“It’s a job.” –Arthur Martinez I had two features as a cinematographer under my belt by late June of 2015, both close and comfortable collaborations with a single director: Joel Potrykus (Buzzard, The Alchemist Cookbook). It seems fitting that he made the phone call I received only a week and a half before Actor Martinez began principal photography. Joel eagerly informed me that two directors, Nathan Silver (Stinking Heaven, Uncertain Terms) and Mike Ott (Lake Los Angeles, Littlerock), had contacted him asking about my nearly immediate availability. I didn’t know them personally, but I certainly had been aware of their […]...
- 3/28/2017
- by Adam J. Minnick
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
“Actor Martinez” had its North American premiere at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. Now, the comedy from acclaimed indie directors Mike Ott (“Lake Los Angeles”) and Nathan Silver (“Uncertain Terms,” “Stinking Heaven”) is set to debut in theaters March 10.
Read More: Mike Ott & Nathan Silver’s ‘Actor Martinez’ Is A Fascinating And Experimental Meta-Movie — Tribeca Review
“Actor Martinez” focuses on Arthur Martinez (played by the actor of the same name), a Denver-area performer who hires two indie filmmakers (Silver and Ott) to make a film with him as the lead. But instead, the filmmakers design a completely different project based on Arthur’s real-life persona, even casting him a girlfriend, actress Lindsay Burdge (“Mistress America,” “The Invitation”), to try to draw out any remaining emotions from Arthur about his ex-wife.
Inspired by Kiarostami’s distinctive style of combining conventional narrative with documentary filmmaking, Silver and Ott deliberately blur the line between fiction and nonfiction,...
Read More: Mike Ott & Nathan Silver’s ‘Actor Martinez’ Is A Fascinating And Experimental Meta-Movie — Tribeca Review
“Actor Martinez” focuses on Arthur Martinez (played by the actor of the same name), a Denver-area performer who hires two indie filmmakers (Silver and Ott) to make a film with him as the lead. But instead, the filmmakers design a completely different project based on Arthur’s real-life persona, even casting him a girlfriend, actress Lindsay Burdge (“Mistress America,” “The Invitation”), to try to draw out any remaining emotions from Arthur about his ex-wife.
Inspired by Kiarostami’s distinctive style of combining conventional narrative with documentary filmmaking, Silver and Ott deliberately blur the line between fiction and nonfiction,...
- 2/24/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
From The Sixth Sense (1999) onward, writer-director M. Night Shyamalan has been popularly and critically typecast as the champion of “plot twists.” This label probably plays into the unusually intensive scrutiny undergone by his films. Specifically, the scrutiny likely stems from Shyamalan’s tendency to design narratives around the selective doling out of information, which lends itself to unusually plot-focused viewing. There is something to be said for the fact that a plot twist, on some level, deceives its viewers, leading them to believe something before abruptly unfurling that belief. Reviewing his latest film Split, I would like to mostly dispense with this emphasis on “twists.” By stressing one specific element of his storytelling process, one runs the risk of neglecting to address his commitment to storytelling itself. That is, it’s worth noting that Shyamalan sees cathartic possibilities (often profoundly affirming ones) embedded in the very notion of story. Take,...
- 1/22/2017
- MUBI
Works-in-progress event devoted to Us indies to take place in Paris June 8-10.
Us directors Mike Ott and Adam Keleman will present their upcoming films at the fifth edition of Us in Progress in Paris this June.
Running June 8-10, the programme is a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film in New York.
Rough cuts of a selection of Us independent features are screened with the aim of finding them sales agents, festival homes and producers.
Benjamin Dickinson’s sci-fi comedy Creative Control, which took the top prize at the event in 2014, went on to to be sold, for example, by Philippe Bober’s Paris-based Coproduction Office.
Ott will present his hybrid work California Dreams revolving around auditions in which people perform scenes from their favourite films.
The director won the Polish round of Us in Progress in 2013 for his last film Lake Los Angeles.
[link...
Us directors Mike Ott and Adam Keleman will present their upcoming films at the fifth edition of Us in Progress in Paris this June.
Running June 8-10, the programme is a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film in New York.
Rough cuts of a selection of Us independent features are screened with the aim of finding them sales agents, festival homes and producers.
Benjamin Dickinson’s sci-fi comedy Creative Control, which took the top prize at the event in 2014, went on to to be sold, for example, by Philippe Bober’s Paris-based Coproduction Office.
Ott will present his hybrid work California Dreams revolving around auditions in which people perform scenes from their favourite films.
The director won the Polish round of Us in Progress in 2013 for his last film Lake Los Angeles.
[link...
- 5/15/2016
- ScreenDaily
Nathan Silver and Mike Ott are two of the most prolific indie filmmakers working today — and these guys are the real deal. They each have about five features each under their belts, and continue to make boundary-pushing cinema that exemplifies the independent spirit. We’re fans of each director’s work, particularly Ott's “Lake Los Angeles,” and Silver's “Uncertain Terms.” So it makes perfect sense that the two would eventually cross paths, and now, they’ve started collaborating too. The result is “Actor Martinez,” which looks to be a delightfully meta film, about Arthur Martinez, a Denver-based actor who hires two independent filmmakers to make a film starring him. Read More: The 25 Biggest Directors To Break Out Of Sundance We’ve had quite a week of mainstream indie fare bowing at Sundance, but today, the Rotterdam Film Festival starts up, where “Actor Martinez” is due to unveil tomorrow, preceded by one of Silver's short films,...
- 1/27/2016
- by Katie Walsh
- The Playlist
As was the case for Joe Swanberg, it’s not unheard of that trailblazing names synonymous with micro American indie film fail to crack the Sundance line-up. Despite the accolades and their idiosyncratic style guides, Mike Ott and Nathan Silver are a pair of names that have yet to set foot in snowy Park City, and with this, perhaps the idiom of two filmmaking heads are better than one is applicable. Both have been prolific in their own right, collectively outputting nine feature films in less than a decade, and with production for their Denver shot Actor Martinez ending somewhere this past July and a rough cut being selected for the American Film Festival in Poland’s Us in Progress, things are looking good for an early 2016 bid. Starring indie actress girl crush Lindsay Burdge (in 2015 we caught her in The Midnight Swim, 6 Years and Lace Crater), we’re curious...
- 11/23/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
With the American Film Festival in Wrocław comes the Us in Progress co-production forum initiative. It also means that micro gems might trickle down from Europe in the unfinished form into Sundance and/or SXSW in early 2016. On the plate for October 22nd and 23rd, the six projects selected for the 2015 Us in Progress Wrocław include:
Actor Martinez by Mike Ott and Nathan Silver
Up until now, the project that teams Littlerock, Pearblossom Hwy and Lake Los Angeles helmer with Exit Elena, Soft in the head, Uncertain Terms and Stinking Heaven had no title. This
stars Bobby Black, Connor Long and Lindsay Burdge.
Alaska is a Drag by Shaz Bennett
Based on her 2012 short, if Rocky and Hedwig had a love child – that would best describe our hero Leo — an aspiring superstar – if he can just get out of Alaska. Everyone who works in a fish cannery – slicing fish for...
Actor Martinez by Mike Ott and Nathan Silver
Up until now, the project that teams Littlerock, Pearblossom Hwy and Lake Los Angeles helmer with Exit Elena, Soft in the head, Uncertain Terms and Stinking Heaven had no title. This
stars Bobby Black, Connor Long and Lindsay Burdge.
Alaska is a Drag by Shaz Bennett
Based on her 2012 short, if Rocky and Hedwig had a love child – that would best describe our hero Leo — an aspiring superstar – if he can just get out of Alaska. Everyone who works in a fish cannery – slicing fish for...
- 9/23/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
At the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) happening now, there are 27 films eligible for the Cine Latino Award, which will be presented to the best Ibero-American film screening at the Festival. Several of these films represented their respective countries at in the Best Foreign Language category for the upcoming Academy Awards. Sponsored by the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) and the University of Guadalajara Foundation/USA, the winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize.
Read More: "Wild Tales" Business and Pleasure
“What does it mean to be Latino or Ibero-American? We often engage in the most intensely absurd discussions trying to find a definition that satisfies us all. I believe, however, that the best answer can be found in the movies: where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and unique stories become universal fables. The increasing power of visual language and an innovative spirit –this is what our film industries have in common! And once again, 2014 has proven to be one of the most exemplary years for Ibero-American cinema. The Palm Springs International Film Festival recognizes the talent and creativity of its makers both in front of and behind the camera with the Cine Latino Award. This year we celebrate the vitality of the region with a record 27 films. We are truly grateful to the vision and commitment of two of the leading cultural, social and educational organizations in Mexico and the United States -- the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA -- for sponsoring this award and helping to strengthen the cultural and artistic bridges so fundamental to all of us,” said Hebe Tabachnik, Ibero-American Programmer for Psiff.
