"Sound of Redemption" tells the story of a lesser-known name in the canon of influential jazz musicians, gifted saxophone player Frank Morgan. Highly respected by musicians and fans of the bebop genre, his life and career were stifled by the 30 years he spent cycling in and out of San Quentin prison. The film had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, accompanied by a musical tribute to Morgan at the Grammy Museum. N.C. Heikin, director of the 2009 North Korean refugee documentary "Kimjongilia," looks to weave an inspiring tale out of Morgan's turbulent life and eventual comeback, but what results is a story not much different from those of the scores of other artists...
- 6/20/2014
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
Jazz alto saxophonist Frank Morgan, often referred to as Charlie Parker's protege, had a rap sheet that would give supposed outlaw Johnny Cash a run for his money. A heroin addict, Morgan spent most of his life in and out of prison for a variety of crimes including bank robbery and check forgery; in "Sound of Redemption: A Frank Morgan Story" director N.C. Heikin (whose documentary about North Korean defectors, "Kimjongilia," was nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury prize back in 2009) chronicles a recent tribute concert held at San Quentin State Prison in Morgan's honor. The concert, in turn, provides Heikin with the framework from which to recount Morgan's life story. In addition to interviews with fellow musicians and family members, the film contains archive clips of Morgan (who passed away in 2007) discussing his troubled past. At one point in the trailer, he says, "You have to care about yourself,...
- 5/22/2014
- by Shipra Gupta
- Indiewire
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brings you the Oscars (yep, that's why they're called Academy Awards), and on Friday, the organization announced that it was prepared to invite 176 new folks to its fold.
In a list posted on its website, the Academy deemed Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, Terrence Malick, Jonah Hill, Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer and a host of other film luminaries worthy of inclusion in its nearly 6,000-member army.
The Academy has drawn the ire of critics who bemoan its overwhelmingly male, white population. A Los Angeles Times investigation found that of all Academy members, 94 percent are Caucasian and 77 percent are male. A mere 2 percent are black, with Latinos constituting an even smaller portion. Only 14 percent of members are under the age of 50.
Full members of the Academy select and vote on Oscars nominees. The organization was started in 1927 and is now governed by a 43-person board.
In a list posted on its website, the Academy deemed Matthew McConaughey, Jean Dujardin, Terrence Malick, Jonah Hill, Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Octavia Spencer and a host of other film luminaries worthy of inclusion in its nearly 6,000-member army.
The Academy has drawn the ire of critics who bemoan its overwhelmingly male, white population. A Los Angeles Times investigation found that of all Academy members, 94 percent are Caucasian and 77 percent are male. A mere 2 percent are black, with Latinos constituting an even smaller portion. Only 14 percent of members are under the age of 50.
Full members of the Academy select and vote on Oscars nominees. The organization was started in 1927 and is now governed by a 43-person board.
- 6/29/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences extended their 2012 membership invitations today to 176 lucky actors, directors, cinematographers, and other members of the filmmaking industry.
Terrence Malick, who somehow wasn’t already a member, received an invitation, as did fellow directors Rodrigo Garcia and Asghar Farhadi.
For actors, Melissa McCarthy’s invitation continues her incredible post-Bridesmaids rise. In addition, actors Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Andy Serkis, Jessica Chastain, and Octavia Spencer were all invited to be members, among others.
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003, according to the Academy’s website.
Terrence Malick, who somehow wasn’t already a member, received an invitation, as did fellow directors Rodrigo Garcia and Asghar Farhadi.
For actors, Melissa McCarthy’s invitation continues her incredible post-Bridesmaids rise. In addition, actors Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Andy Serkis, Jessica Chastain, and Octavia Spencer were all invited to be members, among others.
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003, according to the Academy’s website.
- 6/29/2012
- by Erin Strecker
- EW - Inside Movies
HollywoodNews.com: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 176 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2012 to the Academy’s roster of members.
“These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “I’m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member.”
