A new docuseries, Stax: Soulsville U.S.A., will look at the radical history of the groundbreaking Memphis label, which has been home to Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Sam and Dave, Booker T. and the M.G.’s, and the Staple Singers, among others. A trailer for the four-part series, which debuts with two episodes on HBO and the whole thing on Max on May 20, explains how label founders Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, who were white, fell in love with Black music and made the label a haven for artists...
- 5/2/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Sky has landed UK broadcast rights to music film My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80thAnniversary Concert.
The deal was announced today by the film executive producers Sophia Dilley from Concord Originals and Imogen Lloyd Webber from Concord Theatricals. Sky will broadcast the film in the UK on Sky Arts in May.
Directed by BAFTA winner Julia Knowles (The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration), the film celebrates the historic partnership of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II and features iconic songs from The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Oklahoma! and others.
The film includes a concert captured in London in December 2023 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane – the same venue that premiered the original West End productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Carousel, SouthPacific and The King and I.
It was headlined by the likes of recent Rogers & Hammerstein leading lady Joanna Ampil (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific); Olivier...
The deal was announced today by the film executive producers Sophia Dilley from Concord Originals and Imogen Lloyd Webber from Concord Theatricals. Sky will broadcast the film in the UK on Sky Arts in May.
Directed by BAFTA winner Julia Knowles (The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration), the film celebrates the historic partnership of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II and features iconic songs from The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Oklahoma! and others.
The film includes a concert captured in London in December 2023 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane – the same venue that premiered the original West End productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Carousel, SouthPacific and The King and I.
It was headlined by the likes of recent Rogers & Hammerstein leading lady Joanna Ampil (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific); Olivier...
- 3/20/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
SXSW organizers on Monday announced the Audience Award winners for the festival’s recently wrapped 31st edition.
The list includes Tracie Laymon’s dramedy Bob Trevino Likes It, which prevailed in Narrative Feature Competition, and the action thriller Monkey Man marking Dev Patel’s directorial debut, which dominated the Headliner section. Other notable winners included A24’s Sing Sing starring Colman Domingo, which won out in Festival Favorite, and Kyle Hausmann-Stokes’ dark veteran dramedy My Dead Friend Zoe, starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales and Ed Harris, which won in Narrative Spotlight.
“We are beyond grateful to all our filmmakers, audiences, and volunteers for creating one of the most exciting SXSW Film & TV Festivals ever,” said Claudette Godfrey, VP Film & TV. “We knew our audiences would flip for our program filled with explosive studio films, surprising indie dramas and comedies, riveting TV, powerful documentaries, gripping gems from around the world, and groundbreaking Xr,...
The list includes Tracie Laymon’s dramedy Bob Trevino Likes It, which prevailed in Narrative Feature Competition, and the action thriller Monkey Man marking Dev Patel’s directorial debut, which dominated the Headliner section. Other notable winners included A24’s Sing Sing starring Colman Domingo, which won out in Festival Favorite, and Kyle Hausmann-Stokes’ dark veteran dramedy My Dead Friend Zoe, starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales and Ed Harris, which won in Narrative Spotlight.
“We are beyond grateful to all our filmmakers, audiences, and volunteers for creating one of the most exciting SXSW Film & TV Festivals ever,” said Claudette Godfrey, VP Film & TV. “We knew our audiences would flip for our program filled with explosive studio films, surprising indie dramas and comedies, riveting TV, powerful documentaries, gripping gems from around the world, and groundbreaking Xr,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Management and production company 2Am is bolstering its finance and sales division with the hire of former Sundance Catalyst executive Julia Nelson.
Nelson will report to former WME & Endeavor Content exec Christine D’Souza Gelb who oversees the sales arm of 2Am.
2Am will be launching sales on two titles at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival: Sam and Andy Zuchero’s Love Me starring Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun, and produced by 2Am, ShivHans, and AgX; and Haley Elizabeth Anderson’s Tendaberry, produced by Dweck and Flies Collective. 2Am is co-repping worldwide rights on both projects with WME, where the filmmakers are also represented.
The company, which is a producer on Celine Song’s Golden Globe nominee Past Lives, has previously repped Sing J. Lee’s Accidental Getaway Driver, Andrew Semans’ Resurrection, and Christopher Makoto Yogi’s I Was A Simple Man.
Nelson joins the company after six years at...
Nelson will report to former WME & Endeavor Content exec Christine D’Souza Gelb who oversees the sales arm of 2Am.
2Am will be launching sales on two titles at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival: Sam and Andy Zuchero’s Love Me starring Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun, and produced by 2Am, ShivHans, and AgX; and Haley Elizabeth Anderson’s Tendaberry, produced by Dweck and Flies Collective. 2Am is co-repping worldwide rights on both projects with WME, where the filmmakers are also represented.
The company, which is a producer on Celine Song’s Golden Globe nominee Past Lives, has previously repped Sing J. Lee’s Accidental Getaway Driver, Andrew Semans’ Resurrection, and Christopher Makoto Yogi’s I Was A Simple Man.
Nelson joins the company after six years at...
- 12/15/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
On Monday night, November 27, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, the Gotham Awards presented the winners at their 33rd annual event. “All of Us Strangers” went in with a leading four bids, followed by “Past Lives,” “The Zone of Interest” and the TV limited series “Beef” with three apiece. But who prevailed? Scroll down for the full list, updated throughout the night.
The nominations were decided by panels of film and television critics, journalists, festival programmers and film curators. The winners were then selected by juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors and others directly involved in filmmaking. That makes these awards unique and often results in surprising winners like “The Rider” for Best Feature in 2018 over the higher-profile “The Favourite,” or Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”) for Best Lead Performance in 2022 over eventual Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) and Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”). So a...
The nominations were decided by panels of film and television critics, journalists, festival programmers and film curators. The winners were then selected by juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors and others directly involved in filmmaking. That makes these awards unique and often results in surprising winners like “The Rider” for Best Feature in 2018 over the higher-profile “The Favourite,” or Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”) for Best Lead Performance in 2022 over eventual Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) and Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”). So a...
- 11/28/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Award-winning documentary producer and film programmer Sara Archambault is joining the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. As the newly-named Documentary Film Project Manager, Archambault will oversee a new initiative on documentary film in the public interest.
“The initiative will engage with scholars, filmmakers, journalists, and industry leaders around the major questions facing the documentary film industry today,” according to a release announcing Archambault’s appointment, “and will include activities such as fellowships, screenings, convenings, and new prizes.”
(L-r) Sara Archambault, Sierra Pettengill and Jamila Wignot of ‘Riotsville, U.S.A.’ attend the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 4, 2023 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Archambault’s most recent producing credits include Riotsville, U.S.A. and A Decent Home, both from 2022, as well as the upcoming Richland. She previously spent a decade as the program director of the Lef Foundation in Cambridge,...
“The initiative will engage with scholars, filmmakers, journalists, and industry leaders around the major questions facing the documentary film industry today,” according to a release announcing Archambault’s appointment, “and will include activities such as fellowships, screenings, convenings, and new prizes.”
(L-r) Sara Archambault, Sierra Pettengill and Jamila Wignot of ‘Riotsville, U.S.A.’ attend the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 4, 2023 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Archambault’s most recent producing credits include Riotsville, U.S.A. and A Decent Home, both from 2022, as well as the upcoming Richland. She previously spent a decade as the program director of the Lef Foundation in Cambridge,...
- 3/17/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Neon has acquired the North American rights to Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning director, Raoul Peck’s (I Am Not Your Negro) documentary Orwell, the definitive feature-length documentary on visionary author George Orwell, with the exclusive cooperation of the Orwell Estate.
