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Hoda Kotb may still be on maternity leave, but when she returns to work, her pup’s got this protectiveness thing covered.

The Today show host, 52, shared a photo to her Instagram account Friday, showing her dog Blake hanging out near her 5-week-old daughter Haley Joy, who’s engrossed in the toys hanging above her play mat.

“Guard dog! Good boy @blakeshelton!!!!” she captioned the snap of her daughter and 4-year-old pup who, yes, is named after her favorite musical artist Blake Shelton.

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those...

With animated food orgies, grotesque depictions of living objects hacked to pieces, and F-bombs galore, “Sausage Party” shatters taboos with glee. Now, its creators are getting the last laugh.

Co-writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg first conceived of the deranged animated comedy nearly a decade ago, and every studio passed on it. “We really naively thought everyone in Hollywood would be very enthusiastic about an R-rated comedy about a hot dog trying to uncover the meaning of existence,” Rogen told a New York crowd filled with members of the Academy’s animation branch last weekend. “We were wrong.”

Years later, with the help of Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures, “Sausage Party” came to vulgar life under the guidance of veteran animation directors Conrad Vernon (“Shrek 2”) and Greg Tiernan. To date, the movie has grossed over $138 million worldwide, well over its reported $19 million budget, inspiring distributor Sony to mount an...

It was recently announced that the long hoped-for remake of the 1962 Kaiju classic King Kong v. Godzilla is in the works. But how could such a film work today, considering subsequent changes in the characters and the jaded skepticism of modern audiences? Let’s take a look and see how this clash of Kaijus could work today. Keep in mind this is all just guess work and speculation.

People love “verses” films. Whether it’s Alien vs. Predator or Jason vs. Freddy or the upcoming Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, fans love to see two famous characters thrust together in one film to fight for supremacy. When you talk about Kaiju “verses” films, the ultimate monster battle of all time came in 1962 when the reigning king of giant beasts took on the original creature king. Toho Pictures’ hottest property, the mighty Godzilla, locked up with the ape that...

Last month Bill Plympton's outrageously funny and dazzling animated romance "Cheatin’" opened in theaters across the country and on Vimeo on Demand. The award-winning film was Kickstarter-backed by Pylmpton's fans around the world and has received widespread critical acclaim. Now, the “King of Indie Animation” has returned to Kickstarter to ask animation fans to support his new Tarantino-esque animated feature film, "Revengeance." The film, a biker revenge dark comedy, mark’s Plympton’s eighth animated feature. You can check out an exclusive preview of the movie Here.

For the first time in his career, Plympton is collaborating on a film; co-creating "Revengeance" with underground animator and cartoonist Jim Lujan ("Sanjourno Must Die," "Spike and Mike," "Freakdaddy"). The talented voice cast includes Dave Foley ("The Kids in the Hall"), Kristina Wong, Lalo Alcaraz, Ken Mora, Jim Lujan himself, and actor Matthew Modine.

Modine, a long-time supporter of independent animation, is best known as “Pvt. Joker” in Stanley Kubrick’s "Full Metal Jacket," and as “Deputy Commissioner Peter Foley” in Christopher Nolan’s "The Dark Knight Rises." He can next be seen in this Summer’s new TNT drama, "Proof," opposite Jennifer Beals. He previously voiced two short films ("Santa," "The Fascist Years" and "The Flying House") by Plympton and executive produced Plympton’s "Cheatin’."

“Bill’s new feature with Jim Lujan looks like a blast. I’m excited to voice both ‘Sid,’ a biker gang member, and ‘Master,’ a cult leader! It’s fun doing character work like this and I love traditional hand-drawn animation,” said Matthew Modine.

Plympton will produce, animate, and direct "Revengeance" while Lujan will write, design, compose music, and voice many of the characters. Producer Adam Rackoff who served as Executive Producer on Plympton’s "The Flying House" and "Cheatin’" is returning to Executive Produce "Revengeance." The film has already begun production and is based on an original screenplay written by Lujan.

Plympton’s Cheatin’ was a Kickstarter darling. The campaign, launched in 2012, raised $100,916, nearly $26,000 past the fundraising goal.

Commented Bill Plympton: “I met Jim Lujan years ago when he interviewed me about my film Idiots and Angels, and he gave me some of his DVDs. I was really impressed by his work and asked him if he’d be interested in collaborating on a film. When he sent me the script for 'Revengeance' it was like discovering a new world---the underbelly of Los Angeles with bikers, gangsters, drug dealers, crooked politicians, and prostitutes. It was really dark and fascinating. I was so excited to make his film and thus the pre- production journey began. It’s a delight to come back to Kickstarter and officially launch 'Revengeance!' I think Kickstarter is the future for independent filmmaking.”

Added Jim Lujan: “Getting to know Bill through the years has really been inspiring. He truly is the “king of indie animation” and such a great person. Bill has kicked doors down and allowed me to learn from him. I couldn’t ask for a better collaborator on 'Revengeance' and we are thrilled to get this project off the ground.”

There is only week left to support this promising and unique project. Supporters can receive a variety of rewards including signed DVDs, Blu-rays, rare artwork, original animation drawings, and personal caricatures by Plympton. For the right price, fans can even have their likeness animated into the film as an “extra.”

Other rewards for the "Revengeance" campaign include:

-A private link to the finished film for a pledge of only $15 or more,

-An exclusive "Revengeance" postcard autographed by Plympton for pledges of $35 or more,

-An HD Blu-ray of the film hand-signed by Plympton for pledges of $75 or more.

-For backers who can pledge $100, you can get either an original animation drawing from "Revengeance" or a collection of limited edition caricature prints from Bill’s early years as an illustrator.

-Those who pledge $300 can get a classic animation drawing from one "Your Face," The Tune," "How to Kiss" or Plympton's MTV work

-Fans who pledge $400 or $499 will be able to select a classic production cel or drawing from "Your Face," The Tune," "How to Kiss" or Plympton's MTV work

- $500 or more, will get you “Bill Plympton’s Super Fan Package” and a “special thanks” credit at the end of the film. This package includes nearly all of Plympton’s animated films and books, with everything autographed (6 DVDs, 2 CDs, 2 posters, and 3 books).

-For pledges $1,000 or more, fans receive an original 8.5 x 11 in Wanted poster featuring a caricature of themselves hand-drawn by Plympton.

-For the first time, fans can be animated into a Plympton film as an “extra” for pledges of $1,500 or more.

For the complete list of rewards, please visit the "Revengeance" Kickstarter page.

Bill Plympton is widely considered to be the “King of Indie Animation.” He has been nominated for Academy Awards for "Your Face" (1987) and "Guard Dog" (2004) and is the first person to hand-animate an entire feature film entirely by himself. Bill and his team have been busy keeping up with the hundreds of questions and requests that continue to come through the Kickstarter message boards. To view the Kickstarter page and pledge your support, please visit: http://kck.st/1aEhcVG. The campaign ends on May 21.

"Revengeance" is directed, animated, and produced by Bill Plympton; written, designed, voiced, and scored by Jim Lujan; and Executive Produced by Adam Rackoff and Matthew Modine.

Kickstarter: http://kck.st/1aEhcVG

Official Film Website: http://www.revengeancemovie.com...

The actor previously did voice work on two Plympton shorts – Santa, The Fascist Years and The Flying House – and served as executive producer on the filmmaker’s Cheatin’.

