2024 Lucille Lortel Awards winners: Kecia Lewis and Eli Gelb scoop up victories ahead of Tony Awards
Winners of the 2024 Lucille Lortel Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in Off-Broadway theater, were announced on Sunday, May 5, in a ceremony at NYU Skirball. The show was hosted by Rosalind Chao, Jen Colella, Michael Esper, 2024 Tony nominee Eden Espinosa (“Lempicka”), 2024 Tony nominee Nikki M. James (“Suffs”) and Bd Wong. The Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League and Lucille Lortel Theatre, with additional support provided by Tdf.
It was a banner evening for Ars Nova. Not only did the theater company receive an honorary award for Best Body of Work, their show “(pray)” was also the top winner of the night. This co-production with National Black Theatre took home three trophies including Best Musical, Best Director for NicHi douglas and Best Ensemble.
Four other productions earned multiple awards, with “Buena Vista Social Club,” “The Comeuppance,” “Stereophonic,” and “Wet Brain” each claiming two prizes.
“Stereophonic” is a frontrunner for Best...
It was a banner evening for Ars Nova. Not only did the theater company receive an honorary award for Best Body of Work, their show “(pray)” was also the top winner of the night. This co-production with National Black Theatre took home three trophies including Best Musical, Best Director for NicHi douglas and Best Ensemble.
Four other productions earned multiple awards, with “Buena Vista Social Club,” “The Comeuppance,” “Stereophonic,” and “Wet Brain” each claiming two prizes.
“Stereophonic” is a frontrunner for Best...
- 5/6/2024
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Nominations for the 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards were announced on Tuesday, April 23. The stars of the hit Broadway revival of “Merrily We Roll Along,” Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe, read off the nominees live from the Museum of Broadway.
Off-Broadway productions ultimately out-paced Broadway with this critics group. The new David Yazbek musical “Dead Outlaw” led the pack with nine nominations. It was followed by “The Connector,” another Off-Broadway musical, and “Stereophonic,” a lauded Broadway play, with seven nominations each.
While there are no Tony nominators in the Outer Critics Circle membership, these nominations can provide some clues as to how theater aficionados are thinking about this season’s Tony race. Of the five productions cited for Best New Broadway Musical, only “Days of Wine and Roses” and “Suffs” made the cut in the all-important Best Score category. They were joined by two Off-Broadway entries, as well as...
Off-Broadway productions ultimately out-paced Broadway with this critics group. The new David Yazbek musical “Dead Outlaw” led the pack with nine nominations. It was followed by “The Connector,” another Off-Broadway musical, and “Stereophonic,” a lauded Broadway play, with seven nominations each.
While there are no Tony nominators in the Outer Critics Circle membership, these nominations can provide some clues as to how theater aficionados are thinking about this season’s Tony race. Of the five productions cited for Best New Broadway Musical, only “Days of Wine and Roses” and “Suffs” made the cut in the all-important Best Score category. They were joined by two Off-Broadway entries, as well as...
- 4/23/2024
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Nominations for the 39th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards were announced today by Amber Iman and George Abud, two stars of Broadway’s “Lempicka.” The Lortels honor outstanding achievement in Off-Broadway theater. The 2024 ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 5 at NYU Skirball Center. The Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League and Lucille Lortel Theatre, with additional support provided by Tdf.
It’s common for productions to begin their life Off-Broadway before transferring to the Main Stem, so many of this year’s Tony Awards hopefuls are among the list of Lortel nominations. Chief among these contenders is “Hell’s Kitchen,” the semi-autobiographical musical from Alicia Keys. That tuner garnered five Lortel nominations. These include Best Musical, Best Choreography for Camille A. Brown, a Lead Performer bid for Maleah Joi Moon, and Featured Performer bids for Shoshana Bean and Kecia Lewis. All performance categories at the Lortel Awards are gender neutral.
It’s common for productions to begin their life Off-Broadway before transferring to the Main Stem, so many of this year’s Tony Awards hopefuls are among the list of Lortel nominations. Chief among these contenders is “Hell’s Kitchen,” the semi-autobiographical musical from Alicia Keys. That tuner garnered five Lortel nominations. These include Best Musical, Best Choreography for Camille A. Brown, a Lead Performer bid for Maleah Joi Moon, and Featured Performer bids for Shoshana Bean and Kecia Lewis. All performance categories at the Lortel Awards are gender neutral.
- 4/4/2024
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Veteran producer and sales agent Rosa Bosch has joined the Madrid-based distributor and international sales agency Begin Again Films. Bosch will serve as part of the company’s international department.
Bosch has previously held roles at AFI Fest, the London Film Festival, the National Film Theatre in London (Deputy Director), and the San Sebastian Film Festival. She was a founding partner of the production company and international sales agency, Tequila Gang, along with Guillermo del Toro, Laura Esquivel, Bertha Navarro, and Alejandra Moreno. As a producer, her credits include titles such as Buena Vista Social Club by Wim Wenders, The Devil’s Backbone by Guillermo del Toro, The Gospel of Wonders by Arturo Ripstein, and Broken Silence by Montxo Armendáriz.
Bosch led the international launch and distribution strategy of films such as Amores Perros by Alejandro González Iñarritu and Corpo Celeste by Alice Rorhwacher. She also served as the Managing Director...
Bosch has previously held roles at AFI Fest, the London Film Festival, the National Film Theatre in London (Deputy Director), and the San Sebastian Film Festival. She was a founding partner of the production company and international sales agency, Tequila Gang, along with Guillermo del Toro, Laura Esquivel, Bertha Navarro, and Alejandra Moreno. As a producer, her credits include titles such as Buena Vista Social Club by Wim Wenders, The Devil’s Backbone by Guillermo del Toro, The Gospel of Wonders by Arturo Ripstein, and Broken Silence by Montxo Armendáriz.
Bosch led the international launch and distribution strategy of films such as Amores Perros by Alejandro González Iñarritu and Corpo Celeste by Alice Rorhwacher. She also served as the Managing Director...
- 3/15/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days,” which is nominated for best international feature film at the Oscars, has smashed the all-time global box office record set by the German director’s previous films. While it has yet to be released in all territories, “Perfect Days” has amassed a worldwide box office total of $24.3 million as of Feb. 18, according to Comscore.
Among his previous films, “Paris, Texas” earned $2.26 million, “Wings of Desire” took $3.5 million, “Pina” took $18.7 million, and “Buena Vista Social Club” grossed $23.1 million, according to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo.
“Perfect Days” premiered in competition at Cannes Film Festival where Koji Yakusho, who plays a restroom cleaner in Tokyo, won the best actor prize. The Match Factory sold the film to all territories worldwide.
Neon released the film in the U.S. on Feb. 7, earning $497,787 after its second weekend. “Perfect Days” opened in Germany on Dec. 21 through Dcm with 3.6 million Euros ($3.87 million) so far.
Among his previous films, “Paris, Texas” earned $2.26 million, “Wings of Desire” took $3.5 million, “Pina” took $18.7 million, and “Buena Vista Social Club” grossed $23.1 million, according to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo.
“Perfect Days” premiered in competition at Cannes Film Festival where Koji Yakusho, who plays a restroom cleaner in Tokyo, won the best actor prize. The Match Factory sold the film to all territories worldwide.
Neon released the film in the U.S. on Feb. 7, earning $497,787 after its second weekend. “Perfect Days” opened in Germany on Dec. 21 through Dcm with 3.6 million Euros ($3.87 million) so far.
- 2/20/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The foundation of German director Wim Wenders has struck a deal with sales agent Salaud Morisset to handle theatrical, festival and non-commercial distribution rights for his catalog of 25 films for all unsold territories worldwide.
Wenders’ latest film, “Perfect Days,” is nominated for the international Oscar.
The deal with Wim Wenders Stiftung covers 17 feature films, four feature documentaries and seven short films, including “Kings of the Road” (1976), “The American Friend” (1977), “Paris, Texas” (1984), “Wings of Desire” (1987) and “Buena Vista Social Club” (1999).
Commercial rights to the Wenders catalog are handled by Hanway Films, a lifetime partner of Wenders and the foundation.
Salaud Morisset, which is led by François Morisset, will work with the director’s foundation to “ensure the sustained relevance and preservation of [his] body of work while reaching a global audience,” the company stated. “The company plans to approach each territory with a specific strategy, actively working on special screening series and retrospectives.
Wenders’ latest film, “Perfect Days,” is nominated for the international Oscar.
The deal with Wim Wenders Stiftung covers 17 feature films, four feature documentaries and seven short films, including “Kings of the Road” (1976), “The American Friend” (1977), “Paris, Texas” (1984), “Wings of Desire” (1987) and “Buena Vista Social Club” (1999).
Commercial rights to the Wenders catalog are handled by Hanway Films, a lifetime partner of Wenders and the foundation.
Salaud Morisset, which is led by François Morisset, will work with the director’s foundation to “ensure the sustained relevance and preservation of [his] body of work while reaching a global audience,” the company stated. “The company plans to approach each territory with a specific strategy, actively working on special screening series and retrospectives.
