In Hustle, a burned out Philadelphia 76ers scout (Adam Sandler) discovers a raw talent (pro hooper Juancho Hernangómez) in a Spanish pick-up game and attempts to put him on the NBA’s draft radar. It’s got the familiar structural bones of the underdog sports drama—complete with epic training montage—but Hustle is like a perfectly run play. Even if you know what’s coming, you’re defenseless when it’s executed properly. The plot mechanics may be recognizable, but the approach to shooting the basketball scenes is novel. As Hustle cinematographer Zak Mulligan points out, televised presentations of the sport—and most basketball movies—offer the action […]
The post “It Was More Akin to Shooting Dance than Shooting a Live Sporting Event”: Dp Zak Mulligan on Hustle first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “It Was More Akin to Shooting Dance than Shooting a Live Sporting Event”: Dp Zak Mulligan on Hustle first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 6/29/2022
- by Matt Mulcahey
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
In Hustle, a burned out Philadelphia 76ers scout (Adam Sandler) discovers a raw talent (pro hooper Juancho Hernangómez) in a Spanish pick-up game and attempts to put him on the NBA’s draft radar. It’s got the familiar structural bones of the underdog sports drama—complete with epic training montage—but Hustle is like a perfectly run play. Even if you know what’s coming, you’re defenseless when it’s executed properly. The plot mechanics may be recognizable, but the approach to shooting the basketball scenes is novel. As Hustle cinematographer Zak Mulligan points out, televised presentations of the sport—and most basketball movies—offer the action […]
The post “It Was More Akin to Shooting Dance than Shooting a Live Sporting Event”: Dp Zak Mulligan on Hustle first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “It Was More Akin to Shooting Dance than Shooting a Live Sporting Event”: Dp Zak Mulligan on Hustle first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 6/29/2022
- by Matt Mulcahey
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Filmmaker Jeremiah Zagar was not the obvious fit to direct an Adam Sandler passion project about a basketball scout. Zagar’s 2018 narrative feature debut “We the Animals” was a lyrical coming-of-age drama that combined elements of “Moonlight” and Terrence Malick to explore the experiences of a biracial child coming to terms with his sexuality. Needless to say, when Sandler called him about possibly directing “Hustle,” in which the actor plays a Philadelphia Sixers recruit attempting to reboot his career, Zagar didn’t get it.
“He’s a very understated guy when you first meet him,” Zagar told IndieWire of his initial call with Sandler. “He said I probably wouldn’t want to do this script, but that I should take a look. So I read it and I was like, ‘He’s right, it’s not for me.’”
With “We the Animals” and his documentary “In a Dream,” Zagar tried...
“He’s a very understated guy when you first meet him,” Zagar told IndieWire of his initial call with Sandler. “He said I probably wouldn’t want to do this script, but that I should take a look. So I read it and I was like, ‘He’s right, it’s not for me.’”
With “We the Animals” and his documentary “In a Dream,” Zagar tried...
- 6/8/2022
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The two sides of Adam Sandler — buffoon mogul of lowest-common-denominator comedies, gifted actor for serious filmmakers — are making an attempt to bridge the gap with the basketball saga “Hustle.”
Though it’s a Happy Madison for Netflix production (where Sandler has lucratively parked his shingle for years), it’s also an attempt to capture some of the dramatically richer, indie sensibility of his why-hasn’t-he-been-nominated-for-an-Oscar-yet turns in fare like “Uncut Gems” and “The Meyerowitz Stories.”
The result, as directed by the promising Jeremiah Zagar (“We The Animals”), is an agreeable combination drill of humor, hurt, on-court action and redemptive uplift that’s closer to simply being a solidly inspiring sports movie than anything notably representative of the Sandler oeuvre.
Also Read:
‘Hustle’: Adam Sandler Is a Struggling Basketball Scout in First Trailer for Netflix Drama (Video)
At the very least, his character is one of the more appealing smart-asses...
Though it’s a Happy Madison for Netflix production (where Sandler has lucratively parked his shingle for years), it’s also an attempt to capture some of the dramatically richer, indie sensibility of his why-hasn’t-he-been-nominated-for-an-Oscar-yet turns in fare like “Uncut Gems” and “The Meyerowitz Stories.”
The result, as directed by the promising Jeremiah Zagar (“We The Animals”), is an agreeable combination drill of humor, hurt, on-court action and redemptive uplift that’s closer to simply being a solidly inspiring sports movie than anything notably representative of the Sandler oeuvre.
Also Read:
‘Hustle’: Adam Sandler Is a Struggling Basketball Scout in First Trailer for Netflix Drama (Video)
At the very least, his character is one of the more appealing smart-asses...
- 6/3/2022
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
The 2019 Independent Spirit Awards took place on a beach in Santa Monica, Calif., with Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk” taking the top prize for best feature along with best director for Jenkins.
Ethan Hawke and Glenn Close took the prizes for best male lead and best female lead, respectively. Bo Burnham took the best first screenplay trophy for “Eighth Grade” and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty won for best screenplay.