Producers include Alex Gibney for Jigsaw Productions, Raoul Peck for Velvet Films, and Nick Shumaker for Anonymous Content. Stacey Offman and Richard Perello will executive produce for Jigsaw. Zhang Xin, Joey Marra, and William Horberg will executive produce for Closer Media, alongside Jessica Grimshaw, Dawn Olmstead, and David Levine of Anonymous, and Jeff Skoll and Courtney Sexton of Participant. Johnny Fewings of Universal Pictures Content Group will serve as executive producer on the film, which is currently in production.
“’Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past…,’ wrote Orwell in his novel, 1984. Today, the “newspeak” of authoritarian rule is alive and well and in unexpected places,...
Producers include Alex Gibney for Jigsaw Productions, Raoul Peck for Velvet Films, and Nick Shumaker for Anonymous Content. Stacey Offman and Richard Perello will executive produce for Jigsaw. Zhang Xin, Joey Marra, and William Horberg will executive produce for Closer Media, alongside Jessica Grimshaw, Dawn Olmstead, and David Levine of Anonymous, and Jeff Skoll and Courtney Sexton of Participant. Johnny Fewings of Universal Pictures Content Group will serve as executive producer on the film, which is currently in production.
“’Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past…,’ wrote Orwell in his novel, 1984. Today, the “newspeak” of authoritarian rule is alive and well and in unexpected places,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Sundance Institute on Thursday announced the eight participants selected for the fifth annual Momentum Fellowship, a program at the nonprofit designed to support and provide coaching to mid-career artists with a focus on career development.
Created to support storytellers from historically marginalized communities who have recently achieved a noteworthy accomplishment, such as a regarded feature film or series, Momentum provides fellows with a full-year program of deep, customized support around the goals they have identified for themselves to level up in their craft and career. The fellowship is a program of Women at Sundance with support from Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.
The Momentum Fellowship includes an unrestricted artist grant; professional coaching offered by Renee Freedman & Company, supported by The Harnisch Foundation; connection to Elevate, Sundance’s professional development initiative; and bespoke year-round support from Sundance Institute staff. Additionally, as part of an ongoing partnership with Universal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion team,...
Created to support storytellers from historically marginalized communities who have recently achieved a noteworthy accomplishment, such as a regarded feature film or series, Momentum provides fellows with a full-year program of deep, customized support around the goals they have identified for themselves to level up in their craft and career. The fellowship is a program of Women at Sundance with support from Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.
The Momentum Fellowship includes an unrestricted artist grant; professional coaching offered by Renee Freedman & Company, supported by The Harnisch Foundation; connection to Elevate, Sundance’s professional development initiative; and bespoke year-round support from Sundance Institute staff. Additionally, as part of an ongoing partnership with Universal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion team,...
- 3/2/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The Sundance Institute and Peter Luo’s Stars Collective (Crazy Rich Asians, Midway, Marshall, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) have partnered on the new Imagination Award that grants 25,000 each to three metaverse-based projects that show innovation “in a rapidly evolving mediascape.”
Candidates were submitted to the Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier Program with winners were selected by fest programmers and reps of Stars Collective, a talent incubator.
The award extends a Sundance-Stars Collective partnership from 2020 that launched the Granting Fund to support diverse filmmakers from historically marginalized communities. The cash has provided project advancement and completion support to over 30 films so far, including works by Jamila Wignot (Ailey), Alison O’Daniel (Tuba Thieves), Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny) and Isabel Castro (Mija). Nine have premiered at Sundance.
Inaugural Imagination Award winners:
40 Acres: Lead Artist, Tamara Shogaolu. A multi-platform exploration of Black American farmers and herbalists and their changing relationship to the land.
Candidates were submitted to the Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier Program with winners were selected by fest programmers and reps of Stars Collective, a talent incubator.
The award extends a Sundance-Stars Collective partnership from 2020 that launched the Granting Fund to support diverse filmmakers from historically marginalized communities. The cash has provided project advancement and completion support to over 30 films so far, including works by Jamila Wignot (Ailey), Alison O’Daniel (Tuba Thieves), Nikyatu Jusu (Nanny) and Isabel Castro (Mija). Nine have premiered at Sundance.
Inaugural Imagination Award winners:
40 Acres: Lead Artist, Tamara Shogaolu. A multi-platform exploration of Black American farmers and herbalists and their changing relationship to the land.
- 1/27/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Film and documentary production company White Horse Pictures said Tuesday it is moving forward with a strategic reorganization to service growth at the company whose recent titles include Lucy and Desi and the Ron Howard pics The Beatles: Eight Days a Week and Pavarotti.
As part of the changes, Nicholas Ferrall, the company’s current president, takes on the role of chairman and CEO, previously held by founder Nigel Sinclair, overseeing all aspects of the company’s business, growth, and development. Sinclair will transition to become the company’s non-executive chairman, maintaining a role in the business while focusing on content creation.
Jeanne Elfant Festa and Cassidy Hartmann, two partners at the firm, take the role of co presidents, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s creative content, production, and development.
White Horse also has entered into a partnership with longtime collaborator Ben Murphy, of Whiskey Bear, to...
As part of the changes, Nicholas Ferrall, the company’s current president, takes on the role of chairman and CEO, previously held by founder Nigel Sinclair, overseeing all aspects of the company’s business, growth, and development. Sinclair will transition to become the company’s non-executive chairman, maintaining a role in the business while focusing on content creation.
Jeanne Elfant Festa and Cassidy Hartmann, two partners at the firm, take the role of co presidents, responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s creative content, production, and development.
White Horse also has entered into a partnership with longtime collaborator Ben Murphy, of Whiskey Bear, to...
- 12/13/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The International Documentary Association (IDA) presented awards to the winners in 18 categories for the 38th IDA Documentary Awards on December 10, 2022 at the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles. Shaunak Sen‘s “All That Breathes” went into the evening with four nominations and emerged as a winner of three, including the top prize. See the full list of winners below.
In addition to taking home Best Feature Documentary, Shen was named Best Director and the film’s editor Charlotte Munch Bengtsen won for Best Editing. Of its four nominations, “All That Breathes” lost only the award for Best Cinematography which went to the team on “Fire of Love” instead.
“Fire of Love” was the leader in nominations with five and won twice — it was also victorious in Best Writing. “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” won for Best Music Documentary and “The Melt Goes On Forever: The Art & Times of David Hammons” won for Best Music Score.
In addition to taking home Best Feature Documentary, Shen was named Best Director and the film’s editor Charlotte Munch Bengtsen won for Best Editing. Of its four nominations, “All That Breathes” lost only the award for Best Cinematography which went to the team on “Fire of Love” instead.
“Fire of Love” was the leader in nominations with five and won twice — it was also victorious in Best Writing. “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” won for Best Music Documentary and “The Melt Goes On Forever: The Art & Times of David Hammons” won for Best Music Score.
- 12/13/2022
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
The International Documentary Association (IDA) announced the winners in 18 categories at the 38th annual IDA Documentary Awards Ceremony on December 10, 2022 at the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles. Hosted by Jenny Yang, the show was live-streamed on IDA’s YouTube channel.
Shaunak Sen’s Indian eco-documentary “All That Breathes” won Best Director, Editing, Feature Film, and the Pare Lorentz Award, beating out in that category Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” Sara Dosa’s Best Cinematography and Writing winner “Fire of Love,” Simon Lereng Wilmont’s “A House Made of Splinters,” Edward Buckles’ “Katrina Babies,” Isabel Castro’s “Mija,” Daniel Roher’s “Navalny,” Akuo de Mabior’s “No Simple Way Home,” Lukasz Kowalski’s “The Pawnshop,” and Neasa Ní Chianáin and Declan McGrath’s “Young Plato.”