- 2/18/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Cuba is roughly 1,300 miles away, but in a rehearsal space in downtown Manhattan, it doesn’t feel all that far. Cradling their percussion instruments, horns, and guitars, a ten-piece band of musicians, some from Latin America, preparing to play a sinuous piece of son Cubano, as a theater crew — director, writer, actors and choreographers — hover around.
“Nothing like this has been attempted before,” says music supervisor Dean Sharenow. “It’s important that this is the real thing, not a Broadway musical production.”
Welcome to the next iteration of the enduring...
“Nothing like this has been attempted before,” says music supervisor Dean Sharenow. “It’s important that this is the real thing, not a Broadway musical production.”
Welcome to the next iteration of the enduring...
- 11/20/2023
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
German filmmaking legend Wim Wenders will head up this year’s competition jury for the Tokyo International Film Festival, organizers announced on Monday.
Wenders is currently riding high — and his long-running artistic connections to Japan are more apparent than ever. The director’s most recent feature, Perfect Days, recently premiered at Cannes in competition and was widely hailed as his finest fiction film in years. An intimate character study following a middle-aged Tokyo man who has pared his life down to a routine of service and small pleasures, it won Cannes best actor prize for its inimitable lead, veteran Japanese character actor Koji Yakusho. The Hollywood Reporter‘s critic summed the film up as simply, “ineffably lovely.”
Over a 55-year career in film, Wenders, now 77, has won many of world cinema’s highest honors, including the Golden Lion for The State of Things at the Venice Film Festival (1982); the Palme...
Wenders is currently riding high — and his long-running artistic connections to Japan are more apparent than ever. The director’s most recent feature, Perfect Days, recently premiered at Cannes in competition and was widely hailed as his finest fiction film in years. An intimate character study following a middle-aged Tokyo man who has pared his life down to a routine of service and small pleasures, it won Cannes best actor prize for its inimitable lead, veteran Japanese character actor Koji Yakusho. The Hollywood Reporter‘s critic summed the film up as simply, “ineffably lovely.”
Over a 55-year career in film, Wenders, now 77, has won many of world cinema’s highest honors, including the Golden Lion for The State of Things at the Venice Film Festival (1982); the Palme...
- 6/12/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Festival also set to host a retrospective of filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu.
German filmmaker Wim Wenders is to preside over the international competition jury of Tokyo International Film Festival, where he will also host a retrospective of influential Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu.
It will mark the first time Wenders has attended the festival since 2011, when his documentary Pina screened in the festival’s special screening section.
Wenders is known for features The State of Things, which won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1982; Paris, Texas, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1984; and Wings Of Desire, for which he...
German filmmaker Wim Wenders is to preside over the international competition jury of Tokyo International Film Festival, where he will also host a retrospective of influential Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu.
It will mark the first time Wenders has attended the festival since 2011, when his documentary Pina screened in the festival’s special screening section.
Wenders is known for features The State of Things, which won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1982; Paris, Texas, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1984; and Wings Of Desire, for which he...
- 6/12/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” is a hot property in Cannes, and it’s yet to even premiere.
Several buyers are currently circling the Japan-set, music-infused title from master filmmaker Wenders, which bows in competition on Thursday. Sources tell Variety that interested parties so far include Utopia, Mubi, Sideshow and Janus Films and Sony Pictures Classics.
Wenders’ “Perfect Days” follows Tokyo toilet cleaner Hirayama, who seems content with his simple life. Outside of his everyday routine, he enjoys his passion for books and, in particular, for music. Over the course of the film, a series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.
“Memoirs of a Geisha” star Koji Yakusho — whom some critics have tipped as a contender for Cannes’ best actor prize on Saturday — leads the cast as Hirayama. He also co-starred in “Babel,” a film that was honored by the Cannes Film Festival and earned Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
Several buyers are currently circling the Japan-set, music-infused title from master filmmaker Wenders, which bows in competition on Thursday. Sources tell Variety that interested parties so far include Utopia, Mubi, Sideshow and Janus Films and Sony Pictures Classics.
Wenders’ “Perfect Days” follows Tokyo toilet cleaner Hirayama, who seems content with his simple life. Outside of his everyday routine, he enjoys his passion for books and, in particular, for music. Over the course of the film, a series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.
“Memoirs of a Geisha” star Koji Yakusho — whom some critics have tipped as a contender for Cannes’ best actor prize on Saturday — leads the cast as Hirayama. He also co-starred in “Babel,” a film that was honored by the Cannes Film Festival and earned Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
- 5/23/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has been given a sneak peek of the trailer (below) for Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days,” which world premieres in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film is a deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. It follows Hirayama, who seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.
Koji Yakusho leads the cast. In 2005, he co-starred in “Memoirs of a Geisha,” which was nominated for six Academy Awards. In the following year, he co-starred in “Babel,” a film that was honored by the Cannes Film Festival and earned Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
Along with his international success, Yakusho has...
The film is a deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. It follows Hirayama, who seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past.
Koji Yakusho leads the cast. In 2005, he co-starred in “Memoirs of a Geisha,” which was nominated for six Academy Awards. In the following year, he co-starred in “Babel,” a film that was honored by the Cannes Film Festival and earned Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
Along with his international success, Yakusho has...
- 5/20/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Director who won Palme d’Or for Paris, Texas and has two films at Cannes this year bemoans lack of new stories in mainstream film
Wim Wenders, the revered German director who has two major premieres at Cannes this year, has spoken of his “disappointment” at the dominance of mainstream remakes and “repetitive” film franchises.
“It makes me nauseous,” said Wenders, now 77, who is best-known for dramas Paris, Texas (1984) and Wings of Desire (1987), as well as music documentary Buena Vista Social Club (1999).
Wim Wenders, the revered German director who has two major premieres at Cannes this year, has spoken of his “disappointment” at the dominance of mainstream remakes and “repetitive” film franchises.
“It makes me nauseous,” said Wenders, now 77, who is best-known for dramas Paris, Texas (1984) and Wings of Desire (1987), as well as music documentary Buena Vista Social Club (1999).
- 5/18/2023
- by Vanessa Thorpe in Cannes
- The Guardian - Film News
Grab your baguettes, everybody, it’s time to head back to the Cannes Film Festival.
Iris Knobloch, the new president of the festival, presented the bulk of this year’s slate, with artistic director Thierry Frémaux at her side. The main competition sees a number of returning veterans, as well as some new faces.
There are not too many movies in the main competition this year coming from directors that also work in the Hollywood orbit. The ones that do include: “Asteroid City” from Wes Anderson, which stars Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and countless other stars; “May December” from Todd Haynes, which stars Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman (a movie about an unlikely couple also produced by one: Christine Vachon and Will Ferrell); and a new one from Jonathan Glazer called “The Zone of Interest,” a film set at Auschwitz based on a novel by Martin Amis. Austrian...
Iris Knobloch, the new president of the festival, presented the bulk of this year’s slate, with artistic director Thierry Frémaux at her side. The main competition sees a number of returning veterans, as well as some new faces.
There are not too many movies in the main competition this year coming from directors that also work in the Hollywood orbit. The ones that do include: “Asteroid City” from Wes Anderson, which stars Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, and countless other stars; “May December” from Todd Haynes, which stars Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman (a movie about an unlikely couple also produced by one: Christine Vachon and Will Ferrell); and a new one from Jonathan Glazer called “The Zone of Interest,” a film set at Auschwitz based on a novel by Martin Amis. Austrian...
- 4/13/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Whenever the Iranian regime feels threatened by public protest its reflex is to go after two groups: demonstrators, most assuredly, but also artists – especially filmmakers.
When protests surged in six provinces in May last year over rising food prices, the government promptly banged on the doors of two documentary filmmakers, Mina Keshavarz and Firouzeh Khosrovani, and arrested them. For good measure, law enforcement agents reportedly harassed numerous other filmmakers, seizing their communications equipment.
The May unrest appears mild compared to the uproar triggered in September 2022 by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman arrested for allegedly not wearing her hijab in accordance with law. Security forces have attacked and killed an unknown number of demonstrators in the course of months of protests. The government also responded with an immediate clamp down on leading figures in Iranian cinema, detaining or imprisoning Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasulof, and Mostafa al-Ahmad.
When protests surged in six provinces in May last year over rising food prices, the government promptly banged on the doors of two documentary filmmakers, Mina Keshavarz and Firouzeh Khosrovani, and arrested them. For good measure, law enforcement agents reportedly harassed numerous other filmmakers, seizing their communications equipment.
The May unrest appears mild compared to the uproar triggered in September 2022 by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman arrested for allegedly not wearing her hijab in accordance with law. Security forces have attacked and killed an unknown number of demonstrators in the course of months of protests. The government also responded with an immediate clamp down on leading figures in Iranian cinema, detaining or imprisoning Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasulof, and Mostafa al-Ahmad.
- 3/22/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
No stranger to playing not-so-upstanding knights in shining armor, Jaime Lannister himself, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, has boarded "Virtue," a medieval gothic horror movie that HanWay Films is taking to the European Film Market. Founded in 1999, HanWay is a British sales, distribution, and marketing company that's managed to get a pretty eclectic batch of films made over the years. Their output ranges from celebrated documentaries to Oscar-nominated period dramas to a bevy of auteur projects from the likes of David Cronenberg ("A Dangerous Method"), Takashi Miike ("13 Assassins"), Jim Jarmusch ("Only Lovers Left Alive"), and many more.
