“An Open Secret” sounds like the perfect title for a brand-new documentary addressing the entertainment industry’s sexual harassment and assault epidemic, which in recent weeks has uncoupled Harvey Weinstein, Roy Price, and Andy Signore from their companies (and caused James Toback, President George H.W. Bush, Oliver Stone, Ben Affleck, and Mark Halperin to confront their own allegations). However, the documentary — which focuses on the abuse male managers, agents, and publicists inflict on young, male clients — premiered at Doc NYC in November 2014 and had a small release the following June (IndieWire awarded it an A-).
Despite its current 93 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, director Amy Berg — who’d previously investigated sexual abuse in “Prophet’s Prey” and “Deliver Us from Evil,” for which she earned a 2007 Best Feature Documentary Oscar nomination — was unable to find a distributor. “An Open Secret” producer Gabe Hoffman claims the film was even accepted,...
Despite its current 93 percent Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, director Amy Berg — who’d previously investigated sexual abuse in “Prophet’s Prey” and “Deliver Us from Evil,” for which she earned a 2007 Best Feature Documentary Oscar nomination — was unable to find a distributor. “An Open Secret” producer Gabe Hoffman claims the film was even accepted,...
- 10/26/2017
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Susan Solomon-Shapiro, who has spent the last seven years at Principato-Young, has just left to join management and production firm Circle of Confusion where she will work with directors and writers. All clients will come with her. They include: Rebecca Thomas (Little Mermaid), Deiderik van Rooijen (Cadaver), Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil, West Of Memphis), Natalie Chaidez, (Twelve Monkeys, Hunters), Ashley Miller (Thor, Black Sails), Zack Stentz (The Flash, Booster Gold…...
- 7/20/2016
- Deadline
Continuing their support for women directors, Horizon Award co-founding producers Cassian Elwes, Lynette Howell Taylor, and Christine Vachon, announced the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. Academy Award nominee Chloë Sevigny will bestow up-and-coming filmmakers Macarena Gaona, Juliette Gosselin, Shanice Malakai Johnson, and Florence Pelletier with the Horizon Award at a reception in Park City, Utah, with creative talent, producers, entertainment executives and media in attendance to celebrate these rising women directors and their achievements in independent filmmaking.
The Horizon Award ceremony and reception will take place on Sunday, January 24th, 2016 at 6:30 pm at the WireImage Portrait Studio at Village at the Lift (825 Main Street, Park City), co-hosted by Jeff Vespa.
The Horizon Award is an annual award that seeks to identify and mentor talented, up-and-coming female directors – the primary goal being to support women directors early enough in their development to help them overcome the hurdles in advancing their learning curve and careers.
In addition to the Horizon Award, the four winners will receive grants from the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. The Foundation supports the artistic achievements of female filmmakers through a series of grants that reflect Adrienne Shelly’s dedication to the art of filmmaking and her own successful transition from actress to filmmaker.
This year’s winners are:
Horizon Award First Place
Juliette Gosselin (University of Quebec in Montreal) & Florence Pelletier (Concordia University, Montreal)
Co-directors of "Mes Anges à Tête Noire"
Horizon Award Runners-Up
Macarena (Macqui) Gaona (New York University) Director of "Channel 999 and Channel 1000"
Shanice Malakai Johnson (Scottsdale Community College) Director of "End to the Suffering"
On making the announcement, Cassian Elwes said: “I’m so excited to announce the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. This year’s overwhelming number of submissions and caliber of work made it very hard indeed to pick just one winner – the jury identified one grand prize winner, and two runners-up. Additionally, we have added new partners to our already formidable team – proving that not only is the move towards gender equality in the zeitgeist, but that there are very real advocates amongst our peers. After the recent summit for systemic change (hosted by Sundance and Women in Film), I am more convinced than ever that we can make a difference and that history is on our side. I remain steadfastly committed to the idea that, one day soon, women will have exactly the same opportunities as men to direct movies.”
Franklin Leonard, Founder and CEO of The Black List and one of the award’s original advocates added: “We are passionate supporters of this award that recognizes fresh voices and perspectives in storytelling. This effort mirrors our own effort – the Black List's 500 Feminist Films project, created by our Director of Community, Kate Hagen. We look forward to mentoring the winners in the year to come.”
The jury was comprised of 38 influential directors, producers, and executives from the filmmaking community who viewed 483 short film submissions from over 200 colleges and universities world-wide, including the U.S., Canada, England, Australia, India, China, South Africa, Scotland, France, Mexico, Portugal, Columbia, Brazil, Russia, Serbia, the Ukraine, and more. This year, submissions increased by over one hundred from last year, with additional countries and universities participating. Submissions were received from Nyu, USC, UCLA, Chapman, Emerson, Penn State, Loyola Marymount, University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, Syracuse, Tcu, Ryerson (Toronto), Oxford, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Delhi, and more.
Now in its second year, the Horizon Award provides an all-expense-paid trip for the winning female college students to the Sundance Film Festival, where they will have the opportunity to present their films to some of the industry’s most influential names. The winners receive mentorship, festival access, and important introductions by Elwes, Howell, and Vachon to agents, producers, executives, festival staff, and other influencers throughout the Sundance Film Festival.
The Horizon Award was founded by producer, Cassian Elwes ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club"), and Michelle Satter, Founding Director, Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, in response to a Sundance Institute and Women In Film Los Angeles study that revealed that only 4.2% of the top 100 films each year from 2002-2013 were directed by women. Elwes partnered with Howell ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes," "The Place Beyond the Pines:), and Vachon ( "Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry," "One Hour Photo," "Far From Heaven"), to create the award as an opportunity for young female directors to have mentorship and networking opportunities in conjunction with Sundance, the home of American Independent film.
You can see links for more info on the study:
Phase I and II
Phase III
Sponsors and Partners for the 2016 Horizon Award are: The Black List, CreativeFuture, The Creative Mind Group, Done To Your Taste Catering, FilmLA, Indiegogo, Mprm Communications, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, Sundance Institute, Twitter, Verge, Vimeo, WireImage, Adina Design, and Women in Film. This impressive group has come together to support an award that they hope will continue to identify, nurture, and launch the careers of future female directors for years to come.
Full List of Jurors:
Stephanie Allain Producer ("Dear White People," "Hustle & Flow")
Dori Begley Magnolia Pictures (Svp, Acquisitions)
Amy Berg Director ("Janis: Little Girl Blue," "Deliver Us From Evil," "Prophet’s Prey")
Arianna Bocco IFC Films (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Robbie Brenner The Firm (Partner, President of Film)
Susan Carter Hall Painter
Amal ElWardi Zeal Media Company (Producer)
Cassian Elwes Producer ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club")
Janet Grillo Director ("Jack of the Red Hearts," "Fly Away")
Poppy Hanks Macro Venture (Svp, Development & Production)
Catherine Hardwicke Director ("Miss You Already," "Red Riding Hood," "Twilight")
Lynette Howell Taylor Producer ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes")
Liza Johnson Director ("Elvis & Nixon," "Return," "Hateship Loveship," "In the Air")
Eda Kowan Lionsgate (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Gina Kwon Amazon Studios (Executive, Comedy)
Helen Lee-Kim Good Universe (Partner, Head of International)
Laura Lewis CAA (Agent, Film Finance)
Alix Madigan Broad Green Pictures (Head, Creative)
Marianna Palka Actress/Director ("I’m the Same,""Always Worthy," "Good Dick")
Bruna Papandrea Pacific Standard (Producer/Partner)
Keri Putnam Sundance Institute (Executive Director)
Dee Rees Director ("Bessie," “Empire”)
Laura Rister Untitled Entertainment (Head of Production)
Rena Ronson UTA (Partner)
Michelle Satter Sundance Institute (Director, Feature Film Program)
Cathy Schulman Stx Entertainment (President & Chief Content Officer)
Lauren Selig Shake and Bake Productions (Executive Producer)
Mary Jane Skalski Producer ("The Visitor," "Mysterious Skin," "The Station Agent")
Lara Thompson E1 Entertainment (Svp, Worldwide Acquisitions)
Christine Vachon Producer ("Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry")
Ruth Vitale CreativeFuture (CEO)
Angie Wang Director ("Cardinal X")
Hanna Weg Producer ("Septembers of Shiraz")
Tanya Wexler Director ("Hysteria," "Finding North," "Ball in the House")
Joanne Wiles ICM (Partner/Agent, Motion Picture Talent)
Pam Williams Pam Williams Productions ("Lee Daniels’ The Butler," "Fail Safe")
Lisa Wilson The Solution Entertainment (Co-Founder/Partner)
So Yong Kim Director ("Love Song," "For Ellen," "In Between Days")...