The Spirit Awards are chosen by the Film Independent’s 6200 members after an anonymous committee votes on nominations. The eligibility rules require that movies be produced in the U.S. for less than $20 million.
Keep checking back as the winners are updated live.
Best Feature
Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk (Winner)
Leave No Trace
You Were Never Really Here
Best Director
Debra Granik, Leave No Trace
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk (Winner)
Tamara Jenkins,...
Ethan Hawke and Glenn Close took the prizes for best male lead and best female lead, respectively. Bo Burnham took the best first screenplay trophy for “Eighth Grade” and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty won for best screenplay.
The Spirit Awards are chosen by the Film Independent’s 6200 members after an anonymous committee votes on nominations. The eligibility rules require that movies be produced in the U.S. for less than $20 million.
Keep checking back as the winners are updated live.
Best Feature
Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk (Winner)
Leave No Trace
You Were Never Really Here
Best Director
Debra Granik, Leave No Trace
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk (Winner)
Tamara Jenkins,...
- 2/23/2019
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
The Film Independent Spirit Awards have come to a close in sunny Santa Monica, with “If Beale Street Could Talk” winning Best Feature, Best Director for Barry Jenkins, and Best Supporting Female for Regina King. The love was spread fairly evenly across the other major prizes, with Glenn Close of “The Wife” taking home Best Actress, Ethan Hawke earning Best Actor for his performance in “First Reformed,” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” winning Best Screenplay (Nicole Holofcener & Jeff Whitty) and Best Supporting Male (Richard E. Grant).
“We the Animals” led all films with five nominations, followed by “Eighth Grade,” “First Reformed,” and “You Were Never Really Here” with four apiece. There will be excitingly little overlap between today’s ceremony and tomorrow’s — for the first time since 2008, no movies are up for the top prize at both shows.
Aubrey Plaza hosted the ceremony, which aired on IFC. Full...
“We the Animals” led all films with five nominations, followed by “Eighth Grade,” “First Reformed,” and “You Were Never Really Here” with four apiece. There will be excitingly little overlap between today’s ceremony and tomorrow’s — for the first time since 2008, no movies are up for the top prize at both shows.
Aubrey Plaza hosted the ceremony, which aired on IFC. Full...
- 2/23/2019
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Winners of the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards, hosted by Aubrey Plaza, were revealed on Saturday, February 23, one day before the Oscars. Unlike years past, when many Best Feature nominees coincided with the Academy Award choices, the 34th edition of the Spirit Awards, which celebrates indie fare, had no cross-over in the Best Picture category.
The biggest winner of the night was “If Beale Street Could Talk,” which took home Best Feature, Best Director for Barry Jenkins and Best Supporting Female for Regina King, who is likely to repeat at the Academy Awards. And Glenn Close, whose little white dog Pippi stole the show, is pretty much a lock to repeat her win for Best Female Lead at the Oscars as well. Otherwise, the Spirits were pretty much spread out, save for two honors granted to the horror remake “Suspiria,” the Robert Altman Award along with cinematography, and two wins, Best Screenplay...
The biggest winner of the night was “If Beale Street Could Talk,” which took home Best Feature, Best Director for Barry Jenkins and Best Supporting Female for Regina King, who is likely to repeat at the Academy Awards. And Glenn Close, whose little white dog Pippi stole the show, is pretty much a lock to repeat her win for Best Female Lead at the Oscars as well. Otherwise, the Spirits were pretty much spread out, save for two honors granted to the horror remake “Suspiria,” the Robert Altman Award along with cinematography, and two wins, Best Screenplay...
- 2/23/2019
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
The 2019 Independent Spirit Awards will be handed out on February 23 during an afternoon ceremony on Santa Monica. These awards often preview the winners of the Academy Awards the following day. This year, we are predicting that both actress tipped to take home Oscars will win here first: leading lady Glenn Close (“The Wife”) and supporting player Regina King (“If Beale Street Could Talk”). But for the first time in a decade, none of the five films up for Best Feature here number among the nominees for Best Picture at the Oscars.
Scroll down to see the full list of Indie Spirits nominations. This roster of contenders was determined by committees that included film critics, film programmers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, past nominees and winners, and members of Film Independent’s Board of Directors. Only American-made movies with budgets under $20 million were eligible for consideration.
Winners will be revealed...
Scroll down to see the full list of Indie Spirits nominations. This roster of contenders was determined by committees that included film critics, film programmers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, past nominees and winners, and members of Film Independent’s Board of Directors. Only American-made movies with budgets under $20 million were eligible for consideration.
Winners will be revealed...
- 2/23/2019
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Cinematography is not a competition, nor is it a beauty contest, so boiling the years best work down to a simple ranking wasn’t an easy task. Often, the awards-season narrative for below-the-line talent is scale and the most obvious use of craft; here, the focus is how form can be used to elicit emotion and tell a story. These are 10 films that do that exceeding well. Afterwards a few additional prizes focused on films that opened doors and pointed to an exciting future of what is possible in the world of cinematography.