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
The 2012 invitees are:
Actors
Simon Baker – “Margin Call,” “L.A. Confidential”
Sean Bean – “Flightplan,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
Bérénice Bejo – “The Artist,” “Oss 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”
Tom Berenger – “Inception,” “Platoon”
Demián Bichir – “A Better Life,” “Che”
Jessica Chastain – “The Help,” “The Tree of Life”
Clifton Collins,...
“These film professionals represent some of the most talented, most passionate contributors to our industry,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “I’m glad to recognize that by calling each of them a fellow Academy member.”
Voting membership in the organization has now held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
The 2012 invitees are:
Actors
Simon Baker – “Margin Call,” “L.A. Confidential”
Sean Bean – “Flightplan,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
Bérénice Bejo – “The Artist,” “Oss 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”
Tom Berenger – “Inception,” “Platoon”
Demián Bichir – “A Better Life,” “Che”
Jessica Chastain – “The Help,” “The Tree of Life”
Clifton Collins,...
- 6/29/2012
- by Josh Abraham
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Economist Film Project, which I wrote about previously in this interview with editorial director Gideon Lichfeld, has just launched its website. At the site, viewers can watch the short documentary excerpts that appear via the project on the PBS News Hour. For example, embedded below is the debut offering, Dawn Sinclair Shapiro’s The Edge of Joy, about maternal healthcare in Nigeria. Also up on the site now are excerpts from Robin Hessman’s My Perestroika, N.C. Heikin’s Kimjongilia, and Adam Wakeling’s Up in Smoke.
The website follows a Variety article on The Economist Film Project, which states that it’s now a prime publicity item for any documentary film. From the piece by Marc Graser:
More than 930 submissions have been received to date, with 1,000 expected by the end of the summer. Without much promotion, the project’s site has attracted 160,000 unique visitors. It’s not surprising why.
The website follows a Variety article on The Economist Film Project, which states that it’s now a prime publicity item for any documentary film. From the piece by Marc Graser:
More than 930 submissions have been received to date, with 1,000 expected by the end of the summer. Without much promotion, the project’s site has attracted 160,000 unique visitors. It’s not surprising why.
- 7/14/2011
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The inmate is forced to kneel in a 3 foot square box, motionless for months, until he or she dies. This is a description of the "punishment cell", the final stage of incarceration for North Koreans who are considered dangerous for the regime. It is estimated that 23,000 North Koreans are at this moment locked up in about 20 concentration camps scattered about the country, perhaps since the 1950s, when the elder Kim (Kim Il Sung) was in power. At the recent Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in Greece, more than four documentaries focused on the horrors of North Korea. An eye-opening introduction to the horrors is N.C. Heikin's Kimjongilia, or the The Flower of Kim Jong Il. The film intersperses state propaganda celebrating the regime -- pretty women in uniforms...
- 4/21/2010
- by Karin Badt
- Huffington Post
Kimjongilia, N.C. Heikin’s documentary about the experiences of North Korean refugees and of those who managed to escape from Kim Jong Il’s concentration camps, has its New York theatrical premiere at Cinema Village on March 19. The text below is from the fim’s press release: Lorber Films is pleased to present the New York theatrical premiere of Kimjongilia, N.C. Heikin’s unblinking indictment of life in North Korea under the dictatorship of Kim Jong Il. This searing examination of the communist dictatorship established by Kim Il-sung and continued today by his son Kim Jong-il dispels the illusion of a Worker’s Paradise peddled by the North Korean government and exposes the injustice, tragedy and famine that has prevailed over the past forty [...]...
- 2/26/2010
- by Anna Robinson
- Alt Film Guide
I'm sure that my parents who used the famine in Ethiopia guilt trip on me when I didn't want to finish my plate had no idea that they could throw in North Korea in their discourse. - I'm sure that my parents who used the famine in Ethiopia guilt trip on me when I didn't want to finish my plate had no idea that they could throw in North Korea in their discourse. My favorite publicist tried to get me to include this Sundance doc among my coverage, I passed, but I'll finally get the opportunity to catch N.C. Heikin's Kimjongilia , a doc film that like Team America paints an accurate and unflattering image of the lousy Kim Jong Il government. Lorber Films will release the doc in 2010. Kimjongilia, The Flower of Kim Jong Il, is the first film to fully expose the disaster through a tapestry of defectors’ stories,...