The Horizon Award ceremony and reception will take place on Sunday, January 24th, 2016 at 6:30 pm at the WireImage Portrait Studio at Village at the Lift (825 Main Street, Park City), co-hosted by Jeff Vespa.
The Horizon Award is an annual award that seeks to identify and mentor talented, up-and-coming female directors – the primary goal being to support women directors early enough in their development to help them overcome the hurdles in advancing their learning curve and careers.
In addition to the Horizon Award, the four winners will receive grants from the Adrienne Shelly Foundation. The Foundation supports the artistic achievements of female filmmakers through a series of grants that reflect Adrienne Shelly’s dedication to the art of filmmaking and her own successful transition from actress to filmmaker.
This year’s winners are:
Horizon Award First Place
Juliette Gosselin (University of Quebec in Montreal) & Florence Pelletier (Concordia University, Montreal)
Co-directors of "Mes Anges à Tête Noire"
Horizon Award Runners-Up
Macarena (Macqui) Gaona (New York University) Director of "Channel 999 and Channel 1000"
Shanice Malakai Johnson (Scottsdale Community College) Director of "End to the Suffering"
On making the announcement, Cassian Elwes said: “I’m so excited to announce the winners of the second annual Horizon Award. This year’s overwhelming number of submissions and caliber of work made it very hard indeed to pick just one winner – the jury identified one grand prize winner, and two runners-up. Additionally, we have added new partners to our already formidable team – proving that not only is the move towards gender equality in the zeitgeist, but that there are very real advocates amongst our peers. After the recent summit for systemic change (hosted by Sundance and Women in Film), I am more convinced than ever that we can make a difference and that history is on our side. I remain steadfastly committed to the idea that, one day soon, women will have exactly the same opportunities as men to direct movies.”
Franklin Leonard, Founder and CEO of The Black List and one of the award’s original advocates added: “We are passionate supporters of this award that recognizes fresh voices and perspectives in storytelling. This effort mirrors our own effort – the Black List's 500 Feminist Films project, created by our Director of Community, Kate Hagen. We look forward to mentoring the winners in the year to come.”
The jury was comprised of 38 influential directors, producers, and executives from the filmmaking community who viewed 483 short film submissions from over 200 colleges and universities world-wide, including the U.S., Canada, England, Australia, India, China, South Africa, Scotland, France, Mexico, Portugal, Columbia, Brazil, Russia, Serbia, the Ukraine, and more. This year, submissions increased by over one hundred from last year, with additional countries and universities participating. Submissions were received from Nyu, USC, UCLA, Chapman, Emerson, Penn State, Loyola Marymount, University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, Syracuse, Tcu, Ryerson (Toronto), Oxford, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Delhi, and more.
Now in its second year, the Horizon Award provides an all-expense-paid trip for the winning female college students to the Sundance Film Festival, where they will have the opportunity to present their films to some of the industry’s most influential names. The winners receive mentorship, festival access, and important introductions by Elwes, Howell, and Vachon to agents, producers, executives, festival staff, and other influencers throughout the Sundance Film Festival.
The Horizon Award was founded by producer, Cassian Elwes ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club"), and Michelle Satter, Founding Director, Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, in response to a Sundance Institute and Women In Film Los Angeles study that revealed that only 4.2% of the top 100 films each year from 2002-2013 were directed by women. Elwes partnered with Howell ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes," "The Place Beyond the Pines:), and Vachon ( "Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry," "One Hour Photo," "Far From Heaven"), to create the award as an opportunity for young female directors to have mentorship and networking opportunities in conjunction with Sundance, the home of American Independent film.
You can see links for more info on the study:
Phase I and II
Phase III
Sponsors and Partners for the 2016 Horizon Award are: The Black List, CreativeFuture, The Creative Mind Group, Done To Your Taste Catering, FilmLA, Indiegogo, Mprm Communications, the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, Sundance Institute, Twitter, Verge, Vimeo, WireImage, Adina Design, and Women in Film. This impressive group has come together to support an award that they hope will continue to identify, nurture, and launch the careers of future female directors for years to come.
Full List of Jurors:
Stephanie Allain Producer ("Dear White People," "Hustle & Flow")
Dori Begley Magnolia Pictures (Svp, Acquisitions)
Amy Berg Director ("Janis: Little Girl Blue," "Deliver Us From Evil," "Prophet’s Prey")
Arianna Bocco IFC Films (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Robbie Brenner The Firm (Partner, President of Film)
Susan Carter Hall Painter
Amal ElWardi Zeal Media Company (Producer)
Cassian Elwes Producer ("Margin Call," "All is Lost," "Dallas Buyers Club")
Janet Grillo Director ("Jack of the Red Hearts," "Fly Away")
Poppy Hanks Macro Venture (Svp, Development & Production)
Catherine Hardwicke Director ("Miss You Already," "Red Riding Hood," "Twilight")
Lynette Howell Taylor Producer ("Captain Fantastic," "Mississippi Grind," "Big Eyes")
Liza Johnson Director ("Elvis & Nixon," "Return," "Hateship Loveship," "In the Air")
Eda Kowan Lionsgate (Svp, Acquisitions & Co-Productions)
Gina Kwon Amazon Studios (Executive, Comedy)
Helen Lee-Kim Good Universe (Partner, Head of International)
Laura Lewis CAA (Agent, Film Finance)
Alix Madigan Broad Green Pictures (Head, Creative)
Marianna Palka Actress/Director ("I’m the Same,""Always Worthy," "Good Dick")
Bruna Papandrea Pacific Standard (Producer/Partner)
Keri Putnam Sundance Institute (Executive Director)
Dee Rees Director ("Bessie," “Empire”)
Laura Rister Untitled Entertainment (Head of Production)
Rena Ronson UTA (Partner)
Michelle Satter Sundance Institute (Director, Feature Film Program)
Cathy Schulman Stx Entertainment (President & Chief Content Officer)
Lauren Selig Shake and Bake Productions (Executive Producer)
Mary Jane Skalski Producer ("The Visitor," "Mysterious Skin," "The Station Agent")
Lara Thompson E1 Entertainment (Svp, Worldwide Acquisitions)
Christine Vachon Producer ("Goat," "Carol," "Boys Don’t Cry")
Ruth Vitale CreativeFuture (CEO)
Angie Wang Director ("Cardinal X")
Hanna Weg Producer ("Septembers of Shiraz")
Tanya Wexler Director ("Hysteria," "Finding North," "Ball in the House")
Joanne Wiles ICM (Partner/Agent, Motion Picture Talent)
Pam Williams Pam Williams Productions ("Lee Daniels’ The Butler," "Fail Safe")
Lisa Wilson The Solution Entertainment (Co-Founder/Partner)
So Yong Kim Director ("Love Song," "For Ellen," "In Between Days")...