Revengeance is currently being funded on Kickstarter. As of May 4, the fund had accumulated $30,000 and more than 300 backers with more than three weeks left to go.

Modine will serve as executive producer alongside producing partner Adam Rackoff for their production company Cinco Dedos Peliculas.

“Bill’s new feature with Jim Lujan looks like a blast,” said Modine. “I’m excited to voice both Sid, a biker gang member, and Master, a cult leader. It’s fun doing character work like this and I love traditional hand-drawn animation.”

Modine has done voice work on a number of animations including Wrinkles, the Oscar-nominated A Cat In Paris and the upcoming Last Days Of Coney Island.

Plympton has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Your Face and Guard Dog. His latest...

Here's the official USA release trailer for Salma Hayek's adaptation of Khalil Gibran’s "The Prophet" - an animated feature for the big screen, co-produced with Doha Film Institute and Participant Media. Each of the chapters in the literary work was directed by a different filmmaker, including: Animation director Roger Allers ("The Lion King"), in charge of the through-line narrative, while individual chapters were handled by filmmakers like Tomm Moore ("The Secret Of Kells"), Joan Gratz ("Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase"), Bill Plympton ("Guard Dog and Your...

Independent filmmaking is not only a labor of love, is one of tireless perseverance, devoted collaborations, and unshakable faith on a project that may or may not remunerate anyone involved. Failure is not a vague possibility but a really possible outcome. Now let's take those incredibly challenging stakes and double them when speaking about independent animation. Indoctrinated by a lifetime of impeccably fairy tales and magical adventures, it's difficult for both American audiences and investors to see animation as an art form that shouldn't be bound to easily digestible, children-oriented themes.

Europe and Asia -Japan, in a particular - have a more sophisticated relationship with the medium. They understand its power, beauty and possibilities beyond the happy-ending artificiality we are used to. In the U.S. few voices in animation make waves while working outside of the studios grip, among them Bill Plympton is by far the most celebrated and prolific. His irreverent artistry has refuse to a align with the status quo both stylistically and thematically for the past 30 years.

In Plympton's films the artist is ever-present in the visible handcraft of every frame. Colorful, ironic, sometimes twisted, and others endearing, his characters, even with all the surrealism that coats them, are more human than those which are smoothly crafted digitally. His work feels alive and delves into a wondrous array of emotions, concerns, and tragedies that others avoid. To call it daring and one-of-a-kind would be an understatement.

His latest feature "Cheatin'," is a spellbinding tale that translate all the irrationality of love into an exhilarating animated experience. A man and a woman fall hopelessly in love for each other, but when they suspect the other is being unfaithful, hatred kicks in with the same force as their passion once did. Delightfully racy and visually stunning, this is the most audacious and intelligent animated film you will see this year.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Plympton about "Cheatin'" and the challenges and privileges associated with being an independent animator in a profit-driven world.

Aguilar: Your films, both shorts and features, often take us into extraordinarily imaginative trips, but they also seem to come from everyday issues we can all relate to. Tell me about the origins of “Cheatin’” and about transforming the familiar premise of a relationship in trouble into an animated wonder.

Bill Plympton : It’s taken from a real relationship I had that went very bad and we decided to break up because we were so bad together. I thought this would be a good idea for a film because there would a lot of humor in it. There is always a lot of humor in conflict and there was a lot of conflict in our relationship. Around 2009 I made a list of all the scenes I wanted to include. Once I got that down I started doing a storyboard. This was a tiny storyboard it wasn’t a big one. When I had that figured out then I went and did the finished storyboard, and this is where all the real problems are answered. This is where I design the characters, I design the editing, I design the story, I design the backgrounds. Everything was resolved in that major storyboard. I liked it, I thought it was a great idea and had good potential. Then I went right into animation.

Aguilar: The surreal, dream-like sequences are a highlight of the film. They are inventive metaphors that really showcase a refreshing and uncompromising use of the medium.

Bill Plympton: That’s the magic of animation, you can go on these crazy surreal dream-like sequences. They are really fun to draw and fun to watch. My favorite is the one where Ella is sitting on a park bench and she discovers her heart. She discovers romance. You realize she’s been hiding her love deep inside of her soul. She wants to go inside and discover her heart, bring it out, and revive it. That’s when she falls in love with this guy named Jake. I think that was a very poetic sequence and it was done without dialogue, it’s all visual storytelling. It’s one of my favorite parts.

Aguilar: As you mentioned, the film doesn’t have any dialogue. It’s completely cinematic, yet you are able to convey rather complex ideas. Why did you feel this was the best approach for a film like “Cheatin’”?

Bill Plympton: You use the word cinematic and that’s one of my favorite words. It really is about storytelling with images. I’ve done that before even when I was doing illustration. I would do cartoon strips, sequential comic strips with 10 or 12 panels and not use any dialogue. I always felt that was a very powerful and poetic way to tell a story. Then when I started doing animation I did some of my shorts without dialogue such as all the Guard Dog films. They had no dialogue and they were very successful. Therefore, with “Idiots and Angels” I decided to try to make a feature film without dialogue. Nobody had any problem with it, nobody complaint about it having no dialogue, so I felt pretty sure that I could make “Cheatin’” also without words. Sure enough everybody likes the idea that there’s no dialogue, no one’s complaint about it. But you know, I’m not a very good writer of dialogue [Laughs], so it made sense for me to use this way to tell a story. It’s often times more powerful that way.

Aguilar: Would you say it’s more difficult to devise visual sequences that express what you want to say rather than having the characters say it?

Bill Plympton: Occasionally there might be some places where I wish I could put dialogue, but eventually I’ll find a solution to tell it visually and it’s actually more successful that way. I find it easier to make a film without dialogue simply because doing all the lip-sync, the recording, and the editing of words is really time-consuming and work-intensive, so for me it’s easier to draw without the words.

Aguilar: Tell me about the visual style and how you draw your characters. They have a very peculiar aesthetic with a certain entrancing fluidity. I also love the fact that you can see the handcraft in the lines throughout the film.

Bill Plympton: I started out as an illustrator so I love the act of drawing, and I love drawing people, to me that’s the pleasure. But with this film I really wanted to exaggerate. For example, Jake’s body, his physique with the real tight abdominal muscles, was fun to do. I wanted to really stretch the anatomy, to really push the deformations of muscles in the arms, and the crazy positions a lot more because I just felt that this film needed to be more exaggerated. It’s a very stylized film and it’s kind of an opera in fact. Their passions are so over-the-top that it felt like an opera, so I wanted to stretch the characterization a lot more. That’s why I used Nicole Renaud’s music, because she writes very European, operatic kind of music and I felt that worked really well with the story and with the characters.

Aguilar: Nicole Renaud’s music definitely gives the film a unique feel that is retro but also timeless. However, there are many other elements in the film that make us wonder about where and when it takes place. It all blends beautifully.

Bill Plympton: I love that retro feel. It’s a real mélange of different techniques, styles, and eras. The cars are kind of like 30s or 40s cars, which I think are really fun to draw. The clothes are also from that era. The soul machine is kind of retro from old showbiz - vaudeville kind of shows. The music is European, and the architecture is kind of Southern border town with lots of overhanging balconies, shadows and shade. For me shadows are really a part of the drawing, and I love drawing shadows because it realty fills out the dimensions of the characters, it gives them weight. I love doing shadows, and that’s why I set the story in a desert town, but you’ll see a couple palm tress in there. It’s really a mixture of different eras and locations.