- 12/13/2009
- by Ioncinema.com Staff
- IONCINEMA.com
When Oj Simpson was acquitted of murder charges, it seemed only a video of the actual murder would have convinced the out-of-touch jurors of his brutal crime. Kimjongilia, the new documentary directed by N.C. Heikin, is enough proof-on-film to convict North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il of mass murder, terrorism, and sadistic insanity. Like Chaplin's exposure of the holocaust in The Great Dictator, Kimjongilia forces us to face one man's deadly hell through his victim's blood and tears. The documentary mixes victims' first-person tales with cold facts to lay bare the hell behind the rhetoric of North Korea. Darfur has been a pet cause of celebrities for months and months. With Kimjongilia, North Korea is another atrocity for even the most na...
- 8/20/2009
- by Tom Gregory
- Huffington Post
The biggest pickup of Sundance was Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire which LionsGate]picked up for $5.5 million for North America from Cinetic. Regent is looking at 2 possible pickups. Fortissimo picked up Against the Current for the world. The Escapist was picked up by IFC]for U.S. Arlen Faber was picked up for the U.S. by Magnolia. Roadside Attractions picked up September Issue for North America. Arthouse picked up Kunstler for North America. Push won 3 prizes - the Grand Jury, Public and Best Actor awards and We Live in Public won the Grand Jury Prize for best doc. Arthouse picked up worldwide rights to Art and Copy. Anchor Bay picked up U.S. and Australia rights to Spread. Sony Pictures Classics has picked up Going to the Moon for North America and North and Latin American rights from CAA to An Education. Elle Driver licensed US rights to Dead Snow to IFC Films, German speaking territories and Benelux to Splendid, E1 for UK, Seville for Canada. Benelux. Deals are expected for I Love You Phillip Morris, The Cove, World's Greatest Dad, Spread, Amreeka, An Education and Push. Sony Pictures Classics reportedly paid $3,000,000 for The Greatest starring Carey Mulligan who also stars in An Education. Lionsgate acquired North America and UK rights to The Winning Season from Cinetic. ContentFilm is handling international sales. Elle Driver picked up international rights to September Issue and Arlen Faber. Fox Searchlight picked up worldwide rights to Adam reportedly for a low seven figure amount. Panorama picked up U.S. rights to Slamdance film The Ante. Little Dizzle went to Beyond for Australia and New Zealand. Senator picked up North American rights to Brooklyn's Finest. Visit Films picked up worldwide rights to Sundance world doc competition film Kimjongilia]and Spectrum title, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. The Canadian distribution rights to Cold Souls have been acquired by E1 Films. Opening night film Max and Mary was a huge success and well attended by acquisition and studio executives. Twentieth Century Fox had a team of 8, Lionsgate's Tom Ortenberg, Steve Beeks and Jason Constantine were there along with every other buyer. The film that landed with Icon Entertainment International[/link]Icon when Icon acquired Becker International will soon announce a North American distribution deal. CinemaVault acquired international rights for Spectrum film Lymelife which originally premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and was picked up for US shortly after by Screen Media. Stephen Raphael is working on the U.S. marketing for the film. HBO has acquired TV rights to Burma VJ the hit of November’s IDFA whose North American debut was Saturday at Sundance. The the film will open theatrically at New York’s Film Forum in May, well ahead of its early 2010 HBO television debut. [Sony Classics acquired North American rights acquisition of Rudo Y Cursi having its U.S. premiere at Sundance.
- 1/22/2009
- Sydney's Buzz
The Sundance Film Festival had it's first major deal go down Saturday night as young distributor Senator Entertainment (in a co-venture with Sony Pictures Worldwide) picked up North American rights to Antoine Fuqua's admittedly unfinished Brooklyn's Finest for a price tag of less than $5 million (with a marketing commitment of $10 million). Other acquisitions made just before and since the festival began include the following: Visit Films purchased worldwide rights to Ry Russo-Young's You Won't Miss Me, N.C. Heikin's Korean War documentary Kimjongilia and David Russo's comedy <a href=" ...
