal) also pulling the same smart moviegoers, it’s harder for late openers to grab a foothold in this crowded market.
While Todd Haynes’ “Dark Waters,” like A24’s “Waves” last weekend, opened at lower levels than these earlier films, Focus is positioning the film right before the long holiday period, with a possible boost from positive word of mouth, and strong support. Both “Dark Waters” and “Waves” could gain some awards attention, but they are coming from behind.
Opening
Dark Waters (Focus) – Metacritic: 72
$110,000 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $27,500
Todd Haynes’ latest film starring the film’s driving force and producer,...
While Todd Haynes’ “Dark Waters,” like A24’s “Waves” last weekend, opened at lower levels than these earlier films, Focus is positioning the film right before the long holiday period, with a possible boost from positive word of mouth, and strong support. Both “Dark Waters” and “Waves” could gain some awards attention, but they are coming from behind.
Opening
Dark Waters (Focus) – Metacritic: 72
$110,000 in 4 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $27,500
Todd Haynes’ latest film starring the film’s driving force and producer,...
- 11/24/2019
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
All was fairly quiet on the specialty box office front the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Todd Haynes’ legal thriller Dark Waters has played well with critics as it sits at a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it has the potential to reach the masses. This weekend, the awards season contender starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway had a decent opening in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The pic from Focus Features and Participant Media had a satisfactory initial dive into the box office as it earned an estimated $110,000, with a per-screen average of $27,500, earning the top spot at the Angelika in New York. It is certainly relying on word-of-mouth so that the box office numbers will match its critical acclaim come next week, when expands to approximately 100 theaters.
Todd Haynes’ legal thriller Dark Waters has played well with critics as it sits at a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it has the potential to reach the masses. This weekend, the awards season contender starring Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway had a decent opening in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles. The pic from Focus Features and Participant Media had a satisfactory initial dive into the box office as it earned an estimated $110,000, with a per-screen average of $27,500, earning the top spot at the Angelika in New York. It is certainly relying on word-of-mouth so that the box office numbers will match its critical acclaim come next week, when expands to approximately 100 theaters.
- 11/24/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
“I am far from an ideal person,” Russian oligarch-turned-political-prisoner-turned-political-activist Mikhail Khodorkovsky says in “Citizen K.” “But I am a person with ideals.”
It’s the second half of that statement about which documentarian Alex Gibney is most concerned. The Oscar-winning director of “Taxi to the Dark Side” and “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” has pointed his camera at Khodorkovsky not to paint a nuanced picture of an impossibly rich and complicated man (as the allusion to “Citizen Kane” suggests) but to tell the bizarre story of how the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly turned Khodorkovsky into a heroic arch-nemesis.
And like many stories of heroes and villains, the good guy isn’t questioned very much, while the bad guy steals the show.
Also Read: Steven Spielberg and Alex Gibney's Docuseries 'Why We Hate' Gets Premiere Date From Discovery (Exclusive)
“Citizen K” spends its first half...
It’s the second half of that statement about which documentarian Alex Gibney is most concerned. The Oscar-winning director of “Taxi to the Dark Side” and “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” has pointed his camera at Khodorkovsky not to paint a nuanced picture of an impossibly rich and complicated man (as the allusion to “Citizen Kane” suggests) but to tell the bizarre story of how the rise of Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly turned Khodorkovsky into a heroic arch-nemesis.
And like many stories of heroes and villains, the good guy isn’t questioned very much, while the bad guy steals the show.
Also Read: Steven Spielberg and Alex Gibney's Docuseries 'Why We Hate' Gets Premiere Date From Discovery (Exclusive)
“Citizen K” spends its first half...
- 11/22/2019
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
Focus Features is looking to flood the specialty box office with their latest title Dark Waters from director Todd Haynes. The film, which stars Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway, is based on a true story about attorney Rob Bilott (Ruffalo) who uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths to one of the world’s largest corporations.
Dubbed a legal thriller, the film written by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan, uses Nathaniel Rich’s 2016 New York Times Magazine article “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” as a jumping-off point to tell the story about Bilott, who risks everything in his life to expose the truth about the contaminated water supply and the big company that is responsible — something that is still affecting the community today.
“It’s about what’s going on in the world and humanity in general — what people know and...
Dubbed a legal thriller, the film written by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan, uses Nathaniel Rich’s 2016 New York Times Magazine article “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” as a jumping-off point to tell the story about Bilott, who risks everything in his life to expose the truth about the contaminated water supply and the big company that is responsible — something that is still affecting the community today.
“It’s about what’s going on in the world and humanity in general — what people know and...