“For the third consecutive year, top caliber Latino films will compete in the Ibero American competition at the Palm Springs Film Festival from January 2 to the 12, 2015,” said Iván Trujillo, Festival Director for the Guadalajara International Film Festival. “Their stories, genres and production values have garnered these films both critical and audience recognition at the most important festivals all over the globe. This will be indeed a very competitive year for an award that is acquiring more and more prestige worldwide.”
Read More: Dir. Alberto Arvelo on Venezuelan Epic "The Liberator"
“We have reached an important milestone. When the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in USA made an agreement to sponsor an award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, we made a commitment to increase the cash prize within three years up to $10,000 to recognize the ‘Best Ibero American Film’ in the festival. Our Foundation is extremely proud to have fulfilled this arrangement with the Festival. Achieving this goal is only part of a whole project for the future,” said Raúl Padilla, President for the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA.
Jury members include Josep Parera (Entertainment Editor – La Opinión) Nacho Carballo (Festival Director, Gijón International Film Festival, Spain) and Tom Davia (Founder & Managing Partner of Cinemaven Media).
Read More: Actor Alfono Herrera on "The Perfect Dictatorship"
They will review 27 films to select the Cine Latino Award winner. This year’s eligible films are:
"10,000 Km" (Spain), Director: Carlos Marques-Marcet "August Winds" (Brazil), Director: Gabriel Mascaro "Behavior" (Cuba), Director: Ernesto Daranas Serrano "Ciudad Delirio" (Colombia, Spain), Director: Chus Gutiérrez "Flowers" (Spain), Directors: Jon Garaño, José Mari Goenaga "Futuro Beach" (Brazil), Director: Karim Ainouz "Gente de Bien" (Colombia, France), Director: Franco Lolli "Güeros" (Mexico), Director: Alonso Ruiz Palacios "Hawaii" (Argentina), Director: Marco Berger "The Hours With You" (Mexico), Director: Catalina Aguilar Mastretta "La Tirisia" (Mexico), Director: Jorge Pérez Solano "Lake Los Angeles" (USA), Director: Mike Ott "The Liberator" (Venezuela, Spain), Director: Alberto Arvelo "Magical Girl" (Spain), Director: Carlos Vermut "Mateo" (Colombia, France), Director: María Gamboa "A Moonless Night" (Uruguay, Argentina), Director: Germán Tejeira "Mother of the Lamb" (Chile), Directors: Rosario Espinosa Godoy, Enrique Farías "Mr. Kaplan" (Uruguay), Director: Álvaro Brechner "Natural Sciences" (Argentina), Director: Matías Lucchesi "Nn" (Peru, Colombia, France, Germany), Director: Héctor Galvez "Not All Is Vigil" (Spain, Colombia), Director: Hermes Paralluelo "One for the Road" (Mexico), Director: Jack Zagha Kababie "The Perfect Dictatorship" (Mexico), Director: Luis Estrada "Sand Dollars" (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina), Directors: Israel Cárdenas, Laura Amelia Guzmán "To Kill a Man" (Chile), Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras "The Way He Looks" (Brazil), Director: Daniel Ribeiro "Wild Tales" (Argentina, Spain), Director: Damián Szifrón About The Palm Springs International Film Festival
The Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees last year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who, in recent years, have included Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, David O. Russell, Meryl Streep, and Kate Winslet.
The Awards Gala of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is presented by Cartier and sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and Entertainment Tonight. The City of Palm Springs is the Title Sponsor of the Film Festival. Presenting Sponsors are Wells Fargo, The Desert Sun and Spencer’s. Major sponsors are Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Wessman Development, Bank of America, Wintec, Regal Entertainment Group, Ignition Creative, Desert Regional Medical Center, Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, Windermere Real Estate, Eisenhower Medical Center, Guthy-Renker, Integrated Wealth Management, VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com, Ocean Properties, Chihuly and Telefilm Canada.
For more information visit www.psfilmfest.org.
About The Guadalajara International Film Festival
Ficg was founded with support from the University of Guadalajara in 1985 by the Mexican filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, with the tremendous help from young film students like Guillermo del Toro. It will celebrate its 30th edition next March 6-15, 2015. Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.
About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.
The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles.
It seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.
Read More: "Wild Tales" Business and Pleasure
“What does it mean to be Latino or Ibero-American? We often engage in the most intensely absurd discussions trying to find a definition that satisfies us all. I believe, however, that the best answer can be found in the movies: where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and unique stories become universal fables. The increasing power of visual language and an innovative spirit –this is what our film industries have in common! And once again, 2014 has proven to be one of the most exemplary years for Ibero-American cinema. The Palm Springs International Film Festival recognizes the talent and creativity of its makers both in front of and behind the camera with the Cine Latino Award. This year we celebrate the vitality of the region with a record 27 films. We are truly grateful to the vision and commitment of two of the leading cultural, social and educational organizations in Mexico and the United States -- the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA -- for sponsoring this award and helping to strengthen the cultural and artistic bridges so fundamental to all of us,” said Hebe Tabachnik, Ibero-American Programmer for Psiff.
“For the third consecutive year, top caliber Latino films will compete in the Ibero American competition at the Palm Springs Film Festival from January 2 to the 12, 2015,” said Iván Trujillo, Festival Director for the Guadalajara International Film Festival. “Their stories, genres and production values have garnered these films both critical and audience recognition at the most important festivals all over the globe. This will be indeed a very competitive year for an award that is acquiring more and more prestige worldwide.”
Read More: Dir. Alberto Arvelo on Venezuelan Epic "The Liberator"
“We have reached an important milestone. When the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in USA made an agreement to sponsor an award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, we made a commitment to increase the cash prize within three years up to $10,000 to recognize the ‘Best Ibero American Film’ in the festival. Our Foundation is extremely proud to have fulfilled this arrangement with the Festival. Achieving this goal is only part of a whole project for the future,” said Raúl Padilla, President for the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA.
Jury members include Josep Parera (Entertainment Editor – La Opinión) Nacho Carballo (Festival Director, Gijón International Film Festival, Spain) and Tom Davia (Founder & Managing Partner of Cinemaven Media).
Read More: Actor Alfono Herrera on "The Perfect Dictatorship"
They will review 27 films to select the Cine Latino Award winner. This year’s eligible films are:
"10,000 Km" (Spain), Director: Carlos Marques-Marcet "August Winds" (Brazil), Director: Gabriel Mascaro "Behavior" (Cuba), Director: Ernesto Daranas Serrano "Ciudad Delirio" (Colombia, Spain), Director: Chus Gutiérrez "Flowers" (Spain), Directors: Jon Garaño, José Mari Goenaga "Futuro Beach" (Brazil), Director: Karim Ainouz "Gente de Bien" (Colombia, France), Director: Franco Lolli "Güeros" (Mexico), Director: Alonso Ruiz Palacios "Hawaii" (Argentina), Director: Marco Berger "The Hours With You" (Mexico), Director: Catalina Aguilar Mastretta "La Tirisia" (Mexico), Director: Jorge Pérez Solano "Lake Los Angeles" (USA), Director: Mike Ott "The Liberator" (Venezuela, Spain), Director: Alberto Arvelo "Magical Girl" (Spain), Director: Carlos Vermut "Mateo" (Colombia, France), Director: María Gamboa "A Moonless Night" (Uruguay, Argentina), Director: Germán Tejeira "Mother of the Lamb" (Chile), Directors: Rosario Espinosa Godoy, Enrique Farías "Mr. Kaplan" (Uruguay), Director: Álvaro Brechner "Natural Sciences" (Argentina), Director: Matías Lucchesi "Nn" (Peru, Colombia, France, Germany), Director: Héctor Galvez "Not All Is Vigil" (Spain, Colombia), Director: Hermes Paralluelo "One for the Road" (Mexico), Director: Jack Zagha Kababie "The Perfect Dictatorship" (Mexico), Director: Luis Estrada "Sand Dollars" (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina), Directors: Israel Cárdenas, Laura Amelia Guzmán "To Kill a Man" (Chile), Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras "The Way He Looks" (Brazil), Director: Daniel Ribeiro "Wild Tales" (Argentina, Spain), Director: Damián Szifrón About The Palm Springs International Film Festival
The Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees last year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who, in recent years, have included Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, David O. Russell, Meryl Streep, and Kate Winslet.
The Awards Gala of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is presented by Cartier and sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and Entertainment Tonight. The City of Palm Springs is the Title Sponsor of the Film Festival. Presenting Sponsors are Wells Fargo, The Desert Sun and Spencer’s. Major sponsors are Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Wessman Development, Bank of America, Wintec, Regal Entertainment Group, Ignition Creative, Desert Regional Medical Center, Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, Windermere Real Estate, Eisenhower Medical Center, Guthy-Renker, Integrated Wealth Management, VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com, Ocean Properties, Chihuly and Telefilm Canada.
For more information visit www.psfilmfest.org.
About The Guadalajara International Film Festival
Ficg was founded with support from the University of Guadalajara in 1985 by the Mexican filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, with the tremendous help from young film students like Guillermo del Toro. It will celebrate its 30th edition next March 6-15, 2015. Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.