If that's not enough to get you sitting up and taking notice, know that "Virtue" further pairs Coster-Waldau with Romola Garai, the star of "Atonement," "Suffragette," and one of the best BBC series you've never seen, Abi Morgan's 1950s-set TV journalism drama "The Hour." In a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter), HanWay Films CEO Gabrielle Stewart notes that,...
If that's not enough to get you sitting up and taking notice, know that "Virtue" further pairs Coster-Waldau with Romola Garai, the star of "Atonement," "Suffragette," and one of the best BBC series you've never seen, Abi Morgan's 1950s-set TV journalism drama "The Hour." In a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter), HanWay Films CEO Gabrielle Stewart notes that,...
- 2/3/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Recordings of 9/11 news reports, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speeches and Henry Aaron’s 715th home run will be preserved alongside Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and other albums and singles — and one podcast — as the Library of Congress released its 2022 list of additions to the National Recording Registry today. See the full list below.
The 25 selections of music and spoken-word pieces added today range span more than 80 years — from James P. Johnson’s 1927 “Harlem Strut” to Mark Maron’s 2010 Wtf podcast featuring Robin Williams — alongside some of the greatest songs and albums of the past 100 years.
Along with the Queen standard, other newly added singles include Nat King Cole’s 1961 holiday chestnut “The Christmas Song,” Ricky Martin’s 1999 smash “La Vida Loca,” Andy Williams’ Oscar-winning Henry Mancini-Johnny Murcer song “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the Disneyland Boys Choir’s 1964 earworm “It’s a Small World,” Journey’s 1981 hit “Don’t...
The 25 selections of music and spoken-word pieces added today range span more than 80 years — from James P. Johnson’s 1927 “Harlem Strut” to Mark Maron’s 2010 Wtf podcast featuring Robin Williams — alongside some of the greatest songs and albums of the past 100 years.
Along with the Queen standard, other newly added singles include Nat King Cole’s 1961 holiday chestnut “The Christmas Song,” Ricky Martin’s 1999 smash “La Vida Loca,” Andy Williams’ Oscar-winning Henry Mancini-Johnny Murcer song “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the Disneyland Boys Choir’s 1964 earworm “It’s a Small World,” Journey’s 1981 hit “Don’t...
- 4/13/2022
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Most people know Matt Dillon as an actor who grew up in front of the cameras. He won two Indie Spirit Awards for “Drugstore Cowboy” and for “Crash;” that one also yielded a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Dillon also made a strong directing debut in 2003 with moody thriller “City of Ghosts” co-starring James Caan, Gerard Depardieu, and Stellan Skarsgård.
None of that addressed an all-consuming passion for world music with a vast collection of vinyl and shellac 78s (sorted alphabetically by artist or label), and making a documentary about Cuban scat singer Francisco Fellove that took him 20 years to complete. “The Great Fellove” debuted to rave reviews at San Sebastian 2020, and more recently, Telluride 2021.
in the film, Cuban rumba performer Chan Campos describes Fellove: “He was a drum from his feet to his head.” (See our clip below.) Dillon’s documentary captures the scat maestro who gave us the original “Mango Mangue,...
None of that addressed an all-consuming passion for world music with a vast collection of vinyl and shellac 78s (sorted alphabetically by artist or label), and making a documentary about Cuban scat singer Francisco Fellove that took him 20 years to complete. “The Great Fellove” debuted to rave reviews at San Sebastian 2020, and more recently, Telluride 2021.
in the film, Cuban rumba performer Chan Campos describes Fellove: “He was a drum from his feet to his head.” (See our clip below.) Dillon’s documentary captures the scat maestro who gave us the original “Mango Mangue,...
- 9/17/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Most people know Matt Dillon as an actor who grew up in front of the cameras. He won two Indie Spirit Awards for “Drugstore Cowboy” and for “Crash;” that one also yielded a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Dillon also made a strong directing debut in 2003 with moody thriller “City of Ghosts” co-starring James Caan, Gerard Depardieu, and Stellan Skarsgård.
None of that addressed an all-consuming passion for world music with a vast collection of vinyl and shellac 78s (sorted alphabetically by artist or label), and making a documentary about Cuban scat singer Francisco Fellove that took him 20 years to complete. “The Great Fellove” debuted to rave reviews at San Sebastian 2020, and more recently, Telluride 2021.
in the film, Cuban rumba performer Chan Campos describes Fellove: “He was a drum from his feet to his head.” (See our clip below.) Dillon’s documentary captures the scat maestro who gave us the original “Mango Mangue,...
None of that addressed an all-consuming passion for world music with a vast collection of vinyl and shellac 78s (sorted alphabetically by artist or label), and making a documentary about Cuban scat singer Francisco Fellove that took him 20 years to complete. “The Great Fellove” debuted to rave reviews at San Sebastian 2020, and more recently, Telluride 2021.
in the film, Cuban rumba performer Chan Campos describes Fellove: “He was a drum from his feet to his head.” (See our clip below.) Dillon’s documentary captures the scat maestro who gave us the original “Mango Mangue,...
- 9/17/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
A thought-provoking film about the importance of architecture by three-time Oscar nominee Wim Wenders, and an investigative documentary about the troubled life and times of Egyptian heart-throb Omar Sharif are among 30 feature film projects to be pitched as part of the 8th edition of the Venice Gap-Financing Market, which runs Sept. 3-5 at the Venice Film Festival.
The projects, which all have at least 70% of their funding in place already, include the works of many other leading filmmakers, such as Fien Troch, Martin Rejtman, Jean-Gabriel Periot, Marjana Karanović, Aditya Vikram Sengupta and Simone Jaquemet.
Wenders’ documentary “The Secret of Places” investigates the role played by architecture in our everyday lives. It takes viewers on a tour of architect Peter Zumthor’s best-known buildings, and accompanies him during the construction of two recent creations – the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the extension of the Fondation Beyeler in Basel.
The projects, which all have at least 70% of their funding in place already, include the works of many other leading filmmakers, such as Fien Troch, Martin Rejtman, Jean-Gabriel Periot, Marjana Karanović, Aditya Vikram Sengupta and Simone Jaquemet.
Wenders’ documentary “The Secret of Places” investigates the role played by architecture in our everyday lives. It takes viewers on a tour of architect Peter Zumthor’s best-known buildings, and accompanies him during the construction of two recent creations – the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the extension of the Fondation Beyeler in Basel.
- 8/5/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Buena Vista Social Club have unearthed a previously unreleased track, “Vicenta,” which will appear on the upcoming 25th-anniversary reissue of the Cuban outfit’s acclaimed self-titled album, out September 17th via World Circuit Records.
Penned by Compay Segundo, “Vicenta” recounts the story of a 1909 fire that destroyed nearly all of the village of La Maya, located outside of Santiago. Buena Vista Social Club’s version of the song is presented as a duet between Segundo and Eliades Ochoa, who was born and raised in La Maya.
“Vicenta” is one of...
Penned by Compay Segundo, “Vicenta” recounts the story of a 1909 fire that destroyed nearly all of the village of La Maya, located outside of Santiago. Buena Vista Social Club’s version of the song is presented as a duet between Segundo and Eliades Ochoa, who was born and raised in La Maya.
“Vicenta” is one of...
- 6/9/2021
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Wim Wenders’ Berlin-based Road Movies has boarded “This Is Music,” a series whose episode directors – New German Cinema leading light Wenders, singer-songwriter David Byrne, “Skam” creator Julie Andem and “Louder Than Bombs” director Joachim Trier – make the title the highest profile project at this year’s Berlinale Co-Pro Series.
Norwegian public broadcaster Nrk is backing the development of the series, which has also received support from the Norwegian Film Institute and the E.U.’s Creative Europe program.
“This Is Music” marks one of the first recent drama series from Road Movies, producer of legendary film features from Wenders, such as 1984 Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Paris, Texas.” It is also the debut series of Oslo Pictures, which originated the project and is company behind Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize winner “Rams” and Trier’s upcoming “The Worst Person in the World.” It is written by Bjørn Olaf Johannessen, who...
Norwegian public broadcaster Nrk is backing the development of the series, which has also received support from the Norwegian Film Institute and the E.U.’s Creative Europe program.
“This Is Music” marks one of the first recent drama series from Road Movies, producer of legendary film features from Wenders, such as 1984 Cannes Palme d’Or winner “Paris, Texas.” It is also the debut series of Oslo Pictures, which originated the project and is company behind Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize winner “Rams” and Trier’s upcoming “The Worst Person in the World.” It is written by Bjørn Olaf Johannessen, who...