- 1/22/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Oscar-nominated for her Catholic sex abuse doc "Deliver Us From Evil" (2006) and acclaimed for "West of Memphis" (2012), her deep-dive into Arkansas' imprisonment of the teenage West Memphis Three, prolific filmmaker Amy Berg has had a busy year. She debuted at Sundance 2015 her Mormon expose "Prophet's Prey" (September 18, Showtime) and at Doc NYC the controversial Hollywood sex abuse doc "An Open Secret," (June 5, Rocky Mountain Pictures), as well as debuting her first feature, psychological thriller "Every Secret Thing" (April 20, Starz), written by Nicole Holofcener and starring Diane Lane, which was buried in the scrum of indie features these days. It's easier in many ways to get attention for docs like her latest, the official Janis Joplin documentary "Janis: Little Girl Blue" (FilmRise, November 27) which Berg produced with Alex Gibney. I sat down in Toronto with Berg to discuss her...
- 11/18/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
This fall marks the 45th anniversary of Janis Joplin's death from an overdose in a Hollywood hotel room. Since then, she's been the subject of books, reissues, a boxed set, an off-Broadway show, and a still-in-development biopic, possibly starring Amy Adams. Everyone from Kim Gordon to Pink has given Joplin props for paving the way as a woman in a male-dominated rock climate, and the singer's raw delivery continues to resonate. "Even when I was 10 or 12 years old and first heard her sing," recalls Chan Marshall, a.k.a.
- 11/17/2015
- Rollingstone.com
There are few people in show business with such enviable careers as Thomas McCarthy. As an actor, he’s worked with everyone from Peter Jackson and Clint Eastwood to Lukas Moodysson and Mike White, in addition to his pivotal turn on HBO’s The Wire. As a writer-director, McCarthy’s output, starting with his debut feature The Station Agent, rarely fails to captivate audiences. Even McCarthy’s critical missteps, such as his comedic fairy tale The Cobbler, are equally compelling for their flaws and miscalculations.
His newest film, Spotlight, has already garnered an immensely positive critical reception, including our review from Venice. The drama is based on the true story of the journalists at the Boston Globe who discovered a child molestation scandal and cover-up within the walls of the Catholic Church.
If you’re interested in thematically-similar films, focusing on journalism, courtroom drama, and David and Goliath battles of moral sacrifice,...
His newest film, Spotlight, has already garnered an immensely positive critical reception, including our review from Venice. The drama is based on the true story of the journalists at the Boston Globe who discovered a child molestation scandal and cover-up within the walls of the Catholic Church.
If you’re interested in thematically-similar films, focusing on journalism, courtroom drama, and David and Goliath battles of moral sacrifice,...
- 11/5/2015
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
"As it gets closer and more probable, being a star is really losing its meaning, but whatever it means - I'm ready." The first official trailer has debuted for the new documentary from Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis) titled Janis: Little Girl Blue. The film received raves out of Tiff and is about the story of rock & roll singer Janis Joplin. This trailer only shows glimpses of the archival footage they've dug up of Joplin singing and laughing and being eccentric and fun. One review says, "Berg is able to craft a much deeper look into the woman behind the myth and the result is unexpected, to say the least." Give this a look. Here's the official trailer for Amy Berg's doc Janis: Little Girl Blue, found via The Film Stage: Janis Joplin is one of the most revered and iconic rock & roll singers of all time,...
- 10/12/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Read More: Toronto Review: Despite Limited High Notes, 'Janis: Little Girl Blue' Can't Best the Power of 'Amy' After screening at Venice, Tiff and more, Amy Berg's long-awaited Janis Joplin documentary "Janis: Little Girl Blue" finally has a triumphant debut trailer. Set to the stripped down version of the crooner's own "Mercedes Benz," the trailer teases the doc's impressive archival footage and Cat Power voiceover narration. A time capsule of sorts, the documentary uses rarely-seen audio and video footage to remember the groundbreaking and tragic rock n' roll figure. "Janis: Little Girl Blue" is directed and written by Oscar nominee Berg ("Deliver Us From Evil") and produced by Alex Gibney ("Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief"). FilmRise acquired the movie last week and will begin rolling it out on November 27 in New York City. Read More: FilmRise Acquires Amy Berg's Janis Joplin Doc 'Janis: Little Girl.
- 10/12/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Director Amy Berg has taken on Hollywood sex abuse, the West Memphis drama, scandals involving Catholic Church as well as Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but for her next project, she will be rocking out. While the story of the late Janis Joplin is ultimately a tragic one, Janis: Little Girl Blue takes a deep look at her music that touched the world. Following screenings at Venice, Tiff, and more, it’ll now come to theaters next month and we have the first trailer.
We said in our review out of Venice, “Credit to the director, Joplin’s latter years are handled with a tremendous degree of delicacy. Neither drugs nor death are exploited for cheap emotional response. The tragedy is laid out evidently and clear. Up until this point you could have played Janis and Kapadia’s Amy side-by-side and found little narrative difference. Fame took...
We said in our review out of Venice, “Credit to the director, Joplin’s latter years are handled with a tremendous degree of delicacy. Neither drugs nor death are exploited for cheap emotional response. The tragedy is laid out evidently and clear. Up until this point you could have played Janis and Kapadia’s Amy side-by-side and found little narrative difference. Fame took...
- 10/12/2015
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"I started singing when I was about 17," late rock legend Janis Joplin reflects in the trailer for Amy Berg's documentary Janis: Little Girl Blue. "And I could sing. It was a surprise, to say the least." The clip, soundtracked by Joplin's raw belting of "Mercedes Benz," surveys the musician's musical legacy and her massive influence on many subsequent female rock and pop artists.
"She took a flag and made a place in rock and roll for women," says Melissa Etheridge. "She was the first." Pink adds that "Janis was...
"She took a flag and made a place in rock and roll for women," says Melissa Etheridge. "She was the first." Pink adds that "Janis was...
- 10/9/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Read More: Exclusive: FilmRise Continues Acquisition Streak With 'Back in Time,' 'A Faster Horse' and More FilmRise has announced it has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Janis Joplin documentary, "Janis: Little Girl Blue." The film, which premiered last month at the Venice Film Festival, is an intimate portrait of the legendary but troubled singer. Hot on the heels of the success of this summer's celebrated doc "Amy," "Janis: Little Girl Blue" is another look at an unbridled and iconic talent who died tragically young at the age of 27. A time capsule of sorts, the documentary uses rarely-seen audio and video footage to remember the groundbreaking rock and roll figure. "Janis: Little Girl Blue" is directed and written by Oscar nominee Amy Berg ("Deliver Us From Evil,") and produced by Alex Gibney ("Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief"). Musician Cat Powers is featured in voiceover as.