The winner of the Sundance Film Festival 2022 Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary, “All the Breathes” is building momentum on the awards circuit,...
Shaunak Sen’s Indian eco-documentary “All That Breathes” won Best Director, Editing, Feature Film, and the Pare Lorentz Award, beating out in that category Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” Sara Dosa’s Best Cinematography and Writing winner “Fire of Love,” Simon Lereng Wilmont’s “A House Made of Splinters,” Edward Buckles’ “Katrina Babies,” Isabel Castro’s “Mija,” Daniel Roher’s “Navalny,” Akuo de Mabior’s “No Simple Way Home,” Lukasz Kowalski’s “The Pawnshop,” and Neasa Ní Chianáin and Declan McGrath’s “Young Plato.”
The winner of the Sundance Film Festival 2022 Grand Jury Prize for World Documentary, “All the Breathes” is building momentum on the awards circuit,...
- 12/11/2022
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
“All That Breathes” took top prize for best feature at the International Documentary Assn. Awards Dec. 10, also grabbing prizes for director Shaunak Sen, editing and the special Pare Lorentz award.
“We Need to Talk About Cosby” won the award for multi-part documentary, while “Fire of Love” took the cinematography and writing prizes.
The 38th annual event, held at L.A.’s Paramount Theater, was hosted by comic-actor Jenny Yang. Prizes were announced in 18 categories. The show was also LiveStreamed on IDA’s YouTube channel and the recording is now available.
There were 16 competitive categories and two special categories, the ABC News VideoSource Award and the Pare Lorentz Award.
This year’s shortlists and nominees were selected by independent committees of 310 documentary makers, curators, critics, and industry experts from 52 countries. IDA received 806 submissions in all categories, 40 of which are internationally produced or coproduced projects from 86 countries.
The winners are:
Feature: “All That Breathes...
“We Need to Talk About Cosby” won the award for multi-part documentary, while “Fire of Love” took the cinematography and writing prizes.
The 38th annual event, held at L.A.’s Paramount Theater, was hosted by comic-actor Jenny Yang. Prizes were announced in 18 categories. The show was also LiveStreamed on IDA’s YouTube channel and the recording is now available.
There were 16 competitive categories and two special categories, the ABC News VideoSource Award and the Pare Lorentz Award.
This year’s shortlists and nominees were selected by independent committees of 310 documentary makers, curators, critics, and industry experts from 52 countries. IDA received 806 submissions in all categories, 40 of which are internationally produced or coproduced projects from 86 countries.
The winners are:
Feature: “All That Breathes...
- 12/11/2022
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Fire of Love and All That Breathes further established themselves as solid Oscar contenders, leading all comers as the IDA Documentary Awards nominations were announced today.
Fire of Love, about scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft, a French couple who risked their lives documenting volcanic eruptions, earned five IDA nominations, including Best Feature Documentary and Best Director for Sara Dosa. It was also recognized in the cinematography, editing, and writing categories.
All That Breathes, director Shaunak Sen’s poetic study of two brothers in Delhi, India who rescue and rehabilitate injured birds of prey, was announced as the winner of the Pare Lorentz Award, an honor named for the pioneering filmmaker who made highly regarded work during the Great Depression. All That Breathes earned four other nominations, including Best Feature Documentary, Best Director, cinematography, and editing [see the full list of IDA Awards nominations below].
Two girls staying at a temporary shelter for neglected children in Eastern Ukraine in ‘A...
Fire of Love, about scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft, a French couple who risked their lives documenting volcanic eruptions, earned five IDA nominations, including Best Feature Documentary and Best Director for Sara Dosa. It was also recognized in the cinematography, editing, and writing categories.
All That Breathes, director Shaunak Sen’s poetic study of two brothers in Delhi, India who rescue and rehabilitate injured birds of prey, was announced as the winner of the Pare Lorentz Award, an honor named for the pioneering filmmaker who made highly regarded work during the Great Depression. All That Breathes earned four other nominations, including Best Feature Documentary, Best Director, cinematography, and editing [see the full list of IDA Awards nominations below].
Two girls staying at a temporary shelter for neglected children in Eastern Ukraine in ‘A...
- 11/11/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
In this age where documentaries have become more like narrative films in approach and content, “Riotsville, USA” can’t help but seem old-school in scope. For those seeking information, or some version of the truth even, that is not a bad quality.
At the heart of the doc from director Sierra Pettengill (“The Reagan Show”) is the genesis of police militarization primarily through the phenomena of fictional towns known as Riotsvilles, built by the U.S. military to train law enforcement how to ward off the perceived growing militancy in the nation in the late 1960s.
To do this, Pettengill and her squad — including film editor Nels Bangerter (“Cameraperson”) and producer Jamila Wignot (“Ailey”) — rely on archival footage, a significant portion of which has never before been seen by the public. While some of the older footage leans towards the mundane, none of it is unimportant.
Also Read:
‘Till’ Trailer...
At the heart of the doc from director Sierra Pettengill (“The Reagan Show”) is the genesis of police militarization primarily through the phenomena of fictional towns known as Riotsvilles, built by the U.S. military to train law enforcement how to ward off the perceived growing militancy in the nation in the late 1960s.
To do this, Pettengill and her squad — including film editor Nels Bangerter (“Cameraperson”) and producer Jamila Wignot (“Ailey”) — rely on archival footage, a significant portion of which has never before been seen by the public. While some of the older footage leans towards the mundane, none of it is unimportant.
Also Read:
‘Till’ Trailer...
- 9/16/2022
- by Ronda Racha Penrice
- The Wrap
Neon in association with National Geographic Documentary Films said director Sara Dosa’s Fire of Love will cross 1 million at the box office this weekend, becoming the biggest documentary release of the year for combined domestic and international gross. The film opened this summer and is entering its ninth week in theaters nationally. It will stream on Disney+ later this year.
National Geographic Documentary Films acquired the worldwide rights to Fire of Love following its Sundance debut (awarded the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award). Produced by Shane Boris, Ina Fichman and Dosa, the Miranda July-narrated film explores the passionate lives and work of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft through their striking, rare archival footage.
Executive Producers are Greg Boustead and Jessica Harrop of Sandbox Films, Carolyn Bernstein of National Geographic Documentary Films and Josh Braun and Dan Braun of Submarine.
The intrepid scientists captured some of the most spectacular imagery...
National Geographic Documentary Films acquired the worldwide rights to Fire of Love following its Sundance debut (awarded the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award). Produced by Shane Boris, Ina Fichman and Dosa, the Miranda July-narrated film explores the passionate lives and work of French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft through their striking, rare archival footage.
Executive Producers are Greg Boustead and Jessica Harrop of Sandbox Films, Carolyn Bernstein of National Geographic Documentary Films and Josh Braun and Dan Braun of Submarine.
The intrepid scientists captured some of the most spectacular imagery...
- 9/2/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO Documentary Films is in production on Stax, a multi-part documentary series exploring the Memphis-based record label Stax Records, which featured R&b stars Otis Redding, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers and Sam & Dave.
The series, which documents the meteoric rise and fall of the label, is directed by “Ailey” filmmaker Jamila Wignot, and executive produced by Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow (“Oj: Made In America”) of Laylow Pictures and Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures. It’s presented in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.
“In both the sound that fueled its rise and the events that triggered its demise, Stax Records manifested the soul of America,“ Edelman said in a statement. “There is no better person to bring this quintessential American story to HBO’s viewers than Jamila Wignot, whose work I’ve long admired.