Aguilar: Unfortunately, we, as audiences, have been trained to think of animation as a medium that’s exclusively for children’s content, but your films take a different direction and use the medium to tell stories involving more adult subjects. Films like yours prove that this is much broader storytelling medium.

Bill Plympton: That’s a really important point that you are talking about, and I really appreciate that. I think animation can be a full spectrum of different storytelling techniques and different genres. I think it’s sad that there is only one audience that the studios are aiming for and that’s the kid audience. It’s really tragic that they don’t’ make films for older people. People like me. I know a lot of the Pixar artists and they all have real lives where they have affairs, and they have jealousies, they have divorces, and these are real adult themes that they’ve lived through, but they are not allowed to make films using these themes simply because that would ruin their kiddy market. I feel that I can’t complete with them doing kids films, but I do want to make films that deal with issues that I think about everyday like romance, sex, and serious stuff. I’m not competing with them, I’m showing an alternative, and I’m showing a different road that they can take. I want to make films that are different, films that are unique, I don’t want to make the same old children’s’ fairy tale, I want to make something that’s real and that’s about our dreams, our thoughts, and out passions. That to me is what “Cheatin’” is all about.

Aguilar: In the U.S. 2D animation is scarce. For many years now CG has become the norm, but there is still something incredibly special about hand-drawn projects. Why do you prefer this technique in particular?

Bill Plympton: That’s one of the reasons I couldn’t get distribution, of course one was that it wasn’t a kiddy film, and the other was that it wasn’t computer animation. I like the idea of seeing a film that has the artist’s hand in there,a film where you can see his strokes, you can see his working patterns. It's like going to a museum and seeing a Renoir drawing. You want to see their work and you want to see how they put it together. For me to see that in animation is really fresh, it’s really exciting, it’s really original. That’s why I hope people will come see the film, because it’s a very unique film and it has a very special style and look.

Aguilar: Tell me about financing ”Cheatin’” through Kickstarter and finding a way to make your film when the big studios are not supportive of your ideas.

Bill Plympton: Kickstarter and platforms like it are going to chance the way people make movies in the U.S and all over the world. In the past I’ve had to go begging to the big studios, show my stories, and do a dog and pony show to kind of pitch, and pitch and pitch. This is very frustrating because there is so much rejection involved. But now, I don’t need to go to the studios. If I need money for a project I got to my fans, who are really the people that I should go to anyway. The studios don’t understand what I’m trying to do, they don’t care about what I’m trying to do, but the fans do, the fans love what I do, and the fans support me. They want to see more films from me, so it makes sense that I go straight to them rather than the studios.

Aguilar: You are such a prolific artist, besides “Cheatin’” you also recently released the short “Footprints,” which was shortlisted by the Academy. Where do you search for new ideas that can work as animated films and how do you choose what project to do next?

Bill Plympton: When I was doing illustrations for magazines I built up an “idea file,” which had folders of ideas that I wanted to develop. The file has gotten so big now that I have too many ideas, but not enough time or money to make all the films. I like to draw them all myself, so it’s very important that I select the right film to make next. I select them based on whatever film would give me the most pleasure. The good thing about being independent is that no one is going to say I can’t do that. I don’t have to wait for a big producer to say “Here is your green light go ahead on it.” I can greenlight it myself, and that’s a real luxury that is worth the price of being an independent artist. I have three or four features that I want to do next. They are all lined up. I also have two or three shorts that are ready to go too. They are all storyboarded and ready but I have to use my time wisely.

Aguilar: Which of these projects you are developing are you focused on now? Where can we expect to see them?

Bill Plympton: There are two feature films I’m working on now. One is a mockumentary about Adolf Hitler. It’s crazy. Hitler was a big fan of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and I thought it would be very funny to create an alternative reality where Hitler became the Walt Disney of Europe. The other one is called “Revengeance” and it’s written by Jim Lujan, who is also an animator. He wrote the story, deigned the characters and did the voices. That one is about a third of the way done, so that’ll be about probably next year.

Aguilar: “Cheatin’” is finally opening this week theatrically. Where can people see it? I understand you will be present at some of the screening.

Bill Plympton: Yes, “Cheatin’” opens April 3rd at the Village East in New York. I will be there every night to sign autographs for everybody and to introduce the film. It also opens across the country after April 12th. I’ll be touring for about two weeks making special appearances throughout the U.S. Then it will be available on Vimeo on Demand starting April 21st. Also on iTunes, through Shorts International, you will be able to get all my backlog of shorts. There is almost 15 hours of cartoons that I’ve doing for the last 30 years. People can find out more about where “Cheatin’” is playing and more about the film at http://cheatinmovie.com/...

Here's a trailer for Salma Hayek's adaptation of Khalil Gibran’s "The Prophet" - an animated feature for the big screen, co-produced with Doha Film Institute and Participant Media. Each of the chapters in the literary work was directed by a different filmmaker, including: Animation director Roger Allers ("The Lion King"), in charge of the through-line narrative, while individual chapters were handled by filmmakers like Tomm Moore ("The Secret Of Kells"), Joan Gratz ("Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase"), Bill Plympton ("Guard Dog and Your Face"), Nina...

Salma Hayek can breathe easy now. Her passion project "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet" is finally coming to the big screen. Directed by Roger Allers ("The Lion King"), "The Prophet" is a collaborative animated tale featuring individual "chapters" from animation legends such as Tomm Moore ("The Secret of Kells" "Song of the Sea"), Joan Gratz (Academy Award winner for "Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase"),  Bill Plympton ("Guard Dog and Your Face"), Paul and Gaetan Brizzi ("Fantasia 2000") and Mohammed Harib ("Freej"), among others.  It's based on Gilbran's 1923 book and features a voice cast including Hayek, Liam Neeson,  Quvenzhané Wallis, John Krasinski, Frank Langella and Alfred Molina.  The film's score is by Oscar winner Gabriel Yared ("The English Patient") and it also includes additional music from  Damien Rice, Glenn Hansard ("Once") and Lisa Hannigan.  So, yes, that's a lot of pedigree talent in the mix. "The Prophet" debuted to positive reviews at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival,...

Here’s a first look at the new trailer and poster for Cheatin,’ the award-winning, surreal animated adult tale of love, jealousy, revenge, and murder.

Inspired by the work of James M. Cain (“Double Indemnity”, “The Postman Always Rings Twice”), Cheatin’ marks Academy Award nominated Bill Plympton’s seventh animated feature film.

The film screened at the St. Louis International Film Festival in November 2014. In his Sliff review, Jim Batts called the film, “a wonderful, imaginative featuree animated film,” adding Plympton is, “at the zenith of his artistic powers here, with a long-form film that captures all of the charm of his quirky shorts.”

In a fateful bumper car collision, Jake and Ella meet and become the most loving couple in the long history of Romance.

But when a scheming “other” woman drives a wedge of jealousy into their perfect courtship, insecurity spells out an untimely fate.

With only the...