- 1/19/2009
- by Christopher Campbell
- Spout
The Sundance Film Festival had it's first major deal go down Saturday night as young distributor Senator Entertainment (in a co-venture with Sony Pictures Worldwide) picked up North American rights to Antoine Fuqua's admittedly unfinished Brooklyn's Finest for a price tag of less than $5 million (with a marketing commitment of $10 million). Other acquisitions made just before and since the festival began include the following: Visit Films purchased worldwide rights to Ry Russo-Young's You Won't Miss Me, N.C. Heikin's Korean War documentary Kimjongilia and David Russo's comedy <a href=" ...
- 1/19/2009
- by Christopher Campbell
- Spout
Sundance's 25th year event is remarkably quiet, almost unreal. Allowing a look at the reality, conversations actually can take place. The late night lounge is the place to see everyone after 10 and to talk more. Filmakers Bill Benenson and Eleonore Dailly, producer Gene Rosow and marketer Jeff Dowd hosted the Obama Inauguration party which also celebrated their film Dirt The Movie. Veteran Sundance community members, Nicole Guillemet, former director of Sundance, Paula Silver, Ira Deutschman, Susan Margolin, Todd McCarthy, Sasha Alpert, Mickey Cotrell and so many others bonded with joy as we all listened to the message delivered by President Obama. John Sloss's Cinetic party and William Morris Independent's parties were not as mobbed as in years past. The two films I have heard most praised are Push and The Cove. Latino film buzz is around Sin Nombre. Written and directed by Peter Bratt and starring his brother Benjamin Bratt and Jesse Borrego, La Mission and Don't Let Me Drown starring Yareli Arizmendi, who wrote and produced A Day Without a Mexican, one of the breakout Latino hits some years ago. I would most like to see Mark Stewart's Passing Strange, a Fairfax district Los Angeleno's work about "black folks passing as black folks" and other essentialist curiosities of American life as written up in Sundance Film Festival's Daily Insider of Day 3, Sunday January 18, 2009. Peter Rainer liked Art & Copy and was surprised to learn that it was originally intended as a promotional work of ad agencies. Kirk Honeycutt remarked to Peter Rainer and me how the films are so "lab-worked over". Does the professional finish of a lab make up, improve on or only mask the faults of a filmmaker's first work? Is it like a butterfly being helped to fly (and thereby not developing its own wings) or does it make the beginning filmmaker better? Mary Jane Skalski is here with two films, Dare and Against the Current. Steven J. Wolfe, who has worked on 35 films and has produced five with Jennifer Tilley, who is now playing professional poker, had his film 500 Days of Summer already placed with Fox Searchlight for U.S. and the world, so he was able to enjoy Sundance after 10 years absence from it. Senator picked up North American rights to Brooklyn's Finest. Visit Films picked up worldwide rights to Sundance world doc competition film Kimjongilia]and Spectrum title, The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle. The Canadian distribution rights to Cold Souls have been acquired by E1 Films. Opening night film Max and Mary was a huge success and well attended by acquisition and studio executives. Twentieth Century Fox had a team of 8, Lionsgate's Tom Ortenberg, Steve Beeks and Jason Constantine were there along with every other buyer. The film that landed with Icon when Icon acquired Becker International will soon announce a North American distribution deal. CinemaVault acquired international rights for Spectrum film Lymelife which originally premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and was picked up for US shortly after by Screen Media. Stephen Raphael is working on the U.S. marketing for the film. HBO has acquired TV rights to Burma VJ the hit of November’s IDFA whose North American debut was Saturday at Sundance. The the film will open theatrically at New York’s Film Forum in May, well ahead of its early 2010 HBO television debut. [Sony Classics acquired North American rights acquisition of Rudo Y Cursi having its U.S. premiere at Sundance.