- 2/17/2021
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Mulan and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star Rosalind Chao chats about a few of her favorite movies with Josh & Joe.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Mulan (2020)
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
The Seven Year Itch (1955)
Mary Poppins (1964)
The Sound Of Music (1965)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Gremlins (1984)
Explorers (1985)
Funny Girl (1968)
What’s Up Doc? (1972)
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
The Graduate (1967)
Midnight Run (1988)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
The Lonely Guy (1984)
Waiting For Guffman (1996)
Best In Show (2000)
Hamilton (2020)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
Misery (1990)
Paris, Texas (1984)
Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
sex, lies and videotape (1989)
The Shining (1980)
Matewan (1987)
Thousand Pieces of Gold (1990)
Lost In Translation (2003)
Mean Streets (1973)
On The Rocks (2020)
Somewhere (2010)
Adaptation (2002)
Mandy (2018)
Possessor (2020)
Midsommar (2019)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Hereditary (2018)
The Lighthouse (2019)
Other Notable Items
The Scott Alexander podcast episodes
Tfh Guru Larry Karaszewski
Star Trek franchise
The It’s A Small World ride
Disneyland
University of the Arts
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Mulan (2020)
The Joy Luck Club (1993)
The Seven Year Itch (1955)
Mary Poppins (1964)
The Sound Of Music (1965)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Gremlins (1984)
Explorers (1985)
Funny Girl (1968)
What’s Up Doc? (1972)
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
The Graduate (1967)
Midnight Run (1988)
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
The Lonely Guy (1984)
Waiting For Guffman (1996)
Best In Show (2000)
Hamilton (2020)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
Misery (1990)
Paris, Texas (1984)
Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
sex, lies and videotape (1989)
The Shining (1980)
Matewan (1987)
Thousand Pieces of Gold (1990)
Lost In Translation (2003)
Mean Streets (1973)
On The Rocks (2020)
Somewhere (2010)
Adaptation (2002)
Mandy (2018)
Possessor (2020)
Midsommar (2019)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Hereditary (2018)
The Lighthouse (2019)
Other Notable Items
The Scott Alexander podcast episodes
Tfh Guru Larry Karaszewski
Star Trek franchise
The It’s A Small World ride
Disneyland
University of the Arts
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine...
- 2/9/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
“The Dark Knight,” “Grease,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Shrek” and “A Clockwork Orange” have been added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry.
Each year, the Library of Congress inducts 25 films, nominated by the public, into the National Film Registry. As of 2020, the registry has reached 800 movies that will be preserved by the national archive. This year’s list included a record number of films directed by women (nine) and by people of color (seven).
Other films inducted this year include the Best Picture winner “The Hurt Locker,” “The Joy Luck Club,” “The Man With the Golden Arm,” “Lilies of the Field” and “Buena Vista Social Club.”
To be inducted, a movie must be at least 10 years old and must be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” While “The Dark Knight” is among the biggest blockbusters on the list of inducted films (“Titanic” also has a spot on the list), the...
Each year, the Library of Congress inducts 25 films, nominated by the public, into the National Film Registry. As of 2020, the registry has reached 800 movies that will be preserved by the national archive. This year’s list included a record number of films directed by women (nine) and by people of color (seven).
Other films inducted this year include the Best Picture winner “The Hurt Locker,” “The Joy Luck Club,” “The Man With the Golden Arm,” “Lilies of the Field” and “Buena Vista Social Club.”
To be inducted, a movie must be at least 10 years old and must be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” While “The Dark Knight” is among the biggest blockbusters on the list of inducted films (“Titanic” also has a spot on the list), the...
- 12/14/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Three-time Oscar nominee Wim Wenders, the director of “Paris, Texas,” “Wings of Desire” and “Buena Vista Social Club,” joined the “Life Through a Different Lens: Contactless Connections” talk earlier this week. Held by the Venice Film Festival and Mastercard, the virtual event allowed him to reminiscence about his beginnings. “I had no intention of becoming a filmmaker. I wanted to be all sorts of things, from a priest to god knows what, and trying to become a painter I ended up in Paris. Where else? That’s where I discovered the Cinémathèque Française, because I lived in a tiny, unheated room and the Cinémathèque was warm!”
Soon, he started to pay attention to the screen as well. “The first retrospective I followed was dedicated to Anthony Mann. He might not be recognised as one of the greats, but I learned so much from this man.” Always inspired by American cinema,...
Soon, he started to pay attention to the screen as well. “The first retrospective I followed was dedicated to Anthony Mann. He might not be recognised as one of the greats, but I learned so much from this man.” Always inspired by American cinema,...
- 9/10/2020
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
A German producer’s hopes to attend Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony, where his film is up for an Oscar, look likely to be dashed by tightened U.S. Department of Homeland Security restrictions and increased bureaucracy.
Hans Robert Eisenhauer is one of the producers of “Of Fathers and Sons,” director Talal Derki’s film about a radical Islamist family in Syria, which is nominated for best documentary feature.
Eisenhauer, managing director of Berlin-based production shingle Ventana Film, produced the film with Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme and Tobias N. Siebert of Basis Berlin Filmproduktion. While Derki and the other producers will be in Los Angeles for the Oscars, it looks increasingly likely that Eisenhauer’s past travels will keep him from entering the U.S.
Eisenhauer, a former senior commissioning editor at German pubcaster Zdf as well as deputy program director of Arte, spent three days in Iraq in 2016 as...
Hans Robert Eisenhauer is one of the producers of “Of Fathers and Sons,” director Talal Derki’s film about a radical Islamist family in Syria, which is nominated for best documentary feature.
Eisenhauer, managing director of Berlin-based production shingle Ventana Film, produced the film with Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme and Tobias N. Siebert of Basis Berlin Filmproduktion. While Derki and the other producers will be in Los Angeles for the Oscars, it looks increasingly likely that Eisenhauer’s past travels will keep him from entering the U.S.
Eisenhauer, a former senior commissioning editor at German pubcaster Zdf as well as deputy program director of Arte, spent three days in Iraq in 2016 as...
- 2/21/2019
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
There are very few directors who have made both top-notch narrative films and documentaries, among them Michael Apted, Jonathan Demme, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee and a recent addition to the list, Cannes juror Ava DuVernay. But the German director Wim Wenders, who won the Palme d’Or for the masterful “Paris, Texas” in 1984 and recently was nominated for Oscars for the remarkable documentaries “Pina” and “The Salt of the Earth,” has to be near the top of the list.
And now he’s come to the Cannes Film Festival with “Pope Francis – A Man of His Word,” a modest and prosaically titled film about the Roman Catholic pontiff who has made it his mission to work on behalf of the poorest and most troubled, even if it means veering closer to controversial liberation theology than to the usual priorities of the Church.
The first thing to say about Wenders appearing at Cannes is that it’s probably a good thing that he’s doing so with a documentary. The 72-year-old director’s last few narrative films have been real duds: “Every Thing Will Be Fine,” “The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez” and “Submergence” were clunky and awkward.
Also Read: Cannes Film Festival 2018 Preview: No Selfies, No Netflix, No Problem
Meanwhile, his two prior documentaries were deserving Oscar nominees. 2011’s “Pina” was a bold and magical performance film about the pioneering choreographer Pina Bausch, with a brilliant use of 3D to create the spaces in which Bausch’s art could take place, while 2014’s “The Salt of the Earth” was a lyrical and incisive look at Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado, the father of Wenders’ co-director, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado.
“Pope Francis,” in many ways, is far closer to “Pina,” which is focused on performances of Bausch’s work, than to “The Salt of the Earth.” In fact, it’s also of a piece with other Wenders films like “Buena Vista Social Club,” because it is, in essence, a performance film.
That’s not to say that the pontiff sings or dances in the movie; his performance lies in conversation. The heart of the movie is Pope Francis sitting in a chair — sometimes a red brocade chair in a room with burnt orange walls, sometimes a pale chair in a garden surrounded by trees, with a church steeple in the distance — and delivering a message.
One of his first comments is, “The world today is mostly deaf,” and from there he spends the early stretches of the film upbraiding the Church for its emphasis on wealth. “I wanted a poor Church for the poor,” he says, and a moment later, “We either serve God or we serve money … As long as the Church is placing its hope on wealth, Jesus is not there.”
Also Read: Is Something Wrong With This Picture? Pope Francis Meets Trump
From there, we get a veritable Pope Francis’ Greatest Hits: washing the feet of poor South Americans (he himself is Argentinian), saying that it’s the duty of church officials to report pedophilia to the authorities, visiting refugees in Greece, decrying Donald Trump’s border wall and commenting, “If a person is gay and is searching for the Lord, who am I to judge him?”
The whole point of the film, driven home by black-and-white reenactments, is that the pope is a revolutionary in the mold of his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi, who sought to moderate a truce between Christians and Muslims during the Crusades. But in tone and approach, this is an understated, affectionate film, more reverential than revolutionary; it’s less a portrait of the pope than a recital by him, with the boldness of his ideas undercut by the modesty of their telling.
In one way, that’s a strength of “Pope Francis” because it simply presents the man as he is, with a simplicity befitting the pope’s own demeanor. It’s not going to make converts out of anybody — I was raised Catholic, I’m definitely not one anymore and all the movie did was convince me that the pope is a good man.