Gkids, a distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences, has acquired the North American rights to "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet," a film inspired by the beloved classic book by Kahlil Gibran.  The gorgeously-animated story was crafted in a collaboration with artists, animators and musicians. The film was written and directed by Roger Allers ("The Lion King"), and individual "chapters" based on Gibran's poems have been designed and directed by various acclaimed animators from around the world, including Tomm Moore (Oscar nominee for "The Secret of Kells" and "Song of the Sea"), Joan Gratz (Oscar winner for "Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase"),  Bill Plympton (Oscar nominee for "Guard Dog" and "Your Face"), Nina Paley (Annecy winner for "Sita Sings the Blues"), Joann Sfar (Cesar winner for "The Rabbi's Cat"), Paul and Gaetan Brizzi...

Tim here, with another look at one of the lower-profile submissions to the Academy in the Best Animated Feature category. This time around, we’ve got Cheatin’, the sixth feature-length animated movie from Bill Plympton (seven if we count an anthology made of his earlier shorts), one of most iconic names in independent American animation. I will not say that to see his work is to love his work – there’s too much aggressive grotesquerie in his character designs and morbid humor for that to be true – but I do think that it’s pretty hard to imagine anyone watching his beloved Oscar-nominated 2004 short Guard Dog and not walking out a committed fan.

In the meanwhile, we’re here to talk about Cheatin’, and what an absolutely wonderful film it is, too. It would be hard to defend it as Plympton’s best work: his sense of humor works so...

While some Afm buyers were sitting on their wallets and spilling blood this year in hopes of scoring Quentin Tarantino’s Hateful Eight, others were ponying up for the schlock and genre awe that still sells in Santa Monica. This year a new trend brought heat to the halls of the Loews: Ebola. Not just ebola, but ebola zombies. Is anyone out there ready to see ebola spread to the undead?

Here’s one way to defuse the tacky sensationalism of Afm schlock-hawking: Apologize in advance. “Is it too soon?” genre seller Rob Hauschild asked the buyers and lookyloos who stopped, did double takes, and even took selfies with the poster for Ebola Zombies this year. He’d break the ice with a smile and a sheepish shrug. “I’m sorry!”

The audacity worked; Hauschild sold Ebola Zombies to Germany and is closing a deal with a Japanese distributor for his Wild Eye Releasing,...

Cheatin’ screens at the Tivoli Theatre on Saturday, November 15 at 3 Pm as part of the 23rd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival. Order your tickets here

To para-phrase John Melloncamp’s classic tune, here’s “A little ditty ’bout Jake and Ella”. Or to be more concise, here’s a wonderful, imaginative feature animated film from the warped pencil of cartooning master Bill Plympton. He’s the man who directed the Oscar nominated shorts “Your Face ” and “Guard Dog” and went on to full-length features like The Tune and I Married A Strange Person. Well, he’s at it again with a story of two star-crossed lovers who meet on a fateful day at the carnival’s bumper car ride. Ella is a vision who hovers over the ground in a bright yellow flowing dress and bonnet with ribbons that leave a pink trail, her “kewpie doll’-like face,...

Early predictions have emerged for most Academy Award categories. As the studios reveal their hopeful offers to be released in the final months of the year, the speculation increases. But despite all the information available on the centerpiece awards, other more obscure races remain a complete mystery at this point. Among these, the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar is almost certainly the most complex to prognosticate. The lengthy process that precedes the announcement of the final nominees makes for a competition that begins months in advance in nations around the globe.

Having the opportunity to submit only one film, each country must carry out its own selection process. Once these decisions have been made, their chosen works will compete to make it to the nine-film shortlist, and eventually into the final five slots. Although this procedure allows for a certain degree of democracy, it also excludes all those other films that were left behind in their homelands. This, in turn, gives us a narrow view of what is being produced abroad.

Therefore, after lots of research and arduous educated guessing to put it together, the list below offers a more insightful look at this race before the actual individual selections are announced. For the sake of time, the amount of films is limited to five per country, but in some cases the choices are scarcer and less films are listed. While trying to speculate is always an uncertain endeavor, the factors taken into account to determine which are some of this year’s most important films in each country and their prospects of being chosen as their representative at the Academy Awards, were varied. Festival exposure, release date, the country’s previous submissions, and even the thematic elements of a few of them were considered to create this piece.

Clearly nothing is definitive at this point, but at the very least, this compilation will provide a sense of what the film industries in these territories are putting out and sharing with the world.

It is important to note that several of the films mentioned below are being handled by Mundial, a joint venture between Im Gobal and Canana, including "Gueros," "A Wolf at the Door," and "The Liberator."

Here is the first list dedicated to the Americas

Argentina

With four films presented at Cannes and several others receiving praise in festivals around the world, Argentina has several interesting options this year. Unfortunately, Lisandro Alonso’s period piece “Jauja” will almost certainly be ineligible due to its November release date, unless a qualifying one-week run is scheduled. That scenario seems unlikely. Screening in the Directors’ Forthnight, Diego Lerman’s “Refugee” (Refugiado) will open on October 3rd, also a few days after the deadline. That leaves the Almodovar-produced “Wild Tales” as the undisputed favorite. Acclaimed films such as “Natural Sciences," “The Third Side of the River”, “El Ardor“ (staring Gael Garcia Bernal), and “La Paz” are longer shots but still viable choices.

1. "Wild Tales" (Relatos Salvajes)

2. "Natural Sciences" (Ciencias Naturales)

3."The Ardor" (El Ardor)

4."The Third Side of the River" (La Tercera Orilla)

5."La Paz"

Bolivia

The last time the landlocked country submitted a film was back in 2009. However, this year offers several possibilities for the Bolivian film industry. Given its production value and historical theme, it is likely that - if they choose to send a film - it will be Mexican director Carlos Bolado’s “Forgotten” (Olvidados), which deals with the 70s Operation Condor. Another likely choice is “Yvy Maraey,” which highlights the mysticism of the country’s indigenous people and is the latest work by Juan Carlos Valdivia, whose films have represented Bolivia in 3 out of the 6 occasions they’ve participated. A long delayed road trip flick (“Once Upon a Time in Bolivia”) and a unique documentary (“Apricot”) round up the list of contenders.

1. "Forgotten" (Olvidados)

2. "Yvy Maraey: Land Without Evil" (Yvy Maraey: Tierra Sin Mal)

3. "Once Upon a Time in Bolivia" (Erase una vez en Bolivia)

4. "Apricot" (Durazno)

Brazil

Producing an impressive amount of films per year, the Brazilian film industry is seeing incredible progress recently. Particularly this year, the quality of works was exceptional across the board. Having such an overflow of great material could make it difficult to select just one. However, there are a few films that standout amongst the crowd. Fernando Coimbra’s debut feature “A Wolf at the Door” is undoubtedly the one to beat after receiving rave reviews and touring some of the most important international festivals. Its biggest competitors are the quiet character study “The Man of the Crowd” and the adorable coming-of-age tale “The Way He Looks.” Rounding up the top five are locally acclaimed “Runriver” and powerful Lgbt drama “Futuro Beach.”