The series, which documents the meteoric rise and fall of the label, is directed by “Ailey” filmmaker Jamila Wignot, and executive produced by Ezra Edelman and Caroline Waterlow (“Oj: Made In America”) of Laylow Pictures and Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures. It’s presented in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment and Warner Music Entertainment.
“In both the sound that fueled its rise and the events that triggered its demise, Stax Records manifested the soul of America,“ Edelman said in a statement. “There is no better person to bring this quintessential American story to HBO’s viewers than Jamila Wignot, whose work I’ve long admired.
- 5/3/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Stax Records, the label responsible for hits such as Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” and Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man,” is getting the docuseries treatment.
HBO is behind a new multi-part series telling the story of the fabled Memphis-based label.
Jamila Wignot — who directed Ailey, a portrait of the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey, and has worked on HBO’s Axios — is directing, with Oj: Made in America helmer Ezra Edelman and producer Caroline Waterlow exec producing. Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures, the company behind Martin Scorsese’s doc No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, also are EPs.
The series will explore the rise and fall of the label, which was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart. Stewart, a country music fan, and his sister Estelle Axton, who mortgaged her house to afford recording equipment, released “Fool in Love” by the Veltones under its original name Satellite Records.
HBO is behind a new multi-part series telling the story of the fabled Memphis-based label.
Jamila Wignot — who directed Ailey, a portrait of the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey, and has worked on HBO’s Axios — is directing, with Oj: Made in America helmer Ezra Edelman and producer Caroline Waterlow exec producing. Nigel Sinclair and Nicholas Ferrall of White Horse Pictures, the company behind Martin Scorsese’s doc No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, also are EPs.
The series will explore the rise and fall of the label, which was founded in 1957 by Jim Stewart. Stewart, a country music fan, and his sister Estelle Axton, who mortgaged her house to afford recording equipment, released “Fool in Love” by the Veltones under its original name Satellite Records.
- 5/3/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The Sundance Institute has selected Minhal Baig, Marion Hill, Ciara Lacy, Billy Luther, Chanelle Aponte Pearson, Mariem Pérez Riera, Jamila Wignot and Iman Zawahry for its fourth Momentum Fellowship, supporting professional development for mid-career artists from historically marginalized communities as they explore and develop their creative practice.
The eight fellows selected will participate in a full-year program tailored for each by Sundance Institute staffers, receiving access to unrestricted grant funding, as well as industry mentorship and meetings, a writing intensive, and professional coaching offered by Renee Freedman & Company, with support from The Harnisch Foundation. Additionally, as part of the Sundance Institute’s ongoing partnership with NBCUniversal, the studio will provide an opportunity for select Momentum fellows working on fiction projects to participate in the Universal Directors Initiative. The two-year, at-will initiative, led by Universal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion team, provides access to NBCUniversal’s creative executives and producers to...
The eight fellows selected will participate in a full-year program tailored for each by Sundance Institute staffers, receiving access to unrestricted grant funding, as well as industry mentorship and meetings, a writing intensive, and professional coaching offered by Renee Freedman & Company, with support from The Harnisch Foundation. Additionally, as part of the Sundance Institute’s ongoing partnership with NBCUniversal, the studio will provide an opportunity for select Momentum fellows working on fiction projects to participate in the Universal Directors Initiative. The two-year, at-will initiative, led by Universal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion team, provides access to NBCUniversal’s creative executives and producers to...
- 3/8/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
February 26 show will air live but without audience.
Jeymes Samuel’s western The Harder They Fall has earned 12 nods to lead the field in the 2022 NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Image Awards nominations with Jennifer Hudson, Will Smith and Rebecca Hall also among the contenders.
The Harder They Fall was nominated on Tuesday (January 18) for outstanding motion picture along with last season’s Oscar contender Judas And The Black Messiah, King Richard, Respect, and The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
The western’s Jonathan Majors is in the running for outstanding actor as are Denzel Washington for The Tragedy Of Macbeth,...
Jeymes Samuel’s western The Harder They Fall has earned 12 nods to lead the field in the 2022 NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Image Awards nominations with Jennifer Hudson, Will Smith and Rebecca Hall also among the contenders.
The Harder They Fall was nominated on Tuesday (January 18) for outstanding motion picture along with last season’s Oscar contender Judas And The Black Messiah, King Richard, Respect, and The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
The western’s Jonathan Majors is in the running for outstanding actor as are Denzel Washington for The Tragedy Of Macbeth,...
- 1/18/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Ailey (Jamila Wignot)
Has any choreographer mattered more to American dance than Alvin Ailey? The documentary Ailey, directed by Jamila Wignot, makes a good case that there has not. Comprised of amazing archival footage, peer interviews, and choreographer Rennie Harris prepping a modern-day performance in honor of the artist, Wignot paints a full picture of a complicated man. Born in the middle of Texas during The Great Depression, old recordings of Ailey recount his picking cotton with his mother (his father was non-existent in his life), then later on seeing Katherine Dunham (and her male backup dancers) perform live. The shock of watching somebody that looked like him produce such wonderful art emboldened him to pursue the work himself. – Dan M. (full...
Ailey (Jamila Wignot)
Has any choreographer mattered more to American dance than Alvin Ailey? The documentary Ailey, directed by Jamila Wignot, makes a good case that there has not. Comprised of amazing archival footage, peer interviews, and choreographer Rennie Harris prepping a modern-day performance in honor of the artist, Wignot paints a full picture of a complicated man. Born in the middle of Texas during The Great Depression, old recordings of Ailey recount his picking cotton with his mother (his father was non-existent in his life), then later on seeing Katherine Dunham (and her male backup dancers) perform live. The shock of watching somebody that looked like him produce such wonderful art emboldened him to pursue the work himself. – Dan M. (full...
- 1/14/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Jamila Wignot’s documentary about choreographer Alvin Ailey has absorbing testimonies and a look at his secret private life
Jamila Wignot’s documentary is a tribute to the work of the African American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey, a man who grew up in Texas during the Great Depression and Jim Crow years – and embraced his destiny in dance in California, where his mother had taken him as a child while she was looking for work. This film focuses a good deal on Ailey’s most renowned and arguably greatest creation, Revelations (1960), a dance piece inspired by the church and spirituals which had a transcendent passion, a surmounting of the rage and pain of slavery. The generosity and urgency in this work allowed Ailey’s vision to cross boundaries, using dancers’ bodies almost as a kind of folk history of black American experience.
There are some absorbing testimonies from the dancers who worked with him,...
Jamila Wignot’s documentary is a tribute to the work of the African American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey, a man who grew up in Texas during the Great Depression and Jim Crow years – and embraced his destiny in dance in California, where his mother had taken him as a child while she was looking for work. This film focuses a good deal on Ailey’s most renowned and arguably greatest creation, Revelations (1960), a dance piece inspired by the church and spirituals which had a transcendent passion, a surmounting of the rage and pain of slavery. The generosity and urgency in this work allowed Ailey’s vision to cross boundaries, using dancers’ bodies almost as a kind of folk history of black American experience.
There are some absorbing testimonies from the dancers who worked with him,...
- 1/5/2022
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
While the trailblazing work of choreographer Alvin Ailey has been duly celebrated, Ailey himself has been less explored — until now, with Jamila Wignot’s doc Ailey. The filmmaker has been a fan since college, “but I didn’t know very much about the man behind the company’s dance works or vision,” she says. “The film was an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in Ailey’s story of becoming — to live in his skin and hopefully channel the memories, experiences, drive, and vision that animate his work.”
Alvin Ailey was a dancer, choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American ...