Then again, Pope Francis is a healer, not a proselytizer. And Wenders knows enough to stand back and let him say his piece and make his peace.
Read original story Cannes Review: Pope Francis Documentary Is a Modest Film About a Bold Man At TheWrap...
And now he’s come to the Cannes Film Festival with “Pope Francis – A Man of His Word,” a modest and prosaically titled film about the Roman Catholic pontiff who has made it his mission to work on behalf of the poorest and most troubled, even if it means veering closer to controversial liberation theology than to the usual priorities of the Church.
The first thing to say about Wenders appearing at Cannes is that it’s probably a good thing that he’s doing so with a documentary. The 72-year-old director’s last few narrative films have been real duds: “Every Thing Will Be Fine,” “The Beautiful Days of Aranjuez” and “Submergence” were clunky and awkward.
Also Read: Cannes Film Festival 2018 Preview: No Selfies, No Netflix, No Problem
Meanwhile, his two prior documentaries were deserving Oscar nominees. 2011’s “Pina” was a bold and magical performance film about the pioneering choreographer Pina Bausch, with a brilliant use of 3D to create the spaces in which Bausch’s art could take place, while 2014’s “The Salt of the Earth” was a lyrical and incisive look at Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado, the father of Wenders’ co-director, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado.
“Pope Francis,” in many ways, is far closer to “Pina,” which is focused on performances of Bausch’s work, than to “The Salt of the Earth.” In fact, it’s also of a piece with other Wenders films like “Buena Vista Social Club,” because it is, in essence, a performance film.
That’s not to say that the pontiff sings or dances in the movie; his performance lies in conversation. The heart of the movie is Pope Francis sitting in a chair — sometimes a red brocade chair in a room with burnt orange walls, sometimes a pale chair in a garden surrounded by trees, with a church steeple in the distance — and delivering a message.
One of his first comments is, “The world today is mostly deaf,” and from there he spends the early stretches of the film upbraiding the Church for its emphasis on wealth. “I wanted a poor Church for the poor,” he says, and a moment later, “We either serve God or we serve money … As long as the Church is placing its hope on wealth, Jesus is not there.”
Also Read: Is Something Wrong With This Picture? Pope Francis Meets Trump
From there, we get a veritable Pope Francis’ Greatest Hits: washing the feet of poor South Americans (he himself is Argentinian), saying that it’s the duty of church officials to report pedophilia to the authorities, visiting refugees in Greece, decrying Donald Trump’s border wall and commenting, “If a person is gay and is searching for the Lord, who am I to judge him?”
The whole point of the film, driven home by black-and-white reenactments, is that the pope is a revolutionary in the mold of his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi, who sought to moderate a truce between Christians and Muslims during the Crusades. But in tone and approach, this is an understated, affectionate film, more reverential than revolutionary; it’s less a portrait of the pope than a recital by him, with the boldness of his ideas undercut by the modesty of their telling.
In one way, that’s a strength of “Pope Francis” because it simply presents the man as he is, with a simplicity befitting the pope’s own demeanor. It’s not going to make converts out of anybody — I was raised Catholic, I’m definitely not one anymore and all the movie did was convince me that the pope is a good man.
Then again, Pope Francis is a healer, not a proselytizer. And Wenders knows enough to stand back and let him say his piece and make his peace.
Read original story Cannes Review: Pope Francis Documentary Is a Modest Film About a Bold Man At TheWrap...
- 5/13/2018
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
In an eclectic career spanning half a century, Wim Wenders continues to channel the zeitgeist: his romantic thriller “Submergence” recently opened in the U.S. and his documentary “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word” is set to premiere at Cannes.
Wenders helped define New German Cinema with his road-movie trilogy starting in 1974, “Alice in the Cities,” “Wrong Move” and “Kings of the Road”). Over the years, he has also brought to the big screen timely social commentary, a unique perspective on the American experience, and exuberant celebrations of music and dance in “Buena Vista Social Club,” “The Soul of a Man” and “Pina.” The filmmaker is also busy restoring past films, including 1987 classic “Wings of Desire.”
Variety first mentioned Wenders in an Aug. 26, 1970 report about financing for his upcoming project “The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick” (based on a novel and referred to as “Goal Keeper Frightened...
Wenders helped define New German Cinema with his road-movie trilogy starting in 1974, “Alice in the Cities,” “Wrong Move” and “Kings of the Road”). Over the years, he has also brought to the big screen timely social commentary, a unique perspective on the American experience, and exuberant celebrations of music and dance in “Buena Vista Social Club,” “The Soul of a Man” and “Pina.” The filmmaker is also busy restoring past films, including 1987 classic “Wings of Desire.”
Variety first mentioned Wenders in an Aug. 26, 1970 report about financing for his upcoming project “The Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick” (based on a novel and referred to as “Goal Keeper Frightened...
- 5/4/2018
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Lucy Walker’s documentary usefully fills in gaps left by the wildly successful 1999 Wim Wenders film about the band and its few ageing survivors
This thoughtful if somewhat scattered documentary takes a last look at the hugely influential Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon, a project that started out as an album recording tracks by ageing Cuban musicians brought together by British impresario Nick Gold and produced by American musician Ry Cooder. Director Wim Wenders made a wildly successful documentary in 1999 that helped increase sales the album, while the artists it featured (most of whom had never worked with each other before) became near household names in metropolitan, world-music-curious households across the world.
Here, director Lucy Walker interweaves interviews with many of the surviving band members and archive footage to provide biographical, political and historical background. That usefully fills in gaps the first documentary left unsaid, but then part of the...
This thoughtful if somewhat scattered documentary takes a last look at the hugely influential Buena Vista Social Club phenomenon, a project that started out as an album recording tracks by ageing Cuban musicians brought together by British impresario Nick Gold and produced by American musician Ry Cooder. Director Wim Wenders made a wildly successful documentary in 1999 that helped increase sales the album, while the artists it featured (most of whom had never worked with each other before) became near household names in metropolitan, world-music-curious households across the world.
Here, director Lucy Walker interweaves interviews with many of the surviving band members and archive footage to provide biographical, political and historical background. That usefully fills in gaps the first documentary left unsaid, but then part of the...
- 10/20/2017
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
All These Sleepless Nights (Michal Marczak)
Blurring the line between documentary and fiction like few films before it, Michal Marczak‘s All These Sleepless Nights is a music-filled ode to the ever-shifting bliss and angst of youth set mostly in the wee hours of the day in Warsaw, Poland. Marczak himself, who also plays cinematographer, is wary to delineate the line between narrative and nonfiction, and part of the...
All These Sleepless Nights (Michal Marczak)
Blurring the line between documentary and fiction like few films before it, Michal Marczak‘s All These Sleepless Nights is a music-filled ode to the ever-shifting bliss and angst of youth set mostly in the wee hours of the day in Warsaw, Poland. Marczak himself, who also plays cinematographer, is wary to delineate the line between narrative and nonfiction, and part of the...
- 8/18/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
by StaffDirectors’ cinema, now: Tiff’s three-year-old Platform program returns for 2017 with more original voices and visionary films.
Last year, Platform included celebrated works such as William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth — currently playing at Tiff Bell Lightbox — Pablo Larraín’s Jackie, and Barry Jenkins’ Academy Award Best Picture winner, Moonlight. The 12 films in this year’s programme are another showcase for the artistry of a group of bold, dynamic voices in contemporary cinema.
Sweet CountryIf You Saw His Heart
This year’s lineup presents 12 films from eight countries on five continents. All selected films will compete for the Platform Prize, to be awarded by a jury made up of award-winning filmmakers Chen Kaige, Małgorzata Szumowska, and Wim Wenders.
The program will open with the world premiere of The Death of Stalin, from award-winning director-writer Armando Iannucci (In the Loop, Veep). The historical epic follows the final days leading up to the Soviet dictator’s death.
Last year, Platform included celebrated works such as William Oldroyd’s Lady Macbeth — currently playing at Tiff Bell Lightbox — Pablo Larraín’s Jackie, and Barry Jenkins’ Academy Award Best Picture winner, Moonlight. The 12 films in this year’s programme are another showcase for the artistry of a group of bold, dynamic voices in contemporary cinema.
Sweet CountryIf You Saw His Heart
This year’s lineup presents 12 films from eight countries on five continents. All selected films will compete for the Platform Prize, to be awarded by a jury made up of award-winning filmmakers Chen Kaige, Małgorzata Szumowska, and Wim Wenders.
The program will open with the world premiere of The Death of Stalin, from award-winning director-writer Armando Iannucci (In the Loop, Veep). The historical epic follows the final days leading up to the Soviet dictator’s death.
- 8/3/2017
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Broad Green: How Wall Street Wealth, A-List Talent, and Brash Decisions Made an Indie Player Implode
It takes guts to join the indie distribution fray, especially when the market is challenged by big buyers like Netflix and Amazon Studios (which, along with Annapurna, is optimistically taking over its own theatrical distribution) and television is chasing down the hottest indie talent. Even one-time high-flyer The Weinstein Co., which once knew better than anyone how to play the indie game, is evolving to survive during these changing times.