About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.
The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles.
It seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.
- 1/9/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The seventh edition of Unknown Pleasures, Berlin's festival of American independent film, will open on January 1 with Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens's Land Ho! and run through January 16. Along with a special program devoted to the work of Alfred Guzzetti, highlights include Gregg Araki's White Bird in a Blizzard, Abel Ferrara's Welcome to New York, Robert Greene's Actress, Jessica Oreck's The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga, Mike Ott's Lake Los Angeles, Nathan Silver's Uncertain Terms, Tim Sutton's Memphis, Joe Swanberg's Happy Christmas, Gina Telaroli's Here's to the Future! and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky's Ellie Lumme. » - David Hudson...
- 12/5/2014
- Fandor: Keyframe
The seventh edition of Unknown Pleasures, Berlin's festival of American independent film, will open on January 1 with Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens's Land Ho! and run through January 16. Along with a special program devoted to the work of Alfred Guzzetti, highlights include Gregg Araki's White Bird in a Blizzard, Abel Ferrara's Welcome to New York, Robert Greene's Actress, Jessica Oreck's The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga, Mike Ott's Lake Los Angeles, Nathan Silver's Uncertain Terms, Tim Sutton's Memphis, Joe Swanberg's Happy Christmas, Gina Telaroli's Here's to the Future! and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky's Ellie Lumme. » - David Hudson...
- 12/5/2014
- Keyframe
I have just returned from Wroclaw, Poland where U.S. in Progress, the American Film Festival's works-in-progress event just wrapped. Held October 22-25, 2014, during the 5th American Film Festival (October 21-26), this was the best selection of filmmakers and films I have seen here to date, and I have been attending this event and its sister event in Paris every year since its inception (except for last October which I missed).
Earnest, attentive and professionally engaged, seeking answers about the best ways to complete the films in order to appeal strategically to festivals and international sales agents, the filmmakers discussed how best to further the success of their present and future films as well as their careers as international filmmakers. These six teams of filmmakers undoubtedly benefited enormously from the Polish and European film professionals who shared their knowledge as everyone watched the six chosen films, networking, sharing meals and drinking and who knows what till all hours in three fully packed days and nights.
Debuting filmmakers from the United States. in the only event of its kind in Europe (except for its sister event held in July at the Champs Elysees Film Festival in Paris) were invited (all expenses paid) to this great European city where the only multiplex for arthouse cinema of its kind is flourishing.
Roman Gutek, founder of this festival and the larger summertime Mobile New Horizons Film Festival, owner of Gutek Distribution, an entrepreneur who loves creating new events and projects, took over the giant theater in the middle of this middle-European, formerly Prussian city a few years ago and has introduced more than cinema to a well-educated (top univerisity here is one of the oldest in Europe) young populace. Other successful events include opera, ballet and monthly film events for 35,000 school children. He is now preparing the cinema component for the upcoming celebration of Wroclaw as the European Capital of Culture 2016.
One of his sons is working with the American Film Festival with its artistic director Ula Śniegowska. The other son is a chef and quite active in the gastronomic success of the city. Polish food is what our grandmothers used to make; one of the finest if not the finest cuisine in Central and Eastern Europe. This year pumpkin held center stage, with delicious dumplings and soups. Coincidentally, that other great culinary and cinema city, San Sebastian, also the inventor of the cinema "works-in-progress" industry model, has instituted a gastronomic exchange through the Polish-Basque Cultural Association Arrano Zuria. The project is promoted by the Donostia San Sebastian 2016 Foundation in charge of the European Capital of Culture 2016 in which chefs from both countries exchange and share recipes of both countries for public feasts.
But I digress...the 2014 U.S. in Progress, Wrocław participants:
Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian of "God Bless the Child" were articulate and full of anecdotes about how their book-ended story featured Robert's own five children in their own home. The first book-end shows the car being driven away by the mother early in the morning thus leaving the 13 year old daughter in charge of four brothers aged 18 months to seven or eight years. The closing book-end is for you, the viewer, to see as it caps off an almost perfect film. Between book-ends, this family, held together by the sweet and loving older sister, spends an almost real-life day together. Genre-defying, docu-like, so loving and so sad, this is not an easy-to-sell film for sales agents because it fits no preset marketing formula. However, I would venture to guess that If an audience were lucky enough to see it, word would spread about how lovingly effective and how unique it is. Rodrigo and Robert have more films in mind as well which are of the type that you want them to succeed in making. The jury unanimously awarded prizes for the completion to this worthy film. It is not "like" it, but still it put me in mind of Whit Stillman's "Boyhood" because the players are real people basically playing themselves.
"Take Me to the River" the debut feature of Matt Sobel was extraordinarily accomplished for a first-timer. A story about middle-America, a brother and sister find themselves at odds at their large family reunion at the family farm, when their two children are involved in an incident. The "big-city" (not) teenaged boy, the only child of the sister and her city-bred husband, finds his integrity tested in the events that follow. When the professional audience watching this film pointed out similarities to Thomas Vinterberg, Matt was aware and pointed out that his editor, Jacob Secher Schulsinger, was Danish and edited "Nymphomaniac" 1 and 2 as well as this year's Swedish Academy contender, "Force Majeure". On a personal note, we have known Matt for the six years it has taken to complete this film and have watched him as he attended Binger Institute as a post-grad whose college education did not include filmmaking, as he grew personally and professionally. We feel very proud of him and this film which we hope will make it to the top festivals and will be picked up by a top international sales agent to sell to top distributors. Its authenticity is a result of conscious decisions made in the creation of the drama by Matt. A strong and unique film.
"The Homefront" co-directed by Tyler Walker & Fidel Ruiz Healy is another totally unique, stand-alone feature, though it might be put into a genre category of post-apocalyptic, family drama. Only the apocalypse has not yet happened. War is still at a distance while this self-survivalist family of parents and their son and daughter wait it out in their large family house somewhere in Texas. The team of Tyler and Fidel started this when they were 19 years old. Today they are 23 and have more stories in them. It could actually be remade on a grander scale and would attract an audience, given some marketing dollars to get it into play. This is an unexpected story, acclaimed by the jury and awarded post-production prizes including sound and soundtrack composition. Additional links: https://vimeo.com/ruizhealy, http://www.theamericanstandardfilmco.com/
"Nakom" co-directed by Travis Pittman & Kelly Daniela Norris is another of the several co-directed films here attesting to a new generation of filmmakers who work in teams. This team-building is not just in U.S.; I have also seen it in Latin America and the Caribbean that young filmmakers meet in film school or at festivals and go on to create working teams which I think will continue to make films together. In this case Travis and Kelly met in film school and this is their second film together. The first, "Ombras de Azul" is just beginning to make the rounds. They shot it in Cuba. This one they shot in Ghana, in a village in the African plains where Travis spent two years in Peace Corps. It is enacted in the native language with a professionalism that belies the filmmakers' youth. It put me in mind of Tommy Oliver's "Kinyarwanda" which played in Sundance 2011 and whose second film "1982" was also in U.S. in Progress a year or two ago. Tommy has since made three more films.
"Flycatcher" changed its name to "Pangea" as a result of "Foxcatcher". Director Malcolm Murray wrote this with his wife, Liz Tran. HIs previous film, "Bad Posture", completed in 2011, has been written about in New York Times, Village Voice, Filmmaker Magazine, Indiewire, Filmmaker Magazine, Local Iq, Hammer To Nail: Top Ten Films of 2011. It showed at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and he was named in Ten To Watch: Best of Iffr.
"Stinking Heaven", directed by Nathan Silver, reminded me to Lars von Trier's "The Idiots". It stars up-and-coming Keith Poulson who just played in "Listen Up Philip" and is to be seen in several other pictures.
The 2013 U.S. in Progress partners (who also provided the prizes - post-production service packages) include Platige Image, Di Factory, Alvernia and Soundflower Studio. This year, Chimney has joined the ranks, while prizes are also being offered by Producer's Network at Cannes and Ale Kino+ (TV rights acquisition offer).
In 2013, top prizes went to the producers of the film "Sun Belt Express" (dir. Evan Wolf Buxbaum) and "Lake Los Angeles" (dir. Mike Ott). Both films had their world premieres in the U.S. and screened this year in competition as part of the Spectrum section at the American Film Festival.
The best films from the last Paris (during the Champs-Elysees Film Festival) and Wrocław editions constitute the core of Aff repertoire and, after their world premieres, will compete in the Festival's Spectrum section. These include Onur Turkel's "Summer of Blood," Leah Meyerhoff's "I Believe in Unicorns" as well as "Sun Belt Express" and "Lake Los Angeles."
Importantly, reps of the top European distributors and sales agents can see unfinished projects and offer feedback and deals at the early stages of production (before screenings at Sundance or Berlinale) enabling the films to break through to the European market.