- 10/7/2015
- by Tarek Shoukri
- Indiewire
"With no clear discernible connection between them, biopics of arguably the three most famous members of the infamous 27 Club have coincidentally surfaced in Berlin, Cannes and now Venice consecutively," notes Rory O'Connor at the Film Stage. He's talking, of course, about Bret Morgen's Cobain: Montage of Heck, Asif Kapadia's Amy, and now, Amy Berg's Janis: Little Girl Blue, which has premiered in Venice and now heads to Toronto. Alonso Duralde at TheWrap: "Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, the upcoming Prophet’s Prey) doesn’t sidestep the tragedy of Joplin’s death, but neither does she let it overwhelm this celebration of a singular American talent." We're collecting more reviews and we've got a clip. » - David Hudson...
- 9/10/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
"With no clear discernible connection between them, biopics of arguably the three most famous members of the infamous 27 Club have coincidentally surfaced in Berlin, Cannes and now Venice consecutively," notes Rory O'Connor at the Film Stage. He's talking, of course, about Bret Morgen's Cobain: Montage of Heck, Asif Kapadia's Amy, and now, Amy Berg's Janis: Little Girl Blue, which has premiered in Venice and now heads to Toronto. Alonso Duralde at TheWrap: "Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, the upcoming Prophet’s Prey) doesn’t sidestep the tragedy of Joplin’s death, but neither does she let it overwhelm this celebration of a singular American talent." We're collecting more reviews and we've got a clip. » - David Hudson...
- 9/10/2015
- Keyframe
Title: Janis Director: Amy J. Berg Genre: Documentary Janis Joplin is one of the most revered and iconic rock ‘n’ roll singers of all time, a tragic and misunderstood figure who thrilled millions of listeners and blazed new creative trails before her death in 1971 at age 27. Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg (‘Deliver Us from Evil,’ ‘West of Memphis’) examines Joplin’s story in depth for the first time on film, presenting an intimate and insightful portrait of a complicated, driven, often beleaguered artist. Her massive hits – such as “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Piece of My Heart” – intertwine with the persecution she felt as a social outcast during [ Read More ]
The post Janis Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Janis Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 9/8/2015
- by Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
- ShockYa
“Spotlight” had its fair share of burdens to overcome: It deals with the Catholic church’s sex abuse scandal, which has already been the subject of several powerful documentaries (including “Deliver Us from Evil” and “Mea Maxima Culpa”), and it’s director Tom McCarthy’s first film since the catastrophic Adam Sandler vehicle “The Cobbler.” Neither winds up weighing down this extraordinary drama: While the script (written by McCarthy and Josh Singer, “The Fifth Estate”) certainly doesn’t shy away from the horrors that priests visited upon their young victims — and the institutional conspiracies that kept these predators from ever facing criminal justice.
- 9/3/2015
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
A new documentary detailing the brilliant rise and sudden death of Janis Joplin, Janis: Little Girl Blue, will make its world premiere on September 5th at the Venice Film Festival. The film boasts a bevy of new audio and video footage, and in this exclusive clip for Rolling Stone, Joplin can be seen departing New York's famed Chelsea Hotel and lounging with friends and bandmates in California.
As late Big Brother and the Holding Company Sam Andrew recalls in the clip, the band lived at the Chelsea while they were recording 1968's Cheap Thrills,...
As late Big Brother and the Holding Company Sam Andrew recalls in the clip, the band lived at the Chelsea while they were recording 1968's Cheap Thrills,...
- 9/2/2015
- Rollingstone.com
“From Everything I’ve seen and learned, prison is not about helping people reform or rehabilitate, or learn to read, or get a job. It’s not about reconciliation or healing the victims of crime. It’s not about public safety, and it’s not about the wellbeing of our communities. It’s about two things: our worst instinct to revenge and the worship of money.”
Award winning Producer, Director & Human Rights Activist Matthew Cooke is using the power of crowd funding via Indiegogo to finish his film Survivor’S Guide To Prison, an exposé on the barbaric acts of the Us Prison system that holds 25% of the world’s prison population.
The film’s Executive Producers include Adrian Grenier and Susan Sarandon, and features interviews with Harry Belafonte, Deepak Chopra, Russell Simmons, Author of The New Jim Crow Michelle Alexander, Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, and Brandon Boyd, the singer of Incubus.
His chilling exploration dives deep into the criminally abusive & socially unjust realities of incarceration through the perspectives of two prisoners who were convicted of crimes they did not commit. This is an all too common story in the Us where the Innocence Project estimates there could easily be anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 people in Us prisons that haven’t committed a crime.
Your support of the film’s Indiegogo campaign will help to do more than just finish a film. It will help to give a loud roar to a nearly silent movement to end human rights abuses of an unfathomable scale.
Watch Cooke’s gripping and poignant call to action, and learn more about the chilling facts below:
The Us has the largest prison population on the planet, larger than China.
1/3 of all women prisoners in the world are in Us prisons.
If you’re an American, you’re more likely to go to prison here than anyone else in the entire world.
More Black men are in prison now, than the total enslaved in 1850.
The USA Has More Prisons Than Colleges And Universities.
More About Matthew Cooke:
In 2013 Cooke released his directorial debut How To Make Money Selling Drugs which he also wrote, narrated, shot, edited and art directed. Drugs was produced by Bert Marcus Productions and Adrian Grenier featuring Eminem, 50 Cent, Susan Sarandon, Woody Harrelson and others. Drugs was bought and distributed by Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Film where it debuted at #1 on iTunes and Amazon. Drugs won the audience award at the Champs-Elysees and Newport Film Festivals and the Best Writing Award from the International Documentary Association.
In 2007 Cooke produced and edited his first feature film. Deliver Us From Evil, written + directed by Amy Berg, was honored with the Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary film, made over 100 critics "best of" lists and Rotten Tomatoes top 100 best reviewed films of all time.
Award winning Producer, Director & Human Rights Activist Matthew Cooke is using the power of crowd funding via Indiegogo to finish his film Survivor’S Guide To Prison, an exposé on the barbaric acts of the Us Prison system that holds 25% of the world’s prison population.
The film’s Executive Producers include Adrian Grenier and Susan Sarandon, and features interviews with Harry Belafonte, Deepak Chopra, Russell Simmons, Author of The New Jim Crow Michelle Alexander, Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine, and Brandon Boyd, the singer of Incubus.
His chilling exploration dives deep into the criminally abusive & socially unjust realities of incarceration through the perspectives of two prisoners who were convicted of crimes they did not commit. This is an all too common story in the Us where the Innocence Project estimates there could easily be anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 people in Us prisons that haven’t committed a crime.
Your support of the film’s Indiegogo campaign will help to do more than just finish a film. It will help to give a loud roar to a nearly silent movement to end human rights abuses of an unfathomable scale.
Watch Cooke’s gripping and poignant call to action, and learn more about the chilling facts below:
The Us has the largest prison population on the planet, larger than China.
1/3 of all women prisoners in the world are in Us prisons.
If you’re an American, you’re more likely to go to prison here than anyone else in the entire world.
More Black men are in prison now, than the total enslaved in 1850.
The USA Has More Prisons Than Colleges And Universities.
More About Matthew Cooke:
In 2013 Cooke released his directorial debut How To Make Money Selling Drugs which he also wrote, narrated, shot, edited and art directed. Drugs was produced by Bert Marcus Productions and Adrian Grenier featuring Eminem, 50 Cent, Susan Sarandon, Woody Harrelson and others. Drugs was bought and distributed by Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Film where it debuted at #1 on iTunes and Amazon. Drugs won the audience award at the Champs-Elysees and Newport Film Festivals and the Best Writing Award from the International Documentary Association.
In 2007 Cooke produced and edited his first feature film. Deliver Us From Evil, written + directed by Amy Berg, was honored with the Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary film, made over 100 critics "best of" lists and Rotten Tomatoes top 100 best reviewed films of all time.