When Wall Street billionaires Gabriel Hammond, 38, and his brother, Daniel, 34, launched independent producer-distributor Broad Green Pictures three summers ago, Hollywood was skeptical. It was a strange time to reinvent a dying economic model.
Now, after trying to use arcane algorithms to determine what movies to make, Gabriel has decided to pull the plug on production. The breaking point was the July 14 release of John Leonetti’s “Wish Upon,” which grossed $13.2 million on a $12 million budget. (Theaters return about half of the take to the distributor,...
When Wall Street billionaires Gabriel Hammond, 38, and his brother, Daniel, 34, launched independent producer-distributor Broad Green Pictures three summers ago, Hollywood was skeptical. It was a strange time to reinvent a dying economic model.
Now, after trying to use arcane algorithms to determine what movies to make, Gabriel has decided to pull the plug on production. The breaking point was the July 14 release of John Leonetti’s “Wish Upon,” which grossed $13.2 million on a $12 million budget. (Theaters return about half of the take to the distributor,...
- 8/2/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Broad Green: How Wall Street Wealth, A-List Talent, and Brash Decisions Made an Indie Player Implode
It takes guts to join the indie distribution fray, especially when the market is challenged by big buyers like Netflix and Amazon Studios (which, along with Annapurna, is optimistically taking over its own theatrical distribution) and television is chasing down the hottest indie talent. Even one-time high-flyer The Weinstein Co., which once knew better than anyone how to play the indie game, is evolving to survive during these changing times.
When Wall Street billionaires Gabriel Hammond, 38, and his brother, Daniel, 34, launched independent producer-distributor Broad Green Pictures three summers ago, Hollywood was skeptical. It was a strange time to reinvent a dying economic model.
Now, after trying to use arcane algorithms to determine what movies to make, Gabriel has decided to pull the plug on production. The breaking point was the July 14 release of John Leonetti’s “Wish Upon,” which grossed $13.2 million on a $12 million budget. (Theaters return about half of the take to the distributor,...
When Wall Street billionaires Gabriel Hammond, 38, and his brother, Daniel, 34, launched independent producer-distributor Broad Green Pictures three summers ago, Hollywood was skeptical. It was a strange time to reinvent a dying economic model.
Now, after trying to use arcane algorithms to determine what movies to make, Gabriel has decided to pull the plug on production. The breaking point was the July 14 release of John Leonetti’s “Wish Upon,” which grossed $13.2 million on a $12 million budget. (Theaters return about half of the take to the distributor,...
- 8/2/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Each month, the fine folks at FilmStruck and the Criterion Collection spend countless hours crafting their channels to highlight the many different types of films that they have in their streaming library. This August will feature an exciting assortment of films, as noted below.
To sign up for a free two-week trial here.
Tuesday, August 1
Tuesday’s Short + Feature: These Boots and Mystery Train
Music is at the heart of this program, which pairs a zany music video by Finnish master Aki Kaurismäki with a tune-filled career highlight from American independent-film pioneer Jim Jarmusch. In the 1993 These Boots, Kaurismäki’s band of pompadoured “Finnish Elvis” rockers, the Leningrad Cowboys, cover a Nancy Sinatra classic in their signature deadpan style. It’s the perfect prelude to Jarmusch’s 1989 Mystery Train, a homage to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the musical legacy of Memphis, featuring appearances by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Joe Strummer.
To sign up for a free two-week trial here.
Tuesday, August 1
Tuesday’s Short + Feature: These Boots and Mystery Train
Music is at the heart of this program, which pairs a zany music video by Finnish master Aki Kaurismäki with a tune-filled career highlight from American independent-film pioneer Jim Jarmusch. In the 1993 These Boots, Kaurismäki’s band of pompadoured “Finnish Elvis” rockers, the Leningrad Cowboys, cover a Nancy Sinatra classic in their signature deadpan style. It’s the perfect prelude to Jarmusch’s 1989 Mystery Train, a homage to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the musical legacy of Memphis, featuring appearances by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Joe Strummer.
- 7/24/2017
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
Back in January, Lucy Walker was on the verge of debuting her fifth feature at Sundance — the high-profile sequel to Wim Wenders’ 1999 Oscar-nominated documentary, “The Buena Vista Social Club.” It was the best-possible launchpad, with a prime slot of January 20, the first full day of the festival. Sundance had good reason to bet on the title: It continued a story that grossed $23 million worldwide and created a platinum-selling album, and could carry fresh meaning with the changes in Cuban-American relations. As Sundance described it:
As the sun sets on the careers of Cuba’s finest musicians, the Buena Vista Social Club, we get their side of the whole story, which stretches back to the beginning of the Cuban Republic, through the Grammy-winning 1998 album and Wim Wenders’ film, up to the new Cuba today.
And then, hours before the premiere, distributor Broad Green Pictures did the unthinkable: It pulled the film from the lineup.
As the sun sets on the careers of Cuba’s finest musicians, the Buena Vista Social Club, we get their side of the whole story, which stretches back to the beginning of the Cuban Republic, through the Grammy-winning 1998 album and Wim Wenders’ film, up to the new Cuba today.
And then, hours before the premiere, distributor Broad Green Pictures did the unthinkable: It pulled the film from the lineup.
- 6/21/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Back in January, Lucy Walker was on the verge of debuting her fifth feature at Sundance — the high-profile sequel to Wim Wenders’ 1999 Oscar-nominated documentary, “The Buena Vista Social Club.” It was the best-possible launchpad, with a prime slot of January 20, the first full day of the festival. Sundance had good reason to bet on the title: It continued a story that grossed $23 million worldwide and created a platinum-selling album, and could carry fresh meaning with the changes in Cuban-American relations. As Sundance described it:
As the sun sets on the careers of Cuba’s finest musicians, the Buena Vista Social Club, we get their side of the whole story, which stretches back to the beginning of the Cuban Republic, through the Grammy-winning 1998 album and Wim Wenders’ film, up to the new Cuba today.
And then, hours before the premiere, distributor Broad Green Pictures did the unthinkable: It pulled the film from the lineup.
“We at Broad Green are disappointed that we will not be able to premiere this compelling documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival,” Broad Green said in a statement. “The film’s post production process has taken longer than expected and thus the decision was made to wait to introduce the film to audiences until it can be presented in its best possible iteration.”
Broad Green CEO Gabriel Hammond’s decision seemed bizarre: While there’s no shame in a documentary playing Sundance in less-than-final form — in 2013 Jehane Noujaim’s “The Square” premiered as a work in progress, and went on to receive an Oscar nomination — pulling a film from the festival, much less moments before its debut, was virtually unheard of.
No one was more baffled than Walker. An ambitious, high-profile documentarian with a Sundance audience award and two Oscar nominations to her credit, she had rushed to the Sundance-submission finish line. She thought she had finished her movie.
And then the mystery deepened. Two weeks later, in a February 1 Instagram post, she commented, “it’s not clear for now if that work will be seen or appreciated which is the purgatorial pitstop we are in currently.” Later, she added: “Any minute now we’ll be able to explain! I’m still dreaming the beautiful film we made might be seen ever again.”
When Walker tried to reach Hammond after the festival, he was unreachable for a month, at which point movers arrived at her Venice office to cart editing equipment away.
Now, nearly six months later, it’s clear that the filmmaker never regained control of her movie. On April 22, she only learned that her film had a May 26 release date when she read about it on IndieWire. Broad Green released the overhauled film in 80 theaters for a two-week run. (Total gross: $123,445.) To this day, she hasn’t seen the film.
Walker has kept silent in the press, limiting herself to several carefully worded social media posts like this @lucywalkerfilm tweet:
Buena Vista Social Club Adios (my follow-up film) has been significantly changed (shots & scenes including narrative spine removed, other scenes added so it’s overall longer ) since I finished it before Sundance. Apparently it’s being released this week in lots of theaters (for a doc). I haven’t seen it myself but I hope audiences enjoy it.
What went wrong? We talked to a number of participants in this debacle, and no one comes out ahead.
Related storiesLucy Walker's Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Finally Gets a Title and Release DateBroad Green Pictures Is Missing Release Dates and Angering Filmmakers. Here's Why.IndieWire and FilmStruck's 'Movies That Inspire Me': Lucy Walker on Seeing Cuban Music Come Alive in 'Buena Vista Social Club'...
As the sun sets on the careers of Cuba’s finest musicians, the Buena Vista Social Club, we get their side of the whole story, which stretches back to the beginning of the Cuban Republic, through the Grammy-winning 1998 album and Wim Wenders’ film, up to the new Cuba today.
And then, hours before the premiere, distributor Broad Green Pictures did the unthinkable: It pulled the film from the lineup.
“We at Broad Green are disappointed that we will not be able to premiere this compelling documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival,” Broad Green said in a statement. “The film’s post production process has taken longer than expected and thus the decision was made to wait to introduce the film to audiences until it can be presented in its best possible iteration.”
Broad Green CEO Gabriel Hammond’s decision seemed bizarre: While there’s no shame in a documentary playing Sundance in less-than-final form — in 2013 Jehane Noujaim’s “The Square” premiered as a work in progress, and went on to receive an Oscar nomination — pulling a film from the festival, much less moments before its debut, was virtually unheard of.