10. “Distant Constellation”
The setting for Shevaun Mizrahi’s documentary is a Turkish old age home, a worn institutional building that towers over a city being rebuilt below. Mizrahi, a one woman crew, transforms the building into an ethereal tower of winter light, which when joined with her elderly subjects’ memories has a haunting affect that lingers well after leaving the theater.
10. “Distant Constellation”
The setting for Shevaun Mizrahi’s documentary is a Turkish old age home, a worn institutional building that towers over a city being rebuilt below. Mizrahi, a one woman crew, transforms the building into an ethereal tower of winter light, which when joined with her elderly subjects’ memories has a haunting affect that lingers well after leaving the theater.
- 12/20/2018
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
“We the Animals” has been on a roll since it debuted at the Sundance film festival in January. This coming-of-age story, which marks the directorial debut of award-winning documentarian Jeremiah Zagar, opened in August to some of the best reviews of the year. It just landed on the National Board of Review Top 10 list of independent films. That accolade came just days after the film reaped a leading five nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards, including Best First Feature.
Zagar and Dan Kitrosser adapted Justin Torres‘ 2011 novel of the same name, which tells the story of three mixed race brothers growing up in the 1980s. Zagar was singled out by the Indie Spirits as “Someone to Watch.” Critics certainly agree with his film scoring an impressive 91 at Rotten Tomatoes.
Among those heralding the arrival of this new talent is Washington Post scribe Ann Hornaday who opines, “Zagar builds a world...
Zagar and Dan Kitrosser adapted Justin Torres‘ 2011 novel of the same name, which tells the story of three mixed race brothers growing up in the 1980s. Zagar was singled out by the Indie Spirits as “Someone to Watch.” Critics certainly agree with his film scoring an impressive 91 at Rotten Tomatoes.
Among those heralding the arrival of this new talent is Washington Post scribe Ann Hornaday who opines, “Zagar builds a world...
- 11/28/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
We The Animals Photo: Zak Mulligan Coming of age drama We The Animals, directed by Jeremiah Zagar leads the nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards, announced today, with five nods.
The awards, which champion independent film, also saw Scotland's Lynne Ramsay pick up four nominations for You Were Never Really Here, matching Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade and Paul Schrader's First Reformed.
The Robert Altman award, which recognises a director, casting director and ensemble cast, will go to Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria remake.
The awards ceremony will take place on February 23.
Best Feature Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk
Leave No Trace
You Were Never Really Here
Best First Feature Hereditary
Sorry To Bother You
The Tale
We The Animals
Wildlife
Best Female Lead
Glenn Close, The Wife
Toni Collette, Hereditary
Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade
Regina Hall, Support The Girls
Helena Howard, Madeline’s Madeline
Carey Mulligan,...
The awards, which champion independent film, also saw Scotland's Lynne Ramsay pick up four nominations for You Were Never Really Here, matching Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade and Paul Schrader's First Reformed.
The Robert Altman award, which recognises a director, casting director and ensemble cast, will go to Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria remake.
The awards ceremony will take place on February 23.
Best Feature Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk
Leave No Trace
You Were Never Really Here
Best First Feature Hereditary
Sorry To Bother You
The Tale
We The Animals
Wildlife
Best Female Lead
Glenn Close, The Wife
Toni Collette, Hereditary
Elsie Fisher, Eighth Grade
Regina Hall, Support The Girls
Helena Howard, Madeline’s Madeline
Carey Mulligan,...
- 11/16/2018
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Coming-of-age drama “We the Animals” has scored a leading five Spirit Awards nominations, with “Eighth Grade,” “First Reformed,” and “You Were Never Really Here” taking four each.
The nominees for best feature are “Eighth Grade,” “First Reformed,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Leave No Trace,” and “You Were Never Really Here.”
“We the Animals” received nominations for best first feature, best supporting male actor for Raul Castillo, cinematography, editing, and the Someone to Watch award for Jeremiah Zagar, who directed and adapted the script from Justin Torres’ debut novel of the same name. The movie, which focuses on a mixed-race family in upstate New York, opened at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Bo Burnham’s comedy-drama “Eighth Grade” took nods for feature, first feature, actress for Elsie Fisher, and supporting male actor for Josh Hamilton. “First Reformed” landed noms for feature, director and screenplay for Paul Schrader, and male lead for Ethan Hawke.
The nominees for best feature are “Eighth Grade,” “First Reformed,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Leave No Trace,” and “You Were Never Really Here.”
“We the Animals” received nominations for best first feature, best supporting male actor for Raul Castillo, cinematography, editing, and the Someone to Watch award for Jeremiah Zagar, who directed and adapted the script from Justin Torres’ debut novel of the same name. The movie, which focuses on a mixed-race family in upstate New York, opened at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Bo Burnham’s comedy-drama “Eighth Grade” took nods for feature, first feature, actress for Elsie Fisher, and supporting male actor for Josh Hamilton. “First Reformed” landed noms for feature, director and screenplay for Paul Schrader, and male lead for Ethan Hawke.