The 2014 U.S. in Progress formula is expanded to include a location scouting tour in Lower Silesia (in partnership with the Wrocław Film Commission), as well as a presentation of Polish projects looking for American co-producers. Polish filmmakers are increasingly seeking North American partners and are interested in learning more about new and alternative ways to produce and finance films outside the mainstream system.
For more information about Us in Progress visit Here...
Earnest, attentive and professionally engaged, seeking answers about the best ways to complete the films in order to appeal strategically to festivals and international sales agents, the filmmakers discussed how best to further the success of their present and future films as well as their careers as international filmmakers. These six teams of filmmakers undoubtedly benefited enormously from the Polish and European film professionals who shared their knowledge as everyone watched the six chosen films, networking, sharing meals and drinking and who knows what till all hours in three fully packed days and nights.
Debuting filmmakers from the United States. in the only event of its kind in Europe (except for its sister event held in July at the Champs Elysees Film Festival in Paris) were invited (all expenses paid) to this great European city where the only multiplex for arthouse cinema of its kind is flourishing.
Roman Gutek, founder of this festival and the larger summertime Mobile New Horizons Film Festival, owner of Gutek Distribution, an entrepreneur who loves creating new events and projects, took over the giant theater in the middle of this middle-European, formerly Prussian city a few years ago and has introduced more than cinema to a well-educated (top univerisity here is one of the oldest in Europe) young populace. Other successful events include opera, ballet and monthly film events for 35,000 school children. He is now preparing the cinema component for the upcoming celebration of Wroclaw as the European Capital of Culture 2016.
One of his sons is working with the American Film Festival with its artistic director Ula Śniegowska. The other son is a chef and quite active in the gastronomic success of the city. Polish food is what our grandmothers used to make; one of the finest if not the finest cuisine in Central and Eastern Europe. This year pumpkin held center stage, with delicious dumplings and soups. Coincidentally, that other great culinary and cinema city, San Sebastian, also the inventor of the cinema "works-in-progress" industry model, has instituted a gastronomic exchange through the Polish-Basque Cultural Association Arrano Zuria. The project is promoted by the Donostia San Sebastian 2016 Foundation in charge of the European Capital of Culture 2016 in which chefs from both countries exchange and share recipes of both countries for public feasts.
But I digress...the 2014 U.S. in Progress, Wrocław participants:
Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian of "God Bless the Child" were articulate and full of anecdotes about how their book-ended story featured Robert's own five children in their own home. The first book-end shows the car being driven away by the mother early in the morning thus leaving the 13 year old daughter in charge of four brothers aged 18 months to seven or eight years. The closing book-end is for you, the viewer, to see as it caps off an almost perfect film. Between book-ends, this family, held together by the sweet and loving older sister, spends an almost real-life day together. Genre-defying, docu-like, so loving and so sad, this is not an easy-to-sell film for sales agents because it fits no preset marketing formula. However, I would venture to guess that If an audience were lucky enough to see it, word would spread about how lovingly effective and how unique it is. Rodrigo and Robert have more films in mind as well which are of the type that you want them to succeed in making. The jury unanimously awarded prizes for the completion to this worthy film. It is not "like" it, but still it put me in mind of Whit Stillman's "Boyhood" because the players are real people basically playing themselves.
"Take Me to the River" the debut feature of Matt Sobel was extraordinarily accomplished for a first-timer. A story about middle-America, a brother and sister find themselves at odds at their large family reunion at the family farm, when their two children are involved in an incident. The "big-city" (not) teenaged boy, the only child of the sister and her city-bred husband, finds his integrity tested in the events that follow. When the professional audience watching this film pointed out similarities to Thomas Vinterberg, Matt was aware and pointed out that his editor, Jacob Secher Schulsinger, was Danish and edited "Nymphomaniac" 1 and 2 as well as this year's Swedish Academy contender, "Force Majeure". On a personal note, we have known Matt for the six years it has taken to complete this film and have watched him as he attended Binger Institute as a post-grad whose college education did not include filmmaking, as he grew personally and professionally. We feel very proud of him and this film which we hope will make it to the top festivals and will be picked up by a top international sales agent to sell to top distributors. Its authenticity is a result of conscious decisions made in the creation of the drama by Matt. A strong and unique film.
"The Homefront" co-directed by Tyler Walker & Fidel Ruiz Healy is another totally unique, stand-alone feature, though it might be put into a genre category of post-apocalyptic, family drama. Only the apocalypse has not yet happened. War is still at a distance while this self-survivalist family of parents and their son and daughter wait it out in their large family house somewhere in Texas. The team of Tyler and Fidel started this when they were 19 years old. Today they are 23 and have more stories in them. It could actually be remade on a grander scale and would attract an audience, given some marketing dollars to get it into play. This is an unexpected story, acclaimed by the jury and awarded post-production prizes including sound and soundtrack composition. Additional links: https://vimeo.com/ruizhealy, http://www.theamericanstandardfilmco.com/
"Nakom" co-directed by Travis Pittman & Kelly Daniela Norris is another of the several co-directed films here attesting to a new generation of filmmakers who work in teams. This team-building is not just in U.S.; I have also seen it in Latin America and the Caribbean that young filmmakers meet in film school or at festivals and go on to create working teams which I think will continue to make films together. In this case Travis and Kelly met in film school and this is their second film together. The first, "Ombras de Azul" is just beginning to make the rounds. They shot it in Cuba. This one they shot in Ghana, in a village in the African plains where Travis spent two years in Peace Corps. It is enacted in the native language with a professionalism that belies the filmmakers' youth. It put me in mind of Tommy Oliver's "Kinyarwanda" which played in Sundance 2011 and whose second film "1982" was also in U.S. in Progress a year or two ago. Tommy has since made three more films.
"Flycatcher" changed its name to "Pangea" as a result of "Foxcatcher". Director Malcolm Murray wrote this with his wife, Liz Tran. HIs previous film, "Bad Posture", completed in 2011, has been written about in New York Times, Village Voice, Filmmaker Magazine, Indiewire, Filmmaker Magazine, Local Iq, Hammer To Nail: Top Ten Films of 2011. It showed at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and he was named in Ten To Watch: Best of Iffr.
"Stinking Heaven", directed by Nathan Silver, reminded me to Lars von Trier's "The Idiots". It stars up-and-coming Keith Poulson who just played in "Listen Up Philip" and is to be seen in several other pictures.
The 2013 U.S. in Progress partners (who also provided the prizes - post-production service packages) include Platige Image, Di Factory, Alvernia and Soundflower Studio. This year, Chimney has joined the ranks, while prizes are also being offered by Producer's Network at Cannes and Ale Kino+ (TV rights acquisition offer).
In 2013, top prizes went to the producers of the film "Sun Belt Express" (dir. Evan Wolf Buxbaum) and "Lake Los Angeles" (dir. Mike Ott). Both films had their world premieres in the U.S. and screened this year in competition as part of the Spectrum section at the American Film Festival.
The best films from the last Paris (during the Champs-Elysees Film Festival) and Wrocław editions constitute the core of Aff repertoire and, after their world premieres, will compete in the Festival's Spectrum section. These include Onur Turkel's "Summer of Blood," Leah Meyerhoff's "I Believe in Unicorns" as well as "Sun Belt Express" and "Lake Los Angeles."
Importantly, reps of the top European distributors and sales agents can see unfinished projects and offer feedback and deals at the early stages of production (before screenings at Sundance or Berlinale) enabling the films to break through to the European market.
The 2014 U.S. in Progress formula is expanded to include a location scouting tour in Lower Silesia (in partnership with the Wrocław Film Commission), as well as a presentation of Polish projects looking for American co-producers. Polish filmmakers are increasingly seeking North American partners and are interested in learning more about new and alternative ways to produce and finance films outside the mainstream system.
For more information about Us in Progress visit Here...
- 11/5/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
A handful of directors, producers and sales agents gathered for an introductory panel at the fifth American Film Festival (Oct 21-26) in Wroclaw, Poland as part of the festival’s Us in Progress event.
Us in Progress, the first industry event in Europe devoted entirely to Us indies, focuses on the completion and European distribution of American indie feature films at the post-production stage.
Similarities and differences between the European film market and the American system were debated, with discussion focusing on the link between sales and festivals.
“It’s really hard to raise awareness about your film,” said BlackRabbit Films’ Adeline Monzier [pictured], a creator of the event. “That’s why we created this programme, to raise awareness before the festivals because it’s important to meet the right people.”
Monzier continued on the importance of sales agents at European festivals, saying: “If you go to a European festival without a sales agent, you’ll just...
Us in Progress, the first industry event in Europe devoted entirely to Us indies, focuses on the completion and European distribution of American indie feature films at the post-production stage.
Similarities and differences between the European film market and the American system were debated, with discussion focusing on the link between sales and festivals.
“It’s really hard to raise awareness about your film,” said BlackRabbit Films’ Adeline Monzier [pictured], a creator of the event. “That’s why we created this programme, to raise awareness before the festivals because it’s important to meet the right people.”