1. "A Wolf at the Door" (O Lobo atrás da Porta)

2. "The Man of the Crowd" (O Homem das Multidões)

3. "The Way He Looks" (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)

4. "Riverrun" (Riocorrente)

5. "Futuro Beach" (Praia do Futuro)

Canada

This definitely seems like Xavier Dolan’s year. After sharing an award with New Wave patriarch Jean-Luc Godard in Cannes, the 25-year-old prodigy is almost a safe bet having two films that could represent his country. While “Mommy” is the clear favorite, it will have to go against “An Eye for Beauty, ” the latest film from Oscar-winner Denys Arcand. Both films will screen at Tiff in the upcoming weeks, just as time runs out for Canada to nominate a film by the end of September. Less probable but still great options are Dolan’s own “Tom at the Farm,” quirky black-and-white dramedy “Tu Dors Nicole,” and the well-received rural family drama “The Auction. ”

1. "Mommy"

2. "An Eye for Beauty" (Le Règne de la Beauté)

3. "Tom at the Farm" (Tom à la ferme)

4. "You's Sleeping Nicole" (Tu Dors Nicole)

5. "The Auction" (Le démantèlement)

Chile

Here is one of the few countries in the region with a very clear choice, but which sadly might decide to miss that opportunity. Alejandro Fernández Almendras ‘“To Kill a Man” won at Sundance, Rotterdam, Berlin, Cartagena amongst several other festivals and has received extremely positive reactions from critics and audiences. Yet, its opening date in its homeland (October 16th) might prevent it from being selected, which would be a regrettable mistake. A one-week run or an earlier release date would be a worthwhile investment. If they decide to leave it behind for next year, this great film would definitely miss its chance. If that is the case, the South American nation, which in recent years has garnered incredible success with films like “No” and “Gloria,” might decide to go with “The Dance of Reality,” the first film in over 20 years by veteran auteur Alejandro Jodorowsky. Other plausible candidates include “Illiterate” (starring Paulina Garcia), Marcela Said’s remarkable “The Summer of Flying Fish,” and historical biopic “Neruda.”

1. "To Kill a Man" (Matar a un Hombre)

2. "The Dance of Reality" (La Danza de la Realidad)

3. "Illiterate" (Las Analfabetas)

4. "The Summer of Flying Fish" (El Verano de los Peces Voladores)

5. "Neruda"

Colombia

Being forced to resort to mainstream cartel-themed fare in past occasions, this year has fortunately seen a fantastic reemergence of auteur-driven works in the country. Cartagena winner “Dust on the Tongue” is by far the most promising Colombian offer of the year with a thought-provoking premise. Next in line is “Mateo” about a young man struggling to pursue his passion for theater while living in a crime-ridden community. Other films include the touching “Catching Fireflies,” apocalyptic comedy “Chronicle of the End of the World,” and music-infused romance “Ciudad Delirio.” Franco Lolli’s award-winning “Gente de Bien” doesn’t have a release date yet, but will probably be in the running next year.

1. "Dust on the Tongue" (Tierra en la Lengua)

2. "Mateo"

3. "Chasing Fireflies" (Cazando Luciernagas)

4. "Chronicle of the End of the World" (Crónica del Fin del Mundo)

5. "Ciudad Delirio"

Costa Rica

Having three great films eligible for consideration, Costa Rica will likely enter the Oscar race for what would be only the third time in its history. Without a doubt, the country is spearheading Central America in terms of increased film production. Lauded throughout multiple festivals, “Red Princesses,” about a girl growing up in the Sandinista-era, is the most notable work. “Port Father,” a coming-of-age drama set in a coastal town and the comedy “All About the Feathers” are the other two that could be picked. Regardless of which one is selected, they all serve as an encouraging sign of growth for the Costa Rican industry.

1. "Red Princesses" (Princesas Rojas)

2. "Port Father" (Puerto Padre)

3. "All About the Feathers" (Por las Plumas)

Cuba

Hosting the Havana International Film Festival and its consistent investment in local talent make Cuba a unique place for film in the Caribbean. In spite of this, only a few national productions have reached cinemas this year. The three notable titles revolve around personal stories of survival and the struggles associated with living on the island. Winner of several international awards, “Behavior” is the clear favorite. “Melaza,” another local drama dealing with the economic challenges Cubans face and the gay love story “The Last Match,” complete the trio.

1. "Behavior" (Conducta)

2."Melaza"

3. "The Last Match" (La Partida)

Dominican Republic

For its size, this island nation has an impressive working industry that steadily produces films in diverse genres. The Dominican Republic will almost certainly participate again with one of the works by its homegrown talent. Screening in Toronto last year, crime romance “Cristo Rey” has the highest probability of being chosen. In second place is the documentary “The Mountain,” which centers on a unique expedition to Mount Everest by a Dominican team. Passionate road trip story “To the South of Innocence” and psychological thriller “Despertar ” conform the list of options.

1. "Cristo Rey"

2. "The Mountain"(La Montaña)

3. "To the South of Innocence" (Al Sur de la Inocencia)

4. "Despertar"

Ecuador

Seemingly dormant for many decades, the Ecuadorian film industry has recently exploded. Even though they have only submitted three times in the past, it appears they plan to make their presence more consistent moving forward. What is even more surprising, are the numerous alternatives they have to make their selection. At the top of the list is “Holiday,” which premiered in Berlin and has received considerable praise. Two other art house offers, “Silence in Dreamland” and “Saudade,” could be serious contenders. “Girl Without Fear,” a gritty crime film and “The Facilitator,” a politically charged work, have less chances but are still interesting offers.

1. "Holiday" (Feriado)

2. "Silence in Dreamland" (El Silencio en la Tierra de los Sueños)

3. "Saudade"

4. "Girl With No Fear" (Ciudad Sin Sombra)

5. "The Facilitator" (El Facilitador)

El Salvador

Sporadically producing feature length works due to the lack of initiatives that facilitate their funding, El Salvador has never entered the race. Nevertheless, there are three films that could potentially be submitted: Supernatural horror film "The Supreme Book," romantic comedy "The Re-Search," and the more viable choice, " The Four Cardinal Points," a documentary about the diverse lifestyles throughout the tiny country. The latter was exhibited commercially as part of Ambulante El Salvador for about a week, which could possibly make it eligible. But in all honesty, it is hard to think they’ll feel so inclined as to participate.

1. "El Salvador: The Four Cardinal Points" (El Salvador: Cuatro Puntos Cardinales)

2. "The Re-Search" (La ReBusqueda)

3. "The Supreme Book" (El Libro Supremo)

Guatemala

With only one submission under their belt back in 1994 and several missed opportunities in recent years, Guatemala might opt to remain out of the spotlight once again. If, however, they change their mind, there are three films that qualify to be entered. Focusing on the indigenous Maya‘s beliefs and legends, “Where the Sun is Born” is surely the most authentic and visually powerful of these films. Then there is “Pol,” a story about two teenage friends and their mishaps. Lastly, there is “12 Seconds,” a sort of slasher flick set in the countryside. It’s been 20 years since their last try, it wouldn’t hurt to see them make the effort once again.

1. "Where the Sun is Born" (Donde Nace el Sol)

2. "Pol"

3. "12 Seconds" (12 Segundos)

Honduras

Although they have never submitted an entry, the Central American country is showing signs of progress in terms of its film industry. With only two local, low budget films released this year, it is highly unlikely they will enter. Nevertheless, they do have an eligible film “11 Cipotes,” a sports comedy about a soccer team in a small town. The other film, “The Zwickys,” is surprisingly ineligible because it is mostly in English.