- 11/16/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
The Film Independent Spirit Awards announced their 2019 nominations on Friday, November 16. So who made the cut at these kudos, which celebrate the best in American independent films? Scroll down to see the complete list.
These Spirit contenders were decided by nominating committees that included film critics, film programmers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, past nominees and winners, and members of Film Independent’s Board of Directors. The winners will be chosen by all of Film Independent’s eligible members, including industry insiders and any movie fans who sign up for membership starting at $95 per year.
Sign UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
Eligible films must be American productions with budgets within $20 million, which this year excluded awards contenders like “Vice,” “Mary Queen of Scots,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Hate U Give,” “Widows,” “Beautiful Boy” and “Black Panther,” among others. Additional titles like “Roma,” “22 July” and “The Favourite...
These Spirit contenders were decided by nominating committees that included film critics, film programmers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, past nominees and winners, and members of Film Independent’s Board of Directors. The winners will be chosen by all of Film Independent’s eligible members, including industry insiders and any movie fans who sign up for membership starting at $95 per year.
Sign UPfor Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions
Eligible films must be American productions with budgets within $20 million, which this year excluded awards contenders like “Vice,” “Mary Queen of Scots,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Hate U Give,” “Widows,” “Beautiful Boy” and “Black Panther,” among others. Additional titles like “Roma,” “22 July” and “The Favourite...
- 11/16/2018
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
The nominations for the 34th Independent Spirit Awards were announced live this afternoon, setting the stage for the awards season with a decidedly indie bent. Over the last several years, the Indie Spirits have become both a champion of underdog indies and a key indicator in which films and performances could end up with the Oscar.
Some of the year’s biggest titles are, however, not eligible for this year’s Indie Spirits per their rules, including “Vice,” “The Sisters Brothers,” and “Mary Queen of Scots,” while Alfonso Cuarón’s lauded “Roma” only qualifies for Best International Film.
Favorites like “Eighth Grade” and “First Reformed” dominated the big categories, with each film earning four nominations, including Best Feature for both, Best Actress for “Eighth Grade” lead Elsie Fisher, and Best Actor for “First Reformed” star Ethan Hawke. “We the Animals” led the entire field with five total noms. A number...
Some of the year’s biggest titles are, however, not eligible for this year’s Indie Spirits per their rules, including “Vice,” “The Sisters Brothers,” and “Mary Queen of Scots,” while Alfonso Cuarón’s lauded “Roma” only qualifies for Best International Film.
Favorites like “Eighth Grade” and “First Reformed” dominated the big categories, with each film earning four nominations, including Best Feature for both, Best Actress for “Eighth Grade” lead Elsie Fisher, and Best Actor for “First Reformed” star Ethan Hawke. “We the Animals” led the entire field with five total noms. A number...
- 11/16/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The Orchard has released the first trailer for their Sundance hit We the Animals, and by the looks of it, it seems the high praise the film received out of the festival was nothing short of deserving. Esteemed for its visceral nature and profound storytelling, We the Animals centers on Jonah (played by newcomer Evan Rosado), the youngest of three boys, and his young development through the socialization of his older brothers Manny and Joel, and his erratic parents (played by Sheila Vand and Raúl Castillo).
The debut trailer showcases the stylish strength of the film, displaying melodic cinematography from Zak Mulligan. Taking select visual inspirations from Terrence Malick’s book of tricks, Jeremiah Zagar directs We the Animals from his and Daniel Kitrosser’s screenplay based off Justin Torres’ 2011 novel of the same title.
See the trailer and poster below.
Us three. Us brothers. Us kings, inseparable. Three boys tear through their childhood,...
The debut trailer showcases the stylish strength of the film, displaying melodic cinematography from Zak Mulligan. Taking select visual inspirations from Terrence Malick’s book of tricks, Jeremiah Zagar directs We the Animals from his and Daniel Kitrosser’s screenplay based off Justin Torres’ 2011 novel of the same title.
See the trailer and poster below.
Us three. Us brothers. Us kings, inseparable. Three boys tear through their childhood,...
- 7/1/2018
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Cinematographer Zak Mulligan has worked on roughly 30 shorts, features, documentaries and TV series over the past decade. Mulligan served as Dp on We the Animals, which premieres at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival as part of the Next lineup. The film marks the first narrative feature from Jeremiah Zagar, a documentary filmmaker whose 2008 In a Dream was shortlisted for an Academy Award and whose 2014 Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart screened in competition at Sundance. Below, Mulligan speaks with Filmmaker about blending digital and 16mm footage, stretching the number of shoot days and twisting his ankle on the set […]...