- 11/22/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Over the last three weeks, we’ve seen the destruction: the box office falling tens of millions of dollars short of 2018, while high-end, high-hopes titles like “Terminator: Dark Fate,” “Doctor Sleep,” and “Charlie’s Angels” crashed and burned. All of that could change this weekend with Disney’s “Frozen II” and Sony’s “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”
A fluke in the calendar means November 22 corresponds with the massive post-Thanksgiving weekend in 2018. That should put this year at a major disadvantage. But the placement of two key films a weekend earlier gives a chance for parity or close, and a strong opening would be a good portent for the all-important holiday season.
For the fourth consecutive year, a Disney Animation Studio release will hit at Thanksgiving with a chance to break out as a major Christmas title as well. In 2013, “Frozen” grossed over $80 million (adjusted) for the weekend, and around $100 million for five days.
A fluke in the calendar means November 22 corresponds with the massive post-Thanksgiving weekend in 2018. That should put this year at a major disadvantage. But the placement of two key films a weekend earlier gives a chance for parity or close, and a strong opening would be a good portent for the all-important holiday season.
For the fourth consecutive year, a Disney Animation Studio release will hit at Thanksgiving with a chance to break out as a major Christmas title as well. In 2013, “Frozen” grossed over $80 million (adjusted) for the weekend, and around $100 million for five days.
- 11/20/2019
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
“I am far from an ideal person, but I’m a person with ideals.” Say what you will about exiled businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky — formerly one of the seven oligarchs who controlled 50% of the money in post-Soviet Russia, and now an enemy of the state who Putin would personally throw into prison for the rest of his life should he ever touch foot on home soil again — but the guy is more self-aware than most of the bastards who have shaped the modern world.
That alone would make him a natural subject for a documentary about the current state of his birth country, but Alex Gibney’s “Citizen K” is only tangentially concerned with what makes Khodorkovsky tick. Gibney is more interested in using the billionaire pariah as a pinhole into the guts of gangster capitalism; as a lens through which to consider that capitalism and democracy might be theologically incompatible.
That alone would make him a natural subject for a documentary about the current state of his birth country, but Alex Gibney’s “Citizen K” is only tangentially concerned with what makes Khodorkovsky tick. Gibney is more interested in using the billionaire pariah as a pinhole into the guts of gangster capitalism; as a lens through which to consider that capitalism and democracy might be theologically incompatible.
- 11/20/2019
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
This year has brought more evidence to cement Alex Gibney’s reputation as the hardest working man in documentary film.
His six-part documentary series Why We Hate, executive-produced with Steven Spielberg, debuted on Discovery Channel last month. Earlier this year his documentary The Inventor: Out For Blood in Silicon Valley—about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes—hit HBO. And his latest documentary, Citizen K, opens in theaters this Friday. All in all, an active 2019.
Citizen K tells the story of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a “Russian oligarch-turned dissident,” who built a vast fortune in the years of “Wild West capitalism” that flourished after the Soviet Union’s collapse. Some estimates put his net worth at its height at $15 billion.
“He became Russia’s richest man,” Gibney notes, “one of the richest men in the world.” Khodorkovsky collected his first pile of rubles in the banking business, then leveraged that wealth to acquire ever more valuable enterprises.
His six-part documentary series Why We Hate, executive-produced with Steven Spielberg, debuted on Discovery Channel last month. Earlier this year his documentary The Inventor: Out For Blood in Silicon Valley—about disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes—hit HBO. And his latest documentary, Citizen K, opens in theaters this Friday. All in all, an active 2019.
Citizen K tells the story of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a “Russian oligarch-turned dissident,” who built a vast fortune in the years of “Wild West capitalism” that flourished after the Soviet Union’s collapse. Some estimates put his net worth at its height at $15 billion.
“He became Russia’s richest man,” Gibney notes, “one of the richest men in the world.” Khodorkovsky collected his first pile of rubles in the banking business, then leveraged that wealth to acquire ever more valuable enterprises.
- 11/18/2019
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
By Glenn Dunks
Have you heard? The Academy has announced the longlist of eligible titles for the 2019 Best Documentary Feature category. All 159 of ‘em; they don’t call it a longlist for nothing. The 15-wide shortlist will be derived from these and from there the five nominees will be chosen by the documentary branch.
As I suspected, Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old is not on the list. It is also worth noting – as I have done all year – that Amazing Grace gambled with the odds last year on a qualifying run and sadly didn’t make it. There were only a few films that we have written about in Doc Corner that either did not submit or were not eligible including Vision Portraits, The Raft, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché and Beyoncé’s Homecoming would be the best of that lot.
All the big...