- 8/17/2015
- by Erin Grover
- Sydney's Buzz
High-profile music documentaries on Janis Joplin, Arcade Fire, Aretha Franklin and Sharon Jones will be included as part of this year's Toronto International Film Festival, which commences September 10th.
Janis: Little Girl Blue, directed by Academy Award-nominated Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil), will make its North American premiere at the fest. The film chronicles Joplin's "short, turbulent, epic existence," with Chan Marshall (Cat Power) reading the rock legend's personal letters.
The Arcade Fire documentary, The Reflektor Tapes, will make its world premiere at the fest. Director Kahlil Joseph followed...
Janis: Little Girl Blue, directed by Academy Award-nominated Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil), will make its North American premiere at the fest. The film chronicles Joplin's "short, turbulent, epic existence," with Chan Marshall (Cat Power) reading the rock legend's personal letters.
The Arcade Fire documentary, The Reflektor Tapes, will make its world premiere at the fest. Director Kahlil Joseph followed...
- 8/11/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Read More: Meet the 2015 Sundance Filmmakers #4: Amy Berg Explores Brainwashing and Fear in 'Prophet's Prey' Chan Marshall, better known as Cat Power, will narrate director Amy Berg's upcoming Janis Joplin documentary, "Janis." Oscar-nominated Berg, who stunned audiences with "Deliver Us From Evil" and "West of Memphis," explores the rock star's life and stage persona through her own personal letters to her family and lovers and interviews with those who knew her. Cat Power gained popularity as a singer-songwriter for infusing a variety of sounds into her music. Some of her albums include "You Are Free," "The Greatest" and her most recent, "Sun." She has also had small acting roles, including Katya in "My Blueberry Nights" alongside Jude Law and Norah Jones. "After attempting to get this film off the ground for 7 years, I am ecstatic that the film is finally ready to be seen," said...
- 7/29/2015
- by Kaeli Van Cott
- Indiewire
Documentarian Amy Berg has, over the course of her career, shown a willingness to tackle difficult subjects in her films, making her debut with the 2006 documentary Deliver Us from Evil, which examined child abuse within the Catholic Church, and subsequently tackling the case of the West Memphis Three, as well as sexual abuse in the film industry. Her newest documentary is poised to once again delve into a difficult subject, as it looks into the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints, and its leader Warren Jeffs. The synopsis is as follows.
When Warren Jeffs rose to Prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, he took control of a religion with a history of polygamous and underage marriage. In a short time, Warren managed to expand these practices and the power of his position in unprecedented ways. He bridged the gap between sister wives and ecclesiastically rape, befuddling...
When Warren Jeffs rose to Prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, he took control of a religion with a history of polygamous and underage marriage. In a short time, Warren managed to expand these practices and the power of his position in unprecedented ways. He bridged the gap between sister wives and ecclesiastically rape, befuddling...
- 7/17/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
This is a reprint of our review from the 2014 Doc NYC Film Festival. Filmmaker Amy Berg is no stranger to chronicling abuses of power, often centered on sex and male hegemony. Berg put the Catholic Church’s myriad sexual abuse scandals in the crosshairs for 2006’s “Deliver Us From Evil,” and she takes the same exacting and carefully considered aim on alleged Hollywood sex rings in the alarming expose “An Open Secret.” A quietly explosive, no-holds-barred look at sexual predators within the Hollywood community—many of them well known industry figures, some of whom are convicted sex offender—Berg’s unsettling and incendiary doc takes a deep dive into what many call Hollywood’s worst kept secret: child sex abuse within its ranks and the blind eye that many choose to turn on the victims. While shocking and devastating, what defines Berg’s respectful documentary from others covering similarly lurid...
- 6/4/2015
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
“What you see in the film is the tip of the iceberg” says producer Gabe Hoffman on An Open Secret, the documentary from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg about child sex abuse in Hollywood
A revealing new documentary about the sexual abuse of children within Hollywood is hoping to lift the lid off an alleged network that implicates major industry figures.
An Open Secret, which was shown this week in an out-of-festival screening in Cannes, is a damning new film from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg, who previously explored paedophilia within the Catholic church in Deliver Us From Evil.
Continue reading...
A revealing new documentary about the sexual abuse of children within Hollywood is hoping to lift the lid off an alleged network that implicates major industry figures.
An Open Secret, which was shown this week in an out-of-festival screening in Cannes, is a damning new film from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg, who previously explored paedophilia within the Catholic church in Deliver Us From Evil.
Continue reading...
- 5/22/2015
- by Benjamin Lee
- The Guardian - Film News
“What you see in the film is the tip of the iceberg” says producer Gabe Hoffman on An Open Secret, the documentary from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg about child sex abuse in Hollywood
A revealing new documentary about the sexual abuse of children within Hollywood is hoping to lift the lid off an alleged network that implicates major industry figures.
An Open Secret, which was shown this week in an out-of-festival screening in Cannes, is a damning new film from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg, who previously explored paedophilia within the Catholic church in Deliver Us From Evil.
Related: An Open Secret review – damning documentary takes aim at sexual abuse in Hollywood
Related: Ferguson documentary American Race crowdfunded by Oscar nominee
Continue reading...
A revealing new documentary about the sexual abuse of children within Hollywood is hoping to lift the lid off an alleged network that implicates major industry figures.
An Open Secret, which was shown this week in an out-of-festival screening in Cannes, is a damning new film from Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg, who previously explored paedophilia within the Catholic church in Deliver Us From Evil.
Related: An Open Secret review – damning documentary takes aim at sexual abuse in Hollywood
Related: Ferguson documentary American Race crowdfunded by Oscar nominee
Continue reading...
- 5/22/2015
- by Benjamin Lee
- The Guardian - Film News
A slow burn mystery in which the secrets aren’t so much about the crimes it explores but truths of women’s emotional lives that are too often ignored. I’m “biast” (pro): I’m desperate for movies about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Mere weeks after two teenaged girls are released after seven years in juvenile detention for the horrific kidnap and killing of a baby, another little girl — one who bears a striking resemblance to the dead child — goes missing. Did they commit another murder? (Did they even both commit the first crime? Each is still placing all the blame entirely on the other.) Or does their small upstate New York town merely want this new kidnapping to be their doing?
With Every Secret Thing, documentarian Amy Berg makes...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Mere weeks after two teenaged girls are released after seven years in juvenile detention for the horrific kidnap and killing of a baby, another little girl — one who bears a striking resemblance to the dead child — goes missing. Did they commit another murder? (Did they even both commit the first crime? Each is still placing all the blame entirely on the other.) Or does their small upstate New York town merely want this new kidnapping to be their doing?
With Every Secret Thing, documentarian Amy Berg makes...
- 5/17/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
The crime happened in a place called Orangetown, yet in its aftermath, the town was shaded with grey. An infant rocking in her stroller outside on a balmy day was snatched, randomly. The culprits were two pre-teen girls who then tried to raise the child in secret. The baby was the granddaughter of the town’s first African-American judge. The young thieves didn’t last long and authorities promptly arrested them. However, mere weeks after the suspects – the heavy-set Alice (Danielle Macdonald) and the introverted Ronnie (Dakota Fanning) – are both 18 and out of juvenile detention, a toddler that is a near mirror image of the infant snatched years earlier disappears.
This is the set-up for Every Secret Thing, an adaptation from Laura Lippmann’s 2004 paperback bestseller. The mystery is notable for boasting a terrific collection of actresses in front of the camera – many of whom play autonomous, intriguing, flawed women – and behind the scenes.