- 1/20/2018
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Variety has published its annual list of "10 Cinematographers to Watch." The list is heavily indie-focused, highlighting DPs who have earned kudos for their work on low-budget projects for indie breakouts such as Ryan Coogler, Damien Chazelle, Diane Bell, Eliza Hittman, David and Nathan Zellner, Thomas Vinterberg, J.C. Candor, Ava DuVernay and others. Read More: Bradford Young on How He Became One of the Busiest Cinematographers Working Today See the full list below (along with some of their most noteworthy credits) in the order listed by Variety: Jarin Blaschke (Robert Egger's "The Witch") Martin Ahlgren ("House of Cards") Zak Mulligan (Diane Bell's "Obselidia") Charlotte Bruus Christensen (Thomas Vinterberg's "The Hunt") Sharone Meir (Damien Chazelle's "Whiplash") Radium Cheung (Sean Baker's "Tangerine," J.C. Chandor's "All Is Lost") Rachel Morrison (Ryan Coogler's "Fruitvale...
- 4/21/2015
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Working from a deeply original aperture, you couldn’t ask for a better calling card with the iconoclastic look into the species. Diane Bell’s debut film was a double winner at Sundance (Alfred P. Sloan Prize and Excellence in Cinematography Award Dramatic) the year that Winter’s Bone won the Grand Jury Prize. While Obselidia garnered fanfare back in 2010, her sophomore film will likely receive more curious onlookers due to the titular pairing of Jessica Biel and Zosia Mamet who’ll be technically breaking out in film with this item. Re-teaming with dp Zak Mulligan, lensing began back in October of 2013 on Shiva and May and since it bypassed all film fests in 2014, there is no doubt that this Girls friendly item will have been among the most earliest submissions sent to the Park City folks.
Gist: Yoga teacher May (Jessica Biel) lives a peaceful, orderly life with her...
Gist: Yoga teacher May (Jessica Biel) lives a peaceful, orderly life with her...
- 11/13/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Climate Control: Deller’s Debut Features Compelling Lead Performance
For her feature film debut, writer/director Jenny Deller has made a solidly crafted film, Future Weather, which is grounded with an extremely likeable performance from its lead rising star. Using global warming as a motif that parallels and intermingles with the coming of age of a young woman from a dysfunctional family in rural Illinois, there’s a comfortable warmth to Deller’s scenario, along with a notable amount of character development, even with more peripheral figures.
While certainly expounding a ‘green’ message, (Deller was awarded a grant through Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which supports the representation of science in entertainment), the film, for the most part, manages to avoid being a mere mouth piece of passionate ideas, instead focusing on one teenager’s ambition to effect positive changes in a world that needs it, unable to control the own dire circumstances that surround her.
For her feature film debut, writer/director Jenny Deller has made a solidly crafted film, Future Weather, which is grounded with an extremely likeable performance from its lead rising star. Using global warming as a motif that parallels and intermingles with the coming of age of a young woman from a dysfunctional family in rural Illinois, there’s a comfortable warmth to Deller’s scenario, along with a notable amount of character development, even with more peripheral figures.
While certainly expounding a ‘green’ message, (Deller was awarded a grant through Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which supports the representation of science in entertainment), the film, for the most part, manages to avoid being a mere mouth piece of passionate ideas, instead focusing on one teenager’s ambition to effect positive changes in a world that needs it, unable to control the own dire circumstances that surround her.
- 2/27/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Future Weather
To call Future Weather a ‘coming-of-age’ tale would likely be to make the assumption that the 13 year-old lead, Lauduree (Perla Haney-Jardine) has a Stand By Me moment somewhere around the climax of the film. Though Lauduree has her scene, the folks that come-of-age in Jenny Deller’s debut feature are the adults.
Lauduree is a precocious girl with big, environmental-science aspirations. Her mom Tanya (Marin Ireland) is an aspiring makeup artist, but a bit of a feckless parent. Her grandmother Greta (Amy Madigan) is love-lost, and more of a parent than Tanya seems capable of.
Haney-Jardine handles some difficult material with grown-up poise, and those childlike adults play their roles with equal parts moderation and complete abandonment.
Future Weather is a small film that looks big. Deller and cinematographer Zak Mulligan magically transform suburban Pennsylvania to a beautiful rural wonderland, and Deller’s assured direction makes her work...
To call Future Weather a ‘coming-of-age’ tale would likely be to make the assumption that the 13 year-old lead, Lauduree (Perla Haney-Jardine) has a Stand By Me moment somewhere around the climax of the film. Though Lauduree has her scene, the folks that come-of-age in Jenny Deller’s debut feature are the adults.
Lauduree is a precocious girl with big, environmental-science aspirations. Her mom Tanya (Marin Ireland) is an aspiring makeup artist, but a bit of a feckless parent. Her grandmother Greta (Amy Madigan) is love-lost, and more of a parent than Tanya seems capable of.
Haney-Jardine handles some difficult material with grown-up poise, and those childlike adults play their roles with equal parts moderation and complete abandonment.
Future Weather is a small film that looks big. Deller and cinematographer Zak Mulligan magically transform suburban Pennsylvania to a beautiful rural wonderland, and Deller’s assured direction makes her work...