Alvin Ailey was a dancer, choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American ...
- 12/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
While the trailblazing work of choreographer Alvin Ailey has been duly celebrated, Ailey himself has been less explored — until now, with Jamila Wignot’s doc Ailey. The filmmaker has been a fan since college, “but I didn’t know very much about the man behind the company’s dance works or vision,” she says. “The film was an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in Ailey’s story of becoming — to live in his skin and hopefully channel the memories, experiences, drive, and vision that animate his work.”
Alvin Ailey was a dancer, choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American ...
Alvin Ailey was a dancer, choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American ...
- 12/6/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dogwoof has debuted a trailer for the documentary on visionary dance artist ‘Ailey.’
Alvin Ailey was a visionary artist who found salvation through dance. Directed by Jamila Wignot, the celebrated documentary is an immersive profile of ground-breaking and influential choreographer, founder of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The documentary captures the brilliant and enigmatic man who, when confronted by a world that refused to embrace him, was determined to build one that would.
A sensorial, archival-rich story that traces the full contours of this extraordinary artist’s biography and connects his past to our present with an intimate glimpse into the Ailey studios today, where we follow innovative hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris as he conceives a new dance inspired by Ailey’s life.
Using never-before-heard audio interviews recorded in the last year of his life, we experience Ailey’s astonishing journey in his words.
Also in trailers – “The future is unwritten…...
Alvin Ailey was a visionary artist who found salvation through dance. Directed by Jamila Wignot, the celebrated documentary is an immersive profile of ground-breaking and influential choreographer, founder of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The documentary captures the brilliant and enigmatic man who, when confronted by a world that refused to embrace him, was determined to build one that would.
A sensorial, archival-rich story that traces the full contours of this extraordinary artist’s biography and connects his past to our present with an intimate glimpse into the Ailey studios today, where we follow innovative hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris as he conceives a new dance inspired by Ailey’s life.
Using never-before-heard audio interviews recorded in the last year of his life, we experience Ailey’s astonishing journey in his words.
Also in trailers – “The future is unwritten…...
- 12/2/2021
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The International Documentary Association came out with its shortlist of the year’s best documentaries today, a list as notable for what was left out as what made it in.
A total of 29 feature films earned a spot on the IDA shortlist, including some considered Oscar frontrunners: Summer of Soul, Ascension, and Flee—each of which earned nominations last week for both the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards and the Gotham Awards. But several other films making a strong bid for Oscar attention were snubbed, among them The Rescue, Becoming Cousteau, Attica, Procession, and My Name Is Pauli Murray.
The IDA gave recognition to several documentaries with an international dimension, like Faya Dayi, from Mexican-Ethiopian director Jessica Bashir, Chinese-born filmmaker Nanfu Wang’s Covid-19-related doc In The Same Breath, and Miguel’s War, the story of a gay Lebanese man who exiles himself to Spain. The IDA-shortlisted President focuses on...
A total of 29 feature films earned a spot on the IDA shortlist, including some considered Oscar frontrunners: Summer of Soul, Ascension, and Flee—each of which earned nominations last week for both the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards and the Gotham Awards. But several other films making a strong bid for Oscar attention were snubbed, among them The Rescue, Becoming Cousteau, Attica, Procession, and My Name Is Pauli Murray.
The IDA gave recognition to several documentaries with an international dimension, like Faya Dayi, from Mexican-Ethiopian director Jessica Bashir, Chinese-born filmmaker Nanfu Wang’s Covid-19-related doc In The Same Breath, and Miguel’s War, the story of a gay Lebanese man who exiles himself to Spain. The IDA-shortlisted President focuses on...
- 10/25/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Anyone who has studied theater and dance will know the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and its founder. Not only did Ailey form a dance movement, but his company also became a pioneering force for Black artists as they traveled the world, introducing political themes and helping integrate the world of dance.
Street dancer-turned-choreographer Rennie Harris had heard the name but didn’t become interested in the Ailey movement until late in the 2000s. “I was a hardcore dancer. At that point, I wasn’t feeling modern dance,” Harris explains.
Now the two are linked through the doc “Ailey,” which will be released nationwide Aug. 6. The film highlights the legendary choreographer’s life and visionary work, with Harris interpreting his dances.
It was when Harris finally saw the trailblazing “Revelations,” the 1960s work that put Ailey on the map, that he became inspired. Later, he was hired by the Alvin Ailey...
Street dancer-turned-choreographer Rennie Harris had heard the name but didn’t become interested in the Ailey movement until late in the 2000s. “I was a hardcore dancer. At that point, I wasn’t feeling modern dance,” Harris explains.
Now the two are linked through the doc “Ailey,” which will be released nationwide Aug. 6. The film highlights the legendary choreographer’s life and visionary work, with Harris interpreting his dances.
It was when Harris finally saw the trailblazing “Revelations,” the 1960s work that put Ailey on the map, that he became inspired. Later, he was hired by the Alvin Ailey...
- 8/6/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
This review of “Ailey” was first published after its premiere at January’s Sundance Film Festival.
A firm believer in what he called “blood memories,” everything that choreographer extraordinaire Alvin Ailey did, he charged with intentionality; the joy and pain of those before him influenced his artistry from the inside out. The American dance legend, a pioneer in making the Black experience part of the art form, gets a thorough and evocative documentary — if still veiled about his personal life — in director Jamila Wignot’s “Ailey,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Audio, and occasionally video, from interviews with Ailey chronicle his earliest years as child of the Great Depression in Texas. His hazy voice comes through as if narrating from the distant past. Illustrative footage from the time, even if not always portraying Ailey himself, places him as a part of a the greater stream of...
A firm believer in what he called “blood memories,” everything that choreographer extraordinaire Alvin Ailey did, he charged with intentionality; the joy and pain of those before him influenced his artistry from the inside out. The American dance legend, a pioneer in making the Black experience part of the art form, gets a thorough and evocative documentary — if still veiled about his personal life — in director Jamila Wignot’s “Ailey,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Audio, and occasionally video, from interviews with Ailey chronicle his earliest years as child of the Great Depression in Texas. His hazy voice comes through as if narrating from the distant past. Illustrative footage from the time, even if not always portraying Ailey himself, places him as a part of a the greater stream of...
- 8/5/2021
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
Photo: ‘Ailey’/Neon It was a rainy evening in Western Manhattan as I walked toward the Lincoln Center to see the new Documentary film ‘Ailey’ Directed by Jamila Wignot. It was one of those evenings where the sun has just barely set below the horizon and the last streaks of light shoot out like bolts of lightning over the ever-darkening sky. As the sun fades, however, a darkness invades, overtaking the beauty of the evening twilight with dark, dreary tentacles of an oncoming storm. Rain began to fall on my shoulders as I turned down 65th street rapidly propelling me to refuge beneath the awning of the Film at Lincoln Center marquee. As I stopped to fish my ticket out of my pocket I looked overhead at the murky sky, veins of grey seeping into what was once a beautiful evening vista. Related article: ‘In the Heights’ – Behind the Scenes...
- 8/1/2021
- by Tyler Sear
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
By Glenn Dunks
Dance is such a physical art. It is a beautiful medium, of course, but one that doesn’t always allow for great documentaries about it. Watching it can be a divine experience, but to get into the nuts and bolts of the craft is difficult. A trio of new documentaries highlight these strengths and weaknesses. All three put their focus on black dancers, and all have strong queer themes as they navigate a creative space emerging through the pain of racism and the AIDS epidemic. Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters by Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz, Jamila Wignot’s Ailey, and Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra by Wayne Blair and Nel Minchin each highlight the bodies and the stories. But it’s the former about the iconic titular choreographer and one of his most famous works that best captures the athleticism,...