This is the set-up for Every Secret Thing, an adaptation from Laura Lippmann’s 2004 paperback bestseller. The mystery is notable for boasting a terrific collection of actresses in front of the camera – many of whom play autonomous, intriguing, flawed women – and behind the scenes.
- 5/16/2015
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
[Editor's Note: This post is presented in partnership with Time Warner Cable Movies On Demand in support of Indie Film Month. Today's pick, "Every Secret Thing," is available now On Demand. Need help finding a movie to watch? Let TWC find the best fit for your mood here.] Gillian Flynn fans will probably want to check out this exclusive clip from "Every Secret Thing," the film from director Amy Berg ("Deliver Us From Evil"). Based on the novel by Laura Lippman, the film follows two girls who were put away in juvenile detention for the murder of an infant child, and the police investigation that focuses on them when more children start to go missing after their release. Elizabeth Banks ("The Lego Movie," "The Hunger Games") stars as the detective in charge of the investigation, alongside Dakota Fanning ("I Am Sam," "Coraline") and Danielle MacDonald ("The East") as the teenaged suspects....
- 5/16/2015
- by Becca Nadler
- Indiewire
With just two feature-length documentaries under her belt, 2006’s "Deliver Us from Evil," an exploration of a Catholic priest sex abuse cover up and 2021’s "West Of Memphis," an examination of failed justice in the case against the West Memphis Three, director Amy Berg has quickly risen to the top of the names working in the field. And if you add two not-yet-released, but equally superb documentaries — “An Open Secret” and “Prophet's Prey,” both coming out later this year — a portrait emerges: one of the best documentary filmmakers working today, period. And she’s branching out, too. Berg’s first narrative effort, “Every Secret Thing,” is a reworking of Laura Lippman’s crime novel of the same name. Adapted to the screen by celebrated filmmaker Nicole Holofcener ("Enough Said," "Please Give"), the thriller is a complex and dense police procedural about how crime impacts a community and offers myriad points of view.
- 5/14/2015
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Director Amy J. Berg's (West Of Memphis, Deliver Us From Evil) first foray into the world of fiction, Every Secret Thing evolves into a confounding rat's nest of differing perspectives. Adapted from Laura Lippman's 2004 novel by Nicole Holofcener, the film closely analyzes Alice and Ronnie's personalities, providing us with subtle clues about their motivations. While the "truth" is a bit too blurred to allow for much sense to be made of the meandering narrative, Every Secret Thing works best as an examination of the intense competition between the two girls, and how Alice's mother harmfully exasperates the situation.
- 5/11/2015
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
In Amy Berg’s 2006 Oscar-nominated documentary Deliver Us From Evil, Berg shined the light on the Catholic church and a specific priest in order to call attention to acts of child abuse, molestation and rape. Now Berg is directing her camera at a different institution perpetrating similar acts under the radar: the film industry.
In the trailer for An Open Secret, Berg conducts an in-depth investigation into acts of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry as they strive for fame. Reviews from when the film premiered at Doc NYC fest in November 2014 say that Berg shows great focus and only highlights those accusers willing to speak on camera, acknowledging that this problem is just “the tip of the iceberg”.
An Open Secret is one of three films Berg is releasing this year. We previously shared the trailer for Every Secret Thing, a drama starring Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Banks.
In the trailer for An Open Secret, Berg conducts an in-depth investigation into acts of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry as they strive for fame. Reviews from when the film premiered at Doc NYC fest in November 2014 say that Berg shows great focus and only highlights those accusers willing to speak on camera, acknowledging that this problem is just “the tip of the iceberg”.
An Open Secret is one of three films Berg is releasing this year. We previously shared the trailer for Every Secret Thing, a drama starring Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Banks.
- 5/7/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
If HBO's Scientology documentary "Going Clear" is any indication, the American public is hungry for damning exposés on the Hollywood establishment. Enter "An Open Secret," a new documentary by Oscar-nominated director Amy Berg ("Deliver Us from Evil," "West of Memphis") that shines a light on the sexual exploitation of young boys in the entertainment industry. The film features interviews with such former child stars as Corey Feldman and Todd Bridges as well as Michael Egan III, the man who accused "X-Men" director Bryan Singer and several other high-ranking Hollywood figures of drugging and raping him when he was a teenager in the late 1990s (Egan's lawsuits were later dropped due to inconsistencies in his story). Coinciding with the trailer's release, the film's producers -- clearly anticipating that Egan's recent conviction for fraud and the withdrawal of his numerous lawsuits could potentially damage the film's credibility -- have released a statement...
- 5/7/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
"We're absolutely talking about the tip of the iceberg." Ahead of its premiere in the Cannes Market, the first trailer for Amy Berg's documentary An Open Secret has debuted, profiling the controversy about sexual assault allegations involving children working in Hollywood. This is the doc that we've been hearing about ever since the Bryan Singer story made headlines, and he's one of the cases discussed. Amy Berg is a very talented filmmaker (West of Memphis about the West Memphis Three riled me up) and I am very curious to see what she has uncovered in this. The trailer is a nice tease, with hints at all the shocking details included within, so give it a look and check it out in theaters. "The Film That Hollywood Doesn’t Want You to See"! Here's the first trailer for Amy Berg's documentary An Open Secret, direct from YouTube: An Open Secret,...
- 5/6/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Amy Berg, the Oscar-nominated director of Deliver Us from Evil and West of Memphis, has a couple new films this year, one the thriller Every Secret Thing starring Dakota Fanning and the other An Open Secret, a documentary investigating accusations of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry. Today the first trailer for the latter has dropped and it looks like a stunner. The film first screened at Doc NYC last November to high marks as it profiles the stories of five men, Evan H., Nick S., James G., Chris T. and Michael Egan, whose name you'll recognize as he accused Bryan Singer (X-Men: Apocalypse) of sexual abuse last April, charges that were eventually dropped in August. I'd be shocked to see this one among the contenders for Best Documentary at next year's Oscars, but, if it lives up to the hype, I'd be ecstatic to see it make the list.
- 5/6/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Amy Berg is a rising filmmaker who started her career on a documentary hot streak with the docs West of Memphis and Deliver Us From Evil, and now she’s adapting her first full feature with a story that’s ripped from the headlines.
Every Secret Thing is a Fincher-esque thriller starring Dakota Fanning as a teenager just released from prison after having kidnapped a baby when she was just a young girl. Now a new child has gone missing just three miles from where the first kidnapping took place, and a detective (Elizabeth Banks) suspects Fanning. Here’s the full synopsis:
Every Secret Thing is a psychological crime thriller produced byAcademy Award-winning actress Frances McDormand (Fargo), which premiered in the Spotlight section at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Amy J. Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis) and written by Nicole Holofcener (Friends With Money, Enough Said...
Every Secret Thing is a Fincher-esque thriller starring Dakota Fanning as a teenager just released from prison after having kidnapped a baby when she was just a young girl. Now a new child has gone missing just three miles from where the first kidnapping took place, and a detective (Elizabeth Banks) suspects Fanning. Here’s the full synopsis:
Every Secret Thing is a psychological crime thriller produced byAcademy Award-winning actress Frances McDormand (Fargo), which premiered in the Spotlight section at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Amy J. Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis) and written by Nicole Holofcener (Friends With Money, Enough Said...