1. "11 Kids" (11 Cipotes)

Mexico

Now that the Mexican Academy has announced their shortlist - which strangely and inexplicably includes titles that have no scheduled release dates or that will be released after AMPAS' deadline (September 30th, 2014) - the landscape has dramatically changed. Three of the original selections mentioned here (“The Empty Hours,” “Potosi,” and “ Club Sandwich”) are not included among the finalists. It is important to note that films need to be submitted by the filmmakers in order to be considered by the Mexican Academy. One can assume that these films, though they qualify, decided not to participate. The 21 films listed include several documentaries such as “Purgatorio: A Journey Into the Heart of the Border,” “Disrupted” (Quebranto), “Eufrosina’s Revolution” (La Revolución de los Alcatraces), and “H2Omx" among others. But even if many of these are outstanding films, it is highly unlikely that the Academy will decide to go with a documentary over a narrative given their track record and the other options available. Comedic offers like the charming “Paraíso” by Mariana Chenillo, "Flying Low" (Volando Bajo), and "The Last Call" (Tercera Llamada) also made it in. Just like last year with “Instructions Not Included,” most people could assume that the film with the most commercial prospects would make for a good candidate for Oscar consideration, in this case that would be the biopic “Cantinflas," which was also listed. Fortunately, however, the selection committee often prefers to bet on films honored internationally regardless of their controversial content (“Heli,” “After Lucia,” “Silent Light,” “The Crime of Father Amaro”).

With the new additions, the possibilities have shifted. On the top spot is Alonso Ruiz Palacios’ black and white debut “Güeros,” which won in Berlin and Tribeca, and screened at Karlovy Vary. The festival pedigree will definitely help this unique road trip film set in Mexico City during the late 90s. The runner up is Luis Urquiza’s “Perfect Obedience,” though it did not have any festival exposure or a highly profitable theatrical run, the local critics praised the compelling portrayal of a depraved Catholic priest with satirical undertones. It would definitely make for a great contender if the Academy were willing to run the risk given its controversial subject matter. At number three we have Christian Diaz Pardo’s “Gonzalez,” an intriguing drama about a man looking to change his destiny by joining a for profit evangelical church. Dark comedy “ Workers,” by Salvadoran filmmaker Jose Luis Valle, comes in at number four. Lastly, there is Luis Estrada’s long awaited new film “The Perfect Dictatorship,” which made the cut despite having an October 16th release date. The film could definitely come into play; however, voters should consider the fact that its premise and humor might be too specific to the Mexican political idiosyncrasies to connect with foreign voters. Two other films that might be in the race next year are “Perpetual Sadness” (La Tirisia) and “ The Well” (Manto Acuifero)

1."Güeros"

2. "Perfect Obedience" (Obediencia Perfecta)

3. "Gonzalez"

4. "Workers"

5. "The Perfect Dictatorship" (La Dictadura Perfecta)

Nicaragua

With three submissions in over 30 years (1982, 1988, 2010), Nicaragua is the Central American nation with the most attempts at Oscar glory. More astonishing perhaps, is the fact that their first ever entry, “Alsino and the Condor,” earned them a nomination. These days production is almost non-existent. Still, the country’s most prolific filmmaker Florence Jaugey, responsible for their last submission “La Yuma,” made a small documentary titled “Class Days." It is just over 50 minutes long but actually had a theatrical run. Though eligible, it’s probable they’ll decide to skip this year. On the other hand, Jaugey has just finished a new narrative new feature, “The Naked Screen” (La Pantalla Desnuda), which will surely be part of the conversation next year.

1. "Class Days" (Dias de Clase)

Panama

An unprecedented amount of national productions were scheduled to premier in Panama during 2014. All of those four films - which by the country’s standards is an exceptional number - are documentaries. However, only two of them will be eligible given their set release dates. Out of those two, the top choice would certainly be Abner Benaim’s “Invasion” which uses reenactments in lieu of archive footage to revisit the American military intervention in the Central American country in 1989. The runner-up, “Majesty,” deals with the more lighthearted subject of carnival queens. In any case, should Panama decide to submit a film, this would be their first ever appearance.

1. "Invasion"

2. "Majesty" (Reinas)

Paraguay

Disappointed after missing the chance to submit last year's surprise hit “7 Boxes”due to the lack of a selection committee, Paraguayan authorities have stressed their wish to send a film to compete this time around. Unfortunately, it appears that their two best options might be scheduled to open theatrically past the Academy’s deadline. The documentary “Cloudy Times,” a Swiss co-production, has garnered positive reactions internationally and would be their best shot. A second choice could be the crime flick “Filthy Luck,” which sports a decent production value. But if neither of them manages to qualify, then the country’s only other option is yet another crime film “End of the Line.” In any case, hopefully they follow through with their intentions and participate for the first time.

1. "Cloudy Times" (El Tiempo Nublado)

2. "Filthy Luck" (Luna de Cigarras)

3. "End of the Line" (Fin de Linea)

Peru

The eclectic collection of Peruvian films released this year speaks of the great development the medium is experiencing in that country. The five films mentioned here represent the array of genres and stories coming out of Peru today. Given its incredible reception abroad, dark comedy “The Mute” by Daniel Vega Vidal & Diego Vega Vidal is undoubtedly the frontrunner. Behind it comes the intriguing thriller “Guard Dog” starring Peruvian star Carlos Alcántara, multi-narrative drama “The Gospel of the Flesh,” romantic tearjerker “Trip to Timbuktu,” and “Old Friends” about a group of elderly men on a mission. Definitely a though decision needs to be made.

1. "The Mute" (El Mudo)

2. "Guard Dog" (Perro Guardian)

3. "The Gospel of the Flesh" (El Evangelio de la Carne)

4. "Trip to Timbuktu" (Viaje a Tombuctu)

5. "Old Friends" (Viejos Amigos)

Uruguay

Last year the country decided to take a chance and submit the adorable animated film “Anina,” which despite not getting a nomination has become a great success. This time they have “The Militant,” a serious contender about a man retuning to his late father’s hometown. Empowered by a positive festival run, this seems to be their most ideal option. “23 Seconds,” a drama about an unlikely connection between two people and “Mr. Kaplan,” a buddy comedy by Álvaro Brechner - whose previous film “A Bad Day to Go Fishing” was selected a few years back - are the next best choices. The remaining film “At 60 km/h” is a documentary about a unique journey around the world.

1. "The Militant" (El Lugar del Hijo)

2. "23 Seconds" (23 Segundos)

3. "Mr. Kaplan"

4. "At 60 Km/h" (A 60 Km/h)

Venezuela

Dubbed as “the most expensive film ever made in Latin America” and focusing on the accomplishments of the country’s most important historical figure, selecting “The Liberator” is simply a no-brainer. Added to those qualities, the film is actually an elegantly achieved period piece that really showcases the sizable budget and director Alberto Arvelo’s talent. Two of his previous films have also represented his country in the past. On the other hand, this has been a monumental year for Venezuelan films. Festival darling “Bad Hair” would be the perfect choice if it weren’t going against the imposing major production. Other important films that could figure in the mix but have much less prospects are the emotional road-trip film “The Longest Distance,” the women-centered drama “Liz in September,” and the acclaimed thriller “Solo.”

1. "The Liberator" (El Libertador)

2. "Bad Hair" (Pelo Malo)

3. "The Longest Distance" (La Distnacia Mas Larga)

4. "Liz in September" (Liz en Septiembre)

5. "Solo"...

Image from The ABC’s of Death 2. Chapter directed by Erik Matti

The ABCs of Death 2 now officially has a release date and it is just in time for Halloween. The film will be released by Magnet and Drafthouse Films on VOD on October 2nd and a limited theatrical run a few weeks later on the 31st .