Monzier continued on the importance of sales agents at European festivals, saying: “If you go to a European festival without a sales agent, you’ll just...
- 10/26/2014
- ScreenDaily
Us in Progress 4th annual Coproduction Forum (October 22-25, 2014) held during the 5th American Film Festival in Wrocław (October 21-26) targets Polish and European film professionals to facilitate professional networking with young, independent filmmakers from the United States. It is the only event of its kind in Europe (except for its sister event held in July at the Champs Elysees Film Festival in Paris. Invitation-only screenings are screening six independent American feature-length films in the final editing stages, selected out of 40 submissions.
The 2014 Us in Progress Wrocław participants:
"Flycatcher," dir. Malcolm Murray
"God Bless the Child," dir. Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck & Robert Machoian
"The Homefront," dir. Tyler Walker & Fidel Ruiz Healy
"Nakom," dir. Travis Pittman & Kelly Daniela Norris
"Stinking Heaven," dir. Nathan Silver
"Take Me to the River," dir. Matt Sobel
All will attend the 3-day event in Wrocław.
The 2013 Us in Progress partners (who also provided the prizes - post-production service packages) include Platige Image, Di Factory, Alvernia and Soundflower Studio. This year, Chimney has joined the ranks, while prizes are also being offered by Producer's Network at Cannes and Ale Kino+ (TV rights acquisition offer).
Polish post-production studios are welcomed to take part in the program, offer their services or expand their network of potential international clients.In 2013, top prizes went to the producers of the film "Sun Belt Express" (dir. Evan Wolf Buxbaum) and "Lake Los Angeles" (dir. Mike Ott). Both films had their world premieres in the U.S.A and will screen this year in competition as part of the Spectrum section at the American Film Festival.
The best films from the last Paris (during the Champs-Elysees Film Festival) and Wrocław editions constitute the core of Aff repertoire and, after their world premieres, will compete in the Festival's Spectrum section. These include Onur Turkel's "Summer of Blood," Leah Meyerhoff's "I Believe in Unicorns" as well as "Sun Belt Express" and "Lake Los Angeles."
Importantly, reps of the top European distributors and sales agents can see unfinished projects and offer feedback and deals at the early stages of production (before screenings at Sundance or Berlinale) enabling the films to break through to the European market.
The 2014 Us in Progress formula is expanded to include a location scouting tour in Lower Silesia (in partnership with the Wrocław Film Commission), as well as a presentation of Polish projects looking for American co-producers. Polish filmmakers are increasingly seeking North American partners and are interested in learning more about new and alternative ways to produce and finance films outside the mainstream system.
For more information about Us in Progress visit Here...
The 2014 Us in Progress Wrocław participants:
"Flycatcher," dir. Malcolm Murray
"God Bless the Child," dir. Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck & Robert Machoian
"The Homefront," dir. Tyler Walker & Fidel Ruiz Healy
"Nakom," dir. Travis Pittman & Kelly Daniela Norris
"Stinking Heaven," dir. Nathan Silver
"Take Me to the River," dir. Matt Sobel
All will attend the 3-day event in Wrocław.
The 2013 Us in Progress partners (who also provided the prizes - post-production service packages) include Platige Image, Di Factory, Alvernia and Soundflower Studio. This year, Chimney has joined the ranks, while prizes are also being offered by Producer's Network at Cannes and Ale Kino+ (TV rights acquisition offer).
Polish post-production studios are welcomed to take part in the program, offer their services or expand their network of potential international clients.In 2013, top prizes went to the producers of the film "Sun Belt Express" (dir. Evan Wolf Buxbaum) and "Lake Los Angeles" (dir. Mike Ott). Both films had their world premieres in the U.S.A and will screen this year in competition as part of the Spectrum section at the American Film Festival.
The best films from the last Paris (during the Champs-Elysees Film Festival) and Wrocław editions constitute the core of Aff repertoire and, after their world premieres, will compete in the Festival's Spectrum section. These include Onur Turkel's "Summer of Blood," Leah Meyerhoff's "I Believe in Unicorns" as well as "Sun Belt Express" and "Lake Los Angeles."
Importantly, reps of the top European distributors and sales agents can see unfinished projects and offer feedback and deals at the early stages of production (before screenings at Sundance or Berlinale) enabling the films to break through to the European market.
The 2014 Us in Progress formula is expanded to include a location scouting tour in Lower Silesia (in partnership with the Wrocław Film Commission), as well as a presentation of Polish projects looking for American co-producers. Polish filmmakers are increasingly seeking North American partners and are interested in learning more about new and alternative ways to produce and finance films outside the mainstream system.
For more information about Us in Progress visit Here...
- 9/15/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Director Mike Ott wraps up his trilogy of films set in the Antelope Valley of Southern California with this, his beguiling fourth feature, Lake Los Angeles. Getting a lot of mileage out of a simple, near fairy tale like story, Ott and company have crafted a film that speaks to the sensitive, stubborn and inquisitive nature of childhood, as well as to identity and culture in the melting pot that is America. Francisco (Roberto Sanchez) is a forty-something Cuban exile living in a ramshackle house amidst a fruit tree grove in the otherwise barren desert town of Lake Los Angeles. Amidst day laborer gigs for near-by estates, Francisco uses his house as a holding point for illegal immigrants who have recently crossed the border. Acting...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/21/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Laff Review: 'Lake Los Angeles' Is a Dreamy, Mystical Portrait of a Place Steeped in Harsh Realities
Director Mike Ott returns to the Los Angeles Film Festival with “Lake Los Angeles,” the third film in what has become known as his Antelope Valley trilogy. Following the dovetailing paths of an older male Cuban immigrant, and a young female Mexican immigrant, “Lake Los Angeles” is a dreamy slice of desert sun-baked magical realism. With captivating performances by the two leads, Roberto Sanchez and Johanna Trujillo, a hypnotic sound design, and light-saturated cinematography, Ott’s film casts a spell while also remaining firmly rooted in the realities of that life. Francisco (Sanchez) is a Cuban immigrant who has found himself away from his wife and children on that tropical island, trapped in land locked inland California. He works some pick up yard work jobs here and there, but his main source of income comes from providing a temporary safe house to illegal immigrants transported by coyote Adria (Eloy Mendez). Francisco is thoughtful,...
- 6/20/2014
- by Katie Walsh
- The Playlist
Mike Ott has made four feature films over his short career and received numerous accolades, including an Independent Spirit Award. His newest, "Lake Los Angeles," focuses on the intermingling lives of middle-aged Cuban exile worker Francisco and a ten-year-old Mexican girl who crosses the border without her family. It premiered on June 14 at the Los Angeles Film Festival. [Editor's Note: Indiewire reached out to filmmakers with films playing at the 20th La Film Festival (June 11-19) to ask them about how they shot their indie, and what advice they had for other filmmakers. We'll be posting their responses throughout the run of the festival. Go Here for the master list.] What camera and lens did you use? Camera: Red Lens: Cooke mk3 25-250 What was the most difficult shoot on your movie and how did you pull it off? We shot on top of this mountain in Mojave where we were doing a very slow zoom shot on a character about 500 yards away. When we got up there, the wind was...
- 6/20/2014
- by Oliver MacMahon
- Indiewire
One of the most beautifully shot films at the Los Angeles Film Festival will have to be Mike Ott’s “Lake Los Angeles.”
Ott returns to the film festival circuit after “Littlerock” and “Pearblossom Hwy” to complete his highly visual trilogy.
In this film, it portrays a couple of immigrants in the lonesome part of the United States in pursuit of the American dream. It follows two separate immigrants in the Lake Los Angeles area. One is the middle-aged Cuban exile who works at a holding house for illegal immigrants from Mexcio. And the other is a young ten-year-old Mexican girl who crossed the border without her family. They both cross path and realize the reality of the American dream.
Latino-Review caught up with the cast and director at the red carpet event over the weekend for the world premiere of the film. We talked with Roberto Sanchez, Johanna Trujillo,...
Ott returns to the film festival circuit after “Littlerock” and “Pearblossom Hwy” to complete his highly visual trilogy.
In this film, it portrays a couple of immigrants in the lonesome part of the United States in pursuit of the American dream. It follows two separate immigrants in the Lake Los Angeles area. One is the middle-aged Cuban exile who works at a holding house for illegal immigrants from Mexcio. And the other is a young ten-year-old Mexican girl who crossed the border without her family. They both cross path and realize the reality of the American dream.
Latino-Review caught up with the cast and director at the red carpet event over the weekend for the world premiere of the film. We talked with Roberto Sanchez, Johanna Trujillo,...
- 6/18/2014
- by Gig Patta
- LRMonline.com
The 2014 Los Angeles Film Festival kicks off today June 11th at the Regal Cinemas in Downtown's L.A. Live. Among the the world class selection of films that includes several World Premiers and special screenings of highly-anticipated films such as "Snowpiercer" and "Jersey Boys", there are also several Latino-produced and Latino-theme features in the program.