- 4/16/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Fresh from the Tribeca Film Festival where it played to full screens comes Every Secret Thing, a new thriller starring Diane Lane, Elizabeth Banks and Dakota Fanning. The film has a first trailer that you can watch below. Just click the big ‘play’ button and let it weave it dark, trailer-y spell. Directed by Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil) and produced by Frances McDormand, this thriller has a female focus the genre is not always known for. For screenwriter Nicole Holofcener, director of Enough Said and Friends With Money, this is a shift into darker terrain with a story of child abduction that sees Banks as a detective investigating a missing child. Fanning plays the prime suspect in the abduction, 18-year-old Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Fuller. Danielle Macdonald is her fellow prime suspect, Alice Manning. Lane plays Alice's mother, bristling as Banks' 'tec comes knocking, suspecting the worst of her daughter.
- 4/16/2015
- EmpireOnline
Read More: Watch: Amy Berg Explores Polygamy in Exclusive Sundance 'Prophet's Prey' Clip Filmmaker Amy Berg has found remarkable success as the documentarian behind acclaimed hits such as the Oscar-nominated "Deliver Us From Evil," but she's about to change things up considerably with her first feature-length drama, "Every Secret Thing." Fortunately for Berg, she's got a handful of Hollywood's most successful women on her side, including screenwriter Nicole Holofcener, producer Frances McDormand and stars Elizabeth Banks and Dakota Fanning. The psychological crime thriller revolves around a detective (Banks) who failed to save the life of a missing child from the hands of two young girls (Fanning and Danielle Macdonald). Eight years after the initial incident, another child goes missing in the same town just as the two convicted girls are released from juvenile detention. As the detective races to prevent history from repeating itself, she gets...
- 4/15/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Out of the vast quantity of movies produced for mass consumption, a staggeringly low percentage hail from female directors, screenwriters and producers. This sad-but-true fact brings to light the very matter of representation in one of the most profitable and high-profile industries, and so when films such as Every Secret Thing come along, they’re worth investigating. And, as it goes, the latest effort from director Amy J. Berg (Deliver Us From Evil) centers around a police investigation in a small American town.
In addition to its director, Every Secret Thing has a wealth of veritable female talent attached to its production. It’s based on the novel by Laura Lippman, was adapted for the screen by Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said), is produced by Frances McDormand (Fargo), and stars Elizabeth Banks, Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning and Danielle Macdonald. With the movie’s release date not due for another month, there...
In addition to its director, Every Secret Thing has a wealth of veritable female talent attached to its production. It’s based on the novel by Laura Lippman, was adapted for the screen by Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said), is produced by Frances McDormand (Fargo), and stars Elizabeth Banks, Diane Lane, Dakota Fanning and Danielle Macdonald. With the movie’s release date not due for another month, there...
- 4/15/2015
- by Gem Seddon
- We Got This Covered
Amy Berg is best known for her documentaries Deliver Us from Evil and West of Memphis, but now she's taking to directing a narrative feature as the first trailer for Every Secret Thing has just arrived. amz asin="006207489X" size="small"Based on the novel by "New York Times" best-selling author Laura Lippman the psychological thriller centers on detective Nancy Porter (Elizabeth Banks) who's still haunted by her failure to save the life of a missing child from the hands of two young girls. Eight years later, another child goes missing in the same town just days after Ronnie and Alice (Dakota Fanning and Danielle Macdonald), the two girls convicted of the former crime, were released from juvenile detention. Porter and her partner (Nate Parker) must race against the clock to prevent history from repeating itself. But as they begin to investigate the girls and their families, especially Alice's protective...
- 4/15/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
False Prophet Illuminated by Berg and Former Prey
Ironically premiering at Sundance, not too far from the lieu where the real life events occurred, Prophet’s Prey is based on the book of the same namesake penned by Sam Brower (who is an integral figure in the documentary). An investigation into the enigmatic Warren Jeffs of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this follows his opaque beginnings and ultimately his downfall, though his power of influence remains strong even behind bars. Having explored similar subjects with Deliver Us From Evil and An Open Secret, Amy Berg continues to shed light on the cycle of abuse affects and continues to perpetrate. And though the documentary embodies the eerie and sickening behind-the-scenes truths surrounding Jeffs’ reign, it offers little to no supplementary insight to a man whose actions fall from human decency and understanding.
Bestowed with a sense of...
Ironically premiering at Sundance, not too far from the lieu where the real life events occurred, Prophet’s Prey is based on the book of the same namesake penned by Sam Brower (who is an integral figure in the documentary). An investigation into the enigmatic Warren Jeffs of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this follows his opaque beginnings and ultimately his downfall, though his power of influence remains strong even behind bars. Having explored similar subjects with Deliver Us From Evil and An Open Secret, Amy Berg continues to shed light on the cycle of abuse affects and continues to perpetrate. And though the documentary embodies the eerie and sickening behind-the-scenes truths surrounding Jeffs’ reign, it offers little to no supplementary insight to a man whose actions fall from human decency and understanding.
Bestowed with a sense of...
- 2/3/2015
- by Amanda Yam
- IONCINEMA.com
Prophet’s Prey
Written and directed by Amy Berg
USA, 2014
Growing up not too far from Colorado City in a small town in Southern Utah, polygamists (members of the Fundamentalists of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) were not an out of the ordinary sight. You’d find them occasionally in town wearing with the women wearing the pioneer dresses and the boys dressed in their Sunday best, each person wearing the signature polygamist hairstyle of a poof and a braid. There was always this “otherness” quality about them though, when you’d see one you’d ask friends if they had seen them too. It was only as we grew older that we would learn about the horror of the church and how evil of a person Warren Jeffs was. Plenty of people do crazy things when they think God is on their side, but Jeffs...
Written and directed by Amy Berg
USA, 2014
Growing up not too far from Colorado City in a small town in Southern Utah, polygamists (members of the Fundamentalists of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) were not an out of the ordinary sight. You’d find them occasionally in town wearing with the women wearing the pioneer dresses and the boys dressed in their Sunday best, each person wearing the signature polygamist hairstyle of a poof and a braid. There was always this “otherness” quality about them though, when you’d see one you’d ask friends if they had seen them too. It was only as we grew older that we would learn about the horror of the church and how evil of a person Warren Jeffs was. Plenty of people do crazy things when they think God is on their side, but Jeffs...
- 2/3/2015
- by Dylan Griffin
- SoundOnSight
Prophet’S Prey – Peter Donahue I first got involved with the Prophet’s Prey project after meeting Amy Berg. Her work has always been something I have admired since seeing her “Deliver us From Evil.” To shoot a documentary, you first have to know that you are in good hands and feel passionate about the subject. So when Amy said she was going to make another film about the abuses of power within an organized religion — and it involved John Krakauer –I was in! Like all documentaries, our first challenge was budget. We first thought we should stay away from […]...
- 1/28/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Prophet’S Prey – Peter Donahue I first got involved with the Prophet’s Prey project after meeting Amy Berg. Her work has always been something I have admired since seeing her “Deliver us From Evil.” To shoot a documentary, you first have to know that you are in good hands and feel passionate about the subject. So when Amy said she was going to make another film about the abuses of power within an organized religion — and it involved John Krakauer –I was in! Like all documentaries, our first challenge was budget. We first thought we should stay away from […]...