The sequel is a follow-up to 2012’s horror anthology The ABCs of Death and, like its predecessor, will contain 26 short horror films by some of the genre’s greatest minds. As expected with so many shorts, the original was a bit of a mixed bag. There were certainly some incredible shorts like D is for Dogfight directed by Marcel Sarmiento, T is for Toilet by Lee Hardcastle, U is for Unearthed by Ben Wheatley, X is for Xxl by Xavier Gens, and the disgusting L is for Libido by Timo Tjahjanto. There...

Crowdfunding campaigns are everywhere these days, and with this week’s report on the huge success of films financed through Kickstarter (more than 8,500 projects have made their goal since 2009), the number is sure to keep getting bigger. So, how do you choose which projects to help out, if that’s something you’re interested in? The easiest way to go is to find familiar talent, such as a veteran indie filmmaker looking to both avoid the established studios and financiers and focus on pleasing his fans rather than a suit with a checkbook. Animator Bill Plympton is a perfect model for how crowdfunding works best with an artist’s fanbase, by calling on and also giving back to the loyal followers as well as potential newbies. His latest feature, Cheatin’, is currently in the works and needs financial support, which he’s seeking through Kickstarter. It’s likely mostly people who know and love past “Plymptoons” like...

Legendary indie animator Bill Plympton was commissioned to produce a short film for The Simpsons‘ rotating “couch gag” for the show’s opening title credits. The result aired during the April 15 episode, “Beware My Cheating Bart.” In typical Plympton fashion, the 80-second spot combines humor, pathos and great sight gags to weave a tale of the lifelong love affair between Homer and his beloved couch. It’s a great piece that only makes us wonder how long until we get a full-length Santa’s Little Helper and Guard Dog crossover episode?

Plympton is currently working on his latest animated feature film Cheatin’ and will be releasing both a DVD of his re-imagining of the Windsor McKay film The Flying House and a new book called Make Toons That Sell (Without Selling Out).

You can follow the progress on all of his projects at his official website and on the Scribble Junkies blog.

"Not so well disguised."

Guard dog requiring too much lawsuit money for child maiming? Try this option. Mechatron is a 50 pound security drone with a 360 rotating turret, 8 range finding sonar sensors, and the capability to shoot plastic or brass bullets...in simple terms, it'll f*** something up. 

Whether it be protecting your house from intruders, or your back yard from raccoons, Mechatron will get the job done. The creators, the father-daughter team that is Beatty robotics made Mechatron and said it is capable of remote and fully autonomous control, and no plans have been made to mass produce the robot for sale...but it wouldn't hurt to harass them to motivate them right? Check out the video of Mechatron in action below

Mechatron Robot from Robert Beatty on Vimeo.

Email Me:MickJoest@Geektyrant.com Twitter: @MickJoest

Source: Hack A Day (http://hackaday.com/2011/09/18/mechatron-industrial-looking-security-bot/)

Source: Beatty Robotics (http://beatty-robotics.com/?p...

Here’s an interestingly animated music video for the song “No Room to Live” by indie rock band Times New Viking. While a live-action sequence was co-directed by Pelham Jonston and Brandon Reichard, about 40 artists from Ohio were asked to contribute a few animated frames to be laid over the live action. While many artists took a rotoscoped approach to their frames, several went off and produced wholly unconnected images. The end result is a cheerful, colorful video that zips by at a breakneck pace, which is somewhat at odds to the pace of the actual song.

This video was brought to my attention by artist Michael Neno, who contributed 12 frames that start at the 1:00 mark. Michael is an old pal of mine who introduced me to world of comic book fandom way back when I was a wayward youth. Actually, Michael’s approach to creating and critiquing art...

On April 22-23, Asbury Park, NJ will once again be taken over by the most toxic film festival in the world! (That’s a good thing.) The 12th annual Tromadance is two days and nights filled with depraved cinematic abuses that will leave you a shattered, emotional wreck. (That’s a good thing, too.)

This year, the fest will screen three feature films, a buttload of shorts, plus two mini-retrospectives.

The features are: 1. Drew Bolduc and Dan Nelson‘s gonzo The Taint, a social satire filled with so much gore and sexual degeneracy you might want to wear a raincoat to the screening; 2. Joshua Grannell‘s horror spoof All About Evil, starring Natasha Lyonne and Cassandra Peterson about a psychotic film auteur who kills people on camera; 3. Miguel Angel Vivas’ brutal assault film Kidnapped.

Some of the short film highlights include Victoria Cook‘s triumphant return to Tromadance with Devil...

I truly am a lucky guy! I got to hangout with Troma head cheese Lloyd Kaufman this past weekend at HorrorHound in Indianapolis and he's frakkin awesome!  Check out the latest PR on Tromadance which is coming up on April 22-23.

 

Tromadance Film Festival Announces

  

Official Feature Film Selections For 12th Tromadance Film Festival

March 28, 2011 (New York, NY)-  It was announced today by Tromadance Program Director Jonathan Lees, that the feature film selections for the Tromadance Film Fesitval (April 22-23, Asbury Park NJ) will be Drew Bolduc's The Taint, Joshua Grannell's All About Evil, and the East Coast premiere of Miguel Angel Vivas' Kidnapped. 

 

Also,  TromaDance will host a special block of New shorts from Academy Award nominated animator Bill Plympton, who will present Guard Dog Global Jam, The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger and The Flying House. These films represent the eclectic mix of...

It was announced today by Tromadance Program Director Jonathan Lees that the feature film selections for the Tromadance Film Fesitval (April 22-23 in Asbury Park, NJ) will be Drew Bolduc and Dan Nelson's The Taint, Joshua Grannell's All About Evil, and the East Coast premiere of Miguel Angel Vivas' Kidnapped.

Also, TromaDance will host a special block of New shorts from Academy Award-nominated animator Bill Plympton, who will present "Guard Dog Global Jam", "The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger", and "The Flying House". These films represent the eclectic mix of innovation and independence which makes Tromadance a truly visionary festival. You can learn more about the features and shorts at TromaDance.com.

TromaDance is the first film festival wholeheartedly devoted to filmmakers and fans. Unlike every other film festival, TromaDance does not charge filmmakers to submit their films. Entrance to all screenings is free and open to the public.

This was a piece of last week's news that we're getting to late - but is worth highlighting. It’s been reprinted 163 times, sold over 100 million copies and translated into over 40 different languages, so it comes as no surprise that, in an era of Hollywood producers scraping the bottom of the barrel for new ideas, a hugely popular book like Khalil Gibran’s masterpiece The Prophet will be adapted for the big screen. Deadline is reporting that Salma Hayek, operating under her Ventanarosa Productions banner, has partnered with Clark Peterson and Ron Senkowski to produce an animated feature based on the book of 26 poetic essays. Hayek’s producing partner, Jose Tamez, will executive produce along with William Nix and co-financing from Steve Hanson. As each essay deals with such differing topics as joy to death and religion to beauty, The Prophet will get produced along the same lines as Fantasia and Paris,...

“And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.”

Well, sorry Kahlil Gibran, but they obviously have plans to direct your The Prophet!

Salma Hayek and her Ventanarosa Productions have teamed up with Clark Peterson and Ron Senkowski to produce an animated feature based on Gibran’s beloved book.