Dance is such a physical art. It is a beautiful medium, of course, but one that doesn’t always allow for great documentaries about it. Watching it can be a divine experience, but to get into the nuts and bolts of the craft is difficult. A trio of new documentaries highlight these strengths and weaknesses. All three put their focus on black dancers, and all have strong queer themes as they navigate a creative space emerging through the pain of racism and the AIDS epidemic. Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters by Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz, Jamila Wignot’s Ailey, and Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra by Wayne Blair and Nel Minchin each highlight the bodies and the stories. But it’s the former about the iconic titular choreographer and one of his most famous works that best captures the athleticism,...
- 7/29/2021
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
In new documentary Ailey, the acclaimed public persona and troubled private life of the dance icon are explored
When Jamila Wignot was a sophomore at Wellesley College, the Black student group on campus scored tickets to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Wignot had no expectations. A financial aid kid, she was just grateful for the night out.
But as Ailey’s dancers defied gravity, she felt herself lean in, transfixed by the drama of everyday life captured through their movements.
When Jamila Wignot was a sophomore at Wellesley College, the Black student group on campus scored tickets to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Wignot had no expectations. A financial aid kid, she was just grateful for the night out.
But as Ailey’s dancers defied gravity, she felt herself lean in, transfixed by the drama of everyday life captured through their movements.
- 7/26/2021
- by Alexandra Villarreal
- The Guardian - Film News
Archive footage and interviews with African-American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey - who died from the complications of AIDS in 1989 - enter a dance and a dialogue with a new work, Lazarus, in Jamila Wignot's documentary. The modern piece, performed by the dance company Ailey founded and choreographed by Rennie Harris in tribute to the dance pioneer, celebrates both his personal achievements and his legacy.
Wignot takes a chronological approach to Ailey's life, beginning with his dirt poor childhood in Texas before moving on to his move to LA as a child, and how he came to train with Lester Horton, alongside his sexual and dance awakening. The film touches on how important it is to see yourself and your history represented - and how shockingly narrow representation has been for too long - as Ailey recalls the revelatory feeling he got when he saw African-American dancer Katherine Dunham.
Wignot takes a chronological approach to Ailey's life, beginning with his dirt poor childhood in Texas before moving on to his move to LA as a child, and how he came to train with Lester Horton, alongside his sexual and dance awakening. The film touches on how important it is to see yourself and your history represented - and how shockingly narrow representation has been for too long - as Ailey recalls the revelatory feeling he got when he saw African-American dancer Katherine Dunham.
- 7/23/2021
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
In Ailey the body in motion serves as a canvas. Arms twisting, heads swaying, torsos rolling and feet tapping the floors conjure wells of emotion — pain, lust, sadness and joy. Directed by Jamila Wignot, this stunning documentary chronicles the rich life of Alvin Ailey, the American dance giant, choreographer and founder of the innovative Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Wignot handles details of the legend’s tumultuous biography with great care, honoring his talents while acknowledging the toll they took on him. But perhaps the greatest gift of this tightly conceived and beautiful doc lies in its appreciation of the ...
- 7/23/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In Ailey the body in motion serves as a canvas. Arms twisting, heads swaying, torsos rolling and feet tapping the floors conjure wells of emotion — pain, lust, sadness and joy. Directed by Jamila Wignot, this stunning documentary chronicles the rich life of Alvin Ailey, the American dance giant, choreographer and founder of the innovative Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Wignot handles details of the legend’s tumultuous biography with great care, honoring his talents while acknowledging the toll they took on him. But perhaps the greatest gift of this tightly conceived and beautiful doc lies in its appreciation of the ...
- 7/23/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Ahead of its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Neon has nabbed North American rights to Chinese director Zhang Yimou’s “One Second.”
The film, written by Zhang and Zou Jingzhi and starring Wei Fan and Xiaochuan Li, is adapted from a novel about a man who escapes a labor camp for a glimpse of his daughter. Zhang had called “One Second,” set during China’s 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, his personal tribute to cinema. It’s scheduled as TIFF’s closing night film.
“One Second” debuted last November in China, where it grossed $12 million at the box office. The film arrived on the big screen after being plagued by censorship problems. It was yanked from competition at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival due to “technical reasons,” though many speculated its removal from the lineup was politically motivated.
The Academy Award-nominated Zhang, one of China’s most recognizable filmmakers,...
The film, written by Zhang and Zou Jingzhi and starring Wei Fan and Xiaochuan Li, is adapted from a novel about a man who escapes a labor camp for a glimpse of his daughter. Zhang had called “One Second,” set during China’s 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, his personal tribute to cinema. It’s scheduled as TIFF’s closing night film.
“One Second” debuted last November in China, where it grossed $12 million at the box office. The film arrived on the big screen after being plagued by censorship problems. It was yanked from competition at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival due to “technical reasons,” though many speculated its removal from the lineup was politically motivated.
The Academy Award-nominated Zhang, one of China’s most recognizable filmmakers,...
- 7/20/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Continuing its victory lap around the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, indie studio Neon has acquired the North American distribution rights to “A Chiara.”
The Jonas Carpignano film won the top prize in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight section. It is a companion film to his 2017 “A Ciambra,” for which he took the same award that year. Critics raved about the film’s exploration of young female identity and Carpignano’s ability to create enduring interest in one fictional family across multiple films.
“A Chiara” follows Claudio and Carmela Guerrasio, who gather with family and friends to celebrate their eldest daughter’s 18th birthday. There is a healthy rivalry between the birthday girl and her 15-year-old sister Chiara, as they compete on the dance floor. A happy occasion shifts suddenly when the patriarch disappears. As Chiara investigates, she discovers truths about her family and must face decisions about the kind of life she wants to build.
The Jonas Carpignano film won the top prize in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight section. It is a companion film to his 2017 “A Ciambra,” for which he took the same award that year. Critics raved about the film’s exploration of young female identity and Carpignano’s ability to create enduring interest in one fictional family across multiple films.
“A Chiara” follows Claudio and Carmela Guerrasio, who gather with family and friends to celebrate their eldest daughter’s 18th birthday. There is a healthy rivalry between the birthday girl and her 15-year-old sister Chiara, as they compete on the dance floor. A happy occasion shifts suddenly when the patriarch disappears. As Chiara investigates, she discovers truths about her family and must face decisions about the kind of life she wants to build.
- 7/18/2021
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has picked up U.S. rights to hot Cannes title “The Worst Person in the World,” directed by Norwegian writer-director Joachim Trier, from French sales agent mk2 Films.
The romantic comedy, which is playing in competition, rounds out Trier’s Oslo Trilogy, which began with “Reprise” in 2006 and continued with “Oslo, August 31st” in 2011.
The script was co-written by Trier with regular collaborator Eskil Vogt, and the film stars Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum, Hans Olav Brenner, Helene Bjøreby, and Vidar Sandem.
“The Worst Person in The World” tells the story of a quest for love and meaning in contemporary Oslo. It chronicles four years in the life of Julie (Reinsve), a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is.
Following its July 8 premiere in Cannes,...
The romantic comedy, which is playing in competition, rounds out Trier’s Oslo Trilogy, which began with “Reprise” in 2006 and continued with “Oslo, August 31st” in 2011.
The script was co-written by Trier with regular collaborator Eskil Vogt, and the film stars Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum, Hans Olav Brenner, Helene Bjøreby, and Vidar Sandem.
“The Worst Person in The World” tells the story of a quest for love and meaning in contemporary Oslo. It chronicles four years in the life of Julie (Reinsve), a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is.