- 1/28/2015
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
It's been around 150 years since we gave much respect to Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle's so-called Great Man Theory of history. While there are unquestionable great men and great women who helped shape culture and history, the number of great men and women who made impacts that are worth studying outside of the context of their society is virtually nil. It's not an interesting or accurate way to view history and, as a result, we don't give credence to people who try it. It's even less informative to view tragedy through an Awful Man Theory. It's almost inconceivable to imagine an interpretation of World War II, for example, that said, "So Germany was just going along fine and then Hitler came and ruined everything." As monstrous as Hitler was, you'd never write a story of Nazi atrocities in which you reached the end and said, "And it was all Hitler's fault.
- 1/27/2015
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
Oscar-nominated documentarian Amy Berg has taken viewers behind the stories of a convicted priest ("Deliver Us From Evil"), Hollywood sex abuse scandals ("An Open Secret") and the West Memphis Three ("West of Memphis"), and now she's at it again in her latest film "Prophet's Prey," set to premiere Monday at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in the Documentary Premieres section. Berg's new documentary explores the life and crimes of Warren Jeffs, the president and self-proclaimed prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Flds). As a cult leader, Jeffs bridged the gap between sister wives and justified rape, blurring the moral compass of his entire congregation. By the time of his his arrest in 2006, Jeffs was on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List. He is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault of a child. In the exclusive clip below,...
- 1/23/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Amy Berg was nominated for an Academy Award for her 2006 documentary "Deliver Us from Evil," which film tells the true story of Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady, who admitted to having molested and raped approximately 25 children in Northern California between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Her 2012 documentary, "West of Memphis," examines the story of the West Memphis Three, who were convicted as teenagers of the 1993 murder of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Last year, she premiered "An Open Secret" at Doc NYC, a film that documents the alleged sex abuse scandals in Hollywood. What it's about: "Prophet's Prey" is the story of Warren Jeffs, the so-called "Prophet" of the Flds church who leads his group of more than 10,000 followers from a prison cell in Palestine, Texas. What it's really about: "Prophet's Prey" is Really about the powerful operatives: brainwashing and fear. The film shows how these tactics...
- 1/13/2015
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
By Anjelica Oswald
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar race could make history with two possible best picture nominees directed by women — Ava DuVernay’s Selma and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken. If both women are nominated for best director, that would also be a historical moment. But though these accomplishments in the narrative field are possible, more women directors are breaking into the documentary categories. Four of the 15 shortlisted documentaries feature women at the helm: Jennifer Grausman (co-directed with Sam Cullman and Mark Becker) with Art and Craft, Tia Lessin (co-directed with Carl Deal) with Citizen Koch, Laura Poitras with Citizenfour and Rory Kennedy with Last Days in Vietnam. Additionally, three of the eight shortlisted documentary shorts feature female directors: Ellen Goosenberg Kent with Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Aneta Kopacz with Joanna and Lucy Walker with The Lion’s Mouth Opens. More often than not, women directors tend to...
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar race could make history with two possible best picture nominees directed by women — Ava DuVernay’s Selma and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken. If both women are nominated for best director, that would also be a historical moment. But though these accomplishments in the narrative field are possible, more women directors are breaking into the documentary categories. Four of the 15 shortlisted documentaries feature women at the helm: Jennifer Grausman (co-directed with Sam Cullman and Mark Becker) with Art and Craft, Tia Lessin (co-directed with Carl Deal) with Citizen Koch, Laura Poitras with Citizenfour and Rory Kennedy with Last Days in Vietnam. Additionally, three of the eight shortlisted documentary shorts feature female directors: Ellen Goosenberg Kent with Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Aneta Kopacz with Joanna and Lucy Walker with The Lion’s Mouth Opens. More often than not, women directors tend to...
- 12/16/2014
- by Anjelica Oswald
- Scott Feinberg
Kurt Cobain, Nina Simone and Tig Notaro are among the big names getting documentary treatment at this January's Sundance Film Festival. On Monday (December 8), Sundance announced 13 documentaries that will be premiering out of competition at the Festival, which runs from January 22 to February 1 in Park City. It's a group of films from some of documentary cinema's biggest names and, unsurprisingly, from some of Sundance's most frequent attendees. Sundance regular Liz Garbus ("The Farm: Angola, USA") is taking the previously vacant Us documentary Day One Film slot with "What Happened, Miss Simone?" The documentary looks singer and activist Nina Simone was recently acquired by Netflix, which had "Mitt" in an out-of-competition slot at last year's Festival. Also coming from a Sundance favorite and also with TV distribution already in place is HBO's "Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck," an authorized biopic of the Nirvana frontman that features Frances Bean Cobain as an...
- 12/8/2014
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
While Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg waits to see if any distributor will have the balls to pick up her controversial Hollywood sex abuse documentary "An Open Secret," she's not wasting any time charging ahead into her next project. She'll be teaming with actor Nate Parker on a film about the "black male crisis" in the U.S. following the August shooting of Michael Brown and the on-going tension in Ferguson, Mo. On Wednesday, two days after a grand jury failed to indict the officer involved in the shooting, Berg, Parker and writer/director Matthew Cooke launches an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the film. With a goal of $25,000, the campaign has already generated about $4,500. "Our conversations about race in this country have been ongoing," Berg told Variety. "It is truly a tragic state that we are in that we have to remind people that we abolished slavery 150 years ago, but the...
- 11/29/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
In the wake of this week’s grand jury verdict for Darren Wilson, the officer standing trial for the fatal shooting of Ferguson resident, Michael Brown, two filmmakers have pledged to make a stand. Oscar-nominated documentarian Amy Berg has joined forces with actor Nate Parker to helm a social commentary on what they’ve dubbed a “black male crisis” in the U.S.
“Our conversations about race in this country have been ongoing,” Berg said. “It is truly a tragic state that we are in that we have to remind people that we abolished slavery 150 years ago, but the sad statistics today show that black people are targeted every day by the system. Our systemic racial profiling is very deeply embedded in our culture, and the Michael Brown case shows we have to find a way to change this. Now.”
After Wilson’s verdict was delivered two days ago, Berg...
“Our conversations about race in this country have been ongoing,” Berg said. “It is truly a tragic state that we are in that we have to remind people that we abolished slavery 150 years ago, but the sad statistics today show that black people are targeted every day by the system. Our systemic racial profiling is very deeply embedded in our culture, and the Michael Brown case shows we have to find a way to change this. Now.”
After Wilson’s verdict was delivered two days ago, Berg...
- 11/28/2014
- by Gem Seddon
- We Got This Covered
Indiewire's Eric Kohn talks with filmmakers Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) and Ava DuVernay (Selma) about the events they're staging today in conjunction with the Blackout Coalition's call for a nationwide boycott of Black Friday. Meantime, documentary filmmaker Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis, An Open Secret), actor and activist Nate Parker (Beyond the Lights) and producer Matthew Cooke (How to Make Money Selling Drugs) have launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for American Race, "a film on the black male crisis." More news and views: Prix Louis-Delluc, Pauline Kael on Jean-Luc Godard, Martin Scorsese on The Last Waltz and more. » - David Hudson...
- 11/28/2014
- Keyframe
Indiewire's Eric Kohn talks with filmmakers Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station) and Ava DuVernay (Selma) about the events they're staging today in conjunction with the Blackout Coalition's call for a nationwide boycott of Black Friday. Meantime, documentary filmmaker Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, West of Memphis, An Open Secret), actor and activist Nate Parker (Beyond the Lights) and producer Matthew Cooke (How to Make Money Selling Drugs) have launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for American Race, "a film on the black male crisis." More news and views: Prix Louis-Delluc, Pauline Kael on Jean-Luc Godard, Martin Scorsese on The Last Waltz and more. » - David Hudson...
- 11/28/2014
- Fandor: Keyframe
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