- 10/22/2012
- by Neal Dhand
- SoundOnSight
#21. Future Weather - Jenny Deller Knowing how Redford feels about the environment and films that promote responsibility of mother earth, Sundance programmers have probably been tracking this title for some time now. Multiple grant winner of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Jenny Deller's three generational tale/environmental drama has got some strong indie pedigree such as Lili Taylor among the cast and on the tech side, they've got dp Zak Mulligan who did some great work on Obselidia - a Park City entry back in 2010. Nominated for a new Gotham award this year, we think Future Weather is possibly a good fit for the U.S Dramatic Comp. Gist: Lauduree (Haney-Jardine) is a teenage loner passionate about nature and worried about global warming. Greta, her grandmother, is a caustic nurse jaded by alcohol and disappointment. They're thrust into each other's lives when Lauduree's mother flees to pursue her long-held...
- 11/9/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
I first met Zak Mulligan through my Dp Sean Donnelly a few years back. After a bit of back and forth on the merits of Kickstarter, I helped him with a little production design on his first feature, and we became fast friends and supporters of each others work. Zak and his directing partner Rodrigo Lopresti were recent participants of Ifp’s Independent Filmmaker Labs with their first feature film I’m not me. Zak also won the Best Cinematography award at Sundance last year for his work on the film Obselidia. He’s here to talk a bit about the advantages of staying small.
Picture this: Two guys with a camera, a rental car, and an afternoon to kill. The duo take a drive out of New York City with no particular destination in mind, possessing only the vaguest of ideas and a desire to shoot something… Anything.
Picture this: Two guys with a camera, a rental car, and an afternoon to kill. The duo take a drive out of New York City with no particular destination in mind, possessing only the vaguest of ideas and a desire to shoot something… Anything.
- 1/20/2011
- by John Yost
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Ifp have announced the lucky ten projects that have been selected to participate in this year’s narrative edition of Independent Filmmaker Labs, which officially started yesterday. Among the selected projects, we find a couple we've already been tracking and will probably be seeing this coming January in Park City. We have Dee Rees' Pariah, Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City, the much anticipated Yelling To The Sky from Victoria Mahoney and I'm adding Brady Kiernan's Stuck Between Stations as a film to watch out for. - Ifp have announced the lucky ten projects that have been selected to participate in this year’s narrative edition of Independent Filmmaker Labs, which officially started yesterday. Among the selected projects, we find a couple we've already been tracking and will probably be seeing this coming January in Park City. We have Dee Rees' Pariah, Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City,...
- 6/9/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Ifp have announced the lucky ten projects that have been selected to participate in this year’s narrative edition of Independent Filmmaker Labs, which officially started yesterday. Among the selected projects, we find a couple we've already been tracking and will probably be seeing this coming January in Park City. We have Dee Rees' Pariah, Andrew Dosunmu's Restless City, the much anticipated Yelling To The Sky from Victoria Mahoney and I'm adding Brady Kiernan's Stuck Between Stations as a film to watch out for. The 2010 Labs include an initial five days of workshops that assist filmmakers with the technical, creative and strategic advice needed to complete their films; a Strategy & Networking Lab following in September with specialized workshops on web building, sales & marketing and audience building, as well as pre-scheduled meetings for the projects with potential buyers, funders and festival programmers during Ifp’s Independent Film Week...
- 6/8/2010
- IONCINEMA.com
Winners of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival were announced recently, with Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington's Restrepo taking home the Grand Jury Prize in the documentary category, and Debra Granik's Winter's Bone winning the Grand Jury Prize in the dramatic category. You may remember Granik, the independent filmmaker who burst onto the Sundance scene in 2004, claiming the Dramatic Directing award for her first feature-length film, Down to the Bone. Despite its phenomenal reputation, Granik's big screen debut grossed a meager $30,000. Let's hope Winter's Bone turns out to be an anomaly in the director's rather minuscule line of work. A comprehensive list of all the winners this year can be seen after the jump. Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic: Winter’s Bone, directed by Debra Granik Grand Jury Prize, Documentary: Restrepo, directed by Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington World Cinema Jury Prize, Dramatic: Animal Kingdom, written and directed by David Michôd.
- 2/1/2010
- by Crews
- FilmJunk
Animal Kingdom, The Red Chapel, Restrepo, and Winter's Bone Earn Grand Jury Prizes
Audience Favorites Feature Contracorriente, happythankyoumoreplease, Waiting For Superman, and Wasteland
Park City, Ut-The Jury, Audience, Next, and other special award-winners of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival were announced tonight at the Festival's Awards Ceremony hosted by David Hyde Pierce (star of The Perfect Host which premiered in this year's Park City at Midnight section) in Park City, Utah. Highlights from the Awards Ceremony can be seen on the Festival website, www.sundance.org/festival.
Films receiving Jury Awards were selected from four categories: U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition and World Cinema Documentary Competition. All films in competition were also eligible for Sundance Film Festival Audience Awards as selected by Festival audiences. The U.S. Audience Awards presented by Honda and World Cinema Audience Awards were announced by Louis C.K. Joseph Gordon Levitt...