- 1/16/2009
- Sydney's Buzz
I am heading out the door and have no time to really dig into this, but here is the line-up for next year's 2009 Sundance Film Festival as reported by Variety. Dramatic Competition Adam, directed and written by Max Mayer ("Better Living"), about a slightly dysfunctional man's attempt at a relationship with an alluring new neighbor. Stars Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison. Amreeka, directed and written by Cherien Dabis, a drama examining the challenges faced by a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son upon moving to rural Illinois. With Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem. Arlen Faber, directed and written by John Hindman, about the intrusion of two strangers into the life of a famous reclusive author. With Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings. Big Fan, directed and written by Robert Siegel (writer of "The Wrestler"), which hinges on the reaction of a...
- 12/3/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Oh I'm so excited! One of the best fests of the year! The 2009 Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its U.S. and World competitions for dramatic and documentary features. The non-competitive sections including Premieres, Spectrum, Midnight, and New Frontiers will be announced December 4. Sundance unspools January 15-25, 2009 in Park City, Utah.
Check out the film list after the break. via Variety.
Dramatic Competition
* Adam (Max Mayer)
* Amreeka (Cherien Dabis)
* Big Fan (Robert Siegel)
* Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (John Krasinski)
* Cold Souls (Sophie Barthes)
* Dare (Adam Salky)
* Don’t Let Me Drown (Cruz Angeles)
* The Dream of the Romans (John Hindman)
* The Greatest (Shana Feste)
* Humpday (Lynn Shelton)
* Paper Heart (Nicolas Jasenovec)
* Peter and Vandy (Jay Dipietro)
* Push (Lee Daniels)
* Sin nombre (Cary Fukunaga)
* Taking Chance (Ross Katz)
* Toe to Toe (Emily Abt)
Documentary Competition
* Art and Copy (Doug Pray)
* Boy Interrupted (Dana Perry)
* Sergio (Greg Barker...
Check out the film list after the break. via Variety.
Dramatic Competition
* Adam (Max Mayer)
* Amreeka (Cherien Dabis)
* Big Fan (Robert Siegel)
* Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (John Krasinski)
* Cold Souls (Sophie Barthes)
* Dare (Adam Salky)
* Don’t Let Me Drown (Cruz Angeles)
* The Dream of the Romans (John Hindman)
* The Greatest (Shana Feste)
* Humpday (Lynn Shelton)
* Paper Heart (Nicolas Jasenovec)
* Peter and Vandy (Jay Dipietro)
* Push (Lee Daniels)
* Sin nombre (Cary Fukunaga)
* Taking Chance (Ross Katz)
* Toe to Toe (Emily Abt)
Documentary Competition
* Art and Copy (Doug Pray)
* Boy Interrupted (Dana Perry)
* Sergio (Greg Barker...
- 12/3/2008
- QuietEarth.us
U.S. Dramatic Competition
This year's 16 films were selected from 1,026 submissions. Each film is a world premiere.
Adam (Director-screenwriter: Max Mayer)
A strange and lyrical love story between a somewhat socially dysfunctional young man and the woman of his dreams. Cast: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison.
Amreeka (Director-screenwriter: Cherien Dabis)
When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives replete with challenges. Cast: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat.
Big Fan (Director-screenwriter: Robert Siegel)
The world of a parking garage attendant who happens to be the New York Giants' biggest fan is turned upside down after an altercation with his favorite player. Cast: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto.
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (Director-screenwriter: John Krasinski)
When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation,...
This year's 16 films were selected from 1,026 submissions. Each film is a world premiere.
Adam (Director-screenwriter: Max Mayer)
A strange and lyrical love story between a somewhat socially dysfunctional young man and the woman of his dreams. Cast: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison.
Amreeka (Director-screenwriter: Cherien Dabis)
When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives replete with challenges. Cast: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat.
Big Fan (Director-screenwriter: Robert Siegel)
The world of a parking garage attendant who happens to be the New York Giants' biggest fan is turned upside down after an altercation with his favorite player. Cast: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto.
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (Director-screenwriter: John Krasinski)
When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation,...
- 12/3/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.