Have you heard? The Academy has announced the longlist of eligible titles for the 2019 Best Documentary Feature category. All 159 of ‘em; they don’t call it a longlist for nothing. The 15-wide shortlist will be derived from these and from there the five nominees will be chosen by the documentary branch.
As I suspected, Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old is not on the list. It is also worth noting – as I have done all year – that Amazing Grace gambled with the odds last year on a qualifying run and sadly didn’t make it. There were only a few films that we have written about in Doc Corner that either did not submit or were not eligible including Vision Portraits, The Raft, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché and Beyoncé’s Homecoming would be the best of that lot.
All the big...
- 11/13/2019
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Two years ago, the Academy documentary branch had to grapple with a record 170 documentary feature submissions for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar. This year, it’s not so bad: only 159 were entered. The short list of 15 will be announced, along with eight others, on December 16.
All year, branch members have been getting lists of secure online screeners available to watch on the Academy website, increasing in volume, with more to come. Each voter is assigned a list of about 22-23 films to screen, so they all get covered. But it’s a burden to see them all, so the ones with the most attention move to the top of the much-watch list.
Give the advantage to box-office hits that were made available earlier in the year such as Neon’s “The Biggest Little Farm” and “Apollo 11,” as well as high-profile titles from HBO (“Diego Maradona” and “The Apollo”), Netflix,...
All year, branch members have been getting lists of secure online screeners available to watch on the Academy website, increasing in volume, with more to come. Each voter is assigned a list of about 22-23 films to screen, so they all get covered. But it’s a burden to see them all, so the ones with the most attention move to the top of the much-watch list.
Give the advantage to box-office hits that were made available earlier in the year such as Neon’s “The Biggest Little Farm” and “Apollo 11,” as well as high-profile titles from HBO (“Diego Maradona” and “The Apollo”), Netflix,...
- 11/12/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Two years ago, the Academy documentary branch had to grapple with a record 170 documentary feature submissions for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar. This year, it’s not so bad: only 159 were entered. The short list of 15 will be announced, along with eight others, on December 16.
All year, branch members have been getting lists of secure online screeners available to watch on the Academy website, increasing in volume, with more to come. Each voter is assigned a list of about 22-23 films to screen, so they all get covered. But it’s a burden to see them all, so the ones with the most attention move to the top of the much-watch list.
Give the advantage to box-office hits that were made available earlier in the year such as Neon’s “The Biggest Little Farm” and “Apollo 11,” as well as high-profile titles from HBO (“Diego Maradona” and “The Apollo”), Netflix,...
All year, branch members have been getting lists of secure online screeners available to watch on the Academy website, increasing in volume, with more to come. Each voter is assigned a list of about 22-23 films to screen, so they all get covered. But it’s a burden to see them all, so the ones with the most attention move to the top of the much-watch list.
Give the advantage to box-office hits that were made available earlier in the year such as Neon’s “The Biggest Little Farm” and “Apollo 11,” as well as high-profile titles from HBO (“Diego Maradona” and “The Apollo”), Netflix,...
- 11/12/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released its list of 159 documentary features that have been submitted for the 92 annual Academy Awards. See the full list below.
A shortlist of 15 films will be announced on December 16.
The Academy notes that several of the films have not had their required Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases yet. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules in order to advance in the voting process.
Documentary features that have won a qualifying award at a competitive film festival or have been submitted in the International Feature Film category as their country’s official selection also are eligible in the category.
Here is the alphabetical list:
Advocate
After Parkland
The All-Americans
Always in Season
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
American Dharma
American Factory
American Relapse
Angels Are Made of Light
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
Ask Dr.
A shortlist of 15 films will be announced on December 16.
The Academy notes that several of the films have not had their required Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases yet. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules in order to advance in the voting process.
Documentary features that have won a qualifying award at a competitive film festival or have been submitted in the International Feature Film category as their country’s official selection also are eligible in the category.
Here is the alphabetical list:
Advocate
After Parkland
The All-Americans
Always in Season
The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
American Dharma
American Factory
American Relapse
Angels Are Made of Light
The Apollo
Apollo 11
Aquarela
Ask Dr.
- 11/12/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
A total of 159 documentary features have qualified in the Oscars’ Best Documentary Feature category, the Academy announced on Tuesday.
Last year, 166 documentaries qualified. In 2017, a record 170 made the cut.
All of the films are now available to members of the Documentary Branch to stream on the Academy’s secure members website. The films have been placed there over the last six months, with 23 added to the site in June, 24 in July, 26 in August, 19 in September and 62 in October and only five in November.