Audience Favorites Feature Contracorriente, happythankyoumoreplease, Waiting For Superman, and Wasteland
Park City, Ut-The Jury, Audience, Next, and other special award-winners of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival were announced tonight at the Festival's Awards Ceremony hosted by David Hyde Pierce (star of The Perfect Host which premiered in this year's Park City at Midnight section) in Park City, Utah. Highlights from the Awards Ceremony can be seen on the Festival website, www.sundance.org/festival.
Films receiving Jury Awards were selected from four categories: U.S. Dramatic Competition, U.S. Documentary Competition, World Cinema Dramatic Competition and World Cinema Documentary Competition. All films in competition were also eligible for Sundance Film Festival Audience Awards as selected by Festival audiences. The U.S. Audience Awards presented by Honda and World Cinema Audience Awards were announced by Louis C.K. Joseph Gordon Levitt...
- 2/1/2010
- Makingof.com
Debra Granik’s dark thriller Winter’s Bone took home the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic competition and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Based on a novel by Daniel Woodrell, the film is about a young girl searching for her missing, meth-making father in the harsh conditions of the Ozark Mountain. Roadside Attractions acquired the rights and is planning a summer release.
“How I Met Your Mother” star Josh Radnor directorial debut, the indie romantic-comedy HappyThankYouMorePlease, won the Audience Award for dramatic competition. It has not inked a distribution deal, but reportedly has several interested buyers. The ensemble cast includes Radnor, Malin Akerman, Richard Jenkins, and Kate Mara.
In documentaries, Restrepo earned the Grand Jury kudos and Paramount’s Waiting for Superman won the audience award.
The biggest surprise was Mark Ruffalo’s first film, Sympathy for Delicious, grabbing a special jury prize after being generally panned by critics.
Based on a novel by Daniel Woodrell, the film is about a young girl searching for her missing, meth-making father in the harsh conditions of the Ozark Mountain. Roadside Attractions acquired the rights and is planning a summer release.
“How I Met Your Mother” star Josh Radnor directorial debut, the indie romantic-comedy HappyThankYouMorePlease, won the Audience Award for dramatic competition. It has not inked a distribution deal, but reportedly has several interested buyers. The ensemble cast includes Radnor, Malin Akerman, Richard Jenkins, and Kate Mara.
In documentaries, Restrepo earned the Grand Jury kudos and Paramount’s Waiting for Superman won the audience award.
The biggest surprise was Mark Ruffalo’s first film, Sympathy for Delicious, grabbing a special jury prize after being generally panned by critics.
- 2/1/2010
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
The 2010 Sundance Awards were also announced last night, which will give you some keen insight to a lot of movies you've never heard of and likely never will. In fact, I've made it to Sundance twice now, and on both occasions, I watched something like 20 films -- usually the ones with the biggest buzz -- only to see the list of award winners and say, "What? I've never even heard of this movie." And, indeed, despite following Sundance fairly close this year, I'm reading many of the titles below for the first time.
In other words, the Sundance Grand Jury winners mean almost nothing, though the audience award winners often are the ones that you'll be hearing about over the next few months or so. For evidence of that, just check out the 2008 Award winners, which has only a few titles you may recognize (Frozen River, Wackness, Man on Wire...
In other words, the Sundance Grand Jury winners mean almost nothing, though the audience award winners often are the ones that you'll be hearing about over the next few months or so. For evidence of that, just check out the 2008 Award winners, which has only a few titles you may recognize (Frozen River, Wackness, Man on Wire...
- 1/31/2010
- by Dustin Rowles
Sundance 2010 Winners: Winter’S Bone, Animal Kingdom, Restrepo, The Red Chapel Sundance 2010 special jury prizes went to the following: Sympathy for Delicious, directed by Mark Ruffalo and written by Christopher Thornton, who starred as a recently paralyzed DJ hooked on faith healing (Orlando Bloom plays a rocker in this one); Josh Fox’s documentary GasLand, about the effects of natural gas on air and water; and Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath’s Enemies of the People, a chronicle of Cambodia’s troubled modern history. Additionally, Tatiana Maslany won a special jury prize for breakout performance for her precocious teenager in Adriana Maggs‘ Grown Up Movie Star. The cinematography awards went to Zak Mulligan for Diane Bell’s Obselidia; Kirsten [...]...
- 1/31/2010
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Debra Granik, director of Winter's Bone
Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic – Winter’s Bone
Grand Jury Prize: Documentary – Restrepo
Directing Award: Dramatic – Eric Mendelsohn for 3 Backyards
Directing Award: Documentary – Leon Gast for Smash His Camera
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award – Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini for Winter’s Bone
Excellence in Editing Award: Documentary – Penelope Falk for Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Dramatic – Zak Mulligan for Obselidia
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Documentary – Kirsten Johnson and Laura Poitras for The Oath
Special Jury Prize: Dramatic – Sympathy for Delicious
Special Jury Prize: Documentary – GasLand
Audience Award: Dramatic – Happythankyoumoreplease
Audience Award: Documentary – Waiting for Superman
World Cinema Audience Award: Dramatic – Contracorriente
World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary – Waste Land
Best of Next Award: Homewrecker
World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic – Animal Kingdom
World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic – Juan Carlos Valdivia for Southern District
World Cinema Screenwriting Award – Juan Carlos Valdivia for Southern...
Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic – Winter’s Bone
Grand Jury Prize: Documentary – Restrepo
Directing Award: Dramatic – Eric Mendelsohn for 3 Backyards
Directing Award: Documentary – Leon Gast for Smash His Camera
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award – Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini for Winter’s Bone
Excellence in Editing Award: Documentary – Penelope Falk for Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Dramatic – Zak Mulligan for Obselidia
Excellence in Cinematography Award: Documentary – Kirsten Johnson and Laura Poitras for The Oath
Special Jury Prize: Dramatic – Sympathy for Delicious
Special Jury Prize: Documentary – GasLand
Audience Award: Dramatic – Happythankyoumoreplease
Audience Award: Documentary – Waiting for Superman
World Cinema Audience Award: Dramatic – Contracorriente
World Cinema Audience Award: Documentary – Waste Land
Best of Next Award: Homewrecker
World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic – Animal Kingdom
World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic – Juan Carlos Valdivia for Southern District
World Cinema Screenwriting Award – Juan Carlos Valdivia for Southern...
- 1/31/2010
- by arno
- IMDb Blog - All the Latest
Debra Granik's "Winter's Bone" was the big winner in Park City Saturday night, as it won both the dramatic competition grand jury prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Earlier in the day, the gritty drama secured North American distribution through Roadside Attractions for release later this year.
The film, about an unflinching Ozark Mountain girl trudging through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her missing father, was adapted from the Daniel Woodrell novel by Granik and Anne Rosellini. Granik's previous film, the 2004 Sundance entry "Down to the Bone," won her a dramatic directing award.
The rest of the awards were fairly well spread around at the Saturday night ceremony hosted by David Hyde Pierce, who starred in the Park City at Midnight entry "The Perfect Host" this year.
To kick off the evening, Pierce came on stage in knit cap rapping to...
The film, about an unflinching Ozark Mountain girl trudging through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her missing father, was adapted from the Daniel Woodrell novel by Granik and Anne Rosellini. Granik's previous film, the 2004 Sundance entry "Down to the Bone," won her a dramatic directing award.
The rest of the awards were fairly well spread around at the Saturday night ceremony hosted by David Hyde Pierce, who starred in the Park City at Midnight entry "The Perfect Host" this year.
To kick off the evening, Pierce came on stage in knit cap rapping to...
- 1/30/2010
- by By Jay A. Fernandez and Gregg Goldstein
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After the first trailer I traded emails with co-director/Dp Zak Mulligan who informed me this film does have some scifi elements which are "not overtly explained or dwelled upon - making for some beautifully Lynchian scenes". I was already in love, but this news just makes me want to see this all the more.
Josh, 32, mourns the tragic death of his wife Sam. His struggle however, begins to manifest itself in strange ways. One moment Josh is enjoying a happy memory of their lives together and the next he wakes up in a seemingly random place not knowing why or how he got there. He feels physically ill during these unexplained episodes and finds his life constantly being disrupted. These episodes continue as Josh investigates further, finally realizing that he is somehow shifting between realities. While in the alternate reality, Josh finds Sam alive and well and married to...
Josh, 32, mourns the tragic death of his wife Sam. His struggle however, begins to manifest itself in strange ways. One moment Josh is enjoying a happy memory of their lives together and the next he wakes up in a seemingly random place not knowing why or how he got there. He feels physically ill during these unexplained episodes and finds his life constantly being disrupted. These episodes continue as Josh investigates further, finally realizing that he is somehow shifting between realities. While in the alternate reality, Josh finds Sam alive and well and married to...
- 1/21/2010
- QuietEarth.us
I'm guessing the stunning dp work by Zak Mulligan (who also shot Sundance premier Obselidia) was shot on Red, and this film, for which little is available right now, looks incredible. While the story of "shifting between realities" has become somewhat more common recently, I'm excited by what I see.
Josh, 32, mourns the tragic death of his wife Sam. His struggle however, begins to manifest itself in strange ways. One moment Josh is enjoying a happy memory of their lives together and the next he wakes up in a seemingly random place not knowing why or how he got there. He feels physically ill during these unexplained episodes and finds his life constantly being disrupted. These episodes continue as Josh investigates further, finally realizing that he is somehow shifting between realities. While in the alternate reality, Josh finds Sam alive and well and married to an Iraq War vet named Andy.
Josh, 32, mourns the tragic death of his wife Sam. His struggle however, begins to manifest itself in strange ways. One moment Josh is enjoying a happy memory of their lives together and the next he wakes up in a seemingly random place not knowing why or how he got there. He feels physically ill during these unexplained episodes and finds his life constantly being disrupted. These episodes continue as Josh investigates further, finally realizing that he is somehow shifting between realities. While in the alternate reality, Josh finds Sam alive and well and married to an Iraq War vet named Andy.
- 12/15/2009
- QuietEarth.us
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