Here is all the information you need to catch these Latino films at Laff running from June 11th-19th.
To purchase tickets visit Here
Club Sandwich by Fernando Eimbcke
(Mexico, 2013, 82 min)
International Showcase
Sat, Jun 14th 9:30pm
Wed, Jun 18th 4:00pm
On their summer vacation, single mom Paloma and her teenage son Hector’s unique friendship is tested when Jazmin, a young stranger, vies for Hector’s affections. In his hilarious and touching third feature, acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke explores the growing pains of parenthood and adolescence.
La Bamba by Luis Valdez
(USA, 1987, 108 min)
Free Screenings
Fri, Jun 13th 7:30pm
Union Station
This musical biopic recounts the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens, who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper.
Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott – World Premiere
(USA, 2014, 85 min)
Narrative Competition
Sat, Jun 14th 7:30pm
Thu, Jun 19th 4:30pm
Abandoned after crossing the U.S. border, young Cecilia’s only salvation is her vivid imagination and Francisco, a lonely Cuban immigrant. Writer/director Mike Ott returns to the Los Angeles Film Festival with a gorgeous tale of two strangers brought together in the barren Southern California desert.
The Liberator by Alberto Arvelo
(Venezuela, Spain, 2013, 119 min)
International Showcase
Sun, Jun 15th 7:30pm
Wed, Jun 18th 1:30pm
Édgar Ramírez plays the legendary South American liberator Simón Bolívar in this gorgeously produced epic that traces his transformation from dashing 19th century aristocrat to charismatic, embattled revolutionary.
Los Angeles by Damian John Harper - International Premiere
(Germany, Mexico, 2014, 97 min)
La Muse
Sat, Jun 14th 3:45pm
In a Zapotec village in southern Mexico, journeying north to the City of Angels is a rite of passage into manhood. But when 17-year old Mateo betrays a local gang leader, he risks his future on both sides of the border.
Man From Reno by Dave Boyle – World Premiere
(Japan, USA, 2014, 111 min)
Narrative Competition
Sun, Jun 15th 6:40pm
Wed, Jun 18th 9:00pm
A Japanese crime novelist and a small town sheriff are lured into the same strange murder mystery in this idiosyncratic and engrossing neo-noir. Unfolding on the backstreets and outskirts of San Francisco, "Man from Reno"is sinister and seductive by turns.
Natural Sciences by Matías Lucchesi
(Argentina, France, 2014, 71 min)
International Showcase
Sun, Jun 15th 11:00am
Tue, Jun 17th 9:00pm
In the dead of winter, 12-year-old Lila tries to escape from her remote Argentinian boarding school on horseback. Her teacher stops her, but Lila's determination wins her over, and together, they set out on a journey to track down the father Lila never knew.
Recommended By Enrique by Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia – World Premiere
(USA, Argentina, France, 2014, 87 min)
Narrative Competition
Fri, Jun 13th 7:25pm
Tue, Jun 17th 4:10pm
An aspiring Hollywood actress and a mysterious cowboy find themselves trapped in a small Texas border town where time seems to stand still. Based on a bizarre true story that they delight in elaborating on, filmmakers Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia weave a mesmerizing, witty fable about dreams and reality.
Stray Dog by Debra Granik - World Premiere
(USA, 2014, 105 min)
Documentary Competition
Fri, Jun 13th 7:00pm
Sun, Jun 15th 12:30pm
At first glance, Ron "Stray Dog" Hall seems like one scary biker, but "Winter's Bone" director Debra Granik's powerful, stereotype-shattering documentary debut reveals the big, wounded heart of this Vietnam vet in all its ragged glory.
Here is all the information you need to catch these Latino films at Laff running from June 11th-19th.
To purchase tickets visit Here
Club Sandwich by Fernando Eimbcke
(Mexico, 2013, 82 min)
International Showcase
Sat, Jun 14th 9:30pm
Wed, Jun 18th 4:00pm
On their summer vacation, single mom Paloma and her teenage son Hector’s unique friendship is tested when Jazmin, a young stranger, vies for Hector’s affections. In his hilarious and touching third feature, acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke explores the growing pains of parenthood and adolescence.
La Bamba by Luis Valdez
(USA, 1987, 108 min)
Free Screenings
Fri, Jun 13th 7:30pm
Union Station
This musical biopic recounts the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens, who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper.
Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott – World Premiere
(USA, 2014, 85 min)
Narrative Competition
Sat, Jun 14th 7:30pm
Thu, Jun 19th 4:30pm
Abandoned after crossing the U.S. border, young Cecilia’s only salvation is her vivid imagination and Francisco, a lonely Cuban immigrant. Writer/director Mike Ott returns to the Los Angeles Film Festival with a gorgeous tale of two strangers brought together in the barren Southern California desert.
The Liberator by Alberto Arvelo
(Venezuela, Spain, 2013, 119 min)
International Showcase
Sun, Jun 15th 7:30pm
Wed, Jun 18th 1:30pm
Édgar Ramírez plays the legendary South American liberator Simón Bolívar in this gorgeously produced epic that traces his transformation from dashing 19th century aristocrat to charismatic, embattled revolutionary.
Los Angeles by Damian John Harper - International Premiere
(Germany, Mexico, 2014, 97 min)
La Muse
Sat, Jun 14th 3:45pm
In a Zapotec village in southern Mexico, journeying north to the City of Angels is a rite of passage into manhood. But when 17-year old Mateo betrays a local gang leader, he risks his future on both sides of the border.
Man From Reno by Dave Boyle – World Premiere
(Japan, USA, 2014, 111 min)
Narrative Competition
Sun, Jun 15th 6:40pm
Wed, Jun 18th 9:00pm
A Japanese crime novelist and a small town sheriff are lured into the same strange murder mystery in this idiosyncratic and engrossing neo-noir. Unfolding on the backstreets and outskirts of San Francisco, "Man from Reno"is sinister and seductive by turns.
Natural Sciences by Matías Lucchesi
(Argentina, France, 2014, 71 min)
International Showcase
Sun, Jun 15th 11:00am
Tue, Jun 17th 9:00pm
In the dead of winter, 12-year-old Lila tries to escape from her remote Argentinian boarding school on horseback. Her teacher stops her, but Lila's determination wins her over, and together, they set out on a journey to track down the father Lila never knew.
Recommended By Enrique by Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia – World Premiere
(USA, Argentina, France, 2014, 87 min)
Narrative Competition
Fri, Jun 13th 7:25pm
Tue, Jun 17th 4:10pm
An aspiring Hollywood actress and a mysterious cowboy find themselves trapped in a small Texas border town where time seems to stand still. Based on a bizarre true story that they delight in elaborating on, filmmakers Rania Attieh and Daniel Garcia weave a mesmerizing, witty fable about dreams and reality.
Stray Dog by Debra Granik - World Premiere
(USA, 2014, 105 min)
Documentary Competition
Fri, Jun 13th 7:00pm
Sun, Jun 15th 12:30pm
At first glance, Ron "Stray Dog" Hall seems like one scary biker, but "Winter's Bone" director Debra Granik's powerful, stereotype-shattering documentary debut reveals the big, wounded heart of this Vietnam vet in all its ragged glory.
- 6/11/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Short Term 12 and Big Easy Express took home top prizes at the 4th American Film Festival in Wroclaw.
The American Film Festival (Aff) in Wrocław, Poland has awarded the audience award for Best Narrative Feature ($10,000) to Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Term 12.
The audience award for the Best Documentary Feature ($5,000) went to Emmett Malloy for Big Easy Express.
The festival, focused entirely on independent American cinema, closed with the Polish premiere of Steven Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra on Oct 27.
A total of 80 films were screened at the Nowe Horyzonty cinema in Wrocław, of which 52 films received their Polish premiere such as Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive, As I Lay Dying by James Franco and Don Jon by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. There were three European premieres and one world premiere, Blue Highway by Kyle Smith.
The number of admissions exceeded 17,000 for the second consecutive year.
The Aff also featured a retrospective of Shirley Clarke, a mini-retrospective...
The American Film Festival (Aff) in Wrocław, Poland has awarded the audience award for Best Narrative Feature ($10,000) to Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Term 12.
The audience award for the Best Documentary Feature ($5,000) went to Emmett Malloy for Big Easy Express.
The festival, focused entirely on independent American cinema, closed with the Polish premiere of Steven Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra on Oct 27.
A total of 80 films were screened at the Nowe Horyzonty cinema in Wrocław, of which 52 films received their Polish premiere such as Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive, As I Lay Dying by James Franco and Don Jon by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. There were three European premieres and one world premiere, Blue Highway by Kyle Smith.
The number of admissions exceeded 17,000 for the second consecutive year.
The Aff also featured a retrospective of Shirley Clarke, a mini-retrospective...
- 10/31/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Sun Belt Express and Lake Los Angeles win main prizes.
The third Us in Progress Wrocław - a works-in-progress event targeted at Us independent filmmakers and European buyers - has handed its main prizes to Sun Belt Express and Lake Los Angeles.