Following its July 8 premiere in Cannes,...
- 7/16/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy and Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Neon will donate to Direct Relief and its global Covid-19 relief efforts as part of its release of “The Year of the Everlasting Storm.”
The anthology feature world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on July 14 as part of the Special Screening section, and will be released theatrically later this year.
News of the distributor’s donation comes as a number of wealthy countries were able to send delegations to the Cannes Film Festival, which ends this weekend, but many more were missing from the Croisette due to an international disparity in vaccine development and distribution.
The Neon donation will support real-time Covid-19 response and assistance through the distribution of funds, tests, supplies and vaccines to the countries and areas that are hardest hit worldwide. Variety has inquired about the sum of the company’s donation, but hasn’t yet heard back.
“The Year of the Everlasting Storm” is helmed...
The anthology feature world premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on July 14 as part of the Special Screening section, and will be released theatrically later this year.
News of the distributor’s donation comes as a number of wealthy countries were able to send delegations to the Cannes Film Festival, which ends this weekend, but many more were missing from the Croisette due to an international disparity in vaccine development and distribution.
The Neon donation will support real-time Covid-19 response and assistance through the distribution of funds, tests, supplies and vaccines to the countries and areas that are hardest hit worldwide. Variety has inquired about the sum of the company’s donation, but hasn’t yet heard back.
“The Year of the Everlasting Storm” is helmed...
- 7/15/2021
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has partnered with Direct Relief for its upcoming anthology film “The Year of the Everlasting Storm,” and it will donate to the organization’s worldwide Covid-19 relief efforts.
The feature, which will be released theatrically later this year, is making its debut at Cannes Film Festival today as part of the Special Screening section.
With its donation, Neon aims to support real-time Covid-19 direct response through the distribution of funds, tests, supplies and vaccines to countries and areas that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic.
Helmed by filmmakers Jafar Panâhi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery and Apichatpong Weerasethakul, “The Year of the Everlasting Storm” follows seven stories during an unprecedented time, serving as a love letter to the power of cinema and storytelling. The film is executive produced by Panâhi, Tom Quinn and David Kaplan and produced by Brad Becker-Parton, Andrea Roa,...
The feature, which will be released theatrically later this year, is making its debut at Cannes Film Festival today as part of the Special Screening section.
With its donation, Neon aims to support real-time Covid-19 direct response through the distribution of funds, tests, supplies and vaccines to countries and areas that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic.
Helmed by filmmakers Jafar Panâhi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery and Apichatpong Weerasethakul, “The Year of the Everlasting Storm” follows seven stories during an unprecedented time, serving as a love letter to the power of cinema and storytelling. The film is executive produced by Panâhi, Tom Quinn and David Kaplan and produced by Brad Becker-Parton, Andrea Roa,...
- 7/14/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
After offering up our picks for the best films of the first half of the year, we enter the second half with a strong release slate. Arriving this July is a stellar set of documentaries, a few promising wide releases, new films from some of the century’s most prolific directors, and much more. Check out my picks below.
15. Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) (Arie and Chuko Esiri)
Before an eventual Criterion release, Janus Films will bow the debut feature by Nigerian-raised, New York-educated twins Arie and Chuko Esiri, which recently played at Berlinale, New Directors/New Films, and more. David Katz said in his review, “Fatih Akin’s The Edge of Heaven and Wong Kar Wai’s Chungking Express have been directly cited by the filmmakers as inspirations for Eyimofe, and I would also mention Amores Perros for its interleaving structure and top-to-bottom dissection of a megalopolis, teeming with...
15. Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) (Arie and Chuko Esiri)
Before an eventual Criterion release, Janus Films will bow the debut feature by Nigerian-raised, New York-educated twins Arie and Chuko Esiri, which recently played at Berlinale, New Directors/New Films, and more. David Katz said in his review, “Fatih Akin’s The Edge of Heaven and Wong Kar Wai’s Chungking Express have been directly cited by the filmmakers as inspirations for Eyimofe, and I would also mention Amores Perros for its interleaving structure and top-to-bottom dissection of a megalopolis, teeming with...
- 7/1/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
As one of the most iconic figures in dance history, Alvin Ailey changed the face of modern dance with his own style of choreography that centered on the Black experience. Audiences will now have the opportunity to delve deeper into his illustrious career and equally impactful personal life in the new documentary Ailey.
Directed by Jamila Wignot, Ailey highlights so many of the essential works of Ailey’s career, including his creation of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and as a mentor to generations of gifted, Black entertainers and activists. Wignot employs voice recordings from Ailey towards the end of his life as a way of creating a deeper portrait, one exploring his relationship with his mother and own sexuality (he died of AIDS-related complications in 1989). Ailey premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be released by Neon on July 23, and ahead of a stop at Tribeca, the first trailer has arrived.
Directed by Jamila Wignot, Ailey highlights so many of the essential works of Ailey’s career, including his creation of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and as a mentor to generations of gifted, Black entertainers and activists. Wignot employs voice recordings from Ailey towards the end of his life as a way of creating a deeper portrait, one exploring his relationship with his mother and own sexuality (he died of AIDS-related complications in 1989). Ailey premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be released by Neon on July 23, and ahead of a stop at Tribeca, the first trailer has arrived.
- 5/31/2021
- by Stephen Hladik
- The Film Stage
From “The Painter and the Thief” to “Apollo 11” and “Gunda,” Neon is proving to be a rich home to documentary film. The latest entry from the distributor is Jamila Wignot’s “Ailey,” a documentary about multi-hyphenate dancer, choreographer, director, and activist Alvin Ailey, who up until his death in 1989 inspired generations of dancers and founded the towering Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. “Ailey,” which first premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, releases on July 23 in theaters. Watch the official trailer for the film below.
Here’s the official synopsis, courtesy of Neon: “Many know the name Alvin Ailey, but how many know the man? Ailey’s commitment to searching for truth in movement resulted in pioneering and enduring choreography that centers on African American experiences. Director Jamila Wignot’s resonant biography grants artful access to the elusive visionary who founded one of the world’s most renowned dance companies,...
Here’s the official synopsis, courtesy of Neon: “Many know the name Alvin Ailey, but how many know the man? Ailey’s commitment to searching for truth in movement resulted in pioneering and enduring choreography that centers on African American experiences. Director Jamila Wignot’s resonant biography grants artful access to the elusive visionary who founded one of the world’s most renowned dance companies,...
- 5/27/2021
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, Apichatpong Weerasethakul round out contributors.
Neon has shown first footage from its one of its first productions, hitherto secret portmanteau feature The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, at Wednesday’s (May 19) The Big Screen Is Back theatrical showcase event in Los Angeles.
Jafar Panahi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul each shot personal segments during the pandemic. Neon produced and financed the film, described as a love letter to cinemas, and its storytellers.
The Year Of The Everlasting Storm will get a 2021 release and is...
Neon has shown first footage from its one of its first productions, hitherto secret portmanteau feature The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, at Wednesday’s (May 19) The Big Screen Is Back theatrical showcase event in Los Angeles.
Jafar Panahi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul each shot personal segments during the pandemic. Neon produced and financed the film, described as a love letter to cinemas, and its storytellers.
The Year Of The Everlasting Storm will get a 2021 release and is...
- 5/19/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, Apichatpong Weerasethakul round out contributors.
Neon has shown first footage from its one of its first productions, hitherto secret portmanteau documentary The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, at Wednesday’s (May 19) The Big Screen Is Back theatrical showcase event in Los Angeles.
Jafar Panahi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul each shot personal segments filmed during the pandemic. Neon produced and financed the film, described as a love letter to cinemas, and its storytellers.