Also Read: 'Maiden' Star Tracy Edwards Kept Her Story 'Messy' to Serve the Next Generation of Women Athletes (Video)
Each member is randomly assigned 20% of the films as mandatory viewing but is free to see any additional films beyond those that are assigned. A preliminary round of voting will produce a 15-film shortlist, with a second-round narrowing those 15 to the five nominees.
This year is...
Last year, 166 documentaries qualified. In 2017, a record 170 made the cut.
All of the films are now available to members of the Documentary Branch to stream on the Academy’s secure members website. The films have been placed there over the last six months, with 23 added to the site in June, 24 in July, 26 in August, 19 in September and 62 in October and only five in November.
Also Read: 'Maiden' Star Tracy Edwards Kept Her Story 'Messy' to Serve the Next Generation of Women Athletes (Video)
Each member is randomly assigned 20% of the films as mandatory viewing but is free to see any additional films beyond those that are assigned. A preliminary round of voting will produce a 15-film shortlist, with a second-round narrowing those 15 to the five nominees.
This year is...
- 11/12/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker of Taxi to the Dark Side and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Alex Gibney has a body of work that could scare off potential collaborators by not shying away from the truth.
But he explains to The Hollywood Reporter’s Documentary Roundtable how he earned the trust of his latest subject, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critics, in his film Citizen K.
"Weirdly the subject of my film, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, saw Enron," he said. "He sort of enjoyed it. It was kind of brash, but I think also he had ...
But he explains to The Hollywood Reporter’s Documentary Roundtable how he earned the trust of his latest subject, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critics, in his film Citizen K.
"Weirdly the subject of my film, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, saw Enron," he said. "He sort of enjoyed it. It was kind of brash, but I think also he had ...
- 11/8/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker of Taxi to the Dark Side and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Alex Gibney has a body of work that could scare off potential collaborators by not shying away from the truth.
But he explains to The Hollywood Reporter’s Documentary Roundtable how he earned the trust of his latest subject, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critics, in his film Citizen K.
"Weirdly the subject of my film, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, saw Enron," he said. "He sort of enjoyed it. It was kind of brash, but I think also he had ...
But he explains to The Hollywood Reporter’s Documentary Roundtable how he earned the trust of his latest subject, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critics, in his film Citizen K.
"Weirdly the subject of my film, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, saw Enron," he said. "He sort of enjoyed it. It was kind of brash, but I think also he had ...
- 11/8/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: What better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? This week […]
The post This Week In Trailers: Pick It Up! Ska in the 90’s, Ready for War, Knives and Skin, Citizen K, Midnight Family appeared first on /Film.
The post This Week In Trailers: Pick It Up! Ska in the 90’s, Ready for War, Knives and Skin, Citizen K, Midnight Family appeared first on /Film.
- 11/2/2019
- by Christopher Stipp
- Slash Film
"What you don't control is a potential threat." Greenwich Entertainment has unveiled an official trailer for the new Alex Gibney documentary titled Citizen K, which first premiered at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year and it also played at Tiff. Citizen K is a reference to Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a Russian citizen who now lives in London after being put in jail as an outspoken opponent of Putin. He only got out because he's a billionaire. The film tells the complete story of the strange case of Khodorkovsky, once believed to be the wealthiest man in Russia, who rocketed to prosperity and prominence in the 1990s, served a decade in prison, and became an unlikely martyr for the anti-Putin movement. Expertly researched, Alex Gibney uses Khodorkovsky’s story as a way to explore the complex interplay between oligarchy and government and its destructive effect on democracy, in Russia and beyond.
- 10/29/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Roster includes Slay The Dragon, Allagash.
London-based sales outfit Kew Media Distribution (Kmd) heads to Afm next week with a slate that includes Nick Broomfield’s documentary My Father And Me, sci-fi 2067 starring Kodi Smit-McPhee and Ryan Kwanten, and Susan Hill’s The Small Hand: A Ghost Story.
2067 takes place on an earth ravaged by climate change when a utility worker who may hold the key to mankind’s survival is dispatched to the future and lands in a luscious green world where he seems to be the only person around.
Seth Larney directed the Arcadia, Kojo, Freedom Films and Futurism Studios production,...
London-based sales outfit Kew Media Distribution (Kmd) heads to Afm next week with a slate that includes Nick Broomfield’s documentary My Father And Me, sci-fi 2067 starring Kodi Smit-McPhee and Ryan Kwanten, and Susan Hill’s The Small Hand: A Ghost Story.
2067 takes place on an earth ravaged by climate change when a utility worker who may hold the key to mankind’s survival is dispatched to the future and lands in a luscious green world where he seems to be the only person around.
Seth Larney directed the Arcadia, Kojo, Freedom Films and Futurism Studios production,...
- 10/29/2019
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
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