This year, six films selected from around 40 submissions competed for prizes consisting of post-production and promotional services worth $60,000.
The main awards went to Sun Belt Express by Evan Wolf Buxbaum, produced by Noah Lang and Iyabo Boyd, and Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott, produced by Athina Rachel Tsangari.
Sun Belt Express received Di image post-production from Platige Image studio (Warsaw), foley from Aeroplan Studio (Warsaw), final sound mix from Alvernia Studios (Kraków) and soundtrack from composer Maciej Zieliński of Soundflower Studio (Warsaw).
Lake Los Angeles was offered Di image post-production from Di Factory studio (Warsaw), foley from Aeroplan Studio (Warsaw), Dcp creation from Dcinex, subtitling from Vsi Paris/Chinkel and the promotional award from Europa...
The third Us in Progress Wrocław - a works-in-progress event targeted at Us independent filmmakers and European buyers - has handed its main prizes to Sun Belt Express and Lake Los Angeles.
This year, six films selected from around 40 submissions competed for prizes consisting of post-production and promotional services worth $60,000.
The main awards went to Sun Belt Express by Evan Wolf Buxbaum, produced by Noah Lang and Iyabo Boyd, and Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott, produced by Athina Rachel Tsangari.
Sun Belt Express received Di image post-production from Platige Image studio (Warsaw), foley from Aeroplan Studio (Warsaw), final sound mix from Alvernia Studios (Kraków) and soundtrack from composer Maciej Zieliński of Soundflower Studio (Warsaw).
Lake Los Angeles was offered Di image post-production from Di Factory studio (Warsaw), foley from Aeroplan Studio (Warsaw), Dcp creation from Dcinex, subtitling from Vsi Paris/Chinkel and the promotional award from Europa...
- 10/27/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Opening with Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive the latest edition of the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland (22-27 October 2013) has screened some of the most important American independent films of the year. Being the only festival of its class in Eastern and Central Europe the festival has become the most important venue to connect American filmmakers with European buyers and audiences through programs like U.S. in Progress Wrocław (23-25 October 2013).
This year's program taking place at the New Horizons cinema presented 80 movies out of which 42 are Polish premieres, 3 are European premieres and 1 is a World Premiere. Among them 10 documentaries and 17 feature films competed for cash prizes in the audience-vote competitions.
The first competitive section - Spectrum ($10,000 audience award for the Best Narrative Feature) included films that have been well-received here in the U.S such as A Teacher by Hannah Fidell, Blue Caprice by Alexandre Moors, Afternoon Delight by Jill Soloway, Short Term 12 by Destin Cretton, The Spectacular Now by James Ponsoldt, and Bluebird by Lance Edmands. The second competition - American Docs ($5,000 audience award for Best Documentary Feature) had a selection of films depicting varied current issues in American society including Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia by Nicholas Wrathall, The Armstrong Lie by Alex Gibney, Our Nixon by Penny Lane, Northern Light by Nick Bentgen, Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton by Eric Slade and Stephen Silha and Before You Know It by Pj Raval.
The American Film Festival also ran a retrospective of Shirley Clarke and presented Polish premieres of high-profile films such as As I Lay Dying by James Franco, Quentin Dupieux’s Wrong Cops, Jeffrey Friedman and Rob Epstein’s Lovelace, Much Ado About Nothing by Joss Whedon, Touchy Feely by Lynn Shelton, At Any Price by Ramin Bahrani, and Maladies by Carter. The festival also screened Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Sundance hit Don Jon along several U.S. in Progress participants and festival hits like I Used to be Darker by Matt Porterfier and Hide Your Smiling Faces by Daniel Patrick Carbone. Lastly, a special section titled 'Masterpieces of American Cinema 90 Years of Warner Bros." showed 14 digitally-remastered productions by the studio from The Jazz Singer by Alan Crosland (1927) through A Clockwork Orange ,The Exorcist and Christopher Nolan’s Inception
The festival will close on October 27th with Steven Soderbergh's Emmy Award-winning film Behind the Candelabra.
All competitions titles:
Spectrum
American Milkshake by David Andalman, Mariko Munro, USA 2012, 82'
Blue Highway by Kyle Smith, USA 2013, 70'
Coldwater by Vincent Grashaw, USA 2013, 104'
The Spectacular Now by James Ponsoldt, USA 2013, 95'
Drinking Buddies by Joe Swanberg, USA 2013, 90'
Lily by Matt Creed, USA 2013, 85'
A Teacher by Hannah Fidell, USA 2013, 75'
Blue Caprice by Alexandre Moors, USA 2013, 93'
Pearblossom Hwy by Mike Ott, USA 2012, 78'
Afternoon Delight by Jill Soloway, USA 2013, 105'
Stand Clear of the Closing Doors by Sam Fleischner, USA 2013, 102'
Short Term 12 by Destin Cretton, USA 2013, 96'
The Cold Lands by Tom Gilroy, USA 2013, 100'
In a World... by Lake Bell, USA 2013, 93'
A Song Still Inside by Gregory Collins, USA 2013, 82'
Bluebird by Lance Edmands, USA 2013, 90'
American Docs
Big Easy Express by Emmett Malloy, USA 2012
Off Label by Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher, USA 2012
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia by Nicholas Wrathall, USA, Italy 2013
Fall and Winter by Matt Anderson, USA 2013
The Armstrong Lie by Alex Gibney, USA 2013
Lenny Cooke by Ben Safdie, Joshua Safdie, USA 2012
Our Nixon by Penny Lane, USA 2013
Northern Light by Nick Bentgen, USA 2013
Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton by Eric Slade, Stephen Silha, USA 2013
Before You Know It by Pj Raval, USA 2012
U.S. Progress Projects
This year 6 projects in the final production stages were chosen to take part in the two-day workshop knows as U.S. in Progress Wroclaw (23-25 October, 2013). The event presents the American independent projects to European buyers, post-production houses and festivals in order to help them achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of these films in Europe.
Selected from over 40 submission the chosen projects are the dramas Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott (produced by Athina Rachel Tsangari), Happy Baby by Stephen Elliott (produced by Jessica Caldwell ) and Some Beasts by Cameron Nelson (produced by Ashley Maynor and Courtney Ware), crime story Wild Canaries by Lawrence Michael Levine (produced by Sophia Takal, Kim Sherman and McCabe Walsh), frontier black comedy Sun Belt Express by Evan Wolf Buxbaum (producers: Noah Lang and Iyabo Boyd) and Summer of Blood – a New York vampire comedy by director-producer Onur Tukel.
The prizes are awarded by a jury of professionals and include post-production services from European partner companies worth almost $60.000 and promotional services from other partners. Us in Progress’ partners are: Platige Image (Warsaw), Di Factory (Warsaw), Alvernia Studios (Krakow), composer Maciej Zielinski of Soundflower Studio (Warsaw), Soundplace (Warsaw), DCinex (Belgium), Vsi (Paris), Europa Distribution, Cicae and Cannes Marche du Film’s Producers Network.
U.S. in Progress Wrocław (formerly Gotham in Progress) was started in 2011 by the New Horizons Association and Black Rabbit Film. Previous films presented at the event included, among others: I Used To Be Darker by Matt Porterfield, American Milkshake by David Andalman (both shown at Sundance Ff in 2013), Hide Your Smiling Faces by Daniel Carbone (Berlinale Generation, Tribeca), Bluebird by Lance Edmands (Tribeca, Karlovy Vary), Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin’s Now, Forager: a Film About Love and Fungi (Rotterdam, New Directors/New Films, Gotham Awards nominee), Amy Seimetz’s Sun Don’t Shine (SXSW, Edinburgh Iff, Gotham Awards nominee) and Devyn Waitt’s Not Waving But Drowning (Sarasota Ff).
U.S. in Progress Wrocław is supported by the City of Wrocław, American Embassy in Warsaw and Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
For more information on the American Film Festival and the U.S. in Progress projects visit Here...
This year's program taking place at the New Horizons cinema presented 80 movies out of which 42 are Polish premieres, 3 are European premieres and 1 is a World Premiere. Among them 10 documentaries and 17 feature films competed for cash prizes in the audience-vote competitions.
The first competitive section - Spectrum ($10,000 audience award for the Best Narrative Feature) included films that have been well-received here in the U.S such as A Teacher by Hannah Fidell, Blue Caprice by Alexandre Moors, Afternoon Delight by Jill Soloway, Short Term 12 by Destin Cretton, The Spectacular Now by James Ponsoldt, and Bluebird by Lance Edmands. The second competition - American Docs ($5,000 audience award for Best Documentary Feature) had a selection of films depicting varied current issues in American society including Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia by Nicholas Wrathall, The Armstrong Lie by Alex Gibney, Our Nixon by Penny Lane, Northern Light by Nick Bentgen, Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton by Eric Slade and Stephen Silha and Before You Know It by Pj Raval.