The film will get a 2021 release and is one of the first three productions from Neon,...
Neon has shown first footage from its one of its first productions, hitherto secret portmanteau documentary The Year Of The Everlasting Storm, at Wednesday’s (May 19) The Big Screen Is Back theatrical showcase event in Los Angeles.
Jafar Panahi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul each shot personal segments filmed during the pandemic. Neon produced and financed the film, described as a love letter to cinemas, and its storytellers.
The film will get a 2021 release and is one of the first three productions from Neon,...
- 5/19/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Jafar Panahi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul contribute segments.
Neon has shown first footage from its one of its first productions, hitherto secret portmanteau documentary Year Of The Everlasting Storm, at Wednesday’s (May 19) The Big Screen Is Back theatrical showcase event in Los Angeles.
Jafar Panahi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul each shot personal segments filmed during the pandemic.
Year Of The Everlasting Storm will get a 2021 release and is one of three early productions from Neon, the others being Ben Wheatley’s...
Neon has shown first footage from its one of its first productions, hitherto secret portmanteau documentary Year Of The Everlasting Storm, at Wednesday’s (May 19) The Big Screen Is Back theatrical showcase event in Los Angeles.
Jafar Panahi, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul each shot personal segments filmed during the pandemic.
Year Of The Everlasting Storm will get a 2021 release and is one of three early productions from Neon, the others being Ben Wheatley’s...
- 5/19/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Coda, Jockey, Superior among initial wave of deal-making.
While there hasn’t been the usual post-opening weekend torrent of Sundance deals this year, business is getting done and Apple delivered a record $25m buy on feel-good multi-award winnerCODA.
Sundance always has a long tail and deals will trickle in for weeks and months after the event, which officially ends on February 3.
At time of writing buyers were circling Questlove’s documentary Summer Of Soul, Sean Ellis’s werewolf film Eight For Silver, Franz Kanz’s post-shooting massacre drama Mass, and Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr.’s thriller Wild Indian, among others.
While there hasn’t been the usual post-opening weekend torrent of Sundance deals this year, business is getting done and Apple delivered a record $25m buy on feel-good multi-award winnerCODA.
Sundance always has a long tail and deals will trickle in for weeks and months after the event, which officially ends on February 3.
At time of writing buyers were circling Questlove’s documentary Summer Of Soul, Sean Ellis’s werewolf film Eight For Silver, Franz Kanz’s post-shooting massacre drama Mass, and Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr.’s thriller Wild Indian, among others.
- 3/29/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Decal, the newly formed home entertainment distributor from Neon and Bleecker Street, has secured the North American rights to Gaia, a South African horror-thriller directed by Jaco Bouwer. The pic, which is set to debut in the Midnight section of the upcoming virtual SXSW this month, is slated for a theatrical release this Summer.
Starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk, the plot follows a park ranger on a surveillance mission in a primordial forest who encounters two survivalists living a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The boy and his philosophical father seem to have their own religion and a mysterious relationship to nature.
Tertius Kapp wrote the screenplay and produced the film with Bouwer and Jorrie van der Walt.
Ayo Kepher-Maat negotiated the deal for Decal along with Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films on behalf of filmmakers. XYZ is handling worldwide rights outside of South Africa.
Launched earlier this year,...
Starring Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Anthony Oseyemi, and Alex Van Dyk, the plot follows a park ranger on a surveillance mission in a primordial forest who encounters two survivalists living a post-apocalyptic lifestyle. The boy and his philosophical father seem to have their own religion and a mysterious relationship to nature.
Tertius Kapp wrote the screenplay and produced the film with Bouwer and Jorrie van der Walt.
Ayo Kepher-Maat negotiated the deal for Decal along with Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films on behalf of filmmakers. XYZ is handling worldwide rights outside of South Africa.
Launched earlier this year,...
- 3/5/2021
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Neon and Bleecker Street have formed the joint home entertainment distribution company Decal.
The standalone full-service operation, which is a joint venture between the two film labels, will handle distribution deals on the home entertainment rights to both Neon and Bleecker Street’s curated slate of features and will be overseen by Neon’s Andrew Brown and Bleecker’s Kent Sanderson.
In the current climate and upheaval in the film business, Decal will also be in the market of acquiring third-party content, offering an option for independent filmmakers to optimize the transactional window with both distributors’ strategic partnerships.
I’m told that Neon and Bleecker Street will handle their own costs, and reap their own revenues and profits on their respective titles. When it comes to handling third party content, each will pool resources and share in the returns.
The first Decal release will be Bleecker Street’s Supernova,...
The standalone full-service operation, which is a joint venture between the two film labels, will handle distribution deals on the home entertainment rights to both Neon and Bleecker Street’s curated slate of features and will be overseen by Neon’s Andrew Brown and Bleecker’s Kent Sanderson.
In the current climate and upheaval in the film business, Decal will also be in the market of acquiring third-party content, offering an option for independent filmmakers to optimize the transactional window with both distributors’ strategic partnerships.
I’m told that Neon and Bleecker Street will handle their own costs, and reap their own revenues and profits on their respective titles. When it comes to handling third party content, each will pool resources and share in the returns.
The first Decal release will be Bleecker Street’s Supernova,...
- 2/11/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
With nearly every feature film at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival reviewed, it’s time to wrap up the first major cinema event of the year. We already got the official jury and audience winners here, and now it’s time to highlight our favorites.
One will find our picks (in alphabetical order) to keep on your radar, followed by the rest of our reviews. Check out everything below and stay tuned to our site, and specifically Twitter, for acquisition and release date news on the below films in the coming months.
Ailey (Jamila Wignot)
Has any choreographer mattered more to American dance than Alvin Ailey? The documentary Ailey, directed by Jamila Wignot, makes a good case that there has not. Comprised of amazing archival footage, peer interviews, and choreographer Rennie Harris prepping a modern-day performance in honor of the artist, Wignot paints a full picture of a complicated man. Born...
One will find our picks (in alphabetical order) to keep on your radar, followed by the rest of our reviews. Check out everything below and stay tuned to our site, and specifically Twitter, for acquisition and release date news on the below films in the coming months.
Ailey (Jamila Wignot)
Has any choreographer mattered more to American dance than Alvin Ailey? The documentary Ailey, directed by Jamila Wignot, makes a good case that there has not. Comprised of amazing archival footage, peer interviews, and choreographer Rennie Harris prepping a modern-day performance in honor of the artist, Wignot paints a full picture of a complicated man. Born...
- 2/8/2021
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
CAA has signed documentarian Jamila Wignot, who recently premiered her latest Ailey at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival.
Wignot previously directed the Peabody, Emmy, and NAACP award-winning PBS miniseries African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. Her prior credits include the Peabody Award-winning Triangle Fire and and the Emmy-nominated episode Walt Whitman from PBS’ American Experience series.
As a producer, she has worked on W. Kamau Bell’s Bring the Pain and Musa Syeed’s 2018 indie feature A Stray.
Ailey, which explores dancer Alvin Ailey’s life and his connection to the dance company that still bears his name, was acquired by Neon out of Sundance.
Wignot previously directed the Peabody, Emmy, and NAACP award-winning PBS miniseries African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. Her prior credits include the Peabody Award-winning Triangle Fire and and the Emmy-nominated episode Walt Whitman from PBS’ American Experience series.
As a producer, she has worked on W. Kamau Bell’s Bring the Pain and Musa Syeed’s 2018 indie feature A Stray.
Ailey, which explores dancer Alvin Ailey’s life and his connection to the dance company that still bears his name, was acquired by Neon out of Sundance.
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