No one was more baffled than Walker. An ambitious, high-profile documentarian with a Sundance audience award and two Oscar nominations to her credit, she had rushed to the Sundance-submission finish line. She thought she had finished her movie.
And then the mystery deepened. Two weeks later, in a February 1 Instagram post, she commented, “it’s not clear for now if that work will be seen or appreciated which is the purgatorial pitstop we are in currently.” Later, she added: “Any minute now we’ll be able to explain! I’m still dreaming the beautiful film we made might be seen ever again.”
When Walker tried to reach Hammond after the festival, he was unreachable for a month, at which point movers arrived at her Venice office to cart editing equipment away.
Now, nearly six months later, it’s clear that the filmmaker never regained control of her movie. On April 22, she only learned that her film had a May 26 release date when she read about it on IndieWire. Broad Green released the overhauled film in 80 theaters for a two-week run. (Total gross: $123,445.) To this day, she hasn’t seen the film.
Walker has kept silent in the press, limiting herself to several carefully worded social media posts like this @lucywalkerfilm tweet:
Buena Vista Social Club Adios (my follow-up film) has been significantly changed (shots & scenes including narrative spine removed, other scenes added so it’s overall longer ) since I finished it before Sundance. Apparently it’s being released this week in lots of theaters (for a doc). I haven’t seen it myself but I hope audiences enjoy it.
What went wrong? We talked to a number of participants in this debacle, and no one comes out ahead.
Related storiesLucy Walker's Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Finally Gets a Title and Release DateBroad Green Pictures Is Missing Release Dates and Angering Filmmakers. Here's Why.IndieWire and FilmStruck's 'Movies That Inspire Me': Lucy Walker on Seeing Cuban Music Come Alive in 'Buena Vista Social Club'...
- 6/21/2017
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Produced during the shocking success of 1997's Buena Vista Social Club album — the phenomenally popular collection of newly recorded Cuban roots music — Wim Wenders' documentary of the same name offered both fans and newcomers the joy of seeing brilliant elderly musicians rescued from obscurity. For most Americans, the record/film was both an introduction to a genre they hardly knew and a direct encounter with its progenitors — like discovering rockabilly just in time to see Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis give their last great concerts.
Two decades later, Lucy Walker's Buena Vista Social Club: Adios offers a very...
Two decades later, Lucy Walker's Buena Vista Social Club: Adios offers a very...
- 5/26/2017
- by John DeFore
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s been 20 years since the Buena Vista Social Club album made Cuban music a crossover sensation in the U.S. (for the first time since the ’50s), and 18 years since Wim Wenders’ documentary of the same title played in theaters. What’s become of the gifted musicians who found renewed or belated fame and fortune as a result of those projects? Buena Vista Social Club: Adios seeks to fill in the gap, but this sequel’s subtitle is all too literal. Many of the group’s most prominent figures were already quite elderly two decades ago. Sadly, the answer to the question “Where are they now?” tends to be “dead.” Nor did they pass away recently, after taking part in the new movie. Tres player Compay Segundo and pianist Rubén González, for example, both died back in 2003. Vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer died in 2005. Adios serves as ...
- 5/25/2017
- by Mike D'Angelo
- avclub.com
Focus has acquired world rights to documentary; screens first footage of upcoming movies.
Focus Features has acquired world rights to Pope Francis – A Man Of His Word, a documentary feature about Pope Francis.
Written and directed by Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club), the film is only the second co-production that the Vatican has made with outside filmmakers and the first in which a Pope addresses the audience directly, discussing topics such as ecology, immigration, consumerism, and social justice.
Exclusive footage from the Vatican’s archive shows the Pope on journeys, sharing his ideas and ideals in different parts of the world.
Focus made the announcement at an event in Cannes to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
At the soiree the company showed first footage of Mary Magdalene, Darkest Hour, Atomic Blonde and Victoria And Abdul and confirmed that Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming fashion drama has wrapped shoot.
Pope Francis – A Man Of His Word is produced...
Focus Features has acquired world rights to Pope Francis – A Man Of His Word, a documentary feature about Pope Francis.
Written and directed by Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club), the film is only the second co-production that the Vatican has made with outside filmmakers and the first in which a Pope addresses the audience directly, discussing topics such as ecology, immigration, consumerism, and social justice.
Exclusive footage from the Vatican’s archive shows the Pope on journeys, sharing his ideas and ideals in different parts of the world.
Focus made the announcement at an event in Cannes to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
At the soiree the company showed first footage of Mary Magdalene, Darkest Hour, Atomic Blonde and Victoria And Abdul and confirmed that Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming fashion drama has wrapped shoot.
Pope Francis – A Man Of His Word is produced...
- 5/19/2017
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Focus Features has scooped up worldwide rights to Wim Wenders new documentary “A Man of His Word,” which touts exclusive access to the beloved Catholic church leader Pope Francis. The “Buena Vista Social Club” and “Pina” director’s latest film is less a nonfiction biopic and more a ridealong with the humble Pope, whose emphasis on uplifting the poor has won him global fandom and upended his institution. The film will showcase “footage from the Vatican’s archive shows the Pope on journeys, sharing his ideas and ideals in different parts of the world,” a Focus spokesperson said. Also Read: Cannes,...
- 5/19/2017
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Known among with-it insiders as the Ampav, the American Pavilion has become a vital part of the Cannes Film Festival over the last 30-odd years. This year’s lineup was announced today, with such special guests as Spike Lee, Wim Wenders, John Cameron Mitchell, Christine Vachon and IndieWire’s own Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson.
Read More: Cannes: ‘Dogtooth’ Made Yorgos Lanthimos One of the Most Exciting Filmmakers in the World, and He’s Just Getting Started
Such anticipated films as “Brigsby Bear,” “How to Talk to Girls at Parties,” “Rodney King,” “Wonderstruck” and “Patticake$” will be discussed; Kohn and Thompson are set to record a live edition of the Screen Talk podcast. Avail yourself of the full lineup below and let the Ampav Fomo wash over you in waves.
Read More: IndieWire’s Movie Podcast: Screen Talk (Episode 148) – Here’s What We Know (And What We Don’t Know...
Read More: Cannes: ‘Dogtooth’ Made Yorgos Lanthimos One of the Most Exciting Filmmakers in the World, and He’s Just Getting Started
Such anticipated films as “Brigsby Bear,” “How to Talk to Girls at Parties,” “Rodney King,” “Wonderstruck” and “Patticake$” will be discussed; Kohn and Thompson are set to record a live edition of the Screen Talk podcast. Avail yourself of the full lineup below and let the Ampav Fomo wash over you in waves.
Read More: IndieWire’s Movie Podcast: Screen Talk (Episode 148) – Here’s What We Know (And What We Don’t Know...
- 5/15/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Recognition is a funny and fickle thing. This is especially true in art, where often one’s accomplishments aren’t recognized until after the artist is dead. We live under a collective myth that simply creating something of quality is enough, even though it’s plain that it’s almost never that simple. Attention is hard to corral, and there’s simply far too much going on for many incredible things to be noticed. Talent, skill, and hard work matter of course, but you also need a lot of luck.
The musicians that Ry Cooder found in Cuba were long forgotten. Many of them had been stars in the 40s and 50s, but most were now languishing in poverty. More than that, they were no longer able to make their art. The records they made together, along with this film, gave quite a few of them the best years of their lives.
The musicians that Ry Cooder found in Cuba were long forgotten. Many of them had been stars in the 40s and 50s, but most were now languishing in poverty. More than that, they were no longer able to make their art. The records they made together, along with this film, gave quite a few of them the best years of their lives.
- 5/5/2017
- by Arik Devens
- CriterionCast
Cuba has just been opened up to Americans, but twenty years ago musician Ry Cooder saw to it that a vanishing music tradition was preserved for posterity. Wim Wenders followed up with this rough & ready documentary that became almost as popular as the best selling album of mambos, boleros and cha-chas.
Buena Vista Social Club
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 866
1999 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 105 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date April 18, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Compay Segundo, Eliades Ochoa, Ry Cooder, Joachim Cooder, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo, Rubén González, Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López, Amadito Valdés, Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal, Barbarito Torres, Pío Leyva, Manuel ‘Puntillita’ Licea, Juan de Marcos González.
Cinematography: Jörg Widmer
Film Editor: Brian Johnson
Written by Wim Wenders, concept Nick Gold
Produced by Deepak Nayar
Directed by Wim Wenders
Looking for something new and invigorating, in the late 1980s Paul Simon collaborated with South African vocalists for a refreshing pop hybrid album...
Buena Vista Social Club
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 866
1999 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 105 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date April 18, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Compay Segundo, Eliades Ochoa, Ry Cooder, Joachim Cooder, Ibrahim Ferrer, Omara Portuondo, Rubén González, Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López, Amadito Valdés, Manuel ‘Guajiro’ Mirabal, Barbarito Torres, Pío Leyva, Manuel ‘Puntillita’ Licea, Juan de Marcos González.