The American Film Festival also ran a retrospective of Shirley Clarke and presented Polish premieres of high-profile films such as As I Lay Dying by James Franco, Quentin Dupieux’s Wrong Cops, Jeffrey Friedman and Rob Epstein’s Lovelace, Much Ado About Nothing by Joss Whedon, Touchy Feely by Lynn Shelton, At Any Price by Ramin Bahrani, and Maladies by Carter. The festival also screened Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Sundance hit Don Jon along several U.S. in Progress participants and festival hits like I Used to be Darker by Matt Porterfier and Hide Your Smiling Faces by Daniel Patrick Carbone. Lastly, a special section titled 'Masterpieces of American Cinema 90 Years of Warner Bros." showed 14 digitally-remastered productions by the studio from The Jazz Singer by Alan Crosland (1927) through A Clockwork Orange ,The Exorcist and Christopher Nolan’s Inception
The festival will close on October 27th with Steven Soderbergh's Emmy Award-winning film Behind the Candelabra.
All competitions titles:
Spectrum
American Milkshake by David Andalman, Mariko Munro, USA 2012, 82'
Blue Highway by Kyle Smith, USA 2013, 70'
Coldwater by Vincent Grashaw, USA 2013, 104'
The Spectacular Now by James Ponsoldt, USA 2013, 95'
Drinking Buddies by Joe Swanberg, USA 2013, 90'
Lily by Matt Creed, USA 2013, 85'
A Teacher by Hannah Fidell, USA 2013, 75'
Blue Caprice by Alexandre Moors, USA 2013, 93'
Pearblossom Hwy by Mike Ott, USA 2012, 78'
Afternoon Delight by Jill Soloway, USA 2013, 105'
Stand Clear of the Closing Doors by Sam Fleischner, USA 2013, 102'
Short Term 12 by Destin Cretton, USA 2013, 96'
The Cold Lands by Tom Gilroy, USA 2013, 100'
In a World... by Lake Bell, USA 2013, 93'
A Song Still Inside by Gregory Collins, USA 2013, 82'
Bluebird by Lance Edmands, USA 2013, 90'
American Docs
Big Easy Express by Emmett Malloy, USA 2012
Off Label by Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher, USA 2012
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia by Nicholas Wrathall, USA, Italy 2013
Fall and Winter by Matt Anderson, USA 2013
The Armstrong Lie by Alex Gibney, USA 2013
Lenny Cooke by Ben Safdie, Joshua Safdie, USA 2012
Our Nixon by Penny Lane, USA 2013
Northern Light by Nick Bentgen, USA 2013
Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton by Eric Slade, Stephen Silha, USA 2013
Before You Know It by Pj Raval, USA 2012
U.S. Progress Projects
This year 6 projects in the final production stages were chosen to take part in the two-day workshop knows as U.S. in Progress Wroclaw (23-25 October, 2013). The event presents the American independent projects to European buyers, post-production houses and festivals in order to help them achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of these films in Europe.
Selected from over 40 submission the chosen projects are the dramas Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott (produced by Athina Rachel Tsangari), Happy Baby by Stephen Elliott (produced by Jessica Caldwell ) and Some Beasts by Cameron Nelson (produced by Ashley Maynor and Courtney Ware), crime story Wild Canaries by Lawrence Michael Levine (produced by Sophia Takal, Kim Sherman and McCabe Walsh), frontier black comedy Sun Belt Express by Evan Wolf Buxbaum (producers: Noah Lang and Iyabo Boyd) and Summer of Blood – a New York vampire comedy by director-producer Onur Tukel.
The prizes are awarded by a jury of professionals and include post-production services from European partner companies worth almost $60.000 and promotional services from other partners. Us in Progress’ partners are: Platige Image (Warsaw), Di Factory (Warsaw), Alvernia Studios (Krakow), composer Maciej Zielinski of Soundflower Studio (Warsaw), Soundplace (Warsaw), DCinex (Belgium), Vsi (Paris), Europa Distribution, Cicae and Cannes Marche du Film’s Producers Network.
U.S. in Progress Wrocław (formerly Gotham in Progress) was started in 2011 by the New Horizons Association and Black Rabbit Film. Previous films presented at the event included, among others: I Used To Be Darker by Matt Porterfield, American Milkshake by David Andalman (both shown at Sundance Ff in 2013), Hide Your Smiling Faces by Daniel Carbone (Berlinale Generation, Tribeca), Bluebird by Lance Edmands (Tribeca, Karlovy Vary), Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin’s Now, Forager: a Film About Love and Fungi (Rotterdam, New Directors/New Films, Gotham Awards nominee), Amy Seimetz’s Sun Don’t Shine (SXSW, Edinburgh Iff, Gotham Awards nominee) and Devyn Waitt’s Not Waving But Drowning (Sarasota Ff).
U.S. in Progress Wrocław is supported by the City of Wrocław, American Embassy in Warsaw and Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
For more information on the American Film Festival and the U.S. in Progress projects visit Here...
- 10/26/2013
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Pierogis and paczkis aside, another thing we like about the Polish is the Wroclaw’s Us in Progress initiative, which is already at year three (fifth edition if you include the Paris) and reported by Screen Daily, have selected the lucky six projects (October 23rd-25th) where filmmaker/producing teams will take part in what is essentially: first looks of U.S. indie films for European buyers with a cash prize (post production coin) decided by a jury. Among the noteworthy names we have the likes of Littlerock‘s Mike Ott, Gabi on the Roof in July‘s Lawrence Levine and Onur Tukel (writer on Michael Tully’s Septien, director behind 2012′s Richard’s Wedding). Here is our researched look at the six (of which we can expect a couple of items to end up at Sundance next January).
Happy Baby
Director/Writer: Stephen Elliott
Producer: Jessica Caldwell (Electrick Children...
Happy Baby
Director/Writer: Stephen Elliott
Producer: Jessica Caldwell (Electrick Children...
- 9/27/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Six projects selected for this year’s works-in-progress event targeted at Us independent filmmakers and European buyers.
Poland’s Us in Progress Wrocław event has announced the six projects that will feature in its 2013 edition.
The two-day works-in-progress event presents Us films in the final stages of production stages to European buyers, post-production houses and festivals in order to help them achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of Us indie films in Europe.
The invite-only screenings and one-to-one meetings will take place as part of of the 4th American Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland (Oct 23-25).
The films, selected from around 40 submissions, include:
Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott (produced by Athina Rachel Tsangari),
Happy Baby by Stephen Elliott (produced by Jessica Caldwell )
Some Beasts by Cameron Nelson (produced by Ashley Maynor and Courtney Ware)
Wild Canaries by Lawrence Michael Levine (produced by Sophia Takal, Kim Sherman and McCabe Walsh)
Sun Belt Express by [link...
Poland’s Us in Progress Wrocław event has announced the six projects that will feature in its 2013 edition.
The two-day works-in-progress event presents Us films in the final stages of production stages to European buyers, post-production houses and festivals in order to help them achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of Us indie films in Europe.
The invite-only screenings and one-to-one meetings will take place as part of of the 4th American Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland (Oct 23-25).
The films, selected from around 40 submissions, include:
Lake Los Angeles by Mike Ott (produced by Athina Rachel Tsangari),
Happy Baby by Stephen Elliott (produced by Jessica Caldwell )
Some Beasts by Cameron Nelson (produced by Ashley Maynor and Courtney Ware)
Wild Canaries by Lawrence Michael Levine (produced by Sophia Takal, Kim Sherman and McCabe Walsh)
Sun Belt Express by [link...
- 9/27/2013
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Pearblossom Hwy is the second collaboration between Director Mike Ott and Actress/Writer Atsuko Okatsuka. Their trilogy began with 2010's Little Rock and their forthcoming feature, Lake Los Angeles, will conclude their “Antelope Valley Desert” series.
The film opens in the style of a video diary with a teenage stoner filming himself. Ott uses extreme- close-ups to make Cory's stream of consciousness feel all the more personal, despite his slightly shallow hopes and dreams: “What can I say? I'm a troublemaker. I've always wanted to be a rebel with no cause. I've always wanted to be a rock star too...”
Director: Mike Ott
Writer: Mike Ott, Atsuko Okatsuka
Release Date: April 17 2013
Country: USA
Running Time: 78 mins
Certificate:15
Starring: Atsuko Okatsuka, Cory Zacharia, John Brotherton...
The film opens in the style of a video diary with a teenage stoner filming himself. Ott uses extreme- close-ups to make Cory's stream of consciousness feel all the more personal, despite his slightly shallow hopes and dreams: “What can I say? I'm a troublemaker. I've always wanted to be a rebel with no cause. I've always wanted to be a rock star too...”
Director: Mike Ott
Writer: Mike Ott, Atsuko Okatsuka
Release Date: April 17 2013
Country: USA
Running Time: 78 mins
Certificate:15
Starring: Atsuko Okatsuka, Cory Zacharia, John Brotherton...
- 4/28/2013
- Shadowlocked
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