According to the latest reports, the intention is for different directors to helm each chapter, with “an interconnecting theme and a musical through-line.”

And we have quite interesting team on board, or, should we say that these are just expectations from this project at the moment?

“It is well to give when asked but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.”

So, here are filmmakers expected to participate so far: Sylvain Chomet (“The Triplets of Belleville”), Kunio Kato (“Tsumiki no ie”), Oscar-winner Chris Landreth (“Ryan”), Tomm Moore (“The Secret of Kells...

SXSW Film Festival Announces Midnight Features & Shorts

Austin, TX – Today the SXSW Film Festival revealed their Midnight Features & Shorts program.

The Midnighters section of SXSW is known for premiering the work future stars of the horror genre. Filmmakers Eli Roth, and Ti West, are a few notable directors who have had their films screened during the Midnight Features.

”Our midnight programs are the bloody, beating heart of SXSW,” said SXSW Film Conference & Festival Producer Janet Pierson. “Since the beginning, midnight films have been an essential ingredient to what makes SXSW so exciting and fun, and this year’s selections are no exception.”

Out of over 3000 short films submitted, only 150 were chosen, and will screen as part of twelve overall shorts programs.

“After months of reviewing a record number of submissions, we’re tremendously happy to share the final program,” said Shorts Programmers Claudette Godfrey and Stephanie Noone, “The short films...

Following the unveiling of the fantastic 2011 feature line-up last week, the South by Southwest Film Festival has announced the films selected to play at midnight throughout the nine-day event, as well as the complete list of short films.

Insidious, a haunted house flick from Saw director James Wan, is among the midnight program, along with Xavier Gen’s sci-fi thriller The Divide, Sundance favorite Hobo With a Shotgun, Argentinean entry Phase 7, and Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block. In previous years, the midnight and SXFantastic programs has helped launch the careers of Gareth Edwards (Monsters) and Eli Roth (Hostel).

Spike Jonze returns to the festival with another short film titled Scenes from the Suburbs, his second collaboration with (and about) the band Arcade Fire after his moving feature Where the Wild Things Are.

For those of you attending the festival, the schedule will be released on February 15 along with details about film-related panels.

Today the midnight features and short sections were announced for SXSW 2011.

This year the midnight features section has some awesome films, including Hobo With A Shotgun, James Wan’s Insidious, Joe Cornish’s Attack the Block, Xavier Gens’ The Divide, and Ben Wheatley’s Kill List. This years shorts include 150 films including, Spike Jonze’s Scenes from the Suburbs and a doc short from Jay Duplass.

Here's the full list of SXSW 2011 midnights and shorts:

Midnight Features

Midnighters

Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.

Films screening in Midnighters are:

Attack The Block (UK-England)

Director & Writer: Joe Cornish

A funny, frightening action adventure movie that pits a teen gang against an invasion of alien monsters. It turns a tower block into a sci-fi playground. It’s inner city versus outer space. Cast: Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard,...

The phenomenon and tribulations of one of America's biggest entertainment capitals - Branson, Mo - are the subject of veteran doc filmmaker Aj Schnack and True/False Film Festival's David Wilson's latest film, currently in production. Also profiled this week are projects from Kickstarter: a profile of "Guard Dog" animator Bill Plympton, the story of a fiery group of Vietnam War protesters, and aspiring musicians who go to Grammy camp. Editors Note: ...

For all you animators out there…

2-time Academy Award nominee animator, and “King of indie Animation,” Bill Plympton, is remaking his 2004 award-nominated short film, Guard Dog, and he’s asking for your help in what he’s calling a “bold, never-before-attempted experiment.”

Specifically, Plympton is looking for animators from all over the world to re-create/re-animate 70 individual shots from the film, using any animation style or technique. One shot per animator. There is no age limit or professional status requirement for applicants, so anyone who considers themselves an animator, or aspires to be one, can do this. You will have 3 months to finish. The finished animation must be delivered by December 1st, 2010, and if you are 1 of 70 selected, you will be notified… and you’ll be on your way to fame and fortune… maybe

The competition begins September 1st. The composite final will be called Guard Dog Global Jam.

For the full list of requirements,...

Bill Plympton’s animation is easy to recognize: The scratchy colored pencils, the absurdist visual humor — sometimes grotesque, sometimes not. But, when one watches several of Plympton’s short films in a row — as in watching the Dog Days compilation DVD — several other, more nuanced, details about his style become apparent.

Dog Days contains Plympton’s short films made between 2004 and 2008, one of which, Guard Dog (2004), was nominated for an Academy Award and another, The Fan and the Flower (2005), won the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject. Several other of the films contained on the DVD also racked up lots of awards at numerous film festivals. Seeing all of these films one right after another, it’s easy to see why Plympton was so well rewarded during this prolific period: The man was firing on all cylinders and challenging himself to create his best, most innovative work.

Guard Dog...

Guard Dog Atom.com: Funny Videos | Animation | Cartoon Carnage

These days, we might get instant satisfaction when it comes to big-screen films, but not shorts. Watching short films is often an exercise in patience and yearning. You see it, you want it, you wait, and if you're lucky, you might see it pop on the 'net in a few years, or on a DVD somewhere.

But when they do hit, oh, the joy!

You can now watch the excellent Bill Plympton's Oscar-nominated Guard Dog in its entirety above. Wonderfully warped and classic Plympton, the short follows an energetic dog wanting to keep his owner safe. Unfortunately, rather than just protecting his dog walker from danger, he protects the guy from everything. Ninja birds. Cruel crickets. Savage squirrels. You name it! Man, if they did what this dog imagines they could do, I don't think any of us would ever leave the house.

NEW YORK -- The Tribeca Film Festival, which kicked off Tuesday night, triggered a whirlwind of social events this week in Manhattan. The fetes actually began on the eve of the festival's opening on Monday night with the New York Filmmaker party held at Tribeca Cinemas. Executives from Magnolia Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics and Samuel Goldwyn Films mixed with director Morgan J. Freeman and animator Bill Plympton, who talked about his role as curator of Animated New York, a collection of shorts by local artists. "Many of them live in Tribeca and were adversely affected by 9/11," said Plympton. "We wanted to show people that New York City is the most lively, creative center of independent animation in the world." The program features traditional, digital and stop-motion shorts, including the world premiere of Plympton's Guide Dog, a sequel to his Oscar-nominated short Guard Dog. No one was in a party mood after the world premiere of Paul Greengrass' Flight 93 Tuesday, but families of the 9/11 victims were given a post-screening dinner at The Four Seasons. "I can understand why some people don't want to see the film, and I can see why there's a compulsion to confront it," said actor Gabriel Byrne at the Ziegfeld Theatre where the movie debuted, "because in many ways we still haven't confronted it."...

• Bill Plympton is a crazy genius, and that statement has never ringed more true than after watching his latest full-length magnum opus Hair High (only just recently released here, I believe). You either love him or you’re annoyed by him, and both for the same reasons; his animation style is slow paced, absurd, twisted and gross. You either get his sense of humor or you don’t. Or maybe you just need to be in that special mood to watch one of his little fares. Either way you’re in for a roller coaster ride you might wish you could get off of but can’t. So just sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s alive!! It’S Aliiiiive!!!!! Set in the 1950s, Hair High tells the story of Bud, a teenage outcast new to his high school who quickly becomes the slave of Sherri, the school queen,

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