Cinematography: Jörg Widmer
Film Editor: Brian Johnson
Written by Wim Wenders, concept Nick Gold
Produced by Deepak Nayar
Directed by Wim Wenders
Looking for something new and invigorating, in the late 1980s Paul Simon collaborated with South African vocalists for a refreshing pop hybrid album...
- 4/18/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Reda Kateb met Ben Mendelsohn on the set of Ryan Gosling's sharp Lost River Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
Wim Wenders has played a big part for Reda Kateb with films Paris, Texas, The State Of Things, Buena Vista Social Club, and The Soul Of A Man and he recently starred with Sophie Semin in Les Beaux Jours D'Aranjuez, based on a Peter Handke story and appears in Wim's latest, Submergence, starring James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander. Longtime Nick Cave collaborator Warren Ellis, who is featured in Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth's 20,000 Days On Earth and is the composer for Deniz Gamze Ergüven's Mustang, got involved with Étienne Comar's Django through Reda's film Pitchoune.
Cave and Ellis did work for David Oelhoffen's intimate Loin Des Hommes, in which Reda starred opposite Viggo Mortensen. His next film, Territoires, will be with Alice Winocour's Disorder star Matthias Schoenaerts,...
Wim Wenders has played a big part for Reda Kateb with films Paris, Texas, The State Of Things, Buena Vista Social Club, and The Soul Of A Man and he recently starred with Sophie Semin in Les Beaux Jours D'Aranjuez, based on a Peter Handke story and appears in Wim's latest, Submergence, starring James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander. Longtime Nick Cave collaborator Warren Ellis, who is featured in Jane Pollard and Iain Forsyth's 20,000 Days On Earth and is the composer for Deniz Gamze Ergüven's Mustang, got involved with Étienne Comar's Django through Reda's film Pitchoune.
Cave and Ellis did work for David Oelhoffen's intimate Loin Des Hommes, in which Reda starred opposite Viggo Mortensen. His next film, Territoires, will be with Alice Winocour's Disorder star Matthias Schoenaerts,...
- 3/18/2017
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
It was baffling when distributor Broad Green Pictures pulled Lucy Walker’s “Untitled Buena Vista Social Club Documentary” from the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, the same day as its intended premiere, with a press release that said the “post production process has taken longer than expected.”
Nearly a month later, Broad Green has made no further comment on the film’s status, but its homepage still boasts that “Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club documentary will have it’s [sic] official world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival!”
That disconnect (and typo) could be a matter of sloppy site maintenance, but multiple IndieWire interviews with people familiar with Walker’s film and Broad Green suggest more complex issues dog the three-year-old would-be studio. (Walker declined to comment for this article; Broad Green executives didn’t respond to requests for comment.)
Read More: Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Pulled From Sundance
Walker,...
Nearly a month later, Broad Green has made no further comment on the film’s status, but its homepage still boasts that “Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club documentary will have it’s [sic] official world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival!”
That disconnect (and typo) could be a matter of sloppy site maintenance, but multiple IndieWire interviews with people familiar with Walker’s film and Broad Green suggest more complex issues dog the three-year-old would-be studio. (Walker declined to comment for this article; Broad Green executives didn’t respond to requests for comment.)
Read More: Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Pulled From Sundance
Walker,...
- 2/17/2017
- by Anne Thompson and Graham Winfrey
- Thompson on Hollywood
It was baffling when distributor Broad Green Pictures pulled Lucy Walker’s “Untitled Buena Vista Social Club Documentary” from the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, the same day as its intended premiere, with a press release that said the “post production process has taken longer than expected.” Nearly a month later, Broad Green has made no further comment on the film’s status, but its homepage still boasts that “Lucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club documentary will have it’s [sic] official world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival!”
That disconnect (and typo) could be a matter of sloppy site maintenance, but multiple IndieWire interviews with people familiar with Walker’s film and Broad Green suggest more complex issues dog the three-year-old would-be studio. (Walker declined to comment for this article; Broad Green executives didn’t respond to requests for comment.)
See MoreLucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Pulled From Sundance
Walker,...
That disconnect (and typo) could be a matter of sloppy site maintenance, but multiple IndieWire interviews with people familiar with Walker’s film and Broad Green suggest more complex issues dog the three-year-old would-be studio. (Walker declined to comment for this article; Broad Green executives didn’t respond to requests for comment.)
See MoreLucy Walker’s Buena Vista Social Club Documentary Pulled From Sundance
Walker,...
- 2/17/2017
- by Anne Thompson and Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Oscar nominee Lucy Walker’s forthcoming documentary about revolutionary musicians in Cuba has been abruptly pulled from the Sundance lineup. The untitled project was a pseudo-follow up to the hit Wim Wenders doc “Buena Vista Social Club” about the ensemble from 1999. Sundance officials announced the change early Friday morning, with the film’s distributor Broad Green following up with a statement about delayed post-production. Also Read: So How Did Kristen Stewart's Directorial Debut Hold Up at Sundance? “We at Broad Green are disappointed that we will not be able to premiere this compelling documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival,...
- 1/20/2017
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Lucy Walker’s documentary will not screen in Park City due to a longer than expected post-production and Friday’s world premiere has been scrapped.
Sundance staff were informed late on Thursday night and have replaced the Friday slot with An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power, which premiered on Thursday night.
“We at Broad Green are disappointed that we will not be able to premiere this compelling documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival,” a spokesperson for Broad Green said.
“The film’s post-production process has taken longer than expected and thus the decision was made to wait to introduce the film to audiences until it can be presented in its best possible iteration.”
A scheduled press screening on Friday night will be replaced with another title to be announced and the festival will do the same with subsequent slots as the event progresses.
The untitled Buena Vista Social Club Documentary is a companion piece to [link...
Sundance staff were informed late on Thursday night and have replaced the Friday slot with An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power, which premiered on Thursday night.
“We at Broad Green are disappointed that we will not be able to premiere this compelling documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival,” a spokesperson for Broad Green said.
“The film’s post-production process has taken longer than expected and thus the decision was made to wait to introduce the film to audiences until it can be presented in its best possible iteration.”
A scheduled press screening on Friday night will be replaced with another title to be announced and the festival will do the same with subsequent slots as the event progresses.
The untitled Buena Vista Social Club Documentary is a companion piece to [link...
- 1/20/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The Sundance Film Festival announced Friday morning that filmmaker Lucy Walker’s “Untitled Buena Vista Social Club Documentary” would not premiere at the 2017 fest as previously announced. The Sundance Institute only learned that the film would not play late on Thursday.
“We at Broad Green are disappointed that we will not be able to premiere this compelling documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival,” Broad Green Pictures said in a statement. “The film’s post production process has taken longer than expected and thus the decision was made to wait to introduce the film to audiences until it can be presented in its best possible iteration.”
The film, which at one point carried the title “The Flowers of Life: Social Club Buena Vista,” revisited the Cuban band Buena Vista Social Club, also the subject of filmmaker Wim Wenders’ eponymous doc from 1999.
Here’s the official synopsis released previously by...
“We at Broad Green are disappointed that we will not be able to premiere this compelling documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival,” Broad Green Pictures said in a statement. “The film’s post production process has taken longer than expected and thus the decision was made to wait to introduce the film to audiences until it can be presented in its best possible iteration.”
The film, which at one point carried the title “The Flowers of Life: Social Club Buena Vista,” revisited the Cuban band Buena Vista Social Club, also the subject of filmmaker Wim Wenders’ eponymous doc from 1999.
Here’s the official synopsis released previously by...
- 1/20/2017
- by Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Is that my stomach rumbling at the prospect of seeing a 'ramen Western' again? Or are my eyes crying with joy at the thought of experiencing classic Coppola in Blu-ray? The Criterion Collection has announced their forthcoming Blu-ray discs for April 2017 and the lineup includes not only Tampopo and Rumble Fish, but also Wim Wenders Buena Vista Social Club, George Stevens' Woman of the Year, and Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort. Click through the gallery to read the descriptions, courtesy of Criterion, and the covers. And then start budgeting!...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 1/18/2017
- Screen Anarchy
It’s about half-way through the month, which means it’s time for The Criterion Collection to reveal their next slate of additions. A clear highlight of the April batch is Francis Ford Coppola‘s newly restored black-and-white drama Rumble Fish, which will feature commentary from the director and much more. There’s also Juzo Itami‘s Tampopo, which has enjoyed as successful theatrical restoration the last year, and features a new video essay by Tony Zhou, as well as a feature-length making of documentary.
Also coming to the collection is the George Stevens romantic dramedy Woman of the Year with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, as well as Wim Wenders‘ documentary Buena Vista Social Club. Along with those, we’ll also be getting stand-alone editions of The Young Girls of Rochefort and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, previously only available through the incredible Jacques Demy set, which is easily my...
Also coming to the collection is the George Stevens romantic dramedy Woman of the Year with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, as well as Wim Wenders‘ documentary Buena Vista Social Club. Along with those, we’ll also be getting stand-alone editions of The Young Girls of Rochefort and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, previously only available through the incredible Jacques Demy set, which is easily my...
- 1/18/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
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